promoting Atheisme Arch-Bishop Grindal in his Fair Warning Part 2. Edit 1663 expressed his great fear of two things Atheism and Popery and both arising out of our needless differences By these the Enemies of our Religion gain this that nothing can be established by Law in the Protestant Religion whose every part is not opposed by some or other of her own Professors so that things continuing loose and confused the Papists have their Opportunity to urge their way which is attended with Order and Government And our Religion continuing thus distracted and divided some vile Wretches lay hold on the Arguments on one side to confute the other and so hope at last to destroy all Judge Hales 's Discourse of Religion p. 49. When Men see so much Heat and Passion so much Fervour and Contention such Reproaches and Revilings such Exasperations of Authority on either Party such mutual Prosecutions one of another that more could not possibly be done between Dissenters in those points which both agree to be Fundamental Atheistical Spirits are apt to conclude that probably those points that both sides supposed to be of greater moment are Ejusdem Farinae as those in Contest which all Men take to be small and inconsiderable Mr. Hooker 's Ecclesiastical Politie p. 18. Speaking of Atheistical persons by our Contentions their Irreligious Humour is much strengthened Also by the hot persuit of lower Controversies among Men professing Religion and agreeing in the principal Foundation thereof they conceive hope that about the higher Principles themselves time will cause Alteration to grow Abner 's Plea for Accommodation p. 41. It will cast a scandal on Religion it will open the Mouths of the Adversaries of the Truth The Name of God is blasphem'd among the Gentiles through you saith the Apostle Rom. 2.24 The worst sort among them scoff at it it is meat and drink to them And the better sort are stagger'd by it discouraged from coming within the pale of the Church when they observe Christians as Contentious as Pagans Believers as quarrelsome as Infidels Vnity of Catholick Christians The many Divisions and Animosities which have distracted and separated the parts of Christendom these have opened the Mouths and whet the Tongues of its professed Enemies to Reviling and Railings and Prophane Scoffs against our Blessed Lord and Saviour and his Holy Religion and stifled the first thoughts of admitting the most Convincing Truths to a debate among Jews Turks or Pagans and stopt their Ears against the wisest Charmes To no one cause can we more reasonably impute the small progress which Christianity hath made in the World for a Thousand years past The same contents have a pernicious influence at home upon the Faith and Manners of those within the Pale of the Church Men are hereby too soon tempted into some degree of Sceptiscism about very material points of Christian Doctrine in which they observe so many to differ among themselves Bishop Hacket on Acts 15.39 Where many Sects spring up it calls the Truth more into question and the fewer Proselytes will be gained Secondly By bringing Men to a Lukewarmness and Indifferency in the great things of Religion Bishop Whitgift 's Letter to the Council in Fullers Hist L. 9. That in King Edwards Time and in the beginning of Queen Elizabeths before the heat of these Contentions the Gospel mightily prevailed But since this Schism and Division the contrary Effects have happened Design of Christian p. 236. It is too visibly apparent to be denied that those who have such a scalding hot Zeal or contend so earnestly either for or against things of no certainty and no necessity are many of them as their Predecessors the Pharisees were in the very other Extream as to not a few of the weightiest matters of Religion Conformists Plea for the Nonconformists Part 4. pag. 17 It renders the Labours of the Worthiest suspected and despised by the contrary-minded The most useful profitable searching Books which the World hath most need of are not as much as look'd into by many but rejected because the Books of F s as they are called Yea more if a Conformist have the Name of F some of our Church-P will not come nigh the door-posts of Wisdom Mr. Kidder 's Sermons 1 Pet 3.11 We quarrel for Trifles and neglect our unquestionable Duty to God and Man Doctor Burnet Bishop of Salisbury Matth. 