A defence of the principles of love, which are necessary to the unity and…

17. I am not causelessly afraid lest, if we suffer the principles and practices which I write against, to proceed without our contradiction, Popery will get by it, so great advantage, as may hazard us all, and we may lose that which the several parties do contend about. Three ways especially Popery will grow out of our divisions. 1. By the odium and scorn of our disagreements, inconsistency, and multiplied sects; they will persuade people that we must either come for Unity to them, or else all run mad, and crumble into dust and individuals. Thousands have been drawn to Popery or confirmed in it by this argument already: And I am persuaded that all the arguments else in Bellarmine and all other books that ever were written, have not done so much to make Papists in England, as the multitude ⟨p. 53⟩of sects among our selves. Yea some Professors of Religious strictness, of great esteem for Godliness, have turned Papists themselves, when they were giddy and wearied with turnings; and when they had run from sect to sect, and found no consistency in any. For when they see so many, they say, How can I tell that this or that is in the right, rather than the other? This it is that they ring continually in our ears. Which of all these sects is in the right? And what assurance have they of it more than all the rest that are as confident? And how small a Church doth any one sect make? And •f h•w late original (for the most.) But the poor deluded souls consider not, that in going to the Papists, they go but to another sect that is worse than any of the rest; And though greater, yet not past the third part of the Christians in the world: And that Christianity is but one: And that the way to rest, is to unite upon the common terms of simple Christianity.

17. I am not causelesly afraid lest, if we suffer the principles and practices which I write against, to proceed without our contradiction, Popery will get by it, so great advantage, as may hazzard us all, and we may lose that which the several parties do contend about. Three waies especially Popery will grow out of our divisions. 1. By the odium and scorn of our disagreements, inconsistency, and multiplied sects; they will perswade people that we must either come for Unity to them, or else all run mad, and crumble into dust and individuals. Thousands have been drawn to Popery or confirmed in it by this argument already: And I am perswaded that all the arguments else in Bellarmine and all other books that ever were written, have not done so much to make Papists in England, as the multitude