The True Way of Concord of All the Christian Churches, Part 1 · Chapter 4
CHAP. IV.
The VNITY of the Spirit in the welfare of the Church.
II. AS the UNITY of the Spirit is the perſonal welfare of every Chriſtian, ſo is it the common intereſt of the Church, and of all Chriſtian Societies, Kingdoms, Cities, Schools and Families: And that in all theſe reſpects.
I. UNITY is the very life of the Church (and of all Societies as ſuch). The word LIFE is ſometime taken for the LIVING PRINCIPLE or FORM, and ſo the SOUL is the LIFE of a Man, and the SPIRIT as dwelling and working in us, is the Moral or holy-ſpiritual LIFE of the ſoul, and of the Church as myſtical: And ſometime LIFE is taken for the VNION of the ſaid vital principle with the Organical Body, or matter duly united in it ſelf: And ſo the UNION of ſoul and body is the Life of a man; and the Vnion of the Political Head and Body is the Life of political Societies: And ſo the Vnion of Chriſt and the Church is the Life of the Church; And the Union of the members among themſelves, is (as the union of the parts of the organical body) the neceſſary Diſpoſitio materiae, without which it cannot have Union with the Head; or the effect of Vnion with the Vital principle, and ſo the Union which is eſſential to the Church. As that is no Body whoſe parts are not united among themſelves, nor no Living Body which is not united to the ſoul (and in it ſelf); ſo that is no Church or no Society which is not Vnited in it ſelf; and no Chriſtian Society or Church which is not united unto Chriſt.
It is a groſs overſight of them that look at nothing but the Regeneration of the members, as eſſential to the Church, and take Vnity to be but a ſeparable Accident. Yea indeed Regeneration it ſelf conſiſteth in the Vniting of perſons by Faith and Love to God and the Redeemer and to the body of the Church: And if Vnion be Life, then Diviſion is no Leſs than Death: Not every degree of diviſion: For ſome breaches among Chriſtians are but wounds: (But to be divided or ſeparated from Chriſt, or from the Univerſal Church which is his body, is Death it ſelf: And even wounds muſt have a timely cure, or elſe they threaten at leaſt the periſhing of the wounded part.)
II. UNITY is the health, eaſe and quiet of the Church and all Societies, as well as of each perſon: And Diviſion is its ſmart and pain: And a divided diſagreeing Society is a wounded or ſick Society; in continual ſuffering and diſeaſe: But how eaſie, ſweet, and pleaſant is it, when brethren dwell together in Unity? when they are not of many minds, and wills and wayes; when they ſtrive not againſt each other, and live not in wrangling and contention, when they have not their croſs intereſts, wills and parties, and envy not or grudge not againſt each other: But every one taketh the common intereſt to be his own; and ſmarteth in all his brethrens ſufferings and hurts: when they ſpeak the ſame things, and mind the ſame intereſt, and carry on the ſame ends and work?
O foelix hominum genus
Si veſtros animos Amor
Quo coelum regitur, regat, ſaith Boetius.
Many contrivances good men have had, for the recovering of the peace and felicity of Societies: And they that deſpaired of accompliſhing it, have pleaſed themſelves with feigning ſuch Societies as they thought moſt happy: whence we have Plato's Common-wealth, Moor's Vtopia, Campanella's Civitas ſolis, &c. But when all is done, he is the wiſeſt and happieſt Politician, and the beſt friend and benefactor to Societies and to mankind, who is the skilfulleſt contriver, and beſt promoter of UNITING LOVE. I know that this is (like Life in man) a work that requireth more than Art: But yet I will not ſay hoc non eſt artis, ſed pietatis opus, as if art did nothing in it: It is Gods work bleſſing mans endeavours. Even in the propagation of natural Life, though Deus & ſol vivificant, God is the Quickener, and Fountain of all life; yet man is the Generator (even if it prove true that the ſoul is created): And God will not do it without the act of man: So God will not bleſs Churches, and Kingdoms and Families, with Vniting-Love, without the ſubordinate endeavours of man: And the skill and honeſty of the endeavourers greatly conduceth to the ſucceſs of the work: Men that ſtand in a ſignificant capacity (as Rulers and publick Teachers do) may do much by holy Art to promote Vniting-Love in all Societies; By contriving an Vniting of Intereſts, (and not by cudgelling them all into the ſame Temples or Synagogues as priſoners into a Jaile); and by diligent clear teaching them the excellency and neceſſity of Vnity and Love, and miſchiefs of dividing ſelfiſhneſs: But of this more after in due place. All the devices in the world for the felicity of Societies which tend not unto Vnity, and all wayes of Vnity which promote not Love, are erroneous and meerly frivolous: And all that are Contrary to Love are pernicious, whatever the contrivers pretend or dream.
