racking the Scripture to confess something for them; (as Demosthenes said of the oracle, that it did iλiti?ew) but do resign our hearts and judgements to the light of God's word, and resolve when our errors are discovered, to hold our peace. Thus as Saint Basil speaks," If we would, by the help of God's spirit and grace, attend unto the scope of holy Scriptures, we should in no wise be unprofitable unto the church of God."

3. λadeλpía, Mutual and brotherly love, which is Magnus persuadendi artifex,' a very great means to work upon the judgements of one another, and to take off all such impediments, as usually arise from personal prejudices in the disquisition of Truth. When the servants of Benhadad observed the word Brother,' to come from the mouth of Ahab, they hastily laid hold on it, as an excellent preparation to the settling of those differences which were between those two princes. (1 Kings, xx. 33.) It was a good temper that of Calvin, who professed that though Luther should call him 'Devil,' (for he was not ignorant of the hate of that man), yet he would still acknowledge him for an excellent servant of God. Were there the same affection on all sides, a pacification between those churches might be easily ac commodated.

1

k

Απροσωποληψία, Not to have the faith of God in respect of persons ; not to be the servants of men ;' (1 Cor. vii. 23) not to enthral our judgements to the fancies of others; but to bear a most equal affection unto all truth by whomsoever

k Ep. ad

1 Non tam auctori

Joan. Hierosol.-Evangelium pertrahunt ad suæ sententiæ præcipitium: Justin. Mart. Epist. ad Zenam. Βιάζονται πρὸς τὰς ἐπιθυμίας τὴν γραφήν. Clem. Ales. Stro. lib. 7. p. 543, 54, 545, 548. Edit. Heins.—Tà dπò TOû oikeíov vods èmeioPépoνTES TOîs Delois didáyμaoi. Chrysost. in Gen. Hom. 24.-Vid. Aug. de Doct. Christ. 1. 3. c. 10. et Tert. de præscr. c. 17. et de resurrect. c. 40. de fuga in persecu. c. 6. h Basil. Hom. 2. in Hexam. i Vix dici potest, quantò libentius imitemur eos, quibus favemus: Fab. instit. 1. 2. c. 2. Bullin. p. 383. edit. Genev. 1576. et ib. p. 138, 181. tatis in disputando, quàm rationis momento quærenda sunt: quinetiam obest plerumque iis qui discere volunt, auctoritas eorum, qui se docere profitentur, &c. Cic. de nat. deor. 1. 1.—Displicet mihi quod Theodoro, ad quem librum scripsi, quamvis docto et Christiano viro, plus tribui quàm deberem: Aug. Retr. 1. c. 2. Errare malo cum Platone quam cum istis vera sentire. Cic. Tusc. Qu.Quibus quia hæretici sunt, etiamsi multo probabiliora dicerent, minime credes rem: Maldon, in Marc. 16. 14.

n

professed. Because truth is God's, wheresoever it grows; m as a mine of gold or silver is the prince's, in whose ground soever it be discovered. Οὐ προσώποις χριστιανισμὸς, ἀλλὰ πίστει χαρακτηρίζεται. " We have our faith and our appellation from Christ, and not from any other person. And therefore they, who, upon any undue respects, can, with equal facility, hold or let go truth, the Fathers fear not to call them, χριστοκάπηλοι, ° and χριστέμποροι, men that make merchandise of Christ' and his truth, contrary to that of Solomon,

Buy the truth, but sell it not." (Prov. xxiii. 23.) And therefore we find the orthodox believers still keeping themselves to the style of Antioch Christians;' and refusing the names of 'Petroani,' or ' Pauliani,' or 'Melitiani,' or ' pars Donati.' And indeed, partial and personal respects will be ever apt to lead unto contention. I cannot affirm any thing, but a conjecture I think we may make, that if Barnabas had not been Mark's uncle, the difference between him and Paul had not been so hot.

5. Zwpporum, To be wise unto sobriety.' (Rom. xii. 3.) When we are to deal in things divine, to set bounds unto ourselves, that we break not through to gaze; (Exod. xix. 12, 21) not to draw eve y thing in religion to the rule of our right, or rather crooked or presumptuous reason; to take heed of 'quomodo,' in things of faith; the Fathers call it a judaical word, and unbeseeming Christians. Saint Paul chargeth us "to take heed of philosophy and vain deceits." (Col. ii. 8.) Not but that there is admirable use of sound philosophy,' and of reason raised and rectified, so

