believers of all ages so also of all sorts and conditions Jews and Gentiles bond and free c. all which are made one body in Christ Paul in Ephes 2. 15. speaking of Jews and Gentiles saith That Christ of these twain who differed as much as mankinde could he hath made in himself one new man For Christ melting these two by his Spirit which is as fire causes each to depart from himself and makes both together one new man or body of Christ in himself and thus makes peace For as long as men remain different bodies or men there is no peace amongst them but when Christ makes them one body in himself he makes peace between them unity of body being a most necessary bond of peace in the Church as the Apostle testifies Col. 3. 15. Let the peace of God rule in your hearts to the which ye are called in one body Now from this unity of body in the true Church we may note very considerable things all to our present purpose 1. That unity of body in the Church flows from unity of head for here the members do not first conspire into an unity of body among themselves and after choose a head to their body but first these members are united to the Head and then to one another in and with the Head and so because there is but one true head Christ there is but one true body the Church 2. As the members of the natural body are born such through a natural birth before they do or can exercise and acts or offices sutable to such members and do not first exercise such offices and then after are made such members as for instance the eye doth not first see and then or therefore is made an eye in the body or the ear first hear and then or therefore is made an ear in the body but the eye is first born an eye in the body and then sees and the ear is born an ear and then hears c. So in the spiritual body of Christ each Christian hath his membership meerly from a new or spiritual birth and hath his office from his membership and not from any action or operation of his own before he was a member In this spiritual as in the natural body the eye is born an eye and therefore it sees and the foot is born a foot and therefore it walks and each believer is only that which he is through a new birth and cannot be placed in such and such an office by men no more then men can place a seeing eye or walking foot in the natural body but they must be born there ere they can be there Each member in the true Church is born in his place and office by God and is not placed there by man and when the Church perceives this grace in its members it suffers them to exercise those places and offices in the body in which God hath produced or brought them forth by his Spirit 3. This unity of body stands well with a difference or distinction of members and the difference of members doth not hinder but help the unity of body for saith Paul The body is not one member but many and if they were all one member where were the body And therefore in the body there are diversity of members and each member hath its several form and office If the whole body were an eye where were the hearing and if the whole were an ear where were seeing smelling walking c. So in the unity of Christs body there are diversity of members with diversity of gifts and offices and so one hath the word of wisdom another the word of knowledge another the word of faith another the gift of healing c. Every member in this body being in office and having received the Spirit to profit withal And so again Rom. 12. 6. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us he speaks of all the members of the body which have some of or other gifts given to them if it be prophesie let us prophesie according to the proportion of faith if ministry let us wait on our ministring or he that teacheth on teaching or he that exhorteth on exhortution c. So that in the true Church unity stands with diversity but in the false unity will not stand without uniformity 4. In this true Church or one body of Christ notwithstanding diversity of members and offices there is still an equality among them all seeing all alike make up one body in which regard one member is as necessary to the body as another and no member can say to another that I contribute more to the making up of the body then thou the most honourable member cannot lay thus to the most mean not the Apostles themselves to Believers among the Gentiles for we are the body of Christ as well as they and they are the body of Christ no more then we wherefore no member for diversity of office is to lift up himself above another member who is as necessary as it self to the making up the body and also is every whit as useful in its place 5. As in the natural body each member is contented with its own place and office in the body so is every member through the grace given unto it contented with its place and office in the spiritual body and not one either envies or despises another 6. The members of the natural body do not each live to themselves but all of them serve one another and each of them serves all as the eye sees for the foot and the whole body and the hand works for the eye and the whole body c. So among believers none lives and acts for himself only but each believer serves all and all serve each one in love 7. Members that are united into one body have a true sympathy with one another both in good and evil things 1 Cor. 12. 26. And whether one member suffer all the members suffer with it or one member be honoured all the members rejoyce with it 8. Among the members of the body there is no law of force but only a law of love no member compelling another but each member serving another by love and if one member be infirm the rest help it and do not reject it the more they care for it and do not the more despise it And this now is the first bond of the true Churches unity Vnity of body Now they break this first bond of unity that either live out of this one body of Christ or else live in it but not as members 1. They that do content themselves in joyning to some outward and visible society and corporation of men though called a Church and think that by being knit to them in wayes of outward worship and ordinances they live in the unity of the Church when as yet all this while they live out of that one body that is born of
