1. An Engagement to and profession of Faith in the Promised Seed as promised and future 2. An Engagement to Moses Law for this use it had after the Law was given Now when Christ was come that man that would still be Circumcised into and profess to expect a Messiah yet to come and that would engage himself to that Law which contained the Types of a future Messiah and was but a School-master to lead to Christ I say that person that was thus Circumcised as all were that received it according to the institution did plainly deny that Christ was come and therefore Christ could profit them nothing But yet a man that used but the outward sign to avoid an impediment to the Gospel as Paul did in the case of Timothy or if it were erroneously as a meer Custom as the Abassines now do might yet be saved by Christ nevertheless 2. And when Paul used it it was as an indifferent thing but he condemned it as supposed necessary 3. When he used it it was in the beginning of the publication of the Gospel that as Austin speaks he might give the Ceremonies an honourable burial But when he condemned it it was after the full Publication of the abolition of the Law against those that would have raked it out of the grave again 4. He bore with it in the weak but he condemned it in the wilfull 5. He bore with it in those that scrupled the forsaking it as they were Jews but he condemned it in those that would have laid this yoke as necessary on the Gentiles Object But it seems here that Paul is against the necessary observation of the Lords day when he is for esteeming all days alike Answ. If you understand the subject of the debate you will understand his speech It is only Jewish Holy-days that was the matter in Question and therefore of these only is he to be understood As for the Lords day its plain in the New Testament that Christ did not only rise upon it and appear to his Disciples on it and send down the Holy Ghost upon it but that the Disciples presently after Christs Resurrection began their Religious Assemblies on it and so continued them by the guidance of the Holy Ghost and so setled that day for the use of the Holy Assemblies of the Church calling it the Lords day Ioh. 21.19 26. Act. 2.1 20.7 1 Cor. 16.2 Rev. 1.10 And it is past all doubt in the History of the Church that since the Apostles days till now the Church hath constantly kept this day as thus established by the name of the Lords day which the Fathers called the Christian Sabbath as they applyed the name of an Altar to the Table and of a Sacrifice to the Supper of the Lord so that he that will reject the observation of the Lords day must take on him to be wiser then the Holy Ghost in the Apostles and then all the Catholick Church of Christ from the beginning till these contentious persons did arise The Text being thus explained the Doctrine before mentioned is plain in it before us viz. Doctrine IT is the will of God that the Vnity of the Church should not be laid upon indifferent small and doubtfull points but that true Believers who differ in such things should notwithstanding have inward Charity and outward Communion with one another not Censuring nor despising nor dividing from each other upon this account In handling this point I shall briefly shew you 1. What I mean by things indifferent 2. What I mean by smaller matter 's 3. What by doubtfull things or disputations And then I shall give you the Reasons of it and then Apply it 1. For the Explication 1. By things indifferent I do not mean things hic nunc indifferent in the use but things that are not ordinarily in themselves either commanded as Duties or forbidden as sins but left as Lawfull or Indifferent by the Scriptures unless as some accident or circumstance may make them to be good or evil 2. By smaller matter 's its none of my intent to perswade you that any thing that is but an appurtenance to Faith or Piety is Absolutely small But they are small in comparison of the far greater things and so small that many are saved without them and they are not of flat necessity to salvation and the Greater matters must be preferred before them 3. By things doubtfull I do not mean such as are not certainly revealed in the Scripture nor yet such as perverse Heretical men do raise doubts about when they are plain in themselves But I mean such points as are revealed certainly but more darkly then the greater points and therefore cannot be so clearly known so that the sum is this 1. Indifferent things must not be taken to be Necessary or sinful but to be indifferent 2. Lower and Lesser points must not be taken to be Greater or Weightier then they are 3. Points of less certainty that are more darkly revealed must not be taken to be more clear and certain to us then they are 4. And it is not on such darker smaller matters that God hath laid our salvation or that the Churches Unity and Peace