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
oh how does it delight the traveller when he goeth forth â— and truly such were the serene countenances of our brethren towards us but within a while the clouds over-cast the sky looks lowring gusts of wind arise yea thunder-bolts of terrible words flye about our eares and the flashes of their anger strike upon our faces Tantae ne animis coelestibus irae Unconstancy is evill and a cause of division Stoutnesse is evil and a cause of division A man must not be one thing one day and another another day not like a weather-cock carried up and down with every wind neither must he be wilfull and stout not like a rusty lock that will not be stirred by any key Now then how shall we know when a man is neither fickle nor stout For except some rules of discerning be given this temptation may be before me I must not be fickle unsetled and unconstant I will therefore stifly stand to maintain what I have professed You may know whether your ficklenesse be avoyded by true setled constancy of spirit or by stoutnesse by these five notes First true constancy and setlednesse of spirit is got by much prayer and humiliation before the Lord Establish me Lord with thy free spirit unite my heart to feare thy Name When after thy heart-breakings and meltings and heart-cryings and pourings forth Lord shew mee what thy will is in this thing keep mee from miscarrying let me not settle upon any errour instead of the truth but what is thy truth fasten my soule in it that what ever temptations come I may never be taken off from it Tell God in Prayer what the thing is and what hath perswaded thy heart to embrace it open thy heart fully to God in all thy aimes and if by this meanes the heart be fixed now it is delivered from ficklenesse and not faln into stoutnesse 2ly Where true constancy is attained by the Spirit of God and not by the stoutnesse of thine owne there is exercise of much grace and growing up in grace as faith humility love meeknesse patience c. 1 Pet. 3. 17 18. Take heed ye fall not from your stedfastnesse but grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Hearts stout and wilfull are dry and saplesse 3ly If the more a man hath to do with God the more setled he is in his way when he hath the most full converse and sweetnesse of communion with God he is then the most fully setled satisfied established in such a truth which he before conceived to be of God Many men are very stiffe and wilful unmoveable when they have to deal with men they seem then to be the most confident men in the world but God knows and their consciences know when they solemnly set themselves in the presence of God and have the most reall sight of God and have to deale most immediately with him then they have ms-giving thoughts they have feares that things may not prove so sure as they bore others in hand they apprehended them to be But if Gods presence and thy dealings with him confirms thee in this thy conscience may give thee an assurance that as thou art not fickle and wavering so not stout and wilfull 4ly When there is a proportion in mens constancie if a man be resolute and constant in one thing but very fickle and easily turned aside in others there is cause to suspect his constancy is rather from stiffnesse then from grace for grace works proportionably through the whole soule and in the whole course of a mans life 5ly If the more reall the presence of death and judgment appear to a man the more setled he is in that way this likewise may be a good evidence to him that his setlednesse in such a way is right CHAP. XX. The ninth dividing Distemper A spirit of jealousie The tenth A spirit of contention The eleventh Covetousnesse The twelfth Falsenesse ENvy strife railings evill surmisings 1 Tim. 6. 4. Strife and evill surmisings are neer of kin If contentious men can get nothing against their brethren they will surmise there is something if they can find nothing in their actions to judge they will judg their hearts if there be nothing above-board they wil think there may be something under-board from thinking there may be something they will think it is very likely there is something and from likely there is they will conclude there is Surely there is some plot working But this is against the law of Love for it thinketh no evill all the good that they see in their Brethren is blasted by their suspition of evil Love would teach us rather by what appears to judg the best of what appears not then by what appeares not to judg the worst of what appears Suspition is like some jelly stuffe that is got between the joynts if the bone be out of joynt and any jelly be got in though it be but a little soft stuffe it will hinder the setting of the bone I confess in these times because we have been so extreamly deceived in those who have been used in publike place in whom we so much confided there is a great deal of reason that we should be very wary of men and believe till we have very good grounds of confidence with trembling I remember Melchior Adam in the life of Bucholcerus tels of a witty counsel of his to his friend Hubnerus who being to goe to the Court to teach the Prince Electors children at their parting I will give you says he one profitable rule for your whole life he lissening what it should be I commend saith he to you the faith of the Devills At which Hubnerus wondring Take heed sayes he how you trust any at the Court beleeve their promises but warily but with feare you may feare they will never come to any thing But in the mean time while we are thus fearful of one another while we cannot trust one another we cannot joyn one with another I have read of Cambyses he did but dream his brother should be King of Persia and he put him to death Many amongst us do but dream of men with whom our hearts are not that they have some plots working and how do our spirits work against them Groundlesse jealousies arise from much baseness in our owne hearts Those who have no principle of faithfulnesse in themselves are suspitious of every one but as for those who suffer causelesly in this thing let them be of good comfort God will reward them good for what evill they suffer Wee read Numb 5. 28. that if a man were jealous of his wife so that he brought her to the tryall by drinking the water of jealousie if she were clear she should not onely be freed from hurt by that water but she should conceive seed if she went barren before the Lord would recompence her sorrow and trouble shee suffered by her husbands
