fittest to judge and that no other Persons are so able to tell them what Prayers and Sermons they are most benefited by as from their own Experience they are able to tell themselves And therefore fancying it is for their greater growth in Grace and Edification they take heart and think no Good Man who knows how bad he is at best and is careful to grow as good as he can will blame them for it to break the Unity of the Church and joyn themselves to Separate Congregations Whereas were they truly inform'd in the Scripture-Notion of Edification they would see clearly that there can be no Pretence of Edifying in a Schism and that supposing in some Respects they could edifie more as they say by their own Preachers yet would not that authorize them to make a Rent in the Church and separate from us Edification in Scripture-sense is the same as Benefiting or Profiting A Neighbour as St. Paul notes is Edified when he is pleased to his Good Rom. 15. 2 and strange Tongues he says do not edifie the Church because they do not profit it 1 Cor. 14. 5 6. So that by our being Edified in Religion is meant our Profiting and advancing in it when we attain either some Particulars which before we wanted or more Strength and Firmness in those we have already The Reason why this Benefiting in Religion is call'd Edifying is because both every Private Christian and the Whole Church is compared in Scripture to a Building Sometimes Particular Christians are called the Temple of God Know ye not says St. Paul that your Body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost which is spoken of Particular Persons 1 Cor. 6. 19 and again What agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols 2 Cor. 6. 16. The Temple of God i. e. a believing Husband with Idols i. e. with an unbelieving Wife who worships Idols that being plainly the Case there treated of v. 14 15. And at other times which is the most general use the Whole Church or Community of Christians is styled so The Church is called the House of God in the House of God saith the Apostle which is the Church 1 Tim. 3. 15. 'T is call'd his Temple Ye are the Temple of God and the Spirit of God dwells in or among you as it did in the Temple among the Jews 1 Cor. 3. 16 and his Building Ye i. e. the Church of Corinth are God's Building 1 Cor. 3. 9 and the Church of Jews and Gentiles mention'd Eph. 2. 19 is call'd the Building fitly framed that grows into an holy Temple in the Lord builded for an Habitation of God thro the Spirit v. 20 21 22. And this Application of it to both these is well noted by Theophylact The Temple of God says he is a Title given in common both to the Church or Collection of all the Faithful and to every Private Christian. And because in Scripture-Language both the Whole Church and Particular Christians are thus call'd God's Building pursuant to that Metaphor the adding and laying together those Excellencies that are to integrate either the Whole Body or any Good Man or the giving Strength and Firmness to them is call'd Edification Now in explaining this Profiting and Spiritual Edification I shall shew 1. Wherein lies the Edification of Particular Men and Private Christians and that is in any Growth or Improvement either in Faith or Manners 2. Wherein lies the Edification of the Whole Church and that is mainly in the setled Peace and Union of its Members 3. That this latter is to be preferr'd and must give Laws and Limitations to all Means of promoting the former So that no Man must ever seek to edifie in Schism or break the Peace of a confessedly Sound and Lawful Church upon pretence that he can edifie more in Separate Meetings 1. I shall shew wherein lies the Edification of Particular Men and Private Christians and that is in any Growth or Improvement either in Faith or Manners This Benefiting of Particular Men is one sort of Edification the Scripture speaks of He that prophesies saith St. Paul speaketh unto men to edification i. e. to the benefit of every one that hears him 1 Cor. 14. 3. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth but that which is good to the use of edifying i. e. to improve your Brethren as you converse with them Eph. 4. 29. And let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification i. e. to profit him in Religion Rom. 15. 2. In these and other Places the Edification spoken of is that of Particular Men and Private Christians when they are any ways furthered and assisted in those Things which may please God and save their Souls Now Religion consisting of two Great Parts Faith and Obedience the Spiritual Profiting and Edification of every Man must consist in his being any ways assisted encouraged or improved in either of these Duties So that then every Person is edified when his Life and Practice is any thing amended or his Knowledge of Religious Matters is more clear and perfect or his Belief of them more firm and setled or his Affections for them more fervent or his holy Resolutions and the Religious bent of his Heart more unalterably establish'd or his Conscience more freed from Doubts or fuller of Comfort and Joy in God than it was before 1. The chief Instance of any Particular Mans Edification and that which indeed is the End of all the rest is when his Life and Practice is any thing amended And thus 't is when he is more Devout and resign'd to God more Just and Charitable to all Men more Humble Temperate and Mortified to this World or improved in any other Parts of Good Life and Conversation When he gains more Virtues or gets a greater Degree of Constancy and Firmness in them having fewer Escapes and standing in harder Trials and doing his Duty with more delight and easiness than he was wont to do This Amendment of Life is one way of Edifying For St. Paul says of Church-Censures whose End is Reformation of Manners that they are given for edification 2 Cor. 13. 10 and of vain Questions and Disputes which make none the better Livers that they do not minister to godly edifying i. e. to Edification in Godliness 1 Tim. 1. 4. Yea it is the principal point and the main thing in Edification For the Religion of a Good Life is that which thro the Merits and Grace of Christ must save us all at last and which God will look at in the Day of Judgment It is the very End and Accomplishment of Faith and Knowledge for by Works as St. James saith Faith is made perfect Jam. 2. 22. It is the Casting Point and the One thing necessary in Religion so that when Men seek to edifie in Religion they must seek above all to be better'd and improved in Holy Living And when they seek to be edified in
