Israel: I could easily be content to sacrifice any interest of my own, to re-unite dissenters into one communion; but I cannot sacrifice truth to any interest or design though never so peaceable, without forfeiting the other part of the character, of being faithful also. It is required in stewards, that they be found faithful; and I hope I have answered this character, both in the general design of these collections and the particular use and application of them. I am not sensible that I have quoted any one passage wrong, or misapplied it to a wrong use. In citing the Synods I keep as near as may be to Mr. Quick's translation; and for the other French authors I use, I quote their words from the authors themselves, and in their sense, to the best of my understanding. I have also purposely avoided all personal reflections in speaking of adversaries; and never pursued their character, but only their arguments and their cause. The principal person, whom I take objections from, and answer them, upon the principles and grounds of the French Church, is Mr. Baxter, in one of his last books, entitled, English Nonconformity, as under K. Charles II, and K. James II. stated and argued. 4to. Lon. 1689. where he has summed up the principal reasons of their nonconformity. To these I return answers, either from the French Synods, or their most approved writers, as the subject requires; and having competently satisfied them, if there be any other objections not here answered in this book, it may be presumed from the specimen I have given, that they are capable of good answers upon the same grounds, and may be the subject of further enquiry, according as men are disposed to seek for satisfaction. Meanwhile I heartily pray to God to give all men sober thoughts, and seasonable consideration, to perceive in time whither our divisions tend; lest, as King James once told the French Church, the sparks of dissention inflame us into such a schism, as will consume us all. For there is an enemy that makes his advantage of these our divisions, and perhaps secretly instigates and encourages them, who hates the very name and profession of the Protestant religion in general. If it be said, that it concerns the Church of England to prevent this danger, as much as the dissenters; I freely own it, and say, he is no true Churchman, nor true Protestant, who will not contribute his utmost endeavour toward it: but then I cannot think the true method of preventing our dangers, is to make such concessions to dissenters, as will shake or destroy the present constitution; but to reason them into union upon such principles as are common to all the Churches of the reformation: for such principles are doubtless both the most proper, and most secure method of uniting and preserving us against the common enemy, and consequently not only the most reasonable, but the most seasonable method also: and those are the only principles I have insisted on in this discourse. Now if an union could once happily be effected upon this foot, or there were but a fair prospect and tendency towards then perhaps it might become the wisdom of our ecclesiastical Synods to consider, when they could do it freely, and without any danger to the constitution, whether there be any obsolete forms, or expressions, or rubricks, rules and canons, which might be more adapted to the present state and circumstances of the Church. But as this is none of my concern, so I intermeddle not in it, but leave it to the wisdom and discretion of our superiors legally assembled, and sufficiently authorized to proceed upon so important an affair. CONTENTS. OF THE GENERAL RULES AND EXPEDIENTS FOR PRESERVING THE UNITY AND PEACE OF THE CHURCH; SHEWING, THAT THE SAME METHODS ARE USED IN THE FRENCH Of the Use and Expediency of Ecclesiastical Synods, to pre- serve the Unity and Peace of the Church; and of the Of the Expediency of Uniformity, to preserve Unity and Peace in the Church; and that it is no less required by the Church of France than the Church of England. That Subscription and Oaths, the third Expedient for |