Remember now that schism, and making parties and divisions in the

church, is not so small a sin as many take it for: it is the

accounting it a duty, and a part of holiness, which is the greatest

cause that it prospereth in the world; and it will never be reformed

till men have right apprehensions of the evil of it. Why is it that

sober people are so far and free from the sins of swearing,

drunkenness, fornication, and lasciviousness, but because these sins

are under so odious a character, as helpeth them easily to perceive

the evil of them. And till church divisions be rightly apprehended, as

whoredom, and swearing, and drunkenness are, they will never be well

cured. Imprint therefore on your minds the true character of them,

which I have here laid down, and look abroad upon the effects, and

then you will fear this confounding sin, as much as a consuming

plague.

[Sidenote: Two hinderances of our true apprehensions of schism.]

The two great causes that keep divisions from being hated as they

ought, are, 1. A charitable respect to the good that is in church

dividers, carrying us to overlook the evil of the sin; judging of it

by the persons that commit it, and thinking that nothing should seem

odious that is theirs, because many of them are in other respects of

blameless, pious conversations. And indeed every christian must so

prudently reprehend the mistakes and faults of pious men, as not to

asperse the piety which is conjunct; and therefore not to make their

persons odious, but to give the person all his just commendations for

his piety, while we oppose and aggravate his sin; because Christ

himself so distinguisheth between the good and the evil, and the

person and the sin, and loveth his own for their good while he hateth

their evil; and so must we; and because it is the grand design of

Satan, by the faults of the godly to make their persons hated first,

and their piety next, and so to banish religion from the world; and

every friend of Christ must show himself an enemy to this design of

Satan. But yet the sin must be disowned and opposed, while the person

is loved according to his worth. Christ will give no thanks for such

love to his children, as cherisheth their church-destroying sins.

There is no greater enemy to sin than Christ, though there be no

greater friend to souls. Godliness was never intended to be a fortress

for iniquity; or a battery for the devil to mount his cannons on

against the church; nor for a blind to cover the powder-mines of hell.

Satan never opposeth truth, and godliness, and unity so dangerously,

as when he can make religious men his instruments. Remember therefore

that all men are vanity, and God's interest and honour must not be

sacrificed to theirs, nor the Most Holy be abused, in reverence to the

holiest of sinful men.

The other great hinderance of our due apprehension of the sinfulness

of divisions, is our too deep sense of our sufferings by superiors,

and our looking so much at the evil of persecutions, as not to look at

the danger of the contrary extreme. Thus under the papacy, the people

of Germany at Luther's reformation were so deeply sensible of the

papal cruelties, that they thought by how many ways soever men fled

from such bloody persecutors, they were very excusable. And while men

were all taken up in decrying the Roman idolatry, corruptions, and

cruelties, they never feared the danger of their own divisions till

they smarted by them. And this was once the case of many good people

here in England, who so much hated the wickedness of the profane and

the haters of godliness, that they had no apprehensions of the evil of

divisions among themselves: and because so many profane ones were wont

to call sober, godly people, schismatics and factious, therefore the

very names began with many to grow into credit, as if they had been of

good signification, and there had been really no such sin as schism

and faction to be feared: till God permitted this sin to break in upon

us with such fury, as had almost turned us into a Babel, and a

desolation. And I am persuaded God did purposely permit it, to teach

his people more sensibly to know the evil of that sin by the effects,

which they would not know by other means: and to let them see when

they had reviled and ruined each other, that there is that in

themselves which they should be more afraid of, than of any enemy

without.

_Direct._ V. Own not any cause which is an enemy to love; and pretend

neither truth, nor holiness, nor unity, nor order, nor any thing

against it.[159] The spirit of love is that one vital spirit which

doth animate all the saints. The increase of love is the powerful

balsam that healeth all the church's wounds; though loveless, lifeless

physicians think that all these wounds must be healed by the sword.

And indeed the weapon-salve is now become the proper cure. It is the

sword that must be medicated, that the wounds made by it may be

healed. The decays of love are the church's dissolution; which first

causeth scissures and separations, and in process crumbleth us all to

dust: and therefore the pastors of the church are the fittest

instruments for the cure, who are the messengers of love, and whose

government is paternal, and hurteth not the body; but is only a

government of love, and exercised by all the means of love. All

christians in the world confess that love is the very life and

perfection of all grace, and the end of all our other duties, and that

which maketh us like to God; and that if love dwelleth in us, God

dwelleth in us; and that it will be the everlasting grace, and the

work of heaven, and the happiness of souls; and that it is the

excellent way, and the character of saints, and the new commandment.

And all this being so, it is most certain that no way is the way of

God, which is not the way of love; and therefore what specious

pretences soever they may have, and one may cry up truth, and another

holiness, and another order, and another unity itself, to justify

their envyings, hatred, cruelties, it is most certain that all such

pretences are satanical deceits.[160] And if they bite and devour one

another, they are not like the sheep of Christ, but shall be devoured

one of another, Gal. v. 15. "Love worketh no ill to his neighbour:

therefore love is the fulfilling of the law," Rom. xiii. 10. When

papists that show their love to men's souls by racking their bodies,

and frying them in the fire, can make them apprehensive of the

excellency of that kind of love, they may use it to the healing of the

church. In the mean time as their religion is, such is their concord,

while all those are called members of their union, and professors of

their religion, who must be burnt to ashes if they say the contrary.

They that give God an image and carcass of religion, are thus content

with the image and carcass of a church for the exercise of it. And if

there were nothing else but this to detect the sinfulness of the sect

of quakers, and many more, it is enough to satisfy any sober man, that

it cannot be the way of God. God is not the author of that spirit and

way which tends to wrath, emulation, hatred, railing, and the

extinction of christian love, to all save their own sect and party.

Remember, as you love your souls, that you shun all ways that are

destructive to universal christian love.

_Direct._ VI. Make nothing necessary to the unity of the church, or

the communion of christians, which God hath not made necessary, or

directed you to make so.[161] By this one folly, the papists are

become the most notorious schismatics on earth; even by making new

articles of faith, and new parts of worship, and imposing them on all

christians, to be sworn, subscribed, professed, or practised, so as

that no man shall be accounted a catholic, or have communion with

them, (or with the universal church, if they could hinder it,) that

will not follow them in all their novelties. They that would subscribe

to all the Scriptures, and to all the ancient creeds of the church,

and would do any thing that Christ and his apostles have enjoined, and

go every step of that way to heaven that Peter and Paul went, as far

as they are able, yet if they will go no further, and believe no more,

(yea, if they will not go against some of this,) must be condemned,

cast out, and called schismatics by these notorious schismatics. If he

hold to Christ the universal Head of the church, and will not be

subject or sworn to the pope, the usurping head, he shall be taken as

cut off from Christ. And there is no certainty among these men what

measure of faith, and worship, and obedience to them, shall be judged

necessary to constitute a church member: for as that which served in

the apostles' days, and the following ages, will not serve now, nor

the subscribing to all the other pretended councils until then will

not serve without subscribing to the creed or council of Trent; so

nobody can tell, what new faith, or worship, or test of christianity,

the next council (if the world see any more) may require: and how many

thousand that are Trent catholics now, may be judged heretics or

schismatics then, if they will not shut their eyes, and follow them

any whither, and change their religion as oft as the papal interest

requireth a change. Of this Chillingworth, Hales, and Dr. H. More have

spoken plainly.[162] If the pope had imposed but one lie to be

subscribed, or one sin to be done, and said "All nations and persons

that do not this, are no christians, or shall have no communion with

the church," the man that refuseth that imposed lie or sin, is

guiltless of the schism, and doth but obey God, and save his soul; and

the usurper that imposeth them, will be found the heinous schismatic

before God, and the cause of all those divisions of the church. And so

if any private sectary shall feign an opinion or practice of his own

to be necessary to salvation or church communion, and shall refuse

communion with those that are not of his mind and way, it is he, and

not they, that is the cause of the uncharitable separation.

_Direct._ VII. Pray against the usurpations or intrusions of impious,

carnal, ambitious, covetous pastors into the churches of Christ.[163]

For one wicked man in the place of a pastor, may do more to the

increase of a schism or faction, than many private men can do. And

carnal men have carnal minds and carnal interests, which are both

unreconcilable to the spiritual, holy mind and interest; for the

"carnal mind is enmity against God, and is not subject to his law, nor

can be," Rom. viii. 7. "And they that are in the flesh cannot please

God," ver. 8. And you may easily conceive what work will be made in

the ship, when an enemy of the owner hath subtilly possessed himself

of the pilot's place! He will charge all that are faithful as

mutineers, because they resist him when he would carry all away. And

if an enemy of Christ shall get to be governor of one of his regiments

or garrisons, all that are not traitors shall be called traitors, and

cashiered, that they hinder not the treason which he intendeth. And

"as then he that was born after the flesh, persecuted him that was

born after the Spirit, even so it is now: but what saith the

Scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son," &c. Gal. iv. 29, 30.

