agree in the means 2. Unity and that Scripture 3. Uniformity that every thing be done according to Scripture decency and order that we be one of one way and of one mind and walk by the same Rule 4. Order none stirring out of his place all studying to be quiet and to follow their own business peaceably and obediently knowing them that rule over them 5. The power of Grace and Religion which is a wisdome from above first pure then peaceable and the power of Religion makes for peace 1. By subduing lusts whence come worse 2. By working that love that beareth all things c. 1 Cor. 13. 3. By enlightening the mind difference come from ignorance if we have grace to practise what we know God will reveal other things in due time and we shall all agree 4. By subduing that covetousness ambition pride envy c. that disturb the world 5. The power of Grace in us will convince all men that God is in us of a truth and so will pacifie the world The 6th thing that makes for peace a great care of weak and wilful ignorance which is lazy and will not search for truth bashful and is ashamed to do it sullen and will not understand 7. Take care of interest private or publick keep up a frame of spirit that looks rather what is just necessary and true then what is expedient and useful 8. Be humble and teachable neither proud nor self-conceited pertinacy nor think seriously on this obvious truth a man may erre put on meekness and long-suffering 9. Take care of respect of persons and of prejudice 10. Be deliberate and sober proving all things 11. Have a zeal always guided by knowledge 12. Let nothing be done through strife or vain-glory 13. Prudently suspend your judgement and practise and if you have faith have it to thy self 14. All lawful condiscention and forbearance one with another forbearing and receiving one another and bearing one anothers burden 15. Wait by prayer on the God of peace for your selves for your Ministers for your Magistrates 16. Mark them that cause divisions and avoid them 17. Give up your selves to your faithful Ministers whose faith follow considering the end of their conversation 18. Be wise unto sobriety and rather believe then dispute avoiding all unnecessary questions 19. Take care of an Innovating Spirit stand in the way ask which is the good way and walk therein and you will find rest for your Souls 20. Consider one another so as to provoke one another to love and to good works 21. Let the spirits of the Prophets be subject to the Prophets 22. Correct and keep down the rising of our knowledge with humility in our selves and charity towards others 23. So long as there is sound agreement in fundamental truths and in the simplicity of the Gospel silence all disputes in matters meerly notional and curious which have no necessary influence into faith and godly living 24. Let there be a joynt obedience to the truths wherein all agree and pursuance of the end which all profess whereunto we have already attained let us walk by the same Rule let us mind the same things Phil. 3. 26. 25. Out of a serious and single-hearted love of truth let us address our selves to the search of holy Scriptures 26. A mutual and brotherly love which is a very great means to work upon the judgements of one another and to take off all impediments as usually arise from personal prejudice in disquisition of truth 27. Keep your selves to the Analogy of faith the form of sound words 28. Labour against the inward grounds of contention as pride self-love envy malice and covetousness and endeavour after a meek charitable yielding and submissive disposition of heart and frame of spirit that may let fall private interest for the publick 29. Meet and converse together for a mutual good understanding of one another 30. Wait upon God for further illumination in all truth 31. Let the grounds of Religion be laid by Catechising 32. Suppress the beginning of religious debates by a fair and amicable communication among your selves Thus we have given a sincere account of our selves which we beseech the Lord to bless to confirm the weak to direct the doubtful to convince gain-sayers and to gain peaceable and sober men favour with God and men A SOLEMN VOW That we have taken VVE the Ministers of the Gospel in the Kingdomes of England Scotland and Ireland living under one King and being of one Reformed Religion having before our eyes the glory of God and the advancement of the Kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ the honour and happiness of the Kings Majesty and his Posterity and the true publick liberty safety and peace of the Kingdomes wherein every ones private condition is included and calling to mind the treacherous and bloudy Plots Conspiracies Attempts and practises of the Enemies of God against the true Religion and Professors thereof in all places especially in these three Kingdomes ever since the Reformation of Religion and how much their rage power and presumption are of late and at this time encreased and exercised whereof the deplorable estate of the Church and Kingdome of Ireland the