In fhort; every minifter of Chrift, who hopes to fay with St. Paul, to me to die is gain, must be able to fay with truth, and with him, I am clear from the blood of all men.' In order to this he must confider, That he stands bound and answerable for a certain number of fouls committed to his care; to conduct them to eternal happiness, through a very corrupt world, infinite errors, and powerful enemies :- That therefore he is to fpare no pains for their good:-That he is to preach by his example, as well as by his fermons :-That he is to reprove the disorderly with an holy boldnefs; to awaken the confciences of the careless by the terrors of the Lord; and to comfort dejected penitents by the mercies of God in Jefus Chrift:-That he is to filence gainfayers by the word of truth: to be the falt of the earth, to keep as much as may be his own people from corruption. In order to this, a good minifter of Jefus Christ will find himself obliged to fubdue his own paffions in the first place; to lay himself under greater restraints than he would lay others, doing nothing unbecoming the fanctity of his character, left he lead his flock to hell, instead of conducting them to heaven. In one word; the minifters of the gospel, and the ordinances to them intrusted, and by them administered, are the ordinary means by which God does teach, edify, blefs, and fave his elect. And most certain it is, that their reward will be proportionable to their faithful endeavours for the falvation of their flock. You have heard, good Chriftians, what our duty and business is. You are, or may be, partakers of the bleffings of our miniftrations. -Do not for your own fakes, as well as for ours, add to our burthen, and to our forrow, by despifing our ministry, or make it useless to yourselves by a profane neglect of the ordinances of God. Remember, that we are the minifters of Jefus Chrift; and at the fame time do not forget, that the master is always dishonoured when his fervants are evil treated, or defpifed. I have particularly infifted upon our own duty, being well affured, that if we fail in our's, you will be tempted to fail in your's. And being alfo confident, that if we faithfully discharge our own duty, without any bafe or bye ends, without fearing the face of man;-if we perform the offices of religion with a devotion becoming fo holy a work;if our lives are anfwerable to the truths we are bound to preach, and to prefs upon others;-if we claim no other power or authority over you but what Chrift has commanded for your good;-if we exercise no other difcipline but fuch as we are directed to do by God's word, and by the laws of this church and nation;-then we may be confident, that God will accept our perfons, and blefs bless our labours, to your edification, and to our own eternal advantage. And this, as I have the best reason to know, I do, as in the prefence of God, affirm, was what our dead friend and brother ever aimed at, and made his conftant practice. He looked upon himself, by his ordination vows, bound to "minifter the discipline of "Chrift as the Lord has commanded, and as "this church and nation have received the fame, according to the commandments of "God." He was under the obligation of another folemn oath, "as one of the council of this "land, to the best of his power to defend and "maintain the ancient laws, ftatutes, and customs, proper, and belonging to the Isle, " and perogatives due to the heirs thereof." He folemnly declared before he died, that to the best of his understanding, he made these oaths his rule to act by. That he acted according to the best knowledge God had given him, for the honour of God, and the good of this church and nation. And they are the worst enemies to themfelves, if there are any to be found, who will say that he has not acted with great integrity in every branch of his duty, and state of life; -as a most faithful, painful, tender pastor of the flock committed to his care;-as a most charitable difpofer of his own and of the church's incomes;-as an uncommon benefactor factor to his parish, and to his unknown fuc ceffors;-as a moft dutiful fon to his parents, and bountiful friend to his relations;-as a magiftrate, entirely free from the least stain of corruption or partiality;-as a Christian, of irreproachable morals, and exemplary life and conversation;-as a most hofpitable entertainer of strangers and perfons in distress;and lastly, as a very fincere friend, and most grateful perfon. Would to God that every one who attends his funeral, may leave the world with the fame fair unftained character! -It is the best prayer I can put up for myfelf, or for thofe that hear me. It is an exceeding great comfort to the ferious part of the living, when they can commit the bodies of their dead friends to the grave, "in fure and certain hopes of a bleffed re"furrection." And, bleffed be God, this is the cafe before us; as we have juft reafon to hope for, not only from the judgment of charity, but from his works that follow him, as witneffes of his good life. And all we must follow him very foon, either with or without these testimonies of our good works. Preferve in us all, O God, a lively sense of the world to come: And grant that we may fo live, as that we may, with this our departed brother, die in peace, and reft in hope, and rife in glory, for the Lord Jefus' fake. To whom, &c. SERMON |