Selected quad for the lemma: sense_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
sense_n	church_n	scripture_n	truth_n	4,120	5	6.1161	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A81213	The moderator: endeavouring a full composure and quiet settlement of those many differences both in doctrine and discipline, which have so long disturbed the peace and welfare of this common-wealth. Intended (especially at this time) to beget a brotherly love and unity amongst the ministers and people of all the three nations; the Parliament having now appointed a committee for receiving proposals for the propagation of the gospel. Brotherly unity amongst all Christians, especially amongst the ministers of Christ, being in it self so excellent and comely at all times, and (considering the danger and sad consequences of our present divisions) so desirable and necessary at this time: I conceive all overtures and counsels having a true tendency thereunto, worthy the publike light, and do therefore approve the publication of this ensuing discourse. Joseph Carly.	Caryl, Joseph, 1602-1673, attributed name.	1652 (1652)	Wing C780B; Thomason E664_1; ESTC R206830	94,748	118

without any great inlargements as intending chiefly to speak to men of understanding CHAP. II. Of the first Assertion Concerning the Law of Christian Brotherhood what it is and whereunto to hinds us THe undeniable Law of Christian Brotherhood is this That all such who are begotten of the same heavenly Father by the same Word of Truth in the some wombe of the free woman the Jerusalem which is above are children of God and truely brethren one to another in Christ and having the same sense of their relation one to another in Christ and in all the chief Acts of their Religious profession the same rules to walke by in the houshold of faith they are bound to acknowledge each other to be Brethren and as Brethren to walk together in holy Communion for the administration and observation of Christs Ordinances in that whereunto they have attained and to beare with one another in that whereunto they have not yet attained Now so it is that such as are acknowledged to bee Orthodox and godly Ministers in this Kingdome of England are begotten of the same heavenly Father by the same Word of Truth which is the doctrine of Faith revealed in the Scriptures in the same wombe of the true Church and have the same sense of their relation unto Christ and in all the chief Acts of their Religious profession have the same Rules to walke by Therefore it followeth undeniably that they are truely Brethren one to another in Christ and that they are bound in conscience to acknowledge each other to bee Brethren and as Brethren to walke together in Holy Communion for the administration and observation of Christs Ordinances in that whereunto they have attained and to beare with one another in that whereunto they have not yet attained And lest any should make a doubt of this Truth the first proposition expressing the Law of Brotherhood shall bee shewed from cleer places of Scripture and the second containing an application thereof unto the Ministery of this kingdome shall bee verified of them by a more speciall deduction of the particulars expressed therein The places of Scripture wherein the Law of Brotherhood is cleerly manifested are amongst many others these Christ saith to his Disciples Matth. 23. 8. All yee namely my Disciples are Brethren Rom. 8. 29. Whom hee viz. the Father did foreknow be also did predestinate to be conformed to the Image of his Sonne that he● might bee the firstborne amongst many Brethren Ergo they are made all brethren unto Christ and so Brethren to each other Jam. 1. 18. Of his owne will hee viz. the Father begot us viz. beleevers by the Word of Truth Ergo they all being children of the same Father and begotten of the same seed are Brethren to each other Joh. 1. 12. As many as received him viz. Christ to them hee gave power to become the Sonnes of God even to them that beleeve in his name Ergo those that receive Christ the same way are alike Sonnes of God and a like his Brethren Heb. 2. 12. I will declare saith Christ thy name unto my Brethren Ergo if Christ doth owne beleevers before God as his Brethren shall they not own one another as such 1 Cor. 12. 13. By one spirit wee are all Baptized into one Body Ergo those that have received the same Spirit are bound to become one body and consequently to bee united together as members one of another Ephes 4. 4 5 6. There is one body and one Spirit one hope of your calling one Lord one Faith one Baptisme one God and Father of all If all these are one and the same in and to all beleevers then all beleevers are united unto each other by them and woe bee to such that by their divisions give the world cause to beleeve that there is not one body but many nor one spirit but many nor one hope nor one Lord nor one Faith nor one Baptisme but many nor one God but many Gal. 4. 