A sermon preach'd to the natives of the county of Dorset, residing in and about the cities of London and Westminster, at St. Mary Le Bowe, on Dec. 8, 1692, being the day of their anniversary feast by the Lord Bishop of Rochester.
         Sprat, Thomas, 1635-1713.
      
       
         
           1693
        
      
       Approx. 46 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 21 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images.
       
         Text Creation Partnership,
         Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :
         2003-03 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).
         A61182
         Wing S5062
         ESTC R13442
         13586908
         ocm 13586908
         100566
         
           
            This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of
             Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal
            . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.
          
        
      
       
         Early English books online.
      
       
         (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A61182)
         Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 100566)
         Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 851:8)
      
       
         
           
             A sermon preach'd to the natives of the county of Dorset, residing in and about the cities of London and Westminster, at St. Mary Le Bowe, on Dec. 8, 1692, being the day of their anniversary feast by the Lord Bishop of Rochester.
             Sprat, Thomas, 1635-1713.
          
           40 p.
           
             In the Savoy, printed by Edward Jones and sold by him and Randal Taylor ...,
             [London] :
             1693.
          
           
             Written by Thomas Sprat. Cf. BM.
             Reproduction of original in Huntington Library.
          
        
      
    
     
       
         Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford.
         Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. Gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors.
      
       
         EEBO-TCP is a partnership between the Universities of Michigan and Oxford and the publisher ProQuest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by ProQuest via their Early English Books Online (EEBO) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). The general aim of EEBO-TCP is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic English-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in EEBO.
         EEBO-TCP aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the Text Encoding Initiative (http://www.tei-c.org).
         The EEBO-TCP project was divided into two phases. The 25,363 texts created during Phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 January 2015. Anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source.
         Users should be aware of the process of creating the TCP texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data.
         Text selection was based on the New Cambridge Bibliography of English Literature (NCBEL). If an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in NCBEL, then their works are eligible for inclusion. Selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. In general, first editions of a works in English were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably Latin and Welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so.
         Image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. Quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in Oxford and Michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet QA standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. After proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. Any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. Understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of TCP data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. Users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a TCP editor.
         The texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the TEI in Libraries guidelines.
         Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements).
         
          Keying and markup guidelines are available at the
           Text Creation Partnership web site
          .
        
      
       
         
         
      
    
     
       
         eng
      
       
         
           Bible. -- N.T. -- Acts IV, 32 -- Sermons.
        
      
    
     
        2002-10 TCP
        Assigned for keying and markup
      
        2002-11 Apex CoVantage
        Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images
      
        2003-01 Emma (Leeson) Huber
        Sampled and proofread
      
        2003-01 Emma (Leeson) Huber
        Text and markup reviewed and edited
      
        2003-02 pfs
        Batch review (QC) and XML conversion
      
    
  
   
     
       
         
         
         
           A
           SERMON
           PREACH'D
           to
           the
           NATIVES
           OF
           
             The
             County
             of
             Dorset
          
           .
           Residing
           in
           and
           about
           the
           Cities
           of
           London
           and
           Westminster
           ,
           At
           St.
           
             Mary
             Le
             Bowe
          
           ,
           on
           Dec.
           8.
           1692.
           
           Being
           the
           Day
           of
           their
           Anniversary
           FEAST
           .
           By
           the
           Lord
           Bishop
           of
           Rochester
           .
        
         
           In
           the
           Savoy
           ;
           
             Printed
             by
          
           Edward
           Jones
           ,
           
             and
             sold
             by
             him
             and
          
           Randal
           Taylor
           near
           Stationers-Hall
           .
           1693.
           
        
      
       
         
         
           Imprimatur
           ,
           Dec.
           30.
           1692.
           
        
         
           H.
           LONDON
           .
        
      
    
     
       
         
         
           
             Acts
             IV.
             Vers.
             32.
             
          
           
             And
             the
             Multitude
             of
             them
             that
             believed
             were
             of
             one
             Heart
             ,
             and
             one
             Soul
             :
             Neither
             said
             any
             of
             them
             ,
             that
             ought
             of
             the
             things
             which
             he
             possessed
             was
             his
             own
             ,
             but
             they
             had
             all
             things
             common
             .
          
        
         
           IN
           the
           second
           Chapter
           of
           this
           Book
           of
           the
           Acts
           ,
           there
           is
           represented
           to
           us
           ,
           as
           much
           as
           by
           Words
           a
           Thing
           so
           Wonderful
           can
           be
           express'd
           ,
           the
           Glorious
           Manner
           of
           the
           first
           Miraculous
           Descending
           of
           the
           
             Holy
             Ghost
          
           ,
           on
           the
           Apostles
           ,
           and
           Primitive
           Disciples
           .
        
         
           A
           Miracle
           ,
           that
           gave
           a
           perfect
           Confirmation
           to
           all
           that
           had
           been
           done
           before
           ,
           from
           the
           Creation
           to
           that
           Day
           ,
           towards
           the
           Establishing
           of
           the
           True
           Religion
           ;
           and
           also
           gave
           Authority
           ,
           to
           all
           that
           has
           been
           added
           since
           that
           Day
           ,
           for
           the
           same
           End
           ,
           on
           the
           same
           Foundation
           .
        
         
         
           It
           clearly
           manifested
           to
           the
           World
           the
           Truth
           of
           the
           Christian
           Faith
           ,
           and
           most
           visibly
           declared
           its
           Power
           :
           Fill'd
           the
           first
           Christians
           Mouths
           with
           new
           ,
           unknown
           ,
           unstudyed
           Tongues
           ;
           and
           to
           all
           those
           Tongues
           gave
           Utterance
           at
           once
           ,
           to
           sound
           forth
           the
           Works
           and
           Praises
           of
           GOD
           :
           Whilst
           the
           Standers-by
           of
           all
           Nations
           all
           marvelled
           ;
           and
           when
           every
           one
           heard
           his
           own
           Language
           ,
           they
           were
           all
           confounded
           ;
           as
           well
           they
           might
           ,
           to
           find
           all
           Mankind
           now
           going
           to
           be
           united
           into
           one
           Church
           by
           the
           same
           extraordinary
           Way
           ,
           by
           which
           they
           were
           at
           first
           scatter'd
           into
           many
           Nations
           ,
           by
           a
           Multiplicity
           of
           Languages
           ,
           and
           Variety
           of
           Speech
           .
        
         
           After
           that
           first
           most
           astonishing
           Gift
           of
           Fiery
           and
           Cloven
           Tongues
           ,
           we
           have
           next
           in
           the
           latter
           part
           of
           the
           second
           ,
           and
           in
           the
           third
           ,
           and
           this
           fourth
           Chapter
           ,
           an
           Account
           of
           St.
           
           Peter's
           first
           Sermons
           to
           the
           People
           ,
           who
           being
           come
           together
           out
           of
           all
           Countries
           to
           keep
           their
           Pentecost
           at
           Jerusalem
           ,
           and
           there
           meeting
           with
           so
           unexpected
           an
           Event
           ,
           
             were
             amazed
          
           to
           think
           
             what
             it
             should
             mean.
          
           
        
         
           St.
           Peter
           tells
           them
           ,
           This
           is
           that
           which
           GOD
           had
           foretold
           should
           come
           to
           pass
           
             in
             the
             last
             Days
          
           ,
           that
           is
           ,
           according
           to
           their
           understanding
           
           of
           those
           Words
           ,
           in
           the
           Age
           of
           the
           Messias
           .
           And
           from
           thence
           he
           goes
           on
           to
           prove
           to
           them
           out
           of
           their
           Scriptures
           ,
           that
           this
           JESUS
           ,
           whom
           they
           had
           now
           Crucified
           ,
           was
           the
           
             Messias
             ,
             both
             Lord
             and
             Christ.
             
          
        
         
           An
           Argument
           ,
           which
           seem'd
           to
           require
           a
           long
           search
           into
           the
           whole
           Design
           of
           their
           Ceremonial
           Law
           ,
           and
           a
           deep
           skill
           in
           all
           the
           Writings
           of
           their
           Prophets
           ;
           that
           consisting
           all
           of
           dark
           Types
           ,
           these
           being
           full
           of
           Mysteries
           :
           An
           Argument
           therefore
           ,
           that
           might
           be
           thought
           fitter
           for
           their
           Scribes
           ,
           and
           Pharisees
           ,
           and
           most
           Learned
           Doctors
           ,
           and
           the
           
             High
             Priest
          
           himself
           ,
           than
           for
           an
           
             Unlearned
             Galilean
          
           and
           ignorant
           Fisherman
           to
           undertake
           .
        
         
           Yet
           this
           very
           Fisherman
           so
           manag'd
           this
           Weighty
           and
           Mysterious
           Subject
           ;
           with
           such
           Convincing
           Plainess
           ,
           such
           Strength
           of
           Reason
           ,
           as
           neither
           was
           nor
           could
           be
           taught
           by
           Art
           ;
           with
           such
           undoubted
           Evidence
           of
           Scripture
           and
           Antiquity
           ;
           such
           visible
           
             Demonstration
             ,
             and
             Power
          
           ;
           that
           the
           Meaness
           of
           his
           Person
           ,
           and
           Trade
           of
           Life
           ,
           soon
           ceas'd
           to
           be
           an
           Objection
           and
           against
           him
           ,
           was
           so
           far
           from
           less'ning
           his
           Authority
           ,
           that
           it
           became
           an
           unanswerable
           Proof
           of
           the
           Divinity
           of
           his
           Doctrine
           ,
           and
           the
           Reality
           of
           his
           Inspiration
           .
        
         
         
           Wherefore
           these
           first
           Sermons
           of
           St.
           Peter
           had
           a
           present
           and
           surprizing
           Effect
           ;
           
             Fear
             came
             upon
             the
             Soul
             of
             every
             Hearer
             ;
             Three
             Thousand
             Persons
             were
             at
             once
             added
             to
             the
             Church
          
           ;
           the
           Multitude
           strove
           ,
           who
           should
           first
           declare
           their
           Conversion
           ,
           and
           Belief
           ,
           and
           Desire
           to
           be
           Baptiz'd
           .
           And
           as
           fast
           as
           they
           came
           in
           ,
           the
           New
           Converts
           were
           inspired
           with
           the
           same
           Gift
           of
           Tongues
           ,
           by
           which
           they
           had
           been
           Converted
           .
        
         
           Just
           before
           ,
           they
           had
           been
           obstinate
           Unbelievers
           ,
           perhaps
           Mockers
           of
           that
           Doctrine
           ,
           whereof
           ,
           just
           then
           in
           a
           Moment
           ,
           they
           were
           compleatly
           furnish'd
           with
           Abilities
           to
           become
           Interpreters
           and
           Teachers
           to
           all
           Mankind
           .
        
         
           In
           my
           Text
           we
           have
           one
           remarkable
           Instance
           of
           the
           Blessed
           Spirit
           's
           coming
           down
           upon
           one
           of
           these
           first
           Assemblies
           of
           Christians
           ,
           in
           such
           a
           marvellous
           Manner
           and
           Measure
           .
        
