unanimitas Erasm Paraph. in Act. 1. being conjoyned together in one Communion and Fellowship in the mystical Body of Christ And we can't be joyned to Christ our Head except we be glued with charity one to another For he that is not of this Unity is not of the Church of Christ which is a Congregation or Unity together and not a Division The Churches unity which is by one Spirit from one Head is but one in all and though many Members Eph. 4.15 16. yet but one Body As Gregory ‖ Gregor Mor. l. 19. c. 14. speaks Sancta Ecclesia sic consistit in unitate fidelium sicut corpus nostrum unitum est compage membrorum In the structure of the natural Body all its parts conspire for the good and benefit of the whole There 's such a Symmetry and proportion as that the Members are joyn'd by Nerves Veins Arteries and Ligaments to their Head from whence they receive strength and sensation and by virtue of this union to the Head retain a Fellowship and Community among themselves So it is in the Body Politick the King's Majesty the Golden Head of our Land the Honourable Council the Eyes of it the Nobles Lords and Barons the Shields and Shoulders thereof the Reverend Bishops and Clergy the Chariots and Horsmen of Israel the Tongues of the Land the Judges those grave Sages the Hands of our Land for the Execution of Justice the flower of our Gentry and Commons the Feet of our Land Head Eyes Tongues Shoulders Hands Feet all even all should concur for the general good and publick safety and in both for Gods Glory and Worship that we may lead peaceable and quiet lives in all godliness and honesty because peace is the foundation of happiness and lustre of any Government and the fiercest Enemy of peace is dissention in Religion therefore unanimity is a work worthy of every ones best endeavours and of absolute necessity to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the bene esse of the Church it is the Life and Soul of it Ecclesia nomen est consensûs concordiae And that multiplication of Unities Eph. 4.6 one Spirit one Hope one Lord one Faith one Baptism one God and Father of us all declare that we should be all of one mind in the Lord all keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace It is a good thing when Unity and Concord Peace and Religion go hand in hand two gentle Companions as full of love as they are of innocence and it is a great pity that two of so near alliance should suffer ever an injury of a Divorce examine their descent the root of both signifies to bind Religion is a bond between God and man Peace is a tye between man and man Christian and Christian And one would think the very name of Christian should have a greater efficacy and power to still and suppress disorders in the Church than that of Quirites was presently to hush and allay the commotions in Caesars Army because the Church is a spiritual Building made up of Souls cemented with love 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as S. Chrysostome speaks It is a Body compact and knit together in one and the same Orthodoxal Verity which was once given to the Saints in the holy Apostles days and in all Substantials maintained by the holy primitive Fathers for which we ought as S. Jude tell us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to contend earnestly even all that owne and profess the same Faith in sincerity The irrational prejudice of many Schismatical Sectaries against the present Discipline would soon be removed if they do impartially weigh the purity and simplicity of the Doctrine of the Church of England A Church that teaches no other Doctrine but what Christ and his Apostles delivered derives none of its Principles from the impure Fountain of vain and uncertain Tradition but a sure word of Prophecy is that Spring that sends forth all her Doctrines So that all her Articles all the parts of her Worship all her Canons and Constitutions are by derivation pure and holy Add unto this the innocency and decency of her Ceremonies the regularity and Decorum in her Offices and Administrations the integrity and candour of her Manners and Principles It holds no Tenets nor teaches * Lib. Can. discip Eccl. Angl. injunct Regin Eliz. Anno Domin 1571. Can. de Concionatoribus any thing pernicious to Salvation or dissentaneous to the rule of Faith in purity of life and holiness of conversation every way consonant to the Doctrine and Discipline of primitive times in the first and purest Ages of the Church And what Faith can be the foundation of a more solid peace the surer Ligaments of Catholick Communion or the firmer Basis of a holy Life and of the hopes of Heaven hereafter than the measures which the holy primitive Church did hold and we after them Therefore we may conclude the Religion of our Church certainly Primitive and Apostolick and the best Transcript and Original Copy of Christianity that is left in the World And there needs no better demonstration for bringing of men into the unity of Faith and the knowledge of the Son of God or establishing a Community among us than purity of Doctrine and of Worship in the Service of God by Prayers * The