embraced by all 6 By brotherly communion and correspondency I mean not a bare name and profession of brotherhood but a reall conjunction of the thoughts of the desires and affections and of the endeavours of men proceeding from this principle that they acknowledge one another to be the children of the same Father or at least the servants of the same master for as a master is a father to servants so fellow-servants are brethren in service 7 By the meaning of the communion and correspondency I meane a constant following of the duties thereof through the acknowledgment of some professed engagement obliging thereunto 8 By the glory of God in this dutie to bee aimed at I mean besides the generall praise due to him for all his goodnes a more speciall manifestation of the unitie of his Name in all his Saints 9 By the perfection of the Saints in this dutie to be advanced I meane three things 1 The building of them up into one body by the onenesse of the Name of God Ioh. 17.22 23 as Christ and the Father are one that they may be perfect in one 2 The strengthning of them with might by the Spirit in the inner man Ephes 3.16 that being knit together in love they may be comforted unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgment of the Ministery of God Col. 2.2 and of the Father and of Christ 3 The powerfull propagating of the Gospel of truth in the world to be a testimony thereunto to convict it that Christ is sent of the Father Iohn 17.23 and a means to call in all the elect of God to the communion of Saints out of it 10. By the standing and walking by ones selfe I meane not the distinction of charges as if none might stand or walke in a distinct office wherein another hath no right to intermeddle or the maintaining of the particular rights belonging to particular Congregations for I hold that every Church hath within it selfe a right to all Christs ordinances in respect that it is built upon the foundation but I meane the disjoynting of mens practises and the dividing of their affections and purposes in the exercise of their distinct charges whereby as parties in opposition to one another they set up markes of distinction and separation between themselves and others whom they cannot deny to belong to Jesus Christ and to be built upon the same foundation with themselves 11 By the maintaining of principles of a singular distance I meane such a plea for the rights and priviledges of particular associations of professors as doth make void the fit joynting and compacting of themselves together with others that stand upon the same foundation that according to the purpose of God the whole building may bee fitly framed together and grow unto an holy temple in the Lord. Ephes 2.21 For all are called unto the unitie of the same body by God 1 Cor. 12 13. Col. 3.15 Ephes 4.13 and the ministeriall worke is appointed to bring all to the unitie of the same faith and knowledge of the Sonne of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ If therfore any plea bee taken up for a singular distance which is grounded upon disjoynting principles this will not suit with the purpose of God which is to make up the whole body of Christ into one that by the compacting of the members thereof there may bee an effectuall working in the measure of every part Ephes 4.16 to make the increase of the body for the building of it self up in love What principle then soever doth overthrow this compacting of the whole for this end to bee fulfilled in and by every part is destructive to the glory of Christ and the happinesse of his members If then the principle of Christian libertie and the plea for it and for the particular rights of distinct Congregations is made by the subtiltie of Satan the chief instrument of our divisions and distractions at this time and in this kind it must bee qualified by the principle of holy communion and the plea for the unitie of the members of Christ and for the common rights of the profession of Christianitie For the Apostolicall rule is cleer that wee are indeed called unto libertie onely wee must neither use libertie nor plead for it Gal. 5.13 14. that it may give an occasion to the flesh but wee are commanded by love to serve one another because the whole Law is fulfilled in this Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe And if this Law bee not observed Rom. 13.9 it is cleer that wee walke not worthy of the calling wherewith wee are called what ever the truth of our principle or the justice of our plea may bee in it selfe For it is not the Theoreticall upholding of a truth that will save us but the doing of the will of God woe be then unto us if by our disputes for that which wee think to bee truth and righteousnesse Satan doth insnare us and by the practise of a singular distance doth so far lead us out of the way as to make us his instruments to divide and disjoynt the spirits and the practises of professors that the essentiall unitie of the whole and the visible conjunction of the members being put out of the thoughts and aimes of common professors all societies may bee broken to pieces and all relations to common duties made void according to the will and fansie of every one that will pretend to bee a Saint in such or such a degree above his neighbour that so by our singular distances through strife for selfe-interests scandals may bee multiplied and the honour of Gods Name in the holy profession blasphemed in the world Therefore to avoid all this nothing is so fit or more necessary and usefull then to maintaine this communion and correspondency which we plead for which is nothing else but a free and voluntary concurrence of spirituall counsels and endeavours which God as the Father of Spirits and King of Saints doth require in his children and Office-bearers for the advancement of the kingdome of his Son that it may appear unto the world that the Church is his house that hee is the ruler of it by his Word and Spirit and that the Ministers thereof depend unanimously upon him as his children and servants and that in their mutuall relations they stand united to each other not by a rule of their owne chusing and transacting from which they may exclude one way or other whomsoever they please but by the common rule which is his love whereby they are bound to each other as Brethren and as his servants that is fellow-members of the same body of Christ for al the members of every body are but servants to the head in the whole to to each other for the heads sake and for the good of the whole Although then every member hath