preaching Elders or others should so have the sole power of ruling as to doe all in their owne Consistory Classis or whatsoever you may call their convening that the Church should have nothing to doe with their acts of rule but to obey this is assuming to themselves power beyond what is given them This hath brought tyrannie into the Church it hath made the Church-officers to looke upon the rest of the Church in a contemptible way as the common vulgar sort men ignorant and weak not at all fit to meddle with matters of government not so much as to take cognisance or give any consent to what the Church-officers doe But whether they understand or no whether they consent or dissent it makes no matter the determinations of those in place must stand their censures must be submitted to Peter Martyr in an Epistle to the Ministers and such as professed the faith in Polonia exhorts them to endeavour the establishing of Discipline in the Church as soon as they could while peoples hearts were heat with love to and desires after the Gospell he tells them it will be harder to bring it in afterward when their hearts begin to grow more cold and that they might not thinke Discipline a small thing he sayes that those Churches cannot be said to professe the Gospell truly nor solidly which want it he would have them acknowledge it not to be the least part of Christian Religion but must know that the Gospel is neglected by such as shall put off from themselves such a singular excellent portion of it But sayes he this will be the Objection Under the colour of Discipline the Ministers of the Church will tyrannize they will carry things according to their owne mindes To this he answers Tyrannie in the Ministers needs not be feared where the rule of the Gospel for censures is observed for in casting out any who will not be reclaimed the consent of the Church must be had and if it be done by this authority none can complain of the tyrannie of a few Cyprian in his sixt Epistle professeth his resolution to doe nothing without the counsell of the Elders and consent of the people Our Brethren of Scotland in their opposition to the Prelates give very much to the people in the matter of Excommunication It pertaineth say they to the whole Church collectively taken to deny her Christian communion to such wicked persons as adde contumacie to their disobedience therefore it pertaineth to the whole Church to excommunicate them Againe It pertaineth to the whole Church to admit one into her communion therefore to the whole Church to cast one out of her communion And a page or two after The Apostle writing to the whole Church of Corinth will have them being gathered together to deliver that incestuous person to Satan therefore every particular Church or Congregation hath power to excommunicate There they give many arguments to prove that the Apostle would not excommunicate by his owne authority alone but by the authority of the Church and that collectively taken so they say not the Ministers or Elders of the Church onely Let no man say this was the judgement but of one Minister for at the beginning of this Parliament my selfe together with a reverend Brother asked Master Henderson two or three of the Ministers of Scotland being with him Whether we might not take that Book as the judgement of the most godly and able of the Ministers of Scotland for the matters of Church-discipline They answered we might The second way of going beyond their limits is their extending their power to more Congregations then Christ hath given them charge of The chiefe Church-controversie at this day is about this extent I shall onely shew you where the difference lyes betweene one and the other in it The Question is this Whether one that is set by Christ to take charge of a particular Congregation as a Pastor to feed them by Word Sacraments and Rule may keep the Pastorall charge he hath for Word and Sacraments to one Congregation but his charge for Rule shall extend together with others to an hundred Congregations or more Some say that no Minister can have the charge of ruling over people in a large extent then his charge over them for Word and Sacraments reaches they thinke that those people that can say to a Minister That charge that Christ hath given you for Word and Sacraments extends not to take care of our soules to feed them therefore you have no charge of our souls for ruling if you thinke you may preach or administer Sacraments in an accidentall arbitrary way onely not as chalenging power over us for this or looking upon us as those committed to you for whom you are to answer then at the farthest you may exercise rule over us but in this way But others hold this That a Minister may answer to this people thus I confesse I have indeed onely such a particular Congregation to be my flock and although I being desired to help sometimes in another to preach or administer Sacraments yet