portion of some soules in the Congregation they dared not mention them 4ly When your profession of some truths will take off mens hearts from other that are more weighty and necessary The rule of the Apostle Rom. 14. 1. holds forth this Receive not those men who are weake in faith to doubtfull disputations this may hinder them in the great things of the Kingdome of God Righteousnesse peace joy in the holy Ghost vers 17. As if the Apostle should say Let them be wel established in them but these doubtfull disputations will hinder them in such things as these are Fiftly when my profession at this time in this thing is like to hinder a more useful profession at another time in another thing Prov. 29. 11. A foole uttereth all his mind he that is wise keeps it in till afterward It was the wisdome of Paul when he was at Athens not presently to break out against their Idols hee staid his due time and yet all the time hee kept in his uprightnesse in the hatred of Idolatry as much as ever Sixtly when our profession will cause publick disturbance and that to the godly the disturbance of mens corruptions who will oppose out of malice is not much to be regarded When it was told Christ the Pharisees were offended he cared not for it but he made a great matter of the offence of any of his little ones When men who love the truth as well as wee shall not only be against what we conceive truth but shall be offended and that generally at it if we have discharged our own consciences by declaring as we are called to it what we conceive the mind of God we should sit down quietly and not continue in a way of publique offence and disturbance to the Saints The rule of the Apostle will come in here Let the spirit of the Prophets be subjects to the Prophets wee should wait till God will some other way or at some other time have that prevaile in their hearts and consciences of his people which we conceive to be truth and they are now so much offended at There could never be peace continued in the Church if every man must continually upon all occasions have liberty openly to make profession of what he apprehends to be a truth never have done with it though the Church which is faithfull and desires unfeignedly to honour Christ and his truth be never so much against it In divers of these cases the consideration of that Text Eccl. 7. 16. is very sutable Be not righteous over much neither make thy selfe over wise why shouldst thou destroy thy selfe Amongst other things this is included in the scope of the Holy Ghost when you apprehend a thing to be a truth do not think that you are bound all times upon all occasions to the utmost profess practise promote that truth without any consideration of others being carried on with this apprehension it is a truth come of it what will whatsoevâ— becomes of me whatsoever trouble shall follow upon it I must and will professe it and publish it again and again to the death In this you had need look to your spirit in this you may be over-just and make your self over-wise though there may be some uprightnesse in your heart some love to Christ and his truth yet there may be mixture of your own spirit also you may stretch beyond the rule this is to be over-righteous to think out of a zeal to God and his truth to goe beyond what God requires It is true at no time upon no occasion though thy life and all the lives in the world lay upon it thou must not deny any the least truth but there may be a time when God doth not require of thee to make profession of every thing thou believest to be a truth You will say This tends to loosness to lukewarmness to time-serving men pretending and pleading discretion grow loose and remisse and so by degrees fall off from the truth Vers 17. Let men take heed of that too Be not over-much wicked neither be thou foolish As you must be carefull not to goe beyond the rule so take heed you fall not off from it so you may grow wicked and foolish yea very wicked over-wicked God will meet with you there too Wherefore vers 18. It is good thou shouldst take hold of this yea also from this withdraw not thine hand Take both be carefull of thy self in both but especially mark the last clause of the 18. vers He that feareth God shall come forth of them all The feare of God possessing thy heart will help thee in these straits thou shalt by it be delivered from being ensnared by thy indiscreet sinfull zeale and it shall likewise keep thee from bringing misery upon thy selfe by falling as farre on the other hand to looseness and time-serving The fear of God will ballast thy soul even it will carry thee on in a way that shall be good in the eyes of the Lord and of his Saints There is a natural boldnes and a mixed zeal in many who are godly that carries them on in those ways that causes great disturbance to others and brings themselves into great straits and snares and these men are very ready to censure others of nesse and loosenesse who do not as themselves do but this Scripture reproves them shewing that it is not through fleshly wisdome and providing for ease that is the cause others do not as they do but the fear of God in a right way ballasting their spirits God will own his fear to be in their hearts ordering them aright when thy disorderly mixed zeale shall receive rebuke from Christ But doth not Christ say Hee came into the world to witnesse to the truth and is not every truth more worth then our lives That man who in the former five cases wherein profession is shewed to be our duty shall witness to the truth he shewes that truth is indeed precious to him and gives that testimony to the truth that he was born for although in the six latter he shall forbear But when these latter cases shall fall out how shall the truth be maintained will it not suffer much prejudice 1. Christ will not be beholding to mens weaknesses for the maintenance of his truth 2. If every man according to his place to deliver his own soule shall declare observing the rules we shall speak to presently what he conceives to be the mind of God though he shall not either in words or practice continually hold forth the same yet thereby the truth is maintained 3. The truth is maintained by forbearing that practice which those opinions of men that are contrary to the truth puts them upon not doing as they do is a continual witnesse against them and so a witnesse for the truth this is a Christians duty at all times although I must never upon any ground do that which my conscience sayes is in
you doe nothing that may make any disturbance in the Church whereby such as are observers of your wayes shall be offended If they see miscarriages in you they will fly off and of all miscarriages there are none more offensive to the lookers on then wranglings and contendings when they see this they will conclude Surely this is not the way of Christ 10. They are a very ill improvement of our zeal and courage Zeal and courage have such an excellency in them as its a thousand pitties they should have no other improvement then to raise and maintain quarels and divisions The Lord hath use of every mans zeal and courage reserve them for his for some notable work that God hath to do for thee and do not spend them about that from whence comes no good If Soldiers lying neare their enemies have no store of powder should spend what they have in making squibs and fire-workes would they not be condemned of folly if not of treachery by all Those who have the most zeal and courage have little enough to serve their turne for the services that God requires of them and must this be spent in unworthy brablings wanglings and quarellings That mans body is in an ill condition that hath a sore to which the humors have recourse to feed it leaving off the supplying to the parts of the body that are to be nourished and maintained by them the sore is fed but the other parts grow lank and feeble Thus it is with many mens spirits they are distempered and then what abilities they have are drawn forth to feed those distempers what account can be given to God of such a use of them as this 11. They make very much against the Cause of Christ now in hand the great work of Reformation Had we joyned hand in hand together and set out selves to serve the Lord with one shoulder what abundance of service might have been done how might the honour of Christ have been advanced high amongst us before this day But while one draws one way another another one seeks to set up and another labours to pull down how can the work go on You will say That is true indeed things would go on a pace if those who differ from others would give up their judgements and practises to them to beleeve what they beleeve and to doe what they doe But how can this be you would not have them give up their judgements or practices to them till they know they be right and how can that be till they by discussing praying reading meditating finde that out If some men had certainly found out the right and other men knew certainly that they had done so then the worke were at an end But when we complain of our divisions for making much against the Cause of Christ or work of Reformation we do not complain against men because they cannot all understand things alike But this we complain of 1. That all men who professe godlinesse have not joyned in opposing that which they beleeve cannot stand with godlinesse by all the wayes that God hath put into their hands 2. That they have not joyned to promote those wayes of godlinesse which they are convinced to be so 3. That they have not joyned to study what wayes and means may be found out to ease the hearts and consciences one of another to beare with one another so far as Christ would have them be helpfull to and beare with one another It is this that hath made such a stop in the work of Reformation A peaceable humble and quiet discussing of things furthers that Reformation that Christ would have Doe you thinke that Christ would be pleased with such a Reformation wherein the lesser part should give up their consciences and practices to the Judgments of the greater such a kind of slubbering over matters might soon be but Christ must have all the matters of his worship and doctrine consented to and practiced from a principle of faith Let us joyn with all our might in all we know and with peaceable quiet humble spirits seek to know more and in the mean time carry our selves humbly and peaceably towards those we differ from and Christ will not charge us at the Great Day for retarding his Cause the great work of Reformation in hand 12. These our dissentions are against a great part of the Covenant of Grace which God hath made with his people in Christ and those many promises of so much peace that there is to be in the times of the Gospel We by these do that which tends to make void the Covenant we doe as it were say that Christ is not come in the flesh 1 Joh. 4. 