THE

Benefit and Excel/may
0 F

 

I
:
E
“irfi. Briefly Opened and Appiied.

ON

Preached to the Company of

   IN THE
1

   
 

 

CITY of CANTERBURY)

ON THEIR

 Annual Feat’:-~Day.  

‘By Geo. Sendeli, a fincere Lover of Peace, Love, and
 ‘ epriendflqipt, amongfl: all that bears the Image of
 ' Chrift, and truly fearc God.

%  % Pfalm 133.1: Behold,‘ how good, arzci bow pleafarzt, at 
' *.“e 1 for Bretbrerz to drivel!‘ together in ‘Unity.

% » 1 john 4. 16. ———--—--~ Goa’ 2'5 Love, and be that dmellctb in
' _« L07/e, dmelletb in God, am! God in him. A . t

J’

L jvm ,7_1;fl;en.t Dci C/Mrinzrmvz, qm'Ec‘c1eflze r2022 dilzgunr Unita-
f~‘.’?7}. PLug- ‘ "

A  N L 0 N D 0 N .- Printed for the Author, and Sold by

C/W2;/Xian Love and U7/my,  

Will. Zlfarflmll at the Bible in Newgate«Street.

-——u-f .

,-cw‘ .

V L  e T H E
'."“"..‘ WU“: /

hfilgpifile Dedicatory.  

 

  % longed /for, the Church, or Flock of
Jefus Chrifipin Cazzterlmry, overwhich /
the Holy Ghofi hath made me (tho’
mofi unworthy) an Overfeerh, and who
upon that account,are the more peculi-

  at Objeéts of 1ny C£}l‘€,   Love and La-

D n‘

  hours) he Grace,J‘Mercye, and Peace,
 from God our Father, and the Lord /
  Jefus Chrifi,

 To dearly’ beloved, and
t
t
\
T

 My much efteemed Brethren and Friends,
‘-   O U cannot but éeferzflkle, 2'22 flmze ‘Mezz-
 fzzre, that t/Jere are mmzy trfiiizgx, 229.5z'c[7
4 ;   call alaztdfior Lcwzezztatiorz at t/J73: day, in
 t/'36 mz’olefl ofw, even in this Land of Ligzht, and 
, 9 mile}: of Vzjion, tlio’ mzcler zz Glariow Goffiel Dzfl
rh penfatiozz. Homflzd 2': it to conflder, that the whole
‘World ihould he in Wickednefs, _‘}‘o/m 5. 19. Anal-
' tbzzt rzliizofl all plzzce: flmztld /96 filfd wit/J Pr0p/.mI2c-
A A rzzzfigaml all Hand: of’wickea'm2fi.F0r mazzy/730222 their
i ‘ S22: 45 Sodom, 4126! hid it not”, which plczizzly difcoverx
1 " pybo’/e they are, mzdh zv/Jere 15118}! are goiyzgfi zmdh to whom
they do belong, for the Tree is known by it’s Fruit,
L ' Luke 6.  s   5"71*;:,~’¥:,',>;'«”#,‘3:_? 

   

&

xi

  tlaofe tbat /Jatve, or may lsave tbe Mean; of Liglat,

. no favour. *

i all)» ‘elij:qni/z'ngtl5eJnfelve.r, zvitla a Z5/Iiaxlet of H3/poorz3 l

.TheEpiItle Dedicatory. “  ‘ ]

21y. If it not al/o eazzfls of Woneler.3 (2! well as
Lanzentation and Sorrow, to flee, anel eon/ieler tlne

Ignorance, Darkntfi and Spiritual Blintlnefi of,

zvorfe tbe} are ( for tlJe ino/r’ part) contented!)/fo. A: ‘
if tlteir Ignorance eozzlel exeofe tbenz for not doing
rvolaat tlJe Lord require; of tbenz. Let fizela Perfonx ,
_/eriotfly Read mi Confleler, If.1.27.I I. --~FOr or be- ‘I
cazrfe they are a People of no underfianding,thcre-

fore, he that made them will have no Mercy on 4
them, and he that formed them will thew them 2

anolbDi7Jine'K.noxoleelge. A/eel t/{vat zvltiela is }IetH

gly. Howfaelalfois ittojee otber.fi.3 Amficz- 

L fie, ranolt/Jereby eleeeivitzg botl» tlaenzfelzxex and o-_ 

. finners in Zion are afraid, fearfulnéfs hath fur- ‘l

tlverx, Tbere will be znanya Hjpoeritefozmel at lafl
even in Sion, (we have reafon to fear) for a day 
will come, tbat tbe Sbeeps Coat f/aall be talsen ojffroin 
tlae Goat: back, anal every one [ball tben appear to be 
zvlaat be really ix 5' Surely tberefore it belJo72e.v every \'
one ferioufljx toeexfaznine intollais own Heart anal ;
Life, leat‘/Je [bozzlel pzttan everlafiing cbeat 2/pon 
bi: own Sonl. Anal tlyat all may A be §?ir’d inp 
to t/22'3" neeelfizl ditty Read, Ila. 3;. I4. The i

prifed the Hypocrites, flab}! wlaatfx t/Je nzatter? I *

A Anftoer, who atnongft us can dwell withdevour. 

ingFire, or in and with everlafting bulfhings?
,0/J! tbat tbe ferion: confideration of tbix, nziglat
put you all upon /eaflmable Self-examination, and:
i ‘ Try» .

 

V J The Epiftle Dedicatory.

?

_ Tryal, that fo none of you might ever knotohy Eo;perz'-

'ence, what thisfad Condition nzean:. For

€472

mtlyfaygvoithoutdflfiznulation, that any Heart: de-

. fire and Prayer to God for you all, t‘: that you may he
. faced, and faved in the Lord with an everlafting

, Salvation. , “

4th1y. But once more, whatfhall we thinkofthofe
Dzjbrdem, Contentz'on:, and Dim/t'on:, that are al-
nzoft in all place:, Churche: and Societiex, at thi:
Day, whichfizenz: to threaten Ruin, and Defolation,

, to th% Land: in general, and to Churche: in Par-

ticular. Wherefore} earnestly heg of you my Belo-
ved Brethren, to do what you can, to prevent thofe
Defolation: and judgtnent: that feetn to hangover

in: at thia day, hoth a: to Church and State, hecaufe

of thofe Divijion: that are among u:, and want of

one and Union. And Oh! that I might prevail
with you in this‘ matter to he Sen“/ihl , Serioufly and
Duely afieéfed with it, from the Con/t'deratz'on of the

\ heneflt: that willflowfionz, and come hy it.

IPC. A: to Inftruétion. 21y. Con/hlation.
The People of God are Taught and Inftruoted hy

‘V A the good Example: of thofe that keep clofe to the

Lord: Cotnrnand: and Ordinance:.

The Apoftle St.

g Paul, ‘tell: the Church of the Thetialonians, that

they were enfamples to all that did believe in
Macedonia, and Achaia, I They]? 1.7. If you

a:l{Ine what they were enfainple: of? I Anfiver of
Faith Love and Holinefi.

Firfi, Of Faith, for in ver. 8. he tell: them that
in every place their Faith God-ward was fpread
  i A   abroad:

A Head." :

' bred without ceafing their Work of Faith and La-

“ jefus Chrif’t, €96. Notviif'oor light ofLo2j;e, Pence, ,

A . ver to imitzzte it he Chrzft iiztiimzter, Mat. 5. I6.

 x. , . -'-A-——4 --

 

The Epifile Dediecatoryh.  
abroad, irz_‘/ohmchthezit neither? he nor hi: Brethren ;
the Apoftler needed not to fay any thing upon that W’

. 21y. Of Love, for flzith the Apoflle, to their 13- 
verlezftizzg Prazfla,fi~oriz you founded forth the Word of \
the Lord, 80:. In which their love ezppemar, Firfi, To 4
jeftxy-hri-3? their Saviour. Anal 21y, To M412 their
Eellonr:—Creeztm~e, they ale/ireel that Gael might he glori-

fied zmcl that Simzer: might be Co/zizzerted ezzzol Saved. e
Thirdly, Of true holizzefi, for ver. 3. the .4_po- V
file: tell: them that he Mel the other Apoftler remem-

hour of Love and Patience of hope in our Lord

emcl Frinoljhijiflarizze hefore Men why other: fleeing of 
‘it, will glorifie God upon that account and eizelezz-, A

Secondly, Thir ie Matter of Coizfhldtion to all
that tml}rfezz’r God, and love  Chrfl izzh Sizzceri-—
tyre hear of, or to fee Brethren dwelling together :1
in Unityy I have no greater joy, (faid St. John
in hie thml Epiflle and 4th Ver.) then to hear that
my.Chi1:iren walk in truth. So zzlfliflzyr 4 gmciow 1

fez;/Ehle Soul, I have not grezzterfjoy theiz to hezzr e
that the PeopleofGoel do agree in love, and live in ,
Peace one with (mother. Wherefiore we are com-
immeleel to pray for the Peace of Jerufalem, Pfezlm A
122. 6. Becaute they (hall profper thatlove her.
Th.i5"/haw; 1%‘ how much we ‘ought to 2292:/h for, endea-
vozzr of er, delight camel rejoyce in the Unit} of the
Chz»::'~c.'5, and the flourifhiizg of Love, Peace and

Frietnclfhipt ezmozzgjt the Saint: mid People of God.’
A   Se-

fr

The Epiftle Dedicatory. A
Secondly, Anal more particularly, great oenefit
  will follow to you as a C/Jarclv of C1571:/l_ from» Love,

E Peace and Frieizolflyip among your _/elvelx, as F irfi,

 Mutual Comfort and Eclificatioiz, ~ Ron1.eIp4.¢19. .

 Let us follow the things that make for Peace, and
 what will t/oat flgizifie fay yoa .3 Izlgzfaoer mutual

may eelifle an.otlJer,l mutual Ealifioation 72atarall}fol-

low: Love, Peace azzol Univ”, 46 A615 9. 3 I. Y/5erz
> /aaol tlae C/marches refl tbrougboat all Judea and Gas-

Anfmar,   Eolifcation and Divine Cozzfolatiozz, for
tlneymoere eolifiecl and voalleeel in tbe Co/oafortx of tlae

:Cbur‘C.lJ-in projper more than Love and Union, for

7 Eéiificgtioyz, for be aolols, and thing: zvlvere wit/.2 one  

‘V ‘1i1ee,l anal Samaria. But what fiollozveol tlzisé’ I

Hal}: Gboftaanol were maltiplieol, not/Jing caafe: a l

,Di-zfifiom poitlaiiz are more prejudicial to the Clmrcb

per/ize it.
prazfe-oftlve Holy Spirit, t/ae creolit ofReligio7z, and
_ upon t/ae Love, Peace and Zlizity oft/ae Clmrcla.

" "ofonr Being a7zolAé7iio2z: as 1 Cor. 10.3 I. Mat.5.I6;.
I Pet. 2. I 2. Tlae Name of God may Blaflo/{vex/‘reel of
* I the jews, Rom. 2. 24. /llfo it waxjaiel tlre/e are tbe

J \ Secondly, '1/Je Honour of Cbrzfl, who comzoarzol:
' m to learn of lrim who is week and lowly, , Mat. I I.
29:For Cbrifi oi: the Prince of Peace,Ifa.9.6.A:zol this

be like lvime... ' .

y

  ; it/mz Perfeoutiom zoitlroat, tbereforc fiel Peace aazdl
In 4 voorol, tlwe Gzm ofGool, Hmur ofc/myz, tlte l
rm enlargement ofClJrifls Kingdom depend: We  
Firflt, tr/.»e elm», ofGool no/5z'cl.2 2; use ultimate eml  

People of tlae Lorcl,z';z_ a way of reproaolr, E2619; 6.20. -

1, is lJi.r Glory that be i.rfo,l and Mat /Ii: People fbozzlzl l 
A. V , «   Thirdg.

 

' Law, p.27.l.13.r.are duties, p.28.\-7.b10t out firfi in, p.32.1.14.r.So-

The, Elfiifile Dedicatory. ‘

Thirdly, T176 Credit of Religion depend: nzuclv.
upon tlae Love anal Union of tbofiz tlaat profief: it,
the want of w/aicl: barolenet/Jfmze in Sin, dzfoourag-
etb otlaersfionz Duty, and fill: many wit/9 rage a-
gainfl, and di/like of Religion it:  l/Vl.1erea:
Love Zlzzion and Peace putxaluflre upon flu: way: -
of God, anal inane: it lovely and deflrable, even in
t/Je Eye: of ilrofe that now olefpifia it. Tberefore aolorn .
the Doéfrine of Goal our Saviour, ax you are corn-
nzanalecl, Tit. 2. I0. l\/Tow wlvat aolorm t/Je Doélrine .-«
of t/9e Go/j>el more tlaen Love, Peace, and ‘Union, A
zvlaiela encouraget/J orber: to joyn tl7en2felve.r to it, anol i
to make Profejfion of it. i 

T61’; alfo will very rnuela furt/aer tlJe De/ign of t/Je; 
G'of[)el, and allure, and win t/ae World over to 7e um’
Cbrifl, bi: Way: and Orclinanoex. 7722': will {lop
tlre Mozztlvx of tlae Wiclgecl, ancl caufiz fnzall T/Bing: to  _-
lzeoozne great, wliereay Contention, anol Diviflon of- a
ten rnalee: great Tlaing; fnzall, ax fad Experiences
/Jatlv taugbt u: to unclerflancl. Tberefore live in Love, 
and be at Peace ainongyourfelvex, ltloat tlae Prefence _
of God Inigbt always be wftlayou, and bi: Covenant 9.
Blef’/Eng; may liejnultiplieol upon you; for fo prayefla \;
your Unwo2°tb} Brother in tlae Gofpel, ;

‘ And Servant for Chrifls fake, 

G. S.

‘ l ERRATA. G
Age 2. Line 22. Read are for is, p.7. l.6.r.a£;a56:r,, p. 12. I.uIz.r.j_
P   14. p.20. 1.14.1‘. fiir up, p.24.1.17.r.folIows.p.26. l.ult.r.@,~al

cieties and Families, l.18.r.v.31. a1fo1.3o.r.46. p.38. 1.24.1‘. Sinner,

p.39.l.25.r.are, p.4o.1.5.r.z'ncenfed, andi1.36.r.1z'etb, p.41.1.ult.r.z's, ,
p.42. Lame penult xajield, and 1.9. blot out of, 1.17-r.zmd for but,1).7
43.1.23.r.dz‘fwur5’d, p.47.l.28.r.tbe_y, p.52.1.27.28.r.are. 1

  L

T-;———-_

T H 14:  
Benefit and Excellemy

{OF

C..6Vzflz°amz Love and iUm6zjI;

2 Cor.   Claufe of the nth Verfe.j

e==--t---i-‘- Live  Peace, mm.’ it:/5e, Goal of Love zizzci
. ‘ Peace flmll be with you;

 Eihg t1f1eXpe€ie‘dly cziiled to perform fo difiifléilit
  and great a Work this day, I concluded with

 _  my feif, that a Subjeét of this kind could not;
be unfeafonable in its felf, nor wouid it be u'nac_cep’tab1ef
Unto you (Worthy Sirs I )‘ in anfwer to whofe Defiré
{and Requeit, the foilowitig Dii°courfe‘ is p"repar"d :‘ Ef-'

  

pecialiy in fuch a day as this is, wherein (with Grief
and Sorrow of Heart it may be fpoken) that Love and
Peace is alrrloft taken from the Earth. Alas ! how dotii
Strife, DifI'e‘ntior’1_, An.im’o‘fity and Contention abound;
almoit every where, and among all Orders, Ranks and
Degrees of Merr,_to the great diihjonour ofour Lord,
gefus Chriif, difparagemefit of Religion, and grief of
rich as are moft eminently gracioué'2m'1ofig u’s“., ,iA,r'i

A Evii ‘Which, oug,ht_ to“  ’ llanwenfed a°nd: b‘e’wail_ed\bY,al_1
_i_'enfib1§ Ferrous, a,sbeing bOCI1‘b‘fi°§nfi'v‘e‘ :6’ G‘od; peffiié’

crow

2 The Berzqft mid Excel/may of
cious and deltrufiive to the children of Men, as will
further appear in our Dlfcourfe.   ~ _
Whereas on the contrary, Love and Peace, Unity and
Concord among Chriftians and Chriltian Societies, are
things God is well pleafed with, and honoured by, and
therefore delights very much in them.And as to Man,thefe
Graces,or(as fome call them)Virtues,are Self-evident,and
do lhine in their own 1ight,com mending themfelves to the
Confciences of all confiderate and ferious Speéiators, as
Pfalm 13 3. I. Behold how good, and how pleafant it 135, for
Brethren to dfill together in ‘Unity. Some things are good,
but not pleafhnt, as fatherly Chaftifements and Corre-
élions, 14:12. 12.1 1. No chafiening (or affiiélion) for
the pre/éfiffeemeth to be joyous, but grievous, nezzerthele/E af.
terward it yieldeth the peaceable fruits of righteoizfizefs zmto

e them which are exercifiad thereby. On the other hand,

Some things are pleafant but not good -, as the pleafiim
of fin which are but for ez feafon, which Men roll as t a
fvveet Morfel under their Tongues, but in the end, it
becomes as bitter as Death it felf, I€om.6.23. for the ma-
ges of fin is death. But Peace, Love and Friendfhip a-
mong Chriltian Brethren, is both good and profitable,
yea,pleafant and delightful to and in the eyes and elleem
of all that truly feariGod, and love the Lord Jefusr
inifincerity. For, as one Star differeth from another in
Glory, fo one Grace differeth from another in Excellen-
cy.‘ And of all other Graces, Love is accounted the
inoll: excellent, for without it, all other Virtues are in-
fig‘nificant, and of no value, as appears at large, 1 Cor.
I 3th chap. throughout, for if I have not charity. all avail-
eth me nothing. So that it is evident, and undoubtedly

true, that Love amonglt Chriftians is both illultrious,  

excellent and glorious in its felf 5 for all the People of
God do ‘agree in this, (however othervvife difléring in
fome other circumltantialimiatters) with the ‘Prophet’

David, that it is good and pleafant, nay, belt, and mo’1t’i
.Thfs

delightful, for brcglgrgtgfgg dw,el1.togerhle{ir; _’U{_Iity,. ‘

l

35

‘ Chrzffizzrz Love and Zlrzitj. . 
The great Apofile, 5t. Paul, the Pen-man of our

Text, is both in this and the foregoing Epiftle, lharply
reproving and rebuking the Carmthitms of divers Mill

  carriages which were committed amonglt them, and

above all other Failings, he infifteth molt upon, and
blamesthem moft for thofe Divifions and Contentions
which arofe daily among themfelves, thereby intimat-
ing, that of all other Diforders and lnfirmities, this is
the greateflz, and therefore the People of God, and
Churches of Jefus Chrifl: ought to be molt diligent in
avoiding all things of this kind in an efpecial manner,
for many reafons which we lhall lay down’ hereafter.
Oh! how earneltly and paflionately doth he exhort
them to beware of this, 1 Cor. 1. IO. Now I hefeeeh you,
Brethren, by the Name of our Lord ‘je/Ge: Chrifl, that ye all

fpeah the fame thing, and that there he fl0 eh’?/zfiozzs agrnung‘

you, but that you he perfeétly jeinedl together in the 
mind, and in the fame judgment, for it hath heen told me

ofyort, my hrethrezz, that there are conterztiorzslamong you, i

&C. Alfo chap, 3. 3,4. For whereas there is among you
envyihg: emdflrife and di7Ji/ions, are ye not carnal,’ and
weak as men. Read alfo at your leifure, 1 Cor.1.1.1e8.

