portion of some soules in the Congregation they dared not mention them 4ly When your profession of some truths will take off mens hearts from other that are more weighty and necessary The rule of the Apostle Rom. 14. 1. holds forth this Receive not those men who are weake in faith to doubtfull disputations this may hinder them in the great things of the Kingdome of God Righteousnesse peace joy in the holy Ghost vers 17. As if the Apostle should say Let them be wel established in them but these doubtfull disputations will hinder them in such things as these are Fiftly when my profession at this time in this thing is like to hinder a more useful profession at another time in another thing Prov. 29. 11. A foole uttereth all his mind he that is wise keeps it in till afterward It was the wisdome of Paul when he was at Athens not presently to break out against their Idols hee staid his due time and yet all the time hee kept in his uprightnesse in the hatred of Idolatry as much as ever Sixtly when our profession will cause publick disturbance and that to the godly the disturbance of mens corruptions who will oppose out of malice is not much to be regarded When it was told Christ the Pharisees were offended he cared not for it but he made a great matter of the offence of any of his little ones When men who love the truth as well as wee shall not only be against what we conceive truth but shall be offended and that generally at it if we have discharged our own consciences by declaring as we are called to it what we conceive the mind of God we should sit down quietly and not continue in a way of publique offence and disturbance to the Saints The rule of the Apostle will come in here Let the spirit of the Prophets be subjects to the Prophets wee should wait till God will some other way or at some other time have that prevaile in their hearts and consciences of his people which we conceive to be truth and they are now so much offended at There could never be peace continued in the Church if every man must continually upon all occasions have liberty openly to make profession of what he apprehends to be a truth never have done with it though the Church which is faithfull and desires unfeignedly to honour Christ and his truth be never so much against it In divers of these cases the consideration of that Text Eccl. 7. 16. is very sutable Be not righteous over much neither make thy selfe over wise why shouldst thou destroy thy selfe Amongst other things this is included in the scope of the Holy Ghost when you apprehend a thing to be a truth do not think that you are bound all times upon all occasions to the utmost profess practise promote that truth without any consideration of others being carried on with this apprehension it is a truth come of it what will whatsoevâ— becomes of me whatsoever trouble shall follow upon it I must and will professe it and publish it again and again to the death In this you had need look to your spirit in this you may be over-just and make your self over-wise though there may be some uprightnesse in your heart some love to Christ and his truth yet there may be mixture of your own spirit also you may stretch beyond the rule this is to be over-righteous to think out of a zeal to God and his truth to goe beyond what God requires It is true at no time upon no occasion though thy life and all the lives in the world lay upon it thou must not deny any the least truth but there may be a time when God doth not require of thee to make profession of every thing thou believest to be a truth You will say This tends to loosness to lukewarmness to time-serving men pretending and pleading discretion grow loose and remisse and so by degrees fall off from the truth Vers 17. Let men take heed of that too Be not over-much wicked neither be thou foolish As you must be carefull not to goe beyond the rule so take heed you fall not off from it so you may grow wicked and foolish yea very wicked over-wicked God will meet with you there too Wherefore vers 18. It is good thou shouldst take hold of this yea also from this withdraw not thine hand Take both be carefull of thy self in both but especially mark the last clause of the 18. vers He that feareth God shall come forth of them all The feare of God possessing thy heart will help thee in these straits thou shalt by it be delivered from being ensnared by thy indiscreet sinfull zeale and it shall likewise keep thee from bringing misery upon thy selfe by falling as farre on the other hand to looseness and time-serving The fear of God will ballast thy soul even it will carry thee on in a way that shall be good in the eyes of the Lord and of his Saints There is a natural boldnes and a mixed zeal in many who are godly that carries them on in those ways that causes great disturbance to others and brings themselves into great straits and snares and these men are very ready to censure others of nesse and loosenesse who do not as themselves do but this Scripture reproves them shewing that it is not through fleshly wisdome and providing for ease that is the cause others do not as they do but the fear of God in a right way ballasting their spirits God will own his fear to be in their hearts ordering them aright when thy disorderly mixed zeale shall receive rebuke from Christ But doth not Christ say Hee came into the world to witnesse to the truth and is not every truth more worth then our lives That man who in the former five cases wherein profession is shewed to be our duty shall witness to the truth he shewes that truth is indeed precious to him and gives that testimony to the truth that he was born for although in the six latter he shall forbear But when these latter cases shall fall out how shall the truth be maintained will it not suffer much prejudice 1. Christ will not be beholding to mens weaknesses for the maintenance of his truth 2. If every man according to his place to deliver his own soule shall declare observing the rules we shall speak to presently what he conceives to be the mind of God though he shall not either in words or practice continually hold forth the same yet thereby the truth is maintained 3. The truth is maintained by forbearing that practice which those opinions of men that are contrary to the truth puts them upon not doing as they do is a continual witnesse against them and so a witnesse for the truth this is a Christians duty at all times although I must never upon any ground do that which my conscience sayes is in
