of these two extreams which disownes visible grace and holiness to be required in persons in order to visible membership or Church-state I shall say no more to that point it being already so largely spoken unto and fully cleared by several of the congregational way and especially that late eminent discoverer of the ancient and infallible bounds of Gods true Church Mr Jo. Cotton in that little Treatise of his besides several others intituled The holiness of Church members for I am far from pressing an unity of Church-state with any that make not visible Grace and holiness the main mark of visible Faith and Church-membership but what union is to be desired and endeavoured with the godly of that judgement I shall give my opinion in its place and shall now chiefly insist upon the second general Position That all true beleevers congregated together and separated from the world and mixt worship to serve the Lord in the beauty of holiness ought to own and esteem one another as true Churches and Saints giving the right hand of fellowship to one another and walking together as children of the same Father Jo. 11.52 Members of the same body Rom. 12.4 5. sheep of the same fold Jo. 10.16 in observance of all those joynt duties required by the Lord at their hands without dividing rending or separating from one another Object The Terms of your Position so generally stated may admit of several constructions and thereby give little light to the cases in controversie though you should prove it if not more particularly explained Answ I shall have occasion to explain the terms in answer to several objections that will arise in the ensuing discourse and therefore for brevitie sake shall pass them by here and shall next proceed to the several sorts of Arguments to prove the Position with Arguments I shall chiefly draw from these seven general heads following First From the visible choice and approbation of God the Father proving that such as the Father hath visibly manifested his choice and approbation of to be his children beleevers ought to chuse and approve of to be their brethren Secondly From the visible choice and approbation of God the Son proving that such as the Lord Jesus Christ hath manifested his choice and approbation of to be members of his visible body and Church on earth all his ought to make choice and approve of to be fellow members with him of the same body Third From the evident choice and approbation of God the holy Ghost proving that such as the spirit hath manifested its visible choice of by the holy inspiration of its quickening and sanctifying Grace beleevers ought to make choice and approve of as such who have an equal right with them to a mutual participation in the priviledges gifts and comforts of the same spirit Fourthly From the choice and approbation of the infallible servants of God his holy Prophets and Apostles c. in all ages proving that such as the infallible servants of God in all ages of his Church have made choice of and approved to be their brethren in the Lord and fellow-members with themselves in Gods visible Church ought to be so approved of and chosen by all his servants to the end of the world Fifthly From the several Similes and Metaphors the Church of God is compared unto in the Scriptures whereby their mutual interest in an union with one another is held forth from thence proving that what unity is required and interest is given to members of the same body branches of the same root sheep of the same fold and under the same Shepherd children of the same Father and fellow-heirs of the same inheritance c. that the same interest is given unto and union required in the several members of Gods Church which is so fitly compared thereto and lively set out thereby Sixthly From the evident sad consequences that attend the Church and people of God though their dividings and separatings from one another and uniting together upon other principles then this of visible grace arguing from thence that such principles and practices as open the door and let in upon the Church of God such destructive uncomfortable consequences should be of all evils laboured against and avoided Seventhly From the evident and unspeakable good both to the outward and inward man the union of Gods Church upon such Gospel lasting principles would be attended with arguing from thence that since the unity of Gods Church upon such a binding and abiding principle as this of visible grace would so exceedingly tend to the unvaluable good thereof it ought to be sought after and prayed for above all things by every true member thereof next to an interest in Christ and visible grace it self Now from the first head viz the visible choice and approbation of God the Father I argue 1. Those whom the Father hath manifested his visible choice and approbation of to be his children 2. Beleevers ought to manifest their choice and approbation of to be their brethren But the Father hath manifested his choice and approbation of all visible beleevers and grations holy persons to be his children Therefore ought Beleevers to choose and approve of such to be their Brethren 1. The Major or first Proposition is evident from the very light of nature and reason yet since prejudice against truth doth ofttimes put out all light I shall add the light of some Scriptures to the clearing up this truth And first that of our Saviour in Matth. 