12. 2 . n
In Ehe twolalt Verfes of the foregoing Chapter, you
find this faithful Apoftle, {till infifting upon the fame
Theme, telling them his Fears of them, upon this ac‘-
count, affuring them, that if he found them fuch as he
would not, they fhould find him fuch as they would
not-, that is, if he found them finning, they fhould find
him cenfuring: For in the beginning of this Chapter
he acquaints them with his Defign and Refolution, which
was, great feverity in punilhing the guilty among them‘,
in cafe their Sins were not repented of, and forfaken,
I willlnot fpareyort, '22. 2. Wherefore he exhorts them
to examine and try themfelves, =0. 5. ‘that {'0 they re-
turning to,and performing of their Duty to Jefus Chrift,
and to one anOtll€.‘:‘.-”,'tl1€ threatned
s B‘2

Pref’

feverity might be e

  Apr-evented, the Apof’cle’s ]oy contimfd, and increas’d

 

The Benefit and Excefienry of’

and that his Apofcolical Power might be exercis’d in,
and tend to their Comfort and Edification, and not to
their Sorrow, Shame and Correétion, much lefs to their
Deftruéiion, tire. to the lotb ‘yer/E2. ' '

Thus the Apoftle, being about to conclude his Epi-
ftle, changes his Stile from frowning Rebukes, into fa-
therly Exhortations, loving and feafonable Adrnot1iti—
ons. Whence by the way we ‘ may obferve, Timt then
Reproofis mofl likely to prove ejfec‘Znal, when it is mixt with,
and ends z'n'manifef£atz’ons‘ of 10716 to the perfims reproved;
for Love is of a conflraining nature. 2 Cat‘. 3,. 14. ‘

Tberefiyre finally Bret/oren farewell, be perfeé}. That is, in
Love and Unity, the Greek word ww9'I5§9°3‘?» fignifies to
be comp-aét, or united in Love as Members of thefame
Body‘, or parts of the fame Building, or Children
of the fame Family, (70. See Pool’s Annotéztions on the
Text; ,This isa Perfeélion of Afl"eé’cio"n, and not of
,_S;an€tification-, fuch a perfeétion as naturally follows
its proper caufe. g
be perfefi, or fit up again, re—edifiea', namely, unto Union
game with another :, the Perfeétion of a Church orChri-
ftian Society lying much in the Unity ofit, and is that
which the Apoftle feemeth to drive at in this his EX-
hortation: -For Union and mutual Love one towards

3;

 ~3WI©s-emu-uric-I-H-Cu-'~ v¢O.Dr¢':.=1v‘%» aw-um.‘-ac-us ma 1

The”D1>ttcb Annotations read it thus,

 

another is that which renders Churches and Chriltian, jg

jsocieties ‘truly amiable, "lovely and delirable. In a
Word, that which the Apoftle ishere prefiing upon
them, is, that whereas the Church of Chrift having {hf-
fered much damage in time‘ pail, by reafou of their
Divifions, Difcords, and Contentions that «arofe daily
among t-hemfelyes, many of whom upon this account,
being withdrawn from her Communion}, therefore he
with great earneftnefs prelles them to a hearty recon-

ici1iatio,n one to another, that fo its feparated Members A

iriight be again rel’tored:, therefore fayshe, be ye com-
jzatfil, united, re—edz'f2ed, as above, -that is, beye per,/e{}I)""§ie—
gpnciled one to egnotlger. r * ~ l ‘ fie

 

V

« and Peace upon them.

_)_4_,,.-4,.....«. .,,- ..,

Cbriflizm Love and Zinizjr: O, 5

Beofone mind  That is, In the Matters of Religion

~ (if poflible) be of one and the fame jndgment and Opi-

nion, as to the Word, Ways and Ordinances of jefus
Chrift, at lealt as far as may pe. But however, if in all
particular Circumftances you cannot be of one and the
iame Opinion, yet I have one Word more to add,
and that isthis, tho’ you cannot agree fo far as in
all things to be of one Opinion, however he fure look
well to this, that ye be one in true affeition, Live in
Peace, and tbeGod of Peace _/ball be with you.

In the Words are Two general Parts. .
I. An Eminent Chriliian Duty commanded, Live in
Peace. C
II. A Heart—afFeé’cing,Sonl»qnickening Motive added,
a and tbe God of Love and Peace _//ml! be with you.

I. As to the Duty commanded, Live in Peace. The
Apoftle by fad Experience, as well as by Divine Reve-
lation,lknew well what the difmal effeéis, and fatal
confeqnences of Strife, Difcord and Contention amongil‘.
the People of God, and Churches of jefus Chrilt would,
be, if continued in, without Repentance and Refor-
mation-, and therefore in our Text, and elfewhere,
with searnefinefs he prefles this great Duty of Love
He again exprefly nrgesthis
Duty in Heb. I3. I. Let brotherly love contimze: T hat
is, perfevere therein, as you have well begun, becanfe
this is that fruit of Faith which God requires his
People ‘fhonld always bring forth, viz. T/mt they
live in Love, and be at Pearce aznorzcgfi tbemfeltlex.
They. who have been taught experimeiitally to know
and underftand the ls/iiferies of VVar, will’ highly e-
{teem and value the Bleiii-ngs of Peace: 80 they who
experimentally hnovv the fatal Confeqnences of Con-
tention and D..ivilio,n,A will prize and pnrfue Love, Peace
and Union. But alas! there are others, who Sm’m,mm-
 " i i def

C 6   TZ76'B€IZ(_1’]7tdfld Excellency of

der like, canlive in the Flames or Fire of COl1l?€I'ltlOl'l:.
and feem as tho’ they delighted to breath in that Air. ,
We have a Proverb to this purpofe, Dulce helium inex-
pertis, War is jiveet to the emsleilfal and mzexperzlmced.
There are too many :=.7:z.:h unsl<ilful.Chrifl:ians at this
day, ylvho are the difturbers of the Peace of Gods If-.
rael  But as this Apoltle to the Hebrews in another ;
cafe faid, I am perfmaded better things of yea; Sic. {'0 I i
hope you will all readily agree to the exhortation of this <
our’ Apoftle in the Text, to live in Love and he at Peace  
onelwith another. ‘
we in peace. This is a Duty of great Moment; J
fo conlisderable and weighty, that the Glory of God, 
Honour of Jefus Chrilt, Credit of Religion, Peace and 
Comfort of your own Souls depends upon it, as we lhall l
endeavour to lhew hereafter.

II. AS to the Motive added, And the God of Love and P
Peace [hall he withyoa. One would think that this one
Motive were enough to prevail with all Chriftians to’be 
prefling after, and labouring to get and keep Love and C
Peace among themfelves in their refpeétive Stations,
Churches, Families, Societies-, and amonglt their feve- A
ral Relations, Friends and Neighbours. A greater Mo- j
tive cannot be laid down than this, for ifGod be for as, ,
who can he againjl as, Rom. 8. 31. And if God be with
us, who or what can hurt us, ‘Though I walk through the
‘valley of the fhadom of Death (laid holy David ) I will
fear no evil :, the reafon follows, and that is, hecaafi:
than art with me, Pfalm 23. 4. What is the Happinefs
of Heaven, or the Church Triumphant, but the Saints
being for ever with the Lord .9 1 Thefl”. 4.17. And what i
is the Elappinefs and Comfort of the People of God in ’
this World, or Church Militant, but this, that the
Lord for ever will be with and dwell among them. 
Matth. 28.. 20. -——-Lo, I am with}/oa altvay, even to the 
end of the VVorld.. 

And 

p

I;

l i

i And the God of Love and Peace /hall be with _yan.That is,

Chrfififtazz Love and 7Jm'lty.i i y
Godifhall in a fpecial way and manner comfort and defend
you, do you good and blefs you. The Apofile addeth
this, faith Calvin on the ‘Text-,, that his Exhortation
mightthe better prevail with, and take place among

4 them. God in Chrilt is the as exert, the smnmm Bozmm,

l

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, I
5
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I

the Chiefeit Good, in theinjoyment of whom confifieth
the Highefi Happinefs of Creatures, ‘the confideration of
which caufed David to “fay, Pfelm, "73. 28. It :35 good
for me to draw near to God .- ‘Meaning in a way of Du.
ty in and through the promifed Mefliah; and there-
fore how much better muft it needs be, for God to
draw near to him in a way of Good-nefs, Grace and
Mercy.‘ The Prefence of J-efus Chriit with his Church

and People is better to them than all Rich~es~, forgetta-

cious Souls had rather be denied any thing, nay every
thing befide this, than to be deprived of the bleffed
Sou1—quickening Prefence of jefus their deareft Lord.
Said Luther, Ihezd rather hcin Hell with Chrijt, thanin

. Heatzen zvitlootzt him. So much did he value his gI'3;CiO11“S

%

A and glorious Prefence. Therefore this is a pr-e‘va‘i-l-ihg

Motive, The God of L07/‘e and Peaceflaall he mithyott. C In-
deed there is a Prefence of God every where, Pflzlm

” 139. 7. For whither [hall I go from th} prefenee? jet.‘

23. 24,. -.———Do not I fill hath H€é?W3fl' and Earth? But

* this is fpoken to incourage, ftir up, and quicken them

to Duty, and therefore confequently, is in it fell’ a
great Mercy. VVhat is the Glory of that City you

, read of towardsthe end of Ez.e7eiel’s Prophecy, in the

lafl: words of it he telisyou that its Name was, God
2': there. Alfo Re?/2.1.3.22. God hmzfielfmill be withthem,

and dwell among them, and be their God, and is both the r

Light and ‘Temple thereof. Therefiore ligzze in rpeaee, den‘

A 4 the God of Love and Peace /hall be with you. The graei-1

Tons, Souléquickening Prefence of the bleffed fiehawah, is
the highefl: happinefs, and chiefeflt Glory of a*Perfon

or ‘P509135 as Pee 4- ts €92’ ?il35£‘1._Ya¢*0r4 it were/6    

gffiflg

if there be fuch ever-flowing Rivers of Pleafure in the

, one day in his honfe more than a thonfand elfiarvhere, Pfnlm‘

 ~“7°”fiIllZ€'_Fi9tZ£

P’ 3 The Benefit and Exec//enej of 1
great, who hath God /6 nigh nnto them, as the Lord om‘ 

God is in all things that we call upon him for .? Readton,‘
and you {hall find, that this was their Honour and Glo- !
ry,i for none was like them of all the Nations of the 
World, and the- reafon was, becaufe God was with,’ A
and dwelt amongthem, and gave his Statutes and Judg-
ments unto them. And then as to Comfort and Hap;
pinefs, the Prophet in Pfalm 16. 1 1. adds, In thy Pre-
fence is fnlnefs of joy, and at thy right hand there areplen-
flires for enermore. I grant that this T/ext principally
intends the State of Glory in ‘ Heaven -, but not fo as
wholly to exclude a State of Grace here on Earth-, for ‘

 -Iwfixs

Prefence of God above, furely there mufl: be fomewhat
of Joy and Peace, Comfort and Confolation, in the Pre-‘
fence of God, even in this World. Elfe what meaneth
David, Pfalm 6 3, 3. where he tells us, that the loving
Iaindnej} of God is better than life. And that, he efleemed

84.10. The reafon is, becanfe God’s Special Prefence

isinjoy’d in his Houfe in an eminent manner. So that;

this is a prevailing Motive to {fir up Chriltians to live

in Love and be at Peace among themfelves, for in {'0 does.

ing the God of love and peace [hell he with them. i ii

The Words being thus opened, we Ihallnow come

to the Doétrine which is this : P '

‘ l

Dofirine". ‘That God (as the God of Lane and Peace 
A will be with, and dwell among thbfe Chrijtian SOCi€..; I
" ties that Ii?/e in LOWE,-= and are at’ Peace among them;

felt/es. s P P

» In fpeaking to this Point,l {hall obferve the follow?
a ing Method. P   '
~ Firjt, Ilhall crave leave to proceed a littl-e further byj
V way of Explication. ' ' 1 i 1' ~
Secondly Enfstcs the ‘D9.&sins by .way of Free‘ an
_*;‘hirdty



 

D Clzrifficm Love. and Taffy. 9

?.

._’__,;_..._..,.‘....,,,.
\

‘ ‘ ‘*'g/-———-—-v——~————~%-—-»  .. . 4.4...._V... 4 4.
A

'1"bfrd{y,  ihaii endeavour to {how what God’s being

'with;,and dwelling among a People; as the God of Love
  and Peace dothimply :

An'd9 .
Fouribly, Make the Application.

Firfi, By way} of tlfxplicgtiong and here  fhali endea-is
vour to do the e T ree t ings: 4 , .

.1 /1. Show what vye are to und.er_i'tan by this Vvorci
Peace. 2dly.,- What IS meant byjcvzng In peace, or, when
a Chriftian Society may be laid to live in Peace.
gdly, Hovxcri, c;rLin whatd Senfe God is to be confidered
as the Go 0 ove an Peace. . , . . V

Butgto begin with the firii, As to the Word Peace‘
if mite tFake It 111 the iargefl: fenfeg It may be confidered
the e our ways. i g A

I . There is a Divine Peace; and that is Peczcen;z'tb God.

2. Thfere is a Spiritual Peace, and that is Peace with

C072 czenee. y t ,

ggjghere is 2} liliumcan Peace, and that i‘stPcace man
can our 6 am ~recztm’e.i ,

4; ;"he,re is an Eternal Peace, and that is Peace in

ecmen. at g r

A Ifl; As to this Divine Peace or Peace‘ mitia God - ‘ is

I _ _ 1 ' ., Ii.
that which the greatefl: part of Mankind iznotfvs little
or nothing of. They are nnacqsuainted with it, they

are {hangers to it, they‘ have no feeling, beiieving fenfe P

of it in their Souls. They are contentedly ignorant
of it, they feek not after it whilft they live, but many
are afraid to leave this World when‘ they come to die

fofwant of it :, for this Divine Peace,or Peaeeiwitlc God’;
is a peculiar favour, vouchfafed only to thofe whg;
arerchiofen in Chriii: ]efiJs, and called to abeysdints. It is
an Divine Reconciliation; brought about, and effeéied
by. and through the atoning Sacrifice of our‘ Lord ]efu’s
Chriit, who is the only begotten Son of God, and on-
ly Saviour of loft Man. Now by reafon of Sin, the

theairt of Man is fi1‘l’d with Ertmity againj} God,;=1€bm.— 8. 7. P ‘
,  = s ah

  , thereby hath reconciled Heaven and Earth,God and Man

’? i and therefore God hides his Face from the Sons of Men,
* as Ifa. 5 9. 2. Eat year iniaaities have /eparated between you
and your God, anal;/onrfins have hid his face from yea, that
he will not hearyonz, but jefus Chrifit, havingfatisfied for
fin, God is pacified, and that innate, natural, and inbred
Enrhity and Corruption that is in Man is by the applica-
tion of :Chrilt’s Satisfaéiion to the Soul deftroyed. For it
is by him, that we receive the atonement, Rom.§.11. And
he only hath made Peace by the Blood of his Crofs, and

together, Col. 1. 20. Now, it is upon this account, that
]e[i1sChri[t is called oar. peace, Ephefl2.I4.. For he is on?‘
peace, 81¢. Alfo the Prince of Peace, 1fa.9. 6. He is our
Peace-maker with God, -and he alfo by his Spirit and
Grace reconciles us again to God, and God to us. As
the‘Prophet Elijah {aid to the King of Jfiael in another
cafe, 2,I<'ings 3. 14. Were it not that I regard the prejence

 10 The Benefit and Excellency of A !
F

of ffehofizphat, the King of 7ncIah, I would not look towards i

thee, nor flee thee. So in like manner, had it not been
for that regard which God had to the Sacrifice and Sa-
tisfaétion of the blell'ed jefus, he would never have
looked towards, had regard to, or been at Peace with

tfinful Man. And therefore well is he laid to be one A

peace. Upon which account, further, the Apoftle adds,
being jnfiified by faith we have peace with God thi'oagh P am”
Lord ‘je/Ins Chrijt, Rom. 3. 1. By which limitation this
Peace is fl‘l€W€d, or fignified to be, not a Worldly, but a .
Divine Peace, that is, Peace with Goa’. Some have

thought, that by Peace in this place is meant Peace with
1\/1en.:, that is, that the f7ews fhould no longer contend
with the Gentiles about their Law, as tho’ juftification‘ P
came thereby, feeing the Apoitle had fufficiently prov’d ,
before, that Juftification was only by Faith -without P
WQYk5;_ But now‘ this cannot be the meaning of the
.,Apoft1e, for he fpeaketh of ifuch a Peace as we have
:1WithuGod,-and notwith Man. ’.2dl}:.! He fpeaks in
_the.LfirIl; perfon, We, butvhe’ himfelfi did.not..contefndi
it ‘  4 or

 

' C/ilri/Z3472 Love axed D2259»; ‘ It
for, but againfl: the ffewwa Rights, which others con-
tended for, and therefore he means a Peace with God,
through the Merits of Jefus Chrrft. In another place
the fame A poftle tells us, that God was in Chrg/i ,reeo22ez'l-
mg the World to himfielf,_ 2 Cor. 3119. How ? Ianfwer,
not reckoning, accounting, charging, Or (as Beza words
it) imputing their faults, or fins unto them; all agree
in this (who are Authentick and Orthodox) that Re-
conciliation’ and Peace with Ciodiis by and through the
Free.Grace of God not imputing our fins to us, R‘om.4i.,
5, 7, 8,Pfa1m 32. 1, 2. The Firlt Efficacy of the Death
of Chrifc is our jnfti-fication, and the ijext, or nearefl:
efi"e€.‘t or fruit of ]ufti.fication,lirseou;r Peace with God
thro’ our Lord jefus Chrift, Pezrem, on Rom. 3.1. Oh -1
wonderful Grace and Goodnefs, that fo great a Mere-
cy, as Peace with God fhould be bellowed upon fo

