THE Epistle, out of which I have taken the Text, was sent by Paul to Titus. It would take up too much of the Time allow'd me, to enter upon the Character of this eminent Servant of GOD; especially in his Capacity as an Of­ficer in the Church of CHRIST, under which Conside­ration, and not as a private Christian, he is here wrote to.

I shall only say, he was one of Paul's Converts, a Fellow-Labourer with him in the Kingdom and Pati­ence of JESUS CHRIST, and his Companion in Travels. It was with Paul that he went to Crete; and by him he was left there to serve the Ends of the Gospel. Some say, he was now constituted Bishop of Crete; but 'tis remarkable, he is not spoken of as the Bishop of this Place, by any of the Fathers within the three first Centuries: Nor does the Scripture at all favour such [Page 6] a Notion. It rather represents him as tarrying here on some temporary Occasion, than as a fixt Officer.

The Story is thus,

Paul and Titus, upon their coming to Crete, found Things in a very unsettled State. For though consi­derable Numbers had embraced Christianity, they had too much neglected Order. They had few or no or­dained Elders among them; and, perhaps, were not as yet formed into distinct Churches: Or, if this was the Case, they had not got into a regular State, without which 'tis impossible Societies should subsist long with­out falling into Confusion. Now, for this Cause it was, that Titus was left in Crete, that he might set in Order the Things that were wanting, and ordain Elders in eve­ry City: Which, when he had done, the more special End of his Continuance in this Place was answered, and he might travel elsewhere, as in all Probability he did.

But however this be, his being at Crete, in the Ser­vice of CHRIST, and under peculiar Circumstances of Difficulty, was the Occasion of Paul's writing this E­pistle to him; in which, many are the Advices he gives him for the Direction of his Conduct, as one in­trusted with the Management of the Affairs of CHRIST's Kingdom.

He is very particular in minding him of the neces­sary Qualifications for the sacred Office, that he might put none into it, who were not fit for so important a Trust. And he the rather chose to enlarge upon this Head, as many unruly and Vain-talkers and Deceivers were scattered up and down, subverting whole Houses, and teaching Things they ought not for filthy Lucre's Sake. It may seem strange, that, in the Days of the Apostles, there should be such Numbers of false Teachers: But so it was in Fact; yea, and they were grown to such [Page 7] an Height in Impudence, even in those primitive Times, that they could exalt themselves above the very Apos­tles. And in Order to this, they were so far Masters in the Art of Deceit, as to transform themselves into Angels of Light: Nor did they stick at any Thing, so they could but lessen the Apostolic Reputation, and wind themselves into the Affections of the Populace. The Apostle seems very sollicitous, that the Church might be rid of these false and dangerous Teachers; and, as the best Expedient to this End, directs, that none might have committed to them the Dispensation of the Gospel, but well qualified Persons; one essen­tial Requisite in whose Character he has declared must be that, able, by sound Doctrine, both to exhort and con­vince the Gainsayers.

Upon which it is natural to remark, if none are al­low'd to be intrusted with the Ministry but those who have Ability to convince Gain-sayers, it must certainly be the Duty of such, when they are in the Ministry, to make Use of this Ability against those, who teach Things which they ought not. How else will they answer one of the express Ends of their being put into the sacred Office? And to what Purpose is it, that this Ability must be found in them, if 'tis not their Duty to make Use of it, as the Occasion of the Church shall render it needful?

But among all the Directions given to Titus, for his Conduct as a Minister, there is no one of more Weight than that in the Text, Let no Man despise thee. And 'tis of common Obligation on all, whom it has pleased God to put into the Ministry. They should all behave so as not to be despised, so as to give no just Occasion to be so. That's the Meaning of the Words. O­therwise, Ministers would have a hard Task indeed. Their Duty would be an utter Impossibility. For 'tis not in their Power, though they should be as wise as [Page 8] Serpents, and harmless as Doves, to pass through the World, and not be despised, They may, through the Supply of the SPIRIT of JESUS CHRIST, behave so circumspectly and inoffensively, as that none may have Reason to treat them with Contempt; but they can't command the Wills of other Men, they have not the Government of their Passions, or Prejudices, or Lusts. The GREAT SAVIOUR himself, though a Prophet of unspotted Innocence, was yet despised of Men. And shall the Disciple be above his LORD? Shall the World vilify the MASTER, and the Servant be better treated? The Spirit of too many is such, that we may expect, be we as cautious as we will, to be derided. And this indeed seems to be implied in the Text it self. The Exhortation, Let no Man despise thee, plainly supposes a too great Proneness in People to treat Ministers with Contempt; and their Duty lies, not in People's not despising them, but in not deserving their Contempt, in doing nothing that may lay a just Foundation for it.

In further speaking to the Text, I shall,

I. Say something of that Disposition there is in Peo­ple to despise the Ministers of CHRIST.

II. Show wherein they should take Care to avoid the Occasions of Contempt.

III. Represent the Obligations which lie upon them to such a Care.

The whole will then be followed with some sutable Application.

I. I am, in the first Place, to speak of that Disposi­tion there is in People to despise the Ministers of CHRIST. Not that I would insinuate, as if they were generally faulty in this Respect. Many there are, GOD be thank­ed, who acknowledge the special Relation they bear to JESUS CHRIST, and treat them as Stewards of the Mysteries of GOD; esteeming them highly in Love, both [Page 9] for their Office, and Work's Sake. And some, it may be, think more highly of them than is meet. Those, to be sure, do so, who have their Persons in Admiration; blindly receiving all they say, as though it were infalli­ble Truth. This is doing them too much Honour; yea, 'tis placing them in the Room of CHRIST, and calling them Master in Opposition to the one Master in Heaven. Brethren, we renounce all claim to such un­due Reverence. We don't pretend to have Dominion over your Faith, but only to be Helpers of your Joy. And instead of an implicit Faith in our Dictates, we commend to you the Example of the noble Bereans, who searched the Scriptures daily, to see whether the Things taught them were the Truths of GOD, yea, or nay: Nor dare we advise you to hold fast what we de­liver to you, in the Course of our Preaching, only as you perceive it to be good, upon full Proof from the Word of CHRIST. To the Law, and to the Testimony: If what we say does not agree herewith, there is no Light nor Truth in it.

You may, perhaps, have conceiv'd so high an Opi­nion of the uncommon Sanctity of some particular Mi­nisters, in Distinction from others, and the divine Tea­chings they are under, as to suppose them to have got beyond all Danger of Mistakes; you may be ready to think it impossible you should err, while you follow the Instructions of Men filled with such extraordinary Measures of the HOLY GHOST: But you ought to remember, 'tis not always those who make the greatest Pretences to the SPIRIT, who are most favoured with his real Influences; nor are any since the Days of In­spiration, so led by the SPIRIT as to be infallible. A­las! the best qualified Ministers are but Men; Men of like Passions with your selves: And of this they too often give Proof by the Errors they run into, in Prin­ciple as well as Practice. They may not therefore be depended on, as though you could not be misguided by [Page 10] them. Be their Gifts, or Graces, or Zeal, what they will; or let their Pretences to the immediate Conduct of the Divine SPIRIT be as peremptory as they will, you must not believe this, or the other Thing, to be the Truth, as it is in JESUS, upon their Authority: No, but you must bring what they say, with an unprejudic­ed Mind, to the HOLY BIBLE; closing in with it, or rejecting it, as you find it, upon Trial, to agree or disa­gree with that one only Test of all religious Truth: Nor will you otherwise be able to excuse your selves ano­ther Day. It won't then suffice to plead, that you were told this, or that, by those you esteemed Men ex­traordinarily assisted by the SPIRIT; for you had the Scriptures to repair to, and might have examined what they said by that sacred and unerring Rule: Which, if you neglected to do, believing Man rather than GOD, how will you hold up your Heads? 'Twon't lessen, but aggravate your Fault, to pretend you submitted your Consciences to meer humane Dictates; for it will then appear, that your embracing any Thing for a Truth of GOD, upon any Authority short of his, was setting up that Authority in his Throne, and paying that Honour to the Creature, which is due only to the Creator.

But if there are some, who rise too high in their Re­spects to Ministers, are there not others, on the con­trary Extreme, who fall as much too low? And is not this the Spirit evidently prevailing at this Day? Are there not many who vilify the Office it self, treat­ing it with Sneer and Ridicule? And what Wonder, if the Persons of Ministers don't escape the Scorn and Contempt of such? They have indeed a pitiful Tho't of all of this Profession; and spare none, though of the most shining Accomplishments. If they know no­thing more of a Man than that he is a Minister, 'tis enough with them to finish his Character: This alone will give them a low mean Opinion of him; though without either Candour or Justice.

[Page 11]Not but that there have been, among the Clergy, both weak and vicious Men. It would be a strange Thing indeed if their hadn't. But why must the whole Order suffer Reproach on this Account? Is this fair? Is it thought to be so in other Professions? If there are any who make themselves vile, let them bear all the Indignity they deserve: But where is the Equity of blaming the Innocent with the Guilty? Are there not Men of Worth in the sacred Function, as well as in other Em­ployments? Men of Capacity and Integrity, yea, and of extensive Usefulness, through their abundant La­bours in the Cause of GOD? And shall they all, not­withstanding, be condemned, and by the Lump too, as a Parcel of simple, or else crafty and designing Men?

This, I know, has sometimes been suggested, if not plainly spoken out, to the Prejudice of their Reputati­on; and with all the Embellishments of Wit and Railery. But if Men, professedly of no Principles, are Enemies to those, whose Business it is to plead the Cause of Virtue and true Religion, what is it more than might be expected? Nor would they act up to their Character, if, rather than not asperse them, they did not make a handle of any Thing; and instead of solid Argument exert themselves in prophane Banter.

