Christ wound the spirit of Christians, and oftentimes occasion the
spirit and life of Christianity to languish, if not to expire. How
needful is it then that we endeavour the unity of the spirit in the
bond of peace!

II. I now come to shew you wherein this unity and peace consists;
and this I shall demonstrate in five particulars.

1. This unity and peace may consist with the ignorance of many
truths, and in the holding of some errors; or else this duty of
peace and unity could not be practicable by any on this side
perfection: but we must now endeavour the unity of the spirit, till
we come to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son
of God; Eph. iv. 13. Because now, as the apostle saith, "We know in
part, and we prophesy in part," and "Now we see through a glass
darkly;" 1 Cor. xiii. 9, 12. And as this is true in general, so we
may find it true if we descend to particular instances. The
disciples seem to be ignorant of that great truth which they had
often, and in much plainness, been taught by their Master once and
again, viz., that his kingdom was not of this world, and that in the
world they should suffer and be persecuted; yet in the 1st of the
Acts, ver. 6, we read, that they asked of him if he would at this
time restore the kingdom to Israel? thereby discovering that
Christ's kingdom (as they thought) should consist in his temporal
jurisdiction over Israel, which they expected should now commence
and take place amongst them. Again, our Lord tells them, that he
had many things to say (and these were many important truths) which
they could not now bear; John xvi. 12. And that these were
important truths, appear by the 10th and 11th verses, where he is
discoursing of righteousness and judgment, and then adds, that he