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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	according_a	scripture_n	spirit_n	3,143	5	5.2045	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A52476	Three choice and profitable sermons upon severall texts of Scripture viz. Jer. 30. 17, John 14. 3, Heb. 8. 5 : the first of them being the last sermon which he preached at the court of election at Boston, the second was the last which he preached on the Lords-Day, the third was the last which he preached on his weekly-lecture-day : wherein (beside many other excellent and seasonable truths) is shewed, the Lords soveraignty over, and care for his church and people, in order to both their militant and triumphant condition, and their fidelity and good affection towards himself / by that reverend servant of Christ, Mr. John Norton ...	Norton, John, 1606-1663.; Norton, John, 1606-1663. Copy of the letter returned by the ministers of New-England to Mr. John Dury about his pacification.	1664 (1664)	Wing N1324; ESTC R40050	44,511	76

Objector may erre The major part may erre so saith the Delinquent standing before the Church and must that evacuate all Church-power 2. 'T is more likely that truth should be with many Orthodox Pious Orderly c. In the multitude of Counsellors was anciently said Prov. 11.14 there is safety The Objector is one to many and he is in his own case a Judge but a Council in other mens But if that be not a truth that We must subject to Order because the major part may erre then put an end to Church-administrations there will be no end of Controversies But distinguish we concerning Councils There is a Council Regular of Orthodox and meet Members orderly gathered There is a Council that is Irregular and abusive as in times of Popery When the Ark was taken by the Philistims no marvel it was not Oraculous to Israel but what Israelite refused to consult the Ark of God after its return from the Philistims because they had abused it You tell us that Popish Councils have erred and therefore must we forget that the Councils of the Orthodox have maintained the Truth and have been the support of Religion in former times Look to the Nicene and other Councils Councils have been sometimes among the Philistims among the Papists and for so long a time but shall we esteem the less of Orthodox Councils because of that 3. Distinguish between the Truth of Order and Truth Positive John 8.17 The testimony of two men is true this is what God hath appointed for the Preservation of Society Humane and Christian That is a truth in foro viz. in Church or Court which may not be the truth positive The God of Truth hath made it for to keep Societies in peace and if it were not for this Institution there could be no sitting in Judgement or any Polity among men 4. Remember that the Spirits of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets 1 Cor. 14.32 the Spirits of the Elders are subject to the Elders c. If this be not attended there can be no Administration or else there must needs be a meer rixation and chiding-administration Where there is liberty and the Old man there must needs be much Controversie 'twere more sad if there were no Remedy The non-admission of this help renders the Churches in case of Non-action like the field of the sleeping Husbandman Matth. 13.25 or else like the Meeting of Israel at Meribah either no Administrations or manifold Alterations 'T is true a Ship may live longer in a Calm then in a Storm but yet your Ship may be so long becalmed that all the Provision may be spent and so perish in time and it may be better perishing in a Storm then in a Calm a Storm is swifter to perishing but both destructive Either this Disease or that is mortal the difference may be that the one is Chronical the other Acute both are killing No you will say if such men be there that have a spirit of Meekness and Patience Yea but reade Exod. 12.3 and Psal 106.33 Moses the meekest man then on earth yet it went ill with Moses 't is said for their sakes How long did Moses live at Meribah sure I am it killed him in a short time a man of as good a temper as could be expected from a meer man I tell you it will not onely kill the People but it will quickly kill Moses Take heed of Meribah and accept of the Remedy against your Disease Obj. May not a good man suffer by this means Answ Sometimes we are called to suffer and subjection to Order may be accompanied with suffering for the Truth and better an innocent and good man suffer then Order for that preserves the whole 3. Sanctifie God in his Providential Testimonies against abuse of Liberty Minde Solomons case before-mentioned Have we not many Adversaries Are we not Out-casts Are we as much in the hearts of others as formerly Are there not those who labour to bereave us of our Liberties Let us Sanctifie the Name of God herein 4. Attend we the Examples of the godly wise for the continuing of our Liberty in like cases You will say What is that I answer An Address to the Supreme Authority and a just Apologie If any say What Example in Scripture have we for an Address Let such look to 2 Kings 4.13 Wouldst thou be spoken for to the King This did not unbecome the Prophet to propound to her Remember Ezra 7.6 4.6 13. Esth 4.8 Nehem. 