without any great inlargements as intending chiefly to speak to men of understanding CHAP. II. Of the first Assertion Concerning the Law of Christian Brotherhood what it is and whereunto to hinds us THe undeniable Law of Christian Brotherhood is this That all such who are begotten of the same heavenly Father by the same Word of Truth in the some wombe of the free woman the Jerusalem which is above are children of God and truely brethren one to another in Christ and having the same sense of their relation one to another in Christ and in all the chief Acts of their Religious profession the same rules to walke by in the houshold of faith they are bound to acknowledge each other to be Brethren and as Brethren to walk together in holy Communion for the administration and observation of Christs Ordinances in that whereunto they have attained and to beare with one another in that whereunto they have not yet attained Now so it is that such as are acknowledged to bee Orthodox and godly Ministers in this Kingdome of England are begotten of the same heavenly Father by the same Word of Truth which is the doctrine of Faith revealed in the Scriptures in the same wombe of the true Church and have the same sense of their relation unto Christ and in all the chief Acts of their Religious profession have the same Rules to walke by Therefore it followeth undeniably that they are truely Brethren one to another in Christ and that they are bound in conscience to acknowledge each other to bee Brethren and as Brethren to walke together in Holy Communion for the administration and observation of Christs Ordinances in that whereunto they have attained and to beare with one another in that whereunto they have not yet attained And lest any should make a doubt of this Truth the first proposition expressing the Law of Brotherhood shall bee shewed from cleer places of Scripture and the second containing an application thereof unto the Ministery of this kingdome shall bee verified of them by a more speciall deduction of the particulars expressed therein The places of Scripture wherein the Law of Brotherhood is cleerly manifested are amongst many others these Christ saith to his Disciples Matth. 23. 8. All yee namely my Disciples are Brethren Rom. 8. 29. Whom hee viz. the Father did foreknow be also did predestinate to be conformed to the Image of his Sonne that heâ— might bee the firstborne amongst many Brethren Ergo they are made all brethren unto Christ and so Brethren to each other Jam. 1. 18. Of his owne will hee viz. the Father begot us viz. beleevers by the Word of Truth Ergo they all being children of the same Father and begotten of the same seed are Brethren to each other Joh. 1. 12. As many as received him viz. Christ to them hee gave power to become the Sonnes of God even to them that beleeve in his name Ergo those that receive Christ the same way are alike Sonnes of God and a like his Brethren Heb. 2. 12. I will declare saith Christ thy name unto my Brethren Ergo if Christ doth owne beleevers before God as his Brethren shall they not own one another as such 1 Cor. 12. 13. By one spirit wee are all Baptized into one Body Ergo those that have received the same Spirit are bound to become one body and consequently to bee united together as members one of another Ephes 4. 4 5 6. There is one body and one Spirit one hope of your calling one Lord one Faith one Baptisme one God and Father of all If all these are one and the same in and to all beleevers then all beleevers are united unto each other by them and woe bee to such that by their divisions give the world cause to beleeve that there is not one body but many nor one spirit but many nor one hope nor one Lord nor one Faith nor one Baptisme but many nor one God but many Gal. 4. 26. Jerusalem which is above is free the mother of us all If we are of one Father and Mother then undeniably Brethren to each other Phil. 2. 1 2. If there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the Spirit if any bowels of mercies fulfill yee my joy that ye bee like minded having the same love being of one accord of one mind Ergo such as are in Christ and made partakers of the same spirit are bound to have fellowship one with another and in their fellowship to impart to each other matters of full joy by mutuall consolation and comfort by mutuall bowels and mercies and to bee able to doe all this they must studie unitie amongst themselves in the same mind and in the same love Phil. 3. 16. Whereunto wee have attained already let us walke by the same rule let us mind the same thing Ergo Brethren though not agreed in all things yet are bound to professe so farre as they are agreed Ephes 4. 1 2 3. Walke worthy of the vocation wherewith yee are called with all lowlinesse and meeknesse with long suffering for bearing one another in love endeavouring to keepe the unitie of the spirit in the bond of peace Ergo it is a part of our calling wherewith wee are called to practise mutuall Forbearance to the end that Unitie and peace may bee preserved and such as mind not the dutie of Forbearance have therein renounced their calling 1 Pet. 1. 22. Seeing you have purified your soules in obeying the Truth through the Spirit unto unfained love of the Brethren see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently Ergo one of the ends for which the Spirit is given to make us obedient to the Truth for the sanctification of our soules is this that we should affectionately expresse our love unto the Brethren In these places wee see what the ground of the Law of Brotherhood is amongst true Christians and what the duties thereof are But if neither this Law nor the duties thereof bee at all regarded by those that pretend to bee the chief of Christians is it not either a testimony against them that they indeed are not what they pretend to be true and faithfull Ministers of the Gospel of peace or if they needs will be counted such is it not then before the world a testimony against the Gospel it self and Christianitie that it is not amongst us what it is said to bee viz. the way of true love and peace Therefore the great Character of true Christians is to bee laid to heart seriously in these times of universall strife wherein all pretend more then others unto Christ namely this which Christ hath given us himself Joh. 13. 35. Hereby shall all men know that yee are my Disciples if ye have love one to another From whence must needs follow that if yee have no love one to another by this all men shall know that ye are not his Disciples Therefore let us
