A Friendly Preface to the Author of the Solemn Call

Christian Friends,

When we open our Bibles and read that text (1 Corinthians 1:10), we have cause to deal with it as Origen once did by another Scripture: even close the book, and weep over it, in consideration of the weak and feeble influences such melting words, delivered with such a pathos, have upon the hearts of professors this day. Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind, and in the same judgment.

I beseech you] He dips the nail in oil, that it may drive the easier. I beseech you, brethren] a compellation breathing sweetness and affection, and should drop from our lips into each other's ears, with the same effect that word once did upon the ears of Benhadad's servants, my brother Benhadad. Sirs (said Moses to the striving Israelites) you are brethren. O when shall the Church become a true Philadelphia!

I beseech you brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ] or as you love Jesus Christ, ut quantum ipsum amant, tantum studeant concordiae, says Calvin. Be as studious of concord as you are free in professing love to Christ.

That there be no divisions] or rents among you, a[〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] Schism, or rent in the Church is much the same, and altogether as dangerous as a[〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] or Sedition in the Commonwealth; and harder to be cured. For as the Lord Verulam truly observes, differences among persecuting enemies and the Church are like the strivings of the Egyptian with the Israelite, which Moses quickly ended by knocking down the Egyptian; but dissensions in the Church are like the striving of one Israelite with another, and all that Moses can do to quiet and part these is only by fair and gentle words, and reminding them that they are brethren.

Great is the mischief of divisions among Christians, and the less the grounds and causes are, the greater always is the sin and mischief of them. In the primitive Church contentions grew fervent about meats lawful and unlawful, which did not profit — the meaning is, it greatly damaged them that were occupied therein (Hebrews 13:9) — practical religion among them grew cold, as disputations about these trifles grew fervent.

The readiest way to cool such heats is by discovering the trivial nature of the matter contended about, as Demosthenes appeased the tumult among the people raised by a small occasion, by relating to them the story of a man that had hired an ass to carry him a journey, but the sun shining fervent, he was forced to quit her back, and betake himself to her shadow; the owner withstood him, alleging that he had hired the body of the ass, but her shadow was not in the bargain; and so the contention between them grew as hot as the sun. Many such trifles have raised great contentions in the world, witness the great contention between the Eastern and Western Church about keeping of Easter.

Other points there are of greater moment, about which good men contend; and yet these oftentimes are magnified much above their true intrinsic value. So I am sure it is in the controversy before us. Mr. Cary tells us that these things will be found at length to be of highest concern to us, and must therefore be our most serious practice, page 243. If so, then the proper subject of baptism must be one of those that is of greatest weight, and the profession thereof the very Shibboleth to distinguish one person from another in matters of religion. No wonder therefore the fires of contention are blown up to such a vehement heat, even in such an improper season: much like the contentions among the English fugitives at Frankfurt, when their brethren were frying in the flames at Smithfield. Just so must we be scuffling, while thousands of our brethren are bleeding in Ireland. Had we a true sense of the quality of the subject, or the unseasonableness of the time, it would certainly allay these heats among us. Did we see who stand by, and look with pleasure upon our follies, it would quickly allay our heats. Tertullian tells the Christians of his time that they were like the Funambulones, or men that walk upon ropes; the least tread awry might be their ruin; so narrowly did their enemies watch them.

Sirs, the peace, safety and honor of the dissenting interest are things of too great value to be hazarded among the hands of our common enemies. You may fancy they will neglect the advantage you give them, but if they do, the Devil will call them fools for it. Mr. Herle tells us of a king's fool, who wrote down the king himself in his table among his brother fools, because he had trusted an African stranger with 4000 pounds to buy Barbary horses. The king asked him how he would make him amends, if the stranger should come again? Why then (said he) I'll blot your name out of my table of fools, and write down the African in your stead. Think not our enemies are such fools to neglect the advantage we cast into their hands. It is a weighty note that of Livy, Consilia non dant homines rebus, sed res hominibus. Men don't counsel things, but times and things counsel men. [reconstructed: Methinks] the postures of times and affairs [reconstructed: give] us better counsel than we seem to be [reconstructed: governed] by in such work as this. Divisions of forty years standing and more, about infant baptism, have eaten up the times, wasted the spirits, and alienated the hearts of English professors; divided them both in society and love; by reason of which God's pleasant plant in this resembles the bramble, which taking root at both ends by reason of the encounters of the sap, commonly withers in the middle. Your brethren in their narrative from their general assembly make a sad and sensible complaint of withering in the power of godliness. And truly we as well as they may complain with the Church, We do all fade as a leaf: the Lord help us to discern the true cause, whether it be not the misplacing of our zeal, our being cold where we should be fervent, and fervent where we should be cool; and whether the eating up of so much time and study about baptizing of infants have not kept us these forty years in the infancy of our graces?

