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Show MtmorLzls of this which we have~ That the States of Hoilttnd are of the fame J udgemenc with me , you G1all perceive by their Decree. I have taken feme pains, that it might not go forth without tefhmonies , not onely that the Authority thereof might be more facred, but alfo that I might accufiom our men to yield fomewhat to pious Antiquity , v1hich by feme 1s frowardly c:fpiied. .Adde unto thiJ what GrotiKS Thua- he wro~ the next rear to Thuanus: n~, t 11f. I engaged ·m this contentious kind of writing, not moved thereunto by my own diCpoficioo, (for that is not quarreliome) but impelled by a cenain greater force, viz-. by the counfel of prudent men, and by a defire to ierve both my Country and the Church: and truly the Church more than my Country. For, co cell you the very truth (and who better deferves to hear the truth? ) ever fince I began to confider diligently of the Affairs of Re· ligion, I found their complaints, who called for amendment in dochines, in rites , in government, to be mofi juH; but (as it commonly happens ) they went too far, and erred a little on the * J)J. ~ .; c(,. other hand* . So, whil'fl: they depar~cd ~A•Iit ripA'Jfh•· from the dangerous c~~fidence of Mer~cs, there crept in opm10ns concemnmg Good Works : in hatred of Superllition, they were dif-affe'aed to all Lirurgie, and order of Divine Service: and for fear the Anthor. fear of fyrannie ( which had been in· tolerable) they proceeded to the confines of Anarchy. VVherefore I have alwaies thought it the duty of all gooo men ort our fide, to do their utmoft, that by little and little , wha tfoever was exorbrtant might be reduced to a Golden medio-' crity. VVhich cogitation I fee was fixed in the mind of Me/anEthon. Now, there is nothing objeCled, I will not f:ty, to our Churches , but to the mofl: famous D0Clours of our Churches, more odious, than that by too muth urging certain rigid doctrines , and favouring lllore of Zeno's Porcb than Salomon's , they af· figtt umo God the caufes of finning , and* by an idle word evert th~ tare of* t..~ ,y 4lfl'¥ piety. The lq.rned MtlanEthon laW this,"'')'¥~ and ha vwg been carried upon thefe rbcks by che violence of Luther, afterward, by the admonition of Erafrnm , Heered a better couric. VVhofe footfleps , when fome of our PaP.ors inlified in , but be• ing preft by the vehemence of their Col-ltgut; , had their onely refuge in the g<>bdhefs of the Magifl:rates, I aflociated my felf to them , wh;, conceiv'd it iqM tolerable , that a tnoH pernicious thing lhould from this beginning go in~o ex ... ~rnple , and that the VVorld lhouJd know,·. Moderate 1nen could not be fuf-fend in our Churches. VVhen fame 0\arp Doaours in the Neighbourhood made |