wit that we should believe in him and love one another and he expects the same obedience from us as from them and so we are not to command one another but are all alike to be commanded by him It was the evil servant that beat his fellow servants upon hopes of the delay of his Masters coming And this is the fourth bond of the true Churches Vnity Vnity of Lord. Now they break this bond of the Churches Vnity that either make themselves or others Lords over the Church besides Christ and parcel out this one Kingdom of the Son to many Lords to the great dishonour of Christ and dis-union of the Church The Pope was the first that professed himself to be the general Master in the whole Church of God and after the Pope a general Councel took this honour to it self and by degrees this last became as hard yea a harder taskmaster to the Church then the former After when particular Kingdoms fell off from the Pope and his Antichristian Church the mystery of iniquity was not by this means wholly dissolved but only was contracted and brought into a less compass for then the Archbishop made himself general master of the Church in each particular Kingdom as the Pope before had done in all and after the Archbishop rises up a National Assembly as the General Councel after the Pope and each of these in their courses usurp Lordship over the Church of Christ to the sad dissolution of its unity Most evident then it is that during the time of the Apostasie the Church hath been most miserably Lorded even amongst us for the Priest he Lorded it over the People the Arch-deacon over the Priest the Dean over the Arch-deacon the Bishop over the Dean and the Arch-bishop over the Bishop under which woful bondage the Church cried out as Isa 26. O Lord our God other Lords besides thee have had dominion over us And is this bondage of the Church now eased by casting off those strange Lords Yea do not men rather seek to encrease it by setting yet stranger over it whose names are so full of mystery that the common people cannot understand them for now they would have the Classical Presbytery set over the Congregational and the Provincial over the Classical and the National over the Provincial for so it is Voted THAT IT IS LAWFULL AND AGREEABLE TO THE WORD OF GOD THAT THERE BE A SUBORDINATION OF CONGREGATIONAL CLASSICAL PROVINCIAL AND NATIONAL ASSEMBLIES FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF THE CHURCH Now here is mystery and nothing but a certain rising up into the old power under a new name And mark how they prove this subordination of Congregational Classical Provincial and National Assemblies to wit by that Scripture Mat. 18. where it is written If thy brother trespass against thee and will neither hear thy admonition nor councel nor the admonition and councel of other brethren TELL THE CHURCH that is the Congregation of the faithful Now from this place they prove the fore mentioned subordination of Assemblies just as the Pope once proved himself to be above the Emperour to wit because it is written Gen. 1. That God made two great lights the Sun to rule by day and the Moon by night Now if this might be brought about which they design the Church would be so far from being eased of its strange Lords that it should have them exceedingly multiplied for what is a National Assembly but an Archbishop multiplied and what a Provincial Assembly but a Bishop multiplied And a Classical but a Dean and Arch deacon multiplied And thus the former Lords being removed they would in their stead cause the Church to swarm with Classical Provincial and National Lords and would by no means suffer Christs own Kingdom to return to his own Lordship and Dominion And thus whilest they by secular power seek to enforce these Ecclesiastical Lords over the Church they absolutely break in pieces the unity of it even whilst they bear the simple people in hand that they above all other men seek to preserve it seeing the plurality of Lords is alwayes the cause of Schisms and divisions in the Church which can never be one but under one Lord the Lord Jesus Christ The fifth bond of the true Churches Vnity is ONE FAITH The true Church of God hath but one Faith wrought by one Spirit apprehending the same Christ or the same living and eternal truth of God So that Abraham and Moses and David and all the Prophets and all the Apostles and we who now believe and all that shall believe hereafter all have and do and shall live in the same mystery of faith that is Believers in all Ages do not live their own lives but all live the life of Christ in their own souls and bodies each one receiving equally from Christ the life of Christ which they all live alike in him being one with him as the branches live equally the life of the Vine and one brnch lives it not more then another Through faith then every Christian is carryed out of himself and all his own things into Christ whom he apprehends with all his fulness for his own and in this faith all Christians are equal and none hath a better or worse faith then another So that