make resistance the adversary is not like to prevail and then a threefold cord is not easily broken ver 12. This is the advantage of joint labours which a solitary working is deprived off as this is true in a single person so we may say of single bodies or solitary Churches Wo to the Churches that are alone for if they fall into scandals or divisions there is none to help them but they crumble away to pieces within themselves of which we have too too many sad experiences and if a Church alone would advance any good work it can do it but coldly and without effectuall zeal and this also is no less evident and if any adversary set upon any of them being alone In vita agricelae they may be conquered dum singuli pugnant saith Tacitus universi vincunctur he saith it of the Brittish Cities whil'st every one fights singly all of them are conquered what he said of the Cities we say of the Churches their want of correspondency and communion in their spirituall warfare to join together in the fight for the Faith of the Gospel doth expose them to be conquered by the power of Antichrist and it is observed that Popery never prevailed more since the Reformation then now it doth By all this it is apparent how necessary the Association and Correspondency of Churches is and what danger they put themselves and the whole body of the profession to who love to stand and walk by themselves alone and if it be both good and pleasant for Brethren to dwell together in unity Psal 133. ver 1. and so good that all spirituall graces such as were typified by the anointing of Aaron ver 2. and all temporall plenty such as the dew of Hermon doth bring with it do follow thereupon and if it hath the rich promise of a blessing for evermore to bee commanded there where Brethren dwell together and dwell in unity ver 3. then it will follow undenyably that where they dwell not so together but are dis-jointed and without any mutuall correspondency there can no such blessing be expected which wofull experience doth speak aloud unto us It will be needless to be large upon this theam of solitary walking to shew the inconveniencies that arise thereupon there is none so void of all sense and reason but he doth see and feel the same But if the distance and unacquaintedness of Brethren doth bring such inconveniencies up n them what will their opposition and walking cross to one anothers welfare do Nay what hath it not done already We may truly say that there is nospiritual nor bodily evil befallen to the publick state of Protestants but their cross walking to one another hath either occasioned it or aggravated the will thereof and this is the more to bee lamented and blamed the less cause there is in their profession for such opposite walking for if any will but look upon the rules of that faith and obedience which all parties do professedly own it will seem contrary to all common sense and reason that they should be opposite one to another for it may be wondered at how it falls out amongst intelligent men that their understanding in fundamentall matters of Faith being so fully consonant their affections should be so far dissonant and again in matters of duty their conscience being for the main bound up to one and the same Rule which is the Word of God how they should be at so much division and strife about the application of that Rule unto lesser matters Furthermore it is no small wonder unto me that they having the Oracles of God and therein two Rules of scripturall Interpretation prescribed viz. the Analysis of the Text and the Analogy of Faith that the scholasticall way of handling Evangelicall debates should bee so much in use and that in the debates about the depth of secret and unsearchable mysteries which all sides confess to be such there should be so much Animosity And lastly that where the substance is agreed unto and in the outside of profession onely there is some difference about prudentiall and circumstantiall matters of Order Discipline and Government there should be so little condiscention and mutuall forbearance made use of notwithstanding all the acknowledged precepts and duties of Christian charity and long suffering for mutual edification Now that from this unreasonableness of division and the great want of moderation and discretion in managing the same scandals and offence should infinitely be multiplyed amongst the Churches is no wonder at all for how can it bee otherwise when all charitable thoughts are layd aside and no bowels of compassion by reason of humane frailties entertained but that all manner of provocations to offences will on all hands be both given and taken whence prejudices will continually be more and more heightned and the Spirit of strife wil as we see it doth carry on the parties to imbrace in their opposite courses worldly Interests of a contrary nature that they may cross each others advantages by which means the world takes insensible possession of the hearts of Professors which makes them for the most part mind more the formality of their partiall way then the simplicity of the Gospell and the power of godliness so that the life of the spirit though much pretended unto by some and not altogether unknown to others