against those wicked damnable blasphemies and heresies and other notorious errours which like a smoake out of the bottomlesse pit are ready overshadow our land I know it is the duty of beleevers and ministers in speciall to contend for the faith which was once given to the Saints Iude 3. Nor Doe I bewaile the Christian zeale of any who with Christian moderation fervencie and sinceritie doe publiquely rebuke those publique sinnes which carry with them a direct opposition against truth and holinesse and stand condemned by the good word of God I know it is the duty of the Ministers of God so to doe they have a command for it 1 Tim. 5.20 Them that sinne rebuke before all that others also may feare Neither doe I bewaile the six'd stedfastnesse of the hearts of those who doe hold close unto truths those truths which they have formerly received and learned from the word of truth against all that contradict and oppose the same for it is not for Christians to childe it as the Apostles speakes in matters of religion Ephes 4.14 And to be tossed to and fro with every winde of Doctrine Stabilitie of judgement becometh those that have received truths from the mouth of God Nor Doe I bewaile the endeavours of those who desire and labour to see Church-Discipline according to the word of God established with vigor and activitie in our land for the purging out of old leaven that we may be a new lumpe according to the certaine will and appointment of Jesus Christ by his Apostles 1 Cor. 5.7 Purge out therefore the old leaven that you may be a new lumpe I would not be mistaken as if I did glance in the least at any such practises which are according to God and which are according to the rule and direction of the word of God But that which I intend to speake of I looke upon as a sorrowfull subject and such as no teares are sufficient to bewaile For there is beyond all this that insufferable rage and violent strife of tongues that railing and bitternesse appearing in our land amongst those who have good grounds to build Christian love and union upon that we have cause to blush if not to tremble at the mention of it I hope no man will say that this should be conceal'd I would it could be concealed but the truth is it is too late to talke of concealing that folly which is openly laid before the eyes of the world by many of those of all sides whom yet I dare not give up as men wholly destitute of unfained regard unto the living God I will not discusse how farre grace may lye at the root of that zeale which fleshly corruption may transport unto such a distemper as bringeth forth bitter railing against brethren that would be to long too speake of But this I say That whether it be from grace in part and corruption overcarrying it or whether it be from corruption only working under a pretence of grace evident it is that there is a palpable and grosse miscarriage in this kinde amongst us at this day to the dishonour of God and to the reproach of the Gospell and I doubt not but much to the weakening of the hands and hearts of those that feare the Lord I shall not adventure to presse farther into this point then I am sure you will or may easily goe along with me in testifying the truth of what I shall speake And in this which I shall now bewaile I 'le speake impartially I doe not know on either hand which of the differing parties amongst us is more or lesse guilty in regard of the miscarriage so notorious in this kinde doe not our streets ring and are not our stalls fill'd from day to day with * Certaine it is that some bookes which had truth for their center yet because they have wanted temperance modestie and urbanitie for their circumference have to the great prejudice of the truth hardened the adversarie in their errors and by their bitter invectives vvhetted them not only to defend themselves and to offend in the like but many times being thereby urged to write to defend the error it selfe to the hurt of many which otherwise might have vanished away without any contradiction bookes written with inke steeped in the gall of Hell and printed in the most unlovely Characters of bitternesse and despight it is so plaine posterities will reade the follie and madnesse of men amongst us In this kinde of men I say on all sides who doe in all their differences unhappily agree with might and maine to slander one another For whereas charity should cover a multitude of sinnes charity it selfe is cover'd and many as if they were strongly engaged thereunto studiously lay out the offences of brethren in print with some advantages yea lay on offences upon brethren with boldnesse which no eye but that which is dazeled with envious jea lousie no heart but that which is braced with malicious partialitie could ever have seene or adjudged them guilty of The miscarriage of many in this kinde at this time is such that charity it selfe is put often-times to the stresse to be charitable towards such men as doe please themselves in such uncharitable practises of this the servants of God may justly say that it is a laâ—â—â—â—tation I wish it may not be added and shall be for a lamentation Nor will recrimination serve to justifie any man in this kinde If one man be before another in bitter reprochings that will never justifie the injured person in paying the rayler againe in his owne coine and rebanding those scoffes and scornes which cannot without shame appeare or be made mention of amongst Christian Brethren The rule of Christianitie will never ply to this practise If one man be so mad as to fire his tongue at Hell for so the Apostle saith of a wicked tongue that it is a fire kindled at Hell and then spit he cares not whom in the face with scorching reproaches Sir Ed. Cook 5. pt â— of his reports ad Lector in this case a Christian man is bound so far to tender his owne esteeme yea Gods honour as in the words of meeknesse and of truth to quench if possible the slander that it may not blast his reputation and profession But no man is warranted to answer this spit-fire just in his owne hellish language and to straine againe to raise such reâ—roches against him as are likely to expose both to common scorne The rule for Christians is this Rom. 12.17.21 Render to no man evill for evill Be not overcome by evill but overcome evill with good A man will say why they provoke me provoke thee and was not the Lord Christ provoked he left his owne example for us to imitate who when he was revil'd reviled not againe when he suffered he threatned not but commited himselfe to him that Judgeth righteously 1 Pet. 2.21 It were an happy and
