Lesson viz. The whole Church or the collection or aggregation of all the Saints are one body in Christ of which body Christ is the head and all the Saints are members Which I will indeavour briefly to explain and then come to that branch which I have chosen to insist upon this day Know then that our Lord Jesus Christ in the Scripture is said to have a twofold body the one a natural body that body which was conceived in the wombe of the Virgin which was borne into the world wherein Christ lived which dyed rose againe and is now ascended up into heaven this natural body of Christ is not the body meant in my Text But secondly Christ hath another body very often mentioned in the Scripture which is called his mysticall body or a body in a mystery but because that may be looked upon but as a blinde which every man may interpret according to his own fancy therefore the Spirit of God hath taught us that the collection or aggregation or the thus gathering together of all the Saints in one which the Scripture cals the body of Christ though it be not his naturall body yet it is to him as his naturall body and this I pray you to marke and give me leave to prove because it is the onely foundation of all the Discourse that I am this day to make to you I say The Church when the Scripture cals it the body of Christ is to him as his naturall body that is they stand to Christ in the same relation that the naturall body doth stand to the naturall head and Christ stands to them in the same relation that a natural head doth to the naturall body and all the members that is all beleevers or Saints ' stand in the same relation one to another as the members of a naturall body doe stand one to another this I say is the foundation of all and out of the many Texts which might bee alledged to prove it I shall onely to this which I have in hand which saith expresly that wee are all one body in Christ and every one members one of another mention two more which are so plaine that he that runs may read this truth in them one is in the 1 Cor. 12. Indeed almost the whole Chapter is a proofe and an improvement of this one truth the Apostle tels them in the beginning of the Chapter that there are given to the Church diversities of gifts diversities of administrations diversities of operations and all these come from the same Spirit and this Spirit that gives these gifts and administrations and operations hee gives them all to this end that there may be a profiting of the whole and presently that you may understand his meaning tels us that look as it is in the naturall body there is abundance of members joyned and every one have their severall office for the good of all so is Christ saith he by Christ there he doth not mean Jesus Christ in his humane nature onely but Christ mysticall Christ and all his members gathered into one and then goes on in the thirteenth verse and tels us That by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body whether Jewes or Gentiles bond or free and are all made to drink into one Spirit and so throughout to the end of the Chapter prosecutes the same comparison of Christs being as a naturall head to his Church and all the Saints as naturall members to Christ and one to another and the duties which follow thereupon The other place is Ephes. 4 from 12. to 17. in the beginning of the Chapter he exhorted them earnestly to live in love and keepe the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace to provoke them the better to it he shews them verse 4. 5 and 6. in how many things they are one of which you shal hear more afterward Then vers 7. he addes that each of them had received gifts which were the fruits of Christs ascention all which were given for the converting edifying and perfecting of the body of Christ untill it attaine unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ that they all might grow up in all things unto him that is the head even Christ Now that it might appear what kinde of head and body is meant he presently fals upon this similitude of a naturall body verse 16. From whom the whole body fitly joyned and compacted together by that which every joynt supplieth according to the effectual working in the measure of every part maketh increase of the whole body to the edifying of it selfe in love And almost parallel to this is Col. 2. 19. where the Apostle tels us that from Christ the head all the body by joynts and bands is knit together receives nourishment administred and so increaseth with the increase of God Nothing can be plainer that look as it is in the naturall body the Lord hath so cast it and what the Head doth for its part the Liver for its part the Heart for its part the Brain for its part and every Joynt and Sinew for its part the whole body growes up to a full stature and all grows up together so hath the Lord ordained and cast it to be in the Church of Christ Now this foundation being laid that though the Church be not Christs naturall body it is yet as his naturall body The great Question is Wherein doth this comparison or resemblance stand To that I answer first it is easie for a man to name many particulars wherein the comparison will not hold betwixt the Church and a naturall body and it is as easie for a man to name many things wherein they are very like one to another but we must not be wise beyond the Scripture nor stretch it any further then the Lord intends it I humbly conceive that the comparison lies properly in these two things First That as in the naturall body the members and every member hath a reall union with the head for its owne part having the same spirit animating it that is in the head and thereby hath a communion with and dependance upon the head in all the offices that the head can do for it so every particular Christian or member of the Church hath a reall indissoluble spiritual union and conjunction with the Lord Jesus Christ having his Spirit communicated unto them which is the foundation of all their communion the very root and principle of their spirituall life and which inables them every one for their part to live unto Christ that is one Secondly Which is the thing I intend that as in the natural body all the members doe not onely meet in the head as all the lines do meet in a Center and are one there though they do not touch one another anywhere else but they are all by the wonderfull power and wisdome of God so contrived and compacted and joyned
