in the world to prevent or to rectifie the distempers which arise from thence but yet wee must say in this case what Christ saith in another With men this is Matth. 19. 26. impossible but with God all things are possible Therefore I beleeve that God is able both to prevent and rectifie such excesses of passion two wayes First by wakening our consciences effectually towards himself in minding The remedy of these distempers us of the end and way of our ministeriall function as it is in Christ that is to say to teach us to aime at nothing but to bee conformable unto Christ by minding the same thing which he did mind towards God and by walking in the same way wherein hee is gone before us to glorifie his Father in his Ministery Secondly by setting a spirituall edge upon our affections towards men not to consider them after the flesh but after the spirit as they are or may be in Christ Iesus our Brethren That is to say to walke in all things towards them by the Law of Christian Brotherhood and make the positive rules thereof beare the onely sway in all our resolutions For by these principles and by these alone wee shall bee enabled both to free our selves from the trouble which otherwise will fall upon us for small and inconsiderable matters of difference in judgement and practise and also to cause all outward concernments fall flat before the Majestie of Gods will in the duties of peace and Brotherhood but without these wee shall bee found void of all strength to doe any such thing and every little trifle will make us fall from our own stedfastnesse Whence it is that because these principles and duties have been and are disrespected in our work of reformation amongst those that undeniably are Brethren therefore the scandalls which are given to the weak and observed by the wicked to discredit our proceedings are multiplied to the sadding of the hearts of all that are godly nor is there any other way imaginable as I conceive relating to conscience fit to remove them and to heale the breaches which follow thereupon but this to manifest unto those that are faithfull to their principles and conscionable in the Ministery that the relation wherein God hath set them one towards another is a brotherly Unitie which in it self is so full and satisfactory and by his commandement is so strict and obligatory that whosoever doth not take up the profession thereof and endeavour to observe the duties belonging thereunto shall not only be found a transgressour but even inexcusable and unworthy of the name of a Christian For this cause I have laid to heart this subject of Brotherly Unitie and Forbearance that if God permit it may cleerly though briefly bee laid open to some of the Ministery that seeme wholly to neglect the consideration thereof For my scope is onely to name the chief heads of their agreement to shew how ful satisfactory it is in my opinion to settle the profession and practise of a Christian Brotherhood between them offering this that if any shall make a scruple of the Truth of that which shall bee asserted concerning this matter in brief that a large deduction and demonstration in due time shall bee made thereof to the end that such who heighten matters of strise amongst Brethren that multiply controversies unadvisedly for small matters and that walke by dividing Principles rather then by the spirit of Unitie in the Gospel of Peace may have cause to reflect upon themselves to consider seriously of the errour of their way and shape their course otherwise then hitherto they have done lest happily they bee found guilty of that contentiousnesse and disobedience unto the Truth whereunto the Apostle hath sadly threatned a heavie judgement of wrath and indignation of Anguish and Tribulation in the Epistle to the Rom. Cap. 2. v. 8 9. from which I beseech the Lord to grant unto us all the seale of our deliverance and the effectuall evidences thereof in a conversation which is holy and blamelesse in love CHAP. V. Concerning the particular termes of Vnitie whereunto the Ministers of this kingdome have attained in the doctrine of Faith and in their relation to Christ and his Church FOrasmuch as I am very confident that the Ministers of both sides are fully convicted of each others Orthodoxy in all those Truths which containe not onely the substance and Fundamentals of Christianitie but also all profitable matters unto edification therefore I shall assert the fulnesse and satisfactorinesse of this Unitie briefly in a few propositions which I am sure doe containe much more as to the agreement in doctrinals and no lesse as to the agreement in their relation unto Christ and his Church then is requisite to make up a Brotherly Vnitie First then it is undeniably evident that they all acknowledge and receive the same holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to bee the onely Word of God outwardly given both to the Church in generall and to all men in particular as the onely rule of Faith and Obedience which in it selfe and to all beleevers is cleer and sufficient for the attainement of salvation and for their direction in all good workes Secondly they all agree that in doubtfull places of Scripture the Interpretation thereof is to bee taken from the undoubted analogie that is the proportion of Faith which is in other cleer places of Scripture and from the right Analysis that is the resolution or division of the context of the same place Thirdly it is evident that they all beleeve unanimously that in these holy Scriptures is revealed unto us that there are three bearing witnesse in heaven the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost and that these three are one and the onely true and living God of whom the true knowledge is life eternall Fourthly they all agree to professe and teach that wee have hope to bee justified and saved by Faith onely in God through Iesus Christ alone who according to the Scriptures is the Messias promised to the Fathers and sent into the world and who being the onely begotten Sonne of the Father from eternitie was in time made flesh a true man like unto us sinne excepted in all things and becomming a Mediator between God and us suffered our punishment and paid the ransome for our sinnes to satisfie Gods justice and doth still make intercession for us in heaven Fifthly they all agree fully in this That there hath been alwayes that now there is and ever shall bee unto the end of the world amongst men a true Church wherein God is worshipped according to his will in spirit and truth by the Ordinances of his owne appointment That unto this Church the promises of perpetuall assistance by the spirit and word of protection against the gates of hell and of remission of sinnes are made in and through the Covenant of grace and that such as live in this Covenant the life of
repentance and faith here shall in the resurrection of the just hereafter partake of the life of eternall glory with Christ when all the wicked shall bee punished with the everlasting judgement of being cast out of his presence into utter darknesse and endlesse torment Sixtly besides these necessary truths which I confesse to bee sufficient to oblige me to acknowledge every one a true Brother in the Faith of Christ as to the Doctrinall part who doth beleeve the same I say besides these Fundamentalls they all agree with the reformed Churches in the other Doctrines of Faith contained in their Confessions and publick writings such namely as concerne 1. The Creation of the world and of man 2. The decrees of God and his providence 3. The fall of man his sinne originall and actuall and the freedome of his will 4. The restitution of mans fall by Christ 5. Christs person offices natures and works of redemption and the application thereof 6. The Law and the Gospel 7. The use of good workes and their rewards 8. The nature of Faith and Repentance 9. The state of regeneration justification sanctification and perseverance in conversion 10. The universall Church and markes of a true particular Church 11. The worship of God 12. The Ministers of the Church and their calling 13. The true and false Ordinances 14. The Sacraments of the Lords Supper and Baptisme and such like wherein over and above necessary truths most things that are profitable and expedient for edification are fully expressed and by all assented unto so that the unity of Faith in this kinde is without all doubt very abundantly full and satisfactory Seventhly seeing the bare theorie of truths dogmatically assented unto is not all that is requisite to makeup a Brotherly unitie between Christ and our owne soules but there is also a subsistence and evidence of our interest in and relation unto him necessary to compleat this union Therefore in like manner to compleat a full and satisfactory uâ—itie in our Christian brotherhood one towards another there ought to bee some evidence of this subsistence of our relation unto him manifested unto each other And hereunto all the godly and orthodox Ministers of this kingdome will heartily agree That none are to bee counted true members of Iesus Christ and belonging unto his mysticall body but such as by faith embracing fiducially with their heart the fundamentaâ—l and saving truths of Christianitie make confession thereof with their mouth and endeavour in their life and conversation to walke in holinesse answerable thereunto that is not after the flesh but after the spirit in love towards one another as God loved us CHAP. VI. Concerning the termes of unitie in the chief Acts of our Religious profession OUr Religious profession is here taken notice of as it is publick and doth oblige us to stand in some relation towards others through the communion of Saints The chief Acts thereof are foure The first is of professors as they stand single by themselves in reference to the worship of God in publick The second is of professors as they stand united unto a congregation in reference to the visible constitution and government thereof The third is of severall Congregations in reference to their mutuall association The fourth is of the Officers and Rulers of these severall Congregations in reference to their interest in each other and the joynt administration of their publick charges If then in all these acts the fundamentall rules whereby they are to be directed and managed are fully and satisfactorily the same and not unknowne but rather acknowledged by the professors of both sides it will follow that both sides ought to look upon each other therein as upon Brethren and practise the duties of Brotherhood one to another which are answerable unto this acknowledgment But if notwithstanding this unitie and agreement in these rules and in the acknowledgment thereof the duties are neglected then the sentence of the Apostle Iames 4. 16. is to be laid to heart To him that knoweth to doe good and deth it not to him it is sinne And that of our Saviour which is more full and plain Luke 12. 47. The servant which knew his Lords will and prepared not himself neither did according to his will shall be beaten with many stripes Now that in these Acts of the profession the sundamentall rules obliging us unto holy Communion are acknowledged on both sides to bee the same will appeare in these following particulars Sect. I. Of single Professors VVHen wee looke upon Professors such namely as wee have already described to bee beleevers of the doctrin forenamed and to have that relation unto Christ and his body which hath been formerly mentioned when I say we look upon these Professours as single that is as standing by themselves and not embodied into any particular societie yet we intend not to exempt them by this notion from either a visibilitie of their profession or a compliance in that wherein they ought to concurre with other Christians For they are to bee counted single not as if they might take up a single and singular way of professing Christ by themselves alone which is neither common nor perceptible unto other Christians but they are to bee counted single onely as they are men not engaged as yet unto any particular Congregation to bee members thereof professedly Suppose then a man to be a true Christian and a meere stranger to all the men and Churches of a Nation where he findeth the name of Christ known and publikely professed by some and not at all known and professed by others the question may bee concerning him threefold 1. Whether hee should make himselfe known to bee a professor yea or no 2. How he should manifest his Profession viz. Whether yea or no hee should not joyne with others in the Acts of publick worship And 3. What the Acts of publick service and worship are whereunto hâ—e should joyne if hâ—e should apply himself to other Professors Now in the answer to these three questions I suppose that both sides will fully agree upon these rules as a directory for him to walk by in such a case and to the first the answer is this 1. Although a man stand single and is not embodied into any particular society yet he ought to make it appeare unto the world and to other Professors that he is a Christian that is be ought to appeare in publick as a Professor of Christianitie The grounds of this Rule are these commandements Matth. 5. 16. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in heaven Phil. 2. 15 16. Shine yee as lights in the world holding forth the word of life Ephes 5. 7. Walke as children of light Vers 10. Prove what is acceptable unto the Lord. Vers 11. Have no fellowship with the unfruitfull workes of darkenesse but rather reprove them Phil. 1. 27. Let your conversation bee as it becommeth
