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they did desire it. But that those who have their share in it indeed, should be thus broken among themselves, should bite one another, devour one another, and scarce allow one another to be sharers in the common interest of the saints, in that day, this is a lamentation, and shall be for a lamen- tation. But yet something may be farther pressed on them in this business. When one went to demand of the philo- sophers of the several sects, which was the best of them ; every one named his own sect and party in the first place ; but all of them in the second place granted that of Plato to be the most eminent. The inquirer knew quickly what to conclude ; setting aside prejudicate affections, self-love, and by-interests, he saw that the judgment of all ran on that of Plato, as the best and most eminent sect, and which there- upon he preferred before the rest.
May not some inquiry of the like nature be made of the people of God amongst us? Ask them, what is the common interest of Zion, that God takes care of, that he hath founded in the days wherein we live, in the great transactions of pro- vidence that have passed over us ? Say some. That such a form of church worship and discipline be established, such a rule of doctrine confirmed, and all men whatever compelled to submit unto them; herein lies that kingdom of Christ, which he takes care of, this is that which God will have founded and established. And what this form, what this rule is, we are to declare. That that discipline be eradi- cated, the ministers' provision destroyed, and the men of such a persuasion enthroned, to rule all the rest at their plea- sure; seeing, that notwithstanding all their pretended re- formation, they are yet antichristian, say others. Say some. That a kingdom and rule be set up in our hands, to be exercised in the name and authority of Jesus Christ, taking away all law and magistracy already established, to bring forth the law of righteousness conceived in our minds and therein to be preserved ; all uniting only in this, that a so- vereignty as unto administration of the things of God is to be theirs. Say others, lastly. That the people of God be delivered from the hands of their cruel enemies, that they may serve the Lord without fear all the days of their lives in righteousness and holiness ; that notwithstanding their present differences, they may live peaceably one with, or at
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least one by another, enjoying rule and promotion, as they are fitted for employments, and as he gives promotion, in whose hand it is: that godliness, and the love of the Lord Jesus Christ be preserved, protected, and secured, from a return of the hand of violence upon it. Herein, say some, lies the common interest of the people of God ; this he hath wrouoht out for them, herein he hath founded Zion. Ask now the people of God in this nation, I say, or any of them, one or more at any time, what he, or they, look upon as the chief thing aimed at in the mighty dispensations of God amongst us. Will they not every one answer in the first place, that is aimed at, that is to be enthroned, that so doing is the will of God, the end of his works among them, wherein their, or his, particular engagement and interest lies ? But ask them now again in the second place, Which of the remaining persuasions concerning the work of God, and the common interest of his people, they would prefer next to their own ? Will they not all unanimously fix on that mentioned in the last place, rather than any of the other? Is it not then evident that setting aside prejudicate affec- tions, and such determinations as may reasonably be sup- posed to arise from them ; laying away all private ani- mosities, and desire of rule and pre-eminence, with other worldly and selfish designs, the universality of the people of God, do answer to them that inquire, that in the last persuasion lies the aim, and work of God in our genera- tion. For my own part, on this, and other considerations hereafter to be mentioned, I shall dare freely to give this answer to the messengers of this, or any nation in the world, who shall make inquisition after the work of God amongst us, and his design in reference to his people ; and it is no other than my heart hath been fixed upon for many years, and which I have several times, on one account or other in- timated, or pressed unto the parliament, which first under- took to manage, and successfully carried on that cause, in whose protection you are now engaged.
This I say then, * God hath founded Zion,' he hath taken care of the generation of the righteous, the children of Zion, however differenced among themselves ; hath broken the yoke of their oppressors, given them peace, ordered the affairs of this nation so, that they do, or may, all of them
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enjoy quietness, one not envying the other, nor they vexing them, but serving God according to the light which he is graciously pleased to afford thera, they wait for farther ma- nifestation of the glorious gospel ; and that God hath broken, and will break, every design, that either openly, and pro- fessedly, or under specious pretences of crying, lo here is Christ, or lo there, hath sought, or shall seek and endeavour to subvert this his work, to the preservation whereof he will certainly mould the government, and interest of this nation, ordering its affairs in a peculiar manner on that account only ; and not that he delighteth in one way or form, whereinto it hath been cast, more than another. And what- ever high-minded men, full of their own apprehensions and wisdom, may do, to this 'work of God, the poor of his people shall repair.' And for my insisting on this answer, and this only, 1 have these farther reasons to add for my justification.