Note 136 — Chapter VIII · DIRECTIONS FOR THE UNION AND COMMUNION OF SAINTS, AND THE AVOIDING UNPEACEABLENESS AND SCHISM.

Of this subject I have written already, 1. My "Universal Concord." 2. My "Catholic Unity." 3. Of the "True Catholic Church." 4. My "Christian Concord."

[137] Read over Sir Francis Bacon's third Essay; and Hales of Schism.

[138] In veste Christi varietas sit; scissura non sit. They be two things, unity and uniformity. Lord Bacon, Essay iii.

[139] 1 Thess. v. 12, 13.

[140] Gal. iii. 20; iv. 5, 6; Eph. iv. 5; 1 Cor. xii. 12, 13; 1 Pet. i. 16; Eph. iv. 11-13; ii. 20, 21, 19; 1 John iii. 11, 14, 23; Psal. cxxii. 2; 1 Pet. ii. 1, 2; John iii. 6; Heb. x. 25; 1 Cor. x. 16, 17; Rom. xii. 1; Eph. ii. 10, 11.

[141] 1 John ii. 12-14; Heb. v. 11-13; Matt. xvii. 2; xiii. 31; Rom. xiv. 1, 2, 21; xv. 1; 1 Cor. viii. 7, 10, 12; ix. 22; Acts xx. 35; Luke i. 6; Phil. ii. 15; Gal. ii. 9, 11, 13, 14; 1 Thess. v. 4; 1 Cor. iii. 1, 4, 5; Eph. iv. 11, 12,13; Rom. xiv.; xv.; Col. ii. 18, 22; Phil. ii. 20, 21; 1 Cor. xii. 22, 24; 1 Sam. ii. 30; Matt. xxiii. 11; Luke xxii. 26; Matt. xx. 23; Luke xx. 30; Matt. xix. 30; xx. 16.

[142] The true placing the bonds of unity importeth exceedingly. Which will be done if the points fundamental, and of substance in religion, were truly discerned and distinguished from points not merely of faith, but of opinion, order, or good intention. This is a thing that may seem to many a matter trivial, and done already; but if it were done less partially it would be embraced more generally. L. Bacon, Essay iii.

[143] James iii. 13-17.

[144] 1 Pet. ii. 5, 7, 9. Leg. Grotium de Imp. p. 230, 231.

[145] Leg. Grotium de Imp. p. 223, 226.

[146] But not denying her to be a church, unless she cast off some essential part; but so disowning her as in 2 Thess. iii.

[147] Where any church retaining the purity of doctrine doth require the owning of and conforming to any unlawful or suspected practice, men may lawfully deny conformity to and communion with that church in such things, without incurring the guilt of schism. Mr. Stillingfleet. Iren. p. 117.

[148] 1 Sam. xv. 22; Prov. xv. 8.

[149] 2 John x. 11; 2 Tim. iii. 5; Rom. xvi. 17; 1 Cor. v. 11.

[150] Matt. xiii. 41, 30; Jer. xv. 19; 1 Cor. xii. 23, 24.

[151] See Rom. xiv. throughout; Rom. xv. 12, 5-7; Eph. iv. 4-7; 1 Pet. iii. 6; 1 Cor. xii. throughout; Phil. iii. 15, 16; Acts ii. 1, 46; iv. 32; Rom. xii. 4, 5; Psal. cxxxiii; 1 Cor. viii; 1 Tim. i. 4; James iii.

[152] Peace containeth infinite blessings: it strengtheneth faith: it kindleth charity. The outward peace of the church distilleth into peace of conscience: and it turneth the writing and reading of controversies into treatises of mortification and devotion. Against procuring unity by sanguinary persecutions, see Lord Bacon, Essay iii. Surely there is no better way to stop the rising of new sects and schisms, than to reform abuses, to compound the smaller differences, to proceed mildly, and not with sanguinary persecutions, and rather to take off the principal authors by winning and advancing them, than to enrage them by violence and bitterness. Lord Bacon in his Essay lviii. Ira hominis non implet justitiam Dei. And it was a notable observation of a wise father, that those which held and persuaded pressure of consciences, were commonly interested therein themselves for their own ends. Id. Essay iii. p. 19.