A DISCOURSE Explaining the Nature of Edification BOTH OF Particular Persons in Private Graces AND OF The Church in Unity and Peace And shewing That we must not break Unity and Publick Peace for supposed Means of better Edifying in Private Virtues IN A VISITATION SERMON At COVENTRY May 7. 1684. BY JOHN KETTLEWELL Vicar of Coles-Hill in Warwickshire LONDON Printed for Robert Kettlewell at the Hand and Scepter over against St. Dunstans Church in Fleetstreet MDCLXXXIV THE PREFACE EDification as applied to the whole Body is in Scripture-Notion the Uniting of the Church but now by a very unhappy tho' a very common Mistake it is made the great Pretence for Dividing it For that wherein our Dissenting Brethren hope to shelter themselves in forsaking us is their Edifying more in Separate Congregations This is thought a Good Answer to all Laws requiring Communion with the Parish-Churches for no Law they think can hinder them from Edifying and saving their own Souls and a sufficient Reason for their rejecting of any Imposed Pastors which they fancy are not to be appointed by the Will of the Patron or the Prescription of the Church but by every Man 's own Choice because no other is so much concerned for his Edification as he himself is To remove this Cause of Separation some Worthy Persons have taken very Pious and Profitable Pains in shewing how unjust the Charge of an Unedifying Ministry is upon our Church and how partial they are in ascribing more Edification to their Meetings And if our Brethren will peruse what they have said with impartial Minds and see this as they may if they will lay aside all Prejudice there will be no need of saying any more to satisfie them in this Business But if after all they will be Judges themselves where they Edifie most and in their Iudgment prefer their own Ministers yet still there is enough to with-hold them from Separation on this account because they are to edifie and build up the Church of God as well as themselves and must not break the Publick Unity and Peace to carry on their own Profiting in Private Graces And therefore referring them to the forementioned Discourses whose Principal Design I think that is to convince them that their Assemblies are not more and ours less Edifying in that part of this Sermon which concerns this Case I have applied my self more expresly to those who shall still be unconvinced and think they are and shewn them that supposing what indeed is otherwise that among them Particular Men have better Means of Edification yet will not the search of that warrant them to divide the Church and betake themselves to Separation And as it will not justifie the People in Hearing so which is the only thing I shall add further much less will it justifie their Ministers in Preaching in a Separate Meeting For the Preachers are not less but more obliged than the People are to edifie the Church of God in the first place And whatever Necessity they may think lies upon them to Preach the Gospel in Places where there are no other Preachers yet where there are and our Brethren will not deny there are store of Sound and Profitable ones among us the Care of Edifying the whole Church ought surely to restrain them from breaking Unity by Preaching and from drawing Men off from hearing us only in Hopes they may Profit more by joyning with themselves The Duty and the Desire as of reaping greater Profit themselves so of ministring to the greater Profit of any other Particular Christians must stop as this Discourse shews in Peaceable ways And therefore till our Brethren can Conform and preserve Unity under their Preaching they ought to be silent as the Old Peaceable Nonconformists were and quietly suffer the People to be taught by others and not exercise their Ministry out of any Hopes of doing more Good with it to their Particular Hearers when thereby they must cast off the Authority of their Lawful Superiors and make a Rent and Division in the Church 1 COR. XIV 12. Seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the Church THis Rule is here laid down in the Case of Extraordinary and Miraculous Gifts such as Prophesie or Inspired Preaching Tongues Miracles and the like which the Corinthians zealously coveted to amuse Beholders and get themselves a Name more than to Do Good with them to others and Edifie their Brethren But it is equally applicable to all Ordinary Gifts and Natural or Acquired Endowments as prompt and penetrating Wit clear Understanding sound Judgment Prudence in Conduct Fluent and Elegant Speech and the like for God's Design is the same in both he entrusts us with them not to feed Vanity and only seek Praise to our selves but to Profit and Edifie our Neighbours And as it holds in all sorts either of Natural or Miraculous Gifts so also in all Places and Offices which make room for the Exercise and Employment of them For as Edification is here made the End of all Gifts and Abilities so is it elsewhere of all Offices and Dignities in the Church God gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the Perfecting of the Saints and the Edifying of the Body of Christ Eph. 4. 