titude, a confcientious care of the fouls committed to him not proportioning his diligence to the poor recompence paid him here, but to the unspeakable happiness reserved for good fhepherds hereafter.

Indeed, whether the principal, or his reprefentative, or both, refide, their industry and fervency and prudence will be the measure of their people's benefit, and their own final acceptance. If you content yourselves with a languid formal recital of ftated offices, and by indolence, or amusements, or business, or even studies, are loft to your parishioners, while you are in the midst of them, or by indifcretions in converfation, dress, or demeanour, become disliked or despised by them, you may, in refpect of any spiritual usefulness to them or yourselves, be, almost as well, perhaps better, ever so far off. But this is no excufe for being abfent, but only a reafon for being present to good purpose. And as the non-refidence of fome, the unactive refidence of others, and the offenfive conduct of a third fort, (which caufe great forrow, but moderate complaints amongst wife and good people,) are favourite topics of invective against us, not only in the mouths of irreligious perfons, but of a new fect pretending to the ftricteft piety; though we are bound always, we are peculiarly bound at prefent, to behave in fo exemplary a manner, as will cut off occafion from them which defire occafion to glory * of themselves, and fpeak evil of us. It is not rendering to them railing for railing; it is not ridiculing them, especially in terms bordering on profaneness, or affecting more gravely to hold them in contempt; it is not doing them the honour of mifcalling other perfons of more than ordinary seriousness by their name, that will prevent the continuance or the increase of the harm which they are doing. The only way is, for the clergy to imitate and emulate what is good in them, avoiding what is bad; to attend their cures, edify their parishioners with awakening, but rational and scriptural discourses, converse much with them, as watchmen for their fouls ‡, 'be fober, grave, temperate, and fhew themselves in all things patterns of good works §. If the people fee, or but imagine, their minister une willing to take more pains about them, or preferve more guard

guard upon himself than for fhame he muft, no wonder if it alienates them powerfully both from him and his doctrine: whereas when they perceive him careful to instruct them, and go before them, in whatever is their duty to do, they will hearken to him with great regard, when he cautions them againft overdoing; and be unlikely to feek for imaginary improvements abroad from irregularities and extravagancies, whilft they experience themselves really improved at home in an orderly established method.

But then, to improve them effectually to their future happiness, as well as to filence false accufers, you must be affiduous in teaching the principles, not only of virtue and natural religion, but of the gofpel: and of the gofpel, not as almost explained away by modern refiners, but as the truth is in Fefus*; as it is taught in the church, of which you are members; as you have engaged, by your fubfcriptions and declarations, that you will teach it yourselves. You must preach to them faith in the ever-bleffed trinity; and vindicate, when it is requifite, thofe parts of our creeds and offices which relate to that article, from the very unjust imputations of abfurdity and uncharitableness which have been cast upon them. You must fet forth the original corruption of our nature; our redemption, according to God's eternal purpofe in Chrift†, by the facrifice of the cross; our fanctification by the influences of the Divine Spirit; the infufficiency of our own good works, and the efficacy of faith to falvation: yet handling these points in a doctrinal, not controverfial manner, unless particularly called to it; and even then treating adverfaries with mildness and pity, not with bitterness or immoderate vehe

mence.

The truth, I fear, is, that many, if not most of us, have dwelt too little on these doctrines in our fermons by no means, in general, from difbelieving or flighting them; but partly from knowing, that formerly they had been inculcated beyond their proportion, and even to the difparagement of Christian obedience; partly from fancying them fo generally received and remembered, that little needs to be faid, but on focial obligations; partly again from not having ftudied theology deeply enough, to treat of them ably and beneficially:

God

Eph. iv. 21.

