The Cure of Church Divisions, Directions · Direction 7 – Direction 8
DIRECT. VII.
Get right and deep aprehensions of the Necessity and Reasons of Christian Unity and Concord: and of the sin and misery of Divisions and Discord.
WHen we have but slight apprehensions of a duty we easily neglect it, and scarce reprove our selves for it, or repent of our omission. And when we have but slight apprehensions of the evil of any sin, a little temptation draweth us to it; & we are hardly brought to through-repentance for it: And there is in many Christians, a strange inequality and partiality in their apprehensions of good and evil. Some duties they dare not omit, and they judge all ungodly who omit them: when some others as great are past by, as if they were no part of religion. And some sins they fear with very great tenderness, when we can scarce make their consciences take any notice, of others as great.
And usually they let out all their zeal on one s…de only, while they over-look the other. The Papist seemeth so sensible of the good of Unity, and the evil of Divisions, that he thinketh usurpation of an Universal Church-Monarchy, and Tyranny and horrid bloud-shed, to be not only lawful, but necessary for the prevention and the cure. But to make him as sensible of the wickedness of these unlawful means, and of the good of a serious spiritual Religiousness, and of Christian Love and tenderness and forbearance, here is the great difficulty.
And on the other side, many are very sensible of the need of spirituality and seriousness in Religion, and of the evil of hypocritical formality and imagery, and of usurpation of the prerogatives of Christ, and of the plague of persecuting Pride and cruelty, who yet have little sense at all, of the good of Unity, and of the mischiefs of divisions in the Church. Yea many are so careful to be found exact in their obedience to God, that they build very much for duties and against sins, upon dark and very far-fetcht consequences, and upon a few obscure and doubtful passages in Scripture, when there is no express words, or clear text at all, to bear them out: And doubtless the darkest intimations of the will of God, must not be disregarded. But on the other side, we cannot bring them to lay to heart, some duties and sins, which are over and over, an hundred times, and that with vehemency, exprest and urged in the plainest words.
And because all Christians pretend to s…bmit to the word of God, I will try whether it be not thus with you in the present case, and will cite many plain expressions of Scripture, for Christian Vnity and Concord, that you may either better perceive you duty, or plainly shew your great partiality.
Zech. 14. 9. In that day there shall be One Lord and his name One. Ezek. 34. 23. And I will set up One Shepherd over them. Ezek. 37. 22. I will make th…m One Nation—and One King shall be King to them all, and they shall be no more two Nations, nor divided into two Kingdomes any more. 24. And David my servant shall be King over them, and they shall have One shepherd. Jer. 32. 39. I will give them one heart and one way. So Ezek. 11. 19. Joh. 21, 22. That they all may be One; as thou Father art in me, and I in thee; that they also may be One in us, that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me, I have given them, that they may be one, even as we are one; I in them, and Thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that thou hast sent me; and hast loved them as thou hast loved me. Joh. 11. 52. That he should gather together in One, the children of God that are scattered abroad. Act. 1. 14. These all continued with one accord, in prayer and supplication. And chap. 2. 1. They were all with one accord in one place. Act. 4. 24, 32. They lift up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God—And the multitude of them that believed, were of one heart, and of one soul. Act. 5. 12. They were all with one accord in Solomons Porch. Act. 15. 25. It seemed good to us, being assembled with one accord—2 Cor. 11. 2. I have espoused you to one husband— Eph. 4. 1, &c. I the prisoner of the Lord beseech you that ye walk worthy of your vocation wherewith ye are called with all lowliness and meekness; with long-suffering forbearing one another in love: endeavouring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. There is One body, and One Spirit, Even as ye are called in One hope of your calling. One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.—v. 12, 13. For the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the Ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. Till we all come in the Unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect Man: that we henceforth be no more childr…n, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the slight of men, and cun…ing craftiness whereby they lye in wait to deceive: But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things who is the Head, Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joyned together, and compacted by that which every joynt supplyeth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body, to the edifying of it self in love.
