perversnes of the counsels or the wickednes of the Instruments thereof It is no part of my calling to trace Polititians in the crooked serpentine wayes wherein they walk The Interest of States is a troubled Sea full of hideous Monsters and hidden Rocks whereupon the men of this world make shipwrack and therein all the Nations and great Families of the earth are tossed up and down according to the fancies of the Rulers whose aime though under other pretences is nothing else but greatnesse and command to be supported by riches and power My soule enter thou not into their counsel for there is no truth in their wayes there is no faithfulnesse in their mouth their inward part is very wickednesse And that our distractions proceed from this generation of men and from the Counsel which are taken up upon their Principles there is no question to be made But I shall leave them unto God to be judged in his own time And walking in mine own sphere shall speake unto thee that art a Christian indeed of things belonging to our Religious profession to discover at the root the causes of our disease which I conceive is nothing else but the corrupt Profession of the true Religion whereof we must all confesse our selves guilty every one of us more or lesse which how to Reform first in our selves and then in others will be a profitable enquiry If the Truth had not been manifested unto us we should have no sinne but now since we have known it and held the profession of it in unrighteousnesse we have no cloak for our sinne we ought then to confesse and deplore that our profession is corrupted two wayes First that most of us although we are not ignorant of the Truth yet we cannot deny but that we have lost the true aime of the holy profession thereof Secondly that although some aimes be rightly set and the profession of many commendable yet for the most part the means and wayes of prosecuting the same are either not answerable unto the Rules of Christianity or else directly destructive thereunto The true aime of the Holy profession is to shew forth unto What the aim of our profession is and how we fail of it this evill world the life and vertues of him who hath called us unto his Kingdome and glory The Truth which we know and which by the Gospel is revealed unto us is the testimony of Jesus that in him alone there is Redemption from all sinnes that by him alone there is all sufficiencie of Grace to be received through Faith that for his sake alone wee have free accesse by the Spirit unto the Father that the titles and names of King Captain and Forerunner of Apostle Prophet and High Priest of Author and Finisher of our salvation do belong to him alone and that he being alone the Way the Truth and the Life no man can come to the Father but by him this we do know and acknowledge this wee doe maintaine and professe as the Truth but who can say that the true aime of this profession is taken up and followed as it ought to be this aime is to follow him as deare children expressing him in his life that is in his lowly just holy and unblameable conversation amongst men and in his death that is in his mortified his self-denying his afflicted his meeke and humble condition in this world I say this aime is not taken up and maintained in this profession of the Truth yet we know that this should be our whole aime and because we know it and doe it not therefore our sinne is heavy upon us therefore these judgements doe overtake us and God doth revenge the quarrel of his Covenant against us The Covenant is that wee being in Christ Matth. 16. 24. Rom. 8. 17. 2 Cor. 6 17. shall beare his Crosse and follow him that we shall suffer together and be separate from the world with him and if wee touch not the uncleane things thereof we have a promise that the Father will receive us But who is it that doth truly aime at a full separation from the world and doth not intend to uphold the high things and full enjoyments thereof together with the profession of the Truth are we not content and have we not a desire to enjoy the fashion of things present although wee know that we are called to seeke and apprehend onely the things to come wee are called to be conformable unto the image of the Sonne of God that is to be no wayes conformable unto this world but if we mind no such thing how can we be said to maintaine the true aime of our holy profession The Socinians who have cast off the Truth which is in Christ Jesus concerning our Justification before God and have made the acknowledgement of his Person in the Truth void by their Heresies these uphold still the aime of the profession namely that wee must follow his foot-steps but wee who are convicted of the truth which they have denied seeme to deny at least in our practise that which they uphold and consequently make the truth it selfe which we acknowledge ineffectuall by our profession thereof because our aime is not in simplicity answerable but rather crosse in all appearance unto the tenour of the new Covenant and the end of our heavenly calling Now if the maine and principall aime be lost in our walking with God how can he be at peace with us or we with him can two walke together except they be agreed and are those agreed whose aimes are different doth not hee know the secrets of all hearts that he may reward every one according to his works what then can we expect from him other then to reap the fruit of the seed which we sowe for we sow to the flesh worldly aimes in the field of a