The Cure of Church Divisions, Abstract of directions to pastors
The Additional Directions to the Pastors.
1. Let it be our first care to know and do our own duty: And when we see the peoples weakness and divisions, let us first examine and judge our selves, and lament and reform our own neglects. Ministers are the Cause of most divisions.
2. It is needful to the peoples Edification and Concord, that their Pastors much excel them, in knowledge and utterance, and also in prudence, holiness, and heavenly mindedness: that the reverence of their callings and persons may be preserved; and the people taught by their Examples.
3. Inculcate still the necessary conjunction of Holiness and Peace; and of the Love of God and Man: And that Love is their Holiness it self, and the sum of their Religion; the End of faith, and the fulfilling of the Law. And that as Love to God uniteth us to Him; so Love to man must unite us to each other. And that all doctrine and practices which are against Love and Unity, are against God, against Christ, against the Spirit, against the Church, and against Mankind.
4. If others shew their weakness by unwarrantable singularities or divisions, shew not your greater weakness, by impatience, and uncharitable censures or usage of them: especially when self-interest provoketh you.
5. Distinguish between them that separate from the Universal Church, or from all the Orthodox and Reformed parts of it; and those who only turn from the Ministery of some one person or sort of persons, without refusing Communion with the rest.
6. Distinguish between them who deny the Being of the Ministry and Church from which they separate: and those who remove only for their own Edification, as from a worse or weaker Ministry, & a Church less pure.
7. Distinguish between those who hold it simply unlawful to have Communion with you: and those who only hold it unlawful to prefer your assemblies before such as they think to be more pure.
8. Remember Christs interest in the weakest of his Servants; and do nothing against them which Christ will not take well.
9. Distinguish between weakness of Gifts and of Graces: and remember that many who are weaker in the understanding of Church-orders, may yet be stronger in grace than you.
10. Think on the Common Calamity of mankind: what strange disparity there is in mens understandings, and will be: And how the Church here is a Hospital of diseased souls; of whom none are perfectly healed in this life.
11. Distinguish still between those truths and duties, which are or are not of necessity: and between the tolerable and the intolerable errors. And never think of a Common Unity and Concord, but upon the terms of necessary points; and of the primitive simplicity; and the forbearance of dissenters in tolerable differences.
12. Remember that the Pestoral Government is a work of Light and Love: And what these cannot do, we cannot do. Our great study therefore must be first to know more and to Love more than the people; and then to convince them by cogent evidence of truth; and to cause the warmth of our Love to be felt by them, in all the parts of our ministration and converse: As the warmth of the Mothers milk is needful to the good nutrition of the Child. The History of Martin.
13. When you see many evils which Love and evidence will leave uncured; yet do not reject this way, till you have found one that will better do the work, and with fewer inconveniences.
14. When you reprove those weak Christians, who are subject to errors, disorders and divisions; reflect no… any disgrace upon piety it self: but be the more careful to proclaim the honour of Godliness, and true Conscientious strictness, lest the ungodly take occasion to despise it, by hearing of the faults of such as are accounted the zealousest professors of it.
15. Discourage not the people from so much of Religions exercises, in their families, and with one another, as is meet for them in their private st…tions.
16. Be not wanting in abilities, watchfulness and diligence, to resist Seducers by the evidence of truth; that there may be no need of other weapons: And quench the sparks among the people, before they break out into flames.
17. Be not strange to the poet ones of your flocks; but impartial to all; and the servants of all: Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate.
18. Spend and be spent for your peoples good, Do all the good that you are able for their bodies, as well as for their souls. And think nothing that you have too dear to win them, that they may see that you are truely fathers to them; and that their welfare is your chiefest care.
19. Keep up the reverence of the ancient and experienced sort of Christians; and teach the younger what honour they owe to them that are their Elders in age and grace: For whilest the Elder who are usually sober and peaceable, are duly reverenced, the heat of rash and giddy youth, will be the better kept in order.
20. Neither neglect your interest in the Religious persons of your charge, lest you lose your power to do them good; Nor yet be so tender of it, as to depart from sober principles or wayes to please them: Make them not your Rulers; nor follow them into any exorbitancies, to get their love, or to escape any of their censures.
21. Let not the Pastors contend among themselves: especially through envy against any whom the people most esteem. A reproof of ignorant, pievish, backbiting, quarrelsome Ministers.
22. Study our great pattern of Love and tenderness, meekness and patience: and all those texts which commend these virtues; till they are digested into a nature in you, that healing virtue may go from you, as wasting fire proceedeth from the incendiaries. The Texts recited.