Gospel Here I desire not to bee mistaken Why some do keep up our differences what guilt they draw upon themselves thereby for I say not that any doe purposely intend except they be the Emissaries of Jesuits of which too many are crept in amongst us in this dissolution of all order to make our divisions irreconciliable and to weaken our hands in the Gospel God forbid that any professing the Gospel should bee thought so maliciously partiall But this I I meane to say freely that all such as by the management or composure of these differences seeke any way rather to please themselves then in the spirit of meeknesse to please others to their edification I say of these that they keepe us at a distance that they widen our breaches that they make our divisions by little and little irreconciliable and so they weaken both their owne and their Brethrens hands in the Gospel and herein they not taking heed to themselves principally serve no bodies turne but Satans and become his instruments most effectually to hinder the power and prevalencie of the Truth For it is Satans maine interest What Satans interest is in the difference of Ministers above all others to set and keep the Ministers of the Gospel at variance amongst themselves and disagreeing in the way of their testimonie For as long as they are kept so he is sure that the world the wickednesse and greatnesse thereof and the height of men will not fall before the throne of Jesus Christ by their meanes For if wee will look upon Satans kingdome and consider the wayes by which hee doth set up and settle the Mystery of iniquity in opposition to the kingdome of God among men wee shall perceive that one of them is this That hee being the Prince of this world doth establish the government thereof by meere power and deceiving Policie This government hee endeavoureth alwayes to put in the hands of such men How Satan doth prosecute his interest who intend to make use thereof onely for their owne ends which commonly are none other but greatnesse and glory for this cannot be denyed that as the way of self-deniall and humilitie is proper to Christ and his Kingdome So the practises of men in seeking themselves by power and policie are the works of Satans spirit and of their owne corruption in order to his designes And as the end of naturall men in the world is onely to maintaine and inlarge themselves according to their owne will by their owne wayes so the end of Satan in teaching them to manage their affaires rather by power and policie with an absolute command then by loving perswasions and convictions of the mind with the evidence and demonstration of the Truth is onely to oppose in the soules of men the kingdome of Christ which is the light of Truth and the life of righteousnesse and holinesse For by these Christ is the King and Conquerour of soules for by the light of Truth he ruleth in the understanding and by the power of righteousnesse and holinesse he ruleth in the will and affections of his subjects if then Satan can gaine the opportunitie to set his ministers aworke who by the outward meanes of power and policie for their owne temporall ends draw away mens minds from the attention unto and the apprehension of Truth and put out of their affections the frame of meeknesse love and humility wherein the life of righteousnesse and holinesse doth stand if I say he can get such instruments which hee can act either directly or indirectly to draw mens mindes from the way of Christ by this way of his owne creating then he hath clearely gained his end because he will be able to keepe mens understandings in darknesse that is in ignorance or doubt of the truth and their will and affections in confusion and disorder that is in a frame opposit to the Law of God and his righteousnesse The direct meanes of erecting Satans kingdome Now Satan will bee able to doe this directly by his instruments when hee can cause the profession of ignorance to be advanced set up and commended by authority or commanded by a Law or when hee can cause the knowledge and practise of any thing besides that which is setled by meer humane authority for certain ends of State to be made a crime punishable by death by infamie or by any other penaltie and when he can cause the whole frame and profession of Religion to bee fitted onely to establish that greatnesse wherein the glory of the outward state and the authority of his instruments doth consist All which Satan doth with a high hand grosly in the Mahumetan but with more subtiltie and most compleatly in the Papall state and this hee is able to doe every where else in some competent measure wheresoever the maximes of absolute dominion are maintained and where the great Idoll of Politicians which is called the reason or interest of State is onely worshipped and the true reason and interest of Conscience and Religion is laid aside and comparatively not at all regarded I say wheresoever this course is followed there Satan is able to oppose the kingdome of Christ directly The indirect means whereby Satan sets up his kingdome But where hee cannot attaine to this hee taketh the neerest way hee can to gaine the same purpose indirectly which is done by making all doctrines of Truth doubtfull and all Gospel Ordinances full of confusion Now to make all Truths doubtfull hee raiseth disputes and doth find out wayes to make them undecidable and this he doth chiefly by the meanes of those that should bee the unanimous witnesses of that Truth which is called into question when they are disunited amongst themselves And to confound the Ordinances he setteth every one promiscuously upon the administration thereof in his owne way not onely by giving a freedome unto all both to doe without controule what they please in such matters and to condemne and oppose every one that is not of their way but also by disanulling the authoritie by which all order should bee setled in Church and Common-wealth And to bring all this to passe his main endeavour is to cause the Ministers of the Gospel either to bee subordinate unto his ministers in all things at their will or by variance of judgement amongst themselves and difference of practises from each other to lose their way to neglect the rules of unitie and forbearance which the Word prescribeth to uphold the communion of Saints which is their strength to breake the bonds of love and peace and having ingaged them into quarrels to bring them within the compasse of his reach that is to move them to act their controversies by the wayes of the power and policie of his kingdome for self aimes For if hee once can corrupt the simplicitie of their mindes so that they minde not truely the dutie of being conformable to the Word in every thing and to the