bite hardest when such reproaches and hurtfull speeches are not only uttered into the aire and unto the eares of men but when they are in writing or in printing made sharpe to bite the reputation and the esteeme of others publickly and if it were possible perpetually unto all posterities then these teeth are sharpened indeed and then they bite home when men bite not in present only but take a course to bite and feed as it were as death doth upon others after they are in the Grave and after they are cut off from the land of the living In the next place 2 The devouring or eating for so the word doth properly signifie which is mentioned in the Supposition may either import a farther degree of that mischief which is done with the tongue biting being as it were a grieving reproach and devouring a ruining report for so you shall finde devouring ascribed to the tongue Psal 52.4 Thou hast loved all devouring words O thou false tongue Or else we may by this devouring understand a further acting by way of persecution and oppressing opposition of others according to the use of the phrase Psal 14.4 Have the workers of wickednesse no knowledge which eat up my people as if they would eat bread that is which oppose oppresse and with rage persecute them and so devâ—ure them as a man would eat bread put both together and you have the full sence of devouring in my Text When as men doe in height of enmity by bitter words devoure as it were the name esteeme and safety one of another and when which further degree of virulency usually goes along with this there is according to mans power an open persecution and oppressing opposition raised by one against another then such men are fully come to that devouring one of another which my Text intendeth Lastly In the Caveat Take heed lest yee be consumed one of another these words are very plaine and very terrible for they import an utter and a common destruction ready to seize upon those who are mutually guilty of this sinne of biting and devouring one another and that by the meanes and hands one of another for that the Apostle shewed to be the dreadfull judgement which usually followes at the heeles of this sinne of mutuall biting and devouring one another as the words of my Text plainly intimate If yee bite one another take heed yee be not consumed one of another Thus I come from surveying the sence unto the Doctrine which the words being held together hold out unto us and this it is That They who are joyned together in any neare union Doctr. when they rise up one against another in bitter raylings and oppressing oppositions they are in greatest danger of implunging one another in utter and common destruction More briefly thus Intestine division is a sad preface and preparation unto utter common and mutuall destruction For entrance to that which I shall now speak in prosecution of this Point First consider that the unions of men which this Doctrine doth relate unto are of two sorts namely 1 Civill or Politique 2 Ecclesiasticall or religious 1 There is a Civill union of men in relation to temporall preservation and happinesse And 2 There is an Ecclesiasticall union of men in relation to everlasting salvation and blessednesse and the Doctrine of my Text holds of both and of both expresly but the Apostle had especially in his eye those raylings and contentions those bitings and devourings which are amongst Christian brethren whom Christian Religion doth or should neerly unite first therefore to speake unto the point in hand In relation unto men that are joyned together in Civill unions when they bite and devoure one another they are in great danger to be consumed one by another We cannot learne this better then from the mouth of our blessed Saviour Mat. 12.25 A Kingdome saith he divided against it selfe is brought to desolation and every City or house divided against it selfe cannot stand that is it is impossible it should stand long when there is a division and a contention raised within the bowels thereof It is well and generally knowne that all Civill unions begin in a family in a house in those three combinations of Husband and Wife Parents and Children Governours and Servants by the union of Houses Cities and Towne-ships are constituted by the union of Cities Kingdomes are composed and so upwards out of the union of Kingdomes arise large and comprehensive Empires or States of the earth under whatsoever denomination of unity Now our Saviour shewed that if we begin at the lowest Civill union a House and so rise to a City and then come to a Kingdome and by proportion if we thence ascend whither we can to any superiour Civill union still it is true that such a union divided in it selfe against it selfe cannot stand divided in it selfe against it selfe it comes to desolation When the Lord would expresse the utter ruine of the people of Judah in the immediate occasion thereof he shewed that it should be effected by intestine division and dissention Isay 3.5 The