Christ Jesus without making use of any Sub-mediators either of Redemption or Intercession not mentioned in the Gospel and herein he considers God not only as a Creator or in the absolute perfections of his Being but as reconciled in the Blood of his Son related as a Father and ingaged by a special Covenant He is one who waits and prays for the help of Gods holy Spirit to lead him into the presence of God and to help his Infirmities therein and approacheth not to him meerly by the impulse of natural Conscience much less by the help of Pictures or Images forbidden by the Law of God but by the Spirit of Adoption inclining his Will moving his Affections and crying Abba Father in his Heart Again He reckons upon Suffering with Christ as well as Reigning with him of bearing his Cross as well as wearing his Crown and of Denying himself as becomes a Disciple of Christ and therefore Arms himself for it that he may not be surprized by it or faint under it and as he will not rashly thrust himself upon sufferings so neither decline them when necessarily called thereunto wherein he will have respect to the goodness of his Call of his Cause and of his Conscience Further He is one who when he is Reviled reviles not again patiently bears affronts and injuries for Righteousness sake seeks not privately to revenge himself but commits his Cause to him that judgeth righteously Again He embraceth Religion for its own sake and not for any politick end and abhors to make use of it as an Art to serve any Covetous Ambitious or Treacherous designs He is one who believes a Judgment to come and therefore lives in continual awe of it and endeavours so to manage the whole course of his actions that he may be accepted of the Lord in that day and not fall under the wrath to come and thereupon is less concerned about being Judged of men or of mans day Again He believing the Immortality of his own Soul the Resurrection of his Body and hoping for the Eternal Life of the World to come Life and Immortality being brought to light by the Christian Religion he is seeking to make it sure to himself and thereupon is less concerned as to his temporal Life and his short stay in this present World looking upon himself as a stranger here on Earth He is careful to examin himself about his State towards God and to know the inward frame and temperament of his own Soul and the Actions of his Life in the Principle Rule and End of them that he may not be found among Hypocrites and that counterfeit Grace may not be mistaken for that which is true His Zeal in Religion is not rash and precipitate hypocritical and treacherous violent and cruel so as to transgress the Rules of Humanity Charity and Sobriety but is grounded upon Knowledge and regulated by sound Judgment Wisdom and Discretion and his greatet Zeal is about the great things of Religion and of the greatest certainty He is one who hath a regular Conscience extending to one Duty as well as to another and therefore will not strain at Gnats and swallow Camels nor be scrupulous about Ceremonies and of conforming to some outward Forms of Worship and yet can practise injustice oppression lying fraud intemperance backbiting malice and such moral impieties not becoming Christians And if he hath a Conscience of Conformity to the Church he makes Conscience of the moral Duties of Religion and will not be found guilty of swearing cursing drunkenness fornication scoffing at piety blasphemy false accusation or persecution for Conscience sake of the truly conscientious c. And though his practice in Religion is according to his best Light and judgment yet he confines not the Church of God or monopolizeth Salvation to the narrow limits of his own private Opinion but judgeth charitably of men who Conscientiously differ from him as knowing that as in several Nations so under several Opinions He that feareth God and worketh Righteousness is accepted of him and therefore he can love and honour true Piety Sincerity and Goodness and real Worth wherever he finds them as the Phylosophers called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 studied to extract the good out of every Sect of Phylosophers and rejected the rest Again He beholdeth the Creator in the works of his Creation and adores his wisdom power bounty and goodness shining forth therein and as a Christian he can look upon the Creator of the World as the Redeemer of it and as his God and Father in Jesus Christ and in special relation to him and hereupon to have his Heart engaged to love him honour him fear him and trust in him which is more than the most learned Heathen by the light of Nature could attain unto Further He considering the Dominion God hath given Man over the brute Creatures he useth them with Thanksgiving but will not abuse them as a Tyrannical Lord and is stirred up to the more chearful service of God by those brute Creatures which are daily serving him He knows that not only Faith is required of a Christian but outward Profession and therefore he conforms to all the Ordinances and Institutions of Christ in his Church and attends there diligently for his Edification and that God may be hononred by the Divine Worship of the Publick Assemblies of his People according to the dictates of the universal Law of Nature and therefore as he will not have Communion with any Church in that that is evil and sinful so he is ready to hold Communion with