spirituall aime of Christs walking in the world and if he can ingage them into worldly designes to advance the same in a worldly way hee hath gotten them cleerly within his reach where he will endeavour to the utmost first to cause them utterly forget and lay aside the aime of their spirituall calling Secondly to allure them unto and affect them with the appearance and glory of his dominion Thirdly to act them by the principles of outward feares and hopes to that which hee would have them doe and when hee hath once gotten them thus farre under the power of this snare he will be able without resistance to carry them headlong amongst themselves to more and more uncharitablenesse and unconscionablenesse of conversation whereby breaches will bee multiplied and made irreconciliable For although a difference arise but from a very small and circumstantiall matter amongst them as it doth naturally fall out amongst other men yet Satan aiming at them above all others to get advantages against them if he doth find them in such a case either without brotherly and charitable affections or inclined to please themselves hee will bee able to worke upon them first jealousies and by jealousies mistakes and by mistakes a distance and strangenesse by reason of worldly aimes differently carried on and when plots and passions are come to some maturitie crosse courses and mutuall provocations will bee set on foot reall injuries will bee offered complaints and clamours will break forth which in continuance make the divisions of hearts past all remedy and irreconciliable because it is not possible that men who aime at worldly matters should deny themselves either the use of their wit and passions in the prosecution of their designe or neglect the strength which they have in hand when they thinke it can serve their turne For if they should doe so they should seeme to quit their designes and so lose at once both the credit and profit thereof which to men that make use of their reason onely to compasse their owne will and to that effect can employ both power and policie is a thing altogether insufferable as being no lesse contemptible then folly and as hatefull as death This I conceive to bee one of the mysteries of iniquity by which Satan doth prevaile against the Ministers of the Gospel even against many men that are otherwise godly and able but are not sufficiently aware of his wiles by which they are drawn from their owne and ensnared in his way by which meanes their hands being weakned in their work hee gaineth his end at least indirectly by their infirmities and miscarriages Therefore all such as are conscionably sensible of their own frailties and of those dangers should bee wakened from securitie to become watchfull over their owne souls in these times of temptation for amongst the Protestant Churches where with the increase of knowledge a true sense of Christian libertie is begotten in the minds of professors Satan hath none other way to fit to erect his kingdome as this is of dividing the Ministers for which cause as wee see their divisions daily increased so the remedies should be the more earnestly thought upon and offereed with freedome and tendernesse unto all indifferently but chiefly to those who are neerest in principles and have least cause to walke asunder and be at a distance The remedy against Satans way of corrupting the ministery These remedies can bee none other but the helpes to holy communion amongst Ministers in the prosecution of spirituall aimes tending to the advancement of Truth and Peace For the unitie of their spirits in the simplicitie of Truth is their strength and the evidence of grace without worldly wisedome in their walking will make them not onely invincible but even irresistible because the power of the Word of life which is a two-edged Sword and the armour of righteousnesse on the right hand and on the left when they are handled in sinceritie without all mixture of humane policie will bee prevalent to make them triumph in Christ 2 Cor. 2.14 and to cause the inhabitants of the world to fall in due time before them that in the day of Christs power which wee hope is approaching all the strong holds of Satan may be surrendred unto him This ensuing discourse then concerning unitie and forbearance to shew the ground The end of the ensuing discourse and the occasion of putting it to paper termes and motives thereof was by me conceived as a propesall of matters belonging properly to the consideration of the Orthodox Ministers of this kingdome who dissent onely from each other in the way of government that if our private or publique conferences had continued as they were begun in simplicitie the heads thereof might have been a subject of further deliberation amongst us For to that effect they were put to paper at the desire of some but seeing the motions tending to a reconcilement of our Religious differences seeme to be obstructed so that there is little or no hope to gaine any further meetings and conferences in this kind and for this aime therefore I have enlarged them a little and altered the frame thereof somewhat And of enlarging and publishing the same and now shall leave them to you to bee disposed of as God shall direct you for the publick good to make use of them For whether the obstruction of these thoughts of reconcilement arise from the unwillingnesse of some who perhaps thinke it not wisedome to venture their paines in such a way or from the State contrivements or preingagements and combinations of others who by any of these meanes thinke themselves strong enough to gain their own desires another way Whether I say from any or from all of those causes the obstruction doth arise it is to mee a matter of no discouragement but rather an occasion to bee willing to appeare so as I am in the presence of God free from interests and before men without all pretence to wisedome strength and authoritie That so farre as those motions shall be found agreeable to the will of God and sutable to the conscience of those whose wisedome strength and authoritie is the obedience of Faith in performing their dutie they may be entertained with singlenesse of heart and if so many of us as have freed our spirits from the bondage of feares and hopes in respect of outward matters and have given our selves up to walke openly by knowne and undeniable rules and by the Law of unprejudicate love to bee without offence towards all should but resolve upon this provocation to lay the matter of dutie represented therein more seriously to heart then hitherto wee have done and to ripen further thoughts concerning the same who knoweth what God may work thereby It is not impossible for him to blow upon the dead bones of our scattered affections from the wayes of peace and communion to bring them to a concurrence in the acknowledgement of some rules which
