Egr; ΙRΗΝΙΚΟΝ: OR, A WAY OF PEACE.  
WHEREIN, The Church of God may safely walk( amid the many distractions wherewith she is now entangled) and happily arrive( by Gods blessing) at a City of Habitation.  
Marked out unto Her; By the most judicious Travellers, and experienced Guides of our Times: Divers Reverend and Learned Divines.  
 printer's or publisher's device  
LONDON, Printed in the Year, 1645.   

K. JAMES OUR LATE MOST learned sovereign, in the Epistle of Is. CASAUSON to cardinal PERRON, upon the 3d Observation.  
THe King thinketh that the number of things absolutely necessary to salvation is not great. Wherefore his Majesty is of opinion that there is no readier way to a general accord, than diligently to sever necessary points from unnecessary; and so that there be a consent in the necessary articles, in the other unnecessary place may be given to Christian Liberty. The King judgeth those Points simply necessary, which are either expressly in the word of God commanded to be believed or done, or collected out of the word by the ancient Church, by immediate consequence. If this distinction were well applied to the deciding of Controversies at this day, and divine laws fairly severed from positive or ecclesiastical Constitutions, it is very likely that godly and moderate men would not long be at any variance in things absolutely necessary. For they are but few, as we said before; and they are already almost agreed upon among all that call themselves Christians. And further, his majesty doth so approve of the former distinction, and esteems it to be of such moment for the lessening and settling of Controversies( which at this day so much vex the Church of Christ,) that in his judgement it is the duty of all godly men that love truth and peace most diligently to teach, press, and urge it.   

Mr HOOKER in his Answer to Mr TRAVERS, at the end.  
SIth there can come nothing of contention but the mutual wast of the parties contending, till a common enemy dance in the ashes of them both; J do wish hearty, that the grave advice which Constantine gave for reuniting of his Clergy, so many times upon so small occasions in so lamentable sort divided; or rather, the strict commandment of Christ unto his, that they should not be divided at all, may at the length, if it be his blessed will, prevail so far, at the least in this corner of the Christian world, to the burying and quiter forgetting of strife, together with the causes which have either bread it or brought it up; that things of small moment never disjoin them, whom one God, one Lord, one Faith, one Spirit, one baptism, bands of so great force, have linked; that a respective eye towards things wherewith we should not be disquieted, make us not, as through infirmity the very patriarches themselves were, full gorged, unable to speak peaceably to their own Brother; finally, that no strife may ever be heard of again, but this, who shall hate strife most, who shall pursue Peace and Unity with swiftest paces.   

sir EDWIN SANDYS in his book entitled Europae Speculum, or A View of the state of Religion in the western parts of the World. PAG: 173.  
THE end( of these unhappy differences in Religion betwixt the Protestant Churches) will bee, that their enemies shall laugh, when themselves shall have cause to weep: unless the graciousness of God stir up some worthy Princes of renown and reputation with both sides, to interpose their wisdom, industry, and authority, for the uniting these Factions, or at leastwise for reconciling and composing these differences in some tolerable sort: a work of immortal famed and desert; and worthy of none other but of them of whom this wicked base world is not worthy.   

