Wee are then all commanded and that as a dutie wherein wee are to walke worthy of the vocation wherewith wee are called to study the unitie of the Spirit in the bond of peace because all our fundamentall relations to all the meanes and to Christ and God the Authors of our salvation are one and the same Ephes 4. 1 2 3 4. 5 6. and 1 Cor. 1. 10 11 12 13. and 2 Cor. 13. 11. Col. 3. 13 14 15. Therefore wee are commanded againe and againe to be of the same mind each towards another Rom. 12. 16. Phil. 2. 2. to have the same love and to be of one accord Phil. 2. 2. and 1 Pet. 3. 8. and 1 John 4. 7 8. 11 12. 5. 1. and 2 John 5 6. and 1 Pet. 1. 22. and the measure and hight of this love is that we are bound in imitation of Christ to lay downe our lives for our brethren 1 John 3. 16. and Joh. 15. 12 13. far more then ought wee to deny our selves in lesser things The effects of these graces and the meanes to honour the holy profession by the practise thereof are of two sorts the one positive the other negative The positive effects of the spirit of love and unitie are the expressions of all good will towards others in the common profession and the use of all the meanes whereby the integritie thereof may be upheld in every one These are chiefly 1 Mutuall care to build up each other to pray for each other to keep each other in the love of God Jud. 20. 21. and to this effect 2 To looke to each others things and not to our owne things alone Phil. 2. 4. and 1 Cor. 10. 24. 3 To serve each other in love Gal. 5. 13. 4 To please our neighbour for good to his edification Rom. 15. 2. 5 To provoke one another to love and good workes Heb. 10. 24. and to follow the good whereunto we are provoked Hebr. 12. 14. 6 To exhort and admonish one another Heb. 3. 13. Rom. 15. 14. 7 To preferre others to our selves in love and by humility Rom. 12. 10. Phil. 2. 3. 8 To have compassion on each other in cases of infirmitie considering our owne condition lest wee also be tempted Jud. 22. Gal. 6. 1. 9 To beare one anothers burdens and in the spirit of meeknesse supporting the weake to restore one another Gal. 6. 1 2. and 1 Thes 5. 14. Rom. 15. 1. 10 To make a difference of faults and to save some as pulling them out of the fire Jud. 22 23. The negative effects of this spirit are the inclinations and indeavours whereby all evills which may occasion the breach of unitie or love are avoided And to this effect wee are commanded 1 Not to seeke or to please our selves Rom. 15. 1. 3. Phil. 2. 4. 6 7 8. 2 Not to have any evill will or hatred against any 1 Pet. 2. 1. and 1 John 2. 9 10 11. 3 Not to bee vaine-glorious to provoke any or to envie one another Gal. 5. 26. 4 Not to revenge or recompense evill with evill Rom. 12. 17. 19. 21. and 1 Thes 5. 15. but to forbeare and to forgive one another in cases of offence Ephes 4. 2. Col. 3. 13. 5 Not to murmur nor dispute nor to give offence unto any Phil. 2. 14 15 16. and 1 Cor. 10. 32. 6 Not to strive nor to fight nor to beat our fellow servants Matth. 24. 49. and to avoid this it is especially required in the Ministers of the Gospel 2 Tim. 2. 24 25. Of all which and such like duties whereof the Scriptures are full and which tend to perfect the Saints in their holy communion and to direct brethren in the common profession of Christianitie to advance truth and holinesse in themselves and others wee must say this that they oblige Ministers in a threefold respect above others For they are not onely bound to observe these rules in all their wayes as they are Christians but they are moreover bound to observe them First towards all more eminently then other common professors because they are appointed to bee the Salt of the earth and the light of the world and as a City built upon a hill that cannot bee hid Matth. 5. 13 14. Secondly towards their fellow Ministers more especially and distinctly then towards others because they are bound to them by a double tie of followship viz. by 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 universail 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
then some rules should bee thought upon debated and by common consent setled concerning three things First how needlesse disputes and multiplicitie of new controversies breaking forth in the Presse and Pulpit may be prevented Secondly how the injuriousnesse of censures and of proceeding which men of partiall dispositions and of high thoughts runne into may bee rectified when disputes are necessary And Thirdly how the secret mischief of suspicious whisperings and tale-bearing amongst Brethren may bee prevented and being discovered satisfactorily corrected And that some rules of righteousnesse may bee found in the Word to remedie these evills and may bee raised from the nature of Christian charitie equitie ingenuitie pietie discretion and prudencie I suppose none will deny who doth beleeve that the holy Scriptures with and by the spirit of God which is promised to the children of God are able to make the man of God perfect and throughly furnished unto every good word and worke Thus I have made out as briefly and as distinctly as this occasion seemeth to require the truth of the first and second assertion of this discourse namely that the Ministery of this kingdome is undeniably obliged in conscience to the mutuall profession of Brotherhood and that the termes of their unitie and forbearance are both in themselves full and satisfactory and may bee setled reciprocally amongst them in a plaine and easie way if the men that lead others were but willing to looke to God more then to men and to conscience more then to outward interests CHAP. XII The third Assertion Concerning the motions which should induce us to make profession of this unitie and forbearance Why these are requisite and