Serm. CLII. the Power ofGodlinefc. 343 I will inftance in two great defects in the Livesand Pra&ice of Chriftians, which are vifible to every one, but are fad indications how little the Power of Religion prevails among Men ; I mean the want of common honefty and integrity among Men, and the want ofPeace and Love ; the firft of which, is the great Virtue of civil Converfation, and the other the great Bond both of Civil and Ecclefiaftical Societies. Thefe are two great Duties of Religion frequently mention'd, and ftri&ly charged upon the Confciences of Men in Scripture : And yet bow rare is the pra&ice of them in the lives ofChriftians ? Thefe are two main defeds in Re- ligion, and a plain demonftration of a Form of Religion, without the power of it. I. The want ofcommon honefty and integrity among Men. So indeed it ufed to be called, common honefly : but it grows fo rare now, that it is like to lofe that name. Righteoufefs, Truth and Faithfulnefs are almoftfailedfrom among the Chil- dren ofMen ; all ranks of Men have corrupted themfelves in this kind ; this is grown almoft anuniverfal depravation, there is hardlyany trade, or profefion which hath not fomething of knavery and falfhood woven into the very Myftery of it, and is become almoft a necelfary part of it. Where is the generous honefty and uprightnefs which did heretofore poffefs the fpirits of Men, and which is an infe- parable companion of true Courage ? But we are now palling apace into foreign manners and vices, and any Form of Religion will ferve, when Jùftice and Inte- grity are gone. Il. The want of Peace and. Love. How full of factions and divifions are we ? And thefe managed with all imaginable heat and animofity toward one another'; of if the badge of Chriftianitywere changed, and our Saviour had faid, Hereby [ball all men know thatye are my dif?i files, ifyehate one another. All the differences among Chriftians, of what denomination foever, are fadly to be lamented ; but I almoft defpair as to the difference between us and the Church of Rome, becaufe the Reconciliation is impoffible, unlefs they renounce their Prin- ciples ? They cannot come over to us, becaufe they think they are infallible ; and we cannot pafs over to them, becaufe we know they are deceived. So that there is agreatgulfbetween no and them. We mull not only renounce the Scrip- tures, but our Reafon and our Senfes to be of their mind. We cannot communicate with them in the Sacrament, becaufe they have taken away one half of it which is as plainly inftituted and commanded, as the other part which is left. We can- not Worfhip the Virgin Maly, and the Saints, much lefs their images, becaufe it is Written, Thou (halt worfbip the Lord thy God, and him only fhalt thou ferve. Thou(halt not make to thy felf anygraven image, nor the likenefs of any thing that is in heaven above, or in the earth beneath, or in the water under the earth; thou fhalt not bow down to them, nor worfhip them; pr the Lord thy, God am ajealous. God. In fhort, feveral of their Articles ofFaith are fuch, as no credulitycan fwai- low ; and feveral parts of their Worfhip are fuch, as no Piety can join with. But this we bewail, that thofe'who agree in the fame effentials of Faith and Worfhip, fhould be fo forward to divide and feparate from one another, meetly upon Forms of Government, andCircumftancesofWorfhip. What can juftifie the breach of Communion and Peace upon fuck terms? Either Church Government is of Divine Right, or it is not. If it be, why do not Men fubmit to the Form which is eftablifh'd by Authority ? If it be not, what kind of Government can contend for that right, with any equality of advantage, againft that which cannot be denied to have almoft univerfally obtained in molt ages and parts of the Chri- fhan World? As for the Circumftances of worfhip, there is fcarce anyMan hath the face to con- tend, that any ofthofe ufed in our Church are clearly condemned by the Word ofGod g and what elfe can make them unlawful ? One of the chief caufes of fe- paration, isa Form of Prayer; the lawfulnefsof which ourSaviour bath abundantly juftified, and I do not think was ever queftioned by any Writer in the Chriftian Church, for near upon fixteen hundred ears ; and is it worth While to break the peace of the Church, and violate one ofthe greateft Precepts of Chriftianity, upon little and flight pretences of unlawfulnefs, and doubtful reafons ofconvenience and expe-
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