thing this world can give.-It is this bleffing gives every one to fit quietly under his vine, and reap the fruits of his labour and induftry: -in one word,-which befpeaks who is the beftower of it. It is that only which keeps up the harmony and order of the world, and preferves every thing in it from ruin and confufion.

There is one faying of our Saviour's, recorded by St. Matthew, which, at first fight, feems to carry fome oppofition to this doctrine; -I came not to fend peace on earth, but a fword. But this reaches no farther than the bare words, not entering fo deep as to affect the fenfe, or imply any contradiction;-intimating only, that the preaching of the gofpel will prove in the event, through fundry unhappy caufes, fuch as prejudices, the corruption of mens hearts; a paffion for idolatry and fuperftition, the occafion of much variance and divifion even amongst nearest relations ;yea, and oft-times of bodily death, and many calamities and perfecutions, which actually enfued upon the first preachers and followers of it. Or the words may be uuderstood,as

a beautiful defcription of the inward contests and oppofition which chriftianity would occafion in the heart of man,-from its oppofitions to the violent paffions of our nature,which would engage us in a perpetual warfare.

This was not only a fword,-a division betwixt nearest kindred;-but it was dividing a man against himself;-setting up an oppofition to an interest long established, strong by nature,―more fo by uncontrouled custom.This is verified every hour in the ftruggles for mastery betwixt the principles of the world, the flesh and the devil;-which fet up fo ftrong a confederacy, that there is need of all the helps which reafon and christianity can offer to bring them down.

But this contention is not that against which fuch exhortations in the gofpel are levelled; -for the Scripture must be interpreted by Scripture, and be made confiftent with itself.

And we find the diftinguifhing marks and doctrines, by which all men were to know who were Chrift's difciples, was that benevolent frame of mind towards all our fellow-creatures, which, by itfelf, is a fufficient fecurity for the

particular focial duty here recommended :— fo far from meditations of war;-for love thinketh no evil to his neighbour;-fo far from doing any, it harbours not the least thought of it; but, on the contrary, rejoices with them that rejoice, and weeps with them that weep.

This debt chriftianity has highly exalted; though it is a debt that we were sensible of before, and acknowleged to be owed to human nature,—which, as we all partake of,fo ought we to pay it in a fuitable refpect.For, as men, we are allied together in the natural bond of brotherhood, and are members one of another.-We have the fame Father in heaven, who made us and takes care of us all. -Our earthly extraction too is nearer alike, than the pride of the world cares to be reminded of:--for Adam was the father of us all, and Eve the mother of all living.-The prince and the beggar fprung from the fame ftocks, as wide asunder as the branches are.So that, in this view, the moft upftart family may vie antiquity, and compare families with the greatest monarchs.-We are all formed too

of the fame mould, and muft equally return to the fame duft.-So that, to love our neighbour, and live quietly with him, is to live at peace with ourselves.-He is but felf-multiplied, and enlarged into another form; and to be unkind or cruel to him, is but, as Solomon obferves of the unmerciful, to be cruel to our own flesh.-As a farther motive and engagement to this peaceable commerce with each other,—God has placed us all in one another's power by turns,-in a condition of mutual need and dependence.-There is no man fo liberally stocked with earthly bleffings, as to be able to live without another man's aid.-God, in his wifdom, has fo dispensed his gifts, in various kinds and meafures, as to render us helpful, and make a focial intercourfe indifpenfable.-The prince depends on the labour and industry of the peasant ;—and the wealth and honour of the greatest perfons are fed and fupported from the fame fource.

This the Apoftle hath elegantly fet forth to us by the familiar refemblance of the natural body;—wherein there are many members, and all have not the fame office; but the dif

ferent faculties and operatious of each, are for the use and benefit of the whole.—The eye fees not for itself, but for the other members; and is fet up as a light to direct them:-the feet ferve to fupport and carry about the other parts; and the hands act and labour for them all. It is the fame in ftates and kingdoms, wherein there are many members, yet each in their feveral functions and employments; which, if peaceably discharged, are for the harmony of the whole state.-Some are eyes and guides to the blind;-others, feet to the lame and impotent;-fome to supply the place of the head, to affift with council and direction;-others the hand, to be useful by their Jabour and industry.—To make this link of dependance ftill ftronger,-there is a great portion of mutability iu all human affairs, to make the benignity of temper not only our duty, but our intereft and wifdom.-There is no condition in life fo fixed and permanent as to be out of danger, or the reach of change:

and we all may depend upon it, that we fhall take our turns of wanting and defiring. By how many unforfeen caufes may riches