p Miniflen cautioned againft the 
 Occafions of Contempt. 
 
 A 
 
 S E R M O ]% 
 
 Preached before the 
 
 Minifters of the Province 
 
 OF THE 
 
 MASSACHUSETTS-BAY, i 
 
 AT THEIR 
 
 * Animal Convention, 
 
 In BOSTON*, May 31. 1744. 
 
 By CHARLES CHAUNCY, D. D. 
 
 Paftor of the firft Church there. 
 
 ^ _ _. 
 
 ^. B. The Things pafled over for Want of Time, 
 when the Sermon was preached, are inferted in 
 their proper Places. 
 
 , Printed by ROGERS and FOWLE, for SAMUEL 
 ELIOT in Cornhill. i 7 4 4 
 
 '-'-- 
 
,... 
 ,,..,: .- : 
 
 .... 
 
 M jf** 1 * 
 
 At the Annherfary Convention of 
 Minifters erf" the Province of 
 the MASSACHUSETTS-BAY, in 
 NEW-ENGLAND, met at BOS- 
 TON, May 31. 1744. 
 
 y That Thanks be returned 
 to the Reverend Dr. CHAUNCY 
 for his Sermon preached before 
 the Convention this Day 5 and 
 that he be defired to content to 
 the Publication of it. 
 
 * PRINCE, Scriba. 
 
 :&&^v'j&K?: : -%?'. -J". ,m 
 
 &&& T^C , "^Mf" 
 
 
 
:: \:^ff.r*--^M;:-": -. ' 
 
 Convention SERMON. 
 
 TITUS II. 15, 
 Let no Man defpife thee. 
 
 Epiftle, out of which I have taken the 
 Text, was ferit by Paul to Titus. It would 
 take up too much of the Time allow *d me, 
 to enter upon the Character of this eminent 
 of SOD ; especially in his Capacity as an Of- 
 the Church of CHRIST, under which Confide- 
 and not as a private Chriftian, he is here wrote 
 
 i 
 
 Servant 
 ficer in 
 ration, 
 to. 
 
 I fhall only fay, he was one of Paul's Converts, a 
 Fellow-Labourer with him in the Kingdom and Pati- 
 ence of JESUS CHRIST, and his Companion in Travels. 
 It was with Paul that he -tfent to Crete ; and by him 
 he was left there to ferve the Ends of the Gofpel. 
 Some fay, he was now conftituted Bi/hof of Crete ; 
 but 'tis remarkable, he is not fpoken of as the Bijbopof 
 this Place, by any of the Fathers within the three firft 
 Centuries : Nor does the Scripture at all favour fuch 
 
6 A Convention SERMON. 
 
 a Notion. It rather reprefents him as tarrying here on 
 fome temporary Occafion, than as a fat Officer, 
 
 The Story is thus, 
 
 Paul and Titus, upon their coming to Crete, found 
 Things in a very unfettled State. For though confi- 
 derable Numbers had embraced Chriftianity, they had 
 too much neglected Order. They had few or no or- 
 dained Elders among them ; and, perhaps, were not as 
 yet formed into diftinct Churches : Or, if this was the 
 Cafe, they had not got into a regular State, without 
 which 'tis impofiible Societies fhould fubfift long with- 
 out falling into Confufion. Now, for this Caufe it was, 
 tiiat Titus was left in Crete, tbat he might fet in Order 
 the Things that were wanting, and ordain Elders in eve- 
 ry City : Which, when he had done, the more fpecial 
 End of his Continuance in this Place was anfwered,and 
 he might travel elfewhere, as in all Probability he did. 
 
 But however this be, his being at Crete, in the Ser- 
 vice of CHRIST, and under peculiar Circumftances of 
 Difficulty, was the Occafion of Paul's writing this E- 
 piftle to him ; in which, many are the Advices he 
 gives him for the Direction of his Conduct, as one in- 
 trufted with theManagement of the Affairs of CHRIST'S 
 Kingdom. 
 
 He is very particular in mifiding him of the necef~ 
 fary Qualifications for the facred Office, that he might 
 put none into it, who were not fit for fo important a 
 Truft. And he the rather chofe to enlarge upon this 
 Head, as many unruly and Fain-talkers and Deceivers 
 were (battered up and down, fulverting whole Houfes, 
 and teaching Things they ought not for filthy Lucr/s Sake. 
 It may feem ftrange, that, in the Days of the Apoftles, 
 there fhould be fuch Numbers of falfe Teachers : But 
 fo it was in Fact j yea, and they were grown to fuch 
 
 an 
 
. 
 
 Convention SERMON. 7 
 
 an Height in Impudence, even in thofe primitive Times, 
 that they could exalt themfelves above the very Apof- 
 ties. And in Order to this, they were fo far Matters 
 in the Art of Deceit, as to transform themj r elves into 
 \Angels of Light : Nor did they ftick at any Thing, fo 
 they could but leflen the Apoftolic Reputation, and 
 wind themfelves into the Affedttons of the Populace. 
 The Afoftk feems very follicitous, that the Church 
 might be rid of thefe falfe and dangerous Teachers ; 
 and, as the beft Expedient to this End, dire&s, that 
 none might have committed to them the Difpenfation 
 of the Gofpel, but well qualified Perfbns ; one efTen- 
 tial Requifite in whofe Chara&er he has declared muft 
 be that, able, by found Do ftrine, both to exhort and con- 
 vince the Gainfayers. 
 -HLV. 
 
 Upon which it is natural to remark, if none are al- 
 low'd to be intrufted with the Miniftry but thofe who 
 have Ability to convince Gain-fayers, it mufl certainly 
 be the Duty of fuch, when they are in the Miniftry, to 
 makeUfe of this Ability againft thofe, who teach Things 
 which they ought not. How elfe will they anfwer one 
 of the exprefs Ends of their being put into the facred 
 Office ? And to what Purpofe is it, that this Ability 
 muft be found in them, if 'tis not their Duty to make 
 Ufe of it, as the Occafion of the Church mall render 
 it needful ? 
 
 But among all the Directions given to fittts, for his 
 Conduct as a Minifter, there is no one of more Weight 
 than that in the Text, Let no Man defpife thee. And 
 *tis of common Obligation on all, whom it has pleafed 
 God to put into the Miniftry. They fhould all behave 
 fb as not to be defpifed, fo as to give no juft Occafion 
 to be fo. That's the Meaning of the Words. O- 
 therwife, Minifters would have a hard Tafk indeed. 
 Their Duty would be an utter Impoffibility. For 'tis 
 not in their Power, though they fhould be as wife as 
 
 Serpents, 
 
8 A Convention SERMON: 
 
 Serpents, and harmlefs as Doves, to pafs through the 
 World, and not be defpifed, They may, through the 
 Supply of the SPIRIT of JESUS CHRIST, bghave fo 
 circumipe&ly and inoffenfively, as that none may have 
 Reafon to treat them with Contempt ; but they can't 
 command the Wills of other Men, they have not the 
 Government of their Pafllons, or Prejudices, or Lofts. 
 The GREAT SAVIOUR himfelf, though a Prophet of 
 unfpotted Innocence, was yet defpifed of Men. And 
 Jhall the Dffciple be above his LORD ? Shall the World 
 vilify the MASTER, and the Servant be better treated ? 
 The Spirit of too many is fiich, that we may expedb, 
 be we as cautious as we will, to be derided. And this 
 indeed feems to be implied in the Text it felf. The 
 Exhortation, Let no Man defpife thee^ plainly fuppofes 
 a too great Pronenefs in People to treat Minifters with 
 Contempt -, and their Duty lies, not in People's not 
 clelpifing them, but in not deferving their Contempt, 
 in doing nothing that may lay a juft Foundation For 
 it. 
 
 In further fpeaking to the Text, I fliall, 
 
 I. Say fomething of that Difpofition there is in Peo- 
 ple to defpife the Minifters of CHRIST. 
 
 II. Show wherein they fliould take Care to avoid the 
 Qccafions of Contempt. 
 
 III. Reprefent the Obligations which lie upon them 
 to fuch a Care. 
 
 The whole will then be followed with fome futable 
 Application. 
 
 I. I am, in the firft Place, to fpeak of that Diffqfi- 
 tion there is in People to defpife the Minifters of CHRIST, 
 Not that I would infinuate, as if they were generally 
 faulty in this Refpedt Many there are,GODhe ifcank- 
 ed, who acknowledge the fpecial Relation they bear 
 to JESUS CHRIST, and treat them as Stewards f fa 
 Myjleries of GOD j Deeming them bigty fr Love, both 
 
 for 
 
A Convention SERMON. 9 
 
 for their Office, and Wortfs Sake. And fome, it may 
 be, think more highly of them than is meet. Thole, 
 -to be fure, do fo, who have thtirPerfons in Admiration \ 
 btindly receiving all they fay, as though it were infalli- 
 ble Truth. This is doing them too much Honour ; 
 yea, 'tis placing them in the Room of CHRIST, and 
 calling them Mafter in Oppofition to the one Mafter in 
 Heaven. Brethren, we renounce all claim to fuch un- 
 due Reverence. We don't pretend to have Dominion 
 ever your Faith, but only to be Helpers of your Joy. 
 And inftead of an implicit Faith in our Dictates, we 
 commend to you the Example of the noble Bereans, 
 who fearched the Scriptures daily, to fee whether the 
 Things taught them were the Truths of GOD, yea, or 
 nay : Nor dare we advife you to hold faft what we de- 
 liver to you, in the Courfe of our Preaching, only as 
 . you perceive it to be good, upon full Proof from the 
 Word of CHRIST. To the Law, and to theTeftimony : 
 If what we fay does not agree herewith, there is no 
 Light nor Truth in it. 
 
 You may, perhaps, have conceiv'd fo high an Opi- 
 nion of the uncommon Sanctity of fome particular Mi- 
 nifters, in Diflinclion from others, and the divine Tea- 
 chings they are under, as to fuppofe them to have got 
 beyond all Danger of Miftakes. -, you may be ready to 
 think it impoflible you mould err, while you follow 
 the Inftru6tions of Men filled with fuch extraordinary 
 Meafures of the HOLY GHOST : But you ought to 
 remember, 'tis not always thofe who make the greatefl 
 Pretences to the SPIRIT, who are mod favoured with 
 his real Influences ; nor are any fmce the Days of In- 
 fpiration, fo led by the SPIRIT as to be infallible. A- 
 las ! the beft qualified Minifters are but Men -, Men 
 of like Paffions with your felves : And of this they too 
 often give Proof by the Errors they run into, in Prin- 
 ciple as well as Practice. They may not therefore be 
 depended on, as though you could not be mifguided by 
 
 B them. 
 
io A Convention SERMON, 
 
 them. Be their Gifts, or Graces, or Z0al, what they 
 will j or let their Pretences to the immediate Conduct 
 of the Divine SPIRIT be as peremptory as they will, 
 you .mud not believe this,or the other Thing,to be the 
 Truth, as it is in JESUS, upon their Authority : No, 
 but you muft bring what they fay, with an unprejudic- 
 ed Mind, to the HOLY BIBLE , clofing in with it, or 
 rejecting it, as you find it, upon Trial,to agree or difa- 
 gree with that one only I'eft of all religiousTruth : Nor 
 will you otherwife be able to excufe your felves ano- 
 ther Day. It won't then fuffice to plead, that you 
 were told this,or that, by thofe you efteemed Men ex* 
 traor dinar ily afTifled by the SPIRIT j for you had the 
 Scriptures to repair to, and might have examined what 
 they faid by that facred and unerring Rule : Which, if 
 you neglected to do, believing Man rather than GOD, 
 how will you hold up your Heads ? 'Twon't leflen, 
 but aggravate your Fault, to pretend you fubmitted 
 your Confciences to meer humane Dictates ; for it will 
 then appear, that your embracing any Thing for a 
 Truth of GOD, upon any Authority Ihort of his, was 
 fetting up that Authority in his Throne, and paying 
 that Honour to the Creature, which is due only to the 
 Creator* 
 
 But if there are fome, who rife too high in their Re- 
 fpecls to Minifters, are there not others, on the con- 
 trary 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 felf, treat- 
 ing it with Sneer and Ridicule ? And what Wonder, 
 if the Perfons of Minifters don't efcape the Scorn and 
 Contempt of fiich ? They have indeed a pitiful Tho't- 
 of all of this Profeflion , and fpare none, though of 
 the moil fhining Accomplifhments. If they know no- 
 thing more of a Man than that he is a Minifiber, 'tis 
 enough with them to finifh his Character ; This alone 
 will give them a low mean Opinion of him -, though 
 without cither Candour Or Juftice, Not 
 
A Convention SERMON. 1 1 
 
 Not but that there have been, among the Clergy^ 
 both weak and 'vicious Men. It would be a flrange 
 Thing indeed if their hadn't. But why rnuft the \vhoie 
 Order fuffer Reproach on this Account ? Is this fair? It 
 is thought to be fo in other Profeflions ? If there arc any 
 who make themfelves vile,let them bear all thelndignity 
 they defrrve : But where is the Equity of blaming the 
 Innocent with the Guilty ? Are there not Men of 
 Worth in the facred Fundtion, as well as in other Em- 
 ployments ? Men of Capacity and Integrity, yea, and 
 of extenfive Uiefulnefs, through their abundant La- 
 bours in the Caufe of GOD ? And mall they all, not- 
 withftanding, be condemned, and by the Lump too, as 
 a Parcel of fimple, or elfe crafty and defigning Men ? 
 
