164 SERMONS úp`ort muff do whatever is pofftble ; but we are not in the place óf God : 2 Thef. 3. 16. The God of Peace give you Peace always Lyon means. It feems as if a (mall matter would set all right, but we have it not in our Power: a little Light, a little Love, a little Light to make the Prejudices vanish ; a little Love to conquer Animofties! But God alone muff do the Work ! he can bow Men's rugged and crooked Spirits; Ira. t I. 6, 7. The Wolf alfo shall dwell with the Lamb, and the Leopardshall lie damn with the Kid ; and the Calf, and the young Lion,and the Suckling together, and a litle Childshall lead them; and the Cow and the Bear shall feed, their young ones shall lie down together, and the Lion All eat Straw like the Ox. It is an Allusion to the Beafts in the Ark, where all Enmity was taken away, they were all tame: So the Gospel can meeken the Heart: Not that fo disagreeing Tempers shall remain in the Christian Church, which (tho the ravenous Difpoltion of fome did cease ) would make a motley Company, and ( as the Pro- phet fpeaks) like a speckled Bird; but betides the Extiri &ion of noxious Q,aalities, all (hall be governed by the fame Spirit of Truth and Holiness. 4- Christ died for this End. Ephef. a. 14, 15, 16. He is our Peace, who path madb both one, and bath broken down the middle Wall of Partition between or : Having abolifbed in his FleJ i the Enmity, even the Law of Commandments contained in Ordinances, for to make in himfelf, of twain, one new Man, f making Peace. And that he might reconcile both unto God in one Body by the Cross, having slain the Enmity thereby. He died, not only to reconcile us to God, but to one another, to make of twain one Body, and destroy the Enmity in his Flesh. .Other Sacrifices are a sign of Separation, therefore he would be a Sacrifice of Union. The Fleth of Bulls and Goats were a Wall of Partition between Yews and Gentiles; but he would destroy the Enmity in his Flesh, to make of twain One. So Caiphao prophefiedi john t t. 52. That Chrf should die, to gather together in one the Children of God that were flattered abroad. Chrift died to in- large the Pale, that all Nations, tho of different Rites, Cuttoms, and Interests, might become One. 5. This he aimed at in his Afcenfion, and the pouring out of the Spirit. We read of the Unity of the Spirit, Keeping the Vnity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace, EpheC 4.6. It is called the Unity of the Spirit, not becaufe the Union is Spiritual and My- (liral, but becaufe the Spirit is the Author of it. Therefore it is Paid, t Cor. t a. 4. There are diverfities of Gifts, but the fame Spirit. Chrift would have but one Spirit to run through all his Members, that as they are united to ode Head, fo they may be ani- mated by one Spirit. Chrift is the Head of the Church, and the Spirit is the Soul of the Church. There is a Spirit of Communion. Look, as it is Paid, Ezek. t. 21. taken the Beafls went, the Wheels went ; and when thole flood, thf flood 5 and when thafe were lifted up from the Earth, the Wheels were lifted up over againfi them : the Reafon is, be- caufe the Spirit of the living Creature was in the Wheels. So becaufe the fame Spirit is in one Christian that is in another, therefore they have the like Affeaions to procure the good of one another as much as may be. Chrift giveth us the Spirit to make us One. But of this Spirit of Communion more hereafter. 6. This is the End of hjs gracious Difpenfations, he giveth us Grace and affurance of Glory to this End : John 17.22. ?nd the Glory which thou gavefl me, I have given them, that they may be One, even as we are One. Understand it of the privilege of Fi- liation, we are made Sons, that we may live as Brethren ; or of the Gift of Grace, the glorious Image of God is impreffed on all the Saints, that Likeness may beget Love ; or of an Intereft in Glory, that thofe that expeEt to live in the fame Heaven, may not fall out by the way, and difagree on Earth. 7. It is the End of his Ordinances and Appointments in theChurch. Baptifm, and the Lord's Supper, are to keep the Saints together : It is fad indeed, that the World maketh them Apples of Strife, when Christ made them Bonds of Love. We are all bap- tized by one Spirit into one Body, and have been all made to drink into one Spirit, I Cor. t 2. 1.3. It notes our Union with Chrift, and one with another. And, 1 Cor. Io. 17. We being many, are one Bread, and one Body : for we are all partakers of that one Bread. The Sacraments are Banners, under which we do encamp, and profefs our Union and Brotherhood in the Army of Chrift. Oft t. How contrary are they to Christ, that love Strife, and sow Difcord among Brethren ; they are the Devil's Fataors, Agents for the Kingdom of Darknefs ; they wholly frustrate the Defign and Undertaking of Jefus Christ; he was incarnate, preached, prayed, died, &c. that his People may be one. Yea, they do not only what
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