in regad of faith also there is among the true Church unity and equality For all Believers have one and the same faith of the operation of God wrought by the same Spirit which raised up Christ from the dead and that faith which the Spirit works neither sin death nor the devil can possibly prevail against and so the faith of the operation of the Spirit is altogether invincible in all the faithful Among true Christians some are not justified by faith and some by works but all are saved through faith without the works of the law Among true Christians one Believers faith doth not apprehend one word and anothers another word but the faith of each and of all apprehends one and the same word of truth and life which is Christ himself Yesterday and to day and the same for ever Among Believers one doth not live his own life and another Christs which indeed would make them very different and unequal but all live Christs life alike and none their own And thus is the whole Church knit together in Vnity of Faith Now this unity of faith is mightily able to preserve peace among Believers notwithstanding diversity either of inward gifts or outward works 1. Vnity of Faith preserves peace notwithstanding diversity of inward gifts inasmuch as we are not made members of Christs body through such and such gifts but meerly through faith and so he that hath one or a less gift is equally a member of Christ through his faith with him that hath another or a greater gift and so unity of faith which makes us all one body in Christ is to keep us one notwithstanding diversity of gifts and operations and
this sense may be said to come forth from God as the child from the father and the Lord Jesus did not more truly partake of the nature of man then these do partake of the nature of God and therefore saith Peter Great and precious promises are made to us that we should be partakers of the divine nature Others have only the nature of men in them or which is worse the nature of the devil but the faithful have in them the nature of God communicated to them through a new birth 2. They have a more excellent spirit then others have as it was said of Daniel that there was a more excellent spirit found with him then with all the other wise men Now the excellency of each creature is according to the spirit of it but the Saints have the Spirit of God even the Spirit of the Father and the Son dwelling in them they have the same spirit of God dwelling in their flesh as Christ had dwelling in his flesh so that the very Spirit of God is found in the faithful and therefore they are more glorious then the rest of the world 3. They have a more excellent lustre then other men One thing that appertaines to the excellency of precious stones is the lustre of them Now this lustre in the faithfull is the glory of God upon them The Lord shall arise upon thee and his glory shall bee seen upon thee saith Isaiah Chap. 60. And Paul saith We all beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord. So that as Christ was taken into the glory of the Father so are we taken into the glory of Christ as he saith Joh. 17. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them for the head and members are taken into the same glory acccording to their proportion 4. They have more excellent operations for the faithful are not such precious stones that are onely for shew but they also have some vertue in them even the very vertues of Jesus Christ for they having the same Nature and Spirit of God as he had are able according to the measure of the gift of Christ to do the same works that he did and so the Saints are excellent in the operations of faith hope love humility meekness patience temperance heavenly mindedness c. And in this regard also are more precious then the rest of the world And therfore the Lord cals them his Jewels In the day whrein I make up my jewels and elswhere they are called the precious Sons of Sion The people of God are a most precious people men and women of a precious anointing though some wicked and scurrilous Libellers against the spiritual Church will not allow them this name but according to the anointing they have received from Sathan reproach it And yet still it is a truth that the gates of hell shall not prevail against That the truly faithful are precious stones in the building of the Church partaking of the Nature and Spirit of God and of the lustre and operation of both Whereas on the contrary other people are the vile of the earth the true filth and off-scouring of all things Psal 15. In whose eyes a vile person is contemned a man that is a natural man a sinful and unregerate man who hath no other nature in him but that corrupt nature he brought into the world though in this present world he may be a Gentleman or a Knight or a Noble man or a King yet in the eys of God and his Saints he is but a vile person and a poor mean Christian that earns his bread by hard labour is a thousand times more precious and excellent then he according to the judgement of God and his Word And thus much for the first thing The matter of which the Church of the New Testament is made that is of precious stones 2. Now the next thing observable is the variety of these precious stones For the spiritual Church is not built up of precious stones of one sort onely not all of Saphires or all of Agates or all of Carbuncles but of all these both Saphires Agates Carbuncles and many other precious stones of fair colours And this notes the diversity of gifts in the Saints of God For though all of them are precious stones yet they are of diversity of colours and lustre and operations And this also makes for the greater glory of the Church for the variety of lustre adds to the beauty and ornament of it In the body of a man there is not one member but many If the body were all but one member it would be but a lump of flesh but the variety of members with their several gifts and operations are the glory of the body And so it is in the Church the Body of Jesus Christ wherein are divers members with diversity of gifts and operations excellently set forth by Paul 1 Cor. 12. 