Selected quad for the lemma: church_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
church_n	communion_n	member_n	schism_n	3,619	5	9.7876	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A81927	A peace-maker without partiality and hypocrisie. Or The gospel-way to make up the present breaches of brotherhood, and heale the divisions, whereby some of the reforming professors and ministers of the kindome at the time, sadly dishonour their profession, mainley obstruct our reformation, utterly destroy the safe constitution both of church and state. Wherein are handled, 1. How the meanes of Christian peace, as well civill as ecclesiasticall, may bee found and ought to bee followed, both by pastors and people. 2. What are the speciall lets of Ecclesiasticall reconciliation, and what the causes of divisions are, and how to be remedied. 3. What are the grounds, termes and motives of brotherly unitie and forbearance, which the ministers and members of the churches of England ought ot professe and practise one towards another for the gospels sake. / All written upon severall occasions and at severall times by Mr. John Dury, one of the assembly of divines, &c. and now published by Samuel Hartlib, to whom they were sent.	Dury, John, 1596-1680.	1648 (1648)	Wing D2877; Thomason E458_19; ESTC R205070	94,791	118

Christ in his prayer unto the Father where hee desires that all beleevers may bee made perfect in one John 17.23 and if all beleevers then all Congregations of beleevers 5. If severall Congregations may not intend to stand as by themselves and walke as separate from one another in the administration of Christs Ordinances which they have received by a common rule and are to professe before the world in publick as one body in Christ then it will follow cleerly that it is farre lesse lawfull unto them in the prosecution of matters tending to mutuall edification in ordinary or in extraordinary and weighty matters of common and necessary concernment to stand and walke by themselves alone without a due respect unto their Brethren and some tie of association towards their neighbour Congregations So that I take this to bee an undeniable principle and maxime of Brotherly association in Churches That nothing which with conveniencie and to the benefit of the Gospel it selfe or to the edification of others therein can bee done unitedly and joyntly ought to bee done dividedly and separately For when Christ doth pray for a perfect union of all beleevers which may worke upon the world a beleef that the Father hath sent him Ioh. 17.23 I cannot conceive that hee doth meane any thing lesse then such an association which may reach unto all the Acts of his worship and the visible administration of all duties and ordinances belonging to his Kingdome For nothing but such an union professedly maintained in his name is able to convince the world finally that hee is come from the Father Thus farre then or rather thus neer the Congregations ought to bee associated if it bee possible and that it is possible and will bee effected in due time is certaine because Christ hath prayed that it should bee for the manifestation of his name unto the world and the Father cannot deny him this request Hitherto I have insisted upon that which I conceive is or will bee assented unto by all upon the undeniable grounds of brotherly communion Now I shall offer the other Propositions which for a more part cular accommodation of differences have been assented unto * See also the papers of the Divines of the Assembly given to the Committee for accommodation lately published Pag. 4 5 6 7 8 9 p 29. 30 31. and elsewhere and are agreed upon by some leading men of both sides as followeth 6. All professors whether single or in a body are bound in conscience to give an account of their wayes to their Brethren or to any that shall require it of them and that not arbitrarily but as a dutie appointed by God to be observed Mr. Burroughs Irenicum pag. 43. 7. Concerning the admission of members which come from one Congregation into another to bee thereunto distinctly associated because this doth reflect commonly upon some particular interests of men wherein the rules of holy communion are not taken notice of therefore offences are frequently given and taken up in this matter which to prevent these agreements have been offered as a remedie thereunto 1 That no Congregation should bee gathered and made up of the Members of other setled Congregations except they bee in an orderly way dismissed by these with whom they were associated 2 That no member comming from another Church with which wee are in brotherly Communion shall be admitted to become a distinct member of our societie till the Church from which hee commeth bee made acquainted with his purpose to associate with us 3. That none who is said to belong to that neighbourhood or association which is called a Parish though hee doth not professe himselfe a member in that way shall bee received as a member of any distinct Congregation untill the Officers thereof have enquired concerning his life and conversation of those that are Rulers of the said neighbourhood and of the Congregations neerest unto his habitation to whom it is likely hee may have had some relation or which may have taken notice of his wayes and profession One of the chief mysteries and originall causes of our manifold divisions doth lie in this outward circumstantiall manner of the association of members into a Congregation and the reason hereof as I take it is partly because men naturally seek rather to please themselves in the satisfaction of some humors of their owne then to edifie others partly because the true use of Christian libertie and the relation wherein all true professors stand one to another in Christ is either not understood or not minded in comparison of some circumstantials of our owne coining to our selves upon any one of which wee use to lay more weight then upon all the fundamentalls of Christs appointment And till his grace and good spirit discover and worke out this self pleasing humour wee