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fee the clearest Ideas, and have the brighteft Reflexions of the divine Nature and Perfections.

I fhall conclude with a short Exhortation to all to study this Character of a true Member of Chrift's Kingdom, that is, of a true Chriftian Purity of Heart; a moft rare Virtue in this corrupt Generation, in which Men are so far from it, that they have shaken off all Modefty, which is the outward Garb and Appearance of it, and think it a Point of genteel good Breeding to glory in their Exceffes, as to the contrary Vice. It is no wonder we have fo little true Knowledge of God, and fo little Senfe and Experience of divine Things, when we neglect fo much the best Means of attaining it, the purifying our Hearts from the Love of vile finful Pleafures. Could we once perfuade ourselves in good earnest to set about this Study, we should find all other good Things would follow as in a Chain; for from Purity of Heart would follow a Knowledge and Senfe of God, and from thence the Love of him, and from thence a chearful Obedience to his Commandments, and from thence a confirmed Habit of Holiness and Virtue, and from thence Peace and Joy, and Affurance of God's Love and Favour, both in this Life, and in that which is to

come.

Which God of his infinite Mercy grant, for Jefus Chrift's Sake. To whom, &c.

SERMON

1

SERMON XII

MAT. V. 9.

Bleffed are the Peace-makers: For they shall be called the Children of God.

The First Sermon on this Text.

W

E are now come to the two last Beatitudes, Peaceableness and Patience, which comprehend all fuch focial Virtues as are requifite for our converfing and living quietly together in Society. The firft, which is that of our Text, recommends all fuch Endeavours as with the Prefervation of our Virtue and Innocence may prevent the infinite Broils and Troubles incident to us in human Society. The other puts us upon a patient fuffering the Evils that come upon us, which by all the Arts and Methods of Peace we cannot prevent.

In treating on this of Peaceableness or Peacemaking, I fhall firft confider the Defcription of the Virtue itfelf; then the Meaning of being called the Sons of God; and, lastly, how this Virtue entitles us to fuch a Promife.

I. As to the Virtue of Peace-making, in it our Lord meets with another of the wrong Difpofitions of Mind his Hearers were prepoffeffed with concerning the Kingdom of the Meffiab; for they fancied it would be a fierce and warlike Kingdom, that it would pick Quarrels with, and carry its Conquefts over all the other Kingdoms of the World

World. Now in thefe Words our Saviour acquaints them that it was Men of quiet and peacea ble Principles and Practices, and studious to advance the fame among others, who were the fittest Subjects of that heavenly Kingdom, and not Incendiaries and bloody-minded Men.

As for the Defcription of the Peace-makers, that we may know what Duty is incumbent upon us from this Beatitude, I fhall fay fomething of it first negatively, then pofitively.

Negatively, then, 1. We are not from hence to apprehend that the Kingdom of the Meffiab, or the Gospel State, will be fo peaceable, that there will be no Differences of Judgment or Opinion under it; for while Men are in this World, fubject to fo much natural Error and Corruption, while the Prejudices of their Education, the Infufions of their Parents and Teachers, the vulgar Errors of their Country and Neighbourhood are fo many, while People's Talents of Underftanding, Endeavours, and Diligence, are so various; while there are so many Truths above our Reach in this imperfect State, which yet we will be grafping after; and while there is no infallible Judge upon Earth to decide Controverfies, it is impoffible but that there will be Differences in Opinion; and the many Precepts of our Religion concerning Peace and Quietnefs go upon the Suppofition of fuch Differences, and are only good Rules for the better managing of ourselves under all these Circumstances.

2. These Differences being fuppofed, it is not the Design of the Chriftian Precepts about Peacemaking, to prohibit our uttering and venting our Doubts and different Opinions about Things to

one

[SERM. one another, or even to prohibit our arguing and difputing about them, fo it be done in a friendly and peaceable Manner, and with a Defign to find out the Truth. This is one great Benefit of Chriftian Society, that by a Communication of Counfels, and Notions, and Reasons, we may be edified from one another, and have the Advantage of one another's Talents, and Thoughts, and Studies; an Advantage which would turn to much better Account, and which we should be much more fenfible of, if we did not bring our irregular Paffions along with us, which make us commonly both manage our Difputes in a very unfair Manner, and, in general, contend for Pride and Vi&tory, rather than for finding out the Truth.

Nor, 3. By this Precept of Peace-making, must we think ourselves obliged actually to put an End to all the Differences which are in the World, this being a Thing which paffes our Power and Capacity; and therefore all that can be meant by the Precept is, as St. Paul explains it, That if it be poffible, and as much as lieth in us, we live peaceably with all Men, Rom. xii. 18. Nor,

4. Are we to extend this Poffibility and Stretch of our Power to all Things fimply poffible, but we are to limit that Poffibility to our own lawful and regular Endeavours; we are not, with another bloody Church, to think that Errors, Herefies, and Schifms, are to be extirpated with Fire and Faggot, by all the Methods of Cruelty and Oppreffion; but only by fuch rational Gofpel Methods as we can justify to God and a good Confcience.

So that the whole Duty of Peace-making is reduced to this, even to confider and put in Practice

fuch

fuch Methods of Peace-making as are lawful in themselves, and fuited to that Station which we hold in the World. Now the Rules and Exercifes of this Peace-making are fo many, and vary fo much according to the Circumftances of Perfons, Time, and Place, that it is not probable they can be comprehended within the Limits of a Difcourfe of this Nature. Yet I fhall, for your better understanding the Meaning and Importance of this Duty, endeavour briefly to represent to you,

1. Some of the chief of the general Precepts belonging to it, which may direct to our right Practice of the Duty of Peace-making in general.

2. Some more particular Precepts relating to the Practice of this Duty under particular Circumftances, as we are Members of ecclefiaftical or civil Society.

As to the general Precepts for Peace-making,

1. Let us believe that nothing is fmall or inconfiderable (howfoever trifling we may think it in its own Nature) the doing of which, or the Neglect of which, may occafion the exafperating of our Neighbour, and confequently the tranfgreffing this Duty of Peace-making. If we confider from how fmall and inconfiderable Beginnings Contention doth arife, and to what incredible Height it will immediately grow, we may cafily be perfuaded that we cannot be too cautious of our Words or Actions, by confidering not only the immediate Purport and Tendency of them, but even the remote Confequences which may be drawn from them by others, to the creating Contention or Disturbance. Little did the Women, who commended David in their Songs, thinking him then the King's Favourite, confider

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