IT was the advise, good Christian Reader, of the Prophet Jeremy, run to & fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and seek in the broad places therof, if ye can find a man, Jr. 1.5. [Page 2]They were not so much troubled there to find out a man, as we shall be now to find out a Christian. We so busie our selves a­bout Controversies, that we forget to be good Christians. There was a time indeed when the name was first given at Antioch, Act. 11.26. that it was then well set by; but this lasted not long, for presently after they fell a siding amongst them­selves, [Page 3]and one cryed I am of Paul, another I am of Apollos, and another I am of Cephas, and another I am of Christ, 1 Cor. 1.12. and much adoe had St. Parl to appease these factions: for presently af­ter they fell to them a­gain, and have so conti­nued, yea, and increased in them even unto this day. But Christ is not di­vided, saith the same Apo­stle, neither is this to imi­tate [Page 4]Christ the God of love and peace, who lo­ved us when we were his enemies; and the Apostle makes a good inference of imitation upon it, 1 John 4.11. Beloved, if God so lovedus, we ought also to love one another: Nay, as though there were nothing else required of a good Chri­stian, and a fellower of Christ, our Saviour saith, Joh. 13.15. by this shall all men know you are my d sci­ples, [Page 5]if you have love one to another. Seeing then this is the proper and peculiar badge and cognisance of a disciple of Christ to love his fellow-disciples, What argument would be fitter here to treat of, than a perswasion to all Christians to be in peace and charity one with a­nother?

But alas how unwel­come a task is it, to en­treat of Peace and Chari­ty! [Page 6]For he that goes a­bout to part a fray, in all likelyhood will have blowes on both sides, especially where the op­posites and combatants are fierce and violent; he that is eager on any one side, shall be sure to find some fast friends, but he that bewaileth the mise­rable distraction of the whole, and doth but set a foot forward to make up the breach, will find few [Page 7]to take his part, but shall be sure to have many a­bout his ears: And there­fore we may observe that presently after our Savi­our had said, Blessed are the Peace-makers, Mat. 5.9, 10. he immediatly ad­deth, Blessed are they that are persecuted for righte­ousnesse sake; knowing well enough, that if a man will undertake to be a Peace-maker, hee must presently prepare to suffer [Page 8]persecution, and I know none greater than that of Peace-makers in religion, for they suffer on all sides, either by sharp and bitter words, or by scoffing and jeering speeches. For al­though the hot-spurs of these times be at deadly fewd and bitter enmity one with another, yet will they, like Herod and Pilate, joyn together and muster up their forces against those who labour any [Page 9]kind of pacification, and desire to be quiet in the land. Woe is me (saith David, Psal. 120.4, 5, 6. (that I am constrained to dwell with Mesech, and to have mine habitation amongst the tents Kedar: my soul hath long dwelt among them that be enemies unto peace. I la­bour for Peace, but when I speak unto them thereof, they make them ready to Battell. Never could the pious and peaceable Soul more [Page 10]truly cry out than now, My mothers Children were angry with me. Cant. 1.5. A strange speech to call them Mothers children: had it not been a more easie and familiar way to say, my Brethren or my Sisters were angry with me (for so they must be, if they were her Mothers Children) why then doth she make such an invol­ved speech of it, My mo­thers children were angry [Page 11]with me? True indeed, though they cānot choose but be her Brethren, (as being her Mothers chil­dren) yet she doth not, she dares not call them Brethren, for they will not acknowledge it, they hate the name of Bre­thren, and make them­selves professed enemies, and therefoe she is forced to leave out this loving and affectionate compel­lation of brethren, and [Page 12]say in a kind of strange phrase, My mothers children were angry with me. Yet should no man be dis­couraged from perform­ing so worthy a duty; for though there be a perse­cution that attends upon Peace makers here, yet is there a blessing promised them hereafter. And see­ing our blessed Lord and Master Christ Jesus, when he was about to leave his Apostles and Disciples, [Page 13]left unto them this gol­den legacy, Joh. 14.27. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you, O how well would it become all of us to be men of Peace, the Ministers to preach for the Peace of Jerusalem, the people to pray for the peace of Jeru­salem, for they shall prosper that love it. Psal. 122.6.

