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PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 SETTING FORTH 
 
 THE GROUND OF THAT SOURCE OF COMFORT: 
 
 My father, Joseph Bancroft, dying soon after the 
 [ireparation of this book, left directions that it should 
 be distributed /reeZy and widely — as they may be found 
 willing to receive it — among those claiming to be of the 
 Society of Friends, in all the parts into which it has be- 
 come divided. 
 
 WILLIAM p. BANCROFT. 
 
 Wilmington, Del., Tenth month 2ith, 1875. 
 
 "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit 
 within me." — Psalm li. 10. 
 
 PHILADELPHIA : 
 
 JHOMAS WILLIAM STUCKEY, PRINTER, 
 
 No. 57 North Seventh Street. 
 
 187 5. 
 
PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 SETTING FORTH 
 
 THE GROUND OF THAT SOURCE OF COMFORT: 
 
 IN WHICH 
 
 GROUND OF A CLEAN HEART AND A RIGHT SPIRIT, MEN MAY 
 
 GROW IN GOOD AND FIRMLY SUPPORT EACH 
 
 OTHER AS LIVING STONES 
 
 IN THE TEMPLE OF GOD. 
 
 BY JOSEPH BANCROFT 
 
 WITH 
 
 ROBERT BARCLAY. 
 
 "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit 
 within me." — Psalm li. 10. 
 
 PHILADELPHIA : 
 
 THOMAS WILLIAM STUCKEY, PRINTER, 
 
 No. 57 North Seventh Street. 
 
 187 5. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 PAQE. 
 
 Preface, ....... 5 
 
 Universal Love appearing in and through man reconciled 
 unto, and in Unity with God, considered and testified 
 unto as the greatest gift of God to men. By Joseph 
 Bancroft, ...... 13 
 
 Universal Love considered and established upon its right 
 foundation, being a serious enquiry how far Charity may 
 and ought to be extended towards persons of different 
 judgments in matters of Religion, and whose principles 
 among the several sects of Christians do most naturally 
 lead to that due moderation required. Written in the 
 Spirit of love and meekness, for the removing of stum- 
 bling-blocks out of the way of the simple ; by a lover 
 of the souls of all men, Kobert Barclay, . . 51 
 
 A Testimony concerning the true and acceptable worship 
 of God ; what it is ; and how to be performed. Set 
 forth by Robert Barclay, in an Apology for the true 
 Christian divinity ; being an explanation and vindica- 
 tion of the principles and doctrine of the people called 
 Quakers, ...... 107 
 
 Concerning True Discipline. The Anarchy of the Ran- 
 ters, and other Libertines, the Hierarchy of the Ro- 
 manists, and other pretended Churches, equally refused 
 and refuted, in a two fold apology, for the Church and 
 people of God, called, in derision, Quakers : Wherein 
 they are Vindicated from those that accuse them of dis- 
 order and confusion on the one hand, and from such as 
 
IV CONTENTS. 
 
 calamniate them with tyranny and imposition on the 
 other : showing, that as the true and pure principles of 
 the Gospel are restored by their testimony ; so is also 
 the ancient apostolic order of the Church of Christ re- 
 established among them, and settled upon its right basis 
 and foundation. By Robert Barclay, . . 186 
 
 A SupPLEMKBT written for the sake of such as are honestly 
 desiring to know themselves to be of One saved body ; 
 nevertheless, because of the divisions among them who 
 claim to be the successors of the people who approved 
 the foregoing Testimonies, more earnestly soliciting 
 their attention ; seeking that all of them may truly be- 
 come one saved people, meeting together, holding forth 
 example before and with precept. For their meeting 
 separately they are without excuse if they duly consider 
 one another to provoke unto love and to good works. 
 Good, Ood's Substance and Image, is not divided from 
 Him : if it is seen and known amongst men, it must be 
 that it Cometh out of them ; and, to come out of them, 
 it must have been placed in them ; the vessel, or. their 
 body and spirit, first having been prepared : proving 
 that the outward and the inward, the natural and the 
 spiritual, must be owned together, for men mutually to 
 have the manifestation of God amongst them. By 
 Joseph Bancroft, ..... 295 
 
 Key to A Persnasive to Unity, . . , 325 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 In the love witli which I feel my mind covered to 
 the cause of Jesus Christ, and to my beloved fellow- 
 creatures without respect of persons, which has 
 obliged me to the present essay to gain their atten- 
 tion for the purpose of mutual edification, I would 
 bespeak the patient, careful reading of all that is 
 herein put before them ; desiring each one to look 
 to the Spirit of the Lord for the gift of understand- 
 ing in that which is propounded ; and not to burden 
 the creature with too earnest an efibrt on its own 
 part ; as if the power of understanding were not the 
 gift of God received in faith daily, but were inherent 
 in man without the breath of Life, and himself capa- 
 ble fully to understand all things at first mention of 
 them : whereas, the growth of that capacity is to be 
 waited for in all things both natural and spiritual ; 
 and is conferred upon man as in a seed, and is in- 
 creased by growth to appear first as a blade, by 
 dressing and keeping, even in the good ground ; by 
 watchfulness and care that an enemy does not sow 
 evil seed, when men sleep, and the watch is not kept 
 up ; and so tares begin to grow, and the growth of 
 good is checked and the understanding darkened, 
 and edification obstructed. Therefore, wait upon 
 the Lord, the Spirit of good, for a good understand- 
 ing and a well disposed mind towards that for which 
 
 5 
 
Vi PREFACE. 
 
 thy attention is solicited : and recur to it again and 
 again as thou finds thy mind so disposed, in the fear 
 to miss of anything that may be for edification to the 
 house of God : which building is of considerate men 
 above that which is admirable in the ox and the 
 a83 ; for God has set man over the works of His 
 hands for ^' them " to have dominion over all in the 
 place wherein He has put him. The consideration 
 of which purpose and commission to every member 
 in its own place in the body, requireth that the 
 spirits of the prophets be subject to the prophets, or 
 to the same spirit in every fellow member ; seeing 
 that which groweth of the good seed in any of them 
 requireth purging, and is submitted to that which is 
 set over those works in every man, for the mutual 
 comfort of the whole, and the glory of the great 
 Head of all. So that, dear reader, both for my 
 good and comfort, and for our mutual edification, 
 and that of the whole body, it is needful that thou 
 be considerate, patiently watchful and prayerful, and 
 shew thyself " an Israelite indeed in whom is no 
 guile," like Nathaniel ; one doing the work of the 
 one good seed of Abraham, the Friend of God, 
 whether as a child, as a young man, aa a strong man, 
 or as an elder, in Christ Je8us,who is the full growth 
 of the manifestation of that One only good seed. 
 
 I have felt it best for me to reprint what Robert 
 Barclay wrote respecting Universal Love, True 
 Christian "Worship, and True Christian Discipline 
 without abridgment, notwithstanding that the cir- 
 cumstances in which men at this time, particularly 
 in the United States of America, are placed, may 
 appear to render parts of what he has written not 
 
PREFACE. Vll 
 
 needful now to recur to : yet even now, in relation 
 to these parts there is enough left of that which it is 
 desirable should be removed out of the way, to make 
 it well to revive the whole as he put it before his 
 cotemporaries : that we may bfe stimulated to dili- 
 gence in endeavoring the repair of that which has 
 been broken down and grea,tly impaired, and is 
 needful to our defence and comfort if we would be 
 as a ciiy compact together : that the work which he 
 prophesied of, and which we see in measure grown 
 according to promise, may be fulfilled ; to the glory 
 of God in the good of his creatures, and the perfec- 
 tion of men in the stature of the Church of Jesus 
 Christ, which can only have place as men stand in 
 true testimony, as they did in that he ^wrote, " the 
 good fruits and effects which daily abound to the 
 household of faith, in the government the Lord is 
 establishing among us, doth more and more com- 
 mend it unto us ; and confirmeth our hearts in the 
 certain belief of that, which we can confidently tes^ 
 tify in good conscience, that God hath led us here- 
 unto by his Spirit : and we see the hand of the Lord 
 herein, which in due time will yet more appear ; 
 that as through our faithful testimony in the hand of 
 the Lord, that anti-christian and apostatized genera- 
 tion, the National Ministry hath received a deadly 
 blow by our discovering and witnessing against their 
 forced maintenance, and tithes, against which we 
 have testified by many cruel sufferings of all kinds, 
 as our chronicles shall make known to generations 
 to come, so that their kingdoni, in the hearts of 
 thousands, begins to totter and lose its strength, and 
 shall assuredly fall to the ground, through truth's 
 
VI 11 PREFACE. 
 
 prevailing in the earth ; so on the other hand do we, 
 by coming to righteousness and innocency, weaken 
 the strength of their kingdom, who judge for re- 
 wards, as well as such as preach for hire, and by not 
 ministering occasions to those, who have heaped up 
 riches, and lived in excess, lust and riot ; by feeding 
 and preying upon the iniquities and contentions of 
 the people. For as truth and righteousness prevails 
 in the earth, by our faithful witnessing and keeping 
 to itj the nations shall come to be eased and dis- 
 burdened of that deceitful tribe of lawyers, (as well 
 as priests) who by their many tricks, and endless in- 
 tricacies, have rendered justice, in their method, 
 burdensome to honest men, and seek not so much 
 to put an end, as to foment controversies and conten- 
 tions, that fkey themselves may be still fed and up- 
 held, and their trade kept up. Wliereas by truth's 
 propagation, as many of these controversies will die 
 by men's coming to be less contentious, so when any 
 difference ariseth, the sainta giving judgment, with- 
 out gift or reward, or running into the tricks and 
 endless labyrinths of the lawyers, will soon compose 
 them. And this is that we are persuaded, the Lord 
 is bringing about in our day, though many do not, 
 and many will not see it ; because it is indeed in a 
 way different and contrary to man's wisdom, who 
 are now despising Christ in his inward appekrance, 
 because of the meanness of it, as the Jews of old did 
 him in his outward. Yet notwithstanding there 
 were some then that did witness, and could not be 
 silent, but must testify that he was come ; even so 
 now are t^here thousands, that can set to their seal, 
 that he hath now again the second time appeared. 
 
PREFACE. IX 
 
 and is appearing in ten thouaands of his saints ; in 
 and among whom (as a first fruits of many more 
 that shall he gathered) he is restoring the golden age, 
 and bringing them into the holy order and govern- 
 ment of his own Son, who is ruling, and to rule in 
 the midst of them, setting forth the counsellors as 
 at the beginning, and judges as at the first; and 
 estabhshing truth, mercy, righteousness, and judg- 
 ment again in the earth. Amen. Hallelujah!" 
 (See pp. 237-8.) As men are preserved standing to- 
 gether patiently and faithfully in suffering for and 
 in the true worship of God, and preserved from di- 
 visions -amongst themselves, and in that agreement 
 in which is ability to wrestle in prayer all night with 
 the angel of God's presence until the break of day, 
 and the blessing is received wherein the name is 
 changed, and the people of God appear in saved 
 persons, and one nation in salvation, nothkig can 
 divide their meetings for worship and discipline, 
 held in the " patience of Jems, to serve and worship 
 him, with sufferings, ignominies, calumnies and re- 
 •proaches," as set forth in Robert Barclay's testimony 
 respecting their meetings : see Articles xiii.and xiv, 
 For the people of God do not hold meetings for the 
 worship of Him to the exclusion of any desiring to 
 be His worshippers, but for the invitation of all men 
 publicly to unite therein; that they may enjoy and 
 possess the blessings of His spiritual government : 
 " even as Jesus Christ, the author thereof, did enjoy 
 and possess his spiritual kingdom, while oppressed, 
 persecuted, and rejected of men; and as, in despite 
 of the malice and rage of the devil, he spoiled princi- 
 palities and powers, triumphing over them, and through 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 death destroyed him that had the power of death, that is, 
 the devil ; so also all his followers both can and do 
 worship him, not only without the arm of flesh to 
 protect them, but even when oppressed. For their 
 worship being spiritual, is by the power of the Spirit 
 defended and maintained ; but such worships as are 
 carnal, and consist in carnal and outward ceremonies 
 and observatioTis, need a carnal and outward arm to 
 protect and defend them, else they cannot stand and 
 
 subsist And as from hence have sprung 
 
 up all those wars, fightings and bloodshed &mong Chris- 
 tians, while each by the arm of flesh endeavored to 
 defend and protect their own way and worship;" 
 (see p. 147) so will the now divided people of God 
 called Friends (or Quakers by the world) while re- 
 maining without an open testimony against such divi- 
 sions, defend each his own, and seek to impeach his 
 neighbor's position ; notwithstanding they have been 
 mercifully preserved by the salt of good, in parts of 
 the good form in their meetings for worship and 
 discipline ; which form in division, and without the 
 power and life, hath little to invite men to admire 
 it, or rejoice in it: and hence almost every where 
 the meetings of this profession dwindle, and it is 
 difficult to keep them up. Nothing can make them 
 effectually inviting but the power of love and unity : 
 and blessed be God, who hath so salted the divided 
 parts and preserved the parts in form, that there is 
 nothing wanted to bring them together and make of 
 them a living antiy for the work and purpose of 
 " the Former of all things," but to take heed to the 
 Word of prophecy, and cease, every man, from his own 
 will and work, not loving their lives unto the death; 
 
PREFACE. Xi 
 
 but hating these, that newness of life may be received 
 in the power of Love and Light, which is the power 
 of God; that would make us One people of God, and 
 renew our meetings together, so that we cannot con- 
 ceive of the comfort of them ; which would make 
 them BO inviting that there would be no need for any 
 contrivances of men for that purpose. For what 
 more delectable feast can men propose for themselves 
 than that which is to be enjoyed in meeting together 
 in the love of God, and the substance of things 
 hoped for, which change not, but are eternal; and 
 are ever worthy to be waited for jointly by all men 
 in themselves, where that which may be known of 
 God is manifest. Come then, and let us meet and 
 REJOICE together in acceptable worship to God, and 
 in care towards each other. 
 
 The Lord hath laid it upon me to put forth these 
 writings for the consideration of all men ; and has 
 engaged me to offer my person, time, and strength 
 to meet with my beloved fellow-creatures in waiting 
 upon Him for the discovery, and manifestation in 
 the flesh, of the "Way in which this good Cause may 
 be glorified through us all. 
 
 JOSEPH BANCROFT. 
 
 Wilmington, Del., 12th mo. 11th, 1873. 
 
UNIVERSAL LOVE, 
 
 APPEARING IN AND THROUGH MAN EECONCILBD UNTO, 
 
 AND IN UNITY WITH GOD, CONSIDERED AND 
 
 TESTIFIED UNTO AS THE GREATEST GIFT 
 
 OF GOD TO MEN. 
 
 Universal love is that without wMcli men cannot 
 profitably meet together for the worship of G-od; 
 neither for the proper and needful exercise of godly 
 care or discipline to the help one of another; nor 
 be joined together in meetings; in which joining of 
 men consists that manifestation of God in the flesh 
 which is the body of J esus Christ in substance, the 
 Church of the living God : wherein " abideth faith, 
 hope, and charity, these three ; but the greatest of 
 these is charity." 
 
 By receiving grace, which is charity, (John iii. 16, 
 17,) or possessing faith, men understand that the 
 worlds were framed by the "Word of God (Heb. xi. 3), 
 and are drawn to worship Him ; by experience in 
 which worship, hope is wrought (Rom. v. 4) ; and 
 men are thereby drawn to work together for mutual 
 good; which is mutually enjoyed in charity. "With- 
 out charity there can be no joining of men in one 
 body of living members (1 Cor. xiii. 2), shewing 
 forth the fullness of the Godhead in joined members, 
 or bodily (as in Jesus Christ of N"azareth) ; Avhich 
 one body "is the image of the invisible God." 
 
14 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 It pleased God, about two centuries past, to raise 
 up a people in whom He restored the primitive gos- 
 pel power and testimonies of the Truth in a remark- 
 able degree and manner ; who bore veitness thereto 
 in much suffering, and by many sound testimonies 
 in writing given forth for the gaining and instruc- 
 tion of those who spoke against and persecuted 
 them, as not knowing either them or the Truth of 
 which they witnessed ; as well as for the strengthen- 
 ing of the weak, and reclaiming and restoring of 
 such as kept not their first love. 
 
 My birth was amongst this people, and of pious 
 parents who were careful to bring up those under 
 their direction in a religious life and conversation 
 consistent with their Christian profession; and my 
 education until my majority was amongst that peo- 
 ple in England, where I was not exposed to any con- 
 tention such as at different times had some place 
 amongst them before my time. After I was twenty- 
 one years of age it was my lot to come to the United 
 States of America, where within the compass of 
 Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of Friends, I was in- 
 troduced into an unhappy condition amongst them, 
 which had place in consequence of an apprehension 
 with many of them that there was a declension from 
 sound doctrine in some. This conviction caused 
 such a course to be adopted to put a stop thereto as 
 was thought by others not proper or justifiable; and 
 the contention amongst them became so sharp that 
 in 1827, about three years after my coming amongst 
 them, they separated into two parts. 
 
 My lot fell with the larger part, who took the, ini- 
 tiative step in the division ; claiming not to have de- 
 
UNIVERSAL LOVE, APPEAEING. 15 
 
 viated from sound doctrine, and to have taken that 
 step only to avoid contention. By this course and 
 claim they saw no cause to set forth any statement 
 of doctrine, other than that they were in unity with 
 the writings to that tim e approvedl)y the Society, and 
 had no new doctrine to promulgate : and they with- 
 held from any dealing with those from whom they 
 parted, either on account of beliefs, or because of 
 their disciplinary action, which they had considered 
 so grievous as to justify themselves in withdrawing 
 from their meetings and setting up meetings separate 
 from them. 
 
 The other part, as was reasonably to be expected 
 in such case, to justify their charges of unsound- 
 ness, not only set forth in print that which they con- 
 sidered sound, but they set forth their charges 
 against those who had withdrawn from them, and 
 who generally denied such charges when applied to 
 personally ; and they proceeded summarily to treat 
 with and disown them individually on account of 
 their owning and uniting with the Yearly Meeting 
 set up, as was alleged, for peace sak«; although 
 those thus disowning such, confessed themselyes not 
 averse to the separation on the same behalf. 
 
 I trust I have written no word here which will 
 hurt a cicatrized wound, being desirous only to set 
 forth that my Maker ha,s dealt with me so as to pre- 
 pare me for the work which I apprehend He requires 
 at my hand amongst my honored and beloved fellow- 
 creatures, before He takes me hence to be seen of 
 them no more. 
 
 I am now fully seventy years of age; I have walked 
 amongst you, dearly beloved and longed for, ever 
 
16 A PERSCASIVE TO tJNITV. 
 
 since that time in much serious thonghtfulness con- 
 cerning our condition, and the oft'ence which is pre- 
 sented to tender minds in the world by the want of 
 consistency which is manifest in us while yet we 
 claim to be Friends, and in the language of conduct, 
 behave to each other too much as enemies, in that 
 we continue to meet apart, and to believe respecting 
 each other, that the obstacles preventing our meeting 
 together are not with ourselves, but with our neigh- 
 bors : which keeps those who do so, still in the po- 
 sition of charging one another with wrong, and as 
 being enemies and not Friends, as each continues to 
 claim for himself. And this obtains without any 
 open effort on the part of either, to come to judg- 
 ment, and thereby to reconciliation with each other. 
 Oh ! how jealous should we be of ourselves while 
 this is BO. There must be something wrong or 
 wanting with both in such a case : and it is not rea- 
 sonable to suppose that it attaches to one part only, 
 while neither seeks openly to be reconciled. 
 
 "Wlien I reflect how divine wisdom and goodness 
 has dealt with and exercised me in mind and cir- 
 cumstances since my coming amongst this people for 
 whom particularly He has thus engaged me, I am 
 amazed in thankful acknowledgment thereof. I 
 have been kept in constant exercise of mind on this 
 account, and in a care so to walk as not to bring any 
 reproach on our holy profession, and in no respect 
 to increase on my own part the feeling of division 
 from any. And such has been the extension of in- 
 finite mercy, that I know not that any man can 
 justly bring any thing to my charge in breach of 
 either the first or the second commandment, so that 
 
UNIVERSAL LOVE, APPEARING. 17 
 
 I love those before whom this may come, as my own 
 soul. 
 
 I well remember my observation in 1827 that 
 there was no one raised up to stand before the peo- 
 ple' with the testimony that the Friend could not be 
 divided and have a place in the sight of the world as, 
 a living creature : which truth my mind was pointed 
 to, though I was not required or qualified conspicu- 
 ously to declare it as now, and during several years 
 past. In so much that when the division impended 
 in New York Yearly Meeting after having taken 
 place in Philadelphia, there was a desire clung about 
 me thit Elias Hicks, before the crisis came there, 
 might be given to see that men should not divide 
 from each other on account of opinions, nor teach 
 them for doctrine ; and to offer himself an offering 
 to prevent it ; saying, this must not be, rather put 
 me out of the way, and let me stand aside, than to 
 divide from one another on my account: and I 
 mourned that he did not do so. 
 
 This trouble and controversy amongst the people 
 called Friends differed from any that came before it, 
 in the want or absence of such testimony bearers. 
 There was no open testimony that the contention 
 must be ended by suffering and ceasing to contend 
 without love, which ever has been the way of saved 
 men ; and not by dividing the Friend's body and 
 continuing the contention in the parts, which will 
 be done as long as the division has place in men who 
 do not seek to be reconciled, as it is at this day. In 
 all previous difficulties amongst them, that which 
 had the substance of the Friend warned the people 
 against contending /or opinions out of love, and to the 
 
18 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 destruction of love to each other ; which if followed 
 would produce estrangement and enmity amongst 
 those not seeking to prevent it by contending earn- 
 estly for the faith in love to all men nnivcrsally. 
 And this good leaven of the heavenly kingdom 
 amongst them never ceased its operation on such 
 occasions in those who did not go from it, endeavor- 
 ing to draw closertogether all who abode its virtuous 
 work, and united in seeking for the return and re- 
 pL'ntance of such as went away from its influence, 
 and yet continued fo make profession of it, and 
 claimed to be called by their good name. And such 
 was the blessing attending' their labor and testimony 
 that many who had been misled were brought back 
 again and restored: and we have no account thut 
 this godly care towards those who were the objects 
 of it ever ceased so long as there were any left who 
 desired to bear the name of Friend and claimed to 
 hold the substance of it in sects and divisions of 
 men from men, in self-will and opinions; wherein it 
 M'as impossible that the virtue of the Friend could 
 appear in them : and they became entirely wasted, 
 and the name was lost amongst them. 
 
 The goodness of God hath exercised me from a 
 child, to know that which my parents testified of to 
 me as a sufficient teacher and preserver from harm ; 
 (\\hich knowledge and nnderstanding and preserva- 
 tion was wanting amongst us in the time of trial and 
 di%'ision previous to and after 1827;) and that there 
 may be raised np in me and others again that testi- 
 mony to the unity of the Friend with Jesus Christ 
 and his Father which has been so much lost, and 
 was not then set before, nor proclaimed amongst the 
 
UNIVERSAL LOVE, APPEARING. 19 
 
 people ; and to call all men to it : more especially 
 in tlie first place, those wlio have claim to the name 
 by having the form which belongs to it in meetings 
 for worship and discipline, and by having a part in 
 other precious testimonies which are not entirely laid 
 waste ; but which hold in preservation, as salt, a 
 remnant of every part, though in much weakness 
 because of divisions. 
 
 Oh ! how marvellous is the goodness and mercy 
 of Grod in preserving this divided people to the pro- 
 fession of the principles of the Truth which attends 
 them of His mercy, notwithstanding their back- 
 sliding and want of due sensibility towards Him, 
 through weakness of love to Him and one to another. 
 
 It often appears to me that there is no greater 
 mercy left upon record of His dealings with any 
 people. Neither can this be duly recorded by this 
 people, unless they will repent and be gathered : for 
 unless they will be so. He will more and more waste 
 them ; and they will lose the preserving influence 
 which attends the precious gifts which He bestowed 
 upon them through the faithfulness of their fathers, 
 and confirms unto them in meetings for worship and 
 discipline . in that good form which may he lost by 
 them; but cannot ^7-ow, be ^progressed, or he established 
 amongst men out of supreme love to God : and 
 which gifts have not been conferred upon any other 
 people; and never can be received and carried out 
 in that goodness towards men which He designs 
 they should enjoy, only as men become worthy of 
 them through suffering with Christ, and are made 
 partakers of the divine nature through love and 
 regeneration. 
 
20 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 I know of no evidences of the love, condescension, 
 and good will of God to man greater than is shewn 
 in men who keep the testimonies committed to His 
 Friends concerning the universality of His grace, 
 and the operation of it through men who hold meet- 
 ings to wait upon and worship Him, without respect 
 of persons under One Head ; establishing them in 
 that love to each other which constrains them in a 
 holy care, whereby they are governed as one body 
 without any other moderator, chairman, or director ; 
 so that their meetings, as the members of them are 
 preserved in subordination to their One Head and in 
 self-denial, are models of order and of every lovely 
 adornment, and encouraging to the use of every 
 good and perfect gift diversely administered to the 
 body through different members; shewing forth a 
 meek and condescending spirit, and a preservation 
 in that which is good and seemly, and out of that 
 which is unseemly, selfish, and corrupt, such as sel- 
 dom attends any other meetings of men ; causing 
 those to marvel at it who are strangers to their gov- 
 erning Head, and the adorable Cause of such a 
 blessing. 
 
 In the solemn sense which has been given to me 
 of the great danger and temptation there is amongst 
 those professing to be Friends who are not suffi- 
 ciently aware of their own inability of themselves 
 for every good word and work, and their need of 
 entire dependence upon the power of God in the 
 flesh (His Son Jesus Christ) for preservation, to de- 
 part from this simple waiting upon Him in their 
 meetings for worship, and set up in them something 
 of their own planning to interest the people and 
 
UNIVERSAL LOVE, APPEARING. 21 
 
 draw tliein to such meetings ; and also in their vari- 
 ous meetings for the transaction of such business as 
 they are interested in, to depart from an open ac- 
 knowledgment of their dependence upon the Head 
 of the Church, or the collected and joined members 
 of him in the meetings, so as to appoint one or 
 more from amongst themselves as chairman or di- 
 rector of the services ; and to set apart services for 
 certain men in their own wills, and times for partic- 
 ular purposes according to the will of man, and to 
 an exclusion of regard to the drawings of the Head 
 of Jesus Christ unto any member or members in him 
 who is His own image and perfect likeness in and 
 through man's flesh: and also under an humbling 
 sense of thankfulness which has been given me in 
 witnessing, in the difierent meetings of Friends who 
 are divided, the wonderful mercy and goodness of 
 God to us in sealing upon our minds a sense of our 
 loss thereby, and of our great unworthiness in our 
 sad condition to represent His Son, and to be wit- 
 nesses of his coming in the flesh who declares his 
 Father, while there is such an exhibition of the 
 weakness of love to one another that we are con- 
 strained to meet in profession of his name with our 
 earthly bodies denying one another, and not suffi- 
 ciently in the denial of self: I say, with my senses 
 quickened of G-od in acknowledgment of His won- 
 derful goodness in thus dealing with a weak and a 
 backsliding people, so as to know that I am not 
 alone in the contemplation of His mercy, but that 
 He hath many witnesses of it who are unknown one 
 to another because of division, I am constrained to 
 entreat all to lay aside our own wills before God and 
 
22 A PERPTJAPTTE TO UNITY. 
 
 each, other, and give this evidence of having done 
 so, that we cease to meet opaii and seek to 'nuci 
 together in His name : wherein having become so 
 far reasonable men, He would help us to come to 
 judgment before him to whom all judgment is com- 
 mitted of his Father ; and in whom it must abide as 
 the Head of the One body (the Church by baptism 
 into Jesus Christ's death), in which the fullness of 
 the Godhead dwells bodily ; made and proved to be 
 of that One by fruit-bearing of good, which is of One 
 only; according to the true and unchangeable testi- 
 mony of Jesus Christ (Matt. xix. 17), " there is none 
 good but One, that is God." 
 
 Oh ! if these meetings were but of two, and that 
 by the seeking of one of them to the other, through 
 the drawing and indwelling of the Father and the 
 Son, in any neighborhood, with this testimony held 
 openly by them, how would tliis prevail in the 
 Lord's time; entering in, and finding a place 
 amongst the sorrowing disciples by its own life even 
 when the doors of outward or self-defence are shut, 
 (John XX. 19,) and proving their membership in the 
 body of Jesus Christ by the marks of suffering in 
 themselves through violence by rejection in the di- 
 vided parts : shewing that they had come out of the 
 grave where sin had buried them, and out of Baby- 
 lon whose people did not own them ; and stood in 
 the world to be made known to men by heavenly 
 fruit-bearing amongst them in the world ; whose in- 
 habitants distinguish things as they come to abide 
 by the manifestation of light, and know that they 
 do not gather grapes of thorns, nor figs of thistles. 
 
 The man who comes out of Babylon has no need 
 
UNIVERSAL LOVE, APPEARING. 23 
 
 to come out from any men in the world, but only out 
 of the confusion which gives her the name by peo- 
 ple upon -v^liom it is written by the Truth : it is not 
 written by the Truth upon any men in the world who 
 are saved from confusion and from partaking of 
 Babylon's sins in the world. As a man he has no 
 place but in the world and amongst his fellow men 
 where he placed not himself; but, by God's provi- 
 dence has been placed of others, whom, if he owns 
 the Truth, or what is true, he must own as his natu- 
 ral parents, brethren and sisters ; to whom as a na- 
 tural creature, his help, and care, and sympathy, and 
 theirs to him under God, are first manifestly due; 
 and as they are faithfully given by any men, such 
 faithful men learn to understand by the things which 
 are made, their obligation to each other, and to a 
 higher and unseen power which is the "Word of God, 
 or Word of faith, which men come to know the pos- 
 session of by love and nourishment of good unto 
 and through growth, as from or of a seed,, which is 
 sown of the Husbandman who is the Father of Jesus 
 Christ in men, the hope of the saints' glory. 
 
 Men in the condition that the people called Friends 
 were in about 1827, having had the form of God in 
 their meetings when they were held in His life, 
 which is the light of men and the power to distin- 
 guish, having grown cold in love, their life was faint, 
 and their sight dim ; so that they did not distinguish 
 between their cireumstance, in which the form re- 
 mained, and that of the people amongst whom 
 George Fox and his cotemporaries walked. In those 
 days there was no people who were in the form of 
 God in their meetings for worship ; that good, form 
 
24 A PERSUASIVE TO UXITY. 
 
 having boon left by men in the apostasy , had not 
 yet been restored amongst any that we have record 
 of. When he and his companions became convinced 
 of the Truth, and were brought into the knowledge 
 of what the true form was in relation to the worship 
 of God by the Church of Jesus Christ in Ilim, they 
 did not refuse to meet for worship with any holy 
 men, nor with those who required them to meet with 
 themselves who were not holy, for that purpose by 
 authority claimed by them as of God ; but they met 
 with those who required them to do so ; at the same 
 time bearing the testimony of Truth respecting the 
 order to be observed in the Church, or meetings of 
 the members of Christ, which was against the dis- 
 order which they were required of unholy men to 
 be subject to in their meetings. This gave offence 
 without cause from them, and they were put out of 
 their houses and places for worship so called, and 
 persecuted to imprisonment and to death for their 
 faithful testimony; notwithstanding they were al- 
 ways willing to meeteven with their persecutors and 
 rejectei-s if they might do so in godly order. And 
 when they were rejected and driven out of those 
 places called churches, they set up no meetings out 
 of good order, nor to the exclusion of any men in 
 that order which they suffered for ; but held all their 
 meetings for worship as public meetings for the free 
 admission of all men in the worship of God, in and 
 under the limitation of the first and second com- 
 mandment upon which all acceptable worship hangs. 
 From the time of this convincement until near the 
 time of the division in 1827, with small intermis- 
 sions amongst a few at different previous times, this 
 form was held with much of the life of it amonp-»t 
 
UNIVERSAL LOVE, APPBARINCJ. 25 
 
 the people singly claiming to be Priends ; and since 
 that time the profession thereof in some degree of 
 preserving virtue has remained to the present in both 
 meetings for worship and discipline amongst all the 
 divided parts of this people. So that there really 
 is no excuse for holding separate meetings amongst 
 them, or that they should not all seek to meet to- 
 gether in their meetings in all places according to 
 the convenience of their respective residences, ex- 
 cept that they have not their profession in possession 
 in living vigor, as they should seek to hold it, and 
 can only hold it out of division from good in any 
 men. 
 
 'Now against vehom shall this charge stand in the 
 presence of the righteous Judge, but against the 
 man on whom its mark is found ? And is it not 
 found upon every one who seeketh not the restora- 
 tion of the divided members to the one body " in 
 the day of the Lord Jesus." 1 Cor. v. 5. ISTo man 
 is called of God to relinquish a right profession, but 
 rather to hold it fast righteously. Then it is right- 
 eousness, and a willingness to suffer for righteous- 
 ness sake, that is wanting amongst us to heal our 
 divisions. Can this be had before we cease to do 
 evil ? Is it not evil to seek to divide the form of 
 God ? And is there any other form purely of God 
 in relation to worship but that which this people 
 profess and formally hold ? How great then is the 
 responsibility attached to our profession, which 
 should be of faith, and not held in hypocrisy ? Doth 
 not that man hold his profession in hypocrisy who 
 does not, under such circumstances, seek judgment 
 in righteousness respecting his own conduct ? He 
 who truly seeks righteous judgment, cannot but own 
 
26 A PERPCASR'F. TO TNITT. 
 
 the e>d8tence of a righteous Judge. Is not that 
 righteous Judge the administrator of the law which 
 any two or more men righteously own? All men 
 are caMed and required of God to agree to and own a 
 righteous hue, to be administered and executed in 
 righteousness ; or else they are hypocrites if they 
 charge each other with wrong and do not seek judg- 
 ment; or, being judged, they refuse to submit thereto, 
 and do not cease to charge each other ; and thereupon 
 become reconciled to each other and to their right- 
 eous Judge. 
 
 Where now do this professing people stand who 
 have been so long divided and charging each other 
 with wrong, without seeking reconciliation through 
 righteous judgment? Can they be the people of 
 God standing out of Babylon ? or, if they are God's 
 people, are they not in Babylon ? Is not the voice 
 heard, " Come out of her, my people, that ye be not 
 partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her 
 plagues. For her sins have reached unto heaven, 
 and God hath remembered her iniquities." 
 
 Must we not come out of her, whilst we are yet 
 in the world, by ceasing from contention out of the 
 love of each other, which want of love was the door 
 at which we went in ? We, in the world, went from 
 the love of God and of each other into Babylon ; and 
 to and by this love, while yet in the world, we must 
 return. In the love of peace to self and the fear of 
 suffering,* the one part withdrew from the other ; 
 at the same time professing the obligation to fulfill 
 
 * Forgetting the example and advice of the Apostles, Tcter and Paul, i Cor. iv. ij, 
 " being reviled, we bless, being persecuted, we sutler it." " But and if ye suffer for 
 righteousness' sake, h^ipy are ye; and be not afraid of (heir terror, neither be 
 troubled." i Peter iii. 14-22. See also Matt, xvi 21, 23 ; xvii. 12 : Mark viii. 31-38 : 
 ix. 12, 13; Luke ix. 22-26; xviL 20-30: Acts iii. 12; ix, 15, 16; a Cor. i. 4-7; 
 PhiL i- 27-30 ; 2 Tim. L 8-12, 
 
UNIVERSAL LOVE, APPEARING. 27 
 
 tlie law of Christ, " if thy brother offend against 
 thee, go and tell him his fault between him and 
 thee alone,"&c. ; which obligation, for what appeared 
 a sufficient reason at that time, was put off till a 
 more convenient season ; and yet remains lacking 
 to be fulfilled. The other part, in the like deficiency 
 of true love and patient charity, and in the same 
 hope of relief to themselves from suffering, hastily 
 took occasion of their brethren's misstep, and by 
 disownment cut them off personally from further 
 care or seeking. The wall of love and charity which 
 was thus broken down, we must each do our own 
 part personally in building up again before our own 
 house and place, and take it for a defence. This can 
 only be done by coming out of Babylon, the city of 
 collected self-seeking men in hypocrisy ; and collect- 
 ing or gathering together in Jerusalem, the city of 
 the One good, the quiet habitation, and Mother of all 
 the Church of God through love to Him and one to 
 another ; seeking strength from the Lord, in keep- 
 ing the first commandment, to seek the good of and 
 in each other and all men continually in fulfillment 
 of the second ; holding meetings for worship in the 
 form of God undivided, open to all men, and public 
 for conscience sake ; and if imposed upon therein 
 by sinners, to suffer it : and to keep meetings for 
 holy discipline in the Holy Spirit and persons, desir- 
 ing to submit one unto another in righteousness ; 
 and if any amongst us are otherwise minded, that 
 we learn to behave ourselves towards them as follow- 
 ers of the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of 
 the world. . 
 
 Believing that the Lord hath laid it upon me to 
 
28 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 labor with my people for the restoration of His name 
 and cause amongst men, and for the gathering of 
 them together as he would have gathered Jerusalem's 
 children, but they would not, He hath opened my 
 understanding to cite our attention to these three 
 thinffs which remain to be needful to the existence 
 
 O 
 
 of the Church of Christ, and are left with us of His 
 own marvellous goodness in the degree at least that 
 we are preserved by his seed itself from aitire de- 
 struction, like unto Sodom and Gomorrah. May we 
 look to Him to strengthen the little good that re- 
 mains, that we may be gathered together in One before 
 the things which make for peace are hid from our 
 eyes. These things are faith, hope, and charity, and 
 the greatest of these is charity. 
 
 Let us first speak of Charity, the greatest gift of 
 God to men ; His own love ; the first thing needful 
 to men, and to be in a man by receiving and not re- 
 jecting it. 
 
 Then of Faith, which is the second needful gift, 
 and cometh by hearing the call from the Giver of the 
 first, that is sounded through the things which He 
 has made ; for without a man receiveth that grace 
 through faith, which is the substance of grace re- 
 ceived, it is impossible for him to please God. "With- 
 out faith man cannot worship Him in understanding 
 nor with the knowledge of acceptance. 
 
 Then of Hope; which is the third gift of God 
 needful to be received by men, and which cometh 
 by experience of the other two working through 
 patience in them; as thereby the body of Jesus 
 Christ comes to be set forth in members fitly joined 
 together, and men enjoy salvation in the fullness of 
 God; partaking of that which every joint suppUeth 
 
UNIVERSAL LOVE, APPEARING. 29 
 
 of His goodness, and which without that joint, is 
 lacking to the body. This divine hope in men 
 enables them to set forth the substance of discipline 
 or God's government, in a quickened mortal body, 
 through care for each other as fellow-members in 
 the Church which is the body of Jesus Christ; 
 wherein every saved member is preserved in God's 
 ordering, and in his own proper place, and all the 
 members enjoy the whole of His wisdom and good- 
 ness bodily, or as in one blessed man. Without 
 hope men would not labor, neither could they par- 
 take of mutual faith, the substance of that which 
 they hope for ; and without charity, that which they 
 labor for cannot be enjoyed by them : which makes 
 charity the greatest gift, being known to have been 
 eminently the first, and now also to be the last, and 
 most needful in order to crown all, and make of 
 many members one perfect man ; so that the Apos- 
 tle's words are true, if I " have not charity, I am 
 nothing." For therein men shew forth God's work- 
 manship by His Love working in them to all men 
 without respect of persons, and by the acceptable 
 worship of Him ; and by mutual labor to communi- 
 cate one to another of His good gifts, in hope fully 
 to enjoy them all through His ordering of every 
 member in the occupancy of every gift under that 
 discipline which is the full manifestation of His own 
 perfect wisdom in men through denial of themselves, 
 in the faith and patience of saints in that hope 
 which " maketh not ashamed, because the Love of 
 God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost 
 which is given unto us." Rom. v. 1-5. 
 
 With this concern of mind I have been turned to 
 
30 A PERSDASIVK TO UNITY. 
 
 consider three productions of the pen of Rohert 
 Barclay, on Universal Love, True Church Worship, 
 and True Church Government, as bearing upon 
 them the same witness ; needful to be set forth and 
 ctinsidered then, as they are now. I feel drawn to' 
 reprint them herewith ; and to request the attention 
 and jiraycr of all who profess the name of the people 
 of God, to have the substance of these three things 
 in possession, and proved to be so by works : as 
 they proved themselves to have them in possession 
 amongst whom R. Barclay walked, and in defence 
 of whom, in the exposition of the Truth, he wrote, 
 as a member of the One Mediator between God and 
 man, the man Christ Jesus ; or as a member of that 
 Church which is the body of Jesus Chi-ist,and stands 
 in his power of mediation; suffering for sins, and 
 bearing them in his body crucifijd for sin, and: dead 
 unto it; but alive unto good in willing the forgive- 
 ness of them who know not what they do. This 
 mediatorial body or Church in God is in condescen- 
 sion to them who are accusers of tlie brethren while 
 they are themselves involved in sin ; seeking to in- 
 struct tlieoi in' relation to the fulfil iing and execution 
 of the law whicli they profess to own and to execute; 
 and exampling them in the fulfillment of it by re- 
 fraining from condemnation of the sinner against 
 wbom no witness stands in innocency ; which only is 
 the qualification under the law righteously to exe- 
 cute it. Men who are in Jesus Christ by baptism 
 into his death unto sin, must meet those who are in 
 sin and of the world, and those who tempt righteous 
 men, seeking accusation against them, in the same 
 Siiirit of mediation that he met those of whom t]je 
 
UNIVERSAL LOVE, APPEARING. 81 
 
 relation is given in John viii. aa follows : "And the 
 Scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman 
 taken in adultery ; and when they had set her in the 
 midst, they say unto him. Master, this woman was 
 taken in adultery, in the very act. I^ow Moses in 
 the law commanded us, that such should be stoned : 
 but what sayest thou? This they said, tempting 
 him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus 
 stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the 
 ground, as though he heard them not. So when they 
 continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said 
 unto them, He that is without sin among you, let 
 him first cast a stone at her. And he stooped down, 
 and wrote on the. ground. And they which heard 
 it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out 
 one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the 
 last : and Jesus was left alone, and the woman stand- 
 ing in the midst. When Jesus had lifted up him- 
 self, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, 
 Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no 
 man condemned thee? She said, no man. Lord. 
 And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn 
 thee : go, and sin no more." 
 
 This is the spirit and power in which the Lord 
 hath led me to seek the reconciliation one with an- 
 other and with Him, of those who profess to be 
 Friends, while yet they are accusing and receiving 
 accusations one against another. Oh! that their 
 ears might be opened to hear this mediator and 
 mediation : that they might in like manner become 
 convicted by their own conscience, and cease, one by 
 one, from this evil work ; and leave the sinner who 
 is taken in the very act, standing in the midst, with 
 
32 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 Jesus Christ alone. For no other flesh and spirit, or 
 man, is qualified to mediate between God and men, 
 than the man Christ Jesus; or those members in 
 Ilim who are proved to be of God by being so saved 
 as to keep the law, and teach and lead the sinner to 
 sin no more : in which man there is no wall of sep- 
 aration between man and God, but he is made flesh 
 (if his flesh, and bone of his bone, who "continueth 
 ever," " able to save them to the very uttermost that 
 come unto God by Him, seeing he ever liveth to 
 make intercession for them." Ileb. vii. 25. This flesh 
 and spirit ever constitutes the one mediator between 
 God and man. 
 
 "Now a mediator is not a mediator of one;" but 
 being made free from sin, is ordained of God, by 
 example and precept, to invite all whose sins have 
 separated them from Him and from each other per- 
 sonally, to reconciliation by the same death unto sin, 
 and the baptism of tlie Holy Ghost; not imputing 
 trespasses unto them, but praying for the forgiveness 
 of sinners, and receiving all who repent and forsake 
 sin. 
 
 This is the Friend of God and man ; and the fruit- 
 bearing members of this body of Jesus Christ con- 
 stitute a society of Friends truly, and are members 
 of the One Mediator. Fulfilling the law in them- 
 selves, they come to know their own dependence on 
 a merciful helper for ability to do so, and are filled 
 with compassion for as many as are out of the Way, 
 Christ Jesus, desiring they may be saved from con- 
 demnation; and directing them to the law of the 
 Spirit of Life in Him ; which always bears true wit- 
 ness in reproof of sin present, and manifests God's 
 
UNIVERSAL LOVE, APPBAEINS. 33 
 
 willingness to forgive sins past and truly repented 
 of, and His power to preserve in salvation from sin 
 all who love the Reprover and deny themselves ; 
 forming one new man of joined members in one 
 body, by and under Jesus Christ its Head, to the 
 glory of God. 
 
 How remarkably were that people of whom R. 
 Barclay wrote in the Fifth section of his treatise on 
 Universal Love imbued with the virtue of the Church 
 which is in God! so that he was not afraid nor 
 ashamed to close the same with desiring his readers 
 to " seriously consider whether there be any entire, 
 united body of Christians, except these here men- 
 tioned, who do unanimously hold forth so much 
 doctrine so directly establishing and agreeing to 
 true universal love ? " Of their being so imbued no 
 greater or more conclusive evidence need be required 
 and given than their establishment in the holding 
 of meetings for "Worship and Discipline in the Love 
 and in the manner set forth and defended by him in 
 the treatises referred to. 
 
 May we of this day and time consider these great 
 and precious testimonies ; and how exceeding short 
 we are fallen of being wholly gathered in churches 
 or meetings which do very well agree with true 
 universal love. Let us then endeavor to redeem the 
 time and repair the loss we and the world receive 
 from this fall, under a true sense of the experience 
 we have had of the evil; and the memory we retain 
 of how far our own faults have prevailed over us 
 and stimulated that which was wrong in each other ; 
 endeavoring to confirm and strengthen ourselves in 
 the good now revealed and embraced by some who 
 
 3 
 
34 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 meet together for the healing of breaches ; that by 
 BO meeting in meekness and submission to one an- 
 other truly in this universal love, true charity may 
 prevail through the powerful working of God's in- 
 finite goodness turning all to the advantage of those 
 that love and follow Him. Pure Charity is God's 
 love. He is love ; and therein manifests Himself to 
 man through His Son " Jesus Christ, the same yes- 
 terday, and to-day, and for ever." The effect of 
 charity in man is only truly to be known and shewn 
 in loving God above all, comprehended in keeping 
 His commandments zealously in love to all men. 
 It leads out of all which is false in zeal and wicked 
 in practice, and into a pure and clear understanding, 
 and to a renewed sanctified will, as E. Barclay has 
 well remarked in the second section of his treatise, 
 which is worthy of repeated consideration. 
 
 In the beginning of his third section he has ad- 
 mirably summed up what he has previously said, 
 thus : " That true Christian love and charity is the 
 most excellent of ^^rtnes, most needful to be sought 
 after and attained ; thiit it is never joined but with 
 purity, which it naturally leads to; and therefrom 
 doth consequentially arise an indignation and zeal 
 against unrighteousness ; which true zeal is justly 
 commendable, and really distinguishable from all 
 false and ignorant zeal." J 
 
 For the clear stating the work of men who are in 
 the limitation of righteous indignation and zeal in 
 the controversy of charity against unrighteousness, 
 the follovsdng assertions may be proposed and af- 
 firmed: 
 
 1st. That whatsoever love is consistent with the 
 
UNIVERSAL LOVE, APPEAEING. 85 
 
 pure love of God, may be as safely exercised towards 
 all sorts of men, as towards Christians. 
 
 2d. That whatsoever love or charity really condu- 
 ceth to the salvation of their souls, and as far as they 
 are capable thereof, may and ought to be shewed to- 
 wards them. 
 
 3d. That therefore the good in all ought to be com- 
 mended, encouraged, and loved : and no true good 
 either be denied, rejected, or despised because of 
 any errors peculiar to respective sects, gr to any in- 
 dividual's opinions. 
 
 4th. That the evil either in opinion or practice 
 ought neither to be spared, encouraged, nor foment- 
 ed, under any pretence of love whatsoever. 
 
 It should also be warily and seriously weighed 
 that the exercise of that which men possess of true 
 love and charity, being mindful of the command 
 " thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself;" is really 
 to such as they judge and believe are wrong, be- 
 cause God loves and compassionates sinners and such 
 as are out of the way; not as being ignorant or 
 doubting whether they really be such, but as really 
 knowing them to be of them whom Jesus Christ 
 came into the world to save, even " that which was 
 lost. Matt, xviii. 11. And as Paul wrote to Timothy, 
 his own son in the faith, 1 Tim. i. : " N'ow the end of 
 V. the commandment is charity out ofa pure heart, and 
 of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned ;" to be 
 exercised in all long suffering and kindness unto those 
 for whom the law was made (even sinners the great- 
 est and chief),to whom " the grace of our Lord was 
 exceeding abundant with faith and love which is 
 
§6 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 in Christ Jesas. This is a faithful saying, and worthy 
 of all acceptation, that Jesus Christ came into the 
 world to save sinners ; of whom I am chief." 1 Tim. 
 i. 14, 15. This being the end of the commandment, 
 and that for which charity or God's love is given in 
 and to a pure heart, it is the most difficult to be car- 
 ried out by so frail a creature as man, and requires 
 the utmost watchfulness in men; therefore well 
 might the Apostle so earnestly charge this his son in 
 the same faith, saying, " Take heed unto thyself, and 
 unto the doStrine; continue in them; for in doing 
 this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear 
 thee." 1 Tim. iv. 16. And therefore, those who pro- 
 fess to be Christians, disciples of Christ, sent into the 
 world as he was, to be exercised in the discipline of 
 the Church, his body, by the love of the Father, 
 should also seriously weigh the Master's teaching, 
 not to offend, but to watch over and forgive one an- 
 other, as recorded, Matt, xviii. 1 to 35 : " So likewise 
 (referring to the 34th verse) shall my heavenly Father 
 do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not 
 every one his brother their trespasses." 
 
 In order that men may be preserved together as 
 brothers, he taught, " If thy brother shall trespass 
 against thee, go and tell him his fault between him 
 and thee alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast 
 gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then 
 take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth 
 of two or three witnesses every word may be estab- 
 lished. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it 
 unto the Church : but if he neglect to hear the Church, 
 let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a pub- 
 lican." If he wM not be saved or gained unto thee as 
 
UNIVERSAL LOVE, APPEARINS. 87 
 
 a brother, let Hm be unto thee as be is ; as one of 
 tbose whom Jesus Christ came into the world to 
 save by laying down his life according to his Father's 
 commandment. This teaching and practice establishes 
 the aforestated four rules very fully ; and the obliga- 
 tion to watchfully observe them can never cease with 
 the living members of the Church or body of Christ, 
 whose head came into the world to save sinners : and 
 BO markedly illustrated these rules by example 
 and precept, teaching how publicans and sinners 
 should be behaved unto by the subordinate members 
 of his body: " That it came to pass as Jesus sat at 
 meat in the housCj behold many publicans and sin- 
 ners came and sat down with him and his disciples. 
 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his 
 disciples. Why eateth your Master with publicans 
 and sinners ? But when Jesus heard that, he said un- 
 to them. They that be whole (the gained brothers) 
 need not a physician, but they that are sick. But go 
 ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, 
 and not sacrifice : for I am not come to call the right- 
 eous, but sinners to repentance. Matt. ix. 10-13. The 
 cause why he so ei^mpled his disciples and so treat- 
 ed those who sought unto him, was that he in the 
 love of his Father, first sought them and forgave 
 their sins (Matt. ix. 2-8) ; being in himself recon- 
 ciled to publicans and sinners in hope that they 
 might be repentant upon his seeking theni, not im- 
 puting their trespasses unto them : and, knowing 
 himself what that meaneth, " I will have mercy and 
 not sacrifice," he did not condemn those who came 
 to hini, receiving his teaching, seeking to learn of 
 him, and to forsake sin, and to love and forgive their 
 
88 A PERSUASIVE TO UKITT. 
 
 offending brelihren. In the fifth chapter of Luke in 
 relation to the like incidents it is written that the 
 Scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disci- 
 ples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans 
 and sinners ? "With them it was that they might do 
 as he exampled them ; and because they were in 
 a state themselves to learn of. and needed to be in a 
 place where they might meet with the teacher of 
 good and the Friend of such : for being brethren 
 in the flesh and in the weakness of it, they needed 
 a physician and a brother's keeping alike, and were 
 reconciled to each other in One seeking, which was 
 of grace, and not of themselves ; but of God who 
 sheweth mercy. 
 
 Thus we may understand that the cause of men 
 meeting together for di^-ine worship in faith, is God 
 dwelling in them by Jesus Christ, the One Mediator 
 between God and man, in his incorruptible body of 
 flesh and blood ; reconciling the world unto Himself 
 in that body, the li\'ing members whereof have 
 learned with their One Head and Master, what that 
 meaneth, " I will have mercy, and not sacrifice" ; 
 and have forgiven their brethreq^s sins against them 
 (Matt, xviii. 21-35); and have thus become so recon- 
 ciled to God in Christ that they are reconciling men 
 also ; and are sent into the world as Jesus Christ was, 
 to seek and to save the lost and sick : they can eat 
 and drink in the same houses, and meet in the same 
 places together ^vith publicans and sinners without 
 being harmed by them; being preserved in God's 
 love, and having received the Atonement, the pow- 
 er on earth to forgive sins, which is in Jesus Christ, 
 and in as many as receive him (John i. 12), and so 
 
UNIVERSAL LOVE, APPEARING. 39 
 
 walk, even as lie walked (1 John ii. 6) : who stood 
 and cried, " If any man thirst, let him come unto me 
 and drink." (John vii. 37). 
 
 This is the true and unchangeable cause and foun- 
 dation of meetings for divine worship and holy disci- 
 pline in good form amongst men : which cause and 
 foundation is One ; and the Church that is built there- 
 on is not divisible in the Life of God,which is the true 
 Light of men : but is the true witness with God and 
 man that all the meetings of men for divine worship 
 ought to be public and open to all for the purpose of 
 reverently waiting upon God and owning each other 
 under the One Head of the body, the Church, even 
 Jesus Christ : and that all meetings for holy disci- 
 pline ought to be conducted or held in the world se? 
 leetly in that which is holy and is chosen out of the 
 world ; which holy thing or body bears the sins of men 
 and carries their infirmities; suffering, the just for the 
 unjust, that men may be brought to God : in which 
 love of God (or charity) saved men cannot forsake 
 the unsaved and sick, nor forget to do good and com- 
 municate of that which has been committed to them 
 in the Church, as members of Jesus Christ's incor- 
 ruptible flesh and bones ; nor go out of the world, 
 where God has placed them as lights in it ; to be as 
 a city set on a hill, and as lighted candles upon can- 
 dlesticks, to give light to all that are in the house. 
 
 In this Spirit and in godly form in the flesh, meet- 
 ings for the worship of God ought to be held ; and 
 also meetings for godly discipline, which is the god- 
 ly care of godly men in the world for fulfilling the 
 purposes proposed and affirmed in the four asser- 
 tions before mentioned: which discipline can only 
 
40 A PERSUASIVE TO CNITT. 
 
 be carried out by men so imbued with the love of God 
 (which is not divisible but universal) that itbehooves 
 them to suflfer, and to lay down their life for the 
 world ; that in the time when things are distinguished 
 (as in the third day of creation) the same life and in- 
 corruptible flesh may appear, in example and pre- 
 cept, in victory over the grave in which wicked men 
 desire to keep it. They who are Triends truly, and 
 in Jesus Christ, the substance of universal love, will 
 hold meetings for worship and discipline out of divi- 
 sions from this power and wisdom of God; and in the 
 faith which overcomes the world while in it as Jesus 
 Christ did, suflfering for it : not fearing them who 
 crucify him in the flesh, both the Head and mem- 
 bers ; and after that have no more that they can do. 
 
 As those who are preserved in this testimony on 
 this foundation cannot cause, or foment, or stand in 
 defence of any separation of such meetings; surely 
 it must have been in a departure from this founda- 
 tion, and a want of understanding this testimony 
 that the di\'ision8 have taken place, and yet have 
 place amongst them who claim to be the same peo- 
 ple of God called Quakers. Then let the query have 
 due consideration with all of them. How may they 
 reasonably proceed towards a reconciliation ? 
 
 Must it not be by returning to first principles ? 
 which principles are very well and concisely set forth 
 by R. Barclay under seven heads in the fifth Section 
 of his treatise on Universal love, which may well 
 bear several readings and frequent weighty consider- 
 ation : and by receiving in possession what not only 
 these several professors of the name of Friend, but 
 every professor of any name to religion professes to 
 
UNIVERSAL LOVE, APPEARING. 41 
 
 move in and be moved by, even that love of God 
 which is charity ; and only truly constitutes a man a 
 Friend of God and man; and preserves him from 
 being an enemy to any man ; and from being harmed 
 by any enemy, or by contact with serpents, or drink- 
 ing any deadly thing, as promised by Christ. Mark 
 xvi. 18. See also ch. vii. 1-23, and Mattxv. 11-20. For 
 "not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; 
 but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth 
 a man." " But to eat with unwashen hands, defileth 
 not a man ;" neither to meet in godly form in the 
 same house with an unholy person for worship ; or 
 within the sound of false doctrine to enter the body 
 by the ear ; neither when Friends are met for godly 
 discipline in the capacity of a Yearly Meeting on 
 the true and unchangeable foundation set forth above, 
 could any thing thalt may come from without them 
 who are so met, defile or harm them. If evertheless 
 from any so met an invitation might be extended to 
 those who may address them (and who so far desire 
 to be as meeting with them) as well as to others ; 
 whether faithful persons, or sinners, whom, having 
 forgiven, or prayed for, they can weep over and ad- 
 dress in this universal love, desiring the gathering 
 of them together, as of Jerusalem's children, in the 
 denial of their own wills which have had place 
 in them to "separate themselves" and scatter them 
 abroad as sheep having no shepherd. 
 
 That which so invites, forgiving sins, and in- 
 prayer for sinners, is the Church of Christ and God, 
 the Bride which says, Come : and they are Friends, 
 who do the will of God ; all hatred of men is east 
 out of these persons. Let the conduct be right, and 
 
42 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 opinions will be kept in their proper places ; there- 
 fore attend to the conduct first, and leave, or do not 
 dwell in, or halt between opinions. This could not 
 but restore Bociety, in reconciling men to each other ; 
 inasmuch as in acting well, or in doing justly and 
 right, they must become Friends in the substance of 
 all good, even Jesus Christ ; and could not be ene- 
 mies to God, and in contention one with another. 
 
 Let us seriously consider that in order to withdraw 
 from contention no man needs to change the loca- 
 tion of his person, but only to keep in pure love, 
 ceasing to contend himself: neither to withdraw 
 himself from those who walk disorderly, need he to 
 go from any other man's person, or from any meet- 
 ing of men which is in a right form for men to meet 
 in to perform acceptable worship. But he must 
 walk orderly in his own person, and in godly form, 
 in order to shew and prove his own orderly walking : 
 it cannot otherwise be proved that he is withdrawn 
 from those who walk disorderly, when the two are 
 known to exist in sufficient proximity to set forth the 
 dissimilarity which is between them in the apparent 
 difference of their walking in good or bad conduct. 
 
 This is in accordance with the Apostle's teaching 
 (1 Cor. V. 7 to 13) : " Purge out therefore the old 
 leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are un- 
 leavened. For even Christ our Passover is sacri- 
 ficed for us : therefore let us keep the feast, not 
 •with the old leaven, neither with the leaven of mal- 
 ice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread 
 of sincerity and truth :" being entirely one good 
 bread by the perfect work of the Truth in the creat- 
 ures abiding therein, as God placed them in the be- 
 
APPEARING. 43 
 
 gijiiiing, and now in the regeneration replaces every 
 one who ceases to do evil. How is this purging to 
 be done ? not by the parts or members going away 
 from each other in love of their own wills ; but by 
 their remaining in contact through love of each other 
 and denial of self. The power of good is stronger 
 than all leavens, and by its own virtue, in any ves- 
 sel or member loving and abiding with it, will over- 
 come and purge out all old leaven, and the leaven of 
 malice and wickedness, which only by the perverted 
 love of the creature has inward possession ; and 
 must be overcome of the stronger and purged out by 
 the love of good, before the creature can become 
 unleavened of the old leaven and of the bad, and be- 
 come of the good or heavenly bread : which must 
 be partaken of by the members in one body through 
 pure love and in contact, with mutual desire to be 
 filled anew ; which renewing cannot take place while 
 the parts remain separate from each other, and do 
 not adjoin by contact, being grafted together again. 
 The members of the body, though separable by the 
 ordainment of God if unfruitful, are placed in con- 
 tact with each other by the same ordination to bear 
 ijiuch fruit : not to go apart, or from the places in 
 which their Maker and Placer has put them, but to 
 abide there in patience, and even in suffering, that 
 the virtue of good may make them whole and con- 
 stitute them one in contact ; or a whole in consist- 
 ence by the prevalence of good over every member 
 through joints, and the supply of each one through 
 and by another : being bound in contact as their 
 Maker has placed them, every joint, member, or 
 vessel in His place, of His own perfect right and 
 
44 A PERSUASIVE TO CXITT. 
 
 authority, as He saw good for His own glory ; and 
 theirs in Him as every member abides in His place, 
 and in their respective places, where He placed them : 
 not going out of their places in the world, or one 
 from another in the world which has need of them 
 all in their places in it ; but being preserved from 
 so doing, and from all other evil, so as to overcome 
 the evil by good, in its own power, which is above 
 all ; and is able to preserve those who love it and 
 are filled with it, from all harm by any contact with 
 that which is contaminating by love of it in the des- 
 piser of the birthright of good, and the lover of that 
 which is vanity in itself, and must perish with the 
 using. 
 
 That the Apostle had in his mind the same 
 understanding which I endeavor to convey, I think 
 is sufficiently intimated by what immediately fol- 
 lows, shewing that he did not contemplate a dis- 
 placing of fleshy bodies in the world by somewhat 
 that he had previously written to them ; for he goes 
 on to say : " I wrote unto you in an epistle not to 
 accompany with fornicators : yet not altogether with 
 the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, 
 or extortioners, or with idolaters ; for then must ye 
 needs go out of the world. But now I have written 
 unto you not to keep company, if any man that is 
 called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an 
 idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner ; 
 with such an one no not to eat." No offender in 
 any thing can be rightly considered to be other than 
 a brother until he has been spoken to (as a brother, 
 in that love which seeks his restoration from his 
 offence) by a brother, by brethren, and by the 
 
UNIVERSAL LOVE, Ai'PBAEING. 45 
 
 Churcli, and has refused to hear them all ; m which 
 case he may not be called a brother, but a lost man, 
 not subject to known good government, a heathen ; 
 or a man who does that which is hateful to the 
 brethren, as a Publican among the Jews : which men 
 the Church, the body of Jesus Christ, is sent to seek 
 and to save, by example and precept while in suffer- 
 ing by them, and by laying down her life for the 
 world ; meaning for t lem who are of the world, hav- 
 ing rejected the bn therhood and God. But for 
 saved men, rightly called brothers, to be where they 
 have no personal presence in company with evil 
 workers, they "must needs go out of the world ;" 
 which need does not apply to refraining from keep- 
 ing company while in the world, if men duly consider 
 that the essence and substance of companionship is 
 in similar action from the same spirit in several men, 
 yet operating with privity ; it may be in fornication, 
 in covetousness, in idolatry, in railing, iu. drunken- 
 ness, or in extortioning ; but not without a man joins 
 in these sins and uncleannesses with another, and 
 makes them his meat by eating them or doing them 
 in such privity : otherwise Jesus Christ would have 
 been defiled by coming in contact with those whom 
 he walked with, ate and drank vdth, and communi- 
 cated amongst, in holy example to such as should be 
 his disciples. But a man not doing any of these 
 wickednesses, nor approving them himself, those 
 men who do them are without to him and not within : 
 and, continues the Apostle, " what have I to do to 
 judge them also that are without ? do not ye judge 
 them that are within ? (and are justly esteemed as 
 offending brethren in the church so lon;^ as they need 
 
46 A PEESDASIVK TO DNITY. 
 
 and receive the care and judgment of their friends, 
 and have not so far rejected it as to become given over 
 " unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the 
 spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.") 
 But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore 
 put away from among yourselves that wicked per- 
 son." This implies that that wicked person must 
 be put away in a man's own person, and from com- 
 pany with the innocent, (who may and will execute 
 the law given of God unto them through his faitli- 
 ful servants ; ) that they be in the world uncontam- 
 inated by wickedness because of their companionflhip 
 with, and love of good, which keeps them from fall- 
 ing. For the woe which is consequent i:pon the fall 
 from innocence, is not unto the man by whom the 
 offence does not come, but unto that man by whom 
 it doth come. Matt. x\iii. 6-9. If " the little ones 
 which believe in me," (the Head with the body of 
 Christ sent into and now in the world,) were to go 
 out of the body, or out of the field, or the world, in 
 which the head and body of Christ is ; (and which 
 head even while personally in the world was " the 
 Sou of man which is in heaven," John iii. 13,) 
 how could they be offended ? Wherefore the woe 
 is ujito (he world because of offences, which must 
 needs be while men are of it; but not by them 
 who are not of the world, although they are in it 
 to be offended, and to suffer for the offenders ; yet 
 chosen out of it, being called, and faithful to the call 
 to so love God as to be sent into it; not " separating 
 themselves," Jude 19, from any man in that love ; 
 but being preserved themselves from the evil of so 
 separating, and from aU harm in the world ; doing 
 the will of God in Jesus Christ, who is the Son 
 
UNIVERSAL LOVE, APPEARING. 47 
 
 of Man in saved flesh and spirit, both in heaven 
 and in earth vdthout corruption. 
 
