A Defense of the Principles of Love, Preface
THE PREFACE TO THOSE READERS Who are of the Excepters mind, and are offended at my Book called, THE CURE OF Church-Divisions.
BRethren, why should I wonder at the fruits of those weaknesses which we are all subject to (some more, some less) in this state of imperfection? and which I so lately told you of at large, in my Character of and Directions for Weak-Christians. If a spirit of Infallibility and Miracles in Paul and other the Apostles of our Lord, could not overcome these lamentable failings, in their hearers and followers, in the Primitive Church, why should such as I look for more success. If Paul thought his Galatians foolish and bewitched Gal. 3. 1. and his Corinthian Christians to be babes, yea Carnal and not Spiritual, because there were among them foreign, envying, strife, and divisions, or as the words signifie, zeal or emulation, strife and separations or factions, or dividing into several parties, while one saith, I am of Paul, and another I am of Apollos; what wonder if we are no better now. But our sins are not the less because that others had the like, but the greater because we take not warning by them, when the spirit of God hath so smartly reprehended them.
I have as little reason as you to be ignorant what provocations the present militating and exasperated parties do give each others; and how fair pretenses uncharitableness hath obtained. And I know but few of you that have either more openly put themselves into the breach, and attempted more to have prevented both severities against you, and the present divisions among us, than I have done, or that have undergone more wrath and calumny (to mention no other kind of sufferings) for such attempts than I have done: you cannot justly think that it is for want of your provocations and temptations to discontent, that I am not of your mind. I have had as many and great provocations as most of you all: And I am not naturally without those passions, which would take advantage by such usage. A multitude of fierce and reproachful Volumes are written against me, many of them abounding with gross untruths in matter of fact; to all which I have for peace sake been silent to this day. And none that know me do think, that it is to escape mens wrath that I have been more for peace and unity than you. I will do that right to them that have done me but little, as to testifie that I verily believe, could my Conscience comply with their Opinions and wills, I could as soon have their favour as most among you. But God is still the God of Love, and Peace, and Concord; and so must all his servants be: He changeth not, and we must not change from this which is his Image. This is my Religion; and if any mens provocations must change me from this, they must change my Religion. I am not for such fruits of suffering as some late eminent prisoners in London were, who turned Quakers in prison, and lost their Religion with their liberty; nor will I pretend Conscience for the defiling of my Conscience, and the forsaking of the sacred life of Love. Do you not your selves condemn a Carnal state? Remember then that they are Carnal who are contentious dividers in the Churches, 1 Cor. 3. 1, 2, 3. You will I doubt not joyn with me in disallowing of a fleshly mind and life: Remember then that the workes of the flesh are these, as adulteries, fornications, &c. So also, hatred (or enmities) variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions (foreign, Dividings into parties) heresies, envyings, &c. I know you will confess that if any man have not the spirit of Christ, the same is none of his, Rom. 8. 9. Remember then that the Spirit of Christ is the spirit of Love; Love to God and man is that Divine nature which God indueth all Christs members with. The fruit of the spirit is Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance, Gal. 5. 20, 21, 22. When we think our selves wiser than those we differ from, let us not shew it by masterly censoriousness or contempt, but by being as much more Loving and peaceable than they are. My brethren be not many Masters, knowing that ye shall receive the greater condemnation. And when other mens faults rise up before you, watch both your passions and your tongues, remembring that In many things we all offend: And if any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able to bridle the whole body. Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? Let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom: But if ye have a bitter envious zeal and strife in your hearts, glory not and lie not against the truth: This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devillish: For where envying zeal (foreign) and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work, Jam. 3. 1, 2, 13, 14, 15, 16. Brethren no change of times will allow me to change from this which is my Religion: No injuries from men will excuse me if I forsake it. I hope I shall not be such a changeling in this which is the Great Command of the Gospel, and the fulfilling of the Law, and the very Heart of all Religion, as to turn from it for a prison or a voluminous calumny and reproach. I confess I must change, but I hope it will be, to turn still to more and more Love and Concord, and not to Less. It is not thank worthy to Love those that Love us, nor to speak well of those that use us well, nor to take it patiently when we are bussetted or punished for our faults: But if we suffer for well doing, and lose none of our Love or patience or integrity by our sufferings, happy are we. Alas how sadly do many mistake, that fear only yielding to those whom they suffer by, and do not fear those passions, which would quench their Love, and turn them unto sects and heresies, in meer opposition to their afflicters.
