Selected quad for the lemma: christian_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
christian_n	church_n	communion_n	separation_n	1,256	5	10.3360	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B02273	An additional word to The body of divinity, or Confession of faith; being the substance of Christianity. Added on special occasion, tending further to confirm some truths therein. With a further discourse about the doctrine of election, universal, and special grace, &c. All which were touched in the said Confession of faith, but in this more plainy and fully (though briefly) discoursed and designed for the good of all. Whereunto is annexed a seasonable word of advice, being an essay for peace and union among all the sons and daughters of peace. / Written by Thomas Collier.	Collier, Thomas, fl. 1691.; Collier, Thomas, fl. 1691. Body of divinity.	1676 (1676)	Wing C5267AB; ESTC R174082	85,720	108

the good of All yea of the whole Creation according to the Design thereof Without it we cannot heartily Preach the Gospel to all but must have Restriction in our Minds to a few yea a very few Nor 2. can we according to Scripture Exhortation pray for All which is a Commanded-Duty 1 Tim. 2. 1. on weighty Grounds 1. Because it is good and acceptable in the sight of God v 3. 2. Because He would have all to be saved v. 4. Because Jesus Christ gave Himself a Ransom for All v. 6. These are weighty Grounds to encourage us to pray for All and it 's impossible that men should thus pray who limit the Design of Salvation to so few 2dly Let us own the Spirit 's Work in the Gospel and pray for it It 's the Glory thereof The Gospel is the Ministration of the Spirit and ministers the Spirit which is the great help to Gospel-Faith and Obedience Therefore leave not out the Spirit of the Gospel if you do you leave out the Life and Glory thereof You cannot pray that God will bless your Ministery nor praise God for what is wrought in and by you if you believe not the Spirit 's Work in the Gospel Be humble therefore and give all Glory to God 3dly Study Things which make for Peace Away with the proud Spirit of Contention and Division and put on the Gospel-Spirit of Peace and Charity Love all as Christians in whom the Life of Christ is manifest though they differ from you in some things that are of weighty Concern For such I take to be good Christians who believe love and obey the Gospel to the best of their Understanding though among such may be Differing Apprehensions in many things But this I shall forbear to prosecute any further because I have annexed here-unto An Essay for more of Gospel-Love and Peace among all true Christians 4th Exhortation is 1. To Sinners to accept of Gospel-Grace and Life by Jesus It 's freely tendered and you may have it on the holy honourable-Terms of the Gospel if you will He did not only dye for you but cryeth to you Ho! every one that Thirsteth Come take of the Waters of Life freely All ye that are Weary come to Me If any Man Thirst let him come to Me and Drink Whoever will let him Come Let him Believe and Obey the Doctrine of the Gospel and he shall live O let not your Lusts and Sins and Love of the World retain you any longer from Believing and Obeying the Gospel that you may be Saved and know it shall be no Plea for you Want of Power No No! It 's want of Will The Aversness of your own VVills That will prove your Ruine Joh 5 40. The Power shall not be wanting If there be a willing Mind there is nor shall be nothing wanting on God's Part for your good O be not like the Fool that hath a Price in his Hand to get Wisdom but hath not a Heart to it And know That if you reject or neglect this great Salvation it will be to your own Condemnation 2d Exhortation is to the Saints to persevere in the way of Well-doing Remember it 's Sincerity and Perseverance that shall wear the Crown Take heed therefore of an Vnbelieving Heart to depart from the Living God Take heed and beware of Sin Let not your Lusts and the VVorld captivate you Rom 6. 16. Take heed and beware of Covetousness Of Pride of Oppression of Malice Envy and Evil-speakings Abstain from all Appearance of Evil. And know That you may be in the Holy-Profession of the Gospel with unholy Hearts and unholy Lives and so be far enough from the Grace of Life For if you Live after the Flesh you must Dye notwithstanding your Holy-Profession Rom 8. 13. And look to the Lord for his Assisting preserving Grace who will keep you through Faith unto Salvation But do not deceive your selves For God will not be Mocked You may Deceive your selves Jam. 1. 22. but you cannot Deceive God Therefore my beloved Brethren be yestedfast unmovable alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord knowing that your Labour shall not be in Vain in the Lord 1 Cor 15. 58. FINIS A Healing Word OR AN Humble Hearty and Earnest Endeavour FOR PEACE and UNITY AMONG The Children of Peace and all Men HUMBLY Presented for common Use and Benefit of all the true Lovers of Truth and Peace Written by Thomas Collier Zach. 8. 19. Love the Truth and Peace Prov. 12. 