11 12. So that Edification is the Great End of all those Gifts wherewith God endows Men and of all those Stations and Capacities whereto he calls them to shew their Gifts in It is the main thing which all are to seek and propose to themselves in all opportunities either of doing or receiving Good Forasmuch as ye are zealous of Spiritual Gifts seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the Church In Discoursing upon these Words I shall First Explain the Nature of Edification and shew what Improvements it implies Secondly Press it as the Great Point whereat they are to aim on all sorts of Christians First I shall explain the Nature of Edification and shew what Improvements it implies And this well deserves to be distinctly and clearly stated both for its own sake because God has made it the Prime End whereto all Mens Parts and Opportunities are to be directed and also for the Churches because the lamentable Divivisions that have so long prey'd upon the Vitals of Religion and the Bowels of this Church are in great part owing to Mens Mistakes about it For one of the Commonest and I think of the most Specious Pretences our Dissenting Brethren give for their leaving our Parish-Churches is that they Edifie and Profit more in their Private Meetings If this Pretence were true it seems very plausible For St. Paul directs all Men to make Edification their Aim in these things and it seems to argue a great Goodness and a great Wisdom and so to be most commendable in any Man to desire to be better'd by all the Prayers he uses and every Sermon which he hears And whether it be true or no they think they are
End of Gifts Thus we are told of Knowledge which St. Paul rejects when it is used only to build up and please our selves and is not govern'd by Charity that edifies others 1 Cor. 8. 1. And thus also of Prophesie or Preaching that great Means of Edifying Believers For tho it was then an extraordinary and inspired Gift yet was it to be limited by Publick Ends and the Spirit of Prophecy to be stinted and suppressed when it came unseasonably upon them in the Church and by moving several to speak at the same time bred confusion and Publick disturbance The Spirits of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets i. e. to govern them in subserviency to the Churches Peace For God is not the Author of Confusion i. e. he bestows no Gifts to serve that end but of Peace as in all Churches of the Saints 1 Cor. 14. 32 33. And to name no more in this case St. Paul as I have shewed makes Charity that uniting Virtue and sure obstacle of all Schisms the most excellent of all Gifts So that when the gifted Men themselves are zealous to exercise their Gifts or others are zealous to be under them they must both have a higher zeal to shew their Charity and maintain it in the first place Follow after Charity says he again and desire Spiritual Gifts So that in all exercise and pursuit of them they must not fail to follow Love and take it along with them 1 Cor. 14. 1. 2. It is also the great end of those Officers whom God has appointed and empowered and whom he has endowed with these Gifts for the edification of his Church such as Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastors and Teachers For they are given says St. Paul for the perfecting of the Saints and the edifying of the Body of Christ. Eph. 4. 11 12. They are given for the perfecting of the Saints i. e. for the edifying particular Christians in Faith and Practice but yet so as to be given also for the edifying of the Body of Christ till we come in the Unity of the Faith to a perfect Man So that when these Officers seek to edifie particular Believers they must be sure at the same time to secure another end i. e. the edification of the Body and Unity of the Church They are given as Members which shews evidently they must make up but one Body and keep Unity with the other parts Nay they are given as joynts which are the very Ligaments of Union and Compactness These Officers are given as Members of the Church and that shews they must make up one Body and keep Unity with the other parts For the Unity of the Body is to be the care of all the Members especially of those which excel in Gifts or are highest in Dignity and Office Thus it is as the Apostle observes 1 Cor. 12. in the Natural Body It has several Members very different in endowments and destined some to more some to less honourable Offices But because of this difference the more able and honourable Members do not set up for themselves and seek a Separate Profit or applause or make a Schism and divide from others Tho there be many Members says he they all make up but one Body v. 20. And the Eye tho a more Honourable Member cannot separate Interests or say to the Hand tho less Honourable I have no need of thee nor again the Head to the Feet I have no need of you v. 21. And none seek only themselves which would cause Divisions but they have all the same care one for another if one suffer all the rest suffering or if one be honoured all the rest rejoyceing with it that there be no Schism in the Body v. 25 26. And like to this in Natural Bodies is the difference of Officers in the Church Tho that have variety of Gifts as Wisdom Knowledge Prophecy Faith Miracles c. v. 8 9 10. And variety of Officers and Ministers some gifted more some less some higher some lower in Authority than others for there are differences of Administrations v. 5 God having set first Apostles secondarily Prophets thirdly Teachers after that Miracles and Gifts of Healing i. e. Persons endowed with them Helps i. e. some distributing Charity as Deacons or attending on Impotent and Orphans Governments as Bishops and Presbyters