An Expedient for Peace Or some Christian and Reasonable PROPOSALS Once more Renewed and Offered again to Friends of READING Conducing to an Amicable Composure of Differences among them WITH A healing Epistle to them from Friends of BRISTOL on both sides tenderly advising them to meet all together again in their Ancient Publick Meeting House AS ALSO A seasonable Expostulation and a persuasive to a Reconciliation with some remarkable Testimonies added to promote the same and several Objections against it Answered which may Tend to a General Service Mat. 5.9 Blessed are the Peace-makers Luke 6.38 Forgive and ye shal be forgiven Philip. 4.5 Let your moderation be known to all Men. Thess 5.13 Be at peace amongst your selves Rom. 14.13 Let us not therefore judg one another any more Ecclesiasticus 27.21 As for a Wound it may be bound up and after Reviling there may be Reconciliation Charity said one of the Ancients is the whole perfection of a good Man Reading Sixth Month 1692. London Printed in the Year 1693. An Introduction by way of Preface to the Ensuing Papers FOR the use of all the truly Moderate and Impartial Friends or professors of the Truth these following Papers are chiefly designed and it is hoped that by such they will be both seriously perused and gladly received being in the same Vniversal Love and good will towards all in which they were first Written are they now published for a more general good even for the stirring up the Minds of all to be found in that which is more or indeed the most excellent way and that is Fervent Charity which the Apostle Peter exhorted the Primitive believers above before or over all things to have amongst themselves Pet. 4.8 for saith he Charity shall cover the multitude of Sins I. It was also by the Apostle Paul preferred as being that in it self which is both most valuable and most permanent before and above all knowledge Prophecies Tongues and other spiritual Gifts for these shall vanish away but that never faileth And saith he though I speak with the Tongue of Men and Angels 1 Cor. 13.18 c. and have not Charity I am become as sounding brass or a tinkling Cimbal And though I bestow all my Goods to feed the Poor and give my Body to be burned and have not that one necessary thing Charity it profiteth me nothing for it suffereth long is kind it envieth not vaunteth not it self is not puffed up nor easily provoked and concluding that Chapter Now saith he abideth Faith Hope and Charity but the greatest of these is Charity so that indeed as one well observed that maketh a Man absolute and perfect in all other Virtues for where it is there is also Patience Meekness Kindness Gentleness Constancy Humility Faith Hope Perseverance c. For it Beareth Believeth Hopeth and Endureth all things II. Now all those who are endued with this Divine never failing Virtue and Live in it can easily forgive one another and are far from being irreconcileable or like those the Apostle spoke of that were unmerciful Rom. 1.31 implacable and without Natural Affection such are very heard-hearted and revengeful and who do let the Sun go down on their wrath And truly if this Charity were but as Predominant amongst all sorts of Religious Societies as possibly a forward and furious Zeal is too prevalent O how comfortably and sweetly might they all live one with another and enjoy the benefit of each other both upon a spiritual and temporal account III. But alas there is such a Peevish Churlish Narrow Morose Sullen Strait and sower Spirit has got such a place into too many that unless People be just of this or the other Opinion or Profession they will not only be ready to look upon them as no Christians or at least not so good as themselves but also not worthy to be Conversed with in a Neighbourly and Civil Manner no otherwise than either meer Natural Relation or some private self-end necessarily leads thereunto IV. And O what sad tearing and ruinating Work What lamentable Mischief and Havock What Confusions and distracted doings hath this uncharitable and unchristian-like Temper produced in this and other Nations as in some places more than in others many tender-hearted People have seen to their great sorrow All which might have been prevented had all kept to that Meek Peaceable Patient Condescending and Forgiving Frame of Spirit in which there would have been a Tender Charitable-bearing with and watching over one another for Good and not for Evil and not with an evil Eye seeking advantage against each other or improving it to the very utmost too And there would also have been a provoking one another not to Wrath Neb. 10.24 Anger Revenge c. But to Love and good Works and a laying aside all Malice all Guile and all Hypocrisies and Evil-speakings and nothing done through Strife or Vain-glory but in lowliness of mind each would have esteemed better of 1 Pet. 2.1 1 Tim. 5.21 and preferred others before themselves and doing nothing by Partiality as is express'd in another place And before it be as it should and ought to be all must come to this even to bear and to forbear forgive and forget all injuries offences and provocations in which as the Ancient Philosophers summed up the substance of all their Morality so there is no true Christianity without it let any profess or pretend to what they please V. And truly very observable it is That of all the Commands in the New Testament there is not one so frequently repeated so earnestly recommended and so pathetically exhorted to by our Lord Jesus and his Apostles as that one is viz. Love one another which is at least fourteen or fifteen times in the very same words expressed and indeed next to that intire loving of God with all our hearts c. it is the chief and most principal part of Religion for our Great Master himself Determined it that it was by loving and not by Hating Striving Envying Quarrelling Abusing Insulting over