Lord doth severally divide as it pleaseth him for the profit and good of the whole body In the Administration of which Ordinances Offices and Gifts such Decency and Order is to be observed as that it may appear that in all the Churches of the Saints God is a God of Peace and not of Confusion ordaining in all of them that as God hath distributed to every man called every man so he should abide with God within the Precincts of his own Calling not running before he be sent but serving the Lord in that rank station wherein he hath set him 2. An Integral Vnity as between all the parts of an intire body joyned in due order together unto the compleating of the whole and this Unity presupposeth a double Vnion the one of the body to the head the other of the members to one another of both which the Apostle speaketh Ephes. 4. 15 16. 1. There is a bond of Vnion between Christ and his body the Church He that is joyned unto the Lord is one Spirit and this Bond is on Christs part his Spirit whereby he joyneth himself unto his Body we are an habitation of God through the Spirit and on a Believers part his Fatth whereby he joyneth himself to Christ and appointeth him for his Head by which means Christ dwelleth in the hearts of his people Both which the Apostle putteth together calling it the Spirit of Faith 2 There is a Bond of Vnion between the members of the body amongst themselves viz. The mutual Love of Believers unto one another called the Band of perfectness whereby they are knit together for this Grace is that Cement which joyneth the Stones of this spiritual building into one Temple being shed abroad into their hearts by the holy Spirit and is therefore called the Love of the Spirit Rom. 15. 30. as elsewhere the Vnity the Supply and the Fellowship of the Spirit For where this Unity of Spirit and Love is every member doth make a Supply according to the measure which it self hath for the increasing and edifying of the body walking together in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost 3. An Essential Vnity or as St. Hilary calls it Naturalis Vnitas as the body and the soul being joyned together maketh one man and thus Christ is said to make in himself of twain one new man by the participation of that one Spirit which was without measure poured out upon Christ the Head and from his Fulness shed abroad in such proportion upon his Members as he is variously pleased to dispence unto them by which means Christ is formed in us liveth in us and is a quickning Spirit unto us for the Spirit of Christ is that divine seed whereby we are regenerated unto his life and likeness and as St. Peter expresseth it are partakers of the Divine Nature 4. Consequent upon this Essential Vnity whereby all the mystical members of Christ are animated and enlivened by one and the same quickning Spirit doth follow a Moral unity of hearts and minds between all of them as it is said of the Primitive Christians that the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul. And this Moral unity is four-fold 1. An Vnity of Faith in the great and necessary Doctrines of Salvation or in the knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ called by the Apostle the Foundation the Principles of the Doctrine of Christ the form of sound words the proportion or Analogy of Faith the knowledge of Jesus Christ and him Crucified the doctrine and truth which is after godliness the Faith of the Gospel the Faith of Jesus the Mystery of Godliness the Rule by which we should walk called by the Ancients the Seed of Doctrine the Character of the Church the Rule which is common to small and great in one word whatever Doctrine there is the knowledge whereof and assent where-unto is simply necessary unto Salvation in this all who shall be saved do first or last most unanimously agree Differences there may be and usually are in less necessary points which are matters quaestionum non fidei as S. Austin speaks for we know but in part and are not yet come to be perfect men and till the members have attained unto their full stature there cannot be expected an universal consent and harmony of judgements in all points even among the best and most learned men in which case notwithstanding we should receive one another in love and Brotherly Communion because God himself receiveth even those who thus differ into his favour but the Spirit of God doth never fail to lead all that shall be saved into all necessary truths and to preserve them from any damnable and pernicious doctrines 2. Vnity in obedience wherein all holy men do agree albeit some may much exceed others in their progress and degrees of holiness as we may see by comparing the Testimony given unto Asa and unto Josiah such are Repentance from dead works without which we cannot be saved Reliance upon Christ alone by a sincere and unfeigned faith for Life and Salvation A true love of the Lord Jesus and of all that are his A sincere regard unto all Gods Commandments and an hatred of every false way A desire to fear Gods Name and a purpose of heart to cleave unto him and follow him fully Lastly Self-denial submitting our Will and Reason in all things to the Word and Will of God There may be great differences in the spiritual growth and degrees of holiness between one Christian and another some sick others healthy some strong others weak some little children others young men some bruised reeds and smoaking flax others bold as a Lyon But this is obedientia parvis magnisque communis 3. Unity in Worship For though different Churches may have different observances in the External forms and modes of Divine Service yet in the Substantials of Worship they all agree viz. that God is to be worshipped in spirit and in truth and to be sanctified in all those that draw nigh unto him That we are to call upon God only in the Name of Christ as our alone Advocate and Mediator giving thanks unto God the Father by him That we are not to worship Creatures who cannot know our hearts nor answer our prayers nor supply our wants in whom we are not required to believe but are to hold the head to keep our selves from Idols 4. Unity in Ends and Designs for being Brethren in the same Family fellow Citizens with one another and of the houshold of Faith having one Hope one Lord one Faith one Baptisme one God and Father of all the same Enemies to oppose the same interests and common Salvation to