«unworthy aCreature as flnful Man ! This is a‘ Favour

d-eniedttos..falrl_e’n Angels,‘ and yet freely given to fallen
Man;-, and therefore it’s highly efleemed by all ferious,
thinking and fenfible Chri{ti‘a_r1s; the peace of God, is
laid to pa/‘gs all mvderflarzding, that is, all humaneiunden
ftanding, Phil. 4. 7. And therefore, the injoyment of
this Peace of God through om’. Lord fefm Chrifl, (injthe
want of all other things) is much better, and rather
to bedefired by the People of God, than the enjoyment
of all worldly» Blefiings in the want of this Peace. Ari
evident proof of this you have in the Choice of zlfofirr,
Heb.I 1.24,. to 27. O

2o'ly,Thereisa fpiritual Peace, and that is Peace 9;‘

, ' Conference, and ffoyirz the Holy Ghofi. For the Apoflle

having fpo en of peace with God in that Rom. 3,1. in
the 5th verfe he comes to; {peak of the loves of Goa’ as

fhed abroad in the heart by the Holy  S(}i1]€'.tfiinI{ ,

that by.Love in this Iext  meant, Man’s loive to
God, but I rather incline to their Opinion, who think

(its meant of the love of God to Man. JP/7? Sperm;

Sanfius eiileéiio efl, ~ eon enim hczhet homo, 1/m;:z'e. Dem}: ez'ili,-
2   got,

12 The Bemgfit and Excellent} of
got, nifi ex Deo, Aug.  The Holy Spirit I-lirnfelf is this  
Love, ‘for Man hath not ‘from whence that he might
love God‘; but from God himfelf." .M’an’s love toGod,
is only derived from God, i I 701972 4; '19‘. for We love n
lpim beczmfe: be firfi loved us That is, a believing Fenfe
ofthe love of God “in” Chrifl: *]efus to us, ‘k’indles"a
flame of Love in our Souls to God again.~ Therefore
this Love fhed abroadin the heart, is the love of God
to"us, that is, that Love wherewith We are beloved of
"God in Chritt, * called’ an everlafling love, 3'er. 3113'.
Now, when the Man is perfwaded to helieve that God
hath loved him in jeefiis Chrift with 'anever.1aflingf:love‘,
from hence arifeth fpiritnal Peace, or peace m'tbi‘Coin/Zi-
ence, and joyin the Holy Glaofi. ~ This Applicat‘ion‘ of
the Love of God in lefus Chrift by the Bleffejd Spirit
to the Soul, is that which Ambrojecalls; the P12372123 elm‘-
ritatixs Dei babemus in noibi/sh, (70. The pledge of theilowe of
God we have in us lay the Holy Spirit, Rev. 2.17’. its call-
ed a new Name, and a ’m!aite Sto;ie’wIJieb hone Ia}20wetbfl17J—
ing be that receiv/etbiit. And I S’o}m 3;‘ 10. He that believ-
etb on the*Son o‘fGod baththe mime/3 in him/elf; Hence
theconfcience being fprinkled with the Blood of’ the
everlailting Covenant, can" rejoice in ‘God through the
Lord jefus Chrifc, as“ a reconciled God and Father.
And‘ now’ the‘ Heart is at reft, and the Soul quiet, as
believing “that God is now‘ everlaftingliy 1‘e’conc'iled and
pacified, notwitliffaending a’ll‘forme‘r enmity. 7 Upon
this account the People of God are {aid to rejoice (faith
being in exercife)‘ witlyjoy zmfpealzable arid fail ofglor/1',
1 Pet. ‘I-.. 8. And thnsyoti fee what ismeant by fpiritnal
Peace, or Peace of Ciirzfcience, which Peace flows’ from
that Noble Grace of Faith in exetcife, as it apprehehds
and applicsjefus Chri£i','»with all his Caving, Benefits to
the Soul; from wirence theheart is“filled*with tranqui-
lity, refit, ioy andipeace, for the Kingdom of Heaven is
not meat and driefc, but rigbteozrfrze/}, andpeaoe, and  in
like Holy 5-Iaofig Rom.4,.I7. Therefore» the Apoflle adds,

 

aid

l

x

4,‘

--——-—‘l -————-—-———--r———vT‘.-—\_,v ~———--—————————-——\_._ 4...

\‘-,- .

A with Men.

7 C/3r2flz'a;~z Love and Unity;
Letthe peace of God rule in your “hearts, Col. 3,13. And

” Rom.r5.13. Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and T
peace in believing, that you may ahozmd in hope through the

power of the Hog: Ghoft.

A gally, There is a Human Peace, and that is Peace
Now this again is to be confidered, two
ways, firjt in 21 Religious, and fecondly in a Civilrfenfe.
firgt in a Religious fenfe, and that is, that Peace and
Love which doth or ought to abound amongft the Peo-
ple of God, even in this World, for they do often enjoy
"a blefled Peace among themfelves, in the obfervation of

, Chrifts Commands, and Celebration of his Ordinances,

Pfalm 19. 11., In keeping of his Commandments there’:

igtfleat reward. Now this is one part ofthat prefent TC?-
“watd which the Servants of God are bleft with in this

World',l  Peace and Love among thiemielves,
which is, that which our Apoitle in our Text earneitly
exhorts to, to live in peace as Chriitians in the due dif-
"charge of all Duties both in regard of God and Man, as

"th‘e"Apoftle did, A62: 24.16. It wasthe new Command-

ment which jefus Chrifi gave to his Apoftles, that

they {hould be at peace amohngft themfelves, and ihoulde

love one another‘, compare Mark 9. go. laft claufe of the

- Verfe with _‘7oh'rz 13.34. What elfe doth St. Paul mean,

Ephe[4.3. By keeping the unity ofthe Spirit in the bond‘ of

peace .? Alfo R9m.I4.i9. Follow the things that mahefor‘

peace, a71d'thingS whereby one may edifie another.   Once
more, he adds further, 1 Thefl". 5. 13. /_.l:~2d he at
peace amorzgft your jelves. Now all thefe with many’

 

"more, do aptly {iguifie that Love and Peace that is, or
at leait ought to be, among, the Saints, even In this 1

‘World. The Comzmmion of Saints is one Article of our
Creed, and therefore none i hope, will doubt of the
Truth of this Head, but rather take the Advice of the
Apoftle, Live in peace, &‘c. -

‘ zdly,‘ Human Peace may be conlidered in a. Civil
fenfe, and thatgis Peace with Men, as Men, or fellow
 * it * creatures,

 

I 4. e‘ The Benefit .az/ml,‘ Excel/eizcy of

creatures; Peace with our Relations, Friends, Neigh-

bours, Acquaintance, nay with all amongfl; whom we .

live, and with whom we are concerned or have to do,
and are daily couverfant with, if it can be had with-'-
out fin, H6b.I2.I4.‘ Follow peace with all men, and holi-
zzejs, without which no manflaall fee the Lord. Indeed this
is very rarely attain’d, by reafon of the wickednefs of
the wicked, for fuch is the malice and wickednefs of
fome, that they weillacit like their father the Devil,
Shhh 8. 44. For tho’ the Devil cannot rob the Saints of
Salvation hereafter,yet (ifpoflible) hevvill break their
peace, and give them difquietment and trouble here.
Now fomuch like the Devil are fome wicked ,.,men,
that they cannot or will not lettheir Neighbours dwell
in peace by them; but their Malice and Envy fairs
them up to play the Devil’s part in vexing and per-

plexing their innocent Neighbours, of which i.St. Paal -
ywas fenfible (no doubt) whenhe, ufeth thefe words,

If it he pa/fible, areas mach as in ‘yea lieth, live peaceably
with all men, Rom.t2..18. That is, be not you ‘the caufe

  ofdifcord and contention in anyiwife, gm no ofi’em:e

to the ‘jetvs, nor to the Gentiles, 1207' to the Church of God,
I Cor. 10.32. But with this Caution, tho’ weare to be at

eace with the wicked as Men,yet not as they are enemies 

of a.nd to the Lordjefus Ch rift, his Churchand People-,

nor with their Sinand Wickednefs -, we ought always ,

to fight and war againft fin and wickednefs, and _tO.fh€_W

our diflike ofiit, where, when, or in whomfoever we I

fee it. We are to be at peace with the wicked, as they

are God’s Creatures, but not with their ways and vi; .
V , Away from me)/e miclzed, fa.1ththe,Pr0-‘ -
D ephet, the} _/hall not jlaml in my flght,._ ‘nor dwell izz my

ces, as finners.

hoafe, 31¢-

Poarthly, There is an Eternal Peace, and that is peace

with God in Heaven, through jefus Chrift our Lord, or
Peace in the injoyment of God in lleaven toall ‘Eter-=
nity, as lfa. 57.2. They/hall enter into peace, they [hall

.   l refl

7

kl

N

Chrfliiaiz Lacie arid ‘Unity. 15»,
re’/t..i77 their Beds, each one walking in his uprightaefr.’
Peace enters into the People of God here, but they
{hall enter into Peace hereafter. He {hall enter-into
Peace, that is,into thefull Frnition and Enjoyment
lof God in the Kingdom of Glory, where he lhall en-
joy, an uninterrupted Peace and Reft, both from Sin
and Sorrow for ever and ever, Rev. 21. 3,4. Goclhim—

 will dwell with them, and be their Goa’, and wipe away

«
i

I
if

all tears fromtheir eyes, and there fhall he no more death,
neitherfiarrow, nor crying, or pain, for the former thing: are

S pafled away. The peace of God, that is laid to keep the hearts

and minds of his People in this World, Phil.4,7. is laid to
pafs all humane imderjiaadiag, as before-, how much
more lhall this eternal Peace that the Saints lhall enter
into after death, excel and tranfcend the molt inlarg-
ed Perception and Underltanding of Creatures, for
eye hath notfeerz, nor ear heard, neither hath entree! into the
heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them
that love him, I Car. 2. 9. In the Prefence of God, (in
Glory, ) is faliiefs ofjoy, and at his right haaa’ are pleajier-est
or evermore, Pfalm. 16. Ii.

, e Secondly, Wliat is it for a Chriifian Society to live
in Peace? 1 anfwer, to live in Peace is to cohabit onei
withanother, in a loving, friendly way and mannerl,
avoiding all occafions of Strife, Contention, Difcord

' and Divilion. This the Apoltle in our Text is preiling
~ upon the Coriathiaizs, live ia peace, (Te. That is, be 3,»:

peace one with another, let that excellent Grace of

, Love and Charity be in exercife among you always, for

Leave covers a miiltitade of faults. Live in Peace, that
is, let no part of your precions time be fpent in, {hiv-
ing and contending one with another. Live in Peace,
or live peaceably all the daylong, and all the days of
your lives. Life is a continualiniotion, and St‘,-Pgzai
here intimates, thatit is not enough fer Chrillsiana to
be at Peace,and live in Love a day in a Weel<,Mon.t-h oz:
Year,» or El1€§allk6,_4hi'uE he in thisffext teacheth ue,.,,thatf it

. , Otlghgt

 

16 The Benefit and Excellency of

ought to be our great care daily to get, preferve and
increafe Love, Peace, Amity and Friendlhip amonglt
all with whom we have to do ; exercifirzg our felves, as
he did, to bzwe always a confcience void of ofience toward:
God and Man. .

Obfiarwe. He lhews that this was his daily Work and
bufinefs, herein do I excrcz/E my filfs Z1/Zr maize: perfeéi‘;
We ought to accuitom our felves daily, to run the
ways of our Lord’s Commands, live in peace every
day, (To. zdly Obférm, He labours for"'a clear Con-
fcieuce, both as to God and Man, and“ that not only

now and then, but at all times, Day and Night. So",
ought Chrillians to be at Peace among themfelves at all .

nefs, a Chriftian may always fay concerning Strife and
Contention. 1 have no day or time for idlenej}. we}!
might a Chriltian fay, l have no day, no time for car.
nal Contentions, or linful Words or Actions, either this
way or that, butl am commanded to live in Love, and
to be at Peace with my Brethren.

‘Tbz'ro'ly, How is God fpoken of,or to be conlidered as
the God of Love and Peace? I anfwer, God out of
Chrift is czcon/irming fire, Heb. 12. alt. God abfolutely »

confidered, and as out of his Blelled Son, never did, P

nor never will difcover himfelf to Sinners, as the God
of Love and Peace. It was in Cbrzfi that God was re-,
eonciling the World to him/‘elf, 2. Cor. 5.19. And therefore
its in, by and through the Lord jefus Chrilt that God

is becomea gracious, peaceable, and loving God to fin- f

ful Man. Nay, in him he hath ltiled himfelftloe Godof

all Grace, I For. <5. IO. Goodnefs and Mercy, Peace and

Love lltreams down to us from the ever blelled God

through this new and living way, the Lord ]efus Chrilt, P

the beloved Son of God. And therefore as Elzflm {aid .
to the King of Iflael, 2 Kings 3. 14.. As the Lord .’i’z)gt‘b
before whom Ifizmd, j2n'£b’,~w£i'6. it, not that ,1 rc;gard the prg-

 o — Ijezzre

times, and in all places, and with all perfons,   érc, 1
What a Heathen once {aid of, or" concerning Idle-

T-_

\I_—'

Cbriffiotn Love and Unity. 17 T

1 . jeizee of jehofoploat the K ing of firzdob, I would not - 100% ,«Q_
[ ‘wards thee, nor fee ‘thee. Even fo, had it not b€,€[1WfQ[
that regard which God had to jefus the King of Glory
the would never havelooked towards us iniMercy,‘ or ,3;
the God of Love and Peace. God is love, I i_“7’ob72 4., 8,
i 16. but he is only fo in Chrifl: jefus the Lord therefore
, in a word, Whatever God in a way of Mercy, Love and
' Peace is to us, he is only to in and tphrough his dear Son
and our ever bleffed Saviour-, and only Redeemer, Rom:
. 1. We have peace with Goo’, how? I anfwer, through
om’ Lord jefits Cbri,/it: See alfo Rom. 5; 20. to the end of
‘A the Chapter. It is he, who hath reconciled in himfelf,
-Heaven and Earth, God and Man together in a
Way of Love and Peace, as before, Col. 1. :0. iThére‘_
fore how much we ought to ‘love, eiteem and value ]e-
fus Chriff,judge you. Again   , i r 4.
Secondly, We come now to prove the Doctrine, That
God as the God of Love ‘om’ Peace,_'g willrbe with, and dwelt
among tbofia Cloriflimz Societies that me 512107163 and are or
flpieaee among themfiilwer. p p ‘   ‘
A And Firfl, If we confider the nature of this Grace
‘of Love -, even from thence we] may draw an [ire
_ i-gument to confirm this great , tSoul—qniicl<ening
, and comfortable Truth before us. e,Godz's love, faith St:
‘ . §‘oIm, Love is his very Nature, for it is an Efl'entia’l Pro-a
; petty of his Nature, God may as well ceafe to he, as ceafe
to he a loving God, or the God of Love. Niloil ergo in
1360 eff, qztoci nozofit ipfe Dem. I’VoZIeb. There is therefore}
_ e-izotlaivzg in God, but what is God bimfialf. God isthie Founa
tain, Spring and Original of all true Loveand folid
Peace. Therefore we conclude, that feeing thefeiGr9;-
, gcesicome thus immediately from God, as the Scream

 

imparts of hitnfelf, asa graciousGod to his Chfldfgm
1 The Spirit of God is the Spirit oxf,Love, and ghegcfmg
‘Where Love is, God is -, for God,i5.1;£orz:e. lLo<7eiis, that,
wlrich of > all oth“er.thi,in’gs;. like_n3;ar”m;an_ 

’-from the Fountain,that God is and will b?e,v;/here he this» 7

 

1 3   T he Benefit zmd Excel/em} of

Chriflz, who is the hrightnefs of the Father’: Glory, and the
exprefs image of his perjim, (I-Jeh.I. 3.) and who’slove is
laid to pafi knowledge, Eph 3.19.

Ohfizrlzze, God in Chrilt may be faid to be Love in a
Threefold Senfe : 1]}. God is the onlyiadequate Ob-
jeét of Love, he is altogether deleélable and lovely,
there is nothing in God but what is truly lovely and
delightful to a believing Perfon. zdly, God is Love
effeétively,-, if there be any thing in Man that is love-
ly, it is from him, if there be any Love in us, it is
from him, We love him, becaufi he fir/I loved as, &c.
3011}, God is laid to be Love fubjeétively-, he is the sub.
jet} of Love, full of Grace, Goodnefs and Mercy, Love;
and Cornpaffion. God is Love in ahflrafio, Love, it is
the Divine Eflence of God himfelf. The Love of all
Men in the World is nothing to that everlaflting Ocean
of Love that dwells in God. So that you fee, where
true Love is, there God is, as being the Author, Om-
ginal and Subje€t of it. Now he is the God of Peace,
in the fame fenfe as he is the God of Love. He is tbg
God of Order and Peace, and not of Ptrife and confufion,
as 1 Com 4.33; So on the contrary, as God is, and dwells
where Loveis-, fo the Devil is, and dwells where Ha-

tred, Strife and Contentions are, as being the Author "
m di/-cordice 13‘ cohtentiomes, illic Diaholum ‘

of it. Uhi em
regnare cermm efl. Cal"?/in on our Text. For Where Dif-

cords and Contentions are, there the Devil certainly 

reigns; Vvemay be fure of the Prefence of God with
Love and Peace; and we {hall not mifs of the undefira-

ble company of the Devil if We livein Envy and Strife. D

God is the Author of one, but the,Devi1 of the other.
Hc,fays Cazltoimtneaning St.Paul, calls him the God 0fLo*ye
and Peace, who hath commended love and peace to us, and 1; ho
Z0’:/esethem himfelf, and who is the author of them. There.

s fore, feeingGod is the Author of,and hath. fo frequently
commended them to us, and who loves andidelights in '

 them, then it will follow, that where thefe are God is,
mid always” will be. — 5;.

