be charged with Schism And these Rules observed would have prevented those Persecutions which have bin in the Christian World upon the account of Rites and Ceremonies or some little difference in Religion And this is all I shall speak about christian-Christian-Worship in the External part of it And therefore shall next speak of it in the Internal part of it Of which our Saviour speaks John 4. 23. The hour cometh and now is when the true Worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth But this is General but more Particularly he that worships as a Christian 1. He Worships in the Faith of the New Testament which is a Faith respecting Christ as already come and not as yet to come as the Faith of the Old Testament did And he worships in greater assurance of Faith also which the Apostle speaks of as proper to the New Testament Heb. 10. 22. Christ having now actually Suffered and the New Covenant sealed with his Blood and ascended Heaven to make Intercession as our great High-Priest The Faith of the New Testament hath more assurance in it wherein the Saints do worship and draw nigh to God. Let us draw nigh with full assurance of Faith c. Heb. 10. 22. Let us come boldly to the Throne of Grace Heb. 4. 16. Having therefore boldness to enter the Holiest Heb. 10. 19. 2. He Worships not in the Oldness of the Letter but in the Newness of the Spirit This oldness of the Letter referrs either to the Ceremonial or Moral Law. The true Christian worships not in the oldness of the first Covenant He worships not in the Ordinances of the Ceremonial Law but only in what was spiritually signified in them His Incense is fervent Prayer ascending to Heaven in the Fire of the Holy Ghost His Peace-offering is hearty Thanksgiving His Heave-offering is an Heart lifted up to Heaven His Wine-offering Joy in God His Sin-offering is Repentance Confession of Sin and a Broken Heart His Burnt-offering is his whole Body of Sin offered up to be destroyed He keeps the Feast of Tabernacles by living as a Stranger upon Earth and Travelling towards the Heavenly Countrey He keeps the Feast of Passover in his worshipping and living without the Leaven of Hypocrisie and Malice in his Heart all his Days His Washings and Purifyings are the Sanctifyings of his Heart and Conscience And his looking towards the Temple in Worship is his looking to Christ herein And this is one part of his worshipping God in Spirit and in Truth and not in the Letter of the Ceremonial Law. So also he Worships not God in the outward Letter of the Moral Law that is meerly by the force of an outward Letter without the inward Principle of a renewed mind when the outward Letter of the Law striking upon the natural Conscience carries a Man sorth to Worship without any love to the Duty any life or delight in it this is to worship in the oldness of the Letter Rom. 7. 6. The Letter is said to kill but the Spirit giveth life 2 Cor. 3. 6. So that all Worship in the outward Letter without the Spirit is dead Worship and not truly Christian 3. The true Christian Worship is not to Worship in a Spirit of Bondage but in a Spirit of Adoption As the Apostle speaks of Christian Believers Gal. 4. 6 7. that They were no more Servants but Sons so they serve not God in the Spirit of Servants but of Sons Not so much for fear of Wrath and Punishment as love to please God honour him and enjoy him which is the Principle that they act from Perfect love casts out fear for fear hath Torment 1 Joh. 4. 18. And God hath not given us the Spirit of fear but of power love and a sound mind 2 Tim. 1. 7. And to the same purpose Rom. 8. 15. Christianity brings not Men to Mount Sinai where are Thunders and Earthquakes Blackness and Darkness and Tempests which made not only the People but Moses himself to fear and quake And in this Principle of servile fear did the Jews for the most part serve and worship God which is not the proper principle of true Christian Worship Though this Worship excludes not all fear of God but requires it Let us have Grace to serve God with Reverence â—nd Godly Fear saith the Apostle Heb. 12. 28. A Reverential Fear of God atâ—ended with an holy Modesty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Caution as the Greek words import ought to be found in all Christian Worship He worships God as a Father and with a filial fear suited to that Relation but not with servile fear 4. The true Christian Worships God as a Redeemer in Christ and so it is distinguisht from the worship of the Heathen who worshipt him only as the Creator of the World. They worshipt and adored him beholding the Characters of his Power Wisdom and Goodness in the Works of his Creation but the Christian Worships and Adores him beholding his Love Mercy and Grace c. manifested in the Work of Redemption He worships God rather as he is in Christ than in the Creatures And the Heathen worshipping God in the Creatures did lead them at last to worship the Creatures themselves and so became Idolaters instead of true Worshippers yea the Apostle saith They worshipt and served the Creature more than the Creator Rom. 1. 