1 John iv. 13) for believers have Judicium Discretionis,' as the men of Berea, to try the things which are taught them. (Acts xvii. 11) 3. That this spirit, though in a private man, yet is not a private spirit, because not originally from that man: as my money, though private in regard of my property to it, yet it is public in regard of the currentness of it. The church by her ministers, hath the ordinary public power of expounding scriptures, but not power to lead the people to subscribe to such expositions as peremptory and infallible; for they have a spirit of discerning, to prove all things, and hold fast that which is good.

The sum of all is ;-There are differences in the church, in matters of religion: The removing of them is to be expected from divine revelation. God reveals it by three concurrent means: 'Ministerialiter,' by the service of the ministry; • Judicialiter,' by the sentence of the word; Efficaciter,' by the illumination of the spirit, healing all that folly, inadvertency, unbelief, impenitency, proud and contumacious reasonings, whereby the carnal mind is not only indisposed to receive, but armed also to resist the truth. And thus we having by God's spirit an eye, the word having in itself an evidence, and the ministry directing this eye to this evidence; so much of God's counsel is discovered, as is necessary unto faith and holiness here, and to salvation hereafter.

And our Saviour telleth us, that this revelation is not always to the wise and prudent (though learning sanctified be an excellent help thereunto) but unto Babes; (Matth. xi. 25) whereby are noted two preparative dispositions unto the receiving of divine truth. 1. Humility, and tractableness of spirit, a meek and docile temper: The poor receive the gospel. 2. Spiritual hungering after the sincere milk of the word; praying and crying for the knowledge thereof, that we may grow thereby.

The second means for healing divisions in the church, is to have an εἰς ὃ ἐφθάσαμεν, some κοινόπιστα, some fundamen tal doctrines wherein all agree: this is the basis of unity and concord in the church. The "ancients call it the rule of

m John vii. 48. 1 Cor. i. 19, 20. Vid. Camero. in Mat. 18, 2. to. 2. p. 320, 324.-Jackson, of Script. 1. 2. sect. c. c. 3. sect. 9.-Melch. Canus in loc. Theol. 1. 12. c. 11. n Irenæus 1. 1. c. 3. Naz. Or. 14, 40. Aug. Enchirid. c. 7. Tertul. de præscript. c. 13, 14. de Veland. Virgin. c. 1. Athanas, in Symbol. Irenæus, 1. 1. c. 1. Aug. ep. 57. Vid. Parker de descens. 1. 4. c. 3.

faith, seed of doctrine, the catholic faith, the character of the church, that which is common to small and great. i St. Paul, the foundation, the form of sound words, the principle of doctrine, the faith of the gospel, the unity of faith, the mystery of godliness, the rule by which we are to walk. And these fundamentals are of three sorts. 1. Fundamentals in faith, that knowledge of God and Christ, unto which eternal life is annexed. (John xvii. 3. John viii. 24. Acts iv. 11, 12. 1 Cor. i. 23, and ii. 2, 3, 11) 2. Fundamentals in practice, viz. repentance from dead works, sincere obedience, self-denial, love of the brethren, &c. (Luke xiii. 5. Matth. v. 19, 20. Rom. vi. 1, 2. Rom. viii. 1. Matth. xvi. 24. 1 John iii. 14) 3. Fundamentals in worship, to worship God in spirit and in truth, to call upon God in the name of Christ, as our advocate and propitiation; not to worship creatures, but to hold the head, to keep ourselves from idols, and communion with devils. (John iv. 24. Phil. iii. 3. John xvi. 23. Col. iii. 17. Col. ii. 18, 19)

