Antiquitates christianæ, or, The history of the life and death of the holy Jesus as also the lives acts and martyrdoms of his Apostles : in two parts.

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE and most truly Noble Lord, CHRISTOPHER LORD HATTON, Baron HATTON of Kirby, &c.

MY LORD,

WHEN Interest divides the Church, and the Calentures of men breathe out in Problems and unactive Discourses, each part in pursuance of its own portion follows that Proposition which complies with and bends in all the flexures of its temporal ends; and while all strive for Truth, they hug their own Opinions dressed up in her imagery, and they dispute for ever, and either the Question is indeterminable, or, which is worse, men will never be convinced. For such is the nature of Disputings, that they begin commonly in Mistakes, they proceed with Zeal and fan∣cy, and end not at all but in Schisms and uncharitable names, and too often dip their feet in bloud. In the mean time, he that gets the better of his adversary oftentimes gets no good to himself, be∣cause although he hath fast hold upon the right side of the Problem, he may be an ill man in the midst of his triumphant Disputations. And therefore it was not here that God would have Man's Felicity to grow: For our condition had been extremely miserable, if our fi∣nal state had been placed upon an uncertain hill, and the way to it

had been upon the waters, upon which no spirit but that of Contradi∣ction and Discord did ever move: for the man should have tended to an end of an uncertain dwelling, and walked to it by ways not dis∣cernible, and arrived thither by chance; which, because it is irre∣gular, would have discomposed the pleasures of a Christian Hope, as the very disputing hath already destroyed Charity, and disunited the continuity of Faith; and in the consequent there would be no Vertue, and no Felicity. But God, who never loved that Man should be too ambitiously busie in imitating his Wisedom, (and Man lost Paradise for it) is most desirous we should imitate his Goodness, and transcribe copies of those excellent Emanations from his Holi∣ness, whereby as he communicates himself to us in Mercies, so he propounds himself imitable by us in Graces. And in order to this, God hath described our way plain, certain, and determined: and although he was pleased to leave us indetermined in the Questions of exteriour Communion, yet he put it past all question that we are bound to be Charitable. He hath placed the Question of the state of Se∣paration in the dark, in hidden and undiscerned regions; but he hath opened the windows of Heaven, and given great light to us, teaching how we are to demean our selves in the state of Conjuncti∣on. Concerning the Salvation of Heathens he was not pleased to give us account; but he hath clearly described the duty of Christians, and tells upon what terms alone we shall be saved. And although the not inquiring into the ways of God and the strict rules of practice have been instrumental to the preserving them free from the serpen∣tine enfoldings and labyrinths of Dispute; yet God also with a great design of mercy hath writ his Commandments in so large characters, and engraven them in such Tables, that no man can want the Re∣cords, nor yet skill to read the hand-writing upon this wall, if he understands what he understands, that is, what is placed in his own spirit. For God was therefore desirous that humane nature should be perfected with moral, not intellectual, Excellencies, be∣cause these only are of use and compliance with our present state and conjunction. If God had given to Eagles an appetite to swim, or to the Elephant strong desires to fly, he would have ordered that an abode in the Sea and the Air respectively should have been proportion∣able to their manner of living; for so God hath done to Man, fitting him with such Excellencies which are useful to him in his ways and progress to Perfection. A man hath great use and need of Justice; and all the instances of Morality serve his natural and political ends,

he cannot live without them, and be happy: but the filling the rooms of the Understanding with aiery and ineffective Notions, is just such an Excellency as it is in a Man to imitate the voice of Birds; at his very best the Nightingale shall excel him, and it is of no use to that End which God designed him in the first intentions of creation.