Diversities of Tongues v. 28. Tho I say in the Church there be this difference both of Gifts and Ministries yet must not those differently Gifted or Authorized Officers draw different ways and form divided Parties but all aim at the Unity of the whole Body as its Natural Members As all the Members in the Body Natural are one Body so also is Christ the different Ministeries and Members making but one Body in him likewise v. 12 And the several Ministeries as Apostles Prophets c. are all the Body of Christ says he and Members in particular which therefore must cement together and not fall off and divide from each other v. 27 28. And as we have many Members in one Body Natural and yet all these Members though the Body be but one have not one and the same Office more than these Members of the Church So we being many Members and Officers the variety whereof is described v. 6 7 8. are still to be but one Body in Christ and every one Members one of another the difference in Offices giving no more liberty to divide the Church than the same difference in the Natural Members doth to divide the Natural Body Rom. 12. 4 5. Nay these Officers are not set only as Members which as we have seen is enough to prevent Schism but they are set in the Church as joynts which are to compact all the other parts and are the very Bonds and Ligaments of Union The whole Body says St. Paul fitly joyned together and compacted by that which every joynt supplies Eph. 4. 16. Every joynt i. e. Every Officer and Church-governour for in them the other Members are joynted and united to one another And since they are joynts they must fasten and unite all the other parts together not tear them from each other what they supply says the Apostle must compact the Body and therefore must in no wise divide it and of one make many So that as for the extraordinary Abilities and edifying power of some Pastors and Teachers it must never occasion or head Schisms and Divisions But must be so applied by them and so sought to by others that whilst it labours to build up Faith and Good Life in particular Persons at the same time it build up Unity in the Church and Body of Christ. When an increase is endeavoured by the effectual working in every part that must be in such measure as the Apostle says again as secures the whole Body and consists with Publick Peace and settlement The effectual working in the measure of every part makes increase of the Body to the edifying it self in Love Eph. 4. 16. 4.
Belief especially of weighty and useful Things when he is more fervent in Godly Affections chiefly if they are accompanied with Convictions of Reason and rais'd by powerful Arguments when he is more unalterably fixed in virtuous and holy Resolutions more satisfied in Practical Cases and Doubts of Conscience or more comforted with Joy in God and the Hopes of Eternal Happiness I proceed now 2. To shew wherein lies the Edification of the Whole Church and that is mainly in the settled Peace and Union of its Members Edification in the Scriptures doth Principally and most commonly refer to the whole Church For it as I have noted is most usually styled and most properly resembled to a Building since it contains in it such a Number of Particulars which as so many live Stones as St. Peter says are built into this Spiritual House 1. Pet. 2. 5. And this Edification of the Church or Body of Christians is spoken of by St. Paul in the Text Seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the Church and so again to the Ephesians Christ gave Apostles and Prophets c. for the perfecting of the Saints and for the edifying of the Body of Christ. Eph. 4. 11 12. Now this edifying of the whole Church lies mainly in the settled Peace and Union of its Members and the Great instrument of that is Love which makes us look not altogether at our own things but at the things of others 1. The edification of the whole Church I say lies mainly in the settled Peace and Union of its Members The Church indeed is edified in the edification of its particular Members when they grow in Faith and Manners because it is not barely a Body of Men but a Body of Men professing Faith and Holiness so that then it is perfected and improved when they grow in these Virtues And so those Gifts which were most instructing and most apt to improve Knowledge and Good Life as Prophecy are said here to be more for the edification of the Church than other Gifts less instructing as Tongues But the edification Peculiar to it as it is one Body and a Church is the Peace and Union of its Members For Peace and Unity edifies and builds up as Separation and Division dissolves and plucks asunder all Societies The laying together and cementing Wood and Stones builds up as the dividing and scattering them abroad pulls down a House and so do Unity or Division build up or destroy all Communities A House or City divided against it self says our Saviour shall not stand and every Kingdom divided against it self is brought to desolation Mat. 12. 25. So that the edification of the Church which consists of such a vast number of Members is the keeping and establishing them in Unity and Peace and nothing is more opposite to edifying than Schisms and Divisions St. Jude opposes Edification to Separation These be they who separate themselves but contrary to that Ye Beloved building up your selves on your most Holy Faith c. intimating that to edifie or build up they must forbear to Separate Jude v. 19. 20. St. Luke says the Churches were edified when they ceased to be Persecuted and Dispersed and were suffered to be settled and united Then says he had the Churches rest throughout all Judea Galilee and Samaria and were edified Acts 9. 