are bound to become one body and consequently to bee united together as members one of another Ephes 4.4 5 6. There is one body and one Spirit one hope of your calling one Lord one Faith one Baptisme one God and Father of all If all these are one and the same in and to all beleevers then all beleevers are united unto each other by them and woe bee to such that by their divisions give the world cause to beleeve that there is not one body but many nor one spirit but many nor one hope nor one Lord nor one Faith nor one Baptisme but many nor one God but many Gal. 4.26 Jerusalem which is above is free the mother of us all If we are of one Father and Mother then undeniably Brethren to each other Phil. 2.1 2. If there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the Spirit if any bowels of mercies fulfill yee my joy that ye bee like minded having the same love being of one accord of one mind Ergo such as are in Christ and made partakers of the same spirit are bound to have fellowship one with another and in their fellowship to impart to each other matters of full joy by mutuall consolation and comfort by mutuall bowels and mercies and to bee able to doe all this they must studie unitie amongst themselves in the same mind and in the same love Phil. 3.16 Whereunto wee have attained already let us walke by the same rule let us mind the same thing Ergo Brethren though not agreed in all things yet are bound to professe so farre as they are agreed Ephes 4.1 2 3. Walke worthy of the vocation wherewith yee are called with all lowlinesse and meeknesse with long suffering forbearing one another in love endeavouring to keepe the unitie of the spirit in the bond of peace Ergo it is a part of our calling wherewith wee are called to practise mutuall Forbearance to the end that Unitie and peace may bee preserved and such as mind not the dutie of Forbearance have therein renounced their calling 1. Pet. 1.22 Seeing you have purified your soules in obeying the Truth through the Spirit unto unfained love of the Brethren see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently Ergo one of the ends for which the Spirit is given to make us obedient to the Truth for the sanctification of our soules is this that we should affectionately expresse our love unto the Brethren In these places wee see what the ground of the Law of Brotherhood is amongst true Christians and what the duties thereof are But if neither this Law nor the duties thereof bee at all regarded by those that pretend to bee the chief of Christians is it not either a testimony against them that they indeed are not what they pretend to be true and faithfull Ministers of the Gospel of peace or if they needs will be counted such is it not then before the world a testimony against the Gospel it self and Christianitie that it is not amongst us what it is said to bee viz. the way of true love and peace Therefore the great Character of true Christians is to bee laid to heart seriously in these times of universall strife wherein all pretend more then others unto Christ namely this which Christ hath given us himself Joh. 13.35 Hereby shall all men know that yee are my Disciples if ye have love one to another From whence must needs follow that if yee have no love one to another by this all men shall know that ye are not his Disciples Therefore let us not deceive our selves it is not the bare dogmaticall knowing of the truth that will approve us to be Christs Disciples there must bee a reall practise of it and this practise is nothing else but to walke in love as Christ hath loved us Ephes 5 1 2. For herein wee shall approve our selves to be deare children and followers of God because the new commandements which Christ hath given us John 13.34 is this That yee love one another as I have loved you that yee also love one another And John his beloved Disciple tells us that wee know that wee have passed from death unto life because wee love the Brethren 1 John 3.14 from whence hee doth in the same place inferre this consequence hee that loveth not his brother abideth in death Let therefore no man flatter himselfe with a vaine shew of the Truth of Christianitie this is an infallible Rule None is a Christian indeed and truth but hee that loveth the Brethren If then we can make it appeare that the Ministers of this kingdome are to esteeme one another truely Brethren because fully united unto Christ and that by the Law of Christian Brotherhood they are bound to make profession of that unitie and to behave themselves one towards another as it becommeth the Brethren of Jesus Christ and the brethren of each other in Christ if I say wee can make these things appeare to bee an undoubted dutie then wee may hope that on the one hand such as pretend to be Christians and yet minde not at all this distinguishing dutie but continuing to walke offensively in strife with every one dishonour their profession will bee discovered to bee voyd of truth and on the other hand such as are sincere will hee stirred up to shew themselves zealous in the way of Truth for the effectuall performance of the duties of Brotherly Unitie and Forbearance towards all those whom they are bound to acknowledge to belong to Jesus Christ no lesse themselves CHAP. III. Of the second Assertion Concerning the Termes of Vnitie and Forbearance in generall BY Vnitie wee meane the concurrence of mens judgments affections and actions about the same thing in one and the same way and for the same end By Forbearance wee meane the refraining from uncharitable and unkindly affections and behaviours towards another in some things although there bee some difference between us and