The six book-sellers proctor non-suited wherein the gross falsifications, and untruths, together with the inconsiderate and weak passages, found in the apologie for the said book-sellers, are briefly noted and evicted, and the said book-sellers proved so unworthy, both in their second beacon-fired, and likewise in their epistle written in the defence of it, that they are out of the protection of any Christian, or reasonable apologie for either / by John Goodwin.

A Postscript▪

BEcause the man of no name chargeth me (pag. 9.) with speaking in favour of all cursed and damnable Doctrines, meaning (as he saith) for the toleration, and against the sup∣pression of them, (besides what I have already answered to this charge) that He, and His, may understand, that long before either his daies, or mine, there were men, both wi∣ser, and learneder (and I fear more conscientious and pious, then either of us) that speak as much, or more, then ever I did for a toleration (in such a sence as ever I pleaded for any) of such Doctrines, which he (I doubt not) will call (as well he may) accursed and damnable, I shall supply part of the vacant paper with some passages, which he may read, as I have done, in Hugo Grotius, De Jure Belli. Lib. 2. cap. 20. §. 50, &c. First he transcribes out of Salvianus Bishop of Marseilles, these words (declaring his tendernesse about the punishing, or rather for the non-punishing, even of Ar∣rian Heretiques.)

Haeretici sunt, sed non scientes: deni{que} apud nos sunt haeretici, apud se non sunt: nam in tantum se Catholicos esse judicant, ut nos ipsos titulo haereticae pravitatis infament. Quod ergo illi no∣bis, sunt & hoc nos illis. Nos illos injuriam divinae generationi facere certi sumus, quod minorem. Patri filium dicunt. Illi nos injuriosos Patri existimant, quod aequales esse credamus. Ʋeritas apud nos est, sed illi apud se esse pr sumunt. Hono•• Dei apud nos est: sed illi hoc arbitrantur honorem Divinitatis quod credunt. In officiosi sunt, sed illis hoc est summum Religio∣nis officium. Impij sunt, sed hoc putant summam esse pietatem. Errant ergo, sed bono animo errant, non odio, sed affectu 'Dei, honorare se Dominum, at{que} amare creden••es. Quamvis non habeant rectam fidem, illi tamen hoc perfectam Dei aestimant charitatem: Et qualiter pro hoc ipso falsae opinion•••• errore in die judicij puniendi sunt, nemo potest scire, nisi judex. Interim idcircò eis, ut reor patientiam Deus commodat, quia videt evs, etsi non recte credere, affectu tamen piae opinionis errare, i. e.

They are Heretiques, but against their knowledge, they are so in our opinion, but not in their own, for they think themselves so far to be Catholique [or, Orthodox] that they defame us with the title of Heresie. Therefore what they are in our opinion, we are in theirs. We are sure they do wrong to the divine generation, in saying, The Son is lesse then the Father. They beleeve that we do wrong unto God the Father, in holding that the Son is equal to him. The truth is with us, but they presume it is with them. The honour of God is with us; but they are of opinion that by their beleef they honour the God-head. They are officious amisse, but what they do, they judge to be the chief duty of Religion. They are impious, but they think it to be true piety. They erre, but they erre with a good mind, not out of hatred, but out of affection unto God, beleeving that by this they honour and love their Lord. Though they have not the right Faith, yet they think this is the perfect love of God: and how they are to be punished at the day of judgement for this errour of a false opinion, none knows but the judge himself. In the mean time, as I think, God lendeth them his patience, because he sees, that though they do not be∣leeve aright, yet they erre out of an affection to a pious opi∣nion.

By the way; the Christian equanimity of this man, being a Bishop, towards poor creatures, who in the simplicity of their minds shall turn aside into by-waies of errour, though very dangerous, in things appertaining unto God, may make Mr. Anonymus his cheeks to change colour (as his own phrase is) when he breaths out fines, imprisonment, banishment, fire, sword, gibbet, and what not, against poor, weak, and foolish men, onely for not being as quick-sighted to discern the truth from errour, as he presumes himself to be, or for not having (possibly) obtained from God the like grace and means for his comming to the knowledge of the truth, which him∣self hath done.

The fore-mentioned Author rehearseth likewise (in the place directed unto) these words out of Austin, Tom. 6. Cnntrà Epistolam Manichaei, cap. 2. (though he nameth not

the place) where this worthy Father disclaimeth all severity of proceedings against the Manichees, though a most vile and pernicious sect of Hereticks.