I doe it not as having the charge of their soules as being Pastor to them But as for that ruling power that Christ hath given me I conceive by joyning of it with others it extends to hundreds of Congregations or more according as our association shall be so as we have not onely liberty to be helpfull to those who have the speciall charge of the Congregations but we have the supreame ruling power in our hands to challenge in the Name of Christ to exercise over these Congregations as we shall see cause I say the supreme power above what your Ministers or Elders in your particular Congregations have for though these Ministers and Elders of yours be admitted to be members of our Court yet if they all should be of a contrary minde from us in some matter that concernes your Congregation we yet will judge and determine we will censure and exercise all kinde of Ecclesiasticall Jurisdiction in that congregation as we see cause though it may be not one of us ever saw any of the faces of any of the men of your congregation before Here I say lyes the great dividing controversie which is right which is wrong is not my worke to shew all I am to doe is but to shew you what the controversie is about which there is so much dispute And though I determine not the case either way yet I shall leave two considerations to help you in your thoughts about it First the extent of power of Jurisdiction must be by institution as well as the power it selfe all juridicall power whatsoever either in State or Church receives limits or extent from the same authority it first had its rise this is impossible to be denyed If a man by a Charter be made a Mayor of a Towne he cannot therefore challenge the power of a Mayor wheresoever he comes except the authority
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
the in-let to almost all superstitions in the Church First the plea hath been for decency and order then there hath been stamped a humane institution to raise things higher 3. The urging such things when there is no reason seen in the nature of them why this rather then that makes men fear there is some religious respect put upon them already 4. Here is a stretching the power of Authority beyond the limits of it which Man naturally is very impatient of not knowing how far it may yet further be extended As for the practice of Church-Governors or civill going beyond their bounds we shall speak to in the third Head I have read of Solyman the great Turk when he was advised by a Muâ—hty to compell those of divers Religions in his Dominions to Mahumetisme looking out of his window into his Garden where there was great variety of flowers and herbs said As the variety of flowers and herbs seeme very delightfull so the diversity of Religions in my Kingdome is rather usefull then burthensome so it be those who professe them live peaceably I am not of his mind for the variety of severall Religions of which further by and by yet certainly in the varity of the practices of Brethren in such things as wee are speaking of tuned with brotherly love one towards another there will be a sweet harmony when violent urging Uniformity in such things will cause a harsh discord in the Churches When the fore-named Victor of Rome with those who joyned with him caused wofull divisions in the Church by standing so much upon uniformity urging there could be no Peace without it by it they brake the peace of the Church Iraeneus and others in the same time pleaded for the peace of the Church to be procured by yeelding to difference of practice in such things in the name of all the brethren in France under his charge he writes to Victor and those who joyned with him and tells them of the variety of practises of divers Brethren in times before them which was very neare the Apostles times who yet were at unity one with another They who were Bishops sayes he before Soter of that Sea which now thou governest as Anicetus Pius Higinus Telesphorus Xixtus were at unity with them of other Churches although their observations were various and Polycarpus being at Rome in the time of Anicetus varyed in divers things from him Although Polycarpus had says he what he did from John the Disciple of our Lord with whom he conversed yet would he not perswade Anicetus to the same things but left him to the way of his owne Church and they communicated lovingly one with another and parted in a brotherly way Cannot men walke peaceably in a broad way though they do not tread just in one anothers steps What though there be some distance in their walke one towards one side the other towards the other side of the way must they needs fall out because they are not in the same path when the way is broad enough Indeed if they went over a narrow bridg they must not take that liberty to go abredth if they keep not close to one anothers steps if they step at a distance they may fall into the River Thus in matters of divine worship we must look to it that we walk exactly in the same steps if there we presume to take liberty wee may soone fall but in circumstances of an inferiour nature there may be difference without division We must not here take upon us to be wiser then Christ Melancthon in an Epistle to some Brethren of differing minds cited by Gersom Bucerus perswades to unity thus Seeing saith he wee agree in the principall Articles of Faith let us embrace one another with mutuall love the dissimilitnde and varity of Rights and Ceremonies I will adde sayes Bncerus and of Ecclesiasticall Government ought not to disjoyn our minds CHAP. V. The second dividing Principle All Religions are to be tolerated THis is a divider indeed There is a great outcry of this but what is the scope of it it is to exasperate mens