him in judgement and in the way of acting about these things By the termes of Vnitie and Forbearance wee understand all those things which determine the judgement and conscience of a Christian to the profession and practise of these duties as hee oweth them unto Christ and his members As then the profession and practise of Vnitie is grounded upon the Law of Brotherhood according to that of Abraham unto Lot Gen. 13.8 Let there be nostrife between me and thee I pray thee for wee bee Brethren So the profession and practise of Forbearance must bee grounded upon the Termes of some Unitie for where there is no Unitie at all if ever the disunited parties come within the reach of one another there no Forbearance can be expected but where there is some Unitie because there also will be some concurrence therefore there will needs follow thereupon some restraint of strife which is a Forbearance for the affections of men are to bee answerable to the
walke by dividing Principles rather then by the spirit of Unitie in the Gospel of Peace may have cause to reflect upon themselves to consider seriously of the errour of their way and shape their course otherwise then hitherto they have done lest happily they bee found guilty of that contentiousnesse and disobedience unto the Truth whereunto the Apostle hath sadly threatned a heavie judgement of wrath and indignation of Anguish and Tribulation in the Epistle to the Rom. Cap. 2. v. 8 9. from which I beseech the Lord to grant unto us all the seale of our deliverance and the effect all evidences thereof in a conversation which is holy and blamelesse in love CHAP. V. Concerning the particular termes of Vnitie whereunto the Ministers of this kingdome have attained in the doctrine of Faith and in their relation to Christ and his Church FOrasmuch as I am very confident that the Ministers of both sides are fully convicted of each others Orthodoxy in all those Truths which containe not onely the substance and Fundamentals of Christianitie but also all profitable matters unto edification therefore I shall assert the sulnesse and satisfactorinesse of this Unitie briefly in a few propositions which I am sure doe containe much more as to the agreement in doctrinals and no lesse as to the agreement in their relation unto Christ and his Church then is requisite to make up a Brotherly Vnitie First then it is undeniably evident that they all acknowledge and receive the same holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to bee the onely Word of God outwardly given both to the Church in generall and to all men in particular as the onely rule of Faith and Obedience which in it selfe and to all beleevers is cleer and sufficient for the attainement of salvation and for their direction in all good workes Secondly they all agree that in doubtfull places of Scripture the Interpretation thereof is to bee taken from the undoubted analogie that is the proportion of Faith which is in other â—â—eer places of Scripture and from the right Analysis that is the resolution or division of the context of the same place Thirdly it is evident that they all beleeve unanimoufly that in these holy Scriptures is revealed unto us that there are three bearing witnesse in beaven the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost and that these three are one and the onely true and living God of whom the true knowledge is life eternall Fourthly they all agree to professe and teach that wee have hope to bee justified and saved by Faith onely in God through Iesus Christ alone who according to the Scriptures is the Messias promised to the Fathers and sent into the world and who being the onely begotten Sonne of the Father from eternitie was in time made flesh a true man like unto us sinne excepted in all things and be comming a Mediator between God and us suffered our punishment and paid the ransome for our sinnes to satisfie Gods justice and doth still make intercession for us in heaven Fifthly they all agree fully in this That there hath been alwayes that now there is and ever shall bee unto the end of the world amongst men a true Church wherein God is worshipped according to his will in spirit and truth by the Ordinances of his owne appointment That unto this Church the promises of perpetuall assistance by the spirit and word of protection against the gates of hell and of remission of sinnes are made in and through the Covenant of grace and that such as live in this Covenant the life of 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 univerfall 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 assente unto is not all that is requisite to make up 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 satis factory unitie 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 fundamentall 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
