he was wont They hinder the blessing of God Psalm 133. The Psalmist commending the love of Brethren concludes There the Lord commanded the blessing even life for evermore There that is where the love of Brethren is there is a blessing a blessing commanded by God it comes with power and this no less then life and this life for evermore God dwels in Salem sayes Luther not in Babylon where there is peace not where there is confusion Lastly yea they hinder all good They are like the Torrid Zone nothing can prosper under it When the Dog-star rises no plants thrive as an other times When a fire is kindled in a Town the bels ring backward When fires of contention are kindled in places all things go awke There is little joy in any thing Thus you see how great evill there is in our divisions in respect of what good we lose by them now then consider whether it be possible that any gain we can get by them can recompense this loss can any thing got by them quit the cost But if it could be supposed our loss may be recompensed yet I am sure nothing can countervail the evill there is in them in respect of the sinfulness of them That is the next head CHAP. XXVIII The sinfulnesse of our Divisions THough there be sin in many things mentioned yet we considered them in reference to our good that was hindred but now let us consider what venome of sin there is in them The number 2. hath been accounted accursed because it was the first that departed from unity The departure from that unity God would have is a very cursed thing for it hath much sin in it That which S. Aug. sayes of originall sin we may well apply to our divisions They are sin the punishment of sin the cause of sin nothing but a heap of sin First they are against the solemn charge and command of God and of Jesus Christ 1 John 3. 23. This is his commandement that we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another as he gave us commandement It is not an arbitrary thing that we should love one another but it is the command of God and a great command joyned to that of beleeving in his Son Jesus Christ The one is as truly necessary to salvation as the other Let men talk of faith of believing on the Son of God of trusting to free grace in Christ yet if they have dividing contending spirits no love no sweetness no grace of union with the Saints their faith is a dead faith And because God stands much upon this to have his people live together in love at the beginning of the verse he sayes it is his commandement at the end of the verse he sayes he gave us commandement And it is also observable that he sayes of the commandement of love that he gave us that commandement It is a gift for it is a sweet commandement We should not onely submit to it as being bound by the authority of it but we should open our hearts to it and embrace it joyfully as a gift from God The commandement of love God gives us as a gift from his love The excellency of these commandements are further amplified ver 24. And he that keepeth his commandements dwelleth in him and he in him I do not thinke that you can finde in all the Scripture any command of God in one ver and a piece of another so inculcated and commended Again chap. 4. 21. This commandement have we from him that he who loveth God loves his brother also If you think you have any command to love God or to believe in Jesus Christ know the same authority layes a command upon you to love your brother also Joh. 15. 12. This is my commandement that ye love one another as I have loved you And ver 17. These things I cowmand you that ye love one another Christ you see likewise makes a great matter of the Saints loving one another Surely the sinne then must needs be great that breaks such a great commandement as this upon which God the Father and Jesus Christ his Son layes so much weight Secondly these unkind and unloving divisions are against the prayer of Jesus Christ yea against that prayer he made for us a little before he died Joh. 17. 21. he prayes to his Father that all who did believe and should after believe on him might be one as his Father is in him and he is in his Father and that they may be one in the Father and him as if he should say Oh Father I am now going out of the world and I foresee when I am gone even those whom thou hast given me who are one in me and in thee will meet with strong temptations to divide them one from another but oh Father I beseech thee let thy fatherly care be over them to keep their hearts together that they might be united in the strongest union that is possible for creatures to be united in Oh Father let them be one as thou and I am one Would we not be loath to lose the benefit of that heavenly prayer of Christ for us in that 17. of Joh. read it over see what soul-ravishing excellency there is in it seeing he hath expresly said he intended us who live now in it as well as those Disciples who then lived with him let us prize this prayer as being more to us then ten thousand worlds Luther writes a chiding Letter to Melancthon By those sinfull distrustfull fears and carking thoughts of yours sayes he you do irritas facere praeces nostras you make void our prayers How great then is the evill of our divisions by them we do what in us lies to make void as concerning us the prayer that blessed prayer of Jesus Christ Sathan sayes Christ to Peter hath desired to winnow you like Wheat but I have prayed for you that your faith fail not He shall not prevail sayes Christ Why Because I have prayed for you Oh blessed Saviour is not thy prayer against our divisions as strong Canst not thou prevail with thy Father as well in this as in that We know thy Father did and does ever hear thee some way or other this prayer of CHRIST is and shall be heard yet our sin is not the less for it tends to the frustrating of Christs prayer Sathan desires to winnow us in our divisions but he desires not to have the Chaffe divided from the Wheat he rather would have the Chaffe mixed with the Wheat The mixing the Chaffe with the Wheat makes a great stirre amongst us But Christs prayer which helped Peter in his winnowing we hope will help us in ours only let not us do any thing that makes against it Thirdly our divisions are against our own prayers How often have many who now are estrang'd from one another heretofore so prayed together as their hearts have seemed to melt one into