hand in hand against the Church they consult together with one consent and are confederate against it they will lay down their own private enmities to combine against Christ as Pilate and Herod did Fas est ab hoste doceri if enemies unite to destroy the Church should not we unite to preserve it especially considering what a grave Historian noteth That in the cause of Religion every Subdivision is a strong Weapon in the hand of the contrary party Our intestine Mutinies and Distempers do the Enemies work for him He may stand still and please himself to see us bite and devour one another Again Consider the Turpitude Deformity and Danger of Schisms and Divisions which are the same in a Political or Ecclesiastical body as in the natural wherein whatsoever mangleth and separateth part from part doth greatly weaken and deform the whole They gratifie the common enemy Hoc Ithacus velit They grieve the holy Spirit as wounds in the body natural put the soul to pain They dishonour the holy Gospel which is a Gospel of Peace They loosen and weaken the Interest of Religion for when we bite and devour one another we are in danger to be consumed one of another They minister occasion to prophane Spirits to turn Atheists and cast off all Religion as a thing of uncertainty wherein the Professors thereof themselves know not how to agree They have their foundation in carnal and sensual Interests as Pride Revenge Discontent Coveteousness and other inordinate Lusts and therefore are reckoned by the Apostle amongst the Fruits of the flesh If we examine the Rise and Original of many of the antient Heresies whereby the Peace of the Church hath been torn and mangled we shall find that some carnal End or other as Ambition Animosity Discontent or other the like sins have been the Basis on which they were reared It was the speech of a graceless son to his mother Transferam me in partem Donati bibam sanguinem tuum as St. Austin saith Mater omnium Haereticorum superbia It is a very true speech of Baronius ex Officina Sardanapali prodire consueverunt Haeresium sectatores 2. A Necessaâ—â—â— from the the necessity of this excellent Duty and this is a twofold necessity Necessitas praecepti because it is commanded Have peace one with another Mark 9. 50. Necessitas Medii because Peace and Unity amongst brethren in the Church is an excellent means to glorifie God when with one mind and mouth we call upon him and serve him with one consent and to further the Gospel and gain it honour and credit even in the hearts of strangers the Heathen themselves took notice of the love of Christians as Minutius Felix telleth us Vide say they ut se diligunt Christiani 3. A possibili our endavours in this kind are not after things which are unattainable for Christ hath by the blood of his Cross procured the Churches peace and by his powerful Intercession prayeth for it since therefore Christ dyed not in vain but did see of the travel of his soul and was heard in every prayer which he made It is certain that the Lord will in due time pour out upon his people a spirit of Unity and close up the breaches of his Tabernacle as it is our Duty to seek Peace so is it his promise to work it he is not the author of Confusion but of Peace as in all the Churches of the Saints 4. A Facili It is not only possible but easie for Believers to be at peace one with another those things which are natural are ever wrought without difficulty it is not hard for the Sun to shine or the fire to burn nothing more easie then for the members in one body to agree with one another And Believers are members of the same body and have one common spirit to actuate and animate them and therefore should suffer and rejoyce together and be kindly affectioned one towards another with brotherly love as the Apostle argueth Rom. 12. 4 10. 1 Cor. 1â— 12 13. 25. 26. 5. Ab Vtili from the great good advantage which hereby cometh unto the Church it is as the dew of Hermon which bringeth a blessing with it it strengthneth against all adverse power and maketh the Church terrible as an Army with Banners it openeth the passages for Communion of Saints that they may derive good from one another by the supply that every joint maketh as divers members in the body have divers uses the eye to see the ear to hear the tongue to speak the hand to work and these Uses mutually serviceable to the good of each other and Vnion a necessary bond of this Service so in the Church or body of Christ every member hath his measure of gifts and graces by which he may be profitable to the whole one the Spirit of Wisdom another of Knowledge one able to counsel another to comfort one to exhort another to rebuke what is wanting in one is supplied by another and this supply is made by those joints whereby these divers members are united together Love is the Vehiculum of all that help and service which one Christian man deriveth upon another