are bound to become one body and consequently to bee united together as members one of another Ephes 4.4 5 6. There is one body and one Spirit one hope of your calling one Lord one Faith one Baptisme one God and Father of all If all these are one and the same in and to all beleevers then all beleevers are united unto each other by them and woe bee to such that by their divisions give the world cause to beleeve that there is not one body but many nor one spirit but many nor one hope nor one Lord nor one Faith nor one Baptisme but many nor one God but many Gal. 4.26 Jerusalem which is above is free the mother of us all If we are of one Father and Mother then undeniably Brethren to each other Phil. 2.1 2. If there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the Spirit if any bowels of mercies fulfill yee my joy that ye bee like minded having the same love being of one accord of one mind Ergo such as are in Christ and made partakers of the same spirit are bound to have fellowship one with another and in their fellowship to impart to each other matters of full joy by mutuall consolation and comfort by mutuall bowels and mercies and to bee able to doe all this they must studie unitie amongst themselves in the same mind and in the same love Phil. 3.16 Whereunto wee have attained already let us walke by the same rule let us mind the same thing Ergo Brethren though not agreed in all things yet are bound to professe so farre as they are agreed Ephes 4.1 2 3. Walke worthy of the vocation wherewith yee are called with all lowlinesse and meeknesse with long suffering forbearing one another in love endeavouring to keepe the unitie of the spirit in the bond of peace Ergo it is a part of our calling wherewith wee are called to practise mutuall Forbearance to the end that Unitie and peace may bee preserved and such as mind not the dutie of Forbearance have therein renounced their calling 1. Pet. 1.22 Seeing you have purified your soules in obeying the Truth through the Spirit unto unfained love of the Brethren see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently Ergo one of the ends for which the Spirit is given to make us obedient to the Truth for the sanctification of our soules is this that we should affectionately expresse our love unto the Brethren In these places wee see what the ground of the Law of Brotherhood is amongst true Christians and what the duties thereof are But if neither this Law nor the duties thereof bee at all regarded by those that pretend to bee the chief of Christians is it not either a testimony against them that they indeed are not what they pretend to be true and faithfull Ministers of the Gospel of peace or if they needs will be counted such is it not then before the world a testimony against the Gospel it self and Christianitie that it is not amongst us what it is said to bee viz. the way of true love and peace Therefore the great Character of true Christians is to bee laid to heart seriously in these times of universall strife wherein all pretend more then others unto Christ namely this which Christ hath given us himself Joh. 13.35 Hereby shall all men know that yee are my Disciples if ye have love one to another From whence must needs follow that if yee have no love one to another by this all men shall know that ye are not his Disciples Therefore let us not deceive our selves it is not the bare dogmaticall knowing of the truth that will approve us to be Christs Disciples there must bee a reall practise of it and this practise is nothing else but to walke in love as Christ hath loved us Ephes 5 1 2. For herein wee shall approve our selves to be deare children and followers of God because the new commandements which Christ hath given us John 13.34 is this That yee love one another as I have loved you that yee also love one another And John his beloved Disciple tells us that wee know that wee have passed from death unto life because wee love the Brethren 1 John 3.14 from whence hee doth in the same place inferre this consequence hee that loveth not his brother abideth in death Let therefore no man flatter himselfe with a vaine shew of the Truth of Christianitie this is an infallible Rule None is a Christian indeed and truth but hee that loveth the Brethren If then we can make it appeare that the Ministers of this kingdome are to esteeme one another truely Brethren because fully united unto Christ and that by the Law of Christian Brotherhood they are bound to make profession of that unitie and to behave themselves one towards another as it becommeth the Brethren of Jesus Christ and the brethren of each other in Christ if I say wee can make these things appeare to bee an undoubted dutie then wee may hope that on the one hand such as pretend to be Christians and yet minde not at all this distinguishing dutie but continuing to walke offensively in strife with every one dishonour their profession will bee discovered to bee voyd of truth and