38 AN HUMBLE ATTEMPT) &C. which I would put to your consciences and my own this day, What do we dissenters more than others, more than our brethren of the national establishment ? Do we make it appear in our whole behaviour, that our hearts are more holy and more hea- venly ? Is our zeal for the honour of God warmer than theirs ? Have we a greater detestation of those sins which are too mtmh indulged among some of them ? As we refuse to comply with the traditions of men, are we more exactly conformable, to the laws of God and the rules of the gospel of Christ ? Are we more sober and temperate, and watchful in our personal conduct ? Dowe practise superior goodness toward our fellow- creatures, and exceed others in the dunes of justice, charity and love ? Alas ! my friends, let our pretences rise never so high, if we do not attain something of this eminence in religion, or at least zealousl ' endeavour after it, we lose the noblest &signs of our nonconformity, and disgrace the peculiar profession that we make in the sight of the world. if this be the thing we pretend to, why dowe not better answer our pretences? Is there no other difference to he seen betwixt us and our neighbours of the church of England, but that once a week 'we turn our backs upon the parish church, and resolve to worship God in a separate place ? Are we as vain, asthoughtless of religion throughout the week, as loose and sensual in our conversation as the rest of the world ? And are we content it should be so ? When we take such a dis- tinct profession upon us, it is universally expected by heaven and earth, that we should distinguish ourselves by our shining virtues, as the fruits of this our profession. God, the great and blessed God, expects it of us ; Jesus the Judge of all expects it of us; the angels who are ministring spirits in the lower world, and who behold-our conduct, expect it of us ; our neighbours around us ex- pect it at our hands ; and our ownconsciences willtell us that they have expected it of us too. If we neglect to seek this chief end of our nonconformity, neither scripture nor reason, neither God nor Christ, nor men nor angels will approve of our conduct, nor will our own consciences speak approbation or peace to us in a wise and serious hour of review. Before I leave this first head of argument, let me take hold of another topic,- and argue with you further upon the foot of your profest separation. Consider the inconveniences and difi'- cultiesin some instances, and some seasons or occurrences of life, to which you are exposed by this your practice : perhaps you meet with now and then- a frown, a token of contempt, or a word of mockery and bitter reproach among your neighbours, upon the account of your profession ; youare often called schismaticsi and charged with dividing the church of Christ; and it is possi- Ide you lie under some disadvantages in trade and business in the world upon this account too, as well as it is sufficiently known
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