the infirmities of the weak and not to please our selves for even Christ pleased not himself but as it is written The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell upon me and that this is not onely a duty but a special duty to all Saints See further Eph. 4.6 1 John 1.3 and 2 13. Mal. 2.10 John 4.21 23. John 6.45 2. For the Minor or second Proposition none can deny that doth not deny the Scripture consider the first Epistle of Iohn 3.1 2. compared with verse 10. Galat. 3.26 27. Isaiah 62.12 Deut. 28.9 Isa 13.3 Act. 20.32 with a multitude of other places it is hard to read a Chapter that affords no evidence to this truth So that I conclude this Argument in every part of it fully cleared I might draw from this head many more Arguments of equal strength as from the Fathers visible Covenant with special promises unto the Saints positive precepts for this union of Saints upon the principle of visible grace c. But I shall leave them to the Readers meditation to enlarge and come to the second head 2. The visible choice and approbation with the personal qualification of God the Son who as he hath set himself a patern of all grace to his people so in an especial manner of this glorious state of Gospel union he became a perfect pattern of holy union by uniting the humane and divine nature in his own person God and Christ and Saints must all be made one in in the mystical union Jo. 17.21 22. which though it cannot be perfected until the state of glory yet it is to be begun imitated and prest after in the state of Grace And therefore God the Father would have but one Son to be his dearly beloved Son Mark 1.11 Luke 7.37 he must have no equal Col. 1.18 nor no partner nor help in his work Isaiah 63.3.5 He must tread the wine-press alone of the people there must be none with him And so Saints must have but one Saviour Acts 4.12 one Redeemer Revel 5.9 one Mediator 1 Tim. 2.5 one Head Ephes 1.22 one Husband 1 Corinth 11.2 one Chief Shepherd John 10.16 one Captain of their Salvation Heb. 2.10 all which lively holds forth to us the unity of Saints and in him alone Christ must not be divided 1. Corinth 1.13 neither in his headship nor in his members but they must grow up into him in all things which is the Head even Christ from whom the whole Body fitly joyned together and compacted by that which every joynt supplyeth according to the effectual working in measure of every part maketh increase of the body to the edifying it self in love Ephes 4.15 16. From whence we may observe what a perfect pattern of union the Lord Jesus Christ is both Head and Body as if not onely the Glory but the very Essence of heavenly things depended on unity And so the main design of Christ in his assuming our nature and doing and suffering all for us was chiefly a work of union and reconciliation Col. 1.20 to reconcile God and man 2 Cor. 5.20 to break down partition walls betwixt Jew and Gentile bond and free Ephes 2.14 16. that in the dispensation of the fulness of time he might gather together in one all things in Christ both which are in heaven and which are on earth even in him Ephes 1.10 And so we finde him in the whole course of his ministry walking by principles of union commanding those duties and commending those Graces most which were the uniting Duties and Graces The first Gospel that was preached on earth was in these words Glory to God in the highest and on earth Peace and good will towards men Luke 2.14 himself is called the Prince of Peace Isa 9.6 7. Heb. 7.2 His Gospel is called the Gospel of Peace Rom. 10.15 Ephes 5.16 his people are called the Sons of Peace Luke 10.6 his wayes are called the wayes of Peace Luke 1.79 And as Peace so Love is held forth in the Gospel of Christ as a Cardinal Grace A new commandment give I unto you that ye Love one another as I have loved you John 13.34 And so we might proceed to the Graces of Humility Meekness Patience Mercifulness c. which are all uniting Graces and by our Lord commended unto us above all Graces they are conditional Graces unto which promises are annexed above all things saith the Apostle put on Charity in the discription of which Grace all these are contained 1 Cor. 13. from all which and indeed from the whole scope and tendency of the Scripture I argue That the duty which is most lively held out unto us by our Paterne and required of us by our Lawgiver the Lord Jesus Christ should be most upon our hearts to imitate and obey him in But the Duty of uniting the Saints to one another next to that of uniting them to himself was the greatest duty held forth by our Lord and Master to us and required by him of us therefor the unity of Saints with one another ought to be most upon our hearts next unto their union with Christ Object But say some we do admit all Christs Members ought to be united together in his worship but the doubt lies who we should own as his members Answ Those whom the Lord Jesus Christ owns as Members of his visible body here on earth ought all to own one another as members of the same body But the Lord Jesus Christ owns all true Beleevers or visible gracious persons to be members of his visible body on earth Ergo All such ought so to own one another 2. Answ Those for whom Christ prayed to the Father that they all might be One as he and the