1 Cor. 12. 3, 12, 13. No man can say that Iesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost—As the Body is One, and hath many Members, and all the members of that One body, being many are One …ody, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit, we are all baptized into One body.—v. 22, 23. Nay much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble are necessary: And those members of the body which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour, and our unc…mely parts have more abundant comeliness. For our comely parts have no need; but God hath tempered the body together, h…ving given more abundant honour to that part that l…ked: that there should be no Schisme in the body, … that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all suffer with it, and if one be honoured, all rejoyce—v. 15. If the foot say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the b…dy, is it therefore not of the body—(By all this you may see, that even the lowest, dishonoured, … an… … mem…ers, must not be denied to be of the Church or body of Christ.)
1 Cor. 13. 4, 5. Charity suffereth long, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil—The greatest is charity, v. 13.
1 Cor. 1. 10. Now I beseech you brethren, by the name of our Lord Iesus 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. v. 12, 13. Every one saith, I am of Paul, and I of Apollo—Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized into the name of Paul. Ch. 3. 15. If any mans work be burnt, he shall s…ffer loss; yet he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire.—Ch. 3. 3, 4. For y… are yet carnal: For whereas there is among you envying and strife and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? while one saith, I am of Paul, &c.
Rom. 14. 1. Him that is weak in the faith receive, but not to doubtful disputations. v. 3. Let not him that eateth, despise him that eateth not: and let not him which eateth not judge him which eateth: for God hath received him: who art th…u that judgest another mans servant? to his own Master he standeth or falleth. One man esteemeth one day above another: Another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully perswaded in his own mind: He that regardeth a day, regardeth it to the Lord! v. …0. But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why d…st thou set at nought thy brother? we shall all stand before the judgement seat of Christ. Let us not therefore judge one another any more. v. 13. 14. I know and am p…rswaded by the Lord Iesus, that there is nothing unclean of it self; but to him that esteemeth any thing unclean, to him it is unclean, v. 17. For the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost: For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God and approved of men: Let us therefore follow after the things that make for peace. v. 22. Hast thou faith? Have it to thy self before God. Ch. 15. 1, 2. We that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please our selves. Let us every one please his neighbour for his good, to edification. For even Christ pleased not himself—v. 5. 6. Now the God of patience and consolation, grant you to be like minded one …owards another, according to Christ Iesus: that ye may with ONE MIND, and ONE MOuTH glorifie God.—wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ received us, to the glory of God.
Ch. 16. 17▪ 18. Now I beseech you brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned and avoid them. For they that are such, serve not our Lord Iesus, but their own belly, and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.
Act. 20. 30. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away Disciples after them.
Joh. 13. 35. By this shall all men know that ye are my Disciples, if ye have love one to another.
1 Cor. 11. 17, 18. I hear there are divisions among you: For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest.
Math. 13. 29, 30. Nay, lest while ye gather up the …ares, ye root up also the wheat with them: Let both grow together till the harvest—41. The Angels shall gather out of his Kingdom, all things that offend, and them which do iniquity, and shall cast them into a furnace of fire—Then shall the righteous shine forth as the Sun, in the Kingdom of their Father.
V. 47. The Kingdom of Heaven is like a net, cast into the Sea; which gathered of every kind: which when it was full, they drew to the shore; and sate down and gathered the good into Vessels, and the bad they cast away: so shall it be at the end of the world.
Math. 22. 9, 10. Go into the high ways, and as many as ye find, bid to the marriage (or as Luk. 14. Compel them to come in) so those servants went unto the high ways, and gathered all as many as they found both bad and good, and the wedding was furnished with guests. And the King saw there a man that had not on a wedding garment, and said, Friend, How cam…st thou in hither, &c. (Mark, thus he will condemn wicked hypocrites themselves, but blameth not the Ministers that compelled them, or that let them in.) Gal. 6. 1. If a man be overtaken in a fault, ye that are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness: Considering thy self, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one anothers burdens, and so fulfill the Law of Christ, Let every man prove his own work.
Note, that Paul purified himself as having a Vow: He circumcised Timothy; He became a Jew to the Jews, and all things to all men, that he might win some.
Phil. 1. 15, 16. Some preach Christ of envy, &c. as aforecited.
