long time to the great greife of all good men much troubled the Germane Churches For although it were to be wished that Divines would fairely and fully agree amongst themselves about all those Controversies yet for so many different mindes to concurre all in the same Opinion is as I conceave a thing scarce to be hoped for much lesse to be effected in one age But that these said Churches notwithstanding such disputes as hang undecided may neverthelesse entertaine amongst themselves a Christian Charitie and correspondence is apparent from hence that as often as Divines of both sides have set themselves seriously about this work they still prevailed in it as much as they desired and they might no doubt have prevailed further if they themselves had not wilfully stood in their own way Witnesse Luther himselfe and the Helvetians betwixt whom though they differed in their opinions about the presence of Christs body a freindly agreement notwithstanding was made at Marpurge Luther there professing that he would not by any meanes permit the adverse party that honour to outstrip him in their desires of amitie and peace Which peace after that it had by I know not what mischeivous devices been somewhat disturbed and diminished was againe renewed confirmed by them whereat Luther himselfe rejoyced and upon a strict examination of the Helveticke confession held it very requisite that they should lovingly joyne hearts and hands together But here if any one think that this was no such entire and perfect Union as that which now I affirm to be possible I will grant him this but then I must adde withall that it was not any impossibility in the thing it selfe but rather the wilfull opposition of some amongst them possest with some jealousies and suspitions which was the cause why that godly and good worke was not brought to full perfection For as for Bucer and some other eminent Divines of the same opinion with him they did not only sue for an absolute and perfect agreement but besides they offered to make it appeare that it was very fit such an Union should be concluded neither did they omit any thing that might make for the furthering of it Moreover that this Union of the Reformed Churches we speake of is not a thing impossible is confirmed further from that agreement amongst the Polonian Churches begun of late at Sendomire ever since carefully by them kept and observed it is true they could not bury all controversies but they could banish all contentions and establish so perfect a peace as that they refused not to admit of each other into their publike Congregations to the preaching of the word and Administration of the Sacraments Which holy brotherly concord of those Churches that most wise Prince Lodowick Electour and Count Palatine did not only by his letters to them congratulate but desired of Almighty God in his prayers that the Germane Churches also might be blessed with it What therefore was long since said to that blessed peace maker King Solomon concerning the building of the Temple at Ierusalem the same say I to all moderate and peaceable Divines concerning the uniting of the Reformed Churches arise yee Worthies and be doing and the Lord will be with you Never despaire but that may be now effected which all men will grant hath been done heretofore But least this groundlesse bugbeare of a fancied impossibility should yet slacken the endeavours either of Princes or Divines or any other pious and well affected Christians and deterre them from proceeding herein I will recount all those lets and hinderances which render the peace and union of Churches utterly impossible to be obtained from whence it will easily appeare that there 's no one of them here to hinder why the Germane Churches notwithstanding some points of difference amongst them may not setle a firme peace amongst themselves and being once setled preserve it inviolable Now the first and maine Obstacle that hinders those Churches which agree not in all points of Religion from entertaining a Communion amongst themselves is the usurping and exercising of a tyrannicall power and authority one over another For if any one Church will take upon her to domineer and lord it over the faith of other Churches so as not to acknowledge any for her brethren nor admit of any into her fellowship and Communion but such onely as will be content to beleive and speak just as shee will have them all hope is then taken away of ever obtaining or preserving any agreement in any differences or disputes whatsoever For the sacred Scriptures forbid us thus to enslave our selves to any humane authoritie and our sole Lord and Master Christ Jesus forbid's us to acknowledge any upon earth for a Lord over our Faith and Conscience and that Church which enter's into a Communion with another upon these termes doth not hereby purchase a Peace but rather resigne's up her selfe to a most unjust slavery Onely the Church of Rome is come to that height of pride madnesse that she will take upon her to exclude from the communion of Saints damne to the pit of Hell all such Churches as will not submit their necks to that Antichristian yoake of absolute and blind obedience God of his goodnes ever keep off this Popish folly and fury from setting foot in the Protestant Churches which if it should once take place that union of our Churches which we are all bound to pray for would bee no longer either to be hoped or wisht for But blessed be God for it it is well known there 's not any of the Reformed Churches but doe from their soules detest and abhorre all such Antichristian ambition and desire of Soveraignety And thus have I removed out of the way the maine Obstacle which usually occasion's a perpetuall division rent betwixt such Churches as differ in some points and thereby make's an union of those Churches to become impossible A second let or hinderance which may render the said union of different Churches for example the Saxon and Helvetian Churches impossible is the approbation and practice of Jdolatry in the one the utter detestation of it in the other That of the Prophet Hosea is well knowne though Israel play the harlot yet let not Judah offend come yee not unto Gilgal neither goe yee up to Beth-aven Likewise also that of the Apostle what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols And a number of places more to the same purpose Neither is that saying of Tertullian touching this matter unworthy our observation Idolatry saith he is become the grand and generall sin of whole mankinde the Epidemicall disease of the whole world Since therefore God so severely chargeth us to keepe our selves from Idols all kinde of Idolatry though never so speciously colour'd over wee may well call that morally impossible which cannot be performed without some staine and tincture of Idolatry and without a high and