† Eph. iii. 11;

God grant it may never have been for want of inwardly experiencing their importance. But whatever be the cause, the effect hath been lamentable. Our people have grown lefs and lefs mindful, firft of the diftinguishing/ articles of their creed, then, as will always be the cafe, of that one, which they hold in common with the Heathens; have forgot, in effect, their Creator, as well as their Redeemer and Sanctifier; feldom or never worshipping him, or thinking of the state of their fouls in relation to him; but flattering themselves, that what they are pleafed to call a moral and harmlefs life, though far from being either, is the one thing needful. Reflections have been made upon us, of different natures, and with different views, on account of these things, by deifts, by papifts, by brethren of our own, which, it is easy to show, have been much too fevere. But the only complete vindication of ourselves will be, to preach fully and frequently the doctrines which we are unjustly accufed of cafting off or undervaluing yet fo, as to referve always a due fhare of our difcourfes, which, it is generally reported, fome of our cenfures do not, for the common duties of common life, as did our Saviour and his apoftles. But then, we must enforce them chiefly by motives peculiarly Christian: I will not fay, only by fuch; for the scripture adds others. And while we urge on our hearers the neceffity of univerfal holiness, we must urge equally that of their being found in Chrift; not having their own righteousness, which is of the law, but the righteousness which is of God by faith*.

Copious and interefting as the fubject is, I must now conclude. And I beseech you, brethren, fuffer the word of exbortation: for I have spoken to you from the fimplicity of a plain heart, and the fincerity of a deep concern for the interests of the church of Chrift, and the everlasting welfare of every one of you; not as condemning, not as difesteeming you, very far from it, but as being jealous over you with godly jealousy, and deeply affected with the present state of religion amongst us. Wickednefs, profaneness, avowed infidelity, have made a dreadful progrefs in this nation. The civil power, in most cases, doth little to check that progrefs and it is an unhappiness in our most happy conftitution, that it cannot eafily, if at all, do what

what one might wish. Ecclefiaftical authority is not only too much limited, but too much despised, as matters now ftand amongst us, to do almost any thing to purpose. In the fmall degree, that it can be exerted usefully I hope it will, and promife my utmoft endeavours, in all cafes notified to me, that it hall. But the main fupport of piety and morals confifts in the parochial labours of the clergy. If our country is to be preserved from utter profligatenefs and ruin, it must be by our means and, take notice, we cannot lofe our influence, but in a great measure by our own fault. If we look on what we are apt to call our livings only as our livelihoods, and think of little more than living on the income of them according to our own inclinations; if, for want of a good conScience, or faith unfeigned*, we forfeit the protection of God; and by worldliness, or indolence, or levity in behaviour, talk, or appearance, (for grofs vices I put out of the question) lofe, as we affuredly fhall, the reverence of mankind: there will be no foundation left for us to ftand upon. Our legal establishment will shake and fink under us, if once it can be said we do the public little fervice; and much fooner if we are fufpected of difquieting it. Wicked people will attack us without reserve; the good will be forced to condemn and give us up and well would it be for us, if this were the worst. It is a fmall thing to be judged of man's judgement; he that judgeth us is the Lordt. But while we teach the genuine truths of the gofpel, and evidently feel the truths we teach; and are more anxious about the fouls of men, than our own profit, or pleasure, or power; while we fubmit ourselves dutifully and affectionately (as we never had greater cause) to the King and those who are put in authority under him: lead quiet and peaceable lives in all godliness and honefty‡; and join to our piety and loyalty and virtue, but a common share of prudence: we fhall, in fpight of enemies, through his mercy, who hath promifed to be with us alway |, not fail of being upheld. The religious will efteem us very highly in love for our work's fake §: the wife in their generation, though not religious, will perceive our importance: the vicious and deftitute of principle will be awed by us; and the feed of the word, however tramVOL. IV. pled

Y

elfe.

pled under foot by fome, will spring up and bear fruit in the hearts of many. Let us think then ferioufly, what depends us, what it requires of us, and give ourselves wholly to it*. God hath placed us in a flation of difficulty and labour, at prefent alfo of reproach and contempt from great numbers of men. But ftill, if we only learn to value our function justly, and love it fincerely, we shall be unspeakably happier in discharging the duties of it, than we poffibly can be in any thing The things in which the world places happinefs, are very trifles. We may plainly fee them to be fuch now, if we will; and we shall fee in a little time, whether we will or not, that the only real point of moment is, to have approved ourselves good and faithful fervants † to our great Master. Let us all therefore bear in mind continually, how matters will appear to us then; and heartily pray and earnestly endeavour, so to pass through things temporal, that we finally lose not the things eternal, Grant this, 0 Heavenly Father, for Jesus Chrift's fake, our Lord ‡.

*

I Tim. iv. 15. † Mat. xxv. 21.

Col. 4th Sunday after Trinity.

A CHARGE