A discourse concerning evangelical love, church-peace and unity with the occasions and reasons of…

Now that this Fictitious Unity, and corrupt carnal pursuit of it, have been the greatest occasion and causes of begetting, fomenting and continuing the Divisions that are among Christians in the world, hath been indeniably proved by Learned men of all sorts. And so it will fall out, where-ever any reject the Union of Christs Institutions, and substitute in the room thereof, an Agreement of their own Invention; as his will be utterly lost, so they will not be able to retain their own.

Now that this Fictitious Vnity, and corrupt carnal pursuit of it, have been the greatest occasion and causes of begetting, fomenting and continuing the Divisions that are among Christians in the world, hath been indeniably proved by Learned men of all sorts. And so it will fall out, where-ever any reject the Union of Christs Institutions, and substitute in the room thereof, an Agreement of their own Invention; as his will be utterly lost, so they will not be able to retain their own.

Thus others also not content with those bounds and measures which the Gospel hath fixed unto the Unity of Christians and Churches, will have it to consist almost wholly in an outward Conformity unto certain Rites, Orders, Ceremonies, and Modes of Sacred Administrations, which themselves have either invented and found out, or do observe and approve. Whoever dissents from them in these things, must immediately be branded, as a Schismatic, a Divider of the Churches Unity, and an enemy unto the Peace and Order of it. Howbeit, of Conformity unto such Institutions and Orders of men, of Uniformity in the observation of such external Rites in the worship of the Church, there is not one word spoken, nor any thing of that nature intimated, in all the Commands for Unity which are given unto us, nor in the Directions that are sanctified unto the due preservation of it. Yet such an Uniformity, ⟨p. 110⟩being set up in the room of Evangelical Unity and Order; Means suited unto the preservation of it, but really destructive of that whose name it beareth, and whose Place it possesseth, have not been wanting. And it is not unworthy consideration, how men endeavour to deceive others, and are deceived themselves, by manifold Equivocations in their arguings about this Matter. For first, they lay down the necessity of Unity among Christians, with the evil that is in Breaches, Divisions and Schisms; which they prove from the Commands of the one, and the Reproofs of the other, that abound in the Scripture. Then, with an easy deduction, they prove that it is a Duty incumbent on all Christians in their several Capacities to observe, keep, further, and promote this Unity, and to prevent, oppose, resist and avoid all Divisions that are contrary thereunto. If so, the Magistrate must do the same in his place and capacity. Now seeing it is his Office, and unto him of God it is committed, to exercise his power, in Laws and Penalties, for the promoting of what is good, and the punishing of what is contrary thereunto, it is his Duty to coerce, restrain and punish all those who oppose, despise, or any way break or disturb the Unity of the Church. And this Ratiocination would seem reasonable, were it not doubly defective: For first, the Unity intended in the first Proposition, whose necessity is confirmed by Scripture-Testimonies, is