hereby we serve one another and edifie one another we bear with the infirmities sustain the burdens and rejoyce in the comforts mourn in the sorrows distribute to the necessities pray for the souls of one another By this means the graces of the Church are more bright and resplendent as the flame which ariseth out of united fewel is much greater then that which each stick alone by it self doth render and hence it is that the servants of God do love the habitation of his house and the place where his honor dwelleth assembling themselves there together with one accord because he hath promised that in every place where he recordeth his name he will come unto them and bless them and by this means there were added to the Church daily such as should be saved 6. A Jucundo honesto It is not only good but pleasant for brethren to dwell together in Vnity not only as the dew of Hermon for profit but as the ointment on the head of Aaron for comfort and Delight In the united Assemblies of the Saints we behold the beauty of the Lord when the members are disjoynted the body is deformed Shave away the eye-brows only from the face Quantillum decedit de corpore quantum de pulchritudine saith St. Austin you much lessen the beauty by so little lessening the body Now a Schism in the Church is the same deformity as a mutilation in the body 7. Ab Exemplo from the great Examples which we have of Peace in the word God known by the name of a God of Peace with whom his people having Acquaintance and Communion are at peace Christ by the name of a
of precious Stones Isa. 54 11 12 13. When the earth is full of the knowledge of the Lord then is his rest or the place of his abode glorious Isa. 11 9 10. and therefore when Christ was ascended up on high far above all heavens that he might fill all things he gave unto his Church Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastors and Teachers in order to the perfecting and edifying of his body and carrying it on unto the measure of the stature of his fulness wherein alone the Beauty thereof consisteth 2. By the Purity of Spiritual Worship When Sacrifices are offered with acceptance upon Gods Altar and none are so bnt spiritual Sacrifices then doth he glorifie the house of his Glory and beautifie the place of his Sanctuary and make it an eternal Excellency then doth he give gold for brass and silver for iron then doth he call the Walls of the Church Saivation and her Gates Praise Isa. 60. 7 13. 15 17 18. Therefore the second Temple though far inferior in outward Splendor to the former is said to exced that in Glory because unto it the desire of all Nations should come and set up theâ—ein his Spiritual Worship Hag. 2. 3 7 8 9. For as the soul which is the breath of Life puts Beauty into the Body so the Spirit of Christ poured out upon his Church doth enliven and beautifie that and turn the wildernesse into a fruitful field 3. By Sanctity of Life renewing them after the image of Christ for when the Church is sanctified and clensed with the washing of Water by the Word then it is fit to be presented unto Christ as a glorious Church Ephes. 5. 26 27. Holinefs is called by the Apostle the Renewing of the Holy Ghost the forming of Christ in us the quickning and creating us in him unto good Works Look what Beauty the renewing of a ruinous and decayed Building bringeth upon that what Beauty the Re-union of a living Soul unto a gastly body doth restore unto that what Beauty the Creation brought upon the void and indigested Chaos when it was wrought unto that goodly Frame and Sructure which we now behold the same and much more doth the forming of Christ and the Spirit of Holiness bring upon our deformed and defiled nature by the Efficacy of the Ordinances 4. By Decency of Order rendering the Church beautiful as Tirzah comely as Ierusalem terrible as an Army with Banners Thus the Church of Israel marched in the Wilderness in the manner of a formed Camp with exquisite beauty and order whereof we have an ample description Numb 2. In like manner the new Jerusalem which descended out of Heaven beautified with the Glory of God whose street was pure gold as transparent glass whose foundation was garnished with all manner of pretious stones is said to be four-square having an accurate proportion and symmetry in all the parts thereof Rev. 21. 16. And thus the Apostle directed all things to be done in the Church of Christ with Decency and Order 1 Cor. 14. 40. and rejoyced to see the Order which was in the Church of the Colossians Col. 2. 5. When every Member keepeth his own Rank and every Officer doth his proper Duty according to the Pattern and Commission given him by Christ then is the Pastoral Office administred with the Staff of Beauty In one word the Ordinances are thus the Beauty of a Church because in and by them Christ is spiritually present therein and the Treasures of his Grace are unfolded unto it He who is the chiefest among ten thousand and altogether lovely who was the desire of all Nations and the hope of Glory to his people in comparison of whose Excellencies all other things are but losse and dung whose very Afflictions and Reproaches are preferred before the Pleasure and Riches of the world in whose very Sufferings there is joy he is in his Ordinances evidently set forth before our eyes his Righteousness the Robe wherewith his Church is cloathed his Comlinesse the Beauty wherewith she is adorned and made high above all the people in Praise and in Name and in Honour by her interest in him and relation unto him she hath a new name given her Hephzibah the Lords delight who deligheth over her as the Bridegroom over the Bride esteeming her his rest his dwelling place his desire so that glorious things are spoken of her These Beauties of Christ in his Ordinances and in his Church by means of them were typified and prefigured by the glorious Garments of the Priests with allusion whereunto we are said in Baptism to put on Christ whose Righteousness is unto his Church a Garment of Praise By the splendor of the Tabernacle and of Solomons Temple and all the Vessels and Utensils belonging unto the Worship of God therein all which were exceeding glorious and magnificent for the building and providing whereof David prepared as immense a Treasure as we shall likely read of in any History in which respect that holy house is called the Throne of Gods Glory Jer. 14. 