3. Every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God and this is that spirit of Antichrist Many men talk much of Antichrist bet such as profess the Gospel and yet are of unpeaceable snarling contending spirits they have the spirit of Antichrist and they doe not confesse that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh It is the Argument the Jews have against Christ say they If he were come then that Prophesie Esay 11. 6. would be fulfilled The wolfe shall dwell with the lambe and the leopard shall lye downe with the kid and the cow and the beare shall feed together c. But this is not so they bring many other places where Peace is prophesied of as Esay 9. 7. Of the encrease of his government and peace shall be no end Those who seeke for his Government should seek for his Peace also Galatinus de Arcanis Catholicae veritatis spends divers Chapters in answering the Jews objections against Christ from these places with others as Lib. 5. the 6 7 8. Chapters A speciall part of the Covenant of Grace is in that promise Ezek. 11. 19. I will give them one heart and I will put a new spirit within them and they shall be my people and I will be their God ver 20. And Jer. 32. 38 39. They shall be my people and I will be their God and I will give them one heart and one way Many men speak much of the Covenant of Grace who manifest little of this part of it in them If that which is against any command of God be sinfull much more is that which is so directly against Gods Covenant with his people that which tends to make even the Covenant of Grace to be of none effect if it be of no effect in one part of it it will be of none in the other 13. By our divisions we cross that end that God aimed at in the variety of his administrations in the gifts and graces of men That this was not Christs end in dispensing gifts and graces in a different way that there might be fuell administred to contentions and quarrels but rather to exercise love we spake to before now onely take notice of it as a consideration that set out the
liberty now their division rose high some would to up to Jerusalem to worship others would not those that went up cryed out of those who went not and those who went not vilified those who went Now their hearts are thus divided now shall they be found guilty The desolating judgment must now come This is the time for their captivity Now he gives them up to the Enemie God was exceedingly provoked with their contentions one against another at this time What says God when I was in some way of favour towards them when I took off in great part the yoke of bondage that was upon them that sore oppression that was before none of them a while since dared goe to Jerusalem to worship and now their Governours are more moderate their oppressing Courts are downe there is more liberty in the Land for my true worship and do they now fall out contemn divide wrangle one with another let them goe into captivity let the enemy come in upon them my soule takes no delight in such a crooked perverse Generation as this is Our condition seems to parallel with theirs very much we lately were under sore and cruell bondage nothing was more dangerous then the worshipping God in his own way wee were under hard Task-masters oppressing undoing Courts The Lord hath in a great measure delivered us it is the unthankfulness the sinfull distemper of mens spirits that makes them say what is done it is as ill with us as ever it was No we have much ease such liberties as were our fore-fathers raised out of their graves to see they would admire Gods goodness and bless him with meltings of heart but we spend that strength in siding wrangling contending quarrelling vexing opposing one another that we should spend in magnifying blessing and praising the Name of God for that mercy we enjoy We are a divided people whose hearts are divided and heads too and hands too peace and unity seems to be flown from us and a spirit of contention and division is come upon us King Subjects are divided Parl. is divided Assembly is divided Armies are divided Church is divided State is divided City is divided Country is divided Towns are divided Families divided godly people are divided Ministers almost every where are divided yea and what heart almost is there at this time but is divided in it self the thoughts the counsels contrivances endeavours ways of men almost of all men how are they divided O blessed Saviour are these the times thou speakest of wherein five should be in one house divided three against two and two against three the father against the son and the son against the father the mother against the daughter and the daughter against the mother Oh woe to us wee find it so amongst us and yet there is found no healing we are broken and there is no binding up It is with us as it was with Ezek. 2. 6. Briars and thorns are with us and we dwell among Scorpions O Lord what is this thy curse at this time upon England Bryers and thornes shall it bring forth We are rending and tearing and devouring one another while the adversary stands before us ready to devour us Ephraim is against Manasseh and Manasseh against Ephraim A fire is come out from Abimilech and devours the men of Sechem and fire comes from the men of Sechem and devours Abimilech yea there is a fire kindled in our owne bowels it rises from our selves Ezek. 19. 14. Fire is gone on t of a rod of her branches which hath devoured her fruit so that shee hath no strong rod to be a Seepter to rule this is a lamentation and shall be for a lamentation This is amongst us at this day and how long it shall continue God onely knows What this people were in their divided condition that we are and what does this threaten but that we should be as they a while after this were namely a people given up to the rage and fury of the Enemie which the Lord forbid There is a great out-cry of our divisions and while we cry out against them wee still encrease them we are angry with men rather because they are divided from our selves then because they are divided from the truth we are angry because every man is not of our own mind does not as we do There was a great deal of doe in Luthers time about the seamless coat of Christ Granvillian the Emperours Deputy in a Speech he made to the Citizens of Wormes beseeches them for the death of Christ and for all loves that they would amend our Lords coate which is rent and torn on every side When Luther laboured to bring Reformation to the Rule they bad him take heed that he did not rend the seamless coat of Christ and because they talked so much of the tunica inconsutilis they were called the Inconsutilistae the seamelesse men And what a stirre hath there been in out-cryes against men that would not yeeld to every thing that was enjoyned O they rent the seamlesse Coat of Christ I remember Musculus in a Tract he hath De Schismate hath a witty and pious note upon this The Souldiers saith he would not divide the seamelesse coat of Christ but what made them to be so carefull of it was it out of respect to Christ that they were so unwilling it should be divided No but out of respect to their owne advantage every one hoping it might fall to his share therefore say they Let us cast lots for it so saith he men would not have Christs coat divided they would have no division in the Church but what do they aime at their own advantage that they might enjoy quietly their owne ease honour and means that they might have none to contradict them but that the streame may run smoothly and wholly with them what a fine brave thing were this And because they see they cannot doe this while their ways are looked into and crossed therefore they make such an outcry against the dividing the seamlesse coat of Christ But certainly till our hearts be otherwise then yet they are all our out-cries wil not serve our ends the stilling our divisings Did we less divide between God and our own ends our own wayâ— we should not divide so much one from another Wherefore let us first turn our thoughts to consider a little of this division between God and other things and the evil of it CHAP. II. The evill of dividing between God and any thing else THis people would give God something and their idols something and so think to please both 2 King 7. 33. They feared the Lord and served their Idolls Thus Judah in the days of Josiah Zeph. 1. 5. sware by the Lord and by Malcham Swearing is a part of Gods worship therefore no humane instituted Religious ceremony ought to be joyned with it no more then with the Sacrament or any other divine worship no creature should share
The more fully we give up our selves our ends designes to God the more securely may we sit under Gods protection care and blessing Many of the good Kings of Judah had their hearts for God but yet they let the high Places stand their politick wisdom divided their hearts between God and their fears of disturbance in the State If they should raise their Reformation so high by this their division their hearts lay flat the worke was neglected But 2 Chron. 17. 6. Jehoshaphats heart was lift up in the wayes of the Lord he tooke away the high places and groves he sought to the Lord God of his father and walked in his commandements not after the doings of Israel vers 4. But did he not bring disturbance to the Kingdome by this his zeale No Vers 5. Therefore the Lord stablished that Kingdome in his hand and all Judah brought to Jehoshaphat presents and hee had riches and honour in abundance And vers 10. The feare of the Lord fell upon all the kingdomes of the lands that were round about Judah so that they made no warre against Jehoshaphat Vers 12. Jehoshaphat waxed great exceedingly Let our hearts be for God alone for God alone is enough to satisfie our hearts to supply all good unto us for ever There is infinite reason our whole hearts should be for him he is willing his whole heart should be for us Jer. 32. 41. Yea I will rejoyce over them to do them good and I will plant them with my whole heart and with my whole soule CHAP. III. Heart-divisions one from another WHen they divided from God then they divided from his people they would not joyn with his people in the way of his worship only such as set their hearts to seek the Lord God of Israel went to Ierusalem to sacrifice to the Lord God of their fathers 2 Chr. 11. 