discourses of throughout the whole thirteenth Chapter and tels you all miracles all abilities to preach all that it is possible for man to be endowed with are not able to doe that good to the Church which the grace of love doth And the same Apostle Paul Col. 3. when he had exhorted Gods people to seeke after and put on all those graces wherein the new creature stands Bowels of mercy kindnesse humblenesse of minde c. adds ver. 14. But above all put on love why it is the band of perfection it is the perfect band or the band that perfectly tyes all Gods people together And therefore our Saviour Christ in Iohn 13. 34 35. makes it the Livery of the Church whereby in all places of the world they may be knowne to be his Disciples even by their loving one another and therefore also the Apostle in the fourth of the Ephesians vers. 16. when he had shewed that every joynt contributes and supplyes its part towards the building up of the whole body concludes it thus by that which every joynt supplyeth according to the effectuall working in the measure of every part maketh increase of the body unto the building up of it selfe in love as if the grace of Love were the thing that ran through them all and gave vigour and strength to them all in their working one with another and one for another Thus you have heard what the things are wherein all the Saints are one and what the bands are whereby they are thus united Now before I proceed to the application of necessity I must remove one great doubt out of the way It may be said If the Church of Christ be but one Church whence comes it that wee read mention of so many Churches of a Triumphant Church and a Militant Church of a visible and an invisible Church of the Church at Jerusalem the Churches of Judea the Churches of Galatia the seven Churches all the Churches where the Scripture doth mention so many Churches how are these expressions reconciled with this that all Gods people are but one Church I answer First it is most cleare that Jesus Christ hath but one mystical Church which is his body the Church of Christ is as we say in Logick Species specialissima it cannot be sub-divided into other Churches if we wil speake properly but though it be but one Body one reall individuall Church yet this one Church is capable of severall distributions from some properties or qualities or adjuncts which are found in it and those distributions or considerations of it doe and may in some sence obtaine the name of the Church To give you a little taste the Church of Christ though it be but one yet it is sometimes considered distributed or distinguished according to the manner and the measure of the communion which the parts and members inioy with their Head thus one part of this Church injoyes communion with the Head by sight and not by faith and the communion which they have with Christ is perfect freed from all imperfections or infirmities or crosses in this respect these members are called the triumphant Church Another part of the same Church hath communion with Christ by faith and not by sight and the communion which it injoyes with him is imperfect in all the Graces and mingled with corruptions temptations and afflictions in respect whereof this part of the Church is called the Militant Church but all these are not two Churches but one Church only one part of it hath shot the Gulfe and is at rest and the other is in another condition here upon earth Secondly that part of it which is upon earth in regard that the very life and being of it and of all the members of it lye in internall Graces which cannot be seen in that respect the Church of Christ is called an invisible Church but now as the same Church and Members doe make an outward profession of their faith and obedience sensibly to the eyes and eares of others in that respect it is called a visible Church but the visible is not one Church and the invisible another Church but meerly the same Church under severall denominations the one from their constituting Graces the other from the external profession of them How men who have no Grace come to be accounted a part of the Church I shal endeavour to expound afterwards Or Thirdly take it thus the selfe-same Church of Christ at one time hath been trained up under one kind of outward administration and forme of worship and Government one before Christs Incarnation and that is called the Church of the Jewes since Christs time there is another Administration and thence it comes to be called the Church of the Gentiles but Jewes and Gentiles before and since Christs incarnation are but one Church so likewise you may read that Jesus Christ though he have but one Church yet he hath appointed that the multitude of those who professe his Name for their better discipline instruction and edification should be ranged and ranked and ordered into particular assemblies now in regard of this Marshalling and Disciplining of them these severall Associations or Congregations make so many Churches but these Churches are not severall bodies of Christ but only parts of his one body as in a great Army the number of all who have listed their name in the Muster-role are all under one Generall and all under some generall Officers but yet for their better ordering there is this Brigade this Regiment or that Troop or that Company and every one of these under some meaner Officers yet all of these taken together are all but one Army so is it in the Church I might adde that sometimes these several associations are distinguished and known by the outward confessions which they make of their faith and in that respect you have in our dayes the Churches of the Reformation the Protestants and the reformed Protestants and these againe according to some of their confessions are purer and holier then others And just as it is in a great building some rooms it may be are more light and glorious and some of them more dark and it may be some of them have more weak timber and other materials then the rest and yet all of them are but parts of the self-same house So I say all these triumphant militant Jewes Gentiles visible invisible the severall Churches in the several quarters of the world in the East West North and South all these or rather the members of Christ in all these taken together doe make up that one Church of Christ which is his Body his Spouse his Kingdome his City his Vine his Love his Dove his Turtle his only one of her mother Now whether this Church of Christ that is thus one be authorised to meet in her representatives to make Lawes and to exercise Discipline whether it be the first subject of the Keys whether the government of particular
Congregations slow from this Church to the rest or whether any wayes at all it may doe any judicial or judiciary act is a most noble question and much disputed amongst learned Divines especially in our latter age my haste doth not allow me to meddle with that controversie only thus much I may safely assert 1 That all the Officers Offices and gifts that Christ gave when he ascended up into heaven he gave them all to this Church and they all serve for the gathering edifying and perfecting of this Church 2 And as any ever were or are converted to Christ from the world they are all primarily added to this Church 3 Yea and all whether particular Christians or numbers of Christians associated all are to act as parts of this Church and consequently in reference to the good of this whole Church all having such relation to and dependance upon this Church as parts have to the whole and a standing in a particular Church-relation doth no more take off from duties to this great body which is the great Common-wealth then the Jewes being ranked under their several Tribes or in their particular Cities were taken off from the duties which they owed to the whole Common-wealth of Israel c. that therefore he who is justly clave non errante excommunicated or cast out of any particular Church is cast out from all Churches as he who is shut out of any one Gate of a City is shut out of every ward of that City yea out of the whole City it selfe Having thus farre cleared the Doctrinall part I now proceed to the application of it and there are many excellent uses which this Lesson doth afford I shal handle only two at this time 1. for instruction 2. For duty First for instruction from all this it appeares that to be a Member of the Church of