THE Staves of BEAUTY and BANDS Opened in a SERMON preached at Yarmonth, August 23. 1663.

THE Staves of BEAUTY and BANDS Opened in a SERMON preached at Yarmouth, August 23. 1663.

THE Staves of BEAUTY and BANDS Opened in a SERMON preached at Yarmonth, August 23. 1663.

Zechar. 11. 7. I took unto me Two Staves; the one I called Beauty, and the other I called Bands, and I fed the Flock.

THERE was no Office which Christ undertook, no Ministry which he instituted in his Church, which was not by him directed and intended unto such excellent Ends, as whereby the Honour ⟨p. 2⟩and Welfare thereof might be advanced. When in this place he assumed his Pastoral Office to Govern and guide his Flock, he doth by the names of these two Staves acquaint us with two noble Ends of that Service; The Restoring of Beauty to his Church corrupted, and of Unity to his Church divided; Of both which we shall, by Gods Assistance, take a brief View.

THERE was no Office which Christ undertook, no Ministery which he instituted in his Church, which was not by him directed and intended unto such excellent Ends, as whereby the Honour ⟨p. 2⟩and Welfare thereof might be advanced. When in this place he assumed his Pastoral Office to Govern and guide his Flock, he doth by the names of these two Staves acquaint us with two noble Ends of that Service; The Restoring of Beauty to his Church corrupted, and of Unity to his Church divided; Of both which we shall, by Gods Assistance, take a brief View.

First, He Feedeth and Ruleth his poor Flock with his Staff called Beauty, his Word, Ordinances, and Government, being, as glorious things in themselves, so the special Beauty and Honour of the Church that enjoy them. Thus among the people of the Jews, the^a Ark and the Tabernacle are called their Glory; in which respect the^b Apostle saith, That unto Israel did pertain the Adoption, and the Glory, because the Covenants, the Law, the Service of God, and the Promises were theirs: As to external Pomp and Splendour, ⟨p. 3⟩the great^c Monarchies of the world went far beyond them, (for they were the •ewest of all People:) but herein was their Preeminence, and Primogeniture, (as the Lord saith, Israel is my ^dfirst horn) herein was their^e double portion above all other Nations, that they had the Oracles of God committed unto them, that they were entrusted with the^f Custody of that^g honourable Law, which as the Apostle saith, was ^hholy, just, and good. And in like manner in the Christian Church, the Gospel, which is theⁱ Law of Christ, is called by the Apostle a^k glorious Gospel, because it is the^l Riches and the Salvation of those that enjoy it; insomuch that the very feet of those that bring glad Tidings thereof, are said to be Beautiful,

1. By the Verity of his heavenly Doctrine; When a people are taught of the Lord, then their Stones are laid with fair Colours, and their Foundations with Sapphires, their Windows of Agates, their Gates of Carbuncles, and their Borders of precious Stones, Isa. 54, 11, 12, 13. When the earth is full of the knowledge of the Lord, then is his rest, or the place of his abode glorious, Isa. 11, 9, 10. and therefore when Christ was ⟨p. 5⟩^sascended up on high, far above all heavens, that he might fill all things, he gave unto his Church, Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers, in order to the perfecting and edifying of his body, and carrying it on unto the measure of the stature of his fullness, wherein alone the Beauty thereof consisteth.

1. By the Verity of his heavenly Doctrine; When a people are taught of the Lord, then their Stones are laid with fair Colours, and their Foundations with Saphires, their Windows of Agates, their Gates of Carbuncles, and their Borders of precious Stones, Isa. 54, 11, 12, 13. When the earth is full of the knowledge of the Lord, then is his rest, or the place of his abode glorious, Isa. 11, 9, 10. and therefore when Christ was ⟨p. 5⟩^sascended up on high, far above all heavens, that he might fill all things, he gave unto his Church, Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers, in order to the perfecting and edifying of his body, and carrying it on unto the measure of the stature of his fulness, wherein alone the Beauty thereof consisteth.

1. sEphes. 4. 10, 13.

2. By the Purity of Spiritual Worship; When Sacrifices are offered with acceptance upon Gods Altar, (and none are so but^t spiritual Sacrifices) then doth he glorify the house of his Glory, and beautify the place of his Sanctuary, and make it an eternal Excellency; then doth he give gold for brass, and silver for iron; then doth he call the Walls of the Church Salvation, and her Gates Praise, Isa. 60. 7, 13. 15, 17, 18. Therefore the second Temple, though far inferior in outward Splendour to the former, is said to exceed that in Glory, because unto it the desire of all Nations should come, and set up therein his Spiritual Worship, ⟨p. 6⟩Hag. 2. 3, 7, 8, 9. For as the soul, which is the breath of Life, puts Beauty into the Body, so the Spirit of Christ poured out upon his Church, doth enliven and beautify that, and turn the^u wilderness into a fruitful field.

