An Exhortation to Repentance and Union among PROTESTANTS OR A DISCOURSE Upon The BURDEN of DUMAH Isaiah XXI 11 12. He calleth to me out of Seir Watchman what of the Night Watchman what of the Night The Watchman said the Morning cometh and also the Night if ye will Enquire Enquire ye Return Come Math. 12.25 Every Kingdom divided against it self is brought to desolation and every City or House divided against it self shall not stand Phil. 2. 1-4 If there be therefore any Consolation in Christ if any comfort of Love 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 of one mind Let nothing be done thro strife or vain glory but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves Look not every man at his own things but every man also at the things of others AMSTERDAM Printed for the Widow Swart near the Exchange Anno MDCLXXXVIII THE PREFACE THE Danger which threatens the Protestant Interest at this day is so visible to every Eye that 't were a needless Labour to prove it All the Symptoms that appear in the Reformed Churches seem to presage and signifie a dismal Crisis 'T is not possible I confess to make a certain Conclusion about the Event neither is it our Duty to attempt it But if the Cause of the Reformation from Popery be really so valuable and dear to us as we profess Every Protestant is obliged to afford his utmost Assistance for its preservation There are very many who think this is sufficiently secured by wise Laws and learned Disputations both which have their use but will never of themselves be sufficient to such an End. Inward Holiness and Purity are requisite to secure a Doctrine which bears those Characters If our Religion were of an Earthly Original and Constitution it might he defended well enough by Human strength and Policie and such methods as Rome Pagan and Antichristian have found Necessary for the support of their Hierarchy But a Doctrine which comes from Heaven and leads thither must have its chief support from thence and will be best maintain'd by a serious complyance with its Holy Design And therefore after all the Books of Controversie wherby the false Principles of Popery have been expos'd and baffled nothing but the Love of Truth and Obedience to it will be found an effectual Bulwark against the Corruptions and Designs of the Roman Church There is no wicked man but needs such an Opium as Popery to quiet his Conscience and reconcile a sensual ungodly Life with the Hopes of Heaven He hath already receiv'd many Errors for Truth and so is prepared to admit more He is destitute of that which should preserve him from Delusion He never had any Experience of the Efficacy and Certainty the Truth and Power of the Principles of Religion that should settle and establish him He hath not that Affection to divine Truth that should make him diligent in searching after it or that Purity of Heart which might enable him to receive the beams of Heavenly light 'T is only by the practical fear of God or the keeping of his Commandments that any can be assured to be taught of God. So that the most certain way to keep the Faith is to keep a good Conscience towards God and men On the other hand there is no such Preparation for Popery and other damnable Errors as a wicked Heart and Life When men receive not the Truth in the love of it God sends them strong Delusions to believe Lies If men are false and unfaithful to the Common Principles of Christianity if they resist the Light and rebel against it if they hold the Truth in unrighteousness and debauch their Consciences by a vicious practice they must needs disrelish and dislike Holy Truth and having forfeited the Assistance of God they are prepared for Sadducism Deism or Popery These Delusions do ordinarily enter at this back door Men are sensual not having the spirit and then the Doctrines of the Gospel are Foolishness to them This Consideration will both justifie the Providence of God in permitting so many to be thus deceiv'd and doth let us know what we are to expect concerning the Generality of Loose and Carnal Protestants how unlikely they are to hold fast their Profession if called to suffer much for it They are built upon the Sand and prepared for Delusion and no wonder if they are blown up and down by every wind of False Doctrine or tossed to and fro from one Religion to another as to their Profession when they have really none at all in the Practice This method the Romish Emissaries have taken in all the Courts and Kingdoms of Europe where they could have Admission After the same manner that the Devil leads men to Hell have they endeavor'd to bring men over to their Church viz. by gratifying the Lusts of men and promoting voluptuousness and sensuality that mens Vnderstandings being clouded they might not discern the Cheats and Impostures of their Vnscriptural Doctrines and Worship It is therefore the great Interest of all true Protestants who taking the H. Scriptures for the only Rule of their Faith desires and duty have the