"Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also, which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one, as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee; that they also may be one in us, that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me, I have given them, that they may be one, even as we are one. I in them, and Thou in me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me; Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me." John xvii. 20-24. Object. But if this world should ever become so happy, it would be more amiable, and so be a greater snare to our affections, and make us willing to stay from heaven.' Answ. No amiableness or pleasantness, stealeth the heart from God, or keepeth it from heaven, but that which hideth the glory and goodness of God and heaven from our minds, or corrupteth and diverteth the will and affections by some inconsistency or contrariety; but the spiritual excellency of the Reformed Concordant Church on earth, will so much more clearly represent heaven to our conceptions, and give our hearts so pleasant a foretaste of it, that above all things it will excite our desires of that fuller glory, and call us most powerfully to a heavenly mind and life: as the firstfruits and earnest do make us desire the harvest, and the full possession. And as now those that live in the most heavenly society, and under the most excellent helps and means, have usually more heavenly minds and lives, than they that in more tempting and distracting company never enjoy such heavenly beams. CONSECTARY. ALL the Romish dreams of Church-union arise from ignorance of the true state and interest of the Church, and the true and necessary terms of union. And all the plots also of the moderating Papists, that talk of a Political Church Catholic, having a visible constitutive or governing Head; whether monarchical (the pope); or aristocratical, or democratical (the patriarchs, or a General Council): and that talk of universal laws of this church, made by such a universal head, besides the universal laws of Christ; and falsely feign the Councils called General, in a particular empire, called or ruled by one emperor only, in his own dominions, to have been universal, as to all the Catholic Churches on earth; and that feign these Councils to have been infallible, which so often erred, and crossed each other and that set the world upon the undeterminable controversy, Which were true General Councils;' and How many we must receive and conform to: whether only four, or six, or eight; and till what age.' And that would persuade the Christian world, that whatever diversity of canons, customs, or church-laws, or ceremonies, are allowed among them, it must all be done or held by this same authority of the Pope or Council, or both: to which (though foreign) Kings and Bishops must all be subject; and from which, they must receive their Christianity; and by which all their reformations must be tried: and that none must be taken as Catholics, nor any Churches tolerated, that hold not such a factious union, under such an usurping head, personal or collective: but as Tertullian speaketh, rather than endure such wiser and better societies; Solitudinem facerent, et vocarent pacem;' and as a WORLDLY CLERGY, whose church and kingdom is only of and in this world, would banish from it all (save a lifeless image) which hath any kin to heaven ; and suffers none to live in this world among them but themselves. I say, all this is, 1. From ignorance of the true nature of the Christian Religion, Church-state and Terms of Unity and Concord; which I have lately opened in a book, entitled, “The True and only Terms of the Concord of all the Churches." 2. And from contention about ambiguous words, and self-conceitedness in their controversies, ignorantly thence raised; which I have sought to end in a book, called, "Catholic Theology." 3. And from vicious passions and partiality; which I have sought to heal in a book, called, "The Cure of ChurchDivisions." All written long since the writing of this foregoing Prog nostication. END OF THE MORAL PROGNOSTICATION..' THE Reformed Liturgy. THE ORDINARY PUBLIC WORSHIP ON THE LORD'S-DAY. The Congregation being reverently composed, let the Minister first crave God's assistance and acceptance of the Worship, to be performed in these or the like words. Psal. 147. 5. Isa. 57. 15. 99.5; 51.1.17; Levit. 10. 3. 26. 6. Isa. 26. 8. ETERNAL, incomprehensible, and invisible God, 1 Tim. 1. 15. infinite in power, wisdom and goodness, dwelling in Matt. 19. 17. the light which no man can approach, where thousand 1 Tim. 6. 16. thousands minister unto thee, and ten thousand times Dan. 7. 10. ten thousand stand before thee, yet dwelling with Psal. 149. 4. the humble and contrite, and taking pleasure in thy Heb. 10. 19, 20. people: Thou hast consecrated for us a new and Isa. 55. 6. Psal. living way, that with boldness we may enter into the 95.6; 12. 2; holiest, by the blood of Jesus, and hast bid us seek 89. 7; Jer. 32. thee while thou mayest be found: We come to thee 40. Heb. 12. 28. at thy call, and worship at thy footstool. Behold 1 Thes. 5. 23. us in thy tender mercies. Despise us not, though Zech. 12. 10. unworthy. Thou art greatly to be feared in the as- Rom. 8. sembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of James 5. 16; 1. all that are about thee. Put thy fear into our hearts, Matt. 15. 18. that with reverence we may serve thee; sanctify us, John 4. 23, 24. that thou mayest be sanctified of us, when we draw Acts 16. 14. nigh thee. Give us the spirit of grace and suppli- Mark 4. 12. cation to help our infirmities, that our prayers may Prov. 1. 24, 25. be faithful, fervent, and effectual. Let the desire of Prov. 1. 24, 25. our souls be to thee: let us draw near thee with our John 6. 45. hearts, and not only with our lips, and worship thee, Heb. 4. 22. 13. who art a spirit, in spirit and truth. Let thy word be spoken and heard by us as the word of God: Give 106. 46; 9. 14; us attentive, hearing ears, and opened, believing, un- 105. 3; 51. 15; derstanding hearts, that we may no more refuse thy Heb. 13. 21. calls, nor disregard thy merciful, outstretched hand, nor slight thy counsels and reproofs; but be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools. Put 1 Thes. 2. 13. Phil. 1. 29. Eccles. 5. 1. 2 Cor. 10. 4. 6. Psal. 69. 30; 19.14. |