this they have after grown loose in as great an excesse the other way yea it may be have vanished and come to nothing CHAP. XIII The seventh Dividing Principle It is obstinacy for a man not to be convinced by the judgement of many more learned and godly then himselfe THe making this to be the rule to judg obstinacy by hath in all ages caused great divisions by exasperating the spirits of â—â—en one against another In times of Popery what rage did it raise against men who were most conscientious the generality of men thought they did God good service in persecuting those who would not yeeld to the judgment of others who had the repute of learning and piety and those who were conscientious could not yeeld to their determinations not seeing the truth of God in them and this made the stir VVhile men appear obstinate by the rule of Christ we are not to bear with them and this Principle sets thousands of godly peaceable men in the seat of the obstinate these cannot in conscience yeeld and others cannot but in conscience oppose them what reconciliation then can there be hoped either men must captivate their consciences cause them in a sordid way to bow down to slavery or else there must needs be continuall division and opposition where this prevailes I confesse such a Principle as this is would make for union amongst those who either think they need not or through carelesnesse regard not to searth out truth but with an implicite faith take in all that shall be imposed upon them who think ignorance of Gods mind and conscience slavery to be no great evil this is never urged with violence but either by those who have given up their consciences to be serviceable to the ease and content of the flesh or those who have or hope to have power in their hands to bring others in subjection to them Because the right informing our judgments in this may much conduce to peace I shall endeavour 1. To shew you what due respect is to be given to mens judgments who are learned and godly 2. Yet not so much as to make their judgments the rule to judg men obstinate if they differ from them 3. VVhat then should be the rule by what should we judg a man to be obstiate For the first Certainly much respect is to be given to the learning and godlinesse of men There is a great delusion in many mens hearts that makes them thinke it to be halfe Popery to give any respect to Learning although the abuse of Learning hath done much evill against that much hath been and may be said but I dare avow this that never since the beginning of the world could a man be found to speak against earning but an ignorant man neither is it like nay I may aver it is impossible that any but such will be found to the end of the world Learning hath so much of God in it that it never had nor will have any enemy but ignorance 1. Tim. 4. 13. Give attendance to reading to exhortation to doctrine Ver. 15. Give thy selfe wholly to them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be in them And when we see grace added to Learning it should adde much to our esteem of such a man it is the orient pearl in the gold ring it is a great testimony to a way that it is the way of good men Prov. 2. 20. That thou maist walke in the way of good men and keep the paths of the righteous The judgement and counsell of such is to be received with very great respect especially if the eminencie of their grace appears in the tenderness of their spirits that we may see much of the feare of God in them Ezra 10. 3. Now let us make a covenant according to the counsell of my Lord and of those that tremble at the commandement of our God And when not only some few godly men are of this mind but when it is that which God hath sealed in the hearts of the Saints generally very high respect is to be given unto it Wherefore he that differs in his judgment from wise learned godly men had need First spend much time in Prayer and Humiliation before the Lord. There is a notable expression of Basil cited in an Appendix of an Epistle of Luther to the Ministers of Norimberg who were at variance one from another He who will separate him selfe from his brethren had need consider many things even to anxiety he had need break his sleep many nights and seeke of God with many teares the demonstration of the truth 2ly You must even then when you cannot subject to their judgments preserve due reverence in your heart and shew due respects to men of learning and grace according to their worth We have a notable relation of that holy man Mr. Greenham in a Letter of his to the Bishop of Ely in whose Diocesse he lived the Bishop seeking to bring him to conformity objected thus unto him Why will not you yeeld Luther approved of these things are you wiser then he His sober and gracious answer was I reverence more the revealed will of God in teaching that worthy instrument of God Mr. Luther so many necessary things to salvation then I search into his secret will why hee kept backe from his knowledge other things of lesse importance 3ly If those things wherein we differ from the judgments of learned and godly men be not matters of duty they only may bring us to some suffering we should silently yeeld for peace sake and out of respect to them not opposse 4ly In all things wherein you may have any helpe from them you should repair to them and desire to partake of the benefit of those gifts and graces God hath bestowed upon them 5ly In all things wherein you can agree you should be the more carefull to manifest all possible observance and respect to them in blessing God for any help he grants to you by them either in making known his truth to you or at least in further confirming you in it by them 6ly And in what still your consciences will not suffer you to agree with them you are to take it as your affliction and to account that way you are in to want a great lustre and most desireable encouragement in that so many learned and godly mens judgments and practices are against it We are to raise our respects to men of learning and godliness thus high but if we should go so high as to give up our judgment and consciences to them we should in honouring them dishonour Christ yea they would account themselves to be dishonoured Such as are truly godly and wise do rather account it their honor to carry a loving respect to those who differ from them then desire that men should blindfold before they see their grounds follow them Prelaticall spirits indeed account it their honour to force men to be of their mind it is
over This evill many times comes of it that reason and truth from one man is little regarded and error and weaknesse from another man is greedily embraced and stifly maintained whereas it should be with Reason and Truth as it is with money one mans money in a market is as good as anothers so should one mans reason and truth spoken by him be as good as anothers The ninth dividing practice Because men cannot joyne in all things with others they will joyne in nothing SOme men are of such dividing dispositions that if they be offended with a man in any one thing in hearing or otherwise they will goe away in a tetchy moode resolving never to heare him more You think you have liberty in any froward mood to cast off that meanes of good which God offers to you to refuse to partake of such mens gifts and graces as you please It may be your stomack is so high and great on a sudden or your spirit is falne into such a sullen humour as you will not so much as go or send to him to see if upon a serious and quiet examination of things you may not have satisfaction in what for the present offends you No mens spirits are carryed on with present rash heady resolutions I believe there was never such a kinde of spirit prevailing amongst such as professe godlinesse since Christian Religion was in the world never did so many withdraw from hearing even those by whom they acknowledge God hath spoken to their hearts and that before they have gone to them to impart what it is that scruples them to try whether they may not get some satisfaction Certainly if you have