publick and private reports are not altogether to bee slighted for the finding out of men so are they not either way easily and much to bee credited for they are carried for the most part by interests and a man of judgement that doth set a rule unto himselfe in all his wayes will both on this fide and on that side arme himselfe against the strong impressions of evill and good reports Against the evill ones hee will have in store charitable constructions of things that may bee well taken lest his spirit be rashly byased to a wrongfull affection against him that deserveth it not and against the largenesse of the good ones hee will ballance himselfe with discretion and prudence lest hee bee swayed through too much credulity to a groundlesse confidence in one that may deceive him and thus keeping himselfe both wayes free in an equall temper neither too high nor too low in his apprehensions to rise and fall with the blasts of reports hee will bee able to steer an even course in his cariage towards all measuring himselfe and all other men in his and their actions by one and the same rule which is the life of Christ in the Spirit for that is the onely standard by which all are to bee measured that is the onely touchstone by which all spirits are to bee tryed whether they bee true gold or not In this search and discoverie of persons although none are to bee excluded of what qualitie and condition soever yet those that are called Divines are chiefly to bee sought after because they have a great influence upon the spirits both of the multitude and also of the ordinary sort of stayed men to sway their affections Except then wee deale with these men according to these rules to gaine them to our ayme wee shall finde the wayes of peace and union mainely obstructed and the gall of bitternesse now stirred and overflowing in many almost impossible to be allayed I have done with the discovery of persons fit to bee dealt withall The third point is concerning the means by which confidence may bee begotten in these towards us and set a working towards all for the composure of differences This meanes I conceive is none other but a free and orderly Treatie to be set afoot between some of us and some of their side And to the end that by this meanes mutuall confidence may bee begotten The meanes to beget confidence is a treatie of which the requisites are briefly noted equall power to propose matters to bee taken into consideration and equall freedome from awfull prescriptions must bee assured unto all and an equall engagement must bee conscionably laid upon all alike to meet to meet I say constantly and never to leave off the Treatie till the end for which it shall bee undertaken be attained or at least the course which therein should bee followed shall be brought to a full period The disagreement was originally about the frame and constitution of Churches The subject thereof is twofold but now it is about the power of setling the government of the Kingdome the first controversie hath still an influence upon the latter so that this will never bee well agreed without some determination of that 1. Concerning civill government to bee transacted in the Parliament The treaty concerning Civill government can bee no where set a foot but in the Parliament The Parliament is there where by the Kings authority according to the constitution of the Kingdome the bodies of Peeres and Commons are met to order the affaires of the Kingdome intrusted to their care Onely now for matter of order it is to bee wished that the things henceforth to bee debated and voted should looke rather forward then backward that is that the Houses should rather determine things tending to our settlement in time to come then alter or unsettle things present or call things past into question before our settlement bee in view or the foundation thereof established If an Act of Oblivion were past on all sides for things done in the heat of strife since the parties were formed and positive Counsels entertained for preventing of breaches hereafter wee might hope to see better dayes shortly then otherwise wee are like to enjoy in this generation But I shall leave the civill Treaties to those to whom they are intrusted by the Kingdome and beseeching the Lord to give them one mind in his feare to make them all faithfull to their publick trust without selfe-seeking and interests of parties I shall speake of a Treatie which may relate unto the settlement of the Churches 2. Concerning Church matters To advance which This Ecclesiasticall Treatie is of absolute necessitie that ingenuous men may not mistake one another as for the most part in these differences they doe for it is cleer that matters are misunderstood on both sides and being misrepresented hainously to the simple multitude by many and no body labouring effectually to rectifie mistakes 1 Railing is to be restrained on all sides our divisions must needs bee multiplied and our breaches made greater If then the freedome which hitherto hath been taken and abused on both sides to traduce each other in the Presse and Pulpit can neither by authoritie nor by perswasion bee restrained wee are never like to gaine any advantage for the composure of mens affections by a Treatie though never so faire never so orderly never so peaceable and effectuall in it selfe for it will never become so unto others because as long as the windes blow fiercely the Seas will bee stormie as long as railing accusations continue passions will bee raised and whiles passions rule conscience is asleepe judgement is darkned and men are not capable of rationall and good proposals For this Reason also the men to be chosen for the Treatie on both sides must not onely be conscionable judicious and learned but moreover free from all pre-ingagement and passion 2. The countenance of authoritie is to be had to set it afoot Then the Treatie it selfe although for the same cause it may not bee publick for then it must have publick authoritie whereupon a thousand inconveniences will follow to make it fruitlesse yet it must not bee altogether private but should have the foreknowledge and countenance of authoritie to beget it lest it be wholly slighted and inconsiderable So then let some of the peaceable and chiefe leading States-men of both sides being thereto either deputed or allowed by the rest of each side order and direct the Treatie in a course which shall bee wholly free from partialitie and let a jealousie be raised against the intent and purpose of such a Treatie let it bee declared that it shall not bee to conclude any thing for that cannot bee done without the full knowledge and consent of parties but onely to try what hopes there may bee of finding a sure way to procure an accommodation either by the meanes of a reconcilement or by
