But of all our Errors, There is none of such dangerous and threatening Consequence as the Contention which we are too prone to break forth into. We are too much a Contentious, and that will soon render us a Wretched and a Ruined people. A Divided and Quarrelsome People, do even say to the Almighty, Depart from us; for He is the God of Peace. But O, What is our meaning then, to make a full submission & entire resignation ⟨p. 38⟩of our selves to the Tyranny of our own Passions, as we have too much done, while we have been debating about the Measures of another Submission and Resignation in our various Revolutions! I have read of a people with whom it was a Law, That in a Fray, where Swords were drawn, If a Child did but cry PEACE, they must End the Quarrel, or else he dyed that struck the first blow after PEACE was named. He that Considers the Feverish Paroxysms which this Land is now raging in, through mere Misunderstandings about the Means leading to the End wherein we are generally agreed, and how ready we are to treat one another with fiery Animosities, had need cry, Peace, Peace! with a very speedy importunity. For my own part, I confess my self but a Child, and among the meanest, the smallest of your Children too; but yet I am old enough to cry Peace! and in the Name of God I do it. Peace! my dear Country-men; Let there be Peace in all our Studies, Peace in all our Actions, and Peace notwithstanding all our Differences. We cannot avoid having our Different Sentiments; but Peace! I say; O let not our Dissents put us upon Hatred and Outrage, and every evil work. It has not a little surprised me to read in a Greek Author, who wrote Fifteen hundred ⟨p. 22⟩years ago; that in the times long preceding his, there was a Tradition among them, that Europe, and Asia, and Africa, were Islands, encompassed by the Ocean, without and beyond which was another as big as They: in which other World, were mighty and long-lived people, inhabiting of great Cities; the two greatest whereof were called, one of them, The Fighting City; the other of them, The Godly City. Behold very Ancient Footsteps of the knowledge which the old World had of our America, some Thousands of years ago. But I pray, which of them American Cities, must New-England become Incorporate into? Truly, If we are a Fighting, or a Disagreeing People, we shall not be a Pious one.
But of all our Errors, There is none of such dangerous and threatning Consequence as the Contention which we are too prone to break forth into. We are too much a Contentious, and that will soon render us a Wretched and a Ruin'd people. A Divided and Quarrelsome People, do even say to the Almighty, Depart from us; for He is the God of Peace. But O, What is our meaning then, to make a full submission & entire resignation ⟨p. 38⟩of our selues to the Tyranny of our own Passions, as we have too much done, while we have been debating about the Measures of another Submission and Resignation in our various Revolutions! I have read of a people with whom it was a Law, That in a Fray, where Swords were drawn, If a Child did but cry PEACE, they must End the Quarrel, or else he dyed that strook the first blow after PEACE was named. He that Considers the Feavourish Paroxysins which this Land is now raging in, through meer Misunderstandings about the Means leading to the End wherein we are generally agreed, and how ready we are to treat one another with fiery Animosities, had need cry, Peace, Peace! with a very speedy importunity. For my own part, I confess my self but a Child, and among the meanest, the smallest of your Children too; but yet I am old enough to cry Peace! and in the Name of God I do it. Peace! my dear Countrey-men; Let there be Peace in all our Studies, Peace in all our Actions, and Peace notwithstanding all our Differences. We cannot avoid having our Different Sentiments; but Peace! I say; O let not our Dissents put us upon Hatred and Outrage, and every evil work. It has not a little surprised mee to read in a Greek Author, who wrote Fifteen hundred ⟨p. 22⟩years ago; that in the times long praeceding his, there was a Tradition among them, that Europe, and Asia, and Africa, were Islands, encompassed by the Ocean, without and beyond which was another as big as They: in which other World, were mighty and long-liv'd people, inhabiting of great Cities; the two greatest whereof were called, one of them, The Fighting City; the other of them, The Godly City. Behold very Ancient Footsteps of the knowledge which the old World had of our America, some Thousands of years ago. But I pray, which of them American Cities, must New-England become Incorporate into? Truly, If we are a Fighting, or a Disagreeing People, we shall not be a Pious one.