23. verse 8. compared with the 9th Saith the word in verse 8. All ye are Brethren which he proves in verse 9. For one is your Father which is in Heaven and so Heb. 2.11 For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one for which cause he is not ashamed to call them Brethen from which Scripture I gather that the Lord Jesus Christ was not ashamed to own all Saints for Brethren though they were attended with abundance of imperfection and uncomliness unsutatable to his most holy nature and course of life because himself as head and they as members were all of one Father that since his Father was not ashamed to own them all as Sons verse 10. therefore he was not ashamed to own then all as Brethren verse 11. Now it is a sad thing that fellow Brethren who are all subject to like infirmities Jam. 5.17 who do all see but in part and know but in part 1. Cor. 13.9 10 11. should be more high-minded in this case and sooner ashamed of their Brethren upon the account of their infirmities and weakness then their elder Brother who was free from all imperfections and stood in no need of their bearing with him he bore all their sins not onely in the punishment but in the shame of them Heb. 12.2 thereby setting them a pattern to bear the shame of each others infirmities for so argues Paul Rom. 15.1 2 3. We then that are strong ought to bear
much controversy as the former for say some They that are not of a scandalous conversation are of a suitable conversation and if so then many Papists nay Jews Turks and Pagans are of a suitable conversation for abundance of all them are free from scandal in their lives and do walk very unblameably Paul before his conversion was according to the Law blamelesse the Pharises made cleane the outside of the Cup and Platter and therefore sure a Suitable conversation to the Gospel must be more then a meer moral conversation but if all persons of the several perswasions walking by these Rules that admit of so much variousness and uncertainty were put to give their several meanings in these qualifications they would leave the enquirer after truth at a greater uncertainty then they found him But surely the Lord hath not left his People in this great and weighty Case at so evident an uncertainty and therefore to spend no more time in this labyrinth of different Opinions in this Case Let us consider what light the infallible word of the Lord wil afford us therein For as the Lord knows who are his Jo. 10.14 and is known of his Col. 1.10 so hath he left to his Church and people a rule of knowing one another from all the people of the world Psal 4.3 But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself And since the day that the Lord put an enmity betwixt the two seeds Gen. 3.15 there have been visible marks and rules of distinction to know them by After Abels death we read nothing of a visible Church or Gods visible worship upon earth until the dayes of Seth who was given in stead of Abel whom Cain slew and after his posterity began to increase in the earth that is after Enoch was born then began men to call upon the name of the Lord Gen. 24.25 26. in whose seed the Church of God continued until the Flood at which time the Church and people of God polluted themselves and corrupted the holy seed by mixing themselves in marriages with the seed of the world For the Sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair and took them wives of all which they chose at which the Lord was greatly provoked and said My Spirit shall not always strive with flesh Gen. 6.2.3 and after the Flood the holy seed was again revived in Shem Gen. 9.26 27. in whose line the visible Church continued until Abraham's time with whom the Lord again renewed his Covenant and made another separation betwixt the two seeds Gen. 12.2 3. who again reformed and revived the visible worship of God Gen. 12.7.8 Gen. 13.4 After which God did at several times not onely renew his Covenant of Promise but in the seventeenth of Genesis did declare more fully then before the Condition of his Covenant for as before he usually said my Covenant will I keep with thee he here saith my Covenant thou shalt keep with me verses 9 10 11 12 13 14. And God said unto Abraham Thou shalt keep my Covenant therefore thou and thy seed after thee in their generations This is my Covenant which ye shall keep between me and you and thy seed after thee Every man-child among you shall be circumcised And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskins and it shall be a token of the Covenant between