Christ in his prayer unto the Father where hee desires that all beleevers may bee made perfect in one John 17.23 and if all beleevers then all Congregations of beleevers 5. If severall Congregations may not intend to stand as by themselves and walke as separate from one another in the administration of Christs Ordinances which they have received by a common rule and are to professe before the world in publick as one body in Christ then it will follow cleerly that it is farre lesse lawfull unto them in the prosecution of matters tending to mutuall edification in ordinary or in extraordinary and weighty matters of common and necessary concernment to stand and walke by themselves alone without a due respect unto their Brethren and some tie of association towards their neighbour Congregations So that I take this to bee an undeniable principle and maxime of Brotherly association in Churches That nothing which with conveniencie and to the benefit of the Gospel it selfe or to the edification of others therein can bee done unitedly and joyntly ought to bee done dividedly and separately For when Christ doth pray for a perfect union of all beleevers which may worke upon the world a beleef that the Father hath sent him Ioh. 17.23 I cannot conceive that hee doth meane any thing lesse then such an association which may reach unto all the Acts of his worship and the visible administration of all duties and ordinances belonging to his Kingdome For nothing but such an union professedly maintained in his name is able to convince the world finally that hee is come from the Father Thus farre then or rather thus neer the Congregations ought to bee associated if it bee possible and that it is possible and will bee effected in due time is certaine because Christ hath prayed that it should bee for the manifestation of his name unto the world and the Father cannot deny him this request Hitherto I have insisted upon that which I conceive is or will bee assented unto by all upon the undeniable grounds of brotherly communion Now I shall offer the other Propositions which for a more part cular accommodation of differences have been assented unto * See also the papers of the Divines of the Assembly given to the Committee for accommodation lately published Pag. 4 5 6 7 8 9 p 29. 30 31. and elsewhere and are agreed upon by some leading men of both sides as followeth 6. All professors whether single or in a body are bound in conscience to give an account of their wayes to their Brethren or to any that shall require it of them and that not arbitrarily but as a dutie appointed by God to be observed Mr. Burroughs Irenicum pag. 43. 7. Concerning the admission of members which come from one Congregation into another to bee thereunto distinctly associated because this doth reflect commonly upon some particular interests of men wherein the rules of holy communion are not taken notice of therefore offences are frequently given and taken up in this matter which to prevent these agreements have been offered as a remedie thereunto 1 That no Congregation should bee gathered and made up of the Members of other setled Congregations except they bee in an orderly way dismissed by these with whom they were associated 2 That no member comming from another Church with which wee are in brotherly Communion shall be admitted to become a distinct member of our societie till the Church from which hee commeth bee made acquainted with his purpose to associate with us 3. That none who is said to belong to that neighbourhood or association which is called a Parish though hee doth not professe himselfe a member in that way shall bee received as a member of any distinct Congregation untill the Officers thereof have enquired concerning his life and conversation of those that are Rulers of the said neighbourhood and of the Congregations neerest unto his habitation to whom it is likely hee may have had some relation or which may have taken notice of his wayes and profession One of the chief mysteries and originall causes of our manifold divisions doth lie in this outward circumstantiall manner of the association of members into a Congregation and the reason hereof as I take it is partly because men naturally seek rather to please themselves in the satisfaction of some humors of their owne then to edifie others partly because the true use of Christian libertie and the relation wherein all true professors stand one to another in Christ is either not understood or not minded in comparison of some circumstantials of our owne coining to our selves upon any one of which wee use to lay more weight then upon all the fundamentalls of Christs appointment And till his grace and good spirit discover and worke out this self pleasing humour wee cannot hope for peace and unitie almost in any thing although our agreement be never so fundamentall in all things Sect. IV. Of the Officers and Rulers of severall Congregations and their association THe Officers of every Congregation are under a twofold relation of unitie to each other First as they are Professors Secondly as they are Officers that is specially intrusted with a charge in the profession As they are Professors they are neerer in Brotherhood then as they are Officers For their profession doth give them an immediate interest into Christ and to one another in him but their Office doth give them no interest either in him or in each other further then they are true to the profession whence it followeth that except they bee associated in the mysticall body of Christ they cannot be associated in the ministery thereof It followeth also further that the relation wherein they stand to each other as Christians being the onely foundation of their Brotherhood all the other relations which are ministeriall must yeeld and bee subordinate thereunto So that all the bonds which may settle their association in the ministery must be intended no further then they serve to advance and confirme the brotherhood and association which is setled upon the truth of Christianitie For if any combination of Ministers bee framed otherwise or to any other end then to strengthen the fundamentalls of Faith and to increase the fruits of true Christianitie in holinesse and love it will beget nothing else but a Papacie because the root of the Papall Hierarchie and the foundation whereupon that mystery of iniquitie was raised in the Church was nothing else but the aime of an association of Church Officers subordinating the profession to their places and making use of the fundamentals of truth to set up themselves above others for it may bee evidenced that all the superstitious devices and politick practises of Popery to blind men and by an implicit faith to keepe them in subjection resolve themselves at last into this principle and aime of setting up themselves above Christianitie in the hearts of men which is properly the Temple of God Therefore
