Sermon the Devotion finful, or impious? From III. thefe, and other Confiderations, that are eafy to be fuggefted, it appeareth, I think, very plain, that found Devotion is as ne ceflary to a true Church, as found Doctrine; and howfever the feveral Parts of the Catholick Church may differ from one an other in Words, or Form, yet, in the Sub ftance, and Effence of their Devotion they muft agree, and be the fame, fo that every Where, or in every Church, the Devotion muft appear Chriftian, have the fame God for its Object, the fame Mediator, and its conftant and ftated Liturgies, the fame Things prayed for, and in Words agreeable to the Divine Nature and Will: For otherwife, I fay, the Devotion would not be Chriftian, and without this, How could there be a Chriftian Church? And this is not only Theory, but Fact, the Primitive Church ftudied Unity, not only in the Subftance of their Devotion, but in much less Things, as could be eafily fhewn. And fo much fhall fuffice for the Third Thing, which aimeth briefly to comprehend the Inftitu tions and Orders neceffary to the Being, and Ends of a Chriftian Church.

The Fourth and Laft Thing in which the Unity of the Catholick Church confifteth, is what we often read of in the New Teftament,

Fament, viz. The Unity of the Spirit. As our Sermon Lord is the Head of the Church, and as the III. Church is his Body, fo his Spirit animates the Whole, and this makes All particular Churches One, in a moft clofe and intimate Manner; as much One, as the Body is One, whofe different Parts are all collected, and held together, and animated by one Soul. Upon the Soul's Departure from the Body, the Body is no longer One, but crumbles and divides into innumerable Parts: And fo the great Bond of the Catholick Church, which makes it One, is this Spirit, and, upon a Separation from it, it falls afunder, hath no Union, nor Life in it, because it is divided from the true Fountain of Life, and Union. Our Saviour, to make us ferfible of this, compares himfelf to the Vine, and his Church to the Branches. Such as his Spirit animates not, belong not really to the Church, as a Branch cut off from the Vine is no longer of it, but is dead and gcne. The Influence of this Spirit makes, what our Divines call, the Invifible Church of Christ, truly his Body, or Spouse, or Church upon Earth, and the great, and the laft Day, only, clearly displays this Point; viz. who is of this invisible Church: Only thus much we know here, That where this Spirit truly acts and governs, the Doctrines of Chriftianity are held ftedfaftly, and inVOL. I. violably,

G

Sermon violably, I mean, in all neceffary Points: III. Charity, Unity is ftudied and maintained,

because these are all the pure and genuine Effects or Fruits of this Spirit, which it fuggefteth, and teftifieth to, and upholdeth in all the Faithful, until our Lord, the Head of the Church, appeareth, and is revealed from Heaven. I proceed now to the Inferences which may be drawn from the

Whole.

And Firft, This opens to us the true Nature of Herefy, and Schifm. As to the First, Herefy, This is a Divifion from the Catholick Church by Innovation of Doctrine; when Men will not fubmit to the Authority of the Word of God, but follow the Dictates of their own Fancy, and coin new Articles of Faith, inftead of Receiving those that God hath revealed, and required the Belief of, in order to eternal Life: Then they are guilty, doubtlefs, of Herefy, and are no longer Parts of the Catholick, or the Universal Church. For ye have heard, and know full well, that the Unity of the Catholick Church confifteth in an Agreement of Belief, as to all Things neceffary and effential; for, there is but one Faith; which Faith, all true Churches muft hold, in all Places, and Ages of the World: But Herefy abideth not by this Faith, which

was once delivered to the Saints, is not guide, Sermon nor held by it, but inventeth a new One, III. as much wifer, truer, and better; for fo the Word ipsos importeth: So that the Brain, the Fancy, or conceited Reafon is fuch Mens Guide, inftead of Scripture, and the Authority of our Lord. And this is the Notion that the Word of God affixes to Herefy. Saith St. Peter, There fhall be falfe Teachers among you, bringing in privately damnable Herefies, even denying the Lord who bought them. This latter Claufe explaineth in what the Nature of Herefy confifteth, and upon what Account it is damnable, namely, because of its Oppofition to the Christian Revelation, in its higheft, and moft neceffary Points: So that were the Heretical Doctrines fuppofed or received as true, the Chriftian Faith muft be fuppofed falfe, and idifcarded: As it follows, by reafon of which, the Way of Truth fhall be evil Spoken of. Of the fame Apprehenfion is St. Paul, for he ejected Hymenaus out of the Church, as a Heretick; For what? For a light Crime, as fome account it now, only for difowning an Article of Faith: The Apoftle's Charge against him is, that he afferted, That the Refurrection was already paft: In which, ye will obferve, the Heretick denied not abfolutely the Refurrection, but, very probably, much after the G2 Fashion

Sermon Fashion of fome Men that I could name, III. fpiritualized, and refined upon it: But yet,

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as fpecious and pious as this looked, the Apoftle affures us it overthrew the Chriftian Faith, and render'd all fuch as embraced it no Chriftians; because of the necef fary Dependance the Chriftian Faith has upon this Article, in its literal and genuine Senfe. To the fame Purpose that apoftolical Man St. Ignatius hath given us a very fhort, but clear Definition of Herefy. It is a Departure from the Chriftian Doctrine, or Doctrine of our Saviour, and his Apo ftles. But I muft remember, I am not here to speak fully to the Nature of Heresy, but only by Way of Inference, which, I think, ftandeth plain: For if the Unity of the Catholick Church confifteth in an Agreement of Doctrine, at leaft as to all neceffary fundamental Points; a Denial of these Doctrines, or Subftituting others in their Room, is an Ejecting one's felf out of the Church Catholick, and fo becoming Heretical. And if this be fo, What a Crime is it? What Arrogancy, Prefumption, and

Epift. ad Epher. ὅτι ἐν ὑμῖν ἐδεμία ἅιρεσις ἀλλ ̓ ἐδὲ ἀκετέ τινΘ πλέον ἤπερ Ιησε χριςό λαλῶντος ἐν ἀληθεία & iterum Epift. ad Trall. μóvy Th xelsian Tegon χρῆσθαι, ἀλλοτρίας δὲ βοζάνης ἀπέχεις, ἥτις ἐσιν άιρεσις.