A57166:70
The staves of beauty & bands opened in a sermon preached at Yarmouth, August 23, 1663 / by Edward, Lord Bishop of Norwich.
London: printed by T. Ratcliffe for George Thomason, 1663
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
1. A Contrario. Consider the Unity and Confederacy of Satan, and all his Instruments against Christ and his Church; for our Saviour telleth us, that Satan is not divided against himself, Mat. 12. 26. We read of theb Gates of hell, whereby we understand the united Powers and Counsels of the kingdom of Darkness against the Kingdom of Christ; and as Devils, so the wicked of the world join hand in hand against the Church; theyc consult together with one consent, and are confederate against it; they will lay down their own private enmities to combine against Christ, as dPilate and Herod did; Fas est & ab hoste doceri; if enemies unite to destroy the Church, should not we unite to preserve it? especially considering what ⟨p. 55⟩ac grave Historian noteth, That in the cause of Religion, every Subdivision is a strong Weapon in the hand of the contrary party. Our intestine Mutinies and Distempers, do the Enemies work for him. He may stand still, and please himself, to see us bite and devour one another. Again, Consider the Turpitude, Deformity and Danger of Schisms and Divisions, which are the same in a Political or Ecclesiastical body, as in the natural, wherein whatsoever mangleth and separateth part from part, doth greatly weaken and deform the whole. They gratify the common enemy; Hoc Ithacus velit. They grieve the holy Spirit, as wounds in the body natural put the soul to pain. They dishonour the holy. Gospel which is a Gospel of Peace. They loosen and weaken the Interest of Religion; for when fwe bite and devour one another, we are in danger to be consumed one of another. They minister occasion to profane Spirits to turn Atheists, and cast off all Religion, as a ⟨p. 56⟩thing of uncertainty, wherein the Professors thereof themselves know not how to agree. They have their foundation in carnal and sensual Interests, as Pride, Revenge, Discontent, Covetousness, and other inordinate Lusts, and therefore are reckoned by the Apostle amongst theg Fruits of the flesh. If we examine theh Rise and Original of many of the ancient Heresies, whereby the Peace of the Church hath been torn and mangled, we shall find that some carnal End or other, as Ambition, Animosity, Discontent, or other the like sins, have been the Basis on which they were reared. It was the speech of a graceless son to his mother,i Transferam me in partem Donati, & bibam sanguinem tuum; as St.k
1. A Contrario. Consider the Unity and Confederacy of Satan, and all his Instruments against Christ and his Church; for our Saviour telleth us, that Satan is not divided against himself, Mat. 12. 26. We read of theb Gates of hell, whereby we understand the united Powers and Counsels of the kingdom of Darkness ag•inst the Kingdom of Christ; and as Devils, so the wicked of the world joyn hand in hand against the Church; theyc consult together with one consent, and are confederate against it; they will lay down their own private enmities to combine against Christ, as dPilate and Herod did; Fas est & ab hoste doceri; if enemies unite to destroy the Church, should not we unite to preserve it? especially considering what ⟨p. 55⟩ac grave Historian noteth, That in the cause of Religion, every Subdivision is a strong Weapon in the hand of the contrary party. Our intestine Mutinies and Distempers, do the Enemies work for him. He may stand still, and please himself, to see us bite and devour one another. Again, Consider the Turpitude, Deformity and Danger of Schisms and Divisions, which are the same in a Political or Ecclesiastical body, as in the natural, wherein whatsoever mangleth and separateth part from part, doth greatly weaken and deform the whole. They gratifie the common enemy; Hoc Ithacus velit. They grieve the holy Spirit, as wounds in the body natural put the soul to pain. They dishonour the holy. Gospel which is a Gospel of Peace. They loosen and weaken the Interest of Religion; for when fwe bite and devour one another, we are in danger to be consumed one of another. They minister occasion to prophane Spirits to turn Atheists, and cast off all Religion, as a ⟨p. 56⟩thing of uncertainty, wherein the Professors thereof themselves know not how to agree. They have their foundation in carnal and sensual Interests, as Pride, Revenge, Discontent, Coveteousness, and other inordinate Lusts, and therefore are reckoned by the Apostle amongst theg
Austin saith, Matter omnium Haereticorum superbia. It is a very true speech ofl Baronius, ex Officina Sardanapali prodire consueverunt Haeresium sectatores.
Austin saith, Mater omnium Haereticorum superbia. It is a very true speech ofl Baronius, ex Officina Sardanapali prodire consueverunt Haeresium sectatores.