2. By the Purity of Spiritual Worship; When Sacrifices are offered with acceptance upon Gods Altar, (and none are so bnt^t spiritual Sacrifices) then doth he glorifie the house of his Glory, and beautifie the place of his Sanctuary, and make it an eternal Excellency; then doth he give gold for brass, and silver for iron; then doth he call the Walls of the Church Saivation, and her Gates Praise, Isa. 60. 7, 13. 15, 17, 18. Therefore the second Temple, though far inferior in outward Splendor to the former, is said to exced that in Glory, because unto it the desire of all Nations should come, and set up the•ein his Spiritual Worship, ⟨p. 6⟩Hag. 2. 3, 7, 8, 9. For as the soul, which is the breath of Life, puts Beauty into the Body, so the Spirit of Christ poured out upon his Church, doth enliven and beautifie that, and turn the

3. By Sanctity of Life, renewing them after the image of Christ; for when the Church is sanctified, and cleansed with the washing of Water by the Word, then it is fit to be presented unto Christ as a glorious Church, Ephes. 5. 26, 27. Holiness is called by the Apostle the^w Renewing of the Holy Ghost, the^x forming of Christ in us, the^y quickening and creating us in him unto good Works. Look what Beauty the renewing of a ruinous and decayed Building bringeth upon that, what Beauty the Re-union of a living Soul unto a ghastly body doth restore unto that, what Beauty the Creation brought upon the void and indigested Chaos, when it was wrought unto that goodly Frame and Structure which we now behold; the same, and much more, ⟨p. 7⟩doth the forming of Christ, and the Spirit of Holiness bring upon our deformed and defiled nature by the Efficacy of the Ordinances.

3. By Sanctity of Life, renewing them after the image of Christ; for when the Church is sanctified, and clensed with the washing of Water by the Word, then it is fit to be presented unto Christ as a glorious Church, Ephes. 5. 26, 27. Holinefs is called by the Apostle the^w Renewing of the Holy Ghost, the^x forming of Christ in us, the^y quickning and creating us in him unto good Works. Look what Beauty the renewing of a ruinous and decayed Building bringeth upon that, what Beauty the Re-union of a living Soul unto a gastly body doth restore unto that, what Beauty the Creation brought upon the void and indigested Chaos, when it was wrought unto that goodly Frame and Sructure which we now behold; the same, and much more, ⟨p. 7⟩

4. By Decency of Order, rendering the Church^z beautiful as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an Army with Banners; Thus the Church of Israel marched in the Wilderness in the manner of a formed Camp, with exquisite beauty and order, whereof we have an ample description, Numb. 2. In like manner the new Jerusalem, which descended out of Heaven, beautified with the Glory of God, whose street was pure gold as transparent glass, whose foundation was garnished with all manner of precious stones, is said to be four-square, having an accurate proportion and symmetry in all the parts thereof, Rev. 21. 16. And thus the Apostle directed all things to be done in the Church of Christ with Decency and Order, 1 Cor. 14. 40. and rejoiced to see the Order which was in the Church of the Colossians, Col. 2. 5. ⟨p. 8⟩When every Member keepeth his own Rank, and every Officer doth his proper Duty, according to the^a Pattern and^b Commission given him by Christ, then is the Pastoral Office administered with the Staff of Beauty.

4. By Decency of Order, rendering the Church^z beautiful as Tirzah, comely as Ierusalem, terrible as an Army with Banners; Thus the Church of Israel marched in the Wilderness in the manner of a formed Camp, with exquisite beauty and order, whereof we have an ample description, Numb. 2. In like manner the new Jerusalem, which descended out of Heaven, beautified with the Glory of God, whose street was pure gold as transparent glass, whose foundation was garnished with all manner of pretious stones, is said to be four-square, having an accurate proportion and symmetry in all the parts thereof,

In one word, the Ordinances are thus the Beauty of a Church, because in and by them Christ is spiritually present therein, and the Treasures of his Grace are unfolded unto it. He who is the^c chiefest among ten thousand, and altogether lovely, who was the^d desire of all Nations, and the^e hope of Glory to his people, in comparison of whose^f Excellencies all other things are but loss and dung, whose very^g Afflictions and Reproaches are preferred before the Pleasure and Riches of the world, in whose very^h Sufferings there is joy, he is in his Ordinances^k evidently set forth before our eyes; his^l Righteousness the Robe wherewith his Church is clothed, his^m Comeliness the Beauty wherewith she is adorned, and madeⁿ high above ⟨p. 9⟩all the people in Praise, and in Name, and in Honour, by her interest in him, and relation unto him, she hath a new name given her,^o Hephzibah the Lords delight, who delighteth over her as the Bridegroom over the Bride, esteeming her^p his rest, his dwelling place, his desire, so that^q glorious things are spoken of her.

