That is not enough sayes the Apostle to justifie them though there should be no hurt in them yet seeing they perish in the use seeing there comes no good by them you must not doe them But what if they shall be commanded by authority may wee not doe them then No sayes the Apostle that is another argument against them they are after the commandements and doctrine of men if it be a meere ordinance of man and there be no other reason in the thing but because man enjoynes it in the Church you are not to doe it Yea in some respect we have not so much liberty in things indifferent if they be enjoyned by men as we had before This is thought to be a very strange assertion by some but consider this one thing and it will not appear so Though I might doe such a thing before yet if man shall take upon him this authority to command meerly because of his will and pleasure if I now obey I am in danger to edifie him to strengthen him in his sinne he challenges this authority and I seeme to yeeld it to him certainly he is strengthned in it by my subjection except I doe this at least professe against any such authority of man granted by Jesus Christ But say some If you take from Governours power to command things indifferent you take away all their power for things necessary are required without them and things sinfull they may not command Surely this conceit comes rather from tradition then from due consideration for it is not power enough to see to the keeping of the commands of God that the Ordinances be kept pure that there be justice between man and man to reward those which doe well and to punish the evill doers Yet thus farre must be granted to the Officers of the Church they have authority from Christ to declare dogmatically when a thing in it selfe indifferent yet by reason of some circumstances comes to be a duty and this is to be regarded more then the declaration of any private brother or brethren for they doe it by way of office in the name of Christ This we finde Acts 15. the Apostles and Elders sent their Decrees 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their dogmaticall determinations about some things in themselves indifferent but as cloathed with those circumstances they call them things necessary they determine them to be done from the reason of the things not from their authority those things were duties before they decreed them and had been had they never decreed them Even forbearing the eating of blood was a duty in case of offence though their decree had never been and otherwise it was no duty notwithstanding their Decree for afterward Paul sayes that whatsoever is sold in the shambles they might eate of it asking no question for conscience sake and every creature of God is good if it be received with thanksgiving Thus we have seen what the bounds are which God hath set to men in authority or at least the controversie about them Let them be carefull to keep within their bounds as they are set to keep others within theirs by this Church and State may enjoy much peace CHAP. XXIII The fourth dividing practise Gathering of Churches disorderly THis is cryed out of as the greatest dividing practice of all You may speak of this or that to be dividing amongst us say some but above all things this Gathering of Churches is the great divider amongst us To this I shall speak in these six things First it is not absolutely unlawfull for a Church to be gathered out of a Church Voetius that learned Professor of Viretcht answering Jansenius pleading against us for seperating from the Romish Church which was the most ancient and famous Church No sayes he it is not absolutely evill to separate from such a Church for then the Christians gathering themselves out of the Jewish Church were Schismaticks which is false Doctor Jackson a Prelaticall man in the 14. Chapter of his Treatise of the Church gives two reasons which he sayes are just and necessary for which men whether few or many may and ought to seperate themselves from any visible Church First because they are urged or constrained to professe or beleeve some points of doctrine or to adventure upon some practices which are contrary to the rule of Faith or love of God Second in case they are utterly deprived of freedome of Conscience in professing what they inwardly beleeve or bereft of some other meanes either altogether necessary or most expedient to salvation For which latter he quotes 1 Cor. 7. 23. Ye are bought with a price bee not ye servants of men Although sayes he we were perswaded that we could communicate with such a Church without evident danger of damnation yet inasmuch as we cannot communicate with it upon any better termes then legall servants or bondslaves doe with their Masters we are bound in conscience and religious discretion when lawfull occasions and opportunities ore offered to use our liberty and to seeke our freedome rather then to live in bondage This doctrine was allowed of in the Bishops times Now suppose upon these two grounds there be a withdrawing from a Church Christ does no where require his people to live without Ordinances all their dayes rather then they should joyne themselves together into another body Secondly yet where these causes are not but men may communicate without sinne professing the truth and enjoy all ordinances as the freemen of Christ Men must not seperate from a Church though there be corruption in it to gather into a new Church which may be more pure and in some respects more comfortable First because we never finde the Saints in Scripture seperating or raising Churches in such a case and secondly There would be no continuance in Church fellowship if this were admitted for what Church is so pure and hath all things so comfortable but within a while another Church will be more pure and some things will be more comfortable there The generall peace of the Church should be more regarded by us then some comfortable accommodations to our selves Thirdly Although you cannot for the present communicate with the Church in which you are without sinne or bondage yet you are not presently to withdraw to gather into another or to joyne with another you are bound to give so much respect to the Church as to continue with much long-suffering to seeke the good of that Church to remove the sinne that is upon it with all good meanes you can You must beare much with a brother much more with a Church Fourthly If things were in that ordered and settled way as they ought there ought to be no gathering of any new Churches without consulting and advising with neighbour Churches Christ would have all Churches unite themselves and have conjunction one with another being all of the same body of Christ If then there be to be raised a new Sister Church
require why should we distinguish where the Scripture doth not You will say The nature of the thing spoken of will require that it must be restrained to those things that belong to his cognisance Such a limitation must of necessity be granted therefore it is true that the Magistrate cannot command every good thing nor punish every evill the abstruse controversies in Religion come not under the cognisance of a Magistrate as a Magistrate only such things as are against the rules of common justice and equity and the common light of Christianity where he is to govern Christians for he is to enjoyn and punish such things only as if he were not the community of people which sets him up ought to enjoyn and punish for he hath his power from them but of this more in the next Principle If you shall say But those Scriptures speaking of Civill Magistrates wee must understand them to be meant onely of civill things The Magistrate hath his appellation civil because the power that he exercises is civill the things that he do are civill he cannot do the works of a Church-officer by all the power he hath as administer Sacraments and the like but this hinders not the use of his civil power and the doing of external acts upon the outward man subservient to spiritual good indeed what he doth hath not any spirituall efficacy in it for then it were worship Though he cannot work in a spirituall way upon mans soule by his power it is not an Ordinance set apart by God to that end yet he may by the exercise of his power upon the outward man restrain it from the externall act of evill or bring it to an externall good his power still that he exercises is civill yet ordered to the help of spirituall good either removendo prohibentia or applicando media externa or cohibenda a malo externo removing outward things that hindered applying outward means or keeping from outward evils Whatsoever Commandement requires any duty requires us to make use of all things that may help us to the performance of that duty if there be any civil naturall spiritual helps we are bound to make use of all Only here lies the great doubt Whether hath God appointed the use of the Magistrates power to be a helpe to the things of Religion Hath God made this to be an Ordinance for the spirituall good of people That it is by God an Ordinance for their civill good is plaine out of those Scripture before mentioned but how doth it appeare that ever God intended it to be an Ordinance for their spirituall good What naturalnes there is in any thing it hath it from God for nature is Gods worke if there be a naturalness in it to work upon the outward man for the furtherance of spiritual good this is from God if I should use it to work upon the inward man expecting a spirituall efficacy then I make it an ordinance to my self and sin against God presuming to put more in a creature of his then it was appointed to In this consisted the evil of ceremonies they were used in a spirituall way to work upon the heart of man by vertue of that institution that man put upon them beyond what God in their natural power ever put into them But how can naturall and