Ohj. But loose persons will say. Oh, this is an unpleasant course ; we must bid all joy farewell when we come to this.
Ans. I answer. No. The ways of wisdom are ways of comfort and plea- sure. God approves of them, and our consciences will tell us so, and thereby will fit us for life or death, and will so settle us, that no estate shall be unwelcome to us ; and, as Ps. 1. 23, ' To such as order their con- versation aright God will shew his salvation ; ' and, as in the text fore- going, ' God will reveal himself more and more,' so as if we be faithful and conscionable in little, we shall have greater matters revealed to us ; and contrarily, if we be unfaithful and careless, God will take from us the key of knowledge^ and the use thereof, and will give us up to foul vices, even sins against nature, as he punished the Gentiles, and to believe lies, as Paul says, 2 Thess. ii. 11. And will answer us as he did the idolaters, even according to their multitude of idols, Ezek. xiv. 4. So as would we have favour in our sins, and teachers that shall bolster us up in them, and not cross our vain courses ? God will let us have our heart's desire, but we must know that this is an inevitable way to a desperate estate ; and therefore marvel not so much at the loose liver because of his good breed- ing, for as they desire the ill, so they have, and are justly punished therewith.
Let us mind the same thing.
Observe here, that we are not only to walk suitable to others, but we must mind the same thing that others of our profession do. So as this is a direction to concord, shewing that a Christian is a member of Christ as his head, and of the mystical body the church. Faith ties him to Christ, love ties him to the body, so as he must walk with Christ and also with the body. He must look to himself first, and then to the body. The ground of this union is laid down here to be first an union of mind and afiection, and this must be in good, or else we are brethren in evil. It is no marvel the world complains of want of love, when there is no agreement in the rule of our love, when there is no agreement in the objects of our love. It is not
PHILIPPIANS CHAP. Ill, YER. 17. 121
riotous fellowsliip, but fellowsliip in the gospel that unites us. Let us mind this same thing, and then we shall affect one another ; and because our knowledge doth not extend to every particular alike, let us agree in the main points, and let not less things break us off one from another. If we did walk according to our measure of knowledge in those things wherein we agree between us and the Lutherans, [there] would not be that bitterness of epirit that there is ; all censures and distempers would cease. And it is a fault in many Christians, though bred up well in knowledge, yet being of a harsh spirit and nature, while he walks not according to the same rule, and minds not the same things in the main as he should do, he grows to be bitter. As for those that would be sincere, they must endeavour to be united in one, as they have one God, one faith, one baptism ; for a Christian loves not to go to heaven alone. And when he is there, he knows he shall be one with Christ and one with the holy saints, and therefore will endeavour to be in perfect unity here. Considering there is no good he hath but he enjoys it as being a member of the body of Christ, he knows it is a horrible thing that members of the same hodj should fall out one with another ; and therefore what shall separate or divide us ? Shall infirmities ? Alas ! we are all sick of this disease, veniam i^etimns damusque. Are they too hot? We are too cold. Why should we not stoop and yield ? Christ he stooped from heaven to us. Shall errors ? Why, the time will come God will reveal himself more fully. Shall sin ? We know what the apostle saith, Gal. vi. 1 : ' Those that are spiritual must restore such with the spirit of meekness.' We must not cut off members for every sore. Shall injuries? It is the honour of a man to pass by such. Do we look Christ should for- give us when vre will not forgive others ? Consider it is the practice of all holy men. Paul ' became all things to all men, if by any means he might win some,' 1 Cor. ix. 20, seq. Peter received reproof of him, yet fell not out with him. Some there are of such a perverse spirit, as if they see in any one any infirmity, presently they break into these or the like words, ' I will not be of that man's profession,' thus forsaking all the good in the holy profession because of some weakness in the professors.