A Peacemaker Without Partiality and Hypocrisy, Preface – Discourse
A Preface to the enſuing diſcourſe: ſhewing what are the ſpeciall lets of Eccleſiaſticall Reconciliation, and what the cauſes of Diviſions are amongſt Miniſters, and how to be remedied.
SIR,
YOu know what hopes you gave me when I was at Sion Houſe, that ſome effectuall courſe would bee followed to reconcile our differences about matters of Religion. I did thereupon impart unto you very freely my thoughts concerning the whole buſineſſe, how it might bee advanced as I conceived.
The Treatie of an accommodation begun at London.Since that time being here at London, the hopes which you gave me were confirmed by the zeale and forwardneſſe of thoſe, who in the Citie gave occaſion to the beſt affected to meet at ſeverall conferences, whereof the ayme was very laudable and neceſſary, viz. to prevent both in Church and State the imminent dangers of Tyranny on the one hand, and of Anarchie on the other: and to find out and ſet on foot the meanes of brotherly unitie and amiable concurrence in carrying on the worke of our preſent Reformation.
But without effect left off.What the particular cauſes are wherefore the motions then made were not effectuall, and the conferences of this kind have ſince beene left off: I ſhall not at all mention, for you know them well enough; and wee all have juſt cauſe to mourne for this, that in our outward profeſſion of the Goſpell, there is ſo little true ſpirituall zeale for neceſſary duties of Communion, and ſo much for private concernments; and that our diſeaſe if wee continue long in theſe diſtempers, is like to prove remedileſſe.
As for me, although I cannot but lay this ſadly to heart, yet I doe not ſuffer the diſcouragements which cauſe moſt men deſpaire to worke upon my ſpirit any fainting impreſſions: but have rather given way to a charitable inclination, which I love to entertaine within my ſelf, which is, to hope for a poſſibilitie of our reconcilement, notwithſtanding all the backwardneſſe which is apparent in the leading men of both ſide. I have (I ſay) kept up my ſpirits, in a reſolution to proceed in theſe motions partly upon this hope, partly upon other principles,The falſe Principles of ſome men in ſpirituall enterpriſes. then I perceive moſt men doe walke by: for moſt men move onelyonly as they finde cauſe by outward appearances to expect the ſucceſſe of their enterpriſes, and ſome are ſo very tender of their repute of being engaged, that except they bee ſure of gaining what they pretend to ſeeke, they will not hazzard their labour, nor ſeeme forward in any thing, although in it ſelf never ſo anſwerable unto the way of God in the Goſpell. But I have beene otherwiſe taught to look upon my ſelf: I ſhall never value my credit amongſt men, or my paines above my duty; I ſhall never bee afraid to be counted a foole to the prudent of this age, and to loſe my labour for the Goſpels ſake. Hee that cannot freely venture the reputation of his prudencie upon the ground of a dutie, without conſulting the appearances of fleſh and blood, is not yet inſtructed to walke by Faith and above ſenſe, and hee that is not willing to ſerve Chriſt without ſucceſſe, is not worthy to bee imployed by him. Therefore I conceive that in this buſineſſe of ſeeking peace and enſuing it, which God doth command me to doe, Pſal. 34.14. and of maintaining peace, if it bee poſſible, and as much as in me lyeth, which in like manner is commanded, Rom. 12.18. (I ſay in this buſineſſe thus injoyned and bound upon my conſcience) I conceive that I owe to God an implicit obedience;What the reſolution ought to be of him that ſeeketh peace according to Gods will. that is to ſay, an obedientiall reſolution, and an attempt to doe what I can towards the effect, although I ſee no appearance of ſucceſſe: for he that commands me to hunt peace, doth preſuppoſe that it will flee from me, and when it is fled, hee that doth bid me overtake it, and if I overtake it, to hold it faſt if it bee poſſible, and as much as in me lyeth, doth not therefore give me any aſſurance that I ſhall overtake it, and bee able to hold it; but this onelyonly hee requireth, that I ſhould do my utmoſt endeavors. Now if I demurre upon the matter, and will not do