Christ or the Association of all Gods people into this one body is the only desirable good Fellowship and Society in this world You shal read of a great many other Fellowships and Co-partnerships you may read in the first of the Proverbs of a fellowship of Theeves in Isa. 56. of a company of Drunkards in Psal. 2. of a Society of Malignants and abundance of several companies and societies of men there are some joyned for pleasure some for profit and many glory and take great content in the society and fellowship and fruit they enjoy in those whom they are linked with but ah beloved when things are rightly viewed it will appeare that the Congregation or the Society of the Church of the first borne whose names are written in Heaven wherein all the Saints of God from the beginning of the world to the end of it are all joyned in one body all of them united to Christ and one to another having the same Spirit the same Lord the same hope all of them one in all these seven things which I have opened to you it will I say one day appeare this is the only desirable society under Heaven Let them therefore who are men of other societies glory as much as they please in their supposed good Fellowship when in the meane time they are strangers from the Common-wealth of Israel But let us count our selves happy that we have a part and lot in this communion wherein we have Fellowship not only one with another but with the Father and his Sonne Jesus Christ Secondly it hence also followes for our instruction That none in all the world are or ought to be judged Members of the Church of Christ but only those that have the Spirit of Jesus Christ in them really regenerate really holy really united to Christ the Head these and no other are Members of the Church which is Christs Body which is a Lesson of very great use You all know there is at this day much disputing about what things are requisite to make men Church-members some very learned men maintain That to make a man admittable into Christs Church or to make him a Church-member no more is in the Scripture required but only that he give up his name and professe that he is willing to learne the wayes of Christ and to walke in them the Church of Christ being say they appointed as a Schoole to traine Schollars up into which are admitted not only those that are Learned but those who are willing to learne Others say That is too laxe if you wil own a man as a Church-member he must be able to give you an account of his faith and a promise of a voluntary subjection to the Gospel of Christ for time to come and if they come to that then you may take them in and owne them as Church-members Others say You must yet goe further unlesse you can in the judgement of your owne charity conceive that the worke of Grace is really wrought in their hearts you are not to owne them or joyne with them if you can probably hope that then you may take them in Others will goe yet further and say These things are not sufficient for unlesse there be a right admission by Baptisme when you make your first confession all the rest is in vaine and upon these points we dispute till we have disputed our selves into a thousand peeces Now Brethren be pleased to know that though there be good use of these debates to direct us to know the persons with whom we may exercise the acts of communion in the wayes and worship of Christ yet none of all these rise up to prove a man to be a Member of the Church of Jesus Christ there are indeed signes and rules that may teach us with whom we may joyne in visible and external Fellowship and whom we may reject or cast out if they be taken in but these are not rules to make us know who are reall Members of the Church of Christ indeed as the Church is denominated from some external things these rules direct us to judge with whom and to whom we may communicate in those external things but these are clearly two Distinct questions with whom we may joyne in visible and externall communion and who are truly Members of this Church of Christ Of the latter there is but one note and that is if they be united to Christ the Head have the quickning Spirit of Christ in them and the grace of Love wrought in them which note is invisible and not external and can be knowne only in our owne Consciences if this be wanting let men carry themselves never so wel so that all the people of Christ under heaven should owne them yet Jesus Christ ownes them not and you may truly say that all they who have not communion with God the Father and the Lord Jesus and his holy Spirit have no reall communion with the Saints therefore let no man rest or pride himselfe in being joyned in this or that Church-fellowship a carnal or unconverted man whatsoever his outward shape
or mould be in his profession that man for his Spiritual standing belongs to another Corporation There are two great Spiritual corporations the one is that wheâ—eof Christ is the Head the other is the corporation of Hel whereof the Devil is the Prince now all men let them be of what Profession they wil if they be not under Christ the Head they belong to another corporation and their external visible profession alters not their Spiritual relation A lump of Lead whilst it is in the lump it is a lump of base Metall called Lead melt this and mould it into the forme of a Beast what is it then it is but a leaden Beast melt it and mould it againe into the forme of a man it is but a Leaden man melt it and mould it againe into the forme of an Angel it is but a Leaden Angel So I say take a carnal Man an unregenerate Man he is a carnal man whilst he professeth no Religion suppose him then to professe himselfe a Protestant at large he is but a carnall Protestant suppose him next to joyne himselfe into some Church Order let him joyne with those that are called of the Presbyterian way he is a carnall Presbyterian Take him off from that put him into the Congregationall way what is he then a carnal congregational man joyne him next if you wil to those who deny our Baptisme he is then but a carnal Anabaptist he is stil a carnal an ungodly man belonging to the corporation of Satan whatsoever his out-side be and know ye all for certain that no Bastard no Gibeonite no Hypocrite no man unconverted what gifts soever he may have what reputation soever he may have amongst men he is no member of the Church of Christ unlesse the Spirit of Christ be in him I say therefore againe beare not your selves too much upon your visible Church-standing as too many doe beleeve it it s an easie thing for the children of the world to put on an outward forme of Church-communion but O! how hard is it to become a new creature to resigne up it selfe wholly to Jesus Christ and the guidance of his holy Spirit and I presse this the more upon this account also viz. were this well understood it would satisfie and cure the mistake of many who thinke that there are the same rules to direct us with whom we must exercise our external communion as there is to judge with whom Jesus Christ exercises his communion no no we may exercise outward acts of communion by the appointment of God with those unto whom Jesus Christ never communicates himselfe nor his Spirit Thirdly one instruction more which I doe but name from all this That the Church of Christ is but one Body it followes plainly that therefore among all the great multitudes of the Members of the Church they are the honourablest