CONFIRDiED CIiRIST(AN. 553 and think him unworthy of the communionof the saints. FIe is much more sensible of the judgment, and aftèctions, and concern- ments of those few with whom he doth converse, and that are of his opinion, than of the judgment, and practice, and concernments of the universal church. He knoweth not how to prefer tie judg- ments and holiness of some that he thinketh more excellent than the rest, without much undervaluing and censuringof all others that are not of their opinion; he cannot choose the actual local communion of the best society, without some unjust contempt of others, or separation from them. He With not so much knowl- edge as may sufficiently acquaint him with his ignorance; and therefore he is apt to be unreasonably confident of his present ap- prehensions, and to think verily that all his own conceptions. are the certain truth; and to think them ignorant, or ungodly, or very weak,at least, that differ from ,him. For he bath 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 word besides,. What the Scripture speaketh of the unbelievingworld, 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 tq come out of the world, he is prone to understand it of coining 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 con- demn all others. Especially if the church -governors becarnal and self-seeking, or otherwise very culpable; and if discipline be new lected, and if profaneness be not sufficiently discoun4enanced, 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 mischiefof ungodliness ;. but he . yet wantetth that experience which is needful to make him know the mischiefof church divis- ions. He had too much experience himself of the evil of pro- faneness, before his conversion; but he bath not tried the evil of schism ; and without some sad experience of its fruits, in himself or others, he will hardly know itas it should be known ; because it is the custom of some malignant enemies ofgodliness 'to call the godly heretics, schismatics, factious sectaries, Rec. ; 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 profes- sors-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 profatie and the dividers. Paul was unjustly called the ringleader of a sect, (Acts xxiv. 5.) and Christianity called a VOL. I. 70 1
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=