beaten out by the Flints striking together Many sparks of light many truths are beaten out by the beatings of mens spirits one against another If light be let into a house there must be some trouble to beat down a window A child thinks the house is beating downe but the father knowes the light will be worth the cost and trouble If you will have the cloth woven the Woofe and Warpe must be cast crosse one to another If you will have truths argued out you must be content to bear with some opposition for the time Those who are not willing to bear some trouble to be at some cost to find out truth are not worthy of it Those who love truth will seek for it for truths sake those who love victory yet because the truth is the strongest will seek after truth that they may get victory Dan. 12. 4. Many shall runne to and fro and knowledge shall be encreased To some these divisions darken truths to others they enlighten them We may well behold mens weaknesse in these divisions but better admire Gods strength and wisdome in ordering them to his glory and his childrens good Be not discouraged ye Saints of the Lord at these divisions your Father hath a hand in them he wil bring good out of them Yea Christ who is the Prince of peace hath a â—and in them Matth. 10. 34 35. he sayes Thinke not that I am come to send peace on the earth I came to bring a sword I am come to set a man at variance against his Father and the Daughter against her Mother One would think it to be the strangest speech that could be to come from the mouth of him who is the great peace-maker Oh blessed Saviour must we not think that thou art come to send peace Thou art our peace Is not thine Embassage from thy Father an Embassage of peace True peace with my Father but not peace on the earth not an earthly peace do not think that I came from heaven to work this for men that they should live at ease in plenty and pleasure that they should have no disturbance no trouble to the flesh no the event of my comming you will finde to be a sword divisions and that between those of the nearest relation A child who is wicked will despise and break with his godly father and the daughter with her godly mother And Luke 12. 53. the carnall father and mother will have their hearts rise against their godly sonne and daughter I am come to send fire on the earth and what will I if it be already kindled Let it kindle as soone as it will I am contented I know much good will come of it These Scriptures are enough to take away for ever the offence of divisions First Christ himselfe is the greatest offence to wicked men that ever was in the world he is the stumbling stone and rock of offence thousand thousands being offended at him miscarry everlastingly Christ foreseeing how many would be offended at him Mat. 11. 6. blesseth the man who shall not be offended Some are offended at what they see in Christ others apprehend whatsoever is in him to be most excellent and lovely that which they cannot but defend and stand for to the death He is disallowed of men rejected by the builders a stone of stumbling to them but to the Saints the chief corner stone elect precious 1 Pet. 2. 4 5 6 7 8. Such different apprehensions of Christ must needs divide men 2. Christ comes to make the greatest alteration that ever was or can be in the world and do we not finde that troubles accompany alterations and above all alterations alterations in government and especially such a government as gives no composition yeelds no compliance with any thing else When Christ comes he brings his fanne in his hand he must have his floore throughly purged he gathers his wheat into his garner severs the chaffe to be burnt in unquenchable fire If he comes thus who shall abide his comming Mal. 3. 2. Who shall stand when he appeares for he is like a Refiners fire and Fullers sope he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver he shall purifie the sons of Levi. Certainly there will be much adoe when they come to be purified No men in the world are like to make so much stirre when they come to be purified as the Clergy will Christ comes to cast out Devils they will fome fret vex rend and teare when they are a casting out The Gospel likewise divides The word of the Gospell is a dividing word Heb. 4. 11. It is quicke powerfull sharper then a two-edged sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of soule and spirit of the joints and marrow It divides in a mans own heart and divides between man and man The light of it divides The first division we ever read of was of Gods making Gen. 1. 3 4. When he said Let there be light and God divided the light from the darkness The doctrine of the Gospel shews the spiritualness of Gods commands the sinfulnesse of thoughts of the first stirrings of sin Mat. 5. this touches to the quick The heat of the Gospel divides it is like fire when it comes Is not my word like fire The preaching of the Gospel with power heaps coales of fire upon mens heads which will either melt them or burn them In it there is a separation of the precious from the vile The Ordinances of the Gospel divide they difference men Some they will receive others they will not They must bring men to a higher to a stricter way then the sluggish dead vain slight drossie hearts of men are willing to come up unto The godlinesse that is in Christ Jesus divides therefore whosoever will live godly so must expect to suffer persecution 2 Tim. 3. 12. 1. Those who hold forth the life and power of godlinesse seem to challenge a more speciall peculiar interest in God then others which cannot be endured 1 Joh. 5. 19. We are of God and the whole world lyes in wickednesse 2. Their lives condemne others which they cannot abide as Noah is said to condemne the world Heb. 11. 7. 3. In godlinesse there is an excellency They whose hearts are naught cannot look upon that hath any appearance of excellency without a spirit of envy If they judge men only to be conceited with it as an excellency but for their parts they think it not to be so then they look upon them with a spirit of indignation 4. Godlinesse makes men zealous in such things as others can see no reason why they should They think they do incalescere in re frigida and that the ground of their zeal is vanity and turbulency of spirit 5. It makes men constant nothing can turn them out of their way The Son yeelds not to his Father the Servant not to his Master this is judged to be stoutnesse and wilfulnesse though God knowes it is far
can finde that name given by me to him I indeed endeavoured to encourage him in his worke because the Lord had made him the Lord of our Hosts which is no more then the Lord of our Armies The utmost that ever was said or writ comes but to this that God had put a name upon him that came neare to his but never mentioned without some difference from it An abuse in this kinde though not altogether so high I have had from the Anti-Apologist he quotes many places in my Lectures upon Hosea he sets downe the pages wherein he sayes I have contrary to what is in the Apology preached for that way you call Independent Would any man but thinke when he sees the Booke named in Print the Lecture the very page mentioned but that the thing is true it is to be found there But to this day it hath never come to my eares that ever any man hath found such things there but himselfe Are those the places Let moderate and quiet spirited men looke into them and they shall finde nothing there but what the generality of Presbyteriall Brethren yea I thinke I may say every one who is not either Prelaticall or very violent will acknowledge to bee truth and if so I am free But we shall have another time for this At this time I would gladly that this Treatise might meet with no spirit exasperated but in calmnesse and quietnesse let what is here be examined That God that can create the fruit of the lips to be peace can make the fruit of the pen to be so My aymes are peace which I shall never cease endeavouring and praying for who am Thy friend glad of any opportunity for thy good JEREMIAH BURROUGHES HEART-DIVISIONS The Evill of our Times HOSEA 10. 2. Their Heart is divided now shall they be found faulty CHAP. I. The Text opened and sutablenesse of it to our Times shewed NO marvail though Israel be charged ver 1. to be an empty vine seeing their heart is divided Heart-division will cause emptinesse of good both in mens spirits and in Church and State The least dividing of the heart in any one part from another if it be but by the prick of a pin is deadly a great gash in the head is curable There may be much difference in mens opinions without any great hurt if this difference gets not to the heart but if once it gets in there the danger is great Now shall they be found faulty Now shall they be guilty or as some Nunc delinquent Now they will offend as if Heart-division contracted the greatest guilt and by it men were the greatest Delinquents of any The word signifies also to perish to be made desolate so Arius Montanus Desolabuntur Heart-division is a desolating sinne by the judgment of God upon them for it they shall be convinced in their own consciences and in the sight of all men that they were guilty that by such a sin as this they had bound themselves over to the justice of God those desolating evils that came upon them were the righteous judgments of God upon them for those divisions that were amongst them Men wil not be convinced of their sin till Gods judgement is upon them for it and then their consciences will and others shall see that God is righteous and they are vile and sinfull before him even in such things that before they pleaded for or at least could not be brought to own their own guiltiness in When thunder and raine came upon the men of Israel in their wheat Harvest and they were afraid they should dye 1 Sam. 12. 18 19. then they could say We have added unto all our sinnes this evill to aske us a King The Lord convince us of and humble us for the sinfulnesse of our divisions by his word that desolating judgments be not upon us to convince and humble us Their heart is divided This Heart-division is either from God or from one another Their heart is divided between God and their Idols They would not cast off the worship of God wholly that was too much they loved their Idols but they must not have all to divide between God and them they thought was faire Their hearts were also divided one from another and just it is with God that those who divide from him should divide one from another 2 King 15. you may see what wofull divisions there were amonst them King against people and people against King Civill Wars Their King comes upon one of their owne Towns and smites it and rips up all the women that were with Child in it and all because they opened not to him O the rage and cruelty of men of proud spirits when they get power into their hands for then their pride swells being blown up with the flatteries of such as are about them As if they were such gods upon earth as they might doe whatsoever they pleased and the lives estates liberties comforts of all must lie under their feet and must submit to their lusts and humours You shall find further in the whole Chapter there was nothing but conspiring mischieving and murthering one another In their Church State there was nothing but factions and rents one from another some were for the true worship some for the false And amongst the false worshippers there were divisions too Some were for the calves that Jeroboam set up at Dan and Bethel some were for Baal great contention there was between these You know the story of Jehu an Idolater yet destroying the worshippers of Baal and his Idols The Jewes of old understood this Text of these Heart-divisions amongst themselves as well as of their divisions from God which appears by a notable tradition of theirs St. Jerom in his Comment upon these words relates whereas says he the Scripture 2 King 17. tells us that Hoshea was the last King of Israel and in his time Israel was carryed captive yet vers 2. It is said He did not evill in the sight of the Lord as the Kings of Israel that were before him Now the Jewes put this Question Why was not Israel carryed captive with their King when they had the worst King but rather when things seemed to goe something better then before God yet chooses this time The Answer they give is Because in former times the people might pretend they could not tell how to help what they did amisse in the matter of Worship Indeed they worshipped the Calves but they were forced to it by the tyranny of their Kings it should be the losse of all they had if they did not but say they in the days of Hoshea there was more liberty given then before Now those who would might goe up to Jerusalem to worship and that they say is the reason of that expression that Hoshea did not evill as other Kings had done but when they came to have more liberty they fell to wrangling amongst themselves which is an usuall concomitant of
liberty now their division rose high some would to up to Jerusalem to worship others would not those that went up cryed out of those who went not and those who went not vilified those who went Now their hearts are thus divided now shall they be found guilty The desolating judgment must now come This is the time for their captivity Now he gives them up to the Enemie God was exceedingly provoked with their contentions one against another at this time What says God when I was in some way of favour towards them when I took off in great part the yoke of bondage that was upon them that sore oppression that was before none of them a while since dared goe to Jerusalem to worship and now their Governours are more moderate their oppressing Courts are downe there is more liberty in the Land for my true worship and do they now fall out contemn divide wrangle one with another let them goe into captivity let the enemy come in upon them my soule takes no delight in such a crooked perverse Generation as this is Our condition seems to parallel with theirs very much we lately were under sore and cruell bondage nothing was more dangerous then the worshipping God in his own way wee were under hard Task-masters oppressing undoing Courts The Lord hath in a great measure delivered us it is the unthankfulness the sinfull distemper of mens spirits that makes them say what is done it is as ill with us as ever it was No we have much ease such liberties as were our fore-fathers raised out of their graves to see they would admire Gods goodness and bless him with meltings of heart but we spend that strength in siding wrangling contending quarrelling vexing opposing one another that we should spend in magnifying blessing and praising the Name of God for that mercy we enjoy We are a divided people whose hearts are divided and heads too and hands too peace and unity seems to be flown from us and a spirit of contention and division is come upon us King Subjects are divided Parl. is divided Assembly is divided Armies are divided Church is divided State is divided City is divided Country is divided Towns are divided Families divided godly people are divided Ministers almost every where are divided yea and what heart almost is there at this time but is divided in it self the thoughts the counsels contrivances endeavours ways of men almost of all men how are they divided O blessed Saviour are these the times thou speakest of wherein five should be in one house divided three against two and two against three the father against the son and the son against the father the mother against the daughter and the daughter against the mother Oh woe to us wee find it so amongst us and yet there is found no healing we are broken and there is no binding up It is with us as it was with Ezek. 2. 6. Briars and thorns are with us and we dwell among Scorpions O Lord what is this thy curse at this time upon England Bryers and thornes shall it bring forth We are rending and tearing and devouring one another while the adversary stands before us ready to devour us Ephraim is against Manasseh and Manasseh against Ephraim A fire is come out from Abimilech and devours the men of Sechem and fire comes from the men of Sechem and devours Abimilech yea there is a fire kindled in our owne bowels it rises from our selves Ezek. 19. 14. Fire is gone on t of a rod of her branches which hath devoured her fruit so that shee hath no strong rod to be a Seepter to rule this is a lamentation and shall be for a lamentation This is amongst us at this day and how long it shall continue God onely knows What this people were in their divided condition that we are and what does this threaten but that we should be as they a while after this were namely a people given up to the rage and fury of the Enemie which the Lord forbid There is a great out-cry of our divisions and while we cry out against them wee still encrease them we are angry with men rather because they are divided from our selves then because they are divided from the truth we are angry because every man is not of our own mind does not as we do There was a great deal of doe in Luthers time about the seamless coat of Christ Granvillian the Emperours Deputy in a Speech he made to the Citizens of Wormes beseeches them for the death of Christ and for all loves that they would amend our Lords coate which is rent and torn on every side When Luther laboured to bring Reformation to the Rule they bad him take heed that he did not rend the seamless coat of Christ and because they talked so much of the tunica inconsutilis they were called the Inconsutilistae the seamelesse men And what a stirre hath there been in out-cryes against men that would not yeeld to every thing that was enjoyned O they rent the seamlesse Coat of Christ I remember Musculus in a Tract he hath De Schismate hath a witty and pious note upon this The Souldiers saith he would not divide the seamelesse coat of Christ but what made them to be so carefull of it was it out of respect to Christ that they were so unwilling it should be divided No but out of respect to their owne advantage every one hoping it might fall to his share therefore say they Let us cast lots for it so saith he men would not have Christs coat divided they would have no division in the Church but what do they aime at their own advantage that they might enjoy quietly their owne ease honour and means that they might have none to contradict them but that the streame may run smoothly and wholly with them what a fine brave thing were this And because they see they cannot doe this while their ways are looked into and crossed therefore they make such an outcry against the dividing the seamlesse coat of Christ But certainly till our hearts be otherwise then yet they are all our out-cries wil not serve our ends the stilling our divisings Did we less divide between God and our own ends our own wayâ— we should not divide so much one from another Wherefore let us first turn our thoughts to consider a little of this division between God and other things and the evil of it CHAP. II. The evill of dividing between God and any thing else THis people would give God something and their idols something and so think to please both 2 King 7. 33. They feared the Lord and served their Idolls Thus Judah in the days of Josiah Zeph. 1. 5. sware by the Lord and by Malcham Swearing is a part of Gods worship therefore no humane instituted Religious ceremony ought to be joyned with it no more then with the Sacrament or any other divine worship no creature should share
