Serra. XX.IX. from 1Vlifiaken Zealots. 213 pies of our Lord, and much in the fame Method ; for they firft thundered out an Excommunication.againft them, and then, took it for granted, that it would be an acceptable Sacrifice to. God, to deflroy them. I will not go about to aggravate the Confpiracy of this Day, it is paft my skill; nor will I extend the blame and guilt of it any farther than the plain Evidence and Reafon of the thing does enförce. It is a thing fo fcandalous to Humane Nature, and fo great a Reflectionupon any Church and Religion, to be acceffory to the con- triving or countenancing of any fuch Aefign, that I am very well contented, that it fhould be confined to as narrow acompafs as may be, and none efteemed guilty of it, but thofe that were openly in it, or have fince endeavour'd to excufe it. All that we defire ofothers, is, that they would declare their hearty deteftationof fuch abominable Pra&ices, and be as good as their word ; and that they would not ac- count it a fervice andfacrifice to God, to deftroy all that can not be of their Mind. So that the Inference from all this Difcourfe, in fhort, shall be this, that Men fhould take great care to inform their Confciences aright, and to govern them by the plain Rules ofGood and Evil, the Law of Godwritten uponour hearts, and re- vealed in hisWord, which forbids fuch Practices as Ihave been fpeaking of as clear- ly as the Sun Ihines at Noonday; and that we would always be afraid to do a bad thing, tho' gilded over with never fo glorious Colours, and fpecious Pretences of zeal for God andhisTruth. For a Man maydo a thing withanhoneft Mind, and for a religious End, and be Commifhoned and Countenanced (as St. Paul was) by themwho take themfelves to be the only. true Church in theWorld; and yet at laft prove to have been all the whilea Blafphemer, and a Murderer, and the great= of Sinners ; for none of thefe Pretences are futficient to warrant and fandifie a wicked Aftion : Before this can be done, the immutable nature of Good and Evil mutt be changed. I will conclude all with that gentle Reproof of our Bleffed Saviour to his Dif- ciples, when their Zeal for him liad tranfported them to make that cruel Requeft tohim, that he would (asElias had done upon a like occafion) callforfirefrom hea- ven tode/iray the Samaritans : re know not what manner of Spirit yeare of; for the Son ofman came not to defiry mens lives, but to fave them ; hereby declaring to us the true Spirit and Temper of Chriftianity, and that they that at contrary to it, are ignorant ofthe Nature of the ChriftianReligion ; Te know not what man- ner of Spiritye are of; for theSon ofman came not to defiroy mens lives, but to fave them. SERMON
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