no neede of the Word the Word hath no neede of you You may easily express your discontents one to another you may easily say you are resolved you will never heare such an one any more but you cannot so easily answer this to Jesus Christ When your weaknesses the prevailing of your distempers shall grate upon your consciences this will be a great aggravation of the evil of them You neglected in a humorous way and selfe-willed resolution those means that might have done your soule good even such as many hundred if not thousands of soules blesse God for all the dayes of their lives yea are now blessing God in heaven for Heretofore you would have been glad of that which now you sleight and reject this is not from more light or strength that you have now which you had not then but from more vanity pride and wantonnesse Others deny hearing not from such a distempered spirit but out of tendernesse because they think the Minister is no true Minister of Christ because he had no true call because he was ordained by the Prelats c. I confesse though for mine own part I never yet doubted of the lawfulnesse of the call of many of the Ministers of the parishionall congregations in England though they had something superadded which was sinfull yet it did not nullifie what call they had by the Church that communion of Saints amongst whom they exercised their Ministery yet I doe not thinke it the shortest way to convince those which refuse to heare to stand to prove to them the lawfulnesse of the call of those Ministers whom they refuse to heare but rather to make it out to them that though their call be not right to the Ministery yet they have not sufficient ground of withdrawing from hearing them For they hold it is lawfull for a man to preach the Word as a gifted man and that these men from whom they withdraw are gifted and faithfull and preach excellent truths they deny not But they will say If they did this as gifted men it were another matter but they preach by vertue of their call The answer to that is if they be acted by that principle and therein mistake this is their personall sinne not the sin of those who joyne with them in a good thing which they doe upon an ill ground When I joyne with a man in an action I am to look to the action and to the principle that I goe upon but let him with whom I joyne look to the principle that he goes upon Your hearing a man doth no way justifie his call to the office of the Ministery If a man doth a thing that he may doe by vertue of two relations or either of them it may be he thinks he stands in one of those relations which indeed he doth not yet he doth the action by vertue of it in his owne thoughts in this he sinnes but there is another relation wherein he stands that is enough to warrant the action that he doth to be lawfull Now though he doth not intend the acting by this relation the action may be sinne to him but not at all sinne to those who joyne with him in it If he will goe upon a false ground when he may goe upon a true let him looke to it I will joyne with him in that action as warranted for him to doe by vertue of his second relation which it may be he will not owne himselfe Take an instance in some other thing and the case perhaps will be more cleare Giving almes is a worke that a man may doe either by vertue of Church office as a Deacon or as a Christian whom God hath blessed in his estate or betrusted with the distribution of what others betrust him with Now suppose a man is in the place of a Deacon he thinks himself to be in that office by a right call into it and he gives out the almes of his Church by vertue of his call but I am perswaded his call to that office is not right he is not a true Deacon yet if I be in want I knowing that both he those who have given him money to dispose may and ought to distribute to those that are in need by vertue of another relation as men as Christians enabled by God surely then I may receive almes from him lawfully though his principle by which he gives them me is sinne to him I may communicate with him in this thing though he acts by vertue of that office that he had no true call unto why may I not as well communicate with a man in his gifts though he acts thus sinfully himselfe This consideration will answer all those objections â—gainst hearing men that they say are not baptized grant they are not and so you thinke they cannot be Ministers yet they are men gifted by God and thereby enabled to dispence many truths of God to your soule The tenth dividing Practice Fastning upon those who are in any errour all those false things and dangerous consequences that by strength of reason and subtilty may be drawne from that errour THis imbitters the spirits of men one against another it is true grant one false thing and a thousand may follow but I must not judge of a man that holds that one
another so as one would think it impossible that ever in this world there should have been that distance between them that now there is How often have we prayed Oh that once we might be blessed with such a mercy as to worship God according to his own mind that we might be delivered from conscience oppression from spirituall bondage Oh that we might be delivered from the inventions of men in the service of God that the Saints might joyn and serve the Lord with one shoulder There were never such hopes that the Saints should enjoy their prayers so as of late there hath been and yet never were they so divided as now they are they now seek to bring one another in bondage If five or six years since when many of us were praying together making our moans to God for that oppression we were under God should have then presented as in a Map such times as these are to our view could we have beleeved that it were possible that there should be such a distance in our spirits as now there is Fourthly our Divisions are very dishonourable to Jesus Christ were it that they darkned our names onely it were not so much but that which darkens the glory of Jesus Christ should goe very neere unto us I have read of Alexander Severus seeing two Christians contending one with another commanded them that they should not presume to take the name of Christians upon themselves any longer For sayes he you dishonour your Master Christ whose Disciples you professe to be It is dishonour to a General to have his Army routed and run into confusion The Devill seems to prevaile against us in these our divisions so as to rout us John 17. 21. 