the Lump and corrupt the coin is purged out and fanned away When the unruly are admonished and the weak strengthned and the Feeble-minded comforted and Hereticks rejected and disorderly Walkers made ashamed this greatly tendeth both to the honour and to the health and safety of the Church of God 2. It teacheth us to take heed of those who cause divisions and breaches contrary to the Doctrine of Christ which we have received who rend his Seamless Coat and make their tongues and their pens bellows to blow up the flames of contention among Christians biting tearing and devouring one another of whom the Apostle saith That they serve not the Lord Jesus but their own belly It is noted by Epiphanius as a wicked speech of Marcion the Heretick Ego findam Ecclesiam vestram miâ—tam fiffuram in ipsam in aeternum And the Apostle maketh the ground of contentions and divisions in the Church to be fleshly Lusts 1 Cor. 3. 3. Gal. 5. 20. It is a great sin to make an undue separation from the true Church of Christ. A sin against the Communion of Saints from which the Separation is made A sin against the Unity and Peace of the Church which we all ought with our utmost endeavours to preserve A sin against the Spirit of Christ which is thereby grieved as the soul is pained by the wounds which are made upon the body A sin against the honor of Christ whose name is thereby exposed to contempt and reproach A sin against a mans own edification who thereby cutteth himself off from the means of Grace and exposeth himself to the danger of Heresie and Contagion And therefore those holy Fathers St. Cyprian Augustine and Optatus use to set forth the Atrocity and danger of this sin by the greatness and strangeness of the Judgement wherewith God punished it in Corah Dathan and Abiram and those who adhered unto them whom the earth opened her mouth to swallow up and by the sore Judgement upon the ten Tribes in their total rejection for separating from the house of David and the true Worship of God in Jerusalem We should therefore take special heed of departing from the true Church of Christ where his Word is truly taught and where Christ the foundation is held for every infirmity or blemish which we may conceive to be upon it for though the Apostle reproved many Corruptions and Abuses in the Church of Corinth yet he blameth the Contentions Emulations Breaches and Divisions which were therein 1 Cor. 1. 11 12 13. Of this sort were the Novatians Luciferians Donatists Audians in the antient Church who for laxness of Discipline or other Corruptions which they apprehended to be therein did withdraw keep themselves apart from their Communion To such as these it was a good speech of Optatus We have one Faith one Baptism one Conversation We read the same divine Testaments we are of the same Sheepâ—fold we have been washed and wrought together we are parts of the same garment but ripped one from another Sarâ—ura necessaria est there wants nothing but that we be sewed up and reunited again I shall not here enter upon any Polemical discourse to vindicate our own or other Reformed Churches from that heavy Charge of Schism wherewith Pontificians implead us for having forsaken the Communion of the Roman Church Our Learned Writers have thus stated the Case 1. That it is the Cause and not the Separation that makes the Schismatick they who give the Cause for which it is necessary to separate are the Authors of the Schism for where there is a necessary Cause to separate we are commanded by God so to do 2 Cor 6. 17. Rev. 18. 4. As we find when Jeroboam had corrupted the Worship of God the Priests and Levites and out of all the Tribes such as set their hearts to seek the Lord departed from his Idolatry 2 Chron. 11. 13 16 30. 11. For certainly one particular Church may reform it self though another will not 2. That they gave the Cause of this Breach and Separation and that upon several accompts 1. By many and great Corruptions in Doctrine and Worship whereby they themselves departed from the primitive Purity which Errors and Corruptions they obtruded and imposed upon us as Conditions of their Communion 2. By great encroachments and usurpations upon the just power of Princes and Liberties of Churches 3. By Tyranny in Excommunications Persecutions and fiery Inquisitions frighting and thrusting us from their Communion 4. By refusing to be reclaimed or healed of these distempers in that they challenge a peculiar Infallibility a power to hold all other Churches under their Laws Dominations 3. That this was not a Secession from the Catholick Church nor from the Primitive Church unto whose judgement we are willing to appeal but only from the Corruptions Faction and Tyranny of a particular Church with whom notwithstanding we retain an Unity still in all points of Doctrine and Worship which they hold consonant to the Will of God in his Word revealed disowning nothing but those Errors and Additions which they have superinduced upon the Institutions of Christ. Lastly That this is not to set up a new Church which was never in the world before for the Church is the same now as formerly only sick and overgrown with Corruptions then healed weeded purged and reformed now nor were there waâ—ting in former ages after those Corruptions prevailed in the Church many Witnesses who appeared for the Truths then suppressed greatly complained of the contrary abuses and earnestly desired a reformation as under the defection of the ten Tribes the Lord had seven thousand who had not bowed the knee to Baal 1 Reg. 19. 