DIRECTIONS FOR THE UNION AND COMMUNION OF SAINTS, AND THE AVOIDING
UNPEACEABLENESS AND SCHISM.
The peace and concord of believers is a thing that almost all those
plead for, who call themselves believers; and yet a thing that almost
all men hinder and resist while they commend it.[136] The discord and
divisions of believers, are as commonly spoken against, and by the
same men, as commonly fomented. The few that are sincere (both rulers
and private men) desire concord and hate divisions in love to holiness
which is promoted by it, and in love to the church, and good of souls,
and the honour of religion and the glory of God; and the few of those
that are experienced, wise, judicious persons, do choose the means
that is fittest to attain these ends, and do prudently and constantly
prosecute them accordingly; but these being in the world as a spoonful
of fresh water cast into the sea, or a spoonful of water cast into the
flames of a house on fire, no wonder if the brinish sea be not
sweetened by them, nor the consuming, raging fire quenched by them.
The other rulers of the world and of the churches, are for concord and
against division, because this tendeth to the quieting of the people
under them, and the making of men submissive and obedient to their
wills, and so to confirm their dignities, dominions, and
interests.[137] And all men that are not holy, being predominantly
selfish, they would all be themselves the centre of that union, and
bond of that concord which they desire: and they would have it
accomplished upon such terms and by such means as are most agreeable
to their principles and ends; in which there are almost as many minds
as men: so that among all the commenders of unity and concord, there
are none that take the way to attain it, but those that would centre
it all in God, and seek it upon his terms, and in his way. The rest
are all tearing unity and peace in pieces, while they commend it, and
they fight against it while they seek it; every man seeking it for
himself, and upon his own terms, and in his own way; which are so
various and inconsistent, that east and west may sooner meet than
they.
Yet must the sons of God be still the sons of peace, and continue
their prayers and endeavours for unity, how small soever be the hopes
of their success: "If it be possible, as much as in us lieth, we must
live peaceably with all men," Rom. xii. 18. So far must they be from
being guilty of any schisms or unlawful divisions of the church, that
they must make it a great part of their care and work to preserve the
unity and peace of christians. In this therefore I shall next direct
them.
_Direct._ I. Understand first wherein the unity of christians and
churches doth consist: or else you will neither know how to preserve
it, nor when you violate it.[138] Christians are said to be united to
Christ, when they are entered into covenant with him, and are become
his disciples, his subjects, and the members of his (political) body.
They are united to one another when they are united to Christ their
common Head, and when they have that spirit, that faith, that love,
which is communicated to every living member of the body. This union
is not the making of many to be one christian, but of many christians
to be one church; which is considerable either as to its internal
life, or its external order and profession. In the former respect the
bonds of our union are, 1. The heart covenant (or faith). 2. And the
Spirit: the consent of Christ and of ourselves concurring, doth make
the match or marriage between us; and the Spirit communicated from him
to us is as the nerves or ligaments of the body, or rather as the
spirits which pass through all. The union of the church considered
visibly in its outward policy, is either that of the whole church, or
of the particular churches within themselves, or of divers particular
churches accidentally united. 1. The union of the whole is essential,
integral, or accidental. The essential union is that relation of a
head and members, which is between Christ and all the visible members
of his church: the foundation of it is the mutual covenant between
Christ and them, considered on their part as made externally, whether
sincerely or not: this is usually done in baptism, and is the chiefest
act of their profession of the faith. Thus the baptismal covenant doth
constitute us members of the visible church. The integral and
accidental union I pass by now. 2. Besides this union of the universal
church with Christ the universal Head, there is in all particular
organized churches, a subordinate union, (1.) Between the pastor and
the flock. (2.) Between the people one towards another;[139] which
consisteth in these their special relations to each other. 3. And
there is an accidental union of many particular churches: as when they
are united under one civil government; or consociated by their pastors
in one synod or council. These are the several sorts of church union.
_Direct._ II. Understand also wherein the communion of christians and
churches doth consist; that you may know what it is that you must hold
to. In the universal church your internal communion with Christ
consisteth in his communication of his Spirit and grace, his word and
mercies unto you; and in your returns of love, and thanks, and
obedience unto him; and in your seeking to him, depending on him, and
receivings from him: your internal communion with the church or
saints, consisteth in mutual love, and other consequent affections,
and in praying for and doing good to one another as yourselves,
according to your abilities and opportunities. Your external communion
with Christ and with most of the church in heaven and earth, is not
mutually visible and local; for it is but a small number comparatively
that we ever see; but it consisteth in Christ's visible communication
of his word, his officers, and his ordinances and mercies unto you,
and in your visible learning and reception of them, and obedience to
him, and expressions of your love and gratitude towards him. Your
external communion with the universal church, consisteth in the
prayers of the church for you, and your prayers for the church; in
your holding the same faith, and professing to love and worship the
same God, and Saviour, and Sanctifier, in the same holy ordinances, in
order to the same eternal end.
Your external communion in the same particular congregations,
consisteth in your assembling together to hear the preaching of God's
word, and to receive the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ,
and pray and praise God, and to help each other in knowledge and
holiness, and walk together in the fear of the Lord.
Your communion with other neighbour churches, lieth in praying for and
counselling each other, and keeping such correspondencies as shall be
found necessary to maintain that love, and peace, and holiness which
all are bound to seek, according to your abilities and opportunities.
Note here, that communion is one thing, and subjection is another. It
is not your subjection to other churches that is required to your
communion with them. The churches that Paul wrote to at Rome, Corinth,
Galatia, Ephesus, Philippi, &c. had communion together according to
their capacities in that distance; but they were not subject one to
another, any otherwise than as all are commanded to be subject to each
other in humility, 1 Pet. v. 5. The church of Rome now accuseth all
the christians in the world of separating from their communion, unless
they will take them for their rulers, and obey them as the mistress
church: but Paul speaketh not one syllable to any of the churches of
any such thing, as their obedience to the church of Rome. To your own
pastors you owe subjection statedly as well as communion; and to other
pastors of the churches of Christ (fixed or unfixed) you owe a
temporary subjection so far as you are called to make use of them (as
sick persons do to another physician, when the physician of the
hospital is out of the way): but one church is not the ruler of
another, or any one of all the rest, by any appointment of the King of
the church.
_Direct._ III. By the help of what is already said, you are next
distinctly to understand how far you are bound to union or communion
with any other church or person, and what distance, separation, or
division is a sin, and what is not: that so you may neither
causelessly trouble yourselves with scruples, nor trouble the church
by sinful schism.
[Sidenote: What unity is among all christians.]
I. There must be a union among all churches and christians in these
particulars. 1. They have all but one God. 2. And one Head and
Saviour, Jesus Christ. 3. And one Sanctifier, the Holy Ghost. 4. And
one ultimate end and hope, even the fruition of God in heaven. 5. And
one gospel to teach them the knowledge of Christ, and contain the
promise of their salvation. 6. And one kind of faith that is wrought
hereby. 7. And one and the same covenant (of which baptism is the
seal) in which they are engaged to God. 8. And the same instrumental
founders of our faith, under Jesus Christ, even the prophets and
apostles. 9. And all members of the same universal body. 10. And all
have the same new nature and holy disposition, and the same holy
affections, in loving God and holiness, and hating sin. 11. They all
own, as to the essential parts, the same law of God, as the rule of
their faith and life, even the sacred canonical Scriptures. 12. Every
member hath a love to the whole, and to each other, especially to the
more excellent and useful members; and an inclination to holy
communion with each other. 13. They have all a propensity to the same
holy means and employment, as prayer, learning the word of God, and
doing good to others.[140] All these things the true living members of
the church have in sincerity, and the rest have in profession.