Father were One John 17.11 ought to walk in union one with another But it was for all the Father had then visibly given him verses 6 7 8 9 10 11 12. And that should afterward be converted by their doctrine verses 20 21. for whom he prayed Ergo all such ought to walk together in union We might draw arguments of union from all the Metaphorical relations the Scripture holds forth Christ to stand in to his People as an head Col. 1.18 an husband Isai 54.5 A King Revel 15.3 a Shepheard Psal 23.1 a Root Rom. 11.17 18. the very essence of which relations consists in union and the main end of them in Scripture is to hold forth the necessariness of union in the Church and People of God hut I shall speak to them under another head Arg. 3. From the visible choice and approbation of God the holy Ghost The Spirit of God though it fill all things Eph. 4.10 yet is but one Spirit verses 3 4. the same spirit that fills Christ the head with all fulness Col. 1.19 and 2.9 fills all his members out of the same fulness Eph. 1.23 They all receive out of his fulness grace for grace John 1.16 And as the Spirit of God that fills whole Christ head and members is
strife or vain-glory but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better then themselves Look not every man on his own things but every man also on the things of others Let this mind be in you which was also in Chrst Jesus In whom I rest Your Friend and Brother in the Unity and Purity of the Gospel R. LAWRENCE THE CONTENTS TRuth seldom found in extreams p. 1. Searchers after truth must suspect danger of erring on each hand p. 1. 2. As the door of the Church may be opened too wide so it may be shut too close p. 2. That since God hath had a Church on earth its separation from the World and unity in its self have been required by him as an equal duty p. 3. All the Reformed Churches justifie separation p. 4. The General notion of a competent knowledge and suitable conversation are to intricate and uncertain rules to be the visible bounds of Gods visible Church p. 5 6 The Lord hath alwayes preserved to his Church a visible undisputable bound betwixt them and the World p. 6. 7 8. Circumcision and Abrahams seed in the Type and Antitype was foreordained established to be the infallible and everlasting bounds of Gods visible Church on earth p. 8 9. It continued so unquestionable untill Christ came who only changed the Type for the Antitype p. 9 10. Believers ought to make the same use of the Antitype under the Gospel the Type served for under the Law p. 10 11. The Antitype of Circumcision and Abrahams seed is visible Grace and Holiness p. 11. Which Paul affirms to be the visible bound of Gods Church and mark of Gods children to Rome and Galatia c. p. 11 12. Antichrist set up his Kingdom by laying waste these Gospel Bounds and Christians open the door to all division and confusion by not repairing them p. 13. 14. Gods Church must not only be a City of righteousness but a City with Walls p. 15. All Churches of Saints ought to own one another as true Churches of Christ and fellow members of his body p. 16. Seven General Heads from whence the arguments to prove the duty of Saints union as such are drawn p. 17 18. 1. From the choyce and approbation of the Father p. 19. Prooving that such as the Father hath manifested his visible Choyce and approbation of to be his Children beleevers ought to admit and chuse to be their Brethren p 9 Christ and all Saints have but one Father for which cause he was not ashamed of their infirmities p. 20. 21. 2. General head is from the choyce and approbation of God the Son p. 22. Christ a perfect Emblem of union in his person p. 22. Christ had no helper in his work nor no partner in his relations to his Church that Gods designe of union in him might be visible p. 22. Christs chiefe designe in assuming our nature was a work of union p. 23. Christ walked by uniting Principles prest uniting dutyes and commended uniting Graces most to his People p. 23 24. Christ owned all visible gracious persons to be members of his body therefore ought all Saints to own them so p. 25. The 3 sort of Arguments is drawn from the visible choice and approbation of the holy Spirit p. 26. The most infallible rule to chuse Church-members by is to follow the track of the Spirits choyce p. 27. The sanctifying effects of the spirit in Saints ought to be admitted as sufficient testimony of the Spirits choyce p. 27. No beleevers without some visible mark of the Spirits choyce p. 28. Prooved that this choyce of the spirit instates a Beleever in all Gospel relations and Priviledges both in the Kingdom of grace and glory p. 29. The 4 general head from whence arguments are drawn is from the visible choyce and approbation of the infallible servants of God in all ages p. 30. They made the choyce of the Father Son and Spirit their choyce p. 30. They laid more weight upon the duty and mercy of the Churches union then upon most others dutyes and mercyes p. 31. Paul laid more to heart and endeavored more to preserve the Churches union then all other errors to reform p. 32 33 34. The Argument for Saints union from the whole p. 35. The 5 generall Head from whence Arguments are taken is from the several Metaphors and Similitudes the Church is compared unto in Scripture p. 35. 