me and you And he that is eight dayes old shall be circumcised among you every man child in your generations he that is born in the house or bought with money of any stranger which is not of thy seed He that is born in thy house and he that is bought with thy money must needs be circumcised and my Covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting Covenant And the uncircumcised man-child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised that soul shall be cut off from his people he hath broken my Govenant In which words the Lord doth ordain and establish a new pale or bound to his Church which was never again to be altered for Abrahams seed and circumcision in the type or in the Antitype in the flesh or spirit shall ever continue to be the true bound of Gods Church militant which Covenant we finde was renewed again to Isaac Gen. 26.1 2 3 4. Rom. 9.7 Gal. 4.28 Hebr. 11.1 And after that to Jacob Gen. 28.13 14 15. from whose time this Covenant of distinction was usually repeated to be the Covenant made with Abraham Isaac and Jacob Exod. 2.24 Lev. 26.42 and that for an everlasting Covenant 1 Chron. 16.16 17. compared with the thirty fourth verse Which Rule of Church-membership or visible bound of Gods Church continued in the type unquestionable until the coming of the promised Messiah Luke 1.59 2.21 And therefore the Pharisees in the 8th of John thought they made a good plea to Christ verse 33. We are Abrahams seed and verse 39. Abraham is our Father which our Saviour admits to be true verse 37. I know that ye are Abraham's seed And this priviledge Paul pleaded Rom. 11.1 Hath God cast away his people God forbid for I also am an Israelite of the seed of Abraham And so against those false teachers in the Church of Corinth 2 Cor. 11. Are they Hebrews so am I are they Israelites so am I are they the seed of Abraham so am I By all which and much more of that nature that might be added it is a truth out of controversie that the Condition of the Covenant made with Abraham c. was the standing unalterable bounds of the Church of God until Christ came who did not at all disannul this Covenant as it was a distinguishing Covenant nor alter the least Condition of it but fulfilled it that what our Lord saith of the Law in general may be truly applyed to this particular Think not that I am come to destroy the Law and the Prophets I am not come to destroy but to fulfill for verily I say unto you till heaven and earth pass one jot or one title shall in no wise pass from the Law till all be fulfilled Mat. 5.17 18. And so Paul argues Rom. 3.31 Do we then make void the Law through Faith God forbid we establish the Law So that we must not seek for another Rule to know Gods Church and people by under the Gospel then what was under the Law But to enquire after that Legal Rule Gospelized that what the seed of Abraham and Circumcision under the Law were Types of under the Gospel that must we enquire for and make the same use of the Antitype now which the type then served for Now the seed of Abraham in the Flesh typed out to us the seed of Abraham in the Spirit the Carnal seed under the Law was the type of the Spiritual seed under the Gospel Rom. 4.11 to the end Rom. 9.10 first verses so Gal. 3.14 to to the end concluding with these words if ye be Christs then are ye
the infirmities of the weak and not to please our selves for even Christ pleased not himself but as it is written The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell upon me and that this is not onely a duty but a special duty to all Saints See further Eph. 4.6 1 John 1.3 and 2 13. Mal. 2.10 John 4.21 23. John 6.45 2. For the Minor or second Proposition none can deny that doth not deny the Scripture consider the first Epistle of Iohn 3.1 2. compared with verse 10. Galat. 3.26 27. Isaiah 62.12 Deut. 28.9 Isa 13.3 Act. 20.32 with a multitude of other places it is hard to read a Chapter that affords no evidence to this truth So that I conclude this Argument in every part of it fully cleared I might draw from this head many more Arguments of equal strength as from the Fathers visible Covenant with special promises unto the Saints positive precepts for this union of Saints upon the principle of visible grace c. But I shall leave them to the Readers meditation to enlarge and come to the second head 2. The visible choice and approbation with the personal qualification of God the Son who as he hath set himself a patern of all grace to his people so in an especial manner of this glorious state of Gospel union he became a perfect pattern of holy union by uniting the humane and divine nature in his own person God and Christ and Saints must all be made one in in the mystical union Jo. 17.21 22. which though it cannot be perfected until the state of glory yet it is to be begun imitated and prest after in the state of Grace And therefore God the Father would have but one Son to be his dearly beloved Son Mark 1.11 Luke 7.37 he must