derogateth from his glory XIV Of Baptism 1. That Baptism was instituted only for the first times or for reception of Infidel countreys when converted and not for to be continued in Christian Countreys and Churches 2. That outward Baptism by water will save the adult that have not true Repentance and faith and sincere consent to the baptismal Covenant 3. That all the children of Infidels Heathens Hereticks or wicked men are certainly saved if they be baptized and have Godfathers professing Christianity though those Godfathers be wicked hypocrites and take not the infants by adoption or otherwise as their own nor really intend to educate them as they promise and if they die before they actually sin and that this is certain by the word of God 4. That all the baptized are delivered from all culpable pravity of soul or inherent sin 5. That it is certain that all baptized Infants of what parents soever have special grace infused into their souls by the Holy Ghost in Baptism 6. That baptism entering all into the Catholick Church obligeth all the baptized to the Bishop of Rome as the supreme head or pastor 7. That the Infants of believers dedicated to God are holy only as legitimate and not bastards but are not as a holy seed under promise to be entered into the Church and Covenant of God by baptism but all baptized in Infancy must be taken as no visible Christians till they are rebaptized 8. That none that sin grosly after baptism are upon their repentance to be received into the communion of the Church 9. That it is not necessary to baptism of the adult that they make any covenant promise or vow to God nor to the baptism of Infants that Parents or Proparents devote them to Christ by entering them into an obliging Vow or Covenant 10. That Baptism was not instituted to invest the baptized in his right to pardon and life but only to enter him into the visible Church where as a disciple he may learn how to come to such right and pardon hereafter 11. That the adult duely baptized have no right to the Communion of the Church though they profess to continue their Covenant-consent and none disprove the truth of their profession unless they have some higher qualification and title XV. Of the Lords Supper 1. That the Lords Supper is but an ordinance for young or carnal Christians but they that have the Spirit must live without it as being above outward signs and ordinances And so of the Lords Day 2. That the Bread broken and Wine poured out to be eaten and drunk are not the representative Sacramental body and blood of Christ delivering us the real benefits of his sacrifice to be received by faith 3. That after the words of Consecration duly uttered there remaineth no true substance of bread or wine but all is turned into the very body and blood of Christ 4. That the wine may justly be denyed the Laity and they be required to communicate by receiving only the bread consecrated or the body of Christ as they call it without the other half of the Sacrament 5. That Christs flesh and blood is really and properly sacrificed by the Priest 6. That ordinarily the Priest is to partake alone and the people only to be Spectators 7. That the consecrated host being Christs body is to be adored as very God 8. That this sacrifice is to be offered by the Priest for the living and the dead and to ease the pains of Purgatory 9. That God himself here deceiveth the soundest senses of all men making that to be no bread or wine which their senses and intellects of things as sensate apprehend as such 10. That it is heresie and deserveth extermination or death to deny these things of the Sacrament and to believe our senses that there remaineth true bread and wine after Consecration 11. That unbelievers and wicked men in the Eucharist truly eat the real body of Christ 12. That the bare receiving of the Sacrament though without true faith and repentance will procure pardon of sin from God and Salvation XVI Of the Church 1. That the Church of Christ as visible is lost or ceased or hath been lost since the Apostles days so that there was a time when Christ had no visible subjects and disciples 2. That the Church differeth from Heathens and Infidels only in opinion and not in real holiness 3. That only the Clergy or Rulers are the Church of Christ 4. That Christ hath instituted a vicarious visible Head of all the world or of all the Church on earth under himself to whom all Christians must be subject as their chief Pastor 5. That this Head or universal Church Monarch is the Bishop of Rome or else a general Council 6. That this Head or chief Ruler Pope Council or both hath universal Legislative power to make Laws obliging the whole world or the whole Church 7. That this Head is made the judge to all Christians what shall be taken for articles of faith and what for heresie and all are bound to believe such judgement or at least to acquiesce in submission to it 8. That no one is bound to believe the Scripture or the Christian Verity but for or upon the proposal of the Pope Council or both 9. That such judgement and proposal is certain and infallible 10. That this Church and its authority must be believed to be given by Christ before men can believe in Christ himself 11. That this Pope Council or both have power from Christ to excommunicate such as deserve excommunication throughout all the world and to judge who deserve it 12. That the Pope hath power to call general Councils out of all Christian Churches or nations on earth and to preside in them and to approve or reject and invalidate their decrees 13. That all Churches are bound to send Bishops or Delegates to â—uch Councils if required by the Pope 14. That a General Council approved by the Pope is infallible in all points of faith else not 15. That the Pope or Council or both may judge all Christian Kings and depose such as they judge deserve it and give their Countreys to others and disoblige their subjects from their Oaths of Allegiance 16. That they may interdict Gods worship to whole Countreys and Kingdomes and the Clergy must obey such interdicts 17. That whom they or the Clergy judge hereticks all are bound to avoid as hereticks be they never so falsly judged such 18. That at least in ordine ad spiritualia the Pope hath power over Princes and their Crowns 19. That the Clergy owe not obedience to Princes nor may be judged by them 20. That the universal Church can have no errour in any point which God hath revealed in his word 21. That the universal Church hath erred or may err in points essential to Christianity or absolutely necessary to Salvation and so become no Church and Christ no King or Head of it 22. That no one is a
and to their works § 31. III. And they all believe that the Holy Spirit being God and one in Essence with the Father and the Son proceeding from the Father and or by the Son is the Great Witness Agent and Advocate of Christ before at and after his coming into the world incarnate by his gifts of Prophecy Miracles and Sanctification convincing sinners and drawing them to Repent and Believe and dwelling in Believers as an operating cause of Divine Life and Light and Love thus Uniting them to God in Christ their Head and to each other in Faith and Love by which they are gathered to him as his Church or body having the forgiveness of their sins and the adoption of Sons and right to the heavenly inheritance And living in holy communion on earth their souls at death are received to happiness with Christ and their Bodies shall be raised and soul and body Glorified at the last with Jesus Christ and all the blessed in the perfect Vision Love and joyful Praise of the most Glorious Jehovah § 32. And as I. All Christians agree in this Belief so also II. They all solemnly in and by the Baptismal Covenant and their holy Eucharistical Communion and other duties Profess the Consent of their wills to these Relations to God their Creatour Redeemer and Sanctifier and to his Church or body and their thankful Acceptance of the foresaid Gifts And they profess and express their seeking-desires hereof according to the Contents of the Lords Prayer § 33. III. And as to Practice they all agree in professing and promising obedience to Christ according to the Law of Nature the Decalogue and all his Written Laws so far as they understand them and their desire to Learn them to that end § 34. All sincere Christians agree in the true and Hearty Consent to all this And these are the true saved Church of Christ called Invisible because their Hearts-consent is Invisible All other Baptized and Professing Christians with them agree in the Profession of all this And are called The church-Church-visible their Profession being visible And all this being truly included in Baptism which is our entrance into the Catholick or Universal Church in this before described consisteth our Catholick Communion in Christs body as spiritual or invisible and as visible § 35. II. But besides this Universal Church-Union and Communion for ORDER and Advantage to our great end God hath instituted the ORDER of Christian Assemblies or Particular Churches which are to the Vniversal Church as Cities and Corporations to a Kingdom Which are the noblest and most priviledged parts of the Kingdom but yet not essential parts but eminently Integral For it may be a Kingdom without them and would be if they were all disfranchised and laid common And if Apostles and Evangelists as Itinerant Preachers convert and baptize men they are part of the Church Universal before they are gathered into distinct societies under proper Pastors of their own The Eunuch Act. 8. was baptized into no particular Church but into the universal only and so were many others And meer Baptism as such without any additional contract doth no more If thousands were Converted in America or cast there without Pastors they were parts of the Universal Church if baptized Professing Christians And before the Apostles ordained any fixed Bishops or Pastors of particular Churches the Church Universal was in being though small § 36. But these particular Churches being a great part of Christs Institutions and necessary not only by Precept but as a means to the Well-being of the Universal and the Edification of it and the particular members It must be endeavoured and that with good hope of success that there may so much Particular Church-Vnion be obtained and maintained as shall much conduce to its great and excellent ends That is 1. So much as that in them God the Father Son and Holy Ghost may be Publickly solemnly and constantly confessed by sound doctrine holy worship and holy discipline and conversation 2. So much as that hearty Christian Love may be exercised and maintained and Christians edified in Communion of Saints 3. So much as that God shall