I may not impertinently add here, 'Tis not only a­mong atheistical vicious Men that Ministers are treated with Contempt. They have appear'd strangely prone to despise one another, and to take all Occasions to do so; and this has been too much their Way, in all Places, and Ages of the World. If some Ministers han't had Light to think, or speak, just as some others would have them, how commonly have they been the Objects of their Contempt? What Names of Igno­miny and Reproach have been cast upon them? And how has the Spirit of Contempt been propagated from Ministers to People, to the great Hindrance of the [Page 12] Gospel? Perhaps, some of the Ministers of CHRIST, and it may be as faithful Ministers as any in the Gospel-Church, have suffered more from their own Brethren, and such among the People as have been set on Fire by them, than they ever have, even from foul-mouth'd Infidels. Says the excellent Mr. Baxter, speaking of the Sectaries of his Day, ‘They have quite out-strip­ped the profane Scorners of the Ministry.—By ma­ny Years Experience in conversing with these Men, I can speak it knowingly, that the chiefest of their Zeal is let out against the faithful Ministers of CHRIST. He is the ablest of their Preachers, that can rail at them in the vilest Language. It is their most common Discourse, in all Companies, both god­ly and profane, to vilify the Ministry, and make them odious to all; partly, by Slanders, and partly by Scorns. Is this the Way to win Souls? Where­as formerly they thought, that if a Man were won to a Love of the Ministry, and Ordinan­ces, he was in a hopeful Way of being won to God; now these Men are diligent to bring all Men to scorn them, as if this were all that was ne­cessary to the saving of their Souls, and he only shall be happy, that can deride at Ministers and Disci­pline. He adds, If any Man doubt of the Truth of what I say, he is a Stranger in England.’

I will not go about to draw a Parallel between the late Times in this Land, and those referred to by this pious and learned Writer; but thus much I may be allow'd to say, that the Body of the Ministers were ne­ver treated with more Insult and Contempt than by Multitudes, and of those too, who once esteemed them the Glory of New-England: Nor were they ever more hardly censured than by some of their own Order, from whom they might have expected better Things. It will not be denied, that they have had all Manner of Evil spoken against them, and this, in the Face of [Page 13] crowded Auditories. And are there not Numbers, in many Places, who have learned, from their admired Teachers, to give them no better Names than Pharisees, blind Leaders of the Blind, Opposers of CHRIST, and what not? And han't this Contempt been thrown upon as valuable Ministers as any the LORD JESUS CHRIST has in the Country, of as known Soundness in the Faith, and as exemplary a Walk in Conformity to the Precepts of the Gospel?

Let us not be discouraged, my Brethren; what tho' we are despised, not only by Men of no Religion, but those who pretend to a great Deal? This was the Lot of inspired Apostles; yea, of JESUS CHRIST himself: And it has often been the Lot of his most faithful Mi­nisters ever since. Meerly our being despised, is not our Fault, tho' it may be our Unhappiness. The Fault is, to deserve Contempt; and we cannot, it must be own'd, be too much upon our Guard, that there may be no just Reason to charge it upon us: Which leads me to the next Thing, namely,

II. To shew wherein Ministers should take Care to give no Occasion of Contempt. And their Care should be exprest in the following Particulars.

1. If they would not be despis'd, they should see to it that they ben't ignorant. It was required under the Jewish Oeconomy, that the Priest's Lips should preserve Knowledge, because the People were to ask the Law at his Mouth And the same Thing is equally necessary, under the Dispensation by JESUS CHRIST. Gospel-Ministers should be as Scribes instructed unto the Kingdom of Hea­ven; they should be like the good Housholder, who can bring out of his Treasure Things new and old. 'Tis mentioned by the inspired Paul, as an essential Qualifi­cation of a Guide to Souls, that he be apt to teach, and able, by sound Doctrine, both to exhort and convince the [Page 14] Gainsayers. And can the Minister be thus fitted for his Office, without considerable Degrees of Knowledge? He ought, certainly, to be a Man above the common Level for natural Capacities: Nor is this enough; but his Powers ought to be well cultivated by a good Edu­cation. He ought to have Skill in the learned Arts and Languages, so as to be ready to make use of them in the Service of the Sanctuary, as Occasion may call for it: Nor otherwise will he rise above just Contempt.

It may reasonably be expected of Ministers, that they should have made considerable Attainments, particu­larly in the Knowledge of Divinity. How else should they be Teachers of others in this noble Art? Shall Men be ignorant in their own Profession? How in­congruous is this? What can more strongly tend to render them despicable? What will actually bring up­on them greater Contempt?

Not but that illiterate Men are sometimes mightily cried up; raw ignorant Novices highly applauded and admired: But 'tis only among such as have need to abound yet more and more in Knowledge and Judgment: As for others, who, by Reason of Use, have their Senses exercised to discern both Good and Evil, they readily per­ceive the Insufficiency of Teachers, understanding nei­ther what they say, nor whereof they affirm. Nor would it be strange, if, in their Behaviour, they should ex­press the low Opinion they entertain of them. And the Contempt due to such blind Guides will, with Jus­tice, be reflected on others of the same Order, if they appear forward to invite them into their Pulpits; espe­cially, if they do it to the Neglect of those who are of known established Merit, and hereby baulk their own Judgment to fall in with the popular Humour.

It may be worth Consideration, We live in an Age, wherein there is some Learning as well as a great deal [Page 15] of Ignorance: And there are, among our Hearers, a considerable Number, eminent for their good Sense and acquired Accomplishments: And it must needs be distasteful to such, to behold those set up for publick Teachers, who need themselves to be taught which be the first Principles of the Oracles of GOD. They can't help conceiving a mean Thought of such Medlers with what they are neither qualified for, nor called to; and their being caressed, not only by the Populace, (which is no Wonder) but by those cloathed with the sacred Character, is a Damage to Ministers in general. It makes their Credit run low; and in vain will they complain, if they are treated as a Set of Men knowing very little, though they pretend to know a great Deal.

It will, doubtless, be here said, the Apostles them­selves, the first Preachers of the Gospel, were a Set of ordinary Men, destitute of the Advantage of Learning. And 'tis readily own'd, the most of them were so. But then 'tis observable, they were not allow'd to go forth from Jerusalem, to teach the Nations, 'till they had been endued with Power from on High. i. e. 'till the HOLY GHOST had, in a miraculous Manner, fitted them for their Work. So that 'tis a Mistake to think the Apostles commenc'd Preachers, while unfurnish'd for the sacred Employment. 'Tis true, they did not pass thro' a Course of Study preparatory to their Mission as Mini­sters; but 'tis as true, that the Want of this was abun­dantly made up, by the Effusion of the HOLY GHOST upon them in miraculous Gifts; enabling them not on­ly to speak with Tongues, but without previous Me­ditation, and so as to be infallible Guides to Men, in the Way to Salvation.

Some, perhaps, while they are meer Novices, may take upon them the Office of the Ministry, expecting the Bestowment of the SPIRIT, in extraordinary Gifts; as in the Days of the Apostles. But they herein err, [Page 16] not considering the Difference between the State of Things now, and when the Gospel was first made pub­lick. It was necessary the Christian Revelation should be approved of GOD, by Signs, and Wonders, and Mi­racles, done in the midst of the People; and that it should also be infallibly delivered to the World, as the stand­ing Rule of Men's Faith and Practice, which, it could not have been, if holy Men had not spoken, and wrote it, as mov'd and inspired by the HOLY GHOST: Whereas, there is no Need of the like extraordinary In­fluence of the Divine SPIRIT, now that Christianity has received its Confirmation and been establisht, in the World, as a Religion coming from GOD. Accord­ingly, the Way of becoming qualified to be Ministers of this Religion is, not by any miraculous Interposition of Heaven, but by Attendance to Reading, Meditation and Prayer. In this Way, we may hope, thro' the Blessing of GOD, to be furnisht with all sutable ministerial Gifts: But if, instead of Labour and Pains, in the Use of ordinary Means, we expect the Descent of the HOLY GHOST in Tongues of Fire, or depend on extraordinary Revelations, or immediate Impressions, we shall only ren­der our selves meet Objects of Contempt. Who have all along been the ablest Defenders of Christianity? Who have set its Doctrines in the clearest and most consistent Light? Who have explain'd and urg'd its Precepts, in the most instructive and convincing Man­ner? Who have been the grand Supporters of its Worship and Order? Can this Honour be claimed by your Pretenders to immediate Revelations, and extraor­dinary Influences from above? Must it not rather be given to those, who, by hard Study, and a considerable Stay at the School of the Prophets, have, through a Divine Blessing on their Endeavours, got their Minds furnisht with desirable Measures of Knowledge and good Understanding? There is no Room for Debate on the Matter. No Man, since the Days of the Apo­stles, was ever sutably qualified for the Ministry, but in [Page 17] the Way of Labour and Pains, in an Attendance on the ordinary Means of Instruction: And those who have left this Way of GOD's Appointing, in Expecta­tion of extraordinary Supplies from the SPIRIT, have too commonly, sooner or later, run wild, to the expo­sing, not only themselves, but the whole Ministry, yea, Religion it self, to Contempt.

But possibly, it will be further urged, does not GOD sometimes take Occasion, from the Labours of Men of small Parts, and little Learning, to serve the Ends of his own Kingdom? And if GOD approves of Per­sons of such a Character, why should not we? The Answer whereto is easy. A Distinction ought always to be made between GOD's Approbation of a Thing, and his taking Occasion from it to do Good: Nor can the former be at all collected from the latter. 'Tis readily allow'd, the alwise merciful GOD may over-rule the Ministrations of weak ignorant Men for spiritual Advantage to Souls; but it cannot be argued from hence, that he looks upon such Persons as fit to be in­trusted with the sacred Ministry. In Order to know his Mind in this Matter, the great Question ought to be, what are the Qualifications the BIBLE, that public, standing, authentic Revelation of the Divine Will, makes necessary to be found in those who would be Gospel-Ministers? And if it appears, that it requires Knowledge, and considerable Degrees of it, those only are fit to be put into [...]e Ministry, who are thus qualified. There is, no Doubt, a Latitude in this Case. A Man may be qualified for the Ministry, tho' he should not be furnisht with Knowledge in the highest Degrees: But then, he must have Knowledge in such a Propor­tion as to answer the Scripture Demands, or he is certain­ly an unsutable Person to be employed as a Minister.

