to get the help of some able Christian in the work of Teaching the Children of the Congregation Thirdly A further word of Counsel is to all you Saints of the Most High that love Sion and are sensible of the sicknesses of it 1. Labour to get all your Parts Gifts sanctified that they may not puff you up and insnare you Some of you through the goodness of God and his rich grace have greater Attainments in the knowledge of the Mysteries of the Gospel then others be you more exemplary for Humbleness and Meekness then others One great reason why there are so many Sicknesses in the daughter of Sion is because the Gifts of Christians are no more sanctified when Gifts are not sanctified they occasion Pride the Mother of Contention so that those that should lead the people into Peace and Love lead them into Divisions and are Firebrands in the Houses of God 2. Endeavour to mortifie those Lusts that incline you to Contention for Contentions do not come so much from outward provocations as from inward corruptions Jam. 4. 1. All wars come from lusts if Pride Passion and Self-love were mortified there would be more peace and agreement but mens lusts are so dear to them they will rather adventure their own peace and the Churches then part with them 3. Labour for that Wisdome that is from above which is pure gentle peaceable easie to be intreated full of mercy and good fruits Jam. 3. 17. If you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts glory not ver 14. but be ashamed whatever your parts and gifts are Take our Saviours counsel Mark 9. 50. Have salt in your selves and peace one with another the salt of Wisdome tends to Peace and Unity 4. Be sure you love the publick good of Sion if the love of Sion doth reign in your hearts you will seek the welfare of it It was the true Mother that would not suffer the Childe to be divided Thou shouldest so love the peace of the Church that when a storm begins thou shouldest say If I am the man that cause this cast me out let the Church have her peace The Romans had a Temple dedicated Jovi depositorio the Senators went thither and laid down their mutual Contentions before they went to the Senate house and divers of the Heathen would lay aside their private Quarrels for the Common Good which doth shame some Christians in our dayes 5. Let those that agree in Fundamentals and have Union with the same Head walk together in love and peace this we are pressed to Phil. 3. 16. Why should there not be a hearty love between those that are of the same Faith Remember that the Peace-makers are blessed Peace and Vnion are humane Saviours to Countries and Churches Dulce nomen pacis Psal 133. But you must also remember this That your labour for Unity will be in vain if you are enemies to Order Keeping the Order God hath appointed is the way to Peace and Unity The Church is that one Body of Christ yet this Body is made up of distinct Members and every Member hath its own operation when every Member doth its own office the Body is most lovely yet where the foundation is gold silver and precious stones though there be some hay and stubble in the Superstructure there ought to be a Christian for bearance 6. Pray for the Health of Sion for the Peace of Jerusalem Psal 122. 6. If the Spirit of Prayer for Unity were poured out upon the people of God we should not be long without the blessing of Peace in the Churches Pray then that Means may be effectual for the recovery of the daughter of Sion from her Sicknesses that Gileads Balm and Gileads Physicians may do good Pray down Divisions Pray down Errour and Profaneness Pray that the daughter of Sion may not want Nursing-fathers that the Land of Liberty may not become the House of Bondage and this will be the way to have the God of Peace dwell among us As we carry it towards God so will God manifest himself unto us Let as cry as the Prophet Jerem. 17. 14. Heal us O Lord and we shall be hâ—aled A like Prayer we reade in Psal 60. 2. God hath promised that if we pray and humble our selves he will hear from heaven and heal the Land 2. Chron. 7. 14. and sometimes he doth heal a froward people when they are like to perish of their wounds Isa 57. 17 18. I have seen his wayes and I will heal him when we go about to heal by our own skill without God we heal but slightly Jer. 8. 11. I shall onely adde some Motives to press every one in his place and calling to labour to recover the health of the daughter of Sion Motive 1. If there be Sickness in the Church there will be little health in the Common-wealth In the Land of Judah when the building of the Temple was neglected the Worship of God defiled a decay in Religion it never went well with the Common-wealth Let us believe it that things amiss in the houses of God are the chief cause that it goes ill with the Country 2. Sicknesses in Churches endanger the damnation of the Souls of many they hinder Conversion harden many hearts bring the Wayes and Worships of God into contempt and these Evils are the fruit especially of Division among those that profess Godliness If Contentions reign in Churches either the world will never think well of Christ or never believe such Members of Churches are Christs Disciples John 13. 