angred you therefore though you have opportunity of being useful to him yet you refuse it as if it were at your liberty to lay out your abilities for good or not Certainly this is not according to the mind of Christ 1 Cor. 12. 7. The manifestation of the spirit is given to every man to profit withall 3. If you do make use of your gifts for the good of others yet dissentions between you will hinder the profit of them you are not like to do any good by them except they be carryed on by the oyl of love they wil not soak into mens hearts When did you ever know a wrangling contentious Minister though his gifts were never so excellent do good amongst his people And what comfort can a man have of his life if he be laid aside by God as a useless man 4. These divisions cause men to make the gifts of others useless to themselves whereas God puts opportunity into mens hands to get much good by those excellent gifts their Brethren have yet if there be any difference between them either they will not acknowledge the gifts of GOD in them or otherwise they have no mind to receive from them that good they might have because their hearts are not with them Ninthly they hinder our graces how little of God and Christ little spiritualness appears in Professours of Religion since these rents and divisions have been amongst us in comparison of what in former times hath appeared As the members of the body sayes Augustine are not quickned except they be joyned so even the members of Christ do not receive of the quickning vertue of Christ except they be joyned Here is the reason of the deadness coldness emptiness barrenness vanity of your spirits you are not joyned O where are the heavenly Christians that were wont to be those humble those holy gracious soules who lived by faith who were able to deny themselves their whole lives were nothing else but a continuall exercise of self-denyall who were not onely patient but joyfull under afflictions Where are those watchfull Christians who walked close with God who enjoyed such spirituall communion with him as made their faces shine in their holy heavenly conversations Where are those tender broken-hearted Christians that were wont to be who lived upon the Word to whom the Word was more sweet then honey and the honey comb Now there is another kind of face of Professours of Religion as if there were godliness in these dayes not of the same kind with that which was formerly If our fore-fathers who were the most holy and gracious should rise againe they would not own those for Professours of Religion who now make a great noyse keep a great stirr about Religion as if they had got up higher then their fore-fathers had and yet are loose vain frothy false in their way Certainly those holy gracious Saints whom these new Professours sleight were they alive they would abominate them as the great disgrace of and dishonour to Jesus Christ and his Saints Take but away their disputes and for any else how empty and dry are they If they ever had any grace it is under a deal of rubbish we cannot see it and can these men be any other but an empty vine seeing their hearts are so divided The graces that they seemed to have had are quite blasted and if there were any in truth they are exceedingly weakned Vinegar will dissolve Pearls Pliny tells of Cleopatra Queen of Egypt that in her wanton bravery at a Supper she made for Marcus Antonius she dissolv'd a Pearl in Vinegar and drank it off and prepared another both which were valued worth neer five thousand pounds Oh the many precious Pearls worth thousands of gold and silver that are dissolv'd by the Vinegar sowreness of mens spirits in these sharp dissentions that are amongst us Our Divisions hinder the breaking forth of the lustre the shine of Religion in the beauty and glory of it The fire of our contentions raises such a smoak that it all besmothers us it takes away our comliness it makes us look black no amiableness appears in the wayes of Religion to convince men of the excellency of them Scratch'd faces rent and torn garments we account a shame to us distracted divided spirits rending and tearing one another and from one another in our divided wayes O how uncomely doth it render us and that profession of Religion that we take upon us The Turks were wont to wonder much at our English men for pinking and cutting their clothes counting them little better then mad men for making holes in whole cloth which time of it self would tear too soon the cuts rents slashes that are in our spirit in our divisions at this day are much more uncomely and may justly render us foolish and mad in the eyes of all that do behold us Our Divisions hinder our strength If you untwist a Cable how weak is it in the severall parts of it a threefold cord is not easily broken but a single one is Divide a strong current into severall rivelets and how shallow and weak will the course of the water be That act that Plutarch reports to the King of Scythia Scilurus toward his Sons hath been very famous to set out how divisions weaken wheresoever they are he sayes he had eighty Sons and when he was near death he caused a bundle of Arrows to be brought and given them one by one bidding each of them to break it they all answered it was impossible for any man to do it then he causes the Arrows to be taken out one by one and bade one of his Sons break them this any of them could easily do upon this he speaks to his Sonnes thus If ye agree together ye shall abide strong and unconquerable but if ye divide your selves contending one with another ye will be weak and easily overcome They hinder our doing good in publick that which concerns many must be done by many But how can two much less many walk together if they be not agreed that which one does the other seeks to undo Now although God can turn whatsoever is contrary to his work to the furtherance of it yet man cannot do so When God would hinder the work of building Babel he comes down and confounds their tongues so as they could not joyn together in it Thus when the Devill would hinder the work of Jerusalem he knows no way more likely then by dividing the hearts of those who are employed if he can possibly that thereby he might bring confusion They hinder our own ends none are more crossed in their ends and designes then contentious people we have not the mutuall benefits of one anothers Estates Houses the many ways of accommodation and help for one another as heretofore we were wont to have now every man shifts for himselfe scarce any man who knew what the heartiness of friendship meant enjoyes those outward accommodations as
their glory that they can say to the consciences of men Bow down before us A gracious spirit abhors the thought of such a tyranny This to high raising respects due to learned holy men hath been very hurtfull in the Church prejudicial to the souls of men but especially to the honour of Christ I will give you an instance Erasmus was no novice yet how dangerously he was taken with this will appear by a strange expression of his in an Epistle hee wrote to one Bilibaldus How far the authority of the Church prevails with others I know not but with mee it hath that power that I could be of the opinion with Arrians and Pelagians if the Church did but allow that which they taught This you will say is a strange expression coming from a learned man and one too not addicted to the Church that then was in that excess as others were how then did this conceit prevail with men more weak who gave up their consciences to others through their blind superstition Wherefore secondly though great respect is to be given to men holy and learned yet not such that a man must be judged obstinate if hee submit not to their judgments and determinations For First if a man should believe or do any thing before he sees some other grounds besides their judgments or examples though the thing were in it selfe never so good yet it would be sin to him If indeed this were enough to answer Christ Lord I am a poore weake man I cannot find out thy truths my self therefore I seeing learned godly men to be of such a judgement and doing such things I thought it too much presumption for mee to differ from them therefore I also believed it to be true and practised accordingly This were an easie way for people to agree and it might well be judged obstinacy to gainsay But this account Christ will not take for he tells us Whatsoever is not of faith is sinne and the judgments and practices of godly learned men he never made to be the rule of faith 2ly If God in revealing his mind to men alwayes did it according to the proportion of their gifts and graces then it were too much boldnesse for any to differ from those who are most eminent but experience tels us it is otherwise as God causeth his rain to fall upon one field and not upon another and as the wind blows where it lists so are the workings of the Spirit of God upon men Although hee reveales to all his Saints whatsoever is absolutely necessary to salvation yet for other truths a man of eminent parts shall know one another of weaker shall know another David was a man as eminent for parts was filled with the Spirit of God as much as Nathan both in regard of Prophesie and godliness yet sometimes that was revealed to Nathan which was kept hid from David When the Book of the Law was found and read before Josiah they send to Huldah the Prophetesse yet there were Prophets in the Land at that time But you will say Is it not more likely that men of learning and piety should know what is right and what is not better then others True it is more likely they should but God many times doth things which we think are not likely that which is the most unlikely to us God many times chooseth as best to serve his ends Thirdly If there were no other reason why a man of weaker parts should differ from other then because he is conceited of his parts thinks himselfe more able to understand then those who are far his betters then there would be more liberty to deale severely with him But being â—here may be this reason why men who are weak yet differ from those who are eminent Christ hath laid this charge upon them that they must not believe or practice any thing in the matters of Religion but what they shall see ground for out of his word If a man shall be jealous of himself fearing lest his own understanding should mislead him and in the use of all meanes he can seeks to God and yet cannnot see from Scripture the ground of those things learned and godly men have determined and having received such a charge from Christ not to alter his judgment or practice till in the use of these meanes he should receive further light from him what would you have this man do If he yeelds to you he sins against the charge of Christ and his own conscience if he doth not either now or after such a time you prefixe him alter his judgment and practice you judg him obstinate and in the name of Christ deale with him as such do not you by this make that bond that Christ hath laid upon him to do all he doth from a principle of faith heavier then Christ would have it Fourthly the more learning the more godliness men have the more pains they take in finding out the truth there is the lesse ground to judg those obstinate who differ from them because they differ You will say How can that be For if men be very learned and godly and take much pains to finde out the truth there is the more reason we should believe their judgements more then our owne We must indeed honour them then the more but yet the exquisitenesse of their learning the eminency of their godliness the industry of their labours for the finding out of truth may excuse those from obstinacy who cannot see into the ground from the word of all that they are able to see for is it not more then probable that men who are weak and exceedingly beneath them should through meer weakness be unable to see the rule of Scripture in those things which they have got the sight of by the help of their great learning godliness and indefatigable labours Can it be that men who have not attained to that eminencie who are not able to take so much pains in searching that they though they have their help added should be able to attain to what these men so eminent and industrious have attained to Can they in a few months come to see that which they have been studying and debating one with another divers years before they could see it can they be satisfied in their consciences of the mind of Christ when these eminent men for a long time could hardly satisfie one another yea it may be after all the helpe of their learning godliness and painfull labours they look upon many things but as probable as more likely to be so then otherwise they have not a Plerophory in their own hearts and shall those who doe not see ground enough for the foot of Faith to settle upon be judged and dealt with as obstinate Because they yet are not of their mind God forbid Fifthly there is much danger in making this to be the rule for if to go against the judgment of godly and learned men be obstinacy now
