Taylor - Houston-Packer Collection BS2755 .T394 1619

Bpifileo fs. Pae! :o Titus. CeAP.3.s. pounced upon cuery route , that keepeth húhandfrom end. If any aske, 577 but by what meanes (hall I auoid this fume of contention and guarel- äe toauoia ling? I anfwer,the meanes and rules are fundry. The firft, is in the text, the finneof to bridle the tongue,for this is an immediate follower ofeuill fpcaking, quarrelling and and it runneth from the tongue into the hand. 2. Let the confrderati- on of our common brotherhood be a meanes to cut off contention: Gen. 13.8. Let therebee no contention betrreenevs, for wee are brethren: oh, howcomely athing ú itfor brethren to dwell togetherin vnitie ? whe- Pfal,ys.r. ther brethrenby the common bondofnature , which refpeet madeall If- tael bind themfelues incouenant with Dauid , Thouart ourflefli, andour bone : or brethren in the profcffton oflife, and the identitie of the par- ''suera° ticular calling :orbrethren in regard ofthe generali calling ofChrifii- anity,fceing inch haue all one father in heaven, onemother theChurch, one elder brother IefusChrift,one fpirir, one baptifine, one hope, and one inheritance. 3. Confider what a fcandalfit is ro Popilh perlons, and profane fcorners ofreligion, that fuchas profeffe themfelues fchol- lersofChrifi, fhould line together like dogges and catres (as we fay) and byvngodly quarrelsand hearcburnes,be Bill building vp theworks of the deuill, whichChritt bath detiroied : why fhould fuch a thingbe heard inGath and Askelon ? why fhould Priamus and his fonne laugh vs to fcorne ? This was no 1mall motiue (as is probable) why Abraham the elder was fowilling to takevp theeontrouerlìe with Lor,leaft they (hould glueoffence to the Heathen: for the text induceth it as a reafon, for the Cananites and `Perezites dwelledat that time in theland. 4. Get Gen.,;.7,8, a low conceit ofthy felfe, and be fmall in chine owne eyes : for whence d}. rifeth contention and Artfc, but from the Isuf in the members , namely, xam.g,,. the inordinate bearing of amans felfe abonethat which ismeece;onely prat;,,, bypride, faith Salomon , man ?whethcontention : and indeed experience fheweth,that the mot+ funs at this day,are not fomuch for right ande- quity,as for vietory,which is moll euidët by all chofe trifling brablings which haue filled all the feats of iutlice : and hence is it , that men will . trauerfelaw, and.carrie fome trifling caufesahrough all the courts in the land, beforetheywill fit dowue with the Toile: and who be they a- mong whom fuits and contentions are become imtasortal,chat nofword either of Godsword, nor oftheMagitirate can cut off , or. let out CheJr life blood ,but rich men,who walke in many fnares,&can hardlyauoide highmindedneffe ; wealth maketh men that theycan hardly long dwell together. Let good men looke and fee inAbrahams and Lotsexample, how eafily their wealth may kindle andblow vp in them a flame ofcon- iention. f. BecaufeTome in their owne temper are ofmoremilde and quiet fpirits, and rather lie open co,this finne by others inftigation,then their

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