we know that all things even these same and such like failings will worke together for the best towards The comfort of beleevers against these evils Psal 76. 10. those that love God and that all the advantages which Satan hath gotten against the kingdome of Christ will tend together to Gods greater glory and Satans owne overthrow at last For as the wrath of man shall surely praise the Lord so the plots of Satan and all his prevailing upon the infirmities of his Saints when he shall have mercy upon Zion will redound exceedingly to the increase of his glory by the manifestation of the riches of his grace and of the stabilitie of his purposes in setting up the kingdome of Jesus Christ through a finall and totall destruction of all the enemies thereof Seeing then I have cause to hope for such an issue of this warfare I shall not feare that the discovery of this failing in the Ministery will bee taken as a reproach to discredit them towards others in their function which I acknowledge in its own way and degree to be of God not of man but rather as an admonition of love to show to those that are conscionable the necessity of laying their owne condition to heart and of seeking the remedy thereof in that way wherein it may bee found And that I may not bee wanting The necessitie of unitie further pressed unto this designe I shall adde one thing more for the demonstration of the necessitie of this dutie of brotherly unitie which is so much neglected amongst us that afterwards I may come to speake more fully of the usefulnesse and excellency thereof In the profession of Christianitie the Apostle saith that neither Gal. 6. 15 16. circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but a new creature And as many as walke by this rule Peace saith hee will bee upon them and mercy and upon the Israel of God Here then wee see that the fruits of Peace and of mercy are Gods blessings upon the life of the new Creature and where these fruits are not at all apparent but on the contrary a spirit of strife of bitternesse of hatred and of mercilesse affection doth prevaile there wee needs must say that the old creature is still alive because the Iam. 3. 14 15 16 17 18. wisedome which is earthly sensuall and devillish which is the old mans rule brings forth such effects Now it is the proper worke of the true Ministers of the Gospel to perswade all men to live the life of the new Creature and to mortifie the members Col. 3. 5. 8. of the old man which are upon the earth whereof these are a part But if through the spirit of division and variance the Ministers themselves are intangled in these passions and that even one against another so that they doe not shew forth all meeknesse with all long-suffering and forbearance wherein they ought to receive each other to the glory of God as Christ received us how can they performe this worke how can they perswade others to walke by a rule which they mind not and wherein they themselves are not exercised It is cleer then that to doe the proper worke of their Ministery it is necessary for them to intend the dutie of brotherly love and unitie Moreover it is said here that neither circumcision nor uncircumcision doth availe any thing in Christ Jesus and if this is so then the division and distraction which is amongst us for things of such a kind is sinfull and necessary to bee left off for I am sure that circumcision to the Jewes and uncircumcision to the Gentile was a matter of greater concernment then any thing about which wee at this time are divided And if that ought not to have made a breach between them farre lesse these things amongst us Now that Gal. 5. 6. which by the new Creature is available in Christ Jesus is faith onely which worketh by love If then the Ministers of the Gospel are appointed by God to beget faith and love in their hearers that is to perswade the unbeleevers thereunto and to build up and confirme and increase the beleevers therein by the testimony of Jesus and by their unitie and love amongst themselves how shall they bee able to doe this except they bee first agreed to hold forth the same testimony and except there be some amiable concurrence amongst them in the workes of their Ministery Therefore as faith and love are inseparably necessary to make a true Christian so the testimony of Jesus and the spirit of unitie are inseparably requisite for the worke of the Ministery For as there is an absolute necessitie lying upon the Ministery to beare witnesse unto the truth towards the manifestation thereof for the saving of their own soules So they are also no lesse necessitated to maintain the profession of their unitie for the edification of their hearers For without this profession that manifestation will never in reason be found a truth fit to convict the world which otherwise it may be because as it is just that when witnesses doe not agree their testimony should not be received so it is equitable that when they doe agree their testimony should not be rejected And if by this onely default they make their testimony without effect it is evident that to establish the truth and not to discredit it to uphold the Ministery and not to make it contemptible to buildup the Churches and not to ruine them and to confirme the faith of the Professors and not to stagger them the profession and practise of Brotherly unitie amongst the Ministers of the Gospel is absolutely necessary For all may see that are not blind and senselesse that originally nothing but the neglect of this dutie hath deprived us of all our hopes and blessings and brought us under the yoake of all these miseries Upon all which this consequence