Irenicum to the Lover of Truth and Peace, Chapter 28
CHAP. XXVIII.
The ſinfulneſſe of our Diviſions.
THough there be ſin in many things mentioned, yet we conſidered them in reference to our good that was hindred: but now let us conſider what venome of ſin there is in them.
The number 2. hath been accounted accurſed, becauſe it was the firſt that departed from unity. The departure from that unity God would have, is a very curſed thing, for it hath much ſin in it.Peccatum, poe…a peecati, cauſa peccatj. That which S. Aug. ſayes of originall ſin, we may well apply to our diviſions, They are ſin, the puniſhment of ſin, the cauſe of ſin, nothing but a heap of ſin.
Firſt, they are againſt the ſolemn charge and command of God, and of Jeſus Chriſt. 1 John 3. 23. This is his commandement, that we ſhould believe on the name of his Son Jeſus Chriſt, and love one another as he gave us commandement. It is not an arbitrary thing that we ſhould love one another, but it is the command of God, and a great command joyned to that of beleeving in his Son Jeſus Chriſt. The one is as truly neceſſary to ſalvation as the other. Let men talk of faith, of believing on the Son of God, of truſting to free grace in Chriſt, yet if they have dividing, contending ſpirits, no love, no ſweetneſs, no grace of union with the Saints, their faith is a dead faith: And becauſe God ſtands much upon this to have his people live together in love, at the beginning of the verſe he ſayes, it is his commandement; at the end of the verſe he ſayes, he gave us commandement; And it is alſo obſervable, that he ſayes of the commandement of love, that he gave us that commandement. It is a gift, for it is a ſweet commandement. We ſhould not onelyonly ſubmit to it, as being bound by the authority of it: but we ſhould open our hearts to it, and embrace it joyfully as a gift from God. The commandement of love God gives us as a gift from his love. The excellency of theſe commandements are further amplified, ver. 24. And he that keepeth his commandements dwelleth in him, and he in him. I do not thinke that you can finde in all the Scripture any command of God in one ver. and a piece of another ſo inculcated and commended. Again, chap. 4. 21. This commandement have we from him, that he who loveth God loves his brother alſo. If you think you have any command to love God, or to believe in Jeſus Chriſt, know the ſame authority layes a command upon you, to love your brother alſo. Joh. 15. 12. This is my commandement, that ye love one another as I have loved you. And ver. 17. Theſe things I cowmand you, that ye love one another. Chriſt you ſee likewiſe makes a great matter of the Saints loving one another. Surely the ſinne then muſt needs be great that breaks ſuch a great commandement as this, upon which God the Father and Jeſus Chriſt his Son layes ſo much weight.
Secondly, theſe unkind and unloving diviſions are againſt the prayer of Jeſus Chriſt, yea againſt that prayer he made for us a little before he died, Joh. 17. 21. he prayes to his Father, that all who did believe, and ſhould after believe on him, might be one, as his Father is in him, and he is in his Father; and that they may be one in the Father and him: as if he ſhould ſay, Oh Father, I am now going out of the world, and I foreſee, when I am gone, even thoſe whom thou haſt given me, who are one in me, and in thee, will meet with ſtrong temptations to divide them one from another: but oh Father I beſeech thee, let thy fatherly care be over them, to keep their hearts together, that they might be united in the ſtrongeſt union that is poſſible for creatures to be united in. Oh Father, let them be one, as thou and I am one. Would we not be loath to loſe the benefit of that heavenly prayer of Chriſt for us in that 17. of Joh. read it over, ſee what ſoul-raviſhing excellency there is in it, ſeeing he hath expreſly ſaid he intended us who live now, in it, as well as thoſe Diſciples who then lived with him; let us prize this prayer, as being more to us then ten thouſand worlds. Luther writes a chiding Letter to Melancthon; By thoſe ſinfull diſtruſtfull fears and carking thoughts of yours, ſayes he, you do irritas facere praeces noſtras, you make void our prayers. How great then is the evill of our diviſions? by them we do what in us lies to make void as concerning us the prayer, that bleſſed prayer of Jeſus Chriſt. Sathan, ſayes Chriſt to Peter, hath deſired to winnow you like Wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith fail not. He ſhall not prevail, ſayes Chriſt: Why? Becauſe I have prayed for you. Oh bleſſed Saviour, is not thy prayer againſt our diviſions, as ſtrong? Canſt not thou prevail with thy Father as well in this as in that? We know thy Father did and does ever hear thee: ſome way or other this prayer of CHRIST is, and ſhall be heard; yet our ſin is not the leſs, for it tends to the fruſtrating of Chriſts prayer. Sathan deſires to winnow us in our diviſions, but he deſires not to have the Chaffe divided from the Wheat, he rather would have the Chaffe mixed with the Wheat. The mixing the Chaffe with the Wheat makes a great ſtirre amongſt us: But Chriſts prayer which helped Peter in his winnowing, we hope will help us in ours: only let not us do any thing that makes againſt it.
