their master And the King prepared great provisions for them and when they had eaten and drunk he sent them away And also we Gentiles who at that time were without Christ being aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel Eph. 2.12 and strangers from the Covenants of promise having no hope and without God in the world Yet then even then the Church of the Jews pitied us and did remember us at the throne of grace saying We have a little sister Cant. 8.8 9. and she hath no breasts what shal we do for our sister in the day when she shal be spoken for If she be a wall we wil build upon her a palace of silver and if she be a door we wil enclose her with boards of Cedar And in the new Testament we have the example of Iesus Christ and his servant Steven pittying and praying for their enemies Our Lord Iesus Christ being persecuted in his own person and in his members pitty them often and most tenderly saying Mat. 23.37 O Jerusalem Jerusalem thou that killest the Prophets and stonest them which were sent unto thee how often would I have gathered thy children together even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings and ye would not And when they were come unto Calvary there they crucified him Lu. 23.33.34 Then said Jesus Father forgive them for they know not what they do And when those that were esteemed the learned men of those times Acts. 6.9.10 c. disputing with Steven were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake They suborned men and stirred up the people and the Elders and the Scribes and came upon him and caught him and brought him to the Counsel and set up false witnesses which accusing him of blasphemy said this man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place and the Law For we have heâ—â—d him say that this Jesus of Nazareth shal destroy this place and shal change the customs which Moses delivered us And then Steven answered and spake unto them not with the enticing words of mans wisdom but in demonstration of the spirit and of power Acts 7.59.60 Yet they stoned Steven calling upon God and saying Lord Jesus receive my spirit and he kneeled down and cryed with a loud voice Lord lay not this sin to their charge So that here we see Steven though not in degree yet in truth is perfect in love even as our Lord Jesus Christ and our father in heaven is perfect So that although he is stoned to death and by the Testimony of false witnesses yet he pittieth them and prayeth for them that God may do them good in the highest degree even by pardoning this even this their great sin and thus in his life and death he is made conformable to our Lord Iesus Christ And when Steven had thus prayed he fell asleep his spirit reposed in rest and peace And our Lord Iesus Christ and blessed Steven obtained their requests For Saul who consented unto the death of Steven at whese seet they that stoned him layd down their Cloaths though now a persecuter is after this by our Lord Iesus Christ called unto grace and made Paul a faithful Apostle even a preacher of the Gospel of our blessed Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ And many of them that crucified our Lord Iesus Christ even about 3000 were added unto the Church at one Sermon O therefore let us live in love even towards our enemies praying for pittying and doing good to them that hate us and dispitefully use us By this we shal bring glory to God and have peace in our selves here with rest and sweet repose to our spirits at our death and declare our selves to be the children of our heavenly father by being perfect in love and not only so but in truth and acceptance also we are perfect even as our Father which is in heaven is perfact Neighbour O blessed truth I heartily desire the father and our Lord Iesus Christ by the spirit of grace to form me and all his into this blessed frame of love I pray you shew me how we may become instrumental to reclaim and reduce our enemies from the Error of their evil way Friend As God shal enable me by the word of truth and his spirit of truth forming me into the truth I shal dedare it unto you and in this respect let us be careful in our Conversations to follow Righteousness faith charity peace 2 Tim. 2.20 with all that call on the Lord out of a pure heart Look how others have been instrumental in following Righteousness faith charity and peace praying and calling upon the Lord for their enemies out of a pure heart and be you the like in calling upon God for your enemies and as you have the practise of our blessed Saviour and of his servant Steven So be sure that you pray without wrath for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God Jam. 1.20 And in this you wil shew forth your righteousness faith charity and peace towards your enemies in the sight of God when you call upon the Lord for them out of a pure heart But be sure to follow this manner of calling upon the Lord for them * Tim. 2.8 Every where lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting Secondly In order to our enemies themselves when they shew much hatred and cruelty against us take heed that we shew much love patience and kindness unto them when they curse let us bless follow the