threns honeft, though mistaken Zeal; and to fuch Allowances for their Infirmities, as might preferve an Unity in Affection, where that in Opinion could not be attained to.

*Grot. in loc.

The laft and highest Motive referved for this Purpose, is taken from the Example of our Saviour Chrift, Who, for our Benefit, submitted to many things harsh and very grievous to him. In Proof of this he urges a Paffage out of the Pfalms, wherein David complains, that the hard things faid and done against God, were levell'd åt, and endured by,Him. But if this were true of David, in his own Perfon, and his private Capacity; it was much more fo of him, in hisProphetical andTypicalCapacity: For Chrift, whofe Perfon David thus fuftained, did not only fuffer the Reproaches of God's Enemies, but fuffered for them too, and bore the Punishment and the Malice of them both. And, * to justify the Application of this Text to our Lord, the Apostle begins the Epiftle for this Day, with a Reflection of general ufe for rightly understanding and improving by the Writings of the Old Testament. Whatsoever things, &c. Intimating that the Relations of Good Mens Sufferings, and other Matters contained there, were not barely an Historical Account of Actions and Events already pafs'd, but Shadows and Significations of Others yet to come. And the Use we ought to make of them is, from the Examples of those Holy Perfons, but efpecially of Jefus, the most abfolute and perfect of all Examples, to fupport our Spirit, and confirm our Resolution, with the Profpect of a like glorious Recompence, for any Inconvenience we shall submit to, for the fake of God's Honour, and the Service of our Brethren. Thus much, I think, may fuffice to explain the immediate Occafion of this Scripture; and fhall therefore proceed now to the

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Ver. 4.

II. Second

II. Second Thing propounded, The Defign and Importance of the Apoftle's Argument, with regard to the Cafe of the Perfons then confidered in it.

The Defign he drives at we have in that Prayer, that God would bring those Chriftians of dif

Ver. 5.

fering Judgments, to be like minded one towards another, according to Christ Jesus; that is, to fuch a due Temper, fuch mutual Kindness, fuch charitable Behaviour, that the Obfervers of thofe Legal Ordinances might no longer defpife them, who were well affured they were under no Obligation to continue the Obfervance of them: And that They, who in this Perfuafion obferved them not, might leave off their hard Cenfures of Thofe, who, for want of better Information, thought themselves ftill bound by them. That fo by fuch profitable Condefcenfions on either fide, as Christ hath left both a Precept, and Pattern for, they would lay down all Party-quarrels, and heartily join in Communion together. And, for apprehending the Force and Reafonablenefs of this Advice, we fhall do well to attend to Two things.

1. The Strength of that Motive, whereby he exprefly urges them to it, The Example of our Saviour Christ.

Ver. 6.

Ver. 7.

2. The excellent Effects like to be produced by it. And these again are Two. (1.) The Glory accruing to God by this Charity and mutual Forbearance, That ye may glorifie God, even the Father of our Lord Jefus Chrift. And again, Receive ye one another, as Christ also received Us, to the Glory of God. (2.) The publick Good of the Church. For thus much is hinted in that concluding Prayer, where he begs of God to fill them with all Foy and Peace in believing, that they might abound in hope, through the Power of the Holy Ghost.

Ver. 13.

1. First

1. First then, For the Motive whereby this Agreement is urged, The Example of Chrift. The Propriety whereof will more fully appear, if we regard the Perfons between whom this Controverfy lay; and efpecially, that fort of them, to whom the Apoftle more particularly addreffes himself, in this part of his Discourse now under Confideration.

The Parties concerned were Jewish and Gentile Converts, or, according to St. Paul's Stile elsewhere, fuch as lived after the manner of the Jews, and Gal. ii. 14. fuch as lived as do the Gentiles. Which

