CHAP. XI. Concerning the causes of disaffection and of breaches, how they should bee removed by common consent.
THe first and originall causes of disaffection and of breaches are for the most part not taken notice of, and hardly dis∣cerned Page 68by many, even then when they are discovered, because they lie very close to our nature, for they are commonly no∣thing else, but the neglect of charitable inclinations and duties; and the unadvised admitting of prejudices, and entertaining of evill surmises, which not being observed and cured, fester in the mind, and first breed a shinesse or warinesse of him, against whom they are conceived, then a distance from him, after∣wards a strangenesse to his wayes; and lastly a breach of unitie with opposition. The causes of prejudice are very many in all sorts of men; those which the ungodly and naturall man doth entertaine, against a conscionable and religious walking with God, I need not here to meddle withall (* another hath hand∣led that subject profitably at large, and shewed the cure thereof) but those which godly and religious men, through humane frailtie entertaine one against another, are the matter which here is to bee considered, to make the way of unitie and for∣bearance plaine and easie, and I shall now onely name them, and point at the cure thereof in a word or two; because I doe intend to speak to men of understanding onely, to whom God hath committed the charge of soules, and my aime to∣wards them is, not to dictate any thing, but onely to disco∣ver the possibility of a cure of this disease; first in themselves, and then in their hearers, by the removall of the chiefe causes of all our prejudices; which I shall reduce to two heads, whereof the one is openly, the other is secretly offensive.
That which doth openly offend, and causeth prejudices to rise in the mindes of men, who are otherwise godly, and against men who are truely godly and their Brethren, is the irregulari∣tie of disputes and debates about matters of Religion, which is main∣ly twofold, some irregularitie there is, in respect of the matter, some there is, in respect of the manner of disputing.
In respect of the matter prejudices are raised, when men strive about needlesse matters, and contend for words, and this the Apo∣stle doth often warne Timothy to avoid, as a thing whereunto the Ministers were and would bee much subject, 1 Tim. 1.4, 5, 6. and chap. 4.7. and chap. 6.4, 5.20. and 2 Tim. 2.14, 15, 16, 17, 23.
In respect of the manner of debating matters which are necessary and profitable; prejudices are raised divers wayes, but that Page 69which is the most common and hurtfull, is that, of passionate and provoking expressions against a mans person and his opinions to make him odious, and his errours thought to bee extreame dangerous in that wherein hee dissents from us; these railing accusations, and all other injurious and insolent proceedings, breed averse affecti∣ons, and stirring up mens spirits to strife and contradictions, augment prejudices extreamly, and fill the Churches with di∣sturbance and confusion.
That which doth offend more secretly and doth beget much prejudice, is the perverse and uncharitable observation of mens failings, when they are construed suspiciously to the worse sense, and then whispe∣red in the eares of others, that are leading men, under the pre∣tence of a caution, or warning given unto them, to take heed of this or of that, for the strengthning of their hands in par∣tiall designes, and the promoting of particular interests. This darke malicious devill, who covers himselfe oft-times with a cloke of light and a zeale for holinesse and truth, is exceeding busie in our dayes, and hurtfull to our affaires, and doth work his mischiefe, not onely against him, who is blasted in his re∣putation, to make all the good which his talents may produce unprofitable unto others; but also against the Authors of such whisperings themselves, to make them the ring-leaders of divi∣sion and of evill intelligence amongst brethren.
These are in brief the chief causes of our prejudices, these must needs bee removed; else the way of a lawfull condescen∣sion and forbearance will never bee plaine and easie in the set∣tlement, nor lasting in the continuance; it will then bee of absolute necessitie that some course bee taken to remedy the same. Therefore I shall for the present onely advise, that when a brotherly transaction of matters, towards a mutuall forbearance shall bee intended, then some rules should bee thought upon, debated, and by common consent setled, concer∣ning three things.
First, how needlesse disputes and multiplicitie of new controversies, breaking forth in the Presse and Pulpit may be prevented.
Secondly, how the injuriousnesse of censures and of proceeding, which men of partiall dispositions and of high thoughts runne into, may bee rectified; when disputes are necessary: And
Thirdly, how the secret mischief of suspicious whisperings and tale∣bearing Page 70amongst Brethren may bee prevented, and being discovered sa∣tisfactorily corrected.
And that some rules of righteousnesse may bee found in the Word to remedie these evills, and may bee raised from the nature of Christian charitie, equitie, ingenuitie, pietie, discretion, and prudencie: I suppose none will deny, who doth beleeve that the holy Scriptures with and by the spirit of God, which is promised to the children of God are able to make the man of God perfect, and throughly furnished unto every good word and worke.
Thus I have made out (as briefly and as distinctly as this occa∣sion seemeth to require) the truth of the first and second asser∣tion of this discourse, namely that the Ministery of this king∣dome is undeniably obliged in conscience to the mutuall pro∣fession of Brotherhood; and that the termes of their unitie and forbearance, are both in themselves full and satisfactory, and may bee setled reciprocally amongst them, in a plaine and easie way, if the men that lead others, were but willing to looke to God more then to men, and to conscience more then to outward interests.
