serve them but to have all without any more ado run along with them in their private sentiments and designs as if 't were not much better to bring things to some certain Standard that might fit them all as by making the Interest of all to be but One. Not but that still there may be various Lections upon the Text very different States and Constitutions in the World and as different Laws and Maxims of Policy suited to the several Climates and Complexions of Men but yet this must be the Law that must be the ground of all This that to which the several Interpretations must agree This what must give them their true force and make then truly useful to the Publick As 't was among the Jews they had other Laws their Judicial and Ceremonial Law the Law of their State and the Law of their Church but both in subservience to this So here whatever the Civil whatever the Ecclcesiastical Constitutions among Christians are whatever let me so speak their Statutes and Judgments yet 't is in Subordination to what is herein prescribed that those are to be kept 'T is this in that Law that cannot grow Old and Obsolete Heaven and Earth may pass away but this will still abide This and its Comment Love or Charity can never fail 1 Cor. 13 8. The Jewish Law as distinct from this you see had its End for 't was but Temporary and to last 'till the times of the M ssias and the Christian Law all of it besides this is to have its end too For that 's but the Means of Salvation and can only bring us to Heavens Gate is not to enter with us Faith will leave us there because to be turn'd into Fruition but Love to God Love to our Brother indeed 't is that which makes up the Joys of that Place like God Himself the Fountain of it will be eternal But 't is not Heaven but Earth we converse in though 't would be Heaven upon Earth would Men take out this Lesson To see then with respect to our earthly happiness or the true enjoyment of our Religion Property and Liberty in which it consists how far this Policy would reach And indeed that we may come to the business we are aiming at what could there be wanting to the Content and Satisfaction of all if this Law with the Comment Love would write upon it were observ'd as it ought For is it possible with respect to God whose Blessing ought in the first place to be attended to imagin that we should in the Spirit of Love apply our selves to a faithful observance of all his Commands and that He who is the Judge of all the Earth should forget to do us Right i. e. to give all the Returns of his Grace and Providence his Love and Affection to such dutiful Children Or Is it possible with respect to Men whose Reason should teach them Gratitude to imagin that we should be giving one another all the Proofs of a most setled unbyass'd unalterable Love and that Love should not beget Love Or That that active Principle once set a working should not exert it self in all the Effects of Justice Kindness Pity Charity or to give it in a word that should best suit this a word that seems to be the Comment on our Nature as well as on the Law all manner of Humanity A little more particularly to touch upon the good Effects of this Law Shall Prince and People have no other God before him who gave this Law Nothing which in the first place they propose before his Honour and Glory Shall they set up no Idol of their own I do not say the graven or molten Image but not so much as any thing of their own Inventions whereby to provoke him to jealousie Shall they be careful so Love would direct to reverence his Name his Word and Ordinances and whatever else he hath made himself known by Shall they give him his Property as in all these things so in hallowing that day he hath appointed to his Service Shall Love so act them herein that what they do of this is with all their Heart all their Mind all their Soul And can he who sees this Heart this Mind this Soul forget the Affection that is due to so just a zeal Or Shall they give the Honour they owe to Father and Mother and all who in any sence stand in that Relation Civil or Spiritual Parents Or shall those who are in this Relation give back again that Indulgence and Tenderness of Affection which is due to Children Shall they have that tenderness for the Life and Person Fortunes and good Names of Others which they would Others should have for them and agreeable hereunto govern themselves in all parts of Justice and that so as not to let the Desires of their Hearts run out towards what were not so And as 't is Isa 32.17 Can such a work of Righteousness be any thing but Peace and the effect of Righteousness Quietness and Assurance for ever Nothing but the fullest Blessings could be expected from the great and powerful Law-giver Nothing but Blessings from and among our selves in so pious so dutiful so just so innocent so loving and peaceable a Behaviour Nor was it therefore without great reason that Moses jgave that excellent Advice Deut. 4.1 c. Now therefore hearken O Israel unto the Statutes and Judgments which I teach you for to do them For this is your Wisdom and Vnderstanding in the sight of the Nations which shall hear all these Statutes and say Surely this great Nation is a wise and understanding People For what Nation is there so great which hath God so nigh unto them as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for ver 6 c. 'T is with reference to the Law of which we are discoursing he there speaks even the Ten Commandments which he wrote upon two Tables of Stone as 't is particularly restrain'd ver 13. And to enforce all this to the Obedient 't is declared to be the Covenant which God commanded them to perform Now then this being the common Rule to them and us as is above touch't It being our Wisdom and Vderstanding to perform it It being what alone can make any Nation great It being too what I must not pass by what God hath declared to be his Covenant and that which alone can bring God nigh to a People in all things that they call upon him for why should we question the fullest Security to all our Interests if we make good our part in this Covenant Why should we doubt his presence with us as well as with the Jews if in all we do we are with him Why should we think he will not be always ready to hear us if we have our Ears open to all his Commands Or why as 't is Psal 144.15 should we not conclude Happy is the people that is in such a case nay happy is
