Baynes - BS2695 B289 1643

$72 Ephefiltns,Chap. 2. V ER. li. Doff. enta, chief bonds of the Churches ""10"' Ili. tire satra- =AN for that purpofe. the profeffors of Chrift Jells ; frrfi Difciples, which at tntiochwas fitly, and with the confeflion of the mouth which tendeth to falva- tion , changed to the name ofChriflians , and this continued. The Apoftle therefore, when men would bring in new headsof families after theirs, dealeth roundly againft them , r Cor. r, rs, 13. (hewing why they werenot thus todiftinguifh themfelves one from another,in regardof fuch towhom they didadhere; and juftly ; for, (hall we be fuch as are in onebody, and one fpirit, one hopeofcalling, one Lord, one Baptifine,oneGod the Father; maynot one name ferve the turn What if there be fome acceffary differences , Tall they be able to change the name? The better, not the greater part muff give the denomination : Therefore it is lamentable, to feehow full the Chri- ftianworld is ofnames importing difference ; ofPuritans, Formalifis, Calvinifis, Lutherans : The Gentiles called the people of God one name, the people ofGod called them another. But let not us, who are all his people, have diverfitiesofnames one for another ; ifye bite one another, and devour one another, take heed ye be not confirmed oneof another, Gal.s. a g. And it is pity there is no more kifling ofthemain thing in which we confpire, and mutual! toleration of leffer matters, in which manyare diverfly minded; for in fome cafestoleration may be ufedwithout fin: Phil.3.i5.4s many as beperfec`l,be thus minded;and ifyebe otherwife minded,GodfhaI revealeven thefame untoyou :Which I fpeakout of thefimplicity ofmy judgernent,not defirous togive the leaft wipe on one fide, or to infinuate on the other. Thefe names are naught, they are breaches of the Commandement; and as they are bred of variance, fo they chcrifh.difl'ention, which is theviper that ea tech throughthebowels of the Church : It is the folace'tlf the ene- mie, openor fecrer; let us therefore bury them. Again you mull mark,that amongft many things which might have been chofen , this is it that makcth the different denomination , even Circumcifion. Whence obferve, ?bat the Sacraments of the Church are princi,aall bonds of the onion ofit : The not communicatingin them, amolt ípe- ciall difference, i Corinth. ri o.13. We are all baptized into one Spirit. When theA oltle E he zaps reckoneth up the groundsof unit this is one main one, Bptifine: And we fee here, that the conjun- &ion of Gods people, and their disjunetion of thofe that were not, are fet down from communicating in Circumcifion. Thereare many endsof the Sacrament; for they are feats of the Covenant, they are bonds obliging us to thankfull obedience, they are coards of love, and notes of diftinetion : And fo was this of Circumcifion ordained todiftinguifh the people of God from others uncircumcifed. This thenmuff be a ground ofknitting, even unity in Sacraments, becaufe thoughmany , yet we areone bread, one body, I Cor. r o.17. We arc baptized into one Chrifi lefus. Again , we fee how Chriftendom doth diftinguifh us from all Turks, Pagans, all without. Yea, in this point the Papiftsand we differ,

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