reason why it would not make Prayer in that mode unlawful it doth not make it unlawful in this Men use to plead their Christian Liberty against such humane impositions But the best use of Christian Liberty is still to do those things which all things considered tend most to common good the edification of our selves and others though otherwise and out of those circumstances we were under no obligation to do them And thus did St. Paul make use of it who best understood the use of his Christian Liberty Though I am free from all Men saith he yet have I made my self a Servant unto all that I might gain the more To the Jews I became as a Jew to them that are without Law as without Law and all this 〈◊〉 the Gospel sake 1 Cor. 9.19.23 The interest of the Gospel in the main did govern him as it should do us in the use of his Christian Liberty sometimes one way and sometimes another And therefore we have him sometimes against Circumcision that the truth of the Gospel might be preserved among the Christians Gal. 2.5 and 5.1 And sometimes making use of it for the furtherance of the Gospel Acts 16.3 And he perswaded the Christians to use their Liberty to which they were called not so much to please themselves as to serve one another in Love but by no means to use it as an occasion to the flesh as some would have taught them in casting off the Rule and Government of Heathen Governours Masters and Magistrates under a pretence of being Christ's Freemen Gal. 5.13 1 Tim. 6.1 2 3. 2 Pet. 2.10 Jude 9. Now I have been shewing before that a Liberty of a total dis-use of the Lyturgie in the publick Worship as the case now stands cannot be practicable with that advantage to the general interest of Religion as the use of it may as any Men of reason may easily discern if they be not blinded with prejudice and interest An Argument may much rather be fetched from Christian Liberty for the use of the Lyturgie under the present posture of Circumstances then against it For if God hath not limitted Prayer to one mode only then Christians are at Liberty to use any as occasion shall require for the interest of Religion in the Main and consequently that which for the present the Law requires I have now near done with the second Dividing-Principle and when the whole I have said about it hath been considered I appeal to all who are able to make a judgment in the case whether those that separate from our Protestant Parish-Congregations will ever be able to clear themselves from the guilt of sinful Schism and causless separation and of all the mischievous effects that have and may proceed from it or be occasioned by it And to give yet the greater weight to the general scope of what I have said about the Lawfulness of Communion in our Parish Congregations and of the sinfulness of separating from them notwithstanding all pretences I shall set before you the un-erring example of our Blessed Saviour in his holding local Communion when he was on Earth with such a Church as he did which for ought I can judge was more corrupt both in respect of Persons and things then any of our Parish-Churches are though many of them alas are too bad indeed 1. The High Priest-hood the highest Office in the Church in which Ministry all the Worshippers were concerned was bought and sold for Money or otherwise unduly obtained and frequently translated from one to another contrary to God's appointment of which we have an account from Josephus besides what we have in Luke 3.2 John 11.49.51 and 18.13 2. Provisions for the Temple-Service were in part unduly obtained in the Corban way Mar. 7.11 3. The Holy Temple was profaned being made a House of Merchandize and a Den of Thieves which was otherwise Holy by institution as well as the matter of the Worship it self 4. The Law was corrupted by many false glosses Mat. 5.5 The Commandments of Men were taught for Doctrines Mat. 15.9 6. The Church censures were abused to the Excommunication of the best Men John 9.22.34 7. The Sadduces who denyed the Resurrection or that there is Angel or Spirit were not only tolerated but were also a great and prevailing party in that Church 8. The Scribes Pharisees Chief Priests and Rulers were persecuting and oppressive proud covetous and hypocritical and the common People generally so bad as that they preferred Barabbas before Jesus and had their hands in shedding the Blood of our Saviour and they with the other were all of them together a Generation of Vipers a sinful and an adulterous Generation In this lamentable condition was that Church then Yet all this notwithstanding our Saviour did not refrain the publick Worship but held Communion with this Church both in Temple and Synagogue-Worship as you may see in Luke 2.41 42 43. John 2.23 and 7.10 and 10.22 23. Luke 4.16 Mat. 26.17 18. There is no Man ever had so good a mind as he to soundness of Doctrine purity of Worship and Worshippers and to right order and Discipline in the Church And his Wisdome was such as that he knew