turbulent seditious and tumultuating Dispositions who love to kindle flames to foment Divisions to make Sides and Factions that they may fish in troubled waters these things being premised we may touching Accommodations thus conclude 1. There can be no Syncretism or accommodation where the Differences are in points destructive to the foundations of Religion and against the very Essentials of Faith Worship and Obedience there can be no reconciliation between Christ and Belial between damnable Heresies and the Doctrine which is according unto Godliness Hereticks are to be admonished and in case of Pertinacy to be rejected therefore there may be no brotherly Communion with them But seduced persons are in the spirit of meekness to be instructed and if possible to be restored and won unto the Truth and delivered from the snare of the Devil 2. Though the Differences at first view be not so pernitious and dangerous yet if it be evident that they be purposely sowed by men of turbulent and ungracious spirits meerly to kindle flames to foment Seditions to lay the of perpetual Divisions or Commotions in Church or State to gratifie the common enemy and to be subvervient unto such Ends and Designes as wherein Truth and Holiness is endangered in this case the Apostle hath taught us both by his Example not to give place by subjection for an hour unto such men and by his Doctrine to mark and to beware of them 3. Where a Syncretism and Agreement is allowable yet we must love Peace and Truth follow Peace and Holiness not adulterate or in any case betray or play the Hucksters with the Word as it is said of the Samaritanes that they feared the Lord and served their own Gods We must not temper or reduce divine Truth to the Rules or Dictates of our own Lusts nor captivate our Conscience to our carnal desires Jeroboam and Ahaz acted inordinately when they erected a Worship dissonant to Gods Will and subservient to their own for we can do nothing against the Truth but for the Truth buy it we may sell it we must not for any other gain 4. Where the Fundamentals of Religion are safe and on all sides unanimously embraced and the differences purely problematical and such as do not at all endanger the Vitals and Essentials of Religion mutual meekness tenderness and forbearance are to be used as amongst brethren and fellow-members Disputes are to be managed with all calmness of Spirit without Passion Animosity Exasperation invidious Consequences or any thing tending to the violation of brotherly love hereby we preserve the Communion of Saints when we own one another as brethren and not as strangers We credit the Gospel of Peace and adorn our mutual profession of the same common Faith We make way to the more cleer Discovery of Truth when no Passion or Prejudice doth dazzle our eyes or overcloud our Judgement We stop the mouths prevent the Insultations and take away the advantages which the common adversary promiseth to himself by our differences and Dissentions The Means to be used unto such an Evangelical Accommodation are 1. Out of a sincere love of all truth to wait with humble docile and tractable hearts upon God in the use of such means as he hath appointed for the revealing of his mind unto us touching those things about which we differ and for that purpose with single hearts to study the Scriptures and to weigh every opinion in the ballance of the Sanctuary This the Apostle saith is profitable for Doctrine and for Reproof to this he referreth the Church against all danger of Wolves out of this our Lord revealed to his Disciples the things which concerned himself by this the Antients desired to have the Controversies in their times stated and decided And when any of them teach us to try Doctrines by Ecclesiastical Tradition and the witness of the Church they speak of Apostolical Churches which Tertullian calleth Matrices Originales and not barely of the peremptory decision of some one or other present or particular Church for they were able to draw down from the Apostles Traducem fidei as Tertullian calls it a Doctrinal Succession to assign the Time the Authors the Posteriority of those Heresies whch they gain-said as he saith Solemus Haereticis compendii causa de posterioritate praescribere Now because we cannot understand the things of God but by the Spirit of God for he it is who openeth the heart and draweth away the vail and giveth us an understanding and because the Scripture hath told us that Gods people shall be taught of him therefore we must in our studying thereof pray unto God with Job That which I see not teach thou me and with David Teach me good Judgement and knowledge and with the Apostle beg of God the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the knowledge of him that in any thing wherein we are otherwise minded he will reveal even that unto us 2. To agree in the Fundamentals in the mystery of Godliness the Unity of the Faith the Principles of Doctrine the Rule by which we are all to walk in the saving knowledge of God and Christ unto which eternal Life is annexed and without which it cannot be had in the spiritual Worship of God calling upon him and coming unto him in and by Christ and in those primary grounds of Christian Obedience Repentance Sincerity Love of Christ Self-denial where there is an unfeigned and unanimous Agreement in these there is a ground laid for discovery of the Truth in matters of smaller Difference Agreement in Principles is a fair preparation unto agreement in all those Conclusions which are naturally deducible from those Principles and the more clearly we understand the Comprehension of Principles the more exactly we shall discern the genuine Connection of true conclusions and the inconsistency of those which are false and fallacious 3. In the things whereunto we have attained to walk by the same Rule to hold the Truth in love to keep faith and a good conscience for Christian Doctrine is a Mystery of Godliness and saving Knowledge a knowledge which is according unto Godliness and therefore the best way to find out that wherein we differ is to obey that wherein we agree The Lord having promised that they who do his Will shall know his Doctrine that he will teach the meek his way and reveal his secret to them that fear him that unto him who ordereth his Conversation aright he will shew the Salvation of God 4. To be spiritual and heavenly minded for as heavenly bodies so heavenly minds are the proper subjects of Serenity and Tranquillity Storms and Tempests are the Effects of earthly exhalations heavenly Orbs are steady and regular have no Combustions nor disagreements in them Schisms and Divisions are from the flesh and come from