be to get one another to them upon this they struggle with one another the more as for those who are at a great distance they have no hope to prevaile with them therefore they make no onset but seeing themselves frustrated of their hopes there this troubles them yea it oft stirs up a spirit of anger against them whom they cannot get up to themselves 3. Those who agree in many and great things and yet stand out in few and of lesse consequence are thought to be the more unreasonable if you yeeld thus far why not a little farther the one thinks so of the other and the other thinks so of him and hence their spirits are stirred one against another 4. Those who come up near to others and yet dissent seeme to stand more in the light of those they come up so neare unto then those do who are at a greater distance it makes men think such a one is not in the right if he were those who come so near to him would see it they who think themselves got beyond others cannot enjoy that comfort and content in what they are beyond others in as otherwise they might because such as are so near them are against it if they did not agree in most things and those of greatest moment their opposition would not be much regarded but because they are such men who for their judgements and lives are so unblameable their differing in such a thing is more then if a hundred times as many who were at a greater distance in their principles and lives should differ from us 5. They who are so near one to another have occasion to converse more together then others have and to argue things oftner one with another then with such as they differ more from Now it is seldome that men of differing judgements and wayes meet and argue but there is some heat between them before they have done and so their spirits grow more estranged one from another then before And if your spirits be estranged then those that you have reference to and such as are in your way will have their spirits estranged too your relation of things to them according to what apprehensions you have of them will be enough to estrange their hearts and so by degrees a bitternesse grows up between you The fifth thing That God hath a hand in our divisions and how farre GOd had a great stroak in the division of these ten Tribes from the two 1. Kings 1â— 23 24. The word of the Lord came to Shemaiah the man of God saying Returne every man to hits house for this thing is from the Lord. In the sense of the Prophet there we may say that our Divisions are from the Lord. We are wrangling devising plotting working one against another minding nothing but to get the day one of another but God is working out ends above our reach for his glory and the good of his Saints There must be Heresies sayes the Apostle I Cor. 11. 19. So there must be Divisions That word Haeresis is used to signifie severall opinions severall wayes Haereses Platonicae Haereses Peripateticae Chrysostome interprets the place of the Apostle There must be Heresies of such Divisions as we are treating of But why must there be Divisions what does God ayme at in them Answ First the discovery of mens spirits that they which are approved may be manifest sayes the Apostle By those divisions in Corinth wherein the rich divided from the poore whereby the poore were condemned the graces of the poore in bearing this were manifested Thus Chrysostome upon the place The Apostle sayes this That he might comfort the poor which were able with a generous minde to bear that contempt The melting of the metall discovers the drosse for they divide the one from the other These are melting times and thereby discovering times If Reformation had gone on without opposition we had not seen what drossie spirits we had amongst us Those who have kept upright without warping in these times are honourable before God and his holy Angels and Saints 2. By these Divisions God exercises the graces of his servants A little skill in a Mariner is enough to guide his Ship in faire weather but when stormes arise when the Seas swell and grow troublesome then his skill is put to it In these stormy troublesome times there had need be much wisdome faith love humility patience selfe-deniall meeknesse all graces are put to it now they had need put forth all their strength act with all their vigour our graces had need be stirring full of life and quicknesse now God prizeth the exercise of the graces of his Saints at a very high rate He thinks it worth their suffering much trouble It is a good evidence of grace yea of much grace to account the trouble of many afflictions to be recompensed by the exercise of graces In times of division men had need stirre up all their graces and be very watchfull over their wayes and walke exactly be circumspect accurate in their lives Those who have not their hearts with them have their eyes upon them prying into them watching for their halting When there is siding there is much observing Lord sayes David Psal 27. 11. teach me thy way and lead me in a plain path because of mine enemies so it is in your books but you may reade it because of mine observers enemies are observers Hence it was the policy of the Lacedaemonians alwayes to send two Embassadours together which disagreed among themselves that so they might mutually have an eye upon the actions of each other 3. God will have these to be in just judgement to the wicked that they may be a stumbling block to them who will not receive the truth in love There are so many opinions such divisions so many Religions say some that we know not what to do If your hearts be carnall not loving the wayes of God not prizing spirituall things not savouring the things of another world these opinions divisions may be laid by God in judgement as a stumbling block in thy way that thou mayest stumble upon them and break thy selfe for ever God hath no need of thee If thou wilt be froward and perverse against his truths if thou hast a mind to take offence you shall have matter enough before you to take offence at Stumble and break your necks as a just reward of the perversnesse of your hearts These divisions which you rejoice in which you can speak of as glad that you have such an objection against my people and wayes that your hearts are opposite to shall cost you dear even the perdition of your souls everlastingly It was a speech of Tertullian I account it no danger to affirm that God hath so ordered the revelation of truth in Scriptures that he might administer matter for Hereticks 4. God hath a hand in these Divisions to bring forth further light Sparkes are
bellum that Souldier is a murtherer that sheds bloud not in reference to peace The Swords and Ensignes of Souldiers should have this Motto upon them Sic quaenimus pacem Thus we seek Peace Hercules his Club was made of the Olive the emblem of Peace The ninth joyning Principle No man shall ever be mine enemy that is not more his owne then mine yea more the enemy of God then mine IF a man offends me meerly through weakness this is his affliction in this he is neither an enemy to himself nor me he mourns for it and I will pitty him in his mourning he is more troubled for what he hath done then I have cause to be for what I have suffered If he offends willingly and purposely he is his own enemy more then mine When Latimer was cousened in buying a commodity his friends telling him how he was cheated of his money he fell a mourning for him that had cheated him He hath the worst of it sayes he If my heart rises against a man in this and I seek to oppose him in his way it may very well be interpreted to be out of love to him for my heart rises against his enemy I oppose his enemy even himself but an enemy to himself more then to me he hath hurt me a little but himself more I am troubled a little for the wrong I suffer but more for the evill he hath done If his wayes be enmity to God I will oppose him because I love God and no farther then wherein I may manifest my love to God rather then hatred of him When Servetus condemned Zuinglius for his harshness he answers In other things I will be milde but not so in Blasphemies against God Let us keep our enmity within these bounds and the peace of God will not be broke The tenth joyning Principle I had rather suffer the greatest evill then doe the least IF when others wrong you you care not what you do to right your self This is your folly and madness Such a one hurt me and I will therefore mischief my self he hath pricked me with a pin and I will therefore in an anger run my knife into my side If in all we suffer we be sure to keep from righting our selves by any wayes of sin there will not be much peace broke Such an one is thine enemy and wilt thou of one enemy make two wilt thou also be an enemy to thy self yea a greater enemy then he or any man living can be to thee for all the men in the world cannot make thee sin except thou wilt thy self The eleventh joyning Principle I will labour to do good to all but provoke none A Father hath not so much power over his child as to provoke him Col. 3. 