Benjamin Keach on Gospel Peace in the Local Church

Rural Church Podcast 2.0

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Welcome to the Ruled Church Podcast. This is my beloved son, with whom

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I am well pleased. He is honored, and I get the glory. And by the way, it's even better, because you see that building in Perryville, Arkansas?

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You see that one in Pechote, Mexico? Do you see that one in Tuxla, Guterres, down there in Chiapas? That building has my son's name on it.

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The church is not a democracy. It's a monarchy. Christ is king. You can't be

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Christian without a local church. You can't do anything but. And to bend your knee and bow your heart, turn from your sin and repentance, believe on the

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Lord Jesus Christ, and join up with a good Bible -believing church, and spend your life serving

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Jesus in a local and biblical congregation. Welcome to the Ruled Church Podcast. I am your co -host, Alan Nelson. Flying solo today.

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Eddie Ragsdale is not here. I'm recording in my office. And what we're going to do today is look at a sermon by one

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Benjamin Keech. Benjamin Keech, O .G. Baptist. Benjamin Keech passed away in 1704.

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He is one of the signers of the 1689 Second London Baptist Confession of Faith.

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Benjamin Keech is someone who ought to be read more. Some of his works are hard to find.

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I've got access to some of those on Logos Bible Software. So that's helpful.

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I know out there, Free Grace Press has a printed version of The Glory of a True Church by Benjamin Keech, which is excellent.

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I think you can also get that on Chapel Library. But today, I'm going to read a sermon that he preached on Mark 9 50 that says, and have peace one with another.

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So for the remainder of the podcast then, I'm going to be reading this sermon by Benjamin Keech.

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Here we go. And have peace one with another. Mark 9 50.

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Doctrine. That it is the indispensable duty of the saints, disciples, and members of the

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Church of Christ to have peace one with another, or to maintain love, union, and sweet concord among themselves.

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There are two parts in our text. First, a duty enjoined. Secondly, an excellent virtue commanded.

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Peace one with another. The person exhorting to this duty is Jesus Christ. The persons exhorted are his disciples.

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It is the duty of saints to have peace among themselves. In speaking to this great proposition, first,

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I shall prove it is the indispensable duty of the saints and members of Christ to have peace one with another.

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Secondly, give you the reasons of it, or show you wherefore. Thirdly, give some directions how to attain and maintain peace one with another.

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Fourthly, apply it. First, I shall prove that it is the indispensable duty of the saints and people of God to live in peace one with another.

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See what the Holy Apostle saith, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Ephesians 4 3.

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Endeavoring. This word denotes not only the duty, but the difficulty in reaching or attaining unto it, and also in maintaining of peace and union.

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Beloved, Satan and the flesh are great enemies to peace. The Spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy.

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James 4 5. Again saith Paul, Fulfill ye my joy that ye be like -minded, having the same love, being of one accord and of one mind.

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To which I might add what he says in another place, Be at peace among yourselves.

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1 Thessalonians 5 13. Thus, having proved that this is the indispensable duty of believers,

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I shall secondly give you the reason why they should be at peace one with another. Because it is a holy precept of our blessed

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Lord. Therefore a great sin not to endeavor after or not to live in love and peace.

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You dread lying, swearing, stealing, drunkenness, etc. because these are abominable sins, hateful to God and breaches of His holy law.

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Why, brethren, so it is not to have peace, or not to live in love and peace one with another.

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A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another. It is the will of God, as the Apostle speaks in another case.

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This is the will of God, even your sanctification. So I may say, this is the will of God, even that ye have peace one with another.

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Secondly, because peace, love and union God exceedingly delights in, and also commends in His word as good and pleasant in His sight.

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Behold, how good and pleasant a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.

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Psalm 133 .1 Shall we not do that which God thus commends and takes delight in, as He saith,

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O do not this abominable thing that I hate? So let me say, O do this thing that He loves and delighteth in.

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Third, this is agreeable to the principles of religion, and true piety and design of the gospel, and it is also the effect of true grace.

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When our blessed Lord was born, the angel proclaimed, Glory to God on high and on earth peace.

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Not only peace with God, but also peace one with another. Brethren, hath Christ made our peace with God by His own blood, and shall we not be at peace one with another?

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God forbid. This was one design and end of Christ's coming. Namely, He shall turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, the hearts of the children to the fathers.

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Malachi 4 .6 That is, to make all the saints to live in love and peace, and not in strife, contention and divisions.

