(3.) That v/e might know that unity among believers is a possible blessing. It seemeth many times past hope, and that it were as good to speak to the winds to be still as to men's prejudices and boisterous aftections. Ay ! but there is hope ; Christ hath prayed for it, and his prayers are as good as so many promises : John xi. 42, ' I know that thou hearest me always.' This is a fountain of comfort and hope.
(4.) To encourage us to pray for it. Endeavours with men are without fruit and success ; but let us ply the throne of grace more, and learn of Christ to go to our heavenly Father, and wrestle with him in supplications. In one place it is said, Kom. xii. 18, 'If it be
328 SERMONS UPON JOHN XVII. [SeR. XIX.
possible, as mnch as in yon lies, live peaceably with all men/ Fac quod tuum est. We must do whatever is possible ; but we are not in the place of God : 2 Thes. iii. IG, ' The God of peace give you peace always by all means.' It seems as if a small matter would set all ri^ht, 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 animosities. But God alone must do the work ; he can bow men's rugged and crooked spirits : Isa. xi. 6, 7, ' The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid, and the calf, and the young lion, and the suckling together, and a little child shall lead them ; and the cow and the bear shall feed, their young ones shall lie down together ; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.' It is an allusion to the beasts in the ark, where all enmity was taken away ; they were all tame. So the gospel can meeken the heart. Not that so disagreeing tempers shall remain in the christian church, which (though the ravenous disposition of some did cease) would make a motley company, and (as the prophet speaks) like a speckled bird ; but besides the extinction of noxious qualities, all shall be governed by the same Spirit of truth and holiness,
[4.] Christ died for this end : Eph. ii. 14-lG, ' He is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of parti- tion between us ; having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances ; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so 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 flesh of bulls and goats were a wall of partition between Jews and Gentiles ; but he would destroy the enmity in his flesh, to make of twain one. So Caiaphas prophesied, John xi. 52, that Christ should die to ' gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad,' Christ died to enlarge the pale, that all nations, though of different rites, customs, and interests, might become one.
[,5.] This he aimed at in his ascension, and the pouring out of the Spirit. AVeread of the unity of the Spirit: ' Keeping the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace,' Eph. iv. 3. It is called the unity of the Spirit, not because the union is spiritual and mystical, but because the Spirit is the author of it. Therefore it is said, 1 Cor. xii. 4, * There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.' Christ would have but one spirit to run through all his members, that as they are united to one head, so they may be animated by one spirit. Christ 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 said, Ezck. i. 21, ' When the beasts went, the wheels went ; and when those stood, these stood ; and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up over against them;' the reason is, because ' the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.' So because the same spirit is in one christian that is in another, therefore they have the like affections, to procure the good of one another as much as may be. Christ giveth us the Spirit to make us one. But of this spirit of communion more hereafter.
YeR. 11.] SERMOKS UPON JOHN XVII. 329
[6.] This is the end of his gracious dispensations, he giveth us grace and assurance of glory to this end : John xvii. 22, ' And the glory •which thou gavest me I have given them, that they may be one, even as we are one.' Understand it of the privilege of filiation ; we are made sons that we may live as brethren ; or of the gift of grace, the glorious image of God is impressed on all the saints, that likeness may beget love ; or of an interest in glory, that those that expect to live ia the same heaven may not fall out by the way, and disagree on earth.