Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	grace_n	justification_n	work_n	6,035	5	6.7945	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A90897	God the father glorified: and the worke of mens redemption, and salvation finished by Iesus Christ on earth. Opened in a sermon before the Right Honorable the Lord Major, and the Right Worshipful the sheriffes, aldermen, and recorder, of the Citie of London, the second day of the tenth moneth (called December) 1649. / By Vavasor Powell, a willing (though weake) labourer in Christs Vine-yard in Wales.	Powell, Vavasor, 1617-1670.	1649 (1649)	Wing P3087; Thomason E584_15; ESTC R206284	43,217	67

soone as Jeaus Christ went up the spirit immediately comes downe and the counsell of the Lord begins to be revealed in a marvellous way unto men This is an absolute and cleare signe the work was done for said Christ (w) John 16.7 except I go away the Comforter cannot come I say it 's a sign Jesus Christ hath finished the work for do you thinke the Lord would have sent his Gospel to men to tel men or his spirit to assure men it was done if it had not been done and thus much now concerning the reasons of the point Before I come to the application of the Doctrine give me leave to answer one or two objections 1 Object The first objection is this If Jesus Christ had finished the worke of mens Redemption and of mens Salvation upon earth why then are men commanded to worke out their owne salvation if the work be already done what need the debtor be exhorted to pay if the surety have already paid for him 1. The Apostles meaning in exhorting men to work out their salvation is this That they should persevere in the way they did professe not fall from the truth or as the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies a working through and so it 's to be understood for a persevering work Secondly when men are called to doing or to worke they are not called to do that they might have life or be justified but men are called to do because they are (x) Tit. 3.5 6. justified and because they are saved i. e. in a state of salvation because they have life and not that they may have it for the Lord never in the Scripture maketh works the cause of Justification or the cause of Salvation no it is a subsequent and an effect and that which followes a mans justification or that which floweth from a justified person For here is the difference between works as they are done under a covenant of workes and under a covenant of grace works when they are done under a covenant of works they are done to seek justification salvation they are done to work righteousness for man to keepe him out of hell But workes done under the covenant of grace they are done out of (y) 2 Cor. 5.14 love to Christ done to the (z) 1 Cor. 10.31 glory of God done to expresse that we are (a) Col. 3.1 Christians and that we are (b) John 8.31 and 15.8 Christs Disciples and so to doe works as the covenant of grace requires workes as the duty of Christians but to doe workes as the covenant of workes requires workes either upon paine of damnation or upon promise of salvation this is to be shunned by Christians 2 Object The second Objection It is true as you say that Jesus Christ hath glorified the Father and finished the worke of mens Redemption and Salvation but you have not shewed upon what grounds the Lord did this peradventure he might do it upon some grounds that were not advantagious to us There were two maine grounds moved him to do this his love and affection to men was one and the great necessity of men was the other Upon these two grounds Jesus Christ came forth from heaven to worke this worke 1 First it was his love and affection unto men the heart of Jesus Christ was towards men upon earth you may reade as soone as ever they were made yea Jesus Christ his delight was with them In the eighth of the Proverbs saith he My delights were with the children of men Prov. 8.31 If his delight was so then much more was it when the time of their redemption drew near and most of all since he suffered If Jacobs love were so great when he first saw Rachell how much more did his heart go out to her when that she was neete to be his wife If Jesus Christs heart went out when he first saw men upon earth how much more went his heart out towards them John 15.13 Gal. 2.20 when the time was come to be married to them This doubtlesse was the first and maine cause why Christ did worke this worke of Redemption and Salvation The 2d was mens necessity thi did move Christ to do it there was indeed a necessity for Christ to come to worke this worke for had there been any other way doubtlesse that way would have been taken the Father would never have lost such a deare Sonne if there could have been any other means of saving men without him No he would never have parted with such a companion that he had so much content and comfort in if Angels might have done the worke but he looked upon his right hand and upon his left hand and there was no helper Then sayes God My owne right hand or my (c) Isa 63.5 arme wrought salvation That is my (d) Isa 53.1 Luke 1.51 Sonne Jesus Christ he wrought salvation If you understand this Text in a spirituall sense Thus having removed the two objections now I come to the uses of this point I shall make but three uses of it and then conclude remember the observation The businesse of Iesus Christ upon earth was to glorifie his Father and to worke the worke of mens