on the other hand such as are sincere will hee stirred up to shew themselves zealous in the way of Truth for the effectuall performance of the duties of Brotherly Unitie and Forbearance towards all those whom they are bound to acknowledge to belong to Jesus Christ no lesse themselves CHAP. III. Of the second Assertion Concerning the Termes of Vnitie and Forbearance in generall BY Vnitie wee meane the concurrence of mens judgments affections and actions about the same thing in one and the same way and for the same end By Forbearance wee meane the refraining from uncharitable and unkindly affections and behaviours towards another in some things although there bee some difference between us and him in judgement and in the way of acting about these things By the termes of Vnitie and Forbearance wee understand all those things which determine the judgement and conscience of a Christian to the profession and practise of these duties as hee oweth them unto Christ and his members As then the profession and practise of Vnitie is grounded upon the Law of Brotherhood according to that of Abraham unto Lot Gen. 13.8 Let there be nostrife between me and thee I pray thee for wee bee Brethren So the profession and practise of Forbearance must bee grounded upon the Termes of some Unitie for where there is no Unitie at all if ever the disunited parties come within the reach of one another there no Forbearance can be expected but where there is some Unitie because there also will be some concurrence therefore there will needs follow thereupon some restraint of strife which is a Forbearance for the affections of men are to bee answerable to the
them hee hath obliged them already and what further obligations they should receive from his Father hee concludes vers 17. thus These things I command you that you love one another So that hee puts all the relations which wee have to him of servants of disciples and of friends upon the expression of our love to each other from whence wee must forcibly conclude that if there bee no such expression of love but rather of disaffection and of hatred to one another in our Ministery that wee make it apparent unto the world and to our owne consciences when they awake it will bee evident that wee are none of his servants nor his disciples nor his friends but rather the servant disciples and friends of his enemy Ephes 6 1â— the Prince of wickednesse in heavenly matters Therefore let no man bee deceived with faire pretences of holinesse and with large pleas and discourses about speciall rights the Apostle tells us that if wee have bitter envy and strife in our hearts one against another and if wee glory therein wee lie against the truth Iam. 3.14 15.16 For the wisedome by which men are led in such cases descendeth not from above but is earthly sensuall and devillish Secondly in relation to the Church as it is a house of God the Ministers therein are builders 1 Cor. 3.10 11 12. as it is the houshold of faith they are stewards of the Mysteries of God 1 Cor. 14.1 2. and as it is a flock they are shepheards thereof 1 Pet. 5.2 Now if in building the same house there bee no concurrence and correspondency between the builders thereof how will it bee fitly framed together as it ought to bee Ephes 20.21 Can builders that have no spirituall communion but are rather disunited in their wayes frame fitly one and the same house for Gods spirit to dwell in And if in a great houshold where one steward cannot oversee all severall stewards being appointed to do all by one and the same rule of administration yet they agree not amongst themselves but walke different wayes and crosse each other will not this distraction disorder the affaires of the houshold will not this reflect upon their Lord and Master as if he could not govern his family in peace And if severall shepheards belonging to a great flock to feed it jointly doe every one take a part thereof for himself and feed it separately each from other without any care to maintaine good neighbourhood and acquaintance but rather to crosse one another in their walkes and draw sheep one from another how will they bee able to answer it to him that hath intrusted them with the joynt care of his flock I find that when the soul which is in love with Christ doth seeke to find him out Cant. 1.7.8 it is afraid to turne aside unto the flockes of his companions and when it is directed how to come to him it is bid goe forth by the footsteps of the flock and feed besides the shepheards tents whence wee may observe that the multitude of flocks under many pretending to bee Christs companions doe perplex the soule and turne it aside from him but the unitie of the flock under shepheards that are united is the way wherein Christ is to bee found Thirdly their relation to the workes of their employment doth wholly necessitate them to maintaine mutuall love and unitie because not onely these duties in themselves are a principall part of their