have no equal Col. 1.18 nor no partner nor help in his work Isaiah 63.3.5 He must tread the wine-press alone of the people there must be none with him And so Saints must have but one Saviour Acts 4.12 one Redeemer Revel 5.9 one Mediator 1 Tim. 2.5 one Head Ephes 1.22 one Husband 1 Corinth 11.2 one Chief Shepherd John 10.16 one Captain of their Salvation Heb. 2.10 all which lively holds forth to us the unity of Saints and in him alone Christ must not be divided 1. Corinth 1.13 neither in his headship nor in his members but they must grow up into him in all things which is the Head even Christ from whom the whole Body fitly joyned together and compacted by that which every joynt supplyeth according to the effectual working in measure of every part maketh increase of the body to the edifying it self in love Ephes 4.15 16. From whence we may observe what a perfect pattern of union the Lord Jesus Christ is both Head and Body as if not onely the Glory but the very Essence of heavenly things depended on unity And so the main design of Christ in his assuming our nature and doing and suffering all for us was chiefly a work of union and reconciliation Col. 1.20 to reconcile God and man 2 Cor. 5.20 to break down partition walls betwixt Jew and Gentile bond and free Ephes 2.14 16. that in the dispensation of the fulness of time he might gather together in one all things in Christ both which are in heaven and which are on earth even in him Ephes 1.10 And so we finde him in the whole course of his ministry walking by principles of union commanding those duties and commending those Graces most which were the uniting Duties and Graces The first Gospel that was preached on earth was in these words Glory to God in the highest and on earth Peace and good will towards men Luke 2.14 himself is called the Prince of Peace Isa 9.6 7. Heb. 7.2 His Gospel is called the Gospel of Peace Rom. 10.15 Ephes 5.16 his people are called the Sons of Peace Luke 10.6 his wayes are called the wayes of Peace Luke 1.79 And as Peace so Love is held forth in the Gospel of Christ as a Cardinal Grace A new commandment give I unto you that ye Love one another as I have loved you John 13.34 And so we might proceed to the Graces of Humility Meekness Patience Mercifulness c. which are all uniting Graces and by our Lord commended unto us above all Graces they are conditional Graces unto which promises are annexed above all things saith the Apostle put on Charity in the discription of which Grace all these are contained 1 Cor. 13. from all which and indeed from the whole scope and tendency of the Scripture I argue That the duty which is most lively held out unto us by our Paterne and required of us by our Lawgiver the Lord Jesus Christ should be most upon our hearts to imitate and obey him in But the Duty of uniting the Saints to one another next to that of uniting them to himself was the greatest duty held forth by our Lord and Master to us and required by him of us therefor the unity of Saints with one another ought to be most upon our hearts next unto their union with Christ Object But say some we do admit all Christs Members ought to be united together in his worship but the doubt lies who we should own as his members Answ Those whom the Lord Jesus Christ owns as Members of his visible body here on earth ought all to own one another as members of the same body But the Lord Jesus Christ owns all true Beleevers or visible gracious persons to be members of his visible body on earth Ergo All such ought so to own one another 2. Answ Those for whom Christ prayed to the Father that they all might be One as he and the Father were One John 17.11 ought to walk in union one with another But it was for all the Father had then visibly given him verses 6 7 8 9 10 11 12. And that should afterward be converted by their doctrine verses 20 21. for whom he prayed Ergo all such ought to walk together in union We might draw arguments of union from all the Metaphorical relations the Scripture holds forth Christ to stand in to his People as an head Col. 1.18 an husband Isai 54.5 A King Revel 15.3 a Shepheard Psal 23.1 a Root Rom. 11.17 18. the very essence of which relations consists in union and the main end of them in Scripture is to hold forth the necessariness of union in the Church and People of God hut I shall speak to them under another head Arg. 3. From the visible choice and approbation of God the holy Ghost The Spirit of God though it fill all things Eph. 4.10 yet is but one Spirit verses 3 4. the same spirit that fills Christ the head with all fulness Col. 1.19 and 2.9 fills all his members out of the same fulness Eph. 1.23 They all receive out of his fulness grace for grace John 1.16 And as the Spirit of God that fills whole Christ head and members is
