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selfishness causeth them so far to overvalue their own judgments, as to expect that all should be conformable to them, and bow to their arguments which have no strength, if not to their sayings and wills without their arguments; and to disdain, and passionately censure and reproach all that dissent and gainsay them. And thus every man, so far as he is proud and selfish, would be the Pope or centre of the catholic church. And therefore it is observable that Christ hath told us, "That except we be converted, and become as little children, we cannot enter into his kingdom.” (Matt. xviii. 3.) And if we deny not ourselves we cannot be his disciples." (Luke ix. 23.) But of this I have spoken in another treatise.

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And thus I have plainly from the word of God declared to you the true nature of catholicism, and which is the catholic church, and who a catholic. I hope it may do somewhat to cure the frensy of the world, that makes men cry, Here is the church, and there is the church. That makes one sect say, We are the church, and another say, We are the church. I hope it may do somewhat to the confounding of the arrogancy and presumption of all sects, especially the sect of Papists, that being but a piece of the church, and that none of the best, dare pretend to be the whole, and restrain the name of Catholics or Christians to themselves! And I hope it may do somewhat to awake the servants of Christ to more catholic considerations, and principles, and affections, and endeavours, that those that have lived too much to themselves, and too much to their own parties, as if the church had been confined to their narrow provinces, may hereafter look more abroad into the world, and remember the extent of the kingdom of Christ, and not think so dishonourably of it as they have done. I hope also it may help to abate the censoriousness and presumption of those that would rob Christ of the greatest part of his inheritance, and deliver it up to Satan, his enemy. And I hope it may somewhat disgrace the dividing principles and practices of these times, and turn soldiers into surgeons, wounding into healing, and excite in some a stronger desire for unity and peace, and cause them to extend their care and charity further than they have done. However, this here described, is the catholic church which God will own. This is it that is

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built on Christ the Rock, which the gates of hell shall not prevail against. Here is the safe standing, from whence you may look with boldness, thankfulness, and compassion, upon the many sects, and furious contentions of the world; and lament their giddiness, without being brought yourselves to a loss about the truth of your church or faith: and may see the folly of them that are puzzled to find out the true catholic church and religion. And here you may see the admirable privilege of a truly regenerate, sanctified person, that is most certainly a member of the true catholic church, whoever deny it. To conclude, you may hence see that it is not as Romanists, Greeks, Armenians, Abassines, Jacobines, Lutherans, Calvinists, Arminians, &c., that men are saved, but as catholic Christians, aspiring to the highest perfection.

END OF TRUE CATHOLIC, AND CATHOLIC CHURCH DESCRIBED.

371

CATHOLIC UNITY:

OR

THE ONLY WAY TO BRING US ALL TO BE OF ONE RELIGION.

TO

BE READ BY SUCH AS ARE OFFENDED AT THE DIFFERENCES IN RELIGION, AND ARE WILLING TO DO THEIR PART TO HEAL THEM.

To all those in the several Parishes of these Nations, that complain of the Disagreements in Matters of Religion.

MEN AND BRETHREN,

As in the midst of all the impiety and dishonesty of the world, it is some comfort to us, that yet the names of piety and honesty are still in credit, and ungodliness and dishonesty are terms of disgrace; so that those that will be ungodly and dishonest, are fain to use the mask and veil of better names, to hide their wickedness; so also it is some comfort to us, in the midst of the uncharitableness and discords of this age, that yet the names of Love and Concord sound so well, and are honoured by those that are farthest from the things: for thus we seem agreed in the main cause, and have this advantage in our debates, that whatever shall be proved to be against love, and unity, and peace, we are all of us obliged by our professions to disown. I may suppose that all that read these words, will speak against the uncharitableness, and contentions, and divisions of the present times as well as I. Doth it grieve my soul to hear professed Christians so censoriously condemning, and passionately reviling one another, while they are proudly justifying themselves? I suppose you will say, it grieves you also. Do I mourn in secret, to see so many divisions and subdivisions, and church set up against church, and pastors against pastors, in the same parishes; and each party labouring to disgrace the other and their way, that they may promote their own? I suppose you will say, you do so too.

