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fully they judge, that think by unkind fpeech and harsh SERM dealing to allay men's diftempers, alter their opinions, or XXX. remove their prejudices; as if they should attempt to kill by ministering nourishment, or to extinguish a flame by pouring oil upon it. How childish a thing it is eagerly to contend about trifles, for the fuperiority in fome impertinent contest, for the fatisfaction of fome petty humour, for the poffeffion of fome inconfiderable toy; yea, how barbarous and brutish a thing it is to be fierce and impetuous in the pursuit of things that please us, fnarling at, biting, and tearing all competitors of our game, or oppofers of our undertaking. But how divine and amiable, how worthy of human nature, of civil breeding, of prudent confideration it is, to restrain partial defires, to condescend to equal terms, to abate from rigorous pretences, to appease difcords, and vanquish enmities by courtesy and difcretion; like the best and wifeft commanders, who by skilful conduct, and patient attendance upon opportunity, without striking of stroke, or fhedding of blood, fubdue their enemy.

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3. How that peace with its near alliance and concomitants, its causes and effects, love, meekness, gentleness, and patience, are in facred writ reputed the genuine fruits of the Holy Spirit, iffues of divine grace, and offsprings of Gal. v. heavenly wisdom; producing like themselves a goodly progeny of righteous deeds. But that emulation, hatred, wrath, variance, and ftrife derive their extraction from fleshly luft, hellish craft, or beaftly folly; propagating themselves also into a like ugly brood of wicked works. For fo faith St. James, If ye have bitter zeal and strife in Jam. iii. 14 your hearts, glory not, anor be deceived untruly: This wif.-18. iv. 1. dom defcendeth not from above, but is earthly, fenfual, and dros devilish: For where emulation and ftrife are, there is btu-nas. mult, and every naughty thing: but the wisdom that is 'Axarasafrom above is firft pure, then peaceable, gentle, obfequious, fion. día, confufull of mercy (or beneficence) and of good fruits, without Pahor partiality and diffimulation: And the fruit of righteousness & Eirudhi, is fowed in peace to thofe that make peace: And from whence are wars and quarrels among you? Are they not

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Matt. xiii.

V. 8. A

SERM. hence, even from your lufts, that war in your members ? XXX. Likewife, He loveth tranfgreffion that loveth ftrife; and, Prov. xvii. A fool's lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for 19. xviii. 6. ftrokes, faith Solomon. That the most wicked and mifeQui pofuit rable of creatures is defcribed by titles denoting enmity bellum, in and difcord: the hater (Satan), the enemy (ó éxapòs avfraudem, Span), the accufer (ó xarnyog), the flanderer (ó dáprimos fra- 60λ), the destroyer (ỏ amoxλúwv), the furious dragon, and tres. Aug. mifchievously treacherous fnake: and how fad it is to 28. A imitate him in his practices, to resemble him in his quadixos, 1 Pet. lities. But that the best, most excellent, and most happy murderer, of Beings delights to be styled, and accordingly to express John viii. himself, The God of love, mercy, and peace; and his 2 Cor. xiii. bleffed Son to be called, and to be, The Prince of peace, 11. Philip. the great Mediator, Reconeiler, and Peace-maker; who is 1 Theff. v. alfo faid from on high to have vifited us, to give light to iii. 16. Heb. them that fit in darkness, and in the Shadow of death; and to guide our feet in the ways of peace. That, lastly, no Xaigsi yag devotion is pleafing, no oblation acceptable to God, Tuvia conjoined with hatred, or proceeding from an unreconZawiesòs, ciled mind: for, If thou bring thy gift to the altar, and καὶ ἐκτρέπε Tas Thy dia- there remembereft that thy brother hath aught against thee; leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; firft be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift, faith our Saviour.

44.

iv. 9.

23. 2 Thef.

vii. Luke i.

79.

λογικῶν τῶν

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Celf. 8.

P. 424.

Matt. v. 23,

24.