III. UNITY is the ſtrength and preſervation of Societies, and Selfiſhneſs and Diviſion is their weakneſs, their diſſolution and their ruine. As in Natural, ſo in Political Bodies, the cloſeſt and perfecteſt Vnion of Parts, maketh the firmeſt and moſt durable compoſition. What is the ſtrength of an Army but their UNITY? When they obey one General Commander, and cleave inſeparably together, and forſake not one another in fight, ſuch an Army would conquer far greater multitudes of incoherent ſeparable men: when every Souldier thinketh how to ſhift for himſelf, and to ſave his own life whatever become of others, a few run away firſt, and ſhew the reſt the way, and they are quickly all made conquered fugitives: when they that reſolve [We muſt all ſtand or fall together, and we will not Live or eſcape alone; It is more the Army than my Life that I would preſerve] theſe are ſeldom overcome by any policy or power. What is the conqueſt of an Army, but the routing and ſcattering of them? The ſtrength of compoſed bodies lyeth in the great Number of parts moſt inſeparably conjoyned. Small Cities and Republicks are made a prey to potent Princes, becauſe they are inſufficient for their own defence, and are hardly Vnited with their neighbours for mutual preſervation. An United flame of many Combuſtibles conſumeth all without reſiſtance; when divided ſparks and candles have no ſuch power: Divided drops of rain are eaſily born, when United ſtreams and floods bear down all before them. He can break a ſingle thread, that cannot break a cord that is made of multitudes. And though the chief ſtrength of the Church of Chriſt be not in themſelves, but in their God and Head, yet God fitteth every thing to the uſe that he deſigneth it to, and maketh that creature, that perſon, that ſociety ſtrong, which he will have to be moſt ſafe and durable, and to do the works and bear the burdens that require ſtrength. Though we have all one God and Chriſt and Spirit, yet are there great variety of gifts and graces; and as there are ſtrong and weak Chriſtians, ſo there are ſtrong and weak Churches and Common-wealths.
O what great things can that Church or Kingdom do, which is fully United in it ſelf! What great aſſaults can they withſtand and overcome! But the Devil himſelf knoweth that a Kingdom or a houſe divided cannot ſtand, Matth. 12. 25, 26. And therefore by ſome kind of Concord (whatever it is) even Satans Kingdom is upheld:Mark 3. 24, 25. Luke 11. 17, 18. And by Diſcord it is that he hopeth and laboureth to deſtroy Chriſts Kingdom. And he that would have Chriſts Kingdom to be ſtronger than the Devils, muſt do his part that it be more United, and leſs divided. All living creatures periſh by the diſſolution of parts: what Concord and Diſcord do in Kingdoms and all ſocieties, he muſt be ſtupidly ignorant that knoweth not after ſo long experience of the world. Therefore they who agree in errour, are hardlieſt convinced (which is the Roman ſtrength) and they take their own Concord for an evidence of truth: And thoſe that diſagree and divide and wrangle, are apt to be drawn at laſt to ſuſpect if not forſake that truth in which they are agreed. Concord corroborateth even rebels and thieves in evil, much more the ſervants of God in good.*Sicut noxium eſt ſi unitas deſit bonis, ita pernicioſum eſt ſi ſit in malis: Perverſos quippe unitas corroborat dum concordant, & ta… to magis incorrigibiles quanto unanimes facit. Greg. Moral. l. 33.
O unhappy people of God (ſaith Hierome in Pſal. 82.) that cannot ſo well agree in good as wicked men do in evil! But, by his leave, there is more Unity and Concord among all Chriſts true ſervants, than among any wicked men: elſe the Devils Kingdom would be ſtronger and perfecter than Chriſts.
Obj. But this of Jeromes is a common ſaying, and common experience ſeemeth to confirm it. How unanimous were the Sodomites in aſſaulting the houſe of Lot? and what multitudes every where agree in Ignorance and enmity to the godly? and how divided and quarrelſome are the Religious ſort?
Anſ. The queſtion whether Chriſts Kingdom or Satans hath more Vnity and Concord, requireth a diſtincter kind of anſwer; which is, I. UNITY is one thing, and ſimilitude is another. 2. Active Concord or Union of excellent coherent and cooperative natures, is one thing, and Negative non-repugnancy of dead or baſer creatures is another.
