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 ...…

TO THE READER.

IT'S known that Christ suffered between Two Malefactors, reputed by his Persecutors the greatest of the Three: One of them was penitent, and justified Christ, and reproved the other, who reproached, even dying, him that should have been taken for his only Hope. Ignatius compared the Teeth of the Lions, to the Millstones, which must grind him to be Bread for his Fathers use. The two Extremes have been at this unhappy Dividing-work, since the Christian Church began to prosper: Diotrephes, and the Jewish Imposers on the one side, and the Self-conceited separating Sects on the other, were used by Satan to fight against Saving Truth and Love. They were foretold by Paul, Acts 20. both that grievous Wolves should enter, and devour the Flocks; and that of their own selves should men arise, to speak perverse things, and draw away Disciples after them. But when Christian Power had lent one Party the Sword, or made it the Executioner of Clergy-wrath, the Church hath ever since between two Millstones, been ground to Meal. There hath indeed be•n much Differences in their dividing ways. The upper Millstone hath still been violently active: The nether Millstone thought it self innocent, because it was passive. Even before the Church-Tympanites, many score several Sects rose up, that had their several Societies, separating from the rest, on pretence of greater Orthodoxness and Piety. No two of the Contraries could be in the Right; much less all: Therefore all, or all save one, did separate for Error. But as Luther saith (De Conciliis) these Divisions were but a Play (as at Foot-ball) in comparison of the Strages, or bloody destructive Divisions which were made by Patriarchs and Councils of advanced Prelates. If under Heathens, the Novations sprung up from a Strife, to have their Captain the great Bishop of Rome; and the Donanists from a Strife, to have their Captain the great Bishop of Carthage, and so many other Sects; What wonder, if the Strife of Patriarchs, Metropolitans and Councils, when they were like great Secular Princes, did cut all the Churches into those Shred