all Churches in that which is lawful and good that he may not fall under the just charge of Schism or unwarrantable Separation and seeks the maintaining of his whole profession unspotted and without rebuke and therefore He keeps his Foot when he goes to the House of God demeans himself with all seriousness and Reverence in Gods publick Worship will not be found talking gazing whispering laughing or sleeping when his mind and thoughts should be directed towards God that he may carry himself suitable to that great Presence wherein he is and the solemnity of that Service he i◠engaged in He carefully avoids all Tempting of God by presuming upon his Power and Mercy for the good either of his Soul or Body without using suitable and rational means or such as may be appointed of God for that end neither will he pray or hope to receive what God hath never promised to give and thereby be also a tempter of God. Again He being a Christian is careful to observe the Christian Sabbath not the Seventh day of the Week as the Jews but the First according to the example of the Apostles and the first Christian Churches whereby he owns Christs Lordship over the Sabbath to change the day as well as the Ordinances of Gods worship therein and therefore he remembers to keep it Holy by abstaining from bodily Labours and by the exercise of his mind and thoughts
CHRISTIANITY DESCRIBED c. ALL Religion in the World hath Respect to a Deity and was there no God there need to be no Religion and they cast off a Deity and may be termed Atheists who cast off all Religion But there are such bright Characters of a Deity in the Works of Creation and in every Mans Conscience as that there are but few who embrace not some Religion or other And tho some Men seem to live as though there was no God yet when they are in distress or in the approaches of Death the sense of a Deity returns upon them as motions against Nature will at some time or other recurr And therefore such as promote Impiety under pretexts of Religion are likely to do more mischief and have greater success then those who seek to do it by disputing against a Deity I know some have endeavoured to make themselves and others Atheists as Lucretius boasts of Epicurus that he was the first that sought to deliver the World from the burthensome Yoke of Religion but he had not many Followers Yet I fear the notion of a Deity may be much stifled in many for when they see all things come to pass by second causes when they see Vice and Wickedness rampant in the world and true Piety and Virtue under Contempt and when they observe so many Sects in the World and differences about Religion and how the generality of Men though they have no fear of God yet they fare as well as those that fear him and when they see the Apostacy and Hypocrisie of many that have made great Profession and the simpleness and weakness of others they begin to think all that is discoursed about a Deity Providence Judgment to come Heaven and Hell or any Religion are but fanatick Fancies superstitious Conceits or politick Inventions either of Princes to keep the People under Government or of Priests to make Markets of Peoples Consciences But my business at present is not with these but such as own and acknowledge a Deity profess Religion yea the best and only true Religion the Reformed Christian Religion a Religion founded first in Gods Eternal Councels for the highest Manifestation of his own Glory and formed for the good of Mankind in this World and for conducting them to the Eternal Felicity of the World to come And was it not defaced by the vicious practices of false Christians it would either convince or convert the World to it and vindicate it self from the Reproaches under which it lies with many at this day most Men looking more at the Actions of Men than the Rules of the Religion they profess to judge it by though some look upon it as some vindication of the Name of Christ against the Impostor Mahomet in the great success of the Christians so called against the Turks yet we may fear that the unjust Practices gross Idolatries inhumane Persecutions and scandalous Lives of many called Christians may keep them from embracing Christianity But because my design is general I shall not make it my business now to consider any one Party or Denomination of Christians distinct from another but shall briefly treat of Christianity it self in the Principles Rules Mysteries and Designs of it that all may here as in a Glass see their own face and as most I fear may have cause to blush so it may tend to reduce the Christian world to a better Temper especially our own English Nation I find all Parties ready to reflect one upon another whereas all may be guilty And whilst each are contending for some particular Opinions and Circumstances in Religion they may evidently transgress the Rules of common Christianity And while some are called Papists others Protestants some Lutherans some Calvenists some Conformists others Nonconformists all are apt to forget they are called Christians And while we are contending for that which is Primitive in Church order and in the Externals of Religion we regard not that which is primitive in the right Temperament of our Hearts and Lives which if we could arrive at or did studiously endeavour it might prevent the mischiefs which have befallen us for time to come and allay our late contentions in Religion