35. What account can be given at last for this that Christ and the true Religion are contemned by the world for the sake of the Professors of it It 's sad that in our dayes many Professors live as though there were no Canaanites nor Perizzites in the Land If ever you would have Christ and his Wayes well thought of labour after Vnity If you would have any more Converted by the Preaching of the Gospel labour after Vnity If you would enjoy your Church-Priviledges and your Civil Peace labour for Vnity If you would have God remove his frowns his afflicting hand from us labour after Vnity If ever you would be serviceable to Christ and one to another labour after Vnity The members of the Body do not give mutual nourishment except they be joyned each to other It is not enough that you keep up the Ordinances of God for his honour for the good of your Souls and for the good of the Souls of others except you remove the stumbling-blocks that that lye in the way of others your Contentions and Covetous Practises c. O you that are the Professors of Religion it seems to be in your hand to save or damn Souls your gracious Conversation might be a means to convert others and the contrary may be a means of damning others 3. Endeavouring to recover the health of the daughter of Sion will be as cross a work to the Devil as any you can do it will be a crossing of Satan in one of the greatest designs he hath on foot in the world he is alwayes either acting the part of a Lion or the part of a Serpent either persecuting by open Enemies or dividing dearest friends Those that have reconciling Spirits that are Peace makers counter-counter-work Satan they oppose him in his great design 4. For your Encouragement know that the Lord doth in a special manner care for Sion He loves the Gates of Sion more then all the dwellings of Jacob Psal 87. 2. The Church is more dear to him then the Common-wealth As God he cares for the Common-wealth as a Father he cares for the Church yet Magistracy is Gods Ordinance for the help and preservation of the Churches And God in giving his Laws doth first command things concerning himself and his Worship The Church is supposed to be a poor Orphan and Kings and Queens and to be their Nursing fathers and Nursing-mothers Isa 49. 23. 5. It will be an Honour to you to be Instruments to heal the daughter of Sion God will take it kindly at your hands and honour you that thus honour him 1 Sam. 2. 30. Those that build the old wasle places that raise up the foundations of many generations such shall be called The repairers of the breaches Isa 58. 12. 6. Consider this the time may come that Churches Ordinances Communion with Saints may be more precious then the Gold of Ophir I shall close with this one Word which is to Exhort and Perswade you all to encourage and strengthen the Hearts and Hands of those that God hath in a special manner made Physicians do as the people did Nehem. 10. 29. They clave to their Brethren the Nobles c. Take heed of discouraging them but say to those that are your Rulers This matter of Healing the daughter of Sion belongs to you but we will be with you Ezra 10. 4. then it is well when all work together for God It is said 2 Chron. 30. 26. Hezekiah humbled himself and the Inhabitants of Jerusalem with him and wrath came not in his dayes If the Lord give us hearts to take these Counsels which he hath offered to us this day we shall be the more likely to go to our fathers in peace and leave a blessing behinde us for posterity FINIS THere is now going to the Press sundry excellent and divine Poems entituled Meat out of the Eater or Meditations concerning the Necessity End and Vsefulness of Afflictions unto Gods Children All tending to prepare them for and comfort them under the Cross By Michael Wigglesworth
SIC VOS NON VOBIS MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL SOCIETY FOUNDED AD 1791 Given by _____ New-Plimouth October 26. 1669. THis Court taking into their consideration the usefulness and seasonableness of this Sermon do commend the same to all the Churches and People of God in this Jurisdiction for their serious perusall and improvement in the Lord And do therefore Order the publishing thereof Nathaniel Morton Secretary THis Sermon and pious Labour of the Reverend Servant of the Lord Mr. Thomas Walley being perused is allowed as consenting to the healing Word of our Lord Jesus Christ and the doctrine which is according to godliness and worthy to be improved by all sorts in New-England as a soveraign Remedy of divers Maladies Whereupon is justly added Imprimatur Charles Chauncy Thomas Shepard Balm in Gilead TO HEAL SIONS WOUNDS OR A Treatise wherein there is a clear Discovery of the most Prevailing Sicknesses of New-England both in the Civill and Ecclesiasticall State As also sutable Remedies for the Cure of them Collected out of that Spirituall Directory The Word of God Delivered in a SERMON Preached before the Generall Court of the Colony of NEW-PLIMOVTH on the first day of June 1669. being the DAY of ELECTION THERE By Thomas Walley Pastor of the Church of Christ at Barnstable in New-England Jer. 14. 