'Tis highly remarkable, how in that prayer, which he poured out a little before his death, with fuch a mighty pathos, and fervency of spirit, he infifts upon nothing more than unity among his people. He returns upon his Father again and again, for the obtaining of this one thing: Four times doth he beg for unity among them, and every time he feems to rife higher and higher, befeeching his Father, (1.) That they may be one. (2.) That they may be one in us. (3.) That they may be one, as thou and I are one. And, laftly, that they may be made perfect in one. By all this fhewing how intent his Spirit was upon this one thing.

Brethren, if you would study how to fruftrate the defign, and grieve the heart of your Lord Jefus Chrift (to whom you profefs love and obedience) you cannot take a readier way to do it, than by breaking the bonds of unity among yourselves. I beseech you, therefore, in the name of our Lord Jefus Christ, who hath fo carneftly prayed for the unity of his people, That ye be perfectly joined together in one heart, and in one mind, as the text speaks.

Mative 5 Confider how directly your divifions cross, and fruftrate the defign and end of church-fellowship, which is inftituted for the improvement of each other's graces, and helping on the mortification of each other's corruptions.

God hath diftributed variety of gifts and graces, in different degrees, amongst his people; the improvement of these gifts and graces to the glory of God, and our mutual edification, is the very scope and end of particular church-fellowship and communion: Every man hath his proper gift of God, and (as a late+worthy notes) the gifts and graces of all, are this way made ufeful and beneficial. Job was exemplary for plainnefs and patience; Mofes for faithfulness and meeknefs; Jofiah for tenderness and a melting fpirit; Athanafius was prudent and active; Bafil heavenly, and of a fweet fpirit; Chryfoftom laborious, and without affectation; Ambrofe refolved and grave: One hath quickness of parts, but not so folid a judgment; another is folid, but not ready and prefential; one hath a good wit, another a better memory, a third excels them both in utterance; one is zealous, but ungrounded; another well principled, but timorous; one is wary and prudent; another open and plain hearted; one is trembling and melting; another chearful and full of comfort. Now the end and use of churchfellowship, is to make a rich improvement unto all, by a regular use and exercise of the gifts and graces found in every

Torfhell's Help to Christian Fellowship, p. 6, 7.

one. One must impart his light, and another his warmth; the eye (viz. the knowing man) cannot fay to the hand (viz. the active man) I have no need of thee: Unfpeakable are the benefits refulting from spiritual, and orderly communion; but whatever the benefits be, they are all cut off by fchifms, and diffentions; for as faith is the grace by which we receive all from God, fo love is the grace by which we share and divide the comfort of all among ourselves. The excellent things of the spirit are lodged in earthen vessels, which death will shortly break, and then we can have no more benefit by them; but these jars, and divifions, render faints, as it were, dead one to another, whilst they are alive. Ah, how lovely, how sweet, and defirable it is, to live in the communion of fuch faints as are described, Mal. iii. 16. to hear them freely, and humbly to open their hearts and experiences to one another! After this manner, fome fay, the art of medicine was found out; as any one met with an herb, and discovered the virtue of it by an accident, he was to poft it up, and fo the phyfician's skill was perfected, by a collection of those posted experiments. But woe to us! we are ready to post up each other's failings and infirmities, to the shame and reproach of religion, and to furnish our common enemies with matter of contempt and scorn against us all

Motive 6. In a word, Thefe fchifms and diffentions, in the churches of Chrift, are omnious prefages, and foreboding figns of fome fweeping judgment, and common calamity near approaching us. It is a common obfervation with fhepherds, that when the sheep push one another, a ftorm fpeedily enfues. I am fure it is fo here; if God turn not our hearts one towards another, he will come and fmite the earth with a curfe, Mal. iv, 6. I believe it, firs, you will have other work to do fhortly; there be thofe coming (if God prevent not) that will part the fray.

Uje fecond, for direction.

Use 2. In the last place, therefore, give me leave to lay before you fome neceffary, and proper directions and counfels, for the prevention and healing of fchifms, and divifions amongst the churches of Chrift: For it is not complaints and lamentations, but proper counfels and directions, and thofe not only prescribed, but obeyed that must do the work. When Joshua lay upon his face before the Lord, Josh. vii. 8, 9, 10. bewailing the fins and miseries of Ifrael; Up (faith God) fanctify the people: wherefore lieft thou upon thy face? As if he fhould fay, thy moans and lamentations are good and neceffary, in their place; but speedy action, and vigorous endeavours, must be alfo ufed, or Ifrael will perish. So fay I, Up, up, fall speedily to your duties, as

men in earneft; and for your guidance in the paths of duty, I will lay before you the following plain and neceffary directions. Direction 1. The orderly gathering, and filling particular churches, is of great influence to the peace and tranquillity of those churches; and therefore it greatly concerns all that are interested therein, elpecially fuch as are vefted with office-power, to beware whom they receive into their communion.

The fcriptures do plainly difcover to us, that church-members ought to be vifible faints, 1 Cor. i. 2. 2 Cor. i. 1, 2. A&ts ii. 41. to the end; Eph. ii. 7. 1 Thef. i. 2, 3. Rom. i. 7. Col i. 2. Hence particular Churches are called the churches of the faints,

Cor. xiv. 33. If admiffions be lax, and negligent, so much he terogenous matter fills the church, that it can never be quiet. Christians, and Chriftians, may live together harmoniously, and coalefce in one orderly, and comfortable fociety, as having one and the fame Head, one Spirit, the fame general defign and end: But godly and ungodly, fpiritual and carnal, are acted by contrary principles, purfue oppofite designs, and can never heartily coalefce. There is a fpirit of difcerning, a judgment of difcretion in the faints, and it is especially desirable in a more eminent degree, in thofe that have office-power in the church, to judge of men's fit qualifications for church communion. We all allow, that grofs ignorance and prophaneness are juft bars, to mens admiffion; and to deny this, were to take all power from the church to preferve the purity of God's ordinances, or to caft out notorious offenders. None ought to be` admitted into church communion, but fuch as do appear to the judgment of charity (comparing their profeffions and converfations) to be Chriftians indeed, that is, men fearing God, and working righteousness.