 There is nothing more important to men than to 
 be of this saved flesh and spirit, which maketh them. 
 of One body in congregations, or churches of living 
 'members, in which God, who is One Life, and cannot 
 be divided, is manifest in each member or branch by 
 good fruit-bearing, which proves them to be joined 
 together in that One who only is good. This proof 
 is not in controversy, but in the absence of it by the 
 prevalency of love. In the world this One body is 
 composed of men who may offend because of loving 
 the world, and the things of it, more than the One 
 body of brethren, and the Keeper of them in Him- 
 self. From which perverted love the oflfenee cometh 
 and the woe unto the world, by men who so sepa- 
 rate themselves from God, the One only good, and 
 from the brethren whom He maketh One in His Son 
 by the love of the Truth. No man can call the Truth 
 Lord, who doth not love his neighbor as himself, 
 and love good above allj for that is God, who is a 
 Holy Spirit ; by which man being baptized in the 
 love of God and the Truth, the "Way to God and 
 the Life of Him, the Holy Ghost appears in 
 quickened flesh and bones, or a quickened mortal 
 body which calleth Jesus Christ Lord ; and cometh 
 upon them who serve God in that knowledge of 
 what is true, and of the saving virtue thereof into 
 which they have been baptized by the marvel- 
 lous work of the forerunner, appointed of God to 
 manifest him to Israel who taketh away the sins of 
 the world. Having received this understanding, we 
 know that the Son of God is come, and that we are 
 
48 A PERSDASIVB TO UNITY. 
 
 in Him that giveth it, and in his Son Jesus Christ, 
 who maketh his living members One body, only to 
 be known by all men in that they have love one 
 unto another. These love God because He first 
 loved them; wherefore they worship Him in His 
 own form, which is Jesus Christ, His own wisdom 
 and power in which they are saved ; and they care 
 for one another in the love of holiness, which is of 
 One, andof holy discipline; and the spirit of prophecy 
 and testimony of Jesus prevaileth when man ac- 
 knowledges, with the prophet Ezekiel, that the Lord 
 knoweth whether scattered dry bones can live, and 
 is careful to walk and speak amongst them accord- 
 ing to that word of Truth. 
 
 In conclusion, let me by this writing appeal again 
 to those who are owned in the different parts 
 amongst this scattered and diN-ided people, as care- 
 takers. Ministers, Elders, and Overseers, to remember 
 your calling ; which, if of God, is surely for the 
 watching over and gathering together out of all na- 
 tions, and keeping of the flock of God, in the love 
 of Him ; and in that love one to another which suf- 
 fereth long and is kind ; envieth not, vaunteth not 
 itself, is. not puifed up, doth not behave itself 
 unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily pro- 
 voked, thinketh no evil, rejoiceth not in iniquity, 
 but rejoiceth in the Truth, beareth all things, be- 
 lieveth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all 
 things, and never faileth. 
 
 Read and consider the First Epistle of Paul to the 
 Corinthians, in which he beseeches them as brethren, 
 by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that they all 
 speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions 
 
UNIVERSAL LOVE, APPEARING. 49 
 
 among them ; but that they be perfectly joined to- 
 gether in the same mind and in the same judgment. 
 Let us take heed that we be not carnally minded, 
 which is accompanied with envying and strife, and 
 divisions ; but let us endeavor to be laborers to- 
 gether with God on the foundation which he hath 
 laid, and which is One, even Jesus Christ, His own 
 image or likeness ; and let no man glory in men, nor 
 any be puffed up for one man against another. 
 Should it not be the care of all who go forth in the 
 ministry to walk according to these exhortations with 
 all faithfulness and diligence ; and of all Elders to 
 watch over the flock with the Ministers for their en- 
 couragement in this faithful work ; and of all Over- 
 seers to labor jointly with them to promote those dis- 
 positions in the whole flock which would conform 
 all to the same heavenly likeness ? that we may be 
 in deed and in Truth followers of that One man who 
 should die for the people ; of whom it was prophesied 
 that he should gather together in One the children 
 of God that were scattered abroad ; the same who 
 prayed, and yet prays, for the sanctification of those 
 whom he sends into the world, " that they all may be 
 One ; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that 
 they also may be One in us ; that the world may be- 
 lieve that thou hast sent me." 
 
 In this desire I commend what I have written, 
 and that which my fellow servant Robert Barclay 
 wrote, to the prayerful consideration of my beloved 
 fellow creatures to whom this may come : but more 
 particularly to those of them who claim the name of 
 that creature which is perfectly set forth in keeping 
 the commandments of Jesus Christ; having faith, 
 
 4 
 
50 A PER6UASIVK TO UNITY. 
 
 hope, and charity in possession by the grace of God : 
 which hath made me a Friend to all without respect 
 of persons. 
 
 JosBPH Bancroft. 
 
 Near Wilmington, Dd., 
 10th Month, lit, 187S. 
 
UNIVERSAL LOVE 
 
 CONSIDERED 
 
 AND ESTABLISHED 
 
 UPON ITS RIGHT FOUNDATION, 
 
 BEING A 
 
 SERIOUS ENQUIRY HOW FAR 
 
 CHARITY 
 
 MAY AND OUGHT TO BE EXTENDED TOWARDS PERSONS OF 
 DIFFERENT JUDGMENTS IN MATTERS OF RELIGION, 
 * AND WHOSE PRINCIPLES AMONG THE SEV. 
 
 ERAL SECTS OF CHRISTIANS DO 
 MOST NATURALLY LEAD 
 TO THAT DUE MOD. 
 ERATION RE- 
 QUIRED. 
 
 Written in the Spirit of love, and meekness, for the removing of 
 
 stumbling-blocks out of the way of the simple ; by a 
 
 lover of the souls of all men, 
 
 ROBERT BARCLAY. 
 
 God is love, and he that dwelleth in love, dwelletk in God. — 
 I JOHN iv. 1 6. 
 
 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. — 
 I John v. 2. 
 
UNIVERSAL LOVE, &c. 
 
 sectio:n" I. 
 
 THE INTRODUCTION. 
 GIVING AN ACCOUNT OF THE AUTHOR'S EXPERIENCE IN 
 THIS matter; with the REASONS MOVING HIM TO 
 TREAT thereof. 
 
 AiBBix it were very desirable that man could, 
 from Ms very tender age upwards, receive ^°^'"^^^ 
 so living an impression not only of the truest gf -^^J^^'f 
 and surest principles of the doctrines of '^"'• 
 Christ, but also of the life and power of godliness, to 
 leaven the whole mind and affections unto the pure 
 and holy nature of Jesus ; yet seeing that this happi- 
 ness befals to few, (most of men being, by the preju- 
 dice of education, either prepossessed or defiled with 
 wrong notions) or else those who come to receive 
 even at first a right impression in their understand- 
 ings, as to opinion or principle, do either by the 
 power of inward corruption working upon their 
 natural complexions, or by other temptations from 
 without, oftentimes fall exceeding short of this pure 
 life ; the best way to redeem the time, and to repair 
 that loss is from the experience we have had of the 
 evil, and the memory we retain of how far we have 
 been wrong, to confirm' and strengthen ourselves in 
 the good now revealed and embraced ; which, by the 
 powerful working of God's infinite goodness turning 
 all to the advantage of those, that love and follow 
 
54 A PEKSUASIYB TO UNITY. 
 
 J 
 
 Him, makes the ministry of sucli the more effectual, 
 as in the example of Paul and others was manifest. 
 
 It being then so, that the conditions of my life 
 hitherto (albeit I as yet am but a young man) gives 
 me experience more than, perhaps, to many others, 
 to treat of this subject : therefore, finding a true 
 freedom and liberty in my spirit, I have willingly 
 undertaken (for the sake of some) to write some- 
 thing briefly, and yet I hope cleariy thereof; that 
 my experience herein, (if the Lord will,) by His 
 blessing, may be useful to others. 
 
 My first education from my infancy up fell 
 ^u"iim°'' amongst the strictest sort of Calvinists, those 
 ra^"""^ of our country being generally acknowl- 
 edged to be the severest of that sect, in the heat of 
 zeal surpassing not only Geneva, (from whence they 
 derive their pedigree) but all other the reformed 
 churches abroad (so called); so that some of the 
 French Protestants, being upbraided wth the fruits 
 of this zeal, as it appeared in John Knox, Buchanan 
 and others, do (besides what is peculiar to their 
 principles of this kind) allege the superabundance 
 thereof to proceed a fenido Scotorum Ingenio, i. e., 
 from the violent complexion of our countrymen. 
 
 I had scarce got out of my childhood, when I was, 
 by the permission of Divine Providence cast among 
 the company of Papists, and my tender years, and 
 immature capacity not being able to withstand and 
 resist the insinuations that were used to proselyte 
 me to that way, I became quickly defiled with the 
 pollutions thereof; and continued therein for a time, 
 until it pleased God, through his rich love and 
 mercy to dehver me out of those snares, and to give 
 me a clear understanding of the evil of that wav. 
 
UNIVERSAL LOVE, ESTABLISHED.' 55 
 
 In both these sects the reader may easily con- 
 ceive, that I had abundant occasion to receive im-' 
 pressions contrary to this principle of love herein 
 treated of; seeing the straitness of several of their 
 doctrines, as well as their practice of persecution, 
 do abundantly declare, how opposite they are to uni- 
 versal love; as shall hereafter more at large be 
 shewn. And albeit the time it pleased God to de- 
 liver me out of these snares, I was so young, that it 
 may be presumed, my observations could be but 
 weak, and consequently my experience inconsider- 
 able ; yet, forasmuch as from my very childhood I 
 was very ambitious of knowledge, and by a certain 
 felicity of understanding (I think I may say without 
 vanity) successful beyond many of my equals in age, 
 (though my observations at that time were but 
 weak) yet since I have with more leisure and cir- 
 cumspection gathered thence so much experience, as 
 I am confident, will serve for a sufficient foundation 
 to any superstructure I shall build upon it in this 
 treatise. 
 
 The time that intervened betwixt my forsaking of 
 the Church of Eome and joining vnth those with 
 whom I stand now engaged, I kept myself free from 
 joining with any sort of people ; though I took liberty 
 to hear several : and my converse was most with those 
 that inveigh much against j udging, and such ^^eraTs^L^ 
 kind of severity; seeming to complain greatly 
 for want of this Christian charity among all sects. 
 Which latitude may perhaps be esteemed the 
 other extreme opposite to the preciseness of these 
 other sects ; whereby I also received an opportunity 
 to kaow, what usually is pretended on that side like- 
 
56 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. ^ 
 
 wise ; and thence can say Bomewhat experimentally 
 • on that part also. 
 
 As for those I am joined to, and whom I justly 
 Peopk'syari- esteem to be the true followers and ser- 
 
 oils jadg- 
 
 QSke^"" vantB of Jesus Christ, the world speaJcs di- 
 versely of them, as to this matter ; some highly ac- 
 cusing them of the want of charity, and quarreling 
 with them as such, who peremptorily condemn all 
 but themselves : others have a contrary conceit of 
 them ; each according as they are prejudicatedand in- 
 formed. What may be truly said in the case shall 
 after appear. I myself have been diversely censured 
 in this matter, being engaged in controversy ; which, 
 as they can be scarcely handled without something 
 of sharpness, so are seldom managed by any so suc- 
 cessfully, as not to bear the censure of some or other 
 in this respect. 
 
 Having then upon the whole matter observed, 
 that this want of charity is that, for the want of 
 which each sect accuses the other, and yet are most 
 averse to see this defect in themselves ; and that 
 some do accuse all sects as guilty of this crime; I 
 have judged it meet to commit my sense hereof to 
 ^^Titing, according to the purpose signified in the 
 title afore-mentioned. 
 
 sECTioN^ n. 
 
 THE NATURE OF CHRISTIAN LOVE AND CHARITY DEMON- 
 STRATED ; THE CONSISTENCY OF TRUE ZEAL THERE- 
 WITH ; ITS DISTINCTION FROM FALSE ZEAL. 
 
 The nature of Christian love and charity is fully 
 
UNIVERSAL LOVE, ESTABLISHED. 57 
 
 and abundantly described in the Holy Scripture^ 
 where it is preferred before all other virtues and 
 properties whatsoever ; as that which comprehendeth 
 in it all other perfections, and is the root and 
 spring of them. For there can be no true virtue, 
 but that which proceedeth from love ; hence God 
 himself is called love, 1 John iv. 7, as being that 
 under which all his innumerable and unutterable 
 perfections are included. By this love we are re- 
 deemed from the corruption of our nature, and 
 have received the benefit of a mediator; John 16. 
 This is the banner, wherewith God covereth his chil- 
 dren. Cant. ii. 4. This is that, which constrained our 
 Lord Jesus Christ to lay down his life for us ; John 
 XV. 13. The exercise of this is given by Christ, as 
 the principal token of his disciples ; John xiii. 35. 
 It is numbered as the first fruit of the spirit; Gal. v. 
 22. It is called the fulfilling of the law, as that 
 wherein all consisteth; JRomans xiii. 10. For to 
 love God above all things, and our neighbor as our- 
 selves, is the sum not only of the law, but of the 
 Gospel also. (See 1 Cor. xiii. 13.) Thereupon the 
 Apostle Paul giveth to this love or charity the pre- 
 cedency before either faith or hope ; in which chap- 
 ter he doth briefly, but very emphatically describe 
 it. For having first shown that the speaking with 
 tongues of men and angels, that the gifts of ^Jj^onove 
 prophesying, understanding and knowl- H^ '^^e^'^' 
 edge, that the faith, that even could re- lHfZg°^ 
 move mountains, and the giving of all to ^^" "■ 
 the poor, yea, and the body to be burnt, is nothing 
 without it : he proceeds to the description of it thus : 
 — charity suffers long, is kind; charity envieth not. 
 
58 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 »aunteth not itself, is not puffed up, does not be- 
 have itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not 
 easily provoked, thinketh no evil, rejoiceth not in 
 iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all 
 things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, en- 
 dureth all things, never faileth, albeit other gifts 
 have, 1 Cor. xiiL, from the first verse. 
 
 As by this the excellency of love is shewn, so the 
 necessity of pressing after it, and living in it wiU be 
 readily acknowledged by all : but seeing, the sum 
 of this love, as well as the perfection thereof consists 
 in loving God above all ; so whatever diverteth in 
 anything therefrom, is not to be accounted love, 
 though the same word be used to express it, and 
 that in the Scripture itself; such as the love of self. 
 Self-love. the love of the world, the love of any crea- 
 ture. Hence for the attaining of the true and excel- 
 lent love, the love of all these other things is not 
 only to be laid aside, and the love of God preferred 
 to them, but they are to be hated, as Christ himself 
 phraseth it, he that hateth his life, John xii. 25 ; 
 yea, he useth it so, as to speaking of hating father 
 and mother, Luke xiv. 26. Though when the love 
 to such is truly subordinate to the other, it is both 
 commended and commanded. 
 
 The testimony, which is required of our really 
 mony of'^e bciug in thc lovc of God, Christ himself 
 istokiep^h^ signifieth to us, if you love me, keep my 
 rommand- commandmentfi : and as the beloved dis- 
 ciple Jb^w said in the case of knowledge, showing 
 us the falsehood of such, as pretend to know God, 
 and yet do not so ; saying, he that says he knows 
 God, and keeps not his commandments, is a liar, and 
 
UNIVERSAL LOVE, ESTABLISHED. 59 
 
 the truth is not in him, 1 John ii. 4, So may be 
 also said, he that saith he loves God and keeps not his 
 commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him ; 
 according as the same Apostle saith; 1 John v. 3 : " For 
 this is the love of God, that we keep his command- 
 ments." Hence it is apparent that love without purity 
 is but a false pretence ; and that whatsoever hinders 
 from the practice of this love of God, or withdraws 
 from the obedience of the least of hid commands, is 
 to be denied, and no ways to be entertained ; as 
 being either the love of the devil, the love of the 
 world, or the love of self, and not the love of the 
 Father. And as from the true love of God (having 
 taken place both upon the understanding and will,) 
 there ariseth a great fervency and desire of mind, 
 that it may be wholly united with the Lord, and 
 made conformable unto his will in all things. 
 
 So from hence ariseth also a certain aversion from, 
 indignation of, and even hatred to whatsoever is con- 
 trary thereuntOjOr has a tendency to lead from it,which 
 is commonly called zeal. "Which zeal having a right 
 bottom and foundation, and proceeding Jrocelds"*" 
 purely from the love of God, is a great of°God°'°™ 
 virtue, greatly to be commended and pressed after ; 
 and the defect thereof is justly reprovable in a Chris- 
 tian. That zeal then, thus considered, is a thing 
 excellent, pure and holy of itself, appears, in that it 
 is ascribed to God himself, 2 Kings xix. 13, where, in 
 the performance of the blessed evangelical promises 
 to be performed by the zeal of the Lord [Isaiahsxx. 
 17,) He is said " to be clothed with zeal, as with a 
 cloak;" and (Ixviii. 15) his zeal is numbered with 
 his bowels and mercies, l^ext David recommends 
 
60 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 himself to God, for that the " zeal of hia house had 
 eaten him up." Psal. Ixrx. 9, and cxix, 139. And 
 Paul commends the Corinthians for their zeal, 2 Cor. 
 viL 11; 1 Cor. xiv, 12. And for this end has the 
 grace of God appeared unto all, that there might be 
 a people gathered " zealous of good works," Tit. ii. 
 14. And as this is commended and recommended 
 on the one hand, so is the contrary thereof (to wit, 
 indifferency and lukewarmness) reproved and re- 
 buked as a thing displeasing to the Lord. Of many 
 instances whereof, that might be given, that unto 
 the Church of Laodicea may serve at present. Revel. 
 xiii. 15-16. Because for a remedy against this evil 
 she is exhorted, verse 19, to be zealous and re- 
 pent. 
 
 But as there is a true zeal, so is there a false one ; 
 and it is not more needful to have the one, than it is to 
 avoid the other. Kow as the true zeal proceedeth from 
 the pure love of God, and single regard to his honor 
 Si ;'ftf ^^^ glory, so the false zeal proceedeth from 
 ^dUndde. tijg iQYe of something else, and the regard 
 to other things. And of this false zeal there are 
 several kinds, as well as degrees : all of which, though 
 they ought to be shunned, yet some are far more hurt- 
 ful andpernicious than others. The worst and highest 
 of these is, when as men through the height of pride, 
 lust, ambition or envy, show themselves fnrious 
 ht'"tT and zealous to satisfy and fulfil their de- 
 sires and aflections; this is the highest zeal for self: 
 from this zeal did Cain slay Abd ; Ishmael mocked 
 s. A wicked Isaac, and Esau hated Ja/:oh ; Pharaoh perse- 
 zeaL cuted the children of Israel; Saul, David; 
 
 and Jezebel, the true prophets of the Lord. 
 
UNIVERSAL LOVE, ESTABLISHED. 61 
 
 A second kind is, wlien as men, that are not true 
 and faithful even to those principles of religion they 
 profess themselves to acknowledge as true, as being 
 conscious to themselves, and also publicly known to 
 be such, as are vicious and profligate ; yet do vio- 
 lently persecute and oppress others, that differ from 
 them; though they be not only equal to them, but 
 even by their own acknowledgment exceed them in 
 temperance and virtue : having nothing to charge 
 them with, but that they agree not with them in 
 judgment and practice in matters of religion. This 
 apparently is a false zeal, and not of God ; for if it 
 proceeded from the true love of God, it would first 
 operate in themselves to the removing of all those 
 things, which they acknowledge to be contrary to 
 this love of God, before it exerted itself towards 
 others ; seeing, as the proverb is, Charity begins 
 at home. And like unto this was the zeal of 
 the Scribes and Pharisees, who persecuted scribes and 
 Christ for a breaker of the law, which them- stanced. 
 selves did not fulfil; as is also the zeal both of the 
 Papists and Protestants in their persecutions at this 
 day. 
 
 A third sort is of snch,who do indeed walk strictly 
 and closely to their own principles, making 3. a wind 
 conscience of their way; but yet being k^°» 
 blinded in their understanding, do persecute truth, 
 supposing it to be error. Of this number was Paul 
 before his conversion, being as to the law blameless, 
 and persecuting the saints out of zeal, Acts xxii. 3 ; 
 Gol. i. 14. And therefore in this class he numbers his 
 countrymen, saying. They have a zeal for God, but 
 not according to knowledge. Bom, x. 2. And perhaps 
 
62 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 among these such may be numbered, of whom 
 Christ speaketh, saying to his disciples, and " when 
 they kill you, they shall think to do God good 
 service." 
 
 A fourth or last sort is, when as men being truly 
 enlightened in their understanding, but their will, 
 heart and affections not being thoroughly leavened 
 with the love of God, do condemn things justly re- 
 Mif^wSSf provable, but not out of the pure drawings 
 '"'• of divine love ; but even from a mixture of 
 
 self in the forwardness of their own will, as not suf- 
 fering any to be contrary unto them. 
 
 This is the most innocent kind of wrong zeal ; 
 yet not so, but that it ought to be watched against : 
 and of these few that are guilty of it, it were fit, 
 they waited to be redeemed from it. But the pure, 
 undefiled zeal, that is acceptable to God, is that 
 which proceeds not only from a pure and clear 
 SdunX understanding, but also from a renewed 
 f^ '«J- and sanctified will, which moves not of, 
 nor from self, but from and for the Lord. 
 
 SECTIOiT in. 
 
 THE CONTROVERSY STATED WITH RESPECT TO THE DIF- 
 FERENT SORTS OF CHRISTIANS, HOW IT IS TO BE 
 FETCHED FROM THE NATURE OF THEIR PRINCIPLES, 
 AND NOT FROM THE PRACTICE OF PARTICULAR PER- 
 SONS. 
 
 The sum of what is said, is, that true Christian 
 SSIo^Jlh; love and charity is the most excellent of 
 wUiS"'" virtues, most needful to be sought after 
 
UNIVERSAL LOVE, ESTABLISHED. 63 
 
 and attained ; that it is never joined but with purity, 
 which it naturally leads to; and therefrom doth 
 consequentially arise an indignation and zeal against 
 unrighteousness : which true zeal is justly com- 
 mendable, and really distinguishable from all false 
 and ignorant zeal. 
 
 For the more clear stating of the controversy in 
 proceeding in this matter, these following asser- 
 tions relating thereto may be proposed and affirmed. 
 
 I. That whatsoever love is consistent with 
 the pure love of God, may be safely ^^^^^°"^ 
 exercised towards all sorts as well of men, fJuo^^^ 
 as Christians. christians. 
 
 n. That whatsoever love or charity really con- 
 duceth to the salvation of their souls, and so far as 
 they are capable thereof, may' and ought to be 
 shewed towards them. 
 
 m. That therefore the good in all ought to be 
 commended, encouraged and loved^and no true 
 good either denied, rejected or despised, because of 
 any errors peculiar to respective sects. 
 
 rV. That the evil either in opinion or practice 
 ought neither to be spared, encouraged nor foment- 
 ed under any pretence of love whatsoever. 
 
 These I shall not enlarge, nor yet offer to prove 
 (studying to avoid prolixity) because I presume, they 
 will be readily granted and assented to by all : that 
 then, which principally comes under consideration, 
 is to consider and examine, 
 
 Which of all the several sorts of Christians at 
 this day, do most truly observe these rules, and shew 
 forth most of the true love and zeal of God in their 
 
64 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 way and principles, avoiding that, wMch is contrary 
 thereunto ? 
 
 Wherein that I may proceed clearly, there are 
 some things previous to be warily and seriously 
 weighed. As : 
 
 First ; When I speak of the charity of the seve- 
 ral sorts of Christians, I speak of such as are settled 
 I. in their respective principles, as persuading 
 mtn judging thcmselves certainly in the truths and 
 more reprove soundncss of them : so that their love and 
 
 able than 1 • Jl j 
 
 those othm. charity 18 really to such, as they judge and 
 believe are wrong. Seeming to have charity to all, 
 and be afraid to judge them from an unsettledness 
 in one's self, as not knowing which is right, or which 
 is wrong, is a virtue of necessity and not of choice : 
 and proceedeth no ways from the love of God, 
 neither has any resemblance thereunto : for God 
 loves and compassionates sinners, and such as are 
 out of the way, not as being ignorant or doubting, 
 whether they be such ; but as really knowing them. 
 It were indeed the height of madness and folly for 
 these unsettled, uncertain and straggling souls to 
 take the liberty to judge others for being wrong, 
 while they profess, they know not yet, who is right, 
 and who is wrong ; being only sure of thisj that 
 themselves are not come to rights ; for they could 
 not in so doing but be self-condemned. Not but I 
 believe, that the condition of such, if they be truly 
 forbearing, and ready to embrace the good, when 
 seen by them, is both more tolerable to others, and 
 safe for themselves, than those, that are hardily con- 
 fident in a wrong belief, from thence forwardly 
 judging others. But this I Inention for the sake of 
 
UNIVERSAL LOVE, ESTABLISHED. 65 
 
 certain men of loose and uncertain principles, who 
 being really conscious to themselves of their own 
 unsettledness, finding themselves at a loss as con- 
 cerning many of the controverted principles of the 
 Christian religion, which is right, and which wrong; 
 and not finding a ready way to come to any certain 
 determination therein, and being perhaps unwilling 
 to undergo the trouble and difficulty of such a seri- 
 ous search and enquiry, as well as desirous to avoid 
 these troublesome circumstances^ or rather incon- 
 veniences, which may seem to them necessarily to 
 accompany their imbodying themselves with any 
 particular people or fellowship, and therefore find it 
 more easy to satisfy and please themselves with some 
 general notions of practical truths commonly ac- 
 knowledged by all, and therefore cover themselves 
 by condemming that heat, asperity, and severe cen- 
 suring, that is among the several sorts of Christians 
 one towards another, as not consistent with, nor suit- 
 able to that love, which ought to be in all Christians : 
 whereas poor men ! they mind not, how much they 
 fall in this crime, and that in a degree far more re- 
 provable, than those they thus accuse. For, 
 
 First : Are not they found guilty of the want of 
 this Christian love and charity, that do , i. 
 judge and condemn all those several sorts opinions in' 
 of Christians, as defective in this so prin- suring,and 
 
 11 /-n • ,. • , judging each 
 
 cipai and necessary a Christian virtue; other for that 
 whereby they do indirectly shut them out f»"nd gu>ity 
 from being Christians or disciples of Jesus ? s«'^==- 
 for if they judged it an error inconsistent with Chris- 
 tian love and charity, to condemn or accuse one an- 
 other for difference in opinion ; why are they foun^ 
 
66 A PERSUASIVE TO CNITY. 
 
 themselves so guilty of it ? For since this censuring 
 and condemning of one another amongst the several 
 sorts of Christians is practiced by them as their duty, 
 and a necessary consequence of their doctrine, why 
 should these judge them for it ? If they say, they 
 condemn them for it, because they believe it to be a 
 wrong principle ? shall not others be allowed the like 
 liberty to condemn principles they likewise believe 
 to be wrong ? One of two then must of necessity 
 hold, either that wrong doctrines or opinions may 
 be justly reproved, confuted and condemned with- 
 out breach of Christian love and charity, and there- 
 fore the so doing amongst the several sorts of Chris- 
 tians (upon their own respective principles in itself 
 simply considered) not evil or reprovable, and there- 
 fore these men wrong in judging it so ; or it is an 
 evil, and inconsistent with Christian love and char- 
 ity to condemn any sort of Christians for their doc- 
 trines and opinions : and if so, these men fall foully 
 in this crime, that do accuse all others for this judg- 
 ing of principles ; and yet themselves judge them 
 for their principles herein. And, 
 
 Secondly : Their envy in this is of an higher de- 
 
 a. gree by their own sentence, than those 
 
 judgineno othcrs thus judged by them : because the 
 
 scious lo others proceed upon a certain belief and 
 
 themselves. „ . ^ ' . -i . , 
 
 nrm persuasion, that they are in the right, 
 and those they condemn wrong; and so proceed 
 rationally consequential to their own principles : but 
 these men, albeit they be conscious to themselves, 
 that they are not come to a determination of what 
 is right, and what ^vrong, and remain yet in doubt 
 for want of a clear understanding, what to approve, 
 
UNIVERSAL XOVE, ESTABLISHED. 67 
 
 and what to condemn ; do nevertheless most irration- 
 ally (and inconsequentially to their own affirmations) 
 reprove, censure and condemn all others, as destitute 
 of, or at least defective in a virtue and quality so 
 necessary and essential to all Christian societies. To 
 whom therefore may be fitly applied the saying of 
 the patriarch Jacob to his firs1>born, Beuben : " TJn- 
 stahle as water, thou shalt not excel." Gen. xlix. 4. 
 And that of the Apostle Patil to the Romans, JRom. 
 ii. 11. As also that other saying of the same apos- 
 tle to the Galatiails, " For if I build again the things 
 that I have destroyed, I make myself a transgressor." 
 Gal ii. 18. 
 
 Secondly : To make a jndgnaent of the several sorts 
 of Chri^ans, we must fetch it not from n. 
 
 . , _ A religious 
 
 the practices of particular persons ; but society is 
 
 *^ ■'■- ■*• - judged from 
 
 from their respective principles, by enquir- us principles, 
 
 ■'■ A i 7 ./ J. jjQt from par- 
 
 insr, how far they naturally lead to, or draw «''">^rp«- 
 
 7 «/ ./ , 7 sons prac- 
 
 from this universal love ? Because that it '''='=• 
 cannot be denied, but that among all and every sort 
 of the several sects of Christians, there are men of 
 divers and sundry humors and complexions, some 
 more hot, violent and forward, who prosecute what 
 they judge right, with great zeal, haste and fury ; 
 others of more calm, meek and loving dispositions, 
 who though they be not less desirous to advance 
 their way, yet do it in a more complacent, affable 
 and deliberate manner : some there are, that are 
 naturally of a careless, indifferent, Gallio-like temper 
 in such things, and therefore behave more forbear- 
 ingly and civilly towards such as dissent from them ; 
 not because of any virtue, but because such liiings 
 do not much trouble or touch thero. Fpit^ber then 
 
68 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 of these virtues, as they are incident to particular 
 persons, are so justly chargeable upon a sect or peo- 
 ple, as from thence to make a positive judgment of 
 their universal charity or not, seeing, these are not 
 the consequences of their principles, or that which 
 necessarily comes from them, as relating to this or 
 that society ; but the mere product of their natural 
 and private humors. How far any particular or sin- 
 gular persons among the several sects have attained 
 to the performance of that true love and zeal, for- 
 merly described, I shall not determine ; neither does 
 it necessarily belong to this question : for if any 
 should be found to do any thing, which were so far 
 from being the consequence of their principles, as to 
 be quite contrary, their brethren would not suffer 
 their principles from thence to be disapproved; so 
 neither can the excellency of any singular persons, 
 while not proceeding upon their principles, approve 
 them as justifiable in this respect. As for instance : 
 where it is the universal principle and general prac- 
 tice of a sect, to persecute even to the utmost those 
 that differ from them (aa in the Chuch of Rome) 
 should there be found one or two, or a very few of a 
 more moderate spirit, that should profess an aversion 
 from such sort of severity, and also practice it in their 
 station according to their capacity ,who would ascribe 
 this moderation and charity to the Church of Rome, 
 would take his measure but badly. And on the 
 other hand, where it is the universal principle and 
 general practice of a people, not at all to persecute 
 for the matter of conscience, should any private per- 
 sons pf that society be carried by their fury and heat 
 to the practice of any such thing,though directly con- 
 
UNIVERSAL LOVE, ESTABLISHED. 69 
 
 trary to their principles ; who would charge this upon 
 the whole people, and thence naeasure them, would 
 make also a bad consequence. Nevertheless I shall 
 not deny, but some principlea are so pernicious, and 
 so straight and narrow, that they seem by a certain 
 malignity generally to influence all their followers, 
 as shall after be observed : but I shall now proceed 
 to the fore-mentioned examination. 
 
 SECTIOI^rV. 
 
 AN EXAMINATION OF THE PKINCIPLBS OF SEVERAL SORTS 
 OF THE SO CALLED CHRISTIANS COMPARED WITH THIS 
 UNIVERSAL LOVE, AND FOUND DEFECTIVE : AS 1, OF 
 PAPISTS ; 2, OP PROTESTANTS IN GENERAL ; 3, OF SO- 
 CINIANS. 
 
 As there are two ways chiefly, whereby a people 
 or society do signify their charity or love universal 
 towards others, that differ from them ; so in- """^^ 
 by these two also is signified their contrary prin- 
 ciples and practice. 
 
 The first is by a favorable and charitable judg- 
 ment of the condition of men's souls, albeit i. a charit- 
 of different and contrary principles from ment." ^" 
 them, in supposing, or at least not absolutely deny- 
 ing, but that they may even upon their own prin- 
 ciples, if faithful thereto, obtain peace with God 
 and life eternal. 
 
 The second is by afriendlyand neighborly deport- 
 ment towards men's persons, in not seeking , Afnendiy 
 to ruiji and destroy them, whether in life, <*"=?"""•=■"• 
 liberty or estate ; albeit their judgment concerning 
 God, and things spiritual in the nature and manner 
 
70 A PEKSUABIVB TO UNITY. 
 
 of the exercise of their worship be both contrary 
 and diflferent : where the defect of any of these two 
 is, there of necessity must be wanting universal 
 love and charity. 
 
 For thou, that has bound up and tied the means 
 I. uncharit. of salvatiou to thy principles and doctrines, 
 ^l"*"*' so as to exclude from salvation all 
 that differ from thee, or contradict thee, hast cer- 
 tainly declared, thy charity exceeds not the limits of 
 thy own form; and that the best opinion and highest 
 esteem thou hast of any that differ from thee, for 
 any virtues or excellencies that may appear to be in 
 them, resolves at last in no better than this conclu- 
 sion ; for all this they must be damned. Ifeither 
 will it serve to prove the universal charity of any 
 people in this respect, that some of them may 
 problematically affirm, that salvation may be pos- 
 sible to some such dissenters living in remote parts, 
 who are excluded from the benefit of all means of 
 knowing their principles, making this possibility 
 only as an effect of God's omnipotency, and so 
 purely miraculous ; alleging, they will not deny, but 
 God in a miraculous and extraordinary way may 
 bring some to heaven. For this shows no charity 
 at all either in the principle or people ; but is only 
 a mere seeming acknowledgment of God's omnipo- 
 tency from a sight of the gross absurdity that would 
 follow from affirming otherwise. Those only can 
 be esteemed charitable in point of doctrine, and 
 truly to commend the love of God, whose principle 
 is of that extent, as naturally to take in within the 
 compass of it both such as have not arrived to their 
 discoveries, and who arc also different in judgment 
 
UNIVERSAL LOVE, ESTABLISHED. 71 
 
 from them, and that without any extraordinary and 
 miraculous conveyance ; as beingthe common means 
 and order of salvation appointed by God for all, and 
 truly reaching all. 
 
 Moreover, in the second place, far less canst thou 
 pretend to have charity for me, that wilt rob me 
 of my life, goods or liberty, because I cannot jump 
 with thfee in my judgment in religious matters : to 
 say, thou dost it for good, and out of the love thou 
 bearest to my soul, is an argument too ridiculous to 
 be answered ; unless that the so doing did infallibly 
 produce' always a change in judgment : the very 
 contrary whereof experience has abundantly shewn, 
 and to this day doth shew ; seeing such severities do 
 oftener confirm men in their principles, than drive 
 them from therii. And then by thy own confession 
 thou dost not only destroy my body, but my z. uncharit- 
 soul also ; and canst not avoid thinking, up- mem; lo de- 
 
 • •11 -r J 1 1 stroymenfor 
 
 on thv own principle, but 1 must be damn- conscience 
 
 ■L '^ 1 1 • 1 y. an act of Dial- 
 
 ed if I persist in my judgment: which for >ce. 
 
 thee to be the very immediate occasion and author of, 
 
 is certainly the greatest act of malice and envy that 
 
 canbe imagined : seeing thou dost what in thee lieth, 
 
 through thy heat of zeal and fury, to cut me off 
 
 from obtaining that place of repentance, which, for 
 
 aught thou knowest, it might please God to afford 
 
 me, were not my days thus shortened by thee. To 
 
 allege the example of putting to death mur- Ma^strates 
 
 derers and other such profligate malefactors Seath^nmie- 
 
 (which is allowably done by the general their crimes 
 
 ■ 1 n 1 11 r^t • !• \ n isnoexample 
 
 judgment of almost all Christians) from for them to 
 thence urarina:, that as this is not accounted a men for mat- 
 
 V °' ters of con. 
 
 breach of Christian charity, so neither the science. 
 
72 A PEKSDASIVK TO DNITT. 
 
 other, will no way serve the purpose, nor yet be a suf- 
 ficient cover for tiiis kind of unchristian cruelty ; be- 
 cause the crimes for which these are thus punished, are 
 .such, as are not justified as matters of conscience, or 
 conscientiously practiced ; which are unanimously 
 condemned not only by the consent of all Christians, 
 but of all men, as being destructive to the very nature 
 of mankind, and to all human society : and it is con- 
 fessed even by all such malefactors themselves; I 
 know not if one of a hundred thousand can be ex- 
 cepted ; and the punishment of such is justifiable, as 
 all generally acknowledge. But to kill sober, honest, 
 good men, merely for their conscience, is quite con- 
 trary to the doctrine of Christ, as has been else- 
 where upon other occasions largely demonstrated. 
 
 This being premised, I shall briefly apply the same 
 to the several sorts of Christians, that thence may 
 be observed whose principles do most exactly agree 
 with, and lead to that universal love and charity, so 
 much in words commended by all : and for the want 
 of which every sort take so much liberty to 
 judge and condemn each other. There are many 
 other particulars, by which the several sects may 
 be tried in this respect ; but these two fore-men- 
 tioned being the principal, I shall chiefly insist 
 upon them in this present application. 
 
 To begin then with the Papists, there Is nothing 
 
 The Paputs" morc commonly acknowledged and assent- 
 maxim : ^ *-^ 
 without the ed to amonff them, than that maxim, extra 
 
 church IS no o ' 7 
 
 saivaiion. ecclcsiam nulla salus, without the church 
 there is no salvation ; which maxim in a sense, I 
 confess to be true, (as shall hereafter appear) but ac- 
 cording as it is understood among them, it does ut- 
 
UNrVEESAL LOVE, ESTABLISHED. 73 
 
 terly destroy this universal love and charity. For 
 by this church, without which there is no salvation, 
 they precisely understand the church of Eome ; 
 reckoning, that whosoever are not of her fellow- 
 ship, are not saved. And this must needs neces- 
 sarily follow upon their principles, seeing, they 
 make the ceremonial embodying in this church so 
 necessary to salvation, that they exclude Their cm- 
 from it the very children begotten and ciuJed°froS 
 brought forth by their own members, '"''"'"sh- 
 unless formally received by the sprinkling or bap- 
 tism of water. And albeit they have a certain place 
 more tolerable than hell for these unbaptised in- 
 fants ; yet hence is manifest, how small their charity 
 is ? And how much it is confined to their particu- 
 lar ceremonies and forms ? Since if they think 
 children born among them for want of this circum- 
 stance are excluded from heaven, albeit never 
 guilty of actual transgression ; they must needs 
 judge, that such as both want it, and also are guilty 
 of many sins (as they believe all men are, who are 
 come to age, especially such as are not in the church) 
 go without remedy to hell. 
 
 Secondly, all dissenters and separatists from the 
 church, infidels, Turks and heretics, which yea°,y°cu°rss 
 (in short) are all that profess not fellowship municS 
 and communion with the church of Kome, S.""*""' 
 and own her not as their mother, are in a most solemn 
 manner yearly excommunicated by the Pope ; and it 
 were a most gross inconsistency to suppose, that 
 such, as are so cursed and excommunicated, and 
 given over to the devil by the father and chief bishop 
 of the church, can in the judgment of the mem- 
 
74 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 bers be saved ; especially while they think he is ap- 
 proved of Gk)d, and led by an infallible Spirit in his 
 so excommunicating them. 
 
 And laslly, to suppose any such universal love or 
 Thtteanda- charfty, as extending to persons either 
 RomUh*° without the compass of their own society, 
 S""rioriv °^ dissenting and separating from them, so 
 of A&r. gg ^Q reckon them in a capacity or possibil- 
 ity of salvation, were to destroy and overturn the 
 very basis and foundation of the Roman Church ; 
 which stands in acknowledging the superiority and 
 precedency of Feier and his successors, and in believ- 
 ing that infallibility is annexed thereunto. 
 
 Now, such as are not of the Roman Society, can- 
 not do this ; and those that do not thus, are such, to 
 whom the Church of Rome can have no charity ; 
 but must look upon them as without the church, 
 and consequently as uncapable of salvation, while 
 there abiding. 
 
 If it be objected that the Church of Rome profess- 
 object. eth charity to the Greek, Armenian, and 
 Ethiopian churches, albeit vastly different in many 
 things from them: 
 
 I answer, that whatsoever charity the Church of 
 Answer. Romo cithcr doth, or ever hath professed 
 to any of these, shall be found to be always upon a 
 supposed acknowledgment made by them to the See 
 of Rome, as the Mother church and apostolic seat, 
 from thence seeking the confirmation and 
 
 The Church . „ , . -r, 
 
 of Rome authontv of their Patriarchs, at least, as 
 
 professing . t^ -i i 
 
 charity to the Romanists have sought to make the 
 
 some. 
 
 world believe (how true, is not my pres- 
 ent business to enquire) and all these differences of 
 
rNIVBRSAL LOVE, ESTABLISHED. 75 
 
 ceremonies, that are betwixt them, are only approv- 
 ed by the Eomauista, as such which are indulged to 
 them by the Pope, who pretends out of a fatherly 
 care and compassion to yield these things unto them : 
 which, if it be true, is done by him rather to uphold 
 the show of his authority, and because distance of 
 place and other incommodities. hinder him from 
 pressing more upon them ; since in places nearer 
 hand, and where fitter opportunities have been pre- 
 sented, he has shewn himself very zealous and 
 violent to bring all to a ready obedience to the least 
 of his commands : as by many examples could be 
 largely proved. Yet some are of the mind, that all 
 these stories, and pretended acknowledgments of 
 Patriarchs to the Romish See, are but the mere 
 effects of the policy of that court to uphold their 
 grandeur ; and nothing better but pretty comedies 
 to amuse the vulgar and credulous, and augment 
 their reverence towards tbe Pope and his clergy : 
 but whatever be in this, it is abundantly manifest, 
 that there can be nothing more contrary to this uni- 
 versal love and charity, than Romish principles, and 
 that no man of that religion, without deserting his 
 principles can pretend to it. 
 
 As to the other principle of persecution, how 
 much it is preached and practiced in the pe^ecution 
 Church of Rome, will need no great proba- Swafss,. 
 lion: those that are acquainted with, or Srclfurch 
 have heard of the Spanish Inquisition, of °' ^°™" 
 the many inhuman butcheries and massacres com- 
 mitted both in France and the ^Netherlands upon 
 men, merely for the matter of their consciences; 
 the many plots, consultations, combinings and wars 
 
76 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 contrived, fomented, and carried on by the bishops 
 of Rome themselves, and the chief of their clergy 
 yielding large and voluntary contributions thereto, 
 for to ruin and root out the dissenters from the 
 Romish Society, after Luther appeared ; cannot but 
 see, how natural and consequential it ie to Romish 
 principles so to do ? And thence also observe, how 
 contrary and opposite these things are to universal 
 love and charity ? And how much they act the hy- 
 pocrite, when thej' pretend Christian charity to any, 
 that differ from them. 
 
 And this manifestly appears in these two, which 
 none of them that has understanding to know, or 
 honesty to confess their principles, can deny. I 
 might also add a third, which albeit by some Popish 
 doctors in some nations it be denied, yet is no less 
 firmly believed and contended for by other eminent 
 persons among them, especially Bellarmine, and ap- 
 proved by the Pope himself, to wit, the Pope's power 
 to depose princes in case of heresy, and give their 
 kingdoms to others: allowing them upon that ac- 
 count to fight against them, and accounting their so 
 purchasing of them lawful. Small offences hereto- 
 fore would have provoked to this sentence, as ap- 
 The Pope's pcarcd in the example of Rildebrand and 
 ^weTSf'S^! others; but of late he is more sparing 
 m'c^ r™"* and deliberate in his denunciations, finding 
 heresy. j^jg authority Icss regarded, and his power 
 
 to bring to obedience much abbreviated. But sure- 
 ly, this principle cannot consist with universal love, 
 when that, which by all is acknowledged to be an 
 ordinance of God, doth not secure the lawful ad- 
 ministrators thereof from the bitterness of it : if you 
 
UNIVERSAL LOVE, BSTABLISHED. 77 
 
 will not allow a king to be a king, albeit his right 
 and title so to be is every way as good, as such among 
 yourselves, unless he be of your mind; certainly 
 there is but small hopes of your charity to other 
 persons ? There might be much more said and en- 
 larged as well upon this as other things, which suffi- 
 ciently evidenceth the Church of Rome can have 
 no just claim to this universal love ; which I pur- 
 posely, to avoid all manner of prolixity, do omit. 
 
 The great variety of doctrines among Protestants 
 (so called) will make it somewhat harder p^oj^st^nts' 
 to decipher them particularly in this mat- p"""?''^- 
 ter ; yet to take first notice of those who by their 
 most public confessions,a8 well as by their possession 
 of whole nations, are most commonly and universally 
 understood to bear that name, (to wit) the Lutherans 
 and Calvinists seem most regular. 
 
 And because of their unity, as well as of several 
 others, in that doctrine and practice of ^ Lu,heia„s 
 persecution, I shall make my first obser- ^"<* Caivimsts. 
 vation from thence : which being not only held by 
 them, but also by several others dissenting from both 
 of them, may be termed (the more the pity) a gene- 
 ral doctrine of Protestants : how far this contradicts 
 universal love, is before mentioned. But Persecution 
 as to them, it has this additional aggrava- and pracdc"! 
 tion (which is very considerable) that they do, and 
 that upon their owned principles, so rigorously per- 
 secute one another, not permitting one another the 
 free exercise of their conscience in their respective 
 dominions ; albeit they acknowledge, that they agree 
 in fundamentals, and that they have both upon the 
 same design of reformation departed from antichrist. 
 
78 A PKRSUASIVK TO UNITY. 
 
 How then can these men pretend to any thing of uni- 
 versal love or charity, who upon so small difference, 
 by themselves not esteemed fundamental, do deny 
 one another the very common and natural benefits of 
 the creation. And of this the island of Great Bri- 
 Engiand in- tain cau give good evidence. Por albeit the 
 variance. Protestauts there be in a sense all Calvinists, 
 or at least not at variance in that, which was and is 
 the great controversy among the Lutherans and Cal- 
 vinists abroad ; and that their difference lies only in 
 the matter of the government of the church, and 
 some other ceremonies ; many of which Calvin him- 
 self confesseth not to be of that consequence, for 
 which the godly should be at variance ; yet how lit- 
 tle charity they have to one another, and how great 
 and irreconcilable prejudice and malice, is openly 
 known to the world ! 
 
 So that upon this account the Prelatic party has 
 persecuted the Presbyterian, and the Presbyterian 
 them, as they respectively found themselves in a 
 capacity to do it ; not only to the ejection of the 
 clergy for this difference out of their function, and 
 Excoramuni- thc excommuuication and publicly cursing 
 
 eating one ii. • 
 
 another. ouc of another ; but also to the turning in 
 and out of state officers, to the imprisoning, forfeit- 
 ing, banishing, yea, and judicial execution both of 
 private and public persons. Not to mention the hor- 
 rible devastations and publjc wars, whereby this is- 
 land became as a bloody tragedy to the ruin of thou- 
 wais and sauds of families ; which took its rise from 
 bloodshed, their differences, and was carried and fo- 
 mented from the very pulpits under this notion. 
 Also those common and usual denominations, where- 
 
UNIVERSAL LOVE, ESTABLISHED. 79 
 
 with they used (and yet do design on) one another, 
 axe not unknown, as, self-seeking and' self-separating 
 hypocrites, seditious incendiaries, presumptuous re- 
 bels ; and on the other hand, proud and bloody pre- 
 lates, ignorant and ungodly curates, wicked and 
 hateful malignants, idolatrous and superstitious. 
 
 I could also (were it not both tedious and trouble- 
 some to repeat such stuff) give instance of not much 
 less severity and reproaches very near of the same 
 quality, that have passed betwixt other sub- sermty and 
 divided species of Calvinists ; as betwixt the betwixt Re- 
 Remonstrants and Oontra-Remonstrants in andPiesby- 
 
 nd 
 
 tenans and 
 
 Holland, upon the difference of their prin- independent 
 ciples, albeit they agree in the matter of government ; 
 and the English Presbyterians and Independents,who 
 quarrel not much (at least the generality of them, as 
 themselves are willing the world should believe) about 
 principles, but only in a small circumstance of gov- 
 ernment. All which doth well witness, how void 
 those men are of true charity ! And how far from 
 that true, universal Christian love so much commend- 
 ed and pretended toby them? especially considering, 
 that these are not only some personal infirmities, or 
 escapes of private persons among them; but the 
 universal, necessary and consequential effects of 
 their respective principles,^which proceed from them 
 as men so circumstantiated and related to such and 
 such fellowships and societies. 
 
 There is another principle not only common both 
 to Lutherans and Calvinists, but even to The evii of 
 those sub'divided Calvinists (I mean the churches. 
 Episcopalians and Presbyterians) which preachers, 
 
 1 1 1 "in.T &c. setup 
 
 cannot but obstruct and necessarily hinder and estau'd. 
 
80 A PERSDASrVB TO UKITT. 
 
 this universal love ; to wit : the pressing after, and 
 Becking to establish a national church ; whereby up- 
 on the magistrates, or great part embracing any 
 religion, they distribute the whole kingdom into sev- 
 eral parishes or congregations, and appoint preachers 
 of that way to them all : so that a man cannot be a 
 member of the state, without he be a member of the 
 church also ; and he is robbed of the very privileges, 
 which he ought to enjoy as a man, unless he will 
 agree (albeit against his conscience) to every circum- 
 stance of that church, which is established in the 
 country he lives. For the making of which the more 
 effectual, the law in our country provides, that when 
 a man is excommunicated or cast out of the church, 
 Excommuni- he is also cast out of the state. So that a 
 
 cation ; the i -i i . n 
 
 CTiithmoC man upon the church s censure for a matter 
 merely conscientious, incurs the same hazard of the 
 loss of his estate and liberty, as if he had been guilty 
 of some heinous crime towards the state. But how 
 can those pretend to universal love, that have thus 
 confined all, both spiritual and temporal blessings 
 to their sect, that they think not men worthy to live 
 as men, or breathe the common air, unless they will 
 subscribe to aU their sentiments ? Surely, this is 
 far from the nature of God's love, that causes his 
 sun to rise both upon the-gust and unjust ! Thus far 
 as to persecution, and what depends upon it, 
 
 I observed before, that the general defect of this 
 universal love did proceed from wrong notions con- 
 cerning the love of God ; for such as confined God's 
 love, did consequently confine their own. 
 
 Now the chief way, whereby men by their own 
 narrow opinions seek to limit and confine the uni- 
 
UNIVERSAL LOVE, ESTABLISHED. 81 
 
 versal love of God, is by proposing the necessary 
 means of salvation appointed by God, as not reach- 
 ing to all; for such, to whom they reach not, we 
 cannot suppose to have any real love extended to 
 them. In this the generality of Protestants are de- 
 ficient; albeit some exceed others in a particular re- 
 spect, as shall be hereafter observed. 
 
 That wherein they are generally wanting, Luihetans, 
 is by affirming, that there, can be no salva- salvation' °, 
 
 • • 1 1 ,. . n 1 , « without the 
 
 tion without the explicit knowledge oi knowledge of 
 
 n f mi Chnst and 
 
 Chnst, and benefit of the scriptures. This the scriptures 
 is held both by Lutherans, Calvinists and Armini- 
 ans;Imean, by these churches; whatever may be 
 the private sentiments of particular persons among 
 them. 
 
 Now whereas all these do acknowledge, that many 
 thousands, yea, whole nations have been and are ex- 
 cluded from the benefit of this knowledge ; they 
 must necessarily conclude salvation impossible to 
 them, and so they can have no charity for them, 
 so as to suppose a possibility of salvation to them. 
 And this goes directly against, and destroys the na- 
 ture of universal love ; which cannot be entertained 
 towards any, but upon the supposition, that they are 
 under a possibility of being saved ; or that those 
 circumstances they are under, not being in them- 
 selves (simply considered) sinful, (as being such, 
 as are not in them to help) do not absolutely exclude 
 them from it. I confess, that I cannot have charity 
 to a wicked man, that he can be saved, so long as he 
 continues wicked : and if thence any should seek to 
 infer, that so likewise — 
 
 "We cannot have charity to those men, object 
 6 
 
82 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 that want the scripturea and the outward knowledge 
 of Christ, that they can be saved, so long aa they 
 want that : therefore as the one is not contrary to 
 universal love, neither is the other. 
 Answor. I auswcF ; the comparison holds not to all ; 
 
 because the ground of my not having charity to 
 him, is his continuing in a lihing, which himself 
 knows to be displeasing to Q-od by the law of God, 
 which he has revealed to him, and acknowledges to 
 be good ; and therefore the ground of my hopes of 
 him, that he may be saved, if he repents, is, because 
 The ground hc kuows thc mcaus how to repent, and be 
 lore. converted. So my universal love reaches 
 
 to him not only in that I believe, 'tis possible for 
 God to bring him out of his wickedness ; but in that 
 I acknowledge, that God in order thereto has ac- 
 tually made manifest to him the way, how he may 
 be converted : and so I exclude him not from the 
 universal love of God, which I suppose in that 
 manifestation of his will to have already really 
 The defect touched and reached him. But the other 
 nires's^*^ case has no parity with this. For first, that 
 knowledge dcfcct of the scripturcs and outward knowl- 
 in the In- cdgB of Chrlst in an Indian or American, 
 
 diansLspro- ^, .i/.! i*. e* i 
 
 videntiaL &c., IS uo wilful, malicious act of them 
 against any law known to them ; but is the mere 
 providence of God by them inevitable : neither is it 
 unto them any moral evil, that they are bom or 
 brought up in these parts, or come not to those places, 
 where they may learn and find that knowledge. If 
 I then judge, that God's love reaches not any such, 
 whom by this providence he has permitted to be 
 thus bom and educated in order to save them, my 
 
UNIVERSAL LOVE, ESTABLISHED. 83 
 
 universal love can no ways reach to them, so as to 
 suppose salvation possible to them, not because they 
 refuse or resist the means of knowledge and salva- 
 tion appointed to them of God ; but because they 
 want it by the will of God, who thought not meet to 
 give it to them. I look not upon it as my work in 
 this treatise, to refute this doctrine, and shew its con- 
 trariety to truth and scripture, having done that 
 largely elsewhere, (as in my Apology explained of 
 the 5th and 6th propositions ; ) it is enough here, 
 that I shew, that such as hold this opinion cannot 
 justly pretend to universal love : as doth evidently 
 appear by what is said, and needs no farther question. 
 
 Perhaps the Socinians may step in here^ or others 
 of more general principles, who will affirm, they do 
 not believe, that the want of this explicit knowledge 
 doth necessarily exclude men from salvation, It is 
 true, there are some of that mind ; but it were hard 
 to rank them under any particular denomination : it 
 being rather a notion of those men, of whom I made 
 mention before, that are uncertain in their princi- 
 ples, and join with no people absolutely; than ac- 
 knowledged by a people or any public confession of 
 any united or gathered church and people. 
 
 The Socinians generally lay very great s^;„^j, 
 stress upon the outward knowledge of'^{°J ^^ 
 Christ, and do believe, the outward knowl- ^^^iff 
 edge of Christ, or of the resurrection at S"^e"!^ 
 least, to be absolutely needful, holding the " "'"^°°- 
 sufficiency of that alone upon E.om. x. 9. But pass- 
 ing that, and taking it for granted, that the gener- 
 ality of Socinians, and several others with them (who 
 being all taken in cumulo) may pass : for as much as 
 
84 A PERStJASIVK TO UNITY. 
 
 a whole body of people do believe and affirm salva- 
 tion even possible to sacb, as are by an inevitable 
 fate excluded from the benefits of that external 
 knowledge, in that they say, 
 
 Object. " That such as will improve that light of 
 
 nature, which all men have given them of God, and 
 exercise that common principle of reason, may 
 from the works of creation and providence certainly 
 conclude, that there is a GFbd, forsake many evils, 
 and do much good; and that such as do thus improve 
 this natural and conmion light, do obtain of God to 
 send them miraculously either some man or angel to 
 signify to them the outward knowledge or resurrec- 
 tion of Christjthat they may believe it and be saved." 
 Answer. I auswcr : this doth not reach the full ex- 
 
 tent of universal love ; because it still limiteth it to 
 this external knowledge and supposeth no means of 
 salvation without it. And next, because it supposeth 
 somewhat miraculous ; which as has been before ob- 
 served, is a limitation not to be admitted in this 
 case. But if any would affirm, that the improving 
 of this natural light proved to them a means of sal- 
 vation, without supposing any necessity of having the 
 outward knowledge of Christ at all ; albeit it would 
 seem by the extent of their charity, that their love 
 was very universal"; yet they do not establish true 
 universal love, more than the other. Because 
 nothing h true universal love, but that which nat- 
 urally proceedeth from the true love of God, and is 
 founded upon good and sound principles deduced 
 therefrom, and which hath not its rise from the love 
 of self, or from a selfish principle : which though it 
 may have a shew of universal love, is not really such ; 
 
UNIVERSAL LOVE, ESTABLISHED. 85 
 
 else he that would affirm, he believed, that all men, 
 as well the wicked as the godly, the unbelieving as 
 the believing should be saved, and that no wicked- 
 ness can hinder a man from being saved — might be 
 said to be a truer preacher of universal love, than 
 any, and most charitable of all men; and yet how 
 would this be justly condemned by all Christians ? 
 There can then be no true universal love, but that 
 which is built upon the love of God, and is pure, 
 and of the nature of it. 
 
 So then, those that affirm, that men may be saved, 
 even without the outward knowledge of Christ, and 
 of the scriptures, if they improve the light of nature ; 
 whether it be that they iudge that the lie-ht xheiightof 
 
 •' "' ° ° nature in 
 
 01 nature can carrv them through to the orferw 
 
 •^ o salvation, 
 
 end, and accomplish the work: or that ^nexairing 
 
 * ^ 'ox corrupt 
 
 they suppose the improving of it will pro- J^""- "°' 
 cure any such miraculous revelation, do ''°°' 
 not truly preach or establish universal love, because 
 the same is not founded upon the true love of God, 
 but is an exalting of the nature and reason of 
 man, which is really defiled and proceeds from 
 self. Since these men for the most part do look 
 upon grace, or the operation of the- Spirit in the 
 saints, as but a mere fancy. So I say, these men do 
 not commend the true love of God, which is con- 
 trary to self; but only their own corrupt nature 
 and reason ; And do therefore really oppose and 
 slight the universal love of God, in that they sup- 
 pose man capable of himself to save himself without 
 Christ the alone Mediator ; in and by whom the uni- 
 versal love of God to all is only extended. For 
 whomever God loves, he loves them in Christ, and 
 
86 A PERSDASrVB TO UNITY. 
 
 no other ways ; and this love of God in Christ can- 
 not be truly received and entertained to the salva- 
 tion of the soul, but as the old man, the first man 
 with his deeds (which are altogether corrupted, and 
 can claim no share in man's salvation) is put off and 
 done away ; and as the new man, that proceeds from 
 a divine spiritual seed, which is not of nor from 
 man's nature, comes to be born and brought forth 
 in the soul. 
 
 But much more do they contradict and declare 
 Theprind- themselves void of and strangers to the uni- 
 lut/reptoba. vcrsal lovB, who hold the precise decree of 
 
 tion is con- , .i-i i ... ■, 
 
 S7s'™! reprobation, with the other principles de- 
 v<:nai love pendingthercupon, in believing, that the far 
 tion. greater number not only of mankind, but 
 
 even of those that profess the name of Christ, are 
 necessarily damned, and that by virtue of God's ab- 
 solute decree,who from all eternity ordained to create 
 them for that very end, and appointed them to walk 
 in such wickedness, for which he might condemn 
 them, and punish them eternally : so that not only 
 such as are ignorant of the history of Christ, and 
 of Scripture are certainly damned, but even most 
 of those who have the benefit of this knowledge, 
 are notwithstanding damned also, for not right 
 using and applying the same, which miserable crime 
 they necessarily fall in, because that God, albeit He 
 publicly and by his revealed wiU doth invite them 
 all to salvation, yet by a secret will unknown to men. 
 He doth withhold from them all power and grace so 
 to do. 
 
 Now I say, whoever are of this mind (as all Cal- 
 vinists generally are) cannot justly pretend to uni» 
 
UNIVERSAL LOVE, ESTABLISHED. 87 
 
 versal love ; for seeing they limit tlie love of God to 
 a small number, making all the rest only objects of 
 his wrath and indignation, they must by conse- 
 quence so limit their own love also : for God being 
 the fountain and author of love, no man can extend 
 true Christian love beyond His ; yea, the greatest and 
 highest love of any man falls infinitely short of the 
 love of God, even as far as a little drop of water 
 falls short of the great ocean. 
 
 ISow, none of these men, vdthout manifestly con- 
 tradicting their own principles, can pretend to have 
 love to any of those, that are thus predestinated to 
 death : for what sottishness were it, and inconsistency, 
 to pretend charity to such, so as to suppose a possi- 
 bility of salvation for those, whom God hath ap- 
 pointed to be damned, and to be sons of perdition ? 
 For to say, we ought to have charity to all, because 
 we know not who is appointed to life, or may be 
 called to it, saith nothing to solve this difficulty. 
 
 Because even to such, as may be supposed to be 
 elected, I am not to have charity, so long as I see 
 them in wickedness, and in any unconvert- Reason i. 
 ed state ; for that were to walk against all true 
 judgment, and a. putting light for darkness, and 
 darkness for light ; a calling good, evil ; and evil, 
 good, whicL is expressly forbidden. 
 
 IS"ext, this were to make true Christian love as 
 blind, as the heathens suppose their God of their 
 lustfiil love to be, for I ought to love men for some 
 real good I see in them, as feeling them to partake 
 of, and grow in the love of God ; and not upon a 
 mere perhaps God may do them good, perhaps 
 they may be called ; unless I believed there was 
 
88 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 something of God in all, given them in order to 
 call them. 
 
 Thirdly, seeing these men do believe and affirm, , 
 that as God in this case appoints the end, so he doth 
 the means also; they are not only obliged upon their 
 principle, without all charity to conclude as damn- 
 ed, and appointed to damnation all such, as have not 
 the benefit of these means they think needful ; but 
 even all such among themselves enjoying these means 
 in whom appear not (according to their notion of it) 
 true and convincing tokens of conversion. And as 
 this doctrine naturally leads from any thing like uni- 
 versal love ; BO (as I observed before) it so leaveneth 
 and defileth with an unlovely humor such, as strict- 
 ly and precisely hold it, that for most part they are 
 The root of observed to be men of peevish and perse- 
 ^^J^S^y cuting spirits. 
 
 prijd?i° of For these two principles, to wit ; that of 
 pcrsecunon. j-j^gpg bciug HO salvatiou, without the church 
 among Papists (as precisely understanding it of the 
 Church of Rome) and this of absolute reprobation 
 among Protestants, are the very root and spring, 
 from whence flows that bloody and anti-christian 
 tenet of persecution for the case of conscience ; and 
 therefore both it and they are directly contrary and 
 diametrically opposite to the true, Catholic, Chris- 
 tian love of God. 
 
UNIVERSAL LOVE, ESTABLISHED. 89 
 
 SECTIOJST V. 
 
 SOME PEINOIPLES OF CHRISTIANITY PROPOSED, AS THEY 
 ARE HELD BY A GREAT BODY OF PEOPLE, AND WHOLE 
 GATHERED CHURCHES IN BRITAIN AND IRELAND J 
 WHICH DO VERY WELL AGREE WITH TRUE UNIVER- 
 SAL LOVE. 
 
 Sucli as most commonly complain for tlie want of 
 universal love, do allege this defect to proceed from 
 the nature of a sect, unto which they think this 
 want of charity so peculiar, that from thence they 
 conclude, that it is impossible either for any sect uni- 
 versally to have this universal love, or for any mem- 
 ber of a sect, so long as he stands to his principles, 
 or is strictly bound up and tied to a sect, to have this 
 universal love. And indeed, this in a great measure 
 is too true, if the nature of a sect be rightly under- 
 stood ; and therefore to avoid mistakes, it vsdll be fit 
 to inquire somewhat in this matter. 
 
 A sect is commonly and universally taken ^ s^^t jusn, 
 in the worst part, and alway so understood, ^° '^^'*' 
 where it is mentioned in the Scripture; as being 
 either really understood of such as are justly so 
 termed, (Acts v. 17 ; ch. xv. 5 ; ch. xxvi. 5,) or re- 
 proachfully cast upon such, as ought not to have been 
 so denominated, (Acts xxiv. 5, chapter xxviii. 22.) 
 Eor a sect is a company of people following the 
 opinions and inventions of a particular man or men, 
 to which they adhere more, and for which they are 
 more zealous, than for the simple, plain and neces- 
 sary doctrine of Christ. But such as are not a sect, 
 nor of a sect, are those, that follow the faith and doc- 
 trines of Christ, and receive and believe Thefoiiowcrs 
 
 ' of Chnst aie 
 
 the same, as purely preached and held forth of "o se^t- 
 
90 A PERSUA6IVB TO UNITY. 
 
 by him unto them ; and not as by the recommenda- 
 tion of man, as clouded and encumbered with their 
 interpretations and additions; and so are mere 
 Christians, and yet true and faithful ones too ; yea, 
 the most true and faithful. 
 
 Now, which of the several sorts of Christians are 
 to be accounted sects, and which not, is a great 
 question ; and would take a larger discourse, than is 
 proper to be inserted in this place, truly to inquire 
 into it : and therefore it shall suffice me at this time 
 to have asserted this in general, which, I judge, will 
 be generally accorded to by all ; and leave the appli- 
 cation to each understanding reader : for the clear- 
 ing which there may several weighty observations 
 fall in hereafter. Probably this will be almost grant- 
 ed by all, and I am sure, may be truly affirmed, that 
 societiM whatsoever people hold forth and preach 
 SSi^*^* doctrines, which in the nature of them 
 tt^S"™''' contradict and are inconsistent with true 
 ""^ universal love, such may truly be termed a 
 
 sect; which may be easily applied to those hereto- 
 fore mentioned : and so consequently, whoever hold 
 forth principles and doctrines consistent and agreear 
 ble thereunto, are and may truly be esteemed mere 
 Christians, and no sect. 
 