followes upon the former this they were so farre from granting that they did alwaies expressely deny it As therefore wee doe not say that the Papists doe therefore deny their Sacrifice of the Altar because they grant as we doe the perfection and sufficiency of that Sacrifice which was offered up by Christ on the crosse though in all good consequence this overthrowes that sacrifice of theirs so neither doe we think that Tertullian others of the same Opinion touching the originall of man's soule ought to be charged for holding the Soule to be mortall because this latter errour seeme's to be deducible from the former Now then how extreme faulty in this kinde Divines of both sides have beene who is there that see's not For we commonly charge our Brethren the Lutherans with Eutychianisme though they in the meane time deny and disclaime it because this errour as we think follows upon their Doctrine concerning the Lord's supper they againe on the other side stick not to charge us with I knowe not what monstrous Opinions as if we made God the author of all sin and wickednesse assertions which we justly abhorre tremble at because they perswade themselves that this may be gathered from our Doctrine about God's Praedestination and Providence Wee will not here dispute whether these things be rightly inferred yea or no from our severall Tenents and Opinions on both sides It sufficeth that whatsoever they be whether justly or unjustly pin'd upon our Opinions they are denied by us both nor can we ever be induced by any arguments whatsoever to grant that they are agreeable and consonant to our Faith For so long as this is done as indeed it is it is manifest from what hitherto hath been delivered that neither can they without injustice and calumniation bee charged with Eutychianisme nor we with those monstrous and damnable Opinions although both these errours could by true solid consequence be concluded from our severall Positions which yet neither side will ever confesse for their own part Seeing therefore that all or most of those Doctrines which the one side taxeth in the other as pernicious and such as cannot consist with Salvation are but either the private Opinions of some particular men or else but Corollaries and conclusions violently wrested by force of argument out of their severall Opinions would but men as in reason they ought forbeare to father any thing on either side save onely that which their whole Churches expresly owne and professe for their received Opinions it would be very easie to maintaine that all the Dispute and Controversie which is in agitation betwixt them is such as may be tolerated and that there is not any thing contained in the Faith and Doctrine of either side which overthrowe's Salvation Now were but this once agreed upon and beleived on both sides there would remaine litle or no difficulty in this whole businesse wherein worthy men doe at this present employ themselves namely of setling Peace and Unity amongst our Churches For seeing there are but two waies possible of being reconciled either that one side shall renounce their private Opinions and come over to the other or else that both sides shall joyne together retaining their severall Opinions and by a mutuall condescending shall each of them tolerate that which they dislike in the other's Doctrine especially if it be such as cannot be altered without perill and dammage to a whole Church the former of these two waies as we conceive is not now to be stood upon whereof triall hath been heretofore made not onely without successe but with much danger harme as appeares sufficiently from those many Disputations Conferences which have been held betwixt both sides during this whole Age whereby hatred and enmity hath been ingendred rather than extinguished and the number of Controversies rather increased than diminished Wee must therefore betake our selves to that other way of being reconciled and in it must we employ all our paines and cares studies as being indeed both the only easie and lawfull way yea and necessary too in our judgement And that wee may at length attaine unto this it would not be amisse as we conceive to proceed after this manner and method first wee must endeavour that a kinde of Truce and Cessation from our strifes contentions may be agreed upon and enjoyned the Divines of both sides and that they be stirred up and exhorted to take this whole businesse into consideration this being obtained in the next place speciall diligence must be used that after a meeke freindly and most persuasive manner it be made appeare to all that we are not at variance about any fundamentall Point of Christian Religion or such wherein men may not safely be of either Opinion without hazarding their salvation and here men must be very carefull that they refraine from all intricate Questions and trifling Disputes such wherein the Schoolemen have spent so much paines mincing and mangling every thing into I know not how many peices then handling every peice severally which serve for no other end save onely to torture torment mens mindes but no way make for edification Would but God be pleased so farre to prosper these endeavours as that thus much may be once brought to passe wee make no doubt but every man would then readily wish for this much-desired Communion which none ever shunn'd or refused but out of a kinde of Religion and Conscience conceiving it unlawfull to entertaine a Communion with any that are not of the same beleife and Opinion with themselves so soone as men on both sides shall be wrought off from this superstitious conceit they will gladly run and rush as it were into one anothers armes and embraces For it cannot be imagined that there is any man either of the one side or the other so stupid void of all reason Religion but knows how foul scandalous a thing how hurtfull to both sides how dangerous and pernitious to the whole Christian world this Schisme is which hath hitherto divided and distracted us on the other side how sweet how beneficiall both to our selves all others Unity and Peace would be so it might be had without losse of Faith and Salvation And truely the way to setle this Unity were we but once come to that is plaine and easie For seeing we doe both of us by God's grace equally acknowledge and beleive the Gospell of our Lord Jesus Christ penned by his Disciples and seeing we confesse that whatsoever is of necessity for salvation to be beleived or done by us it is all clearely and plainly laid downe in this Gospell what hinder's why we may not joyntly confirme and ratify those Articles wherein we both agree for those other Points about which wee differ wee may expresse them in such words and phrases as the sacred Scriptures afford us and not suffer our men to enquire any further or contest about thē For