2. A Necessa••• from the the necessity of this excellent Duty; and this is a twofold necessity, Necessitas praecepti, because ⟨p. 57⟩it is commanded, Have peace one with another, Mark 9. 50. Necessitas Medii, because Peace and Unity amongst brethren in the Church, is an excellent means tom glorify God, when with one mind and mouth we call upon him, and serve him with one consent; and to further the Gospel, and gain it honour and credit even in the hearts of strangers: the Heathen themselves took notice of the love of Christians, as Minutius Felix telleth us, Vide, say they, ut se diligunt Christiani.
2. A Necessa••• from the the necessity of this excellent Duty; and this is a twofold necessity, Necessitas praecepti, because ⟨p. 57⟩it is commanded, Have peace one with another, Mark 9. 50. Necessitas Medii, because Peace and Unity amongst brethren in the Church, is an excellent means tom glorifie God, when with one mind and mouth we call upon him, and serve him with one consent; and to further the Gospel, and gain it honour and credit even in the hearts of strangers: the Heathen themselves took notice of the love of Christians, as Minutius Felix telleth us, Vide, say they, ut se diligunt Christiani.
3. A possibili; our endeavours in this kind are not after things which are unattainable; forn Christ hath by the blood of his Cross procured the Churches peace, and by his powerful Intercession oprayeth for it; since therefore Christ pdyed not in vain, but didq see of the travel of his soul, and wasr heard in every prayer which he made; It is certain that the Lord will in due time pour out upon his people a spirit of Unity, and sclose up the breaches of his Tabernacle: ⟨p. 58⟩as it is our Duty to seek Peace, so is it hist promise to work it; he is not the author of Confusion, but of Peace, as in all the Churches of the Saints,
3. A possibili; our endavours in this kind are not after things which are unattainable; forn Christ hath by the blood of his Cross procured the Churches peace, and by his powerful Intercession oprayeth for it; since therefore Christ pdyed not in vain, but didq see of the travel of his soul, and wasr heard in every prayer which he made; It is certain that the Lord will in due time pour out upon his people a spirit of Unity, and
4. A Facili, It is not only possible, but easy for Believers to be at peace one with another; those things which are natural are ever wrought without difficulty, it is not hard for the Sun to shine, or the fire to burn, nothing more easy then for the members in one body to agree with one another: And Believers are members of the same body, and have one common spirit to actuate and animate them, and therefore should suffer and rejoice together, and be kindly affectioned one towards another with brotherly love, as the Apostle argueth, Rom. 12. 4, 10. 1 Cor. 1•. 12, 13. 25. 26.
4. A Facili, It is not only possible, but easie for Believers to be at peace one with another; those things which are natural are ever wrought without difficulty, it is not hard for the Sun to shine, or the fire to burn, nothing more easie then for the members in one body to agree with one another: And Believers are members of the same body, and have one common spirit to actuate and animate them, and therefore should suffer and rejoyce together, and be kindly affectioned one towards another with brotherly love, as the Apostle argueth, Rom. 12. 4, 10. 1 Cor. 1•. 12, 13. 25. 26.
5. Ab Utili▪ from the great good & advantage which hereby cometh unto the Church; it is as the dew of Hermon which bringeth a blessing with it; it strengtheneth against all adverse power, and ⟨p. 59⟩maketh the Church terrible as an Army with Banners; it openeth the passages for Communion of Saints, that they may derive good from one another by the supply that every joint maketh, as divers members in the body have divers uses, the eye to see, the ear to hear, the tongue to speak, the hand to work; and these Uses mutually serviceable to the good of each other, and Union a necessary bond of this Service, so in the Church or body of Christ, every member hath his measure of gifts and graces, by which he may be profitable to the whole;u one the Spirit of Wisdom, another of Knowledge; one able to counsel, another to comfort; one to exhort, another to rebuke, what is wanting in one, is supplied by another; and this wsupply is made by those joints whereby these divers members are united together. Love is the Vehiculum of all that help and service which one Christian man deriveth upon another; hereby we xserve one another, andy edify one another; ⟨p. 60⟩we bear with the infirmities, sustain the burdens, and rejoice in the comforts, mourn in the sorrows, distribute to the necessities, pray for the souls of one another; By this means the graces of the Church are more bright and resplendent, as the flame which ariseth out of united fuel, is much greater then that which each stick alone by it self doth render; and hence it is that the servants of God doz love the habitation of his house, and the place where his honour dwelleth, aassembling themselves there together with one accord, because he hath promised
6. A Jucundo & honesto. It is not only good, but pleasant for brethren to dwell together in Unity, not only as the dew of Hermon for profit, but as the cointment on the head of Aaron for comfort and Delight. In the unitedd Assemblies ⟨p. 61⟩of the Saints we behold the beauty of the Lord; when the members are disjointed, the body is deformed: Shave away the eye-brows only from the face, Quantillum decedit de corpore, quantum de pulchritudine, saith St. Austin, you much lessen the beauty, by so little lessening the body; Now a Schism in the Church, is the same deformity as a mutilation in the body.
