to us in that Instrument 3. The Motives for which we should embrace and entertaine the same for if any of these three points be wanting we cannot be sound in the observation thereof Concerning the true Instrument of the Covenant we believe the same to be the Canonical Scriptures whereof two things must be known First What the proper Character of Canonical Scripture is Secondly How the truth of God for the knowledge of the Covenant is therein offered unto us Concerning the first this is to be believed That no Books are to be accounted Canonical Scripture that is the Word of God revealing his Covenant to Mankind but such as are written in the Hebrew Tongue and were given to the Jewish Church to be a Rule of their profession in order to the Covenant or were written in the Greek tongue and were given to the first Churches of Christianitie as well Jews as Gentiles for the same end Concerning the second this is to be believed That these Books offer the Covenant unto our Consideration and all divine Truths belonging to the knowledge thereof with infallible and uncontrolable authority most perfectly and very clearly to such as have an upright desire to know it And concerning these three Matters of Infallibility Perfection and Evidence which we believe to be in the Scripture this is further more distinctly to be believed 1. Concerning the infallibility of the Scripture we believe that the truth of God revealed in the Canonical Scriptures is so highly and incontrolably credible that no man no not an Apostle himself nor an Angel from Heaven is to be believed who should contradict the same but all Men Churches Councels Fathers Schools and their Writings Sayings Actions and Thoughts concerning divine Matters are to be examined thereby as by the onely rule of truth and righteousnesse and if they agree not therewith they are to be rejected 2. Concerning the perfection of the Canon we believe That the Word of God revealed therein is so compleat both for the matter and manner of expression that neither any thing unprofitable is therein delivered nor any thing profitable or needful to be known therein omitted but all things of Doctrine and Reproof of Correction and Instruction in Righteousness and for Comfort whether to be believed or hoped for or to be done or left undone unto salvation are more then sufficiently laid open and prescribed in a form of sound words which ought not to be altered so that all heathenish Philosophie in Divine matters and all humane Traditions and will-worship in the service of God are to be utterly rejected nor is it lawful for any to conceive that they can speak of matters of Faith more exactly and properly in respect of the things themselves or more conveniently and fitly in respect of the Capacities of men then the Holy Ghost hath done in those Writings 3. Concerning their clearness this is to be believed That the word of God revealed therein is so evident and easie to be understood that the meanest Capacitie of those that are come to the years of discretion if they be godly and desirous to do Gods will searching the Scriptures diligently may without difficulty comprehend all things necessary to be known unto salvation so that none ought by reason of any supposed darkness to be therein to abstain from reading the Scriptures which is a duty most sutable and necessary to all Of the things belonging to the Tenour of the Covenant COncerning the Tenour of the Covenant as it is revealed in the Canonical Scriptures three things must be opened First Who the Parties are which are concerned therein and what their Relation is to one another Secondly What the form of the contract is according to which the Covenant is made with those that are concerned therein Thirdly What the way is by which it is established amongst men that they may embrace it and have the benefit thereof Of the parties THe Parties concerned in the Covenant are God and Man at a distance by reason of sin and Jesus Christ the Mediator of God and man who reconcileth them by his satisfaction and righteousness Of God GOd is to be taken notice of as he hath revealed himself in his Word to be the Saviour and our God by a Covenant so that nothing is either necessary or profitable to be known of him further then what serves for this end and to this effect he hath revealed himself in his Being in his Will and in his Works His Being is revealed in the Properties of his nature and the subsistence thereof which we call Personalitie The Properties of his Nature are revealed to shew what he is and who he is The Properties shewing what he is That he is a Spirit living of himself Joh. 4. 24. and 5. 26. The Properties shewing who he is are these That he is the onely true God alone in Being infinite eternal incomprehensible every where present simple unchangeable all-knowing all wise all-free all-just all-holy all-mighty all-happy all-good all-true all-faithfull and full of all mercy and compassion His subsistence is in three who bear witness in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one and the same God 1 Joh. 5. 7. The Father unbegotten the Son onely begotten and the Holy-Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Son His Will is revealed in the properties of his Counsels which are wise good free and established for ever His Works are revealed in the Creation Preservation and Government of the World and especially of Mankinde therein over whom he delighteth to exercise Loving kindness Judgement and Righteousness in the Earth for his own Jer. 9. 24. Glory and according to the tenour of the Covenant Of Man MAn is to be taken notice of as he is spoken of in the Word to be of God to belong unto God and obliged to depend upon God by a Covenant in his Three-fold state 1. In the state of Innocencie 2. In the state of Guilt and Misery 3. In the state of Grace and Reconciliation unto God Of the Mediator Jesus Christ JEsus Christ the Mediator of the new Covenant between God and Man is revealed in the Word to relate unto both 1. In respect of his two-fold Nature in one person 2. In respect of his threefold Office of Prophet Priest and King whereunto he was anointed 3. In respect of the performance of all Duties belonging to those Offices in his two-fold state the one of Humiliation by his life and death on earth the other of exaltation by his power and glory in heaven In all which as the fitness which is in Christs Person Natures and offices to work out redemption for us and to settle the Covenant of Grace between God and us is to be taken notice of so the Work First of Reconciliation between God and us as this was effected according to the purpose of God in the Covenant Secondly Of the Restitution of our nature to a state of Union and Communion
practise that which they taught but by their transgression of the Law they did dishonour God Rom. 2. 21 22 23. And the Gentiles to whom together with the Jews the light of the Gospel was and is revealed shall be condemned because they loved darkness rather then light Joh. 3. 19. And he that may know all Mysteries may yet want Charity and be nothing as to the happiness and life of God But although all this knowledge of Truth which is Antecedent to the enjoyment of the life of God may be void of the practise of Truth and so come short of happinesse yet it may also through the practise of Truth become effectuall unto happiness if God make it fruitfull which he doth according to his own pleasure in giving saving faith whereby the heart is purified that it may become obedient to all his will by which means the soul partaketh of the life of God and becometh truly happy This knowledge then doth not otherwise make us happy but as it bringeth us unto this estate As for the other knowledge of Gods Truth which followeth upon our union with him it is nothing else but a further confirmation of the soul in the truth which it hath received unto life and an enlargement thereof by the enjoyment of God in his power for Christ doth give us two promises to that effect The first is that by the truth of obedience we shall come to the clearing of doubts concerning intellectual matters for Joh 7 v. 17. he saith If any man will do the will of him that sent me he shall know of the Doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speak of my self And the second is that upon the keeping of the Commandments both the Father and the Sonne will manifest unto the soul which loveth them their presence in love For Christ saith Joh. 14. 21 23. He that hath my Commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and manifest my love unto him and if any man love me he will keep my words and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him Here the manifestation of Gods presence which is both the light and power of life unto the soul is the consequent of the obedience of faith and so it is in that of St John 1 Epist Chap. 5. 20. And we know that the Son of God is come and hath given us an understanding that we may know him that is true and we are in him that is true even in his Son Jesus Christ this is the true God and eternall life This is a reflexive knowledge from God upon our selves in the enjoyment of him as our happiness and so is that 1 Joh. 3. 14. We know that we have passed from death to life because we love the brethren So then we see that all truth as it is the object of contemplation is nothing else but a Preparative to or a consequent of the Truth which is the object of Action The Practicall truth then is the main thing to be heeded for to it the Theoretical is either subservient and subordinate or a necessary and infallible effect The Apostle maketh this evident by the nature of his Ministry which Tit. 1. 