A brief answer to Doctor Ferns book tending to resolve conscience about the subjects…A briefe answer to Doctor Fernes booke tending to resolve conscience about the subjects…

Lately my name was injuriously added to a printed paper, wherein there was a Petition against Accommodations: It says I went along with it, whereas I knew nothing at all of it, until near a week after it was delivered to the House. Thus are we at the mercy of every malignant spirit, if he can get a Printer to assist him, to be rendered to the world as odious as he pleaseth. As great an injury I suffered before, though in another nature, when a few pieces of a Sermon I preached to young men were gathered together, and patched up with a deal of non-sense, and additions of their own as they pleased, and then put out as mine. Although we live amongst men set on fire, yet God forbid but we should follow peace: but it must be the peace of Jerusalem, not the peace of Babylon.

Lately my name was injuriously added to a printed paper, wherein there was a Petition against Accommodations: It sayes I went along with it, whereas I knew nothing at all of it, untill neere a week after it was delivered to the House. Thus are we at the mercy of every malignant spirit, if he can get a Printer to assist him, to be rendred to the world as odious as he pleaseth. As great an injury I suffered before, though in another nature, when a few pieces of a Sermon I preached to young men were gathered together, and patched up with a deale of non-sense, and additions of their owne as they pleased, and then put out as mine. Although we live amongst men set on fire, yet God forbid but we should follow peace: but it must be the peace of Jerusalem, not the peace of Babylon.

And the truth is, had the people known their liberties before, it is very probable these wars would have been prevented. This I am confident hath been the great encouraging, fomenting argument for these wars, If we go in the name of the King, none will dare to stir against us; What will they take up Arms to resist their King? Had they seen the weakness of this their Argument, at it is applied to this business in hand, that blood that hath been shed would have been prevented; And if the people of the Land knew the Liberty that God, and Nature, and Law gives them, there would soon be an end of these Wars; but a few such Doctors at this is, may help to prolong them, by dividing the people, and putting them into a maze, coming in so plausible a way to inform Conscience; whereas in truth he gives no bottom for Conscience to rest on, but rather puts it to a stand, or rather into a labyrinth.