20. Deceit is in the heart of them that Imagine Evil but to the Counsellers of Peace is Joy LONDON Printed for the Author 1676. THE PREFACE or EPISTLE TO THE READER Reader HAving observed to my grief the Differences among Christians about matters of Faith and Worship notwithstanding we have all Grounds to fear that we are All in some things in the Dark being but coming out of the Mystical Babylon and Apostacy And What Person or Church can say They are in all things delivered from the Desilement of that Estate but rather are travelling from Babylon to Zion And O that we could go together in more Vnity going and weeping to seek the Lord our God and asking the Way to Zion with our Faces thither-ward Jer. 50. 4 5. Not judging and censuring one another because all have not attained alike Apprehension in and about the Way Some think they have gotten a step beyond their Fellows And hence they despise or too much undervalue those they think to come short of them And those who may probably come short of others in some Principles of Truth judge those who it may be are gotten beyond them And thus it 's to be feared that Christians have sinned much in their Contestings Reproachings Judgings Dividings and Separating one from another even to the utmost Extent the Scripture warrants a Separation from the World and Babylon I have here endeavonred to put my poor Helping-hand for Healing if 't may be the Wounds and binding up the Breaches and Controversies of Zion of the Church And O that it may be of Healing Vse and as a Medicine fitly applyed It 's not a Scriptureless Peace I plead for but a just and lawful Peace a Christian Peace Not to throw Churches into Confusion but that they may not Confound each other that they may not bite and devour each other I have endeavoured an Answer to the most special things in use at this Day on which Separations among Churches and Christians are built My reason here-in is not in the least to provoke but to moderate that so my designed End herein might be accomplished viz. That those who break on those Grounds might at least unde●stand that there are Matters of weight that sway with Judgment and Conscience with those who cannot act in some-things as they do Which may tend to moderate their Spirits in the matter and may come to see more cause to learn to bear with and forbear their Brethren in Love that if their

Baptism of Christ walking according thereunto from Fellowship in all the Ordinances and Priviledges of the Church And truly I do fear that it hath been the great sin and miscarriage of Christians to make other things as their own private Opinions too much the Ground of their church-Church-Communion which hath been one cause of many Breaches among Christians and Churches And hence it comes to pass that almost so many Opinions so many Churches which gives occasion of stumbling to some and to others to triumph and say A-hah so would we have it A wonderful sin and shame it is And as these are the Grounds so they are the Bounds of gospel-church-Gospel-Church-Communion I see not how we may by the Gospel-Law go without these Bounds in Gospel-Church-Fellowship and Communion in the Church-Ordinances and Priviledges of Jesus Christ CHAP. II. Of Laying on of Hands on all Baptized Believers I Shall now come to speak something to those several Persons and Churches separated and distinguished according to their several Opinions that may tend to moderate in this matter As for Baptism it being almost generally granted to be an indispensible Ordinance of Christ in order to Visible-Church-Communion or a Visible giving up our selves to God after Believing I shall therefore take it for granted that all who own Jesus Christ to be their Saviour and Lord do own Baptism in Water to be his holy Ordinance and none will deny it to follow Faith according to the Law of Christ though too many practise the contrary as to the Subjects viz. Take Infants instead of Believers The first I shall speak unto are those who practise Imposition of Hands on all Baptized Believers as the Law of Christ and on this Ground separate from all who in Conscience cannot so act with them And for such I have seen several of their Writings and had some Converse with some of them some more moderate and some more rigid some making it a ground of Separation and some not The Grounds I find on which that Practice is stated are that of Heb. 6. 1 2. and the Practice of the Apostles Act. 8. 17 and 19. 6. I shall endeavour to discourse this Matter with all the Clearness and Moderation I can to the intent that all gracious Souls may at least see the little ground there is to make Breaches and Separations about it though I do exceedingly own tenderness of Conscience to God-ward in all His Will 1. As for Heb. 6. 1 2. from whence I suppose are several Mistakes urged in this Matter As first supposing it to be the only Design of the Apostle here-in to state the Grounds and Bounds of Church-Communion though it is so that most of the things here-mentitioned are the great matters of Faith and Practice yet it 's evident that it is rather letting the Church to know That if they drew back and fell away there was no renewing of them to those things again And therefore though they were very much degenerated as is apparent Chap. 5. 