another so as one would think it impossible that ever in this world there should have been that distance between them that now there is How often have we prayed Oh that once we might be blessed with such a mercy as to worship God according to his own mind that we might be delivered from conscience oppression from spirituall bondage Oh that we might be delivered from the inventions of men in the service of God that the Saints might joyn and serve the Lord with one shoulder There were never such hopes that the Saints should enjoy their prayers so as of late there hath been and yet never were they so divided as now they are they now seek to bring one another in bondage If five or six years since when many of us were praying together making our moans to God for that oppression we were under God should have then presented as in a Map such times as these are to our view could we have beleeved that it were possible that there should be such a distance in our spirits as now there is Fourthly our Divisions are very dishonourable to Jesus Christ were it that they darkned our names onely it were not so much but that which darkens the glory of Jesus Christ should goe very neere unto us I have read of Alexander Severus seeing two Christians contending one with another commanded them that they should not presume to take the name of Christians upon themselves any longer For sayes he you dishonour your Master Christ whose Disciples you professe to be It is dishonour to a General to have his Army routed and run into confusion The Devill seems to prevaile against us in these our divisions so as to rout us John 17. 21. 23. is a notable Scripture to shew the sinfulnesse of our divisions in the dishonour they put upon Christ and it may be as strong an argument against them as any I know in the Book of God Christ praying to the Father for the union of his Saints uses this argument O Father let this be granted that the world may beleeve that thou hast sent me And againe ver 23. Let them be perfect in one that the world may know that thou hast sent me If they be not united one to another in love and peace but have a spirit of Division ruling amongst them what will the world thinke surely that thou didst not send me that I who am their head their teacher and Lord never came from thee for thou art wisdom holiness and love if I had come from thee then those who own me to be theirs and whom I own to be mine would hold forth in their conversations something of that spirit of holinesse wisdome and love there is in thee but when the world does not see this in them but the clean contrary they will never beleeve that I came from thee those truths that I came into the world to make known as from thee O Father will not be beleeved but rather persecuted if those who professe them by their divisions one from another and oppositions one against another shew forth a spirit of pride folly envy frowardnesse therefore O Father let them be one as thou and I am one if this Petition be not granted how shall I look the world in the face I shall be contemned in the world what am I come down from thee for such glorious ends as indeed those were for which I came into the world and when I should come to attaine those ends for which I came shall there be such a carriage in those who doe professe my Name that by it the world shall perswade themselves that thou didst never send me O what a sore evill would this be surely any Christian heart must needs tremble at the least thought of having a hand in so great an evill as this is Fifthly Divisions are sinfull because they grieve the holy Spirit of God Ephes 4. 30 31. Grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed to the day of redemption Surely there is no godly heart but will say O God forbid that I should doe any thing to grieve the good spirit of God it is the Spirit that hath enlightned me that hath revealed the great mysteries of God of Christ of eternall life unto me it is that Spirit that hath drawn my Soul to Jesus Christ that hath comforted it with those consolations that are more to me then ten thousand worlds the Spirit that hath strengthned me that helpes me against temptations that carries me through difficulties that enables me to rejoyce in tribulations the Spirit that is an earnest to assure me of Gods electing love the spirit thet hath sealed me up to the day of Redemption and now shall I be gâ—ily of so great a sinne as to grieve this blessed Spirit of the Lord If I did but know wherein I have grieved it it could not but make my soul to bleed within me that I should have such a wretched heart to grieve this holy Spirit by whom my soule hath enjoyed so much good I hope should for ever hereafter take heed of that thing I would rather suffer any griefe in the world to mine owne spirit then be any occasion of grief to that blessed Spirit of God But would you know what it is that hath grieved it and what it is that is like to grieve it further mark what followes ver 31. Let all bitternesse wrath anger clamour and evill speaking be put away from you with all malice And would you doe that which may rejoyce it Oh! God knowes it would be the greatest joy in the world for me to doe it then ver 32. Be ye kind one to another tender-hearted forgiving one another even as God for Christs sake hath forgiven you Sixthly these divisions doe grieve and offend our Brethren this should not be a light matter to us Christ accounts it a great evill to offend one of his little ones We may thinke it a little matter to give offence to some of Gods people who are poore and meane in the world so long as we have the bravery of it and the countenance of great men no matter for them But friend whatsoever slight thoughts thou hast of it Christ thinks it a great matter you may look upon them as under you the times favour you more then them but if you shall give them cause to goe to God to make their moanes to him of any ill usage they have had from you Lord thou knowest I was for peace to the uttermost that I could so farre as I was able to see thy Word for my guide but these who heretofore were as Brethren to me now their spirits are estranged their hearts are imbittered their words their carriages are very grievous and all because I cannot come up to what their opinions their ways are certainly this would prove very ill to you regard it as lightly as you will it may be when others carry themselves towards you
having used sometimes in their Families to take a Scripture and speak something out of it upon this they think it is a better thing to be exercised in preaching Gods word then to fit in a shop all day at some meane worke or selling out wares therefore they thinke they are bound to give over their Callings which they look at as too low mean things and be Preachers of the Word not regarding those due ways that Christ would have men come into such an employment by Although I do not think but that Tradesmen who have good knowledg in the Scripture and are gifted by God to speak the Word to people for their edification when there is a want of able men who have been all their lives preparing for such a work and are set apart for it rather then people should continue in ignorance and so perish if those who are able and fit to judg shal judg them meet for such a work they may be employd to make Christ known to them yet for every man that takes himself to be a gifted man and it may be is so judged by some who are willing to flatter him to take upon him of himselfe or by the advice of two or three of his friends to leave his other employment for the work of the Ministry because that is a more noble and excellent work this is not a way of God but a way of confusion and disorder Again it is in it selfe a better thing to enjoy a Ministry of the most eminent gifts and graces then one of lower but if this should be made a rule that a man who is under a Pastor who is faithfull and in some good measure gifted upon another mans coming into the Countrey that is more eminent he should forsake his Pastor and joyn to the other and if after this still a more eminent man comes he should leave the former and joyn to him and by the same Law a Pastor who hath a good people yet if others be more likely to receive more good he may leave his own people and goe to them what confusion and disorder would there be continually in the Church Men must consider not only what the thing is in its own nature but what it is to them how it stands in reference to their relations If you be joyned to a Pastor so as you believe he is set over you by Christ to be a Pastor to you not because the Bishop hath sent one or an old Usurer dyes and leaves the Patronage of a living to some Ostler or Tap-wench in an Alehouse and he or she shall send one by vertue of their right to the patronage this cannot tie a mans conscience to depend upon him for the ordinances of Christ all his days in case he cannot remove his dwelling but if you cannot but look upon the man as the Pastor that Christ hath set over you Though this man hath meaner gifts then others and it would be more comfortable to you to have another Pastor yet this is not enough to cause you to diseâ—t him whom Christ hath set over you and if people may not leave their Pastors because others have more eminent gifts then surely Pastors must not leave their people because others have more eminent Livings To instance yet further that you may see how this Principle disturbs mens spirits Many being in the works of their Calling have some thoughts come into their mind that prayer is a better work more noble and spirituall then to be employed as they are therefore they must needs presently leave their worke and go toe prayer How many have been perplexed with temptations this way by which their lives have been made very uncomfortable Prayer in it selfe is better but is it better at this time for me all things considered am not I about that which God hath called me to do By this Principle many decive and trouble themselves in respect of their souls as some by a conceit of the like nature deceive bring great trouble to themselves in respect of their bodies some who have sickly bodies their flesh is decayed they think such and such things have most nourishment in them such things are hot and full of spirits and juyce therefore they will eate and drink altogether such things leaving their ordinary dyet by this means thâ—y many times overthrow their bodies for though a man wants flesh yet the way for him to have it it may be is not to take nourishing things but purging and though he be troubled with faintness it may be the way to get good spirits is by eating ordinary dyet and cooling his body that so some distemper may be cured and he may get his veyns filled with good blood and spirits got from it rather then by drinking hot waters that are full of spirits which perhaps burns his heart and dries his body that there is no good blood generated from his dyet It is not enough therefore to say the thing is in it selfe better but is it better in all the references I have and it hath is it better in regard of others in regard of the publique for the helping me in all my relations May it not help one way and hinder many ways If a Physitian should come to a man and see his disease is hot and shoâ—ld therefore presently cool him by giving him water the man may like it for the present why is it not better to be cool then so burning hot but thus the Physitian discovers his folly and the Patient loses his life A Physitian in prescribing some physick had need have forty considerations in his head at once how one part stands affected to the other of what yeers the man is of what complexion how long the disease bath been upon him what was last done to him c. So it should be in the duties of Religion a Christian who desires to walk orderly to beautifie and honour his profession to enjoy communion with God peace in his own soul and be useful to the publique had need have his wits about him not presently to fall upon a work because it is now presented as good to him in a single consideration he must compare one thing with another and see what it is in all its references or otherwise he will but enterfeir hee will but hack and hew and bungle and disturb himselfe and others in the ways of Religion he will make Religion tiresome to himselfe and others he will be in danger in time to cast off strictnesse and to grow so much the more loose then others by how much more streightned he hath been in a disorderly way then others I believe some of you have known those who in their young time have been very strict and tender whatsoever they have conceived to be better then other they have presently followed it with all eagernesse never considering circumstances references or consequences but the thing is good it must be done yet being wearied with