1. he saith Is to be an Apostle according to the faith of Gods Elect and the acknowledgment of the truth which is after Godlinesse Intimating clearly that as his Apostle-ship was appointed by God to beget faith in the Elect by their acknowledgment of the truth so the acknowledgment of the truth and faith is appointed to beget the life of Godliness in Believers Therefore as the end and perfection of his Apostleship was the begetting of faith by the acknowledgment of the truth nor was he warranted to teach or do any thing which did not tend to that end and effect So the end and perfection of all true knowledge is the life of Godlinesse nor is any knowledge in spirituall things warrantable or any thing to be accounted a truth which doth not tend to this end and effect Godliness therefore which is the practise of divine Truth is the measure of all intellectuall truths for whatsoever matter of knowledge is not proportionate subordinate and subservient unto the production of the life of God in the soul of a Beleever is not to be received as a divine Truth for the faith of Gods Elect is in the acknowledgement of none other truth but of that which is after Godlinesse From all which we shall inferre this Conclusion That the study of Practical Divinity is of farre greater concernment unto all and far more to be heeded esteemed and entertained in the Schools of the Prophets then the study of contemplative Mysteries and notions of Divinity whereupon Controversal matters are ordinarily attendants And seeing there are so many bodies and Systemes of Theoretical and Controversal matters that it would be no easie task to any man to reckon them all up and yet there is not so much as one compleat body or Systeme of Practical Divinity found in all the Churches whereunto we see nevertheless that all Theoretical Truths ought to be referred directed as to their end it is evident that therein there is a manifest defect and that much is wanting hereby to the increase of publique Edification to the supply of spiritual Consolation and to the settlement of a sound Reformation in all the Churches which may be remedied by a Body of this nature Now by this which we call a Body of Divinity is meant a full Collection and an orderly disposition of all divine Truths which are after godliness under several distinct heads and matters to the end that from the holy Scriptures the man of God may be perfectly instructed and throughly furnished with sufficient helps and directions which by the Spirit of Faith may not onely make him wise unto salvation but able also to work all his works in God And concerning this Body Seeing I am intrusted and conscionably obliged as in the presence of God to solicite the same towards those that are able to contribute their Talents to make it up I conceive it may be an advantage to the Work to offer up the parts thereof unto their consideration that the number of tasks being distinguished and known such as God shall inable and stir up to manifest his truth and to joyn with others in compleating this work may know what tasks to chuse and how to concurre with each other in elaborating the same I shall therefore with due respect unto better judgements offer these following thoughts unto such as shall be undertakers in this Work First I lay this Fundamental Rule to be observed in the contrivance of the whole and of every part of the Work viz. That the Number and Measure of the Parts of this Bodie should be made sutable and proportionate to the end thereof that as nothing should be
ensue our performance of their request which are all the effects of the truth which is in the Gospel as by it self it is usefull unto all sorts of persons young and old Teachers and those that are taught Godly and ungodly Peaceable and contentious True Professors and those that erre from the Truth whether by Hypocrisie or Security or Obstinacy and in a word to all men aswell of this age as of that which shall arise hereafter all the advantages of Instruction Direction correction comfort Reproof and conviction tending to set forward peace and joy through Righteousness and Holiness in the souls of men or whatsoever blessing else any shall stand in need of in their several conditions all this I say we are Debtors to procure unto them by the means which are put in our hands to that effect for at this time both God and Men do call upon us to make this use of our Peculiar Talent of the word of life in holding it forth unto them If therefore we should hide our Talent and put this candle which the Lord hath lighted among us to give light unto all that are in the house under a bushel that is if we condescend not to this their desire we shall wrong all the Churches we shall rob these in particular that sue for it of what is their due and as much as in us lieth we shall make the word of Truth ineffectual and shew our selves adversaries to his vertue and the manifestation thereof which how the Lord will in the End take at our hands I shall not need to mention But I shall heartily rather pray that in love to himself and to his Truth our spirits may be stirred up to behave our selves in the opportunity of doing this service as shall be most answerable unto our own happiness and the glory and the kingdom of Christ whereunto we are called These are the considerations which from the nature of the Duty it self should induce us to the performance thereof which our Brethren in their Letter having onely touched and pointed at I have thought good a little further thus to enlarge that whatever shall be undertaken in this kind may proceed from the right Principle and frame of heart which will make the work acceptable unto God and profitable unto those that go about it For if the work be not intended upon these grounds and upon these alone directly and principally without worldly considerations and humane Respects as leading Motives it will find but small success and little conduct from the Spirit of grace to give it a furtherance because no enterprise can have more strength then its chief Aim and Object can give it And although some other Arguments of this nature and to the same effect might be alledged or the same might be further insisted upon perhaps not unprofitably yet because these Motives are the chief to which all others may be referred and so evident that they cannot as I conceive be denyed and of such efficacy if laid to heart that where they take not none other in this kind are like to perswade therefore I shall not insist any further upon them but come to the second sort of Perswasions which in order unto these foregoing may perhaps adde something to our zeal and resolution as it proceedeth from a mixt affection which even good men are inclinable sometime to entertain rather as they are men then as they are the Children of the most High depending immediately upon his Will If we look then in the second place upon our selves as we are amongst the Professors of the Gospel engaged not only to maintain the credit of the Profession but to advance the Reformation of the Churches both at home and abroad and to concurre with Forrain Protestants to assist the Common Cause of Religion against the Enemies thereof we shall find nothing more sutable to the credit of our Profession or more advantagious to our own and others reformation or more effectual in our concurrence to assist Forrainers in the Common Cause then the Compleating of this Body of Practical Divinity will be The Credit of our Profession doth include a twofold Notion the one doth look at the Profession in it self the other at us as Professors in both these there is some matter of Credit to be upheld as to men In reference to the Profession we are bound in conscience seeing we believe it to be the saving Truth of God to make it Creditable and Honourable before all men approving it unto the conscience to be such as we believe it to be And in reference to our-selves the good opinion others have of our sincerity zeal and ability in the way of the Profession doth oblige us in honesty to endeavour to the utmost to answer their expectation and maintain the Honour of our good name in relation to our Religion In these respects I say the compleating of this Practical Body of Divinity will be of special use as well for the honour of the Profession as for our credit in upholding it For whereas nothing doth so much either scandalize the weak or stagger the ignorant at the profession of the Protestant Religion or give advantage on the one hand unto the Papists to seduce silly souls to a superstitious worship as this reproach That we are all broken to pieces among our-selves and divided in our sense about Religion having no certainty in any thing on the other hand unto the self-conceited Libertines to entice high minded Zelots to the pride of singular Saintship as this other Reproach That we rest in practice of formes and being destitute of the power of Godliness have nothing that is spiritual in our Profession Whereas I say both these Adversaries labour different ways and upon colourable pretences taken from particular misdemeanors wrongfully applyed unto the whole substance of Religion to discredit and blemish the profession of the truth which we Ministers are chiefly bound to uphold there can be no course either more answerable to the nature of our Calling or so proper to stop the mouths of these Adversaries or so fit to settle the wavering thoughts of unstable souls or more effectual to vindicate the credit of the Profession from the aspersions of division of uncertainty of formality and of the want of spiritual power then to make up this Practical Body of Divinity For it being composed of those many Positive doctrines which are undeniably evident in the Scriptures which being understood will be cleer to the conscience by their own light which will manifest all the true grounds of spiritual knowledge not fantastically but with real demonstrations and which unanimously all Protestants will fully acknowledge to be the substance of their Profession and Religion I say those Doctrines being gathered into a full body will stand as an uncontroulable witness for the credit of the Truth against all these injurious reproaches Nor can it be imagined that in the great multitude and variety of particular Opinions in the