perfectly what was fittest to be done under such Circumstances of things both in reference to his Father's Glory the furtherance of Religion the advancement of Reformation and the Salvation of Men for which he came into the World and what course would best conduce to these ends and what would not And although as a publick Person he did not spare to reprove the corruptions of the time both in respect of Persons and things and to endeavour a Reformation in a regular way yet he never attempted it by breaking off Communion with that Church in the publick Worship and by erecting separate Communities for Reformation sake which yet certainly he would have done if that had been the better and nearer way to those great ends but now mentioned And if Men had no other ends or designs then our Saviour had me-thinks those that are to learn of him and not to teach him should not lay aside those means and methods which he made choice of to accomplish his ends or ever think to make a better choice then he had done If when those who are ingenuous and truly consciencious have well considered these things and yet after that shall continue separatists from our Parish-Churchs I shall somewhat wonder how or which way they can satisfie themselves in so doing Me-thinks this unquestionable and uncontroulable patern and example of our Saviour of whom we are all to learn and who hath left us an example that we should tread in his steps should of it self alone if there were nothing else to be said in the case put an end to all disputes about this business and satisfie the most scrupulous Christian under Heaven The Jews initiating of Proselytes by Baptism as well as by Circumcision was a humane addition to what God had
A PERSWASIVE TO Peace Unity AMONG CHRISTIANS Notwithstanding their different Apprehensions in lesser things 1 Cor. 1.10 Now I beseech you Brethren by the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye all speak the same thing and that there be no Divisions among you but that ye be perfectly joyned together in the same mind and in the same Judgment Phil. 2.2 Fulfill ye my joy that ye be like minded having the same Love being of one accord of one mind Rom. 14.19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for Peace and things wherewith one may edifie another LONDON Printed for B. Aylmer at the Three Pigeons in Cornhil near the Poultry 1672. A PERSWASIVE TO Peace and Unity AMONG CHRISTIANS THE deep sense of the very ill effects of our Church-Divisions hath put me as it should do every good Christian upon healing considerations An account of some of which I shall give in the following Discourse which I shall ground on the words of St. Paul Eph. 4.3 Endeavouring to keep the Unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace Which contain that behaviour in part by which Christians may and ought to walk worthy of that Vocation to which they are called Unto which the Apostle doth with the greatest earnestness exhort and perswade them in this and the two former Verses And the words give us occasion to inquire into two things 1. What is meant by the Unity of the Spirit 2. How this Unity is preserved by Peace and how we are to endeavour so to preserve it 1. What is meant by the Unity of the Spirit The Unity of the Spirit is that One-ness among Christians which the Spirit of God worketh or effecteth by the Gospel which is the Ministration of the Spirit For by the Spirits operation through that Men become one in Faith or Perswasion one in Profession one in Affection and one in Communion And by their Union and agreement in these or the three former of these they become one Body or Spiritual Corporation under Christ the Head of it By one Spirit we are all Baptized into one Body and are made to drink into one Spirit 1 Cor. 12.13 For the work of the Ministry till we all come to the Unity of the Faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God Ephes 4.12 13. 1. They are by the Spirit made one in faith or perswasion touching the great fundamental truths in the Christian Religion such as the Apostle doth instance in in the three following Verses Even as ye were 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 First they are all called by the Gospel to embrace Christianity in One Hope of obtaining forgiveness of sins and eternal Life Secondly they all agree in professing Faith in One Lord Jesus Christ as the only Mediator in opposition to the Lords many the many Mediators the Heathen professed to have and to worship 1 Cor. 8.5 6. Thirdly they all agree in the Belief that the Doctrine of the Gospel by Christ and his Apostles contained in the Holy Scriptures is a revelation from God touching what Men ought to believe and how they ought to live called the One Faith and the Common Faith from the Christians unanimous agreement in it Tit. 1.4 Fourthly they all agree and are one in the belief of One God and Father of all in opposition to the many Idol-gods worshipped by others Fifthly there is