me thus proud men and women in their families whatsoeuer children or servants do amisse what you do it on purpose to anger me do you When the winde comes crosse the streame the waters rage So does the will and affections of a proud heart when any thing crosseth it 3ly Pride makes men swell beyond their bounds the way to keep all things in union is for every man to keep within his bounds the swelling beyond tends to the breaking all in pieces Hab. 2. 5. He is a proud man neither keepeth at home who enlargeth his desire as hell and cannot be satisfied If any humour of the body goeth beyond its bounds it brings much trouble to it the health and peace of the body consists in the keeping of every humour within its vessell and due proportion 4ly Pride hardens mens hearts Dan. 5. 20. His minde is hardned in his pride If you would have things cleave you must have them soft two flints will not joyn the Spanyard hath a Proverb Lime and stone will make a wall if one be hand yet if the other be yeelding there may be joyning and good may be done not else 5ly Pride causes men to despise the persons actions and sufferings of others nothing is more unsufferable to a mans spirit then to be vilified A proud man despises what others do and others what he does every man next to his person desires the honour of his actions If these two be contemned his sufferings will likewise be contemned by the proud This also goes very neer to a man one man thinks what another man suffers is nothing no matter what becomes of him another thinks his suffering's nothing and no matter what becomes of him O at what a distance now are mens hearts one from another 6ly Pride causes every man to desire to be taken notice of to have an eminency in some thing or other if he cannot be eminent on one side he will get to the other he must be taken notice of one way or other when he is in a good and peaceable way God makes some use of him yet because he is not observed and looked upon as eminent he will rather turn to some other way to contend strive to oppose or any thing that he may be taken notice of to be some body that he may not goe out of the world without some noyse What shall such a man as I of such parts such approved abilities so endued by God to doe some eminent service be laid aside and no body regard me I must set upon some notable worke something that may draw the eye of observance upon me I have read of a young man who set Diana's Temple on fire and being asked the reason he said That he might have a name that the people might talk of him Because he could not be famous by doing good he would by doing evill Proud spirits wil venture the setting the Temple of God yea Church and State on fire that they may have a name whatsoever they do or suffer to get a name they will rather venture then dye in obscurity that of all things they cannot bear 7. A proud man would have others under him and others being proud too would have him under them he would have others yield to him and others would have him yield to them where will the agreement then begin What is that which hath rent and torne the world in all ages that hath brought woful distractions perplexities confusions miseries in all Countreys by wars but the pride of a few great ones seeking to bring one under another Those wasting Wars of the Romans between Sylla and Marius Caesar and Pompey were they not from hence It is hard for men in great places and of great spirits to accord long Melancthon in his Comment upon Prov. 13. 10. says concerning such men there was wont to be this Proverb Duo montes non miscentur Two mountains will not mixe together 8ly A proud man makes his will to be the rule of his actions and would have it to be the rule of other mens too and other men being proud too would have their wils the rule of though there be nothing else but pride and in the Hebrew it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dabit jurgium give contention if there be no cause given it will make it Now let every man looke into his own heart and see what pride hath been and still is there and be humbled before the Lord for this All you contentious froward quarrelsome people you are charged this day from God to be men and women of proud spirits and what evill there is in our sadd divisions that pride in your bosome is a great cause of Saint Paul did beat down his body left after he had preached to others he should become a reprobate Let us all and especially Ministers labour to beat down our spirits lest after all our profession and glorious shews we at last become Reprobates at least such as God may cast out for the present in this world taking no delight in making use of what in such times as these are to have hearts swoln and lift up in pride God is now about the staining the pride of the earth How unseasonable and dangerous is it for a Marriner to have his top-sails up and all spread in a violent storme it is time then to pull downe all lest he be sunck irrecoverably The point of a needle will let the wind out of a bladder and shall not the swords of God the swords of Warre and Plague that have got so deep into our bowels let out the windy pride of our hearts The haughtinesse of men shall be bowed downe and the Lord himself will be exalted The Lord humble us that he may reconcile us not only to himselfe but to one another CHAP. XVI Selfe-love the second dividing distemper THis is neer akin to the former Phil. 2. 3. Let nothing be done through strife Ver. 4. Looke not every man on his owne things but every man also on the things of others This is the cause of strife because men looke so much on their owne things Many will have no peace except their own party be followed Jehu-like What hast thou to do with peace follow me It is not Peace but Party that they mind Maxima pars studiorum est studium partium The greatest part of their studies is to study sides and parts Luther upon Psal 127. hath a notable speech I am of that opinion sayes he that Monarchies would continue longer then they doe were it not for that same litte Pronoun Ego that same I my selfe Yea certainly could this same Selfe be but laid aside all governments and societies would not only continue longer but flourish better Selfe-love is the cause of our divisions First where this prevails men love to take in all to themselves but let out nothing from themselves this must needs divide societies in Church and State
for they are Bodies if one member in the body takes in all to it selfe and le ts out nothing from it self to other members as suppose the arme or leg takes in all the blood and spirits that comes into strengthen it selfe and when it hath got them in there keeps them and le ts out none to another member how soon would the members drop one from another The whole world is maintained by mutual communication of one creature to another take away that and the world dissolves presently 2ly Those who are acted by self-love have no common ends to joyn them therefore they cannot close if they be imployed in publike service they quickly warp to their private ends Take two boards never so straight yet if one be seasoned and the other green they will lye close a while but ere long you wil find that the unseasoned wil divide from the other by warping especially when heat coms to it Thus many at the first Oh who but they for the publike for the common their actions and of his too Thus the blustering winde of pride in mens hearts causes them to justle one against another and so to split themselves one upon another as where many ships lye together a violent wind breaking their Anchor-cables causes them to dash one upon another and so to make shipwrack even in the Haven 9. A proud man opposes others because they have begun such a worke and others who are also proud oppose him because he hath begun it The Senators of Rome could have been content to have admitted Christ to have been amongst the number of their gods but only upon this they refused because the motion began not with them Many amongst us have no other reason why they oppose good motions but because they were not first in them They are loth to break the yee to begin a good work if they see any difficulty in it and yet the cause of God must not goe on Christ must not be admitted if they have not been at the beginning Like two men carrying a long piece of timber in at a narrow passage one man will goe before and the other man will go before they can never carry it in because they cannot agree who shall goe formost 10. One proud man is conceited of what he doth because it is his own way and another proud man is conceited of what he doth because it is his own way and so men draw divers ways and the publique cause of God and his people must give way to their conceitness Pride makes a man drunk with his own conceits Hab. 2. 5. The proud man is as he that transgresseth by wine and Drunkards you know are quarrelsome Wonder not at an absurd thing in a proud man for pride makes him drunk Prov. 13. 10. Proud men who cause contention are opposed to the well advised But with the well advised cum consultis is wisdome The Sept. reads it The wise are such at know themselves but the proud do not 11. Proud men will venture upon things unseemly thinking their esteem and greatnesse will bear them out and others who are proud will venture upon the like upon the same ground for every man is â—eady to have high thoughts of himself Psal 19. 14. Deliver me from presumptuous sins a superbis so some Ab insolentibus so others from proud from insolent sins Pride makes insolent A proud man sayes the Philosopher is a faigner of boldnesse and valour and therefore will foolishly venture upon any thing 12. If there is any thing to be done that is conceived to be mean and low a proud man will seek to put it upon others and others who are proud will seek to put it upon him and if it be a work of credit then he seeks it to himself and others seek it to themselves and hence are jarrings and divisions 13. If there be any good successe in any thing then pride makes one man attribute it to himselfe and another man attribute it to himself and if the successe be ill then one puts it off from himself and and another from himself and thus quarrels and contentions are raised and fomented 14. One proud man thinks himself the only worthy man to have his counsel followed and his desires satisfied and the other he thinks himself the man that should have his counsell followed and his desires satisfied and thus men struggle and oppose one another Lastly one proud man is very discerning in the discovery of pride in another and though he entertains it in his owne bosome yet he hates it in others wheresoever he sees it This is a peculiar cursâ— upon this sin one Drunkard loves another one whoremaster another but one proud man hates another This is exemplified notably in Boniface the second Bishop of Rome he says of Aurelius Bishop of Carthage and of the rest of those who were present at the sixth Councel of Carthage that through the instigation of the Devil they swelled with pride against the Roman Church he means against the supremacy of it for it was spoken upon the submission of Eulalius Bishop of Carthage to the Chair of Rome Behold the proud Bishop of Rome who would have all the preheminence himself swells with pride against the pride of others Here we see what a make-bate Pride is That which Tertullus said to Felix Act. 24. 2. is true of Humility By thee we enjoy great quietnesse but the contrary is as true of Pride By thee are made wofull divisions by thee we suffer miserable disturbance Though there be no occasion of quarrel yet pride wil make some only by pride comes contention as before Pro. 13. 10. good but there being a principle of Selfe within like the sap in the board when they began to feel heat some difficulties rising they warpâ—d to their own ends and divided from those they were imployed with Mens private ends are narrow they cannot drive on them but they wil meet with one another justle one another quarrel contend and fight for the way as Car-men doe when they meet in narrow streets and Boat-men in narrow passages If we had publique ends our way would be broad enough we might to on peaceably and comfortably without without prejudice to one another If a man lived alone then he might goe on quietly in his way only God would meet him in it but seeing men live in the world amongst others they must consider that if they will drive on their own designs work their own end other men have designs and ends to drive on and work as well as they it is therefore impossible but you will crosse and be crossed you will vex and fret at others and others will vex and fret at you Whatsoever is such sayes Tullie wherein many cannot excell in that there is for the most part such contention as society can hardly be kept entire 3ly Self makes every man judg of things according to w ht is