I will begin this ex­hortation unto Peace and Charity, from that com­mon [Page 14]name which we all acknowledge, in that we are called Christians, and doe all pretend to imitate Christ in our doctrine and practice. There was a time indeed when this name was much taken notice of, and great dan­ger for any man to own it, when they had no other argument then, nor any other cause of their cruell persecutions, but to hear a man confesse Chri­stianus [Page 15]sum, I am a Chri­an: But when these storms were blown over, and the Church began to be in peace, this name of Chri­stian was not so much regarded. And yet me­thinks the very name of Christian is not altoge­ther to be contemned, for, unlesse I am deceived, whosoever hath but this appellation may chal­lenge a brotherhood with me, for in Scripture I find [Page 16]a brother and a Christian to be the very same, so that whosoever is a Chri­stian will necessarily be my brother. 1 Cor. 7.12, 13. If any brother hath a wife, saith the Apostle, that believeth not, and she be plea­sed to dwell with him, let him not put her away; and if the woman hath an husband which believeth not, if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him: But if the unbelieving depart, let [Page 17]him depart, a brother or a sister is not to bondage in such cases. Where the Apostle plainly sheweth that a brother and a sister are such as are Christians, and opposite only to Infidels and unbelievers. Neither ought we to take that exhortation of Saint Paul 1 Pet. 2.17. when he saith, love the brotherhood, in any narrower sense, but that we should love every one that is a Christian, not [Page 18]only because he agreeth with me in some opini­ons concerning religion, but I ought to love him in that respect he is a Christian, and professeth Christ crucified. Neither ought we to love him thus with an ordinary kind of love, in wishing him well, and doing him good, for so we ought to love and doe good to all, but there is a more strict tie of love that lies upon [Page 19]us Christians one to ano­ther; and therefore al­though the Apostle wish­eth us to doe good to all men, yet especially tot he houshold of faith, Gal 6 10. that is, to such as be Christians.

Were this precept of the Apostle practised as it ought to be, there would not be so much unchari­tableness, nor peradven­ture so much dissention amongst Christians. Why can we not consider one [Page 20]another as united in this blessed name of Christian, and set aside for a time those names of faction & division? why should we not rejoyce awhile in those things wherein we agree, and not alwaies be wrangling about those things wherein we differ? Of what moment those opinions are wherein we disagree I am not able to determine; this I dare be bold to say, that the [Page 21]points wherein we are friends, are of far greater consequence, than those are wherein we fall out. And yet we so eagerly contend one with ano­ther, and damn each o­ther to the pit of hell, as though our differences were very important, and our agreement not worth the talking of. For my part I should be loath to exclude any visible Chri­stian Church from all [Page 22]hopes of salvation, and if I must needs offend, I had rather give account to a mercifull God for too much mildness and Cha­rity, than too much fierce­ness and severity: yet I hope to make it appear, that my opinion of Cha­rity shall not exceed the bounds of verity.