this except I can perceive that I ſhall bee able to doe it,What the lets of ſuch a reſolution are. as I pretend for my credit: in this caſe I ſerve not the will of him that commands me, but mine owne: for I walke not in the obedience of Faith, but in the dictates of my phanſie: for now I leane to mine owne underſtanding, and ſuffer the pride of my heart to bee my counſellour, which being unwilling to be foiled in any undertaking, doth make me quit the worke, becauſe I thinke I ſhall not have the credit of it. But if for ſome other reaſons, I demurre upon the dutie and ſuſpend mine action, as perhaps, becauſe I ſee not I can gaine this or that benefit by it; or becauſe I thinke it not ſeaſonable to appeare till matters of State bee ſo and ſo contrived; that ſuch and ſuch a buſineſſe may come in at ſuch a time for ſuch a deſigne, &c. (although in matters meerely humane, arbitrary and externall, I doe not blame this prudentiall contrivance; yet I ſay) if any ſuch conſideration ſhould byas my reſolution towards the performance of that which in it ſelf is a dutie, and of a ſpirituall nature, (as I feare it doth with many) then I walke no more by the grace of God in ſimplicitie, but by the wiſedome of men in the world; then my aime is not to ſerve Chriſt, but rather to make uſe of Chriſt and his kingdome, and of my intereſt in the work of the Goſpel to ſerve either mine own turne or the turnes of other earthly men out of it; and if I doe ſo, it is clear that I doe the worke of the Lord deceitfully, and the reward of an hypocrite will be given to me.
Upon theſe grounds I have laid aſide all ſuch hidden things of darkneſſe, which I have ſeen ſway with ſome in the works of this nature; and therefore I am perſwaded I have herein a good conſcience towards God, which doth give mee confidence to caſt my ſelfe upon him, hoping for a bleſſing upon theſe endeavours, becauſe I looke to nothing but the doing of his will therein.
Motives diſſwading the publication of the enſuing Treatie.Although then I may ingenuouſly confeſſe that I cannot rationally foreſee, as the times now are, and as moſt men ſtand affected to each other, that theſe motions will bee entertained (for they will ſute no ends of parties) but am rather apt to conceive that ſome who thinke themſelves wiſe, will laugh at mee, and at this diſcourſe; that moſt will not reliſh the motions, as being ſomewhat out of the common way; that many will miſtake my meaning, miſconſtrue my aime, and fall foul upon me perhaps for what they have miſconſtrued and miſtaken. And finally that few or none that ſeeme to bee Pillars, will heartily joyne and help to advance either theſe or other impartiall wayes of peace. (I ſay) although this may bee confeſſed;Motives inducing thereunto. yet I cannot forbeare to offer theſe thoughts unto you, both that I may diſcharge my conſcience towards God in the vow which I have made to proſecute Peace and Truth, by walking in the light (whatſoever ſome may or doe thinke of mee) and alſo that they may ſtand not onelyonly for mee as a witneſſe, that I have ſought without partialitie the wayes as well of Truth as of Peace amongſt Brethren: but alſo riſe up in judgement (if you thinke good to publiſh them) againſt thoſe, who for wordly ends and ſelfe will (leſt they ſhould ſeeme to loſe ground) keep us at a diſtance, and making our diviſions irreconciliable weaken our hands in the Goſpel. Here I deſire not to bee miſtaken,Why ſome do keep up our differences & what guilt they draw upon themſelves thereby. for I ſay not that any doe purpoſely intend (except they be the Emiſſaries of Jeſuits, of which too many are crept in amongſt us, in this diſſolution of all order) to make our diviſions irreconciliable; and to weaken our hands in the Goſpel: God forbid that any profeſſing the Goſpel ſhould bee thought ſo maliciouſly partiall. But this I I meane to ſay freely; that all ſuch as by the management or compoſure of theſe differences ſeeke any way rather to pleaſe themſelves, then in the ſpirit of meekneſſe to pleaſe others to their edification; I ſay of theſe, that they keepe us at a diſtance, that they widen our breaches, that they make our diviſions by little and little irreconciliable, and ſo they weaken both their owne, and