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Moreover, this will be one of the principal blessings of the reign of Jesus Christ in His visible kingdom.

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There shall be sweet peace and concord among all the saints. The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid, and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them.

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And the cow and the bear shall feed their young ones, shall lie down together, and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.

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They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain. Isaiah 11 .6 -9

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There shall be then no lion -like nor wolfish nature among men any more.

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But the saints shall all serve the Lord with oneness of heart, or with one consent.

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God is now about gathering the nations and assembling the kingdoms to pour upon them

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His indignation, even all His fierce anger. For all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of His jealousy.

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Zephaniah 3 .8 Well, but what will be the effect of all this? What will immediately follow?

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Even the peaceable kingdom of Jesus Christ. Observe the very next words. For then will

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I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord to serve

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Him with one consent. Verse 9 Certainly the kingdom of Christ has not yet begun, for our days do not look like to such a time which the prophet speaks of, but it shows what our duty is.

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And if the kingdom of Christ become with power on our souls, this will be one effect thereof, namely power on our sweet, loving, and peaceful spirit and temper of heart.

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Verse 10 5. My brethren, God is the God of peace, and Jesus Christ is the Prince of peace, and the

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Holy Spirit is the bond of peace, and the gospel is called the gospel of peace. Therefore the saints and the children of God should labor to have peace one with another.

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How else will it appear they are related to such a father and are the subject of such a prince and are led and guided by such a spirit and feel the divine power of such a gospel on their own souls?

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It is said the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and one soul. Acts 4 .32

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Moreover it is said of the saints in the succeeding age after the apostles that the unity and peace of Christians was so famous that they had this name or character, namely a people that agreed among themselves.

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I am sure this cannot be said to be the character of God's people in the present age. The more to be lamented.

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O how are we divided! What animosities, envies, and confusions are among us!

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6. Love, peace, and concord is the property of the new heart. And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you.

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Ezekiel 11 .19 A faithful heart, an honest and sincere heart, a heart not divided between God and idols, not a heart drawing back or revolting from God, yea, and a heart united to each other, a loving and peaceable heart, as they have all one

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God, one Savior, one faith, so they shall have sweet communion together.

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They shall be united or have much love and mutual agreement between themselves.

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They shall have one heart. 7. Because believers are brethren.

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This is a great argument why we should live in love and peace together. We may say with Abraham to his kinsmen,

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Lot, let there be no strife, I pray thee, betwixt thee and me, for we are brethren. Genesis 13 .8

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Discord among brethren is abominable, not only to God, but it is hateful in the sight of all men.

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We have all one Father, one Lord Jesus Christ, one faith, one baptism. Ephesians 4 .3

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And are all of us members of one and the same body. The relation we stand one to another should stir up to strive after love and peace.

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Dear children will not quarrel with one another, because it would grieve the heart, should they do so, of their tender, gracious Father, and expose

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Him and His family to reproach. 8. Because hereby we shall answer the blessed report of the

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Lord's Supper. For we being many are one bread and one body, for we all partake of that one bread.

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1 Corinthians 10 .17 One loaf is made up of many corns of wheat, so we who are but one body are members of the same church, should demonstrate this sacred union by living in love and peace.

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What shall we eat of one and the same bread, and not be of one heart, or not be united together in love?

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This is to contradict the purport of this holy ordinance. 9. Because this peace and union tends to make our communion most sweet and comfortable to each other.

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How can two walk together, except they are agreed? Amos 3 .3 Can we have communion with God, unless we are in a state of mystical union with Him?

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And as this cannot be, so here also. We cannot have fellowship and communion with one another, unless our hearts are united to each other.

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Or can our seeming communion be acceptable to God, if our hearts are not united in sincere love and affections?

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Moreover, where this is wanting, how are the ways of God and people of God exposed to the reproach and to the contempt of an ungodly world?

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But on the contrary, what saith our blessed Lord? By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye love one another.

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10. Because this will prevent all those grievous evils which commonly attend the want of love, namely strife, contention, and divisions, etc.

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Peace, first of all, among ourselves, prevents Satan in his design, whose work it is to sow discord and to alienate the hearts of Christians from one another.

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My brethren, this is the way to counter work the devil and to hinder him in one grand design of his.

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Secondly, it will also prevent the loss of much precious time in making up breaches or to unite such who are at discord one with another.

