Serra.CLVII. againfl Injuries fromMen. others, which are apt to reconcile and gain the affe&ions ofMen to them -; to, be charitable and compaffionate, courteous and peaceable one towards another; and towards all Men; not only to abftain from injury and provocation, but from re- venge by word or deed; and inftead thereof, to biefs and do good, and by all poflìble means topreferve and purfue Peace. Ver. 8, 9. Finally, be ye all of one mind, having coinpa/lion one of another ; love as brethren, be pitiful,; be courteous, not rendring evil, for evil, or railing for railing, but contrarimife bleging i knowing thgt ye are thereunto called, that yefhould inherit a biding. And to encourage them to the pra&ice of thefe Virtues,, he tells them, that they could by no other means more effe&ually confult the fafetÿ and comfort of their lives, Ver. to. For he that will love life, and fee good days, let him refrain, his tonguefrem evil, andhis lips that they fpeak no guile let him efchew evil, and dogood ., let him feek peace andenfue it. And this was the way to gain the favòur of God, and to engage his Provi- dence for our prote&ion, Ver. 12. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righ-, teams, andhis ears are openunto their prayers: but the face Of the Lord is ageing them that do evil. And that this would alfo be the belt way to reconcile Men tous, and to gain their good will, and to prevent injuries and affronts from them, Ver. 13. And who is he that will harmyou, &c. In thefe words we have, Firfl, a qualificationfuppofed, If yye bé followers of that which is good. Secondly , The Benefit and Advantage we may reafonably expel from it,. viz. Security from the ill ufage and injuries of Men. Who is he that will harm you ? Firfl, The qualification fuppofed is, that we be followers of that Which is good: But what is that ? The Apoftle takes it for granted, that every body knows it, and he had given inftances of it before. He does not go about to define or ex- plain it, but appeals to every Man's mind and confcience, to tell him what it is It is not any thing that is difputed and controverted, which force Meni call good, and others evil; but that which all are agreed in, and which is univerfally ap- proved and commended by Heathens as well as Chriftians, that which is fubftan- tially good, And that which is unqueftionably fo It is not zeal for leffer things, about the ritual and ceremonial part of Religion, and a great ftri&nefs about the external partsof it, and much nicety and fcrupuloufnefs about things of no mo- ment, as the Pharifees tything of mint, &c. about meats and drinks, and the ob- fervation ofdais, and the like ; but a purfuit of the weightier things of the law, a care of the great Duties of Religion, mercy,. and juílice, and fidelity, thofe things wherein the KingdomofGodconfifls, Righteoufnefs and Peace : Such as thefe the Apoftle had inftanced in, as fubftantial and unqueftionable parts of goodnefs things which admit of no difpute, but do approve themfelves to the Reafon anti Confcienceof all Mankind; and the pra&ice of thefe he calls following of that which is good.* see mote Beyefollowers of that which is good, the word is ¡uFu tc4, Ifye imitate the&d el this, you fee inothers; in one Copy the word is Cn?o,74 Ifye be zealous of that which spmtrq0. is good. And this is not amifs, Zeal about leffer and di{`putable things is very un- p. Sts; fuitable and mifbecoming: but we cannot be too earneft and zealous in the purfuit of things which are fubftantially and unqueftionably good; it is good and will be- come us to be zealoufly affeeted about fuch things. Some things will not bear much zeal, and the more earneft we are about them, the lefs we recommend our (elves to the approbation of fober and confiderate Men. Great zeal about little and doubtful things, is an Argument of a weak Mind, infatuated by Superflition, or over-heated by Enthufiafm: but nothing more becomes a wife Man, than the ferious and earneft purfuit of thofe things which are agreed on all hands to be good, and have an univerfal approbation among all Parties and Profeffions ofMen, howwide foever their differences may be in other matters. This for the qualifi- Cation fuppofed, Ifyebe followers of that which is good. I proceed to the Second 373
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