170 The LIFE of the Our Anfwer whereto was asfollows : Much hónoured and beloved Brethren in the Lord, L I B. WE received your welcome Linesfrom the Hand of our faithful and much honoured V Friend Call. JohnBridges. It much rejoiceth us to hear of your brotherly Affecta- tion, and the Succefi, andmore, that your Hearts are enlarged with fuck Deftres for the 'farther promoting of thee healing Work; and that you thus breath after the Union of the Saints. It lathnot only rejoice ua on your own behalf, and on the behalf of that defolate Land where you abide, but alfa on the behalf of the Churches in general; becaufe wefeem to difeern the gracious Thoughts of God unto his People, in.founding a Retreat to their unbrotberÿ Contentions, by fending forth that Spirit of Love and Peace, which we know' muff build us up ìf ever we are built : When God was pulling down and laying Wane, he witbeld thie Mercy, and let out upon his Churches a Spirit of Contention, Bitterneßand Division, which bath gone on to demolifh andbreak inpieces, and made our ownHands the Executioners of thsfe heavy 7udgmenrs, which bave laid usfo long in.Sbame and Sorrow, and filled ear Enemies Mouths with Scorn. While this evil Spirit that made defolate did prevail, Divifìon teemed aimable, and dividing Principlesfeemedglorious Truths ; and all Motions to Reconciliations were unfavory things, and rejected as a Defeelion from Truth or Zeal, andas a carnal Compliance with the ways of Darknefs ; and even thofe that were zealous for Truth and Hahne', were too many ofthem cold for Peace and Unity; reading thole Scriptures which fo earnefflyprefs them, as if they read them not ; never obrrving or ("eying to Heart the firiíl Commands of the Lord herein, as if there had been no fuck 'Wages in our Bibles. But, ble eed be the Lord that beginnetb mightily to awaken the Hearts of his Servants, andcause them to obferve the Truths which theyaverlook'd, and at lag to lay to heart tie Duty fo much neglelled. We now hear from many Countries of tüaNation, the Voice of the Spirit of Peace ; our Brethrenbegin to get together and confide of the means of reparing our Breaches, and in many Placesare affociated; and though the Work be but beginning, andmightily refinedby the Enemies of Holynefs and Peace, yet are we in great Hopes that theta Beginnings do promifi more, and that Godbath not awakened no to this Work in vain. And now by. the Tidings of your Concord, we have receivedan inereafe of thefe our Hopes and Confolations. Go on dear Brethren as One in the Centre of Unity ; , and prevail in the Strength of the great Reconciler This is the way that will prevail at lag ; and however it be thoughtofby others will certainly be comfortable to our [elves in the review ; when dividing ways mill be all difgraced, and look with another Face than now they do :. He that is for Vanity and Love is likefi to have bi, Approbation who is one, and who is Love. Our Hearts are with you and our Prayers (hall be foryou, that you mayabundantly reap the Fruitsof Concord, in the Conviilion ofGain foyers, and tbe farther Confirmation andEdification ofyour own. Tour Motion for a Correfpondency we gladly. entertain, and f ts/6 rejoice in the Affiance ofyour Advice and Prayers, and willingly to that end communicate our Affairs. We are now upon a joint Agreement to bring all the ancient Perfom in our Paifes ( whowill not do it in the Congregation) to our Honfees on certain Days every Week, by turns, to be eatecbifed or inflrutled as (hall be molt to their Edification : AWorkthat reguiretb fo muchunweariedDiligence, Self -denial, and bolt' Skill, and wherein we are like to meet withfe muchRefinance, and yet dot(' appear to SO of great neceftyand u/e, that we earne/tlycrave yourPrayers for fichQualifications and Sueceffer. The Stateofyour Affairs we partly underflandby the Information of Coll. Brid- ges; We heartily pray theLordof the Has-veil to fend forthmore Labourers among you; and could wecontribute any thing to fo good aWork, we fhould willingly do it t But able Miniflors fit for the Work withyou, are too few, and many of them fo weakof Body, that they are unfit for Travel, andmolt of them fo engaged to their Godly People, and the People fo impatient of a Motion for their remove, that the Work will be very hard; but wehope to be faithful in our Endeavours whatever be the Succeß Brethren we crave your Prayers to God that we may be faithful and Succefsfulin his Work; as alfo that Brotherly Correfpondency which youmotion might abide ; and we remain Your Brethren inthe FaithofChrill, Rich. Baxter, Teacher of the Churchat Kidermin/fer. Jarvis Bryan, Teacher ofthe Church at Old Swinford. Henry
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