doth manifestly follow that the onely way to preserve the remnant which is left entire to restore that which is not utterly decaied in the Church and to helpe this distracted State unto some settlement if there be any possibility of attaining it is this That the Ministers of the Gospel should set themselves to concurre and correspond together that they may hold forth unto the world in the testimony of Jesus Christ the lovelinesse the peaceablenesse the meeknesse and the unitie of his spirit to the end that both they and their hearers may follow therein his footsteps as hee is gone before us to leave us an example For this is a path of the new and the living way which hee hath consecrated for us and out of this way no man can come unto the Father it is therefore absolutely necessary that such as will enter into the holiest become followers of God as deare children and walke in love as Christ also hath loved us and made himselfe as one of us even our Brother to gaine us unto God CHAP. XIV
and Peace For the unitie of their spirits in the simplicitie of Truth is their strength and the evidence of grace without worldly wisedome in their walking will make them not onely invincible but even irresistible because the power of the Word of life which is a two-edged Sword and the armour of righteousnesse on the right hand and on the left when they are handled in sinceritie without all mixture of humane policie will bee prevalent to 2 Cor. 2. 1â— make them triumph in Christ and to cause the inhabitants of the world to fall in due time before them that in the day of Christs power which wee hope is approaching all the strong holds of Satan may be surrendred unto him This ensuing discourse then concerning unitie and forbearance to shew the ground termes and motives thereof was by The end of the ensuing discourse and the occasion of putting it to paper me conceived as a proposall of matters belonging properly to the consideration of the Orthodox Ministers of this kingdome who dissent onely from each other in the way of government that if our private or publique conferences had continued as they were begun in simplicitie the heads thereof might have been a subject of further deliberation amongst us For to that effect they were put to paper at the desire of some but seeing the motions tending to a reconcilement of our Religious differences seeme to be obstructed so that there is little or no hope to gaine any further meetings and conferences in this kind and for this aime therefore I have enlarged them a little and And of enlarging and publishing the same altered the frame thereof somewhat and now shall leave them to you to bee disposed of as God shall direct you for the publick good to make use of them For whether the obstruction of these thoughts of reconcilement arise from the unwillingnesse of some who perhaps thinke it not wisedome to venture their paines in such a way or from the State contrivements or preingagements and combinations of others who by any of these meanes thinke themselves strong enough to gain their own desires another way Whether I say from any or from all of those causes the obstruction doth arise it is to mee a matter of no discouragement but rather an occasion to bee willing to appeare so as I am in the presence of God free from interests and before men without all pretence to wisedome strength and authoritie That so farre as those motions shall be found agreeable to the will of God and sutable to the conscience of those whose wisedome strength and authoritie is the obedience of Faith in performing their dutie they may be entertained with singlenesse of heart and if so many of us as have freed our spirits from the bondage of feares and hopes in respect of outward matters and have given our selves upto walke openly by knowne and undeniable rules and by the Law of unprejudicate love to bee without offence towards all should but resolve upon this provocation to lay the matter of dutie represented therein more seriously to heart then hitherto wee have done and to ripen further thoughts concerning the same who knoweth what God may work thereby It is not impossible for him to blow upon the dead bones of our scattered affections from the wayes of peace and communion to bring them to a concurrence in the acknowledgement of some rules which shall relate to nothing but his owne will and if any such spirit of life be breathed but in a few of us we may hope that it will not be without effect towards others but that some resolutions may ensue which God will blesse with successefulnesse in the prosecution However I am resolved without all appearance of successe to cast this bread upon the waters and commending my self unto his providence leave these papers to you to be disposed of as you shall think fit in your discretion which with your self is recommended to the grace of God THE Moderator Endeavouring A full Composure and quiet Settlement of those many Differences both in Doctrine and Discipline which have so long disturbed the Peace and welfare of this COMMON-WEALTH CHAP. I. The Introduction shewing the Scope and Matter of the Discourse ALthough the case is doleful and highly to be lamented that there is no where in the world so much strife and division apparent as amongst those that are named Christians nor that amongst any Christians greater animosities do break forth then sometimes amongst those that are the Ministers of the Gospel yet this is a most certaine and undeniable Truth and worthy of all acceptation That the Doctrine of Christianity in it self is nothing else but the glad tidings of everlasting peace that therein Christ is revealed to bee the Prince of love and peace that none but his followers are capable of peace and unitie with God and that amongst men the true directions to live in love and peace one with another are no where to bee found but in his kingdome Which being so it will follow notwithstanding all these divisions that none should more willingly undertake nor can more profitably entertaine the thoughts of peace and unitie for the composure of differences and ending of strife amongst men then they whom God hath called to bee Preachers of his Gospel and whom hee hath appointed to bee witnesses of the Covenant of his grace and peace And seeing all they to whom this Covenant is tendred and by whom it is received through Faith are bound to live in the unitie of Faith and Love as being all one in Christ and confederates one to another by vertue of that Covenant Therefore I shall offer my selfe in the way of the heavenly calling as one to whom the Gospell is revealed and to whom the testimony of Jesus in the Covenant of peace is committed unto those that are my Brethren in the same Ministery humbly intreating them all but chiefly such as are most conscionably wise in looking rather to the will of God in the duties of their Ministeriall function then to the interests of a partie amongst men to observe and consider with me concerning the wayes of Unitie and Forbearance which they ought to mind amongst themselves and acquaint their hearers withall these three assertions First that the ground wherefore they ought to professe and practise Vnitie and Forbearance one towards another is the undeniable Law of Christian Brotherhood Secondly that the Termes of Vnitie whereunto they have already attained are full and satisfactory and that the termes of the Forbearance which they should intend to practise are plain and easie to be acknowledged and setled amongst them Thirdly that the Motives which should induce them to the acknowledgement profession practise and setlement thereof are as strong as unavoydable necessitie and the highest relation unto dutie can make them And to make good these three Assertions I shall with as much brevitie as I can declare my sense thereof distinctly and plainly
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
then some rules should bee thought upon debated and by common consent setled concerning three things First how needlesse disputes and multiplicitie of new controversies breaking forth in the Presse and Pulpit may be prevented Secondly how the injuriousnesse of censures and of proceeding which men of partiall dispositions and of high thoughts runne into may bee rectified when disputes are necessary And Thirdly how the secret mischief of suspicious whisperings and tale-bearing amongst Brethren may bee prevented and being discovered satisfactorily corrected And that some rules of righteousnesse may bee found in the Word to remedie these evills and may bee raised from the nature of Christian charitie equitie ingenuitie pietie discretion and prudencie I suppose none will deny who doth beleeve that the holy Scriptures with and by the spirit of God which is promised to the children of God are able to make the man of God perfect and throughly furnished unto every good word and worke Thus I have made out as briefly and as distinctly as this occasion seemeth to require the truth of the first and second assertion of this discourse namely that the Ministery of this kingdome is undeniably obliged in conscience to the mutuall profession of Brotherhood and that the termes of their unitie and forbearance are both in themselves full and satisfactory and may bee setled reciprocally amongst them in a plaine and easie way if the men that lead others were but willing to looke to God more then to men and to conscience more then to outward interests CHAP. XII The third Assertion Concerning the motions which should induce us to make profession of this unitie and forbearance Why these are requisite and what they are BUt now although these things are evidently thus demonstrable and by all that which hitherto hath been alledged it may be manifestly apparent that these who are the leaders of the flockes should not onely stand united and walk by one rule in that whereunto they have attained but also that their differences may and ought to bee composed in love by amiable meetings by orderly conferences and by the settlement of a necessary and lawfull forbearance of each other although I say all this is so yet wee see to the great dishonour of God the lamentable disadvantage of the truth and the extreame griefe of many godly soules that this hath not hitherto either beene done or effectually prosecuted and intended by thâ—se that are in the worke of the Ministery or if it hath been intended by some yet not so as it ought to have been that is upon the grounds which are proper unto their vocation What the causes of this neglect may bee wee shall not now particularly search into onely in generall wee may take notice that all such failings in dutie may proceed from two main causes either that men otherwise knowing and godly yet consider not the necessitie of this dutie in respect of the evills that follow upon the neglect thereof or that the excellencie commendablenesse and worth thereof is either not known or if not unknown yet not laid to heart Now then in this our present sad condition if any thing can be suggested which may be a helpe to remove these causes of our failing in this kind it may bee hoped that godly and conscionable men will bee more carefull of the performance and more fearefull of the neglect thereof then hitherto they have been