amongst them or if reported are of no more concern to a Judge or Magistrate or the Publick than a Counter-scuffle of Boys in their Sports to a General and his Army 3. There are other News of a Publick Nature and which concern the State or Church which import some threatning danger or some smiling Providence the approaches of somewhat more than ordinary for the Good of Mankind or the Church of Christ Such was the News of Joseph that he was alive Lord of Egypt and that he had sent to fetch Jacob and his Family the Church of God in that day to preserve a Seed alive Such was the News of Cyrus's coming to the Throne favouring the Jews and issuing out the Edict of their Return which made the Jews Dreamers like think 't was too Good to be true Or when sad News alarms the World as when Rumors of Wars come one upon another and threaten the World with an universal Deluge of Blood In such Cases 't is yet considerable How certain or how dubious the reports are which we hear How near at hand or how far off the Effects are which attend the Good or bad News we hear How likely 't is the evil may be diverted lessâ—â—â— or removed or whether inevitable and growing great How probable or sure the hoped Good accompanying the Providences of God in such Cases is c. Of such like News this Case speaketh Tydings which do import great Good or great Evil to the Church of God call upon every Member of the Church to Enquire into 3. In such Cases the Persons are of very different Capacity who as they ought do Enquire and according to the different Capacity each is in so each ought to Enquire what may be done by himself to prevent lessen or remove afflicting Evils or what may be done to hasten increase and secure hoped or enjoy'd Good this by such persons ought to be seasonably and effectually done The Divine Providence doth advance some to places of the highest Power and Authority and entrusteth them with advantages of being Shields of the Earth Nursing Fathers and nursing Mothers to his Church Psal 47.9 Isa 49.22 Obad. 21. v. Saviours upon mount Sion They that are Defenders of the Faith They should Enquire what Tidings for or against the Church that they may know what they are to do in repelling Violence and Injustice or in promoting the Welfare and Safety of the Publick The Enquiry such make is and ought to be much more Exact Constant and Solicitous these should not only receive Intelligence but seek it maintain such as from abroad are fit to give account what is framing against the Publick Good of the Civil State or against the Good of the Church of God Neither of which will be long in Safety Peace or Prosper if those who are Watchmen Ezek. 34.2 and like Shepherds should neglect to Enquire what ravening Beasts usually haunt the adjoyning Woods or Wildernesses Now because it would be too tedious to mention the several ranks of Men concerned to Enquire into News of a Publick Nature as Counsellors and Lawgivers Judges and inferiour Magistrates Martial and Fighting-men who are to turn the Battle in the Gate Ministers of the Word and Spiritual Guides of the Church yea and all the Members of the Church are to Enquire into what God is doing for or against his Church as they have in their present Station opportunity to do as Nehemiah did who Enquired of them that came from Jerusalem what Condition that City and People of God were in They who have any ability and power in their hand to do good to help the Church of God or any part of it under distress proportionably every one of them are to awaken their Enquiries after the state of the Church and set themselves with diligence to releive it And since we may as 't is our duty Praise God for his Mercy shew'd to the Church and pray for Mercy when wanted we should know by Enquiry what is our Duty herein So then by this we may see 't is the particular Office of some to Enquire and ought to be the Care of all in their places to know what the Church needs and they ought to do for it But none may Enquire like the Athenians Into which we must Enquire now and pray the Liberty of making discovery of this by what helps we can meet with both from Human and Sacred Testimony what they were Incepit regnum Atheniensium A. M. 2496. ante C. N. 1553. Hottom Lexic univers ad voc Athenae c. 1. These Athenians began to be a people about the year of the World 2496. about 1558 An. before Christs Birth and when this was written it was the 51st year of Christ It was at that time a City 1609 years old under various changes and grew up to great Trade for Merchants and as great Learning for it was through a long course of years the University of the World And a place that wandring Wits delighted to visit Now among such Capricio's so many curious and inquisitive Humors