12.25 p. 5. The ill Effects of this Zeal or Contentiousness upon our selves will be That as this Temper grows upon us all our inward seriousness will in a great measure abate and turn meerly to a Form And with that many other Sins will creep in upon us we will bear with many ill things in others because they are of our Party whom otherwise we would detest for their ill Lives and by Conversing much with them we will contract at least a Familiarity with their Vices and perhaps imagine That by our rage and heat we offer up some acceptable Sacrifice to God to compensate for our other Disorders Causes of Decay of Piety p. 251. When bitter Zeal was once fermented the Orthodoxy or Heresie of Lives became soon Tearms out-dated and Men were measured only by Opinions Item p. 301. They are not much discomposed to see Men of no Religion 't is only the having one different from their own that makes their Indignation Mr. Cook 's Sermons on Rom. 12.18 p. 24 What a siding is there with this and the other Zealous and Conscientious Sect even by those that have neither Zeal nor Conscience but are Deriders of both and of strict Holiness in all sorts of Professors Appendix to the third part of the Friendly Debate p. 143 Doctor Jackson tells us the first ground of his dislike to the chief Solicitors of Reformation in our Church was the deformity of their Zeal not moving them to redress known Enormities of the Common-wealth much more material and much more nearly concerning the Advancement of the Gospel than those doubtful Controversies of Formality about which they strove Bishop Wilkins on Rom. 14.17 18 Let a Man but indifferently look round about him amongst all the kinds of Parties in our times even those who in his own judgment he esteems the best and then say Whether both our Common Peace and the Power of Religion hath not suffered exceedingly upon the account of our Zeal in lesser matters Another Mischief it destroys Charity Doctor Steward 's Englands Case p. 26 In such Divisions as these Men are extreamly apt to forget all Bonds of Peace and for possession sometimes of a little supposed Truth quit indeed their whole state of Charity Mr. Kidder 's Sermons 1 Pet. 3.11 We do indeed fiercely contend with each other but it is because we want Charity We neglect that plain Duty whilest we are fond of some Opinion of our own which is often false and at best but doubtful Pref. to Usher 's Body of Divinity Men falling into Sects and Schisms break the Bond of Love and
fall off from the Communion of Saints as though it were no Article of their Creed and being in Love with their own New Tenets they contend more for them than any Fundamental Truths and hate Malign most bitterly and Uncharitably all those that differ from them in their Opinions though never so Conscientious and Religious as though they professed not the same Faith yea served not the same God nor believed in the same Christ Causes of the Decay of Christian Piety p. 284. It is apparent in too many That they are apt to confine even the Common Offices of Humanity to their own Sect and others who do not so yet shew so great partiality in dispensing them as discovers that the Name of Christian is not half so charming as that of their own particular Faction Mr. Cook 's Serm. Rom. 12.18 How dreadful is it to consider what we may plainly observe that Dissention Hatred and Rancour is not so Violent and Irreconcileable betwixt Extream Opposites who dissent utterly as Pagans and Christians for Example as it commonly is betwixt subordinate Professors who agree upon Generals and in the main Substance but dissent in Particulars Those of the Church of Rome this day rather Tolerate do not so extreamly hate a Turk a Jew a Pagan as they do a Protestant and some Protestants to be quit with them do in affection and kind usage too plainly prefer a Heathen or Mahometan before them Judge Hales 's Discourses of Relig. p. 37. It often comes to pass that not only the Common Bond of Charity and of Christian Love is broken between the Professors of the same Substantials in Christianity but there is most ordinarily much more Severity and Persecution and Implacableness and Irreconcileableness more Endeavours to undermine and supplant and disgrace Dissenters more Scorns and vilifying and reproach and Insolence one towards another in their vicissitudes of Advantage than there is between Men of the most loose and prophane Lives and Professors of Christianity between Orthodox and Hereticks nay between Christians and Turks or Infidels many times Bishop of Salisburies Exhortation to Peace p. 11. Luther and Zuinglius difference about the Sacrament has raised such an alienation that in many places the Lutherans are no less and in some more fierce against the Calvinists than against Papists Bishop Reynold 's Brotherly Agreement p. 8. Through the prevalency of Corruption the Affections of good Men so dissenting are often Alienated and Estranged one from another Glanvil 's Catholick Charity p. 8. Though I see never so much eagerness for an Opinion or heat for an Indifferent Circumstance out the Conscience of Christian Love I shall never call that forwardness for those little things Zeal or Religion yea though those warm Men should sacrifice their Lives to their beloved Trifles I should not think them Martyrs but fear rather that they went from one fire to another and a worse as 1 Cor. 13.3 Mr. Cook 's Sermons on Rom. 12.18 p. 3. Though some divided Parties may in their several wayes exercise many Acts of true and substantial Worship yet whilest the Members thereof retain in their hearts any unpeaceable Disposition or bitter Envy though thay call it Zeal against another Party all the Effects of their Religion must necessarily be null and void because in our Religion we can find no sort of