         
           In
           the
           Verse
           before
           't
           is
           said
           ,
           That
           
             when
             they
             had
             prayed
             ,
             the
             Place
             ,
             where
             they
             were
             met
             ,
             was
             shaken
             ,
             and
             they
             were
             all
             filled
             with
             the
             Holy
             Ghost
             .
          
           And
           then
           strait
           follow
           three
           most
           signal
           Effects
           of
           this
           Wondrous
           Dispensation
           .
        
         
           First
           ,
           That
           
             they
             spake
             the
             Word
             of
             GOD
             with
             boldness
          
           ;
           without
           any
           farther
           doubt
           in
           their
           own
           Minds
           ,
           without
           any
           dread
           of
           Opposition
           from
           others
           ,
           though
           the
           whole
           World
           was
           
           against
           them
           ;
           with
           such
           an
           inspir'd
           Boldness
           ,
           as
           became
           the
           Supernatural
           Commission
           ,
           they
           had
           then
           receiv'd
           ,
           to
           speak
           the
           Word
           of
           GOD
           ;
           and
           a
           Boldness
           ,
           that
           was
           justified
           by
           the
           Supernatural
           Works
           ,
           which
           thenceforth
           accompanied
           their
           Speaking
           .
        
         
           Secondly
           ,
           That
           all
           the
           New
           Converts
           were
           of
           United
           Judgments
           and
           Affections
           .
           Not
           only
           the
           Apostles
           ,
           but
           
             the
             Multitude
             of
             them
             that
             believ'd
             ,
             were
             of
             one
             Heart
             ,
             and
             one
             Soul.
             
          
        
         
           Thirdly
           ,
           That
           this
           inward
           Unity
           of
           
             Heart
             ,
             and
             Soul
          
           ,
           was
           outwardly
           demonstrated
           by
           a
           free
           ,
           and
           mutual
           Communication
           of
           their
           Temporal
           Goods
           ,
           and
           Possessions
           .
           
             None
             of
             them
             said
             ,
             That
             ought
             of
             the
             things
             he
             possest
             was
             his
             own
             ,
             but
             they
             had
             all
             things
             common
             .
          
        
         
           Now
           of
           these
           three
           immediate
           Consequences
           of
           this
           admirable
           Revelation
           ,
           the
           first
           ,
           which
           was
           their
           
             Speaking
             the
             Word
             of
             GOD
             with
             Boldness
             ,
          
           I
           shall
           pass
           by
           at
           this
           time
           ;
           and
           by
           GOD's
           Assistance
           ,
           and
           your
           Patience
           ,
           rather
           apply
           my self
           to
           the
           two
           last
           ,
           as
           being
           more
           proper
           for
           the
           Occasion
           ,
           and
           suitable
           to
           the
           End
           of
           this
           your
           Friendly
           ,
           and
           Religious
           Meeting
           .
        
         
           For
           the
           great
           Intention
           ,
           My
           Beloved
           Countrymen
           ,
           of
           your
           Assembling
           thus
           together
           in
           
           Publick
           Devotions
           ,
           and
           Amicable
           Society
           ,
           being
           ,
           as
           you
           all
           profess
           ,
           and
           ,
           as
           I
           am
           verily
           perswaded
           ,
           for
           the
           increase
           of
           Brotherly
           Love
           ,
           and
           Good-Will
           among
           your selves
           here
           present
           ,
           and
           to
           promote
           Charity
           towards
           those
           of
           our
           Country
           ,
           who
           may
           be
           absent
           through
           Poverty
           ;
           I
           ,
           for
           my
           part
           ,
           know
           not
           how
           I
           can
           better
           perform
           the
           Task
           ,
           your
           Kindness
           has
           laid
           upon
           me
           in
           this
           Solemnity
           ,
           than
           by
           Recommending
           to
           your
           Devout
           Meditations
           ,
           and
           ,
           in
           some
           sort
           also
           ,
           to
           your
           Pious
           Imitation
           ,
           this
           great
           ,
           and
           most
           Christian
           Example
           of
           the
           first
           Christians
           .
        
         
           First
           ,
           Their
           Unanimity
           ,
           and
           Concord
           ;
           
             They
             were
             all
             of
             one
             Heart
             ,
             and
             one
             Soul.
             
          
        
         
           Secondly
           ,
           Their
           Liberal
           ,
           and
           Generous
           Distribution
           of
           their
           Goods
           ,
           to
           their
           Brethren
           that
           wanted
           ;
           
             None
             of
             them
             esteem'd
             any
             thing
             he
             had
             to
             be
             his
             own
             ,
             but
             they
             had
             all
             things
             common
             .
          
        
         
           I
           begin
           with
           the
           first
           ,
           
             They
             were
             all
             of
             one
             Heart
             ,
             and
             one
             Soul.
          
           This
           is
           the
           first
           here
           in
           Order
           ;
           and
           was
           indeed
           the
           Cause
           of
           the
           other
           .
           For
           how
           can
           there
           be
           a
           greater
           ,
           or
           more
           powerful
           Motive
           to
           the
           outward
           Charity
           of
           Works
           ,
           than
           internal
           Unity
           of
           Mind
           ?
           Where
           the
           Goods
           of
           the
           Soul
           are
           entirely
           
           Communicated
           ,
           it
           is
           almost
           impossible
           that
           there
           should
           be
           an
           absolute
           engrossing
           of
           the
           Goods
           of
           Fortune
           ;
           so
           Men
           are
           wont
           to
           call
           them
           ,
           though
           they
           are
           ,
           in
           truth
           ,
           the
           Gifts
           of
           Heaven
           ,
           as
           well
           as
           the
           other
           ;
           and
           as
           such
           ,
           are
           to
           be
           distributed
           by
           the
           same
           Laws
           .
        
         
           They
           were
           therefore
           all
           
             of
             one
             Heart
             ,
             and
             one
             Soul
          
           ;
           than
           which
           a
           nearer
           Agreement
           cannot
           be
           described
           ,
           or
           imagin'd
           :
           The
           Heart
           (
           if
           there
           be
           any
           difference
           of
           the
           Expression
           in
           Scripture-Language
           )
           being
           to
           be
           taken
           for
           the
           chief
           Seat
           of
           the
           Will
           and
           Affections
           ,
           and
           the
           Soul
           of
           the
           Judgment
           and
           Understanding
           .
           Nor
           was
           this
           only
           spoken
           of
           St.
           Peter
           ,
           and
           the
           rest
           of
           the
           Twelve
           ;
           nor
           only
           of
           the
           Apostles
           ,
           and
           Seventy
           Disciples
           ;
           nor
           only
           of
           the
           first
           Hundred
           and
           Twenty
           in
           the
           Upper
           Room
           ;
           nor
           only
           of
           the
           Three
           Thousand
           Converted
           by
           one
           Sermon
           ;
           but
           of
           All
           ;
           of
           the
           Multitude
           of
           them
           that
           Believed
           .
        
         
           Certainly
           some
           strange
           ,
           and
           unusual
           thing
           must
           needs
           happen
           ,
           as
           here
           it
           did
           ,
           that
           could
           bring
           together
           ,
           and
           cement
           such
           a
           Multitude
           ,
           so
           as
           to
           make
           them
           be
           of
           
             one
             Heart
          
           ;
           that
           could
           persuade
           such
           a
           Multitude
           to
           converse
           together
           ,
           and
           conspire
           in
           the
           same
           Thoughts
           ,
           and
           Desires
           ,
           as
           if
           they
           had
           but
           
             one
             Soul.
          
           Whereas
           
           a
           Multitude
           ,
           however
           composed
           ,
           too
           commonly
           seems
           by
           its
           inconstant
           ,
           and
           fluctuating
           Counsels
           ,
           its
           partial
           Debates
           ,
           and
           perverse
           Opinions
           ,
           and
           head-strong
           Resolutions
           ,
           to
           have
           more
           Hearts
           ,
           and
           more
           Souls
           than
           it
           really
           has
           ;
           even
           more
           than
           it
           has
           Bodies
           .
        
         
           In
           the
           Weakness
           ,
           and
           Ignorance
           ,
           or
           prejudicate
           Knowledge
           of
           a
           Multitude
           ,
           how
           easily
           are
           the
           Seeds
           of
           Dissention
           and
           Contradiction
           sown
           ?
           By
           the
           various
           Interests
           ,
           or
           wilful
           Humours
           ,
           or
           violent
           Passions
           of
           a
           Multitude
           ,
           how
           quickly
           are
           they
           rais'd
           ,
           and
           inflamed
           ?
           And
           when
           once
           a
           Multitude
           is
           engaged
           in
           Divisions
           ,
           how
           hard
           a
           thing
           is
           it
           to
           compose
           them
           again
           ?
        
         
           A
           Multitude
           therefore
           could
           never
           have
           been
           so
           united
           ,
           had
           they
           not
           been
           a
           Multitude
           of
           Believers
           ▪
           Nor
           then
           neither
           ,
           had
           not
           the
           Holy
           Ghost
           ,
           the
           Blessed
           Author
           of
           all
           Peace
           and
           Truth
           ,
           inclined
           them
           to
           it
           :
           Had
           not
           that
           taught
           them
           to
           make
           the
           Matter
           of
           their
           Belief
           to
           be
           the
           Cause
           ,
           and
           Ground
           of
           their
           Concord
           ,
           not
           of
           their
           Separation
           ;
           as
           too
           often
           since
           has
           been
           experienc'd
           .
        
         
           The
           Difficulty
           of
           so
           Divine
           a
           Work
           ,
           to
           Unite
           a
           mixt
           Multitude
           of
           all
           People
           ,
           and
           Languages
           ,
           to
           Unite
           them
           so
           closely
           ,
           to
           Animate
           
           them
           all
           with
           such
           Cordial
           Affections
           ,
           did
           well
           become
           the
           Almighty
           Power
           of
           the
           Holy
           Spirit
           :
           It
           well
           became
           ,
           and
           could
           only
           belong
           to
           that
           Blessed
           Person
           ,
           who
           is
           one
           GOD
           ,
           the
           same
           with
           the
           Father
           ,
           and
           the
           Son
           ,
           GOD
           Blessed
           for
           ever
           ,
           to
           inspire
           so
           great
           a
           Degree
           of
           Union
           into
           the
           Minds
           of
           all
           ,
           whom
           it
           fill'd
           with
           its
           first
           Gifts
           ,
           and
           Graces
           ,
           and
           Benedictions
           .
        
         
           And
           ,
           Beloved
           in
           our
           Lord
           and
           Saviour
           ,
           this
           Heavenly
           Fruit
           of
           the
           Heavenly
           Spirit
           's
           being
           thus
           pour'd
           forth
           on
           the
           Primitive
           Christians
           ,
           was
           not
           only
           intended
           ,
           as
           some
           of
           the
           other
           Fruits
           of
           it
           were
           ,
           to
           confirm
           our
           Faith
           ;
           but
           also
           to
           instruct
           us
           in
           one
           of
           our
           most
           necessary
           Duties
           .
        
