professed it should be firmly united among themselves: That they should be like-minded, having the Same Love, being of one Accord, and of one Mind. So he speaks in the 2d ch.2.v. 2. chap. to the Philippians, That they should put on Bowels of Mercies, and forbear one another in Love, endavouring to keep the Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace. So he v. 2, 3. speaks in the 4th to the Ephesians. It had been happy for Christendom if this Point had been always carefully observed. The Divifions of Christians among themselves have done more Hurt to Christ's Religion, than all the Force and Malice of its open Enemies could ever do. And as it stands with Christianity in general, so doth it with any Church in particular: Love and Unity among the Members of it is the surest Expedient, both to preserve them from common Danger, and to support them under it. On the contrary, Divide & impera (as the Saying is) do but break them into Parties and Factions, do but fill them with Variance, and Hatred, and Animosities one againft another, and you open an easy Passage for a common Enemy to enter in among them; Or if he be there already, you give him occafion to exercise greater Severity and Rigour, than perhaps otherwise would have been thought reasonable: Nay, it frequently happens, where such Parties and Breaches are, that not only a Way is opened for an Enemy to enter, but one of the Parties brings him in, and turns Perfecutor of the Brethren. Men care not what they do, fo that they can but oppress the oppofite Party, which at that time stands most in their way, tho' it be to their own Undoing at the long run. This is fairly intimated by St. Paul to the Galatians; If, says he, ye bite and Gal. 5. 15. devour one another, take heed that ye be not confumed one of another. His Caution implies that there is no Neceffity in order to the Ruin of a Church or Nation, that the Members thereof should always fall into the Hands of them who wish them ill; for they themselves, by their unseasonable and bitter Quarrels, may oftentimes do the Work. 3. But in the third Place, among the Points of prudent Walking in evil Times, we ought not to omit that which St. Paul orders Titus to put the Christians in those Days in especial Remembrance of; Put them in mind, says he, to be subject to Prin-ch. 3. V. 1. cipalities and Powers, and to obey Magiftrates. And St. Peter likewise lays the same Charge upon those to whom he writes with reference to the evil Times they liv'd in; Submit your self to every Ordinance of 1 Pet. 2. Man; whether to the King as fupreme, or 13,14,15. unto Governors, as unto them that are fent by him. For fo is the Will of God, that with Well-doing ye should put to filence the Ignorance of foolish Men. Nothing did more N3 recom recommend Christianity in the World, than the Peaceableness and Loyalty of its Principles. Had it been a peevish, unquiet, feditious, and turbulent Religion: had it countenanced Discontent or Faction, or allowed its Proselytes to oppose the Government, or even to complain or shew themselves uneasy under the Administration of it; it had never so happily weathered out the Storms that were raised against it, and got such kind Entertainment in the World. The Enemies of it did indeed endeavour to possess the Minds of those who were Strangers to it with a Belief that it had an evil Afpect upon the secular Power, and that the Promoters of it were a Company of ill-affected Persons: But if they could have made good this Charge, they had in all Probability done their Work, and put a Stop to the Growth of that Religion, which was destitute of all worldly Advantages for the making its Way. But the quite contrary did appear both in the Doctrines which it taught, and in the Lives of all those who took it upon them. Never did any Religion, nor any Subjects, give such Security to Princes and States of the Enjoyment of all their natural Rights, as the Christian Religion and the Christian Subjects did, From whence it was manifest, that this was the beft contrived and fitted to be the Religion of the World; and that all Men, who would prove good Subjects indeed, muft / turn Christians. Since therefore such is the Nature of the Christian Religion, so obedient, so submissive to Authority in its Principles; and since such Advantages may be expected to the Christians themselves, and to the World, by living up to these Principles, it cannot but infinitely concern all, who profess this Religion, to be very careful in this Point; to give no Occafion to the higher Powers to look upon them as Enemies, or as diffsaffected to their Interests: but on the contrary chearfully to own the Government which gives them Protection, and both in Thought, and Word, and Deed, to pay all faithful Allegiance to it. The Christians thought this to be both their Duty and their Interest in the very worst of Times, when they had no better Princes to rule over them than such Men as Caligula and Nero. How much more then ought we to charge ourselves with the Practice of it, who are in so much happier Circumstances, both with relation to our Government, and our Princes who administer it? turn 4. Another Particular that falls under the general Rule of walking circumspectly, and redeeming the Time, because the Days are evil, is that which is recommended by St. Paul in these Words, I beseech you, Brethren, Theff. 4. says he, that ye study to be quiet, and mind 11, 12. your own Business, that ye may walk honestly towards them that are without; as much as to say, that the Way to recommend your selves to them who are without, and to make them think honourably of you, is to study to be quiet, and to mind your own Bufiness. This is an excellent Rule of Wifdom at all Times, but more especially in Times of Danger or Difficulty. Let every Man disentangle himself, as much as he can, from all forts of Quarrels and Embroilments, and from all things that may probably occafion them. Let every Man confult his own Eafe and Repose among his Neighbours, by giving no Disturbance to them, and avoiding, as much as is possible, Disturbance from them. Lastly, let every Man dwell at home, as much as his Circumstances will give him Leave, and mind his own Affairs, (which will find him Work enough to do) but meddle as little as poffible with Things that are foreign, and which do nothing concern him. I say, let every Man do thus, and he shall find the Sweet, and the Comfort, and Convenience of so doing, let him live in what Times he will. They who are Busy-bodies in other Mens Matters, create Trouble and Mischief to themselves in the best of Times, and therefore much more may they expect to reap the ill Consequences of their pragmatical Humour when the Times are ticklish and boisterous. The Way to live quietly and peaceably is to fit still, and take what comes without murmuring; to hear and to fee, |