Catholic communion defended against both extremes, and unnecessary division confuted in five parts ...…Catholick communion defended against both extreams, and unnecessary division confuted in five parts ...…

THE PREFACE.

DID not the Thoughts of a better promised World, afford me Comfort and Relief, the Thoughts of the Case of this so much forsaken Earth, would break my Heart, my Faith and Hope: To see so much of Earth yet Unchristian, and so few of the Christian Nations either in Knowledge, Love or Holiness, answering their Holy Profession, but damning one another, and more themselves: And to see how great a hand the Clergy of almost all Churches, have in this, by notorious, implacable Contention; and to see how little hope there is of a Remedy. If Princes and Patrons choose Wise, Holy, Peaceable Men in England, will they do so in France, Flanders, Spain, and other Popish Lands? And either there they will expect the same Royal Power; make the Pope and his Agents the Electors, which is worse. And with such, the Love of Money, Vain-glory, and Self-opinion, Worldliness, Pride, and Ignorant Error, will keep up Envy, Strife and Persecution, Confusion, and every Evil Work.

DID not the Thoughts of a better promised World, afford me Comfort and Relief, the Thoughts of the Case of this so much forsaken Earth, would break my Heart, my Faith and Hope: To see so much of Earth yet Unchristian, and so few of the Christian Nations either in Knowledge, Love or Holiness, answering their Holy Profession, but damning one another, and more themselves: And to see how great a hand the Clergy of almost all Churches, have in this, by notorious, implacable Contention; and to see how little hope there is of a Remedy. If Princes and Patrons chuse Wise, Holy, Peaceable Men in England, will they do so in France, Flanders, Spain, and other Popish Lands? And either there they will expect the same Royal Power; make the Pope and his Agents the Electors, which is worse. And with such, the Love of Money, Vain-glory, and Self-opinion, Worldliness, Pride, and Ignorant Error, will keep up Envy, Strife and Persecution, Confusion, and every Evil Work.