         
           The
           Apostles
           Miraculous
           Acting
           ,
           and
           Speaking
           ,
           with
           such
           Invincible
           Freedom
           and
           Power
           ,
           requires
           our
           Belief
           of
           the
           Faith
           that
           they
           Preach'd
           :
           And
           GOD
           took
           this
           way
           to
           establish
           it
           :
           But
           that
           Marvellous
           Unanimity
           of
           their
           first
           Converts
           concerns
           our
           practise
           ,
           and
           was
           design'd
           to
           direct
           it
           .
        
         
           It
           is
           not
           given
           us
           to
           follow
           them
           Step
           by
           Step
           in
           their
           other
           extraordinary
           Privileges
           and
           Prerogatives
           :
           But
           in
           their
           humble
           ,
           and
           Fraternal
           Condescentions
           to
           each
           other
           ;
           their
           
           peaceable
           Acquiescence
           in
           the
           same
           Divine
           Truths
           ;
           their
           meek
           Obedience
           to
           the
           same
           Holy
           Laws
           ;
           in
           these
           we
           may
           ,
           and
           ought
           to
           follow
           them
           .
        
         
           The
           Glory
           of
           the
           Signs
           and
           Wonders
           which
           they
           wrought
           ,
           was
           enough
           for
           GOD's
           purpose
           in
           propagating
           the
           Gospel
           to
           all
           Times
           ,
           and
           Places
           :
           But
           we
           of
           these
           latter
           Ages
           can
           never
           arrive
           at
           the
           same
           Abilities
           ;
           nor
           ought
           we
           to
           emulate
           them
           in
           what
           was
           Peculiar
           to
           their
           time
           ,
           and
           Personal
           to
           Themselves
           .
           Whoever
           does
           ,
           he
           is
           likely
           to
           shew
           more
           Proofs
           of
           his
           own
           Natural
           Vanity
           ,
           or
           Spiritual
           Pride
           ,
           than
           of
           any
           Supernatural
           Power
           ,
           or
           Illumination
           .
        
         
           Yet
           still
           it
           is
           left
           to
           us
           ,
           and
           it
           is
           incumbent
           upon
           us
           ,
           with
           the
           utmost
           of
           our
           Zeal
           ,
           to
           imitate
           their
           other
           Virtues
           and
           Graces
           ,
           which
           are
           ,
           though
           of
           a
           lower
           Degree
           ,
           yet
           of
           a
           Perpetual
           Duration
           for
           the
           Benefit
           of
           the
           Church
           :
           Such
           as
           their
           Simplicity
           of
           Heart
           ,
           their
           Agreement
           in
           the
           same
           Acts
           of
           Piety
           ,
           and
           their
           Consent
           in
           the
           same
           Christian
           Faith.
           
        
         
           In
           those
           their
           more
           exalted
           and
           inspired
           Endowments
           ,
           we
           must
           of
           necessity
           be
           defective
           ,
           since
           we
           cannot
           have
           any
           the
           least
           proportion
           of
           their
           immediately-Divine
           Helps
           to
           acquire
           
           them
           ;
           And
           because
           those
           are
           not
           so
           necessary
           (
           indeed
           not
           at
           all
           necessary
           )
           in
           this
           common
           and
           setled
           Course
           of
           Christianity
           ,
           as
           they
           were
           for
           the
           first
           Founding
           of
           it
           .
           But
           as
           for
           these
           their
           other
           good
           and
           gracious
           Dispositions
           ,
           such
           as
           their
           Meekness
           ,
           Self-Denial
           ,
           Patience
           ,
           Long-suffering
           ,
           Forbearance
           of
           each
           others
           Frailties
           ,
           and
           Fellow-feeling
           of
           each
           others
           Infirmities
           ;
           such
           as
           inclined
           them
           to
           this
           Unity
           of
           Heart
           ,
           and
           Soul
           ;
           and
           are
           all
           still
           equally
           necessary
           to
           us
           ;
           towards
           our
           attaining
           of
           these
           ,
           we
           have
           still
           a
           sufficient
           Assistance
           from
           that
           
             Father
             of
             Lights
          
           ,
           from
           whom
           they
           are
           derived
           .
        
         
           Of
           all
           these
           ,
           My
           Brethren
           ,
           it
           was
           especially
           design'd
           that
           there
           should
           be
           a
           perpetual
           Succession
           deriv'd
           down
           on
           all
           ,
           that
           succed
           them
           in
           the
           same
           Faith.
           In
           these
           they
           are
           to
           be
           our
           lasting
           Patterns
           to
           the
           End
           of
           the
           World.
           I
           mean
           in
           this
           Mutual
           Concurrence
           and
           Conformity
           of
           Minds
           ;
           This
           Charitable
           Compliance
           of
           Judgments
           ,
           and
           Endearment
           of
           Affections
           among
           our selves
           ;
           this
           mild
           ,
           gentle
           ,
           tender-hearted
           .
           Temper
           towards
           all
           Men
           ;
           this
           submissive
           Uniformity
           in
           GOD's
           Worship
           :
           All
           of
           them
           Virtues
           ,
           and
           Graces
           that
           exceedingly
           contribute
           to
           the
           very
           Being
           ,
           much
           
           more
           to
           the
           Well-being
           of
           the
           Christian
           Church
           :
           All
           of
           them
           so
           peculiarly
           the
           Effects
           ,
           and
           certain
           Influences
           of
           the
           Holy
           Ghost
           ,
           that
           they
           are
           expresly
           call'd
           
             the
             Unity
             of
             the
             Spirit
          
           ;
           and
           that
           ,
           which
           is
           inseparably
           annext
           to
           it
           ,
           
             The
             Bond
             of
             Peace
          
           .
        
         
           Wherefore
           ,
           in
           the
           Name
           of
           GOD
           ,
           let
           us
           all
           fix
           our
           Eyes
           ,
           and
           our
           Hearts
           on
           that
           uncorrupt
           Original
           ,
           of
           the
           first
           Christians
           Agreement
           in
           sound
           Doctrine
           ,
           and
           holy
           Worship
           ,
           which
           was
           ,
           as
           you
           have
           heard
           ,
           the
           genuine
           ,
           and
           immediate
           Off-spring
           of
           the
           true
           Spirit
           of
           GOD.
           
        
         
           That
           most
           Christian
           Communion
           which
           began
           so
           soon
           ,
           so
           gloriously
           !
           That
           most
           happy
           Word
           
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
          
           !
           That
           most
           Spiritual
           one
           Accord
           !
           That
           most
           desirable
           Unity
           of
           Heart
           and
           Soul
           !
           which
           was
           most
           frequently
           and
           most
           religiously
           enjoyn'd
           all
           Christians
           ,
           by
           the
           Author
           and
           Finisher
           of
           our
           Faith
           !
           And
           which
           took
           so
           effectually
           in
           them
           ,
           that
           were
           the
           first
           Publishers
           of
           it
           !
           When
           they
           come
           to
           recommend
           it
           to
           us
           ,
           you
           see
           with
           what
           Vehemence
           they
           do
           it
           :
           Beseeching
           us
           ,
           
             If
             there
             be
             any
             Consolation
             in
             Christ
             ,
             if
             any
             Comfort
             of
             Love
             ,
             if
             any
             Fellowship
             of
             the
             Spirit
             ,
             if
             any
             Bowels
             of
             Mercies
             ,
             Fulfil
             ye
             my
             Joy
             ,
          
           saith
           the
           
           Apostle
           ,
           Phil.
           2.
           1.
           
           
             That
             you
             be
             like-minded
             ,
             having
             the
             same
             Love
             ,
             being
             of
             one
             Accord
             ,
             of
             one
             Mind
             .
          
        
         
           And
           when
           they
           come
           to
           use
           Arguments
           for
           it
           ,
           you
           see
           how
           they
           press
           us
           all
           the
           ways
           that
           can
           be
           thought
           of
           ,
           to
           make
           it
           enter
           into
           our
           Souls
           ;
           how
           they
           oblige
           us
           to
           it
           ,
           by
           all
           the
           Considerations
           of
           Duty
           ,
           of
           Assistance
           ,
           of
           Interest
           ,
           of
           Benefit
           ,
           and
           Reward
           :
           How
           they
           farther
           engage
           us
           ,
           by
           many
           most
           weighty
           Arguments
           drawn
           from
           the
           very
           Substance
           ,
           and
           End
           of
           our
           pure
           and
           undefiled
           Religion
           :
           By
           the
           Unity
           of
           our
           Baptism
           into
           one
           Faith
           ;
           of
           our
           Hope
           ,
           which
           is
           one
           happy
           Eternal
           Life
           ;
           of
           our
           Head
           ,
           which
           is
           one
           Lord
           Christ
           ;
           of
           his
           Body
           ,
           which
           is
           one
           Church
           ,
           the
           Mother
           of
           us
           all
           ;
           and
           of
           that
           common
           Sense
           ,
           and
           mutual
           Participation
           of
           Helps
           ,
           Affections
           ,
           and
           Comforts
           ,
           that
           ought
           for
           ever
           to
           be
           maintain'd
           between
           all
           the
           Children
           of
           such
           a
           Mother
           ,
           all
           the
           Members
           of
           such
           a
           Body
           .
        
         
           You
           see
           how
           we
           are
           all
           provok'd
           to
           Love
           ,
           and
           bound
           ,
           in
           our
           several
           Stations
           ,
           to
           labour
           for
           a
           Spiritual
           Unity
           ,
           by
           all
           these
           ,
           and
           other
           such
           unanswerable
           Grounds
           of
           Persuasion
           ▪
           But
           that
           which
           especially
           sets
           it
           home
           to
           us
           is
           this
           ,
           That
           we
           see
           the
           Duty
           is
           practicable
           ,
           we
           see
           it
           
           lively
           set
           forth
           in
           that
           Blessed
           Model
           which
           is
           given
           us
           in
           this
           fourth
           ,
           and
           in
           the
           second
           Chapter
           of
           this
           Book
           ;
           It
           gives
           us
           the
           most
           perfect
           Example
           of
           Unanimity
           ,
           that
           ever
           was
           shewn
           to
           the
           World.
           
        
         
           And
           that
           we
           may
           follow
           it
           as
           we
           ought
           ,
           it
           behoves
           us
           to
           consider
           which
           way
           the
           first
           Christians
           came
           into
           this
           state
           ,
           that
           we
           may
           take
           the
           same
           ,
           as
           far
           as
           we
           can
           in
           our
           Circumstances
           .
        
