Irenicum, to the lovers of truth and peace heart-divisions opened in the causes and…

But thirdly, if some brethren rise to a seventh degree, and others stay at six, which yet have such a power over conscience, that if they prevail not, the seventh is no way likely to prevail: Why should not the Apostles rule quiet us all, Phil. 3. 15, 16. whereunto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule: If in any thing you be otherwise minded, God will reveal even this unto you. If we have attained but to six, and our brethren have attained to seven, let us walk together lovingly to the six; If God shall after reveal the seventh (we will promise to pray and study in the mean time) we shall walk with them also: why must it needs be now urged with violence, so as to divide else? and although we hold not the seventh, yet there is an ingredient in the sixth, that hath in it the strength of the seventh? For wherein lies the strength of the seventh above the rest? is it not in this? that it is the last means Christ hath appointed in his Church to work upon the heart, this consideration hath much terror in it: Now those in the Congregational way say, that this is fully in the sixth, wherefore that it is as terrible to their consciences as the seventh can be to the consciences of our brethren, and that upon the same ground.

But thirdly, if some brethren rise to a seventh degree, and others stay at six, which yet have such a power over conscience, that if they prevaile not, the seventh is no way likely to prevaile: Why should not the Apostles rule quiet us all, Phil. 3. 15, 16. whereunto we have already attained, let us walke by the same rule: If in any thing you be otherwise minded, God will reveale even this unto you. If we have attained but to six, and our brethren have attained to seven, let us walk together lovingly to the six; If God shall after reveal the seventh (we will promise to pray and study in the mean time) wee shall walke with them also: why must it needs be now urged with violence, so as to divide else? and although we hold not the seventh, yet there is an ingredient in the sixt, that hath in it the strength of the seventh? For wherein lyes the strength of the seventh above the rest? is it not in this? that it is the last meanes Christ hath appointed in his Church to worke upon the heart, this consideration hath much terrour in it: Now those in the Congregationall way say, that this is fully in the sixt, wherefore that it is as terrible to their consciences as the seventh can be to the consciences of our brethren, and that upon the same ground.