21. By the City Jerusalem the mountain of the Lords holiness and the Joy of the whole earth by the holy oyl wherewith the Tabernacle the Ark the holy Vessels and Priests were anoynted compounded of the principal spices after the Art of the Apothecary by the beautiful order which was in Solomons Family by the dressing and preparing of a Bride for the Bridegrome as we read of the long and costly purification of the Virgins to go into King Ahasuerus Est. 2. 12. So here in the Ordinances the Spouse of Christ is attired and made ready being arraied in fine linnen clean and white and thereby prepared unto Glory and unto every good work Lastly By a strait smooth even and pleasant path wherein is no Crookedness from whence all stumbling blocks and offences are removed The Author and Efficient of all this Beauty is the Lord all whose works are perfect who hath made every thing beautiful in his time The summe and total of all Gods works are the World and the Church the world is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the Beauty and Comliness of of it in the which every thing was very good when the Lord took a view of it But the Lord hath chosen his Church upon which to bestow more abundant Glory It is called a Land of Ornament Dan. 11. 16. A land of Desire Jer. 3. 19. in the building whereof the Lord is said to appear in his Glory Psa. 102. 16. The World is beautified with the power and wisdom of God the Church besides that with his Love and Grace in the World we have the foot-prints of his Greatness but in the Church we have the Image of his Holiness The World was made by him the Church like him the World to shew forth his Glory the
Church to enjoy it the World a Tenement for his Creatures to dwell in the Church a Palace for himself to dwell in he hath desired it for his Habitation it is his Rest for ever Above all Excellencies Holiness is the Beauty of a Creature and therefore the Angels who excell in all created perfection are above all other Appellations honoured with the name of Saints Deut. 33. 2. they differ not in nature from Devils in Holinesse they do Derived Holiness consisteth in conformity to primitive holiness The Lord is most holy in himself and our holiness standeth in his Image and Likeness so far forth as he hath by an holy Law made his Holiness a pattern for ours And when we threw away that Image of God wherein our created Holiness consisted and the Lord was pleased in any of us to renew it again he did it by the pattern of his beloved Son who is the Image of the invisible God and the Character of his person full of Grace and Truth Now then according to the Excellency of the pattern we are to measure and take an estimate of that Beauty wherein we are conformable unto that pattern and what pattern more glorious then the blessed God and the Holy Son of God the chiefest of ten thousand unto whom therefore the conformity of a Creature must be its chief and principal Beauty There are several Attributes or Properties whereby the Excellency of this Beauty may be further discovered 1. Light and Luster for as a great part of the Corporal Beauty is in the life and vigour of the eye so of spiritual Beauty in the clarity and brightness of the mind when the Lord who commanded the Light to shine out of Darkness shineth in our Hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ as the Sun is the greatest Beauty of the visible world so Christ as a Sun of Righteousness by the Excellency of his knowledge is the glory and beauty of the invisible 2. Rectitude Straitness the wise man thus expresseth our primitive Beauty that God made man perfect and we do then recover this Beauty when we are without guil and perverseness of Spirit when we make strait paths for our feet to walk in and do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 go evenly according to the Truth of the Gospel 3. Integrity and Compleatness when all the parts and members of the new man are formed in us and we do partake of the fulness of Christ Grace for Grace as the Child of his parent member for member The Lord in the Law would not accept of a maimed Offering Levit. 