Scriptures Opened and Cases of Conscience Resolved, Jeremiah · Passage 50:4 1
Jer. 50. 4.
In thoſe days, and at that time, ſaith the Lord, the Children of Iſrael ſhall come they and the Children of Judah together, &c.
Q. How may it be brought to paſs that there ſhould be ſuch an Ʋnion as is her ſet before us in the conjunction of Iſrael and Judah?
A. 1. One rod, and a common calamity, laid upon differing Parties, may be a good preparation to make them far aſunder come together, as ſtraggling ſheep run together when they be hunted, and when Beacons be ſet a fire, the whole Nation gathers into a Body to ſave it ſelf: the long Captivity wherein the Jews were ſcattered, made them (no doubt) to long after a cloſing greater than before, aſſoon as they might.
2. One Rule is the principal means of effecting and eſtabliſhing it. There are two Rules, viz. of Reaſon and of Scripture, wherein men concur as lines in the Center, Act. 5. 40. & 15. 2. & 15. 31. But the Rule of Scripture prevaileth moſt, becauſe mans Reaſon is variable and fallible, and corrupt; but God is one, his Name one, Zach. 14. 19. and his Word both pure and ſure, Prov. 30. 5. Pſal. 19. 7. Hence in that great Controverſie about Circumciſion, Act. 15. 2. when the caſe was determined by Scripture, v. 15. there enſued a great and general ſatisfaction, v. 31. & Act. 16. 4, 5. An Infallible Authority commands Unity.
3. One Head, Hoſ. 1. 11. They that according to the Rule, get under the right Head, will agree among themſelves; Quae conveniunt in aliquo tertio, (in illo tertio) conveniunt inter ſe. Many profeſs Chriſt, and talk of him, but few are in him, elſe there would be more agreement, Eph. 4. 15. & 2. 15, 16. for that Head keeps the Members in order, and hath a ſtaffe of bands to rule them with, Zach. 11. 7. Not but that they in Chriſt may through weakneſs, have fallings out one with another; but when they have well bethought themſelves they bring their diſſents to the arbitrement of their Head as he hath revealed himſelf in his Word. By this means diſſents are abated, diſcord (though there be diſſents in judgment) prevented, and little things cannot keep them aſunder, becauſe there are greater things to hold them together. When perſecuting Saul was in Chriſt once, Rom. 16. 7. how did he agree with Chriſtians, and contend for agreement with his fellow-members? 1 Cor. 1. 10. All that appoint themſelves one Head, gather together under it, Hoſ. 1. 11. Sure they that be of one Spirit with the Head, 1 Cor. 6. 17. Eph. 4. 4. cannot be (if they be and act, like themſelves) of ill and ſowre ſpirits one to another long, however by occaſion and temptation they may be diſpleaſed till matters be debated, and the Spirit be ſtirred up to do its work; for fleſh will be always froward, Gal. 5. 20. but the Spirit of God always meek, and for meekneſs.
4. One ſanctified heart, Ezek. 11. 19. where the ſubſtance is right, where there is Grace in the heart ſincerely ſtir'd up and ſet a-work, there the heart will teach right things, Jer. 31. 33, 34. and incline the affections to Love and Union (becauſe of the ſubſtance) though there be in divers more obſcure things, and things of leſs moment, different perſwaſions. Unregeneracy foments faction, Gal. 4. 29. but Grace and Peace go together.
5. One and the ſame publick meeting-place for reſpective Societies, that they may be together preſent at, and partake in Gods Ordinances. Jeruſalem was a City compact together (not only in regard of their houſes, but their hearts) inaſmuch as that was the place of common meeting before the Lord, Pſal. 122. 3, 4. but when ſome went to Jeruſalem to worſhip, and others to Dan and Bethel; and when the Jews worſhipped at Jeruſalem, and the Samaritans at Mount Gerizin, no marvel if there were many a bloody battel, between the one and the other: ſee 2 Chron. 13. 19. to v. 13. Joh. 4. 9.
6. A reverent reſpect to able and godly Miniſters, one and another (Paul as well as Apollo, Apollo as well as Peter) and a diligent attending on their Miniſtry, and making recourſe to them for reſolution, Act. 15. 2. 1 Cor. 7. 1. for Unity is the work of the Miniſtry, 1 King. 18. 39. Luk. 1. 17. Eph. 4. 13, 14.
