Exposition of John 17, Exposition · Part 32
JOHN 17.11.
That they may be one as we are.
AND this for clearing of the former member of the point, It is a matter of wondrous difficulty for Chriſts Diſciples to be at neareſt unity among themſelves. Proceed we to the clearing of the ſecond.
It is a matter of high concernment for Chriſts diſciples to be at neareſt unity among themſelves. As of wondrous difficulty, ſo of very great concernment. It is the firſt thing that our Saviour begs in the behalf of his Apoſtles and Diſciples, that they might be one: And prayes his Father to effect it, by his own almighty power. Holy Father, keep them through thy own name, that they may be one as we are. By which he ſhews that as it is a hard thing, ſo it is a choiſe thing, a thing of ſpecial conſequence, worthy the putting forth of the almighty power of God about it.
And therefore the Apoſtle Paul would have us ſtrain our ſelves to get it and preſerve it, to do as much as lies in us, even to the utmoſt, as much as it is poſſible for men to do, to ſet all our abilities and all our faculties a work to procure and keep peace, Rom. 12.18. And to this end having perſwaded the Coloſsians to adorn themſelves with mercy, kindneſs humbleneſs of mind, and with the habits and the acts of meekneſs and long-ſuffering as with glorious robes, he perſwadeth them at length to put on love, which is an uniting grace, a bond of perfectneſs, the uppermoſt garment (as it were) and ſo the largeſt, faireſt, richeſt, and moſt pretious piece of the new cloathing of a Chriſtian: And therefore puts a ſpecial Emphaſis upon his exhortation to it; Above all theſe things put on charity which is the bond of perfectneſs: which will unite and join you perfectly together. They are not graces of the meaneſt rank that Paul commends to the Coloſsians in the former verſes. Yet having run through all of them, and being come at length to this uniting grace, as to the top and chief of all, he ſets the finger of a hand againſt it, to point it out as ſupereminent: Above all theſe things put on charity which is the bond of perfectneſs. How is the Prophet David carried out beyond himſelf, and even raviſhed in the contemplation of this pretious unity among the Saints, and therefore calleth others to join in admiration with him. Pſal. 133.1. Behold how good and pleaſant a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! The admirable and ſurpaſsing excellency of it, is repreſented to us in the Scripture many wayes. If God will promiſe any ſpecial mercy to the Church, it ſhall be this, Iſa. 11.6. The Wolf and Lamb ſhall dwell together, the Leopard ſhall lye down with the Kid, and the Lyon with the Calf, and a little Child ſhall lead them. And great ſhall be the peace of thy Children, Iſa, 54.13. If he will give them any choice bleſsing, The Lord will bleſs his people with peace, Pſal. 29.11. If we will pray for any favour worth ſtriving for, it muſt be for Church-peace and unity among the Saints. Pray ye for the peace of Jeruſalem, Pſalm 112.7. that it may be like a City that is at unity within it ſelf. And therefore the Apoſtle is ſo earneſt for it, as it were for life and death, The God of peace give you peace alwayes, and by all means. By which he intimateth that as it is a thing of wondrous difficulty, ſo of great concernment for Chriſts Diſciples to be at unity among themſelves. And this I ſhall lay open to you in a few paaticulars.
It is of great concernment to the growth of Chriſts Diſciples, and to their thriving in their ſpiritual eſtate. It is obſerved of the Church, Acts 4.32. that they were of one heart and one ſoul. And that which follows preſently, is this, great grace was upon them all. It ſeems they were in the increaſing and the thriving hand by this means. Where there is great peace among the Saints, there is great grace too. Much union brings forth much communion, and much Communion brings forth much holineſs and much grace. When Chriſtians walk on in a ſweet and amicable way, they cannot chooſe but grow exceedingly. But when diſſentions make them to reſerve themſelves, this is extremely prejudicial to the increaſe in holineſs which otherwiſe would be among them. That place of the Apoſtle is very notable to this purpoſe, Col. 2, 19. And not holding the head from which all the body by joints, and bands having nouriſhment miniſtred and knit together, encreaſeth with the increaſe of God; being knit together it maketh increaſe.
