This

SERM. is the head of the body the church*. XVI. is not merely in refpect of his Divine nature, as he is God over all, but likewife in respect of that regal authority and power which is committed to him as the Chrift of God, or Mediator between God and Man. For fo St. Paul. Nay, fo he himself affures us, that all power is given unto him in heaven and in earth +. And therefore, though there are many that are' called lords in earth, yet to us chriftians, confidered as fuch, there is, properly fpeaking, but one Lord Jefus Chrift, by whom are all things, and we by him ‡.

Now befides, that the orders of this prince of peace do most strictly require of us mutual charity and concord, it is the proper confequence of our being foldiers under his banner, and subject to his government, that we ought to unite in the clofeft amity and alliance, like faithful foldiers to fight the battles of our common leader, and as loyal fubjects to maintain the honour of our Lord and King.

5. Fifthly, It is farther to be confidered, that there is but one faith. Faith indeed, in the naked meaning of the word, as it implies belief, may be manifold and various. The Mahometan believes his Alcoran, and the few his oral traditions. And

*

Col. i. 18. + Matt. xxviii. 18. ‡ 1 Cor. viii. 5, 6.

fo

fo the worst of heathens, and the worst of SERM. bereticks have had their faith. But neither XVI. of these is that one faith mentioned by St. Paul. That is the truly orthodox and christian faith, and one of the neceffary branches of chriftian unity confidered 'under the foregoing head. This, if it be taken for the doctrine of faith, or that which we believe, can be but one, be.. cause it is true. And if it be taken for the grace of faith, or that by which we believe; though this may be different in refpect of the fubject, because every man must have faith in himself, and the just shall live by his own faith, and not by another's, in which refpect alfo it is capable of degrees, whence we find the apostles praying our Lord that he would increase their faith: Yet in refpect of the object, this likewife is but one, inafinuch as it excites every man's belief of the fame Divine truths, and has the fame recompence of reward in view, even the falvation of bur fouls.

And here the confequence is fo plain, that they whose religion is the fame, should join in the fame publick worship, and maintain a mutual love and charity one towards another, that the thing fpeaks itfelf, and I need only mention it. Neither

*Habak. ii. 4. + Luke xvii. 5.

SERM. 6. Sixthly, Is there more than one Baptism. XVI. There is but one way prefcribed for receiv

ing members into Chrifl's church; and that is by the facrament of baptifm, by bap→ tizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost *. And they who after this, would walk worthy of the vocation wherewith they are called, must proceed as they began.

may,

Having entered all one and the fame way into the church, they must maintain its unity ever afterward, and fo in that fenfe too, do what our church prays they "lead the reft of their lives according to that beginning". Once more 7. Seventhly, There is one God and father of all, the father of Christ by eternal generation, the creator of all things, and our heavenly father by adoption, whereby we are made fons and heirs of God, and joint beirs with Chrift; who is above all by his fovereign Divine power and authority, who is through all by his omnipresent majefty, which fills all places, but is circumfcribed by none, and in you all, at least by his omniscience, which fearcheth the very hearts and reins, if not (as in the true Chriftian he most certainly is) by the indwelling of his grace.

This text the ancient fathers have generally understood to teach the doctrine of * Matt. xxviii. 19. + Office for Baptism.

the

the Trinity in Unity; the Unity of the SER M. Godhead being fufficiently fuggefted by XVI. mention of one God and Father of all, and the Trinity of perfons by the following variations of the particles, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

Let then the fervants, let the children of this one God, who has power either to punish or reward, who has wifdom to know, as well as goodness to affist, to whom the darkness is as clear as the light, and "from whom no fecret can be hid ;' let them, I fay, in confideration of these attributes, have his glory always in view, and combine with the moft fervent zeal to magnify his holy name, remembering withal, what was obferved before, that he is not the God of confufion, but of peace.

If the God and father of us all be one, then furely one way of worship must be most agreeable, and it will beft become us with one heart and one mouth to glorify this one God.

I have now done with the Two first Heads of the difcourfe, and proceed in

order to the

III. THIRD and laft; namely, to make fome useful reflections upon what has been faid. And here I fhall but briefly touch upon the following points.

Firft, It has been fhewn that this Unity of the Spirit implies in it an orthodox and

Cc 3

found

SERM. found belief. From hence we fhould XVI. learn to examine carefully our principles, and fee that we admit nothing contrary to found doctrine. For though this may perhaps unite us to hereticks, yet union in error is but like groping in the dark. And though they may go hand in hand, this is but like the blind leading the blind, till both fball fall into the ditch. Let us therefore not think ourfelves to have a liberty by nature, of profefling what opinion we will. But let us adhere ftrictly to the Divine rule of fcripture, and beware especially of those opinions which the church of God has always cenfured as heretical and dangerous. And above all, let us humbly befeech Alinighty God, that he would give his holy Spirit to enlighten and direct us, that we may all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the ftature of the fulness of Chrift, being henceforth no more like children, toffed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the feight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive*.

2. Secondly, We have likewise seen, that this Unity of the Spirit fuppofes and implies decency of worship, or uniformity in point of difcipline. From hence we are to learn how highly it concerns us to obey the inEph. iv. 13, 14.

junctions

1

1