Vindiciæ legis & fœderis

I well remember that blessed time, when Ours and Yours were terms almost unknown among Professors in England. When their affections and prayers melted and mingled together sweetly in days of humiliation, and other duties of edifying and heavenly Communion; and then Churches began to flourish, and the Graces of Christians every where floured, and became fruitful. But no sooner did the Saints divide in Society and Affection; but these pleasant blossoms were nipped by it as by a Frosty morning. The Church formed it self as it were into two Armies, set in Battalia ⟨image 6⟩against each other. It was now with us much like as its said of the Amphisbaena, that hath an head at either end; of which neither can well move, without the consent of both; but if each move a contrary way, the body tears in the middle. I doubt not but many that differed from us, belonged to Christ, the same Head with us; and yet 'tis past doubt, that many who seemed to be of us, were headed by Satan; and quickly discovered themselves to be so by running farther than we first, or you next imagined, even into Quakerism, Socinianism, Ranterism, and the foulest puddle, and sink of complicated errors; of which an impartial stranger under the name of Honorius Reggius, [Greek or Hebrew], Georgius Hornius having heard the report in his own Country came over on purpose into England for his particular and perfect information, and hath given the foreign Churches a full and sad account thereof in a Latin Narrative, ⟨image 7⟩which I have by me; whereby I find, that if the Lord in mercy to us had not let in a third party with the common calamity upon us all, we our selves must in all probability have mutually ruined each other. But God saw other hands fitter for such dirty work than ours; and now it was time to reflect upon former follies, and renew our ancient acquaintance in the Common Goals. And through the goodness of God this did somewhat allay the heats of good men, and gave us fresh hopes of an hearty, and lasting redintegration. We hoped the Furnace might have purged our dross, and melted our hearts into Unity, both by discovering the evils for which the Lord afflicted us, and the sincerity of the sufferers hearts under those trials. Christians (saith Mr. Jenkins) if we must dye, let us dye like men, by an unanimous holy contention against the common enemy;

I well remember that blessed time, when Ours and Yours were terms almost unknown among Professors in England. When their affections and prayers melted and mingled together sweetly in days of humiliation, and other duties of edifying and heavenly Communion; and then Churches began to flourish, and the Graces of Christians every where floured, and became fruitful. But no sooner did the Saints divide in Society and Affection; but these pleasant blossoms were nipt by it as by a Frosty morning. The Church formed it self as it were into two Armies, set in Battalia