12. the Apostle would leave these Things and not teach them anew but go on to Perfection that is Go on to teach them further Gospel-Truths as vers 3 4 5 6. Chap. 5 10 11. 8 7. to the end of the Epistle doth Demonstrate The second Mistake is in so frequently calling those things Foundations and Foundation-Principles to be all alike practised in all Ages of the Church whereas Jesus Christ is the alone Foundation 1 Cor. 3. 11. And this is clear in the Text It saith not Repentance Faith and Baptism c. which is the Foundation But not Laying again the Foundation of these Things that is Christ Jesus He is the Foundation of Repentance c. For without Him there is no ground for any of these nor for our Acceptation therein It 's all Founded in Him Therefore the Scripture saith not Laying of these things as the Foundation But not Laying again the Foundation of these Things which is Christ Jesus And by reason of this Mistake Men perswade themselves and others that not to come up fully and practically in all these beginning-Words is to take away the Foundations of the Building by reason of which it must needs Fall A third mistake is That the beginning-things the Apostles did are indispensibly to be practised in the Church through-out all Ages and from hence because the Apostles practised this of Imposition of hands it must continue as an Ordinance in the Church of the same Authority and continuance as Baptism and hence separate from those who in their notions come not to the same Faith and Practice Now that this is a mere mistake and that there are Beginning-things practised by the Apostles of which this is one as will in its place appear which are not practicable by us is most evident for if it were not so it would set all a-seeking and not find to instance The Apostles did many miracles and some of them were by Imposition of hands Act. 9. 17 18. 28. 8. If we hence reason as some do that there are now no true Ministers but such as can do such miracles there would be no Ministry at all and so no Church and we might all go a-seeking and not find In the beginning of the Gospel-ministration there was such varieties of Gifts in the Church as now is not 1 Cor. 12. 28 29. And if it be necessary that these gifts be in the Church at all times then now there can be no Church and they that so affirm are justified But we are to understand that the Gospel-Church intends one and the same Church-state from first to last as the state of the Jewish Church was and was sometimes more and sometimes less glorious from varieties and occasions so that the Apostles and Gifts and Miracles were for us as well as them and are as truly ours as theirs being the same Church-state so that there is no more need for those first Miracles and Gifts to continue and to be repeated over in every Age relative to the Church than was of Moses in Person and those amazing miracles from Mount Sinai to be repeated over in every Generation after by all which it appears that all the beginning-Words and Works of Christ and his Apostles are not essential to the Church-state in every Generation but some of them only to be believed but not practised because it cannot be of which this will appear to be one A fourth mistake is in so positively affirming that the Imposition of hands in this Scripture is and must be intended 1. Of that on all Believers as such being Baptized 2. To be done as an Ordinance of Christ of constant and universal practice as is Baptism to these several conscionable doubts may be made As 1. Whether Imposition of hands on Believers as such be at all intended in this Scripture and that 1. Because we do not find laying on of hands on Believers as such at all practised in that Church and for us to conclude that

understand it to intend in the Fear of the Lord as His Ordinance And that 1. Because though the word in the Lord and in Christ do mostly intend in the Faith Profession of the Lord the word In the Lord is never spoken of a Second Person viz. When it speaks of any Person doing any Act as In the Lord it intends the same Person and not another So when it speaks of the Woman's Marrying In the Lord it intends her own Act and not the Person with whom she Marryeth That he must be in the Lord i. e. in the Church 2. Because there are other-like sayings in Scripture that must be thus understood viz. The Fear of the Lord according to Hi● Appointment and Ordinance as 1 Cor. 11. 11. Nevertheless neither is the Man without the Woman neither the Woman without the Man in the Lord In the Lord in this Place cannot intend in the Faith and Profession of the Lord For so Paul was without a Wife and perswaded others both Men and Women so to be because it brings not only Worldly Troubles but Distraction in Religious Things which clearly importeth That they might be without each other as in the Church and that to the best advantage on the Religious account But as v. 11 12. do fully explain They cannot be without each other on the Worldly-account for Procreation and maintaining the World which is God's Ordinance And to do it in the Way of Marriage is to do it in the Lord For the Woman is of the Man and the Man is by the Woman but both of God Taking and living together In the Lord i. e. in Lawful Matrimony and not in Adultery is to Marry in the Lord Heb. 13. 