A chief cause of the continuance of these dis­sentions is, that men mind not so much the [Page 23]common cause of Chri­stianity, as their own particular engagements, nor study how they may agree one with another, as how to uphold the side they are on: whereas would they set aside pre­judice and partiality, and cast an equall eye upon all the Churches, they would not spy so many faults abroad, and so few at home, but would free­ly confess there might be [Page 24]greater concord amongst Christians than now there is. No other Unity doe I labour for at this time but that of Charity, that Christians would not for some differences in opinion, pronounce such an heavy sentence upon one another, as is that of Damnation. If God should deal with us as wee deal with one another, if he should cen­sure us all as we censure [Page 25]one another, I know not who should be saved: The Papist damning the Pro­testant, and some among us the Papists, and both of them any other that shall differ from them both. But my hope is, and my hearty prayer to God shall be, that he would be more mercifull to all these, than they are one to another. When I consider with my self the manifold distractions of [Page 26]Christians about Religi­on, and the great fierce­ness and violence used on all sides, every one think­ing his own opinion tru­est, and consequently damning all others that differ from him, I could not but call to mind that prophecy of our blessed Saviour, Mat. 24.12. con­cerning these latter and worser times, Because ini­quity shall abound (saith he) the love of many shall [Page 27]waxe cold: for although Charity of it self be of a hot and diffusive nature, yet now clean contrary to the nature of it, it is in most men grown cold; it being the nature of cold to contract and combine, to congeal and draw into a narrow room; thus is it now with our Charity. For whereas like the heat in our naturall bodies, it should diffuse it self into all the members thereof, [Page 28]unto the whole Christian Church, yet I know not how it hath taken cold, for men contract their love now into a very small compass and nar­row room, that is, to no more than to such who jump with them in the same Opinion about Re­ligion, leaving others who differ from them, to nothing but death and damnation. For not only in severall Countries, but [Page 29]in the same Kingdome, in the same City, nay in the same Family, there are severall Religions, or at the least several Opinions about Religion reigning: So that what Saint Au­stine complained of in his time, is truly verified in these, Epist. 147. Thou seest (saith he) with how great and miserable distraction Christian houses and families are divided and troubled; husbands and wives can agree [Page 30]well enough to goe to bed together, bnt they cannot agree to goe to Christs Altar toge­ther: There they swear peace one to another, but here they can have no peace. Parents and Children live well enough together in one house of their own, but one house of Gods will not hold them both. Their desire is that those should succeed them in their own inheritance, who yet they think have no inheritance with Christ. Masters and servants [Page 31]divide the Common Lord and Master of us all, who yet took upon him the form of a servant, that so he might free all. I say never more fully verified than in these daies; For in how many families shall we observe this great division? the Husband goes to Church, and the Wife staies at home, or the Wife goes to Church, and the Husband staies at home, and so between Parents & Chil­dren, [Page 32]Masters and Ser­vants. The Father will give his Son the por­tion of his land, who yet thinks he shall have no portion in the land of the living.

The great division of the Christian world, was first between the East and West Churches, and this West hath been since sub­divided into the Roman and the Reformed Religi­on: So that the divi­sion [Page 33]amongst Christians which is considerable, is but into three parts, the Eastern, the Romanist, and our Reformed. All Christian Churches, and so far forth the members of them brethren and sisters; and not only Christian Churches, but also Catholike and Or­thodox in these points wherein they agree one with another, and with the Primitive Church. [Page 34]Why may it not be with these Churches, as it was with those seven Chur­ches of Asia which S. John wrote unto, in which there were some things commendable, and other things amiss? they were encouraged in the former, and reproved for the lat­ter. And although some of them were better than others, yet you shall sacre find one of them to which he doth not say, [Page 35]haben adversus te pauca, I have a few things against thee: And yet we shall find that Christ himself was in the midst of all these se­ven churches, for he was in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks, Revel. 1.13. and bad in his right hand seven stars, Rev. 1.16. For wri­ting to the Church of E­phesus, he maketh this one of his attributes, Apoc. 21. These things (saith he) who who holdeth the seven stars [Page 36]in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven gol­den Candlesticks. So that our Saviour walked in the midst of all these Chur­ches, even in that luke­warm Church of Laodicea, which he threatned to spue out of his mouth. And let Rome tell us never so much of her infallibili­ty and unerring chair, yet questionless there is none of our Churches, no not the best of them, that our [Page 37]Saviour may not say to her, habeo adversus te pauca, I have a few things against thee. And as those severall Churches, though some of them very faulty, yet were all severall members of Christ, and helped to make up one body: why may it not be so in these Churches I speak of? For first they all agree in that one and only foundation of Religion, Jesus Christ, as the Apostle calleth [Page 38]him, No other foundation can any other man lay, than that which is layd, to wit Jesus Christ, and this no doubt is a sure and good foun­dation, and this maketh them to be Christan Churches; they are all baptized into Christ, and look to be saved by his sufferings: And think not this to be a small matter; for St. Paul desired to know nothing else, I e­steemed not (saith he) to [Page 39]know any thing among you but Jesus Christ, and him cruci­fied, and it worked upon his affection as much as upon his understanding; God forbid that I should re­joyce (saith he) save in the crosse of our Lord Jesus Christ, Gal. 6.14. that is in Christ crucified. Besides this one foundation, they all embrace the two Testaments, the three Creeds, and the four first generall Councills, and [Page 40]many other very materiall points. The discord a­mongst us Christians hath been long agoe ob­jected to us; and certain­ly there hath nothing so much drawn some out of the Church, and kept o­thers from comming into the Church, as these quar­rels amongst our selves; Unto whom I briefly an­swer; If they like not our differences, let them joyn with us in those things [Page 41]wherein we agree, and that is to be Christians, to believe in Christ and him crucified, and those other principall points where­of I spake, and to strive to imitate Christ to their power, and then our dis­cords will less trouble them. It is true, we have not all built alike upon this foundation, but some no question have built wood and straw, as well as silver and gold; yet all [Page 42]of us no doubt do strive to imitate Christ as neer as we can, both in our do­ctrine, and in our practice: and certainly in these su­perstructures of Religion, good intentions must go far, or else it will go hard with many of us; not that they altogether excuse the fault, but doubtless they take off much from the punishment. There is a difference between the East and West Churches, [Page 43]in what kind of bread the Eucharist is to be recei­ved; the East receiving in unleavened bread, the West in leavened bread. And herein though they differ among themselves, yet they both strive to i­mitate Christ, because the one Church thought our Saviour used then the bread that was leavened, the other, that which was unleavened. Either Church is the less blame­able [Page 44]because they think both, that they follow our Saviours example.