succeeding one another and inventing New things and glorying in the invention no wonder that their Inquiries were Vain or Ridiculous or Mischievous to others If sad threatning News were reported they enquir'd into it they betook themselves to their Antiquity their Power Wisdom and their Idols c. So did Niniveh of old so did a City more Antient than Nineveh Nah. 2.8 9 10. c. If Tidings affrighted Rome the Palladium the duration of the City Roma aeternum duratura and such like are enquired after as the security they trust in Jerusalem though better taught yet became so brutish as to Enquire after vain and helpless Refuges against bad News The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord Jer. 7.4 or else they contenm the Rod and him that useth it Can the Antient City the Glory of the World be destroy'd Or shall the Course of its Prosperity after many hundred years be changed into Misery This were Athenian like to enquire into the Effects of New Causes If new Judgments threaten us for our old Sins and we hear that they approach a Christian Enquiry should be How we may prevent the Execution by a speedy return unto God 2. Secondly The temper the Athenians are represented to us in will help us to ghess what Enquiries they would make upon New Emergencies And our own Reason will tell us that all such Enquiries unbeseem a Christian Let us view the Athenians in their temper as Plutarch Varro Polybius Aristophanes and Aristotle c. give it us 1. Very Suspitious and Jealous Now whatever other Abilities a man may have to make right Enquiries of New Occurrences this one Vice or Distemper is enough to disturb all Jealousie will take amiss all that is Good and suspect 't is Evil it will aggravate evil and make it worse than it is No right judgment is made or if a man of such temper
low vallies that are most fruitfull (a) 1 Cor. 27.28 God hath chosen the foolish things of the world God picks up those that seem to others to be the Refuse of the World to confound the wise As Christ chose the poor Fisher-men to convince the most knowing part of the World God hath chosen the weak things of the world such Persons as seem most uncapable of understanding the Mysteries of the Gospel to confound the things that are mighty to put to silence those that are far above them And base things of the world and things which are despised God hath chosen Yea and things that are not to bring to nought things that are God by those who are as contemptible as if they had no Being to be taken notice of manifests the emptiness of those that seem most excellent Pray consider when the whole World was drown'd and when Sodom and the neighbour Cities were burn'd there was not one Servant saved But now under the Gospel (b) Tit. 2.10 they are in a special manner charged and honoured by the charge To adorn the Doctrine of God in all things and they stand upon even ground as to Spiritual Priviledges with any rank of men in the World There is (c) Col. 3.11 neither Greek nor Jew circumcision nor uncircumcision Barbarian Scythian bond nor free but Christ is all and in all It 's neither the Grecians being the most learned part of the World nor the Jews being the only National Church in the World 't is neither the observing the Ceremonial Law t is not the Barbarian that wants Accomplishments nor the Scythians who are of all Barbarians most barbarous t is not bond i. e. those who are in the worst of humane slavery nor free i. e. those who were never in bondage to any but Christ is all and in all i. e. He infinitely supplies all outward defects he 's infinitely better to them than all outward Priviledges so that you have comparatively nothing else to do but to clear up your Union with Jesus Christ 2. Practise what you know tho it be never so little improve what helps you have thô they be never so few 〈◊〉 your Graces will grow more than you are aware of (d) Mar. 4.26.27 So is the Kingdom of God as if a man should cast seed into the ground and should sleep and rise night and day and the seed should spring and grow up he knoweth not how Those that receive the good Seed of the Word into good honest hearts or the Word hath made 'em so it hath an insensible efficacy which produceth a gradual increase of Grace even beyond observation But you complain that you see no such thing in some respect I may say The less you take notice of your own Graces the better provided you do not bely the Spirit of God in overlooking and denying what he hath wrought Things necessary to Salvation are but few and plain easie to be thrô Grace sufficiently understood and practised thô there is not any thing so inconsiderable but may exercise the greatest Parts and Learning attainable in this life yet there is not any thing necessary to