It is of great concernment as to the growth of Chriſts Diſciples, ſo alſo to their comfort, that they be at neareſt unity among themſelves; it is a notable expreſſion of the Apoſtle Paul to this purpoſe, Col. 2.2. That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love: There is the mercy wiſhed them, that their hearts might be comforted; and then the requiſite condition and qualification to make them capable of this comfort, being knit together in love. Much union, much comfort; little union, little comfort; no union, no comfort: Indeed it is a pleaſant thing for Brethren to live together in unity; but it is a bitter thing to live in diſcord and diſſention; it eats out all the joy and comfort of a man, and fills his ſpirit with vexation: When men are over head and ears in Controverſies and Contentions, eſpecially Saints with Saints, it makes their lives unquiet and uncomfortable to them: You ſhall obſerve how reſtleſs ſuch men are, who are embroyled in troubles, and who are deep in Controverſies and Contentions; they cannot eat, they cannot ſleep, they cannot talk, they can do nothing cheerfully and freely, they are ſo clogged and cumbred with their own impatient and perplexed thoughts: Liſten to them, and you ſhall hear them ever and anon complaining that every one is vexing them, and troubling and moleſting them, ſo that they cannot live in peace. Their wives, their children, and their ſervants cannot be at quiet for them, they are in ſuch a pelting humor upon every light occaſion: Their families are like the middle Region of the air, continually rent and torn with ſtorms and thunders and tempeſtuous ſtirs, which riſe at firſt of a thing of nothing, a thin inviſible fume drawn up from the earth: And all this comes to paſs by the diſſentions that they have with others, which takes away the meekneſs of their ſpirits, and with that their quiet too: And therefore you ſhall find a meek and quiet ſpirit joyned together, and made the chief adorning of a Chriſtian, 1 Pet. 2.4. Whoſe adorning let it be that of the hidden man of the heart, even the adorning of a meek and quiet ſpirit: It it be meek, it will be quiet; if enraged, it will be troubled; it will be like the Sea that cannot reſt, whoſe waters caſt up mire and dirt.
It is of ſo great concernment, as to the growth and comfort of Chriſts Diſciples, that they be at unity, &c. ſo alſo to their keeping in with God himſelf; they muſt have peace among themſelves, if they will have peace with God; if they be angry one with another, God will be angry with them all. If he come in and find his family together by the ears, he will be in a rage too. Manaſſeh againſt Ephraim, and Ephraim againſt Manaſſeh, and both of them againſt Judah; and all theſe you muſt know, my Brethren, were within the verge and compaſs of the Church: There were rents and breaches there, they were divided into parties, they were up one againſt another. And what follows? For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is ſtretched out ſtill, Iſa. 9.21. And is not this our caſe? Are not the members of the body myſtical of Chriſt divided into factions, that ſtruggle one againſt another (like the twins in Rebecca's womb) that bite, and even devour one another? And this I make no queſtion, is one cauſe among the reſt why the wrath of the Lord is not turned away. Our wrath is not turned away, and therefore his wrath is not turned way neither. Our hands are ſtretched out one againſt another ſtill, and therefore his hand is ſtretched out againſt us all. We are not yet appeaſed one towards another, and therefore he is not appeaſed towards us: We are making and continuing breaches ſtill among our ſelves, and God is making and continuing breaches ſtill among us: He deals with us juſt as we deal with one another; With the froward, ſaith the Pſalmiſt, thou wilt ſhew thy ſelf froward, Pſal. 18.25. We are unjuſtly froward to our Brethren, and he is juſtly froward towards us. As we have done, ſo God hath requited us; Becauſe that Edom hath dealt againſt the houſe of Judah, ſaith the Lord, by taking vengeance, I will take vengeance upon Edom, Ezek. 25.12. Edom and Judah, you muſt know, my Brethren, came out of the ſame loyns; And truly till we ceaſe from taking our revenge, as we have opportunitie, upon our Brethren, God will not ceaſe from taking vengeance upon us.
