The Mtfcbiefs of 'Di-vifion. 741 §• 6 2 • 6. DivHions among Chrifiians do greatly binder the edification ofthe memberr ofthe_Church: while they are polfdT4:d with cnvyings and dillafte of one another, they lofe all the benefit of each others gifts, and of that holy communion which they lhould have with one another. And they are poffeffed with that z<al and wifdom, which Jamo calleth earthly, fenfual and deviUijh, which cor:"'!'ph.~· 16. ruptclh all their affections, and turnc:th their food to the nouriihmcnc of their difeale, and maketfA1 Tiru. 1.4. their very wodhipping of God to become: the increafe of their fin. Where divifions and conrer..~ Rat· 1S· 19· tions are, th!: membtrs that lhould grow up in humility, rneek~efs, fdf~dcnyal, holincfs and love, A s 9 ' ~1 ' do grow in pride, and perverfe difpurings, and pa~~·:atc Uuvi~gs, and en~ious wranglings : The Spirit of God dep:ureth from them, and an cv1l Spmt of mahcc and veX.lt!On takerh place ; 1houghin their pa!Tion, they ~noW not what Spirit they are of: Whereas if they be of one mind, and tivt i;t peace, the Go~ of love a~d peact r~ili be with ~hem. Wh~t la~cntable in£b.nces of this calamity have we in many of the ScCbnes of thts prt:fcnt wnc: Efpectally m the people called ~r.t~trJ, that while they pfet::nd to the greatefi auHerities, do grow up to fuch a meafure of fowre pride, and uncha~ rirabk contempt of others, and efpccially of all fuperiours, and hdlifh railing agJ.infi the holiefi Mi· Jlilh::rs and people, as we have fca.rcc known, or ever read of.? . · 9· 63. 7· ThcfeDivifions till the Church with ji11: even wtth fins of a mofi od1ous nature. They introduce a [warm of errtJrJ, while ir becomes the Mode for every one to have a doctrine of his own, and to have fOmething to fay in Reli~;ion which may make him norable, Ads 20. 30. Of your own jilvu jhaU men arife, [peal;jng perverfe thing1, to draw!'""Y DifciplCJ after them. They cherifh pride, ;md m.:li.ce, and belying others (the three great fms of the Devil ) as naturally as dead,fldh brecdcth \Vorms; They deHroy impartial Chrillian Love, as naturally as bleeding cloth cmlfume our viral heat and moiflure. \Vhat wickednefs is it that they will not cherifh? In a word, the Scripture tellech us The Grctk that whe1·e envying and ftrife if, tbr?re Hcon{u,(lon, and every evil Wlr~: (And is not this a lamentable word i::. z.al. way ofRcfonnJtionof fome imaginary or ldfer evils)? .., 9· 64. 8. Thefe Divilions ate the grief of hone]! Jpellatorl, and caufc the farrows of'thofc that are guilty of them. They make all their duties uneaGe to them, and turn their Religion into a bicter unpleafant wrangling toil : Like Oxen in the yoke that (hive againfl each other, when they Chould draw in order and equali'Y· What a grievous life is it wHusband and Wife, or a.nY in the farnily,if . they live indifcord? So is if to the members of the Church. When once men take the Kingdom of God to contifi of meats, or drink~, or ceremonies, which confifteth in RighteonfndS, and Peace, and Rom. 14 , 11 , Joy in the Holy Ghofi, and turn to firive about unedifying quefiions, they turn from all the fweetnefs , Tim. ,, 1 . ofRcligion. . 9· 6;. 9· Sects and Divifions lead directly to Apoj!acy from the faith. Nothing is more in the detign ofSatan, than to confound men fo with .variety ofReligions, that they may think there is no certainty in any : that fa both the igoorant fpectators may think all Religion is but fancy and de– ceit, and the contenders thcmfelvcs wheel about from SeCt to Sect , till they come to the point where they firft fet out, and to be at lafi deliberately of no Religion , who at firft were of none for want of d<liberation. And it is no fmall fuccefs that Satan hath had by this. ternpta· tation. ~· 66. IO· T~e Divifions ofChtifiiansdo oft proceed to !hake States and Kingdoms, having a Ian~emable influence upon the Civil peace: And this fiirreth up Princes jcaloufics againfi them, and to the ufe of thofe fcverities, which the fuffering parry takes for pcrfecution; yea, and Turks and all Princes that arc enemies to Reformation and Holinefs, do juftilie thern{clves in their cruc:lkfl per· fewurions, whec they fee the Divifions of ChrHlians, and the troubles of Srates that have followed thereupon. Jf ChJillians, and Protefiants in fpecial, did live in that Unity, Peace and Order as their Lord and Ruler requireth them to do, the confciences of perfecuters would even worry aud torment ,them, and make thdr livesa Hell on earth, for their cruelty againll fo excellent a COrt of men : But now when they fee them all in confufions, and fee the troubles rhat follow hereupon, and hrar them teviling oqc another, they think they may defiroy them as the troublcrs of the L·Jrth, and their con~ fcicnces fcarcc. accu{e them for it. ~ 9· 6?: I V. It is necdfa~y alfo .for you~ true underflanding. the maligni.ty of this fin, thltiyou The Aggravl.. take nouce ot the Aggravations of 1t, dpec1a1ly as tour. I· It IS a fin agamfi fo ma11)', and clear, tio1~s of and vthtmwt words of the HolyGboft, (which I have partly before recited) that it is therefore utterly Sch1fm. without excufe : Whotedoms, a~Treafons, and Perjury are not oftner forbidden in the Gofpd than rhis. 9· 68. 2· It is contrary to the very defign of Chrifl in our Redemption; which was to Reconcile ~ us all to God, a~d noire and ccnter us all in him : To gathtr lfJgcthtr i11 one tht Childten if God that ";/" arc {cattered abroad, John JJ, 52· To _gather together in one all tbinj{s in Cbrijf, Ephef. 1. 10. T(l mak.! t in himfclf of twain one mw man, fo mak.,ing peace, Ephef. 2· 1 5· And Oull we joyn with Satan the divider and dcjfroyrr, againfi ChriH the Reconciler, in the very dcfign of his Redemprion? ~· 69. 3. le is contrary to the ddign o( the Spirit of Grace, and contrary to the very nature of Chrillia.nity it fdf. By one Spirit we are aU bap1ized into tJne body-and bave all hem madt to drink into one Spirjt, 1 Cor, 12, 13. As there is one Body and Dne Spirit, fa it is our charge to keep the unity of tbe Spirit in tbe bond of peace, Ephef. 4· 3, 4• The new natute of Chrifiians doth confirt in Lov~, and ddirCth the Communion of Saints as iUch : And therefore the command of this fpccial Love, ts c.lied the New Commar.dment. John '7· 21. & 13. 34· & 15o12, '7· And they are faid to be taught Dj God ~o love one another, 1 The«.~· 9• As felf-prc[ervation is the chief principle in the Na-_ ' tural
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