THE OPINION OF THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD John DAVENANT Bishop of Sarisbury.  
To his learned and worthy friend Mr John DURY.  
TIS well worthy the consideration of all pious Divines, which God speaks by his Prophet 
C. 8. V. 19.  Zachary, love the Truth and Peace. With which that of the Apostle also suite's well, {αβγδ} speak the truth in love. Wee 
Ephes. 4. 15.  may not so hotly pursue after truth, as that in the mean time we wholly neglect Peace; nor may we desire such a Peace as will not consist with the truth. Those Divines therefore who quarrel and contend so much for the Faith and Religion, they may talk what they list, but he that love's not both truth and Peace, love's indeed neither; nor hath he any true affection or desire to either of them, who desire's them not both. For if it be true which Philosophers tell us, that each natural body doth no less desire it's unity than it's being, I see no reason why the spiritual and mystical body, the Church catholic, should not with as great a zeal study to preserve her unity: seeing if that be once dissolved and lost, shee is so far from being a Church, that she cannot so much as be imagined one. Let us then on God's name be as earnest and eager in desiring& defending the truth as the best, but with all let us not forget that of Saint 
Rom. 12. 18.  Paul, that if it be possible, and as much as in us lies, we live peaceably with all men: J say, with all men, in an external and civill; but with all Christian men, in a spiritual and ecclesiastical peace. This is the earnest desire of our Saviour Christ, and 'tis the joint wish& prayer of his whole Church, that all they who profess themselves believers in Christ, might be united and knit 
Joh. 17. 21. Act. 4. 32.  together into one body; that they might be all of one heart and of one soul.  
This being so, surely those pious and peacemaking Divines are highly to bee commended, who of late have employed themselves and their endeavours about the reconciling of the Reformed Churches. For my own part, I would to God I were able to contribute any thing that might further and promote so good and godly a work. What I can, I shall willingly at your request( Sir) do it: and shall impart unto you what my thoughts were, when J lately meditated with myself hereupon.  
In the first place therefore, it would bee considered, whether or no it be possible to establish such an union amongst all the Reformed Churches, so as that they shall account of one another not as friends only, but as Brethren; and exhibit mutually each to other the signs, fruits, and effects not onely of an outward and general friendship, but of a more intimate& spiritual amity and communion. For if this fraternal& spiritual union we so much desire, cannot be had, we may then desist; things impossible do not bind us to the having or seeking of them: but if it may possibly be procured, 'twere a great pitty and a shane that so good a work and so well-pleasing to God as this is, should be either opposed or delayed.  
Now when I say, that it would first be considered whether or no this Union we treat of, be possible; my meaning is, whether or no such an Union may stand with a diversity of Opinions amongst private Doctors in these several Churches, touching those much-controverted points which have of a long time( to the great grief of all good men) much ●roubled the german Churches. For altho●●h it were to be wished, that Divines would fairly and fully agree amongst themselves about all those Controversies; yet for so many different mindes to concur all in the same Opinion, is( as I conceive) a thing scarce to be hoped for, much less to be effected in one age. But that these said Churches, notwithstanding such disputes as hang undecided, may nevertheless entertain amongst themselves a Christian charity 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.  
witness Luther himself and the Helvetians: betwixt whom( though they differed in their opinions about the presence of Christs body) a friendly agreement notwithstanding was made at Marpurge: Luther 
Hosp. Histor. Sacr. Ann. 1529.  there professing, that he would not by any means permit the adverse party that honour, to outstrip him in their desires of amity and peace. Which peace, after that it had by I know not what mischievous devices been somewhat disturbed and diminished, was again renewed& confirmed 
Idem Ann. 1537-  by them: whereat Luther himself rejoiced, and upon a strict examination of the Helveticke confession, held it very requisite that they should lovingly join 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 add withall, that it was not any impossibility in the thing itself, but rather the wilful opposition of some amongst them, possessed with some jealousies and suspicions, which was the cause why that godly and good work was not 
Ibid.  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 appear 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 speak of, is not a thing impossible, is confirmed further from that agreement amongst the Polonian 
Harm. confess. par. 1.& 2. in confess. Polon.  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 public Congregations, to the preaching of the word and Administration of the Sacraments. Which holy& brotherly concord of those Churches, that most wise Prince Lodowick, elector and Count Palatine, did not only by his letters to them congratulate, but desired of Almighty God in his prayers, that the german 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 Jerusalem, the same say I to all moderate and peaceable Divines concerning the uniting 
1. Chron. 22. 16.  of the Reformed Churches; arise, ye Worthies, and be doing, and the Lord will be with you. Never despair but that may be now effected, which all men will grant hath been done heretofore.  
But least this groundless bugbear of a fancied impossibility should yet slacken the endeavours either of Princes, or Divines, or any other pious and well affencted Christians, and deter them from proceeding herein; I will recount all those lets and hindrances, which render the peace and union of Churches utterly impossible to be obtained: from whence it will easily appear, that there's no one of them here, to hinder why the german Churches( notwithstanding some points of difference amongst them) may not settle a firm peace amongst themselves, and being once settled preserve it inviolable.  
Now the first and main 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 aclowledge any for her brethren, nor admit of any into her fellowship and Communion, but such onely as will be content to believe 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 ourselves to any human authority, and our sole Lord and Master Christ Jesus forbid's us to aclowledge any upon 
Mat 23.  earth for a Lord over our Faith and Conscience: and that Church which enter's into a Communion with another upon these terms, doth not hereby purchase a Peace, but rather resigne's up herself to a most unjust slavery. Onely the Church of Rome is come to that height of pride& madness, that she will take upon her to exclude from the communion of Saints,& damn to the pit of Hell all such Churches as will not submit their necks to that Antichristian yoke of absolute and blind obedience. God of his goodness 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 wished for. But( blessed be God for it) it is well known, there's not any of the Reformed Churches but do from their souls detest and abhor all such Antichristian ambition and desire of sovereignty. And thus have I removed out of the way the main Obstacle which usually occasion's a perpetual division& rent betwixt such Churches as differ in some points, and thereby makes an union of those Churches to become impossible.  
A second let or hindrance which may render the said union of different Churches( for example, the Saxon and Helvetian Churches) impossible, is the approbation and practise of J dolatry in the one,& the utter detestation of it in the other. That of the Prophet Hosea is well known, though 
C. 4. v. 5.  Israel play the harlot, yet let not Judah offend: come ye not unto Gilgal, neither go ye up to Beth-aven. Likewise also that of the Apostle, what agreement hath the Temple of God 
2 Cor. 6, 16.  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 general sin of whole mankind, the epidemical disease of the whole world. Since therefore God so severely chargeth us to keep ourselves from Idols& all kind of Idolatry, though never so speciously coloured over, wee may well call that morally impossible which cannot be performed without some stain and tincture of Idolatry, and without a high and heinous offence against the sacred majesty of God.  
Here then we may behold that grand let, whereby the Reformed Churches( to their great grief of heart) are forced to shun a Communion with the Church of Rome. For so far in love is shee with her idols, and so rigorously doth shee impose the worshipping of them upon all her children, that no man can be admitted into her Communion, at least not continue in it, unless he will become a notorious and down-right Idolater. If the case so stood, that the german Churches could not enter into and enjoy a blessed Unity and Peace one with another, except they must be required and bound either to practise an Idolatrous worship, or at the least to believe and profess that such practise is not unlawful, I would not stick to affirm that a Communion which cannot be had but upon such hard conditions, is indeed impossible to bee had: since( as Lawyers use to speak) wee can do onely so much, as may lawfully be done by us.  
And here we have just cause to bless God, that the Reformed Churches( although they have not the happiness to agree in all matters of lesser moment) yet do they all of them by his grace unanimously conspire& join together against Idolatry; so as not onely to condemn, but also to beat down and abolish it: insomuch that if at this very hour they were all disposed and desirous to join hands and strike a league of amity and union, it might be done without any the least danger of Idolatry. Away then with that pretended impossibility of a Reconciliation, grounded upon the peril of Idolatry: nor let any such false surmises weaken the heart or hands of any religious Christian from going on with so good a work.  
The third& last Obstacle which doth block up the way to an union& render's it impossible, is the differing of several Churches about some fundamental point of Faith, necessary to be known and believed by every christian upon pain& peril of eternal damnation; so as that the one side doth solidly hold and maintain it, the other heretically denie's and oppose's it. For to be at peace with heretics who go about to undermine and subvert the foundation of our Christian faith, what is it else but to revolt from Christ the rock on which the Church is founded & built? Of this last Obstacle, because it is of special use and moment, I shall treat somewhat more at large.  
In the first place therefore, I conceive that to be a fundamental point, which( by the ordination of God revealing such a truth) is of such necessity unto salvation to be known and assented unto, as that a bare Ignorance, much more a wilful Opposition of it carries with it a certain peril of exclusion from the kingdom of heaven. Divines now-adaies have no Commission to invent or coin any new Articles of this nature, and obtrude them on Gods Church: that which was not fundamental in the apostolical and Primitive times, all our assertions and altercations and anathemas will never bee able to make it such.  
These first and fundamental goldsmiths, collected out of the whole body of the Scriptures& put together in the Apostles Creed, make up that Rule of Faith which 
Epist. 57. ad Dardan.  S. Austin terme's pusillis magnisque communem, a common Rule for all men, both great& small: and which is by him accounted necessary to bee believed constantly by all. Concerning the which, that speech of Hilary 
Ad Constant. August.  also is much to the same effect; 'tis our safest and best course to hold fast that first& onely-Evangelicall Faith, which we made confession of at our baptism. And to these fundamental goldsmiths the Apostle( I believe) had an eye, when he styled Titus, his own 
Tit. 1. 3.  son[ {αβγδ}] after the common Faith. This common Faith laid down in the Apostles Creed, proposeth to all Christians, to be believed by them, the wonderful Production of all creatures out of nothing, the unsearchable mystery of the glorious trinity, the fruit& benefit that redound's to miserable sinners from the Incarnation, Passion, Resurrection, and Glorification of Christ;&, what follow's thereupon, the Redemption of mankind, the Sanctification of the Elect, the Communion of Saints, the Remission of sins, the Resurrection of mens bodies, and the Glorifying of the faithful.  
He that beleive's all which wee have here comprised in this short Creed, and endeavour's to led his life according to the Commandements and Precepts of our Saviour Christ, cannot justly be denied the title of a Christian, nor expelled the fellowship and communion of any Christian Church whatsoever. On the other side, He that shall deny or oppose any one of the said Articles, although he arrogate to himself the name of a Christian, yet is he to be excluded and banished the society of all orthodox and sound Christians.  
Besides these, there are( I confess) many other goldsmiths contained in the Scriptures, and deducible from thence by good and solid consequence, which are very profitable to be known, and of singular use to further us in the knowledge of Divinity: but they are then only( and not otherwise) necessary to be believed under pain of forfeiture of our salvation or communion with the Church, when 'tis clearly evidenced unto us that they are contained in Gods word, or may necessary be inferred from it.  
In these points therefore, if any particular Church cannot make the truth which she herself beleive's, so clear and manifest to other Churches, as thereby to win them over to the same belief, shee must forsake them in their errors, but by no means may she( because of such errors) deny them her charity and Communion. I add further, that if it should happen that two Churches should vary about some particular place of holy Writ, the one conceiving that it confirme's a fundamental point of Faith, and the other thinking that it doth not so: yet is not such a difference as this a sufficient cause why they should fall at odds, and separate one from another; so long as they agree both of them in the Point itself, and aclowledge it to have clear& solid foundation in other places of God's word. And last of all this may be added yet further, that 'tis not a thing impossible, nor any way contrary to the duty of good Christians, to entertain a communion with those Churches which hold such a doctrine as seems to us inconsistent with some fundamental truth, so that in the mean while they do expressly believe& profess that fundamental truth itself. For 'tis utterly against all Charity, yea and Reason too, that a man should be thought( merely for some consequences, which he neither apprehend's nor grants) to deny and reject a fundamental point, which yet he strongly beleive's, expressly affirme's, yea and( if need so required) would not stick to seal the truth of it with his dearest blood. How much truer and more charitable is that opinion of a grave and moderate Divine? We must not 
Bucer. ( saith he) so much consider what will follow in the thing itself from every assertion, as what will follow from it in the apprehension and judgement of those who maintain any such assertion as seems to us repugnant to some fundamental point of Faith. For as he who assent's to the truth of some Principle, cannot therefore be said properly to believe and understand whatsoever an abler scholar can by consequences infer from that Principle; so neither can he who maintaine's a false Opinion, justly bee thought to hold all those absurdities which a nimble head easily observe's to adhere unto or follow upon that erroneous Opinion of his. We may indeed urge and press these consequences upon our Brethren, to see if haply wee can by this means beat them off their error; but maliciously to fasten them upon them, as though they were their professed Opinions, this we may not do.  
How far this extend's, and of what excellent use it is to the settling of a brotherly union amongst the Reformed Churches, all wise men and such as unfeignedly desire the peace of Gods Church, will easily perceive. For if it once be granted, that a Peace and Union is not impossible( that is, not unlawful) save onely with such as actually disbeleive some fundamental point of Faith, or maintain some such Heresy as strike's at the heart of Religion, and cut's off the Abettors of it from having any communion with Christ; then will it follow, that betwixt a sound and a diseased Church, betwixt two Churches whereof one is more, the other less pure, there may be such a brotherly communion as we desire among the german Churches. Let therefore the orthodox Churches separate themselves from all such as have played the Apostates& fallen away from fundamental Faith; but let them not separate from those which err onely in points of lesser moment and such as do not cut off the maintainers of them from being members of the mystical body of Christ, the sole author and fountain of our salvation. The Apostle commands us to receive( not, reject) such as are weak in the Faith: And the same Apostle 
Rom. 14. 1.  tells us how that we which are strong, 
Rom. 15. 1.  ought to bear the infirmities of the weak,& not to please ourselves. That Church therefore does but too much please& indulge herself, which despise's other Churches, as unworthy of her fellowship and communion, not for any Tyranny that they exercise, nor any Idolatry which they approve or practise, nor any damnable heresy which they maintain, but merely for some mistakes or infirmity of their knowledge. This was not the practise of the Fathers in the Primitive Church: whose care and diligence in procuring& preserving Peace amongst particular Churches dispersed and scattered over the whole world, stands upon record in ecclesiastical story and may be observed 
Magdeburg.  in each several age of the Church. But of all other, that of Optatus Milevitanus 
Lib. 2, cap. 7.  fit's best to our purpose; that all the Churches throughout the whole world were by the help and intercourse of those letters by them called[ Formatae] kept in one Communion and fellowship. Now those[ Formatae] or synodical letters contained nothing at all save onely a bare Confession of the catholic Faith delivered in their general Creeds, and briefly explained afterwards in opposition to some heretics, by the unanimous consent of the Church universal met together in general Councells held at Nice, Chalcedon, and other places. As for those infinite other questions which might be raised and debated amongst private doctors of each side, no Church ever required or expected from others an absolute& universal consent therein. For if such an universal agreement in all points had been deemed so necessary as that Unity& Peace could not possibly have been maintained betwixt particular Churches without it, there would then have been more need of huge and high-swollne Volumes of Controversies, than of such brief Confessions and synodical letters as they made use of for that purpose.  
But if wee refuse to learn of the ancient Fathers of the Church, yet let us at length learn thus much from our very adversaries, that it is not a thing impossible for several Churches to live charitably and peaceably together, and use the same Service and Sacraments, although they differ one from another about some Controversies, wherein 'tis merely in vain ever to look for an universal agreement. To say nothing of the contentions betwixt the Thomists and Scotists, neither of those between the Dominicans and jesuits; there is one controversy hotly and violently disputed amongst Popish Churches, which, if taken single and by itself, is of greater moment than all ours put together; I mean that concerning the Infallible Judge in all matters of Faith: The Churches of spain and italy will have the Pope to be this supreme Judge, authorized by Christ himself, and so far illuminated and assisted with an infallible Spirit, as that he cannot possibly err in such Decrees and Determinations as he give's out with an intention to bind the whole Church: On the other side, the French Churches deny the Pope any such privilege, throwing him down from his chair of Infallibility, and making him liable to error as well as other men; so far forth, that should he refuse to submit to the authority and judgement of a general council, either in matters of Faith or of practise, they will tell you he's to be esteemed a schismatic and a heretic, and to be deposed thereupon. Behold here a great difference amongst them about the very foundation and the main pillar of the whole catholic Faith! And yet notwithstanding this so great a variety of opinions, they still hold together all of them in one and the same brotherly communion. O for Sion's sake let it not be  told in Gath, nor published in the streets of Ashkelon, that the Philistines should be better affencted and more desirous of Peace and Unity amongst themselves, than the Jsrael of God is.  
Last of all, if an union may not consist with a diversity of Opinions in some controversies of lesser moment, I would gladly that any man would show me but two Churches in the whole Christian world( except they be such whereof one is subordinate to the other) which must not necessary hereupon be divided, and as it were by a wall of partition separated from each other. unless therefore we will grant, that a separation from other Churches is not to be made save onely upon a difference in fundamentals, the Communion of the Church catholic( anciently so much famed and talked of) will be found in the end to be nothing else but an airy and empty sound or name voided of all truth and reality. The Donatists of old 
August. de unitate Eccl. c. 12.  were wont to say, that the Church was perished from off the whole earth save onely from the part of Donatus, in whom alone( they said) it was preserved: and our adversaries of Rome( herein right Donatists) tell us that the Church catholic is of no larger extent than the roman. As for ourselves, it becomes and behove's us to detest this schismatical and factious humour, and to foster and cherish a brotherly Communion with all such Christian Churches as neither heresy nor Idolatry hath cut off from Christ our head, and such as have not exercised any usurped Tyranny over other Churches.  
All that hath hitherto been said touching the lets& hindrances which render a Communion of several Churches impossible, as also touching diversity of Opinions which may well consist with such a Reconciliation, aims at this, that if once it were agreed upon amongst Divines that all those controversies whereabout the Reformed Churches have of a long time busied and wearied themselves, are of that nature that a man may safely be of either opinion and still remain in Christ, holding the substance of saving Faith without incurring any damnable Heresy, then must we needs grant, that an union and agreement amongst all Protestant Churches may be made and maintained notwithstanding all such Controversies, as being indeed not so properly any differences of our Churches as of our schools. It is not my purpose to enter the lists of those Controversies: onely I do pray and earnestly entreat those learned& reverend Divines of Germany, that laying aside all passion& partiality, they would in the spirit of meekness calmly and candidly discuss all those several controversies which are agitated amongst them: for if once we let loose the rains to Passion, Judgement must needs give place.  
The main controversy, and which indeed is the fountain from whence all the rest in a manner are derived, is that which stands yet undecided concerning the manner how Christ's body and blood are present in the Eucharist. Touching which point the learned 
In Epist. ad Luther.  Bucer, having well weighed the matter, give's in at last this verdict, that they agreed in the thing itself; all the difference was merely in words and manner of expression. 'twas once the speech of 
Contra Rober. Atringen.& alibi. Hosp: in. Hist. Sacr. pag 144 ad An. 1536.  Luther, if you believe& teach that in the holy Supper the very body and the very blood of Christ is offered, given, and received, and not the bare signs of bread and wine; and that such receiving thereof is true and real, not imaginary onely, the strife betwixt us is ended. At that very same time 
Ibid.  Bucer& his Adherents granted, that the very body and blood of our Lord is offered, given, and received together with the visible 
Colloq. Momp. pag 16.  signs of bread and wine. Iacobus Andreae saith, we neither hold with the Capernaites, nor admit of Popish Transubstantiation, nor maintain we any physical or local presence and inclusion of Christs body and blood in the blessed Sacrament; nor do we by those words[ substantially, corporally, orally] understand any thing else but only a true& real presence and participation of his body and blood in this Sacrament. Now let us hear the judgement of the Helvetians herein; Although 
Hospin. Ann. 1536 p. 145.  they deny that there's any Transubstantiation of the Elements, or any local inclusion of Christ's body in the bread, or any Conjunction of his body and blood with the outward elements remaining after the Sacrament is ended; yet they willingly grant that by virtue of a mystical& sacramental union the bread is Christ's body,& that his body is truly present and received together with the bread. J do not know what two things can possibly be more like than is this Opinion of the Helvetians with that of the Lutherans. But if any man suspect that there may privily lurk a diversity of meanings under these so-concording expressions, yet are we still to urge, and inquire whether that diversity be such and so great as to render the Peace and Union of those Churches utterly impossible, and to give just occasion for a perpetual rent and division amongstthem. I assure myself, learned& judicious Divines when they are out of the heat of Controversy, and look indifferently into the matter, will think far otherwise of it.  
Now as for those other Controversies, concerning the ubiquity of Christ's body, the Communication of Properties,& other such like, all springing from that former touching the Sacrament, he that doth seriously ponder with himself what is granted and what denied of each side, will easily perceive that neither the one nor the other doth so much as call in question, much less oppose or overthrow any necessary and fundamental point of Faith: since both sides hold and profess whatsoever the Church catholic in her Creeds and general Councells hath declared to be believed in these points; and whatsoever hath been by her in like manner condemned as erroneous, is equally rejected by both. But yet notwithstanding all this, that we see now and then some men catching at consequences, and taking advantage from thence to charge Heresy one upon another, it is a matter that deserve's not so much our wonder as our pitty: we all of us know, 'tis the common custom of hot and eager disputants, especially when through long agitation of the matter they are inflamed with choler and passion: and besides, I have already shown in brief, what we are to think of such Heresies as are fastened upon men merely for such consequences as they themselves neither apprehended nor grant. For the present, this alone may suffice to show the Possibility of a Reconciliation, that there's no one Opinion expressly maintained by either side, which is directly contrary to the substance of Faith, or destructive of Salvation[ salutis devoratorium] to make use of Tertullian's expression: nay whatsoever is such, is plainly and expressly condemned by both.  
If of later times any new Differences have been raised amongst those Churches touching Predestination, free-will, and the like; these can no way be made a sufficient ground of schism and separation betwixt them. For in all these there is nothing of fundamental and necessary belief save onely this, that the free grace& goodness of God, in the Predestination of miserable men, in the conversion of sinful men, in the freeing of their captivated wills; in a word, in the final Perseverance and Salvation of his Elect, be so far forth acknowledged and extolled, as that whatsoever makes any way for the enstating of them in grace and glory, and whatsoever is done by them in reference thereunto, all must be ascribed to the special grace and mercy of Almighty God: on the contrary, whatsoever concerne's the corruption of man's nature, his obstinacy in sin, the pravity and servitude of his corrupt will; in short, whatsoever praecipitate's& plunge's wretched men into Hell and everlasting perdition, all this we must thank ourselves& our sins for,& by no means impute any part of it to God. So long as these things stand firm and unshaken( as without doubt they do) though in the mean time their manner of apprehensions and expressions, yea though their Opinions be different in other points which are onely superstructions and belong not to the foundation, yet are not these of such moment as that a perpetual 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 jars and contentions are not, nor ever were about any fundamental points and such as are of absolute necessity to be known and believed by all that will be saved, then must it also be granted for a manifest truth, that 'tis no way impossible but an agreement and Communion may be established this dangerous schism utterly rooted out, and a blessed Peace settled 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 general 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 settled and established amongst the Reformed Churches.  
1 And that all men are so bound, seems to be intimated by that of S. Paul which I alleged before; if it be possible,& as much as in you lies, live peaceably with all men. If so great care and diligence must be had to maintain a civill and external peace with all sorts of men, then surely a spiritual& ecclesiastical 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 wilfulness 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 settled: for if it be possible that the schism itself& the Rent betwixt these Churches may be taken away,( as without all question it 
Math. 18.  may) I had rather that a millstone were hanged about my neck, and that I were drowned in the depth of the Sea, than that I should willingly be any hindrance to so good a work, so well-pleasing to God, and so necessary to the removal of scandal; nay than that I should not with my whole mind and might promote and further it.  
2 To this may be further added, what must necessary be confes't by all men, that a true and right ordered 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 makes this the badge and cognizance whereby to distinguish and discern betwixt his true Disciples and such as are spurious and counterfeit; by this shall all men know that ye are my Disciples, if ye love 
Joh. 13 35.  one another. Now I leave it to every man's conscience to judge, what manner of Charity that is, which see's and suffers Christian Churches( without all just cause and necessity) to stand still at distance and defiance one with another, and perpetually to shun a Reconciliation and Union. Is it not enough for us to separate from the hay and stubble, I mean, from the errors 
1. Cor. 3. 12.  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 zwinglians and Lutherans( as they are usually termed) confess that those Churches which hold with either side, do notwithstanding still remain true Christian Churches,& true members of the Church catholic, whereof Christ is the head. The renowned Princes in their Preface prefixed to the form of Agreement plainly profess, that it was far from their thoughts 
Osiand. Antist. pag. 75.  and intentions to condemn such persons as erred through the weakness of their judgement; provided that they did not defame and blaspheme God's truth; much less to condemn whole Churches, living either under the roman 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, he forthwith purged himself from that aspersion 
In Antist. pag 91.  thus; They that have heard my Sermons, will say that they never heard from me any reproachful terms against the blessed Martyrs of Christ: yea my own writings published to the world will witness for me, that Jtermed 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 error to deny the right hand of fellowship and brotherly 
Gal. 2. 9.  love to those Churches, who in the mean time( notwithstanding such errors) may continue Christ's blessed Martyrs and holy Brethren. They who aclowledge Christ for their elder brother, must of necessity whether they will or no have all Christs brethren joined 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 join with either of those two, will profess that they desire to have and to retain a brotherly Communion and Peace with this our Church of England, as also with the Scottish, irish, and all other foreign Churches of the Reformation. And truly we for our parts, although we do not assent to them in all points of controverted Divinity, yet do we account of them as our Brethren in Christ, and do solemnly protest that we entertain a holy and brotherly Communion with them. And if they be like affencted towards us, with what reason then and equity do the German Churches deprive themselves of that brotherly Communion one with another, which yet they are not afraid to entertain with foreign Churches? What therefore Moses said long since to the two Israelites that were striving together, the same may truly be said to the german Churches quarreling and contending one with another, but cannot so truly be disproved; Sirs, ye 
Act. 7. 26.  are brethren, why do ye 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, questionless they are bound likewise to employ their best care and endeavours for the procuring of it. Now who is there that does not daily solicit God for the flourishing and peaceable estate of his Church? Who is there that makes it not a part of his daily prayers, that God would be pleased to remove out of the way whatsoever doth disquiet and disturb her peace, or any way let and hinder her spiritual 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 happiness and prosperity of Gods Church, but he carefully sought to do it good, and as much 
Psal. 122. 9.  as in him lay he did procure and effect it. All this was but duty in him to do, and can it be less then duty in us?  
And here I should but trifle away the time, should I go about to play the orator and express at large to the german Churches, the blessings that accompany Peace& unity,& the many miseries& calamities of a long-continued schism and Division. That speech of Prudentius is a most certain truth, 
— scissur a domestica turbat  
Rem populi; titubatque foris quod dissidit intùs:  
civill and intestine broils always prove the undoing of a people; nor do things ever go right abroad, when there is dissension at home.  What may make most for the good and advantage of their Churches, let it be their care to consider; and resolve this with themselves, that what ever it be, it is not onely to be sought after with their prayers, but with the utmost diligence and endeavours of every one of them in particular. Neither let any unexperienced men amongst them think or hope, that they shall ingratiate themselves with Papists, and so live more peaceably by them and suffer less harm from them, by refusing to enter into fellowship and fellowship with Calvinists( as they term them.) What is to be hoped for& expected from them, we may learn from Osiander; Papists 
In Antist. pag. 74. ( saith he) spare neither Lutherans nor zwinglians, but condemn both of them to fire and faggot, in all those places where the Pope( that raging and ravenous beast of Rome) beare's rule and sway: They that are most in favour with them, can at best but hope for that kindness from them which Vlysses( in Homer) obtained of Polyphemus,  
[ {αβγδ}.] 
{αβγδ}. 2.  to be devoured last, after he had looked on and seen all his friends and companions devoured before him. They will perhaps destroy the Calvinists first, but the Lutherans must look to follow after them: none are like to escape in the end, if once the Papists have them at their mercy.  
What hitherto hath been said, is to show that a Communion and Reconciliation of the german Churches is a thing, not only possible, but in obedience to Gods commandement a necessary duty. It now remaine's that J proceed to set down the way and means whereby such a Reconciliation may be compassed, and the rents and distractions of the said Churches may with most conveniency and speed bee made up: which I shall do, rather to testify that vehement desire& zeal which I have to so good a work, than out of any opinion that those famous Churches( which always have abounded with store of learned and pious Divines) can any way stand in need of advice herein from me or any other foreign Divine whatsoever.  
Seeing therefore that the fore-mentioned Controversies may be agitated either betwixt several and distinct Churches, whereof one is no way subordinate to the other; or else betwixt such particular men as are members of the same Church, and subjects to one& the same Prince: J will speak first, of divers Churches independent one upon another, and afterwards of particular men in one& the same Church, and show how Peace and unity may be made and preserved amongst them.  
For the first, I conceive there's no readier and better way for reducing of two different Churches to the same Communion, than is that usual one of procuring a faire and peaceable Conference amongst Divines of both sides, authorized and appointed there unto by their Princes. For if any one imagine, that a council being once held of all the Reformed Churches, there will out of hand within the compass of some few moneths, or yeares, yea or in one age, an end be put to all disputes whatsoever, which have of a long time troubled and busied the Learned, so as that they shall all join and agree in the same opinion about all such points of controversy; this( with submission to better judgements) seems to me very unlikely. For so dull and dim-sighted is the eye of our understanding, that it can hardly pierce into the depth of such subtle and intricate Questions, no not when it is alone, free and undisturbed in it's contemplations: but being distracted, by the stirs& tumults of disputation so far unable are we to penetrate into the quick of them, that many times we cannot so much as discern and perceive them, no not when we look upon them with a fixed and steady eye. And( to speak plainly what I conceive in this matter) the chief use of Councells, especially of general Councells, is to maintain and defend those necessary and plain points of Faith against the oppositions of heretics, rather than to discuss or determine nice controversies of lesser moment and use.  
To return then to that faire& friendly Conference, which but now I commended for the likeliest and fittest means of obtaining an Union: if it could be undertaken with such an intention,& managed in such sort, as it ought to be, wee have good cause to hope that we shall in a short time see a blessed Peace and Union established amongst the german Churches.  
This therefore must carefully be remembered by all such as shall be present& parties to such a Meeting, that the end why they are called together, is not that like Adversaries they should strive for the mastery, but rather that they should like Brethren search out and make use of all lawful and warrantable means for the settling of Peace and unity. For if once they fall a crossing and contending one with another, they will never be able to persuade, much less to procure any agreement betwixt such Churches as are at odds and opposition. Let them therefore carefully keep off and forbear to enter the intricate Labyrinths of ordinary disputes: & let their meeting aim at this one end, to make it appear to their Churches, how that there's no just cause why they should any longer stand out and refuse to join hands and be united. To effect this, let it in the first place be set down how far the Church catholic hath declared herself in each controversy, what hath been by her defined and required to be believed generally by all sub Anathemate. For about points fundamental there may sometimes arise such doubts and disputes as are no way fundamental: and such, as that the ancient Fathers of the Church, had they been raised in their times, would never have attempted a decision of them, to the hazard of breeding or fostering a schism betwixt several Churches. For instance, that God is One in Essence, and Three in Persons distinguished one from another; that the son is begotten of the Father; that the holy Ghost is the Spirit of both Father and son; that these three Persons are coeternal and coequal; all these are fitly determined, and reckoned in the number of fundamentals: but now if any man should peremptorily affirm and maintain, that all those Schoole-nicities touching the manner of the Sonne's generation, and the procession of the holy Ghost, are likewise fundamental and of equal necessity with the former,& ought to be determined one way; that man should deserve but little 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 human, inseparably united in one Person; and that we have salvation onely by this God incarnate; all this is fundamental, or rather 'tis that firm& immovable foundation whereon the whole catholic& 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 human nature by virtue 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 fundamental Faith, but rather to theological Science, or perhaps not so neither, but onely to the vain curiosity of some particular Divines. Let them therefore make this their first and main business, carefully to distinguish betwixt fundamental points and others that are not so; and let them not think, that whatsoever is appendent and bordering upon a fundamental point, must therefore forthwith be itself fundamental.  
When this is once done; their next care must be that these fundamentals be expressed and published after a brief and perspicuous manner, and propounded to the public acceptation and approbation of all the Churches. Certa semper sunt in paucis, saith Tertullian; certain and undoubted goldsmiths are not many, and they are such as may be delivered in a few words: whatsoever is necessary for a Christian man's salvation, to be known by him; and whatsoever is conducible to render us holy or eternally happy, it is all of it plain 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 fundamental faith, but rather to favour and further the different opinions of private Doctors. In a word, here's no use of any metaphysical formalities and abstracted notions; which serve only to perplex and confounded the learned, and to deter such as are unlearned from embracing the catholic Faith; but do not any way incline the hearts either of one or other to yield assent and belief to the fundamental points of Faith.  
After they have proceeded thus far, having drawn up a brief and plain form of all such Points as are by them judged to appertain unto the substance of that common 
Tit. 1. 3.  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 persuade 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 quarrel any longer about the, to the danger of the Church, the loss of her Peace, and the scandal of schism which is thereby like to fall upon her.  
Of what good use and necessity this advice is, may be clearly seen from the rashness of the Church of Rome, and her clean contrary practise 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 ministered occasion of a perpetual rent and schism amongst the Churches. How much more prudently did that blessed Martyr and most learned Father of his 
Epist. ad Stephan.& ad Iubaian. Praef. ad council. Carthag.  Times, S. Cyprian behave himself? 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 mind from him. By which his Christian charity and moderation, S. Cyprian( though in an error) 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 tear asunder the Churches. Thus warranted by the example of this blessed Martyr, and likewise by the judgement of S. Austin 
Vid. August. de Bapt. lib. 2. cap. 4. 5.  herein, I need not stick to affirm, that amongst the Doctors and Divines of Germany those who are in the error and yet are willing and desirous to retain a brotherly Communion with the rest, are freer& further from schism in Gods sight, than they who are in the truth& withall disdain and deny to entertain such a Communion with other Churches which seek and sue for it. If therefore they can but get an universal consent in all fundamentals, though in other things there bee some difference amongst private Doctors, yet let them all join their votes and voices in this prayer to God, nulla salus bello, pacemte poscimus omnes; no safety can be had or hoped for in war, therefore give peace in our time o 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 seem worthy the observation and practise of Divines on both sides.  
First, that whatsoever tart and bitter passages have formerly slipped from Adversaries either by word or writing, amids the heat of disputation, they should all be pardond on both sides for the public good, and for ever after butted in silence and oblivion. And if it happen that any of those books and writings should afterwards be reprinted; before they pass the press, let them first be purged of all gull& bitterness, which otherwise would but rub up and renew the old sore of strife& contention amongst brethren.  
Secondly, Because no man can with patience hear himself branded with heresy, heed must be taken that none be slandered with the name of Nestorian, Eutychian, or any other condemned heretic, so long as he doth expressly deny and disclaim the damned Opinions of such heretics: seeing it is utterly impossible that ever they should continue firm in a brotherly Communion and concord, who for every petty difference in Opinion cease not by such reproachful and reviling terms to provoke and exasperate one another. And it were to be wished further, that those siding names of Lutherans, zwinglians, Calvinists, were all laid aside; which are badges rather of Faction than any fraternal Union, an● such as the ancient Fathers could never approve of. Epiphanius 
Epiph. Har. 42.& 70.  would not allow Christians to bear any {αβγδ}, any other name added over& above to the name of Christian, but rest content with that. Non Petrianos, 
Nazian. Orat. 30.  non Paulinos vocari nos oportet, said Christianos: when 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; Christianiesse 
Institut lib. 4. cap. 30.  desierunt, qui Christi nomine omisso humana& externa vocabula induerunt: they have left off to be Christians, who take up foreign titles and human appellations instead of the name Christian: though to say the truth, such names are rather fastened and fathered on particular Churches by others, than by themselves either desired or owned.  
Thirdly, that all profound and controverted Points be let alone and not meddled with in Sermons preached to the common people, or in any such books as are published in the Vulgar tongue; let them be accounted rather the exercise and business of the schools, than any fit food& nourishment for men's souls. Such perplexed 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 souls. The common people do 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 quarreling and contending about them.  
Last of all, if Divines shall hereafter have a mind to disperse or publish and Discourses about these Points, let them do it according to that grave advice of Greg. Nazianzen, {αβγδ}, with reasons, not revilings: let their aims& 
Orat. 3. de place.  intentions be, not to non-plus and baffle, but rather fairly and friendly to inform and reduce their straying brother into the way of truth. he that shall after this manner be brought to see and forsake his error, will not think himself vanquished, but instructed; nor will he be abashed and ashamed, like one overmatcht& overcome by his Adversary, but rather rejoice as one bettered and benefited by his brother. He that is a proficient is never ashamed.  
Hitherto have I laid down the means and manner how an Union may be settled and continued betwixt several 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 inquire, what course is best to be taken concerning such men.  
And here, the Governours of each several Church, if they have any regard& respect to the safety of their weak Brethren, they must see that they do not intermix with the public 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 public Confessions be framed and tempered to the capacity of the common people, so as they may instruct& edify the ignorant, and promote the salvation of all. Herein they should do well to consider the wisdom of our Fore-fathers; whose ancient Confessions( unless we corrupt& stuff them with new Opinions of our own, on purpose to disturb the public Peace) no sober and discreet man will refuse to subscribe unto them. Neither is there any necessity why we should burden our public Confessions with any such additions of our own; since God himself hath ordained to bring his people to heaven and happiness, not through the rough& knotty paths of perplexed& 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 
In Orat. unum esse Christum  wholly placed in believing and serving God, as that great Athanasius sometimes gravely spake.  
add to this, that they will have much ado to maintain a firm peace with other Churches, who cease not to persecute men and expel them their Communion( as if they were heretics) onely because they maintain that Doctrine which those other Churches hold and profess: for in so doing, what do they else but tacitly charge Heresy upon other Churches? whom though in word they aclowledge for their Brethren, yet they hereby show that in their hearts they much disapprove and dislike them.  
Lastly, unless the public Confessions of Churches be cnofined to such Points onely as are fundamental 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 ministry in those Churches wherein they live.  
But if any man doubt, whether or no such men may lawfully entertain a holy and spiritual 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 consists chiefly 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 ourselves 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 eternal life with the same quickening food, to wit the body and blood of Christ: in all these particulars do they profess a Communion, whosoever approach and are admitted to that holy Table. But now as we do not by this mutual Communion profess ourselves to have attained all of us either to perfection or to an equal measure of knowledge in Divinity: so neither do we hereby profess, 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 terms as these, I believe it would hardly be found betwixt S. Peter and S. Paul; certain I am the Church of Corinth must of necessity have fallen in pieces; 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 heed least while they exact of their People a too strict and punctual Confession of more than what's necessary, they thereby wound and weaken the sweet Peace and Unity of christendom, than which nothing more necessary. So much for Church-Governours.  
Come we in the next place to such Ministers and other Christians of what state and condition soever, as desire to continue in the Communion of those Churches wherein they live, but yet their Consciences will not permit them to allow& profess all the common and received Opinions of the said Churches. Such men must see that they show themselves teachable and tractable, and not persist after a proud and pertinacious manner in defence of those Opinions wherein they dissent from their Church. Now such a one is to be accounted teachable and tractable, who lends a willing and attentive ear to the instructions and information of the Church; who does not dissent from her out of any perverse and peevish humour, but merely out of the weakness of his judgement, being not able in such profound Points to discern that truth; which men of greater learning and more acute wits easily see and perceive. And because it is the peculiar prerogative of Almighty God to search the hearts, it behoves us Christians to incline always to the more favourable and more charitable side; and, where we have not clear and evident reasons for the contrary, we ought to judge of every man that he denies his assent rather out of conscience than contumacy and perverseness.  
They who thus behave themselves, are not to be excluded and expelled the Communion of those Churches wherein they live, for petty mistakes and errors in their Opinions: but yet with this caution and condition, that they take not upon them to oppose the received Opinion of the Church, or to publish& spread their own private Opinion amongst the common people. Nor can they justly dislike of this caution or take it ill, whosoever have a desire to live peaceably in the Communion of the Church: for admit that the private Opinion of some Divine or any other Christian, be true; and the public judgement of the Church, erroneous: yet nevertheless, if the error be such as does not prejudice a Christian man's salvation, it is much better that the true Opinion of any private man whatsoever should quietly lye hide in silence and obscurity, than that the public authority of the Church should be openly contemned and trampled on, or that the Churche's Peace, by this unnecessary conflict of jarring Opinions, as by two contrary winds, should be shaken and torn in pieces. But if any man be persuaded in his conscience, that his private Opinion wherein he differ's from the Church, is of such moment and importance as that men cannot be saved without the knowledge of it; such a one, if he cannot persuade and convince the Rulers and Governours of his Church in this matter, must either turn aside into some other Church, or else( for the good of men's souls) patiently submit to such censures as the Church in which he lives shall inflict upon him.  
This is it( most learned Sir) which at your request I thought good to writ and sand unto you. If it may stand you or any man else in any stead for the advancing of the Churche's Peace, I have all my wish& aim for which I penned it. They who are better acquainted with the present state and affairs of the german Churches than I am, will be able( no doubt) to give you fuller and better advice herein. For myself, it remaine's onely that I humbly beseech Almighty God, that he would move and incline the hearts of Princes, earnestly to desire this blessed Union of our Churches; that he would enlighten the understandings of Divines to find out and follow after such means as may most conduce to the speedy establishing of it; that lastly he would inflame the hearts of all Christians to embrace this Peace,& bequeath it to all posterity. The God of Peace grant this for the sake of his dear son, the sole Author& procurer of our Peace. To whom with the blessed Spirit be all honour, glory,& thanksgiving world without end. AMEN.   

