Christian Reader,
Although our Lord Jesus Christ has laid blessed and stable foundations of Unity, Peace and Agreement in judgement and affection among all his Disciples, and given forth Command for their attendance to them, that thereby they might glorifie him in the world, and promote their own spiritual advantage: yet also foreknowing what effect the crafts of Satan in conjunction with the darkness and lusts of men would produce; that no offence might from there be taken against him, or any of his wayes, he has sorewarned all men by his Spirit what Differences, Divisions, Schisms and Heresies would ensue on the publication of the Gospel; and arise even among them that should profess subjection to his Authority and Law. And accordingly it speedily came to pass; For what Solomon says that he discovered concerning the first Creation, namely that God made man upright, but he sought out many inventions, or immixed himself in endless questions; the same fell out in the new creation or erection of the Church of Christ. The state of it was by him formed upright, and all that belonged to it, were of one heart, and one soul. But this harmony and perfection of beauty, in answer to his Will and Institution lasted not long among them; many who mixed themselves with those Primitive converts, or succeeded them in their profession quickly seeking out perverse inventions. Hence in the dayes of the Apostles themselves there were not only schisms and divisions made in sundry Churches of their own planting, with disputes about Opinions and needless impositions by those of the Circumcision who believed; but also opposition was made to the very fundamental doctrines of the Deity and Incarnation of the Son of God, by the Spirit of Antichrist then entring into the world, as is evident from their Writings and Epistles. But yet as all this while our Lord Jesus Christ according to his promise preserved the root of Love and Unity among them who sincerely believed in him entire (as he does still, and will do to the end) by giving the one and selfsame spirit to guide, sanctifie and unite them all to himself; so the care and Authority of the Apostles during their abode in the flesh, so far prevailed, that notwithstanding some temporary impeachments of Love and Union in or among the Churches; yet no signal prejudice of any long continuance befell them. For either the miscarriages which they fell into, were quickly retrieved by them, the truth infallibly cleared, and provision made for Peace, Unity and Moderation in and about things of less concernment; or else the evil, guilt and danger of them, remained only with and upon some particular persons, the notoriety of whose wickedness and folly cast them out by common consent from the communion of all the Disciples of Christ. But no sooner was that sacred Society [illegible] with their immediate successors, as Egesippus speaks in Eusebius, departed to their rest with God, but that the Church it self, which untill then was preserved a pure and incorruppted Virgin, began to be vexed with abiding contention, and otherwise to degenerate from its primitive original purity. From there forward, especially after the heat of bloody and fiery persecutions began to abate, far the greatest part of Ecclesiastical Records consists in relations of the Divisions, Differences, Schisms and Heresies that fell out among them who professed themselves the Disciples of Christ. For those failings errors and mistakes which were found in men of peaceable minds, the Church indeed of those dayes extended her Peace and Unity, if Justin Martyr and others may be believed, to such as the seeming warmer zeal, and really colder charity of the succeeding Ages could not bear withal. But yet divisions and disputes were multiplyed into such an excess, as that the Gentiles fetcht advantage from them not only to reproach all Christians withall, but to deterr others from the profession of Christianity. So Celsus in his third Book deals with them; for says he, [illegible]. At first when they were but a few, they were of one mind, or agreed well enough: But being increased, and the multitude of them scattered abroad, they were presently divided again and again; and every one would have his own party or division, and as in a divided multitude opposed and reproved one another; so that they had no communion among themselves, but only in name, which for shame they retain. So does he for his purpose, as is the manner of men, invidiously exaggerate the differences that were in those early times among Christians: for he wrote about the dayes of Trajan the Emperour. That others of them took the same course, is testified by Clemens, Stromat. lib. 7. Augustin. lib. de Ovib. c. 15. and sundry others of the antient Writers of the Church. But that no just offence as to the truth, or any of the wayes of Christ might hence be taken, we are as I said before, forewarned of all these things by the Lord himself, and his Apostles; as also of the use and necessity of such events and issues. From where Origen cryes out [illegible], Most admirable to me seems the saying of Paul, There must be Heresies among you, that those who are approved may be manifest. Nor can any just excception be hence taken against the