labour among you but also in their Ruling-work when they admonish you And though the effect of this might be sometime displeasing to you yet notwithstanding he chargeth you to esteem them very highly in love {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} very abundantly more then exceedingly for their work sake Oh! then take heed of that rebellious voice which cost Korah and his company so deer Numb. 16. 3. Ye take too much upon you wherefore lift you up your selves above the Congregation of the Lord 2. If ye refuse and rebell you do not so much despise us as Christ who hath imployed us the cause is not ours but his and the contempt is principally against the king of peace he fully tels you all this Luk 10. 16 that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me Say not in your hearts as those wicked ones VVe will not have this man to rule over us 3. Consider the issue will ye think to gain any thing by rejecting his Government Do you not remember that he hath an Iron Rod as well as a Scepter of Mercy If ye refuse the yokes of wood can he not put an iron yoke upon your neck think not to bear out in a bravado against God though like the wilde Ass in the wilderness you should snuff up the winde and traverse on your way or bend your brow against him yet will the Almighty be afraid of your frown Or will he make supplications to you Oh vain man bethink thy self how thou wilt answer thy contempt if thou dost continue 4. There is nothing in the Government of Christ that should make a rational man refuse it we speak of Government and discipline in the main and not of the controverted points of it That there must be rulers and ruled in the Church is not questioned and that the ruled must submit to the direction admonition and reproof of their rulers and that in some cases sinners must be sharply dealt withall by publike rebuke 1 Tim. 5. 20. and sometimes by excommunication Matt. 18. 17. 1 Cor. 5. 4 5 13. All these are evident Now though these thwart the carnal interests of men and are no wayes pleasing to flesh and blood yet seeing all is for edification and not destruction 2 Cor. 10. 8. 13. 10. for the destruction of the flesh that the Spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Iesus 1 Cor. 5. 5. What man is there that prefers heaven before hell or the safety of his soul before bodily ease and credit that will turn his back upon these necessary though sharp Medicines How then can you profess Christ and yet refuse to submit to the righteous Scepter of his Kingdom 3. Beware lest you also being led away with the Error of the wicked fall from your own stedfastness be not children tossed to and fro with every winde of Doctrine by the slight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive 'T is the glory of a Christian to be steady and unmoveable holding fast the faith once delivered to the Saints We would not be over-tedious and therefore shall set before you but some of those many Considerations which might here be urged 1. God doth permit these swarms of Errors for the tryal of his people and the discovery of Hypocrites and rotten Professors Paul in 1 Cor. 11. 19. tells us Heresies must be they are not only possible but necessary that they which are approved might-be made manifest and that they that went out from us might be made manifest that they were not all of us 1 Joh. 2. 19. 2. Do you not see it frequently that they who make shipwrack of faith make also shipwrack of a good conscience Do not erroneous principles in wicked and licencious practices It is too visible in the carriage of many already and of others you may easily guess what will follow when they are more hardened in error And dare you take that for truth which hath a natural tendencie to looseness and liberty How far these principles of following the Light within and of absolute perfection which will at last bring in either a denyal of Fornication and Lying c. to be sins or to be theirs that act them and several others are directly improveable this way we need not tell you 3. Have you not observed how fickle and uncertain error is when once men are turned off from the truth they readily fall into a dislike of the errors which at first they doted on after they are stale for the entertainment of a new Error when grown into fashion and so from one Error to another till they arrive at Atheism if God in pitty stop them not like a stone when once set a going down the hill it rowles still till it come to the bottom 4. Consider the dreadful threatning of the Lord against those that received the truth but not in the love of it Read and study wel that text of 2 Thess. 2. 11. For this cause God shall send them strong delusions that they should believe a lye that they all might be damned who believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness And forget not the danger of Apostacie see Heb. 6. 4 5 6. 10. 26. 