would be freed from such a predominant distemper as will hinder your spirituall rellish and convert your food into a noxious humour and subject you to a languishing disease in the midst of plenty Then abandon contention and lay aside division and with a spirit of love meeknesse and peace communicate your different thoughts and patiently bear with a conscientious dissent 5. If you would secure the Protestant Religion and Cause from being a prey to the lurking Papist and from being swollowed up of Atheists Libertines Apostates Quakers by all which it is at this day sorely assaulted and dangerously beset then unite heart and head and hand to make one strength to withstand them that no man take your Crowne For your divisions incourageth them in their designes invites them to attempt upon you and prepares many to fall in with them So that as long as you keep up your divisions they will grow upon you and get ground and by little and little draw away your strength and in conclusion over-master you if by uniting you prevent them not A kingdome divided against it selfe cannot stand Mat 12.25 And therefore if you shall so labour to maintaine one particular Fort as in doing it you loose the whole Nation I mean so maintaine a particular opinion in Religion as by dividing about it to endanger the losse of the whole you will shew your selves according to the proverb to be peny wise and pound foolish and will Christ ever thanke you for such a service 6. The more you knit together in love for the great truth sake that dwelleth in you the greater and richer assurance of understanding shall you have in the Mystery of the Father and of Christ Col 2.2 Being knit together in love unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding c. Being knit together in love bears the relation of a means to the full assurance of understanding as the end It s one thing to know what the Gospel treats of and another thing to know assuredly that all that which the Gospel treats of is true and is no lie Many have much of the former which as it is to be feared have little of the latter And yet some too that have lesse of the former then others but more love have more of the latter then they The Lord takes such pleasure in the close cleaving of the hearts of his servants one to another as that he crownes it with this assurance of understanding rooting and grounding them in love and establishing them in the present truth Hence I suppose it is that you have many who though they have lesse knowledge yet having more love stand fast in the truth whilst others that have a great deal more knowledge but little or no charity are turned up by the rootes It s therefore prescribed by way of remedy or prevention against being tossed to and fro and carried about by every winde of doctrine and slight of men that lie in waite to deceive that the truth be spoken in love that love which is a uniting grace accompany mens knowledge and profession of truth Eph. 4.14 15. And truely the full assurance of understanding and to have the minde and conscience established in the truth in these shaking and declining times is a prize worth the running for especially in so pleasant a path as love and union of heart and affection is 7. The more unanimous and harmonious you are the more perfect you will be You have much talke of perfection and many pretend to it that are farre from it but to be sure it s the mark and aime of every sincere Christian and I think does consist in nothing more next our love to God then in the Saints love and unity This is the cry of the Scripture That they may be made perfect in one John 17.23 Be perfect be of good comfort be of one minde live in peace 2 Cor 13.11 Above all these put on charity which is the bond of perfectnesse Col 3.14 If we love one another God dwelleth in us and his love is perfected in us 1 John 4.12 And love is the fulfilling of the Law Rom 13.10 Which is more then can be said of any controverted opinion among the Saints and therefore you mistake your way if in your pursuit of perfection you turn aside from love and unity and make a faction to cry up some single opinion which is not of the essence of Christianity 8. The harmony and unity of the Saints is a lovely object to behold and an excellent ornament of your Christian profession and very taking with others Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity Psal 133.1 And while the believers were of one heart and of one soule great grace was upon them all and the Lord added to the Church daily such as should be saved Acts 4.32 33. 2.47 Which cannot be said of any particular opinion extra-essentiall to Christianity and therefore there 's not that weight to be laid on it as is to be in preserving the harmony unity and community of the Saints But alas the contrary works the quite contrary effect of disgrace and disparagement to our holy profession and rendring it and the friends of it lesse desireable of which these dayes afford us more of the experience then of the lovely beautifull and desireable effects of the Saints harmony 9. If you prize your comfort prize agreement for those that are living and not dead or benumb'd members of Christs body cannot but be pained with the rending of one member from another of that body of which they are If one member suffer all the members suffer with it 1 Cor 12.26 Was it not a sorrowfull sight to see the man in Mark 5.5 cutting himselfe with stones and an argument that he was possessed with an evil spirit Every one will grant it And pray you how much lesse dolefull is it to see the Saints children of the living God cutting and wounding themselves for so they doe when they cut and wound one another for they are members one of another Rom 12.5 Alas how unnaturall is it for who ever hated his owne flesh Eph 5.29 Certainly where thus it is it s an argument they are under a spirituall frenzie and madnesse and so are objects of very great comisseration and are an occasion of much trouble and disturbance in their Fathers house But O the comfort of love as the Apostle phraseth it Phil 2.1 the pleasure of peace and the delight of harmony like a well tuned Instrument where there is no Jarring Behold how good and how pleasant a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in unity It s not onely good and profitable but pleasant and comfortable also Psal 33.1 A great part of a Christians comfort in this world lies in his communion with Saints David saith The Saints and excellent were all his delight Psal 16.3 And therefore a breach in this must needs make a
