The Preface. great number more through the Land by Gods Grace (ra- ther than any endeavours of mine) are fo minded.) But the Sons of theCoal were exafperated the more againfl me, and accounted him to be againft every man, that called all men to Love and Peace, and was for no man as in a contrary way. And now looking daily in this pofture, when God cal - leth me hence, ( fummoned by an incurable Difeafe to hallen all that ever I will do in this World,) being uncapa- ble of prevailing with the prefent Church dilturbers, I do apply my felf to polterity, leaving them the fad warning of their Anceflors diflra&tons, as a Pillar of Salt, and ac- quainting them what I have found to be the caufe of out Calamities,and therein theywill find the Cure themfelves. I I. Have oft taken the boldnefs (conflrainedly ) to fay, that I doubt not but the Contentions of the Clergie have done far more hurt to the Chriftian World, than the molt bloody WarsofPrinces. And I muff reduce the Caufes to thefe three Heads : I. TheAbufeof POWER, II.Of WISDOM, III.Df G 0 0 DNESS ; or of the Names of thefe : the three great Principles of Humanity. That is, I. ByClergie TYRANNY, I I. By 0 P I NIO= NISTS or Dogmatifts, III. By SUPEP STITION andHTPOCXISIE, or PRACTICAL BLIND ZEAL. But among all there forts, felfifh PRIDE, IGNO= R,ANCE and UNCHARITABLENESS or want of L0VE are the great eft-canal Caufes. And departing from CHRISTIAN S IMPL IC ITT, inDo&rine,Worfhip, Church- government, and Converfarion, is the grand infl}ru; mental means ofmolt of our Schfms, Diftralions and Cala- mities. I.Only by Pride cometb Contention, Prov. 13. i o. The Church- TYRANT isProud of his Superiority and Wealth : The 0 P I Ni 0NIST is Proud of his fuppofed Knowledge and Theological Wifdom ; on which account the Gnoflicks trou- bled the Church of old. The HIP 0 CRITE and the (honelter) ignorant Zealot, is Proud of his fuppoled Holi= nef? or Goodnef? : And for an eminency and precedency and praire in each of thefe , they all confpire ( while theydif- agoee
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