5orm.CXXXV. confder'd, as our Example. And which greatly conduceth to the Comfort and Benefit of all Societies, both Civil and Ecclefiaftical, he gave us the Example of an obedient and peaceable Temper, conforming himfelf and his A&ions not only to Divine, but Humane Laws, Giving to Cæfar the Things which are C far's, and to God theThingswhich are God's; infomuch, that when Tribute was demanded of him, tho' he was really free from any fuch Obligation, and fo poor that he was not able to pay it, in which Cafe even Cefar muff lofe his Right ; neverthelefs to avoid Offence, he fubmitted to it, and chofe rather to work a Miracle, than to appear refladory and difobedient. And in Religious Rites and Ceremonies, and the Obfervance of Days and Times, he did not only conform to all Divine Inftitutions, but to Humane Ap- pointment and Ufage in all Things that were of an innocent and indifferent Na tore i and this without any anxious Scrupulofity, and perverfe Difputing every Inch ofhis Liberty; with great Peaceablenefs obferving thole ReligiousFeftivals, which had no other Appointment but of the Civil Authority, and were of mere Humane Inftitution; and with great.Prudence fleeting a middle Courfe between endlefs Superflition, and fcrupulous and perulent fia&ion ; giving all Chriftians herein a Pattern, how to demean themfelves in like Cafes with great Peaceablenefs and Obediei ice, and not to do or avoid the doing of any Thing, out of Peeviihnefs and Singularity of Humour, and a Spirit of Contradiûion, and not to indulge needlefs and endlefs Scruples, efpecially on the wrong Side, as it is toovifible many Men's Scruples lie almoft wholly about Obediente to Au- thority, and Compliance with indifferent Cuftoms, but very feldom about the Danger ofDifobedience and Unpeaceablenefs, and rending in Pieces the Church of Chrift by needlefs Separations, and endlefs Divifions. And our Lord did not onlygive us the Example of a peaceable and uniting Spirit, but a little before his Departure out of the World, he bequeaths it to his Difciples, as his laft Legacy, John 14. 27. Peace I leave withyou, my Peace Igive unto you. And to confirm it to them, he makes it his moft earneft and particu- lar Prayer to God for them, that God would preferve this Spirit of Peace and Unity among Chriftians to the End of theWorld, forefeeing in his infinite Wif- dom, what Mifchiefs and Difhonour the contraryTemper would bring to his Holy Religion, John 17. 20, 2f, 22, 23. Neither pray Ifor th%alone, meaning his Difci- pies, but for them alfa which Adbelieve on me through their Word g that is, for all Chriftians to the End of the World i That they all may be One, as thou Father art in me, and I in thee, that they dlfo may be ewe inut 5 that the Worldmay believe that thou haft feat me. And the Glory which thou gavefl nie, Ihavegiven them; that they maybe one, even as we are one. I in them and taunt in me, that they may be made perfe£1 in one, and that the World may know that than haft jnt me. Intimating, that nothing is more apt to bring in queflion the Divinity of the Chriftian Do&rine, than Contentions and Divilions among Chriftians, That the World may know that thou haft fent me. Let us often think of this Pattern, and this Prayer of ourSaviour, and let the Confideratjonof it quell thofe Unchriftian Heats which are among us, left by our Animofities and Divifions about lelfer Things, which whatever Opinion Men may have of them, do no Ways touch upon the Life and Effence ofReligion, we firft difhenour, and finally deftroy from among us the heft Religion in the World. AndGod grant that we may all know and do in this our bay, the Things which belong to ourPeace, before they be hidfromour Eyes, for his MerciesSake inyefua Chrift : To whom With the Father, and the Holy Ghofi, beall Honour andGlory now and ever. zz7 Gg 2 SER-
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