16. only those whose hearts the Lord touched but others for their owne carnall ends would not joyn with them they saw trouble attended that way and having divided themselves from God his people it was Gods curse upon them that they should be divided one from another if you be divided from the truth what can hold you together Truth is a single simple plain thing but error is various and ensnarls it self with infinite contradictions If people goe out of the plaine path of truth they wander up and down God knows whither intangling themselves in bryars and thornes so as they cannot extricate themselves As those ten Tribes which at first divided from Iudah only in their subjection to the house of David and in their worship at Ierusalem but after they denied all Scripture but only the 5. books of Moses They were exceedingly given and generally addicted unto sorcery magick and witch-craft in which they grew more and more notorious till Christs time This is intimated in that blasphemy of the Jewes against our Saviour Thou art a Samaritan and hast a Devil taxing him with the practice of that people who commonly being Witches had familiar spirits attending on them for otherwise they knew he was no Samaritan but a Galilean of Nazareth They were also exceedingly divided amongst themselves Epiphanius recites four severall sects of them the Ossens Sebuaeans Gorthenians and Positheans Truth is the bond that keeps to unity but errour is wilde you know not where to find it nor your selves if you give way to it Our present times will be a testimony of this to all future generations The wild and unruly divisions of our times is to be the subject of the future discourse I am not ignorant nor unsensible of the difficulty the trouble the danger there is in medling with such a subject at such a time as this He that meddles with the divisions of the times may expect to be divided himself to have his name his repute to be cut asunder and thrown this way and that way It is an unthankfull work to meddle with a divided people a man may with as much safety put his hand into a nest of Hornets A learned man being once asked why he did not write his judgment about the controversie of his time answered To what purpose it would not help the cause but much hazard him that should meddle That which one once said to Luther when he was about interessing himself in seeking Reformation sounds in my ears when I first thought of having to do with this Argument O Luther rather get you into your Cell and say Lord have mercy upon us It is a great part of the skil of a Minister to divide the word aright but this skill of his will be put to it when he comes to divide the word amongst a divided people to give every part its portion I should never have ventured to have chosen a Text on purpose for such an argument but seeing Providence hath brought it so fully into my way I shall now venture upon it with my heart cast and fixed upon that promise Pro. 11. 3. The uprightnesse of the upright shall guide him I shall cast what I intend into this mould 1. The causes of our Divisions 2. The evill of them 3. Cautions about them that we may not make an ill use of them 4. Remedies or cures of them The causes of our Divisions The principal cause from without is the Devil he seeks to keep his own kingdom free from divisions but seeks nothing more then to cause divisions in the Kingdom of Christ The Mahumetans who worship a cursed impostor The Pagans who worship the Sun Moon and Stars The Aegyptians who worship Onions Leeks Cats and Dogs never had such divisions amongst them as the worshippers of Jesus Christ have had and have at this day amongst themselves for all the former are the Devils kingdom which he seeks to keep at peace but he is that envious one who sows the seeds of division in the Kingdom of Christ hence those who foment divisions amongst Christians are called Devils 1 Tim. 3. 11. The wives of Deacons must not be slanderers The word may be translated Devils women are most liable to the Devils temptations this way because they are weak and are in danger to run away with sudden apprehensions without due examination and what can foment division more then slandering so far as any especially in the Church hath a hand in causing or fomenting division so farre as she is a Devil in Scripture-language the part of the Devil is acted by them I remember Cajetan hath a note upon that place in the Gospel where the devils being cast out of the man who had a legion in him prayed Christ that they might not goe out of that region why would they not go out of that region says Cajetan He gives this answer The Devils have certain places to which they divide their work such Devils to such a place for such a service and such to another for another service now these Devils were loath to
their State were by divine appointment their Kings were chosen by God but now Christ chuses his Church out of all Nations of the earth and leaves them to the severall Governments Lawes Officers of severall Nations for their Civill State 1. I confesse were there nothing but meerly examples or Laws from the Old Testament to confute this dividing Posiâ—ion to an examining eye the argument would hardly be cogent or satisfactory only so far as there is a common reason and equity in them and so all the judiciall bind now as well as they did then 2. So far as the New Testament approves of for the times of it what was formerly done in the Old The strength of the argument from the power of Magistrates in the Old Testament lyes in these two First there is a common reason and equity what ever the strength of such kind of arguing be from one Spirituall Ordinances to prove another yet without all question it is strong enough from one Civill Ordinance to prove another though it be conversant about spirituall things It is the Dictate of Nature that Magistrates should have some power in matters of Religion The generality of all people have ever thought it equall It hath been ever challenged in all Nations and Common-wealths The Heathens would never suffer their gods to be blasphemed but punish such as were guilty thereof by the power of the Magistrate Socrates was put to death for blaspheming their multiplicity of gods 2ly Surely there is a common equity for there is a necessity of it as truly now as there was then I cannot argue the being of Spirituall Ordinances from our need of them not thus there is such an institution for the Church hath need of it but rather thus I find it in the Word to be an institution and therefore the Church hath need of it But in naturall or civill things this way of arguing is strong enough there is need of such a help and therefore we should seek to have it Now sure the need we have of such a power is exceeding great we were in a most miserable condition if we had no externall civil power to restrain from any kinds of blasphemies and seducements The condition of the Jews O how happy was it in comparison of ours if this were denyed us for if any one of theirs did blaspheme God or seek to seduce any from him they knew w ht to do with him besides perswading him to the contrary but if any should seek to seduce the wives of our bosoms children of our bodies friends as dear to us as our own lives into those wayes that we think in our consciences will undo their souls to all eternity yet wee must only desire them they would not do so we must only admonish and seek to convince them or reprove them but restrain them we cannot If the deliverance of us from the pedagogy of the Law hath brought us into this condition our burden is greater in this thing then any that the Law laid upon our fore-fathers Hath Christ delevered us from one burden to lay a greater upon us Must we now see those who are dearest to us drawn into the wayes of eternall destruction and stand and look on but no way left to help them or our selves unlesse wee can perswade to the contrary surely our condition is very sad Have we not cause to say Lord let any burthen of the Ceremonial Law be laid upon our necks rather then this If there were a company of mad men running np and downe the streets with knives and swords in their hands endeavouring to mischief and kill all they met with and we must doe nothing to restraine them if we could perswade them to doe otherwise well and good but that is all we can do for help what a dangerous thing were this The case is the same when those who are mad with damnable Heresies run from place to place seeking to draw all they can from the truth If we have no means of help but arguments it is ill with us Surely God hath not put his people into such a sad condition as this is he hath provided better for his people then thus Thirdly wee find in the Record of Scripture mention of Heathen Magistrates who had nothing but the light of nature to guide them interessing themselves in matters of Religion and this the Holy Ghost relates in way of commendation of them for this thing The argument from these examples cannot be avoided as that which is taken from the practice of the Kings of Judah We read Ezra 7. 26. Artaxerxes interposes his power in matters of Religion and Ezra blesses God for it Whosoever will not doe the Law of thy God and the Law of the King let judgement be executed speedily upon him And in the next words Ezra blessed God who put it in the heart of the King by these and other means to beautifie his house The making such a Law was one notable meanes whereby the House of the Lord came to be beautified Thus also Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 3. 29. I make a Decree that every people nation and language who speake any thing against the God of Shadrach Meshach and Abednego shall be cut in pieces and their houses shall be made a dung-hil c. This the Scripture records as a worke of the Kings repentance The King of Nineveh Jonah 3. by the decree of his Princes and Nobles proclaims a Fast and commands every one to cry mightily to God and to turne from his evill way Further let us see how the holy Ghost justifies this power of the Magistrate in the times of the Gospel First in the Prophesies of the times of the Gospel Secondly in divers places in the New Testament For Prophesies the fore-named place Zech. 13. 3. cannot be put off Isa 49. 23. Kings shall be thy nursing fathers and Queens thy nursing mothers The protection of their civil peace is not sufficient to give them such a denomination of nursing fathers and mothers Esay 60. 10. The sonnes of strangers shall build up thy walls and their Kings shall minister unto thee They shall not only be favourers of them but as Kings they shall minister to them even by their power So Rev. 21. 24. The Kings of the earth shall bring their glory and honour to the Church there is such a time coming This surely is more then meerly to protect their outward peace In the New Testament Rom. 13. 4. He is thy Minister for thy good 1 Pet. 2. 13 14. Submit your selves to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it be to the King as to the supream or unto Governours which are sent for the punishment of evill doers and the praise of them that doe well Now seeing the Scripture speaks thus generally For thy good and for the punishment of evill doers and praise of them that doe well Non distinguendum ubi Scriptura non distinguit Except the nature of the thing
