those Religious Acts neither is there any thing so indifferent but may by some Circumstances become unlawful either to greater numbers or to particular persons in regard of their different apprehensions of it The Superiour is as much obliged by the Law of charity as the Inferiour and cannot set a step in that way wherein he cannot walk charitably Besides Christians observation that there is no president either in the Old Testament or New of Superiours either in Church or State taking away that liberty of people which God had left them in matters relating to their homage to God is no small Topick to persuade them that as the Superiour hath no right to do it so if they should submit to it they should too easily part with that Liberty which God hath left them and with which Christ hath made them free This makes this thing necessary to a Churches unity peace and the not leaving things of this nature in that state wherein it hath seemed good to the wisdom of God to leave them in this seems a deviation from the Divine Rule Because it is a deviation from the practice of all the good Kings of Gods ancient people and the practice of Paul and the Apostles who instead of determining the liberty God gave the Jews for a time as to the practice or not practice of the ceremonial usages strongly asserted it and reflected upon those converted Jews that condemned some of their brethren or the Christians of the Gentiles for their using such a liberty This very thing hath been a bone of contention amongst us for more than an hundred years nor do I see any way to our unity but our return to the Divine Rule in this thing Superiours have a full work and more than we could ever see universally well done to inforce the commands of God upon people that will not take upon them those easy yokes and need not incumber themselves or their Subjects consciences where it hath pleased the all-wise God to leave them at liberty A man may keep a day holy to the Lord and give God thanks another may not keep it to the Lord and yet give God thanks The Apostle determines so when God hath left men two ways by either of which they may equally honour God why should men leave them but one Just Liberty and Vnity are inseparable things as well in matters of Religion as in civil matters Oh! that this thing so much concerning our peace might not upon this opportunity be hid from our Eyes 2. A Second thing whereby we have fomented divisions by a deviation from the Divine Rule is by judging and censuring anothers Servants Who art thou saith the Apostle Rom. 14. 4. that judgest another mans Servant Rom. 14. 4. To his own Master he standeth or falleth In civil and secular things men may be the Servants of men but in matters of Conscience men are only the Servants of God the fear of God must not be learned by the mere precepts of men what a common thing hath it been with us to judge and censure our brethren in these cases as Schismaticks ungovernable rebellious c Those that use these methods have not known the way of peace And till we return to the Apostles rule Rom. 14. 13. Let us not therefore judge one Rom. 14. 13. another any more but judge this rather that no man put a stumbling Block or an occasion to fall in his Brothers way I can look for no Vnity When we can leave judging and censuring reviling and speaking evil of our Brethren of the same Religion and Nation as going in the broad way to Hell because they go in a narrower way toward Heaven than we judge necessary or because they just tread not in the prints of our Feet observing still their faces Sion ward we may hope for something of Vnity But while such uncharitable thoughts and speeches continue amongst us as if we had a monopoly of the Holy Spirit of God I cannot but expect they should naturally produce all kind of uncharitable actions Oh! that we could remember what the Apostle hath taught us Jam 4. Jam. 4. 12. 12. that in matters of Conscience There is but one Law-giver who is able to save and to destroy and who art thou that judgest another If we would but see it we have most of us something of the worst of Popery within us viz. arrogating to our selves an infallibility with this difference to our disadvantage The Papists claim it only for the Pope We would every one have it for our selves or at least for all Superiours for if thou beest not infallible how comest thou to judge thy Brother who hath as much right to judge thee as thou hast to judge and censure him The Judgment of Prophaneness Debauchery Blasphemy Idolatry and Heresy too in matters necessary to be believed in order to Salvation is easie but the Judgment of Schism Hypocrisie overmuch preciseness is not so easie The guilt of those things depends much upon the Complexion of the particular Conscience and should be left unto him who searcheth the Heart and tryeth the Reins of Men. 3. A third thing whereby we have fomented Divisions by a Deviation from the Divine Rule Is a not walking together in things wherein we are agreed because of some things in which we are not agreed That we may walk together in nothing because we are not agreed in all things is one of the wildest and most dividing Notions a Christian can entertain directly contrary to the Apostolical Rule Phil. 3. 16. Nevertheless whereto we Phil. 3. 