21. Fathers provoke not your children to wrath Surely if a man hath not this power over his child he hath it not over his friend his neighbour much less his superiour yet how many take delight in this Such a thing I know will anger him and he shall be sure to have it Oh wicked heart dost thou see that this will be a temptation to thy brother and wilt thou lay it before him dost thou not pray for thy self and for him Lord lead us not into temptation we should accout it the greatest evill to us of all the evill of afflictions to be any occasion of sin to our brother but what an evil should this be to us to provoke our brother to sin if we will needs be provoking then let the Apostles exhortation prevaile with us Heb. 10. 24. Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works Let us not consider one another in a way of curiosity and emulation to envy or find fault with one another from whence frowardness pride hatred dissentions factions may arise saith Hyperius upon the place but consider one another so as we may further the good of one another so as to make one another quick and active in that which is good The twelfth joyning Principle Peace with all men it is good but with God and mine owne conscience it is necessary BUt how will this joyn us one to another Answ Very much both as it holds forth the goodness of peace with all men and as it carryes the heart strongly to the making and keeping peace with God and a mans own conscience This peace with God and a mans own conscience will so sweeten the heart that it cannot but be sweet towards every one a man who hath satisfaction enough within can easily bear afflictions and troubles that come without When Saul had made great breaches between God and his soul and in his own conscience then he grew to be of a very froward spirit towards every man before his Apostacy he was of a very meek and quiet spirit but this sowred his spirit and made it grow harsh rugged and cruell This is the cause of the frowardness of many men and women in their families and with their neighbours there are secret breaches between God and their own consciences The thirteenth joyning Principle If I must needs erre considering what our condition is here in this world I will rather erre by too much gentlenesse and mildnesse then by too much rigour and severity MAns nature is more propense to rigour then to lenity but the account of overmuch lenity is easier then of too much rigour Men who are of harsh sowre spirits themselves are ready to think that God is so too As the Lacedaemonians because they were of a warlike disposition they represented their Gods all armed But God is love there is anger and hatred in God as well as love but God is never said to be anger or hatred no not justice it self but he loves that expression of himself to the children of men God is love If God intended that all things amongst men either in Church or Common-wealth should be carryed with strictnesse of justice he would rather have governed his Church and the World by Angels who have right apprehensions of justice who are themselves perfect altogether free from those evils that are to be punished then by men whose apprehensions of justice are exceeding weak unconstant partiall as often false as true and have much of that evill in themselves that they judge in others The last joyning Principle Peace is never bought too deare but by sin and basenesse VVE use to say We may buy Gold too deare and so we may Peace but whatsoever we pay for it beside sinne and baseness we have a good bargain Suidas tells of the Emperour Trajan that he would cut his own cloaths to binde up the wounds of his Souldiers We should be very pitifull to souldiers who are wounded to keep us whole We should binde up their wounds though it cost us dear but especially our care should be to bind up those wounds that by divisions are made in Church and Common-wealth and well may we
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
me thus proud men and women in their families whatsoeuer children or servants do amisse what you do it on purpose to anger me do you When the winde comes crosse the streame the waters rage So does the will and affections of a proud heart when any thing crosseth it 3ly Pride makes men swell beyond their bounds the way to keep all things in union is for every man to keep within his bounds the swelling beyond tends to the breaking all in pieces Hab. 2. 5. He is a proud man neither keepeth at home who enlargeth his desire as hell and cannot be satisfied If any humour of the body goeth beyond its bounds it brings much trouble to it the health and peace of the body consists in the keeping of every humour within its vessell and due proportion 4ly Pride hardens mens hearts Dan. 5. 20. His minde is hardned in his pride If you would have things cleave you must have them soft two flints will not joyn the Spanyard hath a Proverb Lime and stone will make a wall if one be hand yet if the other be yeelding there may be joyning and good may be done not else 5ly Pride causes men to despise the persons actions and sufferings of others nothing is more unsufferable to a mans spirit then to be vilified A proud man despises what others do and others what he does every man next to his person desires the honour of his actions If these two be contemned his sufferings will likewise be contemned by the proud This also goes very neer to a man one man thinks what another man suffers is nothing no matter what becomes of him another thinks his suffering's nothing and no matter what becomes of him O at what a distance now are mens hearts one from another 6ly Pride causes every man to desire to be taken notice of to have an eminency in some thing or other if he cannot be eminent on one side he will get to the other he must be taken notice of one way or other when he is in a good and peaceable way God makes some use of him yet because he is not observed and looked upon as eminent he will rather turn to some other way to contend strive to oppose or any thing that he may be taken notice of to be some body that he may not goe out of the world without some noyse What shall such a man as I of such parts such approved abilities so endued by God to doe some eminent service be laid aside and no body regard me I must set upon some notable worke something that may draw the eye of observance upon me I have read of a young man who set Diana's Temple on fire and being asked the reason he said That he might have a name that the people might talk of him Because he could not be famous by doing good he would by doing evill Proud spirits wil venture the setting the Temple of God yea Church and State on fire that they may have a name whatsoever they do or suffer to get a name they will rather venture then dye in obscurity that of all things they cannot bear 7. A proud man would have others under him and others being proud too would have him under them he would have others yield to him and others would have him yield to them where will the agreement then begin What is that which hath rent and torne the world in all ages that hath brought woful distractions perplexities confusions miseries in all Countreys by wars but the pride of a few great ones seeking to bring one under another Those wasting Wars of the Romans between Sylla and Marius Caesar and Pompey were they not from hence It is hard for men in great places and of great spirits to accord long Melancthon in his Comment upon Prov. 13. 