all inclosures should be thrown open and the worship of God no longer be confined as it had been to Jerusalem Joh. 4.21 yet to signifie that he would still for all that accept and own places dedicated to his solemn service all the world over in the fourth year of his Ministry he makes his claim and vindicates the honour of his own interest Mark 11.17 2. We must submit to this settlement in regard of the Authority by which it is setled here are David and the Elders and the Captains of thousands the King the Nobles and the Representatives of all the Commons of England what comes to us derived in so full a current of Authority not to speak of the miraculous restitution of this Authority should prostrate every private judgment and make the passions interests and opinions of all men stoop before it There is a necessity laid upon us yea and a wo will betide us if we submit not Let every soul be subject to the higher powers Rom. 13.1 Nay ye must needs be subject and that not only for fear of wrath but for conscience sake Ver. 5. and there is another sake no less considerable to engage you the Lords sake 1 Pet. 2.13 14. Submit you selves to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it be to the King as Supream or unto Governours as those that are sent by him for the punishment of evil doers and for the praise of them that do well Time was when an Ordinance not so venerable as that St Peter speaks of did signifie something with you when lesse then one link of that threefold Cord of Authority would serve to engage and yoak you to draw the Ark aside if you will not now submit to the Settlement of it upon the obligation of those Laws which come to us in the greatest solemnity that a just and full Authority can recommend them by I shall say no more but this that your Consciences are strangely blinded and they are prodigiously perverse and obstinate And yet this is not all For 3. We must submit to this Settlement in regard of that Ministry under which it is sotled these are not like those false Prophets which come in sheeps clothing but inwardly they are ravening wolves We know them well enough by their fruits these are contented to subsist upon that portion which the Laws of God and man allow them and would not be Pensioners to your Purses lest they should be tempted to flâ—tter you and betray your souls for they seek not yours but you These are nâ—ne of Jeroboams Priests the meanest Mechanicks amongst the people set up by an Usurper to entertain the devotions of the people in the worship of his Calves left bâ—â—aving recourse to Jerusalem to the Ark of God and the Priesthood that does attend upon it they should be invited to their duty and return their Allegiance to their Sovereign This Hierarchy that now attends the Ark and worship of God did not arise up of it self as the heads of Factions many times do or out of the bottomlesse pit which is no better a Pedigree but it derives its Mission and Authority as it should do in a visible line of succession from Christ and his Apostles and is most Consonâ—nt to the pattern in the Old Testament where as we are told by the Apostle the Synagogue was a Type or Shadow of the Christian Church Heb. 10.1 where likewise God did promise that for the service of this Church being made up for the most part of Gentiles He would take of the Gentiles and make them Priests and Levites to himself Isa 66.22 by which legal nameâ— of Priests and Levites what doth he understand but such as we call Presbyters and Deacons upon which grounds the Antient Fathers presum'd a correspondence beâ—ween that Hierarchy of the old and this of the New Testament And if we look into the Degrees of this Hierarchy we shall find they run parallel See Clavi Trabales p. 117. in their agreement wi h those designed of old to Minister untâ— tâ—e Ark of God There was Aaron answerable to Christ Eleazar a Numb 3.32 Neh. 11.10 11 14. to Archbishops Princes b Ezr. 8.24 29. of Priests b to Bishops Priâ—sts to Presbyters Princes c Neh. 11.16 22. of Levites c to Archdeacons Levites to Deacons Nethinims to Clerks and Sextons Is it not probable tâ—en that God will bless and accept of a Ministery of his own institution and allowance 1 Chron. 15.12 rather then one of our fond contrivance and â—eeing the saving efficacy of the Ministery depends wholly upon Gods blessing and gracious acceptation are we not highly concernâ—d to submit to that Ministry which derives its Original regularly from God and upon that account hath the fairest title to his blessing and acceptation if this be not inducement enough we have an obligation lâ—id upon us from his command Heb. 13.7 Remember your Prelates your guides which have the rule over you who have spoken unto you the word of God whose faith follow considering the end of their conversation and Vers 17. Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your souls as they that must give an account that they may do it with joy and not with grief for that is unprofitable for you 4. There is one Consideration more that should induce you to submit to this Settlement of the Ark and that is the solemnity with which it is setled Besides the Type and Pattern for it in the Old Testament there aâ—e four general Rules left upon Record by the Apostle for the direction of Prelates and other Superiours in setling the Ark of Gods solemn worship 1. That all be done to the glory of God a 1 Cor. 10.31 2. That all be done to the edification of the Church of Goa b 1 Cor. 14.26 3. That all be done decently and worthily c 1 Cor. 11.27 29. as becomes the service we perform and the Majesty we adore d 1 Cor. 14.40 4. That all things be done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to order e 1 Cor. 14.40 These Rules are observ'd in our Settlement 1. And first of the last of these It belongs unquestionably to the Office of Ecclesiastical Governours to set things in Order so St Paul in the Church of Corinth 1 Cor. 11. ult The rest will I set in order * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when I come so Titus in Crete an Island that had 100 Cities in it for this cause I left thee in Crete that thou shouldst set in order †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the things that are wanting or left undone Tit. 1.5 and it was not left to every mans choice whether he would submit such as did not observe these Orders were punished by the censures of the Church 2 Thes 3.6 14 15. Now we command you brethren in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ that ye withdraw
be had in favour and in honour * 1 Chron. 17.18 with the Divine Majesty is a good ambition 3. If the Ark were seated here in the City of David whither the Tribes ascended for civil Justice they might very commodiously receive the mysteries of Religion administred together with it and the blessings that should be derived from the salutary presence of the Ark upon the Royal Family would be of a more general concernment like a fruitful inundation which having its source from the top of some high mountain waters all the vallies round about 2. David had here prepared for the Ark and therefore it is said 2 Sam. 6.17 imposuerunt eam in loco suo they set it in his own place For when a man passeth a surrender of any Thing or Place to the use of Almighty God and appropriates it to his Worship by the act of a solemn dedication God accepts of it ownes it calls it his and makes it holy holy always in relation by his gracious acceptation of it and holy sometimes by a gracious manifestation of his presence in it and then it is to be reverenced not to be alienated or converted unto any profane or common use To this purpose we have these expressions in Holy Scripture Go to my place which was in Shilo where I put my name at the first Jer. 7.12 My house shall be called the house of prayer Mat. 21.13 Keep my Sabbathes and reverence my Sanctuary Levit. 19.30 Put off thy shooes from off thy feet for the place where thou standest is holy ground Exod. 3.5 to which alludes Keep thy foot when thou comest into the house of God Eccles 5.1 Because the Ark had been placed in this City of David and so had hallowed it Solomon thinks it not fit thinks it would be a prophanation to convert it into a Court for Pharaoh's Daughter though his royal consort 2 Chron 8.11 And our Saviours zeal was so strict in this point he would not suffer any of them to carry their common Vessels thorow any part of the Temple Mark 11.16 Have ye not houses to eat and to drink in saith the Apostle to such as prophaned the place of Gods worship with intemperance or despise ye the Church of God 1 Cor. 11.22 3. In the Tent or Tabernacle which David had pitched 2 Sam. 6.17 David did not make choice of a Tabernacle to save charges He was asham'd to see himself live in more State in respect of habitation then God did to see himself lodged in a Palace of Cedar and the Ark between course Curtains out of zeal therefore he designed a House for the Lord a House that should be exceeding magnifical of fame and glory among all Countries 1 Chro. 22.5 and although this was but a piece of will-worship in him having as yet received no command or order * 2 Sam. 7.7 1 Chro. 17.6 no direction or intimation for it yet God accepts of this pious intendment 1 Kings 8.18 and since David had intertain'd the thoughts of a Temple God would have it such a Temple to honour the zeal of his designs as should be a type of heaven a type of the Church triumphant †Rev. 11.19 but then though he had piously contrived it David must not be allowed to build it * 1 Chron. 22.6 to 10. for David was a man of war and heaven is to be prepared for us by the Prince of Peace this work therefore must be reserved for Solomon But for the Church militant represented by a Tabernacle * Rev. 21.2 3. always in a moveable posture subject to storms and deportations a warlike Prince may protect and shelter endow and adorn that after this example of King David who pitch'd a tent for the Ark of God And now the Ark is brought under Davids roof I hope the Proverb is not verified in him The neerer to Church the further from God I hope it is not for State and Pomp that he designs this neighbourhood * Beati qui merentur proximi esse Dco Sed memento quod Scriptum est qui approximant mihi approximant igni Origen super Jes Nav. Hom. 4. k. with the Almighty No no it is that he may gain an opportunity at hand to celebrate the solemn service of God which he doth therefore religiously hansel with the Sacrifice of a dutiful gratulation for they offered burnt sacrifices and peace-offerings before God which is the last part of my Text. To be possess'd of God to sit under the shadow of his wings to communicate in the Ordinances of his