ZeCH. XIV, 9.] MEAT OUT OF THE EATER. 407
[1.] Some are of a preposterous zeal ia lesser differences, and are all for extremity and violence towards those from whom they differ in the least degree and circumstances. Most of the censures inflicted by the late bishops w^ere because of ceremonies, things not weighty in any regard, no, not in their own esteem. Some men breathe out nothing but rage and threatenings upon the least dissent.
I remember I have read of Joab, David's general, that when his teacher had falsely vowelled one word in the Hebrew, he slew him ; the place w^as that charge to destroy Zechar. He read it Zacliar, the males of Amalek.^ It is good to preserve truth, but small distempers will not need so violent a cure. It is as if a man should fire a house to destroy the mice in it. Union is good, but rigorous enforcements, especially in trifles, and things that lie far from the heart of religion, are not so warrantable. Paul is everywhere most zealous against errors ; there is never an epistle of his but hath somewhat against them ; however, none more earnest than he to bring cir- cumcision and uncircumcision to a profession of brotherhood.
[2.] Some are for medleys and compounds of religion, as if that would be peace. Thus Charles V. thought to please all by that wicked book called the Interim ; it did a great deal of harm, and did not any way heal the difference. Many of late among.st us, and in other reformed churches, endeavoured to blend us and Kome, Babylon and Zion, together. God hateth those iniquos syncretismos, profane mixtures and intermistical designs. Unity consists in an agreement in the truth, not in a coagulation of errors. Strings that are in tune must not be stirred, others must be set up to them. The disobedient must be brought up to the wisdom of the just, not that brought down to them, Luke i. 17. AVhen the ' language is pure ' the shoulder is one, Zeph. iii. 9. Little hopes of agreement till you set up pure doctrine, unmixed discipline. The new cloth set upon the old will make the rent the greater. The world thinks the less purity the more unity, but it is otherwise. All the troubles are because iron will not mix with clay, God's ways with man's inventions.
[3.] Some drive at a promiscuous leave and toleration of all opinions and differences, though never so contrary to truth, as if this were the best way to bring things to any peace and quiet. Oh ! consider how great a prejudice this is to religion. This is the very way that Julian, the apostate, took to destroy it. Socrates Scholas- ticus, Ammianus Marcellinus, and others that write of him, say that, to ruin religion, he would equally tolerate and countenance all parties. I shall but take notice of what one saith," that he was thoroughly set upon this, as knowing it to be the ready way to bring all to naught ; and, indeed, it was not only the policy of this subtle adversary, but of all the enemies of truth, as the margin will inform you.-^ And, in- deed, where it doth not destroy religion, it doth embase it, partly
* The rememhrance of Amalek, Deut. sxv. 19. — Ed.
2 'Quod agebatideo obstinate, ut dissentientem augente licentia non timeret minantem postea plebeiu,' kc.— Petrus Morentimus in Prcefat. in Juliani miso-pi(:yionem.
3 ' Passim cum omnibus misceut, nihil enim interest illis licet diversa tractantibun dum ad vmius veiitatis expuguationem exspirent.' — Tcr. lib. de Prcescrip. Advasus JJwret., cap. 41.
408 MEAT OUT OF THE EATER. [ZeCH. XIV. 9.
because men content themselves in havinf^ made a better choice than others about them ; partly because men spend all the heat and first- born of their strength and zeal in the contentions, and let practice go. Certainly there would be but little security to truth and its fol- lowers where there is such a promiscuous toleration. Where men are godly they cannot be so easily amassed into one body and confederacy with persons erroneous ; they being bound up by conscience, and having religion on their sides, are not so flexible, and then the others cannot so well agree with them, for two different errors can better agree and cotton among themselves than one error and the nearest truth. Darkness and darkness can better agree than light and dark- ness : always you will find it, men hate the nearest truth as being that light by which their deeds are reproved. The Eunomians and the Arians, though they held different errors (the one denied the Godhead of the Son, the other of the Spirit), could better agree with one an- other than with the orthodox. The Pharisees and Herodians, though of different principles (the one being for, the other against the liberty of the Jews), yet both could conspire together to entrap Christ. Gebal and Ammon and Amalek could better accord with one another than with Zion. In such a case truth would be worst provided for ; always under fears of some Sicilian vespers or a Saint Bartholomew's matins, some sudden eruption of violent counsels and dangers hatched against it.
Thus I have been bold to commend a few things unto you. God direct your hearts to all seasonable counsels, for his glory and the church's good !