also One Baptism by which all the Christians with one consent make profession solemnly of their belief in and Dedication to the Worship and Service of the Father Son and Holy Ghost into whose Name they were Baptized and by which as by a sacred Rite they are solemnly declared to be of the one Body the Church By one Spirit are all Baptized into one Body 2. They all agree and are one in the Profession of the Common Faith the fundamental Doctrines of the Gospel the belief of which is of necessity to Salvation Which Profession is called The acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness Tit. 1.1 2 Tim. 2.25 The acknowledgment of the Mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ Col. 2.2 As with the heart they believe unto Righteousness so with the Mouth confession is made unto Salvation Rom. 10.10 3. So far as they are Christians indeed they are all one in affection or Brotherly Love They Love all Men even those that are not Christians with a love of compassion desiring and seeking their good but they love their fellow Christians wish a special kind of love for the appearance of good in them for their one-ness with them in the Faith called a loving or the Truths sake which is in them 2 John 1.2 And a loving them in the 〈◊〉 Tit. 3.15 By which they become One 〈◊〉 and 〈…〉 togethâ—◠〈◊〉 Love Act. 4.32 Col. 2.2 And hence it is that Faith in our Lord 〈◊〉 Christ and love to all the Saints are frequently joyned together in Scripture 4. All they that rightly be of the Unity of the Spirit are also one in Communion One in their Communion in Grace mutually loving one another and praying one for another One in Communion in Gifts edifying one another as they have opportunity And one in Communion in Ordinances communicating together in Ordinances of Divine Worship Spiritually with all and locally with those among whom they live 1 Cor. 10.17 For we being many are one Bread and one Body for we are all partakers of that one Bread These are the things in which the Unity of the Spirit doth especially consist Not that I limit it to these only for it is the work of the Spirit in the Gospel to be bringing the Believers to speak all the same thing and to be perfectly joyned together in the same mind and in the same judgment in the lesser things of Religion as well as the greater but their actual agreement lyeth mostly in the greater 2. How this Unity is preserved by Peace and how we are to endeavour so to preserve it Unity in the whole community of Christians is preserved by each Member's observing the Laws and Rules made for the Government and good Order of the whole in their carriage towards each other For while every Man Acts his own part only and keeps in his own Rank according to Rule there is no confusion no disturbance no division and peace and confusion or disorder are put in opposition to one another 1 Cor. 14.33 Christ the Head of the Church or Spiritual Corporation hath made several excellent Laws and Rules to govern the Members of his Body in their behaviour one towards another for the common good of the whole and for the Honour of their Religion and of him who is the great Founder of it As that all their things should be done in Charity That they be gentle and courteous humble and condescending in Honour
of proceeding to give or to receive satisfaction there yet remains a difference in judgment about things which are not of the essence of Christianity yet there will be no unpeaceable striving nor contending no ill and provoking reflexions among such as are of this humble and modest temper but they will quietly and patiently bear with one another in Love as knowing themselves not to be infallible The Servant of the Lord must not strive but be gentle unto all Men patient in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves shewing all meekness to all men 2 Tim. 2.24 25. Tit. 3.2 It was said of our Lord himself who was meek and lowly in heart that he shall not strive nor cry neither shall any man hear his voyce in the streets Mat. 12.19 And if this way of proceeding will not reconcile the different-minded to our judgment when we have truth on our side much less will any thing that we can do in a more imperious and passionate way of proceeding For the wrath of Man worketh not the Righteousness of God It is no fit Instrument or Tool for that Work Jam. 1.20 Whereas by a patient and peaceable forbearance not only Unity in affection and Communion is preserved but many times the dissenting party won upon and brought to a better understanding By long forbearing is a Prince perswaded and a soft Tongue breaketh the bone Prov. 25.15 And as for Charity there is nothing qualifies a Man more to keep the Unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace then this The several properties of it are described by St. Paul in 1 Cor. 13 4-7 Do as it were conspire and naturally tend to promote peace and good agreement To what degree Charity dwells in any Man to that degree it disposeth him to