be known but Jesus Christ who is our Prophet to teach us will both give Instruction and Capacity to receive it to all his willing Disciples and Christ will require an Account for no more Talents than he gives 3. Endeavour to make a true Observation how those things which are in their own nature Hinderances to the Soul are graciously and powerfully governed by God for our Souls profiting by them that as the Apostle I would ye should understand (e) Phil. 1.12 brethren that the things which happened to me have fallen out rather to the furtherance of the Gospel When Paul was first taken off from preaching and cast into Prison who would not at first hearing be ready to cry Oh! many a poor Soul will rue this day this is the blackest Cloud that ever darkened our Gospel day The Apostle doth as it were tell 'em They are greatly mistaken at present the same of his Sufferings rung through Court City and Countrey and persons were so far from forsaking the Truth through discouragement that they boldly own the Gospel And now was he more at leisure to write those Epistles which would benefit the Church in future Ages But to bring this down to ordinary Christians You know that groundless fears and trembling mis-givings of heart are the ordinary diseases of a scrupulous Conscience these now dispirit us and hinder us from that chearful behaviour that might render Religion more amiable and so hinder the spreading of it And besides this Satan that subtile Angler for Souls strikes in with our Spiritual Diseases and plyes the Soul with next to overwhelming temptations and he never fails of success through want of skill or through want of industry But blessed be God for over-ruling all this God by but upholding the Soul under not delivering the Soul from its fears keeps it humble and makes it more usefull throughout the whole course of its Regeneration and as for the advantage that Satan takes God is pleased to give the poor trembling Soul those experiences that it is our sin not to take notice of them e. g. That Christian that is in his own eyes the poorest weakest filliest Sheep in Christs Fold shall out-wit Satan in all his Stratagems and over-power him in all his Assaults though he knows not how he does it Thus the poor Soul when he is hard beset retreats to Christ and though he dare not call his carriage an acting Faith upon Christ Christ will own it as such and reward it as such For how is it that such a poor Soul hath held out so many years under its own fears and Satans Temptations but that Christ upheld both it and its Faith Here 's Faith not discern'd yet victorious 4. Endeavour thankfully and impartially to take notice of the Advantages of your Condition Do not so much look at what you apprehend more desireable in anothers Condition as to know and consider the circumstances of your own Condition Anothers condition is better for them God sees your condition to be better for you 't is the station wherein God sets you (f) 1 Cor. 7.24 Brethren let every man wherein he is called therein abide with God your station in the World is not so high as others and your distractions in the World are not so great as others God hath not set you in his Church so high as others God doth not require so much of you as he doth of others But alas you have not the Graces that others have neither have you the temptations nor desertions that others have Those who have the largest measure and the highest degrees of Grace have always exercises suitable to their Receipts they have sometimes the sorest Tryals sometimes the greatest Corruptions and if not that yet you 'll find 't is such as Job and Asaph and Heman
darkness When our Saviour tells us of some that are made two times more the Children of Hell than others Matth. 23.15 and of some that shall be beaten with few stripes and others with many stripes Luke 12.47 48. it shews there are degrees of punishment in the state of Damnation Some have question'd whether there will be degrees of Glory to the Saints in Heaven but none but believe there will be degrees of Torment in Hell some more some less tolerable But neither this shall I insist upon In the day of Judgment there will be a distribution of Sinners punishments Note 3 according to the exact Rules of Justice Why else shall it be more tolerable for some sinners than others As Grace and Mercy will distribute the Rewards to the Saints so Justice Punishment to the Wicked So that nothing will be added above what is due and nothing abated of what is due not one stripe inflicted nor one diminish't of what Justice shall determine By him actions are weighed saith Hannah in her Song 1 Sam. 2.3 Bad actions as well as good and the sinfulness of them known to a grain and the heavier Sin shall have the