for us who can be against us Rom. 8.31 we are apt to question the Power of God this is at the bottom of our unbelieving Fears were it otherwise See Numb 11.19 21. we should not believe and trust God least when Dangers are greatest When Abraham's faith had overcome that Difficulty about the Power of God he was able to triumph over all discouragements Hebr. 11.17 18 19. God can do more abundantly for us than we can ask or think and give Spiritual and Temporal Salvation at once that upon Mount Sion there shall be Deliverance and Holiness too Obad. 47. Let us not then be discouraged God rules over all the Kingdoms of the Earth and changeth the Government and Governours of them as he pleaseth He hath tossed up and down the Powers of the world by turns and can and will do the like again as shall best serve the ends of his Glory and the accomplishment of his word Sometimes almost all the Princes of Europe have been Protestants and on a sudden the scene hath changed and the most of them have given their Power to the Beast In one year Anno Christi 1619. See Rushworths Collect 17 Jacobi 1. when in Holland the Synod of Dort was called the King of England was a Protestant and the Prince Elector Palatine a Protestant was chosen King of Bohemia and four or five Princes in Germany were also Protestants insomuch that some were ready to cry out the Golden Age was come and the Glory of the latter Times But within one year all was turned again when the Bohemians were routed and their new King and Queen forced to fly into Holland being over-thrown by the Imperial Forces in the famous Battel at Prague Upon which the Protestant Union in Germany declin'd and most of the Princes of it reconciled themselves to the Emperor and only interceded for the Palatine but in vain We must trust in God and live by faith notwithstanding all the changes and revolutions of the world tho the Kings of the Earth should not be Nursing Fathers to the Church as well as when they are The last Counsel is mutual Forgiveness and Forbearance with serious endeavors in our several Places after Christian Concord And because of the seasonableness of this advice to English Protestants I shall speak of it under several Considerations which may enforce the duty and assist us in the performance of it First Consider the Common obligations we are all under as Christians to Brotherly Love and Charity and to endeavor the Unity and Peace of the Church These things were never discommended by any and therefore it will not be needful to say much in the Praise of them as that Love is the fulfilling of the Law the End of Faith the badge of a Christian c. that all Knowledge Gifts Utterance Sufferings are in vain where this is wanting But 't is Ignorance and mistake concerning the nature of Brotherly Love and Union and of the way and means that lead to it that hath made our Divisions and the Consequences of them so mischievous to the Church of God. For the Unity of the Church in Faith and Love may very well be preserved without having just the same Conceptions of all Revealed Objects Such an Union as that is morally impossible and can never be expected and therefore to endeavor the Peace of the Church on that Foundation is an hopeless and vain attempt As much may be said concerning an Union in doubtful unscriptural Rites Orders and Ceremonies None of our Lords commands of Unity or directions for it do either require or so much as mention this Many lesser Differences in opinion and practice are consistent with the nature ends and fruit of that Vnity recommended and enjoyned by the Gospel if such differences be but manag'd with a spirit of love mutual Forbearance and condescention Our great care must be to Remember our Relation to the Vriversal Church of Christ upon Earth which is first in order of nature by our Baptism before our Relation to any particular Church and is both more noble more necessary and more Durable We must therefore take heed of confining our Love to any one Party of Christians because of our mind and way altogether as unreasonable as to love only those of our own Age Stature or Complexion lest the great and more comprehensive Interest of Christians and Provestants be forgotten and neglected lest a narrow Zeal for a small Party of Christians should prejudice the Interest of the Universal Church or cause of Christianity There is one God and one Lord one Head and one Saviour into whose name we are all Baptized one Covenant which all in Baptism make with this one God and Saviour One spirit whereby we are all Regenerated one New Creature in all Holy Christians begotten by this Spirit One Gospel the Rule of Faith and Life and Foundation of our Common Hope one Body of Christ both Mystical and Visible all real Christians are members of the former and all professing Christians of the latter by visible subjection to Christ as their Head one way of Faith and Holiness wherein all must walk one End and Happiness which all expect and one Heaven where all the Children of God shall meet and live forever however they fall