S. Austin in like man­ner doth prettily recon­cile a difference between some concerning the time how often we should receive the holy Sacrament of the Lords Supper; for some it seems in his time thought we were bound to receive the Eucharist every day, o­thers but now and then [Page 45] Some (saith he Epist. 118.) communicate daily, others but upon certain daies; some will omít no day, others will only receive on the Sabbath, and the Lords day. There is a freedome to be used in both these. Some will say we must not daily receive the Sacra­ment, because we ought to se­lect and set apart some daies wherein we must live more carefully and religiously, and so come to the Sacrament more worthily, and with greater [Page 46]devotion: On the other side, another tells us, yea, but if the plague sore of sin, and vio­lence of the disease beso great and dangerous, such soveraign medicines as these are not to be deferred. Of both these, saith he, Iet every man take his choice, and do that which he thinks in his conscience he may best and most piously perform; for neither of these dishonour the body and blood of our Saviour, but rather both of them do strive to ho­nour [Page 47]this saving Sacrament. For Zacheus rejoyced great­ly to entertain our Saviour in his house. The Centurion said, Lord, I am not worthy thou shouldest come under my roof; both of these did worship and honour our Saviour, though after a diverse, and as it were a contrary manner, both of them being miserable by rea­son of sin, both of them obtain­ing mercy for their sins. Thus one man to honoun Christ dares not receive every day, [Page 48]another also to honour Christ dares not omit any day. And although these be but pet­ty differences, yet why may I not apply it to con­troversies of greater mo­ment, especially seeing that ancient Father S. Sal­vian, lib. 5. de Providentia; hath found a good inten­tion in the Arians, the most pernitious and most dangerous hereticks ac­counted that ever have been in the Church: They [Page 49]whom we account hereticks (saith he) account not them­selves hereticks, for they so much esteem themselves good Catholicks, that they defame us with the note and appella­tion of heresie. That therefore which they be to us, the very same are we to them. We are certain that they injure the di­vine generation, in that they say, the Son is lesse and infe­rior to the Father: They think us likewise injurious to the Father, because we make [Page 50]the Son equall unto him. The true honour of God is among st us, but they think that to be the honour of the Deity, to be­lieve as they believe. They are undutifull, but they think it the greatest duty of their Religion. They are impious, but they think this to be true piety. They erre therefore, but they erre with a very good mind and intention, not with a hatred, but with a good affe­ction towards God; verily be­lieving that they honour and [Page 51]love God. Although they have not the right Faith, yet they notwithstanding think this to be perfect love towards God. In what manner they shall be punished in the day of Judgement for this very er­ror of false opinion, no man can tell but the Judge him­self.