heavier Judgment Neither this do I insist upon Christ's saying is sufficient ground for our believing But I say unto Note 4 you It shall be more tolerable c. He adds no more by way of proof his saying it is enough How often do we find in the Gospel these words Verily I say unto you and sometimes Verily verily I say unto you or Amen Amen and is himself call'd the Amen We owe this deference to him as to believe him upon his naked Word If an ipse dixit pass'd for a proof in Pythagoras's School much more should it in Christ's Neither will I insist on this Note 5 In the day of Judgment it will be more tolerable for Sodom than Capernaum And this will lead me to discourse of these two Cities literally and from thence to speak of the Case proposed more at large and generally These two Cities may be considered under a threefold distinction 1. Nominal The one is call'd Sodom in the Hebrew Sedom or Sedomah sometimes we read of the Land of Sodom or the Sodomites and then it comprehends Gomorrah which is often mention'd with it as Isai 1.9 Matth. 10.15 c. And Admah and Zeboim and Bela also may be meant by the Land of Sodom and the Cities of the Plain Gen. 19.25 And the other City is call'd Capernaum which signifies in Hebrew A Field of Consolation or a pleasant Field As Sodom hath its Name from a word that denotes Secrecy or Coetus Consultantium Gen. 49.6 But I shall not Criticize upon Names 2. Local Sodom was on the East of Canaan in the Plain of Jordan which Lot chose at his parting from Abraham and he is said to journey to the East Gen. 13.11 and was a pleasant and fruitful Plain and as the Garden of the Lord till it was destroy'd from Heaven v. 10. But Capernaum was on the North or North-west of the Land of Judah 3. Moral Both were sinful Cities but their sins of a distinct kind The sins of Sodom were sins against the Law more directly and against the Light of Nature and of the highest scandal but Capernaum's sins were more against the New Light of the Gospel breaking forth upon them from Christ's Ministry and the mighty Works whereby his Doctrine was confirmed among them Now Christ considering both these Cities and the sin of both gives the decision in the Text That it will be more tolerable for the Land of Sodom than Capernaum in the day of Judgment And may not this seem strange and amazing Sodom was a City that was wicked to a Prodigy and to a Proverb It 's said Gen. 13.13 That the men of Sodom were sinners and wicked before the Lord exceedingly And impudency in sin is called a declaring their sin like Sodom Isai 3.9 And they are to me like Sodom saith God speaking of the sin of the Jews Jer. 23.14 And wicked Rulers are called Rulers of Sodom Isai 1.10 Whereupon Lot is said to vex his righteous Soul with their unlawful Deeds 2 Pet. 2.8 And there is a sin not fit to be mention'd call'd by the name of Sodomy so denominated from the place Yet notwithstanding all this it will be more tolerable for Sodom than Capernaum in the day of Judgment Capernaum was lifted up to Heaven by many favours and priviledges which were not vouchsafed to Sodom had means of knowing the Saviour of the World and the way of Salvation above what Sodom had had Christ himself the Son of God present preaching and doing many wonderful Works in it which Sodom never had Many things are recorded in the Evangelists about this Capernaum and its Priviledges above most Cities It 's said that Christ dwelt here Matth. 4.13 Here he heal'd the Centurion's servant by a word from his mouth Matth. 8. Here he healed Peter's Wife's Mother and many that were sick and possest of Devils ibid. And here he heal'd the Paralytick man let down through the Tiles of the House Mark 2.1 2 3 c. And here he cast out the unclean Spirit by a rebuke from his mouth Mark 1.24 Here he wrought the Miracle of the Tribute-money taken out of the mouth of a Fish Matth. 17. Here he entred the Synagogue and taught once and again that they were astonish't at his Doctrine And here he preached that divine and mysterious Sermon about the Bread of life which came down from Heaven and eating the Flesh and drinking the Blood of the Son of Man John 6.59 And this City was so famous for Christ's Miracles that when he came to Nazareth they expected him to do the works there which he had done in Capernaum Luke 4.23 Now when after all this Capernaum did not receive him nor his Doctrine but murmur'd at both John 6.41 and turned not to God by true repentance this was the Sin of that City which will make it more tolerable for Sodom in the day of Judgment than for it But that I might bring my discourse home and closer to our selves and to the case proposed we shall consider these two Cities as Types and Examples of two sorts of Sinners for so it may be supposed our Saviour intended them Sodom as a Type of the Heathen and all that wickedness found among them who have not heard of Christ and Salvation by him and Capernaum a Type of those Sinners who live under the Gospel and have had Christ preached to them and present among them by his Word and Ordinances And so I come to the last Note which will fully answer to the Case proposed That the worst of the Heathen who never had Christ preached to them Note 6 and Salvation offer'd by him shall fare better in the day of Judgment than those that continue impenitent under the Gospel A tremendous Doctrine Sodom is here instanc'd in by our Saviour as being