more than all the wrangling disputes which have been among us and though in doubtful things it is commendable to search out Truth and plead for it yet not with minds possest with Passion or Prejudice which blind the Judgment and break the bonds of Unity Love and Peace As the two Men mentioned by Anselm who disputing and then falling to blows in the Morning about the place where the Sun would rise beat out one anothers Eyes and so neither of them could see it It 's no great advantage to a Man to be a Papist Lutheran Calvinist Episcopal Presbyterian c. if he be not a right Christian Our greatest zeal is about those things for the most part that are not necessary to Salvation and which may leave us short of Heaven So that we may take up the complaint of the Historian about the Divisions of the Eastern Western and Lybian Churches among themselves Tanta confusio Niceph. cap. 25. lib. 16. mentiumque Caligo orbem universum incessit Opinions get into Mens lusts and are twisted with Interest which make Men furious and violent who are altogether Strangers to Christianity in the life and power of it And though I have not told the World my Name either who I am or what I am yet I think I need not care who knows it for I suppose no man will be angry with me for wishing all Men well and as for praise of Men as I deserve none so neither can I expect it from a work of this Nature this I shall only say I have lived now the full Age of a Man have been an Observer of the Contests of the late Times and have seen little good fruit upon the Spirits of most Men many have changed their Opinions their particular Professions and Parties but still have retained the same Hearts and Religion in the Power of it hath been manifestly declining either by being rarified into airy Ceremonies or condensed into stupid Formality or refined into speculative Notions or rent asunder by manifold Opinions and perverse Disputes or abused to unwarrantable Designs and Men have made it their work to trample others down and their Conquests have proved their Snare and then their Ruine wherein the saying of Solomon is fulfilled There is a time when one man ruleth over another to his own hurt Eccl. 8. v. 9. I fear most Men know not or forget what it is to be a right Christian And what that worthy Name doth oblige them to which was the Name whereby all Christs Disciples were called before all those Names were known in the World whereby since they have been distinguished or reproached And as it was the first Name given on Earth so it may probably continue for ever in Heaven For of Christ the whole Family of Heaven
may be a Tempâ—ation to himself or a stumbling-block unto others He is not led by the Examples of Men apâ—roves not of any evil because practised by â—he multitude but having found out the Rule â—f his walking he follows it though against the â—ream of a corrupt Age. Again He studiously avoids vain Scoffing â—nd reproachful Nick-names especially about â—atters of Religion as being the Evidence of â— frothy mind and tending to beget proâ—haneness and Atheism in Mens Hearts Further Though his Conversation is civil â—nd courteous towards all yet he especially â—onours them who fear the Lord and chooseth â—ch to be of his more intimate Acquaintance â—d Society wherein he doth delight He bridles his Anger that it may not transâ—rt him to any excess either in words or â—tions neither will he suffer the Sun to go down upon it so as to lodge with him lest it grow up into malice or inveterate hatred Remembring herein the wise Mans saying Anger resteth in the Bosom of fools And he also hath that Rule over his Spirit that he is noâ— easily provoked to wrath He will not easily take up false Report against any much less divulge them most oâ— all not raise them but seeks to preserve anothers Reputation as his own knowing thaâ— he ought to love his Neighbour as himself and therefore he will not entertain ground less Jealousies but puts all things under thâ— most favourable Interpretation according tâ— the Rule of Christian charity He is not wise in his own Conceit but judging humbly of his own Parts he readily hearkens to other Men and over-weens not his owâ— understanding He will not rejoyce and triumph in otheâ— Mens Calamities nor trample upon theâ— when they are fallen not knowing how soâ—â— their case may be his own and the tryaâ— which are upon them may come to his owâ— door He makes it his care to preserve Peaâ— within in the midst of all the troubles thâ— attend him from without and sets befoâ— him the Joys of Heaven as a Relief against tâ— Worlds sorrow He looketh upon the Providence of Goâ— as superintending and guiding the Affairs the World and therefore is not dismayed by the signs of the Heavens gives not heed to Diviners and Soothsayers as the Heathen did and which was forbidden by many Christian Emperours and becomes not the Christian Profession Neither doth he ascribe Events to blind Fortune the Power of exorcisms or to the Connection of second causes any further than they are influenced by the first cause and therefore he doth not perplex his Thoughts about future things which are not in his Power but in the discharge of his present Duty leaves them all in the hand of the only wise God. Again Though he is diligent in the affairs of his Calling yet he suffers not the things of this World so to ingross his Time Heart and Thoughts as to be