The truth of the times vindicated whereby the lawfulness of Parliamentary proceedings in taking…The truth of the times vindicated whereby the lawfulnesse of Parliamentary procedings in taking…

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE READER.

AN INTRODVCTION TO THE READER.

GOOD Reader, you see into what sad times we are now fallen: our English Sun is almost set, out day of peace and plenty is almost done; workmen go from their labour, & beasts go forth to their prey. And it war be the worst of all miseries, and civill war the worst of all wars (as indeed it is: For there the parents do bury their children; ^awhereas otherwise the children do bury their parents) then is our condition of all the most lamentable. The disputing time is almost now over: The Doctor hath stared so long in bringing up his Rear, that I fear the controversy depending, is now rather to be determined with the dint of the sword, then with the strength of the pen: yet because the Temple must be built in troubleous times, and the tide of truth doth usually at the first creep up by the bank side against the stream; I am not unwilling for truths sake, once more to appear in this cause, that I may deliver it from those exceptions wherewith the D ctor hath burdened the same. It is not long since I met with the Doctors reply, and at the first I thought it not necessary to give any answer unto it; partly because the subject is so well beaten, that he is almost answered before he hath objected; partly because I count that Reply scarce worth a sober answer, which is clothed with so many scoffing jeers, and vile reproaches, things unworthy▪ of a D. D. especially such as pretend satisfaction of conscience: but it will find entertainment with conscience according to its own nature: For what Luther speaks of certain Preachers, is true of Writers ⟨p. 2⟩also.^b Multi sunt (saith he) there are many hot and tumultuous Preachers, who would have all things done as they say, not so much willing to be heard because they speak the word of God, as because they are teachers of it, desiring rather that the Organ then the sound may be commended; who having meditated and conceived some words, do promise to themselves presently to convert those that hear them: Whereas through the wonderful wisdom of God, they do nothing less then what they thought: For the soul of man perceiving that the Word preached is compounded with their Art, and covered over with humane dung; that is, polluted with humane affection and passion, it doth therefore nauseate the thing delivered, and is rather provoked then converted.