redemption and the worke of mens salvation and this businesse he hath finished 1 Use The first use is a use of great incouragement unto sinfull men Is the work of mens Redemption already fulfilled finished and already wrought O what great incouragement is this unto you that are sinfull and that are ungodly men it is incouragement unto you that cannot worke here is a worke already wrought for you it is wrought to your hand I may say to you as it was said in the Gospell to the men that were invited to the Feast Loe all is ready Math. 22.4 come I tell you here is all ready here is the work of redemption and salvation wrought every thing is prepared come The Spirit saith come the Bride saith come the saints say come the Gospell saith come every thing saith come Oh come here is great incouragement for you to come I beseech you heare without doubt there be this day in this place many sinners and many that stand in great need of Jesus Christ here be many poore soules that stand looking they cannot tell which way to go but like a boule the least thing that toucheth it will make it turne this way or that way you are looking which way you shall be saved some men are great and grosse sinners men that delight in sinne and sport in the day and make it their whole businesie to dishonour God as Christ made it his businesse to honour him Well what shall I say to you I desire to open the gate of Gods grace and God open you hearts that you may heare what he saith unto you the door of his mercy is open to you already Encouragements for sinners to come into Christ and to believe

a faith begotten and wrought by the Gospel and spirit it is not a precious purifying powerfull working soule-humbling faith such as is the faith commended in the Seriptures and such a faith as does undoe you and strip you naked of all you have This is the faith of the godly which most want and which is worse are not sensible that they want it Thirdly Take heed of making your faith to be the cause of your Justification For thereby you may misse it as well as others miss'd it by making their works the cause Note that faith is but the Instrument and meanes whereby you do apprehend and enjoy your iustification Christ is your righteousnesse and by him and his death sufferings you are justified 2 Cor. 5. ●9 Rom. 8.33 yea and that truly and really too I meane virtually in Christ and before God before you do beleeve Object But doth not the Act of beleeving iustifie men Rom. 4.6.3 Gal. 3.6 for it is said of Abraham that his faith was reckoned to him for righteousnesse Ans 1. It s true that Abrahams faith was reckoned to him for righteousnesse But mark when was that reckoned to him and what was it that he did beleeve Do but read Gen. 15.6 where this Text is first found in Scripture and you will find there that this beleeving of his was the beleeving the promise concerning the giving of Isaac and the multiplying of his seed Gen. 12.3 13.3.9 14.19 and this Promise was made a long time after his first beleeving Gen. 12.3.3 13.3 9 14.19 Also the Apostle Jamee apply's this expression to Abrahams work even to the offering up of Isaac Jam. 2.21 23. 2. The same expression is used of Phinehas for killing Zimri and Cozby Psal 206.13 That saith the Text was counted unto him for righteousnesse will any now conclude from hence that the killing of these two uncleane persons was the cause of Phineas justification from sinne No the meaning of it is this that this Act did testifie his faith and righteousnesse and God did reckon and account it as a righteous Act. Object But the Scripture is cleare that men are iustified by faith and by beleoving Ans So the Scripture is cleare that men are justified by (a) Iam. 2.2.24 25. Works by (b) Mat. 12.3 Luk. 18 14. Words But you are to understand in what sense men are justified by these Mark therefore By (c) Gal. 2.1 Rom. 3.24.1 Cor. 6. ●● Christ his death sufferings and Resurrection men are really and virtually justified By faith men are personally and apprehensively justified and by Works and Words men are declaratively justified In the first sense men are justified before God in the second sense they are justified in their own consciences and in the third sense they are justified before men So having directed you what you should take heed of and not do I come in the next place to shew you and direct you what you should do I shall give you but five directions and those in short First Labour to eve all that Christ hath done as done for others and not for himselfe for Christ was not like the High Priest under the Law Heb. 7.27 that was to offer first for his owne sins and then for the sins of the people No he had no sinne of his owne to suffer for as I shewed before therefore what ever he did suffered he did suffered the same as a surety Saviour Object I know that Christ dyed for others and not for himselfe but then it was for his elect I feare I am not one of them Answ Thou art not to enquire after or once to question thy election till thou dost first believe And so the Apostle teacheth Say not in thy heart ● Rom. 60.1 who shall ascend into Heaven that is to bring Christ from above Or who shall ascend into the deepe that is to bring up Christ againe from the dead i.e. look neither upon Election nor preterition but look upon the word of faith which is preached to thee and which commands thee to beleeve Secondly Stay not from Christ till you set and find humiliation preparations and qualifications