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A29129 A cordial-mediator for accordance of brethren that are of different judgments and wayes of administration in things that concerne the Kingdome of God for repairing of the breach and restoring of the paths for many generations : wherein is proposed the way and means (not to inforce or compell to an outward dissembling, hypocriticall uniformity, which is all that can be inforced unto by humane authority, but) to induce and ingage to a cordiall-uniformity even of soule and spirit amongst all that are truly and really Christians, and to bring them likewise into the same wayes and ministrations in the things of God / written by Ellis Bradshaw. Bradshaw, Ellis. 1658 (1658) Wing B4141; ESTC R27175 36,305 46

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and ingage to the government of the Church we have no power to exercise any authoritative discipline over them nor doe we account our selves ingaged to it Answ I answer The Church hath as much power from Christ and is as much ingaged in duty to exercise it over any that is called a brother and owned as a brother as if they were ingaged and incorporated with them in the same Church and this ought to be declared amongst all the Churches See Levit. 19.17 Mat. 18.15 16 17. and 1 Cor. 5.11 12 13. and 2 Thessa 3.6.14 15. Now it cannot be denyed but we ought to love and not hate our brother in our heart but we cannot shew that we love him if we doe not rebuke him but suffer sin upon him And therefore it is said thou shalt in any wise rebuke him which implyeth that no excuse must serve our turne as that he is not of our Church or way c. or it belongeth to the Church he is of to deal with him this will not serve to shew our love to him but rather that we hate him See Lev. 19.17 So that all the injunctions that lye upon us that ingage us to any duty to our brethren of the same Church lye as clearly upon us from this duty of love to be exercised unto all or any whomsoever that we account a brother so farre forth as we have abillity and opportunity yea though in some respects because of differences in judgements and ways they be really our enemyes Object But it will yet be objected that we have nothing to do with the members of other Churches in respect of discipline and governement but it belongeth wholly unto them to admonish rebuke suspend and excommunicate as need shall require and if they doe it not it is their sinne Answ To which I answer It is their sin if they doe it not when they see cause for it But if they doe it not they ought to be admonished of their duty and neglect thereof and if then they neglect any Church where he hath communicated and so been owned as a brother may doe it as to him and them as after admonition if he will not hear to suspend him from any communion with them as if be ●ere their own member and that in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by his power and authority if there be ground in Scripture for what they doe Object But it will yet be objected that suppose they be not as yet of any Church nor will not ingage to any party how then can they be discipline if need should require Answ If it may be conceived in the judgement of charity that any such is a brother he ought likewise to be owned as a brother by any Church where he is knowne as such and be admitted to all the ordinances And where he is admitted in any or many Churches he is also subject to the discipline thereof and cannot avoid it if he would for he cannot avoid the Judgement of Christ where ever he dwelleth or removeth and if he stay amongst them they may and ought to deale with him according as they do with brethren and it will be as authoritative by the power of Christ as if he were a joynt member For Christ will make good and approve and blesse any just ministration in his sacred name See Mat. 18.18 19 20. And in my apprehension there it that are Godly that are not yet joyned with any Church save only in love and private communion and that cannot yet resolve to be joyned to any but the body-misticall And that because their judgements are contrary to some or other of each of their principles and this principle last named is one of the greatest obstructions to their coming in of any that I know of being not grounded on Scripture but on meer humane pollicy and being the most obstructive to love and communion which God hath so strictly commanded and charged on us above all other duties as hath been proved And it is well known that many would joyne themselves to one Church or other but for offending the rest and therefore they look for and pray and expect also through ●●medy of God for a reconcilement that so they might joyne ●●d give no offence neither to Jew nor Gentile nor to the Church of God no not to those of their own mind in this respect of which there is many And therefore this principle being unto generally agreed to be laid aside would open door to ●full A●ot●●●t and that in a little time through the blessing of God in all other differences about these inferiour matters Reas For by meanes of fellowship one with another The Spirit of God co-operating amongst us would bring us all to the same judgement whereas whilest our judgements are different it much cooleth and interposeth and obstructeth our love and cordiall respects one to another and many times produceth evill-speaking and reproaches and disdaining one of another through our naturall infirmities which is not a meanes to provoke unto love and good works which we ought to use and continually practise but the quite contrary even to wrath and hatred and enmity and displeasure as it evidently appeareth by too much experience besides what we know from Scripture Object We shall not deny some will say to own such for brethren whom we know to be Godly but we cannot own all to be brethren who are admitted to the Sacrament of the Lords-Super especially where it is promiscuously administred and how then can we communicate with them 〈◊〉 were that lesse in us then a justification of their male administration which is quite contrary to our Judgements and Faith and what ever is not of faith is sin Answ 1. I suppose it cannot properly be said that either the Presbiterians Independants or Anabaptists doe administer it promiscuously but there is care taken that is be not administred to the ignorant or scandalous or to such as make not some profession or other of the Christian religion lesse or more either in truth or hypocrisie And suppose they minister Godly that is of larger principles for admittance then we and in case we think him too large we ought in the judgement of charity to suppose that his judgement leads him to it and upon that account we may lawfully communicate with him if we judge him to be godly and ought to owne him and if occasion serve communicate with him and the charge will lye at his owne doore if he be in fault and not at all on us who doe not by so communicating with him and owning him own all the rest of which it may be we know but few or it may be none at all but are only invited by the Godly Minister to partake with him and it is he that administreth it and and communicateth it to us and if we should deny being invited till we know all the rest it may be we should never owne him as a Christian