A good lesson for the hot-spurs of these times, with whō it is a very ea­sie matter to pronounce damnation upon the ve­ry [Page 52]least disagreement in Religion, whereas this good Father would not determine any thing con­cerning these great here­ticks the Arrians, but leaves them to the mercy of the Judge, not being able to discern what they did deserve. You see that this holy Father finds out a good intention even in these hereticks. And if there was a good intenti­on amongst those that [Page 53]were so grossly erroneous, why may there not be good intentions found out amongst us also, who are not at such great odds, and acknowledged on all sides to have no such dan­gerous opinions amongst us.

I speak not this any whit to countenance that opinion of the Arrians, which is creeping into the Church again, but leave them to stand or [Page 54]fall to their own master, and shall in the mean time be perswaded that they goe not against their consciences, and so farre forth it will goe better with them: yet with this holy Father, not free them from punishment, but must refer the maner and measure thereof to the time of Judgement.

Those of the Church of Rome are so impatient of this doctrine, that they [Page 55]care not for being saved, unless they may be saved alone; And their writers generally agree upon no­thing so much, as that out of their Communion there is no Salvation. One of their late writers, (Barckly Paren. li. 1. cap. 1.) can profess thus, We (saith he) proclaim with the whole Church, and we command with Moses that Heaven and Earth would hear us, that there is no communion [Page 56]between God and Belial, & that these Protestants doe so far differ from us in matters of faith, that they altogether in vain expect those mansions of happiness which are pre­pared for us. And after­wards he saith, He that dares believe a stubborn and obstinate Protestant can be saved, doth by so believing fall from the Catholick Faith. And that this is no private or obscure sentence of the Church, but that all Ca­tholicks [Page 57]are of the same mind, that none of them are ignorant if it, nor any can dis­semble it, unless he be an un­expert Divine, or for fear on ambition presfers some mens favour before the truth.

Another of their com­pany Camp. rat. 10. avers the same, with a very great and solemn protestation, I call to witness (saith he) Gods throne, and that tribu­nall at which I shall stand to give an accompt of these my [Page 58]reasons, and of whatsoever I have spoken or done, that either there is no heaven at all, or that it peculiarly and proper­ly belongs unto us.

I' Campian, must ye be saved, and none but yee? what is not Heaven able to hold us as well as you? Or will our salvation be any disparagement to yours? It seems it will. But to come a little clo­ser to you: Is it nothing with you at one breath, [Page 59]to throw so many souls headlong to Hell, for whom Christ died; and which is more who are already incorporate into Christ by Baptism? It cost more to redeem their souls; but you will let that alone for ever. Our comfort is that though you pass such sentence upon us here, yet you are not to be our Judges hereafter, but must your selves come to give an [Page 60]account as well as we, and peradventure of these speeches. Account us not men of so desperate and deplored an estate that we would wittingly and willingly run into hell: why should not our sal­vation be as dear unto us, as yours is unto you? or why should you not think us to have as great a care of our salvation, as you have of yours? For could we be perswaded [Page 61]that we were inherisie, and that there is no salvation out of your Church, how quickly would we fly unto you? How gladly would we be entertained by you? what means and moans would we make to be members of your society? Who can endure such peremp­tory pronunciations of Judgement of God's e­ternall wrath and con­demnation upon us, be­fore [Page 62]fore we come to our hea­ring? And seeing, God's mercy is over all his works, who can endure that you should interdict God's mercy, and judge what the sentence of the Judge shall be, before the day of judgement. So that if God had a mind to spare such sin­ners (as you say wee poor Protestants are) yet by your verdict and prescription hee could not be suffered to do it as S. Jerom long ago complained of Critobulus the Pelagian. [Page 63]lib. 1. advers. Pelag. Were we such tares in the field of the Church, as you would make the world believe, yet if you would imitate Christ, Mat. 13. you should let us grow till the har­vest, lest you pluck up the good corn with us.