2.4 did Nehemiah do the people wrong therein My God saith he remember me for good in this There was Accusations written against them Rehum and Shimshai write Tatnai and Shethar-boznai write against them Sanballat writes Shall there be those that Petition against and shall none Petition for Israel Ezra's and Nehemiah's Petitioning and promoting their Petitions to the King were not interpreted as acts of diffidence unto God or of irregular compliance nor themselves as men less friends to the Church and Civil Liberties nor looked upon as unworthy to be continued in their Trust and Esteem among the People Mordecai counsels Esther to go in unto the King and speak to him though it was with the peril of her life To make an Address then is not that which is not according to Scripture The like I might say relating to an Apologie 5. Let us walk in the use of our Liberty with innocency and without offence To differ from our Orthodox Pious and Learned Brethren is such an affliction to a Christian and ingenuous Spirit as nothing but love to the Truth could arm a man of peace against Our Profession being in a way differing from these and those it doth the more concern us that our walking be very cautelous and that it be without giving any just offence There will offence enough be taken at the Profession of the Truth though the Professors thereof give none The Profession of the Truth draweth upon us enmity but errour in our Profession and offensive walking delivereth and betrayeth us into the hand of the enemy And give me leave to speak freely Let us see that we walk without offence toward Civil Authority Suffer not your mindes to be prejudiced against the present and ancient Government of our Nation Isa 49.23 Kings shall be thy Nursing-fathers and Queens thy Nursing-mothers 't is spoken of Gospel-times It is not a Gospel-spirit to be against Kings 't is neither Gospel nor English Spirit for any of us to be against the Government by King Lords and Commons It was the usual stratagem anciently of the Adversary to calumniate the Christians as disaffected to the State and such as were for Reformation as Enemies to Caesar But Juell could testifie in his time Gratias agimus Deo c. in Apolog. pag. 16. That there could be no instance given wherein they in that state of Reformation had offered any violence to Princes c. So said that famous Apologist God make us more wise and

religious then so to carry it that they should no sooner see a Congregational-man then to have cause to say They see an Enemy to the Crown Prov. 24.21 My son fear thou the Lord and the King and meddle not with them that are given to change Eccles 10.20 Curse not the King no not in thy thought Dan. 6.22 Innocency was found in me saith Daniel and also before thee O King have I done no hurt Is this thy voice my son David 1 Sam. 26.17 really so not hypocritically We have severe Observers Tongues are not untaught to inform against us It is but wisdome to give no cause especially such as our own Consciences cannot testifie for and such as all Orthodox Churches in the Protestant world will testifie against In matters of the State-Civil and of the Church let it be shewn that we are his Disciples who Matth. 22.21 said Give unto Cesar the things that are Cesars and unto God the things that are Gods and in matters of Religion let it be known that we are for Reformation and not for Separation 6. Lastly Take care thar the Order of the Gospel may have a free passage in the Churches I mean that our Practice may effectually answer our Doctrine in that Book entituled The Platform of Church-Discipline 'T is that for which we are Out-casts at this day that for the substance of it is it that sheweth what New-England is I would I might say that there are none among our selves that are against it There was a time when the General Court did approve of it and when the Members of that Synod pleaded for it Our reality herein will be in no small degree critical of our Integrity in this Undertaking and our Actions must be the demonstrations of our Sincerity This is a principal Ingredient of this healing Plaister and for the defect-hereof are such frequent and scandalous Breaches in our Churches so many Administrations in vain and such sad Non-administration and Remora's occasioning that sad Quaerie of Spectators Whether the Congregational-way be practicable yea or not I beseech you consider whom it is that it doth concern to answer this Objection you that are conscientious do not forget it at whom the stick lyes in one order or another If we cannot build without the noise of Hammers yield that we are not Temple-workmen yield we must either that the Congregational-way is not the way of God or that We are unfit for the behaviour of the House of God As concerning the Church-government according to the Platform of Discipline the practice of which doctrine who careth for is not this that truth which the Synod Churches the General Court sometime made a good Confession of and that now no man comparatively careth for Ezra 4.8 Rehum cares not for it ver 23. Artaxerxes careth not for it Nehem. 