Gospel it self. For it does not belong to the excellency or dignity of any thing to free it self from all opposition, but only to preserve it self from being prevailed against, and to remain victorious, as the sacred truths of Christ have done, and will do to the end. Not a few indeed in these evil dayes wherein we live, the ends of the world, and the difficulties with which they are attended being come upon us, persons ignorant of things past, and regardless of things to come, in bondage to their present lusts and pleasures, are ready to make use of the pretence of divisions and differences among Christians, to give up themselves to Atheism, and indulge to their pleasures like the beasts that perish Let us eat and drink for too morrow we shall dye: Quid aliud inscribi poterat sepulchro bovis! But whatever they pretend to the contrary, it may be easily evinced, that it is their personal dislike of that holy obedience which the Gospel requireth, not the differences that are about the Doctrines of it, which alienates their minds from the truth. They will not some of them foregoe all Philosophical inquiries after the nature and causes of things here below, though they know well enough that there was never any agreement among the wisest and severest that at any time have been engaged in that disquisition, nor is it likely that ever there will be so. And herein they can countenance themselves with the difficulty, obscurity and importance of the things inquired after. But as for the high and heavenly mysteries of the Gospel, the least whereof is infinitely of more importance, then any thing that the utmost reach and comprehension of humane wisdom can attain to, they may be neglected and despised because there are contentions about them. Hic nigrae succus loliginis, haec est Erugo mera.
The truth is, this is so far from any real ground for any such conclusion, that it were utterly impossible that any man should believe the truth of Christian Religion, if he had not seen or might not be informed that such contention and differences had ensued in and about it; for that they should do so, is plainly and frequently foretold in those sacred oracles of it, whereof if any one be found to fail, the veracity and authority of the whole may justly be called into question. If therefore men will have a religion so absolutely facile and easy, that without diligence, endeavour, pains or enquiry, without laying out of their rational abilities, or exercising the faculties of their souls about it, without foregoing of their lusts and pleasures, without care of mistakes and miscarriages, they may be securely wrapped up in it, as it were whether they will or no: I confess they must seek for some other where they can find it, Christianity will yield them no relief. God has not proposed an acquaintance with the blessed concernments of his glory, and of their own eternal condition, to the sons of men on any such terms, as that they should not need with all diligence to employ and exercise their faculties of their souls in the investigation of them, in the use of the means by him appointed for that purpose, seeing this is the chiefest end for which he has made us those souls. And as for them, who in sincerity give up their minds and consciences to his authority and guidance, he has not left them without an infallible direction for such a discharge of their own duty as is sufficient to guide and lead them in the midst of all differences, divisions and oppositions to rest with himself; and the difficulties which are cast upon any in their enquiring after truth, by the error and deviation of other men from it, are all sufficiently recompensed to them, by the excellency and sweetness which they find in the truth itself, when sought out with diligence according to the mind of Christ. And one said not amiss of old, [in non-Latin alphabet], I dare say he is the wisest Christian, who has most diligently considered the various differences that are in and about Christianity, as being built in the knowledge of the truth upon the best and most stable foundations. To this end has the Lord Jesus given us his holy word, a perfect and sure revelation of all that he would have us to believe or do in the worship of God. This he commands us diligently to attend to, to study, search, and enquire after, that we may know his mind and do it. It is true in their enquiry into it, various apprehensions concerning the sense and meaning of sundry things revealed therein have befallen some men in all ages; and Origen gives this as one occasion of the differences that were in those days among Christians, [in non-Latin alphabet], Lib. 3. Con. Cels. 1. When many were converted to Christianity, some of them variously understanding the holy Scripture which they jointly believed, it came to pass that heresy ensued. For this was the whole rule of faith and unity in those days; the means for securing of us in them imposed on us of late by the Romanists, was then not heard of, not thought of in the world. But moreover to obviate all danger that might in this matter ensue from the manifold weakness of our minds in apprehending spiritual things, the Lord Jesus has promised his holy Spirit to all them that believe in him, and ask it of