Jews; and chargeth Barnabas with being infected and "carried away with the like diffi"mulation ." And when he exhorteth those to whom he wrote, to " be followers of him," it was only fo far as " he was of Chrift ‡." Finally. It behoveth both minifters and people to be frequently making up their accounts, and to maintain a continual correfpondence with their Lord and Master. It will doubtless, my dear brother, be your care in the whole of your ministry, to keep in view the approbation, of that God and Saviour, to whom you are accountable. But I forbear, left I fhould invade the province of that worthy friend and brother, who is appointed to give you a word of exhortation; which he will do on feveral accounts, to more advantage than I am able. As for you, my chriftian brethren, who are members of this fociety, it cannot be doubted, but you are fincerely difpofed, and refolved, to contribute all in your power, not only to the decent and honourable fupport and maintenance of your minifter, but likewife, in every view, to his fatisfaction and happiness. And I believe, you will be able to promote the latter no way more effectually, than by your great improvement under his miniftrations, in all the graces and virtues of the chriftian life. Gal. ii. 13. Το 1 Cor. xi. 1. this this end, let me remind you of the neceffity of frequently reflecting, what proportion your improvements bear to your advantages and opportunities. We are all of us, God knoweth, too remifs in this refpect; we content ourselves with a fuperficial performance of our religious duties, or a formal attendance on divine ordinances, without fufficiently reflecting, whether they have the proper effect on our fouls; whether we grow more ferious and humble and heavenly-minded, more defirous of being useful to others, and to the caufe of true religion in the world. In vain do we meet together fabbath after fabbath in the house of God, and attend on the chriftian miniftry, if we are still as worldly-minded and fenfual as ever. Let the fwift progress and speedy declenfion of our day of grace, and feafon of probation and trial, occafion us to place that folemn day in near view, when every one of us, both minifters and people, muft give up an account of himself to God. The joy of that meeting dependeth, in a great measure, on the ufe we make of our present religious folemnities. Happy fhall we indeed be, if we are able to expect the great master of asfemblies, in the character of the fupreme judge, without any terror or difmay; if neither minifter nor people have any cause to accuse or bear witness against each other, but are a mutual joy and crown of rejoicing, in the great day of their Lord's appearing. QUESTIONS PROPOSED TO Mr. SAMUEL WILTON, BY FRANCIS SPILSBURY, WITH THE CONFESSION of FAITH, AND ANSWERS returned. G My dear Brother, A S we are now come together in the houfe of God by your defire, and that of this church, to affift you in the folemn dedication of yourself to God, in the facred and important character of a christian minister; we chearfully embrace this opportunity which providence hath put into our hands, of contributing all we can, to the folemnity of this service. And tho' we pretend not to be lords over your faith, yet as you are chosen to ftand at the head of this chriftian fociety, to lead on and affift their devotions, and to inftruct them (as God fhall enable you) in the true knowledge, right understanding, and proper improvement of the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make them wife unto falvation, through faith which is in Chrift Jesus:" it may be fome fatisfaction both to them and to us, if on this occafion you will please to give us an open and genuine confeffion of your chriftian faith. SIR, A CONFESSION, S I am neither afraid publickly to own that Master whom I ferve in the gospel, nor ashamed of his religion which I profess, I fhall represent to you in as concife a manner as I can, what at prefent appear to me to be the general G 2 |