Heaven it self now to appear in the presence of God for us Heb. 9. 24. Quest. Doth he then plead with God and move and Petition him for all the things we gain from him Answ. His Intercession is not by Words and formal Pleas and Supplications but by Actions that is by presenting of himself and shewing his own Sacrificed Body before God. He intercedes by shewing of himself and therefore St. Paul calls his Intercession his appearance in the presence of God for us Heb. 9. 24. Quest. And is this way as effectual as by forming Vocal Pleas Answ. Yes undoubtedly The Blood of his Sacrifice as St. Paul says speaks Heb. 12. 24. It doth not only breathe out Prayers but prefers Claims and Demands and those too not only in virtue of Gods Promise but also of his own Merits and dear-bought Purchase which is a way of moving with Power and Prevalence beyond all expressions Quest. Did the High-Priest among the Jews intercede thus Answ. Yes when he went in to intercede with God in the Holy of Holies after he had slain the Sacrifice he was not directed to make any set Speeches and vocal Supplications but only to carry in the Blood of Expiation and present it to God by sprinkling it upon and before the Mercy-seat Lev. 16. 14 15. which real exhibition of the thing it self that was to plead for them was more moving and effectual than any Verbal Speech or Vocal Prayer he could have put up for them Quest. And will Christ continue thus to intercede for us that is to shew himself and exhibit his Sacrifice before God in our behalf always Answ. Yes he ever lives to make intercession for us which renders him able to save to the uttermost them that come to God by him Heb. 7. 25. And therefore the Heavens must receive him till the restitution of all things Acts 3. 21. It was enough for the Sacrificing part of his Priest-hood which made the Purchase to be once done But the Interceding part which brings down the purchased Blessings to all men in all times and places must still be a doing And therefore he continues in the presence of God to shew himself and intercede to the end of the World which will be so long as he will exercise his Mediatory Power or we shall stand in need of his Intercession Quest. What things will he move and intercede with God for which therefore we may make sure to speed in Answ. For all the Benefits he has purchased and God has promised which are all contain'd in the New-Covenant His intercession in virtue of his Blood is only to apply the Merits and Purchase of it So that as at first he shed it so now he shews his Blood for Covenant-Mercies and on Covenant-Terms but he never moves that any Person should obtain them otherwise Quest. Then he will never move for wicked and obdurate Sinners that God would relax the severity of his Laws for their sakes Nor for slothful and careless ones that by an over-powering and irresistible Grace he would do all for them and work his Will in them and so save all their Pains Since the New Covenant offers no Pardon but to the Penitent nor saving Grace but to the Sincere and Industrious Answ. Very Right Quest. By this I see we must by no means look upon Christ at God's Right-Hand as a Byassed Partial Advocate that seeks to wring what he can from God and gain all for our side But as an Equal and Impartial Mediator who has a just Regard to both sides and will shew himself as careful of God's Authority and Honour by securing him of our Duty as of our wellfare by obtaining for us his Mercy Answ. Most certainly For this cause saith St. Paul of purging our Consciences from dead Works to God's Service as well as that they who are called may receive the Promise of the Eternal Inheritance he is the Mediator of the New Testament Heb. 9. 14 15. In discharging this Trust we may be sure in the heighth of all his care for us he will be just to God. Nay being God's own Son and both intimately nearer Related to and better pleased with him than he is with us were he any ways capable of being byassed we cannot imagine it should be on ours but on his side So that in all the Part he acts as our Intercessor we must not imagine that he will in the least dishonour God to oblige us or ever once aim or attempt to make us secure in any undutifulness and contempt of his and our Heavenly Father Quest. Surely being the most dearly Beloved Son of God he must needs be an Intercessor of Great Power Answ. Yes of Absolute Power and infallibly sure to gain whatsoever he moves for For besides his Relation and Filial nearness he continually Represents his own infinite Merits which can claim any Favours Nay for the sake of those Merits on this Appearance to plead them before God he is made a Royal Priest and has all Power given unto him as a King so that he can grant what he pleases Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my Name that will I do that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye ask any thing in my Name I will do it Joh. 14. 