fault with them, and condemn all the righteous and fober for cenforious and four, and complain what little love there is in the world; only that the drunkards, whoremongers, and trufty foldiers of the kingdom of darkness are combined as faft friends together. And fo they love their neighbours as themselves; and may I never use my worst enemies fo bad as they do themselves and their dearest friends!) from fuch kind of love, good Lord, deliver us; when that goes for all the love, which is but an ungodly confederacy, yea, downright iniquity, without a mystery. Such boafters of good fellowfhip will shortly find no caufe at all to glory in the dearness and charity of that curfed league and brotherhood in iniquity. They will be deadly fick of it themselves, when all the cups and the mirth, that hold them a while together, fhall fail them, and death and judgment overtake them. But, my foul, where I cannot have a peculiar kindness for fome, that take the courfe to beat it back from themselves, though I cannot be fond of them, or take fatisfaction in them, as long as they will be a plague to the neighbourhood, and grief of heart to all that fear and love God, yet will I not be deficient in any principles of good-will, or any offices of love, whereby I may approve myself to God, and to all judicious obfervers, to be none of their enemy for telling them the truth, and endeavouring to pluck them out of the fnare and condemnation of the devil; but a much kinder friend and better neighbour than fuch as take no notice, unless to rejoice in their iniquity, and never grieve or care to fee them perifh, but rather encourage the vile doing, which will bring them to the fad reckoning. Let my Let them be never so bad, or never so much foes, though I cannot love them for their wickednefs, nor think myself obliged to be fo unreasonably tender of them, as to fuffer them to undo me, when I have a lawful way to avoid it (however the way may not please them) nor that I am obliged to fee them undo themselves, and I do nothing to pull them as brands out of the fire, because they may refent it as an affront and an injurious affault, yet will I ftill love them as far as I may, without being an enemy to God and myself, and my country. For I must not be felò de fe, nor a traitor to God, and the public, out of a compliment to any enemy. Love them I will, as far as they bear God's image, and share in his patience and kindness, and because he commands me to imitate him, who does good to the evil. Yet as himself chaftens whom he loves, fo may I be angry with them that have ill used me, and fee cause to make them fenfible of the evil, when notwithstanding I am ready to forgive them, and to be friends with them, and do good to them, and would fain have all the caufes of feparation and unkindness removed out of the way, that the current of affection may fluently take its delightful course. I muft ftill make a difference, and cannot be intimate with every body; for fuch a particular friendfhip is at my choice, as I find occafion for it; but even they shall have my tender bowels of compaffion, whom I cannot take into the warm embraces of a dearer affection: for, a fincere love and good will, is no more than I owe to all, and that is not at my liberty to dispose of it after my humour; but even fuch as worst deserve it from me fhall have it of me, and there fhall not be a perfon in the world, to whom I bear malice and hatred in my heart. ΤΗΣ HOUGH my peculiar dearnefs is owing to the generation of thy children, O Lord; and "they fhall have my warm heart, whofe hearts are "fet upon thee, and thy ways: (for I cannot but "make a difference in my affections, where the dif ference is fo great in others qualifications); yet "a good will and real kindness let me entertain "and cherish in my breaft towards all men, and "not harbour fpight and enmity against any one. "Nor let me only profefs friendship, and with well "to my neighbours, but be ready to the offices of "love, and to contribute all that they can reason"ably expect from me, to do them real good, and "to promote their happiness, here and for ever. "Amen." MEDITATION LXXXIII. O live peaceably with all men, is a duty, upon fuppofition, "if it be poffible," Rom. xii. 18. where the difficulty is implied, and the poffibility feems to be doubted. For fo perverfe are fome, they will never be quiet: nothing can content them. But all that we are able, we must endeavour; as much as in us lies; to the utmost of our power: that nothing, on our fide, may be wanting, to com. pafs the happy attainment. O my foul, as I am a Chriftian, I am obliged to be of a quiet difpofition, of a healing a healing temper, of friendly principles, and peaceable purposes. My heart muft not be the feat of war, nor the forge of mischief, nor the harbour of enmity; but full of care to prevent difturbance, and where I cannot hinder, there to make up breaches. I muft fhun the occafions of ftrife, and such distaste. ful matters, as are like to fet all to pieces. I muft not throw in the bones of diffention, nor offer any just provocation, to exafperate the minds of my neighbours, but rather pluck the fewel from off the fire; and hold in thofe expreffions of choler, which are like gunpowder, threatening danger, to blow up all the fair fabric of peace and love. I muft purfue the probable methods of recovering peace, where it is loft, and of keeping friendship on the wheels, where it does remain. It is not enough, to say, I am for peace, and that I have no malice; when others do find me bitter and fiery, ftiff and implacable. But I must stoop, I muft labour, yea and fometimes pay, for peace: though it coft me fo dear, as fome of my honour, or my advantage in the world. And when all is done, if my endeavours prove abortive, and my peaceable overtures fail of the defired fuccefs; this may, notwithstanding quiet my mind, that I attempted, though I was baffled; and if the offences muft needs come, that they came not by me, and where I cannot make reconciliation, that the fault of the miscarriage lies at others doors, and I have ftrove to please God; though I could not please every one else. But, O my foul, how fhall I keep peace with the wicked, to whom there is no peace; and whom the best of the churches, Rev. ii. 2. could not bear? to lay and do as they, I dare not. And yet where I cannot be like to them; that is enough to make a quarrel with them; and to rebuke them, may be to lofe them. I am loth to offend men, and give them any disturbance, yet muft I not offend God, and break VOL. I. 3 D. the the peace of my own mind; neither will I fo nicely ftand upon my reputation; as to neglect any fitting office, for fear of hearing pragmatical and turbulent. For I am fenfible, how many of my betters have borne blame and reproach, even for doing their heavenly Father's bufinefs, and the kindest part for poor miferable fouls, Our bleffed Saviour himself, that great peace-maker, who had peace on earth proclaimed before him, at his entrance into the world, and left peace as his legacy behind him, when he was departing from it; yet tells us, that he came not to fend peace withal, but fire and fword; to rouze the finners at eafe, that were fettled on their lees. Nor will I count it any breach of his peace, to plead, yea and contend for truth and holiness, with the enemies of both, but rather approve myfelf Chrift's faithful foldier, in oppofing fuch, as would adulterate the faith, or debauch the manners of Chriftians. And though it procure me prefent anger, for making fo bold with them, it may bring me future thanks, for the favour done to them. Yet, ftill will I ftrive lawfully; and proceed in no ways but warrantable and orderly: nor do a bad thing, to give them, who have a bad cause, occafion to fall upon me, where they cannot defend themselves, and to fhelter their own crimes, under my mifconduct. Though I will abate them nothing of God's truth; yet will I give them no true caufe of a quarrel, in the way of my appearing for it: nor let loofe the reins to wrath, and return them like for like; but fhew them a more excellent way; even that way of peace, which they have not known. For I must not walk as a mere man, who is naturally quarrelfome, and revengeful; but as the child of God, whose wild and favage nature is changed by grace, to make him alfo the child of peace. I must bear with abufive words, and rugged manners, and not run to the violent remedy; unlefs in cafe of neceffity, nor violate the gofpel, |