mind of the Holy Ghost is dare not yoke you as they did all that we burden you with is these necessary things no Church-officers no Synod can go further then this but certainly every matter in controversie amongst godly and peaceable men cannot be conceived to be necessary Rom. 14. is a very usefull place for this Him that is weak in the faith receive but not to doubtfull disputations Receive him though he understands not all you do do not trouble him neither with nor for doubtfull things One believeth he may eate all things another who is weake eateth herbes let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not neither let him that eateth not judge him that eateth vers 5. One man esteemeth one day above another another esteemeth every day alike let every man be fully perswaded in his owne minde Upon this he gives generall rules to doe all to the glory of God all these people were not in the right for a man not to eate flesh out of conscience when the thing was not forbidden certainly was a sin or to make conscience of a holy day which God required not was a sinne Now the Apostle did not come with his authority and say I will make you leave off keeping such days or you shall eate or to abstain thus as you do is evill and it must not be suffered in you No the Apostle lays no Apostolicall authority upon them but tells them That every man must be fully perswaded in his own mind in what he doth and who art thou that judgest another mans servant the Lord hath received him And yet the Governors of the Churches in the Primitive times might upon much stronger grounds have stood upon such a principle then any Governours of the Church now can there was lesse reason why they should suffer any difference in opinion or practice amongst them then why we should suffer differences amongst us for they had men amongst them immediately inspired who could dictate the mind of Christ infallibly they could tell them the certaine meaning of any Scripture The burden of being under the determinations of such men in points of differences had not been so great as subjection to any Governors now in such cases would be our differences are usually about the meaning of such or such Scriptures in which both sides think they have the right profess one to another as in the presence of God the searcher of all hearts that if they could but see the meaning of such a Scripture to be so as their brethren believe it is they would soon agree and yet though there were in those Primitive times such meanes of reconciling differences more then we have yet there was much mutual toleration amongst them they used no compulsive violence to force those who through weakness differed from them to come up to their judgments or practice Yes It is also more tolerable in Papists not to tolerate any difference in opinion or practice because First they believe they have an infallible Judg to decide all Controversies 2ly They hold implicite faith in the judgment of their Clergie to be sufficient warrant to justifie the belief or practice of the people or of any particular man and yet they suffer differences in opinions and practices amongst them They have their severall orders of their Monks Priests Friars Jesuites they differ very much one from the other and yet agreeing in the root they are suffered supposing those two helps to union they have an infallible Judg and implicite faith wee have cause either to admire at their moderation in their mutuall bearing one with another or at the disquietness the rigidness of spirits amongst us who cannot bear with far lesser things in their brethren differing from them for we professe we know no such externall in fallible Judg upon whom we may depend neither dare we warrant an implicite faith We teach men that every man must be perswaded in his own heart must see the rule of his own actions must give an account of his own way to God now what can men that have the most gracious peaceable spirits you can imagine doe in such a case Before they believe or do what their brethren believe or do they must see the authority of the Word to ground their faith or actions and for the present though sincerely willing to know Gods mind and diligently laborious to search it out yet they cannot see it and yet according to this sowr rigid principle they must be forced to it by violence what is it but to command the full tale of brick to be brought in where no straw can be had if this be not Straw might be had in Egypt by seeking for it but here after the most carefull and painfull seeking for it yet it cannot be had 5ly By this principle the finding out of much truth will be hindered it will stifle mens gifts abilities in arguing and discoursing about truths We know fire is beaten out by striking the flint Although differences be very sad yet the truth that comes to light by them may recompence the sadnesse You cannot beat out a place for a window to let in light but you must endure some trouble Children will think the house is pulling down when the window is beating out but the Father knows the benefit will come by it he complains not that the dust and rubbish lies up and down in the house for a while the light let in by it will recompence all The trouble in the discussions of things by Brethren of different judgments may seem to be great but either you or your posterity hereafter may see cause to blesse God for that light hath been or may be let into the Churches by this meanes men of moderate spirits doe blesse God already But if according to this principle the governors of the Churches must suppress whatsoever they conceive not to be right to what purpose should should there be arguing and discussing of severall judgements and severall ways You will say Those who are the Governours they or those whom they call to consult with may argue and discusse but not others Is not this to deny the Church the benefit of the gifts and graces of thousands of others The Church may soon receive as much prejudice by this as the trouble caused by some differences comes to Sixtly This lays a great temptation to idleness and pride before the guides of the Church Men are naturally subject to sloth and may not this principle suggest such a temptation as this What need we take care or pains to search into truths to be able to convince gain-sayers to câ—râ—y things with strength of Scripture Reason seeing we have power to compel men to yeeld to us And men who can do least by Reason and Scripture are many times strongest in their violence this way this strength must come in to make up their other weaknesse But it may be Conscience will not let them compell
should not agree that they may be like the witnesses that came against Christ who could not agree in their testimony Paul cast a bone of dissention between the Pharisees and Sadduces But when men love division and desire the continuance of it First to maintain that which is evill Secondly to aime at their owne ends not regarding what publike mischiefes come so their own private advantages may be served not caring what house be on fire so their eggs may be rosted if they may have some poor pedling private benefit by them 3ly Not caring what the divisions are whether against good or against evill so be it their turn may be served This is abominable and cursed is that man that wishes for or rejoyces in or seeks the continuance of divisions for these base ends Yea that man is not worthy to breath in so good a Land as England is who would not willingly lay downe his his life to cure the present divisions and distractions that are amongst us who would not desire with Nazianzen as formerly Jonah to be cast into the Sea himself so be it all might be calm in the Publique Oh cruell hard-hearted man who for his own private advantage is not sensible of the woful miseries of Church and State yea of that dreadfull dishonour to the name of God caused this day by our sad divisions miserable distractionsâ— just it were that such a man should be separated to evil and that his name should be blotted out from under heaven But if things were setled in Church and State some men should not have such liberties as now they have therefore they are willing enough to have our differences continued their plot is to lengthen them out First That which thou callest seeking to lengthen out divisions it may be God now accounts and will another day call seeking after the nearest union with himselfe and the firmest union of his Saints Secondly the liberties these men seek for are either evill or good If evill oh how dearly do they buy that which is evill with bringing the guilt of all that evil that comes from our divisions upon themselves you need not wish any enemy more evil upon his head then this certainly such a man hath load enough upon him But if those liberties they seek be good or but supposed by them to be so why then should they feare a right setling of things what ever is good can be no enemy unto good That Scripture Rom. 13. 3. is enough to keep their hearts from fearing the right ordered power of authority especially from fearing it so farre as by the feare of it to be driven into such a desperate guilt of wickednesse as this is to desire or endeavour the continuance of such publique mischiefe for their own ends Rulers saith the Text are not a terrour to good works but to evil wilt thou then not be afraid of their power doe that which is good and thou shalt have praise of the same Surely then the power was as formidable to any thing a christian heart could suppose good as now any power is like to be that we have to deale with Thirdly it is a sign of a very poor low unworthy spirit to think that any in whom thou hast any perswasion there is any feare of God or interest in Christ should have no higher thoughts for their support and encouragement in what they conceive good according to the mind of Christ but such as the hopes or desires of continuance of such wofull evils in the divisions of Church and State raiseth in them if they did believe that Christ took no more care of them then so but left them to such miserable supports as these are their condition were sad indeed 4ly If such basenesse of spirit as this is were ruling in them which hath in it the malignity of all the dregs of an evil spirit surely you would find it working in them in some other thing save only in that wherein they differ from you For certainly it is impossible but that man that is so left of God to such dregs of evill must needs break out to some other vile evils in a little time It were strange if such horrid wickednesse of a mans heart should break out in nothing else The Lord therefore be Judg between his servants and those men yea those men professing godlinesse who have such hard thoughts of them and the Lord convince them of all their hard speeches and hard writings in this thing CHAP. XI The fifth dividing Principle That every man is bound to professe and practice alwayes what he apprehends to be truth THis hath the greater strength because it comes under a shew of exact godlinesse I do not mean an hypocriticall shew but an appearance to mens consciences It is very dividing For first if while many things lye in mens owne thoughts they cause much strife within themselves their reasonings are very divers Though they have all the some tincture from the same affections and are swayed by the same ends then when these things come abroad before others who have not the same reasonings nor the same affections to give them such a tincture but reasonings and affections running quite another way nor the same ends to sway them but quite different to poyse them a cross way there must needs be much strife such divisions as will be hard to reconcile If men sometimes can hardly prevail with their own thoughts to agree notwithstanding the sway of their own affections and ends how are they like to agree with others whose affections and ends are so various from theirs Secondly if men doe presently professe and practice what they conceive to be right they must necessarily professe and recant recant and professe for in many things what they apprehend to be true at one time they suspect yea see cause to deny at another and what confusion disorder would there be in matters of Religion if continually by some or other there should be profession of things as true and good and calling the same things presently into question yea within a while denying and renouncing them And if not so then 3. If a man hath once made profession of what he conceives to be a truth differing from others if it proves to be a misapprehension there lies a great temptation upon him to stand out in it to strive to make it out to the utmost for nothing is more contrary to a mans nature then to acknowledg himself to be mistaken in his understanding and to lye down in the shame of rashnesse and inconsideratenesse in his actions therefore whatsoever mens own thoughts be within in their own spirits they had need take heed what they doe when they come to make open profession and practice what they apprehend and engage themselves thereby to maintaine there are not many who attaine to Augustines self denyall to publish retractations to all the world Now if a man through the strength of
portion of some soules in the Congregation they dared not mention them 4ly When your profession of some truths will take off mens hearts from other that are more weighty and necessary The rule of the Apostle Rom. 14. 1. holds forth this Receive not those men who are weake in faith to doubtfull disputations this may hinder them in the great things of the Kingdome of God Righteousnesse peace joy in the holy Ghost vers 17. As if the Apostle should say Let them be wel established in them but these doubtfull disputations will hinder them in such things as these are Fiftly when my profession at this time in this thing is like to hinder a more useful profession at another time in another thing Prov. 29. 11. A foole uttereth all his mind he that is wise keeps it in till afterward It was the wisdome of Paul when he was at Athens not presently to break out against their Idols hee staid his due time and yet all the time hee kept in his uprightnesse in the hatred of Idolatry as much as ever Sixtly when our profession will cause publick disturbance and that to the godly the disturbance of mens corruptions who will oppose out of malice is not much to be regarded When it was told Christ the Pharisees were offended he cared not for it but he made a great matter of the offence of any of his little ones When men who love the truth as well as wee shall not only be against what we conceive truth but shall be offended and that generally at it if we have discharged our own consciences by declaring as we are called to it what we conceive the mind of God we should sit down quietly and not continue in a way of publique offence and disturbance to the Saints The rule of the Apostle will come in here Let the spirit of the Prophets be subjects to the Prophets wee should wait till God will some other way or at some other time have that prevaile in their hearts and consciences of his people which we conceive to be truth and they are now so much offended at There could never be peace continued in the Church if every man must continually upon all occasions have liberty openly to make profession of what he apprehends to be a truth never have done with it though the Church which is faithfull and desires unfeignedly to honour Christ and his truth be never so much against it In divers of these cases the consideration of that Text Eccl. 7. 16. is very sutable Be not righteous over much neither make thy selfe over wise why shouldst thou destroy thy selfe Amongst other things this is included in the scope of the Holy Ghost when you apprehend a thing to be a truth do not think that you are bound all times upon all occasions to the utmost profess practise promote that truth without any consideration of others being carried on with this apprehension it is a truth come of it what will whatsoevâ— becomes of me whatsoever trouble shall follow upon it I must and will professe it and publish it again and again to the death In this you had need look to your spirit in this you may be over-just and make your self over-wise though there may be some uprightnesse in your heart some love to Christ and his truth yet there may be mixture of your own spirit also you may stretch beyond the rule this is to be over-righteous to think out of a zeal to God and his truth to goe beyond what God requires It is true at no time upon no occasion though thy life and all the lives in the world lay upon it thou must not deny any the least truth but there may be a time when God doth not require of thee to make profession of every thing thou believest to be a truth You will say This tends to loosness to lukewarmness to time-serving men pretending and pleading discretion grow loose and remisse and so by degrees fall off from the truth Vers 17. Let men take heed of that too Be not over-much wicked neither be thou foolish As you must be carefull not to goe beyond the rule so take heed you fall not off from it so you may grow wicked and foolish yea very wicked over-wicked God will meet with you there too Wherefore vers 18. It is good thou shouldst take hold of this yea also from this withdraw not thine hand Take both be carefull of thy self in both but especially mark the last clause of the 18. vers He that feareth God shall come forth of them all The feare of God possessing thy heart will help thee in these straits thou shalt by it be delivered from being ensnared by thy indiscreet sinfull zeale and it shall likewise keep thee from bringing misery upon thy selfe by falling as farre on the other hand to looseness and time-serving The fear of God will ballast thy soul even it will carry thee on in a way that shall be good in the eyes of the Lord and of his Saints There is a natural boldnes and a mixed zeal in many who are godly that carries them on in those ways that causes great disturbance to others and brings themselves into great straits and snares and these men are very ready to censure others of nesse and loosenesse who do not as themselves do but this Scripture reproves them shewing that it is not through fleshly wisdome and providing for ease that is the cause others do not as they do but the fear of God in a right way ballasting their spirits God will own his fear to be in their hearts ordering them aright when thy disorderly mixed zeale shall receive rebuke from Christ But doth not Christ say Hee came into the world to witnesse to the truth and is not every truth more worth then our lives That man who in the former five cases wherein profession is shewed to be our duty shall witness to the truth he shewes that truth is indeed precious to him and gives that testimony to the truth that he was born for although in the six latter he shall forbear But when these latter cases shall fall out how shall the truth be maintained will it not suffer much prejudice 1. Christ will not be beholding to mens weaknesses for the maintenance of his truth 2. If every man according to his place to deliver his own soule shall declare observing the rules we shall speak to presently what he conceives to be the mind of God though he shall not either in words or practice continually hold forth the same yet thereby the truth is maintained 3. The truth is maintained by forbearing that practice which those opinions of men that are contrary to the truth puts them upon not doing as they do is a continual witnesse against them and so a witnesse for the truth this is a Christians duty at all times although I must never upon any ground do that which my conscience sayes is in