externall things be helps to things spirituall and divine Any mans reason yea sense may tell him that the taking away externall hindrances and the putting upon externall use of divers things may keep from much evill and further much good that is spirituall and divine though it cannot reach to the spiritualnesse and divinenesse of that good yet it reaches to the externall action without which that divine and spirituall good cannot be Wherefore seeing the New Testament sets out the power of Magistrates and requires submission to them in such generall termes from this we may draw such a conclusion Therefore the Lord intended to leave Christians for their subjection to Magistrates to the light of nature to the equity of the generall rules that were in Scripture before time if God should say Ye are Christians see you part not with that liberty Christ hath purchased for you we may give this account Lord we found in thy word that once thou didst make use of the power of Magistrates in matters of Religion in the New Testament there was nothing revealed to forbid their power in them nay Lord Thou toldst us there that thou hast appointed them for our good and to be a terrour to evill workes in the generall From thence we gathered that in our yeelding to their power it was thy will we should make use of those generall rules in Stripture wee found before the times of the Gospel of the light of nature Being also perswaded it was thy mind we should make use of all the naturall helps we could for our spirituall advantage we found it recorded in thy Word that thou didst allow of the exercise of such power in the things of Religion even to those who had only the light of nature to guide them and being the use of it reached only to the outward man we did not see a necessity of a speciall institution for this knowing what naturalness it had in it to be an externall help was put into it by thy self therefore we made use of it God will accept of this account Add yet a consideration or two 1. When the Apostles were convented before Civil Authority about matters of Religion we never find that they pleaded for themselves You have no power to meddle with us in the things of Religion they belong to Jesus Christ only who is our King to that government he hath set in his Church No their plea was only the justness of their cause that what they professed and preached was the truth of God they did it in obedience to God 2. If all men be bound to improve all the abilities gifts talents they have for the propagation of the Gospel the Magistrates are bound to improve those which are peculiar to them If a man hath more wisdom then others or a greater estate or more friends he is to make use of all these for helps to the furtherance of Religion if then a man hath more power then others he is to improve that likewise not onely by countenancing what he conceiveth to be right but by all other means according to the dictates of Reason not forbâ—â— by Scripture But we have often heard that of Tertullian urged If it be therefore said it is lawfull because the Scripture doth not forbid it is therefore unlawfull because the Scripture doth not command Ans In the matters of Gods worship this rule is to be urged but not in matters civil or natural though in their way subservient to worship their Reason may guide very far But you will say What will you then make the Magistrate a Judge in all causes of
mind of the Holy Ghost is dare not yoke you as they did all that we burden you with is these necessary things no Church-officers no Synod can go further then this but certainly every matter in controversie amongst godly and peaceable men cannot be conceived to be necessary Rom. 14. is a very usefull place for this Him that is weak in the faith receive but not to doubtfull disputations Receive him though he understands not all you do do not trouble him neither with nor for doubtfull things One believeth he may eate all things another who is weake eateth herbes let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not neither let him that eateth not judge him that eateth vers 5. One man esteemeth one day above another another esteemeth every day alike let every man be fully perswaded in his owne minde Upon this he gives generall rules to doe all to the glory of God all these people were not in the right for a man not to eate flesh out of conscience when the thing was not forbidden certainly was a sin or to make conscience of a holy day which God required not was a sinne Now the Apostle did not come with his authority and say I will make you leave off keeping such days or you shall eate or to abstain thus as you do is evill and it must not be suffered in you No the Apostle lays no Apostolicall authority upon them but tells them That every man must be fully perswaded in his own mind in what he doth and who art thou that judgest another mans servant the Lord hath received him And yet the Governors of the Churches in the Primitive times might upon much stronger grounds have stood upon such a principle then any Governours of the Church now can there was lesse reason why they should suffer any difference in opinion or practice amongst them then why we should suffer differences amongst us for they had men amongst them immediately inspired who could dictate the mind of Christ infallibly they could tell them the certaine meaning of any Scripture The burden of being under the determinations of such men in points of differences had not been so great as subjection to any Governors now in such cases would be our differences are usually about the meaning of such or such Scriptures in which both sides think they have the right profess one to another as in the presence of God the searcher of all hearts that if they could but see the meaning of such a Scripture to be so as their brethren believe it is they would soon agree and yet though there were in those Primitive times such meanes of reconciling differences more then we have yet there was much mutual toleration amongst them they used no compulsive violence to force those who through weakness differed from them to come up to their judgments or practice Yes It is also more tolerable in Papists not to tolerate any difference in opinion or practice because First they believe they have an infallible Judg to decide all Controversies 2ly They hold implicite faith in the judgment of their Clergie to be sufficient warrant to justifie the belief or practice of the people or of any particular man and yet they suffer differences in opinions and practices amongst them They have their severall orders of their Monks Priests Friars Jesuites they differ very much one from the other and yet agreeing in the root they are suffered supposing those two helps to union they have an infallible Judg and implicite faith wee have cause either to admire at their moderation in their mutuall bearing one with another or at the disquietness the rigidness of spirits amongst us who cannot bear with far lesser things in their brethren differing from them for we professe we know no such externall in fallible Judg upon whom we may depend neither dare we warrant an implicite faith We teach men that every man must be perswaded in his own heart must see the rule of his own actions must give an account of his own way to God now what can men that have the most gracious peaceable spirits you can imagine doe in such a case Before they believe or do what their brethren believe or do they must see the authority of the Word to ground their faith or actions and for the present though sincerely willing to know Gods mind and diligently laborious to search it out yet they cannot see it and yet according to this sowr rigid principle they must be forced to it by violence what is it but to command the full tale of brick to be brought in where no straw can be had if this be not Straw might be had in Egypt by seeking for it but here after the most carefull and painfull seeking for it yet it cannot be had 5ly By this principle the finding out of much truth will be hindered it will stifle mens gifts abilities in arguing and discoursing about truths We know fire is beaten out by striking the flint Although differences be very sad yet the truth that comes to light by them may recompence the sadnesse You cannot beat out a place for a window to let in light but you must endure some trouble Children will think the house is pulling down when the window is beating out but the Father knows the benefit will come by it he complains not that the dust and rubbish lies up and down in the house for a while the light let in by it will recompence all The trouble in the discussions of things by Brethren of different judgments may seem to be great but either you or your posterity hereafter may see cause to blesse God for that light hath been or may be let into the Churches by this meanes men of moderate spirits doe blesse God already But if according to this principle the governors of the Churches must suppress whatsoever they conceive not to be right to what purpose should should there be arguing and discussing of severall judgements and severall ways You will say Those who are the Governours they or those whom they call to consult with may argue and discusse but not others Is not this to deny the Church the benefit of the gifts and graces of thousands of others The Church may soon receive as much prejudice by this as the trouble caused by some differences comes to Sixtly This lays a great temptation to idleness and pride before the guides of the Church Men are naturally subject to sloth and may not this principle suggest such a temptation as this What need we take care or pains to search into truths to be able to convince gain-sayers to câ—râ—y things with strength of Scripture Reason seeing we have power to compel men to yeeld to us And men who can do least by Reason and Scripture are many times strongest in their violence this way this strength must come in to make up their other weaknesse But it may be Conscience will not let them compell