cannot hope for peace and unitie almost in any thing although our agreement be never so fundamentall in all things Sect. IV. Of the Officers and Rulers of severall Congregations and their association THe Officers of every Congregation are under a twofold relation of unitie to each other First as they are Professors Secondly as they are Officers that is specially intrusted with a charge in the profession As they are Professors they are neerer in Brotherhood then as they are Officers For their profession doth give them an immediate interest into Christ and to one another in him but their Office doth give them no interest either in him or in each other further then they are true to the profession whence it followeth that except they bee associated in the mysticall body of Christ they cannot be associated in the ministery thereof It followeth also further that the relation wherein they stand to each other as Christians being the onely foundation of their Brotherhood all the other relations which are ministeriall must yeeld and bee subordinate thereunto So that all the bonds which may settle their association in the ministery must be intended no further then they serve to advance and confirme the brotherhood and association which is setled upon the truth of Christianitie For if any combination of Ministers bee framed otherwise or to any other end then to strengthen the fundamentalls of Faith and to increase the fruits of true Christianitie in holinesse and love it will beget nothing else but a Papacie because the root of the Papall Hierarchie and the foundation whereupon that mystery of iniquitie was raised in the Church was nothing else but the aime of an association of Church Officers subordinating the profession to their places and making use of the fundamentals of truth to set up themselves above others for it may bee evidenced that all the superstitious devices and politick practises of Popery to blind men and by an implicit faith to keepe them in subjection resolve themselves at last into this principle and aime of setting up themselves above Christianitie in the hearts of men which is properly the Temple of God Therefore

suffer any circumstantiall differences of opinions or practises to breake their association or hinder their ordinarily appointed meetings and conferences Secondly upon some rules and orders which in like manner every one should assent unto freely and expresly so farre as hee doth finde himself convicted of the justice and equitie thereof the substance of which orders may bee this That in their conferences confusion shall bee avoyded that an equall and orderly freedome of speech shall bee yeelded unto all and that a libertie of dissenting unpartially upon reasons alledged shall bee given unto every one Thirdly upon the meanes of some correspondency betweene severall associations for seeing all that are willing to associate cannot possibly meet at the same conference● by reason of the distances of places and mens different occasions therefore severall knots and companies of associats will arise and lest they being unacquainted with one anothers wayes take disagreeing resolutions and mistake one anothers meanings therein for this cause some meanes of correspondencie between distant associations is to bee agreed upon for the communication of matters belonging to the advancement of truth in love between them Hitherto wee have looked upon the first head wherein there is an agreement in the Rules by which the association is to be framed for mutuall edification now follow the matters of agreement belonging to the second head which is the use of their association for the preservation of themselves and of their flocks from partaking in other mens sinnes Of which I shall set downe almost word by word that which I finde granted by Mr. Burroughs in his Ironicum or Heart Divisions pag. 43. which I conceive the Brethren of the other side will fully assent unto and ought to lay as a sufficient ground of associating in a brotherly way His words are these 1 They viz. the dissenting Brethren acknowledge that Synods of other Ministers and Elders about them are an Ordinance of Jesus Christ for the helping of the Church against Errors Schismes and Scandals 2 That these Synods may by the power they have from Christ admonish men or Churches in his name when they see evills continuing in or growing upon the Church and their admonitions carry with them the authority of Jesus Christ 3 As there shall because they may declare men or Churches to be subverters of the Faith or otherwise according to the nature of the offence to shame them before all the Churches about them 4 They may by a solemne act in the name of Jesus Christ refuse any further communion with them till they repent 5 They may declare and that also in the name of Christ that these erring people or Churches are not to bee received into followship with any the Churches of Christ nor to have communion one with another in the Ordinances of Christ To these Propositions if a full assent bee given as by many no doubt there is I cannot imagine what should hinder or may obstruct the profession of their unitie and a concurrence to settle their associations for a joynt and mutuall assistance in the worke of brotherly preservation of each other from the guilt of other mens sinnes Thus then wee see that the termes of our brotherly unity are full and satisfactory in all these respects and if notwithstanding all this we are divided in our wayes and in our affections unwilling to practise any thing joyntly which is sutable to these acknowledged principles are wee not guilty before God and men of the neglect of a fundamentall dutie in Christianitie and that inexcusably surely wee will be found so if wee set not our selves in another way then hitherto wee have walked in one towards another CHAP. VII Concerning the termes of forbearance that therein is and may bee found an agreement HAving shewed how full and satisfactory the unitie is whereunto wee have attained and which ought to be professedly acknowledged and put in practise it remaineth