Reflecting upon or Smiting one another by which even by Love we were and all are to be known to all Men to be really his Disciples and so it is indeed as obvious to all on the other hand that who ever they be that are in Pride in Enmity Hatred Prejudice Envy Revenge c. one against another they are not his follower Concerning which much more might be enlarged but I Omit it at present designing brevity VI. Only this further Reader pray beware of being Tinctur'd with that Evil Implacable and Vncharitable Spirit whatever may be the provocations given thee c. which neither can forgive nor desires to be forgiven Also have a care of being influenced by that old sour Pharisaical Leaven of Prejudice or Malice which too many simple good natur'd honest harmless well-meaning Persons have been insensibly and unawares by Conversing with others of a strait uncharitable temper drawn into the
and Uncharitableness if Wrath and Envy if Animosities and Contentions were but the marks of true Christians Diogenes need never light his Lamp at Noon to find out such among us but if a Spirit of Meekness Gentleness and Condescension if a stooping to the weaknesses and infirmities of one another if pursuit after Peace when it flies from us be the Indispensible Duties and Characteristical Notes of Christians it may possibly be a difficult Inquest to find out such for the crouds of those that shelter themselves under that Glorious Name V. Tertullian that Famour and Learned Apologist published his Apology or Defence of the Christians against the accusations of the Gentiles in the 10th Year of the Empire of Severus in the Year of our Lord 204. Among many other excellent sayings therein take these few It is equally forbidden us to wish to do evil Chap. 36. or to speak evil of our Neighbours c. and in Chap. 39. But it is a strange thing that this Charity among us gives occasion to some to blame us See saith he how they Love one another This astonisheth them because they hate one another See say they how they are ready to Die one for another But as for them they are ready to Kill one another It must not seem strange to you if we call one another Brethren seeing we are all your Brethren by the right of Nature which is Mother to us all we have the same Principles as you but you Renounce the Humanity common to to us because you are evil Brethren to us But with how much more reason are they called and esteemed Brethren who acknowledge one and the same Father to wit the living God that have received the same Spirit of Sanctity c. But alas it was not long when they degenerated from both that Purity and Charity that appeared among them for the 1st 2d or 300. Years and gave occasion to Heathens both to see and say how they Hated Tear'd Devour'd and did Bite and Persecute one another how they Killed and Destroyed one another and how they imposed upon and insulted over each other according as they had the Civil Powers on their sides and being unhappily once broken into pieces and divided into separate Parties and distinct Societies then each side did strive to suppress others and maintain their own Interests right or wrong as might be largely Instanced from the Ecclesiastical Histories of Eusebius Socrates c. And alas has it been much better of late Years amongst Professors of Christianity And how happy would it be for Christendom it were not so still even in our days VI. In the aforesaid History of Eusebius l. 8. Chap. 1. is declared both the happiness of the Primitive Christians while they kept in Love and Unity together as also what miserable condition they were brought to by their mutual hatred c. thus expressed These thigns having thus prevailed says he and daily increased viz. Favour and Reverence they had amongst all sorts of Men far and near so that no Malice could intercept no spiteful Fiend bewitch c. as long as the Divine and heavenly hand of God upheld and visited his People whom as yet he worthily accepted But after that our affairs through too much Liberty Ease and Security degenerated from the natural rule of piety and after that one pursued another with open Contumely and Hatred and when that we impugned our selves by no other than our selves This was in Ano. Dom. 1301. some time before the 10th great Persecution raised by Dioclesian with the Armour of Spight and sharp Spears Opprobrious words so that Bishops against Bishops and People against People raised Sedition Last of all when that cursed Hypocrisy and Dissimulation had swum over even to the brim of malice the heavy hand of Gods high Judgment after his wonted manner began softly a little and little to visit us so that the Persecution that was raised against us took his first original from the Brethren which were under Banner in Camp whereas we were touched with no sense or feeling thereof neither went about to pacifie God we heaped Sin upon Sin thinking like careless Epicures that God neither cared neither would visit our sins And they which seemed our Shepherds laying aside the rule of Piety practised Contention and Schism among themselves whilst they heaped these things that is Contention Threatnings mutual hatred and enmity and every one proceeded in Ambition much like Tiranny it self Then I say Then the Lord according to the saying of Jeremiah Lam. 2. made the Daughter of Sion obscure and overthrew from above the glory of Israel c. VII But O Friends how contrary and directly opposite are such Fractions Divisions Contentions Discords c. amongst those who declared themselves to be Children of one Father and followers of the same Lord Jesus to that solemn and most fervent prayer in John 17. which our blessed Master offered up to his Father in the Days of his External blessed appearance in that Holy Body of Flesh and which he poured out but a little before his Death With what fervency of Spirit doth he pray for Unity among his Disciples and all