preaching Elders or others should so have the sole power of ruling as to doe all in their owne Consistory Classis or whatsoever you may call their convening that the Church should have nothing to doe with their acts of rule but to obey this is assuming to themselves power beyond what is given them This hath brought tyrannie into the Church it hath made the Church-officers to looke upon the rest of the Church in a contemptible way as the common vulgar sort men ignorant and weak not at all fit to meddle with matters of government not so much as to take cognisance or give any consent to what the Church-officers doe But whether they understand or no whether they consent or dissent it makes no matter the determinations of those in place must stand their censures must be submitted to Peter Martyr in an Epistle to the Ministers and such as professed the faith in Polonia exhorts them to endeavour the establishing of Discipline in the Church as soon as they could while peoples hearts were heat with love to and desires after the Gospell he tells them it will be harder to bring it in afterward when their hearts begin to grow more cold and that they might not thinke Discipline a small thing he sayes that those Churches cannot be said to professe the Gospell truly nor solidly which want it he would have them acknowledge it not to be the least part of Christian Religion but must know that the Gospel is neglected by such as shall put off from themselves such a singular excellent portion of it But sayes he this will be the Objection Under the colour of Discipline the Ministers of the Church will tyrannize they will carry things according to their owne mindes To this he answers Tyrannie in the Ministers needs not be feared where the rule of the Gospel for censures is observed for in casting out any who will not be reclaimed the consent of the Church must be had and if it be done by this authority none can complain of the tyrannie of a few Cyprian in his sixt Epistle professeth his resolution to doe nothing without the counsell of the Elders and consent of the people Our Brethren of Scotland in their opposition to the Prelates give very much to the people in the matter of Excommunication It pertaineth say they to the whole Church collectively taken to deny her Christian communion to such wicked persons as adde contumacie to their disobedience therefore it pertaineth to the whole Church to excommunicate them Againe It pertaineth to the whole Church to admit one into her communion therefore to the whole Church to cast one out of her communion And a page or two after The Apostle writing to the whole Church of Corinth will have them being gathered together to deliver that incestuous person to Satan therefore every particular Church or Congregation hath power to excommunicate There they give many arguments to prove that the Apostle would not excommunicate by his owne authority alone but by the authority of the Church and that collectively taken so they say not the Ministers or Elders of the Church onely Let no man say this was the judgement but of one Minister for at the beginning of this Parliament my selfe together with a reverend Brother asked Master Henderson two or three of the Ministers of Scotland being with him Whether we might not take that Book as the judgement of the most godly and able of the Ministers of Scotland for the matters of Church-discipline They answered we might The second way of going beyond their limits is their extending their power to more Congregations then Christ hath given them charge of The chiefe Church-controversie at this day is about this extent I shall onely shew you where the difference lyes betweene one and the other in it The Question is this Whether one that is set by Christ to take charge of a particular Congregation as a Pastor to feed them by Word Sacraments and Rule may keep the Pastorall charge he hath for Word and Sacraments to one Congregation but his charge for Rule shall extend together with others to an hundred Congregations or more Some say that no Minister can have the charge of ruling over people in a large extent then his charge over them for Word and Sacraments reaches they thinke that those people that can say to a Minister That charge that Christ hath given you for Word and Sacraments extends not to take care of our soules to feed them therefore you have no charge of our souls for ruling if you thinke you may preach or administer Sacraments in an accidentall arbitrary way onely not as chalenging power over us for this or looking upon us as those committed to you for whom you are to answer then at the farthest you may exercise rule over us but in this way But others hold this That a Minister may answer to this people thus I confesse I have indeed onely such a particular Congregation to be my flock and although I being desired to help sometimes in another to preach or administer Sacraments yet I doe it not as having the charge of their soules as being Pastor to them But as for that ruling power that Christ hath given me I conceive by joyning of it with others it extends to hundreds of Congregations or more according as our association shall be so as we have not onely liberty to be helpfull to those who have the speciall charge of the Congregations but we have the supreame ruling power in our hands to challenge in the Name of Christ to exercise over these Congregations as we shall see cause I say the supreme power above what your Ministers or Elders in your particular Congregations have for though these Ministers and Elders of yours be admitted to be members of our Court yet if they all should be of a contrary minde from us in some matter that concernes your Congregation we yet will judge and determine we will censure and exercise all kinde of Ecclesiasticall Jurisdiction in that congregation as we see cause though it may be not one of us ever saw any of the faces of any of the men of your congregation before Here I say lyes the great dividing controversie which is right which is wrong is not my worke to shew all I am to doe is but to shew you what the controversie is about which there is so much dispute And though I determine not the case either way yet I shall leave two considerations to help you in your thoughts about it First the extent of power of Jurisdiction must be by institution as well as the power it selfe all juridicall power whatsoever either in State or Church receives limits or extent from the same authority it first had its rise this is impossible to be denyed If a man by a Charter be made a Mayor of a Towne he cannot therefore challenge the power of a Mayor wheresoever he comes except the authority
the in-let to almost all superstitions in the Church First the plea hath been for decency and order then there hath been stamped a humane institution to raise things higher 3. The urging such things when there is no reason seen in the nature of them why this rather then that makes men fear there is some religious respect put upon them already 4. Here is a stretching the power of Authority beyond the limits of it which Man naturally is very impatient of not knowing how far it may yet further be extended As for the practice of Church-Governors or civill going beyond their bounds we shall speak to in the third Head I have read of Solyman the great Turk when he was advised by a Muâ—hty to compell those of divers Religions in his Dominions to Mahumetisme looking out of his window into his Garden where there was great variety of flowers and herbs said As the variety of flowers and herbs seeme very delightfull so the diversity of Religions in my Kingdome is rather usefull then burthensome so it be those who professe them live peaceably I am not of his mind for the variety of severall Religions of which further by and by yet certainly in the varity of the practices of Brethren in such things as wee are speaking of tuned with brotherly love one towards another there will be a sweet harmony when violent urging Uniformity in such things will cause a harsh discord in the Churches When the fore-named Victor of Rome with those who joyned with him caused wofull divisions in the Church by standing so much upon uniformity urging there could be no Peace without it by it they brake the peace of the Church Iraeneus and others in the same time pleaded for the peace of the Church to be procured by yeelding to difference of practice in such things in the name of all the brethren in France under his charge he writes to Victor and those who joyned with him and tells them of the variety of practises of divers Brethren in times before them which was very neare the Apostles times who yet were at unity one with another They who were Bishops sayes he before Soter of that Sea which now thou governest as Anicetus Pius Higinus Telesphorus Xixtus were at unity with them of other Churches although their observations were various and Polycarpus being at Rome in the time of Anicetus varyed in divers things from him Although Polycarpus had says he what he did from John the Disciple of our Lord with whom he conversed yet would he not perswade Anicetus to the same things but left him to the way of his owne Church and they communicated lovingly one with another and parted in a brotherly way Cannot men walke peaceably in a broad way though they do not tread just in one anothers steps What though there be some distance in their walke one towards one side the other towards the other side of the way must they needs fall out because they are not in the same path when the way is broad enough Indeed if they went over a narrow bridg they must not take that liberty to go abredth if they keep not close to one anothers steps if they step at a distance they