But the time obliges me to quit this agre able subject, that I may addrefs a few words of exhortation to the People. You are not, my Friends, to think yourfelves unconcerned in the admonition to Minifters to take heed to themfelves. By the laws of Chrift you are obliged to acquire the fame pious and virtuous difpofitions, and you have need of like care and application. And without the christian temper you cannot be qualified to injoy that heaven, which is the common object of our hopes and pursuits. Apply yourselves therefore heartily to the fame work, and the difficulties you experience, will difpofe you to make juft allowances for imperfections, which, after all their care, remain in your Minifters, and which you will find in yourselves. Your Minifters you fee, Sirs, are to take beed to their doctrine, that what they preach be conformable to the great ftandards of divine truth; bear with them then if in difcharging this duty they fhould vary from human ftandards. Try them and their doctrines by reafon and Scripture; and do not condemn them, merely for teaching contrary to your former apprehenfions or prejudices, until you have given them a fair hearing, and well know that they have not the truth on their fide. Were the Gospel their own, you might perhaps with fome reafon expect, that they fhould fuit it to your taftes and humours; but as it is the Gofpel of Chrift, and they must be be accountable to him; bear with them, do I fay? Rather efteem and love them the more, if through an honeft concern to approve themselves to their great Mafter, they chufe to adhere to the word of God, rather than to the doctrines and inventions of men, of any party or combination of men whatfoever. For think feriously what reception you can expect from Chrift at laft, fhould any of you treat his Minifters ill, for no bet ter reafon, than their teaching his genuine doctrines and precepts, uncorrupted with hu man additions. As you value then the favour of your great Mafter, treat not his Minifters ill, till you are certain that they have departed from their rule, and have difpleafed him. I speak to a mixed audience, otherwife fuch is the known candor, and generous way of thinking, of the Society affembling in LEWIN'S-MEAD, that this caution might have been well omited. is Finally; you fee, Sirs, that our great end your eternal falvation; efteem your Minifters therefore highly in love for their works fake, and heartily concur with them, fince their fuccefs is your happiness to eternity. Pray earnestly for their fuccefs, and this will be a good means of promoting it; both as it will draw down a divine bleffing, and will exprefs and cherish that ferious concern for your own falvation, which is a great afliftant in fecuring it, If you pay heartily for the success of E your your Minifters with you, you will ufe your best endeavours that they may fucceed. To conclude. Let us all, whether Minifters or People, take heed to ourselves, and to our great work. Let us concur in promot ing our own falvation, and the falvation of others, with an ardor proportioned to the worth of the end in view. Let us forward one another all we can, and on no account obftruct the fuccefs of fo good a defign. 'And may God, with whom is the refidue of the Spirit, and who is the great lover of fouls, blefs us all with abundant fuccefs; and grant us to rejoice together in that world, where every work of faith and labour of love will be abundantly and everlastingly recompenfed. Amen.com |