25. They did not worship God in his Creatures but divided their worship betwixt God and his Creatures and the Creatures got the greater share of it But none of this is Christian worship The Apostle gives account how he Worshipt God 2 Cor. 1. 3. Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ c. And Eph. 3. 14. I bow my Knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus And the Worship performed by the Elders and Angels and all Creatures that we read of Rev. 5. 13. is directed to him that Sits upon the Throne and the Lamb even that Lamb that hath Redeemed his People by his Blood. So that the Right Christian Worshipper looks at God as in Christ and as manifested in the Work of Redemption And so beholding him is inwardly acted and moved thereby to Adore and Worship him The true Principle of a Christian Lastly The true Christian Worshipper worships in Humility of Mind The Christian Religion so clearly shewing man above all Religions his lost and wretched State in his Fall and that he hath all his Righteousness Life Strength and Hope in another out of himself It teacheth him to worship in Humility As the twenty four Elders worship falling upon their Faces and casting down their Crowns before the Throne Rev. 4. 10. A Representation of right Gospel-worship which Christ therefore would have drest up in a decent plainness that it might be performed in Humility and not in Ostentation Thus we see what is the Internal part of Right Christian-Worship Not that it doth not require also the humble Gestures and Adorations of the outward
Christ Jesus without making use of any Sub-mediators either of Redemption or Intercession not mentioned in the Gospel and herein he considers God not only as a Creator or in the absolute perfections of his Being but as reconciled in the Blood of his Son related as a Father and ingaged by a special Covenant He is one who waits and prays for the help of Gods holy Spirit to lead him into the presence of God and to help his Infirmities therein and approacheth not to him meerly by the impulse of natural Conscience much less by the help of Pictures or Images forbidden by the Law of God but by the Spirit of Adoption inclining his Will moving his Affections and crying Abba Father in his Heart Again He reckons upon Suffering with Christ as well as Reigning with him of bearing his Cross as well as wearing his Crown and of Denying himself as becomes a Disciple of Christ and therefore Arms himself for it that he may not be surprized by it or faint under it and as he will not rashly thrust himself upon sufferings so neither decline them when necessarily called thereunto wherein he will have respect to the goodness of his Call of his Cause and of his Conscience Further He is one who when he is Reviled reviles not again patiently bears affronts and injuries for Righteousness sake seeks not privately to revenge himself but commits his Cause to him that judgeth righteously Again He embraceth Religion for its own sake and not for any politick end and abhors to make use of it as an Art to serve any Covetous Ambitious or Treacherous designs He is one who believes a Judgment to come and therefore lives in continual awe of it and endeavours so to manage the whole course of his actions that he may be accepted of the Lord in that day and not fall under the wrath to come and thereupon is less concerned about being Judged of men or of mans day Again He believing the Immortality of his own Soul the Resurrection of his Body and hoping for the Eternal Life of the World to come Life and Immortality being brought to light by the Christian Religion he is seeking to make it sure to himself and thereupon is less concerned as to his temporal Life and his short stay in this present World looking upon himself as a stranger here on Earth He is careful to examin himself about his State towards God and to know the inward frame and temperament of his own Soul and the Actions of his Life in the Principle Rule and End of them that he may not be found among Hypocrites and that counterfeit Grace may not be mistaken for that which is true His Zeal in Religion is not rash and precipitate hypocritical and treacherous violent and cruel so as to transgress the Rules of Humanity Charity and Sobriety but is grounded upon Knowledge and regulated by sound Judgment Wisdom and Discretion and his greatet Zeal is about the great things of Religion and of the greatest certainty He is one who hath a regular Conscience extending to one Duty as well as to another and therefore will not strain at Gnats and swallow Camels nor be scrupulous about Ceremonies and of conforming to some outward Forms of Worship and yet can practise injustice oppression lying fraud intemperance backbiting malice and such moral impieties not becoming Christians And if he hath a Conscience of Conformity to the Church he makes Conscience of the moral Duties of Religion and will not be found guilty of swearing cursing drunkenness fornication scoffing at piety