let pass the private scoldings of the Antients, not without some unpleasing, I had almost said misbeseeming, tartness. I would rather set before your eyes, for good luck sake, those public altercations of the Churches and Fathers, which afterward shut up in a blessed concord. What quarrels arose at the Council of Ephesus, between Cyril of Alexandria and John of Antioch! The Churches under both stuck not to counterthunder anathemas one against another. Thereupon Theodoret thrust in his sickle into this harvest: against whom Cyrillus, by Evoptius' instigation, makes as strong opposition. Theodoret accuseth Cyril of Apolinarism: Cyril accuses Theodoret of Nestorianism: the flame of their rage brake out more and more, and almost drew the Christian World to parties; so that, afterwards, when Theodoret would have entered the Council of Chalcedon, the Egyptian and other Reverend Bishops cried out, "We must cast out Cyril, if we take in Theodoret: the very Canons cast him forth: God abhors him." The like was done afterwards in the eighth Action; the Bishops openly proclaiming, "He is a Heretic, a Nestorian: away with the Heretic." But when the matter was well scanned, and it was found that he willingly subscribed to the Orthodox Creeds and the Epistle of Leo, the whole Synod with one accord cried out, "Theodoret is well worthy of a See in the Church: let the Church receive her Orthodox Pastor." It is worthy of immortality, that which Gregory Nazianzen recordeth of holy Athanasius. The Romans seemed to the Eastern Churches to follow the heresies of Sabellius, in denying of three Hypostases: the Eastern likewise seemed to the Romans, to favour too much of Arius, in denying three Persons: the quarrel grew hot: then came that great dispenser of souls; and, having meekly and mildly called forth both sides before him, he so handled the business, that, granting them the free use of their terms, he tied them close to the matter; and shewed them a light, whereby they might behold one another: upon this, without more ado, finding themselves both in the right, they fall to mutual embracements. Neither would it speed otherwise with us brethren, as I do verily believe, if some Athanasius from heaven would but join our hands together. Oh, if once the gates of intestine and horrid wars were shut up: and the Religious Princes, which are the Nursing Fathers of the Reformed Churches, would command, by virtue of their authority, a Synod to the assembled, as General as it might; wherein both parts freely and modestly, might lay forth their opinions, and such common terms might be agreed upon, as wherein both parts might freely rest without prejudice to either! How easily then, how happily, might these grievous stirs be quietly pacified! Let us pray for this, my Brethren; let us pray devoutly. Animosque, interea, ad pacem unitatemque placidè flectamus. Sit inter nos, quod Augustino Hieronymus, pura germanitas. Neque sinamus nos, leviculis quibusque opinionum minutiis, distrahi ac divelli. Obliviscamur fuisse unquam in rerum naturâ, quantum ad sectæ quidem ullius denotationem, Lutherum, Philippum, Zuinglium, Calvinum, Arminium, aut si quod mortale nomen; quid enim nobis cum homine negotii est ? Unum spiremus unum ardeamus, Jesum Christum. Pleiades sumus Theologi, ut ingenuosè Gregorius: unà micemus omnes, etsi non sine aliquo loci intervallo. Malo Punico grana plurima sunt sub uno cortice: nôstis mysterium: nos Mala Punica jungamus tintinnabulis: sonori simus, sed et concordes. Opera, ministeria, dono nostra universa, uno Deo Patri, Filio, Spiritui Sancto; uni Capiti, Christo; uni Corpori, Ecclesiæ, corde uno æternùm voveamus: ut, uno tincti Baptismate, uno empti Pretio, unam Fidem professi, Unitatem Spiritûs retinentes in Vinculo Pacis, uno eodemque Cœlo tandem fœlicissimè perfruamur, per Jesum Christum Dominum nostrum: Cui, cum Patre, ac Spiritu, sit omnis honor et gloria, in sæcula in sæculorum. Amen. In the mean while, let us all sweetly incline our hearts to peace and unity. Let there be amongst us, as St. Augustin to Jerome, pure brotherhood. Neither let us suffer ourselves, upon every slight quirk of opinion, to be distracted or torn asunder. Let us forget that there were ever any such, in respect of the devotion of a sect, as Luther, Melancthon, Calvin, Zuinglius, Arminius, or if any other mortal name; for what have we to do with man? Let us breathe nothing, let us affect nothing, but Jesus Christ. We Divines are Pleiades, as Gregory saith wittily: let us therefore shine still together, though not without some difference of place. In a pomegranate are many grains under one rind: you know the mystery: let us join these pomegranates to our bells; let us be loud, but consorted. Let us devote for ever, with one heart, all our operations, ministries, gifts, to one God, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; to one Head, Christ; one Body, the Church: that, being washed with one Baptism, ransomed with one Price, professing one Faith, and holding the Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace, we may at last happily enjoy one and the same Heaven, through Jesus Christ our Lord: To whom, with the Father, and the Holy Spirit, be ascribed all honour and glory, for evermore. Amen. |