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"Charity, the mother of unity": the eirenic vision of the Jacobean Church and its Supreme Governor

From Casaubon's preface to his Answer to Cardinal Perron (1612), a summary of how James VI/I and his eirenic, Hookerian orthodoxy prized and envisaged the restoration of the unity of Christendom, through charity and moderation healing the wounds of disunity, allowing the churches to be centred around 'the ancient and the necessary'. Once again, it demonstrates how an eirenic vision - rather than a straightforward Reformed Conformity - was evident in the Jacobean Church.

Religious and wise men shall further understand what manner of peace, and concord in the Church this most pious Prince wisheth: and upon what terms and conditions his Majesty is ready to make covenant. For this answer is tempered with such moderation, that the zealous endeavour by all good means to make up peace, appeareth not to be inferior to the zealous endeavour of defending the truth. And this surely is the King's opinion, this his firm sentence, that it is but vain for such men to think, or talk of the peace of the Church, which are not afraid to separate and disjoin this celestial chariot, which ought in no wise to be discoupled. That in vain therefore do they vaunt of the truth of their opinion, who maliciously interpreting all the sayings of other men, and deducting thence such absurd consequences as they list, giving bad example of such perverse industry, do prove themselves destitute of charity, which is the mother of unity. That in vain also do they usurp the golden names of Charity and Unity, which are not willing to admit of Truth, which is the foundation of piety that is sincere. It was of old excellently spoken by S. Hilary: 'Beautiful is the name of peace (saith he) and fair is the opinion of unity, but who may doubt, that that only is the peace of the Church, which is the peace of Christ?' The peace of Christ, which alone is taught by this most holy father to be approved of in the Church, it is that, by which the doctrine of Christ, which he taught his Apostles, and his Apostles taught the primitive Church, doth remain safe defenced, and unshaken. Let those to whom it belongeth, who challenge the principal places in the Church, offer unto his Majesty such a peace, and straightway the discord is ended. Let them ingenuously and faithfully separate human matters from divine, things superstitious from things religious, novelties, and late born devices from such matters as be truly ancient, lastly, the nothing or less necessary, from the necessary: and I say again, and I cry aloud, that all may hear, on his Majesty's part, and for the Church of England, the discord is at an end. 

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