them is not to dictate any thing but onely to discover the possibility of a cure of this disease first in themselves and then in their hearers by the removall of the chiefe causes of all our prejudices which I shall reduce to two heads whereof the one is openly the other is secretly offensive That which doth openly offend and causeth prejudices to rise in the mindes of men who are otherwise godly and against men who are truely godly and their Brethren is the irregularitie of disputes and debates about matters of Religion which is mainly twofold some irregularitie there is in respect of the matter some there is in respect of the manner of disputing In respect of the matter prejudices are raised when men strive about needlesse matters and contend for words and this the Apostle doth often warne Timothy to avoid as a thing whereunto the Ministers were and would bee much subject 1 Tim. 1.4 5 6. and chap. 4.7 and chap. 6.4 5.20 and 2 Tim. 2.14 15 16 17 23. In respect of the manner of debating matters which are necessary and profitable prejudices are raised divers wayes but that which is the most common and hurtfull is that of passionate and provoking expressions against a mans person and his opinions to make him odious and his errours thought to bee extreame dangerous in that wherein hee dissents from us these railing accusations and all other injurious and insolent proceedings breed averse affections and stirring up mens spirits to strife and contradictions augment prejudices extreamly and fill the Churches with disturbance and confusion That which doth offend more secretly and doth beget much prejudice is the perverse and uncharitable observation of mens failings when they are construed suspiciously to the worse sense and then whispered in the eares of others that are leading men under the pretence of a caution or warning given unto them to take heed of this or of that for the strengthning of their hands in partiall designes and the promoting of particular interests This darke malicious devill who covers himselfe oft-times with a cloke of light and a zeale for holinesse and truth is exceeding busie in our dayes and hurtfull to our affaires and doth work his mischiefe not onely against him who is blasted in his reputation to make all the good which his talents may produce unprofitable unto others but also against the Authors of such whisperings themselves to make them the ring-leaders of division and of evill intelligence amongst brethren These are in brief the chief causes of our prejudices these must needs bee removed else the way of a lawfull condescension and forbearance will never bee plaine and easie in the settlement nor lasting in the continuance it will then bee of absolute necessitie that some course bee taken to remedy the same Therefore I shall for the present onely advise that when a brotherly transaction of matters towards a mutuall forbearance shall bee intended then some rules should bee thought upon debated and by common consent setled concerning three things First how needlesse disputes and multiplicitie of new controversies breaking forth in the Presse and Pulpit may be prevented Secondly how the injuriousnesse of censures and of proceeding which men of partiall dispositions and of high thoughts runne into may bee rectified when disputes are necessary And Thirdly how the secret mischief of suspicious whisperings and tale-bearing amongst Brethren may bee prevented and being discovered satisfactorily corrected And that some rules of righteousnesse may bee found in the Word to remedie these evills and may bee raised from the nature of Christian charitie equitie ingenuitie pietie discretion and prudencie I suppose none will deny who doth beleeve that the holy Scriptures with and by the spirit of God which is promised to the children of God are able to make the man of God perfect and throughly furnished unto every good word and worke Thus I have made out as briefly and as distinctly as this occasion seemeth to require the truth of the first and second assertion of this discourse namely that the Ministery of this kingdome is undeniably obliged in conscience to the mutuall profession of Brotherhood and that the termes of their unitie and forbearance are both in themselves full and satisfactory and may bee setled reciprocally amongst them in a plaine and easie way if the men that lead others were but willing to looke to God more then to men and to conscience more then to outward interests CHAP. XII The third Assertion Concerning the motions which should induce us to make profession of this unitie and forbearance Why these are requisite and what they are BUt now although these things are evidently thus demonstrable and by all that which hitherto hath been alledged it may be manifestly apparent that these who are the leaders of the flockes should not onely stand united and walk by one rule in that whereunto they have attained but also that their differences may and ought to bee composed in love by amiable meetings by orderly conferences and by the settlement of a necessary and lawfull forbearance of each other although I say all this is so yet wee see to the great dishonour of God the lamentable disadvantage of the truth and the extreame griefe of many godly soules that this hath not hitherto either beene done or effectually prosecuted and intended by those that are in the worke of the Ministery or if it hath been intended by some yet not so as it ought to have been that is upon the grounds which are proper unto their vocation What the causes of this neglect may bee wee shall not now particularly search into onely in generall wee may take notice that all such failings in dutie may proceed from two main causes either that men otherwise knowing and godly yet consider not the necessitie of this dutie in respect of the evills that follow upon the neglect thereof or that the excellencie commendablenesse and worth thereof is either not known or if not unknown yet not laid to heart Now then in this our present sad condition if any thing can be suggested which may be a helpe to remove these causes of our failing in this kind it may bee hoped that godly and conscionable men will bee more carefull of the performance and more fearefull of the neglect thereof then hitherto they have been Therefore it will not bee amisse but may bee of very great use to offer some motives and inducements to incline them without partialitie to these resolutions and this wee shall intend to doe if God permit CHAP. XIII Concerning the necessitie of Brotherly unitie in the Ministery IF then we should take into consideration the absolute necessitie of this dutie it will appeare that the present evills whereinto these Churches and the state of this kingdome are fallen and which threaten all with unavoydable ruine are mainely brought upon us through the neglect of that ministeriall unitie and correspondencie which is sutable unto Christianitie For whosoever