accept them delight in them and bless them their converting edifying and comforting souls hearing their prayers and praises and owning them by his Ministry Covenants and grace and differencing them from the people that do not thus confess and worship him and promoting hereby their salvation And if this much be attained it is not to be vilified for want of more nor blotted with reproachful names but acknowledged with thankfulness and praise § 37. III. And yet there is a further degree of concord to be hoped for and endeavoured and that is the concord of these particular Churches with one another That they may all Profess 1. The same faith and necessary doctrine 2. and the same Love to God and one another 3. and the same Hope of life eternal 4. and may offer to God the same necessary and acceptable sort of worship viz. by preaching and applying his holy word recorded in the holy Scriptures preserving and reading them calling upon his holy name by Confession prayer thanksgiving and praises and holding respective communion in the use also of the Sacraments of his Covenant and exercising in some measure such holy Government and Discipline by Pastors overseeing their several flocks as he himself by his institution hath made universally necessary And all this though not in perfection nor every where with the same degree of purity and care yet so far 1. as that Gods word and ordinances be kept up in soundness in all parts and respects necessary to salvation 2. and as may tend to the edifying of the Churches by Love and concord in necessary things and their mutual help by counsel and strength by that concord 3. and the avoiding of pernicious feuds and divisions § 38. The means by which this is to be done 1. by communicatory Letters 2. by Synods 3. and by Civil Governours is after in due place to be explained Thus much of Christian Vnity and Concord may be well hoped for upon just endeavours here on earth But neither Perfection in these nor those unnecessary terms of Concord which some have long taken to be necessary § 39. And indeed so much as may be hoped for is so very hardly to be obtained that if we trusted not to Gods extraordinary Grace more than to any natural probability that appeareth to us in man we should be ready to despair that ever Christians should live long in so much peace and concord And though the great difficulty must not kill our hopes it must much quicken us to strenuous endeavours Of which more anon Satan is so great an enemy to it and every sin in man is so much against it as every disease in the body is against its ease and peace and the multitude and malignity of sins and sinners is so great and the very healers so few and faulty and unskilful
useful and humble as a servant unto all and not as the Rulers of the world to be called Benefactors and gracious Lords not as Lording it over Gods heritage but as examples to the flock Not smiting with the sword but leaving force to Civil Magistrates 4. And it is a simple conversation that Christ by his Law and example hath prescribed and his servants used This was Paul's rejoycing the testimony of his Conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not in fleshly wisdom he had his conversation in the world 2 Cor. 1. 12. Wisdom must go with innocency but it is not worldly carnal wisdom but such as consisteth in knowing God in Christ to be wise to salvation § 24. Now this fourfold Christian-simplicity Paul foresaw the Serpent on pretence of finer wit and subtilty would draw the Church to forsake till as Erasmus saith it became a point of wit to be a Christian and this would be and hath been the corruption of the Churches 1. The simplicity of Doctrine is turned by Councils and by other Dictators into multitudes of unnecessary and uncertain notions to say nothing of the false ones In the clear discovery of the sence and method of the sacred doctrine we must use our greatest skill and accurateness But salvation peace and concord is not to be laid on the fine elucidations and numerous articles of mens wits 2. The simplicity of Christian worship is corrupted and turned into such pageantry of Ceremonies and formalities to pass by much worse that spiritual worshippers find it exceeding unsuitable to them in much of the Christian world 3. And how far and dolefully the simplicity of Church-Government or Discipline is lost in more places than the Papal Kingdom needs not many words to tell him that can compare things old and new 4. And what wonder if the honest simplicity of Conversation perish with the rest and carnal interest and fraud and falshood and oppression reign by carnal wisdom Thus hath the subtile serpent corrupted the Churches by drawing them from the simplicity that is in Christ CHAP. III. III. The true terms of Catholick Vnity and Concord more particularly described as the principal means of hope for the Churches Peace § 1. THe false terms having been the engines of Schism and Church-distractions it is the opening of the true terms that must be the cure with which I shall begin because Rectum est index sui obliqui And here are distinctly to be laid down I. What are the terms of entering into Christian Catholick Church-Vnity and Communion II. What are the necessary terms of continuing it and what are the causes of abscission either by apostasie or excommunication III. What are the terms necessary to the office and exercise of the sacred Ministry IV. What are the terms necessary to the constitution administration and Communion in single Churches V. What are the terms necessary to the concord of such single Churches among themselves as associated or corresponding for mutual help VI. And what is necessary to the civil peace and concord of Christians in Kingdoms Cities and Families Of these in order § 2. I. Nothing but Baptism truly received is necessary to entrance into the state of Vnion with the visible Church called Catholick or Vniversal § 3. I before shewed that Christ himself instituted the terms in the institution of Baptism and that herein all Christians are agreed The proof of this is so full that nothing but gross ignorance or wilfulness can make it a matter of doubt 1. In the fore-cited institution 2. In the constant judgement and practice of the Universal Church through all places and ages since the institution of baptism to this day 1. That Baptism hath been still used no one that knoweth Church history can deny 2. That it hath been used to this end to be the entrance into the Church universal and visible Christian state is an undenyable About Infant baptism the Anabaptists doubt But they also deny Infants to be Christians or Church-members and we prove to them both together by Christs command to Disciple Nations baptizing them They confess that Baptism is the Church-entrance as well as we 3. And all that are truly baptized persons are Christians or visible Church-members till they revolt or are cast out all the Christian world from the dayes of the Apostles are agreed 4. And as all visible Covenanters in baptism have been taken for visible Christians so all sincere heart-Covenanters have ever been supposed by the Church to have by Baptism a sealed and delivered pardon of sin and right to adoption and everlasting life All this is so evident that it is labour in vain to prove it that this hath been the constant consent of the Christian world and so continueth to this day And all that are Christians are still in all Countries thus baptized § 4. And if Baptism be the common symbol of Christianity and the common making of a visible Christian then it must needs be the constitutive term or qualification sufficient to mens first Church-Vnion and Communion which is commonly confessed § 5. If there be any place for contention here it must be only about the validity of mens Received baptism 1. As to the Minister and his part 2. As to the mode and Ceremonies 3. As to the qualification of the receiver or baptized § 6. I. As to the first though all be not agreed in point of Duty who should baptize yet so great a number of the Christian world are agreed as to the validity of baptism received de necessitate medii that the dissenters are so few as that we need not fear any great disagreement hereabout The very Romanists maintain the validity not only of the Baptism received by hereticks and wicked Priests and silenced and suspended Priests but also of Lay-men yea of women But de officio all are agreed that where it is possible a lawful Minister of Christ should do it Only a few Anabaptists say that it must be only one that was baptized at age himself And one or two Singularists whether in ignorance or design I know not think it the aptest medium to unchurch the Reformed Churches that they have no true Priests for want of due succession of ordination and consequently no true Sacraments because God owneth no Acts but such as are commissioned or appointed by him and consequently no Covenant and consequently no Covenant promise and benefits of pardon justification and salvation But this is after at large to be detected and confuted § 7. The great difficulty is of the necessary qualification of the baptized And there 1. the Anabaptists keep out Infants But besides Baptism and Church-membership they deny them no offices that their age is capable of And they are ready to receive them all by baptism as soon as they come to the use of due understanding And these delayes are but few in comparison And 1. the ancient Churches compelled none to be baptized but only received them that