now that wee speak also of mutuall forbearance in that whereunto wee have not yet attained For if it be made apparent that wee are not onely thus farre agreed but that wee have also the same sense of the termes that is of the Principles and Rules whereby a forbearance may be setled in that wherein wee are not yet agreed then I cannot see what in conscience or reason should keep us still at this distance But I am confident it may bee made undeniably apparent that wee have the same sense of the termes that is of the principles rules and conditions whereby a forbearance may bee setled amongst us therefore there is nothing in conscience or reason that can keepe us at this distance Now if the Question bee what then the causes are that keep us from joyning in a forbearance and what the difficulties are to practise that wherein wee are of one mind My answer is that I am very willing to confesse my ignorance of these causes and difficulties rather then to reflect upon the jealousies upon the designes upon the passions and distempers of either side and to lay open the uncharitable failings and the unfriendly proceedings of both sides against each other I shall onely say that the chief difficultie concerning the termes of setling a Christian forbearance amongst us in my opinion hath been this that this matter hath never been prosecuted in that way of simplicitie which becommeth the Gospel nor upon the termes wherein either there is undeniably or there may bee found infallibly a full and satisfactory agreement and whether yea or no any course will be taken to prosecute it otherwise hereafter I know not but I shall in the meane time endeavour to acquit my conscience by shewing my sense of the principles and rules thereof whereunto I am perswaded none will bee dissenters who doe lay to heart without prejudice their dutie in the profession of Christianitie CHAP. VIII Concerning the principles of mutuall toleration wherein there is a full agreement THere bee two maine principles of a Toleration whereof both sides have the same sense to the full The first is concerning the necessitie the second concerning the limits and bounds of a Toleration amongst Christians Concerning the necessitie of some forbearance amongst Brethren in Christianitie all will undeniably acknowledge these two Propositions First that God hath commanded his children and servants both to beare one anothers burthens and to beare with one anothers infirmities and to forbeare one another in love as appeareth in these places of Scripture Gal. 6.1 2. Ephes 4.2 Colos 3.12 13. and 1 Thess 5.14 Rom. 14.1 Secondly that this dutie is not onely necessary necessitate praecepti because God hath commanded it but it is also necessary necessitate medii as a meanes of mutuall edification which cannot possibly bee advanced without the observation thereof And the reason hereof is evident because in many cases of humane failings and in some of different opinions and practises if there should bee no forbearance at all debates would bee sharpe and endlesse

Ministery of Jesus Christ any set formes of publick worship otherwise then Christ hath ordained yet that the Ministers of the Gospel may and ought without prejudice to their libertie in Christ agree amongst themselves to observe some rules of uniformitie in their publick wayes to the end that the occasions of dissonancie and confusion may bee avoyded and the fruit of publique edification by all spirituall meanes and helpes to decencie and orderlinesse in the Acts of solemne worship may be advanced will be gathered from these Scriptures Gal. 1.1.8 9 10 11 12. and 1 Cor. 11.1.23 and Chap. 7.23 and Chap. 14.37 Matth. 15.9 Col. 2.6 7 8. and 1 Cor. 14.40 and 1 Cor. 11.16 Col. 2.5 Sect. II. Of Professors united to a Congregation ALthough it is acknowledged by all that Professors whiles they stand single if they walke orderly and behave themselves as it becommeth the Gospel doe partake of the spirituall communion of all Saints and have an interest in the publique Ordinances with all the Churches wheresoever they conveniently meet with them whiles they are unsetled And although this their interest is never lost after their settlement in a particular Congregation so long as they remaine faithfull and obedient to Christ no more then they who are made free and partake of the priviledges of a particular company in London do thereby abridge themselves of their common rights and priviledges belonging to them as they are naturally freeborne or naturalized in the nation so long as they fall not from their allegiance Although I say this is agreed by all to bee so yet it is also acknowledged on both sides that Professors ought not to stand single but should be united in and to a body rightly constituted and governed according to the will of Christ which being cleer from these Scriptures Rom. 12.4 5. and 16.17 18. and 1 Cor. 1.10 11 12. Ephes 2.19 20 21 22. and 4.16 Phil. 1.27 Col. 2.5.19 Gal. 6.10 doth give a ground to these following Rules concerning the constitution and government of particular Congregations wherein both sides if they will understand one another rightly I am confident are fully agreed 1. That such persons as have by their professed subjection unto the Gospel of Iesus Christ made it apparent that they are united unto him as the head by Faith and to all his members by love may and ought to bee united together in one Church-fellowship which is called a particular Congregation according to the sense of these Scriptures 2 Cor. 8.1 2 3 4 5. and chap. 9.13 Ephes 4.13 14 15 16. and chap. 2. vers 19 20 21 22. and 1 Cor. 12.27 Phil. 1.27 and chap. 2.1 2. and 1 Thes 4.9 10. Act. 2.41 42. 2. That the particular Congregations thus constituted ought to bee governed by Elders and Deacons whereof the first are overseers of the wayes and state of the flock the second servants of their necessities both are Officers thereof walking as Brethren as servants and as members of each other in their administrations by a Brotherly equalitie whereby all usurpation of Lordly power in any of these over the inheritance of Christ is made void and all affectations of humane titles tending thereunto is acknowledged to bee utterly unlawfull in the household of Faith according to the truth revealed in these Scriptures 1 Tim. 3. per totum Acts 6. Vers 1 2 3 4.5 6. 