It is of great concernment to the preſervation of Chriſts Diſciples, that they be at neereſt unity among themſelves. It is one ſpecial means to enable them to ſtand and to hold out againſt their common enemies both without them and within them. It is an eaſie thing to break them and deſtroy them one by one; but if they be united and bound up together, (as the Rods which the Roman gave his ſons upon his death-bed) they will not be ſo quickly broken; they will find that their union is their ſtrength and preſervation; If they ſtand faſt in one ſpirit, with one mind, ſtriving together for the faith of the Goſpel, they need to be in nothing terrified by their Adverſaries, as the Apoſtle ſhews, Phil. 1.27. Indeed they will be terrible and dreadful to them. When Gods Jeruſalem is as a City that is compacted within it ſelf, when ſhe is at unity, then ſhe is terrible as an Army of Banners, Cant. 6.4.
It's true indeed, that Chriſts Diſciples as they have the beſt friends, ſo they have the worſt enemies. But let them be as many and as mighty as they will, if they could but hold together, and if they were reſolved as Joab and his brother Abiſhai, If they be too ſtrong for thee, I will come and help thee; and if they be too ſtrong for me, thou ſhalt come and help me: If either of us be diſtreſſed, the other ſhall come in with all his ſuccour; If thy corruptions, or temptations, or afflictions be too ſtrong for thee, I will come and help thee with my Councels, with my Comforts, with my Prayers, and thou ſhalt deal accordingly with me. If it were thus among the Saints, they would be impregnable againſt all the Oppoſitions that Earth or Hell could make againſt them. They are built up to a ſpiritual houſe, and if they were cemented well together, no ſtorms would overthrow them. That is worth our obſervation, which Ferus writes of the Primitive Saints. They were wont, ſaith he, to meet together very often, and there to lay open their ſeveral temptations, their means of reſiſtance, their gracious ſucceſs and happy deliverance: And ſo to councel, and to comfort, and to encourage, and confirm and ſtrengthen one another. As for my own part, I take very much comfort in the great unity that is to be obſerved among Gods people here in this place, and in the frequent meetings which they have together. It is a joyfull thing to ſee their love in the truth, and I am confident they get much ſtrength by it: while others who reſerve themſelves, refrain communion each with other, withhold their Counſels, Comforts, Prayers, are very weak by this means, and eaſie to be overcome. And therefore one obſerveth very well, upon this prayer of our Saviour in my text, that his Diſciples are preſerved and kept by unity. Holy Father, keep them through thy own name, and to this end let them be one as we are. As if the only way to keep them and preſerve them, were to make them one among themſelves.
It is of great concernment to the furtherance of the Goſpel that Chriſts Diſciples, &c. The work of Jeſus Chriſt is not to be carried on with much knocking. As in the building of the old material Temple, there were no Axes, no Hammers, nor any other Tool heard, 1 Kings 6.7. ſo in the building of the Church of Chriſt, and carrying on the buſineſs of the Goſpel, the leſs ſtir, the leſs noiſe, the more progreſs. If there were not ſuch knocking as we have heard too much of late, this Church-work would go on the faſter, and come the ſooner to perfection. In the building of Babel, you know there was a confuſion, &c. ſo the work was wholly hindred and laid by, Gen. 11.7. The workmen underſtood not one anothers language, and ſo were forced to deſiſt from that buſineſs. And truly there is a confuſion hapned in another ſort of building in this land, the building not of Babel, but of Sion, which is a very great impediment to that work. The workmen underſtand not one another, and by this means the time which ſhould be ſpent in laying is ſpent in knocking of the ſtones and timber, in making and upholding parties, and in maintaining endleſs controverſies and diſputes which tend to ſtrife and variance and not a whit to edification. The Axe and Hammer is in uſe, but the Trowell is laid by. And verily, my brethren, while it ſo continues, the work of Chriſt will never go forward. Religion will not thrive among us as it ſhould, till all that appertain to Chriſt, come to a nearer unity & a more firm accord among themſelves. And therefore it is very notable that when our Saviour Chriſt aſcended, and meant to propagate the Goſpel, to amplifie and to enlarge the Church, He gave ſome Apoſtles and ſo on for the perfecting of the Saints, and for the edifying of the body of Chriſt, till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, &c. Mark my beloved, when we come to unity, then the work goes on amain, then we thrive apace in knowledge, then we grow to perfectneſs, then the Church of Chriſt goes up: But till the ſtones be joined cloſe together there will be no edifying, that is in Engliſh, no building.
