Blessed Unions, Sermon 2
SERMON II
THere are now a few Thoughts more to be spent by way of Appendix to those which have already been spread before you. Christians, I am to do my part, that becoming One, with the Lord Jesus Christ, you may also, and therefore, become, One among your selves.
OBSERVATION 2.
There is a Blessed ƲNION which Believers on the Lord Jesus Christ, are Thro Him, to have with One Another.
In Chrysostoms Dayes, 'twas, I think, an usual and ungodly Superstition among many people, to make, The Seventeenth Chapter of John, a sort of Spell whereby Evil Spirits were Exorcis'd among them. It will be but agreeable to the best Religion, if One Verse in that Chapter may now prove a Strong Charm, [it is a piece of Gods Spell!] to lay those Evil Spirits of Contention and Confusion, which have sometimes too much obtained among the People of God.
I am therefore now to mind you, That the same Spirit which Unites Believers unto the Lord Jesus Christ, as M…mbers to their Head, is also to Unite the Membe…s unto each other in the Lord. I am to Address you in the Words of the. Apostle, Phil. 2.1, 2. If there be any Fellowship of the Spirit, be like-minded, having the same Love, being of one Accord, of one Mind. Let us prove our Ʋnion with the Lord Jesus Christ, by our having of that Spirit which He does Inspire all Believers with; and let us prove our hav…ng of that Spirit by our Ʋnion with all Believers. Our Lord here says, That they all may be ONE. The Greek Word is of the Neuter Gender; and Luther thinks that the Work, Soma, or Body, is the Sub…tantive to be understood. And indeed we are to be in our Ʋnion, as one Body of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is not enough that we have an Invisible Ʋnion with all the Saints of God; but we must have a visible Ʋnion too, or such an one as our Context mentions, That the World may Believe, at the Contemplation and Invitation of it. If then it be the
Question;
Wherein should the People of God be all United?
The Answer is,
Fi…st, We are to be Ʋnited in o… Prof…ssion. And this must be a true Pr… fession too; or else our Ʋnion is bu… Faction, and no better than that of Jew… or Turks. What says the Apostle, i… 1 Cor. 1.10. I beseech you Brethren, b… the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, tha… ye all speak the same Thi…g, and that ther… be no Divisions among you; but that y… be perfectly joined together, in the sam… Mind, and in the same Judgment. As far as we can, we should be of the same Opinion, and hold the same Doctrine o… Christianity; be sure we must concu… in all the Fundamental Ones, or els… we cut off our selves from the, Communion of Saints; an… as he that had th… Plague in his head, we are shut out from the Camp and Church of God. The Pagans counted, Harmonia, to be a Deity; and an, Harmony of Confessions among all Christians, is a Divine sor… of a Thing. Yet Speciosum quidem es… Nomen pacis, & pulchra Opinio Ʋnitatis… sed quis ambigat eam solam unicam Ecclesiae pacem esse quae Christi est?
Secondly, We are to be Ʋnited in our Aff…ction. Tis possible that we cannot come up, or go down to the Perswasions, of some Godly Brethren; Yet we are still to Love them all, as Brethren. It should be with us▪ as it was said in Act. 4.32. The Multitude of them that Beleived, were of one Heart, and of one Soul. We must m…k… no Schism, in the Church of ou… Lord Jesus Christ: All the Church Catholick, that is, all that speak and live according to the Main things in the Gospel of God; must have our Charity, although they. be not in all things of our mind. Every Saint must have our Hearts knit unto them, as Jonathans was to David; and we must not confine Sain…-ship to every thing in our way. Moreover, Having with Gods leave joyned our selves to that Particular Church which we Judge most fully answering, The Pattern in t…e… Mount, we must with a most Holy and Humble Carriage Endeavour the Peace of it, as well as of any other Societies with which it walks in a Total Communion; and at the same time, if there be any other Particular Church with which in its Constitutions or Observances we cannot mentain an Entire Communion, yet ever there also we should beware of Hasty Censuring, and while we Walk wherein we have Attained, we must with all Charitable Friendliness and Patience leave unto God, Those that are otherwise-minded, until God shall Reveal even This unto them. It is a Rule as Good as Old, Necessa…jis Ʋnitas, in Adiaphoris Libertas, in Ʋ…risque Charitas.
Thirdly, We are to be Ʋnited by our Sympathy. We should all have the same Joyes and the same Griefs, on the same Occasions for them. We should be able to speak after the Apostle, in 2 Cor. 11.28, 29. That which cometh upon me Dayly, is the C…re of all the Churches; Who is weak? and I am not weak? Who is Offended? and I burn not? All our Envy should be laid aside. When any Saint is in Prosperity, we should be glad of it; when any Saint is in A…v…rsity, we should be sad at it; and Enquiring after Newe… like Pious Nehemiahs, rather than curious Athenians, we should count the Newes abroad, either Good or Bad, as it fares with the Church of God. We should have most Compassionate Resentments of whatever Condition, our God may bring any of His own into; counting our selves (as Paul speaks) also. In the Body; and this, even (as Paul had) For such as have not seen us in the Flesh, and perhaps are never like to see us.