out and set on foot the meanes of brotherly unitie and amiable concurrence in carrying on the worke of our present Reformation But without effect left off What the particular causes are wherefore the motions then made were not effectuall and the conferences of this kind have since beene left off I shall not at all mention for you know them well enough and wee all have just cause to mourne for this that in our outward profession of the Gospell there is so little true spirituall zeale for necessary duties of Communion and so much for private concernments and that our disease if wee continue long in these distempers is like to prove remedilesse As for me although I cannot but lay this sadly to heart yet I doe not suffer the discouragements which cause most men despaire to worke upon my spirit any fainting impressions but have rather given way to a charitable inclination which I love to entertaine within my self which is to hope for a possibilitie of our reconcilement notwithstanding all the backwardnesse which is apparent in the leading men of both side I have I say kept up my spirits in a resolution to proceed in these motions partly upon this hope partly upon other principles The false Principles of some men in spirituall enterprises then I perceive most men doe walke by for most men move onely as they finde cause by outward appearances to expect the successe of their enterprises and some are so very tender of their repute of being engaged that except they bee sure of gaining what they pretend to seeke they will not hazzard their labour nor seeme forward in any thing although in it self never so answerable unto the way of God in the Gospell But I have beene otherwise taught to look upon my self I shall never value my credit amongst men or my paines above my duty I shall never bee afraid to be counted a foole to the prudent of this age and to lose my labour for the Gospels sake Hee that cannot freely venture the reputation of his prudencie upon the ground of a dutie without consulting the appearances of flesh and blood is not yet instructed to walke by Faith and above sense and hee that is not willing to serve Christ without successe is not worthy to bee imployed by him Therefore I conceive that in this businesse of seeking peace and ensuing it which God doth command me to doe Psal 34.14 and of maintaining peace if it bee possible and as much as in me lyeth which in like manner is commanded Rom. 12.18 I say in this businesse thus injoyned and bound upon my conscience I conceive that I owe to God an implicit obedience What the resolution ought to be of him that seeketh peace according to Gods will that is to say an obedientiall resolution and an attempt to doe what I can towards the effect although I see no appearance of successe for he that commands me to hunt peace doth presuppose that it will flee from me and when it is fled hee that doth bid me overtake it and if I overtake it to hold it fast if it bee possible and as much as in me lyeth doth not therefore give me any assurance that I shall overtake it and bee able to hold it but this onely hee requireth that I should do my utmost endeavors Now if I demurre upon the matter and will not do this except I can perceive that I shall bee able to doe it What the lets of such a resolution are as I pretend for my credit in this case I serve not the will of him that commands me but mine owne for I walke not in the obedience of Faith but in the dictates of my phansie for now I leane to mine owne understanding and suffer the pride of my heart to bee my counsellour which being unwilling to be foiled in any undertaking doth make me quit the worke because I thinke I shall not have the credit of it But if for some other reasons I demurre upon the dutie and suspend mine action as perhaps because I see not I can gaine this or that benefit by it or because I thinke it not seasonable to appeare till matters of State bee so and so contrived that such and such a businesse may come in at such a time for such a designe c. although in matters meerely humane arbitrary and externall I doe not blame this prudentiall contrivance yet I say if any such consideration should byas my resolution towards the performance of that which in it self is a dutie and of a spirituall nature as I feare it doth with many then I walke no more by the grace of God in simplicitie but by the wisedome of men in the world then my aime is not to serve Christ but rather to make use of Christ and his kingdome and of my interest in the work of the Gospel to serve either mine own turne or the turnes of other earthly men out of it and if I doe so it is clear that I doe the worke of the Lord deceitfully and the reward of an hypocrite will be given to me Upon these grounds I have laid aside all such hidden things of darknesse which I have seen sway with some in the works of this nature and therefore I am perswaded I have herein a good conscience towards God which doth give mee confidence to cast my selfe upon him hoping for a blessing upon these endeavours because I looke to nothing but the doing of his will therein Motives disswading the publication of the ensuing Treatie Although then I may ingenuously confesse that I cannot rationally foresee as the times now are and as most men stand affected to each other that these motions will bee entertained for they will sute no ends of parties but am rather apt to conceive that some who thinke themselves wise will laugh at mee and at this discourse that most will not relish the motions as being somewhat out of the common way that many will mistake my meaning misconstrue my aime and fall foul upon me perhaps for what they have misconstrued and mistaken And finally that few or none that seeme to bee Pillars will heartily joyne and help to advance either these or other impartiall wayes of peace I say although this may bee confessed Motives inducing thereunto yet I cannot forbeare to offer these thoughts unto you both that I may discharge my conscience towards God in the vow which I have made to prosecute Peace and Truth by walking in the light whatsoever some may or doe thinke of mee and also that they may stand not onely for mee as a witnesse that I have sought without partialitie the wayes as well of Truth as of Peace amongst Brethren but also rise up in judgement if you thinke good to publish them against those who for wordly ends and selfe will lest they should seeme to lose ground keep us at a distance and making our divisions irreconciliable weaken our hands in the
