The Preface. Clergie at this day in theGreek Church in Mofcovie, Armenia; Syria, 4baffia, &c. yea among too many of the German Churches, is very lamentable, by Ignorance and fcandal: And the corruptionof theRomanClergie was it that facili- tated the revolt from the Papacy at Luther's reformation. He that readeth Corned. Mus, Perms, EJenceus, Erafmus, Alvan Pelagius, Clemangis and fuch others defcribing their own Cler- gie, and 7óf: Acofta of them in India, erc. will fee much of the Caufe of the Divifions in the World : And all the old Writers that write again$ the Waldenfes, do make us under- $and that the ignorance and wickednefsof the Clergie then, was it that drove them from the Roman Church. Saith Wicelius Meth. Concord. c. n. p. 39. Qom; tales ad nullum boa neftius vite inflitutum idonei Punt, minim fitfì bonos facerdotes prLe= fdabunt : fic itaqueprocedente tempore regeturEcclefìa ab afinis, (.7 predicabunt imperitii fimi máfero populo , quod nunquam didicerunt ipfi. Adolefcentes optimi quique abhorrent propterea ab inflituto illo, quod nolint fuam libertatem fibi eripi, c. I have oft laid, what caufedSt. Martin to feparate during life from the Synodical Bithops about him : And what Gildas faithof fuck, that no excellent Chriflian will call them 141iniflers : And it's very ob- fervablenot only as Dr.James in the Marginof Wicelius hath cited, that there are many Canons again$ wicked Priefls ce- lebrating and Mailing, but Wicelius himfelf faith (p.17. ) 1'ón admittantur facra concubinariorum, quos Deus pejus odic, atq; manifeflarios incefdus : Meminerimus in Decretis Ponti ficum pié caveri, Ne quis Mffam elus Presbyteri audiat quern fcit indubitanter con= cubinam habere, aut fubintroduEtammulierem. (And yet there are nowmen pretending to piety among Proteflants, that fpeak of, andufe thole Godly perlons more hatefully who refufe to hear fuchwicked Priefls,than they do thole Priefls themfelves.) Light and Darknefs have no Communion : And the Church will alwayes have bad Minillers and Mem- bers : Andmany good people through Ignorance will think that they fhould go further from them than they ought : And will not diflinguifh between that private familiarity which is in theirown power, and that publick ChurchCom- munionwhich the Church Paflors are the guides and judges of. Aid fo the honefly and the ignorance of thefe good men, meeting with the 'vulgar wickedneß, will be as the congrefs of fireand water, and will occafion ruptures and parties in the Churches. 9. The
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