I know that the great objection is, That under pretence of Love, I would bring ungodly persecutors into reputation, and tempt men to unlawful Communion with them, and that I make an ill application of good principles, to hide the odiousness of their sins, that care so little for the souls of men, as their usage of Ministers and people doth openly declare. If I had only perswaded you to unite in Love to one another, and not to think better of the destroyers of the Church, nor to comply with them in their Idolatrous way of worship, you could have born it.
Brethren, will you, that take it for injustice in a Iudge, who will condemn a man before he hear him speak for himself, be intreated but to repress your passions for a little while, till you have calmely considered these things following.
1. Did I ever perswade you to think well of the faults of other men, while I perswaded you to love their persons? (unless you call the Communion a fault of which we are to speak anon) Did I ever seek to abate your dislike of the sins which you most speak against? Either malignity, cruelty, persecution, or any other.
2. The thing which I perswaded men to in that book, was Communion with all Christians, (but differently as they differ in degrees of purity.) That which I motioned and pleaded for, I summed up in the latter end, with the contrary extreams; which you may there read in five propositions, 1. To adhere to the primitive simplicity, and make nothing necessary to our Concord and Communion which is not so. 2. To love your neighbours as your selves, and receive those to Communion whom Christ receiveth, and that hold the foresaid necessary things, be they Episcopal, Presbyterian, Independents, Anabaptists, Calvinists, Arminians, Lutherans, &c. so they be not proved heretical or wicked. Peruse the rest. When you come to your selves you will confess that this was no unreasonable nor unchristian motion? Which of all these Parties is it that you are angry with me for perswading you to Communion with? Must every one of the Parties renounce Communion with all the rest? O how unlike is this doctrine to that of the Holy Ghost? 1 Cor. 1. 10. & 3. 1, 2, 3. Rom. 14. & 15. &c. If not every one, which of them is it? Is any one of all these Parties, the whole Church of God? who dare say so? Why should I refuse Communion with any one of these, while I scruple not Communion with all the rest. Or if it must be but with one sort, how shall I know which of them it must be?
I know some men judge of others by their Own opinions and self interest: But is that indeed the Christian Rule? Some of the Episcopal way are angry with me for including the Independents; when I doubt not but the far greater part of them are the sincere servants of Christ: And since their Synods late moderation, I know not many Churches in the world, besides the Waldenses of the Bohemian, Polonian and Hungarian Government, who are neerer to my own judgement, in Order and Discipline than those in New England are, and none that for Piety I prefer before them. Some are angry with me for taking in the Anabaptists: when it is not such as the Munster Anabaptists that we have to do with, but godly men, that differ from us in a point so difficult, that many of the Papists and Prelatists have maintained, that it is not determined in Scripture, but Dependeth on the tradition of the Church. I am not of their mind, and I have given them my reasons in my book for Infant Baptism: But having had more invitation to study the point throughly, and treat of it largely, than most of those that are offended herein, let them give me leave to say, that I know it to be a very difficult point; And I know as good and sober men of that mind, as of theirs that are most against them; And I know that in the dayes of Tertullian, Nazianzene, Augustine, men had liberty to be baptized, or to bring their children, when and at what age they pleased, and none were forced to go against their Consciences: And I know not that our Rule or Religion is changed, or that we are grown any wiser or better than they. I once motioned terms of Concord to the Anabaptists, and was in as hopeful a way for Peace with them, as with most others, till—
Some are offended that I put in the Arminians; when I am confident that there is not one of many hundreds, who… are against Communion with them that know what Arminianisme is, and truly understand the difference. And the same men refuse not Communion with those Anabaptists who are Arminians. And it hath been the work of not only Mr. Dury, but many other excellent men, for many years, to reconcile the Lutherans with the Calvinists! and it hath justly been thought a blessed work to draw them to Communion with each other! And yet the Lutherans are not only of most of the Arminan opinions, but also have superintendents, liturgies, ceremonies, exorcisme, Church-images, &c. When so much labour hath been bestowed in this work, and so many excellent Treatises written for it, by pious Dury, Junius, Paraeus, Calixtus, Ludov. Crocius, Joh. Bergius, Conrad. Bergius, Hattonus, Amyraldus, Hall, Davenant, Morton, &c. When all sober Protestants have prayed for their success, or approved this design, are we now come to that pass, that those that seem the zealousest for the Church and mutuall Love, shall think it to be a sin, either to hold Communion with the Lutherans, or to write for it?