and noblest Members who are most useful for the common good of the Church as it is in a Natural body the Liver that makes bloud for all the body the Heart that makes spirits for all the body the Stomach that digests meat for all the body and the Eye which sees for the whole body c. these are counted the noblest and excellentest So among all Christians the man or men who are most useful best fitted for use and laid out for use these wil one day be found and acknowledged the honourablest Members of the Church of Christ what esteeme soever the world hath of them But the maine use which I purpose and which indeed we most need is to shew what duties doe arise from this unity of the Saints in one body and they are two which the Apostle Paul layes downe in the first of the Corinthians the twelfth chap. vers. 25. when he had shewed how the Lord had framed all his people into one body he then tels us to what end and purpose all this was done viz. First That there should be no schisme in the body Secondly That therefore all the members ought to have the like care one of another The first of these I purpose with the Lords assistance to speake somewhat to at this time because all the Church the Saints the people of God in all the world are but one body therefore rents and divisions are most unnaturall and destructive to it I hope you wil all judge it a necessary and seasonable Theam it being almost our epidemical disease we being rent and torne into multitudes of sects and divisions which this doctrine of the unity of the Church of Christ doth utterly condemn and therefore though I know it is an unpleasing subject and possibly many may give me small thanks for it yet truly I durst not being called to this place but cast in my mite towards the healing of this wofull distemper and three things I shall endeavour to cleare about it First What Schisme is and what is the nature of it Secondly the greatnesse of it what a horrible sin it is And thirdly and principally I will labour to shew you who they are that are guilty of it For the first what it is It s usually defined to be a rash or unjust separation in matters of Religion but I would rather describe it to be a renting violating dissolving or breaking of that unity which ought to be amongst Christians or amongst all the Saints of Christ And this rending or breaking of this union properly lyes in two things one is inward and that is dissolving or breaking the band or bands which the Lord hath given to tye them all together which band on our part as you have heard before is the grace of love and therefore the breaking off of love among Christians whether it be from all the Church or from a particular Church yea or from a particular man I say the dissolving or breaking of this spirituall band hath in it the very intrinsecall nature of the sinne of Schisme the Lord having appointed that grace to be the band to tye his people together but because the inward band is invisible and therefore not easie to judge of therefore there is a second thing in Schism and that is a denying or with-drawing from the exercise of those things which Christ hath given as the symboles or pledges of love amongst his people as conversing together praying together hearing together conferring together receiving Sacraments and the like together the with-drawing from these or the denying of these otherwise then Jesus Christ directs in his Word These things are visible and therefore Divines use to appropriate the name of Schism to such with-drawings or denyings which indeed are but the fruites of the other for the dissolving of the band of love is the root of the disease and the denying of the expressions and exercise of love are the bitter fruits growing from that evill root So then he or they who ever they are that do deny to exercise or with-draw from the exercise of those things
Lutherans had had many disputes to see if they could fetch off one another from their principles and could not do it the Calvinists even the holiest and learnedst of them such as Calvin Beza Martyr Zanchy Vrsin Pareus have offered to owne them as brethren as Churches of Christ and would have been willing to heare them to receive Sacraments with them the rigid Lutherans refused it and cry out From communion with the Calvinists Good Lord deliver us Now say I the Schisme was on the Lutherans part if the Lutherans had offered it and the Calvinists had rejected the Schisme had laine on the Calvinists part Bring it yet nearer many of these opinions are got in among us especially about free-will Infant-baptisme formes of Church-government c. and we should not refuse communion with any of them supposing their lives unblameable If they will hold communion with us I say if they will for ordinarily erroneous persons are proud and must have all mens sheaves bow down to theirs and will close only with teachers and companies according to their owne lusts but if we in a spirit of Christian love would have peace and they refuse it then both the errour and schisme lyeth at their doore But against all this it may be and is objected What a speckled bird would you make a particular church Suppose the church you should be an Officer unto should be such a medly of some holding the morality of the Lords day some denying it some for Infant-baptisme some condemning it some like the Presbyterian-government others are for the Episcopal others like a Congregational better then either of them some would have their children baptised others are utterly against it some of them Calvinists some Lutherans to have a Church made up of all these would not this be a reproach to you to be a Pastor to such a flock To which I answer what reproach would it be to me to be Pastor of such a Church as Jesus Christ is a head of If the Church of Christ wherein his Spirit rules to whom he is a head and which shal be saved be made up of all these what reproach if prejudice did not blinde mens eyes could it be to any of us to have such members to be members of our Congregations But doe you then intend a toleration of all these opinions would you have Lutherans and Anti-sabbatarians Anabaptists and others tolerated among us I answer first what the Magistrates office is about toleration or non-toleration I have nothing to doe to meddle with at this time my doctrine confines me to speake only of Church forbearance and upon that account I answer if by toleration you meane an approbation of these God forbid we must approve of no errour we should all seeke to make one another imbrace every truth of Christ But if by toleration you meane a not cutting them off unlesse they lay downe their errours and renounce them that indeed I plead for we should hold Christian communion with them for Christ thus beares with them and will have us beare one with another and as it is in our naturall body if a man have an ulcer in his hand or his leg if ordinary medicines wil not cure it he wil wait till the strength of nature work out the humour or till by the providence of God he can light of some more happy medicines then yet have been propounded but he will not cut his hand or his leg off so long as it may be any wayes usefull to him so is the case here Thirdly Some will yet object indeed if you meane to bear with them for a while till the truth hath been set before them that they have all meanes of conviction it wil be granted but suppose all paines have been taken the