~

Importance, and fmall Concern, for the fake S ER M. of a greater Union, and a more strong Founda- XVII. tion for lafting Happiness and Peace amongst Men: much more, will it dispose Men to amend and reform what may be made better, for the fame Ends. To be heartily concerned for the Subftantials and Fundamentals of Religion; for Things of great Importance either to Church or State; for what is of Moment in the Worship of God, or the Government of Chriftian People, is that which all are obliged to. Nor doth Chriftian Moderation lay the least Obligation upon Us to yield in thefe Points.

But

when these are fecured; and when, without any Prejudice to these, something may be granted, fomething may be altered or amended; or added and this, either good in itself, or, at least, not at all blameable, and highly advantageous to the Intereft and Peace of the World about us, and very much conducing to a strong Union, and a lafting good Correspondence amongst Christians; --- Not to be ready to yield in fuch Cafes; not to be disposed to comply in fuch Matters, feems directly contrary to any Defire of Peace and Concord; and therefore must be contrary to Chriftian Moderation. For what Reason can there be against it? Will it do us any Prejudice to have a larger ground for Union? Is it not a Chriftian Difpofition

SER M. fometimes to yeild even to the unreasonable HuXVII. mour of Others, and, by fomewhat which will do Ourselves no Prejudice, to confult the Good and promote the Agreement of Chriftians? Or is it too great a Condefcenfion, and too noble an Instance of Humility, to be more willing to agree than Others are, and to comply, as far as is reasonable withThem, who will not comply, fo far as we think reasonable, with Us? Which of the two is it, that it becomes Chriftians to contend for; Who shall stand moft upon their Guard against Union, or who shall step firft towards it? Who fhall infist most stiffly upon little Punctilios, of none or very small Concern to the main of Religion; or who fhall be moft difpofed to part with things of that Nature, for the fake of what God and their common Saviour love infinitely better? And which of the two forts of Men will come off at the great Day of Accounts with greater Glory, They, who have preferred the Union of the Chriftian World before their own Humour, or Opinions of little Importance; or They, who have ftiffly infifted, and refused to yield up leaft or moft indifferent Circumftance to that Confideration?

the

But I fhall not enlarge on this any more, nor fearch out any more Particulars at present, of Chriftian Moderation. But oply obferve, from

what

XVII.

what has been faid, how unjust and unreafon- SE R M. able that Account is, which is given by many, of this Virtue; by Thofe only, I mean, who are fuch Strangers to it themselves, that they cannot bear the leaft Pretenfe to it in Others ; who would make the World believe, that it proceeds from an Indifference to all Religion, and from a Mind very lukewarm in its Zeal for God: when, in truth, Chriftian Moderation proceeds from a great Zeal for all that deserves it, and a hearty Concern for the Honour of God. Let them, therefore, answer for it to God, and their own Confciences, whoever presume to bring a Difgrace and Contempt upon this Virtue, and those that endeavour to practise it. A moderate Man, who is truly fo, values every thing as it deferves, and no farther. And as St. James fays, that the Wifdom from Above is first pure, and then peaceable; so, next to his own Purity, he has a sacred regard to the Happiness and Peace of the World about him. And I fee no Reafon he has to be ashamed of the Name; or to envy any others a contrary Character.

But I pafs on now to the Second thing I propofed, viz. to mention fome proper Arguments to move us heartily to pursue after it, and to poffefs ourselves of it: For Inftance;

SERM. First, If we confider the Peace and Quiet this XVII. Virtue includes in it, I mean with respect to the Breast of every private Man, this will inflame us with fome Defire to attain it. Compare the Man who is poffeffed of it, with one that is void of it; the Man who has a Mind ever ready to hear of Peace and Unity, Agreement and Harmony, with the Man who is never in Humour to attend to any thing but what tends to the widening and opening of Wounds and Breaches; the Man who is ever willing to make Allowances for the Mistakes and Faults of Men of different Opinions from himself, with the Man who is always raking into them, and always eager to represent them in the most inflaming Manner; the Man who is ready to yield up a Thing of little Moment, and many an inconfiderable Point, to obtain Peace, and fettle a good Correfpondence amongst the several Members of the fame Body, with the Man who knows no fuch thing as Yeilding or Compliance, but is rather ready to facrifice the Univerfal Peace to his own private Fancies: Compare these two together, and confider in whofe Breaft moft Quiet and Satisfaction is to be found; and it will be no very difficult Matter to determine, whether moreSerenity and and Happiness of Mind follow upon a Difpofition inclined to Concord and Unity, than upon a Mind

I

S

a Mind always upon the Rack how to inflame s ER M, and heighten Differences; or, always eager XVII. to take all Measures which are effectual to the keeping up Variances and Animofities in the World.

But, Secondly, As this Temper of Mind implies Quiet and Happiness in itself, so it is the most ready, and, I may fay, the only Temper, that can, and must at laft, heal the evil Difpofitions of Mankind; and produce Peace and Happiness in public Societies: which is, I am fure, a good Argument, why every fingle Perfon should think himself obliged to purfue after it. Invain are other Methods thought of, and made ufe of, to join the Hands of Men in Friendship, unless their Hearts be disposed to this candid and compliant Temper. There will always be paffionate and wicked Men in the World, to foment the Differences in it. And if none in it will yield one Step; if none will ever bend and comply; what can be hoped for? If the Method taken on all fides be to rail and revile, to aggravate and mifreprefent, to search out Faults, and then to make what they please of them; this rather looks like a Declaration of perpetual War against one another, and is, in effect, a folemn Proteftation, that they neither hope for, nor defire, Reconciliation and Peace; and feems to be a firm Refolution of destroying

and