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
and Acquaintance stand aloof off from that Vniform worship of God that is prescribed and injoyned and no wonder if Strangers think and report that some dreadful Disease cleaves fast unto us I heartily lament many Crying sins that are generally spreading over the body of this poor Nation and yet upon sober Consideration I cannot judge any sin so manifestly destructive to the health and beauty of the believing Society and Church of England as is this of Schisme and Separation There is no one sin that tyrannizeth more over us but we may say to Schism as the Pirate did once say to Alexander Thou blamest and condemnest me for preying on single Persons and accountest thy self without fault while thou destroyest a whole Nation These things have I written and spoken to my dissenting Country-men not in wrath and bitterness to shame and torment them but with grief and compassion to warn and amend them that we may all agree to banish those Schisms and Divisions in the Service of God which are this day our shame and that we may endeavour to bring back that Vnity in Gods worship which was once the glory and joy of this poor Church and Nation My endeavour as well as my Prayers shall alwaies be that we agree to hold the Vnity of the spirit in the bond of Peace For Zions sake I cannot hold my peace nor for Hierusalems sake be quiet till I have manifested my study and endeavour to bring all the baptized Subjects of this Church and Kingdom to signifie the Vnity of their Faith by an open Vniformity CHAP. VI. The Canons and Forms established and prescribed by our Governours to direct and promote the General Uniformity of English Professours are most agreeable to the Rules of the Gospel and are the best and most convenient that are visibly extant to us in the World Section I. There must be Forms or Canons prescribed by Rulers to carry on Vniformity II. The Canons and Forms already established to this end in England are agreeable to the Rules of the Gospel Section III. These Canons and Forms are visibly the best extant to us upon sober Consideration SECT I. There must be Forms or Canons prescribed by Rules to carry on Vniformity GOD who by his wise Providence governs all the works of his hands rules them all by a Law And Governours subordinate as appointed and sent by him are to govern Rational men joyned in Society under them by a Law also As God in the World so Christ in his Church complying with the Necessities and Infirmities of his Subjects hath given Rules to direct them in Faith Devotion and Conversation by that New Law which is the Gospel by which superintendent Frame of Government his subordinate Governours are to govern his Church to the end of the World And so according to that New Law Christs Deputies are to establish Laws of Piety and Laws of Honesty We are now in this part of our Treatise to speak of those Laws that respect Piety and according to the two parts whereof Man consists some Injunctions of Piety must concern our Souls and some our Bodies The Injunctions of Governours that direct to purity of hearts and spirits may be called Counsels Monitions They cannot properly be called the Laws of Governours but Laws of Christ for they cannot oblige the Souls of the Subjects either by rewards or punishments having no cognizance when they obey or when they rebel when they heartily like or dislike such Injunctions Christ can only reward these according to their hidden works But Rules of sensible things for ordering mens words or actions those are properly called the Laws of Governours for of these they can make discovery The observance or omission of these things are discernable by Rulers and according to the Merits of their Subjects so they can recompence them And let no sober Person think that Laws about external demeanour or decent behaviour of our Bodies in our Religious attendances are such trifles toyes needless Circumstances childish insignificant Ceremonies as many irrationally and inconsiderately defame them when they are natural and necessary for our Communion in our present condition when true Grace operates the light within us directs and the Holy Spirit delights in these things being willing to admit of our Bodies to be his Temple when these Vessels are to be possessed in sanctification and honour And God hath called us not to uncleanness but holiness of these things When Christ by his Gospel hath ordered the hearing and preaching of his Word the administration and receiving the Sacraments the regarding our Conversations and Words by which we are either justified or condemned And these things are sensible and external And certainly an imputation of Rashness and Vncharitableness cannot be deserved by us if from such open and wilful opposition and slighting of Externals as unnecessary and inexpedient we should judge these men as wilfully bent to overthrow Humane Government when they would destroy that in a moment about which alone Government can be busied and employed It must then be granted That the publick exercise of Vniversal Piety ought to be the Governours first care and that their first Laws ought to be about injoyning