And I make no doubt, but some opinions, as well as practi ces, render men unmeet for church communion, Titus iii. 10. 2 John 10. All opinions which overthrow doctrines neceffary to be believed, which the apoftle comprehends under the name of faith; and all fuch opinions as are inconfiftent with an holy life, and overthrow the power of godlinefs, which the apostle compre hends under the name of a good confcience, 1 Tim, i. 19, 20. whofoever shall hold or maintain any fuch opinions as these, he is either to be kept out, if not admitted; or caft out, if he be in church-fellowship. In receiving fuch, you receive but spies, and incendiaries, among you. What a firebrand did Arius prove, not only in the church of Conftantinople, but even to the whole world? Men of graceless hearts, and erroneous heads, will give a continual exercife to the patience of fober Christians.

I deny not, but out of the pureit Churches, men may arife, fpeaking perverfe things, and yet the officers and members of those churches, be blameless in their admiffion; but if they can be difcerned before they be admitted, a little preventive care would be of fingular and seasonable use, to the tranquillity of church-focieties.

Direction 2. Let all officers and members of the church, ftudy their duties, and keep themfelves within the bounds of their proper places; ordinate motions are quiet motions. 1 Thef. iv. II. "Study to be quiet and do your own business, "and work with your own hands, as we commanded you." In which words he condemns two vices, which disturb, and distract the church of Chrift, viz. curiofity in matters which pertain not to us, and idleness in the duties of our particular callings. Two things I fhall drop, by way of caution:

(1.) Let it be for a caution to minifters, that they mind their proper work, study the peace of the church, impartially dif penfe their refpects to the faints committed to their charge, not fiding with a party. There be few fchifms in churches, in which minifters have not fome hand. Jerome upon those words, Hofea ix. 8. hath this memorable note; Veteres fcrutans bif torias, invenire non poffum fcidiffe ecclefiam, præter eos qui facerdotes a Deo pofiti fuerunt. Searching the ancient hiftories (faith he) I can find none that hath more rent the church of God, than thofe that fuftain the office of minifters. This is a fad charge, and it is too justly laid upon many of that order. Oh what a bleffing is a prudent, patient, peaceable minister, to the flock over which he watches! *

(2.) Let the people keep their places, and ftudy their proper duties. There be in moft congregations, fome idle people, who having little to do at home, are employed upon Satan's errands, to run from house to houfe, carrying tales to exafperate one Chriftian against another. These the apostle particularly marks and warns the churches of, 1 Tim. v. 13. "withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to "houfe; and not only idle, but tatlers alfo, and bufy bodies,

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"And

fpeaking things which they ought not." If that one rule of Chrift; Matth. xviii. 15, 16. were confcientioufly, and ftrictly attended to, to tell a trefpaffing brother his fault privately, then with one or two more, if obftinacy make it neceffary, and not to expose him to the whole church, and much lefs to the whole world, without a plain neceffity; how many thoufand ruptures

* From vain-glorious doctors, contentious paftors, and unprofis table questions, the good Lord deliver us.. Luther's prayer.

would be prevented in Christian societies? But instead of re gularly admonishing and reproving those irregular and idle tatlers, (as the apostle calls them) who make it their business to fow jealoufies, to make and widen breaches amongst brethren. Direction 3. Let all Chriftians govern their tongues, and keep them under the command of the law of kindness in their mutual converses with one another. "A foft anfwer" (faith Solomon) Prov. xv. 1. "turneth away wrath; but grievous words "ftir up anger." Hard to hard will never do well. How easily did Abigail difarm angry David by a gentle apology? What more boisterous than the wind? Yet a gentle rain will allay it. It may be strongly prefumed, that a meek and gentle answer, will more easily allay the paffions of a godly man, than of one that is both ungodly, and full of enmity towards us; and yet fometimes it hath done the latter. A company of vain, wicked men, having inflamed their blood in a tavern at Belton in NewEngland, and feeing that reverend, meek and holy minister of Christ, Mr. Cotton, coming along the street, one of them tells his companions, "I'll go (faith he) and put a trick upon the "old Cotton." Down he goes, and croffing his way, whispers these words into his ear, "Cotton (faid he) thou art an old "fool." Mr. Cotton replied, "I confefs I am fo; the Lord "make both me and thee wifer than we are, even wife to fal"vation." He relates this paffage to his wicked companions, which caft a great damp upon their fpirits, in the midst of a frolic. What peaceful focieties fhould we have, if our lips tranfgreffed not the laws of love and kindness.

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Direction 4. Refpectful deportments to thofe that are beneath us in gifts, or eftates, is an excellent confervative of churchpeace; lofty and contemptuous carriages towards those that are beneath us in either refpect, is a frequent occafion of bitter jars and animofities. The apoftle chargeth it upon the Corinthians, "That no one be puffed up for one against another; for who maketh thee to differ from another?” 1 Cor. vi. 7. What refpectful language did holy Mr. Brewen give to his own godly fervants? Remember, Chriftians, that there is neither rich nor poor, bond nor free, but all are one in Chrift Jefus. This, indeed, deftroys not the civil differences God hath made between one and another; grace will teach the godly fervant to give double honour to a religious master, or mistress, the private Chriftian to a godly magiftrate, or minifter. It will teach the people to know them which labour among them, and are over them in the Lord, and admonish them, and to esteem them very highly in love for their works

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