Seventhly, I may therefore add, that the Unity of Believers, is one of Gods appointed means for the conversion and salvation of unbelievers: And their Divisions and discord are an ordinary means of hardening men in infidelity and wickedness, and hindering their love and obedience to the truth. As a well ordered Army, or a City of uniform comely building, is a pleasing and inviting sight to the beholders; when a confused rout, or a ruinous heap, doth breed abhorrence: even so the very sight of the concordant societies of Christians, is amiable and alluring to those ⟨p. 75⟩without; when their disagreements and separations make them seem odious and vile. As a musical instrument in tune, or a set of music, delight the hearer by the pleasing harmony; when one or more instruments out of tune, or used by a rude unskilful hand, will weary out the patience of the hearer; so is it in this case; and the difference is much greater, between concordant and disconcordant Christians. Who loveth to thrust himself into a fray? And what wise man had not rather partake of the friendly converse, than join with drunken men that are fighting in the streets? Peace and Concord are amiable even to nature; And you can scarce take a more effectual means, to win the world to the Love of Holiness, than by showing them that Holiness doth make you unfeigned and fervent in the Love of one another. 1 Pet. 1. 22. Nor can you devise how to drive men more effectually from Christ, and to damn their souls, than to represent Christians to them like a company of mad men, that are tearing out the throats of one another? How can you think that the unbelievers and ungodly should think well of them, that all speak so ill of one another? When the Lutheran flieth from the Calvinist, and the Episcopal from the Puritan, and the Protestant from the Anabaptist, and the Presbyterian from the Independent, and all the other side implacably fly from them, Can you wonder if the Infidel and the Idolater fly further from you all? Mark well the words of Christ in his prayer, Joh. 17. 20, 21, 22, 23. For them which shall believe on me by their word, that they all may be one, as thou Father art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one ⟨p. 76⟩in us; that the world may believe that thou hast sent me: And the glory which thou gavest me, I have given them, that they may be one, even as we are one:
Seventhly, I may therefore add, that the Unity of Believers, is one of Gods appointed means for the conversion and salvation of unbelievers: And their Divisions and discord are an ordinary means of hardening men in infidelity and wickedness, and hindering their love and obedience to the truth. As a well ordered Army, or a City of uniform comely building, is a pleasing and inviting sight to the beholders; when a confused rout, or a r•inous heap, doth breed abhorrence: even so the very sight of the concordant societies of Christians, is amiable and alluring to those ⟨p. 75⟩without; when their disagreements and separations make them seem odious and vile. As a musical instrument in tune, or a set of musick, delight the hearer by the pleasing harmony; when one or more instruments out of tune, or used by a rude unskilful hand, will weary out the patience of the hearer; so is it in this case; and the difference is much greater, between concordant and disconcordant Christians. Who loveth to thrust himself into a fray? And what wise man had not rather partake of the friendly converse, than joyn with drunken men that are fighting in the streets? Peace and Concord are amiable even to nature; And you can scarce take a more effectual means, to win the world to the Love of Holiness, than by shewing them that Holiness doth make you unfeigned and fervent in the Love of one another. 1 Pet. 1. 22. Nor can you devise how to drive men more effectually from Christ, and to damn their souls, than to represent Christians to them like a company of mad men, that are tearing out the throats of one another? How can you think that the unbelievers and ungodly should think well of them, that all speak so ill of one another? When the Lutheran flyeth from the Calvinist, and the Episcopal from the Puritan, and the Protestant from the Anabaptist, and the Presbyterian from the Independent, and all the other side implacably fly from them, Can you wonder if the Infidel and the Idolater fly further from you all? Mark well the words of Christ in his prayer, Ioh. 17. 20, 21, 22, 23. For them which shall believe on me by their word, that they all may be one, as thou Father art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one ⟨p. 76⟩in us; that the world may believe that thou hast sent me: And the glory which thou gavest me, I have given them, that they may be one, even as we are one:
