The Cure of Church Divisions, Directions to pastors 2 · Direction 4 – Direction 9
DIRECT. IV.
If others shew their weakness by any unwarrantable singularities or divisions, shew not your greater weakness by passions, impatiency or uncharitable censures or usage of them: especially when any self-interest doth provoke you.
NOne usually are so spleenishly impatient at the weakness of Dissenters or Separatists as the Pastors are? And what is the cause? Is it because they abound most in Love to the souls of those who offend, or them who are endangered by them? If so, I have no more to say to such. But when we see that the Honour and Interest of the Pastors is most deeply concerned in the business, and that they are carried by their impatiency into more want of Charity, than the other express by their separations; and when we see that they well enough bear with themselves in such sins as this, or in others as great; and that they can beat with as great sins in the people with too much patience, when their own interest concurreth not to raise their passions; in such cases we have reason enough to fear, lest pride and selfishness have too great a part, in much that is said and done against schism in the world.
Is it a greater shame for children to cry and wrangle with the Nurse and one another or for the Nurse or Parents to go to law with them for it, or to hate them, and turn them out of doors? Is it a fault for children to be so impatient as to cry and quarrel? And is it not a greater fault in Parents that pretend to greater wisdome, to be impatient with them for it? I know you will say that Parents must not be so patient with sin, as to leave their children uncorrected: But, I answer, correction must not be the effect of impatiency, but of Love and Wisedome and dislike of sin, and must be chosen and measured in order to the cure of it. Its one thing to be angry for God against sin, and its another thing to be angry for our selves against the crossing of our wils and interests: And its one thing to correct so as tendeth to a cure; And another thing to be revenged or do mischief, or to cast out of doors. Are not you guilty of Ministerial weaknesses in preaching and praying, and of many omissions in your private oversight? And do you think that it is meet for the people therefore to revile you with odious titles, and stir up the Magistrate against you for your infirmities?
Is it seemly for them who are the fathers of the flock and should excel the people in Love and lowliness, in patience and gentleness and meekness, to be so proud and passionate, as to storm against the most conscientious persons, if they do but set light by us and cast off our Ministery, though perhaps they hear and submit to others who are as able and as faithful and more profitable to them than we? When we can …asi…er bear with a swearer or drunkard or the families that are prayerless and ungodly, than with the most religious, if they do not choose our Mini…y, but pr…er some others before us as more edifying? When we can bear with them that have no understanding or seriousness in Religion at all, but make the world or their lusts their idols, but cannot bear with the weak irregularities of the most upright and devout? If they were never so irregular in preferring us before others, and in leaving others to follow us, we can easily bear with them, and think their disorders may be well excused: And to shew the height of our pride, we still are confident (whether we are uppermost or undermost, whether we have publick liberty or are forbidden to preach) that we are the persons only that are in the right, and therefore that all are in the right that follow us, and all are in the wrong that turn away from us; That it is Unity and duty to follow us and adhere to us, and all are Schismaticks who forsake us and choose others. And thus the selfishness and Pride of the Pastors, making an imprudent and impatient stir against all who dislike them, and applauding all how bad soever who adhere to them and follow them, is as great a cause of the disorders of the Church, as the weakness and errours of the people.
DIRECT. V.
Distinguish between those who separate from the Universal Church, or from all the Orthodox or purest and Reformed parts of it, and those who only forsake the Ministery of some one person, or sort of persons, without refusing Communion with the rest.
AS many occasions may warrant a removal from a particular Church, but nothing can excuse a separation from the Vniversal Church, so he that separateth only from some particular Churches, and yet is a member of the Vniversal Church, may also be a member of Christ and be saved. He may be a Christian who is no member of your flock, yea or of any particular Church: But he is no Christian who is no member of the Vniversal Church. Paul and Barnabas may in the heat of a difference part from one another, and yet neither of them part from Christ or the Church-Universal.
I do not excuse the fault of them who sin against any one Church or Pastor: But I would not have the Pastors therefore sin as much, by making their fault greater than it is; nor to suffer their own interest partially to call men Schismaticks or Separatists, in a sense for which they have no ground. If they can learn more by another Minister than by me, what reason have I to be offended at their edification, though perhaps some infirmity of judgement may appear in it. A true mother that knoweth her child is like to thrive better by a nurses milk than by her own, will be so far from hatred or envy either at the nurse or child, that she will consent, and be thankful, and pay the nurse. Solomon made it the sign of the false mother, that could bear the dividatur, the hurt of the child for her own commodity; and of the true mother, that she had rather lose her commodity than the child should suffer. And Paul giveth God thanks that Christ was preached, though it was by them that did it in strife and envy, to add affliction to his …ands. Phil. 1. He is not worthy of the name of a Physician, who had rather the patients health were deplorate, than that he should be healed by another who is preferred before him. If I knew that man by whom the salvation of my flock were like to be more happily promoted than by me (whatever infirmity of theirs might be the cause) I should think my self a servant of Satan the envious enemy of souls, if I were against it.