22 21 22. And when we offer up our selves a living Sacrifice holy and acceptable unto God we must be sanctified throughout and our whole Spirit Soul and Body must be preserved blameless for wherever Christ is formed though it be but in measure as to the degrees of Grace yet that measure must be the measure of every part so that there is at once both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle speaks a measure in regard of the Imperfection of every Grace and yet a fulnesse in regard of the perfection of every part or member of the new man 4. Symmetry and an exact proportion of parts and equal temperament of humours one with another which in regard of Spiritual Beauty is called by the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an exactnesse of Obedience when there is such a due temper of Piety to God Sobriety to our selves and Righteousness to others that none of these do obstruct the other but that there is an equal respect to all Gods Commandments and such a supply and accurate distribution of vital influence unto every member of the new man that no part doth either swell or wither that Zeal is not blind nor Knowledge unfruitful nor Faith without Love nor the Duties of one Table without those of another but that we gâ—ow up unto Christ in all things and have an effectual working in the measure of every part 5. Growth and Progress in these proportions for while we are in this world we are still in our Minority and therefore must still be contending towards perfection To be a man in years and a child in stature is an unbeautiful thing Christ hath no Dwarfs in his body though one man attain greater degrees of perfection then another yet all are in a growing condition the life of Christ in us being a life that abounds and his Grace like the waters of the Sanctuary rising up higher and higher Lastly Indeficiency wherein spiritual Beauty surpasseth all other for bodily favour is deceitful and Beauty vain it runneth all at last into wrinkles and deformity but as Christ himself never saw Corruption no more doth the Beauty that he brings to the Soul with him They who are planted in the Lords house do flourish in his Courts and are fat and fruitfull in their old age As we may truly say of sin in a wicked man Concupiscentiâ— non senescit though nature wax old and infirm yet Lust doth not so we may say of Grace in a good man Charitas non senescit it is not apta nata of it self to decay but proceeds from strength to strength The ends of the Ordinances do likewise further evidence this Beauty of theirs unto us For they are by Christ intended for such purposes as these 1. To Quicken us and to fashion him in us By nature we are dead in trespasses and sins and death ever induceth deformity but by the holy Spirit of Christ working in and by his Ordinances we are restored unto his life and likeness and conformed unto the Image of him who is altogether lovely 2. To clense and purifie us from all Defilements for the fear of the Lord is clean and his Commandment pure both in it self and in its operations his precious promises by our faith in them and by our hope and expectation of them do clense us from all filthiness of flesh and Spirit and cause us to purifie our Selves even as he is pure that we may offer unto the Lord an Offering in Righteousnesse that our Offerings may be pleasant unto him 3. To heal us of all our spiritual distempers whereby the Beauty of the Soul is dimmed or impaired As many of Christs Miracles were shewed in making the blind see the deaf hear the lame leap and in curing of all manner of sickness and disease so the spiritual vertue of his holy Ordinances is seen in spiritual Operations consonant unto those in which respect he is called a Physician to bind up the broken hearted and to heal the stroke of the wound of his people He is the tree of life whose leaves are for the healing of the Nations 4. To comfort us to wipe away all
look after they consequently prosecute the same Ends and do not only walk by the same Rule but in so doing do mind the same things Phil 3. 16. It is true being in part carnal they do too much seek and serve themselves but so far forth as they have the same spirit they are of the same mind with the Apostle to prefer the honor of Christ and the service of his Church above their own dearest interest according to what our Saviour hath taught us If any man come to me and hate not his Father and Mother and Wife and Children and Brethren and Sisters yea and his own life also he cannot be my Disciple The Glory of God the progress of the Gospel the advancement of Christs Kingdome the subversion of the Kingdome of Satan the comforts and concernments of the Church of Christ are in their hearts and endeavours still to promote as the members of the Natural so they of the Spiritual Body have all a care one of another the end of the parts is the safety of the whole they are all partakers of one spiritual Nature and all heirs of one common Inheritance and therefore as one principal fruit of the Communion of Saints they aim at the same ends and prosecute the same designes joyning together in all Christian Services of Love against their common enemies the World the Flesh and the Devill These are those several Unities which Christ by his Staffe called Bands doth preserve in his Church thereby greatly beautifying and strengthning the same Of this Peace he is both the purchaser by the price of his blood and the Author by the Efficacy of his Grace giving unto his people one heart and one way And lastly The Bond by the Communion of his Spirit for from him it is that the body is joyned and compacted together as the corner stone of a building fasteneth all the parts thereof unto one another and therefore the Apostle exhorteth us to be like minded by Arguments drawn from Christ and his Spirit If there be any Consolation in Christ if any Comfort of Love if any Fellowship of the Spirit if any Bowels and Mercies fulfil ye my Joy that ye he like minded haveing the same love being of one accord of one mind Phil. 2. 1 2. But it may be here objected against all this that our Saviour himself telleth us That he came not to send Peace but a sword to set a man at variance against his father and the daughter against her mother Mat. 10. 