And this is a Matter of greater Importance than many may be ready to imagine. For 'tis remarkable, [Page 18] when GOD would represent a People as in the most deplorable Circumstances, 'tis in such Language as that, Isa. lvi. 10, 11. His Watchmen are blind: They are all ig­norant; they are dumb Dogs, they cannot bark. — They are Shepherds that cannot understand. On the contrary, when he is returning to a backsliding People, in a Way of Mercy, and would bestow the richest Blessings on them, that is mentioned as one of the greatest, Jer. iii. 15. I will give them Pastors according to mine own Heart, which shall feed them with Knowledge and Under­standing. And again, Chap, xxiii. 4. I will set up Shep­herds over them, which shall feed them.

2. Ministers, if they would not be despised, must not set a bad Example. The Design of their Office is to disengage Men from their Vices, and perswade them to a sober, righteous and godly Life, in Conformity to the Precepts of the Gospel. And shall they, whose professed Business it is, to turn Men from the Power of Sin and Satan, be the Servants of Unrighteousness? How unseemly is this? Thou that sayest, a Man should not commit this, or the other evil Deed, dost thou do the same thy self? Thou that magnifiest the Law in thy preaching, dost thou in thy Practice dishonour GOD by breaking it? How shocking is such a Con­duct? And what but Contempt can be the Effect? 'Tis observable, when the Jewish Priests, in the Days of Malachi, departed from the Way of the LORD, and corrupted his Covenant, The LORD of Hosts said unto them, Therefore have I made you CONTEMPTIBLE, and BASE before all the People. And the like may be ex­pected by all Ministers, who behave after the same ill Manner. 'Twould be just in GOD to give them up to Contempt: Nor if they were base in the Eyes of the People, would it be beyond their Desert. A vici­ous Man, and yet a Preacher of Righteousness, how gross the Inconsistency! A Man of GOD, and yet vain, or proud, or covetous, or intemperate, or idle [Page 19] and unfaithful, how palpable the Absurdity! There is not, on the Earth, a more meet Object of Reproach. He has forfeited all Right to the good Opinion of Men; and should he claim their Reverence, in Virtue of his Office, he would only render himself still more contemptible.

Nor may it be thought, that such an one would be likely to do much good. Who would believe, or re­gard, what he said? He would rather harden Men in Sin, than recover them from it. He would rather make them suspicious of the Truth of Religion, than concerned to become the Subjects of it. There are, in one Word, no such effectual Hinderers of the Gospel, and Obstacles in the Way of its Success, as wicked Ministers: And the greater the Contempt they meet with, the better.

Only let it be remembred, those only ought to be esteemed wicked Ministers, who visibly appear to be so. If there is an agreeable Harmony between the Manner of their Life and Profession, they ought not to be loaded with bad Names, and treated with the Contempt due to abandoned Sinners. This, it may be feared, has been too common a Practice in these Times; but it's being a common Practice won't make it a Christian one. We ought not to look into the Hearts of Ministers instead of their Lives, and judge them to be Pharisaical and unconverted, from a pre­tended Knowledge of their inward Principles and Springs of Action. This is to assume to our selves the Prero­gative of GOD, who only has an Inspection into hu­mane Hearts, and allows us to judge of one another only from what is outward and visible. By their Fruits shall ye know them. This is the Rule out SAVIOUR has given us; and 'tis a Rule particularly refering to the Case of Ministers, and the only one by which we may [Page 20] form a Judgment of their Character. 'Tis true, they may not be the Men inwardly, they appear to be out­wardly; but this is none of our Business. The De­termination of Men's State, does not belong to us, but to JESUS CHRIST, who, when he comes in the Glory of his Father, will bring to Light the hidden Things of Darkness, and manifest the Counsels of all Hearts.

I may add to what has been said, Ministers, if they would command Respect, must be Men of exemplary Holiness. They must not think it enough, if they keep at a Distance from every Thing mean and base; if they abstain from all gross and notorious Crimes: But they should express a Care to shew out of a good Conversation their Works with Meekness of Wisdom. It should not content them, that they are blameless as the Stewards of GOD, not self-willed, not soon angry, not given to Wine, not given to filthy Lucre; but they should be Lovers of Hospitality, Lovers of good Men, sober, just, holy, temperate: In all Things shewing themselves Patterns of good Works, and Ex­amples of the Believers, in Word, in Conversation, in Charity, in Spirit, in Faith, in Purity. This was the Direction PAUL gave TIMOTHY, as that which would not only set him above Contempt, but procure for him all sutable Respect: Nor could he have advi­sed to a more effectual Expedient to beautify his Cha­racter, and secure a good Reputation. There is a strange Power in exemplary Virtue to command Rever­ence. It will, beyond the finest Accomplishments of Learning, or the greatest Eloquence in Preaching, ren­der the Minister amiable in the Eyes of People; they can't but love and honour him; yea, even profane Sin­ners, if not given up to a reprobate Mind, will treat him with a decent Esteem, while they behold his good Conversation in CHRIST. And this also will give a singular Energy to his Preaching. A bad Life will turn the Edge of the keenest Discourses, delivered from [Page 21] the Pulpit; but when the Minister exhibits, in his Be­haviour, a Pattern of what he preaches, his Doctrine will be likely to strike the Mind with a divine Force, and answer the saving Ends to which it is designed.

3. Ministers, if they would not be despised, must not expose themselves by an undue Performance of the public Offices of their Station. 'Tis justly expect­ed they should manage these with a becoming Dexteri­ty; for they profess to have Ability to do so. And if they are Blunderers wherein they pretend to be Mas­ters, how should it be but that they should sink in the Esteem of Mankind? 'Tis thus in all other Professi­ons: Nor will the Sacredness of the ministerial Cha­racter prevent its being so here. Ministers may want the Art of managing in the common Businesses of Life, and not be thought the worse of; because they pre­tend to no Skill in Affairs of such a Nature: But they do pretend to have Skill in managing the public Offices of Religion. Praying, and Preaching, and over-seeing the Affairs of GOD's House, are the proper Duties of their Calling; and if they are really wanting in a Faculty decently to perform these Duties, their Character must run low in the Opinion of all su­table Judges. But to be distinct here.

(1.) Ministers should take Care to manage their pub­lic Prayers so as not to expose themselves to Contempt. It is not indeed to be expected, they should all be able, in the like easy, natural, flowing Language, to lead in the Addresses of a Congregation to the Divine Majesty. Some, it has pleased GOD to furnish with the Gift of Prayer, to an eminent Degree. They never shine brighter, than when they are called, and it may be on a sudden, to represent some special Case before the Throne of Mercy. Their Mouths are fill'd with Arguments, and they can utter themselves to the Ravishment of the devout praying Assem­bly. [Page 22] But though all are not alike gifted; yet all, methinks, should be able to go out of the common Road, as Occasion may call for it, without rambling, or stammering, or running into Tautologies. If any are wanting in such an Ability, it may be fear'd, whether they have taken that Pains, in the Use of Means, which is proper, in Order to their attaining the Gift of Pray­er. Or, if it should be the Case of some, that they are born down with Over-modesty of Temper, or possess not the Faculty of conceiving quick enough for a ready Utterance, they might do better to pray by some well-compos'd Form, than to run the Hazard of falling into Contempt by disgustful Hesitations.

Nor is it enough that Ministers pray well as to Mat­ter: They should take Heed to the Manner also, that it be with Seriousness, in Opposition to all Levity and Airiness of Temper; with an apparent Awe and So­lemnity of Spirit, and with such an awakened Fervour and Devotion, as shall make it evident, they realise the Worth, especially of those spiritual and eternal Blessings, which they ask at the Hands of the great and good GOD.

I shall add here, they should be particularly careful not to mingle their own Passions and Prejudices with their Prayers: Nor should they oblige a whole Assem­bly to be of their Mind, in Matters of doubtful Dis­putation, or else come to an undesired Pause in their Devotion. Ministers, when praying in publick, are to be considered as the Mouth of the Congregation; and as such, there is a manifest Impropriety in their going into the Use of such Petitions, or Thanksgivings, as a great Part of the Congregation can't, in Faith, join with them in offering up to GOD. I the rather mention this, because it may have been too much a Practice, among some Ministers, more especially in the late Times, to express themselves in Language, [Page 23] they could not but know, if they allowed themselves to think, a considerable Number of those they were praying with could not give their hearty Amen to. What others may think I know not; but to me, it appears a Matter of no small Importance, that there be an Agreement between those who pray, respecting the Things they pray for. And our SAVIOUR himself seems to have taught as much, in that Declaration of his, Matth. xviii. 19. I say unto you, that if any two of you shall agree on Earth, as touching any Thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in Heaven. And it is as sutable an Assembly of wor­shipping Christians should be agreed, respecting what they ask of GOD in Prayer, as that two private Per­sons should: Nor otherwise may they encourage a hope, that it shall be done for them according to what they desire. And if this was more thoroughly consi­dered, it might put Ministers upon greater Care, so to adapt their Prayers, as that all might harmonise in sending them up to the Throne of Mercy.

(2.) Ministers should take care that their Preaching be such as may give no Occasion of Contempt. And here suffer me, with an honest Freedom and Sim­plicity, to mention some of the many Things which call for the Care of Ministers, if they would not be de­spised.