's generation and the procession of the holy Ghost are likewise fundamentall and of equall necessity with the former ought to be determined one way that man should deserve but litle thanks from Christ and his Church by such his rash and inconsiderate assertion So likewise that our Lord Jesus Christ is both God and Man that he hath both natures divine and humane inseparably united in one Person and that we have salvation onely by this God incarnate all this is fundamentall or rather 't is that firme immoveable foundation whereon the whole Catholike saving Faith is built but yet notwithstanding we must not think that whatsoever may be questioned and debated about the ineffable manner of that union betwixt the two natures or the manner how his body is present in the blessed Sacrament as also concerning the Communication of Properties unto the humane nature by vertue of its union with the Divinity or touching the actions and operations of his Humanity depending upon the said Union wee must not I say imagine that all these belong to Fundamentall Faith but rather to Theologicall Science or perhaps not so neither but onely to the vaine curiosity of some particular Divines Let them therefore make this their first and maine businesse carefully to distinguish betwixt fundamentall points and others that are not so and let them not think that whatsoever is appendant and bordering upon a fundamentall point must therefore forth with be it selfe fundamentall When this is once done their next care must be that these fundamentalls be expressed and published after a breife and perspicuous manner and propounded to the publike acceptation and approbation of all the Churches Certa semper sunt in paucis saith Tertullian certaine and undoubted Trueths are not many and they are such as maybe delivered in a few words whatsoever is necessary for a Christian man's salvation to be knowne by him and whatsoever is conducible to render us holy or eternally happy it is all of it plaine and obvious Here 's no use either of subtle acute distinctions or of any long and tedious explications which are oftimes used not for the building up of Christians in the fundamentall faith but rather to favour and further the different opinions of private Doctors In a word here 's no use of any Metaphysicall formalities and abstracted notions which serve only to perplex and confound the learned and to deterre such as are unlearned from embracing the Catholike Faith but doe not any way encline the hearts either of one or other to yeild assent and beleife to the fundamentall points of Faith After they have proceeded thus far having drawn up a breife and plaine Forme of all such Points as are by them judged to appertaine unto the substance of that common Faith which is necessary to be known and professed by all Churches having passed by left undecided all such points as are not so generally received agreed upon in the next place moderate peaceable Divines should labour to exhort and perswade all the rest that they would quietly lay aside all controversies and contentions about such points as good Christians may safely be ignorant of without hazard of their salvation and that they would not quarrell any longer about thē to the danger of the Church the losse of her Peace and the scandall of Schisme which is thereby like to fall upon her Of what good use and necessity this advice is may be clearely seen from the rashnesse of the Church of Rome and her clean contrary practice herein who being not content with those Articles delivered in the Apostles Creed and Nicene Creed will needs obtrude upon the Christian world those other new-coin'd Articles of the Trent-conventicle and hath thereby ministred occasion of a perpetuall rent and Schisme amongst the Churches How much more prudently did that blessed Martyr and most learned Father of his Times S. Cyprian behave himselfe who professeth that he would not for difference in opinion contend or strive with any man nor would he break the peace of our Lord with his Brethren or cast off any man from his communion because he was of a different minde from him By which his Christian charity and moderation S. Cyprian though in an errour deserved better of the Church than Stephen Bishop of Rome who was in the right and did by his unquiet spirit as much as in him lay to rend and teare asunder the Churches Thus warranted by the example of this blessed Martyr and likewise by the judgement of S. Austin herein I need not stick to affirme that amongst the Doctors and Divines of Germany those who are in the errour and yet are willing and desirous to retaine a brotherly Communion with the rest are freer further from Schisme in Gods sight than they who are in the Trueth withall disdaine and deny to entertaine such a Communiō with other Churches which seek and sue for it If therefore they can but get an universall consent in all Fundamentalls though in other things there bee some difference amongst private Doctors yet let them all joyne their votes and voices in this prayer to God nulla salus bello pacem te poscimus omnes no safety can be had or hoped for in warre therefore give peace in our time ô Lord But if any here shall demand what course is to be taken about such Controversies as cannot be decided and agreed upon that they may not give any occasion whereby this Peace and Union of the Churches should be hindered or being obtained should afterwards be disturbed and lost I will set down some few rules which to me seeme worthy the observation and practice of Divines on both sides First that whatsoever tart and bitter passages have formerly slipt from Adversaries either by word or writing amids the heat of disputation they should all be pardond on both sides for the publike good and for ever after buried in silence and oblivion And if it happen that any of those books and writings should afterwards he reprinted before they passe the Presse let them first be purged of all gall bitternesse which otherwise would but rub up and renew the old sore of strife contention amongst brethren Secondly Because no man can with patience heare himselfe branded with Heresie heed must be taken that none be slandered with the name of Nestorian Eutychian or any other condemned Hereticke so long as he doth expresly denie and disclaime the damn'd Opinions of such Hereticks seeing it is utterly impossible that ever they should continue firme in a brotherly Communion and concord who for every petty difference in Opinion cease not by such reproachfull and reviling termes to provoke and exasperate one another And it were to be wished further that those siding names of Lutherans Zuinglians Calvinists were all laid aside which are badges rather of Faction than any fraternall Union anh such as the ancient Fathers could never approve of