to retain in Church-Communion multitudes of Infidels Adulterers Fornicators Perjured persons drunkards railers slanderers oppressours hereticks scorners at piety c. And it 's yet worse to cast out men for not subscribing to some lye false doctrine or wicked thing or for refusing down right heinous sin And yet worse is it to make Discipline an engine to dethrone Kings and embroile confound or subdue Kingdoms and enslave the earth § 50. The lower first degrees of Church-Government which is but doctrinally to teach men and reprove them all Pastors must use or they omit the essential work of their office But the full prosecution of it to excommunication or publick repentance is rather needful to the Well-being than to the Being of the Churches and Ministry especially when the Christian-Magistrate doth his part No doubt but the Magistrate may admonish a sinner and command him to make publick Confession in the Church and may shame the impenitent and forbid familiarity with him yea and Church-Communion when the case is notorious or judged by the Pastor But it is the Pastors office to judge of his crime impenitence and repentance in order to excommunication and absolution and herein the Magistrate is not to take on him the Pastors work but to command the Pastor and people to do their duties § 51. III. So much of the necessaries to the Being and Well being of the Ministry As to the exercise it may be gathered from what is said There is further necessary to it 1. Natural ability possibility liberty and opportunity and the peoples acceptance consent and reception 2. And as to the Well-being and success 1. The great diligence and skill of the Minister 2. The forwardness and teachableness and zeal and concord of the flock 3. The Concord of the Ministers and Neighbour Pastors 4. And the countenance and encouragement of faithful Magistrates will much promote it CHAP. VI. IV. What is necessary to the Constitution Administration and Communion of single Churches § 1. BY single and Particular Churches I still mean those that are compounded of many Christians but not of many Churches And I take not the word Church in any of the laâ—e senses for civil or occasional meetings or societies or for every religious concourse of Christians as a Synod an accidental day of fasting and prayer c. nor for a meer Community or neighbourhood of Christians nor for a Christian Kingdom or City governed by the Magistrates sword But for a proper Church as political consisting of Pastor and flock § 2. When the Apostles ordained them Elders in every Church Act. 14. 23. it signifieth that they setled these Elders as the proper fixed Church-guides of those Churches Not that they had no Ministerial power elsewhere but that this was their proper special Charge or Province As a Licensed Physicion that hath a particular Hospital or City is a Physicion every where that he cometh and not breaking order may exercise his Art but he may not invade another mans Hospital or Province nor is bound as the other is to medicate that Hospital c. So a Minister of Christ lawfully invited may Preach and Administer Sacraments yea and Discipline in any other Church pro tempore not as a Lay-man but as a Minister in office But he is not bound to take the Charge of another mans flock nor may intrude disorderly but as a helper or on just call § 3. Titus is appointed to ordain such Elders in every City which is all one as in every Church not that every City then had a Church nor that he was to ordain Elders in the Cities that had no Churches nor that he was forbidden to ordain Elders in Countrey Villages Nor that he was tyed either to ordain many Elders in every Church or City or yet to ordain but One in one City or one Church But because de facto there were few or no Villages then that had Christians enow to make a Church of desirable consistence therefore they were congregate commonly in Cities and great Towns where the Christians of the neighbour Villages joyned with them § 4. Every such single Church then by the Apostles order had their own Pastor one or more and every such fixed Pastor knew his proper Charge and flock And in the time when the Epistles of Ignatius were written every such Church had One Bishop over the other Elders and usually some fellow Elders and Deacons and a single undivided Church was known by these notes of Unity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. In every Church there is one Altar or Altar place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and one Bishop with his fellow Presbyters and Deacons Whence Mr. Mede well noteth the certainty that then no Church of one Altar was denyed a Bishop and no Bishop had more Churches with an Altar than one That is no other Assembly for stated Communion § 5. Yet occasional and subordinate Communion parts of a Church may hold Those called Independents deny not but that in persecution or for want of a large room the same Church may meet by parts in several places at once And all confess that a Parish Church may admit of Chapels and Oratories where distant and weak persons may frequently meet that yet sometimes must come to the Parish Church And families that have sick persons may Communicate with neighbours joyning with them But these are not Churches but parts of such § 6. God hath not said just how many persons must make a single Church no more and no less determinately but he hath given us sufficient notice to guide us by the work and end and by his general precepts and examples § 7. A single Church is a society of Christians of Divine institution consisting of one Pastor or more as the Guiding part and a competent number of private Christians as the Guided part associated by Consent for personal presential holy Communion and mutual assistance in holy Doctrine holy worship of God holy order and holy Conversation for the edification preservation and salvation of that Church and the welfare of the Church universal of which it is a part and the Glorifying and Pleasing of God our Creator Redeemer and Sanctifier § 8. To open the parts of this definition observe 1. That as in defining a Sacrament so in defining a Church we mention the Divine Institution because it is not human Sacraments or humanly-invented Churches that we treat of § 9. 2. Note that only Christians make a Christian Church as is oft said Professed Christians the visible Church and sincere heart consenters the mystical regenerated saved Church § 10. 3. It is not any other company of Christians but a society or Governed association that we speak of as strictly called a Church § 11. 4. The Pastors and flock are the essential constitutive parts It may be a Community without a Pastor but not a Policie or Ecclesiastical Society While the Pastor liveth it is such a Church in esse existente when the
and unskilful Mountebanks have long tryed in vain CHAP. III. More of the same subject Twenty things necessary in all that will deliver the Church from Schism Sect. I. BEcause this dividing Spirit goeth not easily out I shall repeat and summe up the common Duties of all men that will herein successefully serve the Church for it is not every man that is fit for so excellent a work though every man be bound to it in his place The sad Experience of the World assureth us that hitherto few skilful and effectual Physicians have been found Sect. II. In short all men that will promote the Churches concord whether Magistrates Pastors or People must observe all these following things as the necessary means which if they be wanting yea but one of them the Churches will be so far disquieted and diseased 1. The foresaid simple Terms of Union must be understood and received and false and ensnaring terms must be avoided 2. Magistrates must preferre Christs interest before their own and see that their own lyeth in preferring his and must value conscionable upright men though dissenters in tolerable cases and not encourage their unconscionable enemies And must keep peace among the Clergy and among all 3. Men must be taught to place their Religion in worshipping God in Spirit and Truth and to study the power and practice of Godliness Sobriety Justice and Charity more than Opinions self-exalting or Will-worship and to love their Neighbours as themselves and do as they would be done by 4. Men must learn of Christ to see the amiableness of Sincerity and Holiness under many differences and weaknesses and so love what is amiable and bear with what is tolerable and pardon what is pardonable in all and to receive the weak even in the Faith but not to doubtfull Disputations and to speak more of the Good that is in upright men than of the Evil yea never speak evil of any man till they be certain of the truth nor then till they be well satisfied that it is like to do more good than harm 5. Men must labour to know themselves and be acquianted with their own fallibility and defectibility mutability and insufficiency and to remember how much they have to be pardoned and tolerated and so to cast the first stone at themselves to fly from Pride and know how unmeet they are to be the Rule of all mens Judgments and Practices or to seem so wise as that none shall be tolerated that differ from them nor speak publickly to God but in the words which they prescribe 6. Men must not be too strange to one another nor keep too distant for neerness and acquaintance reconcileth and distance cherisheth false reports and suspicions and men take liberty to hear think and speak ill of strangers behind their backs which familiarity would cure 7. None but Volunteers must be taken for true Christians nor admitted to holy Communion to receive the Seals of Pardon and Life 8. To use more a friendly discoursing way for convincing Dissenters than disgracefull passionate militant disputations Though dangerous seducers must be confuted by necessary disputation 9. To abhorre Envy and Emulation the Off-spring of Selfishness and Pride and not to grudge at other mens esteem that are preferred before us especially that Preachers and Pastors envy not the preference of other Teachers nor murmur at their liberty honour or success but rejoyce with Paul Phil. 1. that Christ is preached though it be by Contentious men that do it in Envy and Strife to adde affliction to the afflicted 10. To dread Persecution and unjust violence to men of Conscience and not to force them to sin and damnation by bearing down Conscience in unnecessary things 11. To be well furnished with holy Reason and Love and for Ministers to be confined to the use of these from all use of Violence by the Sword and kept to their proper work and Government by the Word and Church-keyes 12. To rebuke and frown away malignant and Religious Calumniators Whisperers Censurers and Backbiters 13. To teach the People wherein the uniting Substance of Religion doth consist and what a sin it is to be censorious and separate causelesly from others and represent their different Opinions Modes and Circumstances of Worship unjustly odious to stirre up other mens hatred and separating distastes and how great a sin and danger Schism or Division is 14. To avoid all needless novelties and singularities and to keep to Vincent Lerinensis's Measure of holding to that which hath ever been received as necessary by the whole Church and was the primitive Faith and Religion 15. To avoid contending about meer ambiguous words and ever to agree of the sence of all the terms before you enter on further disputation and to suspect such ambiguity in all debates 16. As Magistrates must be just and impartial so people must be taught to obey them under Christ in all lawfull things belonging to their Office and that as a part of their Obedience to God 17. Peace-makers must be men of Piety and blameless Lives that may honour their works and not by scandal harden adversaries nor lay Stumbling-blocks before the weak and such as study to do good to all 18. They must submit to men of the lowest and weakest ranks and not despise them and the strong must bear the Infirmities of the weak restoring the fallen with the spirit of meekness remembring that they also may be tempted 19. They must not expect such a degree of Concord on Earth as is not to be expected lest for want of it they be tempted to murmur at God doubt of Religion and make the breach wider by unjust severities against the weak 20. When any are accused of Heresie or Scandal they must be ready with patience to give satisfaction to others to the Churches to Rulers to Equals or Inferiors Referring them to their Profession of Faith and answering what is charged on them and willingly amending what they are convinced is amiss But all this and much more I have formerly written in a Book called The Cure of Church-divisions CHAP. IV. Popery or the Papacie will never unite the Church Sect. I. I Come now to prove the insufficiency and ineptness of the terms of Union which many men have devised and obtruded on the Churches Repeating that few things more divide than false Means of uniting while these engage men to set against all that cannot yield to them And I shall begin with the terms of the Papal party as being the chief Pretenders Sect. II. The Papists think that the way of Union and avoiding Schism is for one Man the Pope of Rome to be taken for the Universal Vicar of Christ on Earth even the governing Head under Christ of all the Christians on Earth yea and of all the World in order to make them Christians and that the Church on Earth is one such politick Body of which Christ is the invisible Head of influence and the Pope is the visible Head