10. says concerning such men there was wont to be this Proverb Duo montes non miscentur Two mountains will not mixe together 8ly A proud man makes his will to be the rule of his actions and would have it to be the rule of other mens too and other men being proud too would have their wils the rule of though there be nothing else but pride and in the Hebrew it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dabit jurgium give contention if there be no cause given it will make it Now let every man looke into his own heart and see what pride hath been and still is there and be humbled before the Lord for this All you contentious froward quarrelsome people you are charged this day from God to be men and women of proud spirits and what evill there is in our sadd divisions that pride in your bosome is a great cause of Saint Paul did beat down his body left after he had preached to others he should become a reprobate Let us all and especially Ministers labour to beat down our spirits lest after all our profession and glorious shews we at last become Reprobates at least such as God may cast out for the present in this world taking no delight in making use of what in such times as these are to have hearts swoln and lift up in pride God is now about the staining the pride of the earth How unseasonable and dangerous is it for a Marriner to have his top-sails up and all spread in a violent storme it is time then to pull downe all lest he be sunck irrecoverably The point of a needle will let the wind out of a bladder and shall not the swords of God the swords of Warre and Plague that have got so deep into our bowels let out the windy pride of our hearts The haughtinesse of men shall be bowed downe and the Lord himself will be exalted The Lord humble us that he may reconcile us not only to himselfe but to one another CHAP. XVI Selfe-love the second dividing distemper THis is neer akin to the former Phil. 2. 3. Let nothing be done through strife Ver. 4. Looke not every man on his owne things but every man also on the things of others This is the cause of strife because men looke so much on their owne things Many will have no peace except their own party be followed Jehu-like What hast thou to do with peace follow me It is not Peace but Party that they mind Maxima pars studiorum est studium partium The greatest part of their studies is to study sides and parts Luther upon Psal 127. hath a notable speech I am of that opinion sayes he that Monarchies would continue longer then they doe were it not for that same litte Pronoun Ego that same I my selfe Yea certainly could this same Selfe be but laid aside all governments and societies would not only continue longer but flourish better self-Selfe-love is the cause of our divisions First where this prevails men love to take in all to themselves but let out nothing from themselves this must needs divide societies in Church and State
may be devoured one of another We read Ezek. 5. 3 4. the Prophet was bid to bind up a few hairs in his skirt which was to signifie a few of the people which were preserved from that common calamity but after these were cast into the fire and fire came forth from these to all the house of Israel Polanus upon the place hath this note that grievous evils may come upon those who have been preserved from former common miseries and those who for a while have been preserved by their contentions and divisions may be the cause of woful evil to others God forbid that this Text should be fulfilled in us Let not a fire come from us who yet are so graciously preserved to devour the house of Israel 4ly God in this work of his hath joyned severall sorts of instruments men of severall opinions he hath made them one to do us good why should not we be one in the enjoyment of that good Let the one part and let the other part have their due honour under God in the mercy God hath made use of both and why may not both enjoy the fruit of this mercy together in the Land Fiftly We were not without some feares lest God should leave us in the work of Reformation begun but now God speaks aloud to encourage us he tels us he owns the worke Now what doth this require of us A little Logick will draw the consequence Hath God declared himself that he intends to go on in this work he hath begun Then let us all joyn together to further it to the uttermost we can let us not exasperate the spirits of one another in ways of strife and opposition but let every one set his hand and hand to this worke that he may be able to say Oh Lord God thou that knowesâ— the secrets of all hearts knowest that upon this great mercy of thine my heart was so moved that whatsoever I could possibly see to be thy will for the furtherance of this great work of Reformation and that I was able to doe I did set my selfe to doe it and am resolved to spend my strengâ—h and life in it If every one did thus oh what glory might God have from this mercy of his 6ly When the Lord comes to us with mercies and such great mercies he expects we should rejoyce in them and sing praise but how can we sing without Harmony Prayer requires an agreement Mat. 18. 19. If two of you shall agree on earth touching any thing they shall aske it shall be done for them Surely Praise requires agreement much more Psalms out of tune are harsh to the eare disagreement of heart is much more to the Spirit of God 7. Surely when God hath done so much for us it must be acknowledged to be our duty to study what sacrifice would be best pleasing to him some sacrifice we must offer If there be any more acceptable to him then other surely he deserves it no. If a friend had done some reall kindness for you you would be glad to know what might be most gratefull to him wherein you might testifie your thankfulness Is this in your hearts Do you now say Oh that we did but know what is the thing that would be most pleaâ—ing to God what sacrifice would smell sweetest in his nostrils The Lord knowes we would fain offer it whatsoever it be I will tell you That we would lay aside our divisions our frowardnesse that we would abandon our contentions and strife that we would put on the bowels of mercies kindnesse humblenesse of minde meekenesse long-suffering forbearing one another forgiving one another If any man hath a quarrell against any even as Christ forgave you so also do ye Col. 3. 