18. and a Remnant according to the Election of Grace under the Apostacy of the Jews Rom. 11. 1 5. 3. We should be exhorted to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace not to judge despise or condemn one another but mutually to edifie where we agree and to endeavour Reconciliation wherein we differ to be perfectly joyned together if it be possible in the same Judgement to think and to speak the same things however to mind the same End to intend the same Common Salvation to hold fast the same head to pursue the same Interest and however we go in several paths of the same Rode yet still to have our faces towards the same City Arguments to perswade unto this holy unity to obey the Government of Christ under his Staffe Bands are many and weighty 1. A Contrario Consider the Unity and Confederacy of Satan and all his Instruments against Christ and his Church for our Saviour telleth us that Satan is not divided against himself Mat. 12. 26. We read of the Gates of hell whereby we understand the united Powers and Counsels of the kingdom of Darkness agâ—inst the Kingdom of Christ and as Devils so the wicked of the world joyn
hand in hand against the Church they consult together with one consent and are confederate against it they will lay down their own private enmities to combine against Christ as Pilate and Herod did Fas est ab hoste doceri if enemies unite to destroy the Church should not we unite to preserve it especially considering what a grave Historian noteth That in the cause of Religion every Subdivision is a strong Weapon in the hand of the contrary party Our intestine Mutinies and Distempers do the Enemies work for him He may stand still and please himself to see us bite and devour one another Again Consider the Turpitude Deformity and Danger of Schisms and Divisions which are the same in a Political or Ecclesiastical body as in the natural wherein whatsoever mangleth and separateth part from part doth greatly weaken and deform the whole They gratifie the common enemy Hoc Ithacus velit They grieve the holy Spirit as wounds in the body natural put the soul to pain They dishonour the holy Gospel which is a Gospel of Peace They loosen and weaken the Interest of Religion for when we bite and devour one another we are in danger to be consumed one of another They minister occasion to prophane Spirits to turn Atheists and cast off all Religion as a thing of uncertainty wherein the Professors thereof themselves know not how to agree They have their foundation in carnal and sensual Interests as Pride Revenge Discontent Coveteousness and other inordinate Lusts and therefore are reckoned by the Apostle amongst the Fruits of the flesh If we examine the Rise and Original of many of the antient Heresies whereby the Peace of the Church hath been torn and mangled we shall find that some carnal End or other as Ambition Animosity Discontent or other the like sins have been the Basis on which they were reared It was the speech of a graceless son to his mother Transferam me in partem Donati bibam sanguinem tuum as St. Austin saith Mater omnium Haereticorum superbia It is a very true speech of Baronius ex Officina Sardanapali prodire consueverunt Haeresium sectatores 2. A Necessaâ—â—â— from the the necessity of this excellent Duty and this is a twofold necessity Necessitas praecepti because it is commanded Have peace one with another Mark 9. 50. Necessitas Medii because Peace and Unity amongst brethren in the Church is an excellent means to glorifie God when with one mind and mouth we call upon him and serve him with one consent and to further the Gospel and gain it honour and credit even in the hearts of strangers the Heathen themselves took notice of the love of Christians as Minutius Felix telleth us Vide say they ut se diligunt Christiani 3. A possibili our endavours in this kind are not after things which are unattainable for Christ hath by the blood of his Cross procured the Churches peace and by his powerful Intercession prayeth for it since therefore Christ dyed not in vain but did see of the travel of his soul and was heard in every prayer which he made It is certain that the Lord will in due time pour out upon his people a spirit of Unity and close up the breaches of his Tabernacle as it is our Duty to seek Peace so is it his promise to work it he is not the author of Confusion but of Peace as in all the Churches of the Saints 4. A Facili It is not only possible but easie for Believers to be at peace one with another those things which are natural are ever wrought without difficulty it is not hard for the Sun to shine or the fire to burn nothing more easie then for the members in one body to agree with one another And Believers are members of the same body and have one common spirit to actuate and animate them and therefore should suffer and rejoyce together and be kindly affectioned one towards another with brotherly love as the Apostle argueth Rom. 12. 