unitie of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man through love whose imperfection in love is such that they doe value no common relations unto Christ and his service further then these set up some private interests nor do mind the unitie of the spirit through the love of Christ which is common unto all so much as to entertain either commembership or ministeriall fellowship or true Gospel-work-acquaintance with any that are not either setled in the circumstantiall courses of their way or willing to come up unto them therein Wee see then upon these grounds that except this neglect of dutie be reformed and the true end of the Ministeriall work without humane aimes be heartily entertained by those to whom it is intrusted the effects thereof will never prosper in their hands but Satan as hitherto he hath done since they were divided will continually prevaile against them all till hee hath brought them unto finall destruction and irrecoverable desolation This then is the danger whereinto wee are fallen and to lay this to heart is that matter of absolute necessitie which by all should be apprehended but chiefly by those that are called to the Ministery that they in doing their principall dutie which is to studie unitie in the truth in Christianity may uphold the holy profession and thereby intend their mutuall preservation For without all doubt their very being in this kingdome if they take not this course will be very shortly in a most desperat condition because as it is undeniably apparent that hitherto nothing but their own disunion about matters extrafundamentall hath made Satan and their enemies to prevaile against them The application to exhort to unitie So it is cleerly manifest that henceforth nothing but their mutuall union will bee effectuall to maintain what they yet hold or restore what they have lost in the minds of men and of their standing in the profession hee then that doth decline to concurre in the wayes of spirituall unitie with those that offer and sue for the same unto him and being convicted of this danger doth not endeavour to prevent it shall bee found guilty of all the evils that follow upon our breaches of all the ruine that befalleth unto these Churches of all the confusions that from thence arise unto the Commonwealth of all the dishonor done to the name of Christ for want of order in his house and of all the shame and reproach which this Nation is either now aspersed withall abroad amongst their Neighbours or will in after ages cleave unto it If then there is any love to the Fundamentall truths of the Gospel if there is any zeale for righteousnesse and against damnable heresies if there is any just hatred due to Blasphemies and to the wayes of profanenesse and licenciousnesse whereby the kingdome of Satan is erected and setled upon the ruines of Christs kingdome 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 failing in the Ministery yet it is farre from mee to thinke A doubt answered concerning the office of the Ministery 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 away Rom. 3.4 Matth. 24.35 Matth. 16.16 17 18 19. 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
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 Ephes 6 1â— the Prince of wickednesse in heavenly 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 lie against the truth Iam. 3.14 15.16 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 which is in love with Christ doth seeke to find him out Cant. 1.7.8 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 aimed 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 transgreseth 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 17.23 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 Acts 6.4 the 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. from Vers 11. till 17. where I observe that all the gifts and Offices which Christ hath given to his Church Ephes 4. Vers 11. 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 in perfecting the Saints and in building up the body of Christ Vers 12. 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
follow that which is good hath not yet applyed himself unto the dutie but I am obliged to goe before him in the way thereof and therefore I must expresse my love to him first although hee hath not done his dutie to mee If then I would have another to trust me it is cleere by this rule that I must first shew that I doe trust him but if I shew not this then I provoke him to the contrary namely not to trust mee And if but the Law which the Gentiles by common nature knew were heeded in this case it would take away the causes of our differences and jealousies and teach us to follow that which is good Quod tibifieri non vis alteri ne feceris What thou wouldest not have done to thy self doe not thou to any Is it that thou wouldest not have any feare thee or suspect thee or arme himselfe against thee then doe not thou feare and suspect him or arme thy selfe against him Wouldst thou not have all thy faults ript up and all advantages taken against thee to bring thee into discredit then rip not up the faults of others and take no advantages against them to discredit them Wouldst thou not be judged condemned and disarmed doe not judge condemne and endeavour to disarme others For with what judgement thou judgest Matth. 