THE OPINION OF THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD THOMAS MORTON Bishop of DVRHAM, Concerning The Peace of the Church.  
Worthy SIR,  
I CANNOT easily express how much I was joyed with those few leaves which I lately received from you; as soon as I understood how that there was now at length some hopes of settling a true and brotherly union betwixt Us& those of Germany who hold the Augustane Confession. For seeing that the very name of Peace is sweet and delightsome, much more the thing itself; especially if it be a Peace in Religion, which indeed comprehends in it all kinds of true Peace and Unity: I cannot choose therefore but congratulate and joy you( Sir) with that good and truly-Apostolicall office which you now undergo: an employment which hath ever this success, that it never can prove in vain, or be altogether lost; for it will be sure either to redound to the good of him that receive's it( if it be embraced,) or else( if rejected) return back again into his bosom who proffer's it. Notwithstanding, I observe there are two main Controversies set down by you, which seem to let and hinder why wee cannot quickly be united and made one Church; the former is touching the Eucharist; the other, touching that involved and mysterious Point of Praedestination. For the composing of which two Controversies, that you should desire my opinion, seems truly to me to be a course somewhat preposterous and out of order: rather wee should imitate( as I conceive) those expert physicians, who sometimes cure one contrary by another: so likewise we, seeing that Discords in Opinion have bread disaffection and hatred in men's minds, 'twere necessary we should first endeavour that love and amity may be seated in the hearts and affections of men, that so we may the more easily alloy their heat in disputation, and reconcile them in their much differing Opinions. To the promoting of this good work I neither can nor may be wanting. All that I shall say touching both Controversies, give me leave to glance at in three words; to wit, that the way& means of establishing an Union, to men of peaceable minds, is easy; to such as are less moderate, 'tis possible; to both, very necessary.  

