their assistance; so that many of those whom they called silenced
ministers had their mouths opened on this occasion and preached publicly
to the people.

Here we may observe and I hope it will not be amiss to take notice of
it that a near view of death would soon reconcile men of good principles
one to another, and that it is chiefly owing to our easy situation in
life and our putting these things far from us that our breaches are
fomented, ill blood continued, prejudices, breach of charity and of
Christian union, so much kept and so far carried on among us as it
is. Another plague year would reconcile all these differences; a dose
conversing with death, or with diseases that threaten death, would scum
off the gall from our tempers, remove the animosities among us, and
bring us to see with differing eyes than those which we looked on things
with before. As the people who had been used to join with the Church
were reconciled at this time with the admitting the Dissenters to preach
to them, so the Dissenters, who with an uncommon prejudice had broken
off from the communion of the Church of England, were now content to
come to their parish churches and to conform to the worship which they
did not approve of before; but as the terror of the infection abated,
those things all returned again to their less desirable channel and to
the course they were in before.

I mention this but historically. I have no mind to enter into arguments
to move either or both sides to a more charitable compliance one with
another. I do not see that it is probable such a discourse would be
either suitable or successful; the breaches seem rather to widen, and
tend to a widening further, than to closing, and who am I that I should
think myself able to influence either one side or other? But this I
may repeat again, that 'tis evident death will reconcile us all; on the
other side the grave we shall be all brethren again. In heaven, whither
I hope we may come from all parties and persuasions, we shall find
neither prejudice or scruple; there we shall be of one principle and of
one opinion. Why we cannot be content to go hand in hand to the Place
where we shall join heart and hand without the least hesitation, and
with the most complete harmony and affection--I say, why we cannot do so
here I can say nothing to, neither shall I say anything more of it but
that it remains to be lamented.

I could dwell a great while upon the calamities of this drea