lay themselves open and become obnoxious to the temptations and surprisall of the enemy Their strength to withstand the enemy lies under God in their union and association When the Apostle exhorts the Christians Phil. 1.27 to stand fast and to maintaine their ground against the enemy he immediately directs them to strive together for the faith of the Gospel And if one prevaile yet two shall withstand him and a threefold cord is not easily broken Eccl. 4.12 But by dividing and separating they loose their strength and become a prey to the enemy Gen. 49.7 I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel dividing makes way for scattering and overcoming How easie a matter is it for an enemy by his united force to subdue the greatest Armie when they shall fight him only in small parties he will first overcome one partie and then another and so all one after another And that doubtlesse is the reason why the enemy hath so mightily prevailed and taken so many that did wear Christs colours prisoners and led them away captive under the power and command of mand dangerous and destroying errors and heresies since those unhappie divisions and separations among the people of God have broken out and so abounded in this Nation And therefore I conceive that upon true account it will be found that where the enemy hath drawne away one other person to become a Quaker or a Ranter or the like he hath drawne away many of those that upon one account or other had before separated themselves in their communion from a great part of the people of God As straglers from an Army use to fall into the hands of the enemy when those that abide in the mayne body are safe even so is it with those that stragle from the mayne body of Christ the universall Church in their communion they are gathered up by the enemy here one and there one when in the meane while those that abide and keep their rancks in the mayne body are more generally kept safe Doubtlesse it s not much lesse dangerous for Saints to separate from Saints upon account of their differences considering what advantage is given the enemy thereby then it would be for an Army who all engage for the same cause in the maine to divide and part upon account of difference among them about wearing of Colours or ordering themselves when they have a potent and resolved enemy in the field ready to fight them For besides the danger already hinted by such separation they take course to dis-arme themselves at least in great measure and to put weapons into the enemies hand Christian Charity is in great part a Christians security and the separation I speake of tends greatly to weaken and by degrees to destroy that charity as I shall shew afterward To what degree the enemy draws any of us out of Christian charity he draws us out of our strong hold and place of security If we love one another God dwelleth in us saith the Apostle and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him 1 John 4.12 16. and therefore must needs be safe If God dwell in him it is to govern and guide him to support and uphold him to save and defend him Where God dwells light and strength dwells He that loveth his brother abideth in the light and there is none occasion of stumbling in him 1 John 2.10 But uncharitablenesse is quite contrary to God who is love and where that dwells he takes no pleasure to dwell and if he who is the Christians safety strength and guide be but withdrawne what can be expected but darknesse weaknesse wandering and the enemies enterin and taking possession He that hateth his brother is in darknesse and walketh in darknesse and knoweth not whither he goeth because darknesse hath blinded his eyes 1 John 2.11 Uncharitablenesse then deprives men of Gods presence which is their only safety and makes way for the enemy and so betrayes them into the hand of errour and delusion The end of the Commandment saith the Apostle is charity from which some having swerved have turned aside to vain jangling 1 Tim. 1.5 6. Turning aside to vain langling is that which followes the swerving from charity As love departs so jangling errour and confusion takes place 1 Cor. 11.18 19. I hear there are divisions among you and I partly believe it for there must be also heresies among you that they which are approved may be made manifest The Apostle knowing there must come heresies among them was easily induced to believe the report that brought him news of the divisions in that Church as looking upon those but as preparing and making way for the other If you hear of much contention among brethren once for want of charity expect to hear of heresies among them ere long Seasons of uncharitable contentions among Christian brethren are gainfull advantages for the Devil to deceive in Mark and consider that Prophesie of Christ Mat 24 10 11 12. Then shall many be offended and shall betray one anoeher and shall hate one another And many false Prophets shall rise and shall deceive many When Christs followers fall a hating and so a betraying one another then the Devil sends forth his Prophets as the fittest season possible to carry away many of those which were growne in distast with their godly brethren And because iniquity in this