blasphemy false accusation or persecution for Conscience sake of the truly conscientious c. And though his practice in Religion is according to his best Light and judgment yet he confines not the Church of God or monopolizeth Salvation to the narrow limits of his own private Opinion but judgeth charitably of men who Conscientiously differ from him as knowing that as in several Nations so under several Opinions He that feareth God and worketh Righteousness is accepted of him and therefore he can love and honour true Piety Sincerity and Goodness and real Worth wherever he finds them as the Phylosophers called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 studied to extract the good out of every Sect of Phylosophers and rejected the rest Again He beholdeth the Creator in the works of his Creation and adores his wisdom power bounty and goodness shining forth therein and as a Christian he can look upon the Creator of the World as the Redeemer of it and as his God and Father in Jesus Christ and in special relation to him and hereupon to have his Heart engaged to love him honour him fear him and trust in him which is more than the most learned Heathen by the light of Nature could attain unto Further He considering the Dominion God hath given Man over the brute Creatures he useth them with Thanksgiving but will not abuse them as a Tyrannical Lord and is stirred up to the more chearful service of God by those brute Creatures which are daily serving him He knows that not only Faith is required of a Christian but outward Profession and therefore he conforms to all the Ordinances and Institutions of Christ in his Church and attends there diligently for his Edification and that God may be hononred by the Divine Worship of the Publick Assemblies of his People according to the dictates of the universal Law of Nature and therefore as he will not have Communion with any Church in that that is evil and sinful so he is ready to hold Communion with all Churches in that which is lawful and good that he may not fall under the just charge of Schism or unwarrantable Separation and seeks the maintaining of his whole profession unspotted and without rebuke and therefore He keeps his Foot when he goes to the House of God demeans himself with all seriousness and Reverence in Gods publick Worship will not be found talking gazing whispering laughing or sleeping when his mind and thoughts should be directed towards God that he may carry himself suitable to that great Presence wherein he is and the solemnity of that Service he i◠engaged in He carefully avoids all Tempting of God by presuming upon his Power and Mercy for the good either of his Soul or Body without using suitable and rational means or such as may be appointed of God for that end neither will he pray or hope to receive what God hath never promised to give and thereby be also a tempter of God. Again He being a Christian is careful to observe the Christian Sabbath not the Seventh day of the Week as the Jews but the First according to the example of the Apostles and the first Christian Churches whereby he owns Christs Lordship over the Sabbath to change the day as well as the Ordinances of Gods worship therein and therefore he remembers to keep it Holy by abstaining from bodily Labours and by the exercise of his mind and thoughts
Sacrament that she might thereby the better establish her self Hath she not made it too evident that Wealth Grandeur and Dominion hath been more her design than the Glory of God proâ—oting true Holiness and the Salvation of Mens Souls Hath she not been guilty of Silencing many â—undreds of able Preachers not for Slothfulâ—ess or Non-residency not for Insufficiency â—ot for Scandal not for Heresie not for â—ebellion to the Civil Authority but only â—on-conformity to some unnecessary Rites in â—eligion which they scrupled out of their zeal â—gainst Popery wherein if they have exceedâ— I hope it may now be judged a pardonâ—le Crime but I fear it hath had no good â—fect but hath tended to the hindering the â—ogress of the Gospel and the Salvation of any Souls by rigid imposing of Subscriptions â—d Canonical obedience and Assent and Conâ—t and stretching Conformity beyond what â— was in the former Age Doth not the in of many Families and the loss of some â—es lie at her door Hath she not debarr'd publick Assemblies for Worship to multitudes in the Nation unlesâ— in such a way as was Offensive to their Consciences and not Edifying to their Souls though such as maintain and profess all thâ— substantial parts of the Christian and Protestant Religion are blameless in their Liveâ— and profitable in the Nation and therebâ— exposing them to the danger of returning tâ— Popery or of being reduced to Paganism Dâ— the Dissenters differ from her in any of thoâ— things wherein she differs from the Papistâ— but rather in those things wherein she agreâ— with them And what then is that whiâ— is strictly to be called the Church of Englanâ— She hath indeed made a strong and honourâ—ble oppsition to Popery