Liturgy of the Church of England or publick Form of Divine Worship though contemned and depraved by its malicious Adversaries out of a Spirit of contradiction and singularity who do preach or speak perverse things against the Discipline and Government of our Church out of their own Fanatical asseverations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith S. Basil and the novel imaginations of their own brains yet it is notwithstanding religious and holy and recommends to us the wisdom and simplicity purity and spirituality of Christian devotion It is a compound of Texts of Scripture exhortations to repentance Psalms Hymns Doxologies Lessons and Creeds Forms for the Administrations of the holy Sacraments Comminations against impenitent sinners all mixed and diversified with great care to quicken attention and stir up devotion Praises and Sacramental Celebrations which are the great characters and confirmation of true Christians Communion with the blessed and glorious Trinity with God with their Saviour and the holy Spirit and by the Grace of these with one another for the holy Word of God the Scripture of the Old and New Testament which stream from the Fountain of our Saviour is the only Standard * The Authority of the holy Scripture for which it ought to be believed and obeyed dependeth not upon the Testimony of any man or Church but wholly upon God 2 Pet. 1.19 21. 2 Tim. 3.16 1 Joh. 5.9 1 Thess 2.13 who is Truth it self the Author thereof and consequently the Supreme Judge by which all Controversies of Religion are to be determined and all Decrees of Councils Opinions of ancient Writers Doctrines of men and private Spirits are to be examined and in whose sentence we are to rest can be no other but the holy Spirit in the Scripture Mat.
Homer that God is the Father of Spirits 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Father of Angelical Beings and of the Souls of men of Spirits hath inspired into our immortal Souls an infinite appetite that no finite excellency created comfort or earthly thing can possibly fill Gold Silver Riches Honours Crowns Kingdoms are no fit matter or adequate object for such an immaterial and heaven-born Spirit to repose and feed upon with delectation and contentment but it would still be transported with a passionate disquietness ‖ Non satiat animum nisi incorruptibilis gaudii vera certa aeternitas S. August until it fasten and fix upon an object infinite both in excellency and endlesness wherein is contained the whole latitude of Entity and Goodness the ever blessed and only adored Trinity Which doth convince men That compleat happiness in this Life is a meer Speculation and it is not to be had in the valley of tears but in the possession of superlative Felicities let us therefore besiege Heaven with our united forces * Mat. 11.12 Faith is instrumentum ad scandendum coelum and Prayer is clavis coeli the Key that opens the Cabinet where the Jewel lies no other Artillery but this can batter the Citadel of the great King for Heaven it self can't be proof against Petitions often darted towards it but the violenâ—â— will take it by force Faith and Prayer and raise such batteries against Gods gates that we may break open those everlasting doors and take the Treasures of Eternity Livy tells us That the Gauls when they had tasted the Wines of Italy were so much taken with the pleasantness and lusciousness of them that they would not after rest contented with a bare Commerce and Trade thither but fixed their resolutions by Conquest to get possession of the Land that brought it forth Thus the Antepasts of Glory do but provoke the desires and erect the appetite of the believing Soul he is so far from being satisfied by foretastes or comfortable intercourse which it enjoys in part with the blessed Trinity by the Word Sacraments and other holy Ordinances that they do but augment his thirst after a plenary fruition out of the during Well-springs of Life and Immortality therefore his resolves are by a holy violence and conquest to get a possession in that spiritual Canaan from whence these Grapes are brought as Prelibations that he may drink of that Wine of the Kingdom and of those Rivers of pleasure Whom have I besides thee Thou O God dost far surpass all the contents of Israel as light doth pitch'd darkness thou art the joy of my heart and my portion for ever aim then at delights which transport Souls ravish Angels and force Seraphims into ecstasies Thirdly Quis mihi Who is for me Who pleads my cause in Heaven not any Saint or Angel nor yet the Holy Virgin * The Church of Rome gives 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Saints in Heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more Worship to the B. Virgin But the Church of England 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For the glory of religious Worship is not to be given to any Saint or Angel though never so blessed and glorious S. John falling at the feet of the holy Angel with an intent to worship him Rev. 22.8 9. met with a timely prohibition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See thou do