kinde shall abound the love of many shall wax cold ver 12. A great decay of affection to the Gospel takes place when uncharitablenesse errour and Apostacy among the professors thereof doth abound And may not I say as Christ in another case sometimes said This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears For when the godly among the Episcoparians Presbyterians Independents and Anabaptists fell to siding party against party and envie emmulations and uncharitablenesse increased then the Devill thrusts out a great variety of seducers that have carryed away many into wayes of dangerous errour especially of those that have proceeded furthest in separation by several subdivisions Though God hath in the meane while graciously kept such as have retained a generall love to all the people of God and have managed their differences with more moderation 3. Another way by which Separation of Saints from Saints furthers Satans and hinders Christs designe what ever they themselves designe by it is in hindering the successe of the Gospel in its converting work For by it unbeliefe of the Gospel in ungodly men is nourished and maintained The Saints differences though but in some lesser matters when made so publique and notorious by separations doe gratifie the unbelieving thoughts which sinfull men have as if the Gospel were an uncertain thing When they see those that pretend to so much knowledge of it to diâ—agree in matters so materiall as those that concern their owning one another as Christian Brethren they think its like that they may suspend a thorow beliefe of the whole Christ
hindered thereby yet where a severe insisting on such a regular Baptisme in order to communion shall crosse edification by drawing on separation of godly from godly why should not such severity there be waved Touching the Minor proposition to wit that Church-communion between such differing Saints as aforesaid does tend more to their edification then their separation can doe is easie to apprehend upon a double account 1. Because union and communion between Saints and Saints gives them an opportunity of a free and full trade in their gifts and graces by which they grow spiritually rich And therefore well doth the Apoâ—tle make the increase of the body to the edifying of it selfe in love to depend upon the joyning together of the parts and the supply of every joynt and the effectuall working of the measure of every part Eph 4.16 Whereas on the contrary distance and separation deprives them of that spirituall commerce and so tends to their impoverishing Just as it is between Country and Country when differences breake out that obstruct their wonted trade they grow poor upon it Or as it is with the naturall body which weakens wasts and consumes when the nutrimentall intercourse between part and part is obstructed And the sad decayes among professors since their many differences in opinion have multiplied their separations doth wofully experience the truth hereof How many are fallen and are dead upon this account and how many more are sick and ready to die and shall we then for all this proceed on in so impoverishing and destructive a course 2. Communion increaseth love and love edifies 1 Cor 8.1 It edifies actively by inclining and disposing men willingly and cheerfully to lay out themselves in such services by which their brethren may be edified and comforted according to that counsell Gal 5.13 By love serve one another And likewise by enabling them for edification sake to bear burdens that is the infirmities and mistakes of brethren which are a burden as is enjoyned Rom 15.1 2. For charity beareth all things indureth all things 1 Cor 13.7 It edifieth passively too by rendering the christian applications of brethren and acts of service the more acceptable and so the more profitable taking all in the best part It thinketh no evill but believeth all things hopeth all things and rejoyceth in the truth 1 Cor 13.6 7. But separation breeds alienation and diminution of affection more or lesse and so weakens endeavours of edification and turnes them into anoâ—her channell For to what degree the spring of motion growes weake to that degree motion it selfe will be slow And to what degree love decreaseth prejudice jealousies and evill suâ—mises will increase and these dispose persons to suck poison from the sweetest flower and poison will not nourish Therefore separation of Saints from Saints upon account of differences is against edification Obâ—ect But can two walk together except they are agreed their different opinions and different practises will occasion cotentions and those contentions will hinder edification and comfort and therefore communion on such termes may be as much and more against edification then separation Answ I have sometimes thought so indeed But 1. Two that are agreed in the most and greatest matters may and ought to walke together though in some fewer and lesser things they disagree Whereto we have already attained let us walke by the same rule let us minde the same thing with humble expectation concerning such that in any thing are otherwise minded that God shall reveale even this unto them Phil 3.15 16. The 14 and 15 Chap Rom is cleare for this 2. Whereas it s said those differences will occasion contentions and those contentions will hinder edification and comfort That they may doe so through mens weaknesse I grant but that they must necessarily so doe I deny and doe affirme that when ever such contentions doe arise between the godly as doe hinder edification it is from want of wisdome humility and moderation in one or both parties and to what is objected is no more an argument against the communion we speak of then mens insidence to infirmities and fleshly mixtures in prayer or any other holy-duty is an argument against the use of the duty it selfe It is true the difference among