But the great offence is that I put in the Episcopal, as fit for our Communion; which I suppose is principally because of their manner of worship, in which we must have Communion with them. Which foreseeing, I answered more objections against this than against the rest; which hath occasioned some falsly to affirm, that I write only to draw men to Communion with the Church of England. I will therefore here proceed to some further expostulations of this point.
3. Is there ever a word in all my Book, perswading you to Communion with a Diocesan Church, as such?
4. Is there one word in it for your Communion with a national Church, that hath one political spiritual Constitutive Head under Iesus Christ; (though the Kings supremacie none of us question) Do I once meddle with any such thing?
5. Is there a word to perswade you to Communion with Persecutors? Though I am forced to displease you by answering that objection, and telling you that we should be Impartial, and remember what most parties or many have done to others; which you were not able it seems, to bear, though it was plainly necessary to the due resolution of the Case in question, whether any Persecutors may be Communicated with?
6. Is there one word to perswade you that every Parish is a true Church, and fit to be Communicated with? If none of all this be there, I hope your Patience is not very hard put to it, if I do but intreat you to repent▪ if you have said that of it which is untrue, whoever told you so, or at least, not to proceed in untruths when you are so often warned of them.
7. Do you think that it was done like tender conscienced Christians, for so many to say, that I write against your meetings, yea that I conformed my self? And this before ever they saw my book, or ever spake with man that saw it? And that men dare yet continue such sayings while the book is visible to prove them false? and revile against it when they confess that they never read it? Is this the fruit of the spirit of Christ?
But give me leave after these expostulations, to come a little nearer to your objection, and to tell you openly where we differ.
1. You would have me speak for Love and Unity among the Nonconformists: (And I know no man that hath done it more frequently and more openly duplicate page duplicate page than I have done; having these 24 years been offering or publishing terms of peace.) But God forbid that ever I should be of their opinion (if there be any such) who think that our union must be only with a Party, and not with the whole Church of Christ; or that we must Love none, or seek peace with none but th…se, that are in such points of our own opinion? I am united first to Christ and the universal Church, and consequently to all the parts as such; though in divers degrees as they differ themselves in their Conformity to Christ.