         
           We
           see
           then
           ,
           how
           when
           all
           the
           Apostles
           of
           Christ
           ,
           and
           all
           our
           Lords
           own
           Disciples
           ,
           attended
           the
           fulfilling
           of
           his
           own
           great
           Promise
           of
           sending
           the
           Holy
           Ghost
           ,
           to
           Comfort
           them
           ,
           and
           to
           Teach
           them
           all
           things
           ;
           to
           Teach
           them
           ,
           and
           as
           a
           Comforter
           to
           Teach
           them
           ;
           to
           joyn
           with
           the
           Precepts
           ,
           and
           Counsels
           of
           a
           Teacher
           ,
           the
           Gentleness
           and
           Favours
           of
           a
           Comforter
           ;
           then
           the
           chief
           account
           we
           have
           of
           them
           ,
           in
           preparation
           to
           all
           this
           ,
           is
           ,
           That
           
             they
             were
             all
             with
             one
             accord
             in
             one
             place
             :
          
           When
           that
           Promise
           was
           accomplish'd
           ,
           when
           the
           Holy
           Ghost
           was
           sent
           ,
           the
           next
           account
           we
           have
           of
           them
           is
           ,
           that
           
             They
             were
             all
             of
             one
             Heart
             ,
             and
             one
             Soul.
             
          
        
         
           Observe
           ,
           I
           beseech
           you
           ,
           in
           that
           first
           General
           Meeting
           of
           the
           whole
           Church
           ,
           than
           which
           never
           any
           since
           was
           more
           Venerable
           ,
           
           nor
           will
           be
           ,
           till
           the
           last
           Day
           of
           General
           Judgment
           ;
           when
           the
           Blessed
           Spirit
           of
           GOD
           did
           not
           only
           hover
           above
           over
           all
           their
           Heads
           ,
           as
           he
           did
           over
           the
           Waters
           at
           the
           Creation
           ;
           from
           whence
           all
           the
           Order
           and
           Beauty
           of
           all
           the
           Creatures
           proceeded
           ;
           but
           sate
           upon
           each
           of
           their
           Heads
           ,
           and
           over-spread
           their
           Minds
           ,
           and
           enlarg'd
           their
           Hearts
           ,
           and
           loosen'd
           their
           Tongues
           ,
           to
           the
           Amazement
           of
           all
           Beholders
           ,
           who
           thereby
           soon
           became
           Converts
           :
           There
           was
           then
           no
           one
           Circumstance
           ,
           that
           more
           advantageously
           contributed
           to
           their
           Universal
           Receiving
           of
           that
           Divine
           Revelation
           ,
           than
           that
           they
           were
           all
           united
           ,
           
             with
             one
             accord
             ,
             in
             one
             place
             :
          
           There
           was
           no
           one
           Consequence
           of
           that
           Revelation
           ,
           which
           the
           same
           Holy
           Ghost
           thought
           fitter
           ,
           and
           more
           instructive
           to
           be
           everlastingly
           recorded
           in
           Scripture
           ,
           than
           that
           afterwards
           they
           all
           remain'd
           united
           in
           Doctrine
           ,
           in
           Devotions
           ,
           in
           Charity
           :
           There
           are
           no
           other
           Principles
           or
           Practises
           here
           mention'd
           upon
           which
           they
           united
           ,
           but
           such
           as
           were
           truly
           Evangelical
           ,
           and
           tend
           directly
           to
           the
           uniting
           of
           the
           Mystical
           Body
           of
           Christ
           to
           the
           end
           of
           the
           World.
           
        
         
           
             They
             continued
             stedfastly
             in
             the
             Apostles
             Doctrine
             ,
             in
             Fellowship
             ,
             in
             Breaking
             of
             Bread
             ,
             and
          
           
           
             in
             Prayers
          
           .
           They
           continued
           
             daily
             with
             one
             accord
             in
             the
             Temple
             ,
             and
             Breaking
             Bread
             from
             House
             to
             House
             ,
          
           or
           in
           the
           House
           ,
           that
           is
           ,
           in
           part
           of
           the
           Temple
           also
           ,
           or
           in
           the
           several
           Houses
           at
           Jerusalem
           ,
           where
           the
           Apostles
           had
           their
           Congregations
           :
           There
           they
           
             did
             eat
             their
             Meat
          
           ,
           that
           is
           ,
           their
           Spiritual
           Food
           in
           the
           Holy
           Communion
           ,
           and
           also
           their
           Natural
           ,
           but
           Sanctifi'd
           Meat
           in
           their
           Feasts
           of
           Charity
           ;
           and
           did
           all
           this
           
             with
             Gladness
             ,
             and
             singleness
             of
             Heart
             ,
             praising
             GOD
             ,
          
           who
           had
           called
           them
           to
           that
           Excellent
           Way
           of
           Life
           ,
           and
           graciously
           accepted
           them
           in
           it
           ,
           and
           gave
           them
           a
           publick
           Testimony
           of
           all
           this
           ,
           in
           
             the
             Favour
             of
             all
             the
             People
             .
          
        
         
           What
           could
           be
           done
           more
           towards
           uniting
           their
           Hearts
           ,
           and
           Souls
           ?
           After
           they
           had
           repented
           ,
           and
           were
           Baptized
           ,
           and
           were
           
             filled
             with
             Grace
             ,
             and
             Power
             from
             on
             high
             ,
          
           First
           ,
           
             they
             continued
             in
             the
             Apostles
             Doctrine
          
           ;
           in
           that
           ,
           and
           no
           other
           .
           
             They
             receiv'd
             the
             Word
             with
             all
             readiness
             of
             Mind
             ,
             and
             search'd
             the
             Scriptures
             ,
             whether
             those
             things
             were
             so
             .
          
           Having
           found
           the
           Truth
           ,
           they
           stedfastly
           adher'd
           to
           it
           without
           wavering
           and
           uncertainty
           ;
           whatsoever
           Inquiry
           they
           made
           into
           it
           ,
           it
           was
           without
           any
           needless
           Curiosity
           ,
           or
           over-subtil
           Inventions
           about
           it
           .
        
         
         
           Secondly
           ,
           They
           continued
           
             in
             Fellowship
          
           ;
           that
           is
           ,
           either
           in
           a
           strict
           Communion
           of
           all
           the
           Offices
           of
           Christianity
           in
           general
           ,
           or
           ,
           as
           the
           Learned
           Dr.
           Hammond
           understands
           the
           word
           
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
          
           ,
           in
           a
           Charitable
           Communication
           of
           their
           good
           things
           to
           those
           that
           wanted
           .
        
         
           Thirdly
           ,
           They
           continued
           together
           
             in
             Breaking
             of
             Bread
          
           ;
           that
           is
           ,
           in
           the
           frequent
           Participation
           of
           the
           Blessed
           Mystery
           of
           the
           Lord's
           Supper
           :
           One
           part
           ,
           the
           
             Breaking
             of
             Bread
          
           ,
           being
           here
           ,
           as
           Drinking
           is
           elsewhere
           ,
           [
           1
           Cor.
           12.
           13.
           
           ]
           put
           to
           signifie
           that
           whole
           Sacrament
           :
           though
           never
           in
           Scripture
           was
           any
           one
           kind
           of
           it
           commanded
           to
           be
           Administred
           in
           stead
           of
           the
           whole
           ,
           as
           in
           the
           Church
           of
           Rome
           is
           most
           Sacrilegiously
           practised
           .
        
         
           But
           in
           the
           due
           ,
           and
           constant
           receiving
           that
           Holy
           Sacrament
           ,
           in
           both
           kinds
           ,
           no
           doubt
           ,
           they
           all
           continued
           :
           That
           most
           Sacred
           Ordinance
           ,
           which
           is
           ,
           or
           should
           be
           so
           much
           the
           great
           Instrument
           of
           Unity
           among
           Christians
           ,
           that
           it
           is
           most
           properly
           termed
           the
           Communion
           .
        
         
           Fourthly
           ,
           After
           they
           had
           thus
           broken
           that
           Heavenly
           Bread
           ;
           and
           
             Eaten
             their
             Meat
          
           ,
           their
           Bodily
           Meat
           probably
           in
           their
           Charitable
           Feasts
           ,
           what
           follow'd
           but
           
             Gladness
             ,
             and
          
           
           
             Singleness
             of
             Heart
             ?
             Gladness
          
           ,
           the
           sure
           Companion
           ,
           at
           least
           in
           the
           end
           ,
           of
           a
           single
           innocent
           Heart
           ,
           endued
           with
           true
           Christian
           Simplicity
           ;
           as
           Darkness
           and
           Discomfort
           is
           the
           never-failing
           Attendant
           ,
           one
           time
           or
           other
           ,
           first
           or
           last
           ,
           of
           a
           double
           deceitful
           Mind
           ,
           and
           Hypocritical
           Spirit
           .
        
         
           Lastly
           ,
           They
           continued
           
             daily
             ,
             with
             one
             accord
             ,
             in
             the
             Temple
             ,
             praising
             GOD.
          
           Though
           the
           Lord
           from
           on
           High
           had
           visited
           them
           with
           the
           most
           gracious
           Dispensation
           ,
           that
           ever
           was
           revealed
           from
           Heaven
           ;
           yet
           ,
           notwithstanding
           that
           extraordinary
           effusion
           of
           the
           Holy
           Ghost
           upon
           them
           ,
           they
           never
           intermitted
           ,
           but
           exactly
           observ'd
           the
           ordinary
           Course
           of
           their
           Religious
           Duties
           .
        
         
           And
           for
           this
           they
           resorted
           daily
           to
           the
           Temple
           :
           Which
           though
           they
           consider'd
           now
           as
           having
           lost
           all
           its
           Typical
           Sanctity
           ,
           by
           the
           renting
           of
           the
           Veil
           at
           the
           Death
           of
           Christ
           ;
           yet
           ,
           as
           Christ
           himself
           taught
           them
           immediately
           before
           his
           Death
           ,
           they
           look'd
           upon
           it
           as
           being
           still
           GOD's
           House
           by
           Consecration
           ,
           and
           as
           being
           
             a
             House
             of
             Prayer
             for
             all
             Nations
             .
          
        
         
           Thus
           even
           at
           that
           very
           time
           ,
           when
           they
           had
           receiv'd
           the
           Blessed
           Spirit
           in
           so
           abundant
           a
           Measure
           ;
           yet
           from
           that
           so
           bright
           an
           Inspiration
           ,
           
           they
           took
           not
           any
           Opportunity
           ,
           nor
           framed
           any
           pretence
           to
           condemn
           ,
           or
           despise
           the
           common
           Offices
           of
           the
           Church
           ,
           or
           to
           think
           themselves
           above
           all
           the
           prescribed
           Ordinances
           of
           their
           wonted
           Worship
           ;
           but
           therefore
           ,
           the
           rather
           ,
           they
           frequented
           the
           Service
           of
           GOD
           ,
           according
           to
           their
           accustomed
           Manner
           .
        