his People that should believe on him It s remarkable that no less than four times doth he repeat the same Supplication and every time rises higher and higher and more and more earnest for it First that they might be one Secondly that they may be one in us Thirdly that they may be one even as we are one And Lastly that they may be made perfect in one and that the World may know that thou hast sent me c. And how much and how often he recommends and commands loving one another none can be ignorant who have read any of the Books of Matthew Mark Luke and John called the four Evangelists VIII It was well observed by one that our Saviour has made the Doctrins of Meekness and Charity such ingredients in his Gospel that he has made them the Characters by which his Disciples may be every where known and this Spirit of love is so diffused through the writings of the New Testament that how hard soever it may be to understand some of the other passages that are in them yet there is no Ambiguity at all in those that set this forth There are some of the Epistles that do not mention several of the Duties incumbent on Christians yet there is not one how short soever in which this of love is not proposed in Terms that are both strong and tender And while the Church of Corinth was almost rent asunder by variety of Opinions and by the different parties that followed several Teachers that had been among them The Apostle does not enter much into the grounds of their Disputes but recommends Love and Charity to them The Apostle John lived so long as to see a great deal of the first fervour of the Christian Religion slacken but when he wrote to revive that
in lowliness of mind therein keep but by departing therefrom as too many have done in all Ages and as in this of ours some do hath caused much trouble and exercises to the Lords People and hath been one of the chiefest occasions of the Divisions Contentions Strifes and Animosities amongst them such ought to be Cautioned and Advised and also Warned of the great Hurt and Prejudice they do in many respects both to themselves and others and if they continue stiff and obstinate and instead of receiving the tender Council and Admonition from any Friend or Friends concerned in the Love of God to give the same they rather grow higher minded and more into self Exaltation Conceitedness and spiritual Pride they are then to be zealously detected and testified against But still we say all this should be done in the Spirit of Love and Meekness and with true Christian Prudence and Discretion and nothing given away to harbour in the least any Personal Prejudice or Enmity on the one hand which is to be as carefully watched against as Partiality or Hypocrisie two great Evils and too ready on the other hand to creep in II. That so upon the Reforming growing better and mending what has been amiss in any upon any account there may be both a friendly and kind receiving and embracing one another again into true Love Friendship and Vnity and also in that sweet Christian and Charitable frame of spirit forgive what 's past and never upbraid or remember it any more against them It is said in Eccles 28.2 3. Forgive thy Neighbour the hurt that he hath done unto thee so shall thy Sins be forgiven when thou prayest One Man beareth hatred against another and doth he seek pardon from the Lord he sheweth no mercy to a Man that is like himself and doth he ask forgiveness of his own Sins III. See Charrons Book of Wisdom chap. 34. page 104. There is nothing as Charron well observes so honourable as to know how to Pardon To give Grace to Remit and Forgive belongeth to a Soveraign Prince if thou wilt be a King of Kings themselves do an act that may become a King Pardon freely be Gratious towards him that offendeth thee But indeed if God were not more merciful and favourable of greater Compassion and Pity towards us than we are often towards one another alas who then could be saved For have we not all greatly grieved and provoked him much more than any can provoke or grieve us Is it not very unbecoming for us to be Quarrelling and be Implacable one towards another when he is both willing and ready to be Reconciled to and at Peace with us after such innumerable Transgressions against him which we all have been found guilty of Come Friends seeing then he is so ready to forgive us upon a sincere Repentance all our former provocations Let us therefore also forgive one another be Reconciled unto and at Peace one with another IV. As also we desire it may be observed that we plead for no other Vnity Peace Concord or Reconciliation with any but that which we believe to be consistent with and agreeable to the Truth even that which the Holy Apostles exhorted all to endeavour after and to be found in which is the Vnity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace And that is both much more comprehensive and of greater weight than many either understand or would have it to be This blessed Vnity c. which stands in Righteousness we really desire forever to Prize and do value above and beyond all other Vnities or Vniformities whatsoever in which we are and hope ever to be in true Vnity in the Ground withall the Faithful Sincere and Vpright hearted People of God every where V. And we know that the True Spiritual Invisible Fellowship and Communion of Saints which consisteth in the Divine Light or Spirit of Christ Jesus is not Confined to any External Visible Form c. For as J. Hales of Eaton See his Golden Remains Pag. 49 50. a Worthy and Learned Man well observes that it is the Vnity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace and not the Identity or oneness of Conceit which the Holy Ghost requires of at the Hands of Christians c. Concerning which much more might be said but let this suffice for the present having enlarged already far beyond what was first intended The Reader