what were the late Riots and Tumults, and all the unparalelled Violences and Confufions of the last Year oc◄ cafion'd, but a fiery Zealots medling out of his proper Bufinefs? As we value therefore the profperity of our Country, let us for the future keep within our refpective Stations; let us leave the Government to those that are to Govern; filently and contentedly permit the Queen to choose her own Minifters, and the Parliament our Res prefentatives, to Enact fuch Laws as they judge moft for our Security and Advantage: Let's not ramble out of our Way, and justle and disturb others, but let each of us content himself in the Place God has put him; and without further concern, quietly, honeftly and induftrioufly follow that Work God has fet him, which is the best way of advantaging the Publick, and the only fafe Course to promote the Common Welfare. 2. LET us banish all Malice and Hatred, and embrace each other with a hearty Affection. WHAT can be more painful or dangerous to a Body, to a Houfhold, to any Society, than to have one Mem ber difregarding or offending the other? But what Beauty and Advantage is there in Love and Peace in Families or Kingdoms? If we live in Peace, the God of Love and Peace fhall be with us, 2 Cor. 13. 11. If we dwell tiges ther in Unity, the Lord will command his Blessing on us, eveR Life for evermore, Pfal. 133. Let us therefore now purge all Malice and Envy out of our Breafts, and caft all Names and Titles of Diftinction out of our Mouths 'Tis true, we differ in our Opinions in fome things; but fhould we therefore divide in Affection? Has not there been different Perfwafions among the wifest and best Men of all Ages? Have I any more Reafon to quarrel with another for his particular Sentiment, after his beft Endeavours to inform himself, than he hath with me for mine? Has he not a Right, is he not commanded to judge for himself? Is he not bound to obferve the Di tate of his own Confcience? And does he not frn; and hall he not anfwer for it to a more awful Bar if he does C 1; not? not? Han't we all different Capacities and different Improvements? Are we angry with one another for having different Complexions, different Features, and different Shapes? And is it not as little in our Power to fashion the Mind, as to mould the Body? Do we not agree in more Things than we differ? Are we not one myftical Body? Have we not one Spirit, one Hope, one Lord,one Faith, one Baytifm, one God and Father of us all, who is above all, and thro' all, and in us all? Eph. 4. 4, 5, 6. Have we not the fame Queen, the fame Country, the fame Laws, and one common Intereft? Does God make any Diftin&tion upon the Account of Opinion? Has not Chrift dy'd for all? Does not God fhower his Mercies on all? Is there not much Learning, much Ingenuity, much Wealth and Riches among Men of every fober Perfwafion? Shall we then envy and hate one another? No: Let us prefently wafh off the Remenibrance of former Provocations: Let us forget the Violence and Injuries we have done, lately done each other. If there are any that will cause DiviLions and Offences, contrary to the Doctrine which we preach, and ye have learned, I beseech you mark and avoid them, Rom. 16. 17. Recompence to no Man Evil for Evil: Be not overcome of Evil, but overcome Evil with Good, Rom. 12. 17, 21. With the primitive Chriftians, 1 Cor. 4. 12, 13. Being reviled, blefs, being perfecuted, fuffer it, being des famed, intreat. If our Brother offend against us, let us for give him, not only until feven times, but until feventy Times feven, Mat. 18. 22. As our Father in Heaven caufes his Sun to fhine, on the Evil and on the Good, fendeth Rain on the Just and Unjuft; fo let us love our Enemies, bless them that curfe us, do good to them that hate us, pray for them that defpite fully ule us, Mat. 5. 44. 45. Let us ftrive for that Chriftian Charity which fuffereth long, and is kind; envieth not, vaunteth not it felf, is not puffed up, doth not behave it self unfeemly, fetketh not her own, is not eafily provoked, thinketh no Evil, rejoyceth not in Iniquity, but rejoyceth in the Truths beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, enduresh all things, 1 Cor. 13. 4, 5, 6, 7. Let us now confi der der our Relation, and have the fame Love, be of one Acord, of one Mind, and let nothing be done through Strife or vain Glory, Phil. 2. 2, 3. But Love without Diffimulation, be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly Love, Rom. 12.9. 10. 