of Meeting that these be determined by the wisdom of the Governours upon Convenience as best conducing for the publick good of the Society are things so unquestionable as I think will meet with no opposition Now that every Christian is bound to attend these Congregations to advance Religion and propagate the general good he hath lost his Reason as well as Religion that dares deny it For what things we find experimentally either to be believed or done to be good and comfortable to ones self we ought to impart and communicate to the good of others and what St. Paul desired to see his Brethren Rom. 11. so we should put in practice as near as we can to impart some Spiritual gifts that we may be comforted together with them by the mutual faith both of them and our selves For Temporal things such is our unhappy necessity and the baseness of the things as if we would have any good to our selves we must have a particular propriety in them and injoyment of them The more we give others the less we injoy to our selves But for Spiritual things the commoner the better as there ought not so there needs not of them be desired an appropriation our propriety is not lost by Communication These things like seeds they multiply by scattering as fire kindles by blowing so our Faith increases by Confession Draw me and we will run after thee Holy Souls when drawn to good things would have others good with them not so selfish to run alone but call others to bear them company Andrew calls Peter Philip Nathaniel to come to Christ David would have the Tribes go up to the House of the Lord to bear testimony with him and give thanks with him c. And when with him there he would have others sing with him rejoyce with him fall down with him worship with him So the Author to the Hebrews not forsake meeting nor in their meeting mutual Exhortation offering Sacrifice Thanksgiving Profession of Faith none excepted or excluded Every one without injury to himself may help on his Neighbour by exercise of Religion and profession of Faith And certainly the declaring and publishing of our firm assent and soundness of Faith and Devotion must help on the resolution and settle the constancy of others in the same things Thus are we props and staies to our staggering and sinking Brethren and others waxing strong in the Lord and being strengthned and confirmed in their Faith grow confident in their Profession also And when thou art thyself converted thou oughtest also to strengthen thy Brethren Thus we blow up the coals of Devotion and kindle that Piety that breaks out into an heavenly flame to the inlightning and warming both our selves and our Neighbours Thus we shine as lights in the World While all agree and every one is intent in the Congregation on this Confession we stand directly under the influx of Grace It is the probable way when we are all thus imployed to have Christ come and make one of the Company While in Via like the two Disciples going to Emmaus while we are thus communing Jesus may draw near and go with us While we are thus speaking no doubt but Christ is ready to stand in the midst of us and say peace be unto us for so he hath promised and he is faithful That when two or three are gathered together in his Name he will be in the midst of them With this general Preaching and Ministring usually goes along the ministration of the Spirit And whosoever would not quench or stint the Spirit in this operation to Holiness he ought not to neglect or despise this kind of Prophesying It is a probable way in the Apostles Judgment to work upon those that are without the Church and unconverted 1 Cor. 14.24 25. when every one and all in a believing Congregation are thus Prophesying speaking freely and preaching and confessing Gods Excellencies and Perfections and shew our selves reverencing him and believing in him when an Heathen or Infidel come into such a Congregation He will fall down and worship God also being convinced of the reasonableness necessity and benefit of the duty by our respective Harmony and Uniformity he will say of a truth verily God is in the midst of us He is worse than Saul that will not thus prophesie among the Prophets and seeing others unanimously and devoutly worshipping and confessing to God who will not fall down and worship God also And while thus like Elijah we are riding up to Heaven in the Chariots of this holy fire it is not improbable that others like Elisha standing by may have the same Spirit resting upon them Thus every one that aims at the general good of himself and others be they within the Church or be they without the Church is obliged to an open profession of Faith in that respective Congregation to which he is associated that he may be instrumental to draw others to the worship of our glorious God who before perhaps little regarded him And that Governours that are to aim at the general good of the Society should injoyn every believing Subject to a duty so extensively beneficial is so clear that it needs no further demonstration In Fine Our Governours as Christs Deputies who are to Rule by Christs new Law the Gospel have done well to injoyn to their Believing Subjects an open profession of Faith in their respective Congregations And that this Profession ought to be signified by an open Vniformity is our next undertaking CHAP. V. In such Congregations Unity of Faith ought to be signified by an open Uniformity