But Fourthly, our Ʋnion with one another must carry a Resemblance to the Ʋnion between the Father and the Son in the E…ernal God-head: This is the pattern for our Ʋnion given here, As thou, Father, are in me, and I in thee: We must not grosly conceive that this, As, notes Equality, but we are to account it a Note of Similitude. There are other Scriptures enough to confute that Arianism, wherein we shall be Entangled, if we allow that gross conceit. There is an Ineffable Ʋnion between the Father and the Son in God. But what Ʋnion? 'Tis not an Ʋnity of Person. Our Lord says not, He is the Father, but He is IN the Father; nor, the Father is He, but The Father is I… Him. In opposi…ion to the ancient S… bellianism, and the modern Quakerism we must assert more than One Person i… God. It is Affirm'd, in Heb. 1.3. That the Father is a Pe…son, …t is Affirm'd, in 2 Cor. 2.10. That the Son is a Person. Hence the Father is not the Son, and the Son is not the Father. And surely, He that affirms it must be a Person too; since all Actions are of Supposites, or Persons: now that Affirmer is the Holy Ghost. But it is an Ʋnity of …ssence, which is here to be Adored. Thus 'tis affirm d, in Joh 10.30. I & my Father are one: Mind the Neuter Gender and you'l see 'tis not, One Person. 'Tis One Essence which all the Three Persons of the God-head IS. It is not for us to fathom so profound an Abyss; but we may cry out, O Luminos…ssin ae Tenebrae… Our God, he dwells in Light, for his Excellency, and yet in Darkness for his Incomprehensibleness. What we know of this Mystery is by Scriptural Revelation. From thence, if one should attempt, [tho I should scarce approve the A… tempt!] a Rational Demonstration or Illustration of the Trinity, one would say, There being but one God, who also is Immeasureably Perfect, we must not admit any Multiplicity in Him, except what is for the Discovery of his Perfection; nor yet Reject any Multiplicity, which does make for that Consummate Perfection; all consistent still with the Ʋnity of the Divine Substance. One would then sa…, That God cannot be Infinitely and Absolutely Perfect, without the Perception of Himself, and an Immense Joy and Love resulting therefrom, in finding Himself, The Alsufficient Good; and this Perception, and this Joy and Love must also be of the most perfect Kind. One would now say, That Essential Perception, and Essential Joy and Love is far more Excellent than that which is Modal, such as Creatures have: whose Perceptions and Operations are with Images, which are not the Soul it self. This is the Prerogative of the Deity; God has a Substantial Representation of Himself wi…hin Himself, and a Substantial Satisfaction thereupon. The Father is the Fountain of the Deity; The S…n is the Express Image of the Fathers Person, or God Essentially Representing of God, or the Eraediation of His Glorious Riches and Fulness; therefore also from all Eternity containing in Him the Idea of all that was to be made in Time; The Holy Ghost is that wonderful Joy and Love, which God has in Himself by the Grateful Perception which the Father and Son Eternally have of one another. I say, A Working Head might reach after some such Conceptions; but I think one should rather chide a Daring Heart into a silent, and Quiet, Adoration, than go to Exercise ones self in Things too high for the very Angels in the Highest. I therefore hasten to say, That our Ʋnion with one another must have some Resemblance to this. But how far? Why, It must be a Spiritual Union; & not be founded in Civil or Nat'ral matters only. Again, It must be an Orderly Union; there must be the Distinctions of all Persons preserv'd Entire. Once more, It must be a Constant Union; we we must alwayes be together never Straggling from one another. Furthermore, It must be an Holy Union; our Ʋnity with men must be no further than will stand with Purity. We must not Renounce Truth for Pea…e, nor so have Peace with one another, as to have no S…lt in our selves: Our Ʋnion must not be a meer Compliance; nor should it quench our Zeal. Tis not Herods and Pilates Agreement in Evil, that is to be our Ʋnion: while we Follow Peace with all men, we must not come to say or to do, any thing Inconsistent with, Holiness without which no man shall see the Lord; nor Purchase our Peace with man, by a War with God. Finall…, The Intimacy of our Ʋnion is by this Resemblance intimated unto us; Our Ʋnity must give us a near Perception of one anothers Cases; a…d our Ʋnity must fill us with Joy in, and Love to one another. We must after a sort find in one another our very selves, and call and count each other another self. We must be concern'd for one another, as if our very self were bound up in one another.
But, There are two PROPOSALS which I am now to make you.
PROPOSAL. I.