Thirdly, our diviſions are againſt our own prayers, How often have many who now are eſtrang'd from one another, heretofore ſo prayed together, as their hearts have ſeemed to melt one into another, ſo as one would think it impoſſible that ever in this world there ſhould have been that diſtance between them that now there is. How often have we prayed, Oh that once we might be bleſſed with ſuch a mercy, as to worſhip God according to his own mind! that we might be delivered from conſcience oppreſſion, from ſpirituall bondage! Oh that we might be delivered from the inventions of men in the ſervice of God: that the Saints might joyn and ſerve the Lord with one ſhoulder. There were never ſuch hopes that the Saints ſhould enjoy their prayers ſo as of late there hath been, and yet never were they ſo divided as now they are: they now ſeek to bring one another in bondage. If five or ſix years ſince when many of us were praying together, making our moans to God for that oppreſſion we were under, God ſhould have then preſented as in a Map, ſuch times as theſe are to our view; could we have beleeved that it were poſſible that there ſhould be ſuch a diſtance in our ſpirits as now there is?
Fourthly, our Diviſions are very diſhonourable to Jeſus Chriſt; were it, that they darkned our names onelyonly, it were not ſo much; but that which darkens the glory of Jeſus Chriſt, ſhould goe very neere unto us. I have read of Alexander Severus, ſeeing two Chriſtians contending one with another, commanded them that they ſhould not preſume to take the name of Chriſtians upon themſelves any longer; For (ſayes he) you diſhonour your Maſter Chriſt, whoſe Diſciples you profeſſe to be. It is diſhonour to a General to have his Army routed, and run into confuſion. The Devill ſeems to prevaile againſt us in theſe our diviſions, ſo as to rout us. John 17. 21. 23. is a notable Scripture, to ſhew the ſinfulneſſe of our diviſions, in the diſhonour they put upon Chriſt, and it may be as ſtrong an argument againſt them as any I know in the Book of God; Chriſt praying to the Father for the union of his Saints, uſes this argument, O Father let this be granted, that the world may beleeve that thou haſt ſent me: And againe, ver. 23. Let them be perfect in one, that the world may know that thou haſt ſent me. If they be not united one to another in love and peace, but have a ſpirit of Diviſion ruling amongſt them, what will the world thinke? ſurely, that thou didſt not ſend me; that I who am their head, their teacher and Lord, never came from thee, for thou art wiſdom, holineſs and love, & if I had come from thee, then thoſe who own me to be theirs, and whom I own to be mine, would hold forth in their converſations ſomething of that ſpirit of holineſſe, wiſdome and love there is in thee; but when the world does not ſee this in them, but the clean contrary, they will never beleeve, that I came from thee; thoſe truths that I came into the world to make known as from thee, O Father will not be beleeved, but rather perſecuted, if thoſe who profeſſe them by their diviſions one from another, and oppoſitions one againſt another, ſhew forth a ſpirit of pride, folly, envy, frowardneſſe; therefore, O Father, let them be one as thou and I am one; if this Petition be not granted, how ſhall I look the world in the face; I ſhall be contemned in the world: what am I come down from thee, for ſuch glorious ends as indeed thoſe were, for which I came into the world, and when I ſhould come to attaine thoſe ends, for which I came, ſhall there be ſuch a carriage in thoſe who doe profeſſe my Name, that by it the world ſhall perſwade themſelves, that thou didſt never ſend me? O what a ſore evill would this be! ſurely any Chriſtian heart muſt needs tremble at the leaſt thought of having a hand in ſo great an evill as this is.
Fifthly, Diviſions are ſinfull becauſe they grieve the holy Spirit of God, Epheſ. 4. 30, 31. Grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are ſealed to the day of redemption. Surely, there is no godly heart, but will ſay, O God forbid that I ſhould doe any thing to grieve the good ſpirit of God, it is the Spirit that hath enlightned me, that hath revealed the great myſteries of God, of Chriſt, of eternall life unto me; it is that Spirit that hath drawn my Soul to Jeſus Chriſt, that hath comforted it, with thoſe conſolations that are more to me then ten thouſand worlds; the Spirit that hath ſtrengthned me, that helpes me againſt temptations, that carries me through difficulties, that enables me to rejoyce in tribulations; the Spirit that is an earneſt, to aſſure me of Gods electing love; the ſpirit thet hath ſealed me up to the day of Redemption; and now ſhall I be g…ily of ſo great a ſinne as to grieve this bleſſed Spirit of the Lord? If I did but know wherein I have grieved it, it could not but make my ſoul to bleed within me, that I ſhould have ſuch a wretched heart, to grieve this holy Spirit, by whom my ſoule hath enjoyed ſo much good: I hope ſhould for ever hereafter take heed of that thing, I would rather ſuffer any griefe in the world, to mine owne ſpirit, then be any occaſion of grief to that bleſſed Spirit of God. But would you know what it is that hath grieved it, and what it is that is like to grieve it further? mark what followes, ver. 31. Let all bitterneſſe, wrath, anger, clamour, and evill speaking be put away from you with all malice: And would you doe that which may rejoyce it? Oh! God knowes it would be the greateſt joy in the world for me to doe it, then ver. 32. Be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another even as God for Chriſts ſake hath forgiven you.
