dark and deep Mysteries little doubtful Truths and ambiguous Words and Phrases no longer occasion any Brawls or Contentions where Luther and Calvin and all the Saints of God perfectly accord together speak the same Language join in the same Praises and pleasingly entertain and embrace one another with all the endearments of intimate Friends and Companions And as we long for this Blessed State so 't is our great Duty and will be our Happiness to let down as much of Heaven on Earth as we can to anticipate our future joys by an enlarged love towards all Saints and being at Peace among our selves III. General Directions for the maintaining and promoting of Peace 1. Remove the Causes of unpeaceableness the Effects will not be taken away except the Causes cease This Disease will prove Mortal and still Torment us except the Fuel that feeds it be taken away except that Generation of Vipers be slain which hath for so many Ages torn out the Bowels of our Common Mother the Church we must never expect our wide breaches will be healed I shall therefore take a short view of those Distempers that have so miserably infected us that the discovery may help to their Cure and restore the primitive healthful Temper of Christianity and while I mention the Achans that have sickned our Camp and infected our Israel I beseech you that you would cast them out of your Hearts and have no fellowship with these unfruitful Works of Darkness Be ashamed of complaining for want of Peace if you wilfully cherish that poysonous Brood that will otherwise prove your ruin 1. Unmortifyed Sin Ungodliness is the great Divider and till we are partakers of the same sanctifying Spirit 't is impossible we should love as Brethren 'T is as possible for the Wolf to lie down with the Lamb as for Wicked Men to love the truly Godly While we will not work in the same Vineyard nor walk in the same way nor chuse the same Imployment nor delight in the same Spiritual Duties how can it be possible to agree together 'T is a vain thing to pretend agreement in Articles of Faith while we will not lovingly agree in practical Holiness 'T is highly unreasonable for wicked Wretches to rail against Christians like Ahab against Elijah as Troublers of Israel when they themselves are the Grand Incendiaries These Men like Nero of old cast Firebrands into the Sanctuary and then lay their guilt at true Christians Doors They hold the most damnable Errors and practical Heresies and thus render Union impossible They pretend pity to the Wounded Church and yet throw away the Salve and Plaister that should cure it They complain that the Garment of Christ is rent and yet throw away the Needle that should sow it up They pretend to be grieved to see the spiritual Building shaking yet throw away the Lime and Mortar the Pins and the Nails that should cement and join the Parts together Thus do they who cry up Love and Unity and yet hate Holiness wherein Christian Union consists To hear an Ungodly Man who is really of no Religion at all but against the life and practice of all cry out of the many ways of Religion among Christians is as if a Blackmoor should blame another for a Spot in his Face or a Murderer rebuke a Man for an angry Word Follow Peace therefore with all Men and Holiness without which no Man shall see the Lord Heb. 12. 14. 2. Pride This we find already arraigned by the wisest of Men as the great Makebate and Troubler of the World Prov. 13. 10. Only by Pride cometh Contention As this is true of Civil Strifes so more especially of Religious or rather Irreligious Jars and Contentions Men are so Wise in their own Conceits that they are angry with every one that is not of the same level and impatient of Contradiction while many are very hot in Exclamations against the Political Antichrist they observe not this Antichristian Temper in themselves they are justly offended at others for usurping God's Prerogative sitting in his Throne and claiming a Title of Infallibility but do not these Fools envy the Pope and like Adam desire to be God's that their Name may be honour'd and their Will be done through the Earth Let us therefore entertain an humble suspicion of our own Understandings remembring that an over confident persuasion of our own Knowledge is a certain sign of Ignorance and he that thinks he knows most is commonly most mistaken 'T was not for nothing that the wisest of Men doth so frequently give that caution Be not Wise in thy own Conceit Prov. 3. 3. 26. 12. 3. Censoriousness The censorious Backbiter is the Devils Minister to Preach down Love abate Charity and exhort to the hatred of the Brethren Have not our unnatural heats been owing to this original Are not we too apt to censure those that agree not with us in every punctilio and readily take up an evil Report against them Is not this contrary to the lovely Grace of Charity which thinketh no Evil misconstrues not the Actions and Intentions of others rejoyceth not in Iniquity but believeth all things and hopeth all things is unapt to believe ill without apparent grounds and hopes as long as there is any reason for hope 4. Undue admiration of particular Persons or Parties This was the Corinthian Error that divided and miserably shattered that flourishing Church one liked the powerful plainness of Paul another the eloquence of Apollos and a third the perspicuity of Peter and a fourth was above all outward