religious profession and can we expect any other harvest frrom thence but trouble and confusion This then is the first and maine cause of all our distractions that the true aim of our Profession is for the most part lost amongst us The second cause of our publike distraction is this that although for the maine a worke of Reformation is truly aimed at by some and many particular matters tending thereunto are rightly designed by many for the advancement of Religion yet the meanes to bring this aime and these designes to passe are not at all proportionate to the effect intended thereby The work of Reformation no doubt heartily aimed at by some is a reall and thorough purging of the Church and State from the corruptions which have overgrowne the one and the other and a settlement of both in a way of Righteousnesse I say that What the Reformation aimed at is and why we come short of it some aime heartily at this and I truly doe beleeve it but how many there are God alone doth know Sure I am wee cannot discerne very many that have nothing else in their aime but
lively f stones of the house of God f 1 Pet. 2. 4 5. To whom coming as unto a living stone c. ye also as lively stones are built up a spirituall house an holy Priesthood to offer up spirituall sacrifice acceptable to God by Jesus Christ built upon g Christ and set in their proper places to offer up spirituall sacrifice unto him g 1 Cor. 3. 9. Ye are Gods building and Ephes 2. 21. In whom viz. in Christ all the building is fitly framed together 2. The stones of this building are either the Foundations of the Corners or the Walls 3. The chief and only foundation which is the head of the corner is Christ Jesus 1 Cor. 3. 11. Other foundation can no man lay then that is laid which is Christ Jesus 1 Pet. 2. 7. Vnto you he is precious viz. Christ but unto the disobedient the stone which the builders disallowed the same is made the head of the corner Compared with Psal 118. 22. Isa 28. 16. Thus saith the Lord behold I lay in Sion for a foundation a stone a tried stone a precious corner-stone a sure foundation 4. The secondary foundations i next unto Christ are the Apostles and Prophets i Ephes 2. 20. Built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone Revel 21. 14. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations and in them the names of the twelve Apostles of the Lambe 5. The walls are the Body of common members which is the Congregation of believers joyned k together in one k Cant. 8. 8 9. We have a little sister c. What shall we do for our sister c. If she be a wall we shall build upon her a palace of silver 6. The corner-stones which joyn the walls together are Officers l in the house l Ephes 4. 11 12. Pastors and teachers for the perfecting of the Saints and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the making up And as m joynts in the members of the Body m Ibid. vers 16. From whom the whole body fitly joyned together and compacted by that which every joynt supplieth Ergo the joyning and compacting of the Body together is by the office of the joynts 7. These officers are differenced n according to the grace and gifts given to them for the edification of the Body n Rom. 12. 6. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given us Ephes 4. 16. That which every joynt supplieth maketh increase of the Body unto the edifying of it self in love in their proper o offices o Rom. 12. 4. All members have not the same office 8. These offices are either for speaking p or for the doing of some service p 1 Pet. 4. 11. If any man speak if any man minister 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is doth service The office of him that speaketh is either to teach q or to exhort q Rom. 12. 7 8. He that teacheth on teaching he that exhorteth on exhortation The office of him that is imployed about some service is either to rule r or to impart and shew mercy r Rom. 12. 8. He that ruleth he that sheweth mercy 9. By these offices all things necessary and comfortable to the houshold of Faith in respect of the inward and outward man may be supplied In respect of the inward man it is necessary that the understanding of the houshold be supplied with knowledge and the will with sincerity of zeale to obedience The first belongeth to the Teacher the second to the Exhorter In respect of the outward man it is necessary that the life and conversation of the houshold be rightly ordered that is sutably s to the holy profession s Ephes 4. 1. Walke worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called And that their bodily necessities be supplied in case of want by the charity of their fellow members The first belongeth unto the Ruler the second unto the Deacon 10. More then this nothing is requisite in ordinary to build up the Body in t love within it self t Ephes 4. 16. The effectuall working in the measure of every part maketh increase of the Body unto the edifying of it self in love And therefore in ordinary none other offices are either usefull or mentioned in the Scriptures as appointed by Christ for the constitution of his Church The life u and action of these members is to observe all Gods ordinances u 1 Cor. 11. 2. I praise you brethren that you keep the ordinances as I delivered them to you Luk. 1. 6. They were Righteous before God walking in all the commandements and ordinances of the Lord blamelesse CHAP. III. Of the Ordinances of Worship and Government 1. THe ordinances of Gods worship are duties prescribed in the x Word x Isa 8. 