What sad breaches are crept into the Church of God in these Nations, no man but he that is a stranger in Israel, that dwelleth at the Antipodes can be ignorant of. What great reason there is to have sad and mournful thoughts of heart for the divisions of Reuben, for the differences and distractions which are amongst us, every good man doth easily apprehend; How much it is incumbent upon those whom the Prophet calleth healers, Isa. 3. 7. to put to their helping hand to prevent further ruins, and to close up the breaches of Zion again, It is needless for me to prove. Since therefore so long as we know but in part, and prophesy but in part, it cannot be but that there will be variety of judgements in the Church, I have deemed it not incongruous or unbeseeming this present service, to open unto you out of these words of the Apostle, such an heavenly way of calming and pacifying differences, as that no common Adversary of our Religion or prosperity may make any use of them against us.
What sad breaches are crept into the Church of God in these Nations, no man but he that is a stranger in Israel, that dwelleth at the Antipodes can be ignorant of. What great reason there is to have sad and mournfull thoughts of heart for the divisions of Reuben, for the differences and distractions which are amongst us, every good man doth easily apprehend; How much it is incumbent upon those whom the Prophet calleth healers, Isa. 3. 7. to put to their helping hand to prevent further ruines, and to close up the breaches of Sion again, It is needless for me to prove. Since therefore so long as we know but in part, and prophesie but in part, it cannot be but that there will be variety of judgements in the Church, I have deemed it not incongruous or unbeseeming this present service, to open unto you out of these words of the Apostle, such an heavenly way of calming and pacifying differences, as that no common Adversarie of our Religion or prosperitie may make any use of them against us.