4. Sanballat and Tobiah care not for it the Episcopal man the Presbyterian care not for it the Morellian careth not for it the Merchant the Souldier the Husbandman the Labourer careth not for it Haggai 1. The people of Jerusalem the Church-members care not for it I am apt sometimes to think that Aaron may be under a temptation of irregular complyance but minde Ier. 15.19 Let them return unto thee but return not thou unto them I may say thus much and pardon my speech A more yeilding Ministry unto the People I believe is not in the World I beseech you let not Cesar be killed in the Senate after he hath fought it out and conquered in the Field let us acknowledge the Order of the Eldership in our Churches in their way and the Order of Councils in their way duely back'd and encouraged without which Experience will witness that these Churches cannot long consist God hath opened the mouth of the Speaker to you this day it being a day wherein after so many attempts and feares you are betrusted with your Liberties for another year You have this years oportunity and at such a time and blessed be the Lord God of our Fathers who hath put such a thing in the Kings heart so farre to accept your Application to his Majesty as not onely to give you the oportunity of the year present but also encouragement for many years to come Let all of us be stirred up by the Lord and at such a time to strengthen the hand of Zerubbabel and Jehoshua by your professed subjection to the Gospel of Christ Do not betray liberty under the pretence of liberty You that are in the honoured Magistracy remember Davids troubles Psal 132.1 5. he could not rest till the Ark had rest And those that are in the Ministry remember Paul's troubles and what his cares were 1 Cor. 11.28 Let us all minde what were the troubles and thoughts of heart that were in them that lived in the dayes of Malachi Chap 3.16 But are there not many that minde onely their cieled houses c and how much doth the work of the Out-cast lye unattempted witness the sick estate of the Churches and how can it be remedied if we will not acknowledge Order and shall I say that we are real therein You have brought upon your selves real troubles and likewise upon your Relations and Friends in England and those here that suffer with you in this Exile See then that you be not hypocritical but real to the Truth which you have professed I could tell you and you must not forget it That there have been Men of Renown as they are called Numb 16.2 Famous in the Congregation of Israel that did go out of Egypt but yet could not endure the Order of God in the Wilderness Let us shew it that we mistook not our selves pretending to come into this Wilderness to live under the Order of the Gospel We are Out-casts indeed and reproached but let us be such Out-casts as are caring for the Truth and therefore not to neglect an Apologie it doth become and greatly concern Gods Out-casts to minde it You know there are those who represent you as disaffected to Government and as Sectaries and Schismaticks and as Fanaticks you see cause to Apologize therein And for that term of Fanatick you must remember it is not of yesterday however it be now used or abused You may learn the original use of it from that distribution of Professors in relation to Church government in former times into four sorts viz. Orthodoxt Pontificii Rationales and Fanatici But I trust that God doth and Angels and Men shall know that we are Orthodox Gods Out-casts are not Fanaticks The Woman in the wilderness may have the vomit of the Dragon cast in her face if you let it lye on you will suffer wash it off therefore by an Apologie Thus did Justin Martyr Tertullian Iuel and others in their time Give not the advantage of interpreting Silence as Consent nor think it labour lost if an Apologie will wash your face And though we may be cast out by men yet may we hope that God will

you know not Perfect Holiness now but then you shall know it more and we shall see the Trinity He that hath seen me Iohn 14.9 hath seen the Father And we shall see Christ that Person that is God and Man And for the Counsell of God we shall see it it shall be an open Book so far as concerns our happiness Now when the Soul comes to this you will have no further need of enquiry What God is or What Christ is you will never be satisfied till then you will never love God perfectly till then and you will never rest in him here as you will then you shall come to understand that then Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Exhort 1. It is abundantly to incourage every Christian to constancy in the profession of the truth notwithstanding all the suffering we may meet with either in the way of truth or for the way of truth This is that which John makes use of 1 Iohn 3.2 We shall see him as he is and He that hath this hope to see God purifieth himself even as he is pure ver 3. Do you say you have hope to see God this is a very purifying meditation Can you endure