but one spirit so the chief business of this own spirit and tendency of its operation is unity Eph. 4.3 And next to that betwixt head and members Christ and Saints it drives on the designe of the Saints union with one another in all truth Eph. 4.13 It can neither be divided nor deceived but must speak the same thing at all times to all persons Heb. 13.8 Men may have different apprehensions and understandings and from the variety in them may put a various interpretation upon the Spirits teaching 1 Cor. 12.3 but yet the spirit remains the same spirit of truth it leadeth into all truth Jo. 16.13 And though this variety be in the spirits operation in the work of illumination and directing the judgement from the variety which is in the capacities and apprehensions of men yet in the more certain properties of the spirits work upon the hearts of Beleevers as in the works of mortification and sanctification c. there is no such variety for though there may be difference of degree yet the least measure of the spirits work in those things bears a divine stamp that fruit of the Spirit which is in all goodness righteousness and truth Eph. 5.9 is of the same nature and complexion in all Saints from whence I argue That the most infallible Rule Saints can walk by in their choice of gospel brethren or Church-members is to follow the tract of the Spirits choyce to choose where it hath chosen before them But the visible tract or evidence of the Spirits choyce is its manifesting its indwelling through its operation in carrying the Soul out to the exercise of Grace Therefore the visible operation of the Spirit of Grace in persons is the most infallible Rule for Beleevers to make their choyce by Object But may some say how shall we know the Spirits operations and thereby its choyce in such a day of delusion as this is when the spirit of Errour that new reigneth hath transformed it self to so neere a likenesse to the Spirit of Christ Answ Whatsoever is held forth to be the visible fruits and effects of the Spirit of grace in the hearts and conversation of Beleevers by the word of truth ought to be admitted by them as sufficient Testimony of the Spirits choice Acts 11.17 But the effects and fruits of the Spirit are clearly testified to be Love Joy Peace Long-suffering Gentleness Goodness Faith Meekness and Temperance Gal. 5.22.23 Therefore such persons whom the Spirit of the Lotd hath so qualified ought to be admitted and owned by Beleevers as such of whom the Spirit hath manifested its choyce For what may be further objected against this Argument from the various understandings and different minds of several visible gracious persons and from the grosse Errours held by several persons seemingly gracious and spirituall I shall have occasion to speak to when I come to answer to such general Objections as will include many of those particular Objections that might be made against every Argument I might add many Arguments more drawn from the fruits of the Spirits choyce But let all that long for the union of Saints first resolve to make the Spirits choice theirs and then they shall hardly read a Scripture but will afford them some Characters of the Spirits choyce for our heavenly Father hath not a Child nor our chief Shepheard a Sheep that are visibly such but his holy Spirit hath set his seal on them either lesse or more visible 2 Cor. 1.22 Eph. 1.13 4.30 Therefore I shall conclude this head with one Argument more and leave the remain to the Readers meditation That qualification or State which gives us free access to and acceptance with the Father Eph. 2.18 1.6 by which we are made his adopted Sons Rom. 8.15 unto which he hath annexed the performances of his preitious promises 2 Peter 1.4 wherein he seeks and desires us to worship him Joh. 4.23 by which we are joyned unto the same body of which Jesus Christ is the head 1 Cor. 12.13 and whereby we are made partakers of the same grace 1 Col. 12. heirs with him of the same Kingdom James 2.5 or inheritance Eph. 1.11 14. and partakers with him of the same glory in heaven Col. 1.27 3.4 nay wherein the perfection of shall be their State in glory John 17.23 24 Eph 4.13 when all other qualifications and additional rules of distinction shall cease 1 Cor. 13.8 10. is doubtlesse the most infallible rule and qualification for Gods Church and People to owne and joyn with one another in the worship and service of God by But the qualification that gives us right unto interest in all the former particulars is a participation of a spiritual work of grace upon the heart as the Srciptures annexed with abundance more that might be added do sufficiently evidence Therefore it is the most infallible rule for Gods Churches and People to make choice of Church-members and Gospel Brethren by The fourth General head from which we shall argue is the choice and approbation of the infallible servants of God in all ages whose fellowship and communion with persons as Gods Church and People is recorded for our Example in Scriptures who in their several generations and ages of the Church they lived in made this duty of preserving the Churches union and peace within it