worke but what ever else doth belong to their charge whether it concerne the Church or the Gospel it can neither bee acceptable unto God nor profitable unto men except it bee done in the spirit of love and unitie First then that these duties are recommended unto them as a maine part of the very worke which is chiefly to be aimed at in their profession I suppose hath been abundantly made out by that which formerly hath been alleadged Secondly that nothing can bee acceptable unto God without this frame of spirit is evident because God is love and hee that loveth not knoweth not God 1 John 4.8 and on the contrary hee that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him ibid. Vers 16. Moreover he that doth not all his workes in love as he is commanded 1 Cor. 16.14 transgreseth the whole Law by the unlovely frame of his spirit because as love is the fulfilling of the whole Law Rom. 13.8 9 10. So the want of it must needs bee the transgression of the whole Law and hee that is not subject to the Law of God cannot please him saith the Apostle Rom. 8.7 8. And as nothing can bee acceptable unto God which is not done in love so it cannot bee profitable unto men For if God blesse it not how can it prosper towards them and how can hee blesse that which is displeasing to him And then the Apostle tells us that knowledge is apt to puffe men up but it is Charitie which edifieth 1 Cor. 8.1 And what I say of love may bee verified of unitie as it is the fruit of love inseparable from it in Christs aime John 17.23 and equally recommended to us by the Apostle 1 Cor. 1.10 and 2 Cor. 13.11 Ephes 4.1 Ephes 4.1 till 7. Phil. 2.2 whence wee see that all things which are to bee done by any must thus bee qualified to find acceptance but if wee looke more distinctly upon the proper workes of their employment towards the Church and for the Gospel wee shall perceive more cleerly the intrinsecall coherence which is found between these duties and the Ministeriall administrations For the workes of their administration towards the Church are all the Ordinances of God belonging to the publick worship in the word and prayer whereunto the Sacraments Acts 6.4 the Government and the Discipline are subordinate that therein by the Word and Prayer the Saints may have communion with God through the Spirit The whole substance and summe of all that they have to doe is expressed by the Apostle Ephes 4. from Vers 11. till 17. where I observe that all the gifts and Offices which Christ hath given to his Church Ephes 4. Vers 11. both the extraordinary of Apostles Prophets and Evangelists and the ordinary of Pastors and teachers their worke is the same towards the Church unto the worlds end namely this 1. To bee serviceable in perfecting the Saints and in building up the body of Christ Vers 12. in Faith and knowledge till they all come to the unitie thereof unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ Vers 13. Where wee see that the end of their worke is nothing else but the perfection of unitie and consequently if any should not aime at this it is evident that they come short of the true end of their administration of the ordinances and shoot not at the marke which God hath set before them Secondly their service is to preserve by this meanes the
shall relate to nothing but his owne will and if any such spirit of life bee breathed but in a few of us wee may hope that it will not bee without effect towards others but that some resolutions may ensue which God will blesse with successefulnesse in the prosecution However I am resolved without all appearance of successe to cast this bread upon the waters and commending my self unto his providence leave these papers to you to be disposed of as you shall thinke fit in your discretion which with your self is recommended to to the grace of God by Your faithful friend and servant in Christ JOHN DURIE Written this 8th of May 1648. A DISCOVRSE Concerning THE GROVND TERMES And MOTIVES OF Brotherly Vnitie and Forbearance Which the Ministers of the Churches of England ought to professe and practise one towards another for the Gospels sake CHAP. I. The Introduction shewing the Scope and Matter of the Discourse ALthough the case is dolefull and highly to bee lamented that there is no where in the world so much strife and division apparent as amongst those that are named Christians nor that amongst any Christians greater animosities do break forth then sometimes amongst those that are the Ministers of the Gospel yet this is a most certaine and undeniable Truth and worthy of all acceptation That the doctrine of Christianitie in it self is nothing else but the glad tidings of everlasting peace that therein Christ is revealed to bee the Prince of love and peace that none but his followers are capable of peace and unitie with God and that amongst men the true directions to live in love and peace one with another are no where to bee found but in his kingdome Which being