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 Scrip- ture, direct 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 con- ceptions and practices on other men by force and violence, until the world in many places hath 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 unto the Gauls or Cimbrians, — " Usque ad nostram memoriam, Romani [aiunt] alia omnia virtuti suae prona esse, cum Gallis pro salute non pro gloria certari," — we may apply unto 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 en- deavour to load with curses ; and, by precipitate censures and determination, to eject them out of the limits of Christianity, as to the spiritual and eternal privi- leges 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 hitherto have been fruitless. For whilst they contend that every pro- posal of their church, every way and mode in the worship of God that is in usage amongst them, is not only true and right, but of necessity to be embraced and submitted unto, and therefore impose them by all sorts of penalties on the con- sciences 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 extermina- tion 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 labour a greater distance, than theirs who set themselves against that mo- deration 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 unto us ; or that refuse to consent unto any way of reconciliation of dissenters wherein violence is not offered unto 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 unto the pope, in answer unto that groundless and boundless authority which in things sacred and civil they assign unto him, Avith their resolution of imposing the dic- tates of their church, " per fas et nefas," upon our consciences, and we shall endea- vour, 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 whilst they propose no other forms of reconcilia- tion but our absolute submission unto their papal authority, with our assent unto, 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 con- currence with them in those ways of religious worship which themselves are fallen into by degrees they know not how, and which we believe dishonourable unto 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 mu- tual violence, 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 Avas 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
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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 labour were seasonable or no, or whether any service were done therein to the interest of truth, is left to the judgment of men unprejudiced. Not long after there was published an epistle, pretending a reply unto 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 hke nature of late published amongst us, might be farther 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 unto their pursuit and accomplishment. I have not, therefore, confined myself unto an answer unto the epistle of the author of " Fiat Lux," — which indeed it doth not de- serve, 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 differ- ences between Papists and Protestants do lie. For whereas the «hole 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. judgment 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 infollibihty, — which is enough to dissolve that whole imaginary fabric that is built upon it and centres in it, — but also in most of the material controversies that are lietween them and us. These things. Christian reader, I thought meet to premise towards the pre- vention of that offence which any may really take, or for corrupt ends pretend so to do, at the diferences in general that are amongst Christians, or those in espe- cial 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.