II
OF UNITY IN RELIGION
Religion being the chiefe Band[1] of humane[2] Society, it is a happy thing when it selfe is well contained within the true Band[1] of Unity. The Quarrels and divisions about Religion were Evils unknowne to the Heathen. The Reason was, because the Religion of the Heathen consisted rather in Rites and Ceremonies then in any constant Beleefe. For you may imagine what kinde of Faith theirs was, when the chiefe Doctors[3] and Fathers of their Church were the Poets. But the true God hath this Attribute, That he is a Iealous God; And therefore, his worship and Religion will endure no Mixture, nor Partner. We shall therefore speake a few words concerning the Unity of the Church; What are the Fruits thereof; what the Bounds; And what the Meanes?
The Fruits of Unity (next unto the well Pleasing of God, which is All in All) are two ; The One, towards those that are without the Church; The Other, towards those that are within. For[4] the Former; It is certaine that Heresies and Schismes are of all others the greatest Scandals ; yea more then[5] Corruption of Manners. For as, in the Naturall Body, a Wound or Solution of Continuity[6] is worse then a Corrupt Humor, So in the Spirituall. So that nothing doth so much keepe Men out of the Church, and drive Men out of the Church, as Breach of Unity: And therefore, whensoever it commeth to that passe that one saith, Ecce in Deserto[7] Another saith, Ecce in penetralibus[8]; That is, when some Men seeke Christ in the Conventicles of Heretikes, and others in an Outward Face of a Church, that voice had need continually to sound in Men s Eares, Nolite exire,—Goe not out. The Doctor[9] of the Gentiles (the
