An end of doctrinal controversies which have lately troubled the churches by reconciling explication without much disputing. Written by Richard Baxter.

CHAP. I. Prefatory. Who shall be Iudge of Controversies, and of the Sence of Scripture; whether all the People, or who else.

Sect. I. EXperience assuring all Men, that we are born without actual Know∣ledg, and yet with Faculties made to Know, obliged to Learn, desi∣••ing Knowledg, needing it, and delighting in it, ••o wonder if Men be inquisitive after the surest ••nd easiest way to attain it; and if they be unwil∣••ing to be deceived, no wonder they love Truth as Truth, and hate Lyes as Lyes; though, being de∣••eived, they hate that which is Truth, and love that which is a Lye.

§. 2. Therefore the first Apprehensions of the mind do greatly tend to the introduction of those that follow, to make them such as shall agree with these: And here, 1. Sense, and 2. Education have the great advantage. 1. We exercise Sense before Reason, and therefore, at first, without the government of our own Reason, and this necessarily, strongly, and constantly, as the Bruites do. 2. And being there∣fore governed by the Reason of our Parents, we learn Knowledg of them, and from sensible Objects, ••ut drop by drop, by slow degrees; and Sense be∣ing strong, inclineth Children strongly to desire

that sort of Knowledg, which will most serve the pleasure of Sence and Fleshly Appetite: And so they easily learn how to sport, and after how to seek Pro••••ssion (by Labour and Trades, and Fla••∣tery▪ 〈…〉〈…〉.) t•• s••tisfi the Desires of the Flesh. But the 〈…〉〈…〉dg of things spiritual and everlastin•• which are beyond the reach of Sight and all the Se ses, cometh not in so soon▪ nor till Parents o•• other Teachers tell them of such, or Reason grow up to m••turity, by Experience and serious Exer∣cise, and withal, the Grace of God to bless such Help••, and overcome the contrary fleshly inclina∣tions, which original Pravity and customary Sen∣suality, raise up against the Desires of, Endeavours for, and Obedience to a spiritual and more excel∣lent Knowledg. Where God giveth, 1. A Body moderately temperated as to Sensuality and Inge∣nuity; 2. And Parents, or first-Teachers, wise and faithful, to teach Children that spiritual Know∣ledg which they have learn•• themselves; and, 3. by His Grace exciteth Childrens Minds to love, learn, and obey the Truth, there enter the begin∣nings of truest Wisdom: But where these are wan∣ting, they grow up, instead of saving Wisdom, to the craftiness of a Fo••, to get, keep, and devour his Prey, and to the valour and felicity of the Mastisse, to be Master of the little Dogs; and at last, to the subtilty of Devils, to oppose and de∣stroy as a hated thing the Holy Wisdom and Pra∣ctice that should have saved them.

§. 3. As Knowledg cometh in by slow degree••▪ so there are as many degrees or differences of it, in the World, as there are Men; it being not probe∣ble that any two men on Earth have just the same apprehensions and degrees of Knowledg; but that

all mens mental Complexions differ far more than their Vis••ges do. So that if the same degree were ••he measure of necessary Church-Concord, and ••alvation, there should but one in the World be ••••e Church or be saved. The question then is not, What measure is desireable, but what is necessary to Church-Unity and Communion, and to Salvation. And what God will do with those that have not the Gospel, and are not of the Christian Church, but only believe that God is, and that he is the Re∣••••rder of them that 〈…〉〈…〉tly seek him, and that in every Nation do fear God, and work righteousness] be∣longeth not to our present question; but only what is necessary to the Christian State and Hope.

§. 4. And here it is first to be decided, Whether God hath by ••y fixed Law or Revelation determined so ••f the Measure of Christian Knowledg and Faith, as ••hat thereby men may know who are to be taken as Chri∣stians and of the Church? To which I say, 1. We ••ust distinguish of Faith as objective and as Active, ••r as to the matter believed, and as to the Act of ••elieting or knowing. 2. Between the Inward Sin∣cerity and the Outward Profession: And remember ••hat though God judge of Men according 1. to in∣ward Sincerity, and 2. expect that degree of Know∣e••••g and Faith in Act and Habit suitable to means ••njoyed, without which the man and his Faith are ••ot indeed sincere; yet the Church (and all Men) ••an judge of others, but 1. By outward Profession, ••. extended to that degree of Objective Faith, which God hath made commonly necessary to Christiani∣ty or to the acceptance of the Church

It is therefore here a deceiving Consusion, to ••onfound the two cases, what is necessary to God's acceptance into Heaven, and what is necessary to a

Man's acceptance into the Church. And thence some conclude that no man can tell just what is necessary to Individuals.

