build up and confirme and increase the beleevers therein by the testimony of Jesus and by their unitie and love amongst themselves how shall they bee able to doe this except they bee first agreed to hold forth the same testimony and except there be some amiable concurrence amongst them in the workes of their Ministery Therefore as faith and love are inseparably necessary to make a true Christian so the testimony of Jesus and the spirit of unitie are inseparably requisite for the worke of the Ministery For as there is an absolute necessitie lying upon the Ministery to beare witnesse unto the truth towards the manifestation thereof for the saving of their own soules So they are also no lesse necessitated to maintain the profession of their unitle for the edification of their hearers For without this profession that manifestation will never in reason be found a truth fit to convict the world which otherwise it may be because as it is just that when witnesses doe not agree their testimony should not be received so it is equitable that when they doe agree their testimony should not be rejected And if by this onely default they make their testimony without effect it is evident that to establish the truth and not to discredit it to uphold the Ministery and not to make it contemptible to build up the Churches and not to ruine them and to confirme the faith of the Professors and not to stagger them the profession and practise of Brotherly unitie amongst the Ministers of the Gospel is absolutely necessary For all may see that are not blind and senselesse that originally nothing but the neglect of this dutie hath deprived us of all our hopes and blessings and brought us under the yoake of all these miseries Upon all which this consequence doth manifestly follow that the onely way to preserve the remnant which is left entire to restore that which is not utterly decaied in the Church and to helpe this distracted State unto some settlement if there be any possibility of attaining it is this That the Ministers of the Gospel should set themselves to concurre and correspond together that they may hold forth unto the world in the testimony of Jesus Christ the lovelinesse the peaceablenesse the meeknesse and the unitie of his spirit to the end that both they and their hearers may follow therein his footsteps as hee is gone before us to leave us an example For this is a path of the new and the living way which hee hath consecrated for us and out of this way no man can come unto the Father it is therefore absolutely necessary that such as will enter into the holiest become followers of God as deare children and walke in love as Christ also hath loved us and made himselfe as one of us even our Brother to gaine us unto God CHAP. XIV Concerning the usefulnesse and commendablenesse of brotherly unitie in the worke of the Ministery Sect. I. What the communion and correspondency is wherein our unitie is to be setled HItherto wee have reflected upon that which doth make the studie of brotherly love and unitie amongst us absolutely necessary to avoid the danger of ruine and destruction and the guilt of hindering the progresse of the Gospel in the world now wee shall reflect also upon the usefulnesse and commendablenesse of the dutie in reference unto the work of the Ministery It is no generous disposition to be drawn by meer necessitie and feare unto a dutie but to bee moved thereunto by the lovelinesse of grace and by that which is excellent therein is praiseworthy and argueth a noble and vertuous inclination Therefore wee shall set our selves to worke upon this inclination and indeavour to waken it in every one that hath ingenuitie And my aime shall bee rather to deale with the understandings of all able to consider of their wayes to demonstrate that which I conceive to bee a dutie then with the affections of any to perswade them unto a performance before they are convicted of that which is the will of God therein For I shall speak to Ministers and such as I must suppose to bee conscionable and to those I knew nothing so effectuall to perswade as to evidence unto them that a matter is conformable unto the will of God for nothing but this doth interest conscience into action Now lest I should bee mistaken in that which I shall desire to offer as a dutie of the Ministery I shall contract all which for the present I have to say to one assertion which having opened I shall endeavour to make good The assertion is this That although there were no danger of any enemies Act. 20.28 29 30. Phil. 1.27 1 Cor. 1.10 11 12. or of inward breaches and divisions in the Church for the preventing of which to study the unitie of the spirit it wholly necessary yet that for the true 1 Ministers of the Gospel in the duties 2 of their ministeriall charge nothing is more conscionable 3 nothing more profitable 4 nothing more commendable 5 and nothing more sutable to the glory of God 6 and the perfecting 7 of the Saints then to 8 maintain a Brotherly communion 9 and correspondency one with another and that such as lay not this dutie to heart but love rather to stand and walke by 10 themselves and to maintaine the principles 11 of a singular distance from their brethren in the Minnistery will not bee able in the end to approve their consciences unto God that they walke worthy of the calling wherewith they are called This assertion is somewhat large therefore to