Illi in vos saeviant, qui nesciunt cum quo labore verum in veni∣atur, & quà difficile caveantur errores. Illi in vos saeviant, qui nesciunt quàm rarum & arduum est carnalia phantasmata piae¦mentis serenitate superare. Illi in vos saeviant, qui nesciunt cum quantâ difficultate sanetur oculus interioris hominis, ut possit intueri solem summum, non istum, quem vos collitis coelesti corpo∣re, oculis carreis & hominum, et pecorum fulgentem at{que} ra∣diantem, sed illum de quo scriptum est per Prophetam, Ortus est mihi justitiae Sol, et de quo dictum est in Evangelio, Erat lumen verum quod illuminat omnem hominem venientem in hunc mundum. Illi in vos saeviant, qui nesciunt quantis sus∣pirijs & gemitibus fiat, ut ex quantulacum{que} parte possit intel∣ligi Deus. Postremo illi in vos saeviant, qui nullo tali errore decepti sunt, quali vos deceptos vident. Ego autem—saevi∣re in vos omninò non possum, quos, sicut me ipsum illo tempore, ità nunc debeo sustinere, & tantâ patientiâ vobiscum agere, quantâ mecum egerunt proximi mei, cum in vestro dogmate rabi∣osus & caecus errarem, i. e.

Let those be fierce [or cruel] to you, that know not with what labour truth is to be found, and with how great difficulty errours are avoided. Let those be cruel to you, who know not how rare and of how difficult an attainment it is to overcome carnal phantasms [and conceits] by the serenity [and clearnesse] of a pious mind. Let those [a∣gain] deal cruelly with you, who are ignorant with how great difficulty the eye of the inner man is healed, that it may [look uponand] behold the highest Sun, not that which you worship, as subsisting with an heavenly body, & which shines with his beams in the fleshly eyes both of men and beasts, but that Sun, of whom it is written by the Prophet, The son of righteousnesse hath risen unto [or upon] us; and of whom it is said in the Gospel, He was the true light, which inlighten∣eth every man that commeth into the world. Let those [yet again] cruelly handle you, who know not with what deep sighings and groanings [of soul] even a little [true] un∣derstanding

of God, is obtained. Lastly, let those exercise cruelty towards you, who never were themselves deceived with any such errour, as now they perceive you deluded with. But as for me, I can at no hand be [fierce, or] cruel to∣wards you, whom I ought now to bear with patiently, as I did with my selfthen [when I was one of you] yea and to intreat you with as much patience, as my neighbours [Or∣thodox Christians] shewed to me, when I wandered like a mad and blind man, in your opinion.

The fore-named Author (in the place specified) to these two large transcriptions out of the two renowned Fathers mentioned, subjoyneth (upon the same argument) as fol∣loweth.

In Arrianam haeresin acriter invehitur Athanasius (Epist ad soli••ari••s) quòd prima in contradicentes usa esset judicum po∣testate, & quos non potuisset verbis inducere, eos vi, plagis, carceribus{que} ad se pertrahere amniteretur. Atque ita inquit, seiqsam quàm non sit pia, nec Dei cultrix, manifestat; respici∣ens, in fallor, ad illud, quod legi ur, Gal. 4. 29. Similia habet Hilarius ad Constantium. In Galliâ jam olim damnati sunt Ec∣clesiae judicio Episcopi, qui ut Priscillianistas gladio animad∣vertere••ur curaverant: & in Oriente damnata Synodus, quae in Bogomili exustionem consenserat. Sapienter dixit Plato, errantis paenam esse, doceri, i. e.

Athana•…•…us sharply inveigheth against the Arrian Heresie (in his Epistle to the Solitarians) because they made use of the chief power of the [civil] Judges, against those who contradicted their opinion, and indeavoured by force, stripes & prisonsto draw them over unto them, whom they could not induce [or perswade] by arguments. And so (saith he) it ma∣nifesteth it self, not to be [truly] pious, nor reverential of God; herein respecting, if I mistake not, that which is written, Gal. 4. 29. [But as then, he that was born after the flesh, persecuted him that was born after the spirit, &c.] Hila∣ry hath the like writing to Constantius. In France those

Bishops were long since condemned by the judgement of the Church, who procured the Priscillian Heretiques to be punished with the sword. And that Synod was likewise dam∣ned in the East, which had consented to the burning of Bo∣gomilus. It was wisely said by Plato; that he that erreth, is to be punished by being taught.