1 Tit. 1. per totum Heb. 13.17 1 Tim. 5. per totum 1 Pet. 5.1 2 3 4 5. and 1 Cor. 12. per totum Matth. 20.25 26 27 28 29. and chap. 23.8 9 10 11 12. Ephes 4.11.16 3. That the particular Congregations thus governed have power within themselves to exercise all Christs Ordinances necessary and usefull for their owne edification and preservation from sinne and disorder which power doth originally proceed from their obligation to bee obedient unto his will according to these Scriptures 1 Pet. 4.10 11. and 1 Cor. 3.21 22 23. and chap. 4.8 and chap. 5. per totum and chap. 6. per totum Heb. 3.6 7 8 compared with Heb. 2.1 2.5 Matth. 17.5 and 1 Cor. 7.19 4. That the Officers of every Congregation may bee chosen and called by the Congregations themselves of such persons as being competently gifted and tryed for the exercise of their charges shall bee ordained thereunto according to the rule of Gods Word by the imposition of the hands of a Presbytery according to these Scriptures Act. 6.2 3 4 5 6. and 1 Tim. 3.10 and chap. 4.14 and 5.21 22. Act. 14.23 Sect. III. Of severall Congregations as they are or ought to bee associated THat there ought to bee an association of those Churches which professe to walke by the same rules is granted on all sides onely in the way to settle and maintaine this association and to determine emergent differences thereby the difficultie doth lie but if that wherein there is a full agreement were made use of for the increasing of love I am perswaded that the offences which occasion all our breaches might bee taken out of the way Therefore those termes of unitie which in this kind are undeniably consonant to the principles of Brotherly Communion and some others which upon some friendly conferences have been assented unto by some leading men of both sides shall here bee offered towards the manifestation of the grounds of this association in these Propositions following 1. The association of Churches should arise and bee entertained freely upon the ground and motive of Brotherly care onely and not by any ties of meere humane Authoritie This doth follow from the propertie of co-membership and the ends thereof mentioned 1 Cor. 12.25 2. That brotherly equalitie wherein Christ hath set every Congregation in respect of another is to be upheld by the association and not at all to bee diminished according to these Scriptures 1 Cor. 12. vers 13. till 25. and 1 Pet. 5.5 Rom. 15. vers 1. till 8. 3. So far as the severall Churches do finde themselves obliged and for mutuall edification thinke it most expedient to entertaine their association either consultatively or judicially they ought to enter into it without prejudice and make use of the neerenesse whereunto God hath brought them to his glory and their mutuall comfort 4. Although every severall Congregation hath power within it self to administer all Christs Ordinances yet no Congregation may lawfully intend by the use of those Ordinances to stand and walk by it self as divided and separate from other Congregations professing the same Faith and obedience towards Christ The reason of this is cleer First from the commandements which enjoyne the studie of unitie amongst all Christians such as these Ephes 4.3 4 5 6. and 1 Cor. 12.12 13 14 15.21 and 1 Cor. 1.10 11 12 13. Secondly from the nature of divisions or intentions to division amongst Brethren which the Apostle doth condemne as the fruit of a carnall mind 1 Cor. 3.3 Rom. 16.17 18. Thirdly because this intention is contrary to the request of

about every small matter and for every trifle the affections of love would bee lost the peace of the Churches disturbed Schismes made unavoidable and the healing or preventing of breaches become altogether impossible Rom. 14.13 and 15.1 2 3. Phil. 2.1 2 3 4. And concerning the bounds and limits of this forbearance all will undeniably acknowledge that it ought not to bee extended indifferently unto all persons opinions and practises but that these foure propositions are agreeable to the truth of Christianitie First that it is not the mind of Iesus Christ that his servants should agree to beare one with another in that which they know to bee evill and contrary to his will but that their dutie is in such cases to endeavour the removing of evill by zeale and brotherly admonitions as will appeare in these places of Scripture Rev. 2.2 and 1 Thes 5.14 15. and 2 Thes 3.12 13 14 15. and 1 Cor. 5.2.7.11.13 Secondly that it is not the mind of Christ that any of his servants should professe themselves willing or obliged to beare with any person which doth endeavour and with any doctrine or practise which doth tend to overthrow the faith in his name which is delivered to the Saints (a) Iude 3. or to destroy the life and power of godlinesse either in the private or publick profession of Religion (b) Tit. 1.10 11. 2 Tim. 3.5 6 7 8. Gal. 5.7 til 13. or to dissolve the bonds of holy communion amongst Christian brethren (c) Phil. 3.2 Iud. 19. Rom. 16.17 18. or to abolish the orderly relations and obligations naturall and morall without which humane societies cannot stand (d) 1 Tim. 5.8 Mat. 15.4 5 6. 