Let us now pursue and maintai… a Blessed UNION with one another i… the Lord. 'Tis an Invaluable Jewel, a… UNION, which I am now fallen int… the Commendation of; but, Quis Vituperat? I suppose there is not one of u… all, but what will readily subscribe to every Clause of the Hundred and Thirty Third Psalm; and I could wish tha… those melodious Notes of Davids Harp might cause the Evil Spirits of Division to depart from us. O that from this Day, we might all agree to lay aside, All Expressions of a Groundless o… Boundless Displeasure against any of ou… Neighbours! and especially, that all Saint… would concur to give each other, Th… Right-hand of Fellowship, in those mor… Important Th…ngs wherein they are indeed Ʋnanimous, and walk together wherein they are Agreed; and that in the lesser th ngs wherein their Apprehensions are yet various, they may indulge one another, without all Unchristian Persecutions or Animosities, and not Revile one another as vile Schismaticks, for every Modest Separation. God forbid, that opinionum Varietas, and opinan…iam Ʋnitas, must become Inconsistent! As for Strife, no Ink of mine is Black enough to describe the Prodigious Abominations, the Abominable Consequences of it, All that ever the most Eloquent Ancients Thundered against Schism, you may apply to the Sin of Strife in the Churches of God; for indeed Schism is but That? Let me add, Never did the Almighty God use more Omnipotent Arguments to command and caution men against any sin, than he has to still all strife among his People; and shall we Quarrel after all? The Son of God is a Lamb; for us to Quarrel, is to be so unlike Him, that even the Pagan Emperour Severus, when he saw two Christians Engag'd in a Scuffle, gave Order they should never be call'd Christians any more. Our Jesus, like Joseph with his Brethren, has with an Ungainsayable Importunity besought, That we fall not out. This Prince of Peace, It was not only His Dying Prayer, but also his Dying Charge, That we Love one another; and common Honesty requires us to fulfil, The Will of the Dead. The Spirit of God is a Dove: to Quarrel is to show such an overflowing of Gall, as does no less Dislike him, than it is Ʋnlike Him; & it is to Disrest him of his Lockets. He strives with us, that we would not become Vultures nor Harpies, nor strive with one another; this Work of the Flesh must needs be distastful to that Spirit. When we don't put away all Bitterness, and Wrath, and Anger, we do fearfully Grieve Him, and shamefully put Him away. Cloven and Fiery Tongues were things in which he once Exhibited himself; but Cloven and Furious Hearts he is ever Banished from. Strife, 'tis a Sin that stirs up all other sorts of Distempers and Corruptions in us; the Lusts in our Souls, like so many chill'd▪ Snakes, do horribly Crawl, and Hiss, and Sting, when this Fire has once Envigorated 'em. The Devil has a Lodging where men do not Ring a Curfe u… Bell. We are as Bottles; if we take and shake one another, a world of dirty S…uff will be Raised from the Bottom in us. The Aggressor, and the Defendent will be to each other, what Solomon speaks, As Coals to Burning Coals. Strife, 'tis a Sin which hardens our Hearts against all the Means of Grace and Good; we shall receive no Admonitions; but like Angry Jonas, misbehave our selves, and say, I do well in all. And thus all the Spectators too do come to be prejudiced at the Wayes of God; as the Jews are at this Day so Scandalized by our Dissensions, that they plead, The Eleventh Chapter of Isaiah is not fulfill'd, and so the Messiah can't be come! Thus, there was a Town in this Land, where an uncomfortable Rupture happened in the Church; and there a young man was left unto an horrid Murder of himself; but he left behind him a Writing directed unto his Father, wherein he approv'd himself a Wanner to us all; some of his words were, Father, my Ruine was the Stubborness and unfaithfulness of my Younger Years; Evil Counsil, and Evil Company, and, The Differences in the Church, by reason whereof I grow proud, and did not carry it in my place as I ought, which is the wide way to Ruine. You see what sad work, the Contentions of Churches do make for the Rising Generations! Oh Consider of it! Strife, In fine, 'tis that which brings all manner of Wounds upon us. Our Prayers, they cannot be without Doubting, when they are not without Wrath. Our Fastings, they cannot be such as the Lord has Chosen, while we are Biting one another. Our Sacraments do lose their Efficacies, if such a strange Fire do accompany them. Who are those that must at last perish without? Why, The Dogs, that are ever a snappish and a snarling sort of Creature? Who are those that God will pour down Indignation and Wrath, Tribulation and Anguish upon? They are, The Contentious: to whom all that is, True or Just, is usually disagreeable. What Society will not quickly moulder away when once it has Breaches in its Walls? All Ages have confirmed that standing Oracle of our Lord, An House Divided cannot stand. O that such Thoughts as these might now promote the Ʋnity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace, among the People of God! But if the People of God, like little silly Birds, will still be pecking at one another, they may fear that some Ravenous Kites may have a permission to make a prey of all. Alas, must Blessed Ridley, and Hooper, be sent into a Prison to Ʋnite them. They say, None of the Marian Martyrs were tortur'd with such Exquisite Fires as they? Shall we bicker about Black and White, until God make us meet in Red? When the Primitive Christians had the Feuds among them, for which they were Exposed as Ridiculous and Contemptible upon the Heathen Theaters, what commonly follow'd, but such Storms of Blood and Fire upon them from their Adversaries, as drove them Nearer in their Ʋnions one unto another, God prevent the Repetitions of that Fate upon His People Now; though within the Memory of man, I can tell you, they have in several parts of the World, had a Repetition of it. But, There are two or three most Humble Petitions, which I am now ready to Address you with. Only, do me the Justice, to Remember, That I do not Pretend in any Wise to meddle with any Civil Affayrs among the People of God; all manner of Loyal Submission and Obedience to the Higher Powers for the Common Good, is what I wish all unto; In the mean time, they are not Civil, but Sacred UNIONS, which I am now Prosecuting of; and the Concerns wherein I would appear to perswade my Neighbours unto an Oneness of Mind; or at least where the first cannot be had, an Oneness of Heart, are purely Ecclesiastical. Now,