self the great and weighty duty unto which most other dutyes when they come in competition must give place unto And they did always make the declared visible choice of God their choice For those whom God had chosen to be his people by his visible Covenant with an especial grace unto they owned to be their brethren and fellow members in his Church excluding none of them nor admiting no other which point I suppose hath been sufficiently proved in my discourse of the true Church-bounds That until I meet with one instance at least out of Gods word of a person or persons visible which in those Church-bounds before mentioned viz. Abrahams seed Circumcision in the type Antitype was kept out or not esteemed one of Gods Church not scandalous or unexcommunicated I shall for bear further speaking to that And shall chiefly from this head insist to observe the weight that the holy servants of God in all ages have laid upon the Churches peace and unity When the Church consisted of Jacobs family how carefull was Joseph to preserve union among his Brethren though they had little deserved it at his hands yet the great and chief charge he layeth upon them is see that you fall not out by the way Gen. 4.5.24 So Moses reproves his Brethren the Hebrewes for striving one with another Exod. 2.13 in in these words as Stephen quotes it Acts 7.26 Sirs ye are Brethren why do ye wrong one another So for the Divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart Judges 5.15 16. So David Behold how good and how pleasant a thing it is for Brethren to dwell together
Doctrine and holy example to convince them of their errors and withall presseth them to unity and warns them against their divisions as the worst of their errors as it is evident from those Scriptures quoted From whence I argue That if the Apostles and infallible penmen of Scriptures who were able to judge of matters of controversie without mistake did for the Churches peace sake permit persons holding and maintaining many great and dangerous errors to abide in the Church and there own them as fellow-Brethren whilest they manifested visible sanctitie in the main and retained the substance of true Faith and that in the most pure time of the Church when the erroneous persons could not receive those errors by tradition and education from Christian Ancestors or Teachers Then much more ought the Ministers of the Gospel and with them all Gods people now being themselves fallible in judgement and exceedingly disagreeing among themselves about the points in controversie even the able and gracious of them and especially considering the time we live in is but the dawning of the day of Gospel light and knowledge out of a long dark night of Antichristian error and pollution through which many of themselves not long since were groping in the dark about several Gospel truths in which the light of Christ hath since more fully informed them to walk towards one another with all tenderness and charity putting in practice that rule of forbearing one another in love Ephes 4.2 And thereby endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace verse 3. But it is evident the Apostle and holy Pen-men of Scripture did so walk in like cases when there was not the like Reason Therefore Gods Ministers and people ought so to walk now Object 2. Then you are for the permitting of all Errors in the Church for if we must not separate from Errors of this nature what shall we separate from Answ To make a particular discrimination by name of all Errors or to determine the degree of any particular Errors that shall render the erroneous person incommunicable is too hard a task for me to undertake I shall onely propose some general Rules and Cases which the Scriptures seems to countenance and shall submit them to the judgement of judicious Christians First That Churches and Beleevers ought to withdraw from and deny Communion with all such who though they profess the true form of godliness yet deny the power of it Secondly From such who though they make a profession of the power as well as the form of Religion by holding regeneration and visible grace to be necessary qualifications for visible members of Gospel Churches yet when they are so corrupt in judgement that their Errors are first contrary to godliness or secondly inconsistent with true Grace or thirdly destroy the foundation Doctrine of Salvation they ought to be withdrawn from For the first By persons denying the power of godliness I mean such who though professing of and practising the true external Acts of Gods worship as they may be generally professed and practised by the generality of sound Christians yet in their declared principles and conversation disown the inward life and power of it exprest by the visible effects of true Grace as the work of regeneration and being born again Jo 3.3 with all other visible signes of Repentance from dead Works and Faith towards God as Hebr. 6.1 to be necessary qualifications