CHAP. IV. Opening the true Grounds on which the Churches Unity and Peace must be sought, and the means
CHAP. IV. Opening the true Grounds on which the Churches Unity and Peace must be sought, and the means that must be used to attain so much as is here to be expected.
Q uest. But if this be not the way of the Churches Unity, which is? And what should we desire and endeavor for the attaining it? For the distractions of the Church are so great through our divisions, that it makes us still apt to suspect that we are out of the way.
Though it be a great work to answer this question rightly, and a hundred, a thousand times greater to answer it satisfactorily (that is, to satisfy prejudiced incapable men with a right answer,) yet I shall attempt it by casting in my thoughts; or to speak more confidently, by declaring so much as I am certain is the will of God concerning this weighty thing.
And here I shall first lay down those grounds upon which we must proceed, if we will do our duty for the union of the Church. 2. I shall tell you what must be done to reduce them into Practice.
1. The first General Ground is this [Peace and Holiness must be carried on together: Yea Peace must be sought as a Means to Holiness: and therefore
Holiness which is the End, must be preferred.] The wisdom that is from above, is first Pure, then Peaceable, Gentle, easy to be entreated, &c. Jam.
3. A man may be saved that cannot attain Peace with men: and therefore we are commanded to seek it as an uncertain good, Rom. 12:18. If it be possible, as much as in you lieth, live peaceably with all men: But no man can be saved without Holiness, Heb. 12:14. Follow Peace with all men, and Holiness, without which no man shall see God. There is a kind of Unity among Devils. For if Satan were divided against Satan, how could his
Kingdom stand? Matth. 12. There is a Peace in a state of misery and sin, which hindereth men's recovery. For when the strong man armed keeps his house, the things that he possesseth are in Peace. It is a state of greatest danger on earth to be United in evil, and to have Peace in a way of sin. And therefore it is no wonder if there be more lovers of Peace then of Holiness, and more that will cry out of our Divisions then of our ungodliness, and more that cry out of so many Religions, then of irreligiousness and ungodliness. For nature may make a man in love with Unity and Peace, but not with Holiness; for with that it is at Enmity. Hence it is that we hear so many Worldlings, Swearers, Drunkards, Whoremongers cry up unity, and cry down so many minds and ways: And hence it is that so many, such wicked livers do turn Papists on supposition that there is more unity with them. And so the Popish party among us are the sink into which the filth and excrements of our Churches are emptied.
2. The second General Ground. From hence it followeth that the first closure of the members of the Church must be upon principles of Faith and Holiness: and therefore only between the Professors of Faith and Holiness.
And therefore we ought not to be solicitous of obtaining a Unity with open ungodly men; For what Communion hath light with darkness? Or what concord hath Christ with Belial? If men will not agree with us in the great
Principles of Godliness, nor join with us in avoiding crying sins, and living
a Holy life; it is they that are the Separatists, and withdraw from our communion. If they will not come to us in Piety, we must not come to them in Impiety. And to attempt a union with them in Government and Ceremonies, when we cannot bring them to a Union with us in seeming
Godliness, is as vain as to attempt to an Association with the dead, and to make a marriage with a stinking Corpse. It is therefore but a carnal stir that Papists, and some Reconcilers make to have a Union so General, as shall take in the most impious rabble that ought to be excommunicated, and should conjoin the living and the dead. And therefore in some cases we are all called to separate, by him that calleth us in other cases to unity: And he tells us that he came not to send peace, (with such) but division.
3. The third General Ground. Unity and Peace are such excellent things, and so much depend upon Love and Holiness, and suppose also so much
Illumination, that the perfection of them is reserved for Heaven: and as it is but a small measure of Illumination, and Love and Holiness that is here attainable, in comparison of that which we shall have in heaven; so it is but a small measure of Peace and Concord: And therefore though our desires and endeavors should go as high as we can, yet our expectations on earth must not fly too high. This hath been my own error. I have not sufficiently considered, that perfect Peace, as well as perfect Holiness is the prerogative of Heaven, and that true Peace will be imperfect while the Light and Virtue which is supposed to it is imperfect. And it is a blind absurd conceit of them that wonder we have not perfect Unity, when yet they murmur at Piety, and think a little may serve the turn, and any sin is tolerable thats directly against God, but not disunion.
So much for the General Grounds: The Particular Grounds are these following.
1. Ground it is the Prerogative of the Lord Jesus to be the only Head and Sovereign of the Church. And his will revealed is our Law, and in him only must we center: and not in any Vicarious Universal Head: And from him must all receive their power: and all must worship God according to his praescript. Eph. 4:3,4,5, and 1:21,22; Matth. 28:18,19; Col. 1:18; Acts 4:12, and 3:22, and 7:37; Matth. 3:17; 1 Cor. 3:5,22; 1 Cor. 1:12; Gal. 2:9,10.
2. Gr. The Holy Scriptures with the Law of Nature, are the only Laws of Christ: unless as he may possibly by extraordinary Revelation, oblige some person to a particular duty, not contrary to that word, but left undetermined: which yet is so rare a thing that men must not rashly presume of such a matter, 1 Tim. 1:3; Gal. 1:7,8,9; Isa. 8:20; 1 Cor. 4:6; 2 Tim. 3:17; Deut.