         
           They
           continued
           daily
           ,
           to
           shew
           the
           unwearied
           Fervor
           ,
           and
           stated
           Regularity
           of
           their
           Piety
           .
           They
           continued
           daily
           
             with
             one
             accord
          
           ,
           to
           signifie
           the
           Harmonious
           Agreement
           of
           their
           Spiritual
           Society
           .
           They
           continued
           daily
           with
           one
           accord
           
             in
             the
             Temple
          
           ,
           to
           testifie
           their
           Preference
           of
           Establish'd
           ,
           Consecrated
           Places
           ,
           and
           their
           Observance
           of
           Orderly
           Decency
           in
           their
           Devotions
           .
        
         
           Nor
           did
           they
           only
           there
           continue
           in
           Prayer
           ,
           in
           Petitioning
           Heaven
           for
           Benefits
           to
           come
           ,
           but
           in
           
             Praising
             GOD
          
           for
           Mercies
           receiv'd
           :
           Which
           is
           the
           Noblest
           ,
           the
           most
           Sublime
           ,
           the
           most
           Coelestial
           Part
           of
           Christian
           Worship
           ;
           as
           being
           indeed
           the
           chief
           Business
           of
           Heaven
           it self
           .
        
         
           And
           if
           there
           be
           any
           Communion
           of
           Saints
           ,
           which
           we
           must
           believe
           ,
           or
           utterly
           renounce
           one
           Article
           of
           our
           Creed
           ;
           if
           any
           such
           thing
           ,
           
           as
           a
           Holy
           Catholick
           Church
           ,
           whereof
           surely
           the
           proud
           Boastings
           ,
           and
           false
           Pretences
           of
           Rome
           cannot
           wholly
           abolish
           the
           thing
           it self
           ;
           then
           there
           is
           no
           manner
           of
           Question
           ,
           but
           the
           largest
           Measures
           of
           Grace
           will
           be
           Communicated
           to
           our
           Souls
           ,
           in
           these
           Publick
           Offices
           of
           Prayer
           ,
           and
           Praise
           ,
           which
           at
           once
           ,
           as
           the
           whole
           Primitive
           Church
           did
           then
           ,
           so
           a
           considerable
           part
           of
           it
           now
           ,
           with
           united
           Tongues
           ,
           and
           Affections
           ,
           and
           Spirits
           more
           united
           ,
           presents
           to
           the
           Throne
           of
           Grace
           .
        
         
           That
           is
           the
           First
           Part
           of
           my
           Text
           ;
           
             The
             Multitude
             of
             them
             that
             believed
             were
             all
             of
             one
             Heart
             ,
             and
             one
             Soul
             ,
          
           in
           this
           Sense
           ,
           and
           to
           this
           Degree
           ,
           and
           in
           the
           Uniform
           Performance
           of
           all
           these
           Spiritual
           Duties
           .
        
         
           Now
           ,
           My
           Brethren
           ,
           upon
           this
           so
           intimate
           an
           Agreement
           of
           their
           Understandings
           ,
           Wills
           ,
           and
           Affections
           in
           Matters
           of
           Faith
           ,
           and
           Worship
           ,
           there
           presently
           succeeded
           a
           like
           Harmony
           of
           Good
           Works
           :
           They
           all
           practis'd
           a
           general
           Distribution
           ,
           and
           Participation
           of
           each
           others
           Earthly
           Riches
           ,
           and
           Possessions
           :
           Which
           is
           the
           last
           Effect
           here
           mention'd
           of
           their
           being
           all
           
             filled
             with
             the
             Holy
             Ghost
             .
             None
             of
             them
             said
             that
             ought
             he
             possessed
             was
             his
             own
             ,
             but
             they
             had
             all
             things
             common
             .
          
        
         
         
           They
           were
           really
           their
           own
           things
           ,
           as
           much
           as
           any
           other
           Mens
           Goods
           were
           theirs
           :
           But
           their
           new
           Principle
           of
           Christian
           Charity
           had
           made
           them
           to
           alter
           their
           Thoughts
           so
           much
           about
           them
           ,
           as
           even
           to
           change
           ,
           and
           transfer
           the
           very
           Propriety
           of
           them
           .
        
         
           It
           cannot
           indeed
           be
           denyed
           ,
           but
           of
           such
           an
           extraordinary
           more
           than
           Brotherly
           Love
           ,
           and
           strict
           Fellowship
           ,
           as
           this
           of
           the
           Apostles
           ,
           and
           Primitive
           Disciples
           ,
           there
           had
           before
           some
           Shadows
           and
           Footsteps
           appear'd
           in
           the
           Practise
           of
           some
           Men
           of
           other
           Religions
           ,
           both
           among
           the
           Jews
           and
           the
           Gentils
           .
        
         
           Among
           the
           Jews
           ,
           such
           a
           Communication
           of
           all
           things
           was
           ,
           in
           great
           part
           ,
           used
           by
           that
           Sect
           which
           they
           call'd
           Essens
           ,
           towards
           Men
           of
           their
           own
           way
           of
           Discipline
           .
           And
           a
           Generation
           of
           Men
           they
           were
           ,
           who
           ,
           of
           all
           others
           ,
           came
           nearest
           the
           Christian
           Institution
           :
           So
           that
           ,
           as
           Grotius
           tells
           us
           ,
           our
           Lord
           had
           many
           of
           his
           first
           Disciples
           out
           of
           the
           Men
           of
           that
           Profession
           :
           For
           which
           Reason
           probably
           ,
           as
           he
           observes
           ,
           they
           alone
           were
           seldom
           or
           never
           reprehended
           by
           our
           Saviour
           himself
           ,
           as
           all
           the
           other
           Sects
           were
           very
           frequently
           ,
           and
           sometimes
           exceeding
           sharply
           .
        
         
         
           Such
           a
           Communication
           also
           was
           ,
           in
           some
           sort
           ,
           in
           use
           among
           the
           Pythagoreans
           ,
           and
           some
           other
           Fraternities
           of
           the
           Heathen
           Philosophers
           ,
           and
           some
           of
           their
           wisest
           Polities
           of
           Civil
           Society
           :
           Whose
           chief
           Aim
           being
           the
           Advancement
           of
           Human
           Nature
           by
           all
           Natural
           Means
           ;
           and
           they
           believing
           they
           could
           not
           do
           that
           by
           any
           better
           way
           ,
           than
           by
           raising
           Frienship
           to
           the
           highest
           pitch
           ;
           which
           they
           justly
           esteem'd
           the
           most
           perfect
           Natural
           State
           of
           Mandkind
           ,
           in
           this
           World
           :
           They
           therefore
           Cultivated
           especially
           that
           kind
           of
           Friendly
           Life
           ,
           which
           they
           called
           
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
             〈◊〉
          
           ,
           that
           signifies
           the
           same
           with
           the
           Phrase
           in
           my
           Text
           ,
           of
           having
           
             all
             things
             common
          
           .
        
         
           But
           notwithstanding
           all
           this
           ,
           it
           were
           easie
           to
           prove
           ,
           that
           of
           all
           the
           Communities
           of
           Goods
           ,
           which
           have
           been
           ever
           essay'd
           among
           Men
           ;
           this
           of
           the
           Apostles
           ,
           and
           first
           Christians
           ,
           was
           the
           most
           Excellent
           ,
           the
           most
           Innocent
           ,
           the
           most
           Spiritual
           ,
           and
           sincerely
           Charitable
           kind
           of
           it
           .
        
         
           As
           for
           that
           Sect
           of
           the
           Jews
           ,
           though
           they
           did
           bountifully
           dispense
           their
           Estates
           in
           common
           to
           Men
           of
           their
           own
           Party
           ,
           and
           Form
           of
           Life
           ;
           yet
           we
           do
           not
           find
           ,
           but
           the
           same
           Men
           still
           retained
           something
           of
           the
           general
           
           Temper
           of
           the
           Jewish
           Nation
           ;
           which
           was
           to
           be
           kind
           only
           to
           themselves
           ,
           and
           their
           Proselytes
           ,
           but
           rigid
           ,
           and
           hard-hearted
           to
           all
           the
           World
           besides
           ;
           especially
           to
           all
           that
           differed
           from
           them
           in
           Religion
           .
        
         
           So
           that
           in
           Truth
           the
           Divine
           Efficacy
           of
           the
           Christian
           Faith
           ,
           in
           its
           first
           beginnings
           ,
           was
           scarce
           ever
           more
           illustrated
           in
           any
           thing
           than
           in
           this
           ,
           that
           it
           first
           undertook
           to
           convince
           the
           Jews
           ;
           and
           could
           bring
           so
           many
           of
           them
           so
           speedily
           from
           the
           most
           stiff-necked
           Arrogance
           ,
           and
           narrow-handed
           Austerity
           ,
           to
           the
           greatest
           Humility
           and
           Generosity
           ,
           that
           ever
           Mankind
           was
           acquainted
           with
           .
        
         
           For
           as
           for
           the
           Heathens
           also
           ,
           who
           profess'd
           to
           hold
           such
           a
           Community
           of
           all
           things
           ;
           they
           generally
           went
           so
           far
           in
           the
           abuse
           of
           it
           ,
           as
           to
           lay
           all
           things
           common
           ;
           not
           only
           lawful
           ,
           but
           unlawful
           things
           too
           ;
           even
           some
           of
           those
           things
           ,
           which
           ,
           by
           the
           Laws
           of
           GOD
           and
           of
           Nations
           ,
           had
           been
           made
           most
           proper
           ,
           and
           peculiar
           .
           But
           in
           such
           things
           the
           greater
           the
           Community
           ,
           the
           greater
           the
           Wickedness
           .
        
         
           Whereas
           this
           Evangelical
           Community
           here
           instituted
           in
           the
           Primitive
           Church
           ,
           had
           all
           the
           quite
           contrary
           Advantages
           ,
           and
           Perfections
           .
        
         
         
           First
           ,
           It
           was
           most
           pure
           ,
           spotless
           ,
           and
           unblameable
           .
           It
           was
           only
           a
           Communication
           of
           Lawful
           Things
           ;
           and
           of
           such
           Things
           ,
           as
           might
           Lawfully
           be
           used
           in
           common
           .
           But
           all
           
             Fellowship
             with
             the
             unfruitful
             Works
             of
             Darkness
             ,
          
           all
           Imagination
           of
           partaking
           in
           unlawful
           things
           ,
           they
           universally
           condemned
           ;
           and
           their
           practise
           was
           accordingly
           .
           They
           restrained
           themselves
           ,
           and
           taught
           us
           ,
           to
           abstain
           not
           only
           from
           the
           real
           Guilt
           ,
           but
           from
           
             the
             very
             appearance
             of
             Evil.
          
           They
           utterly
           abhorred
           the
           least
           suspicion
           of
           Licentiousness
           ,
           under
           a
           pretence
           of
           Christian
           Freedom
           :
           They
           knew
           ,
           that
           although
           through
           Christ
           they
           were
           
             free
             indeed
          
           ,
           yet
           he
           had
           redeemed
           them
           only
           from
           the
           Burden
           of
           Legal
           Observances
           ,
           and
           not
           from
           the
           Obligation
           of
           Moral
           ,
           or
           Natural
           Laws
           .
        