31. where by Edified I think we may well understand their being settled in Peace and established not only because their Rest is given as the reason of it to intimate that then they were edified when they were no longer scattered but also because the increase in Grace and Spiritual Comfort the other meaning of Edification is mentioned besides and added to it were edified and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost were multiplied v. 31. And St. Paul says the Church edifies it self not only when by the supply of all the Parts there is an increase in Goodness but when moreover it preserves Unity and the Whole Body is compacted by what every part supplies So that Edification must imply Unity and Compactness in the Body as well as other instances of Personal and Private Virtue From Christ says he the whole Body fitly joyned together and compacted by that which every joint supplies makes increase of the Body unto the edifying of it self Eph. 4. 16. Thus in the Scripture Notion doth the Edification of the Church consist in the Unity Peace and Compactness of its Members And this St. Paul plainly teaches when he exhorts to Follow after the things which make for Peace because it is with them we must edifie one another Rom. 14. 19. And when he ascribes Edification to Charity that Great Bond of Peace and Union 't is Charity says he that Edifies 1 Cor. 8. 1. And thus Theophilact well explains the Scripture Notion The Building says he that is all the Faithful compacted and united into one Body So that in his Sense the Church is then Built up when it is compacted and united And again Knowledge without Charity puffs up and swells and by that means divides from other Members and makes a Schism Whereas on the contrary Charity edifies opposing Edification to Separation i. e. maintains Union 2. And The great instrument of this Peace and Union is Love which makes us look not altogether at our own Things but at the Things of others If Men seek only themselves and will use nothing but what seems best to their own Fancies and works most upon their own Humours and Affections it is not possible there should be Peace and Unity in any Church For there is almost as great a diversity in Fancies and Affections especially about lesser matters as there is in Faces and it is never to be expected that in such cases all Men should like and approve of the same things more than that all Palates should be pleas'd with the same Meats and Sauces So that whilst every Man will please himself and gratifie his own Humour there is not like to be any Union and Edification of the Church But that which works this Peace and Union must be Love of others The Body increases saith St. Paul by the supply from every Part to the edifying of it self in Love Eph. 4. 16. And whereas Knowledge puffs up and cares not though we lose others Charity says he edifies i. e. preserves Peace in the Church and keeps together all its Members 1 Cor. 8. 1. The Members of Christ saith St. Austin are coupled to each other by the Charity of Union it being Love which unites them and by the same Charity they cohere to Christ their head too 'T is Love that is the Publick-spirited Virtue which as the Apostle says seeks not her own 1 Cor. 13. 5 and carries us to deny our selves out of care and kindness for our Brethren And this care of others is the only thing which can maintain Unity and prevent Schism The Members must have the same
in Knowledge he loses more than he gets for in Christianity Love is better than Learning and a peaceable Temper in the Eyes of God of higher Price than a skillful Understanding Covet earnestly the best Gifts among which Prophesie and Knowledge must have Preference and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way to be coveted beyond all of them viz. the way of Charity which he begins there to treat of 1 Cor. 12. 31. If he disolves Unity and incurs Schism to profit better in some other Duties of a Christian he takes a very mistaken course since Love and Unity are most especially recommended and are the very chief of them If it be possible and as much as lies in you live peaceably with all men Rom 12. 18. Above all things my Brethren put on Charity which is the very bond of perfectness i. e. most perfect in it self and that which perfects all other Virtues Col. 3. 14. And above all things have fervent Charity among your selves for Charity shall cover the multitude of sins i. e. it shall stand you in more stead at the Great day than any other Duties 1 Pet. 4. 8. And now abideth Faith Hope and Charity these three all Chief and Cardinal Graces but the greatest of these is Charity 1 Cor. 13. 13. Thus are Love and Peace and Unity the very top of Christian Duties and the most edifying things in all private Persons so that they are first to be secured and must not be parted with in hopes thereby to improve in any others Nay without them we cannot edifie in any others to any purpose For if we throw aside Charity which seeks not her own but has a care of other Men v. 5. and that care of others as he declared just before will keep out Schism the greatest Proficiency in Knowledge or other Virtues is unprofitable and useless We have no profit at all by Knowledge or other accomplishments of our Understandings Tho I have the gift of Prophecy and understand all Mysteries and have all Knowledge and the Tongues of Men and Angels and Faith to remove Mountains If after all I have no Charity it profits me nothing 1 Cor. 13. 