Churches doth St. Paul injoyn that they should adorn their Profession that their Conversation should be becoming the Gospel that they should behave themselves orderly as in the House of God And now certainly it may be concluded both from Scripture and Reason from the practice of Saints in the Church Militant or Triumphant That as internal Vnity of spirit is to be indeavoured after to present us blameless to God so should external Vniformity in words and actions be endeavoured to be preserved in all believing Congregations And now I have plainly and perspicuously discoursed of every Section contained in this Chapter and I think convincingly to any sober Reason I may justly complain that there be too few will believe our Report Infaelix infirmitas ad se vocat medicus ut litibus occupatur aegrotus Peace and Vnity is praised of many◠but very few endeavour to preserve it And Wo is me that I am constrained to dwell in Mesech and have my habitation among the Tents of Kedar My soul hath long dwelt with them that are enemies to Peace And now I speak for peace I look that some are ready to prepare themselves for battle I look that that which is the lot of many good Physicians should be mine at this time that although my design God knows is not to torture my sick Country-men but to heal them that some like frantick Patients should run from me and that others now but touched should cry out of me Many either insensible of their sickness or else in love with their distemper are not only careless but backward to be cured I see and bewail it that many men are miserably wounded with and yet I justly lament it that I find a great unwillingness in most of them to be Healed For Vnity of Faith How many men either out of weakness or partiality or prejudice or interest or acquaintance have espoused rashly a wilful Opinion and set it up and idolize it And this fancy Opinion perhaps Perswasion they shall cry up and publish it abroad for Conscience Judgment Faith For which God knows if examined they have not the least shadow of a Rule or appearance of Reason So I may complain with St. Hilary ad Constant Aug. Facta est fides fides temporum potius quam Evangeliorum periculosum miserabile tot nunc fides existere quot voluntates Excidêrunt ab eâ fide quae sola est dum multae fiunt ad id coeperunt esse ne ulla sit I lament that too apparently to be seen in our daies what the Holy Father complains was to be found in his viz. That the Faith among us is the Faith of the Times rather than the Faith of the Gospel It is very dangerous and miserable that there should be among us as many Faiths as Wills and as many Consciences as obstinate Resolutions They have departed from that Faith which is One and while they pretend to have many Faiths they cease to keep any And if it be rightly considered what Faith or Conscience is there is scarce any true knowledge or practice of either to be found in too great a part of our Generation I hear the words frequently among us but I must publish it that I do not understand them May I not have liberty of Conscience May I not differ in Judgment from other men and yet agree in Affection May we not go several waies and yet meet together at the end of our Journey Were ever any such things reasonably vented in a Constituted Church Have not the men lost both Reason and Religion that dare confidently publish these things Can there be such a thing as Liberty of Conscience Are they not absolutely inconsistent Consider and it must be acknowledged If thou hast Conscience of any thing thou hast no Liberty if thou hast Liberty there can be no Conscience May not men differ in Judgment and yet agree in Affection What ad idem in respect to the same thing certainly No it is impossible If I judge a thing lawful and thou judgest the same thing unlawful our Affections must differ as much as love and hate and certainly these are contrary Affections Can we not go several waies and yet meet at the end of our Journey certainly No. The end of our Journey we both tend to is agreed on to be Heaven Happiness Now if Vertue be the right way to Happiness and that lies in a strait line as Morality teaches us sure there can be no declining this Line but there must be obliquity If the Way to Heaven be narrow and streight on as Divinity teaches us thou canst not go besides this Way but thou wilt at last fall headlong into the Ditch We must both of us keep the same way or else one of us must be in the broad way that leads to destruction And for Vnity of Affection where can we find that in a Family much less in a Parish or Congregation If ever the Complaint was true it is now in our daies that Fratrum concordia rara est We are all pretending to travel with the same design from Egypt to our Father in Canaan and we are Brethren but how few of us look to the Charge given us How few are they that take heed that they do not fall out in the way There be two Graces that Christ commends to us as the way to the kingdom of Heaven Humility and Charity but instead of these we see the contrary Pride and Contention All pretended Members of Christs body yet no sympathy no bearing one anothers burthen We are ready to laugh at each others infirmity and to rejoyce at each others misery Our iniquity aboundeth and love waxeth cold Our distinguishing Garment is rent clean in pieces which should be our Charity and that is the bond of perfectness This mans hope is that mans fear One mans joy is another mans sorrow And as we can hardly find Vnity in Judgment or Affections so rare it is to see Vniformity in Words or Actions For words instead of agreement what difference what opposition And for those that separate from the Communion of the visible Church of England where can we find that Congregation that agrees to speak the same thing We dwell among People of a strange Language The Trumpets have given from most Pulpits an uncertain sound and how can the Souldiers agree to prepare themselves to the Battle We may observe many of our Priests have been lingring to offer strange Fires such wild expressions and inconsiderate excursions as instead of helping have diverted our Devotions and distracted our Affections And for Actions instead of decency and order what distraction yea what confusion in all our separated Congregations By appearance one would judge them of Babel rather than of Jerusalem Such distractions as if every one had a peculiar God by himself or rather such universal profaneness or irreverence as if no God were thought of as present throughout their whole Congregations Our Neighbours
