ture to enforce fuch an Exhortation. Altho the Commands of an Incarnate God carry with them an Authority to a Man's Confcience, yet when reduc'd to practice, as in the Example of good Men, they show that the Duties enjoin'd are not only reasonable, but practicable. The Command enlightens the Understanding, but 'tis Example that attracts the Will and Affections. The Authority of Christ in the Precept awes the Confcience, but an agreeable Example quickens the motion of the Soul, and promotes an intire conformity. Now to engage us in the purfuit of Peace, we have the Examples of the best Men in every Age of the Church. Nehemiah had fo great a regard to the Union and Peace of the Church, that he could not be easy with all the Pleasures of the Perfian Court, while Jerufalem was defolate, Nehem. 1. and her Walls broken down; but he fat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fafted and prayed before the God of Heaven.

3. 4.

5, 6.

Nothing lay nearer the heart of the Divine Pfalmift, than the Good of the Church, as appears by those warm and moving Expreffions: Pfal. 137. If I forget thee, O Jerufalem, let my right hand forget her cunning. If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth: if I prefer not Jerufalem above my chief joy. And Pfal. 122. in another Pfalm, Pray for the Peace of Jerufalem; they shall profper that love thee. Peace be within thy walls, and profperity within thy palaces. For my brethren and companions fakes, I will now fay, Peace be within thee. And in the New Teftament what a bright Example was the Apoftle Paul, and how frequently did he inculcate Charity in his Difcourfes, and recommend 1 Cor. 1. 10. it in his Life? Now I beseech you, brethren, by

6,7,8.

A

the

the name of our Lord Jefus Chrift, that you all fpeak the fame thing, and that there be no divifion among you; and that you be perfectly join'd together in the fame mind, and in the fame judgment. And how forcible are thofe Expreffions of the fame Apostle to the Philippians; If there be there- Phil. 2. 1,2. fore any confolation in Chrift, if any comfort of Love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels. and mercies; fulfill ye my joy, that you be likeminded, having the fame love, being of one accord, of one mind. And elsewhere, fays this Apoftle of the Gentiles; If any man have a mind to be contentious, we have no fuch custom, nor the Churches of God. Now what this excellent Perfon had inculcated in his Difcourfes, he did admirably exemplify in his Life; denying himself in things that were lawful, that he might not fcandalize the Weak; and tho free from all men, yet he made himself a Servant to all, that he might win the more, and maintain the Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace.

But let us turn our Eyes from the Servant, to the brighter Example of his Lord. The Servant indeed did fhine with the luftre of a Star, but the Example of his and our Lord with a brightness like the Sun, that Globe of Fire that heats as well ase nlightens the World. Chrift's Example is proper to direct and perfuade, to guide and move the Soul. Walk in Eph. 5. 20 love, as Chrift hath loved us: Aud fee that ye love John 13. 34one another, as I have loved you. Here's the

most perfect Example plac'd in our view, and

recommended to our imitation; 'tis the Exam-
ple of Him who is Love it felf, who was un-. Joha
wearied in doing good, even for those that cen-
fur'd his Goodnefs, and abus'd his Kindness,
fastening upon him Names of Reproach, in

return

return for his Benefits: yet none of these things did difcourage his Progrefs, for he constantly render'd Good for Evil; and fhow'd a great deal more kindness to his inveterate Enemies, than others do to their best Friends: For when we were without ftrength, in due time Chrift died for the ungodly. O how did he bear the contradiction of Sinners against himself, and when revil'd, open'd not his mouth, unless to inftru& them or pray for them; and that he did even in the midst of his Agony! Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. If Chrift had fo much love for his Enemies, furely it becomes us who pretend to be his Difciples, to love one another with pure hearts fervently. Did our Lord while on Earth recommend Union among his Friends and Followers, by his Example as well as his Command? furely 'tis highly reafonable that we who claim an Alliance with this Prince of Peace, fhould with a flaming, but regular Zeal, follow the things that make for Peace. And this leads to the

3d Reafon, which fhall be drawn from the ftrict Relation there is betwixt all thofe that are the Children of God. All men naturally are of Kin, and Friends to each other, fays an antient Philofopher. And a more excellent Perfon than he, affures us that God hath made of one Blood all Nations of Men to dwell on the face of the Earth. "There is (as a great Man ob

ferves) an effential Relation as well as Like"nefs between one Man and another, which "nothing can ever diffolve, becaufe 'tis found"ed in that which no man can diveft himself "of in human Nature." By this we are brought under an obligation to love all Mankind. Now our being brought into a nearer and nobler Relation,

Relation, does not leffen but very much in-
crease our Obligation to love one another. All
the Children of God are justified by the fame
Righteoufnefs: The Righteousness of Chrift is
unto all, and upon all that believe, and there is no
difference. And fo for Sanctification, all true
Chriftians are purified and influenced by the
fame Spirit: And confequently the Relation.
between one Chriftian and another must be
more intimate and near, than what is barely
between one Man and another, tho allied by
Affinity or Blood. My own Brother accord-
ing to the Flesh, is near of kin to me, tho the
Soul that animates his Body is distinct from
mine; but if I am a true Believer, and, a-
dopted into the Family of Heaven, I am in-
fluenced by the fame Spirit as are all the Houf-
hold of Faith. Some Philofophers have argued.
in favour of an Univerfal Intellect, fuppofing
that there was a general Soul which did actuate the
whole Frame of Nature. But waving any Dif-
pute about that Principle, this we are assured,
of by Divine Revelation, viz. That all who are
under the Bonds of the Everlafting Covenant,
are animated by one and the fame Spirit: For
if any man have not the Spirit of Chrift, he is none Rom
of his. And the Apostle, fpeaking of Christ's
being Head of the Church, ays, From whom the
whole Body fitly join'd together, and compacted by
that which every joint Supplieth, according to the
effectual working in the measure of every part,
maketh encreafe of the Body unto the edifying it
felf in love. Now if any Perfons in the World
have reason to pursue the things that make for
Peace, certainly we have, who profefs to be
under the influence of the fame kind and good
Spirit. If we are to follow Peace with all Men,
X
because

because Brethren in a large fenfe, as defcending from the fame Original, how much more fhould we endeavour after it with those that have a nearer, higher, and nobler alliance to us; who profefs the fame Religion, are Children of the fame Father, Members of the fame myftical Body, Temples of the fame Holy Spirit, retain'd in the Service of the fame Mafter, Subjects of the fame Prince, influenced by the fame Hope, carrying on the fame great Ends and Defigns, under the encouragement of the fame Promifes, and as being Heirs of the fame Kingdom and Glory: I fay, how reafonable is it, that we that are under fo many facred and endearing Ties, fhould live in Peace, and follow the things that may most promote it?

4. The Reasonablenefs of this Duty will further appear, if we confider the constant and unwearied endeavour of Satan and wicked Men to break the Peace of the Church. 'Tis hardly to be exprefs'd what industry is us'd by the malignant Spirits of darkness, and the various Inftruments under their influence, to break the Union and disturb the Peace of the Church: fometimes by promoting the difcuffion of unprofitable Questions, and the warm management of anneceflary Difputes; at other times by railing and fomenting Jealoufies among Christians one of another. Sometimes wicked men put on a Mask of Religion, and fo get into facred Societies, on purpose to fow difcord among Brethren.

5. We ought to follow the things that make for Peace, because of the great advantages that will enfue thereupon.

(1.) By