1 Tim. 4.3 or to put downe the authoritie which God hath set up in and over humane societies for the Administration of justice therein (e) 2 Pet. 2.10 Rom. 13.1 till 8. Thirdly it is the mind of Jesus Christ that his servants in all matters meerly circumstantiall by him not determined should be left free to follow their owne light as it may be offered or arise unto them from the generall rules of edification and not constrained by an implicit faith to follow the dictates of other men and although it may sometime fall out that in things of this nature their wayes may be different from the wayes of their brethren yet that ought not to make any breach of love amongst them but they should esteeme all crosse and partiall practises about them utterly unlawfull because they beget disputes and jealousies and tending to divisions bring forth hatred and mutuall persecutions Rom. 14. per totum Gal. 5.13 14 26. Phil. 2.3 4.14 15. Fourthly that in matters of greater weight which are not meerely circumstantiall but are conceived to bee determined by the word yet so as that it is differently understood in this case the mind of Christ is that the rules of Christian charitie and mutuall edification be inviolably observed with all long suffering and forbearance And this course ought to be continued so long either as there is hope to gaine the advantage of loving conferences whereby differences may be reconciled and mistakes and scandals prevented and taken out of the way or so long as there is cause to thinke that God may reveale his profitable truths to such as erre not wilfully but through weakenesse of judgement and harmelesly Phil. 3.15 16. and 2 Tim. 2.22 23 24 25 26. CHAP. IX Concerning the way how to settle and prosecute a mutuall Toleration by rules wherein there is an agreement HItherto in this matter of forbearance wee have lookt upon the principles of our dutie which wee conceive both sides will fully assent unto if now wee can also from thence gather and from other undeniable and knowne truths find out some rules which may direct us in a way how to settle and prosecute to a full period of practise the duties of this forbearance and if these rules being found out can bee applied to the case in hand between the parties by some transaction so fully and orderly that none who doth assent unto the principles and the rules can except against the proceedings therein if I say these rules can be thus found out and applied then we shall be able convincingly to conclude that all such as follow not the practise thereof walke neither answerable to the light which they have received nor to the vocation wherewith they are called in the profession of Christianitie and consequently that as they are not upright in their way so they shall bee frustrate of the felicitie promised thereunto and receive the reward of hypocrites for in this case that which Christ said unto his Disciples is to bee said unto the ministery and to the professors of this kingdome John 13.17 If ye know these things happy are yee if yee doe them But if you know them not you cannot bee happy in doing them and if knowing them you doe them not your profession shall be found vaine and your end eternall misery for not every one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heaven Matth. 7.21 but hee onely who doth the will of God who is in heaven From all which wee must gather this conclusion that if wee know that there is a forbearance which is necessary it will not be enough for us to know what the principles thereof are but the way how to practise the duties must also bee sought after and regularly followed Let us then doe this and endeavour to find the rules of such a transaction as will beget between the parties a settlement of that toleration whereof wee have seene and allowed the principles And to this effect if any Treatie or conference be intended for without some such thing nothing can bee setled there must be before all other things an agreement found in the aime of the transaction and in the meanes to bring it to passe For if these two be not determined by common consent and a resolution fixed to proceed according to that determination nothing will take effect or be successefull in the transaction The aime then of the transaction should not bee to settle a forbearance which should leave the parties or confirme them in the distance whereinto they are unhappily fallen But both sides should expresly declare that the Treatie is to bee set afoot and professedly intended for these two ends First that a dore may bee kept open and enlarged to further a more perfect unitie then as yet the parties have attained unto Secondly that a path and course to maintaine the further unitie which will be attained by Gods blessing may bee prepared and made more plaine and easie then hitherto it hath been If this aime bee sincerely taken up the meanes to bring it to passe will neither be difficult to be found nor without successe when they are set a worke amongst true Christians I shall offer therefore at them First then the meanes to open a dore to advance the

that of Christianitie and that of the Ministery And thirdly they are bound to observe these rules towards the workes and in the performances of their Ministeriall administrations more exactly then in and towards other common duties because those workes and performances are of a more important nature then other workes as being more universall and more leading in their kind and such as more neerly concerne the glory of God and reflect upon the soules of men in order to him so that a small failing in any of these is more hurtfull to the profession then a greater fault in any other kind So that wee must forcibly conclude that because all the common rules of Christianitie are more obligatory unto Ministers towards one another in the duties of their calling then unto common professors that therefore the chief and most fundamentall rules of the holy profession which concerne love and unitie communion and correspondency are more binding towards them chiefly in the workes of their Ministeriall administration then towards any others and consequently that the neglect of the least of these duties in any of them is a greater guilt and lesse excusable then in any others the commission of a grosse misdemenour A little moat in the eye will trouble the whole body more then a great handfull of dirt and dust cast upon any other part of the face and the least prick that may bee in the heart or in the pia mater of the braine as Physitians say will kill a man infallibly but a great wound in the flesh nay a stab through the whole body may be cured A thorne in a small joynt will indanger a gangrene to the whole body whereas a great impostume in a part of the flesh will be without danger may be a means