out by the way with one mind and Heart in one Blessed work of Praising our Creator Redeemer and Sanctifier From hence cannot but result an obligation to Brotherly love and Unity in seeking the Peace and Prosperity of the whole Christian Church not reproaching others as Hereticks and Schismaticks who are not of our mind in lesser things not partially excusing the faults of them who are and aggravating those of other Christians and Brethren whose salvation we should desire and endeavor and not lay snares before 'em much less hate and persecute 'em because in some things they do not think and speak and act as we do How unbecoming is it the Disciples of the Prince of Peace his Ministers especially to render the greatest part of Christians odious and tempt the weak to Slanders Judgings and Envies which are fruits of the Flesh If ever God will Heal his Broken Churches a spirit of Love and Unity and moderation must be reviv'd instead of fierce dividing zeal and the H. Scriptures alone be thought a sufficient Rule and no mens Confessions made the Test of Church Communion any farther than as plainly agreeing with the H. Scriptures Concord and Union upon such terms in which we are all agreed must be our Cure if ever we are cured But Healing Truths are never likely to be entertain'd among us till God give healing spirits to the Pastors and Leaders of the Church The Concessions of the moderate men of all Parties would be a sufficient foundation for Agreement in Christian love to one another for the Interest of the whole managing the lesser differences with mutual forbearance and condescention without endangering or troubling the Church Loving
with God in the way of his Judgments and the sanctified Improvement of Publick Calamities or obtain favour for more Innocent Posterity And shall at least have the Consolation of having discharged our Duty to our Brethren and to our Country and of having manifested the Affections of Children who are sensibly affected with the Anger of God and do what we can to make up the Breach Let us therefore be much in Prayer to God for Sion in secret and in Company with others as we have opportunity with deep Humiliation and Repentance with sincere aims at the Glory of God and the Honour of Christ with Faith and Confidence with Fervency and Importunity with stedfastness and Perseverance Notwithstanding the Inefficacy of any former attempts this way from the seeming Delay of God to answer Considering that all the supplications and Intercessions of the Israel of God in former Ages will have a real hand in the final Deliverance of the Church and our Prayers must help to fill up the measure and hasten the Coming of the Son of Man. How far the Great Argument used by the Church of old John. 3.9 Jer. 14.9 21. See Mr. Howe 's trest of the Right use of that Argum. in prayer from the Name of God 80. 1682. We are called by thy name thou art yet in the midst of us and what wilt thou do for thy Great Name may be pleaded by us ought seriously to be considered For the Case of a particular People and Nation may be such as to give just grounds to fear lest the Argument from the Name of God should make against us lest the Honour of God and the Glory of his holy Name be more concern'd to punish than to deliver us We would humbly Hope that our Case will yet admit the use of this Argument in our Intercessions with God. Thou art yet in the midst of us the Relation is Reciprocal between thee and us and we hope it will be for the honour of thy Name to save us What wilt thou do for thy Great Name i. e. what becomes of us and of our Posterity after us is no such great matter tho we should perish and our Name be blotted out from under Heaven but if the B. Gospel be removed or continue to be an Empty sound if Prophaneness and I dolatry encrease and prevail thy Holy name will be dishonoured thy sacred Truth reproacht the Glory of our Redeemer Ecclipst the fruits of his Death obstructed and thine Adversaries will triumph and say that thou hast born Testimony to their Errors and Impieties favour'd their Designs and Countenanc't their Wickedness Lord What wilt thou do for thy Great Name And may we not say that Thou art yet in the midst of us tho there are not so many visible Tokens of thy special Presence as formerly either with Ministers or People yet thou dost walk among thy Golden Candlesticks and now and then let us know that thy Glory is not quite gone There are some Oh that there were more who feel and live those Truths which others only talk of who bear the Image of their Lord and their souls cleave to him and follow hard after him who delight in his ways and love his Interest and People with a cordial affection to whom the honour of his Name is incomparably dear and precious who value his love and communion with him as their felicity who mourn for the sins of others and to whom the Reproach of the solemn Assemblies is a dayly Burden c. Oh Continue this Presence of thine and vouchsafe more visible enlarged effects and manifestations of it which we may rather hope