him, to prevent their mistakes and miscarriages in the study of his word, and to lead them into all that truth, the knowledge whereof is necessary, that they may believe in him to the end, and live to him. And if they who diligently and conscientiously without prejudices, corrupt ends or designs in obedience to the command of Christ, shall enquire into the Scriptures to receive from there the whole object of their faith and rule of their obedience, and who believing his promise shall pray for his Spirit, and wait to receive him in and by the means appointed for that end, may not be, and are not thereby secured from all such mistakes and errors as may disinterest them in the promises of the Gospel, I know not how we may be brought to any certainty or assurance in the truths of God, or the everlasting consolation of our own souls. Neither indeed is the nature of man capable of any further satisfaction in or about these things, unless God should work continual miracles, or give continually special revelations to all individuals, which would utterly overthrow the whole nature of that faith and obedience which he requires at our hands. But once to suppose that such persons through a defect of the means appointed by Christ for the instruction and direction before mentioned may everlastingly miscarry, is to cast an unspeakable reproach on the goodness, grace and faithfulness of God, and enough to discourage all men from enquiring after the truth. And these things the Reader will find further cleared in the ensuing discourse, with a discovery of the weakness, falseness and insufficiency of those rules and reliefs which are tendered to us by the Romanists in the lieu of them that are given us by God himself. Now if this be the condition of things in Christian Religion as to any one that has with sincerity consulted the Scripture, or considered the goodness, grace and wisdom of God, it must needs appear to be, it is manifest that men's startling at it, or being offended upon the account of divisions and differences among them that make profession thereof, is nothing but a pretence to cloak and hide their sloth and supine negligence, with their unwillingness to come up to the indispensable condition of learning the truth as it is in Jesus, namely obedience to his whole will, and all his commands so far as he is pleased to reveal them to us. With others they are but incentives to that diligence, and watchfulness, which the things themselves in their nature high and arduous, and in their importance of everlasting moment, require at your hands? Further on those who by the means forementioned come to the knowledge of the truth, it is incumbent according as they are by God's providence called thereunto, and as they receive ability from him for that purpose, to contend earnestly for it. Nor is their so doing any part of the evil that attends differences and divisions, but a means appointed by God himself for their cure and removal, provided as the Apostle speaks that they strive or contend lawfully. The will of God must be done in the ways of his own appointment. Outward force and violence, corporal punishments, swords and faggots, as to any use in things purely spiritual and religious, to impose them on the consciences of men, are condemned in the Scripture, by all the ancient or first writers of the Church, by sundry edicts and laws of the empire, and are contrary to the very light of reason whereby we are men, and all the principles of it from where mankind consents and coalesces into civil society. Explaining, declaring, proving and confirming the truth, convincing of gainsayers by the evidence of common principles on all hands assented to, and right reason, with prayer and supplications for success, attended with a conversation becoming the Gospel we profess, is the way sanctified by God to the promotion of the truth, and the recovery of them that are gone astray from it. Into this work according as God has imparted of his gifts and Spirit to them, some in most ages of the Church have been engaged; and therein have not contracted any guilt of the evils of the contentions and divisions in their days, but cleared themselves of them, and faithfully served the interest of those in their generation. And this justifies and warrants us in the pursuit of the same work, by the same means, in the same days wherein we live. And when at any time men sleep in the neglect of their duty, the envious one will not be wanting to sow his tares in the field of the Lord; which as in the times and places wherein we live it should quicken the diligence and industry of those upon whom the care of the preservation of the truth is by the providence of God in an especial manner devolved, and who have manifold advantages for their encouragement in their undertaking; so also it gives countenance even to the meanest endeavours that in sincerity are employed in the same work by others in their more private capacity, among which I hope the ensuing brief discourse may with impartial readers find admittance. It is designed in general for the defence and vindication of the truth, and that truth which is publicly professed in this nation, against the solicitation of it, and opposition made to it with more than ordinary