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A81213 The moderator: endeavouring a full composure and quiet settlement of those many differences both in doctrine and discipline, which have so long disturbed the peace and welfare of this common-wealth. Intended (especially at this time) to beget a brotherly love and unity amongst the ministers and people of all the three nations; the Parliament having now appointed a committee for receiving proposals for the propagation of the gospel. Brotherly unity amongst all Christians, especially amongst the ministers of Christ, being in it self so excellent and comely at all times, and (considering the danger and sad consequences of our present divisions) so desirable and necessary at this time: I conceive all overtures and counsels having a true tendency thereunto, worthy the publike light, and do therefore approve the publication of this ensuing discourse. Joseph Carly. Caryl, Joseph, 1602-1673, attributed name. 1652 (1652) Wing C780B; Thomason E664_1; ESTC R206830 94,748 118

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our selves Vers 4. For our behaviour in actions whether they bee our own or other mens whether evill or good charity doth teach the vertues which are to bee exercised in them In our own actions in respect of the forme charity doth not behave it selfe unseemly in respect of the end it seeketh not her own In the actions of others if they bee evill it is not provoked easily to wrath or sharpnesse by them if they bee good it doth not thinke evill of them Vers 5. it s own proper action is joy whereof the object is not iniquitie but truth whether in our selves or others Vers 6. For our behaviour about things if the things are indifferent and present as done by others it beareth with them if the things are good and said or promised by others it beleeveth them or absent and expected from others it hopeth for them if the things are evill it endureth them Vers 7. Thus in all respects it doth make a man compleat in all vertues So that it is not without cause that the Apostle doth call it the bond of perfectnesse and in that respect doth exhort us above all other endeavours to exercise our selves therein Coloss 3. 14. Above all these things put on charitie which is the bond of perfectnesse Thirdly that of all other graces necessary to make us perfect unto salvation charitie is alone the permanent vertue the Apostle doth shew First by declaring that it never faileth Secondly by comparing it with Prophecies with Tongues and with knowledge which all shall faile and vanish away Vers 8 9 10 11 12. And thirdly by exalting it above Faith and Hope as the greatest of these graces Vers 13. And if to all this wee should adde the commendations which the Apostle John in his first Epistle doth give unto this vertue as the chief meanes of our communion with God of comfort within our selves and of our inoffensivenesse towards our neighbour wee might bee very large upon this subject but to such as in their Ministery have any conscionable respect unto the expresse will of God and who can discerne the things that are excellent this will suffice at this time to commend unitie and charitie considered in themselves as they are good pleasant lovely and desirable Sect. III. Of the common rules of Christianitie as they are more especially obligatory unto Ministers in the duties of their calling BEsides the lovelinesse and excellency of these vertues which doth commend to all the practise thereof in a common way there are three speciall considerations which ought to induce Ministers of the Gospell to entertaine in the workes of their Ministery one with another the duties of brotherly communion and correspondency following thereupon The first is taken from the rules which are common to all professors without which none can bee answerable unto the calling wherewith hee is called unto Christianity it selfe The second is taken from the laudable practise of those who are set before them as infallible examples in the Ministery And the third is taken from the consideration of those things which God doth peculiarly require of them as they are Ministers So that none who neglecteth these duties will bee able to approve himselfe in the beautie of holinesse either a true Christian by the common profession or an upright follower of Christ and his Apostles in the Ministery or a faithfull servant to the trust committed unto him in his charge but in the day of accounts must expect to receive not the praise due to the good and faithfull but the reproof to be given to the wicked and sl●thfull servant together Matth. 25. 21. 23. 26. with his reward As for the duties of the common profession wherein professors are obliged to relate to one another and which to that effect are mainly pressed upon the consciences of all againe and again commended unto us in the Scriptures as matters which to uphold the integritie of the profession before the world are most of all necessary they are nothing else but the effects of unitie and love in truth and holinesse For truth and holinesse are the fundamentalls of a single profession but without the effects of love and unitie in these there can bee no common profession or publick manifestation of the life of Christ unto the world by a body of Professors And for this cause Christ hath made the fundamentall law of the profession in common and the badge of his disciples unto the world to bee this that they should love one another as hee hath loved them Iohn 13. 