12:32; Matth. 15:9,11.
3. It is the prerogative of Christ himself to be the supreme, absolute and final Judge of the sense of his own Laws, and of the causes that are to be tried thereby.
And therefore it is treasonable folly to attribute any of this to man: and to cry out for an Absolute Judge of Controversies here on earth: when one saith, This is the sense of Scripture, and another saith that is the sense: saith the Papist, [But who shall be Judge?] To which I answer, How far man is
Judge, I shall tell you in the next: but the Absolute Judge, and the final Judge is only Christ. He that made the Law is the proper Judge of the sense of his own Laws: Do you not know that Christ will come to judgment, and that all secrets must then be opened by him, and he must decide what man cannot? Man is to Judge but in tantum; ad hoc; secundum quid; limitedly; so far as he must execute; but Christ only Judgeth entirely, finally and absolutely, 2 Cor. 4:3,4,5; 1 Tim. 5:24; Jam. 4:11,12; 1 Pet. 1:17, and 2:23;
1 Cor. 2:15; Act. 23:3; 1 Cor. 13:9-12; Mar. 7:9,13.
4. All Councils whether General, or Provincial, or Classical, which consist of the Bishops or Pastors of several Churches met together, are appointed and to be used directly, but gratiâ Unitatis, & Communionis Christianae, and not directly gratia regiminis for the Governing of Pastors, in order to Unity and Communion, and not as a Regimental, as to the Pastors. This
Proposition which is of exceeding consequence, was voluntarily asserted to me, without my own asking his opinion, by that Learned, Judicious man
Arch-Bishop Usher; a man well known to be acquainted with the Judgment and practice of the Ancients, if any other whoever. His words were these.
[Councils are not for Government, but for Unity; not as being in order of Government over the several Bishops; but that by consultation they may know their duty more clearly, and by agreement maintain Unity; and to this end they were anciently celebrated] Himself a Primate, recommended to others these moderate Principles. And this middle way of Reverend Usher is the true healing Mean, between them that would have properly Governing
Councils, and them that would have none, or think them needless, or but indifferent things.
But yet (as is before mentioned in the tenth Proposition) consequentially we are obliged to perform the Agreements of these Councils, if they be agreeable to the General Rules of the Scriptures, or if our performance be not forbidden by the Word of God; Because we are under the General obligation to do all things in as much unity, concord and peace as we can,
Gal. 2, per totum. 1 Cor. 3:5,22; 2 Cor. 13:11, and 1 Cor. 1:10, and 4:6; Matth. 20:25; Phil. 3:16, and 4:2; Matth. 23:8,9,10; 1 Pet. 5:3.
And I grant that Pastors are related to the Universal Church, as well as to a particular, and are to have a common care of the whole, though they have a special charge only of their particular flocks. Therefore many Pastors in a
Synod are Pastors as well as disjunct, and therefore their acts are authoritative Governing Acts as to the flock. But 1. To the Pastors themselves, they are not properly Governors, no more in Synods then out.
2. And as to the flocks, they are not in a direct superior order above their particular Pastors; but only from their concord are accidentally more to be regarded and obeyed then a single Pastor, as a College of Physicians is more to be regarded then a single Physician, not as being of higher authority, but of greater credit, in cases where men must be trusted.
5. A Council consisting of Bishops or Pastors that by distance are not uncapable of ordinary local Communion, whether it be a General Council
(as they are commonly called, which are not such properly) or National, or Provincial. 1. As they are Christians singly, have a Judgment of Discerning, what is sound Doctrine, and whom to judge Catholics and fit for their
Communion: And 2. As they are single Pastors, they have the Judgment of Direction, what Doctrine to recommend as found to their people (limited to the Superior Direction of God by his Word,) and whom they must hold or not hold Communion with: And this is an Authoritative Direction, which may be accompanied with a Commanding, as a Herald or Pursuivant may command in the Princes name. 3. And as they are many Pastors in Council assembled, they have a Judgment of Concord, or Power to enter solemnly into Consultations for mutual information, and then into Agreements, for the right performance of their duty, in recommending that which is sound
Doctrine to their people, and receiving the true members of the Catholic Church, and rejecting such as are to be rejected.
So that the most General Councils of true Pastors caeteris paribus, are to be most reverenced by the Princes and people, and in cases where they are sure it is lawful to follow their Agreements, though they be not satisfied of
the necessity of it à natura rei, they ought to follow them on the account of unity; and also in cases merely doubtful to them in point of Doctrine, to be balanced by their judgments rather than by the Judgment of single Pastors, and more then by any other human judgment caeteris paribus: which exception I add, because a smaller Assembly, yea a single Pastor or private man, speaking according to the Word of God, is to be believed and regarded more than the greatest Assembly contradicting the Word: yet we are not easily to think, without evident proof, that one man should be rather in the right then so many; seeing it is easier for one to err then so many, and the promises are more to the public, then any single persons, so far as they can be known to others: And yet an Assembly of an hundred, or twenty, or ten apparent humble, holy, Judicious men, is likelier to be in the right, and more to be regarded, then an Assembly of a thousand ignorant unlearned wicked
Bishops. One clear eye may see further than ten thousand purblind ones, Act. 6:5; Act. 5:34; 1 Thes. 2:14; 1 Cor. 11:16, and 14:33, and 10:32.