manifold disputes and inconsiderate heats of men about matters extra-fundamental and in the different practises of things which are but circumstantial a way of Peace and Unity should either be found for our selves or shewed unto others by any other means then by a demonstration of our agreement in all truths and duties which are necessary for Salvation in respect of God and profitable for edification in respect of one another And this is that which our Brethren in the Latter part of their letter hint at when they tell us that such a body of Divinity will not onely be serviceable for Schollars but even for Teachers to furnish them with more usefull matter in their Sermons then now they are able to find in the books of controversie whereunto almost all their Learning is reduced representing unto us the evil which befalleth most of their Churches viz. that they are overwhelmed with matters of Controversie that their controversal writings are void of Piety full of bitterness and no ways tending to edification And that their young Schollers of Divinity being trained up to this way of contentious Learning for want of better Teaching prove in the course of their Ministry very often void of all Charitableness and strangers to peaceable Affections Which evils by our Pious assistance and endeavours they hope may be remedied if we would gather out of our Authors who handle matters of Divinity in a Practical way as they relate to conscience a full and sound body of saving and savory truths which may be put into their hands to waken them unto Righteousness For they conceive not amiss that by Gods blessing such an Instrument of knowledge and way of Teaching which it will produce may not onely season their spirits with meek and humble thoughts concerning themselves and with loving kind and merciful affections towards their Neighbours which will make them peaceable but may work upon them the power of Godliness when they shall perceive how the Theoretical and necessary Truths of Faith which they make now matters of strife and have disregarded as to their true usefulness ought to be applied unto their own and other mens consciences to teach them to walk with God in all their wayes And indeed this is a sad matter which not onely those Churches groan under but all the rest more or lesse have cause to bemoan That because many in the Ministry do spend their strength and wit upon needlesse and curious dispensations about matters of private opinion rather then upon the application of known and necessary Doctrines unto conscience because these disputations are agitated with more provocation to heat and animosity then to regular and modest searches after the way to resolve doubts impartially and because the smallest differences of opinions beget ordinarily the extreamest differences of affections when men study no Rules of moderation in respect of Passions or of being wise to Sobriety in respect of contemplations or of mutual forbearance in respect of actions all which are things if not hated yet suspected slighted and neglected almost every where in this age I say because these disorders which like weeds in a Garden not weeded overgrow the Church have taken place almost every where it is very doleful to see that the main and great truths of the Profession are extreamly neglected and not at all Cultivated and that by this means the adversaries who lie in wait to deceive the simple and watch to discredit our Religion do get all the advantages which almost they can desire to bring their ends to passe upon us and disrespect upon our Profession for when the frames of matters are discomposed as now they are in all the Churches by reason of the alterations which are brought upon the States of the world it is no great difficulty for cunning men to work Sinister impressions and thoughts of contempt against our Profession upon weak Spirits who know not the substance and true grounds of our Religion but look onely as most men do superficially upon the outward appearance and the worst side of other mens behaviours and failings For these causes if we have any sense of Honour for the Truth and if we have any desire as in conscience we are bound to have to maintain the Credit of our Religion and to free it from the occasions of all these prejudices we should set our selves earnestly to hold forth upon the Common and undenyable grounds of Truth the substantial Excellency of the Doctrine of Piety which by the making up of this Practical Body of Divinity may be done and by none other way so effectually As for our own credit amongst our brethren in reference to the Profession if we study not to maintain it in Gods way by the Propagation of the Truth wherewith we are intrusted certainly God will blast it more then ever it hath been raised Nor can we expect that any thing will uphold our Reputation in Gods way amongst our Brethren so much as the satisfaction which they expect and we ought to give unto them in this their desire for herein they put us unto the real proof of our sincerity whether or no we are willing to do any thing for the Faith and for them and if in this we fail them we shall deserve to lose our Credit with them and that most justly The Ministers of the Churches of Great Brittane have always been esteemed by the rest of the reformed Protestants to be sound in judgement learned in the way of Piety and zealous in the practice thereof moderate in their affections and discreet in their writings against Dissentors Therefore in the work of reconciliation between the Lutherans the Reformed Churches they were never excepted against by either side but rather accepted as Mediators of the difference by both sides but chiefly by the side which is best reformed whose confidence towards us and esteem of us is clearly manifested by the tenor of this letter which hath been written to us about the body of Practical Divinity for therein with a great deal of modesty and humility they not only defer a great deal of respect unto the worth that God hath put upon us but they invite us to receive the Honour of being their leaders to Godliness and their Teachers unto after ages and although we may not without presumption think the better of our selves because others prefer us in Honour to themselves or have any high thoughts of our own sufficiency for who is sufficient for such things and Christ we know is the only leader and teacher because our Brethren esteem highly of us by submission unto the Grace of God in us yet if there be any truth of generosity in our Spirits or any resentment of duty towards such as love us in the Lord we cannot be insensible of so mighty a provocation as this unto love and good works but with all zeal in true Humility giving glory unto God we are bound to the utmost of our abilities to impart
our selves unto them not so much that they may not seem deceived in us and we found unworthy of the Honour given to us but that the free gift of Grace may be exalted in the Communion of Saints and God alone glorified thereby Even amongst morall men it is true that Commendations adde life unto vertue and that as the best things in their nature are most Communicable so it is one of the chiefest delights of the best natures to Communicate the same not so much to gain praise as to do that which is good in it self and praise-worthy which is the contentment of a vertuous disposition and if this is true in morall dispositions how much more ought it to be in those that are Spiritual if therefore there be any vertue if there be any praise let us think not only how to make good the esteem which they have of us but rather to do that which is good and commendable as it is acceptable unto God and approved of men for upon this ground the Apostle Phil. 4. 8. doth recommend unto our care and study all things that are true all things that are honest all things that are just all things that are pure all things that are lovely and all things that are of good report and that in respect of vertue and in respect of praise And if in this work which we are now exhorting to be undertaken all these Motives concur at once so fully and so eminently as in nothing more and that not in a private but in a publick respect then it followeth that if there be any vertue or sense of praise to be regarded in order to the holy profession which only is our glory that we will not suffer our Reputation to fall to the ground by a careless neglect of so manifest a duty wherein our credit not only is so deeply engaged but our Religion it self extreamly concerned So that if upon these motives and considerations this businesse should not at all be effected it would not only be an Argument of a most brutish insensibility and stupidity in us towards that which is true honour but it would clearly evince the unsoundnesse of our hearts in the Profession it self when we should appear so carelesse of maintaining and propagating the truth thereof that even with the loss of our reputation and the loss of the love of those that have sued to us for this duty we should suffer it to be blasted and lie under contempt when it is in our power to Vindicate both it and our selves from reproaches And thus much concerning the point of reputation The next Motive in this kind is the advancement of the Reformation of the Churches both at home and abroad a thing which doth mainly concern us a thing whereunto we are deeply engaged and a thing whereunto this work will be very conducible for as concerning the Churches abroad that it will be a profitable instrument in their hand to set forward the Reformation which they stand in need of we can have no greater proof then their own Confession in their Letter For this is the very ground why they make it their suite unto us that such a Body of Divinity may be compiled because they expect from it and by it an effectual means to take away the chief causes of their Distractions and Disorders in Spiritual things And because our own Disorders in some kind here at home in stead of being Reformed have increased of late and do proceed from the same diseases which have begotten theirs therefore in procuring a Remedy for our selves we may hope to become helpful unto them also Now that this Body of Practical Divinity will be very useful to this purpose may be gathered from the nature of our disease and the property of the cure to Remedy the same The diseases which afflict us proceed from the ignorance and distempers of our minde in things pertaining to God and from the unrulinesse of walking in things pertaing to Men This ignorance in the understanding and distemper in the will and unrulinesse in the outward man is fomented by the slight and cunning craftiness of some men of corrupt minds who being reprobate concerning the Faith as not adhereing to the Testimony of Jesus in the Word which is the rule thereof and having taken up either a Superstitious and Traditional formality or a singular and self-conceited Spirituality of worship and of godlinesse they deny the power and resist the truth of both by taking away the grounds and making void the Common Profession of Christianity These men both superstitiously and singularly affected seeking to get followers unto their severall wayes and opinions agree to wast