The cure of church-divisions, or, Directions for weak Christians to keep them from being…

Fifthly, Remember also, that the Unity of Christians is their peace and ease, as well as their strength and safety. Psal. 133. 1. Behold how good and how pleasant it is, for brethren to dwell together in unity! As the amity and converse with friends is pleasant, and the concord of families is their quietness and ease; so is it as to the amity and concord which is the bond of Church society. And the divisions and discord of Christians, is their mutual pain and trouble. Do you not feel your minds disturbed by it: Do you not see the Church discomposed by it? The itch of contention, doth ordinarily make it pleasant for the time, to every Sect to scratch by zealous wranglings and disputes, for their several opinions, till the blood be ready to follow: But the smart and scab doth use to convince them of their folly. But if they will go more than Skin-deep, they may need a Surgeon. Children will claw themselves; but it is Madmen that will wound themselves. The hurt• which we get in the Christian warfare, by mortifying the flesh, or by the persecution of the malignant enemy is tenderly healed by the hand of Christ, and usually furthereth our inward peace. But if we will hurt and wound and divide our selves, what pity or comfort can we expect.

Sixthly, Consider also that the Unity and Concord of Believers is their Honour, and their Divisions and discord are their shame: And consequently ⟨p. 74⟩the honour or dishonour of Christ and the Gospel, and Religion is much concerned in it. Agreement among Christians telleth the world, that they have a certainty of the faith which they profess, and that it is powerful and not ineffectual, and that it is of a healing nature, and tendeth to the felicity of the world. But Divisions and discords among Christians persuade unbelievers, that there is no certainty in their belief: or that it is of a vexatious and destructive tendency; or at best that all its power is too weak, to overcome the malignity which it pretendeth to resist; where did you ever see Christians live in undivided unity, undisturbed peace, and unfeigned Love, but the very infidels and ungodly round about them, did reverence both them and their religion for it. And where did you ever see Christians divided, unpeaceable and bitter against each other, but it made them and their profession a scorn to the unbelieving and ungodly world? and whilst they despise and vilify one another, they teach the wicked to despise and vilify them all?