3. Laftly. LET us do good to all, according to our Capacity. OUR Interefts are fo much of a piece, as that we muft rife and fall together. Let us not look therefore every Man on his own things, but every Man alfo on the things of others, Phil. 2.4. As we have Opportunity, let us do good unto all Men, especially unto them who are of the Houfhold of Faith, Gal. 6 10. Let us not impale our Charity or Beneficence within any particular Party; but let our Favours, like God's, e fcatter'd on Men of every Denomination: Let not our kind Offices be confin'd to Perfons of any particular Rank or Quality: But as Members of the fame Body, let us afford any, every part our Care and Help. As the Head does not overload us, but wifely project and contrive for our Welfare; fo let us, the more inferior Members, cheerfully fupport and provide for her: Let not the most Advanced, think it too great a Condefcenfion to regard the Loweft; the Rich think it inglorious to refpect the moft Beggarly Let not the Neglected envy the Favour'd, the Obfcure the Famous, the Little the Great; but let us willingly become Servants to all: For even the Son of Man came not to be miniftred unto, but to minifter and to give his Life a Ranfom for many, Mark 10. 45. III. I SHALL conclude with fome fuitable Reflections on the whole. ift. HENCE we may learn what great Reason we of Great Britain have, to blefs and praise the Lord. HOW kind, how wonderfully kind, has God been to our Nation? We enjoy moft, if not all the Bleffings that are neceffary to make us a happy People. WE have an eafy, moderate Government; our Lives and Properties don't depend on the Will and Pleasure of an abfolute Prince; we are not fubject to the wild Paffions, or heavy Frailties of a furious, uncontrollable Mor narch; we have not fold our felves as perpetual Slaves to Tyranny; notwithstanding the Arguments from the old Theocracy, or fuppofed Hierarchy above, our Government has its due Bounds and Limits: All the Inhabitants of Britain are circumfcribed by Law; and that not fuch Cobweb ones, as ferve only for leffer Flies, but fuch as will take hold of the greatest. We live under a "Government well ballanced and fteadily managed; where Justice and Mercy meet together, and temper one another; where the Poorest is not afraid to com6 plain, and the Greatest are not above the Reach of Juftice; where the Courfe of Law is free, and the proper Places for Redress are well known, as the Bishop of Sarum expreffes it. All Power is not lodg'd in the hand of one Perfon: Tho' the Executive rightfully belongs to the sovereign, yet the Legislative is shared between her and the Subject: There are Lords and Commons to vote as well as a King or Queen; and a King or Queen to over-rule Lords and Commons: There can be no Burden thrown on our Backs, but what was of our own binding: We can't be miferable, unless our Representatives vote us fo: And as our Government is recommended by its juft and equal Mixtyre, so is it by its prime Manager: As our Scepter is graced by its own proper Length and Bignefs, fo is it by the Hand that fways it. * AS to Religion, while the greateft part of the World have nothing but the dark Light of Nature, or the Ignis fatuus of a pretending Prophet, the Sun of the Gospel is rifen upon us, and has comfortably enlightned our Path to Glory; While many who ftile themfelves Chriftian Churches, * In his Sermon preach'd before the Queen, and the two Hufes of Parliament, Dec, 31ft, 1706. Pape 6. 1 Churches, are clouded with Superftition and Idolatry, we OUR Liberty of Confcience has hitherto been granted, and its Continuance is graciously promifed: They who account Religion in a plain Drefs moft acceptable, are not obliged to take in any unnecessary Fringe or Ornament. If we have the Subftance, the want of a particular Form of Chriftianity can't be accounted criminal, There being no Difference in Doctrine, and but little in Opinion, you are allowed to choose for your Paftor, either a Bishop or Presbyter, and to worship in either Church or Meeting-house: And what can be more advantageous than fuch a Tolleration? The Clergy are abridg'd of no Priviledges, nor the. Ecclefiaftical Conftitution in the least indanger'd by it, and Diffenters are eafy and contented; for however they may be reprefented by fome, the Generality of them look on the Church of England as a noble part of the Reformation; freely acknowledge, that as there havebeen, fo there are at prefent, many fhining Lights in this Golden Candle-ftick; heartily pray, that by their kind Influences they may guide many fafe to Heaven; and are so far from envying the Glory of the Mitre, or coveting any of the Honours and Preferments that are deny'd them, as that they defire nothing more than the Love of their more happy Brethren, the Favour and Bleffing of their God, and a conftant Freedom to ferve him according to their own Sentiment and Capacity, IN Regard of Peace and Union, it must be acknowledg'd, That there are too many hot Heads, too many fiery Spirits yet amongst us: But here let me draw a Veil, let me not trouble you with the difinal, difmal Prospect of your own bleeding Country; but rather incourage you by these Thoughts, That he that filleth the Noife of the Seas, the Noife of their Waves, can alfo the Tumult of the People, Pfal. 65. 7. That he that compofed a fhining Globe |