6. A Jucundo & honesto. It is not only good, but pleasant for brethren to dwell together in Vnity, not only as the dew of Hermon for profit, but as the cointment on the head of Aaron for comfort and Delight. In the unitedd Assemblies ⟨p. 61⟩of the Saints we behold the beauty of the Lord; when the members are disjoynted, the body is deformed: Shave away the eye-brows only from the face, Quantillum decedit de corpore, quantum de pulchritudine, saith St. Austin, you much lessen the beauty, by so little lessening the body; Now a Schism in the Church, is the same deformity as a mutilation in the body.
7. Ab Exemplo, from the great Examples which we have of Peace in the word. God known by the name of ea God of Peace, with whom his people having Acquaintance and Communion are at peace. Christ by the name of af Prince of Peace, who as he isg not divided in himself, so neither should he be divided in his Members. Ourh Consolation in him should make us be of one accord, and of one mind; the Primitive Church a mirror of Unity and Peace; thei multitude of believers were of one heart, and of one soul, & primum in unoquoque; genere est Regula caeterorum.
7. Ab Exemplo, from the great Examples which we have of Peace in the word. God known by the name of ea God of Peace, with whom his people having Acquaintance and Communion are at peace. Christ by the name of af Prince of Peace, who as he isg not divided in himself, so neither should he be divided in his Members. Ourh Consolation in him should make us be of one accord, and of one mind; the Primitive Church a mirrour of Vnity and Peace; thei multitude of believers were of one heart, and of one soul, & primum in unoquoque; genere est Regula caeterorum.
8. Ab Evangelio, from the nature of the Gospel, which is called by the Apostle, ak Gospel of Peace, whereby we arel called unto peace; by the power whereof them rage of Lyons and Bears is calmed and subdued; much more should the Sheep of Christ be preserved from biting and devouring one another; it is a presage of rain and storms, when Sheep run heads together, and certainly it bodeth no good unto the Church when the Sheep of Christ are at discord one with another.
Lastly, A Sacramentis, which are sigilla & vincula pacis: from the Sacraments which are the Seals and Bands of Christian Peace; In Baptism we were nbaptized into one body; in the Lords Supper we being many, are oone Bread, and one body, for we are partakers of that one Bread; as the Wine is made of many grapes pressed into one Liquor, and the Bread ofp many grains moulded into one Lump, so the Church of many believers compacted together by one Spirit ⟨p. 63⟩of Faith and Love into one mystical body.
I shall conclude this Exhortation with two or three solemn and emphatical passages of the qApostle, pressing Christians unto this duty; Let us, saith he, follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another; And again, I beseech you brethren by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, that there be no divisions among you, but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind, and in the same Judgement, And again, Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in Peace, and the God of Love and Peace shall be with you. And again, if there be therefore any Consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any Bowels and Mercies, fulfil ye my joy, that ye be like-minded, having the same Love, being of one accord, of one mind. Unto which I shall subjoin the same Apostles pathetical prayer, The Lord of Peace himself give you Peace ⟨p. 64⟩always by all means, and the God of Patience and Consolation grant you to be like minded one towards another, according to Christ Jesus, that you may with one mind, and with one mouth, glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I shall conclude this Exhortation with two or three solemn and emphatical passages of the qApostle, pressing Christians unto this duty; Let us, saith he, follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edifie another; And again, I beseech you brethren by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speake the same thing, that there be no divisions among you, but that ye be perfectly joyned together in the same mind, and in the same Judgement, And again, Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in Peace, and the God of Love and Peace shall be with you. And again, if there be therefore any Consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any Bowels and Mercies, fulfill ye my joy, that ye be like-minded, having the same Love, being of one accord, of one mind. Unto which I shall subjoyn the same Apostles pathetical prayer, The Lord of Peace himself give you Peace ⟨p. 64⟩always by all means, and the God of Patience and Consolation grant you to be like minded one towards another, according to Christ Jesus, that you may with one mind, and with one mouth, glorifie God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Before I leave this seasonable and necessary Argument, let us in a few words consider, what is to be done in Differences of Judgement and Divisions of mind, to heal the breaches, and to recover the Peace of a disjointed and dilacerated Church.