 Next, the nature of a people's society, and the 
 causes drawing them together, with the method of 
 their being gathered, does much contribute to evi- 
 I. Maik of deuce, whether they are to be esteemed a 
 ***■ sect or not ? First, whose fellowship stands 
 
 merely in judgment, and in that which reacheth the 
 understanding, and 90 are joined together in and for 
 
UNIVERSAL LOVE, ESTABLISHED. 91 
 
 one opinion, are only to be esteemed a sect, 
 however true their notions may be supposed cip"ls^7e of 
 to be. Tor the true principles and doc- nature to ™ 
 
 r /->n • 1 11 • T -I 1 -1 conversion, 
 
 trmes of Cnrist,albeit they do truly reach 'he faue not 
 the understanding, and require its assent; 
 yet they are of an operative nature : however they 
 may be held by one or two members of the church, 
 without working upon their hearts ; yet cannot be 
 held, nor never was by any entire society, without 
 purifying their souls, and reaching to and working 
 upon their hearts to a true and real conversion, I 
 mean, upon the greatest and most considerable part : 
 but false doctrines maybe firmly believed by a whole 
 society without having any operation. . For the 
 gathering of the apostles and primitive Christians 
 was an uniting of hearts, and not of heads only; 
 those three thousand converts were pricked in 
 their hearts, and not in their heads only : yea, 
 where there may be a dissent in some things in 
 point of judgment, if there be this unity of heart 
 through the prevailing of the same life of righteous- 
 ness, yet the true fellowship is not broken. As ap- 
 peared in the example of the apostles themselves. 
 
 !N"ow these people, who hold forth the principles 
 and doctrines hereafter to be mentioned, were not 
 gathered together by an unity of opinion, or by a 
 tedious and particular disquisition of notions and 
 opinions, requiring an assent to them, and binding 
 themselves by Teagues and covenants thereto ; but 
 the manner of their gathering was by a secret want, 
 which many truly tender and serious souls 
 in divers and sundry sects found in them- ing of the " 
 
 _,_ ^ ^ true church, , 
 
 selves: which put each sect upon the search its rise ana 
 
 1 111 •• !•! foundation. 
 
 of something beyond all opinion, which 
 
92 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 might satisfy their weary souls, even the revelation 
 of God's righteous judgment in their heart to burn 
 up the unrighteous root and fruits thereof; that the 
 same being destroyed and done away,the inward 
 peace and joy of the Holy Spirit in the soul might 
 be felt to abound, and thence power and life to fol- 
 low him in all his commandments. And so many 
 came to be joined and united together in heart and 
 spirit in this one life of righteousness, who had long 
 been wandering in the several sects; and by the in- 
 ward unity came to be gathered in one body : from 
 whence by degrees they came to find themselves 
 agreed in the plain and simple doctrines of Christ.* 
 And as this inward power they longed for, and felt 
 to give them victory over sin, and bring the peace 
 that follows thereon, waa that, whereby they were 
 brought unto that unity and community together ; 
 so they came first thence to accord in the universal 
 preaching of this power to all, and directing all unto 
 it : which is their first and chiefest principle, and 
 most agreeable to this universal love, as I shall here- 
 after shew. 
 
 And it is very observable, that as those, whose 
 gathering and fellowship arises from this mere unity 
 of notions and opinions, do usually derive their 
 name and designation from the first authors, inven- 
 tors and fomentors of those opinions (as of old the 
 Arians, Nestorians, Manichseans, Ac^and of late the 
 Lutherans, Calvinists, Arminians, Socinians, Men- 
 nonites, &c.) so those people, whose unity and fellow- 
 
 ^ Which external agreement as well in doctrines as in the practices necessarily 
 following thereupon, beoune as one external bond and type of ibeir own outward and 
 visible fellowship obvious to the world, whereby they are distinguished even to the ob. 
 serration of man from the several sects professing the name of Christ; as the true 
 Christians of old were by their adherence to the orthodox principle from other faera- 
 tics, that laid claim likewise to be Christians. 
 
UNIVERSAL LOVE, ESTABLISHED. 93 
 
 sHp did arise from their mutual sense of this power 
 working in and upon their souls, that society derives 
 not their name from any particular man ; and there- 
 fore are providentially delivered from that great 
 mark of a sect. But as the ungodly will be always 
 throwing some name or reproach upon the children 
 and servants of God ; it being observed, that through 
 the deep and inward operation of this power in them 
 a dread took hold on them, not only to the begetting 
 of God's fear in their hearts, but even to the reach- 
 ing and :in8tructing of their outward man ; hence 
 the name of Quakers or Tremblers hath been cast 
 upon them ; which serveth to distinguish them from 
 others, though not assumed by them. Yet as the 
 Christians of old, albeit the. name of Christian Was 
 cast upon them by way of reproach, gloried in it, as 
 desiring above all things to be accounted the followers 
 of Christ ; so they also are glad, that the world re- 
 proacheth them as such, who tremble before the 
 Lord, and who work out their salvation in fear and 
 tremblingi And truly, the Lord seems by his pro- 
 phets of old to have foretold, that his children should 
 be so reproached ; as Isa. hqvi. 5 : " Hear the word 
 of the Lord, ye that tremble at his word; your breth- 
 ren that hated you, that cast you out for my name's 
 sake, said, Let the Lord be glorified, and He shall 
 appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed :" 
 where a joyful appearance of God is promised to 
 these hated and reproached Tremblers or Quakers. 
 And Jer.xxxiii. 9, does more clearly prophesy, how this 
 reproachful name, when cast upon his children, shall 
 be owned and countenanced by the Lord, in these 
 very plain and comfortable words : " And it shall 
 
94 A PERSDASIVK TO UNITY. 
 
 be to me a name of joy, a praise and an 
 wh^wii? honor before all the nations of the earth, 
 honor his de- which shall hear all the good, that I do un- 
 sp peope. ^^ them, and they shall fear and tremble 
 AUai.&cm. {oT quakc) for all the goodness and for all 
 the prosperity, that I procure unto it." 
 AiS the nature of a sect ariseth from the love of 
 Mark of a ^^^^ *°^ ^^ production, SO in the last place 
 »«'• there can be no more signal or certain mark 
 
 of a sect, than when a people seek to advance and 
 propagate their way in the strength of their own 
 spirits, reckoning the preaching and publishing 
 
 thereof by their own natural, or acquired 
 fromAe^to^ parts, without the necessity of the inward 
 
 motion of the Holy Spirit, both lawful and 
 commendable ; and not only so, but the advancing 
 and establishing of the same by outward force and 
 violence. For here is man working without God or 
 the guidance of his Spirit in his own mere strength 
 and will, to set up his own images and inventions 
 under a pretence of truths and pure Christianity. 
 But those that dare not seek to advance even that, 
 which they are persuaded is truth in their own will 
 
 and spirit (far less by outward force and 
 miih ftoin violence) but in and by God's Spirit, as He 
 
 denUlof>d£ , , ' . , tt. ,.„ ■, 
 
 leads and moves to it by His life and power, 
 shew, that such are not a sect, nor followers of man's 
 inventions, but of Christ alone, waiting to follow 
 him, as he acts and moves them by his own Spirit 
 and power. And therefore are no sectarians, but 
 mere Christians. 
 
 The chief and first principle then held by those 
 Christians, which (as I observed before) naturally 
 
' UNIVERSAI, LOVE, ESTABLISHED. 95 
 
 ariseth (and was assented to by them) from 
 their inward sense, that tied them together, J^^afrf 
 is, ' that there is somewhat of God, some f„°diightil^ 
 ' light, some grace, some power, some mea- tobring them 
 'sure of the Spirit, some divine, spiritual, '"^i^^"""- 
 ' heavenly, substantial life and virtue in all men, 
 ' which is a faithful witness against all unrighteous- 
 ' ness and ungodliness in the heart of man, and leads, 
 ' draws, moves and inclines the mind of man to 
 ' righteousness, and seeks to leaven him, as he gives 
 
 * way thereunto, into the nature of itself; whereby 
 
 * an inward, thorough and real redemption may be 
 
 * wrought in the hearts of all men, of whatsoever 
 ' nation, country or kindred they be, notwithstanding 
 ' whatsoever outward knowledge or benefit they be 
 ' by the providence of God necessarily deprived of :' 
 because whatsoever they want of that, yet such a 
 measure of this light, seed, life and word is commu- 
 nicated to all, as is sufficient truly to convert them 
 from the evil of their ways, purify and cleanse them, 
 and consequently bring them to salvation. And in 
 the affirming of this, they do not at all exalt self or 
 nature, (as do the Socinians), in that they freely 
 acknowledge, that man's nature is defiled and cor- 
 rupted, and unable to help him, or further him one 
 step in order to salvation ; judging nothing more 
 needful, than the full and ptrfect denying and mor- 
 tification of self in order thereunto. Nor do they 
 believe, this seed, light and grace to be any part of 
 man's nature, or any thing, that properly or essen- 
 tially is of man ; but that it is a free grace and gift 
 of God, freely given to all men, in order to bring 
 them out of the fall, and lead them to life eternal. 
 
96 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 Neither do they suppose, this seed, word and grace, 
 which is sufficient to lead to salvation, to be given 
 to men without Christ ; for they believe it to be the • 
 purchase and benefit of Christ's death, who tasted 
 death for every man : so that they confess all to be 
 derived to them in and by Christ, the Mediator, to 
 whom they ascribe all. Yea, they believe this light, 
 grace and seed to be no other but a measure of that 
 life and spirit, that was in Christ Jesus ; which being 
 in Him, who is the head, in the fullness of it, is from 
 Him (in whom it resideth) as he is ascended up unto, 
 and glorified in the heavens, extended to all men, in 
 order to redeem them from sin, and convert them to 
 God. 
 
 Thus according to this principle, without attribut- 
 ing any thing to self, or to the nature of man, or 
 claiming any thing without Christ, the universal love 
 of God to all men is exhibited : whereby the means 
 of salvation by Christ, and reconciliation unto God 
 is so asserted, that no man is altogether excluded 
 from it ; but each so reached, as puts him in a capa- 
 city to be saved. Such then, as believe and preach 
 this doctrine, must of necessity be esteemed great 
 advancers and asserters of universal love, as those 
 that truly establish it, not through any uncertainty 
 or doubtfulness in themselves, but upon their own 
 firm and acknowledged! principle ; since that doth 
 necessarily extend their charity to the not only sup- 
 sdvaiion posiug, but cveu concluding salvation pos- 
 GSa™" sible not only to the several sorts of Chris- 
 i^^^^' tians, but even to such, who by the disad- 
 Srf^iS:"!" vantage of education, and the remoteness 
 .f the world jj£ ^^g^ habitation are ignorant of the 
 
UNIVERSAL LOVE, ESTABLISHED. 97 
 
 name of Christ. Providing, that this seed, grace, 
 word and light, which is in them all, and the free 
 gift of God to them all, receive place in their hearts, 
 so as to work out the fruits and nature of unright- 
 eousness ; and to beget them unto righteousness, 
 purity and holiness : which according to this prin-^ 
 ciple is believed to be very possible, where the ex- 
 ternal knowledge is thus unavoidably wanting. For 
 albeit those, who hold this principle, do believe, that 
 the outward knowledge of Christ, and those other 
 advantages, which from the use of the scriptures are 
 enjoyed among Christians, are very comfortable, and 
 conducing to facilitate salvation ; yet they reckon 
 them not absolutely needful, holding them only to 
 be integral, and not essential parts of Christianity : 
 for they place the essence or being of Christianity 
 only in the true and real conversion of the heart, by 
 virtue of the operation of this light, seed and grace 
 there. 
 
 * Even as the essence and being of a man consists 
 in the unity of soul and body, which is enough to 
 denominate one a man, albeit he should want a leg 
 or an arm, an eye or an ear, or have some other de- 
 fect, or even should be destitute of some of the 
 faculties of the mind, as of the memory, &c., that 
 other men have : yet such a one would still, and that 
 truly, be called a man, albeit not a complete and en- 
 tire man. Yea, those that live in the most barbarous 
 and uncivilized places of the world, where they are 
 destitute and ignorant of all the liberal arts and 
 
 * Let not the reader thinlc strange, that I assert this principle, and enter not upgn 
 the probation of it (having done that largely elsewhere, as in my Apology) it not be- 
 ing my business here so to do ; but only to show, how such and such principles do 
 not agree with universal love : as on the oth^r hand, when I make jnention of other 
 principles,' I do not offer to refute theml it being enough here to demonstrate, tluit 
 tbey are contrary to universal love. 
 
 7 
 
98 A PEKSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 sciences used among us, and of all those conveniences 
 which so much conduce to the facilitating of human 
 society, and accommodating of mankind in their 
 living together ; I say, those are still truly account- 
 ed men, as having that which is truly essential 
 or constitutive of a man, as such. In like manner, 
 this principle supposeth the possibility of salvation 
 both to those commonly called Heathens, and to 
 many among the dark and erroneous sects of Chrie- 
 lianity, in that this essential part of Christianity, is 
 extended to them, albeit they want those other in- 
 tegrals and comfortable parts, which may in and 
 with respect to the spiritual man be fitly compared 
 to these defects, that thcee barbarous nations want, 
 which we enjoy, as to the natural man. As none 
 can deny, but this principle is most agreeing to uni- 
 versal love ; so the practice of all even of those that 
 deny it, doth evidence and shew, how agreeable it is 
 as well to the love of God as to right reason, where, 
 whenever any of the sects come to deal with the 
 heathen or any such, against whom they cannot 
 urge any thing from scripture or tradition, as being 
 principles not acknowledged by them; then they 
 are always forced to recur to an inward, innate light 
 in the soul, to which they labor to make manifest 
 their principles ; albeit they differ about the nature 
 and sufficiency of it ; yet they are forced to concede, 
 that this is God's love to mankind, and that iu this 
 the universal love of God is extended to all. So that 
 to every one, to whom they come to preach, they, 
 njay find something, by which they may urge or 
 commend their doctrine : of which I shall give one 
 singular example out of the words oi Francbeus 
 
UNIVERSAL LOVE, ESTABLISHED. 99 
 
 JTciveristis, a Jesuit, whom that tribe for the high 
 esteem they have of him, term the apostle of the 
 Indies ; as it is recorded in Bernkardus Varenus his 
 Deseripth Begni Japomke, p. 195, cap. 8 : where he 
 puts down the words of Francis JTavier's y^^^ ^a- 
 letter thus (p. 247): The Amargurians, be- ^j'^h'^j^^!" 
 ' fore they received baptism, were straight- SfJ jap,^*^ 
 ' ened with an odious and troublesome scru- "'""'■ 
 ' pie, to wit ; that God seemed not unto them mer- 
 ' ciful and benign, who had condemned all the Ja- 
 ' ponians before our coming to eternal punishment ; 
 ' especially, whoever did not worship God, according 
 
 * as we preached ; and therefore they said, that he 
 
 * (to wit, God) had wholly neglected the salvation of 
 
 * all their predecessors, in permitting that these mis- 
 
 * erable souls should altogether be destitute (to their 
 
 * utter ruin) of the knowledge of saving truth. 
 
 * This most odious thought did much draw them 
 
 * back from the worship of the true God, but by the 
 ' help of God this error and scruple was taken from 
 
 * them. For we first did demonstrate unto them, 
 ' that the divine law was the oldest of all; yea, be- 
 ' fore any law was made by the ancients. The Ja- 
 ' pans knew by the teaching of nature, that it was 
 ' unlawful to kill, steal, forswear and other .things 
 ' contained in the ten divine laws ; as was Taught by 
 
 1 . -I -1 n ji nature not 
 
 * evident m that, when any ot them com- to km, &c. 
 ' mitted these crimes, they were tormented by the 
 ' pricks of their consciences : that hence reason it- 
 ' self doth teach to flee the evil, and follow the good ; 
 
 * and therefore was implanted in the minds of all 
 
 * men by nature : so that all have the knowledge of 
 ' the divine law from nature, and of God the Author 
 
100 A PBRStJASIVB TO UNITY. 
 
 * of nature, before discipline be added. Of whicli, 
 
 * were it doubted, trial might be made in some body 
 
 * altogether void of discipline, who has been educa- 
 ' ted in some mountain or wilderness without any 
 ' knowledge of the laws of his country : for if such 
 
 * an one, thus altogether ignorant and unacquainted 
 ' with human discipline, were aeked, whether to kill 
 
 * a man, to steal, and these other things, which the 
 ' law of God forbids, were sinful or not ? Or if it 
 'were not right, to forbear these things? Truly, I 
 
 * say, such an one utterly ignorant of human dieci- 
 ' pline, would so answer, that it would easily appear, 
 
 * that he were not void of the law of God. Prom 
 ' whence then shall we judge, he has drawn his no- 
 ' tion, unless from God himself, the author of nature ? 
 ' K then this be manifest in barbarous men ; how 
 ' much more in men civilized and well educated ? 
 
 * Which being so, it necessarily follows, that the di- 
 ' vine law was implanted in man's heart, before all 
 ' laws made by man. This reason was so manifest 
 
 * to them, that they were fully satisfied ; and so being 
 ' delivered from these snares, did easily subject 
 
 * themselves to the sweet yoke of Christ.' Thus for 
 ^averisus. 
 
 Thup it may seem, that to satisfy these Japonians, 
 that their fore-fathers were not all necessarily damn- 
 ed; and to shew, that the universal love of God 
 reached unto them to put them in a capacity of sal- 
 vation, this cunning Jesuit could not find another 
 way, than by asserting this principle ; albeit it be no 
 ways congruous to the doctrine of the Church of 
 Rome. For these andent Japonians could not be 
 esteemed members of the Church of Rome ; and as 
 
UNIVERSAL LOVE, ESTABLISHED. 101 
 
 not being such, according to the Romish principle 
 (who say, there is no salvation without the church, 
 that is, without the Church of Rome) must needs 
 have been damned. 
 
 Secondly : That notion and definition of a church, 
 which naturally arises from this principle (and is ac- 
 cordingly believed by the asserters of it) „ 
 doth also both very well agree to and estab- (^"fThat"' 
 lish this doctrine of universal love. For ll^^y bTcV 
 by virtue of this seed and light extended t^mtmem. 
 by Christ unto the hearts of all, it being ch«rch,^dv- 
 Bupposed, that men may thereby be truly ""no s'aiva- 
 converted, and consequentially united to 
 Christ, it naturally follows, that such may become 
 members of the church: else none of old, but the 
 families of the Patriarchs and of the Jews could 
 have been judged to be saved ; nor yet any, during 
 all the time of the apostasy : which as it is false in 
 itself, will be hardly affirmed by any. And there- 
 fore since such might be saved, they must be esteem- 
 ed members of the church ; without which (in this 
 large sense) there can be no salvation, as including 
 the whole body of Christ : of which body who are 
 not, are chiefly excluded. And therefore it is, that 
 the church catholic or universal is not so confined to 
 any sect, form or external profession, as that those, 
 that are not initiated in those forms, are excluded 
 absolutely from being membei's of the church ; un- 
 less it be upon refusal or resistance of the will of 
 God really manifest to them, as drawing them to the 
 practice of particular things. For it hath pleased 
 God at several times to require several things both 
 of particular churches and persons, which he has not 
 
102 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 of others : as to the Jewish converts, to " abstain 
 from things strangled and blood ;" and to the churches 
 of the Gentiles, " not to circumcise ;" (which was 
 permitted to the Christian Jews for a time) : and 
 from particular persona many particular things have 
 been required; which, albeit they were not general 
 obligations upon all Christians ; yet in so far as man- 
 ifested to, and required of them, were sufficiently 
 obligatory ; and their disobedience to them should 
 have been in them a breach of their general obliga- 
 tion of obedience (which we owe to God in all things 
 He requires) and consequently pernicious ; however 
 others, to whom they have never been revealed nor 
 required, might have been saved vpithout them. 
 Thirdly: As the asserting of principles, which 
 j,j commend the love of God, and shew the 
 S^spirit^ great extent of it to mankind, do most 
 rMctfatdj!' agree with universal love ; so this people 
 rf2f&S^ in another chief principle of their's do 
 Christians, greatly shew it. For as by the preaching 
 of this universal principle of the lighi, they «hew the 
 extension of God's love to all; so by preaching, that 
 God both doth, and is willing to reveal his will im- 
 mediately by his own Spirit in the hearts of all 
 those, that receive his light, that so they may be 
 guided, acted and led thereby, and know the mind 
 of God thus inwardly immediately in themselves ; 
 they hold forth the intention of God's love to all 
 those, that follow and obey him : so that they neither 
 bind up this " being led by the Spirit of God" only 
 to themselves, nor stint it to singular and extraordi- 
 nary occasions ; but hold it forth as a common and 
 imiversal privilege to all true Christians and mem- 
 bers of the church. 
 
UNIVERSAL LOVE, ESTABLISHED. 103 
 
 Now this doctrine greatly commends the love of 
 God, and establishetl^,the principle of universal love, 
 in that it shews, how universally God hath offered 
 this blessed privilege to all, in that He hath given 
 his light unto all ; upon the receiving of which this 
 immediate guidance of the Spirit foUoweth, as a ne- 
 cessary concomitant : for such as deny this immedi- 
 ate revelation of God's wiU by his Spirit in the 
 hearts of his children, to be a common and univer- 
 sal privilege to all true Christians and members of 
 the church, must needs suppose the knowledge of his 
 will necessary for them, to be communicated to them 
 by some other external means, as by outward writ- 
 ings and precepts ; insomuch, that all such, as are 
 robbed of this benefit, are necessarily excluded from 
 partaking of the universal love of God, in order to 
 the salvation of their souls. 
 
 Fourthly : as the confining of the gifts and graces 
 of God to certain external forms and cere- jy 
 monies, are directly opposite and contrary ^4'* the 
 to universal love, such as the limiting of "i"'Se'|io 
 the work of the ministry to outward ordi- S^^'w '" 
 nation, and to a particular tribe of persons ; '•'=^'"'«- 
 the making human parts and arts more necessary 
 thereto, than the grace of God, so that the grace of 
 God, is not judged sufficient to make a man a 
 minister, or to privilege him to preach without 
 those other artificial and ceremonial things ; so I say 
 on the other hand, those people to the commending 
 of the universal love of God to ^11, but especially to 
 the visible church, do affirm, that as this light and 
 grace of God is given to all in order to save them ; 
 so whoever finds himself truly called in his heart 
 
104 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 thereby, and fitted to minister to others, may lawfully 
 preach and declare to others the good things that 
 God has done for his soul, and direct and instruct 
 them, as by the same grace he is enabled, how they 
 may come to the experience and attainment of the 
 same things ; albeit he have no outward ordination 
 or call from men ; be not initiated in their ceremo- 
 nies and orders, nor yet furnished with their learn- 
 ing and school education. This greatly commends 
 and holds forth the love of God, because it does not 
 confine the ministry unto such a narrow compass, as 
 by the several sects it is done ; but supposeth, that 
 among those that had not the scriptures and outward 
 knowledge, there might have been ministers or 
 preachers of righteousness : as it was said of *Noah, 
 * Noah, Job, that he was one, who was, ere the scrip- 
 thagoraii ' turcs wcre writ ; and Job was another : 
 bians. In- bcsidcs SocToies among the Greeks, Puika- 
 
 dians, Ethi- , _ . ° , ' % 
 
 opians, lov. qoTos amon&T the Latms, and several others 
 
 ersofnghta. ^ . i T i ,11. 
 
 ousntss. that might be named among the Arabians, 
 Indians and Ethiopians. And this doctrine dotl^ 
 very much hold forth the universal love of God in 
 the visible church, in that it excludeth none from 
 ministering his gift, as he hath it, albeit a poor 
 tradesman, or mechanic men : as is done among the 
 far greater parts of the sects of Christendom by the 
 presumptuous usurpation of them. 
 
 Fifthly : these people do greatly comment and 
 y hold forth the universal love of God to all, 
 i^'^^ in denying the use of outward, carnal 
 bJSidSd things, which perish in the using ; such as 
 S^s^uof"* washing or sprinkling with water, or eating 
 Sft^T"" of bread and wine, to be the seals of God's 
 "'^ covenant with man, or to be the means or 
 
105 
 
 channels, by which grace and spiritual refreshment 
 is ministered to the soul. For thereby they confine 
 not God's love in the communicating of his gifts and 
 graces to the application, or not using of elementary 
 things, which may be as truly (as to the matter of 
 them) performed by the most wicked and greatest 
 hypocrite of the world, as by the most godly and 
 sincere ; as do the greatest part of the sects among 
 Christians, who make such a noise of the sacraments 
 and ordinances, and do so quarrel and jangle about . 
 their matter and manner of performance : but do 
 affirm and believe, that increase of grace, and re- 
 freshment in and by the life of Christ is conveyed 
 unto the souls of all those, that are faithful, as this 
 seed receives a place, and grows up in their hearts, 
 without these outward ceremonies. This cannot be 
 perfonned, but by such as are sincere and godly in- 
 deed; for such can only be truly faithful, and wait 
 in that place, where grace and refreshment, strength 
 and power, wisdom and courage, patience and all 
 other good gifts are received. 
 
 Sixthhfx These people do much establish univer- 
 sal love, in that ihey affirm, persecution of vi. 
 
 - ' n 1 • • That perse- 
 
 men tor the matter of their consciences to cmionfor 
 
 i*. -I i/>iii>. conscience is 
 
 be unchristian and unlawful; beueving, imiawM. 
 that as God can only inform and enlighten the con- 
 science, so it is contrary to the universallove of God, 
 for men to seek to enforce and restrain it : as hath 
 hitherto been sufficiently shewn. 
 
 Lastly : They do very truly and observably estab- 
 lish universal love, in that they preach love vii. 
 to enemies, and the necessity of bearing andfighS^gs 
 
 -, /T. • . ■ ■ .111 foi^ Christians 
 
 and suftering injuries without revenge; arcimkwiui. 
 
106 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 holding it tinlawfdl for Christians to fight or use 
 carnal weapons even to resist such as oppose them, 
 and wrongfully prejudice them. As this is most 
 agreeable to the doctrine and practice of Christ, so 
 is it to the universal love of God, whose long-suffer- 
 ing patience even towards the wicked, stiff-necked 
 and rebellious after many provocations, doth above 
 all declare his love ; in which they cannot pretend 
 to be followers of him, who believe it lawful for 
 them to revenge every injury, to give blow for blow, 
 and knock for knock, (and so know not, what it is 
 patiently to receive and suffer an injury),if they have 
 any opportimity of revenging themselves : and so 
 consequently cannot have universal love, which ne- 
 cessarily supposeth and includes love to enemies. 
 And he that will beat, kill, and every way he can, 
 destroy his enemy, does but foolishly contradict him- 
 self, if he pretend to love him : and those that do 
 not preach and practice love to enemies, but that 
 which is quite contrary, cannot justly pretend either 
 to the doctrine or practice of universal love. Where- 
 fore I desire, the reader may make application here- 
 of, as to the several sects of Christians, and examine, 
 whose principles and practices do most agree here- 
 with ? And seriously consider, whether there be 
 any entire, united body of Christians, except these 
 here mentioned, who do unanimously hold forth so 
 many doctrines, so directly establishing and agreeing 
 to true universal love f 
 
 Written in Aberdeen Prison, 
 tte Rret month, 1677. 
 
A TESTIMONY 
 
 CONCERNING THE TRUE AND ACCEPTABLE WOR- 
 SHIP OF GOD; WHAT IT IS; AND HOW TO BE 
 PERFORMED. 
 
 SET FORTH BY 
 
 ROBERT BARCLAY, 
 
 IN AN APOLOGY FOR THE TRUE CHRISTIAN DI- 
 VINITY ; BEING AN EXPLANATION AND VIN- 
 DICATION "OF THE PRINCIPLES AND 
 DOCTRINE OF THE PEOPLE 
 CALLED QUAKERS. 
 
 •:0:- 
 
 COPIED FROM THE EIGHTH EDITION IN ENGLISH, PRINTED 
 BY J. PHILLIPS, LONDON, 1780. 
 
CONCERNING WORSHIP. 
 
 All true and acceptable, worship to God is offered in 
 the inward and immediate moving and what the 
 drawing of his own Spirit, which is nei- is, that is ao 
 
 , ,. . 1 , . ceptableto » 
 
 ther limited to places, times, nor persons. g<^- 
 For tho' we are to worship him always, and con- 
 tinually to fear before him ; yet as to the outward 
 eignification thereof, in prayers, praises, or preach- 
 ings, we ought not to do it in our own jj„^ ,^ ^^^ 
 will, where and when we will ; but where p"'<"™'<>- 
 and when we are moved thereunto by the stirring 
 and secret inspiration of the Spirit of God in our 
 hearts ; which God heareth and accepteth of, and 
 is never wanting to move us thereunto, when need 
 is; of which he himself is the alone proper judge. 
 All other worship then, both praises, prayers or 
 preachings, which man sets about in his own will, 
 and at his own appointment, which he can both 
 begin and end at his pleasure, do or lea,ve undone 
 as himself seeth meet, whether they be a prescribed 
 farm, as a liturgy, ^c, or prayers conceived extem- 
 pore by the natural strength and faculty of the 
 mind, they are all but superstition, will- superstition 
 worship, and abominable idolatry in the ^"Jhipl 
 sight of God, which are now to be denied >'^°'="^- 
 and rejected, and separated from, in this day of 
 his spiritual arising: however it might have 
 pleased him (who winked at the times of ignorance, 
 with a respect to the simplicity and integrity of 
 
110 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 Bome, and of his own innocent seed, which lay aa 
 it were buried in the hearts of men under that mass 
 of superstition) to blow upon the dead and dry bones, 
 and to raise some breathings of his own, and an- 
 swer them; and that nntil the day should more 
 clearly daton and break forth. 
 
 § I. The duty of man towards God lieth chiefly in 
 these two generals. 1. In an holy conformity to the 
 pure law and Ught of God, so as both to forsake the evi', 
 and be found in the practice of those perpetual and moral 
 precepts of righteousness and equity. And 2, In ren- 
 dering that reverence, honor and adoration to Cod, that 
 he requires and demands of us; which is comprehend- 
 ed under worship. Of the former we have already 
 spoken, as also of the different relations of Christians, 
 as they are distinguished by the several measures of 
 grace received, and given to every one ; and in that 
 respect have their several oflices in the body of Christ, 
 which is the church. Now I come to speak of wor- 
 ship, or of those acts, whether private or public, 
 general or particular, whereby man renders to God 
 that part of his duty which relates immediately to 
 him : and as obedience is better than sacrifice, so neither 
 is any sacrifice ajcceplabh, but that which is done ac- 
 cording to the will of him to whom it is offered: But 
 men, finding it easier to sacrifice in their own wills, 
 than obey God's will, have heaped up sacrifices with- 
 out obedience ; and thinking to deceive God, as they 
 do one another, give him a shew of rever- 
 shipand ' ence, honor and worship, while they are 
 
 duty to , 1 . n , , ,. , „ 
 
 God-wardj both inwardly estranged and ahenated from 
 his holy and righteous life,and wholly stran- 
 
CONCEKNINa WORSHIP. Ill 
 
 gers to the pure breathings of his Spirit, in which the 
 acceptable sacrifice and worship is only offered up. 
 Hence it is^ that there is not any thing relating to 
 man's duty towards God, which among all sorts of 
 people hath been more vitiated, and in which the 
 devil hath more prevailed, than in abusing man's 
 mind concerning this thing : and as among many 
 others, so among those called Christians, nothing 
 hath been more out of order, and more corrupted, 
 as some Papists, and all Protestants, do acknowledge. 
 As I freely approve whatsoever the Protestants have 
 reformed from Papists in this respect ; so I meddle 
 not at this time vsdth their controversies about it : 
 only it suffices me with them to deny, as 
 
 „ , _ ~ ^ •, , The Popish 
 
 no part of the true worship of God, that mass (idoia- 
 
 , . , , . . -,.-,-, 1 'T'' denied, 
 
 abominable superstition and idolatry the vnthaiitheii 
 
 ■*■ "^ trumpery. 
 
 Popish mass, the adoration of saints and an- 
 gels, the veneration of relics, the visitation of sepulchres, 
 and all those other superstitious ceremonies, confra- 
 ternities, and endless pilgrimages of the Romish syna- 
 gogue. Which all iriay suffice to evince to Protestants, 
 that Antichrist hath wrought more in this than in 
 any other part of the Christian religion; and so it 
 concerns them narrowly to consider, whether herein 
 they have made a clear and perfect reform- if Protest- 
 
 . 1.1 TT *"^ have 
 
 ation ; as to which stands the con trover- made a per- 
 
 . n -I '^'^' reforma- 
 
 sy betwixt them and us. j or we find many non ? 
 of the branches lopt off by them, but the root yet 
 remaining : to wit, a worship acted in and from 
 man's will and spirit, and not by and from the Spirit 
 of God : for the true Christian and spiritual worship 
 of God hath been so early lost, and man's wisdom 
 and will hath so quickly and thoroughly mixed itself 
 
112 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 herein, that both the apostasy in this respect hath 
 been greatest, and the reformation herefrom, as to 
 the evil root, most difficult Therefore let not the 
 reader suddenly stumble at the account of our prop- 
 osiUon in this matter, but patiently hear us explain 
 ourselves in this respect, and I hope (by the assist- 
 ance of God) to make it appear, that though our 
 manner of speaking and doctrine seem most singular 
 and dififerent from all other sorts of Christians; yet it 
 is most according to the purest Christian religian, and 
 indeed most needful to be observed and followed. 
 And that there be no ground of mistake (for that I 
 was necessitated to speak in few words, and there- 
 fore more obscurely and dubiously in the proposition 
 itself) it is fit in the first place to declare and explain 
 our sense, and declare the state of the controversy. 
 § n. And first, let it be considered, that what is 
 J here affirmed, is spoken of the worship of 
 
 ^°h«eu ^"^ ^° these gospel-times, and not of the 
 ■poken of. worship that was under or before the law: 
 for the particular commands of God to men then, are 
 not sufficient to authorize us now to do the same 
 things ; else we might be supposed at present accept- 
 ably to ofier sacrifice as they did, which all acknow- 
 ledge to be ceased. So that what might have been 
 both commendable and acceptable under the law, 
 may justly now be charged with superstition, yea, 
 and idolatry. So that impertinently, in this respect, 
 doth ArTwldus rage against this proposition, [Exereit. 
 Theohg. sect. 44,) saying: That I deny all public wor- 
 ship, and that according to me, such as in Enoch's time 
 pid>licly began to call upon the name of the Lwd; and 
 such as at the command of God went thrice up to Jeru- 
 
CONCERNING WORSHIP. 113 
 
 Balem to worship ; and that Anna, Simeon, Mary, &c., 
 were idolators, because they used the public worship of 
 those times ; such, a consequence is most impertinent, 
 and no less foolish and absurd, than if I should infer 
 from Paul's expostulating with the Galaiians for 
 their returning to the Jewish ceremonies, that he there- 
 fore condemned Moses and all the prophets as foolish 
 and ignorant, because they used those things : the 
 forward man, not heeding the different dispensations 
 of times, ran into this impertinency. Tho' a spirit- 
 ual worship might have been, and no doubt was 
 practiced by many under the law in great „ 
 
 '■•'•' '^ Ceremonies 
 
 Simplicity ; yet will it not follow, that it ""der the 
 
 '^ , , law were not 
 
 were no superstition to use all those cere- essential to 
 
 ^ true worship. 
 
 monies that they used, which were by God 
 dispensed to the Jews, not as being essential to true 
 worship, or necessary as of themselves foj transmit- 
 ting and entertaining an holi/ fellowship betwixt him 
 and his people ; but in condescension to them,~ who 
 were inclinable to idolatry. Albeit then in this, as 
 in most other things, the substance was enjoyed un- 
 der the law by such as were spiritual indeed ; yet 
 was it veiled and surrounded with many rites and 
 ceremonies, which it is no ways lawful for us to use 
 now under the gospel. 
 
 § HE. Secondly; Albeit I say, that this «;orsAip is 
 neither limited to times, places nor persons ; Tme "iiship 
 y«t I would not be understood, as if I in- i^^tail'^r'^ 
 tended the putting away of all set times and p"^""- 
 places to worship : God forbid I should think of such 
 an opinion. Nay, we are none of those that forsake 
 the assembling of ourselves together ; but have even 
 certain times and places, in which we carefully meet 
 
114 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 together (nor can we be driven therefrom by tho 
 threats and persecutions of men) to wait upon God, 
 and worship him. To meet together we think necessa- 
 N«es5ity of ^ ^'°'" ^® pcoplo of God ; because, so long 
 meedngj. ^ ^g ^j-g clothcd With thls outward taber- 
 nacle, there is a necessity to the entertaining of a 
 joint and visible fellowship, and bearing of an out- 
 ward testimony for God, and seeing of the faces of 
 one another, that we concur with our persons as well 
 as spirits : to be accompanied vrith that inward love 
 and unity of spirit, doth greatly tend to encourage 
 and refresh the saints. 
 
 But the limitation we condemn is, that whereas the 
 , wni-wor- Spirit of God should be the immediate ac- 
 i^?t'thi' t*^'"' ™over, persuader and influencer of man 
 Spirit of God Jq ^jjg particular acts of worship, when the 
 saints are met together, this Spirit is limited in its 
 operations, by setting op a particular man or men 
 to preach or pray in man's will ; and all the rest are 
 excluded from so much aa believing that they are to 
 wait for God's Spirit to move them in such things : 
 and so they neglecting that in themselves which 
 should quicken them, and not waiting to feel the 
 pure breathings of God's Spirit, so as to obey them, 
 are led merely to depend upon the preacher, and 
 hear what he will say. 
 
 Secondly ; In that these peculiar men come not 
 a- Trae thither to meet with the Lord, and to wait 
 iSwIidrf for the inward motions and operations of 
 ^^- his Spirit ; and so to pray as they feel the 
 
 Spirit to breathe through them, and in them ; and to 
 preach, as they find themselves actuated and moved 
 by God's Spirit, and as he gives utterance, so as to 
 
CONCERNING WORSHIP. 115 
 
 speak a word in season to refresh weary souls, and 
 as the present condition and state of the people's 
 hearts require ; suffering Grod by his Spirit both to 
 prepare people's hearts, and also give the preacher 
 to speak what may be fit and seasonable for them : 
 but he {Yiz.,ihe preacher) hath hammered together in 
 his closet, according to his own will, by his human 
 wisdom and literature, and by stealing the words of 
 truth from the letter of the scriptures, and patching 
 together other men's writings and observations, so 
 much as will hold him speaking an hour, while the 
 glass runs; and without waiting or feeling the in- 
 ward influence of the Spirit of God, he declaims 
 that by hap-hazard, whether it be fit or seasonable 
 for the people's condition^ or not ; and when 
 he has ended his sfermon, he saith his prav- p>^«h by 
 
 1 . 1 . -11 n , . hap-hazard 
 
 er also in his own will; and so there is an thdr studied 
 end of (he business. Which customary wor- 
 ship, as it is no ways acceptable to God, so how un- 
 fruitful it is, and unprofitable to those that are found 
 in it, the present condition of the nations doth suffi- 
 ciently declare. It appears then, that we are not 
 against set times for worship, as Arnoldus against this 
 proposition, &ct. 45, ho less impertinently allegeth; 
 offering needlessly to prove that which is not denied : 
 only these times being appointed for outward conve- 
 niency, we may not therefore think with the Papisfs, 
 that these days are holy, and lead people into a super- 
 stitious observation of them ; being persuaded that 
 aU days are alike holy in the sight of God. And altho' 
 it be not my present purpose to make a ^f^^^^ 
 long digression concerning the debates '^='y="«'«''°'y- 
 among Protestants about the first day of the week, com- 
 
116 A PKRSUASIVB TO UNITT. 
 
 monly called the Lord's day, yet forasmuch as it 
 comes fitly in here, I shall briefly signify out sense 
 thereof. 
 
 § IV. "We, not seeing any ground in scripture for 
 Of the first '^^1 ^^DDOt he so superstitious as to believe, 
 wMi^'^ram- that either the Jewish sabbath now continues, 
 Sriii^'* or that the first day of the week is the anti- 
 ^^' type thereof, or the true Christian sabbath ; 
 
 which with Calvin we believe to have a more spiritu- 
 al sense : and therefore we know no moral obligation 
 by the fourth command, or elsewhere, to keep the 
 first day of the week more than any other, or any ho- 
 liness inherent in it. But first, forasmuch as it is 
 necessary that there be some time set apart for the 
 saints to meet together to wait upon God ; and that 
 secondly, it is fit at some times they be freed from 
 their other outward a^irs ; and that thirdly, reason 
 and equity doth allow that servants and beasts have 
 some time allowed them to be eased from their con- 
 tinual labor ; and that fourthly, it appears that the 
 apostles and primitive Christians did use the first 
 day of the week for these purposes ; we find ourselves 
 sufficiently moved for these causes to do so also, 
 without superstitiously straining the scriptures for 
 another reason ; which, that it is not to be there 
 found, many Protestants, yea, Calvin himself, upon 
 the fourth command, hath abundantly evinced. And 
 though we therefore meet, and abstain from working 
 upon this day, yet doth not that hinder us from hav- 
 ing rruetings also for worship at other times. 
 
 § V. Thirdly; Though according to the know- 
 ledge of God, revealed unto us by the Spirit, through 
 that more full dispensation of Ught which we believe 
 
CONCERNING WORSHIP. 117 
 
 the Lord hath brought about in this day, we judge 
 it our duty to hold forth that pure and spiritual wor- 
 ship which is acceptable to God, and answerable to 
 the testimony of Christ and his apostles, and like- 
 wise to testify against and deny not only manifest 
 superstition and idolatry, but also all formal will- 
 worship, which stands not in. the power of 
 
 r-A 1 T 1 -ii-ii The worship 
 
 Kjtqd ; yet, i say, we do not deny the whole in *« »pos- 
 worship of all those that have borne the 
 name of Christians even in the apostasy, a»if God 
 had never heard their prayers, nor accepted any of 
 them ; God forbid we should be so void of charity ! 
 The latter part of the proposition sheweth the con- 
 trary. And as we would not be so absurd on the 
 one hand to conclude, because of the errors and 
 darkness that many were covered and surrounded 
 with in Babylon, that none of their prayers .were 
 heard or accepted of God, so will we not be so un- 
 wary on the other, as to conclude, that because God 
 heard and pitied them, so we ought to continue in 
 these errors and darkness, and not come out of 
 Babuhn, when it is by God discovered „ ^ ., 
 
 . . ■' ThePopish 
 
 unto US. The Fopish mass and vespers 1 mass and 
 
 vespers. 
 
 do believe to be, as to the matter of 
 them, abominable idolatry and superstition, and so 
 also believe the I^otestants ; yet will neither 1 
 or they affirm, that in the darkness of Popery no 
 upright-hearted men, though zealous in these abom- 
 inations, have been heard of God, or ac- Bemardand 
 cepted of him. Who can deny, but that f°l'^^^^ 
 both Bernard and Bonaventure, Taulerus, '■^ij^°'- 
 Thomas a Kempis, and divers others have „? ^el^^'^oi 
 both known and tastecf of the love of God, ^°^- 
 
118 A PER8UASIVB TO UNITT. 
 
 and felt the power and virtue of God's Spirit work- 
 ing with them for their salvation ? And yet ought 
 we not to forsake and deny those superstitions which 
 they were found in ? The Calvinistical Presbyterians 
 do much upbraid (and I say not without reason) the 
 formality and deadness of the Episcopalian and 
 The buh • Lutheran liturgies ; and yet, as they will not 
 ■in^ey deny hut there have been some good men 
 among them, so neither dare they refuse, but that 
 when that good step was brought in by them, of 
 turning the public prayers into the vulgar tongues, 
 though continued in a liturgy, it was acceptable to 
 God, and sometimes accompanied with his power 
 and presence : yet will not the Presbyterians have it 
 from thence concluded, that the common prayers 
 should still continue ; so likewise, though we should 
 confess, that, through the mercy and wonderful con- 
 descension of God, there have been upright in heart, 
 both among Papists and Protestants, yet can we not 
 therefore approve of their way in the general, or not 
 go on to the upholding of that spiritiial worship, 
 which the Lord is calling all to, and so to the testi- 
 fying against whatsoever stands in the way of it. 
 
 § VI. Fourthly ; To come then to the state of the 
 Assemblies coutroversy, as to ih& public worship, we judge 
 iTu^blird""" it the duty of all to be diligent in the as- 
 "^^"^ sembling of themselves together (and what 
 we have been, and are, in this matter, our enemies 
 in Great Britain, who have used all means to hinder 
 our assembling together to worship God, may bear 
 witness) and when assembled, the great work of one 
 and all ought to be to wait upon God ; and retiring 
 out of their own tboughta aud ima^nations, to feel 
 
CONCERNING WORSHIP. 119 
 
 the Lord's presence, and know a gathering into his 
 name indeed, where he is in the midst, according to his 
 promise. And as every one .is thus gathered, and so 
 met together inwardly in their spirits, as well as out- 
 wardly in their persons, there the secret power and 
 virtue of life is known to refresh the soul, and the 
 pure motiqns and breathings of God's Spirit are felt 
 to arise; from which, as words of (ieclaration, pray- 
 ers, or praises arise, the acceptable worship is known, 
 which edifies the church, and is well-pleasing to God. 
 And no man here limits the Spirit of God, nor 
 bringeth forth his own conned and gathered stuff; 
 but every one puts that forth which the Lord puts 
 into their hearts : and it is uttered forth not in man's 
 will and wisdom, but in the evidence and ,. , . 
 
 ' - - 1 ^ Its glonous 
 
 demonstration of the Spirit,aiid of power. Yea, dispensatioA. 
 though there be not a word spoken, yet is, the true 
 spiritual worship performed, and the body of Christ 
 edified ; yea, it may, and hath often fallen out among 
 us, that divers meetings have past without one word ; 
 and yet our souls have been greatly edified and re- 
 freshed, and our hearts wonderfully overcome with 
 the secret sense of God's power and Spirit, which 
 without words have been ministered from one vessel 
 to another. This is indeed strange and incredible 
 to the mere natural and carnally-minded man, who 
 will be apt to judge all time lost where there is not 
 something spoken that is obvious to the outward 
 senses ; and therefore I shall insist a little upon this 
 subject, as one that can speak from a certain experi- 
 ence, and not by mere hearsay, of this wonderful and 
 glorious dispensation ; which hath so much the more 
 of the wisdom and glory of God in it, as it is pon- 
 trary to the natiire of jj^an's spirit, will and wisdom. 
 
120 A PERSUASIVB TO TJNITT. 
 
 § VTL As there can be nothing more opposite to 
 __ ., the natural will and wisdom of man than 
 
 The suent 
 
 TOtmg upon tjjig g^gjii yjaUing upon God, so neither can 
 obuined. jt jjg obtained, nor rightly comprehended 
 by man, but as he layeth down his own wisdom 
 and will, so as to be content to be thoroughly subject 
 to God. And therefore it waa not preached, nor can 
 be so practiced, but by such as find no outward cere- 
 mony, no observations, no words, yea, not the best 
 and purest words, even the words of scripture, able 
 to satisfy their weary and afflicted souls : because 
 where all these may be, the life, power, and virtue, 
 which make such things effectual, may be wanting. 
 Such, I say, were necessitated to cease from all ex- 
 ternals, and to be silent before the Lord ; and b6ing 
 directed to that inward principle of life and light in 
 themselves, as the most excellent teacher, which can 
 isa. XXI. JO. never be removed into a comer, came thereby 
 to be taught to wait upon God in the measure otlife 
 and grace received from him, and to cease from their 
 own forward words and actings, in the natural will- 
 ing and comprehension, and feel after this inward 
 seed of life, that, as it moveth, they may move with 
 it, and be actuated by its power, and influenced, 
 whether to pray, preach or sing. And so from this 
 principle of man's being silent, and not acting in 
 the things of God of himself, until thus actuated by 
 God's light and grace in the heart, did naturally spring 
 that manner of sitting silent together, and waiting 
 together upon the Lord. For many thus principled, 
 meeting together in the pure fear of the Lord, did 
 not apply themselves presently to speak, pray, or 
 sing, &c., being afraid to be found acting forwardly 
 
CONCERNING WORSHIP. 121 
 
 in their own wills, but each made it their, work to 
 retire inwardly to the measure of grace in them- 
 selves, not being only silent as to words, but even 
 abstaining from all their own thoughts^ imagina- 
 tions and desires ; so watching in a holy dependence 
 upon the Lord, and meeting together not only out- 
 wardly in one place, but thus inwardly in one Spirit, 
 and in one name of Jesus, which is his power 
 
 . •' ' ..^ What it is to 
 
 and virtue, they come thereby to enjoy and mectinjwus 
 feel the arisings of this life, which, as it 
 prevails in each particular, becomes as a flood of re- 
 freshment, and overspreads the whole meeting : for 
 man, and man's part and wisdom, being denied and 
 chained down in every indiyidual, and God exalted, 
 and his grace in dominion in the heart, thus his 
 name comes to be one in all, and his glory breaks 
 forth, and covers all ; and there is such a holy awe 
 and reverence upon every soul, that if the natural 
 part should arise in any, or the wise part, or what is 
 not one with the life, it would presently be chained 
 down, and judged out. And when any are, through 
 the breaking forth of this power, constrained to utter 
 a sentence of exhortation or praise, or to breathe to 
 the Lord in prayer, then all are sensible of it; for 
 the same life in them answers to it, as mProv.xx™. 19. 
 water face answereth to face. This is that dioine and 
 spiritital worship, yvinch. the world neither knoweth 
 nor understandeth, which the vulture's eye seeth not 
 into. Yet many and great are the advantages which 
 m^y soul, with many others, hath tasted of Advantages 
 hereby, and which would be found of all meetings, 
 such as would seriously apply themselves hereunto : 
 for, when people are gathered thus together, not 
 
122 A PERSUASIVB TO UNITY. 
 
 merely to hear men, nor depend upon them, but all 
 iM. X. ». "'■^ inwardly Uaigld to slay their minds upon 
 andxxvi 3. ^ Lard, and wait for his appearance in their 
 hearts; thereby the forward working of the spirit of 
 man is stayed and hindered from mixing itself with 
 the worship of God ; and the form of this worship 
 is so naked and void of all outward and worldly 
 splendor, that all occasion for man's wisdom to bo 
 exercised in that superstition and idolatry hath no 
 lodging here ; and so there being also an inward 
 quietness and retiredness of mind, the witness of God 
 ariseth in the heart, and the Ught of Christ shineth, 
 whereby the soul cometh to see its own condition. 
 And there being many joined together in the same 
 work, there is an inward travail and wrestling ; 'and 
 also, as the measure of grace is abode in, an over- 
 coming of the power and spirit of darkness ; and 
 thus we are often greatly strengtheped and renewed 
 in the spirits of our minds without a word, and we 
 enjoy and possess the holy fellowship and communion 
 Eph. i». 3. of the body and blood of Christ, by which our 
 inward man is nourished and fed ; which makes us 
 not to dote upon outward water, and bread and wine, 
 in our spiritual things. Now as many thus gathered 
 together grow up in the strength, power, and virtue 
 of truth, and as truth comes thus to have victory and 
 dominion in their souls, then tJiey receive an utter- 
 speaidrg to auce, aud speak steadily to the edification 
 edification. jj£ their brethren, and the pure life hath a 
 free passage through them, and what is thus spoken 
 edifieth the body indeed. Such is the evident cer- 
 tainty of that divine strength that is communicated 
 by thus meeting together, and waiting in silence 
 
CONCEKNma WORSHIP. 123 
 
 upon God, that Bometimes when one hath come in 
 that hath been unwatchful and wandering in his 
 mind, or suddenly out of the hurry of outward bu- 
 siness, and so not inwardly gathered with the rest, 
 so soon SB he retires himself inwardly, this power 
 being in a good measure raised in the whole meeting, 
 will suddenly lay hold upon his spirit, and wonder- 
 fully help to raise up the good in him, and beget him 
 into the sense of the same power, to the laelting and 
 warming of his heart; even as the warmth would 
 take hold upon a man that is cold coming into a 
 stove, or as a flame will lay hold upon some little 
 combustible matter being near unto it. Tea, if it 
 fall out that several met together be straying in their 
 minds, though outwardly silent, and so wandering 
 from the measure of grace in themselves (which 
 through the working of the enemy, and negligence 
 of some, may fall out) if either one come in, or may 
 be in, who is watchful, and in whom the life is raised 
 in a great measure, as that one keeps his place, he 
 will feel a secret travail for the rest in a sympathy 
 with the seed which is oppressed in the other, and 
 kept from arising by their thoughts and wanderings ; 
 and as such a faithful one waits in the 
 liqht, and keeps in this divine work, God tovaii one 
 
 \, . 1 •-, 1 for another 
 
 oftentimes answers the secret travail and >nsiient 
 
 '-meetings. 
 
 breathings of his own seed through such a 
 one, so that the rest will find themselves secretly 
 smitten without words, and that one will be as a mid- 
 wife through the secret travail of his soul to bring 
 forth the life in them, just as a little water thrown 
 into a pump brings up the rest, whereby life will 
 come to be raised in all, and the vaiu imaginations 
 
124 A PERSUASIVE XO UNITT. 
 
 brought down ; and such a one ifl felt by the rest to 
 minister life unto them without words. Yea, some- 
 times, when there is not a word in the meeting, but 
 all are silently waiting, if one come in that is rude 
 and wicked, and in whom the power of darkness 
 prevaileth much, perhaps with an intention to mock 
 ^ . or do mischief, if the whole meeting be 
 
 Tht mocker , ,.j. , . , • i ■ 
 
 .mick wiih gathered into the afe, and it be raised in a 
 
 leiTor when *-' 
 
 no word u good meaaure, it will strike terror into such 
 an one, and he will feel himself unable to 
 resist ; but by the secret strength and virtue thereof, 
 the power of darkness in him will be chained down : 
 and if the day of his visitation be not expired, it 
 will reach to the measure of grace in him, and raise 
 it up to the redeeming of his soul. And this we 
 often bear witness of, so that we have had frequent 
 occasion in this respect, since God hath gathered us 
 to be a people, to renew this old saying of many, Is 
 I Sim, jt. I J. Saul also amxmg iJie prophets? For not a 
 few have come to be convinced of the truth after this 
 manner, of which, I myself, in part, am a true wit- 
 ness, who not by strength of arguments, or by a par- 
 ticular disquisition of each doctrine, and convince- 
 ment of my understanding thereby, came to receive 
 and bear witness of the truth, but by being secretly 
 The true reached by this Ufe; for when I came into 
 MnWnce. thc sUmt ossemblks of God's people, I felt a 
 secret power among them, which touched 
 my heart, and as I gave way unto it, I found the 
 evil weakening in me, and the good raised up, and 
 so I became thus knit and united unto them, hun- 
 gering more and more after the increase of this 
 power and life, whereby I might feel myself perfect- 
 ly redeemed. And indeed this is the surest way to 
 
CONCBRNINO WORSHIP. 125 
 
 become a' Christian, to whom afterwards the knowl- 
 edge and understanding of principles will not be 
 wanting, but 'will grow up bo much as is needful, as 
 the natural fruit of this good root, and such a knowl- 
 edge will not hQ barren nor unfruitfuL After this 
 manner we desire therefore all that come among us 
 to be proselyted, knowing that though thousands 
 should be convinced in their understanding of all 
 the truths we maintain, yet if they were not sensible 
 of this inward life, and their souls not changed from 
 unrighteousness to righteousness, they could add 
 nothing to us. For this is that cement whereby we 
 are joined, as to the Lord so to one another, ,cor.v;.i7. 
 and Without this none can worship with us. rightious?^ 
 Tea, if such should come among us, and "o1n^,1°t'o 
 from that understanding arid conviricement *° ^°"*' 
 they have of the truth, speak ever so true things, and 
 utter them forth with ever so much excellency of 
 speech, if this life were wanting, it would not edify 
 us at all, but be as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 
 1 Cor. xiii. 1. 
 
 § VILL. Our work then and worship is, when we 
 meet together, for every one to i/jateA and ourwork 
 wait upon God in themselves, and to he gather- f„"ourTeeu 
 erf from all visibles thereunto. And as "'^^■ 
 every one is thus stated, they come to find the good 
 arise over the evil, and the pure over the impure, in 
 which God reveals himself, arid draweth near to 
 every individual, and so he is in the midst in the 
 general, whereby each not only partakes of the par- 
 ticular refreshment and strength which comes from 
 the good in himself, but is a sharer in the whole 
 body, as being a living member of the body, having 
 
126 A PKKSDASIVB TO DNITT. 
 
 a joint fellowship and communion with all. And 
 as this worship is steadfastly preached and kept to, 
 it becomes easy, though it be very hard at first to the 
 natural man, whose roving imaginations and running 
 worldly desires are not so easily brought to silence. 
 And therefore the Lord often times, when any turn 
 towards him, and have true desires thus to wait 
 upon him, and find great difficulty through the un- 
 Btayedness of their minds, doth in condescension 
 and compassion cause his power to break forth in a 
 more strong and powerful manner. And when the 
 mind sinks down, and waits for the appearance of 
 life, and that the power of darkness in the soul wres- 
 tles and works against it, then the good seed, as it 
 ariseth, will be found to work as physic in the soul, 
 especially if such a weak one be in the assembly of 
 divers others in whom the life is arisen in greater 
 dominion, and through the contrary workings of 
 the power of darkness there will be found an inward 
 striving in the soul as really in the mystery as ever 
 Esat. and Esau and Jacob strove in Rebecca's womb, 
 in Rei^^ -A^nd from this inward travail, while the 
 '""^- darkness seeks to obscure the light, and the 
 light breaks through the darkness, which it always 
 will do, if the soul gives not its strength to the 
 darkness, there will be such a painful travail found 
 in the soul, that will even work upon the outward 
 man, so that often times, through the working there- 
 of, the body vdll be greatly shaken, and many groans, 
 and sighs, and tears, even as the pangs of a woman 
 in travail, will lay hold upon it; yea, and this not 
 only as to one, but when the enemy, who when the 
 children of God assemble together is not wanting to 
 
CONCERNING WORSHIP. 1£7 
 
 be present, to see if he can let their comfort, hath 
 pteviailed in any measure in a whole meeting, and 
 strongly worketh against it by spreading and propa- 
 gating his dark power, and by drawing out the minds 
 of such as are met from the life in them^ as they 
 come to be sensible of this power of his that works 
 against them, and to wrestle with it by the armor of 
 light, sometimes the power of God will break forth 
 into a whdle meeting, and there will be such an in- 
 ward travail, while each is seeking to over- ^h^ ,^^j;i 
 come the evil in themselves, that by the "uh a°victo- 
 strong contrary workings of these opposite """^ ^°°^" 
 powers, like the going of two contrary tides, every 
 individual will be strongly exercised as in a day of 
 battle, and thereby trembling and a motion of body 
 will be upon most, if not upon all, which, as the 
 power of truth prevails, will from pangs and 
 groans end with a ^eet sound of thanksgiving and 
 praise. And from this the name of Quakers, ^^ ^^^^ ^^ 
 i. e. Tremblers, was first reproachfully cast ^henSIt 
 upon us ; which, though it be none of our =p"^e- 
 choosing, yet in this respect we are not ashamed of 
 it, but have rather reason to rejoice therefore, even 
 that we dre sensible of this power that hiath often- 
 times laid hold of our adversaries, and made them 
 yield unto us, and join with us, and confess to the 
 truth, before they had any distinct or discursive 
 knowledge of our doctrines, so that sometimes many 
 at one meeting have been thus convinced :. and this 
 po^er would sometimes also reach to and wonder- 
 fully work even in little children, to the admiratioH 
 and astonishment of many. 
 
128 A PERSUASIVE TO tINITT. "^ 
 
 § rX. Many are the blessed experiences which I 
 Ym silence is cou'^ relate of this silence and manner of 
 ^J^'^y worship; yet I do not so much commend and 
 '°"°''- speak of silence as if we had bound ourselves 
 by any law to exclude praying or preaching, or tied 
 ourselves thereunto ; not at all : for as our worship 
 consisteth not in words, so neither in silence, as silence; 
 but in an koly dependence of the mind upon God: from 
 which dependence silence necessarily follows in the 
 first place, until words can be brought forth, which 
 are from God's Spirit. And God is not wanting to 
 move in his children to bring forth words of exhorta- 
 tion or prayer, when it is needful ; so that of the 
 many gatherings and meetings of such as are con- 
 vinced of the truth, there is scarce any in which God 
 raiseth not up some or other to minister to his breth- 
 ren ; and there are few meetings that are altogether 
 silent. For when many are met together in this 
 one life and name, it doth most naturally and fre- 
 quently excite them to pray to and praise God, and 
 stir up one another to mutual exhortation and in- 
 structions ; yet we judge it needful there be in the 
 first place some time of silence, during which every 
 one may be gathered inward to the word and gift of 
 grace, from which he that ministereth may receive 
 strength to bring forth what he ministereth ; and 
 that they that hear may have a sense to discern be- 
 twixt the precious and the vHe, and not to hurry into 
 the exercise of these things so soon as the bell rings, 
 as other Christians do. Yea, and we doubt not, but 
 assuredly know, that the meeting may be good and 
 refreshful, tho' from the sitting down to the rising 
 up thereof there hath not been a word as outwardly 
 
CONCERNINa WORSHIP. 129 
 
 Spoken, and yet life may have been known J'i.°e^si°yfo'; 
 to abound in each, particular, and an inward from'the''ufe 
 growing up therein and thereby, yea, so as "'''"°=- 
 words might have been spoken acceptably, and from 
 the life : yet there being no absolute necessity laid 
 upon any so to do, all might have chosen rather quieibf 
 and silently to possess and enjoy the Lord in them- 
 selves, which is very sweet and comfortable to the 
 Boul that hath thug learned to be gathered out of all 
 its own thoughts and workings, to feel the Lord to 
 bring forth both the will and the deed, which many 
 can declare by a blessed experience : though indeed 
 it cannot but be hard for the natural man to receive 
 or believe this doctrine, and therefore it must be 
 rather by a sensible experience, and by coming to 
 make proof of it, than by arguments,, that such can 
 be convinced of this thing, seeing it is not enough 
 to believe it, if they come not also to enjoy and possess 
 it ; yet in condescension to, and for the sake of, such 
 as may be the more willing to apply themselves to the 
 practice and experience hereof, if they found their un- 
 derstandings convinced of it, and that it is founded 
 upon scripture and reason, I find a freedom of mind 
 to add some few considerations of this kind, for the 
 confirmation hereof, besides what is before mention- 
 ed of our experience. 
 
 § X. That to wait upon God, a,nd to watch befoie 
 him, is a duty incumbent upon all, I sup^ to wait and 
 pose none will deny ; and that this also is a ^anded°Cl" 
 part of worship will not be called in ques- *=s'="p'^'^- 
 tion, since there is scarce any other so frequently 
 commanded in the holy scriptures, as may appear 
 from Psalm xxvii. 14, and xxxvii. 7, 34 ; Prov. xx. 
 
 9 
 
130 A PERSUASIVK TO UNITY. 
 
 22; Isa. xxx. 18; Hosea xii. 6; Zeph. iii. 8; Matt. 
 xxiv. 42, and xxv. 13, and xxvi. 41 ; Mark xiii. 33, 
 35, 37 ; Luke xxi. 36 ; Acts i. 4, and xx. 31 ; 1 Cor. 
 xvi. 13; Cbi. iv. 2; 1 2%es. v. 6; 2 TimAw. 5; 1 Pe<. 
 iv. 7. Also this duty is often recommended with 
 very great and precious promises, as Psalm xxv. 3, 
 and xxxvii. 9, and Ixix. 6 ; Isa. xlii. 28 ; Lam. iii. 25, 
 26. " They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their 
 strength, ^c.," Isa. xl. 31. Now how is this waiting 
 upo7t^God,-or watching before him, but by this silence of 
 which we have spoken ? Which as it is in itself a 
 great and principal duty, so it necessarily in order both 
 of nature and time precedeth all other. But that it 
 may be the better and more perfectly understood, as 
 it is not only an outward silence of the body, but an 
 inward silence of the mind from all its own imagina- 
 tions and self-cogitations, let it be considered accord- 
 ing to truth, and to the principles and doctrines hereto- 
 fore affirmed and proved, that man is to be considered 
 in a two-fold respect, to wit, in his natural, unregenerate, 
 and fallen state, and in his spiritual and renewed condi- 
 tion : from whence ariseth that distinction of the 
 natur(d and spiritual man so much used by the apostle, 
 and heretofore spoken of. A Iso these two births of the 
 mind proceed from the two seeds in man respectively, 
 to wit, the good se^d and the evil; and from the evil 
 seed doth not only proceed all manner of gross and 
 abominable wickedness and profanity, but also hypoc- 
 risy, and those idchednesscs which the Scripture calls 
 Whence Spiritual, because it is the serpent working in 
 ^ Aat^ and by the natural man in things that are 
 spiritual spiritual, which having a shew and appear- 
 ance of good, are so much the more hurtfal and 
 
CONCERNING WORSHIP. 131 
 
 dangerous, aa it is Satan transformed and transforming 
 himself into an angel of light ; and therefore doth the 
 scripture so pressingly and frequently, as we have 
 heretofore had occasion to observe, shut out and ex- 
 clude the natural man from meddling with the 
 things of God, denying his endeavors therein, though 
 acted and performed by the most eminent of his parts, 
 as of wisdom and utterance. 
 
 Also this spiritual wickedness is of two sorts, though 
 both one in kind, as proceeding from one root, yet 
 differing in their degrees, and in the subjects also 
 sometimes. The one is, when as the natural man , 
 meddling with and working in the things of religion, 
 doth from his own conceptions and divinations affirm 
 or propose wrong and erroneous notions and opin- 
 ions of God and things spiritual, and invent super- 
 stitions, ceremonies, observations, and rites in wor- 
 ship, from whence have sprung all the her- From whence 
 esies and superstitions that are among Chris- did spring! 
 lians. The other is, when as the natural man, from 
 a mere conviction of his understanding, doth in the 
 forwardness of his own will, and by his own natural 
 strength, without the influence and leading of God's 
 Spirit, go about either in his understanding to ima- 
 gine, conceive, or think of the things of God, or ac- 
 tually to perform them by preaching or praying. 
 The first is a missing both in matter and form ; the 
 second is a retaining of the form without the life and 
 substance of Christianity ; because Christian religion 
 consisteth not in a mere belief of true doe- TrueChnsti- 
 trines, or a mere performance of acts good fn ■p'^JJ^jf/t^" 
 in themselves, or else the bare letter of the ""'• 
 scripture, though spoken by a drunkard, or a denil. 
 
