defire you, and my Readers, of whom I am fure you'll be one, to confider my Preface ra ther as another Book, than a Preface and to that end I have fet the Contents of it before it, as Writers commonly do before their Books. Could I have forefeen it would have been fo long, I would have made it a Book by it felf; but however I think it is all one to the Reader, and the Interests of Truth, whether he hath an Anfwer to your Book in a joint, or a feparate Treatife; and thofe who think it not worth the while to read fuch an Answer under the Title of a Preface, would, I believe, have as little mind to read it, if it were published fingly in a diftinct Book.

When you pleafe, Sir, to make a Reply, I hope you'll put your Name to it, as L have put mine to this Book, and thereby fhew the World, that you are neither afham'd or afraid to own what you have written in your Book of the Rights, or the Preface to it, or to appear in the defence of them. Afham'd you ought not to be for discovering a Craft, I mean the Craft of Priefts, who, if you write Truth, have bubbl'd and cheated the World, at least ever fince the Priestly Office was divided from the Regal; nor ought you to be afraid for publishing wholesome and feafonable Doctrines, to deliver Mankind from the Slavery of an ufurped Power, under which, if Men will believe it, it hath been fo long

in Egyptian Bondage. But if the World hould belo blind, and ungrateful, as to perfecute their Deliverer, would not your Sufferings carry a Reward of great Glory with them? And would it not be for your everlasting Honour to be a Confeffor for detecting fuch Errors as you pretend to refute? Pray, Sir, remember that Socrates, who dy'd for one great Truth, hath had not only Statues erected, but Medals ftruck for the Honour of his Memory, and by his Sufferings hath left fuch a glorious Idea of himself in the Minds of Men, that his Name hath been tranfmitted to Pofterity, like the Pictures of Saints, with a Glory about it and to this day is not mentioned but with fuch Honour, as is usually paid to the Memories of fuch excellent Men, as were, or endea voured to be Reformers of their Country, and Benefactors to Mankind. Sir, remember his great Example, and fear not at a venture to publifh your Name, that it may for ever live, and be venerable with his, who attempted to deliver his Country, truly Prieft-ridden, from the Religious Slavery, and Impofitions of crafty Priefts. Take Courage then, Sir, and let the World know your worthy Name, that it may be immortalized with that of Mr. Bl's, and T's, and Af's, and St ns's, and other fuch Hero's, whofe Principles are: cited in the Rehearsal, and in the Ax laid to the 'Root of Chriflianity, that you may be as glorious in your Alhes after you are dead, as A 3

t

one

one of them already is, and the rest, Mr. Afgil not excepted, will in a little time be.

But, Sir, you have other Reasons, and more convincing, why you need not much fear to own what you write by Name, as I have done here. But Shame and Fear fet apart, Generofity and the Laws of Combat seem alfo to require you to put your Name to what you write. For otherwife I, and your other Antagonists,muft engage against you with difadvantage, and combat you, as fome are faid to have fought with Ghofts, feeing only your Weapon, and the Glitterings of it, but not the Hand that weilds it; which is thought fo unequal and unfair, that very able, and skilful Writers of Controverfy, have told their Adverfaries in their Answers, that if they reply'd, they would take their Replys for nothing, unless they published them with their Names,

I am fure I have more reafon to be afraid of owning what I have written, than you ; for if those who have a larger Sphere of Converfation than I, tell me truth, there are now too great Numbers of almoft all Ranks and Conditions, who will revile me, and perfecute me, and fay all manner of Evil, and with all Bitterness against me, for the fake of thofe old, I had almost faid antiquated Principles, which I have endeavoured to defend against you, and do me all the Mischief they can. But none of these things move me; for

I put my trust in God, whofe Inftitutions and Truths, I think, they are, which I endeavour to maintain against you, and all others, who give themselves the Character of Men of large Thoughts, and value themselves as Free Thinkers; and who delight to mifrepresent all Principles, which are uneafy to Flesh and Blood, and contrary to Worldly Interefts, as unnatural; and make fuch a Clutter and Din among us with the Natural Rights and Liberties of Mankind. I am almoft old enough to write an History of the Rife and Progrefs of Latitude, were it worth the while, in my own time; and I have now liv'd fo long, as to fee the Comble of it in almost an utter waste of all Principles; Latitude, the Source of all Mifchief, having fcarce left any one Principle, but this, that there is no Principle, nor any Creed, but that One-Article Creed, which I have been told, one Libertine faid was the Creed of your Club, viz. I believe all that I can.

Thefe, Sir, as we find from your Book, are the Men, who hate the Clergy above all Mortals, and therefore love to drefs them up in the Bear-skins of terrible and odious Names, to make them frightful, and hateful to the People. These are the Men, whofe Oracle you are, and whofe Party-Language you speak, calling us, as you think very finely, HighChurch, High-flyers, and Enslavers of Mankind. But, Sir, to let you and your Party fee, how little

A 4

little I am concerned at those Names, let me tell you, I glory in them, and here make no difficulty to profefs to be all that they truly import, I am for the Heighth, as well as the Breadth, and Depth of the Church, that is built upon the Foundation of the Apoftles, and Prophets, Jefus Christ himself being the chief Corner-ftone. I am as much for the higheft Pinnacle of it, as any other part, tho' it may be you would throw me down headlong from it, if you could, as the Jews did St. James, from the Battlements of their Temple. I alfo profefs to be an Highfyr, whofe Endeavour is to fly upon the Wings of the old Principles, which you ridicule, as upon the Wings of Angels, to my Saviour, to the General Affembly, to the Church (the High-Church) of the First-born, who are enrolled in Heaven, and to the Spirits of Just Men made perfect. And as to the last and most hateful Name, you'll find by my Answer, I am, as I have long been, one of thofe whom you mifcall Enfavers of Mankind, by those strict, holy, and Primitive Doctrines, with which be that made us hath been pleased to limit the Paffions, and Actions of Men, and restrain the Lufts, and Liberties of Flesh and Blood.

You fee, Sir, I have made a frank Confeffion to you, and therefore you ought not to reproach me, or be angry with me, for my Error, if it be my unhappy Error, First, BeFaufe I confefs it, and Secondly, becaufe I

baye