A Seasonable Paper, Presented to the consideration of all that profess Christianity. THe bent of my mind being to promote Piety and Goodness, Love and Unity amongst Men (though of different Persuasions) rather than Notions and Opinions, puts me upon collecting and publishing this following; which if duly considered by all sorts of People, might much conduce thereto. It is taken out of a Book lately printed, entitled, An Address to Protestants, etc. The whole is large, so have only collected these Passages, which I apprehend will be serviceable to many. Where there is this stroke— there is something omitted for brevity-sake, but the sense not altered. My desire is, the reader may receive that benefit by it, as is intended by his Friend, J. P. An Address to Protestants,— by a Protestant, W. Penn. But before I begin (says the Author) I desire to premise (and can with much sincerity declare) that I intent not the reproach of any Person or Party: I am weary with seeing so much of it in the World: for it gains nothing that's worth the keeping, but hardens to a desperateness, what is our duty to endeavour to soften. Page 60. I Conscientiously refuse to name Parties, because I am tender of giving the least offence. p. 135. Let all Asperities be avoided, Nicknames forbidden. p. 225. Christian's ought to be distinguished by their likeness to Christ, and not their Notions of Christ by his Holy Qualifications, rather than their own Lofty Professions, and Invented Formalities. p. 119. He that keeps the Law of God, and abstains from the impurity of the World; that is the good Man, the just Liver; he is the Apostle's true Jew and Circumcision. p. 120. Men that are angry for God, passionate for Christ, that call Names for Religion, and fling stones and persecute for Faith, may tell us they are Christians if they will, but no body would know them to be such by their Fruits; to be sure they are no Christians of Christ's making. p. 242. Holy living is become no Test among Us, unless against the Liver. The Tree was once known by its Fruits, 'tis not so now; the better Liver, the more dangerous, if not a Conformist. p. 245. Alas! 'tis for want of considering that Men don't see, that to disorder the mind in Controversy, is a greater mischief, than to carry the Point can be a benefit; in that it is not to be Religious to apprehend rightly, but to do well. p. 244. The Tree was not accounted good or bad by the Leaves, but the Fruits; not by the Opinions, but the holy living. p. 104. Ye shall know them by their Fruits, saith Christ of the Pharisees; so shall Men know them that sincerely believe and confess Christ, by their sanctified Manners, and blameless Conversations; And woe to them that make other distinctions! for God hath made no other; there will be but Goats and Sheep at the last Day, Holy and Unholy, Just and unjust. Therefore let that be our distinction, which ever was and will be God's distinction; for all other Measures are the Effects of the Passions and Presumptions of Men. p. 99 A Man may falsely believe as the true Church believes; for if I believe what she believes, only because she believes it, and not because I am convinced in my own Understanding and Conscience of the truth of what she believes, my Faith is false, though hers be true; I say, it is not true to me, I have no evidence of it p. 146. So that believing as the Church believes, is no more nor less than rooking Men of their Understandings. p. 156. I beseech you— FLY ROME AT HOME; look to the Enemies of your own House, have a care of this presumption, carry it not too high; lay not stress where God has laid none, neither use his royal Stamp to Authorise your Apprehensions, instead of his Institutions. p. 77. But if I must abandon my own Sense and Judgement, and yield myself up to the Faith and Authority of another— What security can I have, that the Man, or Men whom I trust, may not err and deceive me? and that deceit is irreparable. p. 187. To be therefore of the Church of which Christ is Head, the Redeemed, Regenerated Church of Christ, is quite another thing, than to be of any visible Society whatever; for in all such Communions there are but too many that have no true Title to Christianity. p. 177. Thou hast no dominion over thy Brother's Faith, nor hast thou Commission to be Lord over his Conscience; 'tis Christ's Right, his Purchase, etc.— that he might rescue them from the Jaws of Oppression from those that usurped their Consciences, and made a prey of their Souls. But why dost thou judge thy Brother? Come, let us look at home, and view our Actions, and see if we are not the Men. p. 212, 213. Christ teacheth us the Duty of Prayer, where and what; not in the corners of the Streets, nor in the Synagogues, to be seen of Men, but in the Closet, in the secret of the Heart, betwixt God and the Soul. p. 1 2 King. 18. 4. He took away the high Places, and broke the Images, and cut down the Groves and broke in pieces the Brazen Serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the Children of Israel did burn Incense to it, and he called it * That is, a piece of Brass: thus he called the Serpent by contempt; which notwithstanding was set up by the Word of God and Miracles were wrought by it: Yet when it was abused to Idolatry, this good King destroyed it, not thinking it worthy to be called a Serpent, but a piece of Brass. Nehushtan. LONDON: Printed in the Year. 1679.