so it will follow notwithstanding all these divisions that none should more willingly undertake nor can more profitably entertaine the thoughts of peace and unitie for the composure of differences and ending of strife amongst men then they whom God hath called to bee Preachers of his Gospel and whom hee hath appointed to bee witnesses of the Covenant of his grace and peace And seeing all they to whom this Covenant is tendred and by whom it is received through Faith are bound to live in the unitie of Faith and Love as being all one in Christ and confederates one to another by vertue of that Covenant Therefore I shall offer my selfe in the way of the heavenly calling as one to whom the Gospell is revealed and to whom the testimony of Jesus in the Covenant of peace is committed unto those that are my Brethren in the same Ministery humbly intreating them all but chiefly such as are most conscionably wise in looking rather to the will of God in the duties of their Ministeriall function then to the interests of a partie amongst men to observe and consider with me concerning the wayes of Unitie and Forbearance which they ought to mind amongst themselves and acquaint their hearers withall these three assertions First that the ground wherefore they ought to professe and practise Vnitie and Forbearance one towards another is the undeniable Law of Christian Brotherhood Secondly that the Termes of Vnitie whereunto they have already attained are full and satisfactory and that the termes of the Forbearance which they should intend to practise are plain and easie to be acknowledged and setled amongst them Thirdly that the Motives which should induce them to the acknowledgement profession practise and setlement thereof are as strong as unavoydable necessitie and the highest relation unto dutie can make them And to make good these three Assertions I shall with as much brevitie as I can declare my sense thereof distinctly and plainly without any great inlargements as intending chiefly to speak to men of understanding CHAP. II. Of the first Assertion Concerning the Law of Christian Brotherhood what it is and whereunto it binds us THe undeniable Law of Christian Brotherhood is this That all such who are begotten of the same heavenly Father by the same Word of Truth in the same wombe of the free woman the Jerusalem which is above are children of God and truely brethren one to another in Christ and having the same sense of their relation one to another in Christ and in all the chief Acts of their Religious profession the same rules to walke by in the houshold of faith they are bound to acknowledge each other to be Brethren and as Brethren to walk together in holy Communion for the administration and observation of Christs Ordinances in that whereunto they have attained and to beare with one another in that whereunto they have not yet attained Now so it is that such as are acknowledged to bee Orthodox and godly Ministers in this Kingdome of England are begotten of the same heavenly Father by the same Word of Truth which is the doctrine of Faith revealed in the Scriptures in the same wombe of the true Church and have the same sense of their relation unto Christ and in all the chief Acts of their Religious profession have the same Rules to walke by Therefore it followeth undeniably that they are truely Brethren one to another in Christ and that they are bound in conscience to acknowledge each other to bee Brethren and as Brethren to walke together in Holy Communion for the administration and observation of Christs Ordinances in that whereunto they have attained and to beare with one another in that whereunto they have not yet attained And lest any should make a doubt of this Truth the first proposition expressing the Law of Brotherhood shall bee shewed from cleer places of Scripture and the second containing an application thereof unto the Ministery of this kingdome shall bee verified of them by a more speciall deduction of the particulars expressed therein The places of Scripture wherein the Law of Brotherhood is cleerly manifested are amongst many others these Christ saith to his Disciples Matth. 23.8 All yee namely my Disciples are Brethren Rom. 8.29 Whom hee viz. the Father did foreknow he also did predestinate to be conformed to the Image of his Sonne that hee might bee the first borne amongst many Brethren Ergo they are made all brethren unto Christ and so Brethren to each other Jam. 1.18 Of his owne will hee viz. the Father begot us viz. beleevers by the Word of Truth Ergo they all being children of the same Father and begotten of the same seed are Brethren to each other Job 1.12 As many as received him viz. Christ to them hee gave power to become the Sonnes of God even to them that beleeve in his name Ergo those that receive Christ the same way are alike Sonnes of God and a like his Brethren Heb. 2.12 I will declare saith Christ thy name unto my Brethren Ergo if Christ doth owne beleevers before God as his Brethren shall they not own one another as such 1 Cor. 12.13 By one spirit wee are all Baptized into one Body Ergo those that have received the same Spirit