it selfe sin in the least thing yet I am not ever bound to do that which my conscience says is in it self good as it may fall out in some great things A thing in it-self evill can never be made my duty to do what ever circumstances it may be cloathed with what ever good I conceive may be done by it but a thing in it self good may by circumstances attending of it be such as at this time it is my duty to forbear it so that in not doing it I cannot be charged of a sin of omission of not living according to what my judgment and conscience is convinced of to be truth and good That we may understand yet further our duty of profession so as we may cause no divisions by it let these five rules be considered for the ordering of it First we must be wel grounded in fundamentals before we make profession of other truths seldome or never have you known men who in the beginning of their profession of Religion have laid out the first of their strength in Controversies but that they have vanished come to nothing in their profession Be first well rooted in the faith in the great things of godlinesse â—he absolute necessary things of eternall life and then thy searching into other truths of God which are for thy further edification will be seasonable 2ly Take heed that what thou dost be not out of affectation of novelties which men naturally have itching desires after It is very pleasing to the flesh to convey such things to others to be the first that shall bring to others things which before they understood not whatsoever the things be As there is much wickedness in raising up old errors as if they were new truths so there is much vanity in bringing forth old truths in novell and affected phrases as if men desired to be thought to find out some new thing that yet hath not been or is very little known in the world when indeed upon examination when it is uncloathed of its new expressions it proves to be the same old truth that ordinarily hath been known taught and so the man appears to be no knowing man more then ordinary Take heed of this vanity of spirit in the holding forth of truth especially when in publike you speak of Gods truths speak of them with reverence of the name of the great God as the Oracles of God clearly plainly not in obscure uncouth unknown expressions as the Oracles of the Idols were wont to be delivered in 3. Whatsoever is differing from others who are godly is not to be held forth and professed without serious examination we may venture more suddenly upon those things which are generally received of the Saints but if they be differing then we had need examine them over and over again with a jealous eye over our own hearts and to take heed to our spirits how we behave our selves in such things wherein we are like to go away so much differing from so many of our godly able brethren Wee must take heed of publishing any such things rawly undigestedly lest we wrong the truth of God and make the profession of it become ridiculous If the thing be true to day it will be true to morrow 4. We must not think it enough boldly to assert things but according to the rule of the Apostle 1 Pet. 3. 15. we must give an account 1. with meekness we must not do it in a passionate froward way not with our affections hurrying and tumultuous not after a contentious manner as if we desired victory rather then truth but with quietnesse and composednesse of spirit We must not think it much to bear contradiction from others yea though it should arise to contemptuous carriage against us and with fear that is either in respect of our selves who make the profession or in respect of those before whom we make it For our selves we must not do it in a conceited way not in a high arrogant way with foolish confidence in our selves in our own apprehensions and abilities but with feare manifesting our sensibleness of our own weakness vanity and nothingnes 2. In respect of those before whom the profession is made We must manifest our due reverent esteem of them no unbeseeming behaviour no scornfulness lightness contempt if it before Magistrates especially then whatsoever they are in regard of their persons yet reverentiall respects ought to be given to them in respect of their places and if they be men of worth learning graces publike use in the Church or State that respect that is due to their worth is to be manifested also in our carriage towards them Grace teacheth no man to be unmannerly rude scornfull furious or foolish 5. If you would make profession or practice any thing differing from others who are godly and judicious you should first acquaint those who are most able with what you intend and not go to youths women and weak ones first seeking to promote what you apprehend by possessing your hearts first with it and to get them to be a party for you this is not the way of God If God hath revealed some new thing to you you have some new light that is not yet made known to your Brethren which not only by profane men but I fear by some who are godly is in a profane manner scorned at and it were wel if none of those who pretend it did not give some occasision were not the temptation to the despising of that expression yet you should first goe to those who are most able to judg acquaint them with what apprehensions you have and see whether they cannot make it appeare to you that you are mistaken if not they may confirm you in the truth that you may go on in it with the more confidence If Churches were setled as they ought I should think it very ill for any Minister to preach any thing not ordinarily received by the Saints before they have acquainted other Elders yea some of other Churches with it if out of an eager desire to be formost in venting some new thing they shall do it meerly from themselves they may be meanes to raise and engage themselves in woful disturbances before they are aware That common union and fellowship that there is between Elders and Churches requires mutual advise and consultation in matters of difficulty though to lay a law upon them to advise in every thing be it never so clear would be hard CHAP. XII The sixth dividing Principle What is in it selfe best must be chosen and done not weighing circumstances or references THis brings much trouble to the Churches yea it causeth much trouble in the spirits and lives of many truly godly It causeth men to break the bonds of their Callings of their Relations of their publique Interests therefore certainly it must needs be a dividing Principle Some men whose calling is only to a private employment yet having some gifts and
doth not here condemn wars simply this was the error of the old Manichees raised up again by some amongst us especially as the Wars are looked upon under that notion raised for Religion They seek to weaken our hands in these wars by telling young people who have newly given their names to Christ and therefore desire to be guided by the Word in all they do whom God hath used under himself to be the strength of these wars that they have no warrant to fight for Religion To whom our Answer is that we have a Civill right to the outward peaceable profession and practice of our Religion wee have the Laws of the Land for it and for the maintenance of this right wee fight There can be no reason given why our civil right we have to our Religion may not as wel be maintained by the sword as our civill right to our houses and lands This answers all objections against the maintenance of Religion by the sword from the practice of the Christians in the Primitive times who never sought to maintain Religion thus We say their case was not the same with ours they never had any civill right to the profession and practice of Religion in the Countreys where they lived as we have The wars meant in this Text are contentions jars divisions amongst Christians though they did not take up the sword one against another yet there were many quarrells jarrs and divisions amongst them these came from their lusts The lusts of mens hearts are very quarrelsom Storms and tempests are here below in this impure muddy part of the world in the higher part all is serene calm and clear 1 Cor. 3. 3. For yee are yet carnall how do's he prove that whereas there is among you envying and strife and divisions are ye not carnall and walke as men Strifes and divisions do manifest mens hearts to be very carnall August upon that place Gen. 15. 10. where God required Abraham to take beasts and birds for sacrifice the beasts were divided cut asunder but not the birds Thus says he by way of allusion carnall brutish men are divided one from another but not the birds not those who are more spirituall more celestiall Ye walke as men sayes the Apostle yee should not walk as men ye should walk as it becomes those whose condition is raised above the condition of men as it becomes Christians the redeemed ones of the Lord you say Can flesh and blood endure this Can any man living beare this what if flessh and blood what if a man cannot A Christian may a member of Jesus Christ who is God-man may Chrysostome in one of his Sermons to the people of Antioch brings in Gods gracious dealing with Cain as an example for them to imitate in their carriage towards those who carry themselves ill towards them He brings them in also replying God indeed was gentle and patient toward Cain for hee is God he is above all passion but we are but men he answers them Therefore did the Son of God come down that he might make you as near as may be to God The Scripture sayes The Saints are made partakers of the divine nature therefore do not say We are but men You must not walk as men but as those who are endued with the Divine nature It is a great charge that the holy Ghost layes upon the Corinthians that they walked but as men yet many come short of the lives of men they rather walk as doggs as tygers as wolves Gal. 5. 20. The fruits of the flesh are hatred variance emulation wrath strife seditions heresies envyings All these are the causes or workings of divisions Surely our divisions are the fruits of the flesh We see it in nature the more spiritual any thing is the more it unites and the more gross the substance of any thing is the lesse it unites the beames of the Sun are of a kind of spirituall nature therefore thousands of them will unite in puncto but it is not so in other things spiritual hearts in this are like the Sun beams though thousands of them live together they will unite in one so long as they continue spiritual The three thousand Converts Act. 2. joyned with one accord with one single heart We find it now by experience so long as there be but a few in a Church they agree well but usually when they come to be numerous dissentions rise amongst them this is an argument that the hearts of men are not spiritual still much flesh remains Brackish water ascending to the Heavens is sweetned it comes down sweet from thence thus those things which have trouble which have an aptnesse to breed divisions yet spirituall heavenly hearts having to do with them they turn the nature of them they work spirituall advantage out of them The higher fire ascends the more it unites the flame that is broad at the bottom as it growes high unites to be as the point of a needle When the hearts of Christians keep below and have a great deal of smoak amongst them they do not so unite but when they can get up high O what close single-hearted union is there 〈◊〉 a crooked and a right line cannot joyn but two right lines will joyn in every point The lusts of mens hearts cause divisions many wayes First they are mens own therefore they will contend for them nothing is a mans own so much as his lusts man aims wholly at himselfe in satisfying his lust A Dog will barke and bite and flye in a mans face to preserve his own whelps Secondly Mens lusts blinde their judgements Perit judicium cum res transit in affectum when the heart is tainted the judgement is soone blinded if the beame of the scale you weigh by be not straight the scale that hath the light weight may weigh down the heavier if our hearts be crooked warping to any sinfull lust what weight soever there be in any arguments to convince the scale will goe according to the warping of the heart the conclusion will follow the worser part 3ly Mens lusts weaken their spirits so as they are not able to heare any thing that comes crosse to them women children sick people who are weakest fall out most with one another things that are rotten cannot hold together every little touch breaks them asunder that which is sound hath strength to hold one part to another Fourthly in mens lusts there is confusion they cannot be kept in order therefore they must needs cause disturbance not onely in mens owne spirits but to all that have to deale with men acted by them where there is confusion there cannot be union when there is right order in an army though the men be never so numerous never so differing in other respects yet if they keep their ranks they are all but one but if put to a rout and confusion then the bond of unity is broken and every man divides from another to
shift for himself In mens lusts there are contradictions no vertue is contrary to another but vices have nothing but contrarieties and contradictions in them Mens lusts oppose and fight against one another in mens hearts no marvail then when there are such stirs within though they break forth into quarrels and contentions without If a man be quarrelsom in his family no wonder if when he comes abroad he quarrels and contends with his neighbours also Sixtly In mens lusts there is violence violence and peace cannot stand together Isa 60. 18. God promises peace and there promises that violence should be no more heard in their Land Mens lusts are boisterous and unruly especyally when they have been acting a while at the first venting they seem to be fair but after a while they grow outragious violent and boisterous dispositions are unfit for society You shall find in experience men who seem to be of weake spirits of softly tempers very remisse in what they do ordinarily yet let the lusts of these men be engaged in any cause to any side O how violent and impetuous will they be they care not what they say or do they will divide from God from the publique from their dearest friends from their neerest relations from what themselves have made profession of heretofore from their credit profit from their own peace from any thing and all to serve a lust engaged in such a businesse it is a dangerous thing to have a mans lust engaged nothing can stand against an engaged lust a man runs on head-long he will break his conscience he will desperately endanger his eternall breaking to maintain the engagement of his lust 7ly In the lusts of mens hearts there is an antipathy against God against his wayes purity of his Ordinances his Saints Gen. 3. 15. I will put enmity between thee and the woman between thy seed and her seed In Antipathy the opposition is 1. In the nature of the things therefore it s deeply rooted it comes not in accidentally you may find two sheep fighting upon some accident but the natures are not opposite like the Wolfe and the Sheep 2. The cause of this opposition is secret wicked men have their spirits rise against the godly but they are not able to say why The husband loved his wife while she was carnall now God hath turned her heart she is more obedient then ever she seeks to give him content in all things more then before she is more usefull to him in all occasions more faithfull every way more lovely then before only she is godly now and was not so before but his heart is now quite off from her he dares not say that it is for her godlinesse if he hath any conviction himself but so it is that now he looks upon her with an evil eye an estranged heart So a wicked Father or Mother who loved their child exceedingly before God was pleased to work upon him yet now the child is more dutiful then he was but the heart of the father or mother is taken off from him can hardly endure him ready to take any exception against him their countenances are lowring and sadd towards him they can give no reason for this their change but as they were wont to say of Christians Such a man is a good man but he is a Christian Bonus vir Caius Seius sed Christianus non amo te I love you not but I can give no reason Hoc tantum possum dicere Non amo te all that I can say is this that I do not love you 3. It is a setled constant opposition This hath been in all generations the great cause of division between the men of the world and the Saints and still it continues the same you may see the same spirit of the old opposers of godlinesse and godly men working in our days the names of things may be changed but the same kind of men for the same things are opposed and hated now in the same manner as in former generations 4. It is very strong ungodly men are exceedingly imbittered against the Saints Ezek. 26. 6. Because thou hast clapped thine hands and stamped with the feet and rejoyced in heart with all thy despight against the Land of Israel This spirit of bitternesse and indignation that was in them against the people of God is seminally at least in all wicked men 5ly The enmity of Antipathy is incurable it can never be taken away except one ceases to be in its nature what it was there can be no compounding things that are so contrary one of them must cease to be or turned into another nature or else the â—pposition will be everlasting The great divisions amongst us are those that are between the seed of the woman and the seed of the Serpent some division there are between those who are the seed of Christ but the great stirs in the Kingdom come from the evill spirit there is in the seed of the Serpent against the godly in the Land In the beginning of the Parliament when mens liberties and estates being involved in one there was good agreement all men rejoyced generally the countenances of those who were not Popish and Prelaticall were serene they had comfortable aspects one upon another but when those whose spirits were opposite to the power of godlinesse saw how the godly amongst them rejoyced how their heads were lifted up how their hearts were filled with hopes of good dayes wherein Religion should be countenanced and honoured that Antipathy that was in their hearts against the ways of God boy-led in them though they were glad that they should be freed from some burdens yet to see those whom they hated in their hearts to rejoyce so much they could not beare but their spirit rose against them and in opposition to them they have raised these stirs they have made these woful distractions that are amongst us Lastly the lusts of mens hearts are the cause of our divisions because God requires every man according to his place to make opposition against them the cause of the strife lyes not in those who oppose them they do but their duty but in in those who nourish such lusts within them yet we finde it ordinarily that those who are most corrupt will cry out against those who oppose them in their wicked wayes as the cause of strife and divisions as if they were the troublers of Israel whereas indeed themselves the wicked lusts of their own hearts are the troublers of Israel those who oppose their lusts desire all good to their persons I remember Augustine in his Book about the unity of the Church hath this passage The Son doth more grievously persecute his father by living naughtily then the father him by chastising him duely Sarahs Maid did more trouble her by her wicked pride then shee her Maid by her deserved correction Those men who are most faulty are the men who are to be charged to be the