may fall into the River Thus in matters of divine worship we must look to it that we walk exactly in the same steps if there we presume to take liberty wee may soone fall but in circumstances of an inferiour nature there may be difference without division We must not here take upon us to be wiser then Christ Melancthon in an Epistle to some Brethren of differing minds cited by Gersom Bucerus perswades to unity thus Seeing saith he wee agree in the principall Articles of Faith let us embrace one another with mutuall love the dissimilitnde and varity of Rights and Ceremonies I will adde sayes Bncerus and of Ecclesiasticall Government ought not to disjoyn our minds CHAP. V. The second dividing Principle All Religions are to be tolerated THis is a divider indeed There is a great outcry of this but what is the scope of it it is to exasperate mens spirits against the toleration of any thing Some think there must needs be a necessary dependance between tolerating some things conceived errors and tolerating all things and if it were not for the fear of the one there would not be such ado about the other But I hope I shall clearly shew there is no such dependence but as this is a dividing principle that all things should be tolerated so the other is as truly dividing and false that nothing should be tolerated There is nothing makes more stirre amongst us at this day then this principle of absolute liberty in matters of Religion Conscience presses me to speak what I shall find to be the mind of God in this thing The wantonnesse of mens spirits their extream boldnesse about the matters of God and Christ is such as should cause our hearts to tremble such horrid blasphemous things are amongst us owned and professed with so much impudence and their practice strengthned by this Principle That there is to be an absolute liberty in the things of Religion that our duty to God our love to and care of the preservation of Religion calls us to set our selves against such a false sinfull dangerous disturbing Principle as this is This Principle is strengthened by two Positions both which are dividing as well as the Principle it selfe First That Magistrates have nothing to do with men in the matters of Religion Secondly Conscience is a tender thing and must have liberty nothing must be done to men who plead their consciences for what they do First wee shall shew the Principle it selfe to be a dividing principle Then the mistakes in those two assertions that uphold this principle As they strengthen the principle so they strengthen division The principle is dividing For First It is an abhorring to nature Is it not an abhorring thing to any mans heart in the world that men should suffer that God to be blasphemed whom they honour and that nothing should be done for the restrayning any but to aske them why they doe so and to perswade them to doe otherwise There hath ever been as great a contestation amongst people about Religion as about any thing Exod. 8. 25 26. Pharaoh bade Moses sacrifice in the land But Moses said It is not meete so to doe for we shall sacrifice the abominations of the Aegyptians Loc shall wee sacrifice the abomination of the Aegyptians before their eyes and will they not stone us Though they had leave of the King yet the people would not endure it Secondly It is against the light of Scripture Deutr. 13. 6. If thy brother the sonne of thy mother or thy sonne or thy daughter or the wife of thy bosome or thy friend which is as thine owne soule entice thee secretly saying Let us goe and serve other gods which thou hast not knowne nor thy fathers
who are for the Congregationall way in reference to the matter in hand namely the means to reducing from or keeping out errours and heresies from the Church in this lyes the dividing businesse But I beseech you consider what a punctum we divide here and judg whether the cause of division in this thing be so great as there can be no help and whether if an evil spirit prevail not amongst us we may not joyne For First consider what is there in this delivering to Satan which is a seventh thing that our Brethren thinke may hopefully prevail with mens consciences when the sixe former cannot Yes say they for by this they are put out of the Kingdome of Christ into the Kingdome of Satan and this will terâ—ifie This putting out of Christs Kingdome must be understood clave non errante if the Synod judges right not otherwise Yes this is granted by all Then consider whether this be not done before and that with an authority of Christ by those former six things for Hereticall Congregations or persons are judged and declared in a solemn Ordinance by the Officers of Christ gathered together in his name to be such as have no right in any Church-ordinance to have no communion with any of the Churches of Christ Now if this judgement be right are not such persons or Congregations put out of the Kingdome of Christ and put under the power of Sathan consequently But they are not formally and juridically delivered up to Satan What shall we still divide as to devour one another for formality and juridically when those termes are not at all in Scripture seeing we agree not in the substance of the thing which may as really and fully prevaile with conscientious men as if formality were observed especially if we consider Secondly that it is a great question amongst our Brethren whether this traditio Satanae were not Apostolicall peculiar to the power of Apostles so as ordinary Elders had it not and if it prove so then non-communion will prove the utmost censure the Church now hath But thirdly if some brethren rise to a seventh degree and others stay at six which yet have such a power over conscience that if they prevaile not the seventh is no way likely to prevaile Why should not the Apostles rule quiet us all Phil. 3. 15 16. whereunto we have already attained let us walke by the same rule If in any thing you be otherwise minded God will reveale even this unto you If we have attained but to six and our brethren have attained to seven let us walk together lovingly to the six If God shall after reveal the seventh we will promise to pray and study in the mean time wee shall walke with them also why must it needs be now urged with violence so as to divide else and although we hold not the seventh yet there is an ingredient in the sixt that hath in it the strength of the seventh For wherein lyes the strength of the seventh above the rest is it not in this that it is the last meanes Christ hath appointed in his Church to worke upon the heart this consideration hath much terrour in it Now those in the Congregationall way say that this is fully in the sixt wherefore that it is as terrible to their consciences as the seventh can be to the consciences of our brethren and that upon the same ground And consider now my Brethren whether the Congregationall way be such as if it be suffered there will be no helpe to reduce an erring or hereticall Church but all Religions Arrianisme Mahumetisme any thing must be suffered Surely men doe not deale fairly in raising such mighty accusations upon such poor and weak grounds this great aspersion and huge out-cry that these men would have all religions suffered and in that way there is no help against any Heriticall Congregations moulders and vanishes away before you Let no man yet say All this that hath been said is nothing If you be conscientious who hear them say so your owne breasts must needs suggest an answer surely these things would be very much to me to prevaile with my conscience But what if Congregations refuse to give account of their wayes what if they will not shew so much conscientiousnesse as to regard admonitions declaring against them withdrawing communion from them So we may say what if they will not regard your delivering them up to Satan but will go on still You will say then you will complain to the Magistrate his power must come in to assist to make them regard what the Church doth But now you have no further help from any intrinsicall power the Church hath and as for subjection to the Magistrate there we are upon equall ground if he will interpose he may assist and second the sentence of judging men subverters of faith of withdrawing communion from them in the one as well as the sentence of giving men up to Satan in the other and we must still be subject here to suffer what is inflicted if we cannot do what is required onely we do not go so far as some do in this one thing whereas they lay a Law upon the consciences of Magistrates that they are bound to assist with their power the decrees of the church taking cognisance only of the fact of the Church that they have thus decreed not enquiring into the nature of the things we dare not lay any such bond upon the Magistrates conscience But say that he is to assist the Church both upon the knowledg of what the Church hath done and the knowledg of the nature of the thing seeing every private man hath this power to be judg of his own act it were a great misery upon those who have power over men to be denyed this power If it shall be said But surely they do not agree so far they do not come up to these six things mentioned To that I answer I do not in these deliver only mine own judgment but by what I know of the judgments of all those Brethren with whom I have occasion to converse by conference both before and since I stand charged to make it good to be their judgements also yea it hath been both theirs and mine for divers years even then when we never thought to have enjoyed our our own Land again and if it be so then let the Lord be judg between us and our Brethren for those lowd and grievous out-cryes there hath been against us in this thing But if the difference be so little why doe they not come in We come as far as we have light to guide us we dare not step one step in the dark if we do we shall certainly fall into sin whatsoever else we fall into what ever the thing be to others it would be our sin if there were no other reason but because we venture in the dark We sayl up to our Brethren as far as we can see
