§. 105. Direct. 22. Keep not strange to those from whom you differ, but be acquainted with them, 1and placidly hear what they have to say for themselves: O• else converse with them in Christian Love in 2all th•se duties in which you are agreed, and this (if you never talk of your differences) will do much to reconcile you in all the rest. It is the common way of division, uncharitableness, yea, and cruelty3 at last, to receive hard reports of those that differ from us, behind their backs, and to believe and aggravate4 all, and proceed to detraction and contention at a distance, and in the dark; and never be familiarly acquainted with them at all: There is something in the apprehension of places, and persons, and things by the eye sight, which no reports are able to match: And so there is that satisfaction about men by familiar acquaintance, which we cannot attain by hearsay from any how judicious soever. All factions commonly converse together, and seek no familiar converse with others, but believe them to be any thing that's naught, and then report them to be so, before they ever knew the persons of whom they speak: I am persuaded this is one of the greatest feeders of enmity uncharitableness, contention and slanders in the world. I speak it upon great observation and experience; I have seldom heard any man bitterly oppose the servants of Christ, but either the grossly wicked, or those that never had much acquaintance with them: And I see commonly, how bitter soever men were before, when once they converse together, and grow acquainted, they are more reconciled: The reason is, partly because they find less evil, and more good in one another than before they did believe to be in them; and partly because uncharitableness and malice, being an ugly monster, is bolder at a distance, but ashamed of it self before your face: And therefore the pens of the Champions of malice, are usually more bitter than their tongues when they speak to you face to face. Of all the furious adversaries that have raged against me in the later part of my life, I remember not one enemy that I have or ever had, that was ever familiar or acquainted with me: And I have my self heard ill reports of many: which by personal acquaintance I have found to be all false. Keep together, and either silence your differences, or gently debate them; yea, rather chide it out, than withdraw asunder:
§. 105. Direct. 22. Keep not strange to those from whom you differ, but be acquainted with them, 1and placidly hear what they have to say for themselves: O• else converse with them in Christian Love in 2all th•se duties in which you are agreed, and this (if you never talk of your differences) will do much to reconcile you in all the rest. It is the common way of division, uncharitableness, yea, and cruelty3 at last, to receive hard reports of those that differ from us, behind their backs, and to believe and aggravate4 all, and proceed to detraction and contention at a distance, and in the dark; and never be familiarly acquainted with them at all: There is something in the apprehension of places, and persons, and things by the eye sight, which no reports are able to match: And so there is that satisfaction about men by familiar acquaintance, which we cannot attain by hearsay from any how judicious soever. All factions commonly converse together, and seek no familiar converse with others, but believe them to be any thing thats naught, and then report them to be so, before they ever knew the persons of whom they speak: I am perswaded this is one of the greatest feeders of enmity uncharitableness, contention and slanders in the world. I speak it upon great observation and experience; I have seldom heard any man bitterly oppose the servants of Christ, but either the grosly wicked, or those that never had much acquaintance with them: And I see commonly, how bitter soever men were before, when once they converse together, and grow acquainted, they are more reconciled: The reason is, partly because they find less evil, and more good in one another than before they did believe to be in them; and partly because uncharitableness and malice, being an ugly monster, is bolder at a distance, but ashamed of it self before your face: And therefore the pens of the Champions of malice, are usually more bitter than their tongues when they speak to you face to face. Of all the furious adversaries that have raged against me in the later part of my life, I remember not one enemy that I have or ever had, that was ever familiar or acquainted with me: And I have my self heard ill reports of many: which by personal acquaintance I have found to be all false. Keep together, and either silence your differences, or gently debate them; yea, rather chide it out, than withdraw asunder:
- 1Direct. 22.
- 2Read the next Chap. 24. Sect. 20.
- 3☜
- 4Prince Frederick of Mo• pelgard being instructed into a distaste of the Reformed Protestants, when he had been at C••••a and H••v•tia, was went to far, G•• •• & •• Helvetia vi•i multa de q•ibus nihil, pa•• co••••• quibus s••e a•••••• •t Tossa•us ad •• ••lium •• ••te S•ult to i• Curric. p 26.Prince Frederick of Mo• pelgard being instructed into a distaste of the Reformed Protestants, when he had been at C••••a and H••v•tia, was went to far, G•• •• & •• H•lvetia vi•i multa de q•ibus nihil, pa•• co••••• quibus s••e a t Tossaus ad lium te Sult to i Curric. p 26.