12. And 1. Pet. 3. 4. A meeâ—e and a quiet spirit is in the â—ight of God of great price it is much set by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 15. 17. The sacrifice of God that which is in stead of all sacrifices is a broken spirit Our hearts have been broken one from another in our unhappy divisions oh that now they could break one towards another in love and tenderness Here would be a sacrifice more esteemed of God then thousands of Rams and ten thousand Rivers of Oyle Loving mercy and walking humbly is preferred above such sacrifices Micah 6. 8. 8ly God might have sodeâ—'d us together by the fire of his wrath he might have made our blood to have been our cement to have joyned our stinty hearts together but it is otherwise God seeks to draw us to himselfe and one to another by the cords of love the allurings of his mercy Ninthly what can have that power to take off the sowrnesse of mens spirits like mercy the mercy of a God surely if any thing possibly can sweeten them that must needs do it We read 1 Sam. 11. 11 12 13. a notable experiment of the efficacy of mercy to sweeten mens hearts After Saul had slain the Ammonites some of the bosterous spirits would have had him to have slain those who formerly had rejected him but mark Sauls answer ver 13. There shall not a man be put to death this day Why For this day the Lord hath wrought salvation in Israel Though Saul at another time was a man of a harsh and cruell spirit yet now mercy sweetens him that which he was one day by the sense of mercy that should we be not only in the day of our Thanksgiving but in the course of our lives When salvation came to the house of Zacheus O what a sweet temper was he in Behold halfe of my goods I give to the poore and if I have wronged any one I restore foure-fold Salvation is this day come to the Kingdome O that all we had hearts to say If wee have wronged any wee will restore if wee have wronged any in their names by word or writing any way we will restore Mercy and love calls for mercy and love if we were in a right tune there would be a sympathy between the bowels of God and ours as in two Lures if the string in one be wound up to be answerable to the other if you then strike one string the other will move though lying at a distance Now Gods love Gods bowels move let our love our bowels move answerably 10. God shewes that he can owne us notwithstanding all our infirmities Was ever Kingdome in a more distempered condition then ours hath been of late and yet the Lord hath owned us Why should not we own our Brethren notwithstanding their infirmities Why should our divisions cause uâ— to call off one another seeing our divisions from God hath not provoked him to cast us off 11. Is it not in our desires that this great Victory might be pursued that it might not be lost as others in great part have been Surely it cannot be pursued better then to take this advantage of it to unite our selves more together then ever we have done
descivistis Things are not come to this passe in this City The Lord forbid that there should ever be that degenerating from that unity and love heretofore hath been that there should be cause to say Shall you still be called Cives qui à pristina unitate à pristino amore mutuo descivistis who have departed from your former unity and mutuall love Oh no Let brotherly love continue Heb. 13. 1. Let none take your crowne but abide glorious in the eyes of the whole Nation about you and all strangers that come in to you We pray for the peace of London Let them prosper that love it Peace be within her walls and prosperity within her Palaces If any shall say the City is not guilty herein it is but some few private men I gladly answer as Scipio in his forenamed speech did to the Carthaginians making such an objection Libenter credam negantibus I am very willing to beleeve it Only do you make it appear to be so by knitting your selves so much the more strongly together by how much any amongst you seeks to disunite you A second aggravation of the misery of our divisions is Surely none will pitty us in all that evill that comes upon us by them If God should have suffered our enemies to have prevailed against us all the Protestant party in the world would have pittied us If those who escaped had fled for their lives to them they would have entertained them with much compassion But if we mischief our selves by our divisions we shall be looked upon as contemptible in the eyes of all If we should flye to them we may expect to be entertained with rebukes You are an unworthy generation God put a price into your hands to have done your selves and all the Protestant party good you might have freed your selves from thraldome and many wayes have been helpfull to us but you had such proud envious quarrelsome spirits that you brake asunder one from another you mischieved one another and so have undone your selves and your posterity yea are not worthy to live amongst men Can we be able to bear such rebukes as these Every man that is in misery desires to be pittied but this misery is like to be such as no pitty can be expected in it Thirdly our consciences will fly in our faces telling us that we may thank our selves for all this It is a great part of the torment of the damned that their consciences shall be alwayes upbraiding them for bringing so much evill upon themselves This shall be the gnawing of that worm of conscience for ever Fourthly our misery is and will be aggravated by the executioners of it our familiars our brethren those who not long since were dear to us will be made use of to make us miserable How great a misery will this be When the men of Judah came up to Samson to deliver him to the Philistines Judg. 15. 11 12. sayes Samson to them But sweare to me that ye will not fall upon me your selves He thought it a very grievous thing for the men of Judah to fall upon him He did not so much regard what the Philistines could do against him Certainly there is nothing in the world more sad then for one brother to make another miserable The History of that Warre between Sylla and Marius tells of one having slaine a man not knowing him but after he looked and found it was his brother in the anguish of his heart because he had slaine his brother he took his sword and ran it into his own bowels It is a great evill to be an instrument of evill to our brethren and to suffer evill from our brethren This consideration might be enough to stop us in our divisions and cause us to think of wayes of joyning Plutarch in the forecited place the life of Pelopidas sayes that the Poets write that the misfortune of Laias who was slaine by his brother Oedipus was the first originall cause that the Thebans began to be in such love one with another to joyn in that Holy Band before mentioned If this were cause enough to take us off from our contentions we have enough of this amongst us The Lord be mercifull to us Fiftly the misery of our contentions in the Civill State is such as if we be overcome we are undone for our outward condition we and our posterity are made slaves if we do prevaile yet there is sadnesse in our conquest That is a miserable war which is thus The Civill Wars of the Romans were such Nullos habitura triumphos there was no triumph but sadnesse even in the victory Sixthly what help can there be for we wilfully make our selves miserable if men will undoe themselves who can helpe it Except God comes in from heaven with a mighty hand to help our wound is incurable Thus you have seen what evill and bitter things our divisions are their root is evill and bitter and they are the root of much evill and bitter fruit We reade Gen. 38. 