Neither are you thus fierce alone, there are some of our own side, to requite you in your own kind, are as confiden-that you cannot be saved, [Page 64]as you are that we can­not; so that the Questi­on now is, In which of our two Churches salva­tion is to be had? For taking it for granted that we have excluded all o­thers, and got Heaven between us, we cannot be content to share it, but we must confine and in­gross it to one of our Churches, as though it could not be had in both, nay as though it could [Page 65]not be had out of both; for I am verily perswa­ded, and dare undertake to make it good, that those poor Eastern Chri­stians, who differ from us both, will yet come to Heaven assoon as either of us; vvich vvere it vvell considered, might bee a good means to pacifie this Question, and to a­bate the heat of many more betvveen us.

But this monopolizing [Page 66]of Christ, although it be generally entertain'd by the Roman Partie, yet are not all our reformed Di­vines so strait lac'd, but many of them, and those of no small note can be content that others should be saved with them, and therefore they are called by you, by way of derision, good fellow Christians. As though they had so much of the good fel­low in them, that they have [Page 67]too little of the good Christi­an. And indeed you have most reason to be angry with these good fellow Christians, for they are like to doe you all the mischief, for having found that there may be salvati on in our Church as well, yea, with more ease than in yours, we shall never be thinking of going any further. As for those who are so eager, that will consine salvation to one [Page 68]certain Church, you have some hope of them, that in time they may come over to you: And what you object to us as a crime, we esteem as our great glory, and account it one of God's special blessings, that we live in the bo­some of a Church, that is so charitable, and we are willing to have so much of the good fellow in us, because we would not have too little of the [Page 69]good Christian: for though our Creed bee compris'd in a narrow room, yet our charity ex­tends farre, not only to you, but the Eastern Church.

We have a little Sister, and she hath no breasts, what shall we do for our Sister, in the day when she shall be spoken of? We have a little Sister. Cant. 8.8. Though the Church of Rome call the Church of Greece Hereti­call [Page 70]and Schismaticall, yet we of the Church of Eng­land, esteem her to be a Daughter of the Catho­lique Church, and our Si­ster, though now she be little, yet she was a great one, not inferiour any waies to the Church of Rome, she brought forth many Children, and gave Milk plentifully; but now alas she is little, by reason of her long perse­cution, and her breasts [Page 71]dried up, for now she is in a manner barren, and able to bring forth but few Children. And al­though She be in this poor and desolate estate, yet the Church of Rome will doe nothing for her, for when at the Councell of Florence she desired aid of them against the Turks, they gave her no succour at all, but left her in mi­serie here, and adjudged her as they doe us to death [Page 72]and damnation hereafter. What shall we do for our Sister? so long as we ac­knowledge her for our Sister, we should be wil­ling to doe something for her in the day when she shall be spoken of; for as yet no body speaks for her, no body laments her, but lets her alone, as if she deser­ved no pitty, no succour, no commiseration, the Romanists have perswa­ded so many that she is [Page 73]schismaticall and hereti­call in her tenents. But all those who esteem of her as a sister, I hope will doe something for her in the day when she shall be spoken for, when her cause shall be pleaded, and she cleared from holding such dangerous and dam­nable Doctrines, then certainly she will have many to pitty her, many to help her.