by many Wortâ— and Learned Men of her Communion bâ— hath it not been in those things wherein tâ— Dissenters agree with her and rejoyce â— what they have done and act with her theâ— in So that the Church of England considâ—ed as distinct from the forementioned Dissâ—ters is made up only of some Additional to â— Christian Religion And if it be Object That such deference ought to be given to â— Laws of the Land as not to have publâ— Meetings otherwise than allowed I Answâ— Such Laws are only humane and topical â— so cannot supersede the universal Lawâ— Nature which doth dictate to all Natiâ— publick Assemblies for the solemn worshiâ— God. And let it be considered whether the imposing of those things which are judged unnecessary can be justified to the hindering of what is necessary both by the Law of Nature and the written Law of God and whether this Liberty hath not been taken against publick Laws both in the times of the Heathen Persecution and here in England in times of Popery Many other things I might mention but these I only lay before her with the words of our Saviour to the Church of Ephesus Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen and Repent or else I will come against thee quickly and remove thy Candlestick except thou Repent Rev. 2. 5. And if she thinks her self in danger should not this awaken her to Repentance And is there any Protestant Church but doth solemnly Fast and Pray in threatning Dangers But we see little of this in the Church of England Not that every individual Member of that Ecclesiastick body ought to be charged God forbid I know many of them have been grieved at the sufferings of their Brethren Pleaded â—heir Cause and Lamented to see such a â—pirit of Persecution act in the Church of England and could see a little better than â—thers who they were that pusht on those â—evere Persecutions against them and how â—opery crept in upon the Nation under a Proâ—estant Vizard and were ashamed to hear some of her Clergy boast of the Purity of the Church of England when to their great trouble Corruptions both in Doctrine and Worship and in the Conversations of multitudes in it was so visibly seen to prevail not only tolerated but too much countenanced and little Discipline exercised but against Non-conformists though Men of the greatest Sobriety and Piety and usefulness in the Nation But I mention these things not to recriminate but to help on that Repentance which may prevent Gods controversie with that Church and to melt down their Spirits into such a Coalition with their dissenting Brethren that the Nation may be strengthened against our Popish Adversaries and that all hands may be at work to make the Bank strong against the inundation of the Sea â—â— mean the See of Rome I fear whilst our publick especially our Cathedral Worship is shaped so like to that which is in Popery the transition will be made more facile to it It will be never the less Decent by being less Ceremonious And I hope the Pulpit-theam of some dignified Clergy-men will be no longer The Necessity of a Publick Conscience The Absoluteness of Kings And Invectives against Dissenters and that Able Orthodox and Learned Preachers will not be starved out of their work for want of Maintenance Nothing is more likely to secure the Protestant Religion than a pious diligent and able Ministry Every body knows the influences a corrupt Clergy hath upon the Laiety and how easily under the name of the Church of England such Men may lead the People blindfold into the Enemies Camp. But now I hope that both sides will be sensible wherein they have failed and the more Sober Pious and Judicious among them both centring in their present Majesties Accession to the Throne it will allay all former Animosities and we shall love and own one another as Christians and fellow Protestants which will disappoint the Hopes of the common Adversaries above any thing that can be imagined who are likely to get no great advantage upon us but by our own Divisions and make no Musick but by our Discords and we may well hope that the Concord that is found in the great Assembly of Parliament for the uniting all Protestants will have a happy influence upon the whole Nation herein but if any will be still grumbling and contentious sure they are such Men who love the fiery Element are the Nations Enemies and are secretly acted by Priests and Jesuits to bring us back again to Popery and Confusion But I hope by this time the body of the Nation is enlightned and awakened to disâ—ern their Dangers the Indications of Providence and their own Interest and that the designs wherewith these Men are travelling will prove Abortive or bring forth no other Fruit but Mischief to themselves but it may seem strange that any who have Prayed or Preached for Union and lamented the want of it should run from it when it is now offered to them and they invited to it As we would preserve the Nations Existence and Entity let us study its Unity and follow the instincts of Nature herein Omne ens noâ— minùs appetit unitatem quam entitatem And as Natural Unity upholds the Universe