132 A PEKSUASIVK TO UNITY. 
 
 might be said to be ^irii and Ufe, which I judge 
 none will be so absurd as to affirm ; and also it would 
 follow, that where the form of godliness is, there the 
 power is also, which is contrary to the express words 
 of the apostle. For the form of godliness cannot be 
 said to be, where either the notions and opinions 
 believed are erroneous and ungodly, or the acts per- 
 formed evil and wicked ; for then it would be the 
 form of ungodliness, and not of godliness : but of 
 this more hereafter, when we shall speak particularly 
 of preaching and praying. Now though this last be 
 not so bad as the former, yet it hath made way for 
 it ; for men having first departed from the life and 
 substance of true religion aud worship, to wit, from 
 the inwatd power and virtue of the Spirit, so as 
 therein to act, and thereby to have all their actions 
 enlivened, have only retained the form and shew, to 
 wit, the true words and appearance ; and so acting 
 in their own natural and unrenewed wills in this 
 form, the form could not but quickly decay, and be 
 vitiated. For the working and active spirit of man 
 could not contain itself within the simplicity and 
 plainness of truth, but giving way to his own numer- 
 ous inventions and imaginations, began to vary in 
 the form, and adapt it to his own inventions, until 
 by degrees the form of godliness for the most part 
 came to be lost, as well as the power. For this kind 
 idoUnydoEi of idolatry, whereby man loveth, idolizeth^ 
 conceivings, aud cmbraccth his own conceptions, inven- 
 tions and product of his own brain, is so incident 
 unto him, and seated in his fallen nature, that so 
 long as his natural spirit is the first author and actor 
 of him, and is that by which ho only is guided and 
 
CONCERNING ■WORSHIP. 133 
 
 moved in his worship towards God, so as not first to 
 wait for another guide to direct him, he can never 
 perform the pure spiritual worship, nor hring forth 
 any thing hut the fruit of the first, fallen, natural, 
 and corrupt root. "Wherefore the time appointed of 
 God being come, wherein hy Jesixs Christ he hath 
 been pleased to restore the true spiritual worship, and 
 the outward form of worship, which was appointed 
 hy God to the Jews, and whereof the manner and 
 time of its performance was particularly de- 
 termined by God himselr, being come to an worship but 
 end, we find that Jesiis Christ, the author of scribed by 
 
 ' ' Christ 
 
 the Christian religion, prescribes no set form 
 of worship to his children, under the more pure ad- 
 ministration of the new covenant*, save that he only 
 tells them, That the worship now to be performed is 
 spiritual, and in the Spirit. And it is especially to be 
 observed, that in the whole JVew Testament there is 
 no order nor command given in this thing, but to 
 follow the revelation of the Spirit, save only that 
 general one of meeting together; a thing dearly own- 
 ed and diligently practiced by us, as shall hereafter 
 more appear. True it is, mention is made of the 
 
 * If any object here. That the Lord* s frayer is a prescribed fortn of grayer, and 
 there/ore o/ Worship ^ven by Christ to his children ; 
 
 I answer. First, This cannot be objected by any sort of Christians that I know, 
 because there are none who use not other prayers, or that limit their worship to this. 
 Secondly, This was commanded to the disciples, while yet weak, before ihey had 
 received the dispensation of the gospel ; not that they should only use it in praying, 
 but that he might shew them by one example how that their prayers ought to be short, 
 and not like the long prayers of the Pharisees. And that this was the use of it, ap- 
 pears by all their prayers, which divers saints afterwards made use of, whereof the 
 scripture makes mention ; for none made use of this, neither repeated it, but used other 
 words, according to the thing required, and as the Spirit^ gave utterance. Thirdly, 
 That this ought to be so understood, appears from Rom. viii.^ 26, of which afterwards 
 mention shall be made at greater length, where the apostle saith, We know not ivhat 
 lue should pray for as we aughi^ but the Spirit itself tnaketh intercession for us, 
 &c. But if this prayer had been such a prescribed form of prayer to the church, that 
 had not been true, neither had they been ignorant what to pray, uor should they have 
 needed the help of the Spirit to teach them. 
 
134 A PERSCASIVB TO UNITY. 
 
 duties oi 'praying, preaching, and singing; but what 
 Pray, pi^ich order or method should be kept in so doing, 
 t^^"" or that presently they should be set about 
 so soon as the saints are gathered, there is not one 
 word to be found : yea, these duties, as shall after- 
 wards be made appear, are always annexed to the 
 assistance, leadings, and motions of God's Spirit. 
 Since then man in his natural state is thus excluded 
 from acting or moving in things spiritiml^ho'w or 
 what Avay shall he exercise this first and previous 
 duty of waiting upon God but hy silence, and by bring- 
 _ . iner that natural part to silence f Which-is 
 
 To wait on D ■*■ 
 
 u u'^om-' °° other ways but by abstaining from his 
 '"^ own thoughts and imaginations, and from 
 
 all the self-workinge and motions of his own mind, 
 as well in things materially good as evil ; that he be- 
 ing silent, God may speak in him, and the good seed 
 may arise. This, though hard to the natural man, is 
 so answerable to reason, and even natural experience 
 in other things, that it cannot be denied. He that 
 cometh to learn of a noaster, if he expect to hear his 
 A simnc of a master and be instructed by him, must not 
 hu Kho'ii. continually be speaking of the matter to be 
 taught, and never be quiet, otherwise how shall his 
 master have time to instruct him ? Yea, though the 
 scholar were never so earnest to learn the science, yet 
 would the master have reason to reprove him, as un- 
 toward and indocile, if he would always be meddling 
 of himself, and still speaking, and not wait in silence 
 patiently to hear his master instructing and teaching 
 him, who ought not to open his mouth until by his 
 master he were commanded and allowed so to do. So 
 also if one were about to attend a great prince, he 
 
CONCBRNINO WORSHIP. 135' 
 
 would be thought an impertinent and im- or a prince 
 prudent servant, who, while he ought pa- vant 
 tiently and readily to wait, that he might answer the 
 king when he speaks, and have his eye upon him to 
 ■observe the least motions and inclinations of his 
 will, and to do accordingly, would be still deafening 
 him with discourse, though it were in praises of 
 him ; and running to and fro, without any particular 
 and immediate order, to do things that perhaps might 
 be good in themselves, or might have been com- 
 manded at other times to others. Would the kings 
 of the earth accept of such servants or service ? 
 Since then we are commanded to wait upon- y^ ^^^^ j^ 
 God diligently, and in so doing it is promised "'™"=°- 
 that our strength shall be renewed, this waiting cannot 
 be performed but by a silence or cessation of the nat- 
 ural ^part on our side, since God manifests himself 
 not to the outward man or senses, so much as to the 
 inward, to wit, to the soul and spirit. If the soul 
 be still thinking and working in her own The thinking 
 .will, and busily exercised in her own imagi- ctadefthe""" 
 nations, though the matters as in them- ™'<^<'fGod. 
 selves may be good concerning God, yet thereby she 
 incapacitates herself from discerning the still, small 
 voice of the Spirit, and so hurts herself greatly, in 
 that she neglects her chief business of waiting upon 
 the Lord : nothing less than if I should busy myself, 
 crying out and speaking of a business, while in the 
 ineantime I neglect to hear one who is quietly 
 whispering into my ear, and informing me in those 
 things which are most needful for me to hear and 
 know concerning that business. And since it is the 
 chief work of a Christian to know the natural will in 
 
136 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 its own proper motions crucified, that God may both 
 move in the act and in the will, the Lord chiefly re- 
 gards this profound sabjection and self-denial. For 
 some men please themselves as much, and gratify 
 their own sensual wills and humors in high and cu- 
 rious speculations of religion, affecting a name and 
 RgTigiotis reputation that way, or because those 
 sptcuiaiions. tjjjjjga \)y custom or otherways are become 
 pleasant and habitual to them, though not a whit 
 more regenerated or inwardly sanctified in their spir- 
 sensuai ^*^» ^ othcrs gratify their lusts in acts of 
 recreation. seTisualiti/, and therefore both are alike 
 hurtful to men, and sinful in the sight of Q«od, it 
 being nothing but the mere fruit and effect of man's 
 natural and unrenewed will and spirit. Yea, should 
 one, as many no doubt do, from a sense of sin, and 
 fear of punishment, seek to terrify themselves from 
 Thoughts of sin, by multiplying thoughts of death, hell, 
 
 death and hell -i*i , 11 ,- jji* 
 
 to keep out and judgment, and by presenting to their 
 IcavM ^ imaginations the happiness and joys of hea- 
 ven, and also by multiplying prayers and other reli- 
 gious performances, as these things could never de- 
 liver him from one iniquity, without the secret and 
 inward power of God's Spirit and grace, so would 
 they signify no more than the Jig-leaves wherewith 
 Adam thought to cover his nakedness. And seeing 
 it is only the product of man's own natural will, pro- 
 ceeding from a self-love, and seeking to save himself, 
 and not arising purely from that divine seed of right- 
 eousness which is given of God to all for grace and 
 salvation, it is rejected of God, and no ways accept- 
 able unto him ; since the natural man, as natural, 
 while he stands in that state, is, with all his arts, 
 
CONCERNING WORSHIP. 137 
 
 parts and actings, reprobated by him. This great duty 
 then of waiting upon God, must needs be exercised 
 in man's denying self, both inwardly and p^^;^, ^j 
 outwardly, in a still and mere dependence one'sseit 
 upon God, in abstracting from all the workings, 
 imaginations, and speculations of hisownftiind,that 
 being emptied as it were of himself, and so thorough- . 
 ly crucified to the natural products thereof, he may 
 be fit to receive the Lord, who will have no co-part- 
 ner nor co-rival of his glory and power. And man 
 being thus stated, the little seed of righteousness 
 which God hath planted in his soul, and Christ hath 
 purchased for him, even the measure of grace and 
 life, which is burdened and crucified by man's natu- 
 ral thoughts and imaginaiions, receives a place to arise, 
 and becometh a holy birth and geniture in ^he hoiy 
 man ; and is that divine air in and by which """^ 
 man's soul and spirit comes to be leavened ; and by 
 waiting therein he comes to be accepted in the sight 
 of God, to stand in his presence, hear his voice, and 
 observe the motions of his holy Spirit. And so 
 man's place is to wait in this ; and as hereby there 
 are any objects presented to his mind concerning 
 God, or things relating to religion, his soul may be 
 exercised in them without hurt, and to the great 
 profit both of himself and others ; because those 
 things have their rise not from his own will, but from 
 God's Spirit : and therefore as in the arisings and 
 movings of this his mind is still to be exercised in 
 thinMng and meditating, so also in the more obvious 
 acts of preaching and praying. And so it ^^ Quakers 
 may hence appear we are not against med- ^"^^^fSg^ 
 itation, as some have sought falsely to infer '"""'• 
 
138 A PERSUASIVE TO DNITT. 
 
 from our doctrine ; but we are against the thoughts 
 From nature's and imoffinations of the natural man in his 
 crroisrisc Qwu will, from which all errors and her- 
 esies concerning the Christian religion in the whole 
 world have proceeded. But if it please God at any 
 time, whtn one or more are waiting upon him, not 
 to present such objects as give them occasion to ex- 
 ercise their minds in thoughts and imaginations, but 
 purely to keep them in this holy dependence, and as 
 they persist therein, to cause the secret refreshment 
 and the pure incomes of his holy life to flow in upon 
 them, then they have good reason to be content, be- 
 cause by this, as we know by good and blessed ex- 
 perience, the SDul is more strengthened, renewed, 
 and confirmed in the love of God, and armed against 
 Thesoi.ire- thc power of sin, than any way else; this 
 wtStt The being a fore-taste of that real and sensible 
 
 holy life of . /i/~iti-^i • » ^ 
 
 God. enjoyment of God, which the saints m hea- 
 
 ven daily possess, which God frequently affords to 
 his children here for their comfort and encourage- 
 ment, especially when they are assembled together 
 to wait upon him. 
 
 § XL For there are two contrary powers or spirits, 
 to wit, the power and spirit of this world, in which the 
 Whatever priucc of darkucss bears rule, and over as 
 ^holTAf many as are acted by it, and work from it; 
 nr^'^ and the power or Spirit of God, in which 
 "■""^ God worketh and beareth rule, and over as 
 many aa act in and from it. So whatever be the 
 things that a man thinketh of, or acteth in, however 
 spiritual or religious as to the notion or form of them, 
 so long a-i he acteth and moveth in the natural and 
 corrupt spirit and will, and not from, in, and by the 
 
CONCERNING WORSHIP. 139^ 
 
 power of God, he sinneth in all, and is not accepted 
 of God. For Hence both the plowing and praying 
 of the wicked is sin; as also whatever a man Prov. xxi 42. 
 acts in and from the Spirit and power of God, hav- 
 ing his understanding and will influenced and moved 
 by it, whether it be actions religious, civil, or even 
 natural, he is accepted in so doing in the sight of God, 
 and is blessed in them. From what is said it doth ap- 
 pear how frivolous and impertinent their jas. i. 2s. 
 objection is, that say they wait upon God in praying 
 and preaching, since waiting does of itself imply a 
 passive dependence, rather than an acting. And since 
 it is, and shall yet be more shewn, that to pray and 
 
 ' »' ^ ... preach with- 
 
 preachina and praying without the Spirit is ?"''>'= spirit 
 
 ^ .7 Jr J J * , IS onence to 
 
 an offending of God, not a waiting upon '^°^- 
 him, and that praying and preaching by the Spirit 
 presupposes necessarily a silent waiting to feel the 
 motions and influence of the Spirit to lead there- 
 unto; and lastly, that in several of these places where 
 praying is commanded, as Matt. xxvi. 41; Mark xiii. 
 33; iwAexxi. 36; lPeteriv.7; watching is specially 
 prefixed as a previous preparation thereunto ; we do 
 well and certainly conclude, that since waiting and 
 watching are so particularly commanded and recom- 
 mended, and cannot be truly. performed but in this 
 inward silence of the mind from men's own thoughts 
 and imaginations, this silence is and must necessarily 
 be a special and principal part of God's worship. 
 
 § Xn. But secondly. The excellency of this silent 
 waiting upon God doth appear, iii that it is _, Ji-. 
 impossible for the enemy, viz., the devil, to waiting the 
 counterfeit it, so as for any soul to be de- counterfeit, 
 ceived or deluded by him in the exercise thereof. 
 
140 A PERSUASIVB TO TTNITT. 
 
 Now in all other matters he may mix himself with 
 the natural mind of man, and so by transforming 
 himself he may deceive the soul, by busying it about 
 things perhaps innocent in themselves, while yet he 
 keeps them from beholding the pure light of Christ, 
 and so from knowing distinctly their duty, and doing 
 of it. For that envious spirit of man's eternal hap- 
 piness knoweth well how to accommodate himself, 
 and fit his snares for all the several dispositions and 
 inclinations of men ; if he find one not fit to be en- 
 gaged with gross sins, or worldly lusts, but rather 
 averse from them, and religiously inclined, he can 
 fit himself to beguile such a one, by suffering his 
 thoughts and imaginations to run upon spiritual mat- 
 ters, and 80 hurry him to work, act, and meditate in 
 his own wilL For he well knoweth that so long as 
 self bears rule, and the Spirit of God is not the prin- 
 cipal and chief actor, man is not put out of his 
 reach ; so therefore he can accompany the priest to 
 Airar, may- tho oltar, the preacher to the pulpit, the zea- 
 .wdy,"ciniot lot to his prayers, yea, the doctor and profes- 
 
 shut the dev- - , . . , , , j , . 
 
 ii ouL sor of divinity to his study, and there he can 
 
 cheerfully suffer him to labor and work among his 
 books, yea, and help him to find out and invent sub- 
 tile distinctions and quiddities, by which both his 
 mind, and others through him, may be kept from 
 heeding God's light in the conscience, and waiting upon 
 him. There is not any exercise whatsoever, where- 
 in he cannot enter, and have a chief place, so as the 
 soul many times cannot discern it, except in this 
 alone : for he can only work in and by the natural 
 man and his faculties, by secretly acting upon his 
 imaginations and desires, Ac, and therefore, when he 
 
CONCERNINO WORSHIP. 141 
 
 (to wit, the natural man) is silent, there he must also 
 stand. And therefore when the soul comes to this 
 silence, and as it were is brought to nothingness, as 
 to her own workings, then: the devil is shut out; for 
 the pure presence of God and shining of his Light he 
 cannot abide, because so long as a man is thinking 
 and meditating as of himself, he cannot be sure but 
 the devil is influencing him therein : but when he 
 comes wholly to be silent, as the pure light of God 
 shines in upon him, then he is sure that the devil is 
 shut out ; for beyond the imaginations he cannot go, 
 which we often find by sensible experience. For he 
 that of old is said to have come to the gathering: to- 
 gether of the children of God, is not wanting to come 
 to our assemblies. And indeed he can well enter and 
 work in a meeting, that is silent only as to words, 
 either by keeping the minds in various thoughts and 
 imaginations, or by stupefying them, so as to over- 
 whelm them with a spirit of heaviness and slothful- 
 ness : but when we retire out of all and are turned 
 in, both by being diligent and watchful upon the 
 one hand, and also silent and retired out of all our 
 thoughts upon the other, as we abide in this sure 
 place, we feel ourselves out of his reach. Yea, 
 oftentimes the power and ghry of God will break 
 forth and appear, just as the bright sun through many 
 clouds and mists, to the dispelling of that power of 
 darkness ; which will also be sensibly felt, seeking 
 to cloud and darken the mind, and wholly to keep it 
 from purely waiting upon God. 
 
 § Xm. Thirdly, The excellency of this worship doth 
 appear, in that it can neither be stopt nor m 
 interrupted by the malice of men or devils, oftheQuak. 
 
142 A PBRSUASIVK TO UNITY. 
 
 as all others can. Now interruptions and 
 
 ers not stopt ^ 
 
 rfb"ScT« stoppings of worship may be understood 
 dcvit. jjj a twofold respect, either as we are hin- 
 dered from meeting, as being outwardly by violence 
 separated one from another ; or when permitted to 
 meet together, as we are interrupted by the tumult, 
 noise, and confusion which such as are malicious 
 may use to molest or distract us. Now in both these 
 respects, this worship doth greatly overpass all others : 
 for how far soever people be separate or hindered 
 from coming together, yet as every one is inwardly 
 gathered to the measure of life in himself, there ia a 
 secret unity and fellowship enjoyed, which the devil 
 and all his instruments can never break or hinder. 
 But, secondly, it doth as well appear, as to those mo- 
 lestations which occur, when we are met together, 
 what advantage this true and spiritual worship gives 
 us beyond all others ; seeing in despite of a thou- 
 sand interruptions and abuses, one of which were 
 sufficient to have stopt all other sorts of Christians, 
 we have been able, through the nature of this wor- 
 ship, to keep it uninterrupted as to God, and also at 
 the same time to shew forth an example of our Christian 
 patience towards all, even often times to the reaching 
 and convincing of our opposers. For there is no sort 
 of worship used by others which can subsist (though 
 they be permitted to meet) unless they be either au- 
 thorized and protected by the magistrate, or defend 
 themselves with the arm of flesh : but we at the same 
 time exercise worship towards God, and also patient- 
 ly bear the reproaches and ignominies which Christ 
 prophesied should be so incident and frequent to 
 Christians. For how can the Papists say their mass, 
 
CONCERNING WORSHIP. 143 
 
 if there be any there to disturb and inter- ^he worship 
 rupt them ? Do but take away the vmss- pis*toon . 
 book, the chalice^ the host, or the priest's gar- ""='™p'='^ 
 ments; yea, do but spill the water, or the mne, or 
 blow out the candles (a thing quickly done), and the 
 whole business is marred, and no sacrifice can be of- 
 fered. Take from the Lutherans or ^pis- ^^ proiest- 
 copa&ns their Liturgy or Common-Prayer- l^^^^^^ 
 Soak, and no service can be said. Remove "='^- 
 from the Calvinists, Arminians, Socinians, Indepen- 
 dents, or Anabaptists, the pulpit, the bible, and the 
 hour-glass, or make but such a noise as the voice 
 of the preacher cannot be heard, or disturb him 
 hut so before he come, or strip him of his bible 
 or his books, and he must be dumb : for they all think 
 it an heresy to wait to speak as the Spirit of God 
 giveth utterance ; and thus easily their whole wor- 
 ship may be marred. But when people meet to- 
 gether, and their worsTiip consisteth not in such out- 
 ward acts, and they depend not upon any one's 
 speaking, but merely sit down to wait upon God, 
 and to be gathered out of all visibles, and to feel the 
 Lord in Spirit, none of these things can hinder them, 
 of which we may say of a truth. We are sensible wit- 
 nesses. For when the magistrates, stirred up by the 
 malice and envy of our opposers, have used all 
 means possible (and yet in vain) to deter us from 
 meeting together, and that openly and publicly in 
 our own hired houses for that purpose, both death, 
 banishments, imprisonments, finings, beat- The suffer- 
 insrs, whippings, and other such devilish in- Quakers for 
 
 . i^_f & ' , . _ .. their religious 
 
 ventions, have proved ineffectual to terrify meetings, 
 us from our holy assemblies. And we having, I say, 
 
144 A PKKSUASIVK TO UNITY. 
 
 thus oftentimes purchased our liberty to meet, by 
 deep sufferings, our opposers have then taken another 
 way, by taming in upon us the worst and wickedest 
 people, yea, the very off-scourings of men, who by 
 all manner of inhuman, hecistly and brutish behavior, 
 have sought to provoke us, weary us, and molest us, 
 but in vain. It would be almost incredible to de- 
 clare, and indeed a shame, that among men pretend- 
 ing to be Christians, it should be mentioned, what 
 things of this kind men's eyes have seen, and I my- 
 eelf, with others, have shared of in suffering ! There 
 they have often beaten us, and cast water and dirt upon 
 us ; there they have danced, leaped, sung, and spoken 
 all manner of profane and ungodly words ; offered 
 violence and shameftil behavior to grave women 
 and virgins ; jeered, mocked and scoffed, asking us, 
 If the Spirit was not yet come f And much more, 
 which were tedious here to, relate : and all this while 
 we have been seriously and silently sitting together, 
 and waiting upon the Lord. So that by these things 
 our inward and spiritual fellowship with Q-od, and 
 one with another, in the pure light of righteousness, 
 hath not been hindered. But on the contrary, the 
 Lord knowing our sufferings and reproaches for his 
 testimony's sake, hath caused hrs power and glory 
 more to abound among us, and hath mightily refresh- 
 ed us by the sense of his love, which hath filled our 
 souls ; and so much the rather, as we found ourselves 
 gathered into the nam^ of the Lord, which is the 
 Pror. xvHL la stroug towcr of the righteous ; whereby we 
 felt ourselves sheltered from receiving any inward 
 hurt through their malice : and also that he had de- 
 livered us from that vain name and profession of 
 
CONCERNING WORSHIP. 145 
 
 Christianity, under which our oppoaers were not 
 ashamed to bring forth those bitter and cursed fruits. 
 Yea, sometimes in the midst of this tumult and op- 
 position, God would powerfally move some or other of 
 us by his Spirit, both to testify of that joy, which 
 notwithstanding their malice we enjoyed, and pow- 
 erfully to declare, in the evidence and demonstration 
 of the Spirit, against their folly and wickedness ; so 
 as the power of truth hath brought them to some 
 measure of quietness and stillness, and stopt the im- 
 petuous streams of their fury and madness: that 
 even as of old Moses by his rod divided the The rod.of 
 waves of the Red Sea, that the Israelites a^^e 7^; 
 might pass ; so God hath thus by his Spirit maketh way 
 made a way for us in the midst of this ging waves. 
 raging wickedness, peaceably to enjoy and possess 
 him, and accomplish our worship to hin^ r so that 
 sometimes upon such occasions several of our oppo- 
 sers and interrupters have hereby been convinced of 
 the truth, and gathered from being persecutors to be 
 sufferers with us. And let it not be forgotten, but 
 let it be inscribed and abide far a constant remem- 
 brance of the thing, that in these beastly ^^^^^ ^^^^^^ 
 and brutish pranks, used to molest us in SS"j^|,'^''' 
 our spiritual meetings, none have been more l[h"lfJg'y "^ 
 busy than the young stvdenta of the univer- <=°"™'" 
 sties, who were learning philosophy and divinity (so 
 called) and many of them preparing themselves for 
 the mmstry. Should we commit to writing all the 
 abrnnmatims committed in this respect by the young 
 fry of the clergy, it would make no sm^all volume ; as 
 the churches of Christ, gathered into his pure wor- 
 ship in Oxford Q^nA Qiinbridgein England, and Edin- 
 
 10 
 
146 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 hurg and Aberdeen in Scotland, where the universities 
 are, can well bear witness. 
 
 § XTV. Moreover, in this we know, that we are 
 How the old partakers of the new covenant's dispensation, 
 w 'rship doth and disciples of Christ indeed, sharing with 
 ue new. him in that spiritual worship which is per- 
 formed in the Spirit and in Truth ; because as he 
 was, so are we in this world. For the old eovenani- 
 worship had an outward fflory, temple and ceremonies, 
 and was full of outward splendor and majesty, having 
 an outward tabernacle and altar, beautified with gold, 
 silver, and precious stones ; and their sacrifices were 
 confined to a particular place, even the outward 
 Mount Sion; and those that prayed, were to pray with 
 their faces towards that outward temple : and there- 
 fore all this was to be protected by an outward arm. 
 Nor could the Jews peaceably have enjoyed it, but 
 when they were secured from the violence of their 
 outward enemies: and therefore when at any time 
 their enemies prevailed over them, their glory was 
 darkened, and their sacrifices stopt ; and the face of 
 their worship marred : hence they complain, lament, 
 and bewail the destroying of the temple, as a loss ir- 
 ThenewcoT- reparable. But Jesus Christ, the author 
 thipis'mward. and iustitutor of the new covenant-worship, 
 John i8. 36. testifies, that God is neither to be worship- 
 ped in this nor that place, but in the i^irit and in 
 Truth : and forasmuch as his kingdom is not of this 
 world, neither doth his worship consist in it, or need 
 either the wisdom, ghry, riches, ot splendor of this world 
 to beautify or adorn it ; nor yet the outward power or 
 arm of flesh to maintain, uphold, or protect it ; but 
 it is and may be performed by those that are spirit- 
 ually-minded, notwithstanding all the opposition, via- 
 
CONCERNING WORSHIP. 147 
 
 knee, and maliee of men ; because it being purely 
 spiritual, it is out of the reach of natural men to in- 
 terrupt or obstruct it. Even as Jesus Christ, the au- 
 thor thereof, did enjoy and possess his spiritual king- 
 dom, -while oppressed, persecuted, and rejected of 
 men ; and as, in despite of the maliee and Coi. u. 13. 
 rage of the devil, he spoiled principalities and powers, 
 triumphing over them, and through death destroyed him 
 that had the power of death, that is, the devil; so also 
 all his followers both can and do worship Heb. n. 14. 
 him, not only without the arm of flesh to protect 
 them, but even -when, oppressed. For their worship 
 being spiritual, is by the power of the Spirit camai wor. 
 defended and maintained; hut suchworships stand^°ho°ili 
 as are carnal, and consist in carnal and out- flesh. 
 ward ceremonies and observations, need a carnal and 
 outward arm to protect and defend them, else they 
 cannot stand and subsist. And therefore it appears, 
 that the several worships of our opposers, both Papists 
 and Protestants, are of this kind, and not the true 
 spiritual and new covenant-worship of Christ ; because, 
 as hath been observed, they cannot stand without the 
 protection or countenance of the outward magistrate, 
 neither can be performed, if there be the least oppo- 
 sition : for they are not in the patience of Jesus, to 
 serve and worship him with sufferings, ignominies, cal- 
 umnies, and reproaches. An d from hence have sprung 
 all those wars, fightings, and bloodshed arhong Chris- 
 tians, while each by the arm of flesh endeavoured to 
 defend and protect their own way and worsAip ; and 
 frbrd this also sprung 'up that monstirous opinion of 
 persecution; of which we shall speak more at length 
 hereafter. 
 
148 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 § XV. But Fourthly ; The nature of this wor- 
 ship, which is performed by the operation of the 
 IT i^iritf the natural man being silent, doth 
 in's^^t'L''' appear from these words of Christ, John iv. 
 gwishcdby 23^ 24: "But the hour cometh, and now is, 
 when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in 
 Spirit and in Truth : for the Father seeketh such to wor- 
 ship him. God is a Spirit, and they that worship him, 
 must worship him in Spirit and in Truth." This testi- 
 mony is the more specially to be observed, for that 
 it is both the ^rs<, chief est, and most ample testimany, 
 which Christ gives us of his Christian worship, as dif- 
 ferent and contra-distinguished from that under the 
 law. For first, he sheweth that the season is now 
 come, wherein the worship must be in Spirit and in 
 Truth; for the Father seeketh such to worship him : so 
 then it is no more a worship consisting in outward 
 observations, to be performed by man at set times 
 or opportunities, which he can do in his own will, and 
 by his own natural strength ; for else it would not 
 differ in matter, but only in some circumstances from 
 The naion ^^^^ uudcr the law. Next, as for a reason 
 fo a'LSp <^f t^i^ worship, we need not give any other, 
 in spmt. ^^(j indeed none can give a better than that 
 which Christ giveth, which I think should be suffi- 
 cient to satisfy every Christian, to wit, GOD J8 A 
 SPIRIT, and they that worship him, must worship him 
 in Spirit and in Truth. As this ought to be received 
 because it ia the words of Christ, so also it is found- 
 ed upon so clear a demonstration of reason, as suffi- 
 ciently evincelli its verity. For Christ excellently 
 argues from the analogy that ought to be betwixt the 
 object, and the worship directed thereunto : 
 
CONCERNING WORSHIP. 149 
 
 God is a Spirit ; 
 
 Therefore, he must beworsMpped in Spirit. 
 
 This is so certain, that it cau suffer no contradic- 
 tion ; yea, and this analogy is so necessary to be 
 minded, that under the law, ' when God instituted 
 and appointed that ceremonial worship to the Jeics, 
 because that worship was outward, that there might 
 be an analogy, he saw it necessary to condescend to 
 them as in a special manner, to dwell betwixt the 
 Chervhims within the tabernacle, and afterwards to 
 make the tempU of Jerusalem in a sort his habitation, 
 and cause something of an outward glory and majesty 
 to appear, by causing fire from heaven to consume 
 the sacrifices, and filling the temple with a cloud; 
 through and by which mediums, visible to 
 the outward eye, he manifested himself th/oftSd 
 proportionably to that outward worship ™''*' 
 which he had commanded them to perform. So 
 now under the new covenant, he seeing meet in his 
 heavenly wisdom to lead .his children in a path more 
 heavenly and spiritual, and in a way more easy and 
 familiar, and also purposing to disappoint carnal 
 and outward observations, that his may have an eye 
 more to an inward glory and kingdom than to an out- 
 ward, he hath given us for an example hereof the 
 appearance of his beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, 
 who (as Moses delivered the Israelites out 
 of their outward bondage, and by outwardly did from" 
 destroying their enemies) hath delivered and chrfst deii- 
 doth deliver us by suffering, and dying by from iiwarf 
 the hands of his enemies ; thereby triumph- '"^' 
 ing over the devil, and his and our inward enemies, 
 and delivering ua therefrom. He hath also insti- 
 
150 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 tuted an inward and spiritual worship : so that God 
 now tieth not his people to the iempU of Jerusalem, 
 nor yet unto outward ceremonies and observations; 
 but taketh the heart of every Christian for a temple 
 to dwell in ; and there immediately appeareth, and 
 giveth him directions how to serve him in any out- 
 ward acts. Since, as Christ argueth, Godis a Spirit, 
 he will now be worshipped in the Spirit, where he re- 
 veals himself, and dwelleth with the contrite in heart. 
 Now, since it is the heart of man that now is become 
 the temple of God, in which he will be worshipped, 
 and no more in particular outward temples, (since, 
 as blessed Stephen said, out of the prophet, to the 
 professing Jews of old, The most high dwelleth not in 
 temples made with hands) as before the glory of the 
 Lord descended to fill the outward temple, it be- 
 hooved to be purified and cleansed, and all polhited 
 stuff removed out of it ; yea, and the place for the 
 tabernacle was overlaid with gold, the most precious 
 and cleanest of metals ; so also before God be wor- 
 shipped in the inward temple of the heart, it must 
 also be purged of its own filth, and all its own 
 thoughts and imaginations, that so it may be fit to 
 receive the Spirit of God, and to be actuated by it. 
 And doth not this directly lead us to that inward si- 
 lence, of which we have spoken, and exactly pointed 
 out ? And further. This worship must be in truth; 
 intimating that this spiritual worship, thus actuated, 
 is only and properly a true worship ; as being that 
 which, for the reasons above observed, cannot be 
 counterfeited by the enemy, nor yet performed by 
 the hypocrite. 
 
 § Xyi. And though this v^orship be indeed very 
 
CONCERNING WORSHIP. 151 
 
 different from the divera establislied invented wor- 
 ships among Christians, and therefore may seem 
 strange to many, yet hath it been testified of,' com- 
 mended and practiced, by the most pious of all sorts, 
 in all ages, as by many evident testimonies mightbe 
 proved. So that from the professing and practicing 
 thereof, the name of Mystics hath arisen, as of a cer- 
 tain sect, generally commended by all, whose writings 
 are full both of the explanation and of the ^ ^^^;„ 
 commendation of this sort of worship ; where l^^ "among 
 they plentifully assert this inward introver- ; {teJ'mward 
 sum and abstraction of the mind, a,s they call lancteS*''^ 
 it, from all images and thoughts, and the A'n%o™'°'' 
 prayer of the will: yea, they look upon this '^"" 
 as the height of Christian perfection ; so that some of 
 them, tho' professed Papists, do not doubt to affirm, 
 That such as have attained this method of worship, or 
 are aiming at it, (as in a book, called Sanota Sophia, 
 put out by the English Benedictines, printed ^^ -^^ ,;^^ 
 at Doway, Anno 1657. Tract. L Sect. 2, ,^|S^^^^=' 
 cap. 5,) need not, nor ought to trouble or busy '"'•^uai 
 themselves wiihfrequent and unnecessary confes- ^"b'sf their 
 sions, with exercising corporeai labors and aus- "t'devcT'^ 
 terities, the using of vocal voluntary prayers, """'• 
 the hearing of a number of masses, or set devotions, or 
 exercises to saints, or prayers for the dead, or having so- 
 licitous and distracting cares to gain indulgences, by going 
 to such and such churches, or adjoining one's self to con- 
 fraternities, or entangling one's self with vows and prorw- 
 ises ; because such kind of things hinder the soul from 
 observing the operations of the Divine Spirit in it, and 
 from having liberty to follow the spirit whither it would 
 draw her. And yet who knows not that in such 
 
 \ 
 
152 A TERSUASITE TO UNITY. 
 
 kind of observations tbe very Bubstance of the 
 Popish religion consisteth ? Yet nevertheless, it ap- 
 pears by this, and m&txy other passages, which out of 
 their Mystic vmters might be mentioned, how they 
 look tipon this tBorsMp as excelling all others ; and 
 that such aa arrived hereunto, had no absolute need 
 of the others : yea, (see the Life of BaUhazat Alm- 
 res, in the same Sancta Sophia^ Tract. lH. Sect. 1, 
 cap. 7,) such as tasted of this quickly confessed, that 
 the other forms and ceremomies of worship were use- 
 less as to them ; neither did they perform them as 
 things necessary, but merely for order or example's 
 sake. And therefore, though some of them were 
 so overclouded with the common darkness of their 
 profession, yet could they affirm that this spiritual 
 worship was still to be retained and sought for, even 
 though it should become necessary to omit their 
 outward ceremonies. Hence Bernard, as 
 ferring the in many other places, so in his Mpistle to 
 
 Spirit above 11 t t n i 
 
 p^ish William., abbot of the same order, saith. 
 Take heed to the rule of Qod / the kingdom of 
 God is within you : and afterwards, saying. That their 
 outward order and rules should be observed, he 
 adds : But otherwise, when it shall happen thai one of 
 these two must be omitted, in such a case these are much 
 rather to be omitted than those former : for by how mtich 
 the Spirit is more excellent and noble than the body, by so 
 much are spiritual exercises more profitableihancorporeal 
 Is not that then the best of worships, which the 
 best of men in all ages, and of all sects, have 
 commended, and which is most suitable to the 
 doctrine of Christ? I say. Is not that worship to 
 be followed and performed ? And so much the 
 
CONCERNING WORSHIP. 153 
 
 rather, as God hath raised a people to testify for it, 
 and preach it, to their great refreshment and 
 strengthening, in the very face of the world, and 
 notwithstanding much opposition j who do not, as 
 these Mystics, make of it a mystery, only 
 to be attained by a few men or women in a «>cs did 
 
 ■' , . oonfihe that 
 
 cloister; or, as their mistake was, after mystery to a 
 wearying themselves with many outward 
 ceremonies and observations, as if it were the conse- 
 quence of such a labor ; but who in the free love of 
 God (who respects not persons, and was near to hear 
 and reveal himself, as well to G&melius, a centurion 
 and a Roman, as to Simeon and Anmi; and who dis- 
 covered his glory to Mary, a poor handmaid, and to 
 the poor shepherds, rather than to the high 
 priests and deoout proselytes among the Jews) in and 
 according to his free love, finding that God is reveal- 
 ing and establishing this worship, and making many 
 poor tradesmen, yea, young boys and girls, witness- 
 es of it, do entreat and beseech all to lay aside their 
 own will-worships, and voluntary acts, performed in 
 their own wills, and by their own mere natural 
 strength and power, without retiring out of their 
 vain imaginations and thoughts, or feeling the pure 
 Spirit of God to move and stir in them ; that they 
 may come to practice this acceptable worship, which 
 is in Spirit and in Truth. But against this worship 
 they object : 
 
 § XVn. First, It seems to be an unprofit- oy. .. 
 able exercise far a man to be doing or thinking nothing : 
 and that one might be much belter employed, either in med- 
 itating upon some good subject, or otherwise praying to 
 or praising God. 
 
154 A PKRSUASrV'E TO UNITT. 
 
 Answer. I answer ; That is not unprofitable, which 
 
 is of absolute necessity before any other duty 
 can be acceptably performed, as we have shewn this 
 waiting to be. Moreover, those have but a carnal 
 and gross apprehension of God, and of the things 
 of his kingdom, who imagine that men please him 
 by their own workings and actings : whereas, as 
 hath been shown, ^^q first step for a man to fear God 
 is to cease from his own thoughts and imaginations, 
 isa. L 16, and suffer God's Spirit to work in him. 
 \Je miut For we must cease to do evil ere we Uarn to 
 iiTSe we do well ; and this meddling in things spirit- 
 weiL ual by man's own natural understanding, is 
 
 one of the greatest and most dangerous evils that 
 man is incident to ; being that which occasioned our 
 first parents' fell, to wit, a forwardness to desire to 
 know things, and a meddling with them, both with- 
 out and contrary to the Lord's command, 
 obj. ^ Secondly ; Some object, Jf your worship 
 
 merely consists in inwardly retiring to the Lord, and 
 feeling of his Spirit arise in you, and then to do out- 
 ward acts as ye are led by it, what need ye have pubUe 
 
 . meetings at set times and places, since every one 
 
 places for may enjoy this at home ? Or should not every 
 one slay at home, until they be particularly 
 moved logo to such a place at such a time ; since to meet 
 at set times and places seems to be an outward observation 
 and ceremony, contrary to what ye at other times assert f 
 
 I answer, first : To meet at set times and places is 
 Answer. not any religious act, or part of worship in 
 m^u°r itself; but only an outward conveniency, ne- 
 
 Tise and rea- - , j i i 
 
 son asserted, cessary tor our seeing one another, so long 
 aa we are clothed with thid outward taiemacle : and 
 
CONCERNING WORSHIP. 155 
 
 therefore our meelmg at set times and places is not a 
 part of our worship^ but a preparatory accommoda- 
 tion of our outward man, in order to a public visible 
 warship ; since we set not about the visible acts of 
 worship when we me'fet together, until we be led 
 thereunto by the' Spirit of God. Secondly, God hath 
 seen meet, so long as his children are in this world, to 
 make use of the outward senses, not only as a means 
 to convey spiritual life, as by speaking, praying, prais- 
 ing, ^c, which cannot be done to mutual edification, 
 but when we hear and see one another ; but also to 
 maintain an outward, visible testimony for his name 
 in the world : he causeth the inward life (which is 
 also many times not conveyed by the outward senses) 
 the more to abound, when his children assemble 
 themselves diligently together to wait upon him ; so 
 that as iron sharpeneth iron, the seeing of Prov. xx™. 17. 
 the faces one of another, when both are inwardly 
 gathered unto the life, giveth occasion for the life 
 secretly to rise, and pass from vessel to vessel. And 
 as many candles lighted, and put in one place, do 
 greatly augment the light, and make it more to shine 
 forth, so when many are gathered together into the 
 same life, there is more of the glory, of God, and his 
 power appears, to the refreshment of each individual ; 
 for that he partakes not only of the light and life 
 raised in himself, but in all the rest. And therefore 
 Christ hath particularly promised a blessing to such 
 as assemble together in his name, seeing he will be 
 in the midst of them (Matt, xviii. 20). And the author 
 to the Hebrews doth precisely prohibit the neglect of 
 this duty, as being of very dangerous and dreadful 
 consequence, in these words, Ueb. x. 24: And let 
 
156 A PEKSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 ics consider one another, to provoke unto loce, and to good 
 works ; not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, 
 AssembKn "^ '^ iTiann^ of some is ; — For if we sin 
 ?f °™'™ wUlfuRy, after that we have received the know- 
 ncgiectecL ledge of the truth, there remameth no more sac- 
 rifice for sins. And therefore the Lord hath shewn 
 that he hath a particular respect to such as thus as- 
 semble themselves together, because that thereby a 
 public testimony for him is upheld in the earth, and 
 his name is thereby glorified ; and therefore such as 
 are right in their spirits, are naturally drawn to keep 
 the meetings of God's people, and never want a spirit- 
 ual influence to lead them thereunto: and if any do 
 it in a mere customary way, they will no doubt suffer 
 condemnation for it. Yet cannot the appointing of 
 places and times be accounted a ceremony and obaerva- 
 tion, done in man's will, in the worship of God, seeing 
 none can say that it is an act of worship, but only a 
 mere presenting of our persons in order to it, as is 
 above said. Which that it was practiced by the 
 primitive church and saints, all our adversaries do 
 acknowledge. 
 
 obj. 3. Lastly, Some object. That this manner of 
 
 worship in silence is not to be found in all the scripture : 
 Answer. I answer : We make not silence to be 
 
 the sole matter of our worship ; since, as I have said 
 In wailing ftbovc, thcro are many meetings, which are 
 i" ^i<f"' seldom altogether silent ; some or other are 
 ^supposed, still moved either to preach, pray, or praise : 
 and so in this our meetings cannot be but like the 
 meetings of the primitive churches recorded in scrip- 
 ture, since our adversaries confess that they did 
 preach and pray by the Spirit. And then what ab- 
 
CONCERNING WORSHIP. 157 
 
 surdity is it to suppose, that at some time the Spirit 
 did not move them to these outward acts, and that 
 then they were silent ? Since we may well conclude 
 they did not speak until they were moved ; and so 
 no doubt had sometimes silence. Acts ii. 1, before 
 the Spirit came upim them, it is said, — They were all 
 with one accord in one place ; an4 then it is said, The 
 Spirit suddenly came upon them; but no mention is 
 made of any one speaking at that time ; and I would 
 willingly know what absurdity our adversaries c^n in- 
 fer, should we conclude they were a while silent ? 
 
 But if it be urged, That a whole silent meet- instarce. 
 ing cannot be found in scripture ; 
 
 I answer ; Supposing such a thing were Answer. 
 not recorded, it will not therefore follow that it is 
 not lawful ; since it naturally folio weth from other 
 scripture precepts, as we have proved this suentmeet- 
 
 11 -n • 1 • ..MISS are 
 
 doth. J^ or seeing the scripture comm£!.nds proved from 
 
 _ ■ , ■ scnpture and 
 
 to meet together, and when met, the scrip- '^^°'^ 
 tiire prohibits prayers or preachings, but as the Spirit 
 uioveth thereunto ; if people meet together, and the 
 Spirit move not to such acts, it will necessarily follow 
 that they must be silent. But further, there might 
 have been many such things among the saints of old, 
 though not recorded in scripture ; and yet we have 
 enough in scripture, signifying that such things were. 
 For Job sat silent seven days with his friends together ,: 
 here was a long silent meeting ; see also Ezra ix. 4 
 and Wzekiel xiv. 1, and xx. 1. Thus having shewn 
 the excellency of this worship, proving it from scrip- 
 ture and reason, and answering the objections which 
 are commonly made against it, which, though it may 
 suffice to the explanatioa and proof of our proposi- 
 
158 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 Hon, yet I shall add something more particularly of 
 preaching, praying and singing, and so proceed to the 
 following proposition. 
 
 § XVHL Preaching, as it is used both among 
 
 Papists and Protestants, is for one man to 
 
 What preach- take some place or verse of scripture, and 
 
 ing is with the 
 
 ProiMtants thcrcou svmk JOT an hour or two, what he 
 
 imd Papists* 
 
 hath studied and premeditated in his closet, 
 and gathered together from his own inventions, or 
 A studied from the writings and observations of 
 
 talk ah hour t i i - • i i 
 
 or two. others ; and then having got it by heart, (as 
 a school-boy doth his lesson) he brings it forth, and re- 
 peats it before the people : and how much the more 
 fertile and strong a man's invention is, and the more 
 industrious and laborious he is in collecting such ob- 
 servatioTis, and can utter them with the excellency of 
 speech and human eloquence, so much the more is he 
 accounted an able and excellent preacher. 
 
 To this we oppose, that when the saints are met 
 True preach, togcthcr, and eveiy one gathered to the 
 Spirit gift and grace of God in themselves, he that 
 
 ministereth, being actuated thereunto by the arising 
 of the grace in himself, ought to speak forth what the 
 Spirit of God fumisheth him with ; not minding the 
 eloquence and wisdom of words, but the demonstration of 
 the Spirit and of power: and that either in the inter- 
 preting some part of scripture, in case the Spirit, 
 wliich is the good remembrancer, lead him so to do, 
 or otherwise words of exhortation, advice, reproof, and 
 instruction, or the sense of some spiritual experiences: 
 all which will still be agreeable to the scripture, 
 though perhaps not relative to, nor founded upon any 
 particular chapter or verse, as a text. Now let us ex- 
 
CONCERNINfl WORSHIP. 159 
 
 amine and consider which of these two sorts of 
 preaching is most agreeable to the precepts of Christ 
 and his apostles, and the primitive church, recorded in 
 scripture ? For, first, as to their preaching upon a 
 text, if it were not merely customary or premeditated, 
 but done by the immediate motion of the Spirit, we 
 should not blame it ; but to do -it as they do, there 
 is neither precept nor practice, that ever I could ob- 
 serve, in the iVew Testament, as a part of the instituted 
 worship thereof. 
 
 But they allege. That Christ took the book of Isaiah, 
 and read out of it, and spake therefrom ; and objection. 
 that Peter preached from a sentence of the prophet Joel. 
 
 I answer. That Christ and Peter did it not Answer, 
 but as immediately actuated and moved ^ cT,rist's 
 thereunto by the Spirit of God, and that t^i^^^f^ 
 without premeditation, which, I suppose premedit^'' 
 our adversaries will not deny; in which ''°°' 
 case we willingly approve of it. But what is this to 
 their customary conned way, without either waiting 
 for or expecting the movings or leadings of the Spirit ? 
 Moreover, that neither Christ nor Feter did it as a 
 settled custom or form, to be cQnstantly practiced 
 by all the ministers of the Church, appears, in that 
 most of all the sermons recorded of Christ and his 
 Apostles in scripture were without this, as appears 
 from Chrisfs sermon upon the mount, Matt. v. 1, ^c. ; 
 Mark iv. 1, ^c, and Paul's preaching to the Athenians, 
 and to the Jews, &c. As then it appears that this 
 method of preaching ie not grounded upon any 
 scripture precept, so the nature of it is contrary to 
 the preaching of Christ under the new covenant, as 
 expressed and recommended in scripture ; for Christ, 
 
160 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 in sending forth hia disciples, expressly mentioncth, 
 tliat they are not to speak of or from themselves, or 
 to forecast beforehand, but that which the Spirit in 
 the saTM hour shall teach them, as is particularly men- 
 tioned in the three evangelists, Mcdt. x. 20 ; Mark. 
 xiii. 11; Luke xii. 12. Now if Christ gave this 
 order to his disciples before he departed from them, 
 as that which they were to practice during his abode 
 outwardly with them, much more were they to do it 
 after his departure, since then they were more es- 
 pecially to receive the Spirit, to lead them in all things, 
 and to bring ail things to thsir remembrance, John xiv. 
 26. And if they were to do so when they appeared 
 before the magistrates and princes of the earth, 
 much more in the worship of God, when they stand 
 specially before him; seeing, as is above shown, 
 his worship is to be performed in Spirit ; an5 there- 
 fore after their receiving of the Holy Ghost, it is 
 said. Acts ii. 4, They spake as the Spirit gave them utter- 
 ance, not what they had studied and gathered from 
 books in their closets in a premeditated way. 
 
 Frandseus Lamiertus, before cited, speaketh well 
 Fnuiciscuf ^°*^ sheweth their hypocrisy. Tracts 6, of 
 \:Sm^f* Prophecy, \ha.^. 3, saying, Wh£re are they 
 
 tOie 
 
 pS^ja'sm. ^ow that glory in their inventions, who say, a 
 doMaS"' J"^ invention! a fine invention! This they 
 figmeiitt. g^ invention, which themselves have made up ; 
 but what have the faithful to do with sv£h Jmd of inven- 
 tions'! It is not figments, nor yet inventions, that we 
 will have, but things that are solid, invincible, eternal, and 
 heavenly ; not which men have invented, but which Grod 
 hath revealed! for if we believe the scriptures, cur inven- 
 tion profiteth nothing, but to provoke God to our ruin. 
 
CONCEKNINQ WOKSHIP. IGl 
 
 And afterwards, Beuowre (saitli he) thxit thou determine 
 not precisely to speak what before thou hast meditated, 
 whatsoever it be ; for though it be lawful to determine the 
 text which thou art to eiqxmnd, yd not at all the interpre- 
 tation; lest if thou so dost, thou take from the Holy 
 Spirit that which is his, to wit, to direct thy speech, that 
 thou may est prophesy in the name of the Lord, void of 
 all learning, mediiation, and experience, and as if thou 
 hadst studied nothing at. all, committing thy heart, thy 
 tongue, and thyself wholly unto his Spirit, and trusting 
 nothing to thy former studying or meditation ; but saying 
 with thyself, in great confideTice of the divine promise. The 
 Lord will ^ve a word with much pow«r unto those 
 that preach the gospeL But above all things be care- 
 ful thou follow not the manner of hypocrites, who having 
 vmtten almost word for word what they are to say, as if 
 they were to repeat some verses upon a theatre, having 
 learned all their preaching as they do that act tragedies. 
 And afterwards, when they are in the place of prophesy- 
 ing, pray the Lord to direct their tongue; but in the 
 mean time, shutting up the way of the Holy Spirit, they 
 determine to say nothing but what they have written. 
 unhappy kind of Prophets, yea, and truly cursed, which 
 depend not upon God's Spirit, but upon their own writ- 
 ings or meditation /" Why prayest thou to the Lord, thou 
 false prophet, to give thee his Holy Spirit^ by which thou 
 Tmyest speak 'things profitable, and yet thou repdlesi the 
 Spirit ? Why pref&rest thou thy meditation or study to 
 the Spirit of God? Otherwise why committest thou not 
 thyself to the J^irit ? 
 
 § XIX. Secondly, This manner of preaching as 
 jised by them (considering that they also .. The 
 affirm that it may be and often is performed by wSom'"'"' * 
 men who are wicked, or void of true grace) natSin^^^'' 
 
162 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 cannot only not edify the church, beget or nourish 
 true faith, but is destructive to it, being directly con- 
 trary to the nature of the Christian and apostolic min- 
 istry mentioned in the scriptures: for the apostle 
 preached the gospel not in the wisdom of words, lest the 
 cross of Christ should be of none effect, 1 Cor. i. 17. 
 But this preaching not being done by the actings and 
 niovings of God's Spirit, but by man's invention and 
 eloquence, in his own will, and through his natural 
 and acquired parts and learning, is in the wisdom 
 of words, and therefore the cross of Christ is thereby 
 made of none elBfect. The apostle's speech and preach- 
 ing was not iffith enticing words of man's wisdom, but in 
 the demonstration of the Spirit and of power; that the 
 faith of their hearers shoidd not stand in the wisdom of 
 men, but in the power qf God, 1 Cor. ii. 3, 4, 6. But 
 this preaching having nothing of the Spirit and power 
 iu it, both the preachers and hearers confessing they 
 wait for no such thing, nor yet are oftentimes sen- 
 sible of it, must needs stand in the enticing words 
 of man's wisdom, since it is by the mere wisdom of 
 man it is sought after, and the mere strength of 
 man's eloquence and enticing words it is uttered; 
 and therefore no wonder if the faith of such as hear 
 and depend upon such preachers and preachings 
 stand in the wisdom of men, and not in the power 
 of God. The apostles declared. That they ^ake not 
 in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which 
 the Holy Ghost teacheth; 1 Cor. ii. 13. But these 
 preachers confess that they are strangers to the Holy 
 Ghost, his motions and operations, neither do they 
 wait to feel them, and therefore they speak in the 
 words which their own natural wisdom and learning 
 
CONCEENINQ WORSHIP. 163 
 
 teach them, mixing them in, and adding thorn to, 
 Buch words as they steal out of the scriptures and 
 other books, and therefore speak not what the Holy 
 G'/jos? teacheth. 
 
 Thirdly, This is contrary to the method and order 
 of the primitive Church mentioned by the 3. Tmit \ 
 apostle, 1 Cor. xiv, 30, ^c, where in preach- method wm 
 ing every one is to wait for his revelation, RwebdoZ 
 and to give place one unto another, according as 
 things are revealed ; but here there is no waiting for a 
 revelation, but the preacher must speak, and not that 
 which is revealed unto him, but what he hath pre- 
 pared and premeditated before hand. 
 
 Lastly, By this kind of preaching the Spirit of 
 God, which should be the chief instructer ^^ 
 and teacher of God's people, and whose in- f.^tby'"*""' 
 fluence is that only which makes all preach- g^i^g^h^" 
 ing effectual and beneficial for the edify- '=^'=''"- 
 ing of souls, is shut out, and man's natural wisdom, 
 learning, and parts set up and exalted ; which no 
 doubt is a great and chief reason why the preaching 
 among the generality of Christians is so unfruitful 
 and unsuccessful. Yea, according to this doctrine, 
 the devil may preach, and ought to be heard also, 
 seeing he both knoweth the truth and hath as much 
 eloquence as any. But what avails excellency of 
 speech, if the demonstration and power of the Spirit 
 be wanting, which toucheth the conscience? We 
 see that when the devil confessed to the truth, yet 
 Christ would have none of his testimony. And as 
 these pregnant testimonies of the scripture do prove 
 this part of preaching to be contrary to the doctrine 
 
164 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITT. 
 
 of Christ, SO do they also prove that of ours before 
 affirmed to be conformable thereunto. 
 Objection. § XX. But if any object after this man- 
 ner, Have not many been benefitted, yea, and both con- 
 verted and edified by the mmistry of su<;h as have pre- 
 meditated their preaching f Yea, and hath not the Spirit 
 often concurred by its divine influence with preachings thus 
 premeditated, so as they have been powerfully borne in upon 
 the souls of the hearers to their advantage f 
 AMwer. lanswer. Though that be granted, which 
 
 I shall not deny, it will not infer that the thing was 
 Paul et»- good i° itself, more than because Paul was 
 convmrffu '^^t wiiih. by Christ to the converting of 
 ^e'tSSlune ^i^ ^oul riding to Damascus to persecute 
 ^°°^ ' the saints, that he did well in so doing. 
 Neither particular actions, nor yet whole congrega- 
 tions, as we above observed, are to be measured by 
 the acts of God's condescension in times of igno- 
 rance. But besides it hath oftentimes fallen out, 
 that God, having a regard to the simplicity and in- 
 tegrity either of the preacher or hearers, hath fallen 
 in upon the heart of a preacher by his power and 
 holy influence, and thereby hath led him to speak 
 things that were not in his premeditated discourse, 
 and which perhaps he never thought on before ; and 
 those passing ejaculations, and unpremeditated but 
 living exhortations, have proved more beneficial and 
 refreshing both to preacher and hearers than all 
 their premeditated sermons. Bat all that will not 
 allow them to continue in these thii^ which in 
 themselves are not approved, but contrary to the 
 practice of the apostles, when God is raising up a 
 people to serve him, according to the primitive purity 
 
CONCERNING WORSHIP. 165 
 
 and spintmlity ; yea, such acts of God's condescension, 
 in times of darkness and ignorance, should engage 
 all more and more to follow him, according' as he 
 reveals his most perfect and spiritual way. 
 
 § XXI. Having hitherto spoken of 
 •preaching, now it is fit to speak of praying, qj. " ^ 
 concerning which the like controversy ourw*di! 
 ariseth. Our adversaries, whose reJigion is ^"fi^|"iho" 
 all for the most part outside, and such whose """"^^ 
 acts are the mere product of man's natural will and 
 abilities, as they can preach, so can they pray when 
 they please, and therefore have their set partic- 
 ular prayers. I meddle not with the controversies 
 among themselves concerning this, some of them 
 heiag for set prayers, &s a, liturgy, others for such as 
 are conceived extempore : it suffices me that all of 
 them agree in this. That the motions and influence 
 of the Spirit of Grod are not neccessary to he pre- 
 vious thereunto ; and therefore they have set times in 
 their public worship, as before and after The priests- 
 
 1. n.ji- .1-1 i_? set times to 
 
 preaching, and in their private devotion, as preach and 
 morning and evening, and before and after ^Spirit'' 
 meat, and other such occasions, at which they pre- 
 cisely set about th^ performing of their prayers, by 
 speaking words to God, whether they feel any mo- 
 tion or influence of the Spirit or not ; so that some 
 of the chiefest have confessed that they have thus 
 prayed without the motions or assistance of the 
 Spirit, acknowledging that they sinned in so doing ; 
 yet they said they looked upon it as their duty so 
 to do, though to pray without the Spirit be sin. We 
 freely confess that prayer is both very profitable, and 
 a necessary duty commanded, and fit to be 'practiced 
 
166 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 frequently by all Christians; but as we can do noth- 
 ing without Christ, bo neither can we pray without 
 the concurrence and assistance of his Spirit. But that 
 the state of the contoversy may be the better under- 
 stood, let it be consi6LeTed,Jirst,tha.t prayer is two-fold, 
 What inward *w'<^'''^ ^^^ outward. luward prayer is that 
 prayer u. secrct tumzng of the mind towards God, where- 
 by, being secretly touched and awakened by the liffht 
 of Christ in the conscience, and so bowed down under 
 the sense of its iniquities, unworthiness, and misery, 
 it looks up to God, and, joining with the secret shin- 
 ings of the seed of God, it breathes towards him, and 
 is constantly breathing forth some secret desires and 
 aspirations towards him. It is in this sense that we 
 are so frequently in scripture commanded to pray 
 continually, I/uke xviii. 1; 1 Thess. v. 17; Eph. vi. 
 18 ; Jjuke xxi. 36 ; which cannot be understood of 
 outward prayer, because it were impossible that men 
 should be always upon their knees, expressing words 
 of prayer; and this would hinder them from the 
 exercise of those duties no less positively commanded. 
 What out- Outward prayer is, when as the spirit, being 
 is- thus in the exercise of inward retirement, 
 
 and feeling the breathing of the Spirit of God to 
 arise powerfully in the soul, receives strength and 
 liberty by a superadded motion and influence of the 
 Spirit to bring forth either audible sighs, groans, or 
 words, and that either in public assemblies, or in 
 private, or at meat, &c. 
 
 As then inward prayer is necessary at aU times, so, 
 inwani ^^ loug as thc day of every man's visitation 
 S^Ttau** lasteth, he never wants some influence, less 
 '™"' or more, for the practice of it; because he 
 
CONCBKNINQ WORSHIP. 167 
 
 no sooner retires his mind, and considers himself in 
 Grod's presence, but he finds himself in the practice 
 of it. 
 
 The outward exercise of prayer, as needing a greater 
 and superadded influence and motion of the 
 Spirit, as it cannot be continually practiced, pray^rdo* 
 so neither can it be so readily, so as to be superadded 
 effectually performed, until his mind be "" "°''"' 
 some time acquainted with the inward; therefore 
 such as are diligent and watchful in their minds, and 
 much retired in the exercise of this inward prayer, 
 are more capable to be frequent in the use of the 
 outward, because that this holy influence doth more 
 constantly attend them, and they being better ac- 
 quainted with, and accustomed to, the motions of 
 Go(^s Spirit, can easily perceive and discern them. 
 And indeed, as such who are most diligent have a 
 near access to God, and he taketh most delight to 
 draw them by his Spirit to approach and call upon him, 
 so when many are gathered together in this watchful 
 mind, God doth frequently pour forth the Spirit of 
 prayer among them and stir them thereunto, to the 
 edifying and building up of one another in love. But 
 because thig outward prayer depends upon the inward, 
 as that which must follow it, and cannot be accepta^ 
 bly performed but as attended with a superadded in- 
 fluence and motion of the Spirit, therefore cannot we 
 prefix set times to pray outwardly, so as to ^^ ^^^^^ 
 lay a necessity to speak words at such and ^ spraPsSfd 
 such times, whether we feel this heavenly p^*'- \ 
 influence and assistance or no : for that we judge 
 were a tempting of God, and a coming before him 
 •v^itlioijt due preparation. We think it fit for us to 
 
168 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 present ourselves before him by this inward retirement 
 of the mind, and so to proceed further, as his Spirit 
 shall help us and draw us thereunto ; and we find 
 that the Lord accepts of this, yea, and seeth meet 
 sometimes to exercise ns in this silent place for the 
 trial of our patience, without allowing us to speak 
 further, that he may teach us not to rely upon out- 
 ward performances, or satisfy ourselves, as too many 
 do, with the saying of our prayers ; and that our de- 
 pendence npon him may be the more firm and con- 
 stant, to wait for the holding out of his sceptre, and 
 for his allowance to draw near unto him, with great- 
 er freedom and enlargement of Spirit upon our 
 hearts towards him. Yet nevertheless we do not deny 
 but sometimes God, upon particular occasions, Very 
 suddenly, yea, upon the very first turning in of the 
 mind, may give power and liberty to bring forth 
 words or acts of outward prayer, so as the soul can 
 scarce discern any previous motion, but the influence 
 and bringing forth thereof may be as it were simul 
 and semel : nevertheless that saying of Bemafd is 
 true, that aU prayer is lukewarm, which hath not an in- 
 spiration preceding it. Though we affirm that none 
 ought to go aboutyrayer without this motion, yet we 
 Such >in u do not deny but such sin as neerlect prayer ; 
 
 are neglect- ,...., , t 
 
 ing prayer, but thcir «7i 18 in that they come not to that 
 place where they may feel that which would lead 
 them thereunto. And therefore we question not 
 but many, through neglect of this inward watchful- 
 ness and retbredness of mind, miss many precious op- 
 portunities to pray, and thereby are guilty in the 
 sight of God; yet would they sin if they should set 
 about the act until they first felt the influence. For 
 
CONCERNING WORSHIP. 169 
 
 as he grossly offends his master ihat lieth. 
 
 in his bed and sleeps, and neglects to do andT^Se. 
 
 !• ± i J • i«/t 1 less servant 
 
 his masters busmess; yet if such a one answers not 
 should suddenly get up, without putting '"^' 
 on his clothes, or taking along with him those ne- 
 cessary tools and instrumenis, without which he could 
 not possibly work, and should forwardly fall a doing 
 to no purpose, he would be so far thereby from re- 
 pairing his former fault, that he would justly incur 
 a new censure : and as one that is careless and other- 
 waya busied may miss to hear one speaking unto 
 him, or even not hear the bell of a clock, though 
 striking hard by him, so may many, through negli- 
 gence, miss to hear God oftentimes calling upon 
 them, and giving them access to pray unto him ; yet 
 will not that allow them without his liberty, in their 
 own wills to fall to work. 
 
 And lastly, Though this be the only true and 
 proper method of prayer, as that which is alone ac- 
 ceptable to God, yet shall we not deny but i„ ,.^„ ^ 
 he oftentimes answered the jprayers and Godtdlf 
 concurred with the desires of some, espe- Spray, 
 cially in times of darkness, who have great- "'~ 
 ly erred herein ; so that some that have set down in 
 formal prayer, though far wrong in the matter as well 
 as manner, without the assistance or influence of 
 Qod's Spirit, yet have found him to take occasion 
 therethrough to break in upon their souls, and won- 
 derfully tender and refresh them ; yet as in preach- 
 ing and elsewhere hath afore been observed, that 
 will not prove any such practices, or be a just let to 
 hinder any from coming to practice that pure, spiritual.^ 
 and acceptable prayer, which God is again restorii^g 
 
170 A PEEBDASIVB TO UNITY. 
 
 and leading his people into, oat of all superstitions 
 and mere empty formalities. The state of the contro- 
 versy, and our sense thereof, being thus clearly stated, 
 will both obviate many objections, and make the an- 
 Fir5t,spm- ^^^J" ^ others more brief and easy. I 
 ^vJdSSSi shall first prove this spiritual prayer by soma 
 "="•""*• short considerations from scripture, and then 
 answer the objections of our opposers, which will 
 also serve to refute their method and manner thereof. 
 
 § XXn. And First, That there is a necessity of 
 , this inward retirement of the rrdnd as previous 
 SMt'i^liu ^ Wy^i t^* *^® Spirit may be felt to draw 
 SX"*^* thereunto, appears, for that in most of 
 prayer. those placcs where prayer is commanded, 
 watching is prefixed thereunto, as necessary to go be- 
 fore, as Jfaft. xxiv. 42; Mark xiii. 83, and xiv. 38; 
 Luke xxi. 86, from which it is evident that this 
 watching was to go before prayer. Now to what end 
 is this watching, or what is it, but a waiting to feel 
 God's Spirit to draw unto prayer, that so it may bo 
 Eph.vi.i8. done acceptably ? For since we are to pray 
 always in the Spirit, and cannot, pray of ourselves 
 without it acceptably, this watching must be for this 
 end recommended to us, as preceding prayer, that 
 we may watch and wait for the seasonable time to 
 Tpray, which is when the Spirit moves thereunto. 
 
