Doctrine and holy example to convince them of their errors and withall presseth them to unity and warns them against their divisions as the worst of their errors as it is evident from those Scriptures quoted From whence I argue That if the Apostles and infallible penmen of Scriptures who were able to judge of matters of controversie without mistake did for the Churches peace sake permit persons holding and maintaining many great and dangerous errors to abide in the Church and there own them as fellow-Brethren whilest they manifested visible sanctitie in the main and retained the substance of true Faith and that in the most pure time of the Church when the erroneous persons could not receive those errors by tradition and education from Christian Ancestors or Teachers Then much more ought the Ministers of the Gospel and with them all Gods people now being themselves fallible in judgement and exceedingly disagreeing among themselves about the points in controversie even the able and gracious of them and especially considering the time we live in is but the dawning of the day of Gospel light and knowledge out of a long dark night of Antichristian error and pollution through which many of themselves not long since were groping in the dark about several Gospel truths in which the light of Christ hath since more fully informed them to walk towards one another with all tenderness and charity putting in practice that rule of forbearing one another in love Ephes 4.2 And thereby endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace verse 3. But it is evident the Apostle and holy Pen-men of Scripture did so walk in like cases when there was not the like Reason Therefore Gods Ministers and people ought so to walk now Object 2. Then you are for the permitting of all Errors in the Church for if we must not separate from Errors of this nature what shall we separate from Answ To make a particular discrimination by name of all Errors or to determine the degree of any particular Errors that shall render the erroneous person incommunicable is too hard a task for me to undertake I shall onely propose some general Rules and Cases which the Scriptures seems to countenance and shall submit them to the judgement of judicious Christians First That Churches and Beleevers ought to withdraw from and deny Communion with all such who though they profess the true form of godliness yet deny the power of it Secondly From such who though they make a profession of the power as well as the form of Religion by holding regeneration and visible grace to be necessary qualifications for visible members of Gospel Churches yet when they are so corrupt in judgement that their Errors are first contrary to godliness or secondly inconsistent with true Grace or thirdly destroy the foundation Doctrine of Salvation they ought to be withdrawn from For the first By persons denying the power of godliness I mean such who though professing of and practising the true external Acts of Gods worship as they may be generally professed and practised by the generality of sound Christians yet in their declared principles and conversation disown the inward life and power of it exprest by the visible effects of true Grace as the work of regeneration and being born again Jo 3.3 with all other visible signes of Repentance from dead Works and Faith towards God as Hebr. 6.1 to be necessary qualifications for Gospel-fellowship which may be discerned either by their palpable ignorance as Nicodemus Joh. 3.4 or otherwise by their apparent enmity to or scorn of gracious qualifications in others by deriding the godly as holy brethren and sisters or by the scorning the spirit in its gifts and graces in the Saints Now such though they may profess the form do visibly deny the power of godliness from whom we have an express rule to withdraw 2 Tim. 3.5 From such turn away and from such doubtless the Apostle presseth the Corinthians to separate themselves 2 Cor. 6.14 15 16 17. Be ye not unequally â—â—aked together with unbeleevers for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness and what commmunion hath light with darkness And what concerd hath Christ with Belial or what part hath he that beleeveth with an Infidel And what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols for ye are the Temple of the living God as God hath said I will dwell in them and walk in them and I will be their God and they shall be my people Wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you 2. Second sort of persons that the Scripture is clear the Churches and Servants of God are to separate from is from persons holding opinions or living in Practises contrary to Godliness I mean such opinions as tends to a denying of God to be a patterne of Life in his revealed communicable qualities manifested by his word and by the Life of Christ who was the express Image of his Father Heb. 1.3 and the lives of his holy Prophets and Apostles concerning which Paul to Timothy gives an express command 1 Tim 6.3 If any man teach otherwise and consent not to wholesom words even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the doctrine which is according to Godliness c. from such withdraw thy self and further in the first Chapter and 1 verse But thou oh man of God flie these things and follow after Righteousness Godliness c. Nay the same Apostle to Titus makes this the distinguishing Character of the true faith Titus 1.1 Paul a Servant of God according to the faith of Gods Elect and the truth which is according to Godliness So in Titus 2.11 12 verses for the grace of God which bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present World and by well considering the scope of those three short Epistles you may plainly observe what the Apostles meaning was by doctrines according to Godliness in all persons of what State of condition soever as in People towards Magistrates 1 Tim 2.1 2 3. Titus 3.1 In Ministers in their places Chap. 3. Chap. 4.6.12 vers 2 Tim. 2.15.24 Chap. 4.2 Titus 1.6 7 8 9. in private Christians towards their Ministers Chap. 5.1 17 18 19. In Servants towards Masters Chap. 6.1 2. Titus 2.9.10 In rich toward the poor Chapter 6.17 18 19 verses In aged men Titus 2 2. In aged women Titus 2 3 4. In young women Titus 2.4 5. In young men vers 6. Teaching us by all those Scriptures with all other of like tendency in the Word of God that then are Opinions to be esteemed contrary to the truth which is according to Godliness when they tend to break the Bonds of natural and Civil relations and to slight the duties of them and fill the Heads and minds of Christians with loose
