There are Thousands in the world better than I am, Whose Opportunities for Service are taken from them: If a great door and effectual is as yet opened to me, all that know my Circumstances will say I ought to thank God, and not the world. I must and do (not altogether without shame and Sorrow for my want of wisdom to improve them) acknowledge that the ⟨image ?⟩Lord Jesus hath entrusted me for many years with rich Opportunities more ways than one; but how soon they may be all gone I know not. That Satan and his Instruments have been designing to deprive me of them, is manifest from that foolish and Treasonable Letter pretended to be written at Boston in N. E. 3d. of 10th. M. 1683. whereunto my name is most injuriously affixed: which Letter was Published in Barbados, and part of it Printed by Le Strange in his Observators Novemb. 26, 27. and Decemb. 1. 1684. as if it had been really mine, whenas I never wrote so much as one Line of it, nor had any more hand in the Composure of it than the Observator himself had. I find in the History of Shamplots, pag. 16 that some of far greater worth than I am have suffered the like abuses. Dr. Owen, Mr. Baxter, Dr. Conant and others had Treasonable Letters imposed on them by wicked men. Who am I, that I should not bear such wrongs with Patience? Hitherto I have not published any thing for my Vindication, and it was in my thoughts never to have done it, but to have left all to the Discoveries of the great DAY, in the mean time being mindful of the old Saying, Magnum Contumeliae remedium NegNegligentia. ⟨image ?⟩But having been informed that some have made an ill use of my Silence, I thought it my Duty to take this occasion to notify to the world what I have now declared.
There are Thousands in the world better than I am, Whose Opportunities for Service are taken from them: If a great door and effectual is as yet opened to me, all that know my Circumstances will say I ought to thank God, and not the world. I must and do (not altogether without shame and Sorrow for my want of wisdome to improve them) acknowledge that the ⟨image ?⟩Lord Iesus hath entrusted mee for many years with rich Opportunities more wayes than one; but how soon they may be all gone I know not. That Satan and his Instruments have been designing to deprive mee of them, is manifest from that foolish and Treasonable Letter pretended to be written at Boston in N. E. 3d. of 10th. M. 1683. whereunto my name is most injuriously affixed: which Letter was Published in Barbadoes, and part of it Printed by Le Strange in his Observators Novemb. 26, 27. and Decemb. 1. 1684. as if it had been really mine, whenas I never wrote so much as one Line of it, nor had any more hand in the Composure of it than the Observator himself had. I find in the History of Shamplots, pag. 16 that some of farr greater worth than I am have suffered the like abuses. Dr. Owen, Mr. Baxter, Dr. Conant and others had Treasonable Letters imposed on them by wicked men. Who am I, that I should not bear such wrongs with Patience? Hitherto I have not published any thing for my Vindication, and it was in my thoughts never to have done it, but to have left all to the Discoveries of the great DAY, in the mean time being mindful of the old Saying, Magnum Contumeliae remedium NegNegligentia. ⟨image ?⟩But having been informed that some have made an ill use of my Silence, I thought it my Duty to take this occasion to notifie to the world what I have now declared.