And here it cannot be denied, but that in all ages of the Church, there have been, and still are like to be, Varieties of Judgement among the Members thereof. For 1. The best Proficientsr know but in part, and Prophesy but in part. 2. There are many things very abstruse and difficult in the disquisition of divine Truth; Religion hath itss [Greek or Hebrew], things hard to be understood, as well as other Sciences. 3. There is in many men much tweakness of Judgement, to make ⟨p. 65⟩search and enquiry into these things, or to discover veritatem in puteo latentem. 4. There is much carelessness of heart in many men to try the spirits, and to prove all things; theyu sleep while the enemy soweth Tares. 5. There is in many men a Levity, Lubricity and Discomposedness of mind whereby they are apt to bew carried away with every wind of Doctrine, and out of Simplicity and Credulity to be wrought upon by the cunning of those who are skilful to deceive. 6. Some havex itching ears, hearkening always after new things, whom Manna will not please without Quails, who have some particular mens persons in admiration, and give up themselves by a blind obedience and implicit Faith, into their hands, to be led by them into novel and singular Opinions. 7. Prevailing of Lust and domestical Interest, doth in many men darken their mind, and entangle their Judgements, and betray them unto that sad condition of being ygiven over to strong Delusions to believe ⟨p. 66⟩Lies. Upon these and such like Reasons there have been always Differences in the Church: We find a contention betweenz
5. Ab Vtili▪ from the great good & advantage which hereby cometh unto the Church; it is as the dew of Hermon which bringeth a blessing with it; it strengthneth against all adverse power, and ⟨p. 59⟩maketh the Church terrible as an Army with Banners; it openeth the passages for Communion of Saints, that they may derive good from one another by the supply that every joint maketh, as divers members in the body have divers uses, the eye to see, the ear to hear, the tongue to speak, the hand to work; and these Uses mutually serviceable to the good of each other, and Vnion a necessary bond of this Service, so in the Church or body of Christ, every member hath his measure of gifts and graces, by which he may be profitable to the whole;u one the Spirit of Wisdom, another of Knowledge; one able to counsel, another to comfort; one to exhort, another to rebuke, what is wanting in one, is supplied by another; and this wsupply is made by those joints whereby these divers members are united together. Love is the Vehiculum of all that help and service which one Christian man deriveth upon another; hereby we xserve one another, andy edifie one another; ⟨p. 60⟩we bear with the infirmities, sustain the burdens, and rejoyce in the comforts, mourn in the sorrows, distribute to the necessities, pray for the souls of one another; By this means the graces of the Church are more bright and resplendent, as the flame which ariseth out of united fewel, is much greater then that which each stick alone by it self doth render; and hence it is that the servants of God doz love the habitation of his house, and the place where his honor dwelleth, aassembling themselves there together with one accord, because he hath promisedb that in every place where he recordeth his name, he will come unto them, and bless them: and by this means there were added to the Church daily such as should be saved.
And here it cannot be denyed, but that in all ages of the Church, there have been, and still are like to be, Varieties of Judgement among the Members thereof. For 1. The best Proficientsr know but in part, and Prophesie but in part. 2. There are many things very abstruse and difficult in the disquisition of divine Truth; Religion hath itss 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, things hard to be understood, as well as other Sciences. 3. There is in many men much tweakness of Judgement, to make ⟨p. 65⟩search and enquiry into these things, or to discover veritatem in puteo latentem. 4. There is much carelesness of heart in many men to try the spirits, and to prove all things; theyu sleep while the enemy soweth Tares. 5. There is in many men a Levity, Lubricity and Discomposedness of mind whereby they are apt to bew carried away with every wind of Doctrine, and out of Simplicity and Credulity to be wrought upon by the cunning of those who are skilful to deceive. 6. Some havex itching ears, hearkning always after new things, whom Manna will not please without Quails, who have some particular mens persons in admiration, and give up themselves by a blind obedience and implicite Faith, into their hands, to be led by them into novel and singular Opinions. 7. Prevailing of Lust and domestical Interest, doth in many men darken their mind, and entangle their Judgements, and betray them unto that sad condition of being ygiven over to strong Delusions to believe ⟨p. 66⟩Lyes. Upon these and such like Reasons there have been always Differences in the Church: We find a contention betweenz Paul and Barnabas, and between Paul and Peter; We find some for Paul, others for Apollo, and some for Cephas, and others for none of them all, but for Christ without them; we find somea building upon the foundation Silver and gold, and others Hay and stubble. We read of great differences between the Eastern and Western Churches, touching the Observation of Easter, and between the Roman and African Churches in the matter of Rebaptization; of many sharp Dissentions between sundry great and famous Bishops and Pastors of the antient Churches. To say nothing of the present sad experience which we may everywhere observe of the same Truth, theb Scripture hath foretold it, and it cannot be otherwise, that there must be Heresies and Offences;