1. From that of Beleevers being Gods Children and thereby of his Family the housholder of faith p. 36 37. 2. From that of the membership of the same body which relation is inconsistent without union p. 38 39. The 6 general Head is from the sad consequences and effects of our present divisions p 40. Division is usually the forerunner of destruction the former preparing the way for the latter p. 40. Directions to be observed in heart searchings for the cause and cure of Saints divisions p. 41 42 43. The spirit of division sometime imployes our graces as well as our Corruptions to divide by p 42. Knowledge and Zeal much imployod at this day by the spirit of division in dividing work p 42. 43. The sad effects and consequences of our divisions p. 44. 1. They have obstructed and hindred reformation p. 44. 2 They have opened the door and let in upon us that overflowing flood of Errors heresies and blasphemies which many Professors among us are carried away with p. 45. And the continuation of them will make that disease uncurable p. 46. They have been the cause of that great decay in the life and power of Religion amongst us p. 46. They have rendered the power and life of godlyness contemptible in the eyes of Formalists and the carnal multitude p. 47. 5. They have rendered the power and purity of Religion and the professors of it unacceptable in the eyes of authority and several persons in eminent place p. 48 49. 6. They have brought scorn and contempt upon the glorious cause of God in these Nations and have stained the glorious presence of God with his People that had once stained the pride of all the Glory of the World p. 50 51. They have been the cause of the removal of many eminent worthy Instruments from their Publick Stations therby made way for others no wayes spirited nor principled for the places they stand in p. 52. 8. They furnish wicked Magistrates and Ministers with plausible excuses in the exercise of their oppressing persecuting principles p. 53. 9. It is from this spirit of division so many eminent gracious persons in Authority are disabled from doing that good in their places they have otherwaies an opportunity for p. 53 54. The argument for union from the whole p. 55. The 7 General head from whence arguments for Saints union is drawn is from the evident and great good it would be attended with to Gods Church p. 55. 56. 1. Vnity would renew its strength and make it terrible to its enemies p. 56. 57. 2. Vnity would
whence they have taken encouragement from time to time to strengthen themselves in their evil principles concluding that a people thus divided and disunited could not long preserve themselves much less protect them if they should have inclined to a peaceable acquiescence in their present condition under them and from thence they have taken encouragement to attempt what they have done and even to make use of some of our selves to carry on their treacherous and wicked disigns by and to an eye of reason unless the Lord do speedily unite all or most good men joyntly to agree and stand by one another in the promoting of and preserving the common good of the whole it will not be possible long to bear up against such an united and potent adversary with such a miserable divided distracted people as our divisions render us to be that if the glory of God and the good of his people should be of no weight with us yet if we were not stupified with this spirit of Division self-preservation might be sufficient to stir up all sober-minded to labour for union among all good men lest whiles we strive for that we cannot obtain we lose what we do possess I might proceed to mention the loss of all those eminently worthy instruments both military and civil that our divisions hath laid aside even of several judgements and prevented their generation in a great measure of the benefit of their abilities and graces besides a great number of mean-spirited and uncertain-principled persons who are thereby crept into places of power wherein they carry themselves much to the discouragement and grievance of several precious to the Lord the encrease of whom even threatens the return of all those hard measures to Gods people they have been by a mighty hand of his for several years delivered from there wanting nothing but a supream Magistrate to countenance or permit such to oppress and persecute and if any person branded with a nick-name of Religion should discover or speak his sense of this thing or of any person so qualified it would be answered he is not of your opinion and therefore you esteem him not That let any person in power have never so much manifest prejudice in his heart against godliness and a pious life why he hath by our divisions an opportunity to exercise it under the vizzard of opposing errors and heresies c. without being discovered as an enemy to godliness and the same opportunity hath any carnal principled or froward spirited preacher to stigmatize and wound holy persons and principles and incense Authority and the rude multitude against them and to crush the power of Religion in their parishes by exalting some pleasing form of it to the people and by the advantage of the divisions among the Godly can put a plausible vail over all this It is onely against Schismaticks and Hereticks