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
Abrahams seed and heirs according to promise and in the 7th verse Know you therefore that they which are of Faith the same are the children of Abraham And for the Antitype of Circumcision it is evident to be the inward work of grace in the heart In whom also ye are circumcised with the Circumcision made without hands in putting off the body of the sins of the Flesh by the Circumcision of Christ and so Rom. 2.28 29. Rom. 4.9 10 11 12. and divers other places Now that which I desire you to observe in order to the finding out the everlasting infallible bounds of Gods true Church and Character of his true children on earth is that these Anti-types of Abraham's fleshly Seed and Circumcision are made use of in the Gospel and pleaded for the same end That the Types themselves were under the Law as you may read at large in the Epistles to the Romans and Galatians the chief drift and scope of those Epistles being to convince the Jews that what they formerly enjoyed by vertue of Abraham's Covenant were now made out to believers by Faith in Christ pleading with them that now all partition walls betwixt Jew Gentile were broken down Eph. 2.13 14. And shewing that in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but faith which worketh by Love Ga. 5.6 And so Peter Act. 10.34 said Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of Persons but in every Nation he that feareth him and worketh Righteousness is accepted of him and if you do but consider the Apostles Arguments in the aforesaid Epistles to prove the Gentiles to be fellow-Heirs with the Jews and of the same body partakers of his promise in Christ by the Gospel as in Eph. 3.6 you shall find he proves it by proving that they are Abrahams seed Rom. 4.15 16 17. Rom. 9.7 8. Gal. 3.16 29. And therefore heirs according to promise Rom. 8.17 Gal. 3.29 Eph. 3.6 And that they were not of the uncircumcised but were the true circumcision Rom. 2.25 26 27 28 29. Rom. 4.9 10. 1 Cor. 7.19 Phil. 3.3 Col. 2.11 From all which Scriptures and abundance more that might be added of like tendency it is evident that the distinguishing Character of Gods People and Church in Abrahams Covenant continues the same and ought to be observed by Gods Ministers and People to the end of the world to be the true unalterable and infallible bound of Gods Church and mark of Gods Children The swerving from which hath led into all those confusions and divisions which are at this day in Gods Church most particular opinions and perswasions laying waste those old Church bounds and clipping off Gods antient Sheep mark would confine the place of his flock to their own Folds and owne none to be his Pasture sheep but such as will receive their by marks against whom the Sons of the Church of Christ may justly take up that complaint Labans sons made against Jacob Gen. 31.1 He hath taken away all that was our Fathers And of that which was our fathers hath he gotten all this glory Some on the one hand wholy breaking down this hedge about Gods Vineyard they will not so-much as admit of an inward work of grace and regeneration of heart of being born again which is the undoubted type of Circumcision and Abrahams seed as before to be the visible bound of Gods visible Church and mark of visible Saints but content themselves with a bare profession of the Christian Religion and some others there are as we minded before will add some further uncertain disputable qualifications of knowledge and suitable conversation But doubtless this unsound Principle hath Antichrist set himself upon his thron by and laid Waste the mountain of God by and trodden under his Feet the holy City by This hath let in the Boare out of the wood and the wild Beasts out of the Field to devoure that it is time for the Church to cry out against this Principle with the Prophet Isay 64.10 Sion is a wilderness Jerusalem a desolation and to plead with the Lord in the words of the Psalmist Why hast thou broken down her hedges so that all they which passe by the way do pluck her the Boar of the forrest doth waste it and the wild beast of the Field doth devoure it Psal 80.12.13 For it is evident that Antichrist if you do but observe the History of the Churches declining state made his way into Gods Church and ushered all his train of false Prophets and false Doctrines by laying waste the Churches true fence and bounds and by laying the garden enclosed Cant. 4.12 into an open field in which every unclean beast may make his den and pass through Psal 80.12 13. And as these ancient bounds of Gods Church are again discovered and made up that our spiritual watchmen may keep their guards upon the towers of these holy walls so shall the Churches purity and unity be recovered But now there are some other Christians that admit visible grace and holiness to be a distinction nay the chief and main distinction betwixt Gods Church and the world beleevers and unbeleevers but they will not admit it to be the onely distinction but will add some other private mark according to their particular