The Samaritan Showing Healing, Section 1
THE SAMARITAN Shewing that Many and Unneceſſary IMPOSITIONS ARE NOT The Oyl that muſt Heal the Church: Together with The WAY or MEANS to do it.
By a Country Gentleman who goes to Common-Prayer, and not to Meetings.
Ou ce ſont des diverſités, qui laſſent les Fondemens de la Religion en leur entier, & ne nous obligent a manquer, ni au ſervice de Dieu, ni a la dilection des hommes, c'eſt la ou doit avoir lieu ce que preſcrit l'Apoſtre, Et ſi vous ſentes quelque choſe autrement, Dieu vous le revelera auſſi.
Daillé on Phil. c. 3. v. 15.
LONDON, Printed for Tho. Simmons at the Prince's Arms in Ludgate ſtreet. 1682.
THE SAMARITAN.
SECT. I.
FOraſmuch as the Preſs ſpawns Books and Pamphlets, in as great abundance as the River Nile doth Froggs, many whereof ſeem to be compounded of Venom, and written with no other deſign, than to foment Diviſions, and exaſperate the ſeveral Factions that are among us; I think I may do ſome office of Love and Kindneſs to my Countrey, and the Church of God therein, if I write a few Sheets on the behalf of Amity and Peace, and with purpoſe to allay the Heats, and calm the Rage and Paſſions of men.
I expect the ſame Fate with others, that have endeavoured to perſuade the Contentious to Reconciliation. The Boutefeus and Bedlams, will Rage and Foam, they will ſpit their venom, and diſgorge their gall; and by ugly Inſinuations repreſent me as a ſecret Enemy to Church and State; and whatever elſe the Father of Lyes may ſuggeſt unto them.
But I will take liberty to advertiſe them, that if they pleaſe, they may ſpare their Paſſion, and reſtrain their Wrath; they may keep it in reſerve for ſome other occaſion; for I am utterly above the reach of it, and ſhall be no more concerned in their Revilings, than the Moon in the barking of little waſpiſh Dogs.
Nevertheleſs, if their Impotence be ſuch, that they cannot forbear; and if the reek of their own vomit be fragrant and aromatick to them, I ſhall not envy them that pleaſure Let them enjoy all the ſatisfaction they can find in it, I ſhall receive no more injury by what they ſay, than by what they dream; and peradventure there may be as much worth, weight and ſenſe in the one, as in the other.
I honour my Soveraign; I love the Government in Church and State; I hate both the Civil and Eccleſiaſtical Piques and Animoſities that are maintained and kept up among us, againſt all the Senſe and Reaſon of the World; and I wiſh with all my ſoul, that the ſeveral Parties in this Nation, would lay aſide their Prejudices and Paſſions, and impartially ſtudy the things that belong to our Common Peace: I am ſure 'tis high time to do it, and I fear if it be delayed a while longer, 'twill be too late to attempt it. There's a Gentleman at Paris, and another at Rome, that looks thorow their fingers, and laugh at our Diviſions, and hope to make good advantage by them in due time; and I make no doubt but that by their Emiſſaries they do, and will endeavour to continue the Breaches, and hinder all Coalition among us.
The Neceſſity of Union therefore being obvious, and granted by all men of ſenſe and conſideration, I have reſolved to caſt in my Symbol or Mite, for the promotion of it. What I ſhall ſay, I know will not pleaſe all men: Nay, I am ſure ſome will be angry and inraged thereby. But jacta eſt alea, I have computed my Coſt, and told them at what Rate I ſhall value their diſpleaſure. I ſhall ſpeak what I think, and do with ſome aſſurance and confidence believe, I ſhall ſpeak for Peace; and in ſo doing I ſhall ſpeak for God, and his Chriſt, and for the Church, which is his Body, and purchaſed with his Blood. And I am not without hope, but that God may bleſs what ſhall be ſaid, and make it ſerviceable to the promoting of that end. I am one of the meaneſt of the Worſhippers of Chriſt our Lord, but 'tis his pleaſure ſometimes, by weak things to confound the mighty; and by things that are baſe and deſpiſed, yea by things that are not, to bring to nought things that are.