diverted from all Communion with God and attending the great Concernments of his Soul and will what he can avoid the incumbrances of the World that his Heart may be more free for the Duties of Religion and the service of God. And seeing that he was not made by himself or for himself he is careful to serve the end of his being which is to glorisie his Creator and for that end is diligent to improve the several Talents wherewith God hath intrusted him whether natural acquired civil or spiritual and considering also himself as bought with a price he glorifies God both in Soul and Body which both are his which is peculiar to a Christian And lastly He knowing that his Time is short upon Earth he is making Provision for his latter End that he may dye in Peace Whereupon he lives not in continual Bondage to the fear of Death nor hardens himself against it by a Roman courage but looking upon Death by Faith in the Death of Christ he seeth the Sting of it taken away and it made a Passage into Eternal Life And knowing also that the coming of the Lord draws nigh he comforts himself in the Expectation of it as hoping to find mercy of the Lord at that day I should here have added one particular more which the Christian Religion doth oblige all Men to which is Obedience to Rulers and Magistrates but I shall make it a distinct head to speak of afterwards Now Reader By these things and such things as these for I cannot possibly mention all thou seest what it is to be a Christian and what an Excellency and Purity is in the Christian Religion and what brave Men it would make us both towards God our selves and one another Whatever moral Vertues the Heathen Philosophers boasted of or whatever Goodness or Truth there is in natural Theology whatever is consentaneous to the purest Reason or whatever moral goodness there is in the Law of Moses whether Moral Judicial or Ceremonial or in any Religion professed in the World we have it all comprized in Christianity Here we have an account of the true Happiness of Man and how to attain it And where an Expiation may be found for the sin of his Soul And how he may be supported under all the Calamities of this present Life which three things the Minds of the Philosophers were so exercised about It is a Religion which endows men with higher Principles and sets before them higher Motives against the practice of evil and for performing that which is good than any other in the World and was it Exemplified in the Lives of Men instead of Oppression Injustice and Violence instead of Animosities Divisions and Contentions instead of treacherous plotting and contriving the destruction of one another we might enjoy our selves and live together in great Tranquility Love and Peace whereas now the lives of most who are called Christians are the publick scandal of the World and as great Atheism Prophaneness Irreligion and all sorts of Immoralities are found among us as where the Name of Christ and the Gospel were never heard of And in many things worse than Infidels which makes the old saying true Aut hoc non est Evangelium aut nos non sumus Evangelici Either this is not the Christian Religion we profess or else we are not Christians And will not Christ be ashamed of them who are a shame to him and his Name that is upoâ— them As a Parent who hath a vile and wicked Son is ashamed that he should bear hiâ— Name And as some have probably thoughtâ— that those shall come first to Judgment sâ— they are likely to fall under the severest judgment in the day of Christ The Heathen oâ— old upbraided the Christians with their Name Cajus Sejus bonus vir sed Christianus but now it may be said Cajus Sejus Christianus sed noâ— bonus vir which is a real Reproach which thâ— other was not And may we not complaiâ— as Salvian in his Time In nobis patitur Christus opprobrium in nobis patitur Lex Christianâ— maledictum Christ
modish and immodest Dresses not becoming their Profession and high living beyond their Quality their Place or it may be their outward Estates Again Have you not some amongst you who are of unquiet Spirits unruly Passions given to brawling strife and contention in your Family Parents with Children Masters and Mistresses with Servants using reproachful Names and threatning Language not becoming the Gospel and injurious to all good Order and Government Have not some also been guilty of great Covetousness grasping at great Estates and griping the Poor and oppressing the Needy and withholding Wages when it was due anâ— shutting up your Purse in works of Charity and Mercy and have had the cry of the Poor thereby against you Have not some of you had itching Ears now crying up one Man then another having Mens persons in admiration because of parts gifts opinions and affecting tone oâ— some peculiar notions in Religion affecting Novelties more than sound Doctrine and hearing them rather to please your Fancies than profit your Souls Again Have not others of you run into extreams in Religion running so far from Justification by Works as to cast off Charity and good Works and seeking purer Ministry and Ordinances have rejected both and depending upon the Spirit have cast off the Scriptures and negected endeavours and fleeing from Superstition are fallen into practical Atheism and from knowing Christ after the Flesh to know him only as a Light within and from corruption in the Church to be of no Church and have run from