And to be sure, they should not in their Preaching in­vade the Province of others. Their Work does not lie at large, but is restrained within proper Bounds. They are Pastors to particular Flocks: These are their special Charge; they have taken the Oversight of them, and should employ themselves in feeding them with Knowledge and Understanding. Not that they are so confin'd, that they may not preach but to their own People. This they may do; but it should always be within the Rules of Order. They should not go into other Pa­rishes [Page 24] to keep up an unreasonable Disaffection in Peo­ple to their own Ministers: Neither should they pre­sume to preach there, trusting in themselves that they are righteous, but harbouring in their Breasts unchari­table Suspicions of their Brethren, as carnal and un­converted.

It may look like Zeal for CHRIST, and a vehement Desire to do good to Souls, for Ministers to go about from Parish to Parish, spending themselves and being spent, through their abundant Labours: And they may be caressed on this Account by many Persons, as having more of the Spirit of CHRIST and his Apostles than their Brethren. But whatever Charity may be disposed to hope, GOD only knows the true Spring of such a Conduct. It may, possibly, be Pride and Self-Conceit, or a vain Itch to be admired and applauded: And among all who ascribe it to such a Cause, (as there are many that will) they will be contemned. But be the Motive what it will, ever so Christian, or Noble, the Practice, I believe, is bad; as tending, in the natural Course of Things, to introduce Confusion and Disorder: Nor has it ever yet fail'd of sinking the Credit of the Ministry, in a less or greater Degree.

But after all, if any are fond of going about from Place to Place, thinking they shall hereby have Op­portunity of doing GOD good Service; why won't they go where they will invade no Man's Right, nor occasion Schisms and Separations. Are there not those, even in this Province, and among the English too, (to our Shame be it spoken) who are destitute of the Gospel, in the Ministry of it? And are there not vast Numbers, in the neighbouring Governments of VIR­GINIA and NORTH-CAROLINA (not to say any Thing of the Natives) who live almost in heathenish Dark­ness? And would it not discover as much Love to Souls, and as disinterested Zeal to serve the Redeemer's [Page 25] Kingdom, for Ministers to travel up and down, preach­ing the Gospel to these People, as to go about from Place to Place, where the Gospel is preached every Sab­bath-Day, and by Persons call'd to the Work, qualifi­ed for it, and fixed in it? There is Room for itinera­ting: And the more abundant any are in it, the great­er will be their Glory: Nor will any one be dispos'd to withhold from them the Praise that is their just Due.

Ministers also should take Care, that their Preaching may savour of Pains and Industry. Not that they may'nt preach, if they han't had Time to labour a Discourse. Necessary Avocations, or the Suddenness of a Call to speak, may justify their going into the Pulpit, when their Preparations have been more hasty than they would have chosen: And, at such Times, a tolerable Measure of Candour in Hearers would make the Allowances that may reasonably be expected. But, ordinarily, their Sermons should appear to be the Fruit of Labour and Study. The wise Man says, The Preach­er sought to find out acceptable Words. He is speaking of himself, who, though he excelled all Men in Un­derstanding, yet did not turn People off with any Thing that came next to Hand; but took Pains to express himself in agreeable Language. And he is herein to be imitated by all Preachers. Not that fine Turns of Wit, high rhetorical Flights, calculated chief­ly to entertain the Fancy, need be any Part of their Care; but yet, they should endeavour to cloath their Discourses in a becoming Dress. Their Language should be far from low and vulgar, yet easy and natu­ral: Their Words fitly spoken, and such as may be likely to please Men to their Edification. And they should the rather be concern'd about this, as wisely cho­sen Words, according to what follows in the next Verse, are as Goads and Nails fastened by the Masters of Assemblies. i. e. "There is the like Power in them to [Page 26] excite and stir up the Minds of slothful Men to the Practice of Virtue, that there is in a Goad to prick the Ox forward: Nor do they only sting and move the Mind for the present; but are apt to stick as fast in the Memory as Nails do, when they are driven into a Board."

Nor ought Ministers to think it enough, if they are careful about the Language of their Sermons; but the Matter and Method also should be the Effect of Me­ditation and Study. Their Business is, rightly to divide the Word of truth. 'Tis the Word of GOD, and not the Traditions or Commandments of Men; 'tis the Faith once delivered to the Saints, and not Lectures of meer Reason, they should bring their People. The Matter of their Preaching should be the pure Gospel of CHRIST. And they should rightly divide it. i.e. They should dis­pose it in due Order; giving its Truths their proper Place and distributing them to the proper Persons. And this they should do like Men of Skill; and in or­der to it, should apply themselves to their Work with Care and Diligence. So Paul advised Timothy; call­ing upon him to study, if he would approve himself to GOD a Workman that needed not to be ashamed. And he elsewhere recommends to him Reading and Medita­tion, that his profiting might appear to all Men. And if such an extraordinary Person as Timothy was obliged to the Use of Pains and Study, much more is this a Duty in the ordinary Officers of the Church.

Not that a Minister, if he has tolerable Qualificati­ons for his Work, need be at much Pains to make Sermons that will please some sort of Hearers. But e­ven these Hearers ought to be edified as well as pleas'd. And though through want of Judgment, they may'nt be able to distinguish between an extempore Discourse, and one that has cost the Preacher a great Deal of hard Study; yet the latter, if as it ought to be, will be much [Page 27] better adapted to promote their spiritual Profit; and there is more Reason to expect a divine Blessing will accompany it to this End. Besides, a proper Respect ought to be paid to all Hearers; to the strong as well as the weak, to the knowing as well as the ignorant▪ And this there may be, where sutable Care has been taken to prepare what is to be delivered in public; for it may be accommodated to the Capacity of those who are illiterate, and yet so contrived as to fall in with the Relish of the more intelligent: Whereas, if it is crude and indigested, though it may not be dis­lik'd by the weak and injudicious, it will be despis'd by those of better Understanding.

It will, perhaps, be said, those Ministers who take little or no Thought before-hand what they shall say, are the Men who depend on the SPIRIT of GOD; and the Help they obtain from him more than makes up for the Want of Preparation by Study. None, I would hope, will esteem Preparation by Study an Ar­gument of the Want of a just Dependance on the SPIRIT; for so far is this from the Truth of the Case, that they who are most careful to make sutable Prepa­ration, take the Method in which they may most rea­sonably expect the divine Influences; and they are the most likely Persons to be favoured with them: Where­as, it may be fear'd, those, who venture into the Pul­pit without Fore-thought, presume upon the SPIRIT rather than trust in him; and 'tis too often apparent, that they receive no great Help from him. For who more confus'd, many Times, in their Discourses? Who more rash and unguarded in their Expressions? Who more vain and arrogant in their Boastings? Who more wild in their Imaginations? And, in a Word, who deliver the Truths of the Gospel with a greater Mixture of Mistake and Error? And shall it be pre­tended, that such Preaching is the Effect of extraordi­nary Communications from the Spirit? 'Tis a gross [Page 28] Reflection on the blessed SPIRIT of GOD to suppose such a Thing.

It may take with some People to be told by Mini­sters, they knew not the Text they should preach from, till they came into the Pulpit; and they may be ready to think the Men inspir'd; especially, if they are able to deliver themselves with Freedom and Zeal. But People ought to know, there may be great Warmth and Volubility in Speech, without any extraordinary Help from the SPIRIT. And the plain Truth is, the SPIRIT of GOD does not assist Ministers now, as in the first Days of the Gospel. He did it then by im­mediate Revelation; he does it now in a Way more humane, by his Blessing on their Studies. And while Ministers, in this Way, depend on his Help, they may humbly hope to obtain it: Whereas they will de­ceive themselves, and impose on People, if they go a­bout to excuse their Neglects in the Use of ordinary Means, pretending to extraordinary Communications from above.

Ministers likewise should preach as those who are in earnest. The Business they are engaged in is the most solemn that can be. They have to do with Souls, one of which is of more worth than the whole World: And 'tis their Salvation or Damnation they are to treat with them upon. And shall they be cold and lifeless in an Affair of such infinite Importance? Matters of ever­lasting Life and Death should not be spoken of, in ordi­nary Discourse, but with a becoming Sollicitude: Much more, when Ministers bespeak Men in the Name of GOD, upon the Concerns of Heaven and Hell, should they do it with all Solemnity of Spirit. And if, when they are talking upon these astonishing Truths, they speak as if they were asleep, or had not upon their Minds a serious Sense of their awful Weight and Reali­ty, how can it be that they should affect the Hearts of [Page 29] their Hearers? They will rather be disposed to slight both them and what they say? Tho', that they might not do this injuriously, they should be very careful they don't run into Mistakes, taking that for Dulness in some, and an awakened Fervour in others, which may be no certain Indication of either. The Tempers of Ministers are very different, and so are their Organs of Speech; insomuch, that if they had all the same Con­cern about spiritual and divine Things, they would not be alike in the Manner of its Discovery. And it ought to be particularly notic'd, meer Loudness of Voice is no Sign at all of a sutable Frame of Mind. There may be the still small Voice, and the Heart, at the same Time, seriously and thorowly warm'd with a Sense of eternal Things; as on the other Hand, there may be a noisy boisterous Fervency, that is only histrionical and af­fected: And it very ill becomes the Minister, and tends rather to harden Sinners than do them any spiritual Good. There is very little therefore to be collected meerly from the Voice of the Preacher. The Manner is more to be regarded: And if he really feels what he says, be his Voice great or small, it will ordinarily be perceived by discerning Hearers. And he should always endea­vour to speak, not as tho' it were a Task, and he cared not what he said; but as having upon his Mind an a­wakened Sense of the Worth of Souls, and the Weight of everlasting Concerns.