Commandment pursue it obey it in the Lord for this is right Thus let us follow righteousness and peace towards our enemies and in nothing be provoked either by their unrighteous words or deeds but exercise faith in beleeving that God who out of the riches of his free-grace when thou wast an enemy and ungodly did then call thee out of thy natural and sinful condition unto the grace wherein thou standest the same God may call him also unto the same grace together with thee Again in the exercise of thy charity and peace towards thine enemy be exceeding tender unto him or her in the day of distress this may work high thoughts in them of Gods goodness who hath kindled some sparks of his goodness in thee and discovered it by thy conversation unto them If thine enemy hunger give him meat if he thirst Prov. 25.21 Rom. 12.20 21 give him drink this wil extract goodness out of him towards thee and by this means thou heapest coals of fire upon his head not to consume him but to save and to refine him from that dross that is in him even as the refiner tries the gold from the dross by heaping coals of fire upon the head of it in the refiners vessel go thou and do good in like manner but be sure thou be drawn forth in thy spirit with much love to thine enemy in shewing him what great things God hath
THE RIGHT WAY TO PEACE shewing the Art of Over-coming one another by LOVE In a Dialogue between a Friend and his Neighbour Humbly presented to the Right Honourable THE LORDS and COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT AND To the whole Nation by their old and faithfull Servant in the Publick THEODORE JENNINGS London Printed for Giles Calvert 1647 THE Right way to Peace shewing The Art of overcomming one another by Love In a Dialogue between a Friend and his Neighbour Friend WELL overtaken neighbour whither away Neighbour I am going to beare Gods Word preached by a very â—â—lous and powerfull Preacher Friend I pray you shew me wherein his zeale and powerfull preaching consisteth Neigh. He deales very sharply against those that dissent from him telling us that such blasphemous Hereticks will corrupt as who are ignorant and saith that like an ill weed they have over-run all the Land but especially the Army Friend Is this all his zeale and powerfull preaching and wherein doth he say those Hereticks do blaspheme Neigh. No he is learned jealous and powerfull in elegant expressions shewing how Christ died for us upon the Crosse and hath justified us from our sins and that if we will beleeve we shall be saved and accepted by his Mediation and Intercession for us unto God the Father Wherein he sheweth us how the blasphemous Hereticks say moreover that they are led by the spirit and that all men that shall be saved must have the Spirit of God and an inward principle of new â—ight and they say they are carried out no further to do or act any thing to God in Jesus Christ then from what they Receive into them by the Spirit and say they have the mind of Christ and do therby know and understand the things of God which otheâ—â—â—â—ithâ—â— do 〈…〉 know and he 〈…〉 were but zealous and faithfull to God and their owne 〈◊〉 they would suppresse these blasphemous Hereticks Friend There are many now adayes that can story out the Gospell with very elegant expressions to catch the ignorant with the â—nticing words of mans wisdom yet these do persecute Gods faithfull one with 〈◊〉 of spirit stirring up others to joyne with them and are not affraid to bring râ—â—ling accusations against them which the Arch-angell 〈◊〉 not do against the Devill Jude 6. and by this manner of teaching they rob God of his honour and the Gospell of its power And unto such the Apostle Paul saith My speech and my preaching was not with the enticing or perswâ—sible 〈…〉 but in demonstration of the spirit and power 〈◊〉 your faith should not stand in the Wisdom of men 〈◊〉 the power of God And therefore Neighbour I pity you for your ignorance in calling his bitternesse zeale and his elegant expression powerfull preaching and I pray such as he is for 〈…〉 subtilty and cruelty in persecuting the Saints and leave 〈◊〉 to God the righteous Judge of all 〈…〉 will 〈…〉 or rebuke them Neigh. I thank you for your plain 〈…〉 me because of my ignorance I would 〈…〉 the truth I pray you 〈◊〉 me the error of 〈◊〉 Friend The 〈◊〉 is in giving Gods 〈…〉 and not Gospell names as Believers 〈…〉 and Brethren all names shewing forth Gods 〈…〉 in Jesus Christ and their 〈◊〉 towards one another 〈…〉 A second 〈◊〉 is 〈…〉 they are led by the spirit and that all men that shall be saved must have the Spirit of God and an inward principle of new light Whereas the Apostle Paul Rom. 8.14 saith As many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the sons of God And vers 9 If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his Again All Gods people must have an inward principle of new light 2 Cor. 5.17 If any man be in Christ he is a new creature old things are past away behold all things are become new And if all things are become new Gods people must have an inward principle of new light Know therefore that what we receive from the first Adam by generation is old and old things are past away