opinions and perswasions some doctrine or practice that they have attained to some different understanding in from the rest of Gods people must be as a post of their own set up by Gods post as in Ezek. 43.8 in the bounds of his Church Now though this be not so dangerous as the former in regard it preserves holiness and visible grace as the main rule or bound yet the effect of this error is very sad for this was the apparent inlet of all those divisions and carnal contentions that happened in the Church of Corinth and the rest of the Churches in the Primitive times and that continues and increaseth the same at this day even to the hazard of the total ruine and destruction of the Church of Christ as we shall more at large prove when we come to speak of the particular evil consequences of it For Jerusalem must not onely be as a City of righteousness an holy City Isa 52.1 Isa 1.26 but as a City compact Psal 122.3 A City with walls Psal 51.18 Lam. 2.8 18. Cant. 5.7 Now the way to avoid both these extreams is to observe the bounds and marks that God hath set about his Church to walk about Sion and go round about her and tell the towers thereof mark ye well her Bulwarks and consider her Palaces that ye may tell it the generations following the right observation and preserving of which would make the Church to be comly as Jerusalem Cant. 6.4 God would then be known in her Palaces for a refuge Psal 48.3 we should then behold how good and pleasant a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in unity Psal 133.1 But for the first and worst
of these two extreams which disownes visible grace and holiness to be required in persons in order to visible membership or Church-state I shall say no more to that point it being already so largely spoken unto and fully cleared by several of the congregational way and especially that late eminent discoverer of the ancient and infallible bounds of Gods true Church Mr Jo. Cotton in that little Treatise of his besides several others intituled The holiness of Church members for I am far from pressing an unity of Church-state with any that make not visible Grace and holiness the main mark of visible Faith and Church-membership but what union is to be desired and endeavoured with the godly of that judgement I shall give my opinion in its place and shall now chiefly insist upon the second general Position That all true beleevers congregated together and separated from the world and mixt worship to serve the Lord in the beauty of holiness ought to own and esteem one another as true Churches and Saints giving the right hand of fellowship to one another and walking together as children of the same Father Jo. 11.52 Members of the same body Rom. 12.4 5. sheep of the same fold Jo. 10.16 in observance of all those joynt duties required by the Lord at their hands without dividing rending or separating from one another Object The Terms of your Position so generally stated may admit of several constructions and thereby give little light to the cases in controversie though you should prove it if not more particularly explained Answ I shall have occasion to explain the terms in answer to several objections that will arise in the ensuing discourse and therefore for brevitie sake shall pass them by here and shall next proceed to the several sorts of Arguments to prove the Position with Arguments I shall chiefly draw from these seven general heads following First From the visible choice and approbation of God the Father proving that such as the Father hath visibly manifested his choice and approbation of to be his children beleevers ought to chuse and approve of to be their brethren Secondly From the visible choice and approbation of God the Son proving that such as the Lord Jesus Christ hath manifested his choice and approbation of to be members of his visible body and Church on earth all his ought to make choice and approve of to be fellow members with him of the same body Third From the evident choice and approbation of God the holy Ghost proving that such as the spirit hath manifested its visible choice of by the holy inspiration of its quickening and sanctifying Grace beleevers ought to make choice and approve of as such who have an equal right with them to a mutual participation in the priviledges gifts and comforts of the same spirit Fourthly From the choice and approbation of the infallible servants of God his holy Prophets and Apostles c. in all ages proving that such as the infallible servants of God in all ages of his Church have made choice of and approved to be their brethren in the Lord and fellow-members with themselves in Gods visible Church ought to be so approved of and chosen by all his servants to the end of the world Fifthly From the several Similes and Metaphors the Church of God is compared unto in the Scriptures whereby their mutual interest in an union with one another is held forth from thence proving that what unity is required and interest is given to members of the same body branches of the same root sheep of the same fold and under the same Shepherd children of the same Father and fellow-heirs of the same inheritance c. that the same interest is given unto and union required in the several members of Gods Church which is so fitly compared thereto and lively set out thereby Sixthly From the evident sad consequences that attend the Church and people of God though their dividings and separatings from one another and uniting together upon other principles then this of visible grace arguing from thence that such principles and practices as open the door and let in upon the Church of God such destructive uncomfortable consequences should be of all evils laboured against and avoided Seventhly From the evident and unspeakable good both to the outward and inward man the union of Gods Church upon such Gospel