Further, Ministers, in their Preaching, should apply to the Understandings of their Hearers, and not lay out all their Endeavours to work on their Passions. Not that 'tis improper to speak to the Affections; for they have their Use in Religion, and it may serve a great many good Purposes to excite and warm them. But then, it ought to be remembred, the Understanding is the leading Power in Man, and ought, as such, in the first Place, to be applied to. To be sure, the Under­standing ought not to be neglected. Light and Heat [Page 30] should always go together, and keep Pace with each other: Nor unless there is a due Proportion of the former, will it turn to any good Account, if there be ever so much of the latter: Nay, Heat in the Affecti­ons, without Light in the Mind, will serve rather to make Men wild, than religious; as has been too often verified by sad Experience. Whenever the Passions therefore are addrest to, a good Foundation ought to be first laid in the Understanding: Or otherwise, the Discourse should be manag'd so as to inform the Mind, at the same Time it kindles the Affections. And now the Preaching is suted to work, in a regular Man­ner, upon the Powers of humane Nature; and if the Effect is not the spiritual Edification of Hearers, they can reasonably reflect the Blame no where but on them­selves.

A rambling incoherent Discourse delivered in terri­ble Language, and with great Vehemence of Voice and Action, will have, I am sensible, a more powerful Tendency to disturb the Passions, especially of some People. But where is the Advantage of throwing the Passions into a Tumult? Of what Service can it be to raise them to such a Height, as that the due Exercise of the reasonable Nature shall be obstructed? 'Tis true, Men may, in this State, appear to be religious, and this to an extraordinary Degree; but their Nature all the while is inverted, those Powers got to be uppermost which were made to be kept under Restraint: And while they continue in this Condition, under the Government of their Passions, instead of their Understandings, they are in extreme Hazard; for there is no Wildness, whether in Theory or Practice, but they are liable to be driven into it. The short of the Matter is, as Men are rea­sonable Creatures, they are to be preached to as such. The Address should be made, not so much to their Passions as to their Understandings; at least, all pro­per Care should be taken to enlighten the Mind, and [Page 31] convince the Judgment, as well as to move the Affec­tions. And if instead of speaking to the Minds of Men, Ministers will lay out all their Pains to work upon their Passions, as though herein lay the whole Value of Religion, they will certainly expose themselves to all, who have any tolerable Acquaintance with the Frame of humane Nature.

Moreover, Ministers in their Preaching should insist upon the great and important Truths of Religion, and not bestow their greatest Pains upon less necessary Points; the Circumstantials and Externals of Divine Worship: Much less should they spend their Breath about needless Questions, which minister to Strife, rather than godly Edi­fying. These are not the Things which should take up their Thoughts and Labours, unless they intend to bring themselves into Contempt. If they would acquit them­selves with Honour, they must dwell upon those Truths, which have a near and close Connection with the Sal­vation of Men's Souls; such as the undone State of Man by his Apostacy from God, and the Method of his Recovery, as reveal'd in the Gospel. And as 'tis by JESUS CHRIST, and him alone, that a new and living Way has been open'd for the Entrance of Sinners into the holy Place, HE should be the great Subject of all our Sermons. Their main Scope should be, to unfold the Mystery which was hid from Ages and Generations, but made manifest in these last Days, by the Incarnation of our JESUS, and the several Offices he has sustained and executed, in our Nature, and in Order to effect our Salvation.

I may observe here, the Scripture ever takes notice of three Things with Reference to the Affair of Man's Redemption. The first is the Grace of GOD purpo­sing it. It's particular in its Care to fix our Thoughts on the Good-will and free Mercy of GOD, as the true, original, eternal Source of this Blessing. Next to the [Page 32] Grace of GOD, it gives all due Honour to the Merits of the LORD JESUS CHRIST. 'Tis with a View to him, for his Sake, and on his Account, that the Sinner is spoken of as justified and saved. These great Gos­pel Favours are granted to him, not for any Works of Righteousness which he has done, but in Consideration of the mediatorial Performances and Sufferings of the LORD JESUS CHRIST. This Righteousness of the Redeemer is considered as the Ground and Reason, that on the Account of which he is interested in the Mer­cy of GOD to eternal Life. But besides the Grace of GOD, and the Merits of CHRIST, there is what the Scripture calls a Meetness for the Inheritance, a Pre­paredness in the Frame of the Sinner's Heart for the heavenly Glory, wrought in him by the Power of the HOLY GHOST. And without this, 'tis as impossible he should be happy as that Light should have Communi­on with Darkness, or CHRIST with Belial. He must be chang'd from a Servant of Sin, to a Servant of Righteousness; he must be made to put off the old Man, and to put on the new Man, or he cannot inhe­rit the Kingdom of GOD.

And now, these are the Things which should com­prehend the Sum of our Preaching; and the rather, because, in their proper Place, they are all necessary, and equally necessary, in order to Salvation. Had it not been for the infinite Compassions of the All-mer­ciful GOD, he never would have purposed, or accom­plished our Redemption. Had it not been for the LORD JESUS CHRIST, what he did and suffered in our Nature and Stead, we should have had no Title to Sal­vation, no Righteousness that would have been a suffi­cient Ground for the Bestowment of this Mercy. And if we are not transformed by the renewing of the HOLY GHOST; if we are not made holy in the internal Frame of our Minds, in Conformity to the Image and Will of GOD, neither the Grace of GOD, nor Merits of the [Page 33] REDEEMER will be of any Avail to our Salvation: For while under the Dominion of Sin, and in Slavery to e­vil Passions and corrupt Inclinations, we harbour Mise­ry in our Breasts; and could we be supposed, in this Condition, to have a Right to Heaven, and to go there, we should really carry the very Seeds of Hell along with us: Nor could we be happy, as reasonable Creatures, even in that Place of Blessedness.

Some, perhaps, may think it enough, if, in their Preaching, they magnify the Grace of GOD, and do honour to the Righteousness of CHRIST; but 'tis ne­cessary also that they explain to Men, and urge upon them, that Holiness of Heart and Life, without which they cannot see the Lord; together with the Office and Influence of the HOLY SPIRIT in the Work of Sancti­fication. These Things are all insisted on in the Bible, and severally represented as having a necessary Con­nection with Salvation: And they should, in like Man­ner, be insisted on by Ministers in their Preaching. There is no Inconsistency between the Truths, but a perfect and glorious Harmony. Men may, 'tis true, confound them in their Thoughts; they may place their own Holiness in the Room of CHRIST, or the the Grace of GOD; making it serve a Purpose it was never intended to, nor is sufficient for: And so, under the Notion of exalting the Grace of GOD, or the Righteousness of the REDEEMER, they may entertain a Thought of inherent personal Holiness, as a Thing almost insignificant. But in either of these Cases, they abuse the Doctrine of the Gospel, conceiving amiss of these Truths. For they all have their Use in the Af­fair of Salvation; yea, in their proper Place, they are all necessary: Nor can there, be Salvation with­out them all. And People should be told so by Mini­sters. 'Tis indeed the Business of their Office to set these Truths in a clear and distinct Light; and to this End should their Preaching be mainly calculated.

[Page 34]Only, as there is Danger lest proud Man should as­cribe too little, in the Affair of Salvation, to the Grace of GOD, and depend upon his own Works instead of the Righteousness by Faith, Ministers should be particu­lar in guarding against this Fault: Tho' they should take Care, in the doing of it, that they don't run into the contrary Extreme; speaking after such a Manner of personal evangelical Holiness, as to make it of very little Service: Whenas 'tis a Matter of such Impor­tance, that without it we are barr'd Entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven, both by the Appointment of God, and the Frame of our own Natures. And they should the rather be constant in affirming, that they which have believed in GOD might he careful to main­tain good Works, because 'tis too common a Thing for profest Christians to be negligent of a good Life; yea, it would be well, if they were not sometimes in a Temper of Mind to take Occasion, even from the Grace of GOD, to continue in Sin.

Moreover again, Ministers should be uniform in their Preaching; making it appear that they are Men of fixed and steady Principles. Not that they may not change their Minds, if they have unhappily fallen into Error, and just Grounds of Conviction are laid before them. It would be to their Honour, in this Case, to own their Mistake; and no wise Man would think the worse of them for it, but the better. But a Change of Sentiment, arising from a thorow deliberate Examina­tion, is a Thing quite different from a fluctuating and inconstant State of Mind: And if, from such a vo­latile Disposition, Ministers are pepetually wavering in their Thoughts, to Day of this Mind, and to Mor­row of another, it will very much tend to weaken their Credit: Nor may they expect any Thing short of Con­tempt, if they temporise in their Sermons, speaking one Thing to one People, and another Thing to another, on Purpose to sute their Humours, and recommend [Page 35] themselves to the several Parties there may be among them. Such a Man pleasing Conduct is beneath the Man, much more the Christian, most of all the Mini­ster. How much more becoming is it to deliver our Minds, at all Times, and before all People, as we may be call'd, with an open Frankness, an honest Freedom and Simplicity? It may, for the present, 'tis true, be of some Disservice to our Interest; but, in the End, it will bring us into Esteem, and secure for us a lasting good Reputation: Whereas, if we shift and change, to gain the Applause of this, and the other Party, we shall not only act a mean and base Part, but take the ready Way to expose ourselves to Contempt: And it seldom happens, but such Servility meets with its just Desert, sooner or later.

In fine, Ministers should not be wanting in a Care about the external Manner of their Preaching. This indeed is a Matter of the least Importance; though, perhaps, most recommending to the Generality of Peo­ple: For which Reason, it would not be mispent La­bour, if Ministers took some Pains that they might be Masters of a good Pronunciation, and becoming Gesture: To be sure, they should avoid disagreeable Tones and Whines; as also unnatural Distortions of Countenance, and Motions of the Body: Neither should they turn Mimicks, endeavouring to speak and act, not like them­selves, but those they admire: They may herein Aim at being more agreeable, but they really make themselves ridiculous. Above all, they should take Heed of speaking and acting as if they were beside themselves; for, in this Case, People will be apt to take them to be so, and treat them with the Contempt due to such.