These Beauties of Christ in his Ordinances, and in his Church by means of them, were typified and prefigured by the^r glorious Garments of the Priests, with allusion whereunto we are said in Baptism^s to put on Christ, whose Righteousness is unto his Church a ^tGarment of Praise. By the splendour of the Tabernacle, and of Solomons Temple, and all the Vessels and Utensils belonging unto the Worship of God therein, all which were exceeding glorious and magnificent; for the building and providing whereof, David prepared as immense a^u Treasure as we shall likely read of in any History; in which ⟨p. 10⟩respect that holy house is called the Throne of Gods Glory, Jer. 14. 21. By the City Jerusalem, ^wthe mountain of the Lords holiness, and the Joy of the whole earth; by the^x holy oil, wherewith the Tabernacle, the Ark, the holy Vessels and Priests were anointed, compounded of the principal spices after the Art of the Apothecary; by the beautiful order which was in^y Solomons Family; by the dressing and preparing of a^z Bride for the Bridegroom, as we read of the long and costly purification of the Virgins to go into King Ahasuerus, Est. 2. 12. So here, in the Ordinances, the Spouse of Christ is^a attired and made ready, being arrayed in fine linen, clean and white, and thereby ^bprepared unto Glory, and unto every good work. Lastly, By a

The Author and Efficient of all this ⟨p. 11⟩Beauty is the Lord, all whose^e works are perfect, who hath made every thing ^fbeautiful in his time. The sum and total of all Gods works are, the World and the Church; the world is called [Greek or Hebrew], for the Beauty and Comeliness of of it; in the which every thing was^g very good when the Lord took a view of it. But the Lord hath chosen his Church upon which to bestow more abundant Glory. It is called a Land of Ornament, Dan. 11. 16. A land of Desire, Jer. 3. 19. in the building whereof the Lord is said to appear in his Glory, Psa. 102. 16. The World is beautified with the power and wisdom of God; the Church besides that, with his Love and Grace: in the World we have the foot-prints of his Greatness, but in the Church we have the Image of his Holiness: The World was made by him, the Church like him; the World to show forth his Glory, the Church to enjoy it; the World a Tenement for his Creatures to dwell in, the Church a Palace for himself to dwell in; he hath ⟨p. 12⟩^hdesired it for his Habitation, it is his Rest for ever. Above all Excellencies, Holiness is the Beauty of a Creature; and therefore the Angels, who excel in all created perfection, are above all other Appellations honoured with the name of Saints Deut. 33. 2. they differ not in nature from Devils, in Holiness they do. Derived Holiness consisteth in conformity to primitive holiness. The Lord is most holy in himself, and our holiness standeth in his Image and Likeness, so far forth as he hath by an holy Law made his Holiness a pattern for ours. And when we threw away that Image of God, wherein our created Holiness consisted, and the Lord was pleased in any of us to renew it again; he did it by the pattern of his beloved Son, who is the

There are several Attributes or Properties whereby the Excellency of this Beauty may be further discovered.

1. Light and Lustre; for as a great part of the Corporal Beauty is in the life and vigour of the eye, so of spiritual Beauty in the clarity and brightness of the mind; when the Lord,^a who commanded the Light to shine out of Darkness, shineth in our Hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ; as the Sun is the greatest Beauty of the visible world, so Christ, as a^b Sun of Righteousness, by the^c Excellency of his knowledge, is the glory and beauty of the invisible.

1. Light and Luster; for as a great part of the Corporal Beauty is in the life and vigour of the eye, so of spiritual Beauty in the clarity and brightness of the mind; when the Lord,^a who commanded the Light to shine out of Darkness, shineth in our Hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ; as the Sun is the greatest Beauty of the visible world, so Christ, as a^b Sun of Righteousness, by the^c Excellency of his knowledge, is the glory and beauty of the invisible.

1. a2 Cor. 4 6
2. bMat. 4. 2.
3. cPhil. 3. 8.

2. Rectitude & Straitness; the wise man thus expresseth our primitive Beauty, ⟨p. 14⟩that^d God made man perfect; and we do then recover this Beauty, when we are without ^eguile, and perverseness of Spirit; when we make^f strait paths for our feet to walk in, and^g do [Greek or Hebrew], go evenly according to the Truth of the Gospel.

2. Rectitude & Straitness; the wise man thus expresseth our primitive Beauty, ⟨p. 14⟩that^d God made man perfect; and we do then recover this Beauty, when we are without ^eguil, and perverseness of Spirit; when we make^f strait paths for our feet to walk in, and^g do 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, go evenly according to the Truth of the Gospel.

1. dEccles. 7. 29.
2. ePsal. 32. 2.
3. fHeb. 12. 13.
4. g

3. Integrity and^h Completeness; when all the parts and members of the new man are formed in us, and we do partake of theⁱ fullness of Christ, Grace for Grace, as the Child of his parent, member for member. The Lord in the Law would not accept of a maimed Offering, Levit. 22 21, 22. And when we offer up our selves a^k living Sacrifice holy and acceptable unto God, we must be^l sanctified throughout, and our whole Spirit, Soul, and Body must be preserved blameless: for wherever Christ is formed, though it be but in measure as to the degrees of Grace, yet that measure must be the^m measure of every part, so that there is at once both [Greek or Hebrew] and [Greek or Hebrew], as the Apostle speaks, ⟨p. 15⟩a measure in regard of the Imperfection of every Grace, and yet a fullness in regard of the perfection of every part, or member of the new man.