It is not the sacred office of the ministry, nor the profession of the

same religion, that will cure the enmity of a carnal heart, against

both holiness and the holy seed. The whole business of the world from

age to age is but the management of that war, proclaimed at sin's

first entrance into the world, between the seed of the woman and the

serpent, Gen. iii. 15; and none of the serpent's seed are more cruel

or more successful, than those of them that creep into the armies of

Christ; and especially that get the conduct of his regiments.[164]

Neither brotherhood nor unity of professed religion, would hold the

hands of malignant Cain from murdering his brother Abel. The same

religion, and father, and family reconciled not scoffing Ishmael to

Isaac, or profane Esau to his brother Jacob. The family of Christ, and

an apostle's office, did not keep Judas from being a traitor to his

Lord. If carnal men invade the ministry, they take the way of ease,

and honour, and worldly wealth, and strive for dominion, and who shall

be the greatest, and care not how great their power and jurisdiction

are, nor how little their profitable work is; and their endeavour is

to fit all matters of worship and discipline to their ambitious,

covetous ends; and the spiritual worshipper shall be the object of

their hate: and is it any wonder if the churches of Christ be torn by

schism, and betrayed to profaneness, where there are such unhappy

guides?[165]

_Direct._ VIII. In a special manner, take heed of pride; suspect it

and subdue it in yourselves, and do what you can to bring it into

disgrace with others.[166] "Only by pride cometh contention," Prov.

xiii. 10. I never yet saw one schism made, in which pride conjunct

with ignorance was not the cause: nor ever did I know one person

forward in a schism, (to my remembrance,) but pride was discernibly

his disease. I do not here intend (as the papists) to charge all with

schism or pride, that renounce not their understandings, and choose

not to give up themselves to a bestial subjection to usurpers or their

pastors: he that thinks it enough that his teacher hath reason and be

a man, instead of himself, and so thinketh it enough that his teacher

be a christian and religious; must be also content that his teacher

alone be saved: (but then he must not be the teacher of such a damning

way:) but by pride I mean a plain overvaluing of his own

understanding, and conceits and reasonings, quite above all the

evidences of their worth, and an undervaluing and contempt of the

judgments and reasonings of far wiser men, that had evidence enough to

have evinced his folly and error to a sober and impartial man.

Undoubtedly it is the pride of priests and people, that hath so

lamentably in all ages torn the church. He that readeth the histories

of schisms and church confusions, and marketh the effects which this

age hath showed, will no more doubt whether pride were the cause, than

whether it was the wind that blew down trees and houses, when he seeth

them one way overturned by multitudes, where the tempest came with

greatest force. Therefore a bishop must be "no novice, lest being

lifted up with pride (ἵνα μὴ τυφωθεὶς) he fall into the

condemnation of the devil," 1 Tim. iii. 6. And if such stars fall from

heaven, no wonder if they bring many down headlong with them. Humble

souls dwell most at home, and think themselves unworthy of the

communion of their brethren, and are most quarrelsome against their

own corruptions. "They do nothing in strife and vain-glory, but in

lowliness of mind each one esteemeth other better than themselves,"

Phil. ii. 2, 3; and "judge not lest they be judged," Matt. vi. 1. And

is it likely such should be dividers of the church? But proud men must

either be great and domineer, and as Diotrephes, 3 John 9, 10, love to

have the pre-eminence, and cast the brethren out of the church, and

prate against their faithfullest pastors with malicious words; or else

must be noted for their supposed excellencies, and set up themselves,

and speak perverse things, to draw away disciples after them, Acts xx.

30; and think the brethren unworthy of their communion, and esteem all

others below themselves; and, as the church of Rome, confound

communion and subjection, and think none fit for their communion that

obey them not, or comply not with their opinion and will. There is no

hope of concord where pride hath power to prevail.

_Direct._ IX. Take heed of singularity, and narrowness of mind, and

unacquaintedness with the former and present state of the church and

world. Men that are bred up in a corner, and never read nor heard of

the common condition of the church or world, are easily misled into

schism, through ignorance of those matters of fact that would preserve

them. Abundance of this sort of honest people that I have known, have

known so little beyond the town or country where they lived, that they

have thought they were very catholic in their communion, because they

had one or two congregations, and divided not among themselves. But

for the avoiding of schism, 1. Look (with pity) on the unbelieving

world, and consider that christians of all sorts are but a sixth part

of the whole earth. And then, 2. Consider of this sixth part how small

a part the reformed churches are. And if you be willing to leave

Christ any church at all, perhaps you will be loth to separate yet

into a narrower party, which is no more to all the world, than one of

your cottages is to the whole kingdom. And is this all the kingdom on

earth that you will ascribe to Christ? Is the King of the church, the

King only of your little party? Though his flock be but a little

flock, make it not next to none; as if he came into the world on so

low a design as the gathering of your sect only. The less his flock

is, the more sinful it is to rob him of it, and make it lesser than it

is. It is a little flock, if it contained all the christians,

protestants, Greeks, Armenians, Abassines, and papists on the earth.

Be singular and separate from the unbelieving world, and spare not;

and be singular in holiness from profane and nominal hypocritical

christians; but affect not to be singular in opinion or practice, or

separated in communion, from the universal church, or generality of

sound believers: or if you forsake some common error, yet hold still

the common love and communion with all the faithful, according to your

opportunities. 3. And it will be very useful when you are tempted to

separate from any church for the defectiveness of its manner of

worship, to inquire how God is worshipped in all the churches on

earth, and then consider, whether if you lived among them you would

forsake communion with them all, for such defects (while you are not

forced to justify or approve them).[167] 4. And it is very useful to

read church history, and to understand what heresies have been in

times past, and what havoc schisms have caused among christians: for

if this much had been known by well meaning persons in our days, we

should not have seen those same opinions applauded as new light, which

were long ago exploded as old heresies: nor should we have seen many

honest people, taking that same course to reform the church now, and

advance the gospel, which in so many ages and nations hath heretofore

destroyed the church, and cast out the gospel. A narrow soul, that

taketh all Christ's interest in the world, to lie in a few of their

separated meetings, and shutteth up all the church in a nutshell, must

needs be guilty of the foulest schisms. It is a catholic spirit and

catholic principles, loving a christian as a christian, abhorring the

very names of sects and parties as the church's wounds, that must make

a catholic indeed.

_Direct._ X. Understand well the true difference between the visible

church and the world, lest you should think that you are bound to

separate as much from a corrupted church as from the world. It is not

true faith, but the profession of true faith, that maketh a man fit to

be acknowledged a member of the visible church. If this profession be

unsound, and accompanied with a vicious life, it is the sin and misery

of such a hypocrite, but it doth not presently put him as far

unrelated to you, as if he were an infidel without the church! If you

ask what advantage have such unsound church members? I answer with the

apostle, Rom. iii. 1, 2, "Much every way, chiefly because unto them

are committed the oracles of God." Chap. ix. 4, "To them pertaineth

the adoption and the glory and covenants, and the giving of the law,

and the service of God, and the promises." Till the church find cause

to cast them out, they have the external privileges of its communion.

It hath made abundance to incur the guilt of sinful separation to

misunderstand those texts of Scripture that call christians to

separate from heathens, infidels, and idolaters: as 2 Cor. vi. 17,

"Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the

Lord," &c. The text speaketh only of separating from the world who are

infidels and idolaters, and no members of the church; and ignorant

people ordinarily expound it, as if it were meant of separating from

the church because of the ungodly that are members of it: but that God

that knew why he called his people to separate from the world, doth

never call them to separate from the church universal, nor from any

particular church by a mental separation so as to unchurch them. We

read of many loathsome corruptions in the churches of Corinth,

Galatia, Laodicea, &c.; but yet no command to separate from them. So

many abuse Rev. xviii. 4, "Come out of her, my people;" as if God

commanded them to come out of a true church because of its corruptions

or imperfections, because he calleth them out of Babylon! It is true,

you must partake with no church in their sins, but you may partake

with any church in their holy profession and worship, so far as you

can do it without partaking with them in their sins.