distressed estate of the Church and Kingdome of England and the dangerous estate of the Church and Kingdome of Scotland are present and publick Testimonies We have now at last after other means of supplication Remonstrance Protestations and sufferings for the preservation of our selves and our Religion from utter ruine and destruction according to the commendable practise of these Kingdomes in former times and the example of Gods People in other Nations after mature deliberation resolved and determined to enter into a mutual and solemn League and Covenant wherein we all subscribe and each one of us for himself with our hands lifted up to the most High God do swear And because these Kingdoms are guilty of many sins and provocatious against God and his Son Jesus Christ as is too manifest by our present distresses and dangers the fruits thereof We profess and declare before God and the world our unfained desire to be humbled for our own sins and for the sins of these Kingdomes especially that we have not as we ought valued the inestimable benefit of the Gospel that we have not laboured for the purity and power thereof and that we have not endeavoured to receive Christ in our hearts nor to walk worthy of him in our lives which are the causes of other sins and transgressions so much abounding amongst us And our true and unfained purpose desire and endeavour for our selves and all others under our power and charge both in publick and in private in all duties we owe to God and Man to amend our lives and each one to go before another in the example of a real Reformation that the Lord may turn away his wrath and heavy indignation and establish these Churches and Kingdoms in truth and peace And this
A MYSTERY OF GODLINESSE AND NO CABALA Or a sincere Account of the NON-CONFORMISTS CONVERSATION From the 24. of August to this time For the conviction of Adversaries the instruction of the ignorant the confirming of the weak and the satisfaction of all Occasioned by a bitter and malitious Paper called the CABALA LONDON Printed in the Year MDCLXIII A MYSTERY OF GODLINESSE AND NO CABALA Or a sincere Account of the NON-CONFORMISTS CONVERSATION From the 24. of August to this time For the conviction of Adversaries the instruction of the ignorant the confirming of the weak and the satisfaction of all Occasioned by a bitter and malitious Paper called the CABALA WHen the fears and jealousies of some concerning us are so restlesse the malice of others is so implacable that we suffer not only for what we have done but for what we may do and we are not only obnoxious to Authority for those miscarriages the world hath seen us guilty of but unto the Tongues and pens of men for those likewise the world may imagine us guilty of To justifie his Majesties clemency over us to give the world a reason of the hope that is in us to satisfie all sober men and to to promote tee peace and settlement of our native Country we declare 1. That it is true indeed we cannot come up in all things to their judgement who are over us as we know they could not come up to ours when we were advanced over them and as we could not allow them any publick employment or encouragement when they could not comply with us and our Laws and Constitutions so we cannot expect any publick employment or encouragement from them now we dissent from and cannot close with their Laws and Constitutions Yet it is true that we submit patiently to that Authority which we cannot obey chearfully really we cannot conform in conscience and really we cannot resist in conscience for we must needs be obedient not only for wrath but for conscience sake we suffer yet we repine not we murmur not we speak no evil of Dignities we dare not curse the King no not in our thoughts we desire to fear God we desire to honour the King and we would not meddle with them that are given to change or to Innovations they of us pay tribute from whom tribute is due custome from whom custome and fear from whom fear and his Majesty hath our hearty prayers day and night before the Throne of Grace for a blessing upon himself and Government and if we could renounce the whole Covenant yet would we not renounce that part of it wherein we have promised sincerely really constantly in our several vocations to endeavour with our Estates and Lives to preserve and defend the Kings Majesties Person and Authority that the world may bear witnesse with our Consciences of our Loyalty and that we have no thoughts or intention to diminish his Majesties just power and greatnesse for indeed we whatever the world may think of us desire to honour his Majesty 1. For the Lords sake by whom Kings reign who by a special providence hath set our gracious King over us 2. For our own sakes who though we are not capable of preferment under his Majesty yet owe unto him our lives which he hath pardoned our liberties and estates which he secures to us and the protection he affords us It is a mercy that we may live comfortably as Christians though we cannot be employed and preferred as Ministers 2. It is true