3. Integrity and^h Compleatness; when all the parts and members of the new man are formed in us, and we do partake of theⁱ fulness of Christ, Grace for Grace, as the Child of his parent, member for member. The Lord in the Law would not accept of a maimed Offering, Levit. 22 21, 22. And when we offer up our selves a^k living Sacrifice holy and acceptable unto God, we must be^l sanctified throughout, and our whole Spirit, Soul, and Body must be preserved blameless: for wherever Christ is formed, though it be but in measure as to the degrees of Grace, yet that measure must be the

4. Symmetry and an exact proportion of parts, and equal temperament of humours one with another, which in regard of Spiritual Beauty is called by ⁿthe Apostle [Greek or Hebrew], an exactness of Obedience; when there is such a due temper of Piety to God, Sobriety to our selves, and Righteousness to others, that none of these do obstruct the other, but that there is an equal^o respect to all Gods Commandments, and such a supply and accurate distribution of vital influence, unto every member of the new man, that no part doth either swell or wither, that Zeal is not blind, nor Knowledge unfruitful, nor Faith without Love, nor the Duties of one Table without those of another; but that we g•ow up unto^p Christ in all things, and have an effectual working in the measure of every part.

4. Symmetry and an exact proportion of parts, and equal temperament of humours one with another, which in regard of Spiritual Beauty is called by ⁿthe Apostle 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, an exactnesse of Obedience; when there is such a due temper of Piety to God, Sobriety to our selves, and Righteousness to others, that none of these do obstruct the other, but that there is an equal^o respect to all Gods Commandments, and such a supply and accurate distribution of vital influence, unto every member of the new man, that no part doth either swell or wither, that Zeal is not blind, nor Knowledge unfruitful, nor Faith without Love, nor the Duties of one Table without those of another; but that we g•ow up unto^p Christ in all things, and have an effectual working in the measure of every part.

1. n

5. Growth and Progress in these proportions; for while we are in this world, we are still in our Minority, and therefore must still be contending towards perfection. To be a man in years, and a child in stature, is an unbeautiful thing. Christ hath no Dwarfs in his body; though one man attain greater degrees of perfection then another, yet all are in a growing condition: the life of Christ in us being a^a life that abounds; and his Grace like the^b waters of the Sanctuary rising up higher and higher.

1. aJoh. 10. 10.
2. bEzek. 47 3, 4, 5.

Lastly, Indeficiency, wherein spiritual Beauty surpasseth all other; for^c bodily favour is deceitful, and Beauty vain, it runneth all at last into wrinkles and deformity; but as Christ himself^d never saw Corruption, no more doth the Beauty that he brings to the Soul with him. They^e who are planted in the Lords house, do flourish in his Courts, and are fat and fruitful in their old age. As we may truly say of sin in a wicked man, Concupiscenti• non senescit, though ⟨p. 17⟩nature wax old and infirm, yet Lust doth not: so we may say of Grace in a good man, Charitas non senescit, it is not apta nata of it self to decay, but proceeds from strength to strength.

Lastly, Indeficiency, wherein spiritual Beauty surpasseth all other; for^c bodily favour is deceitful, and Beauty vain, it runneth all at last into wrinkles and deformity; but as Christ himself^d never saw Corruption, no more doth the Beauty that he brings to the Soul with him. They^e who are planted in the Lords house, do flourish in his Courts, and are fat and fruitfull in their old age. As we may truly say of sin in a wicked man, Concupiscenti• non senescit, though ⟨p. 17⟩nature wax old and infirm, yet Lust doth not: so we may say of Grace in a good man, Charitas non senescit, it is not apta nata of it self to decay, but proceeds from strength to strength.

1. cProv. 31. 30.

The ends of the Ordinances do likewise further evidence this Beauty of theirs unto us: For they are by Christ intended for such purposes as these.

1. To Quicken us, and to fashion him in us. By nature we are^f dead in trespasses and sins, and death ever induceth deformity; but by the holy Spirit of Christ working in and by his Ordinances, we are restored unto his ^glife and likeness, and^h conformed unto the Image of him who is altogether lovely.

1. fEph. 2. 1, 4, 5
2. gGal. 2. 20. 4. 19.
3. hRom. 8. 29.

2. To cleanse and purify us from all Defilements; for theⁱ fear of the Lord is clean, and his Commandment pure both in it self, and in its operations; his precious^k promises by our^l faith in them, and by our hope and expectation of them,^m do cleanse us from all filthiness of ⟨p. 18⟩flesh and Spirit, and cause us to purify our Selves even as he is pure, that we mayⁿ offer unto the Lord an Offering in Righteousness, that our Offerings may be pleasant unto him.

