3 $ S The Blejdnefi of the Peace - makers. S E R M. height, even in their own time. The churches XIV. of Galatia, and of Rome, and Corinth, were the fcenes of contention. Chriftians formed themfelves into parties, under feveral leaders, who (trove for authority, for fuperior in- fluence in the direction of their common affairs, and a number of followers : One was of Paul, another of Apollo, another of Ce- phas ; fome were for impofing on the reft in matters of indifferency, and bringing all to an uniformity of modes and ceremonies, which were of no fignificancy at all to the main pur- pofe of religion, or commending men to God ; efpecially the 7ewifh rites were at that time the fubjeá of very angry debates ; whilft fome pleaded for the neceffary obfer- vance of them, and prefl'ed their brethren to conform, fome of whom, in their turn, rejec`,ted them with as much warmth, and by an indifcreet ufe of their liberty gave offence to the weak, the effect was, as it always will be in parallel cafes, that charity abated, which is the very life of prahtical chriftiani- ty ; they judged, they cenfured, they vexed, and defpifed one another, and religion came to be placed in matters of no moment at all, indeed degenerated into empty form. This fheweth what the true peace of religious fo- ciety is ; it is an agreement in the faith of God's eled, as the apoftle calleth it, or the chri-
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=