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l | ovf truly rnajr it be skiS of every Qualification , however distinguished- — - •* Who maketh thee to differ from another ? What hast thou that thou hast not received ? Now if thoa didst receive it , wh y dost thui glory as if thou hadst not received it ?** Not only
has every virtue , whether more or less eminent , one common derivation , but the disparity itself is a beaut } 7 in the econoufy or Providence to which no reflecting mind can be insensible . And the Apostle strikingly illustrates this in the two last verses of mv text , and
more at large in the 12 th chapter of his first Epistle to the Corinthian ? , by an allegory taken from the different members of the human body , each of which , however diverse in form and dignity , contributes its part to the convenience , utility and harmony of the
whole . Thus , whatever be the dissimilitude , or the higher or lower estimation of spiritual gifts , Christianity amalgamates them all into a system of perfect equalization ; so that by the church of Christ we ought to understand the whole community of believers in
hvrn , just as by ike body we understand . all its component parts : nor does any ^ aistinctive name or office imply in one inember a right to assume superiority 6 ver the rest , or to say to any of its feftowsj tc \ have no need of ^ thee , " and thus to create a schism in the body . Whatever is the right of one should be the right of all . and whatever is the
interest of one , the interest of all . It was the infraction of this original and fundamental canon of equality that bred all the evils with which the church of Christ has been afflicted . The desire of vain glory was the fruittul parent of envy and mutual
provocation . From nence sprang those contentions among the Corinthians , i » nd that setting up the name of one Jeacher in opposition to another , against which Paul in the very beginning of his first Epistle so warmly
protests : —** Whereas there are among you envying , and strife , and divisions , and one saith I am of Paul , and another , I of Apollosj are ye not carnal ? Who then is Paul , and who A polios , but ministers Jby whom ye believed ,
< cv $ n as the Lord gave to every man ? ' 33 e thus forewarns the elders of JSpbesus— - " Also of your ownselves shall " men arise speaking perverse things to draw ' away disciples after them . " It plainly appears from his writings , and
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fhose of Peter arid John , that even in ! their early days there ' were false teachers , perverters of the truth , and bringcrs-in of heresies , and that there were many followers of their pernicious ways : — whit wonder then , if wheri their personal presence and influence were withdrawn , these ' ** " profane and "
vain babblings' * should " increase unto more ungodliness ? And even that grievous wolves should enter in , not sparing the flock ? " We know from
the authentic records p f history , that when " the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace * was once broken through , it was succeeded by the enlisting of partizans under the banners of a multitude of different leaders : and
that the ancient and truly catholic names of Christian , and disciple , were laid aside for that of any one who could gain the most proselytes to his opinions by bold assertion , by sophistry , rhetoric or declamation . Such were those if oppositions of science , falsely so called , " against which Paul cautions his son Timothy—that war of words
between those who had equally erred concerning the faith , which led to the most disastrous consequences . It is easy to conceive that when a proud and bigoted polemic found himself pressed by argument , he would endeavour to
intrench himself within the strong holds of inspiration and infallibility : — goaded by continued opposition , he would stigmatize his antagonist with opprobrious epithets ; anathematize , excommunicate and devote him to
everlasting perdition ; and at length assail hitw with the more deadly weapons of carnal warfare . Blessed Jesus !—Was it for such as these thou didst offer up that affectionate prayer—** That they all may be one , as thou , Father , art in me and I in thee , that they also mav be one in us , that the
world may believe that thou hast sent me ? " Rather mig ht it not have been supposed , that instead of the gospel of peace proclaimed , the demon of discord had been let loose , with a woe ! woe ! woe ! to the inhabitants of the earth !
Nor was it long before they ,, who if * they had possessed the suirjt of him they called Master , and of his apostles , would have been examples of humility and moderation , began to lift up themselves over those to whom in enect they owed all their importance . * Then arose an host of innovations upon the
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$ t ) 6 Ckrtsltihn Itqiibtiti / : ti'SermSn by Mr . JSUcbwrs , tit Philadelphia .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), April 2, 1817, page 206, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2463/page/14/
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