1 2. Nay we have no profit by the bravest Actions but even the best and costliest things we do a sad Case God knows are thrown away and will not avail to save us Tho I am Heroically liberal in Alms and leaving my self naked bestow all my Goods to feed the Poor yea tho I die for Religion and give my Body to be burned a Martyr yet if I have not Charity it profits me nothing v. 3. So true was that Observation of the Primitive Christians that wilful Schism that consummate Breach of Charity and Union is the same among other Virtues that the Dead Fly is among the Costliest Oyntments it will mar all that any man doth and is not to be expiated by any thing no not by Martyrdom Schismaticks says St. Cyprian tho they are slain for confessing Christ yet is the stain of Schism so deep their very Blood cannot wash it out It is an inexpiable Crime from which a man cannot be purged though he dies for Christ. Let him give himself to fry in the Flames or be tore in pieces by Wild Beasts that shall not crown his Faith with Victory but pass only for the Punishment of his Treachery He may be slaughter'd but he shall not be Crown'd For he cannot be one of Christs Martyrs who is not one of the Churches Members Thus are Charity Peace and Unity the most excellent and edifying things in every private Christian nay of that necessity that no other Gifts or Graces not the deepest Knowledge nor the noblest Alms nor Martyrdom it self are of any use or able to profit us without them So that when to edifie in other Duties Men transgress them they give away more than they get and are not so truly advanced forward as set back and so cannot pretend to go on in Private Edification But besides that they are thus really made worse as Private Christians I observe 2. That if they were as much improved as really they are hindred yet would it by no means be lawful for them to make a Schism and break the Peace and Unity of the Church to be better edified For though it be well that Men should seek to edifie and profit themselves in particular Virtues and do this with care seeking after the best means yet at the same time it is equally true also that in so doing they must secure the Peace and Edification of the whole Church They must not be so zealous for any means of better edifying and profiting themselves as for its sake to make a Rent in the Church and create Publick Disturbance And this may appear from these Reasons 1. Because it is against the Fundamental Law of all Societies which is That no Man shall seek his own Private Profit and Enrichment by the Publick Loss and Dissettlement And particularly 't is against the Laws Christ has made for the Peace and Preservation of his Church who engages his Members to forego their own Private Profit for the Publick Peace and Benefit more than any others 2. This breaking Unity to redress and supply less edifying Means in the Church is like Sedition in the State for Redress of Civil Defects and Grievances and subject to a like Condemnation 3. 'T is against the End even of the best Helps and Means of Edification which is to establish Peace and keep out Schism and so are utterly perverted when they are made the Ground of Separation 4. When the Corinthians broke the Unity of the Church on this Ground the Apostle charg'd the great Sin of Schism upon them 5. If this Pretence would acquit from Schism there can be no such thing as Unity in the Church nor any stop to Separation 1. I say thus to break Unity and Publick Peace only that we may have better means to edifie and profit our selves in private virtues is against the Fundamental Law of all Societies which is That no Man shall seek his own private profit and enrichment by the publick loss and dissettlement The Publick Interest in all reason deserves to be more regarded than any Mans Private Benefit For it is infinitely of greater weight and contains more in it So that if any private profiting may claim to be pursued the publick much more wherein every single Mans share weighs as much as that and has the vast number of all the rest added to it And the subsistence of all society and good order requires it should be so prefer'd since otherwise it would evermore be some Mans turn for his own particular profits sake to break it And when any Men embody and combine in Societies by so doing they all virtually ingage and profess to do it And in all Communities he really is and is generally held an ill Man who doth otherwise He is a bad Member in a Family that
himself by Separation From this it may plainly appear how unwarrantably our Dissenting Brethren act in Separating from us whom they confess to be a sound and lawful Church upon pretence that they can edifie more in Separate Meetings To satisfie them wherein it may be very fit to consider 1. Whether that is indeed true which is supposed by them viz. That their Preaching is in it self fitter than ours is for edification It is an invidious thing to make Comparisons especially when they are to commend our selves but we may very innocently and inoffensively admonish them to examine this Point well before they pronounce thus of it Do they come to hear us before they complain of the unedifyingness of our Sermons And if they come at all is it only now and then by fits or often if not constantly for so long at least till they have heard all the Parts and so can comprehend the whole Design and bear away the Connexion of our Discourses And when they are at Church do they give diligent heed and attend to what we say And in attending do they hear us without prejudice against our Persons and a design to find faults and pick up something to complain of Yea what is more do they hear us as I presume they do their own Teachers with Reverence and composed Thoughts which greatly prepare the Mind to profit and edifie by any Discourses and which tho sometimes perhaps undeserved by the Preachers skill and eloquence are yet always most due to the Religion and Solemnity of the Service and are Tempers that all Men ought to put on whilst others are speaking to them in Gods Name and delivering his Message And after they have heard do they give themselves the trouble to make what they heard their own and apt to stick by them and affect them