open the parts thereof that my meaning may bee the better understood I shall say of the severall heads thereof thus 1 That by the true Ministers of the Gospel are meant none but such persons as are authorized by an ordinary and regular way of calling to administer the publick ordinances of Christ in his Church 2 That by the duties of their Ministeriall charge are meant the workes which in and towards the Church are to bee performed as an office and such are To labour in the word and prayer to have the care of gathering and constituting the Church to rule and govern the Saints committed to their charge as one body in Christ to dispense the seales of the Covenant to those that belong unto it and to exercise Church discipline over those that are liable to it all which they are bound to attend as occasion is offered and the edification of the Church doth require 3 That when I say a thing is conscionable I meane that it is prescribed by God in his word as a dutie which cannot be neglected without contracting of guilt unto the conscience 4 When I say that a thing is profitable I meane that it doth yeeld in its owne kind some benefit to him that useth it 5 When I say that a thing is commendable I meane that it hath qualities for which it is to bee esteemed and
unitie of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man through love whose imperfection in love is such that they doe value no common relations unto Christ and his service further then these set up some private interests nor do mind the unitie of the spirit through the love of Christ which is common unto all so much as to entertain either commembership or ministeriall fellowship or true Gospel-work-acquaintance with any that are not either setled in the circumstantiall courses of their way or willing to come up unto them therein Wee see then upon these grounds that except this neglect of dutie be reformed and the true end of the Ministeriall work without humane aimes be heartily entertained by those to whom it is intrusted the effects thereof will never prosper in their hands but Satan as hitherto he hath done since they were divided will continually prevaile against them all till hee hath brought them unto finall destruction and irrecoverable desolation This then is the danger whereinto wee are fallen and to lay this to heart is that matter of absolute necessitie which by all should be apprehended but chiefly by those that are called to the Ministery that they in doing their principall dutie which is to studie unitie in the truth in Christianity may uphold the holy profession and thereby intend their mutuall preservation For without all doubt their very being in this kingdome if they take not this course will be very shortly in a most desperat condition because as it is undeniably apparent that hitherto nothing but their own disunion about matters extrafundamentall hath made Satan and their enemies to prevaile against them The application to exhort to unitie So it is cleerly manifest that henceforth nothing but their mutuall union will bee effectuall to maintain what they yet hold or restore what they have lost in the minds of men and of their standing in the profession hee then that doth decline to concurre in the wayes of spirituall unitie with those that offer and sue for the same unto him and being convicted of this danger doth not endeavour to prevent it shall bee found guilty of all the evils that follow upon our breaches of all the ruine that befalleth unto these Churches of all the confusions that from thence arise unto the Commonwealth of all the dishonor done to the name of Christ for want of order in his house and of all the shame and reproach which this Nation is either now aspersed withall abroad amongst their Neighbours or will in after ages cleave unto it If then there is any love to the Fundamentall truths of the Gospel if there is any zeale for righteousnesse and against damnable heresies if there is any just hatred due to Blasphemies and to the wayes of profanenesse and licenciousnesse whereby the kingdome of Satan is erected and setled upon the ruines of Christs kingdome amongst us and if there is any faithfulnesse and constancie to bee expected from those that professing Christianitie have entred into solemne protestations vowes and covenants to stand united according to the will of God for the advancement of a common reformation and the settlement of our union therein if I say there bee any such thing as love to truth zeale for righteousnesse and faithfulnesse of Christian Covenants I may adjure such as pretend thereunto to shew themselves at this time therein for their owne and their Brethrens preservation that by the duties of Brotherly unitie in the holy profession they may bee found to keepe faith and a good conscience without blame For as it is not possible that the Faith once given to the Saints can bee maintained by any without a good conscience so the integritie of a good conscience cannot bee kept without observing the end of the holy Commandement which is the practise of love out of a pure heart Now this practise amongst Mininisters in their Ministeriall charges can bee none other but a conscionable concurrence of their spirits in that aime wherein the all relate unto Christ to strengthen one anothers hands in the works of his service For their unity and love to each other can have no truth but as it relates unto him