spirits against the toleration of any thing Some think there must needs be a necessary dependance between tolerating some things conceived errors and tolerating all things and if it were not for the fear of the one there would not be such ado about the other But I hope I shall clearly shew there is no such dependence but as this is a dividing principle that all things should be tolerated so the other is as truly dividing and false that nothing should be tolerated There is nothing makes more stirre amongst us at this day then this principle of absolute liberty in matters of Religion Conscience presses me to speak what I shall find to be the mind of God in this thing The wantonnesse of mens spirits their extream boldnesse about the matters of God and Christ is such as should cause our hearts to tremble such horrid blasphemous things are amongst us owned and professed with so much impudence and their practice strengthned by this Principle That there is to be an absolute liberty in the things of Religion that our duty to God our love to and care of the preservation of Religion calls us to set our selves against such a false sinfull dangerous disturbing Principle as this is This Principle is strengthened by two Positions both which are dividing as well as the Principle it selfe First That Magistrates have nothing to do with men in the matters of Religion Secondly Conscience is a tender thing and must have liberty nothing must be done to men who plead their consciences for what they do First wee shall shew the Principle it selfe to be a dividing principle Then the mistakes in those two assertions that uphold this principle As they strengthen the principle so they strengthen division The principle is dividing For First It is an abhorring to nature Is it not an abhorring thing to any mans heart in the world that men should suffer that God to be blasphemed whom they honour and that nothing should be done for the restrayning any but to aske them why they doe so and to perswade them to doe otherwise There hath ever been as great a contestation amongst people about Religion as about any thing Exod. 8. 25 26. Pharaoh bade Moses sacrifice in the land But Moses said It is not meete so to doe for we shall sacrifice the abominations of the Aegyptians Loc shall wee sacrifice the abomination of the Aegyptians before their eyes and will they not stone us Though they had leave of the King yet the people would not endure it Secondly It is against the light of Scripture Deutr. 13. 6. If thy brother the sonne of thy mother or thy sonne or thy daughter or the wife of thy bosome or thy friend which is as thine owne soule entice thee secretly saying Let us goe and serve other gods which thou hast not knowne nor thy fathers
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
That is not enough sayes the Apostle to justifie them though there should be no hurt in them yet seeing they perish in the use seeing there comes no good by them you must not doe them But what if they shall be commanded by authority may wee not doe them then No sayes the Apostle that is another argument against them they are after the commandements and doctrine of men if it be a meere ordinance of man and there be no other reason in the thing but because man enjoynes it in the Church you are not to doe it Yea in some respect we have not so much liberty in things indifferent if they be enjoyned by men as we had before This is thought to be a very strange assertion by some but consider this one thing and it will not appear so Though I might doe such a thing before yet if man shall take upon him this authority to command meerly because of his will and pleasure if I now obey I am in danger to edifie him to strengthen him in his sinne he challenges this authority and I seeme to yeeld it to him certainly he is strengthned in it by my subjection except I doe this at least professe against any such authority of man granted by Jesus Christ But say some If you take from Governours power to command things indifferent you take away all their power for things necessary are required without them and things sinfull they may not command Surely this conceit comes rather from tradition then from due consideration for it is not power enough to see to the keeping of the commands of God that the Ordinances be kept pure that there be justice between man and man to reward those which doe well and to punish the evill doers Yet thus farre must be granted to the Officers of the Church they have authority from Christ to declare dogmatically when a thing in it selfe indifferent yet by reason of some circumstances comes to be a duty and this is to be regarded more then the declaration of any private brother or brethren for they doe it by way of office in the name of Christ This we finde Acts 15. the Apostles and Elders sent their Decrees 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their dogmaticall determinations about some things in themselves indifferent but as cloathed with those circumstances they call them things necessary they determine them to be done from the reason of the things not from their authority those things were duties before they decreed them and had been had they never decreed them Even forbearing the eating of blood was a duty in case of offence though their decree had never been and otherwise it was no duty notwithstanding their Decree for afterward Paul sayes that whatsoever is sold in the shambles they might eate of it asking no question for conscience sake and every creature of God is good if it be received with thanksgiving Thus we have seen what the bounds are which God hath set to men in authority or at least the controversie about them Let them be carefull to keep