This outward peace of the church, as a learned man observes, distils into peace of conscience, and turns writings and readings of controversy into treatises of mortification and devotion.
And the psalmist tells us, that it is not only good, but pleasant 'for brethren to dwell together in unity' (Psa 133), but where unity and peace is wanting, there are storms and troubles; 'where envy and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work' (James 3:16). It is the outward peace of the church that increaseth our inward joy, and the peace of God's house gives us occasion to eat our meat with gladness in our houses (Acts 2:46).
3. The unity and peace of the church makes communion of saints desirable. What is it that embitters church-communion, and makes it burdensome, but divisions? Have you not heard many complain that they are weary of church-communion, because of church contention? but now, where unity and peace is, there Christians long for communion.
David saith that he was glad when they said unto him, 'Let us go into the house of the Lord' (Psa 122:1). Why was this, but because, as the third verse tells us, Jerusalem was a city compact together, where the tribes went up, the tribes of the Lord, to give thanks to his name. And David, speaking of the man that was once his friend, doth thereby let us know the benefit of peace and unity (Psa 55:14): 'We,' saith he, 'took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company.' Where unity is strongest, communion is sweetest and most desirable. You see, then, that peace and union fill the people of God with desires after communion; but, on the other hand, hear how David complains (Psa 120:5), 'Woe is me that I sojourn in Meshech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar!' The psalmist here is thought to allude to a sort of men that dwelt in the deserts of Arabia, that got their livings by contention; and, therefore, he adds (v 6), that his soul had long dwelt with them that hated peace: this was that which made him long for the courts of God, and esteem one day in his house better than a thousand. This made his soul even faint for the house of God, because of the peace of it; 'Blessed are they,' saith he, 'that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee' (Psa 84:4). There is a certain note of concord, as appears (Acts 2) where we read of primitive Christians, meeting with one accord, praising God.
4. Where unity and peace is, there many mischiefs and inconveniences are prevented which attend those people where peace and unity are wanting; and of those many that might be mentioned, I shall briefly insist upon these nine:—
(1.) Where unity and peace are wanting, there is much precious time spent to no purpose. How many days are spent, and how many fruitless journeys made to no profit, where the people are not in peace! How often have many redeemed time, even in seed-time and harvest, when they could scarce afford it to go to church, and by reason of their divisions, come home worse than they went, repenting they have spent so much precious time to so little benefit! How sad is it to see men spend their precious time, in which they should work out their salvation, by labouring, as in the fire, to prove an uncertain and doubtful proposition, and to trifle away their time, in which they should make their calling and election sure, to make sure of an opinion which, when they have done all, they are not infallibly sure whether it be true or no; because all things necessary to salvation and church-communion are plainly laid down in Scripture, in which we may be infallibly sure of the truth of them; but for other things that we have no plain texts for, but the truth of them depends upon our interpretations, here we must be cautioned that we do not spend much time in imposing those upon others, or venting those among others, unless we can assume infallibility—otherwise, we spend time upon uncertainty; and whoever casts their eyes abroad, and doth open their ears to intelligence, shall both see, and, to their sorrow, hear that many churches spend most of their time in jangling and contending about those things which are neither essential to salvation or church-communion, and that which is worse, about such doubtful questions which they are never able to give an infallible solution of; but now, where unity and peace is, there our time is spent in praising God, and in those great questions—what we should do to be saved? and how we may be more holy and more humble towards God, and more charitable and more serviceable to one another?
(2.) Where unity and peace is wanting, there is evil surmising and evil speaking, to the damage and disgrace, if not to the ruining of one another (Gal 5:14,15): 'The whole law is fulfilled in one word, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself; but if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.' No sooner the bond of charity is broken, which is as a wall about Christians, but soon they begin to make havoc and spoil of one another; then there is raising evil reports, and taking up evil reports against each other. Hence it is that whispering and backbiting proceeds, and going from house to house to blazon the faults and infirmities of others: hence it is that we watch for the haltings of one another, and do inwardly rejoice at the miscarriages of others, saying in our hearts, Ah, ah, so we would have it; but now, where unity and peace is, there is charity; and where charity is, there we are willing to hide the faults, and cover the nakedness of our brethren. 'Charity thinketh no evil' (1 Cor 13:5), and, therefore, it cannot surmise, neither will it speak evil.
(3.) Where unity and peace is wanting, there can be no great matters enterprised; we cannot do much for God nor much for one another. When the devil would hinder the bringing to pass of good in nations and churches, he divides their councils; and, as one well observes, he divides their heads, that he may divide their hands; when Jacob had prophesied of the cruelty of Simeon and Levi, who were brethren, he threatens them with the consequent of it (Gen 49:7): 'I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.' The devil is not to learn that maxim he hath taught the Machiavellians of the world, divide et impera—divide and rule; it is a united force that is formidable: hence the spouse, in the Canticles, is said to be 'but one,' 'and the only one of her mother' (Cant 6:9). Hereupon it is said of her (v 10) that she is 'terrible as an army with banners.' What can a divided army do, or a disordered army, that have lost their banners, or, for fear or shame, thrown them away? In like manner, what can Christians do for Christ, and the enlarging his dominions in the world, in bringing men from darkness to light, while themselves are divided and disordered? Peace is, to Christians, as great rivers are to some cities, which, besides other benefits and commodities, are natural fortifications, by reason whereof those places are made impregnable; but when, by the subtilty of an adversary or the folly of the citizens, these waters come to be divided into little petty rivulets, how soon are they assailed and taken! Thus it fares with churches; when once the devil, or their own folly divides them, they will be so far from resisting of him, that they will be soon subjected by him.
Peace is to churches as walls to cities; nay, unity hath defended cities that had no walls. It was once demanded of Agesilaus why Lacedemon had no walls; he answers, pointing back to the city, that the concord of the citizens was the strength of the city. In like manner, Christians are strong when united; then they are more capable to resist temptation, and to succour such as are tempted. When unity and peace is among the churches, then are they like a walled town; and when peace is the church's walls, salvation will be her bulwarks.
Plutarch tells us of one Silurus that had eighty sons, whom he calls to him as he lay upon his death-bed, and gave them a sheaf of arrows; thereby to signify, that if they lived in unity they might do much; but, if they divided, they would come to nothing. If Christians were all of one piece—if they were all but one lump, or but one sheaf or bundle, how great are the things they might do for Christ and his people in the world, whereas, otherwise, they can do little but dishonour him, and offend his.