26. Jerusalem which is above is free the mother of us all If we are of one Father and Mother then undeniably Brethren to each other Phil. 2. 1 2. If there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the Spirit if any bowels of mercies fulfill yee my joy that ye bee like minded having the same love being of one accord of one mind Ergo such as are in Christ and made partakers of the same spirit are bound to have fellowship one with another and in their fellowship to impart to each other matters of full joy by mutuall consolation and comfort by mutuall bowels and mercies and to bee able to doe all this they must studie unitie amongst themselves in the same mind and in the same love Phil. 3. 16. Whereunto wee have attained already let us walke by the same rule let us mind the same thing Ergo Brethren though not agreed in all things yet are bound to professe so farre as they are agreed Ephes 4. 1 2 3. Walke worthy of the vocation wherewith yee are called with all lowlinesse and meeknesse with long suffering for bearing one another in love endeavouring to keepe the unitie of the spirit in the bond of peace Ergo it is a part of our calling wherewith wee are called to practise mutuall Forbearance to the end that Unitie and peace may bee preserved and such as mind not the dutie of Forbearance have therein renounced their calling 1 Pet. 1. 22. Seeing you have purified your soules in obeying the Truth through the Spirit unto unfained love of the Brethren see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently Ergo one of the ends for which the Spirit is given to make us obedient to the Truth for the sanctification of our soules is this that we should affectionately expresse our love unto the Brethren In these places wee see what the ground of the Law of Brotherhood is amongst true Christians and what the duties thereof are But if neither this Law nor the duties thereof bee at all regarded by those that pretend to bee the chief of Christians is it not either a testimony against them that they indeed are not what they pretend to be true and faithfull Ministers of the Gospel of peace or if they needs will be counted such is it not then before the world a testimony against the Gospel it self and Christianitie that it is not amongst us what it is said to bee viz. the way of true love and peace Therefore the great Character of true Christians is to bee laid to heart seriously in these times of universall strife wherein all pretend more then others unto Christ namely this which Christ hath given us himself Joh. 13. 35. Hereby shall all men know that yee are my Disciples if ye have love one to another From whence must needs follow that if yee have no love one to another by this all men shall know that ye are not his Disciples Therefore let us

indirectly to draw mens windes from the way of Christ by this way of his owne creating then he hath clearely gained his end because he will be able to keepe mens understandings in darknesse that is in ignorance or doubt of the truth and their will and affections in confusion and disorder that is in a frame opposit The direct meanes of erecting Satans kingdome to the Law of God and his righteousnesse Now Satan will bee able to doe this directly by his instruments when hee can cause the profession of ignorance to be advanced set up and commended by authority or commanded by a Law or when hee can cause the knowledge and practise of any thing besides that which is setled by meer humane authority for certain ends of State to be made a crime punishable by death by infamie or by any other penaltie and when he can cause the whole frame and profession of Religion to bee fitted onely to establish that greatnesse wherein the glory of the outward state and the authority of his instruments doth consist All which Satan doth with a high hand grosly in the Mahumetan but with more subtiltie and most compleatly in the Papall state and this hee is able to doe every where else in some competent measure wheresoever the maximes of absolute dominion are maintained and where the great Idoll of Politicians which is called the reason or interest of State is onely worshipped and the true reason and interest of Conscience and Religion is laid aside and comparatively not at all regarded I say wheresoever this course is followed there Satan is able to oppose the kingdome of Christ directly But where hee cannot attaine to this hee taketh the neerest The indirect means whereby Satan sets up his kingdome way hee can to gaine the same purpose indirectly which is done by making all doctrines of Truth doubtfull and all Gospel Ordinances full of confusion Now to make all Truths doubtfull hee raiseth disputes and doth find out wayes to make them undecidable and this he doth chiefly by the meanes of those that should bee the unanimous witnesses of that Truth which is called into question when they are disunited amongst themselves And to confound the Ordinances he setteth every one