But the confining of [Page 64]salvation to your own Partie, hath not onely sharpened the pens of many Writers to much bitterness and condem­ning one another, but also hath unsheathed the swords of many Princes and Potentates to the great and lamentable ef­fusion of much Christi­an blood. S. Paul thought it a strange thing in his time for a Brother to go to Law with a Brother: [Page 75] I speak to your shame (saith he.) Is it so that there is not a wise man amongst you, no not one that is able to judge between his Brethren, but Brother goeth to Law with Brother, and that under the Infidels? 1 Cor. 6.5.6. What if S. Paul had lived in these daies; wherein not only a Brother goeth to Law with a Brother, but a Brother goeth to War with a Brother, yea, and which is more, maketh [Page 76]that to be a motive unto his War, to wit, Religi­on, which should be a forcible means of peace and reconcilement. Tan­tum religio potuit suadere malorum? Is it possible that Religion should e­ver be the true Mother of so much mischief? No, no, our true Mother the Holy Catholick Church doth not further such de­signs, but lament them, and doth more justly [Page 77]complain then Rebecca did when twins strove in her womb, seeing it is so, why am I thus. For she could be content would her children but strive, and struggle one with another, but when they come to blows and blood, yea much effusion of blood, as we see at this day, how can she be but like Rabel weeping for her children and not be comforted because they are not? Mat. 1. [Page 78]When was that ever more truly fulfilled then novv, they that kill you shall think they do God good service! Ioh. 16.2. Do you not think you have done God good service in those many massacres in France, in every of which how many thousands of poor Christians have you swept away with such a suddain destruction, that had they been willing, you gave them not so [Page 79]much time as to repent them of their Protestancy? Do you not think that you had done God good service, if that horrible design of the Gun-pow­der-Treason had taken effect, a prodigie not to be spoken of without horrour and amazement, void of all humanity as well as Christianity.

But do what you can, call us Heretiques, Schisma­tiques, and what other dis­gracefull [Page 80]name you can in­vent, imprison us, banish us, strangleous, stifle us, burn us, hang us, we are yet your Brethren. Certainly our Saviour never intended to begin or propogate his Church by this means, he could as esily have sent forth mighty men of war to compell others to believe in him, as poor Fishermen who catch none but such as come to net, or are fairly allu­red [Page 81]to lay hold on the bait. If this open hostili­ty were used against the Turks, the common ene­my of the Christian name, there were some pretence for it; and therefore we read that Moses, Exod. 2. when he saw the Israelite and the Egyptian fight, he did not say, why strive you, but drew his sword, and slew the Egyptian, but when he saw the two Israelites fight, he said, ye [Page 82]are brethren why strive ye. What a glorious sight would it be to see the red Cross once again advan­ced as it was in the daies of Constantine? and if we did not see it written in Heaven, I hope we should find it true upon earth, in hoc signo vinces. Unto this holy war I suppose all they would come, who have promised to fight under Christ's ban­ner. And set aside for a [Page 83]while this private interest of Protestant, and Papist, and Grecian, and Lutheran, and Calvinist, and Arminian, and Socinian, and if there be a­ny other division amongst us, and take upon us that gene­rall livery of Christianity, and so joyn together to res­cue our Brethren from that wild Boar of the Forrest which hath laid wast this goodly vine; and afterwards we might see how we could decide the Controversies a­mongst Christians: For who­soever is in the right, I hope we are all well enough per­swaded that he is in the [Page 84]wrong. Could Herod and Pi­late, otherwise deadly ene­mies be made friends, and a­gree together to condemn Christ, and shall not those, who are already Brethren and therefore should be friends, combine together to save Christ: I say to save Christ, for so long as we save and preserve his members, wee save and preserve him; but so long as we suffer his mem­bers to be thus persecuted and oppressed, hee cannot choose but suffer with them: But we in steed of bandying against the common enemy, muster up our forces one a­gainst [Page 85]another, and find that to be true by lamentable ex­perience, there is no greater hatred then of Brethren that are fallen out.

Seeing then that all Chri­stians are Brethren, I say Brethren, as having one Fa­ther of us all, Brethren as ha­ving one Faith, one Lord, one Baptism, whereby wee are born into the Catholick Church, and one food by the Sacrament of the Eucharist, which makes us grow to be perfect men in Christ; seeing we are all these waies Bre­thren, I may well say as Mo­ses did, ye are Brethren why [Page 86]strive ye? of if ye must needs be striving about matters of Religion, strive and strive earnestly for the Faith which was once delivered to the Saints. Jud. 3.

