^ Qu. ' the world ? ' — Ed.
70 A PERSUASIVE TO UNITY [PlIIL. III. 15.
Christ, is always lost tliiough tlioir own ])cevisliness ; at least, they lose ^vent advantai^cs of promotiiij]^ the kingdom of Christ.
[3.] To prevent this open rupture, there must be all lenity used and mutual forbearance. We must not rigorously obtrude our conceits upon others, either by church-power, or private censure. It may be done either way ; sometimes by churoli-power, especially when it is possessed or invaded by the more self-seeking sort of Christians ; as Ave read in tlie Revelations of the beast that pushed with the horns of a lamb — that is, used church-power, and under a pretence of church- constitution destroyed them that were truly the church of Christ. And our Lord telleth us, John xvi. 2, ' They shall put you out of the synagogues ; yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you, shall think that he doth God good service.' Putting them out of the synagogues was an abuse of ecclesiastical power : it may be so, tlie builders may refuse the corner-stone. On the other side, private cen- sures may as 'much break the law of forbearance as public censures, when inferiors promote their differences with turbulency, heat, and animosity, and rend and tear all things, yea, themselves, from the body of Clirist, and sober Christians, censuring all that dissent from them as no Christians. There is such a sin under the gospel as the gainsaying of Korah, Jude 11. The sin of Korali is and may be committed in the New Testament. The sin of Korali was invading an office that no way belonged to him, and censured his superiors, as if they took too much upon them, because all the Lord's people were holy, and erected another ministry in their stead. He, being a Levite, would do the office of a priest as well as Aaron ; and when summoned to appear before Moses, said, ' We will not come,' Num. xvi. 11, 12. Now the apostle saith, in the perishing of Korah their own doom was foretold. Again, ver. 19, ' These are they that separate themselves, sensual, not having the Spirit.' Whence it is clear that private men, in their sphere, may rend the church. And the factions at Corinth proved it : 1 Cor. i. 12, ' I am of Paul, and I am of Apollos, and I am of Cephas, and I am of Christ,'— as impailingand impropriating the common sal- vation to themselves. Much milder was the aj)Ostle : 1 Cor. i. 2, ' Jesus Christ, theirs and ours.' Now what remedy is there but lenity and mutual forbearance ? This I shall state : —
1. As to the matter of the strife. It must be considered that we must dispense this forbearance as the matter will bear. There are great disputes about toleration ; only let me tell you now, that we speak not of the toleration of the magistrate, but of the church, what things are within the latitude of allowable differences within the church. The magistrate's concessions may be larger ; for in supernatural things, such as matters of religion are, he may bear with that which the church ought not to bear with in them that have sulmiitted to a higher institution, or in its own members, or rather private Christians one with another. But in this limited forbearance there are extremes, and for want of right stating of things, men fight with their friends in the dark ; some think all things should be suffered ; some nothing wherein to bear with our brethren. The one sort of Christians is for imposing on their brethren all things that have gotten the vogue and the favour of authority, and that not only
PlIlL. III. 15.] IN THINGS INDIFFERENT. 71
on their practice, but their judgments too; and this in matters not fundamental or destructive to faith or worship, but in things contro- versial or doubtful among godly and peaceable men. But if it should not go so high, contending about every diflevence of opinion, and urging our brethren with everything we conceive to be right, is a breach of Christian love, and destroyeth the use of those difiering gifts which Christ hath given to the church, and crosseth his mind in the frame of the scriptures, which are clear in soul-saving matters ; in other thing.s, especially matters of discipline and order, more dark and obscure. It is also contrary to the mild and gentle government of the apostles, who press in lesser matters a forbearance ; as Paul, Kom. xiv. 1, ' The weak in faith receive, but not to doubtful disputations ;' receive him, own him, but do not cast him out of the church, nor trouble him for doubtful things, but let him come to himself, for men will sooner be led than drawn.
The other extreme is of them that will have all things to be tole- rated, even blasphemy and fundamental errors, as if the scriptures were uncertain in all things. No ; in things absolutely necessary to salvation, it is clear, open, and plain : ' The law is a lamp, and a light,' Prov. vi. 23, and Ps. cxix. 105. And in such a case we are not to ' bid him God-speed,' 2 Epist. John 10. In such cases of damnable heresy, the law of Christian lenity holdeth not ; but if we agree in the principal articles of faith, let us embrace one another with mutual love, though we differ from one another in variety of rites and cere- monies and discipline ecclesiastical. If we agree in the substantials of worship, let us go by the same rule, do the same thing : though in circumstantials there be a difference, these are matters of lesser moment than separation, or the other ^ division of the church,