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he immediately bethought himself of reftitution, and faid, Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by falfe accufation, I reftore him fourfold. And this is the more neceffary, because where fuch falfe dealing or open injuftice has been done, reftitution is the first step which must be made in order to reconciliation: We can't expect an injured man fhould be appeafed without it; nor is it poffible to make him due fatisfaction, fo long as he continues under the real effects of the injury, and we detain that from him, which he only ought to enjoy or to difpofe of. In other cafes (particularly the offences of the tongue, cenforious reviling or detraction, and the like) we are to make him what amends we can.

(2.) By reparation to his esteem and credit in the world; endeavouring to do him juftice in as publick a manner as we have injured him; retracting our unworthy cenfure and fufpicions of him; acknow ledging the fault of that reviling language we have given him, and doing all that lies in our power to reverse the undeferved character we have expofed him in; or if deferved, to foften it according to the rules of charity; thus labouring, as far as is poffible, (in effect at leaft) to unfay what we have faid, and undo the mischief we may have done him, that he may not fuffer by our unchristian paffion and indifcretion. "Tis feldom we can effectually make him amends, and fet him right this way; which therefore fhould make us keep the ftricter guard upon our tongue, that we be not guilty of offences and mischiefs that are fo hard to be rectified; because the ill-nature of mankind is apter to take in and nourish the ill impreffions of our fpleen, and the bad character we give, than any after-vindications or apologies we can make to foften or re

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tract them: but it is, however, the only way that we can set our felves to reparation in this matter; and therefore we are bound in confcience to it, and let it avail as far as it can to that purpose. Again,

(3) WHERE the injury is of a lower rate, or when an affront is only in the cafe, reconciliation may be effected by begging of pardon. This is the leaft we can offer to an offended brother; and therefore we should never be backward in it, when it will be accepted. Perhaps we may think it a little difgraceful to us; but if it be a difgrace, the fin of an ill tongue is but very gently punished by the shame of acknowledging it. And as pride was the main principle of that contempt, or other rudeneffes in our language, from which the offence arofe; even natural equity fuggefts, that no fatisfaction can be anfwerable, which does not apparently disclaim and mortify that pride, the infolence of which is to be made amends for by a contrary act of humility and fubmiffion. But after all, I fhall beg leave to think it no difgrace, but an argument of an ingenuous temper, to afk pardon: and that whatever the vain maxims of the world may teach, he is certainly the moft a gentleman, as well as moft a Chriftian, who reflects upon it as a greater fhame to have been guilty of fuch ill-manners, than to retract it; and therefore is always ready with a generous fubmiffion to revoke what he has faid or done unworthily.

Now which foever of these three forts of fatisfaction fhall become reasonable, according to the nature of the offence, and neceffary towards a reconciliation, our Saviour preffes it here upon us, to lofe no time, to make no delays, but immediately to fet about it; and that for two very good reafons: The firft is, That our devotions to God will be all unacceptable, and odious in his fight, till

this be done. This is fufficiently hinted in those words: If thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there remembreft that thy brother bath ought against thee: Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; firft be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. It is in vain to hope that God will accept us, fo long as, having given our neighbour juft occafion of refentment, our Minds continue the abufe by an averfeness to give him due fatisfaction, or fo long as we shall needlefly delay to offer it. And therefore upon the firft remembrance of what we have faid or done to grieve him, even tho' we should be then going to the private or publick services of religion, we are oblig'd, if an opportunity can be had at that time, to go to him and make up the quarrel prefently, by performing or promifing fuch fatisfaction as the laws of Chrif tianity require; or if for want of opportunity it be impracticable, then we must prepare our felves for it, by a readiness and fincere resolution at least to do it as foon as poffibly we can: And the one or the other of these is fo indifpenfable a duty, that our prayers will be but a mocking of God without it. The second reafon urged by our Saviour, is drawn from prudence, as the firft was from religion. 4gree with thine adverfary quickly, whilst thou art in the way with him; left at any time thy adverfary deliver thee to thee judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be caft into prifon. Verily Ifay unto thee, thou shalt by no means come out thence till thou haft paid the uttermoft farthing. The laws of every nation protect the perfons, goods, and reputation of every fingle fubject that belongs to them, and will revenge the injured. If therefore I have been fo wicked as to have done a wrong to my neighbour, my wifeft course is by a timely fubmiffion and repentance to restore him to this right, and prevent a fuit at law, which will force

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me to it otherwife at a great expence and trouble. And thus the present duty inculcated in this paragraph of our Saviour's fermon, is an inftance amongst many others which might be produced, that true religion and true wisdom are infeparable; the precepts of Chriftianity being alfo principles of prudence, and providing as well for our peace and intereft in this world, as for our eternal happiness in the next. But the argument which ought to weigh moft with us, in engaging our practice of this or any other chriftian duty, is the authority of our lawgiver Christ Jesus.

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Of CHASTITY, and of needless SEPARATION after Marriage.

MATTH. v. 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32. Te have heard that it hath been faid by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adul

tery. But I Say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to luft after her, hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and caft it from thee; for it is profitable for thee, that one of thy members should perish, and

and not that thy whole body fhould be caft into hell.

And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and caft it from thee; for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should pe rifh, and not that thy whole body should be caft into hell.

It hath been faid, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of di

vorcement.

But I fay unto you, That whosoever shall put. away his wife, faving for the cause of fornication, caufeth her to commit adultery; and whosoever shall marry her that is di vorced, committeth adultery.

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ROM improving of the fixth, our Lord here goes on to the feventh commandment, which he fortifies by fome new and neceffary outworks; not only denies us entrance into this city of Sodom, but guards us off from any near approach to it; extending purity to a more excellent latitude,reducing marriage to the ftrictness of its original institution, and putting a stop to the beginnings of adultery in this, as he had taken away the occafions of murder in the former; that a Chriftian may have all his appetites in due fubjection, that he may be angry and fin not, that he may marry and not offend. This we may suppose to be the true meaning and defign of this paragraph, as much as if our Saviour had exprefs'd himself in the following manner.

"THE Law forbids adultery, and ye do not de-
it does fo; but beware left ye deceive your
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