is also desired to observe that what is expressed in the aforesaid concerning Heats Animosities Prejudices c. one against another only Relates to those amongst Friends and such places where the Vnhappy and sad Difference hath fallen out as in this and some other parts VI. So shall Conclude all as in the Beginning of the Preface 1 Cor. 16.14 and 14.1 with the Apostles advice Let all your things be done with Charity and follow after it Concerning which one of the Antients spake very excellently For unprofitably saith he hath he all who wants that one viz. Charity whereby he should use all and how great is Love for if that be wanting all other Graces lose their Grace but if present all are profitable VII And as we find the Holy Apostles did neither affect nor seek of Men Glory neither says Paul to the believing Thessalonians of you 1 Thes 2.5 6. nor yet of others neither at any time used we flattering words So likewise he tells them but we were Gentle amongst you even as a Nurse Cherisheth her Children And according to this their Practice they exhorted others as in Titus 3.2 To speak evil of no Man to be no Brawlers but gentle shewing all meekness unto all Men. And in 2 Tim. 24. It is said Observe this well the Servant of the Lord must not strive but be gentle unto all Men apt to teach Patient in Meekness instructing those that opposed themselves c. nor must be self willing nor soon angry c. These Divine Blessed Qualifications ought all that profess to be Ministers and followers of Christ Jesus to be Endowed with who should also walk worthy of the Vocation unto which they are called with all humbleness of mind and meekness and with Long-suffering and Patience c. Forbearing or as some read it Supporting one another through or in Love THE END The CONTENTS of the Book I. THE Introduction by way of Preface page 1. II. The Copy of a Letter and a Paper Containing some Christian and Reasonable Proposals for an accommodation of Differences page 8. III. A tender and healing Epistle from Friends of Bristol to Friends of Reading advising them to meet all together again page 13. A seasonable Expostulation to Peace and Reconciliation directed particularly to Friends of Reading page 15. Sect. I. Contains several weighty Motives shewing the great need and necessity of Reconcilation Ibid. Sect. II. A Collection of divers remarkable Testimonies suitable to the Subject treated on page 31. Sect. III. Some Objections fairly Stated with their Answers as also divers weighty Considerations proposed page 46. Sect. IV. Some Friendly Councel and tender Advice to Professors of Truth with one or two more substantial Testimonies page 63. The Conclusion page 69. A Postscript Containing an Advertisement with something further relating to the said Expostulation c. page 71.
Soul for these things that ever it should have so happened among us and a Holy firm Resolution through Divine Assistance never to be found therein again having sufficiently learned by this time through a serious review and impartial Observation of preceeding passages to be more wise and careful more circumspect watchful and moderate for time to come so as to endeavour to amend what has been amiss in every one of our own particulars hoping hereby that our most merciful tender hearted Father will be graciously pleased freely to remit what is past which hath offended him and favourably Countenance us when assembled together again with the Glory and sweet Sense of his Blessed presence than which nothing is more excellent or desirable III. And that as we know right well he hath been and is ready upon a true returning to him with the whole Heart to pardon and blot out many transgressions committed against his Divine Majesty so we truly desire to be of the same Mind as our Blessed Head was of Colos 3.13 14. to overcome all evil with good heartily forgiving each other their Trespasses against us as we pray to be forgiven our selves putting on every one of us as the Elect of God holy and beloved Bowels of Mercies Kindness Humbleness of Mind Meekness longsuffering forbearing and forgiving one another as the Apostle said even to the Christian Colossians if any Man have a quarrel or complaint against any even as Christ forgave you so also do you And above all things put on Charity the most excellent of all gifts which is the Bond of perfectness And let the Love of God rule in your Hearts to which also you are called in one body c. IV. And whatever imprudent miscarriages Weakness Frailties Infirmities and unfriendly behaviours have been observed one towards another either in our uncharitable apprehensions unadvised sayings or actionâ— and whatever unsavory Reflections Provocations and Aggravations have been given by any when formerly together or since asunder we sincerely and heartily desire in order to a Cordial uniting and amicable Meeting altogether again in the ancient publick Meeting-House That all these things aforesaid and whatever else has caused this unhappy Separation may be forever buried in the Grave of Everlasting Oblivion according to the tender Councel and Christian Practice of our Friends of Bristol and never to be remembred any more or any to be upbraided therewith publickly or privately for time to come V. Whereby it may be hoped that in time all these former or present Distances Prejudices Animosities Shiness and Straitness with all kind of Antipathy Harshness or Enmity and the very ground or root from whence they have sprung may come to an end and be totally Extirpated and in the room thereof that Brotherly Love that Christian Friendship and Condescention that sweet Society lasting Amity and Sympathy in the antient Life and Love of Truth may revive again and that Heavenly Concord and Harmony that desirable agreement and unity of Spirit and oneness of Heart Soul and Mind in the Blessed Seed may over all take place appear and