conclude no worse of the ingneous Element nor yet of sensitive or Intellectual spirits For 1. How far they are passive and partible being many we know not Most of the old Fathers especially the Greeks as Faustus Regiensis cited them in the book which Mammertus answered thought that God only was totally Immaterial or Incorporeal And it must not be denyed that every creature doth pati à Deo is passive as from God the first cause and many Philosophers think that all Passivity is a consequent or proof of answerable Materiality And many think that we have no true notion of substantia besides Relative as it doth subsist of it self and substare accidentibus but what is the same with Materia purissima 2. But supposing all this to be otherwise spirits being true substances of a more perfect nature than grosse bodies as they are more inclined to Union inter se so there is as little if not less danger that they should be losers by that Union than that a drop of water should be so For the perfection of the highest nature must needs be more the perfection of all the Parts Physical or intelligible than the perfection of the lowest And the noblest inclineth not to its own loss by desiring Union which to the lowest is no loss 38. It is called in the Text The Vnity of the spirit 1. As it is One species of Spiritual Grace which all the members are endowed with which is their Holiness or Gods Image on them which is called The Spirit in us because it is the immediate and excellent work of Gods spirit As the Sun is said to be in the room because it shineth there 2. As the Spirit is the efficient cause hereof 3. And because this One spirit in all the members inclineth them to Vnity even as the soul of every animal inclineth it to preserve the Unity of all its parts and to abhor wounding and separation as that which will be its pain and tendeth to its destruction by dissolution 39. The Holiness or spiritual qualification of souls which is called The Spirit is Holy or Divine Life Light and Love or the holy disposition of the souls three natural faculties Vital Power or Activity Vnderstanding and Will As all men have One species of humanity so all Saints have this One spirit 40. Though Quickning by holy Life and Illumination be parts of sanctification or this spirit yet the last part Love is the compleating perfective part and therefore is oft called Sanctification specially and by the word Spirit and Love is oft meant the same thing And when the spirit is said to be given to Believers the meaning is that upon and by believing the wonderful demonstrations of Gods Love in Christ the habit of holy Love is kindled in us 41. This holy Love which is gods Image for God is Love usually beginneth at things visible as being the nearest objects to man in flesh And as we see â—od here as in a glass so we first see the Glass before we see God in it And accordingly we first see the Goodness and Loveliness of Gods blessings 〈◊〉 us and of good people and of good words and actions But yet when we come up to the Love of God it is Hâ— that is the chiefest object in whom all the Church by Love is centred so that we thenceforth Love God for himself and all his servants and word as for his sake and impress on them And our Vnion by Love would not be perfect if it United us together only among our selves and did not Unite us all in God and our Redeemer So that the Vnity of the spirit is the Love of God in Christ and of all the faithful yea and of all men so far as God appeareth in them to which Gods spirit strongly enclineth all true believers including holy Life and Light as tending to this Vnity of spiritual Love 42. Therefore Love is not distinctly named after among the particular terms of Vnity as faith and hope are because it is meant by that word There is One spirit 43. The love and Vnity of Christians as in One Church supposeth in Nature a Love to man as man and a desire of the Vnity and concord of mankind As Christianity supposeth humanity 44. But Experience and Faith assure us that this humane Love and Vnity is wofully corrupted and much lost and that though mans soul be convinced by natural light that it is good and have a general languid inclination to it yet this is so weak uneffectual as that the principles of wrath and division prevail against it and keep the world in miserable confusion 45. It is the predominancy of the corrupt selfish inclination which is the great Enemy and destroyer of Love and Vnity 46. Christianity is so far from confining all our Love to Christians that it is not the least use of it to revive and recover our Love to Men as Men so that no men have a full and healed Love to mankind and desire of universal Vnity but believers 47. The purest and strongest Love and Vnity is universal And it is not genuine Christianity if it do not incline us to Love all men as men and all professed Christians as such and all Saints as Saints according to their various degrees of amiableness 48. Love and Vnity which is not thus universal partaketh of wrath and Sâ—hism For he that loveth but a part of men doth not love the rest and he that is Vnited but to a part whether great or small is Schismatically divided from all the rest 49. But Love to All must not be Equal to all nor our Vnity with all Equal as on the same terms or in the same degree As the Goodness of meer Humanity and the meer Profession of Christianity is less and so less amiable than is the Goodness of true sanctification so our Love and Vnity must be diversified All the members of the body must be Loved and their Unity carefully preserved But yet not Equally but the head as an head and the heart as an heart and the stomach as a stomach and all the essential parts as Essential without which it is not a humane body and all the integral parts as such but diversely according to their worth and use The eye as an eye and a tooth but as a tooth Goodness being the object of Love and Love being the life of our Vnity it varieth in degrees as Goodness varieth 50. That Love and Vnity which is sincere in kind may be mixt with lamentable wrath and Schism as all our Graces are with the contrary sin in our imperfect state Not but that all Christians have an habitual inclination to Vniversal Love and Vnity but the act may be hindred by the want of due information and by false reports and misrepresentations of our brethren which hide their amiableness and render them to such more odious than they are 51. Sincere and genuine Love and Vnity hath an Universal care of
their Vnion maketh all to be common to them Are not Parents pleased to see their children prosper and every one delighted in the wellfare of his friend what then if all the world were as near and dear to us as a husband a child or a bosome friend would it not be our constant pleasure to think of Gods blessings to them as if they were our own A narrow spot of ground doth yield but little fruit in comparison of a whole Kingdom or all the earth And he that fetcheth his content and pleasure from so little a clod of earth as his own body must have but a poor and pitiful pleasure in comparison of him that can rejoice in the good of all the world It is Vniting Love which is the great enriching contenting and felicitating art An Art I call it as it is a thing Learned and practised by Rule but more than an Art even a Nature as to its fixed inclination 3. And Vnion maketh other mens Good to be all ours as efficiently and objectively so also finally As all is but a means to one and the same end in which we meet It is my ends that are attained by all the Good that is done and possessed in the world They that have One holy spirit have one end The Glorifying of God in the felicity of his Church and the perfection of his works and the Fulfilling and Pleasing of his blessed will in this his Glory is the end that every true believer doth intend and live for in the world And this One End all Saints all Angels all Creatures are carrying on as means If I be a Christian indeed I have nothing so dear to me or so much desired as this Pleasing and Glorifying of God in the good and perfection of his works This is my Interest In this he must gratiâ—ie me that will be my friend All things are as nothing to me but for this And in this all the world but specially all Saints are continually serving me In serving God they are serving me while they serve my chiefest end and interest If I have a house to build or a field to till or a garden to dress do not the labours of all the builders and workmen serve me and please me while it is my work that they do This is no fancy but the real case of every wise and holy person He hath set his heart and hope upon that end which all the world are joyntly carrying on and which shall certainly be accomplished O blessed be that Infinite Wisdom and Love which teacheth this wisdom and giveth this Vniting Love to every holy soul All other wayes are dividing narrow poor and base This is the true and certain way for every man to be a possessour of all mens blessings and to be owner of the good of all the world They are all doing our Heavenly Fathers will and all are bringing about the common end which every true believer seeketh It is this base and narrow SELFISHNESS and inordinate