Employment, the unfpeakable Blifs of Bleffed Spirits in Heaven. A Blifs, of which this Unity in the present Life, is not only an Emblem, but a preparatory and indifpenfible Condition. And this Hope is by the Apoftle afcribed to the Power of the Holy Ghost, and begged of God as his peculiar Gift; because the Croffes and Temptations the Provocations and Cenfures, the Injuries and Sufferings, the Delay of God's most precious Promises, the Difficulties we meet with in doing our Duty, the froward Difpofitions and different Spirits of those we converse with, are an Over-Match for corrupt Nature. A Nature, which cannot bear its own Burden, much lefs that of other People, without the Affiftance of a Supernatural and Divine Power.

III. I fhall now, in the Laft Place, close this Difcourse with some practical Inferences, which may bring St. Paul's Argument nearer Home, and render it of ufe to Us, and to all Chriftians in general. As,

First, The Ends, for which St. Paulsays the Scriptures were defigned, are an excellent Direction, how to judge of our Improvement by Reading and Hearing the Word of God. It were heartily to be wifhed, that the grofs Neglect of converfing with these Sacred Oracles were not fo Scandalous, so Ungrateful, as muft needs one Day rife up in Judgment against the generality of Chriftians, and condemn them. But it is greatly to be feared withall, that Matters will not be found much better, with many who do read, and attend to, and spend much of their Time and Pains upon, the Scriptures, yet all this very wrong, and to little or no true Effect. Entring into the Niceties of Argument and Expreffion, fettling dark Points of Hiftory, explaining difficult Texts, and reconciling feeming Contradictions; Thefe are too often propounded, as the Chief End of fuch Studies. And Thefe, it must be granted, have their Degree, not only of Usefulness, but even of Neceffity. Without fuch Labours,

bours, we cannot make a full Discovery of the Treasures hidden there. But even the most perfect Difcovery does not answer the End of imparting thofe Treafures. For the fubtileft Critick ftops fhort, if he content himself with that Excellence, and do not proceed to the making a good Chriftian. Would a Man demonftrate, that he hath profited by the Scriptures? St. Paul tells him, the Proofs to be produced for it are Patience, and Comfort, and Hope. Hath he learnt Meeknefs and Moderation to them who differ from him? Does he fee the Ignorance and Infirmities of Weaker Christians with Temper and Compaffion? and, instead of censuring and defpifing, labour to inform them better, and gain upon their Affections, by Methods of Gentleness, and all becoming Condefcenfions? Can he bear the Reproaches of them who are in the wrong, when he knows himself in the right? Can he put up Injuries for God's Sake, and quietly fubmit to Affliction, when Providence lays it upon him? Does he fupport himself in Hardships and Temptations, under Calumny and caufelefs Contradiction, by the Example of a fuffering Saviour, and those other bright Patterns of Meeknefs and Perfeverance, whofe Trials and Praises are recorded in thofe Books? Does he labour diligently for Peace and Order, Charity and Godly Unity? This if he does, he is inftructed, and mighty in the Scriptures indeed. But till the Virtues, commemorated and commanded there, are copyed out into his

1 Cor. xiii. 2.

Difpofition and Practice, Though he understand all Mysteries and all Knowledge, yet this Apoftle tells him roundly, that all this while, he is nothing, and knows nothing, as he ought to know.

viii. 2.

2. Secondly, When the Glory of God, and the Benefit of Chriftians in Common are mentioned, as the Ends and Excellent Effects of Unity; This fhews us the Errors of those Men, who foment Divifions, and kindle PartyQuarrels, upon Pretence of God's Honour, and the Ad

vantage

vantage of Religion. Even Peace, it is true, may be purchased too dear; and therefore we must be fure, that it be Peace in Believing. But when the Fundamentals of Religion are well fecured, Then to be overtenacious in Matters of lefs Momènt, is not to serve the Caufe of God and Truth, but our own Paffions, and Prejudices, and private Interests. The Spiritual Jerusalem is never fo ftrong, as when the Builders contrive to make it a City at Unity within it felf. And we can never pleafe our felves too little, nor our lefs judicious Neighbours too much, provided we make the Apostle's Rule the End and Measure of our Condefcenfions: Which is, to stick at nothing that may be for their Good to Edification. But, for preventing any Misconstruction, which either Unwary or Defigning Men may put upon this Inference, I muft earnestly intreat my Reader to confider,

Ver. 2.