Phil. 2. 1, 2, 3. If there be any consolation in in Christ,—fulfill ye my joy, that ye be like minded, having the same love, being of one accord and of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory; but in lowliness of mind, let each esteem other better than themselves—14. Do all things without murmurings and disputings—
Ch. 3. 15, 16. Let as many as are perfect be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. But whereunto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule; let us mind the same things.
1 Thes. 5. 12, 13. We beseech you brethren, to know them that labour among you and are over you in the Lord, &c. and be at peace among your selves.
Tit. 3. 10. A man that is an heretick, after the first and second admonition avoid. knowing that he that is such is subverted and sinneth, being condemned of himself.
Jam. 3. 1, 2, 13, &c. My brethren be not many Masters, knowing that ye shall receive the greater condemnation, For in many things we offend all—who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you, Let him shew out of a good conversation, his works with meekness of wisdom: But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth: This wisdom descendeth not from above; but is earthly, sensual, devilish: For where envying and strife is, there is confusion, and every evil work. The wisdom from above, is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easie to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits; without partiality, without hypocrisie: and the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
Mat. 12. 25. Iesus said, every Kingdom divided against it self, is brought to desolation: and every City or house divided against it self, shall not stand.
I have cited so many Texts against division and for the Unity of the Church and concord of Christians, as one would think by the very hearing of them, without expositions or argumentation, should utterly mortifie all inclination to divisions and hard censures, in all true believers: yea so many Texts as I am perswaded many that most need them, will think it tedious to read them over. And yet I have cause to fear lest many such will feel as little of the sense and authority of them, as if there were no such words in the Scripture, and none of this had been set before them.
Out of all these you may gather, these reasons of the necessity of Unity, and of the evil of schism or division.
First, It is One God, One Head, One Saviour, and One Holy Spirit, into whose name we are all baptized. Secondly, It is One Covenant which all in Baptism make with this One God. Thirdly, It is One Spirit by which we are all regenerated, and One new Nature which is in all the truly sanctified. Fourthly, It is One Gospel or holy word of God, which is to us all, the seed of our new birth, the rule of our faith and lives; and the foundation of our hope, and must be our daily meditation and delight, and the food on which the children of Gods family must all live. Fifthly, It is One Body of Christ, whereof we are all members. As Christ is not divided, so his Body, that is his Church, both as Mystical, and as Visible, is but One; however the Members and their Gifts and degrees of grace are many. Sixthly, It is One way of Faith and Holiness which all must walk in. Seventhly, And it is One end and happiness which we all expect; and in One Heaven that we must meet and live for ever (so many as are sincere in the faith which we profess): And in Heaven we shall have one Mind and Heart, and One employment in the Love and praise of our Creator and Redeemer, and one felicitating fruition of his Glory for evermore. Therefore he that seeth not the necessity of Unity, knoweth not the Nature of the Church, or Faith, or true Religion.
The Honours and Benefits of Unity, and the shame and mischiefs of Divisions, may appear to him, that further considereth the instances which follow.
First, Our Union with the Church, is a sign of our proportionable union with Christ: And our separation from the Church, doth signifie that we are separated from Christ. He that is United but to the Visible Church, is but visibly (by Baptism and Profession) united to Christ: such a union is spoken of in Ioh. 15. 2. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, he taketh away. He that is united to the mystical Church, of the Regenerate and spiritual, is united to Christ by faith and by the spirit: For his union to Christ is at the same instant of time, with his union with the Church: but in order of nature goeth before it. He that is divided from this mystical Church, cannot possibly (at that time) be a Member of Christ in the spiritual sense: As the member which is cut off from the body, is also separated from the Head. And he that himself forsaketh the Visible Church as such, sorsaketh the mystical Church and Christ himself. For to forsake the Visible Church as such, is to cease to be a Professor of Christianity. One may be a Member of the Visible Church, and not of the spiritual; but you cannot be a Member of the spiritual Church, if you forsake and refuse the visible Church as such. For though a man may be regenerate by the Spirit, before he make an open profession or be baptized (and without baptism in some few cases) yet so he cannot be, if he refuse to be a Professor. Its possible indeed to be a member of the Universal Church, both as Mystical, and as Visible; as spiritual and as professing, while we have not opportunity to joyn with any one particular Church, or to separate from some particular Church, without separating from the Universal: But to separate from the Universal Church, is to separate from Christ.
