church had peace, and encreafed exceedingly; we ought also to wish for ecclefiaftical peace to the church, that she may be free from diffenfions and divifions.

These readily arife, more or less (as we see in all times) and haunt religion, and the reformation of it, as an evil genius. St. Paul had this to fay to his Corinthians, though he had given them this teftimony, that they were enriched in all utterance and knowledge, and were wanting in no gift; yet presently after, I hear that there are divifions and contentions amongst you. The enemy had done this, as our Saviour speaks; and this enemy is no fool, for by divine permiffion he works to his own end very wifely: for there is not one thing that doth on all hands choak the feed of religion fo much, as thorny debates and differences about itself. So in fucceeding ages, and at the breaking forth of the light in Germany, in Luther's time, multitudes of fects arofe.

Profane men do not only ftumble, but fall and break their necks upon thefe divifions; we fee (think they, and fome of them poffibly fay it out) that they who mind religion most cannot agree upon it; our easiest way is not to embroil ourfelves, nor at all to be troubled with the business. Many are of Gallio's temper, they will care for none of these things. Thus thefe offences prove a mischief to the profane world, as our Saviour fays, Woe to the world because of offences.

The wifeft and godlieft find (and fuch are fenfible of it) that difputes in religion are no friends to that which is far fweeter in it, but hinder and abate these pious and devout thoughts that are both the more useful and truly delightful. As peace is a choice bleffing, fo this is the choicest peace, and is the peculiar infeparable effect of this grace, with which it is jointly wifhed, grace and peace. The flower of peace growing upon the root of grace.

But, brethren, receiving of the same spirit from their head, Chrift, are moft ftrongly beht to the good one of another. If there be but a thorn in the foot, the back boweth, the head ftoopeth down, the eyes look, the hands reach to it, and endeavour its help and ease. In a word, all the . members partake of the good and evil, one of another. Now, by how much this body is more fpiritual and lively, fo much the ftronger must be the union and love of the parts of it to each other. You are brethren by the fame new birth, and born to the fame inheritance; and fuch an one shall not be an apple of strife amongst you to beget debates and contentions. No, it is enough for all, and none shall prejudge another; but you fhall have joy in the happiness one of another, seeing you fhall then be perfect in love, all harmony, no difference in judgment or affection, all your harps tuned to the fame new fong which you

fhall fing for ever.

Let that love begin here

which fhall never end.

Commentary on Peter.

EZEKIEL HOPKINS, D. D.

BISHOP OF LONDONDERRY.-DIED 1690.

F thou wouldft keep thyfelf from being a flanderer of others, addict not thyself violently to any one party or perfuafion of men.

For part

taking will beget prejudice, and prejudice is the jaundice of the foul, which represents other men, and their actions, in the colour which our own difeafe puts upon them. And, indeed, we have all, generally, fuch a good conceit of ourselves, that it is a very hard and difficult matter to have a good esteem for others, who are not of our judgment and of our way. And this makes us first very willing to hear fome evil of them: for, becaufe we think that what we do is good, we cannot, cordially, think them good who do not judge and act as we ourselves do; and fo our minds are prepared to entertain reports against them from others, and then to fpread them abroad ourfelves. And I cannot but impute to this the great uncharitableness of our days, wherein love, and brotherly kindnefs, lie murdered under the violence of different perfuafions and different

modes, and divers ways of worshipping one and the fame God, and our Lord Jefus Christ. Hence all thofe lying rumours and lying wonders, that one party invents to beat down the other. One party reports the other to be all profane and fuperftitious; and the other reports its oppofite to be all hypocritical and feditious, and both fuffer from each, other's envenomed tongues; and, between both, truth fuffers, and charity perifheth, and is utterly loft. For fhame, O Chriftians! is this the way to promote God's cause, or Christ's kingdom? Doth he or it stand in need of your lies? Will you speak wickedly for God, and talk deceitfully for him? Shall his honour be maintained by the devil's inventions? I shall not speak partially, but wherefoever the fault lies, there let this cenfure fall,-that it is, certainly, a very strong prefumption of a very weak and bad cause, when the refuge and fupport of it are lies.

Now, notwithstanding that this fin of flander and detraction is fo great and henious, yet may it not be justly feared, that many place their whole religion in it, and think themselves fo much the better, by how much the worse they think and report of other men? Do they not think it a piece of zeal, and warmth for the worship and service of God, to cry down all as fuperftitious that do not worship him in their way? Do they not make it, if not a part, yet a

fign of holiness, to be ftill finding faults, and crying out against others, to be cenforious and clamorous? Such a fort of men are all lewd and profane; and fuch a fort are all rebellious and hypocrites and then, to juftify their cenfures, inftance, poffibly, in two or three, of whom, perhaps, they know no more than the bare names. And what tends all this to but mutual exafperation? Thofe who do not believe them, are exafperated against the reporters; and those who do believe them, are exasperated against the flandered and as it tends to exasperation, so, likewife, it encourageth and hardeneth many in their fins; for when they hear fo much evil blazed abroad in the world, and few or none escape without having fome foul blot rubbed upon him, and infamous crime reported of him, whether truly or falfely, they think that fin and wickedness is no fuch ftrange thing; and fo embolden themselves to commit that which they hear is fo common.

1 befeech you, therefore, O Christians, for the ! peace of the church, which elfe will continue fadly rent and divided; for the fake of Chriftianity, which elfe will be difcredited and reviled; for your brethren's fake, who elfe will be difcouraged or exafperated: be very cautious what reports you either receive or make of others. Their good name is very precious; precious to God, when their blamelefs converfation deferves it;