As for the Fruit of UNITY, redounding to those that are Within, it is, in one Word, Peace; which containeth infinite Bleffings; for it establisheth Faith; it kindleth Charity; nay, the outward Peace of the Church diftilleth by degrees into inward Peace of Confcience; and it turneth the Labours of writing and reading Controverfies, into Treati fes of Devotion, and Mortification.

As to the Bounds and Limits of U NITY, the true and just placing of them is doubtless of exceeding great Import, as to all Things in Religion. And in stating these, there appear to be two Extremes. For to certain Zealots, all mention of Pacification is odious; Is it Peace, Jehu? What haft thou to do with Peace? Turn thee behind me. As though Peace were not the Matter, but Sect and Party. Contrariwife, certain Laodiceans as it were, and luke-warm Perfons, think they may accommodate Points of Religion by Middle-ways, and taking part of both; and witty Reconcilements; as if they meant to be Arbi

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trators between God and Man. Both thefe Extremes are to be avoided; which will be done, if the League between Christians, penned by our Saviour himfelf, were in thofe Claufes, that seem at firft fight to cross one another, foundly and plainly expounded: He that is not with us, is against us: And again, He that is not against us, is with us: That is, if the Points plainly Effential and Fundamental in Religion were truly difcerned, and diftinguished from Points not merely of Faith, but of Opinion, and good Intention, established for the fake of Order and Church-Polity. This is a Thing that may feem to many a Matter trivial, and done already: But if this very Thing were done lefs partially, it would be embraced more generally.

IN this Affair I think good to give fomething of Advice, according to my fmall Model. Men ought to take heed of rending God's Church, by two Kinds of Controverfies. The firft is, when the Matter of the Point controverted

is too small and light, not worth the Heat and Strife about it; being kindled only by Contradiction. For as it is acutely and elegantly noted by one of the Fathers: Chrift's Coat indeed had no Seam: But the Church's Vesture was of divers Colours. Whereupon he advifes: Let there be Variety in the Ve fture, but no Sciffure. For UNITY and UNIFORMITY are widely different. The other is, when the Matter of the Point controverted is weighty indeed, but it is driven to an over-great Subtilty, and Obfcurity; fo that it feems to be a Thing, rather Ingenious than Substantial. A Man that is of Judgment and Understanding, shall fometimes hear Ignorant Men fquabble about a Question; and know well within himself, that thofe who so differ, are in Reality of the fame Sentiment, and mean one Thing; and yet they themselves would never agree. And if it fo come to pafs fometimes, in that small Distance of Judgment, which may be between Man and Man; fhall we not think, that God above, that

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searches and knows the Heart, difce clearly, that frail Men, in some of th Controverfies, intend really the far Thing, and accepteth of both? The N ture and Character of fuch Controverf is excellently expreffed by St. Paul in t Warning and Precept that he give concerning the fame; Avoid profa Novelties of Words, and Oppofitions Science falfely fo called. Men create t themselves Oppositions, which in trut are not, and fashion and coin them int new Terms, which are so fix'd and un variable, that whereas the Meaning ought to govern the Term, the Tern governs the Meaning.

THERE are alfo, as of Controver fies, fo of UNITIES, two Kinds, which may be reckon'd Adulterate. The one, when the Peace is grounded but upon an implicit Ignorance; (for all Colours agree in the Dark:) The other, when it is pieced and patch'd up of Pofitions diametrically oppofite to one another, in Points Fundamental. For Truth and Falfhood in fuch Things, are like the

Iron and Clay in the Toes of the Image, that Nebuchadnezzar faw in a Dream; they may cleave, but they will not incorporate.

Now as to the Means of obtaining UNITY, Men must beware, that in the procuring and fencing Religious UNITY, they do not diffolve and demolish the Laws of Charity and Society. There are but two Swords amongst Christians; the Spiritual and Temporal; and both have their due Place and Office, in the Maintenance and Protection of Religion. But we must by no means take up the third Sword, which is Mahomet's Sword, or like unto it; that is, to propagate Religion by Wars, or by fanguinary Perfecutions to force Confciences; except it be in Cafes of OvertScandal, and infolent Blafphemy, or pra &tifing against the Civil State: much lefs to nourish Seditions; to authorize Confpiracies and Rebellions; to put the Sword into the People's Hands, and the like; all which Things manifeftly tend to the violating the Majesty of GovernVOL. I. C ment,