amongst us and if there is any faithfulnesse and constancie to bee expected from those that professing Christianitie have entred into solemne protestations vowes and covenants to stand united according to the will of God for the advancement of a common-reformation and the settlement of our union therein if I say there bee any such thing as love to truth zeale for righteousnesse and faithfulnesse of Christian Covenants I may adjure such as pretend thereunto to shew themselves at this time therein for their owne and their Brethrens preservation that by the duties of Brotherly unitie in the holy profession they may bee found to keepe faith and a good conscience without blame For as it is not possible that the Faith once given to the Saints can bee maintained by any without a good conscience so the integritie of a good conscience cannot bee kept without observing the end of the holy Commandement which is the practise of love out of a pure heart Now this practise amongst Mininisters in their Ministeriall charges can bee none other but a conscionable concurrence of their spirits in that aime wherein the all relate unto Christ to strengthen one anothers hands in the works of his service For their unity and love to each other can have no truth but as it relates unto him nor can it relate otherwise unto him then by fulfilling his will in doing the works of his service and if this aime be lost in any let them pretend what they will their conscience is not sound their performance is not acceptable nor will their indeavours be for ever established hence it is that because many have left off to aime sincerely at this who either delight to stand wholly by themselves and give way to dividing principles and practises or thinke it more expedient to stand wholly associated but give way to the meanes of humane power to trust more thereunto then to the duties of Christian love and serviceablenesse therefore it is just with God to withdraw from such of both sides that walke in these wayes and from their undertakings the blessing of his presence So that by reason of the want of his strength to goe along and conduct to guide them all their hands are weakned nothing which is undertaken doth prosper the service of Christs house is not advanced the stewards thereof are either divided by themselves or scattered by others and generally they are as men without a heart afraid one of another and through these their breaches a whole deluge of damnable errors and a full current of all unrighteous wicked and scandalous practises hath overwhelmed and almost drowned the Churches so that the very floodgates of hell seeme to bee opened upon us and have covered us with the proud waves of all licenciousnesse And although it cannot bee denied but that it is just with God to suffer Satan thus farre to prevaile against all for the sinnes of all and to make this breach upon the Leaders for their A doubt answered concerning the office of the Ministery failing in the Ministery yet it is farre from mee to thinke as some doe that the promise of God is failed in this our age at if there were neither true Church nor Ministery any more amongst us or any where in this world but that the gates of hell having prevailed against the Church which Christ did once institute by his Apostles a new mission must be expected and a new foundation laid for the erecting of his kingdome I say God forbid that I should thinke so Yea let God bee true but every man a liar for I beleeve that heaven and earth shall passe Rom. 3. 4. Matth. 24. 3â— Matth. 16. 16 17 18 19. away but the word that is gone out of Christs mouth shall not passe away Now Christ upon a speciall occasion said distinctly unto his Disciples three things which are these 1 That his Church should bee built upon the rock of that truth whereof the Apostles made confession which was that Jesus was the Christ the sonne of the living God 2 That the gates of hell should not prevaile against that Church 3 And lastly That the keyes of the kingdome of heaven with authoritie to bind and loose on earth whatever should be bound and loosened in heaven shall be given to this Church These promises I beleeve to bee so sure that they shall never faile Therefore I must conclude that neither the foundation of the Church nor the Church which is builded thereupon nor the Ministeriall authoritie of the keyes given to that Church shall faile so long as this world doth last Forwhat although some doe not beleeve and are disobedient to the will of God shall their unbelief and disobedience make the faith and truth of God without effect God forbid yea all men are to bee found liars that God may bee found true for he hath concluded all in unbelief that he might have mercy upon all therefore in his sayings he shall be justifified and when he is judged overcome Wee must therefore acknowledge that by our unrighteousnesse the righteousnesse of God is to be commended and that although we of this Nation should utterly faile him and bee no more worthy to be counted his Church yet that he will never faile to doe what hee hath said unto the seed of Christ amongst men and never recall the word which hee hath spoken concerning his Church But Isa 59. 21. this we are bound to beleeve that wheresoever there is a societie of men beleeving with their heart and with their mouth making openly profession of this truth that Jesus is the Christ the Sonne of the living God there is a Church existent and wheresoever a Church is existent there the authoritie of the keyes is not wanting because Christ hath said that the gates of hell shall not prevaile against it I shall then confidently conclude from these premises two things first seeing there are societies of beleevers which are here existent and known to bee built upon that truth which is the foundation that therefore notwithstanding all these failings in particular duties whereof they are guiltie that yet Gods promise for the main will never be wanting to them as to his Church Secondly I may infer this also that notwithstanding all the advantages which Satan seemeth to have gotten both against the Ministery of this Church and against their administrations therein whereby hee doth blast them and the fruit of their labours yet wee may bee sure that he shall never prevaile so farre as to make void the priviledge of the Church which is to have a right to the keyes of the kingdome of heaven and thereby to the administration of all Christs Ordinances Now then although indeed it is very sad and lamentable that the Buildâ—rs themselves should be so far wanting to their dutie as by their divisions to give such an advantage unto Satan that hee should bee able visibly to pull down more then they are able to build up yet
we know that all things even these same and such like failings will worke together for the best towards The comfort of beleevers against these evils Psal 76. 10. those that love God and that all the advantages which Satan hath gotten against the kingdome of Christ will tend together to Gods greater glory and Satans owne overthrow at last For as the wrath of man shall surely praise the Lord so the plots of Satan and all his prevailing upon the infirmities of his Saints when he shall have mercy upon Zion will redound exceedingly to the increase of his glory by the manifestation of the riches of his grace and of the stabilitie of his purposes in setting up the kingdome of Jesus Christ through a finall and totall destruction of all the enemies thereof Seeing then I have cause to hope for such an issue of this warfare I shall not feare that the discovery of this failing in the Ministery will bee taken as a reproach to discredit them towards others in their function which I acknowledge in its own way and degree to be of God not of man but rather as an admonition of love to show to those that are conscionable the necessity of laying their owne condition to heart and of seeking the remedy thereof in that way wherein it may bee found And that I may not bee wanting The necessitie of unitie further pressed unto this designe I shall adde one thing more for the demonstration of the necessitie of this dutie of brotherly unitie which is so much neglected amongst us that afterwards I may come to speake more fully of the usefulnesse and excellency thereof In the profession of Christianitie the Apostle saith that neither Gal. 6. 15 16. circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but a new creature And as many as walke by this rule Peace saith hee will bee upon them and mercy and upon the Israel of God Here then wee see that the fruits of Peace and of mercy are Gods blessings upon the life of the new Creature and where these fruits are not at all apparent but on the contrary a spirit of strife of bitternesse of hatred and of mercilesse affection doth prevaile there wee needs must say that the old creature is still alive because the Iam. 3. 14 15 16 17 18. wisedome which is earthly sensuall and devillish which is the old mans rule brings forth such effects Now it is the proper worke of the true Ministers of the Gospel to perswade all men to live the life of the new Creature and to mortifie the members Col. 3. 5. 8. of the old man which are upon the earth whereof these are a part But if through the spirit of division and variance the Ministers themselves are intangled in these passions and that even one against another so that they doe not shew forth all meeknesse with all long-suffering and forbearance wherein they ought to receive each other to the glory of God as Christ received us how can they performe this worke how can they perswade others to walke by a rule which they mind not and wherein they themselves are not exercised It is cleer then that to doe the proper worke of their Ministery it is necessary for them to intend the dutie of brotherly love and unitie Moreover it is said here that neither circumcision nor uncircumcision doth availe any thing in Christ Jesus and if this is so then the division and distraction which is amongst us for things of such a kind is sinfull and necessary to bee left off for I am sure that circumcision to the Jewes and uncircumcision to the Gentile was a matter of greater concernment then any thing about which wee at this time are divided And if that ought not to have made a breach between them farre lesse these things amongst us Now that Gal. 5. 6. which by the new Creature is available in Christ Jesus is faith onely which worketh by love If then the Ministers of the Gospel are appointed by God to beget faith and love in their hearers that is to perswade the unbeleevers thereunto and to 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 unitie 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 buildup 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
they may lay the thing to heart and weigh it consideratly that God may perswade their affections to the practise thereof The excellencies of brotherly unitie are set forth in the 133. Psal where first by way of preface and proposition the holy Ghost doth call upon us and invites us to contemplate and observe the same with admiration in the twofold propertie thereof viz. the goodnesse and the pleasantnesse which is in it Behold how good and how pleasant it is for Brethren to dwell together in unitie Vers 1. Then secondly by way of proof and demonstration he doth shew wherein that goodnesse and pleasantnesse doth consist and whence it doth proceed The goodnesse and pleasantnesse of brotherly unitie doth consist in this that it doth bring with it to those that maintain it all manner of blessings in great plentie The blessings are both spirituall and bodily the first in the Church the second in the Common-wealth The spirituall blessings bestowed in the Church are the graces of the holy anointing it is like the oyntment whose excellencies are 1. in their worth the precious oyntment 2. in their use and application which is to consecrate and make men Priests unto God by the vertues conferred upon their principall faculties upon the head the beard Aarons beard 3. in their abundance and fruitfull proceeding from the head to all the inferiour parts it ran down upon the beard went down upon the skirts of his garment Vers 2. The bodily blessings bestowed in the Common-wealth are the fruits of the earth in the highest parts thereof both farre from the Church and neer unto the same As the dew of Hermon a hill and land farre from Jerusalem neer Jordan and the dew that descendeth upon the mountaines of Zion Vers 3. All this goodnesse and pleasantnesse doth accompany brotherly unitie because the Lord hath commanded the blessing to bee there viz. where unitie is and the blessing which he hath commanded is even life for evermore Vers 3. and consequently all the meanes of life and if of life eternall then of temporall also for wee have the promise that if wee seek the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse all other things shall bee added unto us Matth. 6. 33. Now from all this which is the cleer doctrine of the holy Ghost I shall make this inference onely that if these promises are made to brotherly unitie by reason of the blessing of God upon those that maintain it in Church and Common-wealth then we may denounce the contrary threatnings unto those that maintain it not for the wrath of God is upon those that are contentious Rom. 2. 8 9. and obey not the truth Hitherto of unitie The ground of it is love as may bee gathered from 1 Cor. 12. 