2. I beseech you endure me with patience to tell you, that I never took either the Non-conformists alone, or the Conformists to be the whole Church of Christ, or to be his only people in this Land: nor the only faithful Ministers of the Gospel. B…ethren, let not wrath and the faults of some, deceive us to become injurious to others; or to deny them Love and Iustice, because that many of their opinion are bad. Where in all the world, do you know a Kingdom, where the greater part are not too bad, and where those that are of the Rulers Religion, be it never so right, do not comply with it to serve their flesh? The Low Countries have no Bishops nor Ceremonies, nor no such Liturgie as most are offended at with us, but are under the Presbyterian Government: And yet what the Comm…n sort are there, and in other such Countries, I need not tell you. Forgive me for telling you, that if you know no godly persons (Ministers or others) of the Episcopal way, I do, and long have done: And as my acquaintance increaseth I know more and more. You that take me to be so bad, as the Antidote describeth me, will think it no great commendation to them, that I profess to know those of them, whom I take to be much better than my self: Therefore I will say a greater word, that I know those of them whom I think as godly and humble Ministers, as most of the Nonconformists whom I know. I doubt not but there are many hundred Parish Ministers, who are no Persecutors, nor ever consented to Persecution! who Preach holily, and live holily, though I could wish that they were more. And what reason have you to charge any other mens sins on them? I am not ignorant what may be said to make them consequentially partakers. But I must say this in answer to all; that if God will charge undiscerned consequences upon them and us, there will none of us all be found meet for Church Communion, or for heaven.
I am judged by your selves to be too censorious of you, and too sharp in telling you of that which I doubt not to be your sin: why then are you so offended with me for being no more censorious and sharp towards others? was I ever thought to be kinder to them than to you? Is not every man naturally most favourable to those of his own opinion? Is it Conformity or Non-conformity which I have most defended? Is it as a Conformist or a Nonconformist that I have been judged and used these 33. years? It is they that have lately written reproachfully against me: It is they that have—I need name no more. But for the Non-conformists I must bear witness of their kindness to me, that they never rejected me, never forbad me to preach (but one Sermon,) nor, (except particular angry parties whom I wrote against,) they never denyed me their good word. What then can you think should draw me to be too sharp against them, and too favourable to the other? I look for no worldly advantage or benefit from them. Surely be that is apt to be too sharp, is liker to be so against dissenters from whom he suffereth, than against those that have ever been his friends? But truth is truth, and the wisdom from above is without partiality and without hypocrisie. Do but mark how both parties justifie me, while both condemn me, (though I am too Conscious of my faultiness to justifie my self) The one side think that I am not half sharp enough against the Anabaptists, S…p…ratists and Independents: And you that I now write to, think that I am not half sharp enough against the Conformists: so that one side doth not only justifie me from the charge of c…ns…iousness or sharpness against the other, but blame me for the contrary, and are angry with me that I am no sharper. But Gods judgement of us all is right, and his seal is sure, The Lord knoweth who are his whoever shall deny it. God will not judge of upright Christians as they judge of themselves, when they unjustly accuse themselves; Much less according to the judgement of their adversaries.
Brethren, I think verily that I have as much to say against conformity, as it is required of us Ministers, as most of you that are most angry have: And yet I tell you again, that I believe there are many hundred Godly Ministers in the Parish Churches of England, and that their Churches are true Churches, and that I think not my self worthy to be compared with Mr. Bolton, Whately, Fenner, Dr. Preston, Sibbes, White, Field, U…her, Jewel, and abundance other old Conformists: And you might forgive me, if I compare them with your selves, and if I again profess to you, that if they were all alive, and used now the same Liturgy and Ceremonies as they did then, I could not find in my beart to think their Communion in Prayer and Sacrament to be unlawful, nor to censure that man as injurious to the Church, who should write to perswade others not to separate from them on that supposition. I am sure the Assembly of Divines that sate heretofore at Westminster, were so conformable when they went thither, that I never heard of five Non-conformists among them, besides the five dissenting brethren: Their judgement was (as Mr. Sprints) that Conf…rmity was lawful in case of necessity, rather than to be deprived of liberty to preach the Gospel; but that it was a burden which they should cast off as soon as they had liberty so to do: And I knew some who urged them to declare their Repentance for their former conformity, and to have confessed it to have been their sin. But I never heard of any considerable number of them that ever did it, or that changed their minds: And though Ministerial Conformity (as to Engagements) is now much altered, many of them that are yet living do again conf…rm. And though I then was not, nor yet am of their mind my self, yet I would not shun Communion with the Reverend members of that Assembly (Twisse, Gat…ker, Whittaker, and the rest) if again they wer… …sers of the Liturgie among us.