cannot break through to work any sensible effects of holiness and spirituall edification but all the means thereof and the ways of holy communion being either neglected or obstructed and the prophane world observing our miscarriages the way of Truth and Holinesse is evill spoken of by them and the name of God is blasphemed for our sakes Now to remedy these evills and to draw the Churches to some principle or degree of spirituall unity that the wrath of God may be prevented which may justly suffer us to devour one another till we be consumed one by another or the Candlestick removed from us all let us mind but one Apostolicall rule to be put in practise amongst us whereof the equity is altogether undenyable and there may be yet some hope of our preservation in store This Rule is given to the Philippians to heal the breach which was between the Jews and Gentile Believers about the matter of Circumcision and it is this It ye be otherwise minded God shall reveal even this unto you nevertheless whereto we have attained already Phil. 3.15 16. let us walk by the same rule let us mind the same thing If then we could be so happy as to be able to perswade the Churches to observe this part of the Rule one towards another First namely to bear each with others imperfection in knowledge till God reveal further his Truth and then if in the mean time they would own another in that whereunto they have already attained and therein walk by one Rule and mind the same thing that is intend that good towards others which they would
were his enemies O the depth and hight of thy love What shall we render what can wee return to thee again Shall wee not love thee still shal we not relye upon thy mercy seeing wee know that there is mercy with thee that thou mayst bee feared O then let not our hearts be hardned any more from thy fear but let us now draw neer unto thee upon the account of Jesus Christ who hath loved us and washed us in his own blood let us find access at the throne of Grace to receive not only mercifull forgiveness for what is past but supply of present help in this time of our need Help us to a true Gospell frame and settlement within our selves through love to thee to thy Truth and to each other without partiality Help us to advance thy Kingdom in the Communion of Saints towards all thy Churches abroad whose outward safety is wrapp'd up in our Peace and settlement Help us to mind the oppressed for the Truth 's sake being willing as thou shalt enable us to bear their burdens Help us to mind thy ancient people the seed of Abraham thy friend and the remnant of the Gentiles till the fulness thereof come in Help us to oppose effectually all Tyrannicall and imposing powers and practises of Antichristian subtilty by the lifting up and maintaining of the Standard of Christian liberty and Truth according to the Gospell and to these effects Let the Spirit of wisedom and counsell of strength and courage of all virtue and grace in the fear of thy name rest upon the head and heart of him whom thou hast set over these Nations to govern them in Righteousness Let the same Spirit dwell and preside in the great counsell of these Nations that they may with one shoulder unanimously concur to heal our breaches to join unto thee to settle a lasting Reformation of all our disorders in Judicatures of all publick scandals amongst professors of all defects and corruptions of Piety and Learning in the Seminaries thereof whether in the Universities or in inferiour Schools of common education Let the Magistrates in all places be found faithfull to their trust and the Ministers of thy Word be as thine own mouth to thy people and shining lights before them in the beauty of Holiness Let the Armies by Sea and Land sight always under thy Banner and being faithfull unto thee and thy Cause for the relief of the oppressed go thou before them as their Captain with thy presence and let thy Glory bee their reward And lastly let all the people of these three Nations from Dan to Bersheba be owned by thee as thy people and enjoying thy Ordinances in the Purity thereof the unclean Spirit and those that use a rough garment to deceive the simple may be cast out and Peace and Truth many continue with us so long as the Sun and the Moon shall last Grant according to the riches of thy grace these and all other things subservient thereunto for the sake and in the Name of Jesus Christ thy Son and our Saviour to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be given all praise and glory for ever and ever Amen FINIS A Postscript To the Christian READER TO fill up this Page which otherwise would have been empty I shall impart unto thee an extract out of Sir Edwyn Sands his Book called Europae Speculum or a View of the State of Religion in the western parts of the world page 183 with my observation thereupon He saith thus The end of these unhappy differences in Religi n between the Reformed and Lutheran Protestants will be that their enemies shall laugh when themselves shall have cause to weep unless the graciousness of God stir up some worthy Princes of renown and reputation with both the sides to enterpose their wisedom industry and authority for the uniting of these factions