Christ Jesus without making use of any Sub-mediators either of Redemption or Intercession not mentioned in the Gospel and herein he considers God not only as a Creator or in the absolute perfections of his Being but as reconciled in the Blood of his Son related as a Father and ingaged by a special Covenant He is one who waits and prays for the help of Gods holy Spirit to lead him into the presence of God and to help his Infirmities therein and approacheth not to him meerly by the impulse of natural Conscience much less by the help of Pictures or Images forbidden by the Law of God but by the Spirit of Adoption inclining his Will moving his Affections and crying Abba Father in his Heart Again He reckons upon Suffering with Christ as well as Reigning with him of bearing his Cross as well as wearing his Crown and of Denying himself as becomes a Disciple of Christ and therefore Arms himself for it that he may not be surprized by it or faint under it and as he will not rashly thrust himself upon sufferings so neither decline them when necessarily called thereunto wherein he will have respect to the goodness of his Call of his Cause and of his Conscience Further He is one who when he is Reviled reviles not again patiently bears affronts and injuries for Righteousness sake seeks not privately to revenge himself but commits his Cause to him that judgeth righteously Again He embraceth Religion for its own sake and not for any politick end and abhors to make use of it as an Art to serve any Covetous Ambitious or Treacherous designs He is one who believes a Judgment to come and therefore lives in continual awe of it and endeavours so to manage the whole course of his actions that he may be accepted of the Lord in that day and not fall under the wrath to come and thereupon is less concerned about being Judged of men or of mans day Again He believing the Immortality of his own Soul the Resurrection of his Body and hoping for the Eternal Life of the World to come Life and Immortality being brought to light by the Christian Religion he is seeking to make it sure to himself and thereupon is less concerned as to his temporal Life and his short stay in this present World looking upon himself as a stranger here on Earth He is careful to examin himself about his State towards God and to know the inward frame and temperament of his own Soul and the Actions of his Life in the Principle Rule and End of them that he may not be found among Hypocrites and that counterfeit Grace may not be mistaken for that which is true His Zeal in Religion is not rash and precipitate hypocritical and treacherous violent and cruel so as to transgress the Rules of Humanity Charity and Sobriety but is grounded upon Knowledge and regulated by sound Judgment Wisdom and Discretion and his greatet Zeal is about the great things of Religion and of the greatest certainty He is one who hath a regular Conscience extending to one Duty as well as to another and therefore will not strain at Gnats and swallow Camels nor be scrupulous about Ceremonies and of conforming to some outward Forms of Worship and yet can practise injustice oppression lying fraud intemperance backbiting malice and such moral impieties not becoming Christians And if he hath a Conscience of Conformity to the Church he makes Conscience of the moral Duties of Religion and will not be found guilty of swearing cursing drunkenness fornication scoffing at piety blasphemy false accusation or persecution for Conscience sake of the truly conscientious c. And though his practice in Religion is according to his best Light and judgment yet he confines not the Church of God or monopolizeth Salvation to the narrow limits of his own private Opinion but judgeth charitably of men who Conscientiously differ from him as knowing that as in several Nations so under several Opinions He that feareth God and worketh Righteousness is accepted of him and therefore he can love and honour true Piety Sincerity and Goodness and real Worth wherever he finds them as the Phylosophers called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 studied to extract the good out of every Sect of Phylosophers and rejected the rest Again He beholdeth the Creator in the works of his Creation and adores his wisdom power bounty and goodness shining forth therein and as a Christian he can look upon the Creator of the World as the Redeemer of it and as his God and Father in Jesus Christ and in special relation to him and hereupon to have his Heart engaged to love him honour him fear him and trust in him which is more than the most learned Heathen by the light of Nature could attain unto Further He considering the Dominion God hath given Man over the brute Creatures he useth them with Thanksgiving but will not abuse them as a Tyrannical Lord