The True Way of Concord of All the Christian Churches, Part 1 · Chapter 1
CHAP. I.
The Text opened, and the Doctrines and Method propoſed.
EPHES. 4. 3.
foreign.
Endeavouring (or carefully or diligently ſtudying) to keep the Vnity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace.
HAD not the diſtempers of the minds even of Religious perſons, and the long and ſad diviſions and diſtractions of Chriſtians aſſured me that this Text is not commonly underſtood and regarded, as the Apoſtles vehement Exhortation, and the importance and reaſon of the matter do beſpeak; yea had not the long bleeding wounds of the Church, made by its Paſtors and moſt zealous members, ſtill cryed out aloud for pity and help, I had not choſen this ſubject at this time. But after the complaints, and exhortations and tears of the wiſeſt and beſt men ſince the days of Chriſt, after the long miſeries of the Church and the long and coſtly experience of all ages, the deſtroying Spirit of diviſion ſtill poſſeſſeth the moſt, and maketh ſome of the poſſeſſed to rage and foam & tear themſelves and all that are in their power; it haunteth the holy aſſemblies and diſquieteth the lovers of unity and peace, and by the ſcandals which it raiſeth it frighteneth children and unſtable perſons out of their religion and their wits. And therefore after the many books which I have written for Vnity, Love and Peace, and the many years preaching and praying to that end, I find it yet as neceſſary as ever to Preach on the ſame Subject, and to recite the ſame things, and while I am in this Tabernacle which I muſt ſhortly put off, to ſtir you up, that after my deceaſe you may have it in remembrance (2 Pet. 1. 12, 13, 14.) And could I perſuade the Churches of Chriſt to ſeek by faſting and fervent prayer, the diſpoſſeſſing of this diſtracting Spirit, (by which only this evil kind goeth out) our languiſhing hopes might yet revive.
If Paul found it neceſſary to cry down diviſion, and plead for Unity ſo frequently and ſo vehemently as he doth, to thoſe new planted Churches of Rome, Corinth, Epheſus, Galatia, Philippi, Theſſalonica, &c. which had been founded by the means of miracles, and had ſo much of the ſpirit of Unity and Community, and had Apoſtles among them to preſerve their peace: what wonder if we that are much ignorant of the Apoſtles minds, and of the Primitive pattern, and have leſs of the Spirit, have need to be ſtill called upon to ſtudy to keep the Vnity of the Spirit in the bond of peace? They that preach Twenty or an hundred Sermons for Purity, and ſcarce one with equal Zeal for Vnity and Peace, do not ſufficiently diſcern that Purity and Peace are the inſeparable fruits of the wiſdom from above, Jam. 3. 17.which live and die together, and with them the ſouls and ſocieties of believers.
This famous Church of Epheſus is it which Paul Act. 20. had ſo long laid out his labours in; even publickly & from houſe to houſe, night and day with tears: which was famous for its greatneſs,Act. 20. 28, 29, 30, &c. and the open profeſſion of Chriſt;Act. 19. 19. where even the price of the vain unlawful books which they openly burnt came to fifty thouſand pieces of ſilver.*See Beza's Conjecture of the ſumme, in loc. This is the Church that firſt of the ſeven is written to by Chriſt, Rev. 2. Whoſe works, labour and patience, even without fainting, were known and praiſed by the Lord†Rev. 2. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.; which proved and diſproved the falſe Apoſtles; which hated the deeds of the Nicolaitans: And yet Paul ſaw cauſe, Act. 20. 30. to foretell them prophetically of their temptations to diviſion; that they ſhould be tryed by both extreams as other Churches were and are; that on one ſide grievous Wolves or Church tyrants ſhould enter not ſparing the ſt…ck, and on the other ſide, of themſelves ſhould men ariſe ſpeaking perverſe things to draw away diſciples (by Schiſm & ſeparation) after them. And to this excellent Church he ſeeth cauſe here to urge the Perſuaſives to the vigilant▪ preſervation of Vnity, in this Chapter.
Having in the three firſt Chapters inſtructed them in the high myſteries of Election, Redemption and the fruits thereof, and magnified the riches of Grace in Chriſt, and the ſpiritual knowledge thereof, that we may know what Vſe he principally intended, he here beginneth his application, 1. With a moving reaſon from his Perſon and Condition, v. 1. [I the Priſoner of the Lord] As if he ſhould ſay [As ever you will regard the doctrine and counſel of your Teacher, and Chriſts Apoſtle, now I am in bonds for the doctrine which I preach] 2. With words of earneſt requeſt [I beſeech you] 3. With the matter of his requeſt, 1. In general, that [they walk worthy the calling wherewith they were called] Beza need not have avoided the vulgar and proper tranſlation of foreign, and put quod convenit for worthy; for worthineſs can ſignifie nothing but moral congruity. 2. Specially this worthineſs conſiſteth in the holy and healthful conſtitution of their ſouls and the exerciſe thereof: In their inward diſpoſition, and their anſwerable practice.