Where there is agreement in these fundamentals, there is, 1. A fair way unto discovery of truth, in the things of difference for where true principles are laid, there is a great preparation unto all true conclusions deducible from them; and the more clearly we understand the comprehensions and latitude of these principles, (which are 'Omnium Doctrinarum Matrix,') the more skill we have to discern the genuine deduction of true conclusions, and the inconsistency of those which are false and spurious: for matters of division are to be measured by the doctrines which we have learned. (Rom. xvi. 17) We must not suffer any doctrine to corrupt our judgement or enthral our consciences, which doth, either directly or by visible and just consequence, overturn, or wrench, or shake, or endanger the foundation. We must not do with doctrines in religion, as, Herodotus saith, the Babylonians did with their virgins,-sell the fair ones, to raise portions for the foul; plead agreement in fundamentals, for prevarication in other things: for the rule is made to rectify other errors by, not to warrant them. They who consent not in this necessary disposition to peace, but will have all

a

i 1 Cor. iii. 10, 11. 2 Tim. i. 13. Col. i. 23. Ephes. iv. 13. 1 Timi. iii. 16. Gal. i. 6. Rom. vi. 17. xii. 6. 2 Tim. i. 13, 14. 1 Cor. ii. 2. 1 Tim. vi. 3. Tit. i. 1. Phil. i. 27. Rev. xiv. 12. a In Clio.

opinions to strike sail to theirs, and will exercise domination over the faith and consciences of their brethren, (which is the case between us and the Roman church, which boasteth of her infallibility, and that her laws bind the conscience, as if the Pope, and not Christ, were to sit in judgement at the last day)—these, I say, will be found to have been the greatest schismaticks, who, by intolerable tyranny over the consciences, and cruelty over the lives of men, have miserably torn the peace and unity of the church of Christ.c

2. Where there is this agreement in fundamentals, there ought to be mutual and fraternal affections, notwithstanding differences in other things; no reproaches, no exasperations, no individuous consequences, no odious imputations, no uncharitable digladiations; but an owning of one another as brethren, and discussing and ventilating of the points in difference with the spirit of love and meekness; saying to one another, as Abraham to Lot, "Let there be no strife between thee and me; for we are brethren." d

III. The last expedient which the apostle useth for pacification amongst brethren, is, "To walk by the same rule, and to mind the same things;" that is, notwithstanding all their differences, to preserve unity in these three things; unity of wills in love; unity of holiness in life; unity of ends in design. The apostle putteth faith and love, faith and a good conscience together: calleth Christian doctrine, a mystery of godliness;' and knowledge, which is according to godliness. Without this, our judgements are volatile and unfixed: for the heart is established by grace.' He who holds truth to serve turns, or maketh it a handmaid to his own lusts and ambition, like that atheist in Jerome, "Fac me Romanæ urbis Episcopum, et ero protenus Christianus ;"-or, like Hermogenes", in Tertullian, " Legem Dei in libidinem defendit, in artem contemnit ;”—will, for advantage, be ready to set the truth to sale, and to exchange his opinion that he may gratify his lust. And usu

2 Cor. i. 24.

de Eccl. c. iii. 10,

Arb. c. 1. et de prædest.

m

e Bishop Usher's Serm. on Eph. iv. 13. p. 7.—Mornay

d Gen. xiii. 8.

sanct. c. 1.

h1 Tim. iii. 16.

i 1 Tim. vi. 3.

• Aug. de Grat. et lib. f 2 Tim. i. 13. Gal. v. 6. # 1 Tim. i. 19. k Heb. xiii. 9. n Tertul, contr. Hermog. c. 1. • Amant veritatem lucentem; oderunt redarguentem : Aug. Confess. Ariani non Deum, sed perpuram colunt. Socrat. 1. 3. c. 22.

m Hieron. lib, contr. Joan. Hierosolymit.