But then you must understand, that the Universal Visible Church is nothing else, but all professing Christians in the world, as visibly subjected to Christ as their Head: And that there is no such thing in being, as the Papists call the Catholick or Universal Church; that is, the universality of Christians subjected to one Vicar of Christ as their Head, either Constitutive or Governing. Such a pretended Head is an Usurper and no true authorized Vicar of Christ; And therefore such a Church as such, is nothing but a company of seduced Christians, following such a traiterous Usurper. And to separate from the Pope, is not to separate from Christ or from his Church.
Secondly, Consider also, that Union is not only an Accident of the Church, but is part of its very essence, without which it can be no Church, and without which we can be no members of it. It is no Kingdome, no City, no family, and so no Church, which doth not consist of United members: As it is no house which consisteth not of united parts. And he is no Member which is not united to the whole. It is the great course of mens boldness in dividing ways, that they take union to be but some laudable accident, while it may be had; which yet in some cases we may be without: and think that separations are tollerable faults, even when they are forced to confess them faults: But they do not consider that Vnity is necessary to the being of the Church, and to the being of o…r own Christianity. Read 1 Cor. 12. Ephes. 4.
Thirdly, Remember also that our Vnion is necessary to our Communion, with Christ and with his Church: and to all the blessings and benefits of such communion. Ioh. 15. 4. Abide in me, and I in you: As the branch cannot bear fruit of it self, except it abide in the Vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me: for without me, ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered, and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. And Col. 2. 19. From the Head all the body by joynts and bonds having nourishment ministred and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God. The member that is cut off from the body, hath no life or nourishment from the head or from the body, but is dead: He that is out of the Church is without the Teaching, the holy worship, the prayers, and the discipline of the Church, and is out of the way where the spirit doth come; and out of the Society which Christ is specially related to: For he is the Saviour of his body; And if we leave his hospital, we cannot expect the presence and help of the Physician: Nor will he be a Pilot to them who forsake his Ship: Nor a Captain to them who separate from his Army: Out of this Ark, there is nothing but a deluge; and no place of rest or safety for a soul.
Fourthly, The Unity of Christians is their secondary strength: Their primary strength is Christ and the Spirit of grace which quickeneth them: And their secondary strength is their Vnion among themselves: Separation from Christ depriveth men of the first; and separation from one another depriveth them of the second. An Army is stronger than a man: And a Kingdom than a single person: A flame will burn more strongly than a spark: And the waves of the Ocean are more forcible than a single drop. A threefold Cord is not easily broken. Therefore it is that weak Commonwealths do seek to strengthen themselves by confederacies with other States. The Church is likened to an Army with Banners; both, for their Numbers, their Concord, and their Order. And therefore Christ saith that a Kingdom divided cannot stand. Union is the Churches strength: And what good soever they may pretend, Dividers are certainly the weakeners and destroyers of the Church: And as those means which best corroborate the body, and fortifie the spirits, do best cure many particular diseases, which no means would c…re whilst nature is debilitated: So are the Churches diseases best cured, by uniting fortifying remedies, which will be increased by a dividing way of Reformation: Dividing is wounding, and uniting is the closing of the wound.
There is no good work but Satan is a pretender to it, when he purposeth to destroy it: He resisteth Light as an Angel of Light; and his Ministers hinder Righteousness, as pretended Ministers of Righteousness: And he will be a zealous Reformer when he would hinder Reformation. And this is the mark of Satans way of Reformation: He doth it by by dividing the Churches of Christ, and teaching Christians to avoid each other: And to that end he zealously aggravateth the faults of every party to the rest; that they may have odious thoughts of one another; and Christian Love may be turned into aversation: As in the Plague time every one is afraid of the breath and company of his neighbour, and they that were wont to assemble and converse with peace and pleasure, do timerously shun the presence of each other; because they know that it is an infectious time, and they are uncertain who is free: even so doth Satan break the societies and converse of Christians, by making them believe that every party hath some dangerous infection, which as they love their souls, they must avoid.