6. As the properest matter for such General Assemblies to Consult and Agree upon, is General things; as, What Doctrine is sound, and what unsound in General; what persons in General fit for the Churches
Communion, and what unfit, &c. so smaller Assemblies that are capable of ordinary personal Communion, and know the persons and circumstances of the cases, are fittest to consult and agree whether such or such particular persons are fit for their own Communion; yea and for their Churches
Communion in difficult cases: And also may consult and agree what Doctrines and practices to recommend to their own people, as most agreeable to the Word of God: And thus far these two sorts of Synods may be said to have a power of Judging; viz. ad hoc, in order to such agreements and practice, Act. 6:5,6; Rom. 15:26,27; 2 Cor. 8:19.
7. The Pastors of particular Worshipping Churches, are the Authorized Guides, Rulers or Teachers of those Churches, and each Member thereof: and must first discern in their own minds, and next (if they be many over a Church) Agree among themselves, and then teach the people, what is to be believed and practiced, and with whom in General, and in Particular to hold
Communion, and whom to avoid, and may charge the people in Christ's name to obey their just directions; and when they have done, must themselves execute their own part herein (as by avoiding the Rejected, and not delivering them the Symbols or Sacrament of Communion, &c.) And though they must consult with neighbor Churches for carrying on the work of God in unity, and to the best advantage of the Common cause, yet are they not under the proper Government of them, or any Assemblies
(Ecclesiastical,) though obliged in all just things to Agree with them. So that Canons as Canons, I mean the Conclusions of such Assemblies, are but properly Agreements, and not Laws, though by consequence they may be said to oblige, or rather we by another Law obliged to accord and practice them, Heb. 13:17; 1 Thess. 5:12,13; 1 Cor. 4:1,2; Act. 20:28.
8. The work of Councils how large so ever, is not to make new Scriptures to be the Rule of our Faith and Life, nor to make new Articles or Doctrines of Faith, nor to frame God a new Worship in whole or in part; But by Consultations and Agreements to strengthen each other, and Direct the people in the faith of Christ, and the maintaining and propagating the Doctrine of the Holy Scriptures, and doing those duties in the Worship of God, and in Righteousness and Mercy to men, which the Scriptures do impose, and in agreeing upon those Modes and Circumstances of Worship which God hath made necessary in genere, and left to occasional human determination in specie: Nor may they under this pretense, either contradict
the just determination of the Magistrate concerning such Circumstances, or impose any ensnaring, needless Ceremonies upon the Church; but only order the service of God according to the General Directions of the Scripture, and the Light of Nature, which by the consideration of the case may help to discern the fittest order. It is therefore a strange assertion of some, that Governors have nothing to do if they may not appoint new
Ordinances or Symbolical Ceremonies on the Church, and make new Laws, seeing God hath done the rest already. As if it were nothing to see to the execution of God's Laws? Or as if this were not the fittest work for such kind of Rulers, whose Rule is only by Ministerial Guidance? Or as if the determination of Necessary Circumstances requisite ex natura rei, were not enough for them to do, beside what is written? There being no more necessary to the reducing of the Laws of God into practice: Me thinks mere servants and Ambassadors should not be very forward in making Laws, if they understand their office, Jam. 4:12; Heb. 8:10,16; Gal. 3:15; Deut.
12:32; Ezek. 2:7, and 3:10,11; 1 Cor. 3:5, and 4:1,2; 2 Cor. 1:24; 1 Cor.
6:12.
9. Those necessary Circumstances in Religious Worship which are of human determination, and left undetermined by God, are unfit matter for General Councils or remote Assemblies to make standing General Laws of:
For 1. The Nature of the things are such as are mutable, and unfit to be fixed, but must be frequently varied as occasions require. 2. The occurring circumstances will be the fittest guide to determine them. 3. They may be meet in one Country, or Church, which are unmeet in another. 4. Upon such reasons God himself hath left them undetermined: Therefore he left them not to any fixed General determination. 5. The Pastors that are in the place are the fittest Judges of those occasions that must determine them. 6. And it
is the office, and in the Commission of those Pastors to be the Guides of their own actions and Congregations. 7. And Councils are not their Lord's.
So that all this laid together, may tell us that it is rather the work of particular Pastors or Bishops, and of nearest Associations in those cases where Concord is requisite, then of Provincial, or National, or General
Councils to determine of such Circumstances. For example: The command of preaching, reading, administering the Sacraments, singing Psalms, &c. do imply that I must have some time and place to do them in: I must use some gesture, vesture, necessary utensils, but it tells not what in particular: I must read some particular Chapter, Psalm, &c. or so much of it: Now common prudence will tell me what to do in these cases myself, or else I am not fit to be a Pastor, or entrusted with so great a work as God's public
Worship, or the care of souls. Shall a Council now make Laws that all the Ministers in the World, or in this Nation, shall preach only on such a day, and only at such an hour, and in this or that part of the Church, and only on such Texts such days, appointing them a Text for every day; or that they shall use only such words in praying and preaching as is written for them; or shall pray or preach just so long; or shall sing only such a Psalm, in such a tune, using only such clothes, and such gestures, with an hundred the like?