their Brethrens hands in the Goſpel, and herein they not taking heed to themſelves, principally ſerve no bodies turne but Satans; and become his inſtruments moſt effectually to hinder the power and prevalencie of the Truth. For it is Satans maine intereſt,What Satans intereſt is in the difference of Miniſters. above all others to ſet and keep the Miniſters of the Goſpel at variance amongſt themſelves, and diſagreeing in the way of their teſtimonie. For as long as they are kept ſo, he is ſure that the world, the wickedneſſe and greatneſſe thereof, and the height of men will not fall before the throne of Jeſus Chriſt by their meanes. For if wee will look upon Satans kingdome, and conſider the wayes by which hee doth ſet up, and ſettle the Myſtery of iniquity in oppoſition to the kingdome of God among men; wee ſhall perceive that one of them is this. That hee being the Prince of this world, doth eſtabliſh the government thereof by meere power and deceiving Policie. This government hee endeavoureth alwayes to put in the hands of ſuch men,How Satan doth proſecute his intereſt. who intend to make uſe thereof onelyonly for their owne ends, which commonly are none other but greatneſſe and glory: for this cannot be denyed, that as the way of ſelf-deniall and humilitie is proper to Chriſt and his Kingdome: So the practiſes of men in ſeeking themſelves by power and policie are the works of Satans ſpirit, and of their owne corruption in order to his deſignes. And as the end of naturall men in the world, is onelyonly to maintaine and inlarge themſelves, according to their owne will by their owne wayes; ſo the end of Satan in teaching them to manage their affaires, rather by power and policie, with an abſolute command, then by loving perſwaſions and convictions of the mind, with the evidence and demonſtration of the Truth, is onelyonly to oppoſe in the ſoules of men the kingdome of Chriſt which is the light of Truth and the life of righteouſneſſe and holineſſe. For by theſe Chriſt is the King and Conquerour of ſoules; for by the light of Truth he ruleth in the underſtanding, and by the power of righteouſneſſe and holineſſe he ruleth in the will and affections of his ſubjects: if then Satan can gaine the opportunitie to ſet his miniſters aworke, who by the outward meanes of power and policie for their owne temporall ends, draw away mens minds from the attention unto, and the apprehenſion of Truth; and put out of their affections, the frame of meekneſſe, love and humility, wherein the life of righteouſneſſe and holineſſe doth ſtand; if (I ſay) he can get ſuch inſtruments, which hee can act either directly or indirectly to draw mens mindes from the way of Chriſt by this way of his owne creating; then he hath clearely gained his end; becauſe he will be able to keepe mens underſtandings in darkneſſe; that is, in ignorance or doubt of the truth; and their will and affections in confuſion and diſorder, that is, in a frame oppoſit to the Law of God and his righteouſneſſe.The direct meanes of erecting Satans kingdome.
Now Satan will bee able to doe this directly by his inſtruments, when hee can cauſe the profeſſion of ignorance to be advanced, ſet up and commended by authority, or commanded by a Law, or when hee can cauſe the knowledge and practiſe of any thing; beſides that which is ſetled by meer humane authority for certain ends of State to be made a crime puniſhable by death; by infamie or by any other penaltie, and when he can cauſe the whole frame and profeſſion of Religion to bee fitted onelyonly to eſtabliſh that greatneſſe, wherein the glory of the outward ſtate and the authority of his inſtruments doth conſiſt. All which Satan doth with a high hand groſly in the Mahumetan, but with more ſubtiltie, and moſt compleatly in the Papall ſtate; and this hee is able to doe every where elſe in ſome competent meaſure whereſoever the maximes of abſolute dominion are maintained, and where the great Idoll of Politicians, which is called the reaſon or intereſt of State is onelyonly worſhipped; and the true reaſon and intereſt of Conſcience and Religion is laid aſide and comparatively not at all regarded: I ſay whereſoever this courſe is followed, there Satan is able to oppoſe the kingdome of Chriſt directly.