Sixthly, theſe diviſions doe grieve and offend our Brethren, this ſhould not be a light matter to us, Chriſt accounts it a great evill to offend one of his little ones: We may thinke it a little matter to give offence to ſome of Gods people who are poore and meane in the world, ſo long as we have the bravery of it, and the countenance of great men, no matter for them. But (friend) whatſoever ſlight thoughts thou haſt of it, Chriſt thinks it a great matter; you may look upon them as under you, the times favour you more then them; but if you ſhall give them cauſe to goe to God, to make their moanes to him, of any ill uſage they have had from you; Lord thou knoweſt I was for peace to the uttermoſt that I could, ſo farre as I was able to ſee thy Word for my guide; but theſe who heretofore were as Brethren to me, now their ſpirits are eſtranged, their hearts are imbittered, their words, their carriages are very grievous, and all becauſe I cannot come up to what their opinions, their ways are; certainly this would prove very ill to you, regard it as lightly as you will; it may be when others carry themſelves towards you otherwiſe then you expected, you vent your ſelves againſt them in quarelling, in giving ill language, in vilifying and ſcorning, your ſtrength runs out this way; but there are a generation of men, who being wronged, improve their ſtrength in patient bearing, yet in making their moan to God in the exerciſe of faith, in committing their cauſe to him.
Mat. 18. from 24. to 31. you have the ſtory of the ſervant who had ten thouſand talents forgiven him, who yet took his fellow-ſervant by the throat who ought him a hundred pence, and put him into priſon; the Text ſayes, When his fellow ſervants ſaw what was done, they were ſorry, and came and told their Lord what was done. You do not hear them cry out of their fellow-ſervant, O what a vile baſe wretch was he, who would deal thus with his fellow! No, but they went and told their Lord. It is not the way of Chriſtians when they apprehend wrong done, to give ill language, to ſeek to right themſelves or others by bitter provoking expreſſions; but their hearts being filled with griefe, if they muſt needs vent it, if quiet debates with their Brethren will not eaſe them, let them vent themſelves in the powring forth their complaints to the Lord.
Seventhly, there is much ſinne in our diviſions, for they ſtir up much corruption on all ſides, both in our ſelves and others; As if you ſhake a glaſs of water that has dirt in the bottome, the dirt ſpreads it ſelf all over: ſo doth the dirty ſtuffe in our hearts, theſe diviſions cauſing a commotion in them; that corruption is now diſcovered, that neither our ſelves nor others had thought had been in us: Do not you ſay in your hearts, and it may be one to another, Who would have thought it poſſible, that ſo much filthy ſtaffe ſhould lie ſo long in ſuch mens hearts undiſcovered, which now appeares ſince theſe unhappy diviſions have been amongſt us? James 3. 16. Where there is envying and ſtrife, there is confuſion and every evill worke. When Snakes are cold, they lye ſtill; but if the heat of fire come to them, then they hiſſe and put forth their ſtings: Thus mens corruptions heat by the fire of contention that is kindled amongſt us, begin to ſtirre, to act, yea, to riſe very high. The reaſon that ſome give of that prohibition of the Apoſtles, Epheſ. 4. Let not the Sunne goe downe upon your wrath, which alſo I finde Chryſoſtome upon the place gives, is, becauſe when mens wrath is ſtirred by contending, if it continues in the heat of it till night, as they lye upon their beds their corruptions will be boyling, they will lye muſing and plotting againſt thoſe that contend with them; their thoughts in the night ſeaſon will worke up their corruptions to a great height; have you not found it ſo, when the Sunne was gone downe upon your wrath, you could hardly ſleepe that night? William the Conquerour in his firſt yeer commanded, that every night at eight a clock a Bell ſhould be rung, and that all people ſhould then put out their fire, which was called the Curfew Bell: it were well that ſome were admoniſhed every night, to cover the fire of their paſſions.
We ſtirre up likewiſe the corruptions of others, in theſe our diviſions; doe you not ſee thoſe diſtempers formerly mentioned, working and breaking forth in your Brethren when you provoke them in your contending with them? O pitty, pitty thy Brother, if thou canſt not pitty thy ſelfe; does it not grieve thee, that thy Brother ſhould bring ſinne upon himſelf? Were it not better for thee to ſuffer; then for thy Brother to ſinne? It is an evill thing to be an occaſion of griefe to our Brethren, The Lord does not willingly grieve the children of men, but to be occaſion of ſinne to them is much worſe: When did you ever meet with your Brethren, and had your ſpirits put into any heat, but after your parting when you began to be coole, you then ſaw canſe to grieve for unbeſeeming words, carriages, breakings forth of paſſion, that there was either in you or them: Sometimes in a froward debate there is more ſinne committed in one houre, then there is otherwiſe in a whole twelvemonth, between thoſe who live lovingly and ſweetly together: yea, ſometimes ſuch corruptions are ſtirred by differences and diviſions, that one would think were not competible to a Saint; namely, the rejoycing in the evill of other men, yea of godly men. David ſaid, his zeal had ever conſumed him, becauſe his enemies had forgotten Gods word; but ſome mens zeale doe even conſume them, becauſe their friends do remember Gods Word; the more inoffenſive they walke, the more are they troubled; it were endleſſe to mention the uncharitableneſſe, wrong, malice, injuſtice, oppreſſion, cruelty, with the abundance of other ſins that are cauſed by our diviſions.