In pursuance of this consideration, I have chosen to serve the pur∣poses of Religion by doing assistence to that part of Theologie which is wholly practical, that which makes us wiser, therefore, because it makes us 〈◊〉〈◊〉. And truly (my Lord) it is enough to weary the spirit of a Disputer, that he shall argue till he hath lost his voice, and his time, and sometimes the Question too, and yet no man shall be of his mind more than was before. How few turn Lutherans, or Calvinists, or Roman Catholicks, from the Religion either of their Country or Interest? Possibly two or three weak or interest∣ed, phantastick and easie, prejudicate and effeminate understand∣ings pass from Church to Church, upon grounds as weak as those for which formerly they did dissent; and the same Arguments are good or bad, as exteriour accidents or interiour appetites shall determine. I deny not but for great causes some Opinions are to be quitted: but when I consider how few do forsake any, and when any do, often∣times they chuse the wrong side, and they that take the righter do it so by contingency, and the advantage also is so little, I believe that the triumphant persons have but small reason to please themselves in gaining Proselytes, since their purchase is so small, and as inconsi∣derable to their triumph, as it is unprofitable to them who change for the worse, or for the better upon unworthy motives. In all this there is nothing certain, nothing noble. But he that follows the work of God, that is, labours to gain Souls, not to a Sect and a Subdivision, but to the Christian Religion, that is, to the Faith and Obedience of the Lord JESUS, hath a promise to be assisted and rewarded: and all those that go to Heaven are the purchase of such undertakings, the fruit of such culture and labours; for it is only a holy life that lands us there.

And now (my Lord) I have told you my reasons, I shall not be ashamed to say that I am weary and toiled with rowing up and down in the seas of Questions which the Interests of Christendom have com∣menced; and in many Propositions of which I am heartily perswa∣ded I am not certain that I am not deceived; and I find that men are most confident of those Articles which they can so little prove, that they never made Questions of them. But I am most certain,

that by living in the Religion and fear of God, in Obedience to the King, in the Charities and duties of Communion with my Spiritual Guides, in Justice and Love with all the world in their several pro∣portions, I shall not fail of that End which is perfective of humane nature, and which will never be obtained by Disputing.

Here therefore when I had fixed my thoughts, upon sad appre∣hensions that God was removing our Candlestick, (for why should be not, when men themselves put the Light out, and pull the Stars from their Orbs, so hastening the day of God's Judgment?) I was desirous to put a portion of the holy fire into a Repository, which might help to re-enkindle the Incense, when it shall please God Reli∣gion shall return, and all his Servants sing (In convertendo capti∣vitatem Sion) with a voice of Eucharist.

But now (my Lord) although the results and issues of my retire∣ments and study do naturally run towards You, and carry no excuse for their forwardness, but the confidence that your Goodness rejects no emanation of a great affection; yet in this Address I am apt to pro∣mise to my self a fair interpretation, because I bring you an instru∣ment and auxiliaries to that Devotion whereby we believe you are dear to God, and know that you are to good men. And if these little sparks of holy fire which I have heaped together do not give life to your prepared and already-enkindled Spirit; yet they will some∣times help to entertain a Thought, to actuate a Passion, to imploy and hallow a Fancy, and put the body of your Piety into fermentation, by presenting you with the circumstances and parts of such Medita∣tions which are symbolical to those of your daily Office, and which are the passe-temps of your severest hours. My Lord, I am not so vain to think that in the matter of Devotion, and the rules of Ju∣stice and Religion, (which is the business of your life) I can add any thing to your heap of excellent things: but I have known and felt comfort by reading, or hearing from other persons, what I knew my self; and it was unactive upon my spirit, till it was made vigorous and effective from without: And in this sence I thought I might not be useless and impertinent.

My Lord, I designed to be instrumental to the Salvation of all persons that shall read my Book: But unless (because Souls are equal in their substance, and equally redeemed) we are obliged to wish the Salvation of all men, with the greatest, that is, with equal, desires, I did intend in the highest manner I could to express how much I am to pay to you, by doing the offices of that Duty which, al∣though

you less need, yet I was most bound to pay, even the duties and charities of Religion; having this design, that when posterity (for certainly they will learn to distinguish things and persons) shall see your Honoured Name imployed to separate and rescue these Papers from contempt, they may with the more confidence ex∣pect in them something fit to be offered to such a Personage. My Lord, I have my end, if I serve God, and You, and the needs and interests of Souls; but shall think my return full of reward, if you shall give me pardon, and put me into your Litanies, and account me in the number of your Relatives and Servants; for indeed, my Lord, I am most heartily

Your Lordship's most affectionate and most obliged Servant, JER. TAYLOR.