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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
state_n	church_n	spirit_n	unity_n	1,402	5	10.2899	5	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A81927	A peace-maker without partiality and hypocrisie. Or The gospel-way to make up the present breaches of brotherhood, and heale the divisions, whereby some of the reforming professors and ministers of the kindome at the time, sadly dishonour their profession, mainley obstruct our reformation, utterly destroy the safe constitution both of church and state. Wherein are handled, 1. How the meanes of Christian peace, as well civill as ecclesiasticall, may bee found and ought to bee followed, both by pastors and people. 2. What are the speciall lets of Ecclesiasticall reconciliation, and what the causes of divisions are, and how to be remedied. 3. What are the grounds, termes and motives of brotherly unitie and forbearance, which the ministers and members of the churches of England ought ot professe and practise one towards another for the gospels sake. / All written upon severall occasions and at severall times by Mr. John Dury, one of the assembly of divines, &c. and now published by Samuel Hartlib, to whom they were sent.	Dury, John, 1596-1680.	1648 (1648)	Wing D2877; Thomason E458_19; ESTC R205070	94,791	118

build up and confirme and increase the beleevers therein by the testimony of Jesus and by their unitie and love amongst themselves how shall they bee able to doe this except they bee first agreed to hold forth the same testimony and except there be some amiable concurrence amongst them in the workes of their Ministery Therefore as faith and love are inseparably necessary to make a true Christian so the testimony of Jesus and the spirit of unitie are inseparably requisite for the worke of the Ministery For as there is an absolute necessitie lying upon the Ministery to beare witnesse unto the truth towards the manifestation thereof for the saving of their own soules So they are also no lesse necessitated to maintain the profession of their unitle for the edification of their hearers For without this profession that manifestation will never in reason be found a truth fit to convict the world which otherwise it may be because as it is just that when witnesses doe not agree their testimony should not be received so it is equitable that when they doe agree their testimony should not be rejected And if by this onely default they make their testimony without effect it is evident that to establish the truth and not to discredit it to uphold the Ministery and not to make it contemptible to build up the Churches and not to ruine them and to confirme the faith of the Professors and not to stagger them the profession and practise of Brotherly unitie amongst the Ministers of the Gospel is absolutely necessary For all may see that are not blind and senselesse that originally nothing but the neglect of this dutie hath deprived us of all our hopes and blessings and brought us under the yoake of all these miseries Upon all which this consequence doth manifestly follow that the onely way to preserve the remnant which is left entire to restore that which is not utterly decaied in the Church and to helpe this distracted State unto some settlement if there be any possibility of attaining it is this That the Ministers of the Gospel should set themselves to concurre and correspond together that they may hold forth unto the world in the testimony of Jesus Christ the lovelinesse the peaceablenesse the meeknesse and the unitie of his spirit to the end that both they and their hearers may follow therein his footsteps as hee is gone before us to leave us an example For this is a path of the new and the living way which hee hath consecrated for us and out of this way no man can come unto the Father it is therefore absolutely necessary that such as will enter into the holiest become followers of God as deare children and walke in love as Christ also hath loved us and made himselfe as one of us even our Brother to gaine us unto God CHAP. XIV Concerning the usefulnesse and commendablenesse of brotherly unitie in the worke of the Ministery Sect. I. What the communion and correspondency is wherein our unitie is to be setled HItherto wee have reflected upon that which doth make the studie of brotherly love and unitie amongst us absolutely necessary to avoid the danger of ruine and destruction and the guilt of hindering the progresse of the Gospel in the world now wee shall reflect also upon the usefulnesse and commendablenesse of the dutie in reference unto the work of the Ministery It is no generous disposition to be drawn by meer necessitie and feare unto a dutie but to bee moved thereunto by the lovelinesse of grace and by that which is excellent therein is praiseworthy and argueth a noble and vertuous inclination Therefore wee shall set our selves to worke upon this inclination and indeavour to waken it in every one that hath ingenuitie And my aime shall bee rather to deale