promiscuously upon the administration thereof in his owne way not onely by giving a freedome unto all both to doe without controule what they please in such matters and to condemne and oppose every one that is not of their way but also by disanulling the authoritie by which all order should bee setled in Church and Common-wealth And to bring all this to passe his main endeavour is to cause the Ministers of the Gospel either to bee subordinate unto his ministers in all things at their will or by variance of judgement amongst themselves and difference of practises from each other to lose their way to neglect the rules of unitie and forbearance which the Word prescribeth to uphold the communion of Saints which is their strength to breake the bonds of love and peace and having ingaged them into quarrels to bring them within the compasse of his reach that is to move them to act their controverties by the wayes of the power and policie of his kingdome for self aimes For if hee once can corrupt the simplicitie of their mindes so that they minde not truely the dutie of being conformable to the Word in every thing and to the spirituall aime of Christs walking in the world and if he can ingage them into worldly designes to advance the same in a worldly way hee hath gotten them cleerly within his reach where he will endeavour to the utmost first to cause them utterly forget and lay aside the aime of their spirituall calling Secondly to allure them unto and affect them with the appearance and glory of his dominion Thirdly to act them by the principles of outward feares and hopes to that which hee would have them doe and when hee hath once gotten them thus farre under the power of this snare he will be able without resistance to carry them headlong amongst themselves to more and more uncharitablenesse and unconscionablenesse of conversation whereby breaches will bee multiplied and made irreconciliable For although a difference arise but from a very small and circumstantiall matter amongst them as it doth naturally fall out amongst other men yet Satan aiming at them above all others to get advantages against them if he doth find them in such a case either without brotherly and charitable affections or inclined to please themselves hee will bee able to worke upon them first jealousies and by jealousies mistakes and by mistakes a distance and strangenesse by reason of worldly aimes differently carried on and when plots and passions are come to some maturitie crosse courses and mutuall provocations will bee set on foot reall injuries will bee offered complaints and clamours will break forth which in continuance make the divisions of hearts past all remedy and irreconciliable because it is not possible that men who aime at worldly matters should deny themselves either the use of their wit and passions in the prosecution of their designe or neglect the strength which they have in hand when they thinke it can serve their turne For if they should doe so they should seeme to quit their designes and so lose at once both the credit and profit thereof which to men that make use of their reason onely to compasse their owne will and to that effect can employ both power and policie is a thing altogether insufferable as being no lesse contemptible then folly and as hatefull as death This I conceive to bee one of the mysteries of iniquity by which Satan doth prevaile against the Ministers of the Gospel even against many men that are otherwise godly and able but are not sufficiently aware of his wiles by which they are drawn from their owne and ensnared in his way by which meanes their hands being weakned in their work hee gaineth his end at least indirectly by their infirmities and miscarriages Therefore all such as are conscionably sensible of their own frailties and of those dangers should bee wakened from securitie to become watchfull over their owne souls in these times of temptation for amongst the Protestant Churches where with the increase of knowledge a true sense of Christian libertie is begotten in the minds of professors Satan hath none other way to fit to erect his kingdome as this is of dividing the Ministers for which cause as wee see their divisions daily increased so the remedies should be the more earnestly thought upon and offereed with freedome and tendernesse unto all indifferently but chiefly to those who are neerest in principles and have least cause to walke asunder and b● at a distance These remedies can bee none other but the helpes to holy The remedy against Satans way of corrupting the ministery communion amongst Ministers in the prosecution of spirituall aimes tending to the advancement of Truth