First, Where we can Ʋnite in the END, There let us do it; and not Contend about the WAY leading thereunto. To see an Oneness in the Judgments of all Good men, upon every Particular in Christianity, is as much to he despair'd of, as to see an Exact Likeness of all the Faces and Features in the World. But where we are all set for what is, Holy, and Just and Good, we should shake hands with one another, saying as in Gen. 13 8. Let there be no Strife, I pray thee, between Me, and Thee, for we are Brithren. 'Tis in Pursuance of this Golden Rule, that I would further say,
Where we can Ʋnite in Practices, let us do it; although Perhaps we cannot Ʋnite in the Principles whereupon we proceed in those Practices. The same Conclusions may by diverse Intellects be formed out of diverse Premises. I say then, let them not only Hold the Conclusions, but Gladly Hold together in them; and never Vex one another about the Media which they Raise them on. Particularly, In many matters of Church Order, there are two Considerations which may be a Balm to heal many Contentions. One is, That the Foundation of all Church-Societies, is laid in the Light and Law of Nature it self, A Church is a Society of Humane Race; and hath its Particularities wherein i… Conforms to the Common Rules of all S…cieties. There needs no New Express Command for what the Law and Light of Nature do's require in all Societies Combining for the Worship of God. Another is this▪ That the First Commandment ha's cut out much Business for Church-Societies, which 'tis possible the Second Commandment may not so plainly reach unto; yea, such a Society ha's many things to do, which not the First, but the Second of the Tables in the Divine Law, ha's Enjoyned the doing of. I say then; if Saints that see not all with the same Eyes, can do the same things, though not on the same grounds, there is no Thing to be a Ground for Quarrelling. Pardon me, if I touch upon two or three Instances, which are, I think, the Only ones, wherein our Churches have their (not Contentions, blessed be God, but) Varieties. I will mention them, though I should meet with the Parters Portion for it; or find Livies observation true, Media via neque Amicos parit, nec Inimicos tollit.
Our Churches do Ordinarily Expect from those whom they Admit unto Constant and Compleat Communion with them, some few savoury Expressions [Written, if not, Oral] of what Regenerating Influences the Ordinances, or the Providences of God, have had upon their Souls. There are some, who demand. This as a Thing required by the Word of God, When, A Conf…ssion with the Mouth, and, A Profession of Repentance as well as Faith, and, A Giving a Reason of the Hope that is in us, is required; And they look upon this as a Justifying Circumstance, which a Resonable Charity is to seek, before it pronounce upon the Credibility of that Confession and Profession, whereupon men lay Claim to Priviledges. Others can't see through this; they rather decry it as, An Humane Invention. Yet rather than Church-Work should be at any Stay, both sides may Grant, That it is but a piece of Reasonable Civility; for any that would be accepted as Members of any Society whatsoever, to Address that Society for that Acceptance; and that whoever do's Address a Church of the Lord Jesus for their Fellowship, should Endeavour to do it with such Language and Matter as may be like that of, One Returning to God. If there be any further Contest, whether the Brethren, of Right are to have any Acquaintance with, or Interest in, the management of this matter, I am Confident, That as the Pastors who are the Porters to the House of our God, will generally Examine what Experiences their Communicants have attain'd unto, so the Pastors will as generally grant, it is not Ʋnlawful for them to Communicate unto the Brethren of the Church, the Tast▪ which they have had of the Graces in such as they now propound unto them, to be Receiv'd as Brethren: Yea, That it is many wayes Comfortable and Profitable, if not altogether Necessary. Behold then, a Temper, wherein we may, as hitherto we do, in this thing Ʋnite! I have been Concern'd with some Godly People of the Scotch Nation, who have at first shown much and hot Antipathy against This Way of our Church, and yet ask'd Admittance to the Table of the Lord. These have Consented unto me, That I should put what Questions I pleas'd in my Trials of them; That I should herewithal take in Writing what Minutes I pleas'd of their Answers to me; That being my self now Satisfy'd Concerning them, I might if I pleas'd Offer that Satisfaction unto any or all of the Church who look'd for it, at our usual Opportunity. These Concessions immediately opened Their way, in Ours, unto the Table of the Lord, without any D fficulty unto either of us. But let it all this while be Remembred; That I am not proving what must be done; I am only showing what may be done, to prevent Fires, when they may be like to follow other-wise.