repentance and faith here shall in the resurrection of the just hereafter partake of the life of eternall glory with Christ when all the wicked shall bee punished with the everlasting judgement of being cast out of his presence into utter darknesse and endlesse torment Sixtly besides these necessary truths which I confesse to bee sufficient to oblige me to acknowledge every one a true Brother in the Faith of Christ as to the Doctrinall part who doth beleeve the same I say besides these Fundamentalls they all agree with the reformed Churches in the other Doctrines of Faith contained in their Confessions and publick writings such namely as concerne 1. The Creation of the world and of man 2. The decrees of God and his providence 3. The fall of man his sinne originall and actuall and the freedome of his will 4. The restitution of mans fall by Christ 5. Christs person offices natures and works of redemption and the application thereof 6. The Law and the Gospel 7. The use of good workes and their rewards 8. The nature of Faith and Repentance 9. The state of regeneration justification sanctification and perseverance in conversion 10. The universall Church and markes of a true particular Church 11. The worship of God 12. The Ministers of the Church and their calling 13. The true and false Ordinances 14. The Sacraments of the Lords Supper and Baptisme and such like wherein over and above necessary truths most things that are profitable and expedient for edification are fully expressed and by all assented unto so that the unity of Faith in this kinde is without all doubt very abundantly full and satisfactory Seventhly seeing the bare theorie of truths dogmatically assented unto is not all that is requisite to makeup a Brotherly unitie between Christ and our owne soules but there is also a subsistence and evidence of our interest in and relation unto him necessary to compleat this union Therefore in like manner to compleat a full and satisfactory uâ—itie in our Christian brotherhood one towards another there ought to bee some evidence of this subsistence of our relation unto him manifested unto each other And hereunto all the godly and orthodox Ministers of this kingdome will heartily agree That none are to bee counted true members of Iesus Christ and belonging unto his mysticall body but such as by faith embracing fiducially with their heart the fundamentaâ—l and saving truths of Christianitie make confession thereof with their mouth and endeavour in their life and conversation to walke in holinesse answerable thereunto that is not after the flesh but after the spirit in love towards one another as God loved us CHAP. VI. Concerning the termes of unitie in the chief Acts of our Religious profession OUr Religious profession is here taken notice of as it is publick and doth oblige us to stand in some relation towards others through the communion of Saints The chief Acts thereof are foure The first is of professors as they stand single by themselves in reference to the worship of God in publick The second is of professors as they stand united unto a congregation in reference to the visible constitution and government thereof The third is of severall Congregations in reference to their mutuall association The fourth is of the Officers and Rulers of these severall Congregations in reference to their interest in each other and the joynt administration of their publick charges If then in all these acts the fundamentall rules whereby they are to be directed and managed are fully and satisfactorily the same and not unknowne but rather acknowledged by the professors of both sides it will follow that both sides ought to look upon each other therein as upon Brethren and practise the duties of Brotherhood one to another which are answerable unto this acknowledgment But if notwithstanding this unitie and agreement in these rules and in the acknowledgment thereof the duties are neglected then the sentence of the Apostle Iames 4. 16. is to be laid to heart To him that knoweth to doe good and deth it not to him it is sinne And that of our Saviour which is more full and plain Luke 12. 47. The servant which knew his Lords will and prepared not himself neither did according to his will shall be beaten with many stripes Now that in these Acts of the profession the sundamentall rules obliging us unto holy Communion are acknowledged on both sides to bee the same will appeare in these following particulars Sect. I. Of single Professors VVHen wee looke upon Professors such namely as wee have already described to bee beleevers of the doctrin forenamed and to have that relation unto Christ and his body which hath been formerly mentioned when I say we look upon these Professours as single that is as standing by themselves and not embodied into any particular societie yet we intend not to exempt them by this notion from either a visibilitie of their profession or a compliance in that wherein they ought to concurre with other Christians For they are to bee counted single not as if they might