The principles and practices of certain moderate divines of the Church of England (greatly mis-understood), truly represented and defended wherein ... some controversies, of no mean importance, are succinctly discussed : in a free discourse between two intimate friends : in three parts.

The Contents.

• The First Part, Page 1.

• I. THE entrance into the Discourse Ibid.
• ii. The hateful Character given by some to cer∣tain Friends of Theophilus and Phila∣lethes, 7
• iii. An Argument of their being greatly abused in that Character, 12
• iv. That Character due to the Broachers of Hobbi∣an Doctrine, 13
• v. But that Doctrine by none better confuted than by these men, 14
• vi. That Preaching some of their Adversaries Do∣ctrines, might render them too well deserving that Character, in the Iudgment of over-critical Per∣sons, ibid.
• vii. Another Argument that they are abused, 18
• viii. Theophilus undertaketh impartially to Repre∣sent them, 20
• ix. Of their Practises, 22
• x. Of their Conformity to the Ecclesiastical Laws, 23
• ...

• ... xi. The unreasonableness of Censuring Men upon the account of their Conformity, 24
• xii. Of their Conversation, 37
• xiii. Of their Preaching, 40
• xiv. Of their Preaching the Reasonableness of the Christian Precepts, 42
• xv. Of the Use of Reason in Matters of Religion, ibid.
• xvi. 1 Cor. 2. 14. considered, 43
• xvii. One advantage that is gotten by demonstrating the Reasonableness of Christian Duties, 49
• xviii. The consideration of the goodness of the Do∣ctrine of the Gospel, necessary to accompany that of Miracles to prove its Divine Authority, ibid.
• xix. Of the Testimony of the Spirit to the Truth of Scripture, 54
• xx. Theophilus his Opinion concerning the inward Testimony of the Spirit, 56
• xxi. The believing of Divine Things, a Divine Faith, whatever the Motives thereunto are, 58
• xxii. Of Moral Certainty, 61
• xxiii. Of the Scripture bearing Testimony to it self, 64
• xxiv. A second Advantage gotten by demonstrating the Reasonableness of the Precepts of the Gospel, 66
• xxv. In what sence the Precepts of the Gospel are highly reasonable, 69
• xxvi. A Description of Reason, 70
• xxvii. The first Proposition, shewing in what sence

• the Precepts of the Gospel are reasonable, with a brief Demonstration that they are so, 71
• xxviii. The Design of the Christian Religion, 72
• xxix. The Second Proposition, ibid.
• xxx. A more particular demonstration of the Reaso∣nableness of the Gospel Precepts, 75
• xxxi. Almost all the Duties injoyned in the Gospel, commended by Heathens, 80
• xxxii. Those vindicated from making the Gospel but a little better than a meer Natural Religion, that assert that Reason alone is able to prompt to us most of the Duties therein injoyned, 86
• xxxiii. Wherein the Gospel excelleth all other Religi∣ons, 88
• xxxiv. To say that what the Gospel requireth, is most suteable to Reason, is highly to commend it, &c. 91
• xxxv. Of their Preaching the Reasonableness of the Points of meer belief, 93
• xxxvi. All the Points of meer belief to be consistent with Reason sometimes proved by them, 94
• xxxvii. That they do not endeavour to level all such Points with mens Capacities, 95
• xxxviii. That they acknowledge incomprehensible My∣steries in the Christian Religion, ibid.
• xxxix. That they prove the Consistency of such Points with Reason, as they are delivered in the Scrip∣ture only, 97
• xl. That they assert many Speculative Points to be also suteable to the Dictates of Reason, ibid.
• ...

• ... xli. An Argument drawn from Notions of the Hea∣thens, to prove the most weighty Points of Faith suteable to the Dictates of Reason, 98
• xlii. Of their Style in Preaching, 104
• xliii. Of their making Doctrines intelligible, 105
• xliv. A sort of men that are Obscurers of the Go∣spel, ibid.
• xlv. Another sort of such, 106
• xlvi. Of the Perspicuity of Scripture, 108
• xlvii. Their Opinion of powerful Preaching, 112
• xlviii. Of Carnal and Spiritual Reason, 113
• xlix. A farther account of their Preaching, 114
• l. Of their being accused of Preaching up only a Mo∣ral Righteousness, 117
• li. In what sence they do not so, and in what sence they do, ibid. & 118
• lii. No difference betwixt Evangelical Righteous∣ness, and that which is the best sence Moral, 119
• liii. To work in us such a Moral Righteousness, the Design of the Gospel, 120
• liv. A Righteousness in no sence Moral a Contradi∣ction, 124
• lv. Of Imputative Righteousness, and in what sence they believe and Preach it, 126
• lvi. Their notion of Christ's imputed Righteousnesse, ibid.
• lvii. A false notion of it, 128
• lviii. The first Mistake in that Notion, 129
• lix. The second Mistake, ibid.
• ...