truth hath been propounded they have been reasoned with and they still hold the same then they may be judged obstinate and self-condemned I answer plainly faith as it is the imbracing of any particular truth is as well the gift of Gods Spirit as that faith whereby we receive Christ for our Saviour no wisdome or rhethoricke of man can ever make a man receive the faith of any one doctrine of Christianity till Gods Spirit inable him and it is a far easier matter to non-plus a man in disputing then it is to clear his understanding and inable him to receive a truth and when such persons do appeal to the searcher of hearts that it is meer want of light which hinders them from being of one minde our Christian love which ever judgeth the best should rest satisfied especially when their lives are unblameable we must not take upon us to be Lords of their faith and therefore after many disputes and conferences between the dissenting Churches in Germany when they were not able to dispute one another out of their principles as I before noted the Calvinists propounded to hold an amicable Christian communion one with another and if in a fair debating way they could afterward satisfie one another well and good in the meane time they would wait till Christ would give more light and upon this account the Calvinists and Lutherans in Polonia doe at this day live in concord both of them retaining their opinions And in truth we all professe to doe the same toward them for I hardly know any amongst us but confesse the Helvetians Lutherans c. are true Churches notwithstanding their errours Now say I shal a company associated in such and such opinions bee counted a true Church and shal not a particular man who holds the same points be counted a true visible member or shal we hold communion with them in Germany and shal we deny it to our brethren in England God forbid that the exercise of our Christian charity and communion should vary according as Regions vary If whole Churches be owned because of their faith and holinesse of life notwithstanding their errours to be true visible Churches then one man that hath those errours may goe for a true visible Christian because of his faith and holinesse And in truth they who are the brethren of our elder brother are our brethren wil we nil we and we shal repent if we use them not as brethren Yet againe it wil be said but Paul did wish they were all cut off that troubled the Galatians I answer But mark who they were they were such who brought such a doctrin that he profest if they imbraced it Christ would profit them nothing they who would set up a new Christ a new way of salvation to seek justification by their own works he prayed they might be cut off but he never wished it for errours of a lower nature But lastly some may yet demand and say What if they who hold such Opinions joyn in communion with you and in your communion make it their worke and practise for errour is very Pragmatical to draw all the rest of your company
with this Suite And secondly Let us not onely pray but let us labour to promote it and let us to this end examine our owne principles and let us count no principle no affection no disposition of spirit worth the keeping which wil not let us bee one with them with whom Christ is one and let us beleeve that while we are in this world we shal all of us know in part and but in part beleeve in part and but in part let us never expect to finde in this life all who agree in fundamental truths to agree in all other truths and let us beleeve that though every truth of Christ be precious and worthy to be contended for yet every truth is not necessary to salvation nor necessary to be found in all with whom we ought to hold and exercise Christian communion many meats which are whole some yet cannot be relished by all with whom we may sit at the same table while we are here we shal often see cause to differ in our judgement about many precious truths but wee shall never see cause to differ in affection from those whom Jesus Christ loveth Certainly I may love where Christ loves and I may imbrace where Christ imbraceth and I may not interdict where Christ doth not interdict and wee may and ought to bee of one heart with them with whom wee cannot be of one minde in all things the time is coming when we shal be of one minde Luther and Calvin are of one mind in heaven while their Disciples wrangle on earth at which day he will appeare with more comfort who beares and forbeares with his weak and erring brethren then he is like to do that loves not his brother sure I am this is Pauls counsel who said Whereto we have attained let us mind the same things and if any be otherwise minded the Lord will reveale it to him in his due time And therefore I conclude this Use with that speech of the Apostle Above all put on love that is the band of perfection and let the peace of God rule in your hearts I meane that peace the Lord Jesus Christ is the Authour of let that rule in your hearts The Greeke word signifies let it bee as the Officer the Greekes had in their solemne Games who determined and quieted all differences in all strifes and contentions to whom he gave the Palm that quieted all the rest So let the peace of God be such a brabeutes let it rule in our hearts And the Spirit of God presseth it there upon this very ground because we are called thereunto in one body We are brethren let us not strive or if we do contend let us contend who shal be most holy who shal love most who shal beare most one with another till that blessed day come when Christs light shal shine so perfectly upon us that wee shal be all of one minde and one heart in all things Thus much for the first great duty That Saints are all one body therefore there should be no schisme no divisions among them The second is That all the members should have the like care one of another that is they should not onely love one another and study to bee at peace one with another but they should all sympathize one with another if one be honoured all should rejoyce if one suffer all the rest should mourn yea they should all account themselves but as Stewards for the good of all and expresse this in using all their talents for the good of the soules of all and the bodyes of all each within the compasse of his owne calling and especially in the particular Church where the Lord hath set them These things are of great concernment and for daily use and therefore most worth the handling But I suspect I have already presumed upon your patience Consider what I have said and the Lord give you understanding in all things FINIS Introduction shewing the coherence and scope of the Text Ephes. 4. 16. The generall Doctrine propounded The Church is Christs body And explained And proved out of Scripture 1 Cor. 12. 12 c. Vers. 7. Vers. 12. Vers. 13. Eph. 4. from 1â— to 16. opened and explained Wherein the comparison stands between the Church and a natural body The union of the Saints one with another 1 Cor. 12. 15. 22 23 24. Quest 1. Ephes. 4 4 5 6. opened Heb. 6. 18. Iude 3. 1 Cor. 8. 5. Gal. 6. 16. Titus 1. 1. 2 Pet. 1. 2. Quest 3. What are the bands of this Union Answ First The Spirit of Christ teaching and ruling them all Esai 11. 6 7 8. Ezek 11. 19 Ezek. 36. 27 2 Band the grace of love 1 Cor. 12. 31 and cap. 13 Col. 3. 14 Ioh. 13 34 3â— Ephes. 4. 