we might live through him : and that these things are declared from heaven with the greatest affurance ; whereas you have it declared in the fame book concerning the angels that fell, that they are not made partakers of this great privilege; that God did not take hold of them in their fall; for verily he took not on him the nature of angels, but he took on him the feed of Abraham; and God fpared not the angels that finned, but caft them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment: a man, I say confidering these things, the encouragement we have and how much we partake of divine grace and goodnefs; and how effectually God hath recommended his goodness, kindnefs and compaffion to us men, more than to the angels; how unnatural it is for fuch a one to harden his heart against his brother, and not to take his cafe in commiferation, nor to give any allowance for the infirmities that are well-nigh infeparable from human nature ! But all this while I am in generals; I fhall never make you understand this notion, unless I defcend to particular inftances. If a man therefore will approve himself in this particular that is here charged upon him as a christian, I suggest to him the following things. Ift. Let him be very shy and wary, where he hath a particular intereft. For we may take it for granted, that we love ourselves and our own right well enough; and will at every turn take care of ourselves. There is no danger here but the danger is on the other fide, whether we will indifferently hear what may be alledged to the contrary, or weigh the argument or : rea Wherefore let reafon that makes against ourselves. a man put himself into the other man's ftead for a while, and seriously confider what he would do if the other man's cafe were his : for Solomon hath obferved, Prov. xviii. 17. that every man is right in his own caufe, though he that comes after him easily finds him out. There is no doubt but a man will be true to himself, and make the best of his Own cause ; but if a man will be right and equal, let him fee with his neighbour's eyes in his own cafe, and with his own eyes in his neighbour's cafe ; make his cause thine, and thy cause his, and see what thou wilt do then. However let an argument be heard on the one fide, as well as the other; and let not thy judgment be otherwise, where the cause is materially the same, where only there is difference of perfons; in this respect let no man be a refpecter of perfons; let not a man's own caufe balance him at all, to keep him from doing justice; a man that would be equal and deal fairly, must have a fufpicious eye upon himself. 2dly, Allow not thyself at any time, to be arbitrary in any caufe depending between thee and another: do noth ing where thou art concerned, upon the fingle account of pleasure; but do what Job advifes, hear the voice of every creature. Where a man is an abfolute owner, and no body hath right, he may there please his own mind, obferving the general direction, doing nothing against the glory of God and the good of his neighbours; but if there be a matter of right between one and another, it is nothing what a man hath a mind to do; he is not to be arbitrary; for will fignifies nothing at all, where another perfon is Con concerned; but reafon and right are all ; will is nothing, and of no account. Where this temper is, that a perfon must have his will; he is not a perfon fit to be dealt withal; none knows what to do with fuch a one; fuch a perfon for his will (though it be the most unrighteous in the world) yet, for his will is for turning all into confufion. Some men think it is the highest perfection to be arbitrary; but really if they do confider, it is a piece of the greatest impotency and fouleft deformity, for a man to ftand upon having his will for a rule, and that a man muft have his mind; and that a man will not be content; though reafon be not on his fide, he muft have his mind. Let us remember that God himself, in whom is all power, and who hath in him the fulnefs of liberty, hath not done because he would; for it is faid, that all the ways of God, are ways of righteousness, goodness and truth: and why fhall we forry creatures pretend that this is perfection and noblenefs in us, to have power to do what we will, and think it a confinement of our liberty to be confined to the reafon of things; fince God who hath all liberty, doth confine all his ways to the reafon of things? It is not the higheft excellency in God, to do because he wills and what he wills; but there is that in God himself, which is tranfcendently above will and pleasure; that is, his holiness, goodness, and righteoufnefs; and will vails to these. And if we look into our Saviour's life, doth not he write after this example? For although he thought it no robbery to be equal with God, yet he put himself into the form of a fervant; and what is a fervant? He that is a fervant, doth bind himself to to do his master's work, and not to do his own will. A fervant is the mafter's inftrument. It is true, he that commands him, must command him with reafon; and he is to obey where there is no reafon to the contrary. Perfons that do not confider and take themselves to task, neither have established a throne of judgment in their own fouls; they are very liable to this of setting up will for a law, and pleasure for a rule. It is one of the greatest things in life, for a man to know his own proportion, and be in his own place; not to take too much upon him, to be no more in a cause than a man should be, to keep within compass, and free from selfishness and in cafe of injury, whether real or imaginary, to be content with moderate fatisfaction; to be willing our neighbour fhould have a fhare, have his due, fare as we fare; and that whatsoever we would that men fhould da unto us, we do the fame to them. 3dly. Let no man adventure to be a judge where he is a party concerned. Though thou thinkft thou knowst the cafe very well, yet let another man speak. No man can safely truft himself so far, no law or reason will allow of it: therefore government is for this purpofe, to determine in cafe of wrong, and judge between party and party. Whofoever takes upon him to ftate, refolve, judge and determine, where he is concerned; he is an unrighteous person: for though his principle may happen to be to do right, yet how many will not fit down without their own fatisfaction this is deep selfishness, and a principle of great difingenuity and these men are in the highest way of arrogancy and affectation imaginable. Some men think there is no wrong but grofs oppreffion, plain and open injury but these things are also contrary to the rule of right; felfishness, arbitrarinefs, to be a carver for himself, to controul the fenfe of others, to be party and judge in the same case, to be angry with all by-ftanders if they will not fubmit to his irregular sense these are unrighteous men. It is 4thly. Shew thy reasonableness, fairness and equity, in thy readiness to refer to arbitration, matters of injury and difference, and matters of trefpafs and wrong; and easily close with terms of accommodation. looked upon with fufpicion, when one party will refer, and the other will not; for furely there is one righteous man in the place where thou dwelleft befides thyfelf; I should think I should find one of my neighbours, with whom a righteous and just cause may be trufted. 5thly. In the next place, I advise to prevent all difference, that nothing do reft in fecret and undeclared truft; but let things fitting be timely done between perfons that enter into an agreement: it is a fafe rule in tranfaction, for perfons thus to refolve, that nothing is done till all is done; uncertain and incomplete is next to nothing. Where the thing is not perfectly done, it will only occafion controverfy, debate and difpute. Where men are accountable one to another, let them at all due distances of time ftate their accounts, and make a full conclufion ; and where there are agreements made, let them be well witneffed, because of the uncertainty and frailty of mens lives; and because they that are concerned, may be tempted by felf-intereft to withdraw from what was concluded |