not deceive our selves it is not the bare dogmaticall knowing of the truth that will approve us to be Christs Disciples there must bee a reall practise of it and this practise is nothing else but to walke in love as Christ hath loved us For herein wee shall approve our selves to be deare Ephes 5 1 2. children and followers of God because the new commandements which Christ hath given us John 13. 34. is this That yee love one another as I have loved you that yee also love one another And John his beloved Disciple tells us that wee know that wee have passed from death unto life because wee love the Brethren 1 John 3. 14. from whence hee doth in the same place inferre this consequence hee that loveth not his brother abideth in death Let therefore no man flatter himselfe with a vaine shew of the Truth of Christianitie this is an infallible Rule None is a Christian indeed and truth but hee that loveth the Brethren If then we can make it appeare that the Ministers of this kingdome are to esteeme one another truely Brethren because fully united unto Christ and that by the Law of Christian Brotherhood they are bound to make profession of that unitie and to behave themselves one towards another as it becommeth the Brethren of Jesus Christ and the brethren of each other in Christ if I say wee can make these things appeare to bee an undoubted dutie then wee may hope that on the one hand such as pretend to be Christians and yet minde not at all this distinguishing dutie but continuing to walke offensively in strife with every one dishonour their profession will bee discovered to bee voyd of truth and on the other hand such as are sincere will bee stirred up to shew themselves zealous in the way of Truth for the effectuall performance of the duties of Brotherly Unitie and Forbearance towards all those whom they are bound to acknowledge to belong to Jesus Christ no lesse themselves CHAP. III. Of the second Assertion Concerning the Termes of Vnitie and Forbearance in generall BY Vnitie wee meane the concurrence of mens judgments affections and actions about the same thing in one and the same way and for the same end By Forbearance wee meane the refraining from uncharitable and unkindly affections and behaviours towards another in some things although there bee some difference between us and him in judgement and in the way of acting about these things By the termes of Vnitie and Forbearance wee understand all those things which determine the judgement and conscience of a Christian to the profession and practise of these duties as hee oweth them unto Christ and his members As then the profession and practise of Vnitie is grounded upon the Law of Brotherhood according to that of Abraham unto Let Let there be no strife between me and thee I pray thee for wee Gen. 13. 8. bee Brethren So the profession and practise of Forbearance must bee grounded upon the Termes of some Unitie for where there is no Unitie at all if ever the disunited parties come within the reach of one another there no Forbearance can be expected but where there is some Unitie because there also will be some concurrence therefore there will needs follow thereupon some restraint of strife which is a Forbearance for the affections of men are to bee answerable to the natures of things as then things wholly opposit cannot possibly agree to beare one with another in that wherein their opposition doth lie when they are are to act upon the same subject no more then things agreeing can intend to oppose and destroy each other in that wherein their agreement doth lie So it is with the Motions of mens spirits both in the way of opposition and agreement when either of these is fundamentall For as in case of opposition the Apostle doth argue thus 2 Cor. 6. 14. What fellowship hath righteousnesse with unrighteousnesse what communion hath light with darknesse and what concord hath Christ with Balial So in case of agreement he argueth in like manner thus 1 Cor. 12. 21. 26. The eye cannot say to the hand I have no need of thee nor againe the head to the feet I have no need of you And whether one member suffer all the members suffer with it or one member be honoured all the members rejoyce with it So then all Forbearance from strife and opposition must proceed from the presupposall of some Unitie and where no Unitie is presupposed there can be no such Forbearance Therefore before wee can speake of the termes of Forbearance wee must consider first the termes of our agreement to see how full and satisfactory these will be found CHAP. IV. Concerning the termes of Vnitie by themselves what they are why not regarded and wherefore they ought to bee regarded THe thing whereof wee are to make enquiry at this time is this Whether yea or no the termes of Vnitie whereunto the Ministers of this Kingdome which are counted Orthodox and godly have already attained are not full and satisfactory to make them acknowledge one another to be Brethren If it can bee made out that the termes of their Unitie are such then it may bee inferred that they ought to behave themselves each to other as it becommeth brethren which to the grief of many is very slightly or not at all performed Now to resolve the question let us consider that which