4. So Eph. 6. 1. Children Obey your Parents in the Lord It cannot import their Parents in the Church only then it would be a Law of Liberty and Disobedience to Parents out of the Church But In the Lord relates to the Children themselves to do it in the Fear of the Lord as His Ordinance in all lawful and rightful Things whether their Parents be in or out of the Church So Col. 3. 18. Wives submit your selves unto your own Husbands as it is fit in the Lord must be thus understood viz. of Wive's Submission in Lawful Things to their Husbands in the fear of the Lord and that to those out of the Profession of the Lord as well as to those in the Church 1 Pet. 3. 1. 3dly There are many Sayings in Scripture which seem to take off the force of what seems to be said to the contrary as 1 Cor. 7. 2. Let every Man have his own Wife and every Woman her own Husband He doth not limit to the Church compared with v. 13 14 where the unbelieving-Husband and the unbelieving-Wife are Sanctified to each other's use in that Relation And what is said in this matter is but a Supposition and no insallible Conclusion viz. That it intends such as were Marryed before Believing and urged from v. 20. Let every one abide in the same Calling wherein they were called This is but a Supposition and no undoubted Conclusion But v. 17. seems more proper to this case But as God hath Distributed to every Man or Divided which seems to relate most properly to the matter of Marriage it being God's Distribution whether the Husband or VVife be good or bad one in Mercy the other in Judgment And to this like wise agreeth 1 Pet. 3. 1 2. which fully cleareth That believing-VVomen had unbelieving-Husbands but whether marryed before Believing is unintelligible as to us unless by Divine-Revelation which now none can pretend unto 4thly Marriage it self is of Natural and VVorldly concernment and not Religious any other-wise than Eating and Drinking which is God's Ordinance and by Christians to be done in the Lord viz. in His Fear with Prayer and Thanksgiving 1 Tim. 4. 4 5. 1 Cor. 10. 31. Religion in both Parties adds to the Comfort of the Relation but not to the Being thereof That it 's of VVorldly Concernment in it self is clear not only from Reason but from the Scripture Luk 20. 34 The Children of this World Marry and are given in Marriage Though in some respect the Kingdom of Christ is distinct from the VVorld and is not of the VVorld and the Children of Light distinct from the Children of this VVorld Yet in this and in many other Cases as Eating Drinking Sleeping and in VVorldly Employments they are as the Children of this World and act as in the Faln-state though Grace directs them to a higher end in all 1 Cor. 10. 31. than they who are only the Children of this World do attain unto Yet Marriage both of good bad is a Worldly work performed by the Children of this World one with another to Worldly-ends as you may see Gen. 1. 28. 2. 18. 1 Cor. 7. 2. Which ends of Marriage Men Women only as so are capable to perform Neither can I be of the mind of those who judg such Marriages to be positively unlawful and sinful and yet that it is unlawful for such to be separated one from the other the grounds stated not reaching the Case For if it were so I do not yet understand How any Repentance for a Fact done contrary to the Law of God can be accounted true without Reformation How the Way can be made plain over this Block I know not 5thly The Case with us much differs from what it was in the Primitive Times all then of the Gentiles that were not of the Church were of the Idolatrous Heathens yet some Believing-Husbands had Unbelieving-Wives and some Believing-Wives had such Unbelieving-Husbands But now all profess Christianity and in a sense may be said to be Believers And in all the differing Opinions about the VVays and VVorship of God as Christians there may be some fearing God among All For God hath His People in Babylon Rev. 18. 4. And so 6thly Hence it comes to pass That some Husbands and VVives prove better and more comfortable Yoke-Fellows in that Relation that are not Church-Members than some that are though a shame and reproof it is to Church-Members that it is so And indeed some Church-Members become vile and wicked and worse Relations than is ordinary among the worst of Men which renders the uncertainty of Comfort to Christians in their Relations in this matter though both religiously rationally and ordinarily it may be expected better Yet I have seen as great disappointments on this account as of any by Marrying out of the Church Yet 7thly and finally I would not be mis understood by any For I judg it to be most suitable most religious most honourable and most likely for Peace and Comfort for all sorts of Opinions in matters of Religion to unite in this near Relation where Unity may be both religiously and rationally expected though I earnestly desire more Love among all Christians of differing Apprehensions and that Persons united in