by meditating upon it and applying it to themselves and so bringing it close to their own Consciences Without this Honesty and Impartiality and Godly care in hearing they would not be edified if the Holy Ghost himself were to preach to them and when Christ himself was upon Earth his Sermons were unprofitable and did not edifie the generality of his Hearers for the want of them and if they are in the same fault in hearing us no wonder they are little edified by our Preaching And after all this when they pass Sentence by what Rule do they try the profitableness of our Discourses Do they judge a Sermon edifying only as it speaks according to their Opinion or insists most on some things and delivers them in such forms of speech as most please them or is full only of the glorious Priviledges of the Saints which though fit to be treated of sometimes must not ingross all our Discourses or be more insisted on than those Duties which are to secure them to us and gives comfortable intimations that they are all theirs which may feast their Fancies with the delightful Thoughts of their being more precious and dear to God than others Do they judge it to be edifying I say only from such things as these or as it answers the foregoing Description of Edification Do they hear Discourses of weightier matters or more plain and intelligible Accounts less darkned with Phrases and Metaphors or stronger Reasons for any Doctrines or clearer Explications of any Duties or more perspicuous and careful states of any Cases or wiser Directions for any Points of Practice or more forcible Motives to ingage to the use of them or more satisfactory Solutions of any important Questions and Doubts of Conscience in the Separate Meetings than they might hear in the Parish Churches If they try the Point by these Measures 't is like they will not be so forward to pronounce against us nor talk so much of the edification of their own Preachers and the want of it in ours 2. If as they suppose their Sermons were fitter than ours are for edification yet are not they sure to edifie more by them For we are but the Means and Instruments but the Effect of all proceeds from Gods Blessing We are only Ministers says St. Paul by whom you believed I have planted and Apollos watered but God gave the increase 1 Cor. 3. 5 6. And we are most sure of Gods Blessing when we keep in Gods own way and wait upon him in those Means which he has allotted us For God is wont to bless most his own Appointments and that not only when they best answer the end of their Institution and are most useful and edifying but even when they are degenerated and edifie less and accordingly our Saviour referred Men to them when that was really the Case The Scribes and Pharisees in his time were far from the most edifying Teachers being both wicked and ignorant two most unedifying Qualities They were Blind Guides Mat. 23. 16 and bad Livers being full of Vain Glory Rapine and Hypocrisie c. v. 5 6 14. But yet unedifying as they were since they sat in Moses Seat he refers the Jews to their Ministry to expect the Blessing of God in their due attendance upon it v. 2 3. The Priests in those Days by the Scripture-accounts of them were far from the Holiest Men so that if the Holiness of him that brings it be any recommendation of the Gift they were not in themselves the fittest to present an Offering But yet because they were the Means of Gods appointing when the Leper was cleansed and was to return God an Oblation Christ orders him to carry it to the Priest because thro his Hands God would accept it of him Mat. 8. 4. Thus is Gods Blessing which is the great cause of our profiting to be looked for in Gods own ways and in attendance upon the means which he has allotted us and we have not a like reason to expect it when we reject them especially if we run into a plain Breach of that Unity and Good Order he has established in his Church in pursuit of others And when Gods Blessing goes along with them we shall edifie more by weaker means so that a more edifying Sermon in an unedifying way such as Schism is is not so like to profit us But 3. If they could edifie more by them yet is it in no wise lawful thus to break the Unity and Peace of the Church for better Edification There is no breaking Publick Peace as we have seen for better means of Private Profiting so that no Man must ever seek to edifie in Schism or to grow in Grace by joyning in Separation And thus I have explained the Nature of Edification and shewn what Improvements it implies viz. Any increase in Private Virtues or in Publick Settlement and Peace So that then any Man edifies in Religion when he is bettered in any Point of Faith or Manners or made more complying with innocent Publick Constitutions and a more peaceable Member of the Church And having thus shewn what it implies I am now 2. To press it
as the Great Point whereat they are to aim on all sorts of Christians And here had I time I should urge all Christians to lay out themselves in improving useful Knowledge and obedient Practice and peaceable Inclinations to stir up and cherish in themselves devout Affections and daily renew and strengthen Holy Purposes and express in the whole course of their Lives the power of Godliness in all due submission to their Governours and tender care of the Churches Peace as well as in all Duty towards God and exercise of Private Virtues For this is truly to grow in Grace and be edified Believers I would intreat you my Reverend Brethren in the Name of Christ whose Ministers we are not only to be exemplary and shining Lights in edifying thus your selves but also to be wise and unwearied in your Labours in carrying on this Edification among all others you can any ways work upon especially those committed to your Charge That you would instruct