2. To clense and purifie us from all Defilements; for theⁱ fear of the Lord is clean, and his Commandment pure both in it self, and in its operations; his precious^k promises by our^l faith in them, and by our hope and expectation of them,^m do clense us from all filthiness of ⟨p. 18⟩flesh and Spirit, and cause us to purifie our Selves even as he is pure, that we mayⁿ offer unto the Lord an Offering in Righteousnesse, that our Offerings may be pleasant unto him.

1. iPsal. 19. 8, 9

3. To heal us of all our spiritual distempers, whereby the Beauty of the Soul is dimmed or impaired. As many of Christs^o Miracles were showed in making the blind see, the deaf hear, the lame leap, and in curing of all manner of sickness and disease; so the spiritual virtue of his holy Ordinances is seen in spiritual Operations consonant unto those, in which respect he is called a ^pPhysician to bind up the broken hearted, and to heal the stroke of the wound of his people; He is the^q tree of life, whose leaves are for the healing of the Nations.

3. To heal us of all our spiritual distempers, whereby the Beauty of the Soul is dimmed or impaired. As many of Christs^o Miracles were shewed in making the blind see, the deaf hear, the lame leap, and in curing of all manner of sickness and disease; so the spiritual vertue of his holy Ordinances is seen in spiritual Operations consonant unto those, in which respect he is called a ^pPhysician to bind up the broken hearted, and to heal the stroke of the wound of his people; He is the^q tree of life, whose leaves are for the healing of the Nations.

1. oMat. 4. 23.
2. pMat. 9. 12. Isa. 30. 26. 61. 1.
3. qRev. 22. 2.

4. To comfort us, to wipe away all tears from our eyes, all sorrow from our hearts, and thereby to make our faces shine; for as^r Moses, by extraordinary Converse with God on the Mount, ⟨p. 19⟩had a lustre on his face, so in some proportion, all Communion with him doth, by the spiritual comfort, bring a ^sBeauty upon holy men, filling them with the peace of God which passeth understanding, and with Joy which is unspeakable and glorious.

4. To comfort us, to wipe away all tears from our eyes, all sorrow from our hearts, and thereby to make our faces shine; for as^r Moses, by extraordinary Converse with God on the Mount, ⟨p. 19⟩had a lustre on his face, so in some proportion, all Communion with him doth, by the spiritual comfort, bring a ^sBeaury upon holy men, filling them with the peace of God which passeth understanding, and with Joy which is unspeakable and glorious.

1. rExod 34. 29, 30
2. sEccles. 8. 1. Rom. 15. 13. Phil. 4. 7. 1 Pet. 1. 8.

5. To fit and prepare us for the Lord himself to delight in, that his Image in us may^t attract the eye and heart, the love and delight of the Lord of Glory unto us; the Lord hath^u set apart the man that is godly for himself, hath ^wchosen Israel for his peculiar Treasure, hath^x formed them for himself to show forth his praise, and^y purified them unto himself for a peculiar people; and because the Church is in this special manner ^zGods own, therefore he will in special manner put his Comeliness upon her, and will^a beautify the place of his Sanctuary; as he is called the^b Glory of his people Israel, so he hath honoured his people Israel with this high dignity, to be called^c His Glory

5. To fit and prepare us for the Lord himself to delight in, that his Image in us may^t attract the eye and heart, the love and delight of the Lord of Glory unto us; the Lord hath^u set apart the man that is godly for himself, hath ^wchosen Israel for his peculiar Treasure, hath^x formed them for himself to shew forth his praise, and^y

Lastly, The manner of Christs Governing his Church by his Ordinances is full of Beauty and Sweetness; with a ^dstill voice, with the^e cords of a man, & with the bands of Love, ^fhe gathereth the Lambs in his arm, and carrieth them in his Bosom; as^g one whom his Mother comforteth, so doth he comfort them; he doth not ^hbreak the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax; he deals with persuasions and entreaties, by his Ambassadors,ⁱ beseeching us to be reconciled unto God: he^k leads his Flock by still waters, and into green pastures, through^l ways of pleasantness, and paths of peace; he^m doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men; In theⁿ midst of wrath he remembereth Mercy; when he causeth grief, he showeth compassion; and when^o he speaks against Ephraim, he earnestly remembereth him still; he hath set up a sweet order in his Church both in Doctrine and Policy, managing both with ^pmeekness and gentleness, ^qpreaching ⟨p. 21⟩peace,^r

Great the Thankfulness we owe unto him, for the fruit of this his Beautiful and amiable Government, that we who were^z enemies unto him by wicked works, and were well pleased with that our misery, should, by the power of his Spirit,^a be translated from the Tyranny of Satan, into the kingdom of Grace, and be made a^b willing people, beautified with his Salvation.

