unto the Enjoyment of Himself For that is the Rule of his sending and continuing of it whereon he enjoyned the Apostle Paul to stay in such places where he had much People whom he would have to be converted He would not continue from Generation to Generation to scatter his Pearls where there were none but rending Swine nor send Fishers unto waters wherein he knew there were nothing but Serpents and Vipers It is true the Gospel as preached unto many is only a Testimony against them leaving them without excuse and proves unto them a Savour of Death unto Death But the first direct and principal Design of the Dispensation of it being the Conversion of Souls and their eternal salvation it will not probably be continued in any Place nor is so where this Design is not pursued nor accomplished towards any Neither will God make use of it any where meerly for the Aggravation of Mens Sins and Condemnation nor would his so doing consist with the Honour of the Gospel its self or the Glory of that Love and Grace which it professeth to declare Where it is indeed openly rejected there that shall be the Condemnation of Men but where it finds any admittance there is hath somewhat of its genuine and proper work to effect And the Gospel is esteemed to be in all Places dispensed and admitted where the Scripture being received as the word of God Men are from the Light Truth and Doctrine contained therein by any means so far instructed as to take upon them the profession of subjecting their Souls to Jesus Christ and of observing the Religious Duties by him prescribed in opposition to all false Religions in the World Amongst all these the Foundations of saving Faith are at this day preserved For they universally receive the whole Canonical Scripture and acknowledge it to be the word of God on such motives as prevail with them to do so sincerely Herein they give a tacit consent unto the whole Truth contained in it for they receive it as from God without exception or limitation And this they cannot do without a General Renunciation of all the falsities and Evils that it doth condemn Where these things concur men will not believe nor practise any thing in Religion but what they think God requires of them and will accept from them And we find it also in the Event that all the Persons spoken of where-ever they are do universally profess that they believe in the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and in his only and Eternal Son They all look also for Salvation by him and profess obedience unto him believing that God raised him from the Dead They believe in like manner that the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of the Father and the Son with many other sacred Truths of the same importance as also that without Holiness no Man shall see God However therefore they are differenced and divided among themselves however they are mutually esteemed Hereticks and Schismaticks however through the Subtlety of Satan they are excited and provoked to Curse and Persecute one another with wonderful Folly and by an open contradiction unto other Principles which they profess yet are they all Subjects of the Visible Kingdom of Christ and belong all of them to the Catholik Church making profession of the name of Christ in the World in which there is Salvation to be obtained and out of which there is none We take not any consideration at present of that absurd foolish and uncharitable Error which would confine the Catholick Church of Christ unto a particular Church of one single Denomination or indeed rather unto a combination of some Persons in an outward mode of Religious Rule and Worship where of the Scripture is as silent as of things that never were nor ever shall be Yea we look upon it as intollerable Presumption and the utmost height of Vncharitableness for any to judge that the constant Profession of the name of Christ made by Multitudes of Christians with the lasting miseries and frequent Martyrdomes which for his sake they undergo should turn unto no advantage either of the Glory of God or their own Eternal Blessedness because in some things they differ from them Yet such is the Judgment of those of the Church of Rome and so are they bound to judge by the fundamental Princiciples and Laws of their Church Communion But men ought to fear least they should meet with Judgment without Mercy who have shewed no Mercy Had we ever entertained a thought uncharitable to such a Prodigie of insolence had we ever excluded any sort of Christians absolutely from an interest in the Love of God or Grace of Jesus Christ or hopes of Salvation because they do not or will not comply with those ways and terms of outward Church Communion which we approve of we should judg our selves as highly criminal in want of Christian Love as any can desire to have us esteemed so to be It is then the universal Collective Body of them that profess the Gospel throughout the world which we own as the Catholick Church of Christ. How far the Errors in Judgment or miscarriages in sacred worship which any of them have superadded unto the Foundations of Truth which they do profess may be of so pernicious a nature as to hinder them from an Interest in the Covenant of God and so prejudice their Eternal Salvation God only knows But those Notices which we have concerning the Nature and will of God in the Scripture as also of the Love Care and Compassion of Jesus Christ with the Ends of his Mediation do perswade us to believe that where Men in sincerity do improve the Abilities and Means of the Knowledg of Divine Truth where with they are intrusted endeavouring withall to answer their Light and Convictions with a suitable Obedience there are but few Errors of the Mind of so malignant a nature as absolutely to exclude such Persons from an Interest in Eternal Mercy And we doubt not but that men out of a Zeal to the Glory of God real or pretended have imprisoned banished killed burned others for such Errors as it hath been the Glory of God to pardon in them and which he hath done accordingly But this we must grant and do that those whose Lives and Conversations are no way influenced by the Power of the Gospel so as to be brought to some Conformity thereunto or who under the Covert of a Christian Profession do give themselves up unto Idolatry and Persecution of the true Worshipers of God are no otherwise to be esteemed but as Enemies to the Cross of Christ. For as without Holiness no Man shall see God so no Idolater or Murderer hath eternal Life abiding in him With respect unto these things we look upon the Church of England or the Generality of the Nation professing Christian Religion measuring them by the Doctrine that hath been preached unto them and received by them