 Secondly, This necessity of the Spirit's moving and 
 II concurrence appears abundantly from that 
 ^twTo of the apostle Paul, Bom. viii. 26, 27: 
 St^spwr Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities : 
 '^'"" for we Icnow not what we should pray for as we 
 o'ught ; but the Spirit itself maketh intercession fcyr us with 
 groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth 
 tlie hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because 
 
CONCERNING WORSHIP. 171 
 
 he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will 
 of God. Which first holds forth the incapacity of 
 men as of themselves to pray or call upon G-od in 
 their own wills, even such as have received ih.& faith 
 of Christ, and are in measure sanctified by it, as was 
 the Church of -Rojwc, to which the apostle then wrote. 
 Secondly, It holds forth that which can only help and 
 assist men to pray, to wit, the Spirit, as that without 
 which they cannot do it acceptably to God, nor ben- 
 eficially to their own sonls. Thirdly, The manner 
 and way of the Spirit's intercession, with sighs and 
 groans which are unutterable. And Fourthly, That God 
 receiveth graciously the prayers of such as are pre- 
 sented and offered unto himself by the Spirit, know- 
 ing it to be according to his will. Now it cannot be 
 conceived but this order of prayer thus asserted by 
 the apostle is most consistent with those other testi- 
 monies of scripture, commending and recommend- 
 ing to us the use of prayer. From which I'lthus 
 argue : 
 
 If any man know not how to pray, neither can do it 
 without the help of the Spirit, then it is to no Argument. 
 purpose for him, but altogether unprofitable, to pray with- 
 out it. 
 
 £ut the first is true, therefore also the last. 
 
 Thirdly, This necessity of the Spirit to trte pray- 
 er, appears from Eph. vi. 18, and Jude 20, m 
 where the apostle commands to pray always J^^^^^^ 
 in the Spirit, and watching thereunto ; which ^afcwng 
 is as much as if he had said, that we were *^="°'°- 
 never to pray without the Spirit, or watching there- 
 unto. And Jude sheweth that such prayers as are 
 in the Holy Ghost only, tend to the building up of our- 
 selves in our most holy foith. 
 
172 A PEKSUASrVB TO UNITY. 
 
 Fourthly, The apostle Paid Baith expressly, 1 Oor. 
 jy xii. 3, T%it no man can say that Jesus is the 
 ^c£S°* -Z^rtZ but by the Holy Ghost : if then Jesus 
 S2^H(3^''' cannot be thus rightly named but by the 
 Ghost ^^i^ Ghost, far less can he be acceptably 
 called upon. Hence the same apostle declares, 1 Oar. 
 xiv. 15, that he wiU pray with the Spirit, ^e. A clear 
 evidence that it was none of his method to pray 
 without it. 
 
 But Fifthly, All prayer without the Spirit is abomi- 
 nation, such as are the prayers of the wicked, Prov. 
 xxviii. 9. And the confidence that the saints have that 
 y GW wiU hear them is, if they ask anything 
 ^1^'"°* according to his will, 1 John v. 14. So if the 
 ofSe'Vick. prayer be not according to his will, there is 
 •^ no ground of confidence that he will hear. 
 
 Now our adversaries will acknowledge that prayers 
 without the Spirit are not according to the will of 
 God, and therefore such as pray without it have no 
 ground to expect an answer : for indeed to bid a man 
 pray without the Spirit is all one as to bid one see 
 without eyes, work without hands, or go without feet. 
 And to desire a man to fall to prayer ere the Spirit 
 in some measure less or more move him thereunto, 
 is to desire a man to see before he opens his eyes, or 
 to walk before he rises up, or to work with his hands 
 before he moves them. 
 
 § XX ll l . But lastly, From this false opinion of 
 vL praying without the Spirit, and not j udging 
 is sin, not it necessary to be waited for, as that which 
 the Spirit may be felt to move us thereunto, hath 
 proceeded all the superstition and idolatry that is 
 among those called Christians, and those many 
 
CONCERNING WORSHIP. 173 
 
 abominations wherewith the Lord is provoked, and 
 his Spirit grieved ; so that many deceive themselves 
 now, as the Jews did of old, thinking it sufficient if 
 they pay their daily sacrifices, and ofier their custo- 
 mary oblations; from thence thinking all is well, 
 and creating a false peace to themselves, as the 
 whore in the Proverbs, beciiuse they have offered up 
 their sacrifices of morning and evening prayers. And 
 therefore it is manifest that their constant use of 
 these things doth not a whit influence their lives and 
 conversations, but they remain for the most part as 
 bad as ever. Tea, it is frequent both among Papists 
 and Protestants, for them to leap as it were out of 
 their vain, light, and profane conversations at their 
 set hours and seasons, and fall to their customary de- 
 votion ; and then, when it is scarce finished, and lie 
 words to God scarce out, the former profane talk 
 comes after it ; so that the same wicked profane 
 spirit of this world actuates them in both. If there 
 be any such thing as vain oblations, or praters that are 
 abomination, which God heareth not (as is certain 
 there are, and the scripture testifies, Isa. Ixvi. 3 ; Jer. 
 xiv. 12,) certainly such prayers as are acted in man's 
 will, and by his own strength, without God's Spirit, 
 must be of that number. 
 
 § XX I V- Let this suffice for proof. I shall now 
 proceed to answer their objections, When I have said 
 something concerning joining in pray&r with Co„„hiing 
 others. Those that pray together with one J,"™^/'" 
 accord use not only to concur in their spir- '^'^°*«'^ 
 its, but also in the gesture of their body, which we 
 also willingly approve of. It becometh those who 
 approach before God to pray, that they do it with 
 
174 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 bowed knees, and with their heads uncovered, which is 
 our practice. 
 
 But here ariseth a controversy, Whether it be larv- 
 obj. I. ful to join with others by those external signs of 
 reverence, albeit not in heart, who -pray formally, not wait- 
 vig for the motion of the Spirit, nor judging it necessary. 
 
 "We answer, Not at all ; and for our testimony in 
 Answer. thls thing, we have suffered not a little. 
 For when it hath fallen out, that either accidentally, 
 Tht reason O'" to witness against their worship, we have 
 no/jdnS* been present during the same, and have 
 P"*"- not found it lawful for us to bow with them 
 thereunto, they have often persecuted us, not only 
 with reproaches, but also with strokes and cruel 
 beatings. For this cause they used to accuse us of 
 pride, profanity, and madness, as if we had no re- 
 spect or reverence to the worship of God, and as if 
 we judged none could pray, or were heard of God, 
 but ourselves. Unto all which, and many more re- 
 proaches of this kind, we answer briefly and modest- 
 ly. That it suffices us that we are found so doing, 
 neither through pride, nor madness, nor profanity, 
 but merely lest we should hurt our consciences ; the 
 reason of which is plain and evident : for since our 
 principle and doctrine oblige us to believe that the 
 prayers of those who themselves confess they are not 
 actuated by the Spirit are abominations, how can we 
 with a safe conscience join with them ? 
 
 If they urge. That this is the height of uneharitable- 
 obj. I. ness and arrogancy, as if we judged ourselves 
 always to pray by the Spirits motion, but they never ; as 
 if we were never deceived by praying without the motions 
 of the Spirit, and that they were never actuated by it, see- 
 
CONCEKNIN0 Worship. 175 
 
 inff albeit they judge not the, moUm of the Spirit always 
 necessary, they confess nevertheless that it is very profitable 
 and comfortable, and they feel it often influencing them ; 
 which that it sometimes falls out we cannot deny : 
 
 To all whicli I answer distinctly, If it were their 
 known and avowed doctrine not to pray Answer, 
 without the motion of the Spirit, and that, serioualy 
 holding thereunto, they did not bind themselves to 
 pray at certain preserved times precisely, at which 
 times they determine to pray, though without the 
 Spirit, then indeed we might be accused of uncharit- 
 ableness and pride, if we never joined with them > 
 and if they so taught and practiced, I doubt shaii we 
 
 .1 • -I t -I t n •% n t confirm the 
 
 not but it would be lawful tor us so to do, hypocrites 
 unless there should appear some manifest >ng? ''"'^' 
 and evident hypocrisy and delusion. But seeing 
 they confess that they pray without the Spirit, and see- 
 ing God hath persuaded us that such prayers are 
 abominable, how can we with a safe conscience join 
 with an abomination f That God sometimes conde- 
 scends to them, we do not deny ; although now, when 
 the spiritual worship is openly proclaimed, and all are 
 invited unto it, the case is otherwise than in those 
 old times of apostasy and darkness; and therefore, 
 albeit any should begha to pray in our presence, not 
 expecting the motion of the Spirit ; yet if it mani- 
 festly appear that God in condescension did concur 
 with such a one, then according to God's will we 
 should not refus6 to join also ; but this is rare, lest 
 thence they should be confirmed in their false princi- 
 ple. And although this seems hard in our profes- 
 sion, nevertheless it is so confirmed by the authority 
 both of scripture and right reason, that many con- 
 
176 A PERSTJASIVa TO tJNITY. 
 
 vinced thereof have emhraced this part before other 
 truths, which were easier, and, as they seem to some, 
 clearer. Among whom is memorable of late years 
 Alexander Skeaiy a magistrate of the city of Aberdeen, 
 a man very modest, and very averse from giving of- 
 fence to others, who nevertheless being overcome by 
 the power of Truth in this matter, behooved for this 
 cause to separate himself from the public assemblies 
 and prayers, and join himself unto us; who also 
 gave the reason of his change, and likewise succinct- 
 ly, but yet substantially, comprehended this contro- 
 versy concerning worship in some short questions, 
 which he offered to the public preachers of the city, 
 and which I think meet to insert in this place. 
 Some qiiB- ^ WhetkcT OT uot should an act of God's 
 1^ pjl^ worship be gone about without the motiona, 
 P^h'^'ta leadings, and actings of the Holy Spirit f 
 ■'"'^"°- 2. If the motions of the Spirit be necessary 
 to every particular duty, whether should it bewaikdupon, 
 that all our acts and words may be according as he gives 
 utterance and assistance f 
 
 3. Whether every one that bears the name of a Chris- 
 tian, or professes to be a Protestant, hath such an 
 uninterrupted measure thereof, that he may, without wait- 
 ing, go immediately about the duly ? 
 
 4. ^ there be an indispodfum and unfitness at some 
 times for such exercises, at least as to the spiritual and 
 lively performamx thereof, whether aught ihey to be per- 
 formed in that case, and at that time f 
 
 6. If any duty be gone about, under pretence thai it is 
 in obedience to the external command, vnthout the spiri^jud 
 Ufe and motion necessary, whether such a duty thus per- 
 formed can in faith be expected to be accepted of Gad, and 
 
CONCBKNINQ WORSHIP. 177 
 
 not rather reckoned as a bringing of strange fire before the 
 Lord, seeing it is -perf armed at best by the lct. xvi. i. 
 strength of natural and acquired parts, and not by the 
 strength and assistance of the Holy Ghost, which was 
 typified by the fire that came down from heaven, which 
 alone behooved to consume the saerificCfand no other ? 
 
 6. Whether duties- gone about in.the mere strength of 
 natural and acquired parts, whether in public or private, 
 be not as really, upon the matter, an image of man's in- 
 vention as the popish worship, though not so gross in the 
 outward appearance? And therefore whether it be not as 
 real superstition to countenance any worship of that na- 
 ture, as it is to countenance popish worship, tho' there be 
 a difference in the degree ? 
 
 7. Whether it be a ground of offence or just scandal to 
 countenance the worship of those whose professed principle 
 it is neither to speak for edification, nor to pray, but as 
 the Holy Ghost shall be pleased to assist them in some 
 measure less or more ; without which they rather choose 
 to be silent, than to speak without this influence ? 
 
 Unto these they answered hut very coldly and 
 faintly, whose answers likewise long ago he refuted. 
 
 Seeing then God hath called us to hia spiritual 
 worship, and to testify against the human ivemust 
 and voluntary worships of the apostasy, if °°J^°tSess- 
 we did not this way stand immovable to '"sforGod. 
 the truth revealed^ but should join with them, both 
 our testimony for God would be weakened and lost, 
 and it would be impossible steadily to propagate this 
 vforship in the world, whose. progress we dare neither 
 retard nor hinder by any act of ours ; though there- 
 fore we shall lose not only worldly honor, but even 
 our lives. And truly many Protestants, through their 
 
 12 
 
178 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 unsteadiness in this thing, for politic ends complying 
 with the Popish abominations, have greatly scandalized 
 their profession, and hurt the Reformation ; as ap- 
 peared in the example of the Elector of Saxony ; 
 Hectorof who, in the convention at Augsburgh, in 
 s-anXi' the year 1530, being commanded by the 
 Frottsonis. Emperor Charles the Fifth to be present at 
 the mass, that he might carry the sword before him, 
 according to his place; which when he justly scru- 
 pled to perform, his preachers taking more care for 
 their prince's honor than for his conscience, per- 
 suaded him that it was lawful to do it against his 
 conscience. "Which was both a very bad example, 
 and great scandal to the Reformation, and displeased 
 Secondly, many ; as the author of the History of the 
 
 Objections i r m ' t • f t ^ ni 
 
 against spir- (jouncU of Ircnt, m his nrst book, well ob- 
 
 ttual prayer *^ i i . • 
 
 answered. scrves. But now I hasten to the objections 
 of our adversaries against this method of praying. 
 
 § XXV. First; They object, Tliat if such particur 
 objecfion I. lar influences were needful to outward acta of 
 worship, then thry shouhl also be needful to inward acts, 
 to 7i:it, desire and love to God. But this is absurd, 
 Tlienf/re also that from irjirnce it follows. 
 
 I answer ; That which was said in the state of the 
 Answer. cniitrurcrf'-ij cleareth this ; because, as to those 
 general duties,there never wants an influence, so long 
 as the (lay of a man's visitation lasteth ; during which ' 
 time God is always near to him, and wrestling with him 
 by his Spirit, to turn him to himself; so that if he do 
 but stand still, and cease from his evil thoughts, the 
 Lord is near to help him, &c. But as to the outward 
 acts of prayer, they need a more special motion and 
 influence, as hath been proved. 
 
'' CONCERNINQ WORSHIP. 179 
 
 Secondly; They object, That it might be also alleged, 
 that men ought not to do moral duties, as chil- obj. 2. 
 dren to honor their parents, men to do right to their neigh- 
 bors, except the Spirit move them to it. 
 
 I answer; There is a great difference betwixt 
 these general duties betwixt man and man, Answer, 
 and the particular express acts of worship towards 
 God : the one is merely spiritual, and commanded 
 by God to be performed by his Spirit ; the other an- 
 swer their end, as to them whom they are immedi- 
 ately directed to and concern, though done from a 
 mere natural principle of self-love; even as beasts 
 have natural affections one to another, and therefore 
 may be thus performed. Though I shall not deny, 
 but that they are not works accepted of God, or 
 beneficial to the soul, but as they are done in the 
 fear of God, and in his blessing, in which his chil- 
 dren do aU things, and therefore are accepted and 
 blessed in whatsoever they do. 
 
 Thirdly; They object. That if a wicked man ought 
 not to pray without a motion of the Spirit, be- obj. 3. 
 cav^e his prayer would be sinful ; neither ought he to plow 
 by the same reason, because the plowing of the Prov. xxi. 4. 
 wicked, as well as his praying, is sin. 
 
 This objection is of the same nature with the for- 
 mer, and therefore may be answered the Answer. 
 same way ; seeing there is a great difference betwixt 
 natural acts, such as eating, drinking, sleeping, ^^^ ^^^ ^ 
 and seeking sustenance for the body (which JS'fronfthe 
 things man hath in common with beasts) and ^p'"''^- 
 spiritual acts. And it doth not follow, because man 
 ought not to go about spiritual acts without the Spirit, 
 that therefore he may not go about natural'acts with- 
 
180 A PERSUASIVB TO UNITY. 
 
 out it The analogy holds better thus, and that for 
 the proof of our affirmatioii, That as man for the 
 going about natural acts needs his natural spirit ; so 
 to perform spiritual acts he needs the Spirit of Qod. 
 That the natural acts of the wicked and nnregene- 
 rate are sinful, is not denied ; though not as in them- 
 selves, but in so far as man in that state is in all 
 things reprobated in the sight of God. 
 
 Fourthly ; They object, That wicked men may, ac- 
 obi. 4. cording to this doctrine, forbear to pray for 
 years together, aUegaig, they want a motion to it. 
 
 I answer ; The false pretences of wicked men do 
 Answer. uothiug invalidate the truth of this doc- 
 trine ; for at that rate there is no doctrine of Christ, 
 which men might not set aside. That they ought not 
 to pray without the Spirit, is granted ; but then they 
 Thatwicked ought to comc to that place of watching, 
 Se m"o'loM where they may be capable to feel the Spir- 
 IpHt'to it's motion. They sin indeed in not ^ayiri^; 
 ''"''■ but the cause of this sin is their not watch- 
 
 ing : so their neglect proceeds not from this doctrine, 
 but from their disobedience to it; seeing if they did 
 pray without this, it would be a double sin, and no 
 fulfilling of the command to pray : nor yet would 
 their prayer, without this Spirit, be useful unto them. 
 And this our adversaries are forced to acknowledge 
 in another case : for they say, It is a duty incumbent 
 on Christians to frequent the sacrament of the Lard's 
 supper, as they call it ; yet they say, No man ought to 
 take it unworthily : yea, they plead, that such as find 
 themselves unprepared, must abstain; and therefore 
 do usually excommunicate them from the table. Now, 
 though According to them it be necessary to partake 
 
CONCERNING -WORSHIP, 181 
 
 of this sacrament; yet it is also necessary that those 
 that do it, do first examine themselves, lest they eat 
 and drink their own condemnation: and though 
 they reckon it sinful for them to forbear, yet they 
 account it more sinful for them to do it without this 
 examination. 
 
 Fifthly; They object Acts viii. 22, where Peter 
 commanded Simon 'M.&gas,that wicked sorcerer, oy. s. 
 to pray ; from thence inferring, That wicked men may 
 and ought to pray. 
 
 I answer ; That in the citing of this place, as I 
 have often observed, they omit the first and Answer, 
 chiefest part of the verse, which is thus, Acts viii. 22, 
 Mepent therefore of this thy wickedness, and The sorcer- 
 pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart but not 
 may he forgiven thee : so here, he bids him pentance. 
 first Bepent_. Ifow the least measure of true repent- 
 ance cannot be without somewhat of that inward re- 
 tirement of the mind which we speak of : and in- 
 deed where true repentance goeth first, we do not 
 doubt but the Spirit of God will be near to concur 
 with, and influence such to pray to and call upon God. 
 
 And Lastly ; They object. That many obj. e. 
 prayers begun without the Spirit have proved effectual; 
 and that the prayers of wicked men have been heard, and 
 found acceptable, as Ahab's : 
 
 This objection was before solved. For the acts of 
 God's compassion and indulgence at some Amwer. 
 times, and to some persons, upon singular extraor- 
 dinary occasions, are not to be a rule of our actions. 
 For if we should make that the measure of our obe- 
 dience, great inconveniences would follow; as is 
 evident, and will be acknowledged by all. Next, 
 
182 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 We do not deny, but wicked men are sensible of the 
 motions and operations of God's Spirit oftentimes, 
 before their day be expired ;. from which they may 
 at times pray acceptably ; not as remaining alto- 
 gether wicked, but as entering into piety, from 
 whence they afterwards fall away. 
 
 §. XX VL As to the singing of psalms, there will 
 HI. not be need of any long discourse ; for that 
 psalms. the case is just the same as in the two for- 
 mer of preaching and prayer. We confess this to be 
 a part of God 's worship, and very sweet and refresh- 
 ing, when it proceeds from a true sense of God's 
 love in the heart, and arises from the divine influ- 
 ence of the Spirit, which leads souls to breathe forth 
 A sweet either a sweet harmony, or words suitable 
 Mimd to the present condition ; whether they bo 
 
 words formerly used by the saints, and recorded iu 
 scripture, such as the Psalms of David, or other 
 words; as were the hymns and songs of Zachxv- 
 rias, Simeon, and the blessed Virgin Mary. But as 
 But formal ^^'^ ^^^ foHual customary way of singing, it 
 no^^lJld' l^ath no foundation in scripture, nor any 
 in scripture, ground in true Christianity : yea, besides 
 all the abases incident to prayer and preaching, ithath 
 this more peculiar, that oftentimes great and horrid 
 lies are said in the sight of God : for all manner of 
 Profane wicked, profauc people take upon them 
 
 sin^fr of 1 
 
 Davids to personate the experiences and condi- 
 
 condibons . - 
 
 refuted. tions of blesscd David; which are not 
 only false, as to them, but also as to some of more 
 sobriety, who utter them forth : as where they will 
 sing sometimes, Psalm xxii. 14,— My heart is like 
 toaz, it is melted in the midst of my bowels : and verse 
 15, My strength is dried up Wee a potsherd, and my 
 
CONCEENINO WORSHIP. 183 
 
 tongue cleaveth to mi/ jaws ; and thou hast brought me in- 
 to the dust of death: and Psalm vi. 6, / am weary 
 with my groaning, all the night make I my bed to swim : 
 I water my couch with my tears : and many more, which 
 those that speak know to be false, as to them. And 
 sometimes will confess just after, in their prayers, 
 that they are guilty of the vices opposite to those 
 virtues, which but just before they have asserted 
 themselves endued with. "Who can suppose that 
 God accepts of such juggling? And indeed such 
 singing doth more please the carnal ears of men, 
 than the pure ears of the Lord, who abhors all lying 
 and hypocrisy^ 
 
 That singing then that pleaseth him must proceed 
 from that which is PTJBE in the heart (even from the 
 Word of Life therein) in and by which, richly dwell- 
 ing in us, spiritual songs and hymns are returned to 
 the Lord, according to that of the apostle, Col.'in. 16. 
 
 But as to their artificial music, either by Artificial 
 organs, or other instruments, or voice, we ""^"^' 
 have neither example nor precept for it in the !N"ew 
 Testament. 
 
 § XXYII. But Lastly ; The great advantage of 
 this true worship of God, which we profess and prac- 
 tice, is, that it consisteth not in man's wisdom, arts 
 or industry: neither needeth the srlorv. No splendor 
 pomp, riches, nor splendor ot this world to attends 
 
 1 ' i> ■ !•/• ■ • ^ 11 this inward 
 
 beautify it, as being ot a spiritual and hea- worship. 
 venly nature; and therefore too simple and con- 
 temptible to the natural mind and will of man, that 
 hath no delight to abide in it, because he finds no 
 room there for his imaginations and inventions, and 
 hath not the opportunity to gratify his outward and 
 carnal senses ; so that this form being observed, is 
 
184 A PERSUASIVE TO tJNITT. 
 
 not likelj to be long kept pure without the power ; 
 for it is of itself so naked without it, that it hath 
 nothing in it to invite and tempt men to dote upon 
 it, further than it is accompanied with the power. 
 The carnal Whcreas the worship of our adversaries, 
 p^^kw. being performed in their own wills, is self- 
 pleasing, as in which they can largely exercise their 
 natural parts and invention : and so (as to most of 
 them) having somewhat of an outward and worldly 
 splendor, delectable to the carnal and worldly senses, 
 they can pleasantly continue it, and satisfy them- 
 selves, though without the Spirit and power ; which 
 they make no ways essential to the performance of 
 their worship, and therefore neither wait for, nor 
 expect it. 
 
 § XXV Hi. So that to conclude, The worship, 
 The worship prcachlug, praying and singing, which we 
 Quakere. plead foT, IS such OS procccdeth froTTL the Spirit 
 of God, and is always accompanied with its influence, 
 beim/ begun by its motion, and carried on by the power 
 and strength thereof; and so is a worship purely spiritw- 
 at: such as the scripture holds forth, John iv. 23, 24. 
 1 Cor. xiv. 15; JEph. vi. 18, &c. 
 
 But the worship, preaching, praying and sin^ng. 
 Our adver- which our adversaries plead for, and which 
 
 laries wor- . j . i . 7 . i , , 
 
 ship. we oppose, is a worship which is both begun, 
 
 carried on, and concluded in man's own natural will and 
 strength, without the motion or influence of God^s Spirit, 
 which they judge they need not wait for ; and therefore 
 may be truly performed, both as to the matter and manner, 
 by the wickedest of men. Sueh was the worship and 
 vain oblations which God always rejected, as appears 
 from Isa. Ixvi. 3. Jer. xiy, 12. &c.;7sa. i. lZ;Prov. xv. 
 29; John ix. 31. 
 
THE 
 
 ANARCHY OF THE RANTERS, 
 
 AND OTHER LIBERTINES, 
 
 THE 
 
 HIERARCHY OF THE ROMANISTS, 
 
 AND OTHER PRETENDED CHURCHES, 
 
 EQUALLY REFUSED AND REFUTED, IN A TWO-FOLD APOLOGY. 
 
 FOR THE CHURCH AND PEOPLE OF GOD, CALLED, 
 
 IN DERISION, QUAKERS ; 
 
 Wherein 
 they are Vindi- 
 cated from those that 
 accuse them of disorder and 
 confosion on the one hand, and 
 from such as calumniate them with tyranny 
 pjid imposition on the other : showing, that as the 
 true and pure principles of the XJpspel are restored by 
 their testimony ; so is also the ancient apostolic order of 
 the church of Christ re-established among them, and settled 
 upon its right basis and foundation. 
 
 BY ROBERT BARCLAY. 
 
 Phil. ii. 3. " Let nothing be done through strife or vain ghry ; 
 
 but in lowliness of mind let each esteem another better than 
 
 themselves. 
 Heb. xiii. 7. "Remember them that have the rule over you, 
 
 who spoke unto you the word of God, whose faith follow.'" 
 
CONTENTS, 
 
 Section I. The Introduction and Method of thia 
 Treatise. 
 
 Section EL Concerning the Ground and Cause of 
 this Controversy. 
 
 Section m. Whether there be any Order or Gov- 
 ernment in the Church of Christ. 
 
 Section TV. Of the Order and Government we 
 plead for. 
 
 Section V. In what cases, and how far this Gov- 
 ernment extends. 
 
 Section VI. How far this Government extends in 
 matters Spiritual and purely Conscientious. 
 
 Section VLL Concerning the Power of Decision. 
 
 Section VHL How this Government altogether dif- 
 fereth from the Oppressing and Persecuting 
 Principality of the Church of Rome, and other 
 Anti-Christian Assemblies, 
 The Conclusion, 
 
PREFACE TO THE READER. 
 
 Sucli is the malignity of man's nature in his fallen 
 state, and so averse is he from walking in the straight 
 and even path of truth, that at every turn he is in- 
 clinable to lean either to the right hand or to the 
 left; yea, such as by the work of God's grace in 
 their hearts, and powerful operation of his Spirit, 
 have obtained an entrance in this way, are daily mo- 
 lested, and set upon on all hands ; some striving to 
 draw them the one way, some the other: and if 
 through the power of God they be kept faithful and 
 stable, then are they calumniated on both sides; each 
 likening or comparing them to the worst of their 
 enemies. 
 
 Those thai ^.re acquainted with the holy Scrip- 
 tures, may observe this to be the lot of the saints in 
 all ages ; but especially those, whose place it hath 
 been to reform and restore the ruins of the house of 
 God, when decayed, or any considerable time have 
 been liable to such censures : hence those that set 
 about repairing of the walls of Jerusalem, were ne- 
 cessitated to work with the one hand, and defend 
 with the other. 
 
 Christ is accused of the Jews as a Samaritan; and 
 by the Samaritans quarrelled with for being a Jew. 
 The Apostle Paul is whipped and imprisoned by the 
 Gentiles, and upbraided with being a Jew, and teach- 
 
188 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 ing their customs ; the same Paul is haled and ready 
 to be killed by the Jews, for breaking the law and de- 
 filing the temple with the Gentiles. The like hath 
 also befallen those fiiithful witnesses, and messen- 
 gers, whom Qod has raised up in this day to witness 
 for his truth, which hath long been in a great mea- 
 sure hid; but now is again revealed, and many 
 brought to be witnesses of it, who thereby come to 
 walk in the light of the Lord. 
 
 This people thus gathered, have not wanted those 
 trials, that usually accompany the church of Christ, 
 both on the right hand and on the left, each charac- 
 terising them in such terms, as they have judged 
 would prove most to their disadvantage. From 
 whence (as the testimony of the false witnesses 
 against their Lord did not agree, neither do these 
 against us) some will have us to be foolish, mad 
 creatures ; others to be deep, subtil politicians ; some 
 John Owen to bc illiterate, ignorant fellows; others to 
 wth^^^much be learned, cunning Jesuits under a mere 
 Sthough vizard : divers professors will have us to be 
 against us in ouly Deusioners of the Pope, undoubtedly 
 
 Latin. hcf«n^ ''.\ V xxl. T> • X i.1, L 
 
 wt will not Papists : but the Papists abhor us as here- 
 
 understand it, , i- t t 
 
 And Thoraa. tics ; someumcs we are a disorderly, con- 
 
 Danson about „,,,,,, - 
 
 the same fuscd rabble, leavine every one to do as 
 
 time accuses ^ ' o ./ 
 
 jLdt"^'^* ^^*^y ^^^^> against all good order and govern- 
 Si^dcr"^^ ment ; at other times we are so much for 
 ""^ order, as we admit not men to exercise the 
 liberty of their own judgments. Thus are our rep- 
 utations tossed by the envy of our adversaries; 
 which yet cannot but have this effect upon sober- 
 minded people, as to see what malice works against 
 us ; and how these men, by their contradictory as- 
 
PREFACE TO THE READER. 189 
 
 sertions concerning us, save us the pains, while they 
 refute one another. 
 
 True it is, we have labored to walk amidst these 
 extremities ; and upon our appearing for the truth, 
 we have found things good in themselves abused on 
 both hands : for such has always been the work of 
 an apostasy, to keep up the shadow of certain truths ; 
 that there-through they might shelter other evils. 
 Thus the Jews made use of the law and the prophets 
 to vindicate their abuses ; yea, and to crucify Christ : 
 and how much many Christians abuse the Scriptures 
 and the traditions of the apostles, to uphold things 
 quite contrary to it, will in the general be readily 
 acknowledged by most. 
 
 But to descend more particularly : there be two 
 things especially, both of which in their primitive 
 use were appointed, and did very much contribute 
 towards the edification of the Church : the one is, 
 
 1. The power and authority which the apostles 
 had given them of Christ, for the gathering, build- 
 ing up, and governing of his Church ; by virtue of 
 which power and authority they also wrote the holy 
 Scriptures. 
 
 2. The other is, that privilege given to every 
 Christian under the gospel, to be led and guided by 
 the Spirit of Christ, and to be taught thereof in all 
 things. 
 
 J!*J"ow, both these in the primitive Church Wrought 
 effectually towards the same end of edification ; and 
 did (as in their nature they may, and in their use 
 they ought to do) in a good harmony very well con- 
 sist together: but by the workings of Satan and 
 perverscness of men, they are made to fight against 
 
190 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 and destroy one another. For on the one hand the 
 authority and power, that resided in the apostles, 
 while it is annexed and entailed to an outward ordi- 
 nation and succession of teachers, is made use of to 
 cloak and cover all manner of abuses, even the 
 height of idolatry and superstition. For by virtue 
 of this succession, these men claiming the like in- 
 fallibility, that was in the apostles, (though they be 
 strangers to any inward work, or manifestation of 
 the Spirit in their hearts,) will needs oblige all others 
 to acquiesce and agree to their conclusions, however 
 different from, or contrary to, the truths of the gos- 
 pel; and yet for any to call such conclusions in 
 question, or examine them, is no less than a heinous 
 heresy, deserving death, &c. Or while the revela- 
 tion of God's mind is wholly bound up to these 
 things already delivered in the Scriptures, (as if God 
 has spoke his last words there to his people ;) we are 
 So saidi put with our own natural understandings to 
 
 James Dur- o 
 
 ham, a noied debate about the meaninsrs of it, and forced 
 
 man among ^ ' 
 
 Sri;^^hij ^ interpret them not as they plainly speak, 
 u^'lh"" "^"^ according to the analogy of a certain 
 revdauons. fait}i made by men, not so much contrived 
 to answer the Scriptures, as the Scriptures are strain- 
 ed to vindicate it; which, to doubt of, is also count- 
 ed heresy, deserving no less than ejection out of our 
 native country, and to be robbed of the common aid 
 our nativity entitles us to. And on this hand, we 
 may boldly say, both Papists and Protestants have 
 greatly gone aside. 
 
 On the other hand, some are so great pretenders 
 to inward motions and revelations of the Spirit, that 
 there are no extravagances so wild, which they will 
 
PREFACE TO THE KEADEB. 191 
 
 not cloak with it ;-and so much are they for every 
 one's following their own mind, aa can admit of no 
 Christian fellowship and community, nor of that 
 good order and discipline, which the church of Christ 
 never was nor can be without. This gives an open 
 door to all libertinism, and brings great reproach to 
 the Christian faith. And on this hand have foully 
 fallen the German Anabaptists, so called, John of 
 Leyden, KnipperdoUing, &c., (in case these monstrous 
 things committed by them be such as they are rela- 
 ted,) and some more moderate of that kind have been 
 found among the people of England, called Eanters ; 
 as it is true, the people called Quakers have been 
 branded with both of these extremes, it is as true, it 
 hath been and is their work to avoid them ; and to 
 be found in that even and good path of the primitive 
 church, where all were (no doubt) led and acted by 
 the Holy Spirit; and might all have prophesied one 
 by one ; and yet there was a subjection of the pro- 
 phets to the spirits of the prophets. There was an 
 authority some had in the church, and yet it was for 
 edification, and not for destruction : there was an 
 obedience in the Lord to such as were set over ; and 
 a being taught by such, and yet a knowing of the 
 inward anointing, by which each individual was to 
 be led into all truth. The work and testimony the 
 Lord has given us is, to restore this again, and to set 
 both these in their right place, without causing them 
 to destroy one another. To manifest how this is ac- 
 complished, and accomplishing among us, is the bu- 
 siness of this Treatise ; which, I hope, will give some 
 satisfaction to men of sober judgments, and impar- 
 tial, and unprejudicate spirits : and may be made 
 
192 
 
 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 useful in the good hand of the Lord, to confirm and 
 establish Friends against their present opposers; 
 which is mainly intended and earnestly prayed for 
 by 
 
 ROBERT BARCLAY. 
 
 Tite llUi ./ (he M »w., 1674. 
 
THE ANARCHY OF THE RANTERS,&c. 
 
 SECTIOIf I. ^, 
 
 THE INTRODUCTION AND METHOD OF THIS TREATISE. 
 
 After that tlie Lord God in his own appointed 
 time had seen meet to put an end to the Thecndof 
 dispensation of the law, which was deUver- ^g'^^;*"'' 
 ed to the children of Israel by the ministry j; '5°^°^^°' 
 of Moses ; through and by whom he did '■'"'°''- 
 communicate unto them in the wilderness from 
 Mount Sinai divers commandments, ordinances, ap- 
 pointments, and observations, according as they are 
 testified in the writings of the law ; it pleased him 
 to send his own Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, in the 
 fulness of time ; who having perfectly fulfilled the 
 law and the righteousness thereof, gave witness to 
 the dispensation of the gospel. And having ap- 
 proved himself, and the excellency of his doctrine, 
 by many great and wonderful signs and miracles, he 
 scaled it with his blood; and triumphing over death, 
 (of which it was impossible for him to be held,) he 
 cherished and encouraged his despised witnesses, 
 who had believed in him, in that he appeared to them 
 after he was raised from the dead ; comforting them 
 with the hope and assurance of the pouring forth of 
 his Spirit, by which they were to be led and ordered 
 in all things ; in and by which he was to be with 
 them to the end of the world, not suffering the gates 
 of. hell to prevail against them. By which Spirit 
 come upon them, they being filled, were emboldened 
 
 13 
 
194 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 to preach the gospel without fear : and in a short 
 time thousands were added to the church ; and the 
 multitude of them that believed were of one heart 
 and of one soul, and great love and zeal prevailed, 
 and there was nothing lacking for a season. 
 
 But all that were caught in the net, did not prove 
 good and wholesome fish ; some were again to he 
 ThcdivOT <^^* i°*^o that ocean,from whence they were 
 th^wclc°° drawn ; of those many that were called, all 
 S^«" '*" proved not chosen vessels fit for the Mas- 
 ^^^ ter's use ; and of all that were brought in- 
 
 to the great supper, and marriage of the King's son, 
 there were that were found without the wedding gar- 
 ment. Some made a show for a season, and after- 
 wards fell away ; there were that drew back ; there 
 were that made shipwreck of faith, and of a good 
 conscience ; there were not only such as did back- 
 slide themselves, but sought to draw others into the 
 same perdition with themselves, seeking to overturn 
 their faith also ; yea, there were that brought in 
 damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that 
 bought them. And also of those members that be- 
 came not wholly corrupt, (for some were never again 
 restored by repentance,) there were that were weak, 
 and sickly, and young; some were to be fed with 
 milk, and not with strong meat ; some were to be 
 purged, when the old leaven received any place ; and , 
 some to be cut off for a season, to be shut out (as it 
 were) of the camp for a time, until their leprosy 
 were healed, and then to be received in again. 
 
 ^Moreover, as to outwards, there was the care of 
 The order in *^® poor, of thc widow, of thc fatherless, 
 G^tnSe'^ of the strangers, &c. Therefore the Lord 
 outwards. jgsus Christ, who is the head of the body, 
 
CONCERNING TRUE DISCIPLINE. 195 
 
 the Church, ( for the Church is the body of Christ, 
 and the saints are the several members of that body,) 
 knowing in his infinite wisdom, what was needful 
 ■ for the good ordering and disposing all things in 
 their proper place, and for preserving and keeping 
 all things in their right station, did, in the dispensa- 
 tion and communication of his holy Spirit, minister 
 unto every member a measure of the same Spirit, 
 yet divers according to operation, for the edification 
 of the body ; some apostles, some teachers, some 
 pastors, some elders : there are old men, there are 
 young men, there are babes. For all are not apos- 
 tles, neither are all elders, neither are all babes ; yet 
 are all members : and as sxich, all have a sense and 
 feeling of the life of the body, which from the head 
 fiows unto all the body as the ointment of Aaron's 
 beard unto the skirts of his garment ; and every 
 member has its place and station in the body, so long 
 as it keeps in the life of the body ; and all have need 
 one of another : yet is no member to assume another 
 place in the body, than God has given it : nor yet to 
 grudge or repine its fellow member's place ; but to 
 be content with its own : for the uncomely parts are 
 no less needful than the comely ; and the less hon- 
 orable than the more honorable : which the apostle 
 Paul holds forth in 1 Cor. xii., from verse 13 to 30. 
 Now the ground of all schisms, divisions or rents 
 in the body is, when as any member as- 
 sumes another place than is allotted it ; or of rents and 
 being gone from the life and unity of the 
 body, and losing the sense of it, lets in the mur- 
 murer, the eye that watches for evil, and not in 
 holy care over its fellow members ; and then, instead 
 
196 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 of coming down to judgment in itself, will stand up 
 and judge its fellow members, yea, the whole body, 
 of those whom God has set in a more honorable and 
 eminent place iu the body than itself. Such suffer 
 not the word of exhortation ; and term the re- 
 proofs of instruction, (which is the way of life,) im- 
 position and oppression, and are not aware how far 
 they are in the things they condemn others for; 
 while they spare not to reprove and revile all their 
 fellow members : yet, if they be but admonished 
 themselves, they cry out as if their great charter of 
 gospel liberty were broken. 
 
 Now, though such, and the spirit by which they 
 ^ij, are acted, be sufficiently seen and felt by 
 of that spLriu thousands, whose hearts God has so estab- 
 lished, as they are out of danger of being entangled 
 in that snare ; and who have power and strength in 
 themselves to judge that spirit, even in its most 
 subtil appearances ; yet there are who cannot so well 
 withstand the subtilty and seeming sincerity some 
 such pretend to, though in measure they have a 
 sight of them ; and others, that cannot so rightly 
 distinguish between the precious and the vile ; and 
 some there are that through weakness and want of 
 true discerning, may be deceived, and the simplicity 
 in them betrayed for a season ; as it is written,"with 
 fair speeches and smooth words they deceive the 
 hearts of the simple." 
 
 Therefore having, according to my measure, re- 
 ceived an opening in my understanding as to these 
 things, from the light of the Lord, and having been 
 for some time under the weighty sense of them, I 
 find at this instant a freedom to commit them to 
 
CONCERNING TRUE DISCIPLINE. 197 
 
 writing, for the more universal benefit and edifica- 
 tion of the Church of Christ. 
 
 No-w, for the more plain and clear opening and 
 understanding of these things, it is fit to xheheads 
 sum up this Treatise in these following treated of. 
 general heads, to be considered of ; 
 I. First, From whence the ground and cause of 
 
 this controversy is, the rise and root of it. 
 n. Secondly, "Whether there %e now any order and 
 
 government in the Church of Christ. 
 m. Thirdly, "What is the order and government 
 which we plead for. In what cases, and how 
 far it may extend. In whom the power deci- 
 sive is ? And how it differeth, and is wholly 
 another, than the oppressing and persecuting 
 principality of the Church of Home, and other 
 anti-christian assemblies. 
 
 SECTioif n. 
 
 CONCERNING THE GROUND AND CAUSE OP THIS CON- 
 TROVERSY. 
 
 "When as the Lord God by his mighty power be- 
 gan to visit the nations with the dawning .j.^^ g^^^ 
 of his heavenly day, (for thus I write unto thThi"fe°ifiy 
 those that have received and believed the LOTd°d *' 
 truth,) and that he sent forth his instru- ^"■'^^^■ 
 ments, whom he had fitted and prepared for his work, 
 having fashioned them not according to the wisdom 
 and will of man, but to his own heavenly wisdom 
 and counsel, they went forth and preached the gos- 
 pel in the evidence and demonstration of the Spirit.: 
 not in the enticing words of man's wisdom ; but in 
 
198 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 And break, appearance as fools and mad, to those that 
 ing fcrth. judged according to man. But their words 
 and testimony pierced through into the inner man 
 in the heart, and reached to that of God in the con- 
 science; whereby as many as were simple-heaiied, 
 and waited for the redemption of their souls, receiv- 
 ed them as the messengers of the Most High God; 
 and their words were unto them, not as the words 
 of men, but as the words of God : for in the receiv- 
 ing and embracing the testimony of truth through 
 them, they felt their souls eased, and the acceptable 
 day began to dawn in and upon them. 
 
 N"ow what evidence brought these men to make 
 their testimony to be received ? Did they entice ? 
 Did they flatter? Did they daub up? Did they 
 preach liberty to the flesh, or will of man ? N"ay 
 verily, they used no such method : their words were 
 as thunderbolts, knocking down all that stood in 
 their way, and pouring down the judgment of God 
 upon the head of the transgressor every where. Did 
 they spare the zealous professor more than the open 
 profane ? IS'ay verily, they condemned equally the 
 hypocrisy of the one, as well as the profanity of the 
 other ; yet wanted they not regard to the tender seed 
 and plant of God in either. Did they give way ? 
 Did they yield to the wisdom of man ? To the de- 
 ceitfulness of the serpent, that would reason truth 
 for themselves, saying, I must stay, until I be con- 
 vinced of this, and that, and the other thing ; I see 
 not yet this to be wrong, or the other thing to be my 
 duty ? How did they knock down this manner of 
 reasoning by the Spirit of God, which wrought 
 mightily in them, showing and holding forth, that 
 
CONCERNING TRUB DISCIPLINE. 199 
 
 this is the day of the Lord that has dawned ; that 
 all are invited to come; that none ought to tarry be- 
 hind ; that that which so pleadeth, is the same Spirit, 
 which of old time said in those that were invited, 
 " I cannot come yet, I must first marry a wife ; I 
 must go prove my yoke of oxen ; I must go visit my 
 possessions ; let me first bury my dead father ?" Did 
 not the Lord through them testify and declare against 
 these things ? And is there not a cloud of witnesses, 
 who felt the enemy thus reasoning to keep us in the 
 forms, fellowships, false worships and foolish fashions 
 of this world ? But we felt, as we were obedient, all 
 these things to be for condemnation ; and that, as we 
 obeyed the pure manifestation of the Light of Jesus 
 in our hearts, there was no hesitation. We might 
 and should have parted with all those things at the 
 first; and what occasioned such scruples, was but 
 that which drew back, through being unwilling to 
 give pure obedience to the cross of Christ.: for as 
 many as gave obedience, and believed in the light, 
 found no occasion of stumbling ; but such as believ- 
 ed not were condemned already, because they be- 
 lieved not in him that appeared. IsTow the boldness 
 and courage, and efficacy of these messengers' testi- 
 mony wrought such astonishment, fear and The courage 
 amazement, in the hearts of such as were sengers. 
 ingenuous, that many began to be inwardly pricked, 
 as in the days of old, and the foundations of many be- 
 gan to be shaken ; and some that were asleep were 
 awakened,and many that were dead and buried in the 
 graves of sin, and formality, and superstition, and 
 idolatry of all sorts, were alarmed ; and many were 
 brought in from the hedges and the highways, and 
 
200 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 the truth was received by thousands with great 
 cheerftdness and a readiness of mind ; and the feet 
 of those were beheld to be beautiful upon the moun- 
 tains, that brought the glad tidings of these good 
 things. And great lowliness and simplicity of heart 
 was upon such that were newly convinced of the truth, 
 and deep humiliation of spirit, and subjection to the 
 power, both in themselves, and in those who were 
 over them in the Lord, and had gathered them into 
 the truth. 
 
 But as it was in the gatherings of old, so it also 
 fell out in this day ; all kept not their first love : as 
 among those thousands which Moses led out of 
 Egypt, and carried through the Red Sea, who had 
 sung praises to God upon the banks of salvation, 
 mauy carcasses fell in the wilderness ; some who 
 o^siiion murmured and longed to return again to 
 the flesh-pots of Egj-pt; and some for opposing and 
 contradicting the sei-vant, and servants of the Lord, 
 whom the Lord had made use of to lead them out 
 of bondage, in saying "ye take too much upon you. 
 Hath the Lord indeed only spoken by Moses ? Hath 
 He not spoken also by us ?" And as among these 
 multitudes, which were gathered by the apostles, 
 there were many, who continued not £a,ithful to the 
 end; some returned back again with the sow to the 
 puddle, after they were washed ; some embraced the 
 raS^l™ present world; some again separated them- 
 selves, being sensual and without the Spirit, de- 
 spising dominion, and speaking evil of dignities ; 
 their mouths speaking great swelling words, being 
 puffed up, and not abiding in those things, which 
 they were taught of the apostles ; so it is to be la- 
 
CONCERNINQ TRUK DISCIPLINE. 201 
 
 mented, that among those many thousands, whom 
 the apostles and evangelists whom God i-aised up in 
 this day (for the gathering of his seed and people 
 out of spiritual Egypt and Babylon into his pure 
 light and life) did bring forth and gather, there are 
 that have fallen upon the right hand and the left. 
 Some are turned back again into Egypt, running 
 into the same excess of lust and riot, from whence 
 they were once purified and redeemed. Some could 
 not bear the reproach of the Cross of Christ; and 
 were by and anon offended in him : some could not 
 bear the tribulations, sufferings, and persecutions, 
 which came for the truth's sake ; and the seed in 
 them was soon scorched with the heat of the day. 
 And some not abiding in subjection to the truth in 
 themselves, were not contented with that place and 
 station in the body, which God had placed them in ; 
 but became vainly puffed up in their fleshly minds, 
 intruding into those things which they have not seen : 
 and would needs be innovators, given to 
 change, and introducing new doctrines and causing di. 
 
 . in./T»- t I _L visions. 
 
 practices, not only dittenng, but contrary 
 to what was already delivered in the beginning j 
 making parties, causing divisions and rents, stum- 
 bling the weak, and denying, despising and reviling 
 the apostles and messengers of Christ, the elders of 
 the Church, who loved not their lives unto death, 
 but through much care and travel, and watchings 
 and whippings, and bonds, and beatings, in daily 
 jeopardy, gathered us by the mighty power of God 
 in the most precious truth. Yet in all this there 
 hath nothing befaJlen us, but that which hath been 
 the ancient lot of the Church of Christ in the prim- 
 itive times. 
 
202 A PBRSUASIVB TO UNITY. 
 
 Now he ttat waa careful for his Church and 
 people in old times, hath not been wantins: 
 
 The Good r r ' o 
 
 Shepherd to US ID OUT dav J out as he has affam re- 
 
 of Israel's •' ' . .... 
 
 care over his storcd the tTuth uuto its ppimitive integ- 
 
 chutchand *■ ° 
 
 p~p''- rity and simplicity, and as he has delivered 
 our understandings from these false doctrines and 
 principles, which prevailed in the apostasy; so he 
 hath not gathered us to be as sheep scattered without 
 a shepherd, that every one may run his own way, 
 and every one follow his ovsti will, and so to be as a 
 confused mass or chaos without any order ; but he, 
 even the Lord, hath also gathered and is gathering 
 us into the good order, discipline and government of 
 his own Sou the Lord Jesus Christ : therefore he 
 hath laid care upon some beyond others, who watch 
 for the souls of their brethren, as they that must 
 give account. 
 
 There are then fathers, that have begotten us unto 
 Christ Jesus through the gospel, of whom we ought 
 to be followers, and to remember their ways, which 
 be in Christ. There are then fathers and children, 
 instructors and instructed, elders and young men, 
 The several yea, aud babcs ; there are that cannot cease, 
 
 EtatioDs in the , - . 
 
 church. I. but must exhort, instruct, reprove, con- 
 
 Cor. IV, 15, f r 1. r 
 
 >6- demn, judge; or else, for what end gave 
 
 Christ the gifts mentioned Ephes. iv. 11, 12 ? and 
 how are the saints perfected? and the body of 
 Christ edified of those, who came under the cogni- 
 zance, and as it were, the test of this order and gov- 
 ernment ? I may chiefly sum them up in three sorts 
 (though there be divers others little subdivided 
 species of them.) 
 The first is, those that turn openly back to the 
 
CONCERNING TRUE DISCIPLINE. 203 
 
 world again, through finding the way of truth too 
 narrow. These have not been capable to 
 do us any considerable hurt ; for beiiag as bkcksMing 
 salt, that has lost its savor, they mostly ^^°^'^"^' 
 prove a stink among' those to whom they go : and I 
 never knew any of them, that proved any ways 
 steadable to those, to whom they go. I find other 
 professors make but small boast of any proselytes 
 that get out from among us ; I hear little of their 
 proving champions for the principles of others 
 against us. And, indeed, for the most part they 
 lose all religion with the truth : for I have heard 
 some of them say, that if ever they took on them to 
 be religious, they would come back again to the 
 Quakers, &c. 
 
 Secondly, Those who through unwatchfulness, the 
 secret corruption of their own hearts, and 
 the mysterious or hidden temptations of the repenting''' 
 enemy, have fallen into his snares ; and so 
 have come under the power of some temptation or 
 other, either of fleshly lusts, or of spiritual wick- 
 edness ; who being seasonably warned by those that 
 keep their habitation and faithful overseers in the 
 Church, have been again restored by unfeigned re- 
 pentance : not kicking against the pricks : but have 
 rejoiced that others watched over them for their 
 good ; and are become monuments of God's mercy 
 unto this day. 
 
 Thirdly, Such, who being departed fi-om their first 
 love and ancient zeal for the truth, become ^ seifsepa- 
 cold and lukewarm ; and yet are ashamed ^^{"tf^^^^^ 
 to make open apostasy, and to turn back opp°=='=- 
 again, so as to deny all the principles of truth, they 
 
204 A PERSUASrVB TO UNITY. 
 
 having had already such evidence of clearness upon 
 their understanding ; yet not keeping low in their 
 own habitations, but being puffed up, and giving 
 way to the restless imaginations of their exalted and 
 wondering minds, fall out with their brethren; 
 cause divisions ; begin to find fault with every thing, 
 and to look at others more than at themselves ; with 
 swelling words to talk of and preach up a higher 
 dispensation, while they are far from living up to 
 the life and perfection of this present ; like unto 
 such, who said, " we will not have this man to rule 
 over us :" cry out of formality and apostasy, be- 
 cause they are not followed in all things ; and if they 
 be reproved for their unruliness, according to the 
 good order of the Church of Christ, then they ciy 
 out, " breach of liberty, oppression, persecution ! we 
 will have none of your order and government; we 
 are taught to follow the light in our consciences, 
 and not the orders of men." "Well of this hereafter; 
 but this gave the rise of this controversy ; which leads 
 me to that, which I proposed in the second place. 
 
 SECTION m. 
 
 WHETHER THERE BE NOW TO BE ANY ORDER OR GOVERN- 
 MENT IN THE CHURCH OF CHRIST. 
 
 In answer to this proposition, I meddle not at 
 this time with those, that deny any such thing as a 
 Clinrch of Christ; I have reserved their plea to an- 
 other place. Neither need I be at much pains to 
 Oiurch order prove the affirmative, to wit: "that there 
 
 and govern- 
 ment granted, ought to be government and order in the 
 
 Church of Christ," unto the generality of our op- 
 
CONCERNING TRUE DISCIPLINE. 205 
 
 posers, both Papists and Protestants, who readily 
 confess and acknowledge it, and have heretofore 
 blamed us for want of it. Though now some of 
 them, and that of the highest pretenders, are become 
 so unreasonable, as to accuse us for the use of it; 
 improving it so far as they can, to our disadvantage; 
 for such is the blindness of partial envy, that where- 
 as the supposed want of it was once reckoned 
 heretical, now the present performance of it is count- 
 ed criminal. 
 
 These, then, to whom I come to prove this thing, 
 are such, who having cast off the yoke of the cross 
 of Christ in themselves, refuse all subjection or gov- 
 ernment; denying, that any such thing ought to be, 
 as disagreeing with the testimony of truth ; or those, 
 who not being so willfal and obstinate in their 
 minds, yet are fearfiil or scrupulous in the matter, 
 in respect of the dangerous consequences, they may 
 apprehend such a thing may draw after it. 
 
 For the clearing then as well the mistakes of 
 the one, as answering tbe cavils of the other, I judge, 
 the truth of these following assertions will sufficiently 
 prove the matter ; which I shall make no great diffi- 
 culty to evidence. 
 
 First, That Jesus Christ, the king and Reason i. 
 head of the Churfch, did appoint and ordain, that 
 there should be order and government in it. 
 
 Secondly, That the Apostles and Primitive n 
 
 Christians, when they were filled with the Holy 
 Ghost, and immediately led by the Spirit of God, 
 did practice and commend it. 
 
 Thirdly, That the same occasion and ne- m. 
 
 cessity now occurring,which gave them opportunity to 
 
206 A PERSUASIVE- TO UNITY. 
 
 exercise that authority; the Church of Christ hath 
 the same power now as ever, and are led by the 
 same Spirit iuto the same practices. 
 
 As to the first, I know, there are some that the 
 very name of a church, and the very words of order 
 and government, they are afraid of. Now this I 
 The abuse BupposB hath proceeded, because of the great 
 TOWthe"mM> ^ypo<^i"isy, deceit and oppression, that hath 
 "^ been cloaked with the pretence of these 
 
 things ; but why should the truth be neglected be- 
 cause hypocrites have pretended to it ? The right in- 
 stitution of these things, which have been apjointed 
 and ordained of God, must not, nor ought not to be 
 despised, because corrupt men have abused and per- 
 verted them. I know not any thing that hath been 
 more abused and perverted in the whole world, than 
 the name of Christian ; shall we then renounce that 
 honorable title, because so many thousands of wicked 
 men, yea antichrists, have falsely assumed it to them- 
 selves ? The man of sin hath taken upon him to sit 
 in the temple of God, as God ; yet we must not 
 therefore deny, that God is in his temple. If the 
 synagogue of Satan assumed the name of the Church 
 of Christ, and hath termed her oppression and 
 violence, the power and authority thereof; therefore 
 must not the Church of Christ audits authority be 
 exercised, where it truly is according to his mind? 
 This I prefix to warn all to beware of stumbling 
 at things, which are innocent in themselves; and that 
 we may labour to hold the steady, even path of 
 truth, without running in either of the extremes. 
 For that Jesus Christ did appoint order and govern- 
 ment to be in the Church, is very clear from his 
 
CONCBKNING TRUE DISCIPLINE. 207 
 
 plain words, Matt, xviii. 15-18; verse 15 : " More- 
 over, if thy brother shall trespass against church order 
 thee, go tell mm ms fault between thee and Christ and 
 
 ' ° the form 
 
 him alone ; if he shall hear thee thou hast thereof. 
 gained thy brother;" ver. 16 : " But if he will not 
 hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that 
 in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word 
 may be established ;" ver. 17 : " And if he shall neg- 
 lect to hear them, tell it unto the church : but if he 
 neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as 
 an heathen man, and a publican;" ver. 18 : "Verily, 
 I say unto, you, whatsoever ye shall bind on earth, 
 shall be bound in heaven ; and whatsoever ye shall 
 loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven." From 
 which scripture it doth manifestly and evidently fol- 
 low, First, That Jesus Christ intended, 
 there should be a certain order and method in His 
 Church in the procedure toward such as transgress. 
 Seccmdly, That he that refuseth to hear two, 
 is become more guilty (as hardened) than in refusing 
 to hear him that first reproved alone. Thirdly, That 
 refusing to hear the judgment of the Church, 3. 
 
 or whole assembly, he doth thereby exclude himself, 
 and shut out himself from being a member ; and is 
 justly judged by his brethren, as an heathen and a 
 publican. 
 
 And lastly, that the Church, gathering or 4- 
 
 assembly of God's people, has power to examine and 
 call to account such, as appearing to be among them, 
 or owning the same faith with them, do transgress ; 
 and in case of their refusing to hear, or repent, to 
 exclude them from their fellowship : and that Grod 
 hath a special regard to the judgment and sense of 
 
208 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 his people thns orderly proceeding, so as to hold 
 such bound in heaven, whom they bind on earth, 
 and such loosed in heaven, whom they loose on 
 earth ; I am partly confident that no rational man 
 wiU deny, but that these naturally follow from the 
 above-mentioned Scripture ; and if there should he 
 any found so unreasonable, as to deny it, I could 
 prove it by necessary and inevitable consequences : 
 which at present, as taking it for granted, I forbear 
 to do. If it be reckoned so great a crime to "offend 
 one of the little ones," that it were better for him 
 than so do, " that a mill-stone were hanged about 
 his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the 
 sea ;" without question, to offend and gainsay the 
 whole flock, must be more criminal, and must draw 
 after it a far deeper judgment. 
 
 Now, if there were no order or government in the 
 Church,what should become of those that transgress ? 
 How should they be again restored ? Would not 
 The end of this make all reproving, all instructing, all 
 order. cariug for, and watching over one another, 
 void and null ? Why should Christ have desired 
 them to proceed after this method ? Why doth he 
 place so much weight upon the judgment of the 
 Church as to make the refusing of hearing it to 
 draw so deep a censure after it ; which he will not 
 have to follow the refusing to hear one or two 
 apart, though the matter be one and the same ? And 
 so as to the substantial and intrinsic truth of the 
 thing, there lies the same obligation upon the trans- 
 gressor to hear that one, as well as all ; for that one 
 adviseth him to that which is right and good, as 
 well as the whole ; and they do but homulgate or 
 
CONCERNING TRUE DISCIPLINE. 209 
 
 confirm tLat, which that one hath already asserted ; 
 yet Jesus Christ who is the author of order, and not 
 of confusion, will not have a brother cut off, or re- 
 puted a publican, for refusing to hear one or two, 
 but for refusing to hear the Church. And if it be 
 olgected, " that the Church of Rome, and objectioii. 
 all other false churches, make use of this Scripture, 
 and c'over their persecution, and cruelty, and oppres- 
 sion by it ; and thou sayest no more than they say :" 
 I answer ; I suppose no man will be so unreasonable 
 as to affirm, that the Church of Rome abusing this 
 Scripture, will make it false in itself; but how we 
 differ, in our application of this Scripture, shall be 
 spoken of hereafter. I am not now claiming right 
 to this power, as due to us, (that is reserved for 
 another place,) but this, I say, is that, which I now 
 aver to be manifest from the Scripture testimony, and 
 to be in itself an unquestionable truth, " that Jesus 
 Christ intended there should be order and govern- 
 ment in his Church;" which is the thing ai present 
 in hand to be proved ; which if it be so really true, 
 (as it cannot be denied,) then I hope it will also 
 necessarily follow, that such, who really and truly 
 are the Church of Christ, have right to exercise this 
 order and government. 
 
 Secondly, That the apostles and primitive Reason ii. 
 Christians did practice order and government, we 
 need but read the history of the Acts, of 
 which I shall mention a few pregnant, and orde^prac- 
 undeniable testimonies, as we may observe apostiesand 
 in the very first chapter of the Acts, from christians— 
 verse 13 to the end, where, at the very first 
 meeting the apostles and brethren held together 
 
 14 * 
 
210 A PKRSUASIVK TO UNITY. 
 
 after the ascension of Christ, thoy began orderly to 
 appoint one to fulfill the place of Judas ; it may bo 
 thought, this waa a needless ceremony : yet we see 
 how thj Lord countenanced it. I hope, none will 
 s.iy, that the apostles' appointing of these two men, 
 IT of him, upon whom the lot did not fall, contra- 
 dicted their inward freedom, or imposed upon it ; 
 but both agreed very well together; the one in the 
 will and mo^^ngs of God in appointing, and the 
 other in the same in submitting to their appointment. 
 Moreover, after they had received the Holy Ghost. 
 In dutribii- you may read, Acts vi.,so soon as there was 
 
 tions for the > .. t ,i .1 
 
 poor. an opportunity, how they wisely gave or- 
 
 der concerning the distribution to the poor, and 
 appointed some men for that purpose. So here was 
 order and government, according to the present ne- 
 cessity of the case : and the Lord God was well 
 pleased with it, ami the word of God increased, and 
 the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem 
 greatly. Might they not have said then, as some 
 say now, we will give our charity to whom we see 
 cause; and wo will take no notice of your appoint- 
 ments and orders ? AV"h ether would God have ap- 
 proved of such, yea, or nay? 
 
 Thirdly, When that the business of circumcision 
 fell in, whether it was fit or not to circumcise the 
 Gentiles ? We see, the apostles saw not meet to 
 suffer every one to follow their own minds and wills : 
 they did not judge, as one confusedly supposeth, 
 w. M. in ^^^^ t^i^ difterence in an outward exercise 
 his queries, ^oui J commcnd the unity of the true faith : 
 nay, they took another method. It is said expressly, 
 Ads XV. 16: " And the apostles and elders came to- 
 
(HtNClilUNlNa TIUIW DlhiCII'MNIO, 211 
 
 ,ij:.illu<r to ("oiisitlor til" Miin iuiilt(>r;" and iiflor (Iku-o 
 ha<l lioiMi tmioh (liHimliMijf abo\i( il, (lu) (loulil: then, 
 tluM'o wovo luMM iliviM'HiliuM of opinion and jiidt;- 
 humiIh) luid Iho a,|toHl,loH and nldors told lliolr i„ ,iin«,.„i,o«, 
 Judj-'UK^ntH, and oanio also (o a ponilivo oon- '""""'"'*■ 
 niimion. tSiiro, woinn ludioovod to md)niit, ol»o 11i(\y 
 nliould ni'vtM- liiivo iiifrood. So thoHO tiiUit woro tlio 
 oldopH i>-avo a |umifivo Jndjj^munt; and tht\v wt^ro bold 
 to wiA', tliiit it pioasod not only tlioui, but Iho Holy 
 (Uiost. \\\ h\\ which i(, dolh nndoninbly appoiir, 
 that tlio aposllcs, and primitivo naintH, ]n'aotiiH\d a 
 lioly ordor and ^'ovornmont ii.inoni>; thoinrtolvoH : and 
 1 liopo, noiio will bo so bold aa to say, thoy did tboHO 
 thinnH without tho loadings of tlio Spirit of tb)d, 
 and luM ])owor ai\d aiithorily I'oniuirrinu;, ami i!;i>in!< 
 alonsj with tluMn. 
 
 And tliat Ihoso thinijs woro not only fiin!j,'nlar 
 pmolioos, but that thoy hohl it (hu'lrinMlly,, Tho ui>..Mir. 
 thii.t is to wiiy, iti Wi>!< doolrino, which tht\\' l'.uu','™iiia 
 |>roat'hiHi, that tlioro ouu;ht, io bo ord(a' and ciimvii. 
 Ufovornuiont, in tho C^liuroh, is nianilost iVoni thoMO 
 t'oUowiiij;' lostinionios: 1 (\>r. iv. 15, Iti, 17. (1J>:) 
 '* 'Phoii!;'l» yon havo ton thousand inslruo- i i\,r. iv, 
 tors in fhrisl , yot ha vo yo not nnuiy t'lvlhors .' ''* '"' ''" 
 tor in Christ d(>siis I hwxo lu\!>-otlon you tliroun'h Iho 
 y-ospol." (Iti:) " W'liorol'oro, I bosoooh you bo yo 
 tollowors ol'n\o." (17;) " For tliis oaiiso havo 1 sent 
 nido you 'Piniothous, who is ruy b<Nlovod son, and 
 liiitht'ul \\\ tho hord; wlio shall brinsj; you into vo- 
 u»ond>rMnoo ol' my ways, which bo in Christ, as 1 
 loa.cli every where in every Church." liere.tlio 
 apostle raul is very absobite: FiM, In thid. bo dt>- 
 sires theui to bo I'oUowers of hiiu. tSVco/uW,'/, In that 
 
212 A PERSTJASIVB TO UNITY. 
 
 he sends a teacher, yea, a minister, and eminent 
 bishop or overseer of the Church, for to put themin 
 mind of his ways, which be in Christ, as he taught 
 in every Church. No doubt, there were apostates, 
 and dissenting spirits in the Church of Corinth, that 
 gave Paul occasion thus to write, as he testifies in 
 the beginning of the Chapter, how he was judged 
 by some of them ; he shows, how they were grown 
 high, verse 8 : " N'ow ye are full, now ye are rich, 
 ye have reigned as kings without us," &c. Might 
 not these dissenters of the Church of Corinth have 
 twjsenring rcasoued thus against Paul ? Did not this 
 
 reasoDings ^ 
 
 araiiist Paul tcach US, at first, to mind the measure 
 government (jf grace iu oursclvcs, and follow that ? (for 
 no doubt, that was Paul's doctrine) but now he be- 
 gins to lord it over us, and tells us, we must be fol- 
 lowers of him. Might not they have judged the 
 beloved Timothy to be far out of his place ? Might 
 they not have said, it seems it is not God that moved 
 thee, and sent thee here by his Spirit ; but lordly 
 Paul, that seeks dominion over our faith; it seems, 
 thou comest not here to preach Christ, and wish us 
 to be followers of him, and of his grace in our 
 hearts ; but to mind us to follow Paul's ways, and 
 take notice, how he teaches in every Church : we 
 are not concerned with him, nor with his messenger, 
 nor with none of your orders ; and so forth. Doth 
 not this run very plausible ? I question not, but 
 there was such a reasoning among the apostate Co- 
 rinthians ; let such as are of the same kind among us, 
 (examine seriously, and measure their spirits truly 
 thereby. Tea, he goes yet further in the following 
 chapter, verses 3, 4. Verse 3 : " As absent in body, 
 
CONCERNING TRUE DISCIPLINE. 213 
 
 but present in spirit, have judged already, as though 
 I were present, concerning him that hath ^ ^^^ ^ 
 BO done this deed." Verse 4: "In the name l^'lrrf""' 
 of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are Sln'ihl' 
 gathered together, and my spirit with the «=''""'^ 
 power of our Lord Jesus Christ," &c. 
 