And he destroyeth your Love to one another, by pretending Love to your selves: O how careful will he be for your souls! when the Devil would undo you, he will do it as your Saviour: And when his meaning is to save you from Heaven, and from Christ, and from his saving grace, and from Union and Communion with his Church, and from the impartial Love of one another, he takes on him that he is saving you only from sin and from Church-corruptions: Or rather that it is Christ and not he that giveth you counsel: And he can do much in imitating Christ, in the manner of his suggestions, to make you believe that it is Christ indeed. Perhaps his counsel shall come in in the midst of a fervent prayer, or presently after it, to make you believe that it is an undoubted answer of your prayers: And oft times his impulses are vehement and much affecting, to make you think that it is something above nature: And the pio…s pretence will much perswade you to think that sure this can never come from an evil spirit: But if you had well studied 2 Cor. 11. 13, 14, 15. Gal. 1. 8. Luke 9. 55. 1 Ioh. 4. 1, 2. 2 Thes. 2. 2. you might be wiser and be saved from this deceit. I will not recite the words, because I would have you turn to them, and seriously study them.
And in this dividing work, the Devil doth as make-bates do, who first goes to one man and tell him a tale what such a one said against him, and what a dangerous person he is, and then go to the other and say as much of the first to him: So the Devil saith to the Presbyterian, O take heed of the Independents! and to the Independents, Take heed of these Presbyterians; To the Anabaptist he suggesteth, Avoid these Protestants: Take heed of them, for they Baptize infants: And to the Protestants he saith, Take heed of these Anabaptists, for they are against baptizing any till they come to full age: To one he saith, Away from that Church, or think not those persons to be religious; for they pray by the book: And to the other he saith, Take heed of those people, as whimsical and proud, and brainsick fanaticks; for they pray without-book by the Spirit. To one sort he saith, Take heed of those people, for they wear a Surplice, or Kneel at the Sacrament, or answer the Priests in the Responses of the Common-prayer: To the other he saith, Take heed of these disobedient, stubborn, selfconceited people that will sit at the Sacrament, and will not conform to the orders of the Church. I am not now minding whose opinion is right or wrong, among all these parties, or any like them; But how charitable to your souls the Devil is, when he would destroy your charity and your souls; and how piously and kindly he would have you take heed when he would lead you to perdition: and how great a Reformer he will be, if he may but do it by Dividing.
It may be the young unexperienced Schismatick (of what sect soever) will distast these words, and think I speak like an adversary to Reformation: And so the Devil would make him think, of all other Christians as well as of me, except his party. But if one should give such counsel for the preservation of his own health and bodily comfort, as the Dividing spirit giveth him for the Church and for his soul, he would quickly understand it, according to my present sense. If one should come in kindness to him and bid him, [O take heed of that mouth and belly; for it getteth nothing, but devoureth all that the hands do get by labour: Cut off that hand, for it hath a crooked finger: Cut off that gouty foot that it may not trouble the whole body: Rip up those guts which have such filthy excrements, he would not swell against me if I advised him to suspect such kindness.
Fifthly, Remember also, that the Unity of Christians is their peace and ease, as well as their strength and safety. Psal. 133. 1. Behold how good and how pleasant it is, for brethren to dwell together in unity! As the amity and converse with friends is pleasant, and the concord of families is their quietness and ease; so is it as to the amity and concord which is the bond of Church society. And the divisions and discord of Christians, is their mutual pain and trouble. Do you not feel your minds disturbed by it: Do you not see the Church discomposed by it? The itch of contention, doth ordinarily make it pleasant for the time, to every Sect to scratch by zealous wranglings and disputes, for their several opinions, till the blood be ready to follow: But the smart and scab doth use to convince them of their folly. But if they will go more than Skin-deep, they may need a Surgeon. Children will claw themselves; but it is Madmen that will wound themselves. The hurt… which we get in the Christian warfare, by mortifying the flesh, or by the persecution of the malignant enemy is tenderly healed by the hand of Christ, and usually furthereth our inward peace. But if we will hurt and wound and divide our selves, what pity or comfort can we expect.