Christianity And on the contrary part doe thereby provoke one another to wrath and enmity biting and devouring one another till we be consumed as is but just with God because we cannot agree but fall out by the way and that about the way like untoward children who part themselves into various pathes till they are be wildred and loose one another and some themselves and their poor soules And considering also that all the ordinances of God and the wayes of government and all the ministrations and gifts of God with all the ministrators whom he hath sent and set in his Church yea all the inferiour commandements in the morral Law with all the Prophets Apostles Scriptures both old and new yea all the truths and doctrines or examples therein held forth both concerning Judgements and mercies with all other wayes and means of grace Are all but given and held forth to us through the necessary meanes for this necessary end to wit The producing of love out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith unfained See 1 Tim 1.5 From all which I make bold to conclude that if we make not the observance and use thereof as helps and means conducing to the acquirement and fulfilling of this end but in our keeping of the lesser we obstruct the greater yea and even the m●ine of all And that which if attained would bring the lesser with it as a naturall fruit which is included in it and cannot possibly be seperated from it See 1 Cor. 13. Then without all question or peradventure we quite pervert the end of all the commandements and meanes of grace that God hath appointed at least so far forth as we use them so as hath been said before Making his commandements void and of none eff●ct in our selves or others through our owne traditions for we thereby hinder both our selves and others from acquiring to the end of the holy commandements that are given unto us By the keeping whereof we might be made partakers of the godly nature love cometh of God for God is l●ve Now these things being generally assented too as so I nothing doubt but all that are Christians i●deed in the sight of God both doe and will assent with me thus farre at least and that they will agree to indeavour the acquirement of this blessed end as in duty they are bound I shall further propose those means and wayes which as I conceive would strongly conduce to the acquirement of this end through the help of God the which as I conceive are of absolute necessity and such as without which there is little hopes of this Accordant nor of keeping this commandement in the keeping whereof there is great reward 1. Then I desire as accounting it our duty and the naturall product of true brotherly love that we might pray one with and for another and each for all that we might be healed and our breaches repaired and we united and made of one heart of one mind and of one judgement and that the same mind might be in us that was in Christ Jesus This I doubt not but all that are godly will justifie and own and indeavour to p●actise but that we might doe it in faith it is required that we go first and be reconciled to our brethren and then come and offer our gifts See Mat. 5.23 24. 2. Therefore it is desired for this end that we might have fellowship one with another and each with any both in publick and private and that in all Gods ordinances so as love requireth so farre as possible and convenient as being all members of the same body to wit of Christ and each of other for how else is it ever possible that we should be reconciled if we meet not together my if we receive not one another even as Jesus Christ hath received us to the glory of God the Father See Rom. 15.7 3. John 9.10 Mat. 9.3 3. That instead of disowning or excluding any that is known to be Godly of whatever way or Church they are of either Ministers or people from the Lords Supper or any other ordinance they desire to partake of We might all be willing to invite each other to any ordinance that Christ hath appointed for mutuall comfort and edification where our selves are admitted owned as Godly in case when any Brother shall have occasion to sojourn or be occasionally amongst us to hear the word preached on any other businesse 4. And not only so as but barely to partake of the outward ordinances But that each and all that in the judgement of charity may be accounted brethren might be owned as such and dealt with as such not in word only but in deed and in truth in a p●acticall manner in all these respects or in any other as we doe with brethren that are of the same judgement and society with us as accounting it our duty both to watch over and to exhort reproove admonish comfort restore and releeve and all such duties as need requireth in a brotherly way for his good and comfort as we our selves would also be dealt with in the like case for our soules health and benefit any wayes Reas For this we are comm●nded Doe to all men as ye would they should doe unto you for this is the Law and the Prophets But if to all men much more to our brethren that in the judgement of charity are of the same body together with us under Christ our Head Reas For if they be members though they are but feete the body walketh slowly if it wanteth feete See 1 Cor. 12.21 22. nay If those necessary members of the body should either be cut off or it halteth on them you know the charge and how we are exhorted to make streight pathes for our feete lest that which halteth be turned out of the way which should rather be healed I wish this text were better understood then I doubt it is by the most part even of the Churches of Christ See Heb. 12 12 13 14 15. Such who halt betwixt two opinions should rather be healed and have streight paths made for their feete then turned out of the way to the Kingdome of Christ 5. That the doores of fellowship and Christian communion might be set as wide open as can lawfully be allowed or as can be practised without breach of duty and conscience towards God by building men up in their evill wayes and sowing pillowes under all arme holes healing their wounds slightly and preaching peace when there is manifestly no peace and that for their owne destruction Reas For if the doores of Discipline and Christian communion should shut out any of the elect of God either from hearing of the word or Church communion for their soules health or that they should be offended through the Churches default and scattered abroad yea whither they be weak or strong See Ezek. 34 they ought not to be thrust with the side or shoulder nor pusht with