2. If they be Burthenfome for their Serm. 1. number. There is manifeftly no ground of Quarrel with our Church on this last Account. As to the former charge, I think we have nothing amongst us that any Man of common fenfe and modesty can fufpect to be an Image or Idol, and how Idolatry can be fuppos'd without either Idol or Image, is next to an Impoffibility to conceive; and as for Superftition, 'tis feated primarily in the mind of Man, and depends upon that opinion which is the ground and foundation of the inftitution, or obfervance of the Rite and Ceremony. Now what opinions particular Men may have, I know not, but if any Man can fhew me that the Conftitution of our Church has receiv'd into it, any opinion that has the leaft Tincture or Relifh of Superftition, if it builds the Injunction or ufe of its few Ceremonies upon any other Foundation, than the general Rules of St. Paul that they tend to Decency, Order and Edification, I will for my part most readily subscribe to the Abrogation or Abolition of any thing which has the face or shadow of a Ceremony amongst

us.

By this time it's eafie for any unprejudic'd and fincere Hearer to judge what grounds our Church has given our Diffenting

Vol. I. fenting Brethren of a Separation, fo fatal, not to the honour only, but I may almost say, to the Being of our Church and State too, what is it they find fault with? Is it the Doctrine of our Church? No; for this they contend with us, which of us have the greater efteem and veneration for it; or if they fhould differ in any one Article of our Confeffion, I know not any Canon that does exact Oath or Subfcription to our Book of Articles, from the People, and in our Publick service, they join with us in no other confeffion than that of the Apoftles Creed, together with thofe two expofitions of it, the Nicene and Athanafian, univerfally reverenc'd and receiv'd. Do they find fault with the Government of our Church? I defire that they would fhew us what effential part of Church Government is wanting in ours, if they think every Circumftantial of Church Government clearly prefcribed in Scripture, and every fuch abfolutely neceffary to the Being of a Church, and perpetual and immutable: When I fhall fee this made out I believe I fhall be able to prove that our Government may lay as good a Claim to fuch an Inftitution as any other whatever, and till then I defire they would confider the notorious inconveniences, fuch an opinion is clog'd

with, none of the leaft of which is this Serm. 1. (not mentioned before) that as often as we shall find in any Church, fome Circumstance or other of Government, not clearly made out to us by holy Text, fo often shall we be unavoidably tempted by this Principle to make a Separation from it; and how often this is like to happen, I leave to the reason of every Man, but indifferently read in Scripture, and to the experience of all Men to Judge.

Do they laftly find fault with our Ceremonies? let them fhew us that the Church has no Power of inftituting any, or that ours are burthenfome for their number, or fuch in their Nature, as neceffarily involve Men in the guilt of Superftition or Idolatry, which they will be able to do, when they fhew us the Idol we adore, or that Superftitious Opinion in the Confeffion of our Church on which fuch a Superftitious Rite is founded; if nothing of this kind can be prov'd it will be found that our Brethren have been fo far from Lowlinefs, and Meeknefs, from Long-fuffering and Forbearance, that they have broken the Peace and Unity of the Church, without any juft grounds at all. And yet tho' they fhould be able to prove fome one thing or other of this kind, yet neither would

Vol. I. this be fufficient for their feparation; for tho' they cannot peradventure do all we think them bound to do, yet there is much that they can do for the fake of Peace and Unity, which till they have done, they will be found guilty of Tranfgreffing this Rule of St. Paul. I come therefore, to confider,

2. Whether our Brethren of the Separation have done all which they themfelves acknowledge they Lawfully may do for preferving the Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace.

As much as in you lies (faith St. Paul, Heb. 12. 14.) follow Peace with all Men. and St. James tells us, The Wisdom which is from above is first Pure, then Peaceable, James 3. 17. Thefe and fuch like places do certainly import two things.

1. That it behoves every Man to do all that Lawfully he can do for the fake of Unity and Peace.

2. That he that does otherwife, is not led by the Spirit of God, which is a Spirit of Peace. 'Tis therefore with great Reason that we expect from Men that they should do all that lies in them for the Nation's and the Church's Peace: I will therefore demand,

I. Is it not Lawful e're a Subject renounces his Obedience to Established

Laws,

Laws, or a Chriftian leaves the Commu- Serm. 1. nion of an Establish'd Church, to Confider, Examine, and Weigh upon what grounds he proceeds to Act thus? This I fuppofe is fo far from being Unlawfull, that it is abfolutely Neceffary for every Man that will preferve a good Confci ence. But alas! how many hundreds are there in an Actual Separation from our Church, who are fo far from having Examined, or Weighed either the Conftitution of our Church, which they forfake, or of that which they betake themfelves to, that they do not at this day understand either; and what is worse, have never endeavoured it. How many hundreds are there in Actual Separation from us upon a pretended diflike of our Rites, who have never Confidered or Examined the Nature of things indifferent, or of Christian Liberty, or of the Power of every particular Church in Establishing the Circumftantials of Divine Worship? Nay, that do no more understand either at this day, than I do the Laws and Interests of the most remote and unknown Kingdom upon Earth? How many hundreds are there who have left our Communion upon diflike of Perfonal Errors and Corruptions, which our Church Condemns as much as they do, or upon C

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