23. is a notable Scripture to shew the sinfulnesse of our divisions in the dishonour they put upon Christ and it may be as strong an argument against them as any I know in the Book of God Christ praying to the Father for the union of his Saints uses this argument O Father let this be granted that the world may beleeve that thou hast sent me And againe ver 23. Let them be perfect in one that the world may know that thou hast sent me If they be not united one to another in love and peace but have a spirit of Division ruling amongst them what will the world thinke surely that thou didst not send me that I who am their head their teacher and Lord never came from thee for thou art wisdom holiness and love if I had come from thee then those who own me to be theirs and whom I own to be mine would hold forth in their conversations something of that spirit of holinesse wisdome and love there is in thee but when the world does not see this in them but the clean contrary they will never beleeve that I came from thee those truths that I came into the world to make known as from thee O Father will not be beleeved but rather persecuted if those who professe them by their divisions one from another and oppositions one against another shew forth a spirit of pride folly envy frowardnesse therefore O Father let them be one as thou and I am one if this Petition be not granted how shall I look the world in the face I shall be contemned in the world what am I come down from thee for such glorious ends as indeed those were for which I came into the world and when I should come to attaine those ends for which I came shall there be such a carriage in those who doe professe my Name that by it the world shall perswade themselves that thou didst never send me O what a sore evill would this be surely any Christian heart must needs tremble at the least thought of having a hand in so great an evill as this is Fifthly Divisions are sinfull because they grieve the holy Spirit of God Ephes 4. 30 31. Grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed to the day of redemption Surely there is no godly heart but will say O God forbid that I should doe any thing to grieve the good spirit of God it is the Spirit that hath enlightned me that hath revealed the great mysteries of God of Christ of eternall life unto me it is that Spirit that hath drawn my Soul to Jesus Christ that hath comforted it with those consolations that are more to me then ten thousand worlds the Spirit that hath strengthned me that helpes me against temptations that carries me through difficulties that enables me to rejoyce in tribulations the Spirit that is an earnest to assure me of Gods electing love the spirit thet hath sealed me up to the day of Redemption and now shall I be gâ—ily of so great a sinne as to grieve this blessed Spirit of the Lord If I did but know wherein I have grieved it it could not but make my soul to bleed within me that I should have such a wretched heart to grieve this holy Spirit by whom my soule hath enjoyed so much good I hope should for ever hereafter take heed of that thing I would rather suffer any griefe in the world to mine owne spirit then be any occasion of grief to that blessed Spirit of God But would you know what it is that hath grieved it and what it is that is like to grieve it further mark what followes ver 31. Let all bitternesse wrath anger clamour and evill speaking be put away from you with all malice And would you doe that which may rejoyce it Oh! God knowes it would be the greatest joy in the world for me to doe it then ver 32. Be ye kind one to another tender-hearted forgiving one another even as God for Christs sake hath forgiven you Sixthly these divisions doe grieve and offend our Brethren this should not be a light matter to us Christ accounts it a great evill to offend one of his little ones We may thinke it a little matter to give offence to some of Gods people who are poore and meane in the world so long as we have the bravery of it and the countenance of great men no matter for them But friend whatsoever slight thoughts thou hast of it Christ thinks it a great matter you may look upon them as under you the times favour you more then them but if you shall give them cause to goe to God to make their moanes to him of any ill usage they have had from you Lord thou knowest I was for peace to the uttermost that I could so farre as I was able to see thy Word for my guide but these who heretofore were as Brethren to me now their spirits are estranged their hearts are imbittered their words their carriages are very grievous and all because I cannot come up to what their opinions their ways are certainly this would prove very ill to you regard it as lightly as you will it may be when others carry themselves towards you
in the wilderness in an afflicted condition we are fiery serpents one to another The Hebrew word that signifies afflicted signifies meeke to note that afflicted ones should be meek ones When the storm is comming the Bees flock together to the hive Ier. 50. 4. In those dayes saith the Lord the children of Israel shall come and the children of Judah together going and weeping they shall goe and seek the Lord their God Judah and Israel could not agree at other times but when they are in a weeping condition then they shall come together Secondly it is a time of Fasting and Prayer England never knew what such Fasting and Prayer meant as it hath knowne of late No nation in the world that we know of ever knew the like and shall we in such times as these when we are casting downe our selves before Almighty God when we are judging our selves before him in the pride and frowardness of our hearts contend against one another Esay 58 4. Behold ye fast for strife and debate and to fight with the fist of wickednesse It is a fist of wickedness indeed that fights in times of Fasts Is it such a Fast that I have chosen How doe we in the dayes of our Fasts acknowledge our vileness our unworthyness of the least mercy our pride our self-love our envy our passions all those distempers that are dividing distempers yet still we continue in them and they break forth into dividing practices Surely our Fasts will rise up in judgement against us to make the sin of our divisions out of measure sinfull Thirdly It is a time also of great mercies We are afflicted but not forsaken and mercies should sweeten our spirits This Summer hath been a continued miracle of mercies if our agreeing together our love to one another were now beyond the expectation of all men as Gods mercies to us have been beyond and above all expectation even such a fruit of mercies would be the greatest mercy of all But if instead of being sweetned by mercies we are the more imbittered one against another how great is this sinne If we shall take occasion from our victories at Nazeby Taunton Bridgewater Sherburne Bristol to seek to drive out of the Kingdome thousands of godly men whom God used as instruments of so great mercy to us will not this be sin unto us God brought us indeed into a wildernesse but he hath there spoke comfortably to us our wildernesse is our way to Canaan It was the charge of Joseph to his brethren Gen. 45. 