The ensuing discourse was the subject and substance of two sermons preached to a private congregation. The author of them had no design or purpose ever to have made them public. The importunity of many, who judged they might be of use to others, because they found them so to themselves, gave occasion to this publication of them. Yet had they not so prevailed, but that he judged it was neither unmeet for him, nor unseasonable for others. In publico discrimine omnis homo miles est; no man is to be forbidden to bring his bucket to help allay the flames of a raging fire. And it is the pretence of the Church of Rome to be the only guide of all Christians in religion, which is here examined; a work which a concurrence of all sorts of circumstances renders seasonable. For as this pretence is the sole foundation of the whole Papacy, with all the power and secular advantages that it has obtained to itself; so it is that alone which gives countenance and warranty to the factors and agents of that Church, to design and perpetrate such things as are destructive of all that is praise-worthy or desirable among mankind, and unspeakably scandalous to Christian religion. Remove the sand or rubbish hereof, and the whole fabric will dissolve of itself, and fall to the ground. This small discourse is an attempt to that end, whose success is humbly recommended to the care of God over his Church. If there seem to be any severities of expression used towards some of the Church of Rome, the reader is to consider that hard things cannot well be represented in soft and pliant words. And if there be nothing of this nature found, but what has the appearance of severity, from the things themselves which are expressed, there is no blameable excess. However the author is one who heartily desires and prays for the outward peace and tranquility of all men in this world, whose principles will allow them to live peaceably with others.
