mind of man is greater and larger than to be fatisfied with any thing in this world. So that when application is made to him by riches, honour, pleasure, and the like; it is but all in vain: for, they will all fay, content is not in me: and, that they are not able to do what men expect. And from hence will arise great diffatisfaction and discontent, because of frustration and disapprovement: for, here, a man must call himfelf a fool, to doat upon any thing, without grounds; and for making an ill choice, and conceiting as a fool. This will make him uneafy, and afhamed of himself.

Laftly, Every state and temper, according to its quality, whether good or evil, is to have a fuitable portion of happiness or mifery. Now the fate of fin, is the worst state in the world; and therefore it is meet that it fhould fare the worft: and the state of goodnefs, is the best ftate; and it is meet that it fhould fare accordingly.As I faid before: if God fhould let a finner alone, his mifery and unhappiness would arise from himself. And should a good man fall into never fo many troubles and afflictions: yet he would have fatisfaction in himself, and peace in his own foul; because he was not confcious to himfelf of any evil, nor had contracted guilt in his mind.

DISCOURSE LXXXII.

The obligations and advantages of goodwill.

EPHES. iv. 31, 32.

Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice. And be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another; even as God, for Chrift's fake, hath forgiven you.

I

Have fhewn you formerly that the design of these words, is to discharge our minds of all ill-will and displeasure, one against another. And I am now to give you reasons and arguments, in purfuit of this exhortation. I began as high as heaven; and told you, that it was in conformity with God himfelf; and in compliance with his loving-kindness to men, and his ufage towards us. And, certainly, religion in us, is our imitation of God, and resemblance of him. For, in refpect of God's communicable perfections; as goodness, kindness, beneficence, clemency, mercy, and compaffion, we ought to imitate and resemble him; and I am fure that God is not known by any thing more to us, than by these. And what is more reasonable, than that we should be that towards one another, that God is towards us all ?

That

That which the text pleads for, and preffeth upon us, is the tenor of the chriftian doctrine: whether you take it as laid down in prophecy; or as it expreffeth itself in precept and command; or as it is made out in the temper of thofe that entertain it. In the old teflament, nothing is more decried than unrighteoufnefs, cruelty, oppreffion and in the new tejtament, nothing more called for, than mercy, kindnefs, compaffion. 'Tis that which was required in all times, in all cafes, of all men : Never any dispenfation in this matter: never any allowance to the contrary. 'Tis a matter of full resolution; and required with a general non-obftante. And, this cannot be faid of very many points in divinity.

Now, this difpofition is requifite for our own ease and fafety. A man would live in love, if it were but for his own peace and quiet. For, that man is at heart's ease that neither is nor hath an enemy : whereas, he that is an enemy, is never quiet, if he carry displeasure in his breast: so, if he have juftly made an enemy, he lofeth the liberty of his own thoughts, the freedom of his own mind; he feareth, and is feared. So that the peace, quiet, and fecurity of ourselves, depend upon the compofure of our own minds. If a man live in love, he is devoid of fear for, there is no fear in love: whereas fear hath torment. But perfect love cafteth out fear, 1 John iv. 18. If a man hath an enemy, he is either meditating revenge, or defence: and a man had better be afleep in his bed, than thus employed.

In a due confideration of one another, we should live in hearty love and good-will. For, fuch is the con

dition of man in this world, that we stand in need of one another's help. For, we are all of us very weak. and exposed to many evils, from within, and from without; and every man finds that he hath enough to do, to govern his own fpirit, and to bear his own burden. Let us not add to it, by offence, and mutual provocation of one another. It may be, did we but know, and were acquainted with the condition of others; we ourselves would think it very hard meafare, to add to their forrow; and we would rather help to bear their burdens.

'Tis but a just allowance for the frailty of the prefent ftate. For, no man's bodily conftitution is the matter of his own choice, or within his own powerIf it be choler; that expofeth a man to rashness and fury if melancholy, to fowrnefs and feverity if flegmatick, that expofeth a man to dullness, heaviness, and fleep if blood, to frowardness, petulancy, and wantonnefs. And our minds are tempted to comply with bodily-temper. "Tis only by virtua that a man doth bear up against bodily temper and conftitution. It is very apparent, that the material part of virtue and vice have a foundation in bodilytemper tho' it be neither virtue nor vice as it is the effect thereof but virtue and vice are conftituted by the confent of the mind. Yet this I fay, that our fouls pay the deareft rent in the world, for their habitation in these bodies. Therefore, to pass this;

:

he is little fenfible of the frailty of human nature, who doth not make fair allowance, and candid confruction; who doth not easily incline to the better part; who cannot overlook mistakes, and have pa

tience with men a while, till they recover themselves out of paffion. And much more unmindful are they, and forgetful of the incidencies belonging to this state, who fet themselves to exafperate, inflame, and further to provoke, by unkind returns and mifconftructions beyond and against a man's meaning and inten

tion.

But, I fee there is one thing that will rife up, with a colourable pretence against all that I have faid, if it be not removed: and that is, in case of different apprehenfion in fome things about religion, in which case men say, it is zeal of God, for truth; and that they ought to be zealous for the truth; and think they may profecute their brother upon that account, because he is not of their judgment: he is in an error, they fay, and therefore they think they ought to bear him down, upon this account. There fore, this pretence muft be examin'd. To which end I fhall fuggest these feveral confiderations.

First, It cannot be avoided, but that men must think, as they find caufe. For, this is most certain, that no man is mafter of his own apprehenfions; but he must think (and cannot avoid it) according as he finds caufe.

Secondly, It is no offence to another, that any man hath the freedom of his own thoughts. By this, he doth his neighbour no wrong. For, thoughts make no alteration abroad, nor make any difturbance ; and a wife man will enjoy these, and not expose them in a diforderly manner. For, a generous notion is not to be prostituted. Truth is too noble a thing to be exposed in case of mens dullness and incapacity;