CHAP.I·. upon the Epistle of JAM B s, admiration, I Cor.6.6. Brother goeti:J to L~Sw With brother, PZnd that before unbelievers ! There is·two aggravations, ~ne from the: perfons frriving, Brotbe~With brotker; the ~cher, before whom , they made infidels confctous to thetr contennon : ' So Gen. I 3. 7,8• .And there wa..r aftrife between the herdmen of Abrahams Cillttel, and the herdmm of Lots c:r.ttel, ·and the Canaanite and Peri~ite 'U?.uyet in the Land: The Canaanite was yet nnfubdued, ready ro take advantage of their diviGons, yet they fl:rove; but fee how Abraham taketh up thB matter, We be brethren, !tt ~here be no more ftrife. Oh confider, no difcords are like thofe of brethren; the nearer the union, the greater thefeparation uponabreach ; for natural tyes, being £l:ronger then artificial, when they are once broken, they are hardly made up again ; as feams, when tbey are ripped, maybefewed again, but rents ifl: the whole clothare not fo eafilyremedied; and fo Solomrm faith, Prov.I 8.19. A brother of– feruledu harder to be won then a ftrong City :-Their contentions are lik..! the bars ofaCaftle; that is, they are as irreconctltable as a firong Cafrle is impregnable. But this is not all that is required, as to avoyd what mif-becometh the relation: But we muft alfo praClife tHe duty that it enforceth; there lhould be mutual endea– vors for each others good, Pfal.uz.8.For my brethren and compa– nions fak! I will nfJwfay, peace be \~ithin thee; that is, becaufe of the relation, he would be earne!l: with qod in prayer for their welfare. 6I . 2, [The 13rother of low degree,] He faith of low degree, and Ob[ervat. i, yet Brother. Meannefs doth not takf away Church relations, Chriftian refpetls are not to be meafuredby tliefe outward things; Aman is not to be meafured by them, therefore· certainly.not a Chriftian, I had almoll: faid, not aBeast : We chufe an horfe, *fine "' Apuleus phaleru & ephippio, by his !l:rength and fwiftnefs, not the gaudi- a!icubi. · neife ofhis trappings; That which Chrifiians lhould look at is not thefe outward additaments, but the eminmcy ofgrace, James 2. I. Have not the f«ith ofour Lord {ef u.r Christ in refjcCl ofperfons: that is,do not efteem their grace according to the fplendor or mean– nefs of the octward !l:ate and condi tion. Defjijing the poor, is cal– led adefjijing the . {hurch of God, I Cor. I 1.22. Have ye not houfes to eat and drink)n? Or defpife y e the Church of god, and fha": e/hem that have not? At their Love Feafis they were wont to (lJg,1t the poor, and difcourage thofe that were not able to de- ~ 3 -··· -- fray
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