This is to make themselves Masters of the Church, and use their power to the destruction of Ministry, Worship and Church, and not to the Edification of it. The present state of the flock, by sin; or affliction, or the like, may make such a Text fittest for me to preach on, and such a Chapter to be read, or such a Psalm to be sung, when by the Impositions of proud usurpers I am commanded to use the contrary, viz. Subjects of Joy, in a time of Humiliation, or of Humiliation in the time of Joy, &c. Many the like inconveniencies might easily be manifest. These unnecessary Impositions
are the Engines of Division, Act. 15:28; Rom. 14, throughout. Rom. 15:1,7; Phil. 3:15,16; Matth. 23:4, and 11:28; 1 Cor. 6:12; 2 Cor. 1:24.
10. Where some Impositions by Magistrates or Agreements by Ministers in such Circumstances are thought lawful or fit, yet must not the Churches
Unity or Peace be laid upon them: So that if through the weakness of Christians they could not perceive the lawfulness of them, but did think they should sin against God if they used them, it is a cruel dividing course for Magistrates here by sore penalties, or Pastors Excommunications to seek to drive them upon that which they think is the way to hell, or the wrath of God, when in the Judgment of the Imposer it is a thing indifferent: The peace of the Church and of Conscience is more worth then a Ceremony, and better kept by gentle recommending such things (if fit,) and a tender rebuke or check to the weak, then by forcing all to that which they neither can nor need to use. But some say, if all may use what way they will, what order shall we have? I answer; therefore make no unnecessary Laws: cast not a foot-ball of contention before them: These presumptuous Impositions are the fire brands of the Church. For example: we had here a Law that Ministers should read only such a piece of a Chapter called an Epistle and Gospel such a day (which yet I would not disobey:) here now arose contention about it: The same Ministers were left at liberty what Text to preach on: and this liberty made no breach in the Church. Ministers were commanded to wear a Surplice, and this raised contention: But what kind of hat, or cap, or shoes, or hose to wear, they were left at liberty, and this made no contention, nor occasioned any undecency. The Lord's Supper was to be taken only kneeling: and this raised contention: But they were left at liberty whether to kneel, or stand, or sit at Sermon, or reading, or singing Psalms, and this bred no undecency nor division. They were enjoined to bow at the
name of Jesus in the reading of the Gospel only: And this raised division.
But they were left at liberty to bow or not to the Name of God; Christ, Lord, &c. and to the Name Jesus in Sermon, or the Epistle, or the same Gospel read in the whole Chapter: and this bred no division, nor discontent: Lay the Churches peace upon no new human Impositions, if you would have it hold.
Peruse Rom. 14, and the other Text last cited, 1 Cor. 6:12.
11. The Churches Peace or Unity must not be laid on any bare words of man's devising. It's not a work for Councils or Prelates to form the Christian doctrine in new methods and terms, and then to force others to subscribe or use those very terms: If the same men that refuse this, be willing to subscribe to the whole Scripture, or to a Confession in Scripture terms, you may force him to no more.
Obj. But Heretics will subscribe to Scripture. Answ. 1. They must wrest it then, or wrest their Consciences: And by either or both these shifts, they may also subscribe to any of your Confessions. 2. If his Heresy be latent in his mind, you know it not, nor can call him a Heretic, nor doth it hurt the Church: If it he published or preached to others, let civil Governors question him for corporal punishment, and let the Associate Pastors question him to his Reformation or Rejection. You will have a better ground to reject him for delivering falsehood in his own words, then for not subscribing to Truth in your words, when he subscribed the same Truth in God's Words.
There is no Unity to be expected, if you will so far depart from the Scripture sufficiency, as to make any more for sense or phrase, of absolute necessity to our peace. By phrase or terms, I mean either the same numerically (as in the Original) or equipollent (as in translations.) And I say not that it's necessary to the unity of the Church, that every word in
Scripture (Original or Translations) be subscribed to; (for some may doubt of the corruption of a word or Book) But that no more is necessary. If all
Scripture be not of that degree of Necessity, much less human additions, Isa 8:20; 1 Tim. 3:17; 2 Tim. 1:13; 1 Cor. 9:5; 1 Tim. 6:20; Act. 20:32.
12. The Churches Unity and Peace must not be laid upon all Divine Truths: as not on lesser darker points, which neither the being nor wellbeing of Christianity is concerned in so much as to rest upon them, Phil.
3:15,16; Rom. 14:15,17,20; Heb. 5:11-14; 1 Cor. 7:19; Gal. 5:6, and 6:15; Col. 3:11.
13. We ought to love and esteem as Christians and members of the Catholic Church all those that profess to believe the Essentials of Christianity, and to be sanctified by the Spirit of God, and lead a holy upright life; so they make a credible profession, not evidently contradicted by words or deeds: though these persons may differ from us in many lower points of Doctrine, Worship or Government, 1 Cor. 1:2; Eph. 6:24; Gal.
6:15,16; Phil. 3:16; Rom. 15:1,2, and 14:1,2; 1 Cor. 8:9.
14. We ought so to manage the Worship of God in our particular solemn Assemblies, that no sober peaceable Christian may be repulsed or forced from our local Communion, through differences in things of indifferent nature, Heb. 8:5; Matth. 15:9; Rom. 14:13, and 14:1; 2 Cor. 11:3; Joh.