7. Earneſt prayer to God for oneneſs of heart among the People of God, whereof our Saviour himſelf is an eminent Pattern, Joh. 17. 21, 22, 23.
In which Endeavours and Prayers for Unity we may be encouraged.
1. By old Propheſies and Promiſes, Iſa. 2. 4. & 11. 13.
2. And Performances alſo, and a remarkable effecting of Union both in the Old and New Teſtament, 2 Sam. 5. 2. 1 King. 18. 39. Act. 4. 32.
3. By the Power of God, in whoſe hands the broken ſticks are made one, Ezek. 37. 19, 22. Yea, he can moot up enmities, and remove the root of them by changing the heart, Iſa. 11. 6. 1 Sam. 25. 32.
4. By conſideration of the Glory of God, which as it is in much danger to be obſcured, and his Name to be blaſphemed by the ſtrife of Brethren, in the ſight of the Canaanite, Perizzite, and prophane men, Gen. 15. 7. ſo will it be promoted by their Unity, Act. 11. 18. This is Chriſts reaſon when he prayed for Unity, That the world may believe that thou haſt ſent me, Joh. 17. 21. for how ſhall the World (that knows not God) believe that Chriſt is ſent from the God of peace, when his followers and thoſe that profeſs him, are a company of froward men, and of a dogged ſpirit one towards another?
Theſe things may move us to ſeek peace with reſpect unto God. Now, in regard of our ſelves, we may add ſtrength to our prayers and hopes of peace, by getting,
1. Ability; by ſtudying God and Scripture, for Ignorance is the mother of Errour, Mat. 22. 29. and Errour the mother of Contention, and the make-bate in Church-ſociety, Act. 15. 2, 24.
2. Humility; for Pride raiſeth the ſtorm, Prov. 13. 10. and Humility cauſeth a calm, Gen. 13. 8, 9. Judg. 8. 1, 2, 3.
3. Holineſs; harden not others in their erroneous opinions, and peace-breaking practices by an irregular life. They that will differ, defend their conceits by ſtanding on their Godlineſs, and ſtanding to it that they on the other part are not ſo godly: when yet it is not Godlineſs in many, for then they would not ſo wofully as they do neglect the duties of the firſt Table; but it is a kind of common honeſty, wherein notwithſtanding if others be wanting, they conclude that they are not in the right in their judgments and way, and therefore they will never agree with them. All this is but weak arguing, but it is a ſtrong argument to move thoſe that are in the right to ſtudy Righteouſneſs, and make themſelves amiable by being conſcionable, and appear to be righter in their thoughts by being better in their lives, that ſo others may be taken with the beauty of true Holineſs, and join themſelves to them.
4. Chriſtian conference with thoſe that differ; for diſſents are abated by debating, Prov. 25. 8, 9, 10. that which keeps People from agreeing is that they will not meet and treat. And it is obſerved that when men differing (I mean humble and ſober men) diſcourſe one with another, their diſſents are brought into a narrow room: But ſuch meetings are to be managed with care and prayer, that they that are unſound in the Faith, may not make (by their parts and ſubtilties) thoſe unſound that are in the right, nor weaken them in the truth; and (on the other ſide) that they may not hearten others in their Errours with whom they confer, by ill handling a good cauſe.
5. A ſerious conſideration how far they are gone whom dividing Principles have unglewed and rent from the reſt of Gods people, viz. to deny the Trinity, the Deity of Jeſus Chriſt, the Godhead of the Holy Ghoſt; to profeſs themſelves above Ordinances, and to forſake Family-piety, and thoſe Religious Exerciſes that Scripture-Saints could not live without. Be afraid of the firſt and loweſt ſtep by the horrour of the higheſt.
6. A great care in Chriſtians to walk by the ſame Rule in thoſe things whereunto they have already attained, Phil. 3. 16. If nature be carefully preſerved and cheriſhed, there's the more hope thereby of expelling turbulent humours, and that the body will be quiet. When Biſhop Ridley and Hooper differed about Ceremonies, both of them being under ſuffering they grew to a good agreement; whereof Ridley in his Letter to him, gives this reaſon, viz. that (having look'd over his Writings) he ſaw (that howſoever in ſome things each of them abounded in his own ſenſe, yet) they were of one and the ſame mind for the ſubſtantial parts of Religion; and ſo he did with all love, cloſe with him, ſo will they one with another who confider how much God bears with in all thoſe in whom there is the ſubſtance of Religion, (though many failings) and never ſeparateth himſelf from them.