16 3 Q. How is it then that the Scripture speaks of many Churches if all are but one Church Answ. Application 1 Instruction Therefore this communion of Saints is that brotherly good fellowship Prov. 1. 14. Esa. 56 12. Psal. 2. 2. 1 Joh. 1. 3. 2 Instruction Therefore none are true members of this Church but regenerate men 1 Joh. 1. 3. 3 Instruction Therefore the most usefull Christians are the most noble members 2 Use for exhortation 1 Therefore there must be no Schisme in the Church 1 Cor. 12. 25. What Schisme is 2 The greatnesse of the sin of Schisme In the nature of it Eph. 1. 10. Joh. 17. 21. â— Tim. 1. 5 2 In the effects of it Eph. 4. 16. 3 Who are guilty of it Who are guilty of the sin of Schisme Answ. 1. In generall most Christians this day are guilty of it This opened more particularly Negatively All separation is not Schisme such as are Schismaticks who separate from Hereticks or Idolaters Or from persecutors Some are schismaticks from principles of an erroneous judgement some from principles of a corrupt heart Schismaticks from corrupt judgement are Independents properly so called 2 All who renounce all other Churches because not of their own manner of constituon Of which the Papists are most guilty 3. All who refuse communion with persons erring in points not fundamentall Rom. 14. 3 4 10 c. First objection against this third branch Answ. Object 2. Answ. Object 3. Answ. Object 4. Gal. 5. 12. Answ. Gal. 5. 2. Rom. 14. 22. 4 They are Schismaticall who separate from true Churches for light causeâ— Heb. 10. 25. Jude 19. 2 Some are Schismaticall from principles of a corrupt heart 1 As self-lovers and self-seekers Phil. 2. 4. Plutarch 2 Proud and high-minded spirits 3 Quarrelsome and railing spirits 4 Busie-bodies Rom. 2. 3. 1 Pet. 4. 15. 5 All factious spirits 1 Cor. 12. Rom. 16. 17. 6 All who delight in the society of Schismaticks Exhort 1. To lament our divisions Ephes. 1. 10. Iohn 17. 2â— Exhort 2. To endeavour to cure them 1 Pray for it Phil. 3. 15. Col. 3. 14. 15. Vse 2. The members to have the like care one of another
of Schisme from their principles of judgement their principles of judgement carry them to the practice of that which is a rending of the Church Others though their principles of judgement be right yet are Schismaticall through principles of a corrupt heart and spirit I shall speake to both these but principally to the first sort First all those whose erroneous judgements make them Schismaticall as I conceive may all be brought to these foure First Independency properly so called is one of the highest principles of Schisme all such Christians whether they be single persons or associated bodies yea though all the Christians in a Nation associated into a body doe looke upon themselves as absolute and independent from the rest of the Church of Christ with whom the rest of the Church of Christ hath nothing to doe this I say is one of the highest principles of Schisme in the world but doe not mistake me I know there are some called and branded with the name of Independency who professe they abhor both the name and thing I meane such as conceive that a particular Church hath all power in it selfe and that no other assembly can authoritatively call them to an account so as to dissolve their sentences or excommunicate them because they conceive that the government of the Church is not placed in Synods or in any other Assembly then that of a particular Congregation yet readily acknowledge that themselves are but part of the Church and ought to be countable to the Church of Christ for their wayes and that if upon brotherly counsel given by other Churches they reforme not they may and ought to with-draw from all Christian communion with them whether their way of being countable be right or no I dispute not only I say this is not the Independency here intended but I meane any man or company of men who looke upon themselves as an intire Civil State or Common-wealth lookes upon it selfe how small soever it be as in Italy there are some such which containe not above one City or two yet they count all the world hath nothing to do with them nor are they to be countable to any other State no not to the whole world any further then their owne interest carries them either for their owne safety or as they make use of them this is true State independency so is it here when any persons or company of Christians looke upon themselves as totum quid seorsum as men by themselves and in their intentions carry not themselves as parts of the great Common-wealth accounting it a thing little or nothing materiall so they professe the Name and faith of Christ and serve him whether they doe it in the communion of the Catholick Church or out of it as if they were not persons contained within the whole or part of the same Common-wealth this I say is high and deep Schism the very nature of Christs Church being one Body requires that whatsoever any whether persons or Churches do in matters of Religion teaching or being taught praying fasting Almes-giving in word and Sacraments yea in beleeving loving hoping c. should all be done intentionally with relation to and communion with the whole Church of Christ this first principle lies deep rooted many live by it though few wil own it 2 Others are deeply schismatical from principles of judgement who are so farre in love with their own constitution or way of Association into Church-Order that they condemne all the other Assemblies throughout the world as no Churches of Christ because they be not modelled and moulded according to the Plat-form of their own particular Church-order and association I doe not deny but it is possible that some of Gods people may have some such great mistakes lye upon them that they cannot possibly joyne in all Christian ordinances with any congregation in the world as the converted Christian Jewes while they were under that apprehension that no man ought to be owned but he that was circumcised I say as long as that errour possest them they could never joyn in all Ordinances with the rest of the Gentiles and how farre the rest of the people of God should beare with such and still own them as Christs servants is a thing worth the studying but certainly the principle it selfe is most destructive to the unity of the Church To refraine fellowship and communion with such Churches or Companies who professe Christ their Lord whose faith is sound whose worship is Gospel-worship whose lives are holy unlesse they will come into that very particular way of Church order which they have pitched upon is a dreadfull renting of the Church of Christ to peeces for if all Christs people in the world are one body and all thereby bound to have communion one with another then certainly that principle which necessitates men to cast off it may be nine hundred ninety nine parts of a thousand must needs be dangerous and Schismatical of this none are so guilty as the Church of Rome who circumscribe the Church of Christ within the precinct of the Roman Jurisdiction and cast off all Christians and all Churches in the East West North and South yea cast them off from all hope of Salvation who subject not themselves to their way 2. Nor can our rigid Separatists bee any way excused who censure and condemne all other Churches whatever their faith worship and conversation be meerly because they are not gathered into Church-order according to their own patternes This so strict bounding of our christian communion by outward formes I humbly