dependeth II. FOr the fuller Demonstration of this let these Reasons be observed 1. If our Unity were laid on these smaller matters the multitude of them is such that we should never Agree in all The Essentials of Christianity are so few that all men may well be expected to learn and know and entertain them But the smaller points are so many that there is no hope of an universal Agreement in them all You know in the Body of man or Beast the great Master veins that are the stock of all the rest are but a few but follow them further and you shall have so many Divisions and sub-divisions till you find them to be many hundreds or thousands So is it with the Arteries and with the Nerves The Body of a Tree is but one and the first division perhaps is but into two or three parts but follow it to the very ends of the branches and you may find many thousands So is it in Divinity And therefore if none should be in Unity with the Church but those that understand every branch of Christian verity what hope of Union could there be 2. Moreover the smaller points are far less discernable then the greater be and therefore there is the less hope that ever the Church should have Unity in these The great armes of a Tree are easily discerned when the extremities of the branches are very small The trunks of the master-veins are great and easily seen but the points and capillar veins are so small as hardly to be perceived So God in mercy hath made very plain those few essential points of faith that salvation lyeth on but if you follow on these generals to all the particulars and appurtenances you shall find them run so small as well as so many as
and conceits fulfilled even in the holy things of God or else they will revile the Pastors and make divisions in the Church And this is done by them that in other cases do seem sufficiently to reverence the place of publick Assembly as the house of God and that speak against private meetings though but for prayer repeating Sermons or singing to the praise of God while yet themselves are wilfully bent for such private meetings as are set up in opposition to the publick and that for the administration of so great an Ordinance as the Sacrament of Baptism and in cases where there is no necessity of prâ—vacy And who knows not that our Sacramentall Covenant with God and engagement to a Christian life and reception into a Christian state and priviledges is fitter to be done with the most honourable solemnity then in a conventicle in a private house Too many more such instances I could give you which shew who they be that are the enemies of our Unity Even those that cry out against divisions while they cauâ—e them and cry up Unity concord and obedience while they destroy them And shall we thus continue a division that doth prognosticate our Everlasting division Is there no Remedy for so great a misery when yet our poor ungodly neighbours mâ—y heal it if they will What if the Ministers of the severall Parishes should appoint one day of publick Conference with all the people of their Parishes together and desire all thâ—t are fit to speak to debate the case and give their Reasons why they concur not in their hearts and lives with the holy diligent servants of the Lord and let them heâ—r the Reasons why the godly dare not and cannot come over to their negligent ungodly course and so try who it is long of among them that they arâ— not of One mind and way what if the Ministers then urged it on them to agree all before they parted to unite on the terms which God will own and all uâ—animously to take that course that shall be found most agreeable to his Word and whoever doth bring the fullest proof that his course is best in reason the rest should promise to joyn wâ—th him What if we call the people together and bespeak them as Elijah did 1 Kings â—8 21 How long halt ye between two opinions If the Lord be God follow him but if Baal then follow him If a carâ—less ungodly worldly fleshly life be best and most please God and will comfort you most at death and judgement then hold on in the way that you are in and never purpose hereafter to repent of it but let us all become as sensuall as you But if it be only the life of faith and holiness and seeking first the Kingdom and Righteousness of God that God and Scripture and reason will justifie and that will comfort the soul in the hour of extremity and that you shall with a thousand times you had followed in everlasting misery when wishing is too late if now you continue to neglect it doth not câ—mmon reason then require that we all now agree to go that way which all will desire to be found in at the last One would think if a Minister should treat thus with his Parishioners and urge such a motion as this upon them they should not have the hearts or faces to deny or delay such a necessary Agreement and Engagement that would make their