 This, I know, has fometimes been fuggefted, if not 
 plainly fpoken out, to the Prejudice of their Reputati- 
 on ; and with all the Embellishments of Wit and 
 Railery. But if Men, profefTedly of no Principles, 
 are Enemies to thofe, whofe Bufinefs it is to plead the 
 Caufe of Virtue and true Religion, what is it more than 
 might be expedted ? Nor would they act up to their 
 Character, if, rather than not afperfe them, they did 
 not make a handle of any Thing -, and inftead of 
 folid Argument exer: themfelves in prophane Banter, 
 
 I may not impertinently add here, *Tis not only a- 
 mong atheiftical vicious-Men that Minift.ers are treated 
 with Contempt. They have appear'd flrangely prone 
 to defpife one another, and to take all Occafions to do 
 fov, .and this has been too much their Way, in all 
 Places, and Ages of the World. If fome Minifies 
 han't had Light to think, or fpeak, juft as fome others 
 would haye them, how commonly have they been the 
 Objects of their Contempt ? What Names of Igno- 
 miny and Reproach have been can: upon them ? And 
 how has die Spirit of Contempt been propagated from 
 Mmifters to People, to the great Hindrance of the 
 B * 
 
12, A Convention SERMON. 
 
 Gofpel ? Perhaps, forne of the Minifters of CHRIST, 
 and it may be as faithful Minifters as any in theGofpel- 
 Church, have fuffered more from their own Brethren, 
 and fuch among the People as have been fet on Fire 
 by them, than they ever have, even from foul-mouth'd 
 Infidels. Says the excellent Mr. Baxter, fpeaking of 
 the Sectaries of his Day, " They have quite out-ftrip- 
 " ped the profane Scorners of the Miniftry. By ma- 
 " ny Years Experience in converfmg with thefe Men, 
 " I can fpeak it knowingly, that the chiefeft of their 
 " Zeal is let out againft the faithful Minifters of 
 " CHRIST. He is the ableft of their Preachers, that 
 <c can rail at them in the vileft Language. It is their 
 <c moft common Difcourfe, in all Companies, both god- 
 " ly and profane, to vilify the Miniftry, and make 
 " them odious to all ; partly, by Slanders, and partly 
 " by Scorns. Is this the Way to win Souls ? Where- 
 " as formerly they thought, that if a Man were 
 " won to a Love of the Miniftry, and Ordinan- 
 " ces, he was in a hopeful Way of being won to 
 " God ; now thefe Men are diligent to bring all 
 " Men to fcorn them, as if this were all that was ne- 
 ir cefTary to the favingof their Souls, and he only fhall 
 c be happy, that can deride at Minifters and Difci- 
 " pline." He adds, " If any Man doubt of the 
 " Truth of what I fay, he is a Stranger in England*^ 
 
 I will not go about to draw a Parallel between the 
 late Times in this Land, and thofe referred to by this 
 pious and learned Writer ; but thus much I may be 
 allow'd to fay, that the Body of*the Minifters were ne- 
 ver treated with more Infult and Contempt than by 
 Multitudes, and of thofe too, who once efteemed them 
 the Glory of New-England : Nor were they ever more 
 hardly cenfured than by fome of their own Order, from 
 whom they might have expected better Things. It 
 will not be denied, that*hey have had all Manner of 
 Evil fpoken againft them, and this, in the Face of 
 
 crowded 
 
A Convention SERMON. 1 3 
 
 crowded Auditories. And are there not Numbers, in 
 many Places, who have learned, from their admired 
 Teachers,, to give them no better Names than Pharifees, 
 blind Leaders of the Blind, Oppofers of CHRIST, and 
 what not ? And han't this Contempt been thrown 
 upon as valuable Minifters as any the LORD JESUS 
 CHRIST has in the Country, of as known Sonndnefs in 
 the Faith, and as exemplary a Walk in Conformity to the 
 Precepts of the Gofpel ? 
 
 Let us not be difcouraged, my Brethren ; what tho* 
 we are defpifed, not only by Men of no Religion, but 
 thofe who pretend to a great Deal ? This was the Lot 
 of infpired Apoftles ; yea, of JESUS CHRIST himfelf : 
 And it has often been the Lot of his moil faithful Mi- 
 nifters ever fmce. Meerly our being defpifed, is not 
 our Fault, tho' it may be our Unhappinefs. The Fault 
 is, to deferve Contempt *, and we cannot, it muft be 
 own'd, be too much upon our Guard, that there may be 
 no juft Reafon to charge it upon us : Which leads me 
 to the next Thing, namely, 
 
 II. To mew wherein Minifters mould take Care to 
 give no Occafion of Contempt. And their Care Ihould 
 be expreft in the following Particulars. 
 
 T. If they would not be defpis'd, they fhould fee to 
 it that they ben't ignorant. It was required under the 
 Jewijh (Economy, that the Priejfs Lips fhould preferve 
 Knowledge,becmfe the People were to ajk the Law at his 
 Mouth. And the fameThing is equally necefTary, under 
 the Difpenfation by JESUS CHRIST. Gofpel-Minifters 
 fhould be as Scribes inftrufled unto the Kingdom of Hea- 
 ven -, they fhould be like the good Houfholder, who can 
 bring out of his Treafure "Things new and old. 'Tis 
 mentioned by the infpired Paul, as an e/ential Qualifi- 
 tation of a Guide to Souls, that he be apt to teach, and 
 by found Doftrine* both to exhort and convince the 
 
 Gain- 
 
14 d Convention SERMON. 
 
 Gainfayers. And can the Minifter be thus fitted for 
 his Office, without confiderable 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 Edu- 
 cation. He ought to have Skill in the learned Arts 
 and Languages, fo as to be ready to make ufe of them 
 in the Service of the Sanftuary, as Occafion may call 
 for it : Nor otherwife will he rife above juft Contempt. 
 
 It may reafonably be expected of Minifters, that they 
 fhould have made confiderable Attainments, particu- 
 larly in the Knowledge of Divinity. How elfe fhould 
 they be Teachers of others in this noble Art ? Shall 
 Men be ignorant in their own Profeffion ? How in- 
 congruous is this ? What can more ftrongly tend to 
 render them defpicable ? What will actually bring up- 
 on them greater Contempt ? 
 
 Not but that illiterate Men are fometimes mightily 
 cried up ; raw ignorant Novices highly applauded and 
 admired : But 'tis only among fuch as have need to 
 abound yet more and more in 'Knowledge and Judgment : 
 As for others, who, by Reafon of Ufe, have their Senfes 
 exercifed to difcern both Good and Evil, they readily per- 
 ceive the Infufficiency of Teachers, under/landing nei- 
 ther what they fay, nor whereof they affirm. Nor would 
 it be flrange, if, in their Behaviour, they fhould ex- 
 prefs the low Opinion they entertain of them. And 
 the Contempt due to fuch blind Guides will, with Juf- 
 tice, be reflected on others of the fame Order, if they 
 appear forward to invite, them into their Pulpits ; efpe- 
 daily, if they do it to the Neglect of thofe who are of 
 known eftablilhed Merit, and hereby baulk their own 
 Judgment to fall in with the popular Humour^, #-,. 
 
 ...... , gygP^ 
 
 It may be worth Confideration, We live in an Age, 
 wherein there is feme Learning as well as a great deal 
 
 of 
 
A Convention SERMON. 1 5 
 
 of Ignorance : And thare are, among our Hearers, a 
 eonfiderable Number/ eminent for their good Senfe 
 and acquired Accomplifriments : And it muft needs be 
 diftafteful to fuch, to behold thofe fet up for publick 
 Teachers i who need themfetoes to be taught which be the 
 frft Principles of the Oracles of GOD. They can't 
 help conceiving a mean Thought of fuch Medlers 
 with what they are neither qualified for, nor called to j 
 and their being careffed, not only by the Populace^ 
 ( which is no Wonder ) but by thofe cloathed with the 
 f acred Charaffer, is a Damage to Minifters 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* doubtlefs, be here faid, the Apoftles them- 
 felves, the firft Preachers of the Gofpel, were a Set of 
 ordinary Men, deftitute of the Advantage of Learning, 
 And 'tis readily own'd, the moil of them were Ib. But 
 then 'tis obfervable, they were not allow'd to go forth 
 from Jerufalem, to teach the Nations, '//// they been had 
 indued with Power from on High. \. e. 'till the HOLY 
 GHOST had, in a miraculous Manner, fitted them for 
 their Work. So that 'tis aMiftake to think the Apoftles 
 commenc'd Preachers, while unfnrnifli'd for the facred 
 Employment. 5 Tis true, they did not pafs thro' a 
 Courfe of Study preparatory to their Miffion as Mini- 
 fters 5 but 'tis as true, that the Want of this was abun- 
 dantly made up, by the Effufion of the HOLY GHOST 
 upon them in miraculous Gifts -, enabling them not on- 
 ly to fpeak with Tongues, but without previous Me- 
 ditation, and fo 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 Miniftry, expecting 
 the Beftowment of the SPIRIT, in extraordinary Gifts ; 
 as in the Days of the Apgftles, But they herein err, 
 
 not 
 
1 6 A Convention SERMON. 
 
 not confidering the Difference between the State of 
 Things now, and when the Gofpel was frft made pib- 
 lick. It was neceflfary the Chnftian Revelation* fhould 
 be approved of GOD, by Signs, and Wonders, and Mi- 
 racles, done in the midft of tbe People ; and that it Ihould 
 alfo be infallibly delivered to the World, as the ftand- 
 ing Rule of Men's Faith and Practice, which, it coitld 
 not have been, if holy Men had not fpoken, and wrote 
 it, as mov'd and infpired by the HOLY GHOST ; 
 Whereas, there is no Need of the like extraordinary In- 
 fluence of the Divine SPIRIT, now that Chriftianity has 
 received its Confirmation and been eftablifht, in the 
 World, as a Religion coming from GOD. Accord- 
 ingly, theWay of becoming qualified to beMinifters of 
 this Religion is, not by any miraculous Interpofition of 
 Heaven, but by Attendance to Reading, Meditation and 
 Prayer. In this Way, we may hope, thro* the Blefling 
 of GOD, to be furnifht with all futable minifterial 
 Gifts : But if, inftead of Labour and Pains, in the Ule 
 of ordinary Means, we expect the Defcent of the HOLY 
 GHOST in Tongues ef Fire, or depend on extraordinary 
 Revelations, or immediate Imprejfions, we mall only ren- 
 der our felves meet Objects of Contempt. Who have 
 all along been the ableft Defenders of Chriftianity ? 
 Who have fet its Doctrines in the cleared and moft 
 confident Light ? Who have explained and urg'd its 
 Precepts, m the moft inftructive and convincing Man- 
 ner ? Who have been the grand Supporters of its 
 Worfhip and Order ? Can this Honour be claimed by 
 your Pretenders to immediate Revelations, and extraor- 
 dinary Influences from above ? Muft it not rather be 
 given to thofe, who,by hard Study, and a confiderable 
 Stay at the School of the Prophets, have, through: a 
 Divine Rlefling on their Endeavours, got their Minds 
 furnifht with defirable Meafures of Knowledge and 
 good Underftanding ? There is no Room for Debate 
 on the Matter. No Man, fmce the Days of the Apo- 
 ftles, was ever futably qualified for the Miniftry, but 'in 
 
 the 
 
A Convention SERMON. 1 7 
 
 the Way of Labour and Pains, in an Attendance on 
 the ordinary Means of Inftruftion : And thofe who 
 have left this Way of GOD's Appointing, in Expecta- 
 tion of extraordinary Supplies from the SPIRIT, have 
 too commonly, fooner or later, run wild, to the expo- 
 fing, not only themfelves, but the whole Miniftry, yea, 
 Religion it felf, to Contempt. 
 