of attaining it are the chief cause of Offences unto them who are yet strangers from Christianity The Jews object unto us the Wars among Christians which they suppose shall have no place under the Kingdom and Reign of the true Messiah And we have been reproached with our intestine Differences by Gentiles and Mahumetans For those who never had either Peace or Love or Unity among themselves do yet think meet to revile us with the want of them because they know how highly we are obliged unto them But any Men may be justly charged with the neglect of that Duty which they profess if they be found defective therein Under the sad Effects of the want of these things we may labour long enough if we endeavour not to take away ihe Causes of it And yet in the entrance of our Disquisition after them we are again entangled Christians cannot come to an Agreement about these Causes and so live under the severity of their Effects as not being able to conclude on a Remedy The multitude of them is here divided and one cryeth one thing another another Most place the Cause of all our Differences in a dissent from themselves and their Judgments Yea they do so apparently who yet disavow their so doing And it may be here expected that we should give some account of our thoughts as to the Causes of these Differences whereof we also have now complained so far as they are contrary to the nature or Obstructive of the Ends of the Gospel We shall therefore briefly endeavour the satisfaction of such as may have those Expectations Particular Evils which contribute much unto our Divisions we shall not insist upon much less shall we reflect upon and aggravate the failings of others whether Persons or Societies Some of the Principal and more General Reasons and Causes of them especially amongst Protestants it shall suffice us to enumerate The Principal Cause of our Divisions and Schisms is no other than the Ignorance or Misapprehension that is among Christians of the true nature of that Evangelical Vnity which they ought to follow after with the ways and means whereby it may be attained and preserved Hence it is come to pass that in the greatest Pleas for Vnity and endeavours after it most men have pursued a shadow and fought uncertainly as those that beat the Air. For having lost the very notion of Gospel Vnity and not loving the thing its self under what terms soever proposed unto them they consigned the Name of it unto and cloathed with its ornaments and Priviledges a vain Figment of their own which the Lord Christ never required nor ever blessed any in their Endeavours to attain And when they had changed the End it was needful for them also to change the Means of attaining it and to substitute those in their Room which were suited to the new Mark and Aim they had erected Farther to evidence these things we shall give some account of the Nature of Evangelical Vnity the means of attaining it with the false notion of it that some have embraced and the corrupt means which they have used for the compassing of the same First that Unity which is recommended unto us in the Gospel is spiritual and in that which is purely so lies the Foundation of the whole Hence it is called the Vnity of the Spirit which is to be kept in the bond of Peace because there is one Body and one Spirit whereby that Body is animated Thus all true Believers become one in the Father and the Son or perfect in one It is their Participation of and quickening by the same Spirit that is in Christ Jesus whereby they become his Body or Members of it even of his flesh and of his bones that is no less really Partakers of the same Divine Spiritual Nature with him than Eve was of the Nature of Adam when she was made of his flâ—sh and his bones The real Union of all true Believers unto the Lord Christ as their Head wrought by his Spiâ—iâ— which dwelleth in them and communicates of his Grace unto them is that which we intend For as hereby they become one with and in him so they come to be one among themselves as his Body and all the Members of the Body being many are yet but one Body wherein their oneness among themselves doth consist The Members of the Body have divers forms or shapes divers uses and Operations much more may be diversly cloathed and adorned yet are they one Body still wherein this Unity doth consist And it were a ridiculous thing to attempt the appearance of a dead useless Unity among the Members of the Body by cloathing of them all in the same kind of Garments or Covering But granting them their Vnity by their Relation unto the Head and thence to one another unto the Constitution of the whole and their different Forms shapes Uses Operations ornaments all tend to make them serviceable in their Unity unto their proper Ends. And saith the Apostle 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 we are 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 And he doth elsewhere so describe this Fundamental Unity of Believers in one Body under and in dependance on the same Head as to make it the only means of the usefulness and Preservation of the whole They grow up into him in all things which is the Head even Christ From whom the whole Body fitly joyned together and compacted by that which every joynt supplyeth according to the effectual working in the measure of every part maketh increase of the Body unto the Edifying of its self in Love The conjunction of all the Members into one Body their mutual usefulness unto one another the Edification of the whole with its increase the due exercise of Love which things contain the whole nature and the utmost Ends of all Church-Communion do depend meerly and solely upon and flow from the Relation that the Members have to the Head and their Union with him He speaketh again to the same purpose in the reproof of them who hold not the Head from which all the Body by joynts and bands having nourishment ministred and knit together increaseth with the increase of God This is the Foundation of all Gospel Vnity among Believers whereunto all other things which are required unto the compleating of it are but accessory nor are they without this of any value or acceptation in the sight of God Whatever Order Peace Concord Vnion in the Church any one may hold or keep who is not interested herein he is but like a Stone in a building laid it may be in a comely order but not cemented and fixed unto the whole which renders its station useless to the