maketh men fully and satisfactorily brethren in Christ whether it bee not truely found in them although by many of them not at all regarded Wee shall say then that which formerly hath been asserted If such as are acknowledged to bee godly and Orthodox Ministers What the termes of brotherly unitie are in this kingdome are begotten of the same heavenly Father by the same Word of Truth in the same true Church and have the same sense of their relation unto Christ and in all the chief Acts of their Religious profession have the same rules to walke by then they have attained already unto that unitie which is full and satisfactory to make them acknowledge one another to bee Brethren But so it is that they are thus be 〈…〉 ten that they have this sense of their Relation to Christ and these Rules to walke by in their Religious profession Therefore the Vnitie whereunto they have already attained is full and satisfactory to make them acknowledge one another to be Brethren To these three heads then the particular termes of their Vnitie are to bee referred viz. 1. To the doctrine of Truth which is the seed of the heavenly Father begetting them to himself 2. To the sense of their Relation unto Christ in the Church 3. And to the Rules of their religious walking that if in every one of these the Unitie whereunto they have already attained bee found fully satisfactory to oblige them to a mutuall acknowledgment of Brotherhood then the publick profession thereof may not any longer bee held

the glory of God Now Christ received us to the glory of God that is to the participation of Gods love and goodnesse by a great condescension unto our weaknesse studying not to please himselfe but us to our good therefore wee are all bound to yeeld unto each other in like manner so then some condescension is both lawfull and requisite Compare with this that which is further to this purpose delivered concerning Christ Phil. 2. 4 5 6 7 and 1 Pet. 2. 21 22 23. But to presse further the point which in this dutie is to be heeded let us consider the precept given by the Apostle Rom. 12. 16. and his owne practise which hee sets before us elsewhere to bee followed as an example of that rule The precept is this Be of the same mind one ●●wards another mind not high things but condescend to m●n of low estate or to mean things bee not wise in your own cono●its As if he had said it is your dutie to bee like minded towards each other in love and that you may not bee taken off from performing this take heed to your thoughts that you neither affect high matters wherein naturally men use to please themselves nor that you bee in love with your owne wisedome but studie rather to make your mindes pliable and bring your selves to condescend to men and matters that are meane and low for except you all resolve upon this you can never bee of the same mind one towards another So then wee see that some condescension is not onely lawfull but wholly requisite to maintaine love and unitie and resist pride and self-love whence strife and confusion doth proceed Answerable unto this rule was the Apostles own practise mentioned 1 Cor. 9. for our imitation for there from the first verse till the 19th he sheweth that although hee had a full right to take maintenance from the Church of Corinth for his service done to them yet he would not doe it but condescended rather for their weakenesse sake to make the Gospel of Christ without charge unto them lest hee might bee thought to abuse his power in the Gospel So then to prevent an inconveniencie hee did condescend to quit his right to a benefit and a conveniencie which he might otherwise have lawfully enjoyed But then from vers 19. till the end of the Chapter hee speakes of another kind of condescension wherein hee did exercise himself and which hee relates that hee might therein bee imitated by others which was this that although hee was free from all men ye● hee made himselfe a servant to all that hee might gaine the more Vers 19. To the Jewes he became as a Jew to them that are under the Law as under the Law Vers 20. To them that are without Law ●● without Law though hee was not without Law to God but under the Law to Christ Vers 21. To the weake he became as weake and he made himselfe by way of condescension all things unto all men that h●● might by all meanes save some Vers 22. And the reason why hee exercised himselfe in this dutie was not onely for the good of others but for his owne good also in three things First that he might partake of the Gospel with every one in every condition Vers 23. Secondly that hee might keepe himselfe in a fit temper of spirit so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his calling as to receive the prize and so to fight as not to 〈◊〉 the aire Vers 24 25 26. And thirdly that hee might bee master of his own body lest if hee neglected the dutie of bringing it into subjection hee might bee sound himselfe a reprobate after all his paines in