4 10. 1 Cor. 1â— 12 13. 25. 26. 5. Ab Vtili from the great good advantage which hereby cometh unto the Church it is as the dew of Hermon which bringeth a blessing with it it strengthneth against all adverse power and maketh the Church terrible as an Army with Banners it openeth the passages for Communion of Saints that they may derive good from one another by the supply that every joint maketh as divers members in the body have divers uses the eye to see the ear to hear the tongue to speak the hand to work and these Uses mutually serviceable to the good of each other and Vnion a necessary bond of this Service so in the Church or body of Christ every member hath his measure of gifts and graces by which he may be profitable to the whole one the Spirit of Wisdom another of Knowledge one able to counsel another to comfort one to exhort another to rebuke what is wanting in one is supplied by another and this supply is made by those joints whereby these divers members are united together Love is the Vehiculum of all that help and service which one Christian man deriveth upon another hereby we serve one another and edifie one another we bear with the infirmities sustain the burdens and rejoyce in the comforts mourn in the sorrows distribute to the necessities pray for the souls of one another By this means the graces of the Church are more bright and resplendent as the flame which ariseth out of united fewel is much greater then that which each stick alone by it self doth render and hence it is that the servants of God do love the habitation of his house and the place where his honor dwelleth assembling themselves there together with one accord because he hath promised that in every place where he recordeth his name he will come unto them and bless them and by this means there were added to the Church daily such as should be saved 6. A Jucundo honesto It is not only good but pleasant for brethren to dwell together in Vnity not only as the dew of Hermon for profit but as the ointment on the head of Aaron for comfort and Delight In the united Assemblies of the Saints we behold the beauty of the Lord when the members are disjoynted the body is deformed Shave away the eye-brows only from the face Quantillum decedit de corpore quantum de pulchritudine saith St. Austin you much lessen the beauty by so little lessening the body Now a Schism in the Church is the same deformity as a mutilation in the body 7. Ab Exemplo from the great Examples which we have of Peace in the word God known by the name of a God of Peace with whom his people having Acquaintance and Communion are at peace Christ by the name of a
Prince of Peace who as he is not divided in himself so neither should he be divided in his Members Our Consolation in him should make us be of one accord and of one mind the Primitive Church a mirrour of Vnity and Peace the multitude of believers were of one heart and of one soul primum in unoquoque genere est Regula caeterorum 8. Ab Evangelio from the nature of the Gospel which is called by the Apostle a Gospel of Peace whereby we are called unto peace by the power whereof the rage of Lyons and Bears is calmed and subdued much more should the Sheep of Christ be preserved from biting and devouring one another it is a presage of rain and storms when Sheep run heads together and certainly it bodeth no good unto the Church when the Sheep of Christ are at discord one with another Lastly A Sacramentis which are sigilla vincula pacis from the Sacraments which are the Seals and Bands of Christian Peace In Baptism we were baptized into one body in the Lords Supper we being many are one Bread and one body for we are partakers of that one Bread as the Wine is made of many grapes pressed into one Liquor and the Bread of many grains moulded into one Lump so the Church of many believers compacted together by one Spirit of Faith and Love into one mystical body I shall conclude this Exhortation with two or three solemn and emphatical passages of the Apostle pressing Christians unto this duty Let us saith he follow after the things which make for peace and things wherewith one may edifie another And again I beseech you brethren by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye all speake the same thing that there be no divisions among you but that ye be perfectly joyned together in the same mind and