The indirect means whereby Satan ſets up his kingdome.But where hee cannot attaine to this hee taketh the neereſt way hee can to gaine the ſame purpoſe indirectly, which is done by making all doctrines of Truth doubtfull, and all Goſpel Ordinances full of confuſion.
Now to make all Truths doubtfull, hee raiſeth diſputes, and doth find out wayes to make them undecidable: and this he doth chiefly by the meanes of thoſe that ſhould bee the unanimous witneſſes of that Truth, which is called into queſtion, when they are diſunited amongſt themſelves. And to confound the Ordinances, he ſetteth every one promiſcuouſly upon the adminiſtration thereof in his owne way; not onelyonly by giving a freedome unto all both to doe without controule what they pleaſe in ſuch matters, and to condemne and oppoſe every one that is not of their way; but alſo by diſanulling the authoritie by which all order ſhould bee ſetled in Church and Commonwealth. And to bring all this to paſſe, his main endeavour is to cauſe the Miniſters of the Goſpel, either to bee ſubordinate unto his miniſters in all things at their will; or by variance of judgement amongſt themſelves, and difference of practiſes from each other to loſe their way; to neglect the rules of unitie and forbearance which the Word preſcribeth to uphold the communion of Saints, which is their ſtrength; to breake the bonds of love and peace; and having ingaged them into quarrels, to bring them within the compaſſe of his reach, that is, to move them to act their controverſies, by the wayes of the power and policie of his kingdome for ſelf aimes: For if hee once can corrupt the ſimplicitie of their mindes ſo, that they minde not truely the dutie of being conformable to the Word in every thing, and to the ſpirituall aime of Chriſts walking in the world; and if he can ingage them into worldly deſignes to advance the ſame in a worldly way, hee hath gotten them cleerly within his reach; where he will endeavour to the utmoſt, firſt to cauſe them utterly forget and lay aſide the aime of their ſpirituall calling. Secondly, to allure them unto, and affect them with the appearance and glory of his dominion. Thirdly, to act them by the principles of outward feares and hopes to that which hee would have them doe; and when hee hath once gotten them thus farre under the power of this ſnare, he will be able without reſiſtance to carry them headlong amongſt themſelves to more and more uncharitableneſſe and unconſcionableneſſe of converſation, whereby breaches will bee multiplied and made irreconciliable. For although a difference ariſe but from a very ſmall and circumſtantiall matter amongſt them (as it doth naturally fall out amongſt other men;) yet Satan aiming at them above all others, to get advantages againſt them, if he doth find them in ſuch a caſe; either without brotherly and charitable affections, or inclined to pleaſe themſelves; hee will bee able to worke upon them firſt jealouſies, and by jealouſies miſtakes, and by miſtakes a diſtance and ſtrangeneſſe, by reaſon of worldly aimes differently carried on; and when plots and paſſions are come to ſome maturitie, croſſe courſes and mutuall provocations will bee ſet on foot, reall injuries will bee offered; complaints and clamours will break forth, which in continuance make the diviſions of hearts paſt all remedy, and irreconciliable: becauſe it is not poſſible that men who aime at worldly matters, ſhould deny themſelves either the uſe of their wit and paſſions in the proſecution of their deſigne, or neglect the ſtrength which they have in hand, when they thinke it can ſerve their turne. For if they ſhould doe ſo, they ſhould ſeeme to quit their deſignes, and ſo loſe at once both the credit and profit thereof, which to men that make uſe of their reaſon onelyonly to compaſſe their owne will; and to that effect can employ both power and policie, is a thing altogether inſufferable, as being no leſſe contemptible then folly, and as hatefull as death.
This I conceive to bee one of the myſteries of iniquity, by which Satan doth prevaile againſt the Miniſters of the Goſpel even againſt many men that are otherwiſe godly and able, but are not ſufficiently aware of his wiles, by which they are drawn from their owne and enſnared in his way, by which meanes their hands being weakned in their work, hee gaineth his end at leaſt indirectly by their infirmities and miſcarriages.