Section I. In a Catholick Church there must be Vnity II. In particular Congregations there ought to be Vnity of Faith III. That Vnity of Faith ought to be signified by an open Vniformity SECT I. In a Catholick Church there must be Vnity THE Nature of the Church of God is best represented and deciphered unto us under the resemblance of a Body As many Members make one Body so many Believers make one Church By several Nerves and Sinews the several Members are compacted into one Body By several Laws of the Gospel as so many Ligaments the several Believers are fitly joyned together into one Church and as many Members compacted by the same Nerves are enlivened and guided by one Soul so many Believers joyned together by the same Laws are quickned and govern'd by one Spirit For the Body is not one member but many For by one Spirit we are all baptized 〈◊〉 one Body whether we be Jews or Gentiles bond or free and have been all made to drink into one Spirit Thus we believe one Holy Ghost and one Catholick Church In Scripture and Fathers many other Figures and Representations we meet of the Church of Christ which all speak the necessity of Vnity of several parts for its Constitution Sometimes we find it compared to Noahs Ark as Extra Arcam so Extra Ecclesiam nulla salus In those great inundations of
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
be Publick so must it be 2. Vniversal The Father naturally cares for the welfare of every Child Gods Providence is over all his Creatures for their good And it is the care of his Deputies to provide for the welfare and happiness of all their Subjects Now if Religion be the only thing that can make men happy as it is proved the Governour cannot compass his End which is to procure the happiness of his Subjects but by enjoyning the Exercise of Religion to be Universal CHAP. IV. Our Governours of our Church of England have done well to injoyn every Believing Subject an open Profession of his Faith in his respective Congregation The particulars incident to this Head are Four I. We are to consider and agree what FAITH is II. That of that Faith there ought to be Profession III. That Profession ought to be made by every Believer IV. This is to be done in respective Congregations SECT I. 1. OUr Governours are not only as Gods Deputies under the Law of Nature to injoyn their Subjects the Care of Religion but as Deputies of Christ under a more perfect Law revealed by him in this last dispensation to injoyn their Subjects the right Exercise of true Religion prescribed in the Gospel which he published to fulfil the Law of Nature that man might come to that Happiness for which he was created and designed And this I understand to be the most proper Notion of Faith viz. The true Religion well ordered and rightly modified by Gospel Rules by the right Exercise whereof we worship and serve God acceptably so that whatsoever is not of Faith is sin and without Faith it is impossible to please God For being Baptized into the obedience of the Gospel of which obedience Baptism represents our Profession we ought to have a firm Perswasion of the goodness and reasonableness not only of the Duties in the Gospel prescribed but of our conformity to those Prescriptions for the carrying on that true and undefiled Religion wherewith God is well pleased So that Faith is the Gospel grace that teacheth us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live holily righteously and soberly in this present world And Believing is a comprehensive Duty and signifies not only a tacit assent to Evangelical Rules as true and warrantable as a barren act of the Understanding but a firm election and perswasion of these Rules as good and comfortable and implies a firm purposing and resolving of a total Gospel Obedience I heartily pity and bewail the differences and distances that are to be seen among Professed Believers in this Nation and upon serious Consideration I fully perswade my self there is nothing contributes more to the being and continuance of our Division than a general rashness and injudiciousness When men run away with some sudden partial Notions and slight Apprehensions of things of great necessity and deserved esteem in the World and do not seriously and discursively make a right Judgment and agree of the full sense and meaning of them as they import To instance in some few particulars which is easie for any to observe The Gospel most say they highly esteem and yet we cannot but observe that most snatch and run away with it as a promise of Mercy but never regard it as a rule of Duty and direction of an holy life The two Sacraments are Seals of the Covenant betwixt God and us and most men are very heedful at Receiving them that God may seal to them Remission of sins and never regard that at the same time they covenant under Seal to yield Obedience to God The Blood of Christ is precious and its shedding to be had in everlasting remembrance but when most men most solemnly remember it this Consideration contents them That Christs Blood was shed for our Redemption for remission of sins to reconcile God to man c. When we should think how this Blood-shedding was That men might be reconciled to God and be redeemed from an unclean conversation and by this sprinkling be sanctified and purged from dead works to serve the living God Heb. 9.13 14. Graces and gifts of the Spirit we justly value and admire but is it not