for while he is thus in the midst of us than to obtain a Recalling of it when he is quite gone as the Cure of a Disease and the Recovery of health may more hopefully be prayed for than a Resurrection from the dead There is yet another thing very seasonable to be joyned with Prayer and which we are obliged to whether we have more or less hope concerning any particular Church or Nation and that is Sixthly The Exercise of Faith in God concerning the Promised Salvation and Perpetuity of the Christian Church The Gares of Hell shall not prevail against her she shall not dye or Death whose mouth is the Grave shall not be Victorious over her the burning Bush shall never be consum'd We think this and the other thing makes against the Church and threatens to destroy it Here one part is rooted out there another is opprest and the whole World almost wanders after the Beast and the False Prophet Edom and Amaleck and Moah and Ammon are all in a confederacy and Combination against Sion But if it were yet worse we must live by Faith that all shall tend to the accomplishment of God's great design of the Furtherance of the Gospel The truly Christian Interest shall live and flourish and get ground after all opposition yea by those thins shall it be advanc't Mic. 4.11 12 13. which we may apprehend as prejudicial to it God's thoughts are not as ours nor his ways as ours what we think a threatning mischief may prove a great Blessing and often doth so Psal 107.7 What a Compass did Israel fetch from Aegypt to Canaan and yet God saith he led them by the Right way forty years in a journey that might have been despatcht in ten days He is never out of his way or mistaken in the methods of his Providence to fulfil his word This we are most certain of that the Interest of Christ and the Christian Church shall live in the midst of all storms be rooted and establisht by the most shaking Providences and that when it seems lowest and most likely to sink it is the fittest time for the Wisdom Power and Faithfulness of God to discover it self Rev 5.4 When none was found worthy or able to open the book the Lamb takes it out of the hands of him who sat on the throne Our Exalted Saviour who hath the Keys of Death and Hell is not weary of holding the Scepter in his hand He sits at Helm and steers the ship and will not suffer it to perish Therefore no Depths no difficulties no delay of deliverance should dishearten us If God will work a Fire not blown shall consume his Enemies and Destruction and Fear shall come together Job 20.26 Rev. 18.7 8. The Vision is for an appointed Time in the end it shall speak it shall not Lye it shall Come it will not Tarry tho to our Sense it may seem to Tarry our Faith must correct the Verdict of our Sense and make us wait for it for not a word or tittle of what God hath spoken concerning the latter days shall be unfulfilled When Providences are dark and a storm is begun we are ready to be puzzled and cry out what shall we say to these things but let us remember what the Apostle adds as a sufficient Reply If God be
those with whom we cannot in all particulars joyn corresponding with them in what we can praying for and with them Treating them as Brethren and subjects of the Kingdom of Christ pittying them in their Afflictions Sufferings Errors and Temptations relieving their wants as we are able having no aversation to their Persons not seeking their Hurt or rejoycing in it not judging or censuring them any otherwise than natural Reason and the Rule of Scripture will allow much less rejecting them from the Body of Christ by unchurching of ' em They who are thought to go farthest from the Church of England's Discipline while they all acknowledg the Doctrine of the 39 Articles however they may be accused have declared their Moderation as to their Brethren from whom they differ in as full and charitable Expressions as can well be desired * Mr. Phil. Nye hath wrotea book to prove the lawfulness of hearing the Preachers in Parish Churches and before him Ames against Johnson Treatise of Evang. Love and Unity p. 85 86. God forbid saith Dr. Owen that any such thought should enter into our Hearts as tho the Churches constituted in all things according to our light and the rules we apprehend apointed in Scripture for that purpose should be the only true Churches in the World and whilst we judge others to be true Churches we shall not be much moved or provokt by their Judgment who think ours are none because we differ from them and plead for Reformation beyond their measure We have the same thoughts of the Christian Churches in Europe called Reformed the same love towards them the same readiness for Communion with them as we would desire any Disciples of Christ in the World to have bear or exercise towards us We do not think that the things wherein they fail wherein they miss or out-go the rule are in their own nature absolutely destructive of their Church State. Dear Experience one would think should now call us to mutual forbearing one Another in Love. And whatever be the Reward