Marriage of differing Perswasions may perform the several Duties of each other of that Relation Yet it savours most of Christianity that our nearest Relations be such as with whom we may walk and worship God as Heirs together of the Grace of Life 1 Pet. 3. 7. And as for the matter of Oaths in the Cases of late commonly controverted and on which hath been many Breaches I believe if Persons knew what it is to walk by Rule and not by Will this matter will be soon over though Repentance is needed for the uncharitable Breaches on this account And as for Blood and Things strangled though I am much of the same mind that Blood is forbidden and that on the same grounds as mentioned viz. That which was forbidden before the Law under the Law and under the Gospel must needs be unlawful viz. That which was ever unlawful must be so still without some new Law to make it lawful And I may add That Blood was at first forbidden on a Moral and not a Ceremonial ground viz. The Blood is the Life thereof Gen. 9. 4. So it was and so it is the Life still The Law of forbidding Blood is as antient as the Law of allowance to eat the Flesh and is the general Law to mankind not Ceremonial but Moral and Perpetual Yet notwithstanding I see no ground of Separation from Persons or Churches that are of another mind not only because such things are not stated as the ground of Fellowship but like-wise we are forbidden to make Breaches on such accounts Rom. 14. 17. And because there are various Expressions in the Scripture which many yea most of the Godly understand gives an allowance in this matter and think it weakness in those who make Conscience thereof as Rom. 14. 14. I know and am perswaded by our Lord Jesus Christ that there is nothing unclean of it self viz. by any Law of God For it is Legal-Uncleanness that is here intended And that the first Part of that Injunction of the Apostles Elders and Church Act. 15. 28 29. forbidding the eating of Things offered to Idols c. is in some case allowed else-where and forbidden only in case of Offence 1 Cor. 8. 4. 8 9. 10. 27 28 29. 32. Though as for my self I can satisfiedly understand these Scriptures and the Law against eating of Blood stand unaltered yet I durst not force my understanding on others nor with-draw from those who differ from me herein And I heartily desire that all the true Lovers of Truth and Peace would not make disputable and doubtful Things the causes of Division but to receive each other not to doubtful Disputations Rom. 14. 1. knowing that The Kingdom of Heaven consisteth not in Meat and Drink but in Righteousness Peace and Joy in the Holy Spirit Rom. 14. 17. And as for these grand causes of Division viz. The differing Notions about Election special and general Grace I hope what I have said about this matter in the preceding Discourse may tend in time to help over those Extreams when others shall see cause to set to their helping-hand in this Matter CHAP. V. A few brief Words to some other Christians that may tend to Peace ANd as for others who make the way of Church-Communion so wide as either to endeavour to make up a Union and Communion with all sorts of prophane Persons or Sprinkle Infants which answers not that one Baptism commanded in the Gospel or would force a Union and Communion on a Church-account by a human Coercive-Power which is contrary to the Law of Christ who will have all the Subjects of His Kingdom His Church to be a willing People Psal 110. 3. made so by His Word and Spirit Act. 2. 41. 2 Cor. 8. 5. and not by Human-Power and Force I know not what to say to them to work them into the Regular-Union and Fellowship of the Gospel on a Church-account being perswaded that there are many yea very many who fear God among them yet-while walking not only contrary to the Gospel but contrary to their own avowed Principles who confess that Faith and Repentance is required of Persons that are to be Baptized This is the Acknowledgment of all profest Christians and Churches That this answers the Law of Christ and yet do contrary to it which seems to stand up as a Bar of Separation and Breach of Fellowship on a Church-account But this I am willing to hope That such as are Godly among all that thus practice when they coometsee how inconsistent Infant-Baptism is with that of Believers and that they holding the first on solid Scripture-grounds which are innumerable the Second at best but on supposed grounds and that in so much Inconsistency and Contradiction both to the Thing it self and true state of the Gospel-Church who are or should be all at least Profest-Believers called to be Saints I say I am willing to hope That when they come to see into these so great Contradictions that they will be as willing and ready to lay down and fall in with the Gospel-Practice as ever they were to withstand it And 2dly I am willing to hope That they will for time to come be more heedful of opposing reproaching and persecuting a People for owning and practising their profest-Principles if they suppose weakness in those that cannot in Conscience fall-in with