Essay for Union, Title page
IRENICUM: OR AN ESSAY FOR UNION. WHEREIN Are Humbly Tender'd ſome propoſals in order to ſome nearer Union amongſt the Godly of different Judgments.
By Mr. SAMUEL MATHER, Lately Paſtor of a Church of Chriſt in Dublin.
Quia conjungi poſſunt voluntates hominum in bono, quamvis omni ex parte non habent ſenſus conſentientes circa illa quae, pertinent ad bonum quod appetunt, idcirco diſſenſio opinionum circa illa quae minus ſunt neceſſaria, quamvis perfectionem concordiae impediat, ipſi tamen concordiae non repugnat, Philip. 3.15, 16. Ameſ. Caſ. Conſe. lib. 5. Cap. 29. Theſ. 4.
Neceſſarium eſt ſtudium concordiae. 1. ratione charitatis a qua fluit, & quam fovet, promovet & implet. 2. ratione Juſtitiae cujus impedimenta removet. 3. ratione felicitatis tam communis quam privatae, quae unitis viribus concordium bonorum facilius procuratur Idem Eod. Cap.
Opinionum varietas & opinantium unitas non ſunt foreign Mr. Boroughs of Heart diviſions.
— Siquid noviſti rectius iſtis.
Candidus imperti, ſi non, his utere mecum.
London, Printed by Thomas Snowden. 1680.
IRENICUM: OR AN ESSAY for UNION. WHEREIN Are humbly tender'd ſome Propoſals in order to a Nearer Union amongſt thoſe of Different Judgments.
THoſe who have appeared ſtudious of reformation in theſe Nations, have been unhappily ſubdivided into three Forms or Parties, Commonly known by the names of Presbyterians, Independents, and Anti-paedo-Baptiſts. Under each of which there be ſome who are judged by thoſe that differ from them, to be truly Godly, and to have the root of the matter in them, as holding Chriſt the Head under theſe various Forms. Who being not yet united into one mind and Judgment, by conviction of error and miſtake in thoſe things wherein they differ, which nevertheleſs as we have ſeen through the Free-Grace of Chriſt, ſome inſtances of already, ſo we may hope for in ſome further meaſure, when thoſe better times ſhall come, whereof the Lord hath ſaid that he will give his People one heart, and one way: Mean while it may not be amiſs, to try how near we can come together, ſuppoſing each party to remain unconvinced of any error in their way.
Now in order to this end it will be requiſite to Conſider concerning theſe three Judgments.
Firſt how far they agree. And then,
Wherein they differ. And then,
To make ſome propoſals in order to ſome nearer and cloſer Union amongſt them. Unto which Method we are led not out of any deſire or delight to revive the mention of our differences, which we could wiſh had been prevented, or could now be buryed in everlaſting ſilence and oblivion: But becauſe they are ſo publick that they cannot be hid, and becauſe we are perſuaded that a great part of our diviſions hath ariſen from miſunderſtandings of one another, and we cannot well proceed, or not with any great clearneſs and evidence of light, but rather as men groping in the dark to propound means and ways of Union, nor can we paſs any juſt and well grounded Judgment upon what is propounded, if we do not in ſome meaſure underſtand and rightly apprehend the true State of the Controverſies; therefore let us conſider one another to provoke unto Love and to good Works.