_Direct._ XI. Understand what it is that maketh you partakers of the

sins of a church, or any member of it, lest you think you are bound to

separate from them in good, as well as in evil. Many fly from the

public assemblies, lest they partake of the sins of those that are

there present. Certainly nothing but consent (direct or indirect) can

make their faults to become yours. And therefore nothing which

signifieth not some such consent should be on that account avoided. 1.

If you by word, or subscription, or furtherance, own any man's sin,

you directly consent to it. 2. If you neglect any duty which lieth

upon you for the cure of his sin, you indirectly consent; for you

consent that he shall rather continue in his sin, than you will do

your part to help him out of it. Consider therefore how far you are

bound to reprove any sin, or to use any other means for the

reformation of it, whether it be in the pastor or the people; and if

you neglect any such means, your way is to reform your own neglect,

and do your duty, and not to separate from the church, before you have

done your duty to reform it. But if you have done all that is your

part, then the sin is none of yours, though you remain there present.

[Sidenote: Whether presence be not a consent to sin.]

It is a turbulent fancy and disquieting error of some people, to think

that their presence in the assembly, and continuance with the church,

doth make them guilty of the personal faults of those they join with:

if so, who would ever join with any assembly in the world? _Quest._

But what if they be gross and scandalous sinners that are members of

the church? _Answ._ If you be wanting in your duty to reform it, it is

your sin; but if bare presence made their sins to be ours, it would

also make all the sins of the assembly ours; but no word of God doth

intimate any such thing. Paul never told the churches of Galatia and

Corinth so, that had so many defiled members. _Quest._ But what if

they are sins committed in the open assembly, even by the minister

himself in his praying, preaching, and other administrations? and what

if all this be imposed on him by a law, and so I am certain beforehand

that I must join with that which is unwarrantable in God's worship?

_Answ._ The next direction containeth those distinctions that are

necessary to the answer of this.

_Direct._ XII. Distinguish carefully, 1. Between a minister's personal

faults and his ministerial faults. 2. Between his tolerable weaknesses

and his intolerable insufficiencies. 3. And between the work of the

minister and of the congregation. And then you will see your doubt

resolved in these following propositions.

1. A minister's personal faults (as swearing, lying, drunkenness, &c.)

may damn himself, and must be matter of lamentation to the church, and

they must do their best to reform them, or to get a better pastor by

any lawful means.[168] But in case they cannot, his sin is none of

theirs, nor doth it make his administration null or ineffectual; nor

will it allow you to separate from the worship which he administereth.

Though many of the priests were wicked men, the godly Jews were not

thereby disobliged from God's public worship, or sacrifices which were

to be offered by their hands. Otherwise how sad a case were the church

in, that must answer for the sins which they never committed, nor

could reform. But no Scripture chargeth this upon them.

2. It is not all ministerial faults that will allow you to separate

from or disown a minister; but only those that prove him or his

ministration utterly intolerable.[169] Such are, 1. An utter

insufficiency in knowledge or utterance for the necessary parts of the

ministerial work: as if he be not able to teach the necessary points

of the christian religion, nor to administer the sacraments and other

parts of public worship. 2. If he set himself to oppose the very ends

of his ministry, and preach down godliness, or any part of it that is

of necessity to salvation: for then he doth the devil's work, in

seeking the damnation of souls, and so maketh himself the devil's

minister, and is not the minister of Christ: for the end is essential

to the relation. Herein I include a preacher of heresy that doth

preach up any damning error, and preach down any necessary saving

truth; that is, that preacheth such error as subverteth either faith

or godliness, and doth more harm in the church than good. 3. If he so

deprave God's public worship as to destroy the substance of it, and

make it unacceptable, and offer up a public false worship to God,

which he disowneth in the very matter of it. As if he put up blasphemy

for praise and prayer, or commit idolatry, or set up new sacraments,

and guide the people thus in public worship. As the papist priests do

that adore bread with divine worship, and pray to the dead, and offer

real sacrifices for them, &c.: such worship is not to be joined in. 4.

Or if they impose any actual sin upon the people: as in their responds

to speak any falsehood, or to adore the bread, or the like: these

faults discharge us from being present with such pastors at such

worship. But besides these there are many ministerial faults which

warrant not our separation. As, 1. The internal vices of the pastor's

mind though manifested in their ministration: as some tolerable errors

of judgment, or envy and pettish opposition to others. "Some indeed

preach Christ of envy and strife, and some of good will: the one

preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add

affliction to my bonds; but the other of love," &c. Phil. i. 15. Here

is an odious vice in the public ministry, even an endeavour to

increase the sufferings of the apostle; yet it was lawful to hear such

preachers; though not to prefer them before better. Most sects among

christians are possessed with a tang of envy and uncharitableness

against dissenters, which useth to break forth in their preaching and

praying: and yet it is lawful to join with such. 2. It is not unlawful

to join with a minister that hath many defects and infirmities in his

ministration or manner of worship: as if he preach with some

ignorance, disorder, unfit expressions or gestures, unmeet

repetitions; or if he do the like in prayer, or in the sacraments,

putting something last that should be first, and leaving out something

that should be said, or praying coldly and formally. These and such

like are faults which we should do our best to reform; and we should

not prefer such a ministry before a better; but it is lawful and a

duty to join with such, when we have no better. For all men are

imperfect, and therefore the manner of worship as performed by them

will be imperfect. Imperfect men cannot be perfect in their

ministrations: we must join with a defective and imperfect mode of

worship, or join with none on earth: and we must perform such or none

ourselves. Which of you dare say that in your private prayers, you

have no disorder, vain repetitions, flatness, or defects? 3. It is not

unlawful to join with a minister that hath some material error or

untruth in his preaching or praying, so be it we be not called to

approve it, or make it ours, and so it be not pernicious and

destructive to the ends of his ministry. For all men have some error,

and they that have them may be expected sometimes to vent them. And

it is not our presence that is any signification of our consent to

their mistakes. If we run away from all that vent any untruth or

mistake in public or private worship, we shall scarce know what church

or person we may hold communion with: the reason of this followeth.

3. The sense of the church, and all its members, is to be judged of by

their public professions, and not by such words of a minister which

are his own, and never had their consent. I am by profession a

christian, and the Scripture is the professed rule of my religion; and

when I go to the assemblies, I profess to worship God according to

that rule: I profess myself a hearer of a minister of the gospel, that

is to preach the word of God, and that hath promised in his

ordination, out of the holy Scriptures to instruct the people

committed to his charge, and to teach nothing (as required of

necessity to eternal salvation) but that which he shall be persuaded

may be concluded and proved by the Scripture. This he professed when

he was ordained, and I profess by my presence, only to hear such a

preacher of the gospel, and worship God with him in those ordinances

of worship, which God hath appointed. Now if this man shall drop in

any mistake in preaching, or modify his prayers or administrations

amiss, and do his part weakly and disorderly, the hearers are no way

guilty of it by their presence. For if I must run away from God's

public worship because of men's misperformance, 1. I should join with

none on earth; for a small sin may no more be wilfully done or owned

than a greater. 2. And then another man's weakness may disoblige me

and discharge me from my duty. To order and word his prayers and

preaching aright, is part of the minister's own work, and not the

people's; and if he do it well, it is no commendation to me that am

present, but to himself; and therefore if he do it amiss, it is no

fault of mine or dispraise to me, but to himself. If the

common-council of London, or the court of aldermen, agree to petition

the king for the renewing of their charter, and commit the expressing

of their request to their recorder, in their presence; if he petition

for something else instead of that which he was intrusted with, and so

betray them in the substance of his business, they are openly to

contradict him and disown his treachery or mistake; but if he deliver

the same petition which he undertook with stammering, disorder,

defectiveness, and perhaps some mixture of untruths in his additional

reasons and discourse, this is his failing in the personal performance

of his duty, and no way imputable to them that sent him, and are

present with him, though (in modesty) they are silent and speak not to

disown it; for how can it be their fault that a man is wanting in his

personal sufficiency and duty (unless it be that they choose not a

better). And whether he speak _ex tempore_ or more deliberately, in a

written form or without, in words that other men taught him or wrote

for him, or in words of his own devising, it altereth not their case.

[Sidenote: Of imposed defective liturgies.]

_Object._ But if a man fail through weakness in his own performance, I

know not of that beforehand; but if his faulty manner of praying be

prescribed and imposed on him by a law, then I know it beforehand, and

therefore am guilty of it.