what they are BUt now although these things are evidently thus demonstrable and by all that which hitherto hath been alledged it may be manifestly apparent that these who are the leaders of the flockes should not onely stand united and walk by one rule in that whereunto they have attained but also that their differences may and ought to bee composed in love by amiable meetings by orderly conferences and by the settlement of a necessary and lawfull forbearance of each other although I say all this is so yet wee see to the great dishonour of God the lamentable disadvantage of the truth and the extreame griefe of many godly soules that this hath not hitherto either beene done or effectually prosecuted and intended by thâ—se that are in the worke of the Ministery or if it hath been intended by some yet not so as it ought to have been that is upon the grounds which are proper unto their vocation What the causes of this neglect may bee wee shall not now particularly search into onely in generall wee may take notice that all such failings in dutie may proceed from two main causes either that men otherwise knowing and godly yet consider not the necessitie of this dutie in respect of the evills that follow upon the neglect thereof or that the excellencie commendablenesse and worth thereof is either not known or if not unknown yet not laid to heart Now then in this our present sad condition if any thing can be suggested which may be a helpe to remove these causes of our failing in this kind it may bee hoped that godly and conscionable men will bee more carefull of the performance and more fearefull of the neglect thereof then hitherto they have been Therefore it will not bee amisse but may bee of very great use to offer some motives and inducements to incline them without partialitie to these resolutions and this wee shall intend to doe if God permit CHAP. XIII Concerning the necessitie of Brotherly unitie in the Ministery IF then we should take into consideration the absolute necessitie of this dutie it will appeare that the present evills whereinto these Churches and the state of this kingdome are fallen and which threaten all with unavoydable ruine are mainely brought upon us through the neglect of that ministeriall unitie and correspondencie which is sutable unto Christianitie For whosoever in the feare of God shall lay to heart the wofull condition of the Churches of Christ in this land will perceive that amongst the manifold causes of our miserable breaches The cause ofâ— all our miseries and sinfull distractions the originall and consequently the greatest of all the rest is this That such as are called to bee the Ministers of the Gospel who by their owne confession are Brethren and fellow-labourers in the same imployment doe not maintaine those duties of Brotherly love fellowship and communion which by the nature of their work and by the appointment of their Lord and Master are made necessary for the manifestation of his glory and for their own mutuall edification For seeing by that which hath been hitherto shewed it must needs be acknowledged that they ought to stand together and looke upon each other as Brethren begotten of the same Father as fellow-souldiers in the same fight and warfare and as fellow-members in the same body of Christ Seeing I say this is confessed and cannot bee denied to bee so it will follow also undeniably that they ought in conscience to discharge the duties belonging to these relations which are not onely to professe a Brotherhood but to bee knit together in fervent love to have the same care one for another and joyntly to communicate in things belonging to the kingdome of Christ But that these duties notwithstanding all these relations are neither really thought upon nor at all prosecured to any purpose almost by any is no lesse undeniable and must needs although to our great shame be plainly and ingenuously confessed Seeing then the guilt of this their fault is so great and so apparent that no colour of excuse can bee pretended to extenuate it therefore the judgement is ripe for them and the punishment hath now in the sight of all the world most justly overtaken them For whereas they were lately in a capacitie to bee as happy within themselves and as profitable to the Kingdome of Christ abroad as any of all the Ministers on earth if they had continued in their unitie now they are like to bee more unsetled and more miserable within themselves and lesse respected by others and lesse usefull both at home and abroad towards the cause of Christ then any that are elsewhere in all the Churches this onely because they have suffered themselves in their profession to bee divided and have not regarded nor doe they yet regard the duties of their Christian Brotherhood The guilt of the Ministery so much as outward concernments For by this meanes they have corrupted the Covenant and are become partiall in the Law and caused many to stumble at the Law and therefore the Lord Mal. 2. 8 9. hath made them contemptible and caused all their adversaries to prevaile against them so that they have just cause to give glory unto him to lay their hands upon their mouths to be sensible of