unitie of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man through love whose imperfection in love is such that they doe value no common relations unto Christ and his service further then these set up some private interests nor do mind the unitie of the spirit through the love of Christ which is common unto all so much as to entertain either commembership or ministeriall fellowship or true Gospel-work-acquaintance with any that are not either setled in the circumstantiall courses of their way or willing to come up unto them therein Wee see then upon these grounds that except this neglect of dutie be reformed and the true end of the Ministeriall work without humane aimes be heartily entertained by those to whom it is intrusted the effects thereof will never prosper in their hands but Satan as hitherto he hath done since they were divided will continually prevaile against them all till hee hath brought them unto finall destruction and irrecoverable desolation This then is the danger whereinto wee are fallen and to lay this to heart is that matter of absolute necessitie which by all should be apprehended but chiefly by those that are called to the Ministery that they in doing their principall dutie which is to studie unitie in the truth in Christianity may uphold the holy profession and thereby intend their mutuall preservation For without all doubt their very being in this kingdome if they take not this course will be very shortly in a most desperat condition because as it is undeniably apparent that hitherto nothing but their own disunion about matters extrafundamentall hath made Satan and their enemies to prevaile against them The application to exhort to unitie So it is cleerly manifest that henceforth nothing but their mutuall union will bee effectuall to maintain what they yet hold or restore what they have lost in the minds of men and of their standing in the profession hee then that doth decline to concurre in the wayes of spirituall unitie with those that offer and sue for the same unto him and being convicted of this danger doth not endeavour to prevent it shall bee found guilty of all the evils that follow upon our breaches of all the ruine that befalleth unto these Churches of all the confusions that from thence arise unto the Commonwealth of all the dishonor done to the name of Christ for want of order in his house and of all the shame and reproach which this Nation is either now aspersed withall abroad amongst their Neighbours or will in after ages cleave unto it If then there is any love to the Fundamentall truths of the Gospel if there is any zeale for righteousnesse and against damnable heresies if there is any just hatred due to Blasphemies and to the wayes of profanenesse and licenciousnesse whereby the kingdome of Satan is erected and setled upon the ruines of Christs kingdome amongst us and if there is any faithfulnesse and constancie to bee expected from those that professing Christianitie have entred into solemne protestations vowes and covenants to stand united according to the will of God for the advancement of a common reformation and the settlement of our union therein if I say there bee any such thing as love to truth zeale for righteousnesse and faithfulnesse of Christian Covenants I may adjure such as pretend thereunto to shew themselves at this time therein for their owne and their Brethrens preservation that by the duties of Brotherly unitie in the holy profession they may bee found to keepe faith and a good conscience without blame For as it is not possible that the Faith once given to the Saints can bee maintained by any without a good conscience so the integritie of a good conscience cannot bee kept without observing the end of the holy Commandement which is the practise of love out of a pure heart Now this practise amongst Mininisters in their Ministeriall charges can bee none other but a conscionable concurrence of their spirits in that aime wherein the all relate unto Christ to strengthen one anothers hands in the works of his service For their unity and love to each other can have no truth but as it relates unto him nor can it relate otherwise unto him then by fulfilling his will in doing the works of his service and if this aime be lost in any let them pretend what they will their conscience is not sound their performance is not acceptable nor will their indeavours be for ever established hence it is that because many have left off to aime sincerely at this who either delight to stand wholly by themselves and give way to dividing principles and practises or thinke it more expedient to stand wholly associated but give way to the meanes of humane power to trust more thereunto then to the duties of Christian love and serviceablenesse therefore it is just with God to withdraw from such of both sides that walke in these wayes and from their undertakings the blessing of his presence So that by reason of the want of his strength to goe along and conduct to guide them all their hands are weakned nothing which is undertaken doth prosper the service of Christs house is not advanced the stewards thereof are either divided by themselves or scattered by others and generally they are as men without a heart afraid one of another and through these their breaches a whole deluge of damnable errors and a full current of all unrighteous wicked and scandalous practises hath overwhelmed and almost drowned the Churches so that the very floodgates of hell seeme to bee opened upon us and have covered us with the proud waves of all licenciousnesse And although it cannot bee denied but that it is just with God to suffer Satan thus farre to prevaile against all for the sinnes of all and to make this breach upon the Leaders for their failing in the Ministery yet it is farre from mee to thinke A doubt answered concerning the office of the Ministery as some doe that the promise of God is failed in this our age at if there were neither true Church nor Ministery any more amongst us or any where in this world but that the gates of hell having prevailed against the Church which Christ did once institute by his Apostles a new mission must be expected and a new foundation laid for the erecting of his kingdome I say God forbid that I should thinke so Yea let God bee true but every man a liar for I beleeve that heaven and earth shall passe away Rom. 3.4 Matth. 24.35 Matth. 16.16 17 18 19. but the word that is gone out of Christs mouth shall not passe away Now Christ upon a speciall occasion said distinctly unto his Disciples three things which are these 1 That his Church should bee built upon the rock of that truth whereof the Apostles made confession which was that Jesus was the Christ the sonne of the living God 2 That the gates of hell should not prevaile