DIRECT. VI.
Distinguish between those who deny the Being of the Church or Ministery, from which they separate: and those who remove only for their own edification, as from a weaker or worse Minister, and from a Church more culpable and less pure.
FOr these last are not properly Separatists in a full sense: Though they think it unlawful to joyn with you, as supposing that you impose some sin upon them, or that you deprive them of discipline or some ordinance of God; Whether they be in the right or in the wrong, yet still they hold inward Communion with you, in faith and love and in the same species of worship. And this is such a communion as we hold with many forreign Churches, with whom we have no local present communion.
DIRECT. VII.
Distinguish between those who hold it simply unlawful to have communion with you; and those who only hold it unlawful to prefer your assemblies before those which they judge more pure; but hold it lawful to communicate with you occasionally; yea and statedly when they can have no better.
I Excuse not all such from the guilt of all sin herein. For if they prefer that Church or Ministery which they should not prefer, it is their sin. But it is not that sin which of old hath been called Separation and Schism. While a man is free, if he love himself we cannot wonder if he choose that society and Ministery where he thinketh his salvation may be best furthered and secured: All sober Divines who write of the Ministery and of company, do declare that the difference between good and bad, yea good and better, in both these, is of so great imp…tance, that all wise men should be very careful of their choise. If we may without reproach be allowed to be cautelous what wife we choose, what master or servants, what house, what neighbourhood, what soil, what ayr; Much more may we be allowed to be cautelous what Church and Ministers we joyn with; And if we are allowed to choose what Physician we will commit our health and lives to, and are not constrained to use one that we judge to be ignorant or false, surely it would be no heinous schism, if the like liberty be granted and used for our souls. The very Papists give the people liberty to ch…ose their Confessours, without removing their dwellings for it: And surely my conscience would tell me at last, that I am very selfish and proud if I thought none so fit to instruct and edifie any of the people as my self? No nor tolerable in endeavouring it. Have I not heard many, do I not know many, who preach more convincingly, more plainly and more powerfully than I? And what harm is it then if the people hear them? So Christ be preached, and the people instructed, sanctisied and saved, what if it be done by another rather than by me? Have not I liberty to do my best? Shall I be an envier at the Gospel and its success! God forbid that I or any faithful Minister, should ever be guilty of so odious a sin! I speak without respect of persons: It is easie and usual both in publick allowed Churches, and in privater assemblies, to preach our selves while we seem to be preaching Christ; and by our perverse preaching to seek disciples and esteemers for our selves, when we are preach…g up self…denial, and seem to be most zealous for the saving of souls. Acts 20. 30. 11.
DIRECT. VIII.
Remember Christs interest in the weakest of his servants, and do nothing to them which Christ will not take well.
THink well how far he beareth with them, and how far he owneth them, and how tender he is of them in all their weaknesses. If it be a member of Christ that you are offended with, though you must never the more love the fault, yet remember how you must use the person. It was not for nothing that he setteth little children before his disciples, when he would teach them not only humility, but respect and patience towards each other by his example. Math. 18. And how terrible a passage is it v. 5, 6. Who so shall receive one such little child in my name, receiveth me: But who so shall offend one of these little ones, that believe in me, it were far better him that a milstone were hanged about his neck and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. And Math. 25. What is done to one of the least of his brethren (for so he calleth them) Christ judgeth as done unto himself. He will not break the bru…sed reed, nor quench the smoaking flax, until he bring forth judgement unto victory. Remember but Christs interest in them and affections to them, and imitate his tenderness and pity.
DIRECT. IX.
Distinguish between weakness of Gifts and of Grace, and remember that many that are weak in the understanding of matters of Church-order, may yet be stronger in grace than you.
HE is the strongest Christian and the most Godly man, who hath the greatest Loveto God, and heavenliness of mind and life: And this may be the case of many a one, who by some errour about the circumstances of discipline and worship, is yet a trouble to the Church. He that offendeth yo… by his mistake and unwarrantable singularity, though he be weak in judgement in that point, and perhaps in many other controversies, may yet be a far stronger Christian, than I who see his errour: He may have more Love to God and man, more humility and self-denial, more fear of sinning, and more fitness to die, and more heavenly desires, and patience in tribulation. Let us therefore value men according to the Image of God upon them, and not despise them as weak in grace, because they are weak in this point of knowledge: Though still their errours are not to be owned.