1. The inward qualifications are 1. [All lowlineſs] 2. [Meekneſs] 3. [Love.]
2. The fruits of theſe are, 1. Long-ſuffering: 2. Forbearing one another: 3. And Studying to keep the Vnity of the ſpirit in the bond of peace:] Which Vnity is particularly deſcribed in the Terms and reaſons of it which are ſeven. 1. One Body. 2. One Spirit. 3. One hope. 4. One Lord. 5. One faith. 6. One Baptiſm. 7. One God and Father who is above all and through all and in them all] But negatively, not in an equality of Grace in all the members; for that is various according to the meaſure of the gift of Chriſt, the free Benefactor.
I muſt paſs by all unneceſſary explication, and the handling of the many uſeful Leſſons which offer themſelves to us in the way: ſuch as theſe following.
Doct. 1. It ſhould not depreciate the counſels of Chriſts Miniſters, that they are ſent or written from a priſon or bonds, but rather procure their greater acceptance: when they are not impriſoned for evil doing, but for Preaching or obeying the Goſpel and Law of Chriſt, it is their honour, and the honour of that doctrine which they ſuffer for: why elſe keep you days of thankſgiving and Commemoration of the Martyrs? On the perſecutors part Chriſt is evil ſpoken of or blaſphemed, but by the ſufferers he is glorified, and therefore he will glorifie them.1 Pet. 4. I was once blamed for dating a book [out of the Common gaol or priſon in London] as if it reflected on the Magiſtrate: But I imitated Paul, and mentioned nothing which the Rulers took for a diſhonour, as their actions ſhewed.
Doct. 2. Beſeeching is the mode and language of wiſe and faithful Paſtors, in pleading for Vnity and againſt Schiſm in the Church. For they are not Lords over the flocks, but helpers of their faith: They have no power of the ſword, but of the word. They rule not by conſtraint, but willingly, nor ſuch as are conſtrained by them, but Voluntiers: It is not the way to win Love to God, to Paſtors or to one another, to ſay, Love me or I will lay thee in a gaol: ſtripes are uſeful to cauſe fear and timerous obedience, but not directly to cauſe Love. And hated Preachers ſeldom proſper in Converting or Edifying ſouls, or healing diſordered, divided Churches.
Doct. 3. Though Grace find us unworthy, it maketh men ſuch as walk worthy of their high and heavenly calling: that is, in a ſuitable converſation, anſwerable to the principles of their faith and hope. Chriſtianity were little better than the falſe Religions of the world, if it made men no better. If Chriſt made not his diſciples greatly to differ from the diſciples of a meer philoſopher, he would not be …hought greatly to differ from them himſelf: The …ruits of his doctrine and ſpirit on our hearts and lives are the proofs and witneſs of his truth: we wrong him heinouſly when we live but like other men: And we weaken our own and other mens faith, by obſcuring a great evidence of the Chriſtian Verity. And thoſe that are of eminent holineſs and righteouſneſs of life, are the great and powerful preachers of faith, and ſhew men by proofs and not only by words that Chriſt is true.
Doct. 4. Lowlineſs is a great part of Chriſtian worthineſs, and a neceſſary cauſe of Chriſtian Vnity and peace. This foreign is but the ſame thing which Paul elſewhere (Act. 20. 19.) tells this ſame Church, that he practiſed towards them exemplarily himſelf. Lowlineſs of mind containeth both low and humble thoughts of our ſelves, and low expectations as to honour and reſpect from others; with a ſubmiſſive temper, that can ſtoop and yield, and a deportment liker to the lower ſort of people, than to the ſtout and great ones of the world. As Mat. 5. to be poor in ſpirit is to have a ſpirit fit for a ſtate of poverty, not in Love with riches, but content with little, and patient with all that poor men muſt endure; ſo Lowlineſs of mind, is a diſpoſition and deportment, not like the Grandees of the world, but ſuited to Low perſons and Low things, condeſcending to the loweſt perſons, employments and indignities or contempt that ſhall be caſt upon us, A proud high-minded perſon, that is looking for preferment and muſt be ſomebody in the world, is of a ſpirit contrary to that of Chriſtianity, and will never lie even in the ſacred Edifice, nor be a healer, but a troubler of the Church of Chriſt, and muſt be converted and become as a little child, before he can enter into the Kingdom of heaven, Mat. 18. 3. And indeed only by ſelfiſhneſs and pride have come the diviſions and contentions in the Church, even by thoſe that have made it the means of their domination to cry down diviſion, becauſe they muſt have all to Unite in them, in Conformity to their opinions, Intereſts and wills. A humble ſoul that can be content to follow a Crucified Chriſt, and to be made of no reputation (Phil. 2. 7. Heb. 12. 1, 2, 3.) and to be a ſervant to all, and a Lord of none, and can yield and ſtoop and be deſpiſed, when ever the ends of his office do require it, is a Chriſtian indeed and fit to be a healer.
