Unity our Duty

UNITY OUR DUTY.

In Twelve considerations humbly presented to the godly, Reverend, and learned Brethren of the Presbyterian judgment, and the dissenting godly, reverend, and learned Brethren, commonly called Independent, contending together about CHURCH GOVERNEMENT.

T He errors of the times doth abunantly vindicate the defect of our faith in the knowledge of the truth, And the divisions of the times the defect of our love in the prosecution of the same, the form of sound words is to be held fast in faith and love, 2 Tim. 1. 13. The devouring sword abroad, and the deviding pen at home, rendereth our condition very near the pit of destruction, and that by a Divine hand of Justice? for as the want of sound knowledge argueth the weakness of our heads, (and so our unprofitablenes for God) so the want of love the rottenness of our hearts, and what shall God do with a weak headed and rotten hearted people. It is hard to say whether is the saddest Omen of our approaching misery; either the unhappy divisions of our own party, or between ourselves and the common Enemy, whose promising advantage against ourselves in that particular, is their greatest hopes, and our greatest fear; they are united, we divided; they are all one against us, & each of us one against his brother, unity acteth the sons of error & division the sons of truth, which is as if the good should with the wicked, change qualities, and yet retain privileges; the spirit of pride, peevishness▪ • ssion, perverseness, malice, confidence, envy and Emulation doth apparently look (as through a lettice)▪ through these late times of contention about Church Discipline, between (I hope) godly parties on each side, which is as sad in it self as the consequence, (if not prevented) are like to be; The Melancholy and serious observation whereof hath cast me upon these present, sudden, but seasonable thoughts, which I have molded into several considerations and motives unto a more sweet, Christian, and lovely demeanour of ourselves in our mutual pleadings and writing against one another unhappily dissenting about the truth, first consider the mind of God, revealed in the Scriptures about the same who hath commanded us, to love one another, John 15. 17. to follow the truth in love, Ephes. 4 15▪ to provoke one another to love, Heb. 10. 24. to reduce the fallen brethren either in judgment or practice with the spirit of meekness, bearing one another's burdens, and so fulfilling the law of Christ, Oal. 6. 1, 2. to take heed of biting and devouring one another, least we be consnmed one of another, Gal. 5. 15. to walk by the same rule so far as we have mutually attained, and if any be contrary minded, to wiate with Christian respect and love in confidence that God will seasonally reveal the truth unto the mistaken, Phil. 3. 15, 16. To be kindly affectioned one towards another with brotherly love in honor, preferring one another, Rom. 10. 12. and that this love should not be complemental, but without dissemulation, Rom. 12. 9. with a pure heart fervently, 1 Pet. 1. 22. in deed and in truth, 1 John 3. 18. that this brotherly love should continue, Heb. 13. 1. and be daily increasing and abounding one towards another, 1 Thes. 3. 12. with many other Scriptures of the like importance.

Consider the pattern which is set before you, God is love, and he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him, 1 John 4. 16. We differ from God in heart, in life, in judgment, in practice, and yet still God is love, the father himself loveth you, John▪ 16. 27. be ye therefore followers of God as dear children, and walk in love, Ephes. 5. 1, 2. the Son hath loved you▪ in nature, kind, and degree, even as the Father hath loved the Son, John 15. 9. That is infinitely, Eternally, and in things infinite▪ there are not degrees of comparison, he gave himself (a measure of his love to us) then the which there could be no greater love, John 15. 13. the inference from hence is verse 17. that ye love one another, the holy spirit is a spirit of love, 2 Tim. 1. 7. and the fruit of it is love, Gal. 5. 22. And where ever it is in truth, it knits the heart with the Saints in love, Colos. 2. 2. rooting and grounding them in love, Ephes. 3. 17. causing not only the report of their faith in Christ Jesus, but also of their love to all Saints to be heard abroad in the world, Colos. 1. 4. the father, the son, the holy spirit loveth us not withstanding our vast and infinite disproportion and difference from this holy Trinity in our judgments, wills, affections, lives, and conversations, and surely they that are taught of God do love one another, 1 Thes. 4 9. Consider how sweetly, and kindly the almighty treateth with the sons of men, his words are soft breaking our bonds, Prov. 25. 15. and his writings are words of reconsiliation▪ sending his Ambassadors to beseech us, and most kindly to pray us in Christ's name and stead to be reconciled unto God, 2 Cor. 5. 20.

