Mr. Medes's Sermon. 2 t t Chrift is noenemy to good manners,he would not have Chrifiians to be Clowns : which is the ureof Come among us, who would have their Religionquarrel with goodmanners: no, but in tvloat- foever City or Town you enter, flute it, and let grace, peace come up- on it : that is, with peace to them : laying, thepeace ofGod he upon thin place, upon the head and hearts ofall in it : So that peace is both a Gofpel-falutation when Minitters and people meet, and its alto a Gofpel-valediZtion when the Minifter and the people parts. So did the Apottle, and Co do Inow. Grace be withyou andpeace. I olaferVe in Matth. To. 15, 14 our Lord bids his DiCciples when they,enter into a houle,if the bottle be worthy, to let their peace come Upon it, but if they be not worthy, let grace, peace return to you. Inflead of leaving peace with thern,tofhake off the Aft of their feet againjf them: that is, to thew that God will (hake therwoff as duff, and tread them under feet as fuell. My Brethren, your diligent attendance on the word at this place, hath comfortablyprevent- ed the pact ofmy charge, to (hake off the theft of myfeet : for, how beautiful bare the feet of a poor worm been to you, being (hod with the preparation of the Gospel of Chrift ? And therefore feeing our Lord jefus Chrift laid, if they be worthy oftheir peace a- bide with them, on this account I with to you,Grate and peace from God our Father, and from our Lordpins Chri(f. But what is this peace*? its the beauty of Union, the harmony of the Creation, the pleaCure of Life, the leaft of a good Conteienc.e : its that which makes life feet arid death carte : Peace fweetens all out poll-eft-ions, and all ourafflia ions ; without this the fulneffe ofthe world is a burden : with this, poverty and emptineffe is a plea- cant corn : without thh., our Bread is gi avelled with fowr- neffe, andour water mingled w ith bitternefle : with this, green herbs becorn.. a feat+, and our water is turned into Wine : Peace its the mot} 1-eaotiful creature in the world, and therefore its beloved °fall, courted ofall, many leek her, but few there be that enjoy her, they do not go the right way to find htr : for, in the ways ofrighteoufnefe is peace, Ptace is the Ceminary of all bit flings Temporal, as Grace is of all bleffings Spiritual : in Grace you. have, einployed all Holinefie, in Peace all Happineffe, in Grace all inward bleffings, in peace all outward bleffings, Grace and peace are the Alph,4 and Omega of all bleffirr,;s , as God is of all Beings, no Biding comes before Grace, and no bIeC- fang laft longer : Then fee in this phrafe of fpeech the Apufile ifhes upon the r,as I do uponyou,all the bltilings both of time E e 2 gild
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