[153] Concil. Tolet. 4. c. 16. 28. q. 1. Ca. Judæi qui—allow separation from a Jewish husband, if after admonition he will not be a christian: and so doth Acosta and his Concil. Limens. l. 6. c. 21, and other Jesuits, and allow the marrying of another: and sure the conjugal bond is faster than that of a pastor and his flock: may not a man then change his pastor when his soul is in apparent hazard?

[154] Eph. iv. 16; 1 Tim. i. 4; Rom. xv. 19; Acts ix. 31.

[155] Rom. xiv. 17; 1 Tim. i. 4.

[156] Rom. viii. 16; ix. 26; 1 John v. 2.

[157] Quicquid ad multitudinem vergit, antipathiam continet; et quanto magis multitudo augetur, tanto et antipathia: quicquid vero ad unitatem tendit, sympathiam habet; et quanti magis ad unitatem accedit, tanto pariori sympathia augetur. Paul Scaliger, Epist. Cath. lib. iii. p. 176.

[158] Eph. xiv. 13-16.

[159] Phil. i. 9; 1 Thess. iv. 9; Col. ii. 2; 1 Thess. iii. 12; Phil. ii. 12; Lev. xviii. 9; 1 Pet. i. 22; 1 Thess. v. 3; Rom. xii. 9, 10; 2 Tim. i. 7; Heb. x. 24; 1 Cor. xii. 31; Gal. v. 6, 13.

[160] 1 John iv. 7, 8; John xiii. 35; James iii. 15; 1 John iv. 16; Gal. v. 19-22; 2 Cor. xiii. 11; 1 Tim. vi. 11; Gal. v. 14; 1 Cor. xiii; Eph. iv. 2, 15, 16; Col. i. 4.

[161] See Mr. Stillingfleet, Iren. p. 119, 120. Bilson for christian subjection, p. 525.

[162] Dr. H. More saith, Myst. Redempt. p. 495. l. 10. c. 2. There is scarce any church in christendom at this day that doth not obtrude, not only falsehood, but such falsehoods that will appear to any free spirit pure contradictions and impossibilities; and that with the same gravity, authority, and importunity, that they do the holy oracles of God. Now the consequents of this must needs be sad; For what knowing and conscientious man, but will be driven off, if he cannot assert the truth, without open asserting of a gross lie? Id. p. 526. And as for opinions, though some may be better than other some, yet none should exclude from the fullest enjoyments of either private or public rights; supposing there be no venom of the persecutive spirit mingled with them; but every one that professeth the faith of Christ, and believeth the Scriptures in the historical sense, &c. See Hales of Schism, p. 8.

[163] In ecclesiis plus certaminum gignunt verba hominum quam Dei; magisque pugnatur fere de Apolline, Petro, et Paulo, quam de Christo: retine divina: relinque humana. Bucholcer.

[164] Poetæ nunquam perturbarunt respublicas: oratores non raro. Bucholtz.