with the understandings of all able to consider of their wayes to demonstrate that which I conceive to bee a dutie then with the affections of any to perswade them unto a performance before they are convicted of that which is the will of God therein For I shall speak to Ministers and such as I must suppose to bee conscionable and to those I knew nothing so effectuall to perswade as to evidence unto them that a matter is conformable unto the will of God for nothing but this doth interest conscience into action Now lest I should bee mistaken in that which I shall desire to offer as a dutie of the Ministery I shall contract all which for the present I have to say to one assertion which having opened I shall endeavour to make good The assertion is this That although there were no danger of any enemies Act. 20.28 29 30. Phil. 1.27 1 Cor. 1.10 11 12. or of inward breaches and divisions in the Church for the preventing of which to study the unitie of the spirit it wholly necessary yet that for the true 1 Ministers of the Gospel in the duties 2 of their ministeriall charge nothing is more conscionable 3 nothing more profitable 4 nothing more commendable 5 and nothing more sutable to the glory of God 6 and the perfecting 7 of the Saints then to 8 maintain a Brotherly communion 9 and correspondency one with another and that such as lay not this dutie to heart but love rather to stand and walke by 10 themselves and to maintaine the principles 11 of a singular distance from their brethren in the Minnistery will not bee able in the end to approve their consciences unto God that they walke worthy of the calling wherewith they are called This assertion is somewhat large therefore to open the parts thereof that my meaning may bee the better understood I shall say of the severall heads thereof thus 1 That by the true Ministers of the Gospel are meant none but such persons as are authorized by an ordinary and regular way of calling to administer the publick ordinances of Christ in his Church 2 That by the duties of their Ministeriall charge are meant the workes which in and towards the Church are to bee performed as an office and such are To labour in the word and prayer to have the care of gathering and constituting the Church to rule and govern the Saints committed to their charge as one body in Christ to dispense the seales of the Covenant to those that belong unto it and to exercise Church discipline over those that are liable to it all which they are bound to attend as occasion is offered and the edification of the Church doth require 3 That when I say a thing is conscionable I meane that it is prescribed by God in his word as a dutie which cannot be neglected without contracting of guilt unto the conscience 4 When I say that a thing is profitable I meane that it doth yeeld in its owne kind some benefit to him that useth it 5 When I say that a thing is commendable I meane that it hath qualities for which it is to bee esteemed and

them is not to dictate any thing but onely to discover the possibility of a cure of this disease first in themselves and then in their hearers by the removall of the chiefe causes of all our prejudices which I shall reduce to two heads whereof the one is openly the other is secretly offensive That which doth openly offend and causeth prejudices to rise in the mindes of men who are otherwise godly and against men who are truely godly and their Brethren is the irregularitie of disputes and debates about matters of Religion which is mainly twofold some irregularitie there is in respect of the matter some there is in respect of the manner of disputing In respect of the matter prejudices are raised when men strive about needlesse matters and contend for words and this the Apostle doth often warne Timothy to avoid as a thing whereunto the Ministers were and would bee much subject 1 Tim. 1.4 5 6. and chap. 4.7 and chap. 6.4 5.20 and 2 Tim. 2.14 15 16 17 23. In respect of the manner of debating matters which are necessary and profitable prejudices are raised divers wayes but that which is the most common and hurtfull is that of passionate and provoking expressions against a mans person and his opinions to make him odious and his errours thought to bee extreame dangerous in that wherein hee dissents from us these railing accusations and all other injurious and insolent proceedings breed averse affections and stirring up mens spirits to strife and contradictions augment prejudices extreamly and fill the Churches with disturbance and confusion That which doth offend more secretly and doth beget much prejudice is the perverse and uncharitable observation of mens failings when they are construed suspiciously to the worse sense and then whispered in the eares of others that are leading men under the pretence of a caution or warning given unto them to take heed of this or of that for the strengthning of their hands in partiall designes and the promoting of particular interests This darke malicious devill who covers himselfe oft-times with a cloke of light