people shall be oppressed every one by another and every one by his Neighbour and the childe shall behave himselfe unseemely against the aged and the base against the honourable which words declare that innate divisions and contentions in the State of Judah should breed confusion and that bring forth utter destruction in any of the same And accordingly how home-bred divisions were the immediate occasion of the last and great destruction of Jerusalem when the hand of Divine Justice drew out the Roman Sword against it I need not speake it is so famously knowne in Story nor indeed is there any cause why to speake much either for the expreâ—sing or asserting of this truth in regard of Civill States that fretting divisions and contentions in the bowels are a disease that brings a Consumption upon them all the Kingdomes of the world have knowne thus much by experience who never flourished but under concord and were ever in a consuming temper when blasted with imbowelled and imbittered contention No wonder therefore that all the deep-working Polititians of the world lay it for a maxime Divide Impera once raise divisions in any State how mighty soever and you may rule and ruine it at pleasure A State divided in it selfe needs no enemy it is enemy enough unto it selfe and will doe an enemies worke against it selfe although it hath no other wages but selfe destruction and utter overthrow but of Civill unions and the mischiefe which comes by them I shall Doctrinally say no more but proceed to that which the Apostle doth especially eye in this Text which is Biting and devouring amongst those that are or should be neerly joyned together by the bond of Christian religion When persons are joyned in the faith of the same saving Christian truths and in the Worship of the same God and through vicinity of habitation and
enmities and contests be nourished and strengthned amongst those that are neerly joyned together in the bond of Christan religion and should be so likewise in the truth of Christian love they be in greatest danger of what is expressed in my Text That by biting and devouring one another they shall come at last to be consumed one of another And thus much be spoken to the Doctrine of my Text Now I come to the Application of this point Use 1 And first I should desire all men to consider whether the present Doctrine doth not looke sadly upon us at this day whether this Doctrine doth not speake terror more then all the Armies and conspiracies in the world unto this City and all the Cities of the Kingdome unto this State singly considered and complexedly together with the annexed Kingdomes unto our Church and almost every branch and parcell thereof I see no so terible an indication of common ruine approching unto us as this that men are left so generally so sottishly with malicious despite to bite and devour one another not laying it to heart that they are ready to be consumed one of another First Inprosecution of this use I suppose to speake first to civill contentions and divisions and whilest we have them onely in our eye this Doctrine is like to Ezekiels role that was written within and without it was written lamentation mourning and woe For is there not such a spirit of intestine rage and bitter enmities gone out not only into this Citie but into the whole Land that it is as it were the very meat and drink of many to be biting and devouring one another both publiquely and in secret in word and print And whilst it is thus is it not lamentable to consider how we stand upon the brinke but that the God of Heaven doth worke beyond thought in miracles of power for our preservation how we stand I say every moment upon the brinke of common destruction I shall not adventure it belongs not to me to speake a word as a Statist concerning either the causes or remedies of this miserie but as a poore servant of Jesus Christ I desire to speake a little of both from Scripture information And first If any man demand what is the cause that England is wholly given up to savage felf-crueltie and all the Cities thereof to rejoyce in the plucking out of their owne Bloud and Bowels and the Inhabitants thereof to sport themselves in mutually biting and devouring one another surely the multitude doth much mistake the cause of this mischiefe every man almost thinkes he sees the reason hereof here and there without himselfe in the folly falseshood and politique miscariages of others and very few looke into their owne soules and unto heaven to see the true cause of this growing miserie but it is certain that whoever are the instruments the root of this our miserie lies in our owne breasts and lives There is shall I say a shamfull I thinke it may be better called a shamlesse practise of notorious wickednesse in severall kinds amongst us continued to this day we have talked of a reformation and I beleeve that the hearts of many have groaned after it And further I beleeve that the desire of it hath beene acceptable to the God of Heaven and let me say one thing more I doe yet beleeve that wee or our posterities shall live to see a happy reformation and that all this which hath beene done and suffered in relation thereunto shall not be in vaine But in the present state of affaires amongst us when we looke for a reformation we cannot but see aboundance of corruption prevailing in the Land yea those that stand upon the watch-Tower being required to speake the truth can say no more nor lesse of us then what you finde in the Prophet Jeremiah Jer. 6.28.29 They are all grieveous revolters they goe about with slanders they are all corrupters the bellowes are burnt the lead is consumed in the fire the melter melts but in vaine for the wicked are not plucked away and therefore what can the conclusion be without the