18. Hast thou utterly rejected Judah hath thy soul loathed Zion Why hast thou smitten us and there is no healing for us we looked for peace and there is no good and for the time of healing and bâ—hold trouble Hosea 14 1. O Israel return unto the Lord thy God for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity Jer. 6. 8. Be thou instructed O Jerusalem lest my soul depart from thee lest I make thee desolate a land not inhabited Jer. 3. 22. Return ye backsliding children and I will heal your backslidings Behold we come unto thee for thou art the Lord our God CAMBRIDGE Printed by S. G. and M. J. 1670. To the Honoured THOMAS PRINCE Esq Governour of New Plimouth Colony in New-England AND The Worshipfull his Assistants Honoured Patriots VVHen you were pleased to Call me to Preach this publick Sermon I must confess by reason of my insufficiency for such a work and a crowd of business that then I was in I could not rejoyce in it but I looked upon the Call as a Call from God and therefore submitted to it knowing that God doth often use weak and worthless Instruments that the glory might be his and not ours and was the further encouraged because I have found you like Hezekiah speaking comfortably to those that teach the good knowledge of the Lord. The Printing of this Sermon was far from my thoughts both in Studying and Preaching of it I dare not say the matter is useless but must confess the dress to be too uncomely and will never be liked if it come to the eyes of those that are either curious or captious I conceive the reason why you ordered the Printing of it was Because you judged it a seasonable Word and therefore thought it would be profitable and indeed the timing of things to their proper season is one of the highest acts of practicall Wisdome I did the more readily consent to the Printing of it that I might not have the least Censure from those that from my self and all Gods people deserve so much honour Though in this Sermon my weakness is exposed to publick view yet if God may have honour and any Soul profit and I may be accounted obedient to you that are our Rulers I am satisfied I do account it a great mercy that we have such Rulers that we may more safely publish Truth then conceal it if we conceal it we fall into the hands of God but if we publish it we are nâ—t in danger of falling into the hands of men The design of this Sermon is the Vniting of the People of God for the Wounds of some Churches bleed if not fester Worthy Senators I may boldly publish for the honour of God and your honour That such hath been your labour of love in the Churches that you seem to take more delight in the Vnity of the Churches then in being Magistrates This Sermon was once in your Ears it 's now in your Eyes I desire the Lord may keep it in your Hearts it may be it is providentially Printed for that end As for my self I know all are not Bezaleels or Aholiabs and that he that is but a poor Labourer and brings Stone and Morter to the Building is accepted of God My hearty desire is That you our Honoured Governour and Magistrates may be called The Repairers of breaches The Restorers of paths to dwell in The Joy of many Generations which is the earnest Prayer of him that is your daily Remembrancer at the Throne of Grace and who is Your most humble Servant and less then the least of all Saints Thomas Walley Balm in Gilead to heal Sions Wounds JEREM. 8. 22. Is there no Balm in Gilead is there no Physician there Why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered IN this Chapter you may see what an evil and bitter thing Sin is it will not be that at last which it is at first though it be Honey at first it will be Gall at last it will be bitterness in the latter end It makes persons unhappy both alive and dead when living it turns them out of their Houses and when dead out of their Graves as in ver 1. of this Chapter What woful work hath Sin made in the world what incurable wounds hath it given to Kingdomes Countries Churches and Families the most destroying Judgements Fancine Pestilence War Captivity are the bitter fruits of Sin it layes a People under Spiritual Judgements provokes God to depart and opens a door to all woe and misery In this Chapter you finde God threatning the Prophet lamenting the dreadful evils that were coming upon Judah and Jerusalem and when he would comfort himself his heart fainted When I would comfort my self against sorrow my heart is faint in me ver 18. the reason was he saw that the people were resolved to go on in their sin that God was resolved to go on in the way of his Judgements ver 6. compared with ver 13. The Prophet wonders is even astonished that a people that have so great Mercies should be in danger of so great Miseries They had a good God and a good King ver 19. Is not the Lord in Zion is not her King in her God was not as yet departed It 's probable Josiah at present was their King not as yet removed by death it may be supposed that this part of the Prophesie relates to the time of his Reign for he prophesied from the thirteenth year of his Reign to the time of the Captivity Jer. 1. 2 3. This people will not part with their graven Images and strange vanities therefore God will depart from them and be a stranger