 "Would not one think this to have been a very 
 presumptuous word? And yet who dare offer to 
 condemn it ? From all which I shall shortly observe, 
 that it seems, it was judged no inconsistency nor 
 contradiction, to be followers of the grace in them- 
 selves, to be persuaded in their own hearts, and also 
 to be followers of the apostle Paul and of his ways ; 
 because his ways and example was no other, than 
 the Spirit of God in themselves would have led them 
 to, if they had been obedient. Therefore, he found 
 it needful to charge them positively to follow him, 
 v?ithout adding this reason. 
 
 l^ext, the great argument the apostle uses to per- 
 suade them hereunto, upon which he mainly insists, 
 because he had begotten them into the truth : " Ye 
 have not many fathers ; for in Christ Jesus I have 
 begotten you through the gospel ; where- ^ ^^ 
 fore I beseech you, be ye followers of me." fathers. 
 So he makes that as the cause ; which the same 
 apostle also in his expostulation with the Galatians, 
 putting them in mind, how he preached the gospel 
 to them at first, and chapter iv. verse 15 : " Where is 
 then the blessedness ye spake of? For I bear you 
 record, if possible, ye would haye plucked out your 
 own eyes, and given them unto me." We, see then, 
 that the Lord hath, and doth give such, whom he 
 hafh furnished, and sent forth to gather a people 
 
214 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 unto himself, care and oversight over that people ; 
 vea, and a certain authority in the power 
 
 —and over- •/ ' •/ a 
 
 ^"^ over them to bring them back to their duty, 
 
 when they stray at any time ; and to appoint, yea, 
 _^^ ^ and command such things, as are needful 
 obeyed. for peacc, and order, and unity's sake ; and 
 that there lies an obligation upon such, as are so 
 gathered, to reverence, honor, yea, and obey such as 
 are set over them in the Lord. For saith the same 
 apostle, 2 Cor. ii. 9 : " For to this end also did I 
 write, that I might know the proof of you, whether 
 you be obedient in all things." And chapter vii. ver. 
 13, 15: "Yea, and exceedingly the more joyed we 
 for the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed 
 by you all." Verse 15. " And his inward affection 
 is more abundant toward you, whilst he remembereth 
 the obedience of you all, how with fear and trem- 
 bling ye received him." 
 
 Now this will not at all infer, as if they had been 
 Betrayings implicitly led of old ; or that such as hav- 
 oi theenemy. j^^g ^^^ samc authority to exercise it now, 
 sought dominion over their brethren's faith, or to 
 force them to do any thing beyond, far less contrary 
 to what the Lord leads us to do by his Spirit ; but 
 we know (as they did of old) that the enemy lies 
 near to betray under such pretences. And seeing in 
 case of difference the Lord hath, and doth, and will 
 reveal his will to his people, and hath and doth raise 
 up members of his body, to whom he gives a dis- 
 cerning, and power and authority to instruct,reprove, 
 yea, and command in some cases; those that are 
 faithful and low in their minds, keeping their own 
 places, and minding the Lord, and the interest and 
 
CONCERNING TRUE DISCIPLINE. 215 
 
 good of his trutli in the general over all, shut out 
 themurmurer; and the Spirit of God leads Themur- 
 
 ■*■ murrer shut 
 
 them to have unity, and concur with their <»"• 
 brethren. But such as are heady and high-mind- 
 ed, are inwardly vexed, that any should lead 
 or rule, but themselves ; and so it is the high thing 
 in themselves, that makes them quarrel with 
 others for taking so much upon them ; pretend- 
 ing a liberty, not sinking down in the seed to be 
 willing to be of no reputation for its sake. Such, 
 rather than give up their own wills, will study to 
 make rents and divisions, not sparing the flock ; but 
 prostrating the reputation and honor of the ^j.^^ ^^^^^^ 
 truth even to the world, minister to them prostrated 
 an occasion of scorn and laughter, to the ^^ <i'™ions. 
 hardening them in their wickedness and atheism. 
 
 Besides these scriptures mentioned, I shall set 
 down a few of many more, that might be instanced 
 to the same purpose. 
 
 Ephes. V. 21: " Submitting yourselves one to 
 another in the fear of Grod." scriptures 
 
 lor submis- 
 
 Phil.ii. 3:" Let nothmg be done through s>on 
 strife or vain fflory, but in lowliness of mind nessofmini 
 
 ^ »' -^ and esteem 
 
 let each esteem others better than them- "f the breth- 
 ren. 
 
 selves." 
 
 Verse 29. "Receive him therefore in the Lord 
 with aU gladness, and hold such in reputation." 
 
 And iii. 17. " Brethren, be followers together of 
 me ; and mark them, which walk so, as ye have us 
 for an ensample." 
 
 And iv. 9. " Those things, which ye have both 
 learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, 
 do ; and the God of peace shall be with you," 
 
216 A PERSUASIVE TO DNITT. 
 
 Col. ii. 5. " For though I be absent in the flesh, 
 yet am I with you in the Spirit, joying and behold- 
 ing your order, and the steadfestneBS of your faith in 
 Christ." 
 
 1 Thess. V. 12. " And we beseech you, brethren, to 
 know them, which labor among you, and are over 
 you in the Lord, and admonish you." 
 
 Verse 13. " And to esteem them very highly in 
 love, for their works' sake ; and be at peace among 
 yourselves." 
 
 Verse 14. " Now we exhort you, brethren, warn 
 them that are unruly, comfort the feeble-minded, 
 support the weak, be patient toward all men." 
 
 2 Thess. ii. 15. " Therefore, brethren, stand fast, 
 and hold the traditions, which ye have been taught, 
 whether by word, or our epistle." 
 
 2 Cor. X. 8. " For though I should boast some- 
 what more of our authority (which the Lord hath 
 given us for edification, and not for your destruc- 
 tion) I should not be ashamed." 
 
 Now though the Papists greatly abuse this place, 
 as if hereby they could justify that mass of supersti- 
 tion, which they have heaped together ; yet except 
 wc will deny the plain scripture, we must needs be- 
 lieve, there lay an obligation on the Thessalonians 
 to observe and hold these appointments, and no 
 doubt, needful institutions, which by the apostles 
 were recommended unto them: and yet who will 
 say, that they ought or were thereby commanded to 
 do any thing contrary to that which the grace of 
 God in their hearts moved them to ? 
 
 2 Thess. iii. 4. " And we have confidence in the 
 Lord touching you, that yc both do, and will do the 
 things which we command you." 
 
CONCERNING TRUE DISCIPLINE. 217 
 
 Verse 6. "Now we command you, brethren, in 
 the name of our Lord Jeaus Christ, that ye withdraw 
 yourselves from every brother that walketh disor- 
 derly, and not after the tradition, which he received 
 of us." 
 
 What more positive than this ? and yet the apos- 
 tle was not here any imposer. And yet The author- 
 further, verse 14 : " And if any man obey cS^urchM 
 not our word hy this epistle, note that man, '""p"^"'™- 
 and have no company with him, that he may be 
 ashamed." 
 
 Thus, Heb. xiii. 7 : " Remember them, which have 
 the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the 
 word of God, whose faith follow, considering the 
 end of their conversation." 
 
 Verse 17 : " Obey them, that have the rule over 
 you, and submit yourselves; for they watch for your 
 souls, as they that must give account : that they may 
 do it with joy, and not with grief; for that is un- 
 profitable for you." 
 
 Jude 8 : " Likewise also these filthy dreamers 
 defile the fiesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of 
 dignities." 
 
 I might at length enlarge, if needful, upon these 
 passages ; any of which is sufficient to prove the 
 matter in hand : but that what is said, may satisfy 
 such, as are not wilfully blind and obstinate. For 
 there can be nothing more plain from these testi- 
 monies, than that the ancient apostles and primitive 
 Christians practiced order and government in the 
 Church; that some did appoint and ordain Theprimi- 
 
 - 1 tive Chris- 
 
 certam things; condemn, and approve cer- tians' order 
 tain practices, as well as doctrines by the Se church. 
 
218 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 Spirit of God : that there lay an obligation in point 
 of duty upon others to obey and submit : that this 
 was no encroachment, nor imposition upon their 
 Christian liberty; nor any ways contradictory to 
 their being inwardly and immediately led by the 
 Spirit of God in their hearts : and lastly, that such 
 as are in the true feeling and sense, will find it their 
 places to obey, and be one with the Church of Christ 
 in such like cases : and that it is such, as have lost 
 their sense and feeling of the life of the body, that 
 dissent and are disobedient under the false pretence 
 of liberty ; so that thus it is sufficiently proved, what 
 I undertook in this place. 
 
 Thirdly, I judge, there will need no great argu- 
 Reason III. meuts to provc, the people of God may and 
 do well to exercise the like government upon the 
 very like occasion. For even reason may teach us, 
 that what proved good and wholesome cures to the 
 distemper of the Church in former ages, will not 
 now (the very like distempers falling in) prove hurt- 
 ful and poisonable ; especially if we have the testi- 
 mony of the same Spirit in our hearts, not only al- 
 lowing us, but commanding us so to do. It is mani- 
 fest (though we are sorry for it) that the same 
 Dirtempen occasions now fall in ; we find, that there 
 
 of tlic church 
 
 require a are that have eaten and drunken with us at 
 
 cure now, as 
 
 ofoid. the table of the Lord, and have been sharers 
 
 of the same spiritual joy and consolation, that af- 
 terwards fall away. "We find, to our great grief, 
 that some walk disorderly, and some are puffed up, 
 and strive to sow division, laboring to stumble the 
 weak, and to cause offences in the Church of Christ : 
 what then is more suitable and jnore Christian, than 
 
CONCERNINa TRUE DISCIPLINE. 219 
 
 to follow the footsteps of the flock, and to labour and 
 travel for the good of the Church, and for the re- 
 moving of all that is hurtful ; even as the holy apos- 
 tles, who walked with Jesus, did before us? If 
 there be such that walk disorderly now ; must they 
 not be admonished, rebuked and withdrawn from, 
 as well as of old ? Or is such to be the condition of 
 the Church in these latter times, that all iniquity 
 must go unreproved ? Must it be heresy or oppres- 
 sion to watch over one another in love ? to take care 
 of the poor ? to see, that there be no corrupt, no de- 
 filed members of the body, and carefully andChris- 
 tianly deal with them, for restoring them, if possi- 
 ble ? and for withdrawing from them if incurable ? 
 I am persuaded, that there are none, that look upon 
 the commands of Christ and his apostles, the prac- 
 tice and experience of the primitive Church and 
 saints, as a sufficient precedent to authorize a prac- 
 tice now, that will deny the lawfulness or useful- 
 ness hereof : but must needs acknowledge the neces- 
 sity of it. But if it be objected as some objection, 
 have done, do not you deny, that the Scripture is the 
 •adequate rule of faith and manners ? and that the 
 commands or practices of the Scripture are not a 
 sufficient warrant for you now to do any thing, with- 
 out you be again authorized, and led unto it by the 
 same Spirit ? and upon that score, do you not for- 
 bear some things both practiced and commanded by 
 the primitive Church and saints ? 
 
 "Well, I hope, I have not any thing weakened this 
 objection, but presented it in its full vigor and 
 strength ; to which I shall clearly and distinctly an- 
 swer thus : 
 
2£0 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 First, Seasons and times do not alter the nature 
 Times alter ^^^ substance of things in themselves; 
 inhfS^'"^ though it may cause things to alter, as to 
 commanded, ^g usefuluess, or not usefulness of them. 
 
 Secondly, Things commanded and practiced at 
 certain times and seasons fall of themselves, when 
 as the cause and ground, for which they were com- 
 manded, is removed ; as there is no need now for 
 the decisions about circumcision, seeing there are 
 none to contend for it ; neither as to the orders con- 
 cerning things offered to idols, seeing there is now 
 no such occasion ; yet who will say, that the com- 
 mand enjoined in the same place. Acts xv. 20, " to 
 abstain from fornication" is now made void ? See- 
 ing there is daily need for its standing in force, he- 
 cause it yet remains as a temptation man is incident 
 to ? "We confess, indeed, we are against such, as 
 from the bare letter of the Scripture, (though if it 
 were seasonable now to debate it, we find but few 
 to deal with, whose practices are so exactly squared,) 
 seek to uphold customs, forms or shadows, when the 
 use for which they were appointed, is removed, or 
 the substance itself known and witnessed; as we have • 
 sufficiently elsewhere answered our opposcrs in the 
 case of water baptism, and bread, and wine, &c. So 
 that the objection, as to that, doth not hold ; and the 
 difference is very wide, in respect of such things ; 
 the very nature and substance of which can never 
 be dispensed with by the people of God, so long as 
 they are in this world ; yea, without which they 
 could not be his people. For the doctrines and fun- 
 dament .1 principles of the Christian faith, we own 
 and believe originally and principally, because they 
 
CONCBENINa TRUE DISCIPLINE. 221 
 
 are the truths of God ; whereunto the Spirit of God 
 in our hearts hath constrained our understandings to 
 obey and submit. In the second place, we are greatly 
 confirmed, strengthened, and comforted in the joint 
 testimony of our brethren, the apostles and Thejomt 
 disciples of Christ, who by the revelation o?S,"°a7os- 
 of the same Spirit in the days of old be- life 'truths 'o* 
 lieved, and have left upon record the same he°artl" ""^ 
 truths ; so we having the same spirit of faith, accord- 
 ing as it is written, "I believed, and therefore have I 
 spoken ;" we also believe, and therefore we speak. 
 And we deny not, but some, that from the letter 
 have had the notion of these things, have thereby in 
 the mercy of God received occasion to have them 
 revealed in the life; for we freely acknowledge, 
 (though often calumniated to the contrary,) that 
 whatsoever "things were written aforetime were 
 written for our learning; that we through patience 
 and comfort of the Scriptures may have hope." So 
 then I hope, if the Spirit of God lead me now unto 
 that which is good, profi.table, yea, and absolutely 
 needful, in order to the keeping of my conscience 
 clear and void of offence towards God and man ; 
 none will be so unreasonable as to say, I ought not 
 to do it, because it is according to the Scriptures. 
 "Hot do I think it will savour. ill among any serious, 
 solid Christians, for me to be the more confirmed 
 and persuaded, tliat I am led to this thing by the 
 Spirit, that I fi.nd it in myself good and useful; 
 and that upon the like occasions, Christ commanded 
 it, and the apostles and primitive Christians prac- 
 ticed and recommended it. 
 
 !tfow seeing it is so, that we can boldly say with 
 
222 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 a good conscience in the sight of God, that the sam'e 
 Sx>irit which leads ns to believe the doctrines and 
 principles of the truth, and to hold and maintain 
 them again, after the apostasy, in their primitive 
 and ancient purity, as they were delivered by the 
 apostles of Christ in the holy Scriptures ; I say, 
 that the same Spirit doth now lead us into the like 
 holy order and government to be exercised among 
 us, aa it was among them, being now the like occa- 
 sion and opportunity ministered to us ; therefore 
 what can any Christian ly or rationally object against 
 it ? For that there is a real cause for it, the thing 
 A real cause itsclf sDeakcth I and that it was the prac- 
 
 for the same , '' , i/»it» 
 
 order. ticc of tlic saiuts aud church of old, is un- 
 
 deniable. What kind of ground then can any such 
 opposers have (being such, as scrupling at this, do 
 notwithstanding acknowledge our principle) that 
 this were done by imposition or imitation, more than 
 the belief of the doctrines and principles ? Seeing 
 as it is needfal to use all diligence to convince and 
 persuade people of the truth, and bring them to the 
 belief of it, (which yet we cannot do, but as truth 
 moves and draws in their hearts,) it is also no less 
 needful, when a people is gathered, to keep and pre- 
 serve them in unity and love, as becomes the Church 
 of Christ; and to be careful, as saith the apostle, 
 ' that all things be done decently, and in order ;' and 
 that all that is wrong be removed, according to the 
 method of the gospel ; and the good cherished and 
 encouraged. So that we conclude, and that upon 
 very good grounds, that there ought now, as well as 
 heretofore, to be order and govemmontin the Church 
 of Christ. 
 
CONCBRNINS TRUE DISCIPLINE. 223 
 
 That wMch now cometti to be examined Head iii. 
 in the third place is, 
 
 First, What is the order and government i. 
 we plead for ? 
 
 Secondly, In what cases, and how far it 2 & 3 
 may extend ? And in whom the power decisive is ? 
 
 Thirdly, How it differeth, and is wholly another 
 than the oppressive and persecuting principality of 
 the church of Rome, and other anti-christian as- 
 semblies. 
 
 SECTION" IV. 
 
 OF THE ORDER AND GOVERNMENT WHICH WE PLEAD FOR, 
 
 It will be needful then, before I proceed to describe 
 the order and government of the church, to consider, 
 what is or may be properly understood by the church ; 
 for some (as I touched before) seem to be offended, 
 or at least afraid of the very word, because the 
 " power of the church, the order of the church, the 
 judgment of the church," and such like pretences, 
 have been the great weapons, wherewith Anti-christ 
 and the apostate Christians have been these many 
 generations persecuting the woman, and warring 
 against the man-child. And, indeed, great disputes 
 have been among the learned rabbies in the apostasy 
 concerning this church, what it is, or what may be 
 so accounted ? "Which I find not my place at pre- 
 sent to dive much in ; but shall only give the true- 
 sense of it, according to truth and the Scripture's 
 plain testimony. 
 
 The word church in itself, and as used in the 
 
224 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 ■What die Scriptures, is no other but a gathering, 
 ^""l^^"^ company, or assembly of certain people 
 property. called or gathered together ; for so the 
 Greek word 'Exxhjzia signifies, (which is that the 
 translators render church^ which word is derived 
 from the verb 'Exxadiw, i. e. evoco, I call out of, from 
 the root 'Kcdiw, voco, I call. Now though the Eng- 
 lish word church be only taken in such a sense, as 
 people are gathered together upon a religious ac- 
 count ; yet the Greek word, that is so rendered, is 
 taken in general for every gathering or meeting to- 
 gether of people : and therefore where it is said, the 
 town clerk of the Ephesians dismissed the tumult, 
 that was gathered there together, the same Greek 
 (jimisitcm- word ^ Exxkijota is used Acts xix. 41, d.nihae 
 "^"■^ j-a'y ' ExxXi^aiav, he dismissed the assembly, 
 or the church. 
 
 A church then in the Scripture phrase is no other, 
 whatareUg- than a meeting or gathering of certain 
 il'" "^ "' people, which, if it be taken in a religious 
 sense, as most commonly it is, are gathered together 
 in the belief of the same principles, doctrines and 
 points of faith, whereby as a body they become dis- 
 tinguished from others, and have a certain relation 
 among themselves ; and a conjunct interest to the 
 maintaining and propagating these principles they 
 judge to be right : and therefore have a certain care 
 and oversight over one another, to prevent and re- 
 move all occasions, that may tend to break this their 
 conjunct interest, hinder the propagation of it, or 
 bring infamy, contempt or contumely upon it; or 
 give such, as on the other hand are or may be band- 
 ed together to undo them, just occasion against 
 them, to decry and defame them. 
 
CONCERNING TRUE DISCIPLINE. 225 
 
 Now the way to distinguish that church, gathering, 
 or assembly of people, whereof Christ truly How to dis. 
 
 • ^1 1 1 _P 1 n ^ 1 ,1 tinguUhthe 
 
 IS the head, irom such as falsely pretend •■■"= church 
 
 . , . 1 . 1 . . , from Ae 
 
 thereto, is by considering the principles fai^e. 
 
 and grounds upon which they are gathered together, 
 
 the nature of that hierarchy and order they have 
 
 among themselves, the way and method they take to 
 
 uphold it, and the bottom upon which it standeth ; 
 
 which will greatly contribute to clear all mistakes. 
 
 Forasmuch as sanctification and holiness is the 
 great and chief end among true Christians, which 
 moves them to gather together ; therefore the apostle 
 Paul defines the church in his salutation to the Co- 
 rinthians, 1 Cor. i. 2 : " Unto the church of God 
 which is at Corinth, them that are sanctified in 
 Christ Jesus, called to be saints." So the church is 
 such as are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be 
 saints. 
 
 The power and authority, order and government 
 we speak of, is such, as a church, meeting. The 
 gathering or assembly, claims towards those care over 
 that have or do declare themselves mem- &c. 
 bers, who own, believe and profess the same doc- 
 trines and principles of faith with us, and go under 
 the same distinction and denomination ; whose 
 escapes, faults and errors may by our adversaries 
 justly be imputed to us, if not seasonably and Chris- 
 tianly reproved, reclaimed or condemned. For we 
 are not so foolish as to concern ourselves with those 
 who are not of us ; far less, who stand in opposition 
 to us, so as to reprove, instruct or reclaim them, as 
 fellow-members or brethren : yet with a respect to 
 remove the general reproach from the Christian 
 
 name, with a tender regard to the good of their im- 
 
 15 
 
226 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 mortal souls, for the zeal we owe to God's glory, and 
 for the exaltation and propagation of his everlasting 
 truth and gospel in the earth, we have not heen 
 wanting with the hazard of our lives to seek the 
 scattered ones, holding forth the living and sure 
 foundation, and inviting and persuading all to obey 
 the gospel of Christ, and to take notice of his re- 
 proofs, as he makes himself manifest in and by his 
 light in their hearts. So our care and travel is and 
 hath been towards those that are without, that we 
 may bring them into the fellowship of the saints in 
 light ; and towards those that are brought in, that 
 they may not be led out again, or drawn aside, either 
 to the left hand, or the right, by the workings and 
 temptations of the enemy. 
 
 These things being thus cleared and opened, we 
 do positively affirm, that we being a people gathered 
 together by the power of God (wliieh most if not 
 all of those, that arising among ourselves do oppose 
 us herein, have acknowledged) into the belief of 
 certain principles and doctrines, and also certain 
 principles and performances, by which we are come 
 to be separated and distinguished from others, so as 
 to meet apart, and also to suffer deeply for our joint 
 testimony ; there are and must of necessity be, as 
 in the gathering of us, so in the preserving of us 
 Diveraidesof while gathered, diversities of gifts and ope- 
 church. rations for the edifying of the whole body. 
 Hence, saith the apostle, 1 Tim. v. 17 " Let the 
 elders, that rule well, be counted worthy of double 
 honor, especially they who labor in the word and 
 doctrine :" and this we suppose neither to be popish, 
 nor anti-christian ; let our opposers say it, as oft as 
 they can, without reckoning the apostles such. 
 
CONCERNING TRUE DISCIPLINE. 227 
 
 Secondly, Forasmuela as all are not called in the 
 same station, some rich, some poor ; some servants, 
 some masters, some married, some unmarried ; some 
 widows, and some orphans, and so forth ; it is not 
 only convenient, but absolutely needful, that there 
 be certain meetings at certain places and times, as 
 liiay best suit the conveniences of such, who may be 
 most particularly concerned in them ; where Meetings 
 
 about busi- 
 
 both those that are to take care, may as- "'^ 
 semble, and those who may need this care, may come 
 and make known their necessities, and receive help, 
 whether by counsel or supply, according to their re- 
 spective needs. This doth not at all contradict the 
 principle of being led inwardly and immediately by 
 the Spirit : else how came the Apostle in -esiaWish- 
 
 - ed by the 
 
 that day of the powerful pouring forth of apostie. 
 the Spirit of God to set apart men for this purpose ? 
 Sure, this was not to lead them from their inward 
 guide ; yea, of the contrary it is expressly said, ' look 
 ye out among you seven men of honest report, full 
 of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may ap- 
 point over this business.' Sure,they were not to un- 
 dertake a business being full of the Holy Ghost,which 
 might import a contradiction to their being led by 
 it : so we see, it is both fit and suitable to the Apos- 
 tle's doctrine, to have meetings about business. Now 
 if any should be so whimsical or conceited, as to 
 scruple their being at set places and times, though 
 these be nothing relative to the essential parts, but 
 only circumstances relating to the conveniency of 
 our persons, which we must have regard to, so long 
 as we are clothed with flesh and blood ; and such 
 notionists, as are against this godly care, work far 
 more in their vain imaginations, than they reduce to 
 
228 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 practice ; being like unto such, of whom the Apos- 
 tle James testified, who content themselves with say- 
 ing to the naked, be clothed; and to the hungry, be 
 fed ; while they offer not in the least to minister to 
 them those things, which are needful for clothing 
 and feeding of them, yet shall we not scruple to 
 make it appear, that it is not without very good 
 ground, that we both appoint places and times. And 
 first, as to the place, I say as before, it is with our 
 Convenient bodics wc must mcot, as well as with our 
 
 places-to , , 
 
 meet in.— spirits ; and so oi necessity we must con- 
 vey our bodies unto one place, that we may speak 
 and act in those things we meet for : and that must 
 be in some certain place, where all must know where 
 to find it ; having herein a regard to the conveni- 
 ences and occasions of such as meet. Were it fit, 
 that those of the Church of Corinth should go do 
 their business at Antioch, or the Church of J erusa- 
 lem at Rome ? Xay, surely, God hath not given us 
 our reasons to no purpose ; but that we should make 
 iLse of them for his glory, and the good of our breth- 
 ren ; yet always in subjection to his power and Spirit. 
 And therefore we have respect to these things in the 
 appointing of our meetings, and do it not without a 
 regard to the Lord, but in a sense of his fear. And 
 so the like as to times, which is no contradicting of 
 the inward leading of the Spirit. Else how came 
 -and con- *^® Apostlo to appolnt a time to the Cor- 
 o^^iT' inthians in their contributions, desiring 
 1"^""=^ them, 1 Cor. xvi. 2, ' To lay by them in 
 store upon the first day of the week ?' Yea, saith 
 he, ' not that he gave the same order to the Church 
 of Gralatia.' I know not, how any in reason can 
 quarrel about set times for outward business, it being 
 
CONCERNIXG TRUE DISCIPLINE. 229 
 
 done in a subjection to God's will, as all things ouglit 
 to be ; or else how can such, as so do, but quarrel 
 with the Apostle for this imposition (at that rate) 
 upon the Churches of Corinth and Galatia ? 
 
 We appoint no set times for the performance of the 
 worship of God, so as to appoint men to preach and 
 pray at such and such set times; though we appoint 
 times ' to meet together in the name of the Lord,' 
 that we may feel his presence, and he may move in 
 and through whom he pleaseth without limitation. 
 Which practice of meeting together we are greatly 
 encouraged to by the promise of Christ and our own 
 blessed experience : and also we are severely Reasons for 
 
 the contin- 
 
 prohibited to lay it aside by the Holy Apos- uance of 
 tie ; and also on the other hand by the sad practices. 
 experience of such, as by negligence or prejudice 
 forsake the assemblies of God's people ; upon many 
 of which is already fulfilled, and upon others daily 
 fulfilling the judgments threatened upon such trans- 
 gressors. Read Heb. x. from verse 23 to the end, 
 where that duty is so seriously exhorted to, and the 
 contempt of it reckoned a wilful sin, almost (if not 
 altogether) unpardonable ; yea, a treading under foot 
 the Son of God, and a doing despite to the Spirit of 
 Grace, which is fulfilled in our day, and proves the 
 lamentable fruits of such as have so back-slidden 
 among us. And therefore having so much good and 
 real ground for what we do herein, together with 
 the approbation and encouragement of Christ and 
 his Apostles, both by command and practice, we can 
 (as that both the Alpha and Omega, the foundation 
 and cap-stone required) faithfully affirm in good con- 
 science, 'that God hath led us by his Spirit, both to 
 appoint places and times, where we may see the 
 
230 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 faces one of another ; and to take care one for an- 
 other, provoking one another to love and good 
 works.' And our faith and confidence herein can- 
 not be staggered by a mere denial in our opposers, 
 which no man of conscience and reason will say it 
 ought ; seeing the thing itself hath such a solid and 
 real cause and foundation, so good and suitable a 
 pattern and example, and that it is constantly con- 
 firmed to us, both by the testimony of God's Spirit 
 in our hearts, and by the good fruits and eflects 
 which we daily reap thereby, as a seal and confirma- 
 tion, that God is well pleased therewith, and ap- 
 proveth us in it. 
 
 Having thus far proceeded to show, that there 
 ought to be order and government among the peo- 
 ple of God; and that that which we plead for, is, 
 that there may be certain meetings set apart for that 
 end ; it is next to be considered, in what cases, and 
 how far it may extend. 
 
 SECTION" V. 
 
 IN ■WHAT CASES, AND HOW FAR THIS GOVERNMENT EX- 
 TENDS. AND FIRST, AS TO OUTWARDS AND 
 TEMPORALS. 
 
 I shall begin with that which gave the first rise for 
 Theoccasion this ordcr amoHg the apostles; and I do 
 msetSo verily believe, might have been among the 
 ness. first occasions, that ^ gave the like among 
 
 us, and that is, the care of the poor, of widows and 
 orphans. Love and compassion are the great, yea, 
 and the chiefest marks of Christianity ; hereby shall 
 it be knoAvn, saith Christ, " that ye are my disciples, 
 
CONCERNING TRUE DISCIPLINE. 231 
 
 if ye love one another." And James the apostle 
 places religion herein in the first place: j xotake 
 "pure religion, (saith he,) and undefiledbe- ''oo'i-wWo''ws 
 fore God and the iFather is this, to visit the ^""* '"^''™'- 
 fatherless and widows in their afflictions," &c. For 
 this, then, as one main end, do we meet together, 
 that enquiry may be made, if there be any poor of 
 the household of faith, that need, that they may be 
 supplied; that the widows may be taken care of, 
 that the orphans and fatherless may be bred up and 
 educated. "Who will be so unchristian, as to reprove 
 this good order and government, and to say it is 
 needless ? But if any will thus object, may not the 
 Spirit lead every one of you to give to them that 
 need ? What needs meeting about it, and such for- 
 malities ? 
 
 I answer, the Spirit of God leads us so to do ; 
 what can they say to the contrary ? !N"or is this a 
 practice any ways inconsistent with being inwardl}'^ 
 and immediately led by the Spirit ; for the Spirit of 
 God doth now, as well as in the days of old, lead his 
 people into those tjiings which are orderly, and of 
 a good report; for he is the God of order, and not 
 of confusion ; and therefore the holy apostles judged 
 it no inconsistency with their being led by The example 
 the Spirit to appoint men full of the Holy ties. 
 Ghost and of wisdom over the business of the poor. 
 !N"ow if to be full of the Holy Ghost be a qualifica- 
 tion needful for this employment ; surely the nature 
 of their employment was not to render this so need- 
 ful a qualification useless and ineffectual, as if they 
 were not to be led by it. 
 
 Moreover we see, though they were at that time 
 all filled with the Spirit, yet there was something 
 
232 A PKESUASI\'E TO UNITY. 
 
 wanting before this good order was established. 
 There was a murmuring, that some widows were 
 neglected in the daily ministration ; and we must not 
 suppose, the apostles went about to remedy this e\al, 
 that was creeping into the Church, without the 
 counsel of God by his Spirit, or that this remedy 
 they were led to, was stepping into apostasy ; neither 
 can it be so said of us, we proceeding upon the like 
 occasion. 
 
 If then it be thus needful and suitable to the gos- 
 Contribu- pel to relieve the necessities of the poor, 
 
 ti'.ii, for * i' 
 
 the poor. that as there was no beggar to be among 
 Israel of old, so far less now; must there not be 
 meetings to appoint contribution, in order to the 
 performing these things ? "Which is no other, but 
 the giving of a general intimation what the needs 
 are ; that every one, as God moves their hearts, and 
 hath prospered them, (without imposition, force or 
 limitation,) may give towards these needful uses. In 
 which case these murmurers at our good order in 
 such matters, may well think strange at the apostle ; 
 how pressingly, how earnestly doth he reiterate his 
 desires and provocations, so to speak, in this respect 
 to the Corinthians, 1 Cor. xvi. 2. and the 8th and 9th 
 chapters of the 2d epistle throughout ! 
 
 Now though he testifies to them elsewhere, that 
 they are the temples of the Holy Ghost, and that 
 the Spirit of God dwells in them ; yet ceaseth he 
 not to entreat and exhort, yea, and to give them 
 certain orders in this matter. 
 
 Besides all these reasons, which are sufficient to 
 convince any unprejudiced man, the secret approba- 
 tion of God's Spirit accompanying us in this thing, 
 together with the fruits and effects of it ; which bun- 
 
CONCERNING TRUE DISCIPLINE. 233 
 
 dreds can witness to, whose needs have been supplied, 
 and themselves helped through divers difficulties; 
 and the testimonies of some already, and of many- 
 more orphans and fatherless children, who have found 
 no want either of father or mother, or Fatherless 
 other relations, through the tender love and apprentices. 
 care of God's people in putting them in trades and 
 employments, and giving them all needful education : 
 which will make it appear, ere this age pass away, to 
 those that have an eye to see, that these are not the 
 mere doings and orders of men ; but the work of 
 him who is appearing in ten thousands of his saints, 
 to establish not only truth, but mercy and righteous- 
 ness in the earth. 
 
 And for that end therefore, in the second place, 
 this order reacheth the taking up and com- ^^ ^^^_ 
 posing of differences as to outward things, |°ces''^ai'e 
 which may fall out betwixt friend- and oumara" 
 friend ; for such things may fall out through '"*"'="• 
 the intricacies of divers affairs, where neither hath 
 any positive intention to injure and defraud his 
 neighbour, as in many cases might be instanced. Or 
 if through the workings and temptations of him, 
 whose Tsvork is to beset the faithful, and people of the 
 Lord, and to engender (so far as he can) strife and 
 division among them, any should step aside, as to 
 offer to wrong or prejudice his neighbour; we do 
 boldly aver, as a people gathered together by the 
 Lord unto the same faith, and distinguished from all 
 .others by our joint testipiony and sufferings, that we 
 have power and authority to decide and remove 
 these things among ourselves, without going to 
 others to seek redress. And this in itself hath so 
 much reason, that I cannot tell, if any that are not 
 
234 A PERSUASIVE TO TJNITT. 
 
 wholly prejudicate or obstinate, can blame it. For 
 if we be of one minS concerning faith and religion, 
 and that it be our joint interest to bring all othera 
 unto the same truth with us, as supposing them to be 
 wrong, what confidence can we have to think of re- 
 claiming them, if the truth we profess have not effi- 
 cacy, as to reconcile us among ourselves in the mat- 
 ters of this world ? If we be forced to go out to 
 others for equity and justice, because we cannot find 
 it among ourselves, how can we expect to invite them 
 to come among us, when such virtues, as •vyhieh still 
 accompany the truth, are necessarily supposed to be 
 wanting ? Should we affirm otherwise, it were to 
 destroy the truth and faith, we have been and are 
 in the Lord's hand building up : and indeed the 
 spirit and practice of such as oppose us herein, hath 
 no less tendency. 
 
 Moreover, besides the enforcing and intrinsic rea- 
 son of this thing, we have the concurrence, approba- 
 tion and comfort of the Apostle's testimony, 1 Cor. 
 vi. : ' Dare any of you, having a matter against an- 
 other, go to law before the unjust, and not before the 
 Objection, saints?' If it be objected, do you reckon 
 all unjust that are not of you ? Think ye all other 
 people void of justice ? 
 
 ^^^ I answer, though the Apostle useth this 
 
 dw'bcfore" ©xpression, I am persuaded, he did not 
 ^e unjust, reckon all others unjust, that had not re- 
 ceived then the Christian faith. There 
 were, no doubt, moral and just men among the 
 heathen ; and therefore the same Paul commends the 
 nobility of Festus, He reckons them there unjust 
 in respect of the saints, or comparatively with them , 
 as such as are not come to the just principle of God 
 
CONCERNING TRUE DISCIPLINE- 235 
 
 in themselves to obey it and follow it : and therefore 
 though he accounts them, who are least esteemed in 
 the Church, capable to decide such matters ; yet he 
 supposeth it safer to submit to their judgment in such 
 cases, though it were by taking wrong, or suffering 
 wrong, than to go before others to the greater re-i 
 proach of the truth. We hope, though many occa- 
 sions of this kind have fallen in among us, since we 
 have been a people, none have had just occasion to 
 decline our judgment. And though, some should 
 suppose themselves to be wronged ; yet if they 
 should go bring their matter before others, we might 
 say, as the Apostle saith in the fore-mentioned chap- 
 ter, ver. 7. This were thereby a fault in them, and 
 would evidence a greater care of some outward con- 
 cern, than of the honour and interest of truth : and 
 therefore such as have a tender regard that way, 
 would rather suffer, what to their apprehensions may 
 seem wrong. For in matters, wherein two parties 
 are opposite in the case of meum and tuum The case of 
 
 ,, ^-^ . meum and 
 
 it IS somewhat hard to please both ; except tmm. 
 where the power of truth, and the righteous judg- 
 ment thereof reaching to that of God in the con- 
 science, hath brought to a true acknowledgment 
 him that hath been mistaken, or in the wrong : which 
 hath frequently fallen out among us, to the often re- 
 freshing and confirming our souls in the certain be- 
 lief that Christ was fulfilling his promises among us, 
 in restoring judges, as at the first, and counsellors, as 
 in the beginning. 
 
 JSow suppose, any should be so pettish, or humor- 
 ous, as not to agree in such matters to the judgment 
 of his brethren, and to go before the unbelievers (for 
 though I reckon them not such unbelievers, as the 
 
236 A PERSDASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 Going before heathcD of old, because they profess a faith 
 
 unbeuevcTS ' " * 
 
 S^n *fihe*' ^^ ^°*^ ^^^ Christ; yet I may safely say, 
 dS^S^iIr'to* *^®y ^^® unbelievers as to these principles 
 the tnith. gQ^ doctriues which we know are the ti-uth 
 of God ; and in that sense must be unbelievers as to 
 him, that so appealeth to them from his brethren), I 
 say, such as so do, first commit certain hurt, and evil, 
 in staining the honour and reputation of the truth 
 they profess; which ought to be dearer to us than 
 our lives. And even in that outward- matter, for 
 which they thus do, they run a hazard, not knowing, 
 whether things shall carry, as they expect : if they 
 lose, they have a double prejudice ; if they gain, it 
 is a too dear rate, even with the hurt of truth's repu- 
 tation, which their outward advantage cannot make 
 up. If, then, it be unlawful to do evil, that good 
 may come of it, even a spiritual good ; far less is it 
 lawful to do a positive evil of so deep a dye, as to 
 bring an evil report upon the good land, and give 
 the uncircumeised an occasion to rejoice : out of the 
 uncertain hope of an outward gain, it is far better to 
 suffer loss, as the Apostle very well argues in the 
 place above-mentioned. 
 
 Indeed, if there be any such, have been, or appear 
 to be of us, as suppose, there is not a wise man 
 among us all, nor an honest man, that is able to judge 
 betwixt his brethren ; we shall not covet to meddle 
 in their matter ; being persuaded, that either they, or 
 their cause is nought. Though (praises to God) 
 among all those that have gone from us, either upon 
 one account or other, I never heard, that any were 
 so minded towards us; but the most part of them 
 Apostates' tts- having let in the offence of some things, or 
 cemingus. pcrsous, havc had this unanimous testimony 
 
CONCERNING TRUE DISCIPLINE. 237 
 
 concerning us, that generally we are an honest and 
 upright-hearted people. 
 
 But whatever sense our enemies, or apostates have 
 of us, who look asquint on the face of truth, and can 
 see nothing aright in those they love not, or are pre- 
 judicate against ; this we can say in the last place 
 (besides the reasons and Scripture above declared) 
 that the good fruits and effects, which daily abound 
 to the household of faith, in this, as well as the other 
 parts of the government the Lord is establishing 
 among us, doth more and more commend it unto us ; 
 and confirmeth our hearts in the certain belief of 
 that, which we can confidently testify in good con- 
 science, that God hath led us hereunto by his Spirit : 
 and we see the hand of the Lord herein, which in 
 due time will yet more appear ; that as through our 
 faithful testimony, in the hand of the Lord, that 
 antichristian and apostatized generation, the National 
 Ministry, hath received a deadly blow by p^ests- 
 our discovering and witnessing against their [enTnce?and 
 forced -maintenance, and tythes, against reSivedT" 
 which we have testified by many cruel suf- '* ^ 
 ferings of all kinds, as our chronicles shall make 
 known to generations to come, so that their kingdom, 
 in the hearts of thousands, begins to totter and lose 
 its strength, and shall assuredly fall to the ground, 
 through truth's prevailing in the earth ; so on the 
 other hand do we, by coming to righteousness and 
 innocency, weaken the strength gf their kingdom, 
 who judge for rewards, as well as such as preach for 
 hire, and by not ministering occasions to those, who 
 have heaped up riches, and lived in excess, lust and 
 riot, by feeding and preying upon the iniquities and 
 contentions of the people. For as truth and right- 
 
238 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 eousness prevails in the earth, by our faithful wit- 
 nessing and keeping to it, the nations shall come to 
 he eased and disburdened of that deceitful tribe of 
 Lawyers by lawvers, (as wcll as priests) who by their 
 tricacies to- many tricks, and endless intricacies, have 
 vcrsics. rendered justice, in their method, burden- 
 some to honest men, and seek not so much to put an 
 end, as to foment controversies and contentions, that 
 they themselves may be still fed and upheld, and 
 their trade kept up. "Whereas by truth's propagti- 
 tion, as many of these controversies will die by men's 
 coming to be less contentious ; so when any differ- 
 ence ariseth, thesaiutsgiving judgment, without gift 
 or reward, or running into the tricks and endless 
 labyrinths of the lawyers, will soon compose them. 
 And this is that we are persuaded, Ihe Lord is bring- 
 ing about in our day, though many do not, and many 
 will not see it; because it is indeed in a way differ- 
 ent and contrary to man's wisdom, who are now de- 
 spising Christ in Lis inward appearance, because of 
 the meanness of it; as the Jews of old did him in 
 his outward : yet notwithstanding there were some 
 then that did witness, and could not be silent, but 
 must testify that he was come; even so now are 
 there thousands, that can set to their seal, that he 
 hath now again the second time appeared, and is ap- 
 poai-ing in ten thousands of his saints ; in and among 
 ■whom (as a first fruits of many more that shall be 
 Christ restor- gathered) he is restoring the golden age, 
 eo age. aud bringing them into the holy order and 
 government of his own Son, who is ruling, and to 
 rule in the midst of them, setting forth the counsel- 
 lors as at the beginning, and judges as at first; and 
 estabUshing truth, mercy, righteousness and judg- 
 ment again in the earth : Amen, irnllflniai^ t 
 
CONCERNINa TRUE DISCIPLINE. 239 
 
 Thirdly, These meetings take care in the case of 
 marriages, that all things be clear; and 3 .^^^^^ 
 that there be nothing done in that proce- f^^^ '^"j *= 
 dure, which afterwards may prove to the "^"'^ees. 
 prejudice of truth, or of the parties concerned; 
 which being an outward thing (that is, acknowl- 
 edged in itself to be lawful) of the greatest im- 
 portance a man, or woman, can perform in this 
 world ; and from the sudden, unwary, or disorderly 
 procedure whereof, very great snares and re- 
 proaches may be cast upon the parties, and the pro- 
 fession owned by them ; therefore it doth very fitly, 
 among other things, when it occurs, come to be con- 
 sidered of by the people of God, when met, to take 
 care to preserve all things right and savoury in the 
 household of faith. We do believe, our adversaries, 
 that watch for evil against us, would be glad, how 
 promiscuously or disorderly we proceed in this 
 weighty matter ; that so they might the more boldly 
 accuse us, as overturners of all humane and Chris- 
 tian order ; but God hath not left lis without his 
 counsel and wisdom in this thing ; nor will he, that 
 any should receive just occasion against us, his 
 people; and therefore in this weighty concern, we, 
 who can do nothing against the truth, but all for, and 
 with regard to the truth, have diverse testimonies 
 for the Lord. And — 
 
 First, That we cannot marry with those that walk 
 not in, and obey not the truth, as being of 
 
 ' •' ' ° I. Our testi- 
 
 another iudgment, or fellowship ; or pre- mony 
 
 •^ o 7 X ' J. against mar- 
 
 tending to it, walk not suitable and answer- ryingwith 
 
 o f unbelievers. 
 
 able thereto. 
 
 Secondly, IsTor can we go to the hireling priest, 
 priests, to uphold their false, and usurped authority, 
 who take ujDon them to marry people without any 
 
240 A PERSUASIVB TO XJNITT. 
 
 command, or precedent for it from the laws of Qod. 
 Lastly, Nor can we suffer any such kind of mar- 
 in foAid- riages to pass among us, whicli either as to 
 dcm degires. ^\^q (Jegrecs of consanguinity, or otherwise, 
 in itself is unlawful, or from which there may he 
 any just reflection cast upon our way. 
 
 As to the first two, they being matter of principles 
 Test. I. received and believed, it is not my work 
 believers. hcrc to dcbato them ; only since they are 
 received and owned as such, (for which we can, and 
 have given our sufficient reasons elsewhere, as for 
 our other principles,) we ought to care, how any, by 
 walking otherwise, bring reproach upon us. Yet 
 not to pass them wholly by, as to the first ; besides 
 the testimony of the Spirit of God in our hearts, 
 (which is the original ground of our faith in all 
 things.) we have the testimony of the apostle Paul, 
 2. Cor. vi. 14: "Be ye not unequally yoked to- 
 gether," &c. Xow, if any should think, it were 
 much from this scripture to plead it absolutely un- 
 lawful in any case, to join in marriage with any, 
 (however otherwise sober,) because of their not being 
 one with us in all things ; I shall speak my judg- 
 ment. To me it appears so ; and to many more who 
 have obtained mercy ; and we think we have the 
 Spirit of God. But whether it be lawful or not, I 
 can say positively, it is not expedient, neither doth 
 it edify ; and (as that which is of dangerous conse- 
 quence) doth give justly offence to the Church of 
 Christ; and therefore, no true tender heart will 
 prefer his private love to the good and interest of the 
 whole body. 
 
 As for the second, in that we deny the priests, 
 their assumed authority and power to marry, it is 
 
CONCERNING TRUE DISCIPLINE. 241 
 
 that which in no wise we can resile from, Te,t. 2. 
 nor can we own any in the doing of it; it pS'lisur- 
 being a part of onr testimony against the '""'™" 
 usurpations of that generation, who never yet, that I 
 ever heard of, could produce any Scripture proof or 
 example for it. And seeing, none can pretend con- 
 science in the rnatter, (for they themselves confess 
 that it is no part of the essence of marriage,) if any 
 pretending to be among us, should through fear, in- 
 terest, or prejudice to the truth, come under and 
 bow to that image, have we not reason to deny such 
 slavish and ignoble spirits, aa mind not truth and its 
 testimony ? 
 
 Lastly, Seeing, if any walking with us, or going 
 under.the same name, should hastily or dis- t-^^, ^ 
 orderly go together, either being within ^1^^°'"/°'' 
 the degrees of consanguinity, which the ffngu-'n;^"' 
 law of God forbids, or that either party g^gerenS; 
 should have been formerly under any tie '^' 
 or obligation to others, or any other vast dispropor- 
 tion, which might bring a just reflection upon us 
 from our opposers ; can any blame us for taking 
 care to prevent these evils, by appointing that such 
 as so design, make known their intentions to these 
 churches or assemblies, where they are most known, 
 that if any know just cause of hindrance, it may 
 be mentioned, and a timous let put to the hurt, 
 either by stopping it, if they can be brought to con- 
 descend ; or by refusing to be witnesses and concur- 
 rers with them in it, if they will not ? For we take 
 not upon us to hinder any to marry, otherwise than 
 by advice, or disconcerning ourselves ; neither do 
 we judge that such as do marry contrary to our mind, 
 that therefore their marriage is null and void in 
 
 16 
 
242 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 itself, or may be dissolved afterwards; nay, all our 
 meddling is in a holy care for the truth. For if the 
 thing be right, all that we do, is to be witnesses; 
 and if otherwise, that we may say for our vindica- 
 tion to such, as may upbraid us therewith, that we 
 advised otherwise, and did no ways concur in the 
 matter : that so they may bear their own burden, 
 and the truth and people of God be cleared. 
 
 Now, I am confident that our way herein is so an- 
 whatkind swerable to reason and Christianity, that 
 ^^""bli none will blame us therefor; except either 
 *dcf^?* such, whose irregular and impatient lusts 
 ''"''^ cannot suffer a serious and Christian exam- 
 
 ination, and an advised and moderate procedure; 
 or such, who watching for evil against us, are sorry 
 we should proceed so orderly, and would rather we 
 should suffer all manner of irregularities and abom- 
 inations, that they might have the more to say 
 against us. But the solid and real reasons we have 
 for our way herein, will sufficiently plead for us in 
 the hearts of all sober men ; and moreover, the tes- 
 timony of God's Spirit in our hearts doth abund- 
 antly confirm us, both against the folly of the one, 
 and the envy of the other. 
 
 Fourthly, There being nothing more needful, than 
 4. Our cm to preserve men and women in righteous- 
 OTs^'ST'' ness, after they are brought into it; and also 
 OT. ° ™ nothing more certain, than that the great 
 enemy of man's soul seeks daily, how he may draw 
 back again, and catch those, who have in some mea- 
 sure escaped his snares, and known deliverance 
 from them; therefore do we also meet together, 
 that we may receive an opportunity to understand, 
 if any have fallen under his temptations, that we may 
 
CONCKKNINQ TRUE DISCIPLINE. 243 
 
 restore them again, if possible ; or otherwise separate 
 them from us. Surely,' if we did not so, we might 
 be justly blamed as such, among whom it were law- 
 ful to commit any evil unreproved ; indeed, this were 
 to begiiiltyof thatUbertinism, which some have falsely 
 accused us of, and which hath been our care all along, 
 as became the people &f God, to avoid : therefore 
 we have sought always to keep the house clean, by 
 faithfully reproving and removing, according to the 
 nature of the offence, and the scandal following 
 thereupon; private things privately, and public 
 things publicly. We desire not to propagate hurt, 
 and defile people's minds with telling them such 
 things as tend not to edify ; yet do we not so cover 
 over or smooth over any wickedness, as not to deal 
 roundly with the persons guilty, and causing them 
 to take away the scandal in their acknowledgment 
 before all, to whose knowledge it hath come ; yet 
 judge we not ourselves obliged to tell that in Gath, 
 or publish that in the streets of Askelon, which 
 makes the daughters of the uncircumoised rejoice; 
 or strengthen Atheists and Rantersin their obdured- 
 ness, who feed more upon the failings of the saints, 
 than to imitate their true repentance. And there- 
 fore where we find an unfeigning returning to the 
 Lord, we desire not to remember that which the 
 Lord hath forgotten; nor yet to throw offences in the 
 way of the weak, that they may stumble upon them. 
 And therefore I conclude that our care as to these 
 things also, is most needful, and a part of that order 
 and government, which the Church of Christ never 
 was, nor can be without; as doth abundantly appear 
 by divers Scriptures heretofore mentioned. ^ 
 
244 A PERSUASIVK TO UNITY. 
 
 SECTIOI^" YI. 
 
 HOW FAR THIS GOVERNMENT DOTH EXTEND IN MATTERS 
 SPIRITUAL, AND PURELY CONSCIENTIOUS. 
 
 Thus far I have considered the order and govern- 
 ment of the church, as it respects outward things ; 
 and its authority in condemning or removing such 
 things, which in themselves are evil, as being those, 
 which none will readily justify: the necessity of 
 which things is such, that few but will acknowledge 
 the care and order in these cases to be commendable 
 and expedient. 
 
 Now, I come to consicjer the things of another 
 kind, which either verily are, or are supposed to be, 
 matters of conscience, or at least, wherein people 
 may lay claim to conscience in the acting or forbear- 
 ing of them. In which the great question is, how 
 far, in such case, the church may give positive or- 
 ders, or rules ? How fax her authority reachcth, or 
 may be supposed to be binding, and ought to be sub- 
 mitted to ? For the better clearing and examination 
 of which, it will be fit to consider, 
 
 First, "Whether the Church of Christ 
 
 Quesdon I. ■• . 1 
 
 have power in any cases, that are matters 
 of conscience, to give a positive sentence and decis- 
 ion, which may be obligatory upon believers ? 
 
 Secondly, If so, in what cases and re- 
 spects she may so do i 
 Thirdly, Wherein consists the freedom and lib- 
 erty of conscience, which may be exercised 
 by the members of the true church diverse- 
 ly, without judging one another. 
 
 And lastly, In whom the power decisive 
 18, in case oi controversy or contention m 
 
CONCERNING TRUE DISCIPLINE. 245 
 
 such matters? Which will also lead us to observe 
 the vast difference betwixt us and the Papists, and 
 others in this particular. 
 
 As to the first, whether the church of Christ have 
 power in any cases, that are matters of 
 
 . . - ... ., Question I. 
 
 conscience, to give a positive sentence and 
 decision which may be obligatory on believers. 
 
 I answer affirmatively, she hath; and 
 shall prove it from divers instances both 
 from Scripture and reason. Eor first, all principles 
 and articles of Faith, which are held doctrinally, are 
 in respect to those that believe them, mat- AniciMof 
 ters of conscience. We know, the Papists manerrof 
 do out of conscience, (such as are zealous .^"p^"""^^- 
 among them) adore, worship and pray to angels, 
 saints and images, yea, and to the eucharist, as judg- 
 ing it to be really Christ Jesus ; and so do others 
 place conscience in things that are absolutely wrong ; 
 now I say, we being gathered together into the belief 
 of certain principles and doctrines, without ^p^^^n^^ 
 any constraint or worldly respect, but by "s*" "^""^ 
 the mere force of truth upon our Understanding, and 
 its power and influence upon our hearts ; these prin- 
 ciples and doctrines, and the practices necessarily de- 
 pending upon them are, as it were, the terms, that 
 have drawn us together, and the *bond, by which we 
 became centered into one body and fellowship, and 
 distinguished from others. ITow, if any one or more 
 80 engaged with us should arise to teach any other 
 doctrine or doctrines, contrary to these, which were 
 
 * Yet this is not so the hond, but that we have also a more invi'ard and invisible, to 
 wit, the Hfe of righteousness, whereby we also have unity with the upright seed in all, 
 even in those, whose understandings are not yet so enlightened. But to those, who 
 are once enlightened; this is as an outward bond : and if they .<:ulTer themselves to be 
 darkened through disobedience, which as it does in the outward bond, so it dolh in the 
 inward. 
 
246 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 the ground of our being one ; who can deny, but the 
 body hath power in such a case to declare, this is not 
 according to the truth we profess ; and therefore we 
 pronounce such and such doctrines to be wrong, 
 with which we cannot have unity, nor yet any more 
 spiritual fellowship with those that hold them? And 
 80 such cut themselves off from being members by 
 dissolving the very bond, by which they were linked 
 to the body. Now this cannot be accounted tyranny 
 and oppression, no more than in a civil society, if 
 one of the society shall contradict one or more of the 
 fundamental articles, upon which the society was 
 contracted, it can be reckoned a breach or iniquity in 
 the whole society to declare, that such contradictors 
 have done wrong, and forfeited their right in that 
 society ; in case by the original constitution the na- 
 ture of the contradiction implies such a forfeiture, 
 as usually it is ; and will no doubt hold in religious 
 matters. As if a body be gathered into one fellow- 
 Thedisbeiiev- ship by thc belief of certain principles, he 
 cipicsofafei. that comes to believe otherways, naturally 
 ciudciiimseif scattereth himself ; for that the cause that 
 
 therefrom and iji-.i in 
 
 scaitere. gathered him, is taken away ; and so those, 
 that abide constant, in declaring the thing to be so 
 as it is, and in looking upon him and witnessing of 
 him to others (if need be) to be such, as he has made 
 himself, do him no injury. I shall make the suppo- 
 sition in the general, and let every people make the 
 application to themselves, abstracting from us ; and 
 then let conscience and reason in every impartial 
 reader declare, whether or not it doth not hold ? 
 
 Suppose a people really gathered unto the belief 
 of the true and certain principles of the Gospel, if 
 
CONCERNING TRUE DISCIPLINE. 247 
 
 any of these people sliall arise and contradict any of 
 those fundamental truths, whether has not such as 
 stand, good right to cast such a one out from among 
 them, and to pronounce positively : this is con- 
 trary to the truth we profess and own ; and therefore 
 ought to be rejected, and not received, nor yet he 
 that asserts it, as one of us ? And is not this obli- 
 gatory upon all the members, seeing all are con- 
 cerned in the like care, as to themselves, to hold the 
 right, and shut out the wrong ? I cannot tell, if any 
 man of reason can well deny this ? However I shall 
 prove it next from the testimony of the scripture. 
 
 Gal. 1 : 8. "But though we, or an angel from 
 Heaven preach any other gospel unto you ^ .p^of fro„, 
 than that which we have preached unto .S"ipture. 
 you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say 
 I now again, if any man preach any other gospel 
 unto you, than that ye have received, let him be ac- 
 cursed." 
 
 1 Tim. 1 : 19, 20. "Holding faith and a good con- 
 science, which some having put away, concerning 
 faith have made shipwreck. Of whom is Hymenseus 
 and Alexander, whom I have delivered unto Satan, 
 that they may learn not to blaspheme." 
 
 2 John, 10. "If there come any unto you, and 
 bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your 
 house, neither bid him rejoice." (For so the Greek 
 hath it.) 
 
 These Scriptures are so plain and clear in them- 
 selves as to this purpose, that they need no great ex- 
 position to the unbiassed and unprejudicate reader. 
 For seeing it is so, that in the true church there maj' 
 men arise, and speak perverse things contrary to 
 
248 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 the doctrine and gospel already received ; what ia to 
 be the place of those, that hold the pure and ancient 
 truth? Must they look upon these perverse men 
 still as their brethren ? Must they cherish them as 
 fellow members, or must they judge, condemn and 
 deny them ? We must not think the apostle wanted 
 charity, who will have them accursed; and that 
 gave Hymenseus and Alexander over to Satan, after 
 Hymenscui that they had departed from the true faith, 
 
 and Alexan- ** .ii iii 
 
 der initanced that they might learn not to blaspheme. 
 In short, if we must (as our opposera herein ac- 
 knowledge) preserve and keep those that are come 
 to own the truth, by the same moans they were 
 gathered and brought into it ; we must not cease to 
 l)e plain with them, and tell them, when they are 
 wrong ; and by sound doctrine both exhort and con- 
 vince gain-sayers. If the apostles of Christ of old, 
 and the preachers of the everlasting gospel in this 
 day had told all people, however wrong they found 
 them in their faith and principles, our charity and 
 love is sucli, we dare not judge you, nor separate 
 AwrotiK from you ; but let us all live in love to- 
 
 chanly and i i 
 
 f^'^.'°\«tt> gether, and every one enjoy his own opin- 
 error-u ion, aud all will be well: how sliould the 
 nations have been ? Or what way now can they be 
 brought to truth and righteousness? Would xiot 
 the devil love this doctrine well, by which darkness 
 and ignorance, error and confusion, might still con- 
 tinue in the earth, unreproved and uncondemned? 
 If it was needful then for the apostles of Christ in 
 the days of old to reprove, without sparing to tell 
 the high priests and great professors among the Jews, 
 that they were stubborn and stiff-necked, and always 
 
CONCERNING TRUE DISCIPLINE. 249 
 
 resisted the Holy Ghost, without being guilty of im- 
 position and oppression, or want of true love and 
 charity; and also for those messengers the Lord hath 
 raised up in this day, to reprove and cry out against 
 the hireling priests, and to tell -tfie world openly, 
 both professors and profane, that they were in dark- 
 ness and ignorance, out of the truth, strangers and 
 aliens from the commonwealth of Israel; if God 
 has gathered a-people by this means into the belief 
 of one and the same truth, must not they, if they 
 turn and depart from it, be admonished, reproved 
 and condemned (yea, rather than those, that are not 
 yet come to the truth) because they crucify afresh 
 unto themselves the Lord of Glory, and put him to 
 open shame? It seems, the apostle judged it 
 very needful, they should be so dealt with. Tit. i. 10, 
 when he says, " there are many unruly. , and vain 
 talkers and deceivers, especially they of the circum- 
 cision, whose mouths must be stopped," &c. "Were 
 such a principle to be received or believed, that in 
 the Church af Ghnst no man should be separated 
 from, no man condemned or excluded the fellowship 
 and communion of the body, for his judgment or 
 opinion in matter of faith, then what blasphemies 
 so horrid, what heresies so. damnable, what doc- 
 trines of devils, but might harbour itself in the 
 Church of Christ? What need then of sound doc- 
 trine, if no doctrine makes nnsound ? What need of 
 convincing and exhorting gainsayers, if to gainsay 
 be no crime? Where should the unity of _Theinietof 
 the faith be ? Were njot this an inlet to all „" XXa- 
 manner of abomination? And to make ''""^ 
 void the whole tendency of Christ and his apostles' 
 
250 A PEBSUASIVB TO DKITT. 
 
 doctrine? And render the gospel of none effect? 
 And give a liberty to the inconstant and giddy will 
 of man to innovate, alter and overturn it at his 
 pleasure ? So that from all that is above-mentioned, 
 we do safely conclude, that where a people are gath- 
 ered together into the belief of the principles and 
 doctrines of the gospel of Christ, if any of that 
 people shall go from their principles and assert things 
 false and contrary to what they have already receiv- 
 ed ; such as stand and abide firm in the faith, have 
 power by the Spirit of God, after they have used 
 Christian endeavors to convince and reclaim them, 
 upon their obstinacy to separate from such, and to 
 exclude them from their spiritual fellowship and 
 communion : for otherways if this be denied, fare- 
 well to all Christianity, or to the maintaining of any 
 sound doctrine in the church of Christ. 
 Queshon a. But sccoudly, taking it for granted, that 
 the Church of Christ or assembly of believers may 
 in some cases, that are matters of conscience, pro- 
 nounce a positive sentence an* judgment without 
 hazard of imposition upon the members, it comes 
 to be inquired, in what cases, and how far this power 
 reacheth ? 
 
 Answer. I answcr, first, As that which is most 
 
 clear and undeniable ; in the fundamental principles 
 and doctrines of faith, in ease any should offer to 
 teach otherwise, as is above declared and proved. 
 But some may perhaps acknowledge that indeed, if 
 any should contradict the known and owned princi- 
 ples of truth, and teach otherwise, it were fit to cast 
 out and exclude such; but what judgest thou as to 
 lesser matters, as in principles of less consequence. 
 
CONCERNING TRUE DISCIPLINE. 251 
 
 or in outward ceremonies or gestures, whether it be 
 fit to press uniformity in these things ? For answer 
 to this, it is fit to consider : 
 
 First, The nature ofthe things themselves. consider- 
 Secondly, The Spirit and ground they """."s. 
 proceed from. 
 
 And Thirdly, The consequence and ten- 
 dency of them. 
 
 But before I proceed upon these, I affirm, and 
 that according to truth, that as the church and as- 
 sembly of God's people rnay and hath power to de- 
 cide by the Spirit of God in matters fundamental 
 and weighty (without which no decision nor decree 
 in whatever matters is available) so the same church 
 and assembly also in other matters of less moment, 
 as to themselves (yet being needful and ex- The decision 
 pedient with a respect to the circumstance lesfmomen" 
 of time, place and other things that obUgttoi^r 
 may fall in) may and hath power by the same Spirit, 
 and not otherwise^ being acted, moved and assisted, 
 and led by it thereto, to pronounce a positive judg- 
 ment : which, no doubt, will be found obligatory 
 upon all such, who have a sense and feeling of the 
 mind of the Spirit; though rejected by such as are 
 not watchful, and so are out of the feeling and unity 
 of the life. And this is that, which none that own 
 immediate Tevelation, or a being inwardly led by the 
 Spirit, to be now a thing expected or dispensed to 
 the saints, can without contradicting their own prin- 
 ciple, deny ; far less such, with whom I have to do in 
 this matter, who claiming this privilege lo particu- 
 lars, saying, " that they being moved to do such and 
 such things, though contrary to the mind and 
 sense of their brethren, are not to be judged for it ;" 
 
252 A PERSUASIVB TO UNITY. 
 
 adding, " why may it not be bo, that God hath 
 moved them to it ? Now if this be a sufficient rea- 
 son for them to suppose as to one or two, I may 
 without absurdity suppose it as well to the whole 
 body. And therefore as to the first, to wit : 
 Cons. I. The nature of tlie things themselves. If 
 
 it be such a thing, the doing or not doing whereof, 
 that is either any act, or the forbearance of any, may 
 Against the bring a real reproach or ground of accusar 
 truth. tion against the truth professed and owned, 
 
 and in and through which there may a visible 
 schism and dissension arise in the church, by which 
 truth's enemies may be gratified, and itself brought 
 into disesteem : then it is fit for such, whose care is 
 to keep all right, to take inspection in the matter, to 
 meet together in the fear of God, to wait for his 
 counsel, and to speak forth his mind, according as 
 he shall manifest himself in and among them. And 
 this was the practice of the primitive church in the 
 matter of circumcision. For here lay the debate : 
 some thought it not needful to circumcise the Gten- 
 tiles ; others thought it a thing not to be dispensed 
 with : and no doubt, of these (for we must remem- 
 ber, they were not the rebellious Jews, but such as 
 had already believed in Christ) there were, that did 
 it out of conscience, aa judging circumcision to be 
 still obligatory. For they said thus: "except ye be 
 circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot 
 be saved." Now what course took the Church of 
 The church Antioch in these cases ? Acts xv. 2. They 
 
 at Antioch . tt. -i i 
 
 sends a case determined that Paul and Barnabas, and 
 
 to Jerusalem ^ 
 
 for advice certsin Other of them should go unto Jeru- 
 
 Irom the C7 
 
 dders. salem, unto the apostles and elders about 
 
CONCBKNINa TEUE DISCIPLINE. 253 
 
 thia question. "We must not suppose, they wanted 
 the Spirit of God, at Antioch, to have decided the 
 matter, neither that these apostles neglected or went 
 from, their inward Guide in undertaking this jour- 
 ney; yet we see, they judged it meet in this matter 
 to have the advice and eoncurronce of the apostles 
 and elders, that were at Jerusalem, that they might 
 be all of one mind ifl the matter. For there is no 
 greater property of the Church of Christ, than pure 
 unity in the Spirit, that is, a consenting and one- 
 ness in judgment and practices in matters of faith 
 and worship (which yet admits of different measures, 
 growths and motions, but never contrary and con- 
 tradictory ones ; and' in these diversities of opera- 
 tions, yet still by the same Spirit, the true liberty is 
 exercised, as shall be declared hereafter :) therefore 
 prayeth Christj that they all may be one, as he and 
 the Father is one. To which purpose also let these 
 following Scriptures be examined : 
 
 Eom. xii: 16. "Be of the same mind one towards 
 another." 
 
