matter fills the church, that it can never be quiet. Christians, and Christians, mav live together harmoniously, and coalesce in one orderly and comfortable society, as having one and the same Head, cne Spirit, the same general design and end : But godly and un- godly, spiritual and carnal, are acted by contrary principles, pursue opposite designs, and can never heartily coalesce. There is a spirit of discerning, a judgment of discretion in the saints, and it is espe- cially desirable in a more eminent degree, in those that have office- power in the church, to judge of men's fit qualifications for church communion. We all allow, that gross ignorance and profaneness are just bars to men's admission ; and to deny this, were to take all power from the church to preserve the purity of God's ordinances, or to cast out notorious offenders. None ought to be admitted into church communion, but such a« do appear to the judgment of charity (comparing their professions and conversations) to be Chris- tians indeed, that is, men fearing God, and working righteousness. And I make no doubt, but some opinions, as well as practices, render men unmeet for church conmiunion. Tit. iii. 10. 2 John 10. All opinions which overthrow doctrines necessary to be believed, which the apostle comprehends under the name of faith ; and all such opinions as are inconsistent with an holy life, and overthrow the power of godliness, which the apostle comprehends under the name of a good conscience, 1 Tim. i. 19, 20. whosoever shall hold or maintain any such opinions as these, he is either to be kept out, if not admitted ; or cast out, if he be in church-fellowship. In re- ceiving such, you receive but spies, and incendiaries, among you. What a firebrand did Arius prove, not only in the church of Con- stantinople, but even to the whole world ? Men of graceless hearts, and erroneous heads, will give a continual exercise to the patience of sober Christians. I deny not, but out of the purest Churches, men may arise, speaking perverse things, and yet the officers and members of those churches be blameless in their admission ; but if they can be discerned before they be admitted, a little preventive care would be of singular and seasonable use, to the tranquillity of churcli-societies.
Direction 2. Let all officers and members of the church, study their duties, and keep themselves within the bounds of their proper places; ordinate motions are quiet motions. 1 Thess. iv. 11. " §tudy to be quiet and do your own business, and work with your " own hands, as we commanded you." In which words he con- dem.ns two vices, which disturb, and distract the church of Christ, viz. curiosity in matters which pertain not to us, and idleness in the duties of our particular calhngs. Two things I shall drop, by way of caution :
A SEUMON OX GOSPEL-UNITY, 605
(1.) Let it be for a caution to ministers, that they mind their proper work, study the peace of the church, impartially dispense their respects to the saints committed to their charge, not siding with a party. There be few schisms in churches, in which ministers have not some hand. Jerome upon those words, Hosea ix. 8. hath this memorable note ; Ve feres scrutans Uistorias, invenire non pos- sum scidisse ecdesiam, prostcr eos qui sacerdotes a Deo pos'iti fucrunt. Searching the ancient histories (saith lie) I can find none that hath more rent the church of God, than those that sustain the office of ministers. This is a sad charge, and it is too justly laid upon many of that order. O what a blessing is a prudent, patient, peaceable minister, to the flock over which he watches ! *
(2.) Let the peo[)le keep their places, and study their proper duties. There be in most congregations, some idle people, who having little to do at home, are employed upon Satan's errands, to run from house to house, carrying tales to exasperate one Chris- tian against another. These the apostle particularly marks and warns the churches of, 1 Tim. v. 13. '' And withal they learn to " be idle, wandering about from house to house ; and not only " idle, but tatlers also, and busy bodies, speaking things which " they ought not." If that one rule of Christ, Matth. xviii. 15, 16. were conscientiously and strictly attended to, to tell a trespass- ing brother his fault privately, then with one or two more, if obstinacy make it necessary, and not to expose him to the whole church, and much less to the whole world, without a plain necessity ; how many thousand ruptures would be prevented in Christian societies.^ But instead of regularly admonishing and reproving those irregular and idle tatlers, (as the apostle calls them) who m.ake it their business to sow jealousies, to make and widen breaches amongst brethren.
Direction 3. Let all Christians govern their tongues, and keep them under the command of the law of kindness in their mutual converses with one another. " A soft answer (saith Solomon) Prov. XV. 1. turneth away wTath ; but grievous words stir up " anger."' Hard to hard will never do well. How easily did Abigail disarm angry David by a gentle apology ? What more boisterous than the wind ? yet a gentle rain will allay it. It may be strongly presumed, that a meek and gentle answer will more easily allay tlie passions of a godly man, than of one that is botli ungodly, and full of enmity towards us ; and yet sometimes it hath done the latter. A company of vain, wicked men, having inflamed
* From vain-glorious doctors, contentious pastors, and unprofitable questions, the good Lord dc'livei- us. Lutha-'s 2)r.'iyer,
606 A SERMON ON GOSrilL-rXITY.
their blood in a tavern at Boston in New-England, and seeing that reverend, Ineek and holy minister of Christ, Mr. Cotton, coming along the street, one of them tells his companions, " I will go (saith " he) and put a trick upon the old Cotton.'' Down he goes, and crossing his way, whispers these words into his ear, " Cotton (said '^ he) thou art an old fool." Mr. Cotton replied, " I confess I am " so ; the Lord make both me and thee wiser than we are, even " wise to salvation." He relates this passage to his wicked com- panions, which cast a great damp upon their spirits, in the midst of a fK)lic. What peaceful societies should we have, if our lips transgressed not the laws of love and kindness.