The Sense of which Words will appear in this following Propofition.

If we have given just occafion of Offence to our fellow Chriftians, we must not think that God will accept of our Devotion, though never fo Coftly; whether Publick or Private, till we are reconciled, or have reconciled our felves to our offended Neigh bour.

I fay, if we have given just occafion of Offence for that is the meaning of our great Master here when he faith, if thy Brother hath ought against thee, which is not to be understood of ather Mens picking Quarrels with us, or bearing a Spleen, or Hatred to us without a juft Cause, for fo Christ and his Apostles, and the best Men have been used in all Ages, but if our Brother or fellow Chriftian have ought against us, that he can juftly charge us with as an Offence given to him; in that Cafe, if we should not think of it, till we come to the very Altar of God's Houfe, our Devotion, if we mean to have it accepted, must be forborn, or it is offered in vain, till a Reconciliation be fought or made.

I apply what is faid here of bringing our Gift to the Altar, to any Devotion, whether it be Prayer, or receiving the Sacrament of the Eucharift, or Confecrating part of our Eftate and Goods to God's Service, &c. For though Christ in faying fo, alludes to the Pra&tice and Custom of the Jews offering their Gifts, their Sheep, their Turtles, their Pigeons, c. upon the Altar, the holieft place in the Tabernacle, or Temple of ferufalem, yet fince by bringing a thing, or coming to the

Altar

Altar of God, is fome times meant Divine Worship in general, as Malach: ii. 13. Pfal. xxvi. 6. the Phrafe may justly be understood of the Publick Worship of God, nay any fort of Divine Worship, whereby we intend to exprefs our refpect to God, whether Publick or Private; and that want of Reconciliation in cafe we have offered a fignal Injury to our fellow Chriftians, either in Word or Deed, renders the Gift, or Devotion we offer unpleafing, or unacceptable, will appear from the following Confiderations.

1. Because the Devotion is offered from an impure Heart; want of Reconciliation, I mean 2 wilful want or neglect of it fuppofes a Heart full of Rancour and Malice, and fecret Grudges against the Perfon whom we are at Variance with, or whom we have offended; and in this cafe David's faying holds true; If I regard Iniquity in my Heart, the Lord will not leave me, Pfal. Ixvi. 18. Shall God, whofe Purity is great, and aftonifhing, and infinite, accept of an Oblation, which hath fo impure a Foundation? Can we imagine God is fo fond of Services, as not to regard the Heart, which is and ought to be the principal Agent in the Service? He that fcorned the Blind and the Lame offered to him in Sacrifice, will he be pleased with fuch blind and lame Devotion? Itis not the bare Flower, (as beautiful as it's Colours may feem to be) that God is delighted with, if the Soil on which it grows be a Dung-hill. No,

Let's

Let's not flatter our felves, that the Building we erect, will be taken in the Eyes of the great Architect, while the Foundation is rotten. A Heart that cherishes Malice, is the impure Root, that sheds poyfon on the Plant it produces; and that can cause no odoriferous Scent in Heaven. He that hath protested, that an evil Heart is abomination to him, will he relifh the Water which comes from that bitter Spring? He that hath told us, that the pure in heart fhall fee him, and none but they, will he admit that Devotion into his gracious Prefence, which comes from a bottom, where Toads and Serpents crawl? He that delights in nothing so much as in a Heart fincere, and upright, will he be fond of Hypocrify? What is Hypocrify? Is it not feeming to be good, when we are not? And is not Devotion, coming from a Heart unwilling to be reconciled, to our fellow Chriftian, an appearance of Goodness; while love to our Brethren, the principal Ingredient which must make it fo is wanting?

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2. Such Devotion is a perfect Contradicti The Soul, that is a Stranger, or an Enemy to Reconciliation, and yet offers Services of Devotion to God, pretends to obey him by thofe Services, and yet at the fame time dif obeys him, by being unwilling to be reconciled. Doth a Fountain at the fame place fend forth bittor Water and fweer? faith St. James,ch. iii.11. Of the Samaritans we read, 1 Kings, xvii. 33. That they feared the Lord, and ferved their own Gods. They facrificed to the Great Jehovah,

and

and to Devils, and their Worship was divided betwixt God and Belial; betwixt Dagon and the Ark; betwixt the Temple of God, and Idols. And is not Devotion, from a Heart unwilling to be reconciled, a Worship much like theirs? At once to obey God, and to difobey him; at once to honour, and to affront him; at once to worship, and to blaspheme him? To build with one hand, and to pull down with another: At the fame time to pleafe God, and to offend him; to please him with Devotion, and to offend him with neglect of Charity? Is God a God of Order, and will he be pleafed with Contradictions? May it not justly be faid to fuch among you, as Elijah to the Ifraelites? 1 Kings, xviii. 21. How long halt you between two Opinions? If the Lord be God, then follow him; but if Baal, then follow him. But to think to oblige both, is to reconcile Fire and Water, Light and Darkness, Heaven and Hell, and things that have the greatest Antipathy one to another.

3. God is the God of Love, and will he accept of a Devotion coming from a Heart that hath no Love? Can there be Love there, where there is no Reconciliation? Can Charity be there, where the Man will not be Friends with his offended Brother? It was indeed faid in Commendation of that Roman, that having lived fo many years with his Mother, he was never reconciled to her; but the meaning was, that they had never quarrelled; never fallen out; fo there was no need of any Reconciliation. But here we fpeak of Offences given and taken,

taken, and a wilful neglect of Reconciliation, must neceflarily argue want of Love; and can God love that Service, in which there is nothing agreeable to his Nature? Behold horo good, and how pleasant a thing it is, for Brethren to dwell together in Unity, faith David, Pfal. Cxxxiii. 1. It is pleasant to Men, and plea fant to God. He loves to fee it, there is Harmony in it; and can that Devotion make Mufick in Heaven, which runs upon jarring, and Difcord, and Animofities, and Diffentions? God is Love, and where fhould Love dwell, but in a Heart that loves? A Heart that doth not, is no Seat, no Place, no Manfion, no Habitation, no Tabernacle for the God of Love to reft in. The Spirit of Love flees from fuch a Houfe. There must be a Similitude of Tempers. For God to dwell in a Heart where Hatred lodges, would be as unfeemly a thing, as for a King to chufe a Dungeon for his Habitation. I love them that love me, faith the Eternal Wisdom, Prov. viii. 17. He that is unwilling to be reconciled to his offended Neighbour, cannot love God; and God cannot love him, nor his Service; for if the Man doth not love his Brother, whom he hath feen, how shall he love God, whom he hath not feen? 1 John iv. 20.

4. Such Devotion, coming from a Heart loath to be reconciled, is a plain Attempt to put a cheat upon the great God of Heaven for fuch a Man hopes, God will be fo dazled with his Devotion, that he will over-look the Malice that's glowing in his Heart. He hopes, that God will be fo taken with the external G

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