482 WHAT LIGHT MUST ror, and all the world cannot remedy the effects of one mistake; so in matters of religion, if we mistake by our rash conceitedness, and take not time for necessary trial; and proceed not, as a man on the ice, or among quicksands, with great care and deliberation, the shaking of kingdoms, the ruin of churches, the silencing of minis- ters, the corruption of doctrine, worship, and discipline, and the sin and damnation of many souls, may be the effect of our proud pre- sumption and temerity ; but the humble, self-suspecting man, that suspendeth his judgment and practice till he bath thoroughly proved all, doth preserve the honor of religion, and avoid such late and dear repentance. XVIII. The man whose works 'shall glorify God, must be -de- voted to the unity and concord of believers, and be greatly averse to dividing and love-killing opinions, words, and practices ; and, as much as in him lies, he must live peaceably with all men ; 1 Cor. i. 10. Phil. ii. 1-3. Eph. iv. 3, 4. 14, 15, 16. Rom. xvi. 17. andxii. 18. 1 Thess. v. 17. John xvii. 24. When Paul saith that "Dividers serve not the Lord Jesus, but their own bel- lies," he intimateth to us, that though truth and purity be in their mouths, and really intended by them, as they take it, yet there is usually a secret self-interest that is carried on,that biaseth the judg- ment. And when he telleth them, (Acts xx. 30.) that "of thew own selves should men arise, speaking perverse things," which they called (and it is like believed to be) the truth ; yet self-interest lay at the bottom, to be somebody in drawing disciples after then ; for it is so notorious a truth, that unity and concord are indispen- sably necessary to the church, as it is to our body, to families, to kingdoms, that men could not do so destructive athing as dividing is, if some sin had not first caused the error of their minds. It greatlyhonoreth Christ and religion in the world, when believers live in love and unity: and their discords and divisions have in all ages been the scandal of the world, and the great reproach and dishonor of the church. When Christ's disciples are one in him, it is the way to the infidel world's conversion, that they may be- lieve that the Father sent him; Job xvii. 24. And here the devil has two sorts of servants: 1. The true schismatic, or heretic, who fearlessly and blindly dividéth the churches. 2. The overdoing Papist, and church-tyrant, whowill have a greater unity than Christ will here give us, that so we may have none. And when Christ prays that we may be one inhim, the pope saith that we shall also be one in him, or we shall he account- ed schismatics, and destroyed as such. And when the ancient church, according to Christ's institution, unitedall in the baptismal covenant, explained in the creed, and Paul numbereth the neces- sary terms of unity ;. Eph. iv. 4-6. 1. One body (or church of
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