, as comprehensive of the
rest; not but that they were guilty of other sins, but those that
were the most capital are particularly insisted on: in like manner,
whoever would but take a review of churches that live in contentions
and divisions, may easily find that breach of unity and charity is
their capital sin, and the occasion of all other sins. No marvel
then, that the Scripture saith, the whole law is fulfilled in love:
and if so, then where love is wanting, it needs must follow the
whole law is broken. It is where love grows cold that sin abounds;
and therefore the want of unity and peace is the cause of that
leanness and barrenness that is among us; it is true in spirituals
as well as temporals, that peace brings plenty.
7. Where unity and peace is wanting, our prayers are hindered; the
promise is, that what we shall agree to ask shall be given us of our
heavenly Father: no marvel we pray and pray, and yet are not
answered; it is because we are not agreed what to have.
It is reported that the people in Lacedemonia, coming to make
supplication to their idol god, some of them asked for rain, and
others of them asked for fair weather: the oracle returns them this
answer, That they should go first and agree among themselves. Would
a heathen god refuse to answer such prayers in which the supplicants
were not agreed, and shall we think the true God will answer them?
We see then that divisions hinder our prayers, and lay a prohibition
on our sacrifice: "If thou bring thy gift to the altar," saith
Christ, "and there remember that thy brother hath aught against
thee, leave thy gift, and go, and first be reconciled to thy
brother, and then come and offer it.
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