CXLV expository sermons upon the whole 17th chapter of the Gospel according to St.…

¹Secondly, This Unity and Love is a special means to bring the world to believe the truth, and receive Christ. So that what the preaching of the Word, and Gifts, yea miracles use to do, that unity and agreement may do. This is twice affirmed to be the consequent of unity, vers. 21. & vers. 23. That the world may believe thou hast sent me. It's a special way to convince all the enemies of the truth. Thus Chap. 13.35. Men shall know ye are my Disciples, if ye love one another: and do we not see by experience, That Papists, Heretics, and all profane men are confirmed in their wickedness, by nothing more then the differences and opinions of such who are godly: Do they not by books, and otherwise in derision say, One Sect saith, that hath the Spirit of God, another saith, that hath, and yet both are contrary one to another: Can the Spirit of God be contrary to it self? Can it be a Spirit of truth in one, and a Spirit of falsehood in others? Now although this be no good argument, because the Spirit of God is communicated, but in measure to the godly, they know but in part, and so they love but in part, many errors and divisions we are prone unto, yet this is a very great stumbling block, and therefore woe be to that godly man, who by his pride, self-conceit, or erroneous Doctrine shall bring such a scandal to Religion, what if many perish in hell, because of thy froward spirit. It is true, there ought to be zeal against errors and corruptions, though in the godly. You see when Peter did not walk right, Paul resisted him to the face, and would not give place to him, or other false teachers, no not for an hour, Gal. 2.5. Mark that, No, not for an hour; Some think, let them alone, they will recover themselves, they will do no hurt, truth needs not be afraid, yet Paul was afraid that an hours forbearance might do hurt; Therefore he addeth, That the truth of the Gospel might continue amongst you, as if an hours forbearance might hinder the continuance of truth; so that we are to use Scripture-zeal, and Scripture-means to convince even those that are godly, when erring in Doctrine:

¹Secondly, This Ʋnity and Love is a special means to bring the world to believe the truth, and receive Christ. So that what the preaching of the Word, and Gifts, yea miracles use to do, that unity and agreement may do. This is twice affirmed to be the consequent of unity, vers. 21. & vers. 23. That the world may believe thou hast sent me. It's a special way to convince all the enemies of the truth. Thus Chap. 13.35. Men shall know ye are my Disciples, if ye love one another: and do we not see by experience, That Papists, Heretiques, and all prophane men are confirmed in their wickednesse, by nothing more then the differences and opinions of such who are godly: Do they not by books, and otherwise in derision say, One Sect saith, that hath the Spirit of God, another saith, that hath, and yet both are contrary one to another: Can the Spirit of God be contrary to it self? Can it be a Spirit of truth in one, and a Spirit of falshood in others? Now although this be no good argument, because the Spirit of God is communicated, but in measure to the godly, they know but in part, and so they love but in part, many errours and divisions we are prone unto, yet this is a very great stumbling block, and therefore woe be to that godly man, who by his pride, self-conceit, or erroneous Doctrine shall bring such a scandal to Religion, what if many perish in hell, because of thy froward spirit. It is true, there ought to be zeal against errours and corruptions, though in the godly. You see when Peter did not walk right, Paul resisted him to the face, and would not give place to him, or other false teachers, no not for an hour,