Man which was practised in the Old Testament and ought to be also in the New and was practised by Christ himself and the Light of Nature did lead the Heathens to it in their Worship And the Christian Religion excludes none of the Principles of the Light of Nature But that worship which is more strictly Christian is worship in Spirit from an Evangelical Principle and according to the Laws and Institutions of the New Testament Neither doth this Religion exclude publick Oratories Temples or as we call them Churches for publick Worship or any convenient places appropriate thereunto The Light of Nature and the forementioned Rules of doing all things Decently and to Edification in the worship of God doth direct to them but to think that the Place makes the worship acceptable is no Christian Principle as having no holiness in it like the Jewish Temple and under no such Institution For that Temple was figurative both of Christ and the Gospel-Church So that God hath his Temple still his Visible Church as the Apostle tells the Corinthians Whose Temple you are And as that Temple of Solomon had its outward and inward Court so it is now Some who worship in the outward Form only which are the outward Court given up to the Gentiles or Paganizing Christians and are that Temple where the Man of Sin sits and which God regards not and will not have it measured And others who worship God in Spirit and are the inward Court and the true Temple and Altar measured by the line of Gods Sanctuary and where Christ doth sit and walk And was this Spiritual Worship more regarded I believe we should not contend so much about the Ceremonial part which when it is forced upon Men by Fines and Penalties it looks more like Antichristian than Christian Worship Of the English PARLIAMENT considered as Christian I Should not have added any thing upon this Head but that the present juncture of Affairs makes it seasonable we having at this Time a Parliament Assembled not only of Christian Men but of Protestants which profess Reformed Christianity And by a wonderful and unexpected Call brought together and in a critical Time when the Nation was in an Agony of Fear Distraction and Danger How welcome are Physicians to a Distempered Dying Patient who both know the Malady and have Skill to recover him Such we hope this Parliament to be to England consisting of so many Eminent Worthies freely chosen and freely debating sent from all parts of the Nation to Consult our Cure. And seeing that I have bin treating of the Christian Religion in the Excellency and Influence of it we cannot but expect its Eminent Influence upon that great Assembly And that true Christianity will be in the Chair and preside in all their Votes and Deâ—btes I do not presume to be capable of giving any Advice to those Honourable Persons who are every way so far above me All I shall presume unto is only to lay before them such things which they already know and present them in a fresh view to their Minds and that only in Hypothesi and only according to the Laws of Christianity and not the Rules of State-Policy Our English Parliament we know it to be the Supream Court of the Nation England's Sanhedrim and the Kings great Council of ancient Constitution acknowledged and maintained by successive Princes both of the Saxon and Norman Race for many Generations It is the Epitome of the whole Nation who are all here either present or represented It is the Fountain of Justice the Ne plus ultrà of Controversie It is the Bulwark of its Defence the Healer of its Breaches the united Reason Wisdom and Counsel of the whole Kingdom It is the true Ballance of our English Government holding the Scale even betwixt a Turkish Tyranny and Republican Democracy or betwixt Arbitrary Government and Popular Anarchy yea I may style it a brief Model of the whole Universe wherein the King may be considered as Regent in both Houses the Peers as the Planets compassing him about who as they receive the Splendour of their Honour from him so they reflect it back again upon him in their Loyalty and Allegiance to his Person and Government The House of Commons is as the middle Region which by its Coldness doth Temper and Moderate the Influence of the Superior Luminaries that the Earth of the Common People may not be Scorched by it The wholsome Laws here Enacted are as Rivers that Run forth to refresh the whole Land. And it subsists as the Universe by the Unity of its Parts and breaks in pieces by Division And as Natural things are formed by the Communion that is betwixt the Superior and Inferior World so things Political by that Communion which is betwixt the two Houses of Parliament But who is a right qualified Member of this great Assembly He that would describe him may have the easier Task by having the Instances before him hereof in the many eminent Worthies now met together in this present Parliament First He is one who sits in the House by a just Right either by the right of Birth and Peerage as the Lords