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
may be devoured one of another We read Ezek. 5. 3 4. the Prophet was bid to bind up a few hairs in his skirt which was to signifie a few of the people which were preserved from that common calamity but after these were cast into the fire and fire came forth from these to all the house of Israel Polanus upon the place hath this note that grievous evils may come upon those who have been preserved from former common miseries and those who for a while have been preserved by their contentions and divisions may be the cause of woful evil to others God forbid that this Text should be fulfilled in us Let not a fire come from us who yet are so graciously preserved to devour the house of Israel 4ly God in this work of his hath joyned severall sorts of instruments men of severall opinions he hath made them one to do us good why should not we be one in the enjoyment of that good Let the one part and let the other part have their due honour under God in the mercy God hath made use of both and why may not both enjoy the fruit of this mercy together in the Land Fiftly We were not without some feares lest God should leave us in the work of Reformation begun but now God speaks aloud to encourage us he tels us he owns the worke Now what doth this require of us A little Logick will draw the consequence Hath God declared himself that he intends to go on in this work he hath begun Then let us all joyn together to further it to the uttermost we can let us not exasperate the spirits of one another in ways of strife and opposition but let every one set his hand and hand to this worke that he may be able to say Oh Lord God thou that knowesâ— the secrets of all hearts knowest that upon this great mercy of thine my heart was so moved that whatsoever I could possibly see to be thy will for the furtherance of this great work of Reformation and that I was able to doe I did set my selfe to doe it and am resolved to spend my strengâ—h and life in it If every one did thus oh what glory might God have from this mercy of his 6ly When the Lord comes to us with mercies and such great mercies he expects we should rejoyce in them and sing praise but how can we sing without Harmony Prayer requires an agreement Mat. 18. 19. If two of you shall agree on earth touching any thing they shall aske it shall be done for them Surely Praise requires agreement much more Psalms out of tune are harsh to the eare disagreement of heart is much more to the Spirit of God 7. Surely when God hath done so much for us it must be acknowledged to be our duty to study what sacrifice would be best pleasing to him some sacrifice we must offer If there be any more acceptable to him then other surely he deserves it no. If a friend had done some reall kindness for you you would be glad to know what might be most gratefull to him wherein you might testifie your thankfulness Is this in your hearts Do you now say Oh that we did but know what is the thing that would be most pleaâ—ing to God what sacrifice would smell sweetest in his nostrils The Lord knowes we would fain offer it whatsoever it be I will tell you That we would lay aside our divisions our frowardnesse that we would abandon our contentions and strife that we would put on the bowels of mercies kindnesse humblenesse of minde meekenesse long-suffering forbearing one another forgiving one another If any man hath a quarrell against any even as Christ forgave you so also do ye Col. 3. 12. And 1. Pet. 3. 4. A meeâ—e and a quiet spirit is in the â—ight of God of great price it is much set by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 15. 17. The sacrifice of God that which is in stead of all sacrifices is a broken spirit Our hearts have been broken one from another in our unhappy divisions oh that now they could break one towards another in love and tenderness Here would be a sacrifice more esteemed of God then thousands of Rams and ten thousand Rivers of Oyle Loving mercy and walking humbly is preferred above such sacrifices Micah 6. 8. 8ly God might have sodeâ—'d us together by the fire of his wrath he might have made our blood to have been our cement to have joyned our stinty hearts together but it is otherwise God seeks to draw us to himselfe and one to another by the cords of love the allurings of his mercy Ninthly what can have that power to take off the sowrnesse of mens spirits like mercy the mercy of a God surely if any thing possibly can sweeten them that must needs do it We read 1 Sam. 11. 11 12 13. a notable experiment of the efficacy of mercy to sweeten mens hearts After Saul had slain the Ammonites some of the bosterous spirits would have had him to have slain those who formerly had rejected him but mark Sauls answer ver 13. There shall not a man be put to death this day Why For this day the Lord hath wrought salvation in Israel Though Saul at another time was a man of a harsh and cruell spirit yet now mercy sweetens him that which he was one day by the sense of mercy that should we be not only in the day of our Thanksgiving but in the course of our lives When salvation came to the house of Zacheus O what a sweet temper was he in Behold halfe of my goods I give to the poore and if I have wronged any one I restore foure-fold Salvation is this day come to the Kingdome O that all we had hearts to say If wee have wronged any wee will restore if wee have wronged any in their names by word or writing any way we will restore Mercy and love calls for mercy and love if we were in a right tune there would be a sympathy between the bowels of God and ours as in two Lures if the string in one be wound up to be answerable to the other if you then strike one string the other will move though lying at a distance Now Gods love Gods bowels move let our love our bowels move answerably 10. God shewes that he can owne us notwithstanding all our infirmities Was ever Kingdome in a more distempered condition then ours hath been of late and yet the Lord hath owned us Why should not we own our Brethren notwithstanding their infirmities Why should our divisions cause uâ— to call off one another seeing our divisions from God hath not provoked him to cast us off 11. Is it not in our desires that this great Victory might be pursued that it might not be lost as others in great part have been Surely it cannot be pursued better then to take this advantage of it to unite our selves more together then ever we have done
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
oh how does it delight the traveller when he goeth forth â— and truly such were the serene countenances of our brethren towards us but within a while the clouds over-cast the sky looks lowring gusts of wind arise yea thunder-bolts of terrible words flye about our eares and the flashes of their anger strike upon our faces Tantae ne animis coelestibus irae Unconstancy is evill and a cause of division Stoutnesse is evil and a cause of division A man must not be one thing one day and another another day not like a weather-cock carried up and down with every wind neither must he be wilfull and stout not like a rusty lock that will not be stirred by any key Now then how shall we know when a man is neither fickle nor stout For except some rules of discerning be given this temptation may be before me I must not be fickle unsetled and unconstant I will therefore stifly stand to maintain what I have professed You may know whether your ficklenesse be avoyded by true setled constancy of spirit or by stoutnesse by these five notes First true constancy and setlednesse of spirit is got by much prayer and humiliation before the Lord Establish me Lord with thy free spirit unite my heart to feare thy Name When after thy heart-breakings and meltings and heart-cryings and pourings forth Lord shew mee what thy will is in this thing keep mee from miscarrying let me not settle upon any errour instead of the truth but what is thy truth fasten my soule in it that what ever temptations come I may never be taken off from it Tell God in Prayer what the thing is and what hath perswaded thy heart to embrace it open thy heart fully to God in all thy aimes and if by this meanes the heart be fixed now it is delivered from ficklenesse and not faln into stoutnesse 2ly Where true constancy is attained by the Spirit of God and not by the stoutnesse of thine owne there is exercise of much grace and growing up in grace as faith humility love meeknesse patience c. 1 Pet. 3. 17 18. Take heed ye fall not from your stedfastnesse but grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Hearts stout and wilfull are dry and saplesse 3ly If the more a man hath to do with God the more setled he is in his way when he hath the most full converse and sweetnesse of communion with God he is then the most fully setled satisfied established in such a truth which he before conceived to be of God Many men are very stiffe and wilful unmoveable when they have to deal with men they seem then to be the most confident men in the world but God knows and their consciences know when they solemnly set themselves in the presence of God and have the most reall sight of God and have to deale most immediately with him then they have ms-giving thoughts they have feares that things may not prove so sure as they bore others in hand they apprehended them to be But if Gods presence and thy dealings with him confirms thee in this thy conscience may give thee an assurance that as thou art not fickle and wavering so not stout and wilfull 4ly When there is a proportion in mens constancie if a man be resolute and constant in one thing but very fickle and easily turned aside in others there is cause to suspect his constancy is rather from stiffnesse then from grace for grace works proportionably through the whole soule and in the whole course of a mans life 5ly If the more reall the presence of death and judgment appear to a man the more setled he is in that way this likewise may be a good evidence to him that his setlednesse in such a way is right CHAP. XX. The ninth dividing Distemper A spirit of jealousie The tenth A spirit of contention The eleventh Covetousnesse The twelfth Falsenesse ENvy strife railings evill surmisings 1 Tim. 6. 4. Strife and evill surmisings are neer of kin If contentious men can get nothing against their brethren they will surmise there is something if they can find nothing in their actions to judge they will judg their hearts if there be nothing above-board they wil think there may be something under-board from thinking there may be something they will think it is very likely there is something and from likely there is they will conclude there is Surely there is some plot working But this is against the law of Love for it thinketh no evill all the good that they see in their Brethren is blasted by their suspition of evil Love would teach us rather by what appears to judg the best of what appears not then by what appeares not to judg the worst of what appears Suspition is like some jelly stuffe that is got between the joynts if the bone be out of joynt and any jelly be got in though it be but a little soft stuffe it will hinder the setting of the bone I confess in these times because we have been so extreamly deceived in those who have been used in publike place in whom we so much confided there is a great deal of reason that we should be very wary of men and believe till we have very good grounds of confidence with trembling I remember Melchior Adam in the life of Bucholcerus tels of a witty counsel of his to his friend Hubnerus who being to goe to the Court to teach the Prince Electors children at their parting I will give you says he one profitable rule for your whole life he lissening what it should be I commend saith he to you the faith of the Devills At which Hubnerus wondring Take heed sayes he how you trust any at the Court beleeve their promises but warily but with feare you may feare they will never come to any thing But in the mean time while we are thus fearful of one another while we cannot trust one another we cannot joyn one with another I have read of Cambyses he did but dream his brother should be King of Persia and he put him to death Many amongst us do but dream of men with whom our hearts are not that they have some plots working and how do our spirits work against them Groundlesse jealousies arise from much baseness in our owne hearts Those who have no principle of faithfulnesse in themselves are suspitious of every one but as for those who suffer causelesly in this thing let them be of good comfort God will reward them good for what evill they suffer Wee read Numb 5. 28. that if a man were jealous of his wife so that he brought her to the tryall by drinking the water of jealousie if she were clear she should not onely be freed from hurt by that water but she should conceive seed if she went barren before the Lord would recompence her sorrow and trouble shee suffered by her husbands
suspition of her And Paulus Fagius upon the place says the Jewes had a tradition not only that she should conceive but it should be a man-child if shee had any disease she should be freed and if she brought forth before with difficulty she should bring forth now with ease Let not men therefore who are of publike use having their consciences clear yet because they are under suspition throw off all in an anger Such a temptation many lye under but let them know this temptation cannot prevail but upon the distemper of their hearts the exceeding sinfull frowardnesse of their spirits they should trust God with their names their esteem their honour and go on in their work The only way to deliver themselves from suspition is their constant industry and faithfulnesse in all opportunities of service God puts into their hands and with the more quietnesse of spirit with the lesse noyse they go on the sooner will the suspitions they were under wash off and vanish to nothing God will make their names break forth as the light those weeds having no ground to take root will wither and dye away The tenth dividing Distemper A spirit of contention AS in some there is a strong inclination a vehement impetus to whoredom which the Prophet cals a spirit of whoredome so there is in others a vehement strong disposition of heart to contention these have a spirit of contention these are like Salamanders who love and live in the fire They thirst after the waters of Massah and Meribah their temper is such as if they drank no other drink then w ht was brewed of those waters Contentions and strifes that are as tedious to other men as death are their delight they are most in their element when they are over head and ears in them A contentious spirit will always find matter for contention Prov. 26. 21. As coals to burning coals and wood to fire so is a contentious man is kindle strife they are ready to put their hands to any strife they meet with yet Prov. 26. 17. Hee that medleth with strife belonging not to him is like one that holdeth a dog by the cares Many men have no mettal in any thing but contentions like many jades who are dull in travell they have mettal only to kick and to play jadish tricks If thou hast any spirit any zeal and courage it is pitty it should be laid out in quarrels reserve it for the cause of God to strengthen thee in contending for the truth the publike The eleventh Distemper Covetousnesse THis is the root of all evill then of this there is no greater plague to friendship then desire of money sayes Laelius apud Cicer. A covetous man is witty to foresee wayes of gaine and he is stiffe in holding fast what may be for his advantage Yet know what a stir Demetrius and his fellows made in Ephesus when their profit was endangered they had rather set all in a tumult then let their gain go 1 Tim. 4. 5. Envy strife railings c. perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds destitute of the truth supposing that gaine is godlinesse How will some object against men withdraw from them deprive themselves of the benefits of the gifts of God in them of much good they have heretofore acknowledged they have got by them all merely to save their purses that in a poor pedling way What a stir hath this Meum and Tuum made in the world The sweetnesse of gaine amongst men is like honey cast amongst Beares they will fight rend and tear out one anothers throat for it They that will be eich fall into temptations and a snare and into many and hurtfull lusts 1 Tim. 6. 9 10. They pierce themselves and others too with many sorrowes VVhen divisions arose in Germany upon Luthers Doctrine men of base covetous spirits judging Luther by themselves thought that Luther made all this stir to get gaine Why therefore sayes one do you not stop the mans mouth with gold or silver Another answers Oh this German Beast cares not for money The twelfth dividing distemper Falsenesse NOthing more firmly unites and holds together the Common-wealth then fidelity sayes Cicero Truth is a girdle Stand therefore having your loynes girt with truth Ephes 6. 14. Truth binds and Falseness loosenâ— The Apostle Eph. 4. 25. exhorts to put away lying and every man to speak trueth to his neighbour upon this ground because we are members one of another The Romans esteemed so much of truth for uniting men into societies that they built a Temple to it as to a Goddesse in which Temple all Leagues Covenants Truces and important bargains were made which were so religiously observed that whosoever broke them was held for a cursed damned creature unfit for humane society Rom. 1. 29. Full of envy murther debate deceit malignity A man were better be true to false principles then be false to true ones Those who are false are also mischievous they care not what mischief they do to any so they may but uphold themselves and repair that credite which formerly they had but now through their base falsenesse is crackt and if they have wronged any by their falsnesse they seek to keep such downe if not to ruine them fearing lest their falsenesse should hereafter be revenged and if they cannot get them down by force they will seek to do it by adding yet more falsenesse by flattering them whom their hearts hate and would gladly ruine That Scripture Prov. 26. 28. is very remarkable for this A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it and a flattering mouth worketh ruine Psal 72. 14. He shall deliver their soule from deceit and violence If men who are false cannot compasse their ends by deceit they will seeke to doe it by violence God hath his time to deliver his Saints from both Come Lord Jesus come quickly CHAP. XXI Dividing Practices The first The Practice of the Tongue The second Needlesse Disputes PRovoking bitter language is a great divider An evill tongue in Scripture is compared to swords Arrowes Razors to poyson of Aspes â—ire yea to the fire of hell which sets all the world on fire to wild beasts it is an unruly member that cannot be tamed When a Philosopher saw two women of ill fame talking together he said By this speech the Aspe takes in poyson from the Viper which it seems was a proverbiall speech in Tertullians time he inveighing against Marcion the Heretique Let the Heretique sayes he cease borrowing poyson from the Jew according to the Proverbe the Aspe from the Viper Many men of moderate spirits if let alone yet meeting with men who tell them stories and speak ill of those men that heretofore they had a good opinion of yet now before they have examined what the truth is there is a venome got into their spirits before they are aware their hearts