Parish and their souls so happy and which nothing but the Devil and the befooled corrupted minds of sinners hath any thing to say against And yet its likely we should either have such an answer as Elijah had even silence v. 21. The people answered him not a word Or else some plausible promise while we have them in a good mood which would quickly be broken come to nothing For indeed they are all engaged already by their baptismall Covenant and profession of Christianity to the very same thing and yet we see how little they regard it But yet because it is our duty to use the means for the Salvation and Concord of our people and wait on God by prayer for the success I have here shewed you the only way to both Read it impartially and then be your selves the Judges on whom the blame of our greatest and most dangerous divisions will be laid and for shame either give over complaining that men are of so many minds and profess your selves the enemies of Unity and Peace or else give over your damning and dividing course and yield to the Spirit of Christ that would Unite you to his Body and walk in Communion with his Saints and let not these warnings be hereafter a witness against you to your confusion which are intended for your salvation and the healing of our discords by An unworthy servant of Jesus Christ for the Calling and Edifying of his Members Rich. Baxter Decem. 10. 1659. The Contents THE Introduction and Explication of the Text to p. 14 Dâ—ct The true Vnity of the Catholick Church of Christ consisteth in this that they have all one sanctified Spirit within them p. 14 Explicâ—tory Propositions p. 16 Twenty Arguments to prove that Ungodliness is the great divider and that if ever there be a Vnion it must be by the ungodlies comeing ovâ—r to a holy life p. 19 Use 1. Shewing plainly who are the causes of our great divisions p. 37 Vngodliness is all Heretical opinions combined and reduced to practice p. 43 c. It is against every Article of the Creed and every one of the Commandments and every Petition of the Lords Prayer and every Ordinance of Worship p 65 They are worse then meer Sectaries p. 73 Use 2. How little cause the Papists have to glory when they draw an ungodly man meerly into their Church p. 80 Use 3. How falsly Papists and Quakers tell us that the ungodly persons are the fruit of our Ministery p. 83 Use 4. A serious Motion for Vnity and Peace to all that would have us of one Religion p. 88 Some more undenyable Reasons to prove that there is no other way of Vnity but this one p. 100 Quest. What is that Godliness that we must all unite in p. 136 Quest. What the nearer an Agreement should we be Do not the godly differ among themselves p. 178 Use 5. How little hope of perfect Vnity on earth And how much Vnity may be expected among the Godly p. 195 Quest. Whether Vnity in the Profession of one Faith Government and Worship may serve turn Ten discoveries of the insufficiency of a Vnion in meer profession p. 203 How much true godliness would conduce to heal our lesser differences and that we might do well notwithstanding them p. 234 Manifested in twenty four particulars Quest. How then comes it to pass that there are so many differences among those that you call godly Answered p. 288 Advice to the godly p. 308 Rom. 14.1 Explained p. 313 Doct. It is the will of God
out against Divisions when your hearts are thus divided from God and his servants You must learn to Love them with a special Love and Christ in them before you can be United with them 14. There is no Unity to be had wiâ—hout a Love to the Body that you are United to You must Love the Church and long for its prosperity and the success of the Gospel and the downfall of wickedness Thus do the Saints but thus do not the ungodly Nay many of them are glad when they hear of any evil befall the godly 15. There is no true Vnity without a singular respect to the special members that are the ligaments and chief Instruments of Unity even the Officers of the Church and most useful members The Overseers of the Church must be highly esteemed in Love for their work sake 1 Thes. 5.12 Thâ—s do the godly but not the ungodly 16. There must be an inward inclination to the Communion of Saints before there can be any agreement and Unity All that are of the Holy Catholick Church must desire the Communion of Saints Their delight must be in them Psal. 16.3 But the ungodly have no such delight in their Communion 17. If you will have Vnity and Communion with the Church you must have a Love to the Holy Ordinances which are the means of Communion as to the Word of God heard and read to Prayer Sacraments Confession c. But the ungodly have either a distaste of these or but a common delight in the outside and not in the Spirit of the Ordinance And therefore they cannot agree with the Church when you loath that which is our mâ—at and drink and we cannot