29. that Pharez was the son of Tamar Pharez signifies division fraction from whence he had his name Tamar signifies a Palm tree Ab amaritudine sayes Pagnine according to some from bitternesse Division comes from bitternesse and begets like it selfe nothing but bitternesse CHAP. XXX Cautions about our Divisions that we may not make an ill use of them but try if it be possible to get good out of them OUr Divisions are very evill yet let us not make them worse then they are and let us take heed that we be not made morse by them Wherefore we shall First shew what are those ill uses which many make of them Secondly that it is no such strange thing as some would make it that there should be divisions in times of Reformation Thirdly how it comes to passe that godly men are divided who above all men one would think should agree Fourthly why these differences are so strong and sometimes so sharp amongst those men who seem to come very near together in the maine the matter of whose difference lyes in smaller things Fiftly how far God himselfe and Christ and the Gospel may be said to have a hand in our Divisions Sixtly What good uses we should make of our Divisions For the first The ill uses that many make of our Divisions are First Some upon the evills they see and feel in them think it was better with us heretofore and wish we had those times againe Just like the murmuring Israelites as soon as they were put to any straits they wished they were in Egypt again it was better with us then say they Yea Num. 16. 13. out of discontent with their present condition they commend the Land of Egypt wherein they were Bond-slaves to be a Land that flowed with milk and hony murmuring at Moses that brought them out of such a Land The Land of Canaan that God promised to carry them to was a Land that flowed with milke and
beaten out by the Flints striking together Many sparks of light many truths are beaten out by the beatings of mens spirits one against another If light be let into a house there must be some trouble to beat down a window A child thinks the house is beating downe but the father knowes the light will be worth the cost and trouble If you will have the cloth woven the Woofe and Warpe must be cast crosse one to another If you will have truths argued out you must be content to bear with some opposition for the time Those who are not willing to bear some trouble to be at some cost to find out truth are not worthy of it Those who love truth will seek for it for truths sake those who love victory yet because the truth is the strongest will seek after truth that they may get victory Dan. 12. 4. Many shall runne to and fro and knowledge shall be encreased To some these divisions darken truths to others they enlighten them We may well behold mens weaknesse in these divisions but better admire Gods strength and wisdome in ordering them to his glory and his childrens good Be not discouraged ye Saints of the Lord at these divisions your Father hath a hand in them he wil bring good out of them Yea Christ who is the Prince of peace hath a â—and in them Matth. 10. 34 35. he sayes Thinke not that I am come to send peace on the earth I came to bring a sword I am come to set a man at variance against his Father and the Daughter against her Mother One would think it to be the strangest speech that could be to come from the mouth of him who is the great peace-maker Oh blessed Saviour must we not think that thou art come to send peace Thou art our peace Is not thine Embassage from thy Father an Embassage of peace True peace with my Father but not peace on the earth not an earthly peace do not think that I came from heaven to work this for men that they should live at ease in plenty and pleasure that they should have no disturbance no trouble to the flesh no the event of my comming you will finde to be a sword divisions and that between those of the nearest relation A child who is wicked will despise and break with his godly father and the daughter with her godly mother And Luke 12. 53. the carnall father and mother will have their hearts rise against their godly sonne and daughter I am come to send fire on the earth and what will I if it be already kindled Let it kindle as soone as it will I am contented I know much good will come of it These Scriptures are enough to take away for ever the offence of divisions First Christ himselfe is the greatest offence to wicked men that ever was in the world he is the stumbling stone and rock of offence thousand thousands being offended at him miscarry everlastingly Christ foreseeing how many would be offended at him Mat. 11. 6. blesseth the man who shall not be offended Some are offended at what they see in Christ others apprehend whatsoever is in him to be most excellent and lovely that which they cannot but defend and stand for to the death He is disallowed of men rejected by the builders a stone of stumbling to them but to the Saints the chief corner stone elect precious 1 Pet. 2. 4 5 6 7 8. Such different apprehensions of Christ must needs divide men 2. Christ comes to make the greatest alteration that ever was or can be in the world and do we not finde that troubles accompany alterations and above all alterations alterations in government and especially such a government as gives no composition yeelds no compliance with any thing else When Christ comes he brings his fanne in his hand he must have his floore throughly purged he gathers his wheat into his garner severs the chaffe to be burnt in unquenchable fire If he comes thus who shall abide his comming Mal. 3. 2. Who shall stand when he appeares for he is like a Refiners fire and Fullers sope he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver he shall purifie the sons of Levi. Certainly there will be much adoe when they come to be purified No men in the world are like to make so much stirre when they come to be purified as the Clergy will Christ comes to cast out Devils they will fome fret vex rend and teare when they are a casting out The Gospel likewise divides The word of the Gospell is a dividing word Heb. 4. 11. It is quicke powerfull sharper then a two-edged sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of soule and spirit of the joints and marrow It divides in a mans own heart and divides between man and man The light of it divides The first division we ever read of was of Gods making Gen. 1. 3 4. When he said Let there be light and God divided the light from the darkness The doctrine of the Gospel shews the spiritualness of Gods commands the sinfulnesse of thoughts of the first stirrings of sin Mat. 5. this touches to the quick The heat of the Gospel divides it is like fire when it comes Is not my word like fire The preaching of the Gospel with power heaps coales of fire upon mens heads which will either melt them or burn them In it there is a separation of the precious from the vile The Ordinances of the Gospel divide they difference men Some they will receive others they will not They must bring men to a higher to a stricter way then the sluggish dead vain slight drossie hearts of men are willing to come up unto The godlinesse that is in Christ Jesus divides therefore whosoever will live godly so must expect to suffer persecution 2 Tim. 3. 