Sermon Preached 10 January 1699, Postscript
POSTSCRIPT.
WHereas I have been given to underſtand, that thoſe Words, Page 12. I know this Matter hath been carried too far, &c. were taken by ſome, in the Hearing, for a deſigned Reflection on the Church of England; and 'tis poſſible this Sermon may fall into the Hands of Perſons not more knowing, nor leſs prejudicate, than the aforeſaid Objectors: I thought meet here to declare, (what I ſuppoſe every intelligent and candid Reader will concurr with me in,) That in what is there ſaid, I had no Thoughts of the Eſtabliſhed Church, nor of any other Body or Society of Proteſtants, of whatever Denomination; but thoſe Words did entirely refer to the Bigots of all Parties, who place Religion in things very accidental, if not wholly extrinſick to it; and value themſelves more upon thoſe things which divide and diſtinguiſh them from other Chriſtians, than upon thoſe much weightier and more important ones, wherein the whole Body of Chriſt's Catholick Church are agreed. In a word, that Paſſage is wholly levelled againſt an unwarrantable, falſe, furious Zeal for doubtful, or little things, to the Neglect and Detriment of the greater and weightier Matters of the Law and Goſpel; Judgment, Mercy, and Faith: (Matth. 23. 23.) Whether the Object of ſuch Zeal be Presbytery and (Doctrinal) Calviniſm, or Epiſcopacy and Arminianiſm, or Anarchy and Antinomianiſm. If Men of this Temper be capable of any Cure, (as I hope ſome may,) I would commend to their ſerious Reading, Judge Hales's Three Short Tracts of Religion, and the Appendages to it; Biſhop Wilkin's Two Sermons on Rom. 4. 17, 18. Mr. Chandler's Effort againſt Bigotry, on the ſame Text; and Mr. Corbet's Kingdom of God among Men.
Reader, I have no farther Trouble to give thee, but to conclude with that Apoſtolical Benediction, in which thou may'ſt read (if I know any thing of it) my very Heart; 2 Theſſ. 3. 16. Now the Lord of Peace himſelf give you Peace always, by all means. The Lord be with you all. Amen.
End of the text · John Billingsley, Sermon Preached 10 January 1699 (1700)