or by a right of a free Election of the People in the Majority of their Votes and Suffrages as the Commons But yet as he is a Christian he takes notice of the Providence of God in calling him to this Publick Service Again He is a Man not Acted by Ambition cometh not thither meerly to assume Honour to himself but to do some publick Good to the Nation and Service to his Country which he accounts his greatest Honour which is a temper becoming Christianity He sits in the House with a mind free from Prejudice both with respect to Causes and the Persons of all Men and gives up himself to the conduct of Reason Equity and Conscience in all his Votes and Debates that he may not justly wrong any Man as becomes a Christian He is not pertinacious in his own sentiments and overweening his own Parts and Wisdom above other Men but is more ready to hear than to speak and will submit readily himself to Men of greater Judgment and Experience than his own and in Honour will prefer another before himself as becomes a Christian He looks not on himself as a private Person when he sits in that great Assembly and therefore lays aside the consideration of all private Interests when they stand in Competition with the publick Good that he may Faithfully discharge both towards God and Man the publick Trust that is in his Hand As becometh an English Senatour and a Christian He will not suffer himself to be transported with Heat or Passion whereby his Judgment may be blinded and his Speech precipitate and provoking but hath that Command over his own Spirit by the Dominion of Reason and the Grace of God in his Soul whereby he can either be Silent and not Speak or else can Speak with that Sedateness and Sobriety as
in those Duties of Religion both publick and private which are suitable to the Day and required in the moral part of the Fourth Commandment and we read that the keeping of the Lords-day was made the Character of a Christian in the primitive times Further He is an Encourager of good Ministers who labour in the Word and Doctrine receiveth them as the Embassadors of Christ submitteth to their instructions in the Lord and hath them in high esteem for their Works sake and thinks it his Duty to give his Carnal things to them from whom he receives his Spiritual things and grudgeth not an honourable Maintenance to such whose Work and Office are both honourable He shapes not his Religion to the times and alters it not as his Interest alters but denies himself therein that he may be a true follower of Christ and the Truth and for the maintenance of a good Conscience Again He is one who lives not in any scandalous Sin nor allows himself in any known Sin but because he cannot live without Sin he daily renews his Repentance towards God and Faith towards the Lord Jesus Christ to preserve his peace with God and his own Conscience as the Christian Religion doth direct whereby he doth carefully avoid the two fatal racks of presumption and despair Neither is he the more easily drawn to any Sin because he esteems it Venial or by hope of obtaining Pardon by the Absolution of a Priest or the Intercession of any Saint or the Expiation of it in Purgatory He fetcheth down his Mercies from God by constant Prayer and returns them back to God by hearty Thanksgiving as becomes a Christian The Incense he offers up is fervent Prayer and his Peace-offering is a thankful Heart and this he doth not only in company with others but in his private Devotion betwixt God and his own Soul. He loves honours and practiseth true Godliness never a whit the lesser because of thâ— weakness folly or sinful miscarriages of somâ— that make profession thereof much less wilâ— he take advantage thereby to reproach anâ— scoff at it But the excellency equity peace and comfort which are in the ways of Religion make him to cleave to it though he sees many false pretenders to it under several Professions as knowing there will be some Hypocrites under all Forms and he will not justifie such aâ— make no profession because many cast a reproach upon it by an irregular conversation Again What evil he sees or censures in another he will examine his own Heart and practice whether the same is not found in himself and will therefore endeavour first to cast the Beam out of his own Eye and not practise himself what he hath condemned in another lest he thereby be self-condemned He is one who placeth not his Religion in Forms and Ceremonies or bodily Worship though he is for comely Gravity and all outward Decency in Gods worship yet his main â—â—re is to serve God with a frame of Heart â—oper to Christianity viz. not from servile â—ar as the Jews under the Law or the conâ—aint of humane Laws as time-serving forâ—al Christians much less out of vain ostenâ—â—tion as the Scribes and Pharisees but with â—ve and delight filial reverence humility â—â—vency and sincerity as becomes a true Chriâ—an and will not cry up holiness in Places Alâ—rs and Vestures c. and yet despise it in â—ens Persons Neither doth he place his Religion in high â—raphical