Thirdly consider, we cannot as yet be all of one mind, which is our affliction as well as our sin, yet may we be all of one heart, the fallings wherein is more our sin then our sorrow, unity in judgment is the promised blessing of another age, but unity in affection is our present duty, though we cannot speak all the same things of saith, though our difference in judgment, yet we may all speak the same things of love through the unity of our affections; though we cannot agree in all things, which should be all our grief, yet we all agree in this thing, to strive together to know the truth as it is in Jesus, which calls for our love to one another, God in Christ, and Christ in God is the pure spring of that divine love which is always running from God to Christ, and from Christ to God, the streams whereof do cheare the hearts of all the Saints, but the Saints in Christ and Christ in Saints should make each lovely in each others eyes, our mutual interest in Jesus Christ should make us value each other as precious jewels which God will make up in the day of his glory, Mal. 3. 17 We are all acceptable to God in the beloved, Ephes. 1. 6, and why not then unto one another.

Fourthly, Consider, we all know but in part. 1 Cor. 13. 9. And therefore none are so perfectly acquainted with one truth that he needs no further light about the same, and it is to beconceived that the errors of judgment in the godly, ariseth not from the love of error, but the mistake of truth; so that the light of the Saints possibly may be dim; and their darkness or ignorance not absolutely without or utterly remote from some light: they ought therefore to here on another patiently, and to bear with one another kindly, it is the property of the Father of lights▪ and▪ of the Son of righteousness, the light of the world that in him should be all light and no darkness at all: He that dwelleth in love dwelleth in light, for God is light. He that saith he is in light, and hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness. (Notwithstanding his great presumption of his large abilities.) He knoweth not whether he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes. verse 11.

Fifthly, Consider a passionate, peevish, froward, pettish, perverse Professor is seldom acquainted with the truth as it is in Jesus, meekness encapableth a man to receive the truth. James 1. 21. A froward heart and a perverse tongue, or pen commonly goeth together, and Solomon saith that one findeth no good, and the other falleth into mischief, Pro. 17. 20. He that thinketh he knoweth nothing as he ought to know is in the sweetest capacity to be taught of the father, who filleth the hungry with good things, but sendeth the rich empty away. Resisting the proud, he giveth grace to the humble, the Lord guideth the meek in judgment, and them will he teach his way. Psal. 25. 9. Those who are become like weaned children doth he teach knowledge, and understand doctrine. Isaiah 28. 9. A froward heart, tongue, or pen, is an abomination unto the Lord, and therefore the secrets of the Lord cannot be with such Swelling words commonly come from shallow brains; and the most ignorant are most conceited; With the lowly there is wisdom. Pro. 21. 2. A railing tongue or pen is like the raging waves foaming out it's own sham • . Jude 13. The Lord teacheth the lowly person, and such is fit to teach his brother.

Sixthly, Consider how much men preiudiceth the truth by apassionate endeavor to vindicate the same, railing language and invective lines▪ veils the truth that it cannot be seen, who loves to drink in troubled waters? or puddle streams? When men's foam of malice, envy and discontent, appear▪ in the surface of their peevish lines, who will look for truth therein▪ A smooth pen shall not bewitch me, for I will examine what it affirms. A scolding dialect shall not corrupt me, for I will never bestow the pains to read it, truth hath never need of passion, but oft of patience. A froward pen oft times stir up other men's passions, but seldom settleth any man's judgment, frowardness raiseth up frowardness, and strife stirreth up strife, and both together rejoiceth the Devil and sporteth his children, and the truth is neglected all the while: He that endeavors to conquer error with good success, must bring along with him meekness and truth, and having both may ride on and prosper. Psal. 45. 4.

Seventhly. Men do seldom contend for truth in a railing dialect, it is mistery more then truth that is so sought out, passion, envy, hatred, malice are the fruits of the flesh, and can these contend for their distroyer the spirit of truth? an unbridled tongue, a licentious pen, is the common charracter of a rotten heart, 1 James 26. The passion of the pen above that of the tongue is the more dangerous sign that the heart is rotten: A passionate tongue doth many times argue the distempers of the head, when the consent of the heart cannot begotten▪ but a railing pen doth clearly evince the hearts malice, commanding the head to subserve the same, a passionate tongue doth often declare a man robbed of his reason, but a passionate pen doth more clearly evince a man robbed of the truth, for his reason is ranged in his malicious lines, the passion of the tongue doth largely proclaim sin in the heart, but the passion of the pen the heart in sin, for deliberation, invention, memory, wit, reason, all are commanded by that heart of sin, truth triumphs only in tittle, but pride and arrogancy in the matter it self.