[Sidenote: What diversity will be in the church.]
II. There will be still a diversity among the churches and particular
christians in these following points, without any dissolution of the
fore-described unity. 1. They will not be of the same age or standing
in Christ; but some babes, some young men, and some fathers. 2. They
will not have the same degrees of strength, of knowledge, and of
holiness: some will have need to be fed with milk, and be unskilful in
the word of righteousness. 3. They will differ in the kind and measure
of their gifts: some will excel in one kind, and some in another, and
some in none at all. 4. They will differ in their natural temper,
which will make some to be more hot and some more mild, some more
quick and some more dull, some of more regulated wits and some more
scattered and confused. 5. They will differ in spiritual health and
soundness: one will be more orthodox and another more erroneous; one
will have a better appetite to the wholesome word than others that are
inclining to novelties and vain janglings; one will walk more
blamelessly than another; some are full of joy and peace, and others
full of grief and trouble. 6. They differ much in usefulness and
service to the body: some are pillars to support the rest, and some
are burdensome and troublers of the church. 7. It is the will of
Christ that they differ in office and employment: some being pastors
and teachers to the rest. 8. There may be much difference in the
manner of their worshipping God; some observing days and difference of
meats and drinks, and forms and other ceremonies, which others observe
not: and several churches may have several modes. 9. These differences
may possibly, by the temptation of Satan, arise to vehement
contentions; and not only to the censuring and despising of each
other, but to the rejecting of each other from the communion of the
several churches, and forbidding one another to preach the gospel, and
the banishing or imprisoning one another, as Constantine himself did
banish Athanasius, and as Chrysostom and many another have felt. 10.
Hence it followeth that as in the visible church some are the members
of Christ, and some are indeed the children of the devil, some shall
be saved and some be damned, even with the sorest damnation, (the
greatest difference in the world to come being betwixt the visible
members of the church,) so among the godly and sincere themselves they
are not all alike amiable or happy, but they shall differ in glory as
they do in grace.[141] All these differences there have been, are, and
will be in the church, notwithstanding its unity in other things.
[Sidenote: Schism what, and of how many sorts.]
III. The word schism cometh from σχίζω, _disseco_, _lacero_, and
signifieth any sinful division among christians. Some papists (as
Johnson) will have nothing called schism, but a dividing oneself from
the catholic church: others maintain that there is nothing in
Scripture called schism, but making divisions in particular
churches.[142] The truth is, (obvious in the thing itself,) that there
are several sorts of schism or division. 1. There is a causing
divisions in a particular church, when yet no party divideth from that
church, much less from the universal. Thus Paul blameth the divisions
that were among the Corinthians, while one said, I am of Paul, and
another, I am of Apollos, &c. 1 Cor. iii. 3. And 1 Cor. xi. 18, "I
hear that there be divisions among you:" not that they separated from
each other's communion, but held a disorderly communion. Such
divisions he vehemently dissuadeth them from, 1 Cor. i. 10. And thus
he persuadeth the Romans, (xvi. 17,) to "mark them which cause
divisions and offences among them, contrary to the doctrine which they
had learned, and avoid them;" which it seems therefore were not such
as had avoided the church first. He that causeth differences of
judgment and practice, and contendings in the church, doth cause
divisions, though none separate from the church.
2. And if this be a fault, it must be a greater fault to cause
divisions from, as well as in, a particular church, which a man may do
that separateth not from it himself: as if he persuade others to
separate, or if he sow those tares of error which cause it, or if he
causelessly excommunicate or cast them out.
3. And then it must be as great a sin to make a causeless separation
from the church that you are in yourself, which is another sort of
schism. If you may not divide in the church, nor divide others from
the church, then you may not causelessly divide the common from it
yourselves.
4. And it is yet a greater schism, when you divide not only from that
one church, but from many, because they concur in opinion with that
one (which is the common way of dividers).
5. And it is yet a greater schism, when whole churches separate from
each other, and renounce due communion with each other without just
cause: as the Greeks, Latins, and protestants in their present
distance, must some of them (whoever it is) be found guilty.
6. And yet it is a greater schism than this, when churches do not only
separate from each other causelessly, but also unchurch each other,
and endeavour to cut off each other from the church universal, by
denying each other to be true churches of Christ. It is a more
grievous schism to withdraw from a true church as no church, than as a
corrupt church; that is, to cut off a church from Christ, and the
church catholic, than to abstain from communion with it as a
scandalous or offending church.
7. It is yet, _cæteris paribus_, a higher degree of schism to divide
yourselves (a person or a church) from the universal church without
just cause, though you separate from it but _secundum quid_, in some
accidental respect where unity is needful (for where unity is not
required, there disunion is no sin): yet such a person that is
separate but _secundum quid_, from something accidental, or integral,
but not essential to the catholic church, is still a catholic
christian, though he sin.
[Sidenote: A heretic and apostate what.]
8. But as for the highest degree of all, viz. to separate from the
universal church _simpliciter_, or in some essential respect, this is
done by nothing but by heresy or apostasy. However the papists make
men believe that schismatics that are neither heretics nor apostates,
do separate themselves wholly or simply from the catholic church, this
is a mere figment of their brains. For he that separateth not from the
church in any thing essential to it, doth not truly and simply
separate from the church, but _secundum quid_, from something
separable from the church. But whatever is essential to the church is
necessary to salvation; and he that separateth from it upon the
account of his denying any thing necessary to salvation, is a heretic
or apostate: that is, if he do it, as denying some one (or more)
essential point of faith or religion, while he pretendeth to hold all
the rest, he is a heretic: if he deny the whole christian faith, he is
a flat apostate: and these are more than to be schismatics.
The word heresy also is variously taken by ecclesiastic writers.
Austin will have heresy to be an inveterate schism: Jerom maketh it to
be some perverse opinion: some call every schism which gathereth a
separated party from the rest, by the name of heresy; some call it a
heresy if there be a perilous error though without any schism; some
call it a heresy only when schism is made, and a party separated upon
the account of some perilous error. Some say this error must be
damnable, that is, in the essentials of religion; and some say, it is
enough if it be but dangerous. Among all these, the commonest sense of
a heretic is, one that obstinately erreth in some essential point, and
divideth from the communion of other christians upon that account. And
so Paræus and many protestants take heresy for the species, and schism
for the genus. All schism is not heresy; but all heresy, say they, is
schism. Remember that all this is but a controversy _de nomine_, and
therefore of small moment.
[Sidenote: Who are true schismatics.]
By this that I have said you may perceive who they be that are guilty
of church divisions: As, 1. The sparks of it are kindled, when proud
and self-conceited persons are brain-sick in the fond estimation of
their own opinions, and heart-sick by a feverish zeal for the
propagating of them. Ignorant souls think that every change of their
opinions is made by such an accession of heavenly light, that if they
should not bestir them to make all of the same mind, they should be
betrayers of the truth, and do the world unspeakable wrong. When they
measure and censure men as they receive or reject their peculiar
discoveries or conceits, schism is in the egg.
2. The fire is blown up, when men are desirous to have a party follow
them and cry them up, and thereupon are busy in persuading others to
be of their mind, and do speak "perverse things to draw away disciples
after them," Acts xx. 30; and when they would be counted the masters
of a party.