20. To the law and to the testimony chap. 66. 1 2. The heaven is my throne but to this man will I look who trembleth at my word According to which God is to be served in spirit y and truth by every one y Joh. 4. 24. God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth And the ordinances of Government are duties prescribed for ever unto the z Rulers z 1 Tim. 3. 15. That thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thy self in the house of God chap. 5. 21. I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the elect Angels that thou observe these things without preferring one before another doing nothing by partiality chap. 6. 13 14. I give thee charge in the sight of God c. that thou keep this commandement without spot unrebukeable untill the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ According to which the affairs of the houshold are to be a ordered a Tit. 1. 5. I left thee in Crete that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting as I had appointed thee 1 Cor. 14. 40. Let all things be done decently and in order Coloss 2. 5. I am with you in the spirit joying and beholding your order both for the increase b of Grace b Ephes 4. 13. Vntill we all come unto a perfect man And v. 16. maketh increase and the taking away of c Scandals c 1 Cor. 5. 7. Purge out the old leaven v. 12. Do not ye judge them that are within v. 13. Therefore put away from among you that wicked person 2. The use of these Ordinances is to betroth d the consciences of men and bind them over unto God in the covenant of grace and to keep them faithfull to him d Ezech. 16. v. 8. till 15. 2 Cor. 11. 2. I have espoused you to one husband that I may present you as a chaste Virgin to Christ or to reclaim them e when they are faulty therein e 1 Cor. 4. 21. Shall I come unto you with a rod c. 3. All the Ordinances then are Meanes which God doth use either to bring f men to his
that most men are very fierce in their private and very cold in the publike occasions wee can easily discern and yet their Covenant both with God and man doth otherwise oblige them And would to God there were not some that did make the aime of a Religious Reformation a meere pretence to compasse their owne worldly ends and a snare to entrap others into difficulties I shall not meddle with the State the Church is my taske at this time but I finde that to advance this Reformation in both the meanes used are very disproportionate to the effect not only in respect of the way wherein many of the Reformers walke in their own thoughts but also in respect of their manner of concurrence every one with another The way wherein most men walke in their thoughts to Reforme the State hath no relation unto Christianity but onely to the wisdome of the world and the way by which they seeke to reforme the Church hath as little relation unto Charity but is either carried in the way of Liberty or of Authority for men walke by one Rule of Prudencie in State matters and by another in Church affaires as if a Christion in his civill employments might act without a Relation unto the will of Christ or in Church-matters might either please himself alone without a relation to his Brethren or might use all the power whereunto he can pretend without a compliance and condescension to the weak These false Principles of Reformation make men inconsistent with themselves both in Church and State here they act one way by this Rule and there another way by that Rule and sometimes they jumble both wayes together and look at once with two faces in the same businesse different wayes The simplicity and truth of Christianity is by this meanes lost in the Aim and with it all true Prudencie in the Deliberation and these two being gone men are left unto the counsell of their own hearts and betake themselves in the execution of their designes as well in the one as the other sphere to the tricks and contrivements of Policie or to main power and strength And thus it falls out that even the best and most hearty Reformers walking as Men in spirituall undertakings fall into different wayes take up different Maximes and Rules and acting according to the same because they respect not the Maximes and Rules of holy Communion in Christianity they make use of all their strength and wit to oppose one another by different contrivements about the same work And whiles they are wholly bent and possessed as men naturally are with the thoughts and affections of their own way and designment they look upon others no more as upon Christians but as upon a Party Because the simplicity of the Holy Profession being lost in the Aime and the Rules of Holy Prudencie for the Communion of Saints being laid aside in the work and men having forgotten that they are called to be Brethren and members of one another in their relation to Christ they act no more in this though otherwise godly men and hearty towards a Reformation as men of godlinesse and truly reformed from the world but as men interessed in a Party of the world for such or such a Designe to gain or to oppose this or that Purpose And because this frame of spirit even in the best of us all if we look not carefully to our spirits may be found more or lesse therefore the Meanes of our Reformation are disproportionate unto the End for which they are undertaken and this because they are not put forth by us in Gods way which alone can edifie his Church and without which no designe therein can prosper Now