Eighthly, Consider how doth it gratify the designs of the adversary, that the Saints should thus wrangle each with his brother, how doth this cheare up the popish, Episcopal, Presbyterial, Independent, Antinominicall, Annabaptisticall, Jesuit: For I presume the Jesuit personates them all: and whose ends we prosecute by our unhappy divisions amongst ourselves, how is this told in Gath, and published in Askalon, how do the daughters of the Philistines rejoice? and the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph? How do they jeer at our discord▪ that we ourselves proves thorns in one another's eyes, and goad in one another's sides? boasting that they lashed us with rods, but we ourselves with scorpions, and that our own little fingers will be heavier upon one another, then their loins were upon us all. They oppressed us and we were pitied of all, we oppress ourselves and then who pitieth us: They ruined us by an usurpation, and shall we strive to ruin one another by a law? They crushit us by the heavy sentences of the Heigh Commission, & Star Chamber, & shall we endeavor to do the same by the Authority of Parliament? If we love not one another, let us love ourselves, for each undermineth his own security by circumventing his brothers peace.

Ninthly, Consider how do Saints loose in each others hearts, when they gall and grieve and vex one another in each others pen. To give milk and honey for vinegar and gall, blessing for cursing, kind words for bitter language, this is indeed our duty, but hereunto who hath attained? And shall we tempt one another with such provocations▪ Sorrow and trouble, persecution and affliction, envy and malice, evil speaking and railing, we expect from the world, but bitter quarter from bitter people: The Saints should be each others shelter, we do not gather grapes from thorns, not briers from vines, men do not gather figs from thistles, nor prickles from fig trees. Churlish language I expect from a Nabell, not from a David, Scoffs from an Ishmael not from an Isaac, Rayling from a Rabsheika, not from an Hezekiah, Dungeons from an Ahab, not from a Michaiah, Prisons from an Herod, not from John the Baptist, Chaines from a Nero, not from a Paul, Banishment from Flavius Domitian, not from John the Evangelist, Jeares from a Julian, not from a Christian. No, no, gentleness and meekness, love and peace, kindness and goodness, bowels of mercy and compassion from the hearts and tongues, the hands and pens of all wherein dwells the spirit of Christ. But when our expectations are failed, looking for peace with Jeremiah and no good comes, for help from the Saints and behold trouble. When our brethren turns Dragons, as Job saith, and we are companions to Owls even birds of prey: How will our bowels boil and resteth not, our harp turns into mourning, and our Organs into the voice of them that weep? Job 30. 29. 31. Hard speeches and heavy hands upon the Saints of God from great Professors, proud looks, and swelling words have formerly been the certain prognostics of approaching Apostasy: and that Charracter seldom fails. As for my part God give me favor in the eyes of those who are his Favorites, love in their hearts, interest in their prayers, and make me to the uttmost a friend and a favourer of them, however they differ from me in my judgment.

Tenthly, Consider, wrangling, writing, and railing language each against other in our own party, hasteneth our destruction▪ and hindereth our reformation and who but a Jesuit delighteth herein? What is it which obstructeth the Parliament Assemblie, or Armies, but our unhappy divisions amongst ourselves? We want love, and where love is not, where is our piety? and where there is no unity, there is as little policy. For my part the unhappy quarrel between Presbyterian and Independent speaketh as sadly to me, and threateneth as sorely, as the woeful distance between King and Parliament, and the happy reconciliation of the former parties would quit my thoughts of the fear of the latter, and happy should that man be called by this present age, which should prove an instrument of so good a work, But where is that pen of peace? and that heart of love? that spirit of meekness? and that head of wisdom? How beautiful should the very feet of those be which could bring such tidings of joy to this Kingdom.