though with some trouble to purge the whole of many evill humours Thus a little sparke of disaffection in one Minister against another or breach of unitie in the least dutie of their charge may prove infinitely more hurtfull to the whole Church of God then great and grosse hostilities in common professors for matters of outward concernment Now amongst all the faults and defaults of Ministers in their charge that of the want of mutuall love and of care to maintaine the unitie of the spirit in the profession of Christianitie together with a delight to stand at a distance by themselves is to me one of the greatest because it doth directly crosse the chief end of their Ministeriall function which is to gather the beleevers into one visible body and to bring that body to the perfection of spirituall unitie which may bee cleerly gathered from John 17.21 22 23. compared with Ephes 4.12 13 14 15 16. And if this bee the chiefe end of their Ministery then the maine neglect of the meanes by which this end may bee obtained and without which it cannot bee prosecuted must needs bee their greatest guilt whence it will cleerly follow that to maintain no communion in spirituall things one with another is one of their greatest faults because most directly crosse to the end of their administration So then if to maintaine spirituall communion is a dutie in this respect fundamentall and necessary then it followeth that the engagements unto a concurrence and the lawfull wayes of spirituall correspondency are also fundamentall and necessary to the work of the Ministery and must bee entertained because without these the dutie of holy Communion cannot bee maintained nor the unities of the Church brought to any visible perfection but rather visibly dissolved Thus then upon this consideration it is an undeniable Scripturall truth That for the Ministers of the Gospel in the duties of their Ministeriall charge nothing is more conscionable nothing more commendable nothing more profitable and nothing more sutable to the glory of God and the perfecting of the Saints then that they should maintaine a brotherly communion and correspondency one with another and such as neglect it walke not worthy of the calling wherewith they are called in the common profession of Christianitie Sect IV. Of the practise of those that are set before us as infallible examples in the Ministery ALthough the mediatory actions of Jesus Christ in the flesh as hee is our Saviour are not imitable nor were they performed to bee imitated by any for hee alone is the onely Mediatour between God and man yet his relations unto us as our brother sanctifying us in our flesh Heb. 2.11 and the wayes of his converse amongst men were such that in all cases of dutie wherein wee are to come to God or to behave our selves dutifully one towards another in respect of God he hath left us either an example which wee are bound to imitate or a precept which wee ought to observe and which hee himselfe did practise For in this hee is the Captaine of our salvation because hee went before us in all things and wee are bound to follow not onely him before all others but also none further then they are found to bee his followers 1 Cor. 11.1 and for this cause wee see that the Apostles as in all other things so chiefly in these duties of love unitie forbearance and condescension towards the weake doe alledge his practise as the strongest argument that can bee used to oblige us thereunto Thus 1 John 3.16 Hee laid downe his life for us and wee ought to lay downe our lives for the Brethren Ephes 5.1 2. Bee yee followers of God as deer children and walke in love as Christ also hath loved us Coloss 3.13 Even as Christ forgave you so also doe yee Gal. 6.2 Beare yee one anothers burthens and so fulfill the Law of Christ 1 Pet. 4.1 Forasmuch as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh arme your selves likewise with the same mind And the Apostle Phil. 2. Having used many strong inducements to perswade us to love and unitie Vers 1 2. and to disswade us from strife and division vers 3. then vers 4. hee exhorts us to mutuall care of one another whereunto as an argument is brought in Christs example as the chiefest of all other motives Vers 5 6 7 8. Let this mind bee in you which was in Christ Jesus c. and Christ saith to his Father John 17.22 The glory which thou gavest me I have given them that they may bee one even as we are one By glory I understand here grace as 1 Pet. 5.1 partaker of the glory that shall bee revealed As concerning Christs practise in his Ministery to avoid braches and contentions between him and others it is set forth by the holy Ghost in Isa 42.2 3. and Matth. 12.19 20. thus Hee shall not strive nor cry neither shall any man beare his voyce in the streets a bruised reed shall hee not breake and the smoaking flax shall hee not quench till hee send forth judgement unto victory And concerning his way to bring us to unitie with himselfe and with God the Apostle doth set it forth as

Brotherly Communion and Correspondency in Acts 15. vers 1. till 30. where one Church doth crave and another doth contribute assistance counsell and authoritie in a Synodicall way towards the decision and settlement of the difference which broke forth amongst them Fourthly the example wherein Ministers amongst themselves did strengthen one another in the worke of their employment towards the Churches is that of the Apostles of the Jewes and Gentiles who having communicated together concerning the doctrine which they preached Gal. 2. vers 2. and made known to one another their practise Verse 3 4 5 6. to gaine mutuall approbation and confirmation therein Verse 6.7 8. they did enter into a contract of followship Vers 9. and an obligation of Communion and communication of good things between their Churches Vers 9 10. Nor was it found lawfull or answerable to the truth of the Gospel that upon humane considerations or partiall respects that Communion should be broken Vers 11. till the end From all which againe doth follow that which formerly hath beene concluded that