I C/mfiian Love and Unity. 19
Secondty, We have various Inftancesin holy Scrip-

l ture which will corroborate and ftrengthen the fore-

going Argument, making the Point yet more clear and
evident, Pfalm 133.3. There the Lord commandeth the

blefling, even lzfe for erzermore. If any ask where this is? V

Ianfwer, it is where Brethren dwell together in Unity,

as in the firfl: Verfe. Now God in Chrilt being the Ori—-

inal, and Fountain of Life and Love, therefore he is,

and will be among thofe that live in love, and are at peace .

among themfelves.   The Saints are {aid to be made par-

takers of the divine natare, 2 Pet.1.4. Now there is no- ,

thing wherein the Divine Nature in Man, appears

“ more vifible than in the Principles and Practices of
i Love andPeac.e, He that dwells in love, dwells in Goa’, end

God in him, 1 ‘foh. 4. 16. The Believer dwells in God by
Faith, and God dwells in the-— Believer by his bleffed
Spirit 3 this is a plain and full Text, in my Opinion, to

O the purpofe in hand. Love and Peace are things {'0 de-
" lightful, and well-pleafing unto God, that where thefe

are, there he will be , Li-1/ein peace, and the God of love
and peace [hall be with yon.
Thirdly, There are fome abfolute, great and precious

Promifes in Holy»Writ, that do alfo confirm this Do-_
,"_ étrine. God promifed to his People Ifrael of old, Exoa’.

20.24. that wherefoerzer he recorded his name, he would come

and ble/3 them. So alfo in Gofpel-days, jefus Chriil: hath,

prornifed his people, that in the obfervation of his Com-
mands, he tvoald be with them always to the end of the world,"

Zi4at.9.8.2o. Love and Chriftian Concord is one of the;

great Commands of jefus Chriit, as appears, [Mark of
50. and have peace one with another. flgain, a new Com-.
mandment [give 1/mto yon, that you love one another, for 1:}
this all rnenflaall know that yon are my di/‘ciples yon low.
oneanother, :70/972 I 334,33. As if jefus Chriit, shad faid,
As Love and Peace declares to the World wiiellepyotu
are, and towhom you belong, pfo {hall it,beian,,undou‘Dt—
edrevideince of my being with, and dwell»ing’arn,ongft

‘ A i   D 2 ‘ you

A, - — -r--emu->»

go The Benefit aad Excellency of

you always to the end of the World. ]efus Chrilt left
Peace with his Apoftles, 3‘oha 14.27., Peace 1 leave with

~ withyoa, my peace I give aate yoa,&c. Again, As he

{peaks Peace at his leaving of ‘them, {'0 he begins his
firlt Words afterhis Refurreflion with Peace, §’ohr: 20.

I 9. fiefasflaivzcling in the mia'fl,faz‘d, Peace he tcyoa. NOW“

this fhews us, that }el'us Chrifl: requires that his Follow-T
ers ought to live in love, andto be at Peace among
themfelves. And then there is our Text, the Apollle

‘doth not fay, it may be, or peradventure, or perhaps.

God may be with you-, no, he lays it down in the aflir-

imative, the God of Peace and Love/hall he zvz'th_yoa., If is A
a bleffed and gracious Prornife, brought in by way of l
Motive, to ftir, and incourage the Corinthians to the‘

conltant exercife of that excellent Grace ofiloove. God
is with, and among all Men as the God of Wifdom,
Power, juftice and ]udgm‘ent, for he fills both Heaven

and Earth, [7‘er,. 23. 24. Buthe is with, and dwells‘ a—_ ,

mongli thofe only, as the Godof Love and Peace, who

labour to‘ live in love, and to he at peace amozzgfi ‘them-—;

felves. I A
Third!)/, What doth the Prefeace of God with a Society,

of Chrifiiam, as the God of Love azzcl Peace imply? I
anfwer, Fir/t, It implys thus much, that God “thereby
ownshimfelf to be the God of thofe perfons (ainongft
whom he thus dwells) in aCoVenant-way through the
Lord jefus Chrill. Now‘ for‘iGod to ‘ own bimfelf to

be the”’God of a Eeople-,f Church,’or Chriliian Society,‘ l

is a*‘icomprehen‘five Blelhiig, and implys much, more
thanis exprelt. This will plainly appear, if we con-
fider the Nature ofa Covenant-Relation to Godthrough
jefus Chrift.  For when God ‘fays to a“’Church or Chri-A’
iliim Societyc, I arh“yoer God inCovte‘r1ant,  this is as
if he ifhoul_d fay,"I, aria yours, and what I am, I amifor‘
jrou, what lhave.,} itigiss for your cgood“here“,cl and Leveri-
iafiiugildappinefs» liei"eafter,i ‘what I can do, I will
 foryou,for  ycizrs,beca:§,’£»,}%c.nzare ‘mice, at ‘Cor,3;32:

*V':~.»:  t 4_.- ,. .,—.,_ ?;,   _;   ~  

€_: -

{___£

 

l

l

7 many, t‘heiriefore' ‘you iihall be happy.

C/mflimz Love and Unit}: 21
My Power, that is infinite, {hall be imployed in pre-

ferving and defending you. My Wifdorn that is fun:-'

parallel, {hall providefor, and difpofe of you. ,My
Grace, that is unfearchable, is‘ given to you, and fhall’
be fufiicient for you, to bear you up here, and to make
you eternally happy hereafter. My Love, e~ that is ever-
lafting and unchangable, isfixt upon, and {hall «never

be taken -away from you, Jffezlm 89. 34., 33. My Good;

nefs, that is inconceivable, is made over to you, in and

through my beloved Son the Lord ]efus.i ‘ My llndeita

Itanding, that is infinite,‘ hath been c“ontiriv’ini‘g a way
how to make you happy from before the lfouniclation of
the Wor'Id. Ihave been in the idepthsofniy infinite
Wifdorn, .1ayingthe Scene ‘of a ftupendious Eeliveré
ance from Death and ‘Damnation, Hell and=De{tru-r
élion. My dear Son wasgiven for you, to diea curfedi
Death on Earth, that you might live a glorious Life in“
Heaven. My exceeding great and precious Piro‘r"nifes,,
Which are many, are given “as Pledgesofi‘ my»Lov'ei to
comfort and‘ incourage you in this World to hold on,
and to hold out to the end in a way of nevvobedience,

and powerful-igocllinefs, that you might be faved. e'F0r ,

I will be rirereiflzpl to your tmri,gbteonfi7'efs, and your fin: and
iniqaities I ‘will remember no more, H6b.8.I2'. Nay in a

' Word, I will bepyoar God, (ma. your guide ewmmto deaHe,_

emdyorzr,exkfeedingigrekzt reward in eternity.
isiholy, th'erefor’e you fnall be holy.

My Nature
My Mercies are

My eRighteo"uf-
nefs is everlaftyishg, thereforeryou {hall be made"r‘ighteous
in it. pal wi,ll:’ll3e,graciou's in pardoning your fins, and
I will be ‘ready and neiarto help you in all Itraits. I
will be both a {hitable ,anid*ap feafonable good to you‘-,
for I will be/I’crength,,inweaknefs, comfort in trouble,
fafety inldaniger, inay, I"‘vvfill be Life in Death-, and my
WonderfulGralc‘ef'hier€,‘ fhall ‘make you meet for Glorfy
hereafter-,1 wiribe all iri"ael1t‘o you,for where,or to whom
féev‘er1’ama'oou1 will be an everlalling good. a And {Ea

Flush taayfstts in eensral-s   St-

 

.tor,

a them good, I will come and blefs you.

 

2 2 The Benefit and Excellency of 3

-Secondly, and more particularly, The Lord’s Prefence
with his People, as their God in Covenant, alfo implys
prefent help and fuccour in all ,dlllZI‘€lT€S and troubles,
P/Zzlm 4.6. I. ‘T be Lord 15 a_ very prefent help in
trouble, to comfort, help and alliit them, both as to Soul
and Body. The Hebrew Word fignifies, that God is

owerfully,fufliciently,eflicacioufly,much,nay,very much
found in the time of trouble, danger and diftrefs. Or,
as fome read it, eafily found, or findable, z’. e. ready at
hand,or ready and apt and willing to help. God will be
to us a hopeful fhelter,and a ftrength, ahelp in diftrelles,
we ihall find very "great-, Ainjivortb on the Text. The
Lord ftands not among his People, as an idle Spe&a-
but as an all-fuflicient and able Actor, upon all oc-
cafions, for their good and his own Glory. He comes
not empty-handed amonglt his Churches and People,
where has Name is recorded, as before -, No, but he comes
on purpofe, and with a defign to blefs them, and to do
Nay, and not on-
ly blefs you with the leaft, but with the greateft blefl
iings,viL.Etermzl Life,P[1 3 3.3. This Blefling of the Lord
makes truly and fpiritually rich, Prev.1o.22. God will
difcover himfelf as a prefent help in extremity, Pfczlm

l

I8. 6. In my diffre/E I cried unto the Lord, and be heard _

me, and delivered me, {aid holy David. ,

Tbirdly, The Prefence of God with sa_People as their ,

God in Covenant, implys Succefs and.P'roi'perity in their
lawful llndertakings and Imployments. It is our Duty

A to labour, but fuccefs thereunto is the Gift of God.

What our Apoftle fays, as tothe Work of the Mi-
niftry .( I Car. 3. 6, 7. I have planted, and flpollos wa-
tered, but God gave the irzereaje. So again, ’tis true,
Paul preached, but the Lordvoperzed t/oe beer; of Lydia,
.452: I6.I4,.) We may fay, upon good grounds, of all
Trades, Bulinelles and Works in the-W.orld, Man may‘,
and ought tolabour, and that with dilig.ence, but God
only can give fuccefs, and make his labour profperous.

*   3 r. The

Chrifliarz Love and 'Um'ty,. Q3

The Holy Ghoft tells us plainly, that the Race 5; my
to the fwift, 7707’ the Battle to the /trong, neither yet Bread
to the Wife’, nor Riches to Men of Uaderjlaadiag. Which
plainly fignifies this much _to us, that good Succefs,evcn
to and in our fecular Affairs, or worldly Bufinefs, de-
pends principally upon the Bleffing of God. Where

1 the Prefeuce of God is, all is well, and they need not

fear Succefs, with whom the Lord dwells. Therefore
it is {aid of ‘jofeph (tho’ Sold as a Slave into Egypt)
that he was a fuccefsful, and profperous Man, my what
ever he took in Hand pro/pered, and the Reafon is pre-

* fently added, and that is, becaufe the Lord was with
him, Gea.39.2,3. Nay, tho’ he be wrongfully com-A

mitted to Prifon, the Lord was with him there, {how-
ing Mercy to him, giving him Favour in the fight
of the Keeper, making whatfoever he did to prof-
per, '2/er. 21 , 22, 23. It is a great Mercy to have the Pre-
lence of God with you, in your Meetings together,
and in your Undertakings in the World, for the Lord
hath promifed, to thole that delight in his Law, and
walk in his ways, that whatfoever they do {hall profper,
Pfalm I. 3. As long as Iflael of Old, had the Prefence
of God with them, they were {'0 profperous and fuc-
cefsful, that no Enemy could {land before them, but
when God was gone, they became a Prey to thofe that
hated them. What Natio72,fo great, Deut. 4‘. 7. and that
hath Godfo nigh them, &c. This made them great, and
profperous,honourable, and renowned. So on the o-
ther Hand, Mans labour is infignificant, nay, to no
Purpofe, and in vain, without the Blefling of God, as
as is evident, Pflzlm 127. 1,2. Except the Lord haild the
Hoa/e, the} labour in ‘vain, that build it, except the Lord

keep the City the Watchman watches hat in vain, it is vain A

foryoa to rifiz up early, to fit gap late, to eat the Bread of
Sorrow:,&c. lt’s in vain to watch, it’s in vain to work,
it’s in vain to wake, and wait; nay, all that Man can
do is in vain, an.d‘to no purpofe y\'ithout_ the Erefence,

  and

T  The Beziefltfaiial Excellency cf
* and blefling ofthe Lord our God. Read alfo at your
 leifure, Hag. 1. 6, to 13. verfe, where the Lord tells

them, T hat they looked for much, but it came to little, and
‘ when ye brought it home I -did blow upon it. What was

the Reafon of that? Might fome fay, I Anfwer, be-
caaje my Hozifiz lieth xvafle, &c. That is, becaufe by
Sin, they had driven the Lord from them, and there-
fore it is faid, aflbon as they had laid the Foundation
of his Houfe the Lord was ‘with them, from that very
Day, as you may fee if you read on. So alfo might
you expeét the Prefence of God with you, and his

Blefling upon you and yours from this very Day-, if —

you do but take at the Advice of St. Paul in our Text,
Live in Peace, and the God of Love, and Peace /hall he
with you. It is {aid of David when made King, 1 C hroiz.
1 1. 9. That he waxed greater and greater, and the Rea-
fon follow, for the Lord of Hojls was with him. The
Prefence of God, makes great, profperous, and fuc-
cefsful in all we do. The Argument that iofloaa and
Caleb made ufe of to incourage the Children of I/rael
~not to fear their Enemies, was Their Defeace is depart-
eel from them, and the Lord is with as, Numb. I4... 9.: Oh!

therefore live in Peace, and the God of Love, and Peace
[hall be with yea, and then you need not fear who are, "

‘or who can‘ be againil: you.

Foiirthly The Lords Prefence with his People, as
their God in Covenant, implies alfo, prefent Confo1a-  

tion, and fpiritual Joy. They cannot be without Light

who are near.-the Sun, {'0 they, that are near to God, i

in Chriit, cannot be without fpiritual Confblations.
_Iii thy Light, lays the Prophet, we fhall fee Light, Pfalm‘
36. 9. Andsfo having thy Prefence, we cannot but feel

,‘Confolations. Lord, lift zip the Light of thy Ccimteaaace

“upon as. lWhy/? I Anfvver, becaufe that will pm more
.30} and Glaclizefs into om’ Hearts, then great iiicrea/is of

Corn and Wine, Pfalm 4. 6, 7. Hovvfu-llof carnal joy

:1-
a

are the Men of this World, when their Barns are‘ full,
 ' and

 

2

Chriftiazz Love and Zhzitjr; 9'

I and their Prelfes do overflow ?  howtmu-th tnore’_

doth the Prefence of jefus‘ Chrift fill the Souls of his

People with fpiritual Confolation? 'I?_heitLo.rd is raid.

to he a Sim to enlighten dfid‘ comfort the Saints, ds‘zlvel1ta.{*
a jhield to defend them, Pfalm 84,. I It: to Solomon faith, It
is ap1ea{'a‘nt thing to behold the Sun, Eec1.~  *7. T ml)»
the light is fweet,“andt aiplecyant thing it 1'5-for.t:he eyes to
behold the Stm. But th‘e~fI¥1'gl*1t:of ‘thigh World is not fol
fweet tothe Body, a.sth“e-:Li.ght of God?s;ocm-icenance
is to the Soul. eNeither~isith‘e beeholNd~infg..of,the Sun in
the Finuament fo pleafant: to the eyecttofn-Seinfe; as the
Sun of Righteoufnefs is touthe‘ eye of‘Faith. ; ‘If there
be fozhzefsiofjqy in his 1prlo[enée‘t above, t-hexiei mutt needs
be fo_mewhat of joy and‘lConfolationtinwthe Prefenece
of God‘”he‘re below; Tho’ I walk throughethetmllciy of
the flmdotveof death I wiflfeat no evil, for thou art tmi-th me,
thy rod ar‘2d'thy ftafi they comfort the; The Prefence of
God, you fee, affords Com-fort everyway to his Peon-_
ple, thwart with me, there is that which phtslacfpecial
Accent upon the Senfe of the Prophet,‘ vvhenrhe {peaks
as tho’ Déath it felf w0:—tld~not-., could notfnakec him afra~id;
So thatiits evident from hence, that the Perefenceof om‘?
Lord, tho’ intaffliétion, works in beIiev~inggSio.uls Di-5
vine Comfort and Spiritual Confolaftion,>4for thy rod
and thy  theyficomfort mo.   His blefl‘ed;_and Soule
comforting‘fPrefencehcaufes lieglit to ariife1'~ien defrknefs,‘
and often turns the fl'la‘dow of death into’ the morning;
for faid t?h;e; Church of old ———-J/Vheh: ,1 fit}?! dafknefi
the Lordifhollibelia lightitmtojme, Micah 7.81.: . 
’Fifthl},1 God’s b‘eingweaith,.teand dwelling atflongif
Chriftian Societies, leivi"n~g>in Peace, alfocitnpliesta/Sari
defence, fhfeguard and prbteition for the Lordcfetsi an
invifible Gtlatd roundabout them tha‘.tTt1jnly fear him.
See Zech.2. I will be‘7the‘GIory  the _m1'-‘o?fl‘0f,1 azgéla ipall
of fire romidv about her, tneani~ng: his glhurch.  That i§,:-
1 will foivdefend and ptoteé-‘t fth?eth, t';hat?thei.r* enemies
{hall not be able to wound, rnnch lefs todjelflhéoyt thetm
  3 Nay;

1*

  l : .qrtevaongeirca1l:Love. ,   e:  

95; h The rBen-fefit ¢¢rd,.Excel/erzcy of
Nay,athol'e‘thacprefumeito come, near toahurt them,
_l  {hall be dellt’-royed and confumedas with fire.  Wall
 of fire is lioth iolfenfive and defenlive, its terrible to
r the ‘wicked, but itslvery comfortable, and for a defence
to the Peo’pl€l-of God: As ethe_~~P1llar of Fire you read
of Exod.14.24. itfvvas for a defence to the [children of ‘
I/hzel,‘ but for 5:21 terrour: anddread to the Egyptians.
The Prefenicelof God is as Armour Of Pf00f to defend
his peopwfrom ‘ball Dangers and ‘De[lru&ions,and out of
all their afl‘1i€tio“ns, as Pfalm?34-19+ A5 the M0””t4i”5 475'
round aboutfierufalem, fiw irs-:tlae;-Lord I’QW7.d 450".’ 3537” that
fear him bcnchforfla? and for -ever;,: Pfalm 12;. 2. And as
before if the Lord is notonly a Sun to enlighten, and
cgmfoirc -3; butzheyis alfoia Shie1d_tod_efend, and be as
a fafeguarfdnntorthem that truft in h1_m. a God being
inthe Camp oflfrael, and commanding his Blefling
on them,w,ag.,the only reafon that wicked Balaam_cou1d
not prevail aggirnlt them, Nunzb. 23.2o,26; This was
God’si Promifefto "Abrzzbam, Gen. I 5. I. I am tby /bield,
Andas the Prophet Ifaiab. hath it, 26. 1. vsalrvation
i God appoint’ for walls and bulmarks. As longas God
was with Szzmpfon, all the power and pol1_cy of gthe Pbi-r
liffines could not hurt him,. but he c'arr_1edall before
him, but whenthe ‘Lord was; departed from, him, he
{hon be,can'1e°*aiPre’y unto them that hated him, f7ztdges
16. 2o..51*ni>ili»(faid he) go outmzd /halzac, my "fiilf as at \
other times L; bucthe Text [€‘.1]S,_';.Ygll., be rvzfihnot that the
Lord Wd5'.‘_'dgP;1ft6d2 from Ioz'm.f;‘ If God_,be_ VV.:l_t,h and for
ué, whoican be agaeinfi: us, orahurt 118?. butjlf thfi eL0I‘Cl:
leave ugrwho can preferveand deliver us? therefore
raid God we-,1/min, We ,toy0a.mbw I departfmyvtta Hofl
19:12.44 When’ the Lord departs, all true fpiritual com-
lfartfi alnd‘; confolation, afuccefifanod pI'€>§E€‘3:i°D dF"P3T§3
:'w:ich,,him..;L.,?T.h1]s you hav»e‘r;hea.rd What ,3 M€;rcy,it is to
have,Godiviiith,:‘and to dW.e11:aII.101lg Your:-~5=9T...Wh,3.t, their. ,
?Pmtion is‘,::..wlro.él”eav.ea to *and;+pUrli1e aft¢F?_the. Royal,