within their bounds as they are set to keep others within theirs by this Church and State may enjoy much peace CHAP. XXIII The fourth dividing practise Gathering of Churches disorderly THis is cryed out of as the greatest dividing practice of all You may speak of this or that to be dividing amongst us say some but above all things this Gathering of Churches is the great divider amongst us To this I shall speak in these six things First it is not absolutely unlawfull for a Church to be gathered out of a Church Voetius that learned Professor of Viretcht answering Jansenius pleading against us for seperating from the Romish Church which was the most ancient and famous Church No sayes he it is not absolutely evill to separate from such a Church for then the Christians gathering themselves out of the Jewish Church were Schismaticks which is false Doctor Jackson a Prelaticall man in the 14. Chapter of his Treatise of the Church gives two reasons which he sayes are just and necessary for which men whether few or many may and ought to seperate themselves from any visible Church First because they are urged or constrained to professe or beleeve some points of doctrine or to adventure upon some practices which are contrary to the rule of Faith or love of God Second in case they are utterly deprived of freedome of Conscience in professing what they inwardly beleeve or bereft of some other meanes either altogether necessary or most expedient to salvation For which latter he quotes 1 Cor. 7. 23. Ye are bought with a price bee not ye servants of men Although sayes he we were perswaded that we could communicate with such a Church without evident danger of damnation yet inasmuch as we cannot communicate with it upon any better termes then legall servants or bondslaves doe with their Masters we are bound in conscience and religious discretion when lawfull occasions and opportunities ore offered to use our liberty and to seeke our freedome rather then to live in bondage This doctrine was allowed of in the Bishops times Now suppose upon these two grounds there be a withdrawing from a Church Christ does no where require his people to live without Ordinances all their dayes rather then they should joyne themselves together into another body Secondly yet where these causes are not but men may communicate without sinne professing the truth and enjoy all ordinances as the freemen of Christ Men must not seperate from a Church though there be corruption in it to gather into a new Church which may be more pure and in some respects more comfortable First because we never finde the Saints in Scripture seperating or raising Churches in such a case and secondly There would be no continuance in Church fellowship if this were admitted for what Church is so pure and hath all things so comfortable but within a while another Church will be more pure and some things will be more comfortable there The generall peace of the Church should be more regarded by us then some comfortable accommodations to our selves Thirdly Although you cannot for the present communicate with the Church in which you are without sinne or bondage yet you are not presently to withdraw to gather into another or to joyne with another you are bound to give so much respect to the Church as to continue with much long-suffering to seeke the good of that Church to remove the sinne that is upon it with all good meanes you can You must beare much with a brother much more with a Church Fourthly If things were in that ordered and settled way as they ought there ought to be no gathering of any new Churches without consulting and advising with neighbour Churches Christ would have all Churches unite themselves and have conjunction one with another being all of the same body of Christ If then there be to be raised a new Sister Church
to doe would have all Christians dwelling together so far as they can to unite into a body but there is no such order of Christ that all that dwell on the one side of the street should be of one body and all on the other of another body if they be more then can joyn into one spirituall corporation they are bound to joyne into severall so as they may best to their own and other Churches edification and if they should fail in this not joyning in the best way that possible might be their sin is against that edification that Christ requires but not therefore the sin of Schisme Who ever they were that bounded Parishes surely they did not so bound them to the greatest edification of the Church that possible might be and yet who will say they were therefore Schismaticks But suppose you have joyned with any company of Saints in a spirituall corporation if you now shall uncharitably unjustly rashly and violently break from communion with them then you contract the guilt of Schisme upon you First the separtion must be from want of charity By faith especially we are united to Christ our head and by charity to one another If a man appeares departing from any fundamentall Article of our faith which joyned him to his Head he is to bee judged an Heretick So by his appearing to depart from that love by which he was joyned in communion with the members he is to be judged a Schismatick If his departure proceeds from his love of God his love to his Saints and his owne soule yea his love to that very Church from whence he departs as sometimes it may witnessing in a gratious way against evill in it he is farre from the guilt of Schisme If you say love is a secret thing we cannot judge of what is in the heart We cannot judge of it while it is in the heart but when it appeares we may You may know whether this or other principles act men or no by their behaviour in their breaking off