THE ONLY WAY TO BRING US ALL TO BE OF ONE RELIGION.

TO BE READ BY SUCH AS ARE OFFENDED AT THE DIFFERENCES IN RELIGION, AND ARE WILLING TO DO THEIR PART TO HEAL THEM.

To all those in the several Parishes of these Nations, that complain of the Disagreements in Matters of Religion.

As in the midst of all the impiety and dishonesty of the world, it is some comfort to us, that yet the names of piety and honesty are still in credit, and ungodliness and dishonesty are terms of disgrace; so that those that will be ungodly and dishonest, are fain to use the mask and veil of better names, to hide their wickedness; so also it is some comfort to us, in the midst of the uncharitableness and discords of this age, that yet the names of Love and Concord sound so well, and are honoured by those that are farthest from the things: for thus we seem agreed in the main cause, and have this advantage in our debates, that whatever shall be proved to be against love, and unity, and peace, we are all of us obliged by our professions to disown! I may suppose that all that read these words, will speak against the uncharitableness, and contentions, and divisions of the present times as well as I. Doth it grieve my soul to hear professed Christians so censoriously condemning, and passionately reviling one another, while they are proudly justifying themselves? I suppose you will say, it grieves you also. Do I mourn in secret, to see so many divisions and subdivisions, and church set up against church, and pastors against pastors, in the same parishes; and each party labouring to disgrace the other and their way, that they may promote their own? I suppose you will say, you do so too.

Do I lament it as the nation's shame, that in religion men are of so many minds, and manage their differences so unpeaceably, that it is become the stumbling-block to the ungodly, the grief of our friends, and the derision of our enemies? I know you will say, that this also is your lamentation. And is it not a wonder indeed, that such a misery should be continued, which all men are against; and which cannot be continued but by our wilful choice? Is it not strange that we are so long without so great a blessing as Unity and Peace, while all men say they love it and desire it; and while we may have it if we will? But the cause is evident; while men love unity, they hate the holiness in which we must unite: while they love peace, they hate the necessary means by which it must be obtained and maintained the way of peace they have not known; or knowing it, they do abhor it. As well as they love unity and peace, they love the causes of discord and division much better. The drunkard, and whoremonger, and worlding say they love the salvation of their souls: but yet while they love and keep their sins, they will miss of the salvation which they say they love. And so while men love their ungodliness and dividing ways, we are little the better for their love of peace. If men love health, and yet love poison, and hate both medicine and wholesome food, they may miss of health, notwithstanding they love it.

Where know you a parish in England, that hath no disagreements in matters of religion? In this parish where I live, we have not several congregations, nor are we divided into such parties as in many other places; but we have here the great division; some are for heaven, and some for earth; some love a holy, diligent life, and others hate it; some pray in their families, and teach them the word and fear of God, and others do not; some spend the Lord's-day in holy exercises, and others spend much of it in idleness and vanity; some take the service of God for their delight, and others are weary of it, and live in ignorance, because they will not be at the pains to learn some make it the principal care and business of their lives to prepare for death, and make sure of everlasting life; and others will venture their souls on the wrath of God, and cheat themselves by their own presumption, rather than be at this sweet and necessary labour to be saved. Some hate sin, and make it

their daily work to root out the relics of it from their hearts and lives; and others love it and will not leave it, but hate those that reprove them, and endeavour their salvation.

And as long as this great division is unhealed, what other means can bring us to any happy unity? It would make a man's heart bleed to consider of the folly of the ungodly rout, that think it would be a happy union, if we could all agree to read one form of prayer, while some love, and others hate the holiness which they pray for: and if we could all agree to use the sign of the cross in baptism, while one half either understand not the baptismal covenant, or wilfully violate it, and neglect, or hate, and scorn that mortified holy life, which by that solemn vow and covenant they are engaged to. They are solicitous to bring us all to unity in the gesture of receiving the sacrament of the Lord'ssupper, while some take Christ and life, and others take their own damnation. When they should first agree in being all the faithful servants of one Master, they make a great matter of it, that the servants of Christ and of the devil may use the same bodily posture in that worship where their hearts are as different as Spirit and flesh. Poor people think that it is the want of uniformity in certain ceremonies of man's invention, that is the cause of our great divisionsand distractions; when, alas! it is the want of unity in matters of greater consequence, even of faith, and love, and holiness, as I have here shewed. If once we were all children of one Father, and living members of one Christ, and all renewed by one sanctifying Spirit, and aimed at one end, and walked by one rule, (the word of God,) and had that special love to one another which Christ hath made the mark of his disciples, this were an agreement to be rejoiced in indeed, which would hold us together in the most comfortable relations, and assure us that we shall live together with Christ in everlasting blessedness. But, alas! if our agreement be no better, than to sit together in the same seats, and say the same words, and use the same gestures and ceremonies, our hearts will be still distant from each other, our natures will be contrary, and the malignity of ungodly hearts will be breaking out on all occasions. And as now you hear men scorning at the practice of that religion which themselves profess, so if God prevent it not, you may shortly see another war take off their restraint and let them