the Christians at Rome did oocasion through intemperate zeal carnall contentions despisings and judgings one of another but it was their sin and shame that they did so and that for which they were justly blamed by the Apostle Rom 14. Such unchristian distempers must be mortified not indulged prayed against and not improved against a duty for that would be but to justifie one fault by another Object But for those that cannot hold Church-communion in breaking of bread with those that are not baptized after faith yet if they can hold an occasionall communion with them in gifts and graces in the word prayer and conference shall they not hereby sufficiently free themselves from the blame of hindering edification by their separation Answ 1. It s confessed that those that goe thus farre have offered faire towards the demolishing of the wall of separation and so of freeing themselves of the evils occasioned by its standing 2. But though such a partiall separation as this is not so much an enemy to edification as a totall one is yet if separation of godly from godly in the simple nature of it be a necessary hinderance of edification and whether it be nor judge by what 's said in my argument then every degree of such separation must to a degree be guilty of the same evil Without all doubt this partiall separation is to a degree a hinderance to charity and consequently to the same degree a hinderance of edification Though there may be much love between parties that come so neer together as to hold communion in gifts and graces yet questionlesse there would be yet more if that which keepes them as yet at some distance were also removed It s well worthy consideration that the Law of Commandements contained in ordinances which were the wall of separation between Jewes and Gentiles are by the Apostle Ephes 2.15 stiled the enmity and the breaking downe of this wall the abolishing the enmity And how were they the enmity but as they were a means of separation for so they were an occasion of enmity between those people And does not this clearely let us see that separation as such is attended with enmity more or lesse 3. Me thinks that which satisfies them to hold communion in gifts and graces word and prayer with their differing brethren would lead them to satisfaction about the lawfulnesse of communion with them in breaking of bread also if they would but follow it For doe they not by joyning in prayer with them and saying our father which art in heaven plainly acknowledge them to be children of the same father and so their holy brethren and if children of God then believers in Christ by which beliefe they are made the
onely pray but earnestly endeavour by use of meanes to bring that to passe which we earnestly pray for If men were but as willing and desirous to please Christ Jesus and to gratifie the desire of his soule in this as they seeme to be in some other things towards which he hath given no such apparent manifestation of his affection we should certainly have things at another passe among the people of God then now they are And I pray you why should we not be most for that in which he most delights 2. And therefore consider further that love and kindnesse and cleaving of heart and affection of Saints to Saints is that which Christ among other things most desires as being that grace wherein he hath most abounded towards them and by which they will be most Christ-like and so most Christian As the greatnesse of his affection to union among the Saints was expressed by his praying for it againe and againe in the same prayer so does his great longing after love among all his Disciples manifestly appeare by his fervent and importunate pressing and enjoyning it againe and againe and againe in one and the same speech or Sermon and in that also which was his farewell Sermon when he was now leaving them and the world wherein to be sure he would insist most upon that which lay most at his heart And this he did with a note or signe of speciall appropriation fixed upon it my commandement as if that were more especially his and had more of his heart in it then others John 15.12 This is my commandement that ye love one another as I have loved you John 13.34 A new commandement I give unto you that ye love one another as I have loved you that ye also love one another John 15.17 These things I command you that ye love one another And if Christs heart ran most upon this they are in no wise like to please him that by contending for some particular point which hath not it may be the tenth if any of the evidence of his minde will and affection in it which this hath doe make a breach upon and hinder this It was said Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voyce of the Lord 1 Sam 15.22 And may be said hath Christ Jesus any such delight in your sacrificing a great part of the peace charity and comfort of the Saints upon some controverted order or doctrine in the Church as he hath in obeying him in this great command of his that carries so much of his heart in it For them that think so let them againe hearken to what he saith Mat 9.13 Goe ye and learne what that meaneth I will have mercy and not sacrifice And to love him with all the heart and to love his neighbour as himselfe is more then all whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices Mark 12.33 And yet sacrifice was more expressely commanded then most of those things that are the bone of contention among the people of God at this day Love mercy and judgement are the weightier matters of the Law and therefore may by no meanes be thrust out by those that are lesse as too commonly they are What ever goes up to be sure Religion and Christianity goes downe when charity goes downe Therefore above all these things put on charity which is the bond of perfectnesse Col 3.14 3. Adde hereto another very weighty consideration which is That