communion Where this is not bitcernesse pride selfe-ends will soone appear and carry them beyond those principles themselves professe they goe upon Secondly If the cause of leaving communion be just then those who give this cause are the Schismaticks not those who withdraw upon it Thus the Governours of the Church may be the Schismaticks and a private member withdrawing may be free Suarez a great Jesuite in his disputation De Schismate sayes in some cases the Pope may be a Schismatick If Governours shall enjoyne any thing upon the Church or any member that is sinne or if they shall mingle evill in the publick worship so that there can be no joyning with their worship but there must be likewise a joyning with sinne in this case if any withdraw from them they are the Schismaticks not those who withdraw they are fugati not fugitivi The blame of Schisme sayes learned Voâ—tius must not be upon those who forsake such as have forsaken Christ and the ancient faith but upon those who have thus forsaken Christ and his truth When the second Councell of Nice set up Image-worship many thousands could not yeeld to it but were forced to withdraw who was the Schismaticall party there but the Synod and those who joyned with it Yea further if they impose that which is not necessary though in it selfe not sinful and will not beare with the weaknesses of such as thinke it to be evill if upon that they be forced to withdraw in this the Governours are the Schismaticks also the cause of the rent is in them they ought in such things to beare the weaknesses of their Brethren and not imperiously to require of them those things that there is no necessity of If such things be sinne to their Brethrens consciences if they will stand upon it to enjoyne them they lay a necessity upon them to withdraw from them God will not lay the Indictment of Schisme thus Such a one departed from the communion of such a Church because he would not doe what was lawfull to be done but thus You imposed that upon your Brother which there was no necessity of and would not forbeare him in what I would have you forbeare him but caused him by your imperiousnesse and stiffenesse to depart from communion with you It is true sayes God the thing might have been done but it was not necessary it was out of conscience to me that they forbore the weaknesse is theirs but the Schisme is yours This hath beene generally received though it be very false that if a man departs from a Church because he refuseth to joyn with it in that which is not in it selfe evill that this mans departure is Schismaticall Certainly no Grant there is a weaknesse in his conscience and so a sinne he should informe his conscience better but cannot and this inability is not without sinne yet this arises not to that height of sinne as to make that which supposing him to be in this condition is better for him to doe then not to doe to become Schisme especially if he be willing to hold communion with that Church still in all acts of worship wherein he can joyne without sinning against his conscience and continues brotherly love to them as Saints in all the expressions thereof as he is able The first great Schisme in the Church that was caused by the Governours of it was that which Victor Bishop of Rome and those who joyned with him caused by that imperious way of enjoyning Easter to be kept at such a time which you have mentioned pag. 15 16 17. The story of which you have in Eusebius lib. 5. cap. 23. Those who denyed not the lawfulnesse of keeping Easter yet have generally accused Victor and such who so violently urged this upon the Churches as the cause of the Schisme not such who did not conforme to what was enjoyned them because the thing was not necessary and there should have beene a forbearance in it No Governour ought to urge such unnecessary things which are but under suspition by tender consciences if they do the Schisme is justly charged upon them Thirdly where a man cannot have his soule edified in some Ordinances and truths of great moment which that Church whereof he now is shall deny and is in great danger of being seduced to evill he may depart from that Church to another if he does it orderly and not be guilty at all of Schisme love to God and his owne soule is the cause of this not want of love to his Brethren It is a good speech I finde Chillingworth hath what the goodnesse of the man was I know not but in that Treatise of his The Religion of Protestants a safe way Cap. 5. Part. 1. Sect. 61. answering that plea of his adversary against Protestants that communion with a Church not erring in fundamentals upon pretence of erring in other matters must not be forsaken he
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
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
Faith gets above and sayes It shall be I descry land and thus quiets all in the soule all being quiet there the turbulent motions that are in our spirits one towards another are soon quieted 3. Humility COloss 3. 12. Put on as the elect of God bowels of mercies kindnesse humblenesse of minde Ephes 4. 2. With all lowlinosse and meeknesse and long-suffering forbearing one another in love endeavouring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace Phil. 2. 3. Let nothing be done through strife or vain-glory but in lowlinesse of minde let each esteeme others better then himselfe We may say of Humility as Tertullus Acts 24 said of Felix By thee we enjoy great quietnesse An humble heart looks upon every truth of God as infinitely above it selfe therefore it is willing to receive it from any a child may lead it Esay 11. 