 But pofilbly, it will be further urged, does not GOD 
 fometimes take Occafion, from the Labours of Men of 
 finall Parts, and little Learning, to ferve the Ends of 
 his own Kingdom ? And if GOD approves of Per- 
 ibns of fuch a Charater, why mould not we ? The 
 Anfwer whereto is eafy. A Diftindion ought always 
 to be made between GOD's Approbation of a Thing, 
 and his taking Occafion from it to do Good : Nor can 
 the former be at all collected from the latter. 'Tis 
 readily allow'd, the alwife merciful GOD may over-rule 
 the Miniftrations of weak ignorant Men for fpirituai 
 Advantage to Souls , but it cannot be argued from 
 hence, that he looks upon fuch Perfons as fit to be in- 
 truded with the facred Miniftry. In Order to know 
 his Mind in this Matter, the great Queftion ought to 
 be^ what are the Qualifications the BIBLE, that public, 
 ftanding^ authentic Revelation of the Divine Will, 
 makes neceffary to be found in thofe who would be 
 Gofpel-Minifters ? And if it appears, that it requires* 
 Knowledge^ and confiderabls Degrees of it, thofe only are 
 fit Co be put into the Miniftry, who are thus qualified. 
 There is., no Doubt, a Latitude in this Cafe. A Man 
 may be qualified for the Miniftry, tho' he mould nor 
 be furnifht with Knowledge in the higheft Degrees : 
 But then, he muft have Knowledge in fab a Propor- 
 tion as to anfwer the Scripture Demands, or he is certain- 
 ly an unfutable Perfon to be employed as a Minifter. 
 
 And this is a Matter of greater Importance than 
 many may be ready tadmagine. For 'tis remarkable, 
 
 C when 
 
1 8 A Convention SERMON. 
 
 \vhen GOD would reprefent a People as in. the moft 
 deplorable Circumftances, 'tis in fuch Language as that, 
 Ifa.lvi. 10,1 1. His Watchmm are blind: bey are all ig~ 
 nor ant ; they are dumb Dogs, they cannot bark. hey 
 are Shepherds that cannot underftand. On the contrary, 
 when he is returning to a backfliding People, in a Way 
 of Mercy, and would beftow the richeft Bleflings on 
 them, that is mentioned as one of the greateft, Jer. 
 iii. 15. / will give them Paftors according to mine own 
 Heart^ which Jhall feed them with Knowledge and Under- 
 flanding. And again, Chap, xxiii. 4. Iwillfet up Shep- 
 herds over them, which Jhall feed them. 
 
 2. Minifters, if they would not be defpifed, muft 
 riot fet a bad Example. The Defign of their Office is 
 to difengage Men from their Vices, and perfwade them 
 to a fober, righteous and godly Life, in Conformity to 
 the Precepts of the Gofpel. And mall they, whofe 
 profeflfed Bufmefs it is, to turn Men from the Power of 
 Sin and Satan, be the Servants of Unrighteoufnefs ? 
 How unfeemly is this ? Thou that fayeft, a Man fhould 
 not commit this, or the other evil Deed, dofl thou do 
 the fame thy felf ? Thou that magnifieft the Law in 
 thy preaching, doft thou in thy Practice difhonour 
 GOD by breaking it ? How fhocking is fuch a Con- 
 duct ? And what but Contempt can be the Effect ? 
 'Tis obfervable, when the Jewijh Priefts^ in theDays of 
 Malachi, departed from the Way of the LORD, and 
 corrupted his Covenant, The LORD of Hofts faid unto 
 them? Therefore have I made you CONTEMPTIBLE, and 
 BASE before all the People. And the like may be ex- 
 pected by all Minifters, who behave after the fame ill 
 Manner. 'Twould be juft in GOD to give them up 
 to Contempt : Nor if they were bafe in the Eyes of 
 the People, would it be beyond their Defert. A vici- 
 ous Man, and yet a Preacher of Rightcoufnefi, how 
 grofs the Inconfiflency ! A Man of GOD, and yet 
 vain, or proud, or covetous, or intemperate, or idle 
 
 and 
 
A Convention SERMON. 19 
 
 and unfaithful, how palpable the Abfurdity ! There is 
 not, on the Earth, a more meet Object of Reproach. 
 He has forfeited all Right to the good Opinion of 
 Men ; and Ihould he claim their Reverence, in Virtue 
 of his Office, he would only render himfelf Hill more 
 contemptible. 
 
 Nor may it be thought, that fuch an one would be 
 likely to do much good. Who would believe, or re- 
 gard, what he faid ? He would rather harden Men in 
 Sin, than recover them from it. He would rather 
 make them fufpicious of the Truth of Religion, than 
 concerned to become the Subjects of it. There are, in 
 one Word, no fuch effectual Hinderers of the Gofpel, 
 and Obftacles in the Way of its Succefs, as wicked 
 Minifters : And the greater the Contempt they meet 
 with, the better. 
 
 Only let it be remembred, thofe only ought to be 
 efteemed wicked Minifters, who vifibly appear to be 
 fo. If there is an agreeable Harmony between the 
 Manner of their Life and Profeffion^ 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 thefe 
 Times ; but it's being a common Practice won't make 
 it a Chriftian one. We ought not to look into the 
 Hearts of Minifters infteadof their Lives, and judge 
 them to be Pharifaical and unconverted^ from a pre- 
 tended Knowledge of their inward Principles and Springs 
 of Action. This is to affume to our felves the Prero- 
 gative of GOD, who only has an Infpedtion into hu- 
 mane Hearts, and allows us to judge of one another only 
 From what is outward and vijible. By tbeir Fruits jballyc 
 know them. This is the Rule out SAVIOUR has given 
 us ; and 'tis a Rule particularly refering to the Cafe 
 of Minifters 3 and the only one by which we may 
 
 C 2 form 
 
A Convention SERMON. 
 
 form a Judgment of their Chara&er. 'Tis true, they 
 may not be the Men inwardly.^ they appear to be out- 
 wardly , but this is none of pur Bufmefs. The De- 
 termination 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 Darknefs, and manifeft the Counfels of all Hearts. 
 
 I may add to what has been faid, Minifters, if they 
 would command Refpect, muft be Men of exemplary 
 Holinefs. They muft not think it enough, if they keep 
 t a Diftance from every Thing mean and bafe ; if 
 they abflain from all grofs and notorious Crimes : But 
 they mould exprefs a Care to mew put of a good 
 Converfarion their Works with Meeknefs of Wifdorq. 
 It fhouJd not content them, that they are blamelefs as 
 the Stewards of GOD, not felf- willed, not foon angry, 
 not given to Wine, not given to filthy Lucre ; but 
 vhey fliould be Lovers of Hofpitality, Lovers of good 
 Men, fober, juft, holy, temperate : In all Things 
 ihewing themfelves Pattern^ of good Works, and Ex- 
 ^mples of the Believers, in Word, in Converfation, in 
 Charity, in Spirit, in Faith, in Purity. This was the 
 Direction PAUL gave TIMOTHY, as that which 
 would not only fet him above Contempt, but procure 
 for him all futable Reflect ; Nor could he have advi- 
 fed to a more effectual Expedient to beautify his Cha- 
 radler, and fecure a good Reputation. There is a 
 ftrange Power in exemplary Virtue to command Rever- 
 ence. It will, beyond the fineft Accomplifhments of 
 Learning, or the greateft Eloquence in Preaching, ren- 
 der the Minifler amiable in the Eyes of People ; they 
 can't but love and honour him ; yea, even profane Sin- 
 ners, if not given up to a reprobate Mind, will treat 
 him with a decent Efteem, while they behold his good 
 Converfation in CHRIST. And this alib will give a 
 fmgular Energy to his Preaching. A bad Life will 
 turn the Edge of the keeneft Difcourfes, delivered from 
 
 the 
 
A Convention SERMON. 2,1 
 
 the Pulpit ; but when die Minifter exhibits, in his Be- 
 Jiaviour, a Pattern of what he preaches, his Doctrine 
 will be likely to flrike the Mind with a divine Force, 
 and ^nfwer the faving Ends to which it is defigned. 
 
 3. Minifters, if they would not be defpifed, rnuft 
 not expofe themfelves by an undue Performance of 
 the -public Offices of their Station. 'Tis juftly expect- 
 ed they fhould manage thefe with a. becoming Dexteri^ 
 ty i for they profefs to have Ability to do fo. And 
 if they are Blunderers wherein they pretend to be Maf- 
 ftrs, how ihould it be but that they mould fink in the 
 Efleem of Mankind ? 'Tis thus in all other Profefli- 
 ons : Nor will the Sacrednefs of the miniilerial Cha- 
 racter prevent its being fo here. Minifters may want 
 the Art of managing in the common Bufmefles of Life, 
 and not be thought the worfe of -, becaufe they pre- 
 tend to no Skill in Affairs of fuch a Nature : But 
 they do pretend to have Skill in managing the 
 public Offices of Religion. Praying, and Preaching, 
 and over- feeing the Affairs of GOD's Houfe, are the 
 proper Duties of their Calling -, and if they are really 
 wanting in a Faculty decently to perform thefe Duties, 
 their Character muft run low in the Opinion of all fu- 
 table Judges. But to be diftinct here. 
 
 (i.) Minifters mould take Care to manage their pub- 
 lic Prayers fo as not to expofe themfelves to Contempt. 
 It is not indeed to be expected, they fhould all be able, 
 in the like eafy, natural, flowing Language, to lead in 
 theAddrefles of a Congregation to the Divine Majefty. 
 Some, it has pleafed GOD to furnifh with the Gift of 
 Prayer, to an eminent Degree. They never Ihine 
 brighter, than when they are called, and it may be o;i 
 a fudden, to reprefent fome fpecial Cafe before the 
 Throne of Mercy. Their Mouths are ffljd with 
 Arguments, and they can utter themfelves to 
 the Ravifhrnent of the devout praying Afiem- 
 
 bly. 
 
A Convention SERMON. 
 
 bly. But though all are not alike gifted ; yet all, 
 methinks, fhould be able to go out of the common 
 Road, as Occafion may call for it, without rambling, 
 or ftammering, or running into Tautologies. If any are 
 wanting in fuch an Ability, it may be fear'd, whether 
 they have taken that Pains, in thetlfe of Means, which 
 is proper, in Order to their attaining the Gift of Pray- 
 er. Or, if it fhould be the Cafe of fome, that they 
 are born down with Over-modefty of Temper, or 
 poflefs not the Faculty of conceiving quick enough for 
 a ready Utterance, they might do better to pray by 
 fome well-compos'd Form, than to run the Hazard of 
 
 falling into Contempt by difguftful Hefitations. 
 
 t' i " /' 
 
 Nor is it enough that Minifters pray well as to Mat- 
 ter : They fhould take Heed to the Manner alfo, that 
 it be with Serioufnefs, in Oppofition to all Levity and 
 Airinefs of Temper ; with an apparent Awe and So- 
 lemnity of Spirit, and with fuch an awakened Fervour 
 and Devotion, as fhall make it evident, they realife the 
 Worth, efpecially of thofc fpiritual and eternalBleflings, 
 which they afk at the Hands of the great and good 
 GOD. 
 
 I fhall add here, they fhould be particularly careful 
 not to mingle their own Paffions and Prejudices with 
 their Prayers : Nor fhould they oblige a whole AfTem- 
 bly to be of their Mind, in Matters of doubtful Dif- 
 putation, or elfe come to an undefired Paufe in their 
 Devotion. Minifters, when praying in publick, are 
 to be confidered as the Mouth of the Congregation ; 
 and as fuch, there is a manifeft Impropriety in their 
 going into the Ufe of fueh Petitions, orThankfgivmgs, 
 as a great Part of the Congregation can't, in Faith, 
 join with them in offering up to GOD. I the Mther 
 mention this, becaufe it may have been too "much a 
 Practice, among fome Minifters, more eipecially in 
 the late Times, to exprefe themfelves in Language, 
 
 they 
 
7 ~ 
 
 A Convention SERMON. 2,3 
 
 they could not but know, if they allowed themfelves 
 
 to think, a considerable Number of thofe 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 fmall Importance, that there be 
 
 an Agreement between thofe who pray, refpe&ing the 
 
 Things they pray for. And our SAVIOUR himfelf 
 
 feemstohave taught as much, in that Declaration of 
 
 his, Matth. xviii. 19- I fay unto you, that if any two 
 
 of you Jhall agree on Earth >, as touching any Thing that 
 
 they Jhall ajk 9 it Jhall be done for them of my Father which 
 
 is in Heaven. And it is as futable an Affembly of wor- 
 
 Jhifping Chriftians ihould be agreed, refpe&ing what 
 
 they afk of GOD in Prayer, as that two private Per- 
 
 fens fhould : Nor otherwise may they encourage a 
 
 hope, that it mall be done for them according to what 
 
 they defire. And if this was more thoroughly confi- 
 
 dered, it might put Minifters upon greater Care, fo to 
 
 adapt their Prayers, as that all might harmonife in 
 
 fending them up to the Throne of Mercy. 
 