preaching the Gospel unto others Vers 27. Thus wee see that the Apostle doth make this not onely a dutie which is lawfull but in some sort necessary to the faithfull discharge of the ministeriall function even so farre that without the performance of it a man can neither gaine all sorts of people to the Gospel no● partake fully of the Gospel himselfe nor ●ee in a temper so to runne and strive as to gaine his incorruptible crowne before others nor at last escape the danger of being a castaway although hee hath painefully preached the Gospel unto others From all which wee must conclude that the studie of condescension chiefly in a Minister with whom I am now dealing is not a matter of indifferencie but a dutie of very great importance And if so then wee are obliged in conscience not onely to resolve upon the practise but to seeke out the rules by which our conversation in this matter may bee ordered aright for seeing in every dutie there are some rules and in this of condescension because none do set themselves to the practise thereof the rules are not lookt into Seeing also none ought in any thing to presume to prescribe rules unto others but all should rather in all humilitie search after the discovery thereof in the holy Scriptures and then hold forth in simplicitie that which God doth teach them and they find profitable for the edification of others therefore we shall apply our selves unto this search and offer that which wee suppose neither side will except against and yet may prove a sufficient directory for the practise of condescension and the transaction of a forbearance in the cases of our divisions Wee shall say then that to find out without difficultie the rules of condescension towards a forbearance three things should bee reflected upon 1 That wherein there can bee no yeelding 2 That wherein there may bee and ought to bee a voluntary yeelding 3 That which may draw forth and oblige the spirits of men to discover the things whereunto they shall bee willing of themselves to yeeld Concerning the first there can bee nor condescension proposed which should oblige any to make profession of any thing otherwise then it is in his heart For no man can with a good conscience yeeld to professe any untruth or transact to relinquish his sense and opinion of any thing which hee doth esteeme a point of truth or of right I say no man can condescend to relinquish his opinion or his challenge of a right to a priviledge because the matters of truth and right can edifie no man but disedifie both our selves and others if they bee denyed and professedly given up A man may dispense with a truth so farre as not to speak of it to all sorts of persons or at all times because they cannot beare it nor is it seasonable for edification to speake all truths at all times as wee may see by Christs example John 16. 12. and the Apostles practise 1 Cor. 3. 1 2. and the rules Matth. 7. 6. and Rom. 14. 1. And concerning a point of right a man may dispense with the use of it as wee see the Apostle doth 1 Cor. 9. But no man ought to yeeld himselfe obliged to deny any truth or not to beare witnesse to it when it is opposed

Heb. 10. 24. Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good workes and Phil. 2. 15 16. Bee ye blamelesse and harmelesse the sonnes of God without rebuke shine as lights in the world hold forth the word of life From all which this expedient will follow towards the finding out of the rules of condescension that every one who doth delight to goe before others in good workes and walke in the light ought in obedience to the will of God revealed in these commandements of his owne accord to offer unto his neighbour with whom hee doth desire to walke in peace and unitie a full discovery of those principles and rules by which hee doth find himselfe obliged in conscience according to Gods will to walke towards every one in the wayes of condescension If every one would doe this freely and fully it would bee easie without any danger of disagreement or of debates about particular interests which continually trouble the wayes of our profession to set downe the rules of condescension and forbearance for that might bee taken as a rule to bind every one which hee should offer freely and acknowledge to bee an obligation upon his conscience or which being offered unto him by others should by the Law of love bind him to practise the like unto them For I conceive this to be equall that what another doth yeeld unto mee supposing the matter in it selfe to be lawfull I should yeeld unto him in like manner even as I would have him yeeld unto mee that which I offer unto him as then I would not have any to presse upon mee any thing of a Religious concernment further then my light from the Word doth lead mee to embrace it so I ought not to intend to presse upon others any thing of that nature further then their light doth lead them but as I would bee born withall so I should beare with another till