'T is a sad sentence though we should take the most favourable construction that is given of it to say There remains no more sacrifice for sins and that 't is impossible to renew them again by repentance 5. The hand of God is so visibly against them that they that will not see it are inexcusably blind What God hath done in Germany and of late in New-England ought not to be slightly passed over And how heavy spiritual Judgements are upon Apostates several of our own Counties are sad and sufficient Examples when God suffers Error to draw men beyond the bounds of Reason Modesty and natural conscience when that which they seemed to have is taken away their gifts withered and their former seeming religious observation of duty quite dryed up by the roots surely his minde is that we should take warning by their dreadful fall As for the quakers one would think their actions and principles would make a man that had any of common reason left to abominate and abhor them Sure we are the prevalency of that madness is not from any strength of rational or scriptural satisfaction we have seen many strongly and passionately possessed with that who yet neither understood it nor could give a reason for it but from an {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the efficacie and strength of delusion through divine judgement upon them Shall we need to put you in minde of that which your selves know so well and are eye and ear-witnesses of as well as we How visible is the devils 〈◊〉 in the beastly nakedness of men and women in our Assemblies in what a strange unchristian temper of railing reviling 〈◊〉 and
aside as useless nay had spoken against them and hence arose the contest about them 3. When the matter was referred to the Synod of Ierusalem though before he had preached publikely against them yet he is so far from asserting That every Truth must be published what ever become of peace that he forbears to speak publikely and applies himself particularly {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} to those that were pillars and of Reputation viz. Peter Iames Iohn c. for Dr. Lightfoot Harm. N. T. p. 97. makes it the same journey with that mentioned Gal. 3. 2. 4. The Synod doth determine not only the silencing of this truth viz. the abolition of ceremonies and Christians freedom from them but also permits the exercise of these to the Jewes and injoynes the practice of some of them to the Gentiles 5. The ground of the determination was the churches peace Acts 15. 21. 6. And in this regard they enjoyn them as necessary things which they should do well to observe Acts 15. 28 29. till the church might have a competent time and means of satisfaction The sum is this The silencing of some truths for peace sake both in regard of publication and practice was by them judged necessary Since the Apostles dayes those who have most earnestly contended for the foundations and things neer the foundation have alwayes advised to condescention for peace sake To recite all instances that might be given would be tedious We shall content our selves with two or three in stead of many Basil ad Presb. Tarsenses Epist. 203. adviseth to concord as necessary for the establishment of the church and propounds condescention as a necessary means of it There is need saith he of a great deal of care and diligence for the helping of the churches which cannot be but by uniting those that differ which union will be effected {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} if we condescend to the weak in things not prejudicial to the soul Luther gives the same advice in an Epist. to the Divines assembled in a Synod at Norimberge Meum consilium fuerit cum nullum sit ecclesiae periculum ut hanc causam sinatis vel ad tempus sopitam utinam extinctam jacere donec tutiore meliore tempore animis in pace firmatis charitate ad unatis eam disputetis My advice is that seeing no hurt can accrue to the church by it this difference might sleep at least for a time or rather indeed dye out till your mindes were confirmed in peace and united in love then might you more safely enquire into it Greg. Nazi is as peremptory as any against purchasing peace with the loss of truth witness his Expressions {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Orat. 12. Contention for Piety is better then a vicious peace And again let none conjecture that I think all peace ought to be loved and embraced {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} For I know that as some kinde of disagrement is good so some agreement is pernicious ibid. And more fully Orat. 32. p. 518. Let us not prosecute peace to the prejudice of truth {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Nay in such cases he tells us we should contend as much as if it were against Fire and Sword and that hee that in other things is most milde and gentle should here be most violent and pugnacious {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Orat. 12. p. 198. 