§. 5. That Christ hath stated the Essentials of Christianity, taken objectively should be so far past question, as our Christianity it self is, at least. For if he have not, then he is not the Author and Finisher of our Faith: And if he be not who is▪ The Apostles delivered it as received from him. If it were not then made and determined by Christ, then there was then no Christianity, and so no Christians. And if it was made since then, who wa•• the Maker of Objective Christianity? No Man o•• Company of Men dare or do pretend to it. If they should, whence had they that Power? And did •••• die with them? Or may others after them make also a new Christianity? Paul pronounceth Angel or Man accursed that should bring another Gospel than that which he had received and preached Gal. 1. 7, 8. 1 Cor. 15. 3, 4. &c.

2. And if the Essentials of Christianity and Church-relation and Communion were not deter∣mined of by Christ, and notified in the Holy Scrip∣tures, then there could be then no Christian Church, for want of Church-Essentials. And then when began that Church, and who made it.

3. But the Gospel hath put the matter out of doubt, telling us that Christ hath actually declared and determined the Essentials of Objective Chri∣stianity and the Church: even in his Institution o•• Baptism, which is our Christening, which in his preaching he expounded, and so did his Apostles. 2. And as his Baptized Disciples were called Christians, so he commanded them to Love one another and live in Concord and Communion a••

Christians: and could any obey this Command, of Christianity was then either unmade or a thing that could not be known?

§. 6. And if it was then made by Christ, it was sur••ly anchangeable: else men might be still ma∣king a new Christianity, from Age to Age, and when should we have an end? And who hath power or skill to make a better than Christ made 〈…〉〈…〉 that attempted it, thereby is an accursed Antichrist?

§. 7. And now we come next to enquire, I. What are the Church-Controversies to be decided. II. And who are the Dissenters that differ herein. III. And then we shall easily find who it is that must be the Judge of them.

§. 8. And 1. it is supposed that it is no one essen∣tial part o•• Objective Christianity that is in Controver∣sie. 2. And that it is not among Christians that any such point is controverted. For he that de∣nyeth any essential part, denyeth Christianity and the Church; and therefore is no Christian (what∣ever he may be called by himself or others.) And though Confounders make a great Controversie of it, whether a Heretick be a Christian and a part of the Church, it's easily resolved; if we dally not with an ambiguous word: If by a Heretick be meant one that professeth not, or deny••d any essential part of Christianity or the Church, he is no Christian nor part of that Church which he denyed: But if by a Heretick be meant one that professeth not, or denyeth only something that is of the melius esse of Christianity and the Church, he is a Member though a faulty one.

§. 9. But it will be said, that more than the Essen∣tials of Christianity is necessary to Church-Communion:

else we must receive Drunkards, Fornicators, Extortio∣ners, Railers, with whom, saith St. Paul, we must net eat.

Ans. I would those that will not endure tolerable men for a different opinion or circumstance, could as little endure Drunkards, Fornicators, Extor∣tioners, and Railers, and Covetous, &c. But the Objectors must understand, That as I said, The Baptismal Covenanting Profession of Christianity is our Church-title to its Communion. And that Christianity is more than a bare Opinion or Notional Assent: it is a solemn giving up our selves by Vow and Covenant to God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, as our God and Saviour and Sanctifier, to be Taught and Ruled by Christ, as well as pardoned, adopted, and glorified; which essentially containeth Repentance and the Renunciation of the Dominion of the Flesh, the World, and the Devil, which are contrary to the Government of Christ.

And it must be remembred that a Verbal Pro∣fession proved counterfeit and false by inconsistent contradiction in word or deed, is indeed not valid, and is no Profession. And he that would say, I will be Ruled by Christ, but I will be a Drunkard, a Fornicator, an Extortioner, &c. would thus nul∣lifie his Profession by a gross Contradiction: And to live impenitently in these sins, is as sure a proof of falshood of a man's Profession, as contrary words would be. And if a man once and again commit such Sins till he Repent of them, he chooseth them and liveth in them: And while he chooseth and liveth in them, he Repenteth not indeed, what∣ever he say: For Repentance is a change of Mind and Life.

