in things pertaining to his Salvation, and better in his Heart and Life. Now it being thus truly ftated what Edification is,

2. The great Question will be, Whether there be any just reason for any ones faying, that he is better edified in any of these inftances in Separate Meetings than in the Church's Affemblies? And this Question will branch it felf into two diftinét Inquiries; one as to the Teachers in the Meetings, the other as to the People that hear them. As to the diffenting Teachers, it will be neceffary to inquire, whether they truly Preach more to Edification than the Minifters of the Church of England? And as to the People, the Question will be, whether they really edifie better by hearing the Teachers in Separate Meetings, than they might do by hearing us, if they themselves were not in the fault? The former Question may indeed feem invidious at the first hearing it; for we fay, comparisons are odious, and they are fo, especially when they muft occafion ones felfpraise but they are notwithstanding sometimes neceflary, and we have St. Paul's

example for it, when he and * 2 Cor. 3. his Miniftry was vilified in the & 10. & 1. Church of Corinth, by fome who

preferred the falfe Apoftles before him. And Now

1. The Question is, whether the Teachers in Conventicles Preach really more to Edification than the Church Minifters? And in this cafe, the People muft in reafon be admonifhed to judge of Sermons, whether they be profitable or unprofitable, edifying or unedifying by fome

folid and straight Rule; not (fure) by having their Ears tickled with fudden changes of melting tones in the delivery, nor yet by loud_vociferations, nor by having their Eyes affected with vehement, paffionate, and sometimes antick, Stage-like Geftures, or any thing like thefe to please the Animal or fenfual Part, nor by the Sermons agreeing with the Hearers efpoufed Opinions, nor for any canting Phrases in Prayers or Preaching, nor for the glorious Privileges of the Saints ingroffing a Difcourfe, with some comfortable hints to the Hearers that thofe Privileges are theirs, being all this while very fuperficially taught their necellary Duties for fecuring their Salvation. Thefe, or the like, can in no wife antwer the Scripture-notion of Edification; but if the Separate Teachers do indeed teach the fundamental Doctrines of Chriftianity more plainly, gravely and intelligibly, or if they give stronger reafons to confirm Mens Belief of them, or more powerfully perfuade Men to their neceffary Duties, or from their finful Doings, or give more fatisfactory tolutions of cafes or doubts of confcience, then indeed will their Sermons be truly, and in their nature more edifying than ours are; but if they be tryed by thele measures, I believe there are not many fo. ber, unprejudiced Men will fay, that there is any want of profitable, and very edifying Sermons in the Parish Churches, or that thofe in the Separate Meetings excel them in the Churches in any of these respects.

But ftill when all is faid, Mens edifying in either place, that is, their growth in Knowledge

or

* 1 Cor. 3.

I

6,7.

or Grace, or their becoming truly wifer or bet-
ter, is to be ascribed to the affiftances and co-
operations of God's holy, quickning Spirit, and
the bleffing of God accompanying his own Or-
dinances, and not to any Preacher's greater Gifts,
Abilities or Performances in their Adminiftrati-
on, no nor to any Minifters per-
fonal Holinefs, for * Paul plants,
and Apollo waters, but it is God
that gives the increase; and if so,
Who can difprove me if I fay, that the influen-
ces, co-operations, and affiftances of God's Spi-
rit may not be looked for but in God's way,
which Schifm and Separation cannot be? For as
the Soul acts in the Body, which it animates,
and no other Body, fo doth God's Spirit ordina-
rily work in the Unity of the one Body; which
Unity being moft dear to God, How can it be
likely that his Bleffing can be, where the Unity
is broken, or in a manifeft Divifion or Separati
on? We fee how closely the Apo-

ftlet joyns the one Body with † Eph. 4.
the one Spirit. (one Body, one
Spirit.) Indeed let the Sermons

4.

be what they will, no Man can truly profit or edifie to Salvation in a way of Schifm; for it is at leaft difficult, if not utterly impoffible to find any promife of God in his Word to ground Mens hopes upon, of the bieffed and faving Operations of God's Holy Spirit, fave in his Church's Unity and Communion. Be this tryed, if you pleafe, even by matter of Fact, which leads to the fecond branch of Inquiry, that as to the People, viz,

2. Whe

2. Whether it be true, that the People really edifie better by the Preaching in the Conventicle, than they might do by ours in the Parish Churches, if themfelves were not in the fault and for this, we may appeal to long and fad experience, how conceited, how humorfome, proud, stubborn, and intractable, how unyield ing to their Governours, how cenforious of their Brethren Men grow by going to the Meetings, being indeed neither better taught, nor becoming better Chriftians by it, that is, neither more humble, nor more meek, charitable, just, or more observant either of their Rules, or their good Laws or Orders, whether in Church or State.

fions, pag. 215, 188, 107. Mr.Hilderfham's Lectures on Joh. 4. pag.

For all which, I even appeal to their own moft eminent Men, particularly * Baxter's * Mr. Baxter, who complains Cure of of the Peoples injudicioulnefs in Church-Divi- applauding Teachers and their Sermons, and defpifing those that Preach the greatest Points of Religion more plainly and more convincingly to their judg ments and confciences, and fo are much more profitable for them; yea, and gives all thofe bad Characters of many that break out of the Church's Unity for better Edification. But waving what the World_hath fadly experienced, I defire only a just consideration of the merit of the thing.

270.

All good Chriftians are (as this Discourse hath fhewed) to look upon themselves as Church

mem

members, and the Church's Edification and Building up fhould be regarded in their defiring their own edifying, that is, their good improvement in Spiritual Wifdom and Knowledge, and in all Goodnefs: for as the Church's Edification fignifies, and very much depends upon theirs, fo their Improvements have the name of Edification, as it is attained in the Unity and Com munion of the Church, which makes them of the one Body, and of the Spiritual House and Temple of the Lord; and as the Church is called the Temple of the Lord, fo is every particular, godly Chriftian the Temple of the Lord, in refpect of the Holy Spirit dwelling in him; and yet God hath but one Temple, one Church, and the Spirit only dwells in that Church, and in particular godly Chriftians, as living Members of that Church: and as the Church is edified and built up, growing into a Spiritual Houle or Temple, by a firm and clofe Union and Communion of all its Members, fo is every Churchmember edified, as he grows up in all Spiritual Wisdom, Understanding, Grace and Goodness in the Church's Unity and Communion, which is a very clear proof of the little hopes any one can have of being better edified otherwife than in that Unity and Communion, and to be fure not by breaking out of it.

This is very much confirmed by that much greater value God fets upon his Church's Unity and Peace than any he can have for any the greatest Improvements in Knowledge that any particular Chriftians can either attain of hope for; we may be fure God values things as his