"remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which
suffer adversity, as being ourselves also of the body;" Heb. xiii.
3. But where the body is broken, or men are not reckoned or
esteemed of the body, no marvel we are so little affected with such
as are afflicted. Where divisions are, that which is the joy of the
one is the grief of another; but where unity and peace and charity
abound, there we shall find Christians in mourning with them that
mourn, and rejoicing with them that rejoice; then they will not envy
the prosperity of others, nor secretly rejoice at the miseries or
miscarriages of any.

IV. Last of all, I now come to give you twelve directions and
motives for the obtaining peace and unity.

1. If ever we would live in peace and unity, we must pray for it.
We are required to seek peace: of whom then can we seek it with
expectation to find it, but of him who is a God of peace, and hath
promised to bless his people with peace? It is God that hath
promised to give his people one heart, and one way; yet for all
these things he will be sought unto: O then let us seek peace, and
pray for peace, because God shall prosper them that love it.

The peace of churches is that which the apostle prays for in all his
epistles; in which his desire is, that grace and peace may be
multiplied and increased among them.

2. They that would endeavour the peace of the churches, must be
careful who they commit the care and oversight of the churches to;
as (1.)--Over and besides those qualifications that should be in all
Christians, they that rule the church of God should be men of