and a zeale for holinesse and truth is exceeding busie in our dayes and hurtfull to our affaires and doth work his mischiefe not onely against him who is blasted in his reputation to make all the good which his talents may produce unprofitable unto others but also against the Authors of such whisperings themselves to make them the ring-leaders of division and of evill intelligence amongst brethren These are in brief the chief causes of our prejudices these must needs bee removed else the way of a lawfull condescension and forbearance will never bee plaine and easie in the settlement nor lasting in the continuance it will then bee of absolute necessitie that some course bee taken to remedy the same Therefore I shall for the present onely advise that when a brotherly transaction of matters towards a mutuall forbearance shall bee intended then some rules should bee thought upon debated and by common consent setled concerning three things First how needlesse disputes and multiplicitie of new controversies breaking forth in the Presse and Pulpit may be prevented Secondly how the injuriousnesse of censures and of proceeding which men of partiall dispositions and of high thoughts runne into may bee rectified when disputes are necessary And Thirdly how the secret mischief of suspicious whisperings and tale-bearing amongst Brethren may bee prevented and being discovered satisfactorily corrected And that some rules of righteousnesse may bee found in the Word to remedie these evills and may bee raised from the nature of Christian charitie equitie ingenuitie pietie discretion and prudencie I suppose none will deny who doth beleeve that the holy Scriptures with and by the spirit of God which is promised to the children of God are able to make the man of God perfect and throughly furnished unto every good word and worke Thus I have made out as briefly and as distinctly as this occasion seemeth to require the truth of the first and second assertion of this discourse namely that the Ministery of this kingdome is undeniably obliged in conscience to the mutuall profession of Brotherhood and that the termes of their unitie and forbearance are both in themselves full and satisfactory and may bee setled reciprocally amongst them in a plaine and easie way if the men that lead others were but willing to looke to God more then to men and to conscience more then to outward interests CHAP. XII The third Assertion Concerning the motions which should induce us to make profession of this unitie and forbearance Why these are requisite and what they are BUt now although these things are evidently thus demonstrable and by all that which hitherto hath been alledged it may be manifestly apparent that these who are the leaders of the flockes should not onely stand united and walk by one rule in that whereunto they have attained but also that their differences may and ought to bee composed in love by amiable meetings by orderly conferences and by the settlement of a necessary and lawfull forbearance of each other although I say all this is so yet wee see to the great dishonour of God the lamentable disadvantage of the truth and the extreame griefe of many godly soules that this hath not hitherto either beene done or effectually prosecuted and intended by those that are in the worke of the Ministery or if it hath been intended by some yet not so as it ought to have been that is upon the grounds which are proper unto their vocation What the causes of this neglect may bee wee shall not now particularly search into onely in generall wee may take notice that all such failings in dutie may proceed from two main causes either that men otherwise knowing and godly yet consider not the necessitie of this dutie in respect of the evills that follow upon the neglect thereof or that the excellencie commendablenesse and worth thereof is either not known or if not unknown yet not laid to heart Now then in this our present sad condition if any thing can be suggested which may be a helpe to remove these causes of our failing in this kind it may bee hoped that godly and conscionable men will bee more carefull of the performance and more fearefull of the neglect thereof then hitherto they have been Therefore it will not bee amisse but may bee of very great use to offer some motives and inducements to incline them without partialitie to these resolutions and this wee shall intend to doe if God permit CHAP. XIII Concerning the necessitie of Brotherly unitie in the Ministery IF then we should take into consideration the absolute necessitie of this dutie it will appeare that the present evills whereinto these Churches and the state of this kingdome are fallen and which threaten all with unavoydable ruine are mainely brought upon us through the neglect of that ministeriall unitie and correspondencie which is sutable unto Christianitie For whosoever