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
build up and confirme and increase the beleevers therein by the testimony of Jesus and by their unitie and love amongst themselves how shall they bee able to doe this except they bee first agreed to hold forth the same testimony and except there be some amiable concurrence amongst them in the workes of their Ministery Therefore as faith and love are inseparably necessary to make a true Christian so the testimony of Jesus and the spirit of unitie are inseparably requisite for the worke of the Ministery For as there is an absolute necessitie lying upon the Ministery to beare witnesse unto the truth towards the manifestation thereof for the saving of their own soules So they are also no lesse necessitated to maintain the profession of their unitle for the edification of their hearers For without this profession that manifestation will never in reason be found a truth fit to convict the world which otherwise it may be because as it is just that when witnesses doe not agree their testimony should not be received so it is equitable that when they doe agree their testimony should not be rejected And if by this onely default they make their testimony without effect it is evident that to establish the truth and not to discredit it to uphold the Ministery and not to make it contemptible to build up the Churches and not to ruine them and to confirme the faith of the Professors and not to stagger them the profession and practise of Brotherly unitie amongst the Ministers of the Gospel is absolutely necessary For all may see that are not blind and senselesse that originally nothing but the neglect of this dutie hath deprived us of all our hopes and blessings and brought us under the yoake of all these miseries Upon all which this consequence doth manifestly follow that the onely way to preserve the remnant which is left entire to restore that which is not utterly decaied in the Church and to helpe this distracted State unto some settlement if there be any possibility of attaining it is this That the Ministers of the Gospel should set themselves to concurre and correspond together that they may hold forth unto the world in the testimony of Jesus Christ the lovelinesse the peaceablenesse the meeknesse and the unitie of his spirit to the end that both they and their hearers may follow therein his footsteps as hee is gone before us to leave us an example For this is a path of the new and the living way which hee hath consecrated for us and out of this way no man can come unto the Father it is therefore absolutely necessary that such as will enter into the holiest become followers of God as deare children and walke in love as Christ also hath loved us and made himselfe as one of us even our Brother to gaine us unto God CHAP. XIV Concerning the usefulnesse and commendablenesse of brotherly unitie in the worke of the Ministery Sect. I. What the communion and correspondency is wherein our unitie is to be setled HItherto wee have reflected upon that which doth make the studie of brotherly love and unitie amongst us absolutely necessary to avoid the danger of ruine and destruction and the guilt of hindering the progresse of the Gospel in the world now wee shall reflect also upon the usefulnesse and commendablenesse of the dutie in reference unto the work of the Ministery It is no generous disposition to be drawn by meer necessitie and feare unto a dutie but to bee moved thereunto by the lovelinesse of grace and by that which is excellent therein is praiseworthy and argueth a noble and vertuous inclination Therefore wee shall set our selves to worke upon this inclination and indeavour to waken it in every one that hath ingenuitie And my aime shall bee rather to deale with the understandings of all able to consider of their wayes to demonstrate that which I conceive to bee a dutie then with the affections of any to perswade them unto a performance before they are convicted of that which is the will of God therein For I shall speak to Ministers and such as I must suppose to bee conscionable and to those I knew nothing so effectuall to perswade as to evidence unto them that a matter is conformable unto the will of God for nothing but this doth interest conscience into action Now lest I should bee mistaken in that which I shall desire to offer as a dutie of the Ministery I shall contract all which for the present I have to say to one assertion which having opened I shall endeavour to make good The assertion is this That although there were no danger of any enemies Act. 20.28 29 30. Phil. 1.27 1 Cor. 1.10 11 12. or of inward breaches and divisions in the Church for the preventing of which to study the unitie of the spirit it wholly necessary yet that for the true 1 