34 34. which words Buxtorf hath observed in the Talmund to be affirmed of the days of the Messiah and we see it plain by much experience many times saith St. Austin a young man pleaseth God and so doing displeaseth a wicked father who is angry that God is preferred before him Fortior est gladius spiritualis separans quam copulans natura carnalis Baronius telleth us of Anastasia a Romane Lady whom because she was a Christian her own husband did cast in to prison and miserably afflict and so the Apostle assureth us that as Isaac was persecuted by his own brother Ishmael so it is stil They that are born after the flesh do persecute them that are born after the Spirit Gal. 4. 29. Where ever the Gospel is preached they that embrace and obey it are hated and virulently opposed by them that disobey it In answer hereunto we say That all this is accidental to the Gospel it is no fault in the Sun if shining on a dunghill a stinking vapour be exhaled nor is it the fault of the Gospel if by occasion thereof the proud lusts of men be exasperated and enraged When the Asyrians spoiled the Nations and none durst open the mouth or peep his Tyranny was not at all commended by such a doleful quietness In like manner neither is the Gospel at all prejudiced by any such commotions as through the lusts of wicked men are meerly per accidens and occasionally stirred up by the preaching of it When Christ went into Jerusalem to offer himself to them as their King it is said That the whole City was moved Mat. 21. 10. And elsewhere that there was a division among the people because of him in like manner where ever he comes as a King to raign there will be motions in the minds of the people there will be some who will say Nolimus hunc we will not have this man to raign over us and when their own pride and obstinacy are the causes of these motions they yet charge all upon the Gospel and the Preachers thereof as if the land were not able to bear their words as Tertullus accused Paul Act. 24. 5. We have found this man a Pestilent Fellow and a Mover of Sedition among all the Jews throughout the world As if the Chaffe should complain of the Fan that all was quiet in the Barn till that came or the dross of the Furnace that the mâ—ttal and that lay quietly together till the fire severed them Christ comes with a Fan to purge his Floor and with refiners fire to purifie the sons of Levi and to gather his Church out of the world by which means he did occasion the hatred of the world against it which would not have been if all had obeyed the Gospel but some receive it with scorn and others with obedience and hence it is that Offences come But the Gospel per se in its own Nature and in its proper and primarie Intention is a word of Peace and doth closely unite all that obey it unto Christ their head and unto one another by the firm bonds of Faith and Love subduing the hearts of Wolves Leopards and Lyons Isa 11. 6. giving gifts even to the Rebellious Psalm 68. 18. casting down every high thing that exaleth it self against the knowledge of God 2 Cor. 10. 5. And besides it is thus far a Staffe of Bands unto the Church farther that though it doth thus exasperate the hearts yet it doth usually muzzle and restrain the rage and power of wicked men that they are not able to perform the evils which they intend so that by the Majesty and Authority thereof Christ ruleth in the midst of enemies maketh them to be at peace with his people maketh Aegyptians to enrich them Moabites and Philistines shelter them Syrians bring gifts unto them and the enemies that afflicted them bend and profese to serve them Now for the Application of this Doctrine it teacheth us 1. THat Christian Policy and Order prudent meek religious Government is a very great blessing to the Church of God and greatly to be desired because thereby Vnity and Concord are preserved among the Sheep of Christ and as by a ferce or hedge they are thereby secured from the irruption of Wolves who would devour and make a prey of them and all leaven and chast which would soure
Prince of Peace who as he is not divided in himself so neither should he be divided in his Members Our Consolation in him should make us be of one accord and of one mind the Primitive Church a mirrour of Vnity and Peace the multitude of believers were of one heart and of one soul primum in unoquoque genere est Regula caeterorum 8. Ab Evangelio from the nature of the Gospel which is called by the Apostle a Gospel of Peace whereby we are called unto peace by the power whereof the rage of Lyons and Bears is calmed and subdued much more should the Sheep of Christ be preserved from biting and devouring one another it is a presage of rain and storms when Sheep run heads together and certainly it bodeth no good unto the Church when the Sheep of Christ are at discord one with another Lastly A Sacramentis which are sigilla vincula pacis from the Sacraments which are the Seals and Bands of Christian Peace In Baptism we were baptized into one body in the Lords Supper we being many are one Bread and one body for we are partakers of that one Bread as the Wine is made of many grapes pressed into one Liquor and the Bread of many grains moulded into one Lump so the Church of many believers compacted together by one Spirit of Faith and Love into one mystical body I shall conclude this Exhortation with two or three solemn and emphatical passages of the Apostle pressing Christians unto this duty Let us saith he follow after the things which make for peace and things wherewith one may edifie another And again I beseech you brethren by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye all speake the same thing that there be no divisions among you but that ye be perfectly joyned together in the same mind and in the same Judgement And