it not if that Spirit no less humble than glorious bright had not given him to know that he was hiâ— fellow-servant that honour belongs to our Master only and not to me worship God Here let us remember those excellent words of S. Austin Tutiùs jucundiùs loquar ad meum Jesum quà m ad aliquem sanctorum Spirituum Dei I can speak safer and more pleasantly or chearfully to my Lord Jesus than to any of the Saints and Spirits of God If praying to Saints or Angels or the Holy Virgin had been a useful piece of Christian devotion that during above 4000 years that God had a Church in the World not one example saith the Reverend Dr. B. in his Missale Romanum is recorded in Scripture of any Holy man who ever called upon any created Saint or Angel And how is it like or possible that the universal Church in after times should learn either new ways towards Heaven or new ways of true help and comfort which neither Patriarchs nor Prophets nor Apostles ever taught or knew As the Pagans took the Idea of their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Demonology from the Scriptures account of the true Messiah so in like manner the Papists received the original Idea of their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saint-worship from this Pagan Demonology as 't is evident from 1 Tim. 4.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rarely demonstrated by Mede in a Treatise called The Apostasie of the latter Times but thou O Lord. And do not some dote on Images ‖ Lactantius says in relation to Images Dubium non est quin religio nulla sit ubicunque simulacrum est Where-ever an Image is meaning for Worship there is no Religion for it robs God of honour who will not have his glory given to another nor his praise to graven Images promulgated by his own holy Law The Greek Church speaks emphatically We do not forbid Pictures the Art is noble 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but their adoration and worship we detest as forbidden by the Holy Ghost in holy Scripture Hab. 2.18 19. lest we should ignorantly adore Colours Art and the Creature instead of our Creator They worship the Creature saith S. Paul Rom. 1.25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 besides the Creator so it should be read if we worship any Creature besides God worshipping so as the worship of him becomes a part of Religion is a direct Superstition therefore it is good reason that the Watchmen who stand upon the Lords Tower and tell what of the night should decry the darkness of Idolatry and Superstitition and warn the people that they may neither be taken into the whirlpools of danger nor carried down the stream of ungodliness but walk in the ways of Scripture and Christianity contending for that Faith which forbids all worship of Images with the Romanists and others on Imaginations with Factionists who fall into the heat of contention the fire of Schism How few are in the right way of Gods prescriptions which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord our God is one Lord. Unity is written in the high Court of Bliss in Letters of Glory and ought it not to be in golden Characters or capital Letters here below to be seen and read of all men and be set as a Copy for others to write after Christians should live on Earth as Angels do in Heaven not disagreeing among themselves Many that would be lookt upon as living stones in the spiritual building go about to demolish so fair a structure by bringing into the Temple the noise of axes and hammers and when they may be sharers in the
21.29 31. Eph. 2.20 with Acts 28.25 of true Religion both in Doctrine and Devotion the foundations of Faith and the superstructures of Worship by an humble obedience holy fervency and unanimous harmony For a sweet Chorus of well-tun'd affections will cause the goodly Fabrick of the Church to go up with the voice of Eucharist Acts 2.46 47. shoutings and acclamations of joy till it comes to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of eternal happiness and top of its spiritual glory And there is no outward Conservative of Ecclesiastical or Civil peace comparable to that of united Religion saith a Reverend Prelate whose Orb or Sphere is true Doctrine its Center holy Devotion and its Circumference good Government which Blessing we enjoy by Divine Providence under our pious and religious Soveraign King Charles for which all good Subjects and Loyal Protestants say O King live for ever God grant Sedition may become a stranger in the Kingdom and England be an object of emulation of all foreign States in the admiration of her glory and the Protestant and Reformed Religion become the praise of the whole Earth in an universal agreement in the publick Worship of Almighty God Nothing better suits with Christianity nothing more graces it being like those good people in the Acts Chap. 4.32 of one mind and one Soul To oblige us to this godly union and concord arguments may be drawn from the alliance of humane Nature and bands of a spiritual Consanguinity First we all sprung from one Original Gen. 3.20 one Blood derived through several Chanels Acts 