Vniformity to their Subjects Now by Vniformity as it hath been set forth in the preceding Chapter is meant an Vnity or joynt assent and concurrence of Professors both in Words and Actions Confessions and Gestures fitly expressing and signifying a Religious respect and reverence to that Supream Majesty we meet to adore A service so useful and necessary that all Governours by their Laws have injoyned it and all Nations by their practice have attested it in all Religious Meetings through all Generations 1. Because GOD who is not a God of Confusion but of Order a God not of Division but of Vnity is best pleased and most glorified when no man draws back but when without distraction there is an Universal discovery of every mans evident respect to him When the Tribes go up the Tribes of the Lord unto the Testimony of Israel to give thanks unto the Name of the Lord. 2. Thus Neighbours are most edified Consent and agreement of others with us give a pleasure and content to us It gives a confirmation to our Judgment and practice when we receive approbation and allowance from the practice of others 3. Thus Infidels are most likely to be wrought upon and converted One mans preaching may make a man consider but certainly it cannot have so great an influence as the Vniformity of a whole believing Congregation We are ready to think those things not hurtful but beneficial which we see universally practised and we are easily drawn to the practice of those things which we see generally allowed and used by others So that if a man be converted or unconverted joynt Concurrence in Common Service and the Vniform Worship of God is more to be valued than any one mans Preaching being of a greater influence and of a stronger operation Since
known who watch for their own private gain more than publick good let such modestly be desired either to lay down their Honour or take up their Office For its evident by Reason and Scripture That it is every good Rulers duty not only to hinder the Evil but to promote the Publick welfare of the Society over which he is placed SECT II. To promote Publick good Governours must take care to establish Laws OF necessity there must be Laws constituted about every Company of Man that are knit into one Body for if not restrained and limited many Persons that have more Sence than Reason would wildly break out into exorbitant excursions and mislead others extravagantly into dangerous Irregularities A City had better be without Walls than Laws its safety depends more upon the latter than the former For without Laws Men would be like Beasts the strongest would devour the weakest and savagely tear and devour one another without controul The Sword would be the Rule of Justice and the strongest Arm would have the best Cause Men would regard Power more than Right So that Law in a Society is like a Soul in a Body without which the Body is corrupted and dissolved immediately And as Laws must be of necessity to uphold the being so must they be to preserve the welfare of any Society For they afford direction and guidance for humane actions And as good take the Sun out of the Firmament as Laws out of a Nation without which as in a perpetual Night men would stumble if not fall and dash continually one upon another and offensively Another hath it Laws are as Eyes to the Commonwealth that give beauty to the Face and direction to the whole Body But to set forth the usefulness of Laws sure I cannot do it better than to compare them to Nerves and Sinews ligaments of the Body politick not only to compact and knit the several Joynts into one Body but to convey life and spirits unto every part as is convenient that they may all agree in the same regular motion as they are adapted and every part may move for the safety and welfare of the whole Neither being nor welfare of a Society can be preserved without Laws But Who are to make and appoint Laws There 's the Question He that ordered Kings to Reign hath ordained Princes to decree Justice The first duty and work in Magistrates is to ordain and constitute Laws This is the Rulers Province It was rightly determined by the Schoolmen Non cujuslibet Ratio facere potuit Legem Every man is not wise enough to make a Law And if he had a Head to contrive yet he hath no Authority to establish And there is no reason to think That any publick Law should be of a Private mans constitution For every man of the same Condition may challenge the same Liberty So that there being contrary Judgments and determinations there might be contrary Laws and so there would follow contrary Actions inevitable distraction and opposition which will not only destroy the welfare but the being of the Society For private Persons to make Rules and Laws for their own private Actions who can hinder them But our gracious God hath appointed Governours as his Deputies by a wise Providence to direct and order the publick Actions of men for the publick good of the Society in which they are interessed As God the World and Christ his Church so are good Governours to Rule over their People by constituting just Laws that promote their Happiness SECT III. LAWS must be established and the nature of a Law