feed at one Table together what Agreement can there be 18. If you will Agree you must wâ—rk in the same Vineyard and labour in the same employment and walk the same way as the sanctified do And that is in a way of holiness and righteousness giving all diligence to make your calling and election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 If you live to the flesh and they live to the Spirit Rom. 8.5 13. What Unity and Agreement can there be 19. There is no Unity to be had unless you will joyn in a defensive and offensive league and in an opposition to that which would tend to our destruction What Common-wealth will Unite with them that defend their enemies and rebels There is an enmity put in the beginning between the seed of the woman and of the Serpent Gen. 3.15 Because we are not of the world the world will hate us Iohn 15.19 If you will be United to the Church and people of Christ you must be at enmity with sin and hate it and joyn for the destroying of it and you must be souldiers in Christs Army which the Devil and his army fight against and you must fight against the flesh the world and the devil and not live in friendship with them But this the unsanctified will not do 20. And therefore because you will not be United to them in the state and Kingdom of Grace you shall not be United with them in the state and Kingdom of Glory And thus I have made it plain to you that none can have true Union with the Church of Christ but only they that are sanctified by the Spirit Use I. BY this time you may see if you are willing to see who it is long of that the world is all in pieces by divisions and who are the greatest hinderers of Unity Even unsanctified ungodly men And you may see how fit these men are to cry out against Divisions that are the principal causes of them And how wisely they deal to cry up Unity and in the mean time resist the only ground and way of Unity As Ioshua said to Achan 7.25 Why hast thou troubled us the Lord shall trouble thee this day So I may say to all the ungodly Why trouble you the Church and hinder Vnity you shall one day have trouble your selves for this They cry out against the Ministry and others that fear God as Ahab did to Elijah Art thou he that troubleth Israel But saith Elijah It is thou and thy Fathers house that trouble Israel in that ye have forsaken the Commandment of the Lord 1 King 18.17 18. Sirs I tell you and I may confidently tell you when I have proved it so fully that it is the ungodly that are the great Dividers of the world It s you that make the breach and keep it open We are willing to agree to any thing that is reasonable or pâ—ssible but there is no possibility of Agreeing with the ungodly unless they will turn It would make any honest heart to ake to see these wreâ—ches set all on fire and then cry out against others as the Authors of it As Nero set Rome on fire and then persecuted the Christians for it as if it had been done by them They pluck up the Foundations and hold most damnable practical errours and when they have done they go about reviling other men as erroneous I speak not in the excuse or extenuation of other mens errours I have spoke my part against them also But I tell you it is the prophane and ignorant rabble and all the ungodly whether Gentlemen Schollars or of what rank soever that are the great dividers and stand at the greatest distance from Christian Unity O what a happy Church should we have for all the sects that trouble us so much if it were not for ungodliness that animateth some of those sects and virtually containeth many more Had we none but men fearing God to deal with we should have no opposition to the Essentials of Religion and we should still have the comfort of agreeing with them in all things necessary to salvation They would carry on their differences in Christian meekness charity and moderation and at the worst our Agreement would be greater then our disagreement But when we have to deal with haters of holiness or at least with men that are strangers to the sanctifying work of the Spirit we have predominant Pride and Selfishness and Covetousness to strive against We have radicated Infidelity and enmity to God and holiness giving life and strength to all their errours and making them stubborn and wilful and scornful against the clearest truths that can be shewed them There is no dealing effectually with a carnal heart for any but God himself Unless we can create light in them as well as reveal the truth to them what good can we do them What good doth the Sun to a man that is blind They have understandings left and therefore they can err but they have no heavenly light in them and therefore they cannot choose but err They have wills and therefore are capable of sin but they have no holy rectitude of them and therefore sin they will with obstinacy When we dispute with the godly that err through weakness we deal with men that have eyes in their heads and