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Thirdly, it will also prevent the troubles which arise in the church through that discord, strife, and contention which may be between one member and another, for where care taken to maintain love and peace and things that tend to peace and holiness, we should have but little to do in days of discipline, which often grieve and stumble the weak and tends to hinder the increase of the churches.

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Fourthly, moreover, it would prevent those obstructions of doing much good. For experience shows that when the bond of love and peace is broken between one member and another, such things that tend to public good are greatly obstructed because all do not draw together like the horses in Pharaoh's chariot, but heavy burdens are laid upon some whilst others, through offenses given, withdraw their hands and will do but little or nothing.

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Fifthly, it would prevent also the public reproach and scandal which divisions and want of love and peace cast upon the ways and people of God.

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For thus they without are ready to say, namely, they are full of envy and hatred to each other, or they do not love one another.

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Can these be the people of God? Woe to the world because of offenses. Eleventh, it is the indispensable duty of believers to have love and peace among themselves because this is that which makes or tends to make the church formidable, or like a sheaf of arrows bound up together which cannot be broken.

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It was an old proverb, divide them and destroy them. A city divided, saith our

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Savior, against itself cannot stand. You have perhaps heard of that aged man who, having many sons whom he called to him on his deathbed, he bid them bring a sheaf of arrows to him, which was done.

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And he gave it to his eldest son and bid him break the sheaf of arrows, which he strove to do but could not.

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Then he gave it to his next son to break, but he could not. Then he bid his eldest son to take out but one single arrow, which he did, said the father to him, break it.

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And so he presently and with much ease did, upon which thus spoke the old man, Children, while you abide together in love as one man, you will be like a sheaf of arrows that cannot by your enemies be broken.

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But if you are divided and aliquoted from each other, you will be easily broken into pieces.

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Twelfth, this father appears, because by this means mutual prayer will not be hindered.

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Evident it is that if discord be between a man and his wife, their prayers are thereby hindered.

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Hence the apostle advises such that are married not to defraud one another, that their prayers be not obstructed.

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It is said, Acts 4 .24, that they lifted up their voice with one accord. Divisions in a family hinder mutual prayer in that family.

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Can we join in our hearts together if we are not at peace one with another? Thirteen, because this provokes to sympathy.

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What then is the joy of one will be the joy of all, and what is the grief and sorrow of one will be the grief and sorrow of all.

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And so hereby we shall be capable to answer that holy precept, rejoice with them that rejoice, and mourn with them that mourn.

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How doth the tender husband sympathize with his dear wife, and the tender wife sympathize with the dear husband in his troubles and afflictions?

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Or the tender parents sympathize with their distressed and afflicted children? Did believers look upon each other as being bone of the same bone and flesh of the same flesh?

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How would they love and sympathize with one another, and help and relieve each other in all their wants and necessities?

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Directions to peace with one another. Thirdly, I shall give you some directions in order to attain and maintain peace, love, and concord with one another.

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First, labor after meekness and humbleness of mind. This is a great advancement of peace.

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Only of pride cometh contention. Proverbs 13 .10 Were men of a humble, meek, and quiet spirit, and not proud and conceited, they would not make such trouble, or cause and stir up strife and contention as many times they do.

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Let nothing be done through strife and vainglory, but in lowliness of mind. Let each esteem others better than themselves.

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Philippians 2 .3 An humble person will be a peaceable person. 2.

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Speak well of all your brethren who hold the head or are sound in the faith in respect of all fundamental principles, though not in everything of your opinion in some points of religion.

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3. For peace among ourselves ought not to be restrained only to the members of that church we belong unto, but to all the saints, let them be

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Presbyterians, Independents, or Baptists. 4. I do not mean that it is your duty to hold church communion with all.

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5. No, that cannot be, unless all were of one judgment in all the essentials of church constitution.

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6. For mutual love is not to be the rule of our church communion and fellowship, but the word of Christ.

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7. But though we cannot as yet be all of one judgment in this case, yet we ought not to censure one another, but own each other for brethren, and be all united in love and affections.

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8. How unchristianlike is it to render them that differ from us odious, as if they were not members of the mystical body of Christ, or belong not to the universal church?

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9. Speak evil of no man. No, nor speak of the evils of any, except the evil or sin they are guilty of be public and notorious.

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10. And that not then out of an ill purpose to expose the person, out of spite and revenge.

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11. For that is most hateful and abominable in the sight of God, and tends to strife and discord. 12.

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As much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men, but much more with all the saints and people of God.

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13. Third, if you would have peace one with another, avoid all secret whisperings and backbitings.

