ufing the proper endeavours to be reconciled with our Adverfaries. Particularly, there is one Clause of that excellent Prayer which is proposed to us as the Pattern of our Devotions, which teaches us, and puts us in Mind, that we are to expect Forgiveness of our Sins on no other Terms, than as we forgive Men their Trefpaffes; and therefore praying for Enemies, and particularly that God would forgive them, is a neceffary Part of our own Agreement with them. So much for the Duty of Agreeing with our Adverfary quickly, whilft we are in the Way with him. As for the Confequences of neglecting or delaying this Duty, for want of Time, I must leave them to another Opportunity.

Now to God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft, &c.

SER

SERMON XV.

MATT. V. 25.

Agree with thine Adversary quickly, whilst thou art in the Way with him: left at any time the Adverfary deliver thee to the Judge, and the Judge, deliver thee to the Officer, and thou be caft into Prifon.

Ver. 26. Verily I fay unto thee, thou shalt by no. means come out thence, till thou haft paid the uttermoft Farthing.

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The Second Sermon on this Text.

N laft Difcourfe on thefe Words, there my were Two Things I obferved, as contained in them.

1. The Duty here enjoined, of Agreeing with -the Adverfary quickly, whilst we are in the Way with him.

2. The Evil Confequences attending the Neglect or Delay of this Duty; left at any Time the Adverfary deliver thee to the Judge, and the Judge deliver thee to the Officer, and thou be caft into Prifon. Verily I fay unto thee, thou shalt by no Means come out thence, till thou haft paid the uttermoft Farthing.

Now having at that Time fpoke to the First of thefe, the Duty of Agreeing with the Adverfary

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whilft we are in the Way, that is, while we are in fpeaking and converfing Terms with him; I proceed now to the Second, namely, the evil Confequences attending the Neglect or Delay of this Duty; the Adverfary's Mind growing more and more exasperated, and he fuing us at Law with all the Trouble and Lofs attending the Suit, and the Execution of it. And here, as I told you, tho' the Confequences mentioned are enumerated but in one common Inftance of a Law Suit, in cafe we come to be legally impleaded; they may, by a Parity of Reafon, be confidered in all the other Inftances of Quarrels neglected to be made up, but profecuted to the Extremity: nay further, many Interpreters are of Opinion, that in this Paf fage, our Saviour had a farther Regard than to thefe common Controverfies before earthly Judges; namely, that he had Respect too, to the Decifion of Quarrels before the great Judge of Heaven and Earth, teaching us, that if we do not take Care to make Peace with our Adverfary, while we are in the Way with him, that is, while this Life lafts; we shall be caft by that great Judge, and thrown into Hell, from whence there will be no Redemption: And I must think there is great Probability for this Interpretation likewise, both from our Saviour's general Cuftom of Raifing the Mind from things Temporal to things Eternal; and from his Affeveration here, that there is no escaping out of the Prifon, till we have paid the uttermoft Farthing; which tho' often true of the Prifons of this World, after we have given a great deal of Trouble to our Creditors; yet is more literally true of Hell, the Infernal Prison, from which it was very proper for our Saviour to affure

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us with an Affeveration, that there will be no Redemption. And tho' to keep to the Decorum of the Parable or Similitude, he added thefe Words, till thou haft paid the uttermoft Farthing; we are not to imagine from thence, that ever we shall be able to escape; the Debt being fo immense, and we having nothing to pay withal, and the Day of Grace and Redemption being then over; so that it is all one as if he had faid, ye fhall never get out from thence; only that Expreffion would not have fo well fitted both the Earthly and Infernal Prifon, as this of our Saviour's doth.

The Words then being thus explained, there are these three Sorts of evil Confequences will be proper to be confidered from them.

1. The evil Confequences in this World of letting Differences run on fo far as to come to the Extremity of the Law.

2. The other evil Confequences in this World likewise, of other Quarrels befide Law-Suits, which, by a Parity of Reason, fall under the Confideration of this Advice of Agreeing with the Adversary.

3. The evil Confequences in the great Day of Judgment, of neglecting or delaying to make our Peace with our Adverfary.

I. The evil Confequences in this World of letting Differences run on fo far, as to come to the Extremity of the Law. Thofe evil Confequences are fo many, that both the Doctrine of our Saviour, Matt. v. 40. and of the Apoftle St Paul, 1 Cor. vi. 7. by fome are thought to forbid going to Law altogether. But this will be found to be a Miftake; it is not the going to Law, but the going to Law for flight Caufes, and without trying the previous Methods for Peace

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and Accommodation, which are discountenanced and forbid by them both. To make us fenfible of the Inconveniencies of Controversy and Dilagreement, our Saviour here fums up the Trouble and Charge that will moft probably attend it; and that in thefe three Dangers. 1. In the Danger of the Adverfary's profecuting his Suit before the Judge. 2. In the Danger of the Judge's paffing Sentence against us, and committing it to the Of ficers of the Court to be executed.

3. In the Danger of our not having wherewithal to fatisfie the Debt, and therefore that the Officer will caft us into Prison, and not difmifs us from thence, till we have paid both the Debt and the whole Bill of Cofts; whereas in the Beginning we might have come off much cheaper. I fhall confider them briefly in the fame Order in which they are mentioned in the Text.

1. First then, we have here the Danger of the Adverfary's profecuting his Suit before the Judge. Left at any Time the Adversary deliver thee to the Judge. This profecuting of the Suit before the Judge, is attended with a mighty deal of Trouble and Charge, notwithstanding all the Care human Laws have taken to fhorten Suits, and to cut off unneceffary Forms. For under this Head come in the Confultations and Pleadings of Lawyers; the Citation and Examination of Witneffes; the Attendance on Courts and Juries; the Information and Perfwafion of Judges; all which distract the Minds, empty the Purses, and spend the Time of the Clients to that degree, that commonly Peace had better be bought at any tolerable Rate, without going to Law, than even Victory fo dear bought with it.