My dear brethren, I speak of these things, these innocent diversions, as the polite part of the world calls them, by experience; perhaps none, for my age, hath read or seen more plays than I have: I took delight in, and was pleased with them. It is true, I went to church frequently, received the sacrament, and was diligent in the use of the forms of religion, but I was all this while ignorant of the power of GOD on my heart, and unacquainted with the work of grace; but when GOD was pleased to shine with power upon my soul, I could no longer be contented to feed on husks, or what the swine did eat: the Bible then was my food; there, and there only I took delight: and till you feel this same power, you will not abstain from the earthly delights of this age, you will take no comfort in GOD’s ways, nor receive any comfort from him; for you are void of the love of GOD, having only the form of godliness, while you are denying the power of it; you are nominal christians, when you have not the power of christianity.
The polite gentlemen say, “Are we to be always upon our knees? Would you have us be always at prayer, and reading or hearing the word of GOD?”
My dear brethren, the fashionable ones, who take delight in hunting, are not tired of being continually on horseback after their hounds; and when once you are renewed by the Spirit of GOD, it will be a continual pleasure to be walking with, and talking of GOD, and telling what great things JESUS CHRIST hath done for your souls; and till you can find as much pleasure in conversing with GOD, as these men do of their hounds, you have no share in him; but when you have tasted how good the LORD is, you will shew forth his praise; out of the abundance of your heart your mouth will speak.
This brings me to the second thing proposed, which is an extream that very seldom happens:
_Secondly_, To shew what it is to be righteous over-much. And here,
_First_, When we confine the Spirit of GOD to this or that particular church; and are not willing to converse with any but those of the same communion; this is to be righteous over-much with a witness: and so it is, to confine our communion within church-walls, and to think that JESUS could not preach in a field as well as on consecrated-ground; this is _judaism_, this is _bigotry_: this is like _Peter_, who would not go to preach the gospel to the _Gentiles_, till he had a vision from GOD: and when his conduct was blamed by the disciples, he could not satisfy them till he had acquainted them with the vision he had seen. And, therefore, we may justly infer, the Spirit of GOD is the center of unity; and wherever I see the image of my Master, I never enquire of them their opinions; I ask them not what they are, so they love JESUS CHRIST in sincerity and truth, but embrace them as my brother, my sister, and my spouse: and this is the spirit of christianity. Many persons, who are bigots to this or that opinion, when one of a different way of thinking hath come where they were, have left the room or place on the account: this is the spirit of the devil; and if it was possible that these persons could be admitted into heaven with such tempers, that very place would be hell to them. Christianity will never flourish, till we are all of one heart and of one mind; and this would be the only means of seeing the gospel of JESUS to flourish, more than ever it will by persecuting those who differ from us.
This may be esteemed as enthusiasm and madness, and as a design to undermine the established church: No; GOD is my judge, I should rejoice to see all the world adhere to her articles; I should rejoice to see the ministers of the Church of _England_, preach up those very articles they have subscribed to; but those ministers who do preach up the articles, are esteemed as madmen, enthusiasts, schismatics, and underminers of the established church: and though they say these things of me, blessed be GOD, they are without foundation. My dear brethren, I am a friend to her articles, I am a friend to her homilies, I am a friend to her liturgy; and, if they did not thrust me out of their churches, I would read them every day; but I do not confine the Spirit of GOD there; for I say it again, I love all that love the LORD JESUS CHRIST, and esteem him my brother, my friend, my spouse; aye, my very soul is knit to that person. The spirit of persecution will never, indeed it will never make any to love JESUS CHRIST. The pharisees make this to be madness, so much as to mention persecution in a christian country; but there is as much the spirit of persecution now in the world, as ever there was; their will is as great, but blessed be GOD, they want the power; otherwise, how soon would they send me to prison, make my feet fast in the stocks, yea, would think they did GOD service in killing me, and would rejoice to take away my life.