4:23,24.
15. If any Churches differ from us in Ceremonies or smaller things, or if any particular Christians differ, so that they cannot in conscience hold local
Communion with us in the same Assemblies for Worship (E. G. if we sit at the Lord's Supper, and they dare not take it without kneeling: if we sing a version of the Psalms which they scruple to join in; If we permit none to join that will not conform in disputable things) in such cases, though it be
first our duty to do our best to remove all offenses, yet if that cannot be done, we may and ought in several Assemblies to take each other for Brethren, and of the same Catholic Church, so be it we all hold the same essentials of Faith and Godliness, and walk accordingly, and especially if we also hold those weighty superstructures, that the welfare of the Church is most concerned in.
Though here were few or no instances of this case in the days of the Apostles, when divisions were not so great as now, yet the general rules in the fore-cited Texts do prove it.
16. Ecclesiastical Ministerial Government (by whomsoever exercised) must not degenerate into a secular coercive Government; nor may we use carnal weapons, nor meddle by force with men's bodies or estates; nor yet can we oblige the Magistrate to do it, merely to execute our censures, or without sufficient Evidence to prove it his duty; nor can we oblige the people against the Word of God, clave errante: so that neither Bishop, nor Council hath any such power as is properly decisively Judicial obliging to execution, be the sentence right or wrong: But our people must know that though we be their Guides or Rulers, yet are we but Ministers, and that they have a higher power to regard, and must not obey us against the Lord, but in and for him. The Power of Pastors therefore is not like Magistrates, or absolute Judges (as is said before, but like a Physician in his Hospital, or in an infected City among his Patients, and like a Reader of any Science to voluntary Scholars, in his School: and as an Ambassador to them to whom he is sent. So that our Governing being but by the Word, and on the Conscience, is of the same nature with our Directing. 1 Pet. 5:3; Luk.
22:25,26; 3 Joh. 9:10; 1 Cor. 4:1,2.
17. Magistrates are Governors of the Church even as a Church, and of Christians as Christians, though not Absolutely, nor in the same respects, by the same means, and to the same nearest Ends, as Pastors. Magistrates must force us to our duty, and punish us if we be wicked or negligent, even as Pastors, and cast us out of our Benefices, and deny us encouragements, if we be insufficient: so that ad hoc the Magistrate is the only Judge what is sound doctrine, and what heresy, what Ministers are sufficient or insufficient, culpable or not; I say, ad hoc, so far as to Judge who shall have public Liberty and Countenance, and who shall be punished, restrained and discountenanced: Thus far the Magistrate is Judge in Religion; (besides that Judgment of Choice which every private man hath) And therefore the Princes of the Christian world should hold some correspondencies like
General Councils, among themselves by their agents for carrying on the work of Christ, and much of the unity and prosperity of Christians lieth on their hands, Isa. 49:23; Psal. 2:12; Rom. 13:1-4; 1 King. 2:27,35, and 2
King. 18:4, and 2 King. 23:8,20; 2 Chron. 14:3,5; Josh. 1:8; 1 Tim. 2:2.
18. Yet are the Pastors of the Church in their places Rulers or Guides of Princes and Magistrates: that is, we Guide them by Doctrine and Church discipline, as they Rule us by force. The Pastors are the Judges of Heresy and Vice, ad hoc thus far, so as to judge who shall be Denounced by themselves unmeet for the Churches Communion; and Judges of sound
Doctrine so far as to resolve what is by themselves to be taught to the people: and Judges of that Magistrate so far, as to determine whether he be a fit subject for their Administrations and Communion. For every man is to judge when he is to act and execute (in these cases;) and therefore when the Question is, Who is to be tolerated or forcibly restrained, the Magistrate is the only Judge, and the Minister but a teacher: But the Question is, whom
should I admit or not admit to my Communion, and whom should I persuade and require the Church to avoid or to receive? Here the Pastors are the Judges: And when the Question is, Whether the Pastor go according to God's Word or not, here the people have Judicium Discretionis, and cannot be forced; though they ought to obey where they see not sufficient reason to the contrary, Matth. 28:18,19; Heb. 13:17; 1 Thess. 5:12; 1 Cor. 4:1; Luk.
12:42,44; 1 Sam. 28:18; Dan. 9:8,10; Joh. 20:23; 2 Chron. 36:14,15,16.
19. The honor and power of the Pastors is for their work: And so great is that work, that as to fleshly accommodations, it layeth us under abundance more trouble, then the power and honor affordeth us relief from. All true
Pastors therefore should be so far from striving for Power, and Greatness, and Rule, and extent of their Diocese as matters of advantage, that they should still look on their Power but as Power to thresh, or plough, or sow, or reap; a Power to give alms to all the poor in the Town, to visit all the sick, to cure mad men that will abuse me, &c. such a Power to labor and suffer in doing good. And thus he that will be the Greatest, but think of no other kind of greatness, but a power to become the servant of all: If men had these true apprehensions of the Episcopal office, they would be no more forward in contending for power and large Dioceses, then now they are in contending who shall Instruct most of the ignorant, or go to the poor ungodly families to further their reformation; or entreat, beseech, exhort most of the obstinate from man to man; or who should relieve the most of the poor of all the Country about. And if this be it they contend for, they may Rule without a Commission from the Prince: Who will hinder them, that hath any fear of God? 1 Cor. 4:9-13,16; Act. 20:18, to the end. 2 Cor.