Therefore we here distinguish of Mens Right to Church-Communion as 1. unquestioned, 2. as lost or null, 3. as doubtful and under tryal. 1. A Baptismal Profession of all the Essence of Christia∣nity, and not disproved, is a Title not to be questio∣ned. 2. Apostasie, or the denyal by word or deed ••f any essential part of Christianity, justly proved, nullifieth Christianity and Church Right. 3. But if a man speak or hold some bad opinion by a re∣mote u••see••. consequence, contrary to somewhat essential to Christianity, or if he commit some Sin that is inconsistent if he Repent not, here the Church must try whether the said Error be indeed so held, as that the contradicted truth is really not held, or only be held on a mistake of consisten∣••••, the person professing to renounce it, if incon∣sistent: And whether the said Sinner live impeni∣tently in that Sin, as that which he chooseth and will not forsake: And while the man is under this doubtful Tryal, his Title is doubtful, and to be suspended as to actual Exercise.

And therefore the Church hath ever used Suspen∣sion as a thing different from a full or proper Ex∣communication. Suspension and some disciplinary restraints, have been called Excommunicatio minor, which doth not cut off a man from the Church: When the proper Excommunication called major, is but an Authoritative Declaring that a man hath cut off himself, by Apostasie at least from some essential part of Christian Faith or Duty: without which self-abs••ision, other mens hath no place, and is but a Slander of the innocent. God hath not given others Power to unchristen, cut off or damn the guiltless.

§. 10. It's one thing to be cut off from the Church or Christ, 2. and another to be under try∣al and suspense o•• actual Communion, till Repen∣tance prove mens Right. 3. And it's another to be at present only denyed Communion (not with the Church wholly, but) in some comfortable Or∣dinances, till the removing of a Scandal have made the person capable, by satisfying the scandalized. 4. And its another thing to be cast down from a higher to a lower station, and denyed Dignities, Preferments, and special Honour. Confound not these.

§. 11. And by this time you may see how to an∣swer the ill-stated question, Who is the Iudge of Controversies in Religion: and of the Sence of the Scripture: and whether every ignorant Man or Wo∣man, or Child must be Iudges of it for themselves?

And first you must understand the foresaid Di∣stinctions necessary to the Solution; Ambiguities and Generalities are the instruments of Deceit. And secondly I shall apply them to the case.

§. 12. 1. We must distinguish Controverted Essentials of Christianity, from controverted In∣tegrals, and Accidents.

2. Distinguish Controversies between Christians and no-Christians, from Controversies among Christians.

3. Distinguish material Objective Christianity (Faith and Duty) from internal Subjective.

4. Distinguish external valid Profession of Actual Faith not disproved, from internal Sincerity.

5. Distinguish between what is necessary to God's accepting a man to Justification and Salva∣tion; and what's necessary to the Church's accep∣ting a man to Communion.

6. Distinguish what is necessary to that stated Union and Communion which is our real Church-Membership and Christianity, from that which is necessary to the present actual exercise of such Right in some local Priviledges and Acts; and from that which only sitteth men for Dignity or Office.

7. Distinguish between the Case de esse, or real Truth, and the Case de scire, or judging of it.

8. Distinguish between Judging what others shall Believe about things controverted, and go∣verning their Practice, how they shall behave themselves.

9. Distinguish a private Judgment, discerning what is or is not our own Duty, and a publick Iudgment in Government of others.

10. Distinguish the Judgment of several Gover∣nours according to their divers Offices, and Ends.

11. Distinguish a limitted Power to Judge only one way from a power of judging obligatively in partem utram libet, this way or that.

12. Distinguish the real incomplexe Matter or Objects of Faith, from the literal complexe words which signifie them. And so these conclusions will be clear past doubt.

Concl. 1. All Christians are agreed in the Essen∣tials of Christianity: Therefore these are no Church-controversies for any to be the Judges of▪ It's only Insidels and Men without our Church that differ from us in these. And Insidels are not to be converted by the Authority of a humane Judge (nor ever were) but by Teachers shewing the Evi∣dences of Truth.

C. II. All Christians, as such being bound by Christ to love one another, and live in Communion as

Members of one Body, notwithstanding lesser dif∣ferences, it followeth that Christian Unity, Love, and Communion depend not on the question, Who shall be Iudge of Controversies; as being pre∣supposed to it.