nothing is more conscionable nothing more commendable nothing more profitable and nothing more sutable to the glory of God and the perfecting of the Saints in the worke of the Ministery then that the Ministers of the Gospel should maintaine a Brotherly Communion and correspondency one with another and that such as neglect this dutie walke not worthy of the calling wherewith they are called in imitation of Christ and his Apostles Sect. V. Concerning that which concernes the Office of the Ministery in it self IF wee reflect upon the Ministeriall office in it selfe and consider that whereunto it hath a speciall reference wee shall find that all Ministers that are faithfull to their charge are bound at all times to have respect unto foure things The first is their relation unto Christ as they are under him who is the head of the Church The second is their relation to the Church as therein they are Officers The third is their relation to the workes of their charge in the Office The fourth is their relation to their fellow labourers in these workes None of these respects must be wanting because without their subordination unto Christ they are no Ministers nor are they otherwise in Christ but as they are members of his Church nor can they bee counted members without a work to performe because the use of every member is to be an Organ of the soul in the body now the soul of this body is the spirit of Christ and every true beleever is a member Organicall in his own place that is appointed to some usefull worke Nor is any member alone but it is put together with the rest to make up the whole by mutuall conjunction and cooperation therefore none doth worke as it is alone but as it standeth united with its fellow-labourers in every worke And as none of these respects can bee wanting in the office of the Ministery so none besides these are needfull for if a member doth duely depend upon his head and standeth in its right place in the body and hath a lively facultie to doe its owne worke and is no wayes disjoynted but fitly compacted and linked to the other members in doing its work nothing can bee further desired or wished for in it These are then the essentiall and proper relations under which a Minister as an Officer of the Church is to bee considered Now if it bee found that in the profession of truth and holinesse nothing doth make him so fit for his office in all these relations as to maintaine the duties of brotherly love unitie communion and correspondencie and that without the studie of these hee cannot stand aright in any of those relations then I suppose that these duties will without contradiction bee acknowledged to bee the most commendable and usefull that hee can apply himselfe unto and that without the observance of the same hee cannot bee said to walke worthy of the vocation wherewith hee is called Let us therefore take these relations into a more distinct consideration and see how therein by these duties a Minister is fitted for his office First then a Minister by his Office is subordinate unto Christ as a Servant as a Disciple and as a friend of his and to make these relations evident to the world and sure to himself is to make his calling and election sure which is effected when both others are made to see and hee himself doth assuredly of himselfe know that what hee doth in his charge is done to serve Christ as it becommeth his Disciple and friend But except his behaviour in all the workes of his charge bee sutable to that love whereby Christ his master did love us and thereby did unite himselfe unto us these relations will not bee evidenced For to be a faithfull servant of Christ he must make two things appeare First that hee serves none but him alone as the Apostle doth Gal. 1.10 and as Christ requires of all to bee done when hee tells us that none can serve two masters Matth. 6.24 And secondly that hee applies himselfe to the same worke which Christ did For hee commands all his servants to follow him Iohn 12.26 namely in that service which hee performed which was to doe the will and manifest the love of his Father unto us therefore the Apostle 2 Cor. 4.5 in order to this doth professe not to preach himselfe but Christ Jesus the Lord and himselfe a servant to the Corinthians for Iesus sake This was to be a servant of the love of Jesus to us to invite all to bee reconciled to God for his sake 2 Cor. 5.18 19.21 and 6.1 As the imployment is nothing else but a service of love Gal. 5.13 that is to expresse the love and fulfill the Law of Christ 1 Cor. 16.14 Gal. 6.2 so the infallible character of a disciple by which hee is to bee distinguished in the world from all others is mutuall love and unitie as is cleer by Iohn 13.35 and herein as well as in holding forth the word they are to approve themselves to bee the light of the world Matth. 5.14 which will appeare by comparing these two places Phil. 2.14 15 16. with 1 John 2.9 10 11. The whole relation then of being a true servant and Disciple is evidenced by nothing more then by this worke of love and mutuall unitie Lastly also it is evident that none can claime the title of being Christs friend but by the performance of this dutie For Christ hath intailed the right to this dignitie wholly upon this condition which is cleerly expressed Iohn 15.12 13 14 15 16 17. This is my commandement that yee love one another as I have loved you greater love hath no man then this that a man lay downe his life for his friends Yee are my friends if yee doe whatsoever I command you c. And when in vers 15. and 16. hee hath shewed how much by his friendship to

