240 An Expojition of the Epiftle --~--~--~~~~~ -------- ----~ ~ them out by it. Tertttllian, in his Apology for the Chrifiians, writes, The Love Sermoll (lays he)amo11gff us is[ttch,fo great, th,tt tt is.fet aJ a m".rk and6raJJdupo" us; XV!II, jet, ( fay they, fpeaking of the Heathens, thetr ufual faymg of us Chnfitans ;) ~how thry love o1u anotber, Whereas they, the Heathens, hate one another, (faith he :) A11dfee (fay they) how thry are ready to dtt o11e[or anothtr; where– as you Heathens(fays Tertillliall) are ready to kt/J one a11other. Applicatio11. My Brethren, How far are thefe Time! off from this Temper; wherein a little difference in Judgment, what a great deal of ;udgmgone another, ~nd de– fpijiug one another doth it breed in the hearts of men proleJJing Chrifiianity! in the hearts of Saints! As the Apofiles words are there, in that Rom.14, (And the difcourfe in that Chapter, and his exhortation to forbearmlct, is not only in point of tbiugsmeerly i11dtfj'erent, but in matters of exceeding great moment and conf<quence, namely about the .!ewifb Ceremo:-ie~, and Ceremonial wor– !hip. One would have them m the Church,as once m!htuted of God ; and ano– ther, not. 011e efleemed011t dtry above another. Thefe were not matters of in– differency; yet ( faith he) Receive otu m10ther for all this, own one another for all this; for God (faith he) bath received him into his own Family: (that is one Motive he ufeth there inver,4.) He is God's Servallt; the word is not ./'~•®-, a Servant mry w rry, at large fpoken, but olxi,.,, he is ahoujbold Servant. .!ew and Gentile, both differing in Opinion and PraCtice, were both of the fame Family to God, whereof Cbrifl u 11amed; therefore do not you dare to ca!t him out from you. Yea, at the thirdverfeof Cbap.14; the Apofile upon this ground, would not have them fa much as judge them for fuch kind of Opinions, as might !land with their continuing the true Servants of Chrift, and the power of Holinefs in them. Judge not him that eatetb, (fpeaking to the Ceremonious .!ew,) for God batb received him; that !is, into his favour and grace, notwithftanding that opinion and praCtice of his: fa as though he !hould die in that error, (which thou thinkefi fuch,) through want of conviCtion, and never repent of it; yet God would fave him. God accepts of him, and fhall the Subject take on him to rejeCt and condemn him, when his King doth not? Yea, ver-4- Who art tbott tbat jttdgeff mtotbtr mtm's Serva11t 1 To judge thy fellow Servants in matters of this nature, is an inva!ion of, and intru!ion upon God's proper right, accord– ing to the law of Nations; which therefore no power, Civil or Eccle!iafiical, is to meddle in. He is notwithfianding this, as faithful a Servant to God as thou art; .A11d wbo art tho11? and, Who areye? Be you the Major part, and have the power in your hands; yet matfers of difference from you of this alloy, are not in your cognizance. And, who are ,lOll, to a!fume this? Give to Godthe thi11gs that are God's, and to the Magijlrate, and to Cht~rches, what are theirs; But we would keep them (will men fay) from falling intoerrour. Let God look too and rake care of that, faith he, He fla11ds or faOs to hu ow1t Maf/er, who in a Judicatory way is only to deal with him, without thy judging of him Yea, but he is in an Errour, which will prejudice and endanger him; but yet, not his Salvatio11, fays the Apoflle, All fins tor which a man !hall be judged in the Church are of that nature, as rmlefi rtpfllttd of a man jball1tot /;e fave J, as i! flrongly infinuated 1 Cor.5.5. For though you th.at are contrary minded, are apt in the feverity of felf, to condemn what is oppofite to you, as that which will endanger, or not !land with Grace, J'ft be jba/J bt ·holdt n up: and he fpeaks it with a peremptorinefs, Tea, he jba/J be holdt1111p, for God u able to make him jland: So as an errour of invincible ignorance !hall not endanger him, he em– bracing all the Principles and PraCtices that are nece!fary to Salvation. What ? istherenothingbutprefently cafiing out for this? No, faith he, Rtceiveo11e anotber notwlthfianding. Let not him, faith he, that eatetb, or is f/rottg, dejpi(e a11other that eateth not, or fet him at naught, and fay he is weak .and filly, and I know not what, and let not the other tbat eatetb uot, judge bim that eateth, In thefe two lieth the rule of Peace between them. Now, it is not likely that thefe men fhould prefently be brought to. one and rh: fame mind or judgment; l>ut let 1his Rule be pre!fed m the mean ume, not to )udge one another tor fuch things.
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