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vanced above theirs, in the perfon of our Saviour: yet they are not aggrieved at it; but rejoice, and blefs God, for his goodness to mankind ! divine, heavenly, and angelical, to take delight in the good of others. Certainly, we are not well settled in our judgments, as to this point of religion; which makes us fo negligent in our duty. It is too much the practice of the world; every man to be for himself, and to leave God to be for us all. We generally practise so weakly and uncertainly in this matter; as if we had not confidered the obligation that christianity lays upon us to this duty. Whereas, it is absolutely and indifpenfibly neceffary, that whosoever profeffeth the faith of the gospel, should live in universal love and good-will. And, if any man find himself averfe hereto, and hard to be satisfied, in cafe of offence, and provocation; I will yet further supperadd three great mifchiefs that will follow upon it.

First, We do not at all express our participation of the goodness of God, in Christ.

Secondly, If we carry in our breasts, any ill-will, malice, or displeasure, against any one; it is an argument that we ourselves are not forgiven of God. For, did we believe that we ourselves were forgiven of God, we fhould afford to do the like, and to forgive our brother.

Thirdly, By this means we do unqualify and indifpofe ourselves for forgiveness, and to believe the pardon of our fins at the hand of God. For, that which the pfalmift faith, Pf. 1. 21. Thou thoughtest that I was altogether fuch a one as thyself, proves often among men. And that which a man approves and allows

in himself, he will attribute and afcribe unto God. No ill-natured people think well of God. If a man allow himself to live in ill-will, and to entertain difpleasure, and thoughts and purposes of revenge; he will think that God, having all power, and being more offended by us, than we will certainly be avenged of us. believe that an ill-natured man, one that lives in malice and displeasure, one that hath thoughts of revenge, and one that aggravates injuries, can think that God will pardon him. For, if we do believe that God hath pardoned us; it will engage us to pardon one another.

are by one another, And, I will never

And, further: let it be confidered, that we, that are fometimes prejudiced by others, may at other times do a prejudice ourselves; accidentally, if not defignedly. And, as we would defire that a man fhould either wholly forgive, or fit down with moderate fatisfaction; in like manner, fhould we deal with our brother that hath offended us. For, who is it that hath not at fome time or other tranfgrefs'd and given an offence? Therefore, let us not too long infist upon an injury, nor too long remember it. The noble philofopher faith, " 'Tis a more generous "thing to overlook and take no notice of an injury, "than to pardon it." And, if we would fecure ourfelves; it is beft fo to do; for, if we seem to refent an injury, we make a perfon our enemy; whereas, if we overlook it, or turn it off, by a candid conftruction, we fhall win and engage him, and he will think that we are better-natured than himself.

Nay,

Nay, further yet by candid conftruction, or by overlooking an injury, we shall fruftrate the ill defign of him that intended us ill. Such a man must think with himself, how base a thing it is, to defign harm towards fo innocent, so harmless, and worthy a perfon, that will by his ingenuity, and candour, interpret an injury into a kindness. Whereas, if we be too quick in our refentment, we may make that an injury, which was none; and fo difturb ourselves when we might have been quiet. For, certainly, if a man consult his own eafe, quiet and satisfaction, and will keep himself in a God-like frame and temper ; he will not live in malice, and ill-will, nor continue displeasure.

And thus I have done with this great argument, let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, &c. be put a way; and, be ye kind, one to another, tender-hearted; forgiving one another, even as God, for Chrifl's fake, hath forgiven you.

DIS->

DISCOURSE LXXXIII.

The excellence of a meek and quiet fpirit.

I PET. iii. 4.

The ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the fight of God, of great price.

I

Have spent a great deal of time, in erecting a fair and beautiful fabrick; a fuperftructure of love, and good-will; of chriftian charity. That I may not lofe my labour, I now return, and look a little after the better fettlement of the foundation. For this purpose I have made choice of these words. All depends upon a good frame and temper of mind ; a meek and quiet fpirit, which is in the fight of God, of great price; a thing, highly pleasing and acceptable unto him.

We find, it is in vain for any one, to attempt to purge the stream, unless he firft cleanse the fountain. You must begin at the spring-head. The heart is the principle of action. Life begins there; and motion is from thence. It is that which first lives, and last dies. Our Saviour tells us that what proceeds out of the mouth, comes from the heart, and fo defiles a man. For, from thence come evil thoughts, murders, blafphemies, &c. Mat. xv. 18. And Mat. v. 28. our Saviour tells us of the adultery of the heart. And Mat.

xii. 34. Out of the abundance of the heart, &c. And verse 35. A good man, out of the good treasury of his heart, bringeth forth good things, &c. Men fhew their spirits by their words and actions: and these are as they are meant, and intended. The greatest performance in the life of man, is the government of his fpirit. So Prov. xxv. 28. Prov. xvi. 32. He that is flow to anger, is better than the mighty: and he that ruleth his own fpirit, than he that taketh a city. He that doth subdue the motion of irregular paffion, doth a greater matter than he who conquers nations, or beats down walls and bulwarks. Therefore give me the man, of whom I may fay; this is the perfon, who "the true use of reason, (the perfection of human "nature) who, in the practice, and exercife of vir“tue, (its accomplishment) hath brought himself "into fuch a temper as is con-natural to those prin

in

ciples, and warranted thereby." Of all other men, I may say, that they have neglected their chief bufinefs; and have forgot the great work that was in their hand; and what ought chiefly to be done in the world. For, the greatest thing that lies upon every one to do, is the regulating of his own mind, and fpirit. And he that hath not done this, hath been in the world to little purpose. For, this is the business of life; to inform our understandings, to refine our fpirits; and, then, to regulate the actions of our lives to fettle, I fay, fuch a temper of mind, as is agreeable to the dictates of fober reafon : and conftituted by the graces of the divine fpirit.

Now that I may give you an account of this in the text, this meek and quiet fpirit; I must do it, by looking into the ftate and operation of it. Through

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