the Churches and to blast with a pestilent breath all that is not conformable to their practice if they can finde any small colour for raising Calumnies against it and thus they fill the Churches with disputes and the heads of ignorant people with profane and vain bablings which dayly increase unto more ungodlinesse For by this means scandals are multiplyed the unity of the Spirit dissolved the bonds of peace neglected factions set on foot and continued with animosity wherein the weaker sort as Children are tossed too and fro and carried about with every wind of Doctrine till they lose their hold of all Principles and then give themselves over to Atheism This is the nature of our diseases both at home and abroad therefore the Remedy for both will be the same which can be none other but to this effect First that the faithful Ministers and Professors of the Gospel both there and here should stand fast together in one Spirit and one mind striving together in one way for the faith of the Gospel and in nothing terrified by their adversaries Secondly that they should both with one consent agree upon some profitable way of handling necessary and useful Controversies and of shunning profane and vain bablings and the contradiction of Science falsly so called Thirdly that we and they should endeavour by all possible means to fight against our spiritual adversaries with the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God holding out unto the World the same form of sound words and dividing the Doctrine of Truth rightly in one and the same way of preaching and handling the Scriptures to advance godliness as it becometh workmen that need not to be ashamed And to enable us all joyntly to endeavour these things I am very confident that next unto the graces of the Spirit and the infallible word of truth delivered unto us in the Scriptures which are the two things which God hath Covenanted to continue with the Ministry unto the end of the World Isai 49. 21. I say next unto these two I am confident that no means can be used to enable us unto that endeavour more fitly and with Gods ordinary blessing more successfully then this Body of Practical Divinity if it were compiled and communicated in English to our men at home and in Latin
avoiding all the proposterious wayes of School and Philosophical Disputations which for the most part proceeding from the pride and affectation of wit and learning be get vain janglings and humane passions multiply mistakes and propagate impicty in the minds of those that are mainly taken therewith and addicted therunto Thirdly This whole Body of Divinity being made up as it ought to be and for the end for which it is desired will not only be a witnesse of the union of the Spirits of all Protestant Ministers in the same saving Truth against the reproach of a Fundamental Division which is said to be amongst them but it will be a Center of Concurrence a subject of brotherly Correspondency and a means of mutual Communion in the work of the Gospel by which all hands will be strengthened and the hearts of those that faint now by reason of their solitary walking will be encouraged them to proceed with cheerfulnesse by reason of the conjunction of so great a help from all their brethren And truly besides the assistance and support which the truth it self will receive from this Work by being published and held forth in that wherein all the witnesses thereof do agree which is one of the greatest helps that can be given to it in these times of disagreement and therefore should most effectually oblige our consciences to intend it the design of endeavouring a concurrence by this means with our Brethren to give them encouragement to stand last in the defence of the Cause is extreamly necessary and therefore also to our consciences every way binding and obligatory so far as we desire them prosperity in the Cause And here I mean not our brethren only that are abroad but even those that are at home also whose caâ—â— is not yet setâ—â—â—â— and who knowes how full of Distraction and Desolation it may be hereafter 〈◊〉 God in mercy prevent it not For if any will observe into how many pieces we are fallen what the changes breaches and Dissolutions are which are fallen and may fall upon us what the effects are which this hath brought forth amongst us and how a liberty to all to do without controle whatsoever every one pleaseth though never so offensive is sprung up and what the way of force if there be a necessity still to stand under it may further bring to passe If I say we will observe this which is apparent to all we may easily gather that nothing will be more useful and serviceable to give a testimony of the truth unto the World and to strengthen each others hearts and hands by the unity of the Spirit in that testimony then this Work will be For in the time of our Dissipation this may hopefully become a pillar to uphold the Truth and therein a monument of our conjunction an instrument of our concurrence in the Gospel and by Gods blessing in the End a means to revive and restore the witnesses to their heavenly splendor and authority And if there were nothing else but this which is clearly our own special Interest yet this alone should waken up to a full Resolution to undertake this business with all speed and diligence chiefly because the adversaries make no delay to accomplish their Designes against the wayes of Righteousness which we are bound withall our might to maintain But besides this necessity of joyning our spirits to a corresponding in the Truth amongst our selves against common adversaries and the unlikelihood to be able to do it any other way or any way so effectually and so easily as by this means there is another strong Obligation lying upon us in respect of Forrain Protestants tâ—â—â—â—cur with them in the same Cause I said in the beginning of the last parcâ—â— this Discourse that our engagement to a concurrence with Forrain Protestants in the common Cause of Religion doth lie closer upon us then I finde it apprehended by many I shall now endeavour to make this apparent by representing two things which ought sadly to be laid to heart and are undenyably manifest in the eyes of all the world The one is concerning Gods judgements against those that have neglected the common Cause of Protestants The other is concerning our own Declarations and Oathes strictly obliging us to minde the same For look we upon the heavy hand of God how it hath overtaken those that have neglected the state of Forrain Churches we shall see that because the late King and his persecuting Prelates did not mind the true interest of the Protestant Cause which is the Gospel because they did not endeavour to help the Lord against the mighty that is to protect the Churches abroad by those means which they had in their hands and were answerable to the light of the truth whereof they made profession and because the way of their Policy did lead them rather to fide with the common adversaries for Self ends to betray the Cause rather then to uphold it therefore these publick Calamities have justly overtaken them and executed the vengeance of God upon them that they who sought themselves only without respect unto God and their brethren should utterly lose themselves without recovery whiles God did find out a way to rescue his Churches which they deserted from the destruction which the Enemies designed against them I alledge this concerning the late King and his violent Prelates as to me one of the main visible causes of the Judgements of God upon them for which I conceive they have been principally cast off namely because their betraying of the truth of the Protestant Cause was the great sin for which Christ had a quarrel with them both as Hypocrites who pretending to stand for the Protestant Cause did undermine it and despised the low condition of the Churches abroad and as Enemies to the Gospel who to suppress the light thereof then breaking forth did persecute those most who did most sincerely profess and practise Godliness at home These sins have cause Christ to fall with his iron Rod upon them to dash them to pieces as we have seen before our eyes because herein their way was Diametrically opposite unto his kingdom and therefore their sin immediatly committed against himself whereas their others sins and designes might have a more direct Relation unto the state of the Nation for which also the power of the Nation hath been justly made use of to overthrow them For seeing in the great battel which now is a fighting between Christ and his Saints on the one side and the Beast and the Kings of the Earth on the other side the powers both of Heaven and Earth that is both of the spirits of men and of the frames of States must be set a work to oppose each other respectively in their contradictory Properties it is not possible that any visible power amongst men can remain unshaken And whatever is not subordinate unto the power which is given unto Christ both in Heaven and Earth must be so shaken as