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14. For indeed, nothing more tends to break the bond of peace than such unlawful and sinful practice. 15.

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A wrathful man stirreth up strife, but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife.

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Proverbs 15 .18 16. A froward man soweth strife, and a whisperer separateth chief friends.

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Proverbs 16 .28 17. Now to avoid this evil, be sure you discounten it, nay, sharply rebuke the backbiter.

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18. For such who do it not are really guilty, as the proverb is, the receiver is as bad as the thief.

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19. Fourth, seek the temporal as well as the spiritual good of all your brethren, especially they that are of the same church or community with you.

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20. Let no man seek his own, but every one his brother's wealth. 1 Corinthians 10 .24 21.

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Do they do so that will not trade with their brother, nor help him in his necessity, when it is the power of his hands?

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22. What, not lend five pounds to thy poor brother, or more or less, which might be of great advantage to him, though thou hast perhaps hundreds lying by thee?

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23. I cannot see how love and peace can be maintained where those duties of charity, sympathy, and brotherly kindness are neglected.

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24. Thou wilt not buy what thou needest of thy brother, but rather of strangers. 25.

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Though by this neglect of thine and others it tends to be his undoing, and if thou and other friends did trade with him, he might live comfortably.

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26. How doth this evil create hard thoughts in one brother against another, and break the bonds of love and peace?

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27. They call me a brother, saith the poor man, but I see no brotherly love to be in them. 28.

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I seek not my own prophet, saith Paul, but the prophet of many. 1 Corinthians 10 .33

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29. But it will be hard for a man to believe you seek the good and profit of his soul, when you do not seek the profit of his body, or external good of his family.

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30. Fifthly, if you would have peace one with another, see that you deal with your offending brother according to that rule our blessed

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Lord hath laid down. 31. First, tell him his fault between thee and him alone, but do it gently, sweetly, and not in a rough and angry manner, and labour again and again to convince him of evil.

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32. But if thou canst not prevail, secondly then, take one or two more with thee, and see what you and they can do, but with all mildness.

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33. But do not think that their speaking to him is enough, or doth answer the rule. 34. No, no, but you and they must labour to bring him to a sight and sense of his sin, and be sure all this while discover his fault to no other.

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35. At first you should take heed that you conceal his evil, and divulge it to none till you have privately done your duty.

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36. But if you alone, nor one or two more, cannot win him, then bring it to the church.

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37. Now this rule carefully observed will greatly tend to peace, order, and concord. 38.

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Sixthly, if you would have peace among yourselves, make it a matter of conscience always to attend the public worship of God in the church to which you belong, and do not hear at such times anywhere else.

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39. What though your neighbours feed in a richer pasture than yours is? 40. Will you break the hedge to feed in that pasture which is none of your own?

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41. I must tell you, it is but stolen bread, and it tends to disorder and confusion. 42.

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For by the same reason that you go and hear where you please, every member may, and what then will become of that particular church to which you belong?

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43. Oh, what grief and offence is this to your pastor and fellow brethren? 44. If this be not prevented, you cannot expect peace one with another.

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45. They went to their own company. 46. I tell you that such actions are a breach of that precept.

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47. Forsake not the assembling yourselves together as the manner of some is. 48. You must assemble together, not with others that are not of your community.

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49. Seventhly, be sure, be impartial in judgment in the discipline of the church. 50. Let none be connived out of favour, nor others dealt severely with out of prejudice.

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51. Levi was not to know his father, nor his mother, in judgment. 52. Eighth, let no one part of the church meet together as dissatisfied persons, 53.

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to consult church matters, without the knowledge of the pastor, or consent and appointment of the church.

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54. For where this is done, the bond of love and peace is broken. 55. Ninth, let no members be received into the church without general satisfaction taken to their faith and godly conversation.

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56. Neither be careless or remiss in receiving of persons, lest such get in among you, 57. who by their turbulent spirits or ill lives disturb or disquiet the peace of the church.

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58. What sad examples are there in some churches arising from hence, namely by loose persons getting in among them?

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59. Tenth, avoid the reception of any persons from other orderly churches sound in the faith, 60.

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without the consent of that church to whom they belong. 61. For that is to destroy the just authority and power of Christ in each particular congregation.

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62. Nor is it to do as you would be done unto. 63. Therefore the church and pastor that is guilty of this evil, ought to be discountenanced, 64.

