30 OF CHURCH CONTROVERSIES. 



natures and person of Christ ; and the catholic fathers 

 were compelled to follow them with all subtlety of 

 decisions and determinations to exclude them from 

 their evasions,, and to take them in their labyrinths ; 

 so as it is rightly said, &quot; illis temporibus, ingeniosa 

 res fuit, esse Christianum ;&quot; in those days it was an 

 ingenious and subtle thing to be a Christian. 



Neither are they concerning the great parts of 

 the worship of God, of which it is true, that &quot; non 

 servatur unitas in credendo, nisi eadem adsit in co- 

 lendo ;&quot; there will be kept no unity in believing, 

 except it be entertained in worshipping ; such as 

 were the controversies of the east and west churches 

 touching images, and such as are many of those be 

 tween the church of Rome and us : as about the 

 adoration of the Sacrament, and the like ; but we 

 contend about ceremonies and things indifferent, 

 about the external policy and government o the 

 Church ; in which kind, if we would but remember-that 

 the ancient and true bonds of unity are &quot; one faith, 

 one baptism,&quot; and not one ceremony, one policy ; if 

 we would observe the league amongst Christians 

 that is penned by our Saviour, &quot; he that is not 

 against us is with us ;&quot; if we could but comprehend 

 that saying, &quot; differentia? rituum commendant uni- 

 tatem doctrine ;&quot; the diversities of ceremonies do 

 set forth the unity of doctrine ; and that &quot; habet 

 religio quae sunt aeternitatis, habet quaa sunt tempo- 

 ris ;&quot; religion hath parts which belong to eternity, 

 and parts which pertain to time : and if we did but 

 know the virtue of silence and slowness to speak, 