and is stirred up to the more chearful service of God by those brute Creatures which are daily serving him He knows that not only Faith is required of a Christian but outward Profession and therefore he conforms to all the Ordinances and Institutions of Christ in his Church and attends there diligently for his Edification and that God may be hononred by the Divine Worship of the Publick Assemblies of his People according to the dictates of the universal Law of Nature and therefore as he will not have Communion with any Church in that that is evil and sinful so he is ready to hold Communion with all Churches in that which is lawful and good that he may not fall under the just charge of Schism or unwarrantable Separation and seeks the maintaining of his whole profession unspotted and without rebuke and therefore He keeps his Foot when he goes to the House of God demeans himself with all seriousness and Reverence in Gods publick Worship will not be found talking gazing whispering laughing or sleeping when his mind and thoughts should be directed towards God that he may carry himself suitable to that great Presence wherein he is and the solemnity of that Service he i◠engaged in He carefully avoids all Tempting of God by presuming upon his Power and Mercy for the good either of his Soul or Body without using suitable and rational means or such as may be appointed of God for that end neither will he pray or hope to receive what God hath never promised to give and thereby be also a tempter of God. Again He being a Christian is careful to observe the Christian Sabbath not the Seventh day of the Week as the Jews but the First according to the example of the Apostles and the first Christian Churches whereby he owns Christs Lordship over the Sabbath to change the day as well as the Ordinances of Gods worship therein and therefore he remembers to keep it Holy by abstaining from bodily Labours and by the exercise of his mind and thoughts
Reformed Religion OR Right Christianity DESCRIBED IN Its Excellency and Usefulness IN THE Whole LIFE of MAN. By a Protestant-Christian And the Disciples were called Christians first in Antioch Act. 11. 26. â—eritatem Philosophi quaerunt Theologi inveniunt Religiosi possident Aug. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greg. Nyssen LONDON Printed by J. A. for John Dunton at the Black Raven in the Poultrey over against the Compter 1689. THE PREFACE THE present State and Circumstances of our English Nation cause great Thoughts of Heart every wise Man considering not what will best gratifie his own Humour Passion personal Interest or Opinion but what may be best for the peace wealth strength safety and settlement of the Nation Every Fool can make breaches and divisions but it requires good Wisdom to heal them A wise Mans Heart discerneth both Time and Judgment saith Solomon Tempori parendum was the Motto of Theodosius the second we may better see what we may be able to do than what is best to be done in our present Circumstances We have amongst us a company of rash heady fierce ignorant and felf-confident People who if wisely managed by the prudence of Government may be made useful in the Nation to the enriching and strengthning of it who are no way fit to have the Reins in their own hand whether they be Conformists or not Was the fear of God and the Principles of true Religion more set up in the Hearts of Men it would greatly be to the advantage both of Church and State I have been thinking how this may be best done And seeing though we have many sorts of Opinions amongst us yet we all profess our selves Christians and unite in that Centre I thought it might be a good work to shew men briefly what Christianity is and what they are obliged to be by being Christians and have run over as many particulars about it as I could at present think of and finding that many of our Disorders and Mistakes arise from want of a due understanding of and regular respect to Magistracy and Ministry I have therefore given a brief description of both to engage Men to that reverend Honour and Respect which are due to both And that none may satisfie themselves in being Protestants if they are not also true Christians I find 't is not being of this or that Party or Opinion in Religion which makes a right Christian We may observe some bad Men in all and I hope there may be some good I would be loth to condemn all in a Lump If I see a Man's Actions bad I will say he is a bad Man let his Profession be this or that and so would I hope on the contrary We have infallible Rules in the Word of God to judge of Men by Though for the most part we judge of Men by false Rules suited to a Party Opinion or some secular Interest But as I hate Prophaness and Debauchery so I abhor Dissimulation or Hypocrisie in all Professions