4. c. Now there are diversities of gifts but the same Spirit And there are differences of administrations but the same Lord and there are diversities of operations but it is the same God that worketh all in all But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every one to profit withall For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisedom to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit to another faith by the same Spirit to another the gift of healing by the same Spirit to another the working of miracles to another prophecie to another discerning of spirits to another divers kinds of tongues to another interpretation of tongues but all these worketh that one and the same Spirit dividing to every man severally as he will Here you see are diversities of gifts and administrations and operations in the faithful but all proceed from one and the same Spirit and whatsoever gift proceeds from the Spirit there is an excellent beauty a heavenly lustre in it And therefore labour to distinguish between those gifts that are connatural to thee and flow from thy own spirit and those gifts that are supernatural and flow from Gods Spirit In all the operations of thine own spirit in all thy natural abilities parts wisdom learning actings there is nothing but ungloriousness deformity darkness death how specious soever they may appear to the world but in the gifts and operations that flow from Gods Spirit there is a heavenly beauty and lustre and glory yea even in weak Christians that are true Christians you shall oft see and discern an excellent beauty in some gift or other which they have received from the Spirit which shines not forth so clearly in some stronger Christians And therefore let us not expect all gifts in all men and that every man should excell in every gift for then one would be saying to another I have no need of thee But God hath given diversity of gifts to
diversity of gifts are in no wise to divide where there is unity of faith Further among them that believe where there is the more gift there is only the more labour but there is not another or a better Christ and where there is the less gift there is the same Christ equally enjoyed through faith He that had five Talents given him brought in five that he had gained and he that had ten ten but he that brought in most Talents had not more of Christ then he that brought in fewer and he that brought in fewer had not less of him then he that brought in more but each having Christ alike by faith brought in the exercise of his several gifts And so unity of Faith is to keep us one notwithstanding diversity of inward gifts And secondly it is to keep us one notwithstanding diversity of outward works For unity of Faith makes all believers righteous alike though they differ in outward work For in Christs Kingdom each ones righteousness is reckoned by his faith not by his outward works And therefore Paul Heb 13. 7. having reckoned up many excellent works of the Fathers doth not enjoyn us to follow their works but their faith saying Whose faith follow considering the end of their conversation seeing the unity of the Church stands in unity of faith and there may be unity of faith in diversity of works for faith uses freely any outward laws manners forms works so farr as they may tend to the mortifying of our bodies and the edifying of our neighbours wherein faith also will judge for it self and will suffer no body to judge for it and in all change of works faith is the same and changes not and the Church still remains one through unity of faith in the midst of variety and diversity of outward works And therefore where men are accounted Christians for such and such outward works sake and this unity of faith is not taught and received there the gates of hell do certainly prevail And this is the fifth bond of the true Churches unity Vnity of Faith Now they break this bond of the Churches unity that live out of this faith of Gods Elect seeing it is written That the just shall live by faith And therefore they that live by sense in the things of the world or by form in the things of God they live out of this faith and unity of the Church 1. They that live by sense in the things of the world break this bond of the Churches unity even such as minde and affect and love and desire earthly things and have all their joy comfort sweetness satisfaction support and confidence in the creature these live out of the unity of the Church seeing the life of sense is clean contrary to the life of faith Faith carrying us to live in God out of the creature and sense carrying us to live in the creature out of God 2. They that live by form in the things of God whether it be called Conformity as the Prelates called it or Vniformity as the Rhemists do also break this bond of the Churches unity For to live upon this or that form of religion or worship so as to think our selves good Christians therefore and others evil that shall live otherwise is to fall apparently from the faith of the Church seeing faith doth not live upon this or that form of Religion but it lives on Christ only in every duty and whatsoever form it may use for a help to the infirmity of the flesh yet in