Mr, CoIlinVs Sown: 307 wouii firugg,le might and main by all Chrifiian courage, by argu- ment, pradife, prayer, by fuffering, rather thenlet go thofe Truths that God bath taught you by his faithful Minifters : that Chrift that bath been preached to you: thofe Scriptures you have in your hands, thole Dodrines you have learnedby experience,by prayer,by rearch- ing the Word : thofewaies of worshipGod bath taught you thole patterns of his Houfe, andout-goings, and returnings there that he bath taught you : be exhorted tohold them fall, andnot to let their go : (Contend carnally for the faith &c.) It is tobe lamented, that there is fo fad a fpirit of indifferency among. Chriflians, as we findat this day. Many do fo carry it, as if therewere nothing in the Gofpel of chrill that were worthy the owning by pm, ailing, or worthy the owningby fuffering. This Luke warme indiffe- rent temper bath done the Church of God agreat deal of mircb.ief formerly ; and if admitted now, will doyou as much mifthief again. It hash been one of the fins.which the Lord at this day is judging and punifhing his poor people for that our zeal bath been fo hot againfl and another for meer circumilances,and fo cold when we are like to lofe the fubfiance: that our contentions rife fo high in matters hardly of any moment, and our fpirits work fo lowwhen they are to gain the great things for whichChrifl fuffered, and which hedelivered to us.it is my work therefore to beg you, that you would put on a holy refolution, that theremay be no contention among us (for we are Brethren) but onely that contention, whomay moil retain, and evi- dently witneffe the Faith that is delivered to us : It is the truft God bath committed , and he doth expeet, and look how we will manage it with courageand confidence, to keep the faithof the Gorpcl.There are very great oppofitions agairrit you, and there ought to be great re folutions ofChriflians to maintain themfelves againfl fuch oppofiti- ons. It is a very fad thing that Chriftians fhould fee the faith and the waies of the gofpel of God as it were taken from them at any time, and they hove not one word to fpeak ndr any thing at all for to venture in fuffering for the waies and truths of Jefus Orift Moles had filch a holy zeal, that when Aaron was an example to the people to lead them to idolatry , hecontended with him earnefily to his face. The zeal of Gods fervants is, fo final! now, that though Balaam be about thework, we have not a word to fpeak though the falfe Prophets of Antichrift be about thebufineffe, yet no Chriiti- an bath courage to fpeak. Ti he holy Apoille Paul , when Peter walked with an uneven foot, and began to 714daife, he tells us, he did refill him to his face : fhall pod refill Sir/leg-Peter, and (hall not the.- ,Saints of God refift Simon-M4pm ? fhall they relifl_117mmens a ri'd Phi-
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