 (2.) Minifters fhould take care that their Preaching 
 be fuch as may give no Occafion of Contempt. 
 And here fuffer me, with an honeft Freedom and Sim- 
 plicity, to mention fbme of the many Things which 
 call for the Care of Minifters, if they would not be de- 
 fpifed. 
 
 And to be fure,they Ihould not in their Preaching in- 
 vade the Province of others. Their Work does not lie at 
 large, but is reftrained within proper Bounds. They are 
 Paftors to particularFlocksiThefeare their fpecialCharge; 
 they have taken the Overfight of them, and ihould 
 employ themfelves in feeding them with Knowledge 
 and Underftanding. Not that they are fo confin'd, 
 that they may not preach but to their own People. 
 This they may do ; but it fhould always be within the 
 Rules of Order. They fliould not go into other Pa- 
 rimes 
 
24 <A Convention SERMON, 
 
 riflies to keep up an unreafonable Difaffeftion in Peo- 
 ple to their own Minifters : Neither fhould they pre- 
 fome to preach there, trufting in themfelves that they 
 are righteous, but harbouring in their Breafts unchari- 
 table Sufpicions of their Brethren, as carnal and un- 
 convertei 
 
 ; '*- ;.r; '-' H'^'Vjl 
 
 It may look like Zeal for CHRIST, and a vehement 
 Delire to do good to Souls^ for Minifters to go about 
 from Parifh to Parifh, fpending themfelves and being 
 fpent, through their abundant Labours : And they 
 may be carefTed on this Account by many Perfons, as 
 having more of the Spirit of CHRIST and his Apoftles 
 than their Brethren. But whatever Charity may be 
 difpofed to hope, GOD only knows the true Spring of 
 fiich a Conduct. It may, poflibly, be Pride and Self- 
 Conceit, or a vain Itch to be admired and applauded : 
 And among all who afcribe it to fuch a Caufe, 
 ( as there are many that will ) they will be contemned. 
 But be the Motive what it will, ever fo Chriftian, or 
 Noble, the Practice, I believe, is bad ; as tending, in 
 the natural Courfe of Things, to introduce Confufion 
 and Diforder : Nor has it ever yet fail'd of finking 
 the Credit of the Minifhy, in a lefs or greater Degree. 
 
 ^ 
 
 But after all, if any are fond of going about from 
 Place to Place, thinking they mall hereby have Op- 
 portunity of doing GOD good Service ; why won't 
 they go where they will invade no Man's Right, nor 
 Occafion Schifms and Separations. Are there not thofe r 
 even in .this Province, and among the EngHfh too, 
 (to our Shame be it fpoken) who are deftitute of the 
 Gofpel, in the Miniftry of it ? And are there not vaft 
 Numbers, in the neighbouring Governments of VIR- 
 GINIA and NORTH-CAROLINA (not to fay any Thing 
 of the Natives) who live almoft in heatheniih Dark- 
 nefs ? And would it not difcover as much Love to 
 Souls, and as difmterefted Zeal to ferve the Redeemer's 
 
 Kingdom, 
 
A Convention SERMON, 25 
 
 Kingdom, for Minifters to travel up and down, preach- 
 ing, the Gofpel to thefe People, as to go about from 
 Place to Place,where the Gofpel is preached every Sab- 
 bath-Day, and by Perfons cali'd to the Work, qualifi- 
 ed for it, and fixed in it ? There is Room for itinera- 
 ting : And the more abundant any are in it, the great- 
 er will be their Glory : Nor will any one be difpos'd 
 to withhold from them the Praife that is their jiift 
 Due. 
 
 Minifters alfo mould take Care* that their Preaching 
 may favour of Pains and Induftry. Not that they 
 may'nt preach, if they han't had Time to labour a 
 Difcourfe. NecefTary Avocations, or the Suddennefs 
 of a Call to fpeak, may juftify their going into the 
 Pulpit, when their Preparations have been more hafty 
 than they would have chofen : And, at fuch Times, a 
 tolerable Meafure of Candour in Hearers would make 
 the Allowances that may reafonably be expeded. But, 
 ordinarily? their Sermons fhould appear to be the Fruic 
 of Labour and Study. The wife Man fays, The Preach- 
 er fought to find out acceptable Words. He is fpeaking 
 of himfelf, who, though he excelled all Men in Un- 
 derftanding, yet did not turn People off with any 
 Thing that came next to Hand ; but took Pains to 
 exprefs himfelf in agreeable Language. And he is 
 herein to be imitated by all Preachers. Not that fine 
 Turns of Wit, high rhetorical Flights, calculated chief-* 
 ly to entertain the Fancy, need be any Part of their 
 Care ; but yet, they fhould endeavour to cloath their 
 Difcourfes in a becoming Drefs. Their Language 
 fhould be far from low and vulgar, yet eafy and natu- 
 ral : Their Words fitly fpoken, and fuch as may bd 
 likely to pleafe Men to their Edification. And they 
 fliould the rather be concern'd about this,as wifely cho- 
 fen Words, according to what follows in the next 
 Verfe, are as Goads and Nails faftened by the Mafters of 
 "ties. i. e, '< There is the like Power in them to 
 I) excise 
 
2,6 A Convention SERMON. 
 
 excite and ftir up the Minds of flothful Men to the 
 ]?raftice of Virtue, that there is in a Goad to prick the 
 Ox forward t Nor do they only fling and move the 
 Mind for the prefent , but are apt to flick as faft 
 in the Memory as Nails do, when they are driven into 
 a Board." 
 
 Nor ought Miniflers to think it enoiigh, if they 
 are careful about the Language of their Sermons ; but 
 the Matter and Method alfo fhould be the Effed of Me- 
 ditation and Study. Their Bufmefs is, rightly to divide 
 the Word of Truth. 'Tis the WM of GOD, and not 
 the Traditions or Commandments of Men ; 'tis the Faith 
 once delivered to the Saints, and not Leflures of meer 
 Reafon, they fhould bring their People. The Matter 
 of their Preaching fhould be the pure Gofpel of CHRIST. 
 And they mould rigbtly divide it. i.e. They fhould dif- 
 pofe it in due Order ; giving its Truths their proper 
 Place and diftributing them to the proper Perfbns. 
 And this they fhoi Id do like Men of Skill ; and in or- 
 der to it, fhould apply themfelves to their Work with 
 Care and Diligence. So Paul advifed Timothy ; call- 
 ing upon him to ftudy, if he would approve himfelf to 
 GOD a Workman that needed not to be ajhamed. And 
 he elfewhere recommends to him Reading and Medita- 
 tion, that bis profiting might appear to all Men. And 
 if fuch an extraordinary Perfon as Timothy was obliged 
 to the Ufe of Pains and Study, much more is this a 
 Duty in the ordinary Officers of the Church. 
 
 Not thaj/a Minifter, if he has tolerable Qualificati- 
 ons for Ms Work, need be at much Pains to make 
 Sermons that will pleafe fome fort of Hearers. But e- 
 ven thefe Hearers ought to be edified 'as well as pleas'd. 
 And though through want of Judgment, they may'nt 
 be able to diftinguim between an extempore Difcourfe, 
 and one that has coft the Preacher a great Deal of hard 
 Stody ^ yet the latter* if as it ought to be,wiU be much 
 
 better 
 
A Convention SERMON. 2,7 
 
 better adapted to promote their fpiritual Profit , and 
 there is more Reafon to expect a divine Blefiing will 
 accompany it to this End. Befides, a proper Refpect 
 ought to be paid to all Hearers ; to \hzftrong as well 
 as the weak, to the knowing as well as the ignorant : 
 And this there may be, where futable Care has been 
 taken to prepare what is to be delivered in public ; 
 for it may be accommodated to the Capacity of thofe 
 who are illiterate, and yet: fo contrived as to fall in 
 with the Relifh of the more intelligent : Whereas, if 
 it is crude and indigefted, though it may not be di 
 lik'd by the weak and injudicious, it will be .deipis'd by 
 thofe of better Underftanding. 
 
 It will, perhaps, be faid, thofe Minifters whp take 
 little or no Thought before-hand what they fhall fay, 
 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 efleem Preparation by Study an Ar- 
 gument of the Want of a juft Dependance on the 
 SPIRIT ; for fo far is this from the Truth'of the Cafe, 
 that they who are moft careful to make futable Prepa- 
 ration, take the Method in which they may moft rea- 
 fonably expect the divine Influences ; and they are the 
 moft likely Perfons to be favoured with them : Where-. 
 as, it may be fear'd, thofe, who venture into the Pul- 
 pit without Fore-thought, prefume upon the SPIRIT 
 rather than truft in him -, and s tis top often apparent, 
 that they receive no great Help from him. For who 
 more confus'd, many Times, in their Difcourfes * 
 Who more rafh and unguarded in their ExprefTions ? 
 Who more vain and arrogant in their Boaftings ? Who 
 more wild in their Imaginations ? And, in a Word> 
 who deliver the Truths of the Gofpel with a greater 
 Mixture of Miftake and Error ? And fhall it be pre-. 
 tended, that fuch Preaching is the Effect of extraordi- 
 nary Communications from the SPIRIT ? *Tis a 
 D. 2 
 
28 A Convention SERMON. 
 
 Reflection on the blefled SPIRIT of GOD to fuppofe 
 fuch a Thing. 
 
 It may take with fome People to be told by Mini- 
 fters, they knew not the Text they fhould preach from, 
 till they came into the Pulpit ; and they may be ready 
 to think the Men infpir'd ; efpecially, if they are able 
 to deliver themfelves 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 affift Minifters now, as in 
 the firft Days of the Gofpel. He did it then by im- 
 mediate Revelation , he does it now in a Way more 
 humane, by his Blefllng on their Studies. And while 
 Minifters , in this Way, depend on his Help, they may 
 humbly hope to obtain it : Whereas they will de- 
 ceive themfelves,, and impofe on People, if they go a- 
 bout to excufe their Neglects in the Ufe of ordinary 
 Means, pretending to extraordinary Communications 
 from aboye. 
 
 Minifters likewife fhould preach as thofe who are in 
 earneft. The Bufinefs they are engaged in is the moft 
 folemn 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 fhall they be cold and lifelefs in 
 an Affair of fuch infinite Importance ? Matters of ever- 
 lafting Life and Death fhould not be fpoken of, in ordi- 
 nary Difcourfe, but with a becoming Sollicitude : 
 Much more, when Minifters befpeak Men in the Name 
 of GOD, upon the Concerns of Heaven and HelJ, 
 fhould they do it with all Solemnity of Spirit. And 
 if, when they are talking upon thefe aftoniming Truths,, 
 they fpeak as if they were afleep, or had not upon their 
 Minds a ferious Senfe of their awful Weight and Reali- 
 ty, how can it be that they fhould affect the Hearts of 
 
 their 
 
Convention SERMON. 29 
 
 ' their Hearers ? They will rather be difpofed to flight 
 both them and what they fay ? Tho', that they might 
 not do this injurioufly, they fliould be very careful 
 they don't run into Miftakes, taking that for Dulnefs in 
 fome ? and an awakened Fervour in others, which may 
 be no certain Indication of either. The Tempers of 
 Minifters are very different, and fo are their Organs of 
 Speech ; infomuch,, that if they had all the fame Con- 
 cern about fpiritual and divine Things, they would not 
 be alike in the Manner of its Difcovery. And it ought 
 to be particularly notic'd, meer Loudnefs of Voice 
 is no Sign at all of a futable Frame of Mind. There 
 may be thtftillfmall Foice,and the Heart, at the fame 
 Time, ferioufly and thorowly warm ? d with a Senfe of 
 eternal Things , as on the other Hand, there may be a 
 noijy boifterous Fervency r , that is only biftrionical and af- 
 fected : And it very ill becomes the Mkiifter, and tends 
 rather to harden Sinners than do them any fpiritualGood. 
 .There is very little therefore to be collected meerly from 
 the Voice of the Preacher. The Manner is rnore to 
 be regarded : And if he really feels what he fays, be 
 his Voice great or fmall, it will ordinarily be perceived 
 by difcerning Hearers. And he fhould always endea- 
 vour to fpeak, not as tho* it were a Tafk,and he cared 
 not what he faid ; but as haying upon his Mind an a- 
 wakened Senfe of the Worth of Souls, and the Weight 
 of everlafling Concerns. 
 