12. 1. Those who hold forth the life and power of godlinesse seem to challenge a more speciall peculiar interest in God then others which cannot be endured 1 Joh. 5. 19. We are of God and the whole world lyes in wickednesse 2. Their lives condemne others which they cannot abide as Noah is said to condemne the world Heb. 11. 7. 3. In godlinesse there is an excellency They whose hearts are naught cannot look upon that hath any appearance of excellency without a spirit of envy If they judge men only to be conceited with it as an excellency but for their parts they think it not to be so then they look upon them with a spirit of indignation 4. Godlinesse makes men zealous in such things as others can see no reason why they should They think they do incalescere in re frigida and that the ground of their zeal is vanity and turbulency of spirit 5. It makes men constant nothing can turn them out of their way The Son yeelds not to his Father the Servant not to his Master this is judged to be stoutnesse and wilfulnesse though God knowes it is far
would not have them those whom they joyned with God told them should be thornes in their sides Upon this they wept and that so sore that the place received its name from their weeping But oh that the Lord would send his Angell yea his Spirit to us to convince us of our evill that we to this day have not joyned in sure league one with another but are thorns in the sides of one another and that after so many mercies such great deliverances from our bondage from the rage of ungodly men yea that we are so false one to another though the Lord hath never broke covenant with us which was the heart-breaking argument the Angell used ver 1. Yea the Lord hath done abundantly for us beyond our hopes desires thoughts and that after all this there should be nothing but breaches and divisions amongst us that we should be not only thornes but speares and swords in one anothers sides piercing to one anothers hearts Are we the children of Israel Let our hearts then break for the breaches of our hearts Let them break and melt and mourn and bleed and resolve that nothing shall comfort them but peace with our God and peace one wth another That one Text 1 Thes 4. 9. were enough alone to pierce our hearts through and through As touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you saith the Apostle for ye your selves are taught of God to love one another Oh Lord what are we in these dayes such kinde of Christians as these were Oh that it were so with us that we had no need to be wrote to to be preached to concerning this Does it appear by our carriages one towards another that we are taught of God to love one another But that God may teach us this day attend to what shall be said to you in his name which I shall cast into these five heads 2. Joyning Principles 2. Joyning Considerations 3. Joyning Graces 4. Joyning Practices 5. Conclude with Exhortation Wherein we shall endeavour to set before you the beauty and excellency there is in the heart union and mutuall love of Christians I shall not need to be long in these For take away Dividing Principles Dividing Distempers Dividing Practices and be thoroughly convinced of the evill of divisions and one would think our hearts should of themselves run into one another But that I may not seeme to leave our wounds open so that aire should get into them but endeavour the closing of them and so the healing I shall speak something to these five Heads The first joyning Principle In the middest of all differences of judgement and weaknesses of the Saints it is not impossible but that they may live in peace and love together IF notwithstanding the differences from Gods mind and many weaknesses there may be peace and love between God his Saints then surely notwithstanding these things the Saints may be at love and peace among themselves Let this be laid for a ground and let our hearts be much possessed with it we shall finde it very helpfull to our closing Away with that vain conceit which hath been the great disturber of Churches in all ages if men differ in their judgement and practice in matters of religion though it be in things that are but the weaknesse of godly men yet there must needs be heart-burning and division Let all peaceable men deny this consequence Let us not say it will be so and that our words may be made good afterwards indeed make it so certainly the connection of them if there be any is rather from the corruption of our hearts then from the nature of the things I have read of two Rivers in the East Sava and Danuby that run along in one channell threescore miles together without any noyse and yet they keep themselves distinct the colour of the waters remain distinct all along why should we not think it possible for us to go along close together in love and peace though in some things our judgements and practices be apparently different one from another I will give you who are Scholers a sentence to write upon your Study doores as needfull an one in these times as any it is this Opinionum varietas opinantium unitas non sunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Variety of opinions and unity of those that hold them may stand together There hath been much ado to get us to agree we laboured to get our opinions into one but they will not come together It may be in our endevours for agreement we have begun at the wrong end Let us try what we can do at the other end it may be we shall have better successe there Let us labour to joyn our hearts to engage our affections one to another if we cannot be of one mind that we may agree let us agree that we may be of one minde Eusebius records a Letter that Constantine sent to Alexander and Arius before he apprehended the grossenesse of Arius his heresie conceiving them to differ but in smaller things he endevours to reconcile them For that sayes he the things wherein you differ concerneth not any waighty substance of our Religion there is no reason why it should breed at all any division in minde or discord in doctrine and this Isay not to compell you in this light question of what sort soever it be altogether to condescend unto the same sentence and though you dissent amongst your selves about a matter of small importance for neither truly are we all in all things like minded neither have we all the same nature and gift engrafted in us neverthelesse for all that the sacred unity may be soundly and inviolably retained among you and one consent and fellowship conversed between all I have read of the like peaceable disposition in divers German Divines meeting to confer about matters of Religion in difference in Marpurg The conclusion of their Conference was this Although we see we cannot hitherto fully agree about the corporall presence of the body and bloud of Christ in the bread and wine yet both parts ought to declare Christian love one to another as farre as every one can with a good conscience Oh that this were the conclusion of all our debates and conference wherein we cannot come up fully to one anothers judgements If we stay for peace and love till we come to the unity of the faith in all things we must stay for it for ought I know till we come to another world Ephes 4. 11 12. He gave some Apostles some Evangelists some Pastors and Teachers for the worke of the Ministery till we all come in the unity of the faith and knowledge of the Sonne of God unto a perfect man The unity of the faith and the perfect man will be both together and when they are there will be no more need of any ministry there shall be no more preaching after we are all come to this unity when that
