The Axe Laid to the Root of Separation, Author to the reader
Reader,
THere happening this Leaf to remain vacant, I will fill it up with a Letter, which I had but juſt now from a Private Chriſtian, to whom I Communicated ſeveral of theſe Sheets, before the Laſt was wrought off at the Preſs; he being a Man who hath conſidered theſe Things, and of known Integrity to the Church; whoſe Letter alſo will have its Uſe: Or elſe, I confeſs, I ſhould have choſe rather to have left it for the Bookſeller to have fill'd with a Catalogue of Books.
The Author.
SIR,
YOƲ were not miſtaken in thinking, as You told me, That this Book would agree with my Sentiments, touching the Latitude of the Church. It ſeems to me to have much in it, not to be found elſewhere, and that Matter momentous, ſtriking at the Root of our Diviſions about Church-Communion.
You have well obſerved, That God is never behind hand with Men, in a Willingneſs to any thing that tends to their Salvation; and therefore, the Church muſt not be ſo. And indeed, there is ſo great Advantage by Coming into the Church, given to Men Thereunto, that I wonder any ſhould oppoſe it. The Word is nigh them, in their Mouth, and in their Heart. There is no Part of the Chriſtian Church, where every Member, that comes to the Ʋſe of Reaſon, does not learn the chief Doctrines of Chriſtianity, contain'd in the Creed, without Book; which have a mighty force to bring Men to Repentance, and an Holy Life. And as this is ſo great Advantage to Them, ſo it is no Means to corrupt the Church, ſo long as the Diſcipline of Chriſt is obſerved, which you take care of.
I know no other Book, that hath given me ſo clear an Ʋnderſtanding of the Church, and Kingdom of God and Chriſt, together with the Covenant of Allegiance proper to it. That hath propoſed the Rule (which you have particularly recited, p. 75. and 140.) for Admitting his Subjects into the ſame. That hath laid this Rule on its right Foundation, which is the General Grace of the Goſpel, ſo exactly defined to the End, (p. 16. to 21.) That hath carried the Cauſe through all its Difficulties, at you have done. This is the Opinion of
Your Engaged Friend, Thomas Seymor.
End of the text · John Humfrey, The Axe Laid to the Root of Separation (1685)