Sixthly, Consider also that the Unity and Concord of Believers is their Honour, and their Divisions and discord are their shame: And consequently the honour or dishonour of Christ and the Gospel, and Religion is much concerned in it. Agreement among Christians telleth the world, that they have a certainty of the faith which they profess, and that it is powerful and not ineffectual, and that it is of a healing nature, and tendeth to the felicity of the world. But Divisions and discords among Christians perswade unbelievers, that there is no certainty in their belief: or that it is of a vexatious and destructive tendency; or at best that all its power is too weak, to overcome the malignity which it pretendeth to resist; where did you ever see Christians live in undivided unity, undisturbed peace, and unfeigned Love, but the very infidels and ungodly round about them, did reverence both them and their religion for it. And where did you ever see Christians divided, unpeaceable and bitter against each other, but it made them and their profession a scorn to the unbelieving and ungodly world? and whilst they despise and vilifie one another, they teach the wicked to despise and vilifie them all?
Seventhly, I may therefore add, that the Unity of Believers, is one of Gods appointed means for the conversion and salvation of unbelievers: And their Divisions and discord are an ordinary means of hardening men in infidelity and wickedness, and hindering their love and obedience to the truth. As a well ordered Army, or a City of uniform comely building, is a pleasing and inviting sight to the beholders; when a confused rout, or a r…inous heap, doth breed abhorrence: even so the very sight of the concordant societies of Christians, is amiable and alluring to those without; when their disagreements and separations make them seem odious and vile. As a musical instrument in tune, or a set of musick, delight the hearer by the pleasing harmony; when one or more instruments out of tune, or used by a rude unskilful hand, will weary out the patience of the hearer; so is it in this case; and the difference is much greater, between concordant and disconcordant Christians. Who loveth to thrust himself into a fray? And what wise man had not rather partake of the friendly converse, than joyn with drunken men that are fighting in the streets? Peace and Concord are amiable even to nature; And you can scarce take a more effectual means, to win the world to the Love of Holiness, than by shewing them that Holiness doth make you unfeigned and fervent in the Love of one another. 1 Pet. 1. 22. Nor can you devise how to drive men more effectually from Christ, and to damn their souls, than to represent Christians to them like a company of mad men, that are tearing out the throats of one another? How can you think that the unbelievers and ungodly should think well of them, that all speak so ill of one another? When the Lutheran flyeth from the Calvinist, and the Episcopal from the Puritan, and the Protestant from the Anabaptist, and the Presbyterian from the Independent, and all the other side implacably fly from them, Can you wonder if the Infidel and the Idolater fly further from you all? Mark well the words of Christ in his prayer, Ioh. 17. 20, 21, 22, 23. For them which shall believe on me by their word, that they all may be one, as thou Father art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that thou hast sent me: And the glory which thou gavest me, I have given them, that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them as thou hast loved me.
All these observations are obvious in these words. 1. That the unity of Christians must be universal, even of all that believe the Gospel of Christ. 2. That this Union should have some low resemblance to the Union of the Father and the Son. 3. That it is Christs great desire and intercession for his Followers, that they may be one. 4. That their glory is for their Unity. 5. That their Unity is their perfection. 6. That the Father and Son are the Head or Center of the Unity. 7. That this Unity is the great means of converting the world to the Christian faith, and convincing Infidels of the truth of Christ, as sent by God. Open but your eyes and you may see all these great doctrines in this Prayer of Christs for his people Unity: O that all the Christian Churches would try this means for the worlds Conversion! (Not on the impossible terms of Popery, but on the necessary terms proposed by Christ.)