1. As there is a great ſimilitude between incoherent ſands or drops of rain, ſo is there between ungodly men: They are very like in their privations and ungodlineſs: but this is no Vnity at all. But the faithful are not only Like, but Vnited, as many drops in one Ocean, or as many Candles united in one flame, or many Sun-beams in one Sun and aire. 2. All theſe ſands, or duſt or dead bodies, quarrel not among themſelves, becauſe they are unactive beings, whoſe nature is to lye ſtill; while parents and children and brethren may have many fallings out: And yet there is that Vnity in Parents and Children, inclining them to the Loving Communion of each other, which is not in the ſand or duſt or dead.
And ſo wicked men in ſome caſes have not thoſe vital principles which are neceſſary to an active quarrel, and yet may have far leſs Vnion than the Godly in their ſcandalous diſcord. Swine and Dogs will not ſtrive or fight for Gold or Lands or Lordſhips, as men do; nor Aſſes for the food or delicates of men; nor yet for our ornaments or gay cloathes: Brutes never contend for preheminence in Learning, nor fall out in argumentation as men do; Becauſe their faculties are as dead to all theſe things: And that which moveth not, doth not ſtrive: ſo wicked men ſtrive not who ſhall pleaſe God beſt, or who ſhall be ſoundeſt in the faith, or the greateſt enemy to ſin, which is the commoneſt cont…ntion of good men, (while ſome of them miſtake ſome ſins for no ſins, and ſome take thoſe to be ſins that are none*See Whateley's notable Di…courſe of this in his Carecloth. Doct. 1.) But Brethren that oft fall out, have yet more Vnity, than ſtrangers that never think of one another, or than fellow-travellers that quietly travel in the way. Godly perſons are all cloſely United in one God, one Chriſt, one faith, one hope, one bond of Love to one another, one mind, and one deſign and work, as to the main. There is no ſuch Vnion as this among the ungodly. It's true, that they all Agree by way of ſimilitude, in being all blind, all bad, all worldly and fleſhly, all void of Gods ſpirit, and all enemies to the godly: But ſo all dead Carkaſſes agree in being dead, and all toads agree in being toads and poyſonous: And yet when the fable feigneth the belly and the hands and feet to fall out, becauſe the hands and feet muſt labour for the belly, they had then more Vnity than ſeveral Carkaſſes, …oads or ſerpents that never fall out: yea if a gowty foot be a torment to all the Body, it hath yet more Vnity with the body than another mans foot hath that putteth it to no pain.
But yet the perfecteſt Vnity hath alſo …aſe and ſtrength, and ſafety. Things United are durable. Death when it creepeth upon decaying age, doth it by gradual ſeparations and diſſolution: The fruit and the leaves firſt fall from the tree, and then one branch dyeth, and then another: The combined parts of our nutritious juices are firſt looſened, and then ſeparated in our decaying bodies; and then the pained parts feel the ill effects: The hair falleth off; The teeth …ot and fall out: and we dye by degrees, as by a coalition of parts we lived by degrees in our generation and augmentation; ſaith Boetius, *De conſol▪ philoſ. l. 4.Omne quod eſt, tam diu manet & ſubſiſtit, quam diis ſit unum; ſed interit & diſſolvitur quando unum eſſe deſierit. We live while we are One: We dye when we ceaſe to be One: and we decay when by ſeparation we haſten towards it; and we grow weak when by looſeneſs we grow more ſeparable. Therefore all Looſening opinions or principles, which tend to abate the Love and Vnity of Chriſtians, are weakening principles and tend to death. Schiſms in the Church, and feuds or wars in the Commonwealth, and mutinies in Armies, are the approaches or threatnings of death: Or if ſuch …evers and bloody fluxes prove not mortal, the cure muſt be by ſome excellent remedy, and Divine clemency and skill. Diſcordia Ordinum eſt reipublicae venenum, ſaith Livy. For (as Saluſt. ſaith) War is eaſily begun (as fire in the City eaſily kindled,) but to end it requireth more ado. And the …nd is ſeldom in the power of the ſame perſons that began it; much leſs will it end as eaſily as it might have been prevented. It's like the eruption of waters that begin at a ſmall breach in the damm or banks, but quickly make themſelves a wider paſſage. Prov. 26. 17. He that paſſeth by and medleth with ſtrife which is not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears. Prov. 17▪ 14. The beginning of ſtrife is as when one letteth out water: therefore leave off contention before it be medled with (or exaſperated or ſtirred up to rage.) As paſſion inclineth men to ſtrive, rail or ſome way hurt, ſo all diſcord and diviſion inclineth men to a warring depreſſing way againſt others; As Gregory ſaith*Moral. l. 9. [When perverſe minds are once engaged ad ſtudium contrarietatis, to a ſtudy of contrariety, they arm themſelves to oppugne all that is ſaid by another, be it wrong or right; for when the perſon through contrariety is diſpleaſing to them, even that which is right, when ſpoken by him is diſpleaſing. And when this is the ſtudy of each member, to prove all falſe or bad that another ſaith or doth, and to diſgrace and weaken one another, what ſtrength, what ſafety, what peace, what duration can be to that ſociety?