The first THESIS.  
That 'tis easy for peaceable and moderate men to be reconciled.  
THis appeare's plainly from that love and fellowship which was in times past betwixt the Professors of both sides, notwithstanding that their differences in Opinion were then very rife. This is a Point of special moment, and therefore for proof of it we should not allege the examples of any obscure men, but of such as were eminent and beyond all exception of both sides. Let them then( if they please) consult their Luther, Melanchthon, Jacobus Andreae, Brentius: Wee'l bring in our Calvin, Bucer, Peter Martyr, and Zanchy: all which sometimes shined in the Church of Christ like stars of the first magnitude.  
First then, there are to be seen in Calvin's works many excellent eulogies of Luther, even then when Luther did inveigh most bitterly against all our men in the Point of the Sacrament, and provoked them far to repay him in his own language. Whose passions, thereby moved& enflamed, Calvin with admirable prudence 
Calvin. Epist. 57. Bulling.  suppressed& 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 success and efficacy of his Doctrine he hath hitherto bent and bestirred himself to lay wast the kingdom of Antichrist,& maintain the Doctrine of our Salvation: I have many times said, that should he call me devil, yet never thelesse I would still have so reverend an esteem of him as to aclowledge him for a worthy servant of God. Thus Calvin: a saying so full of sweetness and moderation, as if not a man but humanity itself had spoken it. Not long after, he made use of the apostles argument to contain& keep in our Divines, least waxing too hot and passionate, they should break out into revilings: it becomes us( saith he) so to reprove what we find amiss 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 tear the wound wider to the public danger and damage of God's Church.  
But now how did Luther carry himself? was he so far possessed with prejudice and passion, as to disdain all commerce and society with our men? Nay he refused not to enter into fellowship with Calvin himself, though he knew him to be a stout Champion of our Sacramentary Cause. Let Calvin himself speak, if you please, Notwithstanding Luther( saith he) 
Calvin. tract. 2. defence. de Sacram, Coenae.  in private was so far from accounting me his enemy, that though he well knew my Opinion, ye refused he not to salute me with reverence by letters writ with his own hand,( for the dishonesty of Westphalus forceth me to speak thus foolishly, so as to relate it in the very same expression which he himself used.) Afterwards, when the Agreement was half finished at Marpurge, and they were not yet departed from that meeting, he affirme's that he retained the same esteem of Oecolampadius and Zuinglius as he formerly had done and he did there solemnly promise to account and respect them hence forth as Brethren.  
Secondly, what an intimate fellowship & familiarity there was betwixt Melanchthon, Jacobus Andreae, Brentius, and our Divines, the mutual Salutations which passed betwixt them can abundantly witness: Melanchthon writing to Calvin, begins his Letter after this manner; Reverend and 
Melanchthon Calvino, inter Epistolas Calvini, 187.  Christian Brother, I trust we shall have a time to meet and confer together. And afterwards concluding, I beseech the son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, the Guardian and keeper of his Church, that he would guide and protect Thee and us All. Farewell most dear Brother. Besides, what was observed concerning Melanchthon& others by our Sturmius, he himself will by no means 
joh. Sturmius Ep. ad Princ. Freder. inter Calvini Ep. 304.  conceal 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 fellowship. Further, Jacobus Andreae and Brentius did unanimously adhere to the Opinion of Luther concerning the Eucharist; of whom notwithstanding 
Calvin. Epist. 240. jacob. Andreae.& Epist. 32. Farello.  Calvin thus speaks; your Letters, worthy Sir and my much honoured Brother ( speaking to Jacobus Andreae) were not a little 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 affencted towards me as heretofore you have been. again, this your moderation of mind I embrace& highly applaud. Farewell worthy Sir, and my much respected Brother. I wish all happiness to Brentius. God Almighty ever guide and direct you by his blessed spirit, strengthen and sustain you by his power, and shower down his blessings in abundance upon you. And again, in another Letter, Brentius salute's you. Thus were matters carried amongst thē: and why should not We, putting on b●… wells of meekness, tread the steps of these Worthies? Shall they breath out nothing but mildness and sweetness, 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 'tis possible for the most hot and rigorous spirits to be reconciled and agreed.  
GIve me leave to make use of that maxim of Aristotle, so frequently used in the schools; but in a sense somewhat different— Quae conveniunt in eodem Tertio, inter se 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 rema●… king amongst us some common Principles and certain 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 itself to challenge a belief: a second is, the clear light of Antiquity, as clear as the sun 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 will 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 do not see what can possibly make more for the obtaining of a Reconciliation. And for certain Calvin herein agrees with them: I desire( saith he) as 
Calvin. Epist. 236. Martino Schalingio Eccles Ratif. Pastori.  much as any man a sincere and true union, so it be such as God hath approved in his word: nor do I reject the Augustane Confession; whereunto I did once witting and willingly subscribe, according to that interpretation which the Author thereof himself put upon it. again, I affirm( saith he) that in that 
Calv Opusc. tract defence. 2 de Sacrom. Coenae.  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 himself, whose worth will easily obtain 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. 
Ep. Sturmii ad Fred. Princ. inter Epist. Calvin. 304.  I am of the number of those( saith John Sturmius) who concerning the receiving of the body& blood of Christ approve of the Augustane Confession, jerome Zanchy hath a desire to bring in his verdict too, 
Zanch. Miscel. tract. de Coena Domini Confess. ad Magistrat.  I profess( saith he) that as often as I had occasion to speak any thing about this Point, I did always contain myself within the compass of these three heads: the first whereof is, that in the Lord's Supper not onely bread and wine, but the very body and blood of our Lord is truly offered us by Christ, and likewise truly received, truly eaten and drunk by us. The second, but this is done not by the mouth and teeth of our body, but by a true and an actual faith. The last, that therefore this is done by believers onely, and by none others. Now these heads are taken out of God's word, nor are they repugnant to the Augustane Confession. These things being so, those worthy men have the more reason to be entreated by us, that besides the said Augustane Confession( which was anciently framed and ordained to be the common rule of Faith for all Protestants, whereby they might be distinguished from Papists) they would not obtrude upon us any other private Opinions of their own, to the hindrance of the public Peace.  
A second Principle of the like nature, which even Reason itself doth dictate, is this; that no Antecedent is to be urged and pressed, the necessary consequent and sequel whereof may not bee granted by us. But now it is well known, that Luther, to remove out of the way the peril of Idolatry, did abolish all 
Ep. Sturmiiquae extat inter Calvini Epist. 304.& Epist. 45. quae est Sultzer. ib.  worshipping at the celebration of the Eucharist, which had formerly been practised; and for the same end he abolished the elevation of the host also: that 
Calvin. Epist 32. F●… rello.  Brentius likewise did with much earnestness oppose their Br●aden God,( for so he himself terme's it;) lastly, that 
Melancht. Epist. Calvin. quae inter Ep. 187.  Melanchthon did reject their Bread-worship in the Lord's Supper. Those godly and learned men therefore are to be entreated, that they would well weigh with themselves whether or no these same abuses which They with so great applause cried down and abhorred, be not for all that the genuine offspring of that ubiquity which at this day is maintained by them.  
Thirdly, least any man haply should pretend, that no whit is to bee abated of that bitterness and rigour wherewith at first they exercised the patience of Oecolampadius, and Zuinglius, they are again to be entreated that in their great wisedoms they would herein take notice of a vast difference. Ananias, in the ninth of the Acts, when first he was warned in a Vision to put his hands upon Saul, he was somewhat unwilling to do it; J have heard( saith he) by many of this man &c. but afterwards, having better understood the counsel and purpose of God, he gladly embrace's him, saying, Brother Saul the Lord hath sent me unto thee. The very same might have been heretofore observed in the carriage of Luther himself towards Zuinglius and Oecolampadius; whom at first he fell upon roughly, when he heard that they held there was nothing in the Eucharist save only bare signs and figures: but afterwards, having further examined their meaning, he kindly& courteously reached out the right hand of fellowship unto them. After the very same manner did Calvin likewise stand affencted towards them, as he himself confesseth; when at my first entrance( saith he) into the clear 
Calv. Opusc. defence. 2. de Sacram. Coenae  sun-shine of the gospel out of Popish darkness, I red in Luther how that Oecolampadius and Zuinglius would admit of nothing in the Sacraments but bare and empty figures, this( I confess) so far possessed me with a prejudice against their writings, that I refrained a long time from reading them. Thus spoken Calvin at that time of those men, whom notwithstanding he afterwards had in great love and familiarity with him. Why may not then the Saxon Divines be pleased to show themselves Luthers towards us, so long as they find us not inferior to Oecolampadius and Zuinglius in this Point?   