1:24; Mar. 10:44; 1 Thess. 2:9; Luk. 10:2.
20. No man is called by God to more work than he can possibly do, nor should desire and undertake more. And therefore if Prelates, and Councils, and Popes would but conscionably bethink them of the work, what it is, and how to be done, and of what weight, and how strict will be the account, and then consider how they can do it, our differences would quickly be at end:
For though godly men would put off no service they can do, yet when they looked on the undertaking of these Impossibles, they would tremble to think on it. All conscionable men are sensible of their weakness, and the weight of the work, and say who is sufficient for these things; And I dare say the strongest of them all would feel the weight of the burden of one Parish, and be readier to beg and seek about for help, then to contend for a larger
Diocese, unless as the mere necessity of the Church for want of laborers might call them to labor in other parts. Duty supposeth Authority, and Authority supposeth ability and opportunity; even natural ability and mental qualifications, Psal. 131:1,2; 2 Cor. 2:16.
BY this much you may see what Unity may be expected in the Church on earth. 1. A unity of internal Faith and Love, and Spirit among all real
Christians. 2. A Unity of Profession, all professing the same Belief, that is of the word of God in General; and of the Creed and Essentials of Religion in particular; and as many more of the particular truths as they can reach.
3. A Unity of Professors in local communion in the same Assemblies in God's public Worship, in the Word, Prayer, Praises, Sacraments, &c. Where they cohabite, or have opportunity for such communion.
4. Among those that are out of our reach, or being near us, yet differing in some smaller things, where a difference is tolerable, we may yet in word, writing and deed own each other as Brethren, and combine for the promoting of the common good, and the commonly received truths and
duties. So that we have in these four, the unity of the spirit in the bond of Peace: One Body: (the Catholic Church comprehending all properly called
Christians) One Spirit (The sanctifying Spirit of Christ:) One Hope of our calling (One Promise or Gospel, and One Heaven and End:) One Lord
(even Christ the only Head of the Church) One Faith (Both objective, in Scripture, and the Creed: and subjective, specifical, which is our Reception of Scripture doctrine, and of Christ with his benefits:) One Baptism
(entering all one and the same Covenant with Christ, to be his, and take him for our Lord and Savior, renouncing the world, the flesh and devil, and signifying this by external washing in the name of that Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.) One God and Father (Our Creator, Preserver, our End and Happiness) Eph. 4:3,4,5.
And is all this Nothing to you that seemed so much to Paul? That unless you have also an Earthly, Universal Head, and a Unity in Ceremonies
(wherein all must be of your mind, and conform to you as if you were God's) you will revile at our divisions, and run to Rome for further Unity.
Having laid down those Grounds or Principles on which the Unity and Peace of the Church must be built, there appears not any great need of adding anymore for the reducing these to practice; if these were but received, the way of practice would be obvious. But briefly I shall lay down these few Propositions, implied in those expressed before.
1. Let every man profess his belief of the Holy Scriptures in General; and in particular of all that Scripture hath expressed to be of Necessity to Salvation: by denouncing death to them that have it not; And let them also
Profess to consent that God be their God, and Christ their Savior, and the Holy Ghost their Sanctifier, and that they renounce the flesh, the world and Devil, resolving to live a holy life. And let this be by a credible way of
Professing. And all that do thus, let us esteem, love, and use them as Christians, till they some way plainly disown this Profession.
2. Let every such Baptized Professor, owning also the Ministry, Church and Worship Ordinances, plainly required in Scripture, be a member of some particular Church, where he may worship God in the Communion of Saints.
3. Let those that make not the foresaid Christian Profession, be excluded the number of Christians, and those that own not the Fundamentals of communion, (the Church, Ministry, Word, Prayer, Praise, Sacrament of Communion) be taken as unmeet for actual communion with us, though yet we censure them not to be no Christians.
4. Let those that are obstinate and impenitent in any Errors, contrary to the said Profession and Ordinances, or in actual gross sin, or discovering an ungodly heart, be rejected by the Church, after due admonition and patience.
5. Let all the Pastors Associate, and hold constant correspondency according to their nearness and opportunity, for helping and strengthening each other, and unanimous carrying on the work of Christ.
6. Let these Associations have standing Presidents, where the peace of the Church requireth it.
7. Let no particular Pastors set up anything in God's public Worship which is not Necessary, and may tend to make divisions by driving tender
Consciences from his communion.
8. Let Associations forbear making Laws to others, and imposing as Governors, and let them make Agreements for certain Duty, and not Laws that pretend to make new duties; and let them Agree on nothing unnecessary.
9. Let them study Holiness as much as Peace, and keep clean themselves and their societies as far as they can, and look at labor and suffering, and not at any other honor and power, but what is for duty; and let them look abroad and help the dark parts within their reach, and lay out themselves freely and industriously for God, and have the chief regard to the most public good.
10. Let him that is justly cast out of one Church, be received by none into communion till he be reconciled; and if they suspect that he is unjustly cast out, let him not be received till the Church that cast him out be heard, and the injury or his Repentance manifest.