It is of great concernment to the entertainment of Chriſt Jeſus in the world, that his Diſciples be at neareſt, &c. If they be alwayes wrangling and contending, others will not come among them. No, they will ſtand off from them, and from the Maſter which they ſerve, if he be owned and followed by none but by a company of quarrelſome contentious people. And hence is that Petition of our Saviour in behalf of his Apoſtles and Diſciples at ver. 23. of this Chapter. In my text he prayes the Father that they may be one even as the Father and himſelf were one. And in the cited verſe, he renews the ſame petition, that they may all be one, as thou Father art in me, and I in thee, that they may be one in us. And why ſo? That the world may believe that thou haſt ſent me. q. d. If my diſciples be not one among themſelves, if they be rent aſunder by a ſpirit of diviſion, the world will not believe that I came forth from thee who art the God of love and peace, that thou haſt ſent me down into the world to be a Mediator, and a Peace-maker, to make up all the breaches and the differences between thee and thy people. They will look ſtrangely upon me, and I ſhall never bring them to believe, that I am come on ſuch an errand as this is. And therefore I beſeech thee Father, that I may be entertained under the Notion of a Mediator, that the world may believe that thou haſt ſent me on this buſineſs, do thou take care that my Diſciples may be at unity among themſelves.
It is of great concernment to the happineſs of Chriſts Diſciples that they be at neereſt, &c. Among the eight beatitudes, the third in order falleth to the meek and peaceable, Mat. 5.5. And if the meek and peaceable be bleſſed, then certainly the fierce and furious are accurſed. It is a pretty obſervation of Ludolphus out of Bede on that place, Heaven is promiſed to the pure, bleſſed are the pure in ſpirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven: Earth is promiſed to the meek, Bleſſed are the meek, for they ſhall inherit the earth; So there remaineth nothing elſe but hell for the contentious and impure ſpirit. Ah my beloved, would we avoid the curſe, and would we be partakers of the bleſſing? would we have heaven and earth to be our portion? Let us be pure and peaceable, let us make and keep peace, and ſo the bleſſing of the God of peace will be upon us. And therefore David having broken out into a paſſionate and pithy commendation of the unity of brethren, behold how good and pleaſant a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! it is like pretious oyntment, &c. Pſal. 133.2. he ſhuts up all with this concluſion, There the Lord commanded the bleſsing and life for evermore. There where brethren live in unity and love, there the Lord commands bleſſing; it cannot chooſe but come upon them, for the Lord himſelf commands it. And this bleſſing it is life, and this life it is eternal. There the Lord commanded the bleſsing and life for evevermore.
Ʋſe 1 Now to proceed to application. Is it ſo my brethren, that it is a matter of wondrous difficulty and of great concernment for Chriſts Diſciples to be at neereſt unity among themſelves? Then let this quicken us and ſtirr us up, who would be taken to be Chriſts Diſciples, to labour after this oneneſs, and to endeavour to the utmoſt of our power to get and keep the unity of the ſpirit in the bond of peace. You hear it is a matter of great concernment, and therefore it is worth the ſtriving for: It is a matter of wondrous difficulty, and therefore is not to be had without ſtriving. Now I beſeech you my beloved, let us ſet our ſelves to this buſineſs. There was never greater need them now, when God hath ſuffered ſuch a ſpirit of diviſion to poſſeſs his own people. And when the members of the body myſticall of Chriſt are of ſo many minds, and draw ſo many wayes, and have ſometimes ſuch vehement and hot contentions and diſputes among themſelves: So that the Church had never greater reaſon to cry out, as Rebecca ſometimes did, when ſhe had parties in her womb, If it be ſo, why am I thus? and therefore we had need to put ſome ſpirit into this perſwaſion, and you had need to put ſome ſpirit into your endeavours, and if the Lord will put his ſpirit of unity and peace into us, it may ſubdue and overcome the ſpirit of diviſion which reigns too much abroad in theſe times. But you will ask me, How may we attain this? and what are we to do, that we may come to be at neereſt unity among our ſelves? Though it be very difficult as you have heard, it may be compaſſed notwithſtanding by the bleſsing of the Lord, upon the uſe of theſe directions.