lasting principles would be attended with arguing from thence that since the unity of Gods Church upon such a binding and abiding principle as this of visible grace would so exceedingly tend to the unvaluable good thereof it ought to be sought after and prayed for above all things by every true member thereof next to an interest in Christ and visible grace it self Now from the first head viz the visible choice and approbation of God the Father I argue 1. Those whom the Father hath manifested his visible choice and approbation of to be his children 2. Beleevers ought to manifest their choice and approbation of to be their brethren But the Father hath manifested his choice and approbation of all visible beleevers and grations holy persons to be his children Therefore ought Beleevers to choose and approve of such to be their Brethren 1. The Major or first Proposition is evident from the very light of nature and reason yet since prejudice against truth doth ofttimes put out all light I shall add the light of some Scriptures to the clearing up this truth And first that of our Saviour in Matth. 23. verse 8. compared with the 9th Saith the word in verse 8. All ye are Brethren which he proves in verse 9. For one is your Father which is in Heaven and so Heb. 2.11 For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one for which cause he is not ashamed to call them Brethen from which Scripture I gather that the Lord Jesus Christ was not ashamed to own all Saints for Brethren though they were attended with abundance of imperfection and uncomliness unsutatable to his most holy nature and course of life because himself as head and they as members were all of one Father that since his Father was not ashamed to own them all as Sons verse 10. therefore he was not ashamed to own then all as Brethren verse 11. Now it is a sad thing that fellow Brethren who are all subject to like infirmities Jam. 5.17 who do all see but in part and know but in part 1. Cor. 13.9 10 11. should be more high-minded in this case and sooner ashamed of their Brethren upon the account of their infirmities and weakness then their elder Brother who was free from all imperfections and stood in no need of their bearing with him he bore all their sins not onely in the punishment but in the shame of them Heb. 12.2 thereby setting them a pattern to bear the shame of each others infirmities for so argues Paul Rom. 15.1 2 3. We then that are strong ought to bear
but one spirit so the chief business of this own spirit and tendency of its operation is unity Eph. 4.3 And next to that betwixt head and members Christ and Saints it drives on the designe of the Saints union with one another in all truth Eph. 4.13 It can neither be divided nor deceived but must speak the same thing at all times to all persons Heb. 13.8 Men may have different apprehensions and understandings and from the variety in them may put a various interpretation upon the Spirits teaching 1 Cor. 12.3 but yet the spirit remains the same spirit of truth it leadeth into all truth Jo. 16.13 And though this variety be in the spirits operation in the work of illumination and directing the judgement from the variety which is in the capacities and apprehensions of men yet in the more certain properties of the spirits work upon the hearts of Beleevers as in the works of mortification and sanctification c. there is no such variety for though there may be difference of degree yet the least measure of the spirits work in those things bears a divine stamp that fruit of the Spirit which is in all goodness righteousness and truth Eph. 5.9 is of the same nature and complexion in all Saints from whence I argue That the most infallible Rule Saints can walk by in their choice of gospel brethren or Church-members is to follow the tract of the Spirits choyce to choose where it hath chosen before them But the visible tract or evidence of the Spirits choyce is its manifesting its indwelling through its operation in carrying the Soul out to the exercise of Grace Therefore the visible operation of the Spirit of Grace in persons is the most infallible Rule for Beleevers to make their choyce by Object But may some say how shall we know the Spirits operations and thereby its choyce in such a day of delusion as this is when the spirit of Errour that new reigneth hath transformed it self to so neere a likenesse to the Spirit of Christ Answ Whatsoever is held forth to be the visible fruits and effects of the Spirit of grace in the hearts and conversation of Beleevers by the word of truth ought to be admitted by them as sufficient Testimony of the Spirits choice Acts 11.17 But the effects and fruits of the Spirit are clearly testified to be Love Joy Peace Long-suffering Gentleness Goodness Faith Meekness and Temperance Gal. 5.22.23 Therefore such persons whom the Spirit of the Lotd hath so qualified ought to be admitted and owned by Beleevers as such of whom the Spirit hath manifested its choyce For what may be further objected against this Argument from the various understandings and different minds of several visible gracious persons and from the grosse Errours held by several persons seemingly gracious and spirituall I shall have occasion to speak to when I come to answer to such general Objections as will include many of those particular Objections that might be made against every Argument I might add many Arguments more drawn from the fruits of the Spirits choyce But let all that long for the union of Saints first resolve to make the Spirits choice theirs and then they shall hardly read a Scripture but will afford them some Characters of the Spirits choyce for our heavenly Father hath not a Child nor our chief Shepheard a Sheep that are visibly such but his holy Spirit hath set his seal on them either lesse or more visible 2 Cor. 1.22 Eph. 1.13 