so as to make Religion a pretence to Ambition and Covetousness to fraud and Cousenage to Murders and Massacres to Treasons and Rebellions The Form of Religion without the Power of it the fairer it appears the fouler it is is a good saying of a late Writer Religion is most wounded in the House of its false Friends And some upright and innocent Souls may suffer by the miscarriages of some of their own Party whereof we have had many Instances of late amongst us I am confident all good Christians agree in more things than they differ And there may be forbearance where there is not agreement especially when the safety of Religion requires it And sometimes the Providence of God doth that for a People which their own endeavours could not accomplish Let wise Men observe its present Indications and act accordingly I find in the feavourish heats of Mens disputes the Vitals of Religion are apt to expire and we have but too many sad Symptoms of it in the Nation at this day And to recover it to its primitive vigour and activity in the right Sphear is the main Design of these papers that there may be found more true Christianity amongst those who bear the Name of Christians and the Name of Protestants also For the Conversation of many of them is such that we have as good ground of hope for the Salvation of Turks and Infidels as of theirs It is not External Incorporating with any visible Church whether the Church of England the Church of Rome or any other that puts a Man into a State of Salvation without having a sanctified Heart and a Reformed Life Many are ambitious to make Proselytes to their Opinions and their Church and then call them Converts when possibly thereby they may be made seven times more the children of Hell than before I am sure the chief End of all Religion is the Salvation of Mens Souls and they are not likely to attain it in any Religion if they are not sincere in it And sincerity lies more in the Heart than the Head And therefore seeing mens heads have of late been much exercised about Disputes and the Polemical parts of Religion and vindicating the Doctrine of the Church of England against the Errors of the Papists and of which there hath been great use I thought it might be seasonable to subjoyn something about practical Religion which is so much wanting in the Nation Our Saviour styles his Apostles not only the Lights of the World but the Salt of the Earth And sent them forth not only to inform Mens Judgments but to season and sanctifie their Hearts and Lives The chief business of these Papers is to expose good Salt to publick Sale and as Solomon calls upon Men to buy the Truth and the Prophet Isaiah To buy wine and milk So I hope this Salt will be bought up a pace it being so necessary for every mans use For as corruption in the Heart and Life doth oftentimes corrupt the Judgment and makes Men receptive of any Religion so Sanctity of Heart and Life may be a great means to preserve men from Popery and erroneous Doctrines and establish them in the true Religion Therefore I hope these Papers will not be thought unseasonable We know the Protestant Reformed Religion is the Profession of these Nations and therefore attempts to promote a true Reformation are surely seasonable in such a juncture when the three Estates of the Land are ingaged in the establishing of it My design is to draw a strait Theological Line whereby Men may discern both Rectitude and Obliquity what they are or what they ought to be And if any will account me a Fool for speaking plainly I am content to be so accounted if I can make others wise And let me advertise the Reader that he will not find any rare things in the following Discourse I mean rare in the Notion but many things God knows too rare in Mens practice REFORMED RELIGION OR Right
Sacrament that she might thereby the better establish her self Hath she not made it too evident that Wealth Grandeur and Dominion hath been more her design than the Glory of God proâ—oting true Holiness and the Salvation of Mens Souls Hath she not been guilty of Silencing many â—undreds of able Preachers not for Slothfulâ—ess or Non-residency not for Insufficiency â—ot for Scandal not for Heresie not for â—ebellion to the Civil Authority but only â—on-conformity to some unnecessary Rites in â—eligion which they scrupled out of their zeal â—gainst Popery wherein if they have exceedâ— I hope it may now be judged a pardonâ—le Crime but I fear it hath had no good â—fect but hath tended to the hindering the â—ogress of the Gospel and the Salvation of any Souls by rigid imposing of Subscriptions â—d Canonical obedience and Assent and Conâ—t and stretching Conformity beyond what â— was in the former Age Doth not the in of many Families and the loss of some â—es lie at her door Hath she not debarr'd publick