same objective Religion and are all of one Church to endeavor every one to live better and to promote serious Godliness among others especially if we are under any apprehensions and fears of the threatning Anger of God against us for the want of it An Union in this would make it easy for us to bear with one onother in Love notwithstanding all our lesser Differences This being recommended in the following Discourse when the substance of it was not long since preacht to the English Congregation here the Printing of it was judg'd might be of some use and to that end was desired by several For the sake of our Brethren in England I have enlarged the latter part as I did the former on another account I am sensible I have adventured the displeasing of many with the Hope that I may profit some however declaring my readiness and desire by further Light to be better inform'd and praying for the Peace of Jerusalem I recommend it to the Blessing of God. J. Shower Rotterdam Aug. 20 / 30. 1688. THE BURDEN OF DUMAH OR A Discourse upon those words of the Prophet Isaiah XXI 11 12. The Burden of Dumah He calleth to me out of Seir Watchman what of the night Watchman what of the night The Watchman said the morning cometh and also the night if ye will Enquire Enquire ye Return come THe great difference among Interpreters is whether by Dumah be meant the Country of the Ishmaelites or that of the Idumeans Gen 24.14 whether the Race of scoffing Ishmael or the Posterity of prophane Esau We read of one of Ishmael's Sons of that name and that part of Arabia where he seated himself was called Dumah on that account But the
those with whom we cannot in all particulars joyn corresponding with them in what we can praying for and with them Treating them as Brethren and subjects of the Kingdom of Christ pittying them in their Afflictions Sufferings Errors and Temptations relieving their wants as we are able having no aversation to their Persons not seeking their Hurt or rejoycing in it not judging or censuring them any otherwise than natural Reason and the Rule of Scripture will allow much less rejecting them from the Body of Christ by unchurching of ' em They who are thought to go farthest from the Church of England's Discipline while they all acknowledg the Doctrine of the 39 Articles however they may be accused have declared their Moderation as to their Brethren from whom they differ in as full and charitable Expressions as can well be desired * Mr. Phil. Nye hath wrotea book to prove the lawfulness of hearing the Preachers in Parish Churches and before him Ames against Johnson Treatise of Evang. Love and Unity p. 85 86. God forbid saith Dr. Owen that any such thought should enter into our Hearts as tho the Churches constituted in all things according to our light and the rules we apprehend apointed in Scripture for that purpose should be the only true Churches in the World and whilst we judge others to be true Churches we shall not be much moved or provokt by their Judgment who think ours are none because we differ from them and plead for Reformation beyond their measure We have the same thoughts of the Christian Churches in Europe called Reformed the same love towards them the same readiness for Communion with them as we would desire any Disciples of Christ in the World to have bear or exercise towards us We do not think that the things wherein they fail wherein they miss or out-go the rule are in their own nature absolutely destructive of their Church State. Dear Experience one would think should now call us to mutual forbearing one Another in Love. And whatever be the Reward of Reconcilers from men commonly to be ill thought and spoken of by many of the differing parties yet he that calleth to Love and union calls to Holiness All that is against Love is against Holiness against God against Christ against his Spirit his Church and the Interest of Mankind The want of forbearing one another in Love hath brought us more than once very near to Ruin. And how long and how often have we been warned of this Preface to his Interest of England The pious and Judicious Mr. Corbet told our Brethren thirty years ago That they who contemned All Overtures of Peace Union and Accommodation might come to see the need and know the want of it as well as others for who knoweth said he what God is doing or where will be the end of his working whose Judgments are unsearchable and past our finding out And how often hath the Reverend Mr. Baxter told the world to the displeasing some of all Parties that what Party soever it be that endeavors a Union by the Extirpation and Ruin of the other part whether Episcopal Presbyterian Independent or Anabaptist is Schismatrcal and takes the way of Desolation Secondly Consider the impossibility of our agreement in things Dark Doubtful and Numerous and the unreasonableness of endeavoring it by ways of Violence The terms of Christian Vnion laid down by the Apostle 4 Ephes 1 2 3 4 5. are sew and sure plain and