â—he time is a hand when 〈…〉 Grâ—ce or Hell shall make you â—iâ—h and wish â—gain thaâ— you might have but â—he pooreâ—â— lowest place in 〈…〉 which you so despâ—sed 〈◊〉 what I say to you Sirs in the name of God If the Loâ—d of Heaven do not shortly make the dullest heart the greatest dender of godlâ—ness among you that heareth these words to wish and wish an hundred times that he had lived as holy anâ— heavenly a life as the strictest of those that he foâ—merly derided â—hen call me a false Prophet for ever and spare not Whâ—n you feel the misery of unholy souls and see the happinesâ— of the Saints above you then O that you had been but such as they and lived as they whatever it cost you And as Balaâ—m you will shortly say O that I might ill the death of the righteous and that my last and may bâ— as his Numb 23.10 There is never a one of you all but would fain be among the Saints at Judgement and receive their Sentence and reward and therefore its best for you joyn with them now or it will be too laâ—e to wish iâ— then 11. If all this will not serve the turn but you will needs stand off and separate your selves fâ—om the servants of Christ be it known to you you shall ere long have separation enough and be further from them then your hearts can wish As you would not be United to them and joyn with â—hem in Holinesâ— so you shall not be partakers with them of their Happiness One Heaven will not hold you both and there is but One to hold you and therefore an everlasting separation shall be made Between them and you will a great gulf be set so that they that would pass from you to them shall never be able Luke 16.26 When they stand on the right hand you shall be set upon the left and when they hear Come ye blessed you shall hear Go ye cursed and when they go awâ—y into lifâ— eternâ—l you shall go â—way into evâ—rlasting punishment Mat. 25.31 32 41 46. Then you shall see that the man is blessed that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly nor standeth in the way of sinners nâ—r sitteth in the seat of the scornful but his delight is in the Law of the Lord and in his Law doth he meâ—itate day and night The ungodly ar◠〈◊〉 so but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the Iudgement nor sinners in the Congrâ—gation of the righteous For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous but the Way â—f the ungodly shall perish Psalm 1. Then you will say to them that now you differ from Give us of your oyl for our Lamps â—re gone out Oh that we had part in your holiness and your hopes but they will answer you Not so lest there be not enough for us and you We have little enough for our selves you should have done as we did but then it will be too late Mat. 25.8 9 10. It will then make the proudest heart to shake to hear Depart from me all ye that are workers of iniquity I never knew you Matth. 7.23 You departed from me and would not live in the Communion of Saints and now Christ himself of whom you boasted and in whom you trusted will not know you but cause you to depart much further then you desired both from his â—aints and him These are the true revelations of God which may be laught at and slâ—ghted now but will certainly be made good on all that are not now United to Christ and his Church 12. And let me tell you to consummate your mâ—seâ—y when that day of everlasting separation comes those servants of Christ whâ—m you refused to joyn with in an holy life will be so iâ— any witnesses against you to your condemnation As Christ tells you Mat. 25. he will say In as much as you 〈…〉 to one of thâ—sâ— you 〈◊〉 it nâ—t me â—o in as much as you râ—fused the Communion of Saints and peâ—haps derided them you refuâ—ed Communâ—on 〈◊〉 Châ—ist hâ—mself aâ—d derided him Then â—hey 〈◊〉 testâ—fie 〈…〉 you We were willing to hâ—vâ— had his company in the way â—f holiness but he refused it And when you see them set so far above you then your own consciences will say We might have been of this blâ—ssâ—d Society and would not we might have done as thâ—y and now spâ—â—l as they we were often entreatâ—d 〈◊〉 by our Teachers â—nd full glad would the godly hâ—ve been of our compâ—â—y in an holy life but we â—estinately refused all Wrâ—t heâ—thâ—â— we are we refused all Wâ— thâ—â—ght iâ— reâ—â—lâ—ss our hâ—arts wâ—râ—â—gâ—inst it we prâ—ferrâ—d 〈…〉 anâ— prâ—fits and creâ—it 〈…〉 â—f the worlâ— bâ—fâ—re it an◠〈…〉 â—ustly do wâ— pâ—rish in â—ur 〈…〉 lie in yoâ—der â—urnin◠〈◊〉 and be separated as far as Hâ—â—l is â—â—om Hâ—â—ven frâ—m thâ—se that we willfully â—eparâ—tâ—â— fâ—om on â—arth â—eloved hearers I were not a Believer if I did nâ—t foresee this dâ—eâ—dâ—ul day and I were nâ—t a man if I did not desire that you might escape this misery and therefore I could do no less then warn you as you love your selves and