3. The flames break forth, when by this means the same church, or
divers churches, do fall into several parties burning in zeal against
each other, abating charity, censuring and condemning one another,
backbiting and reviling each other, through envy and strife;[143] when
they look strangely at one another, as being on several sides, as if
they were not children of the same Father, nor members of the same
body; or as if Christ were divided, one being of Paul, and another of
Apollos, and another of Cephas, and every one of a faction, letting
out their thoughts in jealousies and evil surmises of each other;
perverting the words and actions of each to an ugly sense, and
snatching occasions to represent one another as fools or odious to the
hearers, as if you should plainly say, I pray you hate or despise
these people whom I hate and despise. This is the core of the
plague-sore; it is schism in the bud.
4. When people in the same church do gather into private meetings, not
under the guidance of their pastors, to edify one another in holy
exercises in love and peace, but in opposition to their lawful
pastors, or to one another, to propagate their singular opinions, and
increase their parties, and speak against those that are not on their
side; schism is then ready to bring forth and multiply, and the swarm
is ready to come forth and be gone.
5. When these people actually depart, and renounce or forsake the
communion of the church, and cast off their faithful pastors, and draw
into a separated body by themselves, and choose them pastors and call
themselves a church, and all without any just, sufficient cause: when
thus churches are gathered out of churches, before the old ones are
dissolved, or they have any warrant to depart; when thus pastor is set
up against pastor, church against church, and altar against altar;
this is schism ripe and fruitful; the swarm is gone, and hived in
another place.
6. If now the neighbour churches, by their pastors in their synods,
shall in compassion seek to reclaim these stragglers, and they justify
their unjust separation, and contemn the counsel of the churches and
ministers of Christ; this is a confirmed, obstinate schism.
7. If they shall also judge that church to be no church from which
they separated, and so cut off a part of the body of Christ by an
unrighteous censure, and condemn the innocent, and usurp authority
over their guides; this is disobedience and uncharitableness with
schism.
8. If they shall also condemn and unchurch all the other churches that
are not of their mind and way, and renounce communion with them all,
and so condemn unjustly a great part of the body of Christ on earth,
this is to add fury and rebellion to an uncharitable schism. And if to
cover their sin, they shall unjustly charge these churches which they
reject, with heresy or wickedness, they do but multiply their crimes
by such extenuations.
9. If the opinion that all this ado is made for, be a damning error,
against some essential point of the true religion, then it is heresy
as well as schism.
10. If this separation from the church be made in defence of an
ungodly life, against the discipline of the church; if a wicked sort
of men shall withdraw from the church to avoid the disgrace of
confession or excommunication; and shall first cast off the church,
lest the church should proceed to cast out them; and so they separate
that they may have none to govern and trouble them but themselves;
this is a profane, rebellious schism. This is the common course of
schism when it groweth towards the height.
11. Besides all these, there is yet a more pernicious way of schism,
which the church or court of Rome is guilty of: they make new articles
of faith, and new points of religion, and a new worship--of God, shall
I say, or of bread as if it were a god? And all these they put into a
law, and impose them on all the other churches; yea, they put them
into an oath, and require men to swear that without any doubting they
believe them to be true: they pretend to have authority for all this,
as Rome is the mistress of all other churches. They set up a new
universal head, as an essential part of the catholic church, and so
found or feign a new kind of catholic church: and he that will not
obey them in all this, they renounce communion with him; and to hide
this horrid, notorious schism, they call all schismatics that are not
thus subjected to them.
12. And to advance their schism to the height, as far as arrogance can
aspire, they not only refuse communion with those from whom they
separate, but condemn them as no pastors, no churches, no christians,
that are not subject to them in this their usurpation; and they, that
are but about the third or fourth part (at most) of the christian
world, do condemn the body of Christ to hell (even all the rest)
because they are not subjects of the pope.
Besides all this criminal, odious schism, of imposers or separaters,
there is a degree of schism or unjust division, which may be the
infirmity of a good and peaceable person. As if a humble, tender
christian should mistakingly think it unlawful to do some action, that
is imposed upon all that will hold communion with that particular
church (such as Paul speaketh of Rom. xiv. if they had been imposed);
and if he, suspecting his own understanding, do use all means to know
the truth, and yet still continueth in his mistake; if this christian
do forbear all reviling of his superiors, and censuring those that
differ from him, and drawing others to his opinion, but yet dare not
join with the church in that which he taketh to be a sin, this is a
sinful sort of withdrawing, because it is upon mistake; but yet it is
but a pardonable infirmity, consistent with integrity and the favour
of God.
[Sidenote: What separation is a duty.]
IV. In these cases following separation is our duty and not a sin.
1. The church's separation from the unbelieving world is a necessary
duty: for what is a church, but a society dedicated or sanctified to
God, by separation from the rest of the world? 2 Cor. vi. 17, 18,
"Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the
Lord, and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you, and
will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters,
saith the Lord Almighty." The church is a holy people, and therefore a
separated people.[144]
2. If a church apostatize and forsake the faith, or if they turn
notoriously heretical, denying openly any one essential article of the
faith, and this not only by an undiscerned consequence, but directly
in express terms or sense, it is our duty to deny to hold communion
with such apostates or heretics; for it is their separating from
Christ that is the sinful separation, and maketh it necessary to us to
separate from them. But this is no excuse to any church or person,
that shall falsely accuse any other church or person of heresy,
(because of some forced or disowned consequences of his doctrine,) and
then separate from them when they have thus injured them by their
calumnies or censures.
3. We are not bound to own that as a church which maketh not a visible
profession of faith and holiness; that is, if the pastors and a
sufficient number of the flock make not this profession. For as the
pastor and flock are the constituent parts of the church, politically
considered, so profession of faith and holiness is the essential
qualification of the members. If either pastors or people want this
profession, it is no political church; but if the people profess true
religion, and have no pastors, it is a community of believers, or a
church unorganized, and as such to be acknowledged.
4. If any shall unlawfully constitute a new political church form, by
making new constitutive officers to be its visible head, which Christ
never appointed, we are not to hold communion with the church in its
devised form or polity; though we may hold communion with the members
of it considered as christians and members of the universal church.
Mark well, that I do not say that every new devised officer
disobligeth us from such communion, but such as I describe; which I
shall fullier open.
[Sidenote: Whether any form of church government be of divine
appointment; and whether man may appoint any other?]
_Quest._ May not men place new officers in the church; and new forms
of government which God never instituted? Or is there any form and
officers of divine institution?