 1 Cor. i: 10. "Now I beseech you, brethren, by 
 the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak 
 the same thing, and that there be no divisions among 
 you ; but that ye be perfectJy joined together in the 
 same mind, and in the same judgment. 
 
 Ephes. v: 21. "Submitting yourselves one to an- 
 other in the fear of God." 
 
 Phil, ii: 2. "Fulfill ye my joy, that ye be like 
 minded, having the same love, being of one accord, 
 of one mind." 
 
 And yet more remarkable is that of the Apostle 
 Paul to the Phillipians, chap. iii. verse 15, "Let us, 
 
254 A PKRSOASIVK TO UNITY. 
 
 therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded;, 
 and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God 
 shall reveal even this unto you. 
 
 Ver. 16. "Nevertheless, whereto we have already 
 attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind 
 t le same things. 
 
 Ver. 17. "Brethren, be followers together of me, 
 and mark them which walk so, as ye have us for an 
 example." 
 
 So here, though the Apostle grants forbearance in 
 things, wherein they have not yet attained ; yet he 
 concludes, they must walk so, as they have him for 
 an example, and so consequently not contrary, or 
 Pretenden otlierwisc. And therefore we conclude, that 
 tore judged whereas any in the Church of God pretend- 
 er of 'c^' ing conscience or revelation, shall arise to 
 teach and practice (however insignificant or small in 
 themselves) whether principles or practices, yet if 
 they be contrary to such as are already received as 
 true, and confirmed by God's Spirit in the hearts of 
 the saints, and that the introducing of these things 
 tend to bring reproach upon the truth, as such as 
 are not edifying in themselves, and so stumble the 
 weak ; those who have a true and right discerning, 
 may in and by the power of God authorizing them 
 (and no otherwise) condemn and judge such things; 
 and they so doing it, it will be obligatory upon all 
 the members, that have a true sense, because they 
 will feel it to be so, and therefore submit to it. And 
 thus far as to the nature of the things themselves. 
 
 Secondly, As to the spirit and ground they pro- 
 Cons. >. ceedfrom. Whatsoever innovation, difference 
 or diverse appearance, whether in doctrine or practice, 
 
CONCERNING TRUE DISCIPLINE. 255 
 
 proceedeth not from the pure moving of the Spirit of 
 God, or is not done out of pure tenderness what pro. 
 of conscience, but either from that, which fromfSie 
 being puffed up, affecteth singularity, and (SS, tobe 
 there-through would be observed, com- mddSed. 
 mended and exalted ; or from that, which is the ma- 
 lignity of some humours and natural tempers, 
 wliich will be contradicting without cause, and se- 
 cretly begetting of divisions, animosities and emula- 
 tions, by which the unity and unfeigned -love of the 
 brethren is lessened or rent ; I say, all things pro- 
 ceeding from this root and spirit, however little they 
 may be supposed to be of themselves, are to be 
 guarded against, withstood and denied, as hurtful to 
 the true Church's peace, and a hindrance to the pros- 
 perity of truth. 
 
 It it be said, how know ye that these Question, 
 things proceed from that ground ? 
 
 For answer, I make not here any application as to 
 particular persons or things ; but if it be Answer. 
 granted (as it cannot be denied) that there may arise 
 persons in the true Church, that may do such things 
 from such a spirit, though pretending conscience and 
 tenderness ; then it must also be acknowledged, that 
 such, to whom God hath given a true discerning by 
 his Spirit, may and ought to judge such practices, 
 and the spirit they come from, and have no unity 
 with them : which if it be owned in the The spirit 
 
 , of discem- 
 
 general, proves the case, to wit, that some ^^'"j?'* 
 pretending conscience in things seeming judges 
 indifferent, but yet it proceeding in them <"^- 
 from a spirit of singularity, emulation or strife, 
 those that have received a discerning thereof from 
 
256 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 the Lord, may and ought to judge the transgressors, 
 without being accounted imposers, oppressors of 
 conscience, or enforcers of uniformity, contrary to 
 the mind of Christ : against which the Apostle also 
 guardeth the Churches of old. 
 
 Phil. ii. 3, 4. "Let nothing be done through strife 
 or vain glory; but in lowliness of mind let each es- 
 teem others better than themselves. 
 
 "Look not every man on his own things; but 
 every man'also on the thinga of others." 
 
 Now, if it be an evil to do anything out of strife ; 
 then such things that are seen so to be done, are they 
 not to be avoided and forsaken ? So that we are 
 confident, our judgment herein cannot be denied, or 
 reputed erroneous ; exceipt it be said that none will 
 Pretenders Or Can arisc in the Church of Christ, pre- 
 
 may arise, -i i « t* t • • 
 
 and must be tcndmg such tmngs from such a spirit: 
 
 watched , . , t i .... 
 
 against. which I know not any that will, it being 
 contrary to the express prophecies of the scripture, 
 and the experience of the Church in all ages, as may 
 appear from Matt. xxiv. 24; Acts xv. 54; 1 Tim. iv. 
 5; 2 Tim. iii. 8; Mark xiii. 21, 22; 2 Peter ii. 19; 
 or, on the other hand, that those that abide faithful, 
 Diseemers of ^^^ ^&^Q a disccming of those evils, ought 
 ^ve'^' to ^® silent, and never ought to reprove and 
 '™^~ gainstand them ; nor yet warn and guard 
 others against them; and that it is a part of the com- 
 mendable unity of the Church of Christ, to suffer all 
 such things without taking notice of them. I know 
 none will say so; but if there be any so foolish, as 
 to affirm it, let them consider these scriptures : GTal. 
 ii. 4; 1 Tim. i. 20; 2 Tim. ii. 24, 25; Tit. 1, 9, 
 10, 11. 
 
CONCERNING TEUB DISCIPLINE. 257 
 
 Now if none of these hold true ; but on the con- 
 trary, such evils have been, and may be found to 
 creep in among the people of God, and that such as 
 see them, may and ought to reprove them ; then 
 necessarily the doing so, is neither imposition, force 
 nor oppression. 
 
 As to the third, concerning the consequence and 
 tendency of them, it is mostly included in the two 
 former : for whatsoever tendeth not to edi- Cons. 3. 
 fication ; but on the contrary to destruction, and to 
 beget discord among brethren, is to be Spweuof 
 avoided : according to that of the apostle, ijmong 
 Bom. xvi. 17 : "Now I beseech you, brethren, be avoided. 
 mark them, which cause divisions and oft'ences, con- 
 trary to the doctrine which ye have learned, and 
 avoid them." 
 
 And since there is no greater mark of the people 
 pf God, than to be at peace among them- to foiiovr 
 
 1 . lit 1 1 peace among 
 
 selves; whatsoever tendeth to break that ouisdves. 
 bond of love and peace, must be testified against. 
 Let it be observed, I speak always of the Church of 
 Christ indeed, and deal with such, as are of another 
 mind : not as reckoning only false churches not to 
 have this power, but denying it even to the true 
 Church of Christ, as judging it not fit for her so to 
 act, as in relation to her members. For though 
 Christ be the Prince of Peace, and doth most of all 
 commend love and unity to his disciples ; yet I also 
 know, he came not to send peace, but a sword, that 
 is, in dividing man from the lusts and sins he hath 
 been united to. And also it is the work of his dis- 
 ciples and messengers to break the bands and unity 
 of the wicked, wherein they are banded against God 
 
 17 
 
258 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 -To the and his truth, and the coDfederacy of euch 
 a^^Hs'ii as stand in unrighteousness, by inviting 
 the wjcked. ^^^ bringing as many as will obey, unto 
 righteousness, whereby they become disunited and 
 separated from their companions, with whom they 
 were centered, and at peace in the contrary and 
 ProT.xji.a6. cursod uaturc. And indeed, blessed are 
 they, that are sent forth of the Lord to scatter here, 
 that they may gather into the unity of the life : 
 and they are blessed, that in this respect, even for 
 righteousness' sake are scattered and separated 
 from their brethren ; that they may come to know 
 the brotherhood and fellowship which is in the 
 light; from which none ought to scatter, nor to be 
 scattered, but be more and more gathered there- 
 unto. And this leads me to what I proposed in the 
 third place under this head of the true church's 
 power in matters spiritual, or purely conscientious ; 
 which may be thus objected : 
 
 Ques. 3. If thou plead so much for an oneness in 
 
 the smallest matters, wherein consisteth the freedom 
 and liberty of the conscience, which may be exer- 
 cised by the members of the true church diversely, 
 without judging one another ? 
 Answer. In auswer to this proposition, I affirm, 
 
 first in general : that whatsoever things may be sup- 
 posed to proceed from the same spirit, though divers 
 in its appearance, tending to the same end of edifi- 
 cation, and which in the tendency of it layeth not a 
 real ground for division or dissention of spirit, fel- 
 low-members ought not only to bear one another, 
 but strengthen one another in them. 
 Now the respects wherein this may be, I can de- 
 
CONCEKNINa TEUE DISCIPLINE, 269 
 
 scribe no better than the apostle Paul doth princi- 
 pally in two places, which therefore will be. fit to 
 consider at length for the opening of this matter; 
 this being one of the weightiest points pertaining to 
 this subject. Because as on the one hand due for- 
 bearance ought to be exercised in its right Piace i. 
 place ; so on the other, the raany devices and false 
 pretences of the enemy creeping in here, ought to 
 be guarded against. 
 
 The first is, 1 Cor. xii., from verse 4 to 31, thus: 
 
 Verse 4. " Now there are diversities of Diversities of 
 gifts, but the same spirit. feonsf '"■ 
 
 Verse 5. " And there are differences of tionsTro^ 
 administrations, but the same Lord. splrimlkes 
 
 Verse 6. "And there are diversities of ■^'""™'°"- 
 operations, but it is the same God which worketh 
 all in all. 
 
 Verse 7. " But the manifestation of the Spirit is 
 given to every man to profit withal. 
 
 Verse 8. " For to one is given by the Spirit the 
 word of wisdom, to another the word of knowledge 
 by the same spirit. 
 
 Verse 9. " To another faith by the same Spirit, to 
 another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit. 
 
 Verse 10. " To another the working of miracles, to 
 another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, 
 to another divers kinds of tongues, to another the 
 interpretation of tongues. 
 
 Verse 11. " But all these worketh that one and the 
 self-same Spirit, dividing to every man severally as 
 he will. 
 
 Verse 12. "For as the body is one, and As many 
 hath many members, and all the members one body 
 
260 A PBKSDASIVB TO UNITY. 
 
 S°hoMk *" °^ *^?'* °°® hodj being many, are one body, 
 
 the same gg alsO 18 Chrlst. 
 
 Verse 13. " For by one Spirit are we all baptized 
 into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, 
 whether we be bond or free ; and have been all made 
 to drink into one Spirit. 
 
 Verse 14. " For the body ia not one member, but 
 many. 
 
 Verse 15. " If the foot shall say, because I am not 
 the hand, I am not of the body ; is it therefore not 
 of the body? 
 
 Verse 16. " And if the ear shall say, because I am 
 not the eye, I am not of the body ; is it not therefore 
 of the body ? 
 
 Verse 17. " K the whole body were an eye, where 
 were the hearing ? If the whole were hearing, where 
 were the smelling ? 
 
 Verse 18. " But now hath God set the members 
 every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased 
 him. 
 
 Verse 19. " And if they were all one member, 
 where were the body ? 
 
 Verse 20. " But now are they many members, yet 
 but one body? 
 
 Verse 21. " And the eye cannot say unto the hand, 
 I have no need of thee, nor again, the head to the 
 feet, I have no need of you : 
 
 Verse 22. " Nay, much more those members of the 
 body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary : 
 
 Verse 23. " And those members of the body, which 
 we think to be less honourable, upon these we be- 
 stow more abundant honour, and our uncomely 
 parts have more abundant comeliness. 
 
CONCEENINa TRUE DISCIPLINE. 261 
 
 Yerse 24. " For our comely parts have no need, 
 but God hath tempered the body together, having 
 given more abundant honour to that part which 
 lacked : 
 
 Verse 25. " That there should be no schism in the 
 body ; but that the members should have the same 
 care one of another. 
 
 Verse 26. "And whether one member suffer, all 
 the members, suffer with it ; or one member be hon- 
 oured, all the members rejoice with it. 
 
 Verse 27. "Now ye are the body of Christ, and 
 members in particular. 
 
 Verse 28. "And God hath set some in the church, 
 first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, 
 after that miracles, then gifts of healing, helps, 
 governments, diversities of tongues. 
 
 Verse 29. " Are all apostles ? Are all prophets ? 
 Are all teachers ? Are all workers of miracles ? 
 
 Verse 30. " Have all the gifts of healing ? Do all 
 speak with tongues ? Do all interpret ?" 
 
 Which I would not have set down at large, but 
 that there be some so careless (especially in matters 
 they like not) that they will scarce be at the pains 
 seriously to read over a citation only named ; and 
 that also this being presented before the reader in 
 the current of the discourse, will fix the nature of my 
 application the more in his understanding. Tor the 
 apostle shows here the variety of the operations of 
 the divers members of the body of Christ, working 
 to one and the same end; as the divers 
 members of a man's body towards the the premises. 
 maintaining and upholding of the whole. 
 
 Now these are not placed in contrary workings, for 
 
262 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 80 they would destroy one another ; and so the apos- 
 tle in the ordering of them in three several kinds 
 proves this. First, diversities of gifts. Secondly, 
 differences of administrations. Thirdly, diversities 
 of operations : and that which is the bond that 
 keeps the oneness, here he also mentions, to wit, 
 " the same Spirit, the same Lord, the same God :" 
 the apostle names nothing of contrariety or opposi- 
 tion. But lest any should he so critical, as to hring 
 in here the school distinction of contrarium oppo- 
 situm and contradictorium ; I shall not deny, hut con- 
 trariety or opposition, in the sense it is sometimes 
 taken, may be found in the body without schism: 
 as the comely parts may be said to be opposite or 
 contrary to the uncomely, or the left hand contrary 
 No contra- ^^ ^^^ rig^^t, or the foot opposite to the head 
 nc^mthe as thc uppermost part to the undermost; 
 chnsL Qj. ^jjg doing a thing is contrary to the for- 
 bearing of it ; but as for that which is acknowledg- 
 ed to be propositions or termini contradictorii, that is, 
 contradictory propositions, which are in themselves 
 irreconcilable, whereof one must be still wrong, and 
 that still destroy one another, and woik contrary 
 Instances, cffccts, they are not at all admitted, nor 
 supposed to be in the body of Christ ; as I shall give 
 in one instance, verse, 8: "To one is given by the 
 Spirit the word of wisdom, to another the word of 
 knowledge by the same Spirit." First, here are two 
 Firet. different gifts, but not contrary. Secondly, 
 
 Second. there may something like contrariety in 
 the sense afore -mentioned, be here supposed; as 
 some may want this gift of wisdom and knowledge, 
 and so to have is contrary to want (though as to 
 
CONCERNING TRUE DISCIPLINE. 263 
 
 these two, none may be absolutely said to want 
 them; yet all have them not in the same degree, as 
 a special gift ; though as to some gifts there may be 
 an absolute want, as that of miracles and interpre- 
 tations of tongues.) But should I suppose such a 
 contrariety, or more properly a contradiction, as to 
 wisdora to oppose folly, and to knowledge utter ig- 
 norance ; this were an opposition not to be admitted 
 of in the body, because it were false to suppose, that 
 to proceed from the same spirit. And such con- 
 trarieties or diversities, as cannot justly be supposed 
 to proceed from the same Spirit of God, which is the 
 bond that links together, cannot be mutually enter- 
 tained in the body. So the differences and diversi- 
 ties, which the apostle admits of, while he Diversities of 
 speaks largely in this matter, are, that none ^p°erationsin 
 ought to be offended at his brother, that he '^^^"^y- 
 hath not the same work and office in the body, that 
 he hath ; but that every one keep in his own place, 
 as Grod hath appointed them; that neither them 
 that are set in a higher place, despise them that are 
 set in a lower ; nor them that are set in a lower, 
 grudge and repine at. such as are set higher : but all 
 work in their proper place towards the edification 
 of the whole. And that the apostle intends this, is 
 manifest, where he draws to a conclusion, verse 27 : 
 " I^ow ye are the body of Christ and members in 
 particular, and God hath set some in the church, 
 first, apostles, secondly, prophets, &c. and then he 
 subsumes, are all apostles ? &c. 
 
 Which the same Paul again confirms, Eph. i. 8, 
 11 to the 17th, which was the second place Pi^e 2. 
 I intended ; and shall only mention for brevity's 
 
264 A PERSOASIVB TO TTNITT. 
 
 sake, leaving the reader to eonfiider of it at hia 
 leisure. 
 
 This is also held forth by the beloved disciple John 
 in his threefold distinction, 1 John, ii. 12, 13, of 
 fathers, young men, and little children : and by Peter 
 V. 1-5, in that of elders and younger. The true lib- 
 The true lib- ertv thcu in the Church of Christ la exer- 
 
 eny in the . ^ . t i 
 
 church. cised, when as onejudgeth not another in 
 these different places ; but live in love together, all 
 minding the unity and general good of the body, and 
 to work their own work in their own place. Also 
 the forbearance of the saints is exercised, when as 
 they judge not one another for being found in the 
 different appearance either of doing or forbearing ; 
 which may be peculiar to their several places and 
 Diversiries statlous iu the body : for that there is and 
 p^S'^b^' ™*y ^® diversities of works there, is excel- 
 ihe apostle, jgntly wcll-cxpressed by the Apostle, viz. : 
 
 Rom. xii. 3."For I say through the grace given 
 unto me, to every man that is among you, not to 
 think of himself more highly than he ought to 
 think ; but to think soberly, according as God hath 
 dealt to every man the measure of faith. 
 
 Verse 4."For as we have many members in one 
 body, and all members have not the same office ; 
 
 Verse 5."So we being many, are one body in 
 Christ, and every one members one of another. 
 
 Verse 6. "Having then gifts differing, according 
 to the grace that is ^veti to us, whether prophecy, 
 let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith : 
 
 Verse 7. "Or ministry, let us wait on our minis- 
 tering ; or he that teacheth, on teaching : 
 
 Verse 8. "Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation : 
 
CONCERNING TRUE DISCIPLINE, 265 
 
 he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity : he that 
 ruleth, with diligence : he that showeth mercy, with 
 cheerfulness." 
 
 If any then should quarrel with his brother, for 
 exercising that which helongeth to the office of the 
 body Christ has called him to, and would force him 
 to exercise the same office he doth, though he be not 
 called to it ; here is a breach of Christian .j,^^ ^^^^^ 
 liberty, and an imposing upon it. Now all teg^,g"^ 
 schisms and jars fall out in this two-fold *"^ sciiisins. 
 respect : either when any person or persons assume 
 another or an higher place in the body, than God 
 will have them to be in, and so exercise an office ; or 
 go about to perform that which they ought . not to 
 do ; or when aa any truly exercising in their place, 
 which God hath given them, others rise up and 
 judge them, and would draw them from it : both of 
 which cases have been, and may be supposed to fall 
 out in the Church of Christ. As 1 Cor. iv. 3, 4, where 
 some judged Paul wrongously : 3 John 9, where one 
 exalting himself above his place, judged, whom he 
 ought not. "We see, then, what diversities be most 
 usually in the Church of God; consisting in the dif- 
 ference of the gift proceeding from the same Spirit; 
 and in the divers places, that the several members 
 have in the same body for the edification of it ; and 
 every one being here in his own station, his standing 
 therein is his strength and perfection ; and to be in 
 another^ though higher and more eminent, would 
 but weaken and hurt him: and so in this there 
 ought to be a mutual forbearance, that there may 
 neither be a coveting nor aspiring on the one hand, 
 nor yet a despising or condemning on the other. 
 
266 A PERSUASIVB TO tJNITT. 
 
 Bat besides the forbearance of tliis nature, which is 
 most ordinary and universal, (and for the exercise 
 whereof there is and will still be a need, so long as 
 there is any gathering or Church of Christ upon the 
 earth) there is a certain liberty and forbearance also, 
 that is more particular, and has a relation to the cir- 
 cumstance of times and places, which will not hold 
 AcBoffor- universally: whereof we have the example 
 IhcTriSL of the primitive church, testified by the 
 church. Scriptures in two or three particulars. The 
 first was, in suffering circumcision to the Jews for a 
 time, and not only so, but also divers others of the 
 legal and ceremonial purifications and customs, as 
 may appear, Acts xxi. ver. 21 , 22, 23, 24, &c. The 
 second was in the observation of certain days, Rom. 
 xiv. 5. And the third in the abstaining from meats, 
 1 Cor. viii. throughout : here the apostle persuades 
 to and recommends a forbearance, because of the 
 weakness of some : for he says not anywhere, nor 
 can it be found in all the Scriptures of the gospel, 
 that these things such weak ones were exercised in, 
 were things indispensably necessary, or that it had 
 been better for them, they had not been under such 
 scruples, providing it had been from a principle of 
 true clearness, and so of faith. 
 
 Next again, these acta of forbearance were done 
 in a condescension to the weakness of such, upon 
 Acisof for- whom the ancient (and truly deserved in its 
 
 b-jarancc or \ tf 
 
 condesceo- season") veneration of the law had such a 
 
 sion under ' 
 
 the law. deep impression , that they could not yet d i s- 
 pense with all its ceremonies and customs : and to 
 such the apostle holds forth a two-fold forbearance. 
 Mrst, a certain compliance by such believers as 
 
CONCERNING TRUE DISCIPLINE. 267 
 
 were gathered out from the Jews : though , 
 
 they saw over these things, yet it was fit ^° J°"'' 
 they should condescend somewhat to their country- 
 men and brethren, who were weak. 
 
 Secondly, the like forbearance in the Gentiles, not 
 to judge them in these things; but we see, , 
 that it was not allowed for such weak ones ToGenhies. 
 to propagate these scruples, or draw others into 
 them ; and that when as any of the churches of the 
 Grentiles, who wanted this occasion, would have been 
 exercising this liberty, or pleading for it, the Apostle 
 doth downrrightly condemn it, as I shall, make ap- 
 pear in all the three instances above mentioned. 
 
 First, in that of circumcision, Gal, v. inst i. 
 
 ' Of circrnn- 
 
 2 4. cision. 
 
 " Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be cir- 
 cumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing ; Christ is 
 become of none effect unto you : whosoever of you 
 are justified by the law, ye are fallen fromgrace." 
 
 Can there be anything more positive ? Might not 
 some here have pretended tenderness of conscience, 
 and have said, though the decree of the Apostles do 
 dispense vdth circumcision in me ; yet if I find a 
 scruple in myself, and a desire to it out of tenderness, 
 why should it be an evil in me to do itf more than 
 in the Jews that believe ? "We see, there is no room 
 left here for such reasoning. 
 
 Secondly, as to observations. Gal. iv. 9, 10, 11. 
 Might not they have answered, what if we ^^^ ^ 
 regard a day to the Lord, must we not then ? ^f„f„7"»-^ 
 Are not these thy own words ? We see, "^^y^- 
 that did not hold here, because in them it was a re- 
 turning to the beggarly elements. 
 
268 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 Thirdly, as to meats, 1 Tim. iv. 3. Here we see, 
 insL 3. t^^t is aecouuted a doctrine of devils ; 
 Of meals, .^iiicli lo another respect was Christian 
 forbearance. And therefore now, and that in the 
 general respect, he gives this reason, verse 4: " For 
 every creature of God is good, and nothing to be re- 
 fused, if it be received with thanksgiving of them 
 that believe, and know the truth." So we see, that 
 in these particular things there is a great need of 
 wariness in the Church of Christ; for that some 
 times forbearance under a pretence of liberty may 
 be more hurtful, than down-right judging. I sup- 
 pose, if any should arise, and pretend conscience, 
 and claim a liberty for circumcision and the purifi- 
 cation of the law, whether all Christians would not 
 with one voice condemn it ? And so as to days 
 and meats, how do the generality of Protestants 
 judge it ? Though I deny not, but there may and 
 ought to be a mutual forbearance in the Church of 
 Christ in certain such cases, which may fall in ; 
 and a liberty there is in the Lord, which breaks not 
 the peace of the true church : but in such matters 
 (as I observed at large before) both the nature of the 
 things, the spirit they come from, and the occasion 
 from whence, and their consequence and tendency is 
 to be carefully observed. 
 
 SECTION vn. 
 
 OONCBKNINQ THE POWER OP DECISION. 
 
 Seeing then, it may fall out in the Church of Christ, 
 that both some may assume another place in the 
 body than they ought, and others may lay claim to 
 a liberty, and pretend coufciencc in things they 
 
CONCBRNINa TRUE DISCIPLINE. 269 
 
 ought not, and that without question the wrong is 
 not to be tolerated, hut to be testified against, how- 
 ever specious its appearance may be ; and that it 
 must and ought to be judged : the question will 
 arise, "Who is the proper iudge or iudges, Head in. 
 
 I, -J 4.V 4.1. e 1 -^ Proportion 
 
 in whom resideth the power oi deciding *■ 
 this controversy ? and this is that, which I under- 
 took in the next place to treat of, as being the spe- 
 cific difference, and distinguishing property of the 
 Church of Christ from all other anti-christian assem- 
 blies and churches of man's building and framing. 
 
 To give a short, and yet clear and plain answer to 
 this proposition: the only proper judge of The Spirit oi 
 controversies in the Church, is the Spirit of pr°pe*judge 
 God, and the power of deciding solely lies "feHn'thr'^" 
 in it ; as having the only unerring, infalli- <='"»'■'^•'• 
 ble and certain judgment belonging to it: which in- 
 fallibility is not necessarily annexed to any persons, 
 person, or places whatsoever, by virtue of any office, 
 place, or station any one may have, or have had in the 
 body of Christ. That is to say, that any have 
 ground to reason thus, because I am or have been 
 such an eminent member, therefore my judgment is 
 infallible ; or, because we are the greatest number ; 
 or, that we live in such a noted or famous place, or 
 the like : though some of these reasons may and 
 ought to have their true weight in case of contradic- 
 tory assertions, (as shall hereafter be observed,) yet 
 not so, as upon which either mainly or only the in- 
 fallible judgment is to be placed; but upon the 
 Spirit, as that which is the firm and unmovable 
 foundation. 
 
 And now, if I should go on no further, I have 
 
270 A PERSUABIVB TO UNITY. 
 
 said enough to vindicate us from imposition, and 
 from the tyranny, whether of popery, prelacy, or 
 presbytery, or any such like we have or may he 
 branded with ; as shall after appear. 
 
 But to proceed : herein lies the difference betwixt 
 the dispensation of the law, and the Gospel or new 
 covenant ; for that of old all answers were to be re- 
 ceived from the priests in the tabernacle. For he, 
 that appeared betwixt the cherubims there, spake 
 forth his mind to the people ; and there were al jo 
 Exo. XXV. 22. families of the prophets, to whom they re- 
 sj- .. sorted for the answers of the Lord (though 
 
 Hos. xii. lo. . . /. . /• 1 /> 1 
 
 Amosvu.14. sometimes as a signification of thj further 
 
 2 Chron. ^ 
 
 ToiJn *• ^' S^°^y» *^^*' ^^ *° ^® revealed, it pleased 
 Heb. i. I, J. Q-od to reveal his mind to aome, even to 
 them, who were neither prophets nor prophets' sons) ; 
 but under the gospel, we are all to be taught of God, 
 that is, none are excluded from his privilege by not 
 being of the tribe of Levi, or of the children of the 
 prophets : though this privilege is as truly exercised 
 in some by assenting and obeying, to what God 
 commands and reveals through others, (they feeling 
 unity with it in the life,) as by such, who by tne 
 revelation and command of God's Spirit hold forth 
 his will to his people in certain particulars, which 
 the same Spirit leads and commands them to obey. 
 So that we say, and that with a very good ground, 
 that it is no way Inconsistent with this sound and 
 unerring principle, to affirm, that the judgment of a 
 Judgment certain person or persons in certain cases 
 
 infallible pro- ^ •*■ 
 
 S^s Sr ^^ infallible, or for a certain person or per- 
 "''^iiibie. sons to give a positive judgment, and pro- 
 nounce it as obligatory upon others, because the 
 
CONCEENINQ TRUE DISCIPLINE. 271 
 
 foundations and ground thereof is not because they 
 are infallible, but because in these things, and at that 
 time, they were led by the infallible Spirit. And 
 therefore it will not shelter any in this reupect to 
 pretend, I am not bound to obey the dictates of fal- 
 lible man ; is not this popery, I not being persuaded 
 in myself ? Because it is not to be disobedient to 
 them, but to the judgment of truth through them 
 at such a time ; and one or more there not being 
 persuaded, may as probably proceed from their being 
 , hardened, and being out of their place, and in an 
 incapacity to hear the requirings, as that the thing 
 is not required of them ; which none can deny, but 
 it may as well be supposed, as the contrary. But for 
 the further clearing of this matter, before I conclude, 
 I shall not doubt both to affirm and prove these fol- 
 lowing propositions : 
 
 First, That there never will, nor can be Assert, i. 
 wanting, in case of controversy, the Spirit of God to 
 give judgment through some or other in the Church 
 of Christ, so long as any assembly can properly, or 
 in any tolerable supposition be so termed. 
 
 Secondly, That God hath ordinarily, in Assert. 2. 
 the communicating of his will under his gospel, 
 employed such, whom he had made use of in gath- 
 ering of his Church, and in feeding and watching 
 over them ; though not excluding others. 
 
 Thirdly, That their de facto, or effectual Assert. 3. 
 meeting together, and giving a positive judgment in 
 such cases, will not import tyranny and usurpation, 
 or an inconsistency with the universal privilege, that 
 all Christians have, to be led by the Spirit ; neither 
 will the pretences of any contradicting them, or re- 
 
272 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 fusing to submit upon tho account they see it not, or 
 so, excuse them from being really guilty of disobey- 
 ing God. 
 
 Assert. I. For the first, to those that believe the 
 proved. Scripture, there will need no other proba- 
 tion, than that of Matt, xxviii. 20: " And lo, I am 
 with you alway,even unto the end of the world." 
 And xvi. 18, " And the gates of hell shall not pre- 
 vail against it." 
 
 Now, if the Church of Christ were so destitute of 
 TheinfaDibie the Spirit of God, that in case of difference 
 
 Spintthe ^ /. 1 1 1 1 • 
 
 gates of hen thcre wcro not any found, that by the m- 
 
 cannot pre. , . 
 
 vau againiit. feUible Spirit could give a certain judg- 
 ment; would not then the gates of hell prevail 
 against it ? For where is strife and division, and no 
 effectual way to put an end to it, there not only the 
 gates, but the courts and inner chambers of dark- 
 ness prevail; for where envying and strife is, there is 
 confusion and every evil work. 
 
 But that there may be here no ground of mistake, 
 or supposition, that we were annexing infallibility to 
 certain persons, or limiting the Church to such ; I 
 understand not by the Church, every particular gath- 
 ering or assembly, circumscribed to any particular 
 country or city : for I will not refuse, but divers of 
 them, both apart and together, if not established in 
 God's power, may err. Nor yet do I lay the abso- 
 The erring lutc stress upon a general assembly of per- 
 peopie. sons, OS such, plckcd and chosen out of 
 every one of those particular Churches ; as if what 
 the generality or plurality of those conclude upon, 
 were necessarily to be supposed to be the inMlible 
 judgment of truth : though to such an assembly of 
 
CONCBRNINQ TRUE DISCIPLINE. 273 
 
 persons truly stated (as they ought) in God's power, 
 lie hath heretofore revealed his will in such cases ; 
 and yet may, as the most probable way (which shall 
 be spoken of hereafter :) yet suchj as a mere assem- 
 bly, is not conclusive. 'Nov yet do I understand by 
 the Church, every gathering or assembly of people, 
 who may hold sound and true principles, or have a 
 form of truth ; for some may lose the life Having the 
 and power of godliness, who notwithstand- fo™of«>^'i^ 
 ing may retain the form or notions of things, but yet 
 are to be turned away from, because in so far (as I 
 observed before) as sanctiflcation, to wit, those that 
 are sanctified in Christ Jesus, make the Church, and 
 give the right definition to it : where that is wholly 
 wanting, the Church of Christ ceaeeth to be; and 
 there remains nothing but a shadow without sub- 
 stance. Such assemblies then are like the dead body, 
 when the soul is departed^ which is no more fit to be 
 conversed with ; because it corrupts, and proves 
 noisome to the living. But by the Church of Christ 
 I understand all those, that truly and really have re- 
 ceived and hold the truth, as it is in Jesus, and are 
 in measure sanctified, or sanctifying in and by the 
 power and virtue thereof, working in their ^he true 
 inward parts : and this may be made up of *"^''''- 
 divers distinct gatherings or churches in several 
 countries or nations : I say, so long as these or any 
 of them do retain that, which justly entitles them 
 the Church or Churches of Christ (which they may be 
 truly called) though there may fall out soipe differ- 
 ences, divisions, or schisms among them : as we may 
 see, there was no small dissensions in the Church of 
 Antioch, and yet it ceased not to be a church. Acta 
 XV. 2, and 1 Cor. i. 11. 
 
 18 
 
274 A PERSUASIVE TO UXITY. 
 
 " For it hath been declared unto me of you, my 
 brethren, that there are contentions among you," 
 and yet verse 2, he entitles them the Church of God, 
 them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus ; so long, I 
 say, as they truly retain this title of the Church of 
 Christ, as being really such, there will never be 
 wanting the certain judgment of truth. For which, 
 The certain bcsldes thc posltivo promise of Christ be- 
 ii^ih'isneve'r ^o^® mentioued, (which is not without blas- 
 th^^jsmthe piiemy to be called in question, or doubted 
 '^'^'" of,) I shall add these reasons. That seeing 
 the Church of Christ is his body, of which he is the 
 head, it were to make Christ negligent of his body, 
 who styles himself the good shepherd, and hath said, 
 he vrill never leave nor forsake his own; or else 
 (which is worse) it will infer a posibility of error, or 
 mistake in Christ, in whom, as the head are the eyes 
 of the body, by which it is to be ruled in all things. 
 Next, we never find in all the Scripture, since the 
 Gospel, that ever this was wanting ; but that God 
 still gave infallible judgment by his Spirit in some 
 of the respects above mentioned. If the transac- 
 tions and controversies of the after centuries be al- 
 leged, I will boldly affirm and prove, that there was 
 never a true judgment wanting, so long as the nature 
 and essence of the true Church was retained ; if any 
 will needs affirm otherwise,let them show me where, 
 and I will answer it. Though I deny not, (that after 
 the mystery of iniquity did begin to work, or had so 
 wrought first by intermixing, and afterward by alto- 
 gether forsaking the nature of truth, retaining only 
 the bare name of the Church) but that there might 
 be some scattered ones, here and there one in a na- 
 
CONCERNING TRUE DISCIPLINE. 275 
 
 tion, and now and then one in an age, who by the 
 power and virtue of the Spirit of Life working in 
 them, might be truly sanctified ; yet these were but 
 as witnesses in sackcloth, no ways sufficient viritnesses in 
 to give these assemblies, in which they ^■^i":!''*' 
 were engrossed, the appellation of the Church of 
 Christ, coming no more under observation by the 
 generality, nor having as to them any more influ- 
 ence, than some tittle, or scarcely discernable sparks 
 of fire in many great heaps and mountains of ashes. 
 And thus much to prove, that ■yrhere there is any 
 gathering or assembly, which truly and properly may 
 be called the Church of Christ, the infallible judg- 
 ment will never be wanting in matters of contro- 
 versy. 
 
 Secondly, that ordinarily Grod hath in the j^^^^ ^ 
 communicating of his will under his Gos- p"^=<'- 
 pel employed such, whom he had made use of in 
 gathering of his Church, and in feeding and watch- 
 ing over them, though not excluding others. For 
 as in a natural body (to which the Church of Christ 
 is compared) the more substantial and powerful 
 members do work most efiectually ; and their help is 
 most necessary to supply any defect or trouble in the 
 body: so also, if there be diversities of gifts in the 
 Church (as is above proved) and some have a greater 
 measure, and some a lesser ; those that have the 
 greater, are more capable to do good and to help the 
 body in its need, than others, that are weaker, and 
 less powerful : since there are strong and weak, 
 babes and young men, " who have overcome the evil 
 one, and in whom the word of God abideth;" such 
 are more able when the enemy besets, to resist (hav- 
 
276 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 ing already overcome) than others, who are but yet 
 wrestling, and not conquerors. Now, every contro- 
 From the be- vcrsy and dissension in the Church comes 
 AnS'OTy from the besetmenta of the enemy ; yet if 
 
 dissensions « ,-, 
 
 arise. any of these strong or young men, or pow- 
 
 erful members, go from their station, it Is not denied, 
 but that they are as weak as any ; and it is presup- 
 posing their faithfulness in their place, that I thus 
 affirm, and no otherwise. Nor yet do I limit the 
 Lord to this method : " For in him are all the treas- 
 ures both of our vrisdom and strength;" and the 
 weakest in his hand is as strong as the strongest, who 
 may now, as well as heretofore, kill a Goliath by the 
 hand of little David : yet we see, the Lord doth or- 
 dinarily make use of the strong to support the weak ; 
 and indeed, when such as may be termed weak, are 
 80 made use of, it alterp the nature of their place, 
 and constitutes them in a higher and more eminent 
 degree. For though it was little David, it was also 
 he that was to be Bang of Israel. Though the Apos- 
 tles were mean men among the Jews ; yet they were 
 such, as were to be the Apostles of the Lord of glory, 
 instruments to gather the lost sheep of the house of 
 Israel, and to proclaim the acceptable day of the 
 Lord. And though Paul was once accounted the 
 least of all the saints, a child born out of due time : 
 yet was he him, who was to be the greatest apostle 
 of the Gentiles. 
 
 Now then let us consider, whpm the Lord makes 
 use of in the affe,irs of the primitive Church, and 
 through whom he gave forth his infallible judgment ? 
 Did he not be^n first by Peter ? He was the first, 
 that spake in the first meeting they had, Acts i.,and 
 
CONCERNIKQ TRUE DISCIPLINE. 277 
 
 •who first stood up after the pouring forth of the Spirit; 
 and who first appeared before the council of the Jews, 
 and spake in behalf of the Gospel of Christ : though 
 I am far from calling him (as some do) the Prince of 
 the Apostles; yet I may safely say, he was one of 
 the most ancient and eminent, and to whom Christ 
 in a manner somewhat more than ordinary had re- 
 con^mended the feeding of his flock. "We see also, 
 he was first made use of in preaching to the Gentiles ; 
 and what weight his and James's words had in the 
 contest about circumcision towards the bringing the 
 matter to a conclusion, Acts xv. Yet that we may 
 see, infallibility was not inseparably annexed to him, 
 he was found blamable in a certain matter, Gal. ii . 
 11, notwithstanding his sentence was positively re- 
 ceived in many particulars. 
 
 So also the Apostle Paul argues from his gather- 
 ing of the Churches of Corinth and Galatia, that they 
 ought to be followers of him ; and positively con- 
 cludes in divers things : and upon this supposition 
 exhorts the churches (both he and Peter) in many 
 passages heretofore mentioned, (which I will not, to 
 avoid repetition, again rehearse,) to obey the elders 
 that watch for them ; to hold such in reputation, and 
 to submit themselves to them that have addicted 
 themselves to the ministry of the saints, I Cor. xvi. 
 15, 16. 
 
 Also we see, how the Lord makes use of John his 
 beloved disciple, to inform and reprove the seven 
 Churches of Asia ; and no doubt, John, (the rest by 
 the usual computation being at that time all removed) 
 was then the most noted and famous elder alive : and 
 indeed, I mind not where, under the Gospel, Christ 
 
278 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 hath used any other method, hut that he always in 
 revealing his -will hath made use of such, as he him- 
 self had hefore appointed elders and officers in his 
 Church. Though it be far from us to limit the Lord, 
 so as to exclude any from this privilege ; nor yet on 
 the other hand will the possibility hereof be a suffi- 
 cient warrant to allow every obscure member to stand 
 up, and offer to rule, judge and condemn the whole 
 body : nor yet is it without cause, that such an one's 
 messageis jealoused, and called in question, unless it 
 have very great evidence, and be bottomed upon some 
 very weighty and solid cause and foundation. And 
 God doth so furnish those whom he raiseth up, in a 
 singular manner, of which (as I said) I mind no in- 
 stance in the New Testament : and in the Old wo 
 see, though it was strange, that little David should 
 oppose himself to the great Goliath, yet he had before 
 that killed both the lion and the bear, which was no 
 less improbable ; and which of all is most observa- 
 ble, was before that time by the appointment of God, 
 and the hand of the prophet anointed King of Israel. 
 Compare the 16th and 17th chapter of the 1st of 
 Samuel. 
 
 Now as to the third, that any particular persons de 
 AsMrt. 3 fc^to, or effectually giving out a positive 
 proved. judgment, is no encroaching nor imposing 
 upon their brethren's conscience, is necessarily in- 
 cluded in what is said before ; upon which for further 
 probation there will only need this short reflection. 
 That for any member or members in obedience to 
 the Lord to give forth a positive judgment in the 
 Church of Christ, is their proper place and office, 
 they Ijiing called to it; and so for thera to exercise 
 
CONCERNING TRUE DISCIPLINE. 279 
 
 that place in the hody, which the head moves them 
 to, is not to usurp authority over their fellow-mem- 
 bers : as on the other hand to submit and obey, (it 
 being the place of some so to do,) is not a renouncing 
 a being led by the Spirit ; seeing the Spirit leads 
 them so to do; and not to obey, in case the judg- 
 ment be according to truth, and the Spirit lead to it, 
 is, no doubt, both offensive and sinfal. And that 
 all this may be supposed in the Church of Christ 
 without absurdity, and so establish the above men- 
 tioned propositions, will appear by a short review of 
 the former passages. 
 
 If that Peter and James their giving a positive 
 judgment in the case of difference in divers particu- 
 lars, did not infer them to be imposers, so neither 
 will any so doing now, being led to it by th%same 
 authority : every one may easily make the applica^ 
 tion. And on the contrary, if for any to have stood 
 up and resisted their judgment, pretending an un- 
 clearness, or so, and thereby held up the difference 
 after their sentencej breaking the peace and unity 
 of the Church, (things being concluded with Acts xv. ai. 
 as it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us,) I 
 say, if such would have given just cause of offence, 
 and have been cut off, as despisers of dignities of 
 old, will not the like case now occurring hold the 
 same conclusion ? !N'ow whether those propositions 
 do not hold upon the principles before laid down 
 and proved, I leave to every judicious and impartial 
 reader to judge. 
 
 Moreover, we see, how positive the Apostle Paul is 
 in many particulars throughout all his epistles, in- 
 asmuch as he saith, 2 Thess. iii. 14, " If any mm 
 
280 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and 
 have no company with him, that he may be ashamed." 
 And in many more places before mentioned, where 
 Submisapn he commands them both to obey him and 
 enceiothe sevBral ctheps, who were appointed (no 
 
 jud:imcnt ol x i. \ 
 
 s "i'uifGod ^^^^^ ^y ^^ Spirit of God) to be rulers 
 leads into, amoug thcm ; and yet who will say, that 
 either the apostle did more than he ought, in com- 
 manding ? Or they less, than they were obliged to, 
 in submitting? And yet neither were to do any 
 thing contrary or more, than the Spirit of God in 
 themselves led them to, or allowed them in. And if 
 the Church of God bear any parity or proportion 
 now in these days, with what it did of old (as I know 
 no reason why it should not) the same things may 
 now be supposed to take effect, that did then ; and 
 also be lawfully done upon the like occasion pro- 
 ceeding from the same Spirit, and established upon 
 the same basis and foundation. And thus much as 
 to that part, to show, in whom the power of decision 
 is ; which being seriously and impartially considered, 
 is suflnicient to clear us from the tyranny either of 
 popery, or any other of that nature, with those that 
 are not either wilfully blind, or very ignorant of 
 popish principles, as the judicious reader may ob- 
 serve. But seeing, to manifest that difference, was 
 one of those things proposed to be considered of, I 
 shall now come to say something of it in its proper 
 plaoe. 
 
CONCERNING TRUE DISCIPLINE. 281 
 
 SECTION vni. 
 
 HOW THIS GOVERNMENT ALTOGETHER DIFFERETH FROM 
 THE OPPRESSING AND PERSECUTING PRINCIPALITY 
 OF THE CHURCH OF ROME, AND OTHER ANTI-CHRIS- 
 TIAN ASSEMBLIES. 
 
 Whatever way we understand the popish princi- 
 ples in this matter, whether of those that Head iir. 
 
 •*■ ' Proposition 
 
 are most devoted to the see of Eom^j as the 3, ployed. 
 king of Spain's dominions j and the princes of Italy; 
 the Jesuits and generality of all those called reli- 
 gious orders, who hold, that Papa in cathedra non 
 potest errare, licet absque eoncilio ; that is, That the 
 pope in his chair cannot err, though without a coun- 
 cil; or of those that are less devoted, who plead this 
 infallibility' in the pope and council lawfully con- 
 vened, who yet by the more zealous are reckoned 
 petty schismatics; I say, whatever way we principles 
 take them, all those that do profess them- Ro'^fsh 
 selves members of the Romish church, and <^^^'^^- 
 are 80 far such, as to understand their own princi- 
 ples, do unquestionably acknowledge. 
 
 First, That no general council can be law- 1. 
 
 fally called, without the bishop of Rome, as Christ's 
 vicar and Peter's successor, call it. 
 
 Secondly, That either he himself,or some 11. 
 
 for him, as his legates, must be there present, and 
 always preflide. . . .,. 
 
 Thirdly, That the members having vote, ni. 
 
 are made up of bishops or presbyters, or commis- 
 sioners from the several orders, being of the clergy. 
 
 Fourthly, That what is concluded on by iv. 
 
 plurality of votes, and agreed to by the pope and his 
 
282 A PKRSUASIVK TO UNITY. 
 
 legates, must necessarily be supposed to be the judg- 
 ment of the infallible Spirit. 
 
 V. Fifthly, That all the members of the 
 church are bound implicitly to receive and believs 
 it, because it proceeds from a council to be account- 
 ed lawful in the respects above mentioned, without 
 regard to the intrinsic or real truths of the things 
 prescribed, or bringing them in any respect to the 
 test or examination of the Spirit of God in them- 
 selves, or the Scripture's testimony, or their agree- 
 ment or disagreement with truths formerly believed 
 and received : for so much as to prove or try them 
 by way of doubt, they reckon a breach of the first 
 command ; as on the other hand a matter of merit, 
 implicitly to receive and believe them, however in- 
 consistent with the testimony of the Spirit in one's 
 own heart. Scripture, truth and reason. 
 
 VI. Sixthly, That no man as a member of 
 the church of Christ in that simple capacity, unless 
 a clergyman, or the ambassador of some king, &c., 
 can be admitted to sit, vote, or give his judgment. 
 
 VII. Seventhly, That it is in no respect to be 
 supposed, that any members, especially laics, whether 
 in a particular city, country or nation, may meet 
 concerning any things relating to the faith and wor- 
 ship of the church, and give by the Spirit of God 
 any judgment ; but that all such meetings are to be 
 accounted schismatical and unlawful. And 
 
 VIII. Lastly, That the promise of infallibility, 
 and the gates of hell not prevailing, is necessarily 
 
 jinnexed to the pope and council called and author- 
 ized in the manner above expressed, 
 Xow if to deny every one of these -propositions, 
 
CONCERNING TRUE DISCIPLINE. 283 
 
 wherein all understanding men know the errors and 
 abuses of the Romish charch consist, be to be po- 
 pish ; then indeed may we be supposed to be one 
 with the Papists in this matter, but no otherwise : 
 so that the very mentioning of these things is suiB.- 
 eient to show the difference betwixt us and them. 
 But if any will needs plead our agreement with 
 them thus : 
 
 The Papists affirm an infallibility of objection, 
 judgment in the church of Christ, and so do you; 
 therefore you are one with Papists. 
 
 I answer, that proves no more our one- Answer i. 
 ness in this matter, than if it should be said, the 
 Papists plead that, God ought to be worshipped, and 
 so do you ; therefore ye agree : notwithstanding of 
 the vast differences as to that, which is not only 
 known betwixt us and them, but betwixt them and 
 all Protestants, who agree more with them in the 
 matter of worship, than we do. 
 
 Next again, infallibility in the Church, Answer >. 
 (according as we hold it, and I have above defined 
 it,) no man upon our supposition (or h/pothesis) can 
 deny it. For since we first assert, as a principle, 
 that no gathering, no church, nor assembly j^^ t^^^ 
 of people, however true their principles or by"h1';nfif.'^ 
 exact their form be, are to be accounted ™^spmt. 
 the Church of Christ, except the infallible Spirit 
 lead and guide; what can be the hazard to say, that 
 in such a church there is still an infallible judgment ? 
 Indeed, this is so far from Popery, that it resolves in 
 a proposition quite contradictory to them. The Ko- 
 manists say, that the infallible Spirit always accom- 
 panies the outward visible professors, and is annexed 
 
284 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 to the external succession of bishops and pastors, 
 though ever so vicious as to their lives : yea, though 
 For some perfcct athelsts and infidels in their pri- 
 K^kT^-^ vate judgments, yet if outwardly professing 
 iSifftodCub't tlie catholic faith, and subjection to the 
 Ihe'Slrip^ Church, they must be partakers ofthein- 
 hSi^'o*? "" fallible Spirit. We say the quite contrary, 
 wSir*' that where there is either viciousness of 
 ?mmlauw persons, or unsoundness of judgment in the 
 and'ihe'Jr partlcuIar members, these cannot, by virtue 
 tuirecnoa. ^^ ^^^ outward Call Or succession they have, 
 or any profession they make, or authority they may 
 pretend to, so much as claim an interest in any part 
 of the Church of Christ, or the infallible Spirit. 
 
 So then, if we admit none to be members of the 
 church, but such as are led and guided by the Spirit, 
 TheinfaUi- it wiU bc uo popcry in the second place to 
 where «^' affirm, that where there is a company of 
 people so gathered, who are not any longer to 
 retain justly the name of the Church of Christ, 
 than they are led and guided by his Spirit, or a 
 church so qualified and designed, there' is still 
 an infallible judgment. So that this infallibility is 
 not annexed to the persons, to the succession, to the 
 bare visible profession, (though true, which the 
 Church of Rome is denied to be,) or to any society, 
 because of its profession ; but singly and alone^ to 
 the true, real and effectual work of sanctifica- 
 tion and regeneration, the new creature brought 
 forth in the heart : and this is the spiritual man, 
 which the apostle saith, judgeth all things, 1 Cor. 
 iL 15. To affirm, there is an infallibility here, can- 
 not well be condemned by any, or whoso doth, must 
 
CONCERNING TRUE DISCIPLINE. 285 
 
 needs say, the Spirit of God is fallible : for we place 
 the infallibility in the Spirit and in the power, not 
 in the persons. And so these are the degrees we 
 ascend by : " Because such and such men are led by 
 the Spirit of God, and are obedient to the grace in 
 their hearts, therefore are they members and officers 
 in the Church of Christ. And because they are 
 members of the Church of Christ in the respect be- 
 fore declared, therefore there is an infallible judg- 
 ment among them." We do not say, because such 
 men profess the Christian faith, and have received 
 an outward ordination, and so are by a lawful suc- 
 cession formally established officers in the Church, 
 when they meet together, (according to certain rules 
 above declared,) there is an infallibility annexed to 
 their conclusions, and they cannot but decide what 
 is right ; or rather, what they decide must needs be 
 supposed to be right. Who seeth not here a vast 
 disproportion ? 
 
 Now we differ herein fundamentally, that is, as to 
 the very basis and foundation upon which we build ; 
 and that not only from the Church of Rome, but 
 also from the generality of Protestants in this matter. 
 All Protestants do acknowledge a general council to 
 be useful, yea, necessary in the case of di- Theconsti- 
 vision or debate ; let us consider the basis ^'^"^ of * 
 upon which they proceed, and the stress fo^jg} 
 they lay upon it. among- 
 
 First, All jointly, both the prelatical and presby- 
 terial, will have this synod or council to ^ p^j^j. 
 consist of a convocation of the clergy, cho- '^'^■ 
 sen and sent from the particular congregations, with 
 some few laic elders, called together by the civil ma.- 
 gistrate, in case he be one in judgment with them. 
 
286 A PERSUASIVE TO CNITY. 
 
 They decide by plurality of votes. And tliougli 
 they assume not an absolute infallibility, in that they 
 reckon it possible for them to err; yet do they 
 reckon their decisions obligatory upon their sup- 
 posed consonancy to the Scripture : and however do 
 affirm, that the civil maigistrate hath power to con- 
 strain all to submit and obey ; or else to punish them 
 either by death, banishment, imprisonment, confis- 
 cation of goods, or some other corporeal pain ; even 
 though such be persuaded and offer to make appear, 
 that the decisions they refuse, are contrary to the 
 Scriptures. 
 
 And lastly : (among the Papists) none, though 
 «. PapUtt. otherwise confessed to be a member of the 
 church both knowing and sober, except commission- 
 ate in some of the respects above declared, can be 
 admitted to sit, vote and give his judgment. 
 
 Any that will be at the pains to apply this to the 
 foundation I before laid of the infallibility of judg- 
 3. We differ mcut, iu that we may account only to be 
 both. truly called the Church of Christ, will easily 
 
 see the great difference betwixt us; which I shall 
 sum up in these particulars : 
 
 First, Do we exclude any member of the 
 Church of Christ, that may be truly accounted so, to 
 tell his judgment ? 
 
 Secondly, Do we say, man ought to be 
 persecuted in his outwards for his dis-assent in spir- 
 ituals ? 
 
 3. Thirdly, Do we plead, that decision is to 
 
 pass conclusive, because of the plurality of votes ? 
 
 And much more ; which the reader may observe, 
 from what is already mentioned : which that it may 
 
CONCERNINa TRUE DISCIPLINE. 
 
 287 
 
 be all more obvious at one view, will appear some- 
 what clearly by tbis following figure; which will 
 give the reader an opportunity to recollect, what lay 
 heretofore more scattered. 
 I. The Romanists say, 
 
 1. That there is an in- 
 fallibility in the church: 
 which infallibility is, 
 when the pope calls a 
 general council of bishops 
 &c., that whatsoever they 
 conclude and agree upon, 
 must needs be the infalli- 
 ble judgment of the Spirit 
 of God, because of the 
 promise of Christ, that he 
 would never suffer the 
 gates of hell to prevail 
 against his church. 
 
 2. And that the pope 
 and council, made up of 
 certain of the clergy, hav- 
 ing one outward succes- 
 sion, and being lawfully 
 ordained according to the 
 canons, are that church, 
 to which that promise is 
 made, however wicked or 
 depraved they be; yet 
 this infallible judgment 
 follows thdlti, as being 
 necessarily annexed to 
 
 n. The generality of 
 
 Protestants say, 
 
 1. That though all sy- 
 nods and councils may 
 err ; yet such assemblies 
 are needful for the edifi- 
 cation of the church. — ■ 
 
 That such do west. Con£ 
 . , „ of Faith. 
 
 consist of a con- chap. 
 vocation of the clergy, 
 with some few laics par- 
 ticularly chosen. That 
 all others, except those so 
 elected, have not any 
 right to vote or give judg- 
 ment. 
 
 2. That such an assem- 
 bly so constituted, may 
 ministerially determine 
 controversies of faith, 
 cases of conscience, mat- 
 ters of worship, and au- 
 thoritatively determine 
 the same. The decision 
 is to be by plurality of 
 votes, without any neces- 
 sary respect to the inward 
 holiness or regeneration 
 of the persons ; if so be 
 
288 
 
 A PEESUASIVE TO tNlTY. 
 
 their' office, in whicli the 
 authority still stands in 
 its full strength and vigor. 
 
 3. So that there Hes an 
 obligation upon the whole 
 body of the church to 
 obey their decrees : and 
 such as do not, are not 
 only certainly damned for 
 their disobedience, but 
 that it is the duty of the 
 civil magistrate to punish 
 such by death, banish- 
 ment or imprisonment, 
 &c., in case they refuse. 
 
 they be outwardly called, 
 ordained and invested in 
 such a place and capacity, 
 as gives them an author- 
 ity to be members of 
 such an assembly, 
 
 3. What they thus de- 
 cide (as they judge accord- 
 ing to the Scripture)ought 
 to be received with reve- 
 rence, and submitted to : 
 and those that do not, to 
 be punished by the civil 
 magistrate by death, ban- 
 ishment or imprisonment, 
 though they declare and 
 be ready to evidence, that 
 it is, because they are not 
 agreeable to the Scrip- 
 ture, they refuse such de- 
 crees. 
 
 HL The Quakers say, 
 
 1. That whereas none truly ought, nor can be ac- 
 pe sancii- couuted the Church of Christ, but such as 
 
 ncd mem- , 
 
 b«s- are in a measure sanctified or sanctifying 
 
 by the grace of God, and led by his Spirit ; nor yet 
 any made officers in the church, but by the grace of 
 God and inward revelation of his Spirit, (not by out- 
 ward ordination or succession :) from which none is 
 to be excluded, if so called, whether «iarried, or a 
 tradesman, or a servant. 
 
CONCERNIXa TRUE DISCIPLINE. 289 
 
 2. If so be, in such a church there should arise 
 any difference, there will be an infallible Their inf.,i. 
 judgment from the Spirit of God, which m™^^^^■ 
 may be in a general assembly ; yet not limited to it, 
 as excluding others : and may prove the judgment 
 of the plurality : yet not to be decided thereby, as 
 if the infallibility were placed there, excluding the 
 fewer. In which meeting or assembly upon such an 
 account, there is no limitation to be of persons par- 
 ticularly chosen ; but that all that in a true sense 
 may be reckoned of the church, as being sober and 
 weighty, may be present and give their judgment. 
 
 3. And that the infallible judgment of truth 
 (which cannot be wanting in such a church) whether 
 it be given through one or more, ought to -Tobe 
 be submitted to, not because such persons unto. 
 give it, but because the Spirit leads so to do : which 
 every one coming to in themselves, will willingly 
 and naturally assent to. And if any through dis- 
 obedience or unclearness, do not all that the Church 
 ought to do, she is to deny them her spiritual fellow- 
 ship ; in case the nature of their disobedience be of 
 that consequence, as may deserve such a censure ; 
 but by no means for matter of conscience to molest, 
 trouble, or persecute any in their outwards. 
 
 "Who will be at the pains to compare these three 
 seriously together, I am hopeful, will need no further 
 argument to prove the difference. But if any will 
 further object, "What, if it fall out de facto, objection, 
 that the teachers, elders, or plurality do decide, and 
 from thence will say, this is like the Church of Rome, 
 and other false churches ? It will be hard Answer, 
 to prove that to be an infallible mark of a wrong 
 
 19 
 
290 A PEESUASIVB TO UNITY. 
 
 judgment, as we have not said it is of a right. And, 
 indeed, to conclude it were so, would necessarily 
 condemn the Church in the apostles' days, where we 
 see, the teachers and elders, and so far as we can 
 observe, the greater number did agree to the deci- 
 sion. Acts i. 15. For if the thing be right, and ac- 
 cording to truth, it is so much the better, that the 
 elders and greater number do agree to it ; and if 
 wrong, their affirming it will not make it right : and 
 truly, a gathering, where the elders and greater 
 number are always or most frequently wrong, and 
 the younger and lesser number right, is such, as we 
 cannot suppose the true Church of Christ to be. 
 And if any will plead, that there is now no infallible 
 judgment to be expected from the Spirit of Q-od in 
 the church, it (no doubt) will leave the dissenters as 
 much in the mist, and at as great a loss, as those 
 they dissent from ; both being no better than blind 
 men, hitting at random, which will turn Christianity 
 into scepticism. And though we may acknowledge, 
 that this uncertainty prevails in the generality of 
 those called churches; yet we do firmly believe (for 
 the reasons above declared, and many more that 
 might be given) that the true Church of Christ has a 
 more solid, stable foundation ; and being never sepa- 
 rated from Christ, her head, walks in a more certain, 
 steady and unerring path. 
 
CONCERNING TRUE DISCIPLINE. 291 
 
 THE CONCLUSION". 
 
 The substance, then, of what is asserted and 
 proved in this Treatise, resolves in these a summaiy 
 
 - 1 . • J • 1 recollection 
 
 following particulars : of the whole. 
 
 First, That in the church of Christ, when i. 
 
 it consists of a visible people (for I speak not here 
 of the church in the dark night of apostasy, that 
 consisted not of any society visibly united) gathered 
 into the belief of certain principles, and united in 
 the joint performance of the worship of God, as 
 meeting together, praying, preaching, &c., there is 
 and still must be a certain order and government. 
 
 Secondly, That this government) as to n. 
 
 the outward form of it, consists of certain meetings, 
 appointed principally for that end ; yet not so, as to 
 exclude acts of worship, if the Spirit move thereunto. 
 
 Thirdly, The object of this government m. 
 
 is two-fold, outwards and inwards. The outwards 
 relate mainly to the care of the poor, of widows and 
 fatherless ; where may be also included marriages, 
 and the removing of all scandals in things undenia- 
 bly wrong : the inwards respect an apostasy either 
 in principles or practices, that have a pretence of 
 conscience, and that either in denying some truths 
 already received and believed ; or asserting new doc- 
 trines, that ought not to be received. Which again, 
 (to subdivide) may either be in things fundamental, 
 and of great moment; or in things of less weight in 
 themselves, yet proceeding from a wrong spirit, and 
 
292 A PERStJASIVB TO UNITY. 
 
 which in the natural and certain consequence of 
 them tend to make schisms, divisions, animosities, 
 and in sum, to break that bond of love and unity, 
 that is BO needful to be upheld and established in the 
 Church of Christ. And here come also under this 
 consideration all emulations, strifes, back-bitings and 
 evil surraisings. ■ 
 
 IV. Fourthly, That in the true Church of 
 
 Christ, (according to the definition above given of 
 it,) there will in such cases of differences and con- 
 troversies still be an infallible judgment from the 
 Spirit of God, either in one or other, few or more. 
 
 v. Fifthly, That this infallible judgment is 
 
 only and unalterably annexed and seated in the 
 Spirit and power of God ; not to any particular per- 
 son or persons, meeting or assembly, by virtue of 
 any settled ordination, office, place or station, that 
 such may have or have had in the church ; no man, 
 men, nor meeting, standing or being invested in any 
 authority in the Church of Christ upon other terms, 
 than so long as he or they abide in the living sense 
 and unity of the life in their own particulars ; which 
 whosoever one or more inwardly departs from, ipso 
 facto loses all authority, office, or certain discerning, 
 he or they formerly have had ; though retaining the 
 true principles and sound form, and (may be) not 
 fallen into any gross practices, as may declare them 
 generally to be thus withered and decayed. 
 
 VI. Sixthly, That Jesus Christ under the 
 
 gospel hath ordinarily revealed his will in such cases 
 
CONCERNING TRUE DISCIPLINE. 298 
 
 througli the elders, and ministers of the church, or 
 a general meeting ; whose testimony is neither to he 
 despised or rejected without good cause. Neither 
 is their taking upon them really to decide, any jiist 
 ground to charge them with imposition, or to quar- 
 rel with their judgment; unless it can he proved, 
 that they are decayed, and have lost their discerning, 
 as above. 
 
 Seventhly, That to submit and obey in vii. 
 
 such cases, is no detracting from the common privi- 
 lege of Christians to be inwardly led by the Spirit, 
 seeing the Spirit has led some heretofore so to do, 
 and yet may. And that every pretence of unclear- 
 ness is not a sufficient excuse for disobedience, see- 
 ing that may proceed from obstinacy, or a mind pre- 
 possessed with prejudice : yet say I not, any ought 
 to do it, before they be clear ; and who are every 
 way right, will not want clearness, in what they 
 ought to do. 
 
 And lastly, That these principles are no vin. 
 
 ways tainted with imposition, or' contrary to true 
 liberty of conscience : and that they fundamentally 
 differ from the usurpations both of Popery, Prelacy 
 and Presbytery, or any other of that nature. 
 
 Robert Barclay. 
 
A SUPPLEMENT 
 
 WRITTEN FOR THE SAKE OF SUCH AS ARE HONESTLY DE- 
 SIRING TO KNOW THEMSELVES TO be of ONE 
 SAVED BODY; 
 
 NEVERTHELESS, BECAUSE OF THE DIVISIONS AMONG 
 THEM WHO CLAIM TO BE THE SUCCESSORS OF 
 THE PEOPLE WHO APPROVED THE FOREGOING 
 TESTIMONIES, more earnestly soliciting THEIR 
 
 ATTENTION ; SEEKING THAT ALL OF THEM MAY TRULY 
 BECOME ONE SAVED PEOPLE, MEETING TOGETHER, 
 HOLDING FORTH EXAMPLE BEFORE AND WITH PRECEPT. 
 For THEIR MEETING SEPARATELY THEY ARE WITHOUT 
 EXCUSE IF THEY DULY CONSIDER ONE ANOTHER TO 
 PROVOKE UNTO LOVE AND TO GOOD WORKS. 
 