34 35. A new commandement I give unto you that yee love one another as I have loved you that yee also love one another by this shall all men know that yee are my disciples if yee have love one to another Now if this Law is common to all as they are Christians so that the transgressours thereof doe forfeit their right in Christianitie and are not to bee acknowledged Christs Disciples if they persevere in this fault then it is evident that such of the Ministery as observe it not in their Ministeriall relation one towards another are farre more guiltie then others because their charge in the common profession doth oblige them more to this dutie then others in as much as they are more bound thereby to uphold the truth of the profession then others are for they are the joynts of the body and the instruments of the communion between the members which if they through want of love to each other do either breake or not advance they are not onely guiltie of their owne disunion from their fellow labourers in the Ministery but also of the disjoynting of all other professors and members of Christ one from another in the way of the common calling And this is so much the more to be heeded by how much the Scripture is more frequent and earnest in pressing this dutie and the effects thereof then any other thing requisite in the obedience of Faith To reckon up all the particular commandements and strong motives which are in the New Testament to enforce the practise of this dutie is not my purpose at this time but I would onely remonstrate unto those that intend to bee faithfull unto God and conscionable in their ministery that as the fundamentall Lawes of the common profession which are the practise of love and unitie belong more unto them in respect of each other then unto single members in respect of one another because mutuall love and unitie in the Ministers entertained or not entertained doth beget or destroy the same in common professors so the effects meanes and consequents of those duties are more eminently the concernment of their calling then of any others Therefore I shall briefly point at some places of Scripture wherein the chief effects and meanes of those fundamentals are earnestly recommended unto all that the Ministery of this age may see therein the rule of their comportment and how far wee are strayed from it
which was proposed 12. When the resolutions of all profitable questions tending to an accommodation of our differences shall be thus gathered without contradictory debates into cleer and distinct propositions which shall be taken from Gods Word to be offered as an advice unto the dissenting parties towards an agreement then they shall be put into some order and ranked under their proper heads of matters to be communicated unto the rest of each side 13. The way of communicating matters I conceive may be this First let the prelimitary determinations of the Treaty be published 3. For the communication of that which shall be concluded by setting forth the Art and Instrument of the mutuall engagement of those that are called to the Treaty and let this be done immediately after the Treaty is begun to the end that the rest of both sides may know the end of the Treaty and be desired to recommend the effect thereof to God in their publike and private Prayers Secondly when the Treaty is at an end let there be a brief Narrative published of the order and method of proceeding used in the Treaty to let all see how equally and amiably matters have been carried Thirdly when this is done towards all indifferently then let the results of all the deliberations upon all the questions be printed but not made common to all onely first to the States-men who set the Treaty afoot a certain number of copies are to be imparted that they may distribute and send the same to the most peaceable and moderate spirits of each side to engage them to declare how farre they give their assent thereunto and when the chief shall have declared their sense thereof and it doth appeare that the advise is not rejected the Houses of Parliament may be moved to move the Assembly of Divines to declare their sense and approbation of the same which being done the Houses should concurre with their authority not onely to permit but to recommend the practise thereof unto all Thus I have done for the present with these suggestions rather to satisfie your desire and discharge mine owne conscience then that I have any great hope they will be laid to heart yet who knoweth where this seed may fall and what God may do with it I know assuredly that he will do good to Israel to those that are of Psal 73. 1. Matth. 5. 9. Jam. 3. 