7.2 thou shalt be judged and with what measure thou dost mete it shall bee measured unto thee againe and if thou wilt disarme others and keepe them as captives under thy power Rev. 13.10 Esa 33.1 thou must expect to bee disarmed and led captive under the power of others for God doth render to every one according to his workes Wilt thou then follow that which is good doe not make thy selfe terrible unto any because thou wouldest have none to be terrible unto thee cure thine owne distempers meane well towards others and as thou hast opportunitie make the power which thou hast in thine hand serviceable unto others for good for hee that hath power to doe good to those that are under his power and doth it not is foolish and weake and by not using his power to the end for which it is given doth overthrow himselfe by it Summisque negatum stare diu things at the height stand not long Therefore if a man hath not learned of Christ to deny himselfe in the use of his power hee must fall under the weight of it now the weight of it is nothing else but the jealousie of State which it begets in others that are equalls or inferiors I have done with the causes hindering others to confide in us 2. The way to finde out such as we ought to deale withall is The second thing to bee considered is How wee shall finde out those that are fittest to entertaine and receive the good which wee doe follow and in case of aversion from us how to make them susceptible of better impressions For to conquer the world it is not enough to meane well and to doe that which in it selfe is good but the good which is done must bee well placed also A good seed should be sowen in fruitfull ground else how will it multiply Now to doe this let me offer these thoughts 1. To free our selves from prejudice towards all 1 No man is able exactly to discerne his owne farre lesse other mens hearts our prejudicate opinions deceive us no where more then in the thoughts of persons the imaginations which wee frame to our selves of others and of their principles insnare our affections and shut us up from that freedome of spirit towards them which might bee a meanes either to gaine or to discover them to us for they byas our proceedings and corrupt that ingenuitie without which wee are darkned and neither can discerne others nor be discerned by them in truth For when wee apply our selves to one this way and to another that way and doe not walke equally by the plain Rule of the new creature towards all wee must needs be intangled and lose our strength which is upheld by nothing so much as by that plainnesse wherein it is alwayes like it selfe Our various presumptions of men and of their different designes cause us to be with child and when they have put us in pain they make us bring forth as it were wind nor can wee at all worke any deliverance in the earth by them to our selves or others because we bring nothing but earthly wisedome with us to subdue the spirits of men before which the inhabitants of the world will never fall Therefore if wee would seeke out and find those that are fit to receive the good which wee would offer to them let us never take upon us to judge determinately of any man this or that way according to appearances but leaving him to God and himselfe let us judge righteous judgement as wee desire others to judge and presume of us by the Rules of Charity so let us apply our thoughts unto them for this will keep us in a frame of freedome within our selves and ingenuity towards them without which no safe addresse can bee made unto any 2. To addresse our selves to all by one rule observe by whom the good which is offered is resented 2 To discover then such as are capable of the good which wee doe follow wee must addresse our selves unto all alike by one and the same Rule of sincerity and truth and where wee finde that the good which wee have prosecuted is resented there we should apply our selves more particularly to multiply the manifestation thereof unto them and to fix more deeply the sense thereof into their apprehensions For where wee see that God doth cause the seed which is sowen to take root there wee may hope that being watered it will fructifie by his blessing 3. To make a more speciall application to those that are of note 3 And although our addresses should bee thus towards all yet this must not hinder a more speciall application of our selfe to some who are likely to bee more capable then others of good motions such then as are of good report for piety and parts such as are noted for temper and moderation from humane passions and such as are apparently zealous for the workes of Reformation ought to bee lookt upon with a speciall eye and sought out They ought to be dealt withall more plainly and more fully for the setting of their judgements aright and the clearing of doubts which they may have concerning our wayes and principles and then wee ought also to put an edge upon their affections to concurre with us towards a progresse in publike workes that the righteousnesse which doth reach alike unto the edification of all may bee advanced for the compleating of the work of our reformation 4. Not to bee much swayed with good or evill reports concerning any but to measure all by the true standard the life of Christ in the Spirit 4 And as
