Yet when I had read his Book, it was my Resolution, to send him privately my Reply, that so we might consider how far we were agreed, and how far the difference was only seeming and about words, and might publish only the remainder to the world, by joint Consent. The Reasons of this Resolution were these: First, Because I was loath by tedious altercations, to hinder the Reader from discerning the Truth: It is the course of most voluminous Disputers, to tire their Readers with Contendings about words, that they can hardly find out the true state of the Controversy; much less discern on which side is the Truth. Which might be much remedied if men would but lovingly first debate the matter in private, and cut off all the superfluities and verbal Quarrels; and then put out only the material differences by joint Consent, having Corrected even in the language and manner of debating, whatsoever was displeasing or seemed injurious to either party. Secondly, Because I unfeignedly abhor contending, and never wrote any thing that way, but when ⟨image 12⟩I was unavoidably necessitated. Thirdly, Because I so well know my own frailty, and proneness to be over-eager and keen, and unmannerly in my stile, and the frailty of most Brethren in being Impatient hereof; yea of many in judging themselves wronged when they are not, and making some plain speeches which were but necessary or innocent, to seem proud, contemptuous, and slighting as to mens persons, racking them to a sense that was never intended, I therefore thought it safest to avoid all occasions of such mistakes, which may be injurious to themselves, as well as to me. Fourthly, Because the Lord hath of late years by a strange, unresistible work of his power, fastened in my soul so deep an Apprehension of the Evil of Dissentions, and of the Excellency and Necessity of the Unity of Brethren, and the Peace of the Church; and in order hereto, of the healing of our Divisions, that it sticks in my thoughts night and day, and the Zeal of such a Reconciliation doth eat me up; so that I make it the main study and business of my Meditations, which way I might do any thing towards its accomplishment. And I was much afraid, lest if I wrote by way of Controversy, I might, by exasperating my Brethren, hinder this happy work. He that knoweth my heart, knoweth that these were my thoughts.
Yet when I had read his Book, it was my Resolution, to send him privately my Reply, that so we might consider how farre we were agreed, and how farre the difference was onely seeming and about words, and might publish only the remainder to the world, by joynt Consent. The Reasons of this Resolution were these: First, Because I was loath by tedious altercations, to hinder the Reader from discerning the Truth: It is the course of most voluminous Disputers, to tire their Readers with Contendings about words, that they can hardly finde out the true state of the Controversie; much less discern on which side is the Truth. Which might be much remedied if men would but lovingly first debate the matter in private, and cut off all the superfluities and verbal Quarrels; and then put out only the material differences by joynt Consent, having Corrected even in the language and manner of debating, whatsoever was displeasing or seemed injurious to either party. Secondly, Because I unfeignedly abhorre contending, and never wrote any thing that way, but when ⟨image 12⟩I was unavoidably necessitated. Thirdly, Because I so well know my own frailty, and proneness to be over-eager and keen, and unmannerly in my stile, and the frailty of most Brethren in being Impatient hereof; yea of many in judging themselves wronged when they are not, and making some plain speeches which were but necessary or innocent, to seem proud, contemptuous, and sleighting as to mens persons, racking them to a sense that was never intended, I therefore thought it safest to avoid all occasions of such mistakes, which may be injurious to themselves, as well as to me. Fourthly, Because the Lord hath of late years by a strange, unresistible work of his power, fastned in my soul so deep an Apprehension of the Evil of Dissentions, and of the Excellency and Necessity of the Unity of Brethren, and the Peace of the Church; and in order hereto, of the healing of our Divisions, that it sticks in my thoughts night and day, and the Zeal of such a Reconciliation doth eat me up; so that I make it the main study and business of my Meditations, which way I might do any thing towards its accomplishment. And I was much afraid, lest if I wrote by way of Controversie, I might, by exasperating my Brethren, hinder this happy work. He that knoweth my heart, knoweth that these were my thoughts.