the same Law-giver forbids us to bear false witness against our Neighbour that forbids the Worshipping of a graven Image And sometimes men Bite by downright Rayling if not Cursing those that differ from them devising and affixing the most disgraceful Names and Titles concluding them all to be Knaves or Fools that are of a contrary mind both Praying and Drinking to their Confusion Thus Men sharpen their Tongues like a Serpent Adders Poyson is under their lips Psal 140.3 Their throat is an open sepulchre their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness But the wrath of man worketh not the Righteousness of God A bad cause is never made better but a good cause is alwayes made worse by such methods Adeo invisa est mihi discordia sayes Erasmus ut veritas etiam seditiosa displiceat As God's Truth needs not Mans lye so neither doth it need his rancour to uphold or promote it 2. Men Devour one another by Actual Endeavours to injure and hurt one another when their inward rage breaks out into overt Actions and Practices tending to ruine their Brethren And this is done sometimes 1. By fraud which signifies all the cunning devices which Malice can suggest whereby to undermine their credit estate and comfort Such there were of old and yet Professors of a true Religion of whom the Psalmist Psal 10.9 10. He lieth in wait to catch the poor He doth catch the poor when he draweth him into his Net He croucheth and humbleth himself that the poor may fall by his strong ones It is endless to particularize all the arts and sleights of uncharitable men each against other but the end is to devour the Estates Lives Names and Posterity of others And is this to love your Neighbour as your selves or to do as you would be done to nothing less 2. Sometimes this is done by Force When either party can get any humane Law on their side down without mercy go all their Opposites yea sometimes without it and beyond it yea oftentimes you shall see them most zealous for compliance with one or two Laws which fit their humour who live in the continual breach of twenty others All Ages have groan'd under this disease what work did not only the Arians and Circumcellians make of old when they got power into their hands but in latter ages nothing hath been more common than the imploying the secular arm to the utmost by those that could obtain it to promote their purposes But where is that Dove-like innocence and harmlesness this while Columbae non sunt saith Augustine accipitres sunt milvi sunt non laniat columba And he though he was zealous in writing against the Errors of the Donatists yet profest that he had rather be slain by them than occasion their persecution unto Death Propos 4. These uncharitable Contentions do prepare for utter Destruction So saith 1. The Scripture So 2. All History and Experience 3. Undeny Reason confirms it 1. For Scripture see Hos 10.2 Their heart is divided now shall they be found faulty There may be different Notions in the head yea there may be different practices one may eat Flesh and another only Herbs and yet the Church may flourish It was a good Motto of a great Scholar Opinionum varietas Opinantium unitas non sunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But when the Distemper lodges at the Heart when that 's wounded when that 's divided the Man dies And this is not only meant of mans heart divided and distracted from God but of Mens hearts divided from one another which it should seem was the Case of Israel at that time under the reign of Hoshea And what follows Now shall they be found faulty or as the word will bear and others render it They shall be made desolate This will prepare them for certain and speedy desolation now shall they be made desolate Agreeable to which is our own Saviours words Matth. 