suddenly cause great stirre and trouble where ever they come The Hebrew word that signifies a fool and that which signifies suddenly rashly is from the same root 3ly When peace sometimes is even concluded and there is great joy in hope of a comfortable agreement rashnesse will suddenly break it without any due consideration O that that promise Isa 52. 4. were fulfilled among us The heart of the rash shall understand knowledge Rash men think they presently understand all that is knowable in such a busisinesse and thence presume to make sudden determinations but as over-hasty digestion causes wind and brings much trouble to the body so over-hasty resolutions to mens spirits and to societies The seventh Dividing Distemper Wilfulnesse I Think I may say in most men Will is the axletree lust and passions are the wheels whereupon almost all their actions are carried Where there is much will though the thing be little about which men contend yet the opposition may be great as a little stone thrown with a strong arme may take deep impression It is a dangerous thing to have mens wills ingaged in matters of difference it is easier to deal with twenty mens reasons then with one mans will A man of a wilfull stout spirit stands as a stake in the midst of a steam le ts all passe by him but he stands where he was What hope can there be of union where there will be no yielding one mans will raiseth anothers set will to will they may dash one against another but not like to close to get into one another A wilful man thinks it is beneath a wise man to alter his way yea it may be he thinks it a dishonour to the truth that both he his profession and the honour of God shall suffer by it when a stubborn self-willednes is taken for a right constancy and setlednesse it is very strong in men but let us take heed of this it is no matter though we go back from our former assertions so long as we go forward to the truth Luther was called an Apostate I am so says he but it is from errour to truth Many times stoutnesse of spirit comes from weakenesse rather then strength there is not always the greatest strength of judgment where there is the greatest strength of will As a mans judgment that is without prejudice is very strong so a mans prejudice that is without judgment is as strong The dullest horses are not always the most easily reigned I know and am perswaded says the Apostle Rom. 14. 14. many men are perswaded before they know those who are perswaded before they know wil not be perswaded to know Mens wills will not suffer their understandings to consider if they doe consider they will not suffer them to be convinced if they be convinced they will not suffer them to acknowledge that they are convinced It is dishonest for a man not to give in his Bond when the debt is paid so for a man not to acknowledg himselfe convinced but stand out against the truth though his conscience tels him it is made clear to him Let men lay down their wils and there will be no hell sayes Bernard So say I take away mens wills and contentions will cease Scaliger tels us the nature of some kind of Amber is such that it will draw to it self all kind of stalks of any herbe except Basiliske an Herbe called Capitalis because it makes men heady filling their brains with black exhalations Thus those who by the fumes of their corrupt wills are grown headstrong will not be drawn by that which draws others But this charging men of wilfulness is presently catched hold of in an abusive way if men wil not yeeld to what some conceive to be right presently they are charged with wilfulnesse and stubbornnesse they do not see because they will not see they are not convinced because they will not We who differ so much from others in things that others thinke to be clear should take heed how we charge others of wilfulnesse who differ from us As it is dishonest not to give in the bond when the debt is paid so it is a cheat to require the bond before the debt be satisfied Men may think and give out they have done enough to convince men when indeed upon examination it will be found to be nothing or far short of satisfying the reasons that are against it if they were their own But when a man may have peace in his conscience that what he holds or does is not through wilfulnesse but constancy of his love to the truth I shall speak to presently The eighth dividing Distemper Vnconstancy IF a man had an art to change his face every day to seem sometimes white sometimes black sometimes ruddy sometimes pale sometimes hairy sometimes smooth sometimes old sometimes yong how unfit were such a man for society this which men cannot do in their faces they doe in the unconstancy of their spirits As our affections and determinations must not be like the Persian Decrees to admit of no alteration so neither must they be such as the Polonian laws are which they say last but 3. days When a thing is so brittle that it breaks as soon as you meddle with it how can you make it joyn there must be som consistency in that which you would fasten to another thing when mens spirits are so fickle that a man cannot tell where to find them how can there be a close O how much are men now differing from themselves in what their thoughts of men and carriage towards them have been though the men concerning whom they thus differ remain the same they were yea the same they appeared to be long since there was sweet agreement in affection loving embracements rejoycing in the presence of one another and yet nothing is known in those from whom their hearts countenances and ways are alienated c. more then formerly was not difference in judgment that was known before Such a change of spirits and carriages in hodly men one towards another hath appeared as never appeared in any age since the world began A great deal of stir there hath been more then formerly yet what are these men otherwise then they have bin many years since Were I to speak to wicked men to charge them of the unconstancy of their spirits I would make use of that similitude I have out of Epiphanius who speaking of the Jewes desiring the coming of the Messias but when he was come they hated him They were says hee in this like mad dogs who first glaver upon men and then bite and devour them But because I speak to many of the Saints I had rather use a softer expression more sutable to the honour that is due to godly men I compare them in their unconstancy towards their brethren which hath caused so great division to the sweetnesse of the ayr in a fair sun-shine morning
hath this excellent saying If I did not finde in my selfe a love and desire of all profitable truth if I did not put away idlenesse and prejudice and worldly affections and so examine to the bottome all my opinions of divine matters being prepared in minde to follow God and God onely which way soever he shall lead me if I did not hope that I either doe or endeavour to doe these things certainely I should have little hope of obtaining salvation When I consider of these causes of departing from a particular Church that speech of Tertullian concerning a Martyr comes into my minde Non poena sed causa facit Martyrem Not the punishment but the cause makes a Martyr So Non decâ—ssio sed causa facit Schismaticum Not the departing but the cause makes a Schismatick Aquinas shewing that wherein the vitiousnesse of Schisme lyes sayes As in naturall things that which is by accident does not constitute the species so in morall not that which is beside the intention for that is accidentall therefore sayes he the sin of Schisme is in that it intends to separate from that unity which charity makes and therefore Schismaticks are properly those who of their own accord and intention doe separate themselves from the unity of the Church The next thing considerable in the description of Schisme is the rashnesse of the separation though the cause of separating be just yet the manner of it may be schismaticall if done rashly or violently Those who are joyned in communion with others when they differ from those with whom they have communion they are bound to examine try to make use of all meanes they can to satisfie their consciences in things they scruple and if they cannot yet before they breake off communion they are bound to seek by all means they can for a redress of those things which after most serious examination appeare evill to them they are bound to wait with much forbearance and longsuffering And at last if there be a necessity of departing they must not rend away with violence but shew themselves willing and ready in the spirit of love and meeknesse to open their cause to shew their reasons to the Church why they cannot continue in that communion with them they formerly had and desire that they may peaceably and lovingly depart seeing they cannot with peace of their conscience and love to their soules continue with them and that they may joyne with some other Church where they may enjoy peace and further edification Surely here is no Schisme this is no rending away here is no violence used here is onely a loving and peaceable secession notwithstanding this were it not the pride envy and frowardnesse of mens spirits much love and peace might continue amongst Christians and Churches True indeed if men can beare no contradiction no kinde of blame of their wayes there must needs be trouble but then those who doe contradict or blame though they be in the wrong yet if it be through weaknesse and carryed with meeknesse they are not so much the cause of the trouble as those who cannot beare this weaknesse of their Brethren without frowardnesse and contention There are other names of division the name of Puritan what a divider hath it been but that seeing it self ready to dye divided it self into two Round head and Independent these are now the opprobrious discriminating scornfull names of division amongst us For the first there is so much folly and absurdity in it that surely it will soone vanish of it selfe if you contemne it it is too low and contemptible for a Pulpit or a Pen to meddle with But the other carries in the face of it an open defiance to all kind of government a monstrous kind of liberty for men to live as they list and to be accountable to none whatsoever they hold or doe Certainly such kinde of people as these are not to be suffered shall I say in any Christian society no not in any humane society if there be any such people as these they are one of the most monstrous kinde of people that ever lived upon the face of the earth How many runne away with the word and cry out of men and their wayes under this name which they know not How farre those who are for the Congregationable way are from such an uncontroulable liberty hath beene shewne Chap. 7. Pag. 41. I shall adde this one thing of all kinde of governments in the Church that which hath this name fastened upon it is most opposite to the name of any in that sense it is ordinarily taken for there is no Church-government that holds forth more means to reduce from errour or any miscarriage then this doth examine it with the Prelaticall or Presbyteriall Government and you shall find it for first in the Prelaticall Government if once the Prelates determine any case you must there rest there is no Church helpe for you except you will say it is in a Convocation where we know they ruled both in the choyce of members and ordering all things as they list In the Presbyteriall way if so many associated Elders determine any case it must in them receive the finall determination you must rest in it although the greater part of the Churches and the greater number of Elders in a Kingdome should be of another minde for if you rise to a Nationall Assembly there are not the twentieth part of Elders of the Kingdome in it But those who men call Independents say that if any thing be done by them that is offensive not only those associated Elders but all or any Elders or Churches whatsoever may require account may in the name of Christ doe all in effect for the reducing of them that those associated Elders can doe still remembring that Church-power in one or the other goes no further then mens consciences if men wil not conscientiously regard what is done to reduce them from evill there is no help within the Church but to appeale to CHRIST as for the externall helpe by the Magistrate that concernes not the controversie about Church-government and yet for subjection to that Ordinance of God the principles and profession of those you call Independents leave as much to the Magistrate as the principle or profession of those who are Presbyteriall doe if not more Tolle â—am nominis crimen nihil restat nisi criminis nomen Now take away the crime of the name and there remaines nothing but the name of a crime CHAP. XXVI The seventh eighth ninth tenth eleventh twelfth dividing Practices The seventh Whatsoever personall evill there is in any one who is in a differing way from others is cast upon all that are in that way THis you know was the practice of former times whatsoever evill any forward Professour was guilty of that was cast upon all they are all thus Doe you not see that Hypocrites they are whatsoever their shewes be yet if they have opportunity they
