CXLV expository sermons upon the whole 17th chapter of the Gospel according to St.…

As first, Candidly and truly to lay down or report the opinions of others that do dissent from us; There is nothing hath made the gap wider, and more raked into the sores of the Church then such a malevolent and ill disposition, to pervert the opinions of others, to make them hold such monstrous things, as they do with all their hearts detest; It was thought that the Apostle James therefore was moved to write that Epistle for works as well as faith, because some did misunderstand Pauls writings, as if he had taught Faith only was enough to save, though it was not accompanied with an holy life. How often was Christ and the Apostles traduced for preaching such things that they never taught, and all this was done by their malicious enemies to make them more odious, and to bring greater danger upon them; And do not the Papists to this day represent the Protestants as if they were the most damnable and blasphemous heretics that ever were? But if it be not lawful in civil matters to bear false witness against another, much less in Religious and doctrinal matters; whether therefore it be by writing, preaching, report, or any other way Gods Word and Conscience requireth of us, that we are to represent the Opinions of others truly and really, not put a sense of our own upon them, and then fight with that, this is not the way to bring the straying Sheep back again, this will never reduce to unity, for the party dissenting will presently see, that truth is not sought for but victory, That the end of dissenters is not to bring him to the knowledge of truth, but to disgrace and defame him, and this will never convert, Therefore that is necessary in all disputations to state the controversy aright, for that is like the first concoction, which if it miscarry is not mended afterwards, men may write voluminous books, and bring multitude of arguments to no purpose, if the true state of the controversy be not laid down: To know therefore the true and proper distance is the only way at last to unite, as the best way to recover out of a disease is to be truly informed what it is.

As first, Candidly and truly to lay down or report the opinions of others that do dissent from us; There is nothing hath made the gap wider, and more raked into the sores of the Church then such a malevolent and ill disposition, to pervert the opinions of others, to make them hold such monstrous things, as they do with all their hearts detest; It was thought that the Apostle James therefore was moved to write that Epistle for works as well as faith, because some did misunderstand Pauls writings, as if he had taught Faith onely was enough to save, though it was not accompanied with an holy life. How often was Christ and the Apostles traduced for preaching such things that they never taught, and all this was done by their malicious enemies to make them more odious, and to bring greater danger upon them; And do not the Papists to this day represent the Protestants as if they were the most damnable and blasphemous heretques that ever were? But if it be not lawful in civil matters to bear false witnesse against another, much less in Religious and doctrinal matters; whether therefore it be by writing, preaching, report, or any other way Gods Word and Conscience requireth of us, that we are to represent the Opinions of others truly and really, not put a sence of our own upon them, and then fight with that, this is not the way to bring the straying Sheep back again, this will never reduce to unity, for the party dissenting will presently see, that truth is not sought for but victory, That the end of dissenters is not to bring him to the knowledge of truth, but to disgrace and defame him, and this will never convert, Therefore that is necessary in all disputations to state the controversie aright, for that is like the first concoction, which if it miscarry is not mended afterwards, men may write voluminous books, and bring multitude of arguments to no purpose, if the true state of the controversie be not laid down: To know therefore the true and proper distance is the only way at last to unite, as the best way to recover out of a disease is to be truly informed what it is.