Assemblies for Worship to multitudes in the Nation unlesâ— in such a way as was Offensive to their Consciences and not Edifying to their Souls though such as maintain and profess all thâ— substantial parts of the Christian and Protestant Religion are blameless in their Liveâ— and profitable in the Nation and therebâ— exposing them to the danger of returning tâ— Popery or of being reduced to Paganism Dâ— the Dissenters differ from her in any of thoâ— things wherein she differs from the Papistâ— but rather in those things wherein she agreâ— with them And what then is that whiâ— is strictly to be called the Church of Englanâ— She hath indeed made a strong and honourâ—ble oppsition to Popery by many Wortâ— and Learned Men of her Communion bâ— hath it not been in those things wherein tâ— Dissenters agree with her and rejoyce â— what they have done and act with her theâ— in So that the Church of England considâ—ed as distinct from the forementioned Dissâ—ters is made up only of some Additional to â— Christian Religion And if it be Object That such deference ought to be given to â— Laws of the Land as not to have publâ— Meetings otherwise than allowed I Answâ— Such Laws are only humane and topical â— so cannot supersede the universal Lawâ— Nature which doth dictate to all Natiâ— publick Assemblies for the solemn worshiâ— God. And let it be considered whether the imposing of those things which are judged unnecessary can be justified to the hindering of what is necessary both by the Law of Nature and the written Law of God and whether this Liberty hath not been taken against publick Laws both in the times of the Heathen Persecution and here in England in times of Popery Many other things I might mention but these I only lay before her with the words of our Saviour to the Church of Ephesus Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen and Repent or else I will come against thee quickly and remove thy Candlestick except thou Repent Rev. 2. 5. And if she thinks her self in danger should not this awaken her to Repentance And is there any Protestant Church but doth solemnly Fast and Pray in threatning Dangers But we see little of this in the Church of England Not that every individual Member of that Ecclesiastick body ought to be charged God forbid I know many of them have been grieved at the sufferings of their Brethren Pleaded â—heir Cause and Lamented to see such a â—pirit of Persecution act in the Church of England and could see a little better than â—thers who they were that pusht on those â—evere Persecutions against them and how â—opery crept in upon the Nation under a Proâ—estant Vizard and were ashamed to hear some of her Clergy boast of the Purity of the Church of England when to their great trouble Corruptions both in Doctrine and Worship and in the Conversations of multitudes in it was so visibly seen to prevail not only tolerated but too much countenanced and little Discipline exercised but against Non-conformists though Men of the greatest Sobriety and Piety and usefulness in the Nation But I mention these things not to recriminate but to help on that Repentance which may prevent Gods controversie with that Church and to melt down their Spirits into such a Coalition with their dissenting Brethren that the Nation may be strengthened against our Popish Adversaries and that all hands may be at work to make the Bank strong against the inundation of the Sea â—â— mean the See of Rome I fear whilst our publick especially our Cathedral Worship is shaped so like to that which is in Popery the transition will be made more facile to it It will be never the less Decent by being less Ceremonious And I hope the Pulpit-theam of some dignified Clergy-men will be no longer The Necessity of a Publick Conscience The Absoluteness of Kings And Invectives against Dissenters and that Able Orthodox and Learned Preachers will not be starved out of their work for want of Maintenance Nothing is more likely to secure the Protestant Religion than a pious diligent and able Ministry Every body knows the influences a corrupt Clergy hath upon the Laiety and how easily under the name of the Church of England such Men may lead the People blindfold into the Enemies Camp. But now I hope that both sides will be sensible wherein they have failed and the more Sober Pious and Judicious among them both centring in their present Majesties Accession to the Throne it will allay all former Animosities and we shall love and own one another as Christians and fellow Protestants which will disappoint the Hopes of the common Adversaries above any thing that can be imagined who are likely to get no great advantage upon us but by our own Divisions and make no Musick but by our Discords and we may well hope that the Concord that is found in the great Assembly