• ... lx. A false definition of Faith they Confute in their Preaching, 130
• lxi. Christ's imputed Righteousnesse no Scripture Phrase, 133
• lxii. Some Verses in the fourth to the Romans con∣sidered, ibid.
• lxiii. St. James 2. 23. considered, 135
• lxiv. Philippians 3. 9. considered, 137
• lxv. As high a favour to be dealt with, as if we were perfectly Righteous as to be so esteemed, 139
• lxvi. The dangerous consequence of the Antinomian Doctrine about Imputed Righteousness, 141
• lxvii. The Antinomians Opinion of Sin, 143
• lxviii. Theophilus his Charity for some Antinomi∣ans, 146
• lxix. A Defective Definition of Faith that those Di∣vines Preach against, and the ill consequence of it, 148
• lxx. A full Definition of Faith ill applyed to the business of Iustifying, 154
• lxxi. A full and plain Definition of Faith used by those Preachers, 157
• lxxii. Of that Doctrine of those Preachers; that Faith justifyeth, as it implyeth Obedience, 159
• lxxiii. An Argument to prove that Faith justifieth as it receiveth Christ quà Lord, as well as quà Savi∣our, 160
• lxxiv. The Act of receiving Christ quà Lord to go before that of receiving him quà Priest, 161
• lxxv. How Faith is distinguished from Repentance,

• and other vertues in the business of Iustification, 162
• lxxvi. Why Iustification is mostly ascribed to Faith, 164
• lxxvii. Two Acceptations of the Word Faith, ibid.
• lxxviii. The vertue of Faith variously expressed in Scripture, ibid.
• lxxix. How Faith justifieth, 165
• lxxx. The Covenant of Grace conditional, 167
• lxxxi. Hebrews 8. 10. considered, 168
• lxxxii. Men not without all power to cooperate with with God's Grace in their Conversion, 174
• lxxxiii. A middle way to be taken in giving account of Mens Conversion, 175
• lxxxiv. Faith the Condition of the New Covenant, ibid.
• lxxxv. Of their being accused for the foregoing Do∣ctrine, as holding Iustification by Works, and E∣nemies to God's Grace, 176
• lxxxvi. A Digression concerning censuring men upon the account of their Opinions, ibid.
• lxxxvii. A vindication of the foregoing account of Faith justifying from being opposite to free Grace, 180
• lxxxviii. A vindication of that Doctrine, from asserting Iustification by Works in St. Paul's sence, 186
• lxxxix. By Works, when opposed to Grace or Faith, New Obedience never meant, 188
• xc. No Crime to hold Iustification by Works in St. James his sence, ibid.
• ...

• ... xci. St. Pauls Language not to be preferred before St. James his, 189

• The Second Part. 190

• i. A more distinct Account of their Opinions, ibid.
• ii. Of their Iudgment in Doctrinals, 191
• iii. In what sence the Church of England imposeth Subscription to the 39 Articles, ibid.
• iv. The Lord Primate of Ireland his Testimony, ibid.
• v. What Doctrines they most endeavour to Confute, 192
• vi. Philalethes his Representation of Gods Nature, 193
• vii. Consequences of Opinions not to be charged on all those that hold them, 198
• viii. That they set themselves against the Doctrine of Gods absolute decreeing Mens Sin and Misery, 199
• ix. That those two are not to be separated, 200
• x. That those Doctrines make their Defenders assert two Wills in God; and the one contrary to the other, by which means other sad Consequences also fol∣low, 202
• xi. Of opposing Gods Secret to his Revealed Will, 206
• xii. That we must resolve to believe nothing at all, if we may believe nothing against which we cannot answer all Objections, 210
• xiii. That the forementioned Doctrine evidently con∣tradicts our natural Notions, 213
• ...

• ... xiv. Which is the safest course in reconciling seem∣ingly contradictory Scriptures, 216
• xv. Theophilus can believe no sence of Scripture that doth evidently contradict self-evident Noti∣ons, 217
• xvi. Of that Opinion, That whatsoever God doth, is therefore good and just because He doth it, 218
• xvii. What is the Motive inducing the good men of that Perswasion to go that way, 223
• xviii. Those Divines middle way between the Calvi∣nists and Remonstrants, 228
• xix. This way proposed by Catharinus at the Council of Trent, 231
• xx. How it comes to pass that this way for some A∣ges had fewest Friends, 232
• xxi. This Way, a great ease to Theophilus his Mind, 233
• xxii. Philalethes no less beholden to it: which cau∣seth Theophilus to ask him some Questions, 236
• xxiii. Of Free Will. 239
• xxiv. Of the State of the Heathens, 249
• xxv. That God hath wayes, though they may be per∣fectly unknown to us, to clear the Iustice and Good∣ness of his Dealings with all Mankind, 254
• xxvi. Whether what must be acknowledged to defend that middle Way, tends to encourage security, &c. 256
• xxvii. That the Doctrine discoursed against doth a world of mischief, 257
• ...