C. III. But the Baptizing Pastors of the Churches are by office the Judges, whether it be indeed the Essentials of Christianity which are profest by the Baptized.

C. IV. And therein it is the Real incomplexe Objects that are propterse essential (God, Christ, Grace, &c.) And the ••••gnal words are only neces∣sary to notifie to the Church what men believe: And no singular words only are necessary: Else only men of One Language could be Christians: But any words will serve which signifie the same Matter: few will serve for some: and others must use more. The words of Baptism suffice where they are understood: But the Creed, Lord's Pray∣er, and Decalogue, as the sum of the Credenda, Pe∣tenda, Agenda, have by the Church been judged a sufficient explication, for the Baptized: And in these we all agree.

C. V. Though real sincerity of active Faith and Consent be necessary to Salvation, God judging the Heart; yet Profession not disproved, must satisfie the Church: Who therefore are not put to judge whether mens Knowledg reach the degree of their Helps?

C. VI. The Baptizing one into the Union of the Church-Universal, obligeth him to exercise Christ's instituted Worship in particular Churches; and therefore to know what that is: which is The Pastor's Teaching the Flock Christ's Gospel; officia∣ting in the administration of the Lord's Supper, Prayer

and Praise, and Disciplinary Government by the use of the Church-Keys: Of Mens fitness for these, the Pa∣stors are the Judges, and the Flock must obey.

C. VII. Christ hath in Scripture instituted all that is of necessity to this Communion.

C. VIII. Every Governour hath a governing Judgment (called Publick) suitable to his Office. The Pastours are Judges who is capable of Baptism and Church-Communion, as far as must be execu∣ted by the Keys.

The Magistrate is Judge who is by him to be countenanced, tolerated, or punished by force.

The Parents are Judges in cases about their Wives and Children, proper to Family-Govern∣ment

But every reasonable Creature being a Gover∣nour of himself, is necessarily the Discerner of his own Duty. And God being the Highest Ruler, and there being no Power but of Him, and none against Him, no Man must obey any against him: and all must use their Reason to judge whether Mens Laws be against God or not: If this were not so, 1. Men were governed as meer Bruites: 2. And must curse God or Christ, or murder, or do any Evil that Ru∣lers bid them. 3. And then God should for this punish none but Soveraigns. 4. And then all Na∣tions must be of the King's Religion. 5. And then men must not judge whether it be the Just Prince or the Usurper that they must obey. In short, this overthroweth all Religion and Humanity.

C. IX. No men have Power to Judge in partem utramlibet, or against any Article of Faith or Divine Obedience; the Thing is True or False before they judge of it: and if they judge against Truth, their Judgment is void: God binds as not to believe

their Lie: They have no Power to judge that there is no God, no Christ, no Holy Ghost, that the Gospel is false, that Men may commit Idolatry, Perjury, Murder, Adultery, &c. The contrary all may and must judge; but some as Rulers, and some as Subjects. But in cases before indifferent, (where Man's Authority may make Duty▪ or not, there they may judge it Duty or not accordingly.

C. X. In doubtful cases no mens bare judg∣ment can bind or make others to Believe things Divine with a Divine Faith: man is not God. But 1. Teachers that are credible must be believed with a human Faith according to the degree of their credibility, which is preparatory to Divine Faith. 2. And Rulers may Govern Subjects in the manner of expressing and using their controverted Opinions, and restrain them from doing hurt.

C. XI. While true Union and Love are secured by common concord in things essential and neces∣sary, a Judge of other Controversies is not need∣ful to these ends before secured: Christians must live in Love that understand not many hundred Texts or Controversies.

C. XII. It is worse than Madness to think that all Controversies will on Earth be ended, or that any Men can do it. But they that say it do most deeply damn such pretended Judges, that so many Volumes being written of Controversies, and con∣trary textual Expositions among themselves, will not decide them to this day. Who shall decide all the Controversies between General Councils, and all the present Patriarchs and Churches in the World.

Thus much to answer the question, Who shall be Iudge of Controversies and Scripture Sence?