nor can it relate otherwise unto him then by fulfilling his will in doing the works of his service and if this aime be lost in any let them pretend what they will their conscience is not sound their performance is not acceptable nor will their indeavours be for ever established hence it is that because many have left off to aime sincerely at this who either delight to stand wholly by themselves and give way to dividing principles and practises or thinke it more expedient to stand wholly associated but give way to the meanes of humane power to trust more thereunto then to the duties of Christian love and serviceablenesse therefore it is just with God to withdraw from such of both sides that walke in these wayes and from their undertakings the blessing of his presence So that by reason of the want of his strength to goe along and conduct to guide them all their hands are weakned nothing which is undertaken doth prosper the service of Christs house is not advanced the stewards thereof are either divided by themselves or scattered by others and generally they are as men without a heart afraid one of another and through these their breaches a whole deluge of damnable errors and a full current of all unrighteous wicked and scandalous practises hath overwhelmed and almost drowned the Churches so that the very floodgates of hell seeme to bee opened upon us and have covered us with the proud waves of all licenciousnesse And although it cannot bee denied but that it is just with God to suffer Satan thus farre to prevaile against all for the sinnes of all and to make this breach upon the Leaders for their failing in the Ministery yet it is farre from mee to thinke A doubt answered concerning the office of the Ministery as some doe that the promise of God is failed in this our age at if there were neither true Church nor Ministery any more amongst us or any where in this world but that the gates of hell having prevailed against the Church which Christ did once institute by his Apostles a new mission must be expected and a new foundation laid for the erecting of his kingdome I say God forbid that I should thinke so Yea let God bee true but every man a liar for I beleeve that heaven and earth shall passe away Rom. 3.4 Matth. 24.35 Matth. 16.16 17 18 19. but the word that is gone out of Christs mouth shall not passe away Now Christ upon a speciall occasion said distinctly unto his Disciples three things which are these 1 That his Church should bee built upon the rock of that truth whereof the Apostles made confession which was that Jesus was the Christ the sonne of the living God 2 That the gates of hell should not prevaile
shall relate to nothing but his owne will and if any such spirit of life bee breathed but in a few of us wee may hope that it will not bee without effect towards others but that some resolutions may ensue which God will blesse with successefulnesse in the prosecution However I am resolved without all appearance of successe to cast this bread upon the waters and commending my self unto his providence leave these papers to you to be disposed of as you shall thinke fit in your discretion which with your self is recommended to to the grace of God by Your faithful friend and servant in Christ JOHN DURIE Written this 8th of May 1648. A DISCOVRSE Concerning THE GROVND TERMES And MOTIVES OF Brotherly Vnitie and Forbearance Which the Ministers of the Churches of England ought to professe and practise one towards another for the Gospels sake CHAP. I. The Introduction shewing the Scope and Matter of the Discourse ALthough the case is dolefull and highly to bee lamented that there is no where in the world so much strife and division apparent as amongst those that are named Christians nor that amongst any Christians greater animosities do break forth then sometimes amongst those that are the Ministers of the Gospel yet this is a most certaine and undeniable Truth and worthy of all acceptation That the doctrine of Christianitie in it self is nothing else but the glad tidings of everlasting peace that therein Christ is revealed to bee the Prince of love and peace that none but his followers are capable of peace and unitie with God and that amongst men the true directions to live in love and peace one with another are no where to bee found but in his kingdome Which being so it will follow notwithstanding all these divisions that none should more willingly undertake nor can more profitably entertaine the thoughts of peace and unitie for the composure of differences and ending of strife amongst men then they whom God hath called to bee Preachers of his Gospel and whom hee hath appointed to bee witnesses of the Covenant of his grace and peace And seeing all they to whom this Covenant is tendred and by whom it is received through Faith are bound to live in the unitie of Faith and Love as being all one in Christ and confederates one to another by vertue of that Covenant Therefore I shall offer my selfe in the way of the heavenly calling as one to whom the Gospell is revealed and to whom the testimony of Jesus in the Covenant of peace is committed unto those that are my Brethren in the same Ministery humbly intreating them all but chiefly such as are most conscionably wise in looking rather to the will of God in the duties of their Ministeriall function then to the interests of a partie amongst men to observe and consider with