12.25 Every Kingdom divided against it self is brought into desolation and every City or House divided against it self shall not stand Where you see 1. One great Cause of the ruine of a Kingdom City or Family which is being divided against it self If the Head and Members be set one against another nay if there be only an inveterate jealousie between them it is often fatal but when the Hearts of a People in a Kingdom City or Family are in a burning Fever one against another and no art or means can qualifie them a dissolution of the Body a desolation of that People is at hand for so it follows every such Kingdom is brought into desolation Where 2. You see the greatness of that ruine that follows 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it shall be made desert and desolate which implies and contains all the miseries that do concurr to make a Kingdom a desert It will not only be shaken indangered weakened and decayed but if some speedy and effectual remedy be not applied it is ruined utterly 3. See the Certainty thereof for as our Saviour speaks positively in the beginning of the Verse it is brought into desolation so in the latter end of the verse as peremptorily it shall not stand The undoubted seeds of ruine are in it nothing but an Eradication of them by real amendment can prevent it And lest any place Angle or Isle in the World should think to escape see 4. The universality of this Axiom Every Kingdom every City and every House though the Kingdom be never so well peopled never so well furnisht never so well fortified though the City be never so well built never so well chartered never so well traded though the House be never so well situate never so well guarded never so well adorned yet if the Inhabitants be divided against themselves they will come to desolation But the Text in hand is sufficient to affirm this position Take heed that ye be not consumed one of another which Caution questionless implies manifest danger and the danger is no less than mutual consumption or utter perishing as you heard before Hic enim est dimicationis exitus as Grotius the end of these Contentions if they be not repented and extinguished is Temporal Spiritual and Eternal Ruine 2. Histories and Experience do attest the same For Contentions in general it is evident that the Divisions which were among the Trojans made way for their overthrow by the Greeks the like animosities among the Greeks brought them under the slavery of Philip The Fewds that were among the Assyrians brought in the Persians and the like among the Persians subjected them to the Macedonians and the Contentions among Alexanders Successours rendred them up to be swallowed by the Romans one after another yea the Roman Empire it self near the time when the Western and the Eastern branches of it were hottest in Contention about the Supremacy of their Bishops and about Images behold the Goths and Vandalls destroyed the one and the Saracens and Turks ruined the other The
save many Lives So many Christians have been preserved from Turkish Fury many Protestants from Popish Rage both in days past and of late So Jeremiah's case was weigh'd by the Chief Captain of the Assyrian Army Fifthly Merchants who travel into far remote parts for their Trade and Gentlemen who travel for their pleasure and to satisfie themselves by an occular survey of Countreys and Cities of which they often heard Reports scarce to be believed on hear-say These have some greater advantages to see and hear the low and sinking State or the rising and flourishing Condition of those Churches which are planted in such Countreys and as Christians they are bound to observe inform themselves and tell others how 't is with the Churches that Prayers and Praises may be offer'd unto God for them But this is very little minded by Merchants when abroad and less minded by them when return'd home with Wealth greater than ever they hoped Though Religion decay and Churches lessen in Number Knowledge Faith and Holiness yet who of them out of their abundance settle a tribute of Thankfulness to God making Provision for the sending and maintaining Preachers and School-masters among them Wo'd the enriched Merchants remember their Duty to God and what Thanks they owe to the People who were kind to them in Travels and Trading there would be some settlements made to encourage such as are fit and willing to employ themselves in promoting the Welfare of the Churches but Poverty and Low Condition in the World forbids them to do it on their own Estate and no due provision is made by others to support them in such a work Some few of this travelling disposition though poor do go abroad Tutors to some young raw Gentlemen who being so unexperienced and imprudent among Strangers and ever endangering themselves if the Tutor be absent he can do little but attend them in every place and spend his time in viewing things that please young fancies and profit none but those that are Door-keepers or Officers about the places One short Tour of a Learned Man now a great