spirituall aime of Christs walking in the world and if he can ingage them into worldly designes to advance the same in a worldly way hee hath gotten them cleerly within his reach where he will endeavour to the utmost first to cause them utterly forget and lay aside the aime of their spirituall calling Secondly to allure them unto and affect them with the appearance and glory of his dominion Thirdly to act them by the principles of outward feares and hopes to that which hee would have them doe and when hee hath once gotten them thus farre under the power of this snare he will be able without resistance to carry them headlong amongst themselves to more and more uncharitablenesse and unconscionablenesse of conversation whereby breaches will bee multiplied and made irreconciliable For although a difference arise but from a very small and circumstantiall matter amongst them as it doth naturally fall out amongst other men yet Satan aiming at them above all others to get advantages against them if he doth find them in such a case either without brotherly and charitable affections or inclined to please themselves hee will bee able to worke upon them first jealousies and by jealousies mistakes and by mistakes a distance and strangenesse by reason of worldly aimes differently carried on and when plots and passions are come to some maturitie crosse courses and mutuall provocations will bee set on foot reall injuries will bee offered complaints and clamours will break forth which in continuance make the divisions of hearts past all remedy and irreconciliable because it is not possible that men who aime at worldly matters should deny themselves either the use of their wit and passions in the prosecution of their designe or neglect the strength which they have in hand when they thinke it can serve their turne For if they should doe so they should seeme to quit their designes and so lose at once both the credit and profit thereof which to men that make use of their reason onely to compasse their owne will and to that effect can employ both power and policie is a thing altogether insufferable as being no lesse contemptible then folly and as hatefull as death This I conceive to bee one of the mysteries of iniquity by which Satan doth prevaile against the Ministers of the Gospel even against many men that are otherwise godly and able but are not sufficiently aware of his wiles by which they are drawn from their owne and ensnared in his way by which meanes their hands being weakned in their work hee gaineth his end at least indirectly by their infirmities and miscarriages Therefore all such as are conscionably sensible of their own frailties and of those dangers should bee wakened from securitie to become watchfull over their owne souls in these times of temptation for amongst the Protestant Churches where with the increase of knowledge a true sense of Christian libertie is begotten in the minds of professors Satan hath none other way to fit to erect his kingdome as this is of dividing the Ministers for which cause as wee see their divisions daily increased so the remedies should be the more earnestly thought upon and offereed with freedome and tendernesse unto all indifferently but chiefly to those who are neerest in principles and have least cause to walke asunder and be at a distance The remedy against Satans way of corrupting the ministery These remedies can bee none other but the helpes to holy communion amongst Ministers in the prosecution of spirituall aimes tending to the advancement of Truth 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 make them triumph in Christ 2 Cor. 2.14 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 The end of the ensuing discourse and the occasion of putting it to paper termes and motives thereof was by me conceived as a propesall 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 altered the frame thereof somewhat And of enlarging and publishing the same 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 up to 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
natures of things as then things wholly opposit cannot possibly agree to beare one with another in that wherein their opposition doth lie when they are are to act upon the same subject no more then things agreeing can intend to oppose and destroy each other in that wherein their agreement doth lie So it is with the Motions of mens spirits both in the way of opposition and agreement when either of these is fundamentall For as in case of opposition the Apostle doth argue thus 2 Cor. 6.14 What fellowship hath righteousnesse with unrighteousnesse what communion hath light with darknesse and what concord hath Christ with Balial So in case of agreement he argueth in like manner thus 1 Cor. 12.21.26 The eye cannot say to the hand I have no need of thee nor againe the head to the feet I have no need of you And whether one member suffer all the members suffer with it or one member be honoured all the members rejoyce with it So then all Forbearance from strife and opposition must proceed from the presupposall of some Unitie and where no Unitie is presupposed there can be no such Forbearance Therefore before wee can speake of the termes of Forbearance wee must consider first the termes of our agreement to see how full and satisfactory these will be found CHAP. IV. Concerning the termes of Vnitie by themselves what they are why not regarded and wherefore they ought to bee regarded THe thing whereof wee are to make enquiry at this time is this Whether yea or no the termes of Vnitie whereunto the Ministers of this Kingdome which are counted Orthodox and godly have already attained are not full and satisfactory to make them acknowledge one another to be Brethren If it can bee made out that the termes of their Unitie are such then it may bee inferred that they ought to behave themselves each to other as it becommeth brethren which to the grief of many is very slightly or not at all performed Now to resolve the question let us consider that which maketh men fully and satisfactorily brethren in Christ whether it bee not truely found in them although by many of them not at all regarded Wee shall say then that which formerly hath been asserted If such as are acknowledged to bee godly and Orthodox Ministers