1. zCol. 1. 21.
2. aCol. 1. 13.
3. bPsal. 110. 3.

Great the value we ought to set upon the Ordinances of the Gospel, the Staff of^c Beauty by which he governeth his Flock, the^d Ornaments and Bracelets, the Chain and Jewels which he sendeth unto his Spouse to adorn her withal; No man cometh unto Christ, till he seeth Beauty in him; and vain men,^e who love their Lusts better then their life, are naturally prejudiced against his holy ways: He is to the^f Disobedient a stone of stumbling, a rock of Offence, ^ga sign to be spoken against. Now by the Light and Majesty of the Ordinances, this prejudice is removed, and^h we ⟨p. 23⟩all, with open face beholding, as in a glass, the Glory of the Lord, are changed into the same Image from Glory to Glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

1. cPsal. 149. 4.
2. dEzek. 16. 10, 13.
3. eProv. 8. 36.
4. f1 Pet. 2. 8.
5. gLuk. 2. 34.
6. h

Great the Duty which we owe to the Gospel, to bear witness unto the Beauty thereof by our holy Conversation: Toⁱ think on those things which are venerable, just, pure, lovely, and of a good report, which^k adorn, and^l become the Gospel, and are^m worthy of that high Calling wherewith we are called; to remember that we areⁿ vessels of Honour, to be purged and sanctified, that we may be meet for our Masters use; that we are^o Temples of the Holy Ghost, separated unto his special service and presence; And if any man defile the Temple of God, him will God destroy; That we are a^p redeemed and a peculiar people, whom Christ hath purified^q unto himself; That^r without Holiness our prayers and Sacrifices are but an abomination; For as^s without Holiness no man can see God, so without Holiness ⟨p. 24⟩no man can serve him;^t What hath my Beloved to do in my house, saith the Lord, seeing she hath wrought lewdness? The Lord will be sanctified in all that draw nigh unto him.

1. iPhil 4. 8.
2. k

We should therefore all in our several places, especially those unto whom the Pastoral Dignity and Trust doth appertain, use our utmost care to preserve the Church of God amongst us in that honour and beauty which belongs thereunto; not corrupting the Doctrine thereof, or obtruding any mere problematical, much less false and unsound positions of our own, upon the faith of our Hearers; not corrupting the Worship thereof either with superstition, or irreverence, not suffering either the mere Form of Godliness to swallow up the power, or the pretence of power to shut out the Form, but to give the Lord both that inward and outward Honour, which is due to his holy name in all our solemn Attendances upon him; not corrupting the sanctity thereof either ⟨p. 25⟩with Hypocrisy or Profaneness, with mere specious Pretences of Holiness on the one hand, or with open and downright Contempt thereof on the other. Lastly, Not corrupting the Decency and Order thereof; either by burdening Gods Service with an excessive number of needless Observances; or on the other side censuring and deserting the Communion of a Sound and Orthodox Church, because the Order thereof doth not in every particular please us. Thus is the Church to be fed and Ruled with the former of our Prophets Staves, The Staff Beauty.

We should thereforeall in our several places, especially those unto whom the Pastoral Dignity and Trust doth appertain, use our utmost care to preserve the Church of God amongst us in that honour and beauty which belongs thereunto; not corrupting the Doctrine thereof, or obtruding any meer problematical, much less false and unsound positions of our own, upon the faith of our Hearers; not corrupting the Worship thereof either with superstition, or irreverence, not suffering either the meer Form of Godliness to swallow up the power, or the pretence of power to shut out the Form, but to give the Lord both that inward and outward Honour, which is due to his holy name in all our solemn Attendances upon him; not corrupting the sanctity thereof either ⟨p. 25⟩with Hypocrisie or Prophaness, with meer specious Pretences of Holiness on the one hand, or with open and downright Contempt thereof on the other. Lastly, Not corrupting the Decency and Order thereof; either by burthening Gods Service with an excessive number of needless Observances; or on the other side censuring and deserting the Communion of a Sound and Orthodox Church, because the Order thereof doth not in every particular please us. Thus is the Church to be fed and Ruled with the former of our Prophets Staves, The Staff Beauty.