I close up all with this corollary: that if we muft live lovingly and peaceably with all men, then much more are we obliged to do fo with all Chriftians: to whom by nearer and firmer bands of holy alliance we are related; by more precious communions in faith and devotion we are endeared; by more peculiar and powerful obligations of divine commands, facramental vows, and formal profeffions we are engaged: our spiritual brethren, members of the fame mystical body, templès of the fame Holy Spirit, fervants of the fame Lord, fubjects of the fame Prince, profeffors of the fame truth, partakers of the fame hope, heirs of the fame promife, and candidates of the fame everlasting happiness.

Now Almighty God, the most good and beneficent Maker,

gracious Lord, and merciful Preferver of all things, infufe SERM. into our hearts thofe heavenly graces of meekness, patience, XXX. and benignity, grant us and his whole church, and all his creation, to ferve him quietly here, and in a blissful reft to praife and magnify him for ever: to whom, with his blessed Son, the great Mediator and Prince of peace, and with his Holy Spirit, the everflowing Spring of all love, joy, comfort, and peace, be all honour, glory, and praise. And,

The peace of God, which paffeth all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of his Son Jefus Christ our Lord; and the bleffing of God Almighty, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft, be among you, and remain with you for ever.

Amen.

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THE DUTY AND REWARD OF BOUNTY TO
THE POOR.

XXXI.

Verse 1.

PSAL. cxii. 9.

He hath difperfed, he hath given to the poor; his righteoufnefs endureth for ever, his horn fhall be exalted with

honour.

SERM. As this whole Pfalm appears to have a double intent; one to describe the proper actions and affections of a truly religious or pious man; (of a man who feareth the Lord, and delighteth greatly in his commandments ;) the other to declare the happiness of such a man's state, confequent upon those his affections and actions, whether in way of natural refult, or of gracious recompence from God: fo doth this verse particularly contain both a good part of a pious man's character, and fome confiderable inftances of his felicity. The firft words (He hath difperfed, he hath given to the poor) express part of his character; the latter (His righteousness endureth for ever, his horn shall be exalted with honour) affign instances of his felicity. So that our text hath two parts, one affording us good information concerning our duty, the other yielding great encouragement to the performance thereof; for we are obliged to follow the pious man's practice, and fo doing we shall affuredly partake of his condition. These parts we shall in order prosecute, endeavouring (by God's af

This Sermon was preached at the Spital upon Wednesday in Easter< Week, A. D. 1671.

fifiance) fomewhat to illuftrate the words themfelves, to SERM. confirm the truths couched in them, and to inculcate the XXXI. duties which they imply.

For the first part, He hath difperfed, he hath given to

the poor; these words in general do import the liberal bounty and mercy which a pious man is wont to exercise; doing which doth in good part constitute him pious, and fignally declareth him fuch; is a neceffary ingredient of his piety, and a confpicuous mark thereof. But particularly they infinuate fome things concerning the nature, the matter, the manner, and the object of thofe acts.

1

He hath difperfed, he hath given. Those words being put indefinitely, or without determining what is dispersed and given by him, may be supposed to imply a kind of univerfality in the matter of his beneficence; that he beftoweth whatever he hath within compass of his poffeffion, or his power; his τà únάporta, (the things which Luke xii. ὑπάρχοντα, he hath,) and his rà ivóvta, (the things which he may,) 33. xi. 41. according to the prescriptions of our Lord in the Gospel. Every thing, I fay, which he hath in substance, or can do by his endeavour, that may conduce to the fupport of the life, or the health, or the welfare in any kind of his neighbour, to the fuccour or relief of his indigency, to the removal or easement of his affliction, he may well here be understood to difperfe and give. Feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, vifiting the fick, entertaining the ftranger, ranfoming the captive, eafing the oppressed, comforting the forrowful, affifting the weak, inftructing or advifing the ignorant, together with all fuch kinds or inftances of beneficence, may be conceived either meant directly as the matter of the good man's difperfing and giving, or by just analogy of reafon reducible thereto : fubftantial alms, as the most fenfible and obvious matter of bounty, was (it is probable) especially intended, but thence no manner of expreffing it is to be excluded; for the fame reasons which oblige us, the fame affections which difpofe us to bestow our money, or deal our bread, will equally bind and move us to contribute our endeavour and advice, for the fuftenance and comfort of our

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