them hee hath obliged them already and what further obligations they should receive from his Father hee concludes vers 17. thus These things I command you that you love one another So that hee puts all the relations which wee have to him of servants of disciples and of friends upon the expression of our love to each other from whence wee must forcibly conclude that if there bee no such expression of love but rather of disaffection and of hatred to one another in our Ministery that wee make it apparent unto the world and to our owne consciences when they awake it will bee evident that wee are none of his servants nor his disciples nor his friends but rather the servant disciples and friends of his enemy Ephes 6 1● the Prince of wickednesse in heavenly matters Therefore let no man bee deceived with faire pretences of holinesse and with large pleas and discourses about speciall rights the Apostle tells us that if wee have bitter envy and strife in our hearts one against another and if wee glory therein wee lie against the truth Iam. 3.14 15.16 For the wisedome by which men are led in such cases descendeth not from above but is earthly sensuall and devillish Secondly in relation to the Church as it is a house of God the Ministers therein are builders 1 Cor. 3.10 11 12. as it is the houshold of faith they are stewards of the Mysteries of God 1 Cor. 14.1 2. and as it is a flock they are shepheards thereof 1 Pet. 5.2 Now if in building the same house there bee no concurrence and correspondency between the builders thereof how will it bee fitly framed together as it ought to bee Ephes 20.21 Can builders that have no spirituall communion but are rather disunited in their wayes frame fitly one and the same house for Gods spirit to dwell in And if in a great houshold where one steward cannot oversee all severall stewards being appointed to do all by one and the same rule of administration yet they agree not amongst themselves but walke different wayes and crosse each other will not this distraction disorder the affaires of the houshold will not this reflect upon their Lord and Master as if he could not govern his family in peace And if severall shepheards belonging to a great flock to feed it jointly doe every one take a part thereof for himself and feed it separately each from other without any care to maintaine good neighbourhood and acquaintance but rather to crosse one another in their walkes and draw sheep one from another how will they bee able to answer it to him that hath intrusted them with the joynt care of his flock I find that when the soul which is in love with Christ doth seeke to find him out Cant. 1.7.8 it is afraid to turne aside unto the flockes of his companions and when it is directed how to come to him it is bid goe forth by the footsteps of the flock and feed besides the shepheards tents whence wee may observe that the multitude of flocks under many pretending to bee Christs companions doe perplex the soule and turne it aside from him but the unitie of the flock under shepheards that are united is the way wherein Christ is to bee found Thirdly their relation to the workes of their employment doth wholly necessitate them to maintaine mutuall love and unitie because not onely these duties in themselves are a principall part of their worke but what ever else doth belong to their charge whether it concerne the Church or the Gospel it can neither bee acceptable unto God nor profitable unto men except it bee done in the spirit of love and unitie First then that these duties are recommended unto them as a maine part of the very worke which is chiefly to be aimed at in their profession I suppose hath been abundantly made out by that which formerly hath been alleadged Secondly that nothing can bee acceptable unto God without this frame of spirit is evident because God is love and hee that loveth not knoweth not God 1 John 4.8 and on the contrary hee that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him ibid. Vers 16. Moreover he that doth not all his workes in love as he is commanded 1 Cor. 16.14 transgreseth the whole Law by the unlovely frame of his spirit because as love is the fulfilling of the whole Law Rom. 13.8 9 10. So the want of it must needs bee the transgression of the whole Law and hee that is not subject to the Law of God cannot please him saith the Apostle Rom. 8.7 8. And as nothing can bee acceptable unto God which is not done in love so it cannot bee profitable unto men For if God blesse it not how can it prosper towards them and how can hee blesse that which is displeasing to him And then the Apostle tells us that knowledge is apt to puffe men up but it is Charitie which edifieth 1 Cor. 8.1 And what I say of love may bee verified of unitie as it is the fruit of love inseparable from it in Christs aime John 17.23 and equally recommended to us by the Apostle 1 Cor. 1.10 and 2 Cor. 13.11 Ephes 4.1 Ephes 4.1 till 7. Phil. 2.2 whence wee see that all things which are to bee done by any must thus bee qualified to find acceptance but if wee looke more distinctly upon the proper workes of their employment towards the Church and for the Gospel wee shall perceive more cleerly the intrinsecall coherence which is found between these duties and the Ministeriall administrations For the workes of their administration towards the Church are all the Ordinances of God belonging to the publick worship in the word and prayer whereunto the Sacraments Acts 6.4 the Government and the Discipline are subordinate that therein by the Word and Prayer the Saints may have communion with God through the Spirit The whole substance and summe of all that they have to doe is expressed by the Apostle Ephes 4. from Vers 11. till 17. where I observe that all the gifts and Offices which Christ hath given to his Church Ephes 4. Vers 11. both the extraordinary of Apostles Prophets and Evangelists and the ordinary of Pastors and teachers their worke is the same towards the Church unto the worlds end namely this 1. To bee serviceable in perfecting the Saints and in building up the body of Christ Vers 12. in Faith and knowledge till they all come to the unitie thereof unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ Vers 13. Where wee see that the end of their worke is nothing else but the perfection of unitie and consequently if any should not aime at this it is evident that they come short of the true end of their administration of the ordinances and shoot not at the marke which God hath set before them Secondly their service is to preserve by this meanes the