me concerning the wayes of Unitie and Forbearance which they ought to mind amongst themselves and acquaint their hearers withall these three assertions First that the ground wherefore they ought to professe and practise Vnitie and Forbearance one towards another is the undeniable Law of Christian Brotherhood Secondly that the Termes of Vnitie whereunto they have already attained are full and satisfactory and that the termes of the Forbearance which they should intend to practise are plain and easie to be acknowledged and setled amongst them Thirdly that the Motives which should induce them to the acknowledgement profession practise and setlement thereof are as strong as unavoydable necessitie and the highest relation unto dutie can make them And to make good these three Assertions I shall with as much brevitie as I can declare my sense thereof distinctly and plainly without any great inlargements as intending chiefly to speak to men of understanding CHAP. II. Of the first Assertion Concerning the Law of Christian Brotherhood what it is and whereunto it binds us THe undeniable Law of Christian Brotherhood is this That all such who are begotten of the same heavenly Father by the same Word of Truth in the same wombe of the free woman the Jerusalem which is above are children of God and truely brethren one to another in Christ and having the same sense of their relation one to another in Christ and in all the chief Acts of their Religious profession the same rules to walke by in the houshold of faith they are bound to acknowledge each other to be Brethren and as Brethren to walk together in holy Communion for the administration and observation of Christs Ordinances in that whereunto they have attained and to beare with one another in that whereunto they have not yet attained Now so it is that such as are acknowledged to bee Orthodox and godly Ministers in this Kingdome of England are begotten of the same heavenly Father by the same Word of Truth which is the doctrine of Faith revealed in the Scriptures in the same wombe of the true Church and have the same sense of their relation unto Christ and in all the chief Acts of their Religious profession have the same Rules to walke by Therefore it followeth undeniably that they are truely Brethren one to another in Christ and that they are bound in conscience to acknowledge each other to bee Brethren and as Brethren to walke together in Holy Communion for the administration and observation of Christs Ordinances in that whereunto they have attained and to beare with one another in that whereunto they have not yet attained And lest any should make a doubt of this Truth the first proposition expressing the Law of Brotherhood shall bee shewed from cleer places of Scripture and the second containing an application thereof unto the Ministery of this kingdome shall bee verified of them by a more speciall deduction of the particulars expressed therein The places of Scripture wherein the Law of Brotherhood is cleerly manifested are amongst many others these Christ saith to his Disciples Matth. 23.8 All yee namely my Disciples are Brethren Rom. 8.29 Whom hee viz. the Father did foreknow he also did predestinate to be conformed to the Image of his Sonne that hee might bee the first borne amongst many Brethren Ergo they are made all brethren unto Christ and so Brethren to each other Jam. 1.18 Of his owne will hee viz. the Father begot us viz. beleevers by the Word of Truth Ergo they all being children of the same Father and begotten of the same seed are Brethren to each other Job 1.12 As many as received him viz. Christ to them hee gave power to become the Sonnes of God even to them that beleeve in his name Ergo those that receive Christ the same way are alike Sonnes of God and a like his Brethren Heb. 2.12 I will declare saith Christ thy name unto my Brethren Ergo if Christ doth owne beleevers before God as his Brethren shall they not own one another as such 1 Cor. 12.13 By one spirit wee are all Baptized into one Body Ergo those that have received the same Spirit
administration of their publick charges If then in all these acts the fundamentall rules whereby they are to be directed and managed are fully and satisfactorily the same and not unknowne but rather acknowledged by the professors of both sides it will follow that both sides ought to look upon each other therein as upon Brethren and practise the duties of Brotherhood one to another which are answerable unto this acknowledgment But if not withstanding this unitie and agreement in these rules and in the acknowledgment thereof the duties are neglected then the sentence of the Apostle Iames 4.16 is to be laid to heart To him that knoweth to doe good and doth it not to him it is sinne And that of our Saviour which is more full and plain Luke 12.47 The servant which knew his Lords will and prepared not himself neither did according to his will shall be beaten with many stripes Now that in these Acts of the profession the sundamentall rules obliging us unto holy Communion are acknowledged on both sides to bee the same will appeare in these following particulars Sect. I. Of single Professors VVHen wee looke upon Professors such namely as wee have already described to bee beleevers of the doctrin forenamed and to have that relation unto Christ and his body which hath been formerly mentioned when I say we look upon these Professours