worship and imbibe the influences of his Ministry what an ineffable blessing how much this Prince and People valued this injoyment how much their hearts were ravish'd with their success in this happy settlement we may collect from their oblations which were the best the Levitical Law had recommended God did require he did expect no better from them We may take a threefold view of them 1. In their nature or kind Burnt sacrifices what they were peace-offerings what they were 2. In their conjuncture and association burnt sacrifices and peace-offerings together 3. In their subordination and order first burnt sacrifices and then peace-offerings before God 1. For their kind and nature the burnt sacrifice was to be of the best in its kind a male and without blemish and that I may in brief give you the History and the Mystery and the Morality of it it was stiled a Holocaust because herein neither the Priest nor the party that made the oblation was to have any share but it was wholly to be consumed by the sacred fire that it might ascend up in flames in reverence to the most high God It was a Testification of Gods Supream Dominion over them and so it was designed to make an acknowledgement of his Sovereignty to honour him and it was a Recognition of their subjection and dependency and so it was designed to make an atonement to render him placid and gracious The Offerer was to lay his hand upon the head of the Sacrifice to this effect Levit. 1.4 He shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him By this Rite and Ceremony of laying the hand upon the head of the Sacrifice 1. He did transfer all his interest in it upon God and dedicated it intirely to Gods honour Manuum impositio symbolum oblationis crat testimonium reatus in hostiam translati Euseb apud Lapid in Lev. 1.4 2. He did hereby transfer the guilt of his own sin upon the Sacrifice and devoted it in his own head to the wrath of God for that guilt 3. He did transfer the propriety and interest that he had in himself and resign'd it up for the future to Gods service This was the signification of that Rite and Ceremony But there is a Mystery besides in this sacrifice it was a Type and prefiguration of
For he watcheth for your souls as he that must give account Epist. ad Trallian And a little after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is necessary that you do nothing that you attempt nothing without the Bishop And a while after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Reverence your Bishop even as Christ according to the precept of the blessed Apostles For he that is within the Altar within the communion of the Church is an intire pure Christian and for this cause obey your Bishop and the Priests But he that is not within this communion he that acts of his own head without the Bishop not in conformity with him and the Priests and Deacons is polluted in his Conscience and is worse then an Infidel * 1 Tim. 5.8 thus Ignatius The Hierarchy therefore of the Church is by all means to be kept up and all due veneration and obedience is to be paid to it But this belongs chiefly to the Higher Powers and yet something you may all do towards it It is Recorded that when Chrysostome was to be banished from Constantinople the people were so affected with him that they all went to the Emperour and Petitioned for Chrysostome professing they could no more miss Chrysostome then they could miss the Sun out of the Firmament and yet which I desire you to observe and carry home with you Chrysostome was not the peoples mercenary Curate or flattering Heb. 13.17 Lecturer but the Bishop of the Diocess and his See was Constantinople And I suppose this might be one reason why Mr. Calamy as he saith was so loth fully to tell that story But 2. There is a second Admonition directed to all that are concern'd herein to take care that this Hierarchy be really such as the name importeth A Holy Order or Governance Holy in their persons and conversation and holy in their ministration and address Lev. 10.3 God will be sanctified of all those that draw nigh unto him Be ye holy ye that bear the vessels of the Lord upon the bells of the horses Zach. 14.10 saith the Prophet shall be holiness to the Lord. But there must be holiness not upon Aarons Bells only in the purity of his Doctrine but the inscription upon his forehead must be so too Holiness to the Lord Psal 132.9 let the Priests be clothed with righteousness he must be white and pure in his conversation as well as in his vesture And 2. Because Sancta sanctè holy things must be performed after a holy manner therefore a special sanctification is requisite unto the address if a beast should rush in to the holy Mount Heb. 12.10 he should be transfixed with some dart or other for it hereupon the Psalmist I will wash my hands in innocency Psal 26.6 and so will I compass thy Altar O Lord. And now for Directions to the people All the mysteries of the Ark are comprehended and unfolded in the Festivals of the Church and such as do constantly frequent them can be ignorant of nothing that is necessary to their Salvation But your address must be duly qualified that it may find a gracious acceptation You must approach with Humility with Alacrity with Unanimity with Uniformity These four will make your approach welcome to the Ark or Ordinances of God 1. It must be with Humility