their weakness must be born with: that fo without any brawlings or fallings out, they may be fweetly united and knit together with us. If any do excel the reft in understanding, it is but meet also that they surpass them in love, in holy affection and endeavours to do them good. And as for those that in fome points are of different opinion from fuch as hold the truth; God's leifure must be waited for, until it please him to reveal the fame truth, that yet lies hid from them and in the mean while thofe things, which are agreed upon, must be ftedfastly kept and duly practifed. We know now in part only, but the time shall come, when all things shall be known most plainly, and after a perfpicuous manner. This alfo I beg of every one, that they do not unprofitably detain the talent committed to them upon truft; but that they endeavour by all means poffible to win others unto Chrift. For which purpose, we muft not only use good exhortations, and wholfome Speeches, but also the example of good life; that fo the goodness of our Mafter may appear by his fervants, and the purity of the Law by our laudable Actions. Laftly, my Difcourfe returning thither, where it began, I intreat fuch Readers, as are my Country-Men, that if hereby they reap any good, they would give thanks to God for it: And if any thing be lefs pleafing to them, they would have a regard both to the common infirmity of man's nature that is prone to Errour, and to the time and place wherein this work was rather haftily brought forth, than elaborately compofed. The SEVENTH BOOK OF THE TRUTH OF Christian Religion. SECT. I. An Introduction, shewing what makes the Addition of another Book necessary. I F those Apoftolical Exhortations, which conclude the last Book, had been carefully followed; there would have been no need of faying any more, for the confirmation of Mens minds in the belief of the Truth and Certainty of the Chriftian Religion. But the unhappy differences which are among Chriftians, and which are maintained with unfpeakable animofities and hatreds (nay with anathema's alfo, which one part pronounces against the rest) have made many Men doubtful which of these hold the true Christian Faith, for which the Apostle exhorts us |