 GOOD, GOiyS SUBSTANCE AND IMAGE, IS NOT DI- 
 VIDED FROM HIM: IF IT IS seen and known 
 
 AMONGST MEN, IT MUST BE THAT IT COMETH OUT 
 
 OF THEM; and, TO COME OUT OF THEM, IT 
 
 MUST HAVE BEEN PLACED IN THEM ; THE VF.SSEL, OR 
 
 THEIR BODY AND SPIRIT, FIRST HAVING BEEN PRE- 
 PARED : PROVING THAT THE OUTWARD AND THE 
 INWARD, THE NATURAL AND THE SPIRITUAL, 
 MUST BE OWNED TOGETHER, FOR MEN MUTUALLY 
 TO HAVE THE MANIFESTATION OF GOD. AMONGST 
 THEM. 
 
Dear Reader: 
 
 Thou hast had put before thee, in 
 order for thy watchful and ■prayerful -p&rmal and obser- 
 vation, that which ia true testimony respecting the 
 form of God ; which form appears (Titus iii. 4.) in 
 love to God and man : First, in thy loving and wor- 
 shipping God in Spirit and in Truth ; and, Second, 
 in thy brotherly care for thy neighbor, as for thyself. 
 
 Of this form, whatsoever may be known, is mani- 
 fest in man by the true light ; but it is only as man's 
 eye is kept good that he can perceive that form : and 
 he can only receive true testimony concerning it, by 
 that which is the true witness of things not seen, 
 even the evidence of good by the substance of it which 
 IS within him ; and may be known by him to be so, 
 except he be reprobate, or unwilling to come to the proof, 
 and bring his deeds to the true light (John i. 9), that 
 was and is One with Him who spoke light into being. 
 
 If thou hast read this testimony to the Love, "Wor- 
 ship, and Discipline which ia of God, and hast re- 
 ceived it from Him through true witness, thou hast 
 had a hearing and sight of that form of God in the 
 flesh, which never corrupts, but ia preserved in the 
 flesh by baptism into death unto sin ; wherein the 
 flesh rests in hope of that resurrection which is the 
 Life of God, and restores His form in that body and 
 soul only which is quickened by His Spirit, and made 
 conformable to His will and work : because it is not 
 possible that the good form should be holden of 
 the body and soul that is in death by sin. Acts ii. 24. 
 
298 A PEKSUASIVK TO INITT. 
 
 Whosoever hath this testimony, and hath the wit- 
 ness of it, in himself, by the resurrection of Jesus 
 Christ, teacheth it not traditionally and dogmatical- 
 ly ; but desireth and inviteth every man to come to the 
 proof of it in the love of the Truth (Jesus Christ) 
 and of God (his Father) ; which love is the begin- 
 ning of His creation, and the life of all that exists 
 and consists : and is that by which the body of Jesus 
 Christ, the true light of the world, the Church and 
 form of God manifest in the flesh, was and is pre- 
 served from corruption. 
 
 This body is one; and is sent into the world un- 
 der Tiecessity to suffer, and to rise from the dead the 
 third day after men with wicked hands crucify and 
 slay any member of it, (which doing, is all that they 
 can do, Luke xii. 4) ; that repentance and remission of 
 sins may be preached in the name of that One suffering 
 and risen body among aU nations, beginning at Jerusa- 
 lem : of which things they who abide with Christ, 
 being Uving members in and of him, are no more than 
 witnesses: and they submit their testimony /or ;proo/ 
 through sufferin^j, when faithful unto the same death 
 unto sin which their Master died : for the disciple is 
 not greater than his Lord, nor the branch than the 
 Vine. 
 
 How needful it is that all they who make the high 
 profession of being one with the People of God, 
 called Friends (and Quakers, as trembling at the 
 Lord's word) should submit themselves one unto another 
 before Him, desiring and seeking to be proved, that 
 that which is impure and imperfect may be done 
 away! It is not righteousness, but unrighteousness 
 which separates us ; and it is not to our advantage to 
 compare ourselves with ourselves : we should take 
 
SUPPLEMENT. 299 
 
 comparison with our great Exemplar, if we wouM know 
 wherein we are out of the way. The true believers in 
 him are gathered into unity by one Spirit, into the in- 
 visible covenant, Jesus Christ ; not in a form of words 
 only : nor for such things as differences of opinions and 
 forms of words, do they shut out any that believe ; but 
 withdraw themselves from contentions about them. 
 " For where envying and strife is, there is confusion 
 and every evil work. Who is a wise man and en- 
 dued with knowledge among you ? Let him, shew 
 out of a good conversation his works with meekness 
 of wisdom. But if ye have bit|;er envying and strife 
 in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the 
 Truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, 
 but is earthly, sensual, devilish. But the wisdom 
 that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gen- 
 tle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good 
 fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. 
 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace, of 
 them that make peace." — James iii. 13^18, and iv. 
 11, 12. " Speak not evil one of another, brethren. 
 He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth 
 his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth 
 the law : but if thou judge the law, thou art not a 
 doer of the law, but a judge. There is one law- 
 giver, who is able to save and to destroy : who art 
 thou that judgest another ?" - 
 
 "What the believer has to mini and do, is to " shew 
 out of a good conversation his works with meek- 
 ness of wisdom," having confidence that the one 
 law-giver is able to save and to destroy; so that the 
 believer in the Truth can ift " quietness and confi- 
 dence" submit to suffering because of keeping Ilia 
 
300 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 commandment ; and in that good cause, may enjoy 
 the fruit of righteousness which is sown in peace. 
 
 Is it not evident that the spirit of the true mother 
 of the living child was not, neither is it with that 
 person who is consenting that the living body of the 
 child which is the son of the true mother shall be 
 divided ? 
 
 O Friends ! let me call to mind among those who 
 can remember it,* the condition of feeling that pre- 
 vailed amongst the people in and about the year 
 1827, which culminated in a division of the body of 
 Friends, as a means of closing the strife which was 
 amongst them : and remember, that this thought and 
 feeling, was not confined to either part ; so that neither 
 part in that respect can justly claim any superiority 
 over the other. In considering of a suitable nomina- 
 tion for Clerk to the Yearly Meeting that year, there 
 was not a jprevalmce of disposition to seek to avoid con- 
 tention, and to end it, by taking the wise advice of the 
 Apostle, 1 Cor. vi. 5, which should have led them, not 
 thinking of men above that which is written, nor 
 being puffed up for one man against another, 1 Cor. 
 iv. 6, to have sought or selected such an one for that 
 service from among those who were less esteemed in 
 the Church ; and yet were such as from whom one 
 could have been selected for the occasion ; or else 
 it was much cause for shame. Wanting this considera- 
 
 * NoTK, — To recur to these things to me (PhiL iii. i) indted it grievous ! yet for 
 the cause sake I hope it is safe : for, if every thing that has divid^ and alienated 
 from each other wa* be entirely removed^ and a re-titahlitkrttent on the right foun- 
 dalion witnessed,^ au classes must stand open to the softening inJAuences of the love of 
 God^ through His mercy and goodness: see "Brief Narrative p. 27," Nothing 
 that u ^Wiftwstf, seeaieth for the preset^ to be joyous :" nevertheless (Heb. xiL 11. 
 12. 13) afterward it yieldeth the peaceane fruit of rij^hteousncss unto them who are 
 exercised thereby. Wherefore lift up your hands which han_g down, and the feeble 
 knees ; an.l make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be tunied out of 
 the way ; but Ut it be rather heaUd. 
 
SUPPLEMENT. 301 
 
 tion in love one unto another, it was claimed that 
 one should serve that office who was not approved in 
 that good submission : hence the division of feeling 
 was not lessened, but the feet of the people were 
 more turned from the way of peace ; and the fever 
 and sickness increased until the power to chew the 
 cud was lost ; and the creature having but the divided 
 hoof was left : which is a witness of unfitness for 
 offering to God, until the power to ruminate is re- 
 stored in the same creature ; or both are found in 
 one body by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 
 
 Let me entreat all who are now in separation 
 claiming the name of Friend, and who have come 
 upon the stage of action since that time, not to excuse 
 themselves from an examination into this matter, as 
 though themselves are not concerned now in it : for 
 truly it should be cause of serious concern to them 
 while they acquiesce in a continuance of a division of 
 the body of that creature begotten in Jesus Christ, 
 (1 Cor. iv. 15) through the Gospel; and while they 
 prof ess to be of her who is the mother of aZ^the mem- 
 bers of his body, and teach that men should walk in 
 the light, and be led by the Spirit of Truth. 
 
 Can any of us who claim the substance of the 
 Friend, do it justly without acknowledging the call 
 of the Lord to repentance towards God in this respect ? 
 
 Let me put before us the marks of our steps, that 
 we may judge in the Light of Truth whose imprint 
 they bear : And First, to all those who are now on 
 the stage of action, claiming to be Jesus Christ's 
 Friends, yet divided, and so are making an imprint 
 with a cloven foot, but who do not ruminate, and 
 are neglecting or unwilling to meet together to de- 
 
802 A PEK8UASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 liberate and consider of our profession, in the pres- 
 ence of the Lord and of each other, aa those creatures 
 place themselves who chew the cud and also divide 
 the hoof, and were acceptable in the typical sacri- 
 fices of the Lord's chosen people. And next, to all 
 of us who rernain since our different divisions, making 
 divided footprints, and refusing or neglecting to de- 
 liberate and consider together, or chew the cud; are 
 we, any of us, acceptable in sacrifice, as parts of that, 
 irhich living, is an undivided body, to the praise of 
 God ? O, beloved, and truly longed for by mo in 
 the Lord's presence, let us further consider the foot- 
 marks which we have made and still stand to defend 
 while we refuse to ruminate together, and keep our 
 hearts and mouths closed over that which we have 
 taken into the mind one against another, as food is 
 taken into the body ; and are without mutual desire 
 for edification /' which is a building up of One body, 
 by mutual condescension in the parts, and by and in 
 One mind. 
 
 Do they who made the first move by way of divi- 
 sion, in withdrawing from meeting with those whom 
 thttj deemed offenders, so long as they neglect to fulfill 
 the law of Christ in such case, and do not seek oppor- 
 tunity and endeavour to gain their brethren to delibe- 
 rate with them, and consider how that which is real- 
 ly disorderly may be withdraicn from, and how true 
 unity may be revived, stand in any sufficient manifesta- 
 tion of " repentance toward Grod (Acts xx. 21) and 
 faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ," in relation to 
 this want of unify amongst those whose profession re- 
 quires it, if they would not be found hypocrites ? and 
 do not they remain subject to the same mark, and in 
 
SUPPLEMENT. 803 
 
 the defence of the same steps which were taken in 
 .1827 ; and which have been found not to consist with 
 " glory to God in the highest," but with glory to one 
 man above another ; nor with "peace on earth," \mt- 
 with a contimumce of the feelings of disunity and 
 warfare; which overcome the feeling of good will 
 amongst men, and afresh daily crucify Jesus Christ 
 in the body of his flesh ? 
 
 Men in this condition are liable to be given over of 
 God to a reprobate mind, to do those things which do 
 not promote edification', and in which they may become 
 " filled with all (Rom. i. 28-32) unrighteousness, for- 
 nication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; 
 full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity ; whis- 
 perers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, 
 boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to pa^ 
 rents, without understanding, covenant-breakers, 
 without natural afiection, implacable, unmerciful; 
 who, knowing the judgment of God, that they which 
 commit such things are worthy of 4eath, not only do 
 the same, but have pleasure in them that do them." 
 Oh ! despise not " the riches~Df His goodness and for- 
 bearance and long-suffering ; not knowing that the 
 goodness of God leadeth us to repentance, without 
 which ■ our hardness and impenitent heazts treasure up 
 urito MS wrath against the day of wrath and revela- 
 -tion of the righteous judgment of God; who will 
 render to every man according to his deeds : to them 
 who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for 
 glory and honor and immortality, eternal life : but 
 unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the 
 Truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and 
 wrath, tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of 
 
304 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 man that do'eth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the 
 Gentile : but glory, honor, and peace, to every man, 
 that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the 
 Gentile : for there is no respect of persons with 
 God- For as many as have sinned without law shall 
 also pensh without law : and aa many as have sinned 
 in the law shall be judged by the law;* in the day 
 when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus 
 Christ according to my Gospel." — Rom. ii. Read 
 the whole : " for the name of God is blasphemed 
 among the Gentiles through" those who claim to be 
 Friends and will not meet together in their good form. 
 Not are those from whom these withdrew, less the 
 objects of the same concern, while they stand in de- 
 fence of the same conduct which then marked thdr 
 course ; and neglect to strive to enter by that door for 
 mutual deliberation and consideration which is in 
 good will to all men, opened in and after the denial of 
 self, and man's own selfiflh will ; and while th&/ have 
 not repented toward God, and toward our Lord Jesus 
 Christ, so as to be found in that reconciling Wag; and 
 out of that divider's way, in which the body of profesS' 
 ing Friends was involved previous to, and at the time 
 of this disruption among them. That stich. is la- 
 mentably their state, they themselves sufficiently set forth 
 in '" A brief narrative in relation to the position of 
 Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of Friends," signed on 
 behalf of a Meeting for Sufferings held in Philadel- 
 phia the 12th of the 12th month, 1872. 
 
 Far be it from me to increase offence by condemn- 
 ing the just, or by justifying the wicked ; both of 
 
 * NoTB. — By this we may perceive that whether we took part in the separation of 
 Friends when it appeared first, or are now acquiescing in it while making profesMon 
 to be 6f that One creature in the One good, we are alike subject to the same judgment 
 
SUPPLEMENT. 305 
 
 which are an abomination to the Lord. I desire to 
 be found accusing no man, but bearing witness to 
 . the Truth ; which I believe cannot be denied that I 
 have done in relation to those before mentioned ; and 
 I cannot but hope those of the second part, now under 
 revieWy will refrain from taking offence, while ad- 
 verting to their own statement respecting themselves; 
 in the endeavor to set forth wherein their actions are 
 questionable by the law which they allow to have re- 
 ceived from Sim who is able to save and to destroy. 
 
 The evil divider's way is in various opinions and 
 doctrines, which men hold, who have not leumed them 
 by doing His wiU who sent Jesus Christ, nor by bap- 
 tism into his death ; the One only way of coming to a 
 knowledge of the TYuth, and of the invisible covenant, 
 into which men do not enter by an outward covenant 
 in a form of words, before ceasing to do evil and 
 learning to do well. So that men who are preserved 
 out of the evil divider's way come to be limited, in their 
 requirements one of another, to that which they have 
 muiaally and righteously agreed upon in prayer and 
 watchfulness before God. It is out of the pure 
 heart that the issues of life are ; and it is by, through, 
 and in the pure life in the heart, that men in their 
 •purified hearts, know an inward and invisible bond 
 and covenant : it is as this prevails over men, that an 
 outward bond and covenant comes to be justly known ; 
 because it has issued out of them : and an outward 
 covenant cannot otherwise be lightly said to exist be- 
 tween them. This agrees with Robert Barclay's ex- 
 position on p. 243 and the note ; and his testimony on 
 pages 122,123, to end of item 7. Read also p. 88, 
 89, 90, 92, 93, 94, 99 and 103, and the note there. 
 
 20 
 
306 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 This being the Truth respecting the invisible and 
 inward bond and covenant, as also respecting the 
 outward bond which grows from and under its ob- 
 servance, and is justly binding on that ground ; it 
 must be allowed that the obligation of this outward 
 ?;ond between men, and their accountability to each 
 other under and on account of it, must be limited to 
 particular persons, according to outward manifesta- 
 tion ; and is respective to places, and to meetings or 
 churches : nevertheless the inward and invisible bond 
 and covenant cannot be so limited ; because of the Spirit 
 which is Universal Love. 
 
 This agrees with the Apostle's testimony in Rev. 
 i., ii., and iii. chap. He was brother unto those to 
 whom he wrote, and their companion in tribulation, and 
 was in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, 
 in the isle that is called Patmos*, for the word of 
 God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ : being 
 in this undivided Spirit on the Lord's day, he heard 
 behind him a great voice, as of a trumpet, telling 
 him what he should do with what he saw of the 
 revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto 
 Mim, to shew unto His servants things which must 
 shortly come to pass ; whereof he bare record unto 
 the iSeven Churches which were in Asia,t respective- 
 ly, as made known unto him for each, in their out- 
 ward places and persons, according to their state both 
 inward and outward joined in themselves, and seen to be 
 BO by the Truth, the Spirit of God ; which did not, 
 nor does not divide that which He sees to he joined to- 
 
 * Note. — This word means mortal state, and, as it were, squeezed to pieces : in which 
 state the Aposde was necessitated to communicate to difTcrent parts, under a weight 
 of exercise. •- 
 
 r Note. — Said to mean muddy, boggy: which state is one of triaL 
 
BOPPLEMENT. 307 
 
 gethcr of Ilimsclf ; neither that which is not joined to- 
 gether of Him without baptism into Jesus Christ s death, 
 and repentance toward God, in t\ie particulars respective- 
 ly ; as may be seen by attentively reading those seve- 
 ral messages; and may be understood by waiting 
 upon Him who only openeth men's understandings 
 that they may understand the Scriptures. This Apos- 
 tle and servant of Jesus Christ, being preserved in the 
 love of God, wrote the message of .Love (Rev. iii. 19,) 
 to the Churches respectively, for each of them respec- 
 tively to regard ; and this was the extent of his authority 
 unto them ; nor did he speak to them of any authority 
 of themselves over one another as Churches, but exam- 
 pled them as a brother and companion in tribulation, and 
 servant unto them in the love of God; who Himself 
 taketh away unfruitful branches from their respective 
 places in the Vine, as the Vine testified (John xv. 2:) 
 "Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, my 
 Father, the husbandman, taketh away : and every 
 branch that beareth fruit he purgeth it, that it may 
 bring forth more fruit." Which agree with Eev. ii. 
 5: " Remember therefore from whence thou sirt fall- 
 en, and repent, and do thy first works ; or else 2 
 will come unto thee quickly and will remove thy candlestick 
 out of his place, except thou repent." See also 16, 
 22 and 23 verses, and chap. iii. 3, 9, 16. But while 
 it pleaseth the Husbandman that that which is un. 
 fruitful should remain, and be dug about, (Luke xiii. 
 8, 9,) and to purge that which needeth it. He saith 
 unto that Church, or Meeting or people, which works 
 the work of God under a sense of tribulation and 
 poverty (although truly rich) while sufiering from the 
 blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and 
 
308 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 are not, but are of the synagogue of Satan, and are 
 known of God to be so, (Rev. ii. 9. 10:) " Fear none 
 of those things which thou shalt suffer : behold, the 
 devil shall east some of you into prison, that ye may 
 be tried, and ye shall have tribulation ten (certain) 
 days : be thou faithful unto death, and I will give 
 thee a crown of life." See also Rev. ii. 19, 24 to 29, 
 and iii. 4, 5, 8 to 13. In all this revelation of God 
 to his servant, through Jesus Christ, there is nothing 
 written directing the faithful in any of the Churches 
 or Meetings to leave the Meeting, though attended 
 by unfaithful persons ; but not to approve of their 
 evil deeds : " Be watchful, and strengthen the things 
 which remain, that are ready to die : for I have not 
 found thy works perfect before God. Remember, 
 therefore, how thou hast received and heard, and 
 hold fast, and repent. If, therefore, thou shalt not 
 watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt 
 not know what hour I will come upon thee :" (Rev. 
 ii. 23,) and they are commended for faithful labour 
 within the sphere of their authority in their respective 
 places ; see Rev. ii. 2, 3 and 13. 
 
 The Church is not a mixed multitude, nor are the 
 Churches of God mixed multitudes; neither can they 
 address each other 05 such ; the true Church being in 
 every place " them that are sanctifred in Christ Jesus, 
 called to be saints ;" and their communications should 
 be " without murmurings and disputings, that (they) 
 may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, 
 without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and per- 
 verse nation, among whom (to) shine as lights in the 
 world; holding forth the word- of life; that (they) 
 may rejoice in the day of Christ, that (they) have not 
 
SUPPLEMENT. 809 
 
 run in vain, neither laboured in vain." It is well 
 always to bear this in mind ; and also to remember 
 that now, as formerly, when the sons of God meet 
 together (which they should not neglect to do) Satan 
 Cometh also. He calleth his name Legion, and he is 
 permitted to try the servants of Q-od now, as he was 
 permitted to prove Job for his instruction in right- 
 eousness through patience and integrity.* These 
 meetings are not to be neglected by Friends on ac- 
 count of the trials of those in them who fear God 
 and eschew evil, but rather . to be faithfully kept up, 
 although the exercise may be so sore that they 
 sprinkle dust upon their heads towards heaven, and 
 sit upon the ground seven days and seven nights,and 
 none speak a word unto them, because of the great- 
 ness of the grief. 
 
 Where meetings are held in and under the farm of 
 God for worship or discipline, what can justify any 
 sanctified persons, called to be saints, in declining 
 the attendance of them in their respective places ? 
 or in declining to communicate with them in speech 
 or writing to advise or exhort one another, as be- 
 comes the sons of G-od ; or to introduce, by certifi- 
 cate, from one such meeting to another, those who 
 advisedly change their residences • even though such 
 meetings in every- place are attended by Satan also, 
 who continues to go to and fro in the earth ; and to 
 walk up and down in it ; and to appear in them in a 
 legion of persons ? That which is in the form of 
 God, His express image in man, cannot so appear in 
 the world without person and place ; and every son of 
 God must stand and be in His place in the world ; as 
 
 * How is the bodv of Christ, the Church, now in the p^-ver and hand of Satnn as 
 typified in the c:i-^e of Jolj ! (Job i. i2,and ii. 6.J Thcrcfiire, let the tried ones dwell 
 with patience in uprightness. 
 
310 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 every person and spirit who has Satan for the father 
 of his works, must be and appear in his place ; which 
 outward persons are in their respective places in the 
 world, to be truly judged and distinguished by their 
 fruits ; and ordy by him that is spiritual. The meet- 
 ings of aU must be held with due regard to their re- 
 spective places ; and the exercise of godly authority 
 and discipline amongst men will, from this necessity, 
 be justly limited by and to these respective meetings, ac- 
 cording to their several dependencies. 
 
 It appears to have been under a weighty sense of 
 this necessary limitation that the Yearly Meeting held 
 in London in 1846, in reply to communications from 
 Philadelphia Yearly Meeting and its Meeting for 
 Sufferings, made use of the following language, as 
 quoted in the "Brief Narrative" before referred 
 to, on pages 23 and 24 : " We highly value and 
 desire the continuance of that free, brotherly in- 
 tercourse, which, for so long a period, has been 
 maintained with you and the other Yearly Meetings 
 of the American continent with which we have been 
 wont to correspond. Carried on in Christian love 
 and condescension, it tends greatly to our strength, 
 instruction and comfort : but we doubt whether these 
 objects will be promoted by entering in this corres- 
 pondence into the particular consideration of cases, 
 which, whenever they arise, are the proper subjects 
 of our discipline iu our respective meetings." 
 
 Upon this it is remarked in the brief narrative p. 
 24: "This closed the correspondence on this im- 
 portant subject.* It was evident that the deep re- 
 ligious exercise in relation to what a large number 
 
 ♦The outwnrdbond ol mir union as a rclii^iaus society, acknowicdecd l(>Lc lli^ prin- 
 ciples and testimonies by winch our early Friends were bound togt^ther. B. N, j 23. 
 
SUPPLEMENT. 311 
 
 of Friends in this country honestly believed to be a 
 prolific source of the defection, disunity, and divis- 
 ion spreading throughout the Society, was misun- 
 derstood or disregarded by Friends in Great Britain, 
 and that they either saw no cause for, or were un- 
 willing to enter into a iinited labor with their breth- 
 ren here, in thoroughly and candidly examining the 
 subject which gave rise to that exercise, and in 
 assisting to apply such a remedy as would restore 
 unity and harmony." 
 
 In this remark there is no recognition of thefaetand 
 limitation pointed out by Friends of London Yearly 
 Meeting respecting " the jfmrtumlar cormderation of 
 cases, which, when they arise, are the proper subjects of 
 our discipline in our respective meetings." Nor is there 
 any evidence of a better understanding and practice 
 respecting the limitation of men, or the oMthority of their 
 meetings, to their respective persons and places, by the is- 
 siters of this " IJfarrative" near 1873, than obtained 
 in Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, and the members 
 of it respectively, in and previous to 1827 : which 
 limitation {because of covenant made) must be known, ac- 
 knowledged, and abode in by men, before , the pa- 
 tient suffering which always attends the living body 
 of Jesus Christ, can be truly witnessed and testified 
 unto; and the unity thereof he shown in and by men, 
 as of a body composed of living members subject to 
 suffering, and in different conditions ; as it was by the 
 apostle John, in writing to the seven churches in Asia, 
 under the direction of the one Head of his church, 
 for the conservation and edification of all the members in the 
 body, and that no member mightbe divided from good ; 
 but that under the forbearance and long-suffering of 
 God, the erring might be led to repentance. 
 
312 A PEHSDASIVK TO UNITY. 
 
 On page 26 of the same Narrative, mention ia made 
 of " a Separation within the limits of New Eng- 
 land Yearly Meeting in 1845," referred for exam- 
 ination to the Meeting for Sufferings; which re- 
 ported in 1849 that " a right of membership ought 
 to be accorded to the members of the smaller body." 
 Their report was adopted by that Yearly Meeting of 
 Philadelphia, and " sent to each body claiming to be 
 New England Yearly Meeting." 
 
 Thus we find <AisPhiladelphia Yearly Meeting, by 
 its Meeting for Sufferings near the close of 1872, oc- 
 cupying, {in dmsion,) the same ground as in 1849; 
 upon which ground they accord & right of member- 
 ship with themselves to those who in New England 
 had set up another Yearly Meeting there, in divis- 
 ion and alienation from the former established one : 
 and appearing not to remember the division and 
 alienation which yet remains amongst the members 
 composing Philadelphia Yearly Meeting in 1827, 
 when separation took place there, resulting in the 
 same thing which this smaller body in New England 
 did : for which thing only nearly all those whose lot fell 
 with the larger Philadelphia Yearly Meeting were 
 disoumed soon after, without any other charge of de- 
 linquency or unsoundness being brought against them in- 
 dividtudly : and this class remains to this day without 
 any intimation from the disowrmg class, that " if all 
 classes stand open to the softening influences' of the 
 love of God, through His mercy and goodness, 
 everything that has divided and alienated from each 
 other may be entirely removed, and a re-establish- 
 ment on the right foiindation witnessed." " Brief 
 Narrative p. g^,' 
 
SUPPLEMENT. 313 
 
 On page 27 of the same document it is meritionod 
 that " a Separation took place in 1854 from Ohio 
 Yearly Meeting;" and that Philadelphia Yearly 
 Meeting decided to elect one of the separating parts 
 "to'be the regular Ohio Yearly Meieting:" and on 
 page 31, it is said, " The separation there was effect- 
 ed by twelve of the representatives bringing forward 
 (a name) for clerk, when thirty representatives were 
 opposed to it :" shewing much the same condi- 
 tion of alienation and disunity in that particular which 
 prevailed in Philadelphia unto separation in 1827 ; 
 and shewing also that the part of Philadelphia 
 Yearly Meeting which united in putting forth this 
 " Brief Narrative," did not then, any more duly re- 
 gard the apostle's teaching (1 Oor. vi. 4, 5,) than in 
 1827 ; and did not stand in that " repentance* toward 
 God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ," (Acts 
 XX. 21) by which only men can come to be true witr 
 nesses of the TJnjty of Jesus Christ and God, his 
 Father ; but were yet in division and alienation, and 
 did -not know every bond of iniquity to be broken, 
 and a being set free from the evil divider, who puffeth 
 up for one man against another, and doth not duly 
 regard them who are least esteemed in the church : 
 but setteth men upon defending themselves, rather 
 than trust in the one Law-giver, who is able to save 
 all who are willing to suffer with Him, and to destroy 
 all that withstands the holy example of Jesics Christ. 
 
 There is a seed of the One Good sown in every 
 man ; which seed I address, and desire to be mani- 
 
 * Note. — ** Repentance" is not Used here in an offensive ^sense, but as a prepara- 
 tion consdsting in a change of raind under a just sense of inconvenience or injury 
 done by past conduct ; and as a relinquishment of any course, from the con-victtun 
 th.it it hnsnntle'd to the desired object; sorrow, fear, and anxiety, are properly not 
 parts, bat adjunct:, of it. 
 
314 A PERSUASIVE 'TO UNITT. 
 
 fest unto, in all who read and Beriously consider the 
 -concern which is committed unto me, and com- 
 mended to every man's conscience in the sight of 
 God. From this seed hath proceeded every honest 
 thought and work of uprightness which, in the hope 
 for a better condition, hath attended any person du- 
 ring the time of trial in alienation and division which 
 does and has prevailed. From this good seed has 
 grown up that manifestation of forbearance to press 
 correspondence in disunity, and to refrain from it 
 ■without unity, in one of the Philadelphia Yearly 
 Meetings referred to in the " Brief Narrative," pages 
 82 and 33, which has hitherto put aside such a division 
 as took place in Ohio in 1854 ;*and has also enabled the 
 well-exercised members of that Yearly Meeting, to 
 
 * How shall we sufficiently magnify, or increase the sensible 
 feeling of the love, goodness, and mercy of God, in thus putting a 
 limit to this spirit which divideth men one from another and &om 
 good, but by prayer that the gronnd of our own hearts may be re- 
 newed in and preserved good, and by watching in ourselves that 
 an enemy mny sow no evil seed there to tak'e root and bear fruit in 
 and upon us ? 
 
 Mark His mercy, in that He hath sown this seed and caused it 
 to spring up, and to shew the pood blade, distinguishing its kind, 
 in the tery place and Yearly Meeting where the ecd seed of conten- 
 tion first grew unto division of man from his neighbor in and hy 
 it, deceiving them to believe that the fruit of it was good for food, 
 and that, in partaking of it, wisdom dwelt with themselves respec- 
 tively, and not with those who were of a different opinion : so thut 
 they did not seek the comfort one of another, bnt were to each 
 other as Job's friends were to him, when he addressed them say- 
 ing, " No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with 
 you. But I have understanding as well as you ; I am not inferior 
 to you ; yea, who kiioweth not such things as these 7 I am as one 
 mocked of his neighbor, who callethupon God, and he (his neigh- 
 bor) answereth him : the just, upright man is laughed to scorn. 
 He that is ready to slip with his feet is as a lamp despised in the 
 thought of him that is at ease." Job zii. 2, 3, 4, 6. In the mar- 
 vellous goodness of God, ease did not increase in that divider's 
 way, bnt men found themselves in affliction increasingly, having, 
 in dividing, gone more astray : and He hath caused a testimony to 
 spring up in some uho, putting aside opinions and notions, do not 
 
a 
 
 SUPPLEMENT. J! 15 
 
 bear witli one another in submission and in suffering, 
 while refraining from reading and recording docu- 
 ments that have been presented to it; and which 
 could not be received and read to mutual comfort, so 
 long as that seed which is of the evil divider has 
 place and growth amongst them in persons who es- 
 teem some more highly, or as being better than others, 
 because of some opinions which they hold from this 
 evil divider or of themselves ; or because of differences 
 in gifts, which no man hath or receiveth from or of 
 himself : not considering (1 Cor. iv. 7 to 21) who 
 maketh them to differ from another, nor that they 
 have nothing justly which they have not received as 
 a gift ; nor, if it has been so received with due 
 thankfulness, why they should glory as if they pos- 
 sessed it not by gift. It is of the growth and strength 
 of this evil dividing spirit that a few liave been more 
 deceived, and carried into further division, and even 
 
 neglect the-good seed which He has sown in all, that, notwith- 
 standing men contend for opinions when they neglect the gift of 
 God and this good seed, and seek not its increase in themselves 
 and their neighbors : and, not duly esteeming their neighbor, cease 
 cultivating that good ground, and the good seed sown iu it: and 
 thus become alienated from each other, and divided from the good 
 and comfort one of another by the growth of evil seed : I say that 
 he hath, nevertheless, raised a testimony that there is no healing 
 virtue in this evil seed, nor in any growth of it : and that the har- 
 vest of good, which is the time of gathering good fruit together, 
 first having bound the bad in bundles (or in each man) to be burn- 
 ed, mast be waited for in a man's own heart ; where, in every one, 
 the day of the Lord burns, as an oven ; by which effect men may 
 distinguish where and what that day is. For every Season, ard 
 every good and perfect gift from Him who holdeth them in His 
 own power, must be patiently waited for and received in men's 
 hearts ; in which waiting, seeking for, and receiving, avoiding 
 controversy and contention in opinions and notions, men come to 
 find healing virtue : being enabled to press through the crowd sur- 
 rounding the Truth, and to touch that garment through which 
 virtue flows ; and to have that vesture covering them, which is not 
 received in possession by rending it, but by casting lots for it. 
 
316 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 to isolation in some places ; denying to others while 
 yet claiming to them or himself, the name of thai crea- 
 ture which cannot be proved to have any existence in iso- 
 lation ; nor without a willingness in man to bear with 
 and suffer for and with his brethren : which spirit is 
 of God and Jesus Christ ; and gives a true evidence 
 that his day is seen by Abraham's seed and oflspring 
 in their father's stature ; (Gen. viii. 7, 8, 9;) although, 
 as to the fullness in outward appearance which was 
 and is in the body of Jesus Christ, the state of that 
 member in whom this sight has place, may differ 
 from another's, as much as his who (because of gra- 
 cious promise) seeketh a heavenly city, country and 
 kingdom, differeth from the state of him who (being 
 the fulfiller and fulfillment of the promise) hath these 
 in possession, to be enjoyed, handled, and shewn ; and 
 although the seed and offspring of the evil doer may 
 be as far from recognizing the true circumstances 
 of their cases, as the Jews were when they said unto 
 Jesus, " Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast 
 thou seen Abraham ?" (John viii. 57.) 
 
 Jesus Christ walked amongst the lost, peculiar 
 people of God to whom he was sent, unknown, except 
 by the revealings of Goodness; and his body the 
 Church, now abides in the world, in the members in 
 every stature of growth, unknown to the world, except 
 by the power of the same Bevecder. Hence that 
 which is of Him now, seeketh the lost sheep in the 
 love of the owner of the flock in the wilderness, and 
 goeth after it ; not to leave it when found, but to 
 lay it on his shoulders rejoicing, (Luke xv. 5,) car- 
 rying it home : where he calleth together his friends and 
 neiylibors to rejoice with him because he hath found 
 
SUPPLEMENT. ol7 
 
 tho lost one. Thus he imparteth a knowledge of 
 Himself, the One true Shepherd of the sheep ; which 
 work is also the calling of His Bride, the Church; to 
 seek the lost, and to make herself known to them who 
 do not seek her, and do not find her before they are 
 found of her Keeper ; because they do not know her, 
 nor understand Aer love in Him towards them, whereby 
 she hath received power to seek them, and to lay down 
 her life for them. 
 
 Hence also it is not of Grod, that those to whom, in 
 His love to them and to the world, He hath com- 
 mitted many talents in the knowledge of things true 
 and useful in the Husbandman's field, cefuse to use 
 them in the world among the sick who have need of a 
 physician, and among sinners who have need to be 
 called to repentance. Every thought to use these 
 given talents out of the world, or in such seclusion 
 or exclusion as would confine the use of them among 
 those who are whole, or to the righteous only, is a 
 suggestion of Satan; who teaches to take thought for self 
 to avoid suffering. Matt. xxi. 21, 22, 23 ;' and not to 
 deny and watch against self; andz's of that mind which 
 savors the things of men- and not the things which are 
 of God. 
 
 Men in conflicting opinions, and in doubt concern- 
 ing the commandment of God, are in the condition 
 which eves attends man in the fallen and prostrate 
 state. 
 
 He, in his first estate, (Eccl. vii. 29,) was made 
 upright; to bear his Creator's image, and the image 
 of every creature of God, iri truth and goodness, 
 wherein He had made them to live, when He said 
 among and unto them, " Let us make (not let us ere- 
 
313 A PEKSDASIVE TO UNITY, 
 
 ate) man in our image, after our likeness ; and let thcra 
 (this combined creature) liave dominion- over the 
 lish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and 
 over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every 
 creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. " So 
 God created man in Sis ovm image, in the image of God 
 created lie him ; male and female created He them." 
 Man was created in the image of God, and made in 
 the image of all things that he had created ; which 
 created things are not in the image of any other 
 thing; but are the substances which God created 
 and made, each having the form or image which He 
 made when He created it. These, in his own created 
 form, made to contain or hold the image of Himself, 
 God blessed; and he said unto them, "Be fruitful 
 and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue 
 it : and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and 
 over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing 
 that moveth upon the earth. And God said. Be- 
 hold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, 
 which is upon the face of all the earth, and every 
 tree, in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed ; 
 to you it shall be for meat. And to every beast of 
 the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every 
 thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is 
 life, I have given every green herb for meat; and it 
 was so. And God saw every thing that he had 
 made, and, behold, it was very good. And the even- 
 ing and the morning was the sixth day. Thus the 
 heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host 
 of them. And on the seventh day God ended His 
 work which he had made : and he rested on the 
 Seventh day from all His work which He had made. 
 
SUPPLEMENT. 819 
 
 And G(k1 Llessed the seventli day, and sanctified it : 
 because that in it He had rested from all His work 
 which God created and made. These are the gene- 
 rations of the heavens and of the earth when they 
 were created, in the day that the Lord God made 
 the earth and the heavens, and every plant of the 
 field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the 
 field before it grew, for the Lord God had not caus- 
 ed it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man 
 to till the ground. But there went up a mist from 
 the earth and watered the whole face of the ground. 
 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the 
 ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath 
 of life, and man became a living soul." Thus 
 through the scriptures, when man's heart is con- 
 verted and opened to understand them, he is instruct- 
 ed in the light, that God called day when He formed 
 it, concerning the generations of the heavens and 
 the earth ; and all the creatures the Lord God cre- 
 ated and made with the power of life in them, to 
 grow by His provision (yet without rain, or a man 
 to till the ground) until the Lord God formed man 
 of the dust of the ground, to bear their likeness, and 
 their Maker's likeness, in a person with a soul which 
 is the image of Himself, and lives only by God's 
 breathing into him His own Life, and while that breath 
 is in him which is the Life or breathing of God, 
 whereby men are constituted the express image of 
 God's Life or substance in person, as Jesus Christ 
 was, and remains to be in his body the Church. 
 (Col. i. 24.) 
 
 As the living soul of man loves good, which is 
 one with the breath of God, for God is One, he 
 
320 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 livQa a good life, and remaina upright in hoart ; but 
 as he rejects that breath and love, through the 
 love of evil, he diea to good, and falls by tranagres- 
 eion, and becomea prostrate, and is not upright in 
 heart. The issius from the heart of man are accord- 
 ing to the state of it, which state is fixed of God accord- 
 ing to man's love of good, or love of evil : for that 
 which he loves most is the father of his thoughts 
 and works, whether it be good, of which is life unto 
 righteousness ; or whether it be evil, of which is sin 
 unto death. In the state of death to righteousness 
 men know not any thing certainly or truly ; having 
 no faith toward Jesus Christ, nor repentance toward 
 God, so as to wait patiently upon Him, the only 
 source and fountain of all true knowledge and Avis- 
 dom; but are under condemnation, and are in 
 opinions only, and in doubt ; and therein work unto 
 damnation : which men never can be fully free from 
 until THEY are baptized, not unto Moses, or unto John 
 only, but into the death of Jesus Christ, which is unto 
 all sin ; wherein they cease to do evil, by denying 
 and dying unto self; thus losing their life for Jesus 
 Chrisfs sake ; (Matt x. 34 to 42) the only way to be- 
 come his disciples, and to learn to love mercy, to do 
 justly, and to walk humbly with God; which is the 
 whole duty of man, and is fulfilled only in the Son of 
 God and man, who is the resurrection and the life of 
 God or good. Se it is who was and is sent, last op all 
 to the unfaithful husbandman, (Matt. xvi. 33-44) in the 
 hope of God that he may be reverenced ; who re- 
 mains with his Church, and is " the Heir," reject- 
 ing whom the Apostle said (Gal. iv. 1, 2,) that " aa long as 
 he is a child, (Uffereth nothing from a aervant, though 
 
SUPPLEMENT. 321 
 
 he be Lord of all; but is under tutors and governors 
 until the time appointed of the Father;" which is 
 the time of the restitution of all things. His living 
 disciples are in the world, as he (John xvii. 18) was 
 in the world ; although they are (John xvii. 16) not 
 of the world, as he was not of the world : and their 
 work in the world is as his was, to bear witness (John 
 xviii. 37) unto the THcth, or to that which is true. 
 
 Of the witness unto the Truth which has been 
 borne, the holy Scriptures are a record; testifying re- 
 specting the creation of man, and that the natural 
 (1 Cor. XV. 46) was before the spiritual; that the first 
 man (1 Cor. xv. 45) Adam was made a living soul ; the 
 last Adam was made a quickening Spirit: and as in the 
 first all die, (1 Cor. xv. 22,) in the last all shall be made 
 alive. Into which estate, if men come, they " must 
 be born again :" (John iii. 3, 7) for without conversion, 
 and the state of little children first witnessed, there is no 
 entrance into it (Matt, xviii. 3). The witness of Truth 
 is, that there can be no conversion into the form of 
 a child of God, nor birth unto this estate, without a 
 mother, who is the Bride of the Lamb of God which 
 takes away the sin of the world ; and who does not 
 overlay nor overdrive her offspring, and cannot con- 
 sent to the division of its living body, which is the 
 last dispensation of God's grace to unfaithful husband- 
 men. This Mother comprehends God's goodness ; 
 and her sons are preserved from evil division through 
 the wisdom (1 Kings iii. 28) of their Father in a wise 
 King or care-taker ; and are never slain but by wicked 
 hands ; nor can their flesh see corruption, but rests 
 always in tlie hope of the resurrection : their life being 
 
 the life of their Father, no man (John x. 18) taketh 
 
 21 
 
322 A PERSUAsrvB to unity. 
 
 that life from the man who hath it ; but thxit man layeth 
 it down, as lie hath received commandment : that 
 which wicked men take away from the disciples of 
 Jesus Christ, is the life of the earthy ; and the life 
 of the Son of God and man continueth in the resur- 
 rection of the just, and in the children of the same 
 mother, the Church, the Bride, the Lamb's Wife ; 
 ^\'hose husband (Isa. liv. 5) is her Maker ; in whom 
 only remains the Oneness of Goodness forever. 
 
 This woman given for a help meet, should continue 
 with her husband, in care for their children, in what- 
 ever is their state of growth ; and be mindful of 
 their cry in need, to feed, and to clothe, and comfort, 
 and instruct them ; and never leave or forsake them : 
 she should not flee when the wolf cometh, (John x. 
 11,12) as the hireling doth ; but lay down her life 
 for the sheep, with the good Shepherd, her Keeper. 
 
 This is the testimony of the Friend, who keeps the 
 good commandment, and is in necessity to suffer ac- 
 cording to measure in unity with him in whom 
 dwelt the fullness of the Godhead bodily; (Col, ii. 9 ;) 
 whom it behooved to suffer, and to rise from the dead 
 the third day, (Luke xxiv. 46,) that repentance and 
 remission of sins should be preached in his name 
 among all nations, be^nning at Jerusalem; by those, 
 who, keeping his commandment, tarry in that holy 
 city (the new Jerusalem) until they receive power 
 from on high. These, according as they abide in the 
 measure of their growth in her in whom, with her 
 husband, it pleaseth God that all (Col. L 19) fullness 
 dwells, wiR manifest no controversy with the calling 
 of any servant (Matt. xxi. 34-44) who is sent for the 
 same purpose as he is who is sent last of all by the 
 
SUPPLEMENT. 823 
 
 Husbandman to receive the fruits of His vineyard, 
 but will teach, the fulfilling oT all righteousness with- 
 out controversy ; recognizing the need which chil- 
 dren, under the law of God, have to be under tutors 
 and governors who stand in His power, and keep 
 their places in the world where their One Master sends 
 them, and in the Church ; or in the earth, the footstool 
 of God; and in heaven, the place of His govern- 
 ment or throne ; from whence proceeded the pure 
 river of water of life, clear as crystal, which John 
 wrote of. Rev. xxii. 
 
 Standing in this power, the suffering body of 
 Christ, hia Church, truly a Society of Friends, " shall 
 be a tabernacle for a shadow in the day time from 
 the heat, and a place of refuge, and for a covert from 
 the storm and from rain :" (Isa. iv. 6) and be able 
 continually to declare, as "At a general meeting of 
 Friends at Amsterdam (in Holland) the Second of 
 the Sixth month, 1677," " Be it known to all men, 
 That the power of God, the gospel, is the authority 
 of all our men's and women's meetings ; that every 
 heir of that power is an heir of that authority, and 
 so becometh a living member of right of either of 
 those meetings, and of the heavenly fellowship and 
 order in which they stand ; which is not of man, nor 
 by man." 
 
 " And be it known unto all, we cast none out from 
 among us : for if they go from the light, and spirit, 
 and power in which our unity is, they cast out 
 themselves. And it has been our way to admonish 
 them, that they may come to the Spirit and light of 
 God which they are gone from, and so come into the 
 unity again. For our fellowship standeth in the 
 
324 A PEESUASn-B TO UXITY. 
 
 light, which the world hateth, and in the spirit, 
 which the world grieveth, vexeth, and quenchoth 
 and if they will not hear our admonitions, the light 
 condemneth them ; and then goeth our testimony 
 out against them." — See Select Works of WilUain 
 Penn, Vol. 3, Third London EdUlon, pages 382 & 384. 
 
 In that nieasure of Faith, Hope, arid Charity, 
 which is graciously vouchsafed to me, I desire truly 
 to stand always thy Friend, 
 
 JOSEPH BANCROFT. 
 
 Wilmington, Del., 3d month, 1874. 
 
A. KEY 
 
 TO 
 
 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY 
 
 IN EESPONSE 
 
 To the following notice, which appeared in " The British 
 Friend," of Eighth month 1st, 1874, No. 8, Vol. xxxiii. : 
 
 " A Persuasive to Unity, setting forth the ground of that 
 source of comfort ; in which ground of a clean heart 
 and a right spirit men may grow in good, and 
 firmly support each other as living stones in the 
 Temple of God." — By Joseph Bancroft. 
 
 " These will be no difference of opinion as to the good- 
 ness or desirableness of our author's object, though we ex- 
 pect that many, in common with us, will find it difficult 
 to make out from anything in his book what the author's 
 plan of reconciliation is. To enable us to understand how 
 this object is- to be accomplished, we would require to 
 know specifically wherein the parties to be reconciled differ 
 from each other. A discrepancy of view on an essential 
 point of doctrine gave rise to division, and, if this cannot 
 be removed, we confess to seeing no prospect of reunion, — 
 nor would such reunion be desirable. It may possibly be 
 that the discrepancy is less than some have imagined, and 
 on this supposition, any effort to have it explained and 
 removed is worthy of all encouragement, so that all who 
 bear the n|me of ' Friend ' might form one harmonious 
 body." 
 
 PEOPoklTION I. 
 
 A clean heart and a right spirit in man is the ground 
 of unity ;^ and without that ground there can be no 
 knowledge of the substance of unity.^ That ground 
 must be known and abode in by men before discrep- 
 
 325 
 
326 A KEY TO A PEESUASrVE TO UNITY. 
 
 ancies of view can be searched out to their comfort, or 
 be explained and removed.* 
 
 » Consult page 5 to close of paragraph ; 18, par. 1 ; 85, par. 4 to 
 close ; 299, par. 1, 2. » Page 13, par. 2; 6, par. 1 to close. ' Page 
 297, par. 3; 319, par. 1 to close. 
 
 PROPOSITION n. 
 "A discrepancy of view'' can only be removed by 
 blinding that eye by Jesus Christ's judgment which 
 sees not as God sees ;* and by giving sight to that eye 
 which sees only as God sees, that judgment being re- 
 ceived and submitted unto.' "And Jesus said, For 
 judgment I am come into this world, that they which 
 see not might see ; and that they which see might be 
 made blind." — John ix. 39. "Wash you, make you< 
 clean ; put away the evil of your doings from before mine 
 eyes ; cease to do evil, learn to do well ; seek judg- 
 ment, relieve the oppressed ; judge the feitherless, plead 
 for the widow. Come now, and let us reason together, 
 saith the Lord : though your sins be as scarlet, they 
 shall be aa white as snow; though they be red like 
 crimson, they shall be as wool. If ye be willing and 
 obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land ; but if ye 
 refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword : 
 for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it." — Isaiah i. 
 16-20. Examine also Isaiah xxxiii. 13th to 24;th verses. 
 
 * Refer to page 10, tenth line from top to close of paragraph; 
 13, par. 1; 16, par. 8 to close; 17, par. 2 to close; 20, par. 2 to 
 close ; 25, par. 1 to end ; 64, par. 2 to close. ' Page 89, par. 2 to 
 close ; 298, par. 3 ; 300, par. 2 to close. * 
 
 PROPOSITION in. 
 
 There can be no " discrepancy of view " where the 
 
 judgment of Jesus Christ prevails;' for "discrepancy 
 
 of view " is out of the " One good " sight, and is in that 
 
 will of the creature which submits not to Jesus Christ's 
 
A KEY TO A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 327 
 
 judgment; the creature being already divided from 
 Him and the " One good." ' To that divided creature, 
 "reunion" in good is surely essential for the good of 
 all : and this is known and acknowledged to be desi- 
 rable always for them, by all who see aright;' having 
 that eye first shut which Jesus Christ makes blind, and 
 thereby removes the false doctrine which teaches men 
 that they should divide from one another in the seek- 
 ing of good, and that the seeking of God is not to the 
 lost; by the finding of which lost the joy in heaven can 
 only be increased ; " for God so loved the world, that 
 He sent His only begotten Son into the world,"" that 
 that which divides from good might be removed, and 
 men become one, even as He and His Father are one, 
 and that that doctrine be taught which would prove it 
 is not desirable that men should be separated from each 
 other or from the good, which only is One.^° 
 
 * Page 39, par. 2 to close ; 301, par. 2 to close. ' Page 303, par. 
 1 to close. 8 Page 304, par. 1 to close ; 39, par. 1 ; 42, par. 2 to 
 end ; 44, par. 1 to close ; 47, par. 1 to end. " Page 47, par. 1 to 
 close of par. on pp. 56 and 57 ; 59, par. 1. •» Page 19, par. 2 ; 25, 
 5th line from top to close of paragraph ; pp. 62, 63 ; 302, par 1 to 
 close. 
 
 PROPOSITION IV. 
 
 It will be found in the Truth, that " discrepancy of 
 view " is altogether in that imagination of man which 
 is evil, and only evil continually ; ^^ and is ceased from 
 " when men cease to do evil; " and that the teaching of 
 men to do and he good is " worthy of all encourage- 
 ment." ^2_gge 2 Cor. X. 3d to 6th verses. 
 
 " Page 60, par. 1 ; 61, par. 1 and 2 ; 70, par. 1 ; 71, par. 1 ; 86, 
 par. 1 ; 303, par. 1. " Page 313 to end. 
 
 PROPOSITION V. 
 
 The reviewer admits there is that respecting which 
 " there will be no difference of opinion." The absence 
 of difference is essentially a state of agreement or one- 
 
328 A KEY TO A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 • 
 
 neas both in opinion and knowledge." It will have 
 place, and can only truly have place with those who 
 know the goodness or desirableness of the object 
 sought:" those who do not know this goodness or 
 desirableness, may i?easonably be allowed and borne 
 with while being counselled by Him who has universal 
 love, before He spues them out of His mouth, because 
 they are lukewarm and in differences of opinion through 
 poverty, while thinking they are rich ; not possessing 
 the knowledge of God, the true riches, which overcomes 
 opinions ; " and which He counsels them to buy of His 
 Son, that they may not differ in opinion, or fall out by 
 the way, nor be careless about coming into the One 
 Good ; but earnestly learn, through faith, the true dif- 
 ference between poverty and riches (Rev. iii. 15 to 22), 
 and between good and evil eyes." — Matt. vi. 22, 23. 
 
 " Page 9, 8th line from top ("setting forth couDBeUors") to 
 close ; 2U, par. 1 ; 22, par. 2 to close. " Page 22, par. 1 to close ; 
 25, par. 1 ; 28, par. 3 to close. ** Page 30, 5th line from bottom to 
 end of paragraph on page 31 ; 36, par. 1 ; 39, par. 2 to page 40. 
 i« Poge 41, par. 1 to p. 49 ; 298, par. 8 to end ; 305, par. 1 to end. 
 
 PROPOSITION VI. 
 
 The "reunion" of men in good who have been 
 divided, and are not reconciled to each other, can only 
 be brought about and have place in men by their 
 receiving God's love, and not rejecting that grace 
 which is universal and is offered to all men without 
 respect of persons (see Acts X. 34)," by the Eeconciler 
 in Him whose name is One (Zech. xiv. 9), and is good ; 
 by doing whose will men le^rn to do well, by ceasing 
 from man's love of self above good ; which love is evil, 
 and is of the devil, whose " name is Legion " (Mark v. 
 9), and not One." 
 
 " Pages 15; 18-21 ; 25, par. 1 to end; pp. 28, 29. " p^gg S2, 
 par. 2 to close j 33, par. 2 to page 54 ; pp. 298, 299 to end. 
 
A KEY TO A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 329 
 
 PROPOSITION VII. 
 
 "The Aiithor's plan." A plan is that which is 
 marked out by measure and lines. Any measure of a 
 line in a plan is a part of the plan itself; if all the 
 measures or parts of it are not observed, the observer 
 seeth or knoweth not the whole, but only that part 
 which he has learned, by measure and line : he may 
 not have learned or "made out" the whole, though it 
 be before him, for some plans are " hard to be under- 
 stood." " And account that the long-suffering of our 
 Lord is salvation ; even as our beloved brother Paul 
 also according to the wisdom given unto him hath 
 written unto you; as also in all his epistles, speaking 
 in them of these things ; in which are some things hard 
 to be understood, which they that are unlearned and 
 unstable wrest, as they do also the other Scriptures, 
 unto their own destruction. Ye therefore, beloved, 
 seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, 
 being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from 
 your own steadfastness. But grow in grace, and in 
 the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 
 To him be glqry both now and for ever. Amen." 
 (2 Peter iii. 16-18.) The reviewer alleges that "the 
 author's plan of reconciliation is difficult to make 
 out from anything in his book." In the love which 
 covers his mind toward all of his fellow-men with- 
 out respect of persons, though allowably first placed 
 before those who make the profession of Friends, as 
 Jesus Christ sent His disciples (Matt, x. 6), and was 
 sent Himself (Matt. xv. 24), to the lost sheep of the 
 house of Israel ; the author has been made willing to 
 endeavor to furnish a key for the understanding of 
 what he has put forth for seeking minds ; being fully 
 persuaded that what Eobert Barclay wrote concerning 
 
330 A KEY TO A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 the Love, Worship, and Government of God, by Jesus 
 Christ, is a true testimony, and a just plan for men to 
 walk by before, or in the sight of. His Father, by fol- 
 lowing Him who remains to be His only begotten Son." 
 
 u Pages 6 and 6; 17 to 20; 86 to 46; 68 to 63; 91 to 106; 109 
 to 184; 189 to 192; 195 to 223; 227 to 298; 297 to' 801; 810 to 
 817; 822 to end. See also Minutes and Testimony of Concern 
 hereto appended. 
 
Foe example's sake (see first paragraph on page 22), 
 the following is added: — 
 
 At a meeting of some Friends held in Philadelphia, 
 on the 10th of the Seventh month, 1874, at the 
 Bethany Mission School-house, on Brandywine 
 Street above Fifteenth Street, according to adjourn- 
 ment in the Fourth month last : — 
 
 Joseph Bancroft was appointed to serve the meet- 
 ing as Clerk. 
 
 We have been renewedly favored to see our Sa- 
 viour, who is the cause of our meeting together in 
 His name ; and have been comforted in and by Him 
 in the fulfillment of His promise to the smallest num- 
 ber who can meet therein ; and also through the evi- 
 dence thereby received and given of love from and 
 to Him, and one unto another ; by which witness is 
 given of His resurrection, and being come the second 
 time without sin unto salvation, in the remission of 
 sins past and from any present transgression of His 
 commandment unto His disciples, to love one another. 
 
 In this love, they who "are sanctified by God the 
 Father and preserved in Jesus Christ" cannot forsake 
 meeting together in the world, for a testimony to His 
 salting presence with them by works which no other 
 man than the One Advocate, Christ Jesus, does in and 
 through the members of "His body, the Church;" 
 called to bear witness unto the Truth in Him; that 
 mercy, peace, and love may be multiplied among men. 
 
 Being afresh confirmed in the necessity for the 
 prepared joints and preserved members of this body 
 thus to meet together, that their places, and the places 
 of their meetings 'may be found, in true witness of 
 having received the atonement (Rom. v. 11), which 
 is by and in Jesus Christ, and by which, in their 
 measures, they are One in witness with Him and the 
 One Good, His Father, in that Oneness to invite and 
 
 331 
 
332 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 call all men to the same substance : a committee was 
 appointed to unite with the clerk in the endeavor to 
 set forth in a concise manner the concern which has 
 appeared amongst us ; that it may be printed with a 
 notice of the time of our next meeting, which is con- 
 cluded to be held at the same place on Sixth day, the 
 16th of the Tenth month next, at 10 o'clock A. M. 
 
 The meeting then adjourned to meet at that time, 
 if so permitted. 
 
 In this cause it is needful for us, beloved, now to 
 write unto you who are sanctified by God the Father, 
 and preserved in Jesus Christ, and to you also who 
 are called to be so (in Oneness, for the call is to all) 
 concerning this salvation; and to exhort that ye 
 should earnestly contend for the faith which was once 
 delivered to the saints, who are the Society of Friends 
 in unity while they are so preserved and sanctified: 
 " for both lie that sanctifieth, and they who are sancti- 
 fied are all of one; for which cause He is not ashamed 
 to call them brethren." Heb. ii. 11. " Therefore, we 
 ought to give the more earnest heed to the things 
 which we have heard, lest at any time we should let 
 them slip." Heb. ii. 1. O beloved! have they not 
 been let slip? Is there not need that if any are sanc- 
 tified by God the Father, s^niii preserved \n Jesus Christ, 
 and if any are called, they should be found in the re- 
 proving Comforter ; out of divisions from that which 
 is good, and not standing between opinions, but 
 (having salt in themselves) in goodness, and in holi- 
 ness of life and conversation ; their sanctification 
 being proved by deeds of Truth, and by bringing 
 them to the true light, which, in this present world, 
 is the body of Jesus Christ; that it may be known 
 that their deeds "are wrought in God," and that the 
 doers of them are organized of God in one good sav- 
 ing body, and are preserved therein to be the light 
 of the world ; and are not of them who turn the grace 
 
MINUTE AND TESTIMONY. 333 
 
 of our God into lasciviousness, denying the only Lord 
 God, and our Lord Jesus Christ: they do not speak 
 evil of things which they know not, nor have hatred 
 against a brother, as Cain and Esau had; they, are 
 not willing for worldly reward like Balaam to appear 
 against that which the Lord hath blessed and will 
 bless; nor like Korah and his company (Num. xvi. 
 3) to say, "seeing all the congregation are holy, every 
 one of them," rather than to submit themselves to the 
 organization of God ; which is through the servant 
 who is faithful in all his house, and under the teach- 
 ing of that Son without whose revealing no man 
 seeth the Father ; and who, being seen by any man, 
 he seeth the Father also. For truly the organization 
 of the Church of God manifest in the flesh, which is 
 the body of Jesus Christ, is only of Himself, by and 
 through the Son, whom no man can come to except 
 the Father, in immediate generation, draw him (John 
 vi. 44) by grace and truth, to be His mother who 
 keepeth the Father's commandment to love God above 
 all; and to know ofthe doctrine or bread that buildeth 
 up (John vii. 16, 17), and establisheth the man ap- 
 proved of God by growth through good works, which 
 God hitherto does by him (Acts ii. 22) who eateth 
 of the bread, and drinketh of the drink, which is the 
 flesh and blood of Jesus Christ; which the Father 
 giveth from Heaven (John vi. 32-35, 48-58), His 
 throne and dwelling-place, to be received for the life 
 of the world. 
 
 The friends of Jesus Christ, the Church of the liv- 
 ing God, know of no other true organization into one 
 saved body, than by and in this One seed, agreeable 
 to His own witness unto the Truth, "Ye are my 
 friends if ye do whatsoever I command you :" and 
 these are that body of organized members to whom 
 {the hody, not one member, 1 Cor. vii.) He maketh 
 known, through diversities of gifts and operations, 
 all things that He hath heard of His Father; and 
 severally chooseth and especially ordaineth the 
 
334 A PEESUASIVE TO VSVUTT. 
 
 members to go and bring forth fruit, and that their 
 fruit should remain in love one unto another; accord- 
 ing to and by keeping His commandment. John xv. 
 14-17. 
 
 These forbid no man to do good because (as men 
 see) he followeth them not (Mark ix. 38-40; Luke 
 ix. 49-50) ; neither do tliey forbid any to meet to- 
 gether in tiie received name of Jesus Christ; nor do 
 they refuse or neglect to prove themselves (2 Cor. 
 xiii. 5) or any who profess to meet therein. Jude 14- 
 25 ; 1 Thess. v. 21. Neither, being preserved in Him, 
 and sanctified in the love of God to the world, can 
 they hold any meeting for the worship of God, sepa- 
 rate from the world which needs to be saved, and to 
 be in the performance of that duty (Jude 19); but 
 for that purpose must meet with any man in the 
 world; inviting all men to meet with them in the 
 same regenerating, saving body, to endure trial as 
 gold is tried, and as perfect and upright men under 
 the law, like Job, are tried by that which meets 
 with the Sons of God, but is not of them in genera- 
 tion; that they may all, after trial endured patiently, 
 and through the mercy of God seeking them under 
 the law, come to bear the samtf testimony that Job 
 did, and in the same power of given sight: saying 
 (Job xlii. 5), " I have heard of thee by the hearing of 
 the ear; but now mine eye seeth thee: wherefore I 
 abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes." This 
 power of sight qualified John (Matt. iii. 13-17), the 
 last and greatest prophet under the law, after fulfill- 
 ing his reproof to the viper's seed, and all righteous- 
 ness in oleying Jesus Christ (John i. 32-33), to point 
 Him out by sight unto the people ; not having known 
 Him with certainty personally before (John i. 31), 
 but by hearing under the law, where both John and 
 Christ were and are made complete (Gal. iv. 4); and 
 the Priesthood is changed from Levi to Judah (Heb. 
 vii. and viii.), who "yet ruleth with God and is faith- 
 ful with the saints." Hosea xi. 12. 
 
MINUTE AND TESTIMONY. 335 
 
 By the things which Job had suffered, he had learned 
 to answer the Lord in righteousness. His loving- 
 kindness having instruoted him through trials ; quali- 
 fying him to say: "I know that thou canst do every 
 thing, and that no thought can be withholden from 
 thee." He had learned, that without the knowledge 
 which ahideth with God, and not with man, only as 
 God giveth it, and man eateth that good food in daily 
 bread, and that while he esteemed himself wise, he was 
 the man who had hid counsel from himself, and there- 
 fore had uttered that he understood not ; things too 
 wonderful for him, which he knew not; and being 
 so prepared to deny himself, he could effectually pray: 
 " Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak ; I will de- 
 mand (ask) of thee, and declare thou unto me." Job 
 xlii. 2-4. 
 
 This perfect and upright man, being sanctified 
 through tribulation and the washing of his robes in 
 innocency, was pure in heart ; for God, who searcheth 
 man's heart, charged him not with iniquity. He was 
 blessed to see God through and by his Son, the ever- 
 lasting present High Priest after the order of Mel- 
 chizedek, and not called after the order of Aaron; 
 in whom, having a part, he became qualified to pray 
 for his friends when they offered a burnt offering as 
 the Lord commanded them. 
 
 Such men have a part in Him who is the Prince 
 of the kings of the earth, who hath made them kings 
 and priests unto his Father ; and they can but ascribe 
 unto Him who hath loved them, and washed them 
 from their sins in his own blood, that maketh com- 
 plete both within and without also, lacking nothing, 
 glory and dominion forever and ever. And in that 
 power cannot but desire to meet together, and invite 
 men to agree together, and to be renewed in knowl- 
 edge, bearing the same transformed image ; and not 
 to be deterred from so doing, nor be divided from 
 one another by not bearing tribulation and persecu- 
 tion, but to suffer it patiently ; and follow the exam- 
 
336 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY. 
 
 pie of their Head, loving their enemies and laying 
 down their life for the world, for a testimony of His 
 presence in the world, for its salvation through the 
 love of God. 
 
 For this cause we meet together in the name of 
 Jesus Christ, that He may be seen and known to be 
 come in the flesh. His body, the Church ; the light of 
 the world while it is in the world, and the manifesta- 
 tion of God's salvation. In this duty we invite you to 
 meet where ever your lots may be cast ; not going out 
 of the world, but abiding in it, without any separa- 
 tion from the good-will of God and iiis Son Jesus 
 Christ, who has sent His disciples into it, His wit- 
 nesses unto the Way, the Truth, and the Life of God, 
 given for the life oJf the world in every one that 
 hearkeneth thereto. 
 
 Here men stand in the work of perfect men, and 
 in the dispensed measure to them of the perfect work 
 of God (through palieuee, that gift of God the work 
 of which is perfect), which with man is ever in the 
 six days preparatory to the rest of the Seventh day, 
 which is the Sabbath of the Lord God; and which 
 His people are called to know and rest upon, after 
 the perfect work of the six days ; on the last of which 
 man is made complete, and stands in the state of the 
 Sixth Church in Asia (earth), unto which John wrote: 
 and only on entering her opened door to worship 
 before her feet, and receiving her visitation of the 
 Spirit of God in counsel, and loving rebuke, and 
 chastening, so as to be zealous in repentance, can the 
 Seventh, or just state of man in God, be established 
 in the fullness of everlasting peace. To this we in- 
 vite and call all men, in the love of God to them ; 
 and for this we meet, not separating ourselves in 
 self-will and sensual presumption from any man; 
 having received a testimony against so doing. 
 
 Signed on behalf of the Meeting and Committee, 
 Joseph Banceoft, Clerk.