prevail amongst us that the Bond of Peace may forever be kept inviolable and nothing ever able to break it again and so Truth and Righteousness Mercy and Peace may flow as a mighty River in and amongst us to our great mutual Joy and rejoycing of the Hearts of all the faithful and to the wiping away that reproach which hath been cast upon our Holy undefiled Religion VI. That it may be seen that there is a God in Israel and that there is a restorer of paths and a healer of breaches amongst us even he who is the great Reconciler of differences by whose reconciling Peace-making Word of Life when Enemies to God and strangers one to another we were brought near to him and into a Spiritual Relation whose Infinite Divine Power which thus so graciously visited us doubtless is as able we must all acknowledg as ever to Reconcile and unite us again and make us as near and dear one to another as ever yea and more than ever before and that it yet may be known to all wâ— still retain that infallible Christian Token and most certain Demonstrative Character of being the Disciples of Jesus through that tender unfeigned love which he hath begotten in our Hearts and declares it self in bearing one with another praying for and forgiving each other VII And that as there is now such an Universal Calm and toleration in the Nations as to outward Disturbations so we all may partake of the benefit thereof together and that this Town may no longer be the only differing place from all others but that for time to come we may meet all together in the Antient tender Love of God meekly and quietly we all endeavouring that all occasions of publick differences as much as in us lies may be avoided on all Hands for time to come and that as we would not that the truly Conscientious on the one Hand should be opposed or obstructed from doing those things that they believe are their Christian duty so one the other Hand the tenderly scrupulous should not be Imposed on or Compelled to act beyond their own understandings or Convictions or conform to any thing they are not clear nor free in their own Minds so to do in Matters purely Conscientious And thus an equal liberty is allowed to both and which all Christians ought to grant one to another For as one well said none but God alone hath power to impose a Law upon the Conscience of any Man to which it ought to be subject as obliging by it self This Conclusion is proved by the words of the Apostle There is but one Lawgiver who can both save and destroy There is nothing said another in the Primitive Church deserves greater Imitation than in that admirable Temper Moderation Action and Condescention which was used in it towards all the Members of it And to separate Goodness and Mercy from God Compassion and Charity from Religion is to make the two best things in the World God and Religion good for nothing c. VIII What is aforesaid proposed is judged very proper and necessary expedients in order to a Friendly agreement and Composure of differences amongst the Friends of Reading even by a mutual acknowledgment one to another and forgiving each other and some body must begin this good work God Almighty grant that this honest sincere undertaking in proposing these things in the Universal Love of God in true and tender good-will to all may be Prosperous and Successful and have its desired effects That over all and in and by us all he may be livingly Worshipped Served and Reverenced according to his own appointed Way and in the Divine Order of his own Ordaining Blessed and Magnified be his Holy Name for ever and ever 25th of the 8th Month 1687. Hereunto is also Annexed the Copy of a very tender healing Epistle from some of the most
Comprehensive There are not only two or three but a whole complex or system of evil works always attends Strife Envy c. wherever the same is given place to amongst any sort of People and we find that some were ready even to glory in their bitter Envyings and strife which they had in their Hearts one against another James 3.14 15. and not only so but to lie against the Truth And in their Zeal and Wisdom concluded the same to be consistent therewith But this Wisdom saith he descended not from above but is Earthly Sensual and Develish and who is a wise Man endured with knowledg among you How shall such a one be known by this let him shew out of a good Conversation his works with Meekness of Wisdom even from that which is from above and that is first pure then peaceable gentle and easy to be entreated full of Mercy and good Fruits and observe and without partiality and without Hypocrisie Here we may all see who is truly the wise Man and both the Earthly and the Heavenly Wisdom with the proper effects each produceth and if we judg the Cause by the effects it s easily seen which of the two is predominant XXI And in the next Chapter of the same Epistle he begins with a Querie from whence comes Wars and Fightings amongst you what even them whom he calls Brethren come they not hence This is his Answer even of your Lusts that War in your Members Is it not from Ambition Covetousness a greedy desire after preheminence who shall be greatest and highest and carry the biggest sway and is not that one of the chief causes of most of all Quarrels Brolls Contentions and Animosities Therefore it s said in the 5 11 12 Verses Do ye think that the Scripture saith in vain the spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy speak not evil one of another Brethren he that speaketh evil of his Brother and judgeth his Brother speaketh evil of the Law and judgeth the Law and there is one Lawgiver who is able to save and destroy Who art thou that judgest another or as Paul has it in Rom. 14.4 another Man's Servant to his own Master he standeth or falleth yea he shall be holden up however harshly or uncharitably he may be censured and judged for God is able to make him