Eightly, Yet further, as they ſtirre up ſinne, ſo they harden in ſinne. Fire hardens the clay into a brick: Thus are mens hearts hardened in evill by our diviſions, men who heretofore had tender ſpirits, their hearts were redy to relent upon any brotherly admonition, now they are ſtiffe, they ſtand out ſturdily, yea behave themſelves ſcornfully: O this fire of contention hath baked their luſts, hath hardned their hearts. Ezek. 11. God promiſes to give his people one heart, and this heart ſhould be a heart of fleſh: While the hearts of the Saints are united, they are tender; but when they divide, they grow hard.
Hence is the reaſon why Brethren being falne out, it is ſo hard to convince either of them of any ill carriage, they are angry, & they think they do well to be angry, and all becauſe their hearts are hardened. Jonah was in a pettiſh mood, his heart was hardened with it, let God himſelf come now to convince him, he ſtands it out, he will by no meanes acknowledg himſelfe faulty; no, what he does he will juſtifie, he does well to be angry.
Ninthly, there is much ſinne in them, for they are a meanes to keep off others from Gods wayes; if this be their religion for men to quarell one with another, I will have none of it: Carnall hearted men uſe to charge Religion with all the miſcarriages of the Profeſſours of it. You know what Saint Paul ſayes, 1 Cor. 14. If men speak with ſtrange tongues, aud there comes in one unlearned, will they not be to him as Barbarians, will they not ſay they are mad? Thus when the men of the world looke upon thoſe who profeſſe Religion, and ſee their carriages, their wayes ſtrange, divided amongſt themſelves, will they not think them even mad people? I charge you, ſayes the Church, Cant. 3. 5. by the Roes and by the Hindes, that you ſtir not up my Beloved till he pleaſe. This by ſome is interpreted thus, The Roes and Hindes are ſhy and fearfull creatures, by them are ſignified ſuch as are obſervers of the wayes of the Church, and ready to take offence at any thing they ſee amiſſe in them, therefore I charge you, ſay thoſe who are faithfull, that you doe nothing that may make any diſturbance in the Church, whereby ſuch as are obſervers of your wayes ſhall be offended: If they ſee miſcarriages in you, they will fly off, and of all miſcarriages there are none more offenſive to the lookers on, then wranglings and contendings; when they ſee this, they will conclude, Surely this is not the way of Chriſt.
10. They are a very ill improvement of our zeal and courage; Zeal and courage have ſuch an excellency in them, as its a thouſand pitties they ſhould have no other improvement then to raiſe and maintain quarels and diviſions. The Lord hath uſe of every mans zeal and courage, reſerve them for his, for ſome notable work that God hath to do for thee, and do not ſpend them about that from whence comes no good. If Soldiers lying neare their enemies, have no ſtore of powder, ſhould ſpend what they have in making ſquibs and fire-workes, would they not be condemned of folly, if not of treachery, by all? Thoſe who have the moſt zeal and courage, have little enough to ſerve their turne, for the ſervices that God requires of them, and muſt this be ſpent in unworthy brablings, wanglings and quarellings? That mans body is in an ill condition that hath a ſore to which the humors have recourſe to feed it, leaving off the ſupplying to the parts of the body that are to be nouriſhed and maintained by them; the ſore is fed, but the other parts grow lank and feeble. Thus it is with many mens ſpirits, they are diſtempered, and then what abilities they have, are drawn forth to feed thoſe diſtempers; what account can be given to God of ſuch a uſe of them as this?
11. They make very much againſt the Cauſe of Chriſt now in hand, the great work of Reformation. Had we joyned hand in hand together, and ſet out ſelves to ſerve the Lord with one ſhoulder, what abundance of ſervice might have been done? how might the honour of Chriſt have been advanced high amongſt us before this day? But while one draws one way, another another, one ſeeks to ſet up, and another labours to pull down, how can the work go on?
You will ſay, That is true indeed, things would go on a pace, if thoſe who differ from others would give up their judgements and practiſes to them, to beleeve what they beleeve, and to doe what they doe. But how can this be? you would not have them give up their judgements or practices to them till they know they be right, and how can that be, till they by diſcuſſing, praying, reading, meditating, finde that out? If ſome men had certainly found out the right, and other men knew certainly that they had done ſo, then the worke were at an end.
But when we complain of our diviſions for making much againſt the Cauſe of Chriſt, or work of Reformation, we do not complain againſt men, becauſe they cannot all underſtand things alike. But this we complain of,
1. That all men who profeſſe godlineſſe, have not joyned in oppoſing that which they beleeve cannot ſtand with godlineſſe, by all the wayes that God hath put into their hands.
2. That they have not joyned to promote thoſe wayes of godlineſſe, which they are convinced to be ſo.
3. That they have not joyned to ſtudy what wayes and means may be found out to eaſe the hearts and conſciences one of another, to beare with one another, ſo far as Chriſt would have them be helpfull to, and beare with one another. It is this that hath made ſuch a ſtop in the work of Reformation. A peaceable, humble, and quiet diſcuſſing of things, furthers that Reformation that Chriſt would have. Doe you thinke that Chriſt would be pleaſed with ſuch a Reformation wherein the leſſer part ſhould give up their conſciences and practices to the Judgments of the greater? ſuch a kind of ſlubbering over matters might ſoon be, but Chriſt muſt have all the matters of his worſhip and doctrine conſented to, and practiced from a principle of faith. Let us joyn with all our might in all we know, and with peaceable, quiet, humble ſpirits ſeek to know more, and in the mean time carry our ſelves humbly and peaceably towards thoſe we differ from, and Chriſt will not charge us at the Great Day for retarding his Cauſe, the great work of Reformation in hand.