You muſt endeavour to the utmoſt of your power to mortifie thoſe luſts and thoſe corruptions that incline you to diſſentions. I ſhewed you formerly in explication of the point, that the cauſe of our diviſions is within, and not without us; They do not come ſo much from outward provocations, as inward corruptions. If there were no luſts within, there would be no wars without, as the Apoſtle James inſinuates. And verily if our corruptions, as pride, and paſsion, and ſelf-love, were throughly mortified within, thoſe outward provocations would never cauſe ſuch wofull rents and ſuch implacable contentions as they do. And therefore let us ſet our ſelves effectually and throughly to ſubdue theſe luſts of ours; though they be naturally as dear and near as the members of our bodies, let us perſue them to the very death, as the Apoſtle Paul adviſes, Col. 3.5. Mortifie therefore your members which are upon the earth. Let nothing ſatisfie us, till we have the life of them. Let us not wound them only, but deſtroy them; that ought to be the Chriſtians aim, as the Apoſtle ſhews, Rom. 6.6. that the body of ſin may be deſtroyed. Our luſts ſeek our life, either they muſt dye or we. And they ſeek Gods life, Omne peccatum eſt Deicidium. And they have ſought Chriſts life, and brought him to a ſhamefull and accurſed death. And therefore let us ſeek their lives too, and never ſatisfie our ſelves till we have the blood of them. Let it be far from any of us to nouriſh or to cheriſh our corruptions, to favour them, or to deal kindly with them any way. No let us daſh this Babyloniſh brood againſt the ſtones, let us ſhew them no mercy; And when they are once deſtroyed, our differences and debates will end with them.
As we muſt mortifie our carnal luſts, ſo we muſt chaſe away out of our hearts our carnal reaſonings that foment and nouriſh diſcords and diſſentions. For theſe, if we will give them entertainment, will ſet our hearts on fire of hell. And therefore when our thoughts begin to work apace in any injury or provocation that is offered to us, and to tell us ſtrange things, that it is not to be born, and that it may not be endured, let us ſmother and ſuppreſs them, let us not give place to them, no not for an hour, no not for a moment. It is obſerved of Abraham that when the fowls came down upon his ſacrifice, he drove them away, Gen. 15.11. ſo when ſuch foul and noiſome thoughts as theſe offer to pitch upon our heart, let them have no footing there; no, let us watch them narrowly, that we may ſuddenly chaſe them away: And let us follow the advice of the Apoſtle, Heb. 10.24. Let us conſider one another to provoke to love. Let us conſider that, and think on that which may ſtir us up to love; let our imaginations work and dwell upon ſuch thoughts as theſe, and not thoſe which lead on to Conteſtation and Diſſention.
As we ſhould chaſe away the thoughts, ſo we ſhould avoid the perſons that make and nouriſh breaches and diviſions. It is the Apoſtles Counſel that we ſhould mark them that cauſe diviſions, and offences, and avoid them, Rom. 16.17. Mark them, not to join with them, but to decline them and avoid them. Brethren, you ſhall obſerve that there are ſome of all hands whoſe work it is to make peace, and to compoſe breaches. And there are others on the other ſide who are as buſie as it is poſſible for men to be, to make rents and ſeparations and diviſions. And it is our unhappineſs that theſe dividers work goes onward faſter then the others. Indeed it is an eaſie thing for one to rip faſter then two or three can ſow. Alas how many are there in theſe wrangling times, who are continually medling, and who make this their work and buſineſs, to ſee how they can ſet men one againſt another; how they can blow the coals of diſcord, and kindle them into a flame; how they can heighten the contention and the animoſity that is too high already among thoſe who are in name at leaſt and in profeſſion Chriſts Diſciples. Now I beſeech you my beloved, as the Apoſtle doth the Romans in the fore-alledged Scripture, Mark theſe men; let them be of what ſide they will, if they be of this ſpirit, do you ſet a mark upon them, that you may know them another time, and that you decline them, and avoid them. It is a bitter imprecation of the Apoſtle Pauls, Gal. 2.12. I wiſh they were cut off that trouble you. Truly I wiſh that they who are the troublers of our Sions peace, the main and unwearied ſticklers in our Church-diviſions, who would not have things come to an accord and a friendly compoſition (for ends which they beſt know) I wiſh they were cut off from all communion with the Saints: That all the people of the Lord on all ſides would look aloof upon them, and avoid them as the peſts of this Nation. And certainly if all men would avoid them, and keep off from them, they would have the leſs work, and we ſhould have the leſs trouble.