 Further, Minifters, in their Preaching, fhould apply 
 to the Under/landings of their Hearers, and not lay out 
 all their Endeavours to work on their Paffions. Not 
 that 'tis improper to fpeak to the Affeftions ; for they 
 have their Ufe in Religion, and it may ferve a great 
 many good Purpofes to excite and warm them. But 
 then, it ought to be remembred, the Under/landing is 
 the leading Power in Man, and ought, as fuch, in the 
 firft Place, to be applied to. To be fure, the Under- 
 flanding ought not to be neglected. Light and Heat 
 
 ihould 
 
3o A Convention SERMON. 
 
 fhould always go together, and keep Pace with each 
 other : Nor unlefs there is a due Proportion of the 
 former, will it turn to any good Account, if there be 
 ever fo much of the latter : Nay, Heat in the Affecti- 
 ons, without Light in the Mind, will ferve rather to 
 make Men wild, than religious ; as has been too often 
 verified by fad Experience. Whenever the Paffions 
 therefore are addreft to, a good Foundation ought to 
 be firft laid in the. Underftanding ; Or otherwife, the 
 Difcourfe Ihould be manag'd fo as to inform theMind, 
 at the fame Time it kindles the Affections. And 
 BOW the Preaching is futed to work, in a regular Man- 
 ner, upon the Powers of humane Nature ; and if the 
 Effect is not the fpiritual Edification of Hearers, they 
 can reafonably reflect the Blame no where but on them- 
 felves. 
 
 A rambling incoherent Difcourfe, delivered in terri- 
 ble Language, and with great Vehemence of Voice 
 and Action, will have, I am fenfible, a more powerful 
 Tendency to difturb the Paffions, efpecially of fome 
 People. But where is the Advantage of throwing the 
 Paflions into a Tumult ? Of what Service can it be 
 to raife them to fuch aHeight>as that the due Exercife 
 of the reafonable Nature lhall be obftructed ? '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,thofePowers got to be uppermoft which 
 were made to be kept under Reftraint : And while they 
 cdntinue in this Condition, under the Government of 
 their P^0#.r,mftead of their Under/landings^ they are in. 
 extreme Hazard ; for there is no Wildnefs, whether 
 In Theory or Practice, but they are liable to be driven 
 into it. The ftiort of the Matter is, as Men are rea- 
 fonable Creatures, they are to be preached to as fucL 
 The Addrefs fhould be made, not fo much to 'their 
 Paffions as to their Underftandings ; at leaft r aU pro* 
 per Care fhould be taken to enlighten the Mind, and 
 
 Convince 
 
A Convention SERMONS 3 1 
 
 convince the Judgment, as well as to move the Affec- 
 tipns. And if inftead of fpeaking to the Minds of 
 Men, M inifters will lay out all their Pains to work upon 
 their Paffions^ as though herein lay the whole Value of 
 Religion, they will certainly expofe themfelves to all, 
 who have any tolerable Acquaintance with the Frame 
 of humane Nature. 
 
 Moreover, Minifters in their Preaching fhould infift 
 upon the great y^importanffruths of Religion,and not 
 beftow their greateft Pains upon lefs neceflary Points ; 
 the Circumflantials and Externals of Divine Worlhip * 
 Much left fhould they fpend their Breath about needlefs 
 QueftionSj which yftimfter to Strife, rather &&& godly Edi- 
 fying. Thefe are not the Thifngs which fhould take up 
 theirThoughts andLabours,j/inlefs they intend to bring 
 themfelves into Contempt. If they would acquit them- 
 felves, with Honour, they mufl dwell upon thofe Truths, 
 which have a near and clofe Connection with the Sal- 
 vation of Men's Souls ; fuch as the undone State of 
 Man by his Apofiacy from God, and the Method of 
 his Recovery,as revealed in the Gofpel. And as 'tis by 
 JESUS CHRIST, and him alone, that a new and living 
 Way has been open'd for the Entrance of Sinners intd 
 the holy Place, HE fhould be the great Subject of all 
 our Sermons. Their main Scope fbould be, to unfold 
 the Myftery which was hid from Ages and Generations, 
 but made manifeft inthefe laftDays,by the Incarnation 
 of our JESUS, and the feveral Offices he has fuftained 
 and executed, in our Nature, and in Order to effect our 
 
 Salvation. 
 
 * 
 
 I may obferve here, the Scripture ever takes notice 
 of three Things with Reference to the Affair of Man's 
 Redemption. The firft is the Grace of GOD ptrpo- 
 fing 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 Bleffing, Next to the 
 
 Grace 
 
32, A Convention SE R MON. 
 
 Grace of GOD, it gives ail 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 fpoken of as juftified and faved. Thefe great Gof- 
 pel Favours are granted to him, not for any Works of 
 Righteoufiiefs which he has done, but in Confideration 
 of the mediatorial Performances and Sufferings of the 
 LORD JESUS CHRIST. This Righteoufnefs of the 
 Redeemer is confidered as the Ground and Reafon, that 
 on the Account of which he is interefted in the Mer- 
 cy of GOD to eternal Life. But befides the Grace of 
 GOD, and the Merits of CHRIST, there is what the 
 Scripture calls a Meetnefs for the Inheritance, a Pre- 
 parednefs in the Frame of the Sinner's Heart for the 
 heavenly Glory, wrought in him by the Power of the 
 HOLY GHOST. Arid without this, 'tis as impofiible he 
 ihould be happy as that Light fhould have Communi- 
 on with Darknefs, or CHRIST with Belial. He muft 
 be chang'd from a Servant of Sin, to. a Servant of 
 Righteoufnefs -, he muft be made to put off the old 
 Man, and to put on the new Man, or he cannot inhe- 
 rit the Kingdom of GOD. 
 
 And now, thefe are the Things which friould com- 
 prehend the Sum of our Preaching , and the rather, 
 becaufe, in their proper Place, they are all neceffary, 
 and equally neceflary, in order to Salvation. Had it 
 not been for the infinite Companions of the All-mer- 
 ciful GOD, he never would have purpofed, or accom- 
 plimed our Redemption. Had it not been for the 
 LORD JESUS CHRIST, what he did and fuffered in our 
 Nature and Stead, we fhould have had no Title to Sal- 
 vation, no Righteoufnefs that would have been a fuffi- 
 cient Ground for the Beflowment 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 
 
 RE- 
 
A Convention SERMON* 33 
 
 REDEEMER will be of any Avail to our Salvation : For 
 while under the Dominion of Sin, and in Slavery to e- 
 til Paffions and corrupt Inclinations, we harbour Mife- 
 ly in our Breads ; and could we be fuppofed, in this 
 Condition, to have a Right to Heaven, and to go 
 there, we fhould really carry the very $eeds O f Hell 
 along with us : Nor could we be happy, as reafonable 
 Creatures, even in that Place of BleiTednefs, 
 
 Some, perhaps, may think it enough, if, in their 
 Preaching, they magnify the Grace of GOD, and do 
 honour to the Righteoufnefs of CHRIST ; but 'tis ne- 
 ceflary alfo that they explain to Men, and urge upon 
 them, that Holinefs of Heart and Life, without which 
 they cannot fee the Lord ; together with the Office and 
 Influence of the HOLY SPIRIT in the Work of Sancti- 
 fication. ThefeThings are all infifted on in the Bible^ 
 and feverally reprefented as having a necefTary Con- 
 nection withSalvation : And they fhould, in like Man- 
 ner, be infifted on by Minifters in their Preaching. 
 There is no Inconfiftency between the Truths, but a 
 perfect and glorious Harmony. Men may, 'tis true, 
 confound them in their Thoughts ; they may place 
 their own Holinefs in the Room of CHRIST, or the 
 the Grace of GOD ; making it ferve a Purpofe it was 
 never intended to, nor is fulficient for : And fo, under 
 the Notion of exalting the Grace of GOD, or the 
 Righteoufnefs of the REDEEMER, they may entertain 
 a Thought of inherent perfonal Hoiinefs, as a Thing 
 almoft insignificant. But in either of thefe Cafes, they 
 abufe the Dodhine of the Golpel, conceiving amifs of 
 thefe Truths. For they all have their Ufe in the Af- 
 fair of Salvation ; yea, in their proper Place, they 
 are all necefiary : Nor can there, be Salvation with- 
 out them all. And People fliould be told fo by Mini- 
 fters. 'Tis indeed the Bufmefs of their Office to fee 
 thefe Truths in a clear and diftinct Light ; and to this 
 End fhould their Preaching be mainly calculated. 
 
 E Only, 
 
34 A Convention 
 
 , Only, as there is Danger left proud Man ihould af- 
 cribe too little, in the Affair of Salvation, to. the Grace 
 of GOD> and depend upon his own Works inftead of 
 the Righteoufnefs by Faith, Miniftcrs fhould be particu- 
 lar in guarding againft this Fault : Tho* they fhould 
 take Care, in the doing of it, that they don't run into 
 the contrary Extreme ; fpeaking after fuch a Manner 
 of perfonal evangelical Holinefs, as to make it of very 
 little Service : Whenas 'tis a Matter of fuch Impor- 
 tance, 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 
 fhould the rather be conflant in affirming, that they 
 which have believed in GOD might he careful to main- 
 tain good Works, becaufe 'tis too common a Thing 
 for profeft Chriftians to be negligent of a good Life , 
 yea, it would be well, if they were not fometimes in a 
 Temper of Mind to take Occafion, even from the 
 Crace of GOD, to continue in Sin. 
 
 Moreover again, Minifters Ihould be uniform in theif 
 Preaching ; making it appear that they are Men of 
 fikcd and fteady Principles. Not that they may nofi 
 change their Minds, if they have unhappily fallen into 
 Error, and juft Grounds of Conviftion are laid before 
 them. It would be to their Honour, in this Cafe, to 
 own their Miftake -, and no wife Man would think the 
 worfe of them for it, but the better. But a Change of 
 Sentiment, arifing from a thorow deliberate Examina- 
 tion, is a Thing quite different from a flu&uating and 
 inconilant State of Mind : And if, from fuch a vo- 
 latile Difpofition, Minifters are pepetually wavering 
 in their Thoughts, to Day of this Mind, and to Mor* 
 row of another, it will very much tend to weaken their 
 Credit : Nor may they expect any Thing fhort of Con- 
 tempt, if they temporife in their Sermons, fpeaking one 
 Thing to one People, and another Thing to another;* 
 on Purpofe to fute their Humours, and recommend 
 
 themfelves 
 
A Convention SERMON, 35 
 
 themfelves to the feveral Parties there may be among 
 them. Such a Man 'pleafing Conduct is beneath the 
 Man, much more the Chriftian^ moil of all the Mini- 
 fter. 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 Frankftefs, an honeft Freedom 
 and Simplicity ? It may, for the prefent, 'tis true, be 
 of fbme Differvice to our Intereft ; but, in the End, 
 it will bring us into Efteem, and fecure for us a Jailing 
 good Reputation : Whereas, if we fhift and change, 
 to gain the Applaufe of this, and the other Party, we 
 fhall not only act a mean and bafe Part, but take the 
 ready Way to expofe ourfelves to Contempt : And it 
 leJdom happens, but fiich Servility meets with its juft 
 Pefert, fooner or later, 
 
 In fine, Minifters fhould not be wanting in a Care 
 about the external Manner of their Preaching. This 
 indeed is a Matter of the leaft Importance , though, 
 perhaps, moft recommending to the Generality of Peo- 
 ple : For which Reafon, it would not be mifpent La- 
 bour, if Minifters took fome Pains that the}'- might be 
 Mafters of a good. Pronunciation^ and becoming Gefture \ 
 To be fure, they fhould avoid difagreeable Tones arid 
 Whines - 9 as alfq unnatural Diftortions of Countenance* 
 and Motions of the Body : Neither fhould they turn 
 Mimicks^ endeavouring to /peak and aft> not like them- 
 felves,but thofe they admire : They may herein Aim at 
 being more agreeable, but they really make themfelves 
 ridiculous. Above all, they fhould take Heed of 
 {peaking and afting as if they were befide themfelves * 
 for, in this Cafe, People will be apt to take them to 
 be fo, and treat them with die Contempt due 'to 
 fi.ich. 
 
