tion, hence all our hopes of happiness. The gracious Lord saw his poor creatures undone by sin, and no power in Heaven nor in earth able to rescue them but his own alone; therefore his pity was moved, and his hand answers his heart; his own arm brought salvation, he sent the deliverer out of Zion to turn away iniquity from Jacob'. And in all exigencies of his children, he is overcome with their complaints, and cannot hold out against their moanings; he may, as Joseph, seem strange for a while, but cannot act that strangeness long; his heart moves and sounds to theirs, gives the echo to their griefs and groans, as they say of two strings that are perfect unisons, touch the one, the other also sounds, Surely I have heard Ephraim moaning himself, &c. Is Ephraim a dear son? &c". Oh! the unspeakable privilege to have him for our Father, who is the Father of mercies and compassions, and those not barren fruitless pityings, for he is withal the God of all consolations. Do not think that he can shut out a bleeding soul that comes to him, and refuse to take, and to bind up, and heal a broken heart that offers itself to him, puts itself into his hand, and intreats his help. Doth he require pity of us, and doth he give it to us, and is it not infinitely more in himself? All that is in angels and men is but an insensible drop to that ocean.

Let us then consider both that we are obliged to pity, especially to our christian brethren, and to use all means for their help within our reach; to have bowels stirred with the report of such bloodsheds and cruelties as come to our ears, and to bestir ourselves according to our places and power for them; but sure all are to move this one way, for their help, to run to the throne of grace: if your bowels sound for your brethren, let them sound that way for them, to represent their estate to him that is highest, both in pity and power; for he expects to be remembranced by us, he put that office upon his people to be his recorders for Zion, and they m Jer. xxxi. 19.

k Isa. lxiii. 9.

Rom. xi. 26.

are traitors to it, that neglect the discharge of that

trust.

Courteous.] The former relates to the affiictions of others, this to our whole carriage with them in any condition and yet there is a particular regard of it in communicating good, supplying their wants, or comforting them that are distressed; that it be not done, or rather, I may say, undone in doing it with such supercilious roughness, venting itself either in looks or words, or any way, that sours it, and destroys the very being of a benefit, and turns it rather into an injury. And, generally the whole conversation of men is made unpleasant by cynical harshness and disdain.

owns.

This courteousness which the apostle recommends, is not contrary to that evil only in the superfice and outward behaviour; no, religion doth not prescribe nor is satisfied with such as goes no deeper than words and gestures, which sometimes is most contrary to that singleness which religion These are perhaps the upper garments of malice, saluting him aloud in the morning, whom they are undermining all the day. Or sometimes, though more innocent, yet it may be troublesome, merely by the vain affectation and excess of it; and even this becomes not a wise man, much less a christian: an over-study or acting of that, is a token of emptiness, and is below a solid mind; though they know such things, and could out-do the studiers of it, yet they (as it indeed deserves) do despise it. Nor is it that graver and wiser way of external plausible deportment that answers fully his word; it is the outerhalf indeed; but the thing is [popparúm] a radical sweetness in the temper of the mind, that spreads it'self into a man's words and actions: and this not merely natural, a gentle kind disposition, which is indeed a natural advantage that some have, but this is spiritual, from a new nature descended from Heaven, and so in its original and nature it far excels the other, supplies it where it is not in nature, and doth not only increase it where it is, but elevates it

above itself, renews it, and sets a more excellent stamp upon it. Religion is in this mistaken sometimes, in that men think it imprints an unkindly roughness and austerity upon the mind and carriage. It doth indeed bar and banish all vanity and lightness, and all compliance and easy partaking with sin. Religion strains and quite breaks that point of false and injurious courtesy, to suffer thy brother's soul to run the hazard of perishing, and to share of his guiltiness by not admonishing him after that seasonable, and prudent, and gentle manner, (for that indeed should be studied) which becomes thee as a christian, and that particular respective manner which becomes thy station. These things rightly qualifying it, it doth no wrong to good manners and the courtesy here enjoined, but is truly a part of it, by due admonitions and reproofs to seek to reclaim a sinner, for it were the worst unkindness not to do it, Thou shalt not hate thy brother, thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy brother, and not suffer sin upon him".