IV. UNITY is alſo the BEAUTY, and Comelineſs of the Church and all ſocieties: Perfect UNITY without Diverſity is proper to God. But ab Vno omnia: that all the innumerable parts of his Creation, ſhould by Order and VNITY make ONE UNIVERSE or world; that all the members of the Church of Chriſt, of how great variety of gifts, degrees and place ſoever ſhould make one Body, this is the Divine skill; and this Order and Vnity is the Beauty of his works. If the Order and Vnity of many Letters made not words, and of many words made not ſentences, and of many ſentences made not Books, what were their excellency or uſe? If many Notes ordered and united made not Harmony, what were the pleaſure of muſick or melody? And how doth this Concord make it differ from a diſcordant odious noiſe? The Unity of well-ordered Materials is the Beauty of an Edifice: And the Unity of well-ordered and proportioned members, is the ſymmetrie and Beauty of the Body▪ It delighteth mans nature more to read the hiſtory of Loves, and amiable concord (which is the charming ſnare in tempting Luſt…books) than to read of odious and ruinating diſcords: And no doubt but the many hiſtories of ſinful diſcord, and their effects are purpoſely recorded in Scripture, to make it the more hateful to all believers: This is the uſe of the recorded malice of Cain to Abel, of the effect of the Babel diviſion of tongues;Gen. 4. 8, 9. & 13. 7. &c. 19. 4. & 26. 20. & 27. 41. & 31. 36. & 34. 25, &c. & 49. & 50. & 53. Exod. 2. 13. & 16. 2. & 17. 3. Numb. 21. 4, 5, 6. Judg. 9. & 12. & 20. 1 Sam. 18. & 2 Sam. 3. & 15. & 19. 1 King. 12. &c. of the diſagreement of the ſervants of Abraham and Lot; of the envy of Joſephs brethren, and of Eſau's thoughts of revenge againſt Jacob, and of Jacobs fear of him; of the diſcord of Laban and Jacob; of the bloody fact of Simeon and Levi, and Jacob's dying deteſtation of it and his curſe; of the two Hebrews that ſtrove with each other, and one of them with Moſes; of the Iſraelites murmurings and mutinies againſt Moſes; Abimelech's cruelty againſt his brethren; of the tribe of Ephraim's quarrel with Jephta; and the Iſraelites with the Benjamites and their war; of the envy of Saul againſt David, and his purſuit; of his and Doegs cruelty againſt the Prieſts; of Abſoloms rebellion againſt David; of Joabs murders and his death; of Solomons jealouſie and execution of Adonijah; of Rehoboams fooliſh difference with his ſubjects, and the loſs of the ten tribes, and Jeroboam's reign; of the continual wars of Juda and Iſrael; of the many malicious actions of Prieſts and people againſt Jeremiah, Amos and other Prophets and Meſſengers of God;2 Chron. 36. 16. Mat. 2. & 3. Luke 22. Act. 15. 1, &c. & 15. 39, 40. 1 Cor. 1. & 3. &c. of the perſecuting cruelty of Herod againſt Chriſt and the Infants, in his jealouſies about his Crown; of the Jews malicious and fooliſh oppoſition to Chriſt, of Chriſts diſciples ſtriving which ſhould be the Greateſt, and the aſpiring requeſt of James and John; of the ſhort diſſention of Paul and Barnabas, &c. Are not all theſe, unpleaſant hiſtories to us, and written to make diſſentions odious? To this end it is that we have the ſad hiſtory of the early contentions between the Jewiſh and the Gentile Chriſtians about Circumciſion, and the Law, and the reconciling aſſembly, Act. 15. To this end we have the ſad hiſtory and ſharp reproofs of the factions and ſidings among the Corinthians; of the falſe Apoſtles envy raiſed againſt Paul among the Corinthians and Galatians; and of thoſe that preached Chriſt out of envy and in ſtrife, to add affliction to his bonds, Phil. 1. of the many hereſies that roſe up even in thoſe firſt Churches to trouble, deſile them and diſgrace them; To this end we have the abundance of ſharp rebukes of contentious perſons, and ſuch as ſtrove about words, and genealogies and the Law; and the reproofs of many of the Aſian Churches, Rev. 2. & 3. and the odious deſcription of the hereticks, 2 Pet. 2. & Jud. &c. not only as corrupters of doctrine, but in a ſpecial manner as Separatiſts and dividers of and from the Chriſtian Churches. To this end we have the ſad predictions that two ſorts ſhould ariſe and tear the Churches, Act. 20. Grievous wolves that ſhould not ſpare the flocks, and ſome of themſelves that ſhould speak perverſe things to draw away diſciples after them. To this uſe we have ſo many vehement obteſtations, and exhortations againſt diſcord and diviſions; even in thoſe times of vigorous Love and Concord: ſuch as 1 Cor. 1. 10, &c. & 3. &c. Phil. 2. 1, 2, &c. 3. 