The third THESIS.  
That this friendly union and Reconcilement we wish for, is very necessary for all men, whether of a mild or turbulent disposition.  
IT is not my purpose to lash out into Common places, wherein much pains might be spent, and little or no benefit got by it. It behoves me rather to provide me of such arguments, as may, not coldly beg and entreat, but command, and as it were violently compel men to live at peace and unity amongst themselves. Neither are there any( as you well know) fitter for the settling and confirming of such a Communion, than are those which are drawn from the common joy, or grief; the common danger, or the common good& advantage of both sides. There's not a more evident and infallible sign of a true member of Christ, than to compassionate or to have a fellow-feeling one of another; which is seen especially in two things: first, in rejoicing at the hopes of a Reconciliation; such as was the Psalmist's joy in that divine acclamation of his at the unity of Brethren, o how good and joyful a thing it is! Secondly, a sorrow of heart at so long and wearisome a dissension; such as the Jews expressed by their great thoughts of heart for the divisions of Reuben. schism growing and getting upon the Church at Corinth, the Apostle exhort's them to bee[ {αβγδ}] perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgement: the word is derived from {αβγδ}, which amongst physicians signifies to set right again such members as are out of joint. The same Apostle, that he might compose and settle the mindes of the Philippians, o what a sacred charm does he make use of! If( saith he) there be any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the spirit, if any bowels of mercies, fulfil my joy. But how may they do that? He goes on; that ye be like minded, having the same love,[ {αβγδ}] being of one accord, of one mind. I verily believe, that Eloquence herself, if she had a tongue to speak, she could not have spoken more emphatically: where each word is a sharp dart, piercing and wounding our very hearts and souls. I will add onely that long chain of unities in the same Apostle to the Ephesians; one body, one spirit, one hope, one calling, one Lord, one Faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all: all which make for that one thing which he there aime's at, to wit, that the Ephesians should endeavour to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace.  
As touching the danger, we all of us know that the tyranny of the Romish Antichrist hang's over our heads: who sweetly sing's to himself that black and fatal maxim[ divide& impera] set them once at variance, and then you may quickly master them; or rather, by setting them at variance, you may confounded and tumble them into the pit of hell: for the kingdom being once divided, Hell itself cannot stand. Let us learn to be wise from the examples of others: the Guelphi and Gibellini[ those two implacable and irreconcilable Factions] did agree together and join their forces, when the common enemy came against them. and shall not We rouse ourselves up to save& defend ourselves?  
As for the gain and advantage I mentiond, can there be any greater gain 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 seems to sue and wooe to us for a brotherly union and agreement, as appeare's from that Confession of Faith lately 
This is the Title of that Confession.  set forth in the name of all the eastern Churches by the right Reverend Father Cytill Patriarch of Constantinople: which agrees exactly with our Protestant Confession in every Article set forth and published by him. Me thinks I see this most ample& far spreading part of the Christian world ready to fly into our arms& embraces presently upon the first news of our unity and agreement amongst our selves: which hope of ours should Christ be pleased to crown with success, this alone would far outvie and surpass 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 works.  
THis is that other Question( as I gather from your Letter) whereon as on a rock divers men( otherwise desirous of Peace) have dashed and split themselves. That therefore men may know, I have not of my own accord sought after and catched 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 own Luther in this Point, who( as it did well become a child of Grace) did constantly hold and maintain 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 outstripped by Papists, nay jesuits, and the prime Doctors too of that sect, Bellarmine, Tolet, Pererius, Suarez, Salmeron, Maldonat: who have all of them exploded this Doctrine of Praedestination upon the foresight of Faith and works, as pure pelagianism. Last of all, it is some wisdom for a man to profit by his enemy: there came out a book two yeares agone, written by Will: de Gibieuffe, 
Guil. de Gibieuffe de libertate Dei& Creatura●….  of the Oratorian Order, Priest and Doctor of the Sorbon, dedicated to the present Pope Urban: wherein are inserted the words of Pope Clement the eighth concerning the Auxilia Gratiae: the sum 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 as much as that good Father seems to have omitted nothing which concerns 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 far that Pope: unto whose judgement( J will not say, for the authority, but the truth of it) I nothing doubt but Calvin himself, were he now living, would subscribe: And he that shall red 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 factor for Peace) and partly my own zeal in so necessary a Cause, have made me exceed the accustomend bounds of a Letter: wherein, if you find 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 cheerfully to go through with this so weighty an employment for the public Peace of his Church. Farewell.  
THOMAS DURHAM.  
Postscript.  
That we should thus first seek and sue for brotherly love& unity, is so far 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 practise of God himself; of whom the Evangelist saith, 1. Joh. 4. 10. He first loved us.    

THE OPINION OF THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD joseph HALL Bishop of exeter.  
THose Articles of Religion wherein the Divines of both sides do fully agree, are abundantly sufficient, both for a Christian man's salvation, and likewise for the establishing of a firm& lasting Peace in the Churches of God. As for the rest, I would not have them reckoned amongst the apostles[ {αβγδ}] foolish Questions: doubtless they are such as may perhaps not unfitly bee sent to the Divinity-Schooles, there to bee thoroughly discussed: but by no means ought they to disquiet the Peace either of any Christian soul, or of God's holy Church. What do we professing Christian Charity and love, if we still obstinately refuse to indulge our Brethren this little liberty of dissenting from us in doubtful& difficult Schoole-questions? Seeing wee know very well that our good and gracious Saviour passed over with silence and toleration great and grievous errors in comparison of these( if it be granted that these are errors,) and that too even in such as were of his own household and retinue.  