contractedness of spirit and adhering to individual interest which contradicteth all this and hindereth us from the present joyful tastâ— of the fruits of UNITY which we now hear and read of Yea I can dye with much the greater willingness because besides my hopes of heaven I live even on earth when I am dead I live in all that live and shall live till the end of all I am not of the mind of the selfish person that saith when I am dead all the world is dead or at an end to me But rather God is my highest object His Glory and complacency is my End These shine and are attained more in and by the whole Creation than by me while these go on the End is attained which I was made for And I shall never be separated living or dead from the universal Church or universal world so that when I am dead my end my interest my united fellow-Christians and Creatures will still live If I loved my friend better than my self it would be less grief to me to be banished than for him to be banished And so it would be less grief to me to dye than for him to dye And if I loved the Church and the world but half as much more than my self as my reason is fully convinced there is cause it would seem to me incomparably a smaller evil to dye my self than that the Church or world should dye As long as my Garden flourisheth I can bear the death of the several flowers whose place will the next spring be succeeded by the like And as long as my Orchard liveth I can bear the falling of a leaf or an apple yea of all the leaves and fruit in Autumn which the next spring will repair and restore in kind though not those individual What am I that the world should miss me or that my death should be taken by others or by me for a matter of any great regard I can think so of another and another can think so of me But unhappy selfishness maketh it hard for every man or any man to think so of himself Did UNITY more prevail in men and SELFISHNESS less it would more rejoice a dying man that the Power Wisdom and Goodness of God will continue to shine forth in the Church and world and that others shall succeed him in serving God and his Church when he is dead than it would grieve him that he must dye himself Yea more than all this this Holy UNITY will make all the Joyes of Heaven to be partly ours Even while we are here in pain and sorrows we are members of the Body whose Best part is above with Christ and therefore their joyes are by participation ours as the pleasure of the head and heart extendeth to the smallest members Would it be nothing to a mother if all her children or to a friend if all his friends had all the prosperity and joy that he could wish them The nearer and stronger this holy UNITY is the more joyfully will a believer here look up and say Though I am poor or sick or suffer it is not so with any of the blessed ones above My fellow Christians now rejoyce in Glory The Angels with whom I shall live for ever are full of Joy in the vision of Jehovah My blessed Head hath Kingdom and Power and Glory and Perfection Though I am yet weak and must pass through the gates of death the Gloriâ—ied world are triumphing in perpetual Joyes Their Knowledge their Love their Praises of God are perfect and everlasting beyond all fears of death or any decay or interruption UNITY giveth us a part in all the Joyes of earth and heaven And what then is more desireable to a Believer 5. And in all that is said it appeareth that UNITY is a great and necessary part of our preparation for sufferings and death without this men want the principal comforts that should support them They that can fetch comfort neither from
or practice And sure no such for Images is in the Creed or Decalogue § 26. The same I may say of many other Religious practices As St. Paul speaketh of meats and drinks and dayes Rom. 14. 15. so must we say of all things that are of no greater necessity If men in all these must be brought to uniformity and practising in the same mode it must be either by argument and perswasion or by force The first we are sure will never do it in all things though it may in many All the twenty reasons before mentioned prove it and many hundred years experience much more It is certain to all save blinded persons that all Christians will never be in all things of a mind about Lawful and Unlawful Duty and Sin And 〈◊〉 that force will never do it St. Paul saith of things indifferent that he that doubteth is damned if he eat because he eateth not of faith For whatsoever is not of faith is sin Ungodly persons that have no true Conscience may go against their false Consciences for worldly ends and wilfully sin for fear of men But so will no true Christian unless in the hour of such a temptation as Peters by a fall from which he will rise again to a stronger resolution than he had before No sound believer will sell his soul to save his flesh nor hazard heaven by wilful sin to save his interest on earth So that this way of forcing men to practise contrary to their Consciences in points in which good and tolerable Christians differ will but make up Churches of wicked men that have no conscience joyned with one party that is therein agreed And I shall shew you in due place that they will never devise what to do with the Conscionable dissenters that shall not be far worse than a charitable and peaceable forbearance § 27. III. It is certain that there will never be so great Concord as that all Disputings opposition and passionate and injurious words and writings will cease among all sorts of Christians No nor among all that are honest and upright in the main For as long as one taketh that for a dangerous errour or sin which another taketh for a necessary truth or duty men will even on Gods account think ill of one another and in some measure speak ill as they think They that know that they must not call evil good and good evil nor put darkness for light and light for darkness will abuse and injure one another in things where they confidently err A Lutheran though pious will speak and dispute against a Calvinâ—â— and a Calâ—inist against a Lutheran And so of many other Parties And though it is greatly to be wished that all Christians had humble thoughts of their own understandings and would stay till they know well what they say before they talk much against things or persons and though it be so with wise and eminently sober humble men yet with too many it is far otherwise and like so to continue Perverse disputings and shameful backbitings and speaking evil of things and persons not understood have such unhappy causes in the remnants of dark corrupted nature that they seem to be like to live till a golden age or heaven do cure them Talking and writing against one another even of the same Religion yea praying and preaching against one another must be expected in some degree I would I need not say silencing and persecuting one another yea excommunicating and anathematizing among the worser sort of men such usage as Nazianzen had from one of the famous General Councils and such usage as Chrysostom had from such Bishops as Theophilus Alexand. and Epiphanius and a Council of other Bishops and such as abundance of excellent men in most ages have met with in the like kind and way may be expected again till Bishops and all Christians become more wise and resined persons § 28. II. But affirmatively there is yet an excellent sort and degree of Unity and Concord to be sought with hope among Christians worthy of all our utmost labour Yea there is a true and excellent Unity and Concord which all true Christians do already enjoy consisting in the following things § 29. I. All Christians truly such believe in One God and believe the incomprehensible Trinity and believe Gods Essential Attributes and Grand Relations to man They believe that he is Infinite in Immensity and Eternity and Perfection even a most Perfect Spirit Life Vnderstanding and Will most Powerful Wise and Good the Creator and preserver the Governour and the End of all of whom and through whom and to whom are all things in whom we Live and Move and have our being Most Holy and True and Merciful and Just whom we are bound to believe and trust and love and serve and obey and praise with all our heart and mind and strength and perfectly and everlastingly to see Love and Praise him to Please Him and be Pleased in Him in Glory is the end and happiness of Saints § 30. II. All true Christians believe in One Mediator between God and man Jesus Christ the Eternal Word God and one in Essence with the Father Incarnate assuming the whole Nature of man conceived by the holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary and was holy harmless undefiled separate from sinners fulfilling all righteousness and overcame the Devil and the world and gave himself a Sacrifice for mans sin by suffering a cursed death on the Cross to ransome us and reconcile us unto God and was buried and went to the departed souls in hades and the third day rose again from the dead having conquered death And having declared the new Covenant or Law of Grace and commanded his Apostles to preach the Gospel to all the world and promised them to send the Holy Spirit he ascended into Heaven before their faces The said Covenant of Grace is summarily this that whereas all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God sin by one man entring into the world and death by sin and so death and condemnation passed upon all in that all have sinned God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever Believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life that is God freely giveth to lost undone sinners Himself to be their reconciled God and Father Jesus Christ to be their Saviour and the Holy Ghost to be their Sanctifier if they will Believe and Trust him and accept the gift and will in serious Covenant which Baptism celebrateth accordingly give up themselves to him Repenting of their sins and consenting to forsake the Devil the world and the Flesh as opposite to God and sincerely though not perfectly obey Christ and his Spirit to the end according to the Law of Nature and his Gospel institutions that so they may overcome and be Glorified for ever And they believe that Christ will come at last in Glory and judge all men according to his Laws
