chise, instruct and confer with all the inhabitants of their parishes, man by man, to help them to try their spiritual state, and to prepare in health for death and judgment? they usually answer us, that, alas! their people will not consent, but many would revile them if they should attempt it.

2. When we ask them why they do not set up the practice of discipline, which they so unanimously plead for; and why they do not call their people to confirmation, or open profession of faith and holiness in order thereto? they tell us, that their people will not endure it; but many will rather set themselves against the ministry, and strengthen the enemy that now endangereth the church's safety, or turn to any licentious sect, than they will thus submit to the undoubted ordinances of Christ, which the churches are so commonly agreed in as a duty.

3. We have an ancient, too-imperfect version of the Psalms, which we sing in the congregations; and in the judgment of all divines that ever I spoke with about it, (of what side soever,) it is our duty to use a better version, and not to perform so excellent a part of the public worship, so lamely, and with so many blemishes. And if you ask the ministers why they do not unanimously agree on a reformed, corrected version, most of them will tell you, that their people will not bear it, but proudly and turbulently reproach them, as if they were changing the word of God.

4. In many places the sacrament of baptism is more often used in private houses, than in the public assemblies; and if we ask the reason of so great a disorder, the ministers will tell us that it is the unruliness and wilfulness of the people, that proudly set themselves above their guides, and instead of obeying them, must rule them, and have their humours and conceits fulfilled, even in the holy things of God, or else they will revile the pastors, and make divisions in the church and this is done by them that in other cases do seem sufficiently to reverence the place of public assembly as the house of God, and that speak against private meetings, though but for prayer, repeating sermons, or singing to the praise of God, while yet themselves are wilfully bent for such private meetings as are set up in opposition to the public, and that for the administration of so great an ordinance as the sacrament of baptism, and in cases where there is no necessity of privacy: And who

knows not that our sacramental covenant with God, and engagement to a Christian life, and reception into a Christian state and privileges, is fitter to be done with the most honourable solemnity, than in a conventicle, in a private house?

Too many more such instances I could give you, which shew who they be that are the enemies of our unity; even those that cry out against divisions while they cause them, and cry up unity, concord and obedience, while they destroy them.

And shall we thus continue a division that doth prognosticate our everlasting division? Is there no remedy for so great a misery, when yet our poor ungodly neighbours may heal it if they will? What if the ministers of the several parishes should appoint one day of public conference with all the people of their parishes together, and desire all that are fit to speak, to debate the case, and give their reasons, why they concur not in their hearts and lives with the holy diligent servants of the Lord? And let them hear the reasons why the godly dare not, and cannot come over to their negligent ungodly course? And so try who it is long of among them, that they are not of one mind and way? What if the ministers then urged it on them, to agree all before they parted, to unite on the terms which God will own, and all unanimously to take that course that shall be found most agreeable to his word; and whoever doth bring the fullest proof that his course is best, in reason, the rest should promise to join with him? What if we call the people together, and bespeak them as Elijah did, (1 Kings xviii. 21,)" How long halt ye between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow him but if Baal, then follow him." If a careless, ungodly, worldly, fleshly life be best, and most please God, and will comfort you most at death and judgment, then hold on in the way that you are in, and never purpose hereafter to repent of it, but let us all become as sensual as you. But if it be only the life of faith and holiness, and seeking first the kingdom and righteousness of God, that God, and Scripture, and reason will justify, and that will comfort the soul in the hour of extremity, and that you shall wish a thousand times you had followed, in everlasting misery, when wishing is too late, if now you continue to neglect it; doth not common reason then require, that we all now agree which all will desire to be found in at the last?

to go

that

way

One would think, if a minister should treat thus with his

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parishioners, and urge such a motion as this upon them, they should not have the hearts or faces to deny, or delay such a necessary agreement and engagement that would make their parish and their souls so happy, and which nothing but the devil and the befooled, corrupted minds of sinners hath any thing to say against! And yet it is likely we should either have such an answer as Elijah had, even silence, ("The people answered him not a word." ver. 21,) or else some plausible promise, while we have them in a good mood, which would quickly be broken and come to nothing. For indeed they are all engaged already by their baptismal covenant and profession of Christianity, to the very same thing; ; and yet we see how little they regard it.