17.26 one substance by miraculous efficacy of the Divine Benediction multiplied or dilated into several times and places We are all fashioned * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greg. Naz. after the likeness of our Maker bearing the impresses of the Almighty for the Soul is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a branch of a Deity We all conspire in the same essential Ingredients being of one Composition ‖ Cogita istum quem servum tuum vocas ex eisdem ortum seminibus eodem frui coelo aequè spirare aequè vivere aequè mori Senec. and elementary constitution knowing therefore we all came from one we should love as one * Dilectio sola discernit inter filios Dei filios Diaboli Aug. 1. Joh. Tract 5. Vt dum cognoscerent se ab uno esse omnes se quasi unum amarent saith the Master of the Sentences It is a heavenly Mandate the fruit of the Spirit is Love ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greg. Nâ—z wherein the Image of God the power of Godliness and the Spirit of Christianity truly do consist * Vbi odium ibi charitas esse non potest ubi charitas abest ibi nil boni Aug. super Matth. Love as Brethren saith S. Peter and Logick can teach us Relationes non egent locali contactu Relative respects need not the union and touch of parties then as many as are scatter'd in the remotest Regions whether massacred in the Indies whether strappado'd among Turks or in that Hell of Torments the Inquisition of the Spaniards though they live in as divers places as persecutions yet if they conform with us in Orthodox Profession no distance can hinder their being our Brethren neither can their mean estates take away our tye of reference 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 't is not the place Coelum non animum mutat qui trans mare currit but quality of the persons that causeth the unity of their affections Though Joseph be sold into Egypt and there lye manacled in the injurious Prison yet he ceaseth not to be Jacobs Son Jonathan and David were still Brethren and faithfully united when one was in the Cave and the other at Court Methinks Abrahams prudential motive to Lot to win him to a Treaty of Peace is an argument to the Christian World Gen. 13. we are Brethren Strifes and Emulations might quickly be composed if we did not forget the alliance of humane Nature Though sometimes the fiercest are united and shew themselves Brethren but it is with Jacobs addition Simeon and Levi Brethren in iniquity The Prince which rules in the Air makes use of every stratagem to enlarge the Territories of his Kingdom and he doth it upon this consideration his time is as short as his Chain therefore to be in readiness at all hands he hath his unitatem farmorosorum as S. Bernard calls them a Confederacy of zealous Complices that vow their furtherance at every display of the Devils Ensign Satan hath enjoyed in all Ages the unhappy benefit of such peremptory assistants Were that Kingdom of Darkness once divided our Saviour assures us it could not long stand therefore the Head studies to preserve unity in the Members These are that Combination in Gregory Nazianzen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whose agreeing malice knits their hearts and their conjoyned hearts unite their voice If infernal Spirits are provident to maintain outward peace where there is no order but all confusion lest their Kingdom should come to an end this consideration should engage the most unnatural opposites of this Land who are Protestants bred up in the Principles of the same Religion and walking in the House of God as Friends not to be teez'd on to as deadly feuds as between a Jew and Samaritan They are most odious Christians who put on the glory of an Angel in outward profession that they may play the Devil more unobservedly therefore let us labour to bring as much wisdom and courage to confront as the Devils Agents cunning and malice to undermine the Kingdom of Christ Jesus and glory of Christianity then for shame let us be if not Christians yet men if not ruled by Religion yet perswaded by Reason that we had need as S. Paul exhorts us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to strive together with a full concurrence of all our might and combine in a holy Faction to withstand the fury of their united opposition For how can it chuse but disparage our Cause if jarring discord disperse our Forces And certainly while we divide our selves our Enemies in the mean time divide our spoils Bodin Rep. 4. 'T is registred in Story That Mars had in old Rome certain Priests called Salii it was their office when Nations were together by the ears to cast fire among them and confound their Armies therefore Antiquity named them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fire-bearing Priests Who knows not that our modern Rome is as well furnisht for such a Stratagem and that this fire might be Vestal and never go out she hath bequeath'd unto the World a Society of Priests whom she intends for State-Salamanders that should live in the fire of other mens contentions and by a slight of hand bandy it from one Kingdom to