The Preface. as every one is apt to be confident, fo tobe tenacious s every error leading on more , and the reputation of the perfon being concerned in it, mutability being a fhamc : And fo it becometh avery difficult thing to unlearn the errors once learned ; as white Paper is eafier written on than that which is written on before. i5. And then no man knowetb bis own error ( elfe it were no error ), nor knoweth what another mans perceptions are, nor what any other man knoweth more than he. 16. And laflly, the odious names of diffenters ( the common ufage) Both quickly affright evenbeginners from thinking well of their Opinions,(yea, or of their perfons and piety ufually ). And by all theft means almoll all are of the opinion of the Countrey where they live, or of thofe that theymoll reverence, or which are moll for their ìute- re$; andboldly condemn the refl not underflood. III. And the pretence of H O LI NESS or a blindpra. focal Zeal, and Superßitious religion, both in Hypocrites and many hone$ ignorant people, hath not a littlehand in the diflraEtions of Chrifts Church. It was the appearance of more Spirituality and Stritlnei which drewTertulian tothe Montanifls, and which promoted a great part of theHerehes which havetorn the Churches. This bore up the Caufe of the Prifcillianifls, and of thofe that Bernard and Cluniacenfis fo much inveigh againft, (I flip pofeManichees with forne better perfons mixt:) This kept up the :Donàtifls ; but above all the Movatians long in great reputation : This was the flrength of the rinabaptts inter. many and, the Low Countreys , as their adverfaries confers. Saith G. Wiceliva Meth. Concord. c. t x. p. 42. CRetint1ores bac una parte duntaxat fapiunt, tenentes dot:rinam Eccle fæ Catbolic e fpeaking of theneceffity ofa holy life : This is the flrength of the lakes among us now, and of almoll all the fepa- rating and Cenlorious- Sees : And were not fo excellent a thing as Godlinef the Motive , abundance of good people durfl never have done the great evils which we have feen done in this age 'to the great fhame of our profefiion, and the fad calamities of Church and State. ( And if I my felf have formerly in my unexperienced youth , pro- tnoted any dividing -or unwarrantable wayes, it was up- on this and the former miflake ; which I beg daily of God to difcover to me to the full , and beg the pardon of the rnifcarriages which I know, and which yet I know not of) And
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