תמונות בעמוד
PDF
ePub

them ignorant or ungodly, or very weak at least that differ from him; for he hath not thoroughly and impartially studied all that may be said on the other side. The authority of his chosen teacher and sect is greater with him (if he fall into that way) than the authority of all the most wise and holy persons in the world besides. What the Scripture speaketh of the unbelieving world, he is apt to apply to all those of the church of Christ that are not of his mind and party. And when Christ commandeth us to come out of the world, he is prone to understand it of coming out from the church into some stricter and narrower society; and is apt, with the papists, to appropriate the name and privileges of the church to his party alone, and to condemn all others. Especially if

the church-governors be carnal and self-seeking or otherwise very culpable, and if discipline be neglected, and if profaneness be not sufficiently discountenanced, and godliness promoted; he thinketh that such a church is no church, but a profane society: God hath taught him by repentance to see the mischief of ungodliness; but he yet wanteth that experience which is needful to make him know the mischiefs of church-divisions. He had too much experience himself of the evil of profaneness before his conversion; but he hath not tried the evil of schism; and without some sad experience of its fruits, in himself or others, he will hardly know it as it should be known. Because it is the custom of some malignant enemies of godliness to call the godly, heretics, schismatics, factious sectaries, &c.,

therefore the very names do come into credit with him; and he thinks there are no such persons in the world, or that there is no danger of any such crimes, till he be taught by sad experience that the professors of sincerity are in as much danger on that side as on the other; and that the church (as well as Christ) doth suffer between two thieves, the profane and the dividers. Paul was unjustly called the ringleader of a sect, and Christianity called a heresy and a sect every where spoken against. But for all that, heresy is a fruit of the flesh, and some heresies are called damnable, as in 2 Pet. ii. 1; and they are the trial of the church, to difference the approved members from the chaff. And an obstinate heretic is to be avoided by true believers. And the Pharisees and Sadducees are well reputed to be several sects. And dividers and divisions are justly branded in Scripture, as aforesaid. There must be no schism in the body of Christ. The following of selected teachers in a way of division from the rest, or opposition to them, doth shew that men are carnal in too great a measure, though it be not in predominancy, as in the profane. What saith Paul to the Corinthians:

And I, brethren, could not speak unto you, as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, 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?' How much more when he that is for Paul doth censure and rail at Cephas and Apollos? He that hath seen the course of men professing godliness in England in this age, may easily and sadly know how prone weak Christians are to unjust separations and divisions, and what are the effects. He that had heard many zealous in prayer, and other duties, and the next year seen them turning from their brethren,* and railing in the open congregations at the ablest, holiest, self-denying ministers of Christ, and at their flocks, and shall see how poor souls separate themselves from the flock of Christ, will no longer doubt whether the weak be inclinable to schism, but will rather lament the dangerousness of their station; and know that all is not done when a sinner is converted from an ungodly state. Study the reason of those three texts, Ephes. iv. 13-16; ' 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, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ from whom the whole body fitly joined

*The words of the author have been partially changed, for a reason which will be obvious to any one who refers to a previous edition. His meaning has been faithfully retained.

[ocr errors]

together, and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body to the edifying of itself in love.' Here you see the children are apt to be carried into dividing parties. And they are aptest to be proud, and that way to miscarry, see 1 Tim. iii. 6: Not a novice (or raw young Christian), lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.' And then followeth the effect, Acts xx. 30: Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.' I would not have you groundlessly accuse any Christian with a charge of pride; but I must tell you, that the childish pride of apparel is a petty business, in comparison of that pride which many in sordid attire have manifested, who in their ignorance do rage and foam out words of falsehood and reproach against Christ's ministers and servants, as if they were all fools or impious in comparison of them; speaking evil of that which they never understood; the lifting up the heart above the people of the Lord, in the pride of supposed holiness, is incomparably worse than pride of learning, honour, greatness, wit, or wealth. Nay, it hath oft been to me a matter of wonder to observe how little all those plain and urgent texts of scripture, which cry down division, do work upon many of the younger Christians, who yet are as quickly touched as any, with a text that speaketh against profaneness and lukewarmness. In a word, they are often of the temper of James and John, when they would

fain have had Christ have revenged himself on his opposers by fire from heaven: 'They know not what manner of spirit they are of.' They think verily that it is a holy zeal for God, when it is the boiling of passion, pride, and selfishness. They feel not the sense of such words as Christ's, John xvii. 20-24:

I pray also for them who shall believe on me, through their word; 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 has sent me,' &c.

3. And as for the seeming Christians, in this they are of several sorts. When their carnal interest lieth in compliance with the major part and stronger side, then no men do more cry up unity and obedience: what a noise do many thousand papist prelates, jesuits, and friars, make with these two words throughout the world! Unity and obedience (unto them upon their terms) do signify principally their worldly greatness, wealth, and power. But if the hypocrite be engaged in point of honour or other carnal interest on the suffering side, or be out of hope of any advantage in the common road, then no man is so much for separation and singularity as he. For he must needs be noted for somebody in the world, and this is the chief way that he findeth to accomplish it. And so being lifted up with pride, he falleth into the condemnation of the devil, and becomes a firebrand in the church.

LIII. 1. A Christian indeed is not only zealous for the unity and concord of believers, but he seeketh it on the right terms, and in the way that

« הקודםהמשך »