is that it doth oblige ad id quod rectum It is the first thing required to the Constitution of a Law by the Schoolmen Rectitudo Right A tendency to the End A Law a Canon a Rule is a notified boundary to confine and limit mens Actions that they may not be loose and extravagant but they may be directed in a streight Line or tendency to the prize aimed at viz. The Comfort and Content of the Society to which such Laws are composed and published The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is oft used by St. Paul in his Epistle to the Graecian Churches and oft he alludes to their Agonistical concertations in their Istmian Games especially that of Running And beside the Barriers from whence the Coursers started or Ieaped and the Prize or Crown to which they tended they had their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a white Line which marked out the Path bounded the Race and whatever the heat or activity of the Racers ran they never so swiftly or vigorously if they transgressed or ran over the Line this was not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 1.5 to strive Legally and consequentially they lost the prize A Christians Conversation amidst Believers is a Race from the first exertion of Reason whereby he leaps into Society He stretches forth and aims at an incorruptible Crown that God holds forth unto him Whatever the Christians heat or agility is if he will so run as he may obtain he must observe that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Rule that is given him and not transgress those limits that are prescribed him All aberration all extravagancy must be declined he must keep close exactly to the line and limits prescribed that he may move in a direct tendency to the End proposed Now Rulers and Governours are to intend the publick good and welfare of the Society To compass this they Establish Laws and these Laws are directive Rules of humane Actions tending ad bonum publicum They are to think and consider and if Reason rightly deliberates she will conclude and determine only of such things as are true honest just pure lovely of good report if there be any vertue if there be any praise they will think and determine only of such things Injust then and dishonest Commands cannot be called rightly Laws because they tend to the hurt not the good of the Publick For Rulers to Command without controul and to set no bounds to their lawless Will and inconsiderately to enjoyn what is unjust illegal and what tends not to good is the Vice of Superiority and Power not the vertue of Ruling by a Law For nothing can be called a Law but must oblige to what is Just and tend to a good End The End must be Peace the Means must be Righteousness for the effect of Righteousness is Peace And where Glory dwells in a Land Mercy and Truth meet together Righteousness and Peace kiss each other And as such Commands cannot be called Laws if injust so when imposed they are not binding nor obliging It was not more stout and valiant than reareasonable and honest that pious Apology made by the Father for the poor persecuted Christians to the Emperour who commanded them irreligiously to sacrifice to Idols Da veniam Imperator c. major est c. Give pardon Oh Emperour we cannot obey thy Commands in this thing for he that is greater
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 〈◊〉
therefore we speak of a visible Church be it Catholick National or Parochial it is Coetus evocatorum a Company of Men called not invisibly internally but externally sensibly and such as have manifested their complyance with that Call Not a Company but a Society of Believers joyned together by a mutual profession of Faith For as Vnity of a sincere Faith is necessary for the Constitution of the Church invisible so is Vnity of profession of Faith necessary for the Constitution and being of a visible Church And to avoid rash unanswerable expressions and unbecoming behaviour it is both reasonable and necessary that words and actions should be reasonably agreed upon and determined The thoughts of our Souls like the eyes of our Bodies without an Object to terminate them will wander to the ends of the Earth therefore the prime work of Piety and Religion in the Rational Soul is to set God before the eyes of its Understanding That upon serious consideration seeing and concluding him the Best and the Greatest man may rationally both think and speak most honourably of him and behave himself most reverently towards him For Vniformity then in Religious exercises of necessity there must be the same Object GOD who is infinite must be proposed That our considerations and respects may be terminated upon him And of necessity there must be Rules and Forms agreed upon and fixed to direct and limit all associated Professors that their considerations and respects may be united either in knowing God or worshipping him Circumstances cannot be left indefinite and undetermined for mans Thoughts are as diverse naturally as their Faces and Tempers Their Words and Actions usually wild and extravagant and not only different but contrary also unless all these be bounded and terminated what Vnity can there be An arbitrary