Again, Our Churches are some of them furnished, with Elders, whose whole Office tis [God help 'em to Do it Well] To Watch over the Conversation of the Church-Members with Authority. It is pleaded, That nothing is Plainer in Scripture, Than Elders, who Rule well, and are Worthy of Double Honour, though they do not Labour in Word and Doctrine▪ whereas if there were any Teaching Elders, who do not Labour in Word and Doctrine, they would be so far fron being Worthy of Double Honour, that they would not be Worthy of any Honour, at all. On the other side, some cannot see any such thing as what we call a Ruling Elder directed and appointed in the Word of God; yea, some do still mention the Thing with such Exhorbitant and Vilifying Terms, as are far from decent in any thing which themselves own to be so Disputable. And what shall now be done in this case? I would modestly offer thus much. Let it be first Recognized, That all the other Church-Officers are the Assistents of the Past…r; who was himself (as you find, even about what the Deacon has now to do) Entrusted with the Whole Care of all, until the further pitty and kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, ioined other Officers unto him, for his Assistence in it. I suppose, None will be so Absurd as to Deny This at least; That all the Church-Officers are to take the Advice of their Pastor with them. Upon which, I subjoyn, That a man may be a Distinct Officer from his Pastor, and yet not have a Distinct Office from him; the Pastor may be the Ruling Elder, and yet he may have Elders to assist him in Ruling and in the actual Discharge of some Things, which They are Able and Proper to be serviceable unto him in. This Consideration being laid in, I will perswade my self, every Pastor among us, will allow me, That there is much Work to be done for God, in preparing what belongs to the Admission and Exclusion of Church-Members; in carefully inspecting the Way and Walk, of them all, and the first Appearance of Evil with them; in preventing the very Beginnings of Ill-Blood among them; and Instructing of all from H…use to House, more privately, and Warning of all persons, unto the Things more peculi…ly incumbent on them; in Visiting all the Afflicted, and informing of and consulting with the Ministers for the Wellfare of the Whole Flock. And They must allow me, That This Work is too heavy for any one man; and that more than one man, yea, no less than all our Churches do suffer beyond measure, because no more of This Work is thorougly performed. Moreover, they will acknowledge to me, That it is an usual Thing with a Prudent and a Faithful Pastor, Himself to single out some of the more grave, solid, aged Brethren in his Congregation, to Assist him in many parts of this work, on many occasions in a year; nor will such a Pastor ordinarily do any important thing in his Government, without having first heard the Counsel of such Brethren. In short, There are few discreet Pastors, but what make many occasional Ruling Elders, every year. I say then, suppose, the Church by a Vote Recommend some such Brethren (the fittest they have, and alwayes more than one) unto the more Stated Assistence of their Pastors, in the Church Rule wherein they may be Helps unto him? [I do not propose, that they should be Biennial or Triennial onelyonly; though I know very famous Churches throughout Europe have them so!] Yea, and what if they should by Solemn Fasting and Prayer, be Commended unto the Benediction of God, in what Service they have to do? What Objection can be made against the Lawfulness? I think, None can be made against the Ʋsefulness of such a thing? Truly, for my part, if the Fifth Chapter of the first Epistle to Timothy would not bear me out, when Conscience both of my Duty and my Weakness made me to desire such Assistences, I would see whether the First Chapter of Deuteronomy would not. Only, let it all this while also be Remembred, That a total want of Men, is the sad case of some Churches, which cannot be thus provided for.
Once more, There has been a Controversy, What is the Watch which our Churches owe to the Adult Children, that were in their Infancy Baptised among us? Or, indeed, whether any at all? Some do conceive, That the Church Membership which any have in their Infancy does not cease when they come to years of Discretion, until Censurable Evils ar… found upon them; and that therefor… the Churches are so to watch over them, as to use the Process prescribed in the Eighteenth Chapter of Matthew upon them, when they fall into Scandals. Others cannot be of that perswasion▪ but judge that the Church-Membership of Infancy is not Personal and Immediate, and that it so vanishes when they come to the Age of acting for themselves, as to dismiss them from any proper Watch of the Churches about them. How shall these two parties now come together? Perhaps hardly enough; Nevertheless, Let it be Considered, Whether some cannot come to do that as a point of pure Morality, which others choose to do as a point of Institution. If one that feeds and sleeps in my Family do commit any gross Iniquity, I would Admonish him for it, in the hearing of those that have heard of his Offence; and if he don't Reform, I would openly fix upon him the Character of, One that walks Disorderly. This would I do, as a a piece of Righteous Charity, although there were never a Text in Matthew, or although there were nothing after the Fourth of Genesis, to warrant this proceeding. Why then may not Churches count the Common Law of Reproving, to be Warrant enough, in thus dealing with such as have been Baptised in their Bosomes, although the Statute-Law of Discipline should be silent in it? Another thing that may be Considered is, Whether both sides might not agree in Reviving the Ancient Ordinance of CONFIRMATION; I mean, For the Elders of the Churches to send for, their Children as they come to Mens and Womens Estate, and Examine them strictly about their Conversion to God, and their Inclinations to Renew and Observe their Baptismal Covenant. Upon this Examination, They that are found Fit for it, may be Regularly Confirmed in Church-priviledges. They that are not so, may with suitable Instructions and Awakenings, be Detained, for a while from some sp…cial Ordinances. Both sides can do This, and if this were well done, it would go far towards the Removing of many Differences.
I am not unsensible of the further Noises that have been in the Rearing of our Temple, about the Subjects which Baptism is to be Extended unto. Not only those that Restrain it unto the Limits of the Lords Supper do vary from the most of their Neighbours; but, even those which Enlarge it unto the Children of some that are not in Full Communion, do it not exactly in the same Notion; some do Baptise them, as being only in a Catholick Church-state, and others as being also in a Particular. And yet they mostly, Accord in this, That the Administrator of Baptism is generally to be an Officer some way concerned with a Particular Church, and the Baptised should be under the Laws of our Lord Jesus as they are Administred in such a Church. I wish matters could be brought unto a Good Issue here; all that at present I can Contribute unto it, is to do what Elihu Resolved, I also will shew mine Opinion. 'Tis this;
That our Lord Jesus Christ has in the World a Catholick Church of Elect-called ones, which becomes in Various Degrees Visible unto us; and according to the Degrees of its Visibility becomes Capable of a Visible Communion with i…s Glorious Head:
That when men Profess the Faith of the Gospel, or their consent unto the Covenant of Grace, and overthrow not that Profession by a Scandalous Conversation, they are to be Look'd upon, as belonging to the Visible Catholick Church of our Lord; they are to be treated as Christians; to call them or count them Heathen, is to do them a Grievous Iniury.