take up a single and singular way of professing Christ by themselves alone which is neither common nor perceptible unto other Christians but they are to bee counted single onely as they are men not engaged as yet unto any particular Congregation to bee members thereof professedly Suppose then a man to be a true Christian and a meere stranger to all the men and Churches of a Nation where he findeth the name of Christ known and publikely professed by some and not at all known and professed by others the question may bee concerning him threefold 1. Whether hee should make himselfe known to bee a professor yea or no 2. How he should manifest his Profession viz. Whether yea or no hee should not joyne with others in the Acts of publick worship And 3. What the Acts of publick service and worship are whereunto hâ—e should joyne if hâ—e should apply himself to other Professors Now in the answer to these three questions I suppose that both sides will fully agree upon these rules as a directory for him to walk by in such a case and to the first the answer is this 1. Although a man stand single and is not embodied into any particular society yet he ought to make it appeare unto the world and to other Professors that he is a Christian that is be ought to appeare in publick as a Professor of Christianitie The grounds of this Rule are these commandements Matth. 5. 16. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in heaven Phil. 2. 15 16. Shine yee as lights in the world holding forth the word of life Ephes 5. 7. Walke as children of light Vers 10. Prove what is acceptable unto the Lord. Vers 11. Have no fellowship with the unfruitfull workes of darkenesse but rather reprove them Phil. 1. 27. Let your conversation bee as it becommeth
Concerning the usefulnesse and commendablenesse of brotherly unitie in the worke of the Ministery Sect. I. What the communion and correspondency is wherein our unitie is to be setled HItherto wee have reflected upon that which doth make the studie of brotherly love and unitie amongst us absolutely necessary to avoid the danger of ruine and destruction and the guilt of hindering the progresse of the Gospel in the world now wee shall reflect also upon the usefulnesse and commendablenesse of the dutie in reference unto the work of the Ministery It is no generous disposition to be drawn by meer necessitie and feare unto a dutie but to bee moved thereunto by the lovelinesse of grace and by that which is excellent therein is praise worthy and argueth a noble and vertuous inclination Therefore wee shall set our selves to worke upon this inclination and indeavour to waken it in every one that hath ingenuitie And my aime shall bee rather to deale with the understandings of all able to consider of their wayes to demonstrate that which I conceive to bee a dutie then with the affections of any to perswade them unto a performance before they are convicted of that which is the will of God therein For I shall speak to Ministers and such as I must suppose to bee conscionable and to those I knew nothing so effectuall to perswade as to evidence unto them that a matter is conformable unto the will of God for nothing but this doth interest conscience into action Now lest I should bee mistaken in that which I shall desire to offer as a dutie of the Ministery I shall contract all which for the present I have to say to one assertion which having opened I shall endeavour to make good The assertion is this That although there were no danger of any outward enemies or of Act. 20. 28 29 30. Phil. 1. 27. 1 Cor. 1. 10 11 12 inward breaches and divisions in the Church for the preventing of which to study the unitie of the spirit is wholly necessary yet that for the true 1 Ministers of the Gospel in the duties 2 of their ministeriall charge nothing is more conscionable 3 nothing more profitable 4 nothing more commendable 5 and nothing more sutable to the glory of God 6 and the perfecting 7 of the Saints then to 8 maintain a Brotherly communion 9 and correspondency one with another and that such as lay not this dutie to heart but love rather to stand and walke by 10 themselves and to maintaine the principles 11 of a singular distance from their brethren in the Ministery will not bee able in the end to approve their consciences unto God that they walke worthy of the calling wherewith they are called This assertion is somewhat large therefore to open the parts thereof that my meaning may bee the better understood I shall say of the severall heads thereof thus 1 That by the true Ministers of the Gospel are meant none but such persons as are authorized by an ordinary and regular way of calling to administer the publick ordinances of Christ in his Church 2 That by the duties of their Ministeriall charge are meant the workes which in and towards the Church are to bee performed as an office and such are To labour in the word and prayer to have the care of gathering and constituting the Church to rule and govern the Saints committed to their charge as one body in Christ to dispense the seales of the Covenant to those that belong unto it and to exercise Church discipline over those that are liable to it All which they are bound to attend as occasion is offered and the edification of the Church doth require 3 That when I say a thing is conscionable I meane that it is prescribed by God in his word as a dutie which cannot be neglected without contracting of guilt unto the conscience 4 When I say that a thing is profitable I meane that it doth yeeld in its owne kind some benefit to him that useth it 5 When I say that a thing is commendable I meane that it hath qualities for which it is to bee esteemed and embraced by all 6 By brotherly communion and correspondency I mean not a bare name and profession of brotherhood but