cruelty and revenge her husband delighting in her caused her Image to be made lively representing her and apparelled with costly garments but indeed it was an Engin to torment men withall he made use of it thus when he could not have his will upon men by his owne perswasions he tooke them by the hand telling them that perhaps his wife Apega who sate by in a chaire could perswade more effectually so he led them to the Image that rose up and opened the armes as it were for embracement those armes were full of sharpe iron nayles the like whereof were also sticking in the brests though hidden with her clothes and herewith she griped these men to death At which Nabis standing by laughed to see the cruell death of these miserable men The Lord deliver us from revengefull spirits CHAP. XXVII The evill of Divisions They hinder much good EVsebius reports of Constantine That he was more troubled with the dissentions of the Church then with all the warres in his dominions that he took them so to heart that he could not sleep quietly for them yea although he had a spirit full of heroick valour yet the dissentions of the Church were such evils to him as to cause him to cry and sob Thus he writes in an Epistle to Alexander and Arius Let me enjoy the dayes in peace and the nights without molâ—station that the pleasure which riseth out of the pure light of concord and quiet life may henceforth inviolably be conserved if it otherwise happen it behoveth us to sob and sigh and to shed many a salt teare What heart that hath any tendernesse in it bleeds not in the sense of those sore dreadful heart-divisions there are amongst us The evill there is in them is beyond what tongue or pen can expresse Take a view of it under these three Heads 1. The good they hinder 2. The sinne they cause 3. The misery they bring First the quiet comfort sweetnesse of our spirits is hindered by divisions They put the spirit out of tune men who heretofore have had sweet spirit full of ingenuity since they have interessed themselves in these Divisions have lost their sweetnesse their ingenuity is gone When the Bee stings she leaves her sting behinde her and never gathers Honey more men by stinging one another doe not lose their stings but they lose their honey they are never like to have that sweetnesse in their hearts that heretofore they had Shall I lose my sweetnesse sayes the Fig-tree and goe to be promoted over the trees Why doest thou not reason thus with thy spirit Shall I lose my sweetnesse in contending to get my will to be above others God sorbid There was a time that both my my selfe and others found much sweetnesse in the temper of spirit there was nothing but peaceablenesse quiet calmnesse contentednesse in it and how comfortable was such a temper of spirit me thought when my spirit was in that sweet frame all things were sweet to me but since I have been interested in quarrels and contentions it hath beene farre otherwise with me Prov. 15. 4. Perversnesse in the tongue causes a breach in the spirit Contentions cause much perversnesse in mens tongues and this causes a breach in their spirits Your contending costs you deare though it were in nothing else yet the losse of this sweetnesse of spirit makes it very costly to you All the wrong that you should have put up if you had not contended had not been so great an evil to you as this one thing is There is nothing more contrary to ingenuity then quarrelsomnesse It is reported of Melancthon that when he was to dye he had this speech and Strigelius at his death had the same I desire to depart this life for two causes First that I may enjoy the desired sight of the Sonne of God and the Church in heaven Secondly that I may be delivered from the fierce and implacable hatred of Divines There was much disputing contending quarrelling in those times which was so tedious to the spirits of these good men as it made them the willinger to dye that they might be where their souls should be at rest That Saint of God old M. Dod never loved to meddle with controversies he gave that reason He found his heart the worse when he did Men seldome come away from hot disputes or any other contentions but their spirits are altered for the worse They finde it so and others finde it in them If a man has beene abroad and met with company with whom he hath been contending his wife children servants finde that he comes not home with the same spirit that he went out with Secondly they hinder the freedome of a mans spirit which a wise man sets a high price upon the strength of many mens spirits is spent in contentions they have no command of them to any thing else When a man is once engaged in a contest he knows not how to get off Contention is a great snare to a man he wishes he had never medled with it he is weary of it but knowes not how to come off fairely I have read of Francis the first King of France consulting with his Captaines how to lead his Army over the Alpes into Italy whether this way or that way Amarill his Foole sprung out of a corner where he sate unseene and bad them rather take care which way they should bring their Army out of Italy back again It is easie for one to interest himselfe in quarrels but the difficulty is to be disengaged from them when you are in Thirdly they hinder the good of the body many men contending with their Brethren are so full of stomach that they have no stomach they hinder their sleep men lye tossing up downe a great part of the night sometimes whole nights musing plodding and contriving how they may make their party good what advantages they may get of those they contend with Have the thoughts about the breach sinne hath made between God and thy soul broke thy sleep so much as the thoughts of breaches between thee and thy neighbours and brethren We reade of Moses Deut. 34. 7. that he was an hundred and twenty yeeres old when he died his eye was not dimme nor his naturall force abated Some give this to be one reason of such a wonderfull preservation of his health and strength the meeknesse of his spirit God witnesses of him Numb 12. 3. That he was the meekest man upon the face of the earth That good old man Mr. Dod came very neere to Moses in the one and in the other Fourthly they hinder mens judgements if the water be muddie we cannot see what lies at the bottome These dissentions disturb the medium of our sight you cannot weigh gold in the middest of blustring windes you cannot consider and give a judgement upon truth except the heart be calme Gregory Nazianzen hath this similitude As the
earth sayes he is fixed to men whose braines and eyes are sound but to those who have a vertigo in their heads it seems to turne round so we are deceived in our apprehensions of things we have not the same judgment of things when we love and when we doe not love Fiftly they hinder the sweetnesse of Christian converse and communion you know your communion with the Saints was wont to be farre more sweet then now it is ye were wont to have your hearts spring at the sight of one another Ipse aspectus boni viri delectat sayes Seneca The very sight of a good man delights the sight of a godly man was wont to delight us otherwise then now it does you look one upon another now sowrely with lowring countenance and withdraw from one another your comforts were wont to be double treble seven fold an hundred fold according to that society of Saints you conversed withall one godly man accounted it the joy of his heart that he had any thing that he could communicate to another godly man and the other had the like joy that he had any thing to communicate to him thus comforts were multiplyed but now your comforts are single Oh the sweetnesse the sutablenesse there was wont to be in the spirits of Christians Shall I say sutablenesse it was a blessed onenesse of heart they did as it were exchange soules one with another every day their soules did close claspe one with and cleave one to another Oh how did they love to open their hearts one to another what delight was there in pouring forth their spirits one into another What cheerfulnesse was there wont to be in their meeting they eate their bread together with singlenesse of heart and joy praising the Lord. There were no such merry meetings in the world as the meetings of the Saints were wont to be They parted one from another with their soules bound up one in another their hearts warmed enlarged resolved strengthened in Gods waies But now they cannot meet together but they fall a jarring contending one with another and part with spirits estranged from sowred and imbittered one against another their hearts weakned and more unsetled in the things of God then before Heretofore when they were absent one from another yet the remembrance one of another was joyfull but these dayes seeme to be gone Where is there that opening of secrets one to another as formerly every one is afraid of another What sweet visits were there wont to be what bearing one anothers burdens what heart-encouraging Letters It was with the Saints as in Tertulliâ—ns time Christians called Brethren and were ready to dye for one another but now they are burdens to one anothers spirits they bring evils one upon another Those who heretofore were forward Professors whose society was onely amongst the Saints now they can suit well enough with those who are carnal they close with them their converse is most amongst them Oh Lord what fire is it that is kindled amongst us The nature of fire is Congregare homogenea segregare heterogenea to gather things of a like nature together and separate things of a different but our fire does quite contrary it separates things that are Homogeneall and joyns things Heterogeneall Surely this is no other then the fire of hell Sixthly they hinder our time Abundance of time is spent about our divisions which we are not able to give account to God for When men are engaged in contentions they will follow them night and day whatsoever business be neglected to be sure that must not yea the choice of our time that was wont to be spent in meditation reading prayer is now spent in contending and wrangling Those retired times that we were wont to converse with God in are now spent in the workings of our thoughts about our divisions and when we come abroad then a great part of our time is taken up in going first to this body and then to the other to help forward and foment matter of division Of all the time of a mans life that time that is spent in lawing and quarrelling is the worst and happy it were for many that it might not be reckoned amongst the days weeks or moneths of their lives Seventhly they hinder our prayers If two or three agree together touching any thing they shall aske it shall be done for them by my Father sayes Christ Mat. 18. 18. 1 Tim. 2. 8. I will that men pray lifting up their hands without wrath When Daniel was in a strait he goes to his companions and desires them to lift up prayers to God for him Dan. 2. 17. There was a a sweet agreement between them Hence their stock and trade in prayer went in common but divisions do exceedingly hinder prayer either one with another or one for another 1 Pet. 3. 7. the Apostle giving rules for a peaceable loving life between man wife the woman must be meek and the man live with his wife as a man of knowledge and they must walk together as the heires of life Why so That your prayers may not bee hindred Private contentions in families are great hindrances of family-prayers So our publick divisions and contentions are the great hindrances of the prayers of Christians in a more publick way How were they wont to pour forth their hearts in prayer together then their hearts closed but now it is otherwise Men do not walk now together as the heirs of life therefore their prayers are hindred God accepts not of our gift if we offer it when our hearts are at a distance from our brethren When breaches continue and we are not reconciled you know Christ requires us to leave our gift at the Altar till reconciliation be made It is the Spirit of God in the Saints that is the spirit of prayer now Gods Spirit is a Dove-like meek quiet and peaceable spirit Eighthly they hinder the use of our gifts When Vessels are sowred with vinegar they spoil liquor that is poured into them they make it good for nothing Many men have excellent gifts but they are in such sowre vinegar spirits that they are of little or no use in Church and Common-wealth 1. In these times of division many men exercise their gifts and parts in little or nothing else but in matters of division do you think that God hath given you such parts for no other end but this 2. They have no hearts to impart to their Brethren their gifts in counselling admonishing strengthning comforting No their hearts are estranged from them they care not to have any thing to do with them but do you think that you are so far your own men that you may keep in or imploy your talents as you please Are you not the Stewards of Christ are they not given to you for the edification of your Brethren as well as for good to your selves Can this satisfie your consciences such a one differs from you he hath
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