That when such Professors Regularly Combine into a Society for the Evangelical Worship and Service of our Lord Jesus Christ, and furnish themselves with Officers of His Appointment; they then become a part of the Catholick Church, so Visible, as to be a Body Politick Entrusted with all the Special Ordinances of the New Testament.
That a Particular Church, thus in their Officers betrusted with the Institutions of our Lord Jesus Christ, is to be concerned for Applying some of those Institutions, unto Subjects that have not yet arriv'd so far in Visible Christianity as to be the Constituent Parts of that Holy Society.
That Baptism is One Ordinance to be Administred, unto them that are in the Visible Catholick Church, while the said Christians have not yet Joined themselves to a Particular Church, but are only in a state of Initiation and Preparation for it. In the Scripture, we do not read (at least, I have not yet found) of any that were Baptised after their Joining to full Communion in a Particular Church; but many that were so Before. Wherefore, if any Person of a blameless Conversation, come to us, Professing his Beleef of the Christian Religion, and Seriously Enter into Covenant with God in Christ, Submitting therewithal to the Ecclesiastical Government of our Lord Jesus, & Engaging to labour Continually for those more Positive Evidences of Regeneration, which may Embolden him shortly to seek an Admission unto the Table of the Lord; surely such a Person may say, as the Eunuch did, What do's hinder me (and Mine) to be Baptised? Persons may be Disciples, while they are not yet Risen to the more Experienced state of Brethren; and there may be Subj…cts in the Kingdom, which have not yet all the Priviledges that the Members of the Corporations lay claim unto: now Baptism should belong sure, to all the Disciples and Subj…cts of our Lord. From a Nursery thus Watered with Baptism, our Churches may be Supply'd, from time to time, and multitudes of well-disposed People who by Doubts and Fears are for a while discouraged from the Lords Table, may thus be kept under Engagements to be the Lords.
I beseech you to Forgive this my Freedom with you; I cannot but be concerned, because I find, as Optatus once, Inter Licet Vestrum, et Non Licet Nostrum, nutant Animae Populorum: but if Ʋnion may be thereby furthered, there will be no such Forgiveness to be asked for.
We shall be more brief in what remains. Wherefore,
Secondly, Where we can Ʋnite, neither in the WAY nor in the END, Yet let us not Contend so as to b…eak the Law of Brotherly Kindness among the Children of God. Our Behaviour towards the most Wicked and Bloody Persecutors, is to be full of a Christ-like Sweetness, Meekness, and Long-suffering, But much more, if any, of whom it may be hop'd that they have, The Root of the Matter, in them, should ever differ from us; Yea, and so farr differ too; as that our Commu ion with them in Special Ordinances, comes to be broken up; still there is a World of Mutual Forbearance, which we must accommodate one another with. Still that of the Apostle is to take place, Rom. 12.10. Be Kindly Aff…ction'd one to ano…her in Love. We must first, Forbear to Impose one upon another. It is impossible for any but, God who forms the Spirit of man within him, to form the understandings of men, into a Beleef of every Christian D…ctri…e. If we shall Violently and Forceably Compell all about us, to take in all our Schemes, we shall be as Inhumane as that Giant, who cut or stretch'd all his Lodgers, to the Exact length of the Bed, he had provided for them. Austin was very Zealous in Writing against the Errors of the Donatists; and yet he said, he had rather be Slain by them himself, than be an Occasion that any should Persecute them to Death, for holding of those Errors. And much more, when we have confess'd a thing to be in it self, Indifferent, it is a most Uncharitable thing for us to Command it as Necessary, and then assert that our Command ha's made it Necessary. Could I speak to the most Swol'n Church Governour in the World, I would Ask him, First, Whether Paul were not a Church Governour, of as Great Authority as any of them all, or all of them together? Next, Whether in Pauls Days there was not a Grievous Dissension about the use of several Things that were meerly Adiaphorus? Then, Whether an Uninspir'd Command of Paul would have so taken away the Indifferency of those things, as to make them no longer matters of Disputation, but matters of Observation among all Believers? And then, whether if it were so, Paul would not have been the most Ʋncharitable of Men, to have left those things, as he still did, he sti…l does, Ʋndetermined? Or, certainly, others must be so, when they do Determine such things as those.