too then men who are not conscientious but of turbulent and corrupt spirits will abuse it We have given rules to find out those who onely pretend conscience and if by those or the like it does not appeare but that men are indeed conscientious in their way we should judg charitably of them you think much if those be not admitted to communion with Christ and his Saints when they professe godlinesse in word and life and nothing appears to the contrary why then should you think much to tolerate those as conscientious who professe it in words and life and nothing appears to the contrary Bishop Davenant in that exhortation to peace before quoted as one meanes for peace gives his opinion thus Because it belongs only to God to teach the hearts of men it is our duty alwayes to make the best interpretation of things and to presume of every one where the contrary appeares not by manifest signes that hee is kept from assenting by his conscience rather then by obstinacy As for the peaceablenesse of mens dispositions let it be judged from their carriages in other things of as great moment wherein the temptation for the attaining their owne ends is as great yea far greater then here Do they not carry themselves in as peaceable gentle self-denying way as any Mr. Parker upon the Crosse cap. 5. sect 14. pleads for himself and others who could not yeeld in some things enjoyned them when they were accused of pride contempt unpeaceablenesse What signes sayes he doe men see in us of pride contempt unpeaceablenesse What be our caetera opera that bewray such a humor Let it be named wherein we go not two mile where we are commanded to goe but one yea whether we goe not as many miles as any shooe of the preparation of the Gospel of peace will carry us What payment what paine what labour what taxation made us ever to murmure Survey our charges where wee have laboured if they be not found to be of the faithfullest Subjects that be in the land Wee deserve no favour nay there is wherein we stretch our consciences to the uttermost to conforme and obey in divers matters Are we refractory then other things As Balaams Asse said to his Master Have I used to serve thee so at other times And whereas it is said that some will abuse such liberty at this It is answered Surely those who are peaceable and conscientious must not be deprived of what sufferance Christ allowes them because others who are in the same way are or may prove turbulent and do or may not appear truly conscientious This is as farre beneath the rule of Justice as no sufferance in any thing conceived erroneous is above it Thirdly whatsoever errours or miscarriages in Religion the Church should bear withall in men continuing them still in communion with them as Brethren these the Magistrate should bear with in men continuing them in the Kingdome or Common-wealth in the enjoyment of the liberty of Subjects Grant what possible can be granted to the Magistrate in the extent of his power about Religion to be Custos utriusque tabulae yet certainly no man can imagine that this his charge reaches further then the charge of the Church That he is to be more exact in his oversight of these things then the Church is to be for what ever the power of the Magistrate be in these things yet to the Church especially are the Oracles the Ordinances the Truths of God committed The charge of the spirituall estate of men especially belongs to the Church Now the Church is to beare with men in their infirmities though they be ignorant of many things yea after means used for information No Church must cast off any from communion with it but for such things that all the Churches of Christ ought to cast them off for This is generally held by our Brethren if a man be rightly cast out of communion with one Church he is thereby cast out of all if this be so then surely many things must be suffered before we proceed to cast out a member it must not be for every errour or miscarriage Thus Bishop Davenant in his rules for Peace Those may not be cut off from communion with particular Churches who remaine joyned to the Catholique Church Yea none is to be cast out of communion but for that which if whole Churches were guilty of we must refuse communion with yea with all the Churches in the world if they could be supposed to be so far left of Christ as to be guilty of the same thing If this be so when a Church is about casting any out of communion it need be wary and not presently fall upon him because there is something evill in him and if the Church should be so the civill Magistrate much more whose care of a mans spirituall estate is not so immediate and full as the Churches is From what hath been said these 2. consequences are clear First Articles or rules for doctrine or practise in matters of Religion to be imposed upon men should be as few as may be there is a very great danger in the unnecessary multiplying them This in all ages hath caused divisions and exceeding disturbances in the Churches of Christ I finde an excellent passage in an Epistle of Isaac Causabon to Cardinall Perron which hee wrote in the name of King Iames by his command The King saith he thinks that the things that are absolutely necessary to salvation are not many therefore His Majesty is of that mind that there is no shorter way for peace then first by severing necessary things from things that are not necessary and then to labour a full agreement in those but as for things not necessary let them sayes he be left to Christian liberty And againe These necessary things are few and the King thinks this distinction to be of so great moment to lessen the controversies which this day doe so exceedingly trouble the Church that all who study peace should most diligently explicate teach and urge this God hath so graciously ordered things for the body that things necessary for life are not many nor costly the greatest stir in the world is about things not necessary So for the soule A second consequence from what hath been said is we see hence who is most for peace one professeth what he is convinced of to be a truth and a duty if it be not necessary he is not to force it upon his Brethren though he had never so much power in the Church or State to back him The other holds this principle That whatsoever he thinks to be a duty he must force it upon his brethren not only by the power of the Church but he must call in the power of the Magistrate to back him in it But doe not men in a Congregationall way urge upon others their owne conceptionâ— and practices according to the power they have
institution of his From hence we have an answer to that Objection is made against many things done by those who are in a Congregationall way what institution have they for many things they do what for their Covenant c. Though there be no Text of Scripture holds forth this in terminis yet it is grounded upon other institutions plainly held forth in Scripture First it is clear in Scripture that besides the Catholique Church there are particular Churches Saints imbodied under such Officers who are so Officers to them as they are not to others These people can look upon this man as their Pastor and this Pastor upon this people in a peculiar relation they may do some acts of power over one another in their Congregation which they cannot do over others in another Congregation Now then it follows they being a body must needs have something to joyne them together and the least thing that can be to joyn them is the manifestation of their assent to joyn for those ends for which Christ hath appointed such a body and what is their Covenant but this Onely some manifest their assent more largely some more briefly I know nothing more is required but to manifest their assent to joyn with that body to set up all the Ordinances of Christ so far as they know If there be any other thing done in their Churches wherein they make further use of reason and prudence then in the two fore-named things they cannot justifie it but must acknowledg it evill The tenth Dividing Principle or rather vaine conceit Every difference in Religion is a differing Religion VVHat do you hear more ordinary then this How many Religions have we now Shall so many Religions be suffered amongst us we cannot tell now what Religion men are of upon this apprehension they oppose such as differ from them in some few things with all the violence they can as men bringing up new Religions and would take away their Religion from them how can they possibly accord with men that are of a different Religion from them Surely we are more afraid then hurt Though our differences be sad enough yet they come not up to this to make us men of different Religions We agree in the same end though not in the same means they are but different wayes of opposing the common adversary The agreeing in the same means in the same way of opposing the common enemy would be very comfortable it would be our strength but that cannot be expected in this world Livie in his story of a great Battail between Hannibal and Scipio sayes That at the joyning of the Armies the shouting of Scipio's men was farre more terrible then the shouting of Hannibal's because Scipio's men were all Romans their shouting had all the same tone but Hannibal's Army was made up of men of severall Countries so that in their shouting there was variety of the tones of their voyce which was not accounted so formidable a shout as the other It is true our adversaries do not look our opposition to them having so much diversity in it so formidable as they would if we were all but one in our way of opposing them But stil we are all shouting against the common enemy although therefore the terrour upon our adversary would be greater if our shout were more uniform yet we hope the victory may be as sure Souldiers who march against a common enemy all under the same Captain who follow the same Colours in their Ensign and wear them upon their hats or arms may get the day though they be not all cloathed alike though they differ in things of lesse concernment Revel 15. 