The way of true peace and unity in the true church of Christ in all humility and bowels of love presented to them / by William Dell.

To the Honourable the Commons of England Assembled in PARLIAMENT.

IT is written, that the Kingdoms of the World shall become the King∣doms of the Lord, and of his Christ: and now when all almost, that is great and honourable, and noble and Royal, and wise and learned, is found against this Coun∣sell and design of God; how highly are you hon••ured of him, and how happy are you, that You yet are found for it? You after a manifold Apostacy and def••ction of many of your Members, seem yet to remain as pil∣lars in the House of our God; yet you seem to be, among those called and chosen, and faithful ones, that now con∣tinue with the Lamb, who is King of Kings and

Lord of Lords, in his engagement against, and conquest over the TEN-HORN'D BEAST: And to turn aside, from this work, would be, to give up your selves to double ruine, to wit, both from hea∣ven and earth. And therefore the Lord make you faith∣ful, that you may do this work for God, and to fulfill his Word; and not for your selves, and to fulfill your own Ends.

And now as you are busie about the Peace of the King∣dom, to settle and establish that upon a right and sure foun∣dation; so God hath engaged my heart, to meditate the peace of the Church. And though I have excluded your power from having a hand in this Work, yet I have not, in any measure, wronged you, as you shall perceive, but rather endevoured to preserve you, from dashing your selves, against that Rock, against which, all the ignorant and unwise Rulers and Kingdoms of the world, both have and yet shall, dash themselves in peeces. It shall be your wisdom to be built up, together with the Church, on Christ; but it would be your confusion, to go about to build the Church on your selves and your power; seeing this building is too weighty for any foundation, but Christ himself. Your power will do well in the Kingdoms of the world, but not in Gods Kingdom, which is Christs inhe∣ritance, from the beginning to the end. You shall be hap∣py, to be subject in it, but none must be Lord or Law-giver here, but Christ himself. Let not the Devil who in these last times, hath in many places translated the mystery of iniquity, from the Ecclesiastical Kingdom of the Clergy, into the temporal Kingdom of the Magistrate, any longer keep it there; seeing, it will be as pernicious in this, as in that: for it will be, no less dangerous an evil, for the Magistrate to make himself Lord and Law-giver in the Church, then for the Pope, or General Councel, in all

the Kingdoms called Christian; or for the Archbishop, or National Assembly in particular Kingdoms. Men have commonly thought, that to preserve the godly in worldly peace and prosperity, is to preserve the Church; whereas, to preserve them in faith, hope, love, in union and communion with Christ and the Father, in and through the Spirit, this only is to preserve the Church; and this oft-times, is better done by Christ, whose work only it is, in affliction, then in prosperity. Wherefore do You look to the care of the State, and trust Christ with the care of his Church, seeing he is both faithful and able to save it perfectly. The peace of the Church lies in Christ only, and no part of it out of him, no not for a moment; and this their peace, Christ is able to preserve in Himself, in the midst of the most cruel and desperate evils of the world. Now what the true Church of Christ is, and wherein its Peace and Unity lies, is here in some measure declared, for the good of the faithful every∣where, and particularly for Your good; lest you being glorious instruments in the hand of God, for one work, should miscarry in another. And this I have done, through God, not because I was worthy to do it, but because, it was worthy to be done. For why should the Church, any longer be ignorant of the things that belong unto its peace? and why should the Members of it, any longer lie as scat∣tered bones, dry and dead, and not gathered up into the unity of a living body? and who could longer indure, to see unskilfull Physitians, under pretence of healing the Church, wound it still deeper; and under pretence of procuring its peace, hurry it into endless dissentions and divisions? In this case of necessity, I could not but speak, both out of duty and love, and I hope none of You will despise to hear, who consider, that God, when he layes aside the wise and prudent, chooses Babes and Suck∣lings,

to perfect his praise, out of their mouths; that so he himself, may be the more glorified and admired, in his weak and mean instruments. Now let his praise be above the earth and the heavens; and let him give you the ho∣nor that all his Saints have: and this is his hearty desire, who humbly writes himself

Your servant in the Gospel, William Dell.