in this kingdome are begotten of the same heavenly Father What the termes of brotherly unitie are by the same Word of Truth in the same true Church and have the same sense of their relation unto Christ and in all the chief Acts of their Religious profession have the same rules to walke by then they have attained already unto that unitie which is full and satisfactory to make them acknowledge one another to bee Brethren But so it is that they are thus begotten that they have this sense of their Relation to Christ and these Rules to walke by in their Religious profession Therefore the Vnitie whereunto they have already attained is full and satisfactory to make them acknowledge one another to be Brethren To these three heads then the particular termes of their Vnitie are to bee referred viz. 1. To the doctrine of Truth which is the seed of the heavenly Father begetting them to himself 2. To the sense of their Relation unto Christ in the Church 3. And to the Rules of their religious walking that if in every one of these the Unitie whereunto they have already attained bee found fully satisfactory to oblige them to a mutuall acknowledgment of Brotherhood then the publick profession thereof may not any longer bee held in unrighteousnesse as it is done by many to the great dishonour of their Ministery and of Christianitie it self For it is a very sad thing and extreamly destructive to the honour of true Christianitie to see those men that in all main things are fully agreed and cannot bee otherwise esteemed as to men then truely sincere and godly in their walking The cause why brotherhood is so little regarded not onely to drive opposit designes and courses one to another in Religious matters without just cause but even hatefully to seeme willing to destroy one another onely through want of charitie in themselves and for meer infirmities and incivilities in others which the fundamentall Lawes and aimes of Christianity oblige them to beare withall And the more holy and heavenly these men seeme to bee in the wayes wherein they agree with their Brethren the more destructive and pernicious is the consequence of their failing in this kind unto the Brotherhood of Christianitie because it causeth every small matter of difference to bee heightned so in the mindes of their followers that all the grounds of Unitie of Love of Forbearance and of mutuall edification are not onely weakned but directly cast off and disregarded See forth in the example of Iames and Iohns disciples This doth put me in mind of the failing of John and James which is mentioned Luke 9. ver 53. till 57. Christ was going with them towards Jerusalem in his way hee passeth by a Village of the Samaritans and they perceiving that his face was towards Jerusalem would not receive him and give him civill entertainment whereat James and John were so highly offended that they would have revenged this injury with their utter destruction by fire from heaven but Christ did rebuke them and told them two things first ye know not saith hee what manner of spirits ye are of Secondly The Sonne of man is not come to destroy mens lives but to save them As if hee had said Your spirit is distempered and you discerne not that Satan hath caught you in his snare and you remember not that my aime is to save mens lives and not with vengeance to right my selfe against them to their utter destruction From this Historie wee may observe these Truths 1. That it is incident even to godly men to bee transported with zealous distempers wherein Satan doth take hold of them For it cannot bee denyed but that James and John were truely godly and faithfull Disciples of Christ and that here they are transported with a zeal which is not godly but devillish is altogether also undeniable 2. That the devillish zeale of godly men may arise in them from their love to the Truth and from a sense of the indignities done unto it which they cannot brooke at the hands of unworthy men for it is cleer that nothing could occasion this excesse in James and John so much as their great love and high esteeme of Christs worth and the injurie which they thought was done to him and themselves by such men as they thought Samaritanes to bee viz. men of corrupt Principles in Religion Schismaticks and unworthy of their societie Iohn 4.9 For the Iewes had no dealings with the Samaritans 3. That this love to the Truth and sense of the indignities done to it by unworthy men may bee mixed with the spirit of self-self-love which is indiscernible unto them that
are led thereby For it may bee conjectured that although the Disciples loved their Master sincerely and thought him highly affronted by the Samaritanes that would not give him lodging-roome yet that they should not have been sensible at all of their owne inconveniencie of not being refreshed with meat when they were hungry and of the affront done to themselves not to bee civilly entertained when they were wearie is not at all likely but it may bee probably gathered from circumstances that the disappointment of their expectation messengers being sent before to make ready for them when they were weary hungry did heighten both their discontent and the sense of the injury done unto their Master 4 That even godly men when they are insnared into passions occasioned by injuries will for small matters of private concernment be sometimes set upon thoughts of revenge take up destructive resolutions and thereby forget the maine end of their profession for wee see all this in the Apostles and by Christs reproof of them and his reason taken from the end of his Ministery whereunto all his and their actions were to bee subordinate