Of Predes`lination.' B. I'letell you what good I expect. I expect that here and there an impartial lober Divine fhould fearch into and find pacificatory truth : And that diversStudents, not yet engaged in any Fa&ion, fhould difcern it : And that molt of the idle; ignorant and factious, who find it molt for their interefi, café andhonour, to be fervent for theOpinion which that party holdeth, with whom they do embody, will reproach my felfand thefe attempts, and call me a Calvinift or an Arminian , or one that holdeth dangerous Opinions, and felf-conceitedly over valuingmyown apprehenfions, do trouble-theChurch, and ftrengthen the Adverfaries by pretended Reconciliation. But I look that thofe that receive the Truth, fhould themfelvesbe faved from the guilt of all that uncharita- blenefs, fa&ion and injury to others, which is caufèd by mensmiftakes And allo that they fhould be a feed of Peace-makers , to propagate Truth to Pollerity, till theAge comewhen God will heal the Churches, andbanifh contentious Error fròm among them. And in the mean time, I look forpeaceofConfcience in the Service of God, and in his appro., bation. And it will be reward enough to live out of the fire of Con- tentionmy felf, and to efcàpe the Feaverof that zealous Wifdom which is earthly, fenfual, and devilith, and with envy and flrife Both- bring in confufion, and every evil work : And to feel the fweetnefs of Tome of the Wifdom from above, which is firft pure, then peaceable, 6,c. Par. A d Iam morerefalved not to omit my Duty throughdifpair, for the experience which I have already had. I remember the time when in the Country where I lived, Sacraments and Difcipline were uegle&ed,through the diftances of the Epifcopal, Presbyterians and independants, about the wayofAdminiftration,and we looked ftrange- ly at eachother; I thought itour Duty to joyn in love and pra&ice fo far as weagreed, and pats by the reft till we could better fee our way. Butmany years I thought I fhould be but fcorned if I attempted it, and foforbore it in difpair. But at laft attempting it, almoft all contented withwhom I did endeavour this way of Concord, andI found no con- derable oppofition, and many other Countries began to follow our example. After this I -law that whilft Minifters only preached publickly, and fpake but now and then occafionallywith thepeople perfonally, they were ignorant of theirown Flocks, and edified thembut little, and oc- cafiened Difputes about examining thembefore a Sacrament, and many other inconveniences ; And .I earnefily wifht that they would let up the courfeof Catechizing and familiar'Conference withal!, from Family to Family inorder througheach Parifh. And I thought that if a few Mi- nifters fhould attempt this without the content and concurrenceof the reff, they would but be contemned by the people : Butif all-the Mini- tiers ofReputation would confent,it might happily go on : But tomoti- on fuch a thing I thought as vain, as to attempt that which teemed next, toan impoffibility. But whenI did attempt it at laft, I found little or no oppofition; but the Ministers readily contented, and other Coun- tries began the like; In fo much that tome Minifters of Helvetia tent to me their defires,ofletting on foot thefame courfe there. Thefe inftances confute difpair, the great Enemyof all good, and make me refolve to domy part in any good Work, and leave the iffueto God. I confefs, and its toowell known, that tome attempts fince thefe for concord be- tween Church-contenders in England,werewithout fuccefs:But they have afforded my Confcience that peace, which doth abundantlycompenfate E all
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