when the Authours of our Reformation act thus and are acted by a Principle of Division within themselves how can they be brought to a hearty concurrence one with another except a way can be found to rectifie this Fundamentall error in every one of them And if the Instruments who are to put life in the Means of the Reformation either cannot at all joyn or if without their conjunction nothing at all can be effected to any purpose for a settlement how shall the work be carried on If Christ would not have his own Nation to come to perfection without us sure he will not have any one of us come to perfection without another If then the Agents who are to work out the Perfection whereat we aim are so far from joyning in it as that they prove by their conjunction rather destructive to one another then furtherers of Gods work what hope is there of any successe Christian Reader give me leave without offence to speak plainly what is observed in the Actors of a Reformation at this time I mean such who have the meanes thereof in their hand or at least a hand in the meanes These we may finde to be of three sorts Some minde the work sincerely for it self although they now and then mistake the Rules by which they should walk Some mind the work only to gain some temporall advantages by it And some minde it only to spie the faults and stop the proceedings of the Actors Now if our constitution be such that nothing can be done effectually in the Publike without some of each sort of these Agents whensoever they list to have a hand in the businesse it is apparent that no meanes can be imployed succesfully towards the thorough Reformation of any thing For the Vpright man failing as we all do to walk by his Rule which is his strength he easily is drawn by the Worldling into a Plot to do things for some End which is not answerable to the simplicity of the Gospel and assoon as any such thing is in agitation the third Agent who is also interessed in State-contrivements steps in to observe and obstruct or overthrow their proceedings And hence it is that the means of an intended Reformation well meant by many and set afoot by some are unsuccesfull in the event because in the proceedings and use of Meanes there is no sutablenesse but rather a destructive quality unto the advancement of Religion For in every thing that is proposed or taken in hand the jealousie of a Party doth come in which over-ruling the Affections by worldly considerations raiseth an endlesse contest about every thing concerning every part and circumstance of the work by which means the designe though never so just and harmlesse in it self is either stified in the conception or else becomes abortive before the time of strength or a birth of so loug continuance that in end there is no strength left to bring it forth And this is briefly my thought of the Causes why the main work of our Reformation is so much perplexed as we finde it As for more particular matters honestly designed for the advancement of Religion by many in their severall places and callings As they can have but little influence upon the main because the
of spirituall proportion and prudency for edification which are the lawes of Love and Holinesse but in stead of these are carried sometimes even in their best actions by a Rule of humane Jealousie which begets nothing but Passion and Policie And this once being discovered doth wholly blast their proceeding and maketh all the means though otherwise in themselves never so powerfull wholly disproportionate unto the effect The second Remedy then is this That godly Ministers whom I look upon as the chiefe Actors of our Reformation and such as must put life into the Meanes thereof must first set their own hearts aright in this frame of Love and Holinesse and then stirre up one another to the Counsels and Deliberations which these Principles according to the Word of GOD will suggest And because in the framing of Designes which tend unto a publike good it is apparent that on all sides a Concurrence is sought for by those that act in the affaires of State with those that are set in the Church to act for Christs kingdome and that as Moses could not be without Aaron at first when he came to the people So Aaron could not be without Moses at last when the people was to march through the Wildernesse and that neither the one nor the other durst go a step forward without a direction from God in their wayes therefore in the concurrence of States-men and Ministers towards a Reformation by the use of the meanes both Moses and Aaron must walke by one Rule of Christianity whereof the end is brotherly love and holinesse and not by two different rules as the custome of most men is and if the Ministers suffer themselves to be taken off from this aime by any pretence whatsoever or doe not labour to sway the Resolutions of the Master-Builders in the common wealth according to these Rules that all publick constitutions and the wayes of acting them upon the spirits of men may savour of nothing but of love of holinesse and of meeknesse in Authority by the directions of the word and the way of Christs walking I say if Ministers do not exactly keep themselves to this Rule and draw others to walk thereby they will be by their owne weaknesse and the craft of others drawn over to serve state ends and be made use of to divide others and to be divided from others and from one another amongst themselvs according to the wicked maxim of Machiavilian Government Divide