professing or complying with any thing contrary to the precepts of Christianity I can see no just reason for separation in such a case Shall the meer pretence of prefering some confessedly indifferent modes or Circumstances of worship and discipline excuse a Christian from holding Communion with that Church to which he otherwise of right belongs But where then will be any end of Division What bounds or limits can be fixt to it How is it possible there should be any order any Peace in the Christian Church if every one is at Liberty to break the Unity of the Body meerly for this reason because he could better approve of some other Modes or Circumstances whilst yet he allows those which are in present use to be Lawful Who is it in all other Bodys and Societies of Men that orders such matters but the Governours of each society And who in a Christian Nation should likewise order them but the Governours in Church and State And when they are so order'd what has any private Member of the Christian Body farther to do but to consider whether he can comply with a good Conscience or not And if he can surely the Peace of the Church the keeping the Unity of the Body of Christ the promoting concord and Charity and Edification amongst its Members are strong obligations upon him to do it If any thing plainly unlawful be requir'd then that reply of the Apostles to the Sanhedrim takes place Acts. 4.19 whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God judge ye But if nothing unlawful by Gods Word nothing unlawful according to our own Judgment and Confession be made a condition of Communion I dare appeal to your selves in a like form of words Whether it be right in the Sight of God to break the Vnity of the Church of Christ Judge ye I should now according to the Method I propos'd go on to consider the Obligation all Christians are under to practice the Duty of the Text. But that I may not exceed the limits of my Time I shall confine my self to what our Apostle himself hath laid down to this purpose in the Context which is indeed so full and emphatical that a very short Paraphrase upon his Words may well suffice The Word he uses in the Text it self is very observable Endeavouring we render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but it denotes as is well known no slight and ordinary Endeavour but a very diligent one a studious and Earnest care to keep the Vnity of the Spirit which plainly shews the weight of the Duty and the strict Obligation which lyes upon all Christians to practice it And no less can be infer'd from what immediately goes before and follows the words In the First verse of this Chapter as I have already observ'd the Apostle intimates that it is a walking worthy of our Christian Vocation that is 't is a behaving our selves Suitably to the design and Nature of the profession we make 't is what Christianity requires of us and that it is so appears more particularly by what immediately follows the Text ver 4.5 6. There is one Body and one Spirit even as ye are called in one hope of your calling one Lord one Faith one Baptism one God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in you all What can be offer'd more perswasive than this Let us take a short View of each particular There is one Body that is as I said before the Christian Church throughout the world is but one Society Distributed into Several particular Churches as its parts of which particular Churches if sound in Doctrine and worship and imposing no unlawful Terms of Communion each single Christian is of right a Member in the place in which Providence hath cast his Lot and consequently is bound to maintain and promote the Unity and Peace of the particular Church of which he is a Member in order to preserving the Unity and peace of the whole Body One Spirit every sound part of the Christian Church and every genuine Member of it is under the Influence and Conduct of the Holy Spirit of God to which if he yields himself tractable using all those means which he hath appointed for the attaining his Assistance he will not fail to have his Judgment duly Settled and his mind inspired with a sincere Love to all who are under the Influence of the same Spirit the effect of which will certainly be a Peaceable Conversation and especially a readiness to joyn with all his fellow Christians in every part of the worship of God and his Redeemer It follows As ye are called in one hope of your Calling We all expect the same reward even the Resurrection of our Bodys at the last day and the everlasting Happiness of the Life to come we all hope to meet in the same Region of Bliss and to joyn and live together for ever in one Body in Heaven How then can we fall out in the way thither or refuse to walk together in the same path of Life One Lord whose Authority we all equally own whose Laws we profess to submit to and consequently have the same Rule to walk by and the same obligation to make us observe it As fellow servants we cannot disagree without disowning the Authority of our Common Master As fellow-Members we cannot be disunited without relinquishing so far our common Head One Faith One Baptism We all profess to adhere to that Faith which was once delivered unto the Saints agreeing at least in the fundamental and necessary