3. But what if in all this I be mistaken, and if Communion in the Liturgie prove unlawful? should you be so impatient as not to bear with one that in such an opinion differeth from you? As I write for my opinion, so do you for yours? And why should not you bear with my dissent, as well as I do with yours? My judgement commanded me, First to exhort all sober Christians, to draw neerer, and to lay by those principles, which drive them from each other as not to be Communicated with: And Secondly, where that cannot be obtained, to bear with one another in our several Assemblies or Churches, and to manage them with Love and peace. This was my ex…rtation, And the time once was (even when the five Dissenting brethren pleaded their cause with the Assembly at Westminster,) that this motion would have been accepted, or at least not judged so great an injury as now it is. O brethren, do not expose your selves and cause, so much to the censure of impartial men, and of posterity, as to let them know that you are grown so high, or that in the very day of our humiliation these terms seem so injurious to you, as these exceptions intimate. Mr. Nye and Mr. Tho. Good win were so friendly with Dr. Pr…ston, as to publish his works when he was dead. And I verily think if you had been acquainted with such Conformists heretofore, as he was, and Dr. Stoughton, and Dr. Taylor, and Mr. Downam, and those forenamed, and abundance more, you could not choose but have thought them both tolerable and lovely, if you had not thought it lawful to Communicate with them: Much more you should have endured such as the Non-conformists of that age, who used Parish Communion, and pleaded for it against the Separatists, in far sharper language than ever I used to you (as their books against Johnson and Cann and Brown and Ainsworth do yet visibly declare.) If you think their Reasons and mine for the Lawfulness of Parish Communion to be insufficient, so do I think of yours against it.
I have read divers that charge the Liturgie with Idolatry. Did I ever lay so heavy a charge on you? Did I ever say that it is unlawful to have Communion with you, as you say it is to have Communion with others? Why then should you not bear with lesser Contradiction, when others must bear with far greater from you? Will you proclaim your selves to be the more impatient? You will then make men think that you are the most guilty. You say of such men as those before named [your worship is Idolatry, and it is unlawful for any Christian to hold Communion with you in it, and all that are present and joyn with you are guilty of the Idolatry] I do but say, that [you make the Case more odious than it is, and injure others by this charge] What a world are we come to▪ when those that you count unworthy of your Communion, must not take your charge of Idolatry as too sharp, and yet you that should be most patient, take it for a heynous crime and injury, to be told that you wrong them, and that you judge too hardly of them? and that their Communion is not unlawful!
Nay, is it seemly for th…se men that have said and done so much, (I say, so much,) for Liberty of Conscience, and would never consent to the Westminster Assembly to declare against it, even as to those parties, whom you counted very erroneous your selves, to be yet so impatient of our liberty to tell the Church our judgement about the Lawfulness of other mens Communion? Is it meet for them who are offended with those that silence us and restrain us of our liberty, to be so tender, as to shew by such language as this Excepter useth, and by such unjust fames as some others have dispersed, how little themselves can bear dissenters?
I know that displeasure and impatience in the divers parties, is expressed different wayes; But O that yet you would consider, how near of kin the principles are, and how much defect of Love and Patience there is in you as well as others.
4. And I intreat you to mark but what your own objection intimateth: You could endure it if I had only pleaded for Peace and Concord among the Non-conformists: But doth not this intimate, that Peace and Concord in it self is desirable, among all those that should agree and be united? Why, I am as well able to prove that all true Christians should have Peace and Love and Concord for the strength of the Universal Church, as any of you all are able to prove, that any one Party should have Concord in it self. The Episcopal part would have all possible Concord among those that are Episcopal; and the Presbyterians among Presbyterians, and the Independents among Independents, and the Anabaptists among Anabaptists; no party is for Divisions among themselves, till the particular temptation doth prevail. And yet I am not pardonable for motioning, that all sober Christians, as Christians, may have all possible Love, Peace and Concord among themselves.