ally we find, that through men's own wickedness, and the just judgement of God upon them, corrupt lusts are the causes of corrupt minds, and that carnal ends have been the rise and original of dangerous heresies; as Tertullian P hath observed of Valentius the heretic; and Theodoret, of Arius. Carnal ends, and crooked affections, open a passage unto heretical opinions. And there is an excellent speech of the philosopher, which gives us the reason of it, A¡ áxpoáσeis naτὰ τὰ ἔθη συμβαίνουσιν· ὡς γὰρ εἰώθαμεν, οὕτως ἀξιοῦμεν λέγεσθαι. That commonly as men's courses of life are, so would they have the doctrines to be which their teachers instruct them: notable examples whereof we have in scripture. The best way then to know that wherein we differ, is to obey that wherein we agree. For as a corrupt heart will make a corrupt judgement, so purity of heart is a good step unto unity of judgement; the Lord having promised that "they who do his will, shall know his doctrine;" (John vii. 27) that they who are his sheep, shall discern his voice; (John x. 4) that the meek he will teach his way, and reveal his secrets to them that fear him. (Psalm xxv. 9, 14) Let us, therefore, as we have received Christ, so walk in him: and we shall certainly reap one of these two fruits; either we shall get to the knowledge of the truth, and so our differences cease; or we shall so allay them with humility and love, (as Austin' observes of Cyprian) that they shall never break forth into bitterness, animosity, or scornful esteem of our fellow-brethren. I conclude all with a very few words of exhortation unto this honourable Assembly, all grounded upon the particulars of the text.

6

1. To acknowledge with the apostle your own imperfection. Solomon was sensible of the disparity between his work and his strength; and so all good men are: And thereupon, 1. Wait upon God for wisdom.' (James i. 5) 2. Do not precipitate counsels, but mature them by grave and full deliberation : " Ita enim nati estis, ut bona malaque vestra ad Rempublicam pertineant."

2. To settle and secure the weighty doctrines of righteous

P Tert. contr. Valent. c. 4.

Metaphy. 1. 1.

ii. 11. 2 Pet. iii. 5.

q Theodor. Hist. 1. 1. c. 2.

s Arist. Isai. xxx. 10, 11. Jer. v. 12, 13, 31. Jer. xliii. 2. Mic. Aug. ep. 112. de doct. Christ. lib. 2. c. 6.-De Mo

tib. eccl. cap. 17, 18.-Greg. Naz. Ora. 34. Clem. Alex. strom. 1. 6. P. 489.

ness by Christ alone, of holiness and conformity to his death and resurrection, of imperfection of human righteousness, of necessity of daily progress in the ways of grace, and of those means which Christ hath set up in his church in order thereunto.

3. In making laws and penalties, to be tender towards the weak consciences of your brethren. There is indeed a very great veneration due to laws; and magistrates do, with good reason, expect to have their sanctions obeyed, rather than disputed: But they must remember they are brethren as well as magistrates, and therefore must take heed of writing, or binding heavy burdens. No law-maker can know the lawfulness of his own edicts more certainly, than the apostles knew that legal ceremonies were extinguished by the death of Christ. Yet knowing likewise the weakness of their brethren the Jews, they did not presently put forth their apostolical authority to the inhibiting of them, but suffered them to die a lingering death. It is a sad thing to be reduced to that uncomfortable dilemma, of choosing either iniquity (as to a man's conscience, I mean) or affliction. And if by any means he be brought unto it, he may take more comfort in suffering it, than others in inflicting it. I speak not this to weaken the hands of law-makers, or to derogate from the authority of laws (unto which I shall ever, both out of principles of conscience and prudence, carry all reverence and submission, either cheerfully to do, or meekly to suffer); but I speak it as an humble caution, that since there are some of humble and quiet spirits, who may sometimes be otherwise minded, laws may be made so exactly consonant to the general rules of the word, and may have such prints and evidences of their own goodness, wholesomeness, and righteousness in them, as that they may not, by any rational exception, or semblance of equity, be declined or objected against.

And I would herewithal distinguish between men of a meek, humble, and patient temper, and others of busy, boisterous, turbulent spirits, who, under pretence of conscience, do, at any time, engage in actions, apparently inconsistent with righteousness and peace. For we are sure that the

a Isai. x. 1. Matth. xxiii. 4.