their Practice of Infant-Baptism whiles they are sure it is Truth they fall-in with in Believer's-Baptism I hope they may come to see it not so great a Crime as they perswade themselves and others it is especially in as much as they cannot nor pretend not to Infallibility in the Matter I would therefore humbly pray all such serious and godly Persons seriously to ponder this Matter and to search after the Mind of the Lord herein in order to the true Gospel-Peace of the Church that there may be no more biting and devouring one of another and to try how they can reconcile their own Principles in this Matter and to weigh all in the Ballance of the Sanctuary and what ever is found too light there to let it go as it is and to be of a Caleb and Joshua-like spirit to follow God fully And above all to take heed of an opposing persecuting-Spirit I am perswaded that a Gospel-Spirit and Persecution can or do rarely dwell together in one Man To Persecute or use a Coercive-Power in matters of Religion is inconsistent with the Christian-Church relative to Christ the Head and Lord thereof who uses not Worldly-Weapons or Power in His Kingdom or Church Neither hath He Authorised His Ministers so to do Worldly-Government is to be managed with Worldly-Power Christ's-Government in His Church by His Word and Spirit administring His Censures in His Name So that to use Coercive-Power in Christ's immediate Concerns in His Church derogates from His Authority and it like-wise derogates from the true Nature of His Church which are His Sheep For Sheep under any pretence to persecute Wolves or

Christ concerning His Church Matt. 5. 44 45. Rom. 12. 14 20 21. A Lesson which I fear Christians have learned but little of 2dly The way how to obtain this Peace 1. Let all true Christians get their Hearts principled with this That it 's their bounden-Duty to study seek and endeavour after the Churches-Peace Out with the spirit of Division and know That it is your Duty yea your bounden-Duty to follow after Peace with all the Children of Peace For while you entertain that Spirit as to account all Enemies that differ from you you will account it your Virtue to envy them when it is but your Vice Read and ponder Jam. 4. 5. 3. 14. to 18. 2. Get your Hearts not only principled with the Duty and Work but with the Love of Christ and that will effectually carry you on to the duty work required if you would have your hearts filled with Love each to other dwell deep in the Love of Christ to your selves that is of a humbling melting and transforming-Nature and will accomplish the Work in you 2 Cor. 3. 18. Eph. 3. 17 18 19. Let the Peace of God which passeth all Vnderstanding keep your Hearts and the Work will be done Phil. 4. 7. 3. Let there be Opportunities of Converse in Moderation about the matter by which means the Spirits and Tempers of Christians may be the better known to each other so probably the stumbling-blocks may be removed and the end thereby obtained The Strangness of Christians one to another is that which hath brought forth strange and unchristian-Effects In some it may be the Difference is not so wide as hath been supposed and it may be there hath been Extreams on both hands which Moderate-debates might tend to rectifie 4. And so probably might unite in such Principles as are necessary to Communion on a Church-account and like-wise consult what ways of Love and Peace may be exercised among all Christians towards each other seeing it is the Duty of All to love and seek Peace with All that love the Lord Jesus Thirdly I shall present some serious and weighty Considerations tending to provoke all true-hearted Christians to this great and Gospelconcernment of seeking endeavouring the Churches-Unity Peace 1. Remember that the Church is yet but coming out of Babylon and I fear that none of us all are so far removed as to boast or be over-conceited with our own attainments But much of Darkness yet remains and a full Deliverance is not so easily and suddainly obtained as is imagined and it may be some have out-went their Brethren Let us learn to pity and pray one for another and not judge and censure one another Jam. 4. 11. Let us endeavour every one for himself to get a due sense of our own Coming-short that so we may judge our selves and we shall not be so high in judging one another And withal let us remember That we must All appear before the Judgment-Seat of Christ And I heartily wish That there were not so much of the Symptoms of Babylon's-Church among us as I fear there is which I fear is too little thought on or laid to heart viz. Babylon's Pride Covetousness and Oppression rendring Evil for Evil in way of revenge back-biting and evil-speakings c. O that the Church would purge it self of these and the like Abominations without which there can be no Peace with God 2dly Remember as the effect of the Babylonish-Darkness and Confusion that is yet upon us that if you will not have Fellowship with your Brethren but on Terms of Unity in all things it 's that which must necessarily tend to break all Church-Communion in the World For so great are the differing-Understandings of Christians about Divine-things and that too in some things of weighty concernment that I verily think there are not two in the World of one mind in all things By all which we may understand How far we are from Babylon and should tend to humble us And surely there must needs be Ignorance and Pride where is not a sense in this Matter 3dly The Unity and Peace of the Godly is that which tends much to the Honour of God and the Gospel The Divisions of Christians gives occasion to the Enemies of God to Reproach and Religion looseth in the World thereby Therefore let all that love the Name of God and Truth study to find out a way for more Union and Peace 4thly Love and Peace among the People of God is a very lovely and desirable thing Psal 133. 