suffer long and to forbear revenge to be kind and ready to do good and indisposeth him to Envy others in what they excell him to vaunt himself or to be puffed up or to behave himself unseemly or unbecomingly in word or deed or to seek his own with neglect of others benefit or to be easily provoked or to think or surmize evil or to Interpret things to the worst sence or to rejoyce in anothers halting though an Adversary but inclines him to rejoyce in the Truth and when right to keep place It enables a Man to bear with all things in another so far as is consistent with his and the general good to believe all things that are any wayes credible that tend to excuse or commend others To hope all things and not to despair but that a Neighbour may by his Charitable endeavours be recovered though he hath miscarried and to endure all things labour pains and many inconveniencies to himself so he may but be serviceable to others And if these be the properties of Charity well may it be called the bond of perfectness and Christians exhorted above all things to put it on How can it be thought that they can ever divide or separate in whom Love with these properties dwells And as Charity is of a healing so it is also of a comprehensive Nature I can scarce propose any endeavours properly useful to keep the Unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace but more or less of these properties of Charity will be found in them And it is so universally usefull for the right conduct of all affairs in the Church that St. Paul gives it in charge thus 1 Cor. 16.14 Let all your things be done with Charity a line and vein of this should run through all And if all Christians had but this salt in themselves to allude to Mark 9. it would so season their converse that they would have peace one with another Where there is entireness of affection and a peaceable correspondence among Christians it makes them unwilling to differ from one another in judgment or practice There is such a comfort in Love as the phrase is Phil. 2.1 that it makes them very unwilling to admit of any difference that may diminish that comfort or weaken that love And this disposeth them to look not on their own things only but also on the things of others and to weigh without prejudice or partiallity what each offers to other which is the way to have the weaker brought over to the stronger in any thing wherein they differ And in this way doth the Church edifie it self in love Ephes 4.16 Being knit together in love even unto all riches of full assurance of understanding as the phrase is Col. 2.2 And indeed it is a common thing for one Man to be brought over to anothers judgment through affection to him being prepared thereby to give his reasonings the greatest liberty and scope in his judgment Whereas on the contrary it is a strong temptation to Men to differ from them in judgment and practice from whom they have departed in affection St. Paul could easily believe there were divisions in the Church of Corinth when he fore-knew there would be Heresies among them the one being the fore-runner of the other and a lesser difference making way for a greater as by sad experience we have seen in our dayes 1 Cor. 11.18 19. St. Paul observed it in some who having first swerved from Charity they quickly turned aside unto vain jangling 1 Tim. 1.5 6. Whereas Love is the bond of perfectness as it is called it is the strongest bond it holds the parts longest and fastest together Col. 3.14 It being a Master grace and of a benigne Nature it hath a kindly influence upon a mans judgment and whole practice As the integrity of the upright doth guide them so will their Charity too He that loveth his Brother abideth in the light and there is no occasion of stumbling in him 1 Joh. 2.10 It is doubtless then more for want of love then want of light when the Unity of the Spirit is not kept in the bond of peace This then is the first Direction that we would by a diligent use of all good means and motives cherish and nourish Humility and Charity in our minds and Spirits as principles of such a peaceable behaviour as directly tends to preserve Unity in the Church II. Direction This Unity is to be endeavoured to be kept in the bond of Peace by all good Christians by their being careful to abstain from despising and censuring one another upon account of their different apprehensions about the lesser things in Religion so long as they are agreed in the main Unless these be forborn in such cases its next to an impossibility to preserve peace and Unity among them These unchristian practices as they are the effects of pride and uncharitableness so they are and have been two great peace-destroyers and Church-dividers There is and ever hath been and will be different measures of knowledge understanding and grace in the several Members of the same Body Some are weak in the Faith and some strong some Babes and some strong Men. Upon account
