so he offers what follows for the cure:* And were liturgies,' says he, and public forms of service so framed, as that they admitted not of particular and private fancies, but contained only such things, as in which all Christians do agree, schisms on opinion were utterly vanished: whereas to load our public forms with the private fancies upon which we differ, is the most sovereign way to perpetuate schism unto the world's end.-Remove from them whatever is scandalous to any party, and leave nothing but what all agree on; and the event shall be, that the public service and honour of God shall no ways suffer. For to charge churches and liturgies with things unnecessary, was the first beginning of all superstition. If the spiritual guides and fathers of the church would be a little sparing of incumbering churches with superfluities, and not over rigid, either in reviving obsolete customs, or imposing new, there were far less danger of schism or superstition. Meanwhile, wheresoever false or suspected opinions are made a piece of the church liturgy, he that separates is not a schismatic: for it is alike unlawful to make profession of known or suspected falshoods, as to put in practice unlawful or suspected actions.' He farther tells us, in his sermon of dealing with erring Christians,+That it is the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace, and not the identity (or oneness) of conceit, which the Holy Ghost requires at the hands of Christians.A better way my conceit cannot reach unto, than that we should be willing to think that these things, which with some show of probability we deduce from scripture, are, at the best, but our opinions. For this peremptory manner of setting down our conclusions under this high commanding form of necessary truths, is generally one of the greatest causes which keeps the churches this day so far asunder; when-as a gracious receiving of each other by mutual forbearance, in this kind, might, peradventure, in time bring them nearer together.' : Thus much of this great man concerning schism, the cause and cure of it. And for the notion of heretics he will help us altogether as well for though they are generally taken for such who err in judgment about doctrines and articles of faith, yet if this man may have any credit, and perhaps none of his profession has deserved more, he tells us, that heresy is an act of the will, not of reason; and is, indeed, a lie, not a mistake else,' says he, how could that known speech of Austin go for true, Errare possum, Hæreticus esse nolo: I may err, but I am unwilling to be an heretic ?? And indeed 6 *Tract of Schism, pages 215, 216, 217, 218. this is no other than what holy scripture teacheth; "A man that is an heretic, after the first and second admonition reject; knowing that he that is such, is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself."* Which is as much as to say, that nobody is an heretic, but he that gives the lie to his own conscience, and is self-condemned: which is not the case of men merely mistaken, or who only err in judgment. And therefore the term of heretics is as untruly as uncharitably flung upon those that conscientiously dissent, either in point of discipline or doctrine, from any society of Christians; and it is not hard to observe that those who have most merited that character, have most liberally bestowed it. But to show you that neither true schismatic, who is one that unnecessarily and unwarrantably separates from that part of the visible church of which he was once a member,' nor true heretic, who is a 'wilful subverter of true, or an introducer of false doctrines, a self-condemned person,' can ever shelter himself under this common confession of Christianity, sincerely made; let us consider, that whoever so declares Jesus to be the Messiah and anointed Saviour of God to men, must be supposed to believe all that of him, with respect to which he is so called. Now that for which he is so denominated, is that which God sent him to do: the reason and end of his coming he could best tell, who hath told us thus; "I am come, that ye may have life, and that ye may have it more abundantly." The world was dead in trespasses and sins; the guilt and defilement of transgression had killed the soul, as to spiritual life and motion; and from under this powerful death he came to redeem the soul unto life in short, to restore man from that fearful degeneracy which his disobedience to God had reduced him unto. The way he took to accomplish this blessed work was, first, to preach repentance, and the approach of the kingdom of God,'t which is his rule and authority in the hearts of men and that brings to the second thing to be believed; namely, What he taught. First, his doctrine led to repentance: "Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand." No man could receive the kingdom of God, whilst he lived under the kingdom and power of Satan: so that to repent, is not only to bring their deeds to the light, which Christ exhorted men to; but to forsake that, upon examination, which appears to be evil.. Wherefore I conclude, that such as have not been acquainted * Tit. iii. 10, 11. + Mark i. 14. John iii. 20, 21. with this holy repentance, do not sincerely believe, neither can rightly confess, Jesus to be the Christ, the Son of God, the Saviour of the world. Therefore saith the apostle, "Let him that nameth the name of the Lord, depart from ini. quity;" plainly implying, that those do rather profane than confess the name of the Lord, who do not depart from their iniquities. And, saith the apostle in another place, "No man can call Jesus Lord, but by the Holy Ghost:" which opens to us the nature of the true confession we ought to make, and which, being truly made in a scripture sense, makes us Christians in a right Christian acceptation; to wit, 'That the true confession of Jesus to be both Lord and Christ, is from such a belief in the heart, as is accompanied with the embracing and practising of his holy doctrine.' Such a faith is the work of the Holy Ghost; and those that do not so confess him, or call upon him, that is, by virtue of the overshadowing of this divine spirit and power, are not truly Christians, true worshippers, or believers and disciples of our Lord Jesus. Furthermore, they that receive Christ, receive his kingdom, his power and authority in their souls; whereby the strong man that kept the house becomes bound, and his goods spoiled