a reall conjunction of the thoughts of the desires and affections and of the endeavours of men proceeding from this principle that they acknowledge one another to be the children of the same Father or at least the servants of the same master for as a master is a father to servants so fellow-servants are brethren in service 7 By the meaning of the communion and correspondency I meane a constant following of the duties thereof through the acknowledgment of some professed engagement obliging thereunto 8 By the glory of God in this dutie to bee aimed at I mean besides the generall praise due to him for all his goodnes a more speciall manifestation of the unitie of his Name in all his Saints 9 By the perfection of the Saints in this dutie to be advanced I meane three things 1 The building of them up into one body by the onenesse of the Name of God as Christ and the Father are one that they Ioh. 17. 22 23 may be perfect in one 2 The strengthning of them with might by the Spirit in the inner man that being knit together in love they may be comforted unto Ephes 3. 16. all riches of the full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgment of the Ministery of God and of the Father and of Christ Col. 2. 2. 3 The powerfull propagating of the Gospel of truth in the world to be a testimony thereunto to convict it that Christ is sent of the Father and a means to call in all the elect of God to Iohn 17. 23. the communion of Saints out of it 10. By the standing and walking by ones selfe I meane not the distinction of charges as if none might stand or walke in a distinct office wherein another hath no right to intermeddle or the maintaining of the particular rights belonging to particular Congregations for I hold that every Church hath within it selfe a right to all Christs ordinances in respect that it is built upon the foundation but I meane the disjoynting of mens practises and the dividing of their affections and purposes in the exercise of their distinct charges whereby as parties in opposition to one another they set up markes of distinction and separation between themselves and others whom they cannot deny to belong to Jesus Christ and to be built upon the same foundation with themselves 11 By the maintaining of principles of a singular distance I meane such a plea for the rights and priviledges of particular associations of professors as doth make void the fit joynting and compacting of themselves together with others that stand upon the same foundation that according to the purpose of God the whole building may bee fitly framed together and grow unto
an Ephes 2. 21. holy temple in the Lord. For all are called unto the unitie of the same body by God and the ministeriall worke is appointed to bring all to the 1 Cor. 12 13. Col. 3. 15. Ephes 4. 13. unitie of the same faith and knowledge of the Sonne of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ If therfore any plea bee taken up for a singular distance which is grounded upon disjoynting principles this will not suit with the purpose of God which is to make up the whole body of Christ into one that by the compacting of the members thereof there may bee an effectuall working in the measure of every part to Ephes 4. 16. make the increase of the body for the building of it self up in love What principle then soever doth overthrow this compacting of the whole for this end to bee fulfilled in and by every part is destructive to the glory of Christ and the happinesse of his members If then the principle of Christian libertie and the plea for it and for the particular rights of distinct Congregations is made by the subtiltie of Satan the chief instrument of our divisions and distractions at this time and in this kind it must bee qualified by the principle of holy communion and the plea for the unitie of the members of Christ and for the common rights of the profession of Christianitie For the Apostolicall rule is cleer that wee are indeed called unto libertie onely wee Gal. 5. 13 14. must neither use libertie nor plead for it that it may give an occasion to the flesh but wee are commanded by love to serve one another because the whole Law is fulfilled in this Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe And if this Law bee not observed it is cleer that wee Rom. 13. 9. walke not worthy of the calling wherewith wee are called what ever the truth of our principle or the justice of our plea may bee in it selfe For it is not the Theoreticall upholding of a truth that will save us but the doing of the will of God woe be then unto us if by our disputes for that which wee think to bee truth and righteousnesse Satan doth insnare us and by the practise of a singular distance doth so far lead us out of the way as to make us his instruments to divide and disjoynt the spirits and the practises of professors that the essentiall unitie of the whole and the visible conjunction of the members being put out of the thoughts and aimes of common professors all societies may bee broken to pieces and all relations to common duties made void according to the will and fansie of every one that will pretend to bee a Saint in such or such a degree above his neighbour that so by our singular distances through strife for selfe-interests scandals may bee multiplied and the honour of Gods Name in the holy profession blasphemed in the world Therefore to avoid all this nothing is so fit or more necessary and usefull then to maintaine this communion and correspondency which we plead for which is nothing else but a free and voluntary concurrence of spirituall counsels and endeavours which God as the Father of Spirits and King of Saints doth require in his children and Office-bearers for the advancement of the kingdome of his Son that it may appear unto the world that the