gave him with Relation to the People when they prefented their Grievances, to give them good Words; for when they were Affembled in fo great Numbers, and were feeking an Opportunity to fhake off his Yoke, and had One with them ready to Head their Rebellion, it was no proper Time to give them that Haughty, Threatning Answer, which he afterwards gave them by the Young Mens Advice; which occafioned the Defection of Ten of the Twelve Tribes of Ifrael at once. As far as I can perceive from the Doctrine of our Saviour and his Apoftles, they recommended always an humble Preference of others, as the moft honourable Part in Chriftianity, mixed with true Love and Kindness. So the Apostle St Paul, Rom. xii. 10. Be kindly affectioned one to another, with brotherly Love, in honour preferring one another. So Phil. ii. 3. Let nothing be done through Strife, or Vain-glory, but in Lowliness of Mind, let each efteem other better than themselves. So St Peter, Pet. v. 5. All of you be fubject one to another, and be cloathed with Humility; for God refifteth the Proud, and giveth Grace to the Humble. This Doctrine they had learned of their Master, Matt. xx. 26. Whosoever will be great among you, let him be your Minifter; and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your Servant. What can be more obliging, than that manner of Acting prescribed by St Paul to the Ephefians, Eph. iv. 2. With all Lowlinefs and Meekness, with Longfuffering, forbearing one another in Love?

3. To this Duty of Agreeing with the Adversary quickly, it is neceffary that we infift not rigorously on the utmost Punctilio of Right, but that we be willing to condefcend to the lowest, Terms

Terms that can in Reafon or Equity be defired; nay, that we should part with fomewhat of our juft Right for Peace's fake, rather than run the Hazard of all the Loffes and Inconveniencies of a Controverfie with our Neighbour. This I take to be the Meaning of thofe Advices of our Saviour: When we are fmitten on the right Cheek, to turn the other alfo; and if a Man will fue us at Law, to take away our Coat, rather to let him have our Cloak too, than not put an end to the Strife. The fame Doctrine which St Paul teacheth more exprefly, 1 Cor. vi. 7. Now therefore there is utterly a Fault among you, fays he, that ye go to Law one with another: Why do ye not rather take Wrong? Why do ye not rather fuffer your felves to be defrauded? Not that he intends to condemn altogether the Practice of going to Law; but the going to Law unneceffarily, before all Methods of Peace are tried, and even that of yielding fomewhat of our juft Right; especially before the Unbelievers, who were in Poffeffion of the Tribunals of Juftice at that Time. There is no Body who knows any thing of the vast Trouble, and Charge, and Lofs of Time, and Diftraction of Mind, that attends the going to Law, but must be convinced that it is better to fit down with a fmall Lofs, than to take a Method which will expofe us to a much greater. And therefore it cannot be fo much any Gain we propofe to our felves, when we take to that Course, as the Hopes of putting our Adverfary to a great deal of Vexation and Charge; a Spirit very different from that of Christianity, which advises, that nothing be done through Strife, or Vain-glory, Phil. ii. 3. nothing out of Pride or Contention,

Contention, or a Spirit of Litigioufnefs and Contradiction; but that Peaceablenefs and Humility govern us on all fuch Occafions of Difference.

4. Another Method in our Power, and which certainly belongs to this Duty of Agreeing with our Adverfary, is that of Profecuting him with Acts of Beneficence and Friendship; the Abftaining from all Acts of Revenge, when we have it in our Power, and the Rewarding Good for Evil. It was by this Means David melted down Saul into Tears of Repentance; and thus it was that our Saviour treated one of those who apprehended him, instead of Revenging the Injury, ftopping to cure him when wounded by Peter... This is the Advice of the wife Solomon, Prov. XXV. 21. If thine Enemy be hungry, give him Bread to eat and if he be Thirsty, give him Water to drink: for thou shalt heap Coals of Fire upon his Head, and the Lord shall reward thee. This Heaping Coals of Fire on his Head, feems to me to be defigned to melt down his hard and obdurate Temper. St Paul uses the fame Expreffion, Rom. xii. 20. and feems to me to explain it in the Words immediately following; while he adds, Be not overcome of Evil, but overcome Evil with Good: Intimating plainly, that Acts of Kindness and Beneficence, and doing Good to our Enemies, are the best Way to overcome him, and to make him our Friend; which is the very Advice in the Text, of Agreeing, or being Friends with our Adverfary.

5. The laft Thing I mentioned as in our Power towards agreeing with our Adverfary is, The Praying to God for him. This is enjoined by our Saviour among the other Duties we owe VOL. II.

to

to our Enemy, in that famous Paffage, Matt. v. 44. which has, I think, all the particular Methods I have been recommending towards this Duty of Agreeing with our Adverfary: But I fay unto you, love your Enemies, bless them that curfe you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that defpitefully use you, and perfecute you. For this we have our Saviour's own Practice as well as his Precept: For he prayed for his very Crucifiers and Murderers, Father forgive them, for they know not what they do, Luke xxiii. 34. And this was St Stephen the first Martyr's Prayer too, for his Enemies and Murderers: Lord, lay not this Sin to their Charge, Acts vii. 60. But fome may think perhaps, there is no doubt, this praying for Enemies is a Duty, being enjoined fo exprefly by the Precept, and recommended by the Example of our Lord; but how comes it to belong to this Duty of Agreeing with our Adverfary? There was no Agreement between our Saviour and his Adverfaries, nor between St Stephen and his Adversaries, but they were each of them perfecuted to Death, notwithstanding their Prayers in behalf of their Enemies. I fhall anfwer this Doubt, and then conclude. 1. First then, We are not to imagine, that by the Duty of Agreeing with our Adverfary in the Text, can be meant an actual Reconciliation of both Parties on any the most unreasonable Terms. No more can be required of us, than that we do our Part, Ei Suvalòv, & TJ ¿1⁄2 vμäv, if it be possible, and as far as lieth in you, Rom. xii. 18. is the Apoftle's Limitation of this Duty. Now, though we do all the other Things mentioned towards Agreement, though we inwardly love our Adverfary, and give him good Words, and do him

Good

Good Deeds, and remit of our just Right, except we follow all these Means of Reconciliation with our Prayers to Almighty God, we cannot expect that they will prove Successful. This is the first Answer to the Objection. 2. A Second is, That fuppofing Actual Agreement and Reconciliation to be here meant, Prayer to God for our Enemies is a proper Means to bring to pass the Adverfary's Part of the Agreement, as well as our own. First, The Adverfary's; because Prayer for Enemies is a Thing very pleafing to God; and it is faid, When a Man's Ways please the Lord, he makes even bis Enemies to be at Peace with him, Prov. xvi. 7. And further, the Hearts of all Men are in the Hands of the Lord, even the Hearts of Kings; and he turneth them as the Rivulets of Water, which Way he pleafes. The Heart of the Enemy then being in God's Hand, what more proper Way to turn it to us, than by flying to the Efficacy of Prayer; which as it is effectual to every good Purpose, fo particularly to this of finding favour at the Hands of Enemies; as it is observed by the Pfalmift, Pfal. cvi. 44 and 46 Verfes compared together. Nevertheless he regarded their Affliction when he heard their cry. He made them alfo to be pitied of all thofe that carried them Captives. So that Prayer is a proper Means to bring the Adverfary to Agreement. And it is no less proper to keep our felves in a good Temper for all thofe other Duties I mentioned as neceffary for this Duty of Agreement with the Adverfary. It is only by drawing near to God, and keeping our felves in his Love, that we can be fo well affected to our Adversary, as to be always in a good Difpofition of Mind, and always

ufing