14, 15, 16. and abundance ſuch, of which hereafter. And even thoſe that by their Maſter are taught not to be too forward in ſeeing the mote in anothers eye, muſt yet be intreated to Mark them that cauſe Diviſions and offences and avoid them; and whereas they that were ſuch, pretended to be the moſt excellent ſervants of Chriſt, and to ſpeak more ſublimely and ſpiritually, for greater edification and advancement of Knowledge than the Apoſtles did, it was no ill cenſoriouſneſs to judge, that being the Cauſes of Diviſions and offences, contrary to Chriſts doctrine of Love, Vnity and peace, they did not ſerve the Lord Jeſus (whoſe great and laſt command was Love, which he made the Nature and character and badge of his true diſciples) but by thoſe good words and fair ſpeeches deceived the hearts of the ſimple and deceivable. Here there are four words eſpecially to be noted: 1. foreign, which we tranſlate good words, is commonly tranſlated flattery; but as Beza well noteth, it ſignifieth a ſpeaking of things that are plauſible in themſelves for ſome good that is in them, and that are pretended to be all ſpoken for the hearers good; as Satan pretended when he tempted Eve; yea, perhaps to be neceſſary to their ſalvation, or to make them the moſt knowing and excellent ſort of Chriſtians. 2. foreign, which ſignifieth both to Bleſs them as miniſters do that deſire their happineſs, and to praiſe them and ſpeak well or highly of them: And ſo almoſt all ſects and divided bodies are gathered by flattering the hearers into a conceit that thus they ſhall become the ſureſt and moſt excellent Chriſtians; and all others are far inferiour to them. 3. foreign, It is the Hearts of ſuch hearers that are deceived, and not their heads or reaſon only or chiefly: For the good words firſt take with them by moving their Paſſions or affections; And then the Praiſe, fair promiſes and ſpeeches kindle a kind of ſecret ſpiritual pride and ambition in the heart, as Satans words did in Eve to be as Gods in Knowledge: And the Heart thus infected and puft up promoteth the deceit of the underſtanding. 4. And this is foreign, hominum minime malorum, as Beza tranſlates. It is not ſimple fools, but ſuch ſimple perſons as we call harmleſs or innocents, (as the Vulgar Latine tranſlates it), well meaning men, or not ill men: People that fear God and have good deſires and meanings, are for want of Judgement and watchfulneſs overcome by dividers.
And on the contrary, the amiable examples of Vnity and Concord, and their happy effects, are recorded in Scripture, to make us in Love with them: but none ſo eminent as that of the firſt Chriſtians. It is very remarkable, that when Chriſt would ſhew the world the work of his Mediation in its notable effects, and when he would ſhew them the excellency of his diſciples about the common world, and of his Church under the Goſpel above that under Moſes Law, he doth it by ſhewing them in the power and exerciſe of Vniting Love. Love was it which he came to exerciſe and demonſtrate (his Fathers and his own): Love was that which he came to kindle in their ſouls, and bring them to poſſeſs and practiſe: Perfect Love is the perfect felicity which he hath promiſed them: Love and Unity are the matter of his laſt and great Command: Theſe are the Characters of his genuine diſciples, and of the renewed Divine Nature in them: It was Love and Vnity which muſt in them be the witneſs of Chriſts ſpirit and power, to convince the unbelieving world; And therefore it is Love and Vnity which is the matter of his laſt excellent prayer for them: John 17. 22, 23, 24, 25. & 15. 12, 17. & 13. 34. 1 John 3. 14, 23. & 4. 21. And all theſe his preparations, precepts, examples, and prayers, were accordingly exemplified in the wonderful Love and Concord of his followers. When the day of Pentecoſt was come, in which the Holy Ghoſt muſt be moſt eminently communicated to them, they were all with One accord in one place, Acts 2. 1. The Apoſtles had an Vnanimity and Concord before, proportionable to the meaſure of their grace, which was preparatory to their reception of the eminent gift of the Spirit, which increaſed their unanimity. And v. 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46. the three thouſand that were ſuddenly added to the Church, continued ſtedfaſtly in the Apoſtles doctrine and fellowſhip, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers: And all that believed were together, and had all things common, and ſold their poſſeſſions and goods, and parted them to all men as every man had need: And they continuing daily with one accord in the Temple, and breaking bread from houſe to houſe, did eat their meat with gladneſs and ſingleneſs of heart, praiſing God, and having favour with all the people.] What greater demonſtration could be given that Chriſt is the great Reconciler, the meſſenger, gift and teacher of Love, the Prince of Peace, and the great Vniter of the divided world, both with his Father and Himſelf, and with one another.