Church is his house that hee is the ruler of it by his Word and Spirit and that the Ministers thereof depend unanimously upon him as his childen and servants and that in their mutuall relations they stand united to each other not by a rule of their owne chusing and transacting from which they may exclude one way or other whomsoever they please but by the common rule which is his love whereby they are bound to each other as Brethren and as his servants that is fellow-members of the same body of Christ for al the members of every body are but servants to the head in the whole to to each other for the heads sake and for the good of the whole Although then every member hath a facultie of life and a right through that facultie to act in and by it self the worke of its owne office and hath immediatly from the head its direction what to doe and is not under the command of any particular fellow-member yet in the use of this facultie and in the exercise of this right every member is directed by the head to subordinate it selfe to the service of the whole and to depend upon the unitie thereof and not to stand or act by it self for the Apostle saith that the eye cannot say to the hand I have no need of thee nor the head though head and over all the rest to the feet though but feet and under all the rest I have no need of you but even the weakest and the most unseemly members are the most necessary and every one of them in the performance of their duties towards the whole for none of them are allowed to doe any thing for themselves alone are made to depend upon each other If this doctrine were laid to heart and applied practically without disputing to particular matters now in dispute and if our braines were lesse and our consciences more exercised in looking herein to that which is without all dispute the known will of God wee should not need to be troubled with the nicities though wee might conferre about them of the proper seat of right to power and government and with the nationall debates of the prioritie of the universall and of the rights and priviledges of the particular Churches upon which rocks our affections being now split all the duties of necessary communion correspondency and concurrence are neglected amongst us notwithstanding all the known excellencie commendablenesse and usefulnes thereof Therefore my purpose is to set before the consciences of those that seek life the lovelinesse of this dutie whereunto we have already attained if so be we will but put forth our hand unto it as to the tree of life in the midst of the Paradise of God and not feed upon the Theory of disputable opinions concerning particular rights and priviledges which are to us a tree of the knowledge of good and evill whereof the fruit doth worke nothing but death and enmitie between God and us and between man and man nothing but strife and distances by reason of our pride wherewith our knowledge doth puffe us up to appeare somewhat more then others in all our undertakings Sect. II. Of the excellency of unitie and of the fountaine thereof Charitie THe holy Ghost hath set himself of purpose to commend Unitie and Charitie unto us which now I am to speak of in two severall places of Scripture which I shall make the matter of this Section to represent onely the heads thereof in brief unto such as are conscionable that by themselves
to follow it 1 Cor. 9. vers 19. till 24. Now if Christ and the Apostles did thus behave themselves with indifferencie and apply themselves without respect of persons by their Ministery unto all that were any way capable of the outward meanes of edification though great sinners otherwise how can the practise of a Separation or of a Semiseparation be warranted and that even from those who in respect of their profession cannot bee denied to bee our brethren Should wee dare to put upon matters that are meerly circumstantiall and upon things no where expresly enjoyned but rather taken up by our selves more weight then upon all these fundamentall duties of Christianitie and upon the undeniable practise of Christ and his Apostles in the worke of their Ministery If wee doe make our selves and our owne wayes the measure of all perfection surely wee become perfect Idols to and Idolaters of our selves in Gods worship For if in the outward meanes of worshipping and drawing neer to God in publick though his owne ordinances bee observed as hee hath appointed them as to the outward man for to the inward fellowship hee himselfe alone doth admit whomsoever hee pleaseth yet if then wee love to set our selves at a distance from others or reject others from being partakers with us of the ordinances either because wee count them in holinesse inferiour to us or because wee are not satisfied concerning their sinceritie or because they come not up to joyne in opinion with us concerning all the circumstantials of our way If I say for these or such like causes wee stand aloof in the common profession and think that God is no where to be found but in our way and societie doe wee not Idolize our selves doe wee not make our selves the onely rule of all perfection and say in our hearts Stand thou by thy selfe come not neer for I am holyer then thou And what Isa 65. 