Hence it comes to pass that a people perish or continue sick because they do not finde out the reason of their sickness for the sin of Achan things went ill with the Army of Israel Josh 7. and it was hid from Joshua and the people till God revealed it In Davids time the Famine continued long and the reason was not known till God discovered it to be for the sin of Saul in slaying the Gibeonites 2 Sam. 21. As secret sin in the heart causes decays of grace so here Many times God in afflicting hath an aim at a particular sin and it 's hard to find out what the sin is Reas 2. Because sometimes the Disease is old and deeply rooted grown Malignant and Pestilential when a people are hardned and rooted in their evils they grow incureable Jer. 13. 23. Can the Aethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his spots then may ye also do good that are accustomed to do evil Custom in sin hinders the cure of it it makes sin seem less then formerly it did it sears the Conscience makes persons secure Reas 3. Because of the opinion of the Patient Sometimes a sick people think they are well and have no need of any Physicians they are not sensible of their sickness hence Physicians are of no value with them and it is not Gods way to bless the best Means to those that flight them If a people conâ—emn Magistracy and Ministry though they are Gods Ordinances yet God is provoked to withhold his blessings from them so that they cannot prevent the ruine and destruction of a proud wilful and stubborn people that endeavour to exalt themselves above the Lord and his Appointments Reas 4. Because when Means are used to cure the Disease that is most visible some other Disease appears that is more dangerous and proves an Impediment to the Cure so that the sickness increases and becomes mortal When God would have healed Israel the iniquity of Ephraim appeared Hos 7. 1. Some think it refers to the time of Jehu's Reign who was anointed in Gilead the City of Chirurgions and was the Chirurgion of those Times but when he was busie in the work of the Lord destroying Baal and his Worships then the iniquity of the ten Tribes appeared which are called Ephraim and the wickedness of Samaria which was the Head of Ephraim But what wickedness and what iniquity did they discover Surely it was their love to the sin of Jeroboam their love to the Calves so that the work of Reformation was at a stand and Israel was not healed Many persons never discover the wickedness of their hearts till God gives them the Means of healing When God brings Means home to them their wounds and sores begin to smart and they are enraged more then ever and it may be such sins break forth as they themselves never thought were in their hearts Reas 5. Because those that are sick hearken to Mountebanks rather then to experienced and tryed Physicians The Jews in their sick estate had the false Prophets in high esteem but persecuted the true and this became the ruine of their Church and State they looked upon the Lords Prophets as the cause of all their troubles and hearkened to those that poisoned them in stead of healing them this was the temper of the people in Jeremiahs time Reas 6. Because sometimes God is so provoked that he will bless no Means to a people because of a peoples contempt of those Means God hath afforded them therefore all Means are without effect for their good that Word that was wont to be mighty and poweâ—ful becomes a dead word doth not quicken it becomes the savour of death to death 2 Cor. 2. 15. Reas 7. Sometimes those that are sick are not healed Because the Physicians themselves cannot agree about the Means for Cure one saith This is the Disease another That and one faith This must be the Cure another That Some think the Dâ—sease not dangerous some think the way to cure it is to let the sick Patient do what he will and have what he will this is either gross ignorance or designed wickedness others think that the Disease can be cured by no other Means but violent Means for some are cruel Physicians Disagreement amongst those that should be Healers is a great hindrance of the health of the daughter of Sion VSE 1. This Doctrine discovers to us That we have cause to fear that our condition is but sad this day for our case looks like the case of this people that the Prophet speaks of We have Gileads Balm and Gileads Physicians and yet we are a sick people we have the Means of healing amongst us that Means that is proper and sutable and yet we continue a wounded and weak people What Means can a people have