13 14. Quest. This shews how able he is to Succeed but is he willing and ready to use all his Interest and move for us Answ. No doubt of that For his Love has made him shed for us his own Hearts-Blood and therefore it can never stick at any other Service or procuring for us any Blessings from Almighty God. He is a Merciful and Faithful High-Priest both true to our Interests and tender of our Infirmities having felt them in himself Heb. 2. 17. and 4. 15. and therefore is as willing and ready as he is able to intercede for us Quest. Is it particularly any part of his Intercession to hand and present our Prayers Answ. Yes This was the Business of the Jewish Priests One part of their Priesthood was to burn Incense which was to perfume the Peoples Prayers who as St. Luke notes prayed without in the time of Incense Luk. 1. 10. presenting their Prayers to God in these sweet Smells whence the Psalmist begs his Prayers may be set forth before God as the Incense Plal. 141. 2. And the Vials of Odors or Incense in the Revelations St. John says are the Prayers of the Saints Rev. 5. 8. And this accordingly Christ our Intercessor in Heaven doth for us for he is the Angel in the Revelations who on the golden Altar before the Throne offers the Incense with the Prayers of all Saints Rev. 8. 3. By him it is we must present all our Prayers whence we are said thro' him to have access to the Father Eph. 2. 18. and in him to have boldness and access with confidence Eph. 3. 12. Nay since the Prayers we put up have many sinful Defects adhering to them they are
himself in all things towards them and was correspondently treated by them as a Brother In any common Debates and particularly in the Council of Jerusalem he did not so much as preside as St. James there seems rather to have done but as an Equal gave his Reasons and his Voice among them Act. 15. 7. When his actings seem'd very Novel and Doubtful as his going in to Cornelius and his Gentile Friends the Brethren of the Circumcision freely required an Account thereof and stifly contended with him Act. 11. 2. And when they were really Blame-worthy as his dissimulation was at Antioch St Paul like his Com-Peer Apostle openly withstood and rebuked him Gal. 2. 11 12 13 14. These with sundry other like Passages shew how unknown such Universal Headship was in the Apostles time And the same may be made appear of the Church in the Ages following But that visible Unity which all Christians were obliged to endeavour after in the Church was preserv'd as I say by their joint readiness to communicate externally as Brethren not by a profest subjection of all Churches to one Visible Head and submitting to his Authority and Jurisdiction Quest. In this one Church indeed as it follows in the Creed there must be a Communion of Saints what is meant by Saints Answ. Christians By their Enemies they were styled Hereticks or Nazarenes But the Names they gave themselves were the Elect the Brethren the Christians or many times the Saints as is very commonly seen in the inscriptions or salutations of the Epistles writ to them by the holy Apostles Quest. And what is the Communion of these Saints or Christians Answ. Their joining in common in those things which make them Christians or in the common Offices and concerns of Christianity There must be Communion because of their Unity as one Body And this Communion must be in something sensible to shew a visible Unity which the World shall see and reflect upon as I noted from our Saviour Quest. In what doth this Communion consist Answ. In adhering to the same Doctrine Government and Worship both in Prayers and Sacraments For in these St. Luke places the Communion of the Primitive Church They continued stedfastly in the Apostles Doctrine and Fellowship and breaking of Bread and in Prayers Act. 2. 42. Quest. How must they keep to the same Faith and Doctrine Answ. By adhering to the Holy Scriptures which ought to be every where the same Rule of it And this Unity of Faith requiring not only that they inwardly believe the same things but also that they outwardly profess that Belief to make Unity in this Profession in the first days there is mention of its being drawn up into a Form of Sound words 2 Tim. 1. 