Lord doth severally divide as it pleaseth him for the profit and good of the whole body In the Administration of which Ordinances Offices and Gifts such Decency and Order is to be observed as that it may appear that in all the Churches of the Saints God is a God of Peace and not of Confusion ordaining in all of them that as God hath distributed to every man called every man so he should abide with God within the Precincts of his own Calling not running before he be sent but serving the Lord in that rank station wherein he hath set him 2. An Integral Vnity as between all the parts of an intire body joyned in due order together unto the compleating of the whole and this Unity presupposeth a double Vnion the one of the body to the head the other of the members to one another of both which the Apostle speaketh Ephes. 4. 15 16. 1. There is a bond of Vnion between Christ and his body the Church He that is joyned unto the Lord is one Spirit and this Bond is on Christs part his Spirit whereby he joyneth himself unto his Body we are an habitation of God through the Spirit and on a Believers part his Fatth whereby he joyneth himself to Christ and appointeth him for his Head by which means Christ dwelleth in the hearts of his people Both which the Apostle putteth together calling it the Spirit of Faith 2 There is a Bond of Vnion between the members of the body amongst themselves viz. The mutual Love of Believers unto one another called the Band of perfectness whereby they are knit together for this Grace is that Cement which joyneth the Stones of this spiritual building into one Temple being shed abroad into their hearts by the holy Spirit and is therefore called the Love of the Spirit Rom. 15. 30. as elsewhere the Vnity the Supply and the Fellowship of the Spirit For where this Unity of Spirit and Love is every member doth make a Supply according to the measure which it self hath for the increasing and edifying of the body walking together in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost 3. An Essential Vnity or as St. Hilary calls it Naturalis Vnitas as the body and the soul being joyned together maketh one man and thus Christ is said to make in himself of twain one new man by the participation of that one Spirit which was without measure poured out upon Christ the Head and from his Fulness shed abroad in such proportion upon his Members as he is variously pleased to dispence unto them by which means Christ is formed in us liveth in us and is a quickning Spirit unto us for the Spirit of Christ is that divine seed whereby we are regenerated unto his life and likeness and as St. Peter expresseth it are partakers of the Divine Nature 4. Consequent upon this Essential Vnity whereby all the mystical members of Christ are animated and enlivened by one and the same quickning Spirit doth follow a Moral unity of hearts and minds between all of them as it is said of the Primitive Christians that the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul. And this Moral unity is four-fold 1. An Vnity of Faith in the great and necessary Doctrines of Salvation or in the knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ called by the Apostle the Foundation the Principles of the Doctrine of Christ the form of sound words the proportion or Analogy of Faith the knowledge of Jesus Christ and him Crucified the doctrine and truth which is after godliness the Faith of the Gospel the Faith of Jesus the Mystery of Godliness the Rule by which we should walk called by the Ancients the Seed of Doctrine the Character of the Church the Rule which is common to small and great in one word whatever Doctrine there is the knowledge whereof and assent where-unto is simply necessary unto Salvation in this all who shall be saved do first or last most unanimously agree Differences there may be and usually are in less necessary points which are matters quaestionum non fidei as S. Austin speaks for we know but in part and are not yet come to be perfect men and till the members have attained unto their full stature there cannot be expected an universal consent and harmony of judgements in all points even among the best and most learned men in which case notwithstanding we should receive one another in love and Brotherly Communion because God himself receiveth even those who thus differ into his favour but the Spirit of God doth never fail to lead all that shall be saved into all necessary truths and to preserve them from any damnable and pernicious doctrines 2. Vnity in obedience wherein all holy men do agree albeit some may much exceed others in their progress and degrees of holiness as we may see by comparing the Testimony given unto Asa and unto Josiah such are Repentance from dead works without which we cannot be saved Reliance upon Christ alone by a sincere and unfeigned faith for Life and Salvation A true love of the Lord Jesus and of all that are his A sincere regard unto all Gods Commandments and an hatred of every false way A desire to fear Gods Name and a purpose of heart to cleave unto him and follow him fully Lastly Self-denial submitting our Will and Reason in all things to the Word and Will of God There may be great differences in the spiritual growth and degrees of holiness between one Christian and another some sick others healthy some strong others weak some little children others young men some bruised reeds and smoaking flax others bold as a Lyon But this is obedientia parvis magnisque communis 3. Unity in Worship For though different Churches may have different observances in the External forms and modes of Divine Service yet in the Substantials of Worship they all agree viz. that God is to be worshipped in spirit and in truth and to be sanctified in all those that draw nigh unto him That we are to call upon God only in the Name of Christ as our alone Advocate and Mediator giving thanks unto God the Father by him That we are not to worship Creatures who cannot know our hearts nor answer our prayers nor supply our wants in whom we are not required to believe but are to hold the head to keep our selves from Idols 4. Unity in Ends and Designs for being Brethren in the same Family fellow Citizens with one another and of the houshold of Faith having one Hope one Lord one Faith one Baptisme one God and Father of all the same Enemies to oppose the same interests and common Salvation to
