Societies of Mankind it declared it self a Religion that loved them and as it were on purpose to testifie the Divine Approbation of and the near resemblance between those Civil and Political Unions one with another founded in the very nature of Humane Society and that Religious Union which by the very same Law of Nature follows them as so united Christianity kept to the very same Tenor of Union it found any where and twin'd as close about the Cities Neighbourhoods and Families made ready to its hand by civil Associations as it could not calling men out to Wildernesses Mountains or Woods to be the Churches of Christ or that they should abide in Desarts and Solitudes when persecution did not drive and force them out But the Churches of Christ are denominated from those Cities and Regions where they are planted as the Churches of Epheâ—â—â—â— 2 Cor 9 2. Coriâ—th Judaea Galatia Macedonia c. yea the Christiâ—â— of Achaia are called by the Apostle Achaia as if Christianity were there become the Religion of the Countrey and the seven Churches of Asia are called those very Cities where they were seated Rev. 1. 1â— Wherein it is observable the Churches of Cities are called the Church of or in each City as one though it is in a manner certain they must be distributed into more Congregations for their numerousness yet they are still called one because the City was one But the Regions not being so united in Government Neighbourhood or any kind of Civil Union the distribution of Churches easily follows the distinction easily supposable in their civil state In Regions therefore we suppose there was no Centre of Union not in the Churches which were at distances too great for Coagmentation into one nor in the Laws and Government at least with any respect of order towards Religion they are therefore called Churches and not one Church as they are without any exception in Cities even where the Apostle names particular Churches in the Houses within those Cities yet in regard of the Unity of the City it self they are comprehended under the one Church of that City Now all this speaks the care Christian Religion uses not to disturb but to conform to Civil Societies and therefore especially to National the chief of those Societies and so I close this third Argument for National Religion derived from the consideration of Christian Religion National Religion is of great moment and consideration in respect Argum. 4 to the Day of Judgment for the wrath and fury of God upon those Nations that know him not that call not on his Name is to be taken at the full extent and duration in this world in that which is to come and so the happiness of Nations who have the Lord for their God that have the everlasting Arms under and about them spreads it self not only upon Time but upon Eternity It is indeed generally taken for granted that Nations are only judged as Nations in this world yet if we closely examine we shall find both in Scripture and Reason very valuable grounds to believe the Day of Judgment shall not only pass upon persons single but in their Communities as they are lock'd in with their Associations and with respect to those very periods of Time and the Generations into which the Communities and Associations have been distributed so that not only the people of every Nation come into Judgment together but the people of every Generation of this or that Nation come distinctly into Judgment together Besides those peculiarities of Sin or Grace wherein every man is individual to himself and no Stranger intermeddles but he proves and enjoys his own work alone or bears his own burden There are also mens interwoven Actions either good or bad wherein the Communities knots of Society Neighbourhoods Concurrences with the Nation Conformities with the Age and Generation shall be exactly compared and weighed in the Eternal Judgment For there is nothing more frequent in the Scripture than thus to represent the carriage of the day of Judgment The Nations whole as Nations that forget God shall be turned into Hell and Aegypt and Ezek. 32. 18 c. Rom 2 12. all its company all its Hosts lye together the other Nations with their multitude every one in their proper sorts The Vncircumcision and those without Law are judged by themselves the Circumcision and those under the Law by themselves distinctly Our Saviour speaks oâ— Sodom and Gomorrah the men of Nineveh Tyre aend Sidon Chorazin Bethsaida and Capernaum coming into Judgment in that Union in that Community wherein they were imbodyed here in the world and the men of that Generation as they were that Generation I confess it is not so clear that the happiness and salvation of mankind is with any respect to the distinction of Nations because besides what other reasons may be given the union of all blessed persons to God and Christ and of happy Spirits one to another is so infinitely great as to swallow up all distinctions so that there is neither Jew nor Gentile Scythian nor Barbarian but God and Christ are all and in all And so far as there is any such National distinction Our Lord being of the Seed of Abraham in whom all the Families of the Earth are blessed the bosom of Abraham the Table of Everlasting Life at which Abraham Isaac and Jacob sit down the new Jerusalem the Israel of God are the Capital expressions of happiness But still there is reason to think the distinction of Nations is not so lost but that