A PEACE-MAKER Without PARTIALITY and HYPOCRISIE OR The Gospel-way to make up the present breaches of Brotherhood and heale the divisions whereby some of the reforming Professors and Ministers of this Kingdome at this time sadly dishonour their profession mainely obstruct our Reformation utterly destroy the safe constitution both of Church and State Wherein are handled 1. How the meanes of Christian peace as well Civill as Ecclesiasticall may bee found and ought to bee followed both by Pastors and people 2. What are the speciall lets of Ecclesiasticall Reconciliation and what the causes of divisions are and how to be remedied 3. What are the Grounds Termes and Motives of Brotherly Vnitie and Forbearance which the Ministers and Members of the Churches of England ought to professe and practise one towards another for the Gospels sake All written upon severall occasions and at severall times by Mr. John Dury one of the Assembly of Divines c. and now published by Samuel Hartlib to whom they were sent Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unitie Psal 133.1 For the divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart Judges 5.15 A brother offended is harder to bee won then a strong Citie and their contentions are like the barres of a Castle Prov. 18 19. London Printed by R. Cotes for Iohn Bellamy at the three Golden Lions in Cornhill neer the Royall Exchange 1648. The Contents The Preface being two Letters sent at severall times to Mr. Samuel Hartlib by Mr. John Dury wherein are handled I. HOw the meanes of Christian peace as well Civill as Ecclesiasticall ought to bee followed and may bee found amongst Professors Pag. 1. II. What are the speciall lets of Ecclesiasticall reconciliation and what the causes of divisions are amongst Ministers and how to bee remedied p. 16. A discourse concerning the ground termes and motives of Brotherly Unitie and forbearance which the Ministers of the Churches of England ought to professe and practise one towards another for the Gospels sake Chap. 1. THe Introduction shewing the scope and matter of the discourse Pag. 26. Chap. 2. Concerning the Law of Christian Brotherhood what it is and whereunto it binds us p. 28. Chap. 3. Concerning the termes of unitie and forbearance in generall p. 32. Chap. 4. Concerning the termes of unitie by themselves what they are why not regarded and wherefore they ought to bee regarded p. 33. Chap. 5. Concerning the particular termes of unitie whereunto the Ministers of this kingdome have attained in the doctrine of faith and in their relation to Christ and his Church p. 30. Chap. 6. Concerning the tearmes of unitie in the chief Acts of our religious profession p. 41. Sect. 1. Of single professors p. 42. Sect. 2. Of Professors united to a Congregation p. 45. Sect. 3. Of severall Congregations as they are or ought to bee associated p. 46. Sect. 4. Of officers and rulers of severall Congregations and their association p. 49. Chap. 7. Concerning the termes of forbearance that therein is and may be found an agreement p. 55. Chap. 8. Concerning the principles of mutuall toleration wherein there is a full agreement p. 56. Chap. 9. Concerning the way how to settle and prosecute a mutuall toleration by rules wherein there is an agreement p. 58. Chap. 10. Of the rules of condescension how they may bee found out p. 60. Chap. 11. Concerning the causes of disaffection and of breaches how they should bee removed by common consent p. 67. Chap. 12. Concerning the motions which should induce us to make profession of this unitie and forbearance why these are requisite and what they are p. 70. Chap. 13. Concerning the necessitie of brotherly unitie in the Ministery p. 71. Chap. 14. Concerning the usefulnesse and commendablenesse of brotherly unitie in the worke of the Ministery p. 84. Sect. 1. What the communion and correspondency is wherein our unitie is to be setled p. 84. Sect. 2. Of the excellency of unitie and of the fountaine thereof Charitie p. 89. Sect. 3. Of the common rules of Christianitie as they are more especially obligatory unto Ministers in the duties of their calling p. 9. Sect. 4. Of the practise of those that are set before us as infallible examples in the Ministery p. 99. Sect. 5. Concerning that which concernes the Office of the Ministery in it self p. 104. How the means of Christian Peace as well Civill as Ecclesiasticall ought to bee followed and may be found amongst Professors Discovered in a Letter sent to Mr. Sam. Hartlib by Iohn Dury Septemb. 12. 