But there are many others, zealous of peace and truth, agreeing in fundamentals, and standing equally against the common enemies oi^ the reformed reHgion, who, notwithstanding, differ (alas !) about matters not necessaiy to salvation, and split into opposite parties, and cause strife : while this fierce contention spreads itself among the brethren, it affords a continual occasion to their enemies to insult and molest them. Could any one find out a remedy for this epidemical distemper, he would deserve well of the church ; but since the experience of so many years has put it beyond doubt that it is difficult, or indeed impracticable to accompUsh this by scholastic disputes, or by oppressing the conscience with penalties ; it were mqre advisable to sopite all their debates, than by fruit- less strife to tear asunder the church ; and in fine, to have recourse to that which is the most useful, if not the only rule for promoting peace, Phil. iii. 16. Wherein w^ have already attained, let us walk by the same ride : with which agrees well that most wholesome advice given by Tossanus to the college of Tubing, in the following words : ' AH bitter railings and accusations ought justly to be laid aside, ' and the judgments of these matters in debate left wholly to the
* Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, and to our own posterity, ' who, not being authors, but spectators of the debate, will judge
* more impartially about it. Our adversaries still hve and become
* bolder every day ; they make it their business night and day to ' plot and contrive how they may extinguish the light of the gospel ' that lias arisen, and bring back ancient darkness ; in the mean time,
* we who at fii'st with one accord, by God's grace, preached the
< ffospel, do now, with weapons of death turned against one ano-
* ther, rush mutually on destruction ; thereby exhibiting a delight-
* ful spectacle to our enemies, who place more of their safety and
* confidence in our contentions, than the weak foundation of their
Let us therefore frequently consider tliat of the apostle, Gal. v. 15. But \fye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye he not consumed one of another. What Cicero said of the discords of great men, our countryman Davenant scruples not to affirm concerning those of the churches, That they connnonly end either in the ruin of both parties, or in the unjust tyranny of that side which overcomes. It IS greatly to be feared, that every one, by these continual and fierce debates, is hastening (may God prevent it) his own ruin : yet I doubt not but that all discords amongst the godly might be extinguished, whatever some may allege to the contrary, if the mmds of some were freed from the violent emotions of suspicion, ano-er, and envy. Behold, brethren, what a seasonable and pro- per softening plaister our skilful Physician hath applied to us all at this time. God grant it the desired effect ; lest the scar not being rightly closed up, the wound should break out again.
The godly in every place lame^nt the present deplorable state of the church \ and, from the destruction of some, do conjecture what danger hangs over all.
* Hence let contending nations know,
What direful mischief s from their discords flow.
Certain it is, that all wise and good men on both sides, (how- ever thev difler among themselves) are unanimous in this at least. That these are not times for strife, but times that call for prayer and reformation ; for, such are the prayers they every where offer up : ' May God turn the heai't of the fathers to the children, and the
* heart of the children to flie fathers, lest he come and smite the earth
* with a curse. These do not well consult their own interest, who, be-
* cause of disputes among the learned, perhaps never to be ended,
* will needs be tearing the church by perpetual divisions. Our
* brethren, that seriously pmfess they differ from us in smaller
* matters of religion, for no other reason than a fear of offending, ' these ought to be embraced with the greatest affection. Let all ' causes of offence be presently removed, that we may not stumble
* twice on the same stone. If we fall upon it again, we are broken *■ in pieces. We will not grant them this praise, that they are
En QUO dUcordiu gentes
*■ more studious of peace and concord than ourselves. You may
* re-exact a conformity in fundamentals and things necessary in re-
* ligion ; but in matters erf indifference, and not absolutely neces-
< sary, you may give a larger liberty. No body should assume to
< himself a liberty of dividing tlie church, and dissolving brotherly
< unity on such a ground as neither Christ, nor the apostles, nor
* the primitive church in its purest state would ever have approv- ' ed.'
It must be confessed, that all kinds of controversy will never be at an end ; neverthelesss we can bid farewell to all discord ; for va- riety of opinions, and unity among those that hold them, are not things inconsistent. Why should there dwell in the breast of a Christian, the fierceness of wolves, the madness of dogs, the dead- ly poison of serpents, the cruel savageness of beasts ? as Cyprian long since complained. That is (saith Gregory) a new and un- heard-of manner of preaching, that forces a belief, with stripes : therefore let all bitter railing and accusation be gone. May the God of peace bring all into order and peace.
III. Especially and above all, I humbly beseech you, that, hav- ing laid aside all designs of smaller importance, you would mind this one thing how you may gain to Christ the souls committed to you, to which all earthly things are to be postponed. This is the labour, this the work incumbent on us.
Put far from you a vile, niggardly sparing of your gifts, an im- moderate care for worldly things, an excessive indulgence of the vile body. Let it not seem much to us to spend a little sweat for the sake of those souls for which Christ so willingly and plentifully poured out his own most precious blood. If we hide the Lord's talent in a napkin, where shall we find a napkin to dry up our tears of blood for so base a crime ^
Remember, brethren, that it will be required at our hands, how we have spent every portion of that time which is given us ; how much of it have we already lost in unprofitable silence ! But among all the oppressions under which you have long groaned, I persuade myself there is none you have more sorrowed for than that of being so long with-holden from feeding poor hungry souls. The present opportunity is slippery, and may be lost, as to what con- cerns futurity, the clouds return after the rain. Up then ye ser- vants of God, mind this your business, and the Lord shall be with you : do not regard the usual murmurings of the flesh. Look for- ward to that heavenly crown : " They that be \vise shall shine as *' the brightness of the firmament ; and they that turn many to *' righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.""