CXLV expository sermons upon the whole 17th chapter of the Gospel according to St.…

First, That though our Saviour press Unity of believers, as a sign of his Disciples, and a means to win others to the Faith, yet Unity simply as so, is not an inseparable note of the true Church. The Papists indeed they professedly maintain this, That where we see a Church in it's members all united together, and that under one visible Head and Pastor, there we are to conclude is the true Church; and on the contrary, when we see divisions and multiplicities of Sects and Opinions, as (they say) there are almost an hundred amongst the Protestants, there cannot be any true Church; And indeed they have no fairer way to entangle men, and to fill the hearts of people with prejudices against the truth, then because of the many opinions that are amongst us. But to this we answer these things,

First, That though our Saviour presse Ʋnity of believers, as a sign of his Disciples, and a means to winne others to the Faith, yet Ʋnity simply as so, is not an inseparable note of the true Church. The Papists indeed they professedly maintain this, That where we see a Church in it's members all united together, and that under one visible Head and Pastour, there we are to conclude is the true Church; and on the contrary, when we see divisions and multiplicities of Sects and Opinions, as (they say) there are almost an hundred amongst the Protestants, there cannot be any true Church; And indeed they have no fairer way to intangle men, and to fill the hearts of people with prejudices against the truth, then because of the many opinions that are amongst us. But to this we answer these things,

First, Unity, as Unity without true Doctrine, cannot be any distinctive Note of a true Church. A whole Church, as that of Israel, ¹may be universally corrupted, so that neither the Worship or Truths of God were in any visible way received, and yet in this universal corruption, they were all as one man. Thus the Jews and Turks they have wonderful unity amongst themselves; yet who will conclude the Truth is amongst them? Although the Heathens had multiplicity of Gods and religious ways, yet the Jews are at great consent in the main things amongst themselves. It is necessary therefore that to Unity there must be joined true and sound Doctrine.