the charge of Christ upon them not to acknowledge it as truth till they understand it to be so this causes much contention amongst good men through their weaknesse and corruption of their hearts The lesse distance men apprehend between themselves and others in regard of power the more differences there are amongst them as they say the greatest and sorest stormes are about the Equinoctiall Men are kept more at peace in the Common-wealth then in the Church because there is a greater subjection of one to another there then may be admitted in the Church Thirdly godly men give up themselves to the strictest rules of holinesse they walk in the narrow way of Christ it is broad enough to the spirituall part but in regard of our corruptions it is a narrow pent way they dare not give way to themselves to decline a haires bredth from the rule to gratifie others they dare not bend to them that they might sute more with them but must keep themselves to the straight rule they must keep just in their path they cannot go aside to give way to others hence there is clashing every one not having the same thoughts of the rule and way that others have those who walke by loose rules in wayes that are broad even to their flesh they can sure themselves one to another easily they can gratifie their friends yea the corruptions of their friends more then others can do godly men cannot yeeld for peace sake to such termes as other men can Fourthly the things that the Saints are conversant about are great things things of a high nature about their last end their eternall estates hence every one is very charie and carefull and strongly set to maintain what he apprehends those who understand not the infinite consequence of those things who have not had the feare of them fall upon their hearts they wonder at the stifnesse of mens spirits that they can be brought to yeeld no more in such things that they conceive they might yeeld in and where there are different apprehensions of those things that concern mens eternall estates even amongst godly men they must needs stand out one against another till God causes one of them to see things otherwise then now he doth Fiftly the things of Religion are hidden mysteries they are the secrets of God they are hard to be understood God reveals them in a differing way they are not ordinarily so clearly revealed but that the apprehensions of them are like to be different Sixtly the Saints are bound to watch over one another each is his brothers keeper they ought to advise admonish reprove one another not to suffer sinne to be upon their brethren now this through our corruption is very displeasing we doe not love to be medled with to be crossed in what we have a mind to but other men can better preserve their own quiet by letting their brethren alone I will not trouble them lest I be troubled my selfe Hence it is that they many times live more quietly one with another then godly men do yet this is a great evill a shame to those who are godly that it should be so upon any termes Seventhly ungodly men are dead in sins the Devill hath them sure enough he doth not seek to stir their corruptions so much as he doth the corruptions of the godly he shall not get so much advantage by the one as by the other therefore he labours to keep the corruptions of the godly acting as much as he can that he may disquiet their owne spirits and the spirits of those with whom they converse Thus you see it is no such wonder why there are dissentions amongst men that truly feare God Suppose they should live all together yet so long as they live here in this muddy world it cannot be but there will be sometimes foule weather amongst them but if you look into the Church and consider of the dissentions there there is a farther reason for them for usually there are many hypocrites mingled with the godly there they taking up a profession of religion and so creep into the Church they finde spirituall things unsuitable to them hence they fly off their spirits not being brought under the yoke of Christ they fling against those things that pinch them We read Num. 11. 4. that the great trouble the Children of Israel had among them after they were got out of Egypt was from the mixt multitude that was among them these are as ill humours in the body that do much disturb the quiet of it None have more turbulent cruell impatient spirits then hypocrites none are so desirous of revenge as they sayes Luther Yet further the fourth thing propounded is to shew that those that come nearest together yet differing in some things are many times at greater variance one with another then those who differ in more things from them The Jews and Samaritans were at greater variance then Jews and Heathens Epiphanius tells of a sect of the Jews the Nazarites who continued the Customes and Ceremonies of the Jewes but acknowledged Christ also and the Jews in hatred to them cursed them solemnly three times a day morning noon and evening when they went into their Synagogue to pray The Turks have a honourable esteeme of Christ which the Tartars have not yet they say that the Tartars turn Christians sooner then the Turks The Turks and Persians are both Mahometans they are both circumcised but the Turks follow the way of Ebubezer and the Persians are of the Schohle of Haly they detest one another more then they do the Christians they will both tolerate Christians to live amongst them but they will not tolerate Mahometans who are in a different order from themselves Luther complaines much of those who acknowledged the same doctrine professed the same faith with himself came to the same Sacraments yet were worse enemies then the Papists so that the Papists laughed at them and said They bite one another and are consumed one of another I have read of a profane speech of one Cosmus Duke of Florence against some perfidious friends You shall reade sayes he that we are commanded to forgive our enemies but you never read that we are commanded to forgive our friends Breaches of friends of such as are otherwise nearest are the greatest Prov. 18. 19. A brother offended is harder to be won then a City and their contertione are like the bars of a Castle 1. We see it in nature the nerrer the union is the more grievous is the usurpation t is not so great an evill to a man for his arme to be seperated from his body as his soule for the union of the one is integrall of the other it is essentiall The bone is more firmly united in all the parts of it then the flesh and the least breach in that is farre more hurtfull then a greater in the flesh 2. Those who agree in many things have hope it may
otherwise it must needs therefore enrage others at them The good uses that we are to make of our Divisions WHy may not meat come out of the eater and sweet out of these bitter things The Heavens can draw up salt vapours from the Sea and send them down againe in sweet refreshing showres Why may not heavenly hearts change the very nature of these sowre brinish things and make them sweet to themselves and others This is the excellency of grace it does not only preserve the soule from the evill of temptations but it gets advantage by them it turnes the evill into good Luther upon the Galat. c. 5. v. 17. hath a notable expression to set forth the power of grace By this a Christian sayes he comes to be a mighty workman and a wonderfull creator who of heavinesse can make joy of terrours comfort of sinne righteousnesse of death life And why may not I adde of division and contention peace and union Wherefore First by these Divisions men may come to see the vilenesse and the vanity of their own hearts what were the thoughts of men heretofore Oh had we but liberty and opportunity to be instrumentall for God we hope we should improve all to the uttermost for him now God hath granted these to us we abuse them we grow wanton we jarre one against another we are like some Marriners who are calme in a storme But storme in a calme Surely every man is vanity The untowardnesse of the spirits of those who heretofore longed after ordinances freed from these defilements they mourned under when they have their desires in great measure satisfied discovers so much evill in the hearts of men that it justifies those whom themselves have had hard thoughts of men who seemed carnall and naught that you looked upon as very evill men of bitter spirits against good men you thought such things apparently argued them void of grace and yet when you are got into Church-fellowship that way of freedome that your soules mourned after a long time now though you be joyned in covenant one to another yet if your brethren differ any thing from you though they be otherwise godly what a bitternesse of spirit is there in some of you against them what pride what frowardnesse doe you manifest against them Oh what a poor creature is man if once he gets power and liberty what a deale of filth appears in him we may learn by this to have charitable thoughts of some of whom we have had hard thoughts before we see if these men have any grace grace may be in a mans heart lying under much corruption Secondly learne to be humbled for that dishonour which comes to God by these divisions thou spendest thy time in vexing and fretting at in crying out against these breaches but when was thy heart broken with the dishonour that God hath by them Thirdly let these divisions confirme us in the maine and settle us there more then ever for do we not see that those many sorts of men who are divided who oppose one another much yet they all joyn in the things of the greatest consequence they all witnesse against the common enemy This sayes Nazianzen is the greatest argument of the truth that it is not overcome by time neither can enmity one against another put out that little sparke of the love of it that is in us c. If a mans house stands after many shakings of strong windes he concludes the foundation is good this satisfies him though some tiles be shaken off Fourthly let us blesse God who hath carryed on the work of Reformation thus farre notwithstanding our divisions we were afraid that these differences not so much betweene the good and bad but betweene the good and good would have undone all and yet behold the Lord beyond our thoughts how infinitely beyond our deserts hath carryed on the work hitherto so as it gets ground though it be not so speedily brought to an issue as we would have it Fiftly let us hence raise our hopes in this that Satans time is not long his raging and foming so violently doth evidence it to us Surely Christ our Prince of Peace is at hand he will tread down Satan under our feet shortly Sixtly let us from these stirs without be put upon the labouring to make and to confirm peace within Oh consider is the breach between man and man so grievous how grievous is that which is between God and the Soul I find it hard and doubt whether it be possible to be at peace with men in this world I find them of such froward peevish selfish wilfull spirits even many who seem to be good men otherwise but God gives many encouragements to poor souls to come unto him he is a God of love and mercy he delights not to grieve the children of men to crush under his feet the prisoners of the earth he is willing to be reconciled to sinners there is nothing that his heart is more set upon then reconciliation with wretched sinfull souls Oh that in these sad dayes of miserable dissentions I might be blessed with the comforts of the reconciliation of my soul with God! if this were I hope I should be able contentedly to bear and with strength to pass through all those heart-sadning evils caused by these breaches and dissentions there are amongst us This were a good use indeed made of such evill things if mens contending with you shall thus further your peace with God what he once said of Adams sin it was Faelix peccatum a happy sin because it occasioned so much good in Mans Redemption So I may say of that strife and contention there is among us it is faelix contentio a happy contention that God hath turned to so much good unto you I have read of Robert Holgate who was Arch-Bishop of York because he could not peaceably enjoy his small living in Lincolne-shire in regard of the litigiousnesse of a neigbouring Knight comming to London to right himselfe he came into the favour of King Hen. the 8. and so got by degrees the Archbishoprick of York he thought he got well by the litigiousnesse of this Knight but if the strifes of men shall put thee upon those providences and duties which shall be so blessed unto thee as to further thy getting into the favour of the high God and the enjoyment of the soule-satisfying sweetnesse there is in peace with him what cause shalt thou have of admiring free grace which hath brought to thee so great a good from so great an evil and if these strifes have been a meanes to move thy heart Godward for thy making thy peace with him let them also put thee on still to further to confirme to settle to maintaine thy peace with him VVhen the winde and storme rises the Traveller plucks his cloak the closer about him these dividing times are stormy times labour to get your souls to the harbour under shelter labour to make sure
