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

Again, It's the glory of the Church passively, in this sense, that for it we are exceedingly to glorify and praise God; We should look upon the spiritual peace of the Church, as a greater mercy then all external mercies; What an heavy thing is it, when Jerusalem shall be made a Babel, when the Church shall be like the chaos and confusion that was made at first, when God shall bring such a spiritual judgement on the Church, as sometimes he did a temporal one upon the enemies thereof, Every mans weapon against his neighbour, till they had destroyed one another? When therefore we see God forming the hearts of believers to uniting terms, this we ought to praise God for, as being a special means to promote Christs Kingdom.

Again, It's the glory of the Church passively, in this sense, that for it we are exceedingly to glorifie and praise God; We should look upon the spiritual peace of the Church, as a greater mercy then all external mercies; What an heavy thing is it, when Jerusalem shall be made a Babel, when the Church shall be like the chaos and confusion that was made at first, when God shall bring such a spiritual judgement on the Church, as sometimes he did a temporal one upon the enemies thereof, Every mans weapon against his neighbour, till they had destroyed one another? When therefore we see God forming the hearts of believers to uniting terms, this we ought to praise God for, as being a special means to promote Christs Kingdom.

Now it's the glory of believers to be at Unity,

1. Because this will exalt them in the very hearts and thoughts of their greatest enemies. What is glory, but the clara notitia, the famous acknowledging of the excellency of such a thing? Now nothing will sooner divulge the fame, and like the heavens, make the noise thereof to go through the Land, then unity and agreement: As Solomons wisdom spread it self over the world: Insomuch that many came from afar to see and admire it: Thus it will be also for the Churches accord, therefore the Psalmist put an Ecce upon it, Behold how good and comely it is for brethren to be of one accord, Psal 133.1, 2. Thus you heard, The Heathens admired the love of primitive Christians, Ecce quam se muuo diligenti, & fratres vocant, whereas now we may say, Behold how they hate and oppose one another, calling one another by all uncharitable names. It's unity then, that makes the Churches fame to be over the world