Impera and who doth not see that the enimies of our Reformation leave nothing unattempted to put this maxime in execution and that they find opportunity enough and more then enough so to doe in every thing which is attempted in publick by reason of the unchristian frame of our Spirit and our walking by a two-fold Rule or without the Rules of charity and holinesse For Satan which worketh in them and is the Prince of this world finding us who pretend to bee Ministers of Christ out of the Sphere of Christs walking and in the Sphere of his owne Kingdome medling with worldly interests which concerne us not hath power over us to make us that are called Ministers more then all other men in the world to serve his ends of disturbing the Peace of mankind and tearing the Church of God in Peices and only because wee are not in the way wherein God hath set us but if on the otherside wee stand in the simplicity of our Christian way and walking to deliberate and doe all things both in private and publick by love and for holinesse according to Christs example then wee are in our full strength armed with light and Satan in the power of darknesse cannot come neer us or comprehend us And if it is not possible through our own default to put this Counsell in practise amongst us who are convicted of the truth thereof whether we are Independents or Presbyterians we are all alike guilty before God of our own ruine and of the generall disturbance of this Church and State I have spoken as briefly as I could contract my thoughts concerning The Remedy of the evil effects of our disease the Remedies which will worke a cure upon the Causes of our disease now I must speake also a word of that which I conceive will bee of use to prevent the dangerous effects thereof whereby our distempers are daily increased The disease in my conception is a distractednesse of spirit in a divided minde which hath wrought a dis-joynting of our affections so that we stand as a tall man distracted in his thoughts and divided in all his resolutions who hath no command or little use of any of his members because they are all out of joynt and hang as it were loose one from another Thus this Church the tallest of any Reformed in Europe and fit to bee a leader of the rest in the spirituall Conquest of Canaan doth stand within it selfe and to others uselesse The effects of this our distraction and division which increase our disease and make it grow upon us are chiefely three Frst jealousies fears and evill surmises of every thing that is designed by any party which is not our own Secondly censures reproaches disputes accusations and revilings against the persons and the actions of a different party Thirdly oppositions and crosse proceedings in counsells and attempts against all that are not exactly in the way wherein that party doth walke of which we are These three effects beget each other reciprocally not only in every man within himselfe and in every party within it selfe but in every man and party in relation to another as hee stands at a distance from the same and all of these make our distempers almost past remedy nor can the one well bee cured without the other and therefore the Remedies must needs bee such as can have an influence upon all at once to stop the current thereof upon our own and other mens spirits if they should prove succesfull towards a cure The field of this discourse is so large that I shall at this time but name only the heads of things which must become the ingredients of this Physick leaving the particular composition and application thereof unto some other time wherein God perhaps may give a call and grace to elaborate the same and this I shall do to give unto thee Christian Reader an object of prayer and meditation that thou mayest be moved to goe to God and to stirre up thy selfe and others daily till these Remedies be applyed unto our diseases as they ought to be If then the forenamed effects of our diseased Church should bee cured by this worke of Reformation wee must consider not only what is requisite to allay our present fits of distemper but also that which both in our age and in time to come will build us up unto a habitation of God through the spirit and propagate the blessings of the Gospel unto Posterity To cure then our present distempers it is
what Rules and Grounds it doth stand in the Communion of Saints to prejudge no mans just and conscionable Liberty and yet to act Regularly and with all competent Authority 3. What the way should be by which the Combination of Elderships ought to deale with such as are without who disturbe and trouble the peace of their Congregations Here the manner of conferring with those that are not co-ordinate with them in the Profession is to be opened to shew that it doth tend only to the conviction and reformation of mens spirits and not to the blasting of mens names or any other outward inconveniencie to be brought upon them by reason of their disagreement from them in opinion and practise If these declarations concerning the Classical Presbyteries were published as I conceive they may bee drawn up from the grounds of Scripture and undeniable Principles of Holy communion and right reason and backed with the practise of all the best Reformed Churches they might bee a fit playster for the sores which are in mens minds against the government These are in briefe the heads of my thoughts concerning the cure of our present fits of distemper as it may by Gods blessing be