Epiphanius would not allow Christians to beare any {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} any other name added over above to the name of Christian but rest content with that Non Petrianos non Paulinos vocari nos oportet sed Christianos whe ought not to be called either Petrians or Paulians but Christians saith Nazianzen But of all others Lactantius is the most severe and rigorous herein Christiani esse desierunt qui Christi nomine omisso humana externa vocabula induerunt they have left off to be Christians who take up forraigne titles and humane appellations instead of the name Christian though to say the trueth such names are rather fasten'd and father'd on particular Churches by others than by themselves either desired or owned Thirdly that all profound and controverted Points be let alone and not medled with in Sermons preached to the common people or in any such books as are publisht in the Vulgar tongue let them be accounted rather the exercise and busines of the Schooles than any fit food nourishment for men's soules Such perplex'd Disputes may very well be spared in the Pulpit but Charity which usually is impaired by the handling and discussing of them cannot be spared or wanting amongst Christians without the utmost danger and hazard of their soules The common people doe but play and sport with such Controversies they are no whit profited by them and in the end not well understanding them they give over sporting and fall a quarrelling and contending about them Last of all if Divines shall hereafter have a minde to disperse or publish and Discourses about these Points let them doe it according to that grave advice of Greg. Nazianzen {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} with reasons not revilings let their aimes intentions be not to non-plus and baffle but rather fairely and freindly to informe and reduce their straying brother into the way of Trueth Hee that shall after this manner be brought to see and forsake his Errour will not thinke himselfe vanquished but instructed nor will he be abasht and asham'd like one overmatcht overcome by his Adversary but rather rejoyce as one better'd and benefited by his brother He that is a proficient is never ashamed Hitherto have I laid down the meanes and manner how an Union may be setled and continued betwixt severall and independent Churches But because it may and often doth happen that there are divers men both learned and unlearned living in the same Church and within the Dominions of the same Prince whose consciences whether rightly or misinformed will not suffer them to subscribe to the common and more generally received Opinion in these Controversies let us in the next place enquire what course is best to be taken concerning such men And here the Governours of each severall Church if they have any regard respect to the safety of their weak Brethren they must see that they doe not intermixe with the publike Confessions and Articles of Religion which they would have received and assented unto by all such as live under their Jurisdiction any curious and unnecessary Controversies nor any decisions of nice and subtle Questions but rather they must take care that such publike Confessions be framed and temper'd to the capacity of the common people so as they may instruct edify the ignorant and promote the salvation of all Herein they should doe well to consider the wisdome of our Fore-fathers whose ancient Confessions unlesse we corrupt stuffe them with new Opinions of our own on purpose to disturb the publike Peace no sober and discreet man will refuse to subscribe unto them Neither is there any necessity why we should burden our publike Confessions with any such additions of our own since God himselfe hath ordained to bring his people to heaven and happines not through the rough knotty paths of perplex'd intricate Disputes but by the smooth and compendious way of Faith Charity Why then such strifes and contentions about words What make Schoole-nicities amongst Church-Confessions the Salvation of Christians is wholy placed in beleiving and serving God as that great Athanasius sometimes gravely spake Adde to this that they will have much adoe to maintaine a firme peace with other Churches who cease not to persecute men and expell them their Communion as if they were Hereticks onely because they maintain that Doctrine which those other Churches hold and professe for in so doing what doe they else but tacitly charge Heresy upon other Churches whom though in word they acknowledge for their Brethren yet they hereby show that in their hearts they much disapprove and dislike them Lastly unlesse the publike Confessions of Churches be cnofined to such Points onely as are fundamentall and generally received by all the Reformed Churches this inconvenience must of necessity follow thereupon that many learned pious and peaceable Ministers shall be driven out disenabled from exercising the Ministery in those Churches wherein they live But if any man doubt whether or no such men may lawfully entertaine a holy and spirituall Communion one with another in the same Church who yet agree not amongst themselves in all Points of Divinity this as I conceive is a matter out of all doubt and question For as touching that blessed Communion which is betwixt Christians at the receiving of the Lord's Supper it consist's cheifly in these particulars that by the common bond of the blessed Spirit we are all united to that sole head of the Church Christ Jesus that by the same Spirit and by Faith and Charity we are united amongst our selves and linked together as it were into one body that lastly like men fed at the same table we are all of us nourished up unto eternall life with the same quickning food to wit the body and blood of Christ in all these particulars doe they professe a Communion whosoever approach and are admitted to that holy Table But now as we doe not by this mutuall Communion professe our selves to have attained all of us either to perfection or to an equall measure of knowledge in Divinity so neither doe we hereby professe that there is an absolute and exact agreement amongst us about all Points of Divinity or that we are all of us in one and the same Opinion about all Disputes and Controversies If no Communion could be had amongst Christians but upon such hard termes as these I beleive it would hardly be found betwixt S. Peter and S. Paul certaine I am the Church of Corinth must of necessitie have fallen in peices and in these times of ours there would not easily be found many Divines of note and eminence which could with a safe conscience communicate together at the same holy Sacrament and Supper of our Lord It is therefore the duty of all Church-Governours as being conscious to themselves of the common infirmities of all men both themselves others to take