Ministers of the Gospel in the duties 2 of their ministeriall charge nothing is more conscionable 3 nothing more profitable 4 nothing more commendable 5 and nothing more sutable to the glory of God 6 and the perfecting 7 of the Saints then to 8 maintain a Brotherly communion 9 and correspondency one with another and that such as lay not this dutie to heart but love rather to stand and walke by 10 themselves and to maintaine the principles 11 of a singular distance from their brethren in the Minnistery will not bee able in the end to approve their consciences unto God that they walke worthy of the calling wherewith they are called This assertion is somewhat large therefore to open the parts thereof that my meaning may bee the better understood I shall say of the severall heads thereof thus 1 That by the true Ministers of the Gospel are meant none but such persons as are authorized by an ordinary and regular way of calling to administer the publick ordinances of Christ in his Church 2 That by the duties of their Ministeriall charge are meant the workes which in and towards the Church are to bee performed as an office and such are To labour in the word and prayer to have the care of gathering and constituting the Church to rule and govern the Saints committed to their charge as one body in Christ to dispense the seales of the Covenant to those that belong unto it and to exercise Church discipline over those that are liable to it all which they are bound to attend as occasion is offered and the edification of the Church doth require 3 That when I say a thing is conscionable I meane that it is prescribed by God in his word as a dutie which cannot be neglected without contracting of guilt unto the conscience 4 When I say that a thing is profitable I meane that it doth yeeld in its owne kind some benefit to him that useth it 5 When I say that a thing is commendable I meane that it hath qualities for which it is to bee esteemed and
Brotherly Communion and Correspondency in Acts 15. vers 1. till 30. where one Church doth crave and another doth contribute assistance counsell and authoritie in a Synodicall way towards the decision and settlement of the difference which broke forth amongst them Fourthly the example wherein Ministers amongst themselves did strengthen one another in the worke of their employment towards the Churches is that of the Apostles of the Jewes and Gentiles who having communicated together concerning the doctrine which they preached Gal. 2. vers 2. and made known to one another their practise Verse 3 4 5 6. to gaine mutuall approbation and confirmation therein Verse 6.7 8. they did enter into a contract of followship Vers 9. and an obligation of Communion and communication of good things between their Churches Vers 9 10. Nor was it found lawfull or answerable to the truth of the Gospel that upon humane considerations or partiall respects that Communion should be broken Vers 11. till the end From all which againe doth follow that which formerly hath beene concluded that nothing is more conscionable nothing more commendable nothing more profitable and nothing more sutable to the glory of God and the perfecting of the Saints in the worke of the Ministery then that the Ministers of the Gospel should maintaine a Brotherly Communion and correspondency one with another and that such as neglect this dutie walke not worthy of the calling wherewith they are called in imitation of Christ and his Apostles Sect. V. Concerning that which concernes the Office of the Ministery in it self IF wee reflect upon the Ministeriall office in it selfe and consider that whereunto it hath a speciall reference wee shall find that all Ministers that are faithfull to their charge are bound at all times to have respect unto foure things The first is their relation unto Christ as they are under him who is the head of the Church The second is their relation to the Church as therein they are Officers The third is their relation to the workes of their charge in the Office The fourth is their relation to their fellow labourers in these workes None of these respects must be wanting because without their subordination unto Christ they are no Ministers nor are they otherwise in Christ but as they are members of his Church nor can they bee counted members without a work to performe because the use of every member is to be an Organ of the soul in the body now the soul of this body is the spirit of Christ and every true beleever is a member Organicall in his own place that is appointed to some usefull worke Nor is any member alone but it is put together with the rest to make up the whole by mutuall conjunction and cooperation therefore none doth worke as it is alone but as it standeth united with its fellow-labourers in every worke And as none of these respects can bee wanting in the office of the Ministery so none besides these are needfull for if a member doth duely depend upon his head and