8. External Unity and peaceable Church-communion doth greatly cherish our Internal unity of Love: And Church-divisions do cherish wrath and malice and all the works of the flesh described by Paul, Gal. 5. 21, 22, 23. I pray you consider how he describeth the fleshly and the spiritual man: v. 14, 15. For all the Law is fulfilled in one word, even in this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self. But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. I say then, walk in the spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the spirit, &c. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, adultery—enmities or hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, (or as it may be read Divisions or factions) heresies, envyings, murders, &c. But the fruit of the spirit is Love, joy, peace, l…ng-suffering, gentlenss, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: Against such there is no law. And they that are Christs have crucified the flesh, with the affections and lusts. If we live in the spirit, let us also walk in the spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain-glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
Obj. O but those that I separate from are guilty of this and that and the other fault.
Answ. Chap 6. 1. Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual restore such a one, in the spirit of meekness, considering thy self lest thou also be tempted: Instead of censorious disdain and separation, bear ye one anothers burthen, and so fulfil the Law of Christ: which you think you fulfil by your unwarrantable separations, while you are but fulfilling your fleshly passions.
When once parties are engaged by their opinions in Anti-churches and fierce disputings, the flesh and satan will be working in them against all that is holy, sweet and safe. When united Christians are provoking one another to Love and to good works, and minding each other of their heavenly cohabitation, and harmonious praise and are delighting God and man by the melody of their concord; The contentious zealots in their separate Anti-churches, are preaching down Love and preaching up hatred, and making those that differ from them seem an odious people not to be communicated with, by aggravating their different opinions or modes of worship, till they seem to be no less than Heresie or Idolatry. If many thousands yet living in England or Ireland, had not heard this with their ears, yet Iames may be believed, Chap. 3. 1, &c. My Brethren, be not many Teaching-Masters (for that is the word) knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation: For in many things we offend all (which he addeth because the arrogancy of Sectaries was caused by the aggravating of other mens offences.) If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man (that is, If you will shew that you are perfecter & better your selves than those whom you account so bad, see that your foul back-biting, reviling, censorious contentious tongues, do not prove the contrary) 13. who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you, Let him shew out of a good conversation, his works with meekness of wisedome: (that is, Let him that would be thought more knowing and religious than his neighbours, be so much more blameless and meek to all men, and excel them in good works) v. 14. But if ye have a bitter zeal: (for so is the Greek word) and strife in your hearts, glory not, (in such a zeal, or in your greater knowledge) and lie not against the truth. 15. This wisdome descendeth not from above (as you imagine who father it on Gods word and spirit) but is earthly, sensual (or natural) and devillish. (O doleful mistake, that the world, the flesh, and the Devil, should prove the cause of that conceited spiritual knowledge and excellency, which they thought had been the inspiration of the spirit) v. 16. For where zeal and strife … (that is, a striving contentious zeal against brethren) there is confusion (or tumult and unquietness) and every evil work, O lamentable reformers, that set up every evil work, while they seemed zealous against evil!) v. 17. But the wisdome that is from above, is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easie to be intreated; full of mercy and good fruits; without partiality (or wrangling) and without Hypocrisie. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace, of them that make peace: when peace-breakers that sow in divisions and contention, shall reap the fruit of unrighteousness, though they call their way by the most religious names.
Thus I have briefly shewed you what V…nity and Division are, that wrong apprehensions draw you not to sin.
DIRECT. VIII.
When any thing needeth amendment in the Church, remember that the best Christian, must be the forwardest to reformation, and …he backwardest to Division: and must search and try all means of Reforming, which make not against the concord of the Church.
I Do not here determine in what cases you may or may not separate, from any company of faulty Christians. I only say that you must never separate what God hath conjoyned; the Holiness and the Vnity of believers: If corruptions blemish and dishonour the Congregation; Do not say [Let sin alone; I must not oppose it for fear of division] But be the forwardest to reduce all to the will of God. And yet if you cannot prevail as you desire, be the backwardest to divide and separate; and do it not without a certain warrant, and extream necessity. Resolve with Austin, I will not be the chaff, and yet I will not go out of the floor, though the chaff be there. Never give over your just desire and endeavour of Reformation: And yet as long as possibly you can avoid it, forsake not the Church which you desire to reform. As Paul said to them that were ready to forsake a sea-wrackt vessel, If these abide not in the ship, ye cannot be saved: Many a one by unlawful flying and shifting for his own greater peace and safety, doth much more hazard his own and others.