more for Cure then we have God is yet in our Sion we have healing Ordinances the Preaching of the Gospel the Seals of the Covenant of Grace Magistrates that would heal the Sicknesses of Sion and Ministers that mourn for the hurt of the daughter of Sion Surely this day New-England is sick the Country is a sickly Country the Country is full of healthful Bodies but sick Souls I shall name two or three of the Diseases that reign amongst us and do most mischief 1. The Lethargy a cold sleepy Disease there seems to be an insensibleness of sin and danger Faith is dead and Love is cold and Zeal is gone the wise and the foolish Virgins seem to be all asleep in a deep sleep of Security The power of godliness decayes the Trumpet sounds the Alarm is given yet the most sleep on O ye Christians that are not quite asleep do not you perceive that the love of the most of the Professors of Religion is grown cold to Christ to Truth to Ordinances to one another and that which renders our case the more sad is that neither the Word of God nor the Rod of God awakens us though we see that Satan is busie yet we are idle indeed when Saints do least good the Devil doth most hurt while they sleep he is awake It is to be feared that we shall be awakened in some dreadfull way by some sudden and expected Tempest of divine Wrath. A Laodicean frame of spirit is hateful to God Rev. 3. 15 16. 2. There is a Burning Feaver amongst us a Fire of Contention in Towns in Churches Fuell is laid upon this Fire daily What Town or what Church is there that is free from this Disease the work of Contention is followed as though it were the work of our day as though we had nothing else to do Many through the pride of their hearts are very unquiet and cannot be content in the places God hath set them in but strive for Mastery Dominion and Rule forgetting that counsel of the Apostle My brethren be not many Masters Jam. 3. 1. This comes from Pride and Self-love Proud Nature is discontented with the condition that God
there among us we see that a great part of the young generation are profane and spend the best of their time in Satans service and know not the God of their fathers 2. Another thing that speaks sadly to us is That under all the means of grace there is so little Spiritual growth amongst those that are born to Jesus Christ Barrenness makes way for cursing and rejection 3. The Noise that is in the House of God a confused Noise This is that which God could never endure in his House it exceedingly stirs up his wrath When the Temple was to be built there was not to be the noise of a Hammer 1 Kings 6. 7. It is a dangerous thing to cause God to live unquietly in his own House to make him weary of his own dwelling-place God was never weary of the noise of his peoples Prayers in his House but of the noise of their Contentions the noise of their Prayers is pleasant but the noise of these Contentions his soul abhors VSE 2. Let this be matter of Admiration as well as of Humiliation to us that a sick people that have all Means to heal them are not healed that those who have Gileads Balm and Gileads Physicians are yet sick and if we do not wonder at it strangers will hereafter That a people that have such proper sutable Means are still unrecovered and dying under them I speak not to flatter We have a godly Magistracy that have made it manifest that they are willing yea earnestly desirous of healing the Sicknesses of Church and State We have godly Ministers that I am confident would spend and be spent for the Recovery of the health of the daughter of Sion We have holy Ordinances and we have some Mourning and Praying Saints that lament the Evils that are among us and Gods Providences call upon us daily to get our sicknesses healed and is it not a wonder that a people that have such Means and Mercies should still languish of their Diseases Oh! that that which is said of Nineveh might never be said of us There is no healing of thy bruises thy wound is grievous Nahum 3. 19. It would be sad if God should threaten us as he doth Egypt Jer. 46. 11. In vain shalt thou use many medicines for thou shalt not be cured Or if God should say as once concerning Babylon Jer. 51. 9. We would have healed Babylon but she is not healed forsake her and let us go every one into his own Country It was no wonder that these Heathen Nations could not be healed but it is matter of astonishment that Sion is not that New-England should have so much Means of Healing and yet continue sick that a people that are lifted up to Heaven with Mercies should be so likely to be thrown down to Hell VSE 3. Let it serve to perswade Gileads Physicians to put forth their utmost endeavours for the healing of the wounds and sicknesses of the daughter of Sion I would direct this Use to our Honoured Magistrates to my Reverend Brethren in the Ministry and to all Mourning and Praying Saints First To you who are our Honoured Magistrates who are by the Providence of God Patres Patriae The Fathers of our Country I hope it will not be called Presumption if I should give my humble Advice for the healing of Sions Sickness and leave it at your feet God hath called you to be Healers to a poor sick Country That word in Scripture that is rendred to govern is divers times rendred to heal so Isa 30. 