These now, and such like are the Instances, in Preach­ing, which should employ the Care of Ministers, if they would not be despised. I go on, and say,

[Page 36](3.) They should be equally careful they don't expose themselves by an undue Conduct, in Point of Church-Or­der. Government is as necessary in Church as State; tho' the Ends to which it is designed, and the Manner of Administration may be different. And so far as it lies with Ministers to preserve Order in the Churches, they should be religiously careful to do it; at all Times discountenancing such a Behaviour, in the House of GOD, a tends to Confusion. The Apostle Paul has set a noble Example in this Kind. When there were, among the Corinthians, those who left their own Busi­ness, and took upon them the Work that was proper to Ministers, he exhorted and commanded them to a­bide every Man, in the same Calling wherein he was call­ed; assuring them, that all were not Apostles, or Pro­phets, or Teachers. And when they spake many at once, in the Place of Worship, so as to endanger its being said they were mad, he corrected this Abuse; minding them that GOD was not the Author of Confu­sion, but of Peace, as in all the Churches of the Saints; and directing, that all Things should be done decently and in Order. The present Ministers of CHRIST, 'tis true, may'nt pretend to determine in Matters of this Nature with the Authority of Apostles: Or if they should, they would only expose themselves to Contempt. But yet, they may advise and rebuke, and back their Coun­sels and Reproofs, with such Arguments from Scripture and Reason, as are suted to inform the Understanding, and convince the Judgment: Nor should they suffer the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, in this, or any other Use of them, to lie by neglected, where Persons break in upon the Rules of Decency, or otherways walk in a disorderly Manner. They should use them indeed with Prudence and Caution, and a becoming Tenderness and Compassion: but with a due Concern also for the Honor of CHRIST, and the Well-Being of the Church: And when these make it necessary, they should, so far as it belongs to them, exercise the pro­per [Page 37] Discipline, and not be mov'd from their Duty here­in, neither thro' dastardly Fear, on the one Hand; nor a criminal Respect of Persons, on the other. If Discipline is an Ordinance of JESUS CHRIST, it ought to be made Use of, in Obedience to him, upon all sutable Occasions: Nor may Ministers expect any other than to be base in the Esteem of People, if they sneak & cringe, and pros­titute this Institution of the Son of GOD to the Pre­judices, Passions, or Humors of Men. 'Tis Discipline, my Fathers and Brethren, not the meer Name, but the vigorous and impartial Execution of the Thing, that must preserve and establish our Churches. Our Fa­thers found the Advantage of it in their Day; and it would be of like Service in ours, wisely and faithfully administred, both for the Credit of the Ministry, and the Edification of these Churches in Peace and Ho­liness.

4. In the last Place, Fourthly, Ministers should take Care they don't hurt their Character, by an undue Per­formance of the more private Duties of their Calling. Their Duty is not confin'd to their public Administrati­ons: They have a great Deal to do in private a­mong their People. They must visit the sick, com­fort the Mourners, instruct the ignorant, warn the wicked, reduce the wandring, strengthen the feeble-minded, bind up the broken-hearted; and, in short, sute their Counsels, and Warnings, and Consolations, to the respective Cases of those they have to do with. And they should be always in Readiness to attend these Du­ties of their Station; not spending so much of their Time about secular Employments, or in Studies foreign to their Office, as to take them off from the faithful Discharge of them: Neither should they be partial in their Respects; but endeavour, by all Means, to do Good to all, preferring no one before another.

[Page 38]In a Word, Ministers will unavoidably have frequent Occasions to converse with their People: and they should ever be careful to do it, after such a Manner as not to be thought morose, haughty, or unsociable; yet should they keep at a Distance from every Thing light, and vain, or mean. They should be condescending, but not servile; they should be pleasant and affable, yet solid and grave; and though they should not be backward to religious Discourse, yet they should take Care that it be brought in so as not to look forc'd and affected: And the whole of their Conversation should be such, as may have a Tendency to preserve in the Minds of People, both a Love to them, and a Venera­tion of them.

And having thus, in a plain, though imperfect Manner, considered a few of the many Instances, where­in the Care of Ministers is necessary, if they would not expose themselves to Contempt; I now go on,

III. In the last Place, to represent the Obligations which lie upon them to express this Care. And these are solemn and weighty. The Honour of CHRIST calls for it; the Success of their own Ministry depends very much upon it; Nor can they otherwise give a good Account of themselves another Day: To which I might add the Regard they owe to the Credit of the Clergy in Common. These are the Particulars the Time will per­mit me but briefly to touch upon.

1. The Honour of CHRIST is concerned in the Care of Ministers not to be despised. They are his Ser­vants, as they act in his Name, and by Authority de­rived from him. And shall they esteem it a small Thing, whether they are base, or honourable in the E­steem of Mankind? If they are despised, and the Con­tempt comes through their own Faulty Imprudences, will not the Disgrace, however unjustly, be reflected on [Page 39] him who sent them? What greater Abuses have been offered to the Name of CHRIST, than those which have been occasioned by the Follies and Vices of Mi­nisters? And shall the Thought of being thus inju­rious to our LORD and SAVIOUR sit easy on our Minds? Shall we be unmindful of our Character, and take no Pains to act up to the Dignity of our Office, when our MASTER will suffer so much through our Neglect? Whose Honour should we be tender of, if not his who has separated us from our Brethren, and called us by his Grace to the Ministry of the Gospel? The Ho­nor of the REDEEMER should lay near our Heart: And yet, what more distant from it, while our Conduct is such as tends to make us contemptible; for the Con­tempt will finally, though injuriously, be turn'd upon CHRIST himself.

2. The Success of our Ministry depends very much upon our not being held in Contempt. If People have a despicable Thought of us, of what Advantage will our Preaching be to them? They will conceive the same Opinion of our Sermons, as they do of our Per­sons; And should we preach the pure Truths of GOD, and do it with the Eloquence of Angels, it would have little or no good Effect upon them. The Scribes and Pharisees of old seem, in this, to have been well ac­quainted with humane Nature. For when they would obstruct the Ministry of our SAVIOUR, it was by base Attempts to lessen his Reputation. Is not this, say they, the Carpenter's Son? And they wickedly misre­presented him to the People as one of a bad Character, a Profaner of the Sabbath, a Friend to Publicans and Sinners; and, in short, a Person of no Religion himself, and that would keep them from having any too, if they minded what he said; rightly judging, that, if they could but destroy his Credit, they should, at the same Time, render his preaching insignificant: And so it unhappily prov'd, in respect of Multitudes, in that Day. [Page 40] And the Effect will be the same now, and in all future Time to the End of the World. There is indeed no such Thing as preaching so as to answer any good End, where Ministers have lost their Reputation, and instead of Respect are tho't of with Contempt by People. ‘We may observe (as One expresses it), when Men are prepossest in Favour of any one, every Thing almost which he speaks, appears weighty and signi­ficant. Opinion gives Lustre to, and begets a high Esteem even of his Weaknesses. When Opinion hath raised a Man up to a great Height, there must be something sublime and extraordinary in all his Performances. On the contrary, when a Man's Cre­dit is sunk and under Water, what little Regard is paid to what he says? He is under such an unhappy Disadvantage, that if he could speak like an Oracle, it would hardly stick and make an Impression.’

And what a powerful Argument is this to engage our Care that we don't expose our selves to Contempt? Are we content to live useless? Are we willing to go on in a Round of attending the Duties of our Calling, and do no good? Thus 'tis likely it will be, if we do not look to our selves, and take sutable Care to main­tain a good Character. It is this that must prepare Men's Minds for a favourable Reception of what we preach.

3. If we do not use did proper Measures to keep from Contempt, we shall not be able to give a good Ac­count of our selves another Day. Not but that it may be our Lot to be despised, notwithstanding the most faithful Endeavours to deserve the Esteem of People: In which Case, the greater the Contempt we have pass­ed through, if we have behav'd well under it, the brighter will be our Crown in the Day of CHRIST. But if we have brought Contempt on our selves, by our Follies and Vices, the Fault is our own. And if [Page 41] by thus rendring our selves despicable, we have not on­ly hindered the Efficacy of our Ministry, but unhappi­ly been the Occasion of the Ruin of those Souls, we might have saved; how dreadful will be the Account we must give up unto GOD! Should the People of our Charge accost us at the Bar of CHRIST; We were stum­bled at your Imprudences; we were unhing'd, in our religious Sentiments, by your Unsteddiness; we be­came indifferent to the Practice of Piety, through your Want of Zeal in recommending it to us; we gradually lost all serious Sense of Divine Things, hardened our selves in Sin, and settled in Profaness and Infidelity, from the loose, vain, evil Example you set before us: I say, should our People thus bespeak us, before the Tribunal of Judgment, how would it cut us to the Heart, and pierce our very Souls? Should they go on, and say; Had you behav'd so as to gain our Esteeem and Reverence; had you preached, and con­versed, and lived, so as to render Religion amiable in our Eyes; had you been faithful in your Warnings, skilful in your Counsels, and watched for our Souls as those who were earnestly desirous of their everlasting Salvation, it had not been with us, as it is at this Day. To you it is, in a great Measure owing; to your Negligence and Unsaithfulness; to your Want of Love to our Souls, and Care of their everlasting Well-Being, that we are now plac'd at the left Hand of CHRIST, and must be doom'd to a Departure from him, into the Place of weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of Teeth. Would not such a Charge as this make every Joint of us to tremble? Should not we be struck with Horror to be thus challeng'd by the Souls committed to our Oversight, in the great and terrible Day of the LORD? There is no Guilt like that of the Blood of Souls. It crieth for Ven­geance: And O who can conceive the Weight of Vengeance we must suffer, when Multitudes of lost [Page 42] Souls shall rise up, and call for it to be poured out upon us!

