This natural quality of soclableness is diversly improved. Some- times sinfully, in wicked combinations to do mischief; like the herd- ing together of wolves and tygers ; such was the consideration of Simeon and Levi, brethren in iniquity ; Gen. xlix. 56. Sometimes it is improved civilly, for the more orderly and prosperous manage- ment of human affairs. Thus all civilized countries have improved it, for the common security and benefit. And sometimes religiously, for the better promoting of each other's spiritual and eternal good.
Now the more firmly any civil or religious societies are knit together by love, and coalesce in unity, by so much the better they are se- cured against their common enemies and dangers, and become still the more prosperous and flourishing within and among themselves. For ivhen every man finds his particular interest involved in the public safety and security, (as every private cabin and passenger is in the safety of the ship,) every particular person will then stand ready to contribute his uttermost assistance, for the public interest, both ia peace and war. United force, we all know, is more than single ; and, in this sense we say, Unus hoino, nullus liomo : one man, is no man, that is, considered disjunctively^ and alone ; when yet that single person, standing in a proper place of service in the body, may, by his prudence and courage, signify very much to the public weal of his country ; as Fabius did to the Koman state, of whom the poet truly observed,
Urns Jiomo Jiohis cunctando jrstituit rem ; That one man, by his prudent delay and conduct, hath saved the whole commonwealth.
§ 2. It is therefore the undoubted interest of Christian states and churches, to make every individual person as useful as may be to the whole, and to enjoy the services of all their subjects and members, one way or other, according to their different capacities ; that it may be said of them, (as the historian speaks of the land of Canaan) that tliere was in it. Nihil hifructuosum, nihil sterile ; not a shrub but bare some fruit.
No prudent kingdom or church, will deprive themselves of the be- nefit theymayenjoybytheservices of any considerablenumber of men, (especially if they be able and good men) without a plain, inevitable necessity. No man, without such a necessity, will part with the use and service of the least finger or toe, much less with a leg or arm : but would reckon himself half undone, if a paralytic disease should strike one half of the body, and render it utterly useless to defend and succour the other part in time of danger,
§ 3. Much so stands the case with churches and kingdoms, when the causeless and cruel enmity of one part prevails so far against the
THE REASONABLENESS OF PERSONAL REFORMATION. 521
t)dier, as to deprive that state, or church, of the use and service of multitudes of good and faithful members.
It is folly, in its highest exaltation, for one ]mTi of a nation, out of bitter enmity to the other, not only to seek all ways and means to suppress and ruin it, whilst a common danger hangs over the whole ; but to rejoice in the miseries of their brethren, as the principal thing which they fancy would contribute to the great advantage of their cause. What but a general punishment, (if that will do it) can work men's hearts into a more general compassion ?
The histories of those times sufficiently inform us, that the great feuds and factions in the western church, not only immediately pre- ceded, but opened the way to the terrible inundations of the Goths and Vandals. Whilst the suffering part cries out, cruelty, cruelty ; those that inflict it, cry as loud, justice, justice. W^hatever rational apologies, or methods of peace, come from the oppressed party, are censured by the other as murmur and mutiny. AH men commend unity, and assert it to be the interest of kingdoms and churches. They wish all men were of one mind ; but what mind must that be ? To be sure, none but their own.
The more cool, prudent, and moderate spirits of each party, may strive to the uttermost, to allay these unnatural feuds and animosities. The wisdom of the governing part, may take the instruments of cruelty out of their hand; but it is God alone that can pluck up the roots of enmity out of their hearts.
And what is the matter, when all is sifted and examined ? Why the matter is this : some will be more serious, strict, and conscientious than others think fit or necessary for them to be. They dare not curse, swear, whore, and be drunk, as others do. They scruple to comply with what God hath not commanded, and the very imposers confess to be indifferent, antecedently to their command. They re- verently mention the name of God, without an oath, and the solemn matters of religion without a jest in their company. They will assume as much liberty to reprove sin, as others do to commit it. They take more pleasure in heavenly duties, and holy conferences, than in rant- ing and roaring in taverns and ale-houses. That is, in a word, they live up to the principles of religion, Avhich all pretend to ; and this is their unpardonable crime, a fault never to be expiated by any less punishment than their destruction.
And are not people (think you) come to a fine pass ; when the strictest obedience to the laws of God shall be accounted more crimi- nal than the most open and profane violation of them ? Nay, thougli they reprove the other party's sin no other way, but by their most serious and religious lives ; yet this alone shall be sufficient to make them culpable and obnoxious.
§ 4. If the party thus generally hated and maligned, be (for the generality of them) serious and godly Christians; or if the strictness
522 THE REASONABLENESS OF PERSONAL REFORMATION.
and holiness of their lives, and tenderness of their consciences, be the true ground and reason of our hatred of them ; such an hatred, when it becomes general, is a direful presage of some common calamity and misery hastening upon such a people : IIos. ix. 7. " The days of visitation are come; the days ofrecompence are come; Israel shall know it. The prophet is a fool ; the spiritual man is mad ; for the multitude of thine iniquity and the great hatred.'^
And our own reason will give us this conclusion, as well as scrip- ture : for whatsoever brings sin to itsfull maturity, must needs hasten judgments. And what can heighten and accent the sins of a people, more than such a cruel hatred of good men, upon the score and ac- count before given ? All hatred of godliness hath a tang of devilish- ness. It is a desperate flying in the very face of God, whose image holiness is. Sin can scarce be graduated a peg higher.