25. where the same care of members one for another which is the effect of their love is the cause why there is no rent in the body and consequently why unitie is preserved For where that loving care is not unitie is not but a rent will bee as wee may daily perceive in our dolefull estate Therefore all the excellencies that belong to brotherly unitie are first and originally to be attributed unto charity But then there are yet other excellencies which are more immediatly attributed unto it by the holy Ghost in 1 Cor. 13. where the Apostle having in the foregoing Chapter from the beginning reckoned up the spirituall gifts which are given to the Saints in the Church to profit withall in the unitie of the body as is cleer from Vers 7. compared with Vers 12 13. of Chap. 12. he commeth in the conclusion of that Chapter to exhort the Saints to covet earnestly the best gifts and to encourage them unto this dutie he promiseth to shew them the way which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most excellent Which is that which immediatly in the following 13th Chapter he begins to describe From whence this inference doth offer it selfe that as the chief and most excellent meanes to attaine to all spirituall gifts is the practise and exercise of love so the neglect of that dutie is the chief cause of the decay and losse of all spirituall gifts Now the Apostle in the description of this way doth shew a Threefold excellencie and usefulnesse of love The first is that without it no spirituall talents or good workes are profitable to the Church or to our owne salvation Vers 1 2 3. The second is that in it and by it all vertues tending to make a man perfect are wrought in us Vers 4 5 6 7. The third is that above all other graces it is the onely durable and lasting unto eternitie Vers 8 9 10 11 12. Which doctrine being referred to the foregoing proposition in the last verse of Chap. 12. will produce this argument or demonstration concerning the excellencie of love That vertue without which no gifts nor good workes are usefull unto any and by which all vertues are wrought in us and which alone lasteth unto eternitie is the most excellent way to spirituall gifts But so it is that charitie is that vertue Ergo it is of all others the most excellent way to spirituall gifts The Minor or the Assumption of this argument is made good concerning charitie in the three severall parts thereof forementioned First then that without it no spirituall talents and outward good workes are usefull the Apostle doth make out in many particulars For he first mentioned the gift of utterance suppose a man could speake with the tongues of men and Angels yet if hee want charitie he is to his auditory but as sounding brasse or a tinkling Cymbale Vers 1. Afterwards the gifts of prophesie of understanding all mysteries of all knowledge of all faith to doe miracles yet if there be no charitie he declareth that all this is of no use and vertue neither to the Church nor to him that hath it Ver. 2. Then concerning good workes he supposeth the largest and most compassionate relief of the poore and the greatest constancy in martyrdome for the truth even that a man should give his body to bee burnt yet if there be no charity all these workes will availe him nothing Vers 3. Charitie then is more excellent then these gifts and is to bee counted the life and as it were the soule of them all Secondly that by charitie all vertues are wrought in us the Apostle doth in like manner declare in many particulars For the vertues which make us perfect for our behaviour towards persons in actions and about things they all proceed from charitie For our behaviour towards persons if others bee crosse and froward it teacheth long-suffering If they bee good and vertuous it teacheth kindnesse if they are in glory and prosperity it doth not envie their condition if wee in respect of our selves find some excellencies or eminencies in our own condition which others have not it doth not suffer us to vaunt thereof towards others nor to be puffed up thereby within
the spirit of Christ and every true beleever is a member Organicall in his own place that is appointed to some usefull worke Nor is any member alone but it is put together with the rest to make up the whole by mutuall conjunction and cooperation therefore none doth worke as it is alone but as it standeth united with its fellow-labourers in every worke And as none of these respects can bee wanting in the office of the Ministery so none besides these are needfull for if a member doth duely depend upon his head and standeth in its right place in the body and hath a lively facultie to doe its owne worke and is no wayes disjoynted but fitly compacted and linked to the other members in doing its work nothing can bee further desired or wished for in it These are then the essentiall and proper relations under which a Minister as an Officer of the Church is to bee considered Now if it bee found that in the profession of truth and holinesse nothing doth make him so fit for his office in all these relations as to maintaine the duties of brotherly love unitie communion and correspondencie and that without the studie of these hee cannot stand aright in any of those relations then I suppose that these duties will without contradiction bee acknowledged to bee the most commendable and usefull that hee can apply himselfe unto and that without the observance of the same hee cannot bee said to walke worthy of the vocation wherewith hee is called Let us therefore take these relations into a more distinct consideration and see how therein by these duties a Minister is fitted for his office First then a Minister by his Office is subordinate unto Christ as a Servant as a Disciple and as a friend of his and to make these relations evident to the world and sure to himself is to make his calling and election sure which is effected when both others are made to see and hee himself doth assuredly of himselfe know that what hee doth in his charge is done to serve Christ as it becommeth his Disciple and friend But except his behaviour in all the workes of his charge bee sutable to that love whereby Christ his master did love us and thereby did unite himself unto us these relations will not bee evidenced For to be a faithfull servant of Christ he must make two things appeare First that hee serves none but him alone as the Apostle doth Gal. 1. 10. and as Christ requires of all to bee done when hee tells us that none can serve two masters Matth. 6. 24. And secondly that hee applies himselfe to the same worke which Christ did For hee commands all his servants to follow him Iohn 12. 26. namely in that service which hee performed which was to doe the will and manifest the love of his Father unto us therefore the Apostle 2 Cor. 4. 5. in order to this doth professe not to preach himselfe but Christ Jesus the Lord and himselfe a servant to the Corinthians for Iesus sake This was to be a servant of the love of Jesus to us to invite all to bee reconciled to God for his sake 2 Cor. 5. 18 19. 21. and 6. 1. As the imployment is nothing else but a service of love Gal. 5. 13. that is to expresse the love and fulfill the Law of Christ Gal. 6. 2. so the infallible character of a disciple by 1 Cor. 16. 14. which hee is to bee distinguished in the world from all others is mutuall love and unitie as is cleer by Iohn 13. 35. and herein as well as in holding forth the word they are to approve themselves to bee the light of the world Matth. 5. 14. which will appeare by comparing these two places Phil. 2. 14 15 16. with 1 John 2. 9 10 11. The whole relation then of being a true servant and Disciple is evidenced by nothing more then by this worke of love and mutuall unitie Lastly also it is evident that none can claime the title of being Christs friend but by the performance of this dutie For Christ hath intailed the right to this dignitie wholly upon this condition which is cleerly expressed Iohn 15. 12 13 14 15 16 17. This is my commandement that yee love one another as I have loved you greater love hath no man then this that a man lay downe his life for his friends Yee are my friends if yee doe whatsoever I command you c. And when in vers 15. and 16. hee hath shewed how much by his friendship to them hee hath obliged them already and what further obligations they should receive from his Father hee concludes vers 17. thus These things I command you that you love one another So that hee puts all the relations which wee have to him of servants of disciples and of friends upon the expression of our love to each other from whence wee must forcibly conclude that if there bee no such expression of love but rather of disaffection and of hatred to one another in our Ministery that wee make it apparent unto the world and to our owne consciences when they awake it will bee evident that wee are none of his servants nor his disciples nor his friends but rather the servant disciples and friends of his enemy the Prince of wickednesse in heavenly Ephes 6. 12. matters Therefore let no man bee deceived with faire pretences of holinesse and with large pleas and discourses about speciall rights the Apostle tells us that if wee have bitter envy and strife in our hearts one against another and if wee glory therein wee Iam. 3. 14 15 16. lie against the truth For the wisedome by which men are led in such cases descendeth not from above but is earthly sensuall and devillish Secondly in relation to the Church as it is a house of God the Ministers therein are builders 1 Cor. 3. 10 11 12. as it is the houshold of faith they are stewards of the Mysteries of God 1 Cor. 14. 1 2. and as it is a flock they are shepheards thereof 1 Pet. 5. 2. Now if in building the same house there bee no concurrence and correspondency between the builders thereof how will it bee fitly framed together as it ought to bee Ephes 20. 21. Can builders that have no spirituall communion but are rather disunited in their wayes frame fitly one and the same house for Gods spirit to dwell in And if in a great houshold where one steward cannot oversee all severall stewards being appointed to do all by one and the same rule of administration yet they agree not amongst themselves but walke different wayes and crosse each other will not this distraction disorder the affaires of the houshold will not this reflect upon their Lord and Master as if he could not govern his family in peace And if severall shepheards belonging to a great flock to feed it jointly doe every one take a part thereof for himself and feed it
and Peace For the unitie of their spirits in the simplicitie of Truth is their strength and the evidence of grace without worldly wisedome in their walking will make them not onely invincible but even irresistible because the power of the Word of life which is a two-edged Sword and the armour of righteousnesse on the right hand and on the left when they are handled in sinceritie without all mixture of humane policie will bee prevalent to 2 Cor. 2. 1â— make them triumph in Christ and to cause the inhabitants of the world to fall in due time before them that in the day of Christs power which wee hope is approaching all the strong holds of Satan may be surrendred unto him This ensuing discourse then concerning unitie and forbearance to shew the ground termes and motives thereof was by The end of the ensuing discourse and the occasion of putting it to paper me conceived as a proposall of matters belonging properly to the consideration of the Orthodox Ministers of this kingdome who dissent onely from each other in the way of government that if our private or publique conferences had continued as they were begun in simplicitie the heads thereof might have been a subject of further deliberation amongst us For to that effect they were put to paper at the desire of some but seeing the motions tending to a reconcilement of our Religious differences seeme to be obstructed so that there is little or no hope to gaine any further meetings and conferences in this kind and for this aime therefore I have enlarged them a little and And of enlarging and publishing the same altered the frame thereof somewhat and now shall leave them to you to bee disposed of as God shall direct you for the publick good to make use of them For whether the obstruction of these thoughts of reconcilement arise from the unwillingnesse of some who perhaps thinke it not wisedome to venture their paines in such a way or from the State contrivements or preingagements and combinations of others who by any of these meanes thinke themselves strong enough to gain their own desires another way Whether I say from any or from all of those causes the obstruction doth arise it is to mee a matter of no discouragement but rather an occasion to bee willing to appeare so as I am in the presence of God free from interests and before men without all pretence to wisedome strength and authoritie That so farre as those motions shall be found agreeable to the will of God and sutable to the conscience of those whose wisedome strength and authoritie is the obedience of Faith in performing their dutie they may be entertained with singlenesse of heart and if so many of us as have freed our spirits from the bondage of feares and hopes in respect of outward matters and have given our selves upto walke openly by knowne and undeniable rules and by the Law of unprejudicate love to bee without offence towards all should but resolve upon this provocation to lay the matter of dutie represented therein more seriously to heart then hitherto wee have done and to ripen further thoughts concerning the same who knoweth what God may work thereby It is not impossible for him to blow upon the dead bones of our scattered affections from the wayes of peace and communion to bring them to a concurrence in the acknowledgement of some rules which shall relate to nothing but his owne will and if any such spirit of life be breathed but in a few of us we may hope that it will not be without effect towards others but that some resolutions may ensue which God will blesse with successefulnesse in the prosecution However I am resolved without all appearance of successe to cast this bread upon the waters and commending my self unto his providence leave these papers to you to be disposed of as you shall think