Therefore it will not bee amisse but may bee of very great use to offer some motives and inducements to incline them without partialitie to these resolutions and this wee shall intend to doe if God permit CHAP. XIII Concerning the necessitie of Brotherly unitie in the Ministery IF then we should take into consideration the absolute necessitie of this dutie it will appeare that the present evills whereinto these Churches and the state of this kingdome are fallen and which threaten all with unavoydable ruine are mainely brought upon us through the neglect of that ministeriall unitie and correspondencie which is sutable unto Christianitie For whosoever in the feare of God shall lay to heart the wofull condition of the Churches of Christ in this land will perceive that amongst the manifold causes of our miserable breaches The cause ofâ— all our miseries and sinfull distractions the originall and consequently the greatest of all the rest is this That such as are called to bee the Ministers of the Gospel who by their owne confession are Brethren and fellow-labourers in the same imployment doe not maintaine those duties of Brotherly love fellowship and communion which by the nature of their work and by the appointment of their Lord and Master are made necessary for the manifestation of his glory and for their own mutuall edification For seeing by that which hath been hitherto shewed it must needs be acknowledged that they ought to stand together and looke upon each other as Brethren begotten of the same Father as fellow-souldiers in the same fight and warfare and as fellow-members in the same body of Christ Seeing I say this is confessed and cannot bee denied to bee so it will follow also undeniably that they ought in conscience to discharge the duties belonging to these relations which are not onely to professe a Brotherhood but to bee knit together in fervent love to have the same care one for another and joyntly to communicate in things belonging to the kingdome of Christ But that these duties notwithstanding all these relations are neither really thought upon nor at all prosecured to any purpose almost by any is no lesse undeniable and must needs although to our great shame be plainly and ingenuously confessed Seeing then the guilt of this their fault is so great and so apparent that no colour of excuse can bee pretended to extenuate it therefore the judgement is ripe for them and the punishment hath now in the sight of all the world most justly overtaken them For whereas they were lately in a capacitie to bee as happy within themselves and as profitable to the Kingdome of Christ abroad as any of all the Ministers on earth if they had continued in their unitie now they are like to bee more unsetled and more miserable within themselves and lesse respected by others and lesse usefull both at home and abroad towards the cause of Christ then any that are elsewhere in all the Churches this onely because they have suffered themselves in their profession to bee divided and have not regarded nor doe they yet regard the duties of their Christian Brotherhood The guilt of the Ministery so much as outward concernments For by this meanes they have corrupted the Covenant and are become partiall in the Law and caused many to stumble at the Law and therefore the Lord Mal. 2. 8 9. hath made them contemptible and caused all their adversaries to prevaile against them so that they have just cause to give glory unto him to lay their hands upon their mouths to be sensible of
amongst us and if there is any faithfulnesse and constancie to bee expected from those that professing Christianitie have entred into solemne protestations vowes and covenants to stand united according to the will of God for the advancement of a common-reformation and the settlement of our union therein if I say there bee any such thing as love to truth zeale for righteousnesse and faithfulnesse of Christian Covenants I may adjure such as pretend thereunto to shew themselves at this time therein for their owne and their Brethrens preservation that by the duties of Brotherly unitie in the holy profession they may bee found to keepe faith and a good conscience without blame For as it is not possible that the Faith once given to the Saints can bee maintained by any without a good conscience so the integritie of a good conscience cannot bee kept without observing the end of the holy Commandement which is the practise of love out of a pure heart Now this practise amongst Mininisters in their Ministeriall charges can bee none other but a conscionable concurrence of their spirits in that aime wherein the all relate unto Christ to strengthen one anothers hands in the works of his service For their unity and love to each other can have no truth but as it relates unto him nor can it relate otherwise unto him then by fulfilling his will in doing the works of his service and if this aime be lost in any let them pretend what they will their conscience is not sound their performance is not acceptable nor will their indeavours be for ever established hence it is that because many have left off to aime sincerely at this who either delight to stand wholly by themselves and give way to dividing principles and practises or thinke it more expedient to stand wholly associated but give way to the meanes of humane power to trust more thereunto then to the duties of Christian love and serviceablenesse therefore it is just with God to withdraw from such of both sides that walke in these wayes and from their undertakings the blessing of his presence So that by reason of the want of his strength to goe along and