Christ hath made you free. Know your Principles, and never by an inconfiftent Conduct debafe your Glory. An impofing Non-conformist is as contradictory & Character as Non-refifting Rebel.

I beseech you, for the Love of the Lord Jefus Chrift and the Truth, which he hath fealed with his own Blood, beware of an uncharitable and a dividing Tem per. Throw afide all Party-names, and unfociable Partyfchemes. Encourage the Labours of Minifters who are honeft and learned, ferious, and evangelical, who fearch the Scriptures, and with Fidelity communicate to you what they learn from thence to be necessary to your Şalvation. Attend on their Preaching with a ferious, teach able Difpofition. Guard against Prejudice and a captious Spirit, Pride and Self-conceit. Examine what they teach, comparing it with right Reafon and the written Word. What upon due Enquiry appears to you to be agreeable to Truth, receive with the utmost Regard. Where there is a Difference of Sentiment, in Matters not affecting the Foundation, forbear in Love, keeping, not Unity of Sounds in the Bond of Ignorance, nor Unity of Prac tice in the Bond of Hypocrify, but the Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace (x).---Be modeft in your Opinions, and charitable in your Cenfures.---Lift your felves ander no other Head, but Chrift alone, and receive one another upon the true Scriptural Terms of Chriftian Communion. Cultivate Catholick Chriftianity. Whilft you affert your own Liberty of judging for your felves, allow Minifters the fame Privilege. Let the Bible be the Rule of Faith and Practice to both Minifters and People. Thus your Cause will stand upon its proper Bafis, and the Gates of Hell shall never prevail against it.

LET

(x) Ephef. iv. 2, 3.

ORDINATION of,

c.

57

LET me intreat your Candour to younger Minifters, who are of an ingenuous and inquifitive Temper; of clear and untainted Integrity; of ferious and manly Piety, and of undiffembled Honesty; who are ftudious above all things to know and do the whole Mind and Will of Chrift, and are difpofed to facrifice every private View to that more glorious one of promoting your Eternal Interests. Thefe, fuch as thefe, must be countenanced, if ever we expect to keep up the Interest of Chriftian Liberty and practical Religion amongft Us. If Men of this amiable Character are defamed and neglected for every little Deviation from the Schemes and Phrafes of fallible Men; if, at the fame Time, the Lazy and Indolent, Men of great Conceit, of little Talents, and low Views, who judge of Things by the Vogue they bear, and by the Refpect they have to their own Intereft and Party, are admired and applauded, what will be the Confequence --The impartial Study of the Scriptures will be discouraged, and your Minifters become the moft fervile of Men---Your Cause will wafte and dwindle into Contempt.---The Friends of your Civil and Religious Rights will condole, whilft the Enemies of both will boot out the Lip, and shake the Head, faying, Aha! fo we would have it.---But I hope far better things of all, and know far better things of many, that compofe this Audience. You want not to be told, that, tho' you may not be accountable to any Civil or Ecclefiaftical Authority for your Conduct towards your Minifters, you are accountable to our common Lord, and muft with them appear before his impartial Tribunal.

"

You will therefore bear with me, if I exhort you by all that is valuable to you, as Chriftians and Proteftants to be very tender of the Reputation of young Minifters. Be not too eafy to receive Impreffions to their Difadvantage: Encrease not their Difficulties by unkind Ufage: Be favourable to Indifcretions: Make juft Allowances for Frailties: Juftify their Character as far as honeftly you

may:

Value what is excellent in them; and encourage their fincere Endeavours to ferve you by attending their Miniftry, by receiving Inftructions from them in the Spirit of Meeknefs; and by esteeming them very highly in Love (y). I am not for contending for more Respect than is due. If any ufurp an unreasonable Dominion over the Faith and Confciences of their Fellow-Servants, let them bear the Blame they deferve. For our Part (I fpeak for thefe my Brethren, as well as for myfelf) we claim no Authority over your Perfons, or over your Minds: We affect no Honours, that would intrench upon the Prerogatives of the Redeemer: We defire no Respect, but for your Benefit. We can appeal to our own Consciences, to our Hearers, to him, who knows all things, that we preach not our felves, but Chrift Jefus to be the Lord, and our felves to be the Servants of the Churches for Fefus's Sake (2). We are fully contented with the Office of being Helpers of your Foy, without the vain and unchriftian Pretence of having Dominion over your Faith (a).But I need not enlarge on what hath been fo well recommended in the Sermon.

1

We earnestly entreat you to affift us in our Work by your Prayers to God for us by inftructing all under your Care in the Principles and Duties of the Chriftian Life. Let private Devotion be practifed: Let Familyworship be maintain'd; and the Service of God in the Church regularly attended upon. We warn you, not to bold the Truth in Unrighteoufnefs (b), nor to use your Liberty for an Occafion to the Flesh, but by Love to ferve one another (c). As Fellow-workers with one another under Ged, we beseech you that ye receive not his Grace in vain (d): That ye adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour, by living blameless and harmless, and without Rebuke, in the Midft

(1) Theff. v. 13. (Rom. 1. 18.

(z) 2 Cor. iv. 5. (c) Gal. v. 13:

· (a) 2 Cor. i. 24. (d) 2 Cor. vi. 1.

ORDINATION of, &c.

59

Midft of an evil and perverfe Generation, as becomes the Sons of God, and the Heirs of Everlafting Glory. Your other Respect, whatever it be, will not fatisfy us without this: For we feek not yours but you (e). For you we give up many Advantages in Life, which in other Employments we might possibly have secured: For you we lay out Time and Strength in Study, in Prayer, and in Preach- ' ing. We bear you upon our Hearts in our publick Miniftrations, and private Retirements. Do not grieve our Hearts and weaken our Hands by your Unfruitfulness under our Ministry, by your unchriftian Converfations. Let your regular and holy Lives be our Letters of Commendation, to be known and read of all Men (f). Then would we defpife the Ignorance and Perverseness of those unreafonable Men, who deny our Miffion; would rejoice even now; and look forward with Transport to that glorious Day, when faithful Ministers and pious People fhall meet in the Temple of God above, and with unceafing Harmony join with the General Assembly and Church of the First-born, in that Divine Hymn of Praise,

Bleffing, and Honour, and Glory, and Power be unto him, that fitteth upon the Throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.