There are but three things about which the reverend Divines of both sides profess 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 human nature, by virtue of the personal Union? That the Lord Jesus( to wit God and Man) is in both his natures omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent, is confessed on each side: this being granted, the word[ according] is a mere Schoole-nicity. How far the virtue of that hypostatical union extend's itself, the holy ghost is silent, and a Christian may safely be ignorant of it. Let the Doctors, if they list, dispute and busy their brains as much as they please about this matter: it will be enough for a Christian, to know that he hath a Saviour who is both God and man, to whom all these attributes truly belong and appertain. Nay even Divines themselves have enough wherein they may rest satisfied, so long as this be granted on both sides, that even the human nature considered personally is omniscient, omnipresent,& omnipotent: which wee all of us roundly and readily profess without any doubt or scruple. O what enemies are we to Peace, if we will yet needs quarrel amongst ourselves! In all this, I wish we would carefully remember that useful distinction of John Gerson, esse quaedam de necessitate fidei, quaedam vero de fidei devotione: that there are some things essential and necessary to Faith, other some things which shee piously and devoutly believes, but yet they are not of such necessity as the other: the former are such as may not so much as bee once doubted of, but these latter may admit of an {αβγδ}; we may safely either suspend our assent unto them, or positively dissent from them.  
The second Article wherein they differ, is concerning the manner of receiving Christ in the Eucharist. Both agree, that Christ's body is truly and really given, taken, and eaten in this Sacrament together with the outward Elements: All the question is concerning unworthy receivers. An unworthy Question truly it is, that the public Peace should any way be disturbed about it. We willingly grant both of us, that even such as are unworthy do eat that which by a sacramental Union is Christ's body; and that therefore they are guilty of the body and blood of Jesus Christ: What do wee now making any more ado about the manner of their eating, whether it be oral or not? Let Christians make this their care, that they themselves may be found worthy Communicants, and let them not trouble themselves to know how those which are unworthy are partakers of Christ. How far the virtue of that Sacramental Union extends itself, and whether the manner of this eating be oral or spiritual, let the Schools dispute it: Christians need not be too curious in inquiring after it; nor is it fit wee should disquiet the Churche's Peace, by refusing to indulge mutually one another a liberty of Opinion in such nice Points.  
The third Article is that fatal Point of Praedestination: about which, Divines of both sides express themselves variously, but yet modestly and discreetly. In many things, and such as are of most moment, their judgements on both sides are the same: as, that election is most free,& proceeding from the mere mercy of God; that God found not any cause or occasion in those whom he elected, the sight whereof might move him to choose them rather than others: but that he did from all eternity reprobate and praedestinate to eternal damnation such as persevere and persist in their sins and infidelity; not by any rigid and absolute decree, without having any respect or regard to sin, but out of his most just judgement: so as all the cause& the blame of it ought to be sought for in the men themselves. In this they are at a stand; that the foresight of Faith and Perseverance is by the reverend Divines of Saxony placed before the act of God's Election: so as God did from everlasting foreordaine such as he fore-saw would in time believe, &c. Certainly of all the Questions about Praedestination, this concerning the order of his Decree is least material, seeing we know assuredly that the infinite& alwise disposer of things performs all this with one single& most simplo act. There is nothing more certain than that God did foresee who would believe, and that he did praedestinate such as should be saved: let but this then be granted( which they of Saxony willingly profess) that Faith is the sole gift of God, and that whatsoever good there is in the Elect, all of it doth originally proceed from the free grace& mere mercy of God, which was bestowed on them in Jesus Christ from all Eternity; I say, let this be granted, and doubtless there can be no danger in that Opinion of Praevision or fore-sight: God from everlasting fore-saw that, which he himself from everlasting decreed to bestow in time upon such as should believe. All this is sound and safe, nor is there any cause, why any further strife& contention should be made hereabout.  
In all this, I embrace and applaud this Christian and brotherly moderation and holy desires of Peace: thus it becomes Christians, thus it becomes Divines. I am much deceived, if this modest and seasonable appeasing and calming of men's minds does not promise a firm and perpetual Peace to God's Church. Thou God of Peace, in thy good time accomplish it: give ear to the prayers of thy People, and grant that all Christians may be of one heart and one way, till at length we come, by Thee who art the Way, to Thee who art the Life. Amen, Amen.  
Which is the humble, daily, and devout prayer of JOS: EXON: From the Palace at 
 exeter. Febr. 25. 
 1634.    

Afterwards the same Mr John Dury sent unto the Ld Bishop of exeter a copy of a certain pious and peaceable Decree, made& published by a general vote at a public Meeting of the States in Franckfort: requesting his Opinion concerning the means and manner how this good work might be advanced: whereunto he had returned him this Answer.   

TO HIS MOST faithful, learned, and loving friend Mr JOHN DURY, all happiness.  
SIR,  
I Have red over, with a great deal of delight, the Transcript you sent me of that Decree for Peace, which was lately signed by all the Protestant States and Delegates assembled at Franckfort: than which Decree, nothing( in my Opinion) could possibly have been devised more full of prudence and religion: nor do I see( as the case now stands) what more could be once hoped for; or what could possibly have been proposed and resolved upon that might more conduce to the advancement of the public Peace, which all good men so much wish and desire. Thus it was meet that the holy Citizens of God's Church, that pious Princes and peers should thus carefully provide for the Peace and safety of christendom And blessed be God, the bestower of every good gift, the Author of Peace, who did put into their noble hearts those holy desires and purposes: may the same good God be pleased, at length to finish this his own work so hopefully begun, and crown it with success. And truly neither our prayers nor our utmost endeavours shall ever be wanting hereunto: neither know I well upon what hopes it is, but methinks my mind doth confidently promise and praesage a happy issue to this holy enterprise. For indeed what a small and slender hedge is it, which now divide's and part's us? We do all of us of the Reformation, receive and approve the same Scriptures, the same Creeds, the same Augustane Confession: onely in one Article the sense is so doubtfully expressed, that the Author himself did not think it safe to adhere to the letter of it. The foundation of the Christian Faith is, amongst us all, one and the same, entire and unshaken; there's not so much as one ston in it, or the least piece of coement, about which any question either is or can be made. Upon this Foundation there are built certain Points of Schoole-divinity, about which alone we so hotly contend: but what are these to a Christian? What are these to Salvation? In what a safe and quiet state might the affairs of christendom have been, if such nice Disputes of curious and noughty heads had never been heard of; if learned men could have contented themselves with some general forms of expressing the truth, and not presently to have sifted Divinity so over-nearly as they have done?  
But seeing these strifes, which are not onely unprofitable, but very hurtful and prejudicial to both sides, are thus unfortunately raised; what better advice can be thought upon for the settling and composing of these stirs, than that the Faith be brought back again to its primitive simplicity and plainness, by the public authority and joint consent of the Christian Church? And that in this confused mixture and multiplicity of matters of belief, the Christian world be taught warily to distinguish betwixt the genuine and proper Articles of Faith, and the less necessary additions of Schoole-conclusions: which truly in this very business is a matter of no great difficulty to perform. This especially is fundamental, Christ is both God and Man; and so likewise this, Christ, God and Man, is truly omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent: now if any shall add further, Jesus Christ, according to his human nature, is omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent; truly that word[ according] seems to be far off from the Foundation; 'tis a scholastical notion, and to be turned over to professed Divines; but it is not fit the Salvation of plain and illiterate Christians should be made to hang and depend upon such a subtle and nice Point as this is. Can these know, or are they bound to know, how far the virtue of the hypostatical Union extend's itself, or what the bounds are either of those faculties or operations which flow from that union of the two natures? certainly if God had intended this for a necessary Point to be known by all men, he would not so sparing and obscurely have revealed unto his Church a mystery so fundamental and important. I dispute not the truth of the Point,( nor is this pertinent to my purpose,) onely I question whether it be of necessity to be believed. Let us view a comparison betwixt things human& divine, although what similitude can there bee'twixt Earth and Heaven? Man consists of a soul and a body united one to the other: and yet notwithstanding, each part hath its several properties and actions, which are usually attributed( and that very rightly too) to the whole; the whole man hath the use of sense, doth understand, eat, walk, sleep, die: thus much even sense& reason doth unanswerably evince: will any man hereupon say, that this also is of equal necessity to be known, man according to his body hath the use of sense and reason; and according to his soul he doth eat, walk, sleep, and die? Truly the same that Reason is, in respect of intelligible matters; the same is Faith, in things spiritual and divine: I am not ignorant, how much they differ in their Subjects; yet nevertheless the necessity of the things which are either to be known or believed, is alike different in both. Such goldsmiths therefore as are certain, such as are necessary to be believed, and apparently fundamental, let us all unanimously embrace and profess them: as for the rest, let Divines( if they please) busy their heads with them, but let not the plain& common sort of Christians trouble themselves about them more than needs. But if it may seem to make any thing for the public Peace, that we come as near as we can one to another in the forms and manner of expression; let us but say( as 
Zanch. judicio de dissidio Coenae in fine Miscellaneorum. Quod idem probatur à Zuinglio ibidem citato. Vid. etiam Feildium nostratem, in lib. de Eccles.& Appendice, Vid. lib. 3. de Ecclesia. c. 35.& 42.& Append. part. 1. respons. ad secundum caput Higgonii. ubi etiam citantur Pic. Mirand. Caietanus, alii.  Hier: Zanchy sometimes alleged out of Innocent and the schoolmen) that even Christ's human nature according to its personal essence is omnipresent, &c. and I see no reason why both sides may not, nay will not readily consent and agree to it. Here let us fix; let neither side proceed any further beyond this, and wee are safe.  
In the Point of the Sacrament this is certain and fundamental, that the true and essential body and blood of Christ is truly present, offered, and received in that holy Supper: but whether or no it be corporally present in the Bread& Wine, whether or no( by a supernatural virtue of the consecrated Elements) it be orally received and eaten, even by wicked and unworthy Communicants, this is a matter of theological Dispute, and such as( in the judgement of Luther, Melanchthon, Justus Jonas, Osiander, Brentius, Stephanus Agricola; yea& of Oecolampadius, Zuinglius, Bucer, Hedio) ought not to infringe Christian love and Charity. And upon this promising sign was begun that famous Agreement at Marpurge, in the year 1529. That likewise is well worthy to be kept in perpetual memory, which is related concerning the meeting at Witemberge, in the year 1536, by Ludovicus Rabus Pastor at Ulme, in his History of Martyrs: with whom agree's John Swiccius, Pastor at Constance( cited by Hospinian) who was there present at that time; and 'tis to be seen likewise in the English writings of Bucer: there were present at that Meeting, of the one side, Capito, Bucer, Musculus, and the rest of the more eminent Divines out of the chief imperial Cities in high Germany; of the other side, Luther, Philip, jonas, Pomeranus, Cruciger, with other Doctors& Preachers of Witemberge: and after some expostulations, and divers Speeches to and fro, wherein both sides freely& fairly delivered their Opinions, at length Luther( stepping a little aside with his Associates, and conferring with them about it) concluded with these words; If ye believe and teach, that in the holy Supper the very body and the very blood of Christ is offered, given, and received, and not the bare signs bread and Wine; and that such giving and receiving is true and real, not onely imaginary, the strife betwixt us is at an end, and we do aclowledge& receive you as our dear Brethren in the Lord. All this, Bucer, Capito, and the rest, plainly and freely affirmed: whereupon they joined hands, and so partend. Indeed the waters were then calm and quiet, not tossed with any stormy and tempestuous winds; and therefore they did clearly show and represent the face of truth. Why do not we in like manner now at last begin to be wise? And having passed those tempestuous and troublesone times which afterwards followed, why do we not sit down and rest ourselves in this old and safe harbour of Peace and Unity?  
Concerning the Point of Praedestination, how doth the Church of Christ groan under the burden of a number of huge& high-swolne Volumes? Yet when wee have done all we can, and wearied ourselves and the Christian world with our wrangling pens, this will still remain to be known and believed by all men, 1. that God from all eternity out of his 
These heads are granted on both sides in this Conference.  mere good pleasure did immutably elect some unto Salvation. 2. that none were elected by God, nor shall be saved, who do not believe in Jesus Christ, and persevere in this Faith. 3. that none can believe in Christ, save onely they whom God is pleased to enable hereunto, and to work it in them by the effectual grace of his Spirit. 4. that God did not damn, no nor reprobate any man, but with an eye to sin: so that all the cause& the blame of men's Damnation, lies in themselves; but the cause of Election and Salvation is in the mere grace and mercy of God. Now all this is confessed on both sides. J know right well, there are infinite Questions& Controversies raised about this Point: Let every man on God's name enjoy his own Opinion; I will not prescribe to any man. For myself, if any man be desirous to know what my Opinion herein is, I freely profess myself to adhere to the Articles of the Church of England, and to the judgement of our English Divines who voted in the Synod at Dort( wherein myself was present.) But what is there in this profound Point, about which vulgar and illiterate Christians need to trouble themselves, save onely that plain& obvious truth confessed by all? For the rest, let Divines dispute them in the schools; but it were well if they would forbear to meddle with them in the Pulpit. How are the very same Controversies, and others of greater weight and moment, still on foot in the Church of Rome, and yet so warily and wisely do they carry the matter, that the public Peace is notwithstanding preserved amongst them. Let us learn wisdom from them who profess nought but enmity towards us. Would but Christian Princes by their Authority decree,& Divines fairly and moderately contain and keep themselves within these bounds of Disputation and controversy( bounds indeed large and spacious enough,) wee should have a lasting& firm Agreement, the Church would flourish in Peace and Tranquillity, and lastly truth would bebome victorious and triumph over the common enemy.  
That this may be brought to pass( as we all wish and desire it should) the honourable States and Delegates did very wisely propose and advice that a public Meeting of peaceable Divines should be summoned and sought for by Invitatory Letters, that the friendly& laudable Conference, which was begun at Lipswich, should be reassumed and prosecuted with like modesty as it had formerly been be gun; that all such Divines of note& eminence as cannot be present at that meeting should sand over their Opinions and advice; that all the fundamentals of Religion, necessary for Salvation, should be determined, and all other Points laid aside, and turned over to the schools( if need should require;) that in the mean time men's tongues and pens should be enjoined moderation or else silence; that lastly public Prayers should be solemnly made in the Churches of both sides for the success of this good work. Let but these things be done with an upright heart, in the fear of God, and wee need not doubt of a happy issue: it is God's own Cause, he will not be wanting to himself.  
For you, Mr Dury, who have hitherto with such zeal, such unwearied pains, so many dangers, so great charges, prosecuted this design so well pleasing to God, his Angells, and men; truly you have deserved so well of the whole Church, as that all good men must aclowledge themselves much indebted to you. go on( worthy Sir) with your great undertakeings, and put a period to this good work: or rather, may the great God of Heaven& Earth do this for you and us all; and may he still preserve and prosper you in these travails and labours of yours. Farewell from  
Your loving friend 
 JOS: EXON:   

