of fincerity, a reformation and purity in our manners. It is impoffible a finful people can either be grateful to GOD, or properly loyal to their prince. They cannot be grateful to the one, because they live not under a fenfe of his mercies, nor can they be loyal to the other, because they daily offend in two of the tenderest points which concern his welfare; -by first difengaging the providence of GOD from taking our part, and then giving a heart to our ad. verfaries to lift their hands against us, who muit know, that, if we forfake GOD, GOD will forfake us. Their hopes, their defigns, their wickedness against us, can only be built upon ours towards God.

For if they did not think we did evil, they durft not hope we could perish.

Geafe, therefore, to do evil;for by following righteousness, you will make the hearts of your enemies faint; they will turn their backs against your indignation,- and the weapons will fall from

their hands.

Which may God grant, through the merits and mediation of his Son JESUS CHRIST; to whom be all. honour, &c. Amen.

SERMON XLI.

Follow Peace.

HEBREWS XII. 14.

Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man

fhall fee the Lord.

THE great end and defign of our holy religion, next to the main view of reconciling us to GOD, was to reconcile us to each other;-by teaching us to subdue all thofe unfriendly difpofitions in our nature, which unfit us for happiness, and the focial enjoyment of the many bleffings which God has enabled us to partake of in this world, miferable as it is in many refpects.-Could Chriftianity perfuade the profeffors of it into this temper, and engage us, as its doctrine requires, to go on and exalt our natures, and after the fubduction of the most unfriendly of our paffions, to plant, in the room of them, all thofe (more natural to the foil) humane and benevolent inclinations, which, in imitation of the perfections of GOD, fhould dispose us to extend our love and goodnefs to our fellow-creatures, according to the extent of our abilities,-in like manner as the goodness of GOD extends itself over all the works of the creation:

could this be accomplished, the world would be worth living in ;-and might be confidered by us as a foretaste of what we should enter upon hereafter..

But such a system, you will fay, is merely vifionary; and confidering man is a creature fo befet with selfishness, and other fretful paffions that propenfity prompts him to,-though it is to be wifhed, it is not to be expected.-But our religion enjoins us to approach as near this fair pattern as we can ; · and if it be poffible, as much as lieth in us, to live peace-ably with all men ; where the term, if possible,I own, implies it may not only be difficult, but fometimes impoffible. Thus the words of the text, Follow peace, may by fome be thought to imply+ that this defirable bleffing may fometimes fly from us-but ftill we are required to follow it, and 'not ceafe the purfuit, till we have used all warrantablé methods to regain and settle it:—because, adds the apoftle, without this frame of mind, no man fhall fee the Lord. For heaven is the region, as well as therecompenfe, of peace and benevolence; and fuch as do not defire and promote it here, are not qualified to enjoy it hereafter.

For this caufe, in Scripture language,-peace is always spoke of as the great and comprehenfive bleffing, which included in it all manner of happiness;

and to wish peace to any houfe or perfon, was, in.. one word, to wish them all that was good and defirable. Because happiness confifts in the inward complacency and fatisfaction of the mind; and he who has fuch a difpofition of foul, as to acquiefce and reft contented with all the events of Providence,

cân want nothing this world can give him.-Agreeable to this,that short, but most comprehenfive hymn, fung by angels at our Saviour's birth, declaratory of the joy and happy ends of his incarnation,

after glory, in the firft, to GOD,-the next note which founded, was, Peace upon earth, and good-will to men.-It was a public wish of happiness to mankind, and implied a folemn charge to pursue the means that would ever lead to it.—And in truth, the good tidings of the gospel are nothing else but a grand meffage and embaffy of peace, to let us know, that our peace is made in heaven.

The prophet Isaiah ftyles our Saviour the Prince of Peace, long before he came into the world: and to answer the title, he made choice to enter into it at a time when all nations were at peace with each other; which was in the days of Auguftus,-when the temple of Janus was fhut, and all the alarms of war were hushed and filenced throughout the world. -At his birth, the hot of heaven defcended, and 1 proclaimed peace on earth; as the beft ftate and temper the world could be in to receive and welcome the Author of it. His future converfation and doctrine, here upon earth, was every way agreeable with his peaceable entrance upon it;the whole courfe of his life being but one great example of meeknefs peace and patience. At his death, it was the only legacy he bequeathed to his followers,-My peace I give unto you.How far this has taken place, or been actually enjoyed,-is not my intention to enlarge upon, any farther than just to obferve how pre-cious a bequeft it was, from the many miferies and

calamities which have, and ever will, enfue from the want of it. If we look into the larger circle of the world;what defolations, diffolutions of government, and invafions of property!--what rapine, plunder, and profanation of the most facred rights of mankind, are the certain unhappy effects of it!

Fields dyed in blood,the cries of orphans and widows, bereft of their best help, too fully inftru&t us. Look into private life; behold how good and pleasant a thing it is to live together in unity :—it is like the precious ointment poured upon the head of Aaron, that run down to his fkirts ;-importing, that this balm of life is felt and enjoyed, not only by governors of kingdoms, but is derived down to the lowest rank of life, and tafted in the most private receffes;all, from the king to the peasant, are refreshed with its bleffings, without which, we can find no comfort in any thing this world can give.-It is this bleffing gives every one to fit quietly under his vine, and reap the fruits of his labour and industry, -in one word-which befpeaks who is the bestower of it. It is that only which keeps up the harmony and order of the world, and preferves every thing in it from ruin and confufion.

There is one faying of our Saviour's recorded by St. Matthew, which, at first fight, feems to carry ⚫ fome oppofition to this doctrine;I came not to fend peace on earth, but a fword.But this reaches no farther than the bare words, not entering fo deep as to affect the sense, or imply any contradiction,— intimating only, that the preaching of the gospel will prove, in the event, though fundry unhappy