fit in your discretion which with your self is recommended to the grace of God THE Moderator Endeavouring A full Composure and quiet Settlement of those many Differences both in Doctrine and Discipline which have so long disturbed the Peace and welfare of this COMMON-WEALTH CHAP. I. The Introduction shewing the Scope and Matter of the Discourse ALthough the case is doleful and highly to be lamented that there is no where in the world so much strife and division apparent as amongst those that are named Christians nor that amongst any Christians greater animosities do break forth then sometimes amongst those that are the Ministers of the Gospel yet this is a most certaine and undeniable Truth and worthy of all acceptation That the Doctrine of Christianity in it self is nothing else but the glad tidings of everlasting peace that therein Christ is revealed to bee the Prince of love and peace that none but his followers are capable of peace and unitie with God and that amongst men the true directions to live in love and peace one with another are no where to bee found but in his kingdome Which being so it will follow notwithstanding all these divisions that none should more willingly undertake nor can more profitably entertaine the thoughts of peace and unitie for the composure of differences and ending of strife amongst men then they whom God hath called to bee Preachers of his Gospel and whom hee hath appointed to bee witnesses of the Covenant of his grace and peace And seeing all they to whom this Covenant is tendred and by whom it is received through Faith are bound to live in the unitie of Faith and Love as being all one in Christ and confederates one to another by vertue of that Covenant Therefore I shall offer my selfe in the way of the heavenly calling as one to whom the Gospell is revealed and to whom the testimony of Jesus in the Covenant of peace is committed unto those that are my Brethren in the same Ministery humbly intreating them all but chiefly such as are most conscionably wise in looking rather to the will of God in the duties of their Ministeriall function then to the interests of a partie amongst men to observe and consider with me concerning the wayes of Unitie and Forbearance which they ought to mind amongst themselves and acquaint their hearers withall these three assertions First that the ground wherefore they ought to professe and practise Vnitie and Forbearance one towards another is the undeniable Law of Christian Brotherhood Secondly that the Termes of Vnitie whereunto they have already attained are full and satisfactory and that the termes of the Forbearance which they should intend to practise are plain and easie to be acknowledged and setled amongst them Thirdly that the Motives which should induce them to the acknowledgement profession practise and setlement thereof are as strong as unavoydable necessitie and the highest relation unto dutie can make them And to make good these three Assertions I shall with as much brevitie as I can declare my sense thereof distinctly and plainly
not deceive our selves it is not the bare dogmaticall knowing of the truth that will approve us to be Christs Disciples there must bee a reall practise of it and this practise is nothing else but to walke in love as Christ hath loved us For herein wee shall approve our selves to be deare Ephes 5 1 2. children and followers of God because the new commandements which Christ hath given us John 13. 34. is this That yee love one another as I have loved you that yee also love one another And John his beloved Disciple tells us that wee know that wee have passed from death unto life because wee love the Brethren 1 John 3. 14. from whence hee doth in the same place inferre this consequence hee that loveth not his brother abideth in death Let therefore no man flatter himselfe with a vaine shew of the Truth of Christianitie this is an infallible Rule None is a Christian indeed and truth but hee that loveth the Brethren If then we can make it appeare that the Ministers of this kingdome are to esteeme one another truely Brethren because fully united unto Christ and that by the Law of Christian Brotherhood they are bound to make profession of that unitie and to behave themselves one towards another as it becommeth the Brethren of Jesus Christ and the brethren of each other in Christ if I say wee can make these things appeare to bee an undoubted dutie then wee may hope that on the one hand such as pretend to be Christians and yet minde not at all this distinguishing dutie but continuing to walke offensively in strife with every one dishonour their profession will bee discovered to bee voyd of truth and on the other hand such as are sincere will bee stirred up to shew themselves zealous in the way of Truth for the effectuall performance of the duties of Brotherly Unitie and Forbearance towards all those whom they are bound to acknowledge to belong to Jesus Christ no lesse themselves CHAP. III. Of the second Assertion Concerning the Termes of Vnitie and Forbearance in generall BY Vnitie wee meane the concurrence of mens judgments affections and actions about the same thing in one and the same way and for the same end By Forbearance wee meane the refraining from uncharitable and unkindly affections and behaviours towards another in some things although there bee some difference between us and him in judgement and in the way of acting about these things By the termes of Vnitie and Forbearance wee understand all those things which determine the judgement and conscience of a Christian to the profession and practise of these duties as hee oweth them unto Christ and his members As then the profession and practise of Vnitie is grounded upon the Law of Brotherhood according to that of Abraham unto Let Let there be no strife between me and thee I pray thee for wee Gen. 13. 8. bee Brethren So the profession and practise of Forbearance must bee grounded upon the Termes of some Unitie for where there is no Unitie at all if ever the disunited parties come within the reach of one another there no Forbearance can be expected but where there is some Unitie because there also will be some concurrence therefore there will needs follow thereupon some restraint of strife which is a Forbearance for the affections of men are to bee answerable to the natures of things as then things wholly opposit cannot possibly agree to beare one with another in that wherein their opposition doth lie when they are are to act upon the same subject no more then things agreeing can intend to oppose and destroy each other in that wherein their agreement doth lie So it is with the Motions of mens spirits both in the way of opposition and agreement when either of these is fundamentall For as in case of opposition the Apostle doth argue thus 2 Cor. 6. 14. What fellowship hath righteousnesse with unrighteousnesse what communion hath light with darknesse and what concord hath Christ with Balial So in case of agreement he argueth in like manner thus 1 Cor. 12. 21. 26. The eye cannot say to the hand I have no need of thee nor againe the head to the feet I have no need of you And whether one member suffer all the members suffer with it or one member be honoured all the members rejoyce with it So then all Forbearance from strife and opposition must proceed from the presupposall of some Unitie and where no Unitie is presupposed there can be no such Forbearance Therefore before wee can speake of the termes of Forbearance wee must consider first the termes of our agreement to see how full and satisfactory these will be found CHAP. IV. Concerning the termes of Vnitie by themselves what they are why not regarded and wherefore they ought to bee regarded THe thing whereof wee are to make enquiry at this time is this Whether yea or no the termes of Vnitie whereunto the Ministers of this Kingdome which are counted Orthodox and godly have already attained are not full and satisfactory to make them acknowledge one another to be Brethren If it can bee made out that the termes of their Unitie are such then it may bee inferred that they ought to behave themselves each to other as it becommeth brethren which to the grief of many is very slightly or not at all performed Now to resolve the question let us consider that which maketh men fully and satisfactorily brethren in Christ whether it bee not truely found in them although by many of them not at all regarded Wee shall say then that which formerly hath been asserted If such as are acknowledged to bee godly and Orthodox Ministers What the termes of brotherly unitie are in this kingdome are begotten of the same heavenly Father by the same Word of Truth in the same true Church and have the same sense of their relation unto Christ and in all the chief Acts of their Religious profession have the same rules to walke by then they have attained already unto that unitie which is full and satisfactory to make them acknowledge one another to bee Brethren But so it is that they are thus be 〈…〉 ten that they have this sense of their Relation to Christ and these Rules to walke by in their Religious profession Therefore the Vnitie whereunto they have already attained is full and satisfactory to make them acknowledge one another to be Brethren To these three heads then the particular termes of their Vnitie are to bee referred viz. 1. To the doctrine of Truth which is the seed of the heavenly Father begetting them to himself 2. To the sense of their Relation unto Christ in the Church 3. And to the Rules of their religious walking that if in every one of these the Unitie whereunto they have already attained bee found fully satisfactory to oblige them to a mutuall acknowledgment of Brotherhood then the publick profession thereof may not any longer bee held
except they bee in are orderly way dismissed by these with whom they were associated 2 That no member comming from another Church with which wee are in brotherly Communion shall be admitted to become a distinct member of our societie till the Church from which hee commeth bee made acquainted with his purpose to associate with us 3 That none who is said to belong to that neighbourhood or association which is called a Parish though hee doth not professe himselfe a member in that way shall bee received as a member of any distinct Congregation untill the Officers thereof have enquired concerning his life and conversation of those that are Rulers of the said neighbourhood and of the Congregations neerest unto his habitation to whom it is likely hee may have had some relation or which may have taken notice of his wayes and profession One of the chief mysteries and originall causes of our manifold divisions doth lie in this outward circumstantiall manner of the association of members into a Congregation and the reason hereof as I take it is partly because men naturally seâ—k rather to please themselves in the satisfaction of some humors of their owne then to edifie others partly because the true use of Christian libertie and the relation wherein all true professors stand one to another in Christ is either not understood or not minded in comparison of some circumstantials of our owne coining to our selves upon any one of which wee use to lay more weight then upon all the fundamentalls of Christs appointment And till his grace and good spirit discover and worke out this self pleasing humour wee cannot hope for peace and unitie almost in any thing although our agreement be never so fundamentall in all things Sect. IV. Of the Officers and Rulers of severall Congregations and their association THe Officers of every Congregation are under a twofold relation of unitie to each other First as they are Professors Secondly as they are Officers that is specially intrusted with a charge in the profession As they are Professors they are neerer in Brotherhood then as they are Officers For their profession doth give them an immediate interest into Christ and to one another in him but their Office doth give them no interest either in him or in each other further then they are true to the profession whence it followeth that except they bee associated in the mysticall body of Christ they cannot be associated in the ministery thereof It followeth also further that the relation wherein they stand to each other as Christians being the onely foundation of their Brotherhood all the other relations which are ministeriall must yeeld and bee subordinate thereunto So that all the bonds which may settle their association in the ministery must be intended no further then they serve to advance and confirme the brotherhood and association which is setled upon the truth of Christianitie For if any combination of Ministers bee framed otherwise or to any other end then to strengthen the fundamentalls of Faith and to increase the fruits of true Christianitie in holinesse and love it will beget nothing else but a Papacie because the root of the Papall Hierarchie and the foundation whereupon that mystery of iniquitie was raised in the Church was nothing else but the aime of an association of Church Officers subordinating the profession to their places and making use of the fundamentals of truth to set up themselves above others for it may bee evidenced that all the superstitious devices and politick practises of Popery to blind men and by an implicit faith to keepe them in subjection resolve themselves at last into this principle and aime of setting up themselves above Christianitie in the hearts of men which is properly the Temple of God Therefore it cannot bee denied that they spring originally from hence seeing every thing is ultimately resolved into that whereof it was first begotten From all which I draw this conclusion in brief that all associations of Church-Officers or of any other