may cause one to hold fast an errour yet it does not put upon proud scornfull turbulent behaviour When a man by reason of his conscience it may be the weaknesse of it differs from his brethren hee had need carry himself with all humility and meekness self-denyal in all other things he should be willing to be a servant to every man in what lawfully he may that thereby he may shew to all that it is not from any wilfulnesse but meerly the tenderness of his conscience that he cannot come off to that which his brethren can doe whom yet he reverences and in his carriage towards them shews that he yet esteems them his betters but if a man that is weak very much beneath others in parts and graces shall carry himselfe high imperious contemning and vilifying those who differ from him and be contentious with them There is great reason to think that the corruption is in the will rather then any where else if there should be some conscience yet in these men their heart-distempers may justly forfeit their right of pleading their consciences Those who oppose them if they doe it in a Christian way may justifie what they doe before God if God should call them to an account and say why did you deal so with such men who professed they were put upon what they held and did by their consciences If they can answer thus Lord thou knowest we were willing to have dealt with them in all tendernesse if we could have seen conscientiousness in their carriage but we saw nothing but scornfulness pride imperiousness turbulency conceitednes we could see nothing of the Spirit of Jesus Christ acting them in their way this their carriage perswaded us that the sinfulnesse was got rather into their wills then their consciences 5ly When a man is not willing to make use of meanes to inform his conscience not of those meanes that are not against his owne principles but goes on peremptorily and stoutly Surely when we see many of our Brethren differing from us our respect to them should gain so much at least from us that if there by any means left unused for the further trying our opinions or informing our judgements we should make use of that meanes a conscientious heart will doe so The sixt note added will seale up all when a man by reason or Scripture is so put to it as he must either renounce his errour or flye from some of his own principles he will rather deny his principles then yeeld himselfe convinced of his errour yea when those principles are of great moment The man that doth thus is the man spoken of Tit. 3. 11. that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 condemned of himselfe An Heretick after the first and second admonition reject because he is selfe-condemned wee must not reject every man that erres in every little thing no not after two or three admonitions that was a prelatical tyrannicall rule but he must be an Heretick and erring so grosly as he is self-condemned in his errour and such a man suffers not for his conscience when he is rejected but for sinning against his conscience But who can know when a man is condemned of himselfe the judgement of a mans owne conscience is a secret thing This is the strength of this hold the Devil gets into he thinks he gets so deep that you cannot get to it to find him out and as for Gods displeasure who knows their consciences these men will venture that But by this Scripture Tit. 3. it is clear that a mans conscience may be so far seen into as there may be a judgment passed upon a man that he is a self-condemned man To what purpose otherwise serves this Scripture it is not like this Heretick would acknowledg that he was self-condemned but yet the Apostle makes this the ground why he should be rejected As if he should say You see he wil go against his own principles against what his conscience tells him is truth meerly to maintain a wicked Heresie that he is infected withall let him therefore plead what he will reject him for his own conscience condemns him and GOD is greater then his Conscience and knowes all things The third thing that is to be done to a man who pleads his conscience for evill is the great snare and danger he brings himself into is to be declared to him that by giving way to let evill into his conscience he puts himself into such a condition as whatsoever he doth he must needs sin against God so long as he holds his errour Evill gets into the consciences of many very easily because they think the dictates of their consciences will be sufficient to bear them out in what they doe but they are deceived for an erroneous conscience does not bind you sin notwithstanding your conscience bids you do it and if you goe against this erroneous conscience you sinne too what a miserable snare is this you had need look to your selves then and take heed what you let into your consciences The fourth thing is to charge him and if it be in a matter of consequence to adjure him in the Name of God who is the searcher of the hearts of men and will judg them at the great day accordingly that he deals plainly and sincerely not to dare to put a pretence upon that which he knows his conscience cannot justifie him in if there be indeed any conscientiousness in the man this will startle him But it may be this will not prevail wherefore in the fifth place whatsoever a man holds though his conscience be never so much taken with it yet if it cannot stand with the power of godliness but destroys it if this man be in a Christian society after all means used to reduce him if he still perseveres in it he is notwithstanding his conscience to be cast out of the society of the Saints this is not a little matter if a man hath any conscience in him it cannot but be a dreadfull thing to him If poyson be got into a glass and you cannot wash it out the poyson and glass too is to be thrown into the sinck Such a man as this is with the conscience that he hath is to be thrown upon the dung-hill If a man by his wickedness cuts himself off from the mysticall body of Christ the Church may cut him off from his visible he hath forfeited his Church-priviledger Sixtly If the errour with the profession of it be destructive to the State and he cannot be reclaimed he may likewise be cut off from it or at least deprived of the priviledges of it and benefits by it notwithstanding his plea of conscience This justifies the cutting off Jesuites and Priests who teach people that the Crown is at the dispose of any forraign power by which also subjects may be freed from their Allegiance A Reverend Divine of ours in a Treatise upon the powring out of the 7.
in conscience could not submit to it their preferments of Deanries and Prebends and the like But lest what I say in this should be abused you must understand this denyall of places of profit or honour to men because of that which their consciences will not suffer them to yeeld to onely such places as the tendernesse of their consciences in such a point makes them unfit to manage if because their consciences differ from you in one thing you will take advantage against them in other things that have no dependance upon that wherein they differ from you and make them suffer in those things too you now to say no worse begin to grow neare to a way of persecution and tyrannie over your brethren which Christ is displeased with Wee accounted it in the Bishops not neare but come up to tyrannie and persecution when they would not suffer such as could not conforme to their Church-discipline and Ceremonies not so much as to teach children the Grammar or to practise Physicke or to preach Christ in places where there was no preaching but people lived in darkenesse perishing for want of knowledge What dependance had these things upon their discipline and Ceremonies supposing they had been right Yes they would foment their errours by this meanes But seeing there was no dependance between their errours if you wil call them so these things to deny the Church and Common-wealth the benefit of the gifts and graces of men upon such a pretence that they will abuse their liberty wee thought it was hard dealing yea no lesse then persecution Suppose a man differs from his brethren in point of Church-Discipline must not this man have a place in an Army therefore Though he sees not the reason of such a Discipline in the Church yet God hath endued him with a spirit of volour and he understands what Military Discipline means must he not have a place in a Colledg to teach youth Logick and Philosophy may be not preach Jesus Christ to poor ignorant creatures if you feare he will divulge his opinions surely some other course may be taken whereby he may suffer as much as such a fault comes to but therefore to deprive Church and State of what abilities God has given him which might be very usefull to them and that before any such fault is committed for fear it may be committed the softest word I have to expresse my self against this is It is very hard dealing with your Brethren I have now gone to the uttermost line I can in shewing what is to be done to a man that pleads his conscience in things which we conceive are not right I would now speak a word or two to men who have to deal with their brethrens consciences and then to those who plead their consciences for their freedome To the first Let those who have to deale with mens consciences first take heed they do not vilifie and slight mens consciences do not scorn at the plea of their consciences What this is your conscience your conscience forsooth will not suffer you Woe to them who offend one of these little ones it were better that a mil-stone were hanged about his necke and he were cast into the bottome of the Sea Matth. 18. 