as necessary Conditions of Communion in or among the Churches of Christ. We dispute not now about the Lawfulness or Vnlawfulness or things in themselves nor whether they may be observed or no by such as have no conviction of any Sin or Evil in them Neither do we judge or censure them by whom they are observed Our Enquiry is solely about our own Liberty and Duty And what concerneth them is resolved into this one Question as to the Argument in hand Whether such Things or Observances in the Worship of God as are wholly unscriptural may be so made the indispensible Condition of Communion with any particular Church as that they by whom they are so made and imposed on others should be justified in their so doing and that if any Differences Divisions or Schismes do ensue thereon the guilt and blame of them must necessarily fall on those who refuse submission to them or to admit of them as such That the Conditions proposed unto us and imposed on us indispensibly if we intend to enjoy the Communion of this Church are of this nature we shall afterwards prove by an induction of Instances Nor is it of any concernment in this matter what place the things enquired after do hold or are supposed to hold in the Worship of God our present Enquiry is about their warranty to be made conditions of Church-Communion Now we are perswaded that the Lord Christ hath set his Disciples at liberty from accepting of such terms of Communion from any Churches in the world And on the same Grounds we deny that he hath given or granted unto them Authority to constitute such Terms and Conditions of their Communion and indispensibly to impose them upon all that enjoy it according to their several capacities and concerns therein For First The Rule of Communion among the Disciples of Christ in all his Churches is invariably established and fixed by himself His Commission Direction and Command given out unto the first Planters and Founders of them containing an obliging Rule unto all that should succeed them throughout all Generations hath so established the Bounds Limits and Conditions of Church-Communion as that it is not lawful for any to attempt their Removal or Alteration Go ye saith he to them and teach all Nations Baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things whatever I have commanded you and lo I am with you alwayes even unto the end of the world All the Benefits and Blessings all the Comfort and use of Church-Assemblies and Communion depends alone on the promise of the Presence of Christ with them Thence doth all the Authority that may be exercised in them proceed and thence doth the efficacy of what they do unto the edification of the Souls of men arise and flow Now that any one may thus enjoy the Presence of Christ in any Church with the Fruits and Benefits of it no more can be required of him but that through the Preaching of the Gospel and Baptism being made a professed Disciple he do or be ready to do and observe all whatsoever Christ hath commanded This hath he established as the Rule of Communion among his Disciples and Churches in all Generations In all other things which do relate unto the Worship of God he hath set them and left them at liberty which so far as it is a Grant and Priviledge purchased for them they are obliged to make good and maintain We know it will be here replied that among the Commands of Christ it is that we should hear the Church and obey the Guides and Rulers thereof Whatever therefore is appointed by them we are to submit unto and observe even by virtue of the Command of Christ. And indeed it is certainly true that it is the Will and Command of the Lord Jesus that we should both hear the Church and obey the Guides of it But by virtue of this Rule neither the Church nor its Guides can make any thing necessary to the Disciples of Christ as a condition of Communion with them but only what he hath commanded For the Rule here laid down is given unto those Guides or Rulers who are thereby bound up in the Appointments of what the Disciples are to observe unto the Commands of Christ. And were a Command included herein of obeying the Commands or Appointments of Church-Guides and the promise of the Presence of Christ annexed thereunto as he had given them all his own Power and placed them in his Throne so we had been all obliged to follow them whither ever they had carried or led us although it were to Hell it self as some of the Canonists on this Principle have spoken concerning the Pope Here therefore is a Rule of Communion fixed both unto them that are to rule in the Church and them that are to obey And whereas perhaps it may be said that if the Rulers of the Church may appoint nothing in and unto the Communion of the Church but what Christ hath himself commanded then indeed is their Authority little worth yea upon the matter none at all For the Commands of Christ are sufficiently confirmed and fixed by his own Authority and to what end then serves that of the Rulers of the Church We must say that their whole Authority is limited in the Text unto Teaching of men to observe what Christ hath commanded And this they are to do with Authority but under him and in his Name and according to the Rules that he hath given them And those who think not this Power sufficient for them must seek it elsewhere for the Lord Christ will allow no more in his Churches To make this yet more evident we may consider that particular Instance wherein the Primitive Christians had a Trial in the Case as now stated before us And this was in the Matter of Mosaical Ceremonies and Institutions which some would have imposed on them as a condition of their Communion in the Profession of the Gospel In the determination hereof was their Liberty asserted by the Apostles and their Duty declared to abide therein And this was the most specious Pretence of imposing on the Liberty of Christians that ever they were exercised withal For the Observation of these things had countenance given unto it from their Divine Original and the condescending Practice of the Apostles for a good season That other Instances of the like nature should be condemned in the Scripture is impossible seeing none had then endeavoured the Introduction of any of that Nature But a general Rule may be established in the determination of one Case as well as in that of many provided it be not extended beyond what is eminently included in that case Herein therefore was there a Direction given for the Duty and Practise of Churches in following Ages and that in pursuit of the Law and Constitution of the Lord Christ before-mentioned Neither is there any force in