Vol. I.

And now I muft call God and my own Confcience to Witness, that I have discharged my felf with all imaginable Integrity. I lie not under any Provocations on one hand, or Obligation on the other, which might pervert my Judgment, and in this condition you will eafily judge me exempt from the Temptation of Intereft or Ambition; I have deliver'd the truth with plainnefs, and I have watched over my felf that I might not mix any frailties with it which might render it distastful, tho I think the Charity which (I am not afhamed to own) I have for my mistaken Brethren, would of it felf have kept me eafily from any Bitterness or sharp Reflections. I Pray God those that are concern'd may lay to Heart these truths with the fame Calmness and Integrity, I have delivered them; I should not then queftion, but that they would contribute fomething to our Peace and Unity, which is the Earneft Prayer and Defire of my Soul, and fhall be the Travail of my Life. Now to God be Glory and Honour and Dominion for Ever. Amen.

When I had proceeded thus far in the two preceeding difcourfes, I was obliged by the Approach of the Christmas Solemnity to quit this Subject; and Indeed I

could

could not conceive it neceffary for me to Serm. 1. fpend much time on the Confideration of this Rule of St Paul with respect to the Government, which was the second general propofed; fince, if what I have faid before was clear and convictive, as I hoped it was, nothing could better juftifie the present proceedure of the Government: For if this Separation be utterly groundless, the Government cannot reasonably be taxed for endeavouring the fuppreffing of it by legal methods.

As to the Method of Excommunication, there is nothing in it which may not appear confonant to the Light of Nature, as well as Scripture, nothing being more reasonable than to exclude thofe Men from the advantages of our Society whofe principles and actions are repugnant not only to the profperity but the very Being of this Society. As to those Civil Effects which in our Law attend Excommunication, they are no other than what may be fufficiently warranted by the Judgment and Practice of thofe Churches to which our brethren have declared themselves much devoted. So then there is nothing in this point of our Church difcipline blameable in its Conftitution, and I do not queftion but D 4

that

Vol. I. that the Execution of it will be carried on with that temper which is almoft peculiar to the Church of England, and shews it as remote from the Spirit of Perfecution as from that of Difloyalty; a temper of which they themselves who moft accuse her are the most pregnant proof, the Numbers and Wealth of those of the Separation to which I must take leave to add their Confidence, being the most undeniable argument of the Indulgence and Kindness of that Government under which they have grown up to this height.

in

your

It remains only that I put you in mind here of practifing this Rule of St. Paul Private Conversation. And, 1. Give me leave to direct you who are of our own Communion; that nothing do's better become a Difciple of Christ, than Charity, Meeknefs, Longfuffering towards our Diffenting Brethren. In this fort of behaviour we fhall be fure that we shall not gratifie our Carnal paffions, we fhall be most likely to win upon our Brethren, and we shall advance the Credit and Reputation of our Church, nothing being a clearer proof of the Spirit of God in it, than Meekness and Charity in the Members of it.

Let

Let us therefore lay afide all Strife Serm. 1. and Bitterness and Reproach in our Converfation, nay what is more, let us not fuffer our felves to be provoked or affronted into any Word or Action towards our brethren that may misbecome kind Neighbours or good Chriftians.

But yet one thing I must put you in mind of, that we must fo preserve our Christian Charity, as alfo to preserve that which do's neceffarily become every good Chriftian, our Loyalty: our Meeknefs and Lowlinefs must not betray us into any thing that is undutiful or unjust towards that Government we live happily under; we must at the fame time be Zealous for this, whilst we are Charitable and Long-fuffering towards them.

Give me leave in the fecond place to mind you who are not of our Communion, that as nothing can better become those who pretend to a greater purity in your Conftitution, than a more eminent degree of Meeknefs and Lowlinefs, fo nothing can fo clear the Sincerity of your intentions, as the gentleness and peaceableness of your whole Converfation. This alone can convince the World that you act out of Confcience,

and

Vol. I. and whatsoever you fhall be guilty of Contrary to this, will raise in all Men a juft fufpicion that you are acted by carnal Principles and moved by worldly Ends: Nothing but this can poffibly preferve the Unity of Affection in the midft of fo many Divifions and Subdivifions (if this can do it.) And nothing less than this Unity can preferve us from being a Prey to the Worft of Enemies we can dread.

A Ser