7. This mercy of Christ likewise should move us to commiserate the state -= of the poor church, torn by enemies without, and rending itself by divisions at home. It cannot but work upon any soul that ever felt com- fort fi-om Christ, to consider what an affectionate entreaty the apostle useth to mutual agreement in judgment and affection. ' If any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, fulfil my joy, be like-minded,' Phil. ii. 1 ; as if he should say. Unless you will disclaim all consolation in Christ, &c., labour to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. What a joyful spec- tacle is this to Satan and his faction, to see those that are separated from the world fall in pieces among themselves ! Our discord is our enemy's melody.
The more to blame those that for private aims affect dift'erences from others, and will not suffer the wounds of the church to close and meet together. Wliich must not be understood, as if men should dissemble their judgment in any truth w-here there is just cause of expressing them- selves ; for the least truth is Christ's and not ours, and therefore we are not to take liberty to aflirm or deny at our pleasures. There is a due in a penny as well as in a pound, therefore we must be faithful in the least truth, when season calleth for it. Then our ' words are like apples of gold with picturt!s of silver,' Prov. xxv. 11. One word spoken in season, will do more good than a thousand out of season. But in some cases peace, by ' keeping oiir faith to ourselves,' Rom. xiv. 22, is of more consequence than the open discovery of some things we take to be true ; considering the weakness of man's nature is such that there can hardly be a discovery of any difference in opinion, without some estrangement of affection. So far as men are not of one mind, they will hardly be of one heart, except where grace and the peace of God, Col. iii. 15, bear great rule in the heart : therefore open show of difference is never good but when it is necessary ; howsoever some, from a desire to be somebody, turn into by-ways, and yield to a spirit of contradiction in themselves ; yet, if St Paul may be judge, ' are they not carnal ? ' 1 Cor. iii. 3 ; if it be wisdom, it is wisdom from beneath : for the wisdom from above, as it is pure, so it is 2}eaceahle, James iii. 17. Our blessed Saviour, when he was to leave the world, what doth he pi'css upon his disciples more than peace and love ? And in his * ' Estate,' iu A and B.
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last prayer, witli what earnestness did lie beg of Lis Father that ' they might be one, as he and the Father were one ! ' John xvii. 21. But what he prayed for on earth, we shall only enjoy perfectly in heaven. Let this make the meditation of that time the more sweet unto us.
8. And further, to lay open ofienders in this kind, what spirit shall we think them to be of, that take advantages of the bruisedness and infinni- ties of men's spirits to relieve them with false peace for their own worldly ends ? A wounded spirit wiU part with an}i;hing. Most of the gainful points of popeiy, as confession, satisfaction, merit, purgatory, &c., spring from hence, but they are physicians of no value, or rather tormentors than physicians at all. It is a gi-eater blessing to be delivered from the ' sting of these scorpions,' Rev. ix. 5, than we are thankful for. Spiritual tn'anny is the gi-eatest tyranny, and then especially when it is where most mercy should be shewed ; yet even there some, hke cruel surgeons, delight in making long cures, to serve themselves upon the misery of others. It bringeth men under a terrible cm'se, ' when they will not remember to shew mercy, but persecute the poor and needy man, that they might even slay the broken in heart,' Ps. cix. 16.
Likewise, to such as raise temporal advantage to themselves out of the spiritual miseiy of others, join such as raise estates b}^ betraying the church, and are unfaithful in the trust committed unto them : when the children shall ciy for the bread of life, and there is none to give them, bringing thus upon the people of God that hea^w judgment of a spii'itual famine, starving Christ in his members ; shall we so requite so good a Saviom-, who counteth the love and mercy shewed ' in feeding his lambs,' John xxi. 15, as shewed to himself?
Last of all, they carry themselves veiy unkindly towards (Jnrist, who stumble at this his low stooping imto us in his government and ordinances, that are ashamed of the simpUcity of the gospel, that count preaching foolishness.
They, out of the pride of their heai't, think they may do well enough without the help of the word and sacraments, and think Christ took not state enough upon him ; and therefore they will mend the matter with their own devices, whereby they may give the better content to flesh and blood, as in popery. What greater untliankfulness can there be than to despise any help that Christ in mercy hath pro\ided for us ? In the days of his flesh, the proud Pharisees took offence at his famiUar conversing with sinful men, who only did so as a phj-sician to heal their souls. What defences was St Paul di'iven to make for himself, for his plainness in unfold- ing the gospel ? The more Christ, in himself and in his servants, shall descend to exalt us, the more we should, with all humility and readiness, entertain that love, and magnify the goodness of God, that hath put the great work of our salvation, and laid the government upon so gentle a Saviour, that wiU carry himself so mildly in all things wherein he is to deal betwixt God and us, and us and God. The lower Christ comes down to us, the higher let us lift him up in our hearts : so will all those do that have ever found the experience of Chiist's work in their heart.