24. when they were going from Egypt to Canaan See that ye fall not out by the way We hope God is leading us to Canaan oh that we could see Christ looking upon us and charging us saying See that you fall not out by the way do not grudg one against another let not one say You are the cause of our trouble and another say Nay but you are the cause of our trouble let every one charge his own heart let every man fall out with his own sin as much as he will but let not brethren fall out by the way Fourthly it is a time of Service God never put such opportunities of service into our hands as now he hath How many holy men who were furnished with large abilities and enlarged hearts to have done service for God and his people in former times lived privately onely enjoyed sweet communion between God and their owne soules but oh how did they prize opportunities of service how did they thirst after and greedily embrace advantages for publique work they were willing to submit to any thing to the uttermost their consciences would suffer them that they might be employed in work for God and his Saints Though their encouragement from men was small yet their work was wages to them but in those times almost all places of publique imployment were in the hands or at the dispose of evill men could they have foreseen that within a few yeers there should be a doore open for all godly men to full opportunities for the imployment of their gifts and graces to the uttermost How would they have rejoyced and longed to have seen those times and blessed those who should live in them I am confident it cannot be shewn that ever there was a time since the world began that so many godly people in a Kingdome have had such a large opportunity of publike service as for these last five yeers hath been in England and shall this opportunity be lost with our wranglings and contendings Oh how unworthy are we to live in such times as these are When a Master sets his servants to work and that in such a peece of work as is of great concernment the opportunity of which if lost will be a great losse to him if these servants shall trifle away this opportunity with wrangling one with another about their work one opposing another in it will this be a good account to their Master So much time was spent in work but so much in quarelling whereby there is little of the work done We read of Nehemiah cap. 6. 3. when Sanballat and Tobiah those quarelsome companions sent to him to meet them intending to quarrell with him he answered them I am doing a worke so that I cannot come why should the worke cease If we see men set upon strife and contention we should not meddle with them to spend our time in answering what comes from them our case were miserable if we were at the mercy of every quarreller bound to answer whatsoever he pleases to put forth But let us tend our work these opportunities of service that now we have are too pretious to give away to them to be spent to be lost upon them How just were it with God to take these opportunities from us to bring us againe into such a condition as we should be glad of a dayes imployment in publick service and then oh how would our consciences wring us and grate upon us for such ill improvement of them for such unworthy losse of them when we had them 5. This time is the time of the tryall of our spirits We never had such a time to try what spirit of love what principles of union are in us as now we have and shall we now miscarry May it not be justly thought that all our seeming love one to closing one with another formerly was only for our own ends Before we were all under oppression or at least the fears of it when we looked upon our selves as in the same condition then the trial was not so much but now there is some difference made in the condition of godly men Some have the times smiling upon them more then others now is the time of tryal The time of the triall of the spirit of Pharaâ—hs Butler towards Joseph was when he was out of prison injoying his preferment at the Court Joseph remained stil in prison Perhaps while they were fellow-prisoners
he makes to him of those differences there were between Ruffinus and him with very patheticall expressions to move Jerome to peace When I read your Epistles I pined away with griefe my heart was cold within me for feare Oh miserable oh lamentable condition that we are in You who were wont to be most familiar joyned in the strongest bands you who are wont to lick up the honey of the holy Scriptures now there is bitternesse amongst you Woe is me that I cannot meet you together that I might fall down at your feet and weep my fill that I might beg of you as strongly as I love you sometime either of you for your own sake sometime both of you for eithers sake and especially for the sake of those that are weake for whom Christ died who look upon you with a great deale of danger that you would not in your writings spread such things one against another which though you should agree you could not wipe off from one another or such things as if ye were agreed ye would be afraid to reade Yea many times there was very hot contest between Jerome and Augustine himselfe Sometimes I finde some of their writings one against another to be very sharpe If we can debate things without bitternesse of discord well and good but if I cannot tell you what should be mended in your writings and you tell me what should be mended in mine without suspition of envie and breach of friendship let us meddle no more but favour our healths and lives In after-times when God stirred up a spirit in Luther and others to set themselves against the tyranny of Antichrist to throw off that heavy yoke of bondage the dissentions between the chief publique instruments of God to the Church was very great as Luther and Zuinglius and Oecolampadius and Corolostadius Luther in one of his Epistles sayes that there was no wickednesse no cruelty that Zuinglius did not charge him with And in another Epistle he complains that Corolostadius was more malitious against him then ever any of his enemies yet had been And as for Oecolompadius Luther was so provoked against him as he called him the black Devill We may see what strange corruptions are working-sometimes in the hearts of godly men As for the many sects and rents in and presently after Luthers time they would fill up a large volume to name them with their severall opinions and wayes There is one Schlusselburgius a Protestant Divine that hath gathered the chief of them together in twelve or thirteen severall Books that he wrote about them There is not any one strange opinion amongst us now but you shall finde it amongst them in terminis and that so prevailing as to get a strong party to joyne with it Only I remember not that one that hath taken some who though they acknowledg the Scripture yet think there is no visible Church upon the earth In after-times whosoever shall read Junius his Comment upon Psal 122. will finde the state of the Church in his time miserably distracted and distressed with contentions I cannot sayes he but be exceedingly moved when I thinke of these evills What shall I doe Shall I hold my peace when the Devill has stirred up so great a perturbation has kindled so great a fire Certainly there is such a fire kindled in the Christian world that unlesse God looks from heaven upon us it will consume all the mindes of men are as hearths for this fire upon which sin burns the tongues of men some are the bellowes that blow this fire others as fuell by which this fire burnes more and more That the tongue cannot do to blow up and down this fire that virulent papers do dung-carts of virulent papers that is his expression Yea a great part of the Christian world at this time seems to be rather like the place of the burning of dead bodies then the house of Christs flock are these Shepherds are these the Sheep of Christ whom I see to consume away in their miserable burning Surely they are Shepherds still they are the Sheep of Christ and anointed ones still but many of them in this horrible and deadly burning remember not that they are Sheep or Shepherds And thus he proceeds further