This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
ESSAY III]
OF UNITY IN RELIGION
7

Propriety[1] of whose Vocation drew him to have a speciall care of those without) saith, If an Heathen come in, and heare you speake with several! Tongues, Will he not say that you are mad? And certainly, it is little better, when Atheists and prophane Persons do heare of so many Discordant and Contrary Opinions in Religion. It doth avert[2] them from the Church, and maketh them To sit downe in the chaire of the Scorners. It is but a light Thing to be Vouched[3] in so Serious a Matter, but yet it expresseth well the Deformity. There is a Master of Scoffing, that in his Catalogue of Books of a faigned Library sets Downe this Title of a Booke, The morris daunce of Heretikes. For indeed every Sect of them hath a Divers[4] Posture or Cringe[5] by them selves, which cannot but Move Derision in Worldlings and Depraved Politickes[6], who are apt to contemne Holy Things.

As for the Fruit towards those that are within, It is Peace, which containeth infinite Blessings: It[7] establish eth Faith; It kindleth Charity; The outward Peace of the Church Distilleth into Peace of Conscience And it turneth the Labours of Writing and Reading of Controversies into Treaties[8] of Mortification and Devotion.

Concerning the Bounds of Unity; The true Placing of them importeth exceedingly[9]. There appeare to be two extremes. For to certaine Zelants[10] all Speech of Pacification is odious. Is it peace, Iehu ? What hast thou to doe with peace? turne thee behinde me. Peace is not the Matter[11], but Following and Party. Contrariwise, certaine Laodiceans and Luke-warme Persons thinke they may accommodate[12] Points of Religion by Middle Waies, and taking part of both, And witty[13] Reconcilements, As if they would make an Arbitrement betweene God and Man. Both these Extremes are to be avoyded; which will be


  1. distinguishing property
  2. repel
  3. cited
  4. different
  5. extravagant gesture
  6. politicians
  7. i.e. Peace
  8. treatises
  9. is exceedingly important
  10. zealots
  11. sc. in which they are interested
  12. compromise
  13. ingenious