as to make them agree with us 2. That we do as impartially weigh what those that differ from us do offer for our satisfaction as what we our selves do offer to satisfie them In doing of which we shall in part discharge that duty enjoyned us in Phil. 2.4 Look not every Man on his own things but every Man also on the things of others And by this we shall make it appear that we are willing to agree with those that differ from us as far as possibly we can as far as any reason or ground appears to bear us out in so doing And if we herein begin to those which differ from us it will induce them if there be any candor in them to return the like to us And this is the way to reduce the difference to a narrow compass and to make it as little as may be And when it appears to be but little it will be the easier to satisfie one another about it or however we shall then be the better able peaceably to bear with one another in it But if this be not done it will beget a suspition that we affect to differ and to strive for Victory more than for Truth and Peace and that it is more from a spirit of contradiction than Conscience that we differ 3. When any alter their judgment either upon grounds found out by their own search and studies or offered to them by others so that they come over to them in whole or in part from whom they differed before then beware of representing this as matter of Odium and reproach to them so long as they are not worse in their Morals The contrary that is the doing so hath been an ill practice and such as hath tended greatly to block up the way of a due and Christian compliance with them from whom through mistake they have once professedly differed While it hath been represented as matter of reproach to Men not to stand their ground and to be true to their principles they have once received though found erroneous enough when better considered and looked into it hath proved a great temptation doubtless unto many to neglect an impartial and thorow-examination of the grounds of their Opinion or practice and to be prejudiced against all that is offered by others to convince them of mistake Mens Reputation among their party is a dangerous snare to hold them fast in error and a great impediment to their understanding and discerning the Truth when it is declared to them when it tends to draw them off and to expose them to reproach among their party and a great prejudice and bar against their receiving and owning of it Why do ye not understand my speech Even because ye cannot hear my word said our Saviour to the Jews John 8.43 They had no mind to embrace his Doctrine which would bring them into disgrace with their party the Pharisees and therefore they had no mind so to consider it as to understand it Which made our Saviour say again How can ye believe which receive honour one of another and seek not the honour that cometh from God only Joh. 5.44 But if Men would but understand and consider that it is truly honourable and praise-worthy in the sight of God and Wise Men to love and own Truth where ever they find it and however disguised by its Adversaries and to be of open and free minds to consider and try all things and when they discover Truth to buy it at any rate though it cost them more than the loss of their Reputation among an erring party they would then neither fright others nor be scared themselves from exchanging error for Truth Schism for Peace and Unity by reproachful nick-names V. Direction Those that would keep the Unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace had need to be of publick Spirits and still to seek their own personal and private satisfaction in subordination to a publick good and not in opposition to it to preserve the publick Peace and Unity of the Church and the benefits that depend thereon before the pleasing of themselves in things not absolutely necessary but convenient only If this be not observed there will be no avoiding divisions and separations And the Reason hereof is taken from the different apprehensions capacities and tempers of the several parts and Members of the Church By reason of this those circumstances about the administration of Holy things which will best please some good Men will not so well satisfie others This we find to be true by the different usages of the parts of the Reformed Church in several Nations and by the different perswasions and inclinations of the parts of the Church in one and the same Nation yea in one and the same City Town and Parish as is well known So that if one part of the Church should refuse Communion with the other in the same Ordinances unless they can have them administred upon terms best pleasing to themselves and if the other part of the Church of a different opinion therein should do so too separation follows of course till they can all be of one mind in those disputable things But in all such cases the publick concerns of Religion should sway more with us than what otherwise would be more to our liking The profit of the whole is