Originall and Native beautie it would dazle the eyes of Angels daunt the hearts of devils ravish and chain fast the Affections of all the Saints I crave Leave to propound it thus Affirmatively It is 1. Reformation of Religion according to Gods Word 2. A Progress in that Reformation 3. The Union of Reformers 1. The Cause of God and ours it was and is Reformation of Religion according to Gods word There was Religion in the Churches from whence we came but New-Englands design in this vast undertaking it was Reformation i. e. the avoyding of some special corruptions and the Vigorous profession and practise of every thing in Doctrine worship and discipline according to Scripture patterne as in Heb. 8.5 when Moses was about to make the Tabernacle he was admonished of God saying see that thou make it in all things according to the pattern shewed thee in the mount And our Saviour said unto his disciples Mat. 28.20 teach them to observe all whatsoever I have Commanded This was and is our Cause that Christ alone might be acknowledged by us as the onely head Lord and Law-giver in his Church that his written word might be acknowledged as the onely Rule that onely and all his Institutions might be observed and enjoyed by us and that with puritie and libertie with peace and power This was the end of our coming hither this is our Cause hence I humbly conceive that the consent of the Synod here to the confession of Faith by the Assembly of Westminster and the platform of Discipline published in the year 49 these for the substance of them have carryed with them a declaration of the Faith and order of these Churches and are so looked upon by the reformed Churches abroad unto which may be added many other books of our divines of the same import and the practise of these Churches so farr as we have attained 2. A progress in Reformation I conceive our cause is not barely a Reformation but a progress in reformation it was the charge of our Saviour to the Church of Philadelphia hold fast what thou hast Rev. 3.11 it is also the duty of the People of God to go on unto Perfection Heb. 6.1 A conceit of having allready attained a perfect reformation should be farr from us a true endeavour after a full reformation in the sense of our many defects is the duty and Spirit of sincere Christians that advance the Word of God as the onely perfect rule not that we have already attained or are already perfect as the Apostle speaks of himselfe Phiâ— 3.12 but we are to press forward still unto this mark that we may in all be conformable to the perfect rule of the word of God Hence what we have attained in Doctrine Worship Discipline according to Gods Word we must hold fast and then go forward unto any of the things of Christ we are defective in we must go forward still but not backward I say not backward at for Instance Our Fathers fled into this Wilderness from the face of a Lording Episcopacie and humane injunctions in the Worship of God now if any of us their Children should yeild unto or be instrumentall to set up in this Country any of the wayes of mens inventions such as Prelacie imposed Leiturgies humane Ceremonies in the Worship of God or to admit ignorant and Scandalous Persons to the Lords Table this would be a backslideing indeed it would be a backsliding to the things which we and our Fathers have departed from and have openly testified against to be not of God as in the Platform of Discipline and many other wayes Instance againe if after such a publick witness as hath been given amongst us against a toleration of all Religions there should be a graduall yeilding to a toleration of any false Religion either by Law or against Law for want of the Execution of Laws this also would be a heinous backsliding which the Lords jealousy will not bear And for our Civil Government to put forth any act of consent unto either of the former would be a thing to be trembled at and Prayed against that the Lord would keep them from But on the other side it is our duty to press forward still to the mark and to make a progress in reforming what ever is amiss or defective amongst us as in those the late Synod hath pointed unto about the subjects of Baptisme and consociation of Churches That Baptisme be administred to the Children of Church Members who have right thereunto And that the Communion of Churches be better improved amongst us These are things we have been defective in and therefore should be reformed in a practicall way And that we be very carefull there be no superstition amongst us nothing supra statutum in discipline no more then in worship that nothing be Imposed as necessary unto Church-Membership which God hath not made necessary in his word that there be no arbitrary way of Judging according to the private satisfaction or dis-satisfaction of mens Spiritâ— and that no breach be made upon that order which God hath set in his Church between the Rulers and the