A Continuation of morning-exercise questions and cases of conscience practically resolvedA Continuation of morning-exercise questions and cases of conscience practicaly resolved

10. Sincere love restored and exercised more among us, would certainly make us forbear reviling, and exposing one another, and the industrious seeking one another's ruin. For such as can allow themselves to do any thing that hath this tendency; not to preserve public order, but to gratify their private ill will, not in a sudden heat and passion, but deliberately, and so as to pursue a formed design to this purpose. If such men were capable of being reasoned with (tho it were to as good purpose, to talk to a storm or reason with a whirlwind, or a flame of fire) I would ask them What are you altogether unatoneable? will nothing divert you from this pursuit? If any thing, what will? What more gentle thing than our destruction do you seek, or will content you? Is it our communion? And do you so recommend your selves? Do you not know Cain is said to have been of that wicked one who slew his brother? 1 Joh. 3.10. And that whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer; and that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him? Is it not said Joh. 8.44. That such are of their father the devil, and the lusts of their father they will do, who was a murderer from the beginning? And in the forementioned 1 Joh. 3.10. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother? If all were like you under what notion were we to unite with them? The Apostle tells us 1 Cor. 10.20, 21. I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of devils; Ye cannot be partakers of the Lords table, and of the table of devils. And in good earnest, incarnate devils (though that Text do not directly speak of such) have too much of devil in them, to be participants in a communion, that can seem desirable, or is likely to be grateful to serious Christians. I must avow it to all the world, it is not this or that external form I so much consider in the matter of Christian union and communion, as what Spirit reigns in them with whom I would associate my self.

10. Sincere love restored and exercised more among us, would certainly make us forbear reviling, and exposing one another, and the industrious seeking one anothers ruine. For such as can allow themselves to do any thing that hath this tendency; not to preserve publick order, but to gratify their private ill will, not in a suddain heat and passion, but deliberately, and so as to pursue a formed design to this purpose. If such men were capable of being reason'd with (tho it were to as good purpose, to talk to a storm or reason with a whirlwind, or a flame of fire) I would ask them What are you altogether unatoneable? will nothing divert you from this pursuit? If any thing, what will? What more gentle thing than our destruction do you seek, or will content you? Is it our communion? And do you so recommend your selves? Do you not know Cain is said to have been of that wicked one who slew his brother?