more to be attended than the pleasing of our selves when the question is not which is good and which is simply bad this or that But only which is better this or that St. Paul walked by this Rule in bearing with yea in chusing some things for publick edification sake when circumstances made them necessary thereunto which out of those circumstances he would not have chosen nor could well bear with Even as I saith he please all Men in all things not seeking my own profit but the profit of many that they may be saved 1 Cor. 10.33 Under some circumstances he would forbear things which under others he would not and thus he would eat no meat while the World stands rather than make his Brother to offend He chose to labour with his own hands for his support rather than to take Money from others when he saw the interest of the Christian Religion would be disadvantaged thereby And he Circumcised Timothy purified himself and took on him a Vow after the Jewish mode when so to do tended to publick good though otherwise the doing of such things could not be without some regret to him considering how slightingly he speaks of them at other turns And thus he took up and laid down many things even as the publick interest of Religion lead him to it To them that were under the Law he became as one under the Law and as without Moses's Law to them that were without it and all this he reckoned to be consistent with his being under the Law to Christ To the weak he became as weak that he might gain the weak he was made all things to all
appointed and yet for all that our Saviour made choice of Baptism by which to initiate Proselytes into his Religion He used a gesture in eating the Passeover different from what was appointed at the first institution as Ainsworth observes on Exod. 12.6.11 Which things I might improve to several purposes but because they are not so directly apposite to what I have last discoursed I shall leave them to be pondered on by such as are scrupulous over much and who think no alteration of Circumstances between the first and after-use of an institution will justifie a Circumstantial variation from what was first practised thereabout III. Dividing Principle to be avoided Another Dividing Principle is That it doth not belong to the Higher Powers in a Nation professing Christianity to intermeddle in any publick establishment of that Religion farther then to protect countenance and encourage the Professors of it in their Profession I call this a Dividing Principle because the Higher Powers doing more then so in having Divided the whole Nation into particular parish-Parish-Churches and having appointed Gospel-Ordinances to be Administred in those Congregations and obliging and constraining all professing the true Christian Religion in the Nation to attend the Worship of God in those Assemblies this being the National way as they call it some do therefore separate from it In opposition to this Dividing Principle I shall endeavour to shew 1. That Nations professing the true Christian Religion do upon that account according to the Scripture stand related to God as his People in a large sence and in contradistinction to the Heathen and Infidel World 2. That a National settlement of the Christian Worship in the parish-Parish-Churches by the Higher Powers is more for the interest of Religion and Men's Salvation then if there should be none 1. To begin with the first of these When God by Abraham designed to set on foot a method of Reforming the World he declared to him he would do it in a National way As for me my Covenant is with thee a Father of many Nations shalt thou be A Father of many Nations have I made thee saith the Lord Gen. 17.4 5. Meaning I suppose that that Reformation which was begun in him by his Faith and Obedience in forsaking the Idols of his Countrey upon God's call and betaking himself to the Worship and Service of the true God should by degrees extend to the taking in of many Nations God at the very first told him that he should be a Blessing and that in him and in his Seed all Nations should be Blessed Gen. 12.2 3. And by St. Paul Rom. 4.16 17. we understand that God's promise of making Abraham a Father of many Nations was not in respect of many Nations descending from him in the way of Natural Generation but by deriving from him that profession of Faith and holy Worship which was transmitted down from him not only to the Nation of the Jews but also to the Nations of the Gentiles To begin this Work in a National way the Lord promised Abraham to give to his Seed his Natural Seed the Land of Canaan as the place where this work should be eminently begun in a National way And all that Nation were accordingly brought into Covenant with God and became his Church and People And all the Proselytes of the Gentiles that forsook their Idols to joyn with them to Worship the God of Abraham and were Circumcised were without any exception save that of legal uncleanness to eat the Passeover Numb 