the Holy Seed is as the substance of every Nation in which it is for ever as it were by it self conserv'd A Seed serves God in every Age which is accounted to the Lord for a Generation at that time and when God writes down the people in the Book of Life he writes them as under the head of such a Nation this or that man was born there although they are all enrolled as Citizens of that common City of Zion the City of David from whom our Lord sprang And though all Christians are one holy Nation yet it is said of some very glorious and happy State of the Church of which I will not undertake to determine that after the distinct Sealing of so many thousands of each Tribe there was yet an innumerable company not in a confusion but in a distinction so as to be known to be of all Nations Kindreds People and Tongues All the Nations of them that are saved are also mentioned in the same Mystical Book as kept under that distinction The Apostle speaks to his Corinthians and Thessalonians as certain he should meet them under those very names at the appearance of Christ He prays for Israel as a Nation that they might be saved he discourses their falling away and recovery in a national way for many particular Israelites were then called and saved but not in a national way as he insists Besides all these fair
all parts of the true Church Whose sins ye remit are remitted c. viz by solemn Declarations out of and according to the Laws of Christ even to the utmost distance wherein any rational possibility of extending such Remonstrances and Declarations with success and effect can be found there is not only power but an incumbent duty to do it This Union now is of uncontroulable Divine Right Thus much of National Religion a National Church can by no means be denied to a Christian Nation seeing to be thus of the Church is absolutely necessary to salvation Every man that shall be saved being certainly added to this Church the entrances into which in deed and in truth are by the saving Graces of the Spirit of God and in the judgment of Charity by a serious profession And this is that Catholick Church that compreheâ—ds all lesser Unions but excludes or denies none much less can be excluded by any As therefore every one must be of the Church Catholick and Nations ought to be Christian Nations and protect that profession So this very Catholick Church in every Nation where it is truly found carries with it the name of a Church and as a Nation is by it self and its own Civil Union denominated a Nation so the union of Christians must be the Church in that Nation for it is the Catholick Church in its universal diffusion running through this or that particular Nation and all the vertues and duties of the Catholick Church ought to be exercised in it and if any one denies this he denies the Catholick Church of greater moment than any particular Church can be 2. All the closest and most constant exercises of Christian Religion that Christians are to exercise one with another that cannot be exercised but in Society of this kind are all parts of the publick worship of God Prayer Preaching Sacraments which are indeed or ought to be the same for nature throughout the whole Christian Church but must be actually perform'd in particular Societies Now these Churches may be solemnly erected and constituted by agreement but they are also founded and even grow out of the very nature of the thing for the close Neighbourhood of Christians one with another they having continual knowledg of and acquaintance one with another and thereby daily opportunities of agreeing in that publick worship of God and their common profession all these ingage and also incline them to unite whether in greater Families as the Apostle speaks of Churches in the Families of Christians or in Villages or in greater Congregations of Cities one or more still the obligation is unavoidable The necessity of Duty that lyes upon Christians to perform these Acts of Worship in Society and the Law that is upon all Society and Societies must needs grow out of this frequent conversation to dedicate it self to God make it absolutely necessary that from the neighbourhood of Christians should arise particular Churches And who then can deny but that there may be an Union and further that there ought to be an Union of a Nation agreeing with it self as in the same Government Laws National Constitutions and commerce in a more frequent and free conversation one with another so in Religion when the parts of it profess the same true Religion and desire to worship God in the most publique way they can or who can deny that a Nation may give name to a Church seeing the very Cities give name to Churches where there was a number of Christians acting together according to the Laws of Christ given to his Church The obligation to true Râ—ligion to publique Religion is undeniable The opportunity of agreement is the same and may be transacted in the same mannner all other National agreements are And what is a Church but a Society agreeing in all Acts of true Religion according to the Laws allowed by Christ having no other Form but that of the Catholick Church distinguished by the particular Societies or places where they reside I acknowledg Two things are necessary to particular by the nature of particular Societies and the places where they resided Churches 1. Consciousness or mutual knowledg of persons and their