Qui bonus verusque Christianus est, Domini sui esse intelligat, ubicumque invenerit, veritatem. Aug. de doctr. Christ. I. 2. c. 18. n Greg. Naz. Orat. 20. Fides est veritatis, non voluntatum: Evangeliorum, non temporum : Hilar, contia Constant. • Ignat. ad Trall. Basil. Ep. 192. Naz. Orat. 21. Ρ Ος γὰρ ἂν ἄλλῳ ὀνόματι καλῆται πλεῖον TOÚTOV, OUTOS OVK čσTI TOû Beoù. Ignat. ad Magnes.-Naz. Ora. 30.-Epiph. Hæres. 42. et 70.-Athanas. Orat. 2. contr. Arian. p. 308, et Apol. 2. p. 1. 777. Optat. li. 3. Just. Martyr de vers

p. 392. et Ora. 40. p. 643.

Col. iv. 10. Acts xv. 39.

Confess. Epiphan. Hæres. 70. et in Ancorat. Cyril. Alex. in Joan. lib. 4. cap. 13, 14. Athanas. ad Serapion. man. Christi Generatione.

de præscr. c. 7. Idola. c. 10. cont. Marc. li. 2. cap. 16.

Tert. Apol. c. 46.
Tert. de Resur.

cap. 3. de Testim. animæ c. 1. Clem. Alex. Stro. 1. 1. p. 203, 207, 214, 233. lib.

long as it is subordinate to faith; but when it shall be so proud as to judge of faith itself, " and to admit or reject it, as it shall be consonant or disagreeing with her prejudices, this is a tyranny which would quickly overthrow all.

66

Other cause there hath been none of those desperate heresies, wherewith the Socinians have pestered the world, but that they will have all truths to stand or fall at the tribunal of their presumptuous reason: as if all the present and ancient churches of God besides consisted but of brute creatures, and they only in a corner of Polonia (as sometimes the Donatists in Africa) the only reasonable and holy men. Felix Ecclesia, cum nova et curiosa de Deo dicere lascivia crederetur:" happy indeed the church of God, when curious novelties, as it were tournaments, in sacred things are esteemed profane; when men do not Texvoλoyev, but Seoλoy, nor disparage the majesty of so honourable and solemn a foundation, with the levity of slight chaffie, and trivial superstitions. It was a grave and serious speech that of Seneca, and worthy the consideration of the greatest divines, "Nunquam nos verecundiores esse debemus, quàm cùm de Deo agitur."

6. Avaλoyia wioтews, To keep ourselves to the "form of sound words;" (Rom. xii. 6. 2 Tim. i. 13) to hold those doctrines which accord best with the grounds of faith and love in Christ; those which ascribe most glory to God and his grace, which most conduce to the humbling and debasing of the pride of man; which most tend to the practice of godliness, to the purifying of conscience, to the edifying of the body of Christ. Our doctrine must be "according unto godliness;" (1 Tim. vi. 3.) and our knowledge, "the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness." (Tit. i. 1)

7. Zuviosa. The custom of the churches of God. To

u Conantur auctoritatem stabilissimam fundatissimæ Ecclesiæ quasi rationis nomine et pollicitatione superare: Aug. ep. 56. Epiph. Hæres. 76. in confutat. Ætii cap. 38. Just. explicat. fid. p. 375, et 388. Hilar. de Trin. lib. 4. Viderint qui Stoicum et Platonicum et dialecticum Christianismum protulerunt: Tert. de præscript. cap. 7. Naz. Orat. 21. p. 380. Basil. Epist. 61. Senec. Nat. Qu. 1. 7. Pet. Erod. decret. Tit. 6. Sect. 2. * Non parum interest ad Christianam pietatem, quibus vocibus utamur: Aug. de Civ. Dei, lib. 10. cap. 23. y Contra Ecclesiæ fundatissimum morem nemo sentiat: Aug. ep. 28. Ad antiquissimas recurrere Ecclesias: Iren. lib. 3. cap. 4. Tert. de Coro. milit. c. 3, 4.

retain that, (when there is no express and evident variation from divine authority) which is most consonant to the received usage of the ancient and pure ages of the church. This rule the Apostle gives for suppressing of differences; "If any seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God.” (1 Cor. xi. 16.) “Enquire of the former age," saith Bildad," and prepare thyself to the search of their fathers." (Job viii. 8.) "Look to the old way," saith the prophet, Jer. vi. 16. "It was not so from the beginning," saith our Saviour. (Matth. xix. 8.) Only this rule is to be qualified with this necessary distinction, that no antiquity hath any authority in matters necessary of faith, worship, or doctrines of religion, to prescribe or deliver any thing as in itself and immediately obligatory to the conscience, which is either contradicted or omitted in the written word, which we believe to be "fully sufficient to make the man of God perfect, and thoroughly furnished unto every good work." (2 Tim. iii. 16, 17)