Ruled That whilest we witness against superstition in some things we do not fall into superstition in other things but that the rule of Gods word be observed in all The People of God sincerely endeavouring Reformation yet through inadvertencie are subject to erre either in defect or excess and while they would avoyd one extream to fall into another the way of God in his word is a narrow way there are extreames on either side the Lord requires it of us that we neither turne to the right hand nor to the left that we neither add unto nor take from what he hath Commanded concerning the order of his house Prov. 4.26 27. Deut. 12.32 Heb. 8.5 Mat. 28.20 Hence it is our duty to use all circumspection that there be no additions to nor detractions from the Lords institutions but that all may be according to Scripture pattern that so farr as is possible in this our state of imperfection we may be compleat in all the will of God Col. 4.12 3. Vnto Reformantium the Vnion of Reformers I say the Union of Reformers belongs unto this cause for there is not any one duty more pressed by our Saviour Christ and his Apostles then this of a holy and close Vnion amongst those that profess his name Our blessed Saviour solemnly prayed for this in the seventeenth of John that his Disciples might be one The Apostle Exhorts unto this in Eph. 4.3 endeavouring to keep the Vnity of the Spirit in the bond of peace and he urgeth his Exhortation by an Argument taken from a seven-fold Unity wherein all sincere Christians agree verse 4 5. there is one body and one Spirit and one Hope one Lord one Faith one Baptisme one God and Father of us all Therefore endeavour to keep the Vnitie of the Spirit in the bond of peace And he beseecheth
the Corinthians to mind Vnion 1 Cor. 1.11 I beseech you Brethren by the name of the Lord Jesus that there be no divisions amongst you but that you be perfectly Joyned together in the same Judgment and the same mind and that you speak the same thing To the same purpose he hath a most passionate Exhortation to the Philippians in Chap 2 1 2. if there be any Consolation in Christ if any fellowship of the Spirit if any bowels and mercies fulfill you my joy that you be like minded having the same love being of one accord of one minâ— and sometimes when he saw little hopes of it upon Earth he looks up to the Lord in heaven beseeches him to grant this mercy to his Churches and People as in Rom. 15.5 Nâ—w the God of patience and Consolation grant you to be like minded one to another according to Christ Jesus that with one mind and one mouth ye may Glorifie God even the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ All which may leave a strong conviction upon us that this belongs to the Cause of God and his People that there be a spirit of Vnion and Communion amongst us in the things of Christ and though it be the priviledg of some times when the Lord shall fulfill those prophecies in an eminent way that his People shall serve him with one consent and that the Lord shall be one and his name shall be one yet this is the duty of the People of God at all times especially at this time in this place to endeavour Vnion that so far as is possible we may be of one judgment of one heart and one way in all the Churches of the Saints Hence there should be no affecting of dividing names and parties amongst us but all should be for this that the Lord may be one and his name but one Hence also it is desireable that one Catechisme one confession of Faith and one Covenant were agreed upon and used in the severall Churches as a meanes of consent And hence again so farr as the Lord gives liberty there should be a frequent use of Councils amongst us to enquire after the mind of God and his word according to the pattern in Acts. 15. and other Scriptures It s true that in times of Popery there was great abuse of Councils yet it is as true that in divers of the first Centuries there was great advantage to the truth by meanes of Councils and in somewhat above the last hundred years the work of Reformation was much promoted by the Godly Councils and conference of Reformers It is a known passage of Melancton Vâ—ximus in Synodis et jam mortemur in illis They were constantly searching the Scripture that they might reform all according to that and before them the Churches of the Waldenses for many hundreds of years walking in the simplicitie of the Gospel they had then frequent Councils and their generall â—ouncils every year nor is there any one point more frequently insisted on in the writings of our Divines of the Congregationall way then this of the right use of Councils Not that the judgment of a Synod bindes any further the 〈◊〉 hath Conformity with the Scriptures but Counsels are a meane which the Lord hath appointed and promised to bless for clearing up of the truth and uniting his People therein It is true the best of Men may erre and there being divers measures