laft Diftinction I the rather mention; because, though it be not very probable, that any Gentile Converts thought themselves in Bondage to the Ceremonial Law of Mofes; yet it is by no means manifeft, that none at all among the Jewish Converts were convinced of their Release from that Bondage. It is enough for the Apoftle's purpose, that this Prejudice was general, though not univerfal. And the Subftance of his Reasoning may be comprised in this. Chrift did not reject either Jew or Gentile, but united both to himself, by admitting them as Members into the fame Myftical Body: and the Honour of God was greatly illuftrated by this kind Condefcenfion. The Perfons therefore thus highly favoured, thus clofely incorporated, could not do better, than to remember, and to copy after, the Goodness of their common Saviour and Head. It would ill become Them to disdain or caft out those from their Charity, whom Chrift did not fhut out from his Mercy. Efpecially, fince this whole Matter was fo ordered, that each of these had Privileges peculiar to themselves; which ought in reason to fet the One fort above the Other's Contempt. The Jew cannot be thought despicable, fince Chrift himself confined the Honour of his Prefence, and the Exercise of his Prophetick Office upon Earth, to this People and Perfuafion only: Since God looked upon them as his Own, by a Title diftinct from the rest of

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Man

Ver. 8.

Ver. 9.

Vol. I. Mankind; Since he gave them the Option as it were, and engaged, that to These first Salvation fhould be sent. The Gentiles, 'tis confefs'd, had no fuch Claims or Covenants to produce; But yet fo tender regard had God for Them too, as to make them Partners in the GofpelGrace. And the lefs Ground these had to expect it, the more furprisingly great was the Kindness that bestowed it. Thus was God glorified in refpect of Both. His Juftice and Truth were confpicuous in receiving the Jews according to Promise; and his Mercy and Goodnefs were eminently fo,in receiving the Gentiles without the like Promife. Both then were taken in, and if not both upon an equal Foot, yet what was done freely is as evident a Demonftration of Love, as what was done to make good an Antecedent Engagement. Though in very Deed, if we drive the Point a little higher, Both owe their Acceptance to God's Grace entirely: for even the binding himself by Promise was God's own free Act, And therefore the Reafon holds good, that Perfons thus equalled, in the Favour of God, and the Benefits of the Christian Difpenfation, fhould by no means defpife or caft off one another; but imitate an Example, to which all their own Happiness is owing; by mutual Compaffion and a very tender regard for each other's fpiritual Advantage,and that Glory of God, which Both forts profefs to make their common End, though they are not agreed, by what Methods it is beft advanced. And therefore Each endeavoured it in his own way, and took fuch measures, as himself judged moft expedient.

This Reasoning from the Example of our Bleffed Saviour receives yet greater Enforcement, if we attend to the Perfons, before whom this Model is fet, to square their own Actions by. Now they are the Strong Men, fuch as were rightly apprised of their Christian Liberty, and perfectly fatisfied in the Ufe of it. Admitting then their Opinion of the Mat

Ver. 1, 2.

ters

ters in difpute to be moft juft, and the Afperfions caft upon their Conduct hard and undeserved; the Effect of Ignorance, nay, of inveterate Prejudice; yet ought not the Soundness of their own Judgment, or the ill Treatment they met with from their Weaker Brethren, either to make the Breach wider, or fo much as to keep it open between them. For, What Comparison can be made between the Attainments of even the Strongest Christians above theWeakest, and the Perfections of Chrift above the very Strongest? What account can be made of the bittereft, the most unjuft Reproaches, between One Man and Another, by any who reflects at all upon that perpetual, that virulent Contradiction of Sinners, which the Holy Jefus endured against himself? If then the Mifery, the wretched Darkness, the grievous, the numberless Provocations of Jews and Gentiles Both, did not fo alienate His Affections from Either, but that he condefcended in marvellous Compaffion to receive Both into Grace: fhall any of the Perfons fo undeservedly received difdain and damin one the other, for difagreeing about Matters in their own Nature indifferent? Shall They be more fevere, more implacable, for mere Defects, and innocent Mistakes, to Men of the fame Frame, and upon a level with themselves; than their God and Saviour hath fhewed himself, for wilful and deliberate Offences, to which a fimple Error in Judgment bears no manner of Proportion? If fome Diffenting Perfons had by an inconfiderate Zeal been tranfported, beyond the Bounds of Charity and Moderation, yet the Honefty of their Intentions might be allowed in abatement for their Faults. Their Ignorance fhould rather move Pity than Anger, and their very worst Indifcretions find an eafy Pardon, with Them, who had already been pardoned many more, and much greater Follies. The ufe of better Knowledge is not to defpife and condemn, but in Meeknefs to inftruct and edify, thofe who for want of it oppofe themselves. When the Head voych

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2 Tim. ii. 25.

fafes