worship 2. Consent This our Saviour teaches in that expression if Two of you shall agree Mat. 18. and indeed not only in particular Churches but even in the Catholick Church it self these things have their resemblance but with this difference In the Catholick Church the Divine Spirit running through all knows them all that truly belong to it and every one of them one for another and by their true Faith they all are united in closest consent in all things necessary to salvation one with another which Faith is kept from failing by the same spirit in them all that are truly of it But because there must be yet a more particular understanding that Christians have one with another that they may joyn in the same Religious Acts and mutually assist one another in them therefore the union of the Catholick Church upon Earth though it be the greatest the most Religious Society the most strongly banded and cemented yet is not sufficient because there is not that consciousness or mutual knowledge of and consent in one anothers Faith and Worship in distant parts of the World that is necessary to the Glorifying God and Christ in particular Churches This is one great reason too why the Church-Triumphant though inseparably united with the Church-Militant and every part of it though more acceptable and prevalent in all its Adorations yet cannot be communicated with actually and explicitly we may not sollicit such a communion with it here on Earth because we are not conscious or knowing of any such particularities in their State or Action as should ground it nor are we assur'd that they are conscious of any of our particularities Abraham the Prophets and Apostles are for ought we know wholly ignorant who we are when we pray or are exercis'd Religiously There is a thick and dark Vail drawn betwixt the Church in Heaven and Earth as to such particular Communion The Father the Son the Holy Spirit are only certainly and particularly known to us in that Higher Region of them we are only assur'd They know us and all our actions To ascribe the Honour to any other of the Invisible Church is to Idolize them as well as to thrust into things we have not seen or known Thus freely I acknowledg the closeness and easiness of Society of mutual understanding and consent with one another is the Foundation of particular Churches Those Duties of mutual Exhortation Assistances Counsels and when it is necessary Reproof one of another besides the constant meeting in publick worship That necessary severity of disowning in cases of great or incorrigible offence such persons as walk in practises contrary to the Rules of Christianity not being possible but in the nearest conjunction one with another that the State of mankind allows at the same time to be as
of matter or body in a perpetual transmutation can bear And that this Doctrine also of a future state is to the utmost cannot be denied since nothing can more compleat happiness or misery than the Scripture expressions reach to But I insist no further upon this being in the main substance of it in my account of it a fundamental point of Natural Religion but that God will transact this Judgment by Jesus Christ is indeed perfect Revelation and falls in with the former account given of his Mediatorship and enhanses still this principle as to its greatest certainty so to all its possible height since God in humane nature God in the Mediator Judging the world turns about with greatâ—st consolation to good men and terror to evil men that can be comprehended by humane understanding And so I have endeavoured to make good the second Head of discourse under this first foundation of universal peace Consent in Natural Religion viz. that Christian Religion in what it reveals beyond Natural Religion agrees yet with Natural Religion and is recommended by it and herein I have insisted upon those points of Christian Religion that are truly Christian for those private disputes among Christians were much better silenced within the Gates of Christianity it self in that way wherein they are managed and therefore much more ought not to be declared in Gath nor published in the streets of Ashkelon neither indeed need the points themselves upon which the disputes are For if together with those undoubted Principles of Natural Religion in Doctrine Worship and Practice as they are reveal'd by Christian Religion wherefrom none can make defection but under the most righteous severity of the Magistrate who in those cases bears not the sword in vain I say if together with these the substantial truths and institutions of Christian revealed Religion wherein we are all agreed were presented as the general confession or profâ—ssion of Christians before we come to lanch out into parâ—icular opinions or modes of worship our excellent Râ—ligion would stand much more like a City set on an hill Mat. 5. 