publick Officers of what kind soever who subordinate not themselves and the interest which they have in each other by their Offices and by their associations unto the ends of Christianitie to exalt the unitie thereof that Christ may bee seene above all therein but seeke to make the way of Christianitie or the association of Christians subordinate to the advantage of their places above others are Papall and Antichristian Let then all parties looke to their aimes in their associations whether they bee called Independent or Presbyteriall Associations and whether they bee setled upon Episcopall or Erastian principles and let all Magistrates looke to their interests and wayes of prosecuting the same by their associations whither they hee Democraticall Aristocraticall Parliamentary or Monarchicall whatsoever their character frame or modell is as to the matter of circumstantials which is all that ordinarily men as men looke after Let I say all these Officers of each kind or such as out of the mixt multitude upon the ruines of others doe thrust themselves into places of trust and profit and seeke to strengthen themselves by combinations of their owne framing I say againe let all these looke well to it every one in his particular association if their whole aime and the frame of their society bee not to subordinate themselves and their combinations and confederacies to the setting up of that union which is essentiall unto the profession of Christianity and which alone shall last eternally they shall bee utterly broken to pieces without all remedy For the Word of God by the Prophet Isaiah cannot faile Isa 8 9 10. which saith Associate your selves ye people and ye shall bee broken in peeces gird yâ—ur selves and ye shall bee broken in pieces gird your selves and ye shall bee broken in pieces take counsell together and it shall come to nought speake the word and it shall not stand For God is with us Here the Prophet speaking in the name of the Church doth provoke the whole world and bids the people thereof a defiance that though they joyne all in one and gird themselves with all their strength and all their counsells and resolutions bee brought to full maturitie yet that they shall be without effect that they shall bee broken to pieces in their associations and disappointed in their counsels and resolutions because God is with his Church as the head of their association Thus wee see that the Spirit of God doth blow upon all the designes of men so farre as they are not subordinate unto God for wherein men are not subordinate they are opposit unto him and hee will certainly be stronger then his opposits And if the Question bee made concerning the Church and those that belong thereunto what their dutie is in times of trouble and feare when all the world is providing for their safetie with confederacies strength and counsell I say if such a question bee made the answer will bee found in the following words
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 thâ—se 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 in the feare of God shall lay to heart the wofull condition of the Churches of Christ in this land will perceive that amongst the manifold causes of our miserable breaches The cause ofâ— all our miseries and sinfull distractions the originall and consequently the greatest of all the rest is this That such as are called to bee the Ministers of the Gospel who by their owne confession are Brethren and fellow-labourers in the same imployment doe not maintaine those duties of Brotherly love fellowship and communion which by the nature of their work and by the appointment of their Lord and Master are made necessary for the manifestation of his glory and for their own mutuall edification For seeing by that which hath been hitherto shewed it must needs be acknowledged that they ought to stand together and looke upon each other as Brethren begotten of the same Father as fellow-souldiers in the same fight and warfare and as fellow-members in the same body of Christ Seeing I say this is confessed and cannot bee denied to bee so it will follow also undeniably that they ought in conscience to discharge the duties belonging to these relations which are not onely to professe a Brotherhood but to bee knit together in fervent love to have the same care one for another and joyntly to communicate in things belonging to the kingdome of Christ But that these duties notwithstanding all these relations are neither really thought upon nor at all prosecured to any purpose almost by any is no lesse undeniable and must needs although to our great shame be plainly and ingenuously confessed Seeing then the guilt of this their fault is so great and so apparent that no colour of excuse can bee pretended to extenuate it therefore the judgement is ripe for them and the punishment hath now in the sight of all the world most justly overtaken them For whereas they were lately in a capacitie to bee as happy within themselves and as profitable to the Kingdome of Christ abroad as any of all the Ministers on earth if they had continued in their unitie now they are like to bee more unsetled and more miserable within themselves and lesse respected by others and lesse usefull both at home and abroad towards the cause of Christ then any that are elsewhere in all the Churches this onely because they have suffered themselves in their profession to bee divided and have not regarded nor doe they yet regard the duties of their Christian Brotherhood The guilt of the Ministery so much as outward concernments For by this meanes they have corrupted the Covenant and are become partiall in the Law and caused many to stumble at the Law and therefore the Lord Mal. 2. 8 9. hath made them contemptible and caused all their adversaries to prevaile against them so that they have just cause to give glory unto him to lay their hands upon their mouths to be sensible of
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 especially upon the Ministery more then others 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 Tit. 2. 10. Timothy he will have them to shew all good fidelitie unto their masters that they may adorne the doctrine of Christ our Saviour in 1 Tim. 6. all things 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 To perfect the Saints and to edifie the body of Christ Ephes 4. 12 13. 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 unitie of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man through love whose imperfection in love is such that they doe value no common relations unto Christ and his service further then these seâ— up some private interests nor do mind the unitie of the spirit through the love of Christ which is common unto all so much as to entertain either commembership or ministeriall fellowship or true Gospel-work-acquaintance with any that are not either setled in the circumstantiall courses of their way or willing to come up unto them therein Wee see then upon these grounds that except this neglect of dutie be reformed and the true end of the Ministeriall work without humane aimes be heartily entertained by those to whom it is intrusted the effects thereof will never prosper in their hands but Satan as hitherto he hath done since they were divided will continually prevaile against them all till hee hath brought them unto finall destruction and irrecoverable desolation This then is the danger whereinto wee are fallen and to lay this to heart is that matter of absolute necessitie which by all should be apprehended but chiefly by those that are called to the Ministery that they in doing their principall dutie which is to studie unitie in the truth in Christianity may uphold the holy profession and thereby intend their mutuall preservation For without all doubt their very being in this kingdome if they take not this course will be very shortly in a most desperat condition because as it is undeniably apparent that hitherto nothing but their own disunion about matters extrafundamentall hath made Satan and their enemies to prevaile against them So it is The application to exhort to unitie cleerly manifest that hence forth nothing but their mutuall union will bee effectuall to maintain what they yet hold or restore what they have lost in the minds of men and of their standing in the profession hee then that doth decline to concurre in the wayes of spirituall unitie with those that offer and sue for the same unto him and being convicted of this danger doth not endeavour to prevent it shall bee found guilty of all the evils that follow upon our breaches of all the ruine that befalleth unto these Churches of all the confusions that from thence arise unto the Commonwealth of all the dishonor done to the name of Christ for want of order in his house and of all the shame and reproach which this Nation is either now aspersed withall abroad amongst their Neighbours or will in after ages cleave unto it If then there is any love to the Fundamentall truths of the Gospel if there is any zeale for righteousnesse and against damnable heresies if there is any just hatred due to Blasphemies and to the wayes of profanenesse and licenciousnesse whereby the kingdome of Satan is erected and setled upon the ruines of Christs kingdome
an Ephes 2. 21. holy temple in the Lord. For all are called unto the unitie of the same body by God and the ministeriall worke is appointed to bring all to the 1 Cor. 12 13. Col. 3. 15. Ephes 4. 13. unitie of the same faith and knowledge of the Sonne of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ If therfore any plea bee taken up for a singular distance which is grounded upon disjoynting principles this will not suit with the purpose of God which is to make up the whole body of Christ into one that by the compacting of the members thereof there may bee an effectuall working in the measure of every part to Ephes 4. 16. make the increase of the body for the building of it self up in love What principle then soever doth overthrow this compacting of the whole for this end to bee fulfilled in and by every part is destructive to the glory of Christ and the happinesse of his members If then the principle of Christian libertie and the plea for it and for the particular rights of distinct Congregations is made by the subtiltie of Satan the chief instrument of our divisions and distractions at this time and in this kind it must bee qualified by the principle of holy communion and the plea for the unitie of the members of Christ and for the common rights of the profession of Christianitie For the Apostolicall rule is cleer that wee are indeed called unto libertie onely wee Gal. 5. 13 14. must neither use libertie nor plead for it that it may give an occasion to the flesh but wee are commanded by love to serve one another because the whole Law is fulfilled in this Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe And if this Law bee not observed it is cleer that wee Rom. 13. 9. walke not worthy of the calling wherewith wee are called what ever the truth of our principle or the justice of our plea may bee in it selfe For it is not the Theoreticall upholding of a truth that will save us but the doing of the will of God woe be then unto us if by our disputes for that which wee think to bee truth and righteousnesse Satan doth insnare us and by the practise of a singular distance doth so far lead us out of the way as to make us his instruments to divide and disjoynt the spirits and the practises of professors that the essentiall unitie of the whole and the visible conjunction of the members being put out of the thoughts and aimes of common professors all societies may bee broken to pieces and all relations to common duties made void according to the will and fansie of every one that will pretend to bee a Saint in such or such a degree above his neighbour that so by our singular distances through strife for selfe-interests scandals may bee multiplied and the honour of Gods Name in the holy profession blasphemed in the world Therefore to avoid all this nothing is so fit or more necessary and usefull then to maintaine this communion and correspondency which we plead for which is nothing else but a free and voluntary concurrence of spirituall counsels and endeavours which God as the Father of Spirits and King of Saints doth require in his children and Office-bearers for the advancement of the kingdome of his Son that it may appear unto the world that the Church is his house that hee is the ruler of it by his Word and Spirit and that the Ministers thereof depend unanimously upon him as his childen and servants and that in their mutuall relations they stand united to each other not by a rule of their owne chusing and transacting from which they may exclude one way or other whomsoever they please but by the common rule which is his love whereby they are bound to each other as Brethren and as his servants that is fellow-members of the same body of Christ for al the members of every body are but servants to the head in the whole to to each other for the heads sake and for the good of the whole Although then every member hath a facultie of life and a right through that facultie to act in and by it self the worke of its owne office and hath immediatly from the head its direction what to doe and is not under the command of any particular fellow-member yet in the use of this facultie and in the exercise of this right every member is directed by the head to subordinate it selfe to the service of the whole and to depend upon the unitie thereof and not to stand or act by it self for the Apostle saith that the eye cannot say to the hand I have no need of thee nor the head though head and over all the rest to the feet though but feet and under all the rest I have no need of you but even the weakest and the most unseemly members are the most necessary and every one of them in the performance of their duties towards the whole for none of them are allowed to doe any thing for themselves alone are made to depend upon each other If this doctrine were laid to heart and applied practically without disputing to particular matters now in dispute and if our braines were lesse and our consciences more exercised in looking herein to that which is without all dispute the known will of God wee should not need to be troubled with the nicities though wee might conferre about them of the proper seat of right to power and government and with the nationall debates of the prioritie of the universall and of the rights and priviledges of the particular Churches upon which rocks our affections being now split all the duties of necessary communion correspondency and concurrence are neglected amongst us notwithstanding all the known excellencie commendablenesse and usefulnes thereof Therefore my purpose is to set before the consciences of those that seek life the lovelinesse of this dutie whereunto we have already attained if so be we will but put forth our hand unto it as to the tree of life in the midst of the Paradise of God and not feed upon the Theory of disputable opinions concerning particular rights and priviledges which are to us a tree of the knowledge of good and evill whereof the fruit doth worke nothing but death and enmitie between God and us and between man and man nothing but strife and distances by reason of our pride wherewith our knowledge doth puffe us up to appeare somewhat more then others in all our undertakings Sect. II. Of the excellency of unitie and of the fountaine thereof Charitie THe holy Ghost hath set himself of purpose to commend Unitie and Charitie unto us which now I am to speak of in two severall places of Scripture which I shall make the matter of this Section to represent onely the heads thereof in brief unto such as are conscionable that by themselves
