SERM. all others, the greatest Enemy of our XII. Repose. This therefore, and the rest

must be brought under the Discipline and Government of Reason, if we ever hope to be easy to our felves or other Men; and indeed, unless we are first eafy to our felves, it is impoffible we fhould ever be so to others. We may as well expect perpetual Sun-fhine in Climates fubject to Storms and Hurricanes, as that there fhould be a lafting Peace in that Breaft, where the Passions are allowed to reign.

2. The next plain Help towards living peaceably is, if we moderate our Defires, and shorten our Designs, with Regard to the good Things of Life, contenting our felves with fuch a Share of them, as answers all the good Ends of living, and not eagerly grafping after more, than would be of real Ufe to us, if we had it: The Wants and Conveniences of Nature are known, and certain, and foon fupplied; but imaginary Wants are infinite and endlefs;

lefs; and he that has fet his Heart up-SER M. on them, will find it very difficult ever XII. to recal it. He is got beyond Reason in his Defire, and will probably stick at no unreasonable Method of obtaining it. And the natural Iffue of this must be perpetual Feuds and Bickerings, Contentions and Struggles; for our Defires will meet those of other Men, as eager every Whit as ours, and as impatient of being refifted. From whence come IVars and Fightings (fays St. James) come they not bence, even of your Lufts? that is, from your covetous Defires; for fo it follows, ye James iv. luft, and have not; ye kill, and defire to have, and cannot obtain. A

3d Rule, in this Cafe, is, to have a watchful Eye upon our felves, in our firft Entrance upon any Debate or Conteft; and at that Time to be fure to keep the Reins clofely in our Hands, when there is the most Danger in giving a Loose to them, and they are the most easily manageable. For let us

1, 2.

but

SERM. but indulge our felves a little in the XII. firft Motions of Warmth and Refent

ment, and by infenfible Steps and Degrees we may be wrought up at last into all the Heighth of Madness and Folly. The beginning of Strife (faith the xvi. 14. Wife-man) is as when one letteth out Wa

Prov.

6.

ter. When the Bank is once broken down, we do not know how far it may flow, or how deep a Space it may fill.

To this we may add,

4thly, A particular Vigilance over our felves, with Regard to the Intem. James iii. perance of the Tongue, that Member which fetteth on Fire the Course of Nature, and is itself fet on Fire of Hell. We must restrain it in every Respect, but especially in Relation to that natural Proneness it has towards publishing the Faults of others; which ought never to be done, but with the utmost Caution and Tenderness. We can never ftrictly justify our felves in speak. ing evil of any Man, though that evil fhould

8.

fhould be true, but when either the SERM. Seal of Friendship binds up the Dif- XII. course, or the Rules of Charity and Juftice require us fo to do. The Son of Sirach feems to carry this Matter very far. Whether it be to Friend or Foe Ecclus.xix. (fays he) talk not of other Mens Lives, and if thou canst without Offence, reveal them not; which feems to bar us from fpreading an ill Report of any Man, but when we are under an abfolute Neceffity of doing it. He that governs himself constantly by this Rule, takes one of the fureft and most promising Steps towards living peaceably with all Men. Especially if,

5thly, He keeps himself always from embarking in Parties and Factions, and falling in with Vehemence into all the Interests and Designs of them. This will neceffarily in Time imbitter his Spirit, and four his Humour, make him like and diflike Men implicitly, and lead him into many Refentments, which he has nothing to do with.

Again,

SERM. Again, Sixthly, Let a Man that deXII. fires to pafs through this World inoffenfively, refolve to be very diligent in his particular Profeffion and Calling, and if he has none, to make one to himself by fome proper and suitable Employment. He that is employed has no Leifure to move in the little Difputes and Quarrels which trouble the Peace of the World, and which are chiefly kept up and bandied to and fro by those who have nothing else to do; the Apostle therefore (we may obferve) in his Exhortation joins ftudying Theff. to be quiet, with the doing our own Bufinefs, as if the one was a natural and infeparable Attendant on the other.

iv. 11.

Above all, let him add in the last Place, fervent and unwearied Prayer to the blessed Author of Peace, and Lover of Concord, that he would please to vouchsafe him the inestimable Benefits of it, and endue him with the Qualities that promote it, by the powerful Operation of that Spirit, whofe Fruits,