in your selves for this in a sence is either to look upon Christs satisfaction as not sufficient or else to look upon Christ as unwilling to make you partakers of it unlesse you bring somewhat in lieu of it at least till you are fitted for it you cannot have it Consider I pray you where and from whom can you have that humiliation preparation and qualfication unlesse it be from Christ God the Father saith that he will give him i e. Christ for a Covenant unto the people Esa 42 6.7 to open the eyes of the blind c. Here you see Christ must open the eyes of the blind before they can see So Christ himselfe saith without me ye can do nothing Joh. 15.5 if men can do nothing without Christ why then should they think to fit themselves for him Object Because that those that are so fitted and humbled are called to Christ and have the promise belonging unto them As Christ saith Ho every one that thirsleth come ye to the waters and in another place Come unto me all yee that are weary and heavy laden and I will ease you Ans You and many others doubtlesse have been much mistaken in those and such Scriptures for the meaning is not that Christ inviteth and maketh promise only to such that are thirsty heavy laden c. Though it be true that he invites those and makes promises unto such in a more speciall manner yet not excluding others As a Phisitian that comes to two Patients to cure them both yet if he see the one in greater paint and torment then the other he will take him in hand before the other but not him only for he will cure the other also that paradventure may be lesse sencible yea altogether sencelesse of his disease or wound Object But yet me thinks a man that is not wounded will never desire to goe to the Phisitiam nor have the Phisitian come to him So a sinner that is not fensible of his sinnes will not goe to Christ neither will hee bee willing that I should come to him Ans Though poore senceles sinners will not go to Christ nor desire their Phisitian Christ to come unto them yet Christ knowing their want and danger will come to them as he went to the Samaritans others Object But he saith he is come to seek and to save that which is lost Ans Very true but he doth not say those that did see themselves lost those I grant he comes more specially to seek heere he means See Luk. 19 ● with Mat. 9.11.1 but to those that were the greatest sinners and lost in the eyes of others as the Publicans and Harlots were in the apprehensions of the Iews This is the true meaning of that Text. Thirdly

To The Right Honourable THOMAS FOOTE Lord Major of the famous City of LONDON Together with the Right Worshipfull the Aldermen and Recorder thereof Right Honourable and Right Worshipfull IN this plaine Sermon Preached and published by your Call and Command You have presented unto you the two principallest points in all the Scripture viz. The glorifying of God and the perfecting and finishing of that great and ever-admired worke of mens Redemption and Salvation by Iesus Christ In the former of these two to wit in glorifying God you are to strive to be followers of your Soveraign and Saviour And in the latter you are to stoope and submit to his Majestie and Excellency 2 Pet 1.16 Isa 35.2 and to be humble Seekers that you may be happy sharers of this precious price and purchase Hee that was a Soune became a Servant and hee that was equall with the highest became inferiour to the lowest Phil. 2.6 7 8. that GOD might be exalted and lost undone men redeemed and saved The great businesse acted by CHRIST in time here below was contrived Zach. 6.13 9.11 and agreed upon betweene GOD and CHRIST before time in Heaven above If you would see all in one and one in all then cast your eyes upon Christ Col. 3.11 Col. 1.19 Ephes 1.10 Col. 2.3 who is all in all in whom dwelleth all the fulnesse of the God-head bodily What can you thinke on speake of delight in or desire to have but you may finde them in Iesus Christ If you would know God as a reconciled God and as a Father you may know him and must know him for there is no other meanes but in through Iesus Christ If you would goe to GOD or have GOD come to you there is no other way but by him He is that Ladder that Iacob saw Gen. 28.12 with Joh. 1.51 which reached from Earth to Heaven upon which the Angels of God ascended and descended If you would climbe up this Ladder then must you begin in the lowest steps and staves thereof even in the sufferings of this sweete Saviour Christ crucified is the first lesson you must learne 1 Co. 2.2 and that being well learned it leades by the hand to all the rest To see your sinnes laid on Christ and your selves virtually in Christ when he suffered as you were in Adam when hee sinned is the first sanctified and soule-satisfying light Nothing humbles nor melts the heart more then to see the bloudy wounds of this loving Lord if then you would be penitent oure Phil. 3.10 self-denying weaned from the world get a sight of Christ upon the crosse and a feeling of that fellowship betweene his person and your persons in his death Meditation upon the intent of Christ in dying faith to believe the extent of of his death to you and a feeling of the efficacy of his death in you will raise up your hearts to a high measure of admiration estimation and affection of him and to him After you have knowne the death of Christ and the benefits thereby viz. the putting avvay of your sins Heb. 9.25 Ephes 2.14 First labour to be Gods sons and