16. have already attained let us walk by the same Rule let us mind the same thing He walks with his Brother far enough who walks with him as far as the shooes of the Gospel will carry him and he is very uncharitable who because his Brother is willing to walk this one Mile with him will force him to walk two I mean as far as every 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ordinance of Man would carry him 4. A fourth thing is an over-eagerness to propagate our own particular Opinions There are very few Christians but have their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their particular Opinions and Judgments in some things not necessary to be believed or done in order to Salvation but every Christian is not bound to propagate such Notions especially if the Unity and Peace of a Church will be broken and endanger'd by it This is plainly the Apostles Rule Host thou Rom. 14. 22. Faith that is hast thou a Persuasion of the truth of a Notion wherein the generality of the Church wherewith thou walkest differeth from thee Have it to thy self before God Keep thy particular Notion to thy self and live up to it in the presence of God but do not for it disturb the Peace and Unity of others Every Proposition of Truth is not of that moment as to ballance the breach of a Churches Peace and Unity It is a strange
love and ready in love to serve one another in love By this Pride is avoided by which alone cometh contention saith Solomon Love argues that a Man thinks of himself as he ought to think as a poor fallible Person that may be mistaken as well as his Neighbour and therefore can love his Neighbour tho' he be not in all things of his Mind and doth not in all things follow him Envy malice hatred thinking evil of and wishing evil to his Neighbour are all avoided by this dwelling together in Unity Since we in England have broke loose from this Rule observe into what Exorbitances we have fallen and debauched our selves to a degree hardly to be believed of Christians from hence have come our new phrased Healths to the Damnation Confusion of others Blessed God! were ever such things heard of before amongst a People that ever owned Christ or his Gospel But it is no wonder that Men who have not so far learned Christ as to love one another but think every little difference in an Opinion or Practice a sufficient ground to hate another should be so far taught by the Devil as to hate one another and wish the worst of Evils to them contrary to all Rules of Humanity as well as Christianity Let me further add these are not only Sins but of all Sins the blackest next to Blasphemy against God and his Holy Spirit Our Saviour Math. 5. hath taught us that they fall under the Prohibition of that Precept Thou shalt do no Murther and his beloved Disciple tells us after him That he who hateth his Brother is a Murtherer and no Murtherer hath Eternal life 3. By this life much advantage is taken away from our grand Adversary The Apostle tells us 1 Pet. 5. 8. Our Adversary the Devil goeth about like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devour He is a cruel Adversary therefore compared to a Lion a roaring Lion one seeking whom he may devour He is a diligent Adversary not like a Lion in his Den that needs one to rouse him up he is up going about and seeking for his Prey yea he is also a subtil Adversary that hath Wiles Methods Devices nor doth he take a greater advantage of any thing than the coilings of our Passions The Apostle was jealous of his taking advantage of the Corinthians 2 Cor. 2. 11. upon this account he there adviseth the 2 Cor. 2. 11. restoring the incestuous Person upon his Repentance If you ask me what Advantages the Devil is spoiled of by this life of Unity I answer all the Advantages that he hath from hatred to move us to do unto others what we would not be willing they should do us whether by Word or Deed. It is the Precept of the Apostle 1 Tim. 5. 14. Give no occasion to the Adversary The 1 Tim. 5. 14. Evil Spirits discerning the want of love in us giveth him a fair advantage to tempt us to revile nickname him wound his Reputation to rejoice in Evil betiding him to spoil him of his Goods his Life c. Fourthly 4. This living together in Unity opens a door for great spiritual advantage one to another I will open this but in Four things 1. It is the nearest way to bring us to Vnion in Judgment and Opinion and so to a perfect communion each with other We have been these many years complaining of Separation calling for Peace and Vnion But what courses have we taken to bring it about Each Party hath been disputing for his differing Notion and where this hath been done nervously and calmly the most rational means hath been used but we have seen little good effect of it by reason of Mens Pride and Prejudice we have rather contended for Mastery than for Truth Another parcel of Men have fell to railing and reviling calling Men Schismaticks Hereticks Papists Formalists now this hath been just as proper a means to bring Men to dwell together in Vnity as it would be to persuade others to live in the same House with us to call them Knaves and give them all the brutish Language we could Of late we have thought nothing would do it but Violence and accordingly we have been filling Gaols rifling Houses c. Thus the Spaniard hath got an Unity where he hath to do by depopulating his Country Had we in stead of these fiery counsels but agreed in this That whether we agreed in every Notion or no or met at the same place to worship God by the same Rites yea or no we would unite in Counsels for the Glory of God and the good of the Community in which we are involved and be ready to do all offices of love one to another we might by this time have better understood one another and all that truly agreed in the same end of glorifying God would probably long ere this time have agreed in the directest means in order thereunto I am sure we have hitherto took the wrong way to peace 2. It would open a great Door for the conversion of others I do not mean Conversion to an Opinion that 's a lamentable thing but conversion from Sin unto God. Upon this Argument the great Apostle of the Gentiles persuades the believing Wife to abide with the unbelieving 1 Cor. 3. 