Ordinances pretending to the immediate Teachings of Christ. Upon this they vilified all others except those that they had set up for an Oracle We may suppose them disputing one with another after this manner One I am of Paul did you ne'er hear Paul Preach how clearly doth he unfold the deep Mysteries of Salvation how sweetly doth he display the unsearchable Riches of Christ how convincingly doth he argue and how excellently doth he direct in the way to Salvation As for Apollos he guilds over his Discourses with specious Eloquence and gaudy Bravery but Paul shews the truth in the plainest Dress which best becomes her and as for Cephas he is indeed fit to Catechize weak and ignorant Christians but he tells me nothing but what I knew before they therefore shew themselves Men of small Judgment that are for Apollos or Cephas I am for Paul Another I am of Apollos Let who will be for Paul and Cephas could I sit alway under Apollos his Ministry how happy should I be How movingly doth he Preach with what a happy fluency doth he insinuate himself into his Hearers and by his Pathetical Eloquence almost constrain attention One while he cloaths his Speech in a Silken Dialect dips each Word in a Tear and steeps each Phrase in Hony that he may win on his Auditors another while he breaths out Flames and Terrors and causes the stoutest
ungovernable Lusts are the great Makebates and Dividers he that hath not attained a Government over his Passions is unprepared for Peace Selfishness and Pride Covetousness and Ambition Envy and Malice and Revenge are the bitter Fruits that grow upon the stock of our Ill Natures and are the sad occasion of all the disturbances in Church and State and have rendered Christendom a Field of Blood 'Till these Lusts are therefore subdued and we have gained a victory within outward Peace is impossible he that cannot rule his own Spirit will never long live at Peace with others An Angry Man will stir up Strife Prov. 29. 22. Be ye therefore angry and Sin not Eph. 4. 26. Let not your Anger boyl up to any sinful Excesses 2. Peace implies hearty Love 't is very hard and difficult long to maintain Peace with those we do not heartily love and utterly impossible to keep it up with those we hate Peace without Love is is no better than politick Dissembling and Peace with Hatred an insidious cover of Enmity Love is the only sure and lasting Bond of Peace and Hatred the Fountain of Discord and Violence If we would therefore forbear and forgive one another and let the Peace of God rule in our Hearts we must above all things put on Charity as a Rich Robe our best Ornament and the proper Livery of Christians This is indeed the distinguishing badg of Christ's true Disciples whereas the Disciples of the Pharisees were known by the broadness of their Phylacteries and enlarging the Borders of their Garments and of Iohn Baptist's by their Leanness contracted by Austerities much Fasting and Abstinence Christ would have â— known by their undissembled Love unfeigned Kindness and obliging Condescensions for each others good 3. Peace implies a diligent performance of all Offices of Justice and Humanity we must not love in word and Tongue only but in deed and in truth 1 John 3. 18. Justice is the Guardian and Humanity the Nurse of Peace the only Sovereign Remedy to prevent Disorders and put an end to Strife Punctual observance of Contracts truth in our Words and sincerity in our Promises injuring none in their Estates by fraudulent Incroachments or in their good Names by slanderous Reports is a great conserver of Peace and keeps off those Contentions which otherwise will unavoidably arise A tender Compassion to those in Want and hearty readiness to advice and assist relieve and comfort one another according to our particular Exigencies and Wants is also very necessary in order to the advancing Peace among Brethren 4. Peace implies courtesie and respectfulness this is not only an argument of a generous Education and good Reading but also a great ornament of Religion and required of every Christian Christ indeed came into the World to sweeten our Passions calm our Natures abate the sourness and polish the roughness of our Humours A sour Look sullen Spirit and scornful Carriage is very unbecoming a Christian is the indication of a Mind averse from Peace and provokes disdain in others But on the contrary respectful Gestures courteous Language civil Salutations and an affable Behaviour are accompanied with such winning Charms as few can resist And when a Mans ways thus please the Lord they will please men too and our very Enemies will be at Peace with us Prov. 16. 7. 