stand let us not therefore judge one another any more XXII We are as much cautioned and prohibited not to walk in strife and envying as in Rioting and Drunkenness c. the former being as well counted the Works of Darkenness as the latter in Rom. 13.13 And the Apostle we also find reckons amongst the rest of the Works of the Flesh Envyings Hatred Variance Wrath and Strife and though these be different names yet may be all summed up in one great Evil expressed by the word Enmity or Prejudice and these four are so linked together that one of them cannot be without the rest as where Envying is there is Hatred c. there is no other particular Work of the Flesh so expressed with so many words to aggravate the same as this of Envy or Strife and when we are exhorted to follow Peace with all Men at the same time in the next verse it 's added looking diligently lest any Root of bitterness springing up trouble you It s observable how much or mostly indeed the Apostle places the Fruit of the Spirit in these Heavenly and Excellent Virtues which are most directly opposite to the aforementioned Works of the Flesh as Love Joy Peace Long suffering Gentleness Goodness Meekness Temperance these are all he mentions except Faith as the Fruit of the Spirit and though they also be expressed by divers Characters yet as they proceed from one Spirit so they all tend to one and the same thing and which the word Charity may comprehend them all XXIII We find that very early even Christ's own Disciples began to strive together by the way and it was about Who should be greatest too as in Luke 9.46 And it was from their Carnal reasoning that this Ambition proceeded upon which Jesus took a Child and set him by him by which they might learn how Innocent and Humble and Little they ought to be And in Mat. 20.23 It s said they were moved viz. ten of the Disciples against their Brethren But Jesus called them unto him and said ye know that the Princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them and they that are great exercise authority upon them but it shall not be so among you and O that it had never been so upon no account amongst any who have professed to be his Disciples c. But whosoever will be great amongst you let him be your Minister and whosoever will be chief among you let him be your Servant even as the Son of Man came not to be Minisered unto but to Minister and to give his Life a Ransom for many XXIV And all such who are found guilty of the pride of Life of Envy Hatred c. and are of a bitter sower Spirit and do not repent of it will as undoubtedly be excluded and shut out of the Kingdom of God as those who live and dye in other gross extravagancies Job 5.2 for Wrath killeth the foolish Man and Envy slayeth the silly one and as Christ told them plainly in his time who its like conceited themselves to be great Saints as with respect to those upon whom the Tower of Siloe fell Luke 13.4 Think ye saith he that they were sinners above all the Men that dwell in Jerusalem I tell ye nay but except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish And this same he told others over again in the foregoing verse let us all therefore beware of Envying or as the Apostle James saith Grudge not one against another Brethren lest ye be condemned behold the Judg standeth before the Door XXV And let us neither be of such a hot uncharitable temper to call for Fire Luke 9.54 or to command it if we could as Elias did to come down no not though from Heaven it self to prejudice or hurt any which far better Men than we are or are now in being were not allowed to do yea though they had power to work Miracles yet no liberty granted them to dedestroy or consume any by them No not even those who would not receive Christ himself and for their but very desiring such a thing in their warm Zeal we see he rebuked them and with a pretty smart kind of reprehension said to them ye know not what manner of Spirit ye are of for the Son of Man is not come to destroy Mens Lives but to save them Now though its true this is as good and as strong an Argument as can be used against Persecution yet it is not improper altogether here to be alledged also against a Furious Fierce Passionate Violent and indiscreet Zeal Unchristian and Unwarrantable Imposition of Matters of Faith which
immediately added also blessed are they that are Persecuted c. XXXII But we hope better things of many of them than to do so by such as appear in healing and re-pairing Breaches among us and that it would be far more becoming us who profess that glorious peaceable Gospel of our Lord Jesus which as it tends to bring Glory to God on high so does it no less Conduce to peace on Earth tho not to the Earthly part in any and to good will towards all Men and would be more Christian and Prudent like in us in that Meek Gentle Charitable and Submissive Condescending Mind to say one to another Come Friends let us now lay aside all our Animosities Heats and Fouds let us compare the Importance and Weight of those things in which we agree with that in which we differ and see which ought to ballance us most let us now be reconciled and made Friends together again let us lay aside all Prejudice and Pertinacy wait together in lowliness of heart and feel that ancient spring of Love and divine Life to Unite and Cement us into that blessed Fellowship Unity and Concord and in the same let us begin afresh again and what is past be remembred no more than if it never had been let us forget those things that are behind and let us press towards that great and glorious Prize we all have had in our view Has not alas the Controversie and Differences been too too long kept on foot and keept up between us both to our shame and sorrow It s now more than high time for us all to leave off contendings and strivings together and quietly submit in the Love of God one to another and lay aside