The Remedy of Schism, Title page – Dedication
THE REMEDIE OF SCHISME.
OR, A MEAN TO SETTLE the Diviſions of the Times.
Set forth in a ſeaſonable Sermon before an Honorable Aſſembly in the City of LONDON.
By WILLIAM SCLATER, Batchelar in Divinitie, Preacher of Gods Word in the City of Exeter.
PSAL. 133.1.
Behold, how good, and joyfull a thing it is, for Brethren to dwell together in unity.
ROM. 16.17.
Mark them which cauſe Diviſions among you, contrary to the Doctrine which you have learned, and avoid them.
LONDON: Printed by T. Paine, and M. Symmons, for Tho. Slater at the Swan in Duck-Lane. 1642.
Reader, thou muſt be entreated, for the prevention of my cenſure, e're thou read, to correct theſe following errata, which, at the firſt view pervert the ſenſe.
Pag. 17. lin. 7. for his, read this. & l. 28. ib. for appellatur, r. appelletur, p. 20. l. 20. & 22. for hereſie, r. hearſay. & l. ib. 13. for zealous, r jealous p. 22. l. 21. for clean, r. clear. p. 23. l. 13. for, for, r. how. p. 24. l. 18. r. Bezaleel. & l. 37. ib. for laſt, r. leaſt. p. 25. l. 14. for haereſcit, r. haerebit. p. 31. l. 11. for earneſt, r. Harveſt. p. 36 l. 22. for true love Chriſtian, r. true Chriſtian love. p. 46. l. 31. for ſew, r. ſow.
TO THE HONORABLE, Sir JOHN POƲLET Knight, Son and Heir to the Right Honorable IOHN Lord POULET, Baron of Hinton St. George, one of the Knights of Sommerſet-ſhire for this preſent Parliament; The Hope of his Family, and the Honor of his Countrey, &c. The Felicity of Heaven and Earth.
AS it is no mean joy to your Countrey, to ſee the noble ſpirits of ancient proweſſe, and vertue, eminent in your famous progenitors, to ſparkle with new vigour, in your breaſt; ſo, doth it exceedingly glad me, to view the eximious and heightned Piety of your preſent Parents, (the exemplarie Worthies of this Age) ſo likely to become Hereditary, and by a ſacred foreign to be tranſmigrated to poſteritie: The happy Contemplation of both which, hath anîmated me, (the iſſue of your Father's Beneficiary) to ſhrowd this poore peece of my Theologicall Eſſayes, under your protection: Not, that I, with Narciſſus, can ſo dote upon this off-ſpring of my own brain, as to hold it worthy of your eyes; nor that my ſhallow thoughts durſt ſwell up to ſo high ambition, as to think themſelves competent to deviſe a meet preſent for ſo high an acceptation; but for that your illuſtrious nobleneſſe, as a Jewels ſplendor, adding grace, and luſtre to ſome worthleſſe caſe, can ſet an eſtimate on the loweſt gift: It comes unto you, not that you (chiefly in this ſurfeit of the Preſſe) need it, but, as that Hoſpitable Prelate, Alonſo Cattilio, ſaid unto his ſteward, (complaining to him of the ſuperfluous number of his Followers, whom yet he ſtill meant to entertain) becauſe it needs you; under the wings of whoſe countenance, and favour, it ſhall be ſheltred, as Tiberius was by his*Sueton. in Tiber. ca. 69. Laurell, from all the thunderbolts of envy, or malevolence; Nor am I hopeleſſe (Honored Worthy) that your amiable candor, and known ſuavitie will vail this boldneſſe, in your humble ſervant; who, (as the Queen of Sheba, heretofore, did Solomon) cannot but, (beſides my own private notices) admire you, upon*1 Kin. 10.1. Report; as being a known Patron of Piety, a Maecenas to Schollars, a Foe to Popery, a Champion of the Church, and a renowned Almoner to the needy: For all which, (though at ſo great a diſtance) I (however but as an Amos among the*Amos 1.1. Herdmen of Tekoa) can aſſure you, as the*Martial. l. 1. Epigr. 3. Poet did the great man of his Time; that the ſeverall voices of ingenuous men accord in this one harmony; Lo, a true Patriot of his Countrey.
Vox diverſa ſonat, populorum eſt vox tamèn una,
Cùm verus patriae diceris eſſe pater.
But the eximious eminency, in this kind, is ſo conſpicuous to all; that I ſhall but darken ſo blazing a Topaze, by my rude poliſhing: All I ſhall adde more, is that of*Plin. in Paregyr. Pliny to Trajan, Seria te carmina, honor que aeternus Annalium, non haec brevis, & pudenda praedicatio colet: I ſhall leave this piece, to be better blazoned by the Heralds of Time, and embelliſhed in the laſting Chronicles of after Ages.
What remains? but that I ſollicite, earneſtly, the throne of grace, for the accumulation of Heavens choiceſt favours, to be powred upon you; and with you, upon your vertuous Conſort, and whole noble family; to which, that together with ſo ancient, and Honorable blood, the right Religion may become equally hereditary, even untill Time it ſelf ſhall be no more, ſhall be the fervent prayers of him, who ſhall ſtrive to approve himſelf,
March 2. 1641. Your much devoted ſervant, to be commanded, WILLIAM SCLATER.