But as we should Forbear all Impositions of one upon another, so should we Forbear all Prejudices of one against another. Though Calvin could not come to the Lords Table with Luther, yet says he, I will ever call him an Eminent Servant of God, yea, though he should call me a Devil. I do not see, That Christians not joyning with others in all the same Rites and Modes of Worship, must be understood as, Declaring all others to be n…t in a State of Salvation. Those Angry Men, which fall into a Rage at all D…ssenters, as if they did indeed so Declare, do indeed therein Declare only that as their own Opinion of those D ssenters. Nor will any man that sufficiently ponders, I hat in Rom. 14.6. where God is Glorify'd by two opposite parties, think there is any Divinity in that Assertion of those Angry Men. I must joyn my self, where the Ordinances are so Administred as that my Conscience tells me, Gods Word and my Good is therein most attended unto. But a man may Locally separate from very many polluting Defects and Failures in Church-Administrations, while he does not Heartily separate from his Obligations to Love and Serve those whom he does not now meet withal. Briefly, every Difference in Religion, does not make a Different Religion. And if we think our own Ʋnderstandings to be a Standard for all the Rest of Mankind, we do certainly, Think of our selves above what we ought. But what must our Deportment then towards Conscientious Dissenters be? I say, All made up of Charity. We are still to be Theirs, Ʋs{que} ad Aras; and be asham'd if our Conduct unto them, should not be able to stand before the Thirteenth Chapter in the first Epistle to the Corinthians. We should make the fairest constructions of all Actions, and Lovingly take every thing by the Best Handle. We should, if we knock with Hard Reasons, yet stroke them with Soft Answers; and let them find us of the Tribe, which, Giveth Goodly Words. A Samaritan sort of crabbedness, churlishness, frowardness, towards all that are not in every thing just Jumping with us, and,—Non Monstrare vias eadem nisi sacra Colenti. 'Tis not the Spirit of the Gospel. In short, we should conclude as the famous African Synod, upon the Subject of Baptism did, Neminem Judicamus si Diversum in hac Re Senserit. We must beware how we Monopolize all Godliness to our own Little Party; in the same Decalogue, the same Law-giver that says, Thou shalt not Wo…ship a Graven Image, also says, Thou shalt no… bear Falfe Witness against thy Neighbour. Where-ever we can see, Aliquid Christ… any thing of Christ, let it be dear to us. A Moses may pay for an undue Heat against his Erring Brethrens and the case may be so, that an Erroneus Cyprian may deserve better than an Orthodox Stephen, in the Charitable Resentments of Godly Men. If nothing will satisfie us, but the Extirpation of all that are not of our party, God has told us what will follow, Ye shall be Consumed one of another. I may argue as Lactantius did of old; your Oppofites are either Wise or Fools: If they be Wise, you should Follow them; if they be Fools, you should Pitty them; there is no place for any Malicious Prosecutions. Let me, in a word say, as the Apostle once, Why dost thou set at nought thy Brother? Let us follow after the things that make for Peace: and let me beg, That the Fourteenth Chapter to the Romans mayn't become Apochrypha.
Thirdly, Let Mortality Affect us, and Humility Adorn us, and both together will soon Ʋnite us. Be Affected with Mortality. They say, Dust thrown on Fighting Bees, will presently make 'em give over the Fight. If we are prone to Sting one another, Let us cast a little of our Grave-Dust upon us, b… our Devout, Gracious, Antedating Meditations. If we would not be Wranglers; Let us not forget that we are Mortals. Especially, when it comes to stabbing of one another with Pens, Let us Remember our, Sand runs faster than our Ink, and we are as Brittle as the Glasses which we now use instead of Ink-horns. How near are we to that State, Ʋbi Luthero cum Zuinglio optime jam Convenit? A Luther and a Zuinglius will be less eager one against another, if they think, How soon they are to meet! But, be also Adorned with Humility. It is that upon which I may Employ the Panegyric of Tertullus, O thou most Noble Vertue, By thee we Enjoy great Quietness. We know, Lowliness, and Long-suffering do go together. We have long since been told, (and it has been Descanted on by the Quill of one among us, who by his Treatise call'd, A Little Peace-maker, has been Earning a Name among, The Children of God.) Only by Pride comes Contention; 'tis That which is the Grand Barretor and Boutefeu of the Universe. 'Tis said, The proud man is as he that Transgresseth by Wine; t…at is, he is very Quarrelsome. What needs be said more? Only, What the Wise man said, Cast out the Scorner, and Contention shall go out. If every Sheaf must alwayes bow to Yours and Mine, when shall we be quiet? Were we all so Humble as we should be, it would hinder our making that Insolent Syllogism, A Person who is never Liable to Mistake, is one whom no man can sincerely or christianly Differ from. But I am a Person who am Liable to no Mistakes; therefore whoever Differs from me, is an Intollerable Creature. And if such a Syllogism were never shaped in our conceits, the World would not be so full of Tempest as it is I
In fine, That I may Repeat nothing, which I have said for the pressing of Ʋnion among the Children of my People, in four several Discourses formerly Published, —I now take the Leave only to Add, a few Ejaculations on the behalf of my Beloved Neighbours.
First, May none of our Churches be called, Esek, and Sitna, because of any Strife among us At present, I hope, our Lord looks upon this part of America, saying, My Dove is One! and I pray, that it may ever be so. The Oldest of the Churches in this Colony, is at Salem; God Grant they may All of them, alwayes dwell in, Peace. Concord is the Name on one of our Towns; may it be a Frame in all the Rest. And may the Rebuke that was given to the Litigious Corinthians, never come to be ours, Whereas there are among you Divisions, are ye not Carnal? May we, as far as we can, Anticipate the Dayes of the New-Jerusalem, which are quickly, The Things to be Look'd for, by Banishing all War from the midst of us. May we keep a Perpetual Sabbath, which may resemble the, Rest Remaining for the People of God, by Kindling no Fires within our Gates. We are Sheep; no room I beseech you, for the Rage of Dogs and Wolves in our Hearts.
