trials and persecution, is an evidence of an evil frame of heart, and of a dangerous state and condition.

6. Sundry diseases, weaknesses, and lamenesses are apt to befall the flock of God. These he promiseth himself to be tender towards, and to heal, as he severally threatens those shepherds by whom they are neglected, Ezek. xxxiv, 4, &c.

§9. And the sense of these words may be included in the ensuing observations:

1. An hesitation or doubtfulness about important doctrines of truth will make men lame and weak in their profession. And,

2. Those who are so, are disposed to a total defection from the truth, and are ready on all occasions to go out of the way. Also in general,

3. Every vicious habit of mind, every defect in light or neglect of duty, every want of stirring up grace to exercise, will make men lame and halt in their fession, and easy to be turned aside by difficulties and oppositions.

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4. When we see persons in such a state, it is our duty to be very careful so to behave ourselves, as not to give any occasion to their farther miscarriages, but rather endeavor their healing.

5. The best way whereby this may be done, is by making visible and plain to them our own faith, resolution, courage, and constancy, in a way of obedience becoming the gospel. Hereby we shall both excite them to, and direct them in their duty. For,

6. The negligent walking of those professors, who are sound in the faith, their weakness and pusillanimity in times of trial, and their want of making straight paths to their feet in visible holiness, is a great means of turning aside those that are lame, weak, and halting.

7. It is good to deal with, and endeavor the healing of such halters, "whilst they are yet in the way;" for when they are quite turned out, their recevery will be difficult, if not impossible.

VERSE 14.

Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.

$1. Transition to a new subject. Prescription of practical duties. §2. Exposi tion. Our duty towards men To follow peace with them. $3. The manner of doing it. §4, Our duty towards God. To follow holiness, §5. Observations.

$1. FROM his exhortation to patient perseverance in the profession of the gospel under sufferings, and afflictions, the apostle proceeds to a prescription of practical duties; and although they are such as are ab- ` solutely necessary in themselves at all times, yet they are here peculiarly enjoined, with respect to our constancy in professing the gospel; for no light, no knowledge of the truth, no resolution or courage will preserve any man in his profession, especially in times of trial, without a diligent attendance to the duties of holiness and gospel obedience.

$2. "Follow peace with all men." The substance of our duty towards all men, as men, in all circumstances and relations, is to "seek peace with them.” And that we may do our duty to attain it, three things are required:-Righteousness; "The fruit of righteousness is peace;" to wrong no man, to give to every one his due, or to do to all men as we would have them do to us:-Usefulness; That we be useful to all men, in all duties of piety, charity, and beneficience, Gal. vi, 10. "As we have opportunity let us do good," be useful, profitable, beneficial, working that which is good towards all men; avoiding of just of

fence; "Give none offence neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles," 1 Cor. x, 32. But, be it remarked, we must eternally bid defiance to that peace with men, which is inconsistent with the peace of God. The divine mandate runs,-"If it be possible as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men,” Rom. xii, 18.

§3. From these difficulties ariseth the injunction of the special way and manner of seeking it (downɛle) earnestly follow. It is that which will fly from us, and which we must with all earnestness pursue, or we shall not overtake it; and it is so expressed, because of the many pretences which most men use to avoid peace with those who profess the gospel. All these, "as much as in us lieth," we are to overcome in pursuit of peace, never giving it over whilst we are in this world.

"With all men;" that is, all sorts of men, according as we stand related to them, or have occasion of conversing with them. The worst of men are not excepted out of this rule; not our enemies; not our persecutors; we are still, by all the ways mentioned, to "follow peace" with them all. Let this alone be fixed, that we are not obliged to any thing that is inconsis tent with holiness, contrary to the word of God, adverse to the principles and light of our minds and consciences, for the obtaining of peace with any, or all the men in the world; which rule is absolute and univer--sal. Wherefore,

§4. The other thing enjoined respects our duty towards God. "And holiness." It refers to the same way of secking it; to follow it earnestly, to pursue it by all appointed ways and means; and what is here prescribed, is universal holiness, "without which no man shall see the Lord." It is all one whether we understand God absolutely, or the Lord Christ in an

especial manner by the name "Lord;" for we shall never see one without the other. Christ prays for us, that we may be where he is, to behold his glory, John xvii, 24; but this we cannot do without seeing God also, or the eternal glory of God in him. This sight of God and Christ, which is intellectual, not corporeal; finite, not absolutely comprehensive of the divine essence; is the sum of our future blessedness. And the necessity of it depends both on an eternal, unchangeable, divine constitution-God having enacted it, as an eternal law, that holiness shall be the way of attaining and coming to blessedness and on its being a due preparation for it; the soul being by holiness made meet and fit to come to the sight of the Lord, Col. i, 12, 13. And therefore (8 xwpis, qua destitutus) without which; of which whoever is destitue, in whom this holiness is not, he shall never see the Lord.

$5. Whence observe:

1. A frame and disposition of seeking peace with all men, by the means before laid down, is eminently suited to the doctrine and grace of the gospel. It is a great ornament to our profession, and a great comfort and support to ourselves in our sufferings. For when we have the testimony of our consciences, that we have sincerely sought peace with all men, it will not only make us rest satisfied in what they unjustly do to us; but give us a triumph over them in our minds, in that we have complied with the will of God therein.

2. They are much mistaken who hope to see Christ hereafter in glory and live and die here in an unholy state. No privilege, no gift, no church office or power, will give admission to this state.

3. If this doctrine be true, that "without holiness no man shall see the Lord," the case will be hard at last, VOL. IV.

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and the dissappointment dreadful, with a multitude of professors, especially those popes, cardinals, and prelates, who pretend that they have the opening of the door into his presence committed to them.

4. We may follow peace with men, and not attain it; but if we follow holiness, we shall assuredly see the Lord.

5. The same means are to be used for securing our present perseverance, and our future blessedness,"holiness."

VERSE 15.

Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled.

$1. Connexion. §2. Explanation of the caution and warning. §3. Taken from Moses. $4. The dangerous consequence of neglecting the caution. $5,6.

Observations.

$1. FROM a prescription of necessary duties, the apostle proceedeth to give caution and warning against sundry sins and evils that are contrary to them, and such as, if admitted, would prove ruinous to their profession, particularly in reference to our work and duty towards others. And the apostle would have us (obstare principiis) to hinder the entrance of this evil, and so effectually to prevent its progress.

§2. "Looking diligently," respects both the common charitative duty of all believers as they are called to it by occasions and circumstances, as also an especial institution of Christ, to be observed in his church. The Lord Christ hath ordained, that the members of the same church and society should mutually watch over one another, and the whole body over all the members to their mutual edification. And that the