to be removed and abolished for ever both out of Heaven and earth hence it is that their power which they imployed not for Christ but against him is justly brought to nought and brought to nought before all others because it did strike more at the root of the Churches standing and did more deceitfully oppose the breaking forth of the Light of the Truth then any other Enemies whatsoever Now they did strike at the root and did more deceitfully oppose then others because they were entrusted with more Fundamental truth and more light then others were and had more abilities every way to uphold the Cause better then others had and because the Churches did rely more confidently upon them and their assistance then upon others but the truth and the light wherewith they were entrusted they held in unrighteousness and the confidence which was cast upon them and which they were willing to seem to answer they betrayed utterly into the Enemies hands chiefly then when Signor Con Banzani negotiated the Papal designs with them amongst us This I observe with grief for the guilt which they brought upon themselves and not out of any personal hatred against the men for none of them ever disobliged me otherwise then in opposing the Protestant Cause and by neglecting the Opportunities which I was instrumental to offer unto some of them whereby the Gospel might have been advanced if they had been so happy as to have made use thereof But they regarded not the affliction of Joseph and therefore now they are gone captive with the first that are gone into captivity Amos 6. 7. And the Justice of God upon them ought to be observed to his Glory that others may fear and that we our selves may be ware of falling under the same condemnation for now the same duty is required of us which then was incumbent upon them and that as solemnly if not more strictly then ever they were obliged them unto for we have condemned them for that which they did neglect and have bound our selves with solemn Remonstrance and a sacred Oath to mind the common Interests of Protestants which they so sinfully neglected we then having judged them to be unfaithful in the Cause of God and engaged our selves to mend their fault if ever God should put us in a capacity so to do if now when we are in that capacity we should neglect this duty we shall deserve a heavier judgement then they are fallen under if we be found guilty of the same neglect The solemn Remonstrance in the name of the state of the Kingdom published Decem. 1641 before the troubles began doth declare the whole state obliged and consequently every faithfull subject therein according to his place to labour by all offices of friendship to unite their forrain Churches with us in the same cause to seek their liberty and prosperity as bound thereunto by charity to them and by wisdom for our own good for by this means our own strength shall be encreased and by a mutual concurrence to the same common End we shall be able to procure the good of the whole Body of the Protestant Profession Here the State is engaged to mind the cause of the Churches abroad and to procure the good of the whole Protestant Profession The cause of the Churches is not a meer worldly interest but a spiritual cause and the main good of the whole Protestant Profession is not a worldly concernment but a Gospel perfection by the unity of the spirit to build up one another in love if this good can be procured to the whole Profession nothing will be wanting to their safety and prosperity But if this good be not sought after and endeavoured what every else may be intended will not much avail the main of their prosperity Now to bring this to passe and to unite them in a true Gospel interest with us nothing can be more directly subservient then this design to gratifie their desires of obtaining such a Body of Practical Divinity from us And to confirm this and bind it strongly upon our conscience the solemn League and Covenant between God and the Nations doth engage deeply all those that took that Oath to desire affectionately and endeavour sincerely that the success of our proceedings may be deliverance and safty to all Gods people and an encouragement to other Christian Churches groaning under or in danger of the yoak of Antichristian Tyrannie to joyn with us in the same or like Association and Covenant to the glory of God enlargement of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ and the Peace and Tranquility of Christian Kingdoms and Commonwealths These are deep professions as made in the presence of God and therefore ought to be so much the more conscionably minded Of the Third How the Work may be effected and imparted unto those that have sued for it TO procure the compilement of this Body of Practical Divinity the way is already chalked out unto us and was agreed upon by some of our most able and godly Ministers who before these Troubles did offer themselves unto the Work and engaged to take their Taks to be elaborated under the direction of Doctor Usher the Primate of Armach who then was in a powerful and plentiful condition and likely to have undertaken the direction of the business As for the way how the matter was deserred unto him it may be seen by the adjoyned Letter which in the year 1633. was sent him nor did any thing stop the proceeding of the Work before our late troubles began in Ireland and England but the want of a compleat Plat-form and some other contrivances which were referred to the Primat to effect but since the troubles both here and in Ireland have unsetled all men so that although there had been a Plat-form drawn up yet few or none could have performed any thing in the Tasks which they might have taken therefore the Work hath been hitherto interrupted But seeing now we are in some hope that the Lord will be merciful to us and remove the causes of future Distractions we may also expect that there will be faithful and able Agents found to undertake this Work which will be so useful for all the Churches and to bring it about the way may be this First Let either this or some other Plat-form be held forth that such as will chuse Tasks may know what to pitch upon Then let two hands be chosen as Directors to whom all the Tasks when they shall be perfected may be brought in that they may according to the Plat-form which they shall think fittest to be followed set every piece in its own place and joyn every limme of the Body to its Neighbour till it be compleated and fitted for the Presse When the Directors of the Work are chosen let everyone who doth choose a Task be obliged to notifie his Undertaking to one of them that they may know what the Tasks are which are in hand and by whom
years been preparing abundant matter for it What is now to be done but for some Solomon to call his Workmen together and build up a Temple far more magnificent then the Ceremoniall one was The Expedient for a Correspondencie with Forrain Protestants THe complaint which the Prophet David made in his low condition may now be taken up in our dayes by all that favour the dust of Sion and take pleasure in her stones namely that her bones are scattered at the graves mouth as one cleaveth wood upon the ground Psal 141. 7. for if we look upon the Churches which make Profession of the same saving truth in opposition to Popery as now they are divided and broken we shall see them almost if not altogether as uselesse one to another as dry bones scattered up and down ready to be cast into the grave or as chippes of wood lying on the ground onely fit to be gathered and burnt therefore our resolution should be the same which the Prophet took in the words following upon his complaint But our eyes are to thee O God the Lord in thee is our trust leave not our souls destitute There is none other that can help but he in such a case Let then our eyes be turned onely towards him because our expectation will not be in vain if we flie to him for refuge for we have a word of promise giving us assurance that he will help for Moses hath said That the Lord shall judge his people and repent him for his servants when he seeth that their power is gone and there is none Deut. 32. 36. shut up or left and the Prophet Isaiah hath declared for our comfort that when the enemie shall come in like a flood the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him It is evident then that we have a Isai 59. 19. ground to hope that the Lord in his own time will make our dry bones to stir and live and joyn together and being clothed with flesh and skin to stand upon their feet and become a great and mighty army for there is no condition of the Saints so weak and low but God can and when it is fit will also raise them out of it because he hath in a readiness means which he hath appointed to that effect and when his spirit will breath upon them to set them a work the business will be accomplished Now the means by which the Lord doth execute his wonderful counsel and by which he will bring to passe his excellent work is two fold the one is the manifestation of the Truth by the armour of light and the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God to discover the hidden things of darkness and sweeping away the refuge of lies and Hypocrisie to stay the wicked one and consume the man of sin which part of his work is already well advanced in the midst of all these distractions and divisions of parties and the other is by the unitie of the Spirit in the Communion of Saints to bring the whole Body so to depend upon the head Jesus Christ that it shall appear at last sitly joyned together and compacted by that which every joint supplyeth according to the effectual working in the measure of every part to make the encrease of the Body to the edifying of it self in love and this part of the work although it is very little advanced in appearance yet there are Preparatives towards it which are not inconsiderable if rightly weighed and taken notice of and whereof in due time a more full account may be given but for the present we shall onely shew some motives for which we should attend unto this part of Gods Counsell and suggest a way by which we may help forward the effect thereof and become instrumental towards others in furthering his work The Motives which should induce us to mind the design which God hath of uniting his Saints together are so many in the Holy Scriptures and so clearly set forth that a Volum might be written thereof if we would be large but it shall suffice at present only to point at the places where the Holy Ghost doth urge the duty upon us if we look upon 1 Cor. 12. The scope of the Apostle is there to demonstrate that all spiritual gifts are bestowed upon the Church Militant on earth to the end that they may be made use of to profit withall by the several members of the mystical Body in the unitie thereof and in chap. 13. the grace of Charitie is said to be so necessary for this effect that without it none other grace is profitable either to our selves or towards others in the fourth of the Epistle to the Ephes ver 1. till 17. the Apostle sheweth that no man doth walk worthy of the Vocation wherewith he is called to the Profession of the Gospel who doth not intend and endeavour by humility meekness long suffering and forbearance of others in love to keep the Unitie of the Spirit in the bond of Peace and whatsoever throughout the Scripture is commanded concerning love which is the great and new Commandment and particularly in the 1 Epistle of John it tendes all to oblige our conscience to this main duty of seeking the Unitie of the Spirit amongst Saints and of keeping it in the bond of Peace and if the Apostles words Phil. 2. 