The Interest of England in the Protestant Cause, Part 1
Of the First.
THe Truth of the profeſſion of Chriſtianity doth oblige all that are Godly to maintain a Religious correſpondency with their Brethren of the ſame profeſſion in three reſpects.
Firſt, in reſpect of the ſubſtantialls wherein the Truth of the profeſſion doth conſiſt.
Secondly, in reſpect of the ends for which the gifts and graces of God are given to us, and received by us in the profeſſion.
Thirdly, in reſpect of the means by which theſe ends are attained.
1. The ſubſtance of the profeſſion doth conſiſt in the ſoundneſs of the doctrine of Faith and in the holineſs of life of the profeſſors, Tit. 1.1, 3 9. and 2.11, 12, 13, 14. and thoſe that make profeſſion of Chriſtianity are obliged by the ſpeciciall command of God to maintain and advance both theſe one towards another, 1 Pet. 4.10. and towards all men, Mat. 5.16. by the Communion of Saints, which conſiſts not only in the conjunction of believers to ſtrive together for the Faith of the Goſpell, Phil. 1.27. Jude. 3. But alſo in a reall endeavour to ſtrive one for another in prayers, Epheſ. 6.18. And by the conjunction or rather communication of their gifts and graces to provoke one another to love and to good works, Heb. 10.24. Now ſuch endeavours as theſe cannot poſſibly be put forth by any, except they maintain ſome Religious correſpondency one with another to that effect; therefore ſuch a correſpondency is abſolutely requiſite to be intended and upheld between all the Godly of theſe Nations, and their neighbour profeſſors of the Truth; And if we mind it not, it is evident that we come ſhort of a Fundamentall duty, and fall under the guilt of breaking the Communion of Saints; of neglecting the fight for the Faith, and of careleſneſs to provoke one another unto love and good works, which God will certainly require at our hands if wee continue ſo to do, having ſo great cauſe and ſo many and fair opportunities to do otherwiſe.
2. The end for which God doth give the gifts and graces of his Spirit unto the Saints; is, that the members of the Body of Chriſt ſhould profit thereby one towards another, 1 Cor. 12.7. and that they ſhould trade therewith to gain more graces for themſelves, Luk. 19.12, 13. Mat. 25.14. But it is no more poſſible to do this without maintaining an intercourſe of Spirituall Correſpondency one with another, then it is poſſible to the diſ-jointed members of a naturall body, to conveigh blood and nouriſhment each to other. Therefore a courſe of Religious Correſpondency is abſolutely neceſſary for this cauſe alſo: And if this be not intended, God's aim in giving his gifts unto his Saints and Churches is not fulfilled, and he will certainly deprive ſuch of the gifts which they have received, who continue under the guilt of not making a right uſe thereof. For if the end of God's giving ſhould bee anſwered by our receiving, then wee are bound in Conſcience to receive grace onelyonly for the advancement of his Glory, 1 Corinth. 10.31. and of our mutuall edification, 1 Cor. 14.26. and Rom 14.19. and 15.2. And if theſe two ends are ſo ſubordinate one to another, that God cannot be glorified otherwiſe by us, then by this, that wee bring forth much fruit one towards another, John 15.6. (for our good cannot reach to him as David ſaith, Pſal. 16.2. but to the Saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent ones in whom ought to be all our delight, Ibid. ver. 3.) then it will follow that the main uſe of all grace, is the improvement thereof towards others. But it is not poſſible to intend this improvement of our goodneſs towards the Saints for mutuall edification, except we use means to know one anothers ſpirituall condition by ſome courſe of ſpirituall Correſpondency; Therefore ſuch Correſpondency is wholly neceſſary to be ſettled and entertained, if we will not deprive God of his glory, and the Saints of the intereſt which they ſhould have in us by the right uſe of our Talents towards them.
3. The means by which theſe ends are to bee attained, is to endeavour to keep the Unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, which we are commanded, and by many reaſons exhorted to do, Epheſ. 4.3, 4, 5, 6. Now this endeavour being the effect immediately flowing from Charity which is the chiefe edifying grace as appeareth by, 1 Cor. 8 1 and chap. 13. per tot urn, and Epheſ. 4.15, 16. And ſeeing Charity cannot be maintained, nor edification advanced, nor the unity of the Spirit upheld, except there be an endeavour put forth to take notice of one anothers ſtate; therefore a Correſpondency for mutuall intelligence in ſpirituall matters tending to unity and peace in the profeſſion of the Truth, is a thing abſolutely neceſſary amongſt ſuch as intend ſincerely to uphold the Truth of the Goſpel-profeſſion; or if they intend it not, it is evident that they come ſhort of the Fundamentall duty of the life of Chriſtianity, by neglecting the means of mutuall edification wherein God is chiefly glorified, and ſuch as continue in this neglect, and order not their way aright in the profeſſion of the Goſpel, ſhall never ſee the ſalvation of God, Pſal. 50.23.