Articles of it this profession we undertook at our Baptism when we were all initiated into the society of Christians in the same manner being washed with water in the Name of the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost declaring our belief in and our resignation to these three Divine Persons And how then can we afterwards be excused if we fall out and divide about inconsiderable and indifferent matters which neither relate to the foundation of our Faith nor contradict the Design of our Baptism And to conclude One God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in you all We are children of the same Heavenly Father and Consequently ought to live in Brotherly Love and Charity in perfect concord and agreement thinking and speaking and Acting the very same things as those who are under the same paternal Government and Authority who are taken care of provided for and directed by the same Providence and the same Grace These are the Arguments by which the Apostle inforceth the Duty of the Text the summe of all which is that the whole Scheme and Frame of our Religion its Author its Rule its Model its end do all oblige us to the keeping of unity so that we cannot any way contribute towards contention or division in the Church of Christ without going Directly cross to our Profession and walking altogether
unworthy of our Heavenly Calling All that farther remains is in the Last place to shew how we may best attain to the Practice of this Duty I have been from the Apostle urging upon you As to this I shall lay down but three plain and easy Directions and so conclude In order to this End we should get our minds thorowly possessed with the grace of Humility This I mention first because 't is that which the Apostle himself adviseth to as a good disposition towards Vnity and Peace ver 1. I beseech you sayes he that you would walk worthy of your Vocation ver 2. How with all lowliness and meekness keeping the Vnity of the Spirit c. Contention of all sorts and particularly in matters of Religion generally flows from pride an over-weening Opinion of our selves and our own Judgments whereas Humility disposeth us to consider impartially our selves and to hear and receive whatsoever good reason can be offer'd by another who differs from us and which is more it disposeth us heartily to seek and to obtain the Direction and Assistance of Almighty God in all our inquiries after Truth who taketh pleasure in resisting the Proud but giveth grace to the Humble We shall do well likewise to take into consideration and lay to heart seriously the many and great mischiefs which contention and division have brought upon the Church of Christ I need not mention the ill effects that have proceeded from this Cause in Foreign Churches of old Experience has taught us enough with respect to our own in which our differences about matters of Religion and the Divisions that have follow'd upon them have produced very deplorable consequences throughout this last Age. Not to mention the civil discord which hath at least been exceedingly heighten'd hereby I fear much of that Scepticism and Infidelity as well as the Profaneness and looseness of manners that have brought a scandal upon our times must be ascribed to this cause I am sure that want of Discipline for the amending our manners which all good men amongst us complain of must necessarily follow upon our being divided into so many several Communions and Partys in Religion 'T is time for us now to lay these things to heart when that which we all know hindered our Union is taken out of the way I mean a design in those who had the management of publick affairs amongst us first to divide us and by that means to prepare us for a change of Religion 'T is certainly the Duty as well as the Interest of all amongst us who have any regard for the Protestant Religion being now so happily and Peaceably settled under another Influence to forget our past contentions whether with respect to the Affairs of Church or State and to do what in us lyes towards the becoming entirely one Body in both We may do well in the last place to lay down this as a certain and undoubted Principle that the Peace and Edification of the Church of Christ and particularly of that part of it to which we belong is infinitely to be prefer'd before all those little things with respect to which we usually contend and divide The main consideration which prevails with a great part of those who divide from the Communion established amongst us is as far as I can perceive that although they allow our publick Service and Communion to be lawful and occasionally declare that they do so by their Practice yet there is something in the other way which they like better and which they say is to themselves more Edifying Now waving all other Answers to this I shall only recite and leave to your Serious Consideration two plain Texts of Scripture rather chusing to speak to you in Gods words than in my own that they may leave the deeper impression on your minds in both which we are taught to prefer the Peace of the Church and the Edification of our Christian Brethren before our own Satisfaction or the meer pleasing and gratifying our selves nay even before all other considerations whatsoever in matters which are in their own