or at least wise for reconciling and composing those differences in some tollerable sort a work of immortall fame and desert and worthy of none other but of them of whom this wicked base world is not worthy Sir Edwyn hath been a true Prophet in this matter the enemies of the Truth have had cause hitherto and have new cause to laught at both our Ecclesiasticall and Civill divisions and to hope thereby for our ruine and I cannot disprove the remedy which he proposes namely that some Princes of power with both sides should interpose either to unite the parties or at least to allay their differences I say this indeavour of Princes is not to be dis-owned onely I would have this caution added that their endeavour in doing this should not be so much Authoritative and Magistraticall as Christian and Evangelicall if then they and their Counsellours could without Politicall ends and Interests in true simplicity and Christian sincerity take the work in hand to follow it as becometh those that serve Jesus Christ in his Gospel-way to lead men to the principle of love of moderation and mutual forbearance there might bee hope by their means to effect somthing in the work But hitherto their interposing hath been very little effectuall because the jealousies of States have been and are such amongst those that manage the affairs of the world that for the least difference upon any circumstantial punctillio of greatness they either fall out or at least break off all concurrence in common designs And if at any time they do concur in settling matters relating to Conscience they then as States mea in Au hority impose them in a way wholly inconsistent with Gospel liberty which can never hold where the light doth more and more break forth For this causeth whole difficultie doth lye in managing the Spirits of men with Christian meekness to gain them to their duty which is First wi lingly to declare that whereunto they have attained and wherein they agree with others Secondly faith fully engage themselves to observe the Rules of inoffensive walking notwithstanding such differences as are exstant among them if these things could be attained not by any command but by a loving perswasion from each party the work might be done both there and here where we have as much need of healing as any where else
profession doth consist in the soundness of the doctrine of Faith and in the holiness of life of the professors Tit. 1.1 3 9. and 2.11 12 13 14. and those that make profession of Christianity are obliged by the speciciall command of God to maintain and advance both these one towards another 1 Pet. 4.10 and towards all men Mat. 5.16 by the Communion of Saints which consists not only in the conjunction of believers to strive together for the Faith of the Gospell Phil. 1.27 Jude 3. But also in a reall endeavour to strive one for another in prayers Ephes 6.18 And by the conjunction or rather communication of their gifts and graces to provoke one another to love and to good works Heb. 10.24 Now such endeavours as these cannot possibly be put forth by any except they maintain some Religious correspondency one with another to that effect therefore such a correspondency is absolutely requisite to be intended and upheld between all the Godly of these Nations and their neighbour professors of the Truth And if we mind it not it is evident that we come short of a Fundamentall duty and fall under the guilt of breaking the Communion of Saints of neglecting the fight for the Faith and of carelesness to provoke one another unto love and good works which God will certainly require at our hands if wee continue so to do having so great cause and so many and fair opportunities to do otherwise 2. The end for which God doth give the gifts and graces of his Spirit unto the Saints is that the members of the Body of Christ should profit thereby one towards another 1 Cor. 12.7 and that they should trade therewith to gain more graces for themselves Luk. 19.12 13. Mat. 25.14 But it is no more possible to do this without maintaining an intercourse of Spirituall Correspondency one with another then it is possible to the dis-jointed members of a naturall body to conveigh blood and nourishment each to other Therefore a course of Religious Correspondency is absolutely necessary for this cause also And if this be not intended God's aim in giving his gifts unto his Saints and Churches is not fulfilled and he will certainly deprive such of the gifts which they have received who continue under the guilt of not making a right use thereof For if the end of God's giving should bee answered by our receiving then wee are bound in Conscience to receive grace onely for the advancement of his Glory 1 Corinth 10.31 and of our mutuall edification 1 Cor. 14.26 and Rom 14.19 and 15.2 And if these two ends are so subordinate one to another that God cannot be glorified otherwise by us then by this that wee bring forth much fruit one towards another John 15.6 for our good cannot reach to him as David saith Psal 16.2 but to the Saints that are in the earth and to the excellent ones in whom ought to be all our delight Ibid. ver 3. then it will follow that the main use of all grace is the improvement