488 WHAT LIGHT MUST edification, and salvation. Thus must Christ be honored by his ministers in the world. When they speak the same things, being of one mind and judg- ment, uniting in the common faith, and contending for that against infidels and heretics, and, so far as they have attained, walk by the same rule, and mind the same things; and where they are differently minded or opinioned, wait in meekness and love till God reveal to them the reconciling truth. When they study more to narrow controversies than to widen them, and are skillful in detecting thoseambiguous words, and verbal and notional differ- ences, which to the' unskillful seem material. When they are as chirurgeona, and not as soldiers, as skillful to heal differences as the proud and ignorant are ready to make them, and can plainly show the dark contenders wherein they agree, and do not know it. When they live in that sweet and amicable concord, which may tell the world that they love one another, and are of one faith and heart, being one in Christ. This is the way for minis- ters to glorify God in the world. And with thankfulness to God I acknowledge that such, for many years, I had myconversation with, of whom the world that now despiseth them is not worthy ; Phil. ii. 21. Matt. vi. 19-21. John v. 44. 2 Cor. x. 4. 2 Tim. ii. 25, 26. 1 Cor. ix. 19, 20.22. and x. 33. Phil. ii. 1 -3. 1 Tim,. vi. 3, 4. Jam. iii. 14-16. - 2 Tim. ii. 14. 24. Phil. 15-17. John xvii. 24. Eph. iv. 3 -5. 1 Cor. i. 10, James iïi. 17, 18. And the maintaining of sound doctrine, spiritual, reasonable, sand reverent worship, without ludicrous and unreverent trifling, or rudeness, or ignorance, or superstition, or needless singularity, much honoreth God, (as is aforesaid.) And so doth the exercise of holy discipline in the churches. Such discipline whereby the precious may be separated from the vile, and the holy from the profane, by authority and order; and not by popular usurpation, disorder, or unjust presumptions. Where the cause is fairly tried and judged, before men are cast out, or denied the privileges of the church. Where charity appears in embracing the weakest, and turning away none that turn not away fromChrist, and condemn- ing none without just proof; and justice and holiness appeareth in purging out the dangerous leaven, and in trying and rejecting the obstinately impenitent heretic and gross sinner after the first and second admonition, and disowning them that will not hear the church; Matt. xviii. 15, 16. Tit. iii. 10. 1 Cor. v. 11. When the neglect of discipline doth leave the church as polluted a society as the infidel world, and Christians that are owned in the public communion are -as vicious, sensual, and ungodly, as hea- thens and Mahometana, it is one of the greatest injuries to Christ and our religion in the world. For it is by the purifying of a
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