in pouring forth his soul in most grivious complaints This fiery triall of dissentions in the Church then is no new thing we are to be sensible of it to account it a great affiction but not to look upon it as if some strange thing had befalne us that never befell the Churches before But you will say How can we do lesse but account it a very strange thing that those who fear God should be thus divided that dogs should snarle one at another is no marvaile but that sheep that those who are godly should do thus this we cannot but wonder at for what reason can there be given for it yea what shew of reason can there be imagined If we consider of things wisely we have no such cause to wonder that godly men in this their estate of imperfection should differ so much one from another as they do For First every godly man prizes and seeks after knowledge others mind little but their profit and pleasure they trouble not themselves about the knowing the things of God except ambition puts them upon it they care not which way truths goe But the Godly man prizes every truth at a high rate worth the contending for to the uttermost rather then to deny it or lose it In the dark all colours be alike but in the light they appeare diverse While the Egyptians were in the darke they all sate still but they moved with various motions when the light brake out upon them when men discusse things and desire to see farther into them it is impossible considering the weaknesses of the best and the variety of mens apprehensions but there must needs be much difference in mens judgements then considering that every thing they apprehend to be a truth their consciences are engaged in it at least thus farre that they must not deny it for a world this puts mens spirits at distance although both be godly both love the truth equally Secondly Godly men are Free-men Christ hath made them so and requires them not to suffer themselves to be brought under bondage they must not cannot submit their consciencee to the opinions determinations decrees of any men living they cannot submit to any as Lords over their faith this others can do as for points of Religion say some let learned men judge of them we will not be wiser then they we will submit and others must submit to what they shall determine this makes quick work indeed of divisions but this those who feare God cannot do they must see every thing they own as truth with their own light yet received from Jesus Christ though they reverence men of greater parts deeper learning yet they have
infinite scandall that comes by dissention Oh that there were such hearts in us Christ expects it from us all but especially from his Ministers for they are his Ambassadours for peace to beseech men in his stead to be reconciled to God reconciliation with God will reconcile us one to another If God so loved us we ought also to love one another 1 John 4. 11. The faces of the Cherubims in the Temple looked one towards another which some think signified the agreement that should be amongst Ministers of the Gospel So the six branches in the Candlestick joyned all in one those who hold the light of truth before others should be united in peace in one amongst themselves The first thing Christs Ministers were to doe when they came to any place was to say Peace be to that place if any sons of peace were there they were to abide otherwise not Surely then it is expected that themselves should be sonnes of peace The contentions of private Christians are offensive but the contentions of Ministers is a scandall with a witnesse Yet in all Ages of the Church the corrupt Clergie have been the greatest causes of divisions they have been of the most cruell spirits against any that differed from them But let not such a spirit be in us we have enough to do to contend with the wicked of the world with the malice of Satan let us not contend one with another Luther writing to the Ministers of Norimberg brings in Christ saying to them Satis est vobis ob nomen meum malorum You are like to suffer evil enough for my name you need not be afflictions one to another It was barbarousnesse in the Priests of Baal to cut and slash themselves but it is worse for the Ministers of Jesus Christ to cut and slash one another 1 Kings 6. 23. The Cherubims were made of the Olive tree If you be typified by them as we hinted before let it appeare that you are olives not brambles yea and v. 31. For the entring of the Oracle the doores were of Olive-tree who will believe that you bring the Oracles of God with you when they see by your froward contentious carriage that you never entred in at these doores People cannot but think it a miserable thing to have a scratching tearing bramble to be over them Oh that God would set the beauty glory of peace friendship love before us That this precious pearle Vnion might be highly valued by us All men are taken in some degree or other with the excellency and sweetness of love and friendship Some men sayes Cicero despise riches others honours those things that by some are delighted in by others are vilified but all men of all sorts have a high esteem of friendship they think there can be no life without it Gen. 34. 21. The great commendation that Hamor and Shechem give of Jacob and his Sons as an argument to perswade the men of Shechem to joyn with them in the giving their daughters to them for wives and in taking theirs is These men are peaceable with us A peaceable disposition is very convincing Cant. 6. 6. My dove my undefiled is but one she is the onely one of her mother she is the choice one of her that bare her What then followes The daughters saw her and blessed her yea the Queenes and the Concubines and they praised her Who I se she that looketh forth as the morning faire as the moone cleare as the Sunne terrible as an Army of Banners Let the Saints be but one and then they will appeare beautifull and glorious indeed yea they will be terrible as an army of Baners Evagrius in his Ecclesiasticall History records an Epistle of Cyrill of Alexandria written to John of Antioch upon the occasion of a Pacificatory Epistle of John unto him his spirit was so taken with it that it breaks forth thus Let the heavens rejoyce and let the earth be glad the mid wall of rancour is battered downe the boyling choler which bereaved the mindes of quietnesse is purged from among us and all the occasion of discord and dissention is banished away for our Saviour Iesus Christ hath granted peace unto the Churches under heaven The Thebans made Harmonia a goddesse they accounted her the defender and patronesse of their City Harmonious peaceable uniting dispositions have much of God in them if not from sanctifying grace yet it is from a common work of the Spirit of God there is a noblenesse in such a heart By the Lawes of England Noblemen have this priviledge that none of them can be bound to the peace because it is supposed that a Noble disposition will never be engaged in brawles and contentions it is supposed that the peace is alwayes bound to him that of his own accord he will be carefull to preserve it It is the base Bramble that rends and teares Nazianzen reports of Alexander who having taken a City and consulting what to doe one Parmenius answered If he were King he would raze the City to the ground Alexander answers So would I too if I were what you are rigour may become you but gentlenesse becomes me Gentlenesse mercy goodnesse love tendernesse of others sufferings are the greatest ornaments to a noble spirit If this be sanctified the glory of God shines bright indeed in such a heart For God glories in this to be the God of peace and love 1 Thess 5. 