incomprehensible actings of mercy but as it followes Reprobate silver shall men call them because the Lord hath rejected them I cannot but speake and yet the truth is there is no need of speaking in a case so notorious and universally acknowledged before hand concerning some yet but a very little parcell of those sins that doe outface as it were God and men amongst us at this time There is that abominable pride and wantonnesse to be read in the faces of men and women in their gates gestures ' and attires There is that heavy oppression and hatefull prophannesse yet remaining in our land There is that grosse hypocrisie under severall liveries walking in our streets for the body of hipocrisie is now adayes worne upon a great many kinds of Cloth and Colour by men who have learned the abominable art of making God and religion to serve turnes There is that unjust partialitie that manifest contradiction to divine truths that leud and loud lying both in word and print abounding amongst us that in regard of these and many more sins the messengers of God may truly speake of us as the Prophet wrote of old concerning the Jews The shew of their countenance witnesseth against them they have declared their sinnes as Sodome they hide them not For there is no hiding nor concealing of these and many the like notorious sins they are to be seene without secret search upon the faces of the multitude And can we then wonder that there should be an evill spirit of contention from God when there is such an evill spirit of contention against God maintained in the middest of us Can it seeme strange that when we quarrell with and fight against the God of Heaven the God of Heaven should leave us in judgement to quarrell with and fight against one another God is the same to a Nation as to a man when the waies of a man please him he makes his enemies to be at peace with him but when as the waies of a man are contrary to the Lord the Lord walkes contrary to him and usually leaves very friends to walke in a way of contrarietie towards such a person And so it is with nations when the wayes of a nation please the Lord he will make their enemies to be at peace with them but when the wayes of a nation are contrarie to God God will walke contrarie to them and make their very friends their Enemies nay make them to themselves their greatest Enemies that they shall need no Enemie whilst they cruelly meditate and act their owne ruine according to that in the Prophet Jeremiah Jer. 13.14 I will dash them saith the Lord one against another the fathers against the children I will not pittie nor spare nor have mercy but I will destroy them I desire to leave one Scripture with you that you
continue the troublers of the people of God Belike these seducers to bring the Apostles Doctrine into contempt suggested otherwhiles that he did so preach up Justification by faith in the righteousnesse of Christ that he taught Beleevers to lay aside the obedience of the Law of God as to Sanctification but the Apostle expresly testified in the thirteenth and fourteenth Verses of this Chapter that so farre was he from laying aside the Law of God or teaching Beleevers to neglect that holinesse which was enjoyned therein that he did fully establish in his Doctrine every part and parcell of the holy everlasting Law of God as it was summed up in that Epitome of love towards men arising from the love of God and howsoever he preached a liberty from the Law in point of Justification yet he preached a liberty to the Law in point of Sanctification and knew no other liberty but that sutable to a true Gospell call as we may learne by his owne words Brethren you have been called to liberty onely use not your liberty as an occasion to the flesh but by love serve one another for all the Law is fulfilled in one word even in this Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe And howsoever the Galatians especially the false Teachers among them were very apt to vaunt themselves as great Patrons of the Law yet the Apostle shewed that herein they did extreamly faile of a due regard unto the Law of God that they walked not according to the Law of love according to that Law which in just comprehension doth include whatsoever the Law enjoyned but they were biting and devouring one of another to the endangering of the utter ruine and destruction one of another as it is expressed in the words now read If you bite and devoure one another take heed that you be not consumed one of another The which words doe fall into 1 An accusing Supposition and 2 A threatning Caveat 1 The Apostle supposing did accuse the Galatians at leastwise many amongst them of being bitterly bent one against another of biting and devouring one another And 2 In the Caveat the Apostle threatned them with that which would certainly come upon them if they went on in that unlovely unlawfull course which was no other but an utter and common destruction drawne both upon one another and that by one another they that would not joyne together in love according to duty the Apostle threatned that God would joyne them together in Judgement according to desert In the supposition therefore you have the Galatians sinne biting and devouring one another in the Caveat you have their danger of being consumed one by another their sinne great and their danger great and this great danger set by the Apostle over against this great sinne that from the consideration of the danger they might be deterred from that sinne which drew it on and never dare to continue biting and devouring one another least they should at last be consumed one by another I purpose through Gods assistance to speake unto the Supposition and Caveat severally as to the explication of them and then joyne them together in that one maine