And

 

 And fo much may ferve for —theDo&rin.alpa1‘tl : \7Ve

.l

<?j—. 7_nj:' ggglzl rvv

lC/Srflizuz Lbve.:gm»d,l U22} “j 37,

nowcometo the Application. -   a = i . 
And mm: of all by vvav of 1nf0I‘mati0n;.,l Is this,fo:-,

that God as the God of Love and Peace. will belpwith-, l

and dwellamong thofe Chrii’cian Societies, that¥~llive:

in Love, and are at Peaceiamong themfelves ?,why then;

from hence we may firfl: learn, Howsmuch it c,oncer,n,s,
us all this day, to take into our mofta ferious Confidee,
ration this Doctrine, with what hath {been ,i'poken_~~,t.o__:
it in opening and provingof it : That,.fo from thence
we might be ftirred up to protnoterand practice love‘
and peace with, towards, and among all with whom;
we have to do. i Love and Peace is la,Dutythat every?
Soul and Society of Chriltians, of what a Petfwafion fol-t
ever, without helitation, ought to con.l'en;t unto, and
without any further delay to ingage init, Live z‘npeace,.j
r’3‘e. You fee the Apollle fpeaks indefinitely, to ,.a,1l,;
to every one without any exception, be of one mi22d,li'z/e~
in peace, and the God of peezceflmll be rvitbyou. , Oh 1 there-%
fore, let us all endeavour to know, and; doourDuty in
this particular as well as in others, that we may from
hence forward, as muchas in us liethg 1;~i*_Ue..peaceably.
all men, but efpecially withkall that are _Chrifl:ians, ;in,-;

, deed, that is, with all the Saints and People of God,

without exception, however otherwife called byflvvay
of diftinélcion among.Men.  e   -K  I-‘.'T::'
Secondly, We may hence infer,‘tha:t the Sin of-Difqp

.,
,.
-.1
"T

_» cord, Hatred, and Contenti,on, is atver-y ;»greeat_;,Sing

monftrous in its own Nature, and..fatal“‘in.its d,i;l}n,qL
efFe&s.~ For it is-a Godwprovolting S_,in,, in‘itsAfelf,~3,a;i,1cal+
it is both the Mother and Ncurfe O'l"-I,I_-],3?f,l3l,*;Hc_Q_[*l]_Clf Ԥ1~,qg;,
james 3,16. F,‘0r_"m[9E)r8. ezzvyieg Q2761:;fi7’1%f?}j.f',-.'**!£?€f§€;~,§i'{
confit/ion, and every e'zfz'l 'n?0-7,J2~., ~\7Vl1erfe,the1§e 1‘=,eig»n,a;l1e ga-
is nothing: but, WlCl<[€dD€f3r,i3§¥1d.,F€b€:1l.i0fi:?3g%l£1lft,Q3.- A
Strife fol1.oW$th:rEf-!VY,~,: e'i‘I1,d*»ef5;€d'H'i0}Qf?viflljovyetht-.S_tf_r4: l
and all: ,l~mann€,r. of fin~.ran.d" =twitkedfi§3f$,}fQuQW.e’§11-'{S§§

'. diriont.  zlll; .4,&;ff‘e€1,i0ns;, div=id;r: :ea,s 13;c,l1;.a,s’ +‘i1.=l : lOpjn;imw-.=

E 2 "There-y

 

  where envyings and cbntentionjstare, we need no other

28 The Benefit and Excelleggcj of V ‘
for

 herefore look well to youruown hearts and lives, ,
God is the God of order, and not afcozzfufion, as in all the ;
Churches, i 1 Car. 14. 33. Every evil work abounds

Comment on thofe words, bht our own daily experi.
ence. Th_eiDevilnev_er had a greater opportunity to
carry on his Kingdom of Darknefs in than in thefedays I
of ‘fin and wickednefs, wherein Envying and Strife,
:Con—tentionsand Divilions do To much abound in all i
places, and amongfl: all Per-fons, Societies and Families,
That this is a Sin in it felf, and in its own nature, is
plain 5’ for if  and Peace be fuch excellent Vir-
tues, thensttife and Contention muit be notorious Vi-
ces. Coint-raries put together, fhine the brighter, or ‘
one contrary ‘proves the other. The Vail appears
blackeft when it is neateft the beautiful face: So this
_Sin_of Strife and-i Envy appears molt deformed, hateful
and odious, being brought near to thofe beauti- »
ful ‘Graces of‘Lo72e, Frienaf/hip and Peace. lcannot fay r
niore! in thelpraifeland commendation of the one, than
I’5oug!ht upon goodground to fay in the difpraife and
 rifparagernent of ’th’e' other. Now, that thisis not on-
lye fin in it felf, but the caufe of many other fins, is evi-
fclent; for it opens  way, and difpofes perfons hearts
toiand, for anyievil work, as we have lhewed before.
Porias Love and Peace ‘likens us to God -, fo Envy and
Strife likens to the Devil, this is his lrnage, and what
h‘e="deltight"s in; for as! mentioned before, where thefe i
dvreitrhere _t'h‘e*Dfevilireigns’in Triurnph l‘l‘liere is no-

1.

ifliingiinithel Worldst more ofiénfivseito God", and deltru;

ériiveto lMa.n1.:%LhanthlSJ Gazl.5;ztg.s Becaufe as Low and 

Peéée upropmotfiisjll the Kingdom of Jefus Chrift, to EH4
if  ii‘a*rldiSti1‘ife ‘promotes the Kingdom of the .
£g'_e"_'il.* ‘*_1~tf’T"clepr-,i:vie,r, the Sofnsof Men of the greatefh
*brsihg?'§'upon ith-em the‘ greéatefti evil. The
.'efi'§‘oylne'n§"-of’Gi$d“lVirii .€3hriPc,‘ as‘ a God" in“C3ov»enant;»

’%‘fie'§?g;tis1ateit“§9dhd and  ilappinesfs .-, land the~re.‘:* 1

fort:

 

l FWWH, isimfelf and

y

C/vrzflhm Love and Unity: pr 29

, fore’ the want, and lofs of this is, and mufl: be accounted
ill the greatelt Evil. -All that are near to h1m,ihall be bleft

with endlefs lrlappine~fs, andyliternal Life-, But all thq
that are far from God, {ball perifh, Pfalm 73. 27. That
muft needs be the greateft Evil, which robs or hinders

a Man, a Church, or Chriftian-Society, of the great-- A

elf Good, viz. the Soul comforting Prefence of their
God, in and through the Lord jefus Chriit, as their
God in‘Covenant, but want of Love does it, therefore
this of Divilion andContention moft certainly is the
greateli Evil. , A A

‘T/airdly, We hence might fee the Reafon, why the
Soul—quickening, and comforting Prefence of God, is

~ fo much withdrawn from this Generation, and fo lit-

tle enjoyed by Perfons, Churches, and Chriftian Soci-
eties in our Days. Alas! might not the bell: Chrifti-
ans, andithe molt reformed, and purell: Churches, fay,
with ;7'ob of Old, Oh that it were with us, as inaDays pa_/1',
when the fC'cmdlc of the Lord fbined upon our Tabernacle.
There is not that vihble Appearance of our Lord ]e-
fus, walking among his golden Candlefticks in our
Days, as hath been in Days paft. His own chofen, fe-
parate, and {elect People, are now Mourning in the
want of their Lords Prefence amongfc them, and we
have Reafon to believe, that the want of Love, and
Peace among Saints, is the great (if not only) Caufe of
this.A heavyjudgment indeed landiyet not,as it ought to
be laid to Heart, or the Caufe of it lookt into. The
good Lord awaken this droufie Generation out of this
linful Sleep of unconcernednefs and fecurity, for the
lofs of the Lords bleiled Prefence ought to be laid to
Heart and lamented, that {'0 he may yet once more re-
turn to have Mercy on, and Delight to be with, and
and dwell among us; As David laid to his Brethren,
in another Cafe, fo 1 fay to you in this-, is there not:
Caufe‘why God is gone, and jefus Chriit hath with-
his blelled Spirit from ‘us, furely

' A Y“:

go The Bemfit and Esiccefleugz of

 

yea, and why lhould Ifear to fayhthat our Divilions, ,

and Contentions, are the Caufes of it. Alas! his bleil

. fed Prefence, is in a great Meafure gone, from Nati-

ons, Churches, Corporations, Companies, Familes,
and Perfons. You can hardly find a Man, that walks
with God, and God with him, as heretofore. There-
fore we may (I think fafely conclude, that the Rea-
fon why the Cloud 0 his gracious Prefence goes not
before us in our Days, is this, the want of true Love,
one to and for another; for this is implied, that if
Love and Peace, be a means to get, obtain, and enjoy
God's gracious Prefence with us ; furely then, the want

thereof, muft needs be the Caufe, or Reafon of our be—” j

ing fowithout it, or {'0 long in the want ofit.  
; Fonrthly, We hence Learn or infer, That thofe Men,
who are of a loving, peaceable, and quiet Spirit, are

‘ indeed the belt Friends to Churches, and Chriftian So-

cieties-, nay, to thelnterefl: of Jefus Chrifl: in the
World. That Man mull: needs be a very ufeful Mem-
ber, that {hall be an Inftrument, or Meansoto get’ and
keep the Prefence of God in and with that Church or
Chriftian Society, to which he belongs-, and therefore,
they who are fuch ought to be duly efieemed, beloved,
and regarded, by all concerned with them. Blejfed are
the Peace—malzers, for they [hall he called the Children of
God, Mat. 5.9. It is laid, That Love overcomes all
Things, therefore a Man who is guided by a Spirit of
Love and Meeknefs, often prevails both with God and
Man, for fo did that excellent Man of God, I mean
_,/‘llofies, in. many T,hings,as we could makeappear more
at large, were it needful. Such a Spirit would do
great Things in the World, andgrpeaterin the Church,

 

and therefore let us Prayj for it, and earneltly Delire it. C

4 eFifrhl)'-, And on the other Hand, we fee, who are
the greateft Enemies, to Chriitian SOCl€tl€S:,._’Z/Z.Z..:
Thofe who are Perfons ofenvious, difquiet,and con-
tentious Spirit. If thofe WllO;ZI7Cf guided byWthe,Spi.1‘it

. r - e i ‘ n  e “ of

- L?._,

l"

‘ of Love, -and who aresfor compoling Differences, re-

j‘.

g.

  C/Jrz:/iiczzz Love and rUm't]. 3'1:

moving Preiudices, making up.of Breaches and the linke,
be the bell; of Friends-, then it Wlll follow, that thofe

I who are contentious,.proud, envious, and Self-will"fd,a

and conceited, abounding in their_ov’vn Sen{'e, are the
greateit Enemies, to -Chriftian Societies, and lChurChes.

a The Reverend Mr._?’er. Burroughs, fpeaking of con-

tentious, turbulent Perfons,  the Churches of jefus’
Chrifiz,-calls them fmgking E1re—bran,ds-, for faith he,
theyare rather preiudmial, and offenfive, then,fer.vice-

able, profitable or pleafant. How ,_many fuch are there
. amongfb us at this Day ?, Whofe daily Praétices prove
A them it fuch, as are _both hurtful and ofienfive to thof:

among whom they are, The Apoflle in his Day, com-
plained-e of Bufie-bodies, Medlers with other Meus
Matters, 6.’9’c. -And may not we complain of a Gene-
ration of Men, who. are Sowers of Difcord among Bre-
thren, Who ftir up, -and foment Strife, and Contenti-
on: Vltell you again, they are the greateit Enemies to
Religion in General, andto thofe,Churches in particu-
lar, where they are,,and to whom they belong. Oh!
thatthofe whofe Cafethis is would but confid-er, that
our Lord, and Lajwgiyer, our Prince and Saviour hath
prognounced a VV,o,againf.t them. A/fat. 18. 7. We to
the i’V0}fId [gecmzfia of Offences, for it mtg/fmieds be tb4t.Of-
fiance: come, bzzt._,;po,,rq,tba.t Man by whom 0fl’ence: tome.
That is,’ Wo to ,thein,that are the Caufes,or Inltrniments
ofany Qflence in .the,VV orld, but much more, Wgaoahto
himijthat lhall Caufe Offences in the Church, fofiiz is

 better a ,Mill-Prone were -hanged abouthis Neck, and

he  ,caIt into :"'the‘S‘ea0‘ , Szuch _ Men ought to l<now,~.~leit
their Er_ofelT1on_'-be -v§{hat._,;1t‘-will, that they are no better

not .nQb[her,_ i1;het1_ I2_;r3’;€:uq.i€S t0 the Crofs, Of Ch1‘..ii’i3,’i2'lIld .

to t1’i_s,(3_“,,it,rn,rches, andfeoaple; iandtl1'e,refore, they ought
t9_ tragic.’fa-"Mark;,fe»t3i-up_on them,._that. they might, ..be

k_nojwn,,%Rom. i1_.6.~I,'7. ;-;Mark‘ them,-. tsb4t can/E Dim:/I971:

The lAp0_-

an41~g,o,$;pce: amoflgfigygia, and _ A avoid’ the m. g
_ by ' V i W ’ ‘file

   ll

 ‘T/ae Benefit zzml’ Exce//cm} of

file hereby intimates, that they are as Acbam inthe
Camp, and will Certainly do mifchief, if not difcove‘.
red -, therefore avoid them, have as little to do as pom.
blc with them. Sothat you fee, who they are that are
the greatefc Enerniesto Chriltian Societies-, even thofe
who are the Caufes of Strife, and‘, Divitions amon 
them -, for thereby they will moft certainly loofe the
gracious Prefence of theirGod with them, as their
God and gracious Father,’ Preferver and Bencefalétor.
Sixtbly, Is, this~fo, that God“ is with, and dwells a-

mong, fuch as live in Love, and areat Peace am»ong,~
themiizlves‘-, then‘ this Doéirine 15 full of Confolation,

Comfort, and In‘coi1r‘agement, to ‘p all .fuch Churches,
Society, and Family, who make Confcience of putting

this Duty into Praéiice. They need not fear their E- ‘

nemies, tho’ netrer fo many or potent, for if God be
with you, who, or what can hurt you, Jf_God be for

yohe, who can be againfi you, Rome. 8. I7’. Itis reported ‘
y of Zllaximilianthe Emperor, that the was for affeéied

with, and did fo admire this Portionof Scripture, that
hecaufed it to be Written over the Table where he ue
fedto Dine, andsupg that having itoften in his Eye,
he might never let it flip out of his Mind. Wbo can be

againfi us? that is, who can beagainft us fuc_cefsfu\lly,"

none" can be againfi us fafely-, fuch‘ as rife up againft

the Saints, God will rife up againft them. This is a.
Note of Certaintyiand not of Ambiguity, as if he had _

fai‘d’God is, and will be with us, therefore none are

or can be againfifus, fo as to hurt, undo, or deitroy,
‘us; ,P]2zlm 43. 7. ‘Tbs Lord of Hoff’: is with m‘, the iGo¢_l V’

of rjacob is our Refuge, j Therefore who can be againft
us *rationa,lly, itgis ,n’ot,fo much what tlieysuar,e,%‘de,f4i‘

50,“ in theThin’g'it felf,_asw‘hatithey‘are de jfiire,  '

rightrori What they ought to be, as rational Creatures}
Wb_o_can be againft as ?"that is, iefFe'€iuaIly~ ro%r,a‘si-‘rotpreg

vailvagaienft us. ]e{iisfCh1‘ift told Pilate, ,tha‘trsli_ef‘cr),iil’d“ -
  sha}1'eno Power aga‘inft‘him,i were it‘r1o‘t* given’i?1h'ii'nsrfriom

J

or above,

Chrz'57z'zm Love and Unit}. 3;
above, john :9. tr. Laban tells_7a'eob, that it was in
the Power of his Hand to do him hurt, but iitys, he,
T he Goo,’ of P your Father: [poke to me T.€’_fl€l'77l-ghjt_)~f2z)'Jiyg,
7'‘ 4,63 than heed that thou [peak not to 3610017, ‘either good af
bad‘ Gen, 31,29, God fometimes fpeaks to his Churches
Enemies in Wrath, and vexeth them in his foreidifpleas
furs-, therefore, who ‘can be agamfl: thofe withwhorn
the Lord dwells? nay, the Gates, that is, the Powers of
Hellfht-all never prevail againji them,Mat: t6.18. The Lord
faid to his "People in Days pail, Zech. 2. 8. He that
toheheth you, (that is in a way of Violence) tolicheth the

 Apple ofhis Eye. And therefore, Happy are the People
J that are in fuch a Cafe, that is, to en)oy the Prefence

of the Lord with them -, for he can make even our very’

i Enemies to be at peace within. God will rejlraiiz whatfoe-r-

verlis not for his own Glory and our Good,lmt the remain-
der of wrath than will re/lrain. Pfal.76. I O; I will eotfezzr what
man can do unto me, faid Holy David, VVhal: made him
fo hold you may fay? I Anfwer in his own Words,
The Lord is on my /ide, that is the Reafon, why he
would not fear, Pfalm H8. 6. So that here is Matter

' of great"Comfort to them that live in Love, and are at

Peace amongit thernfelves. I lhewed you before, that
the great End of Gods being with, and dwelling among

his people, is to defend them from Dangers and‘E1ie:.  

mies (§‘er;1§.2o‘.  I am with thee to ‘/Ewe thee, Vmd eta?

