and contend, about any trifling interest in our way thither.

Thirdly, the frequent and 'serious thoughts of death, would conduce much to allay our hatred, and dispose us to meekness and charity. Naturalists tell us, that when swarms of bees fight in the air, they are dispersed by throwing dust among them.* Did we, in our thoughts, often reflect upon that dust to which we must all shortly return, we should more easily lay down our quarrels, and animosities. While we contend about small things, little do we consider, that death is coming on apace, and will swallow up the victor and the vanquished; him that is in the right, and him that is in the wrong. Look back upon the private contentions, or public commotions, which infested the world an hundred years ago. Where are they who managed them? They are all gone down into the dark and silent grave. Death has decided their controversies, and within a few days it will do so with ours, and send us all to plead our cause, before our great Judge; and it will go ill with us, if we appear there in malice. Therefore, why should our hatred be long, since our life is so short? One would think we should find better employment, for the short time we have to spend here.

But, lastly, and above all, let us propose to ourselves the blessed example of the holy Jesus: "who, when he was reviled, reviled not again;

*Hi motus animorum, atque hæc certamina tanta
Pulveris exigui jactu compressa quiescent.'

Virg. Georg. iv. 86.-ED.

when he suffered, threatened not; but committed himself to Him, that judgeth righteously."

Let us frequently remember, what great things he has done and suffered, for us poor sinful wretches; even while we were enemies and rebels to him; how, in all the passages of his life, and throughout the bloody scene of his sufferings, he was actuated by that same charity and love to his enemies, which he calls for at our hands. It was this, which moved him to descend from heaven, and clothe himself with the frailties of our nature, and endure the troubles of a calamitous life, and the pains of a bitter death, to deliver us from that eternal misery, into which we had plunged ourselves. And shall not his goodness and mercy to us, mollify our hearts, and overpower the corruption of our revengeful nature, and inspire us with earnest desires and resolutions to imitate his blessed example? After all that he has done and suffered for us, can we be guilty of such a shameful ingratitude, as to deny him this poor satisfaction and acknowledgment, to pardon an enemy for his sake? Has he died for us, when we were his enemies, and shall we refuse to live at peace with ours? Remember, with what patience, he endured the contradiction of sinners against himself; with what humility, he condescended to wash the feet of him, who was, at the same time, resolved to betray him; with what mildness, he bare the supine negligence and stupidity of his disciples, who slept in the time of his agony. What charity and meekness did he evince, towards those who sought his life! He could have called for legions of angels to destroy

them, or made the earth to open her mouth and swallow them up: but he would not employ his miraculous power, save only for their good; restoring a servant's ear, and reproving the preposterous zeal of him who cut it off. Yea, while he hung upon the cross, and was approaching to the gates of death, all the cruel pains of body, and far more intolerable pressure of spirit, which he then sustained, did not lessen his tenderness and affection for his murderers: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." Let us be frequent and serious in the meditation of these things. And, if we have any veneration for the example of our Saviour, and any sense of his infinite mercy, this will dispose us to the practice of his precepts, and the obedience of his laws; and particularly to the observation of this necessary, this reasonable, this delightful duty, that we love our enemies.

143

SERMON III.

THE NECESSITY AND ADVANTAGE OF EARLY

AFFLICTIONS.

LAM. III. 27, 28.

It is good for a man, that he bear the yoke in his youth. He sitteth alone and keepeth silence, because he hath borne it upon him.

THE great difference between the maxims of the world, and those which religion proposes, is in nothing more observable, than in taking the measures of happiness and felicity. The world accounts him a happy man, who enjoys a perpetual calm and sunshine of prosperity; whose pleasant and joyful days are never overcast with any cloud, nor his tranquillity interrupted by any disastrous accident; who was never acquainted with any other change, but that which brought him the new and fresh relish of succeeding pleasures and enjoyments. But religion has taught us to look upon this, as a condition full of danger; much more to be pitied than envied; to be feared, than to be desired. It has taught us, to consider afflictions as instances of the divine goodness, as tokens and pledges of his love; for "whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth ;" and these severe dispensations are very necessary, and

may prove useful and advantageous: "Blessed is the man," saith the Psalmist, "whom thou chastenest, O Lord *;" "It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I may learn thy statutes."+ And the Prophet in the text, "It is good for a man, that he bear the yoke in his youth." He was, at this time, loaded with the heaviest weight of trouble and sorrow; what for the public calamities of his nation, and what for his own particular sufferings: "His eyes were running down with rivers of water, for the destructions of the daughter of his people;" they trickled down, and ceased not. Judah was gone into captivity because of affliction: she dwelt among the Heathen, and found no rest; all her persecutors overtook her in the straits. The ways of Zion mourned, because none came to the solemn feasts; the young and the old, were lying on the ground in the streets; the virgins and young men, were fallen by the sword; and the few that remained, were starving for hunger. The people sighed, and sought bread; they gave their pleasant things, for meat to relieve their soul; the children and sucklings swooned in the streets, their soul was poured out into their mother's bosom; the women ate their fruit, their children of a span long. And the Prophet had a large share in these calamities, both by his own interest, and by his compassion towards his neighbour: "I am the man," saith he, "that hath seen affliction, by the rod of his wrath. Surely against me is he turned; he turneth his hand against me all the day."

Psalm xciv. 12.

† Psalm cxix. 71.