The Preface. men of fuch various Interefts, tempers, educations, con- verfe and degrees ofknowledge fhould not differ in a word, orgefure? Our Englifh Rulers make no Laws, what Ge- fture fhall be ufed in Jiving Pfalms,` or in Hearing Ser- mons, and there is no divifion or great diforder in them: But on pretence of nearer Concord, they should tye all to one Gefture, this or that, we fhould prefently find it an engine of divifion. And. O how many fuch Engines have the Papal Clergie made and ufed long ! and to what put- pofe ? To filence faithful Miniflers, to torment faithful Chrifeians in the Inquifitions, to brand the belt men with the names of Hereticks and Schifmaticks, o gratifie all profanenefs and malignity, to quench brotherly love, and to tear the Church,into pieces ; Andno experiencewill make them wifer. Il. And the DOGMATISTS alto have done their part, by departing from the Simplicity of the Chrian Dó. Flrine, to fet the Chrifeian world together by the ears. Of which Hilary hath written fltarply againfe the Making of newCreeds, not fparing to tell them that even the 1\U= cene Fathers, led others the way : And Hierome wonders that they that were for the word hypofafs queltioned his Faith, as if he that had been baptised had been without a Faith or Creed which all at Baptifm do profefs. But this will not ferve turn to thefe Corrupters. Councils, Doffors and Schoolmen have been led by the temptation ofmore fubtle. knowledge, tobe Wife and Orthodox overmuch; till the Chur- ches Faith is as large as all the Decrees of General Coun- cils de fide at the leafe, and the Churches Laws a great deal larger ! And what abundance of dubious Confeßions, De. èlarations or Decrees, are now to be fubfcribed or believed and juflified, before a man can have his Baptifmal birth- right, even the Love, peace and Church- Communion be- queathed to himas a Chriftian by Chrife ! And now tontroverfal writings fill our Libraries by Cart-loads : And a UP of confutation is a great part of molt Sermons. among the Papif}s, Lutherans and many others ; And men are bred up in the Univerfities to a Militant f riving, kind of life , that their work may be to make Flain Chriflians feem unlearned 'dolts, and denters feem odious or fufpetedmen, and themfelves to be the wife and Orthodox perfoils and triumphant over all the erroneous, that were it not for thefe Contenders would deferoy the faith.
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