thereof towards others But it is not possible to intend this improvement of our goodness towards the Saints for mutuall edification except we use means to know one anothers spirituall condition by some course of spirituall Correspondency Therefore such Correspondency is wholly necessary to be settled and entertained if we will not deprive God of his glory and the Saints of the interest which they should have in us by the right use of our Talents towards them 3. The means by which these ends are to bee attained is to endeavour to keep the Unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace which we are commanded and by many reasons exhorted to do Ephes 4.3 4 5 6. Now this endeavour being the effect immediately flowing from Charity which is the chiefe edifying grace as appeareth by 1 Cor. 8 1 and chap. 13. per tot urn and Ephes 4.15 16. And seeing Charity cannot be maintained nor edification advanced nor the unity of the Spirit upheld except there be an endeavour put forth to take notice of one anothers state therefore a Correspondency for mutuall intelligence in spirituall matters tending to unity and peace in the profession of the Truth is a thing absolutely necessary amongst such as intend sincerely to uphold the Truth of the Gospel-profession or if they intend it not it is evident that they come short of the Fundamentall duty of the life of Christianity by neglecting the means of mutuall edification wherein God is chiefly glorified and such as continue in this neglect and order not their way aright in the profession of the Gospel shall never see the salvation of God Psal 50.23 Of the Second THe present sad condition of the Churches comes under a twofold Consideration the one is in respect of their unacquaintedness with one anothers state the other is in respect of the opposition at which they are to cross one another in their ways If the Protestant Churches though agreeing in the same Faith and in the Rules of order be considered as unacquainted with one another's state and consequently at a distance in their mindes one from another Two evils arise from thence First they not onely make void the Truth of the holy profession by the neglect of the Duties belonging thereunto whereby the name of God is dishonoured their own mutual edification hindered and the glory and comfort of that unity which should be amongst them in the manifestation of love and holiness is darkned But by this means they being at a distance and dis-jointed from each other are void of that care which the members of Jesus Christ should have one of another for their mutuall good and become lyable to all the inconveniencies which are incident unto a solitary condition whereof Solomon gives us briefly the heads Eccl. 4 9 10 11 12. which are the want of help in bad occurrences want of encouragement and counsell in good enterprises and want of defence in cases of opposition Therefore saith he two are better then one for they have a good reward for their labour ver 9. The meaning is for their joining in labour and this good reward is their freedom from the forenamed inconveniencies which one that is alone is subject unto For saith he wo be to him that is alone when he falleth there is none to help him up ver 10. that is if a mischance happen or he lye under it there is none to remove it And again if two lye together they have heat but how can one alone be warm ver 11. If two lay their heads and hearts together in one design to contrive it or put it in execution they will warm one anothers affections and resolutions but one alone can add nothing to his own wisedom courage or strength and then Solomon saith if one prevail against one there are two to withstand him ver 12. That is if an adversary assault one alone he may be overcome but if there be two to
hope that is in us should we not cause our light to shine that others may see it and glorifie our Father which is in heaven what should then hinder a concurrence amongst us to advance the Profession of our unity in Fundamentalls and in the Rules of mutuall edification Verily I am not able to conceive any thing except it be a leaven of jealousie and the animosities which the divided parties aswell for State Interests as other outward concernments have fomented amongst themselves hitherto Now the Lord perswade us to give up our desires to him and teach us to drown all prejudices in his love by subordinating all our private concernments unto the great concerment of the Kingdom of Christ which is Righteousness Peace and joy in the Holy Ghost for he that serveth Christ in these things saith the Apostle is acceptable to God and approved of men Rom. 14 18 19 therefore saith he Let us follow the things which make for Peace and things wherewith one may edifie another I believe that all who are Godly in all the parties are grieved to see the viciousness of the times and indeed who cannot but lament to find that the deliverance and the liberty which the Lord hath miraculously bestowed upon us to the end we should serve him according to our Vows and Promises made in the time of our distress are now turned into Licenciousness so that no where is so much excess of Riot and Wantonness with Pride and