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
to the precious blood of the Lord Away therefore will you adde impiety to your sinne doe not think much to come under that discipline which the Lord commands Upon this the Emperour goes back to his Palace with sighing and teares and spent eight moneths in mourning and lamentation and yet after this he was not received by Ambrose till againe being sharply reprehended he cast himselfe downe in the porch upon the pavement bewailing his sinne and rising up he was about to sit in the Chancel where the Emperours seat was he was required to goe forth into the place of penitents With the like yea more boldnesse he dealt with Ruffinus a great Courtier the Master of the Emperours Horse Here behold a man of a moderate quiet spirit yeeldable in what he could yet when he conceived himselfe interessed in the Cause of Christ his courage raises him above the feares or favours of men The seventh joyning practice If you will needs be striving strive who shall doe one another most good who shall engage one another in the most and greatest offices of love THis is a good combate such striving as this is God and his blessed Angels looke upon and take much delight in I find a notable story in the life of Alexander the Great which may put on and encourage Christians in such a combat as this There was a great King in India his name was Taxiles who on a time came to salute Alexander and said unto him What should we need to fight and make Wars one with another if thou commest not to take away our water and our necessary commodity to live by for which things men of judgement must needs fight as for other goods if I be richer then thee I am ready to give thee of mine and if I have lesse I will not think scorn to thank thee if thou wilt give me some of thine Alexander being pleased to hear him speak thus wisely embraced him and said unto him Thinkest thou that this meeting of ours can be without fight for all these goodly fair words No no thou hast won nothing by them for I will fight and contend with thee in honesty and curtesie because thou shalt not exceed me in bounty and liberality So Alexander took divers gifts of him but gave more to him Oh that our contentions were turned into such contentions as these are Let us rejoyce in any opportunity of doing any office of love to those we differ from yea to those who have wronged us It was wont to be said of Arch-Bishop Cranmer If you would be sure to have Cranmer doe you a good turne you must doe him some ill one for though he loved to doe good to all yet especially he would watch for opportunities to doe good to such as had wronged him Had we but a few leading men of such spirits among us how great a blessing of peace might we enjoy The eighth joyning Practice Let every man be diligent in that work that God calls him to STudy to be quiet and to doe your owne businesse and to worke with your owne hands as we commanded you 1 Thess 4. 11. It is not an arbitrary thing the command of God lyes upon it I am verily perswaded that many of our divisions in opinion and otherwise our hard thoughts one of another are raised and fomented by such as want imployment Hence they go about from place to place arguing disputing jangling about things they understand not and yet think themselves to have a deeper insight then ordinary I would be loath to adde to the affliction of those who by the rage of the enemy have been put out of their imployments and are come for shelter amongst us God forbid that I should willingly grieve them their case is to be pittied we are to succour comfort and helpe them what we can but yet I desire them withall to take heed of a temptation they may be under and think not of it in this their want of imployment now they are here they meet with variety of company with all sorts of people and having too much time to spare the Devill may soon and unawares to them prevaile to cause an itching desire in them after this opinion and the other this and the other way which having taken their hearts they carry up and down what they heare and what apprehensions they have of things and persons pleading and arguing for that they have but sleight and sudden apprehensions of and by arguing the thing gets down into their spirits before it be thoroughly examined and understood and being got down there then it must needs be maintained and so a spirit of contention rises in them and seeds of contention are sowne among others It may be some of your callings are low and mean and that may possibly be your discouragement but let it not be so for there may be as much obedience to God in thy faithfulness in that mean calling of thine as in the highest and most honourable imployment upon earth yea thy reward may be as great for God looks at faithfulnesse in the work not the greatnesse of the work Let every man know sayes Luther that his work in any godly kind of life is a divine worke because it is the worke of a divine call having Gods command for it The ninth In all strivings with men have a care that due respect to their persons be kept as much as may be IT is very observable when God in the manifestation of his displeasure against the Devill in the Serpent cursed him Then he sayes cursed be thou but when he would manifest it against Simeon and Levi it is not Cursed be ye or Cursed be they but Cursed be their anger for it was fierce and their rage for it was cruell You may be bitter against mens sinne so be it you show due respect to their persons by denying that respect you might and ought to give to mens persons you deprive your self of that liberty which otherwise you might take in opposing their sinne which is the thing you say you ayme only at The tenth Labour to get good by the wrongs that are done us IF we found God blessing them to us for good our hearts will be very moderate towards those that have done them The over-ruling providence of God turning the wrong that Josephs brethren had done him to so much good took off Iosephs spirit from practising any evill against them but when this good shall come to us by the exercise of our own graces it will be more prevalent to quiet and moderate our spirits Philip of Macedon thanked some great men of Athens who had brought up ill reports of him because both in speech and life he was the better labouring by words and deeds to prove them liars the best answer to ill reports is to live contrary to them The eleventh Turne your zeale from working one against another to zeale for God YOu will say Are workes of