_Answ._ To avoid confusion, fix upon that which you think is the thing

sinful. 1. Either it is because the prayers are defective and faulty.

2. Or because they are imposed. 3. Or because you know the fault

beforehand. But none of all these can prove your joining with them

sinful. 1. Not because they are faulty; for you may join with as

faulty prayers, you confess, if not imposed.[170] 2. Not because

imposed, (1.) Because that is an extenuation, and not an aggravation:

for it proveth the minister less voluntary of the two than those are

that do it without any command, though the error of their own

judgments (as most erroneous persons will). (2.) Because (though

lawful things oft become unlawful when superiors forbid them, yet) no

reason can be given why a lawful thing should become unlawful, because

a lawful superior doth command it. Else superiors might take away all

our christian liberty, and make all things unlawful to us by

commanding them. You would take it for a wild conceit in your children

or servants, if they say, when you bid them learn a catechism, or use

a form of prayer, It was lawful to us till you commanded us to do it;

but because you bid us do it, it is unlawful. If it be a duty to obey

governors in all lawful things, then it is not a sin to obey them. 3.

And it is not your knowing beforehand that maketh it unlawful: for, 1.

I know in general beforehand, that all imperfect men will do

imperfectly; and though I know not the particular, that maketh it

never the lawfuller, if foreknowledge itself did make it unlawful. 2.

If you know that e. g. an antinomian or some mistaken preacher would

constantly drop some words for his error in prayer or preaching, that

will not make it unlawful in your own judgment for you to join, if it

be not a flat heresy. 3. It is another man's error or fault that you

foreknow, and not your own; and therefore foreknowledge maketh it not

your own. 4. God himself doth as an universal cause of nature concur

with men in those acts which he foreknoweth they will sinfully do; and

yet God is not to be judged either an author or approver of the sin

because of such concurrence and foreknowledge: therefore our

foreknowledge maketh us no approvers, or guilty of the failings of any

in their sacred ministrations, unless there be some other guilt. If

you say that it is no one of these that maketh it unlawful, but all

together, you must give us a distinct argument to prove that the

concurrence of these three will prove that unlawful, which cannot be

proved so by any of them alone, for your affirmation must not serve

the turn; and when we know your argument, I doubt not but it may be

answered. One thing I still confess may make any defective worship to

be unlawful to you; and that is, when you prefer it before better, and

may (without a greater inconvenience) enjoy an abler ministry, and

purer administration, but will not.

_Object._ But he that sitteth by in silence, in the posture as the

rest of the congregation, seemeth to consent to all that is said and

done: and we must avoid all appearance of evil.

_Answ._ The appearance of evil which is evil indeed, must be always

avoided; but that appearance of evil which is indeed good, must not be

avoided. We must not forsake our duty lest we seem to sin: that were

but to prefer hypocrisy before sincerity, and to avoid appearances

more than realities. The omission of a duty is a real sin; and that

must not be done to avoid a seeming sin. And whom doth it appear so

to? If it appear evil to the blind or prejudiced, it is their eyes

that must be cured; but if it appear so to the wise, then it is like

it is evil indeed: for a wise man should not judge that to be evil

that is not. But I confess that in a case that is altogether

indifferent, even the mistakes of the ignorant may oblige us to

forbear: but the worship of God must not be so forborne. It is an

irrational fancy to think that you must be uncivil, by contradicting,

or covering your heads, or doing something offensive to the

congregation, when any thing is said or done which you disallow. Your

presence signifieth your consent to all that you profess, even to

worship God according to his word, and not to all the human

imperfections that are there expressed.

_Direct._ XIII. Distinguish carefully between your personal private

duties, and the duty of the pastor or church with which you must

concur. And do not think, that if the church or pastor do not their

duty, that you are bound to do it for them. To cast out an obstinate,

impenitent sinner by sentence from the communion of the church, is the

pastor's or church's duty, and not yours, unless in concurrence or

subserviency to the church. Therefore if it be not done, inquire

whether you did your duty towards it: if you did, the sin is none of

yours; for it is not in your power to cast out all that are unworthy

from the church. But private familiarity is in your power to refuse;

and with such know not to eat.

_Direct._ XIV. Take the measure of your accidental duties more from

the good or hurt of the church, or of many, than from the immediate

good or hurt that cometh to yourself. You are not to take that for the

station of your duty, which you feel to be most to the commodity of

your souls; but that in which you may do God most service. If the

service of God for the good of many, require you to stay with a weaker

minister, and defective administrations, you will find in the end that

this was not only the place of your duty, but also of your benefit:

for your life is in God's hands, and all your comforts; and that is

the best way to your peace and happiness, in which you are most

pleasing unto God, and have his promise of most acceptance and grace.

I know the least advantage to the soul must be preferred before all

earthly riches; but not before the public good. Yea, that way will

prove most advantageous to us, in which we exercise most obedience.

_Direct._ XV. Take heed of suffering prejudice and fancy to go for

reason, and raise in your minds unjustifiable distastes of any way or

mode of worship. It is wonderful to see what fancy and prejudice can

do! Get once a hard opinion of a thing, and your judgments will make

light of all that is said for it, and will see nothing that should

reconcile you to it. Partiality will carry you away from equity and

truth. Abundance of things appear now false and evil, to men that once

imagine them to be so, which would seem harmless, if not laudable, if

they were tried by a mind that is clear from prejudice.

_Direct._ XVI. Judge not of doctrines and worship by persons, but

rather of persons by their doctrine and worship (together with their

lives). The world is all prone to be carried by respect to persons. I

confess where any thing is to be taken upon trust, we must rather

trust the intelligent, experienced, honest, and credible, than the

ignorant and incredible; but where the word of God must be our rule,

it is perverse to judge of things by the persons that hold them or

oppose them: sometimes a bad man may be in the right, and a good man

in the wrong. Try the way of the worst men before you reject it (in

disputable things). And try the opinions and way of the best and

wisest before you venture to receive them.

_Direct._ XVII. Enslave not yourselves to any party of men, so as to

be over-desirous to please them, nor over-fearful of their censure.

Have a respect to all the rest of the world as well as them. Most men

that once engage themselves in a party, do think their honour and

interest is involved with them, and that they stand or fall with the

favour of their party, and therefore make them (before they are

aware) the masters of their consciences.

_Direct._ XVIII. Regard more the judgment of aged, ripe, experienced

men, that have seen the fruits of the various courses of professors of

religion, than of the young, unripe, unexperienced, hot-headed sort.

Zeal is of great use to execute the resolutions of a well-informed

man: and the zeal of others is very useful to warm the hearts of such

as do converse with them. But when it comes to matter of judgment

once, to decide a case of difficulty, aged experience hath far the

advantage; and in no cases more, than in those where peace and concord

are concerned, where rash, hot-headed youth is very prone to

precipitant courses, which must be afterwards repented of.

_Direct._ XIX. When fervent, self-conceited people would carry down

all by censoriousness and passion, it is time for the pastors and the

aged and riper sort of christians openly to rebuke them, and appear

against them, and stand their ground, and not to comply with the

misguided sort to escape their censures. Nothing hath more caused

schisms in the church (except the pride and ambition of the clergy)

than that the riper and more judicious sort of people, together with

the ministers themselves, have been so loth to lie under the bitter

censures of the unexperienced, younger, hotter sort; and to avoid such

censures and keep in with them, they have followed those whom they

should have led, and have been drawn quite beyond their own

understandings. God hath made wisdom to be the guide of the church,

and zeal to follow and diligently execute the commands of wisdom. Let

ignorant, well meaning people censure you as bitterly as they please,

yet keep your ground, and be not so proud or weak as to prefer their

good esteem before their benefit, and before the pleasing of God. Sin

not against your knowledge to escape the censure of the ignorant. If

you do, God will make those men your scourges whom you so much

overvalued: and they shall prove to their spiritual fathers as

cockered children (like Absalom) do to their natural fathers, and

perhaps be the breaking of your hearts. But if the pastors and the

riper, experienced christians will stand their ground, and stick

together, and rebuke the exorbitancies of the censorious younger ones,

they will maintain the credit of the gospel, and keep the truth, and

the church's peace, and the hotspurs will in time either repent and be

sober, or be shamed and disabled to do much hurt.