If we would be at neareſt unity among our ſelves, we muſt be furniſhed with abundance of that wiſdom which cometh from above, as the Apoſtle cals it, James. 3.17. For that is gentle, peaceable, eaſie to be be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits. Contentious perſons may applaud their own wits, and think themſelves extreamly wiſe and ſubtil, in making good the quarrels which they undertake: But what ſaith the Apoſtle? ver. 14. if you have bitter ſtrife and envy in your hearts, glory not, lye not againſt the truth. This wiſdom deſcendeth not from above; And if it come not from above, from heaven, it cometh from beneath, from earth, from hell, it is earthly, ſenſual, deviliſh. What ever mens abilities, or parts, or reaches are, if they be alwayes quarrelling and falling out, as many are, it is apparent that they want this bleſſed wiſdom. To ſay the truth, my brethren, it is want of wit that is much of the cauſe of all this: Anger reſteth in the boſom of fools; and ſo the wiſe man tells us, that every fool will be medling, Prov. 20.3. It is an honor for a man to ceaſe from ſtrife, but every fool will be medling. It is the property of every fool to do ſo.
You have a ſort of men, my Brethren, that will be at the end of every quarrel. If there be any difference or ſtrife near them, they will be ſure to have a finger in the pie, they will never ſit out. Now would you know what kind of men theſe are? They are a company of fools, a company of buſie medling fools; and were it not for ſuch Idiots we might have much more peace then we have at this day. If men were ballaſted with wiſdom, they would not be a tempering and a making variance as they do: And if indignities and wrongs were offered to them, they would eaſily digeſt them, and poſſeſs their ſouls in patience; and therefore let us labour after this wiſdom, and let us follow the adviſe and counſel of our Saviour, Mar. 9 50. Have ſalt in your ſelves, and have peace one with another. Firſt let us have the ſalt of wiſedom in our ſelves, and then we ſhall have unity and peace with others.
If we would be one, and if we would have peace the bleſſing, we muſt be under the commanding and the ruling power of peace the vertue: It muſt ſit upon the throne in our hearts, as the Apoſtle Paul exhorts, Col. 3.15. Let the peace of God rule in your hearts. Brethren, when you are any way exaſperated or provoked, ſo that your paſſions riſe or ſwell, and are ready to break out into intemperate words or actions, when you are hardly able to contain your ſelves, then let the ruling power of peace appear, by ſtilling and compoſing all again: And let this holy diſpoſition be ſo ſtrong within you, that neither pride, nor wrath, nor malice, nor any other luſt may be able to controll it. There is a ſtory that the Swevians had a Law among them, that in a fray where ſwords were drawn, if a woman or a child did cry but peace a great way of, they were bound to end the quarrel, or elſe he died that ſtruck the next ſtroke after peace was named. So if your paſſions be at war within you, (to uſe the Apoſtles phraſe) if they be up in arms, and you do but think of peace, or any friend perſwade to peace, let all be huſht and quiet preſently, and let that paſſion die, let it be crucified that dares to ſtir when peace is mentioned: So let the peace of God rule in our hearts, let it triumph in all, and over all our provocations, that we may bear them all with an unmoved and undiſturbed ſpirit.
Let us be earneſt with the Lord in prayer, that he would make and keep us one among our ſelves: All other means that we can uſe will be of no avail at all, unleſs the Lord himſelf ſtrike in, and interpoſe in this buſineſs. He is the donor and diſpenſer of this rare and pretious bleſſing; and therefore he is called the God of peace; It is a name that he delighteth in, and therefore it is often uſed; and he is ſtiled the God of peace, not only becauſe he is formally ſo (if this expreſſion be allowable) for Primum bonum ſummae Trinitatis eſt indiviſio, but becauſe he is effectively ſo, becauſe he is the Author of peace, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, 1 Cor. 14.33. For God is not the Author of confuſion, but of peace: And he makes wars to ceaſe, ſaith David, Pſal. 46.11. he breaks the bow, and cuts the ſpear aſunder: And therefore the Apoſtle begs this peace of God in ſuch a manner, as if it were to be obtained no where elſe, and our Saviour of his Father in my Text, Holy Father, keep them through thy own Name, that they may be one as we are.