But that which is true lovingness of heart and carriage, religion doth not only no way prejudice, but you see requires it in the rule; and where it is wrought in the heart, works and causes it there; fetches out that crookedness and harshness that is otherwise invincible in some humours". Makes the wolf dwell with the lamb. This christians should study, and belie the prejudices of the world, that they take up against the power of Godliness; should study to be inwardly so minded, and of such outward behaviour, as becomes that spirit of grace that dwells in them; to endeavour to gain those that are without by their kind obliging conversation.

In some copies, it is [rampoves] humble, and indeed as this is excellent in itself, and a chief character of a christian, it agrees well with all those mentioned, and carries along with it this inward and real, not acted courteousness. Not to insist on it now, it gains at all hands with God and with men; Lev. xix. 17. • Emollit mores, nec sinit esse feros.

envy, and

receives much grace from God, and kills commands respect and good will from men.

Those showers of grace that slide off from the lofty mountains rest on the vallies and make them fruitful. He giveth grace to the lowly, loves to bestow it where there is most room to receive it, and most return of ingenuous and entire praises upon the receipt: And such is the humble heart; and truly as much humility gains much grace, so it grows by it.

It is one of the world's reproaches against those that go beyond their size in religion, that they are proud and self-conceited: Christians, beware there be nothing in you justifying this. Sure they that have most true grace are least guilty of it. Common knowledge and gifts may puff up, but grace

does not.

He whom the Lord loads most with his richest gifts, stoops lowest, as pressed down with the weight of them; the free love of God humbles the heart most to which it is most manifested.

And towards men, it graces all grace and all gifts, and glorifies God, and teaches others so to do. It is the preserver of graces': Sometimes it seems to wrong them by hiding them; but indeed it is their safety. Hezekiah, by a vain shewing of his jewels and treasures, forfeited them all3. 2 Kings xx. 12.

Ver. 9. Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing ; but contrarywise, blessing: Knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.

OPPOSITION helps grace both to more strength and more lustre. When christian charity is not encountered with the world's malignance, it hath an easier task; but assaulted and overcoming, it shines

P Ja. iv. 6.

Ille est qui superbire nescit, cui Deus ostendit misericordiam suam. * Conservatrix virtutum. S Prodendo perdidit.

the brighter, and rises higher: And thus it is when it renders not evil for evil.

To repay good with evil is amongst men the - top of iniquity; yet this is our universal guiltiness towards God, he multiplying mercies, and we vying with multiplied sins; as the Lord complains of Israel, as they were increased, so they sinned. The lowest step of mutual good amongst men, is not to be bent to provoke others with injuries, and being unoffended, to offend none. But this, not to repay offences, nor render evil for evil, is a christian's rule; and yet further, to return good for evil, and blessing for cursing, is not only counselled, (as some vainly distinguish) but commanded.

It is true, the most have no ambition for this degree of goodness; they aspire no further than to do or say no evil unprovoked, and think themselves sufficiently just and equitable, though they go no further: But this is lame; it is only half the rule. Thou thinkest injury obliges thee, or if not so, yet excuses thee to revenge, or at least disobliges thee, unties thy engagement of wishing and doing good; but these are all gross practical errors. For,

1st, The second injury done by way of revenge, differs from the first that provoked it little or nothing, but only in point of time; and certainly no one man's sin can procure privilege to another to sin in that, or the like kind. If another hath broken the bonds of his allegiance and obedience to God, and of charity to thee, yet thou art not the less tied by the same bonds still.

2dly, By revenge of injuries thou usurpest upon God's prerogative who is the avenger, as the Apostle teaches". This doth not forbid either the magistrate's sword for just punishment of offenders, or the soldier's sword in a just war; but such revenges, as without authority or a lawful call, the pride and perverseness of men do multiply one against another: In which is involved a presump