too apparent men are taken up with gifts of Edification and pass by gifts and true grace of Sanctification so that if a man be but ready in a Scripture phrase hath gotten a voluble Tongue a round expression c. he gets the name and repute of a Saint immediately But the exercise of Piety and Charity which are the certain evidences of true Sanctity These things stand by neglected and despised I might instance in several things that we frame the same Consideration of If we give God but a piece of a Duty we think a maimed and imperfect sacrifice will content him and expiate and satisfie him and excuse all our defects and enormities and with gross mistakes we see evidently men delude and deceive themselves in this untoward generation And although in many things our mistakes of these sorts hasten our irreligious miscarriages yet in nothing are they more manifest than in the nature of Faith From all Christians that make any profession of the true Religion we shall hear these pretences That they live by Faith walk by Faith are justified by Faith are saved by Faith c. And yet for all this noise we hear of these things we can see but few that make a true judgment or have a right understanding of the full meaning of the real Faith in Christ or Faith of the Gospel It s undeniably true that without believing that supernatural Truth of Christs Merits for our pardon and remission of sins there can be no peace for men but they must die and consume in the guilt of their Transgressions It is certainly true that Christ our High Priest put away sins by the sacrifice of himself but when Christ our designed Mediatour was King and Prophet as well as Priest It is not barely a fruitless relying or a lazy recumbency on Christs Merits as our Priest only but our believing his Laws and Directions he left his Church as a King the observing his Counsels and Injunctions he gave as a Prophet is necessary to make up that Faith which will bring us to the end of our Hope which is the salvation of our souls It 's undeniably true that in the Gospel are given exceeding great and precious Promises of Mercies and Salvation upon which God hath caused â—he to hope yet when these Promises are not absolute but conditional upon our conformity to those Rules of Duty that are prescribed unless we be carried on to the practice of those things required that pertain to life and godliness we cannot be rationally concluded to have that Faith in the Gospel in us which will certainly bring us to that happiness which we openly design and expect And upon a serious inquiry we cannot conclude any of the Theological Graces to be truly infused into any man unless they discover
Church of Christ from an unalterable Rule are of an unchangeable Judgment They are not like Children tossed up and down with every breath nor carried about with diverse and strange Doctrines but the God of hope as he hath filled them with all joy so with all peace and unity in believing That they continue stedfast in the same Faith are perfectly joyned together in the same Judgment and amidst Society of Believers there is but one Spirit one Conscience The Head and perfection of a Rational Creatures Vnity must be in Judgment Beasts may agree in Affection only Men can agree in Judgment And Judgment Faith and Conscience of which there is a noise in the World are but little different All the result of the Souls Reasoning the deliberate conclusion and agreement of her Counsel from a certain Rule and infallible A respect of the Rational Creature to the Rules of the Gospel not only as true and warrantable but as good and acceptable and a serious purpose and resolution to conform to those Rules accordingly Of which Rules some are supernatural and revealed others are natural some positive but being injoyned by Christ they are eternal universal indispensable and binding to the Catholick Church of Christ But some Rules are particular given by Christian Rulers to their particular National Churches to whose wisdom Christ hath left the ordering and injoyning of some Canons not unlawful for setling Peace And be the Canons either concerning Words or Actions since they are accomodately fitted to the custome and apprehensions of the People and are significant expressions of the Subjects unity of Judgment and Faith They are binding to believing Subjects for the Lords sake So that as in the Catholick Church for the General Rules so in particular Churches for particular Commands where lawfully fixed and unrepealed the Believing Subjects are to be of the same Faith of the same Judgment And where difference of Faith or Judgments are in the same constituted Church impossible it is there should be Vnity of Affection impossible it is the Souldiers and Servants should be in peace and Vnity where Captains and Leaders are at variance and dissension Liberty or pretence of Conscience in a constituted Church can never be plea sufficient to justifie two differing Believers in differing and contrary undertakings If one of those undertakings be warrantable the others must be unlawful and unwarrantable There is but one Conscience one Faith in this case can be justifiable as certain as there is but one Rule and but one Truth And when two differing Believers in differing and contrary Actions can have but one true and justifiable Rule There cannot be in contrary Actions any more than one right Faith or justifiable Conscience And