9. And thus it held on in the way of gathering only some here and there out of the Nations of the Gentiles untill Christ gave Commission to Preach the Gospel to all Nations Baptizing them And as the time of bringing in whole Nations of the Gentiles in times of the Gospel drew nearer so Predictions of it by the Prophets were more particular and express Isa 52.15 He shall sprinkle many Nations to wit as he promised in particular to the Jews to sprinkle clean water upon them to cleanse them from all their filthiness and from all their Idols Ezek. 36.25 And again Isa 55.5 Behold thou shalt call a Nation that thou knewest not and Nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee And God's call of a Nation and a Nations Answer to that call makes a Church works a Relation between God and them as some have well observed And Zechariah one of the last Prophets speaks yet more expresly Chap. 2.11 And many Nations shall be joyned to the Lord in that day and shall be his People To be joyned to the Lord and to be his People plainly signifie such a Relation between God and them as doth make them to be of his Church Mat. 21.43 The Kingdome of God shall be taken from you and given to a Nation that is sure Nationally for otherwise we cannot say it was taken from all of that Nation of the Jews Rev. 11.15 The Kingdomes of this World are become the Kingdomes of the Lord and of his Christ These Predictions have been fulfilled as Nations have Nationally imbraced and professed the Christian Religion For it is a vain thing to think that these Prophesies have not yet at all been fulfilled now after the Gospel hath been running its course these sixteen hundred years to accomplish them And if any have a mind to interpret these Prophesies of National Churches by that in Revel 5.9 And hast Redeemed us to God by thy Blood out of every Kinred and Tongue and People and Nation They may do well to consider that the calling of a few out of Nations according to their Notion is not the calling of those Nations themselves It s one thing for Men to be brought to effectual Faith and sincere Obedience by the Gospel and another to be brought to a general profession of it There are the many that are called and yet but few that are the chosen Mat. 20.16 and 22.14 It is in the one sense that they are said to be Redeemed out of every Kinred Tongue People and Nation and in the other that whole Nations are said to be joyned to the Lord and to be his People for so they are by a general call and profession Every individual Person in a Nation that so professeth and Worshippeth the true God in opposition to all false gods as to be called by his Name are in Scripture denominated Sons and Daughters to God in a large sense Isa 43.6 7. Bring my Sons from far and my daughters from the ends of the Earth even every one that is called by my Name As the Worshippers of Idols are called the Children of a strange god Mal. 2.11 So in opposition to that and in a large sense all that Worship the true God are called his Children as the Jews were Diut 14.1 When St. Paul said in Gal. 3.26 to all the Churches of Galatia Ye are all the Children of God by Faith in Christ Jesus it was sure from their profession of Faith
in Christ Jesus in their Baptism by which they put him on as there he saith that he so stiles them and not from the effectualness of the Faith of every one of them For he chargeth them with being removed from the Gospel of Christ to another Gospel Chap. 1.6 with not obeying the Truth Chap. 3.1 and tells them that he was afraid of them lest he had bestowed labour on them in vain Chap. 4.11 that he stood in doubt of them and was travelling in Birth again with them for the forming of Christ in them ver 19 20. There are many that are the People of God by professed Obligation on their part that are not so by special interest in the promise on God's part for want of performing the special Condition And such are the Servants of God indeed but they are called in Scripture Sloathfull Servants unprofitable Servants wicked Servants foolish Virgins Branches in Christ the Vine that bear no Fruit. 2. A National settlement of the Christian Worship in the parish-Parish-Churches by the Higher Powers is more for the interest of Religion and Men's Salvation then if there should be none It is for the interest of Religion in a Nation that are of the true Religion by profession that the Higher Powers there being of the same Religion do take order 1. That God be publickly Worshipped by the People in the use of Gospel-Ordinances 2. That places for publick Worship be provided for that end 3. That Church-Officers competently qualified be appointed to administer those Ordinances in those places and that maintenance be appointed them that they may attend that Work 4. That all the People of the Christian Profession be required to attend the publick Worship 5. That this be enjoyned under such moderate penalties as may secure the Law from contempt or careless neglect 