of Reconcilers from men commonly to be ill thought and spoken of by many of the differing parties yet he that calleth to Love and union calls to Holiness All that is against Love is against Holiness against God against Christ against his Spirit his Church and the Interest of Mankind The want of forbearing one another in Love hath brought us more than once very near to Ruin. And how long and how often have we been warned of this Preface to his Interest of England The pious and Judicious Mr. Corbet told our Brethren thirty years ago That they who contemned All Overtures of Peace Union and Accommodation might come to see the need and know the want of it as well as others for who knoweth said he what God is doing or where will be the end of his working whose Judgments are unsearchable and past our finding out And how often hath the Reverend Mr. Baxter told the world to the displeasing some of all Parties that what Party soever it be that endeavors a Union by the Extirpation and Ruin of the other part whether Episcopal Presbyterian Independent or Anabaptist is Schismatrcal and takes the way of Desolation Secondly Consider the impossibility of our agreement in things Dark Doubtful and Numerous and the unreasonableness of endeavoring it by ways of Violence The terms of Christian Vnion laid down by the Apostle 4 Ephes 1 2 3 4 5. are sew and sure plain and possible And after all the methods that have been tried by any to bring us to unite upon other terms than those of the Scripture we see they are as far from effecting it as ever Every one must endeavour to be fully persuaded in his own mind as to what he is to believe and practise in things sacred and Religious nor may he make his own understanding the Rule of Truth and Worship unto others Every Conscientious man ought to be determin'd by his own reason and Judgment regulated by the word of God concerning his duty as to the Edification of his Soul. For men to adhere to any particular Church or to refuse communion with any when opportunity offers on any other account than because they think it their Duty to do so is neither becoming Men or Christians And they wo are Conscious of their own Sincerity herein will be most inclin'd to judge favourably of Others who differ from them and to hope that they also Act sincerely upon the like Principle according to their Light. And will likewise be carefull how they fasten ill and odious Consequences upon those different Opinions which Others hold if they be such as they disown and would detest the Doctrines if they were convinc't that any such Consequences did belong to them After all that can be said or done to justifie the Severities which any have used in such Cases towards their Brethren I exclude none who have at any time been guilty the greatest part of Sober men will still believe that all Power from God to Christian Princes and Pastors is for Edification and not for Destruction that he never gave any against his own Laws and the Interest of the souls of men They will still think that they are most concerned it should be for the wellfare of their own souls and can best tell what they find to be profitable or hurtful to 'em and most for their edification and that if no Humane Authority can tye up a man to eat that which he cannot digest so neither to attend that Ministry only which they do not find so much to the Advantage and Edification of their souls as some other which God affords them The different Relishes of the minds of men may here be considered and the benefit of gratifying them in order to edification For I know of some and hear of many who profess that they are never more Reverent devout and serious and their Hearts more affected than in the use of the Common Prayer others profess with the like seriousness as to themselves that they Experience the Contrary And shall we think it reasonable that they should be obliged to the measures of the former or that either should censure the other as not belonging to Christ on that account Is there any Law of Christ any Rule of the Gospel any duty of Love to the Brethren that can require men to hinder their Edification or to joyn in ordinary local Communion there where they cannot attain the great ends of Church Communion Nevertheless we must be Careful not to have the Faith of our Lord I. James 2.1 Christ with respect of Persons For there is a culpable Partiality with respect to Ministers causing Envyings â— Cor. 3.3.4 Divisions and Strifes which the Apostle condemn'd in the Church of Corinth Were Ministers humble and self-denying and did we more Earnestly desire and seek the Honour of God the Advancement of Holiness and the salvation of souls we should rejoyce if the people
