tion is the daughter of dissension. O how does the name of Christ, and the way of Christ, suffer by the discord of saints! How are many that are entering upon the ways of God, hindered and saddened, and the mouths of the wicked opened; and their hearts hardened against God and his ways, by the discord of his people! Remember this the disagreement of Christians is the devil's triumph; and what a sad thing is this, that Christians should give Satan cause to triumph!

It was a notable saying of one, Take away strife and call back peace, lest thou lose a man, thy friend; and the devil, an enemy, joy over you both.'

Rem. 9. Seriously consider that it is no disparagement to you to be first in seeking peace and reconcilement, but rather an honour to you that you have begun to seek peace. Abraham was the elder, and more worthy than Lot both in respect of grace and nature also, for he was uncle unto Lot, and yet he first seeks peace of his inferior, which God has recorded as his honour. Ah, how does the God of peace, by his spirit and messengers, pursue after peace with poor creatures! God first makes offer of peace to us. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us; we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God, 2 Cor. v. 20. God's grace first kneels to us; and who can turn their backs upon such blessed embracements, but souls in whom Satan, the God of this world, kings it? God is the party wronged, and yet he sues for peace with us at first: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name, Isa. lxv. 1. Ah, how does the sweetness, the freeness, and the riches of his grace break forth and shine upon poor souls! When a man goes from the sun, yet the sunbeams follow him; so when we go from the Sun of righteousness, yet then the beams of his love and mercy follow us. Christ first sent to Peter that had denied him, and the rest that had forsaken him. Go your way and tell his disciples and Peter, that he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him, as he said unto you, Mark xvi. 7. Ah, souls, it is not a base, low thing, but a God-like thing, though we are wronged by others, yet to be the

first in seeking after peace. Such actings will speak out much of God with a man's spirit.

Christians, it is not matter of liberty; whether you will or will not pursue after peace; but it is matter of duty that lies upon you; you are bound by express precepts to follow after peace; and though it may seem to fly from you, yet you must pursue after it. Follow peace with all men, and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord, Heb. xii. 14. Peace and holiness are to be pursued after with the greatest eagerness that can be imagined. The word signifies to follow after peace, as the persecutor does him whom he persecutes. So the psalmist; Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it, Psalm The Hebrew word that is here rendered seek, signifies to seek earnestly, vehemently, affectionately, studiously, industriously. And pursue it; that Hebrew word signifies earnestly to pursue, being a metaphor taken from the eagerness of wild beasts or ravenous fowls, which will run or fly both fast and far, rather than be disappointed of their prey. So the apostle presses the same duty upon the Romans; Let us follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another, Rom, xiv. 19. Ah, you froward, sour, dogged Christian, can you look upon these commands of God without tears and blushing?

xxxiv. 14.

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that

I have read a remarkable story of Aristippus, though but a heathen, who went of his own accord to Eschines his enemy, and said, Shall we never be reconciled till we become a table-talk to all the country?' And when Æschines answered, that he would most gladly be at peace with him; Remember then,' said Aristippus, though I were the elder and better man, yet I sought first unto thee.' Thou art indeed,' said Eschines, a far better man, than I; for I began the quarrel, but thou the reconcilement.' My prayer shall be, that this heathen may not rise in judgment against the flourishing professors of our times, who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words.

Rem, 10. The tenth remedy against this device of Satan, is for saints to join together, and walk together in the ways

of grace and holiness, so far as they do agree, making the word the only touchstone and judge of their actions. That is sweet advice which the Apostle gives, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore as many as be perfect, comparatively or conceitedly so, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. Neverthelesss, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing, Phil. iii. 14-16. Ah, Christians, God loses much, and you lose much, and Satan gains much, by this, that you do not, that you will not, walk lovingly together, so far as your ways lie together. It is your sin and shame that you do not, that you will not, pray together, and hear together, and confer together, and mourn together, because that in some far less things you are not agreed together. What folly and madness is it in those, whose way of a hundred miles lies fourscore and nineteen together, yet they will not walk so far together, because they cannot go the other mile together! yet such is the folly and madness of many Christians in these days, who will not do many things they may do, because they cannot do every thing they should do. I fear God will whip them into a better temper before he has done with them. He will break their bones, and pierce their hearts, but he will cure them of this malady.

