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I.

SERM.cted functions, are indeed but Ufurpers of the minifterial Office, and therefore ought to be avoided.

The Priest is the authorifed Messenger of the Lord of Hofts: At his mouth the Law is to be fought, and by his hands the Sacraments adminiftred. No mention any where of any but the Priest, to tranfact in facred Matters. And then, how deplorable is their condition, that have heaped to themfelves teachers, having itching ears*; that have chofen to be led by them that are no Priests nor Prophets, Men that run of their own heads, although God fent them not, and though he spake not to them, yet will prophefiet. God's Grace, it is true, attends his inftitutions; but then only are they his Institutions, when performed by fuch Perfons as he inftitutes. All others, pretending to exercise their Office, will hardly be able to make out their claim to fuch exceeding great and precious promises: Since it is ftill under the New Teftament, as it was under the Old; and no Man (we are exprefly affured) can take this honour unto himJelf, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.

I have now dispatched the bufinefs of the Text: But this being the first time that I,

2 Tim. iv. 3. + Jer. xxiii. 21. + Heb. v. 4.

however

however unworthy, appear in this place as SERM. Chrift's Minifter entrusted with the care of I. your Souls; it cannot but concern both you and myself, that I fhould fay fomething at my entrance on fuch a weighty charge, in order to create a perfect good understanding and harmony between us : Since by this fpiritual Alliance my Interest is really bound up with yours; and in feeking your welfare, I confult my own.

So close a Relation cannot but derive a mutual Obligation both on you and me. Me it obliges to Fidelity and Diligence, in the execution of this important Office; to watch for your Souls, as knowing that I muft one day give account to our common Saviour, who has called me to this Truft and Stewardship, to the end I should seek not yours, but you * ; and take the oversight of you, not by conftraint, but willingly, not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind † always looking upon temporal confiderations, as far inferior and fubordinate to thofe of your fpiritual Welfare, and eternal Interest.

Whilft these are the Principles by which I act; I would hope, it might be easy to perfuade you to a ready compliance with thofe Relative Duties which you owe to

* 2 Cor. xii. 14.

D 3

+ 1 Pet. 5. 2.

me;

SEPM. me; to a diligent attendance on my Mini1 fry among you; to lend a candid and impartial ear to what I fhall hereafter offer, whether publicly or privately, for the confimation of your Faith, or the direction of your Practice; if in any thing you doubt or hefitate, with all freedom to propofe the matter of your Scruples, to lay open the uneafinefs and grief which troubles you; and if upon any occafion we fhould differ in our fentiments, not to improve that difference into a ftanding prejudice against my Perfon, or my future Labours, but to remember that both you and I are fallible, and on which fide foever the error may lie in the matter between us, to affure yourfelves, that whatever I fhall do, will be meant fincerely for your benefit; that whether in St. Paul's expreffion I be befides mySelf, it is to God, or whether I be fober, it is for your caufe; which can be no juft ground for your refentment, but ought rather to engage your more affectionate esteem.

To be a little more particular in this matter, The public Offices of the Ministry are principally these which follow: Prayers, and preaching, and the Administration of the Sacraments.

In reading the public Prayers, I defign, as I think it is my Duty, to be guided by

* 2 Cor. v. 13.

the

I.

the Rubricks of our Liturgy; and I fhould SER M. be loth to fufpect, that among those who profefs themselves Members of the Church of England, there should any be offended at my ftrict obfervation of those standing Rules, to which as well the Authority of our Superiors, as my own fubfequent Subfcriptions and Declarations, have inviolably attached me. There is one thing in this respect, which gives me a particular fatiffaction; namely, that it is already the cuf tom of this Church, to have public Prayers read twice every day; fo that I am spared any difficulty there might be in introducing it. But then withal you will give me leave to lament, the general neglect of giving attendance at fuch daily Service. It is indeed a fad and melancholy confideration, that whilst it is confeffedly our highest privilege and trueft intereft, to draw nigh unto God, that he may draw nigh unto us; the love of Religion and zeal for God's Honour, fhould. fo far be decayed among us, that few Men take delight in thus approaching to God, whilst many chufe to employ thofe hours which should be dedicated to his Service, in trifling and vanity, if not in vice, in jovial amusements, and in doing nothing. Let me earnestly befeech and exhort you, to confider seriously in this case, both your Duty and your Intereft; and as your leifure D 4 from

SERM. from neceffary bufinefs will permit, to ftudy 1. to make the rest of your life profperous, by confecrating fome competent part of it to the fervice of God.

The next minifterial Office which I mentioned was Preaching. And in that I purpose not to model myself upon Party Schemes; neither to court the favour of the Great by unbecoming Flattery, nor ftrike in with the prejudices or affections of the Populace, by as indecent Raillery, and Words which minifter not Grace but Strife unto the hearers; but to preach the Doctrine of the Gospel as the truth is in Jefus *, and make the holy Scripture the measure of my Doctrine, as it ought to be likewife of your Faith and Practice. And if in this method of proceeding, I fhould deliver any thing contrary to fome preconceived opinions of your own, or to fome intereft you have to maintain; you will remember it is your Duty to lay apart all prejudice and felf-conceit, to confider what is offered with fobriety and reafon, to implore the influence of Divine Grace upon your weak endeavours, and fubmit yourselves at last to the invincible evidence and conviction of Truth. Or if at last we differ (as in fome points it is like we may) you are

* Eph. iv. 21.

bound

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