Eleventhly, Consider, the difference is more in the heart then in the head, in the affections then in the judgment▪ which is more dangerous because less reconcilable, a gracious heart commands the head to hearken to truth, but a more sound head cannot command a perverse mind, the difference between the parties we speak of is more in show, then in deed and truth, the Presbyterian is departed from Episcopacy. the Independent questions such and such a qualified Presbyterie, but they that are godly of both parties, are not engaged past a retreat to the truth of God. Who ever can show it, could each of us lovingly here his brother, happily each might be bettered by the other, those that are the strongest Antagonists about Discipline suppose it a piece of policy, not of divinity, and is it policy for the Saints to ruin one another? Inteligent men are of opinion that i • each party would with meekness and patience here one another, reconciliation between them would attend the issue, and shall we destroy one another before we will give one another the heating? What aparrant untruths, and gross mistakes even in matters of fact have been reported of their dissenting brethren; for want of hearing them speak for themselves? I could instance in many in mine own observations, but that the making up, and not the widenning of breaches is my present purpose.

Twelfthly, Consider the dear relation wherein we stand each to other in Jesus Christ, Have we not the same Lord? the same faith? the same baptism? Did not we all lie together as it were in the same womb of the Almighty's gracious purpose? are we not all the price of the same ransom? the redeemed of the same Savior? Doth not the same spirit of Jesus breath in our hearts? the same blood of Jesus run in our veins? Are we not all brethren in the faith? and shall brethren reproach brethren? brethren rail against brethren? brethren undermine the peace and comfort of one another, is it brotherly to discover one another's weaknesses, failings, and indiscretions? brethren accuse brethren? brethren betray brethren? What! brethren without bowels? without natural affection to brethren? Who but a Cain will seek the ruin of a brother Abel, because his holy services are more acceptable then his own? Who but a Ham will betray the nakedness of his own family? God put enmity between Satan and Saints, but Satan puts enmity between Saints and Saints; whose works they do that foment the same. An ungodly man diggeth up evil, and in his lips there is a burning fire, and a froward man soweth strife, and a whisperer separateth chief friends. Pro. 16. 27. 28. and it is a wicked man that walketh with a froward mouth, Pro. 6. 12. And shall such be found among the Saints? Oh where is that spirit which should knit our hearts together in love? Are we not all members of the same body? if one suffer do not all suffer? and shall we persecute one another? if one be disgraced do we not all blush? and shall we shame one another? is love the figne of a Disciple of Christ? and shall we hate one another? doth not each member need his fellow: and shall each destroy each other? Is the body of Christ the horrid monster of these monstrous times? Is it thus amongst Turks, and Pagans, Mahumitans, Atheists, or Papists? Do Malignants thus pen it against Malignants, Cavaliers against Cavaliers? are there such bitter words or bitting language? such harsh sayings or hard speakings to be heard in the Camp of our adversaries? Deare sirs is it truth or trouble you thus persue? if the truth, fight for it in its own way, it calls for your love to itself & children & not for your ranckor, for your pains & not your passion, it calls for help and not for hindrance, If truth doth reign, why scratch you her with a crown of thorns, giving her vinegar and gall to drink, If truth be queen her royal attendance and maids of honor should be love, and meekness, gentleness and goodness, kindness and mercy, forbearance and pity. Why do men vex her with pride & passion, strife & contention, frowardness and anger? Her Kingdom is peace, her commands are love, her royal law to her • oyal Subjects is follow th • truth together in love, Ephes. 4. 15. Lions & Wolves, Bears & Tigars, Dragons and Ultars, with such hurtful creatures becomes the shady wilderness of the wicked world, but none that do destroy should once approach the Lord's holy Mountain. it becomes Toads to belch out venom, and hellish furies to spit fire, each at other▪ and not the Saints of the most high God, shall they dig out one another's bowels, rend one another's name, plunder one another's reputes dearest sirs Turn your swords into plowshares, and your spears into pruineing hooks, and learn no more to war one against another. Isaiah 2. 4 Let the Wolf dwell with the Lamb, and the Leopard lie down with the Kid, and a child by truth lead them both▪ Let no corrupt communication come out of your mouth (or pen) but that which is good for the use of edifying, that may administer grace to the hearers, and readers, and let all bitterness and wrath and anger, clamour and evil speaking (or writing) be put away from you, with all malice▪ and be ye kind one to another, tender hearted▪ forgiving one another, as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. Ephes. 4 29. 31. 32.