THE OPINION OF THE MOST REVEREND FATHER IN GOD james USHER Lord Arch-Bishop of ARMAGH and Primate of Ireland, with some other Reverend Bishops in IRELAND.  
REverend and much respected Brother in Christ; Wee had long since by common consent made ready an Answer to your former Letters which you writ unto us severally some Moneths agone: but being desirous to have likewise a general Subscription to it, according to that agreement which should be betwixt fellowbrethren of the Clergy, we deferred the sending of it somewhat the longer in hopes of a meeting. You desire us now in your second Letter dated from London March 20, that we would give you our Opinion concerning the Conference at Lipswich; the rather, because that Conference is likely to have some effect and influence upon the business you have in hand. Thus therefore; that meeting( though it was called for other ends and reasons) yet seeing it was holden with such good success, and that the chief Divines of both sides had so faire& friendly a Conference, heard one another with such patience,& partend with such love and brotherly affection, it is a very good sign that this matter is from the Lord, and from this good beginning who can choose but hope for a happy and successful issue?  
But yet notwithstanding, they partend differing about three Points: it is well that they differed but in three;& 'tis better yet, that even in those three Points they agreed in most things, and such as are of greatest moment; nor was their difference so much about the thing itself, as about some forms of expression, which for the most part we cannot so easily forget and cast off after we have been long accustomend to them. For seeing it is confessed on both sides, that Christ hath two natures in one person, so inseparably united that neither can they be divided, nor are they confounded, but still remain distinct and several without all mixture or equality( so much as of their Properties,) to what end is it to quarrel about improper and figurative Propositions? so likewise in the Eucharist, seeing they both agree that the faithful do eat not only the fruit and benefit, but the very essence( or Substance) of Christ's body; and that on God's part the Sacraments are exhibited entire& perfect, the thing signified together with the sign, what do they contending about Hypocrites and unbelievers? 'tis all one as if physicians should fall a disputing about a dead man, whether or no the Potion he took hath any operation upon him. There remaines yet that other much controverted Question touching Praedestination: and yet even in this too it would be no hard matter for them to be reconciled, were but spleen and partiality laid aside, and in the room thereof a reverend and modest fear how we prie too far into God's secret counsels, placed and planted: seeing the best and ablest Divines of both sides aclowledge, that in many Questions about this Mystery we must be fain to take up St Paul's exclamation, O the depth! and that 'tis both lawful& sufficient for them to rest and hold together in those clear& undoubted goldsmiths; namely, that the Election of such as shall be saved, was made in Christ; that the destruction of all such as perish, is from themselves; that Salvation is from God; that Faith( yea even foreseen Faith) is not from ourselves, it is the gift of God; that we may not boast of any thing, seeing we have nothing of our own; all must be ascribed to God: as S. Cyprian of old devoutly and pithily spake.  
Thus you have, both what we hope& conceive of the Conference at Lipswich. But the most principal and special thing, which should be earnestly prest and inculcated, is this; that in Divine matters, especially in such high and difficult mysteries as these are, which are rather to be adored than pried into, we ought to have a certain and set Rule to speak by, as S. Austin sometimes prudently and piously counseled:& therefore it would be a very safe and good course for us to refrain from all novel and new-fangled expressions, and to confine the liberty of prophesying to such forms and Phrases as the holy Scriptures do furnish us withall. It remaines, that wee earnestly beseech the God of Peace to bruise Satan under our feet,& that shortly: unto which God we hearty recommend you( Reverend Brother)& rest  
Your most affectionate friends 
 

JAMES ARMAGH.  
WILLIAM KILMORE.  
JOHN ARDAGH.   May 14. 
 Anno 1634.   

THE JUDGEMENT OF THE same right Reverend Father, the Lord Arch-Bishop of ARMAGH, delivered in a Sermon of his preached before K. james at Wansted, june 20th. 1624.  
IF at this day wee should take a survey of the several Professions of Christianity, that have any large spread in any part, of the world( as of the Religion of the roman and the Reformed Churches in our Quarters, of the egyptians and Aethiopians in the South, of the Grecians& other Christians in the eastern parts,) and should put-by the Points wherein they differ one from another, and gather into one body the rest of the Articles wherein they do all generally agree; wee should find, that in those Propositions which without all controversy are universally received in the whole Christian world, so much truth is contained, as being joined with holy obedience, may be sufficient to bring a man unto everlasting salvation. Neither have we cause to doubt, but that as many as do walk accorto 
Gal. 6, 16.  this rule( neither overthrowing that which they have builded by superinducing any damnable heresies thereupon, nor otherwise vitiating their holy Faith with a lewd and wicked conversation) peace shall be upon them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.   