God who sees the heart and knows wherein we offend all urge these as Merit yet sure with reference to Men with whom we are joyn'd in Society they are such T is the only true Merit we can have to recommend our selves by to our Governors or one another the only Merit too Governors themselves can have that they take care that we and they live by this Rule the only Merit with respect to the Publick that by so living we bespeak the Peace which God hath promised to the Observers of his Law and as to himself who looks nearer into our inward Obedience 't is that without which we cannot assure our hearts before him 1 John 3.18 19. there being nothing more trifling than to boast the sincerity of the heart and the excellency of Religion that is lodged there if neither appear by their Fruits But what is all this 't will be said to our present Differences Let Morality have its place and value we all are for it But 't is not Morality but Religion precisely speaking that divides us Not any thing either of the first or second Table we controvert We all own a God and his Worship the Reverence of his Name and his Day to be herein prescribed We all own too because we are guilty of the breaches of these and all other his Commands that there 's another Righteousness by which we must be justified than our own We agree the outward as well as inward Duty required in all these These are Matters we all agree in our Differences are upon other Points and how then will such a Determination as you here give us reach us in what we are divided How will it if it secures not our Religion as you see it concerns it not in the sense we think this ought to be maintain'd ensure our other Property and Liberty That Liberty of Conscience we plead for which should exempt us from the Law as that heavy burthen or yoke we are not able to bear To this I answer 1. That 't is wholy to mistake our present Differences wholy to mistake what 't is is the Object of Liberty of Conscience to argue thus Forasmuch as the Moral Law is not that heavy burthen that intolerable yoke that is hereby insinuated no certainly 't is the most pleasant most satisfactory thing that human Reason can be busied in nothing brings so much Peace and Joy to the Man as the Obedience he pays to it and however we are degenerated by the Fall and so uncapable of that Perfection which should crown our Obedience yet it s being but to act according to Nature as far as we do it must make it easie 'T is true the Guilt and Punishment that attend Disobedience are a very uneasie yoke a very intolerable burthen and 't is the Excellency of Faith the true exalted Liberty of the Christian to be set free from these but then this is far from setting us free from the Law it self No t is the highest Obligation to Duty that our Defects are thus provided for and must leave us inexcusable if we shall plead Liberty of Conscience from that in the complying wherewith alone Peace of Conscience is to be enjoyed Indeed the Apostle bids us stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free and not be intangled again with the yoke of bondage Gal. 5.1 And he speaks this with reference to the Law as appears Gal. 4.21 But 't is the Ritual or Ceremonial Law as is plain from the whole purport of the Epistle And to put an end to the Controversie he concludes this whole Argument by establishing that which was Moral Gal. 5.14 And this he doth in Opposition to that false Liberty Men were too apt to pretend to from what he had been discoursing of the other For so he expressly resolves it ver 13. Brethren ye have been called to liberty none calls more upon them to assert it than he did but then he subjoyns Only use not liberty for an occasion to the slesh but by love serve one another For all the law is fulfilled in one word even in this Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self which as is above observ'd must belong to the Moral still in force and in abatement whereof no Liberty whatever is to be pleaded Nay 't is observable farther That Obedience to this is called walking by the spirit ver 16. and the Joy that attends its performance is the fruit of the spirit ver 22. So that we see the highest Liberty of the Christian is not to be exempted from but restrained to this Law And then as to the other part of the Objection I Answer 2dly That 't is the greatest mistake in the World to say That 't is Religion and not Morality about which most of our Differences are For what though the immediate Dispute be about Matters of Discipline and Ceremony and the outward parts of Divine Worship nay the very Points and Mysteries of Divinity yet what is it but the want of Morality that carries on such Disputes to an excesâ— My meaning is That 't is the want of Love and Charity at the bottom which run through the whole Law 't is the want of our due bridling our Passions our Pride Ambition and Covetuousness the manifest breaches of Morality that widen the Differences and will not let us agree For were these honestly set aside did Humility Patience Meekness with those other Vertues or Graces of the Christian influence all our Actions our Divisions would soon be healed and Men would not quarrel about lesser things where the substance of Religion might be preserv'd Nay the substance of Religion being preserv'd and what is that but what is contain'd in the Moral Law all other Differences would of themselves fall As why should he who professes himself to love God with all his Heart all his Soul all his Strength all his Mind so much forget his Duty as to be beat off of his Worship because another is not so well instructed as he thinks he is One as I apprehend brings that into his Worship which agrees not so well with that Spirit and Truth in which I think he ought to be serv'd I speak with reference to this or the other Ceremony this or that Form this or that Habit or Posture or whatever else we all esteem indifferent But must I therefore hinder my good God of that part of Worship which he whose attainments are not equal to mine thinks himself as much obliged to pay as I do what I bring and without which he conceives he cannot do it in Spirit and Truth Be it for I would give all the force that may be to the Objection that his Service is not so perfect as mine yet may it not still be true Worship And can I say I love God with all my Heart all my Soul c. and yet be willing he should be defrauded of any part of his Honour But suppose he likewise thinks that his Worship
