Christianismus primitivus, or, The ancient Christian religion, in its nature, certainty, excellency, and beauty, (internal and external) particularly considered, asserted, and vindicated from the many abuses which have invaded that sacred profession, by humane innovation, or pretended revelation comprehending likewise the general duties of mankind, in their respective relations : and particularly the obedience of all Christians to magistrates, and the necessity of Christian-moderation about things dispensible in matters of religion : with divers cases of conscience discussed and resolved / by Thomas Grantham ...

SECT. V. Containing an Exhortation, with Five Motives to all the Baptized Chur∣ches in England, to demonstrate that Christian Unity which their holy Profession doth naturally engage them unto.

Beloved Brethren, it hath pleased God to Bless you the Baptized Churches, with such a Restoration of Christianity to its Primitive Purity, in respect of the Principles of Christianity, and the Government of the Churches, as few Ages since the Apostles Times have attained to the like. The first hath so full evidence in the Sacred Scriptures, and parti∣cularly in Heb. 6. 1, 2. that Dr. Bale confesses, That if Men must take their Religion out of the Scriptures (and particularly he quotes Heb. 6. 1, 2.) that then both Papists and Protestants must all cross the Cudgels to the Anabaptists; meaning, they must strive no further against us. And for your Government, it is not only free from a Partial and Mercenary Spirit, but is generally exercised with so much Care and Exactness, that no vicious Person (if known to be so) can stand in your Communions, without such Reformation as the Word of God calls for.

Wherefore I do earnestly exhort, entreat, and beseech you all, to consider one another as Brethren, and not as Adversaries; and as Bre∣thren, put on Charity towards each other. And by how much any of you are in the Truth, more perfectly in some particular than some of your Brethren, by so much the more see that you shew forth your Works on that account, with meekness of Wisdom, and to abound in that Gift of the Spirit, which hopeth and believeth the best concerning other Christi∣ans, and hath the strictest Eye upon its own Miscarriages.

This you ought always to consider, That as your Brethren are mista∣ken in some things, so you either are, or seem to them to be mistaken al∣so; and you ought to believe, that in many things you err, through humane frailty, though you see it not. And as you desire God to cleanse you from your secret faults, or errours which you understand not, so should you be as mindful to shew pity one to another, when you see, or suppose your Brethren to err from the Truth.

Now the first Motive that calls upon us all to seek for, and preserve Brotherly Unity, is this: God is not the Author of Division in the Churches of the Saints: and shall we abet a contrivance of Satan? God forbid. Di∣vide and destroy, is his Maxim. It is he that accuses you one to another, and puts strange inferences upon your differing apprehensions, to make you stand a loof from each other; but Charity thinketh no evil. And though it be true, that Errour on whose part soever, hath ill Conse∣quences,

yet we may be confident that such Consequences are hated by the erring Brother, as much as by any other Christian.

2. How solemnly did our Saviour pray, That his People might be out, even as He and his Father are one. Nay, do we not daily pray for the uni∣ty of all Saints, and bewail the Discords that are among them before the Lord? And shall we stand in opposition both to Christ and our selves, by upholding Division in his Churches? What a prodigious self-contra∣diction is this? And how shall we expect to be heard of the Lord in other things, when we are not willing to be heard in this thing, unless it be just upon our own terms? Namely, That all submit to us, whilst we our selves will hardly bow in any thing. When yet it is both Scriptural and Rational, that the strong should bear the Infirmities of the weak, and not to please themselves.

3. The Conversion of those that are out of the Church, is greatly ob∣structed by Church-Divisions. Could we prize the Salvation of Men at the due value, we would not hazard so great a Matter upon matters of doubtful Consideration. As I am sure, no Man can be certain that it is safe for the Baptized Churches aforesaid, to deny that Communion, or Christian Correspondence which all Churches ought to hold for the com∣mon interest of Truth, at least in their General Assemblies; which conceive would be a leading way to more freedom each with other, in other things pertaining to the Communion of Saints.

Let me therefore advise all Christian Assemblies in this Nation, who are Baptized into Christ, according to Mat. 28. 19. and walk soberly in point of Life, to make one Consistory, or General Assembly, by one, or more from every Church; to obtain, 1. A true understanding of the State of the Baptized Churches in general. 2. What are the most important Matters in difference among them. And then, 3. To consult Brotherly how to Compose, or to Accommodate them.

This way went the Primitive Christians to heal their Divisions, and God blessed their endeavours with the establishment and increase of the Churches; and this is written doubtless for our direction. And verily, if this kind of Liberty and Society be not admitted, there are no means remaining to the Churches, to compose their Discords: For though Neighbouring Congregations may do much this way, in respect of them∣selves, yet this answers not the great Design of our Blessed Saviour, whose Prayer was, that all his People might be united who should believe in his Name, by means of the Doctrine of his holy Apostles. And could the Churches of this Island once arrive (through God's Blessing) at such a General Assembly, to be held either Yearly, or once in two or three Years, how would this fit them for communicating their Affairs with the Baptized Churches in other Nations? Whereas whilst we live as it were unknown to one another, in our own Country, it is unlike we should have acquaintance with the Churches in Nations at a distance from us.

4. The fourth Motive to unite, is the consideration of the ill Presi∣dent which we shall leave to the next Age, if we leave our Controversies to them undecided. Yea, the Churches who now differ but a little, and do notwithstanding these differing apprehensions, acknowledg each other

as Brethren and Churches of Christ; yet this small Core being untaken away, may in time estrange those Societies one from another wholly. Let some Pillar or Monument of our Love and Unity in general be erected in this Generation, which may give evidence to Posterity that we were one People. And what can be so likely to serve them in this re∣spect, as some wholsome Agreements, for Truths advantage in general, made by the Leading Men of all these Churches, in one Consistory or General Assembly?

5. We cannot rationally imagine that God is pleased with the Divisi∣ons which are in the Baptized Churches, but rather dishonoured by them: Let us then labour for the removal of that which intrencheth so much upon his Honour; by whose Name we are all called, for whose Truth we have all suffered. Again, we have all one Adversary, even Satan, who labours sundry ways to destroy us, and that blessed Work of resto∣ring the neglected Paths of Christianity to their Pristine Purity; which God hath in some measure intrusted in our hands, though we are but a low and despised People: Yet this shall not make the less, but rather much more for the Glory of God, who useth to chuse the Poor of this World Rich in Faith, and Heirs of the Kingdom. Only let it be our care to walk so before God, and before one another, as we may lift up his Name and Truth before Men; then will he in his Wisdom and Faith∣fulness bless us, and cause his Face to shine upon us, that his way may still be known upon the Earth, and his saving Health among all Nations; who at present lie in very great Darkness, by reason of the Clouds of Mens Devises, which the appearing of Primitive Christianity, in the Doctrine of Christ held forth by the Faithful Ministers of his true Churches, will cause to vanish away.

Notes

• Dr. Bale, end to Controversie.
• Acts 15. & 16 Chap.