the Learning of the Jesuites their strength hath of late been tried to their irreparable shame if they are capable of any and as much to the Honour of the learned Divines of the Church of England Their Converting-books and Pamphlets have been so weak and the Answers to them so strong and so many that they are not like to prevail much that way neither if English Protestants would but bear with one another and not seek Revenge which the juncture of Time doth dissuade from as unseasonable as well as our Common Christianity doth forbid as unlawful which will appear if we consider Seventhly Whether it be not Improbable that the Leading men of the Church of England should hereafter commit the same Error again to molest and Persecute their Brethren for the Differences between us and them All the world now sees at what door a great part of the severity against Protestant Dissenters ought to be laid so far as it was the sin of others I hope God will let them see it and give 'em Repentance And there are very many Parish Ministers in England who are pious and peaceable who preach and live holily and never did consent to the Persecution of their Brethren but endeavor'd to hinder it I only wish they had been more If it be said they are by consequence Partakers of such a guilt it hath been and must again be replied that if God should Charge undiscerned Consequences upon them and us none of us would be meet either for Church Communion now or for Heaven hereafter The past faults and miscarriages of some should not make us injurious to others Far be it from us to imagin that there are no Faithful Ministers of Christ in England but such as are of our principles and particular persuasion Let us not refuse to love those that are Good because many of their Church or Opinion are bad Is there any Kingdom or Country upon Earth where the greatest part are not bad Is there any place where the Religion countenanc't and encouraged by the Government hath not many who comply with it for secular Interest The Author of the late Apology for the Church of England as to the spirit of Persecution hath said many things to this purpose it will be good news to hear that the greatest part of his Brethren are of his mind that all Prot. Dissenters might believe that the wisest and most leading men of that Church do see their Error their sin too might be added if it be an essential Right of Humane nature as Dr. B. saith for every man to Worship God according to his conviction And we have great Reason to hope that they will not again use severity to their Brethren if it should ever be in Their Power but come to a Temper in the matters of Conformity as the seven Bishops have under their hands declared their disposition to do And in the mean time one of the Articles which the A. Bishop of Cantcrbury hath recommended to the Bishops under his Jurisdiction is a Tender Regard to their Brethren the Protestant Dissenters At the same time assuring us and all the World that they are really and sincerely Irreconcileable Enemies to the Errors Superstitions Idolatries and Tyrannies of the Church of Rome and that all the unkind Jealousies to the Countrary have been altogether groundless Let us not therefore be over sensible of past Injuries to the Hindrance of Concord for the common Good lest we wrong the Church of Christ and neglect the security of the Reformed Religion and the wellfare of the Nation and of Posterity because others have wronged us For however the Jesuites may now plead for Liberty of Conscience no Protestant Brittish or Irish especially but must needs know that of all Religions in the World the Romish by their avowed Principles is obliged to be the most Cruel Assoon as our divisions have made us weak enough we have but too much reason to expect it which God Prevent Lastly Consider that we Agree with the Church of England in great and many things and those things wherein we differ are comparatively few and small and therefore mutual forbearance and Concord is possible as well as desireable Yea those things for which they are Hated and struck at by the Church of Rome are not such Doctrines or modes of Worship wherein we differ from them but 't is for the sake of those things wherein we agree with the Church of England and therefore in prudence we are obliged to espouse their cause as our own The Reader may easily perceive that all that I have said relates to the Union of Protestants among themselves who tho of different Persuasions in some External and Circumstantial things do hold the Head 2 Coloss 19. and agree in the main and Essential Doctrines of Faith But as to the Church of Rome which perverts the Christian Faith maintains and practiseth Idolatry and false Worship and the declared Enemy to all Protestants and by her Constitutions doth oblige all her Members under an Anathema to root out and to destroy them as Hereticks how far those of her Communion may be tolerated in a Protestant Country without sin or Danger is a matter too large at present to dilate upon It would seem very strange and Irrational for any Party of Protestants to strengthen the Papists and contribute to their being set up in Power and Authority especially in the Legislative power in opposition to those of the Church of England as fearing that these will not establish and allow them Liberty of Conscience and