of light and grace there cannot but be different apprehensions in some things and therefore where there is not so full an agreement as was to be desired it is our duty to forbear one another in love so farr as we have attained walking by the same rule minding the same thing leaving other things to God time Phil. 3.15.16 that is now when all Gods meanes have been used and yet some lesser things remain controversall amongst pious and sober men who agree in the maine there is the place for Christian forbearance not in order to separation but in order to union for so the Apostle joynes them together Ephe. 4.2 3. in lowlyness and meeknes forbearing one another in love and endeavouring to keep the unitie of the spirit in the bond of peace In one word union is to be endeavoured because the truth is but one and forbearance is to be used because of the weaknes of men which yet is as far from a toleration of a false Religion as the East is from the West Thus I have shewed you as my weaknes was able what the cause of God and his people amongst us is Affirmatively it is Reformation a progress in reformation and the Vnion of Reformers Now I shall add but this one thing more That this cause hath a Divine right and a Divine liberty adjoyned unto it according to the law of liberty the Royall Law of God as it is called James 2.8 12. i. e. Right from God and liberty from God for his people to do their duty to God and Christ in matters of Religion according to Gods word Nor is there any power upon earth that can lawfully hinder this And this is the cheif interest of New England i. e. it is the matter of greatest importance in it self and of greatest concernment unto us The one true Religion according to Scripture being the only meanes to the highest end the glory of God and the salvation of soules and therefore what ever may be said of our interest in other respects yet we may be sure of this that here lyes our predominat interest cause and the great end for which we came into this wilderness and continue in it And so much for the Use of Information Vse 2. It is for Direction if the times be such and the case be such as the maintaining of the Cause of Religion doth need and require more then ordinary help from the Lord himselfe then it serves to teach all that are sincerely affected unto this cause what course we should take for the maintaining of it and that is this to commend this cause unto Iehovah himself beseeching him that he would maintain his own and his people Cause both now at this time even as the matter doth require and hereafter at all times as the matter may require Me thinks I look upon this present Assembly as in its proportion resembling that great assembly of the People of Israel mentioned in the text Here are the heads of our Tribes the Honoured Magistrates and Deputies of this Colonie the Reverend Elders of the Churches and a multitude of other Godly People and I am perswaded you are affected to this Cause as that Assembly was your desire is to see Religion flourish and the Cause of God and his People be maintained amongst us I need not tell you what the times are shaking times and trying times wherein the cause of Religion is endangered on every side I desire onely to discharge the duty of a poor Servant of the Lord and yours by putting you in
the cause of God and his People amongst uâ— be not seasonable I leave to the consideration of â—his â—wful and 〈◊〉 Aâ—sâ—h And I hope â—n the Lord I shall say nothing about it but what might be more abundantly made out by Scripture light and what the generallity of all the People of God not engaged unto parties will readily subscribe unto First then in the general the cause of God and his people amongst us is the Cause of Religion I say the cause of Religion 〈◊〉 the profession and practize of the one true Religion to be in all thing according to Gods Word This was the cause of God and Israel then the same is the cause of God and his people now To keep and seek for all the Commandements of God To walk in his waies and to keep his Commandements which he Commanded our Fathers as it is in the text that every thing in Doctrine Worship and Discipline be conformed unto and regulated by the rule of the word This is the Cause of God and his People in New-England in the Generall But that it may be more clearly understood let me propound it more particularly both in the Negative what this cause is not and in the Affirmative what it is And first Negatively It is 1. Not the getting of this Worlds good 2. Not Separation from other Churches 3. Not a toleration of all Religions 1. Not the getting of this Worlds good The cause we are speaking of it never was it is not now the getting increasing of this worlds good Our Saviour Christ hath commanded seek first the Kingdome of God and the righteousness therof and all other things shall be added Mat. 6 33. Accordingly when the Lord stirred up the spirits