Coveteousness with oppression and deceitfulness as here in England where nevertheless the Gospell is more purely and more powerfully preached then in any other Protestant Churches of Europe it is true that the members of the severall Congregations are not guilty of this because their overseers look after them and they are lyable to censure if they misbehave themselvs but these members of Congregations make not up the Body of the Nation and the dissolute unruliness of the common sort and of all that will exempt themselvs from being under any Discipline is without restraint by reason of the scandals of the divisions and distances whereinto professors are fallen So that their want of unity in upholding the ways of Godliness hath opened a door to all disoluteness to break out upon the face of the Nation and it may be truly said but not without grief that if any one abstain but from giving Scandal on the Lord's day he may be in all other things as ungodly and profane as he will Now to remedy the exorbitancy of the disorderly walking of those that belong to no Congregation for whose sake the name of God and the holy profession is evill spoken of amongst the adversaries were it not expedient that the Godly of all parties should agree at least in this amongst themselves to recommend the care of reforming such abuses unto the civill outhority for seeing such as belong to no Congregation but live as Atheists in the World fall under the inspection of those whom God hath intrusted with the Government of State it would be very sutable to the zeal of those that are Godly wise to intreat jointly the authority which God hath established over all the publick concernments of the Nation to Regulate the conversation of such as walk without any controule in all manner of Lascivioness and disorderliness and who knows but that the concurrence of all parties in this desire might by God's blessing give an overture to concur and correspond in other matters also relating to his Kingdom to remove other scandals which break forth amongst the Professors themselves which I hope the Lord wil grant for his name sake therefore shal not cease to pray that the God of our salvation who hath been wonderfull in Counsel and excellent in working for us who hath pluckt us as a brand out of the fire and turned the Counsells of our enemies and Achitophels into foolishness who hath caused light always to shine out of the dark clouds which have covered us who hath brought us by his Almighty arms as upon Eagles wings unto this settlement wherein we are and who hath done all this not for our sakes but for his own Holy name sake that it might not be profaned amongst the Heathen I say my prayer is and shall be that this God of our mercies would pardon all our unthankfulness for the blessings bestowed upon us and that notwithstanding our unworthiness he would graciously perfect the work of Reformation begun which sticks so much upon our hands for he it is alone who can work all our works in us and for us he it is who also will do it O Lord our God are not thy gifts and graces without Repentance art not thou the same from Everlasting to Everlasting and changest not hast thou not in our deepest backsliding when we were even returning into Egypt and when our leaders caused us to erre rescued us out of their hands and set us in a large place as at this day and wilt thou do all this to no other purpose but to destroy us Shall the dead whom thou dost cast off in thy wrath praise thee and when thou hast brought us to the door of a saving Reformation and given us a desire to enter into it wilt thou suffer it to be shut upon us wilt thou suffer the enemy after so many glorious manifestations of thy presence at last to say where is now their God where is he in whom they have trusted Truly we have trusted in thee and still we have none in Heaven but thee and in earth we desire none besides thee there is none else to be trusted into for besides thee there is no Saviour nor refuge in time of trouble But we like Jesurun are grown fat and have kicked we have forsaken the Rock of our salvation we have rebelled and vexed thy Holy Spirit we have forgotten our Vows we have turned thy grace into wantonness the liberty obtained into licentiousness the Gospel of Peace into contenciousness the Truth into formality and the unity of the Spirit into division and singularity Therefore the Interest of thy Kingdom which is our only strength and glory hath been lightly esteemed and neglected self interests have been followed and from thence the fruit of our own animosities strife and envies have overtaken us What shall wee say O Lord our sins do testifie against us wee are ashamed to look up unto heaven and our confusion doth cover us if thou hadst not bestowed the richest of thy graces upon us or if we were ignorant of our duty our guilt would not be so heavy but herein is our sin exceeding sinfull that we do talk of thy Counsell and will more then all the world besides and yet do little or less then any to fulfill it for hitherto all have sought their own and few or none the thing of Jesus Christ fewer do seek him for his own sake only yet be hath sought us and that for our sake even then when we