conduct to guide them all their hands are weakned nothing which is undertaken doth prosper the service of Christs house is not advanced the stewards thereof are either divided by themselves or scattered by others and generally they are as men without a heart afraid one of another and through these their breaches a whole deluge of damnable errors and a full current of all unrighteous wicked and scandalous practises hath overwhelmed and almost drowned the Churches so that the very floodgates of hell seeme to bee opened upon us and have covered us with the proud waves of all licenciousnesse And although it cannot bee denied but that it is just with God to suffer Satan thus farre to prevaile against all for the sinnes of all and to make this breach upon the Leaders for their A doubt answered concerning the office of the Ministery failing in the Ministery yet it is farre from mee to thinke as some doe that the promise of God is failed in this our age at if there were neither true Church nor Ministery any more amongst us or any where in this world but that the gates of hell having prevailed against the Church which Christ did once institute by his Apostles a new mission must be expected and a new foundation laid for the erecting of his kingdome I say God forbid that I should thinke so Yea let God bee true but every man a liar for I beleeve that heaven and earth shall passe Rom. 3. 4. Matth. 24. 3â— Matth. 16. 16 17 18 19. away but the word that is gone out of Christs mouth shall not passe away Now Christ upon a speciall occasion said distinctly unto his Disciples three things which are these 1 That his Church should bee built upon the rock of that truth whereof the Apostles made confession which was that Jesus was the Christ the sonne of the living God 2 That the gates of hell should not prevaile against that Church 3 And lastly That the keyes of the kingdome of heaven with authoritie to bind and loose on earth whatever should be bound and loosened in heaven shall be given to this Church These promises I beleeve to bee so sure that they shall never faile Therefore I must conclude that neither the foundation of the Church nor the Church which is builded thereupon nor the Ministeriall authoritie of the keyes given to that Church shall faile so long as this world doth last Forwhat although some doe not beleeve and are disobedient to the will of God shall their unbelief and disobedience make the faith and truth of God without effect God forbid yea all men are to bee found liars that God may bee found true for he hath concluded all in unbelief that he might have mercy upon all therefore in his sayings he shall be justifified and when he is judged overcome Wee must therefore acknowledge that by our unrighteousnesse the righteousnesse of God is to be commended and that although we of this Nation should utterly faile him and bee no more worthy to be counted his Church yet that he will never faile to doe what hee hath said unto the seed of Christ amongst men and never recall the word which hee hath spoken concerning his Church But Isa 59. 21. this we are bound to beleeve that wheresoever there is a societie of men beleeving with their heart and with their mouth making openly profession of this truth that Jesus is the Christ the Sonne of the living God there is a Church existent and wheresoever a Church is existent there the authoritie of the keyes is not wanting because Christ hath said that the gates of hell shall not prevaile against it I shall then confidently conclude from these premises two things first seeing there are societies of beleevers which are here existent and known to bee built upon that truth which is the foundation that therefore notwithstanding all these failings in particular duties whereof they are guiltie that yet Gods promise for the main will never be wanting to them as to his Church Secondly I may infer this also that notwithstanding all the advantages which Satan seemeth to have gotten both against the Ministery of this Church and against their administrations therein whereby hee doth blast them and the fruit of their labours yet wee may bee sure that he shall never prevaile so farre as to make void the priviledge of the Church which is to have a right to the keyes of the kingdome of heaven and thereby to the administration of all Christs Ordinances Now then although indeed it is very sad and lamentable that the Buildâ—rs themselves should be so far wanting to their dutie as by their divisions to give such an advantage unto Satan that hee should bee able visibly to pull down more then they are able to build up yet
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
the Ministers of the profession that they should doe all things without murmurings and Phil. 2. 14. disputings and that they should bee in their conversation blamelesse and harmelesse as the Sonnes of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation and that they should stand fast in Phil. 1. 27. in one Spirit with one mind striving together for the faith of the Gospel Where wee may observe that in that worke which is proper to the advancement of the Gospel of truth in the world the holinesse of life the peaceablenesse and the unitie of the professors are the necessary requisites without which nothing in this kind can bee effected For this worke hath two parts The one is towards the children of truth the other is against the adversaries of truth Towards the children of truth the worke is in respect of the common profession to concurre in the wayes of righteousnesse of faith of charitie and of peace with all those that call upon God out of a pure heart 2 Tim. 2. 