The Conclusion.

THus have I at length rub'd through the Reverend Authors Discourse; and upon a Calm Reflexion on my work, do not think I can displease any one more than my self: Such is the common fate of eager Dis∣putants, that whilst they would reach a knock at their Antagonists, they lose their blow, and wound themselves: so easie it is, while we are scribling, to forget that we are dying; and that our Sand runs faster than our Ink: If the late change of Ink-horns, into Inck-glasses, had but taught us how frail and brittle we all are, it had been the most innocent significant Ceremony that ever was invented. I could wish there were a General Au∣ditors Office erected, to take the Account, what all Dis∣putes amount to, and 'tis probable the Total would be this, That the Contenders have lost more, than ever their Readers gained. Thus zealous Gamesters win and lose awhile, till at last the Box gets the stakes, and its well if the unconcerned by-standers come off savers: And yet when we condemn, and seem to bewail our wranglings, we go on, and wrangle still, like little children that scratch and bite, and cry together: But the Dissenters have one Plea, That in these Piracies they are not the Aggressors, but stand purely on their just Defence: If the Winds could be quiet, the Waves would not tumultuate; but poor Neptune bears the blame of all the Mutinies in his Kingdom, when Aeo∣lus only is guilty of the disorder. If their Opposers Page  101 could hold their hands, the Dissenters would easily rule their tongues and pens, and would silently suffer silent persecution: That which goes to the quick, is this, That men cannot be content to shoot their keen arrows, except they poyson them with bitter words; like the Serpent that pierces with his teeth, and infuses his venom along with his biting. It is far more easie to pluck up the Flood-gates, than having once done it, to shut 'em down again. We have seen the be∣ginning of a Controversie, which may perhaps outlive our Funerals, and the next age may lament those wounds which the present has got, but sleeps it out, and feels not. But if we must, or will reciprocate this Saw of Contention, what need to go down to the Phi∣listins to sharpen the Polemical Cutlass, when we have a file at home will give it too much keenness. I owe the Reader and my self this debt of Justice, to pro∣fess, That I have not to my knowledg gratified any base lust in this my Answer; I have steered by the compass of Truth, and have not vered willingly from it, though perhaps I have not always made the point I aimed at. I must further profess, That I have those awful thoughts of the Reverend Doctor, whose Tract I pretend to Answer, that he has equalled most, and excelled many of those Worthies, who have maintained the Protestant Cause against insulting Rome; but in this Cause he has gone below himself, and many others, which I do not impute to any want of Controversial skill, but the intrinsick weakness of the Cause he defended, and the real strength of that he oppugned; and seeing fur∣ther than others into the true state of the Contro∣versie, he discerned the feebless of other mens Argu∣ments; but yet through the iniquity of the matter, Page  102 could find out none better of his own. And lastly, I must openly profess, after all I can hear, or read a∣gainst the Cause of Nonconformity, I am more con∣firm'd, that all the wit of man can never prove the Dissenters in their way of worship guilty of the Mis∣chiefs of Separation, nor justifie the exacters of such terms of Communion as are no way commanded by the word of God, no way necessary to the executing of those Commands; but they must remain still guilty of the Mischief of these Impositions.