of Parliament for the uniting all Protestants will have a happy influence upon the whole Nation herein but if any will be still grumbling and contentious sure they are such Men who love the fiery Element are the Nations Enemies and are secretly acted by Priests and Jesuits to bring us back again to Popery and Confusion But I hope by this time the body of the Nation is enlightned and awakened to disâ—ern their Dangers the Indications of Providence and their own Interest and that the designs wherewith these Men are travelling will prove Abortive or bring forth no other Fruit but Mischief to themselves but it may seem strange that any who have Prayed or Preached for Union and lamented the want of it should run from it when it is now offered to them and they invited to it As we would preserve the Nations Existence and Entity let us study its Unity and follow the instincts of Nature herein Omne ens noâ— minùs appetit unitatem quam entitatem And as Natural Unity upholds the Universe
flattering Encomiums and Deisying Venerations as when the People shouted to Herod's Oration It is the Voice of a God and not of a Man it proved in the issue no honour nor kindness to him Again He will not be found in any wicked Conspiracies against Lawful Governours and abhors those Principles which justifie the Lawfulness of Killing and Assassinating Princes upon the account of Religion or any account whatsoever but thinks himself obliged to detect and discover them when they come to his knowledge neither will he publish false News or invent or scatter Seditious Libels in design to exasperate the Minds of People and disturb the peace of the Nation Lastly A good Christian Subject judgeth himself Obliged continually to Pray to Almighty God for the Peace and Welfare of the place where he dwelleth and of the Civil Government under which he is protected that he may live a peaceable Life in all Godliness and Honesty and will take heed of that Sin and Wickedness which bring down the Judgments of God upon a Nation And to speak truly to be a right Subject requires a Man to be a true Christian As Constantine or rather Constantius is said once to make tryal of his Servants by such a Test saying Qui in Deum etiam in Imperatorem perfidi essent Sozomen Lib. 1. Cap. 6. They who are perfidious to God will not be true to their Prince Thus I have run briefly through many particulars and given the World a short Taste what Christianity is and if it run in the Truth and power of it through Men in all Degrees Ranks and Relations it will make us an happy People in this World and that which is to come The Nation I know hath been sadly divided and in this woful State that one part of the Nation hath thought it their Interest to destroy the other and the foolish Names whereby we have distinguisht Men proclaimed our Folly to the World and argued the displeasure of Heaven against us By many years Experience it is made evident That there will never be Peace and Settlement in the Nation if we do not somewhat Codnescend to one another and 'till there be some Settlement Trading will decay Industry will be discouraged we shall have Breaking upon Breaking and Men will not dare to trust one another and the Revenue of the King will suffer in the End. I find most Men satisfied in the Model and Frame of our English Government Dissenters and all for the most part and can swear Allegiance to it unless a few odd People who scruple all Oaths And I believe after this unhappy and threatning Storm of the Papists is now as we hope blown over and the Providence of God so eminently appeared in the sudden scattering of it mens Minds are much disposed to quiet and settlement especially since their Majesties acceptance of the Regal Power and the Concurrence of the Lords and Commons therein And is it not a brave sight to see all sorts of People to follow their several Vocations without Distraction and Trouble The Countrey-Farmer improving his Land and Stock and paying well his Landlord The Plowman following his Plough the Carter to go Whistling by his Horses side the Sheppherd with his Dog attending his Sheep the Shoomaker sitting at his Last the Taylor upon his Board the Weaver at his Loom the Smith at his Anvill the Trades-man busie in his Shop and the Merchant exporting and importing to the enriching of the Nation To see â—o leading into Captivity no complainâ—ng in our Streets but Mens Swords turned â—nto Plough-shares and Spears into Pruning-â—ooks to which I may add with the Psalâ—ist as the Conclusion of all Happy is that â—eople who are in such a Case yea happy is that â—eople whose God is the Lord. Psal 144. ult v. But if War should arise I hope it will not continue long and the Ancient Proverb made good Bellum in Angliâ non senescit And that â—â— will soon issue in an happy Peace