114 cnuncn UNITY 



tants in clue time for the better settling 

 of weighty matters in the Church, which 

 now trouble not only the conscience of 

 most men, but disturb the tranquility of 

 publick states, and divide the churches 

 from one another, to the great hindrance 

 of Christianity and the dishonour of re- 

 ligion." And so he labored on through 

 his long and restless life, having only one 

 object, — the pacification of the churches, 

 and their restoration to ancient unity. 

 He was charged by William Prynne with 

 being " the time-serving Proteus and am- 

 bidexter divine ; " but defended himself 

 as " the unchanged, constant, and sin- 

 gle-hearted peacemaker." His principles 

 were : — 



" (1) A full body of practical divinity, 

 which instead of the ordinary philosophical 

 jangling school divinity, might be proposed 

 to all those that seeke the truth, which is 

 after godlinesse. 



" (2) To abolish the names of parties, as 

 presbyterial, prelatical, congregational, etc., 

 and to be called Reformed Christians of Eng- 

 land, Scotland, France, Germany, etc. 



" (3) To discountenance controversial writ- 

 ings by private persons. 