12. Theſe our diſſentions are againſt a great part of the Covenant of Grace which God hath made with his people in Chriſt, and thoſe many promiſes of ſo much peace that there is to be in the times of the Goſpel. We by theſe do that which tends to make void the Covenant, we doe as it were ſay that Chriſt is not come in the fleſh, 1 Joh. 4. 3. Every ſpirit that confeſſeth not that Jeſus Chriſt is come in the fleſh, is not of God, and this is that ſpirit of Antichriſt. Many men talk much of Antichriſt, bet ſuch as profeſs the Goſpel, and yet are of unpeaceable, ſnarling, contending ſpirits, they have the ſpirit of Antichriſt, and they doe not confeſſe that Jeſus Chriſt is come in the fleſh. It is the Argument the Jews have againſt Chriſt, ſay they, If he were come, then that Propheſie Eſay 11. 6. would be fulfilled, The wolfe ſhall dwell with the lambe, and the leopard ſhall lye downe with the kid, and the cow and the beare ſhall feed together, &c. But this is not ſo, they bring many other places where Peace is propheſied of, as Eſay 9. 7. Of the encreaſe of his government and peace ſhall be no end. Thoſe who ſeeke for his Government, ſhould ſeek for his Peace alſo.
Galatinus de Arcanis Catholicae veritatis, ſpends divers Chapters in anſwering the Jews objections againſt Chriſt from theſe places with others, as Lib. 5. the 6, 7, 8. Chapters. A ſpeciall part of the Covenant of Grace is in that promiſe, Ezek. 11. 19. I will give them one heart, and I will put a new ſpirit within them, and they ſhall be my people, and I will be their God, ver. 20. And Jer. 32. 38, 39. They ſhall be my people, and I will be their God, and I will give them one heart and one way. Many men ſpeak much of the Covenant of Grace, who manifeſt little of this part of it in them. If that which is againſt any command of God be ſinfull, much more is that which is ſo directly againſt Gods Covenant with his people, that which tends to make even the Covenant of Grace to be of none effect; if it be of no effect in one part of it, it will be of none in the other.
13. By our diviſions we croſs that end that God aimed at in the variety of his adminiſtrations in the gifts and graces of men; That this was not Chriſts end in diſpenſing gifts and graces in a different way, that there might be fuell adminiſtred to contentions and quarrels, but rather to exerciſe love, we ſpake to before, now onelyonly take notice of it as a conſideration that ſet out the exceeding ſinfulneſs of our diviſions.
The Aggravations of the ſinfulneſſe of our Diviſions.
FIrſt, That we that are Chriſtians ſhould be thus divided, it were not ſo much if we were Heathens; our diviſions are againſt the very character of Chriſtianity: Hereby ſhall ye know that ye are my Diſciples, if ye love one another, ſayes Chriſt. Love and Unity are Chriſts badge, the Armes of a Chriſtian, whereby he ſhewes of what Houſe he is: But by theſe diviſions of ours, what doe we but rend the very Armes that Chriſt hath honoured us with, and caſt them under our feet?
Secondly, that we who were ſo lately in bondage, ſhould upon the beginning of our deliverance thus fall out one amongſt another, one from another, one upon another; for us who are newly come out of priſon, who have upon us ſtill the very ſmell of our priſon garments, the ſores of our necks by reaſon of thoſe yokes that were lately upon them are not yet healed, and yet we thus preſently fight one with another, this is uncomely and very ſinful.
Thirdly, The union of our enemies is an aggravation of the ſinfulneſs of our diviſion;s how great a ſhame is it that they ſhould joyne better then we! have they ſtronger bonds of union then we? Pſal. 83. 5. 6. we read of ten or eleven ſorts of men who could all agree in that which was evill; the Text ſayes,foreign They conſulted together with one conſent, it is in the Hebrew, with one heart; there was Edom, the Iſhmaelites, the Moabites, the Hagarens, Gebus, Ammon, Amaleck, the Phyliſtines, with the inhabitants of Tyre; Aſſur is joyned with the children of Lot: theſe were of ſeverall opinions and wayes in matters of Religion, and yet could joyne. I remember GreGregory Nazianzen in one of his Orations makes a bitter complaint of this,foreign, &c. Who is there, ſayes he, that is of a right mind, that doth not deplore the preſent ſtate of things? Who can find out expreſſions to ſet out this calamity of ours, that theeves and robbers, tyrants and whoremasters ſhould be at peace amongst themſelves, foreign, &c. Greg. Naz. Orat. 14.yet we cannot be at peace? Revel. 17. 13. we read of ten Kings of the earth, that they are of one minde to give their power to the Beaſt, and to make war with the Lambe; ſhall not we be of one mind to fight againſt the Beaſt for the Lambe?