23. The very God of peace 2 Thess 3. 16. The Lord of peace himselfe Jesus Christ in being the Prince of peace the holy Ghost in being like a Dove that hath no gall the Gospel is the Gospel of peace the Kingdome of God is peace as well as righteousnesse the legacy that Christ left is a legacy of peace the Apostolicall benediction is grace mercy and peace the glory of the Church is in this that it is a City compact at unity within it selfe Yea this will be the glory of that glorious Church that God is raising a new Jerusalem there shall be no more crying there Apoc. 21. 4. Ezech. 14. 9. The Lord shall be King over all the earth in that day there shall be one Lord and his name shall be one There is but one Lord now but he is called by different names but in that day his name shall be but one Zeph. 3. 9. Then will I turne to a people of pure language that they may call upon the name of the Lord and serve him with one consent The Hebrew word is with one shoulder now we shoulder one another but then all shall serve the Lord with one shoulder This love and peace is compared to the most delightfull and the most profitable things Behold how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell at unity it is like the precious ointment upon the head that ranne downe upon the beard even Aarons beard that went downe to the skirts of his garment as the dew of
Hermon that descended upon the mountaines of Sion Psal 123. There are many promises made to this Mat. 5. Blessed are the peace-makers 2 Cor. 13. 11. Be of one minde live in peace and the God of peace shall be with you John 15. 12. Christ sayes This is his commandement that we love one another ver 14. he sayes Ye are my friends if ye doe whatsoever I command you By loving others we doe not only get them to be our friends but Christ too Me thinks I see Christ here pleading for love as one who had to deale with two men who were at some variance perswading them to peace and love Come you shall passe by all former things you shall be made friends by this you shall gaine me also to be a friend to you as long as I live Genes 13. ver 8. to the end is a remarkable Scripture to shew how God is with a loving gentle peaceable disposition Ver. 8. 9. we have Abrahams kinde gentle yeelding to Lot his inferiour for peace sake but mark what followes and you shall finde he lost nothing by this his yeelding for as soone as Lot was gone from him the Lord came to him ver 14. and said to him Lift up now thine eyes and looke from the place where thou art Northward Southward Eastward and Westward for all the Land that thou seest to thee will I give it and to thy seed for ever arise walke thorough the Land in the length of it and in the breadth of it for I will give it unto thee The difference of what Jacob sayes of Reuben when he was to dye Gen. 49. 4. from that of Moses Deut. 33. 6. is observable Jacob sayes Hee is the first borne the beginning of his strength but he shall not excell because he went to his fathers bed But Moses Let Reuben live and not dye and let not his men be few The reason of this difference is given by some because it was fit that Jacob to deter his other children should exercise the authority of a father but Moses frees him from the curse because he was alwayes loving to his brother Ioseph Brotherly love hath a blessing going along with it God loves it exceedingly for it makes much for the glory of God And to what purpose do we live if God have not glory by us Rom. 15. 5 6 7. the Apostle first prayes that the God of patience and consolution would grant them to be like minded one towards another according to Christ Jesus that they may with one minde and one mouth glorifie God Then he exhorts Wherefore receive ye one another as Christ also received us to the glory of God Much of Gods glory depends upon our union Yea God stands so much upon this that he is willing to stay for his service till we be at peace one with another Mat. 5. 23 24. Leave thy gift before the Altar and first be reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer thy gift My worship shall stay till you be reconciled I love my worship and desire it much but I must have peace and love amongst your selves first I will stay for that But I beseech you let us not make God stay too long Remember while you are wrangling and quarrelling God stayes on you all this while If children should be quarrelling and one comes to them and sayes Your father stayes for you it is time for them to break off But not unmannerly with God in making him stay so long upon you some of you have made him wait upon you for an acceptable duty of worship divers weeks yea it may be many moneths and yet your spirits are not in temper to offer any sacrifice to God What a fearfull evill is it then to stand out in a stubborne sullen dogged manner refusing to be reconciled Learned Drusius cites Hebrew Writers saying That he that offends his brother ought to seeke to pacifie him if he refuse to be pacified then he must bring three of his friends with him to intercede twice or thrice and if he shall after this refuse then he is to leave him and such a man quia implacabilis est vocatur peccator is called a sinner with a speciall note upon him Lastly the Saints enjoyment of the sweetnesse of love peace and unity among themselves what is it but heaven upon earth Heaven is above all storms tempests troubles the happinesse of it is perfect rest We pray that the will of God might bee done on earth as it is done in heaven why may not we have a heaven upon earth this would sweeten all our comforts yea all our afflictions But the Devill envies us this happinesse Come Lord Jesus come quickly If you would have the excellency of love set before you more fully reade over and over again the Epistles of Iohn Ecclesiasticall story reports of this blessed Apostle whose heart was so full of love that when he grew very old not able to preach yet he would be brought into the congregation in a chaire and there say only these words Little children flee idolatry love one another But the more excellent union and peace is the more is the pitty that it should be abused to be serviceable to mens lusts the more would our misery be if we should be abused in our treaties about it if we should have a mock-peace if we should be gulled in either offers of or conclusions about peace if peace should be made our ruine but a preparation of us for slaughter It hath been by many observed that what the English gained of the French in battell by valour the French regained of the English by cunning Treaties The Lord deliver us from such French tricks Let us all be for peace yet so as not to be befooled into bondage by the name of peace Now God hath by his mighty arme helped us let us not be put off with a bable and made to beleeve it is this Pearle We know with whom we have to deale And now as the Apostle 2 Thess 3. 5. The Lord direct your hearts into the love of God Let me adde And into the love of one another Let us all study peace seek peace follow peace pursue peace and the God of peace be with us FINIS The Contents Chap. 1. THe Text opened and suitableness thereof shewed p. 1. Chap. 2. The evill of dividing between God and any thing else p. 6. Chap. 3. Heart-divisions one from another the difficulty of medling with them 11. the Causes of them and method in handling them 12. Chap. 4. The first Dividing Principle There can be no agreement without uniformity 14. wherein is shewn in what things it is necessary for peace we should be the same and in what not 15. Chap. 5. The second Dividing Principle All Religions are to be tolerated wherein is discussed the power of the Magistrate in matters of Religion 19. and 158. Chap. 6. That question discussed What should be done to a man