But besides the Souls of our own proper Charge, we shall, if we make our selves mean, be accoun­table for all the Damage that may herefrom arise to Religion in general; which will be greater than we can well imagine. Contempt will easily and naturally be derived from our Persons to the Cause we are ma­naging; insomuch, that if we are base in the Opinion of the World, Religion will be so too. When Eli's Sons, by their shameful Misconduct in the Priest's Of­fice, had made themselves vile, the next Thing we hear of is, that Men abhorr'd the Offerings of the LORD. And the Effect will be the same now. If Ministers behave so as to forfeit their Credit, it will make Way for the Prophanation of divine Ordinances, or a Neglect to attend on them; and from Carelessness about the Things of Religion, Men will proceed to violate its sacred Laws, and from one Degree of Wickedness they will go on to another, 'till they have made themselves abandoned Sinners. And do we think the Blame of this no Ways belongs to us? It will all, if we have justly expos'd our selves to Contempt, be charged on us, to the aggravating our Condemnation, in the Day of reckoning. And better would it have been for us, if we had never been born. In vain shall we plead that we have prophesied in CHRIST's Name, that we have broken the Bread of Life, and poured forth the Wine of Salvation;—It will rather expose us to the more angry Resentments of our Judge: Nor will any of the Sons of Adam drink deeper of the Cup of the LORD's fiery Indignation. I may add, in the last Place,

4. We are bound to the Use of all proper Care not to fall into Contempt, because of the Damage which may hereby accrue to the Ministry in Common. Were the Hurt confined to our selves, the Obligation would be [Page 43] the less; but it will probably spread from our Persons to the Profession, and all in general will suffer through our Mismanagement. This, it must be owned, is very unfair. The Body of the Clergy ought not to be tho't the worse of, because some may make themselves vile. But such is the Temper of the World, that they will not restrain their Contempt to the particular Ministers who may deserve it, but will extend it to all of the same Order. And very severe have been the Reflecti­ons on the whole Clergy, as occasion'd by the ill Conduct of a few. It is too common, indeed, upon the Miscar­riage of one, to hear it said, they are all alike; and sometimes the Office it self must be aspersed, and even the Wisdom of GOD called in question for establish­ing it. And shall not a Regard to the ministerial Order make us careful of our Credit? We should certainly take heed, we do not expose our selves to Contempt, be­cause if we do, it will not rest on our own Persons, but will more or less affect the whole Body of Ministers.

The APPLICATION remains. And

1. We learn from what has been said, that the Work of Ministers is very difficult. The Pains they must take to keep from being despised shows it to be so. How hard a Thing is it to attend the vari­ous Duties of our Office, so as to deserve the Esteem of People, and Preserve in their Minds a becoming Respect for us? Unless we are Men of good na­tural Abilities, and acquired Accomplishments; at the same Time, maintaining a Care of good Works, it is impossible: And even in this Case, what Caution and Prudence, what active Zeal and Diligence, what Resolution and Courage, are necessary? O who is suffi­cient for these Things! If an Apostle of JESUS CHRIST cried out under the Weight of Care that lay upon him, how much more Reason have we to do it, who are not endowed with his Graces or Gifts? We can't be too [Page 44] sensible of the Need we stand in of divine Help: Nor can we too frequently repair to the Throne of Grace, that we may obtain Mercy, and find the Grace that may be sufficient for us.

2. What Reason have Ministers to be humbled, that they have taken no more Care to preserve themselves from Contempt? Who of us can say, that our Con­duct has been unexceptionable? That we have be­hav'd in our Office so as to give no Occasion of Re­proach? Dare we, any of us, the best of us, lay our Hands upon our Hearts, and justify our selves before GOD? We have all, at one Time or another, acted below our Character, in a less or greater Degree: And the more sensible we are of it, and humbled for it, the more worthy we shall be of Respect and Honor. And have we not, some of us, so expos'd our selves as that human Frailty, cannot be our Excuse? Are we none of us, by criminally neglecting our Studies, less know­ing in Things pertaining to the Kingdom of CHRIST, than we might and ought to have been? Have we none of us too often ventured into the Pulpit, when we have had nothing to say there, but what, through Want of previous Meditation and Care, has been crude and indigested, and sitted rather to bring us into Dis­credit with judicious Hearers, than to profit their Souls? Have we, none of us, been too careless of our Lives, behaving after such a Manner as to prejudice People against Religion, rather than recommend it to their Love and Practice?

I say not these Things to suggest Evil of the Body of the Ministers of this Generation; for I really believe, and would take this Opportunity to declare it, that they are as pious, and faithful, and laborious a Set of Men, as any Part of the Christian World is favoured with. I am indeed sensible they are too commonly despised at this Day, and to as great a Degree as was ever known in the [Page 45] Country; but I trust in GOD, the Contempt is injurious. Not that I think it is so, in Respect of them all: And 'tis, perhaps, principally owing to some of our own Or­der, that the Credit of the Ministry runs so low. Are there none among us, whose Conduct, in the late Day of Trial, has led People into a mean Thought of Mi­nisters in general? Did we all discover that Know­ledge of the World, and of the Frame of human Na­ture, and act with that prudent Forecast, which might have been expected of Men of our Character? Did we all stand up for the Order of the Gospel, and in De­fence of its Truths and Ways, with the Courage and Faithfulness which became the Servants of JESUS CHRIST? Have we, none of us, too much connived at those Errors in Doctrine, and Irregularities in Prac­tice, which have had a dreadful Tendency to sink the Credit of the Ministry, yea, and of Religion too, in the Land? Have we, none of us, invited into our Pul­pits Men of mean Parts, and no Learning, at whose Performances we our selves have been ashamed? Have we, none of us, taken Part with those, who have treat­ed the best Ministers in the Country with Neglect, to say nothing worse? Have we, none of us, had the Persons of some particular Ministers in Admiration, to the reflecting an unjust Odium on others? Have we not flattered them beyond all Bounds of Modesty, and by our Flatteries strengthened their Influence to hurt the Reputation, and together with it the Usefulness of the Minstry, GOD has set up in these Churches? And what is worse than all this, have we, none of us, acted in the proper Charges of our Brethren, so as to leaven the Minds of their People with evil Surmisings against them, though Men of as good Reputation for their ministerian Gifts and Faithfulness, as our selves? Have we not spoken of them in a Manner so censorious and uncharitable, as to bring them into Disesteem, in their own Parishes? Have we not sided with People in the Disgrace they have heaped upon them? Have we not [Page 46] encouraged them in their Alienations, Disaffections and Separations? Or, if we have had too much Policy, or too little Courage, to be open in these Things, have we not by secret Whispers, and Closet-Insinuations, done the Business as effectually? I charge nothing upon any in particular; but GOD knows, and we all know, that there has been great Guilt as to these Things: And so far as we are any of us, Sharers in it, we have Reason for deep Humiliation before GOD. A despised Mini­stry will be a useless one. Wherein therefore we have had a Hand in bringing our Brethren into undeserv'd Contempt, we have done great Disservice to the Inter­est of the REDEEMER; nor could we, in any Thing, have more pleas'd the Enemy of all Righteousness: For his Kingdom is never more likely to be in a flou­rishing State, than when the Ministry of a Land is in­juriously held in Contempt. The good LORD humble and pardon us all, wherein we have been faulty! And may we be more upon our Guard in Time to come!

3. Ministers should do what they can to keep one another from being despised; not by countenancing one another in Wickedness; nor yet by standing up for each other, in that which is a Dishonour to Men of our Character. This would be to bring, both our selves, and the whole Ministry, into Disgrace. But we should be tenderly concerned for the Reputation of our Fellow-Labourers in the LORD, and ready, in all sutable Ways, to advance it. We should be disposed to pre­fer our Brethren in Love, to hope well, and believe well, and speak well of them, so far as there is Reason to do so. And if it is the Unhappiness of any to be treated with Disrespect, not because they are in them­selves worthless; or have acted a mean and base Part, but because they have to do with such as are unreason­ably prejudiced against them, we should both pity them, and use our best Endeavours, as we may have Opportunity, to wipe off the Dirt that is thrown up­on [Page 47] them. To be sure, we should not encourage Busy-Bodies in coming to us with their idle tatling Stories; neither should we strengthen contentious Men in their Alienations and Disaffections; much less still may we allow our selves in secret Whispers to the Disadvantage of our Brother, while we dare not tax him to the Face, with the Evil we insinuate behind his Back.—Ministers may do a great Deal to support the Reputation of one another; and if they would heartily endeavour to do it, so far, I mean, as they might with Reason and Justice, we should soon see the Clergy in better Repute than they enjoy at this Day.

4. How careful should Ministers be to introduce none into the sacred Office who are like to be despised? We are the Persons to whom it belongs, according to the Appointment of JESUS CHRIST, to separate Men to the Work of the Ministry: And we ought to be cautious on whom we lay Hands for this Purpose. We should not suddenly do it in an Affair of such Impor­tance; nor indeed at all, till first satisfied, that the Qualifications of the Persons are such, as that there is no Prospect of their falling into Contempt. And in Or­der to this, there should be some Trial of them before they are intrusted with the Care of Souls. It might be best, if we countenanced none in preaching 'till they had first been examin'd. I know it has been a long Custom for young Men to go into the Pulpit, when they them­selves think fit to do so. Perhaps, the Churches in this Land are the only ones, who take so little Care in a Matter of such Consequence to the Interest of the Kingdom of CHRIST. 'Tis high Time it was rectifi­ed: And if, as a Means to so good an End, Ministers would be peremptory in refusing their Pulpits to all Candidates, 'till they had pass'd their Trials before proper Judges, it might be of singular Service.

[Page 48]To be sure, all reasonable Care should be taken, that none be set apart for the Service of CHRIST, in the Gos­pel-Ministry, but faithful Men; such as are both apt, and able to teach; such as are of good Behaviour, and have a good Report without. Raw, ignorant, unfurnish­ed Men, ought never to have committed to them the Administration of divine Ordinances. Says the Apo­stle, 1 Tim. iii. 6. Not a NOVICE, lest being lifted up with Pride, he fall into the Condemnation of the Devil. And if, in Opposition to his Advice, we are active in the Ordination of such Persons, or taking them into our Pul­pits, how can we excuse ourselves before GOD? Should they sink into Contempt, as in all Probability they soon will, the Reproach would reach us; nor can it be but we should be accountable for the Scandal hereby brought upon the Ministry.