us as Men not as Christians As the reasonable Soul doth bind the parts of the body together in Unity when that is gone they are in a near disposition to dissolve and fall asunder So the Spirit of Christ is the bond of his body the Apostle calleth it The Vnity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace the more we have the mind of Christ the less we shall do things through strife vain-glory revenge or any other inordinate passion for the Wisdom which is from above is pure and peaceable but that which tendeth unto envying and strife descendeth not from above but is earthly sensual and devillish 5. To study and cast about for Peace to do all that is possible and what soever lyeth in our power to produce it to follow after it and all the requisite expedients which conduce unto it if it fly pursue it if it hide search for it find out as Jehoash and Josiah did Masons and Carpenters spiritual workmen to repair the breaches of the house to have our private Opinions and Problemes to our selves before God rather then by our unseasonable venting of them to scandalize and offend our brethen and to endanger the quiet of the Church 6. To be of a meek humble and calm spirit Love is not easily provoked is long suffering kind self-denying beareth believeth hopeth endureth all things An Hammer makes no noise upon wool so a soft Spirit turneth away Wrath. Some men are so hot so opinionative so contentious so wedded to their own conceits so impatient of dissent that none can have Peace with them who will not mancipate and render up their Reason and Judgement into their hands But though it be our Duty to try all things and hold fast Truth when we have found it yet we must hold it with a Spirit of Meekness Meekness is the fittest disposition to receive truth Receive saith the Apost with meekness the ingrafted Word And Meekness is the fittest disposition to teach Truth In Meekness saith St. Paul instructing those that oppose themselves Long-Suffering and Doctrine must be joyned together Self-willedness and hastiness of Passion are Obstructions unto the progress of Truth else the Apostle would not have entred a Caveat against them in a Bishop for saith he a Bishop must be blameless as the Steward of God not self-willed not soon angry c. 7. To be of a candid Judgement not to widen but as much as may be to narrow Differences and to reduce Controversies to as near an Agreement as is possible and in the managing of them to retain Suavity and Ingenuity not to infer without undeniable Evidence odious and invidious consequences from those Doctrines of our brethren which we our selves dislike but to believe other men as perspicacious to discern and as tender to decline such desperate Rocks as we our selves It argues great want of Charity towards others and of Humility in our selves when by our perverse Disputings we go about to charge such opinions upon others as from their own mouths we are assured and therefore should in Charity believe that they do detest Pride in our selves and Prejudice against others are Two great Impediments to the healing of Divisions I shall shut up all with one observation out of the Text more which is this That what Christ in the beginning of the verse did undertake I will feed the flock of slaughter in the latter end thereof he makes it good I fed the flock Christ never undertook more in a way of Office then what he finished nor more in a way of Promise then what he performed He undertook a difficult service to feed his Church not only with his Doctrine but with his Blood he had a Command and Commission to do it and this Commission he accepted Loe I come to do thy will O God And though it were so hard a duty that his humane nature did shrink and as it were draw back from it Father if it be possible let this cup passe from me yet he submitted his will to the will of his father and was obedient even to that servile ignominious and cursed death which his humane nature so earnestly declined And in like manner what he undertakes to work in us he will finish as well as what he undertooke to work for us he is as the Author so the finisher of our faith when he hath begun a good work in us he will performe it unto the day of Christ. He Promised to send his spirit upon his Disciples and he did send him he Promised unto them power to cast out Devills and they did so his name is Amen the faithfull and true witnesse and all the promises of God in him are yea and Amen if he promise peace or grace or salvation he will give it his fidelity power honour love mercy oath and covenant are so many assurances unto his people that what he hath undertaken to do for in or unto them shall undoubtedly be done He will do every work of Salvation to the uttermost for those that come unto God by him if he begin faith he will finish it if he begin holinesse he will compleate it if he heale he heales perfectly if he love he loves to the end Every work of his is perfect There are works of his yet to do to Gather the people of God that are scattered abroad to destroy the idols utterly to tread down Satan and death under our feet and he will do all before he give up his kingdome to his father There are promises of his yet to be fullfilled to come again and to receive us unto himself to raise us up at the last day to bring forth judgment unto victory And the experience which the Church hath had of his Love Power fidelity in former works and promises should raise up their hearts to trust in him assuredly for the accomplishment of those which are yet behind for he is yesterday and to day and the same for ever This we may plead in our prayers do as thou hast said This we may apply in our indeavours towards holinesse he hath said he will subdue our iniquities he will take away an heart of stone and give an heart of flesh for this end he was manifested to destroy the works of the devil and upon this Word I will Hope This we may support our drooping and desponding hearts under in any time of diffidence and discomfort when I begin to fear that my sinnes are greater then can be pardoned stronger then can be mortified deeper then can be eradicated His Power is ever accompanying his mercy what he begins he will finish he hath saide he will abundantly pardon therefore we may say I beseech thee let the power of my Lord be great according as thou hast spoken He will performé the truth