26. and in Isa 3. 6 7. the Rulers are called Healers the Prophet tells us that when the people by their sin have brought all things into Confusion and their ruine almost present then they shall be desirous of healing Rulers A man shall take hold of his brother and shall say Be thou our Ruler and let this Ruine be under thy hand but ver 7. In that day shall he swear saying I will not be an Healer the meaning is a Ruler A Disease sometimes is so desperate no Physician will undertake its cure the Patient so froward and unruly that none will meddle with him this may at last be the condition of a froward people The Lord keep us from that woful day That I would humbly offer is this 1. That you do your utmost for the Extirpation of Profaneness it is a growing Evil in the Country This is one of the great Works God hath called you that are Magistrates and Deputies unto I know your hearts are upon this Work if there be not enough done already to prevent Profaneness I beseech you do more and see that your Laws be put in Execution and especially let it be your care That the Lords Sabbaths may be sanctified Give your Civil Sanction to that holy Command of God Those that would dispute away the Sanctification of the Christian Sabbath do but dispute away the Power of Godliness it is Christs Institution the Observation of it hath the influence of a peculiar Blessing In the Primitive Times the Observation of it was a Badge of Christianity This was a common Question propounded to those that would joyn with the Assemblies of the Saints Servasti Dominicum The Answer was Christianus sum intermittere non possum If this Day be slighted Practical Religion will quickly be lost and a door will be opened for Gods severest Judgements Slighting of the Lords Sabbaths and a decay of the power of Godliness usually go together The Profane in Practice and the Erroneous in Judgement are the great Enemies of Sanctifying Sabbaths Let us remember The Observation of it hath the Promise of God The Fire of Gods Wrath is not like to come where his Sabbaths are observed 2. Let it be your Endeavour to settle the Preaching of the Gospel in all places within your Jurisdiction by those that are in some measure sitted you will finde such places where the Preaching of the Gospel is long wanting will prove the Nurseries of Profaneness such places will breed up Enemies to God and Jesus Christ I doubt not but some think it their Priviledge and Liberty to live without a Gospel-Ministry such persons are either grosly Ignorant or grosly Erroneous Your Endeavours to set up Lights in such dark places will be pleasing to God it will be an honour to God and an honour to you if you see that Christ be Preached in every corner of the Colony It is by Christ that Kings reign and that Rulers rule Prov. 8. 15 16. You are Christ's Officers though not in the Church and are to labour his Exaltation and your work is to labour that all may be brought in subjection to him 3. Let all Incendiaries be branded all such as are stirrers up of Strife and Division that are Salamanders that love to live in the Fire that are Fire-brands in Church and Common-wealth that are Instruments of Contention in Court and Country let such be marked in the Churches and let them be abhorred
by all that love God Rom. 16. 17. they are Instruments of great evil Let their Corruptions be kept under by good Laws and their Manners healed It 's a bitter Imprecation the Apostle hath Gal. 5. 12. I would they were cut off that trouble you There is a Story that the Swevians had a Law That in a fray where Swords were drawn if a Woman or a Childe did but cry Peace though they were a great way off they must end the quarrel or else he died that strook the next Blow after Peace was named But alas where Contentions are the noise is so great that those that cry Peace are not heard nay those that speak of Peace are accounted Enemies Some are of such unquiet spirits they make the places where they live uncomfortable 4. Let it be your great care That the great Truths of God the Faith once committed to the Saints may be preserved Buy the Truth and sell it not Prov. 23. 23. Truth is the most precious Jewel that God hath trusted his people with Satan hath been labouring to rob us of this our greatest Jewel through the Apostacy of some Errour hath been spread and Truth is clouded in the eyes of too many The preservation of Truth requires much Wisdome Zeal Tenderness and Moderation There is a necessity of Wisdome in the management of this great work for you will finde that persons that are in Errour are of divers sorts 1. Some have weak understandings and yet have sincere hearts tender Consciences and unwillingly differ from the generality of the godly Pity and for bearance is due to such 2. There are others that shew much wilfulness pride and frowardness nothing of Conscience have a Frenzy a Madness These ought to be kept from hurting others 3. There is a difference to be put between lesser and greater Errours for there are Fundamentalia in Fide which are called Magnalia Dei and there are Minutila Zeal must be wisely ordered according to the nature of Truths It would argue Hypocrisie to be substantial in Circumstantial Truths and circumstantial in the Substantials of Faith and Repentance Paul's counsel to Titus was in matters of Consequence to affirm constantly Tit. 3. 