we have different apprehensions in many things from other men and in many things we are otherwise minded but we are resolved in those things to which we have already attained to walk by the same Rule to mind the same things and if we cannot be of one mind we desire to be of one heart and to preserve unity of affections in our differâ—â—ces of judgement We desire heartily that the small things we differ in should not have so much power to divide us as the great things we agree in should have to unite however we beg of the Lord heartily that we may live peaceably with all men we desire earnestly to seek truth and peace and to follow peace and holinesse without which we think we cannot see the Lord we desire to be just in our dealing harmlesse and innocent in our behaviour and carriage and to have our conversation honest in the world that whereas some speak against us as evil doers they may by our good works which they shall behold glorifie God in the day of visitation and though we are sorry to hear it that some think it strange that we run not with them to the same excesse of Ryot speaking evil of us yet will we sit still knowing that they shall give an account unto him who judgeth righteous judgement 3. Without all dangerous offensive or suspitious designs or complottings which we abhor have we fince the twenty four of August held up our private Devotions in the Apostles Doctrine and fellowship and breaking bread from house to house and in prayers loving as brethren at these our Meetings we plot nothing but the saving of souls comforting the weak reclaiming the erroneous instructing the ignorant building poor souls up in their faith as helpers of their joy for the perfecting of the Saints the work of the Ministry the edifying of the body of Christ and helping our brethren in the publick ministry who since our withdrawing have a great burden lying upon them some may preach Christ out of envy some out of discontent but Christ is preached and we dare boldly say nothing but Christ crucified is preached among us wherefore we rejoyce and we hope they rejoyce too ever since we hope without offence we have preached the Word and have been instant in season and out of season reproving rebuking and exhorting with all long-suffering and doctrine here have we no thoughts of our King and Countrey but thoughts of peace no words of either but serious Exhortations to obedience under the one and earâ—â—st prayers for the peace and prosperity of the other we â—â—sire indeed to converse profitably to improve our time and opportunities usefully to provoke one another to love and to good works In obedience to his Majesties Laws for peace and order we have no factious Conventicles in compliance with his Majesties good inclination for serious holinesse for sober friendship we converse with one another lovingly we meet at one anothers habitations friendly and neighbourly we open our doubts one to another sincerely and endeavour to resolve one another satisfactorily we pray unanimously one reads another openeth what is read and presseth home what is so opened and so with prayers and a hymn and a little refreshment we dismisse one another and take our leave the Prophets speak two or three and the others judge if any thing be revealed unto another that sitteth by the first holdeth his peace for we all prophecy one by one that all
little separations and divisions and resolvedly knit our selves together in an entire affection one to another that by this all men may know that we are Christs Disciples because we love one another and are ready to shew all mutual respects of Christian love and observance to each other upon all occasion loving as Brethren As likewise we shall in all meekness of spirit lovingly converse with and kindly affectionate to and respectful towards all our Fathers and Brethren in their places living without offence and blameless 14. We mourn but not as men without hope that our gracious God will find out a way to have mercy upon us and to chear up his countenance towards all his Chosen Ones wiping as that holy Bishop said all tears from their eyes and all spots from their faces and answering the holy desires of their hearts in shewing them Sion in perfect beauty and that not by overturning any part of the Government but by opening our hearts to see our errours and close one with another by turning the heart of the Father towards the Child and of the Child towards the Father least God come and smite the earth with dicurse 15. In the mean time we possess our Souls in patience and we keep silence before God waiting upon him that hideth his face from Jacob for his Spirit of love unity peace and concord resolving to continue thus doing till we receive an answer from heaven 16. It s true there are many of us whose bodies will not bear that austerity of fasting and humiliation which our cause may require yet they that cannot fast do pray and they that cannot spare a day in seven can spare an hour in twelve and make up the rest in frequent and servent ejaculations 17. Whereas some have