any impurity and yet maintain this hope in you to see Christ Acts 24.15 16. mark there how it did work with him And have hope towards God which themselves also allow I have hope that I shall see God and that there is such a truth as the resurrection herein do I exercise my self to have alwayes a Conscience void of offence both towards God and towards Man they that are false to his truth they shall not see him that dye without Repentance of it herein do I labour to keep alwayes a Conscience clear both towards God and man that this may not hinder me from a sight of this Mansion 2 Cor. 5.8 9. speaking to the same purpose We desire to be with the Lord wherefore we labour that whether present or absent we may be accepted of him Thus you see what this meditation doth call for this makes a man or woman of a labouring spirit it calls for adherence to the truth And more particularly consider then what it is to be a Christian in earnest to be such a Christian as walks in that way wherein they walk that have the Promise to go to Christ when their Soules go out of the body these are such as the eleven were not such as Iudas was he went the other way he went to his own place You must be such Christians as the Apostles were that is such as do continue with Christ in the profession of his truth that you may be Conquerours in holding on in your Profession 2. Consider what you must expect while you are in your way you must expect such troubles as nothing will quiet you but the exercise of Faith in Chirst Jesus Your hearts they will be assaulted but let not your hearts be troubled the Truth it will cause trouble to you though you think of carrying of it never so inoffensively and amiably among men Christ by all his good carriage could not reconcile those that hated the truth Hence those that profess the truth let them not think strange if they meet with trouble Then Acts 9.31 had the Churches rest Other places have rest very frequently but for the Churches those that profess the Truth to have rest is a special favour of God 3. Your troubles here while you carry it with a Christian Spirit they shall fit you for this blessed estate as it is said 2 Cor. 5.5 He that worketh us to the self-same thing You may think God means evil to you when you meet with affliction and trouble but provided you are In the way of Truth or be it For the way of Truth that which God ayms at is to fit you for your Mansion-place Christ would fit us to be in the body and he would fit us to go out of the body He works us to the self-same thing If you have a strong body he would fit you for that body to walk with him in that body Saith Caleb Josh 14.11 I have as strong a body as in the day that Moses sent me Now as it is a great matter to have such a body so it is a great matter to walk with God in such a body if you have an healthful body he would sit you to walk with him in that body that you may know how to possess your vessel in sanctification and honour not that your body should be the slave of filthy lusts Suppose you have a sickly body 2 Cor. 4.16 Our outward man decayes but our inward man is renewed day by day and he worketh us to the self-same thing by fitting us to go out of the body Acts 20.24 that I may finish my course with joy and the Ministry that I have received 4. Concurre with God in this scope of his Providence to you he is fitting of you to walk with God If he fit you to go out of the body or to be in the body close with him as the Patient closeth with the Physician interpret the Changes that are upon you of one nature or of another interpret them as dispensations whereby God works to fit you to be with him in the body or to go to him when you go out of the body Let us work together with him I did it to humble them Deut. 8.16 then close with him and say This is his end and for that end joyn with him You shall finde more trouble then rest while you are In the way you shall finde more rest then trouble when you are at the end of your way You that are lovers of truth more then of the pleasures of Sin you shall finde more trouble then rest while you are in the way but when you are out of the body you shall have full rest without any trouble you shall have Truth enough and Peace enough That which is hard to gain now is Union in the Truth but then you shall have Union enough and Truth enough you shall finde Christ making good that truth to you that He will come and receive you to himself When Noah put forth his hand and received the Dove into the Ark it was a welcome ease so will it be to your Souls when they have been wearied with so many troubles and Christ Jesus shall come and receive you to himself when your Souls go out of the body for otherwise the Devil will be ready to receive them and to carry them to Hell Whither went Dives Soul when it went out of his body you that are now in Pleasures whither went Dives Soul it is not said he was an Adulterer or a Drunkard but he was a man of Pleasures In thy life time thou hadst thy good things Luke 16.25 But what became of his Soul when it went out of the body And being in Hell he lift up his eyes in torments c.