dispensation for an Uncharitable Temper Glanvil's Catholick Char. p. 55 56. If therefore we are Friends to Christian Love let us avoid and oppose this its most fatal Enemy and consider that we should exercise our Zeal about the necessary certain things and our Charity about the rest That Divisions are Ruinous of a Church Bucer I see with what Art Satan doth resist i. e. the Reformation While he goeth about to stir up so many pernitious Contentions as well in Doctrine as Rites For surely except we remove so manifest dishonourings of God whereby the whole Kingdom of God may be renewed Oh how intolerable Wrath of God shall be kindled against this Rhealm In another place With this crafty slight hath that Ancient Enemy driven miserable Germany unto these present Calamities wherewith they be now oppressed in King Edward the VI. dayes God forbid Christ Jesus I say our only Saviour forbid that he prevail against England with this crafty subtilty Bishop Andrew 's Sermon p. 913. Let us begin with the motion for Fire from Heaven upon the Samaritans Luke 9.55 Let us begin with that which was the beginning of all this quarrel dissent in Religion between the Samaritan and the Jew We see the fruit of it here and what Spirit it makes Men of mutual and mortal hatred breaking forth upon every occasion And these two the Samaritans and the Jews made not an end of it till it made an end of them In Josephus you shall see in the days of Claudius Cumanus then Deputy the very like quarrel to this here upon the very same occasion taken up wholly by the Zelotae and pursued hard opened the way to the Jews War which never ended till the utter rooting out and desolation of them both Injunct of K. James I. to the Bishops 1626. One thing there is which proves a great hinderance of this State and not continued amongst the people without great offence against God detriment both to Church and State and our great disservice in this and all other business It is the breach of Unity which is grown too great and common amongst all sorts of men The danger of this goes far for in all States it has made way for enemies to enter Mr. Hookers Answer to Mr. Travers Supplicat p. 30. There can come nothing of Contention but the natural waste of the parties contending till a common Enemy dance in the ashes of them both Halls Works Bishop of Norwich p. 413. If we desire the grief of our common Mother the languishing of the Gospel the extirpation of Religion the loss of Posterity the advantage of our Adversaries which way could these be effected more than by our Divisions Mr. Vertues Plea for Peace p. 25. Falling out among our selves we stand aloof off one from another suffering our selves to be devoured by the common Foe while we look on Yea happily we shall be ready to act one against another and so to save the Enemy a labour as Moab against Ammon and Ammon against Moab and Edom against both sheathing their Swords each in other so that Jehosaphat and his Jews needed not to strike a stroke 2 Chron. 20.3 Isa 9.21 Gal. 5.15 It is a Dutch device and a good one to this purpose of two earthen pots swimming on the water frangimur fi collidimur we are broken all to pieces if we clash one against another Idem p. 31. Besides that God doth often punish breaches and divisions in the Church among Christians by raising up some storm against them which may teach them better to agree we being in this too like to Sheep which on a fair Sun-shine day are
unspeakably great I profess my self to stand admiring the vanity of this contentious World that values such a state no more Hear what men of the most serene temper men that aspired after it if it were possible to attain to some good degree of it or somewhat like it by living Peaceably with all men and by being Peacemakers Benefits of Peace and Vnity LOrd Bacons Essays p. 13. Speaking of Peace in the Church It containeth infinite Blessings it establisheth Faith it kindleth Charity and it turneth the Labours of Writing and Reading of Controversies into Treatises of Mortification and Devotion Bishop Andrews Sermons p. 672. The Spirit dwells not but where Unity and Love is Think of this seriously and set it down that at Salem is his Tabernacle and Salem is Peace and so the Fathers read it in pace factus est locus ejus make that place for him and he will say here is my Rest here will I dwell for I have a delight therein Mr. Vertues Plea for Peace Christ hath said Blessed are the Peace-makers they shall be called the Children of God Matth. 