and do so much against their own desired ends that instead of accusing the providence of God we should thankfully wonder that there is so much peace and concord as there is and that all men live not as enemies to each others in continual war or that the devouring Pikes leave so many of the lesser fish alive and the weak and innocent are not wholly a prey to the oppressors CHAP. IX That Christ himself who commanded the Vnity Love and Concord of Christians did prescribe the necessary terms § 1. IF it be once proved that Christ himself hath prescribed the conditions or terms of Christian Union and Communion what remaineth to Christians but to enquire What are those terms Whereas for want of that necessary supposition while men think it is left to them no man knoweth who should do it and the Pope prescribeth his terms and others prescribe their terms and almost each Sect hath different terms § 2. That Christ did prescribe them I shall prove I. Antecedently à Causis II. Consequently ab Effectis III. By proving the necessary exclusion of any other competent prescribers § 3. I. Antecedently it is proved from 1. The universal necessity of the thing 2. And from the office of Christ to do things of such universal necessity and his faithfulness therein § 4. 1. There are few Christians so ignorant or inconsiderate but will confess that the Vnion of Christians is necessary not only to the edification and well being but to the very being of the Church both universal and particular For what is a Church but many Christians united and associated for Church-ends Pull all the Bricks or Timber of the house asunder and it is no house Pull all the Planks and parts of a Ship asunder and it is no Ship Pull all the leaves and sentences of a Book asunder and it is no Book Pull all the parts of a mans body asunder and there remaineth no body of a man considered formally but only materially and in their aptitude to re-union at the resurrection An Army disbanded and dissipated is no Army And certainly it is no Church that hath not Church-unity of parts 2. And all that believe in Christ believe that he came into the world to call and gather his Church and to save them and that he sent his Word his Ministers and Spirit to this end He is the principle of life to the Church his body who first by aggregation uniteth them to himself and one another and then is their constitutive and governing and quickning head It is his undertaken office first to make all his own members and then to govern preserve edifie and save them And how can Christ make his Church without uniting the members Can he build his house and never set the bricks stones or timber together Can you make a Clock or Watch without adapting and uniting the parts And can Christ gather build compaginate and unite his Church and not so much as tell men either Pastors or people what are the Conditions and terms of union and the cement or solder that must unite them § 5. And all Christians confess Christs sufficiency for his office and his perfect faithfulness in performing it He wanted neither Power Wisdom nor Love or Will to gather his own Church or body He was faithful as Moses in all Gods house And he that fulfilled all the righteousness of the Law and whatever was imposed on him as a humbled satisfier of Justice surely no less fulfilled all that belonged to him as the grand Administrator and Benefactor and Executor of Gods mercy and his own will and as Head over all things to his Church Eph. 1. 22 23. § 6. Nay as he was the King and Law giver of the Church who was to give them all their Vniversal Laws binding all men could he be supposed to have done this faithfully if he had left out the very terms of Church-unity and concord when such unity is essential to the Church Did he send the Apostles to disciple and baptize all Nations and be in Gods house the Church as Paul calleth Timothy Pillars and bases of truth yea foundations and Master-builders that must gather his Church out of all the world and yet never tell them What a Church is that is how the parts must be united As he is the Teacher of the Church did he never teach them so necessary a thing as what essential Church-unity is These are such imputations against Christ as seem to deny him to be Christ As he would deny God to be God that would deny his providence and government of the world § 7. Christs Law is to be both the Rule of our actions and his judgement And if he have left out so great a point as the essentiating terms of Church Vnion what momentous acts of our lives are left to be ungoverned and unjudged by the Laws of Christ § 8. Above all men those are bound to consent to what I say who hold that Christs Laws have not left so much as a ceremony undetermined and that nothing may be added or diminished in his worship How much less then hath he left the essentiating terms of Church-unity unprescribed § 9. II. And consequently ab effectis we find that Christ did it 1. He plainly declared what maketh a Christian 2. He declared how all Christians should live in love and concord 3. And how the coalition of these Christians maketh his Church § 10. I. It had been strange if he that came into the world to make men Christians had never told men what a Christian is And if he that sent his Apostles to make Christians had set them to do they knew not what and never told them what a Christian is and consequently what they must perswade men to And if he that promised Justification Pardon Adoption and Glory to all true believers that is to true Christians had yet never told them how they may know that they are such And that he that commanded so much Christian duty publick and private and required Christians to suffer so much for his sake and to look for a reward in Heaven should yet never tell them what Christianity is If Christ made Christianity that is the Laws and description objects and principle then he made a Determinate thing If not hath he left it to man to make Christianity objectively Then how shall we know to whom he gave this power And how many several species of Christianity or faith may be made in the world § II. It is evident in Scripture that Christ sent his Apostles and that he taught them what to preach and particularly that he Matth. 28. 19 20. said Go and Disciple me all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things whatever I commanded you And it is certain that a Baptized person was then accounted a Christian and Baptism was their Christening and that this was the Church entrance
union Is it that they all unite in Cephas Peter or in One Patriarch or Pope Or that they adhere to men with greater estimation No but contrary It is this that divided them while one was for Paul and another for Apollos and another for Cephas He calls them to unite in Christ alone and not to think of men above that which is written nor to be puffed up for one against another nor to take any Pastors as the Lords of their faith but as Ministers of Christ and stewards of his mysteries given for their good and helpers of their joy and edification c. 3. 4. He tells them that neither is he that planteth any thing neither he that watereth but God that giveth the increase and he that planteth and he that watereth are one c. 3. v. 7 8 9. And in case of eating things offered to Idols as to so much as was lawful in it self he chargeth them to deny their liberty when it will be a stumbling-block to the weak and tells them that he will never eat flesh while the world standeth if it make his brother to offend c. 8. 13. Telling them that when they sin so against the brethren and wound their weak Conscience they sin against Christ v. 12. And he himself would labour for his bread and not take a lawful and due maintenance from them when he saw it would hinder his success c. 9. and would rather dye than any should make void this his glorying v. 15. To the Jews he became as a Jew to gain the Jews and to the weak he became as weak to gain them and was made all things to all men that he might by all means save some v. 20 21 22 23. His rule is Give no offence to Jews or Greeks or to the Church of God even as I please all men in all things not seeking my own profit but the profit of many that they may be saved c. 10. v. 32 33. Their divisions at the Communion he reproveth ch 11. not caused by ceremonious impositions but their own partiality and selfishness The great difference among Christians in gifts and strength he largely openeth c. 12. to shew them that all this must stand with unity and that yet there must be no Schism in the body but the members must have the same care one of another v. 25. yea the less comely parts must have the more care v. 23 24. And ch 15. 1 2 3. he giveth us this sum of the Gospel which he preached Moreover brethren I declare to you the Gospel which I preached which also you have received and wherein ye stand by which also ye are saved if ye hold fast what I preached to you unless you believed in vain Are not here the terms of Christian unity and salvation For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received how that Christ dyed for our sins according to the Scriptures and that he was buried and rose again the third day according to the Scriptures and was seen c. whence our resurrection is proved Here is nothing but the common articles of the Creed and this was the Gospel Indeed St. Paul is an Anathematizer too but it is not of men that differ about words or humane forms but of all them that love not the Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 16. 22. § 15. The same Apostle sharply reprehendeth the faults of the Galatians But what is it for not for differing about things unnecessary but for making such necessary that were not For which he wisheth those cut off that troubled them And he concludeth all with this uniting true Canon c. 6. v. 15 16. For in Christ Jesus neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but a New Creature And as many as walk according to this Canon or Rule peace be on them and mercy and on the Israel of God I Can any thing be plainer No say the battering Canoneers As many as walk according to this Canon but conform not to all our Canons or Decretals let them have no peace or mercy but be cut off from the Isreal of God so contrary is the Papal Spirit to Christs And Paul there giveth also this rule and the reason of it c. 6. 