this temptation shall still retaine what he hath made profession of and others shall see his weakenesse joyned with wilfulnesse they must oppose him in it and so contention and division is like to rise higher and higher In regard therefore of the great usefulnesse of this point and the difficulty of the right understanding it I shall endeavour to speak to it under these three Heads First to shew wherein Profession is necessary Secondly wherein men may keep in what they think they understand to be truth so as not to professe or practise it Thirdly I shall propound some rules of Direction to shew in what manner a man should make profession of what he conceives to be truth though it be different from his Brethren For the first Certainly profession in some things is very necessary Rom. 10. 10. With the heart man believeth unto righteousnesse and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation Confession is here joyned to believing as necessary to salvation This I conceive to be the meaning of those places which hold forth the necessity of Baptisme He that believes and is baptized shall be saved Augustine in one of his Sermons De Tempore sayes Wee cannot be saved except wee professe our faith outwardly for the salvation of others And Christ Mar. 8. 38. sayes Whosoever shall be ashamed of him and of his words in this adulterous and sinfull generation of him shall the Sonne of Man be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with his holy Angels And it is observable that they follow upon those words What shall it profit a man if he shall gaine the whole world and loose his owne soule or what shall a man give in exchange for his soule As if Christ should say If you would not lose your soules eternally look to this make profession of the truth as you are called to it though you live in a wicked and an adulterous generation yet be not ashamed of me before them for if you be your souls may goe for it eternally Zuinglius in his third Epistle says We may as well with a Dioclesian worship before the Altar of Jupiter and Venus as conceale our faith under the power of Antichrist Now though profession be necessary yet in what cases we are bound to professe and in what not is no easie matter to determine Zuarez a man of great judgement yet falling upon this Question When a man is bound to make profession of the Truth sayes We cannot give rules in particular when there is a necessity of profession in regard of the good of our neighbour but it must bee determined by the judgment of Prudence But though the determination be very difficult yet we may assert these five cases to bind us to profession First when the truths are necessary to salvation and my forbearance in them may endanger the salvation of any the salvation of the soul of the poorest beggar is to be preferred before the glory pomp outward peace and comforts of all the Kingdoms on the earth therefore much before my private contentments In extream danger of life there is no time to reason what in prudence is fit to be done but save the mans life if you can and reason the case afterward Secondly when not profession shall be interpreted to be a denyall though in case of a lesser truth I must not deny the truth the least truth interpretative I must rather be willing to suffer then the truth should suffer by me so farre This was Daniel's case when he would not cease his praying three times a day neither would he shut his windows though it endangered his life A carnall heart would say why might not Daniel have been wiser he might have forborn a while at least he might have shut his windows No Daniel was willing to venture his life in the cause rather then he would so much as by way of interpretation deny that honour that he knew was due to God Thirdly when others shall be scandaliz'd so as to be weakned in their faith by my denyall yea so scandalized as to be in danger to sin because they see me not to professe in this case we must venture very far we should take heed of offending any of the Saints so as to grieve them but when the offence comes to weaken their faith to occasion their sin there we should venture very far to our own outward prejudice rather then so to offend them Fourthly when an account of my faith is demanded if it be not either in scorn to deride or in malice to ensnare but seriously so as the giving it may be to edification especially in a way of giving a publique testimony to the truth 1 Pet. 3. 15. Be ready to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you If to every one much more to Magâ—strates Fifthly so far as those whom God hath committed to my charge for instruction are capable at some time or other I must manifest that truth of God to them that may be for their good according as I am able Yet this duty of profession being a duty required by an affirmative precept though we are bound alwayes yet not to all times semper but not ad semper we must alwayes keep such a disposition of heart as to be in a readiness rather to give testimony to any truth of God if called to it by God then to provide for our ease or any outward comfort in this world so as we may be able to appeal to God in the sincerity of our hearts to judg of that high esteem we have of his truth Lord if thou shalt make known to me now or any other time that thy Nature may have any glory by my profession of any truth of thine whatsoever become of my outward peace ease or content I am ready to do it for thy Names sake There is a time says Hugo when nothing is to be spoken a time when something but there is no time when all things are to be spoken There are sixe other cases wherein you are not bound to professe First when you shall be required in way of scorn or to ensnare you this were to cast pearls before swine 2ly You are not bound to make profession of a truth to those who are not able to receive it whose weaknesse is such as they cannot understand it till they be principled with some other truths I have many things to say sayes Christ but yee are not able to beare them So St. Paul Hast thou faith have it to thy selfe he speaks in the case of doubtfull things which will trouble weak ones 3ly When mens hearts appear so corrupt that there is apparant danger of abuse of truths to the strengthning them in thâ—ir lusts there are precious truths that many Ministers cannot speak of before people without trembling hearts and were it not that they believed they were the