pretended that we set up a Government within a Government and that we have an Authority among our selves we must let the world know we are all equal and we have no formality or Ceremony among us but a free and voluntary entrance left open for all comers into this strict course of Christian Austerity without any noyse without the required notice of any but God and their own conscience that all may well know and see that here is no design than meerly Spiritual aiming at nothing but Religious Transactions between God and our own Souls and consisting in the performance of the unquestionable exercises of Piety and holy Devotion 18. Since we have been uncapable of speaking to the people the things that are of everlasting concernment we have recommended to them the writings of good men pious and peaceable who being dead yet speak and poor men we know may read a good book when they cannot hear a good man and we our selves teach them from house to house with tears day and night as the Apostles did leaving with them such books as Mr. Baxters Call his Now or Never his Directions for Peace of Conscience his Saints Everlasting Rest Mr Bolton Dr. Sibbs Mr. Perkins Mr. Dod and Dr. Preston 19. We settle mens judgements upon most firm and solid principles leading to peace and holiness leading them through that safe and middle way that is equally distant from all the extremes men have run into in their hearts about some points of Religion as particularly in the points now in difference among us we teach our people that though we cannot conform to the Church without sin yet they cannot separate from it without sin we cannot administer according to the prescribed form but we and they can hear according to it we must joyn with the Church in our duties though we are not guilty of her infirmities we teach them that it is one thing to hold communion with a Church that is under some miscarriages and another thing to act those miscarriages what we chiefly insist on are things much comporting and agreeing with the spirit of the Scriptures and things that are most proper to build men up in their most holy Faith and to promote the power of godliness in their hearts and lives 20. It s true we desire to settle our peoples hearts upon all occasions but always offering them such things as tend to peace and quietness and godliness of living dealing as faithfully with them as those who must give an account and if therefore we have any interest with them we improve for God our Soveraign and the Church of Christ for whose distressed members we sometimes solicit them with success and find them willing above their strength and ability and we hope the Lord will not forget their work and labour of love and yet we desire not to wrong any Minister in his place for indeed we stated the point of Ministers maintenance upon such grounds that we are perswaded no sober Christian with whom we have any interest will withdraw any thing that is due from any man that labours in the Word and Doctrine and watches for their Souls And though we are otherwise represented yet our great endeavour is by a discreet interposition to allay and fix the people to a due temperament gently guiding some mens well-meaning zeal by such rules of moderation as are best to restore and preserve the health and peace of this Church and Kingdome much pleasing our selves in that good and firm understanding which would thence grow between his most Excellent Majesty and his good people all jealousies being laid aside our own and our Posterities Interest lay before us many strong obligations to seek and preserve the peace and welfare of the Land of our Nativity the offence which some mens dangerous medling and over-busie interpositions have contracted upon our profession we have resolved to expiate by such moderations for the future as might not only check the excesses of our practise but of our Opinions too no men having a greater kindness for peace and settlement preserved in truth unity and order then our selves whom it most concerns whether we consider our consciences callings or interests as knowing that nothing undermines to much in our Authority and Calling as those dangerous dissentions wherein the people learn to shake off both 21. It is true we cannot own that Episcopacy now established so as to undertake it our selves yet we would submit to it as to every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether to the King as Supreme or to those who are sent by him whose great charges and care is like enough to betray them to some errours and many enemies whereof they canno but contract good store while so eminent and so active they provoke that envy which improved to a popular odium is able to overcast the highest Merit and Integrity wherefore the Bishops have our prayers pity and assistance and although we cannot in our judgement approve all that they do driven it may be rather by the temper of the people and unhappiness of this age then 〈◊〉 their own disposition to any height and rigour of action yet we allow not that their persons