again Be perfect be of good comfort be of one mind live in Peace and the God of Love and Peace shall be with you And again if there be therefore any Consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the Spirit if any Bowels and Mercies fulfill ye my joy that ye be like-minded having the same Love being of one accord of one mind Unto which I shall subjoyn the same Apostles pathetical prayer The Lord of Peace himself give you Peace always by all means and the God of Patience and Consolation grant you to be like minded one towards another according to Christ Jesus that you may with one mind and with one mouth glorifie God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Before I leave this seasonable and necessary Argument let us in a few words consider what is to be done in Differences of Judgement and Divisions of mind to heal the breaches and to recover the Peace of a disjointed and dilacerated Church And here it cannot be denyed but that in all ages of the Church there have been and still are like to be Varieties of Judgement among the Members thereof For 1. The best Proficients know but in part and Prophesie but in part 2. There are many things very abstruse and difficult in the disquisition of divine Truth Religion hath its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things hard to be understood as well as other Sciences 3. There is in many men much weakness of Judgement to make search and enquiry into these things or to discover veritatem in puteo latentem 4. There is much carelesness of heart in many men to try the spirits and to prove all things they sleep while the enemy soweth Tares 5. There is in many men a Levity Lubricity and Discomposedness of mind whereby they are apt to be carried away with every wind of Doctrine and out of Simplicity and Credulity to be wrought upon by the cunning of those who are skilful to deceive 6. Some have itching ears hearkning always after new things whom Manna will not please without Quails who have some particular mens persons in admiration and give up themselves by a blind obedience and implicite Faith into their hands to be led by them into novel and singular Opinions 7. Prevailing of Lust and domestical Interest doth in many men darken their mind and entangle their Judgements and betray them unto that sad condition of being given over to strong Delusions to believe Lyes Upon these and such like Reasons there have been always Differences in the Church We find a contention between Paul and Barnabas and between Paul and Peter We find some for Paul others for Apollo and some for Cephas and others for none of them all but for Christ without them we find some building upon the foundation Silver and gold and others Hay and stubble We read of great differences between the Eastern and Western Churches touching the Observation of Easter and between the Roman and African Churches in the matter of Rebaptization of many sharp Dissentions between sundry great and famous Bishops and Pastors of the antient Churches To say nothing of the present sad experience which we may everywhere observe of the same Truth the Scripture hath foretold it and it cannot be otherwise that there must be Heresies and Offences nevertheless we must not hereby be discouraged from using all pious and prudent Endeavours for pacification of the persons so dissenting concerning which Accommodation we are to distinguish 1. Of Opinions whereof some are in the Foundation in those primitive Articles of Faith and Essentials of Religion on which the house of God is built the errors contrary whereunto are subversive pernicious and damnable some are only in the Superstruction which are not Fidei but Quaestionum which do not overturn the Edifice nor endanger the Vitals of Religion such were in the Apostles time Disputes touching Meats and Drinks and Days and Things indifferent wherein though men abound in their own sense yet it must ever be with Meekness and with humble submission to the Spirits of the Prophets and to the Judgement Order and Peace of the Church 2. Of Persons Some are Seducers who out of Pride Enmity against the Doctrine which is according unto Godliness carnal ends desire of Advantage and Domination do sow Tares in the Church and cause Rents and Divisions therein such were Hymeneus Philetus Diotrephes and others Others are seduced people who through Ignorance Credulity Simplicity Facility and Flexibleness of Spirit are led away captive by the cunning Craftiness of them who lie in wait to deceive Again Some are men of meek humble peaceable and quiet spirits amongst whom though there be differences of Judgement yet they do upon common Principles of Faith and Holiness agree in love and joyn in pursuing the same common Salvation neither monopolizing the priviledges of Saints neither judging or despising the other neither holding any Error supinely pertinaciously uncharitably or factiously Others are men of