Doctrine which doth arise from them both conjoyntly considered which Doctrine I shall make the subject of my present discourse But first in generall you may observe very easily that both the Supposition and the Caveat are conceived in words figurative which are borrowed from the eating of meats for the nutriment of the body for that meat may become nutrimentall to the body it must passe as it were under three degrees 1 There must be biting or chewing of it with the teeth 2 There must be eating or swallowing downe of it into the stomack And then 3 There must be the concocting which is as to the particular nature of the meat the consuming of it that so it may become proper aliment for the body being assimulated thereunto Now two of these degrees are set downe in the Supposition there is biting one another and there is as we read it devouring but the truth is the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is plainely eating one another There is biting and eating and then in the Caveat there is the consequent of biting and eating the act as it were of concoction whereby there is a consumption of the food as to the particular nature of the same that it may become aliment to the body Take heed that ye be not consumed one of another When as meat is chewed with the teeth and taken into the stomack it is very neare being consumed it is very near the losing of its own nature that it may be turned into the nature of the body which is to be nourished thereby and even so when they that are joyned together in any neare union upon the Earth doe bite and devoure one another Morrally they are very neare being consumed one of another penally they be very neare to common ruine one with another who through intestine divisions doe meditate and promote the particular ruine one of another But now to look particularly by way of explication First upon the Supposition If you bite and devoure one another And 1 This biting is not that which is proper with the teeth which grow about the tongue and as the Heathen wittily conceited it Plut. De Garrul are Vallum praesidium linguae the fence and guard of that unruly member but this biting is with the teeth which grow out of the tongue or rather in the tongue tongue-teeth bitter words and sharpe reproaches such as the Prophet spake of Their teeth are speares and arrowes Psal 57.4 and their tongue a sharpe sword Where we must know that tongue and teeth doe not import two things but they doe both figuratively expresse the same thing even cutting and piercing words whereby men doe in the metaphor of my Text bite and in the metaphor of the Prophet wound and cut one another at any distance and thus the word biting is here to be understood for as it is apprehended that the venome of those hurtfull Creatures Snakes and Adders c. are in their teeth and that by them they doe impoyson those men and other living Creatures which are wounded by them so it is evident that when a man proveth pernitious to others much of his venome whereby he is enabled to hurt lyes in his tongue-teeth The poyson of Aspes is under their lips Rom. 3.13 saith the Apostle you know what lyes next under the lips yet the Apostle did not meane that the teeth of men properly so taken were the seat of their poyson but their tongue-teeth as he expressed it in the fourteenth Verse Their mouth is full of cursing and bitternesse so that the teeth which convey the venome of the heart from one unto another and wherewith men in the sence of my Text bite one another are wounding reproaches and bitter peircing words which are uttered by one against another and these teeth
glorious victory worthy of a Christian indeed to tread such base revilings under foot and scorne to meet any miscarrying brother upon such a field as they have cause to be ashamed once to appeare in who are the servants of that blessed master who being reviled reviled not againe Howsoever therefore I deny not but that the servants of God may have their severall apprehensions in some Doctrinall or Practicall points of Religion and in their difference not be able to meete and in that distance be enforc'd one to adhere to one and another to another judgement and practice too in some circumstantialls of religion may not all this be done in love without railing-bitternesse without biting and devouring one another Must teeth of necessity come into the tongue-combate Cannot it possibly be that Christian men may argue either in word or writing by the Scriptures of God what is in difference betweene them but they must neede turne unchristian railers and expose each other and religion to boot unto common scorne Great cause we have in our saddest thoughts to bewaile this in the presence of God and to looke upon it as a hatefull evill that doth at this time strangely prevaile in this land Many great pretenders to religion there be now adays the maine of whose religion standeth in sleighting and reviling all those as utterly irreligious who doe not keepe peace with them in what they call religion and hence it is that so many religious persons in their owne esteeme at least doe most irreligiously breake out into this wicked course of biting and devouring such whom a little love would teach them to call brethren How glad would any Minister of Jesus Christ be might he apply a remedie to this maladie I dare not adventure upon any long discourse about this necessarie subject the time will not admit it but that I may briesly draw to an end I shall tender to you some Scripture prescriptions and I would be glad that they may be said unto mine owne and all our hearts that this miferable distemper which is among brethren may be removed The rules are these Put on therefore as the elect of God holy and beloved bowels of mercie kindnesse humblenesse of minde