6. With others we cannot be at peace without violating our confciences, or acting contrary to our duty. If we do our duty to them, or upon them, they will not be at peace with us: But we cannot, we muft not buy their peace and good-will so dear, as to fell our own peace with GOD for the purchase, Neither truth, nor holiness, nor justice are to be facrificed for peace. To obtain peace with men, we must not make fhipwreck of faith and a good con fcience towards GoD. Confequently, thofe who in a modeft and charitable manner, maintain and defend their own religious principles against adverfaries,--or zealouíly reprove vice, cannot juftiy be charged with unpeaceableness. 7. To do what in us lies to follow peace with all men, implies, that we humbly lay afide all pride and prejudice in the purfuit of peace; that we try, and try, and try again, without wearying, as far as we lawfully may, to obtain this defirable end; and that we labour zealously to promote the peace of our neighbors, without widening their differences by ill offices. A proud man can never be a truly peaceable man. He who would feek peace aud purfue it, must not be ashamed to humble himfelf, confefs his faults, and make every needful and reasonable conceffion, in order to the re-establishing of peace. * Pfal. xxxiv, 14. 8. This chriftian grace of peaceablenefs, is not confined to a few friends, or to a favorite party, but muft extend to all men. Some think, that if they can live at peace in their families, with their friends, their next neighbors, or their church, it is immaterial what temper they have to the reft of the world, thofe of other islands, kingdoms, or religious profeffions. But peaceablenefs, as a chriftian grace, arifes from a principle of universal love and charity to all men, and therefore has all men for its object. As we are to love all men, and do good to all men, fo, as much as in us lies, we are to live peaceably with all men; and for this purpose, our Saviour teacheth us to confider every man as our neighbor, and every true christian in the world, be he of what denomination he will, as our brother. To this purpose, 9. We fhould be careful to behave inof fenfively to all men.* A peaceable temper will restrain us from infolence, rudenefs, injurious reflections, and outrageous paffions towards others: It will engage us to ftudy men's tempers, and be tender of ufing fuch innocent freedoms, with paffionate perfons, as might be no temptation to others, who are of a milder temper. It will restrain us from acting the bufy-body, by intermeddling unneceffarily in the affaire Gor. x. 32. of others, or prying into their fecrets with a defign to reveal them, whereby they are provoked and others inflamed. It will alfo engage us for confcience fake to give unto all, in their several stations, that honor and refpect which is due to them, and the neglect of which might be juft matter of of fence.* 10. A truly peaceable man is slow in taking offence: slow to wrath. It is amazing how many difturbances and contentions happen in the world, by apprehending offences where none are either meant or given. A peaceable perfon, will be loath to fuppofe that an affront is defigned against him; he will be ready to put the best conftruction on doubtful words or actions; nor will he over-rate a real offence, or be willing to refent it in a hafty and rigid man ner. 11. A peaceable man is not implacable, but is defirous to regain and re-establish peace as foon as poffible. Peace is his element; the very temper and complexion of his foul; and therefore, when a breach happens, he watches and lays hold of the very first opportunity of reconciliation; finding himself unhappy while in a state of variance with his neighbor.† 12. A peaceable man will rather put up * 1 Tim. i. 15. Prov. xxvi. 20. 1 Theff. iv. 11. with many fmaller injuries, than proceed to the rigor of juftice, or commence lawfuits, which are not only expensive and tedious, but almost ever widen the breach, inflame the angry paffions, and procrastinate and protract the wished for term of reconciliation.* Abraham affords us a fine ex ample of a peaceable temper.† 13. We fhould be moft affiduous in cultivating peace and good will, with fuch with whom we are most nearly connected, fuch as our families, neighborhoods and churches; for, as from thefe, we have daily temptations to anger and contention, fo our strongest guard fhould be placed where the greatest danger lies. Befides, the maintaining and promoting of peace in thefe connections, is the fureft way of promoting our own duty and happiness, and that of others around us. 14. Above all, chriftians are under the highest and most inviolable obligations to be at peace with one another, by the laws, and motives of their holy religion. They are the children of the GoD of peace; the difciples of the Prince of peace; peace is the bond of union among themfelves; Chrift has bequeathed his peace to them, and, if they are christians indeed, they are animated and aided by the Spirit of peace and Matth. v. 39,410 † Gen. xiii. 8, 9;. love Befides, by an unpeaceable, strife. ful, contentious temper, they at once belie and disgrace their profeffion, and injure the interests of their common christianity.* 15. An unpeaceable temper is a carnal, mischievous, diabolical temper.† 16. It is always the fruit of pride, am bition and paffion.‡ 17. It is a temper which brings continual difquietude and torment to a man's felf. 18. On the contrary; a peaceable temper is a happy temper, and attracts the regard and efteem of all. 19. It is the diftinguishing temper of heaven, and a neceffary qualification for that bleffed place and ftate. ESSAY XLI. Of a MERCIFUL TEMPER, and its opposites. 1. MERCY, is a kind, compassionate, sympathising concern for the miserable, which prompts to a readiness to help, relieve, or at least alleviate their miferies, when it is in the power of the merciful, and fit and right to be done. I Cor. xiv. 33. 2 Cor. xiii. 11. Eph. iv. + Cor. iii. 3. James iii. 14. James iv. I. Ifa. vii. 2. |