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
be willing to cut our cloathes to binde them up when the evill of them is such as either does or should cut our hearts But though peace be a rich merchandize yet we must not saile too far for it not so farre as to sinne We read 2 Kings 23. 13. Mount Olivet is called the Mount of corruption because of the Idolatry committed upon it Though we are to prize Mount Olivet at a very high rate with the Olives growing upon it yet we must take heed that we make it not a Mount of corruption We may give peace to buy truth but we may not give truth to buy peace We may be bold with that which is our own to purchase peace but not with that which is Gods yet we must not be base in our yielding in things naturall or civill for peace sake that is First we must not for our own private peace yield to that which is like to prove publique disadvantage and disturbance There is a notable story of a Turkish Emperour perceiving his Nobles people to be offended that he was so strongly in love to his Concubine Irene his heart vvas so taken vvith her that he grevv remiss in his regard to the Stern of the State Nothing must be done but as Irene vvould have it vvhatsoever resolutions there vvere of any good to the State yet Irene must be consulted vvithall before they were put in execution if they pleased not her all was dashed so much did he dote upon Irene This the Nobles and State could not bear he therefore at last so far considered the publique as he overcame his doting affections He brought Irene before them and sayes That ye may see how much I prize the content of my people I sacrifice her to them and so drew his sword and slew her with his own hands before their eyes If according to her demerits for drawing his heart away from the good of the Common-wealth she had bin given up to the sword of justice it might have satisfied as well But lest I be thought to be too literall give me leave to allegorize upon this Irene Her name is a Greek name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it signifies peace we must not so dote upon our Irene our private peace that the publique should suffer for the sake of it This is baseness let her be sacrificed for publick good this is true generousness Secondly that is baseness when our yeilding is thorough ignorance cowardize base fear not from a principle of wisdome and understanding not so much out of true love to peace as a foolish ignorant sottish sordid spirit of our own whereas had we had a spirit of wisdome and courage we might have peace upon more honourable terms Indeed many think every kinde of yeilding basness but they are for the most part such as are not put to any great triall themselves But when our consciences tell us that what we do is what the rule allowes us it is not because we would avoyd trouble but we find thorough Gods grace our hearts in some measure prepared for suffering if God were pleased to call us to it in any thing wherein he may have glory and the publick may be benefited But because all things duly considered we see that God in such a way shall have more glory and our brethren generally more good therefore whatsoever becomes of our particular in regard of esteem or other wayes we are willing to yeild and in this we finde our hearts as much closing with God enjoying Communion with him in all holinesse and godly fear and in other things that go as near to us we are able to deny our selves as much as ever in this we may have comfort that it is not baseness that makes us yeild but rather the grace of God enabling us to rule over our own spirits The peace that we thus purchase with the suffering much in our names and the loss of many comforts does not cost us too dear CHAP. XXXII Joyning Considerations The first The consideration of the many things wherein God hath joyned us GOd hath joyned us together as we are men we are not dogs not wolves let us not be so one to another Act. 7. 26. Moses speaks thus to those who strove one with another Sirs ye are brethren why do yee wrong one another The words in the Greek are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men yet are brethren There is a consideration in this that ye are men if there were no more yet ye should not strive one with another but much more considering ye are brethren If we be men let us be humane What is the meaning of humanity but courteousness gentleness pleasantness in our carriages one towards another But still the consideration growes higher as we are the same Country-men of old acquaintance in the same imployment of the same family and kindred but above all joyned in such a blessed root the fountain of all love and peace Ephes 4. 4. presents this consideration most fully to us The reason the Apostle gives why we must keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace is because there is one body and one spirit ye are called in one hope one Lord one faith one baptisme one God and Father of all Here you have seven Ones together in two or three lines It is very much that the spirit of God should joyn so close together seven Ones surely it is to be a strong argument for us to unity First one Body The meanest member yet it is in the body Is it comely for the body of Christ to be rent and torn any reference to Christ might perswade unity but union with Christ as the members with the body what heart can stand against the strength of this What can cause one member to tear and rend another but madness 2. One Spirit 1 Cor. 12. 11. that one and the self same spirit he does not only say The same spirit but The self same spirit and as if that not enough he addes One to the self same and that yet not enough he sayes That one all this is in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The repeating the Article hath a great elegancy in it And is not this one Spirit the Spirit of love and meeknesse What does a froward contentious spirit do in thee who professt thy self to be a Christian What sayes Cyprian does the fierceness of Wolves the madnesse of Dogs the deadly poyson of Serpents the bloudy rage of Beasts in a Christians breast 3. Called in one hope Are not you heyres joynt heyres of the same Kingdome and do you contend as if one belonged to the kingdome of light and the other to the kingdome of darknesse 4. One Lord. You serve the same Lord and Master Is it for the credit of a Master that his servants are alwayes wrangling and fighting one with another Is it not a tedious thing in a family that the servants can never agree Mark how ill
of closing common gifts are of a middle nature between nature and grace as the spirits of a man are neither of the same nature with the soule nor of the body but between both and serve to unite the soule and body together which otherwise are of natures very different The common gifts that men who are not yet sanctified have may and should cause some union between the godly and them while they live in this world so far as to be usefull one to another in what God hath given them The second joyning Consideration Let us consider how farre we can agree VVE differ thus and thus but what doe we agree in doe we not agree in things enough wherein we may all the dayes of our lives spend all the strength we have in glorifying God together Many men are of such spirits as they love to be altogether busied about their brethrens differences their discourse their pens and all their wayes are about these and that not to heale them but rather to widen them You shall not hear them speak of or meddle with their agreements their strength is not bent to heighten and strengthen them if at any time they do take notice of their agreements it is to make advantage of them to render their disagreements the more odious or to strengthen themselves in what they differ from them they desire to get in men and to get from them only to serve their owne turnes upon them this is an evill spirit No marvaile therefore though some be so loath to discover to them how near they can come to him Pliny tells us of Apelles that drawing the face of Antiochus the King who had but one eye that he might hide this deformity he devised to paint him turning his visage a little away so he shewed but the one side of his face and from him sayes Pliny came the invention first of concealing the defects and blemishes of the visage But the Painters of 〈◊〉 time are quite in another way if there be any deformity or defect on any side they will be sure to paint that side in all the linâ—â—ments of it that must be set forth fully to the view of all men yea if it may be made to look more ugly and monstrous then it is all the skill they have shall be improved to do it But my brethren this ought not to be God doth not so with us he takes notice of the good of his children but conceals their evill There was but one good word in Sarahs speech to Abraham Gen. 18. 12. she called him Lord the speech otherwise was a speech of unbelief yet the holy Ghost speaking afterwards of her in reference to that speech 1 Pet. 3. 6. conceals all the evill in it and mentions only that reverend title she gave to her husband commending her for it Thus should we do had we peceable hearts thus we would do all the good of our brethren we would improve to the uttermost and what is evill so far as with a good conscience we might we could conceal When I shall see this temper in mens spirits I shall hope there will be peace The third joyning Consideration Let us consider of mens tempers spirits temptations education yeeres gifts THere must be a due consideration of all these and we must indulge something to them all This would allay much strife as we read Numb 31. 23. Every thing that may abide the fire ye shall make it goe thorough the fire and all that abideth not the fire ye shall make goe thorough the water We must deal with every man according to his temper Some men are by their complexions of a more harsh and rugged temper then others Consider what is the best way of dealing with such in the main they are faithfull and usefull they will joyn with you there and spend their lives for you if the harshness of their natures cause some excrescencies unpleasing carriages consider their tempers though no evill in them is to be justified yet deal tenderly with them indulge them what lawfully you may Some mens spirits though upright to God and you yet they have a fervor in them that is not qualified with that wisdome meekness humility as they ought do not presently take these advantages against them that they in their heat may perhaps give you do not fly upon them as if those unjustifiable expressions that com from them came from a spirit of malignity You know the man and the manner of his communication pass by weaknesses accept of uprightnesse Some mens temptation are very strong it may be their hearts are pressed with disappointments it may be they are pricked with the want of many comforts you have they have family-temptations and personall temptations that you are freed from you do not know what you might doe if you were under the like temptations Blesse God that you are delivered from them but do not adde to your brethrens affliction by taking advantages against them but according to the rule of the Apostle Gal. 6. 1. If a man be overtaken in a fault ye which are spirituall restore such a one in the spirit of meekness considering thy selfe lest thou also be tempted Beare ye one anothers burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ Consider their education Some men have been brought up altogether amongst Prelaticall men perhaps among Papists some all their dayes have lived in wicked families they never were acquainted with the society of the Saints with that way of godlinesse that hath the most strictnesse and power in it You must not deale with them for all things you see amisse in them in the same way you would deale with such who have had godly education who have had acquaintance with the most strict and powerfull wayes of godlinesse but now manifest a spirit against them Consider mens yeares old age looks for respect and justly especially such as have gone through the brunt and suffered much for your good though some infirmities should break forth that are incident to old age we must cover and passe by what we can not forgetting that reverent respect that is due to the hoary head found in the way of godlinesse Consider mens gifts it may be they are not able to rise to your height to understand what you do thank God for your strength but be not angry with your brother because he is weaker This was one of the arguments for peace that Constantine in that forementioned Letter of his to Alexander and Arius used we are not in all things like minded neither have we all the same nature and gift engrafted in us The fourth joyning Consideration What we get by contention will never quit cost A Merchant thinks it an ill venture if when he casts up his accounts he finds the charge of his voyage rises to more then his incomes If thou hast so much command of thy spirit if thou canst so farre overcome thy passions as to get a time in coole