6. That some be appointed to see the Law put in Execution which yet cannot be practicable without a distribution of the whole into parts in the same or some such way as that is by which the whole Nation is divided into Parishes 7. That Church-Discipline be established and duly exercised for the purging of the Church and keeping it pure The first of these particulars that the Higher Powers take care that God be publickly Worshipped by the People is evident of it self Nature teaches all Men to Worship him whom they acknowledge to be their God and by themselves or others to teach those under their Government to do the like as appears by universal practice And the second of the fore-mentioned particulars is consequent upon the first and the third upon the second and so on That these things are for the interest of Religion every Man's reason will easily discern For hereby a face of Religion will be kept up in every place in such a Nation and the means of Salvation will be ready at hand and all will come under an obligation of Man's Law as well as God's to make use of them And hereby through the Blessing of God knowledge and the fear of the Lord will be propagated more then if the People were all left at liberty to do that which is right in their own eyes to provide or not provide themselves with such helps or to use or neglect them as they please We see by experience that there is generally the least face of Religion in those places that have been most neglected in the publick provision And it is upon the account of such necessary things as these that Kings and Queens were promised as a great Blessing to the Church under the Notion of Nursing Fathers and Nursing Mothers to train up and Educate their People in Religion Isâ— 49.23 And the better any Kings and Rulers are the more careful and the more zealous will they be to promote and propagate true Religion in their Dominions by their Authority And usually the success answers the zeal and diligence of such as we see it did in the good Kings of Judah and their People When all Kings fall down before him all Nations shall serve him according to the Prophesie Psal 72.11 It will be so with the People when the Kings of Nations subject themselves to Christ not only in their personal but more especially in their Regal capacity For which cause it should seem St. Paul exhorted the primitive Christians to make Supplications Prayers and Intercessions for Kings and all that are in Authority as for other respects so especially for their Conversion to Christianity they being then Heathen both that Christians might live peaceable and quiet Lives in all godliness and honesty and also that Christianity might be propagated in their Dominions to the Salvation of many the more For this is implyed in the reason of the exhortation in these words For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour who will have all Men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the Truth 1 Tim. 2.2 3 4. And when the primitive Christians had accordingly for a long time travelled by fervent Prayer for the Conversion of the Heathen Emperours to Christianity at last they obtained their Petition in Constantine that famous Christian Emperour upon whose Victories over the Enemies to Christianity and the propagation of the Christian Religion by publick Authority throughout his Dominions that joyful acclamation was heard in the Church as Interpreters understand Now is come Salvation and strength and the Kingdome of our God and the Power of his Christ Revel 12.10 Christianity and so the Kingdome of God was in the Empire before by private mens profession of it but when it came to be backed by Imperial Edicts and Laws and to be seconded by the power and strength of the Empire Then and not till then was that new Song sung in the Church Now is come Salvation and Strength the Kingdome of our God and the Power of his Christ I would it were better considered by some who would be thought great Enemies to Popery how that in this proper and eminent point of Popery they symbolize with the Pope himself and all that are thorow-Papists viz. In denying Kings to have any power in matters Ecclesiastical When the ten Kings Revel 17.13 parted with this Ecclesiastical Authority to the Pope upon his Usurpation they gave their Authority which God had invested them with as well as their Strength unto the Beast And as fast as they fall off from him they re-assume it again as we see all Princes and Governours of the Reformed Religion have done And of all the Kings that have professed Christianity ever since there was a Nation professing it there hath not I think been one but who have claimed a power about ordering Church-affairs except such as have given their power and strength unto the Beast And shall we not then interpret and understand the Ancient Prophesies that went of them by the event in what we see fulfilled That Kings may abuse this power to the propagating a false Religion or in corrupting the