Hoadly - BX5136 H6

of CONFORMITY. 25 You laid down the Publick Exercife of that Office, when you could not join with the Etabliflied Church. And my Reafon is this, Becaufe by doing fo you would have confulted the peace of the Church, and the honour of God, without putting your (elves out of all capacity of doing fervice to the Souls of Men. Your Ex- amples might 1h1í have continued tofhine before Menas muchas ever; Your Conver- fation might have been Inf}rudive, and of great Influence upon your Neigh- bours; Your Writings might have plead- ed the Caufe of true and ferious Religion in the World; Your Conformity as Lay- men to theChurch of England, would have given a check to thefpirit of' violentJepa4 ration then reigning; would have done much to the producing Peace and Har- mony in the tempers ofMen; would have refieted no dishonour upon the Gofpel of 7efus Chrifi, nor, confequently, upon your own Charaters, as you are Chrifli- atns. And, under fuch Confiderations, what danger there could be of your in- curring theguilt anddoom of the unprofitable fervant in theGofpel, I cannot fee. That wicked andflothfulfervant, aced his part upon, a quite different principle. Hecon - fulted

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