‘ deliver thee faith the Lord.) And Blefsthem with

all needful Good and Bappinefs," Comfort, ]oy,‘and

Peace both as to Soul and Body, Time and Eternity.
Secondly, This Doétrine reproves, thefe Make-hates,’
and Stirers up of Strife,Mthat_are amongft us. i\7Vh.a¢
the Lord ]el°us faidfto the Envious‘i3‘ewt,e john 8. 44;
May" I fay to liich diforderly Perforis, "Toe _ai'e“()fj0;¢'i~'
Father the Devil, mid‘ b.i‘s"Wor.lzs you rvilldo. For il°ith'<'2iy"
are the Children of God, who are Pearce-makersgtheri
theyare the Childrerllof the Devil," who are Peaee;
breakers. Obit how much like that’iOld* Serpent are
   5 they,»

34. The Benefit anal ‘Excellency of r

they, who fpit their Venom, and fhew their Envy,
and Malice, to their Neighbours on every, Occafion.
A {harp Reproof flows naturally to fuch Perfons from
this Text, and Doétrine. Therefore hear, and fear,
and do no more yfo wickedly, leaft the terrible Judg-
ments of God fall ,upon,a,nd confume you in your Iniqui-
ty. For this is playing the Devils Part, and, a doing
the —Devi1sWork, who is the Troubler, or Accufer of
the Brethren, Rev.I2.1o. ]udg.3.1 5,16. For the 1):"-ml
flan: of Reuben were great Thoughts and fizarchiags of Heart,

'Thifdl},.. By Way of Lamentation-, is this fo, that

God will be with,and dwell among Chriftian Sociea ’

ties that live in Love, and areat Peace among them-

felvesz, why then We may juftly take up the Prophets \

Lamentation, jer,,9. 1. And bewilling to weep" Day
and Night, for the Sin of t.hisaGeneration, upon this
Account, (*z2iz,) want of Love, and Peace among
Chriftiaiis. There is nothing more ftriélly commanded,
there is nothing more highly commended, there is no-
thing more eminently rewarded, and yet there is no-

thing by many lefs regarded, or praéiiced: Therefore

this is Matter of.Humi1iation and Lamentation this

D Day, for as the Church of Old «faid,,Lam. 5.16. The

Crawzz is fallen from ear, Head, airzdfinzo to as that we have
firmed‘;-’i7So, might we now fay, Wolto us, that we want
Love, and Peace iamlongfl: our felvesfi Alas! Love and
Peace is almofl: takenifromithe Earth, and doth not this
cal]aloud-_forLamentation; furely. yea, for it’s hard to‘
find affinglePerfon,muchle1's aC,hurc’h, Society or Fami-
ly either: in City,or Country,tha,t Plfaélliceth this Duty as
they ought to do.    yy ;   A
The ProphetffD.arm'd cryed out, Pifal. 12o.5,6,7. We is
me that «I ]bj0urn-in" I‘/lefeck, a7id:.titve1ljrz the Tent: of Ke-

dar, my Soul hath '2: lehg time dwelt with’ them that hateth ,

Peace, 1 am for Peaee,,b‘at when I fpaik, they are for War.
Isfnot this the Cafeof many amongft us at this Day,
therefore a let us Ijannent it beforerthge Lord, that that

' which i"

I #+

L;
7

1.

I

I

if

Cbrzfiizm Lave and 
which is 1'0 contrary to the Will of our God, fhould be

{'0 much in, and praéiiced by us the Sons of Men, and
that which is yet-pworfe, many of use by Profe{Iion the

Sons of Siam. There is a General Defeélion amongfi: =

us on this account, for there is but ‘little true Love

(which is the real ground of Spiritual Peace) among I

us, efpecially in that General and Noble way and man-
ner as ought to be. Pray mind the Text, be ofone mind,
that is, if it can be, of one Opinion -, but if this cannot
be by Reafon of your different Educations, and De-

Agrees of light Grace ‘and Knowledge, yet be fure to

be one in Afl°e8cion, Love as Brethren notwithftanding.
But Alafs! Where is this to be found ! this is the
unhappinefs of the Age, Men limit their Love to Per-

Tons of their own Breadth and Length, that is to thofe

of the fame Sentements with themfelves in all their ad-
mired Opinions. Now this is to Love our own Image
and Likenefs, andsnot the Image and Likenefs of Jefus
Chriit, becanfe others who cannot be of the fame Mind
in every Circumfiantial Punflcilio with our felves, we
are ready to ftand at a diftance from fuch, as well in
'Afi‘e&ion as‘ daily Converfation, tho’ otherwife (it may
be) Perfons of as muchGrace and of at’ better order-

. ed Life and Converfation than our ifelves, _ Now this
I is Matter of Humiliation and Lamentation, for Chriftie

ans ought as our Text Intimates, to befione in Alieélie
on, and by their Mutual Love too, bearing and for-r
bearing _one’ with another 5 to {how ‘tdtlie World a whole
they are, and whom they ferve, and what it is they all
aimtat, wig. ’theG1ory of ‘God, a the‘Comfo*rt‘Hjappin,ei’s

’ and Salvation of their own, and the‘Si‘ou1s of others with

whom theyare concerned. Hereby declaring to all,
that they are Childrenof the fame liiathiergii ahdfiuideti
by the fame Spirit of Love and Goodsnie£§;g;iI "_ ‘  ;_ ‘I 

Fopzftbbl, By wayiof Exbuftation; 'isetgh:i‘ss’fq thtatfiod
will be with, and dwell among thofe"ifhat“1’ix?é‘ in love,

1 and are at Peace amongft themfelves, then fuifer me to

Ea ago

35

36 ‘ The Benefit and Excellency of  
go on a little further byway of Exhortatioa, and Oh !

that the Lord ]efus Chrilt would both aflift, and accept,

and make me fuccefsful herein. And therefore, Men,
Brethren, and Fathers fuffer your {elves to be prevailed

“with to take the following Counfel and Advice, firive

to get Peace, that is Peace with God, Peace with_Con-
fcience, and Peace with Men here, that {o at lall, you
may be fwallowed up in endlefs Light, Life, and Peace
in ‘the Kingdom of Heaven hereafter. Now in {peak-

ing to the firft Branch of this Exhortatz'on,I muff direfic

my Difcourfe to thofe that are as yet ignorant of God,
flfrangers to jefus Chrift, and to the Cloveuant of Pro~

mife, having no well grounded Hope, and without God“

in the World. as Ephe. 2. 12.. One would think, that
the very mentioning of your Mifery, fhould be enough
to Fair you up to feek out after Mercy. To want Peace
with God and an Intereft in jefus Chrilt, is the worft

Condition in the World. You were better to want»
P Peace with the whole World, than to want Peace with

the great 7eho7;ah. ,Were fuch Men but fenlible of that
{ad State theyare in, they could not reft fo contented
in fuch a miferable Condition as many do, without get-
ting their Peace made with God. If God will [peak

Peace, who cangive ‘Trouble; but if he hides himfelf, who

can behold him, whether it be done again]! a Nation or a
Man only? job. 34.29. As the Loving Kindnefs of the
Lord is better than Life, fo his Wrath and Difpleafure
mutt be worfe than Death. Oh ! Therefore get your,
Peace made with God, Labour to obtain this Divine
Peaceor Peac,e..with God, which 1 have fpoken a little
too, i for it is, a fearful thing to fall into the Hands of an
angry ‘ever living _G.od, or into the Hands of his incenfed
jolt-i(_:,e, .f_1eh.i.:[1o.  eGod himfelf Invites you to, and
gives you Direétion how to make your Peacewith him,

I

meiieii1?wceli.*?it’?. s. .

~ .~ -«r r“.
‘ .u ‘»‘
y\_ .
1% .. 4 ' \

[tiers

T

lfa...,,;;;‘;.~5,  take hold of myfltrengrh, and he [hall

 

44¢

C/mfiizzzz Love and Unit}: A 37

Here is Firft a Direction, let him, that is Man, any
Man, every Man that would make Peace with me, take
hold of my Strength,’ that is of my Son the Lord Jefus
Chriit, called by St. Paul the Power of God, 1 Cor. 1.,
24. l
Secondly, Here is a Gracious Promife to incourage Sin-
ncrshereunto ; and that is, he fhall make Peace with
me, or as the Dutch Annotations hath it, Peace (hall be
made with me. Sinners mufl; take hold of ]efus‘C.hrift

- by Faith, or no Peace can be made with God for them

or by them, for he is the great Peace-maker between
God and Man -, as I hinted before in the Explication.

a He ‘hath made Peace through the Blood of his Crofs, Col. I.

2.0. It is by him only we receive the\Atonement, as

r Rom. 5. I31. Therefore make out after jefus Chrift, for

there is no coming to. the Father but by him :, there is
no making Peace with the Father but through him,

affolm 14.6. For he hath made peace tbro’ the blood of his Cro/3:,

Col. r. 20. Mind that, it is the Blood of Jefus Chriit
that makes Peace with God. Oh ! Therefore plead his

Pallion, rely upon his Sacrifice, ofi'er his Satisfaéiion to

the Father, in order to a making your Peace with him.
You know that Power and Strength, they are Synony-
mous Terms, or different Words to Exprefs the fame
thing, therefore you fee that God himfelf here direéis
you to jefus Chri , if you would make your Peace with
him. Let him ta ehold of my Strength, that is of my
Chrilt, my belovel, Son, whom asa Pledge of my Love
to the World I have given to die for Sinners, f7ol:m 3.
16, 17. This is the greateft concern you have to mind
in this World, and that which you ought firlt and
chiefly to feek after, as our Lord himfelf teacheth,
Mat. 6. 33. Tho’ all the World be at~Peace with you,

yet if God be at War againlt you, you are in a mifera- ‘H
ble Condition Itill; and if God were at Peace with 3:}
you, you need not fear, tho’ the who1e‘World -rofe 
up in Arms againft you,P/aIm27.1. and 46. 1], to-ii I

mu a N3

 

‘.38 The :Bei2}y?t and. Excel/rem} of

Itmufl: i prefs a this E~xhorta‘tion. upon Sinners, thou

‘‘

,,‘g.»ace1e{s,_ and. Chriftlefs Wretch, that canfl: make a

jmoa'ck.~,of Sin, and laugh.at the mentioning of Future
judgments: I tell thee, withoutan Int’reIt in the Peace-
making Blood of the only Redeemer, the Lord Jefus,
thou‘ art undone to -Eternity, therefore confider of it,
before it be too late, and take the Exhortation ‘bf God
himfelf, take hold of his Strength. Remember Man,
they are not my. Words, it is not my Exhortation on-"
ly, but they are the Words of the Great, and Eternal
God, it’s his Exhortation to thee; therefore I charge
thee, Oh Sinners! as thou wiltAnfwer it in the judg-
ment Day, before the enlightened Tribunal of _]e{‘ug
Chrift; take heed that thou reieét not this Exhortation
of thelisotrd, but labour as much as in thee liesh, to take
hold of ]efus‘Chrifl:-, and yield Obedience to his Com-
mandments. Aéqwaiizt thy fiziftvitb him, if thou delire
good, to thy Soul, 7017 22.2.1. For by A‘cqeaintance,

with —_‘{efus‘Chrift, you lhall make your Peace with God, %

for be is our Pedée, fEph. 2;. 14. Again, Being jaflified
by Fmltla, are have Peace with God thraagb our Lord :76/its
Cb;-ifi, Rom. 5. 1., so A

Let the urge this:a little further: And therefore con-
fider, Oh Sinners! with thy felf, what it is to ingage
with God as an Enemy, he is Almighty in Itrength,
-for who lemon): the power of thine cI?2g€7’ I
laid. A40/E25, even aecscording to thy   Fear flu is ‘thy Wrath,
He can touch,.t'hee,r in the molt fenfible part, even in thy
‘Soul,’ and can fo’lloW thee to Death, Judgment and Hell
ittfelf, Matthsro. 28. he can deftroy bot-‘h Soul and
;B0dy,{ifl_He1}u';_ Oh! therefore fear him, and labour to
make, thy .pe‘ace.a'w;it-h him before it be too late, and
that for thel'ett.*n‘eafons. , V . so

»Fi<r/2,. There is.n‘o,refifl:i‘ng of him, or making Head
agiaiinft-t him, ; for all-that "Man can do this way,  i§ but
tforfeeéthes bri6'rsZanci.<tid0r.h5 againjf God in Buttel,a who;
_wi":lr go through them, and tlzturn thB5m‘up together,» 1/21.;
  ‘L ~". 27.4..

4".

P/Zzlm 90. II. t

- .

. Chet:/hiz'arz Love and  39

2x'7._4.‘ Mind the Caution Chrifi: gives, Lake14,;,3.; ,33_
What K Mg goeth to War agamjl another.I<?i2z‘bg5 and,;fi;°m}‘,‘
not down firfi and can/Ezlteth whether he 1;ge,,;;;g.t,;;,,¢m-;,,-‘,’,,,,j
with ten thoafaad, who cometh againft him gwithe twenty ebb“;
faad; but if not, while the other is a great wayaofi‘ he,/'énJ¢'{.
A eth an ambajfage, and defiretht coaditiaasa ofpeactz. This
 teacheth Sinners to confider that if they ecé1e11,r14o‘t.hopph6fe
and refifl: God, that then it is their Wifdeomfand Duty to”
CI1d€aVO-l1_I‘__t0 make their Peace with him by taki'flgtlidId.
of Chrifl: the ftrength and power of God. You oughcmd,7,i
' f1(i)tifc?:1:slnc1>tf  Terms’ and thankfuliyts 3°CeP‘ his ‘-'°‘1*a
Secondly, Confider with 'thY‘ffe1.f, ‘Oh’Sj:nn.et I as then?
canft not refifl: him, fo neither art .thOu"{able to fie¢.f1~o,'n_
him 3% f°m€'3i.111€S 311191184; M‘~.‘-‘I1; $110’; We canhnot We-gef
W31" Wi¥ha..Y€'3 We 1T33tY..1113k‘€e Our Efcape fi'Oln- thhofe
that are our enemies. Bat mhitherfhallelfieeeframtlay pxe;
it fence, faidhthe Prophet, Pfalm: 139, 7,8: ;  It 4[mm'_.,;p.
mto hea'ven,* thou art there,‘ vi7..%by., and in thy G1ory.gn&;Z
Dignity-, if I maize my Bed; in,Hell thoaa art there; “aifof
in and by th»y:]uI’tice andeafiurrye ; If 1~taI§e the mings[ofI
‘W’ m0V”i”£a 47.16? dwell it! fi?.6~’;tI4a,t1«‘§i,7’77?«‘0,{*' part; of the.;Sea,hewea~
L/yereflaallt   th)g hand leaclj me, and thy m',(g;,t%ee;,,‘,,,da /541;. hoid;
‘me; the.a'arlvne./E hideth. 7102; fromethee, for bathe lzghtehahmiy
darlzaefs isaalike with thee, ,Va_~I_2.—_ compare tlfis with c7e,,_'"
23.24. Amq; 9.2. 3,4, thte1§efone‘efeeing1,you_ Cann_o1:e.fleeu
from him,‘then it; is both y'0UfW=ifc1gm,. and D__uty hum,e
’ bly to fubmit u11tohim,eas before, _. ; .  » 4 L f L 1.
Third’; ,;‘ There is n9 ~ be/ari,I1g'“his Indtignatihqn: a
l Wrath and tDif'p1eafure,, fee-h Nqbgm, _;._e 5. ;»;:z;,5  (W;
"'/147291 b6’f0i’6f his fadigaationai am! W1'90..-Cd?/1-abide‘-t_.h8.fit:1'€’eftefi5~
of ht: anger .? hzsfmy 1: pomted qatli/ee fircgfi; th-g¢,¢bgV Racks;
are thrown down by him, ver.8;; and\darkflcfi.e_flaall_1;m;fi,eet hi; 7
Enemies. V - II}  fO11OW ~th€I1‘l to Dea[;h,; Judgmen-teand.-‘i-h
Hell it felf, The Fire of Divine Anger ~w.isl1~ bum ~to1the‘
«10_W€ft Hell, Deut.;32.- 22.‘ If you'r.:Pea:c.€:x.he:1':otltfiadet
mth God through hxs dear SOD3' ‘Caa thy Hffizt mdgre :,
~ 992

-

40 The Benefit and Excel/each} of

or can thy Hands be flrong iii the day: that I /ball deal with t

thee, faith the "Lord, Ezck. 22. 14.. Why then do you
provoke the Lord to Anger and jealoufieg are you {tron-
ger thanhe? do you know what it IS to fall into

2 the hands of his offended and incenced jnliice, are you

acquainted with the power of his Anger, Wrath and
Indignation? if thou art unacquainted with thefe things
then let me prevail withthee, Oh! miferable Sinner,
totake hold of Chriil: ]efus by Faith, that fo thy Peace
may be made with God. How fad was the condition of
fferafalem becaufe they knew not the time of their Vi-

fitation, or thethings that did concern their eternal V
Peace, Luke‘ 19.42, 4,4. How much better is your State A

and Condition,gif your Peace be not made with God
through Chri[l:. Laitly, Conlider how willing, ready,
nay defirous God is to make Peace with Sinners, he ‘is
{fill upon the Mercies Seat, thy day is not yet quite gone,

Mercy may be had, and Peace obtained. Oh! there- *

fore fubmit to the terms of God, embrace his Son and
yield Obedience to his command, for in yourfo doing
God for ever will be reconciled to you and at Peace
with you,fot this is his own bleII'ed and gracious Promife
to encourage you thereunto, let him take hold of ' my
itrength and he (hall make Peace with me. 1/22. 27. 3,
[need not at this time lay any thing to the fecond
Branch, (2ziz..) Peace of Confcience, for if you once
obtain Peace with God through jefus Chrift, Peace of

Confcience will pfoon follow thereupon, ~c-——confider‘ ‘
him the Apoftle and High Prieflr of our Profefhon Chriit
efns, for this Confideration bath a direct tendency to A‘

fill the believingsoul with Divine Confolation, as the
Prophet intimates, Pfaml. 104. 34. My meditation of
tbeeflmli be /iveet I will be glad in the Lord. The Reafon
he lays down in the 94.19. s Th} comforts delight my 50,41,

« Tbirdly, Strive after Peace with Man thy fellow Crea. 2

ture, if itmay be, and as much as in you liveth, live

peaceably with all men, Rom. 12. :8. Be not you the
2 c » caufe

  Live in peace, (Te.

