336 The Coricluflon. neither fin nor divifion will ever be overcome ; and on the other fide we fee that felghneft is fo natural and common and obliinate, that fo many men as are born into the world,, fo many enemies are there to Holinefs and Peace, till grace Thal change them ; and that all endeavours , perfwafions, convictions do little prevail againft this deadly rooted fin : fo that men will preach againft it, and yet moll thamefiilly live in it ; and after all rebukes, chaftifements and heavy judge- ments of God, the Church is Bill bleeding, andPrinces, Pa- {tors and People are felf-conceited, felf-willed and felf- feekers dill. Alas for the caufeand Church of Chrift! Mull we give it up to the lufis of felf? Muff we fit down and look on its miferable torn condition , with lamentation and defpair ? and fhall we deliver down this defpair to our poftergy ? Were not our hope only in the Omnipotent God, it muff be fo. When we look at men, at Magiftrates or Minifters, we fee no hopes : What higher profeffions can be madeby thefe in fucceding ages , then have now been made ? And yet what negligenceofMagiftrates, and what contentioufnefs of Minifters, deftroy all hopes ? So that we l000k at the reflauration of the Church, as at the Refurre- etion, that muff be done by Omnipotency : God mull raife up another generation of more felf-denying, prudent, zea- lous Magiftrates, and of more Self-ftudying , Peaceable, Humble, Zealous, Induftrious Minifters, before the Healing work will be done. Thefelfilh fpirit that prevaileth now in the molt, is neither fit to be the Matter or fafiramene of theReformed, Peaceablefate which we expect. While the enemies are deftroying us by fecret fraud and open force, we Elandat a diftance and unite not againft them,yea we are calling each other Hereticks and Deceivers, and teaching them how to revileus, and putting filch words into their mouths againft us, as may help our people to defpife us , andreject us, and warrant them from our own mouths or pens to rail at us and forfake us : One part of us being Hereticks orDeceivers by the teflimony ofthe other part, and theother part by the teflimony oftoo many of them. Dear Brethren, if fetfiAneft Ihall not now be left, when we
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