avoiding all the proposterious wayes of School and Philosophical Disputations which for the most part proceeding from the pride and affectation of wit and learning be get vain janglings and humane passions multiply mistakes and propagate impicty in the minds of those that are mainly taken therewith and addicted therunto Thirdly This whole Body of Divinity being made up as it ought to be and for the end for which it is desired will not only be a witnesse of the union of the Spirits of all Protestant Ministers in the same saving Truth against the reproach of a Fundamental Division which is said to be amongst them but it will be a Center of Concurrence a subject of brotherly Correspondency and a means of mutual Communion in the work of the Gospel by which all hands will be strengthened and the hearts of those that faint now by reason of their solitary walking will be encouraged them to proceed with cheerfulnesse by reason of the conjunction of so great a help from all their brethren And truly besides the assistance and support which the truth it self will receive from this Work by being published and held forth in that wherein all the witnesses thereof do agree which is one of the greatest helps that can be given to it in these times of disagreement and therefore should most effectually oblige our consciences to intend it the design of endeavouring a concurrence by this means with our Brethren to give them encouragement to stand last in the defence of the Cause is extreamly necessary and therefore also to our consciences every way binding and obligatory so far as we desire them prosperity in the Cause And here I mean not our brethren only that are abroad but even those that are at home also whose caâ—â— is not yet setâ—â—â—â— and who knowes how full of Distraction and Desolation it may be hereafter 〈◊〉 God in mercy prevent it not For if any will observe into how many pieces we are fallen what the changes breaches and Dissolutions are which are fallen and may fall upon us what the effects are which this hath brought forth amongst us and how a liberty to all to do without controle whatsoever every one pleaseth though never so offensive is sprung up and what the way of force if there be a necessity still to stand under it may further bring to passe If I say we will observe this which is apparent to all we may easily gather that nothing will be more useful and serviceable to give a testimony of the truth unto the World and to strengthen each others hearts and hands by the unity of the Spirit in that testimony then this Work will be For in the time of our Dissipation this may hopefully become a pillar to uphold the Truth and therein a monument of our conjunction an instrument of our concurrence in the Gospel and by Gods blessing in the End a means to revive and restore the witnesses to their heavenly splendor and authority And if there were nothing else but this which is clearly our own special Interest yet this alone should waken up to a full Resolution to undertake this business with all speed and diligence chiefly because the adversaries make no delay to accomplish their Designes against the wayes of Righteousness which we are bound withall our might to maintain But besides this necessity of joyning our spirits to a corresponding in the Truth amongst our selves against common adversaries and the unlikelihood to be able to do it any other way or any way so effectually and so easily as by this means there is another strong Obligation lying upon us in respect of Forrain Protestants tâ—â—â—â—cur with them in the same Cause I said in the beginning of the last parcâ—â— this Discourse that our engagement to a concurrence with Forrain Protestants in the common Cause of Religion doth lie closer upon us then I finde it apprehended by many I shall now endeavour to make this apparent by representing two things which ought sadly to be laid to heart and are undenyably manifest in the eyes of all the world The one is concerning Gods judgements against those that have neglected the common Cause of Protestants The other is concerning our own Declarations and Oathes strictly obliging us to minde the same For look we upon the heavy hand of God how it hath overtaken those that have neglected the state of Forrain Churches we shall see that because the late King and his persecuting Prelates did not mind the true interest of the Protestant Cause which is the Gospel because they did not endeavour to help the Lord against the mighty that is to protect the Churches abroad by those means which they had in their hands and were answerable to the light of the truth whereof they made profession and because the way of their Policy did lead them rather to fide with the common adversaries for Self ends to betray the Cause rather then to uphold it therefore these publick Calamities have justly overtaken them and executed the vengeance of God upon them that they who sought themselves only without respect unto God and their brethren should utterly lose themselves without recovery whiles God did find out a way to rescue his Churches which they deserted from the destruction which the Enemies designed against them I alledge this concerning the late King and his violent Prelates as to me one of the main visible causes of the Judgements of God upon them for which I conceive they have been principally cast off namely because their betraying of the truth of the Protestant Cause was the great sin for which Christ had a quarrel with them both as Hypocrites who pretending to stand for the Protestant Cause did undermine it and despised the low condition of the Churches abroad and as Enemies to the Gospel who to suppress the light thereof then breaking forth did persecute those most who did most sincerely profess and practise Godliness at home These sins have cause Christ to fall with his iron Rod upon them to dash them to pieces as we have seen before our eyes because herein their way was Diametrically opposite unto his kingdom and therefore their sin immediatly committed against himself whereas their others sins and designes might have a more direct Relation unto the state of the Nation for which also the power of the Nation hath been justly made use of to overthrow them For seeing in the great battel which now is a fighting between Christ and his Saints on the one side and the Beast and the Kings of the Earth on the other side the powers both of Heaven and Earth that is both of the spirits of men and of the frames of States must be set a work to oppose each other respectively in their contradictory Properties it is not possible that any visible power amongst men can remain unshaken And whatever is not subordinate unto the power which is given unto Christ both in Heaven and Earth must be so shaken as