Secondly, Christ, as the chief Shepherd, by his Spirit and Power, and his Under-Officers, by their Ministry and Service, do feed and rule his Church by his Staff called Bands, procuring and advancing the Unity thereof, and gathering together into one all the members belonging thereunto, that the whole body may be fitly joined together ⟨p. 26⟩and compacted without Schisms and Divisions, which is a singular and eminent Blessing of God thereunto. God made man at the first after his own Image, so that as the Lord is wholly one and undivided in himself, no dissonancy between any of his Attributes, Decrees, or Counsels; so in man as he came out of Gods hands, there was an exact harmony and agreement; his Affections consonant unto his Will, his Will to his Reason, and his Reason to God. And being thus perfectly One with himself, he could not but be one likewise with others, who were perfectly like himself, as finding nothing more in them, from the which to differ, then in himself. But when sin came into the world, it brake the bond of Union between God and man, making us^u enemies unto him by wicked works, and so ^wseparating between him and us, and hiding hie face from us. It brake the bond of Union between a man and himself, the Will rebelling against the ⟨p. 27⟩Mind, the Sensitive part against the rational, one^x lust warring against another, and all against the Soul. It brake the bond of Union between man and man, between one wicked man and another, upon the ground of different Interests, ^yhateful and hating of one another; between wicked men and good men, upon the ground of contrary seeds, the the Lord having^z put enmity between the Seed of the woman, and the Seed of the Serpent; Because God hath chosen his Church out of the world, therefore the ^aworld hateth them; When he had his Church only in one single people, the Jews, who dwelt alone, and were

This Enmity Christ came to heal, and to remove, by preaching, and by giving peace unto men, working the hearts of his people to be at unity and peace one with another; in which respect Christ saith of his Church, My Dove, my undefiled is but one, Cant, 6. 9. Now a thing may be said to be one two manner of ways; there is unum per unitatem, when a thing is so one, as that it doth not any way consist of many, as God is one by the absolute simplicity of his Nature, without any diversity of part and part, power and act, matter and form, subject and accident, being and not being: There is likewise unum per unionem, ⟨p. 29⟩when one thing is constituted, and made up of many things united and joined together, and thus the Church is One. ^hWe being many, saith the Apostle, are one bread, and one body. And again, as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. In this respect it is compared sometimes to anⁱ Army, made up of many Soldiers, ordered into Companies and Regiments, under the Command of one General, called the^k Captain of the Host of the Lord, and the^l Captain of our Salvation. Sometimes to^m a City compacted together, and accurately proportioned in all the parts and measures thereof: Sometimes to the Tabernacle of the Congregation, whereinⁿ divers Curtains were coupled and joined together, by loops and taches, into one Sanctuary: Sometimes to the Temple, ^owherein many goodly stones were framed and fitted into a Magnificent Structure, in which respect the Church is^p called the House ⟨p. 30⟩

For all the persons, all the Assemblies and Associations in the world, who acknowledge and worship one true God, and one Mediator between God and Man, the Lord Jesus, walking by one and the same rule of Faith and Love in the Gospel, do all make up but one Catholic Church.

For all the persons, all the Assemblies and Associations in the world, who acknowledge and worship one true God, and one Mediator between God and Man, the Lord Jesus, walking by one and the same rule of Faith and Love in the Gospel, do all make up but one Catholick Church.

And the former Resemblances and Similitudes whereby it is expressed, lead ⟨p. 31⟩us to the consideration of a threefold Unity in the Church. 1. An Unity by way of Disposition and Order, as in an Army or Building. 2. An Unity by way of Composition, or integral Completion, as between the parts of the body unto the perfection of the whole. 3. An Unity by way of Constitution, or Essential Concurrence of Soul and Body unto one man or of the Subject, and vital principles whereby it is animated.

There is then in the Church 1. An Unity of Order, as the Apostle rejoiced when he beheld the^w Order of the Church at Coloss. And this consisteth, 1. In Variety of Offices, and in the due and regular Subordination of those one unto another, and of the body unto them all, as the^x Apostle telleth us, that God hath set in the Church first Apostles, secondarily Prophets, thirdly Teachers, &c. And that Christ when he ascended up on high, gave some Apostles, and some Prophets, and some Evangelists, and some Pastors, and Teachers, ⟨p. 32⟩for the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the Ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ; and these the^y Apostle requireth the rest of the Body to Esteem very highly in love, to obey them, and submit themselves, unto them, because they watch for their Souls▪ 2. In Variety of Ordinances in the which^z Christ is set forth before the eyes of his people; Such are Reading the Scripture, for as in that Church of the Jews,^a Moses and the Prophets were read in the Synagogues every Sabbath day; So the^b Apostle directeth the Reading of his Epistles in the Christian Church. Preaching of the Word, ^chow shall they hear, saith the Apostle, without a Preacher? and how shall they preach except they be sent? Prayer, as the Temple is called^d an house of Prayer for all people, and Peter and John went up to the Temple at the hour of Prayer: Baptism, ^eGo and teach all Nations, Baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the

2. An Integral Unity, as between all the parts of an entire body, joined in due order together, unto the completing of the whole; and this Unity presupposeth a double Union; the one of the ⟨p. 34⟩body to the head, the other of the members to one another; of both which the Apostle speaketh, Ephes. 4. 15, 16.

2. An Integral Vnity, as between all the parts of an intire body, joyned in due order together, unto the compleating of the whole; and this Unity presupposeth a double Vnion; the one of the ⟨p. 34⟩body to the head, the other of the members to one another; of both which the Apostle speaketh, Ephes. 4. 15, 16.

