peace; to suffer afflictions, and not to be depressed by them; to meet with provocations and injuries, and not to be angry; to behold others preferred and advanced before us, and above us, and to be free from envy; to observe the practices of the crafty and designing, and not to admit within our breasts vexatious and tormenting jealousy; to live in a world, where some things are desirable, others grievous; and to be free from uneasy and tumultuous affections; not too much desiring the one, nor too much fearing and dreading the other.

This is great peace. Nor is there any so likely to give it as Christ.

4. Which brings us to the fourth particular; Christ's peace, or wish of peace and happiness, excels the peace of the world, as being more effectual.

He was to be soon parted from his disciples by death. But he would see them again. And if he lived, they should live also. John xiv. 19.

His doctrine, his life, his death, his resurrection, and exaltation, tended mightily to confirm the faith and hope of eternal life; which would engage their affections for things heavenly, and take them off from things sensible and temporal; and thereby lay a foundation for peace and comfort, amidst all the vicissitudes of the present condition. And all they who believe in Jesus, and attend to his doctrine and example, have like advantages with those who conversed personally with him.

III. APPLICATION. I now conclude with a few reflections by way of application.

1. We may here observe, that our blessed Lord is great and adinirable every where, and upon all occasions. discern his most excellent temper and conduct in private and in public, with his disciples, and when retired from the world, as well as at other seasons.

2. Our Lord's conduct here, as well as upon other occasions, deserves our attention and imitation.

Being about to be removed from his disciples by death, he takes leave of them in an affectionate manner. He gives them a valedictory blessing; or leaves with them a legacy and present of peace. Conceive it either way, it makes no great difference. Nor let us be concerned about imitating him in form only. Let our peace, as his did, exceed that of the world. Let our peace, our wishes of happiness to others, be more sincere, more fervent, more valuable, and more effectual, than that of most men. Especially let us attend to the third property, more valuable and important. Let

us be above all things desirous, that they, whom we love in the flesh, may seek heavenly things in the first place. And if we set them an example of moderation for earthly things, as our Lord did, and at the same time are concerned for their temporal welfare, as for our own, and practise frugality, diligence, and application; this will be the way to render our wishes for those who are dear to us, advantageous, and effectual. Hereby we shall leave, and give to them that peace, which we wish and desire may be their portion; provided they do their part, and are not wanting to themselves.

3. Lastly, Let us each one reflect upon ourselves. Have we that peace, which Christ gave to his disciples? If not, let us inquire what is the reason of it; for, as our Lord said to his disciples, when they wished peace or prosperity to any house into which they entered," if the son of peace be there, their peace should rest upon it," Luke x. 5, 6. In like manner, if we are true disciples of Jesus, if we love him, and keep his commandments, "his peace will rest upon us." But if we are not humble; if we are not meek and selfdenying, as he has required us to be; if we are proud and aspiring; if our prevailing aims and desires are selfish and worldly, without any fruits of generous love; we are not sons of peace, or Christ's disciples; nor does his peace belong unto us.

However, having once found where our fault or defect lies, let us be willing and careful to amend it. So wrath shall not abide upon us, but we may become sons of peace. We shall then enjoy comfort and peace of mind now, and hereafter enter into that undisturbed and everlasting rest and peace, which remain for all the people of God, of all places, and of all times. Amen.

SERMON XXVIII.

THE APOSTOLICAL BENEDICTION.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. 2 Cor. xiii. 14.

I AM not insensible of the difficulty of the subject, and that, possibly, what shall be proposed may not be satisfactory to all. I have been desirous, nevertheless, to explain this apostolical benediction; which is very often, though not always and constantly, made use of in our assemblies, at the conclusion of our solemn and public worship.