Prelacy to a popular Anarchy and from receiving the Sacrament Kneeling not to receive it at all Have not others been Tale-bearers Sowers of Discord and Raisers of false Reports it may be of Magistrates themselves at least have been too credulous to receive them and divulge them abroad and so ensnare themselves in the words of their own Mouth Have not some been guilty of too much Uncharitableness to such who have differed from you and your Opinions in Religion and confining the Church of God to too narâ—ow a compass and making Christs Kingdom â—o consist in doubtful Opinions high Notions forms of Government gifts of Utterance â—ather than in Righteousness Peace and Joy â—n the Holy Ghost as the Apostle speaks Have ye not also had great Divisions and Animosities among your selves Brother going â—o Law with Brother rash Censuring of one â—nother and broke off your Communion with â—ach other for slight and trivial and doubtâ—ul matters being of fickle Minds and have â—ot any due consistency among your selves â—eing uneasie without Liberty and when you â—ave it want wisdom to preserve it or imâ—rove it Have not many of you discovered great â—ant of Wisdom and Prudence in the managâ—g of your Professions and different Opiniâ—ns both in your speeches and behaviours â—mongst Men and towards one another and â—ereby given just occasion of offence Have not some of you placed much of your â—eligion in your particular Opinions in your separate Churches without seeking as ye ought that inward Grace which might Sanctifie your Hearts and Regulate your Lives and so separate you from the moral evils oâ— the World as well as corruptions in Worship Have not others of you been guilty of mucâ— Spiritual Pride in despising those whom yâ— have thought in a Form below you and diâ—covered it in contemptuous Language anâ— Carriage And have mistaken the power oâ— Fancy and the transport of meer naturaâ— Passion soon vanishing away for the work â— the holy Spirit which abides in the Soul. Have your Fastings and days of Prayeâ— been kept as dayes of true Humiliation foâ— Sin but rather to have your Sufferings removed than Sanctified or to have some particular Opinion prevail rather than sincere Râ—ligion substantial Holiness and solid Pietâ— in your Hearts and Lives Again Have not the Temptations of thâ— times made some of you to act contrary tâ— your Consciences Principles and Professions to save your self from Suffering and givinâ— occasion thereby to your Adversaries to glorâ— over you Other things I might mention but theâ— things may serve for Conviction to the Guiltâ— and for Caution to others For I am perswadeâ— better things of many of you though I thâ— speak I know ye have among you many eminent examples of Piety Prudence Justice Sobriety Charity and strict and sincere Devotion towards God and Innoceny towards Men and that nothing but Conscience towards God doth make them Dissenters in Religion being otherwise ready to perform all dutiful respect to Magistrates and all acts of Love Friendship Hospitality and good Neighbourhood towards all among whom they live and it cannot be denied but that many of your Ministers and Teachers have been and are Men of great Learning Prudence and Piety great Textuaries and eminent Preachers and sound Expositors and zealous against Popery But if any will make an ill use of what I have said and are glad through the sides of some offending Dissenters to wound all Religion Piety and Profession I shall only say as the Prophet Oded did to the Host of Israel after they had slain their Brethren the men of Judah with a rage reaching up to Heaven Are there not sins with you even with you against the Lord your God 2 Chron. 28. 10. Or as our Saviour to the Pharisees concern-in the Woman taken in Adultery Let him that is without sin cast the first Stone at her Have not those of the Church of England who have of late been casting Stones at the Dissenters their Sins May not our Saviour say to the Church of England as to the Church of Ephesus I have somewhat against thee And as it 's said to the Church in Sardis Rev. 3. 2. Srengthen the things which remain that are ready to die for I have not found thy works perfect before God. Hath she not exprest more zeal against Nonconformity in some indifferent Rites and Ceremonies so accounted by themselves than against notorious Vice and Wickedness Hath she not establisht Church Communion upon other Foundations than the Apostles did in the Primitive Churches as Profession of Faith and Repentance and Subjection to the Commandments and Institutions of Jesus Christ Hath she manifested the meek and tender Spirit of Christ toward those who have iâ— some small Points of Religion differed from her and such as may justly be Scrupled and herein not done to others as she would heâ— self be done unto And scoffing at their pleaâ— of Conscience as vain Canting Hath she not in many of her Doctrine Preached Printed and Published departeâ— from her own Articles and some forwarâ— Men have been shaping them and their publick Worship and Order more and more intâ— a conformity to the Church of Rome anâ— thereby raised the hope of the Papists and occasioned many multitudes of Protestants in the Nation to dissent from her she driving them from her Communion and then punishing them for so doing Hath she not been breaking down the Civil Bounds and ancient Land-marks and exposing the holy