may be of great ufe to thew all fides the error of their diffentions, and prepare their minds for fuch a concord and agreement, as the authority of their governors may think fit to impofe upon them when that fhall come to be concerted. He may alfo in the courfe of his converfation in the world, in the education of his children, or upon any other opportunity which offers, make it his pious care to promote fuch principles as tend to peace, and to bear down the credit of uncharitable and factious heats, by fhewing the folly and the wickedness of them. But this is not all, there is fomewhat more which every Chriftian may, may, and ought to do, in this affair. He ought to apply himself by fervent and frequent prayer to Almighty God, the God of peace and love, that as he thought it not too much to establish peace betwixt heaven and earth, at the expence of the fufferings of his only Son our Saviour; he would alfo, by the mild and gracious influences of his holy Spirit, eftablish it on earth, amongst all the branches of that family which he has thus redeemed and purchased to himself; enlightning those who are in error, or infpiring the whole body of Christians with that good-will and charitable affection at least which may unite their hearts, if not their notions and opinions. Thus Chrift, a little before he fuffered, put up a moft pathetick prayer to God for this great bleffing of unity amongst all who should believe in him. But, * 2. SECONDLY, We are to confider the Chriftian as a lover of peace; one who practifes as well as prays for it, and promotes it in the Church by his own peaceable temper and conduct. Now this appears in him in several particulars. * John xvii. 20, 21, &c. L (1.) HE (1.) He is not apt to embrace or take up an opinion contrary to what the Church has univerfally receiv'd. He does not affect a fett of new and fingular notions in matter of faith, or peculiarities in difcipline or worship, which the primitive ages of the Church either knew nothing of, or never own'd, or generally wrote againft; and which the modern ages alfo have alike not thought of, or else condemned. For he is willing to look upon the Church collective, made up and govern'd by many wife, and learned, and pious men, as better able to interpret difficult places of holy Scripture than himself, or than any of the forward leaders of feparation. He does not make himself a flave to the decifions of any man, or any body of men, to believe and act along with them at all adventures; for where they apparently forfake the Scriptures, he forfakes them; but he is always very tender when it comes to the point of rejecting probable and receiv'd opinions or practices, in defence of which a great deal may be faid. He remembers the exhortation of St. Paul to the Philippians, to * ftand faft in one fpirit, with one mind, to twalk by the fame rule, and to mind the fame thing. ‡ If there be therefore, fays that Apoftle, any confolation in Chrift, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the fpirit, &c. be ye like minded. And fo to the Corinthians alfo ; I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jefus Chrift, that ye all speak the fame thing, and that there be no divifions among you, but that ye be perfectly joined together in the fame mind, and in the fame judgment. However, (2.) FORASMUCH as a man cannot believe juft what he will, but what his own understanding and judgment are convinced of, the peaceable Chrifti * Phil. i. 27. Cor. i. 10. † Phil. iii. 16. Phil. ii. 1, 2.. an, an, if in any point he is not fatisfy'd with the refolution and decifions of the Church, the doctrine, worship, or difcipline thereof, will modeftly keep his opinion to himself, and not fet up for gaining profelytes, or being the head of a party. He will not make it his business to rail at and expose whatever agrees not with his own fentiments, and to raife a faction against every thing he does not like; but chufes rather to be filent and referved upon fuch heads, as waiting till the Church her felf dif cover the mistake, or he be convinced by better information. And though he cannot think as others do, he will keep up charity and a kind affection towards them, as St. Paul directs, when having required the Philippians to be like minded, left that could not always be obferved, he adds, having the fame love, being of one accord. For men who differ in fome points of judgment amongst themselves, may ftill bear the fame love to one another which they have who do agree; they may live in the fame accord and friendship, as if they were of the fame mind. And this is a duty to take place where notions and opinions differ. Again, (3.) THOUGH he difapprove of many things in the doctrine, order, or worship of the Church eftablish'd in his country, he will not be forward to engage in an open feparation from it. He will be ready to hear and read with impartiality whatever may be argu'd for it; will try all ways to convince himself in favour of it, and at leaft will go as far as he can along with fuch an establishment; because he is really tender of breaking the peace of the Church, and weakning it by fuch divifions. He will do nothing through pride or obftinacy, or little and unworthy interefts; but in the fincerity and uprightness of his heart, confult the honour, and fafety, and edification of the Church, above his own or any other body's opinion. It is not every thing which will justify a feparation; it must be fomething plainly finful, highly dangerous and intolerable; for unity and peace are of more confequence, than to be facrificed to small pretences. Indeed it may happen that a Church may be corrupted fo far in its doctrine and worship, as to render it finful to communicate therein, and neceffary for the guides and leaders to reform it in feveral inftances. Yet in this cafe there is to be that regard of peace, that fuch a reformation is not to be violent or paffionate; but for the matter of it, agreeing with the Word of God, and with the firft and pureft ages of Chriftianity; and for the manner, with a readincfs to fubmit to any proper way of determination, which has been used in fuch a cafe, and a great defire of the concurrence of the remaining part from which the feparation is made. And if this had not been the cafe of the reform'd Churches, when they withdrew from Rome, they could hardly have been vindicated from the charge of fchifm, as by their temper and moderation in that point they certainly may. Once more, (4.) THE peaceable Chriftian, conforming entirely in his fentiments and practice to the cftablish'd Church, is not bitter and furious against others who diffent from it. He lays afide all anger, and wrath, and tumult, and evil Speaking, endeavours all he can to convince them of their error; but he does it in the fpirit of meekness, being fenfible that the contrary will rather harden and exafperate, than reduce them. So St. Paul directs Timothy, that he should be gentle unto all, apt to teach, patient, in meekness inftructing those that oppofe themselves, if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth. 2 Tim. ii. 24, 25. HAVING thus gone through the peaceable man's behaviour, with refpect to the Church, we must next take a view of him, THIRDLY, As a member of the civil ftate, the kingdom or commonwealth he lives in. And here I might repeat almoft all that has been faid concerning the peace of the Church, for there is a fair analogy betwixt these two heads; but I fhall as briefly as I can confider that of the civil government diftinctly. The peaceable difpofition of a good man fhews it felf in this cafe, (1.) By a quiet obedience to the laws; expreffing no contempt, no difregard of government, contriving no fubtil and treacherous evafions to defeat the true defign of a law; but in the fear of God, for confcience fake, performing what the wifdom and authority of the nation have thought fit to require, in order to the peace and fafety of the whole. (2.) IN fubmitting to the penalties and inflictions, the impofitions and burdens which are laid upon him, without tumult or discontent, feditious murmuring at, or fpeaking evil of the government thereupon; remembring our Saviour's example, who to avoid offence paid taxes*, and † owning the power of the Roman governor to be from God, fubmitted to his fentence; as alfo the doctrine of St. Peter, that we fhould fubmit to every ordinance of the magiftrate, whether fupreme or fub ordinate; and that of St. Paul, that we fhould ..render tribute to whom tribute is due, cuftom to whom cuftom, fear to whom fear, and honour to whom honour. (3.) IN putting the most favourable conftruction upon the proceedings and tranfactions of the go * Matth. xvii. 24. ‡ 1 Pet. ii. 13, 14. † John xix. 11, &c. .. Rom. xiii. 7. L 3 vernment, |