to those that are abroad For the three parts of this Body if they were throughly and fully handled as from our Authors they may be will meet directly and in a right order with the three main and Original causes of our disorderlinesse and distracted condition to shew the Spiritual wayes of Reforming the same wherein if we shall agree to walk unanimously as no doubt we will we may undoubtedly also believe thar by this Union we shall to all our adversaries become not only invincible but irresistible to work the overthrow of Satans Kingdom And this shall suffice also concerning this point of Reformation which is to be advanced by this means and which the faithful Ministry of this Land is bound to endeavour by the Tenor of their solemn League and Covenant in the presence of God who hath put the means of this in our hand to be effected and now calleth upon us to make use of the same The last thing which I mentioned whereunto we are engaged and whereunto this Body of Divinity will be effectual is to concur with Forrain Protestants in the Common cause of Religion and to assist them against the Common Enemies thereof This Concurrence and assistance is an engagement that doth lie closer to us then I find it apprehended by many Therefore I shall endeavour to represent unto those that are Conscionable in matters of publick concernment not so much what help may be given to the cause by this means for that may be clearly seen by what is said already but what the obligation is which should make us Concurre with Forrain Protestants to uphold the profession of the cause As con cerning the assistance which this work will yield unto the Cause if we will adde any thing to that which hath been said already concerning the Credit of the Profession which it will help to uphold and concerning the Reformation of Disorders which it will help to take away we may consider two things First What properly the common Cause is Secondly What it is that weakens our hands in prosecuting of it If the Common Cause of Protestants be made any thing else then the Propagating of the light of the Gospel which is attested in the Scriptures that the Kingdom and life of Jesus Christ may take place in the souls of all men to the Glory of God the Father by the graces of his Spirit it is fouly mistaken For all that we have protested for in former time against Popery is this that we will not be led by the dictates of other men to believe and practise upon implicit faith and blind obedience what they prescribe to us in matters of Religion but that in such matters we will knowingly rely onely upon the Word of God revealed in the holy Scriptures to follow the dictates thereof And as we are bound still to continue this Profession against Popery on the one hand so in these distracted times especially we are obliged to adde a further Protestation to clear the truth of our profession on the other hand which is this that as we think it not lawfull for us to give up our faith to other men so we conceive it neither acceptable to God nor safe for us to be led by the dictates of our own imaginations alone to believe and practice singularly and by our selves whatever in matters of Religion we shall in our own private conceit fancy to be right but that we will rationally entertain and handle the word of God in the holy Scriptures for the understanding and practising of all Religious Truths offered and duties prescribed unto us therein that is to say that we will not interpret the Scriptures in matter of outward duty and performance contrary to the Common grounds of reason and righteous order amongst men and in matters of inward relation towards God that we will be wise unto Sobriety conceiving that to be the truth of the Spirit which is most answerable to the common Principles of the Faith of all ages and to the Spiritual state of holy Communion which Jesus Christ hath setled in the new Covenant between God and all his Members The common Cause of Protestants hath these four main interests in Christianity by which it upholdeth the truth thereof and thereby is distinguishable from all other Professions The First is The interest of Scripture knowledge The Second is The interest of the life of the Spirit The Third is The interest of orderly walking in all Gods Ordinances Natural and Spiritual The Fourth is The interest of the Communion of Churches in reference to mutual edification in these forenamed matters These interests being all joyned and professedly followed that is openly owned without offence as it becometh the Disciples of Christ make up the true Protestant Cause that is the profession of Christianity And if any one of these be not followed the Cause is so far deserted as it is neglected By Scripture knowledge which is the Fundamental Rule and Seed of the Profession of Christianity Protestants were begotten and are distinguished from Papists By the life of the Spirit which is the heart and soul of the profession of Christianity Protestants do grow up in Christ who is their head till they shall come to a perfect man and are distinguished from Socinians and all such as turn Christianity into a Moral profession of a new kind of Philosophy which is refined and entertained upon revealed Principles but in effect nothing besides or above humane Reasoning By the orderly walking in all Gods Ordinances which is the visible body of the profession of Christianity Protestants stand firm in the truth to bear witness thereof unto the world and are distinguished from all Libertines that pretend to be so spiritual as to be above all Ordinances And by the Communion of Churches which is the activity of this visible body Protestants are strengthned in their growth and testimony made invincible against their adversaries made helpful to each other and the cause and distinguished from all those that pretend to the singularity of Saintship in their several ways by themselves alone with the condemnation of such as go not along with them These being the true interests of this Cause as it is subordinate unto Christianity and Christianity being taken up upon none other ground but as it is revealed in the holy Scriptures nor maintained to any other End but to manifest the life of Jesus Christ by his kingdom unto the world it is clear that the whole observation of outward Ordinances and the practice of mutual Communion which are the two latter interests of the Cause must rise from the first and rest in the second of those which are the former and whatsoever designes practices negotiations and undertakings are said to be for Christianity or the Protestant Religion which are all one and do not attend to advance directly either Scripture knowledge or the life of the Spirit or the walking under Ordinances or the Communion of Churches or do tend seemingly