Conscience is Concludens scientia a deliberate Conclusion and setled Judgment a fixed Determination of the Intellective part from a certain infallible Rule from which we infer assume and apply to our selves the morality of our Actions and determine of the subsequent issue accordingly So that two things are required to make up a Conscience 1. A deliberate Determination or Conclusion 2. A certain Rule from whence we infer the morality of our Actions 1. There must be a deliberate Determination in what may be called Conscience so no Example or practice of the most retired mortified man can be a Rule for thy Conscience The most devout of men are no Lords of our Faith who at the best are but Helpers of our joy Infallibility is not to be granted to any particular man which is not granted to any particular Church of Christ Neither can Conscience be made up soundly from the practice of a fallible man but from the law of Nature and Rules of an Infallible God So that it is not to be called Conscience that is grounded on the Examples of godly Religious men without thy own Deliberation Nor is that Conscience that hath only former Resolutions for its Rule for wilful obstinacy timaciousness of purpose cannot be a part of Conscience which is not in the Appetitive part at all Nor can Humor Animosity a sudden precipitate ingaging be justified by plea of Conscience when there must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Conscience cannot be without Deliberation neither can Deliberation without applying or determination be called Conscience For while the Vnderstanding is fluctuating questioning and inquiring it may be in tendency to it it is not yet to be called Conscience And here again they seem as far from Reason in their expressions as from Obedience in their actions that call out for liberty of Conscience May not my Conscience be free And they would make the doubting Reason against the undoubtedly lawful Command of the Superiour in things indifferent to be the weak tender Conscience But where liberty or doubting is there can be no determination of the thing doubted and where no determination there can be no Conscience 2. That cannot be called Conscience that grounds not its Determination upon a certain Rule When Conscience is but a Witness to a Rule at the best a subordinate Rule neither can it be an absolute Law which must be determined by a Law without which it may be Humor Animosity Fancy or Opinion whatever it is surely it cannot rightly be called Conscience And since Conscience cannot be without a Rule and when the Rules of Nature and the Gospel do not interfere and are not contrary there cannot be two different or contrary Consciences that can be both good of any professed Believers in a constituted Church wheresoever Over the General Church of Christ there be Rules Natural and Necessary whose morality is determined and some Rules Positive and Arbitrary that are eternally and universally binding to all Believers to the end of the World In all these Gospel Rules there can be but one Conscience in all Believers undoubtedly And in every particular Church somethings are to be determined for Peace sake by the wisdom of Governours as time and place words and gestures c. in the service and worship of God Now in a Constituted Church where these things are determined I deliberately declare in this Subjects submission and the others refusal there can be but one Conscience For when indifferent things are determined by wise and good Rulers most conducing to convenience and peace the Rule upon such determination is for every Believing Subject to submit to every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake Now when no Conscience can be without a Rule since I have a Rule for my Submission and thou canst shew no Rule thou hast for thy Refusal certainly it must be concluded I have a Conscience in my willing subjection but thou canst have no Conscience in thy wilful omission and opposition And being there is but one Rule that is good and warrantable in all positive things there can be to speak properly in such things but one Conscience For Resolutions if without yea much more if against a Rule cannot be called Conscience And Conscience which is 〈◊〉
Publick Worship with all the precise method of that Order and Decency that ought to be used in it in which they will pretend to better and transcend the excellency of our Liturgy which is prescribed and used among us Si quid novisti rectius istis Candidus imperti si non his utere mecum And until they can do this their wisdom is to study to be quiet and conform to this till they can find out and propose a better Method of our publick Worshipping of God beyond all exceptions that they will abide by And now I say what Subject of the Church of England can reasonably desert or reject our Liturgy which is visibly the best that is extant to us upon sober Consideration And how can I but stand amazed that the Common Service as prescribed should by so many of our Neighbours not only be neglected but contemned when it can neither be justly blamed nor amended Certainly I am not uncharitable but should be too conniving if I did forbear to declare a want of Religion and Reason in those men that run away to the flocks of our pretended Companions that hold no Uniform Communion that is Visible When no worship of God is evident no practice of the Peoples Devotion no vocal Confession of the