The True Way of Concord of All the Christian Churches, Part 3 · Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
More of the ſame ſubject; Twenty things neceſſary in all that will deliver the Church from Schiſm.
Sect. I. BEcauſe this dividing Spirit goeth not eaſily out, I ſhall repeat and ſumme up the common Duties of all men that will herein ſucceſſefully ſerve the Church: for it is not every man that is fit for ſo excellent a work, though every man be bound to it in his place: The ſad Experience of the World aſſureth us, that hitherto few skilful and effectual Phyſicians have been found.
Sect. II. In ſhort, all men that will promote the Churches concord, whether Magiſtrates, Paſtors or People, muſt obſerve all theſe following things, as the neceſſary means, which if they be wanting, yea but one of them, the Churches will be ſo far diſquieted, and diſeaſed.
1. The foreſaid ſimple Terms of Union muſt be underſtood and received, and falſe and enſnaring terms muſt be avoided.
2. Magiſtrates muſt preferre Chriſts intereſt before their own, and ſee that their own lyeth in preferring his: and muſt value conſcionable upright men, though diſſenters in tolerable caſes, and not encourage their unconſcionable enemies. And muſt keep peace among the Clergy and among all.
3. Men muſt be taught to place their Religion in worſhipping God in Spirit and Truth; and to ſtudy the power and practice of Godlineſs, Sobriety, Juſtice and Charity, more than Opinions, ſelf-exalting or Will-worſhip: and to love their Neighbours as themſelves, and do as they would be done by.
4. Men muſt learn of Chriſt to ſee the amiableneſs of Sincerity and Holineſs under many differences and weakneſſes, and ſo love what is amiable, and bear with what is tolerable, and pardon what is pardonable in all: and to receive the weak, even in the Faith, but not to doubtfull Diſputations: and to ſpeak more of the Good that is in upright men than of the Evil: yea never ſpeak evil of any man till they be certain of the truth: nor then till they be well ſatisfied, that it is like to do more good than harm.
5. Men muſt labour to know themſelves, and be acquianted with their own fallibility and defectibility, mutability and inſufficiency, and to remember how much they have to be pardoned and tolerated, and ſo to caſt the firſt ſtone at themſelves; to fly from Pride, and know how unmeet they are to be the Rule of all mens Judgments and Practices, or to ſeem ſo wiſe, as that none ſhall be tolerated that differ from them, nor ſpeak publickly to God, but in the words which they preſcribe.
6. Men muſt not be too ſtrange to one another, nor keep too diſtant; for neerneſs and acquaintance reconcileth, and diſtance cheriſheth falſe reports and ſuſpicions, and men take liberty to hear, think and ſpeak ill of ſtrangers behind their backs, which familiarity would cure.
7. None but Volunteers muſt be taken for true Chriſtians, nor admitted to holy Communion, to receive the Seals of Pardon and Life.
8. To uſe more a friendly diſcourſing way for convincing Diſſenters, than diſgracefull, paſsionate, militant diſputations, (Though dangerous ſeducers muſt be confuted by neceſſary diſputation.)
9. To abhorre Envy and Emulation (the Off-ſpring duplicate page duplicate page of Selfiſhneſs and Pride) and not to grudge at other mens eſteem, that are preferred before us; eſpecially that Preachers and Paſtors envy not the preference of other Teachers, nor murmur at their liberty, honour or ſucceſs; but rejoyce with Paul, Phil. 1. that Chriſt is preached, though it be by Contentious men, that do it in Envy and Strife, to adde affliction to the afflicted.
10. To dread Perſecution and unjuſt violence to men of Conſcience, and not to force them to ſin and damnation, by bearing down Conſcience in unneceſſary things.
11. To be well furniſhed with holy Reaſon and Love, and for Miniſters to be confined to the uſe of theſe, from all uſe of Violence by the Sword; and kept to their proper work and Government by the Word and Church-keyes.
12. To rebuke and frown away malignant and Religious Calumniators, Whiſperers, Cenſurers and Backbiters.
13. To teach the People wherein the uniting Subſtance of Religion doth conſiſt, and what a ſin it is to be cenſorious and ſeparate cauſeleſly from others, and repreſent their different Opinions, Modes and Circumſtances of Worſhip unjuſtly odious, to ſtirre up other mens hatred and ſeparating diſtaſtes: and how great a ſin and danger Schiſm or Diviſion is.
14. To avoid all needleſs novelties and ſingularities, and to keep to Vincent. Lerinenſis's Meaſure, of holding to that which hath ever been received as neceſſary by the whole Church, and was the primitive Faith and Religion.
15. To avoid contending about meer ambiguous words, and ever to agree of the ſence of all the terms before you enter on further diſputation: and to ſuſpect ſuch ambiguity in all debates.
16. As Magiſtrates muſt be juſt and impartial, ſo people muſt be taught to obey them under Chriſt, in all lawfull things belonging to their Office, and that as a part of their Obedience to God.
17. Peace-makers muſt be men of Piety and blameleſs Lives, that may honour their works, and not by ſcandal harden adverſaries, nor lay Stumbling-blocks before the weak: and ſuch as ſtudy to do good to all.
18. They muſt ſubmit to men of the loweſt and weakeſt ranks, and not deſpiſe them, and the ſtrong muſt bear the Infirmities of the weak, reſtoring the fallen with the ſpirit of meekneſs, remembring that they alſo may be tempted.
19. They muſt not expect ſuch a degree of Concord on Earth as is not to be expected, leſt for want of it they be tempted to murmur at God, doubt of Religion, and make the breach wider by unjuſt ſeverities againſt the weak.
20. When any are accuſed of Hereſie or Scandal, they muſt be ready with patience to give ſatisfaction to others, to the Churches, to Rulers, to Equals, or Inferiors, Referring them to their Profeſsion of Faith, and anſwering what is charged on them, and willingly amending what they are convinced is amiſs.
But all this and much more I have formerly written in a Book called, The Cure of Church-diviſions.