imagining that the Papists will who depend upon a forreign Power and are not masters of their own Consciences but have subjected them to another whom they suppose Infallible Surely from the Members of the Church of England we ought the rather to believe and hope this because they have of late deserved so very well of all Protestants by a vigorous and learned opposition to Popery in a great number of select Discourses upon all the Considerable points in Controversie between us and the Church of Rome And having done so much to keep out Popery as to the Doctrine let us hope and pray and charitably believe that they will also do their utmost hereafter to prevent Persecution which is one of the worst parts of Popery in Practice I conclude with the pathetical Exhortation of the Devout Bishop Hall O Lord Passion Sermon p. 390 391. how long shall thy poor Church see the dear sons of her womb bleeding about these Apples of Strife The Enemy is at the gates of Syracuse How long shall we suffer our selves to be taken up with Circles and Angles in the dust ye Men Brethren and Fathers Help for God's sake put to your hands for the quenching of this Common flame the one side by Humility the other by Compassion both by Prayers and Tears Let me beg for Peace as for Life by your filial Piety and duty to the Church of God whose Ruins follow upon our Divisions by your love of God's Truth by the Graces of that one Blessed spirit whereby we are all informed and quickn'd by the precious â—lood of the son of God shed for our Redemption be inclined to Peace and Love. Tho our Brains be different yet let our Hearts be one Let us have Peace with our selves and War with none but Hell and Rome Amen THE END
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 't were a needless Labour to prove it All the Symptoms that appear in the Reformed Churches seem to presage and signifie a dismal Crisis 'T is 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 'T is 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 Vnderstandings being clouded they might not discern the Cheats and Impostures of their Vnscriptural 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. THE BURDEN OF DUMAH OR A Discourse upon those words of the Prophet Isaiah XXI 11 12. The Burden of Dumah 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 THe great difference among Interpreters is whether by Dumah be meant the Country of the Ishmaelites or that of the Idumeans Gen 24.14 whether the Race of scoffing Ishmael or the Posterity of prophane Esau We read of one of Ishmael's Sons of that name and that part of Arabia where he seated himself was called Dumah on that account But the
for us who can be against us Rom. 8.31 we are apt to question the Power of God this is at the bottom of our unbelieving Fears were it otherwise See Numb 11.19 21. we should not believe and trust God least when Dangers are greatest When Abraham's faith had overcome that Difficulty about the Power of God he was able to triumph over all discouragements Hebr. 11.17 18 19. God can do more abundantly for us than we can ask or think and give Spiritual and Temporal Salvation at once that upon Mount Sion there shall be Deliverance and Holiness too Obad. 47. Let us not then be discouraged God rules over all the Kingdoms of the Earth and changeth the Government and Governours of them as he pleaseth He hath tossed up and down the Powers of the world by turns and can and will do the like again as shall best serve the ends of his Glory and the accomplishment of his word Sometimes almost all the Princes of Europe have been Protestants and on a sudden the scene hath changed and the most of them have given their Power to the Beast In one year Anno Christi 1619. See Rushworths Collect 17 Jacobi 1. when in Holland the Synod of Dort was called the King of England was a Protestant and the Prince Elector Palatine a Protestant was chosen King of Bohemia and four or five Princes in Germany were also Protestants insomuch that some were ready to cry out the Golden Age was come and the Glory of the latter Times But within one year all was turned again when the Bohemians were routed and their new King and Queen forced to fly into Holland being over-thrown by the Imperial Forces in the famous Battel at Prague Upon which the Protestant Union in Germany declin'd and most of the Princes of it reconciled themselves to the Emperor and only interceded for the Palatine but in vain We must trust in God and live by faith notwithstanding all the changes and revolutions of the world tho the Kings of the Earth should not be Nursing Fathers to the Church as well as when they are The last Counsel is mutual Forgiveness and Forbearance with serious endeavors in our several Places after Christian Concord And because of the seasonableness of this advice to English Protestants I shall speak of it under several Considerations which may enforce the duty and assist us in the performance of it First Consider the Common obligations we are all under as Christians to Brotherly Love and Charity and to endeavor the Unity and Peace of the Church These things were never discommended by any and therefore it will not be needful to say much in the Praise of them as that Love is the fulfilling of the Law the End of Faith the badge of a Christian c. that all Knowledge Gifts Utterance