4.30 Therefore I shall conclude this head with one Argument more and leave the remain to the Readers meditation That qualification or State which gives us free access to and acceptance with the Father Eph. 2.18 1.6 by which we are made his adopted Sons Rom. 8.15 unto which he hath annexed the performances of his preitious promises 2 Peter 1.4 wherein he seeks and desires us to worship him Joh. 4.23 by which we are joyned unto the same body of which Jesus Christ is the head 1 Cor. 12.13 and whereby we are made partakers of the same grace 1 Col. 12. heirs with him of the same Kingdom James 2.5 or inheritance Eph. 1.11 14. and partakers with him of the same glory in heaven Col. 1.27 3.4 nay wherein the perfection of shall be their State in glory John 17.23 24 Eph 4.13 when all other qualifications and additional rules of distinction shall cease 1 Cor. 13.8 10. is doubtlesse the most infallible rule and qualification for Gods Church and People to owne and joyn with one another in the worship and service of God by But the qualification that gives us right unto interest in all the former particulars is a participation of a spiritual work of grace upon the heart as the Srciptures annexed with abundance more that might be added do sufficiently evidence Therefore it is the most infallible rule for Gods Churches and People to make choice of Church-members and Gospel Brethren by The fourth General head from which we shall argue is the choice and approbation of the infallible servants of God in all ages whose fellowship and communion with persons as Gods Church and People is recorded for our Example in Scriptures who in their several generations and ages of the Church they lived in made this duty of preserving the Churches union and peace within it self the great and weighty duty unto which most other dutyes when they come in competition must give place unto And they did always make the declared visible choice of God their choice For those whom God had chosen to be his people by his visible Covenant with an especial grace unto they owned to be their brethren and fellow members in his Church excluding none of them nor admiting no other which point I suppose hath been sufficiently proved in my discourse of the true Church-bounds That until I meet with one instance at least out of Gods word of a person or persons visible which in those Church-bounds before mentioned viz. Abrahams seed Circumcision in the type Antitype was kept out or not esteemed one of Gods Church not scandalous or unexcommunicated I shall for bear further speaking to that And shall chiefly from this head insist to observe the weight that the holy servants of God in all ages have laid upon the Churches peace and unity When the Church consisted of Jacobs family how carefull was Joseph to preserve union among his Brethren though they had little deserved it at his hands yet the great and chief charge he layeth upon them is see that you fall not out by the way Gen. 4.5.24 So Moses reproves his Brethren the Hebrewes for striving one with another Exod. 2.13 in in these words as Stephen quotes it Acts 7.26 Sirs ye are Brethren why do ye wrong one another So for the Divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart Judges 5.15 16. So David Behold how good and how pleasant a thing it is for Brethren to dwell together
in Vnity c. The whole Psalm is a compendium of the blessings and excellencies of the Churches Vnity So observe Solomons discription of a sower of discord among Brethren Prov. 6.12 13 14 15 16. verses compared with the 19th verse and you will judge he loved unity well And so David again in Psal 122.6 Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem they shall prosper that love her verse 7. Peace be within thy walls and verse 8. For my Brethren and companions sake I will now say peace be within thee Many Examples might be added but I shall end with Paul who was an eminent example both to Ministers and Christians in the Church uniting work If we should consider him no further then the Church of Corinth he approved himself amongst them a skilfull Physitian furnished with healing medicines which he tenderly administred to that sad divided erroneous Church from whom he had received so much hard measure and ungratefull usage and yet it is evident the peace and union of that Church was more upon his heart to preserve then all its other errours and miscarriage was to reform though they were very great ones and were minded by him in their due place too But the whole being under the profession of visible Saints he writes unto them as fuch without distinction Vnto the Church of God which is at Corinth to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus Called to be Saints c. as in the first chapter and second verse And after he had finished his Preface in the 9th verse begins with that which was most upon his heart verse 10. Now I beseech you Brethren by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye all speak the same thing and that there be no Divisions among you but that ye be perfectly joyned together in the same minde and in the same judgment for it hath been declared unto me of you my brethren of them which of are the house of Cloe that there are contentions among you ver 11. Now this I say that every one of you saith I am of Paul I of Apollo and I of Cephas and I of Christ ver 12. is Christ Divided was Paul crucified for you c. or were you baptized into the name of Paul ver 13. But if you please to observe the main scope and drift of this holy Apostle in the 1 2 3 10 12 13 and 14. Chapter of this first Epistle they all drive at union teaching uniting principles and pressing uniting practices affirming to them that whatsoever pretences or arguments they might have to justifie their Divisions c. yet they must necessarily arise from carnal principles Chap. 3. verse 