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Let us add to this,the drawing in of Factions and Parties among the Children and Servants, on Account of the Difference of Religions practis'd in the Family, and fo breeding Divifions and Disturbance to the Peace and good Government of the Family; and wearing out, by degrees, that Love and mutual Confidence and Trust ther ought to be betwixt Man and Wife, while they are oblig'd to keep perpetual watch upon each other, for fear of their Children and Servants, for whofe Religion (I mean of the Servants as well as Children) the Masters of Families are Chargeable before God: How little Soever that be now thought of; but Men use the Service of Mankind as of Beasts, without other Confideration than feeding of their Bodies, which they do for their own Advantage) I fay, Mafters are answerable for the Religion of their Servants as far as Inftruction goes, and the Exercife of a just and equitable Authority: And it being a Truth even to a Proverb, that Men (efpecially Children) are more drawn by Example than Precept, this greatest of Temptations can never be wanting in at Family where Man and Wife are of different Communions.

Ther is but one thing that can be faid to this, and it is common with thofe concern'd; that is, that there are good and bad of all Communions, and if Men live justly and virtuously in any Communion, they may

go to Heaven; therefor what need they trouble one another about this or that Communion, fo they be all Chriftian? That ther is good found Doctrine taught in all, enough to fave our Souls, if we duly follow and practise it: That the things wherein they differ are not Effential, but only Matters of Speculation, that may be this way or that ·way, and no great harm done: And if any be in fuch Errors, they are but venial, and will not be imputed to honeft wellmeaning People, tho' in Ignorance, fince it is not malicious, but only out of Weakness of Judgment, &c.

Thefe are the Topicks by which Men of all Communions amongst us do satisfie themfelves, not to Baulk their Fancie or Interest in a good Match when it comes in their Way.

And I wish with all my Heart that they did believe themselves, while they thus feek to impose upon themselves, to gratifie a Paffion, whether of Love, Ambition, or Covetoufness.

For if the Differences amongst us be fo fmall, as not to hinder Marriage, much less good Neighbourhood: How then come they, through the other end of the Glafs, to appear fo mountainous, as to be a fufficient Ground for Schifm, for breaking the Unity of the Church, and tearing Christ's Body in Pieces! And not only for Suffering Perfecution, even to Death, our felves; but they have been thought fufficient to diffolve

our

our Oaths of Allegiance, to justifie Rebellion, and to fill the World with Blood, Slaughter, and Defolation. Men have been ill look'd upon, and loft their Employments, for keeping Company with Malignants: And is ther no Offence in marrying with them! Come out from among them, and touch not the Unclean, has been often prefs'd; and feparate your felves which is the Ground of all our Separations: And after all, may we join with them in Marriage, tho' in nothing elfe! Is Marriage the leaft, the most inconfiderable of all Ties! Is ther lefs Temptation in that, than in common Acquaintance and Conversation!

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Or upon the whole, is this the Truth, That our Pretences to Religion, tender Confciences, &c. are all Jelt and Banter, to carry on other Designs, and invicgle the ignorant People to our Side? And so we can keep them out of the oppofite Interest, not to touch there, We care not tho' they marry with their Religion, with the Daughter of a ftrange God?

If the poor mif-led Populace won'd confider duly of this, it might ferve as an Amulet, to diffolve that Charm with which they have been bewitched: And let them fee, That it was not the Intereft of Religion, but their own, which induc'd their Leaders to feduce them from their Duty, and out of the Bofom of the Church, that they might ufurp upon the State,

And

And to fuch of them as are truly confcientious (for no doubt fuch ther are among all our Diffenters) ther is no Medium, but either to return from their Schifm; or otherwise, to abstain from Marriages with those who are of a different Commu

nion.

And the fame Obligation lies проп others not to mix with them. But if any will say, That the Differences betwixt our oppofite Communions are fo fmall, as not to hinder worldly Marriage; we must certainly conclude, That they are not fufficient to diffolve that far more Holy and Spiritual Marriage by which we are made Members of the Church, and fo of Chrift, the Head of it: That they cannot be fufficient to warrant our forfaking the publick Affemblies of the Church, and making a Breach in Her Communion; upon which the heaviest Curfe is pronounc'd that ever came out of the Mouth of God, Heb. x. 25. &c.

Let me add, That all thofe Objections, upon which our Diffenters have broke off from the Church, are easily overcome, when Intereft ftands in the Way. How frequently do they come to the Holy Sacrament, according to all the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England, in Obedience to the Sacramental-Teft, to qualifie themselves for Offices and Employments in the Government? And thofe of them that are Rich, and have good Settlements upon

Marriage

Marriage, do marry by the Common-Prayer, and the Epifcopal establish'd Clergy, to pre•vent any Difputes in Law that might arife for their marrying otherwife: And this is common with the best and most zealous of

• them.

Now I won'd befeech them, to lay their Hand upon their Heart and confider, That if ther be Sin in thefe things, they ought not to comply with it upon any Account. And if ther be no Sin, How will they justifie their Separation? Since all of us do agrée, That nothing less than Sin can justifie Separation; because Schifm is a great Sin allow'd on all Hands: And therefor nothing can excufe it, but where fomething that is as plainly and directly a Sin as Schifm is, is requir'd from us. And in that Cafe, becanfe no Man muft Sin, our Separation is no Schifm; but we are thrust out of Communion for not: committing of a Sin: And therefor the Schifm lies at their Door who impose the Sin, as a Condition of their Communion.

The Inconveniences of thefe Marriages has been touch'd upon; and from thence the Unlawfulness has been inferr'd, as being a running our felves into a Temptation: But the full Proof must be from the Holy Scriptures; these must determine us; therefor let us enquire what we find faid of it there.

And I will take my Rife from a remarkable Place, from whence my Scruples firft arofe; and therefore I have chofen it for my

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