• ... xxviii. The Test by which Theophilus examines Controver∣ted Points, 260
• xxix. Of the great obscurity of St. Paul's Style in many pla∣ces, and the causes of it, 261
• xxx. A Paraphrase upon several Verses, of the ninth to the Romans, 263
• xxxi. How God is said to harden sinners, 275
• xxxii. Philalethes offereth another Interpretation of the 19th and 20th Verses, 284
• xxxiii. That the most Ancient Fathers were Enemies to abso∣lute Reprobation, with its Concomitants, 288
• xxxiv. That the old Gnosticks were great Friends to it, 291
• xxxv. Mr. Joseph Mede's Iudgment concerning this Point, 293
• xxxvi. The Church of England no favourer of it, 294
• xxxvii. The Moderation of those Divines in other Matters of Controversie, which Theophilus hath not time to insist upon, very remarkable, 295
• xxxviii. None more disliked by them, than the Monopoli∣zers of Truth to a Party, 296
• xxxix. Infallibility in the best of Men or Churches, denyed by them, 297
• xl. Of the Infallibility of the Church, and those Protestants that seem to be sticklers for it, 298
• xli. Of Acquiescing in the four first Occumenical Councils, 300
• xlii. What Respect due to Councils, 302
• xliii. The Church of Englands sence of General Councils, 304
• xliv. The Determinations of our own Church, not to be op∣posed in Matters disputable, 305
• xlv. An Argument that Christ intended us no Infallible Iudge of Controversies, 306
• xlvi. Private Christians promised Infallibility in the same

• sense that the Church Representative hath the pro∣mise of it, 307
• xlvii. Of Disputacity, 308
• xlviii. Of Friendly Disputes, ibid.
• xlix. The way to Peace, ibid.
• l. The mischief of contending for an Infallible Iudge, 309
• li. Forcing others to be of our mind Tyrannical, ibid.
• lii. To condemn men for dissenting from us unwar∣rantable, 310
• liii. Of those Divines Candor towards dissenters from them, 313
• liv. Of Mr. Chillingworth's Book, 315
• lv. Of their Opinion concerning Fundamentals, and that they are not forward to give a Catalogue of them, 316
• lvi. The use of the foregoing Principles, 317
• lvii. That those Divines procure to themselves Ene∣mies of divers sorts by their endeavours to propa∣gate those Principles, 319

• The Third Part. 322

• i. Their Iudgment in Matters of Discipline, ibid.
• ii. That they prefer Episcopacy to all other Forms of Church Government, 323
• iii. How much essential to Episcopacy, ibid.
• iv. That they unchurch not those Churches that will not admit it, though they think it desirable that all would, 324
• ...

• ... v. Their Opinion of the Power of the Civil Magi∣strate in Sacred Affairs, 325
• vi. That the Civil Magistrate hath a Power both Le∣gislative and Iudiciary in Ecclesiastical Affairs, ibid.
• vii. Their Opinion of the Authority of the Church, 327
• viii. That they believe Magistrates are to be obeyed, when they command things inconvenient, if law∣ful, 329
• ix. That they judge it unlawful for the People to take Arms against their Prince, &c. on any pretence, 331
• x. That they are for shewing favour to Dissenters out of Conscience, 332
• xi. Whom they conceive are not to be dealt with as men of tender Consciences, 333
• xii. Theophilus presumes that they would be glad, if some things that most offend were removed, &c. 334
• xiii. Philalethes his Opinion upon the whole Account, 336
• xiv. Why the Bigots of the several Parties are most∣ly their Enemies, 337
• xv. That it is pity there should be any distinction of Name between Them, and the Moderate Men of some Parties, 339
• xvi. What Name they onely desire to be known by, 340
• ...

• ... xvii. That their Temper and Free Principles are of no late standing, &c. 341
• xviii. Why the Pharisees could not endure our Savi∣our, ibid.
• xix. When the Temper and Spirit that hath been de∣scribed, began to decay in the Christian World, 343
• xx. The Pope beholden to the Decay thereof for his Power, 344
• xxi. That it is much revived in the Protestant Churches, though the Generality are still greatly defective in it, 345
• xxii. If the Invisible Antichrist were once fallen, the Visible one would quickly follow, ibid.
• xxiii. The Conclusion, 346

Theophilus, a Lover of God. Philalethes, a Lover of Truth.