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النشر الإلكتروني

SERMON XIV.

HEBREWS xii. 14.

Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man fhall fee the Lord.

HE great

end and defign of our holy

THE religion, next to the main view of re

conciling us to God, was to reconcile us to each other;-by teaching us to fubdue all those unfriendly difpofitions in our nature, which unfit us for happiness, and the social enjoyment of the many bleffings which God has enabled us to partake of in this world, miserable as it is, in many respects.-Could christianity perfuade the profeffors of it into this temper, and engage us, as its doctrine requires, to go on and exalt our natures, and, after the fubduction of the most unfriendly of our paffions, to plant, in the room of them, all those (more natural to the foil) humane and benevolent

inclinations, which, in imitation of the perfections of God, fhould difpofe us to extend our love and goodness to our fellowcreatures, according to the extent of our abilities;-in like manner, as the goodness of God extends itself over all the works of the creation-could this be accomplished,-the world would be worth living in ;-and might be confidered by us as a foretaste of what we fhould enter upon hereafter.

But fuch a fyftem, you will fay, is merely vifionary;—and, confidering man as a creature fo befet with selfishness, and other fretful paffions that propenfity prompt him to, though it is to be wifhed, it is not to be expected.But our religion enjoins us to approach as near this fair pattern as we can; and, if it be poffible, as much as lieth in us, to live peaceably with all men;-where the term,—If poffible, I own, implies it may not only be difficult, but fometimes impoffible.-Thus the words of the text,-Follow peace,—may by fome be thought to imply,-that this defireable bleffing may sometimes fly from us;-but still we are required to follow it, and not cease the

pursuit, till we have used all warrantable methods to regain and fettle it:- because, adds the Apostle, without this frame of mind, no man fhall fee the Lord. For heaven is the region, as well as the recompence, of peace and benevolence; and fuch as do not defire and promote it here, are not qualified to enjoy it hereafter.

For this caufe, in Scripture language,peace is always spoke of as the great and comprehenfive bleffing, which included in it all manner of happiness-and to with peace to any houfe or perfon, was, in one word, to wish them all that was good and defireable.— Because happiness consists in the inward complacency and fatisfaction of the mind; and he who has fuch a difpofition of foul, as to acquiefce and reft contented with all the events of providence, can want nothing this world. can give him.-Agreeable to this, that short, but most comprehenfive, hymn fung by angels at our Saviour's birth, declaratory of the joy and happy ends of his incarnation,--after glory, in the firft, to God,-the next note which founded was, Peace upon earth, and good

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will to men.-It was a public wish of happinefs to mankind, and implied a folemn charge to pursue the means that would even lead to it. And, iu truth, the good-tidings of the gofpel are nothing else but a grand message and embaffy of peace, to let us know, that our peace is made in heaven.

The prophet Ifaiah ftiles our Saviour the Prince of Peace, long before he came into the world; and to anfwer the title, he made choice to enter into it at a time when all nations were at peace with each other; which was in the days of Auguftus,-when the temple of Janus was fhut, and all the alarms of war were hushed and filenced throughout the world.-At his birth, the host of heaven defcended, and proclaimed peace on earth, as the best state and temper the world could be in to receive and welcome the Author of it.His future converfation and doctrine, here upon earth, was every way agreeable with his peaceable entrance upon it;-the whole course of his life being but one great example of meeknefs, peace and patience.-At his death, it was the only legacy he bequeathed to his fol

lowers:-My peace I give unto you.-How far this has taken place, or been actually enjoyed, is not my intention to enlarge upon, any further than just to obferve how precious a bequest it was, from the many miferies and calamities which have, and ever will, enfue from the want of it.-If we look into the larger circle of the world,-what defolations, diffolutions of government, and invafions of property!-what rapine, plunder, and profanation of the most facred rights of mankind, are the certain unhappy effects of it!-fields dyed in blood, the cries of orphans and widows, bereft of their best help, too fully inftruct us.-Look into private life,- behold how good and pleasant a thing it is to live together in unity;-it is like the precious ointment poured upon the head of Aaron, that run down to his fkirts ;-importing, that this balm of life is felt and enjoyed, not only by governors of kingdoms, but is derived down to the lowest rank of life, and tasted in the moft private receffes;-all, from the king to the peafant, are refreshed with its bleffings, without which we can find no comfort in any

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