Believers Faith no offering any sacrifice of Praise and yet every Christian is bound to Conform in all those things as well as the Minister in every Believing Congregation Why will ye go away from us O ye of little faith we hold fast the words and practice of eternal life Friendly Perswasives to my Country-men COme then my beloved Countrymen since these things are so that an Vniform profession of Faith must be maintained in Believing Societies and fifth by our Liturgy according to Gospel Rules we are ordered and directed to this reasonable Service Let us lay aside all prejudice and partiality all contentious humors Let there be no longer a Spirit of Opposition or wilful Contradiction be found among us Let us follow after the exercise of those things that make for Peace and wherewithal we may best edifie one another Whatever things are honest whatever things are just whatever things are pure let 's think and conclude of the practice of such things Let us endeavour to bend our selves to the quiet of the Church of God and to hold the Vnity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace Let 's evidence the God of hope hath filled us as with all joy so with all peace in Believing There is but One Truth but One Faith among us let there be but One Spirit but One Conscience Let us shew the God of Patience and Consolation hath granted us to be like-minded Let 's not forsake the Assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is but let us hold fast the form of sound words and the profession of our Faith without wavering Let there be no divisions but let us speak the same thing to declare we are perfectly joyned together in the same mind and in the same Judgment Let there be no divisions among us about Ministers account of them as Stewards of the Mysteries of God and yet your Faith stands not in the wisdom of Men but in the power of God Have their Persons not so much in admiration as if lords of your Faith by Preaching only esteem them highly for their works sake whereby they lead you to the holding fast the Profession of your Faith and the true exercise of right Godliness which hath the promise c. And as in your speeches you declare your Vnanimity in your holy Assemblies so in your Behaviour let there be Uniformity Let your Conversation be such as becometh the Gospel of Christ and let all things be done decently and in order and reverently as in the House and presence of the living God Worship God in the beauty of Holiness so as if an Vnbeliever come among you he may be convinced and fall down and worship God also because he sees verily of a truth God is in the midst of you It is the fit time for Christ to be born in us when Vnity is among us In a calm night the Dew descends to the Earths refreshment and Grace is like to come down to us when we are in the way of Peace Finally Brethren farewel be perfect be of good comfort be of one mind live in peace as directed and the God of love and peace shall be with you AMEN Proposition II. The wilful Omission or Recusancy of any Believing Subjects Conformity to those Rules is an heinous Sin and a dangerous Disobedience I Heartily beg of the Candid Reader so much charity to believe it as true what I publickly declare and avow That I am a Reformed Christian of the Church of England and that I shall never attempt to perswade my fellow Subjects to any practice that is ungodly or contrary to the Rules of the Gospel And be assured whoever thou art that I sincerely desire every man may come to the knowledge and practice of Truth and be saved and therefore I dare not by a flattering compliance or connivance sooth any man in the errour of his way which will lead him securely to his destruction And I dare not daub over Recusancy as some desire with a paint and varnish of a trifling weakness or infirmity or palliate it over with a false pretence of tender Conscience when it will prove if considered an heinous sin and a dangerous Disobedience Give me leave therefore without offence if thou beest willing to be Informed to bring to thy Remembrance what I have formerly delivered and am ready to defend concerning our Canons and Rules of Uniformity prescribed about the Publick exercise of Religion 1. Our Governours as subordinate under Christ do not Rule their Believing Subjects arbitrarily but by Laws subordinate to the Rules of the Gospel 2. All that the power of Governours can reach unto in a Visible Church is to order and direct Externals in the publick exercise of Religion 3. That the right exercise of true Religion is the open profession of Faith 4. Of that open Profession there must be Uniformity 5. Every Baptized Subject of England is obliged to conform to such Laws prescribed For to command or prohibit as the Gospel directs is warrantable And all our Laws to the Common sort of Believing Subjects are according to those Rules If Natural or expressly Evangelical there can be no dispute if a Christian thou art bound to obey And if the Laws be Positive or Humane and not against Nature or Injust thy Obligation is divine and thy Submission is natural being thou art to submit to every Ordinance of man for the Lorods sake SECT I. Let us determine and agree what we are to understand by those Laws and the Conformity to them that the Believing Subject of England is bound to observe THE Governours aim and care is not only at the keeping and diverting from the People what is grievous