And â—othing is likely more to shorten it than a â—rm Union amongst our selves England beâ—ng compared by the Historian to a great Aâ—imal that will not dye until it Kill it self Of Right Christian Worship I Call it Christian to distinguish it from Jewish Mahometan Pagan or any false Worship That Worship which Christ hath appointed for his Church under the New Testament â—his I call Christian which I touch'd upon before this Worship is either External or Inâ—ernal External consists in the Ordinances appointed by him wherein the outward man is concerned As all Nations have some outward Rites Modes and Forms which they use in their Worship besides the Worship of the inward Man. God appointed such for the Church of the Old Testament and Christ hath appointed some for the Church of the New But hath laid aside those many Figures and Shadows and significant Ceremonies which clouded the Old Testament-Worship intending a more spiritual Worship for his Church in its adulâ— State conversing more immediately with theâ— heavenly things themselves and so nearer resembling the Worship of Heaven And intending to give more of the help of his Spirit hath provided fewer sensible helps in his Worship And because he went out of the World before the Gospel Church and Worship werâ— fully establisht he sent forth his Spirit to direct his Apostles herein And we may observe 1. How they make no mention of the Blooâ— or Flesh of any Beasts or Fowls to be offereâ— in Sacrifice or of Flower Wine Oyl Incense c. as were used under the Law to be used in the New Testament-Church 2. Neither do they mention any Altar oâ— Earth Wood or Stone to which the Ministers of the New Testament are to approacâ— in the Service of God as the Priests were appointed under the Law. 3. Neither have they given notice of anâ— one general Place that is appointed for hiâ— People to assemble in as the Jews did at Jerusalem 4. Neither do they mention any particular Times or stated Days Months or Years to be observed for solemn Fasts or Festivals as God appointed under the Law Or any of the Jewish Sabbaths but only that of the Moral Law changed from the Seventh to the First day 5. Neither did the Apostles give Order about Consecrating of Temples and Worship therein whereby it might be the more acceptable to God for the Places sake as it was under the Law or prescribed the Forms or Dimensions of any such Temple or Temples as it was then 6. Neither have the Apostles mentioned any thing about Musicians and Choristers by Office or Singers or Players upon Instruments of Musick as the Law required 7. Neither have they left any thing upon Record about the Confining of the Instituted Worship of God to any particular Family Seed Countrey or Nation as it was under the Old Testament when the Ordinances of Gods Worship were the Inheritance of the House of Jacob Psal 47. 4. 8. Neither have they told us of any High-Priest or
Man which was practised in the Old Testament and ought to be also in the New and was practised by Christ himself and the Light of Nature did lead the Heathens to it in their Worship And the Christian Religion excludes none of the Principles of the Light of Nature But that worship which is more strictly Christian is worship in Spirit from an Evangelical Principle and according to the Laws and Institutions of the New Testament Neither doth this Religion exclude publick Oratories Temples or as we call them Churches for publick Worship or any convenient places appropriate thereunto The Light of Nature and the forementioned Rules of doing all things Decently and to Edification in the worship of God doth direct to them but to think that the Place makes the worship acceptable is no Christian Principle as having no holiness in it like the Jewish Temple and under no such Institution For that Temple was figurative both of Christ and the Gospel-Church So that God hath his Temple still his Visible Church as the Apostle tells the Corinthians Whose Temple you are And as that Temple of Solomon had its outward and inward Court so it is now Some who worship in the outward Form only which are the outward Court given up to the Gentiles or Paganizing Christians and are that Temple where the Man of Sin sits and which God regards not and will not have it measured And others who worship God in Spirit and are the inward Court and the true Temple and Altar measured by the line of Gods Sanctuary and where Christ doth sit and walk And was this Spiritual Worship more regarded I believe we should not contend so much about the Ceremonial part which when it is forced upon Men by Fines and Penalties it looks more like Antichristian than Christian Worship Of the English PARLIAMENT considered as Christian I Should not have added any thing upon this Head but that the present juncture of Affairs makes