It is but ignorance, if any man finde it strange that the state of Religon (especially in the dayes of peace) should be exercised and troubled with controversies: for as it is the condition of the Church militant to be ever under trialls, so it commeth to passe that when the fiery triall of persecution ceaseth, there succeedeth another triall, which as it were by contrary blastes of doctrine, doth sift and winow mens faith, and proveth them whether they know God aright, even as the other of afflictions discovereth whether they love him better then the world. Accordingly was it foretold by Christ, saying: That in the latter times it should bee said, Loe here, loe there is Christ; which is to be understood, not as if the very person of Christ should bee assumed and counterfeited, but his authority and preheminence (which ought to bee truth it selfe) that should bee chalenged and pretended. Thus have we read and seene to bee fulfilled that which followeth: Ecce in deserto, ecce in penetratio: while some have sought the truth in the conventicles and conciliables of Heretickes and Sectaries: others in the externe face and representation of the Church, and both sorts been seduced. Were it then that the controversies of the Church of England were such as did divide the unity of the Spirit, and not such as doe unswaddle her of her bands the bands of peace) yet could it be no occasion for any pretended Catholicke to judge us, or for any irreligious person to despise us: or if it be, it shall but happen to us all as it hath used to doe; to them to bee hardened, and to us to endure the good pleasure of God. But now that our contentions are such, as we need not so much that generall Canon and sentence of Christ: Erratis nescientes Scripturas, &c. as wee need the admonition of Saint Iames: Let every man bee swift to heare, slow to speake, slow to wrath: And that the wound is no way dangerous, except wee poyson it with our owne remedies. As the former sort of men have lesse reason to make themselves musicke in our cord: so I have good hope that nothing shall displease our selves which shall bee sincerely and modestly propounded for the appeasing of these dissentions. For if any shall bee offended at this voyce: Vos estis fratres, yee are brethren, why strive yee? hee shall give great presumption against himselfe, that hee is the party that doth his brother wrong. The controversies themselves I will not enter into, as judging that disease requireth rather rest then any other cure. Thus much we all know and confesse, that they bee not of the highest nature: for they are not touching the high mysteries of faith: such as detained the Churches after their first peace for many yeares, what time the heretickes moved curious questions, and made strange anatomies of the nature and person of Christ; and the Catholicke Fathers were compelled to follow them with all subtillity of disputations and determinations, to exclude them from their evasions, and to take them in their owne Labyrinths; so as it is rightly said: Illis temporibus ingeniosa res fuit esse Christianum: In those dayes it was an ingenious and subtile matter to bee a Christian: Neither are they concerning the great parts of the worship of God; of which it is true, that Non servatur unitas in credendo, nisieadem adsit in colendo: There will bee kept no unity in beleeving, except it bee intire in worshipping: such as were the controversies in the East and West Churches touching Images, and such as are many of those which are betweene the Church of Rome and us, as about the adoration of the Sacrament, and the like. But wee contend about Ceremonies, and things indifferent, about the externe policie and government of the Church: In which kinde, if wee would but remember, that the ancient and true bonds of unity, are one Faith, one Baptisme, and not one Ceremonie, one Policie. If wee would observe the league among Christians, that is penned by our Saviour Christ (Hee that is not against us, is with us) if wee could but comprehend that saying, Differentia rituum commendat unitatem doctrinae: and that, Habet religio quae sunt aeternitatis, habet quae sunt temporis: Religion hath parts which belong to eternity, and parts which belong to time.
And if wee did but know the vertue of silence, and slownesse to speake, commended by Saint Iames, our controversies would (of themselves) close up and grow together. But most especially, if we would leave the overweening and turbulent humours of these times, and renue the blessed proceedings of the Apostles and Fathers of the Primitive Church; which was in the like and greater cases, not to enter into assertions and positions, but to deliver counsels and advices, we should need no other remedy at all. Si eadem consulis frater, qua affirmas, debetur consulenti reverentia, cum non debetur fides affirmanti: Brother, if that which you set downe by way of assertion, you would deliver by way of advice, there were reverence due to your counsell, where credit is not due to your affirmation. Saint Paul was content to speake thus: Ego, non Dominus; I, and not the Lord: & secundum consilium meum, according to my counsell. But now men do so lightly say, Not I, but the Lord; yea, and binde it with heavie denunciations of his judgements, to terrifie the simple, which have not sufficiently understood out of Salomon, that the causlesse curse shall not come: Therefore seeing the accidents are they which breed the perill, and not the things themselves in their owne nature, it is meet the remedies bee applied unto them by opening what it is on either part that keepeth the wound greene, and formaliseth both sides to a further opposition, and worketh an indisposition in mens mindes to be reunited; wherein no accusation is pretended. But I finde in reason, that it is best built by repetition of wrongs, and in example that the speeches which have been by the wisest men, De concordia ordinum, have not abstained from reducing to memory the extremities used on both parts. So as it is true which was said, Qui paccem tractat non repetitis conditionis: dissidit, is magis animos dulcedine pacis fallit quam aequitate componit. And first of all, it is more then time that an end were made of this unmodest and deformed kinde of writing lately entertained, whereby matters of religion are handled in the stile of the stage. Indeed bitter and earnest writing is not hastily to be condemned: for men cannot contend coldly and without affection about things they hold deare and pretious. A politicke man may write from his braine without touch or sense of his heart, as in a speculation that pertaineth not unto him; but a feeling Christian will expresse in his words a character either of zeale or love: the latter of which as I would wish rather to be embraced, as being more fit for the times, yet is the former warranted also by great examples. But to leave all reverend and religious compassions toward evils, or indignation toward faults, to turne religion into a Comedy or Satyr, to search and rip up wounds with a laughing countenance, to intermix Scripture and Scurrilility sometime in one sentence, is a thing farre from the devout reverence of a Christian, and scant beseeming the honest regard of a sober man. Non est major confusio quam serii & joci: there is no greater confusion then the confounding of jest and earnest. The majestie of religion, and the contempt and deformity of things ridiculous, are things as distant as things may be. Two principall causes have I ever knowne of Atheisme, curious controversies and prophane scoffing. Now that these two are joyned in one, no doubt that Sect will make no small progression. And here I do much esteem the wisedome and religion of that Bishop, which replied to the first pamphlet of this kinde, who remembred that a foole was to be answered, but not by becomming like unto him, and considered the matter hee handled, and not the person with whom he dealt. Iob speaking of the majesty and gravity of a Iudge in himselfe, saith: If I did smile, they beleeved me not; as if he should have said: If I diverted or glanced unto conceit of mirth, yet mens mindes were so possessed with a reverence of the action in hand, as they could not receive it. Much more ought this to be amongst Bishops and Divines disputing about holy things: and therefore as much doe I mislike of him, who as it seemed, pleased himself with it, as no mean policie. That these men are to be dealt withall at their own weapons, and pledged in their owne cup. This (no doubt) seemed to him as profound, as when the Cardinall counselled Iulius the second to encounter the Councell of Nice with the Councell of Lateran; or as lawfull a chalenge as M. Iewell made to confute the pretended Catholicks by the Fathers.