J(
i
1
I

C/.irz'§Yz'a;z Love and Uzzity.

caufefiof, or Inftruments by which Variance, Strife,
and Contention, may be promoted. Give no iuft caufe

  of offence to jam nor G'€7Itil€, nor to the Church of

God, Live peaceably with all men, thatis, do you What
you can to prevent Ftife and variancie, difcord and quar-
rels, difconteiit and uneaiinefs in and among all with
whom you have to do. Do all you can to_ make, and
keep Peace with all men, that is as far as is confiltent
wichttta good Corifcience. That Man buys Peace cheap,
who buys it Without finnirig, as a gr€at Man Words 1!},
I told youibefore, fuch is ‘the nnreafonablenefs and
wickednefs of fome, that it is hard to keep Peace with
them, but we ought to do what we can towards it.
The Apoftle himfelf prays for De-
liverance from wicked and unreafonable Men, 2 Thefig.
2. And there are fuch in the World full, for God hath
put anirreconcileable Enrnity between the Seed of the
Woman, and the Seed of the Serpent, Gen. 3.215. But
more particularly, Labour to remove the Caufes of Con-
tentions and Divifions. For in taking awaythe Caa/E:

" the Efefi is taken away, or as we fay, take away the

Caafiz, and the Efiefi‘ will ceafe. Nowthe Caufes of_Con-
tention arnongfl: Chriftians for the moft Part: Are either,

Eirfls, Carnal Lafls, and inbred  orraptzom of the Heart :
Thereis in all Men, innate Principles of Liifts and Core
ruptions, nay, even in the Saints themfelves, as Fame: 4.
I . lVhem:e comes Wars and Fightings, or as the Greek Word
fignifieg byamlings (1?720}7g_)/014, ‘come they not hence, out of,
or from your lafts that war agate]? the feel. I beflzech your
to ahflain from fiefhly lafls which war again/l the jhal, fays
St. Peter, 1 Pet. 2. 1.1. This is one great caufe of th.o_fe
Btawlings and Contentions that are at this day   in

Churches, Societies and Families, (7/iz..) carnal, unruly,

and flefhly lults that lodge within perfons. Therefore
beware of the Caaaa-aites, thofe erzemies of your fimls, and
deftroyers of Peace among Chriftians. The Spirit that
in in as lajleth to eaqv, ‘James 4,. 5., Some think that St.

A  ,_‘7ame;’,

41,

i

I

 

42 i The Benefit and Excellency of
jams: hath refpeét to Gen. 6. 5. And Godfaw that the wig-
rkedneji of man was great in the earth, and that every Imagig.
‘nation of the Thoughts of his Heart was only e7/iI.contt'n»14czl1y.
Now this isthe difpofition and frame of Man’s heart by
nature, for the flelh will be lajling again]? the Spirit - even
after a Man hath received Grace, Gal. 5. 17. But thisvve
taught to watch againlt, if we would live in Peace, ac-
cording to our Text. i — P - ~ .
 Secondly, Of Pride and Self-conceit, is another Caufe
of Contention, only by pride comes contention, lays the
Wife Man, Pro'o.r3.1o. that is, as the Hebrew word fig-
nifies, and asfome read it, pride occafions, . or giveth no-
thing bnt brawling-, the meaning is, that Pridegis good
for nothing but to caufe firife and contention , a proud
man ‘will not yield a jot to any, he through the Pride of
his Heart relies upon his own Wifdom, Knowledge, and
llnderllranding, but will not fuffer himfelf to be i.nl’cru€t-
ed, and perfw»aded, counfelled, and advifed by thofe that
are wifer than himfelf, but his own way he will take
whatever comes of it, tire. Only by pride comer contention,
that is,Pride only caufes Contention, Pride blows up the
Goals which other Lulls do kindle in Mens Hearts. Not
but that fometimes, Pride alone, is the ecaufe of Strife,
for a proud ‘Man, who is iobftinate in his Refolutions, and
conceited of his own Opinions,-and impatient of any Op-
pofition, "being governed by his Lufls and Paflions, will
not hearken to the wifelt Counfels, but their own Ways
fnch Men will have, vvhichoften times blows up the hot-

eft Contention amongft Chriliians. Only by Pride comes ”

Contention,that is as forne expound it,wherefoever Con-
tention is, thereis Pride, at lealt more or lefs in one if
not in both‘ of the contending Parties. Pride-make
Men "Froward, Obllinate, and Selfvwill’d, Cruel -and
Unjuft, Pallionate and Impatient. Therefore beware
of that Enemy to Peace, this deltroyer of Souls, I mean
Pride. A proud Man will yeald to nothing that is con-
trary to hisown Opinion, and that cxrolfesihisflumour,

  ‘  what-

 

..CZ1f{fl7'dIZ Love anti 2)ait}.. 
whatever the confequences thereof be. But with the

advifed there is.Wi,fdon1 fa_ys Solomon, that isa Wife Man
will not make his Luft, Pride and Paflion, the only rule

 of his Words and Actions as the proud Man doth, but

the wife, or advifed Man will fuffer himfelf to be in-
flzruéted, perfwaded, counfelled and advifed by others,
by which means Strife and Contention is prevented, nay
often fuppreffed and removed, and L0276 and Peace
maintained and promotedamongft Chriftians. So that
you fee that Iride is a Sin in it felf, and the caufe of
other Sins -, therefore beware of Pride, for Pride is the
greatefl: enemy to Love and Peace. The proud Man

3 L {wells with Se1f»Conceit and Admiration of his own

Excelleneies-, this was the Devil’s Sin, Pride izzfeéfed the
Angelic]: Nature, making Of glorious Angels, deformed
Devils, therefore avoid Pride as you would avoid Hell
it felf, becaufe it hath broug-_ht many to Hell, as well
Men as Angel: in all Ages of. the World. . "

Thirdl}, Beware of ignorance ofi and mi,/takes in thojé
things that are matters of coiztrozzer/ie: among yea. Men
do often diflzurbetheiroiwn peace, and the peace of others,

. for want of knowledge in the matters before them, to be

.difcourfi: of, or 1oo1<’d into : Be well inltruéted before
you contend, remember as before, with the swell-adlzzzfled
there is wzfdom. It is great Wifdom to be Well-adVis?d{,
to get aclear and difiinfi knowledge in all that is like
to be a controverted matter among you : And labour
to walk in the plain way-, for they that difler from 0-‘-
thers in their Opi-nionsand Practices, ought to be well-,
-advifedyin what they do, and they ought alfo to -be Imm-
b1e, and to pray often and eairneflly to God, i that they
be not led into temptation, according to our Lord’s dire«£’ci—
on, Mateh. 6. I  Lead as not into temptation, ehrc. We are
very apt to fall into, and very unable to [land before

.l2€.m.pC3IiO1;l§ ;, therefor-e let us pray againltthem, and

not rumour,felates,»unadYifed,ly into them, but to do what
in -11Sll_€,l‘.vhe-t}6)~;aV@ldafldilhllfl them to the uttermoltt of
i r . « Foarthly,

'44. W The Benefit and Exec//mo} of

y . Pottrthly, Beware of bu/2e Cttriofity. If you would live
in Peace, be Inotjrtedling with other men: matters that con- .
cern you not. Take the Apoltle’s advice, jttzdy to be
qttiet,—and to do your omrzhtr/ihefi, 1 Thr]]'.4.I 1. Every bo-
by {hall have enough to do if he knows and does his own

Bufinefs , but forne _Men Ptudy to be vexatious, trouble-

fome,.and contentious, difturbmg their own and the

Peace of others. Not conlidering that A meal: amt qtttfit

fjairit is in thefight ofG0d of great price, and well becomes

Chriltians, this is a beautiful ornament, and it is of great

value in God’s account, 1 Pet.3.4.. You ought to be quiet,

and to do nothing ralh1y.Novv St.Ptml rebukes Bttfi6—boo.’ic5
and Tattlers, that went from houfe to houfe in his time,
fpeczhirzg things n?hic‘h they ought not. There are too many
fuch at this day,w ho are guided and led by bufie-Curiofi-
ty,therefore avoid this alfo if you would live in peace.Cu-
riofity is a turbulent eoil,it makes people reftlefs in them-
felves, {till inquirin‘g after other mens bufineffes, that lit-
tle or nothing concerns them, and therefore avoid it,

and ftand at the greateft difltance from it. K
. ~Fz'fthly, Labour to take away outward Caufes of Con-

tentions, and Divifions, as yfirlt contentious Words.

The Language of fome is fo provoking, that it ftirs

up the greatelt Contention atnongft Men. St. fame: ,

faith, that the Tongue is an unrulely Member-, nay,

adeadly Evil fet on Fire withthe Fire of Hell, read
ffizmes the Third at your leifure. Solomon tells us, That

the Power of Life and Death is in the Power of the ongue, I

Prov. I8. 21. The Tongue is but a little Member,
buta -powerful lnflrument of much good, or of great

harm. The Tong/to of the ihjt is as choice Silver, Prov.

.10. 2.0. And in roerfi: 31. The Mouth of the fujt hringeth

forth I/Vtfdom, but the froumrd ‘Tongue [hall be out out. If 1
you would live in Peace, ufe good Words to all Men, :

nothing prevails more then good Words, at courteous
-Carriage is of great ufe to prevent Strife, Prov. I 5. I.
A foft Anfmer tnrneth away Wrath, but grievous Words
i. jtir up Strife, or Anger. What Heats, andPaflions,

a what

 

it Chrzflz'a72Love aizd Unity.‘ , A A 4;

twhatlstrifes, and Contentions, even to the lofs of Life
-it felf, doth fometimes follow contentious Words?

Many this way come to untimely Ends, by Duels fol-

lowing bitter, or grievous Words. Therefore fet a

Watch before the Door of your Lips, thatyou offend
not with your Tongue, as Pfalm 39. 1. The Wife
Man fayg, Pro?/i. 25. I 5. fl /Bft Tongue brealeeth thefione.

The meaning is, good Words will prevail with the

hardelt Heart, and at length caufe it to yield. This is
fo prevailing, that it will pacifie the greateft Difplea-

‘ fure, for Wrath is the higheft Degree of Anger, and

as before, A [oft Anfwer tarneth away Wrath, bat grie-
was Words fiir up Anger, or Strife-, that is, caufe it
where before it was not. If Rachel fpeaks but abfurdly,
or unadvifedly, f7acohs Anger is kindled, Gen. 3o. 2.
How? Much more would his Anger have kindled a-
gainft her, had fhefpoken wickedly, perverfly, abufivee
ly, as many do in our Days. Therefore "beware of
contentious Words, andiof hard Speeches-, fee ffade I 5.
Chrift will convince Sinners of their hard Speeches,
(Tc. There is nothing that colts fo little, and gains {'0
much,as good Words affable,and courteous Carriages one

to another, therefore be fure to obferve and Praftice this. i

Sixthly, Keep ata Diflzance from, and have as little
to do as you can, with contentious Perfons. Now I
hefiaech you Brethren, mark them that caafe Divifions a-
mong yea, and avoid them; that is, {land at a diltance
from them, and have as little to do with them as polli-
ble-, Ram. 16. 17. Such Perfons ought to be rejected,
and difcovered to the World; what, and who they

 are, that they might be alhamed of themfelves, and fo

forfake that Wicked Practice of cauling Divifions, which
caufes them to appear too much like the great Enemy of
Peace and Love, I mean the Devil, whofe Children
that Praéiice of their’s {hows themto be. ,
Semathly, Beware of Vain-glory, which is a great
"Caufe of Strife and Contention, ‘Phil. 2. 2, 3. Let ‘nothing

he donethroagh Strife and Vain-glory. How many vain-
glox

  4.6 The Benefit and Excellency of

glorious Aétions are there to be found daily among&
us, which is a caufe of Strife and Contention among Chri-

flians, iWhen a Perfon lhall defpife others, and what \-

they do, and date upon himfelf, and {hall do this or that,
(I forbear being to Particular) becaufe he thinks he can,
or has out—done others, this is Vain-glory, and this
begets Divilions and Alienation of Affeéiion, which too
often Ends in Divifions as to daily Converfation. There-

: fore, letthofe who defire to live in Peace, take heed of

Vain«glory. Seelt thoua Man wife in his own Eyes,there

P is more hopes of a Fool then of fuch an one, Pro=u.26.1 2.

Eighthhi, If you defire to live in Peace, and to en-
joy the blefled Prefence of God with you, have a great
Care ofunjuft Dealings one with another. This is that

which often deftroies mutual Love, and difturbs the

Quiet, and breaks the Peace of Chrillian Societies,

Churches, or Families. Oh! that Men would but
"mind that golden Rule, .Met. 7. 12. Whatever yozewoeld

‘that Aden. /hoeld. do unto you, do ye er/en fii to them,ifor

‘this is the Law and the Prophets. That is, the Siumm of
the Law interpreted by the Prophets. This Precept

contains in it, the Subftance of all that is found in the
Books of the Law, and the Writings of the Prophets.
Therefore, they that have no regard to this, do cait
the Law of God behind their Backs. There is no Man,
but desires that otherslhould deal honeitly, juftly and
truly with him in all things which concerns his Body
and this World ( tho’ this will not hold good as to Soul
Concerns and the World to come) Ifa,..3o.Io. fosme de-
fire to be "led in ignorance and blindnefs, faying, Pro-
yhefie not em-to 115 right things, fjaeah unto 115 [month things,
Proflaefie deceit: .- Oh! what wonderful Madnefs, and
amazing Folly is this ! and yet this is really the Cafe
with fome, and I fear with many. But as tothe Con-
cerns of this Life, all men delireiuft Dealing, and if they
flood in need of it, would gladly receive the gcharity
of others, and a cha.rita‘ble._refmiflion ofa Debt, and for»-

W P   e ‘$31-Vgnifi

 

ygivenetfs of OTfi‘ences,t'9’c.i' Now fayse jefus Chriift, Dot
9,0,; even /2; to ztbem, as you wouloi tbeyflormld do t‘0_.}/mt, were
i you in their Cafe, -and they in yours. ThI1s1ndeed,is

_.but a Confirmation of the Light of Nature,‘ for fame,

even by this, vm';z.. the 1.igh=t of Natune, have gone ithus

_t far, Rom.2.15. Therefor what a ihame is it, that thofe

who are cafled Chrifii’a:ns Ihould come flaott in this,
which Heathens fo caerexfully obferved. Let thy Profef-
fion be what it wiI1,if thy Priaétice (in fame good mea-
fure) be not anfwetable, ttbykeligian isrmzirz. Some
there are who are very itriét for outward Ceremonies,

[About they negleit -and d~i'frega*.rd the weig3hti’e:r matters

— of the Law, as Love, Faith in Jesfias wchrifft, Mercy to
thofe in want, and to t-hofe who are under them,-asSer-

A vants, The-nants, om. Mattb.:2'3.2:3. Diwer: Weigibts, and

divers ll/Ihazjitrcs rare Km abomination totbe Lord, Prov. 20,
I'o,i9.3. Micah 6. I 1. Let no man go.bcyond, or which is

‘the fame, omir-reach his brother in any thing, bacmzfi: the

Lord ixytbe avenger of all firth. I Tbef]f4.6. com.par>eth1is’

i with L6*U.I 9.1 3. .Mal.3..*g. take notice “of theft: places;
for ‘brevity fake .1 do not *en:large upon them.

i ; Ni77.‘tbl}I, 102718 and efloem all fiber (.‘hrli]l‘icms, tbohdifiier-to

A hing from your jéikves in't19ings that are ibmr cz7rcumflmz-
~tialvzzt mofl. The :Pr‘afiaio<:e of fame Mien dooes declare

that they look upon themfelves as infa~l1lib1~e as ‘the?:P_o‘pe.
If fuch would but ‘consfider, that they mightbe <rnéiift»'a-

Cbrz'fiz'a;2 Love and 7Jm'¢‘j.. 47 V

ken, and that thofe who are not of their Opinion tnighizi
be in the right-, Ifay, would you be but {'0 modeft as"

to.ad'mit the epoflihility of fuch a thing, this ~w.ou1'd be

;a Means to beget love one towards,~another,-andi 

root outthat Prejudice that dwieliswitthinthem. Thee

Rule of theiApo’It1etios, that we ejlieem others better  ’
i am‘ /iézifzfes, ‘Phil. 2.-3. izzilowlinefs of ‘mind: ?Obferve-that,

issit not modefiy to conclude, ‘ »We1l,f'I am not<infa“Ifli3-
‘ .b1e,,..I?may'be.n1ifl*aken, but thowe-ver, I do Weilk ae-

‘ icoirdingitoithe Flight I.h‘a1Ve, received, anti t»thetefor'e— I,
yfe wt-i11«..nr>‘t “condemn Imyfelf, abezzatufe if I 7don’t ‘know »that 11*

am

48 T176 Berzefit and ‘Excel/em} of

ii‘am out of the way, but fl:ill, becaufe I am not .fu[‘e' S‘

‘ that I am right, and all others are wrong, therefore I
. ‘ will walk humbly, I will love and elteem thofe that dif-
‘ fer from me- There are many Pretenders to this no.

t ble Grace, or temper of Mind, or excellent Chrillian
Duty, that 15 of loving all tbat ‘heme t/oe«,Image of _(II9rijl
upon them, loving Saints as Saints, tho not of their O~ ,

S pinion in all things. I Wllh I had no caufe to fay Pre-
tenders, but Oh! tlhat %l:ldWf€TCbIi€a]l)P€fiOYm€YS of this
molt excel ent an mo e ira e uty. e 1

P * But Alas! with Grief it may be raid, that the Dai-
ly Praétices of many amongft us, are fufficient Proofs‘
of this, that they are but pretenders to this Love in‘

: General to, aiidiamong the Saints and People of God as

A fuch. Indeed, many do approve of, and in Words de-

l ~ clare their delire of its taking Peace among us at this  

Day, but their Actions do plainly contradict their Ex-

7 prellions, and lhovv, that their Words are no better“i

E then verbal Pretences, and empty Sounds. Would to

' God! Thatl had not.fo much caufe of complaint for my

 own part in this Particular; but whocan forbear fpeak-

‘ ing, of, and lamenting over fuch Things as thefe are;
having found and felt by woful Experience {'0 much of u
it- And Oh !rThat God would in Mercy at lalt, con. ~
vince all whofe Cafe this is,of their Folly in this their 11n-
chriflzian like Practices, and {how them how unlike they
are to him, who is the God of Love and Peace; Would ,
fuch Perfons but conlider with themfelves, that the All;
feeing Eye of God is over them, and fees into the Se- 1
crets of all Hearts, and into all Defigns and Purpofes i
what-tfoever, as Heb. 4. 13. And by whom Aétions are
weighed, who pondereth all Mens goings, and who at
lafl: will render to all according to their doings.‘ This '
might caufe them to be more Circumfpefi in the due
Difcharge » of this great Duty one towards another, and
fo bring more Glory to our Lord Jefus Chriil, and good i

to their own, and to the Souls. of Others- But Alas I"

a . - Many

 

’ 

Ciiriffizzn Love and Ziziify. 4.9

Many mind not what the end will be, oftheir Studying -.