§. 5. If Men did but difference points necessary to Salvation and Christianity, from those that are only needful to a higher Stature in the Church, and from those that are utterly uncertain and unnecessary; and, 2. If they did but know their own ignorance and liableness to Error; and, 3. If they considered how utterly impossible it is to make the multitude of ignorant People, yea or Mi∣nisters, to be all of a mind, in the numerous hard Controversies, Opinions, and dubious or indifferent things, that are striven about in the World; certainly instead of damning, or despi∣sing, or destroying, or hateing each other for such things, they would magni••ie the Wisdom and Mercy of Christ, who hath laid the Love, Unity and Peace of his Church on a few plain, sure and needful things, [

Even the Covenant of Christianity, with the Creed, Lord's Prayer and De∣calogue, and so much of Christ's own Precepts, as the universal Church hath ever bin agreed in.

] And they would rather honour and obey St. Paul, Rom. 14. 1 Cor. 12. Ephes. 4. 1, to 16. than count his Dictrin to be unpracticable or loose.

§. 6. If God will take all into Heaven that practically believe the Creed, and obey what is plainly written in the Scripture, why may not such live in Love and Peace on Earth, and the Key-bearers of the Church (which is the Seminary of Hea∣ven) receive such, as Christ receiveth us to the Glory of God the Father, Rom. 15. 16. What if Men confess that they know no more (when mil∣lions called Christians know not so much) will they destroy them for not knowing more than they can know? Or is it any Virtue or Duty

to lye, and say that they know or believe what they are utterly ignorant of? What if those that with Ierome misliked the word Hypostasis, and those that preferred it before Persona, had forborn censuring one another? What if the questions, Whether Mary should be called the Mother of God, or rather of Him who is God? Or whether Christ's Will and Operations should be said to be One or Two? had been managed with mutual forbea∣rance, without Zeno's Henoticon, or Anastasius's forcible Amursty? What if such forbearance had spared all the rage and bloodshed at Antioch, Alexandria and other parts? What if Chrysostom and others had bin permitted to silence their Thoughts of Origine? What if men had not bin put to declare whether the tria capitula of Theodoret, I••as and Theodore Mopsuest, were sound or unsound, and said, What is it to us? Might not the Church have lived with such in Peace? What if when the World was in a flame about Images, they had left them only to those that desired them? Might not they yet have lived in Love, that agreed in all the Essentials of Chri∣stianity? What if yet one man say that Christ's Body is locally present in the Eucharist; and another say that, Because he knoweth not how far his spiritual Glorified Body is invisible, therefore he no more knoweth whether it be there than whether an Angel be there, but believeth that the Sacrament is truly his crucified Body represen∣tative; why might not both these live in peace? What if one think that Venial Sin must be pu∣nished with Purgatory Fire, or as an English Dr. that some men must pass a new Life of Trial, in their Aireal Vehicle, before they are capable of an

Aethere••l Vehicle, why may not such bear with one that saith he knoweth no such thing? What ••f one man think that he may pray to his Angel Guardian and another saith only that he oweth An∣gels Love, Reverence and Gratitude, and would pray to them if he knew when they heard him, and knew it were God's will, what hurt will it do to the other man to bear with this? If we agree of all points that put men into that state in which Christ commanded to Love one another as his Disciples; if others differ from me about the meaning of five hundred Texts of Scripture, why may notlbe contented with my Knowledg and Opinion, and leave them to theirs? Why might not Nazianzene and the Council of Constantino∣ple, Hierome and Russinus, Chrysostom and Theophi∣lus and Epiphanius, Prosper and Cassianus and Vin∣centius, (to pass by Augustine and Celestine and Iulianus, and Hierome and Vigilantius and Iovinian) have composed their differences with less noise and strife, and lived in love and peace together. (To pass by also the doleful Contentions about the Councils of Ephesus and Calcedon, and Const. 5, & 6. and Nice 2. and between Ignatius and Photius, and many more worse stri••es since then) Why might not the Jesuites and Jansenists have diffe∣red without troubling the Popes and the Church, by mutual forbearance and gentle disputes, as many of the Schoolmen did before them? I quar∣rel not with Erasmus, Faber, and abundance such, for chiding the Schoolmen as Causers of Conten∣tion, by raising so many frivolous questions for Dispute: But verily, as they were in my opinion the best Philosophers that ever the World had, (and no wonder when they studied little else) so

they managed their Disputes with more Scholar∣like candour and peaceable moderation than most that went before them, or that have followed them. How many huge Volumes of subtile Dis∣putes do they write, with very few railing words: patiently bearing each others copious Confuta∣tions and Contradictions, as a thing to be expect∣ed, and no whit wondring at the Differences of Judgment among the worthiest men? How many Volumes, or loads of Volumes are there written, of the different Opinions of the Thomists, Scotists, Nominals, Durandists; and yet till the late times put Virulency into the Writings of Iesuites, Do∣minicans and Iansenists, &c. there was little revi∣ling to be found in all these long Disputes.