standeth in its right place in the body and hath a lively facultie to doe its owne worke and is no wayes disjoynted but fitly compacted and linked to the other members in doing its work nothing can bee further desired or wished for in it These are then the essentiall and proper relations under which a Minister as an Officer of the Church is to bee considered Now if it bee found that in the profession of truth and holinesse nothing doth make him so fit for his office in all these relations as to maintaine the duties of brotherly love unitie communion and correspondencie and that without the studie of these hee cannot stand aright in any of those relations then I suppose that these duties will without contradiction bee acknowledged to bee the most commendable and usefull that hee can apply himselfe unto and that without the observance of the same hee cannot bee said to walke worthy of the vocation wherewith hee is called Let us therefore take these relations into a more distinct consideration and see how therein by these duties a Minister is fitted for his office First then a Minister by his Office is subordinate unto Christ as a Servant as a Disciple and as a friend of his and to make these relations evident to the world and sure to himself is to make his calling and election sure which is effected when both others are made to see and hee himself doth assuredly of himselfe know that what hee doth in his charge is done to serve Christ as it becommeth his Disciple and friend But except his behaviour in all the workes of his charge bee sutable to that love whereby Christ his master did love us and thereby did unite himselfe unto us these relations will not bee evidenced For to be a faithfull servant of Christ he must make two things appeare First that hee serves none but him alone as the Apostle doth Gal. 1.10 and as Christ requires of all to bee done when hee tells us that none can serve two masters Matth. 6.24 And secondly that hee applies himselfe to the same worke which Christ did For hee commands all his servants to follow him Iohn 12.26 namely in that service which hee performed which was to doe the will and manifest the love of his Father unto us therefore the Apostle 2 Cor. 4.5 in order to this doth professe not to preach himselfe but Christ Jesus the Lord and himselfe a servant to the Corinthians for Iesus sake This was to be a servant of the love of Jesus to us to invite all to bee reconciled to God for his sake 2 Cor. 5.18 19.21 and 6.1 As the imployment is nothing else but a service of love Gal. 5.13 that is to expresse the love and fulfill the Law of Christ 1 Cor. 16.14 Gal. 6.2 so the infallible character of a disciple by which hee is to bee distinguished in the world from all others is mutuall love and unitie as is cleer by Iohn 13.35 and herein as well as in holding forth the word they are to approve themselves to bee the light of the world Matth. 5.14 which will appeare by comparing these two places Phil. 2.14 15 16. with 1 John 2.9 10 11. The whole relation then of being a true servant and Disciple is evidenced by nothing more then by this worke of love and mutuall unitie Lastly also it is evident that none can claime the title of being Christs friend but by the performance of this dutie For Christ hath intailed the right to this dignitie wholly upon this condition which is cleerly expressed Iohn 15.12 13 14 15 16 17. This is my commandement that yee love one another as I have loved you greater love hath no man then this that a man lay downe his life for his friends Yee are my friends if yee doe whatsoever I command you c. And when in vers 15. and 16. hee hath shewed how much by his friendship to
hath a spirituall communion with Christ and within it self by the meanes of that which every joynt supplyeth if then every part by his joynt that is by his Minister to whom is joyned a societie of Saints as a part of the whole is bound to supply to another part that which is his effectuall working towards the building up of the body in Love then it is absolutely necessary for him to correspond and concur with his neighbour and fellow-joynts for how can any part supply any thing to another part of the body without the joynt thereof So then wee must observe that the Associations of the Saints which are undeniable true parts of the whole should edifie one another by that which every joynt supplyeth For to that effect joynts are in the body and the Apostle saith in the whole body to let us understand that all the particular Associations of Beleevers in respect of the common profession are to bee counted as one Association and that by the joynts which God hath set in the whole the parts therefore are fitly to bee joyned together whence wee must gather that Ministers are not onely joynts to unite individuall Professors into a societie but to unite one Congregation unto another for hee saith that the whole is compacted by joynts it followeth then that the Congregations