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as violators of the rules of order and peace among the churches of the saints. 65. Eleventh, let no feuds arise, no strife, not dissension upon differing sentiments 66.

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that may be in some members' minds from others about circumstantial matters, 67. either in respect of faith, practice, or discipline, 68.

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because all have not attained to the same degree of light and knowledge. 69. In all such cases, one member must bear with another.

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70. Judges 10, James 3, 14, and 16. 71. Twelfth, let every member avoid the believing and report or charge against any brother or sister 72.

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before they know the truth of the matter. 73. For perhaps such reports may be spread abroad of one member or another 74.

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through the envy or malice of some or another that gives way to the devil 75. and so become like him, namely false accusers of the brethren.

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76. How was Paul reproached by false brethren and false prophets? 77. And also, Holy Jeremiah, report, say they, and we will report,

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Jeremiah 20, 10. 78. Thirteen, labor after patience and mutual forbearance one of another, forgiving one another.

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79. If you would have peace among yourselves, see the advice of the apostle. 80. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and evil speaking be put away from you, 81.

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with all malice, and be kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, 82. even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you,

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Ephesians 4, 31 and 32. 83. O what patience and forbearance doth God exercise toward us, 84.

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and what a multitude of faults does he pass by and forgive us! 85. Brethren, we should be like unto him, be ye merciful, as your

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Father in heaven is merciful. 86. Can you expect peace one with another, if this be wanting?

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87. And if we do not forgive our brother, neither will God forgive us. 88. Fourteen, if you would maintain peace one with another, take care constantly to visit each other.

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89. The neglect of this tends to break the bonds of love, and alienate one member from another.

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90. What, wilt thou not visit thy brother and sister that lives near thee, to know how he and she doth? 91.

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This I must tell thee argues but little love in thy heart to them, 92. such that we dearly love we will see often.

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93. Fifteen, report nothing of the private concerns or matters of the church to strangers or to carnal persons, 94.

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especially anything that is done on days of discipline. 95. The church in this case, as well as others, is as a garden enclosed, a spring shut up, a fountain sealed.

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96. This too often disturbs the peace of the church, and breaks the bonds of love. 97. Is it not a shame to any to divulge the secrets of the family where he dwells?

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98. But far greater shame and reproach do these persons expose themselves unto. 99.

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Sixteen, do not withdraw thy communion from the church upon private offenses or upon small trifling cases, 100.

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lest you are found such that slight communion with Christ, as well as grieve thy brethren, and spoil their peace.

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101. Is thy meeting with Christ at his table no more valued by thee? 102. Therefore, until thou hast done thy duty to thy brother, and the church hath dealt with him, and excluded him, 103.

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thou canst not, must not presume to do it. 104. Wilt thou assume the power of the keys, or church authority?

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105. Beware of this pernicious evil, if you would have peace one with another. 106.

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Seventeen, give due encouragement to the exercise of such gifts that are amongst you.

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107. First, if you apprehend any brother hath received some competent ministerial gift, 80.

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let him freely exercise those gifts privately. 80. And being in time approved, let the church call him forth to preach more publicly.

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80. Else, how shall the church be provided with ministers in future times? 80. Or how shall an improved ministry be continued in the church?

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80. As every man hath received the gift, even so let him administer the same one to another 80. as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

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81. Labor to keep up the reputation and honor of your pastor, 82.

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and do not receive an accusation against him under two or three witnesses. 83. Also observe such who, out of prejudice, may suggest or insinuate into the minds of unwary members evil against your minister.

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84. For Satan hates no men more than such who preach the gospel, 85. and have the charge of souls, and of the churches of Jesus Christ.

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86. Therefore he will not be wanting to render them useless, or to obstruct them in their work, 87. and thereby also disquiet the whole congregation, and put them into confusion.

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88. Smite the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered. 89. Yet do not wink or connive at any gross enormity in him.

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90. For that may soon tear you to pieces. 91. Pious persons, be sure, will not endure it. 92. For no men more expose the name of God to reproach, 93.

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and hinder the peace and increase of the church, than scandalous ministers. 94. Yet let the rule of the gospel be carefully observed in your dealing with him.

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95. Look more that good that is in thy brother, and speak more of that behind his back, 96.

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than of those infirmities thou mayest espy in him. 97. Let the bright side of the cloud be in your sight, and not the dark.

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98. The apostle John commenced those virtues that were in the fathers, young men, and children, 99. but not a word of their faults and infirmities.

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10. No doubt they had their buts and imperfections, as well as excellent graces.

