a

Of S. Cyprian (who had the name of Cicero Chriftianus) Difcernere nequeas utrumne oratio in elo. quendo, an facilior in explicando, an potentior in perfuadendo fuerit.

Of S. Bernard, Heinfius, Cujus ego meditationes rivum Paradifi, ambrofiam animarum, pabulum Angelicum, medullam pietatis vocare folco.

We need not rob thefe great names of their due Honour,to adde unto his, Let his discerning Readers be Judges, of vvhat magnitude and luftre this Light in Gods Church vvas. And though vve protest against the Infolency of extolling him, and fo making our felves Judges of vvhat he was Master of, yet this vve must adde, to do him right, never vvere excellencies better fet in a minde more abhorrent from Haughtineß. Hovv meek his temper vvas, his many Irenical Tracts do fhevv. Truly Thuanus his judgement of Melan&thon fits so vvell vvith him, as if it had been prefaged of him, Maximum in eo tranquilitatis erat ac quietatis ftudium, ut nifi de neceffariis contendendum non putaret, and vvhat follovves alfo he had experience of, Humanitatem exterorum & diverfa fentientum, fuorum vero & eandem do&rinam profitentium acerbitatem expertus & reprehenfionem, ob rixarum & contentionum fugam.

A fpecimen of his found moderation vve give thee in his Letters to thofe three eminent Divines of Bremen, Crocius, Heerbrandus, and VVillius,

BP.Mor

ton.

vvho each fent their papers to him, and made him the Umpire of fome diffatisfactions between them, vvhich vvas fo done to their mutual acquiefcence, that they joyntly and feverally fent him their Letters of Thanks. And tovvards the defired Reconciliation of the Lutherans and Calvinifts, what a good expedient vivas offered by the concurrent Judgment of this Reverend Father with his Brethren B.Dave- of bleffed Memory, the World doth vvitneß, in the [Sentent. 4. Theologorum] feconded by his active Jolicitations of that work. But vvhile he vvas fo devoted to the Peace and Unity of the Church, and did fo eagerly pursue the things that made for it, He vvas no leẞ Stout and zealous to defend the due povver of it in its decent Rites: Witneßhis faithful difcharge of the negotiation vvherevvith he

nant.

vas intrusted by K. James into Scotland, pointed at by himself, and that proofe of it in his Letter to Mr. Struthers, one of the Preachers of Edinburgh after his return from thence, which we would not be fo injurious to fuppreß, though our difcretion may be questioned for publishing what is now fo out of date. We pretend not to have gathered up all the Fragments of his choice Provifions that nothing might be loft, we know and bewail the loß, and mif carriage of many pretions and most important Pas pers, and can only labour to forget them, as the Owners of the rich Treafures buried in the bottom of the Sea must do. These which we have preferved,

and

do exhibit, if thou hast been converfant with his other Works (as who hath not) thon wilt attest them genuine.

That Tract of his, The Via media mentioned by himself (written after his return from the Synod of Dort) he made account was buried in perpetual filence, his tenderness of the Mifconftruction of fome who would ery it down for the very defigne of it, and bis Obedience to the Royal Edict (which inhibited the needling in thofe Controversies) easily prevailing with him to fupprefs it. But what? Should we let it lye by the walls, till fome other falfe, obtruded Copie do inforce us to bring it forth, for the Viudication of it felf? Or should we be fo acceffary to the unhappiness of the Church of God, as to withbold it from her, in this Age especially, which hath revived and blown up again thofe almoft dead Coals of Controverfie, the dangerous heat whereof did occafion that Synod. If the eager Defendants of each fide fhall proceed (as yet they do) will it not be bitterness in the latter end? Is it not needful that Lome judicious Moderator fhould interpofe, and make them fee, that the Reciprocation of this Saw, doth but divide what might be one entire peece, and make duft in doing it? Is it not good fober Counsel, to perSwade each part (after so many paffes made already) to draw, breath, and confider what they do? Bella geri placuit nullos habitura triumphos. That their true Gallantry is not in re-inforcing what makes ba them

them Oppofites, But how without any loss of necessary Truth, both may fit down fatisfied; as happy is in thefe differences we may fay, Is not the whole land before us There is room enough for both to walk fafely, and there is no necessity of parting or going afunder. This Reverend Authour shews a middle way, wherein both may walk as Friends, the path being broad enough, and the way good, (the bufbes and bryers of needlefs fubtilties being wifely avoided.) For this difcovery all good and fober men will bless the Memory of this Authour. And if he shall suffer in the Opinion of hotter heads, astoo tukewarm and temperate, yea as a clofe Abetter of Arminianifme, because he hears it fpeak, and doth not fpit Fire and Brimstone upon it, we enter this Proteftation; He was no Remonftrant, but against the Monster Smectymnuus. And let any obferving Reader judge, what doth be more then propofe the Thefes of the Remonftrant Opponents, and the Orthodox Defendants, fhewing by collation of what is written by both, how they meet, and differ, how alfo thofe differences are stated, and arbitrated by Reverend and Learned Bishop Overall on one fide, and our Divines on the other. As for this Authour himfelf to prevent thy hard cenfure of his leaning to Arminius, we referre thee to the passages, which thon wilt meet with, wherein he claims the liberty of referving his own Fudgement, and more efpecially to pag. 387. where in the clofe of the Tract his unbyaffedness

affedness is clearly profeffed. Now Reader, after thy quarrel with us taken off, for our thus long withholding the good in thefe Remains from thee, when it was in the power of our hands to give them forth, (for which we plead our long mocked Expectation of a promifed, and delayed Reimpreffion of all the Authours Scattered Tracts, to be reduced into a Volume, in which these were meant to be included) we difmifs thee with this bleffing, and we think it blessing enough, May the Spirit of this Reverend Father reft upon thee, and maift thou be but as Sound in thy Judgment, and Religious in thy Affections, as he was, and as Bleffed in the End, as he now is.