A just and necessary apology against an unjust invective published

He saith, That at Edmundsbury or Rochford, I did prostitute my Ministry to all •hose superstitious and idolatrous Innovations of the Prelates in those days; and I did this, that I might not suffer for the truth, and that by this I became a snare in Mispeh to Ministers and people, and that for so doing I am to be debarred from my Ministry, and that in this I did as bad as Origen, or the Christian soldiers in Julians days, that offered incense to Idol gods. To all which, let not M. Burton be offended, if I answer in his own words, p. 1. Find me a man that hath sharp teeth, &c. But I will not answer railing with railing. Only, I say, this is a high breach of the ninth Commandment: For can M. Burton prove that I did prostitute my Ministry to all those superstitious and idolatrous Innovations, &c. I say, ⟨p. 8⟩to all, &c. Surely, I never bowed to; or towards the Altar, to, or towards the East. I never read that wicked book of liberty for sports upon the Lords day. I never read prayers at the high Altar, placed at the upper end of the Church, where the people could not hear. I have often preached against Innovations, and once I did it at a public Visitation, and was called in question for my labour, and should have been sent for to the High Commission, had not God raised up a special friend to prevent it. I never justified the Oath ex Officio, nor ever prosecuted any man or woman at the High Commission. I never (to my best remembrance) at any time preached for the justification of any of the Innovations. In some few things I did, I confess, conform according to the light I then had, out of the uprightness of my heart, not to avoid suffering for the truth (the Lord knoweth) though M. Burton sitting as Lord over my conscience is not ashamed to judge of my intentions, as well as my actions, and to say, I did it that I might not suffer for the truth: which cannot but be a rash, if not a most unjust censure. And for those particular things wherein I yielded, I had the consent of the godly people in Bury, who did profess unto me, that if my conscience would give me leave to yield to those things, they would not be offended with what I did, nor like my Ministry any whit the worser; and how then could that that I did be such a snare to Ministers and people? But how will M.

He saith, That at Edmundsbury or Rochford, I did prostitute my Ministery to all •hose superstitious and idola•rous Innovations of the Prelates in those daies; and I did this, that I might not suffer for the truth, and that by this I became a snare in Mispeh to Ministers and people, and that for so doing I am to be debarred from my Ministery, and that in this I did as bad as Origen, or the Christian souldiers in Julians daies, that offered incense to Idolgods. To all which, let not M. Burton be offended, if I answer in his own words, p. 1. Finde me a man that hath sharp teeth, &c. But I will not answer railing with railing. Only, I say, this is a high breach of the ninth Commandment: For can M. Burton prove that I did prostitute my Ministery to all those superstitious and idolatrous Innovations, &c. I say,