For Peace. Againft :Depril!ing others of their own. 107 . §,.I). DircC!. t2. Speal:.._ more of the good than of the evil, which ir in otherJ. There is none fo DirelJ. 12· bad, as eo have no good in them: Why. mention you not that? which is more ufeful to the hearer, than to hear ofmens faults. But of th1s more afterward. 9· I4· Dirett. Jj. Be uot ftr~Jnge, but lovingly familiar rvitb yeur mighbourJ. Backbiters and flan~ Diretl. 1 3• dus, and unjufi fufpicions, do make men (eem that to one another, which when they are acquainted, they find isnothing fo: Among any honefi well meaning perfons, familiarity greatly reconcilech. Though indeed there are fame few fo proud, and fiery, and bitter enemies to honcfi peace, that the way to peace with them, is to be far from them. where we may not be remembred by them: But it is not fo with ordinary neighbours, nor friends that are fallen our, nor differing Chrifiians; Its near· nefs that muft make them friend5. ~· 15. Direct. l4· Affrll noi a ~ijlance and fowre finJ[.ularityinlawf~tl thiH;{I· Come as near them Dirtll. 14 • as you can, as they arc men and ne1ghbours ; and take It not for your dury to run ·a.s far from them, left you run into the comrary exrream. §· r6. Direct. 1 s· Be 110t ovtr·ftiff in your orvn ~pinionr, as tbofl that can yield in nothi~rg to ano· Dirtll• 15· ther. Nor yet io facile and yielding as to betray or lofc the truth. It greatly pleafeth a proud mans mind, when you fcem to be convinced by him, and to change your mind upon his arguments, or w be much informed and edified by him : But when you deny this honour to his underfiand· ing, and contradict him, ana llifly maintain your opinion againfi him, You difpleare and tore him : And indeed a wife man !hould gladly learn of at\f that can teach him more ; and !hould moll ea– fily of any man, let go an error, and be moll thankful to any that will incrca.fe his knowledge; And not only in .trrors to change our minds, but in fmall and indilferem things ro [ubmit by (i. Icnc:e, befeemcth a rnodefi peaceable man. ~· 17. Dire6t. 16. Yet build not Peace on tbt foundatim of impiety, injufiice, cruelty or f"tiio1r: DirtO. 16. frrr that wiU prove but the way to deftroy it, in tbe end. Traytors, and Rebclls, and Tyrants, and Pcrfecutors, and ambitious covetous Clergy men, do all pretend peace for their iniquity : But "!hat peace will Jezebcls whoredOms bring ? Satans Kingdom is fupported by a Peace in fin: which Chrill came to break that he might dellroy it : while this llrong man armed keeperh his houfe, his goods are in pea.ce, tiB a tlronger doth bind him, overcome him and call: him our. Deceitful finful means of Peace, have been the grand Engine of Satan and the Papal Clergy, by wbich rhey have bani!hed and kept out Peace, fo many ages from moll of the Chrillian world. Impiir mcdiir Eccltfi£ paci coJt[»dtre , was one of the three means which Luther foretold would call out the Gofpel. Where perjury, or falfe dcChine, or any fin, or any unjufi, or inconfillent terms, are made the condition of Peace, men build upon llubble and bryars, which God will fet lire to, and foon confume, and all di.at peace will come to nought. Directions for Church-peace 1 have laid down before; to which I mull refer you. CHAP. XVIIl. :DireElions againjl: all fhe{t and Fraud 1 or injt~riotu getting and keeping that whic/, is anothers, or dejiri11g it. · f. I· HE that will kno>y what '1hifi is, mull know what Propriety is : And it is that ple. nary utle to a thmg, by whtch 1t IS called Our Own; It IS that nght to any thing as Mine, by which I may jufily have it, pof!efi it, uft it, and difpo{e of il. This Do– minion or Propriety is either Ahfolute, ( and that bclongcth to none but God ) or fubordinate, rt[prliive and limited (which is the only Propriety that any creature can have.) Which is fuch a Righ• which will hold good againll the claim of any fellow creature, though not againll Gods. And among men there are Proprietors or Owntrs which are PriNcipal, and fome who are but dependant, fubordinate and limited. The fimple Propritty may remain in a Landlord or Father, who may convey to his Tenant or his child, a limited dependant propriety under him. Injurioully to deprive a man of this Prr,priety, or of the thing in which he bathpropriety, is the fin which I fpea-k of in this Chapter ; which hath no one name, and therefore I exprefs it here by many. Whether it be Theft, Robbery, Coufenage, Extortion, or any other way of depriving another injurioufly of his own. Thefe General Din:ttions are needful to avoid it. 9· 2. DireCt. I· Love not the world, nor the thingJ that are in the world, 1 John 2· 15. Cure cove~ Direll. I· toufnefi, and yo" will k,!U the root of fiaud and theft. As a drunkard would eafily be cured ofhis drunkennefs, if you could cure him of his thirft and love to drink ; fo an extortioner, thief or .deceiver would eafily be cured of their outward fin , if their hearts were cured of the difeafe of worldinefs. The love of money is the root of all this evil. Value thefe things no more than they deferve.
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