to advance any one of these without a reference to all the rest they are to be judged false deceitful and destructive to the cause and truth of Christianity Therefore we ought to acknowledge none to be a servant to the Cause of Christ that is a true Protestant but he who walketh by this Rule of the new creature and upon such be peace and upon the Israel of God As for me I shall by Gods grace never entertain any designes and practices or favour any motions and pretences which are undertaken and prosecuted with subtilty or with a strong hand against the persons of a party disagreeing from judgement upon this ground because they favour not my way but I shall make the prosecution of their forenamed interests as by spiritual means and wayes they are approveable to the conscience of every rational man the open and onely rule of my walking in this Cause And if any man shall find me straying from this path and shew me that I am not in it he will oblige me to thank him for converting a Sinner from the error of his Way Hitherto I have given you my sense of the Common Cause of Protestants Now I shall adde a word or two concerning that which I suppose doth weaken our hands in prosecuting of it And that is partly an ordinary mistake partly an universal neglect of Duty in the Actors for it The mistake is in two things First That most meaning well to the Protestant Cause as they do understand it act all rather against the adversaries thereof then for the Cause it self Secondly That when they act so they take up no rule of Reason and Moderation in dealing with adversaries for their good or upon grounds of Justice but give way to Passion and Hatred and all that is imagined to be hurtful to them is supposed to be advantagious to themselves both which are courses altogether preposterous unto Christianity For the true way of advancing Christianity is not destructive but edificative that is doth not intend to overthrow and build at leisure afterward as the Method of some is but it doth intend to build first Christs kingdom that thereby it may overthrow the frame of Satans Policy for it holdeth forth the word of life and truth that by the manifestation of light it may dispell error and darkness And when this is done then it proceeds to the condemnation of the wayes of unrighteousness first it bringeth our thoughts unto the obedience of Christ that then every strong Hold of Satan and every imagination and high thing which exalteth it self against the knowledge of God may be cast down for except we bring Christ with us and set him a working upon the Spirits of men that are in the snares of Satan and led captive at his pleasure we shall never be able to bind the strong man that hath possession of their souls and far less shall we be able to spoil him of his goods which are the lusts and the inclinations of the flesh whereby he doth act self will in them that they may not be subject to the will of God The way then of Christianity is more directly Positive then Negative and therefore it is a mistake to think that the refuting and opposing of adversaries is the main business which ought to be prosecuted in these times but a far greater mistake it is to think that by making the wayes of our adversaries odious or by vexing their persons and prejudging them any way by hook or crook as we use to say in the freedom and conveniencies of professing their Tenets we shall profit our Cause or gain much upon or against them No surely for this is a far greater Mistake then the other and yet this is the ordinary practice which is most commonly followed by those who are zealous for the Cause But this way cannot porsibly prove successefull because it doth quite mistake the interest of Christianity which is nothing else but by the knowledge of the Scriptures and the life of the Spirit to bring men to walk orderly before God and men and live in the Communion which the Members of Christ owe to each other And if we aim not at this even towards our Adversaries to bring them hereunto we deal not with them as Christians ought to do but forsake our profession Now it is neither the convincing them of their particular Errors without further instruction nor the laying open of their shame nor the vexing of their Spirits by troubling their persons or stoping their professions that will bring them to any of these holy duties which uphold the truth of Christianity but this way of dealing will rather set them further off in their Affections both from the love of the truth and from us so that when we shall offer them means tending directly to that which is truely their way to life they will reject the same only because they come from that hand which hath made it self utterly hateful unto them These mistakes weaken the Cause greatly but the universal neglect which is in Two main things doth it far more The First is The neglect of duty in using spiritual means and in a spiritual way towards Dissenters The Second is The neglect of brotherly Communion in spiritual things which is the last point of the main interest of the Cause The first neglect which is of the means sutable to the prosecution of the Cause doth proceed from the forenamed mistakes which indeed make some Professors manage Protestancy as a State Religion rather then a true profession of Christianity and so they take their strength chiefly against Dissenters from State-Authority and practices subordinate thereunto in a worldly way of Policy rather then from the work of God and the work of the Spirit And because many of the active men who have parts and so love to appear in the Front and to take matters upon them have been byassed this way some for one some for another interest of State making themselves and all matters of Religion subservient thereunto therefore it hath pleased God to befool them in their Counsels and to suffer Statan to set Instruments awork who have out acted them in all these wayes but if they had walked by Faith in simplicity and godly sincerity according to the Rules of the Gospel within their own Sphere not according to worldly wisdom if they had in a cause of Christianity made use of none other means but of those which Christ hath used and sanctified unto them and in that way by which he and his Apostles have shewed us they should be used they should not have miscarried as they have done by trusting to the arm of flesh nor could Satan either have over-reached them in their Counsels or stopped them in their proceedings which now he hath been able to do because he is of old Master of the Trade of policy and power which they of late as young Prentices were beginning to take up and this