14. whose Magnificence and Beauty could not be hid for the benefit both of strangers and its own Citizens since things so great so excellent so agreeable with all the inward sense of mens minds could not be rejected by those that would be accounted men of Mind Soul and Reason and especially there could upon these terms Christianity offers be no possible place for hurting or destroying Christians by any party except men are resolved to lay aside the Man and put on the Lion and Wolf Now by all that hath been spoken upon this point it appears three sorts of Opinions whatever of Christianity they assume to themselves are indeed the injury and horrible scandal of it because they contradict Natural Religion which is an abomination to Christianity 1. That Opinion which adoring our Mediator as having all power in Heaven and Earth allows him an ubiquitary presence and addresses prayers to him allots him all Divine Honours and yet denies him Coeternal God with the Father for this brings in supreme worship love confidence in more than the One God it cloaths Finite with Infinite which is a contradiction to the Law of Natural Religion every where illustrated and confirmed by the Word of God Of this great evil Socinianism Arrianism and the several names of Heresy of that Alliance are guilty 2. That which brings in Image-worship prayers to Saints and Angels which supposes Invisible Beeings though creatures Omniscient and Omnipresent as God that in all places men may lift up hands to them in prayer without doubting of their being lost in their direction to those that are not that they know able to take any notice of them and further which is not the least of the Idolatry it gives them the honour of being absolutely knowable by natural light in the Divine Attribute of hearing prayers that all flesh may come to them viz. in their Knowledg in their Mercy in their Power all which must be absolute as Gods and as evident to reason as in God seeing men have no justifiable revelation to any such purpose the Arto latria or adoration of the bread in the Sacrament is of the same family now however these things are intricated by various pretexts yet as the spectacle in the last especially is horrid to sense so the things to Reason and Natural Conscience and can ne'r be reconciled we have otherwise learnt Christ who in the days of his flesh neither requir'd nor receiv'd worship directed to his body upon any such pretensions Mark 10. 17. Luke 11. 27. 28. John 6. 36. John 20. 17. but refus'd it except when at sometimes the mighty Emanations of his Divinity prostrated men into the Adorations of him 3. Whatever Dogme or Sect of men subvert the very nature of Religion as a Proteus-Thing that sneaks into all shapes and professions according to the earthly powers it appears before fearing men rather than God All things that overturn morality and distinction betwixt good and evil the denial of Spirits a future State as undermining the very Life and Beeing of the Almighty Spirit all Phanatick Principles turning Religion into Raunterism or moving the pillars of humane societies as consisting in submission to principalities and powers in subjection to Laws civil customs and decencies all such things as these and the whole lineage of them however they may presume to Christianize themselves are a just abhorrence to the true Christian Spirit as most contrary to the Law of nature These opinions therefore now named are excluded and shut out of that universal Peace and Quietness I am to speak of under this last Head of the survey of Natural Religion which I now come to viz. The third thing proposed under this first head of Natural Religion and upon which the whole weight of it rests and turns as to the intention of this Discourse is this That Christianity supposes it a firm ground of enjoying the Common Peace and Tranquility in Religion that a man receives and owns all the grand points of Natural Religion Godliness Righteousness Soberness and acknowledges it his duty and makes it his profession to live according to them that he avows no Principles contrary hereunto though he believes and professes to be assur'd of some other Divine Revelations in order to his Eternal Happiness It supposes a man that in all his discourse and action gives abundant security of his fidelity to Natural Religion A man that is no Idolater Atheist Blasphemer of Religion Impugner of Morality that observes the Worship of God in Prayers Praises and Religious Discourses should be free to commend himself to God in what he thinks most agreeable to his will though in distinction from others whom he no way disturbs against rules of Reason Modesty Peaceableness and Humility but only offers the Apology of his own faith yet with meekness and fear and the perswasives â— Pet. 3. 15.
all that pierced him whose very own eyes shall see him as so pierced by them It is the appearance of men in their Bodies of Nations in their National Capacities of all men and things in their Restitution For it is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Regeneration Mat. 19. 28. to their former state that Religâ—on and Piety may receive its recompences of Glory that Irreligion and Wickedness may have its just rewards of Shame and Punishment and that in the very circumstances wherein each were seen and known and shall then be remembred to â—ave stood here in the world though for the generality very different from the esteem and disesteem they then found Lastly This Representation of the day of Judgment is the most lively feeling and sensible Engagement to speedy Repentance and Reformation that our sins may be blotted out when the times 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Re-enlivening all things shall come from the presence of the Lord Who would not take greatest care that when they are Acts 3 19. sought for they may not be found Who would not desire and so use the most effectual means to appear in Glory and not under shame and contempt