these fiery contentions among us, but the want of this? As
James says of the tongue, so I may speak of uncharitableness and self
love, they set on fire the course of nature, and they are set on fire of
hell. The true zeal and love of God, is like that elementary fire of which
they speak, that in its own place hath a temperate heat, and doth not burn
or consume what is about it. But our zeal is like the fire that is mixed
with some gross matter, a preying, devouring, and consuming thing, zeal
down in the lower region of man's heart, it is mixed with many gross
corruptions, which are as oil and fuel to it, and gives it an extreme
intemperate destroying nature.

But then consider, that this commandment of love is our Lord and Saviour's
last testamentary injunction to his disciples, John xiii. 34, 35. "A new
commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another, as I have loved
you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are
my disciples, if ye have love one to another." It is Christ's latter will,
and given us as a token and badge of discipleship. Every profession hath
its own signs and rules, every order their own symbol, every rank their
own character. Here is the differential or peculiar character and livery
of a Christian, brotherly love,--"By this shall all men know that ye are my
disciples, if ye have love one to another," &c. I remember a story of a
dying father who called his sons to him on his death bed, and having sent
for a bundle of arrows, he tried them one by one if they could break them,
and when they had all tried this in vain, he caused loose the bundle, and
take the arrows one by one, and so they were easily broken, by which he
gave them to understand, that their stability and strength would consist
in unity and concord, but, if love and charity were broken, they were
exposed to great hazard.(432) I think our Lord and Saviour gives such a
precept unto his disciples at his departure out of this world,--"A new
command I give unto you," &c. (John xiii. 34)--to show them that the
perfection of the body, into which they were all called as members,
consisted in that bond of charity. And indeed love is not only a bond or
bundle of perfection in respect of graces, but in regard of the church
too. It is that bond or tie which knits all the members into one perfect
body, Col. iii. 14, 15, 16. Without this bond, all must needs be rents,
rags, and distractions.

Now I shall add but one wo