what ever knowledge you have of the minde of God and what ever zeale you expresse for any truth of God either concerning faith or practice yet if while you hold fast other things you let goe charity your knowledge your zeale though it were to the losing of your life for truth will profit you nothing 1 Cor 13.2 3. Though I understand all mysteries and all knowledge and have not charity I am nothing And though I give my body to be burned and have not charity it profiteth me nothing And left you should think it meant of that charity which consists in relieving of the poore and not of that which consists in cleaving to and delighting in Saints as Saints brethren as brethren he saith also Though I bestow all my goods to feed the poore and have not charity it profiteth me nothing 1 Cor 13.3 All which neerly concernes such to minde that are more carefull and tender lest some other controverted truth should suffer then charity brotherly love and concord should suffer and care not what rents and divisions they make among the people of God so that they may but propagate their particular opinion If there be bitter zeale as the Dutch translation hath it glory not of thy knowledge and lie not against the truth as if thou wert the Gospels friend when by such a carriage thou art an enemy to it James 3.14 4. Your contentions and divisions if you maintaine them they will destroy you in your spirituall trade and keep you from thriving by the means and opportunities of grace you enjoy It was a sad thing wherewith the Apostle charged the Corinthian Christians that when they came together to exercise themselves in the holy ordinances of the Lord it proved to be not for the better but for the worse 1 Cor 11.17 But upon what doth he charge this dreadfull miscarriage of their going backward in their trade and of growing worse and worse by what was provided for their welfare Verily it was their divisions that was the cause of all this mischiefe Ver. 18. Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not that you come together not for the better but for the worse How does that appeare For first of all when ye come together in the Church I hear that there be divisions among you Concluding that so it must be that their divisions would occasion their decay and losse under the richest enjoyments otherwise for they abounded exceedingly with spirituall gifts Chap 1.5 7. Chap. 14. The truth is they eat out the very heart of Religion men may grow rich in a form of knowledge and expresse a great deal of zeal for the out-side of Religion and in the mean while be languishing in the very vitalls of Christianity while they live in division and strife For where envying and strife is there is confusion and every evill worke James 3.16 This will be as a worme at the root of your tree that will keep it from prospering what ever cost you otherwise bestow upon it If then you have any minde to keep up Religion in heart among you and not to have your wine to become as water having lost its heart and spirit If you would have the Gospel ordinances to yeild you their increase and all your Religion not to degenerate into form If you would yeild God an acceptable and pleasant fruit of all his cost and not such as is starvie harsh and unsavory If you would not turn the fruit of righteousnesse into hemlock If you
great breach upon a Christians comfort 10. The more you are for union and reconciliation and making of peace the more you will be like God whose infinite goodnesse and grace inclines him to seeke after those that are at a farre greater distance from him then any of the Saints are from one another He is in Christ reconciling the world unto himselfe 2 Cor 5.19 Yea this is that good pleasure which he hath purposed in himselfe that in the dispensation of the fulnesse of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ both which are in heaven and which are on earth even in him Eph 1.9 10. Sin had divided and scattered his creatures in their affections as well from one another as from him but the soule of the Almighty was so set upon their reconciliation and re-union that he sends his Son Jesus Christ in due time to gather them together into one in Christ as their common head And for that end also he appointed the ministry and from time to time furnisheth them with gifts First to perswade men to be reconciled unto God 2 Cor 5.19 and then to bring them all to unity in the faith and knowledge of the Son of God Ephes 4.11 12 13. This God hath done to procure reconciliation and peace And therefore blessed are the peace-makers for they shall be called the children of God Mat 5.9 They whose hearts and heads and hands are in it that labour at it with desire to effect it to bring men especially the Saints to termes of peace and good agreement they tread in their fathers steps follow the same work designe affect and labour at the same thing and therefore well may they be called his children and followers of God as deare children Ephes 5.1 And being his children come under a great blessednesse indeed having such a father whose affection and power for their advancement hath no bounds but what an infinite wisdome sets And truely if this will not set our hearts on fire to be at this worke I know not what will If then you desire to make good unto your owne soules the evidence of your Son-ship and relation to God upon the best termes it will not be enough for you to be your selves perswaded to reconciliation and agreement with your dissenting brethren but to be active and busie in procuring it in others where its wanting For otherwise though you may be peace-keepers yet you will have little to denominate you peace-makers 11. It s the way to have God with you and delight in you He is so great a lover of peace and concord that he will alwayes make one at this work you shall be sure to have his company and presence both whilst