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 â—â—wards another mind not high things but condescend to mâ—n of low estate or to mean things bee not wise in your own conoâ—its 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 weakenesse 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 yeâ— 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 â—â— 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 hâ—â— 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his calling as to receive the prize and so to fight as not to 〈◊〉 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 sound 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 is lawfull but in some sort necessary to the faithfull discharge of the ministeriall function even so farre that without the performance of it a man can neither gaine all sorts of people to the Gospel noâ— partake fully of the Gospel himselfe nor â—ee in a temper so to runne and strive as to gaine his incorruptible crowne before others nor at last escape the danger of being a castaway although hee hath painefully preached the Gospel unto others From all which wee must conclude that the studie of condescension chiefly in a Minister with whom I am now dealing is not a matter of indifferencie but a dutie of very great importance And if so then wee are obliged in conscience not onely to resolve upon the practise but to seeke out the rules by which our conversation in this matter may bee ordered aright for seeing in every dutie there are some rules and in this of condescension because none do set themselves to the practise thereof the rules are not lookt into Seeing also none ought in any thing to presume to prescribe rules unto others but all should rather in all humilitie search after the discovery thereof in the holy Scriptures and then hold forth in simplicitie that which God doth teach them and they find profitable for the edification of others therefore we shall apply our selves unto this search and offer that which wee suppose neither side will except against and yet may prove a sufficient directory for the practise of condescension and the transaction of a forbearance in the cases of our divisions Wee shall say then that to find out without difficultie the rules of condescension towards a forbearance three things should bee reflected upon 1 That wherein there can bee no yeelding 2 That wherein there may bee and ought to bee a voluntary yeelding 3 That which may draw forth and oblige the spirits of men to discover the things whereunto they shall bee willing of themselves to yeeld Concerning the first there can bee nor condescension proposed which should oblige any to make profession of any thing otherwise then it is in his heart For no man can with a good conscience yeeld to professe any untruth or transact to relinquish his sense and opinion of any thing which hee doth esteeme a point of truth or of right I say no man can condescend to relinquish his opinion or his challenge of a right to a priviledge because the matters of truth and right can edifie no man but disedifie both our selves and others if they bee denyed and professedly given up A man may dispense with a truth so farre as not to speak of it to all sorts of persons or at all times because they cannot beare it nor is it seasonable for edification to speake all truths at all times as wee may see by Christs example John 16. 12. and the Apostles practise 1 Cor. 3. 1 2. and the rules Matth. 7. 6. and Rom. 14. 1. And concerning a point of right a man may dispense with the use of it as wee see the Apostle doth 1 Cor. 9. But no man ought to yeeld himselfe obliged to deny any truth or not to beare witnesse to it when it is opposed
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 himself 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 Gal. 6. 2. so the infallible character of a disciple by 1 Cor. 16. 14. 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 the Prince of wickednesse in heavenly Ephes 6. 12. 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 Iam. 3. 14 15 16. lie against the truth 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
beene proved that all the Commandements of brotherly love of unitie of mutuall care of communion and correspondency which are given to all Christians in the common profession are more particularly binding unto Ministers towards each other in respect of their Ministeriall charges Yet I shall briefly mention three or foure speciall duties which seeme to be enjoyned more distinctly unto them rather as they are Ministers then as they are Christians because they have a respect rather unto their publick charge and employment wherein they relate one another then unto the common profession by it selfe First they are not onely bound to serve all men Ministerially as Christ served us but they are by his example and precept more distinctly commanded to serve one another Matth. Chap. 20. Vers 27 28. Whosoever will bee chiefe among you let him bee your servant even as the Sonne of man came not to bee ministred unto but to minister and give his life a ransome for many Secondly they are bound to looke first unto themselves and then to the flock Acts 20. Vers 28. Take heed therefore unto your selves and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers c. For Vers 29. 30. they are foretold that amongst them grievous Wâ—lves will enter in and of their selves that is some of their owne vocation men shall arise speaking perverse things to draw away Disciples after them It then all must looke diligently lest a root of bitternesse spring up in the Church and many bee defiled thereby Hebr. 12. 15. farre more is it the dutie of Ministers to looke to each other herein Thirdly they are bound to looke upon themselves and their gifts as not for themselves but for all and chiefly for each other to profit withall according to that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 12. Vers 7. The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every one to profit withall to the Ministers ordinarily the greatest and most usefull manifestations are given and they can profit most thereby one towards another because in being profitable thereby unto each other they are inabled so much the more to be profitable unto all Fourthly and lastly in the use of their spirituall gifts wherein they intend to bee profitable unto all they are to subject themselves one to another as it is written 1 Cor. 14. Vers 29. 