In this text Acts 2. and marvellous example, you ſee the deſign and work of the great Reconciler: When men fall out with God, they fall out with one another: when they depart from the only Center of Vnity, they can have no true Unity among themſelves: when they loſe the Love of God, they loſe the Love of Man as for Gods ſake and intereſt. And he that cannot ſee and Love God in man, can ſee nothing in man that is worthy of much love: As he that loveth not a man for his ſoul and its operations, more than for his body, loveth him not as a man: And few have any great Love to a dead Corpſe. Cicero could ſay, It is your ſoul that we ſpeak to, and converſe with: were that departed we ſhould ſpeak to you no more. God is more to every man, than his ſoul: If God were not their life and amiableneſs, all men would be unlovely loathſome carkaſſes: Therefore wicked men that cannot Love God and Goodneſs, can Love none thoroughly but themſelves and for themſelves, or as Bru…es by a low or ſenſitive kind of love: For it is ſelf that they are fallen to from God and Man: And yet while ſelf is carnally and inordinately loved inſtead of God and Man, it is but deſtroyed and undone by that inordinate idolatrous love: And he that loveth Himſelf to his own deſtruction (with a Love more pernicious than anothers hatred) doth love his friends but with ſuch a kind of killing love: (as I have ſeen ſome Brutes kill their young ones with the violence of their love, that would not ſuffer them to let them alone.) Thus all love to man, ſaving a pernicious love, doth dye, where the love of God and goodneſs dieth: And Cain giveth the world the firſt ſpecimen or inſtance of depraved nature, in envy and wrath, and finally in the murder of his Brother, and undoing Himſelf, by ſetting up and adhering inordinately to himſelf.
But when Chriſt reconcileth God and Man, he reconcileth Men to one another: For he teacheth men to love God in Man, and Man for God, with a Holy, noble, reaſonable kind of Love: And ſo to love all men, as far as God hath an Intereſt in all: And to Love all Chriſtians with an eminent Love, as God is eminently intereſſed in them. And this is Chriſts work on the ſouls of men; and much of his buſineſs which he came for into the world. And therefore he would have his firſt Diſciples to give the world ſuch a ſpecimen of Love in this extraordinary way of Community: For as extraordinary works of Power, (that is, Miracles) muſt be wrought by the firſt Preachers of the Goſpel, to ſhew Chriſts power, and convince the unbelieving world; ſo it was as needful that then there ſhould be extraordinary works of Love, to ſhew Chriſts Love, and teach them the great work of Love which he came to call and bring men to: For the firſt Book that Chriſt wrote, was on the Hearts of Men, (which no Philoſopher could do); In fleſhly tables he wrote LOVE TO GOD and MAN by the finger of his Spirit, (many a year before any Book of the New Teſtament was written). And as his Doctrine was [Love one another] and [Love your enemies, forbear and forgive, &c.] ſo his firſt Churches muſt extraordinarily exemplifie and expreſs this doctrine, by living in this extraordinary community, and ſelling all, and diſtributing as each had need: And afterwards their Love-feaſts did long keep up ſome memorial of it: For they were the firſt ſheet, as it were, of the New Book which Chriſt was publiſhing: And, LOVE was the ſumm of all that was imprinted on them: And their Practice was to be much of the Preaching that muſt convert the world. Chriſt was not a meer Orator or teacher of Words: And, non magna loquimur, ſed vivimus, was the profeſſion of his diſciples: He came not meerly to talk, and teach men to talk; but to Do, and teach men to Do; even to do that himſelf which none elſe ever did, and to teach his followers to do that which no other ſort of men did in this world: But this leadeth me up to the next Uſe of Unity.