our selves Vers 4. For our behaviour in actions whether they bee our own or other mens whether evill or good charity doth teach the vertues which are to bee exercised in them In our own actions in respect of the forme charity doth not behave it selfe unseemly in respect of the end it seeketh not her own In the actions of others if they bee evill it is not provoked easily to wrath or sharpnesse by them if they bee good it doth not thinke evill of them Vers 5. it s own proper action is joy whereof the object is not iniquitie but truth whether in our selves or others Vers 6. For our behaviour about things if the things are indifferent and present as done by others it beareth with them if the things are good and said or promised by others it beleeveth them or absent and expected from others it hopeth for them if the things are evill it endureth them Vers 7. Thus in all respects it doth make a man compleat in all vertues So that it is not without cause that the Apostle doth call it the bond of perfectnesse and in that respect doth exhort us above all other endeavours to exercise our selves therein Coloss 3. 14. Above all these things put on charitie which is the bond of perfectnesse Thirdly that of all other graces necessary to make us perfect unto salvation charitie is alone the permanent vertue the Apostle doth shew First by declaring that it never faileth Secondly by comparing it with Prophecies with Tongues and with knowledge which all shall faile and vanish away Vers 8 9 10 11 12. And thirdly by exalting it above Faith and Hope as the greatest of these graces Vers 13. And if to all this wee should adde the commendations which the Apostle John in his first Epistle doth give unto this vertue as the chief meanes of our communion with God of comfort within our selves and of our inoffensivenesse towards our neighbour wee might bee very large upon this subject but to such as in their Ministery have any conscionable respect unto the expresse will of God and who can discerne the things that are excellent this will suffice at this time to commend unitie and charitie considered in themselves as they are good pleasant lovely and desirable Sect. III. Of the common rules of Christianitie as they are more especially obligatory unto Ministers in the duties of their calling BEsides the lovelinesse and excellency of these vertues which doth commend to all the practise thereof in a common way there are three speciall considerations which ought to induce Ministers of the Gospell to entertaine in the workes of their Ministery one with another the duties of brotherly communion and correspondency following thereupon The first is taken from the rules which are common to all professors without which none can bee answerable unto the calling wherewith hee is called unto Christianity it selfe The second is taken from the laudable practise of those who are set before them as infallible examples in the Ministery And the third is taken from the consideration of those things which God doth peculiarly require of them as they are Ministers So that none who neglecteth these duties will bee able to approve himselfe in the beautie of holinesse either a true Christian by the common profession or an upright follower of Christ and his Apostles in the Ministery or a faithfull servant to the trust committed unto him in his charge but in the day of accounts must expect to receive not the praise due to the good and faithfull but the reproof to be given to the wicked and slâ—thfull servant together Matth. 25. 21. 23. 26. with his reward As for the duties of the common profession wherein professors are obliged to relate to one another and which to that effect are mainly pressed upon the consciences of all againe and again commended unto us in the Scriptures as matters which to uphold the integritie of the profession before the world are most of all necessary they are nothing else but the effects of unitie and love in truth and holinesse For truth and holinesse are the fundamentalls of a single profession but without the effects of love and unitie in these there can bee no common profession or publick manifestation of the life of Christ unto the world by a body of Professors And for this cause Christ hath made the fundamentall law of the profession in common and the badge of his disciples unto the world to bee this that they should love one another as hee hath loved them Iohn 13. 34 35. A new commandement I give unto you that yee love one another as I have loved you that yee also love one another by this shall all men know that yee are my disciples if yee have love one to another Now if this Law is common to all as they are Christians so that the transgressours thereof doe forfeit their right in Christianitie and are not to bee acknowledged Christs Disciples if they persevere in this fault then it is evident that such of the Ministery as observe it not in their Ministeriall relation one towards another are farre more guiltie then others because their charge in the common profession doth oblige them more to this dutie then others in as much as they are more bound thereby to uphold the truth of the profession then others are for they are the joynts of the body and the instruments of the communion between the members which if they through want of love to each other do either breake or not advance they are not onely guiltie of their owne disunion from their fellow labourers in the Ministery but also of the disjoynting of all other professors and members of Christ one from another in the way of the common calling And this is so much the more to be heeded by how much the Scripture is more frequent and earnest in pressing this dutie and the effects thereof then any other thing requisite in the obedience of Faith To reckon up all the particular commandements and strong motives which are in the New Testament to enforce the practise of this dutie is not my purpose at this time but I would onely remonstrate unto those that intend to bee faithfull unto God and conscionable in their ministery that as the fundamentall Lawes of the common profession which are the practise of love and unitie belong more unto them in respect of each other then unto single members in respect of one another because mutuall love and unitie in the Ministers entertained or not entertained doth beget or destroy the same in common professors so the effects meanes and consequents of those duties are more eminently the concernment of their calling then of any others Therefore I shall briefly point at some places of Scripture wherein the chief effects and meanes of those fundamentals are earnestly recommended unto all that the Ministery of this age may see therein the rule of their comportment and how far wee are strayed from it
perfection of spirituall unitie which may bee cleerly gathered from John 17. 21 22 23. compared with Ephes 4. 12 13 14 15 16. And if this bee the chiefe end of their Ministery then the maine neglect of the meanes by which this end may bee obtained and without which it cannot bee prosecuted must needs bee their greatest guilt whence it will cleerly follow that to maintain no communion in spirituall things one with another is one of their greatest faults because most directly crosse to the end of their administration So theâ— if to maintaine spirituall communion is a dutie in this respect fundamentall and necessary then it followeth that the engagements unto a concurrence and the lawfull wayes of spirituall correspondency are also fundamentall and necessary to the work of the Ministery and must bee entertained because without these the dutie of holy Communion cannot bee maintained nor the unities of the Church brought to any visible perfection but rather visibly dissolved Thus then upon this consideration it is an undeniable Scripturall truth That for the Ministers of the Gospel in the duties of their Ministeriall charge nothing is more conscionable nothing more commendable nothing more profitable and nothing more sutable to the glory of God and the perfecting of the Saints then that they should maintaine a brotherly communion and correspondency one with another and such as neglect it walke not worthy of the calling wherewith they are called in the common profession of Christianitie Sect IV. Of the practise of those that are set before us as infallible examples in the Ministery ALthough the mediatory actions of Jesus Christ in the flesh as hee is our Saviour are not imitable nor were they performed to bee imitated by any for hee alone is the onely Mediatour between God and man yet his relations unto us as Heb. 2. 11. our brother sanctifying us in our flesh and the wayes of his converse amongst men were such that in all cases of dutie wherein wee are to come to God or to behave our selves dutifully one towards another in respect of God he hath left us either an example which wee are bound to imitate or a precept which wee ought to observe and which hee himselfe did practise For in this hee is the Captaine of our salvation because hee went before us in all things and wee are bound to follow not onely him before all others but also none further then they are found to bee his followers 1 Cor. 11. 1. and for this cause wee see that the Apostles as in all other things so chiefly in these duties of love unitie forbearance and condescension towards the weake doe alledge his practise as the strongest argument that can bee used to oblige us thereunto Thus 1 John 3. 16. Hee laid downe his life for us and wee ought to lay downe our lives for the Brethren Ephes 5. 1 2. Bee yee followers of God as deer children and walke in love as Christ also hath loved us Coloss 3. 13. Even as Christ forgave you so also doe yee Gal. 6. 2. Beare yee one anothers burthens and so fulfill the Law of Christ 1 Pet. 4. 1. Forasmuch as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh arme your selves likewise with the same mind And the Apostle Phil. 2. Having used many strong inducements to perswade us to love and unitie Vers 1 2. and to disswade us from strife and division vers 3. then vers 4 hee exhorts us to mutuall care of one another whereunto as an argument is brought in Christs example as the chiefest of all other motives Vers 5 6 7 8. Let this mind bee in you which was in Christ Jesus c. and Christ saith to his Father John 17. 22. The glory which thâ—u gavest me I have given them that they may bâ—e one even as we are one By glory I understand here grace as 1 Pet. 5. 1. partaker of the glory that shall bee revealed As concerning Christs practise in his Ministery to avoid breaches and contentions between him and others it is set forth by the holy Ghost in Isa 42. 2 3. and Matth. 12. 19 20. thus Hee shall not strive nor cry neither shall any man beare his voyce in the streets a bruised reed shall hee not breake and the smoaking flâ—x shall hee not quench till hee send forth judgement unto victory And concerning his way to bring us to unitie with himselfe and with God the Apostle doth set it forth as an example to bee imitated Rom. 15. Vers 2 3. Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification for even Christ pleased not himselfe c. which is further applied to our practise vers 5 6 7. The God of patience and consolation grant you that ye be like minded one towards another according to Christ Jesus that you may with one mind and one mouth glorifie God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ wherefore receive yee one another as Christ also received us to the glory of God And then explained in shewing what the work of Christs Ministery was Vers 8 9. Now I say that Jesus Christ was a Minister of the Circumcision for the Truth of God to confirme the promises made unto the Fathers and that the Gentiles might glorifie God for his mercy c. Where wee may cleerly understand that by Christs Ministeriall behaviour which was without strife free from all clamours and disputes and which did tend to the uniting of all both Jewes and Gentiles both circumcised and uncircumcised unto God wee are taught to bee without partialitie to endeavour the communication of Gods glory unto all and obliged in our Ministery not to stand and walke by our selves to satisfie our owne desires and enjoy our rights and priviledges which wee pretend unto for private content but rather to please others to their edification although wee should suffer reproaches for their sake For thus Christ was reproached by the Pharisees who were much in love with their owne holinesse for conversing and eating with Publicans and sinners Matth. 9. Vers 10 11 12. Chap. 11. 19. and upon this ground of pleasing others and receiving all that came in his way to the glory of God Christ conversed did eat and drinke with the Samaritanes with whom other Jewes had no dealings John 4. 9. till vers 43. Nor was it without a mystery that at his death hee was crucified between two Malefactors that the Scripture might bee fulfilled which saith and hee was numbred with the transgressors Marke 15. 27 28. For by God and by himselfe justly in respect of the imputation of our sinnes to him and by sinners unjustly hee was numbred in his life and in his death one of them for their good to save them This example of Christ in his Ministery made the Apostle Paul become all things unto all men that hee might gaine some and partake of the Gospel with every one as hee himselfe doth set forth his owne practise to exhort us