begin to be hot and to rise against those men they hear such things of their thoughts are altered concerning them their spirits alienated breaches are made and men who are innocent wonder from whence all comes O take heed of these men of evill tongues especially at your tables for while you are warme with mirth and good cheere you are in greater danger to take downe the discourse of such as are at table with you some poyson may get into your spirits and you not think of it Saint Augustine could not endure such guests at his table he caused therefore these two verses to be writ over his Table it were well they were over some of yours Quisquis amat dictis absentum rodere vitam Hanc mensam vetitam noverit ipse sibi To speak ill of the absent forbeare Or else sit not at Table here But if men of evill tongues doe so much hurt to men of moderate spirits what hurt doe they doe one to another when two or three or more of them meet together having all of them bitter spirits and evill tongues what hot burning venome doe they infuse one into another inflaming one another with malice That proverbiall speech 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is true of these men if one Serpent did not eate another there would bee no Dragon by taking in one anothers poyson they grow to bee fiery Dragons flying up and downe from place to place with their fiery stings Destroy O Lord and divide their tongues for I have seen violence and strife in the City Psal 45. 9. The same letters in the Hebrew word that is to signifie verbum a word is also for pestis the plague an evill tongue hath the pestilence in it The whisperings of an evill tongue causes divisions Rom. 1. 29. Full of envy debate malignity whisperars 2 Cor. 1â— 20. Debates envyings wraths strifes whisperings Many of fidling paltry dispositions goe up and down whispering they speak very secretly to you you must tell no body by any means and yet themselves tell it to a second a third a tenth and any one they meet with with whom they desire to ingratiate themselves and to every body they speak yet still they must tell no body they doe not love to be brought forth as the authors they tell you as a friend what they heare and thus carrying tales up and downe in a secret way they doe what in them lyes to blast the names of their Brethren jealousies suspitions envyings displeasure anger is raised and the parties against whom all this is wonder what is the matter they being no wayes conscious to themselves of any miscarriage towards such from whom they finde such strange carriage at last some nibling whispering Mouse is found to be the cause of all These whispering Tale-bearers have such an art as to cause what they thus speak in secret to sinke very deeply into mens hearts They professe themselves very sorry for what they tell you but it is too true and with a deep sigh they mischiefe their Neighbour Et sic cum vultu maesto procedit maledictio Bern. But let men take heede of them for they strike they wound them as much if not more then they doe those against whom they speak for they know nothing of it and though they suffer yet they doe not sinne but you may not only be troubled and that causelesly it may be and for nothing lose the sweetnesse of your love to your friend and the enjoyment of his to you but withall you may entertain sinne into your heart and so be wounded Prov. 18. 8. The words of a tale-bearer are as wounds and they goe downe into the innermost parts of the belly beware therefore of such Prov. 20. 19. He that goeth about as a tale-bearer revealeth secrets therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lippes Hee may come glavering and fawning and smiling to you as if he accounted you a speciall friend and therefore would not tell every body but meddle not with him if you shall hug and embrace him you have received a wound even in the innermost parts of the belly Prov. 26. 20. Where no wood is there the fire goeth out so where there is no tale-bearer the strife ceaseth Prov. 16. 28. A whisperer seperateth chiefe friends Those who have lived in entire friendship many yeares sometime by some whispering woman have their hearts very much estranged the beauty of their friendship darkened and the sweetnesse of it almost lost Whispering tale-bearing tongues is the cause of strife take heed of it And so is a censuring tongue I can compare this to nothing better then to a candle whose tallow is mixed with brine as soone as you light it it spits up and down the roome Thus many have salt brine in their spirits which when they get a little knowledge they spit here and there in hard and bitter censures which are exceedingly provoking to the spirits of men though the censures should prove true yet the mixture of so much salt brine in them cannot but exasperate cause mens hearts to fret but much more if they prove to be meere slanderers Jer. 9. 4. Take ye heed every one of his neighbour and trust ye not in any brother for every brother will utterly supplant and every neighbour will walke with slanders and c. 6 28. They are all grievous revolâ—ers walking with slanders they are brasse and iron they are all corrupters And yet more if this be a raging tongue Hos 7. 16. Their Princes shall fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue Discontents rise high first by too much liberty of the tongue then higher by the bitternesse of it but when it comes to the rage of it by this many times they rise so high that great men yea Princes come to fall by the sword There is a story in the Tripartite History of a Christian who professed he had beene seven and thirty yeares learning that lesson Psal 39. 1. I said I will take heed to my wayes that I offend not in my tongue and yet had not learned it I feare there are many amongst us who have beene Professors these seven and thirty yeares and yet have not learned this lesson notwithstanding the Scripture saith If a man bridleth not his tongue hee deceiveth his owne heart this mans Religion is in vaine James 1. 26. The second dividing practice Needlesse Disputes WHen men have got a little knowledge they thinke it a fine thing to be arguing and disputing in matters of Religion unnecessary disputes are their necessary practice for otherwise they shall be accounted as no body if they have not something to object against almost every thing but in this way of theirs they shall bee accounted knowing men men who have an insight into things who understand more then ordinary men doe hence they turne all their Religion into disputes and by them they grow giddie Wine is good when it goes to the heart to
cheere it but when it fumes all up into the head it makes it giddy Knowledge is good when the strength of it gets to the heart to comfort it there to breed good spirits for the strengthning it in the waies of holinesse but when it flies up all into the head it fills it with thousands of phansies it causes pride and giddinesse Disputes draw the best spirits from the heart by which it weakens it It is a very ill signe in a man to have a contradicting spirit to get into a veine of disputing against any thing though it be good I have read of Gregory Nazianzen that he told his friends that Julian would prove to be a notorious wicked man he gave this reason Because be tooke such delight in disputing against that which was good Disputes are seldome without much heart-distemper if they continue long they cause snarling one at another and no marvaile though those who snarle so often doe bite at last A man shews most parts in the matter of truth but most grace in the manner of handling it with reverence holinesse and modesty Rom. 14. 1. Receive not the weake in faith to doubtfull disputations Here is a direct injunction against those disputes I am speaking of Let no man say every truth is precious the least truth is more worth then our lives we must contend for every truth The least truth is so precious that we must rather lose our lives then deny it you must doe and suffer much to maintaine truth but this in an orderly way First you must be grounded in the maine Fundamentalls of Religion you must be strong in the faith and after that labour to edifie your selves in all the truths of God so as one may be helpfull to another It is not for every one who hath but little time little knowledge little meanes little strength to tyre out himselfe and others in doubtfull disputes The Scripture is so much against this as nothing can be more 1 Tim. 1. 4. Which minister questions rather then edifying To aske and discourse of questions about the great things that concerne thy soule thy eternall estate how thou maist live further to the honour of God is good when you meet together to confer one with another what God hath done for your soules to tell each other the experiences of your owne hearts and Gods dealings with you what temptations ye meet with and how God helps you against them such things as these would edifie But when your questions are about things that you are never like to understand and if you did understand they little concerne you they would not be helpfull to you one whit in the wayes of godlinesse these the holy Ghost would not have you spend your time in Eccles 7. 29. Man was made upright and he hath found out to himselfe many inventions Miscuerit se infinitis questionibus so the old Latine reads it he hath mingled himselfe in infinite questions If we had but that great question more amongst us What shall wee doe to be saved it would cause many unprofitable questions to vanish Never such ignorance came upon the Christian world as in that age when the Schoolmen were in the highest esteeme all Religion then was turned into Questions both the mystery and the power of godlinesse was lost The things of Religion are rather to be beleeved then disputed We beleeve Fishermen not Logitians sayes Ambrose The Devill at this day seekes to darken the glory of Religion this way he sees that in regard so much light hath broke forth he cannot get men presently off it by prophaneness therefore he labours to eat out the strength of it by busying them and getting them to delight in multitudes of questions and that about things of lesser concernment 1 Tim. 6. 4. Hee is proud and knoweth nothing but doting about questions and strife of words whereof commeth envie strife railings evill surmises perverse disputings of men of corrupt mindes and destitute of the truth These men conceit they have more knowledge then other men but the holy Ghost saies they know nothing they cry out much of the truth and they contend for the truth but the holy Ghost saies they are destitute of the truth 2 Tim. 2. 22 23. Follow charity peace but foolish and unlearned questions avoid knowing that they doe gender strifes but the servant of the Lord must not strive And Titus 3. 8. 9. This is a faithfull saying these things I will that thou affirme constantly that they which have beleeved in God might be carefull to maintaine good workes these things are good and profitable unto men but avoid foolish questions and Genealogies and contentions and strivings about the Law for they are unprofitable and vaine The question about the Law whether a man be justified by it or by free grace in Christ this is not one of those foolish questions and needlesse strivings this is a great question this we are to contend for our life is in it but there are other questions about the Law which cause striving rather then edifying as whether the Law be a rule for our lives as it was given by Moses That we are bound to doe what is required in the Law this is generally acknowledged as to love God not worship Images c. but whether we be bound to doe it as it was the Law delivered by Moses upon Mount Sina this question troubles many mens heads that we are bound to doe the same things as they are delivered by Christ in the hand of that Mediator is acknowledged by any that understand themselves in any measure Now then let these two things be granted about the Law First that we are not justified by it but by the free grace of God in Christ Secondly that what duties of holiness are set downe in the Law we are bound to them by the most strong obligations what neede we contend further about the Law Let us be established in these two and it will be sufficient for our edifying It is like when Paul wrote this Epistle to Titus the heads of the people were troubled about some such kinde of questions about the Law as are amongst us therefore sayes he Avoid foolish questions and strivings about the Law But now the questions about the Law are driven on to such a dangerous issue that we have cause not onely to be carefull to avoid them but even to tremble at the thought of them It is now accounted a legall thing against the grace of the Gospel to confesse sin to be humbled for sin to make conscience of duty or to be troubled in conscience for neglect of it No they thank God they are delivered from such things in respect of God whether they sin or not it is all one yea these things prevaile with those who have beene forward in profession of Religion who seemed to walke strictly now are growne loose That saith is easily wrought which teacheth men to beleeve well of
they judge all that doe not joyne with them to be as Heathens this is the most uncharitable interpretation that can be CHAP. XXVI The fifth dividing practice The aspersing and seeking to blast the credits of those men whom the Lord uses to be instruments of good THis may be done you know otherwise then by the tongue This hath beene an old dividing way if wee can blast the cheife of a party we shall doe well enough with the rest wherefore let us make as ill interpretations of what they doe as possible we can let us fasten as ill things upon them as we can have any colour or pretence for let reports be raised fomented and spread whether they be true or no it makes no matter something will stick Jer. 20. 10. Report say they and we will report it doe but raise a report let us be able to say wee heard it or there was a Letter writ about such a thing and wee will boldly assert it and divulge it the very apprehension of it will prevaile with many howsoever these men shall not have that esteeme in the hearts of men so generally as heretofore they have had and if we once get downe their esteeme we shall doe well enough with their cause if we can meet with any bold spirit that will venture to encounter with them in this that will dare to take upon him to gather up or make or aggravate or wrest reports or doe any thing that may render them otherwise in the thoughts and hearts of men then hitherto they have beene we shall break them it is but one or two venturing the hard thoughts of men to make an experiment some may bee found fit for such a businesse we will finde out wayes to encourage them if their hearts begin to faile we will apply warme cloathes to them we will one way or other support them this must be done or else whatsoever we doe will be to no purpose something or other must be found to serve our ends in this Doth Moses prevaile too much in the hearts of the people something must be found against him if we can finde nothing against himselfe yet we will finde something against his wife Shee is an Ethiopian woman Numb 12 1. and yet who was she but the daughter of Jethro to whom he had been married many yeers before for an Ethiopian and a Midianitish woman are all one but now we are resolved to pick out whatever we can get information of though it be in things done many yeers since when they were in the University when they lived in such or such places in times of old it will serve our turne we may fasten it upon them Prov. 16. 27. An ungodly man diggeth up evill and in his lips there is a burning fire If he hath nothing above ground he will digge something up though it be what both by God and man hath been buried long since David was a publike instrument of God for much good yet Psalm 31. 1. Hee was a reproach amongst his enemies but especially amongst his neighbours Nehemiah raised up by God for great service what dirt was cast upon him he was accused of sedition and Rebellion Paul a pestilent fellow hee and his company with him turned the world upside downe what evill can be devised but was fastened upon the Christians in the Primitive times They charge them for being the cause of all their misery if they have ill weather if the Rivers overflow if Nilus does not flow if there be any earthquake plague famine hale the Christians to the Lions At their meetings they said they made Thyestes suppers who invited his brother to a supper and presented him a dish of his owne flesh a limbe of his Sonne Many such abominable things were fastened upon them as are not fit to be named Tertul tells the Christians that they were Funâ—mbulones like men upon a rope if they went one stept awry they were in danger to be undone by it so narrowly did their enemies watch them and so maliciously did they aggravate all their miscarriages Thus the most eminent after his time as Athanasius he was as miserably aspersed as ever poore man in this world by the Arrian party they rendred him most odious to his friends and strangers In the beginning of Reformation the Waldenses were so aspersed that the story sayes of them there was not one Arrow in the quiver of malice but it was drawne forth and shot at them Luther Calvin Beza Oecolampadius Bullinger and the rest are by some in writing rendred the most black and vile pieces that the earth bore both in their lives and deaths I find it recorded of Zuinglius that he was a man so eminent as his friends made him almost a God and so traduced by his enemies that one would wonder the earth did not open and swallow up such a man The like dealings did that worthy instrument of God Mr. Knox finde who in Queene Maries time fled with divers others to Frankford when men of vile contentious spirits could not prevaile against him any other way they sought to asperse him and that so maliciously as his life was in danger accusing him to the Governours of Frankford for a Sermon preached in England in which the Emperour was concerned The words were these O England England if thou wilt obstinately râ—â—urne into Egypt that is if thou contracting marriage confederacy or league with such Princes as doe maintaine and advance Idolatry such as the Emperour who is no lesse enemy to Christ then Nero if for the pleasure of such Princes thou returne to thine old abhominations then assuredly O England thou shalt be plagued and be brought to desolation by the meanes of those whose favour thou seekest The same measure did those worthy men of God meete with who sought after Reformation in Queene Elizabeths dayes they called Mr. Cartwright an Anabaptist and whatsoever evill there was in any opinion in those times they fastned it upon him Mr. Vdall was accused for his life and condemned to be hanged for writing That if the Parliament did not bring in the Government of Christ Christ himselfe would bring it in by some meanes that would make their hearts to ake or to that effect meaning as he expounded the words Christ would in some way of judgement make way to set up his own government in the Land but they wrested the words to a seditious sense as if he had meant to conspire to raise a force and by violence of Armes to make the Parliament to yeeld to that way of Government that he conceived to be Christs justly like those accusations that are amongst us at this day that if such kinde of men cannot have the liberty of their way granted to them seeing they have or hope to have the Sword in their hand they will take it to themselves and defend themselves also in it Only in this they goe beyond the bitternesse of the