Notions affected Gestures canting â—ords doubtful opinions or in not conformâ—g with others out of meer singularity but â— sound Knowledge Faith Love Mercy Huâ—ility and all Holiness of Life He also is one who can take kindly a just Reâ—oof and prefer a faithful reprover before â— vain self-seeking flatterer being more deâ—ous to be humbling himself than to be selfâ—alted If he meets with Affliction he justifies God â—bmits himself patiently to his Soveraign â—ill and seeks to turn it to some advantage â— his Soul or if it be Persecution for Righâ—ousness sake he patiently commits his cause â— God will rather judge himself than revile â—e Adversary will use no unwarrantable â—eans to deliver himself will acknowledge â—e righteousness of God in all the unrighteâ—usness of Men Yea he doth love his Enemies blesseth those that curse him prayes them who despitefully use him is not ovâ—come of evil but overcomes evil with goâ— as becomes a Christian He is not offended at the Prosperity of wiâ—ed Men he knowing it hath been so in â— Ages and that they receive all their goâ— things in this Life and the time of Recompeâ— is not yet neither doth he stagger at the Aâ—versity of the Righteous as knowing it coâ— either for a tryal of Vertue or a chastisemâ— for their good that they may not be condeâ—ed with the World. He is one who is not Anxiously careful abâ— the things of this Life seeks not great thiâ— to himself yet is diligent in his place aâ— calling and commits his Affairs to the condâ— and blessing of God seeks to eat his oâ— Bread and is content with the portion Gâ— allotts him of the things of this World. Further He will not extenuate Sin aâ— Wickedness in some and aggravate it in otheâ— meerly to serve a design to gratifie a parâ— and promote some particular Interest â—â— disallows of evil impartially in all Again He considers not only what is Laâ—ful but what is Expedient and of good Râ—port before Men and is careful to give â— just occasion of offence to any and in â— things wherein he can without sin will stuâ—ously avoid it providing for things honest in tâ— sight of God and Men. Further He judgeth not of Right or Wrong â—od or evil by events or successes but by â—e light of true Reason and the Law of Equiâ— and the rule of Righteousness and yet he â— observant of the course of Providence aâ—ut all humane Affairs and gathers instructiâ— to himself thereby but he well considers â—hat the wise man said and observed in this â—se There is one event to the righteous and the â—icked He is one who is not forward to censure â—hers but still hopeth the best will not unâ—ertake to judge Mens hearts which are only â—nown to God and is more ready to Judge â—mself than he is his Brother and will take â—otice of the Good as well as of the Evil he â—nds in any Man according to the example of â—od himself He doth not Rejoice when his Brother is â—vertaken with a fault will not Glory over â—im but rather with a spirit of Meekness will â—ek to restore him considering himself lest â—e also be Tempted much less will he lay a â—tumbling-block before him to cause him â— fall Again He is not of a base selfish Temper â—eeking only his own things but is content to â—uffer in his private interest if the publick â—ood may be Advanced thereby and is glad â— God is Honoured and Chirists Kingdom â—dvanced though he be any way
and sinful to one that is not to another As to eat Flesh might be sinful to one and not to another and so keeping of days as the Apostle argues Rom. 14. whereby Christians should be tender of forcing their own Sentiments especially in doubtful things upon anothers Conscience 5. Abstain from all Appearance of Evil 1 Thes 5. 22. Many things may in themselves be lawful yet not to be practis'd when they carry an Appearance of Evil. Religion may be scandaliz'd and real Evil encouraged by that which is not a real Evil but only hath an Appearance of it As to sit at meat in an Idols Temple was not evil in it self for an Idol is nothing and the Sacrifice offered is properly nothing that is no Sacrifice but it had an Appearance of Evil to him that had not that Knowledge and therefore the Apostle doth forbid that practice 1 Cor. 8. 1 Cor. 10. 14. and requires them to flee from Idolatry in that Shew and Appearence of it and so those Ceremonies in Worship that are abused to Idolatry should be laid aside rather than others because they have an Appearance of Evil I know what is answered that they may be used where the Superstition or Idolatry of them are declared against But I am confident that the Primitive Christians would not have put Incense into the Fire of the Sacrifice offered to an Idol thô they might have had Liberty to declare against the Idolatry of it Nor the three Children bow to Nebuchadnezzor's Image tho they might have declared against the Idol And the Apostle forbids eating meat in the Idols Temple thô it was not thought that they were Idolaters who sat there or practised Idolatry God forbad the Israelites when they came into Canaan to symbolize with the Customs of the Heathen tho in themselves not evil because they had an Appearance of Evil and their minds thereby might be the sooner reconciled to the Evil it self Superstition is very catching and therefore the occasions of it are dangerous which made Hezekiah break in pieces the brazen Serpent when abused to Superstition 2 King. 18. 