concluded on for there is a difpofition in every one to incline in judgment toward his own concernment, Now upon failing herein, not doing that which is fitting timely, come great fallings out, many tedious law-fuits; and the judge is at a lofs to determine whether right be on the one fide or the other; because the perfons have been flack and remifs in doing what was fit, that their private agreements might be made appear and confirmed; and upon this occafion the lofing party flies in the face of his judge; whereas he hath been wanting to his own cause, in not making his own right fure to himself: for if that which he supposeth to be his right, be fo, yet he cannot make it appear to be fo: if it be his right, why doth he not make it appear? It is a maxim in law, the law hates a doubtful and an imperfect, and an incomplete thing. There is no fuch thing either in law or nature for nature doth bring things to perfection therefore this is a mighty failing in contracts to leave things imperfect; and it is highly prejudicial to righteousness and justice and fairness and equity, and to the maintaining of mutual love and good will among men. Have things therefore ftated, determined, expreft; that though memory should fail, or there should be death in the cafe, or felfishness should prevail; yet things should appear. 6thly, In the next place, make reparation freely in cafe of any wrong wrong is two ways, either by defamation, or unjustly detaining: in cafe of defamation, then there ought to be acknowledgment, and a justifying the person whom thou haft unjustly accufed or caufelefly defamed; and asking him forgive nefs. nefs. In case of right detained, then there ought to be restitution and reparation : for it is refolved by all divines, cafuifts, and fchool-men whatsoever, that there is no confidence in application to God to pardon a man's fin, where he hath trespassed upon another, if there is not in him an inclination to make reftitution and reparation where he hath done amifs. Wherefore in cafe of defamation, let there be a juftifying of the perfon defamed, and an asking him forgiveness; and in cafe of right detained, make reparation and reftitution; and that voluntarily for either thou must do no wrong, or else thou must make reparation, and ask God forgiveness, and him whom thou haft wronged. For iniquity muft not finally profper, because God judgeth the world. : 7thly, In the next place, let a man value his credit by his faith in keeping his word. It is a great failing among men, that men think that their word is a small obligation upon them. Men are wonderfully to blame in this point; it is a choice piece of religi on; a man would not eafily promife; but if his word is paft, he ought to perform it: he that makes no confcience to keep his word, opens his confcience to all unrighteousness; for every man at first is modeft, but afterward (it may be) no obligation will hold him; he that begins with the breach of his word, may end in falling fhort of his oath. Who is fure of any man but by his word? This is greatly neglected, and men do not think it a matter of confcience; but really it is a great piece of unrighteoufnefs; and men are mightily wanting to the stock of their credit, when they do not keep their word. Therefore Therefore men ought to charge themselves to keep their word exactly. 8thly, In the next place I advife that men would be plain-dealers, open-hearted: that which we call wit and cunning, is far from this chriftian accomplishment that I am now upon; do not over-reach by wit or cunning; but use plain dealing. No man is afraid to deal with him that is accounted a plain dealer, an open hearted man: but if a man be a hard dealer, a cunning man, apt to lie upon the catch; every man deals with him with fear. If there were plainnefs, we should be wife enough one for another, but if a man will be politick, divided from honesty; he may deceive the wifeft; policy divided from honefty, is iniquity. 9thly, In the next place, make the same allowance to the infirmities, failings, fhortness, and mistakes of others, that thou doeft to thy own. Many apologies will a man make for himself, if he mistake; give that to another in the like cafe. 10thly, And laftly, in acknowledgment of what Christ hath done for thee, be gracious and merciful, &c. beyond what abfolute reafon or ftri&t right will require this is charged upon us, as chriftians: as thou art a christian, yield more toward equal confideration, fair dealing, moderate reparation, amicable compofure and reconciliation, than abfolute reafon will require or enjoin. Look to God, and do something fignal and remarkable in acknowledgment of the grace of the gospel. Col. iii. 12. Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-fuffering, forgiving one another, another, even as Chrift forgave you, &c. Charge your felves with thofe graces of the fpirit, Gal. v. 22. Love, joy, peace, long-fuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, &c. And discharge yourselves of those works of the flesh, verse 19, which are, adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lafcivioufnefs, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulation, wrath, ftrife, &c. To do justly and love mercy, these are univerfally good, and neceffary at all times; but in a due sense of the great benefits that we have revealed to us in the gospel, and upon the great communications that we have of God by Jefus Chrift through the gospel, and the great supply that is there made for all our weakneffes, failings and mifcarriages; we ought to act above the law of ftrict right and common reason. Thus have I brought down generals to particular inftances; and I think most of the cafes (if not all) that do occur in human life, will receive fome fatisfaction by these rules. And now in the next place, to reinforce this, I will give you twelve arguments of recommendation. of juftice, righteousness, fair-dealing, good ufage, equal confideration; then fome other arguments that will represent unrighteousness as mischievous, hurtful and deftructive. 1. Justice, righteousness, fair-dealing, and equal confideration, are things wherein we imitate and refemble God; and I do not know any thing in the world wherein we refemble God more than in the ways of righteoufnefs and fair confideration, mercifulness and compaffion and God is known to his creatures by these and concerning God, notwith ftanding ftanding his fulness of wisdom, and his being cloathed with omnipotence, and not to be demanded of his ways by his creatures, yet God doth never in the use of any power or privilege vary from the rule of right; Job viii. 3. Doth God pervert judgment, or doth the almighty pervert justice? It is Abraham's argument, Gen. xviii. 25. That be far from thee to do after this manner, to flay the righteous with the wicked, and that the righteous fhould be as the wicked: that be far from thee; fhall not the judge of all the world do right? Abraham is confident of this, that the judge of all the earth will do right. Pfalm ciii. 13. Like as a father pitieth his children, fo the Lord pitieth them that fear him; fo far is God from hard usage and hard meafure. Verse 14, for he knoweth our frame, he remembreth that we are but duft; God will remember for our advantage the frailty of our creation; there is nothing wherein God doth declare himself more offended or aggrieved, than that it should be thought he doth not afford any of his creatures fair allowance, pity and compaffion; Ezekiel xviii. the whole chapter; fo that if we will write after God's copy, we muft confine our powers and privileges to the rule of righteousness and equity. That is the first; these are in imitation of God. 2. These uphold the whole world; the world would run into a chaos of confufion, if these things fhould fail: this is that we must all wish for, that truth and righteousness may overcome and prevail; either let truth take place, and righteousness be a law among men, or we overthrow all foundation, for no man will know where he is this is the law of the rational |