c. they speak Nay further if we take a view of all the hard measure that any gracious tender spirited persons in Authority have met with to the weaking their hands from professors of Religion it proceeds generally from this cause such of them as have endeavoured to bear an even hand towards all they judge Godly and to extend an equal encouragement to all that fear God without respect to opinion why presently that spirit of jealousie and emulation this spirit of Division hath begotten will suggest apprehensions of their want of Love to Religion and Gods people and truths such are presently esteemed men of loose uncertain principles favourers of Hereticks and Schismaticks discountenancers of publick worship and obstructers of Reformation c. on the one hand and yet at the same time esteemed lukewarm Laodiceans carnal Politicians and complyers with carnal principles and interests time-servers c. on the other hand when all the matter is they do not give a special or peculiar respect to the private opinion of such persons as finde themselves grieved above other their brethren equally godly by which means the hands of some in chief places have been weakened and their hearts discouraged in the work of their generation and some others who have for a long time professed an equal respect to all the godly have been offended and stumbled and from thence have withdrawn their countenance from some of the godly and thereby strengthened the hands of Dividers and insulting principles and spirits which poor Ireland at this day hath sad experience of I might further minde that general dejection of spirit that seems to be upon many godly Magistrates and people in the work of their generation with that encrease on the other hand of confidence and height of spirit in opposers and malignant Adversaries But to conclude it is hard to name an evil of a publick nature either in Church or Common-wealth that divisions among the Godly hath not had a great hand in if not been the chief cause thereof From all that hath beene said to this head I shall argue That that evill which is the inlet and supporter of such a multitude of other evills must needs be a very great evill and of all other evills to be avoided and laboured against But it is evident such is the evill of Saints Divisions Therefore it ought of all evills to be avoided and laboured against 7. The last general head from which I shall argue is from the evident and unspeakable good both to Church and Commonwealth and Soul and Body the union of Saints upon such Gospel stable principles would be attended with Whatsoever hath been observed before as the evill of Divisions union must necessarily be the remover of which I shall not need again to repeat but shall leave the Reader to observe and satisfie himself in by meditation For the most happy Commonwealth City Nation Family or Society of men it is evident to the very light of nature and reason that union in their communities is the preservation of their happiness nay the perfection of union is part of the Glory and happiness of heaven And therefore of the Church of God on earth Those pretious promises in Scripture foretelling the glorious estate of Gods Church on earth do declare the Excellency of it shall be its union and peace as Isay 11. The Wolfe shall dwell with the Lamb and the Leopord shall lie down with the Kid and the Calf and the Young Lyon and the Fatling together and a little Child shall lead them vers 6 And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the Aspe c. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy Mountaine c. verses 8 9. The Envy also of Ephraim shall depart c. Ephraim shall not envy Judah nor Judah shall not vex Ephraim verse 13. and so Ezek. 37.22 And I will make them one Nation in the Land upon the Mountaines of Israel And one King shall be King to them all and they shall be no more two Nations neither shall they be divided into two Kingdoms any more
its uncharitable censoriousness and that 's the air it breaths in and therefore you may observe with what people soever this spirit is predominate they esteem not of any that own the same points with them wherin they differ from others unless they be sticklers for them they dare not lay more weight or place more religion in a controverted truth then their conscience tells them the Scripture doth they do little less then deny it in some mens opinions 3. As thou must expect opposition and discouragements and oughtest to be armed against them so take heed thou dost not imploy any of the carnal weapons of the spirit of division in the spirit of unions cause some men will oppose the spirit of division by a dividing spirit that is exercising the same carnal contention and proud wrath with uncharitable censoriousness c. against divisions as dividing spirits promote them by now this comes under Jobs reproof Chapter 13.7 Will ye speak wickedly for God and talk deceitfully for him if we had no better Physicians then these we might tell the Church with Jeremiah Chap. 30.13 thy bruise is incurable and thy wound is grievous thou hast none to plead thy cause that thou mayest be bound up thou hast no healing medicines And therefore Paul being sensible how apt the best Church-healers are to apply the wrong plaister he gives to Timothy