false opinion as if he had the malignity of those thousand evill things in his spirit I finde our Divines who have been of peaceable spirits have condemned very much this fastening of dangerous consequences of mens opinions upon those who hold the opinions and yet whose hearts are as much against such consequences as possibly may be deduced from them as any In their giving rules for peace they advise to take heed of this as a thing which makes Brethren who are different in their opinions unlikely ever to become one Davenant sayes It is abhorrent to charity and right reason that any because of consequences from what he holds neither understood nor granted by him should be thought to deny or reject a fundamentall Article which he firmly beleeves expresly asserts and if he were called to it whould seale the truth of it with his bloud Truer and more gentle sayes he is the judgment of that great and peace-making Divine Bucer who sayes It is our part not to look at what may follow from an opinion but at what followes in the consciences of those who hold it The eleventh dividing Practice To commend and countenance what we care not for in opposition to what we dislike WHen such as professe godlinesse shall make much of wicked men shall commend them joyne with them embrace them yea be well pleased with the bitternesse boisterousnesse boldnesse of their daring spirits because there may be use made of them against those men and wayes they differ from this is an evill which brings guilt upon themselves and makes the division between them and their Brethren very great If your hearts be right and your cause be good you need not make use of any thing that is evill to comfort your hearts or to maintaine your cause The Lord will not be beholding to the evill the bitternesse of mens spirits for the furtherance of his cause and why should you God will not take the wicked by the hand neither shouldest thou Are not your spirits strengthned against your adversaries when you see them calling in Papists and all manner of the refuse of men wicked and treacherous Can you thinke that these are the most likely to maintaine the Protestant Religion and the liberty of the Subject Why doe you seek to strengthen your selves by stirring up vile men to joyne with you such as heretofore your hearts were opposite to How comes it to passe you can close so lovingly now You can smile one upon another and shake hands together How comes it to passe you doe rejoyce the hearts of evill men they encourage you and you encourage them Those unsavoury bitter expressions that come from them you can smile at and be well pleased with because they are against such as differ from you blow up that sparkle of ingenuity that heretofore hath been in you lay your hands upon your hearts bethinke your selves is it the Spirit of Jesus Christ that acts us in such a way wherein we are Surely this is not the way of peace but of division and confusion The last dividing Practice The Practice of Revenge WHen any provoke you you say you will be even with him there is a way whereby you may be not even with him but above him that is forgive him Practising revenge is the way to continue divisions to the end of the world such offend me therefore I will offend them and therefore they offend me againe mee againe and I them and so it may run in infinitum they deny mee a kindnesse therefore I will deny them and therefore they will deny mee so these unkindnesses run on endlesly divisions will have a line of succession where will it where can it stop if this be the way of men Paulus Fagius in his Notes upon Leviticus cap. 19. v. 18. sayes If Reuben should say to Simeon Lend me thy Axe and he should answer I will not the next day Simeon hath need of an Axe and he comes to Reuben and sayes I pray lend me your Axe and Reuben answers No you would not lend me yours yesterday the Jewes accounted this to be Revenge There is much more malignity in our revengefull practices one upon another then this Basil invelghing against requiting evill for evill in his tenth Sermon speakes thus to a revengefull heart Doe not make your Adversary your Master doe not imitate him whom you hate be not you his looking-glasse to present his forme and fashion in your selfe Revenge God challengeth to himselfe as his presume not to encroach upon Gods proprietie to get up into Gods seate and doe his worke thou hast enough to doe of thine owne And it is very observable how God stands upon his challenge of revenge as his owne as that which he by no meanes will suffer others to meddle with in those Scriptures where this is mentioned the challenge is doubled yea sometimes trebleâ— as Psal 94. 1. O Lord God to whom vengeance belongeth O God to whom vengeance belongeth So Nahum 1. 2. The Lord revengeth the Lord revengeth the Lord will take vengeance on his Adversaries Heb. 10. 30. Vengeance belongeth to me I will recompence saith the Lord and againe the Lord will judge his people You must not think revenge to be so light a matter How unbeseeming are revengefull practices to Christian profession Many of the Heathens were above such things Plutarch reports of Phocion That when he had done notable service for the Athenians yet was put to death by them but being asked a little before his death whether he had any thing to say to his sonne Yes sayes he that I have I require of thee my sonne that thou never wishest ill to the Athenians for this they doe to me How farre are most of us from this we can hardly passe by an ill looke without revenge but if we conceive our selves to be wronged in words or actions then revenge rises high such things must not be born A Gentleman of very good credit who lived at Court many yeeres told me that himselfe once heard a great man in this Kingdome say He never forgave man in his life and I am moved the rather to beleeve it to be so because I have been told by some other Gentlemen that the same man would when he was walking alone speake to himselfe and clap his hand upon his breast and sweare by the Name of God that he would be revenged hee would be revenged and that she who lay in his bosome was wont to sit alone and sing to her selfe Revenge Revenge O how sweet is Revenge If they get power into their owne hands and are so uxorious as they must needs give way to have things managed according to the will of their revengefull wives what peace what security is there like to be Sir Walter Rawleigh in his History of the World tells of the sad case of the Lacedemonians when Nabis having power in his hands having a wife Apega a woman full of
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
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
otherwise then you expected you vent your selves against them in quarelling in giving ill language in vilifying and scorning your strength runs out this way but there are a generation of men who being wronged improve their strength in patient bearing yet in making their moan to God in the exercise of faith in committing their cause to him Mat. 18. from 24. to 31. you have the story of the servant who had ten thousand talents forgiven him who yet took his fellow-servant by the throat who ought him a hundred pence and put him into prison the Text sayes When his fellow servants saw what was done they were sorry and came and told their Lord what was done You do not hear them cry out of their fellow-servant O what a vile base wretch was he who would deal thus with his fellow No but they went and told their Lord. It is not the way of Christians when they apprehend wrong done to give ill language to seek to right themselves or others by bitter provoking expressions but their hearts being filled with griefe if they must needs vent it if quiet debates with their Brethren will not ease them let them vent themselves in the powring forth their complaints to the Lord. Seventhly there is much sinne in our divisions for they stir up much corruption on all sides both in our selves and others As if you shake a glass of water that has dirt in the bottome the dirt spreads it self all over so doth the dirty stuffe in our hearts these divisions causing a commotion in them that corruption is now discovered that neither our selves nor others had thought had been in us Do not you say in your hearts and it may be one to another Who would have thought it possible that so much filthy staffe should lie so long in such mens hearts undiscovered which now appeares since these unhappy divisions have been amongst us James 3. 16. Where there is envying and strife there is confusion and every evill worke When Snakes are cold they lye still but if the heat of fire come to them then they hisse and put forth their stings Thus mens corruptions heat by the fire of contention that is kindled amongst us begin to stirre to act yea to rise very high The reason that some give of that prohibition of the Apostles Ephes 4. Let not the Sunne goe downe upon your wrath which also I finde Chrysostome upon the place gives is because when mens wrath is stirred by contending if it continues in the heat of it till night as they lye upon their beds their corruptions will be boyling they will lye musing and plotting against those that contend with them their thoughts in the night season will worke up their corruptions to a great height have you not found it so when the Sunne was gone downe upon your wrath you could hardly sleepe that night William the Conquerour in his first yeer commanded that every night at eight a clock a Bell should be rung and that all people should then put out their fire which was called the Curfew Bell it were well that some were admonished every night to cover the fire of their passions We stirre up likewise the corruptions of others in these our divisions doe you not see those distempers formerly mentioned working and breaking forth in your Brethren when you provoke them in your contending with them O pitty pitty thy Brother if thou canst not pitty thy selfe does it not grieve thee that thy Brother should bring sinne upon himself Were it not better for thee to suffer then for thy Brother to sinne It is an evill thing to be an occasion of griefe to our Brethren The Lord does not willingly grieve the children of men but to be occasion of sinne to them is much worse When did you ever meet with your Brethren and had your spirits put into any heat but after your parting when you began to be coole you then saw canse to grieve for unbeseeming words carriages breakings forth of passion that there was either in you or them Sometimes in a froward debate there is more sinne committed in one houre then there is otherwise in a whole twelvemonth between those who live lovingly and sweetly together yea sometimes such corruptions are stirred by differences and divisions that one would think were not competible to a Saint namely the rejoycing in the evill of other men yea of godly men David said his zeal had ever consumed him because his enemies had forgotten Gods word but some mens zeale doe even consume them because their friends do remember Gods Word the more inoffensive they walke the more are they troubled it were endlesse to mention the uncharitablenesse wrong malice injustice oppression cruelty with the abundance of other sins that are caused by our divisions Eightly Yet further as they stirre up sinne so they harden in sinne Fire hardens the clay into a brick Thus are mens hearts hardened in evill by our divisions men who heretofore had tender spirits their hearts were redy to relent upon any brotherly admonition now they are stiffe they stand out sturdily yea behave themselves scornfully O this fire of contention hath baked their lusts hath hardned their hearts Ezek. 11. God promises to give his people one heart and this heart should be a heart of flesh While the hearts of the Saints are united they are tender but when they divide they grow hard Hence is the reason why Brethren being falne out it is so hard to convince either of them of any ill carriage they are angry they think they do well to be angry and all because their hearts are hardened Jonah was in a pettish mood his heart was hardened with it let God himself come now to convince him he stands it out he will by no meanes acknowledg himselfe faulty no what he does he will justifie he does well to be angry Ninthly there is much sinne in them for they are a meanes to keep off others from Gods wayes if this be their religion for men to quarell one with another I will have none of it Carnall hearted men use to charge Religion with all the miscarriages of the Professours of it You know what Saint Paul sayes 1 Cor. 14. If men speak with strange tongues aud there comes in one unlearned will they not be to him as Barbarians will they not say they are mad Thus when the men of the world looke upon those who professe Religion and see their carriages their wayes strange divided amongst themselves will they not think them even mad people I charge you sayes the Church Cant. 3. 5. by the Roes and by the Hindes that you stir not up my Beloved till he please This by some is interpreted thus The Roes and Hindes are shy and fearfull creatures by them are signified such as are observers of the wayes of the Church and ready to take offence at any thing they see amisse in them therefore I charge you say those who are faithfull that
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
he might tell Joseph that his heart did close much with him and if he had any opportunity to be useful to him oh what a happinesse should he think it to himselfe Surely it should be improved for the good of Joseph to the uttermost But when he was preferred when he had respect amongst great ones and Joseph still was kept low then he is not the same man that he was when he was Josephs fellow-sufferer Now he hath other things in his head Joseph is forgotten by him Where this evill is be sure God will find it out for it is an evill very grievous to his Spirit Put these together and it will appeare that it is no time now to contend whatsoever we doe at other times I remember I have read of Sir Francis Drake having a dear friend of his slaine by a bullet as he sate with him at supper Ah sayes he I could grieve for thee but now is no time for me to let down my spirits So when any shal do such things as might cause contention do you speak to your own heart Ah I find my anger stirred I could contend but now is no time for me to let my spirits rise in a contending way these times call for peace and union not for strife and debate This is the 11. aggravation we are divided in such a time as this The twelfth is we are divided notwithstanding we are all convinced of the evill of divisions We cry out exceedingly against them we tell one another that of all the tokens of Gods displeasure amongst us these are the greatest Yet scarce a man does any thing or leaves any thing undone towards any help against divisions or furtherance of our union Every man cries out of the Theefe but who stops him We all say we would have peace oh peace is an excellent thing But where is the man who is willing to be at any cost for it either in putting up any wrong which he conceives is done to himself or bearing with his brother in any thing differing from himself The Lord may justly judge us out of our own mouths 13. We have complained of others who are in place of power to be of harsh cruel dispositions We have sayd if they had been of gentle loving peaceable dispositions tendring the glory of God dearly the good of their brethren as their own what abundance of good might they have done We have thought in those times Oh if such men were in place who were then our dear brethren whom we conceived to be of holy humble sweet peaceable spirits very tender-hearted towards any they saw godlinesse in had they power in their hands what safety peace rest would the Saints have How comfortably should they goe on in their work How would they be edified praysing the Lord What a heaven upon earth should we have And yet we finde it otherwise We may say we looked for light and behold I will not say darknesse but behold dimnesse even from them for brightnesse but behold obscurity Oh how doe the carriages of these men in some degree justifie the harshnesse sowernesse domineering and cruelty of some of the Prelates We hope nothing shall ever befall us as to be such a temptation to us as to justifie their places But some of their persons are so farre justified as there is occasion given to think they were not such vile men as heretofore we thought they were For now we see what a temptation there is in having the times shine upon me in having power put into mens hands We see now that men who have other manner of principles then ever they had yet how sadly they miscarry when they come under the like temptations How can we answer Christ Jesus for these things 14. We are still divided though we have seen the wofull evils that divisions have brought upon others yet we cannot be warned by other mens harmes Those who are acquainted with Ecclesiasticall Histories may furnish themselves with Volumes in this kind Who can read that short but sowre History of the troubles at Frankford but his heart must needs bleed within him And of late what evills have almost all the Protestant party in Germany and through the Christian world suffered by divisions And yet we engage our selves in them and are every day engaging our selves more and more How deep we shall sink the Lord knowes 15. In our very labouring for union we are divided in our endeavours for peace we are at variance Nazianzen in his 12. Oration rebuking this strange miscarriage of men hath this notable expression While we would have charity we study hatred while we seek to set up the corner stone which unites the sides together we are loosned our selves we are for peace and yet we fight one with another Our wayes of late have been little else but doing and undoing yea we crosse our selves in what we would do by doing what we doe We are all full of contradictions in our own spirits and actions and we cry out of others that they are not consistent to their own principles Lastly the sin of our divisions is the greater because we make Religion to patronize them We divide from one another and all under a pretence of Religion Surely this Virgin is forced for there is nothing more contrary to the name or nature of Religion then to cause or further divisions The name carryes union strong union with it Religio à Religando from binding us againe to God and to one another after we were divided by our sin To father our wicked divisions upon Religion is no other then to bring down the Holy Ghost in the likenesse of a Dove to be like a Vultur or a Raven What spirit is it that we professe our selves to be acted by when we are working for Religion is it not the Spirit of God and is not that a Dove-like spirit although we dishonour our selves by discovering the basenesse of our own spirits by our divisions yet let us not put dishonour upon the blessed Spirit of God this makes the sin to be abhominable Nazianzen in his fore-named Oration inveighs against this in those in his time In our pleadings for the truth we sayes he belye one another as if this were the way to maintain truth CHAP. XXIX The wofull miseries that our divisions bring upon us THey are themselves fruits of the curse therefore there can come no other but cursed fruits from them except God contrary to their nature be pleased to over-rule them which he only is able to do It was the curse of God upon the ground Briars and thorns shall it bring forth It is no lesse curse of God upon mens hearts that they bring forth such briars and thorns by which they tear one another First our divisions provoke the wrath of God against us though the wrath of man accomplisheth not the righteousnesse of God yet it may accomplish the wrath of God Esay 9. 21. Manasseh against