16. Husband and the believing Husband to abide with the unbelieving Wife What knowst thou O Wife but that thou may'st save thy Husband c. God is love and so much the God of love and the worst Men have so right a Notion of God in this case That they cannot believe God is amongst a Society of Men where is nothing but fighting and scratching railing at and reviling of one another who yet are in Religion Brethren It maketh some so Mad that they will rather choose to go to Hell than to Heaven with such Company as they say the Indian did rather than to keep the Spaniard company to Heaven Offices of Love are a great part of those good Works to which the Apostle Peter 1 Pet. 2. 12. exhorts that others may see them and glorifie God in the day of their Visitation The Papists who have as little reason as any to boast of it make Vnity the note of a true Church The truth is they have no Vnity but what is the product of Tyranny I doubt not but there is many a Soul in Heaven to whom the ancient brotherly love amongst Christians was a great means to bring them thither and many a Soul in Hell to whom the discords and violences of Christians one against another hath been a great occasion of their keeping in that broad Way that leads to that bottomless pit 3. It opens a Door for all those mutual spiritual assistances by which one Christian may be advantaged by another whether they be Instructions Counsels Admonitions Reproofs c. That they are our Duty appears from Colos 3. 16. Gal. 6. 1. 2 Thess 3. 15. Now where Men dwell not together in that Vnity I
eagerness we shall observe in some to propagate an Opinion wherein they differ from others and what a stress they lay upon it as if no Salvation were to be had without their Faith no Communion to be kept with any otherwise minded to them this will perpetuate division to the Worlds end 5. A 5th Error of Men hath been caused by a deviation of men from that Rule which Solomon gives us Prov. 3. 5. Prov. 3. 5. Lean not too much to thine own understanding Humility will teach us to think that others may have the Spirit of God as well as we and nothing but Pride can prompt us to think that we are the only Persons that cannot be deceived It is true every one must so far lean upon his own understanding as to live and walk according to the dictate of his own Conscience and speak and act as he believeth but he is not so far to lean upon it as to censure and condemn all those that are not of his mind 6. A sixth Error which hath broken our Unity hath been our contending for truth but not in love This is Eph. 4. 15. also contrary to the Apostles Precept 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Truthing in love that is maintaining the Truth or practising what you judge Truth in Love. Some Men indeed are so fond of their Notion that they will not indure a word to be said against them this is an over-fondness but there are many that cannot bear a deriding them or reviling them for maintaining such a Notion or being of such a Party If a man strive saith the Apostle he is not Crowned except he strive lawfully To gain a truth with the loss of love is a very ill Victory if the Notion of Truth be not such as Salvation and Damnation depends upon an assent to or a dissent from it Nor is there more need of quarrels in these strivings than there is of Mens Enmity one to another because they are enforced to try a title at Law one with another whiles one Man thinks an Estate is his right which the other judgeth his which would make all going to Law a very sinful thing But there is no need of any such Enmity while both are or should consent to this That they desire the Estate may be his whose the Legal right is whiles in this case all Christians desire that the Truth of God might prevail What is their arguing and disputing but a Tryal at the Bar of Scripture and Reason what is Truth in the case what needs any breach of Charity for this If which all will pretend to Men did sincerely desire that what is truth might obtain but the mischief is bottomed in Mens insincerity in those pretences and unwillingness to be convinced 7. A seventh deviation from the Divine Rule which hath caused our breaches Is a not bearing one anothers Infirmities directly contrary to the Apostles determination Rom. 15. 1. We then that are strong ought to bear Rom. 15. 1. the Infirmities of the weak and not to please our selves All Men have their infirmities some in their understanding some in their Passions every one cannot apprehend things that are true with that clearness as others can contrary to the judgment of their own Consciences in the things of God they cannot act What then must we therefore hate them and malign them and seek their ruin is this a bearing with their Infirmities Besides there are many Propositions of Truth the Truth of which will not be evident till the Day of Judgment and that day will determine in such cases who are the strong and who the weak But Men are so for pleasing themselves that they can bear no Contradictions no Disputings of their Sentiments Hence are the breaches of this Unity which produce so much unhappiness to a People as the maintaining of it would produce happiness 8. I shall add but one thing more That is A not marking those who unnecessarily make divisions and avoiding them This is also contrary to the Apostles rule Rom. 16. 