_Direct._ XX. Take heed how you let loose your zeal against the

pastors of the church, lest you bring their persons and next their

office into contempt, and so break the bonds of the church's unity and

peace. There is no more hope of maintaining the church's unity and

concord without the ministry, than of keeping the strength or unity of

the members without the nerves. If these nerves be weak or labour of a

convulsion or other disease, it is curing and strengthening them, and

not the cutting them asunder, that must prove to the welfare and

safety of the body. Meddle with the faults of the ministry only so far

as tendeth to a cure, of them or of the church, but not to bring them

into disgrace, and weaken their interest in the people, and disable

them from doing good. Abhor that proud, rebellious spirit, that is

prone to set up itself against the officers of Christ, and under

pretence of greater wisdom or holiness, to bring their guides into

contempt; and is picking quarrels with them behind their back, to make

them a scorn or odious to the hearers. Indeed a minister of Satan that

doth more harm in the church than good, must be so detected as may

best disable him from doing harm. But he that doth more good than

hurt, must so be dissuaded from the hurt as not to be disabled from

the good. "My brethren, be not many masters, (or teachers,) knowing

that ye shall receive the greater condemnation," James iii. 1.

_Direct._ XXI. Look more with an eye of charity on what is good in

others and their worship of God, than with an eye of malice to carp at

what appeareth evil. Some men have such distempered eyes, that they

can see almost nothing but faultiness in any thing of another party

which they look at; envy and faction make them carp at every word and

every gesture: and they make no conscience of aggravating every

failing, and making idolatry of every mistake in worship, and making

heresy or blasphemy of every mistake in judgment, and making apostasy

of every fall; nay, perhaps the truth itself shall have no better a

representation. As Dr. H. More well noteth, It would do much more good

in the world, if all parties were forwarder to find out and commend

what is good in the doctrine and worship of all that differ from them.

This would win them to hearken to reforming advice, and would keep up

the credit of the common truths and duties of religion in the world,

when this envious snarling at all that others do, doth tend to bring

the world to atheism, and banish all reverence of religion, together

with christian charity, from the earth.

_Direct._ XXII. Keep not strange to those from whom you differ, but be

acquainted with them, and placidly hear what they have to say for

themselves: or else converse with them in christian love in all those

duties in which you are agreed, and this (if you never talk of your

differences) will do much to reconcile you in all the rest.[171] It is

the common way of division, uncharitableness, yea, and cruelty at

last, to receive hard reports of those that differ from us behind

their backs, and to believe and aggravate all, and proceed to

detraction and contention at a distance, and in the dark, and never be

familiarly acquainted with them at all. There is something in the

apprehension of places, and persons, and things, by the eye-sight,

which no reports are able to match: and so there is that satisfaction

about men by familiar acquaintance, which we cannot attain by hearsay

from any, how judicious soever. All factions commonly converse

together, and seek no familiar converse with others, but believe them

to be any thing that is naught, and then report them to be so, before

they ever knew the persons of whom they speak. I am persuaded this is

one of the greatest feeders of enmity, uncharitableness, contention,

and slanders in the world. I speak it upon great observation and

experience, I have seldom heard any man bitterly oppose the servants

of Christ, but either grossly wicked, or those that never had much

acquaintance with them; and I see commonly, how bitter soever men were

before, when once they converse together, and grow acquainted, they

are more reconciled. The reason is, partly because they find less evil

and more good in one another than before they did believe to be in

them; and partly because uncharitableness and malice, being an ugly

monster, is bolder at a distance, but ashamed of itself before your

face: and therefore the pens of the champions of malice are usually

more bitter than their tongues when they speak to you face to face. Of

all the furious adversaries that have raged against me in the latter

part of my life, I remember not one enemy that I have, or ever had,

that was ever familiar or acquainted with me; and I have myself heard

ill reports of many, which by personal acquaintance I have found to be

all false. Keep together, and either silence your differences, or

gently debate them; yea, rather chide it out, then withdraw asunder.

Familiarity feedeth love and unity.

_Direct._ XXIII. Whenever you look at any corruption in the church,

look also at the contrary extreme, and see and avoid the danger of one

as well as of the other. Be sure every error and church corruption

hath its extreme, and if you do not see it, and the danger of it, you

are the liker to run into it. Look well on both sides if you would be

safe.

_Direct._ XXIV. Worship God yourselves in the purest manner, and under

the most edifying ministry that lawfully you can attain; but be not

too forward to condemn others that reach not to your measure, or

attain not so much happiness; and deny not personal communion

sometimes, with churches that are more blemished, and less fit for

communion. And when you cannot join locally with them, let them have

the communion of your hearts, in faith and charity, and prayer for

each other. I fear not here openly to tell the world, that if I were

turned loose to my own liberty, I would ordinarily worship God in that

manner that I thought most pure and agreeable to his will and word;

but I would sometimes go to the churches of other christians, that

were fit for christian communion, if there were such about me;

sometimes to the independents, sometimes to the moderate anabaptists,

sometimes to such as had a liturgy as faulty as that of the Greek or

the Ethiopian churches; to show by my practice, what communion my

heart hath with them all.

_Direct._ XXV. Take heed that you interest not religion or the church

in civil differences.[172] This error hath divided and ruined many

famous churches, and most injuriously made the holy truth and worship

of God to be a reproach and infamy among selfish, partial, carnal men.

When princes and states fall out among themselves, they will needs

draw the ministers to their sides, and then one side will certainly

condemn them, and call them all that self-interest and malice can

invent; and commonly when the controversy is only in point of law or

politics, it is religion that bears the blame of all: and the

differences of lawyers and statesmen must be charged upon divines,

that the devil may be able to make them useless, as to the good of all

that party that is against them, and may make religion itself be

called rebellion. And oh that God would maintain the peace of

kingdoms; and kings and subjects were all lovers of peace, the rather

because the differences in states do cause so commonly divisions in

the church. It would make a man wonder (and a lover of history to

lament) to observe in the differences between the pope and Henry the

fourth, and other emperors, how the historians are divided, one half

commending him that the other half condemneth; and how the bishops and

churches were one half for the pope, and the other for the emperor;

and one half still accounted rebels or schismatics by the other,

though they were all of one religion. It is more to ruin the church,

than kingdoms, that Satan laboureth so much to kindle wars, and breed

civil differences in the world; and therefore let him that loveth the

church's peace, be an obedient subject, and an enemy of sedition, and

a lover and defender of the civil peace and government in the place

that God hath set him in: for this is pleasing unto God.

I know there are some, that with too bloody and calamitous success,

have in most ages given other kind of directions for the extirpation

of error, heresy, and schism, than I have here given:[173] but God

hath still caused the most wise, and holy, and charitable, and

experienced christians to bear their testimony against them. And he

hath ever caused their way of cruelty to turn to their own shame: and

though (like treasons and robberies) it seem for the time present to

serve their turn, it is bitterness in the end, and leaveth a stinking

memorial of their names and actions to posterity. And the treatises of

reconcilers, (such as our Halls, Ushers, Bergius, Burroughs, and many

other,) by the delectable savour of unity and charity, are sweet and

acceptable to prudent and peaceable persons, though usually

unsuccessful with the violent that needed them.

Besides the forecited witness of Sir Francis Bacon, &c. I will here

add one of the most ancient, and one or two of this age, whom the

contrary-minded do mention with the greatest honour. Justin Martyr,

Dial. cum Tryph. doth at large give his judgment, that a judaizing

christian, who thinketh it best to be circumcised and keep the law of

Moses, be suffered in his opinion and practice, and admitted to the

communion and privileges of the church, and loved as one that may be

saved in that way, so be it he do not make it his business to persuade

others to his way, and teach it as necessary to salvation or

communion; for such he doth condemn.

King James by the pen of Is. Casaubon telleth Cardinal du Perron, that

"His Majesty thinketh, that for concord there is no nearer way, than

diligently to separate things necessary from the unnecessary, and to

bestow all our labour that we may agree in the things necessary, and

that in things unnecessary there may be place given for christian

liberty. The king calleth these things simply necessary, which either

the word of God expressly commandeth to be believed or done, or which

the ancient church did gather from the word of God by necessary

consequence.----"

Grotius Annot. in Matt. xiii. 41, is so full and large upon it, that I

must entreat the reader to peruse his own words; where by arguments

and authority he vehemently rebuketh the spirit of fury, cruelty, and

uncharitableness, which under pretence of government, discipline, and

zeal, denieth that liberty and forbearance, even to heretics and

offenders, (much more when to the faithful ministers of Christ,) which

human frailty hath made necessary, and Christ hath commanded his

servants to grant. Concluding, _Ubi solitudinem fecerant, pacem

appellabant_ (as Tertul.). _Et his omnibus obtendi solet studium

divini nominis; sed plerumque obtendi tantum. Nam Deus dedignatur

coacta servitia; nec placere illi potest quod vi humana exprimitur.