the use of forms it lives above forms in Jesus Christ and his fulness The sixth bond of the true Churches unity is ONE BAPTISME The true Church which is the body or flesh or Christ hath but one and the self same Baptism by which it is purified which is the Baptism of the Spirit For the Apostle speaks here of that Baptism wherein the whole Church is one which is not the Baptism of the sign which hath often been altered and changed but the Baptism of the substance which comprehends all believers and all ages and under several and various dispensations and was the same before Christs comming in the flesh as since believers both of the Jews and Gentiles of the Old and New Testament drinking all alike into one Spirit though these more plentifully then those So that though many have wanted the Baptism of water yet not one member of the true Church hath wanted the Baptism of the Spirit from whence our true Christianity begins Now this Baptism of the Spirit is the onely Baptism that hath power and efficacy to make Christians one For through the Baptism of the Spirit it is that the Church is made one body as Paul saith 1 Cor. 12. 13. For by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body whether we be Jews or Greeks whether we be bond or free and have been all made to drink into one Spirit The true Church drinks all into one Spirit as ye have heard and not into many and through one Spirit are baptized into one body and not into many and believers are never truly one till they partake of this one Baptism Now this Baptism of the Spirit as it is but one so it is administred onely by one Christ as John Baptist witnesseth Math. 3. 11. saying I indeed baptize you with water unto reprentance but he that cometh after me is mightier then I whose shoes I am not worthy to bear he shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire For as none can give the Son but the Father so none can baptize with the Spirit but the Son for this is Christ proper and peculiar Baptism from the Throne of his glory and no mans whatsoever this he hath reserved in his own power and hath not given it into any mans power And this is the sixth bond of the true Churches unity One Baptism Now they break this bond of the Churches unity that content themselves onely with the Baptism of water being destitute of the Baptism of the Spirit and so remain in the uncleanness of all their old corruptions and lusts and in all the filthiness and pollutions of flesh and spirit by reason of which they can have no true peace and agreement in heart and Spirit and Nature with those who are cleansed from these pollutions and are washed and justified purified and sanctified in the name and by the Spirit of God For what agreement can there be between them that live in all the corruptions of sinful men and them that live in the renewing of the Holy Spirit So that it is not the washing of water but the washing of the Spirit that is the true ground of the true Churches unity and they that want this Baptism of the Spirit though they have been baptized with water never so much live quite and clean out of the unity of the Church The seventh bond of the true Churches unity is ONE GOD AND FATHER OF
the Spirit which is the onely true Church and body of Christ he that lives out of this spiritual body though he live in the most excellent society in the world yet he breaks the unity of the Church not living in one body with it And thus many break the Churches unity that never think on it 2. Again they break this bond of the Churches unity that live in this one body but not as members And such are they who having got the advantage of the Magistrates power will needs lift themselves up above their fellow-members and exercise authoritative coercive domineering power over them whereas the very Apostles themselves were not Lords of the Church but fellow-members with the faithful living in one body and under one head with them and so did all by love and perswasion and nothing by force and violence Now those members that exalt themselves above their fellow and equal members what do they else but usurp the place of the Head and so break in sunder the unity of the body which stands in the unity of the Head He that in a single or combined unity sets himself up above other Believers by giving Laws and by prescribing and commanding Forms and Rules to those that are every way his equals he advances himself as another head besides Christ and so Anti-christ is nearer to us then we are aware and many men that are so forward and fierce to make and enforce Rules and Orders colourably to procure the Churches peace they are the first men that do themselves break this first bond of the Churches Vnity to wit Vnity of Body which makes all Believers equal members equally subject to one Head The second bond of the true Churches unity is ONE SPIRIT There is one body and one Spirit saith Paul and through unity of Spirit they become one body Now as the body of man consists of many members and but one soul comprehends quickens moves and governs all these members making the eye to see the hand to work the foot to walk c. So the body of Christ which is the Church consisting of many members hath yet but one and the same HOLY SPIRIT which comprehends quickens moves and governs them all and brings them into a most near and intimate society together and inables each member to its several office according to its place and use in the body of Christ And as a member being cut off from the body the soul doth not follow it to cause it to live out of the unity of the body So he that is divided from the true body of Christ the Spirit doth not follow him to