Well then, my Brethren, let us go to him for this bleſſing, let us not only ſtrive for peace in the uſe of other means which have been formerly propoſed, but let us pray for peace; ſo eſpecially for the peace of Jeruſalem: Oh let us pray, and pray hard for Church peace, for peace among Chriſts Diſciples, among Gods own people, for there he uſes to beſtow it: My peace I leave with you, ſaith our Saviour, and God will give his people the bleſſing of peace. Oh let us beg him now in theſe divided diſtracted times, to give this bleſſing to his own people; that though Jeruſalem be not at unity, neither can be at unity with thoſe that are without, yet ſhe may be at unity with thoſe that are within, that ſhe may be at unity within her ſelf; and to this end let us deſire eſpecially two things.
1. That God himſelf would govern all his own people, that he would rule them, and command them ſo, that they may not break the peace. By nature we are all of us inclined to diviſions, deſtruction and unhappineſs is in our ways, and the way of peace we have not known: And if the Lord himſelf ſhould not appeaſe thoſe raging and tempeſtuous waves that are ſo apt to riſe and ſwell, if he ſhould not extinguiſh and put out the fire that is ſo apt to kindle in the hearts of men, yea of the beſt men, the world would flame with nothing elſe but diſcords and diſſentions: And therefore let us earneſtly beſeech the Lord to do the work which none but he alone is able to perform. To rule and over-rule the hearts (at leaſt of his own people) and by his Kingly power to maſter and keep down thoſe raging paſſions that are ſo apt to riſe and ſwell, to the diſturbance of the Churches peace; when his houſhold are together by the ears, when they are in a tumult and combuſtion, let us entreat him to come in among them, and he will quickly make them ſtill as Lambs, all will be huſht and quiet preſently. It is his own moſt gratious promiſe, and therefore we may urge it with the greater confidence, that he will make the Wolf and Lamb to dwell together, &c. That he will quiet the tempeſtuous hearts of men, and make them tame: So that how furious and how fierce ſoever they were formerly by nature, yet they ſhall be ſo meek and gentle now, that they ſhall yeild to any admonition or perſwaſion, yea a little child ſhall lead them, Iſa. 11.6. How weak ſoever he may ſeem to be, he ſhall prevail and over-rule them.
2. That God himſelf would teach all his own people, and the effect of this would be a ſtrange agreement, and a ſweet accord among them, even beyond imagination. One cauſe why they that are profeſſed, and are it may be real Saints, agree no better; and why there are ſuch breaches, and ſuch rents among them, is, becauſe they are not all of them, at leaſt in all things, taught of God. Some of them in ſome particulars at leaſt, are taught of men, and not of God, and other ſome are taught of God. And they that are taught of men, will not agree with them that are taught of God; and they that are taught of God, cannot agree with them that are taught of men; and ſo they are continually wrangling, and contending, and contradicting one another, they can never fadge together: But now when God ſhall come to teach them all in every thing, then they ſhall think and ſpeak the ſame things, then they ſhall quarrel and conteſt no more, but they ſhall all of them agree, and live in unity and love together.
And therefore let us earneſtly beſeech the Lord to do this, to leave his children now no longer out at School, but ſpeedily to fetch them home, and to teach them all himſelf. That being all of one School, under one chief Maſter, and ſome Uſhers under him, they may be all taught one way, and ſo may all agree together. We have the promiſe of the Lord for this too, Iſa. 54.13. Oh let us urge it hard upon him in ſuch times as theſe are; All thy children ſhall be taught of God, and mark what follows preſently, great ſhall be the peace of thy children; Here is a time for ſuch a promiſe to be put in ſuit, and therefore let us preſs it home, let us take no nay. Let the Lord have no reſt, till he teach all his own children, and then he will have a great School, and we ſhall have great peace.