THE OPINION OF SOME FAMOUS DIVINES OF the FRENCH Church.  
THat which hath been the constant and earnest wish of all good men for these hundred yeares past, and which by all wise men hath been esteemed worthy to be purchased at any rate and with any pains though never so great; this( we hear, to the exceeding great joy of our hearts) is at this day endeavoured by some worthy servants of Christ, with singular zeal, and not without good hopes of a happy success: to wit, that the Protestant Churches which differ one from another about some Points of Religion, laying aside or at least moderating on both sides their over-tenacious adhering to their own Opinions, may now at length be united and made up into one body. We being much joyed with this welcome news, first of all we render all possible praise and thanksgiving to almighty God the giver of all good things, that he hath been pleased to put such good thoughts and intentions into the hearts of his servants; and wee most earnestly beseech him, that his blessing may go along with this good design,& crown it with success: next, we return many thanks to those our reverend and worthy Brethren and fellow-Ministers, who have put their hands to this work; and we do highly applaud and admire their faithfulness, zeal, charity, and singular magnanimity& courage herein. What a brave and noble spirit does it argue in them, that they could once hope for an Unity and Peace of our Churches in these desperate and distracted times? Or that they durst venture upon a matter of such difficulty, which had so often been attempted heretofore by men of great abilities, but could never be brought to pass? What the event of this so great and good a design will be, is in the sole power& pleasure of almighty God: but surely the very endeavouring and intending of so good a work deserve's no little commendation: for, the bare purpose or having in one's heart and thoughts matters of great concernment, and such as may make for the good of Christ's Church, is a great and good work,& never faile's of its reward from our bountiful God: although there be good cause to hope, that the pains which learned men take hereabout shall even with men too have its fruit& effect. For, now that they have spent their spirits and heat of contention,& wearied themselves with long strife and variance, it is more than probable that they will now at last entertain those counsels of Peace which they have hitherto out of spleen and passion rejected and set light by. Besides, that most sharp plowshare of God's judgement wherewith for almost these fourteen yeares he hath furrowed and ploughed up the French and German Churches, hath so subdued& broken up men's minds on each side, that never was there a more fit and seasonable opportunity for sowing and casting in the seeds of Unity and Peace, than now. Wee cannot choose therefore but greatly approve, commend, and admire the purposes and endeavours of those worthy men who have employed their pains in so necessary a work: but since we understand how that they are desirous to know more particularly what our Opinion is of this whole business, let us proceed to set down( as briefly and plainly as we can) our judgement herein.  
Indeed it were much to be wished, that they who profess themselves Christ's Disciples and followers, would all think and speak alike of matters spiritual and Divine; perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgement,( as S. Paul exhorts his Corinthians.) But since there is so much weakness in man's understanding, and so great difficulty in Points of Divinity, that this perfect and absolute agreement betwixt pious men is a thing not to be had or hoped for in this world; in the next place it were to be wished, that they would agree and be of the same belief about the main& principal Heads of Religion: and for other matters which are of less moment and use, and such as do not any way make either for holinesse of life, or comfort of men's consciences,& consequently do not necessary pertain to Christ's kingdom( which consists in those two things) that they would in such wise believe them, as to bear with others who dissent from them about such Points. For as we see in civill& secular matters, the best States-men are not always of the same Opinion concerning the affairs of the Commonwealth; so likewise in the Church, so long as the sum and substance of Religion is agreed upon& maintained, no matter though in some other Points the judgements of the faithful be various and different. That this is lawful, both the thing itself loudly proclaims it, and S. Paul confirms it; who does not 
Rom. 1 5, 1. Phil. 3. 15.  only permit but command us( more than once) to bear with such as differ from us in their Opinions: and 'tis the common and general Opinion of all such Divines as have been of any note and esteem in the Church ever since our Saviour Christ's times down 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 gospel than that which he had preached; and the most moderate amongst the Fathers of the Christian Church have always constantly held, that we are to shun and avoid the company of heretics. 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 himself; who make our Faith to rely upon the judgement and authority of men; who several ways overthrow the priestly 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 pass their other Positions) deny our Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus to be truly God: and if once you take away his Divinity, it will necessary follow, that either wee worship a creature, or else that we do not worship the son of God; both of which are manifestly repugnant to those goldsmiths 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 maintain any errors 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 seems 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 lawful to be done.  
Now to apply this to the matter in hand, we conceive that to this latter sort all those Controversies do belong which are agitated amongst Protestant Divines, touching Christ's presence in the sacramental signs, touching divine Praedestination, and some few other Points. For they do 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 authentical; they detest with one heart& mouth the Tyranny, and pernicious 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 profess the same righteousness and holinesse in this life, and they expect the same glory in the life to come: in a word, so great and so wonderful an agreement is there betwixt them about all saving and necessary Doctrines, that( did not the history of their affairs, and those bitter contentions which have hitherto( more is the pitty) been fomented amongst them, witness the contrary) there's no man but would think they had a meeting at the beginning, and by common counsel& consent agreed upon the same Confession of Faith. In such a multitude of mysteries, who can choose 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 main matter of this woeful Division, they both of them grant that 'tis 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 aclowledge 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 confess) 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 do 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 known to all men) ever did, and at this day do 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 fairly 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 known to foreign nations, yet such a matter it is as we confidently believe 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 always been of that same Opinion touching these Controversies,& they have given testimony of this their Opinion, both heretofore sundry ways, and likewise now very lately by an express Decree made in a general Synod held here at Charenton near Paris in the year 1631. For when, upon occasion of a citizen of Lions( unto whose daughter a certain young German of the Augustane Confession, as they call it, was a suitor) it was questiond, how we are to account and esteem 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 do agree with the other Reformed Churches in all the Principles and fundamental Points of true Religion, and that in their Discipline and form of Divine worship there is neither Idolatry nor Superstition: such of the faithful of that Confession as shall with the spirit of Charity and in a truly peaceable way join themselves unto the public Assemblies of the Churches in this kingdom, and desire to communicate with them, may, without the abjuration of their former Opinions which they hold contrary to the belief of these Churches, be admitted to the holy Table, contract marriages with the faithful of our Confession, and present themselves in the quality of Godfathers to the children which shall be baptized; upon their promise given to the Consistory, that they will never solicit such children, directly or indirectly, against the Doctrine believed and professed in our Churches, but shall content themselves with giving them instruction onely in those Points wherein we all agree.  
We are not ignorant, how that many objections may be made against this Decree by such as have a mind to contend& cavil: but such objections they are, most of them, as have but little strength and validity in them, and such as can no way stand in comparison with those weighty reasons wherewith the Christian Faith and Charity do furnish us. It is not our purpose to insist on every particular; onely in general, we think it not amiss to put men in mind of two things, which if they were observed with that care as it fitting, both sides perhaps would henceforth judge more mildly and charitably of each other than hitherto they have done.  
First then, special heed would be taken by us, that the assertions and Opinions of private men, though Doctors, though of never so great esteem and repute amongst their own men, be not fathered on that whole Church wherein such men live, as the common and generally received Doctrine of them all. For what can be imagined more unequal, than that one man's crime, or commendation, should be imputed to all? and what by him hath been spoken well or ill, should be rewarded or punished in others, who were so far from deserving any such matter, as that many times such things are fastened on them as they never so much as once heard of from others, or once thought thereupon themselves. The general Doctrine of each several Church is laid down and comprised in public Confessions, several for each side; theirs( namely the Doctrine of the Lutheran party) in the Augustane Confession( as they term it;) that of the other side, in many several Confessions, diversely expressed according to the diversity of Countries and kingdoms. From these are we to judge and esteem what is held and maintained by both: seeing they do all profess themselves to assent and adhere to these, and that they will live& die in this Faith. But( for ought I know) neither do they so generally approve the writings of Brentius or Chemnitius, nor do these so far magnify Piscator or Beza, as if they would that whatsoever is affirmed by those men, should be admitted and acknowledged as the common and necessary Faith of all Christians. Nay so far are they both of them from this folly, that they themselves freely reprove and censure their own men, and mark out many passages in their writings, as different from the common and received Doctrine of their Church. Whence it follow's, that the sayings of such men, whosoever they be, are unjustly, and( to speak the most favourably of it) preposterously fatherd on the whole Church in which they lived. And yet notwithstanding, what else are all those tenants with which Protestant Divines cast one another in the teeth, with which they upbraid one another as if they were the public and general faults of the two adverse parts, and for which they so labour to draw one another into envy& contempt? I say, what else are they but the private Positions of some particular Doctors on both sides, vented many times either in choler and passion, or out of a vehement zeal to maintain their Cause, when they were hard pressed& put to it either with the difficulty of the things themselves, or the subtlety of an acute adversary; and so, spake rather out of necessity than judgement and premeditation. For truly so sound and untainted are the public Confessions of our Churches on each side, that there is very little and hardly any thing which either of them can find wanting in the other's Confession. Our Divines in Germany do commend the Augustane Confession; and no doubt but our Brethren the Lutherans will in like manner approve of ours, for the far greater part of it, would they but once be pleased to red it over impartially without passion and prejudice. Certainly neither in that Confession of theirs shall any man meet with that Ubiquity of Christ's body, which wee condemn in lutheranism; nor in this of ours, that stoical Fate so much objected against us.  
But a second fault there is, very frequent amongst men of both sides, and almost hereditary, which ought( as we conceive) with all care and diligence to bee shunned and avoided in this business. namely, that they who maintain any Position, should not bee thought to hold whatsoever seems to us to follow thereupon by the rules of disputation. For it often falls out, that he who holds a Principle from which such a Conclusion is inferred, may notwithstanding be utterly ignorant of that which is in ferred from his Principle. For instance, he that first observed the Loadstone to point towards the North Pole, did not forthwith perceive all the several experiments that have been afterwards made from thence for the use and benefit of Navigation: for Conclusions lie hide and butted in their Principles, nor are they deduced thence without some pains and study. He therefore who holds some Principle, and withall doth either not heed and regard it; or else considers it, but with an Intellect which is either dull or prepossessed with anger or affection or some other passion, this man, from that Principle of his which he understand's, doth not straightway understand whatsoever may be known and concluded from it. Thus they who live in the Papacy, having their mindes bewitched( that I may so speak) with the authority of their Leaders, though they grant with us that the sins of men are most fully expiated by that sacrifice offered up by Christ on the cross, yet can they not hence conclude( although it evidently follow hereupon) that their Sacrifice of the Altar is vain and superfluous. Now as he who understand's some one truth, is sometimes ignorant of other goldsmiths which are consequent thereupon: so likewise he who hath some erroneous Opinion, must not therefore be thought to hold and maintain all the absurdities that may be inferred from it: for there's the same account to bee made of consequences either way. Thus Tertullian of old, and many of the ancient Fathers, taught that the human soul is derived from the Father to the son by way of propagation; but that 'tis mortal, which follows upon the former, this they were so far from granting, that they did always expressly deny it. As therefore wee do not say that the Papists do therefore deny their Sacrifice of the Altar, because they grant( as we do) the perfection and sufficiency of that Sacrifice which was offered up by Christ on the cross, though in all good consequence this overthrows that sacrifice of theirs: so neither do we think that Tertullian,& others of the same Opinion touching the original of man's soul, ought to be charged for holding the soul to be mortal, because this latter error seems to be deducible from the former.  
Now then how extreme faulty in this kind Divines of both sides have been, who is there that see's not? For we commonly charge our Brethren( the Lutherans) with Eutychianisme,( though they in the mean time deny and disclaim it,) because this error, as we think, follows upon their Doctrine concerning the Lord's supper: they again on the other side, stick not to charge us with I know not what monstrous Opinions, as if we made God the author of all sin and wickedness,( assertions which we justly abhor& tremble at, because they persuade 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 several tenants and Opinions on both sides: it sufficeth, that whatsoever they be, whether justly or unjustly pined 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 errors could by true& solid consequence be concluded from our several Positions,( which yet neither side will ever confess 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 several Opinions, would but men( as in reason they ought) forbear to father any thing on either side save onely that which their whole Churches expressly own and profess for their received Opinions, it would be very easy to maintain that all the Dispute and controversy 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 believed on both sides, there would remain little or no difficulty in this whole business wherein worthy men do at this present employ themselves, namely of settling Peace and Unity amongst our Churches. For seeing there are but two ways 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 join together, retaining their several Opinions, and by a mutual 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 peril and damage to a whole Church; the former of these two ways( as we conceive) is not now to be stood upon, whereof trial hath been heretofore made not onely without success but with much danger& harm, as appears sufficiently from those many Disputations& Conferences which have been held betwixt both sides during this whole Age; whereby hatred and& enmity hath been engendered rather than extinguished, and the number of Controversies rather increased than diminished. Wee must therefore betake ourselves to that other way of being reconciled, and in it must we employ all our pains and cares& studies, as being indeed both the onlyeasie and lawful way, yea and necessary too in our judgement. And that wee may at length attain unto this, it would not be amiss( as we conceive) to proceed after this manner and method; first, wee must endeavour that a kind of Truce and Cessation from our strifes& contentions may be agreed upon and enjoined the Divines of both sides, and that they be stirred up and exhorted to take this whole business into consideration: this being obtained, in the next place special diligence must be used, that after a meek, friendly, and most persuasive manner it be made appear to all, that we are not at variance about any fundamental 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 careful that they refrain from all intricate Questions, and trifling Disputes,( such wherein the schoolmen have spent so much pains, mincing and mangling every thing into I know not how many pieces,& then handling every piece 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 far to prosper these endeavours as that thus much may be once brought to pass, wee make no doubt but every man would then readily wish for this much-desired Communion, which none ever shunned or refused but out of a kind of Religion and Conscience, conceiving it unlawful to entertain a Communion with any that are not of the same belief and Opinion with themselves: so soon 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 arms and embraces. For it cannot be imagined that there is any man, either of the one side or the other, so stupid& voided of all reason&& Religion, but knows how foul& scandalous a thing, how hurtful to both sides, how dangerous and pernicious to the whole Christian world this schism is which hath hitherto divided and distracted us; on the other side, how sweet, how beneficial, both to ourselves& all others, Unity and Peace would be, so it might be had without loss of Faith and Salvation. And truly the way to settle this Unity( were we but once come to that) is plain and easy. For seeing we do both of us( by God's grace) equally aclowledge and believe the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ penned by his Disciples; and seeing we confess, that whatsoever is of necessity for salvation to be believed or done by us, it is all clearly and plainly laid down in this gospel, what hinder's why we may not jointly confirm and ratify those Articles wherein we both agree?& for those other Points about which wee differ, wee may express them in such words and phrases as the sacred Scriptures afford us, and not suffer our men to inquire any further, or contest about thē. For if it be true which we both confess, that all those heavenly mysteries which must necessary be known by us, are clearly revealed in God's word, doubtless then we may content ourselves with so much as the Scripture has delivered, and wee may safely foregoe all other Points wherein the Scripture is silent. Let therefore all the Heads of matters in Dispute amongst us be laid down and expressed in a certain and set form, such as may give satisfaction to both parties, made up wholly( if it be possible) of Scripturewords: and let no man require from his Brother any more besides it: if any man have attained to a further degree of knowledge, let him keep his knowledge to himself; and let him not despise the weakness and simplicity of others who have not made so great a progress in knowledge as himself. As for Rites and Ceremonies wherein the form of divine worship and the Churche's Discipline are contained, we conceive it fit that every Church should be left to her own judgement and liberty herein, and that no innovation be made about such matters.  
Hereafter, if it shall please God, when time shall have confirmed and strengthened this Union, there may be compiled, by the joint consent and advice of all, a common Liturgy; which would be both a token and bond of Peace. For the present, we shall think our pains well bestowed, if at this first attempt we can prevail with both sides to tolerate mutually out of Christian Charity such differences of Opinion as are betwixt us either in Doctrine or Discipline( which truly are but small,& altogether unworthy to occasion such a rapture and Breach betwixt us,) and so at length to aclowledge one another to be( as indeed we are) Brethren in the Lord.  
Thus much we thought good to speak in brief touching this matter, that our reverend Brethren, who are well affencted to the public Peace, may understand how ready& willing wee are to concur with them in this pious and Christian work. And though our mean abilities and the present state and condition of our affairs be such, as that wee cannot perform such service in it as is meet and requisite, yet shall our earnest prayers always accompany the labours and endeavours of those reverend men who are or shall be employed therein: and we shall account that day most happy, wherein we shall behold Brethren( having butted all strifes and contentions) join hands and hearts, and dwell together in the same Jerusalem; by this fast and firm Communion, anticipating( as it were)& foreacting here upon earth that everlasting Unity and Concord which we shall hereafter enjoy in Heaven. AMEN.  
FINIS.