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 [reconstructed: flowered], 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 itself as it were into two armies, set in battle array against each other. It was now with us much like as it's said of the Amphisbena, that has a 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 it is 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, [non-Latin text], Georgius Hornius having heard the report in his own country came over on purpose into England for his particular and perfect information, and has given the foreign churches a full and sad account thereof in a Latin narrative, 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 ourselves 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 [reconstructed: jails]. And through the goodness of God this did somewhat allay the heats of good men, and gave us fresh hopes of a hearty, and lasting reintegration. 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 (says Mr. Jenkins) if we must die, let us die like men, by an unanimous holy contention against the common enemy; not like fools, by giving him our sword, and destroying one another by schisms in our own bowels.

But alas! alas! no sooner is the rod off our backs, and a respite from sufferings given us; but we are presently sounding an alarm to the battle again, and to my sorrow I myself am unavoidably engaged therein.

Friends, I have a witness in many of your bosoms, how peacefully and respectfully I have always carried it towards you; even to such a degree, as began to bring me under the suspicion of some of your party, that I was inclining to their opinion, though I did not openly profess it. But the true reasons of my moderation in this point were, (1) That I ever did, and still do look upon many of you as Christians, sound in the other great doctrines of the gospel. (2) That there are difficulties in this controversy which may puzzle the minds of well-meaning Christians. (3) I highly valued the peace of the church, and dared do nothing that tended to keep open the breaches upon a controversy of this nature; you being for purity in doctrine and worship in most other controverted points, as well as we. (4) I observed how rare a thing it is for engaged parties to give ground. Qui velit ingenio cedere, rarus erit. (5) My head, heart, and hands have been filled with better employments, from which I am extremely loath to be diverted. If Bellarmine turned with loathing from School-divinity, because it wanted the sweet juice of piety; much more may I turn from such perverse disputes as these. Sure I may find as fair expositions of Scripture, and as accurate, and legitimate distinctions among the schoolmen; as in Mr. Tombes his Examen and Apology; or (which for the most part is but a transcript of both) in Mr. Cary's Solemn Call. But I see I must not be my own chooser, I cannot now be both silent and innocent; for in this Solemn Call I find the great doctrines of God's covenants abused by my neighbor. The book is dispersed into many families related to me in this place, one of them delivered to me by the author's own hand, with a pressing desire to give my judgment upon it. Several objections which I privately and seasonably sent him to prevent the sin and folly of his attempt, pretended to be answered from p. 164 to p. 183. Thus am I necessarily brought into the field of controversy, where I come not a volunteer, but a pressed man; not out of choice, but necessity. And now I am here, I resolve to be only Adversarius litis, non personae, an adversary in the controversy, not to the person, especially of my friendly neighbor. Neither would I have appeared thus publicly against him, if differences could have been accommodated, and the evil prevented in a more private way, in order to which, I have punctually observed and kept the rules and measures of friendship.

It is possible some may judge my style against him to be too sharp, but if they please to read the conclusion of his Call, and my answer; I presume they will find enough to make atonement for that fault, if it be a fault. It is from the nature of the matter before me, not from defect of charity to the person, or party, that I am forced to be so plain and pungent as I am.

To conclude, I suspect this very preface may be also censured for its plainness, and tediousness. I confess when times are busy, we should be brief; and I am persuaded a sufficient preface may be contracted into four words, [non-Latin text], without preface, or passions. However, I have a little eased my own heart, by discharging my duty to my differing brethren, and pleased myself, if not them.

The God of peace create peace in all the borders of Zion, beat our swords into plowshares, and our spears into pruning hooks; I mean our polemicals into practicals, that Jerusalem may once more be a city compact, and no more terrible to herself; but only to her enemies, as an army with banners. This, brethren, is the prayer, and shall ever be the endeavor of

Your friend and servant in Christ

John Flavel.