 *..w ' ' ~ .-. ^., - 
 
 Thefe now, and fuch like are thelnflances, in Pre$ch- 
 in& which fhould employ the Care of Minifters, if 
 they would not be defpifec}, I go on, and fay, 
 
36 A Convention SERMON. 
 
 ./3.) Tliey fliould be equally careful they don't expofe 
 themfelves by an undue Condu6t,inPoint of Church-Or- 
 der. Government is as necefTary \r\Church as State \ tho* 
 the Ends to which it is defigned, and the Manner of 
 Adminiftration may be different. And fo far as it lies 
 with Minifters to preferve Order in the Churches, they 
 fhould be religioufly careful to do it ; at all Times 
 difcountenancing fuch a Behaviour, in the Houfe of 
 GOD, as tends to Confufion. The Apoftle Paul has 
 fet a noble Example in this Kind. When there were, 
 among the Corinthians^ thofe who left their own Bufi- 
 nefs, and took upon them the Work that was proper 
 to Mini/I ers^ he exhorted and commanded them to a- 
 bide every Man, in the fame Calling wherein he was call* 
 ed ; afiuring them, that all were not Apoftles^ or Pro- 
 phets, or Teachers. And when they fpake many at 
 once, in the Place of Wormip, fo as to endanger its 
 being faid they were mad, he corre&ed this Abufe ; 
 minding them that GOD was not the Author of Confu- 
 fion^ but of Peace^ as in all the Churches of the Saints ; 
 and directing, that all Things Jhould be done decently and 
 in Order. The prefent Minifters of CHRIST, 'tis true, 
 may'nt pretend to determine in Matters of this Nature 
 with the Authority of Apoftles : Or if they fhould, 
 they would only expofe themfelves to Contempt. But 
 yet, they may advife and rebuke, and back their Coun- 
 fels and Reproofs, with fuch Arguments from Scripture 
 and Reafon, as are futed to inform the Underftanding, 
 and convince the Judgment : Nor fhould they fuffer 
 the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, in this, or any 
 other Ufe of them, to lie by neglected, where Perfons 
 break in upon the Rules of Decency, or otherways 
 walk in a diforderly Manner. They fhould ufe them 
 indeed with Prudence and Caution, and a becoming 
 Tendernefs and Companion : but with a due Concern 
 alfo for the Honor of CHRIST, and the Weil-Being of 
 the Church : And when thefe make it necefTary, they 
 fliould, fo far as it belongs to them^ exercife the pro- 
 per 
 
A Convention SE R MON . 37 
 
 per Discipline ^ and not be mov'd from theirDuty here- 
 in,neither thro* daftardly Fear, on the one Hand-, nor a 
 criminal Refpect of Perfons, on the other. \fDifcipline 
 is an Ordinance of JESUS CHRIST, it ought to be made 
 Ufe of, in Obedience to him, upqn all futableOccafions : 
 Nor may Minifters expecl any other than to be bafe in 
 theEfteem of People, if they fneak & cringe, and prpf- 
 titute this Inftitution of the Son of GOD to the Pre- 
 judices, Pafiions, or Humors of Men. 'Tis Difciplin^ 
 my Fathers and Brethren, not the meer Name, but the 
 vigorous and impartial Execution of the Thing, that 
 muft preferve and eftablim our Churches. Our Fa- 
 thers-found the Advantage of it in their Day , and it 
 would be of like Service in ouit, wifely and faithfully 
 adrniniftred, both for the Credit of the Miniflry, and 
 the Edification of thefe Churches in Peace and Ho- 
 linefs. 
 
 4. In the laft Place, Fourthly, Minifters mould take 
 Care they don't hurt their Character,by an undue Per- 
 formance of the more private Duties of their Calling. 
 Their Duty is not confin'd to their public Admin iftrati- 
 ons : They have a great Deal to do in private a- 
 mong their People. They muft vifit the fick, com- 
 fort the Mourners, inftrucl: the ignorant, warn the 
 wicked, reduce the wandring, ftrengthen the feeble- 
 minded, bind up the broken-hearted , and, in Ihort, 
 fute their Counfels,and Warnings, and Confolations, to 
 the refpeftiveCafes of thofe they have to do with. And 
 they fhould be always in Readinefs to attend thefe Du- 
 ties of their Station , not fperiding fo much of their 
 Time about fecular Employments, or in Studies foreign 
 to their Office, as to take them off from the faithful 
 Discharge of them : Neither Ihould -they be partial in 
 their Refpects ; but endeavour, by all Means, to do 
 Good to all 9 preferring no one before another. 
 
 \ 
 
 '<~'^ In 
 

 38 A Convention SERMON. 
 
 (n *w5V- - - * v; 
 
 In a Word, Minifters will unavoidably have frequent 
 Occafions to converfe with their People * and they 
 fhould ever be careful to do it, after fuch a Manner as 
 not to be thought morofe, haughty, or unfociable ; yet 
 fhould they keep at a Diftance from every Thing light, 
 and vain, or mean. They fhould be condefcending, 
 but not fervile , they fhould be pleafant and affable, 
 yet folid and grave ; and though they fliould not be 
 backward' to religious Difcourfe, yet they fhould take 
 Care that it be brought in fo as not to look forc'd and 
 affe&ed : And the whole of their Converfation fhould 
 be fuch, as may have a Tendency to preferve in the 
 Minds of People, both a Love to them, and a Venera- 
 tion of them. 
 
 '. ; " : . i' ' ,..*'.-. ,''.; ' .. -\ * : *. '; '*.* '."*'i"V. ' ,"* * .?* . 
 
 And having thus, in a plain, though imperfecl: 
 Manner, confidered a few of the many Inftances, where-^ 
 in the Care of Minifters is necefiary, if they would 
 not expofe themfelves to Contempt ; I now go on, 
 
 III. In the laft Place, to reprefent the Obligations 
 which lie upon them to exprefs this Care. And thefe 
 are folemn and weighty. The Honour of CHRIST 
 calls for it ; the Succefs of their own Miniftry depends 
 very much upon it ; Nor can they otherwife give zgood 
 Account of tbemfehes another Day : To which I might 
 add the Regard they owe to the Credit of the Clergy m 
 Common. Thefe are the Particulars the Time will per- 
 mit me but briefly to touch upon. 
 
 i. The Honour of CHRIST 5s concerned in the Care 
 of Minifters not to be defpifed. They are his Ser- 
 vants, as they act in his Name, and by Authority de- 
 rived from him. And fhall they efteem it a fmall 
 Thing, whether they are bafe, or honourable in the E- 
 fteem of Mankind ? If they are defpifed, and the Con- 
 tempt comes through their own Faulty Imprudences, 
 will not theDifgrace, however unjuftly, be refleded on 
 
 him 
 

 A Convention SERMON. 39 
 
 him who fent them ? What greater Abufes haVe been 
 offered to the Name of CHRIST, than thofe which 
 have been occafioned by the Follies and Vices of Mi- 
 nifters ? And mall the Thought of being thus inju- 
 rious to our LORD and SAVIOUR fit eafy on our Minds ? 
 Shall we be unmindful of our Chara&er, and take no' 
 Pains to .aft up to the Dignity of our Office^ when our 
 MASTER will fufferfo much through our Neglect i 
 Whofe Honour fhould we be tender of, if not his who 
 has feparated us from our Brethren, and called us by 
 his Grace to the Miniilry of the Gofpel ? The Ho- 
 nor of the REDEEMER fhould lay near our Heart : 
 And yet, what more diftant from it, while our Conduct 
 is fuch as tends to make us contemptible , for the Con- 
 tempt will finally, though injurioufly, be turned upon 
 CHRIST himfelf. 
 
 2. The Succefs of our Miniftry depends Very much 
 Upon our not being held in Contempt. If People have 
 a defpicable Thought of us, of what Advantage will 
 our Preaching be to them ? They will conceive the 
 fame Opinion of our Sermons, as they do of our Per- 
 fons : And Ihould 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 
 Pkarifees of old feem, in this, to have been well ac- 
 quainted with humane Nature. For when they would 
 obftruct the Miniftry of our SAVIOUR, it was by bafe 
 Attempts to leffen his Reputation. Is not this, fay 
 they, the Carpenter's Son ? And they wickedly mifre- 
 prefented him to the People as one of a bad Character, 
 a Profaner of the Sabbath, a Friend to Pubficans and 
 Sinners $ and^ in fhort, aPerfon of no Religion himfelf, 
 and that would keep them from having any too, if 
 they minded what he faid; rightly judging, that, if they 
 could but deftroy his Credit, they fhould, at the fame 
 Tim% render his preaching infignificant : And fo it 
 unhappily prov'd/m refpecl; of Multitudes,in that Day, 
 
 And 
 
40 A Convention SERMON. 
 
 And the Effect will be the fame now, and in all future 
 Time to the End of the World. There is indeed no 
 fuch Thing as preaching fo as to anfwer any good End, 
 where Minifters have loft their Reputation, and inftead 
 of Refpect are tho't of with Contempt by People. 
 " We may obferve ( as One expreffes it ), when Men 
 " are prepofieft in Favour of any one, every Thing 
 " almoft which he fpeaks, appears weighty and iigni- 
 " ficant. Opinion gives Luftre to, and begets a high 
 " Efteem even of his WeaknefTes. When Opinion 
 " hath raifed a Man up to a great Height, there muft 
 " be fomething fublime and extraordinary in all his 
 " Performances. On the contrary, when a Man's Cre- 
 " dit is funk and under Water, what little Regard is 
 *' paid to what he fays ? He is under fuch an unhappy 
 " Difad vantage, that if he could fpeak like an Oracle, 
 " it would hardly flick and make an Imprefllon." 
 
 And what a powerful Argument is this to engage 
 our Care that we don't expofe our felves to Contempt? 
 Are we content to live ufelels ? 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 felves, and take futable Care to main- 
 tain a good Character. It is this that muft prepare 
 Men's Minds for a favourable Reception of what we 
 preach, 
 
 ""*lS ' f . ' ' * " 
 
 3. If we do not ufe the proper Meafures to keep 
 from Contempt, we mall not be able to give a good Ac- 
 count of our f elves another Day. Not but that it may 
 be our Lot to be defpifed, notwithftanding the moffc 
 faithful Endeavours to deferve the Efteem of People : 
 In which Cafe, the greater the Contempt we havepafT- 
 ed 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 felves, by 
 our Follies and Vices, the Fault is our *>wn, And if 
 
 by 
 
A Convention SERMON. 41 
 
 i)y thus rendring our felves defpicable, we have not on- 
 ly hindered the Efficacy of our Miniftry^but unhappi- 
 ly been the Occafion of the Ruin of thofe Souls, we 
 might have faved ; how dreadful will be the Account 
 we muft give up unto GOD! Should the People of our 
 Charge accoft us at theBar of CHRIST ; We were ftum- 
 bied at your Impi'iidences ; we were unhirig'd, in our 
 religious Sentiments, by your Unfteddineis ; we be- 
 came indifferent to the Practice of Piety, through your 
 Want of Zeal in recommending it to us *, we gradually 
 loft all ferious Senfe of Divine Things, hardened our 
 felves in Sin, and fettled in Profanefs and Infidelity, 
 from the loole, Vain, evil Example you fet before us : 
 I fay, Ihoiild our People thus befpeak us, before the 
 Tribunal of Judgment, how would it cut us to the 
 Heart, and pierce our very Souls ? Should they go 
 on, and fay ; Had you behav'd fo as to gain our 
 Efteeem and Reverence ; had you preached, and con- 
 verfed, and lived, fo as to render Religion amiable iri 
 
 __ & ^^ 
 
 our Eyes ; had you been faithful in your Warnings, 
 fkilful in your Counfels^ arid watched for our Souls as 
 thofe who were eafneftly defirous of their everlafting 
 Salvation, h had not been with us, a> it is at this 
 Day. To you it is, in a great Meafure owing , to 
 your Negligence and Unfaithfulneis-, to your Want of 
 Love to our Souls, and Care of their everlafting Well- 
 Being, that we are now plac'd at the left Hand of 
 CHRIST, and muft be doom'd to a ' Departure from 
 'him, into the Place of weeping, and wailing, and 
 gnafhing of Teeth. Would not fach a Charge as 
 this make .every Joint of us to tremble ? Should not 
 we be ftruck with Horror to be thus challenged by 
 the Souls committed to our Overfight, in the great 
 and terrible Day of the LORD ? There is no Guilt 
 like that of the Blood of Souls. It crieth for Ven^ 
 geance : And O who can conceive the Weight of 
 Vengeance we muft fuffer, when; Multitudes of loft 
 
 F Souls 
 
42, A Convention SERMON. 
 