1 2. be laid to heart they will convince any man that hath any feeling of his duty in this matter If saith he there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort of Love if any fellowship of the Spirit if any bowels and mercies fulfill ye my joy that ye be like minded having the same love being of one accord of one mind c. intimating that without the care of this duty all the joy and happiness which Saints ought to further in one another is quite lost and utterly made void which in these our dayes we find experimentally to be too true by reason of our divisions and strivings for which the name of God is blasphemed amongst the adversaries and the Profession of the truth amongst our selves is dishonoured Now to remedy this great evil and to remove the scandals arising from thence for which a woe is denounced and in some measure executed against us the easie way which is suggested is to set a foot a Religious Correspondencie with Forrain Protestants to carry on a Gospel interest amongst Christians not by strength or might but in a Gospel way by a friendly Correspondencie and concurrence in Counsels to hold forth unanimously the matters of Faith and Doctrine wherein we all fully agree and do own the same saving truths and to set a foot the Practice of the same Rules of duties by walking therein to oppose ignorance and profanness to banish confusion and disorderliness in worship and be no more strangers to one anothers condition but to entertain a mutual Care for each others good and the progress of the Gospel in the world to which effect a setled correspondencie upon Religious grounds and Principles between us and our neighbour Protestants will be both an easie and in Gods way a powerfull means which Correspondencie may be thus contrived and brought about We forthwith intend a systeme or body of Divinity wherein all the English writings of Practical Divinity and Cases of Conscience shall be digested in English and Latine and we intend the intertainment of strangers in a Colledge here from whence our Learning may be carried forth in most Languages by such Students and all good works advanced by the same hands to which we already find great forwardness in this Nation not only to labour in the work but also to contribute in matter of charge And of this Work in instituting a Colledge propagandis bonis operibus we shall give Advertisment to our friends as occasion presents not doubting but since the Lord hath given us in England such a measure of light and Peace but there will appear a ready heart amongst our Nations for the rowling away the reproach upon us of having much of faith and little of Works and from this Colledge and Trustees about this Work we shall be ready to maintain such Correspondence with our Brethren beyond the Seas that they and we may have cause to rejoyce and our enemies to mourn and this charge of Correspondency fixed upon the Trustees for the Work above said The incouragement of this Correspondency intended riseth much from the unspeakable blessing hath accompanied the Letter and Epistle of the Saints witnesse those in the New Testament what Luther Calvin and others have done that way and what dayly success therein of Epistoling there are clouds of witnesses For the present we judge it meet that what any Forrain Divine hath now to Communicate might come either to the Vice-Chancelour of the University or the Ministers sitting at White-hall weekly for approbation of Ministers And these things we desire may be remembred at home and abroad in the prayers of Gods people that we may not make forfeiture of our mercies by our sloth and negligence and sit down by the starving sluggard with non putarem FINIS Errata IN the names subscribed to the Latin Letter read Hopsius item P. T. pastor Schresheimi item Belsteinensis Beilsteinensi In the subscription to the English Letter read Hopsius Schresheim Orzen IN the quotations of Scripture places pag. 1. read in Margin 1 Peter pag. 2. in Margin read John 13. ibid. Jam. 1. 22. pag. 4. lin 39. read 17. 3. pag. 17. lin 36. read Luke 24. 47. p. 21. l. 35. r. 1 Cor. 6. 20. p. 37. l. 11. r. Isai 59. p. 41. l. 37. r. Dan. 12. 7. In the words of the discourse pag. 3. lin 17. read manifest my self pag. 5. lin 35. read Precognitions pag. 6. lin 31. read main heads ibid. lin ult read those pag. 34. lin 21. read Disputations pag. 36. lin 26. read pertaining pag. 37. lin 15. read from my judgement pag. 42. lin 4 read to one end ibid. lin 15. read rectifie pag. 44. lin 35. read Panrani pag. 45. lin 8. read the forrain p. 46. l. 26. read upon residing
this kind only to make this Appendix of case-Divinity compleat because cases according to the differences of Mens capacities and apprehensions of matters may be as to us innumerable therefore some general Rules before the particular cases be set down should be given to direct the wavering mind of what degree of proficiencie soever how to order it self in seeking out by the testimonies of the Scripture and the undoubted tenour of the Covenant within its own heart a determination of any question whatsoever at least so farre that it should not be able to perplex the spirit with any unsettlement in the grounds of Faith Hope and Love which are the Pillars of our whole profession in this life For by the confidence of Faith we stand and rest in respect of God by the joyfulness of Hope in respect 2 Cor. 1. 24. Heb. 3. 6. 1 Joh. 3. 14. Rom. 13. 8 9. of our selves and by the sincerity of Love in respect of our Neighbour These general Directions then should first be delivered with an example in a case or two how to use them then the particular cases which have some difficulty more then ordinary should be brought in and resolved Thus we have the many Heads of the whole but this will not suffice for a distribuon of particular Tasks because each Head is too comprehensive there must be a subdivision of every part by it self into its parcels set in order like unto the Anatomy or Sceleton of a mans body wherein all the bones do hang one upon another so that besides the number of parts the talness of each part the place thereof in the body may be discerned And although such a delineation as this of bare bones will have no life in it and be only like the rude draught of a Painter before he puts colours to his work yet it may be not onely useful but will be even necessary to make the features of the body appeare which afterwards may have life put to it Concerning the Precognitions GOd having made man a rational Creature doth still rule him and in all his wayes towards him doth walk with him according to the grounds of that Reason which he at first gave him and although through his defection from God in whose light alone he could see light by his own default and free choice of earthly-mindedness he hath darkened the eye of his understanding and made himself blind both in the things which are supernatural and also in very many things which are natural so that in respect of these he hath not any true Notions at all till they be renewed in him and in respect of these the Notions which he hath he cannot improve so as to apply them by himself towards their right ends without some special directory and help yet it cannot be truly said that God hath left Man destitute of all light and without all Testimony of the being of things supernatural and of the right improvement of things natural for he doth still maintain some general Principles and Instincts as glimmerings of his truth within him to the end that he may not onely be without excuse in respect of his back-sliding but that he may be made a subject capable of Grace through the second Adam to be restored to his original integrity when he shall be rationally dealt withal both by the remainder of the light which he hath and in that which is to be super-added thereunto for I shall freely acknowledge yet without any advantage to Socinian Principles that God doth oblige no man to entertain any thought either of spiritual or natural things or of his own dealings with man-kind in the one or the other way which is contrary to found Reason but that every one who will either conceive of God rightly or live unto him justly is obliged to do it in a rational way both in reference to God and toward Men because we are commanded to be ready to give a reason of the hope which is in us to every one that asketh it of us 1 Pet. 3. 15. and to present our body a living sacrifice holy and acceptable unto God by our reasonable service Rom. 12. 1. And although in this place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be rendred a service according to his Word as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 2. 2. is well rendred the sincere Milk of the Word yet because the Word of God did by Wisdome create all things at first and still doth uphold all things as they were created it must needs be rational in it self and to all intellectual Creatures the original cause of all Reason because every Truth and Precept of duty revealed to man therein is by the Scriptures rationally offered to the Conscience of those that are taught of God thereby and because they that are taught are bound to take notice of the reasons why they beleeve and do every thing so as to be able to give a rational account thereof unto other reasonable Men therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the one and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the other place are to be understood in the fulnesse of their signification as they comprehend both the Notions of Rationality and of the Word of God which indeed are inseparable for as it cannot be imagined that Gods Word should have been separate from his Wisdom so we ought to conceive that his Wisdom and Will expressed in his Word concerning every thing is that truth of being and reality of reason which is extant in it and that which in our mind is by any thing found a truth and found reason convincing our Conscience is his Word by that thing towards us And this observation I have premised to that which I am about to offer concerning the Precognitions of the life of Godlinesse lest I might seem to desire without a just cause and sufficient motive that which I shall propose as a task to the workmen to be compleated before any thing else can be fruitfully and by a rational man to whom our addresses must be made in this undertaking convincingly entertained For before any mans understanding can be dealt withall to induce him to live unto God according to his will he must be brought to acknowledge that God is and that the life of man may have some reference unto him by the knowledge of his will Therefore these things before all others must be rationally made out unto him and to this effect four Heads of truth ought to be handled satisfactorily which are these First That there is a God Secondly That God is to be feared worshipped and glorified by Man and that he is a rewarder of those that fear worship and glorifie him Thirdly That the Scriptures given to the Jewish Church of old by the Prophets and to the Churches of the Gentiles and Jews by the Evangelists and Apostles are undoubtedly Gods Word Fourthly That the Scriptures were given by those Men to teach all men the true way of fearing