then his publique servauts as Christ was making peace betvveen God your persons making sure your salvation Then consider and study the goodnes of his nature the goodlinesse his person the greatnesse of his love the freenesse and riches of his grace the sweetnesse and preciousnesse of his promises the beauty and comelinesse of his Church and people and the transcendency and eternity of his glory The best next and surest way to become sound and true Christians is to know that Christ hath done all for you Isa 26.12 Phil. 2.12 13. and without you and that he must doe all in you and by you And being true Christians which is the wel-being of men to live on him and walke to him who hath given you the name and the nature which makes you to be so accounted And seeing God hath honoured glorified his Sonne after hee had finished his worke let that encourage you Honourable Senatours to goe on in the work that God hath called you too Christ hath done and suffered much for you Oh be you willing to do and to suffer for him also Doubtlesse if you own his cause crosse choose his will and doe his work as he hath put chains of gold about your necks here so he will put crowns of gold upon your heads hereafter Luk. 16.2 3 4. Remember you are Stewards entrusted with your Masters treasure and must give an account you know not how soone be sure therefore you lay out all for your Lords glory and the good of his Family Persevere in the way you have begun and prosecute the good worke you have entred upon especially your late excellent Petition Stand far and strive together to obtaine the pure Gospel to guide mens souls in spirituall things and plaine Laws to direct men in civill things Be for Christ resolutely and for true Christians really execute justice impartially regard and relieve the oppressed and needy speedily Neh. 6.3 and say as Nehemiah said I am doing a great worke why should the worke cease whilst I leave it Doe not take off your hand from the Lords plough this yeare for this may be the year of visitation and the next of jubilee The greatest honour is like to be lost or got this yeare the Lord be honoured by you and honour you in himselfe Which is and shall be the prayers of him that craves your pardon for his boldnese rudenesse of speech and for adding one use which time prevented me then to deliver Your Master Christs servant in his and at your service VAVASOR POWELL GOD the FATHER glorified And the work of mens Redemption and Salvation finished by JESVS CHRIST on Earth John 17.4 I have glorified thee on the earth I have finished the work which then govest me to doe THE last Lords day Right Honourable and Beloved By Mr. Thomas Goodwin you had presented unto you the Dedication of Christ or Christ dedicating himselfe to the work of mens Redemption and Salvation I have chosen this Text and I hope by the guidance of Gods spirit it comes in seasonably to make known the work it selfe even that great work or businesse which Christ did and none else could doe upon earth Christ tells you in this Text what it was and wherein is did consist Before I come to the Text it selfe I must first acquaint you how that our blessed Lord and Master Jesus Christ being to take his leave of his Disciples he expresses at his departure most of his affection to them As Joseph before he took his leave of his brethren a Gen. 45.1.4.15 made known himself unto them kist them and wept upon them So Jesus Christ hee as it were gives kisses of love and shews more expressions of endearednesse and rendernesse towards his Disciples at

for me he would answer It is for you that are Prisoners without acception if you accept of it A Pardon is now sent unto you that are finfull men and women who are Prisoners under the power of Satan and sinne I say to you all the Lord Jesus hath sent forth his pardon which runs thus I the Lord Iesus the Son of God and the Saviour of sinners out of my free grace and mercy rich love and pity am willing to pardon and forgive the sinnes and transgressions of you all and this I will doe really if you will come in and lay hold of this pardon and of my righteousnesse Will a sinner now say doth Jesus Christ meane me seeing he saith whosoever comes unto me I will in no wise cast him out and whosoever believes on me he shall be pardoned and saved This word whosoever comprehends all and excludes none therefore object not against your selves neither refuse your owne salvation Obj. Oh! but though Christ invites all and makes promises to all that doe come yet he intends not that all should be made partakers thereof Ans My beloved thinke you that Christs intentions and his expression are not one as reall as another I tell you and you may believe that he intends to pardon all and to save all as he expresseth it He saith not the words only but his heart is so also But marke it well and mistake me not I doe not meane that he saith absoluely I 'le pardon all and save all and no more oh no but he speaks conditionally I 'le pardon you all and save you all if you believe on me and accept of my pardon Obj. But alas he were as good never tender me a pardon nor make me a promise upon those tearmes for of my selfe I cannot believe nor receive his pardon and grace Ans It s true of your selves you cannot believe nor receive his pardon and grace though tendred to you yet as I said before cry upon him to give you eyes to see him and his grace and feete to come to him and hands to take hold upon his merits and