conceive hath been a great and almost generall fault among the Churches of Europe ever since the Reformation in some Churches the large forme of the confession of their faith is made the Shibboleth without owning and subscribing to this without abating of a tittle no communion to be injoyed in other Churches without conforming to their formes of Prayers Rites and Ceremonies in administration of the Sacraments no communion to be injoyed in others without submitting to their forme of Church-government no communion and with these of whom I now speake without submitting to their manner and forme of gathering into Church-fellowship none to be owned or acknowledged to be Churches of Christ but alas how little is to be found in Scripture to bound our fellowship and communion of Saints by any of these things In the Scripture Churches are cryed up or downe commended and blamed according as their fundamentall faith was sound and their lives holy and I doubt not but one day we shall all judge those Churches the best whose substantial faith is soundest and lives most holy whether their first manner of gathering were every way regular or not Suppose that in an Army the Lawes of that Army were That none should be prest to serve but all to come in as Volunteers that their Officers should bee so and so chosen and qualified now suppose in this Army should be
found some Souldiers who at first were forced in or Officers who came corruptly by their places suppose whole Troops or Companies of these who yet being in prove as good Souldiers as faithful skilfull valiant for the Cause as any other it may be beyond any others think you these would not be owned by the Army when they should be found such Or suppose in Marriage at the first the Parties marry while not of years of discretion or to please Parents or the like yet afterward come to love and live in their Marriage-relation according to the Word thinke wee these shall not be owned as Husband and Wife so is the case here Let mee for present suppose these men or Churches to whom I speak to be at their fiâ—st gathâ—ring according to the purest patterne and let mee also suppose another Company irregularly joyned it may be forced in and that also whilst they are ignorant prophane c. and that their Minister also was put upon them now if the Lord please to worke upon those effectually so that Minister and people grow sound in the faith holy in their lives pure in their worship zealous for the truth when possibly they who boast of their first joyning are grown like Sardis to have a name to be alive and yet are dead c. shal we thinke the Lord Jesus wil not owne the other before themselves yes doubtlesse and so should all his people give me leave to adde one thing more That the notion of making the first gathering of people into Church-fellowship to be the rule to direct us with whom we may joyne or not joyne this I say may make us refuse some Churches upon whom are apparently seen the Scripture Characters of a Golden Candlestick and imbrace communion with others only upon a humane testimony or report for in that Church above mentioned I may see a visible profession of soundnesse in faith and holinesse there in the other men only tell me the first were not orderly gathered and the others were to conclude this branch this principle of renouncing all Churches for want of a supposed orderly gathering or for want of some such desirable perfection which themselves injoy is so dangerous and schismatical that I feare not to say that it is more lawful to have a Church-standing in the corruptest Church in the world where salvation and life may be obtained by the doctrine held out and the way profest in that Church though there should be very many frailties and corruptions amongst them then with that company how holy soever it seemes to be that wil necessitate such as joyne with them to renounce communion with all the rest of the Body of Jesus Christ upon earth Thirdly another principle of Schism and which I conceive to be of larger and of farre greater extent and may make a fairer plea for it selfe then yet any named is that which shuts up many servants of Christ that they cannot joyne nor afford Christian communion unto others for some particular errours found in their profession of faith or some frailties found in their conversation I say that principle which makes the servants of Christ deny communion to them to whom Christ wil not deny communion to interdict communion with them with whom Christ doth not interdict communion is a renting principle Conceive my meaning in a plaine comparison Suppose in a Corporation there were some rules given by their Charter and Founder concerning their infranchizement that whosoever is so and so qualified shal be a Free-man if that Corporation or any number shal deny freedome to any so qualified or shal disfranchise any for any offence for wch the Charter whereby they all stand doth not warrant them they are guilty of rending their Charter and they usurpe a power not given them by their founder so is it in the Church let me give a few instances Take the Churches in the Apostles time some of them did think it utterly unlawful to eat any meat that had been offered to an Idol some did think all days were alike some thought that it was utterly unlawful to eat any thing but herbes c. Suppose now that the number of those who held these opinions should have gone to the rest of the Church and said You are too lax in your principles unlesse you will renounce that carnall ungodly liberty which you take to eate in Idols temples or to eate meat that hath been offered to an Idol c. we professe we must renounce communion with you they had been Schismaticks in doing so If on the other side the Church had called them and said You by your strict opinions cut short the liberty Christ hath purchased for us by his bloud unlesse you lay aside these conceits of yours we cast you out then the Schisme had laine on their part because the Charter of Christianity hath provided that for these things the people of God should not rent one from another but bear one with another that thereby they might heale one another Come a little nearer our own times Take the Reformed Churches as now they stand all the Churches of France and Geneva though they be sound in their faith yet generally they are against the divine institution of the Lords day Goe to Helvetia amongst the Switzers generally the Churches there are against all Divine-right of any Church-government and require nothing but the help of the Magistrate to keep their people in order Go from them if you wil among the Lutherans among them are many as we judge dangerous opinions the Arminian points and besides them Consubstantiation and the ubiquity of Christs body and the like The like might be said in many particulars of the Swedes and Danes all these Churches being sound in the fundamentals and owned by Christ ought also to own one another there are indeed some doctrines wherein if men or Churches be not sound the Lord Christ wil have nothing to do with them or if a Churches worship be Idolatrous the Lord Christ wil not hold communion with them but there are some errours in doctrines and corruptions in conversation for which though Christ like them not he doth not reject them apply this to our purpose At this day the Socinians deny the Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ the Deity of the Holy Ghost the Trinity of Persons they deny that Jesus Christ hath merited or satisfied for his people these doctrines overthrow our Christianity and we count the holders of these to have nothing with Christians in common but only the name therefore we renounce them The Papists also besides some fundamentall errours as justification by the merit of our owne workes c. are most abominably Idolatrous in their worship and the Lord therefore bids us come out from them but take all the rest of the Churches of Christ in Europe and I humbly conceive that we ought and must owne them to be Churches of Christ and therefore when the Calvinists and the