_Answ._ Though I answered this before, I shall here briefly answer it
again. 1. There are some sorts of officers that are essential to the
polity, or church form, and some that are only needful to the
well-being of it, and some that are only accidental. 2. There is a
church form of God's own institution, and there is a superadded human
polity, or form. There are two sorts of churches, or church forms, of
God's own institution. The first is the universal church considered
politically as headed by Jesus Christ: this is so of divine
appointment, as that it is an article of our creed. Here if any man
devise and superinduce another head of the universal church, which God
never appointed, though he pretend to hold his sovereignty from Christ
and under him, it is treason against the sovereignty of Christ, as
setting up a universal government or sovereign in his church without
his authority and consent. Thus the pope is the usurping head of a
rebellion against Christ, and in that sense by protestants called
antichrist; and he is guilty of the rebellion that subscribeth to or
owneth his usurpation, or sweareth to him as his governor, though he
promise to obey him but _in licitis et honestis_; because it is not
lawful or honest to consent to a usurper's government. If a usurper
should traitorously, without the king's consent, proclaim himself
vice-king of Ireland or Scotland, and falsely say that he hath the
king's authority, when the king disclaimeth him, he that should
voluntarily swear obedience to him in things lawful and honest, doth
voluntarily own his usurpation and treason. And it is not the
lawfulness and honesty of the matter which will warrant us to own the
usurpation of the commander.[145] And secondly, there is another
subordinate church form of Christ's institution; that is, particular
churches consisting of pastors and people conjoined for personal
communion in God's worship. These are to the universal church, as
particular corporations are to a kingdom, even such parts of it as
have a distinct subordinate polity of their own: it is no city or
corporation, if they have not their mayors, bailiffs, or other chief
officers, subject to the king, as governors of the people under him:
and it is no particular church, in a political sense, but only a
community, if they have not their pastors to be under Christ, their
spiritual conductors in the matters of salvation; as there is no
school which is not constituted of teacher and scholars. That
particular organized political churches are of Christ's institution,
(by his Spirit in the apostles,) is undeniable. Acts xiv. 23, "They
ordained them elders in every church." Tit. i. 5, "Ordain elders in
every city, as I commanded thee." Acts xx. 17, "He sent to Ephesus and
called the elders of the church." Ver. 28, "Take heed to yourselves
and to all the flock, over which the Holy Ghost hath made you
overseers, to feed the church of God." So 1 Thess. v. 12, 13; Heb.
xiii. 7, 17, 24, &c. 1 Cor. vii. 23, "If the whole church be come
together into one place," &c. Thus far it is no question but church
forms and government is of divine appointment; and man can no more
alter this, or set up such other, without God's consent, than a
subject can alter or make corporations without the king's consent. 3.
But besides these two sorts of divine institution, there are other
allowable associations which some call churches. God hath required
these particular churches to hold such communion as they are capable
of, for promoting the common ends of christianity; and prudence is
left to determine of the times, and places, and manner of their
pastors' assemblies, councils, and correspondencies according to God's
general rules. If any will call these councils, or the associations
engaged for special correspondencies, by the name of churches, I will
not trouble any with a strife about the name. In this case, so far as
men have power to make that association or combination which they call
a church, so also if they make officers suited to its ends, not
encroaching upon the churches or officers of Christ's own institution,
I am none of those that will contend against them; nor will this allow
us to deny communion with them. And in those churches which Christ
himself hath instituted, there are officers that make but for the
integrity, and not for the political essence of the church: as
deacons, and all pastors or presbyters more than one. For it is not
essential to it to have any deacons, or many pastors. As to this sort
of officers, Christ hath appointed them, and it is not in man's power
to alter his institution, nor to set up any such like in co-ordination
with these: but yet if they should do so, as long as the true
essentials of the church remain, I am not to deny communion with that
church, so I own not this corruption. 4. But there are also as
circumstantial employments about God's worship, so officers to do
those employments, which men may lawfully institute: as clerks,
churchwardens, door-keepers, ringers, &c. It is not the adding of
these that is any sin. By this time you may see plainly both how far
churches, officers, and church government is _jure divino_, and how
far man may or may not add or alter, and what I meant in my
proposition, viz. That if men introduce a new universal head to the
church catholic, or a new head to particular churches, instead of that
of Christ's institution, this is, _in sensu politico_, to make new
species of churches, and destroy those that Christ hath instituted
(for the _pars gubernans_ and _pars gubernata_ are the essential
constituents of a church). And with such a church, as such, in specie,
I must have no communion (which is our case with the papal church);
though with the material parts of that church, as members of Christ, I
may hold communion still.
5. If particular members are guilty of obstinate impenitency in true
heresy, or ungodliness, or any scandalous crime, the church may and
must remove such from her communion; for it is the communion of
saints. And the offender is the cause of this separation.
6. If a whole church be guilty of some notorious, scandalous sin, and
refuse with obstinacy to repent and reform, when admonished by
neighbour churches, or if that church do thus defend such a sin in any
of her members, so as openly to own it; other churches may refuse
communion with her, till she repent and be reformed. Or if they see
cause to hold communion with her in other respects, yet in this they
must have none.[146]
7. If any church will admit none to her personal communion, but those
that will take some false oath, or subscribe any untruth, or tell a
lie, though that church do think it to be true, (as the Trent oath
which their priests all swear,) it is not lawful to do any such
unlawful thing to obtain communion with that church: and he that
refuseth in this case to commit this sin, is no way guilty of the
separation, but is commendable for being true to God.[147] And though
the case may be sad to be deprived of the liberty of public worship,
and the benefits of public communion with that church, yet sin is
worse, and obedience is better than sacrifice.[148] God will not be
served with sin, nor accept the sacrifice of a disobedient fool,
Eccles. v. 1, 2. Nor must we lie to glorify him, nor do evil that good
may come by it: just is the damnation of such servers of God, Rom. i.
7, 8. All public worship is rather to be omitted, than any one sin
committed to enjoy it (though neither should be done where it is
possible to do better). It is not so unwise to think to feed a man
with poisons, as to think to serve God acceptably by sin.
8. If any one church would ambitiously usurp a governing power over
others, (as Rome doth over the world,) it is no unwarrantable
separation to refuse the government of that usurping church. We may
hold communion with them as christians, and yet refuse to be their
subjects. And therefore it is a proud and ignorant complaint of the
church of Rome, that the protestants separate from them as to
communion, because they will not take them for their governors.
9. If any by violence will banish or cast out the true bishops or
pastors of the church, and set up usurpers in their stead, (as in the
Arians' persecution it was commonly done,) it is no culpable
separation, but laudable, and a duty, for the people to own their
relation to their true pastors, and deny communion with the usurpers:
as the people of the eastern churches did commonly refuse communion
with the intruding bishops, even to the death, telling the civil
rulers, that they had bishops of their own, to whom they would adhere.
10. If a true church will obstinately deny her members the use of any
one ordinance of God, as preaching or reading Scripture, or prayer, or
praise, or discipline, while it retaineth all the rest, though we may
not separate from this church as no church, (which yet in the case of
total rejection of prayer or praise, is very questionable at least,)
yet if we have opportunity, we must remove our local communion to a
more edifying church, that useth all the public ordinances of God:
unless the public good forbid, or some great impediment or contrary
duty be our excuse.
11. If a true church will not cast out any impenitent, notorious,
scandalous sinner, though I am not to separate from the church, yet I
am bound to avoid private familiarity with such a person, that he may
be ashamed, and that I partake not of his sin.[149]
12. As the church hath diversity of members, some more holy, and some
less, and some of whose sincerity we have small hope, some that are
more honourable, and some less, some that walk blamelessly, and some
that work iniquity; so ministers and private members are bound to
difference between them accordingly, and to honour and love some far
above others, whom yet we may not excommunicate; and this is no sinful
separation.[150]
13. If the church that I live and communicate with, do hold any
tolerable error, I may differ therein from the church, without a
culpable separation. Union with the church may be continued with all
the diversities before mentioned, direct. iii.
14. In case of persecution in one church or city, when the servants of
Christ do fly to another, (having no special reason to forbid it,)
this is no sinful separation, Matt. x. 23.
15. If the public service of the church require a minister or private
christian to remove to another church, if it be done deliberately and
upon good advice, it is no sinful separation.
16. If a lawful prince or magistrate command us to remove our
habitation, or command a minister from one church to another, when it
is not notoriously to the detriment of the common interest of
religion, it is no sinful separation to obey the magistrate.