Doct. 5. Meekneſs or Lenity is another part of Chriſtian worthineſs, and a neceſſary cauſe of Vnity and Peace.
Though in ſome this hath extraordinary advantage or diſadvantage in the temperature of the body, yet it is that which perſons of all tempers may be brought to by grace. A boiſterous, furious or wild kind of diſpoſition, is not the Chriſtian healing ſpirit. If paſſion be apt to ſtir, wiſdom and grace muſt repreſs it, and Lenity muſt be our ordinary temper: we muſt be like tame creatures, that familiarly come to a mans hand, and not like wild things that flye from us as untractable: otherwiſe how will ſuch in Love and peace and ſociable concord, ever carry on the work of Chriſt?
Doct. 6. Love to each other is a great part of Chriſtian worthineſs, and a moſt neceſſary cauſe of Vnity and peace. Of which I hope to ſay ſo much by it ſelf (if God will) as that I ſhall here paſs it by. It being the very Heart and Life of Vnity.
Doct. 7. Long ſuffering or a patient mind not raſh, or haſty, is another part of Chriſtian worthineſs, and a neceſſary Cauſe of Vnity and peace.
foreign hath more in it than many well conſider of: I know it is commonly taken for reſtraint of anger by patient long-ſuffering: But I think that it chiefly ſignifieth here and elſewhere in Pauls Epiſtles, that deliberate ſlowneſs and calmneſs of mind which is contrary to paſſionate haſte and raſhneſs: When a paſſionate man is haſty and raſh and cannot ſtay to hear another ſpeak for himſelf nor to deliberate of the matter and ſearch out the truth, nor forbear revenge while he thinketh whether it will do good or harm, or what the caſe will appear in the review; this Longanimity will ſtay men and compoſe their minds, and cauſe them to take time before they judge of opinions, practices or perſons, and before they venture to ſpeak or do; leſt what they do in haſte, they repent at leiſure: It appeaſeth thoſe paſſions which blind the judgment when wrath doth precipitate men into thoſe conceptions, words and deeds, which they muſt after wiſh that they had never known. Haſty raſhneſs in judging and doing, for want of the patience & lenity of a ſlow deliberating mind, is the cauſe of moſt errors, Hereſies and diviſions, and of abundance of ſin and miſery in the world.
Doct. 8. Bearing, ſupporting and forbearing one another in Love, is another part of Goſpel worthineſs, and needful means of Vnity and peace.
Doubtleſs to forbear each other patiently under injuries and provocations is a great part of the duty here meant; But both Beza who tranſlated it [ſuſtinentes] and the Vulgar Latine which tranſlateth it [ſupportantes] ſeemed to think that foreign ſignifieth ſomething more. While we are imperfect ſinful men, we ſhall have need of mutual ſupport and help, yea we ſhall be injurious, provoking and troubleſome to each other: And when Chriſtians (yea Church Paſtors) are ſo far from ſupporting and ſuſtaining the weak, that they cannot ſo much as patiently bear their cenſures, neglects, or other effects of weakneſs, Unity and peace will hardly proſper, much leſs if their ſpiritual Nurſes become their chief afflicters.
Doct. 9. Vnity of the ſpirit is moſt neceſſary to the Church of Chriſt and to its ſeveral members, though their meaſures of Grace be divers.
Doct. 10. The bond of Peace muſt preſerve this Vnity.
Doct. 11. This Vnity conſiſteth in theſe ſeven things; 1. One body, 2. One ſpirit, 3. One Hope, 4. One Lord, 5. One Faith, 6. One Baptiſm, 7. One God.
Doct. 12. This Vnity muſt be ſtudied carefully, and diligently endeavoured and preſerved, by all the faithful members of the Church.
Theſe laſt Doctrines being the ſubject which I deſign to handle, I ſhall ſpeak of them together in the following Order.
I. I ſhall tell you, What the Vnity of the ſpirit is which is ſo neceſſary.
II. I ſhall tell you, What neceſſity there is of this Vnity, and what are its happy fruits.
III. I ſhall open the ſeven particulars in which it doth conſiſt; and defend the ſufficiency of them to the uſe here intended in the Text.
IV. I ſhall open the nature and terms of counterfeit Unity.
V. I ſhall open the Nature and miſchiefs of the contrary (Diviſion.)
VI. I ſhall ſhew you what are the enemies and impediments of this Unity.
VII. I ſhall ſhew you, What are the ſtudy and endeavour, and the bond of peace, by which this Unity muſt be kept.
VIII. I ſhall conclude with ſome directions for Application, or Uſe of all.