The Bleffidn fr of the Peace - makers. 385 government, and upon the whole face of it S E R M. God bath made of one blood all the nations of XIV. men to dwell, he hath joined all thefe nations ""v"-"" together by the common bond of humanity, and his law of nature requireth them all to cultivate peace among themfelves. Such peace hath indeed never yet univerfally ob- tained, as we fee in fart the tranquillity of leffer focieties, even to families, is liable to many interruptions through the corruption and wickednefs of men; but we may be fenfible how great a bleßing it would be, diffufing its happy fruits univerfally, efpecially when we compare it in our thoughts with the difmal ef- feas of war which we fee and hear of, that hor- rid devaftation in the earth, and havock of mankind which it maketh ; and this peace we may hope for when the knowledge of the Lord (hall fill the earth, as the waters cover the fea. But our Lord Jefus Chrift himfeif hath in= ftituted a fociety of a peculiar nature, a king- dom which he faith is not of this world, different from all others that ever have been in the world, formed for different purpofes, and governed by different maxims. In this fociety it is his will that there fhould be peace ; having laid a glorious foundation for it in that one faith and religion he bath taught his followers, and even the external form of VOL. IV. C c their
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