wrought out in a spirituall way what the Civill Magistrate in his Prudence and according to his place may and ought to doe outwardly to regulate the outward behaviours of men so as to make them without offence I shall not now speak of but leave it to the wisdome of the State praying that God would direct them to doe all things by their own light and for their true end of government and not by the instigation and prompting of others who may have by-ends to sway them As for the Reformation in times to come because wee should endevour not only to build up the wast places but also to lay the foundations of many generations thoughts should be had of these things following without the accomplishment of which in some competent measure we shall transmit little or no comfort unto posterity in the fruit of our undertakings Thoughts then I say should be had First of the wayes of constituting Schooles for the education of youth throughout the Kingdome in reference to foure sorts of people viz. 1. to the Mechanicks 2. To the Gentry and Nobles 3. To those that are to be trained up to teach others in humane Sciences 4. To the sons of the Prophets Secondly of the wayes of purging the Vniversities from the froth of ambitious and contentious Learning and Debates of Sciences falsly so called To bring Scholars to a Demonstrative way of attaining profitable Knowledge and by the exercise and imployment of their Talents for the benefit of each other without envy to increase in infinitum beyond the present bounds thereof Thirdly of enlarging unto all sorts of people Scripturall knowledge not only by Catecheticall exercises more exactly to be intended for the manner thereof by Pastors Parents School-masters and Masters of families then hitherto hath been minded but by regular and well ordered Conferences either in private or in publike as well to resolve doubts from the Text as to enlarge the discovery of Truths and Mysteries therein Fourthly and lastly of the wayes and Rules of Spirituall and Rationall Meditation in Divine and Humane things to rectifie the Principles of mens thoughts in the search of Knowledge whether from the Scripture by the grounds of demonstrating the true sense thereof in the Literal Material and Mystical analysis of the Text or from other Objects wherein the Mind of man may be more freely imployed either for Theoretical or Practical aims Of all which it is not now seasonable to speak any more but this That I shall intreat thee good Reader not to despise the dayes of small things nor to mistrust Gods power and goodnesse concerning that which he doth intend to do in the last dayes but to lift up thy prayer with me that we may be all fitted to receive and to make right use of the Grace which in the midst of many trials is offered unto us in Christ Jesus To him be glory for ever Amen THE CONTENTS Chap. 1. Pag. 1. COncerning a Church as it is the house of God Chap. 2. p. 2. Of the Members of Christs body and their Conjunction Chap. 3. p. 4. Of the Ordinances of Worship and Government Chap. 4. p. 7. Concerning the office imployment of the Pastor Teacher Chap. 5. p. 19. Concerning the office and imployment of Ruling Elders Chap. 6. p. 23. Some Rules taken from the Word of God to shew how the Elderships of a particular Church ought to settle the spirituall Government of the Flock committed to them Chap. 7. p. 25. Concerning the office and imployment of Deacons Chap. 8. p. 28. Concerning the duty of Christians as they are to be in a particular Church and under the government of Rulers set over them in the Lord. Chap. 9. p. 36. Certain Rules concerning the Administration of the Lords Supper for the decent ordering of the action offered to the consideration of those that scruple at the gesture of Sitting Chap. 10. p. 55. The practise of the best Reformed Churches in the Administration of the Lords supper THE GROUNDS OF THE SPIRITUAL FRAME OF THE HOUSE of GOD. CHAP. I. Concerning a CHURCH as it is the House of God 1. A Congregationall Church is a a dwelling place of Mount Zion a Isa 4 5. The Lord will create a cloud upon every dweling place of Mount Zion and upon her Assemblies Ergo there are many dwelling places many Assemblies of Mount Zion and each of them hath a promise of the Lords presence with them And one of her Assemblies that is to say a b House of God b 1 Tim. 3. 15. The House of God which is the Church of the living God 2. This house is built upon the foundation c of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himself being the cheife corner stone c Ephes 2. 20. and ye viz. Ephesians are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himself being the cheif corner stone as the Ephesians were so all true Churches are built upon Christ alone 3. The end and use of this building is to bee an d habitation of God through the Spirit d Ephes 2. 22. in whom you viz. Ephesians also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit 4. God then through e Christ dwelleth therein e Joh. 17. 23. I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one Ergo if they be united by any other tye to one another then by their relation to Christ they are neither perfect as one nor a true habitation of God by the Spirit And that two wayes First in the lively members of Christs body fitly joyned together Secondly in the spirituall ordinances of his worship and government rightly observed CHAP. II. Of the Members of Christs body and their conjunction THe members of Christs body are all the