though distinct by themselves and one within themselves as to their severall joynts yet ought to bee further joynted with other Congregations and not to bee at a distance and stand by themselves as parts of the whole disjoynted from each other a which is the posture whereat many desire to stand and is the practise of too many upon severall pretences to the great dishonour of the Gospel in the common profession of Christianitie But how contrary this is unto the true end of the publick worship of God to the calling of the Ministery to the aime of Christ in giving gifts unto men to the perfecting of the Saints and to the edifying of the body of Christ I hope such as are conscionable will bee able to see by that which hath beene hitherto said And although I thinke it needlesse to speake much more of this relation which Ministers ought to maintaine one to another seeing it hath already beene proved that all the Commandements of brotherly love of unitie of mutuall care of communion and correspondency which are given to all Christians in the common profession are more particularly binding unto Ministers towards each other in respect of their Ministeriall charges Yet I shall briefly mention three or foure speciall duties which seeme to be enjoyned more distinctly unto them rather as they are Ministers then as they are Christians because they have a respect rather unto their publick charge and employment wherein they relate one another then unto the common profession by it selfe First they are not onely bound to serve all men Ministerially as Christ served us but they are by his example and precept more distinctly commanded to serve one another Matth. Chap. 20. Vers 27 28. Whosoever will bee chiefe among you let him bee your servant even as the Sonne of man came not to bee ministred unto but to minister and give his life a ransome for many Secondly they are bound to looke first unto themselves and then to the flock Acts 20. Vers 28. Take heed therefore unto your selves and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers c. For Vers 29. 30. they are foretold that amongst them grievous Wolves will enter in and of their owne selves that is some of their owne vocation men shall arise speaking perverse things to draw away Disciples after them If then all must looke diligently lest a root of bitternesse spring up in the Church and many bee defiled thereby Hebr. 12.15 farre more is it the dutie of Ministers to looke to each other herein Thirdly they are bound to looke upon themselves and their gifts as not for themselves but for all and chiefly for each other to profit withall according to that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 12. Vers 7. The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every one to profit withall to the Ministers ordinarily the greatest and most usefull manifestations are given and they can profit most thereby one towards another because in being profitable thereby unto each other they are inabled so much the more to be profitable unto all Fourthly and lastly in the use of their spirituall gifts wherein they intend to bee profitable unto all they are to subject themselves one to another as it is written 1 Cor. 14. Vers 29.32 Let the Prophets speake and let the others judge And the Spirits of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets From all which as the duties of mutuall love and unitie are necessarily to bee inferred so the meanes to maintaine and exercise the same which are the wayes of spirituall communion and correspondency must needs also bee acknowledged to bee their dutie for where the end is commanded there the meanes also without which that end cannot bee attained is also commanded so that wee must cleerly conclude that this is an undeniable Scripturall Truth That the Ministers of the Gospel are bound to maintaine brotherly unitie communion and correspondency one with another because in the duties of their Ministeriall charge nothing is found more conscionable nothing more commendable nothing more profitable and nothing more sutable to the glory of God and the calling by which they are called to the perfecting of the Saints and to the edifying of the body of Christ then this dutie is and therefore whosoever doth not walke by this rule doth not walke worthy of the vocation wherewith hee is called in the Gospel and whosoever doth walke thereby peace and mercy bee upon him and upon all the Israel of God Amen FINIS BRotherly Unitie amongst all Christians especially amongst the Ministers of Christ being in it selfe so excellent and comely at all times and considering the danger and sad consequences of our present divisions so desirable and necessary at this time I conceive all overtures and counsels having a true tendency thereunto worthy the publick light And doe therefore approve the publication of this ensuing discourse intitled A Peace-maker without partialitie and hypocrisie c. June 6. 1648. Joseph Caryl