make him live single by himself and so neither is the body of Christ without the Spirit nor the Spirit of Christ without the body And as the same soul in several members acts severally and yet is but one and the same soul in all so the same holy Spirit in several Believers works severally as it pleaseth and yet is but the same holy Spirit in them all So that the whole body of Christ that is all Believers in the world have but one and the same holy Spirit in them and this unity of Spirit in the Church is one strong bond of its peace Among mankinde in general and more nearly among kindred there is unity of flesh but because there is difference of spirit there is much envie hatred strife and variance in that unity of flesh but now the members of the body are not only one flesh but one soul or spirit too and so there is always peace and agreement between them And so the true Church of Christ is not only one body but one Spirit too and this makes it one indeed For as this Spirit is the love and connexion of the Father and the Son so it is also our love and connexion in the Father and the Son and as the Father and the Son live in unity of Spirit so all Believers live the unity of the same Spirit in them Now they on whom the Spirit was first given after Christ was glorified had also with the Spirit the gift of tongues the Spirit given being for the communion of the Church so they spake with the tongues of all the Church having through the communion of the Spirit its society and consociation For he that speaks by the Spirit in the Church where all are one Spirit in Christ he speaks with the tongues of all and when a Believer hears another speak it is as if he himself did speak and when one speaks it is as if all spake for he speaks in the unity of Spirit with them and so speaks the same doctrine of the Gospel and minde of Christ which they all have equally heard and learned from God Hence it is evident that it is nothing to have the outward from of a Church even as our souls could wish except there be inwardly in that Church the Spirit of Christ for it is not unity of form will ever make the Church one but unity of Spirit That Church then that is destitute of the Spirit in its laws orders constitutions forms members officers what true unity can that have in all its uniformity And this is the second bond of the true Churches Vnity Vnity of Spirit Now they break this bond of the Churches unity that live in their own spirits and not in Christs for they that live in a different spirit from the true Church what unity can they possibly have with it They then that live in their own humane reason understanding thoughts councel wils ends they live quite and clean out of the unity of this Church yea in direct enmity against it seeing our own corrupt and earthly spirits are most contrary to the Holy and Heavenly Spirit of Christ in which the Church lives Wherefore we may learn hence what to judge of those men that cry out much for the peace of the Church and yet themselves neither live in nor are led by the Spirit of the Church but either by their own Spirits or Antichrists 2. They that labour to joyn men into one body with the Church that are not one Spirit with it do marr the peace of it For as unity of Spirit in the Church is the bond of peace so diversity of Spirit is the breach of peace and therefore to preserve the peace of the Church none are to joyn themselves to this one body that are not of this one Spirit 3. They that being of the Church do any thing in it by their own Spirits and not by Christs prejudice the peace of the Church for the true Church is such a body which is to have all its communion in the Spirit And therefore when any pray or prophesie or the like in the strength of natural parts or humane studies and invention onely and do not pray and prophesie in the Spirit they break the unity of the Church for the faithful have communion with one another onely so far
pretending the tradition of John kept another After this Victor Bishop of Rome rose up a great stickler in the controversy of Easter and would needs have excommunicated the Churches of Asia for not yielding to his judgement to whom Iraeneus writing touching the diversity of outward things used by the Primitive Christians hath these words Notwithstanding the variety of ceremonies among the former Christians they all kept peace among themselves and we saith he still retain it and the difference of our fasting commends the unity of our faith And thus the Doctrine of Christian liberty remained sound and entire till this Victors time which was ann 200. And he earnestly endeavoured to draw or rather inforce the Churches of Asia to his opinion And then began the Vniformity of keeping that Feast to be first required as a thing necessary and all they to be accounted as Heretickes and Schismatikes who dissented from the judgement of the Bishop of Rome Now against this judgement of Victor Polycrates and many other Bishops and brethren of Asia declared and the matter had burst out into a great flame had not some godly men of those times brought forth the word of God to quench it Among whom Iraeneus as Eusebius relates speaks to this effect That the variety and difference of ceremonies is no strange matter in the Church of Christ when as this variety is not onely in the day of Easter but also in the manner of fasting and in divers other usages among the Christians For some fast one some two dayes some more and others counting 40. hours both day and night reckon that for their full fast day And this so divers fashion of fasting in the Church began not in our time but in theirs who lived before us And yet