And now, upon the matter, I think verily that this healing Tractate is so full of that wisdom, which is from above, first pure, and then peaceable, that it will speak plainly the Author fitted of God to bring forth a seasonable word. At the first reading thereof, my spirit was greatly refreshed, and my heart enlarged to bless the Lord, conceiving that the Prince of peace, in compassion over our putrefied sores, had provided this mollifying ointment and cleansing plaster, in order to a cure of the same. And I doubt nothing but every true-hearted lover of Scions peace, who longs to see the Lord exalted, in binding-up our hither-till incurable wounds, will magnify the Lord with me and exalt his Name together. Herein thou wilt find excellently discovered, the rise of divisions, what hand the holy Sovereignty of God hath therein, and how the corruptions of men, even of the Godly, both raise and wonderfully heighten divisions; and how great influence occasional means may have in the same; together with the sad and dreadful effects thereof; and the necessity of endeavouring unity herein. Thou wilt also find the cure and remedy singularly opened, not only general grounds and preparatory endeavours for uniting, but also what things are to be forborne, and what is to be done in order to uniting, and that as well in closing doctrinal differences, not fundamental nor nigh the foundation, as for union in points not doctrinal, arising from diversity in external administrations, and especially practical differences in Church-government, and about the Constitutions and Acts of Synods, when the Authority thereof is declined and denied: Yea, remedies are proposed, of divisions arising from the misapplication of power, in censuring or sparing ⟨image 5⟩Church-officers, real or supposed. And finally, against the fears of misgovernment for the time to come, overtures are prudently given-in: and all closed with laying out briefly, and yet very effectually, grounds and motives of the desired union. That which I conceive is most eminent in this choice Treatise, lieth in these two things: first, That this our Cancer is most tenderly handled, in a very abstract way, never so much as stating or particularly touching any difference among us, and yet, upon the matter, the whole discourse cometh home to the very point most pertinently.
And now, upon the matter, I think verily that this healing Tractate is so full of that wisdom, which is from above, first pure, and then peaceable, that it will speak plainly the Author fitted of God to bring forth a seasonable word. At the first reading thereof, my spirit was greatly refreshed, and my heart enlarged to blesse the Lord, conceiving that the Prince of peace, in compassion over our putrified sores, had provided this mollifying oyntment and cleansing plaister, in order to a cure of the same. And I doubt nothing but every true-hearted lover of Sions peace, who longs to see the Lord exalted, in binding-up our hither-till incurable wounds, will magnifie the Lord with me and exalt his Name together. Herein thou wilt find excellently discovered, the rise of divisions, what hand the holy Soveraignty of God hath therein, and how the corruptions of men, even of the Godly, both raise and wonderfully heighten divisions; and how great influence occasional means may have in the same; together with the sad and dreadfull effects thereof; and the necessity of endeavouring unity herein. Thou wilt also find the cure and remedy singularly opened, not only general grounds and preparatory endeavours for uniting, but also what things are to be forborn, and what is to be done in order to uniting, and that as well in closing doctrinal differences, not fundamental nor nigh the foundation, as for union in points not doctrinal, arising from diversity in external administrations, and especially practical differences in Church-government, and about the Constitutions and Acts of Synods, when the Authority thereof is declined and denied: Yea, remedies are proposed, of divisions arising from the misapplication of power, in censuring or sparing ⟨image 5⟩Church-officers, real or supposed. And finally, against the fears of misgovernment for the time to come, overtures are prudently given-in: and all closed with laying out briefly, and yet very effectually, grounds and motives of the desired union. That which I conceive is most eminent in this choice Treatise, lyeth in these two things: first, That this our Cancer is most tenderly handled, in a very abstract way, never so much as stating or particularly touching any difference among us, and yet, upon the matter, the whole discourse cometh home to the very point most pertinently.