Therefore all ſuch as are conſcionably ſenſible of their own frailties and of thoſe dangers, ſhould bee wakened from ſecuritie to become watchfull over their owne ſouls in theſe times of temptation: for amongſt the Proteſtant Churches, where, with the increaſe of knowledge, a true ſenſe of Chriſtian libertie is begotten in the minds of profeſſors; Satan hath none other way to fit to erect his kingdome as this is, of dividing the Miniſters: for which cauſe as wee ſee their diviſions daily increaſed, ſo the remedies ſhould be the more earneſtly thought upon, and offereed with freedome and tenderneſſe unto all indifferently, but chiefly to thoſe who are neereſt in principles, and have leaſt cauſe to walke aſunder and be at a diſtance.
The remedy againſt Satans way of corrupting the miniſtery.Theſe remedies can bee none other, but the helpes to holy communion amongſt Miniſters in the proſecution of ſpirituall aimes, tending to the advancement of Truth and Peace. For the unitie of their ſpirits in the ſimplicitie of Truth is their ſtrength: and the evidence of grace without worldly wiſedome in their walking, will make them not onelyonly invincible, but even irreſiſtible: becauſe the power of the Word of life, which is a two-edged Sword; and the armour of righteouſneſſe on the right hand and on the left (when they are handled in ſinceritie without all mixture of humane policie) will bee prevalent to make them triumph in Chriſt, 2 Cor. 2.14.and to cauſe the inhabitants of the world to fall in due time before them; that in the day of Chriſts power (which wee hope is approaching) all the ſtrong holds of Satan may be ſurrendred unto him.
This enſuing diſcourſe then concerning unitie and forbearance, to ſhew the ground,The end of the enſuing diſcourſe, and the occaſion of putting it to paper. termes, and motives thereof, was by me conceived, as a propeſall of matters belonging properly to the conſideration of the Orthodox Miniſters of this kingdome, who diſſent onelyonly from each other in the way of government; that if our private or publique conferences had continued as they were begun in ſimplicitie, the heads thereof might have been a ſubject of further deliberation amongſt us; For to that effect they were put to paper at the deſire of ſome, but ſeeing the motions tending to a reconcilement of our Religious differences ſeeme to be obſtructed ſo, that there is little or no hope to gaine any further meetings and conferences in this kind, and for this aime; therefore I have enlarged them a little and altered the frame thereof ſomewhat,And of enlarging and publiſhing the ſame. and now ſhall leave them to you to bee diſpoſed of as God ſhall direct you for the publick good to make uſe of them. For whether the obſtruction of theſe thoughts of reconcilement, ariſe from the unwillingneſſe of ſome, who perhaps thinke it not wiſedome to venture their paines in ſuch a way, or from the State contrivements, or preingagements, and combinations of others, who by any of theſe meanes, thinke themſelves ſtrong enough to gain their own deſires another way. Whether (I ſay) from any, or from all of thoſe cauſes, the obſtruction doth ariſe, it is to mee a matter of no diſcouragement, but rather an occaſion to bee willing to appeare ſo as I am, in the preſence of God free from intereſts, and before men, without all pretence to wiſedome, ſtrength and authoritie: That ſo farre as thoſe motions ſhall be found agreeable to the will of God, and ſutable to the conſcience of thoſe, whoſe wiſedome, ſtrength and authoritie is the obedience of Faith in performing their dutie, they may be entertained with ſingleneſſe of heart, and if ſo many of us as have freed our ſpirits from the bondage of feares and hopes in reſpect of outward matters, and have given our ſelves up to walke openly, by knowne and undeniable rules, and by the Law of unprejudicate love to bee without offence towards all, ſhould but reſolve upon this provocation, to lay the matter of dutie repreſented therein, more ſeriouſly to heart then hitherto wee have done, and to ripen further thoughts concerning the ſame; who knoweth what God may work thereby? It is not impoſſible for him to blow upon the dead bones of our ſcattered affections, from the wayes of peace and communion, to bring them to a concurrence in the acknowledgement of ſome rules which 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.