SERM. reason of distance of place, non-acquaintance, or defect of XXIX. opportunity, maintain no intercourfe, cannot properly be faid to be in peace with one another: but those who have frequent occafion of commerce, whofe conditions require interchanges of courtesy and relief, who are fome way obliged and difpofed to afford needful fuccour, and safe retreat to each other; these may be faid to live in peace together, and these only, it being in a manner impoffible, that they who are not difpofed to do good to others (if they have power and opportunity) fhould long abstain from doing harm.

2. Living peaceably implies not fome few transitory performances, proceeding from cafual humour, or the like; but a conftant, ftable, and well-fettled condition of being; a continual ceflation from injury, and promptitude to do good offices. For as one blow doth not make a battle, nor one fskirmish a war; so cannot fingle forbearances from doing mischief, or fome few particular a&s of kindness, (such as mere ftrangers may afford each other,) be worthily styled a being in peace; but an habitual inclination to thefe, a firm and durable eftate of innocence and beneficence.

3. Living in peace supposes a reciprocal condition of being not only a performing good, and forbearing to do bad offices, but a receiving the like treatment from others. For he, that being affaulted is conftrained to fland upon his defence, may not be faid to be in peace, though his not being so (involuntarily) is not to be imputed to him.

4. Being in peace imports not only an outward ceffation of violence and feeming demonftration of amity, but an inward will and refolution to continue therein. For he that intends, when occafion is presented, to do mischief to another, is nevertheless an enemy, because more secret and dangerous: an ambuscado is no less a piece of war, than confronting the enemy in open field. Proclaiming and denouncing fignify, but good and ill intention conftitute, and are the fouls of peace and war. From these confiderations we may infer a defcription of being in

peace, viz. that it is, to bear mutual good-will, to con- SERM. tinue in amity, to maintain good correfpondence, to be XXIX. upon terms of mutual courtesy and benevolence; to be disposed to perform reciprocally all offices of humanity; affistance in need, comfort in forrow, relief in distress; to please and fatisfy one another, by advancing the innocent delight, and promoting the just advantage of each other; to converse with confidence and fecurity, without fufpicion, on either hand, of any fraudulent, malicious, or hurtful practices against either: or, negatively, not to be in a state of enmity, personal hatred, pertinacious anger, jealoufy, envy, or ill-will; not to be apt to provoke, to reproach, to harm or hinder another, nor to have reasonable grounds of expecting the fame bad ufage from others; to be removed from danger of vexatious quarrels, intercourse of odious language, offending others, or being difquieted one's felf. This I take to be the meaning of living or being in peace, differing only in degree of obligation, and latitude of object, from the state of friendship properly so called, and opposed to a condition of enmity, defiance, contention, hatred, suspicion, animofity.

13.

II. In the next place we may confider the object of this duty, fignified in those words, With all men. We often meet in Scripture with exhortations directed peculiarly to Chriftians, to be at peace among themfelves; as Mark ix. 5. our Saviour lays this injunction upon his difciples, eipnveúcte év άaλýλ015, Have peace one with another; inculcated by St. Paul upon the Theffalonians in the fame words: 1 Theff. v. and the like we have in the fecond Epiftle to Timothy, chap. ii. ver. 22. Follow righteoufnefs, faith, charity, peace with them that call upon the Lord out of a pure heart: and to the Romans, (xiv. 19.) Let us therefore follow after the Vid. Eph. things that make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. But here the duty hath a more large and comprehenfive object; wávtes äv&pwñoi, all men: as likewife it hath in the Epistle to the Hebrews, chap. xii. ver. 14. Pursue peace with all men: with all men, without any exception, with men of all nations, Jews and Gentiles, Greeks and Barbarians; of all fects and religions; per

iv. 3.

SERM. fecuting Jews and idolatrous Heathens; (for of fuch conXXIX. fifted the generality of men at that time;) and fo St. Paul exprefsly in a like advice, (1 Cor. x. 32, 33. Give no offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the Church of God; even as I please all men.) And I may add, by evident parity of reason, with men of all degrees and estates, high and low, noble and base, rich and poor; of all tempers and difpofitions, meek and angry, gentle and froward, pliable and perverfe; of all endowments, wife and foolish, virtuous and vicious; of all judgments and perfuafions, orthodox and heretical, peaceable and schifmatical perfons: this universally vaft and boundless term, all men, contains them all. Neither is there any evading our obligation to this duty, by pretending about others, that they differ from us in humour and complexion of foul, that they entertain opinions irreconcileably contrary to ours; that they adhere to fects and parties which we diflike and difavow; that they are not fo virtuous, fo religious, fo holy as they fhould be, or at least not in fuch a manner as we would have them: for be this allegation true or falfe, it will not excufe us; while they are not divested of human nature, and can truly lay claim to the name and title of men, we are by virtue of this precept obliged to live peaceably with them.