notwithstanding they with all this diversity were in unity amongst themselves and so be we Neither doth this difference of ceremonies any thing hinder but rather commend the agreement of our faith And he bringeth forth the examples of the Fathers of Telesphorus Pius Anicetus Soter Eleutherius and such others who neither observed the same usage themselves nor prescribed it to others and yet notwithstanding kept Christian charity with such as came to communicate with them though not observing the same form of things which they observed as well appeared by Polycarpus and Anicetus who although they agreed not in one uniform custom of rites Communionem tamen inter se habuerunt yet had communion with one another And thus Iraeneus in his practice answering his name perswaded the peace of the Church notwithstanding diversity of forms and rites And so Christian liberty was still preserved in the Church against the tyranny of Vniformity till the Nicene Councel And farther Socrates the Writer of the Ecclesiastical History who lived after the dayes of Theodosius speaking of the fasting before Easter saith The Christians that dwell at Rome fast three weeks continually before Easter besides the Sabbath and the Sunday but those that dwell in Illyria and all Greece and Alexandria fast six weekes before Easter And speaking of the severall sorts of fasting in severall Churches saith And because no can bring forth any Commandment written of this matter it is plain that the Apostles left this fast free to every mans minde and will that no man might be compelled by fear and necessity to do that which is good And in the same Chapter he relates many several forms and usages in several Christian Churches and concludes that matter thus But saith he to commit to writing all the rites of Churches that are used in each City and Country as it would be very troublesome so hardly could it be done And yet further I finde that Austin who was sent into England by Pope Gregory ann 598. among other questions to the Pope propounds this as one That seeing there is but one faith how it should happen that the customes and ceremonies of Churches should be so divers And Gregory returns this answer The custom of the Church of Rome what it is you know wherein you have been brought up from your youth but rather it pleaseth me better that whether it be in the Church of Rome or in any French Church where ye finde any thing that seemeth better to the service and pleasing of God that ye choose the same and so infer and bring into the English Church which is yet new in the faith the best and pickedst things chosen out of many Churches For things are not to be beloved for the place sake but the place is to be beloved for the things that be good Wherefore such things as be good godly and religious those choose out of all Churches and induce to your people that they may take root in the minds of English men So that yet you see the Church was not enslaved by any enforced Vniformity but kept its own Christian freedom till Antichrist grew up to more heighth and got the secular power of Princes to do what he listed in the Church and then he and his Clergy made laws of all that seemed good in their own eyes and enforced men to them against their wills And thus he reigned for many hundred yeers together till the determinate time of the Apostacy began to be fulfilled and then God poured forth his Spirit upon some chosen servants of his to oppose Antichrist as in other parts of the mystery of iniquity so in this also of Uniformity Among others who after the general falling away opposed this Vniformity was John Gerson Chancellor of Paris who lived about an 100. yeers before Luther and in many things received much clear light from God he in his Sermon before the King of France in the name of the Vniversity of Paris pro pace unione Graecorum in his 7 th consideration speaks thus Men ought not generally to be bound by the positive determinations of Popes and it will as well hold of all others who arrogate to themselves an Ecclesiastical Supremacy whether they be Councels or Assemblies to hold and believe one and the same manner of Government in things that doe not immediately concern the truth of our Faith or of the Evangelical Law And he saith this consideration well taken and understood would be the principal key to open a door of peace between the Greeks and Latines who differ in many outward Forms and Rules as in Baptisme the Latine Church saith I baptize thee the Greek Baptizetur servus Christi Let this servant of Christ be baptized And in the Supper the Latine Church used unleavened the Greek leavened bread c. And herein he spake as a Christian that said Quaelibet provincia abundet sensu suo Let every Province abound in its own sense Note also saith he that a good Prince permits divers Laws and Customs of divers of his Subjects so they be not evidently against the Law of Nature And not to do so would often be the destruction of