203. And yet he is as zealous for making way for peace by silencing lesser truths as any How earnestly doth he urge a necessity of distinguishing of truths Some are saith he sutable to our capacities some above them some {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} concern the time present others the world to come c. and then applies all thus Some things are not at all to be enquired after others with moderation Some truths are to be contended for earnestly in others {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} condescention and forbearance to be used c. Orat. 14. P. 220. And afterwards he exhorts those that worship the same Trinity to cut off and avoid superfluous questions as the common disease of that time and as so many {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} suckers which rob the tree of its sap and fruit or crooked windings which lead the traveller into a maze and confusion and in the close of that excellent Oration adds {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Let us yeeld a little in smaller truths that we may receive that which is greater viz. Concord Let us yeeld that we may overcome And much to the same purpose also he hath Orat. 12. p. 203. but we forbear To this purpose we might urge the example of Constantine the Great who in matters of greater consequence viz. the difference betwixt Arius and the Orthodox propounds the forbearance of asking or answering questions concerning that difference as a necessary means to peace which he did as supposing it to be of lower concernment vide Soc. Eccles. l. 1. c. 4. To the third we need say little onely to explain our meaning know That there are several things which both Parties practise upon different grounds As in matters of Appeal where one party gives power authoritative the other fraternal onely yet both own the thing So in the exercise of the power of the Keyes where though the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} i. e. the first subject be questioned yet all agree that in Churches Organical at least the Officers are to manage them To these may be added Ordination by Pastors of other Churches and the Church-covenant c. Now all we say here is this That the difference of principles by which both parties are carried to the same thing doth not make our conjunction unlawful The 11th Proposition we hope will not be quarrelled with by sober minded men 1. None will say that 't is unlawful to renew covenant with God 2. Nor will any deny the expediency and usefulness of it in reformation of churches 3. Nor that our particular churches so overgrown with ignorance and prophaneness so beset with Heresies so weakned as to discipline and government through licencious Liberty have no need of it 4. In this we cross not any Presbyterian Principle Those that have most opposed an explicite Church-covenant as the form of a Church do not deny the lawfulness and usefulness of the thing but only the necessity of it in reference to such an end and the extent of it as to some particular Articles vid. Ruther due Right p. 85. An explicite vocal covenant saith he we deny not as if the thing were unlawful c. p. 86. Nor deny we that at the Election of a Pastor the Pastor and people tye themselves by reciprocation of Oaths c. p. 88. Nor do we question whether such a Covenant may be lawfully sworn we think it may c. So also Apollonius p. 4.
c. as being contrary to the discipline and honor of the Church Nay those that plead most for a free admission are so far from taxing this practice with novelty that they yeild it to be a piece of the ancient and usual discipline of the church to exclude the notorious and open scandalous though not excommunicate Neither do they so much plead for the admission of the scandalous as for the excommunicating of them first before a debarment from the Sacrament 5. If there were no such power yet so long as 't is granted that Officers have charity may must use it to prevent our brothers danger so long surely may we do all this if we had nothing else to bear us out would not this engage us to help you to examine your selves is the matter of so small moment that you need no help nay and to refuse to give you that which we see would hurt you will real love satisfie it self with a bare warning without endeavouring to prevent will it only tell him 't is poyson he drinks not also take it out of his hand have you any cause to be angry when we tel you the truth concerning your estates or hinder you from destroying your selves out of love to you that when we love our peace or maintenance less then your good you should so op-pose When the Physician puts the Patient to some grief in the application of a necessary Medicine is it reasonable either to refuse his Medicine or to abuse his person That the Medicine is so sharp is your fault not ours The Lord knows we delight not in excluding if we could admit you without your own hurt if God laid not this duty upon us can you imagine that men that know what they do would unnecessarily provoke your hatred and opposition when they might have love and good will But when we consider the weight of the blood of souls and how bitterly many a poor creature shall in hell curse his man-pleasing Minister we are afraid Those that think us too large let them be pleased to consider 1. That God would not have the door so strait as many suppose we know that purity is amiable and required of all in the Church and that it hath such a lovely aspect that many so fix their eyes upon it as if that were only to be attended and prosecuted in the constitution and reformation of Churches yet with some confidence we dare affirm 1. That the strictest way of admission is not therefore best because strictest 2. That 't is much safer in the management of Admissions and more acceptable to God to be so facile as to hazard the admission of many unfit rather then to exclude one that ought not to be excluded Mr. Cotton saith Rather ninety nine should perish through presumption then one humble soul belonging to Christ should sink under discouragement Way p. 58. 