32. Let the Prophets speake and let the others judge And the Spirits of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets From all which as the duties of mutuall love and unitie are necessarily to bee inferred so the meanes to maintaine and exercise the same which are the wayes of spirituall communion and correspondency must needs also bee acknowledged to bee their dutie for where the end is commanded there the meanes also without which that end cannot be attained is also commanded so that we must cleerly conclude that this is an undeniable Scriptural Truth That the Ministers of the Gospel are bound to maintain brotherly unity communion and correspondency one with another because in the duties of their Ministerial charge nothing is found more conscionable nothing more commendable nothing more profitable and nothing more sutable to the glory of God and the calling by which they are called to the perfecting of the Saints and to the edifying of the body of Christ then this duty is and therefore whosoever doth not walk by this rule doth not walk worthy of the vocation wherewith he is called in the Gospel and whosoever doth walk thereby peace and mercy be upon him and upon all the Israel of God Amen FINIS The CONTENTS of the Preface Section I. HOw the means of Christian peace both Civil and Ecclesiastical ought to be followed and may be found Pag. 1. Sect. II. What the lets of reconciliation are and the causes of Divisions and how to be remedied p. 16 The Contents of the Discourse Chap. 1. THe Introduction showing the scope and matter of the discourse Pag. 26 Chap. 2. Concerning the Law of Christian Brotherhood what it is and whereunto it binds us p. 28 Chap. 3. Concerning the termes of unity and forbearance in general p. 32 Chap. 4. Concerning the termes of unity by themselves what they are why not regarded and wherefore they ought to be regarded p. 33 Chap. 5. Concerning the particular termes of unity whereunto the Ministers of this Nation have attained in the doctrine of faith and in their relation to Christ and his Church p. 39 Chap. 6. Concerning the termes of unity in the chief Acts of our religious profession p. 41 Sect. 1. Of single professors p. 42 2. Of Professors united to a Congregation p. 45 3. Of several Congregations as they are or ought to be associated p. 46 4. Of Officers and Rulers of several Congregations and their association p. 49 Chap. 7. Concerning the termes of forbearance that there is and may be found an agreement therein p. 55 Chap. 8. Concerning the principles of mutual toleration wherein there is a full agreement p. 56 Chap. 9. Concerning the way how to settle and prosecute a mutuall toleration by rules wherein there is an agreement p. 58 Chap. 10. Of the rules of condescension how they may be found out p. 60 Chap. 11. Concerning the causes of disaffection and of breaches how they should be removed by common consent p. 67 Chap. 12. Concerning the motions which should induce us to make profession of this unity and forbearance why these are requisite and what they are p. 70 Chap. 13. Concerning the necessity of brotherly unity in the Ministery p. 71. Chap. 14 Concerning the usefulnesse and commendablenesse of brotherly unity in the work of the Ministery p. 84 Sect. 1. What the communion and correspondency is wherein our unity is to be setled p. 84 2. Of the excellency of unity and of the fountain thereof Charity p. 89 3. Of the common rules of Christianity as they are more especially obligatory unto Ministers in the duties of their calling p. 9 4. Of the practise of those that are set before us as infallible examples in the Ministery p. 99 5 Concerning that which belongs to the Office of the Ministery in it self p. 104
and Peace For the unitie of their spirits in the simplicitie of Truth is their strength and the evidence of grace without worldly wisedome in their walking will make them not onely invincible but even irresistible because the power of the Word of life which is a two-edged Sword and the armour of righteousnesse on the right hand and on the left when they are handled in sinceritie without all mixture of humane policie will bee prevalent to 2 Cor. 2. 1â— make them triumph in Christ and to cause the inhabitants of the world to fall in due time before them that in the day of Christs power which wee hope is approaching all the strong holds of Satan may be surrendred unto him This ensuing discourse then concerning unitie and forbearance to shew the ground termes and motives thereof was by The end of the ensuing discourse and the occasion of putting it to paper me conceived as a proposall of matters belonging properly to the consideration of the Orthodox Ministers of this kingdome who dissent onely from each other in the way of government that if our private or publique conferences had continued as they were begun in simplicitie the heads thereof might have been a subject of further deliberation amongst us For to that effect they were put to paper at the desire of some but seeing the motions tending to a reconcilement of our Religious differences seeme to be obstructed so that there is little or no hope to gaine any further meetings and conferences in this kind and for this aime therefore I have enlarged them a little and And of enlarging and publishing the same altered the frame thereof somewhat and now shall leave them to you to bee disposed of as God shall direct you for the publick good to make use of them For whether the obstruction of these thoughts of reconcilement arise from the unwillingnesse of some who perhaps thinke it not wisedome to venture their paines in such a way or from the State contrivements or preingagements