Reipsa solent qui id faciunt non nomini divino, sed suis honoribus,

suis commodis et tranquillitati consulere; quod scit ille qui mentes

introspicit. Atque ita fit, ut lolium evellatur cum tritico,

innocentes cum nocentibus: immo ut triticum sæpe sumatur pro lolio:

non enim tam bene agitur cum rebus humanis, ut semper meliora pluribus

aut validioribus placeant: sed ut in grege taurus, ita inter homines,

qui viribus est editior, imbecilliorem cædit: et iidem sæpe quæ pati

se quærebantur, mox in alios audent.--Lege cætera._

Again, I entreat those that would escape the sin of schism, to read

seriously the foresaid Treatises of peacemakers; especially Bishop

Hall's "Peacemaker;" Bishop Usher's "Sermon on Ephes. iv. 3;" and Mr.

Jeremy Burroughs' "Irenicum:" to which I may add Mr. Stillingfleet's

"Irenicum," for the hot contenders about church government; though I

believe all the substance of church order to be of divine institution:

and Jac. Acontii "Stratag. Satanæ."

And it must be carefully noted, that one way by which Satan tempteth

men into church divisions, is by an over-vehement zeal against

dividers; and so he would draw the rulers of the world, under pretence

of a zeal for unity and peace, to raise persecutions against all that

are guilty of any excess of scrupulosity about church communion, or of

any principles or practices which a little swerve from true

catholicism: and so by the cruelty of their penalties, silencing

ministers, and vexing the people, they much increase the divisions

which they would heal: for when Satan cannot do his work barefaced and

directly, he useth to be the forwardest in seeming to do good, and to

take part with Christ, and truth, and godliness; and then his way is

to over-do: he will be over-orthodox, and over-godly, and

over-peaceable, that he hug the church and truth to death, by his too

hard embracements. As in families and neighbourhoods, some cross words

must be passed over if we would have peace; and he that for every

provoking, unpeaceable word of another, will raise a storm, shall be

himself the most unpeaceable: so is it in the church; he that cannot

bear with the weaknesses of the younger sort of christians, who are

too much inclined by their zeal against sin, to dividing ways, but

will presently let fly at them as schismatics, and make them odious,

and excommunicate or punish them according to his wrath, shall

increase the zeal and the number of dividers, and prove himself the

greatest divider.

And by this violence and destroying zeal of orthodox rulers, against

the real faults and infirmities of some separating, well meaning men,

a far greater number of heterodox rulers are encouraged to persecute

the most learned, sober, and peaceable ministers, and the most godly

and faithful of their subjects, who dare not conform to all their

unrighteous edicts, and ecclesiastical laws, in things forbidden by

the law of Christ: and all this is done upon pretence of promoting

unity and peace, and suppressing heresy and schism. And so persecution

becometh the devil's engine to keep out the gospel and godliness from

the infidel world, and to keep them under in the christian world.

_Sed tamen sive illud (Origenis de Redemptione futura diabolorum)

error est, ut ego sentio; sive hæresis ut putatur, non solum reprimi

non potuit multis animadversionibus sacerdotum, sed nequaquam tam late

se potuisset effundere, nisi contentione crevisset_: inquit

Posthumianus in Sulp. Severi Dialog. i.

_Sed non fuit animus ibi consistere, ubi recens fraternæ cladis

fervebat invidia. Nam etsi fortasse videantur parere episcopis

debuisse, non ob hanc tamen causam multitudinem tantam sub Christi

confessione viventem, præsertim ab episcopis oportuisset affligi._ Id.

ibid. speaking of the bishops provoking the secular power to afflict

the monks of Alexandria for defending Origen.

When the emperor Constantius would by violence force the orthodox to

hold communion with the Arians, he did but make the breach the wider.

Read Lucifer Calaritanus _de non conveniendo cum hæreticis_ (in

Biblioth. Patr. tom. ix. p. 1045, &c.). The emperor saith, that the

orthodox were enemies to peace, and unity, and brotherly love, and

that he was resolved to have unity and peace in his dominions:

therefore he imprisoned the orthodox and banished them. _Propterea

odis nos, quia concilium vestrum malignantium execremur; propterea in

exilio sumus; propterea in carcere necamur; propterea nobis solis

prohibetur conspectus; idcirco reclusi in tenebras custodimur ingenti

custodia: hujus rei causa nullus ad nos visendos admittitur hominum;

quia videlicet noluerimus vobiscum impiis sacrilegis ullam scelerum

vestrorum habere societatem._ Ibid. p. 1050. Which stirred up this

bishop in particular to go too far from free communion even with the

penitent Arians, and heap up more scriptures against that communion

which the emperor commanded, than any had done before. _Nobis dicebas,

Pacem volo fieri; et in corde tuo manens adversarius religionis

nostræ, cogitabat per te facere nos idololatras, &c._ p. 1051.

_Consilia vestra contra suam prolata ecclesiam reprobat Deus: nec enim

potest odire populum suum, hæreditatem suam, et amare vos filios

pestilentiæ, vos persecutores servorum suorum: dixisti, Facite pacem

cum episcopis sectæ meæ Arrianis, et estote in unum; et dicit Dei

Spiritus, vias impiorum noli exequi, neque æmuleris viam iniquorum.

&c.----Dulce quibusdam videtur, quo tibi regi in amicitias jungantur

suscipiendo hæresin tuam: sed amarius felle sensuri cum tecum in

perpetuum cœperint in perpetua gehenna sentire, qui tecum esse

deligerunt, tunc dicturi, Væ nobis, qui Constantium Imperatorem Deo

præposuerimus._ Abundance more he writeth to prove that the emperor

being a heretic, they must have no communion with him or his bishops.

And when the emperor complained hereupon, that they wronged and

dishonoured him whom they should honour, the said Lucifer wrote his

next book, _de non parcendo in Deum delinquentibus_; which beginneth,

_Superatum te, Imperator, a Dei servis ex omni cum conspexisses parte,

dixisti passum te ac pati a nobis contra monita sacrarum Scripturarum

contumeliam: dicis nos insolentes extitisse, circa te quem honorari

decuerit. Si quisquam Dei cultorum pepercit apostatis, sint vera quæ

dicis de nobis_; and so he heapeth up as many texts for rough dealing

with offending kings; I give this one instance to show the fruits of

violence, as pretended for peace and unity.

Of the persecutions of the faithful in most ages, even by professed

christians themselves, and God's disowning that spirit of cruelty by

his special providences, all church history maketh mention: and how

the names of such persecuting hypocrites have stunk in the nostrils of

all sober men when their tragedy was fully acted and understood.

Especially the poor churches called Waldenses, Picards, and

Albigenses, have felt the grievousest effects of this tyranny, and yet

have the testimony of the best and wisest men, to have been the purest

and the nearest to the apostolic simplicity in all the world; and the

memory of their enemies and persecutors is an abhorrence to the sons

of charity and peace. Read Lasitius and Commenius of their discipline,

and Bishop Usher de Eccles. succes. et statu. I will recite one

notable passage mentioned by Thuanus and Commenius, the one Hist. lib.

xxxvi. the other de bono Unit. et Ord. Discipl. p. 59. Maximilian,

that good and moderate emperor, being one day in the coach with Joh.

Crato only, (his chief physician and a learned protestant), lamenting

the divisions of christians, asked Crato, which sort he thought came

nearest to the apostolic simplicity: he answered, He thought that

honour belonged to the brethren called Picards. The emperor said, He

thought so too: which Crato acquainting them with, encouraged them to

dedicate to him a book of part of their devotions; for the year before

God had thus marvellously saved him from having a hand in their blood.

Joachimus a Nova Domo, chancellor of Bohemia, went to Vienna, and

gave the emperor no rest, till he had procured him to subscribe a

mandate for the reviving of a former persecuting mandate against them:

having got his commission, and passing just out of the gates of

Vienna, as he was upon the bridge over the Danubius, the bridge brake

under him, and he and all his retinue fell into that great and

terrible water; and all were drowned except six horsemen, and one

young nobleman, who, seeing his lord in the waves, catched hold of his

gold chain, and held him till some fishermen came in boats, but found

him dead, and his box with the commission sunk past recovery. This

nobleman who survived, was sensible of God's judgment, and turned to

the brethren in religion, and the mandate was no further prosecuted.

(Such another story Bishop Usher was wont to tell how Ireland was

saved from persecution in Queen Mary's days.)