would not be separated from them for ever that you would presently be United to the Godly and live in the true Communion of the Saints and withdraw your selves from the wayes of the ungodly lest you be found among them and perish with them I have done my part in telling you the truth and now must leave the success to God Use ult BUT I must conclude with a word of advice to the Godly I have made a very large ambitious motion for the conversion of all at once But alas it is far from my expectation that it should prevail I am not so unacquainted with the power of sin and the subtilty of the Devil and the wilfulness of blind unsanctified men and the ordinary course of Providence in this work as to cherish any hopes that All the Town and Parish should Consent If many or any more do I shall be glad But plurima quaeras ut pauca feras An high motion when reasonable may be serviceable to lower hopes By what I have here said you may see how little hope there is that ever the Church should have any such Peace on earth as we desire If unhoâ—iness be the hinderance and the greatest part of the world are so unholy and so our Unity is like to rise no higher then our Piety you may see then how much Unity to look for But for your own parts be sure among your selves to maintain the Unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace Love the Brother-hood even Saints as Saints And because you are not the searchers of the heart proceed according to the Word of God Let all that Profess themselves a sanctified people and live so as that you cannot certainly disprove their profession be used as Saints by you and
Preachers for Ceremonies when as if Gods Will and Word in Necessary things to mens Salvation had but been preferred to the will and word of the Bishops about things called Indifferent by themselves the case had been altered and they would rather have let the ignorant have been without a Ceremony then a Sermon It is the unhappy fate of almost all that are set upon unnecessary things that they cannot endure that others should have the liberty of differing from them It is not enough to them to enjoy the freedom of their own Consciences about meats or holydaies or gestures or vestures or other formalities unless all others be compelled to do as they do When they are but moved to comply with others though plain Scripture and the practice of the Primitive Cathilick Church be justly alledged for it yet it moveth them little or nothing But if others will not comply with them they cry out against them as enemies to Unity and Peace and say It is not fit to suffer men to be of so many minds and waies That is It is fit all should be compelled to do as they would have them 12. And another mischief that followeth the making unnecessary things to be Necessary is that it openeth a gap to so many more of the same kind that no man knows how to stop it nor when we have Ceremonies and inventions enough But upon the same ground that these are brought in to day the next Pope or Bishop thinks he may bring another tomorrow and so we can never tell when we have all nor when will be an end 13. And then in the multitude of things unnecessary we shall be in danger of losing the things that are necessary they will be so buryed or obscured in the crowd the substance will scarce be perceived for the ceremony 14. And me thinks it is such height of Pride for mortal men to arrogate such a power and to desire and endeavour such a thing that I wonder how they dare attempt it I mean to make universal or unnecessary Laws for the Church in the matters of faith or worship Can a man that hath one spark of humility left in him desire that his will may be a Law to all others in doubtful or indifferent things and proceed so far as to desire that none may have Liberty in the Church that are not of his opinion or will not be ruled by him in things indifferent or of no necessity Surely a man of any humility would think with himself Am not I also imperfect in knowledge and may I not be mistaken what is my judgement that it should be a Law to the Church and that I should be so highly conceited and confident of it as to turn out godly Ministers or people from the Church or worship of God for not conforming themselves to my opinion in things of such a low indifferent nature He that would be the Law-giver to the Church and suffer none but those of his own opinion in such points would be the Lord of the Church which can know the voice of none but Christ and owneth no other Lord but him 15. And the sin is the greater because they have so little Interest or pretence to lead them to these usurpations They must have their will though it get them nothing Who made them Law-givers to the Church of Christ Cannot they allow Christ this part of the Soveraignty to make Laws for his Church And cannot they be content with a Ministerial power to proclaim