3. Thirdly, That the Matter in dispute between these Few and Gentile Converts was perfectly indifferent. My Meaning is, That it was fo, not only in its own Nature, as not effential to Religion; but it was fo in point of Use and Practice; by Reafon no Authority had interpofed, fo as pofitively to command or forbid the doing it. And therefore all required in this Cafe was, that every Man fhould be fatisfied in his own Conduct, and not censure or despise Them, who thought and acted otherwife. Both forts are fuppofed fincere in their way, and both accepted by God for that Sincerity; Therefore neither of them obnoxious to the Contempt or Condemnation of Men. This was the State of their Cafe at that time. But, what Advantage can fairly be drawn from hence, for holding out, against the Commands of our Superiours in Matters of like Temper now, or to the Prejudice of that wholfome Difcipline, which, for the fake of Order and Edification, prescribes or limits the Ufe of Things, in themfelves Indifferent, is not eafy to comprehend. When

Chap. xiv. 3, 4,

5, 6.

Human

Human Power is exercised in thefe, it acts in its proper Sphere. These are indeed its strict and only Province, That which is Good in its own Nature is already enjoined to its Hand, and all that our Governors can do, is only to confirm and give it a fresh Sanction. That which is Evil in it felf no Human Power can oblige Men to. And, if Indifferent Things be thus restrained, as to the Use of them; Be it in what Cafe it will, they are not thereby changed, as to their Nature. The Relation they bear to Religion does not make them ceafe to be fuch. For then they could not be impofed, or removed, at the Pleasure of our Governors. And confequently, remaining ftill Indifferent, they cannot cease to be a proper Subject, for Human Prudence and Authority to Exercise it self in. But tho' the Things themselves are still Indifferent; Yet Peace and Charity, Unity and Obedience, are not, cannot be fo. So wide a Distance is there between a Cafe, where there was no antecedent Command, but every Man was left at large to govern himself by his own Judgment: And One, wherein Publick Authority hath given Rule to the Practice of Private Perfons, and determined the Use of that, which is judged moft conducive to the Edification of the whole Community under its Care.

Chap. xiv. 6.

4. Fourthly, It follows from this Difcourfe of the Apostle, that there may be a true Chriftian Unity preferved, among those, who are far from being agreed in every Particular relating to Religion. Both He that did, and He that did not eat, did it unto the Lord. That is, Each of them went upon a Principle of Confcience. The Jewish Party were certainly in the wrong: But their Error was tolerable. The only thing that made it otherwife, was their Uncharitableness attending that Error. And hence it is, that the Method taken by St. Paul for bringing thefe Parties to a good Underftanding, is not to argue them all into one Opinion; but, waving the Merits of the point

1

in Controversy, to forbid Uncharitableness to those of the contrary opinion. And the Reafon, why no more than this was neceffary, is contained in these Words,

The Kingdom of God is not Meat and Drink, Chap. xiv. 17,18.

but Righteoufnefs, and Peace, and Joy in

the Holy Ghost. For he that in these things ferveth Chrift, is acceptable to God and approved of Men. These were not of the Subftance of Religion; and therefore Christian Communion might and ought to be kept up, notwithstanding any Differences, where the Foundations are not ftruck at. These Men were free, nay they would do well to perfuade and gain upon one another, by calm and fair arguing, by all gentle and amicable Methods: But none of them was allowed to cenfure and to condemn thofe, who understood lefs than themselves. And This was fufficient to preserve Unity of Affection, as That again is fufficient for the Purposes of God's Glory, and the Common Good; and as much, as the State of the Church, in the prefent World, ftands in need of.

Ver. 3, 6, 7.

Ver. 8, 9.

5. Lastly, We fhall do well very diligently to obferve the means prefcribed here, for bringing us all to this Temper. And they are fuch as follow. Reflecting with all due Humility, upon the infinitelygreater Condefcenfions of God and Christ towards our felves: Who are the very Best of us infinitely more unworthy Their Compaflion, than the weakeft or Worft of our Brethren can poffibly be of Ours. Attending impartially, and indeed efpecially, to the good and commendable Qualities of Them that differ from us, and not only to their Errors and their Faults. For as it will ill become Them to fhew Rigour in lefs Matters, whofe only Hope is owing to Mercy in Greater; fo the general Caufe of Cenfure and Contempt, is the over-rating our own Qualifications and Advantages, and over-looking thofe of our Brethren: Seeing nothing in our felves, or thofe of our own fide, but what

magnifies