for Peace wit!J all men. If fo mafty me.ri mullbe kill'd, and Co many Conquered in feeking peace, when will it, rhat way, be found? Bur perhaps they think that their wi[dom and goodneJi is fo great, that the World cannot be happy unlcfs they govern it: But what could have pcrfwaded them to think fo, but their pride? Nihil magiJ £grit prode{t, q:cam ab eo curari a quo voluerint, faith Stneca! Patients muft choofe their own Phy(icions. Men ufe to give them hut little thanks, who drench them with fuch benefits, and bring them the potion of peace fo hot, as that the touch of the Cup mufi burn their lips, and who in their goodncfs cut the throats of one part, that their Government may be a blcfling to the furvivcu. In a woxd, it is Pridt that is the great inctndi:~ry of the World, whether it be found in high or low. It will permit no Kingdom, family or Church to enjoy the plc:afant fruits of p~.:J.ce. 10) §· 3· Diru5t. 2• If you wouldbe Pcact:able, be not covctoJH lovcrJ of tbe fYorid, but be contented witb VirtU. 2 • your daily btcad. Hungry Dogs have fddomc fo great plenty of meat, as ro contcnr them all, and kerp them fromfalling out about ir. If you overlove the World, you will never want occ;;fions of difcord: E:ther your neighbour fdleth too dear, or bnycrh too cheap of you, or over-reJcheth you or gets before you, or forr.e wa¥ or other dorh you wrong: as -long as he bath any thing which you defirc, or doth not fatisfie all your ex.peCh.tions. Ambitious and Coveto~U men mull have fo much room, that the World is not wide enough for many of them : And yet (alas) too many of them there arc: And therefore they arc Hill together by the ears, like Boyes in the Winter nights when the Bed doaths ire too narrow to cover them : One pullcth, and another pulleth, and ali complain: You mull be Cure that )'OU trefpafs not in the fmallcfl mc:afurc, nor incroach on the lc:ail of his commodity, that you demand not your own, nor deny him any thing which he ddirerh, ncr get any thing which he would have himfelf, no nor <::v'r give over feeding his greedy expectations, and enduring his injufiicc:and abufe, if you will live peaceably with a wOf'/dly-miudcdman. §. 4• Direct. 3· Ifyouwill bt Praceable, Lovr your nrighbourJ M ;•aur fllvu. Love neither imagi~ Dircl'i. 3• neth nor fpeaketh, nor workcth any hurt to others: It covcreth infirmities; It hopeth all things: It endureth all things ; 1 Cor. J 3· Selfijhxrft and want of Love to· others, caufeth all the contenti~ ons in the Wor-ld. You can bear with great faults in your felves, and never fall out with your (elves for them: B"t wirh your Neighbours you are quarrelling for rhofe that are lefs ! Do you fall out with another becaufe he hath fpoken difhonourably or flightly of you, or flandered you, or fome \vay dpne you wrong? You have done a thoufand times worfe than all that againfi your felves, ancl )'et can bear too patiently with your fclves? If another [peal{ evil of you, he doth not mal{_e yote evil: le's worfe to m.zk_! you b.Jd, than to cJll you fo : And this you do againfi your [elves. Doth your Neighbour wrong you in yom honour or Eftate? But he cndangereth not your foul ; Pie doth not forfeit your falvation ! He dorh not defervc damnation for you, nor make your foul difpicafing to God: Bur all this you do againfi your felves ( eveo morethan all the Devils in Hell do,) and yer you are too little offended with your felvu : fee here the power of blind fdf-lovc ! If you loved ' your Neighbours as your felvcs, you would agree as peaceably wich your Neighbours almoil as with ' your fdves. Love them more, and you will bear murc with them, and provoke them Jefs. 9· 5• Direct. 4· Compofe your minds to Chrijlian gent/me[s and meekne[s, mtd [uffcr not Paf!ion 10 Dire!:/. 4• mak,_t yoH tither turbulent and unquiet to othcri, or impatimt and troubltfome to yottr [eivf!. A gentle ' and quiet mind bath a gentle quiet tongue. It can bear as much wrong, as another can do ( ac~ carding to its meafurc ) ; It is not in the"power of Satan: He cannoc at his pleafure fend his Emif– fary,_and by in)mics or ~oule w:ords, procur~ it .tO. fi_n: But a PaffiOJrate p~rfon. i~ freq_uently provoking or provok,fd. A ltttle thmg maketh hnn mJUrJous to others; and a l1rtle lllJllTY from others difquieteth himfelf. He is daily troubling others or himfelf, or both. Coals of llre go from hi; Jips; It is his very defirc to provoke and vex thofe that he is angry with : His Neighbours Peace and.his own are the fuc:l of his anger, whi,h he confumerh in a momenr. To converfe with him and ROt provokC him, is a task for fuch as arc eminently meek and felf-dcnying : He is as the leaves of the Afpe tree, that never rdt, unlefs the day be very calm. The fmallefl: breath of an angry tongue, czn fhake him out of his tranquillity, and turn him into an Ague of difquietnefs. The Sails of the Windmill are fcarcc more at the wipds command, than his heart and tongue is at the command of Satan: l:lecan move him almolt when he pleafe. Bid bur a Neighbeur fpeak fame hard fpcechcs of him, or one of his family neglect or crors him, and he is prefently like the raging - Sea, whofe wavc:s call up the mire and dirt. An impatient man hath no fecurity of his own._ peace for :m hour : Any enemy or angry perfon,- can take it from him when they pleafe. And being troubled, he is troublefome to all about h"rm. If you "do not in your patience poffefi your fouh, they will be at the mercy of every one that hath a mina to vex you. Remember then that no peace can be txpe~lcd without Patirnce; nor patience without a meek and g~ntle mind ~ Remember that the ornament of a met~ a;:d quiet fpirit, iJ of gre:Jt pric~ i;t the fiJ!.ht of God, r Pet. 3· 4· And that the "tr'i.fdom from above iJ (irjl pure !Jnd then peaceable, gentle, a1td cajie to be intreated, Jam. 3• 17. And that the eternal wifdum {i-9m abovr, bath bid )'OH learn of him to be meek and lowly in fpirit aJ ever you wo1tldfind rejfto )'Our fo:dJ,Matth. II· 28, 29· And he that lofeth his own p~acc, is likeft to break the peace of oth~rs. §. 6. Diret!. 5• Be carrfitl to maintain that order of Government and obtdiencr, which i1 appointed Dire8. S• of God for the prefervation of Pcaci, in familiu, Churchu and Common~wealth!. If you will break this vdfcl, peace will flow our and be all quickly fpi!r. What peace in Schools but by the authority of the Schoolmaller ? Or in Armies but by the authority of the General ? If an unwife and ungodly Governour, do himfclf violate the foundations and boundaries of peace, and either weakly or wilfully make dividing La~s, no wondc! if fi~eh wounds do fpend rhe viral blood and fpirits of that
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