22. and in respect of the aime of mutuall edification for practise it is to exhort one another daily whiles it is called to day Hebr. 3. 13. and to provoke one another to love and to good workes Heb. 10. 24. and for knowledge it is to endeavour that their hearts may bee comforted being knit together in love and to all riches of the full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ in whom are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge Col. 2. 2 3. Where we ought to observe that the studie of love and unitie have not onely an influence upon the common profession and that part of the peculiar worke of edification which is practicall to maintain it but also that it is a meanes to confirme and comfort the hearts of the beleevers in all the riches of the full assurance of the knowledge of the highest and most secret Mysteries And consequently that where this studie is not entertained there both the profession and all the comforts which arise unto the soules of beleevers practically and intellectually from their peculiar interests in each others edification doe wholly decay and the great mysteries of our salvation concerning God and the Father and Christ are darkned made doubtfull and by some utterly contradicted all which is brought to passe now adayes as much if not more then in any age heretofore by our dissensions As for the adversaries and gainesayers who are to bee opposed if wee take them to bee the principalities and powers of darknesse and spiritualities of malice in high places a chief part of the armour by which we are to fight against them and preserve our selves from their assaults is to have our Loines that is our affections girt about with truth that is with sincere love which is the bond of perfectnesse Ephes 6. 14. and to have our feet Col. 3. 14. with Ephes 4. 15. shod that is our wayes of conversion fitted with the preparation of the Gospel of peace that is with meanes of peace to prepare men to entertain without offence and peaceably the Gospel of the peace of God which is revealed in his word to us Ephes 6. 15. But if wee take the opposers to bee men although sometimes their mouthes must be stopped and they sharply rebuked Tit. 1. 10 11 12 13. Tit. 3. 9. 2 Tim. 2. 23. namely when it is evident that they are vain talkers unruly deceivers and liars yet alwayes matters of strife and jangling both with them and all others are to bee avoided which we now have not heeded and the behaviour of the servant of God even in his greatest zeale and in the worst of times must never bee precipitate and hasty that is without long suffering 2 Tim. 4. 2 3. But chiefly towards such of whom there may be hope of recovery all gentlenesse patience forbearance and meeknesse of instruction is with great care to bee used as the Apostle doth teach Timothy 2 Epist 2. 24 25. which is a lesson almost utterly forgotten in these our dayes amongst some that esteeme themselves the chief of Professors Thus then wee see that there is no particular part of all the Ministeriall worke wherein the spirit of love and unitie must not appeare as the principall agent to make it successefull Fourthly and lastly their relation to each other as fellow-labourers in these workes is properly that of joynts which are between the Members of the body to unite them to each other and to make them dependent upon the head For in Ephes 4. vers 16. the Apostle doth cleerly speak of the visible body of the Church as it hath a spirituall communion with Christ and within it self by the meanes of that which every joynt supplyeth if then every part by his joynt that is by his Minister to whom is joyned a societie of Saints as a part of the whole is bound to supply to another part that which is his effectuall working towards the building up of the body in Love then it is absolutely necessary for him to correspond and concur with his neighbour and fellow-joynts for how can any part supply any thing to another part of the body without the joynt thereof So then wee must observe that the Associations of the Saints which are undeniable true parts of the whole should edifie one another by that which every joynt supplyeth For to that effect joynts are in the body and the Apostle saith in the whole body to let us understand that all the particular Associations of Beleevers in respect of the common profession are to bee counted as one Association and that by the joynts which God hath set in the whole the parts therefore are fitly to bee joyned together whence wee must gather that Ministers are not onely joynts to unite individuall Professors into a societie but to unite one Congregation unto another for hee saith that the whole is compacted by joynts it followeth then that the Congregations though distinct by themselves and one within themselves as to their severall joynts yet ought to bee further joynted with other Congregations and not to bee at a distance and stand by themselves as parts of the whole disjoynted from each other which is the posture whereat many desire to stand and is the practise of too many upon severall pretences to the great dishonour of the Gospel in the common profession of Christianitie But how contrary this is unto the true end of the publick worship of God to the calling of the Ministery to the aime of Christ in giving gifts unto men to the perfecting of the Saints and to the edifying of the body of Christ I hope such as are conscionable will bee able to see by that which hath beene hitherto said And although I thinke it needlesse to speake much more of this relation which Ministers ought to maintaine one to another seeing it hath already