1. There is a bond of Union between Christ and his body the Church;^l He that is joined unto the Lord, is one Spirit; and this Bond is on Christs part his Spirit, whereby he joineth himself unto his Body,^m we are an habitation of God through the Spirit; and on a Believers part his Faith, whereby he joineth himself to Christ, andⁿ appointeth him for his Head, by which means Christ dwelleth in the hearts of his people; Both which the Apostle putteth together, calling it the^o Spirit of Faith.

1. There is a bond of Vnion between Christ and his body the Church;^l He that is joyned unto the Lord, is one Spirit; and this Bond is on Christs part his Spirit, whereby he joyneth himself unto his Body,^m we are an habitation of God through the Spirit; and on a Believers part his Fatth, whereby he joyneth himself to Christ, andⁿ appointeth him for his Head, by which means Christ dwelleth in the hearts of his people; Both which the Apostle putteth together, calling it the^o Spirit of Faith.

1. l1 Cor. 6. 17. 1 Joh 3. 24. 4. 13.
2. mEph. 2. 22.
3. nHos. 1. 11

2 There is a Bond of Union between the members of the body amongst themselves, viz. The mutual Love of Believers unto one another, called the^p Band of perfectness, whereby they are knit together; for this Grace is that Cement which joineth the Stones of this spiritual building into one Temple, being shed abroad into their hearts by the holy ⟨p. 35⟩Spirit, and is therefore called the Love of the Spirit, Rom. 15. 30. as^q elsewhere the Unity, the Supply, and the Fellowship of the Spirit; For where this Unity of Spirit and Love is, every member doth make a^r Supply according to the measure which it self hath, for the increasing and edifying of the body,^s walking together in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost.

2 There is a Bond of Vnion between the members of the body amongst themselves, viz. The mutual Love of Believers unto one another, called the^p Band of perfectness, whereby they are knit together; for this Grace is that Cement which joyneth the Stones of this spiritual building into one Temple, being shed abroad into their hearts by the holy ⟨p. 35⟩Spirit, and is therefore called the Love of the Spirit, Rom. 15. 30. as^q elsewhere the Vnity, the Supply, and the Fellowship of the Spirit; For where this Unity of Spirit and Love is, every member doth make a^r Supply according to the measure which it self hath, for the increasing and edifying of the body,

3. An Essential Unity, or as^t St. Hilary calls it, Naturalis Unitas; as the body and the soul being joined together maketh one man; and thus Christ is said^u to make in himself of twain one new man, by the participation of that^w one Spirit which was^x without measure poured out upon Christ the Head, and^y from his Fullness shed abroad in such proportion upon his Members as he is variously pleased to dispense unto them; by which means^z Christ is formed in us; liveth in us, and is a quickening Spirit unto us; for the Spirit of Christ is that divine ^aseed, whereby we are regenerated unto his life and ⟨p. 36⟩likeness, and as St. Peter expresseth it, are ^bpartakers of the Divine Nature.

3. An Essential Vnity, or as^t St. Hilary calls it, Naturalis Vnitas; as the body and the soul being joyned together maketh one man; and thus Christ is said^u to make in himself of twain one new man, by the participation of that^w one Spirit which was^x without measure poured out upon Christ the Head, and^y

4. Consequent upon this Essential Unity, whereby all the mystical members of Christ are animated and enlivened by one and the same quickening Spirit, doth follow a Moral unity of hearts and minds between all of them; as it is said of the Primitive Christians,^c that the multitude of them that believed, were of one heart, and of one soul. And this Moral unity is four-fold.

4. Consequent upon this Essential Vnity, whereby all the mystical members of Christ are animated and enlivened by one and the same quickning Spirit, doth follow a Moral unity of hearts and minds between all of them; as it is said of the Primitive Christians,^c that the multitude of them that believed, were of one heart, and of one soul. And this Moral unity is four-fold.

1. cAct. 4. 32.

1. An Unity of Faith, in the great and necessary Doctrines of Salvation, or in the^d knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ, called by the Apostle the^e Foundation, the^f Principles of the Doctrine of Christ, the^g form of sound words, the proportion or^h Analogy of Faith, theⁱ knowledge of Jesus Christ and him Crucified, the^k doctrine and truth which is after godliness, ^lthe Faith of the Gospel, the^m Faith of Jesus, theⁿ Mystery of Godliness, the ^oRule by which we should walk, called by the Ancients, the Seed of Doctrine, ⟨p. 37⟩the Character of the Church, the Rule which is common to small and great; in one word, whatever Doctrine there is, the ^pknowledge whereof, and assent where-unto, is simply necessary unto Salvation; in this all who shall be saved, do first or last most unanimously agree. Differences there may be, and usually are, in less necessary points, which are matters quaestionum, non fidei, as S. Austin speaks, for we^q know but in part, and are not yet come to be perfect men; and till the members have attained unto their full stature, there cannot be expected an universal consent, and harmony of judgements in all points, even among the best and most learned men; in which case notwithstanding we should