that a perpetuall Breach and Division should be made and continued betwixt whole Churches for such petty matters If therefore this were but once agreed upon amongst Divines that their jarres and contentions are not nor ever were about any fundamentall points and such as are of absolute necessity to be known and beleived by all that will be saved then must it also be granted for a manifest trueth that 't is no way impossible but an agreement and Communion may be established this dangerous Schisme utterly rooted out and a blessed Peace setled and preserved amongst the German Churches And thus having proved that a Reconciliation is possible it remaine's that in the next place we consider whether or no Princes Doctors and Pastors of Gods Church and in generall all Christians bee not bound in duty by the law of God every man to endeavour according to his utmost power and ability that such an union may with all convenient speed be setled and established amongst the Reformed Churches 1 And that all men are so bound seeme's to be intimated by that of S. Paul which I alledged before if it be possible as much as in you lie's live peaceably with all men If so great care and diligence must be had to maintaine a civill and externall peace with all sorts of men then surely a spirituall Ecclesiasticall peace amongst Christians is much rather to be sought after and preserved where therefore there is no utter impossibility to hinder why such an Union may not be obtained such men can in no wise be excused who either out of negligence or wilfulnesse disobey the Commandements of God herein Nor can any man justly here pretend that Discords and diversities of Opinions cannot as yet be composed and setled for if it be possible that the Schisme it selfe the Rent betwixt these Churches may be taken away as without all question it may I had rather that a mil-stone were hanged about my neck and that I were drowned in the depth of the Sea than that I should willingly be any hinderance to so good a work so well-pleasing to God and so necessary to the removall of Scandall nay than that I should not with my whole minde and might promote and further it 2 To this may be further added what must necessarily be confes't by all men that a true and right order'd Charity is of as great necessity for the attaining of Salvation to all Churches and to every particular member in any Church as is the true and entire Profession of sound and saving Faith our Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus make's this the badge and cognizance whereby to distinguish and discerne betwixt his true Disciples and such as are spurious and counterfeit by this shall all men know that yee are my Disciples if yee love one another Now I leave it to every man's conscience to judge what manner of Charity that is which see's and suffer's Christian Churches without all just cause and necessity to stand still at distance and defiance one with another and perpetually to shunne a Reconciliation and Union Is it not enough for us to separate from the hay and stubble I meane from the Errours of other Churches but must we by a voluntary separation forsake the Churches themselves which as yet have not forsaken Christ or his Truth 3 Further yet we see how that both Zuinglians and Lutherans as they are usually termed confesse that those Churches which hold with either side doe notwithstanding still remaine true Christian Churches true members of the Church Catholike whereof Christ is the head The renowned Princes in their Preface prefixt to the Forme of Agreement plainly professe that it was farre from their thoughts and intentions to condemne such persons as erred through the weaknesse of their judgement provided that they did not defame and blaspheme God's Trueth much lesse to condemne whole Churches living either under the Romane Empire or elsewhere nay they did not doubt but that there were many pious religious men living in those Churches though they agreed not with them in all Points of Religion Moreover when it was objected to Lucas Osiander how that he had sometimes termed Calvinists the Divel's Martyres hee forthwith purged himselfe from that aspersion thus They that have heard my Sermons will say that they never heard from me any reproachfull termes against the blessed Martyrs of Christ yea my owne writings publisht to the world will witnesse for me that I termed those which were massacred in France on S. Bartholomewe's day holy Martyres This then would be seriously thought upon whether or no it will stand with the Policy Piety and the duty of Christian Churches for every petty errour to deny the right hand of fellowship and brotherly love to those Churches who in the mean time notwithstanding such errours may continue Christ's blessed Martyrs and holy Brethren They who acknowledge Christ for their elder brother must of necessity whether they will or no have all Christs brethren joyned to them in a most sure and fast knot of consanguinity and communion 4 Besides I am very confident that both the Saxon and Helvetian all other Churches which joyne with either of those two will professe that they desire to have and to retaine a brotherly Communion and Peace with this our Church of England as also with the Scottish Irish and all other forraigne Churches of the Reformation And truely we for our parts although we doe not assent to them in all points of controverted Divinity yet doe we account of them as our Brethren in Christ and doe solemnely protest that we entertaine a holy and brotherly Communion with them And if they be like affected towards us with what reason then and equitie doe the German Churches deprive themselves of that brotherly Communion one with another which yet they are not afraid to entertaine with forraigne Churches What therefore Moses said long since to the two Israelites that were striving together the same may truly be said to the Germane Churches quarrelling and contending one with another but cannot so truely be disproved Sirs yee are brethren why doe yee wrong one to another 5 Last of all that which all good men are bound to beg of Almighty God in their prayers to him questionlesse they are bound likewise to imploy their best care and endeavours for the procuring of it Now who is there that doe's not daily solicite God for the flourishing and peaceable estate of his Church Who is there that make's it not a part of his daily prayers that God would be pleased to remove out of the way whatsoever doth disquiet and disturbe her peace or any way let and hinder her spirituall growth and edification This was King David's wish it should be the wish of all good Princes and Divines and generally of all Christians Neither did David wish onely the happinesse and prosperity of Gods Church but hee carefully sought to doe