1. Behold how good and how pleasant it is for Brethren to awell together in Vnity It is good before God and pleasant to all good men A desirable thing it is 5thly It 's the great Gospel-Duty of Christians for which Christ prayed and suffered and Christians are greatly exhorted to the contrary of which is a Character of graceless Persons and a state of Death Joh 17. 20 21. Eph. 2. 13 14. 4. 1 2 3. 1 Joh. 2. 9 10 11. 6thly The Divisions of the Godly very probably tend to hinder the Conversion of poor Sinners Is it not the common Language of many There are so many Religions and Churches that I know not which is true or where there be any true at all And thus are poor sinners wronged by the Divisions of profest Saints See the Prayer of Christ in this Matter Joh. 17. 20 21. 7thly Remember that Divisions and Contentions ordinarily comes from Pride and borders on the Kingdom of the Prince of Darkness who is that Envious one who sowed Tares among the Wheat and will never cease sowing Discord among the People of God as well as in the World till he is shut up in the Bottomless-Pit 8thly Consider That God is the God of Peace who commands peace and gives peace and Jesus Christ is the Prince of Peace and the Fruit of the Spirit is sown in Peace of them that love Peace and His Church is or should be His Kingdom of Peace and if you are not the Children of Peace you are none of His So that if you have the Spirit of Christ in you it will operate in those Divine Vertues of Love and Peace 9thly The present Rebukes of God upon His People plainly discover that He is displeased with them we have ground to judg that among the many provocations of his People this is not the least The Divisions of His Heritage His Dispensations as well as His Word call aloud to us in this matter O let us not be like the Deaf-Adder to stop our Ears at so many and so great Calls to Peace and Unity Let us pray for it and endeavour after it O pray for the Peace of Jerusalem They shall prosper who love the Peace thereof Let there be great searching of Heart in this matter Let us pray and argue out this foul Spirit of Division Let us say as the Prophet Psal 137. 5 6. If I forget thee O Jerusalem let my Right-Hand forget her Cunning If I do not remember thee let my Tongue cleave to the Roof of my Mouth if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief Joy Let us prefer the Peace and welfare of the Church above our chief Joy and then we shall seek its Peace And this we must know That this desirable thing the Churche's-Peace must be obtained with some Difficulty and Loss or else we are not like to obtain it We must be content to loose our own Wills and it may be our Profits and our Honours In some cases an Allowance must be yielded to each other in differing Apprehensions that our selves cannot receive It is a just Liberty that every one will claim and should allow it to others else we do not as we would be done by We must allow each other that Liberty as every one hath received so to walk by the same Rule And let no Man resolve to stand by any ●rinciple or practice from Custom or to keep up Honour and Repute with Men but be ready to fall before every plain Gospel-Truth And in doubtful and disputable Things let us learn to bear with and forbear each other in love especially let Ministers set their Hearts and Hands to this Work And let all the upright in Heart be after them Who knows but that God may yet have a Blessing in store for His Church even the Blessing of Truth and Peace and the Prosperity of the Gospel in the Conversion of Sinners 10thly and finally Who knows but that wise and moderate Endeavours in this matter might tend to bring in a more neer Union in general by removing Offences and composing Differences than I have named For that is it we should be reaching after a● the perfecting of Holiness so the perfecting of Peace in the Fear of G 〈…〉 And it 's a wonderful mistake in those who pretend to perfect Holiness out of the way of Peace I shall now say no more in this matter but conclude with 1 Pet. 3. 10 11. For he that will love Life and see good Daies let him refrain his Tongue from Evil and his Lips that they speak no Guile Let him eschew Evil and do Good Let him seek Peace and ensue it And 2 Cor. 13. 11. Finally my Brethren fare-well be perfect be of good Comfort live in Peace and the God of Love and Peace shall be with you Even so Amen FINIS