Argum. 1. And first, he enforces the duty of unity by a solemn, apostolical obsecration and adjuration, I beseech vou, saith he; he had power tp command them to this duty, and threaten them for the neglect of it : He had in readiness to revenge all disobedience, and might have shaken that rod over them ; but he chuseth ra- ther to intreat and beseech thehi : Now / beseech vou, brethren ; here you have, as it were, the great apostle upon his knees before them, meekly and pathetically intreating them to be at perfect unity among themselves. It is the intreaty of their spiritual Father that had begotten them to Christ. Now [ I ] beseech you, bre- thren : I who was the instrument in Christ's hands of your con- version to him ; I, that have planted you a gospel-church, and assi- duously watered you ; I beseech you all, by the spiritual ties and endearments betwixt you and me, that there may be no divisions among you. This is the first argument, wrapt up in a solemn ob- secration.
Next, he enforces the duty of unity by the nearness of their relation ; I beseech you, brethren : Brotherhood is ao endearing thing, and naturally draws affection and unity with it, 1 Vet. i\\. 8, " Be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another ; " love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous ; ye are the children " of one Father, joint heirs of one and the same inheritance."" To see an Egyptian smiting an Israelite, is no strange sight ; but to see one Israelite quarreUing with another, is most unnatural and uncomely: The nearer the relation, the stronger the affection.
«94? A SERMON ON GOSPEL-UNITY.
*' How good and how pleasant is it (saith the Psalmist) for brethren " to dwell together in unity !" Psal. cxxxiii. 1.
But the greatest argument of all is the last, viz. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. In this name he beseeches and intreats them to be at perfect unity among themselves. In the former he sweetly insinuated the duty by a loving compellation, but here he sets it home by a solemn adjuration ; I beseech you brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. That is to say, 1. For Christ's sake, or for the love of Christ ; by all that Christ hath done, suf- fered, or purchased for you ; and as Christ is dear and precious to you, let there be no divisions. If you have any love for Christ, do not grieve him, and obstruct his great design in the world by your scandalous schisms. Mr. John Fox never denied a beggar that asked alms of him for Christ Jesus' sake.
2. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that is, in the authority of Christ ; for so his name also signifies, 1 Cor. v. 4. and it is as if he had said. If you reverence the supreme authority and sovereignty of Christ, which is the fountain out of which so many solemn com- mands of unity do flow ; then see, as you mil answer him at the great day, that ye be perfectly joined together in one mind and in one judgment. The point will be this.
Doct. Unity amongst believers, especially in particular church- relation, is qs desirable a mercy, as it is a necessary and in- dispensable duty.
How desirable a mercy it is, and how necessary a duty, let the same apostle, who presseth it upon the Corinthians in my text, be heard again, enforcing the same duty Avitli the same warmth upon the church at Philippi, chap. ii. ver. 1, 2. " If there be therefore '^ any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellow- " ship of the Spirit, if any bowels of mercies, fulfil ye my joy, that " ye be like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of *' one mind."' In handling this point, I -will shew,
1. What unity among believers is.
2. How the necessity and desirableness of it may be evinced,
3. And then lay down the motives and directions about it.
(1.) What unity among believers is, and more particularly such believers as stand in particular church-relation to each other.
There is a twofold union, one mystical, betwixt Christ and be- lievers; another moral, betwixt behevers themselves: faith knits them all to Christ, and then love knits them one to another. Their common relation to Christ their head endears them to each other as fell ov/-m embers in the same body : hence they become
A SEIII'ION OX COSPEL-UXITY. 595
sanguine Cliristl conghdhiati^ glued together by the blood of Christ. Union with Christ is fundamental to all union among the saints. Perfect union would flow from this their common union with Christ their head, were they not here in an imperfect state, where their corruptions disturb and hinder it ; and as soon as they shall attain unto complete sanctification, they shall also attain unto perfect unity. How their unity with one another comes, by way of necessary r^sultancy, from their union with Christ, and how this unity amono* themselves shall at last arise to its just perfection, that one text plainly discovers, John xvii. 23. " I in them, and thou in me ; that " they may be made perfect in one," &c.
Unity amongst those that hold not the head, is rather a conspi- racy, than a gospel-unity. Believers and unbelievers may have a political or civil union ; but there is no spiritual unity, but what ilows from joint membership in Christ. I will not deny, but in particular churches, there may be, and still are, some hypocrites, who hold communion with the saints, and pretend to belong unto Christ, the same head with them ; but as they have no real union with Christ, so neither have they any sincere affection to the saints ; and these, for the most part, are they that raise tumults and divisions in the church, as disloyal subjects do in the common- wealth. Of these the apostle speaks, 1 John ii. 19. " They went ""^ out from us, but they were not of us ; for if they had been of " us, they would, no doubt, have continued with us ; but tliey " went out, that it might be made manifest they were not all of " us."
Sincere Christianity holds fast the soul by a firm bond of life to the truly Christian community, wlierein they reap those spiritual pleasures and advantages, which assure their continuance therein to a great degree : but those that join with the church upon canial and external inducements, make little conscience of rending from it ; and God permits their schismatical spirits thus to act, for the discovering of their hypocrisy, or (as the text speaks) " that it " might be made manifest they were not of us ;" as also, that they which are approved, may by their constancy be also made manifest, 1 Cor. xi. 19.