Secondly, May our Pastors all of them forego all Strife but that of Love and Good Works, and, Kiss each other in the Mount of God! We are advised, Envy is Rottenness in the Bones; and it may be, we know the Name of that Old Interpreter, who by Bones there understands, Men of Cheef Place among the People of God. It was a madness in the Priests of Baal, to cut and slash themselves; t'will be as mad for us to serve one another so. Our very Name Reminds us, that we are Ʋnder-Rowers to our Lord Jesus Christ; if we don't all of us, pull the same way, What will become of our Little Boat? The Scriptures speaks about, The Mouth of all the Prophets, as if they all had but One Mouth. If we can't have but One Mouth, yet let us have but One Heart; and let not the Lion ever find any one of the Four oxen alone by himself. What came of the Ominous Paroxysms, between Chrysostom and Epiphanius? What a Woful Discord was that of Peter and Meletius in the Gaol? Or that of those two Great Persons who being sent into the Mines made a Wall between their Works, and would not meet until the Stake ty'd them together?
To have done, Let all manner of Strife, be avoided by all manner of men, all manner of Wayes. Take that Counsel, that Command, in Rom. 12.18. If it be Possible, as much as Lies in You, Live Peaceably with all men. You have been warned, That if you be not as Little Children, you shall not Enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; and, That the Extinction of all Malice is the thing wherein you are to be as Little Children. If there are any Personal Piques among you, …et 'em all immediately Evaporate. Two Pagans from Contending once, came to Compounding, and one ingeniously owned unto the other that had given him cause to own it; You are the more Worthy man; for I began the Stife, and you began the Peace. Behold, Christians, a way for you to get the Better of your Adversaries; the Almighty God Himself, by first Beseeching us to be Reconcil'd unto Himself, hath Led you the Way.
Thus, Live in Peace, and the God of Love and Peace will be with You!
PROPOSAL. II.
But let us at the same Time, Give our Thanks to our God, for the Blessed UNION, which He ha's lately been disposing a Considerable part of His People abroad unto. It is to be Remarked how often the Evangelist Luke, records the, ONE ACCORD, which the Primitive Believers were famous for; that, ONE ACCORD, seems to be Celebrated as one of the most Memorable things that could be mentioned. We have heard, That our Brethren beyond the Seas, are hopefully curing the Gangraenes of which heretofore they have Complained, and coming to ONE ACCORD, in those Things which formerly have been, Apples of Strife, among them. We have heard, That the Body of our Brethren is no more like the Monster once born in Scotland, (as we read) which was born with two Heads, that were still arguing, opposing, and in Eager Disputes assaulting one another. The Tidings have been, As Cold Waters to our Thirsty Souls; and I bespeak your Praises on that behalf, to the God, who Maketh Peace in His High Places. It is not for me to Prognosticate upon this Transaction; though I know that when Abraham had propos'd overtures of Peace unto his Kinsman, God immediately show'd him the Land of Promise, and said, All this Land, unto thee will I give it! But I'l quote you a few words of the Reverend MEADS, in the Sermon Preached upon Occasion of it. Says he,
Brethren, Lift up your Heads; and look for Great Things to Result from this Work of making, The two Sticks One. I am well perswaded That God ha's a Great Design in this Thing, and that it will have a further Extent, than you can foresee. How far it may reach to hasten the Removal of all Made Things, who can tell? This is plain in Scripture; That Zions Building, and Babylons Ruine, the Lambs Marrying, and the Whores Burning, do go together. The Church Militant and Malignant are like a pair of Ballances, or the Buckets of a Well; as one goes up, the other goes down:
But whatever the Effect of this Dispensation of God be without, I am perswaded, it will be great within; and therefore Look for some glorious Appearance of Christ in your Churches, as the Blessed Fruit of it, Thus he.
But, while I thus Raise the Notes of your Praises to God for this Dispensation, Let me also obtain your Prayers to be mingled therewithal; Your Prayers, That this UNION and the Interest of Gods Word, and Holiness and Religion in it, may, Run and be Glorify'd; for Satan will doubtless endeavour to undermine it.
A certain King of England holding a Treaty of Peace with a French King, in an old Chappel that lay betwen their Two Armies, both came to a good Agreement; but as they were coming out of the Chappel, a Snake suddenly crept out of the old Wall, which they seeing Drew their Swords, and their Servants at the Door Drew likewise. Upon this duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page the whole Armies no less furiously than ignorantly, advanc'd upon one another, and Commenc'd a Battel, wherein a most horrid Slaughter was made, before the Mistake was Rectify'd. Alas, It often thus comes to pass; when the Servants of God, have been just finishing a Reconciliation, the Old Serpent will interpose and interrupt it all: But let us pray for the Arrival of the Day, when that Old Serpent shall be Bound; & this, the more hopefully, inasmuch as you now see a further Symptom of its Approaches; When the, Two Sticks are made one, it soon follows, David my Servant shall be King over them.
But while I thus Excite your Prayers, I shall gratify your Expectations with a Copy of what, I know you very much Desire to see.