1647. SIR YOu have acquainted me with the resolutions of some of our leading men eminent in the prevailing side to moderate matters and compose our differences Happy had this Church and State been if that aime had been carried all along from the beginning in the Counsells and endeavours of those The occasion and scope of this letter who have been intrusted with the management of affaires and if it be not now too late to quench this flame or if it can be hoped that in the midst of so great feares so many jealousies so different practises and so loud clamours and so sensible injuries mens spirits can be brought to mutualll confidence and made susceptible of temperate thoughts towards one another I would advise all but chiefly such as have power in the Houses in the Citie in the Assembly in the Army and most of all the Generall and the Lieutenant generall on whom the eyes of most men are fixed to proceed after this manner and lead as in this way First let our ayme bee as in the sight of God who tryeth the Reines to purge our heart from a designe to serve the interests of one side What ought zo bee the right aime of those that treat for peace mainly to crosse another For he that lookes upon his Brother with the eye of a partie hath put out the eye of a Christian A Christian doth not take notice of men after the flesh hee lookes upon the new creature in every one and hee that doth not walke after this Rule there can be nothing but misery and destruction in his wayes for the way of peace and truth hee hath not knowne Secondly then if wee can cleer our aimes from partialitie our Counsels may be free from prejudice and if this be we will not shunne the light but desire to shew that our workes are wrought in God and will bee ready to declare to all in publike the true rules and maximes by which our conscience is guided How they should manifest their aime by which wee intend to walke and by which wee desire to bee judged by all in our proceedings but if wee either have no such rules or are not willing to declare them wee shunne the light wee love darkenesse and let us not deceive our selves there is no truth nor love to peace in us And what although hitherto perhaps wee have not minded conscionably the

one containing the Diurnall or brief Narrative of the daily proceedings of each Meeting another containing nothing else but the results of each treatie or the advices which shall be agreed upon to advance the accommodation of differences 4 To keepe these two bookes there shall be a peculiar Trunk or Chest or Box with two severall lockes fixed to the meeting place and every one of the one side shall have a key for the one locke and every one of the other side a key for the other lock so that none of either side alone shall bee able to open the Cheff but any two of both sides shall have power to doe it and to make use of their Registers as they shall think good 5 The times of their meetings should bee constantly appointed once for all and inviolably observed because they are wholly to bee set apart to attend the worke without interruption 6 If at any time by reason of some invincible impediment as of sicknesse or some other unavoidable accident one of the number be absent the meeting shall not bee void yet the Acts thereof shall not be Registred till he that was absent hath seen them and approved of them 7 Nothing shall bee carried by the major part of voices what is not consented unto by all shall not bee any Act. 8 The matter of the Treatie shall not bee concerning doctrinall truths because it is supposed that there is no materiall difference therein between the parties but concerning practicall duties relating either to the constitution or to the government of the Churches or to the exercise of Religious worship in a private or publick way 9 The manner of their Treaty shall not proceed by way of debate and dispute to argue what is right or wrong in respect of the particular practises of parties but it shall proceed in the way of positive Declarations and Answers unto certaine Questions which shall bee proposed as cases of conscience to be resolved from the Word of God and the undeniable principles of Christianitie 10. He then that sitteth in the chaire shall aske of every one what matter he would have taken into consideration what shall be offered by every one shall be noted in a memoriall by it self then the question shall be in what order the things offered shall be thought upon and when that which is to be first in order shall be determined a question shall bee framed thereof as a case of conscience to be resolved by the word from which every one shall gather his Answer and bring it in against the next meeting in writing and when the writings are compared that wherein they all doe agree shall onely be taken as a result of their Treatie and that wherein they differ shall be left untouched except some proposall be made which doth take with all for the reconcilement of the difference 11 In bringing in their answers they shall avoid large discourses and set downe that which they shall deliver upon the point to be resolved in short Aphorismes and Propositions per thesim Antithesim and to facilitate the matter each side should contract their severall answers into one summe containing that in which they all doe agree that so at their meeting together the comparison may be made onely between two writings out of which the agreement is to be extracted as a common result upon the Question which was proposed 12 When the resolutions of all profitable questions tending to an accommodation of our differences shall be thus gathered without contradictory debates into cleer and distinct propositions which shall be taken from Gods Word to be offered as an advice unto the