strangers to religion! Who have neither the form nor the power of godliness! How will they triumph over these once eminent Christians! How boldly ask, "What are they better than us ?" How will they harden their hearts more and more against the truth, and bless themselves in their wickedness? From which, possibly the example of the Christians might have reclaimed them, had they continued unblamable in their behaviour. Such is the complicated mischief which persons separating from a Christian Church or Society, do, not only to themselves, but to that whole Society, and to the whole world in general.

17. But perhaps such persons will say, "We did not do this willingly we were constrained to separate from that Society, because we could not continue therein with a clear conscience: we could not continue without sin. I was not allowed to continue therein, without breaking a commandment of God." If this were the case, you could not be blamed for separating from that Society. Suppose, for instance, you were a member of the Church of Rome, and you could not remain therein, without committing idolatry, without worshipping of idols, whether images, or saints and angels, then it would be your bounden duty to leave that community, totally to separate from it. Suppose you could not remain in the Church of England, without doing something which the Word of God forbids, or omitting something which the Word of God positively commands: if this were the case, (but, blessed be God, it is not, you) ought to separate from the Church of England. I will make the case my own. I am now, and have been from my youth, a member and minister of the Church of England. And I have no desire nor design to separate from it, till my soul separates from my body. Yet if I were not permitted to remain therein, without omitting what God requires me to do, it would then become meet, and right, and my bounden duty to separate from it without delay. To be more particular, I know God has committed to me a dispensation of the Gospel. Yea, and my own salvation depends upon preaching it; "Woe is me if I preach no

the Gospel." If then I could not remain in the Church without omitting this, without desisting from preaching the Gospel, I should be under the necessity of separating from it, or losing my own soul. In like manner, if I could not continue united to any smaller Society, Church, or body of Christians, without committing sin, without lying and hypocrisy, without preaching to others doctrines which I did not myself believe, I should be under an absolute necessity of separating from that Society. And in all these cases the sin of separation, with all the evils consequent upon it, would not lie upon me, but upon those who constrained me to make that separation, by requiring of me such terms of communion, as I could not in conscience comply with. But setting aside this case, suppose the Church or Society to which I am now united, does not require me to do any thing which the Scripture forbids, or to omit any thing which the Scripture enjoins, it is then my indispensable duty to continue therein. And if I separate from it, without any such necessity, I am justly chargeable, (whether I foresaw them or not,) with all the evils consequent upon that separation.

18. I have spoken the more explicitly upon this head, because it is so little understood; because so many of those who profess much religion, nay, and really enjoy a measure of it, have not the least conception of this matter, neither imagine such a separation to be any sin at all. They leave a Christian Society with as much unconcern, as they go out of one room into another. They give occasion to all this complicated mischief; and wipe their mouth, and say they have done no evil! Whereas they are justly chargeable before God and man, both with an action that is evil in itself, and with all the evil consequences which may be expected to follow, to themselves, to their brethren, and to the world.

19. I entreat you, therefore, my brethren, all that fear God, and have a desire to please him; all that wish to have a conscience void of offence, toward God and toward man: think not so slightly of this matter, but consider it calmly.

Do not rashly tear asunder the sacred ties, which unite you to any Christian Society. This indeed is not of so much consequence to you who are only a nominal Christian. For you are not now vitally united to any of the members of Christ. Though you are called a Christian, you are not really a member of any Christian Church. But if you are a living member, if you live the life that is hid with Christ in God, then take care how you rend the body of Christ, by separating from your brethren. It is a thing evil in itself. It is a sore evil in its consequences. O have pity upon yourself! Have pity on your brethren. Have pity even upon the world of the ungodly! Do not lay more stumblingblocks in the way of these for whom Christ died.

20. But if you are afraid, and that not without reason, of Schism, improperly so called; how much more afraid will you be, if your conscience is tender, of Schism in the proper scriptural sense! O beware, I will not say of forming, but of countenancing, or abetting any Parties in a Christian Society. Never encourage, much less cause, either by word or action, any division therein. In the nature of things, there must be heresies [divisions] among you: but keep thyself pure. Leave off contention before it be meddled with: shun the very beginning of strife. Meddle not with them that are given to dispute, with them that love contention. I never knew that remark to fail, He that loves to dispute, does not love God." Follow peace with all men, without which you cannot effectually follow holiness. Not only seek peace, but ensue it; if it seem to flee from you, pursue it nevertheless.

of evil; but overcome evil with good."

"Be not overcome

21. Happy is he that attains the character of a peacemaker in the Church of God. Why should not you labour after this? Be not content not to stir up strife; but do all that in you lies, to prevent or quench the very first spark of it. Indeed it is far easier to prevent the flame from breaking out, than to quench it afterwards. However, be not afraid to attempt even this: the God of peace is on your side. He will give you acceptable words, and send them to the

hearts of the hearers. Noli diffidere: noli discedere, says a pious man: Fac quod in te est; et Deus aderit bonæ tuæ voluntanti, "Do not distrust him that has all power: that has the hearts of all men in his hand. Do what in thee lies, and God will be present, and bring thy good desires to good effect." Never be weary of well-doing: in due time thou shalt reap, if thou faint not.

SERMON LXXXI.

ON PERFECTION.

HEBREWS VI. 1.

"Let us go on to Perfection."

THE whole sentence runs thus: "Therefore, leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto Perfection not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God," which he had just before termed, "the first principles of the Oracles of God;" and "meat fit for babes," for such as have just tasted that the Lord is gracious.

That the doing of this is a point of the utmost importance, the Apostle intimates in the next words, "This will we do, if God permit. For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the good Word of God, and the powers of the world to come, and have fallen away, to renew them again to repentance." As if he had, said, If we do not go on to perfection, we are in the utmost danger of falling away. And if we do fall away, it is impossible [that is, exceeding hard,] to renew us again to re-. pentance.

In order to make this very important Scripture as easy. to be understood as possible, I shall endeavour,

I. To shew, what Perfection is:

II. To answer some Objections to it: And,

III. To expostulate a little with the Opposers of it.

1. I will endeavour to shew, what Perfection is.