Only what we enjoy in the second Adam by â—â—generation is become new So that there is no truth 〈◊〉 from Gods Word then this that all Gods people are to have an inward principle of new light New in Christ If 〈…〉 Christ he is a new creature And not become new in some things but in all things Behold all things are become new behold it with admiration and pry into it believingly Thou art wholly become new thy light is become 〈…〉 all that is in thee is new Thou art born again John 3.36 1 Pet. 2.2 Ephes 4.23 2 Sam. 16.23 Thou art born of the Spirit Thou art new born Thou art renewed in the spirit of thy mind And if not That light which is in thee is 〈◊〉 and then how great accomplishments soever thou 〈◊〉 of humane learning and wisdom though thou speakest as an 〈◊〉 yet with Aâ—â—itophel thou art but miserable And then as our Saviour saith Mat 6.23 c. If therefore that light that is in thee be darknesse how great is that darknesse A third errour is in his taxing such of Heresie as say they are no 〈◊〉 out to believe or act any thing to God in Christ Jesus then from what they receive into them by the Spirit and that they have the mind of Christ and do thereby know and understand the things of God which others neither do nor 〈◊〉 know Whereas this truth also hath appeared in the 〈◊〉 in all ages and is asserted by the Apostâ—e Paul where he saith We leaving the same spirit of faith 2 Cor. 4.13 according as it is 〈◊〉 I 〈◊〉 believed and therefore I have spoken we also believe and therefore speak Rom. 8.15 and again 〈…〉 received the Spirit of adoption whereby we cry 〈◊〉 Father It is the 〈◊〉 priviledg of the Apostle and all the Saints with him weâ—â—ven we are no further carried out to beleeve or act any 〈◊〉 to God in Christ Jesus then from what we receive into 〈…〉 the Spirit 1 Cor. 6.19 20 Again he saith What know ye not that your body is the Temple of the holy Ghost in you which ye 〈◊〉 of God and ye are not your own For ye are bought with 〈◊〉 therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirit which are God Again They that are joyned unto the Lord are one Spirit and therefore they have the mind of Christ and do 〈◊〉 know and understand the thiings of God which 〈◊〉 wether do nor can know this most blessed 〈…〉 truth wil clearly appear in the Saints Union with 〈…〉 He that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit and he 〈◊〉 Spirit hath the same mind and therefore hath 〈◊〉 Christâ—t is an impression of the same Spirit that maltâ—â—â—â—â—â—â—â—ness in the Spirit of the Beleever with Jesus Christ 〈…〉 what the Lambs mind is in giving glory to God the 〈◊〉 and hath been the mind of
done for thee breaking and breathing forth unto him in high expressions of Gods love in Jesus Christ towards wretched sinners Do as the Lord did with the woman of Samaria at the Wel and draw Waters of Salvation out of that Wel to quench thine enemies thirst after sin And as thou dost feed him when he is an hungry and give him drink when he is a thirst so cloth him with the like affection when he is naked and thus supply thine enemy in every distress according to the kind of it this may work much good in thine enemy for it is Gods way thus to refine his heart from its corruption if thine enemy be in prison go unto him if he be sick visit him but stil what ever it be thou dost unto him or for him or her be sure to carry the tender bowels of Christ Jesus with thee in thine heart and stil drop out the sweetness of wisdom and love unto him or her in the free love of God and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ unto sinners it is possible that God may discover himself unto them by the work of his Spirit in them and so what thou hast done shal be laid up with the Lord Jesus Christ and imputed unto thee as it had been done unto himself although thou knowest it not Neigh. Many now adayes oppose the wayes of God with foolish and unlearned questions which savour nothing of Gods spirit at all but do only gender strife what are we to do in this case Friend We are to consider we are Gods servants and are to act only according to his Commands which in this case is That the servant of the Lord must not strive but be gentle unto all men apt to teach patient 2 ' Tim. 2.24 c. In meeknesse instructing those that oppose themselves if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devill who are taken captive by him at his will Neigh. There are many that oppose that sweet and spirituall conversation and affirme that they only are in the truth and onght zealously to contend and to hate such as oppose them with a perfect hatred and they make it their work to sow sedition amongst brethren and make contention amongst the loving Saints they themselves professing godlinesse What are we to do in this case Friend We are still to have recourse unto the holy Scriptures 2. Tim. 3.15 which are sufficient to make us wise to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus And if any man lack wisdom let him ask it of God who gives liberally to al men and upbraideth not and it shall be given him But in no case decline Gods counsel but heare and do And to this purpose the Scripture saith Jam. 3.13 13 c. Who is a wise man and