in the same Judgement And again Be perfect be of good comfort be of one mind live in Peace and the God of Love and Peace shall be with you And again if there be therefore any Consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the Spirit if any Bowels and Mercies fulfill ye my joy that ye be like-minded having the same Love being of one accord of one mind Unto which I shall subjoyn the same Apostles pathetical prayer The Lord of Peace himself give you Peace always by all means and the God of Patience and Consolation grant you to be like minded one towards another according to Christ Jesus that you may with one mind and with one mouth glorifie God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Before I leave this seasonable and necessary Argument let us in a few words consider what is to be done in Differences of Judgement and Divisions of mind to heal the breaches and to recover the Peace of a disjointed and dilacerated Church And here it cannot be denyed but that in all ages of the Church there have been and still are like to be Varieties of Judgement among the Members thereof For 1. The best Proficients know but in part and Prophesie but in part 2. There are many things very abstruse and difficult in the disquisition of divine Truth Religion hath its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things hard to be understood as well as other Sciences 3. There is in many men much weakness of Judgement to make search and enquiry into these things or to discover veritatem in puteo latentem 4. There is much carelesness of heart in many men to try the spirits and to prove all things they sleep while the enemy soweth Tares 5. There is in many men a Levity Lubricity and Discomposedness of mind whereby they are apt to be carried away with every wind of Doctrine and out of Simplicity and Credulity to be wrought upon by the cunning of those who are skilful to deceive 6. Some have itching ears hearkning always after new things whom Manna will not please without Quails who have some particular mens persons in admiration and give up themselves by a blind obedience and implicite Faith into their hands to be led by them into novel and singular Opinions 7. Prevailing of Lust and domestical Interest doth in many men darken their mind and entangle their Judgements and betray them unto that sad condition of being given over to strong Delusions to believe Lyes Upon these and such like Reasons there have been always Differences in the Church We find a contention between Paul and Barnabas and between Paul and Peter We find some for Paul others for Apollo and some for Cephas and others for none of them all but for Christ without them we find some building upon the foundation Silver and gold and others Hay and stubble We read of great differences between the Eastern and Western Churches touching the Observation of Easter and between the Roman and African Churches in the matter of Rebaptization of many sharp Dissentions between sundry great and famous Bishops and Pastors of the antient Churches To say nothing of the present sad experience which we may everywhere observe of the same Truth the Scripture hath foretold it and it cannot be otherwise that there must be Heresies and Offences nevertheless we must not hereby be discouraged from using all pious and prudent Endeavours for pacification of the persons so dissenting concerning which Accommodation we are to distinguish 1. Of Opinions whereof some are in the Foundation in those primitive Articles of Faith and Essentials of Religion on which the house of God is built the errors contrary whereunto are subversive pernicious and damnable some are only in the Superstruction which are not Fidei but Quaestionum which do not overturn the Edifice nor endanger the Vitals of Religion such were in the Apostles time Disputes touching Meats and Drinks and Days and Things indifferent wherein though men abound in their own sense yet it must ever be with Meekness and with humble submission to the Spirits of the Prophets and to the Judgement Order and Peace of the Church 2. Of Persons Some are Seducers who out of Pride Enmity against the Doctrine which is according unto Godliness carnal ends desire of Advantage and Domination do sow Tares in the Church and cause Rents and Divisions therein such were Hymeneus Philetus Diotrephes and others Others are seduced people who through Ignorance Credulity Simplicity Facility and Flexibleness of Spirit are led away captive by the cunning Craftiness of them who lie in wait to deceive Again Some are men of meek humble peaceable and quiet spirits amongst whom though there be differences of Judgement yet they do upon common Principles of Faith and Holiness agree in love and joyn in pursuing the same common Salvation neither monopolizing the priviledges of Saints neither judging or despising the other neither holding any Error supinely pertinaciously uncharitably or factiously Others are men of