17. If a poor christian that hath a due and tender care of his
salvation, do find that under one minister his soul declineth and
groweth dead, and under another that is more sound, and clear, and
lively, he is much edified to a holy and heavenly frame and life, and
if hereupon, preferring his salvation before all things, he remove to
that church and minister where he is most edified, without unchurching
the other by his censures, this is no sinful separation, but a
preferring the one thing needful before all.
18. If one part of the church have leisure, opportunity, cause, and
earnest desires to meet oftener for the edifying of their souls, and
redeeming their time, than the poorer, labouring, or careless and less
zealous part will meet, in any fit place, under the oversight and
conduct of their pastors, and not in opposition to the more public,
full assemblies, as they did, Acts xii. 12, to pray for Peter at the
house of Mary, "where many were gathered together praying;" and Acts
x. 1, &c. this is no sinful separation.
19. If a man's own outward affairs require him to remove his
habitation from one city or country to another, and there be no
greater matter to prohibit it, he may lawfully remove his local
communion from the church that he before lived with, to that which
resideth in the place he goeth to. For with distant churches and
christians I can have none but mental communion, or by distant means
(as writing, messengers, &c.); it is only with present christians that
I can have local, personal communion.
20. It is possible in some cases that a man may live long without
local, personal communion with any christians or church at all, and
yet not be guilty of sinful separation. As the king's ambassador or
agent in a land of infidels, or some traveller, merchants, factors, or
such as go to convert the infidels, or those that are banished or
imprisoned. In all these twenty cases, some kind of separation may be
lawful.
21. One more I may add, which is, when the temples are so small, and
the congregations so great, that there is no room to hear and join in
the public worship; or when the church is so excessively great, as to
be uncapable of the proper ends of the society; in this case to divide
or withdraw, is no sinful separation. When one hive will not hold the
bees, the swarm must seek themselves another, without the injury of
the rest.
By all this you may perceive, that sinful separation is first in a
censorious, uncharitable mind, condemning churches, ministers, and
worship causelessly, as unfit for them to have communion with. And
secondly, it is in the personal separation which is made in pursuance
of this censure: but not in any local removal that is made on other
lawful grounds.
_Direct._ IV. Understand and consider well the reasons why Christ so
frequently and earnestly presseth concord on his church, and why he so
vehemently forbiddeth divisions. Observe how much the Scripture
speaketh to this purpose, and upon what weighty reasons. Here are four
things distinctly to be represented to your serious consideration. 1.
How many, plain, and urgent are the texts that speak for unity, and
condemn division. 2. The great benefits of concord. 3. And the
mischiefs of discord and divisions in the church. 4. And the
aggravations of the sin.
I. A true christian, that hateth fornication, drunkenness, lying,
perjury, because they are forbidden in the word of God, will hate
divisions also when he well observeth how frequently and vehemently
they are forbidden, and concord highly commended and commanded. John
xvii. 21-23, "That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me,
and I in thee, that they also may be one in us; that the world may
believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I
have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them,
and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the
world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou
hast loved me." Here you see, that the unity of the saints must be a
special means to convince the infidel world of the truth of
christianity, and to prove God's special love to his church, and also
to accomplish their own perfection. 1 Cor. i. 10, "Now I beseech you,
brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the
same thing, and that there be no divisions (or schisms) among you; but
that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind, and in the same
judgment. For it hath been declared to me of you, my brethren,--that
there are contentions among you." 1 Cor. iii. 3, "For ye are yet
carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, (zeal,) and strife,
and divisions, (or parties, or factions,) are ye not carnal, and walk
as men? For while one saith, I am of Paul, and another, I am of
Apollos, are ye not carnal?" Phil. ii. 1-4, "If there be any
consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of
the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, fulfil ye my joy, that ye be
like-minded, having the same love, of one accord, of one mind. Let
nothing be done through strife or vain-glory, but in lowliness of mind
let each esteem others better than themselves." Rom. xvi. 17, 18, "Now
I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions (or parties)
and offences, (or scandals,) contrary to the doctrine which ye have
learned, and avoid them." Abundance more such texts may be
recited.[151]
[Sidenote: The benefits of concord.]
II. The great benefits of the concord of christians are these
following. 1. It is necessary to the very life of the church and its
several members, that they be all one body. As their union with Christ
the head and principle of their life is principally necessary, so
unity among themselves is secondarily necessary, for the conveyance
and reception of that life which floweth to all from Christ. For
though the head be the fountain of life, yet the nerves and other
parts must convey that life unto the members; and if any member be cut
off or separated from the body, it is separated also from the head,
and perisheth. Mark well those words of the apostle, Eph. iv. 3-16,
"Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope
of your calling: one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father
of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. But unto
every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of
Christ.--And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some,
evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the
saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of
Christ, till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the
knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, unto the measure of the
stature of the fulness of Christ: that--speaking the truth in love, we
may grow up into him in all things, which is the Head, even Christ;
from whom the whole body fitly joined together, and compacted by every
joint of supply, according to the effectual working in the measure of
every part, maketh increase of the body to the edifying of itself in
love." See here how the church's unity is necessary to its life and
increase, and to the due nutrition of all the parts.
2. The unity of the church, and the concord of believers, is necessary
to its strength and safety; for Christ also strengtheneth as well as
quickeneth them by suitable means. Woe to him that is alone! but in
the army of the Lord of hosts we may safely march on, when stragglers
are catched up or killed by the weakest enemy. A threefold cord is not
easily broken. Enemies both spiritual and corporal are deterred from
assaulting the church or any of its members, while they see us walk in
our military unity and order. In this posture every man is a blessing
and defence unto his neighbour. As every soldier hath the benefit of
all the conduct, wisdom, and valour of the whole army, while he
keepeth in his place; so every weak christian hath the use and benefit
of all the learning, the wisdom, and gifts of the church, while he
keepeth his station, and walketh orderly in the church. The hand, the
eye, the ear, the foot, and every member of the body, is as ready to
help or serve the whole, and every other particular member, as itself;
but if it be cut off, it is neither helpful, nor to be helped. Oh what
mercy is it for every christian, that is unable to help himself, to
have the help of all the church of God! their directions, their
exhortations, their love, their prayer, their liberality and
compassion, according to their several abilities and opportunities! as
infants and sick persons have the help of all the rest of the family
that are in health.
3. Unity and concord, as they proceed from love, so they greatly
cherish and increase love; even as the laying of the wood or coals
together is necessary to the making of the fire, which the separating
of them will put out.[152] Holy concord cherisheth holy converse and
communion; and holy communion powerfully kindleth holy love. When the
servants of Christ do see in each other the lustre of his graces, and
hear from each other the heavenly language which floweth from a divine
and heavenly mind, this potently kindleth their affections to each
other, and maketh them close with those as the sons of God, in whom
they find so much of God; yea, it causeth them to love God himself in
others, with a reverent, admiring, and transcendent love, when others,
at the best, can love them but as men. Concord is the womb and soil of
love, although it be first its progeny. In quietness and peace the
voice of peace is most regarded.