And be sure you make the word the only touchstone and judge of all persons and actions. To the law and to the testimony; if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them, Isa. viii. 20. It is best and safest to make that to be the judge of all men and things now, that all shall be judged by in the latter day. The word, says Christ, that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day, John xii. 48. Make not your dim light, your notions, your fancies, your opinions, the judge of men's actions, but still judge by rule, and plead, It is written.

When a vain importunate soul cried out in contest with a holy man, Hear me, hear me;' the holy man answered, * Neither hear me, nor I thee, but let us both hear the apostle.'

Constantine, in all the disputes before him with the Arians, would still call for the word of God as the only way, if not to convert, yet to stop their mouths.

Rem. 11. Be much in self-judging. If we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged, 1 Cor. xi. 31. Ah, were Christians' hearts more taken up in judging themselves and condemning themselves, they would not be so apt to judge and censure others, and to carry it sourly and bitterly towards others that differ from them. There are no souls in the world that are so fearful to judge others, as those that do most judge themselves; nor so careful to make a righteous judgment of men or things, as those that are most careful to judge themselves. There are none in the world who so much tremble to think evil of others, to speak evil of others, or to do evil to others, as those who make it their business to judge themselves. There are none that make such sweet constructions and charitable interpretations of men and things, as those that are best and most in judging themselves. One request I have to make to you that are much in judging others, and little in judging yourselves; to you that are so apt and prone to judge rashly, falsely, and unrighteously; and that is, that you will every morning dwell a little upon these scriptures. Judge not that ye be not judged; for with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged; and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again, Matt. vii. 1, 2. Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment, John vii. 24. Let not him that eateth not, judge him that eateth; for God hath received him. Why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment-seat of Christ. Let us not therefore judge one another any more, but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling-block or an occasion to fall in his brother's way, Rom. xiv. 3, 10, 13. Judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the heart; and then shall every man have praise of God, 1 Cor. iv. 5. Speak not evil one of another, brethren; he that speaketh evil of his brother and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law and judgeth the law; but if thou judge the law,

There is one

thou art not a doer of the law, but a judgė. lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy, James iv. 11, 12. Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth: yed he shall be holden up, for God is able to make him stand, Rom. xiv. 4.

One Delphidius accusing another before Julian about that which he could not prove, the party denying the fact, Delphidius answers, 'If it be sufficient to deny what is laid to one's charge, who shall be found guilty?' Julian answers, And if it be sufficient to be accused, who can be innocent?' You know how to apply it.

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Rem. 12. The twelfth remedy against this device of satan, is this, above all-labour to be clothed with humility. Humility makes a man peaceable among brethren, fruitful in well-doing, cheerful in suffering, and constant in holy walking. Humility fits for the highest services we owe to Christ, and yet will not neglect the lowest service to the meanest saint. Humility can feed upon the meanest dish, and yet it is maintained by the choicest delicacies, as God, Christ, and glory. Humility will make a man bless him that curses him, and pray for those that persecute him. An humble heart is a habitation for God, a scholar for Christ, a companion of angels, a préserver of grace, and a fitter for glory. Humility is the nurse of our graces, the preserver of our mercies, and the great promoter of holy duties. Humility cannot find three things on this side heaven; it cannot find fulness in the creature, or sweetness in sin, or life in an ordinance without Christ. An humble soul always finds three things on this side heaven; the soul to be empty, Christ to be full, and every mercy and duty to be sweet, wherein Christ is enjoyed. Humility can weep over other men's weaknesses, and joy and rejoice over their graces. Humility will make a man quiet and contented in the meanest condition, and it will preserve a man from envying other men's prosperous condition. Humility honours those that are strong in grace, and puts two hands under those that are weak in grace. Humility makes a man richer than other men, and it makes a man judge himself the poorest among men. Humility will see much good abroad, when it can see but little at home. Ah, Christians, though faith is the champion of