meeknesse long suffering forbearing one another and forgiving one another Col. 3.12 if any man bave a quarrell one against another even as Christ forgave you so also doe you and above all these things put ye on charity which is the bond of perfectnesse and let the peace of God rule in your hearts to the which ye are also called in one body and be ye thankfull Oh be thankfull let every one that knowes the Lord Jesus as his head be thankfull that he is called into one body with every one who is by the faith of the truth of the Gospell joyned to the Lord Iesus It may be that differing apprehensions concerning some truths or practises of religion may arise beteewne him and some other persons who doe notwithstaning together with himselfe hold fast the faith of the truth of the Gospell Let him yet be thankfull that he is brought together with them into the same body and then consider how peacefully and under what a strict law of love it becometh those to live that are fellow members of Jesus Christ and of one another in his mysticall body Let nothing be done through strife and vaine glorie 2 Rule Phil. 2.3.4 but in lowlinesse of minde let each esteeme other better then themselves looke not every man on his owne things but every man also on the things of others Were self-love and self-seeking once brought to the grave brotherly love would soone receive life and a glorious resurrection amongst us Let us not be desirous of vaine glory 3 Rule Gal. 5.26 provoking one another envying one another Might Ambitions Envyings and Provocations which are the very soule of Church-Contentions be laid aside amongst brethren Brethren I meane who have a good right to that name amongst Christians by holding to the form of sound Christian Doctrine and to the Worship and Ordinances of God taught in the Scriptures might I say ambitions envyings and bitter provocations be laid aside it would be a blessed root of brotherly love and Christian sweetnesse amongst us Let us consider one another to provoke to love and to good works 4 Rule Heb. 10.24 25. not forsaking the assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is Might unhappy separations be avoyded and might wicked rayling contentions which tend unto wrath and enmity be laid downe and on the contrary side the Servants of God be induced instead of provoking to wrath to provoke one another to love and good workes we might no doubt expect a suddaine change of the face of the Church of God in our Land no lesse glorious then of midnights darkenesse into a noone-dayes brightnesse Me thinkes an answer might be taken from this place to that Apology which many are apt to make for their virulency against Brethren why say they they provoke us to anger by words and actions and can we possibly live in love and peace with them Grant all that these pretend say that brethren be so vile so forgetfull of their duty as to provoke others greatly unto wrath yet should not this put other Christian Brethren from a serious endeavour according to their duty to provoke even those who provoke them to wrath to love and to good workes And were this carriage to be found amongst Christian Brethren certainly we should see a blessed and happy union of Beleevers effected in our Land yea we should see the Church of God amongst us to looke out as the expression is in the Song of Solomon Beautifull as Tirzâ—h comely as Jerusalem Cant. 6.4 terrible as an Army with banners If an Army be at varience in it selfe no Childe needs feare them but if they keep to their Banners and march in order and unity an Army is terrible to the stoutest of men So would the Church of God amongst us be if the Servants of God did according to duty keepe up unto a blessed union and unity of love affection and tender regard one to another conscionably provoking each other to love and to good workes This would make the Church of God amongst us Looke forth as the Moone cleare as the Sun Cant. 6.10 and terrible as an Army with banners I 'le goe no further but leave all this to Gods blessing upon your further consideration desiring that there may be some fruit of love Civill love and Spirituall love arising unto you from what hath been spoken this day Consider of it seriously I beseech you in regard of both unions Civill and that which is Religious that division threatens destruction and embowelled contention utter ruine I 'le now therefore only borrow the Apostles Incitation you may call it his Adjuration for the earnestnesse of it to the Philippians and apply it to you according to the present necessity Phil. 2.12 If there be therefore any consolation in Christ if any comfort in love if any fellowship in the Spirit if any bowells and mercies fulfill yee my joy that yee be like minded having the same love being of one accord and of one minde If there be any thing of Christ any thing of the Spirit any thing of love deare unto you for these things sake I beseech you that you would study to have the same love to be of the same minde that you may be of one accord and may preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace and now end all with that valedictory advice of the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians 2 Cor. 2.13 Finally brethren farewell be perfect be of good comfort be of one minde live in peace and the God of love and peaâ—e shall be with you FINIS VVarner Major Martis vicesim die Junij 1648. Annoque regni Regis Caroli Angliae c. XXIV IT is Ordered by this Court that Mr. Goodwin Dr. Chambers Mr. Cadworth and Mr. Herle be desired by Mr. Hynde from this Court to print their Sermons of late made in Pauls Church respectively upon the Lords Day before the Lord Mayor Aldermen and others there assembled the same being very well approved of and thought fit to be published Michel