5. can bee imagined more opposit to the love humilitie and condescension of Christ and his Apostles in the way of their Ministery Let us therefore take heed to this snare let us count nothing perfect but that which upon the grounds of the common profession is conformable to the example of Christ and his Apostles who came into the world to save and draw sinners unto God not by a distance but by a condescension unto them in their weaknesse As for the communion and correspondencie which the primitive Ministers maintained one with another in the Ministeriall workes wee shall find that it did tend to these foure ends First to advance the conversion of the Gentiles to the faith and profession of Christianitie Secondly to build up and confirme those that had received the truth of the Gospel that they might be setled therein Thirdly to preserve those that were setled from the danger of seducers Fourthly and lastly to strengthen themselves in the workes of their employment towards the Churches All which aimes are still necessary to bee followed and therefore the meanes which are serviceable thereunto and which they then used must not now bee neglected if they can bee set afoote First wee find then that for the propagation of the Gospel amongst the Gentiles some went forth to preach unto them the name of Christ and tooke nothing of them To receive such and bring them forward on their journey after a Godly sort was a worke of holy Communion commended in Gajus by the Apostle John as being a dutie which all ought to intend and the ground why all ought to intend it is that all may be fellow-helpers to the truth This practise then is still to 3 John 6. 7 8. bee followed by all that are called to the Ministery so long as the propagation of the truth shall be necessary Secondly for the confirmation and edification of converts in the faith by the care of neighbour Ministers corresponding with those that did convert them wee have an example in Acts 8. 14. where the Ministers of the Church at Jerusalem sent to Samaria two of their number to confirme the beleevers and build them up in the faith in like manner when they heard that some were turned unto the Lord in Antioch they sent Barnabas and he went to the same end and purpose Acts 11. 20 21 22 23. Thirdly for the preservation of the truth from the danger of Seducers and the decision of doubts in doctrine and practise cast in amongst the professours to trouble them wee have an example of Brotherly Communion and Correspondency in Acts 15. vers 1. till 30. where one Church doth crave and another doth contribute assistance counsell and authoritie in a Synodicall way towards the decision and settlement of the difference which broke forth amongst them Fourthly the example wherein Ministers amongst themselves did strengthen one another in the worke of their employment towards the Churches is that of the Apostles of the Jewes and Gentiles who having communicated together concerning the doctrine which they preached Gal. 2. vers 2. and made known to one another their practise Verse 3 4 5 6. to gaine mutuall approbation and confirmation therein Verse 6. 7 8. they did enter into a contract of followship Vers 9. and an obligation of Communion and communication of good things between their Churches Vers 9 10. Nor was it found lawfull or answerable to the truth of the Gospel that upon humane considerations or partiall respects that Communion should be broken Vers 11. till the end From all which againe doth follow that which formerly hath beene concluded that nothing is more conscionable nothing more commendable nothing more profitable and nothing more sutable to the glory of God and the perfecting of the Saints in the worke of the Ministery then that the Ministers of the Gospel should maintaine a Brotherly Communion and correspondency one with another and that such as neglect this dutie walke not worthy of the calling wherewith they are called in imitation of Christ and his Apostles Sect. V. Concerning that which concernes the Office of the Ministery in it self IF wee reflect upon the Ministeriall office in it selfe and consider that whereunto it hath a speciall reference wee shall find that all Ministers that are faithfull to their charge are bound at all times to have respect unto foure things The first is their relation unto Christ as they are under him who is the head of the Church The second is their relation to the Church as therein they are Officers The third is their relation to the workes of their charge in the Office The fourth is their relation to their fellow-labourers in these workes None of these respects must be wanting because without their subordination unto Christ they are no Ministers nor are they otherwise in Christ but as they are members of his Church nor can they bee counted members without a work to performe because the use of every member is to be an Organ of the soul in the body now the soul of this body is
the spirit of Christ and every true beleever is a member Organicall in his own place that is appointed to some usefull worke Nor is any member alone but it is put together with the rest to make up the whole by mutuall conjunction and cooperation therefore none doth worke as it is alone but as it standeth united with its fellow-labourers in every worke And as none of these respects can bee wanting in the office of the Ministery so none besides these are needfull for if a member doth duely depend upon his head and standeth in its right place in the body and hath a lively facultie to doe its owne worke and is no wayes disjoynted but fitly compacted and linked to the other members in doing its work nothing can bee further desired or wished for in it These are then the essentiall and proper relations under which a Minister as an Officer of the Church is to bee considered Now if it bee found that in the profession of truth and holinesse nothing doth make him so fit for his office in all these relations as to maintaine the duties of brotherly love unitie communion and correspondencie and that without the studie of these hee cannot stand aright in any of those relations then I suppose that these duties will without contradiction bee acknowledged to bee the most commendable and usefull that hee can apply himselfe unto and that without the observance of the same hee cannot bee said to walke worthy of the vocation wherewith