3. That the admission of some less fit can neither defile the Ordinances to others nor hinder their Spiritual Communion Non polluitur communio licet minuitur solatio 4. That Censoriousness Revilings and Contempt of weaker Christians Errors Aversness to concede and yeild to Brethren of different Judgement in less things for peace sake though they make not so great a noise in the world are sins of a more dangerous consequence more pernicious to the Church in themselves more infectious and against which there lies more just exceptions as to admission then many other failings which usually are excepted against in the weaker sort 5. That those Churches have most of Gospel-order where unity and encouragement of the weak is equally regarded and prosecuted with purity going hand in hand but one not justling out another 6. That if the best of men would but impartially weigh their private failings in the same Scale in which they usually weigh other mens with the application of Matt. 7. 1 12. and would put on charity 1 Cor. 13. 4 5 6. with humility they would not be so severe against others 2. We cannot see any ground or Scripture-Warrant for a stricter rule then this we walk by 1. The fitness which comes under our cognizance is only outward whether they that are only outwardly qualified have a real interest in the seals of the covenant before God or not we think it unseasonable now to dispute that which we assert is granted by all of both parties that understand their principles that the seals are given to such and that in our Enquiries and Determinations we are to go no higher least we be guilty of prying into things secret and of usurping the Throne and Scepter of the Almighty 2. The rule which must direct us to judge aright of this fitness must of necessity have these properties First it must be general or else how shall it reach all men if it should be so short or so narrow as to exclude any admissable it could not be acknowledged to be true Secondly it must be publike the Officers are publike and so is the Act of Admission and so are the Ordinances admitted to and therefore it cannot be granted that Officers must manage these things by private instructions and let in by a private door Thirdly it must be a standing rule for if it be uncertain unconstant and bending how shall it direct us to make any steady or certain tryal 3. The satisfaction wherein we are to acquiess ought to be publike and Ecclesiastical for if we were to admit only according to our private satisfactions or dis-satisfactions who almost then could be admitted with some Who sees not the uncertainty of such a Rule If this were true the same parties under the same qualifications without any alteration might be lawfully admitted and rejected by several Churches nay by the same Church at several times some being more easily satisfyed then others Not that the use of charity in this case is denyed when we have made as impartial a trial as we can the standing rules of charity must be made use of But yet God hath not so referred the matter to charity as if none were to be admitted where our charity would not bring us up to a perswasion or belief of regeneration we suppose this therefore to be a standing Truth that we may lawfully and with peace of conscience nay we ought to admit one if coming up to the rule of whose integrity we may have particular dis-satisfactions If this were well considered the difference about rigid admissions would not be so great Mr. Noton Cont. Apoll. pag. 11. is full in this point distinguishing 'twixt fideles {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} and {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} or Ecclesiastice fideles Believers that are really such and those that are reputed to be such And plainly asserts That we ought to carry our selves toward those as if they were really godly and that we are not bound positively to believe every one admissable into the Church to be
hinder union in the practice of those very things about which the disagreement is and an agreemen thus far is the most hopeful course to satisfie one another in other things to debate things in such a calm way gives more hope of divine approbation and blessing and less advantage to Satan of working upon the humors and passions of men which usually darken the judgement even of those that seek the truth and hinders satisfaction If a composing designe prosper not we suspect the hinderance will chiefly arise from some of these evills 1. Some are pleased with nothing which themselves propound not many are so desirous to be Leaders and have such an immoderate ambition after an ego primus inveni that they think it a disgrace to be followers though in a necessary work This thistle will grow sometime in good ground and good men have cause to watch against it the disagreement of Luther from Oecolampadius in the business of pulling down of Images is said to have sprung from this root 2. Ignorance we fear will prove as great an enemy to peace as any thing else Many understand only the practike part of their own way not fully knowing the extent limits necessity and indifferencie of their several principles these even out of a zeal to truth will stand off as not knowing how far they may safely yeild 