6. It is his conscience and perhaps better informed then thine and more tender thou hast it may be a corrupt conscience thy conscience is broke by thy sinning against it or otherwise it is loose or benummed no quicknesse in it thou canst swallow down greater matters therefore thou wonderest at those who are so nice-conscienced who stand upon small matters what if at the great day Christ shall own these to be truly conscientious and honour them for obeying the voyce of their consciences in small things for not daring to offend them in any thing where wilt thou appear what is like to become of thee then Or if their consciences be weak not rightly inform'd yet Christ expects thou shouldst seek to heal to strengthen them not to jeer and scorn them that fearfulnesse of theirs to offend Christ though in the particular they may be mistaken shall be accepted when thy boldness and ventrousness in taking thy liberty shall appear to be thy folly 2. Take heed in your dealings with such you make them not suffer more then Christ would have them suffer do not abuse your power over them so as to cause them to complaine justly to God of conscience-oppression Conscience-oppression is the most fearefull oppression of all the cryes in the world the cryes caused by it come up most swiftly to God When an oppressed soule shall get alone and make his moane to God Oh Lord thou who knowest the secrets of all hearts thou knowest the desires of my soule in uprightnesse to know thy will I can freely and comfortably appeale to thee Thou knowest what a sad affliction it is to mee that my judgement should be different from my brethrens whose parts and graces I prize farre beyond mine owne Thou knowest also there is no meanes for further Reformation but I have been willing to make use of it as I was able and what ever other helpe thou shalt make knowne to mee I am ready to make use of it that I may not be led aside into errour and if thou wilt be pleased to reveale thy minde further to me I am ready to submit to it I should account it a greater happinesse then all the comforts in the world can afford to know what thy minde is in such and such things but Lord as yet I cannot doe this thing except I should sinne against thee thou knowest it yet thou knowest also that I desire to walke humbly and peaceably with my brethren and in all meekenesse submissenesse and quietnesse of spirit together with all diligence I will waite till thou shalt further reveale thy minde to me But Lord in the meane time I find rigid dealing from my brethren their spirits are imbittered their speeches are hard their wayes tomards me are harsh yea Lord there is violence in them Lord thou knowest my spirit is not such as to need any such carriage of my brethren towards me I am not conscious to my selfe no not when I set my selfe most solemnly in thy presence of stifnesse wilfulnesse in my way the least beame of light from thee would presently turne my spirit what way thou wouldst have it goe Such a moan to God would prove a sadder business against such as shall occasion it then if such men had strength and spirits to answer bitternesse harshnesse and violence with bitternesse harshnesse and violence Let me also on the other side speak to them who plead their consciences First take heed you rest not in this as an empty plea setting it as a Bulwark against any thing that shal be said to you why it is my conscience and who hath to do with my conscience and so think you need look no farther nor give any other
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
Prelaticall party they wrested what was said or written these feigne what was never said or written who are the fire-brands amongst us if not such men as these as fire-brands plucked out of the fire and now they seeke to fire those who plucked them out but if this be too hot what will you call them what will you say of them O is this the fruit of all prayers for them reliefe of them respect to them Tanta ne vos generis tenuit fiducia vestri Sed motas praesta◠componere lites Whosoever shall reade that Booke of Bancroft entituled Dangerous Positions published and practised by those who pretend Reformation for the Presbyteriall Government shall find the whole subject of the booke to be the blasting the names of the most eminent godly Ministers that lived in those times rendring them to the State as men not fit to be suffered in any Christian Common-wealth The State at that time being wholly for Prelacie and discountenancing that way of government these men sought for their adversaries thought they might be bold to take what liberty they pleased to calumniate traduce and to render them as vile as possible they might there was no such way to keepe them downe as this in this they being like those in the Primitive times who put the Christians into Beares and Tygers skins and then cast them to the Dogges to be devoured Let the servants of God but appeare as they are they will gaine reverentiall respect even from the multitude but when these ugly things are put upon them they are prepared to be the objects of their fury I have read in Suetonius of the cruelty of Tiberius who because it was unlawfull that Virgins should not be put to death caused the Hang-man to ravish them and then to execute them This is the cruelty of some amongst us they can doe some men no hurt but by offering violence first to their names and if they be defiled then they thinke they may doe any thing with them Of such as these are who make divisions amongst us in so ungodly a way as this all that I shall further say is The Lord rebuke them As for the Servants of God they commit their names and wayes to God knowing that the Lord takes care of their names as well as their soules If dirt be cast upon a mud wall it sticks but if upon Marble it soon washes or moulders away God will in time justifie his servants even in your consciences by the constancie of their peaceable carriage toward men and their gracious holy walking with their God onely take you heed that you involve not your selves in the guilt of that wrong that is done unto them by readinesse of your spirits to close with and take content in what evill you heare of those whom God accounts faithfull CHAP. XXV The sixt Dividing Practice the giving Characterizing names to men names of Division THis is an old continued practice of the Devill he hath gained much by it and therefore is loath to leave it The Orthodox of old were called Cornelians Cyrillians by the followers of Novatus and Nestorius in time of Reformation Lutherans Zuinglians Hussites Calvinists Hugonots Tertullian sayes in his Apology for the Christians of his time their crime that they are persecuted for hath no name that for which they are hated and persecuted is the crime of their name such men are cryed out of under such a name but when things come to be examined their name is all their crime And among other that of Schismaticke is not onely a charactising but a stigmatizing name whereby of old and lately many have had a brand of reproach upon them which upon examination will be found to be as it is applyed by many nothing but a scaring word taken up by such who understand little what Schisme is I shall therefore endeavour to open this briefly The word Schisme comes of the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to rend from thence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scisura a rent It is amongst Divines a Tecnologicall terme Schisme in the Church is much like to what Sedition is in the State When the Church grew up to the state and outward glory of an earthly Kingdome much use was made of this terme as a brand upon those who would not subject to the yoakes of them who loved preheminence in the Church But the true nature of Schisme is this An uncharitable unjust rash violent breaking from union with the Church or the Members of it The Church is that from which the rent is Heresie divides from the head Schisme from the body Apostacy from both This rent is either from the whole Church or some part if from the whole it is Donatisme Donatus denyed any to be of the body of Christ to be beleevers to be such as could be saved except that company that joyned with him and with those in his way This is clear from the whole discourse of Augustine against him in that Tract De unitate Ecclesiae Wherefore those who censure such as deny communion with some particular Congregations as Donatists discover either ignorance or malice if not both Yet Schisme may be though the rent be but from some part of the Church but this must needs suppose union with that part now there may be a twofold union with the severall parts of the Church either that which all who are to be accounted Christians have with them as they are of the same body Catholick or that which is by agreement to grow up together into a speciall fellowship The rending from any of these unions in such a way as before was mentioned is Schisme If we seperate from or refuse that communion with such as are to be accounted Christians that is due to all Christians this is the more grosse Schisme Or if we thus breake off that communion which is by speciall agreement which may be either when Christians joyne together in a private way for mutuall edification and comfort or when they so joyn together as to make up a distinct spirituall corporation to set up the publick ordinances of Christ which the Scripture calls a Church Now though there may be Schisme in the breaking the former yet the censure of Schisme is especially applyed to the undue breaking off communion in the latter Now this implyes an union by a Church agreement where there never was such an agreement there cannot be the guilt of this Schisme Although they who dwell within such a perambulation such a compasse of ground should not joyne in some ordinances with some within that compasse whatsoever offence there may be against some civill constitution yet the guilt of Schisme they doe not contract upon themselves for that union they never had cannot be broke But you will say Yes they are Schismaticks though they were never so united because they were bound to unite thus and they have not It must be granted that CHRIST by what he ordered the Apostles