as single that is as standing by themselves and not embodied into any particular societie yet we intend not to exempt them by this notion from either a visibilitie of their profession or a compliance in that wherein they ought to concurre with other Christians For they are to bee counted single not as if they might take up a single and fungular way of prosessing Christ by themselves alone which is neither common nor perceptible unto other Christians but they are to bee counted single onely as they are men not engaged as yet unto any particular Congregation to bee members thereof professedly Suppose then a man to be a true Christian and a meere stranger to all the men and Churches of a Nation where he findeth the name of Christ known and publikely professed by some and not at all known and profesled by others the question may bee concerning him threefold 1. Whether hee should make himselfe known to bee a professor yea or no 2. How be should manifest his Profession viz. Whether yea or no hee should not joyne with others in the Acts of publick worship And 3. What the Acts of publick service and worship are whereunto bee should joyne if he should apply himself to other Professors Now in the answer to these three questions I suppose that both sides will fully agree upon these rules as a directory for him to walk by in such a case and to the first the answer is this 1. Although a man stand single and is not embodied into any paertioular society yet he ought to make it appeare unto the world and to other Professors that be is a Christian that is be ought to appeare in publick as a Professor of Christianitie The grounds of this Rule are these command ements Matth. 5.16 Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in beaven Phil. 2.15 16. Shine yee as lights in the world holding forth the word of life Ephes 5.7 Walke as children of light Vers 10. Prove what is acceptable unto the Lord. Vers 11. Have no fellowship with the unfruitfull workes of darkenesse but rather reprove them Phil. 1.27 Let your conversation bee as it becommeth the Gospel of Christ Mark 8.38 Whosoever shall be ashamed of Mee and my Word in this adulterous and sinfull generation of him also shall the Sonne of man bee ashamed when be commeth in the glory of his Father with the holy Angels 2. To the second question whether yea or no hee should not joy ne with others in the Acts of publick worship the answer will be affirmative thus Hee that should appeare in publick as a Professor of Christianitie ought to assemble himself together to call upon the name of God in Christ with such as meet to that effect The grounds of this rule are these places of Scripture Heb. 10.24 25. Consider one another to provoke to love and to good workes Forsake not the assembling of your selves together as the manner of some is Act. 3.1 Peter and John went up together into the Temple at the houre of Prayer the ninth houre Act. 16.13 And on the Sabbath wee went out of the City by a river side where Prayer was wont to bee made and wee sate down and spake unto the woman which resorted thither Act. 17.1 2. Where was a Synagogue of the Jewes and Paul as his manner was went in unto them and three Sabbath dayes reasoned with them out of the Scripture 3. To the third question What the Acts of the Profession are in the publick service and worship whereunto hee should joyne if he should apply himselfe unto other Professors The answer will bee twofold The first is concerning the Acts of service belonging unto the communion of Saints wherein all Christians are bound to joyn together as Christians without respect of persons or societies grounded upon particular interests and it is that which the Apostle doth command Timoth. 2. Ephes 2.22 To follow righteousnesse faith charitie and peace with all such as call upon the Lord out of a pure heart The second concerning the publick Acts of divine worship in the assemblies whereunto Professors should resort of which these positions will be acknowledged by all 1. That the main and principall Acts of publick worship are the preaching and publishing of the Word of God and the offering up of Prayers and thanksgivings unto God which will bee found a truth in these places of Scripture Act. 6.4 Rom. 10.13 14 15 16 17. and 1 Cor. 14. per totum and 1 Tim. 2.1 2 3 4. and Chap. 4.11.16 Col. 3.16 Heb. 13.15 2. That these Acts should not bee ordinarily performed by every one that will put himself forward to speake but by some that are knowne to have the gift of prophecying and are approved set apart and called to that dutie Which will be evidenced in these places of Scripture Rom. 10.15 and Chap. 12.6 7 8. and 1 Cor. 12.18.27 28 29. and Chap. 14.29 30 31 32 33 34.40 Ephes 4.8.11 12. and 1 Tim. 3.1 2.10 and Chap. 5.22 Tit. 1.5 6.10 11. Hel. 5.1 2 3 4. and 1 Pet. 4.10.17 3. That those Acts should bee both for the matter and manner answerable to the Oracles of God and the rules of the word and done by those that performe them not formally and by rote but understandingly in spirit and truth as is clear by these places Rom 12.6 and 1 Pet. 4.11 1 Tim. 1.13 and 2.15 and 1 Cor. 14.19 20. John 4.23.24 4. That although it is not in the power of any men to prescribe unto or impose upon the Churches and