enduod with knowledge amongst you let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meeknesse of wisdome But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts glory not and lye not against the truth This wisdom descendeth not from above but is earthly sensuall naturall anddevillish For where envying and strife is there is confusion tumult unquictnesse and every evill work But the wisdom which descendeth from above a first pure then peaceable gentle and easie to be entreated full of mercy and good fruits without partiality or wrangling and without hypocrisie And the fruit of righteousnesse is sown in peace of them that make peace Rom 12.18 We are to follow the rule and that is If it be possible as much as lyeth in you live peaceably with all men Sow the fruit of righteousnesse in peace while others sow the fruit of unrighteousnesse in raising sedition and contention Be meek and wise towards them that oppose and contend but give them no advantage in any thing Be wise as Serpenes yet innocent as Doves Thus Paul took the Corinthians in a wile while he transfers their errour who were misled by the inticing words of mans wisdom not unto their unfaithfull teachers but in a figure unto himself and Apollos 1 Cor. 4.6 that the Corinthians might lean in them not to think of men above what is written and that no one of them be puffed up for one against another And thus the Apostle takes down the spirit of envying and strife and the divisions that were among them that they might learn not to exalt one for his humane eloquence nor despise another because he taught them plainly but in demonstration of the spirit and of power Secondly sow Peace among these envious and contentious ones by making them to understand that thou hast so much charity as to beleeve they are Christians though as yet but babes in Christ and such as are not spirituall but very carnall in comparison of grown and strong Christians and that they are to be fed with milk and not with meat And the Apostle gives the reason saying I have fed you with milk and not with meat for hither to ye were not able 1 Cor. 3.2 3. neither yet are ye able For ye are yet carnall for while there is envying and strife and divisions or factions are ye not carnall and walk as men Let us therefore receive them as brethren and babes in Christ while they are yet men in corruption and have not overcome that wicked one as those young men and strong and Fathers that are experienced in the exercise of faith and love have done who do not live after the flesh as these babes do in strife and debate but after the spirit and our Lord Jesus in all wisdom meeknesse love and forbearance towards them because their sins are forgiven them condescending unto their weaknesses and infirmities as much as may be but let us by no means despise them although they do judge us Rom. 14.3 4. Neigh. You know that many in their rash zeale have been as earnestly bent against this army as Saul was to root out the Gibe onites from among Israel I pray you shew me what God hath done by for and in this army Friend From the beginning God hath appeared much by for and in this Army in carying them on in his own way when they were first modelized the godlinesse of their Officers and Commanders many of them and the inexperience of the common soldier was derided of many that were esteemed Some body in the first army who threw up their Commissions and with the rude multitude sentenced all both Parliament and Armie to be in a lost condition But who art thou that despisest the day of small things for not by might nor by power but by his owne strength and wisdom hath God done all O therefore give him the whole glory in all those great things which at first he did in this Army in making them as holy and faithfull as ever were any who by faith subdued Kingdomes Heb. 11. and wrought righteousnesse
so such doing all things in singleness of heart as unto Christ and not with eye service as men-pleasers but as the servants of Christ doing the will of God from the heart Righteous and just men are obedient unto all lawful and just commands in their several relations and places among men even as all the creatures do readily obey the word of the Lord. It was the Centurions argument unto our Lord Jesus to command and his servant should be healed and he gives an instance not only from his own duty but also from his own command and their integrity that were under his authority saying I am a man under authority Mat 8 8 9. having soldiers under me and I say to this man go and he goeth and to mother come and he cometh and to my servant do this and he doth it And therefore he much more beleeveth that our Lord Jesus Christ by his soveraign authority over all the creatures having all power in himself might but give the word of command and he should be obeyed and therefore he saith do but speak the word only and my servant shal be healed and it was so accordingly unto him so then those even all those who are faithful and upright wil obey the word of Command in their several relations wherein God hath placed them both in respect of their duty towards God himself and also towards all men And thus we see that he that walketh