When the fore-named Victor of Rome, with those who joined with him, caused woeful divisions in the Church by standing so much upon uniformity, urging there could be no Peace without it, by it they brake the peace of the Church. Iraeneus and others in the same time pleaded for the peace of the Church, to be procured by yielding to difference of practice in such things, in the name of all the brethren in France under his charge, he writes to Victor, and those who joined with him, and tells them of the variety of practises of divers Brethren in times before them, which was very near the Apostles times, who yet were at unity one with another. They who were Bishops (says he) before Soter, of that Sea which now thou governest, as Anicetus, Pius, Higinus, Telesphorus, Xixtus, were at unity with them of other Churches, although their observations were various, and Polycarpus being at Rome in the time of Anicetus, varied in divers things from him. Although Polycarpus had (says he) what he did from John the Disciple of our Lord, with whom he conversed, yet would he not persuade Anicetus to the same things, but left him to the way of his own Church, and they communicated lovingly one with another, and parted in a brotherly way. Cannot men walk peaceably in a broad way, though they do not tread just in one another's steps? What though there be some distance in their walk, one towards one side, the other towards the other side of the way; must they needs fall out, because they are not in the same path, when the way is broad enough? Indeed if they went over a narrow bridge, they must not take that liberty to go abredth; if they keep not close to one another's steps, if they step at a distance, they may fall into the River. Thus in matters of divine worship, we must look to it, that we walk exactly in the same steps; if there we presume to take liberty, we may soon fall; but in circumstances of an inferior nature, there may be difference without division. We must not here take ⟨p. 18⟩upon us to be wiser then Christ. Melanchthon in an Epistle to some Brethren of differing minds (cited by Gersom Bucerus) persuades to unity thus:1
When the fore-named Victor of Rome, with those who joyned with him, caused wofull divisions in the Church by standing so much upon uniformity, urging there could be no Peace without it, by it they brake the peace of the Church. Iraeneus and others in the same time pleaded for the peace of the Church, to be procured by yeelding to difference of practice in such things, in the name of all the brethren in France under his charge, he writes to Victor, and those who joyned with him, and tells them of the variety of practises of divers Brethren in times before them, which was very neare the Apostles times, who yet were at unity one with another. They who were Bishops (sayes he) before Soter, of that Sea which now thou governest, as Anicetus, Pius, Higinus, Telesphorus, Xixtus, were at unity with them of other Churches, although their observations were various, and Polycarpus being at Rome in the time of Anicetus, varyed in divers things from him. Although Polycarpus had (says he) what he did from John the Disciple of our Lord, with whom he conversed, yet would he not perswade Anicetus to the same things, but left him to the way of his owne Church, and they communicated lovingly one with another, and parted in a brotherly way. Cannot men walke peaceably in a broad way, though they do not tread just in one anothers steps? What though there be some distance in their walke, one towards one side, the other towards the other side of the way; must they needs fall out, because they are not in the same path, when the way is broad enough? Indeed if they went over a narrow bridg, they must not take that liberty to go abredth; if they keep not close to one anothers steps, if they step at a distance, they may fall into the River. Thus in matters of divine worship, we must look to it, that we walk exactly in the same steps; if there we presume to take liberty, wee may soone fall; but in circumstances of an inferiour nature, there may be difference without division. We must not here take ⟨p. 18⟩upon us to be wiser then Christ. Melancthon in an Epistle to some Brethren of differing minds (cited by Gersom Bucerus) perswades to unity thus:1
- 1Cum de praecipuis articulis doctrinae Christianae inter nos constet, complectamur nos mutuo amore, neque dissimilitas & varietas rituum & ceremoniarum, addam ego & politiae Ecclesiasticae, disjungere debet merits nostrasCum de praecipuis articulis doctrinae Christianae inter nos constet, complectamur nos mutuo amore, neque dissimilitas & varietas rituum & ceremoniarum, addam ego & politiae Ecclesiasticae, disjungere debet mentes nostras