of so many of his people to come over into this wilderness it was not for worldly wealth or a better livelyhood here for the outward man the generallity of the people that came over professed the contrary nor had we any rationall grounds to expect such a thing in such a wilderness as this And though God hath blessed his poor people here with an addition of many earthly comforts and there are that have encreased here from small beginnings to great estates that the Lord may call this whole generation to witness and say O generation see the word of the Lord have I been a wilderness unto you Jer. 2.32 O generation see look upon your towne fields look upon your habitations shops and ships and behold your numerous posterity and great encrease in the blessings of the Land Sea have I been a wilderness unto you we must needs answer No Lord thou hast been a gracious God and exceeding good unto thy Servants ever since we came into this wilderness even in these earthly blessing we live in a more plentifull comfortable manner then ever we did â—xâ—â—ct But these are but additions they are but additionall mercies it was another thing and a better thing that we followed the Lord into the wilderness for My Fathers and Brethren this is never to be forgotten that New-England is originally plantation of Religion not a plantation of Trade Let Merchants and such as are increasing Cent per Cent remember this Let others that have come over since at several times understand this that worldly gain was not the end and designe of the people of New-England but Religion And if any man amongst us make Religion as twelve and the world as thirteen let such an one know he hath neither the spirit of a true New-England man nor yet of a sincere Christian 2. Not Separation from other Churches either in our own or other countries I say not separation from any thing good in other Churches whether truth of Church estate or any Doctrine professed or any Ordinance administred so far as it was or is agreeable to the word of God We deny not the being of Churches where many things are wanting to their well-being We distinguish between the corruptions and disorders of Churches and the Churches themselves We profess communion with not separation from the Churches of Christ in lawfull things They are the European Churches in which that numerous company of 144000. are said to stand with the â—amb upon mount Sion Rev. 14.1 and these are said to â—â—â—p the Commandements of God and the faith of Jesus verse 12. It is the doctrine and worship of the Reformed Churches comming out of Popery which are said to be as a Sea of glass man led with 〈◊〉 Râ—â— 15.2 if gâ—â—â— then they are not clear as Cristall as those in the Primitive times Chap. 4 6 and yet not as the blood of a dead man as those under Popery Châ—â— 16.3 it 〈◊〉 a Sea of glâ—ss mingled with â—â—r the fire of persecution withâ—ut and of contention within and yet they that stand upon this Sea have gotten the victory over the Beast and have the Harpes of God in their hands and are accepted of the Lord. The end of our comming hither was a reformation only of what was amiss or defective in the churches we came from from which we made no separation but a locall secession only into this wilderness with true desires and endeavours after a more full Reformation according to Gods word 1. Not a toleration of all Religions or of the Heresies Idolatries of the age we live in I say not a toleration of these so farr as wee have liberty and power for to help it How inconsistent would such a toleration be with the love of the one true Religion revealed in the word of God would not such a state be guilty of having other Gods where such a toleration is is it not the end of Civill Authority that men may live a quiet peaceable life in godliness as well as honesty but not in the wayes of ungodliness no more then in the wayes of dishonesty in a word the Gospel of Jesus Christ hath a right paramount all rights in the world it hath a Divine Supream right to be received in every Nation and the knee of Magistracie is to bow at the name of Jesus This right carryes liberty along with it for all such as profess the Gospel to walk according to the Faith Order of the Gospell That which is contrary to the Gospel hath no right and therefore should have no liberty But the Lawes which have been made by the Civill Government here with respect unto Religion whereby you have declared your professed subjection to the Gospel and your non-toleration of that which is contrary thereunto this will be a name and a glory to New-England so long as the Sun and Moon endure And so much for the Negative what the cause of God and his People amongst us is not viz not this Worlds good not separation not a toleration 2. Now in the second place for the Affirmative if my weakness was able to shew you what the Cause of God and his People in New-England is according to its divine