the ignorant with all assiduitie and plainness convince the erroneous with all gentleness and calm arguings yea with all Patience and Perseverance remembring that it is an hard matter and a work of time for a Man to cast off old and rivited Opinions and that any one is troubled enough in being shewed his error without hearing of it in Anger and Invective Speeches and labour to win all Men over to an universal Holiness with your utmosh skill and diligence That you would study to be plain and useful in all your Sermons Prudently bold and impartial in Reproofs warning Men against all even their beloved Vices with such freedom as may keep their Consciences awake and yet with such shew of tenderness and prudent timing of Reproof as may not tempt them to fly out from us endeavouring to reclaim them from Schism which is most mischievous to the Church and which nothing can excuse before God but an honest Ignorance and the pitiableness of unmasterable Prepossessions and from all Prophaneness and Immoralities which without particular Repentance and Amendment are most surely mischievous to their own Souls which have no Plea of Pardonable Ignorance and Involuntariness and for which there is no Excuse at all In all which by the Love of Christ I would beseech you to shew all Wisdom and Diligence and Patience and unwearied Perseverence and compassionate Tenderness and Love for Souls I would in all Christian Love beseech our Dissenting Brethren and be instant with them since it so nearly concerns both the Church and them that they would seek no longer to build up only themselves but to edifie the Church of Christ which they certainly pull down by their Separation In very deed they may have great Means of Private Edification in our Church and need not seek for better in any other Place They will edifie sufficiently by our Sermons as I have noted if they bring along with them prepared Minds and and without them the Jews could not edifie by the Sermons of Christ and his Apostles And if they cannot edifie by the Churches Prayers too the Fault I am sure is not in the Prayers but in themselves For consider Brethren the Prayers we use are not to give Affections to us but to express those we have so that when we come to Pray we must bring them along with us And if we come with an awful sense of God in our Minds with serious and good Purposes and devout Affections we need no better Helps to express them than the Churches Service For therein are sound suitable and well-composed Prayers which extend to all Necessities begging all needful Graces and praying particularly both against Sins and Calamities and requesting outward Blessings and giving Thanks for Receipt of Mercies and interceding for all States and Conditions of Persons and suited to the Great Periods and States of Life In all which they pitch upon the most pertinent and proper things and express them in Grave Plain and Significant Language and are intermixed with Responses to fix Attention and call back wandring Thoughts and are parcell'd into Collects to give Breath and not weary us out with an uninterrupted continuance of intense Affections So that if we bring with us a Heart to desire these things here we have Prayers to suggest and express our Desires of them yea such as whilst they do express are greatly fitted to increase them Thus fit are they to edifie in themselves and this great Numbers of truly Pious and Devout Souls have found and from their own Experience can testifie concerning them And now if any shall still charge such excellent Prayers as unedifying where lies the blame whether in the Deadness of the Prayers or the Indevotion and Unpreparedness of their own Hearts If a Man thinks the most wholesom and substantial Food distasteful or insipid 't is a sign he has a depraved Appetite And if he feels no Devotion in the use of such Pious Wise and Profitable Forms 't is a sign his Soul is sick and that his Spiritual Sense has lost its Taste since the most agreeable Food is no better rellish'd by it He is Indevout not because the Prayers do not suggest Devout things nor cloath them in Proper and Devout Expressions but because he doth not hold his Mind attent or has not prepared his Heart to be affected with them So that if these our Brethren will take the Godly Care and Pains to mend this Fault which is in themselves and come with Reverent and Prepared Minds they will not I believe complain any longer of Deadness and want of Edification in the Churches Prayers which are not only Good but as those who use them without prejudice and with Devotion in their Hearts can testifie very excellent for that purpose But tho they could not so well edifie themselves in them yet by the Love of Christ I would beseech them to seek no longer to build up only themselves but to edifie the Church of Christ which they pull down by their Separation Make Conscience of Peace and Unity Brethren and think them as Necessary things as any others in Religion Remember it is one of the necessary Properties of Charity to have such care of others as keeps out Schism and that without this Charity there is no Benefit in any Services no not in Martyrdom and how then can you account to your selves the throwing that away for any other thing Esteem your selves as Members of the Body and consider that the Body is built up by Unity This Christ has founded upon himself and the Apostles those Master Builders have edified by compacting it into one and how then will you look either upon him or them who pluck asunder what they put together and pull it down by Division The Design of God in all the most Powerful Gifted Ministers is to build up the Body and keep out Schism and what account will you give to him for crossing that Design in making these not only the Heads of Parties but the Pretence