parties to a more perfect unitie then as yet they have attained unto is to find out and settle rules of mutuall condescension Secondly the meanes to make the path plaine and easie to maintaine and walke in the unitie which shall bee setled is to remove move by common consent and upon conscionable motives all the causes of disaffection and of breaches For if both sides cannot onely yeeld and stoop to embrace each other in love but also remove all that which may occasion the dissolving of that embracement we may bee sure that peace and unitie will bee setled without interruption Therefore in hope that either now or hereafter this may bee laid to heart and followed to produce a necessary toleration I shall offer my thoughts of these two meanes CHAP. X. Of the rules of condescension how they may bee found out VVEe have formerly seene that some toleration amongst Christians is necessary if so then undoubtedly some condescension also towards one another because without some yeelding it is not imaginable that any mutuall forbearance can bee setled or transacted amongst parties that are at variance and although this might suffice to satisfie the scruples of some who perhaps will boile at the matter of condescension as prejudiciall to the truth of the holy profession yet I shall adde a word to shew the lawfulnesse of such a course as being a dutie recommended unto us by God and necessary for edification The Apostle Rom. 15.1 2. saith that we ought not to please our selves but that every one of us should please his neighbour for his good to edification Now in this case every one is supposed to be strong and the neighbour whom hee ought to please is by the Apostle supposed to be weake Therefore wee are all bound to yeeld unto each other as supposing others to be weake that wee may be able to edifie each other And to presse this home as a dutie to the conscience of all hee doth give us Christ example as a patterne thereof in this particular that he did not seek to please himselfe but condescended even to beare reproaches that wee might bee edified by that which is written of him vers 3. and 4. And then to make an application of this unto the end for which he doth prescribe it as a dutie hee first prayeth to God for us and secondly exhorts us to the imitation of Christs example His prayer is that God would grant us to be like minded one towards another according to Christ Jesus that wee may glorifie God with one mind and mouth where he intimates two things which are in this matter very considerable First that except wee have this grace to bee so minded unto each others as Christ was to us wee cannot bee at unitie amongst our selves Secondly that except wee be united with one mind and one mouth in our profession of Christ God cannot be glorified by us vers 5 6. Then his exhortation is a consequence inferted upon these premises thus ver 7. Wherefore receive yee one another as Christ also received us to the glory of God Now Christ received us to the glory of God that is to the participation of Gods love and goodnesse by a great condescension unto our weaknesse studying not to please himselfe but us to our good therefore wee are all bound to yeeld unto each other in like manner so then some condescension is both lawfull and requisite Compare with this that which is further to this purpose delivered concerning Christ Phil. 2.4 5 6 7. and 1 Pet. 2.21 22 23. But to presse further the point which in this dutie is to be heeded let us consider the precept given by the Apostle Rom. 12. 16. and his owne practise which hee sets before us elsewhere to bee followed as an example of that rule The precept is this Be of the same mind one towards another mind not high things but condescend to men of low estate or to mean things bee not wise in your own conceits As if he had said it is your dutie to bee like minded towards each other in love and that you may not bee taken off from performing this take heed to your thoughts that you neither affect high matters wherein naturally men use to please themselves nor that you bee in love with your owne wisedome but studie rather to make your mindes pliable and bring your selves to condescend to men and matters that are meane and low for except you all resolve upon this you can never bee of the same mind one towards another So then wee see that some condescension is not onely lawfull but wholly requisite to maintaine love and unitie and resist pride and self-love whence strife and confusion doth proceed Answerable unto this rule was the Apostles own practise mentioned 1 Cor. 9. for our imitation for there from the first verse till the 19th he sheweth that although hee had a full right to take maintenance from the Church of Corinth for his service done to them yet he would not doe it but condescended rather for their weaknesse sake to make the Gospel of Christ without charge unto them lest hee might bee thought to abuse his power in the Gospel So then to prevent an inconveniencie hee did condescend to quit his right to a benefit and a conveniencie which he might otherwise have lawfully enjoyed But then from vers 19. till the end of the Chapter hee speakes of another kind of condescension wherein hee did exercise himself and which hee relates that hee might therein bee imitated by others which was this that although hee was free from all men yet hee made himselfe a servant to all that hee might gaine the more Vers 19. To the Jewes he became as a Jew to them that are under the Law as under the Law Vers 20. To them that are without Law as without Law though