their own and Subjects satisfaction This concerns the whole Congregation and is to be done not only by the Clergy but Laity not only Priest but People not only Men but Women nor only they that are grown up but Children Out of the mouth of Babes and Sucklings God thus hath his praise perfected and in his Temple when met for Gods worship every one must speak for his Honour of such as have received the Faith of the Gospel And this we are led unto by the eminent Examples of Angels and Saints who served and pleased God that Church triumphant in Heaven Thus when we knew not where we were before the foundations of the Earth were laid every Angel signified his consent and delight he had in the enjoyment of God Job 38.7 All those Morning Stars sang together and all the Sons of God shouted for joy No Dignity exempted any of those from Duty They all sang together they all shouted together for joy And the multitude of that heavenly Host that appeared to the Shepheards commended this practice to every particular Saint it being observed and recorded for an imitation that every one was praising God and saying Glory be to God on high on earth peace good will towards men Luke 2.13 14. And the Vision that St. John recorded that glorious Divine that now is equal if not above Angels is for direction and imitation of us and others to the end of the World and what he heard Revel 5.11 12 13. And I beheld and heard the voice of many Angels round about the Throne and the Beasts and the Elders and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand and thousand of thousands crying with a loud voice Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power c. and every Creature which is in Heaven heard I saying Blessing Honour Glory and Power c. Certainly this was recorded to instruct us that this ought to be the duty of every particular Saint on Earth which does the work of every Saint and Angel in Heaven That every man of Christs Temple below as well as of that above should speak to his Honour set forth his Praise And thus they thought it and practiced the Apostles and Disciples of Christ in their first meeting who made confession of their Faith in that Article of the Resurrection Luke 24.33 34. not only the Eleven but they that were with them were saying The Lord is risen indeed and hath appeared to Simon The Disciples come from Emmaus were they silent They told what things were done in the way and how he was known by breaking of Bread And thus they continued speaking till Christ came among them Acts 13.2 3. the Church met together at Antioch and there we find them met at their Liturgy there was a publick ministration they all agreed in That ministring was not touching the People then it would have been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 something done for Gods honour and service and it was Fasting and Praying To instance in one more 1 Cor. 14.24 they were all Prophesying In their holy Assemblies at Corinth the Apostle St. Paul supposeth that there was a business they were all imployed in it is set forth in the word Prophesying what can we in reason understand by that word Sure it was not Preaching for if all were preaching who could be hearing It was not fore-telling things to come this was given about that time to some extraordinarily upon the plentiful effusion of the Spirit but not commonly or generally to every Believer It was not extatical effusion from gifts of Tongue given to all to speak that was not given to all and the Unbeliever if he upon his coming in had found them all thus busied would have accounted them mad but Laity and Clergy Women as well as men might be imployed in this Prophesying But this work every Believer was busie about it must be therefore some open and plain declaration either of some Article or Articles of Religion or some acknowledgment of the divine Perfections or some speaking freely in praising of God or praying unto him for they were publickly ministring to the Lord they were falling down and worshipping him as the Apostle supposeth that being convinced by the joynt actual concurrence of every Believer the Vnbeliever coming in would fall down and worship God with them saying of a truth God was in the midst of them He supposeth it done by the Believers and Saints at Corinth what he desired might be done by the Saints at Jerusalem that they did not decline their Assembling themselves together for Religious purposes nor in their Assembling did any one decline the profession of his Faith which every one was to hold fast without wavering In probability there was some Liturgy they agreed in at Corinth as there was among the Believers at Jerusalem and at Antioch and Alexandria and every Believer accounted himself obliged to give his attendance on it and joynt concurrence with it to the honour and worship of God Every one offered a Sacrifice not private or mental which was not discernable by man but vocal the fruit of his lips and Unbeliever might sensibly perceive it and this tended to the service of God though external and well they were assured that with such Sacrifices which was every Christians duty to offer when they were offered God was well pleased Thus every Believer by the practice of the Church of Christ in purest times is led to profession of Faith and I appeal to any mans Reason or Experience to determine if he be a Christian whether upon a wilful omission of this Duty any true Believer can rest satisfied For if I be a sincere Believer I can never satisfie my self unless as I owe so I give all unto Gods glory The Hypocrite will to his power keep back something but the Christian which is sincerely holy will give all He knows and considers that his Body is created redeemed sanctified and shall be glorified to present them a living sacrifice to God is but reasonable service That it is not a gift but a debt he owes and is bound to pay that as with his Soul he is to know God and love him so he is to offer his Tongue to praise God and his Body to worship him But if I be diligent in the Profession of my Faith I forthwith feel a content and satisfaction attending and accompanying my holy imployments and a delightful pleasantness spreads it self over my Soul while my Body is busied in religious exercises It s the most relishing meat and drink for Gods Children thus to do their Fathers will and these Services are their greatest freedom Those that are beloved of God and after his own heart feel their Souls satisfied as with marrow and fatness while their Mouths freely praise him with joyful lips No such full content as in those exercises of Godliness which hath the greatest profession of delight in this life