on both hands all things tending to Controversies Differences and all manner of Prejudices opprobious Reflections undecent Recriminations and odious Comparisons XXXIII O let us not dispute the matter in the anger and heat of our Spirits any more but if we will strive let it be then who shall exceed most in Temperance Patience Love and Forbearance who most Charitable and Moderate and who shall most follow after those things which make for Peace and Concord and things wherewith one may edifie one another let us not any more undervalue both our selves and also which is more the very common Interest of Truth and of our Holy Religion Let us therefore be of a tractable or treatable Temper and Comply and Condescend without any more ado without Reasoning this or Consulting other things whereby Self in all would save it's own Reputation with reasonable Expedients and Christian Proposals let us freely and fully and from our Hearts forgive one another c. as the Apostle said to the Philippians Phil. 2.1 2 3. If there be therefore any Consolation in Christ if any Comfort if any Fellowship of the Spirit if any Bowels and Mercies fulfil ye my Joy that ye be like-minded having the same love being of one accord and of one mind Let nothing be done trough strife or vain-glory any more but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves look not every man on his own things but every man also on the things of others Let this mind be in you which is for a Publick and Universal good which was also in Christ Jesus SECT II. Contains a Collection of divers remarkable Testimonies suitable to the Subject treated on MAny other Convincing Motives and pacifick Arguments upon divers accounts might be used and urged to perswade you to the aforesaid Noble Resolution but it would be too tedious to insert them here However to promote and encourage the same consider further these following Testimonies in the first place and afterwards some pressing Considerations to excite all towards Peace c. I. Eusebius de vita Const 67. Constantine saith to the Bishops you are not ignorant the Philosophers all of them do agree in the profession of the same Discipline but do oftentimes differ in some part of the Opinions that they Dogmatize but tho' they do dissent about the Discipline that each †Obs As The mistus in his Oration to Valens saith there were at least 300 amongst the Gentile Philosophers c. several Sect observeth they nevertheless Reconcile themselves again for the sake of that Common Profession to which they have concurred II. J. Hooper in his Ecclesiastical Polity saith The Time will come when three words with Charity and Meekness shall receive a far more blessed Reward than 3000 Volumes written with disdainful sharpness or he might have added twice 3000 Sermons framed from Mens inventions and delivered with the greatest Eloquence or Acuteness of Wit A late Ingenuous Author says I trust in the Almighty God that Contentions with us are now at the highest float and that the day will come for what cause is there of despair when the Passions of former Enmity being allayed Men shall with ten tiems redoubled tokens of unfeigned reconciled Love shew themselves each to other the same which Joseph and the Brethren of Joseph were at the time of their enterview in Egypt III. There was a long feud between Themistocles and Aristides But being both imployed in the service of their Country Aristides bespake Themistocles thus If we be wise its high time we should now leave off this vain Envy Spite we have a long time born each other And that we should enter into another sort of Envy more honourable and profitable I mean which of us two shall do his best endeavour to save Greece To which Themistocles made this answer I am sorry Aristides that herein your Honesty appeareth greater than mine but seeing it is that you have deserved the Honour in beginning and procuring such a Commendable Strife between us I will henceforth endeavour to exceed you in continuing this your desire Oh! that Saints says the Author upon this would learn Heathens to lay aside their particular differences to mind publick advantage Shall Heathens be better at self-denial than Christians Causinus tells us of one Raymundus Lullius who was so ravished with Love that being asked any thing he would answer nothing but Love Where dwellest thou With Love To whom belongest thou to Love From whence comest thou From Love Whether goest thou To Love c. IV. It was well observed by a Learned and Judicious Person That the Unity and Peace that was then viz. in the early and indeed the best Times of Christianity amonst Christians made Religion amiable in the judgment of Impartial Heathens Christians were then known by the Benignity and Sweetness of their disposition by the Candor and Ingenuity of their Spirits by their mutual Love Forbearance and Condescention one to another These were indeed blessed Marks but either this is not the practice of Christianity viz. a Duty the Christians are now bound to observe or else it is not Calculated for our Meridian where the Spirits of men are of too high an Elevation for it for if Pride
