the edifying of our Neighbours; wherein faith alfo will judge for its felf, and will fuffer no body to judge for it: And in all change of works, faith is the fame, and changes not; and the Church ftill remains one, through unity of faith, in the midft of variety, and diversity of outward works. And therefore where men are accounted Chriftians for fuch and fuch outward works fake, and this unity of Faith is not taught and received, there the gates of hell do certainly prevail. And this is the fifth Bond of the true Churches Unity. the Churches Now they break this Bond of the Churches unity, who break that live out of this faith of Gods Elect, feeing it this bond of is written, That the just shall live by faith: And Unity. therefore they that live by fenfe in the things of the world, or by form in the things of God, they live out of this faith and unity of the Church. 1. They that live by fenfe in the things of the world, break this Bond of the Churches unity; even fuch as mind, and affect, and love, and defire earthly things, and have all their joy, comfort, fweetness, fatisfaction, fupport and confidence in the Creature; thefe live out of the unity of the Church; feeing the life of fenfe is clean contrary to the life of faith: Faith carrying us to live in God out of the Creature, and fenfe carrying us to live in the Creature out of God. 2. They that live by form in the things of God, whether it be called Conformity, as the Prelates called it; or Uniformity, as the Rhemifts, do alfo break this Bond of the Churches Unity. For to live upon this or that form of Religion, or worship, fo as to think our felves good Chriftians therefore, and others evil, that fhall live otherwife, is to fall apparently from the faith of the Church, feeing faith doth not live upon this ог or that form of Religion, but it lives on Chrift only in every duty; and whatsoever form it may ufe for a help to the infirmity of the flesh, yet in the use of forms it lives above forms in Jefus Christ, and his fulness, The fixth bond of the true Churches unity, is, ONE BAPTISM. The true Church, which is the body or flesh of Chrift, hath but one and the felf fame Baptifm, by which it is purified; which is the Baptifm of the Spirit: For the Apostle speaks here of that Baptifm wherein the whole Church is one; which is not the Baptifm of the fign, which hath often been altered and changed, but the Baptism of the fubftance, which comprehends all believers, and all ages, and under feveral and various difpenfations; and was the fame before Chrifts comming in the flefh, as fince; believers both of the Jews and Gentiles, of the Old and New Teftament, drinking all alike into one Spirit, though thefe more plentifully than thofe: So that, though many have wanted the Baptifm of water, yet not one member of the true Church, hath wanted the Baptifm of the Spirit, from whence our true Christianity begins. Now this Baptifm of the Spirit, is the only Baptifm that hath power and efficacy to make Christians one: For through the Baptifm of the Spirit it is, that the Church is made one body, as Paul faith, 1 Cor. 12. 13. For by one spirit we are all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Greeks, whether we be bond or free, and have been all made to drink into one Spirit: The true Church, drinks all into one Spirit (as ye have heard) and not into many; and through one Spirit are baptized into one body, and not into many; and believers are never truly one, till they partake of this one Baptifm. Now Now this Baptifm of the Spirit, as it is but one, fo it is adminiftred only by one Chrift; as John Baptist witneffeth, Math. 3. 11. faying, I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance; but he that cometh after me is mightier than 1, whofe fhoes I am not worthy to bear, he shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit, and with fire: For as none can give the Son but the Father, fo none can baptize with the Spirit but the Son; for this is Chrifts proper and pecular Baptifm from the Throne of his glory, and no mans whatsoever; this he hath referved in his own power, and hath not given it into any mans power And this is the fixth bond of the true Now they break this Bond of the Churches unity, who break this Bond of that content themselves only with the Baptifmunity. of water, being deftitute of the Baptifm of the Spirit; and fo remain in the uncleanness of all their old corruptions and lufts, and in all the filthiness and pollutions of flesh and fpirit; by reafon of which they can have no true peace and agreement in heart and Spirit, and Nature, with those who are cleanfed from thefe pollutions, and are washed and juftified purified and fanctified in the name, and by the Spirit of God: For what agreement can there be between them that live in all the corruptions of finful men, and them that live in the renewing of the Holy Spirit? So that it is not the washing of water but the washing of the Spirit, that is the true ground of the true Churches unity; and they that want this baptifm of the Spirit, though they have been baptized with water never fo much, live quite and clean out of the unity of the Church. P The The feventh Bond of the true Churches Uni ty, is, The right ONE GOD AND FATHER OF ALL, Church hath one God,and Father of them all. The true Church is a WHO IS ABOVE ALL, AND THROUGH ALL, AND IN And this, though it be last named, yet it is the first fountain and original of the Churches unity, even One God and Father of all: The true Church is a Kingdom of brethren, Kingdom of Who have all, one God and father, from whom Brethren. all receive alike the divine nature; which being one and the fame in all, without any difference, makes them all one,and equal,that are born of God. For among thefe, none have a better Father than another; nor none hath a more exellent nature than another, but all receive the fame nature from the fame God and Father; and fo are brethren in the Lord; and this also is another strong bond of unity. Where all are, 1.Alike dear to God. to us. For they having all one God and Father; First, all are alike dear to him, because all are alike born of him, and fo he loves not one more or less than another, but comprehends all in one and the fame love with Jefus Chrift. And this truly known, will restrain Believers from wronging one another, when they know, that fuch are every whit as dear, to God, as themselves; and that God hath as great and tender love to them, and care over them. 2. Alike dear Secondly, All are alike near to us, because of this one God and Father; and fo among true Chriftians there can be no fuch divifions, and factions, and fidings, as among worldly people; because one one Chriftian is not nearer to us than another; and fo we do not take part with one against another, but all are alike near to us: and fo without any respect of perfons, we embrace all that are born of God, with an equal love, and feek the good of each one, yea, of every one as well as any one. This one God and Father of the is, Now this God and Father of the Church, he farther describes that he is, 1. ABOVE ALL; The Father is above the true church, children, and they are not above one ano-1. Above ther, but he is above them all, ruling and you all. over-ruling them; and fo they are uot to live in their own wills, which might cause difference, but in their Fathers will, which caufes unity; and thus his being above them all, keeps them in peace; Whereas we fee, where children live without due fubjection, having no body above them, as it falls out fometimes among Orphans, there they are often unquiet and grievous to one another : But God is above all his children, and fo keeps them in due fubjection to him, and in quietnefs and love with one another, daily compofing their differences through his unity. 2. He is, THROUGH ALL; as having 2. Through communicated to all his own nature; and fo you all. according to this nature of his, which he hath communicated to all alike, and all alike poffefs, he is through them all. And hereupon they all muft needs be one, because God never differs from himself, but his nature is at unity with it self in all, in whom it dwells; and brings them all out of the differences of their gatures, into the unity of Gods. all. 3. He is, IN THEM ALL. God is fuch a 3. In them Father as hath his prefence in all his Children; he hath a special prefence in them, P 2 dwelling |