V. The SPIRIT of UNITY and LOVE is the Great means of the Churches increaſe: There is a twofold augmentation of the Church: 1. Intrinſick and Intenſive; when it Increaſeth in all Goodneſs, and haſteth to perfection: And it is this Vital principle of Vniting Love, or the Spirit of Vnity, which is the immediate cauſe of this. 2. Extenſive, when the Church is enlarged, and more are added to it: And it is a Life of Vniting Love among Chriſtians, that muſt do this as much or more than preaching: Or at leaſt, if that preaching which is but the effect of Knowledge, produce Evangelical Knowledge in the hearers, yet a Life of Love and Vnity is the adapted means of breeding Love and Vnity, the Life of Religion in the world: Light may cauſe Light; but Heat muſt cauſe Heat; and it muſt be a Living thing that muſt generate life, by ordinary cauſation: That which cometh from the Head, may reach the Head, and perhaps the Heart, but is not ſo fit to operate on Hearts as that which cometh from the heart. Undoubtedly if Chriſtians did commonly live in ſuch Love and Vnity among themſelves, and ſhew the fruits of common Love to all about them, as their Great maſter and his Religion teacheth them, they would do wonders in converting ſinners, and enlarging the Church of Jeſus Chriſt. Who could ſtand out againſt the convincing and Attractive power of Uniting Love? Who could much hate and perſecute thoſe that Love them, and ſhew that Love? This would heap melting coals of fire on their heads. Our Saviour knew this when he made this his great Leſſon to his diſciples, and when he prayed (Joh. 17. 21, 22, 23, 24.) over and over [for them which ſhould believe on him, through the Apoſtles 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]. O when will Chriſt revive this bleſſed principle in his followers, and ſet them again on this effectual way of preaching, that Love may draw the world into the Churches Vnity? Some look for new miracles for the converting of the now-forſaken Nations: what God will do of that kind we know not; for he hath not told us: But Holy Vniting Vniverſal Love is a thing which he hath ſtill made our certain duty; and therefore we are all bound to ſeek and do it: And therefore we may both pray and labour for it in hope: And could we but come up to this known duty, we ſhould have a means for the worlds converſion, as effectual as miracles, and more ſweet and pleaſant to them and us.
Obj. But why then is the world ſtill unconverted, when all true Chriſtians have this love?
Anſ. 1. Alas, thoſe true Chriſtians are ſo few, and the hypocrites that are ſelfiſh worldlings are ſo many, that the poor people that live among profeſſed Chriſtians, do judge of Chriſtianity by thoſe falſe profeſſours, who are indeed no Chriſtians: Men ſee not the hearts of one another. Thouſands of ungodly perſons, for intereſt, education and cuſtome take on them the name of Chriſtians, who never were ſuch indeed by heart-conſent. When theſe counterfeit Chriſtians live like Infidels, men think that Chriſtians are no better than Infidels: For they think they muſt judge by the greater number of ſuch as go under the Chriſtian name. But if the world could tell who they be that are truly Chriſtians at the heart, they would ſee that they have that ſpirit of Love, which is not in unbelievers. 2. And alas the Love and Vnity even of true Chriſtians is yet too imperfect, and is darkened and blemiſhed with too much of the contrary vice: were Chriſtians perfect Chriſtians, they would indeed be the honour of their profeſſion. Then Love would be the powerful principle of all their works; which would taſte of its nature, and, as it is ſaid of Wine, Judg. 9. 13. it cheereth God and man, ſo I may ſay, God and man would be delighted in the ſweetneſs of theſe fruits: For with ſuch Sacrifice God is well pleaſed, Heb. 13. 16. But alas what crabbed and contrary fruits, how ſoure, how bitter do many diſtempered Chriſtians bring forth? If it will increaſe the Church, and win men to the Love of Chriſtianity, to be reviled or perſecuted, to be contemned and neglected, to be ſeparated from as perſons unworthy of our-love and kindneſs, then Chriſtianity will not want propagaters: The pouring out of the Spirit, was the firſt planting of the Chriſtian Church: And where there is moſt of Love, there is moſt of the ſpirit. As there needeth no forcing penal Laws, to compel men to obey God ſo far as Love prevaileth in them; ſo if Love were more eminent in the Church Paſtors and Profeſſors, that they preached and ruled and lived towards all men in the power of ſincere and fervent Love, there would be leſs pretence for all that violence, oppreſſion and cruelty, which hath been long exerciſed by the worldly Clergy, and ſo much the more odiouſly by how much the more the ſacred name of Religion hath been uſed for its juſtification or excuſe.