2. we read of the Saints standing upon a sea of glasse which had fire mingled with it Mr. Brightman interprets this sea of glass the doctrine of the Gospel more clear more transparent then the doctrine of the Law which he sayes was resembled by the sea of brasse that Solomon made But there is fire mingled in this sea of glasse that is saith hee There are contentions divisions in the Church where this doctrine of the Gospel is taught But yet mark what follows They got the victory over the beast and over his image and over his marke and over the number of his name and had the harps of God in their hands and sang the song of Moses c. Men who are in a crowd tread one upon another yet they all make to the same door they would all go the same way Godly people are divided in their opinions and wayes but they are united in Christ though they may be divided from such a particular society yet they are not divided from the Church it is with the Saints here as with the boughs of trees in time of a storm you shall see the boughs one beat upon another as if they would beat one another to pieces as if Armies were fighting but this is but while the wind while the tempest lasts stay a while and you shal see every bough standing in its own order and comeliness why because they are all united in one root if any bough be rotten the storme breaks it off but the sound boughs come into their former place These times of division may break off men whose spirits were before unsound they will never come in to joyne with the Saints again so as they seemed to doe in former times but within a while when this gust is over others may come in and shew themselves to be all united in and receive sap from the same root CHAP. XIV Dividing Distempers the lusts of mens hearts THese divide us not onely from God but from one another This I learne sayes Luther from mine owne experience that I have more cause to feare what is within me then what is without What ever others do to divide us would prevail little were it not for the lusts of our hearts within Vapours that are got within the earth are the cause of all earthquakes they rend and tear the winds storms and tempests without never move it Ill humours within the body disturb more then the ayre without James 4. 1. Whence are wars and fighting amongst you are they not hence even from your lusts Whence come they The answer is soon made Do you not see plainly that they came from your lusts Yet were this Question put to some of us Whence are all our divisions Some would answer Such kinde of men are the cause of them and others would answer Nay but such men cause them We all put off the cause of our divisions from our selves few would give Saint James his answer They are from hence even from our lusts There would not be such evill distillations from the head if it were not for the malignant vapours that arise from the stomach The curing the heart will sooner cure the head then the curing the head will cure the heart Whence are wars even from your lusts The Apostle
Paris sent to their King in the yeare 1555. after he had sent forth an Edict requiring great severity against those who differed in matters of Religion They professed to him they did not think his Edict equal and that they could not subscribe to it for say they we see that such severe punishments for matters of Religion render men detestible to the people but their errours abide the same still they are not at all altered in their opinions by severity but for their parts they give their judgements that it were better to go in the old way of the Church which did not propagate Religion by sword and fire but by pure doctrine and the good examples of the lives of their Bishops Let them live piously and teach the word of God sincerely this is the way to root out errours that encrease so fast but if this be not done no Lawes no Edicts of men will doe any good Sleidan in his Commentaries hath set down a Decree of the Emperour King Ferdinando and the rest of the Princes and States that the controversie of Religion should be appeased by none other but by godly friendly and quiet meanes But a few pages after he relates the effect of a Petition of those in Austria for their freedom in Religion to King Ferdinando with an answer of the King to them In which there was this passage That such as shall not like that Religion which the Prince hath chosen may have free liberty to sell that they have and go dwell in another place without any blemish to their estimation To which the Embassadors of Austria reply What discommoditie were herein how heavie and sorrowfull newes this would be to the people who seeth not When they shall heare that they which have been ever most ready to spend their bloud and life for the preservation and dignity of the House of Austria must now forsake their most sweet native Countrey so many yeers inhabited and enriched by their fore-fathers Therefore we admit not that Answer in this behalfe but as we have done heretofore for the honour of God we beseech you that you would suffer us to have no let in this matter c. But you will say What does all this tend to but to plead for an absolute Toleration which you seemed before to be against I answer In quoting these Authors I own not such a judgment that possibly you may think to be in some of them for an absolute Toleration How a Toleration should be limited and granted I have spoke to before but I produce the Authors to this end that the rigidnesse of the judgments of some amongst us that think all differences in religion thot cannot be quelled by argument must be quelled bâ— violence may be mollified I am sure if any of these men go too far one way those which I am now reproving goe as wide another Fierce violence in matters of Religion is dangerous as the Chirurgeons rigorous handling his patients arm breaks that bone quite which before was but out of joynt 6. Some take advantage by them to give themselves to loosenes in their lives it is a time of liberty and they will take their time If times were quiet and settled they would be observed more narrowly there would be means of restraint but in these times every man takes his own way and so will they But know that God takes this very ill at thy hands The more loose others are the more conscionable shouldest thou be the worse the dayes are the more circumspectly shouldest thou walk Ezek. 44. 10. The Levites that are gone from me which went astray when Israel forsook me they shall also bear their iniquity The commonnesse of a sin is an aggravation of it 7. Some make no other use of them then to observe which way there may be advantage got by them how they may sute themselves to this side or the other for their gaine or to drive on some private designe so long as they can make use of the times that run such a way they are for them if the stream turn they can turn too they can tack about to every wind their study is not to help to heale them but to contrive wayes how they may get by them Hence they wrench and sprain their consciences with the quick turnings this way and that way they will be on the sunny side wheresoever it be Cunning heads and corrupt hearts will serve their owne turnes by all varieties of times If they were in Dioclesians time they could be Pagans if in Constantines Christians if in Constantius Arrians if in Julians Apostates if in Jovians Christians againe and all this within lesse then the age of a man 8. Some have their spirits in a base manner subjugated by these divisions and troubles that come upon them they care not what they do or submit to so be it they may have peace they will bow down their backs and consciences they will put themselves and posterity under the yoke of perpetuall slavery so be it they may be at quiet and enjoy their estates for the present no matter what becomes of the publick no matter what becomes of the truth They are content to let all go to betray all for their own private advantage This is beneath the spirit of a man 9. Others are discouraged upon the sight of the great evils that daily â—low from our divisions and are like still to flow their hearts sinke in despaire They call into question whether it be the cause of God that we now undertake When the Temple was building there was no noise of hammer axe or any toole of iron heard in the house while it was in building But oh Lord is our work Temple-work We heare the noise not of hammer and axe but of swords and spears of drumms and cannons of railings and revilings these are dreadfull in our eares but let us not be discouraged for though there was no noise heard in the House yet in preparation for the House there was It may be all we are yet about is only preparatory work for the House of our God If God will use us in this only yet blessed be his name Wherefore though our divisions be many and very evill yet they are not so evill nor many but that there may be hope in Israel concerning this thing For consider It is no new thing for divisions to be in the Church THe Apostle would not have us think it strange concerning the fiery triall he means there of persecution The fiery contentions amongst us are another fiery triall We should not think strange of this neither as if such a thing had befaln us that nevâ—r yet befell any I think for all circumstances it is every hard to parallel but the Church in all ages hath been sorely afflicted with divisions Act. 15. 39. Paul and Barnabas two great Apostles were so divided that they could not keep company together but went one from another in anger