could learn more Mr. Baxter Cure of Ch. â—iv dir 5. 〈◊〉 Min. and edifie better by other mens Ministry than our own tho it may be some error in Judgment that directed their choice A true Mother who knows her Child is like to thrive more by the milk of another woman than her own will be so far from hatred or envy at the Nurse or Child that she will consent and be glad of it Would a faithful Physitian rather let his Patient pine away in a Consumption than be healed by another whom the Patient with or without cause prefers before him I know there needs a great deal of self-denial unto this but I think it ought to be so because the Apostle rejoyced that Christ was preacht Phil. 1.15 16 18. tho by them who did it in Strife and Envy to add affliction to his bonds If any number of Christians judge tho it should be by mistake that the terms of Church Communion required of them are sinful and of doubtful and numerous ones very many are like to think so can they act like Honest men to comply while they thus judge Will any be so unreasonable as to desire me to do that to please him and punish me if I will not when I apprehend I should displease God by doing it Is it at all strange that many serious Christians in a Country Parish cannot content themselves with such Guides of their souls as an Ignorant drunken Patron shall think fit to put over them who it may be are as bad as he What if they think they have a natural Right to choose one themselves As well as to choose their Physitian or Lawyer and rather as the Consequence is more and greater especially since such a Principle is allowed by Leading men in the Church of England For every man to Worship God according to his Conviction Preface concerning Persecution saith Dr. Burnet is an essential Right of Humane nature Antecedent to all humane Government and can never become subject to it What the Rev. Dean of S. Pauls whose singular Learning is so deservedly honoured in all the Reformed Churches hath discourst formerly on this subject cannot be too often transcrib'd viz in the peaceable and Christian Preface to his Irenicum and in the * Part. 1. c. 6 p. 118 123. book it self If he continue not in every thing of the same mind Truth and Reason is still the same And Dr. Sherlock tells the A. B. of Canterbury in the Epistle dedicatory to his Answer to the First part of The Protestant Reconciler That a Recantation of a Book is no Answer And let me add that the Christian Design of that book the First part of the Prot. Reconciler and the Judgment and Moderation of the Worthy Author it is hoped will now be otherwise esteem'd of than three or four years ago when so Great a man as the Master of the Temple treated both with so much sharpness and contempt The Laws of Christ saith Dr. St. were meek and gentle the Duties he required were necessary just and reasonable He that came to take away the insupportable yoke of Jewish Ceremonies certainly did never intend to gall the necks of his Disciples with another instead of it and it would be strange the Church should require more than Christ himself did and make other Conditions of Communion than our Saviour did of Discipleship What possible reason can be given why such things should not be sufficient for Communion with a Church that are sufficient for Eternal salvation and certainly those things are sufficient for that which are laid down as the Necessary duties of Christianity by our Lord and saviour in his word What ground is there why Christians should not stand on the same terms now which they did in the time of Christ and his Apostles was not Religion sufficiently guarded and fenced in them was there ever more true and Cordial Reverence in the Worship of God What Charter hath Christ ever given the Church to bind up men to more than himself hath done and to exclude those from her Society who may be admitted into Heaven The grand Commission the Apostles were sent out with was only to teach what Christ had commanded them not the least intimation of any power given them to impose or require any thing beyond what he himself had spoken to them or they were directed to by the immediate guidance of the spirit of God. We never read the Apostles making Laws but of things supposed necessary When the Council of the Apostles met at Jerusalem for deciding a Case that disturbed the Churches peace we see they would lay no other Burden on the Gentile Christians besides those Necessary things 15. Act. 29. It was not enough with them that the things would be necessary when they had requir'd them but they lookt on an Antecedent Necessity either absolute or for the present State which was the only ground of their imposing those Commands There were after this great Diversities of Practice and varieties of observations among Christians but the H. Ghost never thought those things fit to be made matters of Laws to which all Parties should Conform all that the Apostles required as to these was mutual forbearance and condescention towards each other in them The Apostles valued not Indifferences at all and those things 't is evident they accounted such which whether men did them or not was not of Concernment to Salvation And what Reason is there why men should be so strictly tied up to such things which they may do or let alone and yet be very good Christians still Without all Controversie saith the Doctor and Experience will confirm it the main