dissenting parties towards an agreement then they shall be put into some order and ranked under their proper heads of matters to be communicated unto the rest of each side 13 The way of communicating matters I conceive may bee this 3. For the communication of that which shall be concluded First let the preliminarie determinations of the Treaty bee published by setting forth the Art and Instrument of the mutuall engagement of those that are called to the Treatie and let this be done immediatly after the Treaty is begun to the end that the rest of both sides may know the end of the Treaty and bee desired to recommend the effect thereof to God in their publick and private Prayers Secondly when the Treatie is at an end let there bee a brief narrative published of the order and method of proceeding used in the Treatie to let all see how equally and amiably matters have been carried Thirdly when this is done towards all indifferently then let the results of all the deliberations upon all the questions be printed but not made common to all onely first to the States-men who set the Treaty afoot a certaine number of copies are to bee imparted that they may distribute and send the same to the most peaceable and moderate spirits of each side to engage them to declare how farre they give their assent thereunto and when the chief shall have declared their sense thereof and it doth appeare that the advice is not rejected the Houses of Parliament may be moved to move the Assembly of Divines to declare their sense and approbation of the same which being done the Houses should concurre with their authority not onely to permit but to recommend the practise thereof unto all Thus I have done for the present with these suggestions rather to satisfie your desire and discharge mine owne conscience then that I have any great hope they will bee laid to heart yet who knoweth where this seed may fall and what God may doe with it I know assuredly that hee will doe good to Israel to these that are of a cleane heart Psal 73.1 Matth. 5.9 Iam. 3 1● I know that the peace-makers are pronounced blessed and called the Sonnes of God and that the fruit of righteousnesse is sowen in peace of them that make peace Now the God of Peace and Truth be with you alwayes Amen From Sion House Septemb. 12. 1647. A Preface to the ensuing discourse shewing what are the speciall lets of Ecclesiasticall Reconciliation and what the causes of Divisions are amongst Ministers and how to be remedied SIR YOu know what hopes you gave me when I was at Sion House that some effectuall course would bee followed to reconcile our differences about matters of Religion I did thereupon impart unto you very freely my thoughts concerning the whole businesse how it might bee advanced as I conceived The Treatie of an accommodation begun at London Since that time being here at London the hopes which you gave me were confirmed by the zeale and forwardnesse of those who in the Citie gave occasion to the best affected to meet at severall conferences whereof the ayme was very laudable and necessary viz. to prevent both in Church and State the imminent dangers of Tyranny on the one hand and of Anarchie on the other and to find

Christian unitie The chief causes thereof are carnall self-seeking disorderly controversies and the want of true brotherly inclinations notwithstanding the manifold bonds and the name of brotherhood taken up amongst us The remedies of these causes are that wee should learne self-deniall from Christ that wee should not strive nor cry nor let our voice bee heard in the streets Matth. 12.19 20. nor quench the smoaking flax nor breake the bruised reed but that wee should in truth and sincerity as in the presence of God consider one another to exhort and provoke each other unto love and to good workes Heb. 10.24 Now to move us effectually hereunto next unto the expresse and known will of God which is before all others the greatest of inducements I know nothing that should bee more powerfull with us then the discovery of the dolefull and pernicious effects of our divisions and distempers The dolefull effects of our divisions as punishments of the sinne Upon all in generall For whilst wee are thus at a distance for points of outward order the inward substance of the profession is not regarded Whilst wee contend for circumstantials concerning the wayes of going about our worke the maine of the worke is left undone and whilst for temporall jealousies about small matters Brethren uphold no spirituall correspondency Satan in matters of the greatest concernments hath gotten this advantage against us that the whole doctrine of truth is become doubtfull unto very many and the Gospel it self and in it the wayes of peace the chief object of comfort are made a matter of strife and contradiction unto all And if wee will observe particulars wee shall perceive that amongst other things by this way of strife and contradiction hee hath prevailed chiefly in this that the very being of an orderly Ministery is called in question and