honey but out of the perversnesse of their spirits they despised that Land and Egypt now in this froward humour of theirs must be the Land that flowed with milke and honey Oh the perversenss of mens hearts if they be but a little crossed how hard is it for God or man to please them how unworthy are such froward spirâ—ts as these to live in such a time as this to see the great work of God that he hath done for his people It is true heretofore men seemed to be more united then now there appears more differences in mens opinions and wayes then formerly but whence was it that men formerly were not at such a distance was it not because they were chained together two prisoners chained to a block keep together all day long men that are at liberty walk in the streets at a distance if the prisoners should commend their life as more comfortable then yours because they keep closer together all the day then you do would you envy their happinesse time hath been that a tyrannicall chain hath been upon us we dared not then discuss any matters of differerence with freedom if a Convocation determined it there was a chain upon us to fasten us to it now God hath given us more liberty to debate things freely that we may finde out the truth more clearly and though men while they are in their debates be at some distance one from another do not say it was better with us heretofore then it is now thou dost not speak wisely concerning this thing Surely these men who are so desirous of former times are ad servitudinem nati born to be slaves it is pitty but they should have their eares bored for slaves Secondly the ill use that others make of these divisions is to cry out of Religion preaching since there hath been so much profession and preaching we never had good world there was more love and unity before all things were more quiet neighbours were more at peace one with another This is no other then if men when Christ lived amongst them should have objected against him Since this Christ hath come amongst us we have had more trouble then we or our fore-fathers heretofore have known we were not wont to heare of men possest with the Devill so as now we do now what a noyse is there in all the countrey of men possessed with evill spirits we do not read of such things before Christs time yet do you think this was a good argument why men should wish that Christ had never come If the Devill be put into a rage now more then before it is a signe he is more opposed then he was before he possessed all in quiet before but now his Kingdome begins to shake Thirdly because of these divisions many resolve they will stand Neuters they see it is doubtfull which way things may goe seeing there are such differences we will stand by and look on till we see how they will agree by this means they do not only disert the publick Cause that is now on foot but they are in danger to be for any thing at the last or to turn Atheists Chrysostome in his Sermons upon the Acts Chap. 15. inveighs against such men as these he there makes an Apologie for the dissentions of the Christians the Heathens objected We would come to you but we know not to whom we should come one is of one mind another is of another we cannot tell what you hold you are so different from your selves Chrysostomes answer is This is but a cavill for first this hinders you not in other matters where there is difference amongst men yet you will take paines and enquire which is the right Yea secondly if you did know what you should hold yet you would not embrace it for you doe know what you should do and yet you do not do it do what you know and then aske of God and he will reveale more to you Fourthly others cry out against these men that have been most active in this common Cause putting forth themselves venturing their estates and lives and putting on others at the first these men were honoured but men did not then see what would follow they did not think that such troubles would have attended such undertakings as now they have found upon this their hearts rise against those who were the most publique spirited Had it not been say they for a few hot fiery spirited men who know not what they would have things had never come to this passe we might have been quiet These men are by some yea many looked upon as no other then disturbers men of turbulent unquiet spirits and yet they have been the means of preserving you and your posterity from slavery and of continuing the Gospell amongst you This is an ill requitall of all that willingnesse of theirs to hazard their estates and lives for your good You have cause to blesse God seeing you were of such low narrow timerous spirits your selves unfit for such a work as God had to do in the beginning of the change of these times that he raised up others and gave them enlarged resolved spirits fit for such a publique work accompanied with so many difficulties as attended upon this did they break the ice for you and do you thus requite them This is like a froward perverse patient who flies in the face of his Physitian because his Physick makes him sick Fiftly others seeing much evill come of the divisions amongst us they think there is no way to help them but by violence forcing men to yeeld to what they think is right They think they do God good service in compelling men to the same judgement and way that themselves are of This is a very ill use of them It is a new and unheard-of way of preaching sayes Gregory to require men to beleeve by blowes To go from the Divine Word to an iron Sword from the Pen to the Halbert to perswade men to beleeve is a way that Gerard. confess Cath. l. 1. p. 809. exclaims against Socrates in his Ecclesiasticall History lib. 3. cap. 21. reports of the Macedonians petitioning Jovianus the Emperour for the banishing of those who were not of their judgement in matters of religion of great moment The Emperour receiving their supplication gave them no other answer but this I tell you truly I cannot away with contention but such as embrace unity and concord I do honour and reverence them Tertullian in his book ad Scapulam cap. 2. sayes It is not the way of Religion to compell Religion which ought to be taken up willingly not by force If you should compell us sayes he to sacrifice what did you in this for your gods none desire sacrifice from those who are unwilling but such as are contentious but God is not contentious I finde in Thuanus his History lib. 16. a notable passage in a writing that the Senat of
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
of that one thing necessary the more strangely men looke upon you let your hearts be stirred up to seek with the more strength the face of God that you may never look upon it but with joy You hear harsh notes abroad such things as grieve you at the heart labour so much the more to keep the bird alwayes singing in your bosome 7. If your peace be made with God blesse God for it It is a great mercy for a man in these times of trouble to have rest in his own spirit while others are tossed up and down in the waves of contention you sit quietly in the Arke of a good conscience blessing the Lord that ever you knew him and his wayes 8. Labour to make up your want of that good and comfort you heretofore had in Christian communion with a more close and constant communion with the Lord who hath been pleased to speak peace unto you Although I have not that comfort in communion with the streams yet I may find it fully made up in the fountain 9. By way of Antiperistas let us labour to be so much the more united with the Saints by how much we see others to be divided Men make void thy Law sayes David therefore doe I love it above gold We use to put a price upon things that are rare what makes Jewels to be of that worth but for the rarity of them Unity hearty love sweetness of communion among brethren is now a very rare thing a scarce commodity let us prize it the more and you who do enjoy it bless God for it 10. The more confused broken and troublesome we see things to be the more let our hearts be stirred up in prayer to God putting him in mind of all those gracious promises that he hath made to his Church for peace and union Lord is it not part of thy Covenant with thy people that thou wilt give them one heart hast thou not said that they shall serve thee with one shoulder hast thou not told us that thou wilt make Jerusalem a quiet habitation that thou wilt take away violence that there should be no pricking bryar nor grieving thorn 11. Those whose consciences can witnesse to them that it hath been their great care not to enwrap themselves in the guilt of these divisions but they can appeale to God that they have endeavoured after peace so far as they could with a good conscience let them bless God for this mercy it is a great deliverance to be delivered from the guilt of those divisions Deut. 33. 8. Of Levi he said Let thy Vrim and Thummim be with thy holy One whom thou didst prove at Massah and with whom thou didst strive at the waters of Meribah Massah signifies tentation and Meribah contention Places and times of contention are places and times of tentation Now if God shall prove us at those places in those times and we be found upright this will bring a blessing upon us At those waters where the people murmured contending even with God himselfe Aaron though there was some weaknesse in him yet kept himselfe from being involved in the guilt of that sinne of contending with God And Sol-Jarchi with other of the Hebrewes say that the Levites were not in that sinne neither which they thinke that place Malachie 2. 5. refers unto My covenant was with him of life and peace for the feare wherewith he feared me and was afraid before my name The feare of God was upon Levi at that time he dared not contend as then others did and therefore my covenant of life and peace was and is with him We have been these three or foure yeeres at these waters of Massah and Meribah God hath tryed us How happy are those who have held out who have kept their consciences free upon whom the fear of God hath been and through that feare of his have walked before him in the wayes of truth and equity The blessing of the Covenant of Life and Peace be upon them for ever CHAP. XXXI The Cure of our Divisions VVHat gracious heart is not cut asunder with griefe for those sore and fearfull evils that there are in and come from our divisions and is not even the second time cut asunder with carefull thoughts in it selfe what may be done to heal them Mat. 6. 25. Christ forbids that carking care that cuts our hearts when it is in matters concerning our selves yea for our lives 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 take no thought for your life so it is in your bookes but the word signifies Doe not take such thought as should cut your hearts asunder so v. 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 why doe you divide your hearts and ver 31. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and ver 34. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 again But though this charge of Christ be doubled and doubled againe against our carefull dividing cutting thoughts about our selves yet for the uniting the hearts of the Saints together for the good of the Church this heart-cutting care is not onely allowed but required 1 Cor. 12. 25. That there should be no schisme in the body but that the members should have the same care one for another The words are That the members may care the same thing one for another and that with dividing cutting care that there might be no schisme in the body The word that is here for care is the same that in the former places in the 6. of Mat. is forbidden The expressions of my thoughtfull cares about this work is the subject at this time When I set my self about it my heart doth even ake within me at the apprehension of the difficulty of it There are some diseases that are called opprobria medicorum the disgraces of Physitians because they know not what to say or doe to them or if they do any thing it is to little purpose If there be any soule-disease that is opprobrium Theologorum the disgrace of Divines it is this of contention and division How little has all that they have studied and endeavoured to do prevailed with the hearts of men What shall we do Shall we but joyn in this one thing to sit down together and mourn one over another one for another till we have dissolved our hearts into teares and see if we can thus get them to run one into another Oh that it might be what sorrow soever it costs us We read Judges 2. 12. 3 4 5. the Lord sent an Angell from Gilgal to the men of Israel who told them how graciously he had dealt with them yet they had contrary to the command of God made a league with the inhabitants of the Land for which the Lord threatned that they should be as thorns in their sides When the Angell spake these words to the children of Israel the people lift up their voice and wept And they called the name of that place Boehim a place of tears Their sin was too much joyning joyning in league where God
is done our work is done for this world The second joyning Principle That shall never be got by strife that may be had by love and peace VVE would all fain have our wills now that which lies uppermost upon many mens hearts that which is the first thing they do if their wills be crossed is presently to strive and contend but this should be the last thing after all other means are tried this should never be made use of but in case of pure necessity We should first think Is there any way in the world whereby it is possible we may have our desires satisfyed with peace let us try this and another way a third a fourth yea a hundred wayes if they lye between us and the way of strife before we come to meddle with that This rule you will find of very great use to order all our businesses in Churches Common-wealths of Townes Families yea whatsoever concernes any of your persons in reference to any other The Apostle 1 Cor. 12. rebuking the divisions of that Church of which they are guilty more then any for they had many among them of raised parts of eminent gifts and therefore puffed up more then others Except God joynes eminency of grace men of eminent gifts joyne lesse then others whose gifts are meaner Among those meanes he directs for union when he speakes of love I will shew you sayes he a more excellent way ver last 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a way of the highest excellency beyond any expression The way of love of the engaging hearts one to another is the only way to bring men to unity of judgement yea the only way when all is done for men to have their wills I may give you this or the other rule to bring you to think and do the same thing but that which hath an excellency in it with an Hyperbole is the way of love If you could get your mindes by other wayes certainly you cannot enjoy it with that sweetnesse and comfort as you may if you have got it this way Marcus Cato repented that ever he went by sea when he might have gone by land it seems the skill of those times for Navigation was not great but certainly there is no man living but hath cause to repent him that ever he got that by strife contention that he might have got by love peace What hinders why soft and gentle words may not prevaile as well as hard and bitter language Why may not a loving winning carriage do as much as severe rigid violence If it may thou providest ill for thine own peace and comfort to leave this way and betake thy self to the other Tell me were it a signe of valour in a man to draw his sword at every Whappet that comes near him yea at every Fly that lights upon him Were it not folly and madnesse Why he may by putting forth his finger put them off from him Thy froward cholerick spirit is ready to draw at every thing that thou likest not This is thy folly thou mayest with lesse adoe have what thou hast a minde to If I would put a Feather from me I need not strike violently at it a soft gentle breath will do it better Why should a man labour and toyle till he sweats again to take up a pin Have none of you sometimes made a great stirre in your families about that which when the stir is a little over you plainly see you might have had as well with a word speaking and hath not your heart secretly upbraided you then Try the next time what you can do by faire and gentle meanes Why should we let the strength of our spirits run waste Let this be a constant rule never make use of severity till you have tryed what clemency will do there is more power in that to conquer the hearts of men you would faine have yeild to you then you are aware of Plutarch reports of Philip of Macedon that when one Arcadion railed on him the Courtiers would have had him dealt severely with but Philip took another course he sends for him and spake gently to him and shewed great love and respect to him upon this Arcadions heart was turned so as there was no man in the world that Arcadion spoke more honourably of then of Philip wheresoever he came After a while Philip met with those who would have him to have revenged himself upon Arcadion What say you now of Arcadion sayes he How doth he now behave himself There is no man living say they speaks better of you now then he Well then sayes Philip I am a better Physitian then you my physick hath done that which yours never would have done The like he reports of Fabius who was called the Romans Target When he heard of a souldier who was valiant yet practised with some others to go and serve the enemy he calls him to him and in stead of dealing with him in rigour tels him he had not had recompense according to his desert and gives him honourable gifts and so gaines him to be faithfull for ever And sayes he As Hunters Riders of Horses and such as tame wilde beasts shall sooner make them leave their savage and churlish nature by gentle usage and manning of them then by beating and shackling them so a governour of men should rather correct by patience gentlenesse and clemency then by rigour violence and severity None but a cruell harsh sordid spirited man will say I had rather men should fear me then love me God prizes most what he hath from us by love The third joyning Principle It is better to doe good then to receive good ACtive good is better then passive only God himselfe his Angels and Saints do good all creatures can receive good This principle would quickly joyne us for if this were in mens hearts they would study to do all the good they could to one another and so gaine upon one anothers hearts and the more good we doe to any the more will our hearts be inclinable to love them The very communication of goodnesse if it be out of a good spirit carryes the heart along with it to the subject this good is communicated to the more good God doth to any the more he loves them God hates nothing that he hath made but loves what there is in any thing of his work but when he communicates his grace his Spirit when he gives his Christ in these gifts he gives his heart they do not only come from love but they make the subject further lovely in his eyes So it is with us in our proportion if you take a poore childe from the dunghill or out of the Almes-house and make him your heyre you do not only do this good to him because you love dim but you also love him more because you look upon him as an object of your goodnesse as one raised by you Titus accounted that day lost a day