Peter Martyr and Zanchy all which sometimes shined in the Church of Christ like starres of the first magnitude First then there are to be seene in Calvin's workes many excellent Elogies of Luther even then when Luther did inveigh most bitterly against all our men in the Point of the Sacrament and provoked them farre to repay him in his owne language Whose passions thereby moved enflamed Calvin with admirable prudence supprest kept from breaking out but I desire saith he you would consider first what a worthy man Luther is and with what excellent gifts qualified with what courage constancy with what dexterity with what successe and efficacy of his Doctrine he hath hitherto bent and bestir'd himselfe to lay wast the Kingdome of Antichrist maintaine the Doctrine of our Salvation I have many times said that should he call me Divel yet neverthelesse I would still have so reverent an esteem of him as to acknowledge him for a worthy servant of God Thus Calvin a saying so full of sweetnesse and moderation as if not a man but humanity it selfe had spoken it Not long after he made use of the Apostle's argument to containe keep in our Divines least waxing too hot and passionate they should break out into revilings it become's us saith he so to reprove what we finde amisse in him as that we remit something out of an honourable respect to his rare endowments let not therefore that befall us which is denounced by S. Paul that by biting and devouring one another we be consumed Though he have provoked us yet are wee rather to keep us quiet than to teare the wound wider to the publike danger and dammage of God's Church But now how did Luther carry himselfe was he so farre possest with prejudice and passion as to disdaine all commerce and societie with our men Nay he refused not to enter into freindship with Calvin himselfe though he knew him to be a stout Champion of our Sacramentary Cause Let Calvin himselfe speake if you please Notwithstanding Luther saith he in private was so farre from accounting me his enimy that though he well knew my Opinion ye refused he not to salute mee with reverence by letters writ with his owne hand for the dishonesty of Westphalus forceth mee to speake thus foolishly so as to relate it in the very same expression which he himselfe used Afterwards when the Agreement was halfe finished at Marpurge and they were not yet departed from that meeting he affirme's that he retained the same esteeme of Oecolampadius and Zuinglius as he formerly had done and he did there solemnly promise to account and respect them henceforth as Brethren Secondly what an intimate freindship familiarity there was betwixt Melanchthon Iacobus Andreae Brentius and our Divines the mutuall Salutations which passed betwixt them can abundantly witnes Melanchthon writing to Calvin begins his Letter after this manner Reverend and Christian Brother I trust we shall have a time to meet and conferre together And afterwards concluding I beseech the Sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ the Guardian and keeper of his Church that he would guide and protect Thee and us All Farewell most deare Brother Besides what was observed concerning Melanchthon others by our Sturmius he himselfe will by no meanes conceale from us as though saith he Philip Melanchthon did not impart his Opinion touching the Sacrament to Peter Martyr afterwards to divers others with whom he still continued in love and freindship Further Iacobus Andreae and Brentius did unanimously adhere to the Opinion of Luther concerning the Eucharist of whom notwithstanding Calvin thus speaks your Letters worthy Sir and my much honoured Brother speaking to Iacobus Andreae were not a litle welcome to me for as much as I understand by them how that amids these sad and unhappy contentions wherein I am most unwillingly engaged you still continue like affected towards me as heretofore you have been Againe this your moderation of mind I embrace highly applaud Farewell worthy Sir and my much respected Brother I wish all happinesse to Brentius God Almighty ever guide and direct you by his blessed spirit strengthen and sustaine you by his power and shower downe his blessings in abundance upon you And againe in another Letter Brentius salute's you Thus were matters carried amongst thē and why should not We putting on bowells of meeknesse tread the steps of these Worthies Shall they breath out nothing but mildnesse and sweetnesse and wee nought but rage and fury God forbid I have done with the first Thesis I now proceed to the second The second THESIS That 't is possible for the most hot and rigorous spirits to be reconciled and agreed GIve mee leave to make use of that Maxime of Aristotle so frequently used in the Schooles but in a sense somewhat different Quae conveniunt in codem Tertio inter so conveniunt such two things as agree in any one third agree likewise betwixt themselves In like manner I conceive that though we differ much in our Opinions about the Eucharist yet there are still remaining amongst us some common Principles and certaine notes or notions out of which any one who is not blinded with prejudice may draw an assertion One is the authority of Scripture sufficient of it selfe to challenge a beleife a second is the cleare light of Antiquity as cleare as the Sunne at mid-day But this is no fit place to discourse at large upon these Three other there are which in no wise may bee passed over seing they are such as are more proper and peculiar to the two adverse parts I wil begin with the first of thē The Augustane Confession is by the Divines of Saxony esteemed as an Oracle of undeniable and unquestionable authority now if our men allow and approve of that Confession J doe not see what can possibly make more for the obtaining of a Reconciliation And for certaine Calvin herein agrees with them I desire saith hee as much as any man a sincere and true union so it be such as God hath approved in his word nor doe I reject the Augustane Confession whereunto I did once wittingly and willingly subscribe according to that interpretation which the Author thereof himselfe put upon it Againe I affirme saith hee that in that Confession as it was printed at Ratisbon there 's not so much as one word which is contrary to our Doctrine and if there be any ambiguity to be met with in the sense none is more fit to be the Interpreter of it than the Author himselfe whose worth will easily obtaine him that honour with all pious and learned men So He. Neither is he singular in this but others there are though of the same Opinion with him concerning the Eucharist who will grant as much (a) I am of the number of those saith Iohn Sturmius who concerning the receiving of the body blood of