hee is called Let us therefore take these relations into a more distinct consideration and see how therein by these duties a Minister is fitted for his office First then a Minister by his Office is subordinate unto Christ as a Servant as a Disciple and as a friend of his and to make these relations evident to the world and sure to himself is to make his calling and election sure which is effected when both others are made to see and hee himself doth assuredly of himselfe know that what hee doth in his charge is done to serve Christ as it becommeth his Disciple and friend But except his behaviour in all the workes of his charge bee sutable to that love whereby Christ his master did love us and thereby did unite himself unto us these relations will not bee evidenced For to be a faithfull servant of Christ he must make two things appeare First that hee serves none but him alone as the Apostle doth Gal. 1. 10. and as Christ requires of all to bee done when hee tells us that none can serve two masters Matth. 6. 24. And secondly that hee applies himselfe to the same worke which Christ did For hee commands all his servants to follow him Iohn 12. 26. namely in that service which hee performed which was to doe the will and manifest the love of his Father unto us therefore the Apostle 2 Cor. 4. 5. in order to this doth professe not to preach himselfe but Christ Jesus the Lord and himselfe a servant to the Corinthians for Iesus sake This was to be a servant of the love of Jesus to us to invite all to bee reconciled to God for his sake 2 Cor. 5. 18 19. 21. and 6. 1. As the imployment is nothing else but a service of love Gal. 5. 13. that is to expresse the love and fulfill the Law of Christ Gal. 6. 2. so the infallible character of a disciple by 1 Cor. 16. 14. which hee is to bee distinguished in the world from all others is mutuall love and unitie as is cleer by Iohn 13. 35. and herein as well as in holding forth the word they are to approve themselves to bee the light of the world Matth. 5. 14. which will appeare by comparing these two places Phil. 2. 14 15 16. with 1 John 2. 9 10 11. The whole relation then of being a true servant and Disciple is evidenced by nothing more then by this worke of love and mutuall unitie Lastly also it is evident that none can claime the title of being Christs friend but by the performance of this dutie For Christ hath intailed the right to this dignitie wholly upon this condition which is cleerly expressed Iohn 15. 12 13 14 15 16 17. This is my commandement that yee love one another as I have loved you greater love hath no man then this that a man lay downe his life for his friends Yee are my friends if yee doe whatsoever I command you c. And when in vers 15. and 16. hee hath shewed how much by his friendship to them hee hath obliged them already and what further obligations they should receive from his Father hee concludes vers 17. thus These things I command you that you love one another So that hee puts all the relations which wee have to him of servants of disciples and of friends upon the expression of our love to each other from whence wee must forcibly conclude that if there bee no such expression of love but rather of disaffection and of hatred to one another in our Ministery that wee make it apparent unto the world and to our owne consciences when they awake it will bee evident that wee are none of his servants nor his disciples nor his friends but rather the servant disciples and friends of his enemy the Prince of wickednesse in heavenly Ephes 6. 12. matters Therefore let no man bee deceived with faire pretences of holinesse and with large pleas and discourses about speciall rights the Apostle tells us that if wee have bitter envy and strife in our hearts one against another and if wee glory therein wee Iam. 3. 14 15 16. lie against the truth For the wisedome by which men are led in such cases descendeth not from above but is earthly sensuall and devillish Secondly in relation to the Church as it is a house of God the Ministers therein are builders 1 Cor. 3. 10 11 12. as it is the houshold of faith they are stewards of the Mysteries of God 1 Cor. 14. 1 2. and as it is a flock they are shepheards thereof 1 Pet. 5. 2. Now if in building the same house there bee no concurrence and correspondency between the builders thereof how will it bee fitly framed together as it ought to bee Ephes 20. 21. Can builders that have no spirituall communion but are rather disunited in their wayes frame fitly one and the same house for Gods spirit to dwell in And if in a great houshold where one steward cannot oversee all severall stewards being appointed to do all by one and the same rule of administration yet they agree not amongst themselves but walke different wayes and crosse each other will not this distraction disorder the affaires of the houshold will not this reflect upon their Lord and Master as if he could not govern his family in peace And if severall shepheards belonging to a great flock to feed it jointly doe every one take a part thereof for himself and feed it
