SERM.fpeak the Truth in Love, that they might XIV. grow up into Him in all things, who is the

ver. 15.

Head, even Chrift; From whom the whole Body fitly joined together, and compacted by that which every Joint Supplieth, according to the effectual working in the meafure of every part, maketh increase of the Body unto the edifying of itself in Love: The Church of God, established upon This Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jefus Christ himself being the chief corner-ftone, might in its Whole Building fitly framed together, have grown up into One Holy Temple in the Lord.

BUT an Enemy foon fowed Tares among this Wheat, and contentious men very early began to build Hay and Stubble upon the Foundation of Chrift. Not content with the Simplicity and Plainnefs of the Gofpel, which could poffibly furnish no Materials for Strife and Contention, vain men foon began to mix their own uncertain Opinions with the Doctrine of Chrift; and had no other way to give them Weight and Authority, but by indeavouring to force them upon the Faith of Obthers. And out of This Bramble, as Jo

tham

tham foretold the men of Shechem, Judg. SER M. ix. 15; out of this Bramble hath a Fire XIV. proceeded, which hath devoured the Cedars of Lebanon: Or, as the Prophet Ezekiel expreffes himself concerning the Vine of Ifrael; ch. xix. 14, A Fire is gone out of a Rod of her Branches, which hath devoured her Fruit. For, from a defire of being Many Masters; from a Defire of forcing mutually our own Opinions upon Others, inftead of exhorting them to study and obey the Gofpel of Chrift; have arifen Strifes and Contentions, Hatred and Uncharitablenefs, Schifms and Divifions without End. From whence, Ch. iv. 1. fays St James, come Wars and Fightings among you come they not bence, even of your Lufts that war in your Members ? From a zeal for the Religion and for the Commandments of Christ, from a Concern for the promoting of Truth, Righteoufnefs and Charity, 'tis evident in the nature of things, and in the experience of All Ages, that Wars and Fightings, Hatred and Animofities, never have, nor can proceed. Thefe precious Fruits have always fprung from That Root of Bit

?

ternefs,

SER M. terness, a zeal for the Doctrines and ComXIV. mandments of Men, a Striving for tem

poral Power and Dominion. At the first Beginning of the working of the Mystery of Iniquity, the Builders of Hay and Stubble upon the foundation of Christ went no farther than to Cenforioufnefs and Uncharitableness towards their Brethren. Against whom St Paul argues, Rom. xiv. 10. Why dost thou judge thy Brother, or why doft thou fet at nought thy Brother? for we shall all stand before the judgmentfeat of Chrift. But in process of time; as Water, at a further Distance from the Fountain, divides itself continually into more streams, and becomes lefs pure, and more mixt, and more different from the Nature of the Fountain itself; fo, when men had once departed from the Simplicity and Purity of the Doctrine, and from the Charitablenefs and Goodness of the Spirit of Chrift, their Hatred and Animofities against each other increased con-. tinually, till they literally fulfilled That remarkable Prophecy of our Saviour, in which is contained a most severe Reproof of those Corrupters of the Gospel of Truth

a Truth and Charity, who he forefaw would SER M. t arife in following Ages; St Luk. xii. 49,

I am come to send Fire on the Earth; And Matt. x. 34, Think not that I am come to fend Peace on Earth; I came not to fend

Peace, but a Sword: For I am come to [fet a Man at variance against his Father, and the daughter against her Mother;

and a man's Foes fhall be they of his own Household. Nay, even that defcription which he gives of the Perfecution which the Jews fhould bring upon his Difciples, Job. xvi. 2, The Time cometh, that whofoever killeth you, will think that he doth God Service; even This, in Time, came to be fulfilled by one Chriftian, (fo they ftill called themselves;) it was `fulfilled, I fay, by one Christian upon another. Till at last, when the Measure of iniquity was become full, and the Power of Popery was compleatly feated and established in the Temple of God; then, in like manner as our Lord declared concerning That generation of the Jews in which He himfelf lived, that the Blood of all the prophets, which was fhed from the foundation of the World,- from the Blood of righ

་

teous

XIV.

SER M. teous Abel even unto That day, fhould be XIV. required of That Generation; fo likewise, and for the very fame Reafon, concern

24.

~

ing That Body of men, which calls itself the Chriftian and the Catholick Church, does the Scripture wonderfully foretell, Rev.xviii. that in Her fhould be found the Blood of Prophets and of Saints, and of all that are flain upon the Earth. Since the Reformation, and in Places where it has happily prevailed, this wicked and unchristian Spirit has in very great measure abated: But ftill, ('tis to be feared,) even among too many Proteftants themselves, Zeal for particular Forms and Ceremonies, more than for Virtue and Religion itself; A Concern for the distinguishing Doctrines of Parties, more than for the Commandments of our Common Lord; A Defire of compelling each Other's Faith, more than of reforming our Own Manners; continues to hinder the growth of Chriftian Charity, and, like the Worm at the Root of Jonah's Gourd, to eat out the Vitals of true Religion. We read every day in St John, that whosoever doth not Righteoufness, is not of God, neither

be