cannot stand Let us learn to be wise from the examples of others the Guelphi and Gibellini those two implacable and irreconcileable Factions did agree together and joyne their forces when the common Enimie came against them and shall not We rowse our selves up to save defend our selves As for the gaine and advantage I mentiond can there be any greater gaine than Salvation and yet even this too the more common the greater and better it is Let us then I beseech you for the love of God set before our eyes the Greek Church which now seeme's to sue and wooe to us for a brotherly union and agreement as appeare's from that Confession of Faith lately set forth in the name of all the Easterne-Churches by the right Reverend Father Cyrill Patriarch of Constantinople which agrees exactly with our Protestant Confessions in every Article set forth and published by him Me thinks I see this most ample farre spreading part of the Christian world ready to fly into our armes embraces presently upon the first newes of our unity and agreement amongst our selves which hope of ours should Christ be pleased to crowne with successe this alone would farre outvie and surpasse in glory all the triumphs and trophies of all the Emperours in the world But I hasten to your other Question The other CONTROVERSY Concerning that unfathom'd mystery of Praedestination upon the foresight of Faith and Workes THis is that other Question as I gather from your Letter whereon as on a rock divers men otherwise desirous of Peace have dasht and split themselves That therefore men may knowe I have not of my owne accord sought after and catcht at this opportunity to dispute but rather am cast upon it against my will my proceeding herein shall be not by way of disputation but as the Times rather require by way of exhortation advice I hope therefore the learned Divines of Saxony will take this my advice in good part wherein I earnestly pray and beseech them first that they would be reconciled to their owne Luther in this Point who as it did well become a child of Grace did constantly hold and maintaine that the Grace of God is every way free and gratuitous Next that they would not in the patronizing and vindicating of Divine Grace suffer themselves to be outstript by Papists nay Jesuites and the prime Doctors too of that sect Bellarmine Tolet Pererius Suarez Salmeron Maldonaâ—â— who have all of them exploded this Doctrine of Praedestination upon the foresight of Faith and Workes as pure Pelagianisme Last of all it is some wisdome for a man to profit by his enimy there came out a book two yeares agon written by Will de Gibieuffe of the Oratorian Order Priest and Doctor of the Sorbon dedicated to the present Pope Vrban wherein are inserted the words of Pope Clement the eighth concerning the Auxilia Gratiae the summe whereof is this that this whole Doctrine ought to be squared and conformed to S. Austin's judgement in the Point of Grace that the same S. Austin ought be acknowledged and followed as a guide and leader for asmuch as that good Father seeme's to have omitted nothing which concernes the said Controversies and because saith he many of our Praedecessours have stood up so stoutly for that Doctrine of S. Austin concerning Grace as if they desired to have it continued in the Church as her right of inheritance it is not meet I should suffer her to be deprived of this her patrimony Thus farre that Pope unto whose judgement J will not say for the authority but the trueth of it I nothing doubt but Calvin himselfe were he now living would subscribe And he that shall read Calvin's writings will quickly grant that in these Controversies he had more than an ordinary share of S. Austin's Legacy Thus you see Sir how that partly your importunity who are such an earnest Factour for Peace and partly my own zeale in so necessary a Cause have made me exceed the accustomed bounds of a Letter wherein if you finde not much judgement yet may you behold my care desires for Christian Peace The author of all true peace our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen and enable you by the power of his holy spirit cheerefully to goe thorough with this so waighty an employment for the publike Peace of his Church Farewell THOMAS DURHAM Postscript That we should thus first seek and sue for brotherly love unity is so farre from being any prejudice to our cause as that it is rather to be counted an honour to us in that we herein follow the precept and practice of God himselfe of whom the Evangelist saith 1. Joh. 4.10 He first loved us THE OPINION OF THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD IOSEPH HALL Bishop of EXCETER THose Articles of Religion wherein the Divines of both sides doe fully agree are abundantly sufficient both for a Christian man's salvation and likewise for the establishing of a firme lasting Peace in the Churches of God As for the rest I would not have them reckoned amongst the Apostle's {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} foolish Questions doubtlesse they are such as may perhaps not unfitly bee sent to the Divinity-Schooles there to bee throughly discussed but by no meanes ought they to disquiet the Peace either of any Christian soule or of God's holy Church What doe we professing Christian Charity and love if we still obstinately refuse to indulge our Brethren this litle liberty of dissenting from us in doubtfull difficult Schoole-questions Seeing wee know very well that our good and gracious Saviour passed over with silence and toleration great and greivous Errours in comparison of these if it be granted that these are Errours and that too even in such as were of his owne houshold and retinue There are but three things about which the reverend Divines of both sides professe themselves to differ THE first is whether or no our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ be truly omniscient omnipotent and omnipresent not only according to his Divinity but also according to his humane nature by vertue of the personall Union That the Lord Jesus to wit God and Man is in both his natures omniscient omnipotent and omnipresent is confest on each side this being granted the word according is a meere Schoole-nicity How farre the vertue of that hypostaticall union extend's it selfe the holy ghost is silent and a Christian may safely be ignorant of it Let the Doctors if they list dispute and busie their braines as much as they please about this matter it will be enough for a Christian to knowe that he hath a Saviour who is both God and man to whom all these attributes truely belong and appertaine Nay even Divines themselves have enough wherein they may rest satisfied so long as this be granted on both sides that even the humane nature considered personally is omniscient omnipresent omnipotent which wee all of us roundly