in-let of all the Distractions Confusions and Divisions of the Christian World hath been by adding other Conditions of Church Communion than Christ hath done Would there ever be less Peace and Vnity in the Church if a Diversity were allowed as to Practices supposed indifferent yea there would be so much more if there were a mutual forbearance and Condescention as to such things The Vnity of the Church is an unity of Love and Affection Chap. 6. and not a bare Vniformity of Practice and Opinion Were we but so Happy as to take off things granted unnecessary by all and suspected by many and judged unlawful by some and to make nothing the bonds of our Communion but what Christ hath done one Faith one Baptism c. allowing a Liberty for matters of Indifferency and bearing with the Weakness of those who cannot bear things which others count lawful we might indeed be restored to a true primitive Lustre far sooner than by surbishing up some antiquated Ceremonies that can derive their pedigree no higher than some Ancient Custom and Tradition God will one day convince men that the Vnion of the Church lyes more in the Vnity of Faith and Affection than in the Vniformity of doubtful Rites and Ceremonies And after that unseasonable Sermon at
Guildhall of the Mischief of Separation yet in the Defence of it P. 81 82. the Dt. in the Preface propounds this very seasonable Question What then Is there nothing to be done for dissenting Protestants who agree with us in all doctrinal Articles of our Church and only scruple the use of a few Ceremonies and some late Impositions Shall these Differences still be Continued when they may so easity be removed And so many useful men encouraged and taken into the Constitution Do we value a few Indifferent Ceremonies and some late Declarations and doubtful Expressions beyond the Satisfaction of mens Consciences and the Peace and Tranquility of the Church In Answer he saith That tho he thinks there is no ground for scruple as to the use of those things Notwithstanding that because the use of Sacraments in a Christian Church ought to be the most free from all Exceptions and they ought to be so administred as to invite rather than discourage Scrupulous persons from joyning in them I do think it would be a part of Christian Wisdom and Condescention in the Governours of our Church to remove those bars from a freedom in joyning in full Communion with us Thirdly Consider the great Mischief of our past and present Divisions to the Interest of Real Christianity the Reformed Religion and the Peace and Happiness of the Nation The Contentions among Protestants the passionate Heats among Difsenters themselves and the severities used by others to enforce an Vniformity have dishonoured the Profession of the Gospel and cost the Nation very dear on all accounts These things have hindred the usefulness and fruit of many Ministers preaching and depriv'd us of the advantage of the publick labours of many hundred others and lessen'd the Authority and Success of the Ministry in general filling many with such prejudices that they have turned their backs upon all preaching By this means the weak have been scandaliz'd See First Part of the Prot. Recontiler chap. 1. Mr. I. Burroughs Itenicum chap. 27 28 29 3◠the doubtful staggered Infidels hardned Scepticks gratified Popery and Prophaness advanc't thousands of souls endanger'd the Devil pleased and his Kingdom built up to the weakning of the Kingdom of Christ and the Reformed Interest Besides the Good that is lost and the Miseries procured hereby the sinfulness of Heart-Divisions among Good men is greatly aggravated The Provocation to mutual Revenge and the advantage given to Popery is that I wish all Protestants would consider As to Revenge our Experience now tells us that it is an effect of such proceedings tho I wish it could be supprest and cured yet considering the Corruption of Humane nature might well enough be expected This Dr. B. in the Preface above mention'd hath represented with some sharpness How unreasonable is it saith he that they who cannot help thinking as they do should be made a sacrifice to the Rage of others who perhaps have little more to say for themselves than that they are in the Possession of the Law which in the next Revolution of Affairs that may fall out will be an argument so much the stronger for using themselves in the same manner because it is a just Retaliation on them for that which they made others to suffer The Reverend and Worthy Dean of Canterbury in his Preface to Bp. Wilkins's Sermons commending his Moderation saith That Vertue however of late declaim'd against must be the Temper of the Members of the Church of England especially of the Clergy if ever they seriously intend its firm establishment and do not industriously design by cherishing Heats and Divisions among our selves to let in Popery at those Breaches Most of those who renounce our Religion and imbrace Popery profess this to be the first great stumbling block the want of Unity This their Priests of late in several