and promote the Laws of Christ and according to these to guide his Church 16. And hereby men are drawn to a humane kind of Religion And they do more properly believe obey and worship these Imposers then Jesus Christ when they must fetch the very matter of their Religion not from the Bible but the Canons or Decrees of men their conscience obedience and reward will be according thereunto 17. And hereby the adversaries of the Church have occasion to insult over us and think our Differences to be more then indeed they are When the Unity of the Church is laid upon things Indifferent or of smalest moment there will presently be disagreements and these will be the enemies matter of reproach It is this that makes the Papists tell us of our differences among our selves because we have made them seem something to them when they are next to nothing O say they where is your Church of England now why what 's the matter Is the Church of England dead Or is any thing taken down that was essential to the Church of England was a Prelacy ruling by a lay-Chancelor over many hundred Parishes chosen and Governing without the body of the Clergy Essential to the Church of England I am confident the most of the sober godly Ministers in England are for the Apostolical primitive Episcopacy still Was the Book of Canons or the Book of Common Prayer or the Ceremonies Essential to the Church of England Sure they were not And if so its living still But if any say that these were Essential to it we may thank them for the death of it that made it of such a humane mortal frame which any Prince might spurn down at his pleasure Surely the Church or Churches of Christ in England are of a more heavenly durable frame that may be persecuted but hardly destroyed while the men are living of whom it doth consist Hence also it is that the Papists tell us that we have changed all our worship And wherein why we have not the same Baptism that we had nor the same administration of the Lords Supper nor the same publick Prayer nor the same way of Marrying Churching Burying c. And what 's the difference Is it that we say not at every time the very same words why so you may as well say that Paul was mutable because he wrot not the same words in every one of his Epistles nor spoke not the same words in all his Prayers no not in publick And so both you and we are mutable because we preach not the same words every day in our Sermons God hath bid us Pray but he hath prescribed us no necessary form of words but the Lords Prayer If the difference be that we use not the Common Prayer Book doth that make a different sort of worship Is it not the same sort of worship if we say the same words or words to the same sence either on the Book or off it If once men lay the Nature of worship and the Unity of the Church upon things unnecessary then what changes will seem to be in our worship when indeed there 's none Then the Papists may tell us of our divisions in worship because one man sitteth at the singing of Psalms and another stands and one readeth with spectacles and another without and one weareth a cap and another weareth none and one preacheth on one Text and another upon another But be it known to all the Papists in
not with Infidelity Sensuality Impenitency or any ungodly course If men be not so much as weak Believers and seem not Saints at least of the lower form receive not these into your Communion but leave them under your common compassionate charity If you can prove that God receiveth them not then do not you Receive them But as you are Christians take heed of cutting off or despising the Members of Christ and of giving a Bill of divorce to any soul that is truly espoused to him You have Drunkards and Railers and notorious ungodly ones enough to exercise all your Zeal if you joyn both head and heart and hand against them And can you find in your hearts to fall upon one another for indifferent things or smaller matters which the Unity of the Church doth not consist in I speak to both sides impartially and I beseech you so understand me What if thy weak Brother pray upon a Book darest thou therefore despise him and what if thy Brother pray without Book darest thou therefore judge him Nay darest thou desire that none but such should have liberty to Preach or Worship in the Church What if thy weak Brother dare not receive the Sacrament unless he Kneel in the act of receiving it darest thou therefore despise him And what if thy Brother on the other side do rather take it in another gesture because he is sure that Christ and his Apostles sinned not in so doing and because he finds that our Kneeling is contrary to the practice of the ancient Church yea ad hominem I may say contrary to General Councils yea to the last Canon of the first General Council it self which even the Canonists say that no Provincial Council or Bishops can repeal