4. Unity and concord is the church's beauty: it maketh us amiable even
to the eye of nature, and venerable and terrible even to the eye of
malice. A concord in sin is no more honour, than it is for conquered
men to go together in multitudes to prison or captivity; or for beasts
to go by droves unto the slaughter. But to see the churches of Christ
with one heart and soul acknowledging their Maker and Redeemer, and
singing his praise as with one voice, and living together in love and
concord, as those that have one principle, one rule, one nature, one
work, one interest, and hope, and end, this is the truly beauteous
symmetry, and delectable harmony. Psal. cxxxiii. "Behold how good and
how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like
the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard,
even Aaron's beard, that went down to the skirts of his garment. As
the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descendeth upon the mountains
of Zion: for there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for
evermore." The translators well put this as the contents of this
psalm, "The benefit of the communion of saints."
5. The concord of believers doth greatly conduce to the successes of
the ministry, and propagation of the gospel, and the conviction of
unbelievers, and the conversion and salvation of ungodly souls. When
Christ prayeth for the unity of his disciples, he redoubled this
argument from the effect or end, "that the world may believe that thou
hast sent me;" and "that the world may know that thou hast sent me,
and hast loved them," &c. John xvii. 21, 23. Would this make the world
believe that Christ was sent of God? Yes, undoubtedly if all
christians were reduced to a holy concord, it would do more to win the
heathen world, than all other means can do without it. It is the
divisions and the wickedness of professed christians, that maketh
christianity so contemned by the Mahometans, and other infidels of the
world; and it is the holy concord of christians that would convince
and draw them home to Christ. Love, and peace, and concord are such
virtues, as all the world is forced to applaud, notwithstanding
nature's enmity to good. When the first christian church "were all
with one accord in one place, and continued daily with one accord in
the temple, and breaking bread from house to house partook of food
with gladness and singleness of heart," and when "the multitude of
believers were of one heart and of one soul," Acts ii. 1, 46; iv. 32,
then did "God send upon them the Holy Ghost, and then were three
thousand converted at a sermon," Acts ii. 41; and with "great power
gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and
great grace was upon them all," Acts iv. 33.
[Sidenote: How our concord would promote the conversion of infidels.]
Our concord in religion hath all these advantages for the converting
of unbelievers and ungodly men. 1. It is a sign that there is a
constraining evidence of truth in that gospel which doth convince so
many; a concurrent satisfaction and yielding to the truth, is a
powerful testimony for it. 2. They see then that religion is not a
matter of worldly policy and design, when so many men of contrary
interests do embrace it. 3. And they see it is not the fruit of
melancholy constitutions, when so many men of various temperatures
entertain it. 4. They may see that the gospel hath power to conquer
that self-love and self-interest which is the most potent thing in
vitiated nature: otherwise it could never make so many unite in God as
their common interest and end. 5. They may see that the gospel and
Spirit of Christ are stronger than the devil and all the allurements
of the flesh and world, when they can make so many agree in the
renouncing of all earthly vanities, for the hopes of everlasting life.
6. They will see that the design and doctrine of christianity are good
and excellent, beseeming God, and desirable to man; when they see that
they produce so good effects, as the love, and unity, and concord of
mankind. 7. And it is an exceeding great and powerful help to the
conversion of the world in this respect, because it is a thing so
conspicuous in their sight, and so intelligible to them, and so
approved by them. They are little wrought on by the doctrine of Christ
alone, because it is visible or audible but to few, and understood by
fewer, and containeth many things which nature doth distaste; but the
holy concord of believers is a thing that they are more able to
discern and judge of, and do more generally approve. The holy concord
of christians must be the conversion of the unbelieving world, if God
have so great a mercy for the world; which is a consideration that
should not only deter us from divisions, but make us zealously study
and labour with all our interest and might, for the healing of the
lamentable divisions among christians, if we have the hearts of
christians, and any sense of the interest of Christ.
6. The concord of christians doth greatly conduce to the ease and
peace of particular believers. The very exercise of love to one
another doth sweeten all our lives and duties; we sail towards heaven
in a pleasant calm, with wind and tide, when we live in love and peace
together. How easy doth it make the work of godliness! How light a
burden doth religion seem, when we are all as of one heart and soul!
7. Lastly, consider whether this be not the likest state to heaven,
and therefore have not in it the most of christian excellency and
perfection? In heaven there is no discord, but a perfect consort of
glorified spirits, harmoniously loving and praising their Creator. And
if heaven be desirable, holy concord on earth is next desirable.
[Sidenote: The mischiefs of division.]
III. On the contrary, consider well of the mischiefs of divisions. 1.
It is the killing of the church, (as much as lieth in the dividers,)
or the wounding it at least. Christ's body is one, and it is sensible;
and therefore dividing it tendeth directly to the destroying it, and
at least will cause its smart and pain. To reform the church by
dividing it, is no wiser than to cut out the liver, or spleen, or
gall, to cleanse them from the filth that doth obstruct them, and
hinder them in their office; you may indeed thus cleanse them, but it
will be a mortal cure. As he that should divide the kingdom into two
kingdoms dissolveth the old kingdom, or part of it at least, to erect
two new ones; so he that would divide the catholic church into two,
must thereby destroy it, if he could succeed; or destroy that part
which divideth itself from the rest. Can a member live that is cut off
from the body, or a branch that is separated from the tree?
[Sidenote: Whether papists or protestants are schismatics.]
_Quest._ O but, say the Romanists, why then do you cut off yourselves
from us? the division is made by you, and we are the church, and you
are dead till you return to us. How will you know which part is the
church, when a division is once made? _Answ._ Are you the church? Are
you the only christians in the world? The church is, all christians
united in Christ their Head. You traitorously set up a new usurping
head; and proclaim yourselves to be the whole church, and condemn all
that are not subjects to your new head: we keep our station, and
disclaim his usurpation, and deny subjection to you, and tell you that
as you are the subjects of the pope, you are none of the church of
Christ at all; from this treasonable conspiracy we withdraw ourselves;
but as you are the subjects of Christ we never divided from you, nor
denied you our communion.[153] Let reason judge now who are the
dividers. And is it not easy to know which is the church in the
division? It is all those that are still united unto Christ: if you or
we be divided from Christ and from christians that are his body, we
are then none of the church; but if we are not divided from Christ, we
are of the church still: if part of a tree (though the far greater
part) be cut off or separated from the rest, it is that part (how
small soever) that still groweth with the root that is the living
tree. The Indian fig tree, and some other trees, have branches that
take root when they touch the ground: if now you ask me whether the
branches springing from the second root, are members of the first
tree, I answer, 1. The rest that have no new root are more undoubtedly
members of it. 2. If any branches are separated from the first tree,
and grow upon the new root alone, the case is out of doubt. 3. But if
yet they are by continuation joined to both, that root which they
receive their nutriment most from, is it which they most belong to.
Suppose a tyrant counterfeit a commission from the king to be
vice-king in Ireland, and proclaim all them to be traitors that
receive him not; the king disclaimeth him, the wisest subjects
renounce him, and the rest obey him but so as to profess they do it
because they believe him to be commissioned by the king. Let the
question be now, who are the dividers in Ireland? and who are the
king's truest subjects? and what head it is that denominateth the
kingdom? and who are the traitors? This is your case.
2. Divisions are the deformities of the church. Cut off a nose, or
pluck out an eye, or dismember either a man or a picture, and see
whether you have not deformed it. Ask any compassionate christian, ask
any insulting enemy, whether our divisions be not our deformity and
shame, the lamentation of friends, and the scorn of enemies?