Pamphlets have insisted on Dr Stilling Idolatry of the Rom. Church ch 5. Mr. Baxter safe Religion and other Treatises aggravating our Divisions to prove the Necessity of an Infallible Judge as the Center of Unity How unreasonably this is urged by Papists who differ among themselves about Fundamental Doctrines of Faith many of our Divines have shown However the Church of Rome hath manifestly serv'd its own ends by procuring and animating the rigid Imposition of doubtful disputable terms among Protestants that all those who could not conform to the establisht Rites might be look't upon if not as bad as Papists yet as unpeaceable and Factious and be provok't to do somewhat that might make them as unfit to be tolerated Hereupon the Papists have pleaded for themselves as better subjects or deserving at least an equal Toleration with Protestant Dissenters And what some of the latter have suffer'd on the account of their different sentiments from the Established Church hath tempted them to so much Revenge as that the less considerate and judicious are too ready to joyn with the Papists or any body rather than with those by whom they have been opprest thô this be greatly to be lamented yet it cannot much be wonder'd at for Solomon tels us that Oppression will make even a wise mad Mad And is it strange that some who do not see far before them nor well consider what they do and what forgiveness the Gospel requires should be ready to say we were as good joyn with the Papists who promise us our Liberty than adventure to be Ruin'd by Protestants That there is not now much ground to fear it and therefore that no Protestant ought to act on such a supposition I shall endeavor to show presently Fourthly The Vnity of the Adversaries of the Reformed Religion against us notwithstanding the Differences among themselves deserve to be considered We read of ten or eleven sorts of men of several opinions and ways in the matters of Religion who all with one Consent joyn'd against Sion Psal 83.5 6. Ten Kings of the Earth were of one mind to give up their Power to the Beast and make war with the Lamb 17 Rev. 13. The Popish Clergy that acknowledg the Headship of the Infallible Man at Rome agree in their desires and are bound to unite their endeavors for the Extirpation of the Northern Heresie i. e. the Reformed Religion And shall not we agree and unite for the preservation of that common Interest against which so powerful a Confederacy hath been and still is engaged yea may we not very well do so Notwithstanding our Differences if we can but be wise and honest enough to forbear one another in love Soldiers of different Nations habits and customs may engage in the same cause and notwithstanding their little quarrels with one another in their Respective Garrisons may be unanimous and therby Victorious when they come into the field In a Battel between Hannibal and Scipio Livy when the two Armies joyned we read that the shouts of Scipio's men were far more Terrible than those of Hannibals because being all Romans they had almost
the Learning of the Jesuites their strength hath of late been tried to their irreparable shame if they are capable of any and as much to the Honour of the learned Divines of the Church of England Their Converting-books and Pamphlets have been so weak and the Answers to them so strong and so many that they are not like to prevail much that way neither if English Protestants would but bear with one another and not seek Revenge which the juncture of Time doth dissuade from as unseasonable as well as our Common Christianity doth forbid as unlawful which will appear if we consider Seventhly Whether it be not Improbable that the Leading men of the Church of England should hereafter commit the same Error again to molest and Persecute their Brethren for the Differences between us and them All the world now sees at what door a great part of the severity against Protestant Dissenters ought to be laid so far as it was the sin of others I hope God will let them see it and give 'em Repentance And there are very many Parish Ministers in England who are pious and peaceable who preach and live holily and never did consent to the Persecution of their Brethren but endeavor'd to hinder it I only wish they had been more If it be said they are by consequence Partakers of such a guilt it hath been and must again be replied that if God should Charge undiscerned Consequences upon them and us none of us would be meet either for Church Communion now or for Heaven hereafter The past faults and miscarriages of some should not make us injurious to others Far be it from us to imagin that there are no Faithful Ministers of Christ in England but such as are of our principles and particular persuasion Let us not refuse to love those that are Good because many of their Church or Opinion are bad Is there any Kingdom or Country upon Earth where the greatest part are not bad Is there any place where the Religion countenanc't and encouraged by the Government hath not many who comply with it for secular