13. This Form was as some think the Apostles Creed which contains all that Catholick Doctrine that is necessary to make any Man a Good Christian and which accordingly has been always received as the Form in Baptism the most learned not professing more thereat nor the most ignorant less through all Ages of the Church Quest. This united Adherence to the same Rule and Form will keep up a visible Union in Faith or Doctrine But how can they all be thus united in Prayers and Devotions not having one and the same Forms of Prayer and Liturgies Answ. By making them all according to the same Rules and for the same intents and purposes For all their Prayers are put up to one and the same God for one and the same common mercies on the same common terms and expectations through the same common Merits and Mediation and with the same common Affection and Brotherly concern for each other Which make them in Substance the same Worship and Devotions though put up in far distant places or in different Forms of expression or Languages Quest. According to what you said before of the Unity of the Church the Members of this one Body must not only worship and pray like each other but be ready to worship and pray together But how can we communicate or joyn in the use of Prayers and Sacraments with all Christians who are so far spread and widely distant in their Habitations Answ. With Foreigners we are bound to joyn only as we meet with them When we happen to be amongst them or they amongst us to shew we are all of the same Body and that the Church is one we must mutually Associate in worship and receive each other to Communion not sticking at any different Rites and usages we find in other Churches whilst there is no Sin in them And as for the Christians of our own Country there is no difficulty of joining thus in Worship yea and Government too with them because we are all under the same Laws and spiritual Guides and live among them Quest. Do you lay much weight upon Publick Prayers and think the People ought to place much in attending the Churches Service and Praying along with the Minister Answ. Yes For though God is ready to hear any Good man by himself alone Yet for the Countenance of the Publick Worship and the maintenance of good order he sets particular marks of Favour on those Prayers which are offer'd to him in Publick in concurrence with his Minister Thus in the Jewish Law he appointed the Priests to Offer and burn incense twice a Day for a Daily Service the end whereof was to present those Prayers which the People offer'd up during this Ministration as a sweet smell to God in these Perfumes And David when he would desire a great Recommendation to his Prayers begs they may come fortifi'd with this advantage to be set forth in God's sight like Incense Psal. 141. 2. In like manner the four and twenty Elders in the Revelations that is the Bishops or Pastors of the Church are represented as having every one like the Jewish Priests Golden Vials full of Odors which are the Prayers of the Saints Rev. 5. 8. And when any Persons in sickness would have Recourse to Prayers St. James directs them to present them by their Pastors and send for the Elders of the Church Jam. 5 14. And Jesus Christ that Angel who at the Golden Altar offers up the Prayers of all Saints is set out particularly as presenting those Prayers of theirs which came up with the smoke of incense Rev. 8. 3 4. Not to mention the many other Advantages of Publick Prayer as its being an addressing to God in a Body and united Number which in all Addresses is confessedly a way of most Force and Power and among them perhaps in conjunction with some of the best Souls and very likely with several more Holy and dearer to him than our selves for whose sake he may be more like to hear our joint supplications as he would hear Job for his Friends when he would not accept either their Prayer or Sacrifice at their own hands Job 42. 7 8. And therefore it is a most fond
and prejudicial as well as Criminal and inexcusable carelesness for Men so sloathfully and irreligiously to neglect the daily opportunities of Publick Prayers as God knows the generality do yea though under this neglect they do serve God at home and have Prayers daily in their own Families Quest. You speak of Communicating in Prayers tho' there be no Sermon Answ. Yes for certainly no man that comes to Church to serve God if he understand what that is can come more for Sermons than for Prayers sake 'T is for Prayers principally that we are to come to the House of God for my House is the House of Prayer says God Isa. 56. 7. and Mat. 21. 13. In these it is that God's Worship doth chiefly consist And by these especially the Saints of all Times and Places thought to worship God. And these above all our other Services our Mediator is careful to offer up to God from us that which he is represented as presenting at the Golden Altar from the Publick Assemblies being the Prayers of the Saints Rev. 8. 3 4. And therefore it shews a very untaught and ignorant as well as an Irreligious and Prophane Objector to pretend he will not go to Church because there is nothing but Prayers for that is one of the chief things for which he should go thither and the very Life and Spirit of our Service and Performance there Quest. But if we are bound thus not only to Unity of Doctrine but likewise to preserve Unity of Publick Worship and Communion what shall we think of Schism that is rending and dividing the Church either the whole Church or that part where we live and thereby makeing two Churches out of one Is it a Sin to Erect new Churches and separate in these Acts of Prayers and Sacraments from the Body of a Church or Nation Answ. Yes most certainly and a very great one except there be a just Cause of Separation For so at Corinth St. Paul told them whilst one was for Paul and another for Apollos and there were Divisions among them they were Carnal and walked as men 1 Cor. 3. 