by this stronger man, the "Lord's Christ;" who is come from heaven to dwell in us, and be the hope of glory;' for so he was preached to the Gentiles. This kingdom, the apostle tells us, stands in righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost; and Christ tells us where it is to be set up: "The kingdom of God is within you," saith the king himself; and where should the king be, but in his own kingdom? They are blessed that feel him to rule, and that live under the swaying of his righteous sceptre for when this "righteous one rules the earth, the sons of men rejoice." So that no man can truly confess, and rightly believe, Jesus to be the Christ and Son of God, who does not receive him to be his king to rule his heart and affections. For can a man be said to believe in one that he will not receive? But "to as many as received Christ of old, gave he power to become the sons of God;+ which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man. but of God." What is this will of God? Paul answers the question "The will of God is your sanctification;" for this Christ came into the world. So that those that believe and receive Christ, he is made to them "righteousness, sanctification, and redemption; that is, he has saved them from their sins, both guilt and defilement, and sanctified them from 1 Cor. i, 30. + Luke xvii. 20, 21. + John i. 12, 13. their corruptions: they live now by the grace of God, that teaches them to be of a sober, righteous, godlike life. "Ye shall know them by their fruits," saith Christ of the Pharisees; so shall men know them, that sincerely believe and confess Christ, by their sanctified manners and blameless conversations. And wo from the true and just God to them that make other distinctions! for God has made no other: there will be but goats and sheep at the last day; holy and unholy; just and unjust therefore let that be our distinction, which ever was, and will be, God's distinction; for all other measures are the effects of the passions and presumptions of men. But because it may be expected that I should fix upon some few general heads of Christian doctrine, from the mouth of Christ and his apostles, as requisite to Christian communion, I shall proceed to mention what Christ eminently taught. : He that reads his sermon upon the mount, will find in the entrance how many states and conditions Christ blessed; "the poor in spirit, the mourners, the meek, they that hunger after righteousness; the merciful, the pure in heart, and the peace-makers;" which, indeed, comprehend the whole of Christianity. By mourners, we understand true penitents, men of unfeigned repentance; which leads them not only to confess, but forsake their sins. This "godly sorrow" strips men of all false rests and comforts, makes them " poor in spirit," empty of themselves, wanting the comfort of the light, life and power of Jesus to support and sustain them; yet, as they stedfastly walk in that measure they have, the atonement of the blood is felt, and it cleanseth them from all unrighteousness, which makes them pure in heart. And in this condition no food will serve their turn but righteousness; after this they hunger and thirst, more than for the bread that perisheth. They are full of meekness and mercy, making peace, and promoting concord, wherever they come : for being themselves reconciled to God, they endeavour to reconcile all men unto God, and one unto another submitting all worldly considerations to this incomparable peace, that passeth all human understanding. In short, let us bring it home to our consciences, and deal faithfully with ourselves. Do we know this holy mourning? This godly sorrow? Are we poor in spirit indeed? Not self-conceited, but humble, meek, and lowly in heart, like him that bid us do so? Do we hunger after the kingdom of God, and the righteousness of it? And are our hearts purified by the precious faith of the Son of God, that is a * Mat. v. + 1 John i. 7, 1 Cor. ii. 3. working, cleansing and conquering faith: In fine, Are we merciful? Tender-hearted? Lovers of peace, more than lovers of ourselves? Persecuted, rather than persecutors ? Such as receive stripes for Christ's sake, and not those that beat our fellow-servants? No man has true faith in Christ Jesus, that is not acquainted with these blessed qualifica tions. This is Christ's doctrine; and to believe in him, is to obey it, and be like him. The great intention of this sermon, is to press people to a more excellent righteousness than that of the Scribes and Pharisees." For," said Jesus to the multitude, "Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven."* 1. He taught, not only that killing, but anger, without a very just cause, is unlawful to his disciples, his followers.t 2. He prefers concord above devotion; mercy before sacrifice he that will not use his utmost endeavour to be reconciled to his brother, shall find no place for his prayers with him that can only make them effectual. And every man is this brother. 3. He not only forbids adultery, which the law forbids, but lust. The axe of his doctrine is laid to the root of the tree; it reaches to the first seeds of things, to the innermost and most hidden conceptions of the mind, because he has brought this light near, and searches the innermost parts of the belly with his divine candle. 4. From keeping and performing legal vows, to not swearing at all. And indeed, what use can there be of any swearing, where men's yea is yea, and their nay, nay?¶ There their speech, their answers, on all occcasions, should be, at the most, but yea, yea; or nay, nay. 5. He taught, not to resist evil, but to suffer loss, rather than enter into contention: his divine wisdom did foresee how much easier it would be to overcome the violent passions of men by patience, than controversy.§ And he that justly considers the unruliness of some men's dispositions, their heats and prejudices, will find, that it is not always a real injury or loss, but some passion, revenge, or base interest, that puts them upon clamours, and suits of law. 6. He taught us the highest complacency and charity: "If any man compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain."++ Be of an easy and ready mind to do good; to all friendly offices be easily persuaded; and therein rather exceed, than fall short of, any one's intreaty or necessity. * Mat. v. 20. 29, 30. + Verse 22, ¶ Verse 33, 34. Verse 23, 24, 25. || Verse 28, ++ Verse 14. |