uprightly walketh surely such decline neither to the right hand nor to the left but he that perverteth his way shal be known God wil discover him sooner or later if he walketh in hypocrisie but if he fall into open prophaness he discovereth himself and bearing thorns and briers is rejected Heb. 6.8 and is high unto cursing whose end is to be burned Even as the good tree that bringeth forth good fruit doth inherit the blessing his uprightness doth bring forth righteousness also thus righteousness exalteth a Nation that is that Nation or Kingdom that is governed uprightly in righteousness justice and judgment it is exalted and thus the Judges who judged Israel righteously being set up immediatly by God exalted that nation all their days And so did David and Jehoshaphat and all the good Kings of Israel Jehoshaphat set Judges in the Land and said to the Judges 2 Chro. 14.5 6 7. Take heed what ye do for ye judg not far man but for the Lord who is with you in the judgment Wherefore now let the fear of the Lord be upon you take beed and do it for there is no iniquity with the Lord our God nor respect of persons nor taking of gifts And they exalted Israel all their days yea righteousnes exalteth each person and their family we see it in Noah Abraham Isaac Jacob Joseph Levi Rahab Ruth Mordecay and Hester So that as all unders and governors even so every one of Gods people among us are to shew forth righteousness in their several Relations Callingâ—â— this is the way not only to exaltation but also to have the denomination of righteousness and so it is written He that doth righteousness is righteous 1 Joh. 3.7 This is the way to exale this nation and to settle a wel-grounded peace and to makeall things go wel with us in this and the other Kingdoms â— as it is said unto Shallum the son of Josia Shall thou reigâ—◠〈◊〉 thou closest thy self in Cedar Jer. 22.15 16. Did not thy father 〈◊〉 and drink and do judgment and justice and them 〈◊〉 wel with him He judged the cause of the poor and needy them it was wel with him was not this to know me saith the Lord Yea what doth the Lord require of that Mich. 6.8 but to do justly to love mercy and to walk hambly with thy God Again all those that work righteousness are the Seminaries of peace the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace yea our blessed Savior saith Blessed are the peace makers for they shal be called the children of God Mat. 5.8 That peace that floweth from righteousness is a sure mark of our adoption and consequently of a most blessed 〈◊〉 and lasting peace unto that person or nation O then let us henger and thirst after righteousness and we shal not only be blessed but also filled with it then our righteousnes wil run down as a mighty stream unto all persons in all places and rehations withoutnespect of persont And the work of right â—â—â—sneâ—ss shal he peace and the effect of righteousness â—pâ—ietness and assurâ—â—de for ever â— Isa 32 17. Thus shal righteousness exalt our nation But sin is a shame to any people this is the best fruit of sin to be ashamed of it O therefore take heed that thou art not one of them that have a whoresforehead and refuse so to be ashamed all such shal become a shame and a reproach unto themselves and unto men and angels and before Jesus Christ sin is a shame unto all or to any people personal or national when he or they continued in sin it brought them very low by sin all nations joyntly have been over thrown and destroyed as in Noahs Flood Severally it overthrew Sodom and the Cities about it Personally not only Haman Achitophel Absalom Judas and King Herod but also Achan and his whole family O how often it overthrew and destroy'd Gods own people the nation of the Jews Sin overthrew that mighty monarchy of Babylon and all its glory yea it wil destroy all the world of wicked men and spiritual Babylon shal be quite overthrown by their sin and become a perpetual shame Wherefore come out from among them 2 Cor. 6.17 18 and he yâ— sâ—â—â—â—r ate saith the Lord and touch not the uncleâ—â— thâ—â—g 〈◊〉 is an unclean thing it befits not Gods children who are to be holy as their Father which is in heaven is holy all unrighteousness is sin especially the unrighteousness and cruel soul-murthering sin of that scapleâ— whore who doth also shed the blood of the Saints and is therefore most unclean O let us touch no unclean thing And I wil receive you and wil be a Father unto you and you shal be my sons and daughters saith the Lord Almighty 2 Cor. 7.1 Having therefore these promises dearly beloveil lâ—t us cleanse our selves from all filâ—â—â—â—ss of the flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fâ—â— of God Yea let every one of us in particular shew forth our uprightness in being examples of righteousness unto each other in our entire walking with the Lord in all his wayes in soul and body and spirit in our several places and relations And then our righteous God according as he hath testified unto us will exalt our nation and wil settle unto us a firm and wel-grounded peace Thus righteousness shal exalt our nation for he that walketh uprightly walketh surely Amen Imprimatur Gilb. Mabbot 14º Octobr. 1647. FINIS