blind obedience 5. It makes Hypocrites 6. Causes Disturbances 7. Christ useth no such outward force 2. Neither commanded his Apostles Object 2. Object Answ 3. Object Answ 4. Object Answ 5. Object Answ 6. Object Answ 4. Object Answ Psal 72. 12. 2. Gods Kingdom 2 Cor. 11. 6. Ecclesia Regina misericordiae cujus viscera sunt merae miserationes remissiones peccatorum Cito vos omnes ut respondeatis mihi coram Aitissimo justissimo Judice post paucos annos The peace propounded is 1. Not between the Church and the world 2. Nor between the carnal and spiritual children of the Church Spiritual Christians make up the body of Christ Carnal Christians the body of Antichrist Peace between the children of peace What the right Church is not What it is How the Church of God differs from the Churches of men How the true Church may be known though spiritual and invisible Quest 2. Answ How we may be joyned to the true Church though invisible The Church the body as well as Christ the head a great mystery The Church just such a body as Christ is a Head Wherein the Unity of the true Church lies The right Church is one body This one body comprehends Believers of all Ages Of all sorts Many things to be considered from the Churches unity of body 1 Cor. 12. Who break this bond of the Churches Unity The right Church is one Spirit Who break this bond of Unity Quest Answ The right Church have one hope of their calling Who break this bond of Unity The right Church hath one Lord. Who break this bond of the Churches Unity The Assemblies vote for their government The right Church hath one faith Unity of preserves peace 1. Notwithstanding diversity of inward gifts 2. Notwithstanding diversity of outward works Who break this bond of the Churches Unity Who break this bond of Unity The right Church hath one God and Father of them all The true Church is a Kingdom of Brethren Where all are 1. Alike dear to God 2. Alike dear to us This one God and Father of the true Church is 1. Above you all 2. Through you all 3. In them all Who break this bond of Unity There is no other bond of the Churches unity besides these seven It is a wicked thing to cry up Uniformity in the stead of this Unity How the union which God hath wrought among Believers should be preserved in the communion which they have here in this world with one another To preserve that peace among our selves we have in Christ 1. We must know some things otherwise then we do Particularly the Churches Government Church government two fold Immediate Mediate Gods immediate government twofold 1. The government of his special providence Ego saepe certas rationes conatus sum Deo praescribere quibus uteretur in administratione ecclesiae c. 2. The Government of his spiritual presence The Church never wanted this two-fold Government of God in any Age. It were to be wished that they that are so busie about outward orders in the Church were themselves acquainted with inward temptations The mediate Government of the Church is Christs and not Mans. What the mediate Government of the Church is The particulars contained in this mediate Government Church-power given to the whole Church alike Math. 16. 19. explained The Keys given to all that have the revelation of the Father Quest Answ What the Keyes are The true power of the true Church is a spiritual and heavenly power 2 Cor. 10. 8. 13. 10. Christs power extends it self to the whole Church but no further The word the only outward instrument of Church power Christiani eo verbo non alio regi debent quo Christiani id est liberi à peccatis fiunt hoc est solo Evangelio Dei puro sine additionibus Conciliorum Doctorum Patrum c. Luther Epist ad Carol Ducem Subaudâ—ae tom 7. f. 483. Quae ergo insania est spontanee bonos urgere legibus malorum Sunt non parum multi leves futiles homunciones putantes rem Evangelicam gladio pugnis esse promovendam Ibid. Reputate animo quo gladio ipse Papatum c. What the Church can do through the power it hath received from Christ 1 It can convene and meet together as often as it pleaseth 2. It can appoint its own orders Rules to be observed in the Churches appointing its Orders Nunquid Ecclesia per mundum gubernanda est non potius contra morem mundi co quod scriptum est nolite conformari huic seculo Jo. Gers Decl. Viror Ecclesiast The carnal Chnrch minds outward Orders more then the power of godliness The Church is to appoint Orders for its Officers and not its Officers for it 3. To chuse its Officers What Officers the Church is to chuse 3. Who chuses them Object Answ Hi profecto non venient in concilium ut â—udicentur ab aliis ut emendent ea qua ipsorummet conscientia adâ—oque totus mundus emendanda esse clamat sed omnes alios judâ—care subjugare suam illam potentiam retinereâ— quicquid ipsorum obstat libidini conculcare è medio tollere conabuntur Bullinger Ep. ad Edward sexâ— Tindal Practise of Popish Prel p. 344. 4. Can call its Councels Certain reasons why the true Church may very well want a Councel Nam quid expectemus ex generalium conciliorum determinationibus docent ros proxima aliquot seculerum exempla jam inde ab anâ—is quandragintis aut amplius Quo enim crebriora ceiere concilia lanto magis invaluit superstitio error in doctrina abusus in ritibus superbia luxuries avaritia omnisque câ—â—rplio in docentibus vel saccrdâ—tibus denique soedissima omnis disciplâ—nae obliteratio Bulling Epist ad â—dvard Sexâ—um Object Answ Rules to be observed in calling a Councel Ex ejusmodi coetu i. e. fidelium deligâ— ndi erunt homines ad concilium hoc vâ—ro esset pulcherrimum conciliuÌ„ quod ab ipso Spiritu Sancto regeretur In hanc sententiam Lyâ—a scriptum reliquit Ecclesiam noÌ„ aestimandam esse ex summis illis aut spiritualibus ordinibus sed ex verè creden tibus Luth. Libel de notis verae Eccles tom 7. s 152. The Church is to keep it self distinct from the world The true Church is to be contented with its own power for its own affairs Object Answ The true Church is not to force men unto it against their wils Ea est Ecclesiae natura ut nusquam magis requiratur interna persuasio Nam ad fidem nemo cogi potest invitus Deus toto se corde vult amari denique hypocrisis peccatum est imprimis Deo exosum Quo fit ut tota Ecclesiae gubernandae ratio hunc scopum habere debeat ut in Ecclesiam vocentur plurimi persuasi in Ecclesia contineâ—ntur non aliâ ratione Itaque quo magis ea ratio aberit ab