it appeares that they are put in minde of what they had forgotten Now as it was with Iames and Iohn in this case so it is with many godly men in like cases For in these times of controversie wherein divisions are beightned to the utmost it doth often fall out that men being of different parties for farre lesser causes then Jewes and Samaritanes were divided yet look upon one another with no lesse animositie then did the Jewes upon the Samaritanes and the Samaritanes upon the Jewes that is with so much prejudice that if they find a man but looking towards that partie to which they have set themselves in opposition as the Samaritanes found Christs face set towards Ierusalem they will bee ready to deale with him as the Samaritans dealt with Christ and his Disciples refuse him civilitie use him inhumanely and perhaps offer injuries both in deeds and words These injuries will sometimes bee taken as reflecting upon the Truth of the profession sometimes upon the justice of the cause and the innocencie of the partie which we favour and if withall as oft-times it falleth out some private concernment of our owne is mixed with the publick interest that will mainly heighten the sense of those injuries and transport us unto some excesse of zeale For when any degree of passion for self concernment doth meet in our affection with any object of true zeale and a ground of publick interest to mixe withall and raise it self upon then it becommeth a mightie one and a giant-like passion as when in the first world Gen 6. 2 3 4. the Sonnes of God came in into the fairest of the daughters of men and those bore children unto them they were mighty ones and men of renoune so it falleth out here that in the Spirits of men mighty resolutions and purposes of high revenge are begotten upon such occasions and when Satan doth finde us in any such distemper hee hath a fit opportunitie to in fuse his poyson into cur aimes to cause us forget the end of our spirituall calling which is not to destroy but to save the lives of men by rectifying them and building them up in the Spirit of meeknesse and of love with all long-suffering and Forbearance Thus wee may see by daily experience that when humane parties are formed for in Christianitie there is none and when inhumane injuries are mutually offered about religious concernments it is one of the hardest things in the world to prevent or to rectifie the distempers which arise from thence but yet wee must say in this case what Christ faith in another Matth. 19.26 With men this is impossible but with God all things are possible Therefore I beleeve that God is able both to prevent and rectifie such excesses of passion two wayes The remedy of these distempers First by wakening our consciences effectually towards himself in minding us of the end and way of our ministeriall function as it is in Christ that is to say to teach us to aime at nothing but to bee conformable unto Christ by minding the same thing which he did mind towards God and by walking in the same way wherein hee is gone before us to glorifie his Father in his Ministery Secondly by setting a spirituall edge upon our affections towards men not to consider them after the flesh but after the spirit as they are or may be in Christ Iesus our Brethren That is to say to walke in all things towards them by the Law of Christian Brotherhood and make the positive rules thereof beare the onely sway in all our resolutions For by these principles and by these alone wee shall bee enabled both to free our selves from the trouble which otherwise will fall upon us for small and inconsiderable matters of difference in judgement and practise and also to cause all outward concernments fall flat before the Majestie of Gods will in the duties of peace and Brotherhood but without these wee shall bee found void of all strength to doe any such thing and every little trifle will make us fall from our own sted fastnesse Whence it is that because these principles and duties have been and are disrespected in our work of reformation amongst those that undeniably are Brethren therefore the scandalls which are given to the weak and observed by the wicked to discredit our proceedings are multiplied to the sadding of the hearts of all that are godly nor is there any other way imaginable as I conceive relating to conscience fit to remove them and to heale the breaches which follow thereupon but this to manifest unto those that are faithfull to their principles and conscionable in the Ministery that the relation wherein God hath set them one towards another is a brotherly Unitie which in it self is so full and fatisfactory and by his commandement is so strict and obligatory that whosoever doth not take up the profession thereof and endeavour to observe the duties belonging thereunto shall not only be found a transgressour but even inexcusable and unworthy of the name of a Christian For this cause I have laid to heart this subject of Brotherly Unitie and Forbearance that if God permit it may cleerly though briefly bee laid open to some of the Ministery that seeme wholly to neglect the consideration thereof For my scope is onely to name the chief heads of their agreement to shew how ful satisfactory it is in my opinion to settle the profession and practise of a Christian Brotherhood between them offering this that if any shall make a scruple of the Truth of that which shall bee afferted concerning this matter in brief that a large deduction and demonstration in due time shall bee made thereof to the end that such who heighten matters of strise amongst Brethren that multiply controversies unadvisedly for small matters and that