But it is the most heinous cruelty, when, as in Daniel's case, there

are laws of impiety or iniquity, made of purpose to entrap the

innocent, by them that confess, We shall find no fault against this

Daniel, except it be concerning the law of his God: and then men must

be taken in these spiders' webs, and accused as schismatical, or what

the contrivers please. And especially when it is real holiness which

is hated, and order, unity, concord, peace, or obedience to our

pastors, is made the pretence, for the malicious oppression of it.

Gildas and Salvian have told church governors of this at large: and

many of the persecuted protestants have more largely told the Roman

clergy of it.

It is a smart complaint of him that wrote the Epist. de malus

Doctoribus, ascribed to Pope Sixtus III. _Hujus doctrinæ causa (pro

sanctitate scilicet) paucos amicos conquirunt, et plures inimicos,

necesse est enim eos qui peccatorum vitia condemnant, tantos habere

contrarios, quantos exercere vitia delectat: inde est etiam quod

iniquis et impiis factionibus opprimuntur: quod criminibus falsis

appetuntur, quod hæresis etiam perfunduntur infamia: quod hic omnis

inimicorum suorum sermo ab ipsorum sumit obtrectatione materiam. Sed

quid mirum ut flagitiosis hæresis videatur doctrina justitiæ? Quibus

tamen hæresis? Ipsorum secretum patet tantum inimicis, cum si fides

dictis inesset, amici illud potius scire potuissent, &c._

The cause is, saith Prosper de vit. Contempl. lib. i. cap. 20. et ex

eo Hilitgarius Camarac. lib. v. cap. 19. _Sed nos præsentibus

delectati, dum in hac vita commoda nostra et honores inquirimus, non

ut meliores sed ut ditiores, non ut sanctiores, sed ut honoratiores

simus, cæteris festinamus. Nec gregem Domini qui nobis pascendus,

tuendusque commissus est, sed nostras voluntates, dominationem,

divitias, et cætera blandimenta carnaliter cogitamus. Pastores dici

volumus, nec tamen esse contendimus. Officii non vitamus laborem,

appetimus dignitatem; immundorum spirituum feras a grege dilacerando

non pellimus; et quod eis remanserat, ipsi consumimus: quando

peccantes divites vel potentes non solum non arguimus, sed etiam

veneramur; ne nobis aut munera solita offensi non dirigant, aut

obsequia desiderata subducant: ac sic muneribus eorum et obsequiis

capti, immo per hæc illis addicti, loqui eis de peccato suo aut

de futuro judicio formidamus; ad hoc tantum potentes effecti, ut nobis

in subjectos dominationem tyrannicam vindicemus; non ut afflictos

contra violentiam potentum qui in eos ferarum more sæviunt,

defendamus. Inde est quod tam a potentibus hujus mundi, quam a nobis,

quod pejus est, nonnulli graviter fatigati deperiunt, quos se de manu

nostra Dominus requisiturum terribiliter comminatur_----

Sulp. Severus also toucheth the sore when he saith, Hist. lib. ii.

_Certatim gloriosa in certamina ruebatur, multoque avidius tum

martyria gloriosis mortibus quærebantur, quam nunc episcopatus pravis

ambitionibus appetuntur._

But when he saith, ibid. after Constantine's delivery of the church,

_Neque ulterius persecutionem fore credimus, nisi eam quam sub fine

jam sæculi antichristus exercebit_, either he was grossly mistaken, or

else those are the instruments of antichrist that are not thought so.

It is a most notable instance to our purpose which Severus ends his

history with, of the mischievous zeal of orthodox Ithacius and Idacius

against Priscillian and his gnostics; and worthy of the study of the

prelates of the church: _Idacius sine modo et ultra quam oportuit

Istantium sociosque ejus lacessens, facem nascenti incendio subdidit:

ut exasperaverit malos potius quam compresserit_. In sum, they got the

magistrate to interpose and banish the gnostics, who quickly learned,

by bribing court officers, to turn the emperor against the orthodox

for themselves; till the zeal of Idacius and Ithacius grew so hot as

to accuse even the best men, yea, St. Martin himself, of favouring the

gnostics: and at last got another tyrannical emperor to put

Priscillian and many other gnostics to death, though they withdrew

from the accusation, as tending to their own confusion. And Severus

saith, _Certe Ithacium nihil pensi, nihil sancti habuisse definio:

fuit enim audax, loquax, impudens, sumptuosus, veneri et gulæ plurimum

impertiens. Hic stultitiæ eo usque processerat, ut omnes etiam sanctos

viros, quibus aut studium inerat iectionis, aut propositum erat

certare jejuniis, tanquam Priscilliani socios et discipulos, in crimen

arcesseret. Ausus etiam miser est, Martino episcopo, viro plane

apostolis conferendo, palam objectare hæresis infamiam:----quia non

desinebat increpare Ithacium, ut ab accusatione desisteret._ And when

the leaders were put to death, the heresy increased more, and honoured

Priscillian as a martyr, and reproached the orthodox as wicked

persecutors: and the end was, that the church was filled by it with

divisions and manifold mischiefs, and all the most godly made the

common scorn. _Inter hæc plebs Dei et optimus quisque, probro atque

ludibrio habebatur._ They are the last words of Severus's History; and

changing the names are calculated for another meridian, and for later

years.

[136] Of this subject I have written already, 1. My "Universal

Concord." 2. My "Catholic Unity." 3. Of the "True Catholic Church." 4.

My "Christian Concord."

[137] Read over Sir Francis Bacon's third Essay; and Hales of Schism.

[138] In veste Christi varietas sit; scissura non sit. They be two

things, unity and uniformity. Lord Bacon, Essay iii.

[139] 1 Thess. v. 12, 13.

[140] Gal. iii. 20; iv. 5, 6; Eph. iv. 5; 1 Cor. xii. 12, 13; 1 Pet.

i. 16; Eph. iv. 11-13; ii. 20, 21, 19; 1 John iii. 11, 14, 23; Psal.

cxxii. 2; 1 Pet. ii. 1, 2; John iii. 6; Heb. x. 25; 1 Cor. x. 16, 17;

Rom. xii. 1; Eph. ii. 10, 11.

[141] 1 John ii. 12-14; Heb. v. 11-13; Matt. xvii. 2; xiii. 31; Rom.

xiv. 1, 2, 21; xv. 1; 1 Cor. viii. 7, 10, 12; ix. 22; Acts xx. 35;

Luke i. 6; Phil. ii. 15; Gal. ii. 9, 11, 13, 14; 1 Thess. v. 4; 1 Cor.

iii. 1, 4, 5; Eph. iv. 11, 12,13; Rom. xiv.; xv.; Col. ii. 18, 22;

Phil. ii. 20, 21; 1 Cor. xii. 22, 24; 1 Sam. ii. 30; Matt. xxiii. 11;

Luke xxii. 26; Matt. xx. 23; Luke xx. 30; Matt. xix. 30; xx. 16.

[142] The true placing the bonds of unity importeth exceedingly. Which

will be done if the points fundamental, and of substance in religion,

were truly discerned and distinguished from points not merely of

faith, but of opinion, order, or good intention. This is a thing that

may seem to many a matter trivial, and done already; but if it were

done less partially it would be embraced more generally. L. Bacon,

Essay iii.

[143] James iii. 13-17.

[144] 1 Pet. ii. 5, 7, 9. Leg. Grotium de Imp. p. 230, 231.

[145] Leg. Grotium de Imp. p. 223, 226.

[146] But not denying her to be a church, unless she cast off some

essential part; but so disowning her as in 2 Thess. iii.

[147] Where any church retaining the purity of doctrine doth require

the owning of and conforming to any unlawful or suspected practice,

men may lawfully deny conformity to and communion with that church in

such things, without incurring the guilt of schism. Mr. Stillingfleet.

Iren. p. 117.

[148] 1 Sam. xv. 22; Prov. xv. 8.

[149] 2 John x. 11; 2 Tim. iii. 5; Rom. xvi. 17; 1 Cor. v. 11.

[150] Matt. xiii. 41, 30; Jer. xv. 19; 1 Cor. xii. 23, 24.

[151] See Rom. xiv. throughout; Rom. xv. 12, 5-7; Eph. iv. 4-7; 1 Pet.

iii. 6; 1 Cor. xii. throughout; Phil. iii. 15, 16; Acts ii. 1, 46; iv.

32; Rom. xii. 4, 5; Psal. cxxxiii; 1 Cor. viii; 1 Tim. i. 4; James

iii.

