The Principle of Protestant Truth and Peace, Title page – To the reader
THE PRINCIPLES OF PROTESTANT Truth and Peace.
IN FOUR TREATISES.
VIZ. The TRUE STATE of LIBERTY of CONSCIENCE, In Freedom from Penal Laws and Church-Cenſures.
The OBLIGATIONS to NATIONAL TRUE RELIGION.
THE NATURE of SCANDAL, Particularly as it relates to Indifferent Things.
A CATHOLICK CATECHISM, Shewing the True Grounds upon which the Catholick Religion is aſcertained.
Zech. 8. 19. Love the Truth and Peace.
By THO. BEVERLEY Rector of Lilley in Hertfordſhire.
LONDON, Printed for Tho. Parkhurſt and Will. Miller at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapſide, and the Acorn in St. Paul's Church-yard. 1683.
To the Reader.
I Have very ſadly obſerved the great diſtreſs of Humane Affairs, through miſcarriages every way in point of Religion.
For while the Powers of this world and Eccleſiaſtick Juriſdictions take it for their Right, to impoſe by ſevere Penalties, and dreadful Cenſures, what they think fit under ſo great a name; they yet neither can aſſure any one, they are not, or do not uſe to be miſtaken in their recommendations; or that all their Authority or Power ſhall excuſe and acquit thoſe that obey them, when they appear before Gods Tribunal; ſo that it is impoſſible the Judgment or Conſcience ſhould have any repoſe here.
On the other ſide, ſome not only out of Recoyl for ſelf-preſervation, or out of deſign, but from Furious Wild Principles, have broken out into publick diſturbance, to make room for what they have proclaim'd, as the Kingdom of God and Chriſt, to the great ſcandal of True Religion, the imbrewing their hands very horridly in Blood, and the ſeeming Juſtification of utmoſt Rigors, againſt any pretences of Religion, except according to Law.
Beſides all this, private Feuds and Animoſities, vehement and angry diſputes, are every where clamorous, and people hereupon in great Amuſe, what they ſhould believe or do.
Now ſince there is no doubt, all theſe evils are foreſeen by God; there is as little doubt, that there are ſure Remedies provided againſt them.
I have then upon the whole this account to give the Reader.
That the obſervation of ſo many Counter-Cries of Opinion, ſuch great Exaſperations in mens Affections, ſuch Complaints of oppreſſion of Conſcience by undue Laws, ſuch Recriminations of Faction, Sedition, Fanaticiſm, not only among Chriſtians, but among Proteſtant Chriſtians, and of the ſame Common National Intereſt, mov'd me to ſeek Retirement to ſome Rock of Certainty, that I might be at perfect Peace upon, in full ſatisfaction of Judgment and compoſure of Affection: and having found Natural Religion as certain as our Faculties, and Fundamental Chriſtianity, in moſt things of the ſame immediate certainty as Natural; in all things after due exploration, of the ſame final certainty, I am ſo far at Peace in my Judgment, as to have no doubt WHAT IS TRƲTH in relation to Eternal Happineſs, if ten thouſand more of Opinions encompaſſed me round about; ſo far at Peace in my Affections, as not to be in Commotion with any man that gives Teſtimony to Chriſtian Charity, that he is a ſtrict obſerver of Natural Religion, and Fundamental Chriſtianity; one Eſſential Rule of both which is, Love, Peace and Mercy to all that are centred in this Natural Chriſtian Religion, though they may adjoyn or refuſe ſome Eccentrick Placits that do not harm the Foundation.
Laſtly, I am aſſur'd this very Natural Religion eſpouſed by Chriſtianity, well conſidered and obſerved, would diſarm the world of thoſe Inſtruments of Cruelty in the Cauſe of Religion, ſo extreamly abhored by it; whether uſed by angry ſupreme Powers, or unjuſtly taken up by Seditious, Ambitious or Fanatick Subjects. Which Cruelty men are ſain to borrow from wild Beaſts, no ſuch being given by the Gracious Author of all things to ſo excellent a Nature as he made the Humane, and therefore moſt certainly not by the Redeemer, nor his Religion, who came to fill the world with Innocency, Goodneſs and Peace, after ſo great an Invaſion of Barbarity and Cruelty.
Now having found this ſatisfaction my ſelf, I make offer of it, if it may be the ſame to others, asking only Candid Interpretation in particular management, the main Principle being above the need of pardon or the Fear of Indignation.
Although the Diſcourſe (being intended much ſhorter) is not diſtinguiſhed in the Body of it into Chapters or otherwiſe; yet that the Reader may have a guidance into the main Deſigns of it, I have prefixed this Summary of Heads of Diſcourſe following each other.