tations, and to give allowance; to make candid conftruction of mens actions; to afford civil and cour teous behaviour, to be converfant and complacent. These things tend to maintain love and good-will among men; than which there is nothing more creditable to the christian religion; nor any thing more fubfervient to the great end of mutual edification. So that this argument doth extend itself to all perfons : and a man may be tranfcendently charitable, as to the most fublime acts thereof, tho' he have not one penny; if he be a man of a fair carriage, one that affords equal and candid conftruction, and takes things in good part; is affable, courteous, in all things accountable, and ready to give fatisfaction; and one that does all that lies in him, to maintain love, and good-will in the world. This man is of a most christian temper, and charitable in the most excellent fenfe.

You see how many arguments I have suggested, to engage men to humanity, courtesy, and univerfal charity; fo as if it were poffible, to promote a general reconciliation in the whole creation of God.

Now by humanity, fair carriage, and suitableness of difpofition, a man doth gain a general intereft; and this is an argument to a man's felf. Alfo, in acting thus, he doth act according to the true genius of human nature. For, there is in man, a fecret genius to humanity; a biafs that inclines him to a regard of all of his own kind. For, whatsoever fome have said, man's nature is not fuch an untoward thing (unless it be abused,) but that there is a fecret fympathy in human nature, with virtue and honesty;

with fairness and good behaviour; which gives a man an interest even in bad men; and whereby they are even before they are aware, inclined to reverence and honour fuch a perfon. And tho' through paffion, and intereft, and bad cuftom, they are put off from the practice of it; yet they cannot but approve it, and them that practise it; upon which account, it is obferved by the wife man, that they who retain their innocency, and live according to the principles of human nature, they are juftified in the judgment of fuch perfons, from whose humour, and practice, they do altogether depart. Wherefore, we may deteft and reject that doctrine which faith, that God made man in a state of war. Undoubtedly, man, if he have not abused himself, is the mildest creature under heaven. Man is a fociable creature, delights in company and converfe and, by conception of notions, and power of utterance, is fitted for converfation. It is delightful for one man to see the face of another; for, a man fees another felf, another of the fame kind, (all being made by the fame exemplar; after the image of God :) and, a man would not, on any terms, be in the world, with creatures below him; which would be presence, but not converse. It is not more pleasurable to see the fun, after a cold dark night; than it is chearing and reviving, in the darkness and confufion of our thoughts, to refresh our mind by presence and enjoyment of a perfon we love. But, nothing spoils the nature of man, as to converse, more than falfe zeal. What can we think of the uncharitable, envious, malicious, spiteful? Of those who are quarrelfome, contentious, litigious?

of those who are revengeful, implacable? cruel, burdenfome, intolerable? felfifh; who care for no body befides themselves? given up to paffion; wrathful, furious? traducers, defamers of others, backbiters who plot, contrive to destroy for religion's fake; are barbarous, inhuman, bloody, to ferve ends of religion? Tantum, religio! &c. Is this the religion of Chrift? Is fuch a religion worth having? Is not good nature which a man is born to, a better thing? Is not the virtue heathens have applauded and practifed, far more valuable? Yet fome who pretend to religion, are fuch. -But they must change their nature, or lay afide the profeffion. If this be religion; what is worfe? Common

good nature makes men innocent, harmless, inoffenfive, converfable. If the party's religion doth not this, at leaft; it is fomething else in the place of religion. We fay it of fome, that they are the worse for their religion; otherwife, good natur'd perfons. How ftrange is it, that any should be fo mistaken, as in purfuit of their religion, to do fuch things as reafon is againft, and nature startles at ?

Now to draw up all in a conclufior. We are all of us, in respect of one another, free, abfolute and independent; having our own proper employment, and concernment, both for time, and for eternity: and it may be faid of us all, in this refpect, we are our own mafters; and must stand or fall by our own actions: but we have not liberty to judge, and pass Sentence upon our fellow-fervants, Rom. xiv. 4. neither have we ought to do with each other, fave only to do for one another all the good we can; and to receive

receive from each other, what good we may.

We

As

have nothing to do to ufurp authority, and tyrranize in God's family; or to beat our fellow fervants, Luke xii. 45. Yea, our feveral relations each to other, lay a new foundation of mutual good offices, and payment of respect. And we may do good, and receive good from each other more ways than one. That is true, which God said to Mofes : I have made thee a God to Pharaoh, Exod. vii. 1. A man to a man, is, in a sense, in the place of God. When God made a fecond, it was (in his intention) to be a help to the firft. We may, and ought to be helpful to each other; and if we were as we should be, we should be the better provided for, the more people there were, and the more men we had in the world. particularly : -By counsel and advice; in cafe of ignorance, uncertainty, and inexperience: for, fome have knowledge in fome things, and others in other. And herein we may be greatly profitable each to other By adminiftring comfort, and encouragement to one another, in cafe of entanglement, and fuffering: Alfo, in a way of fupplement, where we are infufficient, either to bear our burden, or difcharge our duty: upon which account it is faid, wo to him that is alone: for, if he fall, there is none to help him up. 'Tis well fpoken of Seneca in this cafe: "A man is fo made for fociety, and it is fo useful "for men, to join themselves to each other, that "there is no man (he says) to whom it is not better

:

to be with any body, than always by himself, alone." But, to do one another harm; and, to receive harm from each other, in any kind whatsoever; I fay this;

it is violent, and unnatural, in refpect of the purpose and intention of God's creation. For, the apoftle tells us, that God made, of one blood, all the nations of the earth, Acts xvii. 26. We are as members of one family; and proceed from one stock. And from hence there is a foundation laid, of mutual good offices; and to do otherwife, is violent, monftrous, and unnatural.It is to break through, and caft off the fuperadded obligation that is laid upon us, by the chriftian religion. It is to make the world lefs tolerable, habitable, and paffable, than it is of itself. For, do we the best we can; the world is bad enough. And we fhall contribute to make times and places worfe; if we do not difcharge ourselves in mutual good offices one towards another; or, at least if we be grievous one to another.

From this which I have now fuperadded to all that went before, you may understand that it is with very great reason that the apostle doth call upon us, to be kind; full of bowels and compaffion; ready to gratify and forgive; that so we may be mutually helpful one to another; and, by the comfort that we afford to each other, make the times and places we live in, the better.

Now, could I perfuade to this; it would be as new Jerufalem coming down from heaven; and the very angels descending among us; even those blessed Spirits that give God thanks for his grace and goodnefs towards men; and cry continually, glory to God on high, peace on earth, good-will to the fons of men. O bleffed fpirits that are free from that canker of envy and malice! Who, tho' they fee man's nature ad