Numb. 1V. APT LNDIX. him he h a Saint, and acknowledge him fo : but if you come to him, And fay, be fides this, Yon are a Limbof the Devil, and you have no Grace in you, this pro- voketh ail in a Man, when there is any Ground in himfelf to think lb, or in ano- ther to judge him fo; fo it is here : Come to Church and fay, Youhave thefe Defeies among you, and thefe things to be reformed: But if you will comeand fay, 2cur Churches and your Minifiers arealntichrifiian and come from Babylon, there is no- thing provoketh more. Therefore if there be a Truth in it (as I believe there is) Men should be Zealous to exprefs it : Fot this is the great Partition Wall that bin. deretb of twain making one. Then again, This is that which I confider, and it is a great Confederation alfo. I know that Jefes Chrift bath given his People Light in Matters ofthis Naturebyde- grees. Thoufands of good Souls that have been bred up and born in our Affem- blies, and enjoy the Ordinances of God, and have done it comfortably, cannot faddenly take in other Principles : Youmuffwait on Chrift to do it. In this Cafe Men are not to be wrought off byFa fhoods, God hack no heed of them tao, rather till Men do take in Light, you lhould give them all that is com- fortable; in the Condition they are in ; we Ihould acknowledge every good thing in every Man, in every Church, in every thing; and that is a way to work upon Men and to prevail with them, as it is Phi/em. v. 6. That the Communication of thy Faith may become effecîual acknowledgment of everygood thing which is in you in Cbrsf ff r. It is that which buildethMen up, by acknowledgment of every good thing that is in them. Laf/ly, The laff Inconvenience is this, Itdoth deprive Men of all thofe Gifts that ate fo:md aniongil our Miniffers, and in thisKingdom, that they cannot Mold any Communion or fellowfhip with them. So that I profefs my felf as zealous in this Point,as in any otherI know. And for my part, this I fay, and I fay it withmuch Integrity : I never yet took up Religionby Parties in the Lump. I have found by tryal of things that there is fome truth on all Sides : I have found Holinefs where you would little think it, and fo likewife Truth. And I have learned this Principle, which I hope I !hall never lay down till I am fivallowed up of Imortality, and that is, that which I faid before, To ac- knowledgeevery good thing, and hold Communion with it, inMen, in Churches, or what- fe ver ale. I learn thisfrom Paul, I learn this from Jefas Chrift himfelf : He filleth Ali inAll : He is in the Hearts of his People, and filleth them in his Ordinances to this Day: And where Jefas Chrift filleth, why Ihould we deny an Acknowledg- ment, and a right Hand of Fellowfhip and Communion ? My Brethren, thisRule that I have now mentioned (which I profefsl have lived by, and ¡hall do while I live) I know I (hall never pleafe Men in it : Why ? It is plain; for this is the Nature and Condition of all Mankind, if a Man diffents from others in one thing, he lofeth himfelf in all the tell : And therefore if a Man do take what is good of all fides ; he is apt to lofe themall : Buthe pleafethChrift by it, and fo I will for this particular. Thus far Dr. T. Goodwin prefaced and commended by ThankfulOwen, and games Barron, worthy and peaceable Men, deceafed. TheTranfriber cravetie judicious Refolutions of thefetwo Quellions c r. Whether it be lawful to be a fixed Member of a grofly Schifmatical Church; that is guilty of fùch feparating from flandering almoll all others, as is here repro- ved, when Communion with better may be had t QeJi. a. How far others are bound to reprove and Tellify againftfach dividing Principles, Minilters and Churches, efpecially after and under doleful Experience of their fistful calamitous Effeets? Dear Brother, 3 II ve felt that in my ownSoul, and liven that upon my Brethren for thefe two or three Years laff pall, which perfuadeth me that God is about the healingof our Wounds, having communicated more healing Principles andAffebtions, and powed out more of the Spirit of Catholick Love andPeacethan I have perceived heretofore. Love is arifenand lhineth upon the Children of the Day, and your congealed Stiffnefs begins to vanilla, and a Chriftian Tendernefs to fueceed. The I, ` Prince
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