And why might not Luther and Caerolostadius, Zuinglius and Oecolampadius; and many Lutherans and Calvinists have lived in as much Love and Peace as Melan••thon and Erasmus and such others, if they had but had their forbearing Charity and Candour? How sweet are the Pacificatory Wri∣tings, yea and how judicious, of Iunius, Ludov. Crotius, Matth. Martinius, Georg. Calixtus, Conrad. Bergius, Iohannes Bergius, Paraeus, Amyraeedus, Hot∣tonus, Testardus, Camero, Lud. Capellus, Plac••us, and (above all) Vinc. le Blank: yea and of mode∣rate Papists, Espencaeus, Ferus, Gerson, Cassander, and especially Erasmus: And how harsh to the Lovers of Love and Peace, are such Writings as spit Fire and Brimstone, Reproach and bitter Censures, against those that be not just of their Opinions? it puts the wisest Divines hard to it, how far they may pronounce Damnation on all those Heathens, that live in Sincerity (though not in Perfection) according to that measure of the

notification of God's Will which they are un∣der, that come to God in the belief that God is, and that He is the Rewarder of them that diligently seek him, and that in every Nation they that fear God and work Righteousness, and are no worse than such Righte∣ous men, as Abraham thought even wicked Sodom had had fifty of, are accepted of him. And shall Christians damn, curse and kill all that un∣derstand not a thousand Controversies, which perhaps the destroyers as little understand; and that know not an hundred things to be indiffe∣rent or lawful, which the destroyers do but say are such?

§. 7. It hath oft grieved me to read in Dr. Heylin's Life of Archbishop Laud how great a hand the Controversies then called Arminian, or of the Five Articles, had in the Divisions of the Church of England, between those that he maketh Archbishop Abbot in England and Archbi∣shop Usher in Ireland to Head on one part; and the few that at first (and many after) that fol∣lowed Archbishop Laud in England, and Archbi∣shop Bramhall in Ireland on the other part. And to find what a stress the many Parliaments that feared Popery did lay on the thing that they cal∣led Arminianism: And being carried down by the stream of many good mens Opinions and Fears, I was my self some years confident that Armi∣nianism was a character of an Enemy to the Sound∣ness and Safety of the Church. But when I had set my self throughly and impartially to study it, I found that which so amazed me, that I durst scarce believe what I could not deny; even that from the beginning of the Quarrel be∣tween Augustine and Pelugius, all the Voluminous

Contentions of the Thomists or Dominicans, and the Iesuites, and Franciscans, and between the Lutherans, and Zuinglians (herein) and the Sy∣nodists and Arminians, have been mostly about ei∣ther unsearchable things, which neither side under∣stood, or about ambiguous words, which one Party taketh in one sence, and the other in another; or about the meer methodizing and ordering of the notions which both sides are agreed in; and that indeed the most reach not the very point of the difficulty and controversie, but talk before they understand as their Leaders have taught them: And that when the matter is distinctly opened, it is found that multitudes that write, rail and plot against one another, are really of one Opinion De rebus, and did not know it: And that the few re∣maining Controversies that are real, and not only verbal, are but of such small or dubious things, as should break no Love nor Communion among Chri∣stians, but all should with forbearance love each other in that liberty of judging which they cannot remedy.

The man that could cure all mens Errours (and his own) and will not, is much to blame: And he that would but cannot, is little better, if he will kill all that he cannot cure; and no doubt hath greater than any of theirs uncured in him∣self. And what! Do I in all this take part with Ignorance, Error, Heresie or any Sin? No! he that can cure it, let him: But is he a fit person to cure it, that hath the Errours of Ungodliness, Malice, Lying, and Bloodthirstiness in himself? Or will killing men cure them? The Charity of these men saith, [Burn, hang or kill them le••t they infect others:] Ergo, say others, Kill these that far