vigilancy, and seeming hopes of prevalency, on what grounds I know not. This is done by those of the Roman Church, who have given in themselves as sad an instance of a degeneracy from the truth, as ever the Christian world had experience of, from insensible and almost imperceptible entrances into deviations from the holy rule of the Gospel, countenanced by specious pretences of piety and devotion, but really influenced by the corrupt lusts of ambition, love of preeminence, and earthly mindedness, in men ignorant or neglective of the [illegible] and simplicity of the Gospel, their apostasy has been carried on by various degrees upon advantages given to those that made the benefit of it to themselves, by political commotions and alterations, until by sundry artifices and sleights of Satan and men, it is grown to that stated opposition to the right ways of God, which we behold it come to at this day. The great Roman historian desires his Reader in the perusal of his discourses to consider and observe, quae vita, qui mores fuerint, per quos viros quibusque artibus domi militiaeque & partum & auctum imperium sit. Labente deinde paulatim disciplina velut dissidentis primo mores sequatur animo; deinde at magis magisque lapsi sint, tum ire caeperint praecipites, donec ad haec tempora, quibus nec vitia nostra nec remedia pati possumus, perventum est; What was the course of life, what were the manners of those men both at home and abroad, by whom the Roman Empire was erected and enlarged; as also how ancient discipline insensibly decaying, far different manners ensued, whose decay more and more increasing, at length they began violently to decline until we came to these days wherein we are able to bear neither our vices nor their remedies. All which may be as truly and justly spoken of the present Roman ecclesiastical estate. The first rulers and members of that Church by their exemplary sanctity and suffering for the truth, deservedly obtained great renown and reputation among the other Churches in the world; but after a while the discipline of Christ decaying among them, and the purity of his doctrine beginning to be corrupted, they insensibly fell from their pristine glory, until at length they precipitantly tumbled into that condition; wherein because they fear the spiritual remedy would be their temporal ruin, they are resolved to abide, be it never so desperate or deplorable. And hence also it is, that of all the opposition that ever the disciples of Christ had to contend withal, to suffer under, or to witness against, that made to the truth by the Roman Church, has proved the longest, and been attended with the most dreadful consequents. For it is not the work of any one age, or of a few persons to unravel that web of falsehood and unrighteousness, which in a long tract of time has been cunningly woven, and closely compacted together. Besides the heads of this declension have provided for their security by intermixing their concerns with the polity of many nations, and moulding the constitutions of their governments to a subserviency to their interests and ends. But he is strong and faithful who in his own way and time will rescue his truth and worship from being trampled on and defiled by them. In the mean time that which renders the errors of the fathers and sons of that Church most pernicious to the professors of Christianity, is, that whether out of blind zeal, rooted in that obstinacy which men are usually given up to who have refused to retain the truth in the love and power of it, or from their being necessitated thereunto in their councils for the supportment and preservation of their present interests and secular advantages, they are not contented to embrace, practice and adhere to those crooked paths that they have chosen to walk in, and to attempt the drawing of others into them by such ways and means as the light of nature, right reason, with the Scripture, directs to be used in and about the things of religion which relate to the minds and souls of men, but also they have pursued an imposition of their conceptions and practices on other men by force and violence, until the world in many places has been made a stage of oppression, rapine, cruelty and war, and that which they call their Church, a very shambles of the slaughtered disciples of Christ. So that what the historian said of the old Romans in reference to the Gauls or Cimbrians; usque ad nostram memoriam, Romani alla omnia virtuti suae prone esse; cum Gallis pro salute non pro gloria certari; we may apply to them; it is not truth only, but our temporal safety also that we are enforced to contend with them about. And whom they cannot reach with outward violence, they endeavour to lade with curses, and by precipitate censures and determination to eject them out of the limits of Christianity, as to the spiritual and eternal privileges wherewith it is attended. And these things make all hopes of reconciliation for the future, and of present moderation languid and weak, as all endeavours after them here to have been fruitless. For while they contend that every proposal of their Church, every way, and mode, in the worship of God that is in usage among them, is not only true, and right, but of necessity