and Reverence There are some that bear no more reverence to the Ark of Gods worship then if it were but an Ark of Bull-rushes But holinesse becometh thy house for ever saith the Prophet Ye shall observe my Sabbaths and reverence my Sanctuary I am the Lord Lev. 19.31 God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the Saints and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him Psal 89.7 Psal 89.7 and Psal 68. O God thou art terrible out of thy holy places Psal 68. ult c. therefore serve the Lord with fear and rejoyce before him with trembling Psal 2. We will go into his Tabernacles we will worship at his footstool Psal 132.7 and Psal 99.5 Exalt ye the Lord our God and worship at his footstool Psal 132.7 And as that expression had reference to the Ark then * See Josh 7.6 so hath it to the holy Sacrament now as we are taught by St Ambrose a De Spir. Sancto l. 3. c. 12. and St Austin Per scabellum terra intelligitur per terram autem caro Christi quam hodie quoque in mysteriis adoramus By footstool we are to understand the earth and by the earth the flesh of Christ which at this very day we adore in the sacred mysteries And St Austin b In Psal 98. to the same purpose Quaero quid sit scabellum pedumejus dicit mihi Scriptura terra scabellum pedum meorum not to do it at his name nay at the holy Mysteries c. Bishop Andr. Serm. 9. of the Resur Fluctuans converto me ad Christum quiaipsum quaero hic invenio quomodo sine impietate a loretur terra sine impietate adoretur scabellum pedum ejus Suscepit enim de terra terram quia caro de terra est de carne Mariae carnem accepit Et quia in ipsa carne hic ambulavit ipsam carnem nobis manducandam ad salutem dedis NEMO AUTEM ILLAM CARNEM MANDUC AT NISI PRIUS ADORAVERIT inventum est quemadmodum adoretur tale scabellum pedum Domini non solum NON PECCEMUS ADORANDO sed PECCEMUS NON ADORANDO I demand what is his footstool and God in the holy Scripture tells me the earth is my footstool But being in some fluctuation and doubtfulness I turn me unto Christ for him I am to seek here and in him I find how the earth may be adored without any impiety how without any impiety I may adore his footstool For he took earth from the earth for flesh is of the earth and of the flesh of the blessed Virgin Mary he took flesh And because in that flesh he conversed here amongst us and gave that flesh to us to eat for our salvation AND NO MAN EATETH THAT FLESH UNLESSE HE HATH FIRST ADORED We have here found how such a footstool of the Lord may be adored and we should not only NOT SIN IN A DORING but WE SHOULD SIN certainly IN NOT ADORING Thus St Augustine And above all others the Apostle expecteth that this service should be worthily perfomed 1 Cor. 11. otherwise sad effects did many times follow for whosoever shall eat this bread and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord Ver. 27. He eateth and drinketh damnation to himself not discerning the Lords body Ver. 29. and for this cause saith the Apostle many are weak and sickly among you and many sleep that is they are struck dead Ver. 30. It is considerable in the Bethshemites they took notice that the Ark of God had been in Captivity
amongst the uncircumcised Philistines that they had set it up in the house of Dagon and had committed it to the conduct of Oxen upon a new Cart and this homely usage of it gave them incouragement never considering the judgments that had been inflicted upon those Philistines to be Familiar with it and to gaze upon it without any reverence at all 1 Sam. 6. as if it had been alienated from Gods care and service and was become an ordinary common thing But God does dreadfully vindicate this their prophanation he strikes more then 50000 of them dead upon the place that the sharpnesse of his severity might recover that respect and veneration to the Ark which he saw was not like to be paid to it otherwise Men have made themselves very familiar with Almighty God in these late times and his dreadful Ordinances having been held in a kind of Captivity and sullied by the reproaches of ignorant and prophane persons they have been looked upon as sleight and common things but be not deceived God is not mocked neither will he always suffer himself to be affronted in his sacred Assemblies and holy Institutions if you have not ingenuity enough to render all due reverence to Gods Ark if the arguments of Reason and Religion cannot prevail with you to this effect if severity must be used to procure this from you which concerns your own eternal good no less then Gods glory believe me in the end when all must stoop you will find that severity very sharp and costly too Rom. 14.10 11. therefore approach the Ark of God with Humility and Reverence 2. You must appreach it with Alacrity and Chearfulness It is admirable in devout souls to consider how passionately affected they are with Gods solemn worship and the place where it is performed When they are sequestrated from it they breathe out their devotions in fits of longing If I forget thee O Jerusalem if I do not remember thee let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy Psal 137.5 6 7. How amiable are thy dwellings O Lord of Hosts My soul longeth yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord for one day in thy Courts is better then a thousand Psal 84.1 2 4 10. I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of