The Preface. 18. And the Church will alwayes have many hypocrites, who quiet their Confciencesby adhering to the ftricieft Mi= niers andChurches, infteadof a mortified, holy and heavenly heart and converfation. 19. Andlaftly, Perfecution andhatred from others, and thedue Lové of Godly perfons, tempteth too many Mini- fiers toover-run their own judgements, and follow the-more cenforiousfort of perfons further than they ought (at leaft by connivence,) and to be ruled by thofe whom they !horrid rule. And thus Divifons are occafioned even by Piety it.felf. I L Butyet were the Principles of Divifion never fo ma- ny and pernicious, Intereftmight have led moreofthe world to Quietnefs andConcord, had not Satan, the great enemy of Love and Peace , feduced them to that Inj}rumental Means and way, which will never confift with Concord. It is that which Chrift and his Apoftles have done very much toprevent, but the Devil ( evenwith all the forts fore mentioned) hash much prevailed againft their precepts. TheGrand cafe of the Chriftian World is, WHAT IS THE 1"1kUB CENTG12, and 12L1LE OF C0N= CORD ? Could they find out this, it would- hold ,men of various tempers to it. I. Chrift firfl laid down the Defcription and Meafure of Chriftianity, in the Daptifmal Covenant ; and ordained that all fhould be accounted Cbriftians in foroEcclefìewhobyBaptifm were folemnly devoted to hire, in a profeffed Belief and Covenant, Dedicationand Vow to God the Father, Son and Holy .Ghoft ; ;Ihefe he would have called Chrians or his Difciples, and this is their Cbriftening, and fo ever called inthe Church. .2. Andnext he made it his new ( that is Laft ) andGreat Command, that. All his . Difciples fhould Love each other, and live in eminent Unity and Peace : which he accordingly wrought themto by thefiat pouring out of' his Spirit, 4Et. 2:0;.ßz"4 I I. TheApoffles founding the Church in this 1r3aptfmal Vow orCovenant, and mutual Love, exhorted accordingly all the rl3aptized toLove each other, and to Receiveeven the weak in faith, but not to doubtful dijputations, Rom. r4.. &r5. Oft vehemently charging them to be of one mind and live in Love 3.nd peace, and to beware of them as not ferving Chrift-but their own bellies, who were for. Divifìo2s, r Cor. 1.1o, r e: fo>n. r b. i7. And though they came with pretences of.01P D W tSD 0M or P IETY, fuch Good words, and fair fpeechis
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