Interest The Author of the late Apology for the Church of England as to the spirit of Persecution hath said many things to this purpose it will be good news to hear that the greatest part of his Brethren are of his mind that all Prot. Dissenters might believe that the wisest and most leading men of that Church do see their Error their sin too might be added if it be an essential Right of Humane nature as Dr. B. saith for every man to Worship God according to his conviction And we have great Reason to hope that they will not again use severity to their Brethren if it should ever be in Their Power but come to a Temper in the matters of Conformity as the seven Bishops have under their hands declared their disposition to do And in the mean time one of the Articles which the A. Bishop of Cantcrbury hath recommended to the Bishops under his Jurisdiction is a Tender Regard to their Brethren the Protestant Dissenters At the same time assuring us and all the World that they are really and sincerely Irreconcileable Enemies to the Errors Superstitions Idolatries and Tyrannies of the Church of Rome and that all the unkind Jealousies to the Countrary have been altogether groundless Let us not therefore be over sensible of past Injuries to the Hindrance of Concord for the common Good lest we wrong the Church of Christ and neglect the security of the Reformed Religion and the wellfare of the Nation and of Posterity because others have wronged us For however the Jesuites may now plead for Liberty of Conscience no Protestant Brittish or Irish especially but must needs know that of all Religions in the World the Romish by their avowed Principles is obliged to be the most Cruel Assoon as our divisions have made us weak enough we have but too much reason to expect it which God Prevent Lastly Consider that we Agree with the Church of England in great and many things and those things wherein we differ are comparatively few and small and therefore mutual forbearance and Concord is possible as well as desireable Yea those things for which they are Hated and struck at by the Church of Rome are not such Doctrines or modes of Worship wherein we differ from them but 't is for the sake of those things wherein we agree with the Church of England and therefore in prudence we are obliged to espouse their cause as our own The Reader may easily perceive that all that I have said relates to the Union of Protestants among themselves who tho of different Persuasions in some External and Circumstantial things do hold the Head 2 Coloss 19. and agree in the main and Essential Doctrines of Faith But as to the Church of Rome which perverts the Christian Faith maintains and practiseth Idolatry and false Worship and the declared Enemy to all Protestants and by her Constitutions doth oblige all her Members under an Anathema to root out and to destroy them as Hereticks how far those of her Communion may be tolerated in a Protestant Country without sin or Danger is a matter too large at present to dilate upon It would seem very strange and Irrational for any Party of Protestants to strengthen the Papists and contribute to their being set up in Power and Authority especially in the Legislative power in opposition to those of the Church of England as fearing that these will not establish and allow them Liberty of Conscience and imagining that the Papists will who depend upon a forreign Power and are not masters of their own Consciences but have subjected them to another whom they suppose Infallible Surely from the Members of the Church of England we ought the rather to believe and hope this because they have of late deserved so very well of all Protestants by a vigorous and learned opposition to Popery in a great number of select Discourses upon all the Considerable points in Controversie between us and the Church of Rome And having done so much to keep out Popery as to the Doctrine let us hope and pray and charitably believe that they will also do their utmost hereafter to prevent Persecution which is one of the worst parts of Popery in Practice I conclude with the pathetical Exhortation of the Devout Bishop Hall O Lord Passion Sermon p. 390 391. how long shall thy poor Church see the dear sons of her womb bleeding about these Apples of Strife The Enemy is at the gates of Syracuse How long shall we suffer our selves to be taken up with Circles and Angles in the dust ye Men Brethren and Fathers Help for God's sake put to your hands for the quenching of this Common flame the one side by Humility the other by Compassion both by Prayers and Tears Let me beg for Peace as for Life by your filial Piety and duty to the Church of God whose Ruins follow upon our Divisions by your love of God's Truth by the Graces of that one Blessed spirit whereby we are all informed and quickn'd by the precious â—lood of the son of God shed for our Redemption be inclined to Peace and Love. Tho our Brains be different yet let our Hearts be one Let us have Peace with our selves and War with none but Hell and Rome Amen THE END