4. 6. The last General Rule is Let all things be done to the Glory of God which though it be a General Rule to all the Actions of Mens Life yet the Apostle applies it to things in themselves indifferent in Religion and the Worship of God as about eating things offered to an Idol 1 Cor. 10. 31. so that nothing should be practis'd herein but what may tend to this General End And hereupon forbids the using of that Liberty that may offend anothers Conscience and cause him to fall as that which would not be to the Glory of God v. 32. yea whatever it is that offends against any of the forementioned Rules is not for his Glory And this General Rule well observed would direct Christians much in the managing such Circumstances in Religion where there is no express Rule or Institution and limit all Governours from imposing such things in Worship which tend not at all to the Glory of God. And tho I know 't is not well possible to answer all Scruples particularly which may be made about Christian-Worship yet I believe these General Rules well observed would make Peace with all judicious and sober Christians And I easily grant that the Gospel Church is left more at Liberty in Circumstances of Worship than the Jewish Church as about Times and Places and Postures c. Christ intending a more spiritual Worship in these dayes hath not tyed us up to the Observation of every minute Circumstance belonging to it or appointed any outward Pomp and Splendor therein as in the Temple-Worship of the Jews seeking now a true spiritual Worship And as for that General Rule which some assert in this Case that what Christ hath not forbidden in his Worship humane Authority may Command and what he hath left Indifferent may by Men be made necessary I would wish all Protestants to take heed of urging it for we know the evil use the Papists have made of it Where say they are the use of Oyl Cream Spittle Exorcisms c. forbidden in Baptizing where is the use of Holy Water when they enter their Temples forbidden where is Sprinkling the Head with Ashes forbidden where is the use of Pictures and Images as helps to Devotion forbidden And where is the Crossing themselves as they do upon several occasions forbidden And much more of this kind is used by them But we know our Saviour excused his Disciples from observing the Traditions which the Pharisees urged upon the People though they were commanded by the Authority of the Jewish Church Such as washing of Hands Cups Platters which seem to be very innocent Ceremonies And were such things as these only recommended and not enjoyned if they did no good they might do no hurt but when they are made necessary to Church Communion and for not observing them People are shut out of the Church and the ordinary means of Salvation the mischief is unspeakable And let it be considered when God under the Law required in Sacrifice either two Turtle Doves or two young Pidgeons whether any Authority in the Jewish Church or State might determine that which God left indifferent but herein let the former Rules be observed And I shall conclude this Discourse with adding a few Passages out of the late Author of The Discourse of an Infallible Judge A Learned Divine of the Church of England There is saith he an easie and effectual way of Curing Church Divisions without having a Judge of Controversies nay without making all Men of a mind in every thing which must never be expected in this World. And that is not to make the necessary terms of Communion straighter and narrower than Christ hath made them nothing but what is plainly revealed in Scripture and is Essential to Christian Faith and Worship For such matters most Christians agree in and tho they may have some private Opinions of their own this ought not to divide Communions while they do not impose them upon the Faith of others nor introduce any new and strange Worship unto the Christian Church P. 55. Again If Catholick Communion be the Communion of the whole Catholick Church from the time of Christ and his Apostles to the end of the World which is but one Church and the Apostolick Churches are the true measure and Standard of true Catholick Communion then those Churches which are to this day in Communion with the Apostles are in true Catholick Communion And this Test we will stand by c. p. 78. Again In the same Page The Communion of particular Churches doth not consist in using the same Liturgies or External Rites of Worship if their Worship be a Right Christian-Worship and agreeable to the General Rules of the Gospel For every Church hath Authority within her self to direct and Model her own Worship And therefore those that keep to the Apostolick Terms of Communion cannot justly