6. One Baldassar a German Divine writing to Oecolampadius hath this notable expression Let the Word of the Lord come let it come and we will put under six hundred necks if we had them Such a disposition as this would make much for peace Esay 32. 18 19. we have a promise that the people of God should dwell in a peaceable habitation and in quiet resting places and the City shall be low in a low place When the heart lyes lowest it is quietest 4. Self-denyall THe joynts in the body cannot joyne but one part must be hollow and give way to the other Condescention of one to another is a principall thing in friendship Philip. 2. the example of Christ emptying himselfe and making himselfe to be of no reputation is set before us as an argument for our union that therefore we should doe nothing through strife be like minded having the same love and be of one accord and one minde It is indifferent to a heart emptyed of Selfe whether it conquers or be conquered so Truth may triumph In other conflicts the Conquerour hath the honour and the conquered is disgraced but in the conflicts for truth both conquered and conquerour are honourable the mercy is the greater to him that is conquered but he must have a self-denying heart to make him think so 5. Patience THe Olive the Embleme of Peace will continue greene though overflowne by the waters for a long time together After Noah had been so long in the Ark the Dove brought an Olive leafe in her mouth to him It may be an Emblem of Patience as well as Peace Patience and Peaceableness are neere akin Ephes 4. 2 3. Long-suffering is amongst the graces where the unity of the spirit is to be kept in the bond of peace There is a notable story I finde in the lives of the German Divines One Vitus Theodorus a Divine sends to advise with Melancthon what he should do when Osiander preached against him Melancthon writes to him and beseeches him for the love of God yea charges him that he should not answer Osiander again but that he should hold his peace and behave himself as if he heard nothing Vitus Theodorus writes back again This was very hard yet he would obey Let not men be too hasty to oppose oppositions but let them go on patiently in a constant way resolving to bear what they meet with and God at length will make their righteousness break forth as the light Confute evill reports by thy life He that knowes not to beare calumnies reproaches injuries he knowes not how to live sayes Chytraeus another German Divine 6. Joy in the holy Ghost ROm. 14. 17. The Kingdome of heaven is righteousness peace joy in the holy Ghost This grace in the heart puts a grace upon all a mans conversation it makes it lovely and amiable The beames of the Sunne shining upon the fire will put it out The beams of this spirituall joy will put out the fire of our passions 7. Meeknesse Gentlenesse MIlk quenches wild-fire Oyle sayes Luther quenches Lime which water sets on fire Opposition will heat will fire men when meeknesse and gentlenesse will still and quench all Cicero sayes Sweetnesse of speech and rarriage is that which seasons friendship severity in every thing and sadnesse must not be among friends in their converse such a kinde of carriage may have a seeming gravity but friendship must have a remisness it must be more free and sweet disposed to all mildness and easiness Ephes 4. 2 3. Meekness comes in as a speciall grace for peace and unity so Col. 3. 12. 8. Love THat is the speciall uniting grace Faith indeed hath the preheminence in our union with Christ our head but Love is the grace that unites the members 1 Cor. 13. the Apostle shews many of the fruits of this grace all tending to union and peace It suffers long it envies not it is not puffed up it behaves not it selfe unseemly it seeketh not her owne it is not easily provoked thinketh no evill beareth all things believeth all things hopeth all things endureth all things Bearing all things and enduring all things seem to be the same Therefore some would have it it covereth all things for so the word also signifies but there is a greater elegancy in it in the Translation beareth all things it is like the crosse maine beam in a house supporting the whole building and were it not for some who have the love of God and his truth and the good of the publiquâ— enabling them to undergo what they do more then any encouragement from men all things in Church and State would be ready to fall into confusion to be nothing but a heap of rubbish but this love enables to beare all things But if they have no encouragement but see that though they hazard themselves never so much be of never so great use do the greatest services that can be expected from men yet when mens turns are served they are little regarded but envyed and narrowly watched to spy out any thing that may have some shew of excepting against them and left to shift for themselves as well as they can when they might justly expect a great reward of their services yet are disappointed their hearts are grieved But yet because they are acted by a principle of love to God his cause the publique they therefore still hold out go on in their way labour to be as instrumentall as they can for good commit themselves and all their endeavours to God expecting encouragement from him and so they endure all things such men are worth their weight in gold here is a heart that hath much of the spirit of God in it God is love and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him No marvell though these men act so swiftly in their way no marvell though their motion in publick service be so speedy for their Charet is like that Charet of Salomons Cant. 3. 10. The middle thereof is paved with love and this is for the daughters of
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
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