3. And in the 12th Chapter he commends to their consideration unanswerable uniting Arguments in the 13th Chapter he presseth them to uniting graces in the 14th Chapter directs to uniting Duties videlicet orderly improving their gifts to the Churches Edification So to the Church of Rome Mark them which cause Divisions c. Rom. 16 17. So to the Galatians the 5. and 6. Chapters But if ye bite and devour one another ye shall be consumed one of another Chap. 5.15 So to the Ephesians the 2 3 and 4. Chapters especially Chap. 4. verse 1 2 3 4 5 6. I therefore the Prisoner of the Lord beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called with all lowliness and meckness with long-suffering forbearing one another in Love endeavouring to keep the Unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace there is one Body and one Spirit even as ye are called in one Hope of your calling One Lord One Faith One Baptism One God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in you all So to the Phil. 2. 1 2 3 4 5. especially the first verse If there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort of Love if any fellowship of the Spirit if any bowels and mercies Fulfil ye my joy that ye be like minded having the same love being of one accord of one minde Let nothing be done through strife or vain-glory but in lowliness of minde 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 minde be in you which was also in Christ Jesus So to the Colossians Chap. 3.12 13 14 15 verses Put on therefore as the elect of God holy and beloved bowels of mercy kindeness humbleness of minde meekness long-suffering for-bearing one another and forgiving one another if any man hath a quarrel against any even as Christ forgave you so also do ye And above all these things put on Charity which is the bond of perfectness And let the peace of God rule in your hearts to the which also ye are called in one body and be ye thankfull And thus we might track him through all his Epistles he hath sometimes more or less of this doctrine as the state of the people to whom he writ required By which exhortations and earnest perswasions you may observe how much the unity of Gods Churches and Saints were upon the heart of this blessed Apostle having doubtless that Maxime of our Saviour much upon his heart that a Church no more then a Kingdom or house divided against it self could not stand Matthew 12.25 From all which I Argue That if the union of Gods Church and preventing divisions and separations amongst his people were upon the hearts of the most holy and faithfull servants of God in all ages and sttates of the Church as a principal and special mercy to labour the attaining of it then ought to be of the same esteem and weight with all his now But that is evident by what hath been said before Ergo the union of Gods Church c. ought to be principally upon the hearts of the servants of God now 5. The fifth general Head from whence we shall argue is from the several Similitudes and Metaphors the Church of God is compared unto in Scripture whereby their mutual interest in union with one another is so lively held forth of which I shall onely mention some few by which the Reader may make use of the rest to the same end First From the Similitude of Beleevers being Gods Children Gal. 3.26 and thereby of his houshsld Gal. 6.10 Ephes 2.1 from whence I Argue That all persons who stand in an equal relation to God as children and are thereby all equally of Gods family of the houshâ—ld of faith Gal. 6.10 have all an equal right unto and interest in the priviledges and provisions of Gods house proportionable to their place therein nay though prodigal children if they will return may encourage themselves so to do from the consideration of that interest they have in the plenty of bread in their Fathers house Luke 15.17 but all visible gracious persons or true beleevers do stand in an equal relation to God as Children and thereby of his houshould Ergo
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
separating from the Saints differing minded and dissimulation rather then his Error Chap. 2.11 12 13 14. that made Paul withstand him to the face verse 11. But it is my opinion most other fundamental Errors are included under the three heads foregoing and therefore I shall not venture any further upon this difficult work of distinguishing fundamentals but conclude my Answer to this Objection with this one Argument That if those Errors and Heresies the Scripture mentioneth as dangerous and unsufferable in the Church of God which the Churches and Saints of God are onely exhorted to reject and withdraw from was all either of a scandalous prophane nature denying the power of godliness on the one hand or contrary to a godly life inconsistent with true grace or striking at the foundation of Saving Faith on the other hand Then the Churches and Saints of God who desire not to be wise above what is written at this day ought onely to reject and withdraw from such But the Errors and Heresies the Scripture mentions as dangerous and insufferable in the Church of God whom the Churches and Saints of God were exhorted to reject and withdraw from were only such Ergo the Churches and Saints at this day ought only to reject withdraw from such Object But there are several commands or rules in Scripture to withdraw from and note persons for offences that seem to be of a different nature from these general Rules proposed by you as for disorderly walking 2 Thes 3.6 Now we command you brethren in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ that ye withdraw your selves from every Brother that walketh disorderly c. and and so for disobedience verse 14. If any man obey not the word by this Epistle note that man c. Answ I do admit all offences and disorders coming within the rules of Church censure to be