11. Let those that cannot hold local communion, because of some smaller practical difference (as gestures, words, &c.) and yet agree in the foresaid
Profession, and Fundamentals of Communion: yet own each other professedly as Brethren, and maintain Love and communion in other respects.
12. Let all differing Christians consult and agree how to hold their differences, so as may least prejudice the common truths which all receive, and as may least hinder the salvation of the ungodly, or offend the weak.
13. Let none judge or defame each other till they are heard, and see they have sufficient cause by certain proof: And then admonish them, and bring the cause to the Association, before they proceed further.
14. Let the correspondency of Pastors extend as far as there is Capacity, Opportunity, and need. We cannot correspond with the Antipodes, nor much with the Ethiopians, nor such remote parts: there is seldom opportunity, and seldom necessity of actual correspondence with foreign Nations: But yet when public occasions require it, (the publicest cases being the weightiest)
we should by Delegates or Messengers from several Associations, perform our duties in all such correspondencies, whether in Councils or otherwise.
15. If any members of our Churches travail into other parts, they should take Certificates or Communicatory Letters, that they may be admitted to the communion of the Churches where they travail or abide.
16. The chief consultations for General Peace and effectual promoting the healing of the Churches, and the propagation of the Gospel into the unbelieving parts of the world, should be done by Christian Princes by their
Agents: and though Ministers are fit to be (partly) their Agents in such consultations, yet not merely as Pastors, but as fit men employed by their
Princes. He that lives to see but this much reduced to practice, will see a better unity and peace in the Church, then ever was or will be attained by an earthly Head and Judge of the Universal Church, whether Pope or Council, or then the Agreement of the five Patriarchs, and the later Primates and Metropolitans will procure. Let us be content with one Head, and one
Heart; and center there: but though the fingers and toes be more, we can well bear it. Take up with the Holy Scriptures as the sufficient Rule: Let the Profession of that be the mark of a believer: and all such believers be taken to be, as they are, the Catholic Church; and no faction Schismatically and presumptuously confine it to themselves; Let this Intellectual Unity of faith, be seconded with a cordial Unity of Holy Love, to Christ and his Members:
(that so our Unity may begin at the Head and Heart, and not perversely at the fingers and toes of smaller matters, or at the hair and nails of Ceremonies and indifferent Modes;) Let this be manifested in Professions of Love, and public ownings of the Catholic Brotherhood, and of Christians as Christians; and by public disclaiming all selfishness, and partiality, and private Interests, and all reproachful words and writings, and by actual
communion as far as we can. Let the Worship of God be performed in such holy simplicity that none may be driven from the sacred Assemblies; and let the people be suffered to go the same way to heaven as Peter and Paul did go themselves, and lead their hearers in; Let us not be ambitious of Church
Union or Communion with those that ought to be cast out of the Church, and whom we are in Scripture commanded to avoid; but let the three attributes of [Holy Catholic, and Apostolical] be still affixed to the Church; and be practically considered; and those considerations issued in [The Communion of Saints] And then we shall have so much Unity and Peace, as may honor the Christian Religion, and strengthen us in the way to our
Perfect Peace, which is not to be expected in this dark, diseased, imperfect world. This is the way, and none but this.
But is there any hope that while men are as they are, such healing Truths should be received and obeyed? Yes: by here and there a man; who shall have the Peace of their peaceable Affections and Endeavors; but not by the most either of the people or the Pastors; let the evidence of the truth be never so clear. Who can expect any great success of such Proposals, that knows the world? (till the time come when Light shall go forth with an absolute resolution to prevail.) God is one; and all that Deny themselves and center in him, must needs be One: But self is as various and numerous as Persons are. And this self is the Heart of the Natural man, and the Center of all the unsanctified. And every self is a grain of Sand, thats hardly made coherent with another. The Darkest mind, is self-conceited: and the poorest child or beggar is self-affected; and high and low, Princes and people have self-interests, which draw them several waves. And in the sanctified this self is mortified but in part, and is the first living, and strongest, and last dying sin, in all; and giveth strength to all the rest. What hope then of Unity,
while every man hath a numerically different Center, Principle, and End, and so few forsake it, and devote themselves to God the common Center, and End of the Saints? And those few so Imperfectly; permitting self to live and do so much within them. And though the Papists have devised a way to make this sand into a rope; or cement innumerable selves together, by finding out such a Carnal Head and Center where every man may find his own Carnal Interest involved in the Interest of that Head and his body; and so may have a carnal unity of a multitude of carnal ones to glory in; Yet Christ is another kind of Head and Center, condemning and destroying carnal self, and commanding all his followers upon pain of damnation to deny it, though to nature it be the dearest thing in the world. No wonder therefore if the number of his Adherents be few, and the unity of those that center in him, be less conspicuous and glorious in the world. With strong
Desires therefore, but Low Expectations I propound these terms of Unity to the Church; as knowing how many thousand of the Dark and selfish will not only neglect them and reject them, but rise up against them (if they come into their hands) with no small self-conceited confidence and scorn.