[165] Acosta, l. vi. c. 23. p. 579. Nothing so much hurteth this church as a rabble of hirelings and self-seekers: for what can natural men, that scarce have the Spirit, do in the cause of God? A few in number that are excellent in virtue, will more promote the work of God.—But they that come hither being humble, and lovers of souls, taking Christ for their pattern, and bearing in their bodies his cross and death, shall most certainly find heavenly treasures, and inestimable delights. But when will this be? When men cease to be men, and to savour the things of men; and to seek and gape after the things of men. With men this is utterly impossible; but with God all things are possible: Because this is hard in the eyes of this people, shall it therefore be hard in my eyes, saith the Lord? Zech. viii. 6. pag. 580. I may say to some ministers that cry out of the schismatical disobedience of the people, as Acosta doth to those that cried out of the Indians' dulness and wickedness. It is long of the teachers. Deal with them in all possible love and tenderness, away with covetousness, lordliness, and cruelty; give them the example of an upright life, open to them the way of truth, and teach them according to their capacity, and diligently hold on in this way, whoever thou art that art a minister of the gospel, and (saith he) as ever I hope to enjoy thee, O Lord Jesu Christ, I am persuaded the harvest will he plentiful and joyful. Lib. iv. p. 433, et passim. But (saith he) we quickly cease our labours, and must presently have hasty and plenteous fruit. But the kingdom of God is not such: verily, it is not such, but, as Christ hath told us, like seed cast into the earth, which groweth up by degrees we know not how, p. 433, 434. Jerom's case is many another's: Concivit odia perditorum: oderunt eum hæretici, quia eos impugnare non desinit: oderunt clerici, quia vitam eorum insectatur et crimina. Sed plane eum boni omnes admirantur et diligunt. Posthumianus in Sulp. Severi Dialog. 1. And Dial. 2. Martinus in medio cœtu et conversatione populorum, inter clericos dissidentes, inter episcopos sævientes, cum fere quotidianis scandalis hinc atque inde premeretur, inexpugnabili tamen adversus omnia virtute fundatus stetit.—Nec tamen huic crimini miscebo populares, soli illum clerici, soli nesciunt sacerdotes, nec immerito: nosse illum invidi noluerunt: quia si virtutes illius nossent, suorum vitia cognovissent.

[166] How the Jesuits have hereby distracted the church, read Mariana, et Archiepisc. Pragensis Censur. de Bull. Jesuit. et Dan. Hospital. ad Reges, &c. Aug. Ardinghelli Paradoxa Jesuitica. Galindus, Giraldus, &c. Arcana Jesuit.

[167] That God above that knoweth the heart, doth discern that frail men in some of their contradictions intend the same thing, and accepteth both. L. Verul. Essay iii. p. 15.

[168] Saith Cleanthes (in Laert.) The Peripateticks are like letters that sound well, but hear not themselves.

[169] Yet I excuse not impiety or insufficiency in ministers. It was one of Solon's laws, Qui nequitia ac flagitiis insignis est, tribunali, publicisque suggestis arcendus est. And Gildas saith to the ungodly pastors of Britain, Apparet ergo eum qui vos sacerdotes sciens ex corde dicit, non esse eximium christianum.—Quomodo vos aliquid solvetis, ut sit solutum in cœlis, a cœlo ob scelera adempti? et immanium peccatorum funibus compediti? Qua ratione aliquid in terra ligabitis, quod supra mundum etiam ligetur, propter vosmet ipsos qui ita ligati iniquitatibus in hoc mundo tenemini, ut in cœlos nunquam ascendatis, sed in infausta tartari ergastula, non conversi in hac vita ad dominum, decidatis, Fol. ult. O inimici Dei, et non sacerdotes! O licitatores malorum, et non pontifices! Traditores, et non sanctorum apostolorum successores; impugnatores, et non Christi ministri.—p. 571. Impres. Basil.

[170] Pii hominis est facere quod potest, etiamsi non faciat hoc quod est eligibilius. Bucholtz.

[171] Prince Frederick of Monpelgard being instructed into a distaste of the reformed protestants, when he had been at Geneva and Helvetia, was wont to say, Genevæ et in Helvetia vidi multa de quibus nihil, pauca eorum de quibus sæpe audivi: ut Tossanus ad Pezelium referente Sculteto in Curric. p. 26.

[172] Since the writing of this, I have published a book called "The cure of Church Divisions," and a "Defence of it:" which handle these things more fully.

[173] Beda Hist. Eccles. lib. i. c. 26. Didicerat enim (Rex Edilburth) et a doctoribus, auctoribusque suæ salutis, servitium, Christi voluntarium, non coactitium debere esse.