18. a cleane heart I know that the peace-makers are pronounced blessed and called the Sonnes of God and that the fruit of righteousnesse is sowen in peace of them that make peace What are the Lets of Reconciliation And the Causes of DIVISIONS And how to be remedied Sect II. YOu know what hopes you gave me that some effectual course would be followed to reconcile our differences about matters of Religion I did thereupon impart unto you very freely my thoughts concerning the whole businesse how it might be advanced as I conceived Since that time being here at London the The Treaty of an accommodation begun at London hopes which you gave me were confirmed by the zeale and forwardnesse of those who in the City gave occasion to the best affected to meet at several conferences whereof the aime was very laudable and necessary viz. to prevent both in Church and State the imminent dangers of Tyranny on the one hand and of Anarchie on the other and to finde out and set on foot the meanes of brotherly unity and amiable concurrence in carrying on the work of our present Reformation What the particular causes are wherefore the motions then But without effect left off made were not effectual and the conferences of this kinde have since been left off I shall not at all mention for you know them well enough and we all have just cause to mourne for this that in our outward profession of the Gospel there is so little true spiritual zeale for necessary duties of Communion and so much for private concernments and that our disease if wee continue long in these distempers is like to prove remedilesse As for me although I cannot but lay this sadly to heart yet I doe not suffer the discouragements which cause most men despaire to worke upon my spirit any fainting impressions but have rather given way to a charitable inclination which I love to entertaine within my self which is to hope for a possibilitie of our reconcilement notwithstanding all the backwardnesse which is apparent in the leading men of both side I have I say kept up my spirits in a resolution to proceed in these motions partly upon this hope partly upon other principles then The false Principles of some men in spirituall enterprises I perceive most men doe walke by for most men move onely as they finde cause by outward appearances to expect the successe of their enterprises and some are so very tender of their repute of being engaged that except they bee sure of gaining what they pretend to seeke they will not hazzard their labour nor seeme forward in any thing although in it self never so answerable unto the way of God in the Gospell But I have beene otherwise taught to look upon my self I shall never value my credit amongst men or my paines above my duty I shall never bee afraid to be counted a foole to the prudent of this age and to lose my labour for the Gospels sake Hee that cannot freely venture the reputation of his prudencie upon the ground of a dutie without consulting the appearances of flesh and blood is not yet instructed to walke by Faith and above sense and hee that is not willing to serve Christ without successe is not worthy to bee imployed by him Therefore I conceive that in this businesse of seeking peace and ensuing it which God doth command me to doe Psal 34. 14. and of maintaining peace if it bee possible and as much as in me lyeth which in like manner is commanded Rom. 12. 18. I say in this businesse thus injoyned and bound upon What the resolution ought to be of him that seeketh peace according to Gods will my conscience I conceive that I owe to God an implicit obedience that is to say an obedientiall resolution and an attempt to doe what I can towards the effect although I see no appearance of successe for he that commands me to bunt peace doth presuppose that it will flee from me and when it is fled hee that doth bid me overtake it and if I overtake it to hold it fast if it bee possible and as much as in me lyeth doth not therefore give me any assurance that I shall overtake it and bee able to hold it but this onely hee requireth that I should do my utmost endeavors Now if I demurre upon the matter and will not do this except I can perceive that I shall bee able to doe it as I pretend for my What the lets of such a resolution are credit in this case I serve
they may lay the thing to heart and weigh it consideratly that God may perswade their affections to the practise thereof The excellencies of brotherly unitie are set forth in the 133. Psal where first by way of preface and proposition the holy Ghost doth call upon us and invites us to contemplate and observe the same with admiration in the twofold propertie thereof viz. the goodnesse and the pleasantnesse which is in it Behold how good and how pleasant it is for Brethren to dwell together in unitie Vers 1. Then secondly by way of proof and demonstration he doth shew wherein that goodnesse and pleasantnesse doth consist and whence it doth proceed The goodnesse and pleasantnesse of brotherly unitie doth consist in this that it doth bring with it to those that maintain it all manner of blessings in great plentie The blessings are both spirituall and bodily the first in the Church the second in the Common-wealth The spirituall blessings bestowed in the Church are the graces of the holy anointing it is like the oyntment whose excellencies are 1. in their worth the precious oyntment 2. in their use and application which is to consecrate and make men Priests unto God by the vertues conferred upon their principall faculties upon the head the beard Aarons beard 3. in their abundance and fruitfull proceeding from the head to all the inferiour parts it ran down upon the beard went down upon the skirts of his garment Vers 2. The bodily blessings bestowed in the Common-wealth are the fruits of the earth in the highest parts thereof both farre from the Church and neer unto the same As the dew of Hermon a hill and land farre from Jerusalem neer Jordan and the dew that descendeth upon the mountaines of Zion Vers 3. All this goodnesse and pleasantnesse doth accompany brotherly unitie because the Lord hath commanded the blessing to bee there viz. where unitie is and the blessing which he hath commanded is even life for evermore Vers 3. and consequently all the meanes of life and if of life eternall then of temporall also for wee have the promise that if wee seek the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse all other things shall bee added unto us Matth. 