hee was not without Law to God but under the Law to Christ Vers 21. To the weake he became as weake and he made himselfe by way of condescension all things unto all men that hee might by all meanes save some Vers 22. And the reason why hee exercised himselfe in this dutie was not onely for the good of others but for his owne good also in three things First that he might partake of the Gospel with every one in every condition Vers 23. Secondly that hee might keepe himselfe in a fit temper of spirit so to run in his calling as to receive the prize and so to fight as not to beate the aire Vers 24 25 26. And thirdly that hee might bee master of his own body lest if hee neglected the dutie of bringing it into subjection hee might bee found himselfe a reprobate after all his paines in preaching the Gospel unto others Vers 27. Thus wee see that the Apostle doth make this not onely a dutie which as lawfull but in some sort necessary to the faithfull discharge of the ministeriall function even so farre that without the performance
prejudice which many had against him Acts 21. vers 18. till 28. Another time Paul of his owne accord did circumcise Timothy by way of condescension to the Jewes who were weake and would have been offended if that had not been done Act. 18.1 2 3. but when the cause was altered and by condescending to circumcise Titus the libertie of the Gospel would have been prejudged towards the Gentiles he would not at all yeeld unto it Gal. 2.3.4 5. Thirdly there ought to bee a condescension in matters of indifferencie such as the Apostle doth mention Rom. 14. throughout to beare with the weake item in matters of offence which may bee foreseen wee are bound to prevent the same by yeelding unto the weake and ignorant lest either our good bee evill spoken of or our Brother be grieved at what wee doe or his conscience bee emboldned by our example whiles it wanteth light to discerne its owne libertie to sinne Rom. 14.15 16. and 1 Cor. 8.9 10 11 12 13. and chap. 10. vers 23. till the end Fourthly and lastly there ought to bee a condescension to beare with all men in that whereunto they have not yet attained that by the things whereunto they have attained and our friendly converse with them according to the rules of edification they may bee gained Concerning this way of condescension towards others these places are considerable Matth. 12.18 19 20. and 1 Cor. 9.19 till the end Gal. 4.12 and 6.1 2 Tim. 2.24 25 26 and 1 Thes 5.14 15.20 21. Phil. 3.15 16. And all things which flow from the principles of Charitie Gentlenesse meeknesse and humilitie with prudency and discretion for the good of those that erre and are ignorant may bee called a condescension and ought to bee practised in imitation of Christ and his Apostles from whom the rules of forbearance are to bee learned Col. 3.13 Concerning the third which is the way to draw forth the spirits of men to discover the things whereunto they shal be willing of themselves to condescend unto others I shall offer an expedient which I suppose none who desireth to walke in the light will thinke unreasonable or unconscionable and that is this That all such as would be borne withall in any thing by others should offer first unto those from whom they expect a brotherly forbearance all that condescension which they intend to use and the rules of forbearance by which they purpose to walke towards them for this is according to Christs fundamentall rule of justice Matth. 7.12 Whatsoever things you would have men doe to you doe yee even so to them for this is the Law and the Prophets If this one rule were rightly applyed and followed there would bee no great difficultie in transacting this matter chiefly if wee take up the practise of it not upon the grounds of humane policie but of Christian obedience to the dutie which is commanded Heb. 3.12 Exhort one another daily whiles it is called to day and Heb. 10.24 Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good workes and Phil. 2.15 16. Bee ye blamelesse and harmelesse the sonnes of God without rebuke shine as lights in the world bold forth the word of life From all which this expedient will follow towards the finding out of the rules of condescension that every one who doth delight to goe before others in good workes and walke in the light ought in obedience to the will of God revealed in these commandements of his owne accord to offer unto his neighbour with whom hee doth desire to walke in peace and unitie a full discovery of those principles and rules by which hee doth find himselfe obliged in conscience according to Gods will to walke towards every one in the wayes of condescension If every one would doe this freely and fully it would bee easie without any danger of disagreement or of debates about particular interests which continually trouble the wayes of our profession to set downe the rules of condescension and forbearance for that might bee taken as a rule to bind every one which hee should offer freely and acknowledge to bee an obligation upon his conscience or which being offered unto him by others should by the Law of love bind him to practise the like unto them For I conceive this to be equall that what another doth yeeld unto mee supposing the matter in it selfe to be lawfull I should yeeld unto him in like manner even as I would have him yeeld unto mee that which I offer unto him as then I would not have