And because I say we are Brethren, I would not have you think we like not the cause we have in hand, or that we are ready to yeeld unto you, and presently joyn hands with you, as some of you Imagine, and many of our side cause­lesly suspect, but this is all, we would have the breach no greater than it is, and would not have the world believe, because we differ in some [Page 87]things, that we agree in no­thing. And although we call you Brethren, we will not wink at your faults, or joyn with you in them, but this doth put us in mind to admonish you more gently of them as brethren, though you rage ne­ver so fiercely against us, for by this means we shall express our charity towards you, and so heap coals of fire upon your head. God, he knows we are far enough from yielding to you as Romanists, yet should we not be charitable to you as Christians, we were much to blame. But see how you mi­stake, or rather indeed pervert [Page 88]and abuse this our charity: For (say you) by your own acknow­ledgement, there may be salva­tion in our Church, but we all deny there can be Salvation in yours, therefore all if they had care of themselves would have recourse to us, for it is the safer way to be a member of that Church, where both sides yeeld there may be salvation, then in that where on side denies it. This were something if Sal­vation or Damnation depen­ded upon opinion, but I sup­pose that charitable opinion, of ours, in hoping you may be saved, makes you never a whit the neerer heaven, but our [Page 89]selves; & that rough censure of yours in setting us all out for damnation, makes us no whit the neerer hel, but your selves. And I had rather be a mem­ber of that Church, which holds there may be Salvation in both, then of that which holds there can be salvation but in one. For holding with the first, I am safe wheresoever I am, but holding with the latter, I must be in danger wheresoever I am. I say, wheresoever I am; for I am not onely in danger of my salvation, if I be in that Church wherein I think there is no Salvation, but also if I be [Page 90]in that Church out of which I think there can be no Salvati­on; because I confine Salvati­on to one of these, which though I think it be in this a­lone, yet it may be in the o­ther alone; this may suffice to satisfie that great Argument of our Adversaries, wherein they so much glory, and if it be possible to moderate their se­verity against us.

Many other motives unto Charity might be shewed, but these briefly shall suffice. The one is, that we are Chri­ans, and therefore brethren, and so ought to love as bre­thren; Another is, in that I [Page 91]hope our intentions are good, and that none maintains a false opinion perversly against his conscience.

Now let me say unto all Christians, as S. Paul doth to the Corinthians, 2 Cor. 6.11, 12, 13. O ye Christians, our mouth is open unto you, and not only so, but our heart is enlar­ged, not only to the Roman, but even to the East Church, and to as many as call upon the name of our Lord Jesus. Ye are not straitned in us, but ye are straitned in your own bowels, now for a recompence in the same, I speak unto you as unto Brethren, be ye also en­larged!

Let me bespeak all learned Prelats and Pastors on all sides, as S. Austine Epist. 147. doth Proculianus, a Bishop, and a favourer of the Donatists, I pray and beseech thee (saith he) if there be any good dispo­sition in thee, which many doe extoll, and command, if it be not a counterfeit courtesie by reason of worldly honour, that the tender bowells of pitty and compassion begin to yerne in thee, and that you would have these controversies discussd be­tween us at the length, not by wrangling and railing one at another, but by fervent prayers and earnest supplications unto [Page 93]Almighty God, and by compa­ring all things peaceably, and examining them in the spirit of meekness, lest the poor igno­rant people which now yeeld to, and willingly obey our jurisdi­ction and command over them, press us with this their submis­sion and dutifull obedience to us in the day of the Lord Jesus, and say, they did as their lea­ders directed them, but rather by our unfeigned love and cha­rity, being together with us drawn from those by-paths of errour and dissention, they should be directeed into the right way of truth and peace. I will concude all with this [Page 94]prayer, that it would please God to inspire continually the Universall Church, with the spirit of truth, unity and con­cord, and grant that all they who do confess his holy name, may agree in the truth of his holy word, and live in unity and godly love! And although we cannot at the first attain to that perfection to be of one mind, yet let us begin to be charita­ble, and bear with one ano­ther; for who knows but that by entertaining this bond of peace, we may in good time come to the unity of the spirit; which he heartily wisheth, and daily prayeth for, who is