The True Way of Concord of All the Christian Churches, Part 1 · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI.
The Vnity of Chriſtians is due to the Honour of Chriſt, and is pleaſing and amiable to God.
§. 1. IT is not only Miracles that are Chriſts witneſs in the world. The ſpirit of Prophecie alſo is called his witneſs, Rev. 19. 10. And if many Prophets ſhould all ſay that they ſpeak from Chriſt, and ſpeak contrary things, and charge each other with falſhood and deceit, would this be to his honour or to the credit of their teſtimony? It is the great Concord of the prophecies, promiſes and types of the Old Teſtament with the hiſtory and doctrine of the New, and the great concord of all the writers of the New Teſtament among themſelves, which greatly facilitateth our belief both of the Old and New. And all Infidels who accuſe the Scriptures of untruth, do accuſe it alſo of contradictions: And if they could prove the later, they would prove the former.
§. 2. And the ſpirit of Holineſs as it regenerateth and ſanctifieth ſinners from generation to generation, is no leſs a witneſs of the Truth and Love and Glory of Chriſt, than prophecies and miracles: The ſame ſpirit that is the author of prophecie and ſacred doctrine, is alſo the author of believers renovation to the image of God. And Illumination is not the leaſt or laſt part of this ſanctifying work: Chriſt is the light of the world, and his word and ſpirit are given to enlighten blinded minds, and to bring them out of darkneſs into his marvellous light, and from the power of the Prince of darkneſs and from doing the works of darkneſs, to the Father of Lights who giveth wiſdom liberally to them that ask it, that they may walk as Children of the light. Light is uſually called Glory: Heaven is the place of the greateſt Light and greateſt Glory: And heavenly wiſdom in believers, is much of their Glory here begun, in which their Father, their Saviour and their ſanctifier is glorified. Whatever therefore obſcureth or diminiſheth this ſacred Light in Saints, oppoſeth that Glory of God and our Redeemer which muſt appear and ſhine forth in them. The holy Learning of his diſciples is the honour of the heavenly Teacher of the Church: All true believers are taught of God: were they no wiſer, nor no better than other men, where were the teſtimony and the honour of their Teacher? and who would believe that he were a happier Teacher than Philoſophers? or that he were the true Saviour of the world that doth not ſave his own diſciples from ſin and folly▪ No wonder that God hath no pleaſure in fools, and that the fooliſh ſhall not ſtand in his fight, when they are ſuch a diſhonour to Chriſt and him: what fellowſhip hath Light with darkneſs?
And who knoweth not that diſagreement proveth ignorance and errour, in one party at leaſt? When they hold and plead for contrary opinions, both cannot be in the right. And when this is but in dark and difficult matters, of no great influence on our hearts and lives and future hopes, it is tolerable; and no more to be wondered at, than that we are yet but imperfect men in fleſh, and in this low and darkſome world: But when it amounteth to that which maketh Chriſtians judge it neceſſary to anathematize one another, and to caſt out each other from their communion as intolerable, and perhaps to ſeek one anothers deſtruction, do they not loudly proclaim their ſhameful ignorance to the world?
§. 3. I know that diſcipline muſt be exerciſed and the precious ſeparated from the vile, and this eſpecially for the honour of Chriſtianity. For if the Church be as a Swineſty, and the clean and unclean, the ſober and the drunken, the chaſte and the fornicators equally members of it, ſuch a ſociety and their religion will be contemned. For ſin is a reproach to any people.
But caſting a felon or murderer in Jaile doth much differ from a civil war.Prov. 14. 34. & 6. 33. & 19. 26. Jer. 23. 40. & 29. 18. & 42. 18. & 44. 8. Ezek. 5. 1…, 15. For the Church to caſt out the impure that repent not, is neceſſary to their honour; but to divide and ſubdivide among themſelves is their reproach, though the dividers have never ſo fair pretences.
§. 4. I know alſo what pretences againſt hereſie, &c. & 22. 4.the dividing ſects have had in all ages. They have pretended that they only being the true Church, the condemning and rejecting of all others was neceſſary to the Churches honour: But is it indeed to the honour of the Chriſtian name, that ſo great bodies for ſo many ages have continu'd to condemn and anathematize each other? That the Greek Church condemneth the Weſtern, and the Weſtern them? That the Eaſtern and Southern are ſeparated from both? And the Weſtern Chriſtians ſo divided among themſelves? Who that is not a ſtranger to man and hiſtory knoweth not that it hath been to exerciſe a Dominion over others, and alſo to extol the skill of their underſtandings, as ſpeaking rightlier than others, when they ſtrove about ambiguous words, that very much of their anathematizing hath been uſed? And when the Pope hath anathematized the Patriarch of Conſtantinople, he hath anathematized him again: yea ſo hath the Patriarch of Alexandria alſo. And when the three parties (the Orthodox, the Neſtorians and the Eutychians) for ſo many ages have continued anathematizing each other, the diſhonour falleth on them all in the eyes of beholders, and no party recovereth their honour with the reſt.
§. 5. Undoubtedly it is they that God ſhall make the bleſſed inſtruments of reſtoring the neceſſary means of Concord, and thereby of reviving Chriſtian Love and peace, that will be the chief and honourable agents for the repairing of the honour of the Chriſtian Church, if ever it be repaired in this world. All parties ſeem agreed in this, even they that moſt fooliſhly and cruelly tear and diſtract the Church, that it muſt be Love and Concord that at laſt muſt heal it, and recover its glory if ever it be healed. And how much Chriſt is pleaſed to ſee his ſervants live in Love and peace, his office, his nature, his many and vehement Commands do tell us.