* Some,

there are who hold the Pope to be Head of the Church, by Divine Right: Others the contrary. That he is infallible: Others, That he is not. *Some, That the Pope alone, without a Council, may determine all Controverfies: Others, That he cannot. Now if in thefe, and many other points of no lefs importance, they themselves are as far from agreeing with one another, as they can poffibly pretend us to be; what fhall hinder us, but that we return their own Inference upon them, That feeing they differ among themselves in fuch things as thefe, they are fo far from that abfolute Infallibility they fet up for, that in truth they have not fo much as any certainty among them, even in thofe Points wherein they do agree.

Bellarm. to. 1. P. 1377. de

Not. Eccl. A.

See Mr. Chil lingworth, P

Is it that in their Church, tho, there be indeed as many differences as in ours, yet this makes not against them, feeing they have a certain Rule, whenever they please, for the compofing of them, viz. The Definition of the Pope, and of the Church? This indeed, I find is commonly faid by them: But then certainly, if they have fuch a ready means, as they fay, of Agreement among them, 'tis the more fhame for them, that they do not agree; he being much more inexcufably guilty in the omiffion of any Duty, who having a ready means to fulfil it, neglects fo to do; than he who has none; or, which is the fame thing, does not know that he has any. But indeed they have no means of Ending their differences, any more than we have; The Holy Scriptures we both of us acknowledge to be the Word of God, and an Infallible Rule of Faith; but for any other direction, they are not yet agreed where to feek it: And fure that can be no very good means of Ending

99, 100.

all

1

all their other Differences, which is it felf one of their chiefest Controverfies.

Or is it, That they agree In matters Bellarm. ib p of Faith, and differ only in those things 378. B that do not belong to it? Because if they

differ about any Point, they for that very Peafon, conclude it to be no matter of Faith. But befides the Impertinence of this Anfwer, which amounts to no more than this, that they do agree in what they do agree, and differ only in thofe things in which they differ. This is what we fay for our felves concerning our Differences; We agree in all thofe things that are neceflary to a Sound and Saving Faith; and if we differ in matters of leffer moment, 'tis no more than what all other Chriftians have ever done, and what thofe of the Church of Rome it felf at this Day do.

So that ftill it must remain, either that those Differences which were among the Chriftians of old, and which are among us now, are no Prejudice at all to the common Truth which we profefs; or if they be, the Confequence will fall upon thofe of the Church of Rome no lefs, that I do not fay, and more feverely, than upon us, and be of the fame Force against Their Religion, that it can be against Ours.

But I muft carry this Reflection a great deal farther; for,

Thirdly, If once this Principle be allowed, That because Men differ in fome things, they ought not to be credited in any, what then will become, not only of the Proteftant Religion, as it now ftands in Oppofition to Popery, but even of Chriftianity it self? For might not a Turk or a Jew, if he were minded to give himself so much trouble to fo little purpose as this late Author has done, draw out a large HIS

TORT

TORT of the VARIATIONS of Chriftians a❤ mong themselves, from the Controverfie of the Text, unto this Day; and then by the very fame Principle conclude against us all, That we have none of us any certain Grounds for Our Religion, because the differences that are among us, plainly fhew, that fome of us must be deceived? And to go yet one ftep farther; Might not a Sceptick by the fame Rule, argue against all Religion, and even against all Reafon too; That the difagreement of mankind in these and many other Points of the greatest Importance, clearly proves that there is no certainty in any thing; and therefore that we ought not to rely either upon the one, or upon the other?

It remains therefore, that unlefs we will overthrow all the meafures of Chriftian Charity towards our Neighbour, and the common Truth, I do not say both of their Faith and of our own, but even of Christianity it felf, nay and of all Religion and Reafon in general; We must conclude, That good Chriftians may differ from one another in matters of leffer moment, without any juft Reflection either upon themfelves or their Religion.

But here therefore I must defire not to be mifunderstood. For when I fay, that Chriftians may, without any danger to themselves, or disparagement to the Truth of their Religion, differ with one another; I mean only, as the Terms of my Propofitiun exprefly fhew, in leffer matters; fuch as do not concern the Fundamentals of Faith, nor destroy the Worfhip of God, nor are otherwise fo clearly revealed, but that Wife and Good Men, after all their Enquiries, may ftill continue to differ in their Opinions concerning them. For otherwife, if Intereft and Prejudice blind men's Eyes, and they err because they refolve they will not be convinced; and fo by

their

their own Fault continue in Miftakes contrary to the Foundation of Faith, and deftructive of Piety: If, for inftance, Men will profefs to believe but in One God, and yet worship Thousands; If they will read over the feend Commandment, and nevertheless both make and bow down before Graven Images in despite of it; If, whilft they acknowledge Chrift to have inftituted the Bleffed Eucharift in both kinds, they command it to be administred but in One; and pray in an unknown Tongue, tho' St. Paul has fpent almost a whole Chapter to fhew the Folly and Unreasonable nefs of it: Thefe are Errors in which I am not concerned; and tho I fhould be unwilling, even here, at all adventures to pronounce any Sentence againft the Men; yet I muft needs fay, That Religion can not be very found, which ftands corrupted with fo many, and fuch fundamental Abuses.

And this makes the difference between those Errors for which we separate from the Church of Rome, and thofe Controverfies which fometimes arife among Protestants themfelves. The former are in matters of the greatest confequence, fuch as tend directly to overthrow the Integrity of Faith, and the Purity of our Worship; and therefore fuch as are in their own nature destructive of the very Effentials of Chriftianity. Whereas our Differences do not at all concern the Foundations either of Faith or Worship; and are therefore fuch in which Good Men, if they be otherwife diligent and fincere in their Enquiry, may differ, without any Prejudice to themselves, or any juft Reflection upon the Truth of their common Profeffion.

Which being thus cleared, in answer to the little Endeavours of one of the latest of our Adverfaries against us upon this Account; I go on, Secondly, to fhew.

Secondly,

Secondly, That fuch differences as thefe, ought not to hinder such persons from agreeing together, not only in a

Prop. 2.

common Charity; but, if it be poffible, in a common Worship of God too.

This is what St. Paul here exprefly exhorts thefe diffenting Chriftians to, and earnestly prays to God that he might fee accomplished in them. That when they came together to the publick Offices of the Church, to offer up their common Prayers and Thanksgivings to him, they might do it, not only in the fame Form of Words, but with the fame Affection of Mind too, both towards God, and towards one another: Now the God of patience and confolation, grant you to be like-minded one towards another, according to Chrift Jefus, that ye may with one Mind and one Mouth glorifie God, even the Father of our Lord Jefus Christ.

Such was their Duty to one another then; and we ought certainly no lefs to esteem the fame to be our Duty towards one another now: And

I. As to the bufinefs of Charity;

God forbid that any Differences in Religion whate foever, much lefs fuch little ones as those we are now speaking of, fhould ever make us deny that to our fellow Chriftians. 'Tis true indeed, our Saviour Christ once foretold to his Difciples, That there fhould rife up Men from among their Bre thren, who fhould upon this account

not only put them out of their Syna- John xvi. 2. gogues, but even think that it was

a

a matter of Religion to kill them. But they were Jews, not Chriftians, who were to do this and He exprefly adds, That 'twas their ignorance

of