 Souls fhall rife up, and call for it to be poured out 
 
 upon us / 
 
 But befides the Souls of our own proper Charge^ 
 we fhall, if we make our felves mean, be accoun- 
 table for all the Damage that may herefrom arife to 
 Religion in general ; which will be greater than we 
 can well imagine* Contempt will eafily and naturally 
 be derived from our Perfons to the Caufe we are ma- 
 naging ; infomuch, that if we are bafe in the Opinion 
 of the World, Religion will be fo too. When /*'s 
 Sons, by their fhameful Mifconduct in the PrieJFs Of- 
 fce, had made themfehes vile, the next Thing we hear 
 of is, that -Men abhor? d the Offerings of the LORD. 
 And the Effect will be the fame now. If Minifters 
 behave fo as to forfeit their Credit, it will make Way 
 for the Prophanation of divine Ordinances, or a Neglect 
 to attend on them ; and from CarelefTnefs about the 
 Things of Religion, Men will proceed to violate its 
 facred Laws, and from one Degree of Wickednefs they 
 will go on to another, 'till they have made themfelves 
 abandoned Sinners. And do we think the Blame of 
 this no Ways belongs to us ? It will all, if we have 
 juftly exposed our felves 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 fhall we plead 
 that we have prophefied in CHRIST'S Name, that we 
 have broken the Bread of Life, and poured forth the 
 Wine of Salvation ; It will rather expofe us to the 
 more angry Refentments 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 laft Place, 
 
 4. We are bound totheUfe of all properCare not to 
 fall into Contempt, becaufe of the Damage which may 
 hereby accrue to the Miniftry in Common. Were the 
 Hurt confined to our felves, the Obligation would be 
 
 the 
 
A Convention SERMON. 43 
 
 the lefs ; but it will probably fpread from our Perfons 
 to the Profeffion, and all in general will fuffer through 
 our Mifmanagement. This, itmuft be owned, is very 
 unfair. The Body of the Clergy ought not to be tho't 
 the worfe of, becaufe fome may make themfelves vile. 
 But fuch is the Temper of the World, that they v/ill 
 not reftrain their Contempt to the particular Minifters 
 who may deferve it, but will extend it to all of the 
 fame Order. And very fevere have been the Refledli- 
 ons on the whole Clergy j& occafion'd by the ill Conduct 
 of a few. It is too common, indeed, upon the Mifcar- 
 riage of one, to hear it faid, they are all alike ; and 
 Ibmetimes the Office it felf muft be afperfed, and even 
 the Wifdom of GOD called in queftion for eftablifli- 
 ing it. And mall not a Regard to the minifterial Order 
 make us careful of our Credit ? We mould certainly 
 take heed,we do not expofe our felves to Contempt, be- 
 aufe if we do, it will not reft on our own Perfons, but 
 will more or lefs affect the whole Body of Minifters, 
 
 The APPLICATION remains. And 
 
 i. We learn from what has been faid, that the 
 Work of Minifters is very difficult. The Pains 
 they muft take to keep from being defpifed fhows it 
 to be fo. How hard a Thing is it to attend the van- 
 bus Duties of our Office, fo as to deferve the Efteem of 
 People, and Preferve in their Minds a becoming 
 Refpeft for us ? Unlefs we are Men of good na- 
 tural Abilities, and acquired Accomplifhments ; at 
 the fame Time, maintaining a Care of good Works, 
 it is impoflible : And even in this Cafe, what Caution 
 and Prudence, what aftive Zeal and Diligence, what 
 Refolution and Courage, are necefTary ? O who is fuffi- 
 dent for thefc Things ! If an Afoftle of JESUS CHRIST 
 cried out under the Weight of Care that lay upon him, 
 how much more Reafon have we to do it^ who are not 
 endowed with his Graces or Gifts ? We can't be- too 
 F 3 fenfible 
 
44 -4 Convention SERMON. 
 
 fenfible of the Need we ftand -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 fufficient for us. 
 
 2. What Reafon have Minifters to bt humbled:, that 
 they have taken no rnore Care to preferve themfelves 
 from Contempt ? Who of us can fay, that our Con- 
 du6t has been unexceptionable ? That we have be- 
 hav'd in our Office fo as to give no Occafipn of Re- 
 proach ? Dare we, any of us, the beft of us, lay our 
 Hands upon our Hearts, and juftify our felves before 
 GOD ? We have all, at one Time or another, acted 
 below our Character, in a lefs or greater Degree : And 
 the more fenfible we are of it, and humbled for it, the 
 more worthy we mall be of Refpect and Honor. And 
 have we not, fome of us, fo expos'd our felves as that 
 human Frailty^ cannot be our Excufe ? Are we none 
 of us, by criminally neglecting our Studies, lefs know- 
 ing 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 
 \ve have had nothing to fay there, but what, through 
 Want cf previous Meditation and Care, has been crude 
 and indigefted, and fitted rather to bring us into Dif- 
 credit with judicious Hearers,than to profit their Souls ? 
 Have we, none of us, been too carelefs of our Lives, 
 behaving after fuch a Manner as to prejudice People 
 againfl Religion,rather than recommend it to their Love 
 and Practice ? 
 
 I fay not thefe Things to iuggeft Evil of the Body 
 qf the Minifters 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 cf theChriftian World is favoured with. Jam 
 indeed fenfible they are too commonly defpifed at this 
 Day, and to as great aDegree as was ever known in the 
 
 Country ; 
 
A Convention SERMON. 45 
 
 Country ; but I truftinGOD, the Contempt is injurious, 
 Not that I think it is fo, in Refpect of them all : And 
 'tis, perhaps, principally owing to fome of our own Or- 
 der^ that the Credit of the Miniftry runs fo low. Arc 
 there none among us, whofe Conduct, in the late Day 
 of Trial, has led People into a mean Thought of Mi- 
 niflers in general ? Did we all difcover that Know- 
 ledge of the "World, and of the Frame of human Na- 
 ture, and act with that prudent Forecaft, which might 
 have been expedted of Men of our Character ? Did 
 we all ftand up for the Order of the Gojpel, and in De- 
 fence of its Truths and Ways^ with the Courage and 
 Faithfulnels which became the Servants of JESUS 
 CHRIST ? .Have we, none of ns, too much connived 
 at thofe Errors in DoEfrine^ and Irregularities -in Prac- 
 tice^ which have had a dreadful Tendency to fink the 
 Credit of the Miniftry , yea, and of Religion too, in the 
 Land ? Have we, none of us, invited into our Pul- 
 pits Men of mean Parts, and no Learning, at whofe 
 Performances we our felves have been afliamed ? Have 
 we, none of us, taken Part with thofe, who have treat- 
 ed the beft Minifters in the Country with Neglect, tq 
 iay nothing worfe ? Have we, none of us, had the 
 Perfons of fome particular Minifters in Admiration^ to 
 the reflecting an unjuftbdium on others? Have we not 
 flattered them beyond all Bounds of Modefty, and by 
 pur Flatteries ftrengthened their Influence to hurt the 
 Reputation, and together with it the Ufefulnefs of the 
 Minftry, GOD has fet up in tbefe Churches ? And what 
 is worfe than all this, have we, none of us, acted in 
 the proper Charges of our Brethren, fo as to leaven the 
 Minds of their People with evu 1 Surmifings againil 
 them, though Men of as good Reputation for their 
 minifterial Gifts and Faithfulnefs, as our felves ? Have 
 we not fpoken of them in a Manner fo cenforious and 
 uncharitable, as to bring them into Difefteem, in their 
 own Parifhes ? Have we not fided with People in the 
 Difgrace they have heaped upon them ? Have we not; 
 
 encouraged 
 
46 A Convention SERMON. 
 
 encouraged them in their Alienations, Difaffe&ions and 
 Separations ? Or, if we have had too much Policy, or 
 too little Courage, to be open in thefe Things, have we 
 not byfecret Whiff ers^ andClofet-Infinuations, done the 
 Bufmefs as effectually ? I charge nothing upon any in 
 particular ; but GOD knows, and we all know, that 
 there has been great Guilt as to thefe Things : And fo 
 Far as we are any of us, Sharers in it, we have Reafon 
 for deep Humiliation before GOD. A defpifed Mini* 
 itry will be a ufelefs one. Wherein therefore we have 
 had a Hand in bringing our Brethren into undeferv'd 
 Contempt, we have done great Dififervice to the Inter- 
 eft of the REDEEMER ; nor could we, in any Thing, 
 have more pleas'd the Enemy of all Righteoufnefs : 
 For his Kingdom is never more likely to be in a flou- 
 rifhing State, than when the Miniftry of a Land is in- 
 jurioufly 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. Minifters fhould do what they can to keep one 
 another from being defpifed , not by countenancing 
 one another in Wickednefs ; nor yet by Handing up for 
 each other, in that which is a Difhonour to Men of 
 our Character. This would be to bring, both our 
 felves, and the whole Miniftry, into Difgrace. But we 
 fhould be tenderly concerned for the Reputation of pur 
 Fellow-Labourers in the LORD, and ready, in all futable 
 Ways, to advance it. We fhould be difpofed to pre- 
 fer our Brethren in Love, to hope well, and believe 
 well, and fpeak well of them, fo far as there is Reafon 
 to do fo. And if it is the Unhappinefs of any to be 
 treated with Difrefpect, not becaufe they are in them- 
 felves worthlefs ; or have acted a mean and bafe Part, 
 but becaufe they have to do with fuch as are unreafon- 
 ably prejudiced againft them, we fhould both pity 
 them, and ufe our beft Endeavours, as we may have 
 Opportunity, to wipe off the Dirt that is thrown up- 
 on 
 
A Convention SERMON. 47 
 
 on them. To be fure, we fhould not encourage Bufy- 
 Bodies in coming to us with their idle tatling Stories ; 
 neither fhould we ftrengthen contentious Men in their 
 Alienations and Difaffe6tions ; much lefs ftill may we 
 allow our felves in fecret Whifpers to the Difadvantage 
 of our Brother, while we dare not tax him to the Face, 
 with the Evil we infinuate behind his Back. Minifters 
 may do a great Deal to fupport the Reputation of one 
 another ; and if they would heartily endeavour to do it, 
 fo far, I mean, as they might with Reafon and Juftice, 
 we fliould foon fee the Clergy in better Repute than 
 they enjoy at this Day. 
 
 4. How careful fhould Minifters be to introduce 
 none into the facred Office who are like to be defpifed ? 
 We are the Perfons to whom it belongs, according to 
 the Appointment of JESUS CHRIST, tofeparate Men 
 to the Work of the Minifhy : And we ought to be 
 cautious on whom we lay Hands for this Purpofe. We 
 fhould notfuddenly do it in an Affair of fuch Impor- 
 tance ; nor indeed at all, till firft fatisfied, that the 
 Qualifications of the Perfons are fuch,as that there is no 
 Profpect of their falling into Contempt. And in Or- 
 der to this, there fhould be fome Trial of them before 
 they are intrufled with the Care of Souls. It might be 
 beft, if we countenanced none in preaching 9 till they had 
 firft been examined. I know it has been a long Cuftom 
 for young Men to go into the Pulpit, when they them- 
 felves think fit to do fb. Perhaps, the Churches in 
 this Land are the only ones, who take fo little Care in 
 a Matter of fuch Confequence to the Intereft of the 
 Kingdom of CHRIST. 3 Tis high Time it was rectifi- 
 ed .- And if, as a Means to fo good an End, Minifters 
 would be peremptory in refufing their Pulpits to all 
 Candidates, 'till they had pafs'd their frials before 
 proper Judges, it might be of fingular Service. 
 
