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 had
yet many things to say which they could not bear; and thereupon promises
the Comforter to lead them into ALL TRUTH; which implies, that they were
yet ignorant of many truths, and consequently held divers errors; and yet
for all this, he prays for, and presses them to, their great duty of
peace and unity; John xiv. 27; xvii. 21. To this may be added that of
Heb. v. 11, where the author saith, he had many things to say of the
priestly office of Christ, which by reason of their dulness they were not
capable to receive; as also that in the 10th of the Acts, where Peter
seems to be ignorant of the truth, viz., that the gospel was to be
preached to all nations; and contrary hereunto, he erred in thinking it
unlawful to preach amongst the Gentiles. I shall add two texts more, one
in Acts xix., where we read that those disciples which had been discipled
and baptized by John were yet ignorant of the Holy Ghost, and knew not
(as the text tells us) whether there were any holy Ghost or no; though
John did teach constantly, that he that should come after him should
baptize with the Holy Ghost and fire. From hence we may easily and
plainly infer, that Christians may be ignorant of many truths, by reason
of weak and dull capacities, and other such like impediments, even while
those truths are with much plainness delivered to them. Again, we read,
Heb. v. 13, of some that were unskilful in the word of righteousness, who
nevertheless are called babes in Christ, and with whom unity and peace is
to be inviolably kept and maintained.
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