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11. Nay, God himself commenced David as a man after his own heart, 12. though he had many weaknesses and infirmities.

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13. Yet the Lord overlooked all them, and passed them all by. 14. Nothing is mentioned save his great wickedness in the case of Bathsheba and Uriah.

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20. Get much love one to another. 21. This is Paul's counsel. Let brotherly love continue.

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Hebrews 13 .1 22. This is a blessed way to preserve peace one with another. 23. Love beareth all things.

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It endureth all things. 24. It will think no evil. Charity suffereth long. 25. Is kind. Charity envieth not.

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26. Love vaunteth not itself. Is not puffed up. etc. 1 Corinthians 13 .4

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27. O what an excellent grace is the grace of love and charity! 28. Of all these put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.

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Colossians 3 .14 29. No Christian is so complete as he that is full of love and charity, nor can anything tend more to peace and union among brethren.

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30. Therefore, above all these things, have fervent charity among yourselves, for charity shall cover a multitude of sins.

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1 Peter 4 .8 31. God out of love covers a multitude of sin and faults in us.

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32. And had we much love and charity towards one another, we should cover all the common weakness and infirmities also, which we see in each other.

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33. Lastly, eye the glory of God and credit of religion in all things you do, and strive to set

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God always before your eyes. 34. He takes notice of our carriages and behavior one to another.

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35. O labor to see thy own fault, thy own infirmities. 36. Be much at home, and see the beam that is in thine own eye.

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37. So wilt thou not be ready to spy the mote that is in thy brother's eye? 38. Grudge not at one another, brethren, lest ye be condemned.

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39. Behold, the judge standeth before the door. James 5 .9 40. As he always beholds us all, so he will soon come to judge us all, so much as to the doctrinal part.

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Now, Application 1. From hence we may infer that the want of peace one with another may arise from want of grace in our own hearts.

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2. Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another. 3. No man can have peace with God, peace in his own conscience, that hath not saving grace in his heart, nor will such who want it be long in peace with their brethren.

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4. However, the way to have peace with one another is to get grace or salt in ourselves. 5.

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Pray, remember, that no peace is like that which flows from or is the product of grace. 2.

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Be exhorted to labor after peace, love, and union among yourselves. Pursue after it. Follow after peace with all men in holiness, without which no man shall see the

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Lord. Hebrews 12 .14 For motives to this 1.

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Consider the devils can all agree to dwell together, even whole legions of them in one man.

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And shall not the saints of God agree to dwell together in unity? Luke 8 .30 2.

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Wicked men also can agree together in wickedness, and to uphold the devil's kingdom, the papists' glory and the unity of their church.

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3. And the Mahometans agree in their idolatry. And shall not Christians, true believers, and faithful disciples of Christ agree together in love and peace?

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4. Consider that Jesus Christ hath taken our nature upon him, and as it was to unite

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God and man together, so also to unite man and man together in himself. Ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

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Galatians 3 .28 5. He hath made us to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.

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Ephesians 2 .6 6. This should move us to live in love and to be at peace one with another.

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4. Where there is not love and peace, it will not be long, it may be feared, before there are divisions.

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5. To preserve peace is the way to disappoint Satan, who is the grand make -bait and disturber of the peace of the saints and churches of Christ.

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6. Consider how dangerous a thing it is to offend any of Christ's little ones or to judge our brothers.

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Professors may offend Christ's little ones as well as the profane. Whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he was cast into the sea.

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Matthew 18 .6 Oh, how heinous a sin is this! 7.

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Love and peace renders the church militant, like to the church triumphant. Oh, what sweet peace and concord is there in heaven!

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8. Consider what a multitude of enemies we have, that strive to divide us and ruin us all.

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This should caution us to take heed. We do not seek to ruin and destroy one another.

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9. Lastly, consider the motives that Paul uses to press this duty, with which I shall conclude.

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10. If therefore there be any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the

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Spirit, if any vows of mercy, fulfill ye my joy, that ye be like -minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

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Philippians 2 .1 .2 That ends the sermon from Keech.

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This is from an exposition of the parables and expressed similitudes of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ from Logos Bible Software.

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I hope this is a sermon that has edified you, encouraged you, challenged me even as I was reading through that.

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Solely day of glory. Catch you guys next week. If you really believe the church is the building, the church is the house, the church is what

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God's doing, this is His work. If we really believe what Ephesians says, we are the hoemos, the masterpiece of God.