incommunicable after the Church censure is past so far as such censure extends to excommunicate and consequently persons living in such disorders and not manifesting repentance and resolution to reform ought to be refused admission into fellowship if they should tender themselves and none other It being my opinion that whatsoever is sufficient to unqualifie a person for a Church state before admission would also be sufficient to cast him out or withdraw from him if he were already in But the cases quoted with all other of that nature I judge come clearly within the second rule laid down of opinions and practises contrary to the Doctrine which is according to godliness For if you observe these two verses quoted with what the Apostle saith betwixt them by way of explanation we shall not need to search further for his meaning by these two rules which are indeed but one intending both the same persons and the same things which was not Errors of judgment or opinion but Errors of life and conversation as ver 11. For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly working not at all but are busie bodies now such we command and exhort by the Lord Jesus Christ that with quietness they work and eat their own bread By which we may discern there were some members of this Church that were idly disposed living in the neglect of their callings and not onely so but busying themselves about matters they were not called unto tending not onely to the burthen and charge of the Church 1 Thes 2.9 2 Thes 3.8 but to the disturbance and disquiet of it 1 Thes 4.11 And also to the scandal of the Gospel to them that were without verse 12. which sort of persons are onely meant here by the Apostle and of the like disorder he further complains 1 Tim. 5.13 And they withall learn to be idle wandring about from house to house and not onely idle but tatlers also and busie-bodies speaking things which they ought not and therefore this cannot concern any persons who are of holy blameless conversations for their Error in judgement not within the former rules proposed Object But is there not an Order that God hath appointed his Churches to walk in which such as refuse to observe ought to be excluded and withdrawn from as Disorderly persons Answ Yes there is an Order God hath appointed which such as refuse may be withdrawn from as disorderly persons yet all disorder doth not arise to that height of offence as to be liable to that censure and therefore we must consider disorderly walking amongst Christians chiefly to consist of offences against one of these two Rules First either against the Rule of Gospel conversation or Secondly Against the Rule of Gospel visible worship Against the first of these Rules did all those offend which we observe the Apostle to Timothy writes against and those idle busie-bodies mentioned by Paul to the Thessalonians as in the former Objection of such Peter prophesied 2 Pet. 2.2 By reason of whose pernitious wayes the way of truth shall be evil spoken of So Paul to the Philippians Chapter 3.18 For many walk of whom I have told you often and now tell you even weeping that they are the enemies of the Cross of Christ Now these sort of disorderly persons I hope all that are gracious will agree to disown But the difficulty lieth in the second head of disorders against the rule of Gods visible worship the controversie about which hath produced more rents and divisions among Gods people then Doctrines of Faith or inward qualification of grace hath done for such as never were able to contend for the Faith once delivered to the Saints Jude verse 3. nor to understand the mystery hid from ages and generations Col. 1.26 such as never had acquaintance with the power of godliness in their own hearts have been very able to plead for the form of it from rational conclusions out of the History of the Gospel with which they have filled their heads and therefore it must be admitted that not onely carnal Christians but even Jews Turks and Pagans that are capable of reading the Scriptures are capable of discovering and observing the outward form of Gods worship for what men are rationally capable to oppose they are rationally capable to judge of and observe But Atheists Jews and Turks c. are rationally capable to oppose Therefore rationally capable to judge of and observe the visible written rule of Gods worship and therefore though the visible rule and true form of Gods worship laid down in Scripture ought to be highly valued by all sincere Christians and by them all faithfully observed yet when through the general Apostacy of Professors of the true Religion or the corrupt estate of the Church the visible form of Gods worship becomes corrupted and from thence controversies arise about the Primitive patern betwixt persons equally aiming at purity in it there ought then to be much of tenderness and caution in such about their striving for the right form lest thereby they stifle and destroy the true power which is the end
