230 Of Brotherly Kindnefs and Charity. SERM. taken from the example of Chrift, from the IX. defign of his death, and the obligations he '`'" has laid us under by his love. How often do they call upon us to lay afide all animofities and contentions, all bitternefs, clamour, envy, revenge, wrath, and evil fj5eaking ; to forgive one another, if any one have a quarrel again) any, even as God for Chri fl's fake freely for- gave us ; to receive our fellow Chr /fans, the weak as well as the ftrong, as Chr/ received us to the glory of God; on account of 'direr differences in religion (which in this imper- felt (late are inevitable), not to break the unity and peace of the church, not to alie- nate our affeéions, nor withdraw from the religious fellowfhip of each other ? Scarcely is there any thing more defignedly and largely treated on, efpecially in St. Paul's epiffles than this ; as the condition of the church, and particularly the difference between the Jewifh and Gentile converts, did in a pecu- liar manner require it. And, by-the -by, thefe are offices of charity which need now as much as ever to be inculcated, there being notorious trefpaffes againft them in almoft all the Chriftian churches ; not only particular perfons are chargeable with it, but the very +conftitution of religious focieties founded on things
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