Sufferings are in vain where this is wanting But 't is Ignorance and mistake concerning the nature of Brotherly Love and Union and of the way and means that lead to it that hath made our Divisions and the Consequences of them so mischievous to the Church of God. For the Unity of the Church in Faith and Love may very well be preserved without having just the same Conceptions of all Revealed Objects Such an Union as that is morally impossible and can never be expected and therefore to endeavor the Peace of the Church on that Foundation is an hopeless and vain attempt As much may be said concerning an Union in doubtful unscriptural Rites Orders and Ceremonies None of our Lords commands of Unity or directions for it do either require or so much as mention this Many lesser Differences in opinion and practice are consistent with the nature ends and fruit of that Vnity recommended and enjoyned by the Gospel if such differences be but manag'd with a spirit of love mutual Forbearance and condescention Our great care must be to Remember our Relation to the Vriversal Church of Christ upon Earth which is first in order of nature by our Baptism before our Relation to any particular Church and is both more noble more necessary and more Durable We must therefore take heed of confining our Love to any one Party of Christians because of our mind and way altogether as unreasonable as to love only those of our own Age Stature or Complexion lest the great and more comprehensive Interest of Christians and Provestants be forgotten and neglected lest a narrow Zeal for a small Party of Christians should prejudice the Interest of the Universal Church or cause of Christianity There is one God and one Lord one Head and one Saviour into whose name we are all Baptized one Covenant which all in Baptism make with this one God and Saviour One spirit whereby we are all Regenerated one New Creature in all Holy Christians begotten by this Spirit One Gospel the Rule of Faith and Life and Foundation of our Common Hope one Body of Christ both Mystical and Visible all real Christians are members of the former and all professing Christians of the latter by visible subjection to Christ as their Head one way of Faith and Holiness wherein all must walk one End and Happiness which all expect and one Heaven where all the Children of God shall meet and live forever however they fall out by the way with one mind and Heart in one Blessed work of Praising our Creator Redeemer and Sanctifier From hence cannot but result an obligation to Brotherly love and Unity in seeking the Peace and Prosperity of the whole Christian Church not reproaching others as Hereticks and Schismaticks who are not of our mind in lesser things not partially excusing the faults of them who are and aggravating those of other Christians and Brethren whose salvation we should desire and endeavor and not lay snares before 'em much less hate and persecute 'em because in some things they do not think and speak and act as we do How unbecoming is it the Disciples of the Prince of Peace his Ministers especially to render the greatest part of Christians odious and tempt the weak to Slanders Judgings and Envies which are fruits of the Flesh If ever God will Heal his Broken Churches a spirit of Love and Unity and moderation must be reviv'd instead of fierce dividing zeal and the H. Scriptures alone be thought a sufficient Rule and no mens Confessions made the Test of Church Communion any farther than as plainly agreeing with the H. Scriptures Concord and Union upon such terms in which we are all agreed must be our Cure if ever we are cured But Healing Truths are never likely to be entertain'd among us till God give healing spirits to the Pastors and Leaders of the Church The Concessions of the moderate men of all Parties would be a sufficient foundation for Agreement in Christian love to one another for the Interest of the whole managing the lesser differences with mutual forbearance and condescention without endangering or troubling the Church Loving
could learn more Mr. Baxter Cure of Ch. â—iv dir 5. 〈◊〉 Min. and edifie better by other mens Ministry than our own tho it may be some error in Judgment that directed their choice A true Mother who knows her Child is like to thrive more by the milk of another woman than her own will be so far from hatred or envy at the Nurse or Child that she will consent and be glad of it Would a faithful Physitian rather let his Patient pine away in a Consumption than be healed by another whom the Patient with or without cause prefers before him I know there needs a great deal of self-denial unto this but I think it ought to be so because the Apostle rejoyced that Christ was preacht Phil. 1.15 16 18. tho by them who did it in Strife and Envy to add affliction to his bonds If any number of Christians judge tho it should be by mistake that the terms of Church Communion required of them are sinful and of doubtful and numerous ones very many are like to think so can they act like Honest men to comply while they thus judge Will any be so unreasonable as to desire me to do that to please him and punish me if I will not when I apprehend I should displease God by doing it Is it at all strange that many serious Christians in a Country Parish cannot content themselves with such Guides of their souls as