bloud to cast up thy accounts truly what good thou hast done or what thou hast got by such and such contentions and on the other side cast up what the hurt thou hast done what sin hath been committed what evill hath got into thy spirit I fear you will have little cause to boast of or rejoyce in your gains To be freed from that expence that comes in by strife is not a little gain says Ambrose In strife you will finde there is a very great expence of time of gifts and parts Many men in regard of the good gifts God hath given them might have proved shining Lights in the Church but by reason of their contentious spirits they prove no other then smoaking firebrands It may be by all the stirre you keep you shall never get your minde if you do it will not quit cost the charge you have been at for it comes to much more then it is worth God deliver me from having my minde at such a dear rate The fifth joyning Consideration The strongest hath need of the weakest LEt not the hand say it hath no need of the foot nor the eye it hath no need of the hand God hath so tempred the body that every member hath need of every member It was a sweet spirit in Peter that great Apostle writing to the scattered Christians he begins his Epistle thus Simon Peter a servant and an Apostle of Jesus Christ to them that have obtained like precious faith with us Little nayles may be usefull where great wedges can do no good Little chips may help to set great logs on fire The sixth Consider when any thing falls out that occasions strife it may be this is but for a triall this is a temptation WHen men provoke us we are ready to flye upon them looking no further then the men with whom we are displeased But if you look a little further perhaps you may see the Devill is on the other side of the hedge and hath been the chief agent in this business Augustine presseth this by a most excellent similitude When a Fowler saith he hath set his net to catch Birds he sets it at a distance from the hedge and when he has done he takes stones and throwes at the hedge upon this the Birds flye out and flutter about The Fowler does not intend any hurt to the hedge neither does he think to hit any Birds with his stones but that which is in his eye is the net on the other side of the hedge he hopes to drive the Birds in there So sayes he the Devill prepares his net to catch men in he raises up contentions and causes much trouble to be in Churches and among brethren you think all the evill is in the trouble of your present contentions Oh no the Devill is behinde he intends to bring some of you into some great sin by these he hath set his net for you when you are troubled and vexed by such contentions the Devill sees you fit for a temptation now I hope I shall get him to do such and such things which otherwise I could never have got him to Oh that we had hearts when we find contentions stirring to consider But is there not a temptation in them The seventh Consider how the heart of God is set upon making peace with us and what it cost him GOd was in Christ reconciling the world to himself this work hath taken up the thoughts councels heart of God from all eternity above any thing that ever he did this is the chief master-piece of all the works of God There is more of the glory of God in this then in all that God hath done This is and shall be the object of the admiration of Angels and Saints the matter of their praises to all eternity The heart of God was so in this that he was resolved to have it whatsoever it cost him it cost the dearest that ever any thing in this world did yea the price of it was more then ten thousand worlds are worth it was no lesse then the bloud of the Sonne of God of him who is the second person in Trinity God blessed for evermore Col. 1. 14. In whom we have redemption through his bloud who is the image of the invisible God the first borne of every creature by him were all things created he is before all things by him all things consist in him all fulnesse dwels and having made peace through the bloud of his Crosse ver 20. What God hath done for peace with us cals aloud to us to prize peace one with another It is the Apostles argument 1 Joh. 3. 16. He laid down his life for us we ought to lay downe our lives for the brethren It cost his life to make our peace with God We should be willing to do any thing we are able even to the hazard of our lives to make peace among the Saints Christ laid down his life even for this peace also Ephes 2. 14. For he is our peace who hath made both one and hath broke downe the middle wall of partition betweene us having abolished in his flesh the enmity to make in himselfe of twaine one new man so making peace and that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the Crosse Christ reconciles both unto God but how it is in one body Lay this Consideration warm at your hearts and it will comfort your hearts and so preserve and encrease peaceable dispositions in you towards one another The eighth Consider how unworthy we were when Jesus Christ received us into union with himselfe WHat uncomely what loathsome creatures we were yet Christ took us into his bosome into his heart and resolved that never any thing should seperate us from him againe But that those embracements of his should be everlasting and yet shall every trifle take us off from one anothers hearts shall every jealous spusitious conceit every little difference be enough to seperate us and that almost irreconcileably Have we the spirit of Christ in us is the same minde in us that was in Christ Jesus The ninth Consider that we are called to Peace GOD hath called us to peace 1 Cor. 7. 15. That case upon which the Apostle mentions our calling to peace is as difficult a case to preserve peace in as any can fall out in ones life It was the case of man and wife unequally yoaked one is a Beleever the other an Infidell yet being man and wife the Apostle determines that the Beleever must be content to live with the unbeleever as it becomes a wife or a husband except he or she of themselves will depart but they should give them no occasion of departing but rather by their holy humble conversation seek to convert them this no question was accounted a hard task but it must be sayes the Apostle and upon this he grounds it for God hath called us to peace There is another case almost as difficult as
tale of such and such your heart is hot presently but do you understand the matter You begin to make a stirre but can you give account of it Be silent forbeare take heed what you do meddle not in way of strife till you understand where the controversie lyes and that from both parties The fifth joyning Practice Be ingenious 1. do not lye at the catch to take advantages 2. make the best interpretation of things you can IF God should catch advantages against us what would become of us This is most unseemly when men are seeking to finde out truth if then they shall piddle about words catch at phrases get hold of expressions and seek to make their advantages out of them and in this shall be the greatest strength of their answer though this may have a specious shew before men who are willing to receive any thing which makes against what they would have crushed yet this will not abide before the throne of Christ We reade Matth. 4. Christ had a great dispute with the Devill in which he had him at great advantage in his quotation of a Scripture ver 6. He shall give his Angells charge concerning thee and in their hands they shall beare thee up lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stoue This was quoted out of the 91. Psal ver 11. there it is He shall give his Angels charge over thee to keepe thee in all thy wayes Yet Christ did not catch this advantage he did not so much as upbraid him for leaving out that passage which he might justly have done but he answers to the thing Yea Christ might have taken a further advantage against the Devill for the words following in the Psalm are a prophesie of Christ destroying the power of the Devill Thou shalt tread upon the Lyon and Adder the young Lyon and the Dragon shalt thou trample under thy feet Christ did not take the advantage of this neither and upbraid him with it he had enough against him in the thing it selfe he brought It is a signe that men have lesse advantage in the matter when they seek so much to catch at all the advantages they can in the manner of the expressions of those whom they oppose 2. Make the best interpretation of things you can 1 Cor. 13. 5. Love thinkes no evill It may be if you meet with a man in the streets if he stayes not to talk with you if he takes not speciall notice of you you presently think it is his pride his sleighting disregarding you this is the worst interpretation that can be Why is it not possible that it may be thorough multitude of businesse in his head that you know not of May it not be that his eyes and thoughts were another way he did not take notice of your passing by him is it not thus often with your selfe in respect of others Againe perhaps such a man you find not in his behaviour towards you when you are with him looking so smilingly upon you carrying himselfe in that familiar affable way as you expected you presently think and say Surely it is his pride and surlinesse whereas it may be it is because his head is fuller then yours which may afterwards be for your good if you would be but patient a while it may be it is from some trouble of his spirit at that time it may be it is from the temper of his body his constitution or some weaknesse in it at that time if such a faire interpretation may be made why should not an ingenuous candid spirit make it This very exception I find was taken against Basilius Magnus and Nazianzen in one of his Orations in which he highly commends Basil answers it and justifies him It is hard to keep unity love and peace with men who are of exceptious carping dispositions if God were strict to mark what we doe amisse what would become of us God is strict to mark what good there is in his Saints if there be any little good in the midst of much imperfection Gods way is to passe by the imperfection and take notice of the good but our way is often if there be a little bad though but through a very pardonable mistake in the midst of much good to passe by all the good and to seize upon the mistake to make it the seed of contention to brood over it and so beget the brats of contention from it Certainly this ought not thus to be The sixt joyning Practice So farre as Reason and Conscience will give way yeeld to those whom you contend withall THat standing at a distance with those that dissent from us even to the utmost is the way of many but certainly it is a false way God is not in it It may be some yea many will judge this yeelding to be a faire handsome turning about to the other side take heed of such bold censures Is every difference from that rigid stout spirit of thine a warping from the truth a sinfull temporizing for private ends The Lord judge between you and his servants Some men who have been of yeelding spirits in things that God would have them have stood out undauntedly when God hath called them to witnesse to his truth when those who have been stout and harsh in their owne wayes have basely betrayed it when they have beene tryed with greater sufferings Ambrose was a man of a sweet and moderate spirit witnesse amongst other things that notable saying of his If that end of vertues be the greatest that looks at publique good Moderation is of all the most beautifull Ay but I warrant you Ambrose was a man who saw which way the times went he was loth to hazard himself in standing out against men who had power in their hands this temper of his made him thus plead for moderation No Ambrose was a man of an invincible spirit in the wayes of God In all Ecclesiasticall Story we read not of a braver spirit then his contesting with men of power in the cause of Christ For when Theodosius the Emperour had been the cause of a great slaughter in Thessalonica though provoked to it by a sedition there the Emperour a while after comming to Milan where Ambroses charge was after the usuall manner he came to the Church Ambrose meets him and forbids him entrance reproving him before all the people Doe you not know oh Emperour sayes he the barbarousnesse of that vile fact of yours or doe you not remember we have another Emperour above you what bold impiety is thiâ— doe you not feare to bring those feet of yours polluted with the blood of innocents into this holy place or to stretch forth those hands of yours wet yea dropping with blood to take the most holy body of the Lord or to put that mouth of yours which forgetting not onely the clemency which belongs to an Emperour but the justice gave out the sentence for the killing so many innocent men
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
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