The Text sayes The contentions were so sharpe betweene them that they departed asunder one from another The word signifies such a sharpnesse as there is in vineger It is used by Physicians to signifie the sharpnesse of the feverish humour when it is acting in a fit Their dissention put them as it were into the fit of a Fever You will say Surely it was some very great matter that should cause such eminent and holy men to be in such a passion one against another to be so hot as not to company together Truly no the matter was not great it was whether Mark should go with them or no the one would have him the other would not have him about this the contention arose to this height Reade the Epistle to the Romanes to the Corinthians to the Galathians you shall finde very great dissentions in these Churches And in after-times especially when God delivered them from those ten bloudy Persecutions the contentions of the Church were very great When Constantine came to the Nicene Councell divers of the Members of that Councell accused one another to the Emperour and put up Libels one against another which Libels Constantine caused to be burned After all the debates of the Councell with the presence of the Emperour who laboured all he could for peace and union amongst them making large speeches to that purpose to them yet there were five of them dissented from the rest in matters of greater consequence then any amongst us dissent from our Brethren namely in that point of Christs being of the same substance with the Father I finde in Eusebius this grievous complaint After our affaires through too much liberty ease and security degenerated from the rule of piety one pursued another with open contumely and hatred we impugned our selves by no other then our selves with the armour of spite and sharpe speares of opprobrious words so that Bishops against Bishops and people against people raised sedition and they which seemed our Shepherds laying aside the rule of piety practised contention and schisme among themselves and whilest they aggravated contention threatnings mutuall hatred and enmity and every one proceeded in ambition much like tyranny it selfe then the Lord according to the saying of Jeremy made the daughter of Sion obscure and overthrew from above the glory of Israel The contentions of the Church caused by those four grand Heresies of Arius Macedonius Nestorius Eutyches one after another exercised the Church a long time There was much siding some cleaving to one part some to another in all these four The first denyed Christs divinity upon which the first Nicene Councell was called The second the personality of the Spirit upon which the second Generall Councell was called at Constantinople The third the distinction of persons in Christ upon which the third Generall Councell was called at Ephesus The fourth confounded Christs natures upon which the fourth was called at Chalcedon About this time Pelagius and Donatus caused much disturbance in Europe and Africa Epiphanius who lived in the third Century reekons threescore severall Heresies that had got head many followers of them all which caused great breaches in the Church from the time of the Apostles to the time wherein he lived After the division of the Empire into the Easterne and Westerne parts then arose mighty contention for the Primacy between the Bishops of Rome and Constantinople that put the Church into wofull contentions for many yeares one part excommunicating the other writing and opposing one another to the uttermost When this heat is at the hottest then on the one side upon the Westerne parts God let out the Gothes Hunnes Vandals those barbarous people and Mahomet upon the Easterne so that all learning was almost extinct in the Christian world and grosse darknesse came upon the face of all Churches The Church having lost her lights men of learning and worth then the great contention about Images arose that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Eastern Churches demolishing Images in Temples the Western maintaining them with extreme contention against the Eastern There were not only excommunications thundred one against another but much bloud was shed in that quarrell In this condition have the Churches been from time to time divided yea fighting with one another about opinions And for the divisions and contentions betweene particular men and most eminent Lights in the Church in those times after they came to have rest from persecutions We find most lamentable complaints in the writings of the Ancients of the extremè offence these dissentions were to the Heathen Nazianzen in his first Apologeticall Oration We are made a spectacle sayes he to Angels and Men not as that valiant champion Paul who fought against Principalities and Powers but we are made a scorn to wicked men in their Markets their Feasts their Playes in all their meetings The most vile people jeer us and all this for contending and warring one with another Basil makes this complaint I have lived now sayes he the age of a man and see more union in Arts and Sciences then in Divinity for in the the Church I see such dissentions as do divide it assunder and dissipates it Chrysostome and Epiphanius fell out so bittâ—rly that the one wished the other might never dye a Bishop and the other wished that he might never goe home alive And it fell out to either of them as each one had wished to the other for Epiphanius came not to Cyprus he dyed on the Seas by the way neither did Chrysostome dye a Bishop for he was deposed and banished the Church The contentions between Jerome and Ruffinus were bery bitter who had been formerly great friends Augustine in his 15. Epistle sayes Their friendship had been famous in all the Churches If such things may fall out between Jerome and Ruffinus sayes he who that is now a friend may not fear to be an enemy Yet Ruffinus writes two Books against Jerome which are intituled Ruffini Invectiva in Hieronymum He begins his first invective applying that of the Psalmist to Jerome Ps 57. 4. I lye among them that are set on fire even the sonnes of men whose teeth are speares arrowes and their tongue a sharp sword In the beginning of his second he accuses him of lying and that he does himselfe what he reproves in others with abundance of such kinde of bitter stuffe And Jerome payes him againe in the same kinde In his 16. Epist ad Principiam Virginem he calls him a Scorpion in regard of the poyson that came from him And in his Apology against him lib. 3. in the beginning of it he applyes that Scripture to Ruffinus Prov. 14. 3. In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride And that of Isay Isa 32. 6. The vile person will speak villany and his heart will worke iniquity to utter error against the Lord. And I finde in an Epistle of Augustine to Jerome a great complaint
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
of that one thing necessary the more strangely men looke upon you let your hearts be stirred up to seek with the more strength the face of God that you may never look upon it but with joy You hear harsh notes abroad such things as grieve you at the heart labour so much the more to keep the bird alwayes singing in your bosome 7. If your peace be made with God blesse God for it It is a great mercy for a man in these times of trouble to have rest in his own spirit while others are tossed up and down in the waves of contention you sit quietly in the Arke of a good conscience blessing the Lord that ever you knew him and his wayes 8. Labour to make up your want of that good and comfort you heretofore had in Christian communion with a more close and constant communion with the Lord who hath been pleased to speak peace unto you Although I have not that comfort in communion with the streams yet I may find it fully made up in the fountain 9. By way of Antiperistas let us labour to be so much the more united with the Saints by how much we see others to be divided Men make void thy Law sayes David therefore doe I love it above gold We use to put a price upon things that are rare what makes Jewels to be of that worth but for the rarity of them Unity hearty love sweetness of communion among brethren is now a very rare thing a scarce commodity let us prize it the more and you who do enjoy it bless God for it 10. The more confused broken and troublesome we see things to be the more let our hearts be stirred up in prayer to God putting him in mind of all those gracious promises that he hath made to his Church for peace and union Lord is it not part of thy Covenant with thy people that thou wilt give them one heart hast thou not said that they shall serve thee with one shoulder hast thou not told us that thou wilt make Jerusalem a quiet habitation that thou wilt take away violence that there should be no pricking bryar nor grieving thorn 11. Those whose consciences can witnesse to them that it hath been their great care not to enwrap themselves in the guilt of these divisions but they can appeale to God that they have endeavoured after peace so far as they could with a good conscience let them bless God for this mercy it is a great deliverance to be delivered from the guilt of those divisions Deut. 33. 8. Of Levi he said Let thy Vrim and Thummim be with thy holy One whom thou didst prove at Massah and with whom thou didst strive at the waters of Meribah Massah signifies tentation and Meribah contention Places and times of contention are places and times of tentation Now if God shall prove us at those places in those times and we be found upright this will bring a blessing upon us At those waters where the people murmured contending even with God himselfe Aaron though there was some weaknesse in him yet kept himselfe from being involved in the guilt of that sinne of contending with God And Sol-Jarchi with other of the Hebrewes say that the Levites were not in that sinne neither which they thinke that place Malachie 2. 5. refers unto My covenant was with him of life and peace for the feare wherewith he feared me and was afraid before my name The feare of God was upon Levi at that time he dared not contend as then others did and therefore my covenant of life and peace was and is with him We have been these three or foure yeeres at these waters of Massah and Meribah God hath tryed us How happy are those who have held out who have kept their consciences free upon whom the fear of God hath been and through that feare of his have walked before him in the wayes of truth and equity The blessing of the Covenant of Life and Peace be upon them for ever CHAP. XXXI The Cure of our Divisions VVHat gracious heart is not cut asunder with griefe for those sore and fearfull evils that there are in and come from our divisions and is not even the second time cut asunder with carefull thoughts in it selfe what may be done to heal them Mat. 6. 25. Christ forbids that carking care that cuts our hearts when it is in matters concerning our selves yea for our lives 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 take no thought for your life so it is in your bookes but the word signifies Doe not take such thought as should cut your hearts asunder so v. 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 why doe you divide your hearts and ver 31. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and ver 34. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 again But though this charge of Christ be doubled and doubled againe against our carefull dividing cutting thoughts about our selves yet for the uniting the hearts of the Saints together for the good of the Church this heart-cutting care is not onely allowed but required 1 Cor. 12. 25. That there should be no schisme in the body but that the members should have the same care one for another The words are That the members may care the same thing one for another and that with dividing cutting care that there might be no schisme in the body The word that is here for care is the same that in the former places in the 6. of Mat. is forbidden The expressions of my thoughtfull cares about this work is the subject at this time When I set my self about it my heart doth even ake within me at the apprehension of the difficulty of it There are some diseases that are called opprobria medicorum the disgraces of Physitians because they know not what to say or doe to them or if they do any thing it is to little purpose If there be any soule-disease that is opprobrium Theologorum the disgrace of Divines it is this of contention and division How little has all that they have studied and endeavoured to do prevailed with the hearts of men What shall we do Shall we but joyn in this one thing to sit down together and mourn one over another one for another till we have dissolved our hearts into teares and see if we can thus get them to run one into another Oh that it might be what sorrow soever it costs us We read Judges 2. 12. 3 4 5. the Lord sent an Angell from Gilgal to the men of Israel who told them how graciously he had dealt with them yet they had contrary to the command of God made a league with the inhabitants of the Land for which the Lord threatned that they should be as thorns in their sides When the Angell spake these words to the children of Israel the people lift up their voice and wept And they called the name of that place Boehim a place of tears Their sin was too much joyning joyning in league where God
wherein he had not raigned if he had done no good This principle would make men great as well as good It is the glory of God that he does so much good And if men could account this greatnesse satisfying greatnesse the most and greatest contentions that are in the world would be layd down for what do men contend so much for as for greatnesse The fourth joyning Principle The good of other men is my good as well as theirs VVE are all of one body whatsoeuer good others have it is the good of the body it makes them some way able to doe that good that we would have done or at least that we should desire to have done Plutarch sayes that Solon made a law whereby every man was enabled to sue whosoever wronged his neighbour as if he had wronged himself he gave this reason for it There is no good that one man has in a Common-wealth but it is another mans as well as his Community in the Church is more 1 Cor. 3. 22. Whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come all are yours you are Christs and Christ is Gods If you be godly you have an interest in all the eminent godly men in the world in all their gifts their graces in all they have or do all that is in the world that hath any good in it is yours yea what is evill shall be serviceable to you for good This is brought by the Apostle to quiet the jarrings and contentions that were amongst the Corinthians One would be for Paul another for Apollos sayes the Apostle What need this contention who you are for and who another is for they are all yours all the excellency there is in them is the good of every one of you A speciall reason why men contend so much is they think the good that other men have is their evill therefore they must either get it to themselves or darken it in those that have it But such men acted by such a principle are poore low-spirited men A man of a raised enlarged spirit opens his heart that it may be filled with that infinite good in which there is all good Now if it be that good my soul closeth with and is satisfied in then whatsoever hath any goodnesse in it be it where it will it flowes from this Infinite Ocean of good that my soul is launched into and some way or other flows into this againe though thorough mens corruptions there may be windings and turnings in the course of it yet hither it comes at last and therefore it is mine as really and truly as any I have in mine own hand my soul then shall rejoyce in all the good I see my brethren have in all they do I will blesse God for it and seek the furtherance of it what I can Surely this man must needs be a man of peace and love The fifth joyning Principle My good is more in the publique then in my selfe THe strength safety excellency of a Cabbin in a Ship consists not so much in the boards of the Cabbin or the fine painting of it as in the strength and excellency of the ship It is because we have such private spirits that there are such contentions among us were we more publique spirited our contentions would vanish When I read of what publique spirits many of the Heathen were I am ashamed to look upon many Christians Paulus Aemilius hearing of the death of his children spake with an un aunted courage thus That the Gods had heard his prayer which was that calamities should rather befall his family then the Common-wealth The publikeness of his spirit made it very sweet and lovely the story sayes of him he intreated them gently and graciously whom he had subdued setting forward their causes even as they had bin his confederates very friends and neer kinsmen Publique spirited men are men of sweet and peaceable spirits The sixth joyning Principle What I would have others doe to me that will I endeavour to doe to them VVOuld not I have others beare with me I then will bear with them I would have others do offices of kindnesses to me I will then do offices of kindnesses to them I would have the carriages of others lovely amiable to me mine shall be so to them I would have others live peaceably with me I will do so with them This rule of doing to others as I would be done to is a law of justice such justice as keeps the peace Alexander Severus the Roman Emperour was much taken with this he sayes he learned it from the Christians if he had to deal with his common Souldiers that did wrong he punished them but when he had to deal with men of worth and dignity he thought it sufficient to reprove them with this sentence Do as ye would be done by Chrysostome in his 13. Sermon to the people of Antioch makes use of this principle thus After Christ had spoken of many blessednesses sayes he then he sayes Those things you would have others to do to you do you to them as if he should say There needs not many words let thine own will be thy law would you receive benefits bestow benefits then would you have mercy be mercifull then would you be commended commend others would you be loved then love Be you the Judge your selfe be you the Law-giver of your owne life That which you hate doe not to another Cannot you endure reproach doe not you reproach others Cannot you endure to have others envy you doe not you envy others Cannot you endure to be deceived do not you deceive others The seventh joyning Principle It is as great an honour to have my will by yeelding as by overcomming MAny men in their anger will say I will be even with him I will tell you a way how you may be above him forgive him By yeilding pardoning putting up the wrong you shew you have power over your self and this is a greater thing then to have power over another Numb 14. 17 18. Now I beseech thee let the power of my Lord be great pardon I beseech thee the iniquity of this people ver 19. and by this thou maist honourably prevaile with thy Brother hereby shalt thou heap coals of fire upon his head I have read of two famous Philosophers falling at variance Aristippus and Aeschines Aristippus comes to Aeschines Shall we not be friends sayes he Yes with all my heart saith Aeschines Remember saith Aristippus that though I am your elder yet I sought for peace True saith Aeschines and for this I will alwayes acknowledge you the more worthy man for I began the strife and you the peace The eighth joyning Principle I will never meddle with any strife but that which shall have peace to the end of it NO war is good upon any terms taken up upon the justest ground except it aymes at peace Bellum minime
the Lord takes this Mat. 24. 49. 50 51. that evill servant who begins to smite his fellow-servants provokes his Lord against him so as to come upon him with such severity as to cut him asunder and to appoint his portion with the Hypocrites 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he will dichotomize him divide him in two he by his smiting his fellow-servants makes divisions but his Lord will divide him It may be he pretends that his fellow-servants do not do their duty as they ought as if he were more carefull of the honour of his Lord then others who are of a different way from him But in the meane while he inveighs against others smiting them with the tongue and otherwise as he is able He sits at full Tables eats and drinks of the best with such as are carnall and sensuall but they are great men to have their countenance is brave this is extreme sutable to a carnall heart who yet keeps up a profession of Religion hath some forme of godlinesse he is afraid to lose his fleshly contentment therefore he smites those who stand in his way Thus divisions and troubles are made in Gods family The Lord the master of it will reward accordingly he will divide such by cutting them asunder and appointing them their portion with the Hypocrites 5. One Faith What though we agree not together in some things of lesser moment yet we agree in one faith Why should we not then keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace The agreement in the faith one would think should swallow up all other disagreements We should rather blesse God for keeping men found in the faith then contend with them for lesser mistakes When the Pharisees Acts 23. 