belongeth not to them we must do nothing but according to the Patern Instr 3. A Religious Worshipper or a man truly religious doth not rest in this That externals do answer the Prescript Rule of the Word without proceeding to internal Worship You finde that God doth not onely bear testimony against our Worship but also against hypocritical Worship First against our Worship or our Administrations that as you see is Will-worship and it is vain Worship all the Institutions of men are so they are Will-worship i. e. there is sin and defilement in them we must not set our posts by Gods posts But then suppose we are brought to external worship doth God rest here no do you think that God liveth on goat's bloud Psal 50.13 And hence also Amos 5.25 saith the Lord you did not offer unto me your sacrifices during the space of fourty years speaking of the time in the Wilderness It is like there was a cessation in respect of the condition that they were in as who should say then I can be without Sacrifices Ier. 7.22 23. God saith there He did not command Sacrifices or external Worship i. e. Comparatively in respect of Obedience he commanded it not but I Commanded them saying Obey my voice and I will be your God and ye shall be my people So God will say to us He did not Command us to come hither to set up the external Worship of the Gospel i. e. comparatively in stead of Obedience Holiness and Righteousness this is that which Stephen pleads Acts 7.42 43. Oh house of Israel you have not offered to me slain beasts but you had the Tabernacle of Moloch c. but they could not bear with Stephen when he came to this So our Saviour Christ tell 's them They have made my House a den of thieves Those among you that are given to injustice drunkenness or other scandalous wayes this or that I tell you God requires not your Sacrifices but Obey my voyce that I may be your God this is the thing God aime's at As for our external worship it ought indeed to be according to the Rule but this may be and yet as it is in Isai 1.13 14 15. Your Incense is an abomination and your solemn meetings iniquity my soul hates them saith the Lord they are a trouble unto me and when ye make many Prayers I will not hear them your hands are full of blood c. It would be a dreadful thing if God should say to any of us that are full of duties and concerning our Sabbaths Lords Supper our Fasts our Feasts I am weary of your Worship bring no more vain Oblations c. God forbid that we should forget the internal part of worship whilest we are exercised in the external Amos 5.21 I hate and despise your feasts I will not smell in your solemn Assemblies Look not onely to external regularity but look we unto inward piety lest God hate and despise our Worship Joshua saith God Why lyest thou upon the ground Chap. 7.10 11. Israel hath sinned and transgressed my Covenant c. we have been much in fastings and in external duties many years but what reformation is there are we brought sny more unto the Rule in Church and State I beseech you know that God aimes at Obedience as the internal substantial part of his Worship Instr 4. That the external Order of the Gospel Church-order is no other then the external Throne of Christ Jesus Worship that is mixt partly Divine and partly Humane this is so much defilement in Gods Worship but when it is according to the Rule that is Christs Throne Satan hath his throne that is where Antichrist reignes and Christ hath his Throne that is where his Institutions are in force there Christ sits as Lord. If the Polity be according to the Gospel Jesus Christ is there acknowledged Lord and there is never a Member but is a Subject there must be an Order and according to that Order there must be subjection do you think it an easy thing to be subject to Order Remember it was matter of tryal to those that came out of Egypt and through the Sea as we have done yet there were men of renown that could not bear Church-Order Let me tell you it is a greater matter to be subject to Order then to come over the Seas or to endure the troubles of a Wilderness many will bear a Prison before they will endure the Government of Christ and Gospel-order in his Church Vse 2. Of Exhortation to us all in our Churches especially to sanctifie God according to this truth viz. That our polity may be a Gospel-polity and may be compleat according to the Scriptures answering fully the Word of God this is the work of our generation and the very work we engaged for into this Wilderness this is the scope and end of it that which is written upon the forehead of New-England viz. The compleat walking in the Faith of the Gospel according to the Order of the Gospel 1. And for your direction first remember that we have the patern in the mount I mean we have the Scripture as a Rule and you have the Platform of Church-Discipline given to you in way of Council as the Confession of our Faith to this way of Church-government you know in what manner it was that which for the substance of it ownes the cause Congregational if any are departed from it let them look to it I know none of the Elders that have receded from it It was given many years ago as the Confession of our Faith to this Country and to the World it is distinct from the Episcopacy and from the Presbyterian way from the Morellian way from that of Separatism and it is for the substance of it precisely the way Congregational And as David said to Solomon 1 Chron. 