3. Many are engaged and they will finde it a hard task to deny themselves in point of honor and credit which they will think must be lost if they alter their course this will stick in the heart many a time when the mouth will be ready to proclaim it to be the highest honor for any man to be conquered by truth and peace 4. Many Ministers and yet they must be leading-men if such a thing as this go on are so over-driven by their friends and members of their congregations that they dare do little for fear of displeasing them an unworthy spirit in a Minister of the Gospel 5. Some are so imbittered and exasperated that their blood is not easily cooled to condescend to those whom but now they opposed 6. Some delight in quarrels and are only whetted up to embrace a way or to continue in it because of opposition their zeal is not so much from love or conviction of the truth as from an angry desire to contradict like souldiers of fortune who because they live by the wars are unwilling to hear of peace 7. Some want publike spirits others want publike Principles the former care not so much as they should what becomes of other Churches so long as they have the ball at their own foot and things go with them as they would have it The latter are so straitned and pinioned in themselves that if they would they cannot be very serviceable these having but some one thing in their eye as suppose purity or peace prosecute that to the ruine and neglect of other things necessary 8. Some have drunk in such strong prejudices against their brethren that fancying the difference to be greater then it is and supposing a closure either unlawful or scarce possible they are the more backward to hearken to any thing tending to a composure 9. Some place too much of their religion in standing off from others as if the excellency height of christianity lay in a rigid seperation from those Professors which are of a lower size and therefore will be more hardly drawn to remit any thing of their supposed necessary strictness rather desiring to please themselves then to bear the infirmities of the weak suspecting even necessary provisions for the admission of such as favouring too much of looseness and that which may bring upon them a participation of other mens sins 10. Some it may be think an utter refusal of peace with the Presbyterians is but a just requital of that rigour and harshness which they used to others when they had the chair We do not justifie the failings and irregularities of any all parties we think have too much cause to acknowledge themselves guilty before the Lord and to be humbled but if any make this a ground of distance let him call to minde that in so doing he becomes guilty of that which he condemns in them Nay let him know that whatever were the miscarriages of some particular men at that time yet the Assembly were even then no less desirous of concord with the dissenting Brethren then others are at this present They that will read the papers of Accommodation annexed to the Reasons of the dissenting Brethren may sufficiently satisfie themselves in this So powerful and so frequent are these distempers in many of all parties we intend them not as an accusation of any particular man that except the Lord command these proud waves to be still and take down the loftiness of all our hearts which is the root whence all these evils spring we cannot hope for any great success in this designe of concord notwithstanding that our several principles make so fair a way for it If it would please the Lord to do this for us withal to stir up a Constantine or a Theodosius that might rigorously press on this work by countenancing it where it is endeavoured by calling the Godly Ministery of the land to consultation by charging them to agree and holding them to it we should quickly see the face of things altered Ephraim would not any more envy Iudah and Iudah would not vex Ephraim 2. We exhort you to submit to the Discipline and Government of Christ Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your souls as they that must give account that they may do it with joy and not with grief for that is unprofitable for you Heb. 13. 17. The great quarrel that carnal hearts have against Christ is about the Laws and Scepter of his Kingdom this is that that renders him so unlovely to them To such men we shall propound four things which we desire they should seriously weigh 1. The Government and Discipline is not ours but Christs True indeed he hath appointed his Officers to manage it and for that end hath made them Rulers over you but yet they are over you in the Lord 1 Thes. 5. 13. and as those that must give an account for you and therefore charges you to obey and submit to such not only to obey their Doctrine but also to submit to their reproof and censures Heb. 13. 17. And because the consideration of their inspection may be a means to prevent sins in you therefore he commands you to remember them which have the rule over you v. 7. And in 1 Thess. 5. 12 13. Know them which labour among you that is acknowledge for {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} non est simpliciter cognoscere sed agnoscere Zanch. them as Rulers appointed over you by God obeying and reverencing them accordingly and that not only in their teaching when they