' io6 VireElions for PeMe. thH [ocitty; It being more it'l the power of the G?vernours than of the Subject to dejlroy Peace or to ptc[erN ir. And if the SnbjcllJ make not confcltl.Jce of th(it duty eo their Supcricurs, the banks of peace wiil foon b~ broken down, and all will be overwhelmed in tumult and confufion. Take heed thertfore of any thing which tendcth to fubvert or weaken Govtrnmcnt ; Difobedicnce er Re– bellion feldome w:mtcrh a flir pretence: but· it more feldorne anfwernh the agems expdhtion. It ufually prltendeth, the wcakndTcs, mifcuriages,_ or injurious dealings of fuperiours ; B~lt ir as ufually rnc1~Jqh an i1·conveniencc with J mifchid. It fetccth tire on the houfe to burn up the Rats and M!cc that troublt.d ir. 1t mutt be indeed a grievous m.1bdy, th.n fhaH need fuch a mifchicf for its remedy. Ctrfainly it is no means of Gods <~ppointmenr. Take heed therefore of any thing which would diff.Jlvc thtfc bonds. Entcrrain not difhonouuble though1s of your Governours, and receive nn, nor'utccr not any di(honourabll! words ag1inlt them: If they be faulty, cpen not their fhame: Their honour is their inrerell, and the peoples too: Without it thty will be ditab!ed fOr tt~ fd}ual Govunmtnr. when fubju~ls, or fcrVlnts, er chi!drtn are fawcily ccnforieus oilUptriours, and mlketht'mftlvt:s juJgcs of all their aCtions, even thofc wi1ich thty Jo not underHand, and o;;vhen tht.y rrc!i.Hnc to dt f•ITIC them, and With pctul;.nt IOn~ues tO Cil.i\ contempr upon the. m, tht: tire is bcgur', and the r .. crcd bonds of pe·lCe are loofed. When fuperiours rule widl Pi~ty, Jullice and true love to thtir fubju~h, and lnfeiiours keep their place and nnk, and all confpite the publick good, then Piac~ will t'ouri01, anJ not rill then. Dire{!. 6. ~ 7· D:rdl:. 6. Avoid aY rrvwgrf•l andprovok,i11g word,. When thepoyf'" ofA!pt is und<r mens lips, (Rom.~ ·13·) no wonder if the hc::arrts lT inds that are not ft.~fficicntly antidotcd againtt ir, feller. Death ar.d life are in the power of the tongue : Prov. I8. 21· \Vhen the tongue is as :1 Sword, yea, a Omp fworJ, ( Pfol. 57· 4•) and when it is purpofely ITIJettcd, ( Pf•l. 6+· 3·) But no marvel if it pierce, and wound tl1<m th·lt are unarmed. But by lmg forbearing a P~ince if ptrfrvJdcd, and a {oft tmgue brc~k,_n!J tbe bcmr, Prov. 2 5· 15· A railu is numbcr(d with tho(!: that a Chriltian mull not Clt with, 1 Cor. 5· For Chdflianity is fo mL!ch fer Peace, that it abhorrtth all that is agaiult ir. Our Lmd whw he w:~s reviltJ, r(.vilcd not again, and in this was our exaJnple, 1 Pet. 2. 2r, 2 3. A fcorning, uiling, rtproachful tongue, is fet (as J.m;u faith 3· 6. ) o1t fire of HeU, and it ferteth on firt tlu courfe 4 1t.:Jture, ev,91 perJOns, f1milies, Churches and Common-wealths. Mmy a a ruir:ed fcciety may [J.y by c.xpcritnce' Behold ) hliW grcal a matter a /jnle fire kJndleth. J,mlS3·S· Dird1. 7 . 9 8. DiL<&. 7· E;zg,zge not your {ch:es too forwardly or eagtrly in difpmu, 1tcr at aJiy time without uwf!ity: And rriJCn mcrf!ity caUcth you, {tt an extraordinary mlteb upon )'Oitr p.;Jlionf, Though difjmting )s I.,..,{ul) a1:J fvtmtirr.e neceflary, to defend the truth, yet it is teldome the way of doing 'good to thof!: whom you diffute with: It eng~gerh men in putiali!y and paffionate provoking words bdore they arc aware; And while thry think they are only pleading for the tlutb, they are militating for the honour of their own unduHanding~. They that will not floopto hear you as learn– er~, while you orderly open the truth in its coherent parts; will hardly ever profit by your con· 1Tim6.4,~, 6. Dire/1. 8. rendings; when you <ngage a proud perfcn , to bend all his wic and words againll: you. The fc:rvant of the Lord mutl not tlrive, but be gentk to all men , •pc to tc:ach , &c. 2 Tim. 2· 24· §. 9· DireCt. 8. H.we tJJ little to do witb men, i1l m.Jllru r&hicb tbeir comrmdity if coucermd in a1 you cm : As in chaffering or any other rhing where Mir.e an·dThine is much concuntd : For few men are fo jllll 1 as not to expect that which othets account unjuH; And the nc:areli frknds have been alienated hereby. · §· ro. D:rect. 9· Btry peace at tbe price of any thing wbicb if not _better tban it. Nor with the Dirdi. 9· lofs of the favour ofGen:~, or of our innocency, or true pe11..ce of conkicnce, or with rhe lofs of the Gofpcl, or the ruinc of mens fouls: But ycu mutl.oftcn part with your Rigbt fOr peace, and put up rrrongf in WQ[d or dted~ Mo~ty muH not be thought too dear to buy ir, when the Jofs of it will be vwrfe than the lofs of money, to your felves or tho(e thlt you contend with. Ifa foul be cndangertd by ir, or focictics ruined by ir, it' will be dear bought money, which is gor or favcd by iUch means. He is no true friend of Peace, that will not have it, exce.pc when it is cheap. · Dir"tll• 10• 9· 1I· Dirtlt. IO· Avoid Cenforionfnrfi: which is the judging of men o.r mJ.tters that you have no c11l to meddle with, and the making of matters worf!i than {Ufficient proof will warrant you. Be neither bufie-bodies, meddling with other ll}ens m:~trers, nor pievi01 aggravaters of all mens faults. Jttdge nu tiJat ye be not judged; for with what meafure you mett, it jhaU be mrttjitred toyou ag<~iff, M1uh. 7· I, 2· You £hall be cenfurcd, ifyouwill ccnfure: And ifChrHi: be a true difcerner ofmmds, it is they that have beams in their own eyes; who are thequickefi perceivcrs of the mores in others: Cenforious petfons are the great dividers of the Church, and every where adverf:uies to peace; while they open their mouths wide againll their neighbour, to make the worfi of all that they fay ·and do, and thus fow the feeds of d1fcord amongll all. Direl1. I I• 9· I 2. DireCT. rr. Neither talk ag<~injf men bebind tbtir back.f , mr patimtly beark.fn to tbem that 11[e it. Though the dete~ing of a dangerous enemy, or the prevention of anorhers luar, may feme~ times make it a duty to blame them tha't are abfent; yet this cafe which is rare, is no excufe to the backbiters fin,lf you have any thing to fay againli: your neighbour)rcll it him in a friendly m1nner tO' his - face, that he may be the better for it : If you tell it only to anothfr, to make him odious, or hearken to backi.Jirers that defame men kcretly, you !hew that your bl1finefs is not ro do good, buc to dimini01 love and peace.
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