474 Rules for Neighbourly- peace. are lovely, whatfoever things are ofgood report, if there be any vertue, and if' there be any prick, thinó, on thefe things. Cer= tainly, thole that Iballbe.lnftruments of this, are Initruments of great good , they are bleílings to the places where they live, and many will bleffe God for them : what abundance of good may but ÿ a dozen chiefemen in a Pariah or Towne doe' this way , if they would fet thennfelves about it ; And not` fay, well, I have bufinetfe of my own, -and what have Ito doe with them : This I had almofl faid, is the language of Caine; when as God inquired about his brother Abel, Am I my Bro thers keeper, faith he ? Let no man fay,Am I my Brothers kee- per ? I mull look ro bufinefle of mine ovine know, it's shy, bufineffe if thou wilt approve thy felfe to be a child of God :' As God bath made it to be the greatel Work that ever took up his heart, to reconcile the world to himfelfe ; So you that are eminent in places, ihonld accohnt it your own work to re- concile differences in Parishes ; and not' let things break out tobitterneffe, and violence, and rage, what good is there,done then ?Many times when you have : teetings, perhaps you are in a faire way of Compofing things, and carrying all things with a joynt Confenr, for the furtherance of the Golpel, and the good of the place that God hath fet you in. Wkly One fro- ward word puts them all into a fire prefently, and there's the loffe of an opportunity of abundance of Glory that might have come to God. What doeft thou regard more thy paffion and humour, and to Hand upon thy tearms and honour, doe + thou regard this more then publick fervice för God, or Church, or Common- wealth, thou art nor one of Gods ; A child of God would regard the Caufe ofGod more then his private caufe And therefore blef ed are the peace - makers, either in Fami- lies, or Parishes ; O then bleffed are the peace makers, in Church, and Common wealth. I confeffe many things I had in my thoughts to have fpoken concerning thefe two.But rimes are fo for the prefenr, and the fpirits of men are in fuck a fir, that I could not fatisfie my Confcience in this, to thinke it a feafonable time to meddle with any thing. For I could not meddle with making peace, but I mull Thew you Tome thing about
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