to be embraced and submitted to; and therefore impose them by all sorts of penalties on the consciences and practices of all men, is it not evident that there can be no peace nor agreement in the world but what waste and solitude arising from an extermination of persons otherwise minded than themselves, will produce? Some of them I confess to serve their present supposed advantages, have of late declaimed about moderation in matters of religion; and I wish that herein that may be sincerely endeavoured by some, which for sinister ends, is corruptly pretended by others. For mine own part, there are no sort of men from whose frame of spirit and ways I shall labor a greater distance than theirs, who set themselves against that moderation towards persons differing from them and others in the result of their thoughts upon an humble sincere investigation of the truth and ways of Christ, which himself and his Apostles commend to us, or that refuse to consent to any way of reconciliation of dissenters, wherein violence is not offered to the commands of God, as stated in their consciences. Let the Romanists renounce their principles about the absolute necessity of the subjection of all persons to the Pope, in answer to that groundless and boundless authority which in things sacred and civil they assign to him, with their resolution of imposing the dictates of their Church per fas & nefas upon our consciences, and we shall endeavour with all quietness and moderation to plead with them about our remaining differences, and to join with them in the profession of those important truths wherein we are agreed. But while they propose no other forms of reconciliation, but our absolute submission to their Papal authority, with our assent to, and profession of those doctrines which we are persuaded are contrary to the Scripture, with the sense of Catholic antiquity, derogatory to the glory of God, and prejudicial to the salvation of those by whom they are received, and our concurrence with them in those ways of religious worship, which themselves are fallen into by degrees they know not how, and which we believe dishonorable to God, and pernicious to the souls of men, I see no ground of any other peace with them, but that only which we are bound to follow with all men, in abstaining from mutual violences, performing all offices of Christian love, and in a special praying for their repentance and coming to the acknowledgment of the truth. On this account was it, that some while since upon the desire of some friends, I undertook the examination of a discourse entitled Fiat Lux, whose author under a pretence of that moderation, which is indeed altogether inconsistent with other principles of his profession, endeavoured to insinuate a necessity of the reception of Popery for the bringing of us to peace or agreement here, and the interesting of us in any hope of eternal rest and peace hereafter. Whether that small labor were seasonable or no, or whether any service were done therein to the interest of truth, is left to the judgement of men unprejudiced. Not long after there was published an epistle, pretending a reply to that discourse, being indeed a mere flourish of empty words, and a giving up of the cause wherein the author of Fiat Lux was engaged, as desperate and indefensible. However I thought it not meet to let it pass without some consideration; partly that the design of that treatise, with others of the like nature of late published among us, might be further manifested, and partly that the ends of moderation and peace being fixed between us, I might farther try and examine, whose, and what principles are best suited to their pursuit and accomplishment. I have not therefore confined myself to an answer to the epistle of the author of Fiat Lux, which indeed it does not deserve, as I suppose, himself being judge; but have only from it taken occasion to discuss those principles and usages in religion, wherein the most important differences between Papists and Protestants do lie. For whereas the whole difference between them and us, is branched into two general heads; the first concerning those principles which they and we severally build our profession upon, and resolve our faith into; and the other respecting particular instances in doctrines of faith, and practice in religious worship, I have laid hold of occasion to treat of them both; of the former absolutely, and of the latter in things of most weight and concernment. And because the judgement of antiquity is deservedly of moment in these things, I have not only manifested it to lie plain and clear against the Romanist in instances sufficient to impeach their pretended infallibility; which is enough to dissolve that whole imaginary fabric that is built upon it, and centers in it; but also in most of the material controversies that are between them and us. These things, Christian Reader, I thought meet to premise towards the prevention of that offence which any may really take, or for corrupt ends pretend so to do, at the differences in general that are among Christians, or those in especial which are between us and the Roman Church; as also to give an account of the occasion, design and end of the ensuing consideration of them.