         
           Secondly
           ,
           As
           their
           Liberal
           Distribution
           of
           their
           Temporal
           Inheritances
           ,
           for
           the
           Relief
           of
           those
           among
           them
           ,
           that
           wanted
           ,
           did
           flow
           from
           the
           most
           Divine
           Principle
           of
           Christian
           Love
           ,
           and
           Tenderness
           towards
           all
           their
           Brethren
           of
           the
           same
           Faith
           ,
           and
           Communion
           ;
           so
           it
           was
           at
           the
           same
           time
           accompanied
           with
           an
           unconfined
           Good-will
           ,
           an
           open-hearted
           Kindness
           ,
           and
           enlarged
           Bowels
           of
           Compassion
           ,
           to
           all
           Mankind
           besides
           .
           What
           St.
           Paul
           exhorted
           
           all
           Christians
           to
           do
           ,
           they
           perform'd
           in
           an
           Eminent
           Degree
           :
           
             As
             they
             had
             Opportunity
          
           ,
           they
           
             did
             good
             to
             all
             Men
          
           ,
           though
           they
           did
           it
           
             chiefly
             to
             those
             of
             the
             Houshold
             of
             Faith.
             
          
        
         
           And
           that
           indeed
           is
           the
           true
           Christian
           Charity
           .
           It
           may
           have
           its
           Degrees
           ;
           but
           never
           admits
           of
           its
           Contraries
           :
           So
           that
           all
           ,
           who
           are
           sincerely
           thus
           affected
           ,
           may
           express
           their
           Charity
           to
           some
           more
           than
           to
           others
           ;
           but
           must
           never
           be
           uncharitable
           ,
           much
           less
           unjust
           ,
           to
           any
           .
        
         
           To
           all
           we
           are
           bound
           to
           practise
           a
           perpetual
           Communication
           of
           our
           good
           Will
           ,
           and
           good
           Offices
           ,
           and
           of
           our
           Goods
           too
           in
           the
           Works
           of
           Justice
           ,
           and
           Charity
           :
           In
           the
           Works
           of
           Charity
           ,
           according
           to
           our
           Capacities
           ;
           in
           the
           Works
           of
           Justice
           always
           ,
           and
           without
           reserve
           .
           For
           only
           the
           Able
           can
           be
           Charitable
           :
           And
           it
           may
           not
           sometimes
           be
           a
           Man
           's
           own
           fault
           ,
           that
           he
           is
           not
           able
           to
           be
           outwardly
           Charitable
           :
           But
           it
           is
           ever
           a
           Man
           's
           own
           fault
           only
           ,
           if
           he
           is
           not
           outwardly
           Just
           ,
           and
           at
           least
           inwardly
           Charitable
           to
           all
           .
        
         
           Thirdly
           ,
           This
           free
           dispensing
           of
           their
           Goods
           and
           Possessions
           ,
           that
           was
           then
           made
           by
           the
           Able
           to
           sustain
           the
           Unable
           and
           Afflicted
           ,
           was
           far
           from
           being
           intended
           to
           cherish
           the
           Laziness
           ,
           
           or
           to
           encourage
           the
           Negligence
           ,
           or
           to
           nourish
           the
           Vanity
           and
           Pride
           of
           any
           that
           were
           thus
           relieved
           ;
           but
           to
           quite
           contrary
           Purposes
           ;
           that
           is
           ,
           either
           to
           supply
           the
           real
           Wants
           of
           the
           innocently
           Necessitous
           ;
           or
           to
           comfort
           those
           ,
           that
           were
           under
           fierce
           Persecutions
           ;
           or
           to
           excite
           those
           to
           indefatigable
           Industry
           ,
           who
           were
           to
           labour
           in
           the
           Work
           of
           the
           Lord
           ;
           that
           with
           more
           Leasure
           ,
           and
           Freedom
           from
           Worldly
           Cares
           ,
           and
           Diversions
           ,
           they
           might
           attend
           the
           most
           important
           Business
           of
           saving
           Souls
           ,
           and
           spreading
           the
           
             Everlasting
             Gospel
          
           .
        
         
           These
           ,
           My
           Brethren
           ,
           were
           the
           only
           ,
           or
           the
           principal
           Ends
           of
           the
           first
           Christians
           having
           
             all
             things
             common
          
           :
           Ends
           very
           different
           from
           those
           of
           the
           Monastical
           Life
           ,
           as
           it
           has
           been
           universally
           abused
           in
           all
           Christendom
           :
           Though
           that
           pretends
           to
           come
           nearest
           the
           first
           Christians
           retirement
           from
           the
           World
           ,
           and
           free
           partaking
           of
           what
           each
           other
           possessed
           ,
           and
           living
           their
           Life
           in
           common
           .
        
         
           But
           towards
           the
           imitating
           of
           that
           humble
           ,
           devout
           ,
           and
           self-denying
           Life
           of
           the
           Apostles
           ,
           and
           their
           Disciples
           ,
           it
           is
           not
           sufficient
           for
           Men
           ,
           or
           Women
           only
           to
           profess
           a
           sullen
           Reservedness
           ,
           or
           unprofitable
           Separation
           from
           the
           World
           :
           For
           some
           Persons
           ,
           in
           shew
           of
           a
           more
           
           Spiritual
           Life
           ,
           to
           live
           idly
           upon
           others
           mistaken
           Charity
           ,
           is
           not
           to
           practise
           the
           Primitive
           Community
           of
           Goods
           .
           Whoever
           will
           be
           really
           like
           those
           great
           Examples
           of
           Self-denial
           and
           Abstinence
           ,
           't
           is
           not
           enough
           only
           to
           follow
           them
           superstitiously
           ,
           and
           servilely
           ,
           in
           some
           one
           little
           accidental
           thing
           ,
           some
           indifferent
           Habit
           ,
           or
           Action
           of
           their
           Lives
           :
           Rather
           we
           must
           endeavour
           to
           resemble
           them
           in
           their
           real
           Virtues
           ,
           and
           solid
           Excellencies
           ,
           and
           in
           carrying
           on
           the
           Work
           of
           GOD
           ,
           by
           doing
           all
           the
           Good
           we
           can
           in
           this
           World
           ,
           as
           they
           did
           .
        
         
           Fourthly
           ,
           It
           is
           observable
           ,
           that
           of
           the
           Goods
           and
           Estates
           of
           the
           first
           Christians
           ,
           thus
           brought
           as
           Free-Will-Offerings
           into
           one
           Common
           Treasury
           ,
           the
           Disposition
           was
           ordered
           with
           great
           Prudence
           ,
           Equity
           ,
           and
           Piety
           ;
           and
           that
           at
           first
           by
           no
           less
           Men
           than
           the
           Apostles
           themselves
           ;
           afterwards
           indeed
           it
           was
           committed
           to
           inferior
           Ministers
           ,
           but
           still
           at
           the
           Appointment
           ,
           and
           under
           the
           Inspection
           of
           the
           Apostles
           .
           In
           this
           Chapter
           it
           is
           said
           ,
           That
           
             as
             many
             as
             were
             possessed
             of
             Land
             or
             Houses
             ,
             sold
             them
             ,
             and
             brought
             the
             Prices
             of
             the
             things
             that
             were
             sold
             ,
             and
             laid
             them
             down
             at
             the
             Apostles
             Feet
             ;
             and
             Distribution
             was
             made
             to
             every
             Man
             according
             as
             he
             had
             need
             ;
             so
             that
             there
             was
             none
             among
             them
             that
             lacked
             .
          
        
         
         
           Behold
           ,
           I
           pray
           .
           As
           that
           was
           the
           first
           General
           Purse
           (
           if
           I
           may
           so
           call
           it
           )
           of
           Christian
           Charity
           ,
           that
           ever
           was
           raised
           by
           the
           Power
           of
           the
           Christian
           Faith
           ,
           so
           the
           careful
           directing
           of
           it
           was
           an
           Employment
           worthy
           of
           the
           Apostolical
           Office
           it self
           ,
           and
           becoming
           their
           high
           Dignity
           ,
           and
           Super-eminent
           Station
           in
           the
           Church
           of
           GOD.
           
        
         
           For
           the
           very
           Apostles
           discharge
           of
           their
           Duty
           ,
           it
           was
           not
           sufficient
           ,
           that
           
             with
             great
             Power
             they
             gave
             Witness
             of
             the
             Resurrection
             of
             the
             Lord
             Jesus
             :
          
           Nor
           was
           it
           enough
           for
           them
           to
           Baptize
           Men
           into
           ,
           and
           Confirm
           them
           in
           his
           Faith
           ;
           nor
           by
           Exhortation
           ,
           to
           Rouze
           and
           Awaken
           the
           Drowzy
           World
           ;
           nor
           by
           Reproof
           to
           Chastise
           ,
           and
           Admonish
           the
           Stubborn
           and
           Negligent
           ;
           nor
           by
           seasonable
           Counsels
           and
           Comforts
           ,
           to
           Strengthen
           the
           Doubtful
           ,
           and
           Refresh
           the
           Weak
           :
           But
           by
           a
           constant
           giving
           their
           own
           ,
           according
           to
           their
           Abilities
           ,
           and
           by
           a
           diligent
           Collection
           of
           others
           Alms-deeds
           ,
           and
           by
           a
           wise
           Administration
           of
           both
           ,
           they
           became
           the
           first
           Publick
           Almoners
           of
           the
           whole
           Christian
           World.
           
        
         
           You
           see
           ,
           in
           a
           time
           when
           the
           whole
           Christian
           Church
           was
           in
           a
           State
           of
           outward
           Poverty
           ,
           and
           Misery
           ,
           that
           was
           undoubtedly
           one
           
           of
           the
           most
           Christian
           Offices
           then
           ,
           to
           relieve
           the
           Indigent
           ,
           to
           comfort
           the
           Distressed
           ,
           to
           provide
           for
           the
           Widows
           ,
           Orphans
           ,
           Captives
           ,
           Aged
           ,
           and
           Infirm
           .
           And
           certainly
           therefore
           the
           like
           Deeds
           of
           Mercy
           and
           Piety
           ought
           never
           to
           have
           a
           less
           Esteem
           among
           all
           Christians
           to
           the
           End
           of
           the
           World
           :
           Especially
           in
           times
           of
           the
           Churches
           Prosperity
           .
        
         
           However
           ,
           this
           we
           are
           sure
           of
           ,
           so
           highly
           did
           the
           first
           Planters
           of
           Christianity
           ,
           in
           their
           time
           ,
           value
           such
           common
           Works
           of
           Compassion
           and
           Bounty
           ,
           performed
           in
           a
           right
           Evangelical
           Method
           .
        