8. but to avoid needless questions ver 9. Those Truths that more especially concern Gods glory and mans salvation should be especially prized preserved Labour to keep the great truths of God in credit It would not consist with love to God and Jesus Christ to tolerate that which would blaspheme the Name of God or damn the Souls of men Neither would it consist with our profession of love to Christ or Saints to trouble those that peaceably differ from the generality of Gods people in lesser things Those that are like to live in Heaven with us at last we should endeavour they might live peaceably with us here Those that differ in lesser things and 〈…〉 â—â—â—ringe the just Liberties of others why should they not have 〈◊〉 A well-bounded Toleration were very desireable in all Christian Common-wealths that there may be no just occasion for any to complâ—in of Cruelty or Persecution but it must be such a Toleration that God may not be publickly blasphemed nor Idolatry practised Neither ought any Errour to be tolerated that hath a tendency in its own nature to Profaneness or the disturbing of Peace and Order in Church or State You are to labour to do all things so that you may keep God and Christ with you Though it be the duty of Magistrates to see that the great Truths of God be not vilified nor trampled in the dirt yet this I judge I may confidently affiâ—m That Truth never gâ—t ground by a violent opposition of smaller Errours Yet it is the duty of the people of God to contend for the least of Truths and it should be their endeavour in the Spirit of love and meekness to convince persons of their lesser Errours and those that do differ ought to be of a teachable spirit and to keep a holy fear of departing from the common faith though in the least things for when persons easily let go lesser Truths they quickly fall into great Errours Secondly I have a word to my Reverend Brethren in the Ministry and this I would press upon my self and you 1. Let us all be quickly and deeply sensible of the wounds of Sion of breaches in the Walls of Jerusalem else we cannot pray aright for its healing and repairing let not us be secure while Sion is sâ—ck Let it be our care to kill the Cockatrice in the Egge to make an end of Differences as soon as they begin if breaches be not repaired they gâ—ow great quickly if a house be on fire if the fire be not quenched quickly afterward it will be too late to attempt it Let not the beginnings of Divisions be contemptible a weak Enemy being slighted becomes potent A wound when it is green may be quickly healed but if it be let fester and gangrene at last it is past cure The spirits of persons are not much imbittered at first whereas afterwards they become irreconcileable As you are Watchmen so watch the times and seasons to perserve and recover Peace in the places God hath set you in 2. Labour to see Eye to Eye be of one minde and heart this will help to make up the glory of the best times Isa 52. 8. Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice with the voice together shall they sing for they shall see eye to eye they shall be of the same judgement and speak the same thing We that are Leaders of the people must take heed we do not cause them to erre Let it be our care to subject our judgements to the Word of God and take heed that we our selves never become Sect-masters and therefore we had need beware lest Pride lead us into Errour and Singularity It should be the great work of Ministers to keep themselves humble to tread in the steps of our dear Lord who is our Pattern 3. Labour to reconcile Differences by strong Arguments with meekness of Spirit put an end to Divisions if Self-denial will do it become all thing to all men Let it be your great aim to unite men to Christ and one unto another And for that end Deny your selves for Christ's sake bear as farre as you can without sin with the weakness and frowardness of those that are sick 4. Let not the Kids of the Flock be forgotten they are Members with us of the same Body let them have your love and care pray much for them labour to teach them the good wayes of the Lord the Trade-way to Heaven and the more hopeless you are of those that are grown to years by reason of their Stubbornness the greater let your care be of those that are but in their tender years Catechizing would be of great use in every Congregation and where there is but one Officer in a Church and no more can be had it will be necessary