bellum that Souldier is a murtherer that sheds bloud not in reference to peace The Swords and Ensignes of Souldiers should have this Motto upon them Sic quaenimus pacem Thus we seek Peace Hercules his Club was made of the Olive the emblem of Peace The ninth joyning Principle No man shall ever be mine enemy that is not more his owne then mine yea more the enemy of God then mine IF a man offends me meerly through weakness this is his affliction in this he is neither an enemy to himself nor me he mourns for it and I will pitty him in his mourning he is more troubled for what he hath done then I have cause to be for what I have suffered If he offends willingly and purposely he is his own enemy more then mine When Latimer was cousened in buying a commodity his friends telling him how he was cheated of his money he fell a mourning for him that had cheated him He hath the worst of it sayes he If my heart rises against a man in this and I seek to oppose him in his way it may very well be interpreted to be out of love to him for my heart rises against his enemy I oppose his enemy even himself but an enemy to himself more then to me he hath hurt me a little but himself more I am troubled a little for the wrong I suffer but more for the evill he hath done If his wayes be enmity to God I will oppose him because I love God and no farther then wherein I may manifest my love to God rather then hatred of him When Servetus condemned Zuinglius for his harshness he answers In other things I will be milde but not so in Blasphemies against God Let us keep our enmity within these bounds and the peace of God will not be broke The tenth joyning Principle I had rather suffer the greatest evill then doe the least IF when others wrong you you care not what you do to right your self This is your folly and madness Such a one hurt me and I will therefore mischief my self he hath pricked me with a pin and I will therefore in an anger run my knife into my side If in all we suffer we be sure to keep from righting our selves by any wayes of sin there will not be much peace broke Such an one is thine enemy and wilt thou of one enemy make two wilt thou also be an enemy to thy self yea a greater enemy then he or any man living can be to thee for all the men in the world cannot make thee sin except thou wilt thy self The eleventh joyning Principle I will labour to do good to all but provoke none A Father hath not so much power over his child as to provoke him Col. 3. 21. Fathers provoke not your children to wrath Surely if a man hath not this power over his child he hath it not over his friend his neighbour much less his superiour yet how many take delight in this Such a thing I know will anger him and he shall be sure to have it Oh wicked heart dost thou see that this will be a temptation to thy brother and wilt thou lay it before him dost thou not pray for thy self and for him Lord lead us not into temptation we should accout it the greatest evill to us of all the evill of afflictions to be any occasion of sin to our brother but what an evil should this be to us to provoke our brother to sin if we will needs be provoking then let the Apostles exhortation prevaile with us Heb. 10. 24. Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works Let us not consider one another in a way of curiosity and emulation to envy or find fault with one another from whence frowardness pride hatred dissentions factions may arise saith Hyperius upon the place but consider one another so as we may further the good of one another so as to make one another quick and active in that which is good The twelfth joyning Principle Peace with all men it is good but with God and mine owne conscience it is necessary BUt how will this joyn us one to another Answ Very much both as it holds forth the goodness of peace with all men and as it carryes the heart strongly to the making and keeping peace with God and a mans own conscience This peace with God and a mans own conscience will so sweeten the heart that it cannot but be sweet towards every one a man who hath satisfaction enough within can easily bear afflictions and troubles that come without When Saul had made great breaches between God and his soul and in his own conscience then he grew to be of a very froward spirit towards every man before his Apostacy he was of a very meek and quiet spirit but this sowred his spirit and made it grow harsh rugged and cruell This is the cause of the frowardness of many men and women in their families and with their neighbours there are secret breaches between God and their own consciences The thirteenth joyning Principle If I must needs erre considering what our condition is here in this world I will rather erre by too much gentlenesse and mildnesse then by too much rigour and severity MAns nature is more propense to rigour then to lenity but the account of overmuch lenity is easier then of too much rigour Men who are of harsh sowre spirits themselves are ready to think that God is so too As the Lacedaemonians because they were of a warlike disposition they represented their Gods all armed But God is love there is anger and hatred in God as well as love but God is never said to be anger or hatred no not justice it self but he loves that expression of himself to the children of men God is love If God intended that all things amongst men either in Church or Common-wealth should be carryed with strictnesse of justice he would rather have governed his Church and the World by Angels who have right apprehensions of justice who are themselves perfect altogether free from those evils that are to be punished then by men whose apprehensions of justice are exceeding weak unconstant partiall as often false as true and have much of that evill in themselves that they judge in others The last joyning Principle Peace is never bought too deare but by sin and basenesse VVE use to say We may buy Gold too deare and so we may Peace but whatsoever we pay for it beside sinne and baseness we have a good bargain Suidas tells of the Emperour Trajan that he would cut his own cloaths to binde up the wounds of his Souldiers We should be very pitifull to souldiers who are wounded to keep us whole We should binde up their wounds though it cost us dear but especially our care should be to bind up those wounds that by divisions are made in Church and Common-wealth and well may we
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
Faith gets above and sayes It shall be I descry land and thus quiets all in the soule all being quiet there the turbulent motions that are in our spirits one towards another are soon quieted 3. Humility COloss 3. 12. Put on as the elect of God bowels of mercies kindnesse humblenesse of minde Ephes 4. 2. With all lowlinosse and meeknesse and long-suffering forbearing one another in love endeavouring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace Phil. 2. 3. Let nothing be done through strife or vain-glory but in lowlinesse of minde let each esteeme others better then himselfe We may say of Humility as Tertullus Acts 24 said of Felix By thee we enjoy great quietnesse An humble heart looks upon every truth of God as infinitely above it selfe therefore it is willing to receive it from any a child may lead it Esay 11. 6. One Baldassar a German Divine writing to Oecolampadius hath this notable expression Let the Word of the Lord come let it come and we will put under six hundred necks if we had them Such a disposition as this would make much for peace Esay 32. 18 19. we have a promise that the people of God should dwell in a peaceable habitation and in quiet resting places and the City shall be low in a low place When the heart lyes lowest it is quietest 4. Self-denyall THe joynts in the body cannot joyne but one part must be hollow and give way to the other Condescention of one to another is a principall thing in friendship Philip. 2. the example of Christ emptying himselfe and making himselfe to be of no reputation is set before us as an argument for our union that therefore we should doe nothing through strife be like minded having the same love and be of one accord and one minde It is indifferent to a heart emptyed of Selfe whether it conquers or be conquered so Truth may triumph In other conflicts the Conquerour hath the honour and the conquered is disgraced but in the conflicts for truth both conquered and conquerour are honourable the mercy is the greater to him that is conquered but he must have a self-denying heart to make him think so 5. Patience THe Olive the Embleme of Peace will continue greene though overflowne by the waters for a long time together After Noah had been so long in the Ark the Dove brought an Olive leafe in her mouth to him It may be an Emblem of Patience as well as Peace Patience and Peaceableness are neere akin Ephes 4. 2 3. Long-suffering is amongst the graces where the unity of the spirit is to be kept in the bond of peace There is a notable story I finde in the lives of the German Divines One Vitus Theodorus a Divine sends to advise with Melancthon what he should do when Osiander preached against him Melancthon writes to him and beseeches him for the love of God yea charges him that he should not answer Osiander again but that he should hold his peace and behave himself as if he heard nothing Vitus Theodorus writes back again This was very hard yet he would obey Let not men be too hasty to oppose oppositions but let them go on patiently in a constant way resolving to bear what they meet with and God at length will make their righteousness break forth as the light Confute evill reports by thy life He that knowes not to beare calumnies reproaches injuries he knowes not how to live sayes Chytraeus another German Divine 6. Joy in the holy Ghost ROm. 14. 17. The Kingdome of heaven is righteousness peace joy in the holy Ghost This grace in the heart puts a grace upon all a mans conversation it makes it lovely and amiable The beames of the Sunne shining upon the fire will put it out The beams of this spirituall joy will put out the fire of our passions 7. Meeknesse Gentlenesse MIlk quenches wild-fire Oyle sayes Luther quenches Lime which water sets on fire Opposition will heat will fire men when meeknesse and gentlenesse will still and quench all Cicero sayes Sweetnesse of speech and rarriage is that which seasons friendship severity in every thing and sadnesse must not be among friends in their converse such a kinde of carriage may have a seeming gravity but friendship must have a remisness it must be more free and sweet disposed to all mildness and easiness Ephes 4. 2 3. Meekness comes in as a speciall grace for peace and unity so Col. 3. 12. 8. Love THat is the speciall uniting grace Faith indeed hath the preheminence in our union with Christ our head but Love is the grace that unites the members 1 Cor. 13. the Apostle shews many of the fruits of this grace all tending to union and peace It suffers long it envies not it is not puffed up it behaves not it selfe unseemly it seeketh not her owne it is not easily provoked thinketh no evill beareth all things believeth all things hopeth all things endureth all things Bearing all things and enduring all things seem to be the same Therefore some would have it it covereth all things for so the word also signifies but there is a greater elegancy in it in the Translation beareth all things it is like the crosse maine beam in a house supporting the whole building and were it not for some who have the love of God and his truth and the good of the publiquâ— enabling them to undergo what they do more then any encouragement from men all things in Church and State would be ready to fall into confusion to be nothing but a heap of rubbish but this love enables to beare all things But if they have no encouragement but see that though they hazard themselves never so much be of never so great use do the greatest services that can be expected from men yet when mens turns are served they are little regarded but envyed and narrowly watched to spy out any thing that may have some shew of excepting against them and left to shift for themselves as well as they can when they might justly expect a great reward of their services yet are disappointed their hearts are grieved But yet because they are acted by a principle of love to God his cause the publique they therefore still hold out go on in their way labour to be as instrumentall as they can for good commit themselves and all their endeavours to God expecting encouragement from him and so they endure all things such men are worth their weight in gold here is a heart that hath much of the spirit of God in it God is love and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him No marvell though these men act so swiftly in their way no marvell though their motion in publick service be so speedy for their Charet is like that Charet of Salomons Cant. 3. 10. The middle thereof is paved with love and this is for the daughters of
to the precious blood of the Lord Away therefore will you adde impiety to your sinne doe not think much to come under that discipline which the Lord commands Upon this the Emperour goes back to his Palace with sighing and teares and spent eight moneths in mourning and lamentation and yet after this he was not received by Ambrose till againe being sharply reprehended he cast himselfe downe in the porch upon the pavement bewailing his sinne and rising up he was about to sit in the Chancel where the Emperours seat was he was required to goe forth into the place of penitents With the like yea more boldnesse he dealt with Ruffinus a great Courtier the Master of the Emperours Horse Here behold a man of a moderate quiet spirit yeeldable in what he could yet when he conceived himselfe interessed in the Cause of Christ his courage raises him above the feares or favours of men The seventh joyning practice If you will needs be striving strive who shall doe one another most good who shall engage one another in the most and greatest offices of love THis is a good combate such striving as this is God and his blessed Angels looke upon and take much delight in I find a notable story in the life of Alexander the Great which may put on and encourage Christians in such a combat as this There was a great King in India his name was Taxiles who on a time came to salute Alexander and said unto him What should we need to fight and make Wars one with another if thou commest not to take away our water and our necessary commodity to live by for which things men of judgement must needs fight as for other goods if I be richer then thee I am ready to give thee of mine and if I have lesse I will not think scorn to thank thee if thou wilt give me some of thine Alexander being pleased to hear him speak thus wisely embraced him and said unto him Thinkest thou that this meeting of ours can be without fight for all these goodly fair words No no thou hast won nothing by them for I will fight and contend with thee in honesty and curtesie because thou shalt not exceed me in bounty and liberality So Alexander took divers gifts of him but gave more to him Oh that our contentions were turned into such contentions as these are Let us rejoyce in any opportunity of doing any office of love to those we differ from yea to those who have wronged us It was wont to be said of Arch-Bishop Cranmer If you would be sure to have Cranmer doe you a good turne you must doe him some ill one for though he loved to doe good to all yet especially he would watch for opportunities to doe good to such as had wronged him Had we but a few leading men of such spirits among us how great a blessing of peace might we enjoy The eighth joyning Practice Let every man be diligent in that work that God calls him to STudy to be quiet and to doe your owne businesse and to worke with your owne hands as we commanded you 1 Thess 4. 11. It is not an arbitrary thing the command of God lyes upon it I am verily perswaded that many of our divisions in opinion and otherwise our hard thoughts one of another are raised and fomented by such as want imployment Hence they go about from place to place arguing disputing jangling about things they understand not and yet think themselves to have a deeper insight then ordinary I would be loath to adde to the affliction of those who by the rage of the enemy have been put out of their imployments and are come for shelter amongst us God forbid that I should willingly grieve them their case is to be pittied we are to succour comfort and helpe them what we can but yet I desire them withall to take heed of a temptation they may be under and think not of it in this their want of imployment now they are here they meet with variety of company with all sorts of people and having too much time to spare the Devill may soon and unawares to them prevaile to cause an itching desire in them after this opinion and the other this and the other way which having taken their hearts they carry up and down what they heare and what apprehensions they have of things and persons pleading and arguing for that they have but sleight and sudden apprehensions of and by arguing the thing gets down into their spirits before it be thoroughly examined and understood and being got down there then it must needs be maintained and so a spirit of contention rises in them and seeds of contention are sowne among others It may be some of your callings are low and mean and that may possibly be your discouragement but let it not be so for there may be as much obedience to God in thy faithfulness in that mean calling of thine as in the highest and most honourable imployment upon earth yea thy reward may be as great for God looks at faithfulnesse in the work not the greatnesse of the work Let every man know sayes Luther that his work in any godly kind of life is a divine worke because it is the worke of a divine call having Gods command for it The ninth In all strivings with men have a care that due respect to their persons be kept as much as may be IT is very observable when God in the manifestation of his displeasure against the Devill in the Serpent cursed him Then he sayes cursed be thou but when he would manifest it against Simeon and Levi it is not Cursed be ye or Cursed be they but Cursed be their anger for it was fierce and their rage for it was cruell You may be bitter against mens sinne so be it you show due respect to their persons by denying that respect you might and ought to give to mens persons you deprive your self of that liberty which otherwise you might take in opposing their sinne which is the thing you say you ayme only at The tenth Labour to get good by the wrongs that are done us IF we found God blessing them to us for good our hearts will be very moderate towards those that have done them The over-ruling providence of God turning the wrong that Josephs brethren had done him to so much good took off Iosephs spirit from practising any evill against them but when this good shall come to us by the exercise of our own graces it will be more prevalent to quiet and moderate our spirits Philip of Macedon thanked some great men of Athens who had brought up ill reports of him because both in speech and life he was the better labouring by words and deeds to prove them liars the best answer to ill reports is to live contrary to them The eleventh Turne your zeale from working one against another to zeale for God YOu will say Are workes of
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