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V.

SER M. this diverfity? Their doctrine plainly is, that it ought not at all to interrupt peace, which, according to them, is founded, not on an unanimity in judgment, and uniformity in practice, but upon mutual forbearance and condefcenfion: And therefore for human authority to interpofe by enforcing what men call peace, and which indeed. human authority can only effect, that is, a conftrained agreement in external forms of religious profeffions, and uniformity in outward rites and ceremonies: This is not to build upon the fcripture foundations, but rather to destroy them; not to edify the church in love, but to raise a false peace upon ignorance, fervitude, and hypocrify. What detriment would enfue to the real interests of chriftianity, if there were no authorized forms of doctrine, but every man left at liberty to make the best of his bible, and to profefs freely what he findeth there and if all worshipping societies in a nation were allowed to fix for themselves the variable circumftances of worship? May not peace confist with fuch a liberty, and all the diverfity it can be fuppofed to be attended with? If by peace we mean what the New Teftament meaneth, an union of affections, and fincere brotherly kindness ;

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for the kingdom of God is not meat and SER M. drink, and it is not forms of words, and V. bodily geftures, but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghoft; for he that in these things ferveth Chrift, is acceptable to God, and approved of men.

What hath been faid on this fubject equally relateth to all human power in matters purely of religion, whatever hands it is lodged in, or by whomfoever it is exercised; the temporal authority of civil magistrates, though a true and proper authority within its own fphere, no more than that of ecclefiaftics, cannot ferve the ends of Chrift's kingdom, which is not of this world, that is, cannot promote true religion; its interpofitions are equally unneceffary to mere decency and order, and equally hurtful to true christian peace. It is true, the civil magiftrate hath the peace and interest of the civil fociety, as fuch, for the object of his care, and no pretence of religion can exempt any subject from his jurifdiction, no pretence of religious liberty can screen any violation of the public peace from his cenfure; but the question is, Whether christianity, as delivered in the fcriptures, and the liberty wherewith Christ hath made its profeffors free, be in any refpect inconfiftent

SERM. with the true peace and interest of any
V. fociety? I hope it is not, whatever hath

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been fometimes alledged to the contrary; and then what fervice can the civil power do to the ftate, or to chriftianity itself, by any exercife of authority, otherwife than by encouraging and protecting fubjects in the profeffion and practice of the chriftian religion, with all the liberty which the gospel giveth? To annex temporal rewards to external religious acts, and penalties to the omiffion of them, is not to ferve but to hurt pure religion; and when parties are formed amongst chriftians upon a difference of fentiments and practice in the leffer matters of religion, to diftinguish them by the favour and displeasure of the magistrate, or by civil privileges and penalties, is to abridge liberty, and to obstruct instead of promoting true chriftian peace, as well as to make factions in the civil fociety.

This hath been, and is generally the cafe, where the chriftian religion hath been pro→ feffed by whole nations. Princes and states have thought themselves obliged to fhew their zeal for christianity, and to better its condition, by their countenance and the affistance of their power, which, however well intended, inftead of advancing pure re :ligion,

ligion, hath often tended to corrupt it. For SER M. what in effect have the civil powers esta- V. blished, or can they establish, that is, enforce by their authority? Not the original plan of that grace which hath appeared to men bringing falvation; that must stand upon the foot of the divine inftitution, and its own intrinfick excellence; and it is calculated to be the religion of every man for himself, voluntarily chosen and voluntarily profeffed, on which its whole value and efficacy depend; not to be the religion of civil communities, as fuch, and enforced by their power, for they are not capable of it: But the civil powers have only eftablished peculiar forms of profeffions, and the characteristick opinions and ufages of particular parties, giving them an outward fanction, and distinguishing them by exclufive privileges granted to those who conform.

Such is the religious part of our legal establishment; though in feveral important refpects incomparably better than fome others, it maketh arbitrary inclosures in the chriftian church, impofeth unneceffary things and uncommanded in fcripture, as terms of religious communion, fo far deviating from the fimplicity and purity of the gofpel, and encroaching

SER M. croaching on the liberty wherewith Chrift V. hath made his disciples free. This, at least, is the opinion of the nonconformifts, and here they reft the defence of their nonconformity. We do not contend, at least, our principal debate is not about the lawfulnefs or unlawfulness, the expediency or inexpediency, of the ufages enjoined by law, as different from our own, in themselves and abstractly confidered; whether, for inftance, the posture of kneeling or fitting be better and more proper in receiving the facrament of the Lord's fupper; whether publick forms of prayer be more eligible and edifying than private compofures; but whether either fide of thofe and fuch like questions should be determined by any human authority, fo as to fix a publick standard for all worshipping focieties, or to exclude all who are otherwife minded from the privileges of christian fellowship.

I hope it doth not offend our fuperiors or our brethren of the eftablifhed church, that we openly avow our fentiments upon the points in difference between them and us. It is the glory of our conftitution that civil liberty flourisheth under it; but civil liberty can never flourish, nor the most important part of it have a being, where the

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