Brethren, I am sure that Christs body is but one: I do not despise all those words of Christ and the Spirit which I cited in my book: I know that the diversity of knowledge and gifts among true Christians, should not make diversities of Churches, 1 Cor. 12. When I know this, and cannot choose but know it, why should any be angry with me for knowing it? I know that the Godly Conformists and Non-conformists in England should be united, as well as each party among themselves; I know that our division gratifieth the Papists, and greatly hazardeth the Protestant Religion, and that more than most of you seem to believe or to regard; I know that our division advantageth Profaneness, and greatly hindereth the success of Ministers on both sides: I know that it greatly pleaseth Satan, and buildeth up his Kingdom, and weakneth the Kingdom of our Lord: His own mouth hath told us so: And shall I not believe him? As in our Worcestershire Agreement heretofore, we proceeded on terms which excluded not the Episcopal; so in our desires and terms of Concord, we must still go the same way, and shut out none from our Love and Communion, whom Christ receiveth and would have us receive. If they shut out us, that is not our sin but theirs. The hurt and loss is farr more to the excluder than the excluded; to him that loseth his Charity, than to him that loseth but Communion with others. And I know that as none shall take out of Christs hands, those that are given him by the Father, and he himself will in no wise cast them out; so he will at last give no more thanks either to Diotrephes or to any separating parties, that would rob him of his own, and say that his Children are not his Children, and that his Churches are not his Churches, and that his Worship is not his Worship, but Idolatry, than you will give to him that will turn out your Children and servants, and take away your goods and lands, and say that they are not yours.
Brethren, it grieveth me to the heart, that neither party Conformable or Non-conformable is more sensible of the sin and danger of our distance. (Though I know that in both parties there are many wise and holy persons, who I suppose lament it more than I do.) It layeth my soul in daily lamentations, to see how we run further and further from each other; to the apparent danger of the Protestant Cause, and of the Kingdoms welfare, and of all the hopes of our posterity; And that in stead of repenting of those sins which every party is guilty of▪ and taking warning by our former experiences, or by the dreadful judgements of God upon us all, that yet we are daily losing the little Love that is left, and still flying further into more and more exasperations and distast; As if all the Church and Kingdoms hopes consisted in overcoming one another. When our long experience telleth us, that subduing those that must still be members, is no Cure of a divided body; and that treading men down doth but alienate them the more.
And I know that it is Concord and Union upon such terms in which we are all agreed, that must be our Cure, if ever we be Cured. And that no Covenant nor partial interest, can possibly justifie us, if we will stablish our union on such terms, as shall either exclude such on one side as Jewel, Grindal, Downam, Hall and other such Bishops, or such on the other side as Ames, Hildersham, Cartwright, Bayne, Egerton, and other such worthy persons that were Nonconformists:
For my part, my terms should neither exclude, Episcopal, Independent, nor Anabaptist. But one that will separate and exclude himself, or one that will tyraniz… and exclude all others, we cannot any otherwise have Concord and Communion with, than distantly by Christian principles and patience. But at long running they shall be all convinced, that the Cure of the Church is not by meer Conquest or Contempt of others; Nor by the Union and Concord of some Parties only, but of the whole; And that the sound and sober Conformists and Non-conformists, are the parts in England, that must be united; And that neither Violence nor unjust separating Censures are the healing way; And that which party soever it be that contriveth and endeavoureth a Union, by the extirpation and ruine of the other part, is schismatical, and taketh the way of desolation; And that it is the Devil, the Infidels, and the Papists, that will be the gainers by our continued divisions. And therefore though I know not the man alive, in England who hath more fair pretence, from the ungrateful usage of the differing partie…, to desist from any more such conciliatory attempts, yet, let my hopes be never so low, seeing it is a thing that must be done, or we are undone, I will imitate honest Mr. Dury, and choose rather to wast my daies in vain attempts for Peace, than to go quarrelling and contending to the grave, as I have seen too many others do.