This is also among the strongest Arguments upon the most honourable Personages and Governors of a Nation yea upon all that love the honour of their Nation and desire the glory of it with the true publick Spirit to mind the promotion of sincere Religion Piety and Goodness in themselves together with the State of the People Times and Governments to which they belong since if they desire their Nations Renown in this world and that their management in it may be transmitted fair in Chronicle that they may live High in Story how much more must they if at all serious desire to mâ—ke an Honourable Figure in that most Illustrious Representation of the last Judgment and the Eternal Records of All Things They and their Countrey together according to the station and Relation wherein they have stood to it and the love they have born to it And certainly every good man desires by an immutable Instinct by a Law of Goodness within himself to be good in a Community and to be saved in their Salvation which he earnestly aspires to in and with his own and his own in and with that Yea though he be so low or mean in his Fortunes Abilities or Discourse as not to be in any Advantages for propagating True Religion yâ—â— he hath an inward force to it and as every good man rises in his Stature and Condition and influence in the Nation to which he belongs so in his service to the publick Religion but especially every eminent great truly Religious Person of a publick Character and a Lover of his Nation hath a most vehement and ardent desire not only of his own Salvation but of the Salvation of his Nation of as many and great numbers of as universal a Body of it as may be Moses was so high in this that he desired to be blotted out of Gods Book of Exod. 32. 32. Favour that he rather than his Nation should and the Apostle Paul for Israel his National Kindred wished to be Anathema from Christ The scruples of either of which I will not dispute being satisfied Rom. 9 3. they express a high and mighty zeal for the National Salvation and which in a degree is to be imitated by the best men Therefore such Persons as Moses Paul and other of the Worthies of Nations and People that have been successful in bringing many to Righteousness and Happiness shall have as our Saviour speaks Rule over Cities proportionable to their service they shall for ever be exalted as Princes over their People in Eternal Glory even as the Apostles shall sit upon Thrones judging that is shall be Rulers and Governors over the twelve Tribes of Israel Those that have not been successful as Noah Lot Esay c. that have yet had the Zeal the publick Spirit that was commensurable to the Piety Religion and Salvation of their whole Community shall not though Israel be not gathered yet spend their strength for nought their judgment is with the Lord and their work with their God They shall be glorious in the eyes of the Lord they shall Isa 49. 3 4 be a sweet savour to God of true Holiness and Piety in them that perish even as in them that are saved The glory and happiness shall accumulate upon themselves though it redound not on the Nation God makes them of themselves as it were a great Nation in the blessedness of Eternity as he promised Moses if he would have been contented with the destruction of that present Nation of Israel They are reckoned as a Nation by themselves and not of that Community that perishes For as the Apostle says The Lord knows how to deliver the Righteous out of Temptation and so out of the Infamy of a common corruption and especially that everlasting contempt and reserve the wicked to swallow it wholly in themselves Their Reproach their Lord will return upon them for ever it being turned off from himself and his Servants But though there is an infinite wisdom in the Divine Judgment in rescuing thus his own Glory and the Glory of his Servants that have been unsuccessful in turning men to righteousness while they have been faithful with all their Talents and in all their House yet the salvation of Men and Nations is the plain and manifest glory of God and of his most Eminent Servants Those that are their Converts are their Hope now and their Joy their Rejoycing their Crown of 1 Thes 2. 19 20. Rejoycing in the presence of Jesus Christ at his coming in that day only thus Men of eminency in holiness are secur'd against loss if they save only their own souls while they endeavour the good of many that they may be saved they are Crowned with those whom God hath given them as Children by being inâ—truments of their Conversion On the other side they are assur'd of their reward with God in them that perish But further Every man that is good in a Nation though his Interest be private may like the one poor wise man have done all he can to save a City and therefore shall not be forgotten here If he be a holy good man he will not be lost by being alone nor overseen by being low in the world though he be but one of a Family or even of a City yet God will bring him to Zion the City of the living God Every one shall with Daniel stand in his own lot proportionable to what it was here it shall be in that future state God will seek his Sheep out of all places whither they have been driven in the dark and cloudy day though but the poor of the flock and they shall stand at his right hand at that great Division of the Sheep from the Goats To conclude this Particular The honour of Nations