for Gospel-fellowship which may be discerned either by their palpable ignorance as Nicodemus Joh. 3.4 or otherwise by their apparent enmity to or scorn of gracious qualifications in others by deriding the godly as holy brethren and sisters or by the scorning the spirit in its gifts and graces in the Saints Now such though they may profess the form do visibly deny the power of godliness from whom we have an express rule to withdraw 2 Tim. 3.5 From such turn away and from such doubtless the Apostle presseth the Corinthians to separate themselves 2 Cor. 6.14 15 16 17. Be ye not unequally â—â—aked together with unbeleevers for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness and what commmunion hath light with darkness And what concerd hath Christ with Belial or what part hath he that beleeveth with an Infidel And what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols for ye are the Temple of the living God as God hath said I will dwell in them and walk in them and I will be their God and they shall be my people Wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you 2. Second sort of persons that the Scripture is clear the Churches and Servants of God are to separate from is from persons holding opinions or living in Practises contrary to Godliness I mean such opinions as tends to a denying of God to be a patterne of Life in his revealed communicable qualities manifested by his word and by the Life of Christ who was the express Image of his Father Heb. 1.3 and the lives of his holy Prophets and Apostles concerning which Paul to Timothy gives an express command 1 Tim 6.3 If any man teach otherwise and consent not to wholesom words even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the doctrine which is according to Godliness c. from such withdraw thy self and further in the first Chapter and 1 verse But thou oh man of God flie these things and follow after Righteousness Godliness c. Nay the same Apostle to Titus makes this the distinguishing Character of the true faith Titus 1.1 Paul a Servant of God according to the faith of Gods Elect and the truth which is according to Godliness So in Titus 2.11 12 verses for the grace of God which bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present World and by well considering the scope of those three short Epistles you may plainly observe what the Apostles meaning was by doctrines according to Godliness in all persons of what State of condition soever as in People towards Magistrates 1 Tim 2.1 2 3. Titus 3.1 In Ministers in their places Chap. 3. Chap. 4.6.12 vers 2 Tim. 2.15.24 Chap. 4.2 Titus 1.6 7 8 9. in private Christians towards their Ministers Chap. 5.1 17 18 19. In Servants towards Masters Chap. 6.1 2. Titus 2.9.10 In rich toward the poor Chapter 6.17 18 19 verses In aged men Titus 2 2. In aged women Titus 2 3 4. In young women Titus 2.4 5. In young men vers 6. Teaching us by all those Scriptures with all other of like tendency in the Word of God that then are Opinions to be esteemed contrary to the truth which is according to Godliness when they tend to break the Bonds of natural and Civil relations and to slight the duties of them and fill the Heads and minds of Christians with loose
As in the former Cases so in this there must be a great deal of regard had to the disposition of mind and nature of the Principles from which such persons dissent or oppose for that may much aggravate or extenuate their evill and thereby much differ the Rule of your walking towards them for if such opposition or dissent proceed from that common Principle and Spirit of opposition and contempt which generally the Popish and Prelatical people walk in against holy qualifications and purity of worship prest after by the Godly then to walk towards them as persons holding only the form of Religion but denying the power of it but if such dissent or opposition proceed from a conscientious mind charitably disposed towards the godly thus walking only differing in judgment as to the Rules of Church-membership then such a conscientious dissent and charitable mind on the one hand requires a suitable deportment on the other then though you ought not to own them nor joyne with them in an union of Church-state in regard their Principles and practices may wast the visible bounds of Christs Church viz. Regeneration and Sanctifying faith yet to walk towards them with all Christian tenderness and charitable respect owning what is good in them as well as rejecting what is evill that though you cannot own them in the state in which they stand as true Gospel Churches in regard the Principle by which they walk opens the door to all materiall pollution and the body of the matter of which they are built are not living stones yet you may own their persons whiles in that State as Gospel brethren and perform towards them all dutyes of Gospel brotherhood which they are capable as particular Christians to receive and are willing to accept of at your