The Kingdom of God Among Men, Tract 1 · Chapter 29
CHAP. XXIX.
Whether the purity and power of Religion be lessened by amplitude and comprehensiveness.
A Doubt may arise in this place, whether it ben ot safer to make the Church-doors narrow, and to keep a strict guard upon the entrance into it, and to insist upon the exactest purity, that Religion may continue uncorrupt, and that the Church be not defiled, nor its Interest ravished by Strangers.
In resolving this doubt, I forget not that the way is narrow and the Gate is straight that leadeth unto Life. But self-denial and real mortification and a conversation in Heaven, and not strictness of opinion in Church Order, is this narrow way and straight Gate; and our Salvation lies upon purity of heart and life, and not upon Church purity.
Besides, God hath made the Gate of the visible Church, much wider than the Gate of Heaven; and Church Discipline cannot be set in that strictness, in which the Doctrine of Salvation is to be preached. For Doctrine directly judgeth the heart; and requireth truth in the inward parts; but Discipline judgeth only the exterior conversation, and must be satisfied in the credibility of Profession.
In walking by rigid rules of Discipline, though with an aim to advance purity, we may easily shut out those whom Christ hath taken in. True Piety may be found in many, who retain such things as some Godly Christians judge Erroneous or Superstitious; and Godly sincerity may be found in many, whom some of greater zeal, but too censorious, may judge to be but formalists. It is not good to neglect sober and serious People, though in a lower degree of profession, who conform to Gods Ordinances, and regard a sound Ministery, and shew themselves teachable, lest we reject those that would help to uphold and honour Religion, more than many who will put themselves forward among the strictest sort, but indeed are either carnal projecters or busie bodies, or froward and fickle Persons, and a stain to the Profession in which they seem to glory.
This narrowness of Church-communion, and other reservedness of some strict Professors, tends neither to the increase nor stability of pure Religion. Zealous Christians are a kind of good leaven, like that in the Gospel Parable, which if kept alone, is of no efficacy, but being diffused will season the whole lump. If they sever themselves into distinct visible Societies from the body of a Nation, professing the true Religion, their vertue cannot spread far; but they leaven the whole mass of People by being diffused throughout the whole. And then they gain reverence and reputation, and by their example profane and dissolute Persons may be convinced and much reformed, and among those that walk orderly, many may be carried on from common to saving Grace.
Hereunto may be added this inestimable benefit; to wit, the apparent hope of the propagation of true Religion to the Generations to come, which otherwise being unfixed, might in time wear away and fail in such a Nation.
Furthermore, sincere Christians are comparatively but a little Flock, and of that little Flock, the greater number are of low capacities and very defective in political prudence; and if they were wholly left to govern themselves in separated Societies, they might easily be insnared into Parties and Breaches, and manifold inconveniencies. Indeed those of them that are best able to govern themselves, are most convinced of the need of publick Government. Wherefore it is the security of the faithfull to live under a publick and fixed rule and order, and consequently to be imbodied with a Nation, if it may be, in one way of Communion.