1 2. Brethren if a man be overtaken in a fault ye which are spiritual restore such a one in the spirit of meekness considering thy self lest thou also be tempted bear ye one anothers burdens and so fulfil the Law of Christ And because he knew that self-esteem and contempt of dissenters lay at the root of impatience towards others he addeth If a man think himself to be something to whom all must needs consent when he is nothing he deceiveth himself § 16. The same Apostle to the Ephesians accurately openeth the terms of Christian Unity and Church Concord in my Text purposely describing both the end the instruments and the terms so that I know not how we could have desired more The End is For the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God to a perfect man to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ That we henceforth be no more Children tossed to and fro and carryed about with every wind of doctrine by the slight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lye in wait to deceive but speaking the truth in love may grow up in him in all things which is the head Christ From whom the whole body fitly joyned together and compacted by that which every joint supplyeth according to the effectual working in the measure of every part maketh increase of the body to the edifying of it self in love Can all the Canons in the world attain more Concord and higher ends than these exprest And the Instruments are the gifts which Christ gave to men even to Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastors and Teachers and the loving endeavours of all believers § 17. And the Terms of all this Union and Concord are these seven 1. One Body of Christ the only Head that is all true Christians in the world 2. One Spirit given by Christ to quicken illuminate and Sanctifie and confirm and comfort them 3. One Hope of their calling that is the Glorious coming of Christ and our Heavenly Glory 4. One Lord the King Head and Saviour of the Church 5. One Faith that is Christianity expressed in the Churches Creed or common profession 6. One Baptism that is One solemn entrance into the Church and Covenant of God in the publick profession of this one faith 7. One God and father of all who is above all and through and in us all But all this consisting in various degrees of grace and gifts ch 4. v. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. These are Gods own terms of Christian Unity and Concord sufficient in their kind but judged insufficient by the ignorant proud tyrannical
voluntarily came or were duly brought 2. And if men will stay without or keep their Children out they wrong themselves and theirs but this breaketh no unity of the Christian Church § 8. There have been also factious persons that tye the validity of Baptism to their sects such as were specially the Donatists supposing that their Prelates had the truest call and power and that all others were Sectaries or Hereticks and therefore their baptism null and void and to be iterated But though in other arrogancies some follow them to this day yet few if any in the nulling of baptism § 9. But a greater and longer stir there hath been about Creeds and professions required as Tests to excuse men from heresie But yet it is to be noted that few of them by these altered the form of baptism but there took up with the ancient Creed the Apostles and the Nicene or Constantinopolitane and required no more but only imposed the rest on Bishops Priests or other afterwards § 10. And is there now any cause of discord here 1. All Christians have been made such by baptism from the Apostles dayes till now Is there any thing in the world that ever came down to us by more certain uniform consenting tradition The very same words of baptism which Christ did institute are every where used to this day And if all ages and Countreys have still baptized persons as believers or Christians and yet be not agreed what Christianity is or what the faith is that baptism requireth it will be a strange incredible shame to them But even Hierome and Hillary that cry out of their new Creeds do tell us that in Baptism the old one was still used to which they did appeal And though the Greeks and Latines differ about their filióque and some small new clauses are found in the Creed that were not in the old Copies which are now found on Record they are not so factious or vain as to nullifie Baptism by any of those differences For the Creed is but part of the Exposition of Baptism and Baptism is true Baptism if no other Creed or words were used but it self 2. And there are few Christians yet that will refuse any of the truly ancient Creeds of which more anon § 11. 3. It is true that there are some humane ceremonies which some Churches adjoin to Baptism and by others are rejected or omitted The most of the ancient Churches used the tasting of milk and honey the wearing of a white garment and Chrisme and now some use the transient Image of the Cross as a symbol of our engagement to a Crucified Christ which others omit as taking it to be so far participant of the nature of a Sacrament of the Covenant of Grace as that it is an usurpation of Christs prerogative for any men without his institution to appoint But yet all these Churches that differ in these Ceremonies agree that the validity of Baptism dependeth not on them Whether they be used or omitted the person is nevertheless baptized § 12. Qu. But what is it that is necessary to the being and validity of baptism Answ This was partly answered before 1. It is necessary to the validity of it in foro Ecclesiae that both the baptizer and the adult baptized or the person that is authorized to Covenant for the infant do Profess to intend real Baptism and not to do it in jeast or to other ends And it is necessary to its efficacy to pardon and salvation that this profession of the Baptized be sincere and that he do it from the heart And it is necessary to free the baptizer from Gods displeasure that his intention be sincere 2. It is necessary that the words of Baptism be such as express all the Essence of it such as are those of Christ which all Christians use I Baptize thee in the name of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Ghost And that no contradictory words which nullifie these be added 3. It is necessary to the validity of it in the judgement of the Church that the adult person and the Parent or pro-parent for the Infant do seem or profess to understand all the words of Baptism so far as is essential to it For ignorantis non est consensus 4. It is necessary to the validity of it to real pardon and salvation that he not only seem to understand it but really do so 5. It is accordingly necessary that the person consent to all the essence of the Covenant that is seem and profess to do it to the Church and really do it to satisfie God and obtain pardon and life by it 6. It is not absolutely necessary to the validity that the Creed or any other profession be used by the baptized besides the words themselves I believe in God the Father Son and Holy Ghost and give up my self to him in this Baptismal Covenant Because understanding and consent may be expressed by those words 7. But it is usually necessary to the bene esse or the best performance of baptism that the adult person or the Parent of Infants do in larger words profess his understanding belief and consent to baptism And it is best that these words be not too many nor too few and that they be for the most part one unchanged form Lest ignorance or heresie deprave baptism by change and variety of words 8. To this end the Churches of Christ have still used the Creed as the summary form of Profession of faith As the Lords Prayer is a summary form of our Desires and the Decalogue of our rule and profession of practice But because Assent is supposed to imply Consent to the particulars Assented to though but Generally professed therefore the Church hath more rarely omitted the Creed in the profession of Assent when yet they have accepted of a more General profession of Consent to the Covenant and promise of obedience 9. But if the adult do before-hand as a Catechumen learn the Creed Lords Prayer and Decalogue and give the Pastor a satisfactory account of his competent understanding of them then that may be supposed and only a General profession of faith consent and subjection be used at the time and in the words of baptism And so much of the constitutive causes of baptism § 13. II. Though no more than Baptism be essentially Necessary because so great a work should be well done and ignorance and errour are very common it is meet that the Church require an understanding Assent to the common Articles of the Creed and an understanding Consent to the Lords Prayer and Decalogue and in general to all that he understandeth to be Gods Word Belief and sincere Obedience And therefore that the adult person and Parent of the Infant be one that hath before been Catechized or examined herein § 14. Though I consent to Ger. Vossius and others that there is no proof at all that the twelve Apostles made the twelve Articles of the
cannot take from them what they never had nor are capable of But we in London never had local Communion with them of Vienna Paris Rome c. nor ever saw them All therefore that they can do is to account those Hereticks or wicked or Apostates whom before they accounted good Christians and to declare that they own them not as fellow Christians and would not communicate with them did they live among them and to warn others that are in danger of them to avoid them and this not as an act of Government over them but of common Christian duty for the honour of our common religion and in charity to others The just renouncing of mental or local Communion by equals or neighbours much differs from a Governing commanding excommunication forbiding other Churches as their subjects to communicate with such on certain penalties which is the usurpation of Popes Patriarchs and some others who claim such governing power without proof CHAP. VIII VI. What is necessary to the Civil Peace and concord of Christians and what is the part of the Christian Magistrate about Religion as to his promoting or tolerating mens doctrines or practices therein § 1. THe contentions of the world here call us to resolve these several doubts 1. Who it is that should have the power of the sword or Magistracy 2. How it is to be used towards all men as men in society 3. How it is to be used for the service of Christ and good of the Church in encouraging some and tolerating others and keeping peace among them all § 2. It is here supposed that the subject is understood and that we are agreed what the Magistrates power is at least de re though not de definitione vel de nomine that is it is the power of Governing by the sword that is of making Laws and judging according to them and executing them by outward force on mens bodies or estates And so it is contradistinguished from the power called Ministerial Pastoral Priestly or Ecclesiastical which is the gathering and guiding of Christian Churches by Gods word preached expounded and applyed The nature of each and their differences I have formerly opened in a small treatise written purposely on that subject to end the Erastian controversie And Bishop Bilson fuily openeth them in his excellent book of Christian Obedience c. The Magistrate hath power forcibly to seize on offenders estates and bodies to imprison mutilate scourge strike and kill them that deserve it and to make Laws and judge men unto such punishments The Ministers of Christ or Pastors of the Churches have no such power but only to declare Gods Laws to the