and combinations of others who by any of these meanes thinke themselves strong enough to gain their own desires another way Whether I say from any or from all of those causes the obstruction doth arise it is to mee a matter of no discouragement but rather an occasion to bee willing to appeare so as I am in the presence of God free from interests and before men without all pretence to wisedome strength and authoritie That so farre as those motions shall be found agreeable to the will of God and sutable to the conscience of those whose wisedome strength and authoritie is the obedience of Faith in performing their dutie they may be entertained with singlenesse of heart and if so many of us as have freed our spirits from the bondage of feares and hopes in respect of outward matters and have given our selves upto walke openly by knowne and undeniable rules and by the Law of unprejudicate love to bee without offence towards all should but resolve upon this provocation to lay the matter of dutie represented therein more seriously to heart then hitherto wee have done and to ripen further thoughts concerning the same who knoweth what God may work thereby It is not impossible for him to blow upon the dead bones of our scattered affections from the wayes of peace and communion to bring them to a concurrence in the acknowledgement of some rules which shall relate to nothing but his owne will and if any such spirit of life be breathed but in a few of us we may hope that it will not be 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 think fit in your discretion which with your self is recommended to the grace of God THE Moderator Endeavouring A full Composure and quiet Settlement of those many Differences both in Doctrine and Discipline which have so long disturbed the Peace and welfare of this COMMON-WEALTH CHAP. I. The Introduction shewing the Scope and Matter of the Discourse ALthough the case is doleful and highly to be 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 Christianity 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 to hinds 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 some 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 be also did predestinate to be conformed to the Image of his Sonne that heâ— might bee the firstborne 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 Joh. 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 are bound to become one body and consequently to bee united together as members one of another Ephes 4. 4 5 6. There is one body and one Spirit one hope of your calling one Lord one Faith one Baptisme one God and Father of all If all these are one and the same in and to all beleevers then all beleevers are united unto each other by them and woe bee to such that by their divisions give the world cause to beleeve that there is not one body but many nor one spirit but many nor one hope nor one Lord nor one Faith nor one Baptisme but many nor one God but many Gal. 4. 26. Jerusalem which is above is free the mother of us all If we are of one Father and Mother then undeniably Brethren to each other Phil. 2. 1 2. If there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the Spirit if any bowels of mercies fulfill yee my joy that ye bee like minded having the same love being of one accord of one mind Ergo such as are in Christ and made partakers of the same spirit are bound to have fellowship one with another and in their fellowship to impart to each other matters of full joy by mutuall consolation and comfort by mutuall bowels and mercies and to bee able to doe all this they must studie unitie amongst themselves in the same mind and in the same love Phil. 3. 16. Whereunto wee have attained already let us walke by the same rule let us mind the same thing Ergo Brethren though not agreed in all things yet are bound to professe so farre as they are agreed Ephes 4. 1 2 3. Walke worthy of the vocation wherewith yee are called with all lowlinesse and meeknesse with long suffering for bearing one another in love endeavouring to keepe the unitie of the spirit in the bond of peace Ergo it is a part of our calling wherewith wee are called to practise mutuall Forbearance to the end that Unitie and peace may bee preserved and such as mind not the dutie of Forbearance have therein renounced their calling 1 Pet. 1. 22. Seeing you have purified your soules in obeying the Truth through the Spirit unto unfained love of the Brethren see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently Ergo one of the ends for which the Spirit is given to make us obedient to the Truth for the sanctification of our soules is this that we should affectionately expresse our love unto the Brethren In these places wee see what the ground of the Law of Brotherhood is amongst true Christians and what the duties thereof are But if neither this Law nor the duties thereof bee at all regarded by those that pretend to bee the chief of Christians is it not either a testimony against them that they indeed are not what they pretend to be true and faithfull Ministers of the Gospel of peace or if they needs will be counted such is it not then before the world a testimony against the Gospel it self and Christianitie that it is not amongst us what it is said to bee viz. the way of true love and peace Therefore the great Character of true Christians is to bee laid to heart seriously in these times of universall strife wherein all pretend more then others unto Christ namely this which Christ hath given us himself Joh. 13. 35. Hereby shall all men know that yee are my Disciples if ye have love one to another From whence must needs follow that if yee have no love one to another by this all men shall know that ye are not his Disciples Therefore let us