cafional into a conftant Communion. Mark what I fay, I would fain know what those Occafions are that do juftifie Occafional Communion with us: and if I do not prove as Neceffary, nay more Important Occafions always ftanding and in Force, I'll be content to be of their Communion. The Thread of my Difcourfe doth now Naturally lead me to enquire,

3. Whether our Brethren have observed this Rule of St. Paul in forming, propagating and defending their Separation, upon fuppofal that the grounds of it were both juft and neceffary? But being well affured that an Hiftorical accompt of the Rife and Progrefs of Separation amongst us would look like an İnvective. I have upon fecond thoughts purposely declin'd it, being unwilling to Exasperate those minds which I travail only to inform.

From this discourse it appears, what our brethren may do for peace: How far they may go (if they please ) towards the healing of those wounds which endanger both our Church and State. If they please, Bleffed God! How can it but please Chriftians to restore as much as lies in them Unity to thy Church, and

Peace

Peace to that Government under which thou haft placed them? How can Diffentions, Distractions, Ruins please any foul that is infpir'd by thy meek, peaceful and gentle Spirit? O my brethren, will ye call your felves Chriftians, whofe Livery or Diftinguishing Character is Love? And will ye do nothing for peace and Unity? If you are the Difciples of Chrift you ought to Sacrifice your Eftates, your Worldly reputations, nay your lives themselves, all but a good Conscience for Unity and Peace; O be bur Content to Sacrifice your humours for it! O be but perfuaded to do what you can for Peace without any prejudice to your Credit or Fortune or Confcience, nay with infinite advantage to Each! What would you have us do, when you your felves are thus wanting to your felves? We defire, we travail, we pray for your Peace, and as becomes brethren, we fuffer in your afflictions when ever you force it upon your felves: 'Tis our grief and trouble when ever we are obliged to be the Inftruments of any thing that causes yours: but what would you have us do? How unreasonable were it for you to expect (and impoffible for us to comply with fuch an expectation) that

We

we should break the Laws, falfify our truft, and desert that Duty we owe to God and Man, in compliance to your fancies! When you your felves in the mean time refufe to do, what 'tis manifeftly apparent you Lawfully may do in compliance with the Laws, and for the fake of Peace and Unity in Church and State.

And now I must call God and my own Conscience to Witness, that I have discharged my felf with all imaginable Integrity, I lie not under any Provocations on one hand, or Obligation on the other, which might pervert my Judgment, and in this condition you will eafily judge me exempt from the Temptation of Intereft or Ambition; I have delivered the truth with plainness, and I have watched over my self that I might not mix any frailties with it which might render it Diftaftful, tho I think the Charity which (I am not ashamed to own) I have for my mistaken Brethren, would of it felf have kept me eafily from any Bitterness or sharp reflecti ons. I Pray God, thofe that are concern'd may lay to Heart thefe truths with the fame Calmnes and Integrity, I have delivered them; I fhould not then

then question, but that they would contribute something to our Peace and Unity, which is the Earneft Prayer and Defire of my Soul, and fhall be the Travail of my Life. Now to God be Glory and Honour and Dominion for Ever. Amen.

When I had proceeded thus far in the two preceeding discourses, I was obliged by the Approach of the Christmas Solemnity to quit this Subject; and indeed I could not conceive it necessary for me to spend much time on the Confideration of this Rule of St. Paul with refpect to the Government which was the fecond general propofed; fince, if what I have faid before was clear and convictive as I hoped it was, nothing could better juftifie the prefent procedure of the Government: For if this Separation be utterly groundless, the Government cannot reasonably be taxed for endeavouring the fuppreffing of it by legal methods.

As to the Method of Excommunication, there is nothing in it which may not appear confonant to the Light of Nature, as well as Scripture, nothing being more reasonable than to exclude thofe Men from the advantages of our E Soci

Society whose principles and actions are repugnant not only to the prosperity but the very Being of this Society. As to those Civil Effects which in our Law attend Excommunication, they are no other than what may be fufficiently warranted by the Judgment and Practice of those Churches to which our brethren have declared themselves much devoted. So then there is nothing in this point of our Church discipline blameable in its Conftitution, and I do not question but that the Execution of it will be carried on with that temper which is almost peculiar to the Church of England, and fhews it as remote from the Spirit of Perfecution as from that of Difloyalty; a temper of which they themselves who most accuse her are the most pregnant proof, the Numbers and Wealth of thofe of the Separation to which I must take leave to add their Confidence, being the most undeniable argument of the Indulgence, and Kindness of that Government under which they have grown up to this height.

It remains only that I put you in mind here of practifing this Rule of St. Paul in your Private Converfation. And

I. Give