righteousnesse He promiseth largely and freely peradventure now while the word is speaking God will be working these things in you Obj. But he doth not give this grace to nor worke this grace in all but to few therefore doe I feare least I should not be one of them Ans Though he doth not give grace to all for he hath not tyed himself so to doe neither is the cause in God why men want grace for he gave sufficiently at first yet you are bound to seek and the promise is made to Seekers nay I may speake more the Lord is found of some that seeke him not Prov. 18.4 Jer. 29.13 Rom. 10.20 Ezek. 34.6.11.12.16 Obj. But peradventure another here may further object and say I have long sought and I am even weary of seeking yea I am ready to conclude that if I had belong'd to God I should have found grace in his sight ere now Ans Oh deare soules conclude nothing neither against your selves nor against the Lord for he hath sought you longer then you sought him And you have not yet been thirtie-eight years waiting at the waters Christs Ordinances as that weak and impotent man Oh soule peradventure the Lord is now asking thee as he did this man John 5. ●5 Wilt thou be made whole If he be so make him answer and say Lord I am weake but yet waiting oh help me and heale me Lord. Thus much for the first use Seeing Christ hath glorified his Father Use 2. and finished the worke of mens Redemption and Salvation this then directs and teaches men what they should not doe and also what they should doe First what they should not doe In the first place First they should not goe about to worke their owne Redemption and Salvation againe for if Christ hath wrought it already then it s in vaine yea its ignorance and folly to think of doing any thing towards your owne Instification and salvation Object Sure there be none that thinke to doe any thing for and towards their justification and salvation unlesse they be Papists Answ Oh yes there be many besides Papists thot doe so for doe but aske many Protestants how they thinke to be justified and saved they will tell you by their good works and well-doing If we doe well say they we shall have well and if we doe ill we shall have accordingly Yea this is apparent in men both living and dying In their life time they will say if we can but keep the Commandements viz. to love God above all and our Neighbours as our selves then we hope it will goe well with us Then at their death they thinke that to build an Hospitall or to doe some such charitable worke will save their soules Marke this it is easier to doe good works then to undoe our selves from them and to have no confidence in them Phil. 3.3 and to be able to say as the Apostle said in him i.e. Christ I desire to be found not having my owne righteousness v. 9. Secondly Secondly on the other hand men should not rest and sit still and content themselves with this bare notion that Christ came to redeeme to and save sinners and that if he died for them then they shall be saved Oh! what are you the better that he dyed for sinners unlesse you know the death of Christ in the worth and efficacy of it and unless you have it apply'd it to your selves in particular and be able upon good grounds to say as Paul said Christ came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief 1 Tim. 1.13 Gal. 2.20 and Christ loved me and gave satisfaction for me this particular faith you stand in need of Object I do beleeve that he dyed for me in particular Ans But upon what ground do you beleeve it what promise have you to build your faith upon there is a kind of * Luk. 8.12 Act. 8.13 Hystoricall beleeving or assenting unto this truth that Christ died for sinners which is not a lively but a dead faith which may rather be called a fancy then a faith this is but a conceit that arises in your hearts like the dreame of a sleeping man alas alas be not deceived for if every one did beleeve that doth say he doth beleeve the numbers of beleevers would be far greater Object I am sure my faith is as good as most mens faith Ans I tell you most mens faith is not worth a farthing for it is but Copper faith and carnall faith a faith that they had they know not how nor they know not when such a faith as they wil pawne for a penny 2 Pet. 1.1 Act. 15.9 Eph. There is a great deale of difference betweene your faith and the faith of the godly for your faith I meane you that are as the most are carnall is not

am what I am Here he takes not to himselfe the honour but he gives it unto God 1 Cor. 15.10 And then seventhly and lastly Iesus Christ his last workes were his greatest workes he went on still in greater works he begun as a childe but as he grew in stature so his workes were greater you that are great and Ancient Senators that have had a long time to study the Lawes now you should act more and appeare more for God Now you are ready to goe to your graves what good works will you leave behind you that you may be had in remembrance what will your children say our fathers were in a good time when they might have glorifyed God but they did not Children will be ready to blame I wish they may not be ready also to curse their fathers that they did not better then they did God hath put an opportunity now in your hands improve it to glorifie God and let your latter workes be better then your former Oh that is an honourable thing Quest But it may be you will aske me What works in particular doe you thinke we should doe Answ Though it be best knowne