And if both parties in this exasperated age, should never so much revile and s…ander me, (though a surviving name be little of my interest) I make no doubt but our posterity, will be constrained by experience, to think better of Peace-makers than of Contenders. The names of Melanchthon, Bucer, Calixtus, Bergius, Burroughs, Hall, Davenant, &c. are far more grateful and honourable to after times, than the name of Flacius (though an excellent learned man) or of Schlusselburgius, Calovius, or any of our fiery Contenders or destroyers.
To all this I add, that even the separated Churches themselves do find a necessity of Union and Concord for their preservation. Division else will pursue the several pieces, and the same principles which I write-against, if they go along with them, will crumble them all to dust. The separated Churches in Holland (of the English) fully proved this. Even those members in New-England, which Mr. Norton sadly told Mr. Ash and me, did withdraw and gather themselves to an unlearned Pastor, and would not be intreated by Magistrates or Ministers, yet when they were separated, would fain keep Concord among themselves. And if half of that separated body, should again have separated from the rest, that fragment would fain keep themselves in Unity. And still nature teacheth them to feel that their Unity is their strength and life, and that their Division is their dissolution.
5. And I must needs tell the world, that though I Conform not, it is greater things than the matters of Conformity, which are the chief parts of my Religion; And therefore it is not Non-conformity that we must all Unite in, so much as Christianity, and soundness in the Faith. And I doubt not but the Independents who offer to subscribe to the Doctrine of the Church of England, will say that they differ far more from the Quakers, and Seekers, and Familists, than they do from the Conformists. And so do I, though I would have Love and Gentleness exercised to them all.
6. And if the present Conformable Ministry were more to be blamed than they are, yet they may learn and profit while they teach. Many of them are young, coming lately from the University; and may yet grow up to ability and piety, and greater usefulness in the Church: And many of them are prejudiced against their brethren, for want of acquaintance: And a Christian prudent Loving familiarity and Conversation with them, may make them in time become more serviceable to the truth, than we are: whereas a continued distance, estrangedness, and censorious aversation, will feed their mistakes and uncharitable censure… of us, yea and their sharp severities against us, and will keep up a heart-war, and a Church-war in the land. And alas who knoweth either when or how, or in whose calamity it will End. For he that puts on his armour should not boast as he that puts it off.
I do therefore conclude with this repeated profession, that it is the Conformists and the Non-conformists that constitute the English protestant body; And it is the Conformists and Non-conformists that must at last, (when they are wearied with tearing and opposing one another) be brought together, and the faithful of both partyes must build up the Church in Love and Peace. And therefore the interest of the Protestant Religion, must be much kept up by the means of the Parish Ministers, and by the doctrine and worship there performed▪ and not by the Non conformists alone. And they that think and endeavour that which is contrary to this (of which side soever) shall have the hearty thanks and concurrence of the Papists.
Him therefore that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. Let not him that eateth despise him that cateth not. And let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: For God hath received him. Who art thou that judgest another mans servant?—The Kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but Righteousness, and Peace, and Joy in the Holy-Ghost: For he that in these things serveth Christ, is acceptable to God, and approved of men. Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace and the things wherewith one may edifie another. And blessed are the Peace-makers, for they shall be called the children of God.
THE GENERAL PART OR INTRODUCTION TO THE DEFENCE OF MY CURE OF Church-Divisions. Being a Narrative of those late Actions which have occasioned the Offence of men on both Extreams; with the true Reasons of them, And of these Writings, which some account Unseasonable: with the true stating of the Case of that Separation, which my opposed Treatise medleth with; And an Answer to several great Objections.
Printed in the Year. 1671.