Nature indifferent One is that of St. Paul in his Epistle to the Romans where having discours'd of some differences which were arisen amongst the Christians of that Church about the use of things indifferent namely Eating some kinds of Meats Rom. 14 1â— and observing some sort of days he concludes First with this Excellent saying the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink but righteousness and Peace and joy in the Holy Ghost that is Christianity consists not in the Former but in the latter The Former are indifferent and may be used or not used as they conduce to the Peace of the Church and the Edification of our Brethren but the latter are absolutely necessary ver 18. For as it follows he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God and approved of men And then he adds that Divine Exhortation Let us therefore follow after the things which make for Peace and things wherewith one may Edisie another Not the things which would most gratifie our selves But the things which make for Peace Nay not the things which we may Imagine our selves might be most edisyed by But the things wherewith one may Edifie another The other Text is of the same Apostle who had a truly large Soul and every where expresses a generous Charity in his Epistle to the Colossians He had in the Former Chapter taken notice of the Differences between the Judaizing Christians and others upon which after other Advice he concludes Col. 3.14 15. Above all these things put on Charity which is the bond of Perfectness And let the Peace of God rule in your hearts to the which also ye are called in one Body Charity it seems was in his Judgment to Bind and Tye them as it were perfectly together in Spite of all their smaller differences and a Peaceable Temper of Spirit to over-rule all their little controversies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 about indifferent things The word we translate Rule is Remarkable alluding to the Vmpire in their Games who was to determine all controversies that should arise and particularly to whom the prize did belong as if he had said If there Happen any differences amongst you concerning matters of Religion not necessary but in their own Nature indifferent nay if you it may be could your selves prefer one way before another yet judging neither of them unlawful Let the Peace of God rule in your hearts in all such cases let that determine all such controversies let Judgment or arbitration be always given on the side of Peace and Concord and Vnity for to these things ye are called in one Body After this I shall need to add no more but only to remind you that the Holy Sacrament which we are now going to partake of is the Symbol and Badge of this Vnity I am pleading for 't is that whereby we profess to the World as I observ'd at the first our Communion with God and our Saviour and with all good Christians 't is that whereby upon this Occasion we own our selves Members of the Established Church not as divided from the rest of the Christian Church but as one sound-part of that great Body and 't is consequently that which strictly obligeth us to be henceforward the obedient Servants of God the faithful Disciples of our Lord Peaceable Charitable and Useful Members of his Body Designing and promoting as far as in us lyes the Welfare both of this Church and of the Catholick Church of Christ throughout the World Now to that one God and Father of all who hath call'd us to be Members of his Sons Body to that one Lord who is the Head of this Body and to that one Etâ—â—nal and Invisible Spirit who animates and Influences every genuine part and Member of it be ascribed all honour Praise and Glory now and for ever Amen FINIS A Sermon Preach'd at the Church of St. Mary le Bow To the Societies for Reformation of Manners October the 4th 1697. By Samuel Bradford Rector of the said Church
that part of the Christian Church which is establish'd in this Nation and not of that only but of the truly Catholick Church throughout the World For the Sacrament of the Lords Supper was intended by our Lord as a Badge and Symbol of such our Communion And upon this Occasion I thought I could not chuse a more proper Subject than the words I have now read to you wherein we are so expresly exhorted to regard and to promote as far as in us lyes the Unity and Peace of the Church of Christ Endeavouring to keep c. St. Paul had been in his preceding Discourse putting the Ephesians in mind of the Extraordinary Grace of God towards them in taking them within the Pale of his Church that whereas they had been Gentiles Ch. 2.11 12 13. without Christ Aliens from the Common wealth of Israel and strangers from the Covenants of Promise Nay having no hope and without God in the World they were Now brought near to God by the Blood of Christ being together with the believing Jews adopted into his Family He exceedingly magnifies this their Privilege in those Remarkable Words v. 10 2 21 22. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and Forreigners but fellow Citizens with the Saints and of the Houshold of God and are built upon the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himself being the Chief corner-stone in whom all the building fitly Framed together groweth into an holy Temple in the Lord in whom you also are builded together for an Habitation of God through the Spirit To the same purpose he goes on throughout the Third Chapter both to extol this Favour of God towards them and to pray that they might be thorowly Sensible of it after which he begins this Fourth Chap. with a Serious Exhortation to them that they would walk worthy of this their Vocation particularly in the exercise of much Humility and Charity Ver. 1 2. I therefore the Prisoner of the Lord beseech you that ye walk worthy of the Vocation wherewith ye are call'd with all lowliness and meekness with long-suffering forbearing one another in love and as it follows in the words of my Text Endeavouring to keep the Vnity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace From which Connexion of the Words we may observe by the way That the keeping the unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace whatever that means is absolutely Necessary to our walking worthy of our Christian Vocation and that in order to this we ought to have our minds well season'd with Humility and Charity two most excellent Christian Graces whereby we shall be best dispos'd to the exercise of all other Vertues which our Holy Religion Requires and for want of which it comes to pass that the Professors of Christianity are so miserably divided as they are at this day But I proceed to the words themselves in treating of which I propose this Method To Explain the Duty which the Apostle here urges upon the Ephesians shewing what it is to keep the Vnity of the Spirit in the bondof Peace To consider the Obligation which all Christians are under to the Practice of this Duty To shew how we may best attain to the Practice of it To Explain the Duty it Self shewing what it is to keep the Vnity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace By the Vnity of the Spirit I conceive the Apostle here means such an Vnity as properly belongs to a Body which is inspired in the whole and every part of it by one and the same Spirit I know that some will have this phrase to signifie no more than an Vnion of the Spirits or minds of Christians This is indeed contain'd in it but 't is by no means the full Sense of the Expression The Vnion which is between Christians is Principally and in the first Place in their Minds or Spirits but I take the word Spirit here to relate to the Divine Spirit which as the Apostle presently after observes animates the whole Body of Christ and makes it indeed to be one For so it follows ver 4. there is one Body and one Spirit And to the same purpose 't is frequently exprest in other places Thus in the preceding part of this Epistle Chap. 2.22 In whom that is in Jesus Christ you also are builded together for an Habitation of God through the Spirit And very Remarkably in the Former Epistle to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 1â— 12 13. As the Body is one and hath many Members and all the Members of that one Body being many are one Body So also is Christ For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one Body whether we be Jews or Gentiles whether we be bond or Free and have been all made to drink into one Spirit That is The Church of Christ may be fitly compar'd to the Body of a Man which has many Members but all of them united by one Spirit which is diffused through every part and quickens the whole Just so says he the Church consists of abundance of particular Believers but these are all admitted by Baptism to the Priviledge of being put under the Conduct of the Holy Ghost in whose Name they are baptized together with that of the Father and of the Son and whose assistance they may constantly depend upon if they do not resist and drive him away from them And they are farther constantly made to drink into the same Spirit that is by partaking of the other Sacrament that of the Lords-Supper Particularly of the wine there poured out they may receive and if they are sincere Christians they do so farther communications of the same Spirit Now this gives a clear account of the Expression in the Text the Vnity of the Spirit that is such an Unity as becomes a Body thus animated by the same Spirit viz. an Unity in Judgment and an Unity in Affection or in other words an Unity in Truth and in Charity together with all that External and Visible Unity which is Naturally consequent upon the Former For so it follows in the bond of Peace by which is meant a Peaceable Conversation with each other as in all other respects so especially in Spiritual Affairs the avoiding all Dissension and Division with respect to External Communion the Living and Conversing together and especially the Communcating with each other in all the Ordinances and Institutions of Religion as one Body This peaceable demeanor is the Bond of Unity amongst Christians not only shewing them to be one but preserving them in that state So that you may take my Explication of this Duty in the Four Following Particulars To keep the Vnity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace implys the maintaining as much as may be an Unity in Judgment especially as to the main and Principal Doctrines of the Christian Faith It implys also the preserving and cherishing of Love and Affection amongst Christians It farther implys a quiet and Peaceable