Vindiciæ legis & fœderis

But alas! alas! no sooner is the rod off our backs, and a respite from sufferings given us; but we are presently sounding an alarm to the Battle again, and to my sorrow my self unavoidably engaged therein.

But alas! alas! no sooner is the rod off our backs, and a respit from sufferings given us; but we are presently sounding an allarm to the Battle again, and to my sorrow my self unavoidably engaged therein.

Friends, I have a witness in many of your bosoms, how peacefully and respectfully I have always carried it towards you; even to such a degree, as began to bring me under the suspicion of some of your party, that I was inclining to their Opinion, though I did not openly profess it. But the true reasons of my moderation in this point were, (1) That I ever did, and still do look upon many of you as Christians, sound in the other great Doctrines of the Gospel. (2) That there are difficulties in this Controversy which may puzzle the minds of well-meaning Christians. (3) I highly valued the peace of the Church, and durst do nothing that tended to keep open the breaches upon a Controversy of this nature; ⟨image 8⟩you being for purity in Doctrine and Worship in most other controverted points, as well as we. (4) I observed how rare a thing it is for engaged parties to give ground. Qui velit ingenio cedar, rarus erit. (5) My head, heart, and hands have been filled with better employments, from which I am extremely loth to be diverted. If Bellarmine turned with loathing from School-divinity, because it wanted the sweet juice of Piety; much more may I turn from such perverse disputes as these: Sure I may find as fair expositions of Scripture, and as accurate, and legitimate distinctions among the School-men; as in Mr. Tombs his Examen and Apology; or (which for the most part is but a transcript of both) in Mr. Cary's Solemn Call. But I see I must not be my own chooser, I cannot now be both silent and innocent; for in this Solemn ⟨image 8⟩Call I find the great Doctrines of Gods Covenants abused by my Neighbour. The Book's dispersed into many families related to me in this place, one of them delivered to me by the Authors own hand, with a pressing desire to give my judgment upon it. Several Objections which I privately and seasonably sent him to prevent the sin and folly of his attempt, pretended to be answered from p. 164. ad p. 183. Thus am I necessarily brought into the field of Controversy, whither I come not a Volunteer, but a pressed man; not out of choice, but necessity. And now I am here, I resolve to be only Adversarius litis, non personae, an Adversary in the Controversy, not to the person, especially of my friendly Neighbour.