Prelate among us gives us assurance that Travels might give us good Intelligence of the State of the Church were there due care taken in this Dr. Burnet Bishop of Sarem by Persons who could bear the Expences of Prudent Experienced and Diligent Persons Lovers of the Truth and Church as well as Lovers of Knowledge we might in a short time have a good account of the true state of all or most of the Churches of Christ and our Praises would be more seasonable and suitable Sixthly There are the whole Tribe of Levi Ecclesiastical Persons who live upon the Emoluments of the Church These above others should concern themselves for the Church These are to manage Publick Prayers and Praises for the Church these are to be Examples to others to kindle the Affections of their people to pray and praise as occasions require They are or should be able to take account of the Church-Affairs written and publisht to the World in several Languages They should be diligent Readers of such Books They more than others should understand the Times and Seasons of the Prophecies and how the Wilderness State ends or the State of Return out of the Wilderness begins especially under such Revolutions as we now are as whither the Witnesses are rising or whether any Vials or how many are poured forth whether we are to encourage the People of God to hope for a speedy Deliverance or to advise them to expect and prepare for sorer and longer Troubles These and such like Enquiries the Learned Clergy are much more fit to make then the Layety and I think they are bound to it more than others But in a more particular manner those of the Clergy who have preferments which will bear the Charges of 1. All sorts of Books that concern this 2. All sorts of Ammanuenses and Helps to read and give account to them 3. All sorts of Intelligencies and Correspondencies with Bishops and Pastors of the Churches abroad 4. Entertaining and Conversing with all Exiles Refugees and Travellers that come from Forreign Churches 5. Sending if need be particular Messengers to know the Truth or falshood of what is reported to them Rich Archbishops Bishops and Deans might and ought to do thus or more for the Church of Christ I do not know how much of this Work is set on foot or whether none I can hardly think among so many and Learned Men as have Great and Rich Preferments in the Church of England 't is wholly omitted They do I believe receive Intelligences from abroad and if these be as true as those that some of them have sent abroad concerning the State of God's Church here in England no wonder they all grow worse and worse deceiving and being deceived as the Apostle said of some other Men 2 Tim. 3.13 In giving all Intelligences to others let us keep and in receiving all from them let us desire them to keep to the Apostles Direction Inform 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speaking the Truth in Love It is an inexcusable Crime to be malicious Slanderers one of another And since the Doctrine of the Church of England in points of Faith and good Manners the Renunciation of Popery as fully as is required are both subscribed and Allegiance to the Government assured by Oath or Subscription let none such be any more misrepresented as of no Principles in Religion Friends to Popery and Enemies to Monarchy and Government Ingenuity and Truth is much wanting both in Words and Writings of Men that should describe their Brethren to Foreigners instead of which they decipher a Monster of their own making and set it up to be abhorred by all that see or hear it A Famous Professor of Divinity in a University and City with which the whole Dissenting Party are often upbraided knew not our State or Cause for many years who when he was informed aright wondred extreamly at our ill usage at home and worse representation abroad I am I confess tempted to suspect very great partiality and falshood in Ecclesiastical Historians both Antient and Modern who have wrote with the Prejudice Enmity and Partiality of sworn Vassals to a Party Were there a Colledge of judicious impartial diligent and able Historians imploy'd and encouraged to search out the truth of all mis-reported parties and tell the world their best as well as their worst hath been told by others it would I think be an Ecclesiastical History far more desireable than any I yet have seen Quis dabit Thuanum Ecclesiasticum After so long a Discourse on the first Direction Enquire as fully as your capacity and opportunity can enable you II. If you would Enquire as Christians ought to affect your hearts in order to pray or praise God for the Church Let your Thoughts be much upon the Importance of what is reported to you Weigh well what influence the New things are likely to have