Ver. 17.

Ver. 18.

Forbearance, from the ill Confequences that might enfue by the exercife of the contrary Temper. He then affures them, That the Kingdom of God is not Meat and Drink, but Righteoufnefs and Peace, and Joy in the Holy Ghoft. Q. D. Surely, you are unacquainted with the Defign of Chriftianity, or else you have forgotten wherein true and undefil'd Religion doth confift, that you should with fo much warmth engage in matters of an indifferent nature. Alas! the Effence of Religion confifts in Righteousness and Peace, and Foy in the Holy Ghost. For he that in these things ferweth Chrift, is acceptable to God, and approv'd of Men. As for these indifferent Matters, 'tis not your eating or not eating, your obferving or not observing thofe days; but he that in Righteoufnefs, Peace,and Joy in the Holy Ghoft, ferveth Chrift, whether a Jewish or a Gentile Chriftian, whether too much entangled with unneceffary Scruples, or more advanced in his Knowledg with refpect to his Christian Liberty, He is accepted of God, and approved of Men. From all which the Apostle infers, as in the words of the Text; Let us therefore follow after the things which make for Peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.

Let us therefore follow after the things which make for Peace, i. e. the Peace of the Church; and those things wherewith one may edify another, i. e. by improving one another in Knowledg, Grace and Comfort. 'Tis the former part of the words I fhall principally infift on, tho I fhall not wholly omit to glance on the latter. And for the more profitable managing of my Difcourfe upon this Text, it fhall be under thefe four general Heads..

First, I fhall state the Notion of that Peace
we are exhorted to pursue.

Secondly, Show you how reasonable it is to
follow fuch a Peace.

Thirdly, Inftance in fome of those things,
which, if regularly purfu'd, will make
for the Peace of the Churches of Jefus
Christ.

Fourthly, I fhall make the Ufe and Improve-
ment of the whole..

First, I am to state the Notion of that Peace and Union we are exhorted by the Apoftle to purfue: For tho Peace be a very desirable thing, yet we are not to purfue it at all adventures. We ought indeed to put forth our felves to the utmost to obtain and preferve Unity and Concord, yet never to purchase it at the expence of Holinefs, Truth and Order. Therefore,

1. The Union and Peace, that by this Text we are exhorted to purfue, must be in conjunction with Holinefs. Real Holiness is neceffary to make us eafy upon Earth, and happy in Heaven wherever Sin reigns, it will occafion ftinging remorfe, and create confufion in mens Souls. So that whatever Methods are taken for the obtaining of Peace, that are not confiftent with Righteousness, they'l be fo far from promoting Union and a good Correfpondence among Chriftians, that they'l caufe us to be at difcord with our felves, and will continually difquiet our own Minds. Let us therefore attend to the Advice of the Apostle; Follow Peace with all men, and Holiness, with- Heb. 12.14 out which no man fhall fee the Lord: i. e. no one with

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Ifa. 54. 15.

without Holiness can enjoy God, either in his Ordinances upon Earth, or by being rais'd to the beatifick Vifion in Heaven. The reafon is very obvious: there is fo great a Contrariety between the unfanctified Faculties of wicked Men, and the purified Objects of the invisible State, that 'tis impoffible in the very nature of the thing, that there fhould be any real Pleasure and Happiness, where there is fo great a difagreement betwixt the Faculty and the Object. And whatever Soul is thus diforder'd, it would not be happy were it fix'd in the midst of Paradife it felf. What fignifies a Confort of Mufick to one that is deaf? or heaps of Gold to one scorcht with the flames of a Fever? Thus equally disagreeable would be the Society and Imploy of the Bleffed to an unholy Man and equally unfuccefsful will be all Methods to procure Peace in prejudice to Holiness.

Holiness is one of the diftinguishing Glories of the Gofpel; for there never was any Inftitution in the World, whether Human or Divine, that did fo ftrictly require Holiness of Heart and Life, as the Gofpel of the Bleffed God, which obliges us to flee from the very fhadow of Vice. What shall I fay of Holiness! 'Tis the moral Glory of the Deity, and there is nothing that does fo much improve and ennoble a human or angelical Spirit. Therefore, my Brethren, let us always take care that Holinefs be at the bottom of our Union, or else it will be no better than a Confederacy with Sin; like what the Prophet complains of, They shall gather together, but not by me; i. e. not with my Approbation and Bleffing. And fuch a kind of Union as that,

is fitly enough refembled by the Image mention'd in Daniel, whofe feet were partly Iron, and partly Clay, which foon fell to pieces, being compos'd of fuch difagreeable Materials: and the fame end fooner or later will attend all finful Confederacies.

2. The Peace we are to purfue, must be in conjunction with Truth. We can' (fays the Apostle) do nothing against the Truth. He could 2 Cor. 13. 8. go as far as any Man to procure and promote Peace, but never in prejudice to Holiness and Truth. And I obferve that the fame Apostle, in his excellent Defcription of Charity, fays,

That it rejoiceth not in Iniquity, but rejoiceth in 1 Cor.13.6, the Truth. By Truth here I understand the Gofpel, or the Chriftian Faith, agreeable to that of the Apostle John; 1 rejoiced greatly to find thy Children walking in the Truth, i. e. in the Faith and Fellowship of the Gofpel. Now if by Truth in the former we understand the fame as we do in the latter Text, viz. the pure unfophifticated Doctrine of Chriftianity, then the Apostle plainly intimates, that Charity it felf will not allow us to affociate and unite with those whose Doctrines fap the Foundation of the Chriftian Religion. Charity cannot rejoice in Iniquity or Falfhood, but it • rejoiceth alone in the Truth.

re But here I would not be mifunderstood. Chriftians may differ in their Notions and Opinions about thofe Matters that are lefs clearly reveal'd, or that are indifferent in their own nature. Yet this may be without dividing in our Affections, or making any breach in our Chriftian Communion. Why should our different Apprehenfions in leffer Matters, abate our mutual respects? fince God

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loves

loves a fincere Chriftian, tho he be weak, and knows not the extent of his Liberty. And if he receives fuch a one, why should not those that are strong in the Faith receive him alfo, and exercise that Love and Charity towards him, which is due to all the Members of Chrift's myftical Body?

Indeed as formerly there was no fixing Dagon and the Ark together, so can there not be any agreement now between the Temple of God and Idols. Whatever Principle in Religion strikes at the Foundation, it forbids our Union with those that patronize it; for fo far as we unite with fuch, we countenance Error and betray the Truth. 'Tis * 2 Kings remarkable, that the Jews in Ezra's time 17.33.comp. would not affociate with the Samaritans, bewith Ezra 4 caufe (tho they pretended to fear the Lord)

1, 2, 3.

they took the unwarrantable liberty of ferving their own Gods. 'Tis equally unreafonable and criminal for those who adhere to the Doctrine according to Godliness, to coalefce with those that are corrupted with damnable Herefies, that deny the Lord that bought 'em, and that teach for Doctrines the Commandments of Men. I grant that our Charity ought not to be confin'd to a Party which concurs exactly with us in all things; yet the Limits fix'd by the Apostle fhould bound us with respect to our Communion, where People acEph. 4.5. knowledg One Lord, one Faith, one Baptifm.

3.That Peace and Union we are to purfue, must be confiftent with Order and Distinction. The Peace which the Apostle recommends to the Children of God, is not defign'd to deftroy the Government he has fix'd in his Cor.14.33. Church: For God is not the Author of Confu