Sermon teach others alfo: keep that which is commitIII. ted to thy Truft: All which, and much more, which I might alledge, affert one conftant, unalterable Rule of Faith and Doctrine ; and, that without it, there can be no fuch Thing as a Chriftian Church.

Agreeably to this, it was one irrefraga ble Argument of the Fathers, of the Truth of their Religion, in their Difputes with the Hereticks, that the Faith that they held was the Faith of all true Chriftian Churches; and how far foever remote they were in Place and Country, how much foever they differ'd in Cuftoms and Manners, whether Jewish or Heathen Converts, whether Barbarous or Polite, whether Learned or Ignorant, all were at profound Agreement and Peace as to thofe neceffary, effential Points. And that this was no vain Boaft, appears from the great Uniformity of the Creeds of feveral Churches which remain to this Day; and indeed, this was one efpecial Reason of the Church's being term'd Catholick, or Univerfal, because of one Docrine, or one Faith that was taught, held, and profefs'd every where by it, in Oppopofition to heretical Affemblies, who as much differ'd from one another, as from the Catholick Church it felf: And, for the faine Reafon is it termed Apoftolical, becaufe its Doctrines and Articles of Faith

are

III.

are the fame as the Apoftles preached, and Sermon converted Men to the Belief of: And truly, fhould we once depart from this, we may not only turn Papifts, but Mahometans, Heathen Apoftates, and yet fancy our felves of the Chriftian Church: For in what do these several collective Bodies of Men more differ from one another, than in Matters of Belief? This is therefore the first Thing: The Unity of the Catholick Church confifts in an Unity of Faith, and Doctrine. There is but one Faith: and this Faith makes it one, or the fame Church.

2. It not only agrees in Faith, but Chavity, and Love: For the two great Bonds of any Society, are, Agreement of Princi ple and Affection, and the One naturally produces the Other. This we fee in all worldly and human Societies; being of the fame Mind and Opinion even as to mean, low, and uncertain Things, is ftrangely conciliating, and endearing, and makes Men look upon one another with a more kind and favourable Eye: But no Agreement acteth fo certainly and powerfully as that founded upon true Chriftian Principles; and where the Chriftian Faith is, there will be Chriftian Love: For it is its neceffary Operation or Effect, and the Man or Church that wants Love, doth as much want Faith. Now

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Sermon Now, as Love is the necessary unavoidable III. Refult of a true Faith, fo, in general, it is

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of the Nature of Love, we know, to unite. There are, doubtlefs, feveral other Engagements, and Bonds of Society; there is Fear, and Intereft, and many other Paffions, and Motives, which contribute towards Union; but the Sureft, the Clofeft, the most Powerful is That of Love: For this not only unites Mens Bodies together, but reaches farther, or rather deeper, affects Mens Souls, mixes, as it were, and blends them together, and makes them one: And fo it is not only the Strongeft, and moft Delightful, but the most intimate Union. And this is the Image that the Scripture gives us of a Church. The Believers, in ancient Days, were of one Heart, and one Soul, and had all Things common And St. Paul commonly ftiles the Church, in general, the Body of our Lord, and teaches particular Chriftians to eftçem, and treat one another as Members of the fame Body; that is, with the fame Tenderness and Compaflion as they would treat themselves For although they were many, yet were they but one Thing in the Lord, but one Body, and one Bread, as he expreffes it. And doth not all this imply Love? Surely the moft Divine, and Ardent!

Of the fame Moment and Neceffity is Sermon Love to the Church Catholick, or Univer- III. fal, as it is to particular Churches: The whole Fabrick is held together, and made one by this fpiritual Ligament, and this, not pervading, and influencing, and acting ftrongly upon its Parts, makes it no longer one, it breaks and feparates it into innumerable Parts and Divifions: And of this was the ancient Church fenfible, and fhewed their Agreement or Unity, not only by their Faith, but Charity; as appears abundantly by their efteeming themselves all of one Fraternity, by their conftant Correfpondence, Counfel, and Advice, by admitting one another to Communion, by the fpiritual and temporal Affiftance which they afforded one another; upon all Occafions, of which, and the like Inftances of Charity and Communion, I have not Time to fpeak particularly.

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3. The Union of the Catholick Church confifteth in an Agreement of Order and Government, fo far forth as the Word of God hath prescribed and commanded: And it is very clear, that the Word of God hath ordained fome Rules as to this, to which all Churches ought to conform, I fhall felect fome few Inftances of this Kind, which, to me, appear Matter of clear and exprefs Re

velation.

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Sermon velation. What can any Man think of the III. Sacraments? Surely thefe are neceffary to

form a Chriftian Affembly or Church. As for Baptifm, this initiates Men into the Church, and if Men will not fubmit to the Inftitution of our Bleffed Lord for that End, it is very difficult, methinks, to conceive how they fhould be accounted Members of it. As in the Jewish Church, Circumcifion being the Rite of Admiffion, fuch as would not undergo it, were never efteemed perfect Members, nor entitled to the Priviledges of it: And, which is more, to Baptifm is evidently annexed Forgiveness of Sins, the new Birth, the Spirit of God, without which, no Man can be truly a Member of Chrift's Body, and confequently no Collection of fuch Men can ever become Part of the Catholick Church. Baptifm, I fay, is the ordinary Way of making us Members of the Church, and of conveying to us the divine Spirit; and if Men pretend to it, without this, it must be in Ways extraordinary, unpromifed, and unrevealed, upon which, What Man or Church durft prefume? So again, as to the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, it is not only inftituted, and commanded by our Lord, but to fuch peculiar and extraordinary Purpofes and Ends, that one cannot reconcile the Want, or Denial of it, to the very Be