Exhortation to Repentance and Union Among Protestants, Title page – Preface
An Exhortation to Repentance, and Union among PROTESTANTS. OR A DISCOURSE Upon The BURDEN of DUMAH.
Iſaiah. XXI. 11, 12.
He calleth to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the Night? Watchman, what of the Night? The Watchman ſaid, the Morning cometh, and alſo the Night: if ye will Enquire, Enquire ye: Return, Come.
Math. 12.25.
Every Kingdom divided againſt it ſelf, is brought to deſolation; and every City or Houſe divided againſt it ſelf, shall not ſtand.
Phil. 2. 1-4.
If there be therefore any Conſolation in Chriſt, if any comfort of Love, if any Fellowship of the ſpirit, if any bowels and mercies, fulfil ye my joy, that ye be like minded, having the ſame love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done thro ſtrife or vain glory, but in lowlineſs of mind let each eſteem other better than themſelves. Look not every man at his own things, but every man alſo at the things of others.
AMSTERDAM, Printed for the Widow Swart, near the Exchange. Anno, MDCLXXXVIII.
THE PREFACE.
THE Danger, which threatens the Proteſtant Intereſt at this day is ſo viſible to every Eye, that 'twere a needleſs Labour to prove it. All the Symptoms that appear in the Reformed Churches, ſeem to preſage and ſignifie a diſmal Criſis. 'Tis not poſſible, I confeſs, to make a certain Concluſion about the Event; neither is it our Duty to attempt it: But if the Cauſe of the Reformation from Popery be really ſo valuable and dear to us, as we profeſs; Every Proteſtant is obliged to afford his utmoſt Aſſiſtance for its preſervation. There are very many who think, this is ſufficiently ſecured by wiſe Laws, and learned Diſputations; both which have their uſe, but will never of themſelves be ſufficient to ſuch an End. Inward Holineſs and Purity are requiſite to ſecure a Doctrine, which bears thoſe Characters. If our Religion were of an Earthly Original and Conſtitution, it might he defended well enough by Human ſtrength and Policie, and ſuch methods as Rome Pagan and Antichriſtian have found Neceſſary for the ſupport of their Hierarchy. But a Doctrine which comes from Heaven, and leads thither, muſt have its chief ſupport from thence, and will be beſt maintain'd by a ſerious complyance with its Holy Deſign. And therefore after all the Books of Controverſie, wherby the falſe Principles of Popery have been expos'd and baffled, nothing but the Love of Truth, and Obedience to it, will be found an effectual Bulwark againſt the Corruptions and Deſigns of the Roman Church. There is no wicked man but needs ſuch an Opium as Popery to quiet his Conſcience, and reconcile a ſenſual ungodly Life with the Hopes of Heaven. He hath already receiv'd many Errors for Truth, and ſo is prepared to admit more: He is deſtitute of that which should preſerve, him from Deluſion: He never had any Experience of the Efficacy, and Certainty, the Truth and Power of the Principles of Religion, that should ſettle and eſtablish him: He hath not that Affection to divine Truth, that should make him diligent in ſearching after it; or that Purity of Heart which might enable him to receive the beams of Heavenly light. 'Tis only by the practical fear of God, or the keeping of his Commandments, that any can be aſſured to be taught of God. So that the moſt certain way to keep the Faith, is to keep a good Conſcience towards God and men.
On the other hand, there is no ſuch Preparation for Popery and other damnable Errors as a wicked Heart and Life. When men receive not the Truth in the love of it, God ſends them ſtrong Deluſions to believe Lies. If men are falſe and unfaithful to the Common Principles of Chriſtianity; if they reſiſt the Light, and rebel againſt it; if they hold the Truth in unrighteouſneſs; and debauch their Conſciences by a vicious practice; they muſt needs disrelish and diſlike Holy Truth: and having forfeited the Aſſiſtance of God, they are prepared for Sadduciſm, Deiſm, or Popery. Theſe Deluſions do ordinarily enter at this back door. Men are ſenſual, not having the ſpirit, and then the Doctrines of the Goſpel are Fooliſhneſs to them. This Conſideration will both juſtifie the Providence of God, in permitting ſo many to be thus deceiv'd, and doth let us know what we are to expect concerning the Generality of Looſe and Carnal Proteſtants; how unlikely they are to hold faſt their Profeſſion, if called to ſuffer much for it. They are built upon the Sand, and prepared for Deluſion; and no wonder if they are blown up and down by every wind of Falſe Doctrine; or toſſed to and fro from one Religion to another, as to their Profeſſion, when they have really none at all in the Practice. This method the Romiſh Emiſſaries have taken in all the Courts and Kingdoms of Europe, where they could have Admiſſion: After the ſame manner that the Devil leads men to Hell, have they endeavor'd to bring men over to their Church; viz. by gratifying the Luſts of men, and promoting voluptuouſneſs and ſenſuality, that mens Ʋnderſtandings being clouded, they might not diſcern the Cheats and Impoſtures of their Ʋnſcriptural Doctrines and Worship.
It is therefore the great Intereſt of all true Proteſtants, (who taking the H. Scriptures for the only Rule of their Faith, deſires, and duty, have the ſame objective Religion, and are all of one Church,) to endeavor every one to live better, and to promote ſerious Godlineſs among others; eſpecially if we are under any apprehenſions and fears of the threatning Anger of God againſt us for the want of it. An Union in this would make it eaſy for us to bear with one onother in Love, notwithſtanding all our leſſer Differences.
This being recommended in the following Diſcourſe, when the ſubſtance of it was not long ſince preacht to the Engliſh Congregation here, the Printing of it was judg'd might be of ſome uſe, and to that end was deſired by ſeveral. For the ſake of our Brethren in England I have enlarged the latter part, as I did the former on another account. I am ſenſible, I have adventured the diſpleaſing of many with the Hope that I may profit ſome; however, declaring my readineſs and deſire by further Light to be better inform'd, and praying for the Peace of Jeruſalem, I recommend it to the Bleſſing of God.
J. Shower. Rotterdam Aug. 20/30. 1688.