opposed most universally For to abolish the work and the office of the ordinary ministery is that about which under severall pretences all his agents on all hands are most earnestly imployed and by their meanes all the fundamentals of order and ordinances in the Church are already unsetled and all the grounds of authoritie in the State are almost quite overthrown For by and upon some principles of that which is called a new light it is free for every one to doe what seemeth good in his owne eyes without controule or giving account thereof unto any This licentious freedome doth leade them that follow it to the fulfilling of all their fleshly desires and doth confirme them in all manner of confusion wherein the spirit of railing of bitternesse of envy of contradiction and of uncharitablenesse in opposing and censuring others doth increase strife and hatred and multiplieth scandals infinitely all which bring forth the woes that lie upon us For to raile and calumniate without shame is become the very trade of many nor is there any way left almost either in Church or Common-wealth to redresse the injuries of this kind though never so grosse and palpable All this breaketh the hearts of the godly staggereth the weake gladdeth the adversaries openeth a dore to all profanenesse and causeth the Name of God to bee blasphemed and the way of truth to bee evill spoken of in the world at which Atheists and Papists triumph and exult with joy expecting in the end that the effect of all this will bee the utter ruine and desolation of all Protestants Hee that cannot see these evills to rise originally from the misbehaviours of Brethren in the Ministery of the Gospel about their differences is wholly blind hee that doth not feele the inconveniences thereof is senselesse and hee that cannot grieve for the same is hardned in sinfulned Now because all these inconveniencies reach unto all the Professors in some sort alike therefore every one though chiefly the Ministers as chief of the Professors should bee moved thereby to contribute their whole strength towards the speedy removall thereof But besides these common evils there is in this neglect whereof the Ministery is most of all guiltie something which doth more especially reflect and that justly upon themselves more then others More especially upon the Ministery and from them upon their Ministeriall function as tending to make void the authoritie and wholly frustrate the end of their ordinary vocation For although personal faults ought not to prejudice the vocation the credit of the function yet because it is very naturall to all men to make a consequence from the one to the other therefore the Apostle will have even the meanest of the profession to behave themselves so as it may not suffer any disesteeme for their sakes For speaking of servants professing Christianitie to Titus and to Timothy Tit. 2.10 he will have them to shew all good fidelitie unto their masters that they may adorne the dectrine of Christ our Saviour in all things 1 Tim. 6. and to honour their masters that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed through their misbehaviour If then Christianitie it self will suffer in the opinions of men and bee discredited by the faults of the meanest that take the name thereof upon them how shall it not bee discredited by the miscarriages of those that are the chiefest of the profession and how shall the credit of the ministery be upheld in mens opinions and affections if those to whom the charge thereof is committed dishonour their administration and how can they bee thought to honour their administration if they walke not answerable unto the end thereof Now there is nothing more opposit unto the true end of the Ministeriall calling then this very neglect of dutie whereof they are at this time found guilty For the end use and effect of the Ministeriall worke is to reform the world Ephes 4 1● 13. To perfect the Saints and to edifie the body of Christ till we all come in the unitie of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man but this effect must needs be made void and this end frustrate as long as the Ministers maintaine no Brotherly communion one with another but stand at their distances and are single by themselves so as to have no familiaritie of concurrence about their Masters worke even although he hath therein strictly commanded them to bee united For how can they reforme others that are not reformed themselves How can they bee thought fit to perfect the Saints so long as they seek not one anothers perfection how can they be said to advance the unitie of Faith who doe all things belonging to the profession of faith within themselves dividedly How can they in the work of the Ministery be able joyntly to build up the same body of Christ who in that work maintain no communion one with another in reference unto his body but rather set themselves to make up every one a separate body for himselfe and how can they be able to bring all unto the

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