agreed upon maintained no matter though in some other Points the judgements of the Faithfull be various and different That this is lawfull both the thing it selfe loudly proclaimes it and S. Paul confirmes it who doe's not only permit but command us more than once to beare with such as differ from us in their Opinions and 't is the common and generall Opinion of all such Divines as have been of any note and esteem in the Church ever since our Saviour Christ's times downe to this present age Yet is not this so to be understood as if all manner of Differences in Religion were to be tolerated for even the same Apostle denounceth an Anathema against such as shall preach any other Gospell than that which he had preached and the most moderate amongst the Fathers of the Christian Church have alwaies constantly held that we are to shunne and avoid the company of Hereticks For there bee some Opinions of those men who differ about Religion which overthrow the very foundation of our Salvation destroy either that Piety or that Charity which wee are commanded by God's word to practise towards God and men such are the erroneous Doctrines of Romanists who will have that religious worship given to creatures which God hath reserved peculiar to himselfe who make our Faith to rely upon the judgement and authority of men who severall waies overthrow the Preistly office of Jesus Christ in a word who have with their own inventions so stained and deformed the whole Christian Religion that they have left no one part in it sound and untainted Such likewise are the Opinions of Socinians who to let passe their other Positions deny our Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus to be truely God and if once you take away his Divinity it will necessarily follow that either wee worship a creature or else that we doe not worship the sonne of God both of which are manifestly repugnant to those Trueths which are delivered to us in holy Writ as absolutely necessary to Salvation We conceive therefore that no Peace in way of Religion can be had with these men nor with any others who maintaine any Errours of this nature till they shall renounce these their private Doctrines But for those who hold some erroneous Opinion which yet may consist with Piety Charity and all Christian duties belonging thereunto we think as S. Paul seeme's to have determined a Communion may be held with them Wee may mildly admonish such and when opportunity is offered discreetly reprove and instruct them but to cast them out of the Church and for no other cause to curse and excommunicate them as men in a desperate and damnable estate this in our opinion is neither fitting nor lawfull to be done Now to apply this to the matter in hand we conceive that to this latter sort all those Controversies doe belong which are agitated amongst Protestant Divines touching Christ's presence in the Sacramentall signes touching divine Praedestination and some few other Points For they doe agree in all such Points as conduce either to Piety towards God or Charity towards men they maintain on both sides that the Scriptures are of divine inspiration that they are perfect perspicuous and authenticall they detest with one heart mouth the Tyranny and pernitious Doctrines of the Pope and they equally keep off from entertaining a Communion with him they have the same Sacraments they worship the same Christ they professe the same righteousnesse and holinesse in this life and they expect the same glory in the life to come in a word so great and so wonderfull an agreement is there betwixt them about all saving and necessary Doctrines that did not the history of their affaires and those bitter contentions which have hitherto more is the pitty been fomented amongst them witnesse the contrary there 's no man but would thinke they had a meeting at the beginning and by common counsell consent agreed upon the same Confession of Faith In such a multitude of mysteries who can chuse but admire that there should not be above one or two Points wherein they did not fully agree For even about the Eucharist which is the maine matter of this woefull Division they both of them grant that 't is a Sacrament not a Sacrifice that it is to be eaten not worshipped both the two kindes instituted by our Saviour Christ to wit bread and wine are neither transubstantiated nor divided one from the other by either side they both acknowledge the same use and end of this holy Rite to wit the commemorating of Christ's death the partaking of his body which was crucified and of his blood which was shed for us There is onely one thing about which they disagree namely the manner how Christ's body is given to us and received by us in that Sacrament the thing is the same on both sides onely the manner of it is divers This Difference though it be but small yet is it not wee confesse altogether of no moment but that it should be of so great moment as that it ought to make a breach of charity and affection amongst Brethren a duty so useful and necessary to the Christian world and so miraculously wrought amongst them by the hand of Heaven this we utterly deny Neither doe We alone deny it to say nothing of our Brethren in Poland and almost all the Germans which hold with us who as it is well knowne to all men ever did and at this day doe make the same reckoning and account of that Controversy as we but now did to say nothing likewise of those famous Divines of both sides in Saxony and Brandenburge who as we have been informed were lately of the very same opinion concerning these Points when they had fairely discussed them at Lipswich whither they were come with their Princes But one thing there is which we cannot here omit to mention a matter perhaps not so well knowne to forraine nations yet such a matter it is as we confidently beleive will be most welcome and acceptable to all good peaceable men to wit that the Reformed Churches here in France whereof there are good store have alwaies been of that same Opinion touching these Controversies they have given testimony of this their Opinion both heretofore sundry waies and likewise now very lately by an expresse Decree made in a generall Synod held here at Charenton neare Paris in the yeare 1631. For when upon occasion of a citizen of Lions unto whose daughter a certaine young German of the Augustane Confession as they call it was a suiter it was questiond how we are to account and esteeme of such as are commonly termed Lutherans all the Brethren which were there met out of all the Provinces of France and sent thither from their several Churches did unanimously vote thus That seeing the Churches of the Augustane Confession doe agree with the other Reformed Churches in all the Principles and fundamentall