[152] Peace containeth infinite blessings: it strengtheneth faith: it

kindleth charity. The outward peace of the church distilleth into

peace of conscience: and it turneth the writing and reading of

controversies into treatises of mortification and devotion. Against

procuring unity by sanguinary persecutions, see Lord Bacon, Essay iii.

Surely there is no better way to stop the rising of new sects and

schisms, than to reform abuses, to compound the smaller differences,

to proceed mildly, and not with sanguinary persecutions, and rather to

take off the principal authors by winning and advancing them, than to

enrage them by violence and bitterness. Lord Bacon in his Essay lviii.

_Ira hominis non implet justitiam Dei._ And it was a notable

observation of a wise father, that those which held and persuaded

pressure of consciences, were commonly interested therein themselves

for their own ends. Id. Essay iii. p. 19.

[153] Concil. Tolet. 4. c. 16. 28. q. 1. Ca. Judæi qui--allow

separation from a Jewish husband, if after admonition he will not be a

christian: and so doth Acosta and his Concil. Limens. l. 6. c. 21, and

other Jesuits, and allow the marrying of another: and sure the

conjugal bond is faster than that of a pastor and his flock: may not a

man then change his pastor when his soul is in apparent hazard?

[154] Eph. iv. 16; 1 Tim. i. 4; Rom. xv. 19; Acts ix. 31.

[155] Rom. xiv. 17; 1 Tim. i. 4.

[156] Rom. viii. 16; ix. 26; 1 John v. 2.

[157] Quicquid ad multitudinem vergit, antipathiam continet; et quanto

magis multitudo augetur, tanto et antipathia: quicquid vero ad

unitatem tendit, sympathiam habet; et quanti magis ad unitatem

accedit, tanto pariori sympathia augetur. Paul Scaliger, Epist. Cath.

lib. iii. p. 176.

[158] Eph. xiv. 13-16.

[159] Phil. i. 9; 1 Thess. iv. 9; Col. ii. 2; 1 Thess. iii. 12; Phil.

ii. 12; Lev. xviii. 9; 1 Pet. i. 22; 1 Thess. v. 3; Rom. xii. 9, 10; 2

Tim. i. 7; Heb. x. 24; 1 Cor. xii. 31; Gal. v. 6, 13.

[160] 1 John iv. 7, 8; John xiii. 35; James iii. 15; 1 John iv. 16;

Gal. v. 19-22; 2 Cor. xiii. 11; 1 Tim. vi. 11; Gal. v. 14; 1 Cor.

xiii; Eph. iv. 2, 15, 16; Col. i. 4.

[161] See Mr. Stillingfleet, Iren. p. 119, 120. Bilson for christian

subjection, p. 525.

[162] Dr. H. More saith, Myst. Redempt. p. 495. l. 10. c. 2. There is

scarce any church in christendom at this day that doth not obtrude,

not only falsehood, but such falsehoods that will appear to any free

spirit pure contradictions and impossibilities; and that with the same

gravity, authority, and importunity, that they do the holy oracles of

God. Now the consequents of this must needs be sad; For what knowing

and conscientious man, but will be driven off, if he cannot assert the

truth, without open asserting of a gross lie? Id. p. 526. And as for

opinions, though some may be better than other some, yet none should

exclude from the fullest enjoyments of either private or public

rights; supposing there be no venom of the persecutive spirit mingled

with them; but every one that professeth the faith of Christ, and

believeth the Scriptures in the historical sense, &c. See Hales of

Schism, p. 8.

[163] In ecclesiis plus certaminum gignunt verba hominum quam Dei;

magisque pugnatur fere de Apolline, Petro, et Paulo, quam de Christo:

retine divina: relinque humana. Bucholcer.

[164] Poetæ nunquam perturbarunt respublicas: oratores non raro.

Bucholtz.

[165] Acosta, l. vi. c. 23. p. 579. Nothing so much hurteth this

church as a rabble of hirelings and self-seekers: for what can natural

men, that scarce have the Spirit, do in the cause of God? A few in

number that are excellent in virtue, will more promote the work of

God.--But they that come hither being humble, and lovers of souls,

taking Christ for their pattern, and bearing in their bodies his cross

and death, shall most certainly find heavenly treasures, and

inestimable delights. But when will this be? When men cease to be men,

and to savour the things of men; and to seek and gape after the things

of men. With men this is utterly impossible; but with God all things

are possible: Because this is hard in the eyes of this people, shall

it therefore be hard in my eyes, saith the Lord? Zech. viii. 6. pag.

580. I may say to some ministers that cry out of the schismatical

disobedience of the people, as Acosta doth to those that cried out of

the Indians' dulness and wickedness. It is long of the teachers. Deal

with them in all possible love and tenderness, away with covetousness,

lordliness, and cruelty; give them the example of an upright life,

open to them the way of truth, and teach them according to their

capacity, and diligently hold on in this way, whoever thou art that

art a minister of the gospel, and (saith he) as ever I hope to enjoy

thee, O Lord Jesu Christ, I am persuaded the harvest will he plentiful

and joyful. Lib. iv. p. 433, et passim. But (saith he) we quickly

cease our labours, and must presently have hasty and plenteous fruit.

But the kingdom of God is not such: verily, it is not such, but, as

Christ hath told us, like seed cast into the earth, which groweth up

by degrees we know not how, p. 433, 434. Jerom's case is many

another's: Concivit odia perditorum: oderunt eum hæretici, quia eos

impugnare non desinit: oderunt clerici, quia vitam eorum insectatur et

crimina. Sed plane eum boni omnes admirantur et diligunt. Posthumianus

in Sulp. Severi Dialog. 1. And Dial. 2. Martinus in medio cœtu et

conversatione populorum, inter clericos dissidentes, inter episcopos

sævientes, cum fere quotidianis scandalis hinc atque inde premeretur,

inexpugnabili tamen adversus omnia virtute fundatus stetit.--Nec tamen

huic crimini miscebo populares, soli illum clerici, soli nesciunt

sacerdotes, nec immerito: nosse illum invidi noluerunt: quia si

virtutes illius nossent, suorum vitia cognovissent.

[166] How the Jesuits have hereby distracted the church, read Mariana,

et Archiepisc. Pragensis Censur. de Bull. Jesuit. et Dan. Hospital. ad

Reges, &c. Aug. Ardinghelli Paradoxa Jesuitica. Galindus, Giraldus,

&c. Arcana Jesuit.

[167] That God above that knoweth the heart, doth discern that frail

men in some of their contradictions intend the same thing, and

accepteth both. L. Verul. Essay iii. p. 15.

[168] Saith Cleanthes (in Laert.) The Peripateticks are like letters

that sound well, but hear not themselves.

[169] Yet I excuse not impiety or insufficiency in ministers. It was

one of Solon's laws, Qui nequitia ac flagitiis insignis est,

tribunali, publicisque suggestis arcendus est. And Gildas saith to the

ungodly pastors of Britain, Apparet ergo eum qui vos sacerdotes sciens

ex corde dicit, non esse eximium christianum.--Quomodo vos aliquid

solvetis, ut sit solutum in cœlis, a cœlo ob scelera adempti? et

immanium peccatorum funibus compediti? Qua ratione aliquid in terra

ligabitis, quod supra mundum etiam ligetur, propter vosmet ipsos qui

ita ligati iniquitatibus in hoc mundo tenemini, ut in cœlos nunquam

ascendatis, sed in infausta tartari ergastula, non conversi in hac

vita ad dominum, decidatis, Fol. ult. O inimici Dei, et non

sacerdotes! O licitatores malorum, et non pontifices! Traditores, et

non sanctorum apostolorum successores; impugnatores, et non Christi

ministri.--p. 571. Impres. Basil.

[170] Pii hominis est facere quod potest, etiamsi non faciat hoc quod

est eligibilius. Bucholtz.

[171] Prince Frederick of Monpelgard being instructed into a distaste

of the reformed protestants, when he had been at Geneva and Helvetia,

was wont to say, Genevæ et in Helvetia vidi multa de quibus nihil,

pauca eorum de quibus sæpe audivi: ut Tossanus ad Pezelium referente

Sculteto in Curric. p. 26.

[172] Since the writing of this, I have published a book called "The

cure of Church Divisions," and a "Defence of it:" which handle these

things more fully.

[173] Beda Hist. Eccles. lib. i. c. 26. Didicerat enim (Rex Edilburth)

et a doctoribus, auctoribusque suæ salutis, servitium, Christi

voluntarium, non coactitium debere esse.