Fourthly, that ſuch as God hath joyned in ſo many bands of union, ſhould ſo divide as we do, as the bands of old acquaintance, of deare friendſhip in former times, that fellow-ſufferers, that ſuch as are related nearly, brethren, ſiſters, kinſmen, kinſwomen, ſuch as live in the ſame family, as are of the ſame ſociety, the ſame calling, ſuch as have received much good one from another, yet that now they ſhould be thus divided, and thereby the occaſions of ſo much evill one to another, this is a ſore, and a grievous evill.Mallem me ſolis Romaniſtarum manibus perire, ne Carolus in hanc cauſam involveretur, ſcio quae miſeria Sigiſmundum conſequuta eſt, &c. Melchior Adam in vita Lutheri. Luther in an Epiſtle of his to his friend Spalatinus, tells him, that if he muſt periſh, he would not that the Emperour Charles ſhould have a hand in it, out of reſpect to him, but let me rather, ſayes he, periſh by thoſe of Rome, for I know ſayes he, what miſery followed Sigiſmund the Emperour after the death of John Huſſe. Although we ſhould deſire that we might be no occaſion of evill to any, yet if it muſt needs be, better a thouſand times that the evill fall upon wicked men, and thoſe who are at the greateſt diſtance from us, then upon thoſe who are godly, and ſo neare unto us.
Fiftly, that ſuch as agree in ſo many things, yea in all things neceſſary …o ſalvation, yea almoſt, if not in all the Doctrinall part of Religion, yet becauſe of ſome few things of leſſer moment, there ſhould be ſuch a fearfull breach as now there is, this makes the account we are able to give of our breach the worſe, and our ſin the more. And this is the evill ſpirit of ſome, they could wiſh our diviſions were in greater things, that they might juſtifie their oppoſition ſo much the more.
Sixtly, the ſinne is great, becauſe it is Heart-diviſion; if it were Head-diviſion, difference of judgment, it were ill, but not ſo ill. Jer. 4. 18. Their wickedneſſe is better, for it reaches to the heart. This makes the wickedneſſe of our diviſions bitter; the heart commands the head, but the head cannot command the heart.
7. They are the worſe, becauſe they break not ſo much as they doe; wounds that take ayre, grow much worſe then thoſe who are kept cloſed; It is an ignorant, fooliſh ſpeech that ſome pleaſe themſelves with, when they are provoked, & vent abundance of choler in bitter, wicked language: When I am angry, ſay they, I muſt vent what I have within; it is better to let it out, then to keep it in. Indeed if the breaking of it out did make it to be leſſe within then it was before, as the corruption of a ſore is when it breaks out, then there were ſome reaſon in what you ſay; but it is otherwiſe. As the more you act grace, the more it increaſeth, ſo the more you act ſinne, the more it increaſeth. And beſides, Heart-corruptions when they break forth, they diſhonour God in a publike way; whereas when they are kept in, the diſhonour to God is but between God and your ſelves.
8. That our diviſions are in the preſence of wicked men, that we ſhould diſcover our ſhame before them. Gen. 13. 7. the Text ſayes, There was a ſtrife between the herdmen of Abraham and the herdmen of Lot, foreign. Naz. Orat. 14.and the Canaanite and the Perizite dwelt in the land. Their ſtrife was the more vile, becauſe it was before them. Let us remember when we are ſtriving, that the Canaanite and Perizite dwell in the Land. It is not ſafe, ſayes Nazianzen, to be truſt him that hates a Chriſtian, with the hearing any thing againſt a Chriſtian.
9. Our diviſions are long continued diviſions, nothing can quiet us, as if they were irreconcileable. There is, ſayes Nazianzen, a ſatiety in all things amongst men but in contentions; foreign. Greg. Naz. Orat. 14. 10.in meat, in drinke, in ſinging, in all things otherwiſe moſt delightfull, but men have never adone in miſchieving one another. We are like cocks, who are eaſily ſet a fighting, and when they are in, they will never leave till they kill one another.
10. The late Covenant that ſhould be a means to unite us, is made a meanes of widening our diviſions, by making falſe interpretations of it, by drawing the ſenſe of it to what may ſerve mens turnes, by charging men of perjury, becauſe they come not up fully to what they would have them, by which abuſe ſome ſeek to make it to be a very ſnare to their brethren.
11. We are thus divided at ſuch a time as this, the moſt unſeaſonable for diviſions that ever was in the world: For,
Firſt, it is a time of affliction. It was ſad with the Children of Iſrael when they were in the wilderneſs to meet with fiery Serpents to ſting them; while we are in the wilderneſs in an afflicted condition, we are fiery ſerpents one to another. The Hebrew word that ſignifies afflicted, foreignſignifies meeke, to note, that afflicted ones ſhould be meek ones. When the ſtorm is comming, the Bees flock together to the hive. Ier. 50. 4. In thoſe dayes, ſaith the Lord, the children of Iſrael ſhall come, and the children of Judah together, going and weeping they ſhall goe and ſeek the Lord their God. Judah and Iſrael could not agree at other times, but when they are in a weeping condition, then they ſhall come together.
Secondly, it is a time of Faſting and Prayer; England never knew what ſuch Faſting and Prayer meant, as it hath knowne of late: No nation in the world that we know of ever knew the like; and ſhall we in ſuch times as theſe, when we are caſting downe our ſelves before Almighty God, when we are judging our ſelves before him, in the pride and frowardneſs of our hearts contend againſt one another? Eſay 58 4. Behold, ye faſt for ſtrife and debate, and to fight with the fiſt of wickedneſſe. It is a fiſt of wickedneſs indeed, that fights in times of Faſts. Is it ſuch a Faſt that I have choſen? How doe we in the dayes of our Faſts, acknowledge our vileneſs, our unworthyneſs of the leaſt mercy, our pride, our ſelf-love, our envy, our paſſions, all thoſe diſtempers that are dividing diſtempers, yet ſtill we continue in them, and they break forth into dividing practices? Surely our Faſts will riſe up in judgement againſt us, to make the ſin of our diviſions out of meaſure ſinfull.