The Text sayes The contentions were so sharpe betweene them that they departed asunder one from another The word signifies such a sharpnesse as there is in vineger It is used by Physicians to signifie the sharpnesse of the feverish humour when it is acting in a fit Their dissention put them as it were into the fit of a Fever You will say Surely it was some very great matter that should cause such eminent and holy men to be in such a passion one against another to be so hot as not to company together Truly no the matter was not great it was whether Mark should go with them or no the one would have him the other would not have him about this the contention arose to this height Reade the Epistle to the Romanes to the Corinthians to the Galathians you shall finde very great dissentions in these Churches And in after-times especially when God delivered them from those ten bloudy Persecutions the contentions of the Church were very great When Constantine came to the Nicene Councell divers of the Members of that Councell accused one another to the Emperour and put up Libels one against another which Libels Constantine caused to be burned After all the debates of the Councell with the presence of the Emperour who laboured all he could for peace and union amongst them making large speeches to that purpose to them yet there were five of them dissented from the rest in matters of greater consequence then any amongst us dissent from our Brethren namely in that point of Christs being of the same substance with the Father I finde in Eusebius this grievous complaint After our affaires through too much liberty ease and security degenerated from the rule of piety one pursued another with open contumely and hatred we impugned our selves by no other then our selves with the armour of spite and sharpe speares of opprobrious words so that Bishops against Bishops and people against people raised sedition and they which seemed our Shepherds laying aside the rule of piety practised contention and schisme among themselves and whilest they aggravated contention threatnings mutuall hatred and enmity and every one proceeded in ambition much like tyranny it selfe then the Lord according to the saying of Jeremy made the daughter of Sion obscure and overthrew from above the glory of Israel The contentions of the Church caused by those four grand Heresies of Arius Macedonius Nestorius Eutyches one after another exercised the Church a long time There was much siding some cleaving to one part some to another in all these four The first denyed Christs divinity upon which the first Nicene Councell was called The second the personality of the Spirit upon which the second Generall Councell was called at Constantinople The third the distinction of persons in Christ upon which the third Generall Councell was called at Ephesus The fourth confounded Christs natures upon which the fourth was called at Chalcedon About this time Pelagius and Donatus caused much disturbance in Europe and Africa Epiphanius who lived in the third Century reekons threescore severall Heresies that had got head many followers of them all which caused great breaches in the Church from the time of the Apostles to the time wherein he lived After the division of the Empire into the Easterne and Westerne parts then arose mighty contention for the Primacy between the Bishops of Rome and Constantinople that put the Church into wofull contentions for many yeares one part excommunicating the other writing and opposing one another to the uttermost When this heat is at the hottest then on the one side upon the Westerne parts God let out the Gothes Hunnes Vandals those barbarous people and Mahomet upon the Easterne so that all learning was almost extinct in the Christian world and grosse darknesse came upon the face of all Churches The Church having lost her lights men of learning and worth then the great contention about Images arose that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Eastern Churches demolishing Images in Temples the Western maintaining them with extreme contention against the Eastern There were not only excommunications thundred one against another but much bloud was shed in that quarrell In this condition have the Churches been from time to time divided yea fighting with one another about opinions And for the divisions and contentions betweene particular men and most eminent Lights in the Church in those times after they came to have rest from persecutions We find most lamentable complaints in the writings of the Ancients of the extremè offence these dissentions were to the Heathen Nazianzen in his first Apologeticall Oration We are made a spectacle sayes he to Angels and Men not as that valiant champion Paul who fought against Principalities and Powers but we are made a scorn to wicked men in their Markets their Feasts their Playes in all their meetings The most vile people jeer us and all this for contending and warring one with another Basil makes this complaint I have lived now sayes he the age of a man and see more union in Arts and Sciences then in Divinity for in the the Church I see such dissentions as do divide it assunder and dissipates it Chrysostome and Epiphanius fell out so bittâ—rly that the one wished the other might never dye a Bishop and the other wished that he might never goe home alive And it fell out to either of them as each one had wished to the other for Epiphanius came not to Cyprus he dyed on the Seas by the way neither did Chrysostome dye a Bishop for he was deposed and banished the Church The contentions between Jerome and Ruffinus were bery bitter who had been formerly great friends Augustine in his 15. Epistle sayes Their friendship had been famous in all the Churches If such things may fall out between Jerome and Ruffinus sayes he who that is now a friend may not fear to be an enemy Yet Ruffinus writes two Books against Jerome which are intituled Ruffini Invectiva in Hieronymum He begins his first invective applying that of the Psalmist to Jerome Ps 57. 4. I lye among them that are set on fire even the sonnes of men whose teeth are speares arrowes and their tongue a sharp sword In the beginning of his second he accuses him of lying and that he does himselfe what he reproves in others with abundance of such kinde of bitter stuffe And Jerome payes him againe in the same kinde In his 16. Epist ad Principiam Virginem he calls him a Scorpion in regard of the poyson that came from him And in his Apology against him lib. 3. in the beginning of it he applyes that Scripture to Ruffinus Prov. 14. 3. In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride And that of Isay Isa 32. 6. The vile person will speak villany and his heart will worke iniquity to utter error against the Lord. And I finde in an Epistle of Augustine to Jerome a great complaint
is done our work is done for this world The second joyning Principle That shall never be got by strife that may be had by love and peace VVE would all fain have our wills now that which lies uppermost upon many mens hearts that which is the first thing they do if their wills be crossed is presently to strive and contend but this should be the last thing after all other means are tried this should never be made use of but in case of pure necessity We should first think Is there any way in the world whereby it is possible we may have our desires satisfyed with peace let us try this and another way a third a fourth yea a hundred wayes if they lye between us and the way of strife before we come to meddle with that This rule you will find of very great use to order all our businesses in Churches Common-wealths of Townes Families yea whatsoever concernes any of your persons in reference to any other The Apostle 1 Cor. 12. rebuking the divisions of that Church of which they are guilty more then any for they had many among them of raised parts of eminent gifts and therefore puffed up more then others Except God joynes eminency of grace men of eminent gifts joyne lesse then others whose gifts are meaner Among those meanes he directs for union when he speakes of love I will shew you sayes he a more excellent way ver last 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a way of the highest excellency beyond any expression The way of love of the engaging hearts one to another is the only way to bring men to unity of judgement yea the only way when all is done for men to have their wills I may give you this or the other rule to bring you to think and do the same thing but that which hath an excellency in it with an Hyperbole is the way of love If you could get your mindes by other wayes certainly you cannot enjoy it with that sweetnesse and comfort as you may if you have got it this way Marcus Cato repented that ever he went by sea when he might have gone by land it seems the skill of those times for Navigation was not great but certainly there is no man living but hath cause to repent him that ever he got that by strife contention that he might have got by love peace What hinders why soft and gentle words may not prevaile as well as hard and bitter language Why may not a loving winning carriage do as much as severe rigid violence If it may thou providest ill for thine own peace and comfort to leave this way and betake thy self to the other Tell me were it a signe of valour in a man to draw his sword at every Whappet that comes near him yea at every Fly that lights upon him Were it not folly and madnesse Why he may by putting forth his finger put them off from him Thy froward cholerick spirit is ready to draw at every thing that thou likest not This is thy folly thou mayest with lesse adoe have what thou hast a minde to If I would put a Feather from me I need not strike violently at it a soft gentle breath will do it better Why should a man labour and