possible And after all the methods that have been tried by any to bring us to unite upon other terms than those of the Scripture we see they are as far from effecting it as ever Every one must endeavour to be fully persuaded in his own mind as to what he is to believe and practise in things sacred and Religious nor may he make his own understanding the Rule of Truth and Worship unto others Every Conscientious man ought to be determin'd by his own reason and Judgment regulated by the word of God concerning his duty as to the Edification of his Soul. For men to adhere to any particular Church or to refuse communion with any when opportunity offers on any other account than because they think it their Duty to do so is neither becoming Men or Christians And they wo are Conscious of their own Sincerity herein will be most inclin'd to judge favourably of Others who differ from them and to hope that they also Act sincerely upon the like Principle according to their Light. And will likewise be carefull how they fasten ill and odious Consequences upon those different Opinions which Others hold if they be such as they disown and would detest the Doctrines if they were convinc't that any such Consequences did belong to them After all that can be said or done to justifie the Severities which any have used in such Cases towards their Brethren I exclude none who have at any time been guilty the greatest part of Sober men will still believe that all Power from God to Christian Princes and Pastors is for Edification and not for Destruction that he never gave any against his own Laws and the Interest of the souls of men They will still think that they are most concerned it should be for the wellfare of their own souls and can best tell what they find to be profitable or hurtful to 'em and most for their edification and that if no Humane Authority can tye up a man to eat that which he cannot digest so neither to attend that Ministry only which they do not find so much to the Advantage and Edification of their souls as some other which God affords them The different Relishes of the minds of men may here be considered and the benefit of gratifying them in order to edification For I know of some and hear of many who profess that they are never more Reverent devout and serious and their Hearts more affected than in the use of the Common Prayer others profess with the like seriousness as to themselves that they Experience the Contrary And shall we think it reasonable that they should be obliged to the measures of the former or that either should censure the other as not belonging to Christ on that account Is there any Law of Christ any Rule of the Gospel any duty of Love to the Brethren that can require men to hinder their Edification or to joyn in ordinary local Communion there where they cannot attain the great ends of Church Communion Nevertheless we must be Careful not to have the Faith of our Lord I. James 2.1 Christ with respect of Persons For there is a culpable Partiality with respect to Ministers causing Envyings â— Cor. 3.3.4 Divisions and Strifes which the Apostle condemn'd in the Church of Corinth Were Ministers humble and self-denying and did we more Earnestly desire and seek the Honour of God the Advancement of Holiness and the salvation of souls we should rejoyce if the people
all the same tone of voice whereas Hannibals Army being made up of several Nations their shouting was less formidable by reason of the Variety of their voices it will not therefore follow that their success must be the less on that account Our opposition to Popery might appear to them and to the world more formidable if we were altogether of one speech and of one way and our shouts more uniform yet the Success may be as Great and the Victory as sure tho we are not if we are but wise enough to bear with one another in our lesser Differences Fifthly Since none of us do pretend to Infallibility we have all the reason in the world to bear with one another The principles of the Roman Church will better justifie them to demand a blind Submission to all that is required and to treat them severely who refuse it than any of the Protestant Churches with reference to one another We all acknowledg our selves liable to mistake and therfore should use gentleness and Compassion to our Brethren that we think do Err and pity them upon the account of Humane frailty and fallibility which all would be more disposed to do for others had they a deeper sense of their own What two persons in the world are just of the same Sise of understanding have the same apphrehensions of things or hold the same Opinions What man in the world but as he grows elder and without losing time doth also grow wiser but alters his Opinions in many points Do not various Educations callings Studies Company imployments interests conditions in the world make a mighty difference in the apphrehensions of some from others and of all men from themselves at different seasons Besides