to follow it 1 Cor. 9. vers 19. till 24. Now if Christ and the Apostles did thus behave themselves with indifferencie and apply themselves without respect of persons by their Ministery unto all that were any way capable of the outward meanes of edification though great sinners otherwise how can the practise of a Separation or of a Semiseparation be warranted and that even from those who in respect of their profession cannot bee denied to bee our brethren Should wee dare to put upon matters that are meerly circumstantiall and upon things no where expresly enjoyned but rather taken up by our selves more weight then upon all these fundamentall duties of Christianitie and upon the undeniable practise of Christ and his Apostles in the worke of their Ministery If wee doe make our selves and our owne wayes the measure of all perfection surely wee become perfect Idols to and Idolaters of our selves in Gods worship For if in the outward meanes of worshipping and drawing neer to God in publick though his owne ordinances bee observed as hee hath appointed them as to the outward man for to the inward fellowship hee himselfe alone doth admit whomsoever hee pleaseth yet if then wee love to set our selves at a distance from others or reject others from being partakers with us of the ordinances either because wee count them in holinesse inferiour to us or because wee are not satisfied concerning their sinceritie or because they come not up to joyne in opinion with us concerning all the circumstantials of our way If I say for these or such like causes wee stand aloof in the common profession and think that God is no where to be found but in our way and societie doe wee not Idolize our selves doe wee not make our selves the onely rule of all perfection and say in our hearts Stand thou by thy selfe come not neer for I am holyer then thou And what Isa 65. 5. can bee imagined more opposit to the love humilitie and condescension of Christ and his Apostles in the way of their Ministery Let us therefore take heed to this snare let us count nothing perfect but that which upon the grounds of the common profession is conformable to the example of Christ and his Apostles who came into the world to save and draw sinners unto God not by a distance but by a condescension unto them in their weaknesse As for the communion and correspondencie which the primitive Ministers maintained one with another in the Ministeriall workes wee shall find that it did tend to these foure ends First to advance the conversion of the Gentiles to the faith and profession of Christianitie Secondly to build up and confirme those that had received the truth of the Gospel that they might be setled therein Thirdly to preserve those that were setled from the danger of seducers Fourthly and lastly to strengthen themselves in the workes of their employment towards the Churches All which aimes are still necessary to bee followed and therefore the meanes which are serviceable thereunto and which they then used must not now bee neglected if they can bee set afoote First wee find then that for the propagation of the Gospel amongst the Gentiles some went forth to preach unto them the name of Christ and tooke nothing of them To receive such and bring them forward on their journey after a Godly sort was a worke of holy Communion commended in Gajus by the Apostle John as being a dutie which all ought to intend and the ground why all ought to intend it is that all may be fellow-helpers to the truth This practise then is still to 3 John 6. 7 8. bee followed by all that are called to the Ministery so long as the propagation of the truth shall be necessary Secondly for the confirmation and edification of converts in the faith by the care of neighbour Ministers corresponding with those that did convert them wee have an example in Acts 8. 14. where the Ministers of the Church at Jerusalem sent to Samaria two of their number to confirme the beleevers and build them up in the faith in like manner when they heard that some were turned unto the Lord in Antioch they sent Barnabas and he went to the same end and purpose Acts 11. 20 21 22 23. Thirdly for the preservation of the truth from the danger of Seducers and the decision of doubts in doctrine and practise cast in amongst the professours to trouble them wee have an example of Brotherly Communion and Correspondency in Acts 15. vers 1. till 30. where one Church doth crave and another doth contribute assistance counsell and authoritie in a Synodicall way towards the decision and settlement of the difference which broke forth amongst them Fourthly the example wherein Ministers amongst themselves did strengthen one another in the worke of their employment towards the Churches is that of the Apostles of the Jewes and Gentiles who having communicated together concerning the doctrine which they preached Gal. 2. vers 2. and made known to one another their practise Verse 3 4 5 6. to gaine mutuall approbation and confirmation therein Verse 6. 7 8. they did enter into a contract of followship Vers 9. and an obligation of Communion and communication of good things between their Churches Vers 9 10. Nor was it found lawfull or answerable to the truth of the Gospel that upon humane considerations or partiall respects that Communion should be broken Vers 11. till the end From all which againe doth follow that which formerly hath beene concluded that nothing is more conscionable nothing more commendable nothing more profitable and nothing more sutable to the glory of God and the perfecting of the Saints in the worke of the Ministery then that the Ministers of the Gospel should maintaine a Brotherly Communion and correspondency one with another and that such as neglect this dutie walke not worthy of the calling wherewith they are called in imitation of Christ and his Apostles Sect. V. Concerning that which concernes the Office of the Ministery in it self IF wee reflect upon the Ministeriall office in it selfe and consider that whereunto it hath a speciall reference wee shall find that all Ministers that are faithfull to their charge are bound at all times to have respect unto foure things The first is their relation unto Christ as they are under him who is the head of the Church The second is their relation to the Church as therein they are Officers The third is their relation to the workes of their charge in the Office The fourth is their relation to their fellow-labourers in these workes None of these respects must be wanting because without their subordination unto Christ they are no Ministers nor are they otherwise in Christ but as they are members of his Church nor can they bee counted members without a work to performe because the use of every member is to be an Organ of the soul in the body now the soul of this body is
the Ministers of the profession that they should doe all things without murmurings and Phil. 2. 14. disputings and that they should bee in their conversation blamelesse and harmelesse as the Sonnes of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation and that they should stand fast in Phil. 1. 27. in one Spirit with one mind striving together for the faith of the Gospel Where wee may observe that in that worke which is proper to the advancement of the Gospel of truth in the world the holinesse of life the peaceablenesse and the unitie of the professors are the necessary requisites without which nothing in this kind can bee effected For this worke hath two parts The one is towards the children of truth the other is against the adversaries of truth Towards the children of truth the worke is in respect of the common profession to concurre in the wayes of righteousnesse of faith of charitie and of peace with all those that call upon God out of a pure heart 2 Tim. 2. 22. and in respect of the aime of mutuall edification for practise it is to exhort one another daily whiles it is called to day Hebr. 3. 13. and to provoke one another to love and to good workes Heb. 10. 24. and for knowledge it is to endeavour that their hearts may bee comforted being knit together in love and to all riches of the full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ in whom are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge Col. 2. 2 3. Where we ought to observe that the studie of love and unitie have not onely an influence upon the common profession and that part of the peculiar worke of edification which is practicall to maintain it but also that it is a meanes to confirme and comfort the hearts of the beleevers in all the riches of the full assurance of the knowledge of the highest and most secret Mysteries And consequently that where this studie is not entertained there both the profession and all the comforts which arise unto the soules of beleevers practically and intellectually from their peculiar interests in each others edification doe wholly decay and the great mysteries of our salvation concerning God and the Father and Christ are darkned made doubtfull and by some utterly contradicted all which is brought to passe now adayes as much if not more then in any age heretofore by our dissensions As for the adversaries and gainesayers who are to bee opposed if wee take them to bee the principalities and powers of darknesse and spiritualities of malice in high places a chief part of the armour by which we are to fight against them and preserve our selves from their assaults is to have our Loines that is our affections girt about with truth that is with sincere love which is the bond of perfectnesse Ephes 6. 14. and to have our feet Col. 3. 14. with Ephes 4. 15. shod that is our wayes of conversion fitted with the preparation of the Gospel of peace that is with meanes of peace to prepare men to entertain without offence and peaceably the Gospel of the peace of God which is revealed in his word to us Ephes 6. 15. But if wee take the opposers to bee men although sometimes their mouthes must be stopped and they sharply rebuked Tit. 1. 10 11 12 13. Tit. 3. 9. 2 Tim. 2. 23. namely when it is evident that they are vain talkers unruly deceivers and liars yet alwayes matters of strife and jangling both with them and all others are to bee avoided which we now have not heeded and the behaviour of the servant of God even in his greatest zeale and in the worst of times must never bee precipitate and hasty that is without long suffering 2 Tim. 4. 2 3. But chiefly towards such of whom there may be hope of recovery all gentlenesse patience forbearance and meeknesse of instruction is with great care to bee used as the Apostle doth teach Timothy 2 Epist 2. 24 25. which is a lesson almost utterly forgotten in these our dayes amongst some that esteeme themselves the chief of Professors Thus then wee see that there is no particular part of all the Ministeriall worke wherein the spirit of love and unitie must not appeare as the principall agent to make it successefull Fourthly and lastly their relation to each other as fellow-labourers in these workes is properly that of joynts which are between the Members of the body to unite them to each other and to make them dependent upon the head For in Ephes 4. vers 16. the Apostle doth cleerly speak of the visible body of the Church as it hath a spirituall communion with Christ and within it self by the meanes of that which every joynt supplyeth if then every part by his joynt that is by his Minister to whom is joyned a societie of Saints as a part of the whole is bound to supply to another part that which is his effectuall working towards the building up of the body in Love then it is absolutely necessary for him to correspond and concur with his neighbour and fellow-joynts for how can any part supply any thing to another part of the body without the joynt thereof So then wee must observe that the Associations of the Saints which are undeniable true parts of the whole should edifie one another by that which every joynt supplyeth For to that effect joynts are in the body and the Apostle saith in the whole body to let us understand that all the particular Associations of Beleevers in respect of the common profession are to bee counted as one Association and that by the joynts which God hath set in the whole the parts therefore are fitly to bee joyned together whence wee must gather that Ministers are not onely joynts to unite individuall Professors into a societie but to unite one Congregation unto another for hee saith that the whole is compacted by joynts it followeth then that the Congregations though distinct by themselves and one within themselves as to their severall joynts yet ought to bee further joynted with other Congregations and not to bee at a distance and stand by themselves as parts of the whole disjoynted from each other which is the posture whereat many desire to stand and is the practise of too many upon severall pretences to the great dishonour of the Gospel in the common profession of Christianitie But how contrary this is unto the true end of the publick worship of God to the calling of the Ministery to the aime of Christ in giving gifts unto men to the perfecting of the Saints and to the edifying of the body of Christ I hope such as are conscionable will bee able to see by that which hath beene hitherto said And although I thinke it needlesse to speake much more of this relation which Ministers ought to maintaine one to another seeing it hath already