17. Mark them which make divisions amongst Rom. 16. 17. you contrary to the Doctrine which you have learned and avoid them Those make unnecessary divisions that divide where no Law of God obligeth them to divide to secure the peace of their own Consciences A Man is obliged to follow the dictate of his own Conscience and to do what that tells him God's Word obligeth him to do and to avoid what that tells him would be Sin unto him All other Divisions are unnecessary Now all these ought to be marked and avoided as the common Enemies of Humane Society a returning to those Rules which God's Word hath left us is the only way I know to bring us to that Happiness which the Vnion of Brethren will bring us to I will add but 4 things more which shall be more extensive for the avoiding of breaches upon civil accounts and so conclude my Discourse 1. Those that would dispose themselves to live in Vnity one with another must prepossess themselves with this That there is none but must have their allowances Nemo sine crimine vivit saith the Poet Optimus ille qui minimis urgetur He is not the best Man who hath no Faults but he that hath fewest He will hardly be able to keep a Friend in the World who hath not learn'd this but resolves to quarrel with him upon every offence Hence it is that the forbearance of one another is in Scripture pressed so often upon Christians as their duty Eph. 4. 2. Colos 3. 13. where forgiving one another is also added He that cannot both forbear and forgive will not long keep in Vnity with any 2. Study Humility and a mean opinion of your selves The humble Man is commonly reconciled to the world Solomon tells us That only by pride cometh contention He that must exalt himself and his own Sentiments above all other Mens will hardly find any but Flatterers long agreeing with him 3. Avoid Self seeking It is an admirable direction of the Apostle Let no man seek his own but anothers wealth 1 Cor. 10. 24. He that only seeketh himself loveth himself alone and must be contented to be loved by himself alone 4. Above all Hatred Malice Envy and all peevish Passions must be mortified The Apostle speaks of these as things which he supposeth all good Christians to have put off and mortified Indeed they are all works of the Flesh directly opposite to this work and fruit of the Spirit I shall now conclude Begging of God to bring us to such a temper that we may arrive at such an Happiness FINIS A Catalogue of Books Printed for and are to be Sold by Edw. Giles Bookseller in Norwich near the Market-Place SEveral Discourses concerning Actual Providence A Word in Season Defenswe Armour against four of Satan's most fiery Darts Sermons upon the whole first and second Chapter of the Canticles Thirteen Sermons upon several useful Subjects all Published by John Collins D. D. of Norwich The way of the Spirit in bringing Souls to Christ The Glory of Christ set forth with the necessity of Faith in several Sermons both by Mr. Thomas Allen late Pastor of a Church at Norwich Enoch's Walk with God and Christ a Christian's Gain by Mr. Timothy Armitage late Minister at Norwich A Discourse of the preciousness of Christ and of the preciousness of Faith. Precious Promises the Portion of Overcomers Sermons on five several useful Subjects all by Mr. John Lâ—â—gher Minister in Norfolk The Saints Ehenezer by Mr. Francis English late Minister in Norwich Directions to spell English right The History of the Protestant Reformation as it was begun by Luther The Dead Saint speaking being a Sermon preached upon the Death of Mr. Neâ—comb of Dedham in Essex The English Presbyterian The Miracles of Christ The ordinary matter of Prayer drawn into Questions and Answers Two Treatises the first Rejoycing in the Lord Jesus in all Cases and Conditions The second Of a Christian's Hope in Heaven and Freedom from Condemnation by Christ both by Mr. Robert Asty late Minister of Jesus Christ in Norwich Obedience to Magistrates recommended in a Sermon preached September the 9th 1683. being the Thanksgiving Day for His Majesties Deliverance by Jonathan Clapham Rector of Wramplingham in Norfolk A Present for Youth and an Example for the Aged Two Discourses one of Spiritual Blessings the other That God hath an high account of the least Grace in the Saints by Mr. John Cromwell late Pastor of a Church of Christ in Norwich Infant Baptism of Christ's Appointment by Mr. Samuel Petto Minister of the Gospel in Sudbury in Suffolk Of the Conversion of Sinners to God in Christ the necessity nature means and signs of it with a concluding Speech to the Unconverted by Martin Finch a Servant of Christ in the Work of the Gospel in the City of Norwich Sincerity or the upright Man's Walk to Heaven delivered in several Sermons in the Parish Church of St. Michael in Long-stratton in Norfolk by James-Oldfield late Minister there Alexipharmacon Spirituale Being a Defensative against the Poison and Sting of Death Or The great Expedient how to make the Bed of the Grave so easie that we may lye down in Peace and take our Rest By S. Snowden