so, because their Errours are the most pernicious, lest they infect others with the Asps and Dragons killing Poyson. Nature teacheth Man to hate and kill Wolves, Kites, Adders, and all that live on the Blood of harmless Creatures, and to protect Sheep, Doves, and such other Creatures as cannot protect themselves. My nature grudgeth to live on the Flesh of these harmless Creatures, though God hath given them to us, but I little pity a Toad, a Snake, a Spider, or a devouring Fox: But regnante Dia••olo, where the Devil ruleth, he will have his Butchers and Shambles; and as Brutes are killed for Men, honest men shall be killed by these as for God: And because God himself will not allow the murder of the Innocent and Just and Pious, it is but calling them, Rogues and Knaves, and as Christ, an Enemy to Caesar, and as to Paul, A Ring-leader of a Sect, and Mover of Sedition among the People, (real crimes where there is real Guilt) and then they may say of them and do to them what they will, and by cheating History re∣present Saints as Villains to ignorant Posterity. But O blessed be the final, Just, deciding Judge; who is as at the door. The Leech's Religion, that cannot live without Blood, is against the re∣liques of Humanity in Mankind, so much, that even they that for worldly interests comply with it, do secretly suspect it to be indeed Diabo∣lism.

§. 8. But Satan told Christ that the Kingdoms of the World and the glory of them is delivered to him, and their Power is his Gift which he giveth to whom∣soever he will; and that shall be to those that obey and worship him, Luk. 4. 5, 6. Though he be a Lyer, too much of this is proved by the effects.

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And doubtless where he reigns, his work doth de∣note his Power and Government; that is, 1. Blind Ignorance, Error, Lying and Deceit. 2. Malignant Hatred of good things and persons. 3. Bloodthirsty and destructive wolvish ways. And when he trans∣formeth himself into an Angel of Light, and his Ministers as into Ministers of Righteousness, all this is done most successfully as for God, and as by (pretended) Commission from Christ, to kill the most conscionable and faithful Christians, as odious Villains, and that as for the Church and Christ, and for Unity, Order and Holy ends; yea to kill them in meer Charity, (though they love not such charity to themselves.) Such is the Cainites and Cannibal Religion, that will dye if it be not fed with Blood. And yet is so impatient of its own name, and to hear the recital of its own Exercise which hath maintained it a thousand years, that it is a mortal crime to tell men that they do that which they openly do & glory in. Wonder∣ful! that it should be a necessary Virtue to do it, and a capital Crime to say they do it: To know what such do, goeth for worse than doing it. Inscius Acteon, &c.

§. 9. The effects of these Controversies have been and still are so dismal, among Papists and Protestants, that sure no man should be angry with a Reconciler that is not in love with Ha∣tred and Destruction. I confess they are very learned men of the Church of Rome that have ma∣naged them against each other. And so are some of the Church of England, and of foreign Pro∣testants: But I must testifie that the most that I hear or read inveighing reproachfully against others about them, are men that tell me they talk

after their Leaders, of things that they never un∣derstood. I am ashamed to hear of't in the Pulpits: one Party rendring the Doctrine of Predestination as odious Blasphemy, and another Party crying down Universal Redemption and Free-will and Arminianism, as an Enemy to God's Grace; and neither of them know what they speak against. One Davenant, or Camero, or Le Blank, sheweth more insight into the Controversies which they reconcile, than forty of these zealous Railers do.

§. 10. I meddle not in this Book with the Con∣troversies about Church-Government or Worship: A settled worldly Interest and the various mental dispositions of the Contenders, convince me, that I can there do little for reconciliation: God must do it, if he have not forsaken this world. But meer Doctrinal Controversies (though of great moment) methinks should not be so linked to a worldly Interest, but that men should be willing to know the Truth or to endure others to know it. That which I have attempted is, by meer and clear explication, without much argumentation, to end such Controversies: And to make men un∣derstand one another, and the things which they dispute about; and by abbreviating my Catholick Theology, to make the Conciliation fitter for all Students: And the Success of that Book giveth me great encouragement, which hath been unanswe∣red to this day, when I looked that it should have brought the Contentious of both sides about my ears. And I rejoice in the Success of Le Blank's Theses which I publish'd (he sent them to me to publish, and I gave them to my Bookseller to print, and he sold his Copy to another.) For all the

dismal effects that the History of the low Coun∣tries, and Dr. Heylin in Archbishop Laud's Life mention of these Controversies, I rejoice that these many years last past, they have made in England less noise than ever, and are talked of with more peace and moderation. And that I have a special share in the Comfort of this effect. And what Names soever Peace-haters and Man-haters and Saint-haters call men by, Christ saith, Blessed are the Peace-makers, for they shall be called the Children of God.