people and convert and baptize the wicked unbelievers and teach them the word and will of Christ and guide them in publick worship and Communion and judge who is capable thereof and to require the people in the name of Christ to love and receive the worthy and to avoid the unworthy and to resolve the peoples particular doubts and by personal application to pronounce and declare Gods acceptance of penitent believers and his promise to save them and his decree to condemn the ungodly unbelievers impenitent and Hypocrites § 3. This difference is commonly acknowledged by the generality of sober Christians But one schismatical Writer against schism will needs call this Pastoral power Coactive coercive or forcing also though he confess that it is not a power to touch mens Bodies or estates that so by casting out all differencing names he may hide the acknowledged difference of the power and execution And his reason for this errour de nomine is because suspension and excommunication are executed on the involuntary and compel those that believe the power and fear them to obey Where 1. The word compel containeth the confusion compelling the mind by meer argument being not the compelling by corporal force which we are speaking of 2. And every man that chideth reproveth or threatneth a sinner usually doth it to the involuntary And if he believe him and yield he will obey And if you argue from his future danger or suffering it is the fear of it that moveth him But the fear of Gods declared threatnings is not the same as the fear of mans stripes imprisonments unless c. 3. And excommunication worketh on no mans body further than it worketh on his conscience to make him a voluntary agent If you denounce damnation against him it moveth him no further than he believeth you as applying to him the word of God If you forbid him to be present or take the sacrament and he refuse to obey you may not forcibly thrust him out without the Magistrates consent but only suspend your own act of delivery or depart If you command the people to avoid him they will no further obey you than they perceive Gods authority in your words and are convinc't in Conscience of their duty And every sermon may thus compel men And all that judge the sentence unjust and powerless will despise it § 4. 1. There are four or five opinions about the possessors of this forcing power by the sword or violence The first of them that say It belongeth to all Magistrates Christian and unchristian The second of them that say It belongeth only to Christian Magistrates The third of them that say It belongeth to Orthodox Magistrates or Catholick only and not to Hereticks The fourth of those that say that the Judicial part in cases of Religion belongeth to the Pope Prelats or Presbyters and the executive only to the Magistrate The fifth of those that say that both judicial and executive belong to the Pope Prelats and Priests I may add a sixth of them that say it is radically in the people § 5. 1. As to the first it is undoubtedly true if you distinguish between the Office Power and the aptitude of the person to perform it The Office of a Supreme Ruler is the same in all but all are not equally capable of performing it That is It is the same as described by Gods command of their performance As he commandeth infidels to believe and communicate with the Church but not to communicate before they believe so he commandeth Infidel Princes to believe and to govern the Christian affairs but to govern them as they are capable The common Laws of nature justice and peace among Christian subjects an Infidel Prince may and must see executed The Laws of Christ revealed supernaturally he ought to understand believe and execute But till he understand and believe them he cannot execute them And therefore wants the disposition and ability to do what he had command and authority to do but to do it only in the due manner to which his sin disableth him and so his Power is in him incomplete § 6. I confess it is a very hard question How an Atheist can be said to have any Governing right from that God whom he denyeth any more than a Constable from the King from whom by
as to Government And that none are of the visible Church that are not the Popes Subjects and that they that refuse such Subjection are Schismaticks or Hereticks or Infidels And that all that own Christ should be compelled by Sword or torment to own the Pope as his Vicar General Sect. III. Campanella de Regno Dei openeth the Mystery of the Fifth Monarchy and alledgeth the texts that are brought for it as intending Christs Reign on Earth by the Pope as his Viceroy And indeed it is an Universal Kingdom or Monarchy which they plead and strive for under the name of the Universal Church But in this they greatly differ whether the Pope have the universal Power of both Swords or but of one that is both Civil and Ecclesiastical and be really the King of all the World And herein they are of three Opinions as to the Subject of this Power and of three Opinions as to the degree Sect. IV. As to the Possessor of this Authority 1. One party say that the summa Potestas is in thâ—â— Pope 2. Another saith it is in the Pope presiding in a General Council or in the Pope and Council agreeing 3. And another party hold that it is in a General Council alone yet so as that the Pope is the Head of the Universal Church as the chief Prelate and Ordidinary Governour though subject to the Legislative and Judicial Power of the Council Sect. V. And as to the Degree of Power 1. Some hold that the Pope is the Monarch of all the Earth having the chief Power of both Swords and that the World is his Kingdom as Gods Vicegerent 2. Others hold that he hath directly only the Ecclesiastical Power but indirectly and in order to Spirituals he hath also the Temporal power of the Sword Or as the most hold that in his own Territories he hath both Powers as to Personal exercise but in other Kingdoms he can himself only execute the Church-power but he may command Kings to execute the power of the Sword for Religion according to his and his Bishops decrees and may force them to it by Anathema's and releasing their Subjects from the Bonds of Fidelity and giving their Kingdoms to others As some say that the King may not be personally Judge in the Courts of Justice but he may make Judges and force them to their duty and depose them if unworthy This differeth little from the former The Monarchy is nevertheless absolute though Kings be the Popes Officers or Lictors 3. But some few hold that the Pope and Bishops have no Power of the Sword at all nor of forcing Kings to use it The Controversie was hotly handled when Popes and Emperors were in Warrs The Volumes written on both sides are published by Goldastus to which William Barkley and some others in France have added more Sect. VI. Rightly therefore doth the Geograph Nubiensis call the Pope A King The Name of a Church maketh not a difference in the thing There be some that think that all Kings should be also Priests and the Popes will grant it so far as to hold that all Bishops should be Magistrates and the Chief Priest be Univerâ—al Kingâ— Cardinal Bertram in Biblioth Patr. saith God had not been wise if he had not set up such a Monarch under him over the World And in 〈◊〉 seu Bulla Sixti quarti Philippo Palatino Rhâ—ni in â—rehero Vol. 2. pag. 162. you may see their Claim in these words Universos Christianos Principes acâ—omnes Christi fideles requirere eisque mandare vice Dei cuius locum quamvis immeriti tenemus in terris To require all Christian Princes and all faithful Christians and to command them in Gods stead whose place on earth we hold though unworthy The Twelfth General Council viz. at the Laterane sub Innoc. 3. and some at Rome under Greg. 7. and many others put this Claim of theirs past doubt Sect. VII Now that the Universal Church will never unite in the Roman Papacy I prove undeniably as followeth 1. Because Christians will never unite in an Agreement to forsake the Scriptures as Gods Word and Law where they will still find that he never instituted such a Roman Monarch The Papists contrary Assertion will never convince the World when the Book it self is open before them They will there find no one man that ruled all the rest no one to whom Appeals were made no one that ever claimed such a power much less that settled any such at Rome or that ever a word was left by Christ to direct the Church to center in the Bishop of Rome Nor that ever the Apostles preached this to the Churches which they must needs have done had it been essential to the Church Catholick or half as necessary as the Papists make it Sect. VIII 2. Because in Scripture Christians will not only find nothing for it but much against it which many Volumes having largely proved Chamier Whitakers White and abundance more it would be vain here to repeat I commend to the English Reader now but Dr. Challoners small Book of the Catholick Church Sect. IX 3. Because were it but as dark and doubtful and uncertain as common Reason and Disputers experience proveth it the universal Church can never unite in a thing which so few can see any certainty in or evident proof of Sect. X. 4. Because the greatlyest reverenced General Councils are against it limiting the Popes power to his Diocese as Nice first doth and declaring him to be National and of humane Institution as being Bishop of the Imperial City and advancing Constantinople from the same Reason as doth the Council of Chalcedon Of which I have largely written against Terret Sect. XI 5. Because the Greek Church hath ever held the Papacy to be of humane Institution Proved briefly 1. Because they ever held the Popes power to stand on the same Foundation with the other Patriarchs But they ever held the other Patriarchs to be of Humane Institution which needs no proofs to men of Reading 2. Because they set up Constantinople first next him and then equal to him and then above him which they had never done had they taken the Papacy to be of Divine Institution For they never pretended any such foundation for the Bishop of Constantinoples power and they were never so desperate as to set up Mans Ordination above Gods 3. Because they took his Power to be limited by the Laws of the Empire and him to be subject to the Emperours All which is known to men that know Church-History Sect. XII 6. Because the common Reason of Mankind will still discern that a humane Monarchy of all the Earth is a dream and Impossibility and that no man is naturally capable of exercising such a power Sect. XIII 7. Because while Baronius Binius Crab Surius and other Histories of the Councils are extant and Platina Anastasius and other Histories of the Popes and while all the old Church-History is extant and all the German