God give in more light to either of us by private meditations or regular conserences In the meane time let that which is yeelded on all sides bee setled as a rule of agreement to walke by and improved to the best advantage of peace and unitie Thus wee see that if every one would but hold forth his principles of light and life unto others and would bind himselfe as in the presence of God to walke answerable thereunto wee might easily come to the settlement and observation of the rules of condescension CHAP. XI Concerning the causes of disaffection and of breaches how they should bee removed by common consent THe first and originall causes of disaffection and of breaches are for the most part not taken notice of and hardly discerned by many even then when they are discovered because they lie very close to our nature for they are commonly nothing else but the neglect of charitable inclinations and duties and the unadvised admitting of prejudices and entertaining of evill surmises which not being observed and cured fester in the mind and first breed a shinesse or warinesse of him against whom they are conceived then a distance from him afterwards a strangenesse to his wayes and lastly a breach of unitie with opposition The causes of prejudice are very many in all sorts of men those which the ungodly and naturall man doth entertaine against a conscionable and religious walking with God I need not here to meddle withall * Viz R. Junius in two Treatises the one called The cure of Prejudice the other The cure of Misprision another hath handled that subject profitably at large and shewed the cure thereof but those which godly and religious men through humane frailtie entertaine one against another are the matter which here is to bee considered to make the way of unitie and forbearance plaine and easie and I shall now onely name them and point at the cure thereof in a word or two because I doe intend to speak to men of understanding onely to whom God hath committed the charge of soules and my aime towards them is not to dictate any thing but onely to discover the possibility of a cure of this disease first in themselves and then in their hearers by the removall of the chiefe causes of all our prejudices which I shall reduce to two heads whereof the one is openly the other is secretly offensive That which doth openly offend and causeth prejudices to rise in the mindes of men who are otherwise godly and against men who are truely godly and their Brethren is the irregularitie of disputes and debates about matters of Religion which is mainly twofold some irregularitie there is in respect of the matter some there is in respect of the manner of disputing In respect of the matter prejudices are raised when men strive about needlesse matters and contend for words and this the Apostle doth often warne Timothy to avoid as a thing whereunto the Ministers were and would bee much subject 1 Tim. 1. 4 5 6. and chap. 4. 7. and chap. 6. 4 5. 20. and 2 Tim. 2. 14 15 16 17 23. In respect of the manner of debating matters which are necessary and profitable prejudices are raised divers wayes but that which is the most common and hurtfull is that of passionate and provoking expressions against a mans person and his opinions to make him odious and his errours thought to bee extreame dangerous in that wherein hee dissents from us these railing accusations and all other injurious and insolent proceedings breed averse affections and stirring up mens spirits to strife and contradictions augment prejudices extreamly and fill the Churches with disturbance and confusion That which doth offend more secretly and doth beget much prejudice is the perverse and uncharitable observation of mens failings when they are construed suspiciously to the worse sense and then whispered in the eares of others that are leading men under the pretence of a caution or warning given unto them to take heed of this or of that for the strengthning of their hands in partiall designes and the promoting of particular interests This darke malicious devill who covers himselfe oft-times with a cloke of light and a zeale for holinesse and truth is exceeding busie in our dayes and hurtfull to our affaires and doth work his mischiefe not onely against him who is blasted in his reputation to make all the good which his talents may produce unprofitable unto others but also against the Authors of such whisperings themselves to make them the ring-leaders of division and of evill intelligence amongst brethren These are in brief the chief causes of our prejudices these must needs bee removed else the way of a lawfull condescension and forbearance will never bee plaine and easie in the settlement nor lasting in the continuance it will then bee of absolute necessitie that some course bee taken to remedy the same Therefore I shall for the present onely advise that when a brotherly transaction of matters towards a mutuall forbearance shall bee intended