Spirit the Argument upon which he chiefly dwells is to perswade all to love one another and he does that in the softest and most melting language that can be IX The Controversie concerning the Obligation that lay on the Gentiles for obeying the Mosaical Law was judged by the Apostles against the Judaizers and the inferences that depended on that Controversie were such that the Apostle Paul says they went so far as to make void the Death of Christ yet the same Apostle is Gentle to those that without seeing the extent of those Consequences were carried away by those Judaizers so that he acknowledges that in their observing them from a good motive they were acceptable to God and that as the Kingdom of God or the Gospel consisted not in scrupulous distinctions of Meats and Drinks but in Righteousness Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost so he adds that every Man was to endeavour to be fully perswaded in his own Mind and was not to Judg his Brother in such Matters but to leave him to the Judgment of God X. Anthony the Great as Jerem witnesseth when he used Exhortations to the People to stir them up to Godliness and Vertue See Drexelius his considerations upon Eternity Chap. 3.174 was wont to wish them always to keep in Mind and often meditate upon that Saying of the Apostle Sol non occidat super Iracundiam vestram let not the Sun go down upon your wrath and this Prohibition he did not restrain to wrath only but made it general let not the Sun go down upon your Wrath Hatred Malice Envy Lust or any other Sin lest it depart from you as a Witness against you Now Friends if all those whoever they be that are Implacable and of an Irreconcilable and Untreatable Temper and who through that too powerful Influence that Prejudice Enmity and Revenge which has so deeply prevailed upon their Spirits are wholly averse to a Reconciliation or Peace one with another and not only so but can very securely and unconcernedly which indeed is strange but that such seem to be hardned in their Enmity spend Days and Nights one after another nay and Months and Years to live at such an Unnatural Unneighbourly Unfriendly and Unchristian like Distance Strangeness and Antipathy and in Discord and variance did they I say but once seriously consider with themselves and had that due weighty sense of Launching into Eternity in such a sad deplorable State as aforesaid and how suddenly that Morning Evening or Hour may come least of all thought thought of by too many as of all things we know Death is most uncertain both as to the time and manner thereof wherein such may be summoned by that undeniable Messenger to remove for ever from off the Stage of this World had they a right ponderous Sense of this upon their Spirits O how could they give Sleep to their Eyes or slumber to their Eyelids or take their natural rest securely or comfortably for one Night or one hour till they found the universal tender love of God and that Good will spring up in their Souls and that Charitable Disposition raised up in them towards all even those whom they may account as their greatest Enemies in which they could heartily desire and as freely and fully forgive them all their Trespasses or Offences as they themselves would be forgiven of God XI In which tender Christian frame of Spirit they could not be at all satisfied in their Minds nor think all ever well with them nor indeed can it ever be well with any let them pretend or say what they will and make this or the other thing as the reason of their excuse and it may be pleaded that the quarrel is on Gods or Truths account tho' in the bottom if it were well searched into there is a great deal of personal prejudice grudge dislike c. secretly entertained till they had made their Peace and were reconciled to all with whom they be at varience and at a distance let it be upon what account it will or at least ways had done what lies in their power and to the utmost laboured and used all possible endeavours and reasonable means on their part for attaining the same And wherein any has done amiss in acting contrary to Truth we are to leave them to answer to God for it whom they have chiefly offended having in a Christian frame of Spirit cleared our consciences and in true tenderness discharged that incumbent Duty towards them in order to their recovery and however we are not in the least to approve of the evil in any nor even in our selves nor stand by them or countenance them therein yet we must beware of Hatred Enmity or Prejudice to the Persons which is a hard lesson for many to learn who do not know what it is to forgive or if they do know yet do not practise it For by forgiving is meant as one well observes the not avenging of injuries or contumelies not suffering their Trespasses against Men Nay nor sins against God to cool or lessen my Charity and Mercy to them but loving and compassionating and shewing all effects of true Christian mercy such especially as may do them most good as well to Enemies and sinners as to Friends This alas has been and is still too too much wanting among many Professors of Christianity XII And I pray God that all were of the same good Charitable Considerate Mind as is reported of one John Patriarch of Alexandria to be of who had a certain Controversie with one Nicetas a Chief Man of that City And it being such a very remarkable and imitable Passage and worthy of deep Consideration it deserves to be Transcribed tho' something large and added to the foregoing Testimonies it is thus The matter was to be tryed at Law John was for the Poor Nicetas for his Mony the Reader may easily judge whose Cause was best but for Peace sake there was a Private Meeting and Hearing appointed to see if they could come to some Composition and Agreement they Met they fell to Words they were hot at it a great deal of Choler and Stomach was shewn on both parts neither would yield a jot nor depart an inch from his Right a great Conflict there was between them many hours spent to little purpose they were further off from agreement at length than before for neither would yield to Conditions Propounded by either Well it grew late they departed more offended and displeased one with another than before as indeed is too usual the effects of such Meetings of Controverting Matters c. and so left the Suit pendent Nicetas thought it hard to part with his Mony and the Patriarch seemed to be in the right and to stand out in the Cause of God and the Poor XIII Note this well But yet when Nicetas was gone the good old Bishop weighed the matter better with himself and condemned himself for his Pertinacy how few will do