a special direction 2 Tim 2.24 The servant of the Lord must not Strive but be Gentle unto all men apt to teach patient in meekness instructing those those that oppose themselves if God peradventure will give them Repentance to the acknowledging of the truth I must say the contrary spirit in healers hath added much inflamation and thereby corruption to our wound 4. Labor to obtain a compassionate tender frame of spirrit even towards those whom thou art least in love with upon the account of their Errors in judgement If Christians would mourn and sigh more in the sense of Saints divisions and delusions and fret and rage less our healing would not seem to be so far of as it doth There is a kinde of religious hard-heartedness and cruelty overspread the hearts of many Christians in these dayes that we have cause to complain with the Church Lam. 4.5 Even the Sea monsters draw out the brest they give suck to their young ones the daughter of my people is become cruel like the Ostriges in the wilderness Christians can as easily and with as little reluctancy hear or speak evil of others that are gracious if they be but judged erroneous by them as carnal malicious persons can do of one another nay some be ready and zealous to stir up the rude carnal multitude against others and even take contentment in each others afflections Oh! where is the bowels of good Jeremiah that lived in a day when he could say of his people They be all Adulterers an Assembly of treacherous men they bend their tongue like a bowe for lies Chap. 9.2 3. and yet he cries out Oh that my head were waters and mine eyes a fountain of tears that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people and so Isaiah he mentions the Sins of Gods people to be very great Chapter 22.8 9 10 13. And yet when he considers their suffering verse 4. he cries out Look away from me I will weep bitterly labour not to comfort me because of the spoiling of the daughter of my people But the like bowels and compassion in Gods people towards one another is not found which until the Lord afford thee thou wilt be very unfit for healing work 5. Labour to set thy affections on those things or qualifications in Saints which most lively and evidently demonstrate the powerfull work of Grace in them and the sincerity of their Love to Christ many Christians will more esteem of their own image in their brethren then Christs their closing with them in judgement in some particular controverted opinion will answer the defect of a great deal of more precious grace when much grace in another will not answer the defect of their differing in that opinion it is an easie matter to love them that love us the worst of men can do that Luke 6.32 but Paul sets us a pattern of another manner of Love 2 Cor. 12.15 And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you though the more abundantly I love you the less I am beloved it was this love in Paul that enabled him to bear all those hard measures from the Corinthians to labor for their union and peace whilest they made war against him Now without this Love that will cover a multitude of infirmities thou wilt never be able to receive this truth in the love of it nor to bear with patience all those discouragements thou wilt meet withall in this work 6. Labour to abound in all other uniting graces which the Apostle mentions Col. 3.12 he having spoken of the union of Saints verse 11. he then comes to commend as a means to fit them for it verse 12. Put on therefore as the Elect of God holy and beloved bowels of mercy kindness humbleness of minde meekness long-suffering forbearing one another forgiving one another if any man hath a quarrel or complaint against any even as Christ forgave you so also do ye and above all things put on Charity which is the bond of perfectness and let the peace of God rule in your hearts unto which also ye are called in one body and be ye thankfull let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom c. It is the want of putting on and exercising of these graces that hinders Saints from Gospel union more then all their different understanding doth for if all men were of one minde in the things wherein they differ the want of these uniting graces and living in the exercise of the contrary dividing vices would doubtless disunite and divide the people of God from one another for I am afraid there is little of that union among Saints at this day even among those of the same judgement that deserves the name of Gospel union either from the nature grounds or degree of it but generally a kinde of an outside heartless formal union that the very union of carnal people in carnal things seems to be more strongly founded which proceeds clearly from the want of the enjoying and exercising those precious graces for Christians united upon the Account of opinions are onely united in the head but Gospel-union upon the account of visible grace would be an uniting of hearts together such was the union the Saints enjoyed Acts 4.32 And the multitude of them that beleeved were of one heart ane of one soul 7. Labour to preserve a proportionable growth of grace in the soul all grace in the exercise of it must preserve an harmony otherwise it will sound like an Instrument out of tune some Christians seem to be all