it seasonable we having at this Time a Parliament Assembled not only of Christian Men but of Protestants which profess Reformed Christianity And by a wonderful and unexpected Call brought together and in a critical Time when the Nation was in an Agony of Fear Distraction and Danger How welcome are Physicians to a Distempered Dying Patient who both know the Malady and have Skill to recover him Such we hope this Parliament to be to England consisting of so many Eminent Worthies freely chosen and freely debating sent from all parts of the Nation to Consult our Cure. And seeing that I have bin treating of the Christian Religion in the Excellency and Influence of it we cannot but expect its Eminent Influence upon that great Assembly And that true Christianity will be in the Chair and preside in all their Votes and Deâ—btes I do not presume to be capable of giving any Advice to those Honourable Persons who are every way so far above me All I shall presume unto is only to lay before them such things which they already know and present them in a fresh view to their Minds and that only in Hypothesi and only according to the Laws of Christianity and not the Rules of State-Policy Our English Parliament we know it to be the Supream Court of the Nation England's Sanhedrim and the Kings great Council of ancient Constitution acknowledged and maintained by successive Princes both of the Saxon and Norman Race for many Generations It is the Epitome of the whole Nation who are all here either present or represented It is the Fountain of Justice the Ne plus ultrà of Controversie It is the Bulwark of its Defence the Healer of its Breaches the united Reason Wisdom and Counsel of the whole Kingdom It is the true Ballance of our English Government holding the Scale even betwixt a Turkish Tyranny and Republican Democracy or betwixt Arbitrary Government and Popular Anarchy yea I may style it a brief Model of the whole Universe wherein the King may be considered as Regent in both Houses the Peers as the Planets compassing him about who as they receive the Splendour of their Honour from him so they reflect it back again upon him in their Loyalty and Allegiance to his Person and Government The House of Commons is as the middle Region which by its Coldness doth Temper and Moderate the Influence of the Superior Luminaries that the Earth of the Common People may not be Scorched by it The wholsome Laws here Enacted are as Rivers that Run forth to refresh the whole Land. And it subsists as the Universe by the Unity of its Parts and breaks in pieces by Division And as Natural things are formed by the Communion that is betwixt the Superior and Inferior World so things Political by that Communion which is betwixt the two Houses of Parliament But who is a right qualified Member of this great Assembly He that would describe him may have the easier Task by having the Instances before him hereof in the many eminent Worthies now met together in this present Parliament First He is one who sits in the House by a just Right either by the right of Birth and Peerage as the Lords or by a right of a free Election of the People in the Majority of their Votes and Suffrages as the Commons But yet as he is a Christian he takes notice of the Providence of God in calling him to this Publick Service Again He is a Man not Acted by Ambition cometh not thither meerly to assume Honour to himself but to do some publick Good to the Nation and Service to his Country which he accounts his greatest Honour which is a temper becoming Christianity He sits in the House with a mind free from Prejudice both with respect to Causes and the Persons of all Men and gives up himself to the conduct of Reason Equity and Conscience in all his Votes and Debates that he may not justly wrong any Man as becomes a Christian He is not pertinacious in his own sentiments and overweening his own Parts and Wisdom above other Men but is more ready to hear than to speak and will submit readily himself to Men of greater Judgment and Experience than his own and in Honour will prefer another before himself as becomes a Christian He looks not on himself as a private Person when he sits in that great Assembly and therefore lays aside the consideration of all private Interests when they stand in Competition with the publick Good that he may Faithfully discharge both towards God and Man the publick Trust that is in his Hand As becometh an English Senatour and a Christian He will not suffer himself to be transported with Heat or Passion whereby his Judgment may be blinded and his Speech precipitate and provoking but hath that Command over his own Spirit by the Dominion of Reason and the Grace of God in his Soul whereby he can either be Silent and not Speak or else can Speak with that Sedateness and Sobriety as