the various degrees of the grace of God to several Christians c. all which should incline us as fallible mutable Creatures to bear with one another The Papists teach that an implisit faith in the Judgment of the Clergy is sufficient to justifie the belief and practise of the People and so may better exact an Uniformity in Doctrine and Worship than we who deny it and hold that every man must Judge for himself It may farther be considered that men cannot change their Opinions when they please any more than their Stature or their Taste You may as soon fill a mans belly with a Syllogism as alter his Opinion and Belief by Force Till his Reason be convinc't he will believe as he did If any are willing to know the truth and endeavor it and practise according to their light and desire to live peaceably with others of a different persuasion is it just and reasonable much less Christian that they should be persecuted and destroyed because they will not subscribe some doubtful Articles cannot sit within the little Circle of some mens Opinions that are uppermost or consent to worship God just after the same manner they would have them Especially they who stand out to their outward Disadvantage whose temporal Interest pleads strongly for a compliance in such a case there is ground for Charity that they are sincere There is hardly any man but some time or other will allow such Considerations to have some strength The word of God saith Bp. Saunderson Cases of Conscience lect 3. § 29.30 doth Expresly forbid us to subject our Consciences to any other or to usurp Dominion over the Consciences of any And there is no hope that Religion should be restored to her former Original and Purity till the wounds that have been made wider by our quarrels and dissentions being anointed with the oyl of Brotherly love as with a Balsom shall begin to close again and to grow intire into the same unity of faith and Charity Bp. Taylor hath much to the same purpose of moderation Part 3. p. 420 425. not to quote the many places in his Liberty of Prophecy in his Great Exempler or Life of Christ he saith We should ill dye for our Brother who will not lose a meal to prevent his sin or change a dish to save his soul And if the thing scrupled be Indifferent to us yet it ought not to be indifferent whether our Brother live or dye When the Evil occasion'd by the Law is greater than the Good designed or greater than the Good that will come by it in the present Constitution of things and the Evil can by no other Remedy be healed it concerns the Lawgivers Charity to take off such positive Constitutions which in the Authority are meerly humane and in the matter indifferent and Evil in the Event Sixthly Let us consider the Vnseasonableness of our Divisions and backwardness to Union and Forbearance at this Time. Neither the Church of England nor Protestant Dissenters are ever like to have such a time of Tryal again as this when mutual Interest doth so loudly call for an Accommodation of our unhappy Differences For not only doth the Heighth and progress of abounding Wickedness and Impiety require the utmost Union of Hearts and Hands and Tongues to promote Repentance and Reformation but we all do now see the mischief of our past Divisions all Parties in their turns have been sensible of it All have complain'd of a Spirit of Bitterness Persecution and Revenge and therfore none should imitate that which they condemn or be averse to that which sometime or other they have thought desirable 2 Kings 17. See Isai 9.21 The Divisions of Israel made them a prey to their Enemies and those of the Jews exposed them to Destruction by the Romans Which they might have prevented by an carly Submission or by uniting their Strength to defend themselves but by reason of their Divisions could do neither So the contest between the Greek and the Latin Church ended in the Ruin of the Eastern Empire And justly may God leave us to be destroyed of one another or by the Enemies of our Religion if we will not at last learn the way of Peace Who will pity us who can help us if having a prize in our hands we will not know it or improve it Ought we not to consider that next to the Displeasure of God for the sins of English Protestants this is the great strength of the Church of Rome and their most Considerable Advantage against us We need not otherwise fear their other Politicks for which they have been so cried up in the World tho principally because they scrupled nothing that would serve as a means to attain their end were we duly sensible of this one Policy of theirs to divide and exasperate us one against another The Preaching of their Monks and Priests will of it self do little to turn the Nation to Popery if we may Judge by their printed sermons they are not like to get much ground by their Preaching among a People who in most places have been used to so much better And as little need we fear their books of Controversie notwithstanding the noise that hath been made of