3. The church's divisions are not our own dishonour alone, but the
injurious dishonour of Christ, and religion, and the gospel. The world
thinketh that Christ is an impotent king, that cannot keep his kingdom
at unity in itself, when he hath himself told us, that "every kingdom
divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or
house divided against itself shall not stand," Matt. xii. 25. They
think the gospel tendeth to division, and is a doctrine of dissension,
when they see divisions and dissensions procured by it; they impute
all the faults of the subjects to the King, and think that Christ was
confused in his legislation, and knew not what to teach or command,
because men are confounded in their opinions or practices, and know
not what to think or do. If men misunderstand the law of Christ, and
one saith, This is the sense, and another saith, That is the sense,
they are ready to think that Christ spake nonsense, or understood not
himself, because the ignorant understand him not: who is there that
converseth with the ungodly of the world, that heareth not by their
reproach and scorns how much God and religion are dishonoured by the
divisions of religious people?
4. And thus also our divisions do lamentably hinder the progress of
the gospel, and the conversion and salvation of the ungodly world:
they think they have small encouragement to be of your religion, while
your divisions seem to tell them, that you know not what religion to
be of yourselves. Whatever Satan or wicked men would say against
religion to discourage the ungodly from it, the same will exasperated
persons in these divisions say against each other's way; and when
every one of you condemneth another, how should the consciences of the
ungodly persuade them to accept salvation in any of those ways, which
you thus condemn? Doubtless the divisions of the christian world have
done more to hinder the conversion of infidels, and keep the heathen
and Mahometan world in their damnable ignorance and delusions, than
all our power is able to undo; and have produced such desolations of
the church of Christ, and such a plentiful harvest and kingdom for the
devil, as every tender christian heart is bound to lament with tears
of bitterness. If it must be that such offences shall come, yet woe to
those by whom they come!
5. Divisions lay open the churches of Christ, not only to the scorn,
but to the malice, will, and fury of their enemies. A kingdom or house
divided cannot stand, Matt. xii. 25. Where hath the church been
destroyed, or religion rooted out, in any nation of the earth, but
divisions had a principal hand in the effect? Oh what desolations have
they made among the flocks of Christ! As Seneca and others opened
their veins and bled to death, when Nero or such other tyrants did
send them their commands to die; even so have many churches done by
their divisions, to the gratifying of Satan, the enemy of souls.
6. Divisions among christians do greatly hinder the edification of the
members of the church; while they are possessed with envyings and
distaste of one another, they lose all the benefit of each other's
gifts, and of that holy communion which they should have with one
another.[154] And they are possessed with that zeal and wisdom, which
James calleth earthly, sensual, and devilish, which corrupteth all
their affections, and turneth their food to the nourishment of their
disease, and maketh their very worshipping of God to become the
increase of their sin. Where divisions and contentions are, the
members that should grow up in humility, meekness, self-denial,
holiness, and love, do grow in pride, and perverse disputings, and
passionate strivings, and envious wranglings; the Spirit of God
departeth from them, and an evil spirit of malice and vexation taketh
place; though, in their passion, they know not what spirit they are
of: whereas if they be of one mind, and live in peace, the God of love
and peace will be with them. What lamentable instances of this
calamity have we in many of the sectaries of this present time;
especially in the people called quakers, that while they pretend to
the greatest austerities, do grow up to such a measure of sour pride,
and uncharitable contempt of others, and especially of all superiors,
and hellish railing against the holiest ministers and people, as we
have scarce known or ever read of.
[Sidenote: The Greek word is zeal.]
7. These divisions fill the church with sin, even with sins of a most
odious nature. They introduce a swarm of errors, while it becomes the
mode for every one to have a doctrine of his own, and to have
something to say in religion which may make him notable. "Of your own
selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away
disciples after them," Acts xx. 30. They cherish pride, and malice,
and belying others, (the three great sins of the devil,) as naturally
as dead flesh breedeth worms; they destroy impartial, christian love,
as naturally as bleeding doth consume our vital heat and moisture.
What wickedness is it that they will not cherish? In a word, the
Scripture telleth us that "where envying and strife is, there is
confusion, and every evil work." (And is not this a lamentable way of
reformation of some imaginary or lesser evils?)
8. These divisions are the grief of honest spectators, and cause the
sorrows of those that are guilty of them. They make all their duties
uneasy to them, and turn their religion into a bitter, unpleasant,
wrangling toil; like oxen in the yoke that strive against each other,
when they should draw in order and equality. What a grievous life is
it to husband and wife, or any in the family, if they live in discord?
So is it to the members of the church. When once men take the kingdom
of God to consist of meats, or drinks, or ceremonies, which consisteth
in righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost, and turn to
strive about unedifying questions, they turn from all the sweetness of
religion.[155]
9. Sects and divisions lead directly to apostasy from the faith.
Nothing is more in the design of Satan, than to confound men so with
variety of religions, that they may think there is no certainty in
any; that so both the ignorant spectators may think all religion is
but fancy and deceit, and the contenders themselves wheel about from
sect to sect, till they come to the point where they first set out,
and to be at last deliberately of no religion, who at first were of
none for want of deliberation. And it is no small success that Satan
hath had by this temptation.
10. The divisions of christians do oft proceed to shake states and
kingdoms, having a lamentable influence upon the civil peace; and this
stirreth up princes' jealousies against them, and to the use of those
severities, which the suffering party takes for persecution; yea, and
Turks, and all princes that are enemies to reformation and holiness,
do justify themselves in their cruelest persecutions, when they see
the divisions of christians, and the troubles of states that have
followed thereupon. If christians, and protestants in special, did
live in that unity, peace, and order as their Lord and Ruler
requireth them to do, the consciences of persecutors would even worry
and torment them, and make their lives a hell on earth, for their
cruelty against so excellent a sort of men; but now when they see them
all in confusions, and see the troubles that follow hereupon, and hear
them reviling one another, they think they may destroy them as the
troublers of the earth, and their consciences scarce accuse them for
it.
[Sidenote: The aggravations of schism.]
IV. It is necessary also for your true understanding the malignity of
this sin, that you take notice of the aggravations of it, especially
as to us. 1. It is a sin against so many, and clear, and vehement
words of the Holy Ghost, (which I have partly before recited,) that it
is therefore utterly without excuse: whoredoms, and treasons, and
perjury are not oftener forbidden in the gospel than this.
2. It is contrary to the design of Christ in our redemption; which was
to reconcile us all to God, and unite and centre us all in him: "To
gather together in one the children of God that are scattered abroad,"
John xi. 52. "To gather together in one all things in Christ," Eph. i.
10. "To make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace," Eph.
ii. 15. And shall we join with Satan the divider and destroyer,
against Christ the reconciler, in the very design of his redemption?
3. It is contrary to the design of the Spirit of grace, and contrary
to the very nature of christianity itself. "By one Spirit we are all
baptized into one body--and have all been made to drink into one
Spirit," 1 Cor. xii. 13. "As there is one body and one Spirit, so it
is our charge to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace,"
Eph. iv. 3, 4. The new nature of christians doth consist in love, and
desireth the communion of saints as such; and therefore the command of
this special love is called the new commandment, John xvii. 21; xiii.
34; xv. 12, 17. And they are said to be taught of God to love one
another, 1 Thess. iv. 9. As self-preservation is the chief principle
in the natural body, which causeth it to abhor the wounding or
amputation of its members, and to avoid division as destruction,
except when a gangrened member must be cut off, for the saving of the
body; so it is also with the mystical body of Christ. He is senseless
and graceless that abhorreth not church wounds.