toyle till he sweats again to take up a pin Have none of you sometimes made a great stirre in your families about that which when the stir is a little over you plainly see you might have had as well with a word speaking and hath not your heart secretly upbraided you then Try the next time what you can do by faire and gentle meanes Why should we let the strength of our spirits run waste Let this be a constant rule never make use of severity till you have tryed what clemency will do there is more power in that to conquer the hearts of men you would faine have yeild to you then you are aware of Plutarch reports of Philip of Macedon that when one Arcadion railed on him the Courtiers would have had him dealt severely with but Philip took another course he sends for him and spake gently to him and shewed great love and respect to him upon this Arcadions heart was turned so as there was no man in the world that Arcadion spoke more honourably of then of Philip wheresoever he came After a while Philip met with those who would have him to have revenged himself upon Arcadion What say you now of Arcadion sayes he How doth he now behave himself There is no man living say they speaks better of you now then he Well then sayes Philip I am a better Physitian then you my physick hath done that which yours never would have done The like he reports of Fabius who was called the Romans Target When he heard of a souldier who was valiant yet practised with some others to go and serve the enemy he calls him to him and in stead of dealing with him in rigour tels him he had not had recompense according to his desert and gives him honourable gifts and so gaines him to be faithfull for ever And sayes he As Hunters Riders of Horses and such as tame wilde beasts shall sooner make them leave their savage and churlish nature by gentle usage and manning of them then by beating and shackling them so a governour of men should rather correct by patience gentlenesse and clemency then by rigour violence and severity None but a cruell harsh sordid spirited man will say I had rather men should fear me then love me God prizes most what he hath from us by love The third joyning Principle It is better to doe good then to receive good ACtive good is better then passive only God himselfe his Angels and Saints do good all creatures can receive good This principle would quickly joyne us for if this were in mens hearts they would study to do all the good they could to one another and so gaine upon one anothers hearts and the more good we doe to any the more will our hearts be inclinable to love them The very communication of goodnesse if it be out of a good spirit carryes the heart along with it to the subject this good is communicated to the more good God doth to any the more he loves them God hates nothing that he hath made but loves what there is in any thing of his work but when he communicates his grace his Spirit when he gives his Christ in these gifts he gives his heart they do not only come from love but they make the subject further lovely in his eyes So it is with us in our proportion if you take a poore childe from the dunghill or out of the Almes-house and make him your heyre you do not only do this good to him because you love dim but you also love him more because you look upon him as an object of your goodnesse as one raised by you Titus accounted that day lost a day
zeale any helps to peace and union who are they that make the greatest disturbances in the world but your fiery zelots if men were of a cooler temper we should have more peace Ans Distempered zeale may cause disturbance but true zeale the cleare flame of the Spirit of God making men in their waies zealous not for themselves but for God this has the blessing of Gods peace with it Numb 25. 12. 13. Phinehas there has the promise of the Covenant of peace because he was zealous for his God The twelfth In seeking to reduce others to good let it appeare that you seek rather to be helpfull to them then to get victory over them IT is grievous to a mans nature to be conquered but not to be helped Ambrose writing to his friend Marcellus about composing some breaches between him and his brother and sister hath amongst other this excellent expression I thought that to be the best way I would have none to be conquered and all to overcome The like practice is reported of Scipio when at the taking of New Carthage two Souldiers contended about the Murall Crowne due to him who first climbed the walls so that the whole Army was thereupon in danger of division when he came to Scipio he decides the matter thus He told them they both got up the wall together and so gave the scaling Crowne to both The thirteenth Make up breaches as soone as may be TAke them if it may be at the beginning When good men fall out onely one of them is usually faulty at the first but if such strifes continue any time both of them become guilty If you deferre the setting of a bone broken it cannot be done without much difficulty and great paine Prov. 17. 14. The beginning of strife is as when one lets out water therefore leave off contention before it be medled with antequam immisceat se so you may reade it before it be got into thee and mingle it selfe in thy heart or between you and your brother If your house be on fire you doe not stay quenching it till it breaks out of the roofe divisions that are but sparks very little at the first if let alone grow very high and great in a little time I have read a story of two sonnes of the Duke of Florence Who having been hunting the one said My dog killed the Hare and the other said Nay but my dog killed it words multiplyed they grew into a heat the one drawes upon the other and kills him the servant seeing his master killed draws upon him who had slaine him and kills him Neglect not beginnings of quarrels you know not to what they may grow The fourteenth Let us account those brethren in whom we see godlinesse and carry our selves towards them accordingly though they will not account us LEt us not be too ready to take the forfeiture of our brethern The learned and godly men who lived in that Age wherein the Donatists renounced all Christian communion with other Churches yea disclaimed any brotherhood with other Christians yet seeing godlinesse in many of them they did account them part of the Church and their brethren thus they sought to pluck those to them who thrust themselves from them Lastly pray much PLiny sayes of the pearles they call Unions though they be engendred in the sea yet they participate more of the heavens then of the sea Certainly this precious union though it be amongst men yet it hath its lustre and beauty yea its very being from the heavens You must look up to heaven therefore for peace for the preservation increase lustre beauty of it if you would have it Job 25. 2. God maketh peace in his high places the Lord can make peace between high and low Let us carry mens rugged crooked perverse hearts to God in Prayer who is the great joyner of hearts it is he that makes men to be of one mind in a house he maketh the wars to cease Psal 122. 6. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem In your prayers for the Church this must be mentioned as a speciall blessing If praying prevaile not fighting will not Those are the most peaceable men in Church and Common-wealth that pray most for the peace of them God hath more prayers for the peace of this Church and State upon the file of theirs whom some of you account hinderers of it then of yours You complaine much for want of peace you inveigh much against those whom you are pleased to mark out as hinderers of the peace but doe you pray as much You have these meanes presented unto you for the furtherance of peace what other you may meet with any way make use of 2 Thes 3. 16. The Lord of peace give you peace alwayes by all meanes And that all may be the better improved let the exhortation of the Apostle 1 Thes 4. 11. sink into you Study to be quiet the words are Love the honour of being quiet There is great excellency in it That is the last thing CAP. XXXV Exhortation to peaceable and brotherly union shewing the excellency of it ANd now my brethren as the Eunuch said to Philip concerning his Baptisme Here is water what lets but I may be baptized I shall say concerning our uniting in peace and love one with another Here are Joyning Principles Joyning Considerations Joyning Graces Joyning Practices what now le ts but that we may joyne in love and peace one with another Surely nothing can let but extreme corrupt perverse hearts of our owne The Apostle Paul is mighty earnest in his desires in his exhortations for this 1 Cor. 1. 12. Now I beseech you brethren by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye all speak the same thing and that there be no divisions among you but that ye be perfectly joyned together in the same mind and in the same judgement The word translated perfectly joyned signifies such a joyning as when a bone is out of joynt is perfectly set right againe So Philip. 2. 1. If there be therefore any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the Spirit if any bowels and mercies fulfill ye my joy that ye be like minded having the same love being of one accord of one mind let nothing be done through strife c. The Apostle poures forth his soule in this exhortation it is a heart-breaking exhortation Luther though a man of a stirring hot spirit yet writing to the Pastors of the Church of Strasburg hath these words I pray you be perswaded that I shall alwayes be as desirous to embrace concord as I am desirous to have the Lord Jesus to be propitious to me I finde also in a Letter that Martin Bucer writes to a godly Minister a very high expression of that high esteeme he had of and earnest desires after the curing of divisions Who would not sayes he purchase with his life the removing that