an Ignorant drunken Patron shall think fit to put over them who it may be are as bad as he What if they think they have a natural Right to choose one themselves As well as to choose their Physitian or Lawyer and rather as the Consequence is more and greater especially since such a Principle is allowed by Leading men in the Church of England For every man to Worship God according to his Conviction Preface concerning Persecution saith Dr. Burnet is an essential Right of Humane nature Antecedent to all humane Government and can never become subject to it What the Rev. Dean of S. Pauls whose singular Learning is so deservedly honoured in all the Reformed Churches hath discourst formerly on this subject cannot be too often transcrib'd viz in the peaceable and Christian Preface to his Irenicum and in the * Part. 1. c. 6 p. 118 123. book it self If he continue not in every thing of the same mind Truth and Reason is still the same And Dr. Sherlock tells the A. B. of Canterbury in the Epistle dedicatory to his Answer to the First part of The Protestant Reconciler That a Recantation of a Book is no Answer And let me add that the Christian Design of that book the First part of the Prot. Reconciler and the Judgment and Moderation of the Worthy Author it is hoped will now be otherwise esteem'd of than three or four years ago when so Great a man as the Master of the Temple treated both with so much sharpness and contempt The Laws of Christ saith Dr. St. were meek and gentle the Duties he required were necessary just and reasonable He that came to take away the insupportable yoke of Jewish Ceremonies certainly did never intend to gall the necks of his Disciples with another instead of it and it would be strange the Church should require more than Christ himself did and make other Conditions of Communion than our Saviour did of Discipleship What possible reason can be given why such things should not be sufficient for Communion with a Church that are sufficient for Eternal salvation and certainly those things are sufficient for that which are laid down as the Necessary duties of Christianity by our Lord and saviour in his word What ground is there why Christians should not stand on the same terms now which they did in the time of Christ and his Apostles was not Religion sufficiently guarded and fenced in them was there ever more true and Cordial Reverence in the Worship of God What Charter hath Christ ever given the Church to bind up men to more than himself hath done and to exclude those from her Society who may be admitted into Heaven The grand Commission the Apostles were sent out with was only to teach what Christ had commanded them not the least intimation of any power given them to impose or require any thing beyond what he himself had spoken to them or they were directed to by the immediate guidance of the spirit of God. We never read the Apostles making Laws but of things supposed necessary When the Council of the Apostles met at Jerusalem for deciding a Case that disturbed the Churches peace we see they would lay no other Burden on the Gentile Christians besides those Necessary things 15. Act. 29. It was not enough with them that the things would be necessary when they had requir'd them but they lookt on an Antecedent Necessity either absolute or for the present State which was the only ground of their imposing those Commands There were after this great Diversities of Practice and varieties of observations among Christians but the H. Ghost never thought those things fit to be made matters of Laws to which all Parties should Conform all that the Apostles required as to these was mutual forbearance and condescention towards each other in them The Apostles valued not Indifferences at all and those things 't is evident they accounted such which whether men did them or not was not of Concernment to Salvation And what Reason is there why men should be so strictly tied up to such things which they may do or let alone and yet be very good Christians still Without all Controversie saith the Doctor and Experience will confirm it the main in-let of all the Distractions Confusions and Divisions of the Christian World hath been by adding other Conditions of Church Communion than Christ hath done Would there ever be less Peace and Vnity in the Church if a Diversity were allowed as to Practices supposed indifferent yea there would be so much more if there were a mutual forbearance and Condescention as to such things The Vnity of the Church is an unity of Love and Affection Chap. 6. and not a bare Vniformity of Practice and Opinion Were we but so Happy as to take off things granted unnecessary by all and suspected by many and judged unlawful by some and to make nothing the bonds of our Communion but what Christ hath done one Faith one Baptism c. allowing a Liberty for matters of Indifferency and bearing with the Weakness of those who cannot bear things which others count lawful we might indeed be restored to a true primitive Lustre far sooner than by surbishing up some antiquated Ceremonies that can derive their pedigree no higher than some Ancient Custom and Tradition God will one day convince men that the Vnion of the Church lyes more in the Vnity of Faith and Affection than in the Vniformity of doubtful Rites and Ceremonies And after that unseasonable Sermon at