         
           And
           indeed
           it
           is
           wonderful
           to
           consider
           ,
           almost
           incredible
           to
           tell
           ,
           how
           great
           Advantages
           the
           Gospel
           obtained
           ,
           in
           its
           first
           setting
           forth
           ,
           by
           the
           Merciful
           ,
           Charitable
           ,
           and
           Hospitable
           Conversation
           of
           its
           first
           Professors
           :
           When
           the
           World
           beheld
           Men
           so
           despicable
           in
           their
           outward
           Condition
           ,
           yet
           enobled
           and
           adorned
           with
           all
           that
           Lustre
           of
           Spiritual
           Gifts
           :
           When
           Men
           saw
           them
           so
           ambitious
           of
           another
           World
           ;
           so
           unconcern'd
           for
           this
           ;
           so
           not
           in
           the
           least
           desirous
           of
           what
           was
           other
           Mens
           ,
           so
           Generous
           in
           what
           was
           their
           own
           ;
           using
           their
           own
           things
           so
           moderately
           themselves
           ,
           as
           if
           they
           had
           belonged
           to
           others
           ;
           only
           shewing
           them
           to
           be
           
           their
           own
           ,
           by
           their
           readiness
           of
           giving
           them
           to
           others
           :
           When
           Men
           saw
           things
           ,
           so
           much
           above
           the
           common
           rate
           of
           Human
           Nature
           ,
           produced
           in
           these
           Men
           ;
           and
           that
           only
           by
           their
           being
           Christians
           ,
           they
           could
           not
           but
           have
           a
           high
           Esteem
           of
           that
           Excellent
           Religion
           ;
           they
           could
           not
           but
           be
           strongly
           inclined
           to
           embrace
           it
           themselves
           .
        
         
           You
           have
           heard
           ,
           that
           the
           Reasons
           here
           assign'd
           why
           the
           first
           Christians
           had
           so
           soon
           
             the
             Favour
             of
             all
             the
             People
             ,
          
           were
           principally
           three
           .
           The
           first
           ,
           That
           
             they
             went
             about
             from
             House
             to
             House
             ,
             eating
             their
             Meat
             with
             Gladness
             ,
             and
             Singleness
             of
             Heart
             :
          
           There
           is
           their
           innocent
           Hospitality
           ,
           and
           their
           right
           use
           of
           the
           true
           Christian
           Liberty
           in
           that
           particular
           .
           The
           second
           ,
           That
           all
           ,
           who
           believ'd
           ,
           
             continued
             together
             ,
             with
             one
             accord
             ,
             in
             Prayers
             and
             Praising
             GOD
             :
          
           There
           is
           their
           publick
           owning
           of
           Religion
           ,
           and
           Zeal
           for
           GOD's
           Worship
           .
           The
           third
           ,
           That
           
             they
             sold
             their
             Goods
             and
             Possessions
             ,
             and
             distributed
             them
             to
             all
             Men
             ,
             as
             every
             Man
             had
             need
             :
          
           There
           is
           the
           Universal
           Extent
           of
           their
           Charity
           .
        
         
           And
           for
           this
           last
           Cause
           chiefly
           it
           was
           ,
           that
           
             they
             had
             the
             favour
             of
             all
             the
             People
          
           ;
           as
           the
           aforemention'd
           Excellent
           Interpreter
           conceives
           .
           
           It
           is
           the
           Doing
           of
           Works
           of
           Liberality
           ,
           and
           Bounty
           in
           the
           sight
           of
           all
           the
           People
           ,
           that
           most
           naturally
           gains
           their
           Favour
           and
           Affections
           .
           Of
           all
           Religious
           Actions
           ,
           none
           are
           more
           praise-worthy
           or
           amiable
           ,
           none
           more
           acceptable
           to
           GOD
           and
           Men
           ,
           than
           the
           visible
           Works
           of
           Mercy
           and
           Piety
           ;
           such
           as
           are
           freely
           and
           bountifully
           bestowed
           either
           for
           the
           Service
           ,
           Comeliness
           ,
           and
           Honor
           of
           GOD's
           Worship
           in
           his
           Temples
           ;
           or
           for
           refreshing
           the
           Minds
           ,
           and
           feeding
           ,
           cloathing
           ,
           and
           relieving
           the
           Bodies
           of
           the
           Poor
           and
           Needy
           ,
           which
           are
           his
           Temples
           also
           .
        
         
           And
           ,
           My
           Brethren
           ,
           this
           their
           abundant
           Goodness
           and
           Benignity
           ,
           this
           sweet-smelling
           Sacrifice
           to
           GOD
           ,
           this
           most
           delectable
           Savour
           among
           Men
           ,
           this
           best-hallowed
           Incense
           that
           ever
           was
           seen
           on
           Earth
           ,
           or
           rose
           up
           towards
           Heaven
           ,
           continued
           to
           adorn
           ,
           and
           perfume
           the
           whole
           Christian
           Name
           for
           several
           Ages
           ,
           their
           irreconcileable
           Enemies
           themselves
           being
           Witnesses
           .
        
         
           It
           is
           very
           memorable
           that
           they
           had
           the
           forced
           Applause
           ,
           and
           envious
           Praise
           of
           Julian
           the
           Apostate
           himself
           in
           this
           particular
           .
           For
           in
           an
           Epistle
           which
           he
           wrote
           to
           one
           of
           his
           chief
           Heathen
           Priests
           ,
           wherein
           he
           earnestly
           exhorted
           him
           ,
           and
           all
           his
           Idolatrous
           Brethren
           ,
           to
           oppose
           the
           powerful
           Progress
           of
           the
           Gospel
           for
           the
           future
           ,
           by
           better
           ,
           wiser
           ,
           and
           more
           Virtuous
           Arts
           
           than
           hitherto
           they
           had
           done
           ;
           and
           to
           attempt
           the
           subversion
           of
           Christianity
           by
           copying
           after
           the
           Christians
           themselves
           ,
           in
           those
           very
           Methods
           ,
           by
           which
           it
           had
           grown
           so
           formidable
           to
           their
           false
           Gods
           ▪
           He
           more
           especially
           by
           Name
           Recommended
           two
           or
           three
           of
           those
           Laudable
           Practices
           among
           Christians
           to
           their
           Studious
           Imitation
           .
        
         
           One
           was
           ,
           Their
           Integrity
           and
           Sanctimony
           of
           Life
           in
           general
           ▪
           Another
           ,
           Their
           decent
           Ceremonies
           ,
           and
           comely
           Rites
           in
           the
           Interment
           of
           their
           Dead
           :
           A
           third
           ,
           
             Their
             Humanity
             ,
             and
             Charity
             to
             the
             Afflicted
             ,
             though
             Strangers
             to
             them
          
           ;
           which
           ,
           as
           he
           goes
           on
           ,
           is
           
             so
             remarkable
             ,
             that
             the
             Impious
          
           Galileans
           ,
           (
           a
           Name
           with
           which
           he
           was
           wont
           to
           reproach
           the
           first
           Christians
           ,
           and
           our
           Lord
           Christ
           himself
           )
           these
           very
           Impious
           Galileans
           ,
           says
           he
           ,
           
             do
             not
             only
             maintain
             ,
             and
             support
             their
             own
             Poor
             ,
             but
             ours
             also
             .
          
           A
           plain
           Confession
           in
           Commendation
           of
           the
           first
           Christians
           Beneficence
           ,
           extorted
           by
           the
           force
           of
           Truth
           ,
           from
           the
           spitefully
           impious
           Pen
           of
           the
           Apostate
           himself
           .
        
         
           And
           in
           this
           Blessed
           State
           the
           Christian
           Church
           in
           great
           part
           remained
           through
           all
           its
           first
           ,
           purest
           ,
           and
           most
           disinterested
           Ages
           ;
           till
           the
           World
           the
           Secular
           Empire
           ,
           the
           Pleasures
           ,
           the
           Riches
           ,
           an●
           Vanities
           of
           it
           were
           let
           in
           upon
           it
           .
        
         
         
           But
           till
           then
           ,
           with
           the
           same
           Coelestial
           Arms
           of
           Genuine
           Doctrine
           at
           first
           delivered
           ,
           and
           the
           same
           prevailing
           Power
           of
           Miraculous
           Works
           at
           first
           bestowed
           ,
           they
           converted
           or
           confounded
           their
           Enemies
           :
           And
           at
           the
           same
           time
           ,
           with
           the
           same
           joint
           ,
           though
           slender
           ,
           Stock
           of
           Earthly
           Goods
           religiously
           disposed
           ,
           they
           supported
           each
           others
           ,
           and
           ,
           in
           some
           measure
           ,
           their
           Adversaries
           Necessities
           ,
           and
           happily
           supply'd
           their
           own
           want
           of
           Earthly
           Power
           .
        
         
           So
           they
           lived
           ,
           as
           looking
           on
           themselves
           to
           be
           parts
           of
           the
           same
           Christian
           Family
           ,
           Children
           of
           the
           same
           Heavenly
           Father
           ,
           Members
           of
           the
           same
           Spiritual
           Body
           ;
           and
           took
           care
           of
           ,
           and
           commiserated
           and
           sympathized
           with
           each
           other
           accordingly
           ;
           seeming
           ,
           as
           if
           they
           had
           all
           the
           same
           Desires
           ,
           the
           same
           Griefs
           ,
           the
           same
           Joys
           ,
           the
           same
           Interests
           in
           this
           World
           as
           well
           as
           the
           future
           ;
           having
           
             all
             things
             common
             to
             all
          
           ,
           as
           if
           (
           which
           I
           can
           never
           too
           often
           repeat
           )
           
             they
             were
             all
             of
             one
             Heart
             ,
             and
             one
             Soul.
             
          
        
         
           Their
           chief
           Treasure
           they
           laid
           up
           
             in
             Heaven
             ,
             where
             neither
             Moth
             can
             corrupt
             ,
             nor
             Thieves
             break
             through
             and
             steal
             .
          
           And
           whatever
           Treasure
           any
           of
           them
           had
           upon
           Earth
           ,
           they
           quickly
           placed
           that
           out
           of
           the
           reach
           of
           the
           Moths
           corrupting
           ,
           or
           the
           Thieves
           stealing
           ,
           not
           laying
           it
           up
           ,
           but
           by
           scattering
           it
           abroad
           into
           many
           Hands
           ,
           and
           putting
           it
           out
           to
           the
           best
           use
           .
        
         
         
           Thus
           they
           made
           their
           Temporal
           Riches
           to
           be
           to
           them
           as
           the
           Gate
           of
           Heaven
           ;
           which
           ,
           GOD
           knows
           ,
           have
           been
           to
           many
           since
           ,
           that
           call
           themselves
           Christians
           too
           ,
           as
           the
           Gate
           of
           Hell.
           They
           little
           cared
           ,
           or
           rather
           they
           very
           much
           cared
           ,
           how
           common
           they
           made
           their
           fading
           Wealth
           ,
           their
           corruptible
           ,
           and
           corrupting
           Abundance
           of
           this
           Worlds
           Goods
           ;
           since
           by
           the
           Fundamental
           Privileges
           of
           their
           holy
           Profession
           ,
           they
           had
           so
           many
           other
           ,
           so
           many
           greater
           things
           
             in
             common
          
           :
           One
           common
           Faith
           in
           one
           common
           Creator
           ,
           Redeemer
           ,
           and
           Comforter
           ;
           one
           Communion
           of
           Saints
           ;
           one
           Hope
           of
           the
           common
           Salvation
           .
        
