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4.5z
I
Ephefians,Ghap.
4.
V
E
R.
3.
tempefls
of
wrath
and envy. Study for
Unity
of
fpirit;
It
is a
fruit
of
the
flefh
to
make divifion and
feparation
:
r Cor.
3.
3.
Whereas there
is
among
you
envying
and
firife and divifions,
are
yee
uet
cane
and
walk
as
men?
They
were forted,
fome
to
this Minifler, fome
to
that
fome
of
Paul,
force
of
Apollos,
Tome
of
Peter; are
ye
not
carnallc
But
you will fay, what lets
use
How
may this be avoydede
The
Apoftle
gives
usa rule that
will
goe throughout,
Phil.
2.
3,
4.
Let
nothing-
be
done
through
ffrife,
or
vain-
glory,
bat in
lowlineffe
of
mind,
let each
effeem
other better
then
themfelves:
Lay downe
a
ftriving
fpirit,
then there
will be
Unity; for then they
will
underhand
one ano-
ther,
or beare one with
another,
till
God
make it cleare to both.
Another
let to this
Unity of
Spirit,
is
vaine
-glory
:
Some men
be
fo
cholerick
and
hot, that
no man
can have peace
with themexcept
they
be jufl
of
their mind:lay
this
downe,
it
is
a fruit
of
the
flefh.
It
is
the
glory
of
force;
taking
up
force errant', he muff not lay it downe.
It
is
not
(as
a
Divine faith)
in
ftriving
for
Gods truth,
as in
other
conflifs;
one conquers,
and
the other
is
foyled and overcome;
but to
be
con-
quered
and
to
conquer
is
honourable to both
;
for
a man
to
be over.
come
in
that
he fhould yield
unto,
is a
mercy
of
God
to him. Oh
this
vain
-
glory!that
men think
it
a
fhame
to
lay down
any
thing they
once
have taken up,
though God
have made
the
contrary
cleare, they will
not
lay
it downe
left it be faid,
they
turne
hack. This
vaine
-glory
is
the nurfe
of
contention,
if
we will labour for Unity
of
judgement
and
of
fpirit, we muff
overcome
this neck
-
break,
that
is,vaine -glory and
a
ftriving fpirit.
The
Apoftle
gives
other
caveats againft it. Let
each efíeem other bet-
ter then themfelves;
this ineftimation of
other
mens graces
and gifts
as
though they
had
nothing,
this makes
us
diffent
in
affcltions.
Though
there
be many failings
ançl
wants
in
our brethren ,
many
in-
firmities
difpleafing to
us, and many
things
differing
from
us
and
con-
trary
to us,yet let not
any
of
thefe make
a
difference
of
our minds,
and
fpirits, and
affeEtions,
one towards another,
but that
we
frill
repute,
judge, account
andaffefi
one
the other
as
Saints and
brethren,
love
one another
as
the
children
of
God,
notwithflanding
thefe infirmities,
and
let thatone
fpirit
of
God which
is
in
us
all
,
guide and
rule all
our
thoughts,
delires
and
affcäions
one
towards the
other,
as
brethren.
And
think
it
not
a
matter
of
reputed
honour to
make
contentions, it
is
cafe
to
take
them
up,
not
fo eafie
to
lay
them
down ,
eafie
to
take up
quarrells, not
fo
eafie
to renounce them,
it
is
eafie
to
knit knots, not
fo
eafie
to
untye
them,
eafie
to
find faults
,
not
fo eafie
to
amend
them.
Some make
it
their work to
pick
quarrel's
, quarrelling at the
Mini
-
ftery, at the
Church, at
the
doi rine , at
the government,
and thinke
they carry
a
great deale
of
reputation;
in
the
meane time leave their
ovine
callings, having little to doe, and
take
themfelves to
this.
Alas,
thefe men have
loft themfelves
in
this
way: Is this
the
way
of
a
Chri-
ftiane
Let
us
underfiund our
felves
better,
and
what
may
bee made
good
by interpretation, take
it
for
confcience
fake
, and
not
as
fume
doe,
Objer1.
Anti.
Phil.a.
;.
Meanes how
to
attaine
it.
To
lay
down
a
fir
iving fpi-
rirt
Secondlyvain-
glary,which is
anenemy to
Unity of fpirit.
Phila.;.
Thirdly
the
difeflcem
of
other men.
It
h
no
ho
MIT to make
contentions.