 To 
 
48 A Convention SERMON. 
 
 To be fure, all reaibnable Care fhbuld be taken, that 
 none be fet apart for the Service of CHRisT,in the Gof- 
 pel-Miniflry, but faithful Men -, fuch as are both apt, 
 and able to teach ; fuch as are of good Behaviour, and 
 have a good Report without. Raw, ignorant, unfurnim- 
 ed Men, ought never to have committed to them the 
 Administration of divine Ordinances. Says the Apo- 
 ftle, i Tim. iii. 6. Not a NOTICE, left being lifted up 
 with Pride, he fall into the Condemnation of the Devil. 
 And if, inOppofition to his Advice, we are a&ive in the 
 Ordination of fuch Perfons* or taking them into burPul- 
 pits, how can we excufe ourfelves before GOD ? Should x 
 they fink into Contempt, as in all Probability they foon 
 wii^the Reproach would reach us ; nor can it be but we 
 fhould be accountable for the Scandal hereby brought 
 Upon the Minifhy. 
 
 5. We fee, from what has been faid, the Reaibn we 
 have to be thankful for the Means of Education among 
 us. Not but that fome, in thefe Days, have expreffed 
 a mean Opinion ofLearmng^ and of the Colleges, where 
 are the befl Means for the Acquirement of it. It is a 
 Pity any in holy Orders have been fo unadvifed as to 
 lead People into this Thought. They are herein very 
 tinlike to our pious Fore-Fathers, who had flich a Senfe 
 of the Neceffity of Learning as a Qualification for the 
 Mtniftry,that they foon founded a College in the midft 
 of a thoufend Straits and Difficulties , from whence, 
 through the' Smiles of Heaven, our Churches have, all 
 along, been llipplied with able Minifters ; Men who 
 have been a Credit to the facred Function, and^ I may 
 fay, an Honour to the Country. And mall this* and 
 the other School of the Prophets more lately erected, 
 be now flighted and neglected ? We ought rather to 
 rank them amongfl the richefl Blefiings, which call for 
 our Thankfiilnefs to Almighty GOD ; Nor.can we 
 lay ourfelves out too much to ftrengthen the Reputati- 
 on 
 
A Convention SERMON. 49 
 
 on and Ufefulnefs ; efteeming them the beft Security 
 againft an ignorant, and therefore a contemptible Miniftry. 
 
 And it were to be wifhed, the young Men, in thefe 
 Schools, would wifely improve the Price put into their 
 Hands to get Wifdom and Underftanding. And let 
 me advife the Candidates of the Miniftry, thofe in par- 
 ticular who may be hereprefent, not to rulh too haftily 
 into the facred Employment, left they expofe not only 
 themfelves, but Religion alfo to Contempt. Give your- 
 felves to Reading, Meditation and Prayer ; and conti- 
 nue in thefe Things, 'till you have attained, under the 
 Divine Influence, a fumble Furniture, both of Gifts 
 and Graces, for the Service of the Sanctuary. And 
 don't truft your own Judgments in a Matter of fo great 
 Importance. And, if you mould be urg'd to enter 
 upon Preaching, by thofe who know not whether you 
 are qualified for the Bufinefs, be not overcome to yield 
 to their Entreaties ; but wait 'till you are declared fit, 
 by fuch as are proper Judges in the Cafe. And don't 
 be difcouraged from Labour and Pains to get furnim'd 
 with confiderable Meafures of Learning, both Divine 
 and Humane, becaufe, as the Times are, it may be of 
 little Service to recommend you to the Efteem of ma- 
 ny People. The State of Things, it is to be hop'd, 
 won't always continue as at prefent : or however, you 
 will find the Advantage of previous hard Study, thro' 
 your whole Life ; befides that you will be hereby qua- 
 lified to be greater Bleflings, in your Day, wherever the 
 Providence of GOD fliall fix your Place of Labour. 
 
 t : 6. People fhould learn, from what has been faid, not 
 to defpife Minifters, nor do any Thing that may tend to 
 bring them into Difcredit. I mean not, Brethren, to blame 
 any of you for entertaining a mean Tho't of Minifters, or 
 exprefling the low Opinion you have of them, when, 
 by their Behaviour, they have forfeited a Right to your 
 Ksgards. *Tis fit and proper your Sentiments of, and 
 G Conduft 
 
50 A Convention SERMON* 
 
 Conduct towards us> Ihould be adjufted to our vifibfe 
 Character ? And if we make our felves contemptible* 
 \ve ought to be bafe in your Efteem. But then, you 
 fiiould take Care you don't defpife us, when we give 
 you no fufficient Occafion to treat us with Contempt. 
 You ihould not watch for our Halting, [nor aggravate 
 every Infirmity we may be betray'd into ; but be rea- 
 dy to make all reafonable Allowances in our Farour, 
 confidering we are Men of like Paflions with yourfelves, 
 and liable not only to the fame, but to more and great- 
 er Difficulties and Temptations. Don't defpife us fof 
 common Frailties, but rather cover them with the Man* 
 tie of Charity. Don't take up, and harbour in your 
 Breads, unjuft Prejudices, either againft our Perfons y or 
 the Office we fuftain : In fuch a Cafe, fhould we 
 behave ever fo circumfpe&ly, you would turn every 
 Thing to our Difadvantagp > : Nor would it be in 
 our Power, fhould ^e b8t|^ preach and live like 
 Angels, to make ydu think well of us. Take 
 Heed efpecially, that you do not defpife us for 
 thofe Things, which ought rather to recommend us 
 to your Veneration. If we reprove you for your Vices, 
 don't be difaffe&ed to us ; for this we muft do, or 
 we cannot be faithful to him who fent us. If we fee 
 you expos'd to Danger, or turning out of the good old 
 IVay, don't take it amifs if we are free in telling you of 
 it ; for we are moved hereto from the Love we bear to 
 you. If we ftand up in Defence of the Faith and Or- 
 der of the Gofpel, don't fay we ace 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 Compafiion to your Souls, that we thus run the 
 Hazard of your Difpleafure. In a Word, diveft your 
 Minds, as much as may be, of every wrong Biafs, and 
 candidly form your Sentiments of us, not from this & 
 the other particular A6lion, not from our being of 
 or the other Party j but from what appears ia 
 
A Convention SERMON. 5 1 
 
 veral Conduft : And if this is fuch as will allow you 
 to think honourably of us, be in a Temper to do ib ; 
 -and do not carry it towards us with Negle6t,much lefs 
 Contempt, unlefs there is evident Reafon given for it : 
 And then, if we find Fault, we mall be unjiift to you, 
 and partial to ourfelves. 
 
 And you fhould not only take Care, that you do 
 not defgife us, but that you do not do any Thing that 
 may tend to bring us into Difcredit. If any of you 
 fhould not relifh our Manner of preaching, as not be- 
 ing fo well fated to your particular Turn of Mind, do 
 not prejudice others againft it, who may be both grati- 
 fied and profited by it. If any of you fhould be fo 
 defe6live in your Charity as to fufpect, whether we are 
 the Men inwardly we appear to be outwardly, do not 
 leaven the Minds of others with the like evil Surmif- 
 ings ; don't fpeak of us as Wolves in Sheep's Cloatbing ; 
 do not ib much as whifper a Thing fo injurious to our 
 Character. If any of you fhould be fond of the 
 Preaching of Men of fmall Capacities and no Learn- 
 ing, do not fo infift upon our taking them into out- 
 Pulpits, or feparating them to the Work of the Mini- 
 ftry, as to force us to difoblige you, or expofe our- 
 felves to thofe who have more Knowledge and Judg- 
 ment. 
 
 And here let me recommend to you one Thing, 
 which, if duly confidered, would be of great Service to 
 the Credit, of the Miniftry \ and that is, that you be 
 well fatisfied, not only of the good Difpofition cf your 
 Children, but their Promptness to learn^ before you de- 
 vote them to the Service of GOD, in the Go/pel of 
 his SON. Don't think it will tend, either to tbeir Re- 
 pute, or the Benefit of the World, to give them an 
 Education, with a View to the Mimfiry, if their 
 Abilities are of the lower Size. They may 
 their Maker, and Generation, in feme other 
 G z. Era- 
 
52 A Convention SERMON. 
 
 Employment. They may have a Genius for one or 
 other of the various Bufinefles of Life, though not a 
 Turn of Mind fitted to make them mine as Minifters : 
 And 'tis Pity, their Ufefulnefs in the World fhouldbe 
 obftrufted, by a Miftake in their Education which 
 can't eafily be afterwards mended. And if your 
 Circumftances in Life fhould fet you above your 
 Neighbours, either in Point of Riches, or Honour, 
 do not think it will be a Difgrace to you, to devote 
 your Sons to the Work of ferving at GOD's Altar^ if 
 they appear to be peculiarly difpos'd to it, and form'd 
 ibr 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 
 v/ith CHRIST, in forming Men to a Meetnefs for the 
 eternal Service and Enjoyment of GOD in Heaven ? 
 And if your Sons fhould be Injlruments in turning ma- 
 ny Sinners to Righteoufnefs, would not this VeflecT: an 
 Honor, even upon you, both in this World, and that 
 which is to come ? 
 
 Let me further fay, as Minifters, when low in the 
 World, and hard put to it for a Livelihood,are too often 
 defplied, 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 againftthe Gofpel, 
 do little towards their Subfiftence, fuffer me to befpeak 
 for them your charitable Afliftance ; for thofe efpeci- 
 ally, who, at the Defire of this Convention^ and as en- 
 couraged by Promifes of Help from them, have gone 
 forth into fuch difficult Service. One Defign of our 
 being now together is, to contribute to the Support of 
 thefe Miffionaries ; and, I doubt not, you will join 
 with us in this Aft of Piety. We have had Experi- 
 ence of your Goodnefs in former Collections, and truft 
 the prefent one will be enlarged through your Libera- 
 lity. May we all, both Minifters and People^ freely 
 give as we have freely received , and to our Bounties 
 
 let 
 
. ,jrv t--<. .r^ 
 
 A Convention SERMON. 
 
 let us add our Prayers, that thefe Servants of theJLoRD 
 may be carried through all their Difficulties, and luc- 
 ceeded in f heir Rnrieavours to do Good to Spuls, to the 
 Joy of their Hearts here, and the brightning their 
 Crown of Glory hereafter. 
 
 In fine, and above all,, fee to it, as you have any 
 Value for our Credit, that our Miniftry be not loft 
 upon you. If you reap no fpiritual Profit by our la- 
 bours for the Good of your Souls, but continue in your 
 Sins, and grow worfe inftead of better, nothing will 
 have a more dreadful Tendency to bring us into Dif- 
 grace. The Language of your Impenitence will be, 
 that we are a ufelefs Set of Men : Nor will the Ene- 
 mies of Religion fail of improving it to our Reproach. 
 Whereas, if, under our Miniftry, you are effectually 
 taught to deal juftly, and love Mercy, and walk hum- 
 bly with GOD, this would put to Silence thofe who 
 might be difpos'd to fpeak Evil againft 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 poffefs and exercife that Faith and Hu- 
 mility, and all thofe Chriftiari Graces, wherein the I- 
 mage of GOD and the Power of Religion do truly 
 confift, we mall not need any other Recommendation ; 
 you will then be a living ftanding Proof of our Ufe- 
 fulnefs : And welhould herefrom be under Advantage 
 to do (till greater Service, to our own Comfort in this 
 World, and our fhining, in the next, as the Brightnefs 
 of the Firmament, and as the Stars forever and ever. 
 
 And now, may we all, both Minifters and People, 
 receive -what we have heard, fo far as it is the Truth 
 in Jefus, in the Spirit of Love and Meeknefs. 'Tis 
 probable, we fhall never all of us be together again in 
 
 this 
 
. 
 
 A Convention SERMON. 
 
 / 
 
 this Houfe. The Faces of fome, who were prefent 
 the laft Year, we fhall fee no more, 'till we meet in tKe 
 Day of the appearing of the SON of MAN. May we 
 look to ourfelves, and fo behave in our stations, as that 
 we may then be found at the right Hand of CHRIST, 
 and have Admiffion into that Kingdom, prepared be- 
 fore the Foundations of the World, where we lhall no 
 more be in a Temper to defpife, nor fhall ever give 
 Occafion for Contempt ; where we lhall no more treat 
 one another with Bitternefs, Anger and Clamour, but 
 live together in perfeft Love and Peace ; where, in- 
 ftead of differing and contending with each other, we 
 fhall all be of one Mind and one Heart -, joining with 
 the innumerable Company of Angels and glorified 
 Saints, in faying with a loud Voice, Bleflmg, and Ho- 
 nor, and Glory, and Power, be unto HIM THAT 
 SITTETH ON THE THRONE, and unto the LAMB for 
 ever and ever. Amen, and Amen. 
 
 FINIS.