into their errors and labour to infect all yea to put all into flames of division and confusion unlesse they can prevaile Shall we indure to see our brethren and our people before our eyes drawne into errors although those errors it may be are not fundamentall I answer First I know no great hurt for men to be permitted modestly and humbly to debate among their Brethren the things wherein they differ But Secondly I answer If men who hold differing opinions in these lesser points can neither be content to follow Pauls counsel to have their faith in these to themselves before God nor modestly propound their arguments and grounds and so be quiet but must make it their work to draw it may be weak ones into doubtful disputations and thereby take them off from the study and prosecution of more weighty things I can bee no Advocate for such people if they judge the spreading of their opinions to be such a duty that they take themselves bound in conscience to do all that is possible to draw all others in to them I know no remedy but such people must be contented to with-draw and joyne with such Churches where their opinions are received for it cannot be conjectured that in any Society of any nature men will be quietly tolerated who shall professedly be boutefues and kindle-fires to disturbe their peace and alwayes putting them into flames Suppose a man were of Erastus his opinion that there is no Church-Government by Christs appointment and yet withall should joyne in a Congregationall or Presbyterian way and they also willing to joyne in Church-Fellowship with him as knowing his errour not to be fundamentall if this man will now make it his worke to draw them off from what they beleeve to be Christs Ordinance and their duty that they must either all yeeld to him or enjoy no quiet this I say will prove intolerable thus also it is in Civil associations Suppose in any Corporation where a Court of Aldermen or Common-Counsell should bee Judges if the major part judge any Cause before them and the residue who judge otherwise wil not be content to sit downe but be alwayes quarrelling and calumniating the rest charging them to be erroneous or unrighteous Judges such unquiet and turbulent carriage over-throws all and is not compatible with humane Society Beloved I beseech you pardon me that I have been so long upon this third Branch for I confesse it is deeply settled upon my spirit that were this rule received it would have a great influence upon the healing of our divisions I know indeed that many learned and holy men think otherwise and doe conceive that their zeale for Christs truth must not suffer them thus far to tolerate them who hold errors derogatory to the truth of Christ but I humbly conceive that zeale for Christs truth should never use other meanes to preserve Christs truth then Christ himselfe hath appointed zeale to preserve Justice and Righteousnesse and to punish disorders in a Common-wealth is very commendable but yet that zeale would not be commendable in a Magistrate who should hang a man for such a fault for which the Law hath only appointed the house of Correction or Whipping-post Let us confine our selves to Christs rules and then let our zeale burn as hot as may be Fourthly There is yet one sort more and they are such whose principles carry them to separate from particular Churches for light causes suppose some defects or some miscarriages in their Church-government it may be some too great connivence at unworthy or scandalous persons or it may be some defects or miscarriages in their publick administrations I say the renting off and departing from particular Churches for such causes as these wil be found to be but Schism to separate from Churches from which Christ doth not separate is schismatical now it is cleare in the Scripture Christ Jesus owneth Churches who are defective in many things and if as I said before Churches should bear with particular persons in their errors certainly particular persons should bear with Churches and therefore when a Churches faith is sound for the substance and their worship Gospel-worship though their Government be not perfect and other defects found among them we must not separate and separation from them is the more unjust if that Church bee seeking for light and willing to be informed I grant there may bee slitting from one Church to another for greater edification which is without condemning that Church they slit from but separation from a true Church for want of some desirable perfection is a fruit of this bitter root of Schisme because it rents where Christ rents not for if we looke into the Scripture we shal find there were Churches who had many errours in Faith others disorderly in their Worship others had many among them loose in their conversations but not one word of the Holy Ghosts counselling the Lords people to with-draw from them or to go and gather into a body by themselves they are often called upon to do what they can to heale them but not one word of separating from them or with-drawing from them indeed we sometimes read of some who separated themselves but we may also read in the same places what sad brands the Spirit of God gives them and should it bee lawful for every errour and every miscarriage or for the want of some desirable perfection thus to rend off we must rend and rend and rend for ought I know to the end of the world and the union and communion of Christs people would come almost to nothing whereas he would have all his throughout the world as they injoy communion with himselfe so to injoy as their occasion and need requires communion with all his Saints now such limitations and restrictions as these are make such a communion impossible I am veriâ—y perswaded that were the union and communion of the people of Christ rightly knowne there is no Saint in any part of the world but where ever he comes might demand upon the profession of his faith and his voluntary subjection to the Gospel his right in the Ordinances hear the Word with them pray with them receive the Sacrament with them I say onely upon that ticket that hee professeth that faith which is the common faith of Gods people and while hee is with them walkes according to the Gospel rule now where mens principles doe shut them up after the manner I have been treating of these things are not practicable I shut up all this discourse concerning all these who are schismatical through erroneous judgements with this briefe corollary The communion of Saints one with another is not only a priviledge but a duty injoyned by Christ he hath not left us at liberty to chuse with whom we wil hold communion and to refuse whom we lift no as ever wee wil appear before him with comfort wee must hold communion with those who professe his