6. 33. Now from all this which is the cleer doctrine of the holy Ghost I shall make this inference onely that if these promises are made to brotherly unitie by reason of the blessing of God upon those that maintain it in Church and Common-wealth then we may denounce the contrary threatnings unto those that maintain it not for the wrath of God is upon those that are contentious Rom. 2. 8 9. and obey not the truth Hitherto of unitie The ground of it is love as may bee gathered from 1 Cor. 12. 25. where the same care of members one for another which is the effect of their love is the cause why there is no rent in the body and consequently why unitie is preserved For where that loving care is not unitie is not but a rent will bee as wee may daily perceive in our dolefull estate Therefore all the excellencies that belong to brotherly unitie are first and originally to be attributed unto charity But then there are yet other excellencies which are more immediatly attributed unto it by the holy Ghost in 1 Cor. 13. where the Apostle having in the foregoing Chapter from the beginning reckoned up the spirituall gifts which are given to the Saints in the Church to profit withall in the unitie of the body as is cleer from Vers 7. compared with Vers 12 13. of Chap. 12. he commeth in the conclusion of that Chapter to exhort the Saints to covet earnestly the best gifts and to encourage them unto this dutie he promiseth to shew them the way which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most excellent Which is that which immediatly in the following 13th Chapter he begins to describe From whence this inference doth offer it selfe that as the chief and most excellent meanes to attaine to all spirituall gifts is the practise and exercise of love so the neglect of that dutie is the chief cause of the decay and losse of all spirituall gifts Now the Apostle in the description of this way doth shew a Threefold excellencie and usefulnesse of love The first is that without it no spirituall talents or good workes are profitable to the Church or to our owne salvation Vers 1 2 3. The second is that in it and by it all vertues tending to make a man perfect are wrought in us Vers 4 5 6 7. The third is that above all other graces it is the onely durable and lasting unto eternitie Vers 8 9 10 11 12. Which doctrine being referred to the foregoing proposition in the last verse of Chap. 12. will produce this argument or demonstration concerning the excellencie of love That vertue without which no gifts nor good workes are usefull unto any and by which all vertues are wrought in us and which alone lasteth unto eternitie is the most excellent way to spirituall gifts But so it is that charitie is that vertue Ergo it is of all others the most excellent way to spirituall gifts The Minor or the Assumption of this argument is made good concerning charitie in the three severall parts thereof forementioned First then that without it no spirituall talents and outward good workes are usefull the Apostle doth make out in many particulars For he first mentioned the gift of utterance suppose a man could speake with the tongues of men and Angels yet if hee want charitie he is to his auditory but as sounding brasse or a tinkling Cymbale Vers 1. Afterwards the gifts of prophesie of understanding all mysteries of all knowledge of all faith to doe miracles yet if there be no charitie he declareth that all this is of no use and vertue neither to the Church nor to him that hath it Ver. 2. Then concerning good workes he supposeth the largest and most compassionate relief of the poore and the greatest constancy in martyrdome for the truth even that a man should give his body to bee burnt yet if there be no charity all these workes will availe him nothing Vers 3. Charitie then is more excellent then these gifts and is to bee counted the life and as it were the soule of them all Secondly that by charitie all vertues are wrought in us the Apostle doth in like manner declare in many particulars For the vertues which make us perfect for our behaviour towards persons in actions and about things they all proceed from charitie For our behaviour towards persons if others bee crosse and froward it teacheth long-suffering If they bee good and vertuous it teacheth kindnesse if they are in glory and prosperity it doth not envie their condition if wee in respect of our selves find some excellencies or eminencies in our own condition which others have not it doth not suffer us to vaunt thereof towards others nor to be puffed up thereby within