hands and such of them as the Lord hath by his Providence called by his graces spiritual gifts qualified for the work of the ministry they making it their maine business to convert Souls to Christ and to press their hearers to sanctification and Godly life they ought doubtles to be highly esteemed for their works saâ—â— and to be frequently prayed for that God would give them utterance that they may open their mouths boldly to make known the mystery of the Gospel as in Eph. 6.19 and the success of their labours to be as much prized and thanks to be as duly returned to the Lord for it as for the success of those in Gospel Order herein Christ set us an example Mark 9.39 shewing this reason for it he that is not against us is on our part verse 40. And so Paul though some preached Christ of envy and contention Phil. 1.15.16 yet saith he what then notwithstanding every way whether in pretence or truth Christ is preached and I do therein rejoyce yea and will rejoyce therein verse 18. so that I do judge though there cannot be an union of Church State with such yet there ought to be a tender and charitable deportment towards such as visible Saints and Gospel Brethren Object But there are many who will be excluded amongst the number of common professors that though there be nothing appearing in them that evidences a work of grace or true conversion yet they are not prophane scandalous persons nor despisers nor raylers at Godliness but seem to be sensible of their own ignorance and desirous to be further informed in the power and mystery of the Gospel Now how ought we to walk towards such must we esteem them as Idolaters or Heathens because they are not visible Converts and walk in a false way of worship Answ As I do judge the grace of Christ in Saints where it hath its kindly work dos naturally tend to humble lay low Saints in their own eyes and makes them vile in their own sight so it doth as naturally tend to work in them a tender heart and charitable affections towards all others in whom the least appearance of love to Christ is found rather directing them to erre in matters in the least doubtfull in charity then in Severity for that great Gospel grace of Charity which the Scripture so much magnifies and gives the preheminence above all other graces unto 1 Cor. 13. is only then usefull when the case is doubtfull for where certain evidences of things are there needs not Charity to Chancellorize for then our understanding and judgment of themselves are able to determine which being defective and subject to erre in doubtful cases the Lord hath provided Charity to be Chancellor in the Conscience whose business is when the severity of a rule tends to oppress to moderate and prefer mercy and equity before severity and exactness of rule therefore wherein the case may be in any measure doubtful Charity must then supply the defect of visible evidences at least to suspend thy judgement on the severe hand And therefore I answer you ought not to esteem them either Heathens or Idolaters but Christians though their conditions were much more doubtfull then the qualification in your objection states them to be for I do judge a sense of ignorance with a sincere desire after further knowledge in the mystery of the Gospel are if not signes of the new birth yet evident signes of spiritual pangs that prepare for it and ought instead of being so vilified and slighted to be taken into the Churches care and watch who is in that case to perform the part of a compassionate tender and spiritual midwife by using all means to encourage strengthen and comfort such soules lest there shall want strength to bring forth yet not administer the Seals until there be Evidence of a new Creature for first God must subscribe the evidence you must be able to read his hand in a visible work of grace before you ought to apply his Seals which are to be a visible confirmation of the new Covenant agreement between God and the soul. But doubtless not only in these cases but towards all professing Christianity Gods people ought to demeane themselves with all tenderness and respect and avoid all provoking and harsh carriage either in word or deed that shall tend to the hardning and incensing of them against the precious wayes of God and to shew out of a good conversation their workes with meekness of wisedome Paul fearing the spirits of the Saints in this case exhorts the Collossians to walke in wisdome towards them that are without and that their speech should be alwaies with grace seasoned with salt that they might know how they ought to answer every man Chap. 4 5 6. And so to the Thessalonians studdy to be quiet and to do your own business c. that ye may walke honesty towards them that are without c. 1 Thes 4.11.12 But if Christians were more exercised in considering the riches and freeness of Gods Grace to their poore souls and of their own vileness and unworthiness of the least part thereof if they would more look unto the Rock