4. These divisions are sins against the nearest bonds of our high
relations to each other:[156] "We are brethren, and should there be
any strife among us?" Gen. xiii. 8. "We are all the children of God by
faith in Christ Jesus," Gal. iii. 26. We are the fellow-members of the
body of Christ; and should we tear his body, and separate his members,
and cut his flesh, and break his bones? Eph. v. 23, 30. "For as the
body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one
body being many, are one body, so also is Christ," 1 Cor. xii. 12. "As
we have many members in one body--so we being many are one body in
Christ; and every one members one of another," Rom. xii. 4, 5. He that
woundeth or dismembereth your own bodies, shall scarce be taken for
your friend; and are you Christ's friends, when you dismember or wound
his body?[157] Is it lovely to see the children or servants in your
family together by the ears? Are civil wars for the safety of a
kingdom? Or doth that tend to the honour of the children of God, which
is the shame of common men? Or is that the safety of his kingdom,
which is the ruin of all others? "We are all fellow-citizens with the
saints, and of the household of God," Eph. ii. 19. "We are God's
building," 1 Cor. iii. 9. "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God;
and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the
temple of God, him shall God destroy: for the temple of God is holy,
which temple ye are," 1 Cor. iii. 16, 17. Will he destroy the
defilers, and will he love the dividers and destroyers? If it be so
great a sin to go to law unnecessarily with our brethren, or to wrong
them, 1 Cor. vi. 8, what is it to disown them, and cast them off? And
if they that salute and love only their brethren, and not also their
enemies, are not the children of God, Matt. v. 47, what are they that
separate from and condemn even their brethren?
5. Church dividers either would divide Christ himself between them, or
else would rob him of a great part of his inheritance: and neither of
these is a little sin. If you make several bodies, you would have
several heads; and is Christ divided? saith the apostle, 1 Cor. i. 13.
Will you make him a sect-master? He will be your common head as
christians; but he will be no head of your sects and parties. (I will
not name them.) Or would you tear out of the hands of Christ any part
of his possessions? Will he cut them off, because you cut them off?
Will he separate them from himself, because you separate from them, or
separate them from you? Will he give them a bill of divorce, whenever
you are pleased to lay any odious accusation against them? Who shall
condemn them, when it is he that justifieth them? Who shall separate
them from the love of God? Can your censure or separation do it, when
neither life, nor death, nor any creature can do it? Rom. viii. 33,
&c. Hath he not told you, that "he will give them eternal life, and
they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of his
hand?" John x. 28. Will he lose his jewels, because you cast them away
as dirt? He suffered more for souls than you, and better knoweth the
worth of souls! And do you think that he will forget so dear a
purchase? or take it well that you rob him of that which he hath
bought so dearly? Will you give the members and inheritance of Christ
to the devil, and say, They are Satan's, and none of Christ's? "Who
art thou that judgest another man's servant?"
6. Church dividers are guilty of self-ignorance, and pride, and great
unthankfulness against that God that beareth with so much in them, who
so censoriously cast off their brethren. Wert thou ever humbled for
thy sin? Dost thou know who thou art, and what thou carriest about
thee, and how much thou offendest God thyself? If thou do, surely thou
wilt judge tenderly of thy brethren, as knowing what a tender hand
thou needest, and what mercy thou hast found from God. Can he cruelly
judge his brethren to hell upon his petty differences, who is sensible
how the gracious hand of his Redeemer did so lately snatch him from
the brink of hell? Can he be forward to condemn his brethren, that
hath been so lately and mercifully saved himself?
7. Church dividers are the most successful servants of the devil,
being enemies to Christ in his family and livery. They gratify Satan,
and all the enemies of the church, and do the very work that he would
have them do, more effectually than open enemies could do it. As
mutineers in an army may do more to destroy it, than the power of the
enemy.
8. It is a sin that contradicteth all God's ordinances and means of
grace; which are purposely to procure and maintain the unity of his
church. The word and baptism is to gather them into one body, and the
Lord's supper to signify and maintain their concord, as being one
bread, and one body, 1 Cor. x. 17. And all the communion of the church
is to express and to maintain this concord. The use of the ministry is
much to this end, to be the bonds and joints of this unity of
believers, Eph. iv. 13, 14, 16. All these are contemned and frustrated
by dividers.
9. Church division is a sin (especially to us) against as great and
lamentable experiences as almost any sin can be. About sixteen hundred
years the church hath smarted by it. In many countries where the
gospel prospered, and churches flourished, division hath turned all
into desolation, and delivered them up to the curse of Mahometanism
and infidelity. The contentions between Constantinople and Rome, the
eastern and the western churches, have shaken the christian interest
upon earth, and delivered up much of the christian world to tyranny
and blindness, and given advantage to the papacy to captivate and
corrupt much of the rest, by pretending itself to be the centre of
unity. Oh what glorious churches, where the learned writers of those
ages once lived, are now extinct, and the places turned to the worship
of the devil and a deceiver, through the ambition and contentions of
the bishops, that should have been the bonds of their unity and peace!
But doth England need to look back into history, or look abroad in
foreign lands, for instances of the sad effects of discord? Is there
any one, good or bad, in this age, that hath spent his days in such a
sleep, as not to know what divisions have done, when they have made
such ruins in church and state, and kindled such consuming flames, and
raised so many sects and parties, and filled so many hearts with
uncharitable rancour, and so many mouths with slanders and revilings,
and turned so many prayers into sin, by poisoning them with pride and
factious oppositions, and hath let out streams of blood and fury over
all the land? He that maketh light of the divisions of christians in
these kingdoms, or loveth not those that speak against them, doth show
himself to be so impenitent in them, as to be one of those terrible
effects of them, that should be a pillar of salt to warn after-ages to
take heed.
10. Yea, this is a heinous aggravation of this sin, that commonly it
is justified, and not repented of, by those that do commit it. When a
drunkard or a whoremonger will confess his sin, a church divider will
stand to it and defend it; and woe to them that call evil good, and
good evil! Impenitency is a terrible aggravation of sin.
11. And it is yet the more heinous, in that it is commonly fathered
upon God. If a drunkard or whoremonger should say, God commandeth me
to do it, and I serve God by it, would you not think this a horrid
aggravation? When did you ever know a sect or party, how contrary
soever among themselves, but they all pretended God's authority, and
entitled him to their sin, and called it his service, and censured
others as ungodly, or less godly, that would not do as bad as they?
St. James is put to confute them that thought this wisdom was from
above, and so did glory in their sin, and lie against the truth, when
their wisdom was from beneath, and no better than earthly, sensual,
and devilish. For the "wisdom from above, is first pure, then
peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy," &c. James
iii. 17.
12. Church divisions are unlike to our heavenly state, and in some
regard worse than the kingdom of the devil, for he would not destroy
it by dividing it against itself, Matt. xii. 26. Oh what a blessed
harmony of united holy souls, will there be in the heavenly Jerusalem,
where we hope to dwell for ever! There will be no discords, envyings,
sidings, or contendings, one being of this party, and another of that;
but in the unity of perfect love, that world of spirits with joyful
praise will magnify their Creator. And is a snarling envy or jarring
discord the likely way to such an end? Is the church of Christ a Babel
of confusion? Should they be divided, party against party, here, that
must be one in perfect love for ever?[158] Shall they here be
condemning each other, as none of the children of the Most High, who
there must live in sweetest concord? If there be shame in heaven, you
will be ashamed to meet those in the delights of glory, and see them
entertained by the Lord of love, whom you reviled and cast out of the
church or your communion, causelessly, on earth.