5.9 As we would share in this Blessedness let it be our study Item p. 51. Would we see good and enjoy long days would we be sure that we have that Wisdom which is from above be peaceable wrangle not for trifles contend not about uncertainties Dr. Goods Firmianus Dubitantius p 165. It is not to be doubted but that Peace and Unity and Love among our selves would much dishearten those restless enemies of our Church and State c. and cause Religion and Primitive Christianity to flourish in our miserable divided Nation while that time which is now spent in vain Wranglings and unchristian Contentions would be better employed in devout Prayer Holy Meditation and Mortification of our Corruptions in Duties of Piety towards Almighty God and of Love Mercy and Charity one towards another Mr. Jekyls Sermons on Jer. 5.29 p. 30. Next to Peace with God without which all other security will prove deceitful Unity amongst our selves is certainly the most effectual thing to the making of us an happy people and till that be attained we may possibly be quiet but we shall never be safe I shall conclude this with an excellent Speech of that Pious and Peaceable Prelate Dr. Reynolds in his Sermon of Self-denyal towards the end It were worth not only our Fasting and Prayer but our Studying our Sweating our Bleeding our Dying to recover Peace to the Church and Unity amongst Brethren again I could argue also from the mischievous effects and consequences of our Divisions that the case of our Church must be very sad and deplorable while our Divisions and Confusions in matters of Religion continue Malorum ilias a multitude of evils throng in upon a Church through its unchristian Divisions A divided state is an unhappy state it is a state of Separation from God as well as from their Brethren Bishop Andrews Sermons p. 672. And what is there would sooner grieve him the Holy Spirit and make him to quit us than discord or disunion Among divided men or minds he will not dwell not but where Unity and Love is They may talk of the Spirit without these in vain To say Truth who would be hired to dwell in Mesheck Psal 120.5 where nothing is but continual jars and jangles Such places such men are even as Torida Zona not habitable by the Spirit by this Spirit But for the Spirit of Division ut habitet inter eos Daemon a fit place for the Devil to dwell among such And surely he that hath an heart affected with any sense of the miserable case of our divided Church though blessed be God not in so lamentable a case now as in former years he that hath any concern for it must needs be convinced that we are not well cannot be well in our multiplicity of Divisions The Lord Chancellor Hides Speech to the Parliament 1660 He calls it a sad Consideration that must make every Religious Heart to bleed to see Religion which should be the strongest of Obligations and cement of Affection and Brotherly kindness and Compassion made by the perverse wranglings of passionate and froward Men the Ground of all Animosity Hatred Malice and Revenge My Lords and Gentlemen saith he this Disquisition hath cost the King many a sigh many a sad hour when he hath considered the almost irreparable Reproach the Protestant Religion hath undergone from the Divisions and Distractions which have been so notorious in this Kingdom Bishop Saunderson 's Sermons ad Aulam Serm. 9. Sect. 30 Odious to God and grievous to every Godly Man it is when such Voices as these are heard in the Church I am of Paul and I am of Cephas and I of Apollo Mr. Baxter in the Life of Sir Matthew Hale saith that he much lamented that so many Ministers were silenced the Church weakned Papists strengthned the cause of Love and Piety greatly wronged and hindred by the present differences about Conformity Doctor Good 's Firmianus Dubitantius c. p. 152 'T is indeed much to be lamented that we should quarrel about Mint and Cummin to the prejudice of the more weighty and material duties and scandal of our Religion Causes of the decay of Christian Piety p. 424. Amidst all our importunate pretences to Piety if there be indeed any such thing amongst us methinks it should give us some relentings make us sadly consider what a deplorable Condition we have brought that very Religion into by our Divisions Bishop of Salisbury 's Exhortation to Peace and Vnity p. 30. There have arisen among us such heats so much bitterness so violent an aversion to one another that it must needs beget great Grief and sad Apprehensions in all that look on and judge impartially Principles and Practices of some Mod. c. p. 4. It pains me to the Heart when I consider to what a prodigious heighth about matters in Religion our feuds are grown and how utterly averse the too many Sects and Parties we are crumbled into are to entertain thoughts of Peace and Accommodation Vnity of the Catholick Church p. 1. Whosoever with an Impartial Eye and a truly Religious concern for the Honour of God the Credit of the Gospel and the Salvation of Men looks into the State of Christendom he will scarce find any greater cause of sorrowful Reflections than from the many Divisions and Animosities which have distracted and separated its Parts Mr. Wakes Serm. on Rom. 15.5 6 7. I do not believe there is any good Christian so little affected with those unhappy Divisions under which the Church at this day labours as not both heartily to deplore them and to think that nothing could be too much that might innocently be done on all hands for the redressing of them And to show that these Worthy Men had cause to complain and bewail our Divisions I shall Exemplifie the Evils The Mischief of our Divisions THE First Mischief