The True Way of Concord of All the Christian Churches, Part 1 · Chapter 5
CHAP. V.
This Vnity conduceth to the good of the world (without the Church.)
§. 1. THe chief hopes of the Heathen and Infidel world conſiſt in their hopes of being brought into the faith and Church of Chriſtians: And as God addeth to the Church ſuch as ſhall be ſaved, ſo the means that our charity muſt uſe to ſave them, is to get them into this ark. The meaſure of their other hopes, or what poſſibility there is of their ſalvation I have elſewhere plainly opened: It ſufficeth us here to remember, that no man cometh to the Father but by the Son, and that he is the Saviour of his body, however he be called alſo the Saviour of the world.
§. 2. And as in nature it is the principle of life in the ſeed and womb, which is the Generating Cauſe of formation and augmentation of the ſoetu…; And it is the vital powers in Man, which maketh his daily nouriſhment become a living part of himſelf, and cauſeth his growth; So is i… the Spirit in the Church, that is Gods appointed means to quicken and convert the Infidel world. And it is thoſe Chriſtian Countreys which are adjoyning to Mahometans and Heathens, that ſhould do moſt to their converſion: who have far eaſier means than others by proximity and converſe to do it, and therefore are under the greateſt obligations to attempt it: As alſo thoſe remoter Countreys that are moſt in amity and traffick with them.
§. 3. And as Inſtruction by evidence muſt do much, ſo this Vniting Spirit of Love muſt do a great part of this work; and that both as it worketh inwardly on our ſelves in the Communion of Saints, and as it worketh outwardly by attraction and communication, to draw in and aſſimilate others.
§. 4. I. The Churches Vnity of Spirit doth fortifie and fit it for all its own offices in order to the converſion of the world: All parts are better qualified for the work, by that Wiſdom, Goodneſs and Life which they muſt work by: And each member partaketh of the common ſtrength which their Unity cauſeth. An united Army is likeſt to be victorious: Their routing is their flight and overthrow: And the Army or Kingdom that is Mutinous or in Civil Wars, or not unanimous, is unfit to enlarge dominion, and conquer others: They will have wor… enough at home.
§. 5. Were but Chriſtian Princes and people united, as they would be a terror to Turkiſh and other Infidel Oppreſſors (and in likelihood eaſily able to vanquiſh them) ſo they might eaſily contribute their endeavours to inſtruct and convince theſe Infidels with probability of greater ſucceſs, than any attempts have yet had upon them. They might with greater advantage ſend out and maintain men of Learning and other fitneſs to perform it. The Eaſtern Chriſtians by diviſions were broken off from the Greeks: The Greeks by diviſion (and wickedneſs) fell into the hands of the Turks: The diviſions of the Weſtern Nations furthered their Conqueſt, and hindred the Greeks recovery: The diviſions of the Military forces loſt Paleſtine and fruſtrated their vaſt labours and expences: Loſt alſo Armenian aids, and deſtroyed the hopeful beginnings of the Converſion of the Tartarians. The diviſion of Chriſtian Princes, hath ſet up the Papal Kingdom as the Umpire of their feuds. That which hath done ſo much to deſtroy Churches and Kingdoms, and hath murdered many hundred thouſand Chriſtians, and gone far towards the extirpating of true Chriſtianity out of much of the (formerly Chriſtian) World, muſt needs unfit us all to recover the World, and convert unbelievers.
§. 6. And were but Chriſtian Preachers and Paſtors United, inſtead of their pernicious Churchdeſtroying contentions, how great things might their united diligence have done! If all the miſchievous unskilful proud wrangling, and worldly ambitious ſtrife by which the Chriſtians were divided into Neſtorians, Eutychians, Monothelites, Phantaſiaſts, Donatiſts, Novatians, and their Anathematizers, &c. had been turned into an united force and diligence, by Light and Love to have converted Infidels, What a happy caſe had the World been in? And what bleſſings had that part of the Clergy been, that now have left their Names and Hiſtory to reproach and ſhame?
§. 7. II. And as Efficiently, ſo Objectively and Morally the Vnion of Chriſtians tendeth to convert the World, as it is notorious that their diviſions have hindered their Converſion. Men commonly ſuſpect them to be deceived or deceivers, that do not agree among themſelves. They that reverence united Chriſtians, deſpiſe them when they ſee them fall into diviſions, and learn of themſelves to condemn them all, by hearing them revile and condemn each other. Chriſt had never made it ſo great a part of his prayer to his Father, that his diſciples might be One, even as the Father and he were One, to this end [that the world may know that the Father ſent him] if this their Union had not been a ſpecial means of convincing unbelievers. And this was not by a Political Union of the reſt of his Diſciples under ſome One of them as the Governing Head of all the reſt: For no ſuch Head was ſet over them by Chriſt, nor ever claimed or exerciſed any ſuch authority: But it was a holy Union of Minds in knowledge and faith, and of Hearts in Love, and of Life in their publiſhed Doctrine and their Communion and Converſation. The common Sun-light maketh all mens ſight (whoſe Organs and Vi…ive faculty are ſound) to agree: and though a man hath two eyes, they ſee unitedly as if they were one▪ The more united fuel make one fire, the more powerful it is to kindle on all other combuſtible matter near it. When many Miniſters of the ſame or ſeveral Churches agree, it much availeth to procure the belief and obedience of their flocks. And when Paſtors and people agree, it ſtrongly inviteth the reverence and conſent of thoſe without. By wilful diſſenſions we are ſcandals and ſnares to unbelievers, and if Chriſtians live not in Unity, Love and Peace, they rob the world of a great appointed means of their converſion: And they who for ſo doing do juſtly exclaim againſt perſecutors and hinderers of the Goſpel, ſhould alſo remember how much they participate in that guilt, while the Love of Chriſtians to one another is made almoſt as needful as preaching to the winning of mens Love to faith and holineſs.
§. 8. As in the ſolemn ſinging of Pſalms, the harmony of concenting well tuned voices, inviteth the hearers to joyn with them by delight, when bawling confuſion and diſcord (one ſinging one tune and another another) is loathſome and tireſome and driveth men away: ſo would the ſweet concent of Chriſtians have won unbelievers to the Love of Chriſtian faith and piety, when their diviſions and wicked lives have had contrary lamentable effects: wo to the world becauſe of offences, and wo to them by whom offences come.