beene proved that all the Commandements of brotherly love of unitie of mutuall care of communion and correspondency which are given to all Christians in the common profession are more particularly binding unto Ministers towards each other in respect of their Ministeriall charges Yet I shall briefly mention three or foure speciall duties which seeme to be enjoyned more distinctly unto them rather as they are Ministers then as they are Christians because they have a respect rather unto their publick charge and employment wherein they relate one another then unto the common profession by it selfe First they are not onely bound to serve all men Ministerially as Christ served us but they are by his example and precept more distinctly commanded to serve one another Matth. Chap. 20. Vers 27 28. Whosoever will bee chiefe among you let him bee your servant even as the Sonne of man came not to bee ministred unto but to minister and give his life a ransome for many Secondly they are bound to looke first unto themselves and then to the flock Acts 20. Vers 28. Take heed therefore unto your selves and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers c. For Vers 29. 30. they are foretold that amongst them grievous Wâ—lves will enter in and of their selves that is some of their owne vocation men shall arise speaking perverse things to draw away Disciples after them It then all must looke diligently lest a root of bitternesse spring up in the Church and many bee defiled thereby Hebr. 12. 15. farre more is it the dutie of Ministers to looke to each other herein Thirdly they are bound to looke upon themselves and their gifts as not for themselves but for all and chiefly for each other to profit withall according to that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 12. Vers 7. The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every one to profit withall to the Ministers ordinarily the greatest and most usefull manifestations are given and they can profit most thereby one towards another because in being profitable thereby unto each other they are inabled so much the more to be profitable unto all Fourthly and lastly in the use of their spirituall gifts wherein they intend to bee profitable unto all they are to subject themselves one to another as it is written 1 Cor. 14. Vers 29. 32. Let the Prophets speake and let the others judge And the Spirits of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets From all which as the duties of mutuall love and unitie are necessarily to bee inferred so the meanes to maintaine and exercise the same which are the wayes of spirituall communion and correspondency must needs also bee acknowledged to bee their dutie for where the end is commanded there the meanes also without which that end cannot be attained is also commanded so that we must cleerly conclude that this is an undeniable Scriptural Truth That the Ministers of the Gospel are bound to maintain brotherly unity communion and correspondency one with another because in the duties of their Ministerial charge nothing is found more conscionable nothing more commendable nothing more profitable and nothing more sutable to the glory of God and the calling by which they are called to the perfecting of the Saints and to the edifying of the body of Christ then this duty is and therefore whosoever doth not walk by this rule doth not walk worthy of the vocation wherewith he is called in the Gospel and whosoever doth walk thereby peace and mercy be upon him and upon all the Israel of God Amen FINIS The CONTENTS of the Preface Section I. HOw the means of Christian peace both Civil and Ecclesiastical ought to be followed and may be found Pag. 1. Sect. II. What the lets of reconciliation are and the causes of Divisions and how to be remedied p. 16 The Contents of the Discourse Chap. 1. THe Introduction showing 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 unity and forbearance in general p. 32 Chap. 4. Concerning the termes of unity by themselves what they are why not regarded and wherefore they ought to be regarded p. 33 Chap. 5. Concerning the particular termes of unity whereunto the Ministers of this Nation have attained in the doctrine of faith and in their relation to Christ and his Church p. 39 Chap. 6. Concerning the termes of unity in the chief Acts of our religious profession p. 41 Sect. 1. Of single professors p. 42 2. Of Professors united to a Congregation p. 45 3. Of several Congregations as they are or ought to be associated p. 46 4. Of Officers and Rulers of several Congregations and their association p. 49 Chap. 7. Concerning the termes of forbearance that there is and may be found an agreement therein p. 55 Chap. 8. Concerning the principles of mutual 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 be found out p. 60 Chap. 11. Concerning the causes of disaffection and of breaches how they should be removed by common consent p. 67 Chap. 12. Concerning the motions which should induce us to make profession of this unity and forbearance why these are requisite and what they are p. 70 Chap. 13. Concerning the necessity of brotherly unity in the Ministery p. 71. Chap. 14 Concerning the usefulnesse and commendablenesse of brotherly unity in the work of the Ministery p. 84 Sect. 1. What the communion and correspondency is wherein our unity is to be setled p. 84 2. Of the excellency of unity and of the fountain thereof Charity p. 89 3. Of the common rules of Christianity as they are more especially obligatory unto Ministers in the duties of their calling p. 9 4. Of the practise of those that are set before us as infallible examples in the Ministery p. 99 5 Concerning that which belongs to the Office of the Ministery in it self p. 104
indirectly to draw mens windes from the way of Christ by this way of his owne creating then he hath clearely gained his end because he will be able to keepe mens understandings in darknesse that is in ignorance or doubt of the truth and their will and affections in confusion and disorder that is in a frame opposit The direct meanes of erecting Satans kingdome to the Law of God and his righteousnesse Now Satan will bee able to doe this directly by his instruments when hee can cause the profession of ignorance to be advanced set up and commended by authority or commanded by a Law or when hee can cause the knowledge and practise of any thing besides that which is setled by meer humane authority for certain ends of State to be made a crime punishable by death by infamie or by any other penaltie and when he can cause the whole frame and profession of Religion to bee fitted onely to establish that greatnesse wherein the glory of the outward state and the authority of his instruments doth consist All which Satan doth with a high hand grosly in the Mahumetan but with more subtiltie and most compleatly in the Papall state and this hee is able to doe every where else in some competent measure wheresoever the maximes of absolute dominion are maintained and where the great Idoll of Politicians which is called the reason or interest of State is onely worshipped and the true reason and interest of Conscience and Religion is laid aside and comparatively not at all regarded I say wheresoever this course is followed there Satan is able to oppose the kingdome of Christ directly But where hee cannot attaine to this hee taketh the neerest The indirect means whereby Satan sets up his kingdome way hee can to gaine the same purpose indirectly which is done by making all doctrines of Truth doubtfull and all Gospel Ordinances full of confusion Now to make all Truths doubtfull hee raiseth disputes and doth find out wayes to make them undecidable and this he doth chiefly by the meanes of those that should bee the unanimous witnesses of that Truth which is called into question when they are disunited amongst themselves And to confound the Ordinances he setteth every one promiscuously upon the administration thereof in his owne way not onely by giving a freedome unto all both to doe without controule what they please in such matters and to condemne and oppose every one that is not of their way but also by disanulling the authoritie by which all order should bee setled in Church and Common-wealth And to bring all this to passe his main endeavour is to cause the Ministers of the Gospel either to bee subordinate unto his ministers in all things at their will or by variance of judgement amongst themselves and difference of practises from each other to lose their way to neglect the rules of unitie and forbearance which the Word prescribeth to uphold the communion of Saints which is their strength to breake the bonds of love and peace and having ingaged them into quarrels to bring them within the compasse of his reach that is to move them to act their controverties by the wayes of the power and policie of his kingdome for self aimes For if hee once can corrupt the simplicitie of their mindes so that they minde not truely the dutie of being conformable to the Word in every thing and to the spirituall aime of Christs walking in the world and if he can ingage them into worldly designes to advance the same in a worldly way hee hath gotten them cleerly within his reach where he will endeavour to the utmost first to cause them utterly forget and lay aside the aime of their spirituall calling Secondly to allure them unto and affect them with the appearance and glory of his dominion Thirdly to act them by the principles of outward feares and hopes to that which hee would have them doe and when hee hath once gotten them thus farre under the power of this snare he will be able without resistance to carry them headlong amongst themselves to more and more uncharitablenesse and unconscionablenesse of conversation whereby breaches will bee multiplied and made irreconciliable For although a difference arise but from a very small and circumstantiall matter amongst them as it doth naturally fall out amongst other men yet Satan aiming at them above all others to get advantages against them if he doth find them in such a case either without brotherly and charitable affections or inclined to please themselves hee will bee able to worke upon them first jealousies and by jealousies mistakes and by mistakes a distance and strangenesse by reason of worldly aimes differently carried on and when plots and passions are come to some maturitie crosse courses and mutuall provocations will bee set on foot reall injuries will bee offered complaints and clamours will break forth which in continuance make the divisions of hearts past all remedy and irreconciliable because it is not possible that men who aime at worldly matters should deny themselves either the use of their wit and passions in the prosecution of their designe or neglect the strength which they have in hand when they thinke it can serve their turne For if they should doe so they should seeme to quit their designes and so lose at once both the credit and profit thereof which to men that make use of their reason onely to compasse their owne will and to that effect can employ both power and policie is a thing altogether insufferable as being no lesse contemptible then folly and as hatefull as death This I conceive to bee one of the mysteries of iniquity by which Satan doth prevaile against the Ministers of the Gospel even against many men that are otherwise godly and able but are not sufficiently aware of his wiles by which they are drawn from their owne and ensnared in his way by which meanes their hands being weakned in their work hee gaineth his end at least indirectly by their infirmities and miscarriages Therefore all such as are conscionably sensible of their own frailties and of those dangers should bee wakened from securitie to become watchfull over their owne souls in these times of temptation for amongst the Protestant Churches where with the increase of knowledge a true sense of Christian libertie is begotten in the minds of professors Satan hath none other way to fit to erect his kingdome as this is of dividing the Ministers for which cause as wee see their divisions daily increased so the remedies should be the more earnestly thought upon and offereed with freedome and tendernesse unto all indifferently but chiefly to those who are neerest in principles and have least cause to walke asunder and bâ— at a distance These remedies can bee none other but the helpes to holy The remedy against Satans way of corrupting the ministery communion amongst Ministers in the prosecution of spirituall aimes tending to the advancement of Truth