But the Church is the Lord's, who hath purchased it by his blood; his Interest in it is more than mine; and it is infinitely dearer to him then to me; and his wisdom is fittest to dispose of the success of our endeavors, and to determine of the season and measures of its cure: He is the Physician, and hath undertaken the work, and in the fittest way and time will perfect it, and be the finisher as well as the Author of our faith. The eye of the chief
Shepherd is even now upon all his scattered flock, and of those that are given him to be saved, he will lose none; he is neither insufficient for them, nor careless of them; but will gather into one the Elect that are dispersed; and present them all pure, unblameable, and spotless to his Father at the
last; and as much as they seem now to us, to be uncurably divided, we shall then see them perfectly healed and united, and made up One Glorified Body of our Head. For that blessed Marriage Day of the Lamb, and the Glory of the New Jerusalem, we therefore Pray, and Hope, and Wait, in our passage through this sinful and distracted world.
There are three common sayings in which I am much delighted that conduce to the Illustration of what I have said.
1. Servanda in Necessariis Unitas; In non-necessariis libertas: in utrisque charitas. Vulg.
2. Contra Rationem nemo sobrius; Contra Scripturam nemo Christianus; Contra Ecclesiam nemo pacificus. August.
Scripture is the test of Christianity, and must show us sound in the faith; though the Church may show us Peaceable.
3. Unitatem, Vetitatem, Felicitatem, <Querit.> Homo Socialis, Philosophia, Natura, <Invenit.> Catholicus Speculativus, Theologia, Fides Historica,
<Possidet.> Sanctus Charitativus, Religio, Charitas.
Therefore to seek for Unity, Verity or Felicity, by the loss or destruction of Sanctity, Religion, Charity; is really to renounce, oppose and lose them.
Satisfaction to certain Calumniators.
I am informed from London, and several parts of the Land, that some of my Books having lately been sold at excessive rates by the Booksellers, it is somewhat commonly reported that it is caused by my excessive gain, which say they, is at least three or four hundred pounds a year. I thank the Lord
that doth not only employ me in his service, but also vouchsafe me the honor and benefit of being evil-spoken of for doing him the best service that I can, Matth. 5:11,12; 1 Pet. 4:13-16. Blessed Augustine was put to vindicate himself by an oath, from the infamy of a covetous design, which was raised by one godly woman, upon a disorderly action of other men, and to that end he wrote his 225th Epistle. I find no call to use his oath; but yet I judge it my duty to imitate him in patience, and in rescuing the slanderers from their sin, that they abuse not their souls by uncharitable surmises, nor their tongues by false reports. To which end I give them this true information: The two first Books I printed, I left to the Booksellers Will; for all the rest, I agreed with them for the fifteenth Book, to give to some few of my friends, hearing that some others agreed for the tenth. Sometime my fifteenth Book coming not to a hundred, and sometime but to few more, when of Practical Books I needed sometime 800 to give away. Because I was scarce rich enough to buy so many, I agreed with the Bookseller, (my
Neighbor,) to allow 18. d. a Ream (which is not a penny a quire,) out of his own gain towards the buying of Bibles, and some of the practical Books which he printed, for the poor: Covenanting with him, that he should sell my Controversial Writings as cheap, and my Practical Writings somewhat cheaper than books are ordinarily sold. To this hour I never received for myself one penny of money from them for any of my Writings, to the best of my remembrance: but if it fell out that my part came to more than I gave my friends, I exchanged them for other Books: My accounts and memory tell me not of 5.li that ever was returned for me on these accounts, which was on literary occasions: so that my many hundreds a year is come to never a penny in all, but as abovesaid, in some exchange of Books. And the price I set on my Books which I exchanged for theirs at the dearest rates, is
as followeth, [Treat. of Conversion, 2. s. Treat. of Crucifying the World, 2. s.
Dispute. of Justificat. 2. s. 4, d. The Call to the Unconverted, 8. d. Dispute. of saving Faith, 5. d. Of the Grotian Religion, 6. d. Directions for sound
Conversion, 1. s. 8. d. Dispute of Right to Sacraments, Edit. secund. 2. s. 4. d.] These are all my bargains and my gains. And I chose the honestest
Booksellers that I could meet with, according to my small measure of wit and acquaintance; who told me, they still made good their Promises. And now censorious Slanderer, tell me, what thou wouldst have had me to have done more? If I had got Food and Rayment out of my own hard labors, had it been unlawful or dishonorable, when Booksellers get so many hundred pounds by one Book, that never studied nor spent their time and cost for it, as I have done? And yet dost thou reproach me that receive not a groat? But because I will not oblige myself to the same course for the future, and that thou mayst know at what rates I serve thee, let me tell thee, that in these labors early and late my body is wasted, my precious time laid out, and somewhat of my Estate, and somewhat of the labor of my friends. I cannot have twenty quire of my writing well transcribed, under fifty pounds. And who shall pay for this, or maintain me in thy service? I have troubled a Neighbor-Minister in the tedious work of transcribing my Characters (for some books,) for which, neither he nor I had ever one penny. These personal matters are unsavory to me, and I take it for a great injury that thou puttest upon me a necessity of mentioning them. But I have yielded this once to thy unrighteous importunity, that thou mayest hereafter learn what to believe and utter, and make more conscience of thy censures and reports.
And that thou mayst have the utmost relief that I can procure thee for the time to come, I shall agree with my Booksellers, to sell all that I publish at
three farthings a sheet, and to print the price of every book at the bottom of the Title page.
October 11, 1658.
Farewell. Richard Baxter.