worshipping and glorifying God These truths ought to be cleared upon the ground of common Reason which all men are supposed to be made capable of and to this effect I suppose it will be necessary to handle these following or such like Positions Of the First That there is a God TO Demonstrate unto a Rational man that there is a God he must be made to acknowledge these following truths 1. That in this World besides the things which are visible there be other things invisible which though concealed from sense have a being and may be understood to be 2. That the Heavens the Earth and the things visible therein have not their being from themselves but from something else which is not seen but may be understood to be over all as the Governour and supream power thereof which is called God 3. That this supream power is before all things without beginning and ending infinite in all perfections most wise good and bountiful in giving all things unto all 4. That amongst all visible things as Man is the most perfect so he can least of all have his Being from inferiour Creatures or from himself but having it from the supream cause more remarkably then other Creatures he is more enabled then they to know God and respect him Of the Second VVHen upon these grounds a man is Convicted that there is a God then to demonstrate unto him rationally that this God ought to be feared worshipped and glorified by Man-kind these following or such like Positions are to be made out unto him 1. That Man hath a soul endowed with a Reasoning facultie whereby he is able to judge of his own actions and know his own aims though secret and hidden from others 2. That in this judging facultie there is something which universally in all ages Men have called Conscience which secretly accuseth or else excuseth Men concerning their actions and aims chiefly when others judge of them otherwise then they meant them 3. That this Conscience doth bear witnesse unto all men in whom it is awake from their own reason that they are under the power of God and that they ought to be thankful to God 4. That the reason which convicteth mens Conscience that they are under God will also convict them that they ought to shew their thankfulness unto God suitably unto the nature and properties of Gods being and not otherwise 5. That the nature and propertie of Gods being seeing in all things it is the first and supream is in it self infinitely perfect and to all other things the alone Author of all good and that therefore it ought to have the glory of this supremacie perfection and goodnesse given unto it by man in his use of all things 6. That in case he doth not shew himselfe thankful by respecting the glorie due to God in all things he doth then deserve to be cast off by God and deprived of the fruit of his goodnesse in all things 7. That it a man doth give unto God the glory which is due to his Name by being thankfull unto him he may assure himselfe that God as he is wise and all-knowing will take notice of him and as he is just and good will be mercifull and beneficiall unto him Of the Third WHen a Man hath acknowledged these truths that there is a God and that he is to be glorified by Man answerably to the properties of his nature then we must rationally induce him to believe that the Scriptures written to Jews and Gentiles by the Prophets Evangelists and Apostles are the Word of God And this may be done by the demonstration of these or the like Positions 1. That no Books in the World have greater evidences and arguments of truth in respect of their History then these have two things must be made out 1. That they were written by those Men by whom they are said to be written 2. That the Matters of fact recorded in them are as rationally credible as any other humane Records whatsoever 2. That the Writers of those Books whatsoever they were were undoubtedly the true servants of God inspired by him in writing the same 3. That all the Doctrines and Precepts of divine fear and worship contained therein are most sutable to the nature and property of Gods Supremacy Perfection and goodnesse and that they are more answerable unto the true Notions of duty written in the heart of Mankind towards God then the Doctrines and Precepts of any other Book and Religion whatsoever extant any where in all the World Of the Fourth VVHen a Man is rationally Convicted or at least induced to believe that there is no cause to contradict this truth that the Scriptures are the Word of God it will be no difficult matter to let him see by the substance of the matters contained therein and the ends for which they were written and given both to the Jews and Gentiles that they were written and given to no other end but to teach all Men the true way of fearing worshipping and glorifying God And to this effect these or such like Positions may be made out 1. That the whole summe and substance of the History of the Bible doth directly tend to this scope 2. That the Authors of the Holy Scriptures do expresly declare this to be the purpose of their writing 3. That the naturall Properties and effects of the things taught by them and their manner of teaching the same are wholly fitted to work upon the spirits of men those impressions and affections which lead them to feare worship and glorifie God To all which this Position at last should be added That there shall be a time wherein God will judge men according to the works wherein they have or have not feared worshipped and glorified God which is to be made out upon three Grounds which may be rationally evinced 1. Because God having made all things under a Law and Ruling all Men by a Law of Reason must needs also be acknowledged as a Judge over the observers and transgressors of his Laws and consequently have a time to exercise his judgement 2. That the rational Souls of Men are immortal and live when they are separated from the bodie and consequently can undergo a judgement after this life 3. That the Consciences of Men bearing witnesse to them of their wicked deeds even against their wills though they live in outward prosperitie put them in fear and bearing witnesse also of the vertuous deeds of good Men though they are in outward adversity yet comfort and support them which inward testimonies of the Consciences of Men are not vain notions but undeniable Evidences of a Judgement to come which the Soul within it self is sensible of When these things are thoroughly handled and all Scruples which may be raised concerning the same are taken away so that a Rational man who is without prejudice shall have no cause for want of the discovery of truths of this nature to make any further doubt
to those that are abroad For the three parts of this Body if they were throughly and fully handled as from our Authors they may be will meet directly and in a right order with the three main and Original causes of our disorderlinesse and distracted condition to shew the Spiritual wayes of Reforming the same wherein if we shall agree to walk unanimously as no doubt we will we may undoubtedly also believe thar by this Union we shall to all our adversaries become not only invincible but irresistible to work the overthrow of Satans Kingdom And this shall suffice also concerning this point of Reformation which is to be advanced by this means and which the faithful Ministry of this Land is bound to endeavour by the Tenor of their solemn League and Covenant in the presence of God who hath put the means of this in our hand to be effected and now calleth upon us to make use of the same The last thing which I mentioned whereunto we are engaged and whereunto this Body of Divinity will be effectual is to concur with Forrain Protestants in the Common cause of Religion and to assist them against the Common Enemies thereof This Concurrence and assistance is an engagement that doth lie closer to us then I find it apprehended by many Therefore I shall endeavour to represent unto those that are Conscionable in matters of publick concernment not so much what help may be given to the cause by this means for that may be clearly seen by what is said already but what the obligation is which should make us Concurre with Forrain Protestants to uphold the profession of the cause As con cerning the assistance which this work will yield unto the Cause if we will adde any thing to that which hath been said already concerning the Credit of the Profession which it will help to uphold and concerning the Reformation of Disorders which it will help to take away we may consider two things First What properly the common Cause is Secondly What it is that weakens our hands in prosecuting of it If the Common Cause of Protestants be made any thing else then the Propagating of the light of the Gospel which is attested in the Scriptures that the Kingdom and life of Jesus Christ may take place in the souls of all men to the Glory of God the Father by the graces of his Spirit it is fouly mistaken For all that we have protested for in former time against Popery is this that we will not be led by the dictates of other men to believe and practise upon implicit faith and blind obedience what they prescribe to us in matters of Religion but that in such matters we will knowingly rely onely upon the Word of God revealed in the holy Scriptures to follow the dictates thereof And as we are bound still to continue this Profession against Popery on the one hand so in these distracted times especially we are obliged to adde a further Protestation to clear the truth of our profession on the other hand which is this that as we think it not lawfull for us to give up our faith to other men so we conceive it neither