to God and better knowne to you then to me and my worke is to study the Gospell rather then Law and to study my owne worke then to teach you what belongs to your offices yet give me leave humbly to propound three or foure things and so I will conclude First One maine work that Christ did was to worke Reconciliation And this is one maine worke I would humbly desire you to take in hand to see whether you can worke reconciliation amongst Gods people You may remember when Moses saw an Israelite and an Egyptian fighting together Act. 7.24.26 Exod. 2.11.13 he tooke part with the Israelite and slew the Egyptian but when he saw two Israelites fighting together he saith wherefore smitest thou thy fellow He takes not part with the one against the other as before but labours to reconcile them In the same way walke yee labour to reconcile those that are at variance now especially brethren Oh! what a sad thing is it to see brethren scratching the faces one of another Solomon saith that contention amongst brethren it like the barres of a Castle Prov. 18 19. stronger then other contentions Difference amongst brethren of all differences is the hardest difference to be reconciled and yet it is that which we should endeavour to doe Give me leave to offer this to you There is now in the Nation some difference between Godly persons of the Presbytery and Independency as they are calld and some of other opinions Shall I intreat you from the Lord to doe what you can to reconcile the differences between them And if you finde any men that are irreconcileable in their mindes then as the Apostle commands Note those that † Rom. 16.17 cause divisions But if you finde men that are reconcileable and willing to be reconciled endeavour then to close them together in affection and communion I beseech you try the worke Obj. But Sir it is such a difficult worke it is impossible to a●e it for many wayes have been assayed and it could never be done what wayes would you offer now to doe it Ans There are two maine things or causes if they were removed the businesse were soone ended The one is that they would lay aside those rigid Principles you may call them dividing and disuniting Principles or seting up more institutions then the Lord hath set up As for instance to begin with the Independents they hold such a Principle as this which I think to be too rigid that a man must be of their Church or of such a Society as theirs is or else he is not to have fellowship and communion with them in the Lords Supper though he be a Saint Peradventure some hold this but they are not all of this opinion This is too rigid a Principle for doubtlesse Communion is grounded upon union and if such a man hath union with the Lord he hath right to have † 1 John 1.3 Rom. 14.1 2 3. Acts 15 8 9. Acts 9.26 27. 1 Cor. 1 2 9 10. ch 11. 18. 8. ch 14. 23. Communion with the Saints Then for the Presbyterians they have this opinion that there is and must be a Classicall a Provinciall and a Nationall Assembly and all these jure Divino though the word of God never hath such Names nor things And this is to set up New Institutions and things which the Lord hath not ordained Now if men would lay downe these rigid Principles that are not of God the businesse might quickly be healed The second is this Let all of them practise their owne principles Mark this The difference between Presbytery and Independency is not so great in the principles though they differ in severall Circumstantialls as it is in their practise As the Presbyterians one of their principles is this that the people or the Church should choose their owne MINISTER well let them practice that and not urge or import a Minister upon a people Another of their principles is this That no persons should be admitted to the Lords Supper that are either scandalous or ignorant Let them practice this and so they come in and close with the Independents I might instance in many more as also in other means especialy that each give allowance to one another But I humbly desire of God and desire of you that you would see whether you can reconcile these differences for the case of the Nation requires it which to me stands thus As a Ship that hath been in a long storme and thereby weather-beaten and much broken being come under the winde and at Anchor the Master of the shippe is considering what course to take to mend this Ship and to make it againe navigable But some in the ship having Commodities and Prizes which they are affraid should be taken from them they would out of selfe-love or discontent to the Master of the shippe hoist up sails and take in more wind and rather returne into the main sea againe and thereby endanger themselves and it the shippe then wait with patience or be cross'd in their wills Is it not so with this Nation or Common-wealth that hath beene seven yeares in the storme and God being pleased to bring us now under the winde and to fasten us by the anchor of hope And our Governours the Master of the shippe thinking of reforming things some that are discontented I name none would rather have another people to come in to drive it into the maine Sea of danger i. e. warre to breake it into pieces againe Oh that this were not so but oh that thoughts of reconciliation might be wrought and that if any be irreconciliable in their principles or practices such men were observed that so the saddle might be set on the right horse Secondly In the second place consider how to relieve