28.10 11. I give unto thee the patern of the House of God c. what God will do with us he knows best David lived not to build the Temple himself but he left the patern thereof to his Son Solomon And so we have the patern only this is complained of that it is not practised though we have had it many years ago now practice is the end of Doctrine 2. Consider that we are all concerned in this service I mean in setting up the Throne of Christ Moses is concerned and it is his commendation that he was a man of God who erected the Tabernacle and set up the Worship of God according to the Patern in the Mount and so David and Solomon c. Thou Solomon my Son if thou doest hold here the Lord will be with thee and let the Churches look to it we are all concerned herein our Fidelity in this cause is our Crown see that it be not taken from us 3. It is a matter of very good Policy times of trouble danger may approach and we read in Ezr. 3.3 that they set the Altar upon its Bases for

vindicating or preserving our good name in a matter of so great moment both before great ones Fathers Brethren and every gentle Reader The Lord God of Gods the Lord God of Gods he known and Israel shall know if wittingly and willingly in Rebellion or treacherous dealing against the Lord or in Schism it be that we have departed from our Country save us not this day But yet notwithstanding we are not unmindful of that so known Oracle Love the Truth and Peace we neither strive for Truth without making reckoning of Peace neither do we pursue Peace with the loss of Truth the former defaceth this latter teareth the seamless Coat of the Church It is as necessary to avoid the Rock of Schism on the right hand as the Quicksands of Confusion on the left We renounce Samaratanism that deadly sink of false Doctrine as much as we fly from Donatism the sore enemy of Evangelical Temperament and devourer if we may speak after Teriullian of Christian Society but admire and embrace the Concord and Agreemeent of the Gospel We are no whit pleased with Cassanders shaking hands with Papists at the furthest distance erring from the Truth Nor yet with the Romanist renouncing Communion with them that are otherwise minded in lesser differences but in special manner we ought to labour that we may walk with an even foot and not to turn aside an haires breadth from the Truth in the mean time it is better to be a Cyprian then a Steven It is much more grievous to think aright and be found a Scismatick then to think amiss in things not fundamental and be of a peaceable spirit The spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ is a spirit of Truth of peace and Communion so desirous of Peace that it requireth Communion in a true Church although not pure and so desirous of Truth that it forbids impurity in any Church whatsoever That that is the Mark at which we aim and which we endeavour and breath after in him who is the Way the Truth and Life It is confessed there are some Apices or lesser points in Divinity which the Church of God hath now for above an hundred years bewailed as the obstacles of Peace concerning which the chief controversies maintained are about Predestination Ubiquity and the Eucharist About these points how many thousand Polemick writings have been extant all abroad which the Christian World is scarce able to contein Alas that ever there should be a warre about the Sacrament Alas that ever there should be any contentious Treatises about the Eucharist turning the very Badge of Union into an Apple of Contention who can refrain from tears at the uttering of such things yet these notwithstanding that there is place for the so much desired Coalition between the Evangelicks and the Reformed so called may easily be made appear by running through the chief Heads of things As namely Because in the first Article they who were the greatest Favourers of that eminent Worthy of the former Age do yet ascribe the work of Conversion wholly unto God and do likewise stifly maintain and accurately defend Grace to be altogether free who were also utter enemies to that pestilent Opinion of the Schoolmen That God is bound to him that doth what he can of himself And who likewise do deservedly account it meer Pelagianism to make any kinde of Qualifying Fitness a Moral Motive unto predeterining Grace As for the Opinion of the Ubiquity of the Humane Nature by virtue of the Hypostatical Union it cannot be denied but that Papers have come abroad written by too much gall and sharpness In the mean while it is