Thirdly, It is a time alſo of great mercies; We are afflicted, but not forſaken; and mercies ſhould ſweeten our ſpirits. This Summer hath been a continued miracle of mercies; if our agreeing together, our love to one another were now beyond the expectation of all men, as Gods mercies to us have been beyond, and above all expectation, even ſuch a fruit of mercies would be the greateſt mercy of all. But if inſtead of being ſweetned by mercies we are the more imbittered one againſt another, how great is this ſinne? If we ſhall take occaſion from our victories at Nazeby, Taunton, Bridgewater, Sherburne, Briſtol, to ſeek to drive out of the Kingdome thouſands of godly men whom God uſed as inſtruments of ſo great mercy to us; will not this be ſin unto us? God brought us indeed into a wilderneſſe, but he hath there ſpoke comfortably to us; our wilderneſſe is our way to Canaan. It was the charge of Joſeph to his brethren, Gen. 45. 24. when they were going from Egypt to Canaan, See that ye fall not out by the way: We hope God is leading us to Canaan, oh that we could ſee Chriſt looking upon us, and charging us, ſaying, See that you fall not out by the way, do not grudg one againſt another, let not one ſay, You are the cauſe of our trouble, and another ſay, Nay, but you are the cauſe of our trouble; let every one charge his own heart, let every man fall out with his own ſin as much as he will, but let not brethren fall out by the way.
Fourthly, it is a time of Service; God never put ſuch opportunities of ſervice into our hands, as now he hath. How many holy men who were furniſhed with large abilities and enlarged hearts to have done ſervice for God and his people in former times, lived privately, onelyonly enjoyed ſweet communion between God and their owne ſoules, but oh how did they prize opportunities of ſervice! how did they thirſt after, and greedily embrace advantages for publique work! they were willing to ſubmit to any thing to the uttermoſt their conſciences would ſuffer them, that they might be employed in work for God and his Saints; Though their encouragement from men was ſmall, yet their work was wages to them; but in thoſe times, almoſt all places of publique imployment were in the hands or at the diſpoſe of evill men; could they have foreſeen that within a few yeers, there ſhould be a doore open for all godly men, to full opportunities for the imployment of their gifts and graces to the uttermoſt. How would they have rejoyced and longed to have ſeen thoſe times, and bleſſed thoſe who ſhould live in them! I am confident it cannot be ſhewn that ever there was a time ſince the world began, that ſo many godly people in a Kingdome have had ſuch a large opportunity of publike ſervice, as for theſe laſt five yeers hath been in England; and ſhall this opportunity be loſt with our wranglings and contendings? Oh how unworthy are we to live in ſuch times as theſe are! When a Maſter ſets his ſervants to work, and that in ſuch a peece of work as is of great concernment, the opportunity of which if loſt, will be a great loſſe to him: if theſe ſervants ſhall trifle away this opportunity with wrangling one with another about their work, one oppoſing another in it, will this be a good account to their Maſter? So much time was ſpent in work, but ſo much in quarelling, whereby there is little of the work done. We read of Nehemiah, cap. 6. 3. when Sanballat and Tobiah, thoſe quarelſome companions ſent to him to meet them, intending to quarrell with him, he anſwered them, I am doing a worke, ſo that I cannot come, why ſhould the worke ceaſe? If we ſee men ſet upon ſtrife and contention, we ſhould not meddle with them, to ſpend our time in anſwering what comes from them; our caſe were miſerable, if we were at the mercy of every quarreller, bound to anſwer whatſoever he pleaſes to put forth. But let us tend our work; theſe opportunities of ſervice that now we have are too pretious to give away to them, to be ſpent, to be loſt upon them. How juſt were it with God to take theſe opportunities from us, to bring us againe into ſuch a condition as we ſhould be glad of a dayes imployment in publick ſervice, and then oh how would our conſciences wring us, and grate upon us for ſuch ill improvement of them, for ſuch unworthy loſſe of them when we had them!
5. This time is the time of the tryall of our ſpirits. We never had ſuch a time to try what ſpirit of love, what principles of union are in us, as now we have; and ſhall we now miſcarry? May it not be juſtly thought that all our ſeeming love one to, & cloſing one with another formerly, was only for our own ends? Before we were all under oppreſſion, or at leaſt the fears of it, when we looked upon our ſelves as in the ſame condition. then the trial was not ſo much: but now there is ſome difference made in the condition of godly men. Some have the times ſmiling upon them more then others; now is the time of tryal. The time of the triall of the ſpirit of Phara…hs Butler towards Joſeph, was when he was out of priſon, injoying his preferment at the Court, & Joſeph remained ſtil in priſon. Perhaps while they were fellow-priſoners he might tell Joſeph that his heart did cloſe much with him, and if he had any opportunity to be uſeful to him, oh what a happineſſe ſhould he think it to himſelfe! Surely it ſhould be improved for the good of Joſeph to the uttermoſt. But when he was preferred, when he had reſpect amongſt great ones, and Joſeph ſtill was kept low, then he is not the ſame man that he was when he was Joſephs fellow-ſufferer. Now he hath other things in his head: Joſeph is forgotten by him. Where this evill is, be ſure God will find it out: for it is an evill very grievous to his Spirit. Put theſe together, and it will appeare that it is no time now to contend, whatſoever we doe at other times. I remember I have read of Sir Francis Drake, having a dear friend of his ſlaine by a bullet as he ſate with him at ſupper, Ah ſayes he, I could grieve for thee, but now is no time for me to let down my ſpirits. So when any ſhal do ſuch things as might cauſe contention, do you ſpeak to your own heart, Ah I find my anger ſtirred; I could contend, but now is no time for me to let my ſpirits riſe in a contending way; theſe times call for peace and union, not for ſtrife and debate. This is the 11. aggravation we are divided in ſuch a time as this.