As every word in it may require distinct observation, so there may be reckoned to be some special difficulty in settling the precise meaning of the last phrase," the communion of the Holy Ghost:" which is not found at the conclusion of any other of the epistles in the New Testament. And it is questioned by some, whether it does not intend those miraculous gifts which were then common, but were peculiar to the early ages of christianity, and have for a long time ceased in the church. If that be the direct, and the sole and only meaning of the expression; then it will be argued, that this benediction, in all its fulness, cannot be fitly used in our assemblies in these times. For it is not reasonable to ask for ourselves, nor to wish and pray for others, such things as we have no ground to hope for, and which the circumstances of things in the world declare and manifest, that it is not the good will and pleasure of God to bestow. As this is a main difficulty in the words, we should have a particular eye to it.

In order the better to conceive distinctly of this matter, I shall mention these several following propositions.

I. It will be of use to compare this with the farewell, or valedictory wishes and benedictions at the end of the other epistles of the apostles.

I begin with those in the two epistles to the Thessalonians, which seem to be the first written epistles of St. Paul, and the most early scriptures of the New Testament.

1 Thess. v. 28, "The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you all." 2 Thess. iii. 17, 18, "The salutation of Paul with my own hand, which is the token in all my epistles. So I

write. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen."

And exactly the same in Rom. xvi. 24, "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all." And before, in ch. xv. 13, he had said: "Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing." And ver. 33, "Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen." And ch. xvi. 20, "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.' 1 Cor. xvi. 23, 24, " The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen."

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Gal. vi. 18,“ Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit."

Eph. vi. 23, 24, "Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith from God the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen."

Philip. iv. 23, "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen."

Col. iv. 18," The salutation by the hand of me Paul. Remember my bonds. Grace be with you.

rit.

Amen."

1 Tim. vi. 21, “ Grace be with thee. Amen."

2 Tim. iv. 22," The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spiGrace be with you. Amen."

Tit. iii. 15," All that are with me salute thee. Greet them that love us in the faith. Grace be with you all. Amen."

Philem. ver. 25, "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen."

Heb. xiii. 25," Grace be with you all. Amen."

In the epistle of St. James there is nothing very solemn, either at the beginning, or the end. What he says at the beginning is this: "To the twelve tribes, which are scattered abroad, greeting."

1 Pet. v. 13, 14, "The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you, and so doth Marcus my son. Greet ye one another with a kiss of charity. Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus. Amen."

There is no salutation at the end of the second epistle of St. Peter.

St. John's third epistle concludes thus: "Peace be to thee. The brethren salute thee. Greet the friends by name."

Rev. xxii. 21, " The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen."

These are the conclusions, or the valedictory blessings,

of the several epistles of the New Testament. Whereby we perceive, that none is more frequent, than that of "the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you." Sometimes it is shorter: "Grace be with you all." Or," the God of peace be with you:" or, " peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus."

II. It may be of use to compare the valedictions at the end with the salutations which are at the beginning of the apostolical epistles.

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For a valediction, or farewell, is nothing else but a salutation at parting. The chief difference seems to be in the form, without much difference in the meaning. At meeting it usually is: " peace be to you." At parting: "peace be with you," or abide with you. Another small difference may be observed. The wish at the end is more summary. Or, perhaps, there is none at all; the salutation at the beginning of a writing, or at first meeting, being reckoned sufficient. Besides that, possibly, in the midst of your discourse, or in the body of your epistle, or other writing, you have inserted divers good wishes.

I shall now recite some of the salutations at the beginning of the epistles, and in the present order of the books of the New Testament. You will in your own minds compare them with the valedictions, or farewell wishes at the end, which have been already recited.

-Grace be to you,

Rom. i. 7, "To all that be at Romeand peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.' 1 Cor. i. 3, "Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ."

2 Cor. i. 2," Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ."

Gal. i. 3. Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ."

So also Eph. i. 2; and Philip. i. 2; and Col. i. 2; and 1 Thess. i. 1; and 2 Thess. i. 2.

1 Tim. i. 2, "Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father, and Christ Jesus our Lord." So also 2 Tim. i. 2. Tit. i. 4, "Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour."

Philem. ver. 3, " Grace to you, and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ."

In the epistle to the Hebrews there is no salutation at the beginning.

James i. 1,-"To the twelve tribes that are scattered abroad, greeting."

1 Pet. i. 2," To the strangers scattered throughout