Christian state we are still to aspire after when the Wolf shall dwell with the Lamb and the Leopard lie down with the Kid Isa 11.6 or as it follows ver 13. When the envy of Ephraim shall depart and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off Ephraim shall not envy Judah and Judah shall not vex Ephraim And let not Men deceive themselves in thinking otherwise let none mistake their Envy for Zeal and imagin the vexing of others can be the means to preserve either Religion Property or Liberty No the Prophecy is ver 9. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain the Church is that Holy Mountain as 't is to be then highest in the World and that which shall make it so shall be that universal Charity which shall diffuse it self through the Lives of its Professors For that is as it there is added for the Earth to be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the Waters cover the Sea i. e. for it to run in its natural Channel and that with the greatest abundance And what is the natural Channel of Duty but as it immediately respects the Divine Law And according to the Comment of the Holy Ghost on it both in the Old and New Testament it springs from Love For this is indeed to know God when we make this the Principle of our Obedience to Him shutting out all mean and private respects all little pitiful Ends and unworthy Designs from a share in that Nobler that more Sublime and Spiritual Service we yield either to him the Fountain of all Love and Goodness Names that speak what is most communicative and beneficial to all or to our Brethren for his sake And the good Lord open our Eyes that we may at length see how contrary every thing of Envying Strife and Division is to all Religion For 't is to be carnal and walk as men not as Christians 1 Cor. 3.3 And how fatal to any Church or State this must be For as 't is Gal. 5.15 If ye bite and devour one another take heed ye be not consumed of one another Nay take heed let me say lest ye bring in others to do it for you It may be nothing but a common Enemy the overthrow at once of our Religion Property and Liberty will reconcile us There hath been a time when the fear of such things made us to begin to think of uniting I wish there be not more of it behind to compleat our Vnion If Concord among Brethren be not otherwise to be hoped for we must be content to submit to the Rod of our Father for it But 't were to be wisht it might begin from our selves that looking upon this as the Reason why no greater Success hath hitherto gone with any Property and Liberty and Religion that hath been among us we would make the Experiment once of returning to this Law of Love Let me put it in the words of God by his Prophet on the like occasion Prove me now herewith saith the Lord of Hosts if I will not open you the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it and I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes Mal. 3.10 And let neither Prince nor People deceive themselves in thinking that any thing else will do it For can we think that God the God of Love God that is Love will joyn with us in our Piques Is Christ divided that we should think it for the Honour of our Reformation to cherish that Partiality which will first or last dash us all in pieces I had thought the design of crying up Religion Property and Liberty had been to have joyn'd us all in some Common Interest not to have made these fight against one another I had thought it had been love to God and man good-will and peace upon earth that had been hereby intended to reflect back glory to God in the highest And is all to end in a Party Do we think it becomes the Majesty of the Great God of Heaven to be called down to abett a Faction Or is it in order to that general concord among Christians that Philadelphian state we expect in the later days we appeal to his Throne If so let us remember I must observe it again That it must be by Love fulfilling his Law 'T is only this can give us a title to his Affection only this can settle ours towards one another But it may be 't is not yet the season 't is a little too hasty to call us from greater Affairs the Concerns and Preparations for War and the necessary Defence of our Country to attend such a work Let things be a little better settled and when we have leisure this shall not be forgotten But who is it then that must settle things for us Who was it brought the greatest Order out of the Chaos or can throw any the most settled State into Confusion if he pleases that we should question where to apply in such streights Or do we think the way to establish our selves is to put God and Christ in the mean time beside the Throne Do we think He that hath done so great things for us will be contented still to let us be doing other things first Are our times in our own or his hands that we thus procrastinate in what we pretend to be rais'd up by him for Or with respect to the Instruments who are to be made use of to effect this by is it by those whose lives speak them to have the least reverence for Religion Property and Liberty or at the best to mind those no farther than they serve their private Interest I wish I could not say and Lusts too we hope to prosper If it be a true Reformation we are designing let us consider who are fit to work with the Lord whom we may imagin he will accept to appear for him and fight his battels and by whom 't is Prince or People may hope for Success I will not deny but that those who answer not such a Character may sometimes be very prosperous in their Vndertakings because they are such as may be seen in all the Histories of Kingdoms and States overthrown or changed whom God generally makes use of as his Scourges But this is so as to be themselves within the reach of the lash it being the equal concern of that Divine Justice which employs them to be its Executioners on others to be avenged on them for their Impieties when their iniquity shall be full Gen. 15.16 And so the Prophet states it Jerem. 12.1 2 3. Righteous art thou O Lord when I plead with thee yet let me talk with thee of thy judgments Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper Wherefore are all they happy who deal very treacherously Thou hast planted them yea they have taken root they grow yea they bring forth fruit thou art near in their mouth and far from their reins But thou