you abide in it and when you lift up your heart hand and tongue to promote it Live in peace and the God of love and peace shall be with you 2 Cor 13.11 Such shall have God with them as a God of peace speaking peace to them evidencing himselfe to be at peace with them I appeal to their consciences who have knowne the difference of living in a divided state and of living in unity with all Saints and of making themselves servants to so good a worke as to reconcile Saints whether they have not more inward peace from God and a richer testimony of his love in the time of their reconciliation union and professed conjunction with all Saints then they had in the time of their distance from many of them It s most true that he that dwells most in love dwells most with God and God with him 1 Joh 4.12 16. And how they can expect peace from God that doe not live in peace with all those with whom God is at peace I know not Especially considering that Christ hath told them that if they from their heart doe not forgive their brothers trespasses that then neither will their heavenly father forgive theirs Mat. 6.14 18.35 And what kinde of forgivenesse that is that can stand with punishing their brethren for involuntary misprisions with rejecting them from their communion and carrying themselves towards them as if they were none of the same house but children of another father I desire may be deeply pondered by those whom it concernes The Apostle exhorting the Ephesians to this very duty backs it with no lesse then seven motives or reason Eph 4.3 4 5 6. Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace For 1. There is one body and 2. one Spirit even as 3. ye are called in one hope of your calling 4. One Lord 5. one faith 6. one Baptisme 7. one God and father of all who is above all and through all and in you all Each of which have very much in them to prevaile with the divided hearts and unpeaceable spirits of professors to lay aside their warres and contentions which are but the off-spring of their owne lusts James 4.1 3.15 1 Cor 3.3 Gal 5.20 But I would not be tedious and therefore shall not inlarge upon them hoping that what hath been already said cannot but come home to the conscience of all those whose uncharitablenesse hath not exceedingly hardened their heart Neither doe I doubt but that every one will be ready to acknowledge this which I have been exhorting to to be every Christians duty and will professe their great affection to unity and peace But alas experience shewes that it is too commonly with this proviso or inward reserve viz. so as that they may have unity and peace upon their owne termes unity in the truth as they call it and that truth their particular opinion upon which division is built The meaning of which is that they would maintaine peace with all provided that none would oppose them in their opinion but say as they say having that in their mouthes Jer 15.19 Let them returne to thee but return not thou unto them which they wofully abuse whiles they apply it to lesser differences But if unity and peace and communion too were not to be had and held but upon such termes what use would there be in relation to different opinions in lesser matters of those many exhortations of bearing the infirmities of the weake of long-suffering and forbearing one another in love of bearing one anothers burdens of not looking every man on his owne things but every man also on the things of others Rom 15.1 Ephes 4.2 Col 3.13 Gal 6.2 Phil 2.4 A cordiall and peaceable communion and forbearance are not inconsistent Union communion and peace must be kept and maintained upon Christians agreement in fundamentalls of faith and holinesse when in the meane while bearing and forbearing must be exercised in relation to those things wherein they otherwise differ Which being the plain Scripture-road it s much to be lamented that so many who seeme zealous of the Scripture-pattern should misse it Therefore I beseech all those that love the Lord Jesus and that love to doe that which pleaseth him that you suffer not those few and lesser things wherein you differ to prevaile more with you to keep at a distance and to deny your communion to one another then those many great and precious things wherein you are agreed to bring and binde you close together and freely to afford your Christian communion one to another Is it reasonable or hath such a thing been heard of in other cases that the minor vote should carry it against the major Lay aside then all prejudice stiffnesse and selfe-will'dnesse and count it your glory that you can seeke to others to receive you into closer communion before they seeke to you And in your prosecution of this work of reconciling distant brethren doe not be beaten off by others hanging off but reckon it so choice a piece of generation-work in these dividing times as that you can hardly lift up your heart your tongue your hand to such another And you that are Ministers of Christ who is the Prince of peace and of the Gospel which is the Gospel of peace and whose work is to guide mens feet into the way of peace and the end of whose calling is to bring all to the unity of the faith and knowledge of the Son of God be intreated Reverend and beloved to take heed of making the breach wider and by any undue representations or aggravations to frighten Saints of different perswasions from coming neere one another but to perswade to christian moderation and forbearance to a treating one another with a spirit of meeknesse and an over-coming of one another with love and herein to approve your selves as patterns And in so doing you shall finde more peace in your owne soules and procure more in the Churches and finde a greater successe in your Ministry make better tempered Christians and set a more glorious Crowne upon the head of the Gospel then otherwise you are ever like to doe FINIS