VI. UNITING LOVE is the GLORY and Perfection of the Church: And therefore there will be in Heaven much greater Love, and much nearer UNITY, than there is of the deareſt friends on earth, yea greater and nearer than we can now diſtinctly underſtand.
And again I ſay, that they that in thinking of the ſtate of ſeparated ſouls, do fear leſt all ſouls do loſe their individuation, and fall into one common ſoul, do fooliſhly fear a greater Vnity than is to be expected. (And yet nothing elſe about the ſouls Immortality is lyable to a rational doubt: For, 1. Its ſubſtance certainly is not annihilated: 2. Nor its formal eſſential Virtues loſt, by mutation into ſome other ſpecies; 3. Nor doth the Activity of ſuch an Active nature ceaſe, 4. Nor will there want objects for it to act upon). Were it well conſidered that LOVE is as Natural to a ſoul as Heat is to the Sun, that is, an effect of that Act which its very eſſence doth perform; 2. And that our UNITY is an Unity of LOVE (Voluntarily performed) it would much abate ſuch ſelfiſh fears of too much Unity: For who ever feared too much Love? too extenſive, or too intenſive? too large, or too near a Union of minds? And as the beloved Apoſtle ſaith, that GOD IS LOVE as a name which ſignifieth his eſſence, why may not the ſame be ſaid of ſouls, which are his Image? that A SOUL IS LOVE? Not that this is an Adequate conception of A SOUL (much leſs of GOD); but of the partial or inadequate Conceptions, it ſeemeth to be the chiefeſt. The SOVL of Man is a Pure (or Spiritual) ſubſtance informed by a Virtue of Vital activity, Intellection, and Volition, (which is LOVE), informing (or animating) an organical body for a time, and ſeparable at the bodies diſſolution. And as the Calefactive Virtue is the Eſſence of the Fire (though not an adequate Conception of its eſſence; For it is a pure ſubſtance formally indu…d with the Virtue Motive, Illuminative and Calefactive) and the act of Calefaction is its eſſence as operative on a due recipient); ſo LOVE is the ſouls eſſence in the faculty or Virtue, and its Eſſence as operative on a due object, in the Act: which Act though the ſoul exerciſe it not ad ultimum poſſe by ſuch a Natural neceſſity as the fire heateth, yet its Nature or Eſſence immediately exerciſeth it, though in a fre…r manner: yea, ſome Acts of Love quoad ſpecificationem, though not quoad exercitium are exerciſed as neceſſarily as calefaction by the fire: yea more, though now in the body the exerciſe by cogitation and ſenſe be not ſo neceſſary, we cannot ſay that in its ſeparated ſtate it will not be ſo: yea yet more, even in the body the LOVE of a Mans SELF and of felicity, or pleaſure, ſeemeth to be a deep, conſtant or unceſſant Act of the ſoul, though not ſenſibly obſerved. And if LOVE be ſo far eſſential to it, the perfection of Love is the ſouls perfection, and the exerciſes of Love are the chief operations of the ſoul: And conſequently the perfection and glory of the Church (which is but a conjunction of holy perſons) conſiſteth in the ſame Uniting Love, which perfecteth ſouls.
And indeed Vniformity in circumſtantials, and in external Polity were but a Carkaſs or Image of Unity without Uniting Love which is its ſoul: As much external Union in good as we are capable of, doth advantage Vnity of ſpirit: But all Union in evil, and all in unneceſſary circumſtantials, which is managed to the diminution of Chriſtian Love, are to the Church, but as the glory of adorned cloathing, or monuments or pictures to a carkaſs: And the Church-Tyrants that would thus Unite us, and ſacrifice Love and the means of it to their ſort of Vnity, are but like the Phyſician that preſcribed a ſic… man a draught of his own heart blood to cure him▪ The Inquiſitors that torture mens bodies to ſave their ſouls, are not more unskilful in their pretended Charity to ſave men, than is he that hindereth or deſtroyeth Love, while he ſeeketh the Churches Unity in humane Ordinances by fraud or fear: When they have killed any Church by Love killing ſnares and practices, and glory that it is united in Papal power, ſplendor and decrees, it is but as if they cut all a mans nerves, or caſt him into a Palſie, or killed him, and gloried that they have tyed his limbs together with ſtrings, or bound them all up in the ſame Winding-ſheet and Coffin. That edifieth not the Church, which tendeth not to ſave, but to deſtroy mens ſouls.