UNIFORMITY EXAMINED.

2 COR. IV. 13..

We having the fame fpirit of Faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken: we also believe, and therefore fpeak.

O B

Bferving that our brethren of Sc Scotland, together with the Affembly of Divines, and the reft of the Prefbyterian judgement, do often, both in their difcourfe and writings, exceedingly prefs for uniformity; I have been urged in my fpirit to think upon the matter, and to confider whether there, could be any fuch thing found in the word of the New Teftament, or in the practice of the churches of Chrift. And for my part, I ingenuously profess, I cannot yet discover it; and would be glad if any would inftruct me further in this particular, fo he do it from the word.

Now uniformity, what is it, but "an unity of form?" and the form they mean, no doubt, is outward: for the inward form, as it cannot be known by the outward fenfes; neither can it be accomplished by outward power. And therefore, till I know their meaning better, I conceive that by uniformity, they understand an unity of outward förm in the churches of God: yea, fome of them do declare fo much, calling the thing they would have, external uniformity.

Now fuch a thing as this (after fo much meditation and recollection, as my other imployments, and the many dif

tractions

tractions that neceffarily attend my prefent condition, will permit me) I cannot difcern, in the word of the gofpel. For Chrift fpeaking of the church of the New Teftament, faith, The bour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers fball worship the Father in Spirit and Truth, for the Father feeketh fuch to worship him. God is a Spirit, and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and Truth, John iv. 23. In which words it is moft evident, that the worship of God in the time of the New Teftament, is inward and fpiritual, confifting in faith, hope, love, and in prayer, which is the operation of the three former, &c. And fo, is fo far from uniformity as it hath been explicated, and as they understand it, that it is not at all capable of it. And therefore I cannot but wonder at the strange workings of darkness in the minds of men, who would have an external uniformity, in a worship that is inward and spiritual; and of which, the outward form is no part at all, but is meerly accidental, and fo abfolutely various.

Again, as I find not this uniformity in the doctrine of the gofpel, fo neither in the practice of the Saints, who had the spirit of the Gospel, as that practice is represented to us in the word.

In Acts i. 14. I read, how the apoftles being together with the women, and Mary the mother of Jefus, and his brethren, continued, podvpador, with one accord or mind in prayer and fupplication: and Ats ii. 44, & 46. how all that believed were together, and continued daily, podupador, with one mind in the temple, and did break bread from boufe to house, &c. And in all this there was unity, but no external uniformity, neither name nor thing. Again, Acts iv. 23. Peter and John being let go by the magiftrates, went to their own company (which many of our clergy would term a conventicle) and reported all that the chief Priests and Elders had faid to them; and when they heard it, they lift up their voice to God, ipodsμadèr, with one mind, and prayed.

Here

Here was inward unity, in faith, and love, and fpiritual prayer, but no external uniformity: and verfe 32. The multitude of them that believed, were of one heart, and one foul. Unity ftill, but nothing of external uniformity. Further, we read Дfts, chap. vii. and chap. viii. that Stephen and Philip, who by the church were ordained deacons, and were to ferve only for the miniftry of the table, yet by virtue of the anointing, preached the word of God freely, and powerfully and how all the members of the church of Jerufalem, who were neither minifters nor deacons, being fcattered abroad by perfecution, went preaching the word every where where they came, in that cafe of neceffity: the unction of the Spirit, of which all believers partake alike, being one fundametal ground of fuch ministry, where there are no believers to call to the office: and in this, though there was unity of faith, spirit, and doctrine, yet I am sure they will fay, there was no fuch uniformity as they would have. Again, Acts xx. Paul, the first day of the week, preached to the difciples of Macedonia, from the evening till midnight, (which Dr Pocklington in a printed Sermon faith, was out of order) and after brake bread, and did eat, and talked with them a long while, till break of day and going from thence, he arrived at Ephesus, and there called the elders of the church together, and-appeals to them after what manner he had been with them, to wit, ferving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears and temptations, &c. and how, he had held back no thing profitable for them, but had taught them publicly, and from boufe to house, (which I wish were more in ufe now-adays, if it might obtain fo much leave from uniformity) and bad preached to them repentance towards God, and faith towards our Lord Jefus Chrift: our chief work towards God, fince our fall and corruption, being repentance, which is the change of the creature towards God, through God's own work in the creature: and this is not done without

the

the forrow of the flesh; and our chief work towards Chrift, who is given to us as a head, being faith or union. And in the end, exhorts the Prefbyters to take heed to themselves, (who according to the Church-principles of this age, want no admonition themselves, feeing they are become a peremptory rule to all others) and to the flocks over which the holy Spirit (and not patrons) bad made them overfeers, to feed the church of God, which he had purchafed with his own blood, &c. But in all this, neither practifes himfelf, nor preaches to them, nor commands them to preach to others, or impofe upon others any fuch kind of thing as external uniformity. And fo furely, they that fo vehemently urge this thing, that they make it all in all in their reformation, have fome other teacher than the apoftle, who being taught of Chrift, as Christ was taught of God, yet knew no fuch thing at all in the worship of God, as uniformity.

And yet further, that the world, if it be poffible, may be the more convinced, observe a little more seriously the practice of Christ and the Saints, in reference to this point, and you fhall fee nothing less than external uniformity. See this in the prayer of Chrift, (prayer for the duty itfelf, being nothing, but fo much fpiritual worship, as being the voice of the Spirit in the flesh, both in head and members) this, Chrift fometimes performed with his eyes lifted up to heaven, fometimes being proftrate with his body on the earth, and fo feveral times, feveral ways: and as he, fo the faints, have; fome prayed standing and lifting up their hands, as Mofes; fome kneeling and lifting up their hands, as Solomon; fome, ftanding and not lifting up their eyes, as the Publican, &c. And what external uniformity in all this? And as for praying, fo for preaching; Chrift fometimes preached in a fhip, fometimes on the fhore, fometimes in the city Jerufalem, fometimes in the Temple, fometimes in the defert, fometimes early, fometimes late; as if he intended on purpose, to witness against

that