reduced to a very small matter; for if the SERM. main objection of the diffenters be against V. impofition, and if it be acknowledged, on the other hand, that human decrees produce no direct obligation upon confcience, the only remaining question feemeth to be concerning the expediency or inexpediency of complying with the ceremonies imposed. Some think themselves obliged to stand fast. in their liberty, uniformly refifting every kind and degree of impofition which incroacheth upon it; and while this continueth to be their opinion, for them to submit, would, in confequence, be to betray the principle; others maintaining the fame principle of liberty, but not apprehending the fame confequence, which therefore charity forbiddeth us to charge them with, think it more eligible at prefent to bear with the appointed ceremonies, fince they are few in number, and they think not ill chofen; but furely between fuch parties peace ought to fubfift, and mutual brotherly affection, and to their paffions it must be attributed, not their diverfity of fentiments, if it is otherwife.

Thirdly, It is apparently the intereft, as well as the duty, of Protestant-diffenters, to preferve a firm union themselves; their diL 4 vifions

V.

SERM, vifions must render them fufpected of a contentious fpirit, and party-views in their common oppofition to the establishment; and if they bite and devour one another, they are in danger of being confumed, Gal. v. 15. Now, upon what principle can fuch a firm union fubfift? no other, I believe, than that of liberty. When chriftians have full freedom to profefs and act according to their opinions in matters of religion, which are the refult of an impartial and diligent search of the fcriptures, what can hinder their concord? what pretence of reafon, or colour of confiftency with charity, can there be in judging or defpifing one another, at least, whilft there appeareth no fundamental errors in the profeffion, nor fcandalous immorality in the lives of any? But to the great dishonour of the Diffenters it must be acknowledged, that, efpecially of late, they have appeared to be, as the apostle speaketh, carnal, and bave walked as men, for there have been envyings and ftrifes among them, which is principally occafioned by their departure from the catholic foundation of their nonconformity. Every one knoweth, that their warmeft difputes have been about human expedients for preferving truth and purity in religion, which are impofed

by fome, and refifted by others; but can it SERM. be ever reconciled to their common avowed V. principle, against all human impofitions, that they fhould break into parties upon fuch a question? and whatever zeal of God for truth, charity may require us to believe, may be the spring of impofition among ourfelves, the fame charity requiring us to ac knowledge an equal zeal for truth, order, and peace, in other impofers, can it be a temperate zeal, and according to knowledge, which contendeth for a proper authority over confcience in fome hands, and rejecteth it in others; which pleadeth for fuch a submission to the arbitrary demands of fellow-fubjects, as is refufed to lawful civil governors?

But, above all things, let us endeavour to justify our principle of liberty by an uniformly regular practice of true piety and virtue in our converfations. Moral liberty is the glorious privilege which God hath made our nature capable of, and which Chrift our Saviour came to reftore when it was greatly impaired, almoft wholly loft, by the depravity of mankind. Without this, all boafted freedom is but an empty infignificant pretence, and to the dishonour of religious liberty, they claim it who are the

SERM. faves of corruption, ferving divers lufts and V. pleasures. The apostles frequently warn

chriftians against abufing their liberty for an occafion to the flesh, and a cloak of maliciqufnefs; and furely no party or denomination, at this day, have more reason than the Proteftant-diffenters to apply these cautions to themselves; their vices, their animofities, and uncharitablenefs, will bring difcredit on their pretended confcientious fcruples, and make their zeal pafs for humour and perverfeness. It is certain that, in our days, the venerable name of liberty hath been wretchedly mifapplied; I wish it may never be fo by the Nonconformifts, to licentiouf ness in morals, and an utter neglect of the christian inftitutions, which are the very reverse of that liberty wherewith Chrift hath made us free.

SER

SERMON VI,

Of the KINGDOM of GOD.

ROM. XIV. 17.

For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

T

HE apostle's design in this chapter, SERM is to recommend charity and mutual VI. forbearance among chriftians, notwithstanding a diverfity of fentiments and practices in the leffer matters of religion. The followers of Chrift in that age being, fome of them, not well enough inftructed in that liberty wherewith he had made them free, were of different opinions about the diftinction of meats and days, and, perhaps, other of the ancient Jewish ceremonies. This was not to be wondered at, confidering the weakness of human understanding, the prejudices of education, and other circumstances, which might well be supposed to lead men into a different way of thinking upon fuch difputable points. But the fault