CHAP. L. Some Proposals for a (hopeless) Peace
CHAP. L. Some Proposals for a (hopeless) Peace.
I t is a Defensive conflict that I have been hitherto managing; This work is put upon us by our adversaries. But in the conclusion I will add a few words of that with enticeth by its amiable aspect, and which we gladly follow, without importunity or constraint. And were our Power but answerable to our Desires, we would soon put an end to these contentions of the Church, without the hurt of any of the Dissenters: Yea did there appear but any considerable Hopes of success, I should venture to be more large in Proposals to that end: But when wiser men, of greater interest can do no good, and the case appeareth as next to desperate, a few words may suffice to satisfy my own conscience, and to please my mind with the mention of a Peace, and to help some others to right Dispositions and Desires, though we have never so little expectation of success.
And in order to what follows, I must first desire every Reader rightly to understand the meaning and design of all that I have hitherto said. It is but to be a necessary help to the Discovery of the Truth, and the confutation of the contrary errors, and the just defense of the doctrine of Christ, and of his
Churches, I solemnly protest that it is none of my design or desire, 1. To make any believe that the Difference is wider between us and the Papists then indeed it is. Nay I am satisfied that in many doctrinal points it is not so great as commonly it is taken to be by many, if not most, on both sides: as in the points of certainty of Salvation, of Pardon, of Justification, of Works, of Faith; and in almost all the controversies about Predestination,
Redemption, Free-will, the work of Grace, &c. The Dominicans in sense agree with the Calvinist (as they call them) and the Jesuits with the Lutherans and Arminians: and so in diverse other points. The diverse understanding of words among us, and the weakness and passions of Divines, and a base fear of the censures of a party, hath occasioned may on both sides to feign the differences to be much wider then indeed they are: so that when an Alvarez, a Banns, a Gibieuf, have spoken the same things as the Protestants do, they are presently fain to pour out abundance of unworthy slanders against the Protestants, for fear of being accounted
Protestants themselves. And to show their party how much they differ from us, they must feign us to be monsters, and to hold that which commonly we abhor: And some Protestants are too blame also in some measure in this kind. This unchristian dealing will gripe the conscience, when once it is awakened. Let me be rather numbered with those that are ambitious to seem as Like to all the Churches of Christ, and as much to agree with them, as honestly and possibly I may, what party soever distaste that union and agreement. And let my soul abhor the desire of appearing more distant and disagreeing then we are, what censures so ever I may incur. Our students would not so ordinarily read Aquinas, Scotus, Ariminensts, Durand, &c. if there were not in them abundance of precious truth which they esteem. How near doth Dr. Holden come to us in the fundamental point of the Resolution
of our faith? How near come to the Scotists to us in sense, about the point of Merit? And Waldensis and others yet nearer? How near comes
Contarenus to us (and many more) in the point of Justification? How near comes Cardinal Cajetan to us in the Liberty of dissenting from the Fathers in the Exposition of the Scriptures? And so doth Waldonate and many another. How near comes Cardinal Cusanus (lib. de Concord.) to us, even in the Essential point of difference, about the Original and Title that Rome hath to its supremacy? How near comes Gerson to us in the point of Venial and Mortal sin? Perhaps as near as we are to ourselves. How near come the Dominicans and Jansenians to us in the points of Predestination, Grace and Freewill? For my own part, I scarce know a Protestant that my thoughts in these do more concur with, then they do with Jansen, (that is indeed, with Augustine himself.) There are very few points of the Protestant doctrine, which I cannot produce some Papist or other to attest (and easily thus be even with Mr. Brerely, upon fairer terms then he deals with us.)
2. I do also protest that it is none of my desire or design, to create any unjust Censures of the final state of Papists in any Readers: nor to persuade men that they are all damned, or that there are no honest godly men among them. When I read such writers as Gerson, Barbanson, Ferus, and others, I am fully satisfied that there are many among them (how many God only knows) that truly fear God, and are sanctified gracious people, with whom I hope to dwell forever. And therefore I think it my Duty not only to forbear unjust Censures of them, but also to love them with that entire special
Christian Love by which Christ would have us known to be his Disciples; and to persuade all others to do the like. Though still I am constrained to say, that in my small acquaintance with them, I find no comparison between
the English Papists and our Churches in point of Holiness. I would they were much better.
3. I do also protest that it is not my desire or design to make any innocent Papist to be accounted guilty of the faults of others which he disowns.
4. Nor is it any of my desire or design to provoke the Magistrate to any cruelty or injustice towards them; nor to lay any penalty on them, but what is truly of necessity for the safety of himself and the Common-wealth, and a just restraint of them from perverting others, and doing mischief to the souls of men, as I shall open more at large anon.
5. Nor is it any of my desire or design to make the generality of them unjustly more odious with Rulers or People, then the measure of their corruptions do deserve: Or to hide any of their virtues, or deprive them of any honor which is their due. This much my conscience witnesseth of my intents; though I know the partial will hardly believe it, when they feel themselves smart by that Contradiction which they have made necessary for our own defense. And this I thought necessary to premise, before I lay down the following Proposals, that prejudice and passion do not turn away men eyes, or cause them to misinterpret them. For it is prejudice, partiality, and faction, that hath hitherto frustrated all such Proposals and attempts.