Every one of us ftands in need of the fociety and help of others, as much as we need food or air. He needs the magiftrate, to protect him under God; the statesman, to confult and advise for him; the divine, to inftruct him; the tradefman, to fupply him with a world of neceffaries; the foldier, to fight for him; the painful husbandman, to find him bread; the poor fervant, to work and fweat for him; nay, the greatest and richest man on earth needeth the very beggar to do him good: he needs even the blind, and the lame; the hungry, and naked; the comfortless mother, and her fucking child: For what? Why to lay up his treasure in heaven for him. For these are God's receivers. By their hands it is, that men lend unto the Lord, that they may receive themselves ten thousand fold at the hands of Christ.

Every one's good is lodged more or less every where, juft as his neceffities are; fome part in one hand, fome in another; and the greatest part in the common good, in the joint ftock of the community, in the profperity and good of the whole kingdom.

It is a great mistake for a man to think, that all his intereft lieth at home, in his family, and in himself, and within the compass of his own propriety. There indeed lieth his particular and private interest: but what is that worth, if his publick interest be destroyed? if the welfare of the whole nation be deftroyed and gone? Every man's particular happiness is bound and wrapt up in that, and depends on that; nor is it pof fible for the body to fuffer, but each member must fuffer in proportion.

And hence it follows, that he is a fool, as well as an ill neighbour, that feeketh his own private welfare only, neglecting and overlooking the common good, which is the main, and which fupports and preferves all the reft.

It is finful felf love, that looks at home only, and is bufy altogether within its own walls. The office of charity is to look abroad; to fee how the publick fares; to consult and mind the publick good; to lend an helping hand in all publick neceffities; and with all poffible care to avoid every thing that is directly injurious to the com mon happiness, and deftructive of it.

VOL. III.

Y

To

To exprefs our charity therefore in this respect alfo, as every one fhould feek not his own, but another's welfare, fo all of us are obliged after an especial manner, to study and provide for the peace of the community, whereunto we all belong. Peace is the greatest happiness upon earth; as it is the state of heaven; the bleffing that gives a relish to all the reft; that makes all other enjoyments sweet and delightful; and for that reafon, the holy Scripture is wont to express all manner of happiness, by the general name of peace.

To deftroy or disturb this, is to be a publick enemy; and where a spirit of contention reigneth and ftriveth, the contest must be very dangerous to the whole body, because it is as it were in the bowels. It were better living in a defart, and to wait for one's food, as Elijah did, by the ministry of ravens, than with a generation of people that are enemies to peace; restless, froward, troublesome, malicious, ready for any opportunity to vex and fcourge one another.

In such a case, society, which should be one's great comfort, is his greatest plague; for men are thereby the stronger to hurt

him: Ill nature works till it raiseth a confederacy, and then mifchiefs run with an inundation; like calamities in a civil war, where force carries it, and armed enemies confider not what they should, but what they 'can do.

To prevent the plagues of this life, as well as the torments of another; the laws of the most holy and charitable Jefus do require us to be peace-makers-to live in peace to follow peace with all men-to feek peace, and enfue it-to keep the unity of the spirit, in the bond of peace-if it be poffible, as much as lieth in us, to live peaceably with all men-and, to follow after the things that belong to our peace.

And certainly, if it be charity to wish others, and to do to others all the good we can, it must be the greatest charity to seek that which is the best thing in the world for them. And when our charity is thus large and extensive, it will in fome measure refemble the goodness of God, whose mercy is over all his works.

THE Third inftance of charity in my text, is expreffed thus; is not easily proY 2 voked:

voked: That is, A charitable man is not presently moved out of a calm and compofed ftate; and where there fhall be fufficient and juft caufe of refentment, he will not fuffer his paffion to fwell beyond a due measure.

More particularly, All kinds of revenge, are utterly inconfiftent with a true spirit of charity. To which purpose we are strictly commanded, not to avenge ourselves; not to recompenfe evil for evil; but to overcome evil with good; to be patient, merciful, and kind; if an enemy hunger, to feed him; if he thirst, to give him drink.

Christianity is the highest improvement of virtue; and the laws of it are fo ftrict and perfect, fo fublime and pure, that all tinctures of malice and ill-will are a violation of them. The fpirits of christians fhould be above all fuch bafe alloy; they fhould be refined and raised to that high and noble pitch, and true greatness, as to pafs by affronts with meekness and charity, and (if poffible) with flightings and difdain.

That holy and juft one, who defcended from heaven to cleanfe, raise, and perfect our nature, took great care to rid us of all