9. understood that Paul agreed with them in that great doctrine of the Resurrection they presently overlooked his other differences saying We finde no evill in this man Our Brethren agree with us in more Fundamentals then this and yet we can finde evill in them and aggravate their evill beyond what it is and improve it all we can against them This is worse then Pharisaicall Master Calvin in his Epistle to our Countreymen at Frankford fled for their lives in witnesse to the truth yet miserably jarring and contending one against another there to the scandall of all the Churches of God in those parts begins his Epstle thus This doth grievously torment me it is extremely absurd that dissentions should arise amongst brethren exiles fled from their countrey for the same faith and for that cause which alone in this your scattering ought to be to you as a holy band to keepe you fast bound together Their contentions were about Church-worship 6. One Baptisme We are baptised into Christs death and is not that to shew that we should be dead to all those things in the world that cause strife and contention among men Our Baptisme is our badge our livery it furthers somewhat the unity of servants that they weare all one livery 7. One God Though there be three persons in the Divine Nature and every person is God yet there is but one God here is an union infinitely beyond all unions that any creature can be capable of the mystery of this union is revealed to us to make us in love with union Our interest in this one God is such a conjuction as nothing can be more Josephs brethren Gen. 50. 17. looked upon this as having very great power in it to make up all breaches to heal all old grudges After their Father was dead their consciences misgave them for what they had done to Joseph they were afraid old matters would break forth and that Joseph would turn their enemy now how do they seek to unite Josephs heart to them We pray thee say they forgive the trespasse of the servants of the God of thy Father and the Text sayes Joseph wept when they spake unto him Oh this was a heart-breaking speech to Joseph The servants of the God of my Father Shall my heart ever be stranged from the servants of the God of my Father The Lord forbid This offence indeed was great but their God is my God he was my Fathers God this argument had more in it to draw Josephs heart to them then if they had said We are your brethren we came from the same loynes you did True that is something but the servants of the God of thy Father is much more Let us look upon all the godly though they have many weaknesses though they have not carryed themselves towards us as they ought yet they are the servants yea the children of our God and of our fathers God let this draw our hearts to them If they be one with us in their interest in one God let them be one with us in the affections of our heart to love them delight in them and rejoyce in communion with them One God and Father Mal. 2. 10. Have we not all one Father hath not one God created us why do we deale treacherously every man against his brother Job 31. 15. Did not he that made me in the wombe make him and did not one fashion us in the wombe Is it seemly that one mans children should be alwayes contending quarrelling and mischieving one another do you thinke this is pleasing to your Father It followes in that 4. of Ephes who is above all and through all and in all You have enough in your Father to satisfie your soules for ever whatsoever you want other wayes he is above all he that is so glorious and blessed infinitely above all things hath put honour enough upon you that he is your Father why will you contend and quarrell about trifles He hath absolute authority to dispose of all things as he pleaseth let not the different administrations of his to some in one kinde to some in another be matter for you to contend about And he worketh in all Those gifts and graces especially that are in his children are his workings that some have more then others it is from his working You may see the workings of your Father in the hearts of your Brethren He is in all Men may have children in whom little or nothing of their Father appeares but God is in all his children notwithstanding all their weaknesses therefore our hearts should be in them and with them This Scripture is one of the most famous Scriptures for the union of the Saints in one that we have in all the book of God You will say If indeed we could see God in such if we could see grace and holinesse in them our hearts would close with them but we see not this 1. Take heed thou dost not reject any from being thy brother whom Jesus Christ at the great day will owne for his and God the Father will call Child 2. Suppose thou canst not be satisfied in their godlinesse yet the gifts of the Spirit of God that are in them should cause some kind
zeale any helps to peace and union who are they that make the greatest disturbances in the world but your fiery zelots if men were of a cooler temper we should have more peace Ans Distempered zeale may cause disturbance but true zeale the cleare flame of the Spirit of God making men in their waies zealous not for themselves but for God this has the blessing of Gods peace with it Numb 25. 12. 13. Phinehas there has the promise of the Covenant of peace because he was zealous for his God The twelfth In seeking to reduce others to good let it appeare that you seek rather to be helpfull to them then to get victory over them IT is grievous to a mans nature to be conquered but not to be helped Ambrose writing to his friend Marcellus about composing some breaches between him and his brother and sister hath amongst other this excellent expression I thought that to be the best way I would have none to be conquered and all to overcome The like practice is reported of Scipio when at the taking of New Carthage two Souldiers contended about the Murall Crowne due to him who first climbed the walls so that the whole Army was thereupon in danger of division when he came to Scipio he decides the matter thus He told them they both got up the wall together and so gave the scaling Crowne to both The thirteenth Make up breaches as soone as may be TAke them if it may be at the beginning When good men fall out onely one of them is usually faulty at the first but if such strifes continue any time both of them become guilty If you deferre the setting of a bone broken it cannot be done without much difficulty and great paine Prov. 17. 14. The beginning of strife is as when one lets out water therefore leave off contention before it be medled with antequam immisceat se so you may reade it before it be got into thee and mingle it selfe in thy heart or between you and your brother If your house be on fire you doe not stay quenching it till it breaks out of the roofe divisions that are but sparks very little at the first if let alone grow very high and great in a little time I have read a story of two sonnes of the Duke of Florence Who having been hunting the one said My dog killed the Hare and the other said Nay but my dog killed it words multiplyed they grew into a heat the one drawes upon the other and kills him the servant seeing his master killed draws upon him who had slaine him and kills him Neglect not beginnings of quarrels you know not to what they may grow The fourteenth Let us account those brethren in whom we see godlinesse and carry our selves towards them accordingly though they will not account us LEt us not be too ready to take the forfeiture of our brethern The learned and godly men who lived in that Age wherein the Donatists renounced all Christian communion with other Churches yea disclaimed any brotherhood with other Christians yet seeing godlinesse in many of them they did account them part of the Church and their brethren thus they sought to pluck those to them who thrust themselves from them Lastly pray much PLiny sayes of the pearles they call Unions though they be engendred in the sea yet they participate more of the heavens then of the sea Certainly this precious union though it be amongst men yet it hath its lustre and beauty yea its very being from the heavens You must look up to heaven therefore for peace for the preservation increase lustre beauty of it if you would have it Job 25. 2. God maketh peace in his high places the Lord can make peace between high and low Let us carry mens rugged crooked perverse hearts to God in Prayer who is the great joyner of hearts it is he that makes men to be of one mind in a house he maketh the wars to cease Psal 122. 6. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem In your prayers for the Church this must be mentioned as a speciall blessing If praying prevaile not fighting will not Those are the most peaceable men in Church and Common-wealth that pray most for the peace of them God hath more prayers for the peace of this Church and State upon the file of theirs whom some of you account hinderers of it then of yours You complaine much for want of peace you inveigh much against those whom you are pleased to mark out as hinderers of the peace but doe you pray as much You have these meanes presented unto you for the furtherance of peace what other you may meet with any way make use of 2 Thes 3. 16. The Lord of peace give you peace alwayes by all meanes And that all may be the better improved let the exhortation of the Apostle 1 Thes 4. 11. sink into you Study to be quiet the words are Love the honour of being quiet There is great excellency in it That is the last thing CAP. XXXV Exhortation to peaceable and brotherly union shewing the excellency of it ANd now my brethren as the Eunuch said to Philip concerning his Baptisme Here is water what lets but I may be baptized I shall say concerning our uniting in peace and love one with another Here are Joyning Principles Joyning Considerations Joyning Graces Joyning Practices what now le ts but that we may joyne in love and peace one with another Surely nothing can let but extreme corrupt perverse hearts of our owne The Apostle Paul is mighty earnest in his desires in his exhortations for this 1 Cor. 1. 12. Now I beseech you brethren by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye all speak the same thing and that there be no divisions among you but that ye be perfectly joyned together in the same mind and in the same judgement The word translated perfectly joyned signifies such a joyning as when a bone is out of joynt is perfectly set right againe So Philip. 2. 1. If there be therefore any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the Spirit if any bowels and mercies fulfill ye my joy that ye be like minded having the same love being of one accord of one mind let nothing be done through strife c. The Apostle poures forth his soule in this exhortation it is a heart-breaking exhortation Luther though a man of a stirring hot spirit yet writing to the Pastors of the Church of Strasburg hath these words I pray you be perswaded that I shall alwayes be as desirous to embrace concord as I am desirous to have the Lord Jesus to be propitious to me I finde also in a Letter that Martin Bucer writes to a godly Minister a very high expression of that high esteeme he had of and earnest desires after the curing of divisions Who would not sayes he purchase with his life the removing that