sin and misery wherewith the Earth is overspread as once out of the Ark so now out of the Church there can ordinarily be expected no Salvation The Ark was cemented within and without with Pitch and the Church with Charity Sometimes they have likened her to a Coat to Josephs Coat that was polymita divers coloured to Christs Coat inconsutilis without seam rents or divisions In Holy Scripture in several places the Church of Christ is compared to an House or Temple Many distinct stones and several pieces of wood make up one Building for the protection entertainment and comfort of the Owner so many Believers make up one living Temple one spiritual House for Christ and his Spirit to dwell and delight in As no number of Planks can make up a Ship an Ark without close joynting No multitude of Threds can make a warm Garment without close weaving No Stones can make up an House without close cementing No Members or Parts can make up a Body without close compacting so no number of Men can make up a Church without Conjunction or Vnity And this the Holy Spirit of Christ intimates unto us in that heavenly Song Cant. 6.9 My love my undefiled is but one the only one of her Mother the choice one of her that bare her yea so we believe and so we teach there is but one Catholick Church Let the Sectaries and Separatists that think to drown the cry of their sin with the noise of Conscience Let them boast vainely of their Multitudes that every one of their Congregations though of different Perswasions is the pure Church while they study to be many and make Divisions they are not the true Spouse and Church of our Lord Jesus Christ The Devil may have many Synagagues but Christ hath but one Church one Wife one Spouse one Royal Priesthood one holy People one People of his purchase There is but one Catholick Church One invariable from the beginning of the World as to Substantials and so will continue to the end of the same and rather than there should be an appearance of two Christ our Peace shed his Blood to make those that seemed twain both one and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us Eph. 2.14 One End to be attained by the same Means One People to be governed by the same Laws One Body to be actuated by the same Spirit Of that one Body one Head one Faith one Baptism One Eve the Mother of all living Men One Church the Mother of all Believers No wonder St. Paul should so pathetically beseech the Ephesians that if they would walk worthy of the Vocation whereunto they were called that they should hold the Vnity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace No wonder our Blessed Saviour in his last Agony in the Garden should pray so earnestly for those especially that had received the Laws which he had given them from the Father that they might be One as they were John 17.23 That all that believe on him through his word might be made perfect in one If we see rightly we may behold Christ's Heavenly Jerusalem that is incompassed with holy Angels as Walls like a City that is compacted with the same Rules as so many ligaments and actuated with the same Spirit accounts it not only good and joyful but necessary for all the Members of the Society to be joyned together in Vnity It not only continues the welfare but upholds the Constitution and being of the Church of Christ to banish Division and hold fast this Vnity SECT II. There must be in the Catholick Church Vnity of Faith THus the Church of Christ began in the last Dispensation and so it is to be continued in Vnity They were all that were believers with one accord in one place The multitude of them that believed were of one heart and one soul As taught of God so of Christ they were taught to love one another and to do unto others as they would be done by like members of the same Body mutually sympathizing weeping with those that wept and rejoycing with those that did rejoyce bearing one anothers burthens and thus fulfilling the mind of Christ Neither had they of the Church of Christ a like respect to each others persons but the same respect to the Objects that were presented before them They did unanimously agree to chuse and refuse to love and hate the same thing They had a like hope a like fear the same joy the same sorrow Like Travellers tending to the same End they agree to walk in the same way and had the same will the same mind the same affections As they of the Church of Christ are to agree in the desires and affections of the appetitive part so ought they to agree in the conclusions and perswasions of the intellective part that nobler part of the Rational Soul of man if they will be knit into that Society that will hold professed subjection to the Rules of the Gospel The Society of Believers are to agree in the same Faith the same Judgment the same Conscience Thus St. Paul desires and expects of the believing Corinthians that they should be perfectly joyned together in the same mind and in the same judgment and of the Ephesians that they should endeavour to keep the Vnity of the spirit in the bond of Peace Eph. 4.3 There being meant by Spirit as elsewhere 1 Thess 5.23 the superiour faculty of the Rational Soul the conclusions of which were to be kept one and the same For but one Body and one Spirit even as ye are called into one hope of your calling One Lord One Faith One Baptism For Christ being ascended and set at the Right hand of God in heavenly places and having all things put under his feet as Head of the Church in it appointed several Orders and to them gave several Gifts for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministery for the edifying his Body till every part might come in the Vnity of the Faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man c. Upon this Rock Christ hath promised to build his Church meaning St. Peters Faith not his Person or Office As Christ hath but one Church so that one Church is founded upon one Rock and that unmovable unchangable alwaies the same The Rain may descend the floods may come down and the winds may blow and waves of opposition may split themselves with their own violence but the Faith of Christs Servants stand unmovable rather confirmed than hurt The Church of Christ is but One built upon one Rock But the Synagogues of Satan are built upon heaps of Sand Such is their Faith if I may say they have any as is like heaps of Sand whose forms are changed upon every pressure tossed up and down with every wind ready to receive either augmentation or diminution upon external Contingencies They are alwaies Changable But those that are truly Members of the