agreed upon by all and taken for granted That the Humane Nature is Personally Omnipresent According to this Rule likewise are other Propositions about the Person to be judged of under this head Lastly As concerning the Lords Supper the Divines of either part do reject Transubstantiation together with worshiping of bread But about the Real Presence viz. Sacramental of the Body and Blood of Christ it is agreed between both These so many and great Differences are to be accounted as so many Heart-griefs although not to be numbred amongst them which by the Apostle are called Vnlearned Questions yet we judge them not to be of that moment as to hinder the giving each other the right hand of fellowship or the pledges of Eclesiastical Brotherhood building upon that Apostolical Canon of holy Communion Nevertheless in that whereunto we have attained let us walk by the same Rule let us minde the same thing Phil. 3.16 Here also we may call to minde that common and received Distinction between Fundamentals and non-fundamentals and that Brotherly Fellowship is not to be refused with men peaceable and otherwise Orthodox for the sake of Non-fundamentals We account it very unequal to fasten upon any one that holds an Opinion all the Consectaries which to him that argues according to the exactest grounds of Reason seem to follow upon such premises especially if those Consequences be disowned by him in which respect there are no small Errours on both sides while those of our side impeach the other of Eutyches his opinion though refusing to own it for the sake of Consubstantiation And they on the other side go about to make ours guilty of making God the Author of Sin although we never so much disclaim it in the Point of Predestination The Disputes about the Consequences of these whether rightly inferred or not from the premises belong not to this place to be examined yea the matter it self requires rather that we should forbear But this Tragedy is not yet at an end For as to Polity and indifferent things they have taken up divers Opinions who it were to be wished that they would embsace that Concord one with another which hath been so often endeavoured after But the Differences of this nature as they are not so small that the Lovers of Truth should be silent about them so neither are they so great that they need be any hindrance to the Seekers of Peace and Quietness in the present Undertaking as may appear by the unquestioned Example of our Saviour who refused not to Celebrate the Worship of God in the Jewish Church defaced at that time with more greivous corruptions They who are united to Christ by heart-converting grace are Members of his Mystical Body and whosoever but in appearance at least are joyned to the Head and have added themselves to the Polity of Israel are to be received Members of the Political Body Now Communion follows upon Union Besides the nature of Political as well as Christian Society doth utterly forbid to deny the Priviledges of fellowship to such Members as are found without Scandal Thus much we thought good to speak briefly about this Point that Honoured Persons and Respected Brethren might understand what Reasons moved us to entertain the same Opinion with themselves We have been taught that the Idea or Patern of holy Communion ought

to be fetched from Divine Writ and not to be framed after our own pleasure The Rules of Sacred Society are certain beyond which or short of which it is not in our power to extend or withhold the Right-hand of Brother-hood Whoever having attained these shall acknowledg them and having acknowledged them shall walk according unto them so holding Communion with sinners as he doth not in the least communicate with their sins so as he is wanting neither to the Truth nor himself nor his Brethren him we deservedly esteem both as a Guide and Pillar of the Church will we or nill we we are Brethren and seeing we are Brethren let us acknowledge our selves what we are namely Brethren in the Lord. A day would scarce suffice to rehearse how many and how great incitements do call for and require this To account the weak in Faith for none is indeed it self a greater weakness The name of Brethren is sweet it is matter of great delight to be such indeed But it is much to be lamented that those who are so should not be acknowledged to be so So to stand for Truth that by too tenacious insisting upon Doctrine we make no reckoning of the Rights of Society is to be carried with the study of Parties not of the Truth and to undertake the Patronage of an Opinion rather because it is our own then because it is true Sounder Philosophy determines that the excellency of Union is to be esteemed according to the dignity of the Cause We here pass over in silence the conspiring together of the waters and dry land to make one Globe as also that of the frame of the Heavenly and the Earthly Globe to make one Sphere of the World There may be found an heap of Miracles in the quiet