us as Men not as Christians As the reasonable Soul doth bind the parts of the body together in Unity when that is gone they are in a near disposition to dissolve and fall asunder So the Spirit of Christ is the bond of his body the Apostle calleth it The Vnity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace the more we have the mind of Christ the less we shall do things through strife vain-glory revenge or any other inordinate passion for the Wisdom which is from above is pure and peaceable but that which tendeth unto envying and strife descendeth not from above but is earthly sensual and devillish 5. To study and cast about for Peace to do all that is possible and what soever lyeth in our power to produce it to follow after it and all the requisite expedients which conduce unto it if it fly pursue it if it hide search for it find out as Jehoash and Josiah did Masons and Carpenters spiritual workmen to repair the breaches of the house to have our private Opinions and Problemes to our selves before God rather then by our unseasonable venting of them to scandalize and offend our brethen and to endanger the quiet of the Church 6. To be of a meek humble and calm spirit Love is not easily provoked is long suffering kind self-denying beareth believeth hopeth endureth all things An Hammer makes no noise upon wool so a soft Spirit turneth away Wrath. Some men are so hot so opinionative so contentious so wedded to their own conceits so impatient of dissent that none can have Peace with them who will not mancipate and render up their Reason and Judgement into their hands But though it be our Duty to try all things and hold fast Truth when we have found it yet we must hold it with a Spirit of Meekness Meekness is the fittest disposition to receive truth Receive saith the Apost with meekness the ingrafted Word And Meekness is the fittest disposition to teach Truth In Meekness saith St. Paul instructing those that oppose themselves Long-Suffering and Doctrine must be joyned together Self-willedness and hastiness of Passion are Obstructions unto the progress of Truth else the Apostle would not have entred a Caveat against them in a Bishop for saith he a Bishop must be blameless as the Steward of God not self-willed not soon angry c. 7. To be of a candid Judgement not to widen but as much as may be to narrow Differences and to reduce Controversies to as near an Agreement as is possible and in the managing of them to retain Suavity and Ingenuity not to infer without undeniable Evidence odious and invidious consequences from those Doctrines of our brethren which we our selves dislike but to believe other men as perspicacious to discern and as tender to decline such desperate Rocks as we our selves It argues great want of Charity towards others and of Humility in our selves when by our perverse Disputings we go about to charge such opinions upon others as from their own mouths we are assured and therefore should in Charity believe that they do detest Pride in our selves and Prejudice against others are Two great Impediments to the healing of Divisions I shall shut up all with one observation out of the Text more which is this That what Christ in the beginning of the verse did undertake I will feed the flock of slaughter in the latter end thereof he makes it good I fed the flock Christ never undertook more in a way of Office then what he finished nor more in a way of Promise then what he performed He undertook a difficult service to feed his Church not only with his Doctrine but with his Blood he had a Command and Commission to do it and this Commission he accepted Loe I come to do thy will O God And though it were so hard a duty that his humane nature did shrink and as it were draw back from it Father if it be possible let this cup passe from me yet he submitted his will to the will of his father and was obedient even to that servile ignominious and cursed death which his humane nature so earnestly declined And in like manner what he undertakes to work in us he will finish as well as what he undertooke to work for us he is as the Author so the finisher of our faith when he hath begun a good work in us he will performe it unto the day of Christ. He Promised to send his spirit upon his Disciples and he did send him he Promised unto them power to cast out Devills and they did so his name is Amen the faithfull and true witnesse and all the promises of God in him are yea and Amen if he promise peace or grace or salvation he will give it his fidelity power honour love mercy oath and covenant are so many assurances unto his people that what he hath undertaken to do for in or unto them shall undoubtedly be done He will do every work of Salvation to the uttermost for those that come unto God by him if he begin faith he will finish it if he begin holinesse he will compleate it if he heale he heales perfectly if he love he loves to the end Every work of his is perfect There are works of his yet to do to Gather the people of God that are scattered abroad to destroy the idols utterly to tread down Satan and death under our feet and he will do all before he give up his kingdome to his father There are promises of his yet to be fullfilled to come again and to receive us unto himself to raise us up at the last day to bring forth judgment unto victory And the experience which the Church hath had of his Love Power fidelity in former works and promises should raise up their hearts to trust in him assuredly for the accomplishment of those which are yet behind for he is yesterday and to day and the same for ever This we may plead in our prayers do as thou hast said This we may apply in our indeavours towards holinesse he hath said he will subdue our iniquities he will take away an heart of stone and give an heart of flesh for this end he was manifested to destroy the works of the devil and upon this Word I will Hope This we may support our drooping and desponding hearts under in any time of diffidence and discomfort when I begin to fear that my sinnes are greater then can be pardoned stronger then can be mortified deeper then can be eradicated His Power is ever accompanying his mercy what he begins he will finish he hath saide he will abundantly pardon therefore we may say I beseech thee let the power of my Lord be great according as thou hast spoken He will performé the truth