But yet because it is our duty to use the means for the salvation and concord of our people, and wait on God by prayer for the success, I have here shewed you the only way to both. Read it impartially, and then be yourselves the judges, on whom the blame of our greatest and most dangerous divisions will be laid ; and for shame, either give over complaining that men are of so many minds, and profess yourselves the enemies of unity and peace; or else give over your damning, and dividing course, and yield to the Spirit of Christ, that would unite you to his body, and walk in communion with his saints: And let not these warnings be hereafter a witness against you to your confusion, which are intended for your salvation, and the healing of our discords, by

An unworthy Servant of Jesus Christ, for the calling and edifying of his members,

379

CATHOLIC UNITY.'

EPHESIANS iv. 3.

"

Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Ir seems that unity and felicity are near kin, in that the world is so like affected to them both. As our felicity is in God, and we lost it by falling from God, so our unity is in God, and we lost it by departing from this Centre of unity. And as all men have still a natural desire after felicity in general; but God who is their felicity, they neither know nor desire, so have we still a natural desire after unity in itself considered ; but God who is our unity, is little known or desired by the most. And as nature can perceive the evil of misery which is contrary to felicity, and cry out against it, and yet doth cherish the certain causes of it, and will not be per. suaded to let them go; so nature can perceive the evil of division, which is contrary to unity, and cry out against it, and yet will not forbear the causes of division. And there fore as we say of felicity, Nature by philosophy.seeks it Divinity findeth it, and Religion possesseth it: so we may say of true unity; Philosophy or nature seeks it, Divinity findeth it, and Religion or holiness possesseth it. And as most of the world do miss of felicity, for all their high esteem of it, and fall into misery, for all their hatred of it, because they love not the object and way of felicity, and hate not the matter and way of misery. Even so most of the world do miss of unity, for all their high esteem of unity, and fall into miserable distractions and divisions for all their hatred of divisions, because they love not the centre and way of unity, and hate not, the occasion and causes of division. And as the very reason why the most are shut out of happiness, is their own wilful refusing of the true matter and means of happiness, and no one could undo them but themselves, for all that they are loath to be undone : even so the very reason why the world attaineth not to unity, is their own wilful refusing of the true centre and means of unity; and it is themselves that are the wilful causes of their own divisions, even when they cry out against divisions. And as there is no way to happiness, but by turning to God from

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whom we fell, that in him we may be happy; and no way to God but by Jesus Christ as the Saviour, and the Holy Ghost as the Sanctifier; so there is no way to true unity, but by turning to God that we may be one in him; and no way to him, but being united to Christ, and being quickened by that one most Holy Spirit that animateth his members. And yet as poor souls do weary themselves in vain, in seeking felicity in their own ways and devices; so they do deceive themselves in seeking unity in ways that are quite destructive to unity. One thinks that we must be united in the Pope, and another in a General Council; another saith, we shall never have unity till the magistrate force us all one way; and yet they would not be forced from their own way. Another turns atheist, or infidel, or impious, by observing the divisions that be among Christians, and saith,' It is this Scripture, and religion, and Christ, that hath set the world together by the ears; and we shall never have unity till we all live according to nature, and cast off the needless cares and fears of another life:' And thus the miserable, deluded world are groping in the dark after unity and felicity, while both are at hand, and they wickedly reject them; and many of them become so mad, as to run away from God, from Christ, from the Spirit, as if He were the cause of misery and division, who is the only Centre of felicity and unity. And thus as it is but few that arrive at happiness for all their desire of it, so it is but few that attain to unity; to such a unity as is worth the attaining to.

I dare presume to take it for granted, that all you that hear me this day, would fain have divisions taken away, and have unity, and concord, and peace through the world. What say you? would you not have us all of one mind, and of one religion? And would you not fain have an agreement, if it might be, through all the world? I am confident you would. But you little think that it is you, and such as you, that are the hinderers of it. All the question is, What mind that is that all should be one in? And what religion that is that all men should agree in? Every man would have all men of one mind, and one religion; but then it must be of his mind, and of his religion; and so we are never the nearer an agreement.

Well! what would you give now to be certainly told the only way to unity and agreement? There is but one way; when you have sought about as long as you will, you must