5. Peace implies candid and favourable Opinions rash Censures uncharitable Surmises severe Reprehensions and unkind Misconstruction of our Neighbours Actions tend mightily to provoke Wrath and stir up Strife whereas equity in our Censures mildness in our Reproofs putting the best Construction upon and making the most favourable interpretation of our Neighbours Carriage and Behaviour is the surest way to conciliate Peace and promote it Christianity indeed teacheth us to be very severe in observing our own Sins but very favourable in reflecting on the Miscarriages of our Neighbours Let others usurp God's Prerogative that they may do the Devils Work turn Searchers of Hearts that they may become Accusers of the Brethren The true Christian hath so much to do at Home that he hath very little leisure to look abroad is so imployed in covering his own Deformities that he hath not time to gaze on the nakedness of others hides his Neighbours Faults with the Mantle of Love and makes all possible allowances that the nature of the action will bear will not conclude a Sin from an inevident sign as Eli from Hannah's Fervency concluded her Drunkenness If our Neighbour be overtaken with a Fault the Peaceable Christian will not from one particular act conclude an Habit nor call that a Mortal Plague which may be only one of the Spots of God's Children Nor will he pre-judge a Scandalous Sinners future State but pity and pray for him and seek to win him to Repentance 6. Peace implies restraint of Pragmaticalness if we would be quiet and at Peace we must mind our own Business 1 Thes. 4. 11. Those that impertinently meddle with things beyond their Sphere of Activity are disorderly Walkers 2 Thes. 3. 11. out of their proper rank and station are like him that taketh a Dog by the Ears Prov. 26. 17. may only irritate the anger of others and cause them to turn upon them and bite them He is therefore no Peaceable Minded Man that plays the Bishop in another Diocess 1 Pet. 4. 15. 2 General The advantages of Peace in Christian Churches 1. This renders the Church most like to God he is the God of Peace the Father of Mercies and not only full of Love but love it self 1 Iohn 4. 16. He is all that is good in the most eminent degree but he is love in a more especial and peculiar manner though all his Attributes be infinite yet his Love and Goodness is peculiarly Sovereign The best description we can frame of him in our Minds or whereby we can represent him to others is that he is Omnipotent Alwise Immutable Goodness under the old Testament a dispensation of Terror when the Riches of Divine Love were not displayed yet even then he accounts his Goodness as his greatest Glory and the most charming Beauty of his Nature And now what better way is there for his Church to be like him than to be at Peace and abound in all mutual Offices of Kindness and Love 2. Peace is the Churches greatest Beauty and Ornament 't was this commended Christianity of old hence Christian were called not Christiani but Chrestiani from a Greek Word signifying their benignity and sweetness of Disposition and Seâ— how the Christians love one another was a common Proverb in thâ— Mouths of Heathens themselves What can be more glorious than to behold the most harmoniouâ— Union and Communion of Saintâ— in the pleasant ways of true Wisdom and Goodness Rage and Fury may be the excellencies oâ— Beasts but Peace and Love is thâ— ornament of Men. How calm is the Mind how serene the
Heart to quake and tremble As for Paul he is rude in Speech homely in his Expressions and hath no Majesty nor Presence in a Pulpit I admire therefore their Ignorance that are for him I am for Apollos A Third I am for Cephas How doth he stoop to the lowest and meanest capacity doth not Preach about such deep Mysteries as Paul nor with such flaunting Eloquence as Apollos but feeds us with the sincere Milk of the Word and teaches so plainly that the most Ignorant may understand him I wonder therefore he is no more followed and that Paul and Apollos are preferred before him I am for Cephas Thus we may suppose the Corinthians might jangle among themselves for which St. Paul so sharply reproves them and may not we take his Reproofs to our selves are not we apt to heap up to our selves Teachers and have Mens Persons in admiration so to value some as unreasonably to scorn and slight others forgetting that they are all the Servants of Christ deputed and sent by him that in much Wisdom and Mercy hath given them various Gifts for the Edification of the Church that as one is eminent in some respects so in others 〈◊〉 Brethren may exceed them 〈◊〉 must consider they all Preach 〈◊〉 same Doctrin and direct to the same way to Salvation and it is more the fault of our own corrupt Hearts than of the Minister if we profit not by their Labours 2. Be much in Contemplation of the Love of God in Christ This will blow up a holy Flame of Love to him and all his Members when we remember how dearly and tenderly Christ loves all his Saints this will constrain us to lay aside all Wrath and Bitterness and live in Peace such a glorious precedent must needs be a cogent Argument and can hardly be resisted Love and Peace is the very Image of our Heavenly Father the Copy Christ hath set us and the Lesson he hath written for our Learning in Lines of his own Blood An hearty Love to God will engage us to be at peace with the whole fraternity of Christians and love them without Dissimulation 3. Make the great design of Religion yours viz. the advancement of Holiness and recovery of the Image of God in the Souls of Men Remember Religion is not designed meerly to fill your Heads with airy notions to tip your Tongues for Discourse or enable you to talk plausibly for the truth that it consists not in little Speculative Opinions or Ceremonious Trifles but the great design of it is to direct us in the government of our Passions subduing our Lusts and conquering the Impediments that hinder our Recovery and Salvation In a word Religion consists in a penitent return to God by Faith in Christ and Obedience to his Gospel let us take this to be our main business then we shall have so much work