any to presse upon mee any thing of a Religions concernment further then my light from the Word doth lead mee to embrace it so I ought not to intend to presse upon others any thing of that nature further then their light doth lead them but as I would bee born withall so I should beare with another till God give in more light to either of us by private meditations or regular conferences In the meane time let that which is yeelded on all sides bee setled as a rule of agreement to walke by and improved to the best advantage of peace and unitie Thus wee see that if every one would but hold forth his principles of light and life unto others and would bind himselfe as in the presence of God to walke answerable thereunto wee might easily come to the settlement and observation of the rules of condescension CHAP. XI Concerning the causes of disaffection and of breaches how they should bee removed by common consent THe first and originall causes of disaffection and of breaches are for the most part not taken notice of and hardly discerned by many even then when they are discovered because they lie very close to our nature for they are commonly nothing else but the neglect of charitable inclinations and duties and the unadvised admitting of prejudices and entertaining of evill surmises which not being observed and cured fester in the mind and first breed a shinesse or warinesse of him against whom they are conceived then a distance from him afterwards a strangenesse to his wayes and lastly a breach of unitie with opposition The causes of prejudice are very many in all sorts of men those which the ungodly and naturall man doth entertaine against a conscionable and religious walking with God I need not here to meddle withall * Viz. R. Junius in two Treatises the one called The cure of Prejudice the other The cure of Misprision another hath handled that subject profitably at large and shewed the cure thereof but those which godly and religious men through humane frailtie entertaine one against another are the matter which here is to bee considered to make the way of unitie and forbearance plaine and easie and I shall now onely name them and point at the cure thereof in a word or two because I doe intend to speak to men of understanding onely to whom God hath committed the charge of soules and my aime towards
a facultie of life and a right through that facultie to act in and by it self the worke of its owne office and hath immediatly from the head its direction what to doe and is not under the command of any particular fellow-member yet in the use of this facultie and in the exercise of this right every member is directed by the head to subordinate it selfe to the service of the whole and to depend upon the unitie thereof and not to stand or act by it self for the Apostle saith that the eye cannot say to the hand I have no need of thee nor the head though head and over all the rest to the feet though but feet and under all the rest I have no need of you but even the weakest and the most unseemly members are the most necessary and every one of them in the performance of their duties towards the whole for none of them are allowed to doe any thing for themselves alone are made to depend upon each other If this doctrine were laid to heart and applied practically without disputing to particular matters now in dispute and if our braines were lesse and our consciences more exercised in looking herein to that which is without all dispute the known will of God wee should not need to be troubled with the nicities though wee might conferre about them of the proper seat of right to power and government and with the nationall debates of the prioritie of the universall and of the rights and priviledges of the particular Churches upon which rocks our affections being now split all the duties of necessary communion correspondency and concurrence are neglected amongst us notwithstanding all the known excellencie commendablenesse and usefulnes thereof Therefore my purpose is to set before the consciences of those that seek life the lovelinesse of this dutie whereunto we have already attained if so be we will but put forth our hand unto it as to the tree of life in the midst of the Paradise of God and not feed upon the Theory of disputable opinions concerning particular rights and priviledges which are to us a tree of the knowledge of good and evill whereof the fruit doth worke nothing but death and enmitie between God and us and between man and man nothing but strife and distances by reason of our pride wherewith our knowledge doth puffe us up to appeare somewhat more then others in all our undertakings Sect. II. Of the excellency of unitie and of the fountaine thereof Charitie THe holy Ghost hath set himself of purpose to commend Unitie and Charitie unto us which now I am to speak of in two severall places of Scripture which I shall make the matter of this Section to represent onely the heads thereof in brief unto such as are conscionable that by themselves 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 Rom. 2.8 9. for the wrath of God is upon those that are contentious 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 vertuons 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 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 slothfull servant Marth 25.21.23.26 together 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