         
           By
           these
           irresistible
           Ways
           ,
           and
           Instruments
           ,
           My
           Beloved
           Brethren
           ,
           was
           the
           Lord
           pleas'd
           to
           found
           ,
           and
           amplifie
           the
           Christian
           Church
           ;
           and
           thereby
           to
           
             add
             daily
             to
             it
             great
             Numbers
             of
             such
             as
             should
             be
             saved
             .
          
           Whatever
           now
           of
           all
           this
           is
           absolutely
           inimitable
           ,
           and
           never
           to
           be
           copied
           after
           by
           us
           ,
           either
           by
           reason
           of
           the
           distance
           of
           Times
           and
           Places
           ;
           or
           Customs
           of
           Nations
           changed
           ;
           or
           Diversity
           of
           Gifts
           in
           several
           Ages
           ;
           or
           the
           different
           State
           of
           Christianity
           in
           this
           Age
           ;
           all
           that
           should
           be
           the
           Subject
           of
           our
           Belief
           ,
           our
           Wonder
           ,
           and
           our
           Praise
           .
        
         
           But
           whatever
           of
           it
           is
           imitable
           ,
           and
           may
           again
           be
           applyed
           to
           our
           Circumstances
           ,
           that
           we
           
           should
           make
           the
           Object
           of
           our
           Zealous
           Studies
           ,
           and
           Devout
           Emulations
           .
        
         
           'T
           is
           granted
           ,
           we
           are
           not
           now
           obliged
           to
           that
           their
           first
           way
           of
           Conversation
           ,
           when
           
             none
             among
             them
             called
             any
             thing
             his
             own
             ,
             but
             they
             had
             all
             things
             common
             .
          
           Now
           ,
           the
           
             Blessings
             of
             this
             Life
          
           ,
           we
           possess
           ,
           we
           may
           innocently
           enjoy
           ,
           as
           our
           own
           Property
           ,
           quite
           distinct
           from
           the
           Rights
           of
           other
           Men
           to
           it
           ,
           as
           their
           Rights
           are
           distinguished
           from
           ours
           .
           But
           withal
           we
           must
           be
           mindful
           ,
           that
           still
           in
           respect
           to
           GOD
           ,
           we
           are
           all
           only
           Tenants
           ,
           and
           Usufructuaries
           :
           He
           alone
           is
           the
           true
           Proprietor
           ,
           and
           sole
           Lord
           of
           all
           :
           Though
           for
           our
           comfort
           and
           encouragement
           ,
           He
           ,
           in
           his
           infinite
           Mercy
           ,
           has
           declared
           ,
           That
           what
           part
           or
           portion
           soever
           of
           it
           we
           distribute
           in
           a
           right
           manner
           ,
           to
           whomsoever
           it
           be
           ,
           if
           even
           to
           those
           ,
           to
           whom
           Nature
           ,
           or
           Laws
           ,
           or
           Custom
           obliges
           us
           to
           be
           kind
           and
           merciful
           ,
           if
           we
           give
           it
           to
           them
           for
           his
           sake
           ,
           that
           he
           accepts
           ,
           as
           return'd
           and
           paid
           to
           himself
           .
        
         
           You
           have
           been
           told
           ,
           that
           all
           lawful
           things
           were
           made
           common
           to
           the
           first
           Christians
           for
           that
           particular
           time
           .
           But
           now
           all
           things
           are
           again
           become
           peculiar
           and
           several
           ,
           and
           seem
           to
           return
           to
           their
           old
           Boundaries
           of
           
             Meum
             ,
             &
             Tuum
          
           ,
           with
           us
           as
           with
           the
           rest
           of
           Mankind
           ;
           and
           't
           were
           well
           indeed
           ,
           if
           those
           Bounds
           were
           
           universally
           observ'd
           .
           Yet
           still
           I
           must
           say
           ,
           that
           among
           Christians
           ,
           such
           as
           are
           so
           indeed
           ,
           and
           not
           only
           in
           Name
           ,
           some
           part
           of
           those
           things
           ,
           which
           are
           most
           a
           Mans
           own
           ,
           are
           to
           be
           so
           dispensed
           ,
           and
           dispersed
           to
           others
           ,
           to
           so
           many
           others
           ,
           by
           so
           many
           Titles
           ,
           that
           at
           last
           it
           can
           only
           be
           just
           said
           ,
           what
           is
           a
           Christians
           own
           is
           not
           common
           to
           all
           .
        
         
           As
           we
           are
           Christians
           ,
           we
           are
           all
           engaged
           to
           shew
           some
           Effects
           of
           our
           Kindness
           and
           Charity
           to
           all
           ,
           that
           are
           in
           want
           ,
           as
           they
           are
           Christians
           ;
           to
           all
           in
           extream
           want
           ,
           as
           they
           are
           Men
           ;
           even
           to
           Strangers
           and
           Aliens
           ;
           nay
           to
           Enemies
           and
           Persecutors
           :
           Much
           more
           to
           all
           Friends
           ,
           and
           Kinsmen
           ,
           all
           Neighbours
           and
           Country-men
           .
        
         
           And
           that
           indeed
           ,
           My
           Dear
           Countrymen
           ,
           has
           been
           the
           chief
           Aim
           of
           this
           latter
           part
           of
           my
           whole
           Discourse
           ,
           as
           I
           question
           not
           but
           it
           is
           the
           great
           Purpose
           and
           Design
           of
           your
           present
           Assembly
           .
        
         
           No
           Man
           can
           deny
           ,
           but
           as
           to
           the
           Country
           ,
           whence
           we
           all
           have
           sprung
           ,
           
             our
             Lot
          
           has
           fallen
           to
           be
           born
           in
           a
           pleasant
           ,
           and
           fruitful
           Place
           :
           And
           I
           am
           confident
           ,
           many
           that
           hear
           me
           this
           Day
           ,
           have
           there
           also
           a
           
             goodly
             Inheritance
          
           ;
           and
           many
           ,
           if
           not
           there
           ,
           I
           am
           sure
           have
           elsewhere
           :
           And
           you
           know
           the
           old
           Gospel-Rule
           ,
           
             To
             whom
             much
             is
             given
             ,
             of
             them
             much
             is
             required
             .
          
        
         
         
           To
           such
           of
           you
           therefore
           ,
           give
           me
           leave
           to
           conclude
           my
           Speech
           :
           And
           in
           the
           Name
           ,
           and
           by
           the
           Bowels
           of
           our
           Lord
           Jesus
           Christ
           ,
           I
           exhort
           you
           ,
           as
           Fellow-feeling
           Members
           of
           the
           same
           Mystical
           Body
           ;
           as
           Members
           also
           of
           the
           same
           Political
           Body
           and
           Country
           ,
           to
           extend
           your
           pious
           and
           charitable
           Assistance
           towards
           the
           distressed
           and
           indigent
           Natives
           of
           the
           same
           Country
           :
           Now
           especially
           on
           this
           your
           Solemn
           Feast-Day
           ;
           that
           when
           you
           shall
           
             eat
             your
             Meat
             with
             Gladness
          
           ,
           they
           may
           not
           be
           quite
           empty
           and
           disconsolate
           .
        
         
           I
           must
           tell
           you
           ,
           Charity
           is
           the
           best
           Companion
           of
           all
           Publick
           Feasting
           :
           It
           is
           the
           best
           ,
           and
           most
           Christian
           Argument
           to
           recommend
           it
           ;
           I
           had
           almost
           said
           to
           justifie
           it
           .
           Certain
           it
           is
           ,
           that
           was
           the
           chief
           Reason
           ,
           for
           which
           the
           Primitive
           Christians
           allowed
           of
           Feasting
           at
           all
           ;
           their
           Feasts
           being
           therefore
           ,
           as
           I
           have
           already
           said
           ,
           peculiarly
           styled
           
             Feasts
             of
             Charity
          
           .
        
         
           Consider
           then
           ,
           I
           beseech
           you
           ,
           though
           GOD
           does
           not
           now
           expect
           from
           you
           to
           make
           all
           your
           Goods
           common
           to
           others
           as
           largely
           as
           they
           did
           ;
           yet
           still
           he
           calls
           upon
           you
           ,
           in
           your
           Proportion
           ,
           to
           communicate
           to
           others
           of
           your
           Goods
           ,
           as
           kindly
           ,
           if
           possible
           ,
           as
           they
           did
           .
        
         
           Their
           Community
           of
           all
           things
           properly
           belong'd
           to
           them
           ,
           as
           they
           were
           the
           first
           Christians
           .
           
           But
           the
           Example
           of
           their
           diffusive
           Charity
           obliges
           you
           ,
           if
           you
           will
           be
           Christians
           ;
           if
           you
           will
           be
           Followers
           of
           them
           ,
           
             as
             they
             were
             of
             Christ
             ▪
          
           who
           
             gave
             himself
          
           for
           you
           ,
           for
           this
           very
           Reason
           ,
           that
           you
           should
           approve
           your selves
           to
           be
           his
           
             peculiar
             People
          
           ,
           by
           being
           
             zealous
             of
             good
             Works
          
           .
        
         
           'T
           is
           true
           ,
           GOD
           now
           permits
           every
           Man's
           Estate
           to
           be
           his
           own
           ,
           according
           to
           the
           Laws
           of
           his
           Country
           :
           But
           still
           some
           good
           part
           of
           it
           is
           always
           ,
           and
           upon
           some
           Occasions
           ,
           all
           of
           it
           is
           subject
           to
           the
           Laws
           of
           Christianity
           :
           And
           the
           more
           GOD
           suffers
           it
           to
           be
           ours
           ,
           ought
           not
           we
           ,
           in
           return
           ,
           the
           more
           to
           make
           it
           his
           ?
        
         
           Nay
           ,
           let
           us
           remember
           ,
           that
           our
           Temporal
           perishing
           Goods
           and
           Riches
           are
           then
           most
           our
           own
           ,
           when
           we
           most
           distribute
           them
           as
           GOD
           commands
           .
           Then
           ,
           and
           then
           only
           ,
           if
           GOD
           says
           true
           ,
           we
           shall
           really
           enjoy
           ,
           and
           improve
           the
           best
           way
           ,
           and
           bring
           a
           lasting
           Blessing
           on
           what
           we
           keep
           to
           our selves
           .
           And
           for
           what
           we
           thus
           part
           with
           ,
           GOD
           will
           recompense
           an
           hundred-fold
           into
           our
           Bosoms
           ;
           of
           Peace
           ,
           and
           Joy
           in
           the
           Holy
           Ghost
           in
           this
           World
           ;
           of
           
             Joys
             unspeakable
             and
             full
             of
             Glory
             in
             the
             World
             to
             come
             .
          
        
         
           AMEN
           .
        
         
           FINIS
           .