to do at home that we shall have little inclination to pry into the Infirmities of others or quarrel with them That Man would be esteemed by all as bereav'd of his Wits that should be picking causless Quarrels with his Neighbours about a Chip of Wood or a broken Hedge when a Fire in his House is consuming his Goods and Children We all stand on the Borders of the Grave and Confines of Eternity our great business is to quench the Flames of Lust which otherwise will prepare us for Everlasting Burnings and therefore surely we should not waste our precious Minutes in strife and contention 4. Avoid Extreams in disputable Points Every Truth lyes in the middle between two Falshoods and he that goes far from one is apt to slip into the other After all the confidence and boast of disputers there will be uncertainty in lesser Points and when we travel in uncertain Roads 't is best to chuse the middle here we may be sure to meet with Charity and Peace and very probably Truth in their Company The great occasion of our Differences hath been that Men have look'd so much at the evil of one Extream as to forget the Error on the other side like an ignorant Physician who to Cure a Man of a dead Palsie casts him into a Phrenzy I dare with some confidence affirm that most of those Disputes that are so hotly agitated among Protestants are in the Extreams and consist more in words than things because the Curse of Babel has so confounded our Languages that though our Sentiments are much the same we understand not one anothers meaning And if Men would but hearken to calm dispassionate Reason they might soon find out such healing Reconciling Principles as would quickly make us one among our selves and a terror to our Romish Adversaries Let the Apostles Counsel be in this sense therefore obeyed Phil. 4. 5. Let your Moderation be known unto all Men. 5. Avoid unpeaceable Dividers those who make it their work to soment Differences and stir up Strife and sow Seeds of Discord among Brethren are said to be an abomination to the Lord take upon them a very ill imployment and carry on a design quite contrary to the Gospel of Peace and therefore are to be avoided that they may be ashamed I speak not this of my self but the Apostle Paul is very earnest in the same Advice Rom. 16. 17 18. Now I beseech you Brethren mark them which cause Divisions and Offences contrary to the Doctrin which ye◠have learned and avoid them for they that are such serve not our Lord Iesus Christ but their own Belly and by good Words and fair Speeches deceive the Hearts of the Simple 6. Frequently joyn together in the same Exercises of Religious Worship When Christians come together in the same Assemblies this naturally tends to abate their strangeness calm their Spirits remove unreasonable Jealousies and Suspicions and inclines them to a Cordial Endeared Love This was one great means of promoting that hearty affection which was among the Members of the primitive Church They continu'd stedfastly in the Apostles Doctrin and Fellowship and breaking of Bread and Prayer Acts 2. 42. And the same method would retrieve that love and peace the want of which hath crumbl'd us into parties and been the unhappy occasion of so many woful Effects Did we but more frequently resort to the House of Prayer more diligently hearken to and more faithfully improve Ministerial Instructions more readily submit to Pastoral Discipline more carefully watch over one another and more tenderly advise and reprove and edifie one another more solemnly pray with and for one another and more constantly celebrate that uniting Ordinance the Lords Supper together we should soon see the Blessed peaceful effects of so doing Did Neighbouring Churches counsel each other and maintain mutual correspondences for the advancement of Love and Holiness occasionally communicate together when convenient and look upon themselves not as divided Bodies or carrying on separate Interests but all united under the same Head acting according to the same Rule and for the
Countenance how chearful the Discourse how sweet the Sleep and how full of Content is the whole Life of the Peaceable Minded Man How lovely a melody in the Ears of God and Men doth an Assembly of such Christians make when united together in acts of Religious Worship How much more pleasant are the smooth and even ways of Peace than the rugged Paths of Discord and Contention Is it not much more delightful to behold the Heavens smiling upon us with a serene and chearful Countenance than frowning with Clouds or big with Storms and Thunder Is it not much more sweet to sail in a quiet and calm Sea than to be tost about with a Tempest and be continually in fear of every rolling unruly Wave to hear Harmonious Sounds than grating Janglings and to dwell in a well Governed City than in a wild and savage Wilderness Peace is the way to the truest Pleasure and indeed is itself the greatest Felicity Hence the Angels in their holy Anthem when they wished the greatest Happiness to Men knew not how better to express their Sense than by saying On Earth Peace Good Will to Men Luke 2. 14. 