my God blessed are they that dwell in thy house And there is nothing more welcome to a holy soul then an invitation to such a Coelestial entertainment I was glad when they said unto me Psal 122.1 2 we will go into the house of the Lord and there he desires to fix his station Our feet shall stand within thy gates O Jerusalem Yea they shall joy as the joy in harvest as the joy of those that divide the spoil a Isa 9.3 I will go unto the Altar of God unto God my exceeding joy b Psal 43.4 Such a joy of heart as over flows the banks thereof and causeth exultation in the body too My heart danceth for joy and not so only but my heart and my flesh also rejoyceth in the living God And much more the glory of the flesh the best member of it the tongue They shall sing in the ways of the Lord that great is the glory of the Lord. The service of God should be like the celebration of a solemn Jubilee Jubilate Deo O be joyful in the Lord all ye lands Psal 100.1 serve the Lord with gladness and come before his presence with a song and again O come let us sing unto the Lord Psal 95.1 let us make a joyful noise to the Rock of our Salvation If we had that zeal of Gods glory or that sense of our own duty or if we had but that regard to our own interest and advantage that we should have it were impossible we should be either so slack in our approach or when present so cold and dull in our attention to Gods solemn service Are we not in some danger of Gods displeasure for this awkward carriâ—ge towards him does he not threaten his people for it Deut. 28.47 45. Because thou servedst not the Lord thy God with joyfulnesse and gladnesse of heart for the abundance of all things therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies which the Lord shall send against thee in hunger and in thirst and in want of all things he that cannot delight himself in the Solemnities of Gods house in that his gracious presence where there is in some sence a fulnesse of joy Psal 16. ult it is pity he should ever come to his right hand where are pleasures for evermore you must approach with Alacrity 3. You must approach the Ark with unanimity As Jerusalem was builded Psal 122.3 so it was govern'd as a City at unity in it self Psal 95.6 The kingly Prophet invites O come let us worship and fall down and kneel before the Lord O magnifie the Lord with me Psal 34.3 and let us exalt his name together And at that great solemnity of Solomon's when he dedicated the house of the Lord we find all Israel in consort with him 2 Chron. 7.4 The King and all the people offered sacrifices before the Lord. God hath an expectation it should be so amongst us too for he saith by his Evangelical Prophet And it shall come to pass in the last days Isa 2.2 3. that the mountain of the Lords house shall be established in the top of the mountains and shall be exalted above the hills and all nations shall flow unto it And many people shall go and say Come ye and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord to the house of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his ways and we will walk in his pathes For then as the Lord saith by another Prophet will I turn to the people a pure language Zeph. 3.9 that they may all call upon the name of the Lord to serve him with one consent crouding in to the holy Assemblies with one shoulder as the original importeth And that it might be so amongst us how earnestly doth the Apostle conjure us in the persons of the Church of Philippi if there be therefore any consolation in Christ Phil. 2.1 2. if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the Spirit if any bowels of mercies fulfil ye my joy and what is that that ye be like-minded having the same love being of one accord of one mind For Christ hath but one Church My love my undefiled is one there is one body and one spirit and ye are called in one hope of your calling one Lord one Faith Eph. 4.4 5 5. one Baptism one God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in you all What a multiplicity of Arguments hath the blessed Apostle twisted together to make the unity that should be amongst Christians indissoluble And if the advantages hereof were duly weighed
these alone were enough to make it so Origen weighing that verse of the Psalmist See Magal in Josh c. 6. § 1. Aunnot 3. Blessed are the people that know the joyful sound Psal 89.15 He quaeres what it is that renders a people blessed He saith not blessed are the people that do righteousness or blessed are the people that understand mysteries or are able to give an account of the heaven of the earth and of the stars but he saith blessed are the people that know the sound the jubilation In other places the fear of the Lord maketh blessed but it maketh but one man blessed for so it is said Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord. Else where we find also that more are blessed as blessed are the poor in spirit blessed are the meek blessed are the peace-makers blessed are the pure in heart But here in the Psalmist the blessedness is profuse and I know not what so great cause of blessedness is intimated that it should make the whole people blessed that hears the Jubilation Unde mihi jubilatio videtur indicare quendam concordiae unanimitatis affectum whereupon it seems to me that this Jubilation doth import an