gathering the living creatures into the Ark and their abiding in it where the most savage of them laid aside their savageness being ready to acknowledge Noah for their Lord not much otherwise then Adam in giving Names unto them where might be seen the Wolfe standing amongst the Sheep neither do the Flocks seem affraid of the great Lyons These are indeed very great things but yet if they be compared with the Myst cal Union shining forth in one of the very least of Christs Members there would want words to express how great the distance is To proceed therefore if the Union of a very few Believers be of so great moment of how great account should be the Uniting of all Protestants in the Faith But let us here pause a while and not think much to weigh this matter a little more seriously and we shall finde unless we are much deceived this very Union about which we are treating if it be without hypocrifie and deceit but as the very off-spring and image of the Hypostatical Union and onely next unto it on Earth as to the kinde and like unto which there will not be found any in Heaven no not when Angelical Nature remained in its perfection We do believe indeed and not out of a vain conceit That this Agreement is a bright Looking-glass made of the Blood of the Lamb wherein Jesus himself the Prince of so great a Peace clearly shines forth in passing through which also he doth irradiate the World with its brightness while it stedfastly beholds this clear Looking-glass and by irradiating ingenerates Faith therein In which respect we need not fear to affirm That the perpetual conjunction of all Mankinde established by the Bond of the first Covenant would be by infinite degrees exceeded by it That they all may be one as thou Father in me and I in thee that the world may know that thou hast sent me Joh. 17.21 If the possibility of such a Peace should appear we could not do much in the pursuing the necessity thereof Notwithstanding if we may have leave that this Necessity may be fastned in our mindes as they say with the strongest Nayle before we leave this Exhortatory part of our Discourse we think meet for a Conclusion to adorn and strengthen it with the Sayings of some Famous men tending much unto Peace At Marpurg Luther long since professed That he would not yield this Praise to the Adverse Party that they should be more studious of Concord and Peace then himself From whence arose that famous Concord of Marpurg We finde also Calvin thus expressing himself that he might compose mindes and allay so great Commotions at a time when Contention was grown much too hot But I desire you to consider first How great a man Luther is and in what great Gifts he doth excell and with how great Courage and Constancy of Minde with how great Dexterity with how great Efficacy of Learning he hath hitherto endeavoured to put to stight the Kingdome of Antichrist and propagate the Doctrine of Salvation I have been often wont to say That if he should call me Devil a thousand times that I would yet give him that honour as to acknowledge him the eminent Servant of God But our Davenant most severest of all If the Schismes of Churches might be taken away as without doubt they may I would rather have a Mill-stone hanged about my neck and be cast into the Sea then either hinder a Work so acceptable unto God and so necessary to avoid Scandals or not promote it with my whole heart and all my utmost Endeavours Epiphanius would not that Christians should have any By-name Let the Nick-name of Zuinglians and Calvinists then cease the Marks rather of Faction then of Brotherly Vnion What should we have to do with Luther What should we have to do with Calvin We Profess the Gospel we Believe the Gospel Bellarmine somewhere hath a Catalogue of a great many Kingdomes that fell off from the Papacy whose defection from the Mystery of Iniquity if it hath troubled the Cardinals of Rome how much more would their Uniting together in the Mystery of Piety be a terrour to the Roman Party When the truly holy League shall wholly stand for the Lamb when Humane Endeavours and Dissensions being laid aside they shall onely intend that one thing to afford their mutual help for the promoting of Religion when they shall unanimously carry on the war of the Lord against the Whore as if they were indued with the very Spirit of the Revelation when they shall be called neither English nor Dutch nor Swedes nor Danes but onely Christians If Poets Writings any truth contain Ages fierce Wars shall never more maintain But it is not in our power most excellent Dury to adde our counsel either to the beginning or the preserving this Agreement You are not ignorant that we are Exiles Britains altogether divided from the rest of Europe wherefore we are less fit to perform this Task Neither are we so unsensible of our own weakness as not readily to confess our inability for so great a Service nor is there need seeing we must thankfully acknowledge and own that this office hath