3. Peace is the Churches strength Peace is the sinew of Society as Mony is of War the Cement that holds the parts together and distinguishes the Congresses of Men from Herds of Beasts or which is as bad the tumultuous Confusions of the Rabble Christian Churches might be immortal did they not kill themselves by Divisions the deepest Wounds have been given to Christianity in the Houses of its pretended Friends by Heresies and Schisms rending and tearing the unity of the Body He must be a great Stranger in the History of the Church who knows not that it flourished while it walk'd in love and injoyed Peace among its Children but the adding to the Foundation the Wood and Hay and Stubble of their own Inventions and dividing thereupon gave occasion to the rise of Turk and Pope and all the dismal consequences thereof Divisions stop'd the progress and cramp'd the growth of Christianity and hath so of Reformed Christianity to this day The most successful policy of our Enemies whereby they have done us the greatest mischief of all hath been by fomenting incouraging and cursedly improving our intestine Feuds We have foolishly put Weapons into their Hands or rather been destroying our selves while they have look'd on with Scorn and Laughter Were we but peacefully united among our selves we should quickly dishearten our Enemies and laugh at all the attempts of Rome and France and Hell for our ruin and Destruction Peace would be a mighty Bulwark to defend us and would better prevent the Invasions of our Foes than all our Wooden Walls on the Sea or Fortresses and Castles by Land 4. Peace tends to the comfort of the Church there can be no comfortable communion of Saints no bearing each others burdens no communicating the experiences of the workings of Gods Spirit in one anothers Souls of the answer of our several Prayers and various methods of God's dealings with us in his different ways of Discipline and Comfort so long as we are at variance among our selves When Souls groan under the burden of Sin and Guilt never was Drink so welcom to the Thirsty Traveller as the converse of truly Spiritual Christians to restore such in the Spirit of Meekness and speak Peace unto them from the Scripture and their own Experience But where Divisions are this cannot be had or if it be in some measure is often confined to an inconsiderable Party and each particular division wants the assistance of the rest so that the breach of their Catholick Love and Communion necessarily makes a breach in their comfort and hinders the mutual sympathizing assisting and comforting one another 5. Peace tends to the increase of the Church when our Lord repeated his Petitions for Unity he twice alledgeth one and the same reason that the World might know that God had sent him John 17. 21 23 As if the union and love of his Followers were the strongest proof of the Divinity of their Master and the powerfullest perswasive to Jews and Heathens to acknowledge and receive him for their Lord and Saviour as if his excellent Doctrin admirable Precepts and extraordinary Miracles would not do without it and indeed though Instruction be necessary and People perish for want of Knowledge yet Instruction without Example will do little good and no Example is more open to observation than that of Peace and Love and the want thereof in the Preachers of Truth makes the best Doctrin in their Mouths suspected hardens the Wicked in their sin and tempts many to Atheism If you speak with disagreeing Tongues Unbelievers will say you are Mad and sit down in the Seat of the Scorner to allude to 1 Cor. 14. 23. 6. Peace is a great means of Edifying by the means of Grace The Apostle in Eph. 4. 16. speaks of the close and intimate Union of the Body of Christ as a necessary means to receiving increase from Christ and edifying it self in love and Col. 2. 2. being knit together in love is laid down as a means to the full assurance of understanding to the full practical perswasion of the Truth and excellency of the Gospel and the want of this render'd the solemn Assemblies of the Corinthians fruitless and barren 1 Cor. 11. 17. St. Paul chargeth them with a sad miscarriage in their Spiritual Traffick growing worse in the use of what should have made them better the Holy Supper of the Lord and the reason is given Ver. 18. I hear there be Divisions among you Divisions abate the fervency of our Prayers blunt the edge of our Devotions seize on the vitals of Christianity evaporate the life and power of Religion in impertinent squabble and unless Almighty Grace prevent will quickly spread like a Gangrene so as to eat out the heart thereof 7. Peace in Christian Churches is an Emblem of Heaven the more that part of the Church which is Militant here below doth abound in Love and Peace the more it resembles that part which is triumphant above This is indeed the great difference between Angels and Devils Heaven and Hell the Devils have great degrees of Power and Knowledge perhaps not much below what Angels have but Angels and Glorified Saints abound in Love Sweetness Benignity and live in the joyful uninterrupted exercise of mutual Endearments whereas a Spirit of Malice and Envy Hatred and Revenge is the very complexion of Satan and temper of Hell But O how happy will it be to dwell in that Society where there 's no Mistake or Envy Ignorance or Prejudice or carnal Interest to occasion the least Jar or Discord but all pure Peace Seraphick Love and perfect Harmony as with God so also between themselves where the strange Fire of misguided Zeal is extinguished by the more powerful Flames of Heavenly Love and the unhappy names of dividing Sects are no more known where