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SERM. had made fhipwreck of Faith, that they XVI. might learn not to blafpheme *; and advifing

Titus to reject or excommunicate any man that should be fo incorrigible, as after the first and fecond admonition to be fstill an beretick, to perfift in an obftinate denial of any of the great Doctrines of christianity, or in afferting fuch as he had broached himself.

2. Secondly, The next thing implied in this duty of keeping the unity of the Spirit, is decency of worship, or uniformity in point of difcipline. By which I mean, not only a strict adherence to every thing which God has exprefly commanded, but likewife, fuch a concurrence in the circumftantials of religious worship, as being no way contrary to God's law, is thought fit by our fuperiors.

This the fcripture requires in the general, when it commands, that all things Should be done decently and in order, and to edification. Which Commands, plainly suppose some particular external Rites and ufuages to be preferred to others, in the worship of God. That fome posture or other should be made ufe of, the condition of our bodies, compofed of matter and form, makes unavoidable. And that fome particular geftures fhould be made use of, rather than others, the majefty of him * 1 Tim. i. 19, 20.

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+ Tit. iii. 10.

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whom we addrefs, the folemn manner in SERM, which we addrefs him, and our own un- XVI. worthiness who prefent the addresses, do fufficiently fuggeft.

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The exact modes indeed, and forms of worship, are not prescribed in fcripture; nor is it convenient they should be. The humility and reverence of poftures, depend much upon cuftom and common eftimation; and therefore, they have not in all times and places been the fame. Proftration was the custom of the eastern nations, and kneeling is the way with us. because these things are fubject to fuch variety and change, it feemed good to the all-wife Lawgiver, only in general terms, to require decency and order; leaving it to the bishops and governors of the church, to confider the different circumftances of Time and Place, and refolve upon fome stated rules and methods by which such decency and order might be most effectually preferved. This is the way by which uniformity in the church must be kept up and maintained. For though one particular time and place may be more convenient for one man than another, and he may better approve of one ceremony or gefture than another, yet he is in these cases obliged (if he would keep the unity of the Spirit) to fubmit his own private fancy and humour to the common benefit and the dif

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SERM. cretion of his governors. Otherwife were XVI. every one in these respects to choose for himself, might every man go when and where he pleased, and do what he pleased when he was there; I am fatisfied I need not tell you, what confufion this must quickly introduce. So that the use of stated rites and ceremonies, is not a thing fo perfectly indifferent as fome would seem to infinuate. For although, when the queftion is of this or that particular ceremony (however fome circumstances may render it more convenient than any other) I fhall readily allow it to be in its own nature indifferent; yet when the question is of the use of ceremonies in general, I conceive this cafe to be widely diftant from the other; because the very notion of decency and order, fo exprefly required in God's worship, fuppofes the obfervance of fome certain external Rites and ufages, which. may denominate it orderly and decent.

The fixing therefore, and fettling of these matters, is left, as I said, to the Governors of the church, the proper province and exercise of whofe power is in matters of difcipline. For, matters of faith are already in their own nature fixed and immutable. It is not therefore in their power to add to, nor to diminish from them, to change truth into falfhood, or falfhood into truth. There are likewife fome pofitive inftitutions

inftitutions of Chrift, as the use of facra- SER M. ments, and fucceffion of the miniftry with XVI. their spiritual powers, which are to continue to the end of the world. But there are many other points, which are merely points of difcipline, in which our governors have right to direct, and it is our duty to obey. Hence are we commanded to obey them that have the rule over us, and to fubmit ourselves *. And if any man seem to be contentious, after the decifion of fuch authority, and either reject the inftitutions of his proper governors, or innovate and bring up new forms of his own, let him hear this refolution of St. Paul, that we bave no fuch custom, neither the Churches of God +.

To all this, let it be added, by way of caution, that the uniformity which is required of the members of the fame church, is by no means equally required of distinct churches. For though every church be obliged to preserve uniformity in itself, yet it may differ from other churches in the Rites which it prescribes to that purpose. We have a remarkable inftance of this nature with relation to that famous controverfy about the observation of Eafter, which fo perplexed the primitive church, before the papal power was fcrewd up to that extravagant height which has fince proved fuch + I Cor. xi. 16.

* Heb. xiii. 17.

an

SER M. an intolerable yoke; it is that of St. PolyXVI. carp, bishop of Smyrna, on the one fide,

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and Anicetus of Rome, on the other, who, though they could not adjust the matter in difpute between them, but each stuck firm to his opinion; yet being governors of distinct churches, they preferved the bond of charity entire, and by their joint communion teftified it to the world. Which puts me in mind of the

3. Third thing neceffary, in order to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace; namely, mutual charity, or a peaceable union and concord of affections. This is a duty most plainly and pathetically recommended in Scripture, and which our church emphatically stiles "the very bond "of peace and of all virtues." And therefore, to be fure, all endeavours to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, without charity, which is itself the bond of peace, must needs be vain and fruitlefs. This union of affections, is that branch of unity which feems to be the natural product of the other two. For, where men agree in the fame articles af faith, and join in the fame way of worship, it can hardly be otherwife, fuppofing them fincere in their religion (without which it is not the unity of the spirit; it can hardly, I fay, be otherwife) than that there fhould be a mutual love and charity among them. For, as

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