acceptable to God nor safe for us to be led by the dictates of our own imaginations alone to believe and practice singularly and by our selves whatever in matters of Religion we shall in our own private conceit fancy to be right but that we will rationally entertain and handle the word of God in the holy Scriptures for the understanding and practising of all Religious Truths offered and duties prescribed unto us therein that is to say that we will not interpret the Scriptures in matter of outward duty and performance contrary to the Common grounds of reason and righteous order amongst men and in matters of inward relation towards God that we will be wise unto Sobriety conceiving that to be the truth of the Spirit which is most answerable to the common Principles of the Faith of all ages and to the Spiritual state of holy Communion which Jesus Christ hath setled in the new Covenant between God and all his Members The common Cause of Protestants hath these four main interests in Christianity by which it upholdeth the truth thereof and thereby is distinguishable from all other Professions The First is The interest of Scripture knowledge The Second is The interest of the life of the Spirit The Third is The interest of orderly walking in all Gods Ordinances Natural and Spiritual The Fourth is The interest of the Communion of Churches in reference to mutual edification in these forenamed matters These interests being all joyned and professedly followed that is openly owned without offence as it becometh the Disciples of Christ make up the true Protestant Cause that is the profession of Christianity And if any one of these be not followed the Cause is so far deserted as it is neglected By Scripture knowledge which is the Fundamental Rule and Seed of the Profession of Christianity Protestants were begotten and are distinguished from Papists By the life of the Spirit which is the heart and soul of the profession of Christianity Protestants do grow up in Christ who is their head till they shall come to a perfect man and are distinguished from Socinians and all such as turn Christianity into a Moral profession of a new kind of Philosophy which is refined and entertained upon revealed Principles but in effect nothing besides or above humane Reasoning By the orderly walking in all Gods Ordinances which is the visible body of the profession of Christianity Protestants stand firm in the truth to bear witness thereof unto the world and are distinguished from all Libertines that pretend to be so spiritual as to be above all Ordinances And by the Communion of Churches which is the activity of this visible body Protestants are strengthned in their growth and testimony made invincible against their adversaries made helpful to each other and the cause and distinguished from all those that pretend to the singularity of Saintship in their several ways by themselves alone with the condemnation of such as go not along with them These being the true interests of this Cause as it is subordinate unto Christianity and Christianity being taken up upon none other ground but as it is revealed in the holy Scriptures nor maintained to any other End but to manifest the life of Jesus Christ by his kingdom unto the world it is clear that the whole observation of outward Ordinances and the practice of mutual Communion which are the two latter interests of the Cause must rise from the first and rest in the second of those which are the former and whatsoever designes practices negotiations and undertakings are said to be for Christianity or the Protestant Religion which are all one and do not attend to advance directly either Scripture knowledge or the life of the Spirit or the walking under Ordinances or the Communion of Churches or do tend seemingly
to advance any one of these without a reference to all the rest they are to be judged false deceitful and destructive to the cause and truth of Christianity Therefore we ought to acknowledge none to be a servant to the Cause of Christ that is a true Protestant but he who walketh by this Rule of the new creature and upon such be peace and upon the Israel of God As for me I shall by Gods grace never entertain any designes and practices or favour any motions and pretences which are undertaken and prosecuted with subtilty or with a strong hand against the persons of a party disagreeing from judgement upon this ground because they favour not my way but I shall make the prosecution of their forenamed interests as by spiritual means and wayes they are approveable to the conscience of every rational man the open and onely rule of my walking in this Cause And if any man shall find me straying from this path and shew me that I am not in it he will oblige me to thank him for converting a Sinner from the error of his Way Hitherto I have given you my sense of the Common Cause of Protestants Now I shall adde a word or two concerning that which I suppose doth weaken our hands in prosecuting of it And that is partly an ordinary mistake partly an universal neglect of Duty in the Actors for it The mistake is in two things First That most meaning well to the Protestant Cause as they do understand it act all rather against the adversaries thereof then for the Cause it self Secondly That when they act so they take up no rule of Reason and Moderation in dealing with adversaries for their good or upon grounds of Justice but give way to Passion and Hatred and all that is imagined to be hurtful to them is supposed to be advantagious to themselves both which are courses altogether preposterous unto Christianity For the true way of advancing Christianity is not destructive but edificative that is doth not intend to overthrow and build at leisure afterward as the Method of some is but it doth intend to build first Christs kingdom that thereby it may overthrow the frame of Satans Policy for it holdeth forth the word of life and truth that by the manifestation of light it may dispell error and darkness And when this is done then it proceeds to the condemnation of the wayes of unrighteousness first it bringeth our thoughts unto the obedience of Christ that then every strong Hold of Satan and every imagination and high thing which exalteth it self against the knowledge of God may be cast down for except we bring Christ with us and set him a working upon the Spirits of men that are in the snares of Satan and led captive at his pleasure we shall never be able to bind the strong man that hath possession of their souls and far less shall we be able to spoil him of his goods which are the lusts and the inclinations of the flesh whereby he doth act self will in them that they may not be subject to the will of God The way then of Christianity is more directly Positive then Negative and therefore it is a mistake to think that the refuting and opposing of adversaries is the main business which ought to be prosecuted in these times but a far greater mistake it is to think that by making the wayes of our adversaries odious or by vexing their persons and prejudging them any way by hook or crook as we use to say in the freedom and conveniencies of professing their Tenets we shall profit our Cause or gain much upon or against them No surely for this is a far greater Mistake then the other and yet this is the ordinary practice which is most commonly followed by those who are zealous for the Cause But this way cannot porsibly prove successefull because it doth quite mistake the interest of Christianity which is nothing else but by the knowledge of the Scriptures and the life of the Spirit to bring men to walk orderly before God and men and live in the Communion which the Members of Christ owe to each other And if we aim not at this even towards our Adversaries to bring them hereunto we deal not with them as Christians ought to do but forsake our profession Now it is neither the convincing them of their particular Errors without further instruction nor the laying open of their shame nor the vexing of their Spirits by troubling their persons or stoping their professions that will bring them to any of these holy duties which uphold the truth of Christianity but this way of dealing will rather set them further off in their Affections both from the love of the truth and from us so that when we shall offer them means tending directly to that which is truely their way to life they will reject the same only because they come from that hand which hath made it self utterly hateful unto them These mistakes weaken the Cause greatly but the universal neglect which is in Two main things doth it far more The First is The neglect of duty in using spiritual means and in a spiritual way towards Dissenters The Second is The neglect of brotherly Communion in spiritual things which is the last point of the main interest of the Cause The first neglect which is of the means sutable to the prosecution of the Cause doth proceed from the forenamed mistakes which indeed make some Professors manage Protestancy as a State Religion rather then a true profession of Christianity and so they take their strength chiefly against Dissenters from State-Authority and practices subordinate thereunto in a worldly way of Policy rather then from the work of God and the work of the Spirit And because many of the active men who have parts and so love to appear in the Front and to take matters upon them have been byassed this way some for one some for another interest of State making themselves and all matters of Religion subservient thereunto therefore it hath pleased God to befool them in their Counsels and to suffer Statan to set Instruments awork who have out acted them in all these wayes but if they had walked by Faith in simplicity and godly sincerity according to the Rules of the Gospel within their own Sphere not according to worldly wisdom if they had in a cause of Christianity made use of none other means but of those which Christ hath used and sanctified unto them and in that way by which he and his Apostles have shewed us they should be used they should not have miscarried as they have done by trusting to the arm of flesh nor could Satan either have over-reached them in their Counsels or stopped them in their proceedings which now he hath been able to do because he is of old Master of the Trade of policy and power which they of late as young Prentices were beginning to take up and this