Politicks more then Piety, and feeking their own more
‘then the Interelt of our Lord ]efus Chnlt, his Church

and People, It were well if all vvhofe Cohfcienees Con-

demn them as Guilty herein, would fay with Holy 70%’,
‘w herein I have done Iniquity, I will do  r2‘o more, job, 34;,
I32. And that their Goodnefs were extended to -the
‘Saints, and to the Excellent ones of the Earth, making
‘{‘m;h their Delight as the Prophet D./mid did, Pfalm 16.

P‘ 3. Ele does not fay, if they are all of my Mind, no,

. it  Mgark thetérfeé} mafz, and behdéti the iépright, far

but if Saints, then he Delights in them, whether of this
or that Perfwafion in lefler and Circumftantial Matters,
for Pfzlm I I 9. 63. he tells the World, that he is a C'o77“z_-
; anion to all them that fear God. HOW Happy would it

be? if all profefling Chriftianity amongfl: us” at this .1

Day, were of David: Mind in this of promoting L072}:
and Peace amongft the Lords People, tho’ difiering
from them in fmall and leffer Matters, therefore let us
all Pray for it heartily, defire it earneltly, and do what
we can to promote it in all things wherein we have to do.

Now, to enforce this sExhordtation, take thefe follow‘-
ing Motives : And the firft {hall be drawn from the
Nature of Love and Peace it felf. Concord and Agree-
ment, Love, Peace and Friendihip, why they are things
very excellent in their own Nature, and truly delirable
for themfelves, as being the mofi: eomprehenfive B1ef_-
fings that we are capable of injoying in this World, ‘as
appears from Chrif’t’s own Words and Carriage to his
Difciples, Peace I leave with yotz, tn} Peace I give mtto yozzl,
not cw the itbrldgibeth, ('70. This was but a little ~b8fo.ré
his Death and Paflion, and then foon after his Refur-
reétion the hill: Word is, Peach be to yoh, as before,
When the fjrems vitilhed well to any one of their friends
for relations, their exprefiion Was, Peaks be to you.’ Pagé
cfl gm, omhes wlicitatés parts: habetinfé, Calvin. Peace‘,
faid C czlt/in,‘ is that which hath all the parts of felicity ,3”,

tbg

that for ever.

~ .50 77.16 Benefit and Excel/em} 13f
 he Happ-i.

the end of that man 135 peace, Pfalm 37. 37. ,,

nefs of Heaven is fet forth by this Word peace and 

joy. Ifa.;7.2. they /hall enteit into peeice;r79’c. Alfo M4t_

.;'5_ 22’ 93. Well done tboez good andfaitbfzzl fervent, enter

H9014 into the joy of thy Lard.

Secondly, We ought alfo to Itrive to take the Exhor. , I

tation in the Text, becaufe a fpirit _of love and peace,
is that which of all other things lll(€n-S a Perfon, or

People molt to the Image of God, and Society 0fH€a- _

ven, God is Love, as we have fllewed once and again...
God is the Original and Fountain of Love and Peace.

A’ meek and quiet, or peaceable jfiirit is. in the fight of Godiaf
i great price. Now the Lord lets a high value upon fuch

a Spirit becaufe it is {'0 a.greeab‘le tofhis own _W ill and
‘Spirit. As a contentious:, ‘proud and I‘fl':/1l7lClOlJ‘S. Spirit
-likens as man to the Devil‘, fo does Love, Humility and

-rPeace liaken a Man to God, eveho delights to be called the
God of Love and Peace, and i-s without the leaft Mixture

or Tinfiure of Variance, or ,.Dif'cord, or Alienation, and:
Therefore, if we defire Heaven hereaf.
ter, why do we not defire that which rs {'0 much like-tori

Heavena here. The Lord jefus Chrilt hath left us an ex»

ample in this, as well as in other things, that we H101-llcl‘
1 follow his fteps, 1 Pet.,2.2i. ‘W/00 when he mas~:re'viled,e
be reviled‘ not agaifl, but committed him/elf to him that
jpzdgetb rzgbteonfl}, vetfe 24,. -L€m’72 of me, Matth. 1 1. 29,
the reafonis, for I am meek and lately, and you /Iaall final‘
Vefl to yozerjimls. God is the Author of Love and Peace,
he commands it, and commends, and loves it in his
Children and People-, -therefore we ought toedo what:
we can to get, promote and keep it continually. g
Tbirdly, This will difcover to your felvesand others,
thatthe love of-God is given i_s‘o you, and,lhed‘aebroad
in youfi'_hearts by the Blefled Spirit, Rom.;.5l They have
notthe love of God," who delight n_ot inthe ellnirtys and
Peace of the Church, Aug. A Spirit of Love and Peace
is a great Prefervative of the unity and Profperity ref‘
. t" 

P Chrflian Love and Unify.   i 51

the Church ; therefore thefe Per{'ons.may' believe that
the love of God IS in tnem, whofe hearts are drawn

A forthwith an earnefc delire, backt witha univerfal and_

eonltant endeavour to promote Love and Peace amongfb

all that truly fear God, and love the Lora’ fefits Chrift in "

Siecerity. For if they have not the love of God in them,

i that defire not, nor delight in the unity of his Church, how
a dark does this look upon many among us? i

‘ Fourthly, A /pirit of love and peace is a certain fig” and

evidence of a right Go/(Eel, Evangelical State aha’ 'C0fl6liti07?, ,

or if you will, of a failing interefi in the Lord “j'ejz7z'5 Chrifi.
v The Tree is known by its fruits, for our Lord himfelf
-~. told his Followers in days paft, that by this lhould all men
know that they were his difciples, zfthe} loved one aao‘-.
. ther, 3’obn13.3s. This is the molt convincing ‘Argument
that can be given to the World, that a People who

live in love, and are at peace amongfi: themfelves, are_
certainly the People of God, no “ greater prodf can be

1" given to men than this; furely this is in it felf a pre-

vailing Motive; therefore let itbe fo to you. I doubt

not but that you think your felves the People of God;
the true followers of ]efus Chrift, and would be ac-
counted Chriltiansindeed: 0 therefore! ftrive to be
of one mind, live inlove, and be at peace’, and the God of
' love and peace [hall be with you. Who would not d_o
what he can to prove himfelf a Child of God, a"DiFci-

ple of jefus Chrift, that fo he might have the God of"

Love and Peace to be with him ?

Fifthly, There is nothing more ftri&ly commanded,

K 1 §‘ohn 4. 21. And this Commandment have we firom him,
;»,that he who lot/ct-h God, /hoala’./or/e his Brother a/[2, Heb,
A 12/. 14.’. Ram. 12.. I8._ 14. 19,. and alfo our Text.

Sixthly, There is nothing more highly eomniended,
-1_?j2zylm 133, 1,2, 3. 15‘eho}al* hon; good, and have pleaflzat i it
is for brethrez2atoi»dweAl1togetheerie ‘Unity. T - .‘ L
" Seoeethbt, There is nothing. more fignally €IlCOU§l‘3-e

 P P ” ' H ;z_ gods

.52

T58 Benefit and Excel/me} of 5

god, and eminently rewarded, than love and peace
amonglt Chriitians. I need go no further than my .
Text for the confirmation of the Truth of this, the '
God, of Love kmd Peace [hall be with you -, now where the
gracious, Soul-comforting and quiekening Prefence of
God is offered to aPerfon or People here, everlafting
Life, Happinefs and Salvation will undoubtedly follow
hereafter. Compare our Text with Pfalm 133. 3, gel

  The Text faith, t!9at.tbe God of 10716 and peace /brill be it/itlo
you, what greater reward can you expeét or enjoy

.

whileft keeping his Commands in this World, for ifyou
have God you have all, as ']ac0b {aid to his Brother
Efrm in another cafe. Secondly, The Pfalmifi faith, there 
(or upon them, viz. that dwell together in unity) he "
commandetb the ble/fing, even life ferevermore. What can
youdefire that is better than life, efpecially Life in Bea-T
ven, free‘ bo_th'fron1 fin and forrow, which confilteth
in ‘the; scimmedieate inioyment of God in and through
our Lord jefus Chrilt. ” And then, you cannot wifh ‘-
for, or‘ defire-a longer Date," it is for evermore; for
there be commarzdetb the blejfing, er:/en life for evermore.
Oh! Wonderfn1erewar'd.’- this his asMotive worth the
taking notice of, by all that heard or [hall read this Set-
mon. The great End ofya-ll Rfil«igion"is Eternal Life, why
this God giveth to them,t'ha't li‘.'e=‘in‘ love," (Tc. '
 ,Eigl9tbl),/, As Love.’ a;nd"Peace‘ amongii Chrifiians
is seminently rewarded,“ fo -Diicordr and Contention
is often feverely punilhed.“ As’ the Prophet’ told Afar, W
2 Chron. 1-5.‘ 2.‘ "T be Lord: £5 nvitilo you rvbile you are wztlo
him, bat, zf)/on forfzlze laim be will ~forfa.7ze you, a’27'd tbatnl/Z1‘
for ever. 9 And ~Wo be itxemto you  faid God to Jfiraeli) -27: M
the day that I depart from,}cm, I-10/224 9." 12'." “Whe’nT
the Lord. forfakes a Perfon or ‘People in judgment, and
d.e~parts,- all true joy =and"fpiritua1 Comfort and Safety
is» gone; : for if God be for us, who can be ‘againfi us?
hutif God be difpleafed with us, who ihall, or can
intreat. -for ‘us? You .may~remember*foniething hath

I   C/arzfiimz Love and Unit}.

53
been laid before of the many Mercies, and Blellings,
thofe were blefl: with, who enjoyed the Prefence of
the God of Love, and Peace with and among them;
how that God would own them for his, and himfelf
to be theirs; that is, their God and Father in Chrift,
and that he would blefs them with all needful Good,
allift, ptrofper, protect, and defend them, and deliver
them from all hurtful, evil, and Enemies; caufing the
Light of his Countenance, as a Sun to ihine upon

them, comforting and quickening of them in all their . a,

ways. But on the other Hand, where God is either
kept out, or driven away by Divifions, Strife, and
Contentions, there the Devilin that Soul, Family, or
Society, does molt certainly reign, rule and rage, for

’ he is that wicked Spirit, that is faid to work in the Chil-

dren of Eifobedience, Epb. 2. 2.

Nintbly, Divilion is the high Road to Defolation,
as our Lord and Saviour ]efus Chrilt hath {bowed us,
Mat. 12. 2;. Every Kingdom or Houfe divided againft
it’s Self is brought to Defolation, and whatfoever Ci-
ty, or Society that is vexed and diftraéied with Difcords
and Contentions, it cannot [land long. I have reada
Story (but have forgotten my Author ) of a Diffe-
rence that once happened, between the Duke of Sax-
077}, and the Biihop of Magdenbzzrg, infomuch, that
the faid Duke hereupon makes great Preparations for
War, the Bilhop in the mean time hafiens home, and
with all pofiible Speed, and Diligence, begins to re-
form all that was amifs in the Church, labouring to
the utterrnoli of his Power to reconcile all Differen-
ces among his People, perfvvading them all to live

‘ in Love, and to be at Peace amongfl: themfelves,

keeping clofe to, the Ways and Ordinances of the
Lord jefus Chriflt, (Tc. The Dukes Spies obferving
the Bilhops Method (who made no other Preparati-
on for War againlt the Duke, but a making Peace
and reconciling Differences amongfl; his own People

» or

F

54. ' The Benefit and Excellezzcj of 
or Church) came to him, and asked him, if he heard‘ ;
nothing of the great Preparationsthat the Duke their - C
MaI’cer‘Was making to come againft him in a way or '
War; yea, {aid the Bifhop, I do hear. of it, but fays '
he, Ego mrabo Ecclefiam meam, <59’ Dem pro mic pug-
nabit.   I will take Care of my Church, and God will
fight for me-, which Anfwer the Spies tfoon conveyed

to the Duke their Maflzer, who wheniher heard it, pre- 

fently Disbanded his Army, faying, I count not my
felf a fit Match for them, who ingage God on their
fide againft me, There is nothing in the World,
that ruins Churches and States, and brings to Defo1ati-
on Families, Societies, Cities, and Nations, morethan
this of Divifions, and want of Love and union among
tyhemfelves. What fad, difmal, heart—afl"e&ing Stories
docs 7ofeplm.s tells us, upon this Account concerning
the Divifions that happened among the few: in 76m.

A   falem, when Titus C Va/iiatian came againit them. Had A

it not been for Divifions, they had remained uncon-
querable in all probability, having both great Strength,
Fortifications, and Provifions for fome Years. But by
Reafon of their Divilions they foon were brought to;
Defolation, and that in a molt miferable Manner.
How many “Nations, Cities, Churches, Societies, and
Families, have come to Defolation and Ruine this
Way? and we have great Reafon to wonder, that it
hath not brought Mifery, and Deliruéiion upon
us of thefe Nations long ago, conlidering what fad
Divifions there hath been and {till are amongft us,
both» in Church and State; the good Lord haften to“
take all things of this kind from the midft of us, and
to pour down a Spirit of Love and union upon ‘us;
I remember another Story in e/£fi2p?s Fables, of an Old
Man who had many Sons, but they were often at Va-A
riance one with another, and daily contending amongfl;
themfelvesz, which the good Old Father with Sorrow
and Grief obferving, called them to him, and deliver—

ed.

 

h Clrrzflirzrz Love and  s A 53  to

t ed to one of them asheaf of Arrows, or Bundle of ‘
 Rods, commanding him to break it but he couid inot,

whereupon he commanded the refl:, but they e‘Wer:e all
i too weak, and their Endeavours finefieclual to break
; u the Bundle, the Old Man feeing this untied. the Bun-
dle, and delivered a fingle Arrow or Rod to each of
them, commanding them to break that,vvhich they then

1 could do, and th2C"With the greatefc Eafe. Even fo faid P

the Father, as long as you live in Love and be at Peace
among your felves, none can hurt you, but if you con-
tend thus one with, and againfl: another, you Ihallefoon
i become a Prey to them that hate you. Now thislis
.‘ yourCafe this Day, if you live in Love and be at Peace

among your felves who can hurt you? but if not, you P

mull expect that Defolation, and Diftrefs will overtake
‘ you. W hen Chrillsian Chu-rchesor Societies are arPeace
among themfelvest, and do hold «together andnlive in
g, Love, they appear formidable, nay terrible to all that:
  hatethem-, but when jarring one with another they en-
courage themthathope for, an.dafeek;their Ruine. n
Tentbl .,Confiderhow muchG.1oryoyou might bring to
at God, and Good to tthofe who are concerned awith»you,*bey
i a Spirit of Love and Peace. But by .Difcordeand Conten-
_ tion among Clerifiiazzs God is Di{honaourred,mainy aeweaek,
though otherwife, well difpofede Chriflsian ;difcouraged,
and othershardned in Sin and ~Wickednefs. Oh I There-
fore Labour to promo.te Lo.~ve.and Peace amongft your
.felves, that the God of ,Lo2/e and Peace might be swim;
you. Keeping the Unity ofstbe Spirit vein the Bond tof,Peaee,
; as Saint Paul Exhorts too, ;Eph. 4.. 3. And let the Peace
\ofGod Rule in}/01¢?’ Hearts, Col. 3. 1.5. Godrcomrma-nded
his People Ifirael, even when in Captivity, to feek the
, Peace of the Places where from s time to time they
fhould be led,’ and the Reafon is becaufe in ~thei:r
Peace you {hall have Peace, §’er. 29. 7. Therefore feel:

and Pray for the Peace and Profperity of the Churches ,

of Chrift, for fuch/hell Profper in the Profperity of
them, Pfizim I22. 6, Oh!

i all his People.

56 The Benefit and Excellent} of T

Oh! Confider a little, how the Churches and Inte-
terefl: of jefus Chrift flourilhed in the Primitive Times, 

4‘
I

when the People of God were all of one Heart and one i

Sonl, as appears, A€’cs4. 32.9.31. T hey walked into the 70),,

of the Holy Ghoft
ons were to the Church daily.

as to Opinion or }udgment,
of true Love and Afieéiion. And we have Reafon to
believe that it {hall be {'0 again before the end, for

Zech. 14. 9. there {hall be one Lord, and his zvrmg om
]efus Chrilt {hall be more Generally Owned, Profeiled

Served, Honoured, Beloved and Glorified in [hé
World than hitherto he hath been, he {hall be Wor;
{hipped in the fame Way, ’
Oh! Therefore let me lntreat you
all to do what you can, to begin and carry on this
mofl: defirable Work of Love and Peace, and Concord
amongfl: all who Profefs
jefus. Blejfed is the Peace maker, therefore follow the
T hings that make for Peace, and Edification one of another.
The Coming of the Lord draws near. O therefore !
Labour to be found of him in Peace, for happy is that
Servant whom his Lord when he cometh {hall find fiy doing,
Mat. 24. 46. The 1
whatjhewer onr Hands find to do, we fhonld do it with alt
onr might, and the Reafon, is becaufe, there is no Work,
nor Wzfdom, nor Device, nor Knowledge of God in the

They were of one Heart

Grave whether we go, Eccl. 9. I
Ibefeech you all to confider ferioufly of what hath been

faid, that {'0 what hath been amifs in time pafi, may be,

‘ amended for time to come among you all, now that it‘“i

may be Io, aslibegun, fO{ha11!¢I< end, he of one /l/Iind;

and were Comforted, and great ,4dd,';,'_ '

and of one Soul in Point ,

and by the fame Spirit of ,

Obedience to the Name of)‘;

Advice of the Wife Man is, that.

'0; Therefore once more’. ;

Live in Peace, and the God of Love and Peace [hall he ,

with you.

Per NIS,

,.
-.

I

i
E.
S.

4%:

 V ‘gig: .

T A Cutalogite of B 0 OK 3 ofetfuzt Rcverezzaf Divine
~ Dr. ]0hn Owen. Printed for, and Sold by Wil-I

liam Marlhal, at the Bible in Newgate-Street.

I72‘ FOLIO.

_1  j! 18 Expofition on the He-

brews, 4 Volumes.
2 His Difcourfes of the Work
of the Spirit. .
3 The Dottrine of the Saints

. Perfeverance.

122- Q1) A R‘ T 0.
1 Oétrine of jufiification by
Faith.

2 G1orious'Myl’tery of the P61"-
fon of Chriil, God and Man.

3 The Grace and Duty of be-
ing Spiritiially-minded.

4 A Difplay of the Errors Of
the Armiflians. ’

5 Death 'ofDeaths,in theDeath
Of 

6 Vindieioe E"Ufl77g€h.C:? : Or,the

S iMyfiery of the Gufpel vindicated,

:ind'Socini_anifm explained : \"v’itl1
their Catechife In Ar.l\-\€f t0

‘ Beads].

7 Tlaeologizz Nezturzz.

8 Au‘ Expofition "of the I goth
Pfalm. _

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