a

But, 1. In matters accessary of indifferency, order, decency and inferior nature. 2. In matter of testimony to the truths of the Scripture, and for manifesting the succession, flourishing, and harmony of doctrines through all ages of the church, the godly learned have justly ascribed much to the authority and usage of the ancient churches. The study of the doctrine and rites whereof is justly called by the most

de veland. Virgin. c. 1, 2. Nemo nobis molestias exhibeat: sic enim sentit ac docet sancta Dei Ecclesia ab origine: Epiphan. in Ancor. Quod nec ń kow συνήθεια, οὔτε ἡ τῶν γραφῶν χρήσις παραδέδεκται, τούτου κατατολμᾷν πῶς οὐ Xì Tñs éσxáτns dñovoías èσrí; Basil. cont. Euno. li. 2. p. 242. Aug. Epist. 118. c. i. et 119. cap. 19. contra Jul. li. 1. c. 4, 7. 1. 2. c. 10. z Vid. Mercer, in Job xii. 12. a Adoro Scripturæ plenitudinem-scriptum esse doceat Hermogenis officina. Si non est scriptum, timeat væ, illud adjicientibus aut detrahentibus destinatum : Tert. cont. Herm. c. 22. Vide etiam de præsc. cont. Her, cap. 10, 11. Quandocunque adversus veritatem sapit, hoc erit hæresis, etiam vetus consuetudo. Tert. c. 1. de veland. Virg.-Consuetudo sine veritate vetustas erroris est Cypr. ad Pomp. contr. Steph.-Si solus Christus audiendus est, non debemus attendere quid ante nos aliquis faciendum putaverit; sed quid, qui ante omnes est, Christus prior fecerit ; neque enim hominis consuetudinem sequi oportet, sed Dei veritatem: Cyp. 1. 2. Ep. 3. ad Cæcilium.-Vid. C. Alex. Stro. 1. 7. p. 544. c. 6.-Basil. de Spiritu Sancto, c. 7. et Ep. 80. Moral. Reg. 12. cap. 2. Aug. Epist. 112. in procem. de moribus Ecclesiæ Cathol. 1. 1. cap. 7. contra Epist. Parmen. lib. 3. cap. 2. De unitat. Eccles. c. 2, 3, 6, 17, 18, 19. Contra Cresc. 1. 2. cap. 32.

learned Primate of Ireland," a noble study." I will conclude this particular with the words of St. Austin; "In those things"," saith he, wherein the Holy Scripture hath defined nothing, "Mos populi Dei, et instituta majorum pro lege tenenda sunt, the custom of God's people, and appointments of our forefathers must be held for laws."

с

Lastly, noτay Submission' to the spirits of the prophets, and the judgement of the learned: not to be stiff and inflexible in our own conceits, nor to be accepters of our own persons; but to be willing to retract any error, and, with meekness and thankfulness, to be led into the right way by any hand. Excellent was the resolution of Job in this case: "Teach me and I will hold my peace; and cause me to know wherein I have erred." (Job vi. 24) In which one disposition did all men, who otherwise differ, firmly agree, and were not too partially addicted to their own fancies, nor had their judgements (which should be guided only by the truth of things) too much enthralled to their own wills, ends, or passions; soon might they be brought, if not wherein they err, to change their judgements; yet at least so as to allay them with humility and love, (as St. Cyprian did his) that they should never break forth into bitterness towards their brethren, or disturbance of the church of God.

d

Thus have I, with as much light as my weakness could discover, and with as much brevity as the weight of the argument will allow, opened the means of procuring and preserving peace amongst brethren.

The other particular in the text would require as large a portion of time as this hath already spent. I shall spare to be so injurious to your patience, and to the business we attend upon; only because those things which God hath joined together, no man can put asunder. I shall therefore as architects use to do, give you in but a few lines a model of the building, here by the Apostle commended unto us; and so leave you and it to God's blessing.

b Aug. Epist. 85. Ego quidem fateor, me ex eorum numero esse conari, qui proficiendo scribunt, et scribendo proficiunt :-unde si aliquid, vel incautius, vel indoctius à me positum est,-nec mirandum est, nec dolendum, sed potius ignoscendum atque gratulandum, non quia erratum est, sed quia improbatum, &c. Vide Aug. Epist. 7. d Cypr. ad Quir. Præfat. Concil. Carthag. et

in initio Concilii. Aug. de Baptis. contr. Donat. li. 1. cap. 18. et lib. 2. cap. 1, 5.