Sermons preached on several occasionsSermons preach'd on several occasions

Fourthly, Union among Ministers is a happy Advantage to recommend their Doctrine to the People. Division and Jealousy will lessen the Authority and Efficacy of their Preaching. If one Dog opens, the Deer is not alarmed, but the full Cry rouses him. When Ministers with one Consent declare the Wrath of God from Heaven against Sin, the Profane and Secure are afraid: and the awful Fear of Justice makes them seek for Mercy. 'Tis true, there cannot be expected an entire Conformity in Opinions among the wisest and best Men: therefore in Doctrines not so clear nor of that moment as the great Truths, a mutual Forbearance is our Duty. But to coin ⟨p. 363⟩Controversies about clear and necessary Truths, and obscure them by Opposition, is a great hinderance to the Success of the Gospel. Some worthy Men earnestly deny the Gospel to be a Law: Will they reform the Scripture? Is not the Gospel called the Law of Faith, the Law of Liberty, the Law of the Spirit of Life? 'Tis true, the Gospel is a Covenant of Grace, but it has all the Essentials of a Law: 'tis the revealed Will of the Sovereign Law-giver, commanding Sinners to repent and believe, upon no less Reward and Penalty, than Eternal Life to penitent Believers, and Eternal Death to those who disobey the Gospel. Now the Command and Sanction are the proper Characters of a Law. If we duly consider it, the Sovereignty of God is such, that whatever Covenant he offers to the reasonable Creature, has the Force and Obligation of a ⟨p. 364⟩Law. I instance in this one Point, that of late has occasioned an unhappy Difference. O the blessed State above, where Ignorance and Strife are abolished for ever!

Fourthly, Union among Ministers is a happy Advantage to recommend their Doctrine to the People. Division and Jealousy will lessen the Authority and Efficacy of their Preaching. If one Dog opens, the Deer is not alarm'd, but the full Cry rouses him. When Ministers with one Consent declare the Wrath of God from Heaven against Sin, the Profane and Secure are afraid: and the awful Fear of Justice makes them seek for Mercy. 'Tis true, there cannot be expected an entire Conformity in Opinions among the wisest and best Men: therefore in Doctrines not so clear nor of that moment as the great Truths, a mutual Forbearance is our Duty. But to coin ⟨p. 363⟩