Will-worship will follow according to every mans fancy and in every meeting instead of a well-ordered Unity there must necessarily happen distraction and confusion And these things are obvious to every man that rationally considers them for never any Nation that had Religion true or false but alwaies agreed on a Common Ministration And in all their Sacrifices either propitiatory or gratulatory they have united together by certain Rules in a common Service and a joynt concurrence in it to that Deity which they adored And certainly all those Reasons formerly alleadged to urge an open profession of Faith return with new vigour strictly to oblige every Visible Church to acknowledge the necessity of fixing and observing Rules of Vniformity in every respective Congregation That the infinite Majesty of GOD may be generally and worthily glorified That our Neighbours and our selves may be most probably edified and comforted That those that are Vnbelievers may have their Conversion best furthered there must be Canons and Forms prescribed by Rulers to carry on a general Uniformity To conclude this Section then Governours must Rule by a Law their Laws can reach only to Externals in the exercise of Godliness In which Exercise of Godliness the first aim of Governours by their Laws is to promote Vniformity in Religious Assemblies To settle and continue an Vniformity there must be Rules to limit and direct SECT II. That the Canons and Forms in our Liturgy prescribed to the ends above-mentioned are most agreeable to the Rules of the Gospel is the next considerable LITURGY in its etymologie if rightly understood gives its full import and signification It is a Form or Rule of Administration in some publick Office Sometimes it is put in Scripture for Ministration in offices of Humanity and Liberality But our discourse and common Acceptation leads us to take it for that kind of Ministration that relates to Holy things about the Service and worship of God So here we understand it to be the Canons and Forms prescribed in a Visible Church of external profession of Faith by an evident demonstration of Obedience For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod fit per populum sit publicum a publick Religious Ministration in a Congregation of Believers So the People must be understood concerned in the Ministration as well as the Priest And those of the People that would be accounted of the Visible Church are to submit and conform to such Canons and Forms as are prescribed in the Ministration And when a Church is not an Assembly only but a Society of the Faithful not internally Faithful only for that is not discernible by us but externally by publick Profession either by words or actions What our Judgments must be of them that in Assemblies neglect and despise Profession according to Rules prescribed is easily to be concluded For whatever good opinion others blindly may have of such or they may have of themselves yet not giving in their Assemblies any evident signs of external Profession they are in reason not to be judged of the Visible Church of Christ And this shews how unjustifiable the Meetings of our Separatists are when there is no publick exercise of Religion no vocal confession of Faith no express desires of Obedience in any of their Congregations To give evidence of any Assembly that it is a part of the Visible Church there must be a sensible Profession an apparent submission to the Canons and Forms of a Liturgy And conformity of the People to those Rules gives satisfaction who are to be reputed but wilful omission and neglect declares who are not to be reputed of the Church of Christ And blessed be God we have as it is necessary and expedient from our wise Governours considering our infirmities and extravagancies Canons and Forms prescribed in our Liturgy for Religious Ministration which are most agreeable to the Rules of the Gospel The Rules of the Gosple given by Christ and his Apostles are of so different natures such different sorts The Canons and Forms ordering our Common-Service in the publick exercise of Religion are so numerous and various as it were the work of an Age to discourse distinctly and pertinently of every particular that may be comprehended in this Section But first let us consider what we understand by the Rules of the Gospel to which our Canons and Prayers are to conform Now our Blessed Saviour at the first planting of the Gospel upon the Apostles and Seventy before his Passion and upon some Chosen Vessels for his Honour after his Ascension having all power given him did in those daies plentifully pour out his Spirit upon them and gifts graces and ability he gave to them in an extraordinary manner and measure for the work of the Ministery and edifying his Body by the prevalence of his Word and Gospel which he sent them abroad to preach confirming the Word by signs following That the whole power of the World was not able to resist the wisdom and Spirit by which they spake divers Gifts he distributed of miraculous operation For different Administrations as Gifts of Healing working of Miracles Prophesying discerning of Spirits diverse kinds of Tongues Interpretation