loose, and then they will seek the blood of those that now they seem to be agreed with. At furthest we are sure, that very shortly we shall be separated as far as heaven and hell, if there be not now a nearer agreement than in words, and outward shows and ceremonies.

It being then past doubt, that there is no happy, lasting unity, but in the Spirit and a holy life, what hindereth us from so safe, so sweet, so pure a peace? Why might not all our parishes agree on such necessary, honourable and reasonable. terms? Why is there in most places, but here and there a person, or a family, that will yield to the terms of an everlasting peace, and live as men that believe they have a God to serve and please, and immortal souls to save or lose? Is not God willing that "all should be saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth;" (1 Tim. ii. 4;) and that all should agree in so safe a path? Why then doth he invite all, and tender them his saving mercy, and send his messengers to command and importune them to this holy concord? He would take them all into the bond of his covenant: how often would Christ have gathered all the children of Jerusalem to him, as the hen gathereth her chickens under her wings; but it was they that would not. (Matt. xxiii. 37.) He would have the Gospel preached to every creature, (Matt. xvi. 15, 16,) and would have the kingdoms of the world bes come the kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ.

What then is the cause of this sad division in our pa rishes? Are ministers unwilling that their people should all agree in holiness? No, it would be the greatest favour, you could do them, and the greatest joy that you could bring to their hearts they would be gladder to see such a blessed unity, than if you gave them all that you have in the world. O how a poor minister would boast and glory of such a parish! He would bless the day that ever he came among them; and that ever he was called to the ministry; and that ever he was born into the world for their sakes. How easy would all his studies and labours be, if they were but sweetened with such success! How easily could he bear his scorns and threatenings, and abuses, and persecution from others, if he saw but such a holy unity among his people to encou rage him! So far are your teachers from excluding you from this happiness, that it is the end of their studies, and preaching, and prayers, yea, and of their lives, to bring you

to partake of it... And glad would they be to preach to you, and exhort you, in hunger and thirst, in cold and nakedness, in all the contempt and derision of the world, if thereby they could but bring their parishes to agree in a life of faith and holiness.....

And surely our difference is not because the godly will not admit you to join with them in the ways of God; for they cannot hinder you if they would; and they would not if they could. It is their joy to see the house of God filled with guests that have on the wedding garment.

We must conclude therefore, that it is the ungodly that are the wilful and obstinate dividers. They might be united to Christ, and reconciled to God, and they will not. They might be admitted into the communion of saints, and into the household of God, and partake of the privileges of his children; and they will not. They have leave to read, and pray, and meditate, and walk with God in a heavenly conversation, as well as any of their neighbours; but they will not. It is themselves that are the refusers, and continue the division, to the displeasing of God, and the grief of their friends, and the gratifying of Satan, and the perdition of their own immortal souls. We might all be united, and our divisions be healed, and God much honoured, and ministers and good Christians be exceedingly comforted, and the church and commonwealth be delivered and highly honoured, and themselves be saved from everlasting misery, if we could but get the hearty consent of these foolish, obstinate, ungodly men.

What say you, wretched souls, can you deny it? How long have your Teachers been labouring in vain, to bring you to the hearty love of God, and heaven, and serious holiness! How long have they been persuading you to set up reading, and catechising, and constant fervent prayer in your families, and yet it is undone! How long have they in vain been persuading the worldling from his worldliness, and the proud person to humility, and the sensual beast from his tippling, and gluttony, and other fleshly pleasures!

And besides this, most of the disorders and divisions in the churches are caused by ungodly men. I will instance in a few particulars.

1. When we ask any godly, diligent ministers, either in London, or the country, why they do not unanimously cate