affection of concord and unanimity which if it clasps the hearts and hands of two or three Disciples together in Prayer it makes them so prevalent offering up their devotions in the name of Christ that the heavenly Father grants all they pray for And if it be so great a blessedness that a whole people are unanimous that they all speak the same thing being joyn'd together in the same mind and in the same judgment the united devotions of such a people may be as prevalent as theirs were in the Acts of the Apostles They were of one heart and of one soul Acts 2.1 Chap. 4.31 32. they were with one accord in one place and there was a great earth-quake where they prayed in unanimity and the place being shaken the holy Ghost descended The joynt devotions of an unanimous faithful people might be thus effectual terrae-motu facto destruentur cadent omnia quae terrena sunt ac mundus ipse subvertetur saith Origen such an Earth-quake might ensue as should remove those Mountains of earth that oppose in our way to heaven and level the world under our feet and bring down the Comforter to inlighten and assist us Let us therefore approach the Ark of God with unanimity and this will make us inclinable to the last part of our duty in our demeanor towards the Ark. 4. To approach it with uniformity for our unanimity is to terminate and center there in uniformity Hence the Apostle is so pathetical 1 Cor. 1.10 Now I beseech you brethren by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye all speak the same thing and that there be no divisions or Schisms among you but that ye be perfectly joyned together in the same mind and in the same judgment And why so why that ye may with one mind and one mouth glorifie God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 15.6 That promise of God I will give them one heart and one way Jer. 32.39 Ezek. 11.19 that they may fear me for ever hath reference certainly to the Christian Church But this is such a promise as implies our co-operation for the accomplishment of it I demand then whether God â—ath perform'd his Engagement to the Christian Church whether he hath done his part in giving his people one way if not then we are to expect some new Revelations for the discovery of that way for how shall it be set open to us otherwise But this is not only contradicted by the Apostle but sentenced too with the dreadful commination of an Anathema for thus he saith though we or an Angel from heaven Gal. 1.8 9. preach any other Gospel unto you thâ—n that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed And for the greater verification of this truth he doubles his asseveration as we said before so say I now again if any man preach any other Gospel unto you thâ—n that ye have received let him be accursed I am the way saith our Saviour and the truth too and that can be but one we have the mind of Christ 1 Cor. 2.16 saith the Apostle and no man can no man dare deny that to be the one way that God hath promised and this is set open to the world Acts 16.17 by the Ministry of the Apostles and Evangelists These men are the servants of the most high God which shew unto us the way of salvation And if you ask me why some men refuse to walk in this way I must refer you to some of their stubborn fellow travellers for answer Thus saith the Lord Stand ye in the ways and see and ask for the old paths where is the good way and walk therein and ye shall find rest for your souls but they said we will not walk therein Jer. 6.16 And why not why here lies the quarrel God hath appointed certain Guides to direct us and point out the way to us and we are offended at this we make our Guides our stumbling-blocks God hath also given a general Order to these Guides to set up some shades for our better accommodation and to hang up some lights for our more safe and regular walking in this way leaving it to their care and prudence what these shades shall be made of and where these lights shall be set up and here having an over-weening conceit of our own worth and wanting that due reverence for our Guides and Governours which we ought to have we fall out in and about the way too pride and prejudice Envy and Animosity strike in and make us NON-CONFORMISTS The Apostle foresaw this or rather had a present intuition of it in some Churches of his own planting and therefore when he injoyns this accord and uniformity for securing this duty he prescribes also these Caveats Let nothing be done through strif Phil. 2.2 3. or vain-glory but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better thâ—n themselves And the same charge he gives to the Ephesians Ephes 4.1 2 3. I therefore the prisoner of the Lord beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called with all lowliness and meekness with long suffering forbearing one another in love and by keeping this temper especially towards our Guides endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace Uniformity is this bond of the Churches peace and 't is that that makes her terrible as an Army with Banners which attribute no society of men can boast of Cant. 6.10 but where they all keep the same posture and observe the same motions and obey the same word of command under their respective Officers In obedience therefore to the Apostles command as well as for the honour and advantage of Gods Church Let us as many as be