of them that afflicted thee shall come bending to thee and All they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet and They shall call thee the City of the Lord the Sion of the holy one of Israel verse 14. That whereas in thy divided disunited State thou hast been forsaken and haâ—ed so that no man went through thee I will make thee an eternal excellency a joy of many generations verse 15. the whole Chapter is spent in seting forth the mighty encrease of Gods Church in the day of its Vnity 5. The renewing of the Churches unity would abundantly tend to renew its joy and comfort The ransomed of the Lord shall then return and come to Sion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads they shall obtain joy and gladness and sorrow and sighing shall flee away Isa 35.10 compared with the 8. and 9. verses which speaks of the Churches Unity So Psal 48.1 Let mount Sion rejoyce let the Daughter of Judah be glad c. compared with the 12. and 13. verses which speaks of Unity if for the divisions of Reuben there were such great searchings of heart surely for the healing of the divisions of Reuben there must flow in great Comfort and Joy of heart and therefore saith David who had great experience of the evil of divisions among Gods people the sense he had thereof made him cry out Psal 133. How good and how pleasant it is for Brethren to live together in unity It s like the precious ointment upon the head that runs down upon the beard even Aarons beard that went down to the skirts of his garments as the dew of Hermon and as the dew that descended upon the mountain of Sion c. He could not think of things excellent enough to compare the sweetness and comfortableness of union unto I might further proceed upon this Head as to the encrease of the Peace and all other outward prosperitie with the encrease of all spirituall graces both in the enjoyment and exercise of them but I shall leave the rest to the Readers enlargement and close up this head with this following Argument That that mercy which would prepare the way for and bring in with it such a multitude of other precious mercies must needs be it self a glorious mercy and of all other mercies inferior to it to be laboured after and prayed for But such is the mercy of the Saints union as before Therefore it ought of all mercies inferior to it to be prayed and laboured for I shall now proceed to the answering of such Objections as I can remember to have met with or have ground to beleeve will be made against the several forementioned heads and arguments drawn from them which I have deferred for this place rather then to annex them to the head or argument they may most properly oppose in regard several of them are so general that they will include the several particulars that might be made against each part thereby avoiding prolixity Now the persons from whom the ensuing objections may be expected must be either from such as do erre in the extream against my first proposition in not approving of a separation betwixt Beleevers and Unbeleevers or visibly gracious and visibly ungracious persons or otherwise from such as do erre in the extream against my second generall position of the duty of all true Beleevers and Churches separated from the World c. to walk together in the performances of all Religious worship and services without separating or dividing from one another Which two sorts of persons will include the contrary-minded to this truth in both extreams And being desirous to avoid all names of distinction that might be offensive earnestly wishing that those Nicknames of division among Saints might be like those names of Baalâ—m Hos 2.17 taken out of our mouths that the old good names of Beleevers and Unbeleevers or godly and Ungodly might be again revived I shall state the objections in a general way leaving the reader to choose such as are his own and consider the Answers to them as to himself accordingly for I judge there will be several objections that would be joyntly made by persons of several perswasions and from several Principles which to answer to distinctly would be a meanes to multiply many words to the same thing Object 1. We do admitt all true Beleevers and holy gracious persons to have a right to all Gods Ordinances and to be admitted as true members of his Church But they which only seem to be such and are poysoned with Errours and Delusions with which they would infect the flock of Christ thâ—se we only reject and speak against as Schismaticks and Hereticks c. Answ Such as the Errours and delusions may be your rejection may be just but the generality of Christians so rejected and stigmatized with nick-names by you are not of that sort but generally holds the foundation points of Doctrine and substance of Religion with you the difference lying in things very controversal Now in the purest times of the Church there were believers tainted with divers errors of a dangerous nature who yet were not rejected as incommunicable nor reproached with the odious names of Schismaticks c. by the rest of their brethren though several of them erred in points of great weight as denying Justification by Faith without the works of the Law against whom Paul wrote his Epistle to the Romans and Galatians the chief scope of which Epistles being to prove the erroneousness and danger of those Doctrines with which you may observe the Ephesians Colossians and Philippians were also tainted which error as it was held by those Christians I judge was of a more dangerous tendency then the generality of those controversies Christians in these dayes usually separate upon and in the Church of the Colossians there were several deluded with Philosophical errors and Heathenish opinions and customs as worshipping of Angels c. Col. 2.8 compared with the 16 17 18 19 verses And further what sad errors and schisms was the Church of Corinth infected with there were contentions strifes and vain janglings 1 Cor. 1.10 and 3.3 4. contradiction and contempt of their Ministers 1 Cor. 1.12 even of Paul himself whom God had used as the instrument of their conversion 1 Cor. 11.12 2 Cor. 10.1 10. given to vexatious Law suits to the shame of the truth among the heathen chap. 6. verses 1 2. and abusing of their Christian liberty to the hazzard of the destruction of the Faith of their brethren chapter 8. Errors in the administration and receiving of the Lords Supper even to the prophaning that holy Ordinance Chap. 11. Yet the Apostle in all he wrote against these great errors and miscarriages gives not a word of Command or direction to the more sober and sound to separate from those corrupted nor cast them out of the Church nor to esteem them as Schismaticks c. but labours by sound