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Job, xxxix. speeches there are of Job's, whereby his wisdom and other virtues may appear; but the glory of an ingenious mind he hath purchased by thefe words only, Behold, I will lay mine hand on my mouth; I have Spoken once, yet will I not therefore maintain argument ; yea, twice, bowbeit for that caufe further I will not proceed. Far more comfort it were for us (fo fmall is the joy we take in these strifes) to labour under the fame yoke, as Men that look for the fame eternal reward of their labours, to be enjoined with you in bands of indiffoluble Love and Amity, to live as if our Perfons being many, our Souls were but one, rather than in fuch difmembered fort, to fpend our few and wretched days in a tedious profecuting of wearifome contentions: the end whereof, if they have not some speedy end, will be heavy, even on both fides. Brought already we are, even to that eftate which Gregory Nazianzen mournfully defcribGreg. Nax. eth, faying, My mind leadeth me (fith there is no in Apol.

other remedy) to fly and to convey myself into some corner out of fight, where I may escape from this cloudy tempeft of Maliciousness, whereby all parts are entered into a deadly war amongst themselves, and that little remnant of Love which was, is now confumed to nothing. The only godliness we glory in, is to find out Somewhat whereby we may judge others to be ungodly. Each other's faults we obferve, as matters of exprobation, and not of grief. By thefe means we are grown bateful in the eyes of the Heathens themselves, and (which woundeth us the more deeply) able we are not to deny, but that we have deferved their hatred: with the better fort of our own cur fame and credit is clean loft. The lefs we are to marvel, if they judge vilely of us, who although we did well, would hardly allow thereof. On our backs they also build that are lewd, and what we object one against another, the fame they use, to the utter fcorn and difgrace of us all. This we have gained by our mutual home-diffentions: this we are worthily rewarded with, which are more forward to ftrive, than

becometh

becometh Men of virtuous and mild difpofition. But our truft in the Almighty is, that with us contentions are now at the highest float, and that the day will come (for what cause of defpair is there?) when the paffions of former enmity being allayed, we fhall with ten times redoubled tokens of our unfeignedly reconciled love, fhew ourselves each towards other the fame which Jofeph, and the Brethren of Jofeph were at the time of their interview in Egypt. Our comfortable expectation and most thirsty defire whereof, what Man foever amongst you shall any way help to fatisfy, (as we truly hope, there is no one amongst you, but fome way or other will.) The Blefings of the God of Peace, both in this World, and in the World to come, be upon him more than the Stars of the Firmament in number.

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What things are handled

In the following BOOKS.

BOOK I.

Concerning Laws in general.

BOOK II.

Of the ufe of divine Law contained in Scripture; whether that be the only Law which ought to ferve for our Direction in all things, without exception?

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Of Laws concerning Ecclefiaftical Polity: whether the Form thereof be in Scripture fo fet down, that no Addition or Change is lawful?

BOOK IV.

Of general Exceptions taken against the Laws of our Polity, as being Popish, and banished out of certain reformed Churches.

BOOK

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