PREFATORY NOTE. THE following treatise has been always printed along with that on the Supremacy, both in the Englishand in the foreign editions. Dr Tillotson says, in reference to it : "To this treatise of ThePope's Supremacy Ihave, for theaffinity of the argument, added, by way of appendix, another discourse of the same author's, concerning The Unity of the Church, which he so explains as quite to take away the necessity of a visible head over thewhole church for the preservationof its unity; which is the only specious, but yet avery remote, pretence for the Pope's supremacy : for if a visible monarch of the church were granted necessary, many things more must be supposed (which neither yet are nor ever can be proved), to make the bishop of Rome the man." The Discourse has been commended, not only as containing a powerful argument against the supremacy of the Pope, but also as forming a just estimate of less import- ant differences. It was written in opposition to the views entertained by Mr Her- bert Thorndike, prebendary of Westminster, a High-Church writer of that time, and author of " Epilogue to the Tragedy of the Church of England," London, fol. 1659. It possesses in a high degree the characteristics whichDr Barrow could not fail to com- municate to his works, learning, clearness of comprehension, soberness, and piety. Mr Hill observes, that "by this little piece of The Unity ofthe Church,' he has better deserved of the church and religion than many who make a greater figure in ecclesi- astical history and politics ; for upon his principles, ecclesiasticism would be for edi- fication, and not for destruction. It is the learned Mr Thorndike he disputes against; but that did not abate the intimate friendship that was between them." Considering the delicate and debatable ground he had to tread, the author maintains throughout the catholicity of his spirit with great success; unless we except some remarks towards the close, relative to schism, which are either not sufficiently explained to be intelli- gible, or not qualified enough to meet with general approval. En. s
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