Do I lament it as the nation's shame, that in religion men are of so many minds, and manage their differences so unpeaceably, that it is become the stumbling-block to the ungodly, the grief of our friends, and the derision of our enemies? I know you will say, that this also is your lamentation. And is it not a wonder indeed, that such a misery should be continued, which all men are against; and which cannot be continued but by our wilful choice? Is it not strange that we are so long without so great a blessing as Unity and Peace, while all men say they love it and desire it; and while we may have it if we will? But the cause is evident; while men love unity, they hate the holiness in which we must unite: while they love peace, they hate the necessary means by which it must be obtained and maintained the way of peace they have not known; or knowing it, they do abhor it. As well as they love unity and peace, they love the causes of discord and division much better. The drunkard, and whoremonger, and worlding say they love the salvation of their souls: but yet while they love and keep their sins, they will miss of the salvation which they say they love. And so while men love their ungodliness and dividing ways, we are little the better for their love of peace. If men love health, and yet love poison, and hate both medicine and wholesome food, they may miss of health, notwithstanding they love it.

Where know you a parish in England, that hath no disagreements in matters of religion? In this parish where I live, we have not several congregations, nor are we divided in such parties as in many other places; but we have here the great division; some are for heaven, and some for earth; some love a holy, diligent life, and others hate it; some pray in their families, and teach them the word and fear of God, and others do not; some spend the Lord's-day in holy exercises, and others spend much of it in idleness and vanity; some take the service of God for their delight, and others are weary of it, and live in ignorance, because they will not be at the pains to learn some make it the principal care and business of their lives to prepare for death, and make sure of everlasting life; and others will venture their souls on the wrath of God, and cheat themselves by their own presumption, rather than be at this sweet and necessary labour to be saved. Some hate sin, and make it

their daily work to root out the relics of it from their hearts and lives; and others love it and will not leave it, but hate those that reprove them, and endeavour their salvation.

And as long as this great division is unhealed, what other means can bring us to any happy unity? It would make a man's heart bleed to consider of the folly of the ungodly rout, that think it would be a happy union, if we could all agree to read one form of prayer, while some love, and others hate the holiness which they pray for and if we could all agree to use the sign of the cross in baptism, while one half either understand not the baptismal covenant, or wilfully violate it, and neglect, or hate, and scorn that mortified holy life, which by that solemn vow and covenant they are engaged to. They are solicitous to bring us all to unity in the gesture of receiving the sacrament of the Lord'ssupper, while some take Christ and life, and others take their own damnation. When they should first agree in being all the faithful servants of one Master, they make a great matter of it, that the servants of Christ and of the devil may use the same bodily posture in that worship where their hearts are as different as Spirit and flesh. Poor people think that it is the want of uniformity in certain ceremonies of man's invention, that is the cause of our great divisions and distractions; when, alas! it is the want of unity in matters of greater conséquence, even of faith, and love, and holiness, as I have here shewed. If once we were all children of one Father, and living members of one Christ, and all renewed by one sanctifying Spirit, and aimed at one end, and walked by one rule, (the word of God,) and had that special love to one another which Christ hath made the mark of his disciples, this were an agreement to be rejoiced in indeed, which would hold us together in the most comfortable relations, and assure us that we shall live together with Christ in everlasting blessedness. But, alas! if our agreement be no better, than to sit together in the same seats, and say the same words, and use the same gestures and ceremonies, our hearts will be still distant from each other, our natures will be contrary, and the malignity of ungodly hearts will be breaking out on all occasions. And as now you hear men scorning at the practice of that religion which themselves profess, so if God prevent it not, you may shortly see another war take off their restraint and let them

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