separately each from other without any care to maintaine good neighbourhood and acquaintance but rather to crosse one another in their walkes and draw sheep one from another how will they bee able to answer it to him that hath intrusted them with the joynt care of his flock I find that when the soul Cant. 1. 7 8 which is in love with Christ doth seeke to find him out it is afraid to turne aside unto the flockes of his companions and when it is directed how to come to him it is bid goe forth by the footsteps of the flock and feed besides the shepheards tents whence wee may observe that the multitude of flocks under many pretending to bee Christs companions doe perplex the soule and turne it aside from him but the unitie of the flock under shepheards that are united is the way wherein Christ is to bee found Thirdly their relation to the workes of their employment doth wholly necessitate them to maintaine mutuall love and unitie because not onely these duties in themselves are a principall part of their worke but what ever else doth belong to their charge whether it concerne the Church or the Gospel it can neither bee acceptable unto God nor profitable unto men except it bee done in the spirit of love and unitie First then that these duties are recommended unto them as a maine part of the very worke which is chiefly to be aâ—med at in their profession I suppose hath been abundantly made out by that which formerly hath been alleadged Secondly that nothing can bee acceptable unto God without this frame of spirit is evident because God is love and hee that loveth not knoweth not God 1 John 4. 8. and on the contrary hee that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him ibid. Vers 16. Moreover he that doth not all his workes in love as he is commanded 1 Cor. 16. 14. transgresseth the whole Law by the unlovely frame of his spirit because as love is the fulfilling of the whole Law Rom. 13. 8 9 10. So the want of it must needs bee the transgression of the whole Law and hee that is not subject to the Law of God cannot please him saith the Apostle Rom. 8. 7 8. And as nothing can bee acceptable unto God which is not done in love so it cannot bee profitable unto men For if God blesse it not how can it prosper towards them and how can hee blesse that which is displeasing to him And then the Apostle tells us that knowledge is apt to puffe men up but it is Charitie which edifieth 1 Cor. 8. 1. And what I say of love may bee verified of unitie as it is the fruit of love inseparable from it in Christs aime John 37. 23. and equally recommended to us by the Apostle 1 Cor. 1. 10. and 2 Cor. 13. 11. Ephes 4. 1. Ephes 4. 1. till 7. Phil. 2. 2. whence wee see that all things which are to bee done by any must thus bee qualified to find acceptance but if wee looke more distinctly upon the proper workes of their employment towards the Church and for the Gospel wee shall perceive more cleerly the intrinsecall coherence which is found between these duties and the Ministeriall administrations For the workes of their administration towards the Church are all the Ordinances of God belonging to the publick worship in the word and prayer whereunto the Sacraments the Acts 6. 4 Government and the Discipline are subordinate that therein by the Word and Prayer the Saints may have communion with God through the Spirit The whole substance and summe of all that they have to doe is expressed by the Apostle Ephes 4. Ephes 4. from Vers 11. till 17. where I observe that all the gifts and Vers 11. Offices which Christ hath given to his Church both the extraordinary of Apostles Prophets and Evangelists and the ordinary of Pastors and teachers their worke is the same towards the Church unto the worlds end namely this 1. To bee serviceable Vers 12. in perfecting the Saints and in building up the body of Christ in Faith and knowledge till they all come to the unitie thereof unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ Vers 13. Where wee see that the end of their worke is nothing else but the perfection of unitie and consequently if any should not aime at this it is evident that they come short of the true end of their administration of the ordinances and shoot not at the marke which God hath set before them Secondly their service is to preserve by this meanes the Vers 14. Professors of Christianitie from that unsettlement which is brought upon those that are children in understanding by the different doctrines of men and their sleights and cunning craftinesse whereby they lay in wait to deceive the simple and draw disciples after them whence wee may gather that if the true Ministers had done their worke as they should have done in love and unitie from the beginning of the Reformation the deceivers of these times would never have prevailed so as they have done hitherto But because this hath not been intended therefore they have gotten all the advantages that they can desire and wish for both against us and all other Protestants Thirdly their worke is not onely to unite them in faith and Vers 15. knowledge and to preserve them from seducers but to endeavour their growth in all things into him who is their head Christ by the sinceritie and truth of love Fourthly and to this effect their worke is to compact them Vers 16. and joyne them together as one body to build up themselves in love by that which every joynt is able to supply unto another Whence wee may most evidently perceive that the whole substance of their worke towards the Church and Saints to perfect them and build them up is in effect nothing but this to unite them in the faith and knowledge of Christ to preserve them from unsettlement and to cause them grow up within themselves by the loving communication of their graces to each other As concerning the work which they are to intend for the Gospel to maintain the profession of it in the world it is in a word to uphold the truth which is after godlinesse that it Tit. 1. 1. may be acknowledged to bee the grace of God which bringeth salvation and that it may appeare unto all men to teach them to Tit. 2. 11 12 13 14. deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly in this present world looking for the blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and the Saviour Jesus Christ who gave himselfe for us that hee might redeeme us from all iniquity and purifie unto himselfe a peculiar people jealous of good workes Now to hold forth this word of life the Apostle requireth in all Professours and therefore most of all in