3 4. And at Rome he bids them mark those who cause Divisions and Offences and not adhere and associate with but avoid them Rom. 16. 17. And this he spoke of Schism whilst it was only an imperfect Birth not gone on to open Separation but only to such unquiet practices and making of Parties as would shortly end therein For so under all the Corinthian Sidings and Divisions he declares that they came together still in the same Church and met to partake in the same Worship yea and Supper of our Lord 1 Cor. 11. 18 20. Quest. What is a just Cause of Separation Answ. A Necessity of sinning if we joyn with them Which always is when some sinful things are imposed by any Society of Christians as 〈◊〉 Conditions of their Communion We are to maintain the Churches Peace only so far as lyes in us but we have no Power or Liberty to sin for it The Church it self is called Holy and therefore we must not think to shew our selves its true Members by acting unholily When without sinning we cannot continue with them the voice of the Scripture is come out from among them and be ye separate and touch not the unclean thing 2 Cor. 6. 17. Quest. And when doth a Church impose such sinful things Answ. When it will not allow us to be of its Communion without Believing or Professing Errors of Faith or committing sins in Practice As the Church of Rome doth by casting all out of its Communion who will not believe that Churches Infallibility and Transubstantiation which are Errors in Faith nor Adore the Host Worship Images Pray to Saints and An-Angels and the like which are sins in Practice Quest. It is no breach of Church-Unity then nor Act of sin to separate from such Imposers of unlawful things Answ. No but an adhering to Christ and his Apostles and the Universal Church of all Ages who disclaim these Corruptions In these Particulars the imposing Church separates her self from Christ and the Catholick Church and therefore we keep the Unity of the Catholick Church in adhering to it against her who makes 〈◊〉 upstart Combination and proves a Schismatical Divider Quest. If there is no just Cause of Separating but when we must needs commit some sin in joyning with a Church then it is never just to Separate for things indifferent Answ. No because they lawfully may be done and have no sin in them For all sin is the transgression of a Law 1 Joh. 3. 4. and therefore there can be no sin in indifferent things since they would be no longer indifferent but unlawful if there were any Law against them We are to keep Peace as much as lyes in us and indifferent things certainly do since they are no where forbidden to us Nay in these things a good Christian should be easie not only in submitting to Church-Laws but in complying with Innocent Church-Customs St. Paul thinking it Argument sufficient in a little Case to say we have no such Custome nor the Churches of God 1 Cor. 11. 16. Quest. Is it unjust also to Separate from a Church on pretence the Establish'd Means there are less Edifying Answ. Yes for the Means were less Edifying in the Assemblies at Corinth Many spoke confusedly at once which was not a doing Things to edifying 1 Cor. 14. 26 27. And many spoke in strange Tongues which could not Edifie their Hearers because they did not understand them v. 16 17. But under this less Edifying State it was not lawful to divide Whilst there are Divisions among you are you not Carnal 1 Cor. 3. 3. All Christians must seek to Edifie the Church as well as themselves and the Church is Edified by Unity and Peace Follow after the things which make for Peace for with them we must Edifie one another Rom. 14. 19. Quest. I see there is a just Cause of Separation when a Church imposes any Sins or Errors as Conditions of her Communion But what if a Church that is Defiled with these is yet so Moderate as not to impose them may she not for all that be so far corrupted with them that on account thereof all Good Men who would take due care of their own Souls ought to leave her Communion Answ. Yes if she errs so foully in Faith as to overthrow or go off from the Foundation Or if her Corruptions have so overspread and poison'd all the necessary Parts of her Worship that there is no joyning in her Prayers and Sacraments without joyning in the Corruptions too that are Embodied with them In these cases be ye Separate saith the Scripture and touch not the unclean thing 2 Cor. 6. 17. and come out of her my People that ye be not Partakers of her Sins and that ye receive not of her Plagues Rev. 18. 4. Quest. One Case you say is in Errors of Faith which overthrow the