with many other reasons dare you therefore judge him because he dare not imitate you rather then Christ and his Apostles and the Primitive Church for many hundred years If any imagine that I go against this necessary Toleration my self because all here receive the Sacrament sitting I answer Let them prove that ever I refused one person meerly because they would take it Kneeling if they can If you say Why then are not all admitted to take it Kneeling I answer Soft and fair There are greater matters then Kneeling in the way Do but first let go your vicious courses and agree with us in a holy life turn unfeignedly to God and live in the Church Order that he hath plainly commanded and then if I cannot give you satisfaction you shall have liberty to take it in the gesture that you desire so be it you will grant me my liberty as I grant you yours One instance more Tomorrow is the day called Christmass day and many days called Holy days do follow it If you will but Read and Mark this Chapter Rom. 14. I am perswaded it may prevent a great deal of sin that many of you on both sides may be guilty of Is it not a wonder that after so large and plain a decision by the Holy Ghost as here you find there should yet be any controversie among us about this Case Do you take the word of God for your Rule or not If you do why then doth it not Rule you and end the difference Do you not read the Apostlâ—s words ver 14. One man esteemeth one day above another another esteemeth every day alike Let every man be fully perswaded in his own mind If you were Papists that would say the Scripture is obscure and therefore you must have a General Council you could scarce devise how a Council should speak more plain then this But nothing will serve some men but their own wills Dare you on the one side despise your weak Brother now for esteeming â—hese days above the rest Why perhaps it is to God that he esteemeth it and the ancient custom of the Church and practice of many godly persons do perswade him that it is right And dare you on the other side condemn or reproach them that make not this difference of days as you do If we are contented that you have your Liberty which truly I would not deprive you of if it were in my power cannot you be contented that we have ours There are three opinions about these Holy days 1. Some think the observance of them a necessary Religious Duty 2. Some think the very outward observance to be an intolerable sin 3. Some know that both these extreams are erroneous and therefore they take the thing in it self to be indifferent but as circumstances or accidents may make it Good or Evil And these are in the right They that are in the Middle can bear with others but the other cannot bear with them nor with each other There is no proof that ever I saw that the Church observed any of these days of many hundred years after Christ. For the Clement the Dionysius the Cyprian that are cited for it are known to be spurious And it is unlikely that none of these would have been mentioned as well as the Lords day if they had been then observed when there was so much ado about the time of Easter day Yea it is certain that of divers hundred years after Christ it was not agreed on which was the day of Christs Nativity some thought it was on Ianuary 6. and therefore called it the Epiphany or Appearance And of old both the birth day and Circumcision of Christ were supposed to be on that same day that is on the sixth of Ianuary Caessianus witnesseth that the Egyptians were of that mind Collat. l. 10. c. 11. And Epiphanius witnesseth the same of the Greek and Asian and Syrian Churches Epiphanius himself and Nâ—zianzen and many others were of this mind that it was on Ianuary 6. and that thence it was called the Epiphanis And Chrysâ—stom in Hom. in Natal Dâ—m tells us that it was but ten years before he wrote it that the Romans had perswaded the Church of Constantinople to change the day to December 25. And yet the Countryes about Ierusalem held to the 6. of Ianuary as Causabon hath shewed Exercit. 2. cap. 4. p. 170 171. cap. 11. p. 186 187. Yea indeed the Day of Christs Nativity is yet unknown as if God had kept us ignorant of purpose Many very learned men as Broughton Helvicus Scaliger Beroaldus think that the day was about Autumn in the beginning of October Calvisius Paraeus and many more are for other times then December 25. and Iac. Cappellus and many others still go the old way for Ianuary 6. And Th. Lydiat out of Clem. Alexandr is for May 20. Scultetus Clopenburgius and many others do shew that indeed the time is utterly uncertain And no wonder if the day be uncertain when the very year is so uncertain that there is no probability of ever comeing to a full agreement about it among the Learned in Chronologie till the last comeing of Christ agree them Our late most Learned Chronologer Bishop Vsher was