III. We may confider the qualification of the duty here expreffed, and what those words mean; If it be poffible, as much as lieth in you. To which purpose we may advert, from our defeription of living peaceably, that it confifts mainly of two parts: one active, or proceeding from us, and terminated on others-to bear good-will, to do good offices, to procure the profit, delight, and welfare, to abstain from the displeasure, damage, and disturbance of others: the other paffive, iffuing from others, and terminated on ourselves-that they be well affected toward us, inclinable to do us good, and nowife disposed to wish, defign, or bring any harm, trouble, or vexation upon us. Whereof the former is altogether in our power, confifting of acts or omiffions depending upon our free choice and counfel: and we are directly obliged to it, by virtue

of those words, Tò è iμæv, as much as lieth in you: the lat- SERM. ter is not fully fo, yet commonly there be probable means XXIX. of effecting it, which we are hence bound to use, though sometimes they may fail of fuccefs. For the words ei duvarov, if it be poffible, as they fignify the utmost endeavour is to be employed, and that no difficulty (beneath the degree of impoffibility) can discharge us from it; fo they intimate plainly, that fometime our labour may be loft, and our purpose defeated; and that by the default of others it may be impoffible we should arrive to a peaceable condition of life with all men. However, by this rule we are directed not only ourselves not to infringe the terms of peace toward others, but to endeavour earnestly by all honeft and prudent means to obtain the good-will, favour, and respect of others, by which they may be difpofed to all friendly correspondence with us, and not to disturb the quiet and tranquillity of our lives.

Having thus by way of explication fuperficially glanced upon the words, we will proceed to a more large and punctual review of them; and fhall confider more diftinctly the particulars grofsly mentioned: and,

I. What those especial duties are, included in this more comprehensive one of living peaceably with all men; both those which are directly required of us, as the neceffary causes or immediate results of a peaceable difpofition in us toward others; and alfo thofe which are to be performed by us, as just and reasonable means conducible to beget or preferve in others a peaceable inclination toward us these I fhall confider promifcuoufly: and,

1. We are by this precept directly obliged heartily to love, that is, to bear good-will to, to wish well to, to rejoice in the welfare, and commiferate the adverfities of all men: at least not to hate, or bear ill-will to, to defire or defign the harm, to repine at the happy success, or delight in the misfortunes of any for as it is very hard to maintain peace and amicable correfpondence with those we do not truly love; so it is abfolutely impoffible to do it long with those we hate: this fatanic paffion (or difpofition of foul) always prompting the mind poffeffed therewith to

:

SERM. the contrivance and execution of mifchief; whence he XXIX. that hates his brother is faid to be a murderer, as having

15.

1 John iii. in him that bitter root, from whence, if power and occafion confpire, will probably spring that most extreme of outrages, and capital breach of peace. Love is the only fure cement, that knits and combines men in friendly fociety; and hatred, the certain fountain of that violence, which rends and diffolves it. We cannot easily hurt or strive with those we love and with well to: we cannot posfibly long agree with those we hate and malign. Peace without love can be esteemed little more than politic diffimulation; and peace with hatred is really nothing lefs than an artificial disguise, or an infidious covert of enmity.

2. We are hence obliged to perform all kind offices of humanity, which the condition of any man can require, and may by us be performed without confiderable inconvenience or detriment to ourselves or others. When, for the preservation or comfortable accommodation of life, they need our help or our advice, we are readily to afford them; when they are in want or diftrefs, we are to minifter to them what comfort and relief we can. We are, upon this very score, to obey that injunction of St. Gal. vi. 10. Paul to the Galatians, As we have opportunity, let us do good to all men. For without this beneficence a man's carriage (though otherwise harmless and inoffenfive) appears rather a suspicious strangeness, than a peaceable demeanour, and naturally produces an enmity in those that are concerned in it. For he to whom, being preffed with neceffity, requifite affiftance is denied, will infallibly be apt to think himself not only neglected and difefteemed, but affronted also and injured; (need, in the general conceit of men, and especially of those that feel it, begetteth a kind of title to fome competent relief;) and confequently will heinously refent, and complain bitterly of fuch fupposed wrong, and, if ever he become able, repay it with advantage. And much more are we upon the fame account not to perform ill offices toward any man; not to difturb him in the enjoyment of his innocent pleasure, nor