The twelfth is, we are divided, notwithſtanding we are all convinced of the evill of diviſions. We cry out exceedingly againſt them: we tell one another that of all the tokens of Gods diſpleaſure amongſt us theſe are the greateſt. Yet ſcarce a man does any thing, or leaves any thing undone towards any help againſt diviſions, or furtherance of our union. Every man cries out of the Theefe, but who ſtops him? We all ſay we would have peace, oh peace is an excellent thing! But where is the man who is willing to be at any coſt for it, either in putting up any wrong which he conceives is done to himſelf, or bearing with his brother in any thing differing from himſelf? The Lord may juſtly judge us out of our own mouths.
13. We have complained of others who are in place of power, to be of harſh cruel diſpoſitions. We have ſayd if they had been of gentle, loving, peaceable diſpoſitions, tendring the glory of God dearly, & the good of their brethren as their own, what abundance of good might they have done! We have thought in thoſe times, Oh if ſuch men were in place, who were then our dear brethren, whom we conceived to be of holy, humble, ſweet, peaceable ſpirits, very tender-hearted towards any they ſaw godlineſſe in; had they power in their hands, what ſafety, peace, reſt, would the Saints have! How comfortably ſhould they goe on in their work! How would they be edified, prayſing the Lord! What a heaven upon earth ſhould we have! And yet we finde it otherwiſe. We may ſay, we looked for light, and behold, (I will not ſay darkneſſe) but behold dimneſſe even from them: for brightneſſe, but behold obſcurity. Oh how doe the carriages of theſe men in ſome degree juſtifie the harſhneſſe, ſowerneſſe, domineering and cruelty of ſome of the Prelates! We hope nothing ſhall ever befall us as to be ſuch a temptation to us, as to juſtifie their places. But ſome of their perſons are ſo farre juſtified, as there is occaſion given to think they were not ſuch vile men as heretofore we thought they were. For now we ſee what a temptation there is in having the times ſhine upon me, in having power put into mens hands. We ſee now that men who have other manner of principles then ever they had, yet how ſadly they miſcarry when they come under the like temptations. How can we anſwer Chriſt Jeſus for theſe things?
14. We are ſtill divided, though we have ſeen the wofull evils that diviſions have brought upon others, yet we cannot be warned by other mens harmes. Thoſe who are acquainted with Eccleſiaſticall Hiſtories, may furniſh themſelves with Volumes in this kind. Who can read that ſhort but ſowre Hiſtory of the troubles at Frankford, but his heart muſt needs bleed within him? And of late what evills have almoſt all the Proteſtant party in Germany and through the Chriſtian world, ſuffered by diviſions! And yet we engage our ſelves in them, and are every day engaging our ſelves more and more, How deep we ſhall ſink the Lord knowes.
15. In our very labouring for union we are divided, in our endeavours for peace we are at variance.foreign. Naz. Orat. 12. Nazianzen in his 12. Oration rebuking this ſtrange miſcarriage of men, hath this notable expreſſion, While we would have charity, we ſtudy hatred, while we ſeek to ſet up the corner ſtone which unites the ſides together, we are looſned our ſelves, we are for peace, and yet we fight one with another. Our wayes of late have been little elſe but doing and undoing; yea we croſſe our ſelves in what we would do, by doing what we doe. We are all full of contradictions in our own ſpirits and actions, and we cry out of others, that they are not conſiſtent to their own principles.
Laſtly, the ſin of our diviſions is the greater, becauſe we make Religion to patronize them. We divide from one another, and all under a pretence of Religion. Surely this Virgin is forced, for there is nothing more contrary to the name or nature of Religion, then to cauſe or further diviſions. The name carryes union, ſtrong union with it: Religio à Religando, from binding us againe to God, and to one another, after we were divided by our ſin. To father our wicked diviſions upon Religion, is no other then to bring down the Holy Ghoſt in the likeneſſe of a Dove to be like a Vultur or a Raven. What ſpirit is it that we profeſſe our ſelves to be acted by when we are working for Religion? is it not the Spirit of God? and is not that a Dovelike ſpirit? although we diſhonour our ſelves by diſcovering the baſeneſſe of our own ſpirits by our diviſions, yet let us not put diſhonour upon the bleſſed Spirit of God; this makes the ſin to be abhominable.foreign. Nazianzen in his fore-named Oration, inveighs againſt this in thoſe in his time, In our pleadings for the truth, we (ſayes he) belye one another; as if this were the way to maintain truth.