5. We see, from what has been said, the Reason we have to be thankful for the Means of Education among us. Not but that some, in these Days, have expressed a mean Opinion of Learning, and of the Colleges, where are the best Means for the Acquirement of it. It is a Pity any in holy Orders have been so unadvised as to lead People into this Thought. They are herein very unlike to our pious Fore-Fathers, who had such a Sense of the Necessity of Learning as a Qualification for the Ministry, that they soon founded a College in the midst of a thousand Straits and Difficulties; from whence, through the Smiles of Heaven, our Churches have, all along, been supplied with able Ministers; Men who have been a Credit to the sacred Function, and, I may say, an Honour to the Country. And shall this, and the other School of the Prophets more lately erected, be now slighted and neglected? We ought rather to rank them amongst the richest Blessings, which call for our Thankfulness to Almighty GOD: Nor can we lay ourselves out too much to strengthen the Reputati­on [Page 49] and Usefulness; esteeming them the best Security against an ignorant, and therefore a contemptible Ministry.

And it were to be wished, the young Men, in these Schools, would wisely improve the Price put into their Hands to get Wisdom and Understanding. And let me advise the Candidates of the Ministry, those in par­ticular who may be here present, not to rush too hastily into the sacred Employment, lest they expose not only themselves, but Religion also to Contempt. Give your­selves to Reading, Meditation and Prayer; and conti­nue in these Things, 'till you have attained, under the Divine Influence, a sutable Furniture, both of Gifts and Graces, for the Service of the Sanctuary. And don't trust your own Judgments in a Matter of so great Importance. And, if you should be urg'd to enter upon Preaching, by those who know not whether you are qualified for the Business, be not overcome to yield to their Entreaties; but wait 'till you are declared fit, by such as are proper Judges in the Case. And don't be discouraged from Labour and Pains to get furnish'd with considerable Measures of Learning, both Divine and Humane, because, as the Times are, it may be of little Service to recommend you to the Esteem of ma­ny People. The State of Things, it is to be hop'd, won't always continue as at present: or however, you will find the Advantage of previous hard Study, thro' your whole Life; besides that you will be hereby qua­lified to be greater Blessings, in your Day, wherever the Providence of GOD shall fix your Place of Labour.

6. People should learn, from what has been said, not to despise Ministers, nor do any Thing that may tend to bring them into Discredit. I mean not, Brethren, to blame any of you for entertaining a mean Tho't of Ministers, or expressing the low Opinion you have of them, when, by their Behaviour, they have forfeited a Right to your Regards. 'Tis fit and proper your Sentiments of, and [Page 50] Conduct towards us, should be adjusted to our visible Character? And if we make our selves contemptible, we ought to be base in your Esteem. But then, you should take Care you don't despise us, when we give you no sufficient Occasion to treat us with Contempt. You should not watch for our Halting, nor aggravate every Infirmity we may be betray'd into; but be rea­dy to make all reasonable Allowances in our Favour, considering we are Men of like Passions with yourselves, and liable not only to the same, but to more and great­er Difficulties and Temptations. Don't despise us for common Frailties, but rather cover them with the Man­tle of Charity. Don't take up, and harbour in your Breasts, unjust Prejudices, either against our Persons, or the Office we sustain: In such a Case, should we behave ever so circumspectly, you would turn every Thing to our Disadvantage: Nor would it be in our Power, should we both preach and live like Angels, to make you think well of us. Take Heed especially, that you do not despise us for those Things, which ought rather to recommend us to your Veneration. If we reprove you for your Vices, don't be disaffected to us; for this we must do, or we cannot be faithful to him who sent us. If we see you expos'd to Danger, or turning out of the good old Way, don't take it amiss if we are free in telling you of it; for we are moved hereto from the Love we bear to you. If we stand up in Defence of the Faith and Or­der of the Gospel, don't say we are carnal, and treat us as though we were your Enemies, and the Enemies of JESUS CHRIST; for 'tis in Obedience to him, and out of Compassion to your Souls, that we thus run the Hazard of your Displeasure. In a Word, divest your Minds, as much as may be, of every wrong Biass, and candidly form your Sentiments of us, not from this or the other particular Action, not from our being of this or the other Party; but from what appears in our ge­neral [Page 51] Conduct: And if this is such as will allow you to think honourably of us, be in a Temper to do so; and do not carry it towards us with Neglect, much less Contempt, unless there is evident Reason given for it: And then, if we find Fault, we shall be unjust to you, and partial to ourselves.

And you should not only take Care, that you do not despise us, but that you do not do any Thing that may tend to bring us into Discredit. If any of you should not relish our Manner of preaching, as not be­ing so well suted to your particular Turn of Mind, do not prejudice others against it, who may be both grati­fied and profited by it. If any of you should be so defective in your Charity as to suspect, whether we are the Men inwardly we appear to be outwardly, do not leaven the Minds of others with the like evil Surmis­ings; don't speak of us as Wolves in Sheep's Cloathing; do not so much as whisper a Thing so injurious to our Character. If any of you should be fond of the Preaching of Men of small Capacities and no Learn­ing, do not so insist upon our taking them into our Pulpits, or separating them to the Work of the Mini­stry, as to force us to disoblige you, or expose our­selves to those who have more Knowledge and Judg­ment.

And here let me recommend to you one Thing, which, if duly considered, would be of great Service to the Credit of the Ministry; and that is, that you be well satisfied, not only of the good Disposition of your Children, but their Promptness to learn, before you de­vote them to the Service of GOD, in the Gospel of his SON. Don't think it will tend, either to their Re­pute, or the Benefit of the World, to give them an Education, with a View to the Ministry, if their natural Abilities are of the lower Size. They may better serve their Maker, and Generation, in some other [Page 52] Employment. They may have a Genius for one or other of the various Businesses of Life, though not a Turn of Mind fitted to make them shine as Ministers: And 'tis Pity, their Usefulness in the World should be obstructed, by a Mistake in their Education which can't easily be afterwards mended. And if your Circumstances in Life should set you above your Neighbours, either in Point of Riches, or Honour, do not think it will be a Disgrace to you, to devote your Sons to the Work of serving at GOD's Altar, if they appear to be peculiarly dispos'd to it, and form'd for it. 'Tis true, they will not, in this Station of Life, be in the Way of worldly Preferments; but yet, what more noble Employment than that of Co-workers with CHRIST, in forming Men to a Meetness for the eternal Service and Enjoyment of GOD in Heaven? And if your Sons should be Instruments in turning ma­ny Sinners to Righteousness, would not this reflect an Honor, even upon you, both in this World, and that which is to come?

Let me further say, as Ministers, when low in the World, and hard put to it for a Livelihood, are too often despised, take Care you don't withhold from them more than is meet. And where 'tis the Lot of any to be fix'd among People, who, thro' Prejudices against the Gospel, do little towards their Subsistence, suffer me to bespeak for them your charitable Assistance; for those especi­ally, who, at the Desire of this Convention, and as en­couraged by Promises of Help from them, have gone forth into such difficult Service. One Design of our being now together is, to contribute to the Support of these Missionaries; and, I doubt not, you will join with us in this Act of Piety. We have had Experi­ence of your Goodness in former Collections, and trust the present one will be enlarged through your Libera­lity. May we all, both Ministers and People, freely give as we have freely received; and to our Bounties [Page 53] let us add our Prayers, that these Servants of the LORD may be carried through all their Difficulties, and suc­ceeded in their Endeavours to do Good to Souls, to the Joy of their Hearts here, and the brightning their Crown of Glory hereafter.

In fine, and above all, see to it, as you have any Value for our Credit, that our Ministry be not lost upon you. If you reap no spiritual Profit by our La­bours for the Good of your Souls, but continue in your Sins, and grow worse instead of better, nothing will have a more dreadful Tendency to bring us into Dis­grace. The Language of your Impenitence will be, that we are a useless Set of Men: Nor will the Ene­mies of Religion fail of improving it to our Reproach. Whereas, if, under our Ministry, you are effectually taught to deal justly, and love Mercy, and walk hum­bly with GOD, this would put to Silence those who might be dispos'd to speak Evil against us, and procure for us a Name better than precious Ointment. If, by Means of our Preaching, you are convinced of Sin, and turn'd from the Power of it; if your Tempers are rectified, and Manners reform'd; if you are really brought to love GOD and your Neighbour, and, in one Word, to possess and exercise that Faith and Hu­mility, and all those Christian Graces, wherein the I­mage of GOD and the Power of Religion do truly consist, we shall not need any other Recommendation; you will then be a living standing Proof of our Use­fulness: And we should herefrom be under Advantage to do still greater Service, to our own Comfort in this World, and our shining, in the next, as the Brightness of the Firmament, and as the Stars forever and ever.

And now, may we all, both Ministers and People, receive what we have heard, so far as it is the Truth in Jesus, in the Spirit of Love and Meekness. 'Tis probable, we shall never all of us be together again in [Page 54] this House. The Faces of some, who were present the last Year, we shall see no more, 'till we meet in the Day of the appearing of the SON of MAN. May we look to ourselves, and so behave in our Stations, as that we may then be found at the right Hand of CHRIST, and have Admission into that Kingdom, prepared be­fore the Foundations of the World, where we shall no more be in a Temper to despise, nor shall ever give Occasion for Contempt; where we shall no more treat one another with Bitterness, Anger and Clamour, but live together in perfect Love and Peace; where, in­stead of differing and contending with each other, we shall all be of one Mind and one Heart; joining with the innumerable Company of Angels and glorified Saints, in saying with a loud Voice, Blessing, and Ho­nor, and Glory, and Power, be unto HIM THAT SITTETH ON THE THRONE, and unto the LAMB for ever and ever. Amen, and Amen.