against that Church 3 And lastly That the keyes of the kingdome of heaven with authoritie to bind and loose on earth whatever should be bound and loosened in heaven shall be given to this Church These promises I beleeve to bee so sure that they shall never faile Therefore I must conclude that neither the foundation of the Church nor the Church which is builded thereupon nor the Ministeriall authoritie of the keyes given to that Church shall faile so long as this world doth last For what although some doe not beleeve and are disobedient to the will of God shall their unbelief and disobedience make the faith and truth of God without effect God forbid yea all men are to bee found liars that God may bee found true for he hath concluded all in unbelief that he might have mercy upon all therefore in his sayings he shall be justifified and when he is judged overcome Wee must therefore acknowledge that by our unrighteousnesse the righteousnesse of God is to be commended and that although we of this Nation should utterly faile him and bee no more worthy to be counted his Church yet that he will never faile to doe what hee hath said unto the seed of Christ amongst men and never recall the word which hee hath spoken concerning his Church But this we are bound to beleeve Isa 59.21 that wheresoever there is a societic of men beleeving with their heart and with their mouth making openly profession of this truth that Jesus is the Christ the Sonne of the living God there is a Church existent and wheresoever a Church is existent there the authoritie of the keyes is not wanting because Christ hath said that the gates of hell shall not prevaile against it I shall then confidently conclude from these premises two things first seeing there are societies of beleevers which are here existent and known to bee built upon that truth which is the foundation that therefore notwithstanding all these failings in particular duties whereof they are guiltie that yet Gods promise for the main will never be wanting to them as to his Church Secondly I may infer this also that notwithstanding all the advantages which Satan seemeth to have gotten both against the Ministery of this Church and against their administrations therein whereby hee doth blast them and the fruit of their labours yet wee may bee sure that he shall never prevaile so farre as to make void the priviledge of the Church which is to have a right to the keyes of the kingdome of heaven and thereby to the administration of all Christs Ordinances Now then although indeed it is very sad and lamentable that the Builders themselves should be so far wanting to their dutie as by their divisions to give such an advantage unto Satan that hee should bee able visibly to pull down more then they are able to build up yet we know that all things even these same and such like failings The comfort of beleevers against these evils Psal 76.10 will worke together for the best towards those that love God and that all the advantages which Satan hath gotten against the kingdome of Christ will tend together to Gods greater glory and Satans owne overthrow at last For as the wrath of man shall surely praise the Lord so the plots of Satan and all his prevailing upon the infirmities of his Saints when he shall have mercy upon Zion will redound exceedingly to the increase of his glory by the manifestation of the riches of his grace and of the stabilitie of his purposes in setting up the kingdome of Jesus Christ through a finall and totall destruction of all the enemies thereof Seeing then I have cause to hope for such an issue of this warfare I shall not feare that the discovery of this failing in the Ministery will bee taken as a reproach to discredit them towards others in their function which I acknowledge in its own way and degree to be of God not of man but rather as an admonition of love to show to those that are conscionable the necessity of laying their owne condition to heart and of seeking the remedy thereof in that way wherein it may bee found And that I may not bee wanting unto this designe I shall adde one thing more The necessitie of unitie further pressed for the demonstration of the necessitie of this dutie of brotherly unitie which is so much neglected amongst us that afterwards I may come to speake more fully of the usefulnesse and excellency thereof In the profession of Christianitie the Apostle saith that neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision Gal. 6.15 16. but a new creature And as many as walke by this rule Peace saith bee will bee upon them and mercy and upon the Israel of God Here then wee see that the fruits of Peace and of mercy are Gods blessings upon the life of the new Creature and where these fruits are not at all apparent but on the contrary a spirit of strife of bitternesse of hatred and of mercilesse affection doth prevaile there wee needs must say that the old creature is still alive because the wisedome which is earthly Iam. 3.14 15 16 17 18. sensuall and devillish which is the old mans rule brings forth such effects Now it is the proper worke of the true Ministers of the Gospel to perswade all men to live the life of the new Creature and to mortifie the members of the old man Col. 3.5.8 which are upon the earth whereof these are a part But if through the spirit of division and variance the Ministers themselves are intangled in these passions and that even one against another so that they doe not shew forth all meeknesse with all long-suffering and forbearance wherein they ought to receive each other to the glory of God as Christ received us how can they performe this worke how can they perswade others to walke by a rule which they mind not and wherein they themselves are not exercised It is cleer then that to doe the proper worke of their Ministery it is necessary for them to intend the dutie of brotherly love and unitie Moreover it is said here that neither circumcision nor uncircumcision doth availe any thing in Christ Jesus and if this is so then the division and distraction which is amongst us for things of such a kind is sinfull and necessary to bee left off for I am sure that circumcision to the Jewes and uncircumcision to the Gentile was a matter of greater concernment then any thing about which wee at this time are divided And if that ought not to have made a breach between them farre lesse these things amongst us Now that which by the new Creature is available in Christ Jesus Gal. 5.6 is faith onely which worketh by love If then the Ministers of the Gospel are appointed by God to beget faith and love in their hearers that is to perswade the unbeleevers thereunto and to