our ancient writers, and the consentient report of hundreds of most credible persons in our own age, attesting the same, be to be questioned". And yet, they say some of those diseased persons return from that sovereign remedy re infecta, without any cure done upon them. How comes this to pass? God hath not given this gift of healing so absolutely to our royal line, but that he still keeps the reins of it in his own hand, to let them loose, or restrain them, as he pleaseth. But I go forward.

Observ. 4. God doth sometimes lay very severe bodily and outward afflictions on the best of his

servants.

St. Paul himself had his thorn in the flesh, a painful disease and sickness, ever and anon molesting him. And is any of us better than that blessed apostle? But I must not dwell on this.

Observ. 5. Good men, when they pray for the removal of outward evils, are not always heard, God purposing to continue the affliction on them for their spiritual good.

St. Paul prayed earnestly and frequently for the removal of that thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan, sent him by God to prevent his being lifted up above measure, and yet was not heard. And yet he was heard too, God promising a sufficient grace to support him under the affliction which lay upon him. Which brings me to my last observation.

Observ. 6. When God sees it for our good to continue any bodily or outward affliction on us, we must submit to his will, and comfort ourselves with the

" See especially Bradwardine De Causa Dei, l. 1. c. 1. coroll. par. 32. p. 39.

assurance of his sufficient grace, and his strength to be made perfect in our weakness.

This is the plain sense of the ninth verse, where the oracle of God immediately delivered to St. Paul, My grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weakness, is really spoken through St. Paul to all that are in the same or the like circumstances with him.

Perhaps it is the case of some of us, that we labour under some painful or troublesome infirmity of body, or else are pressed with some other grievous outward affliction, which we have used all means within our power to be rid of, and often with earnestness prayed unto God to be delivered from, and yet still remain under the same calamity. If this be our case, let us not be dismayed or cast down, but remember that the great apostle's condition was much the same with ours. And provided we be true and faithful servants of God, as St. Paul was, (though not in so eminent a degree as he,) let us, I say, be assured, that the words of God in my text, My grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weakness, are as certainly spoken to every one of us as ever they were to him. And indeed there is a general promise of God, of the same import, delivered by the same apostle to all true Christians, 1 Cor. x. 13. God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. Wherefore let us comfort one another with these words.

And let us consider farther, that our life here is but short, and consequently that no trouble attending

it can be long. We may say of every affliction, " It "is but a little cloud that will soon pass away, vanish, " and be gone*." Trust in God, faithfully serve him, and be patient; yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry, Heb. x. 37. The Lord our Redeemer is at hand, and his harbinger, Death, by hasty paces marcheth towards us; a messenger that ought in reason to be most welcome to all afflicted persons, who by faith and a good life, or at least by a timely and true repentance for a bad one, are prepared to meet and receive him. This physician will infallibly cure all our maladies and distempers, and put a final period to all our troubles and afflictions. This will pass us into a state of perfect rest and peace, in which there shall be no more sickness or sorrow, because no more sin. Yea, this will lead us into that presence, and to that right hand of God, where there is fulness of joy, and where there are pleasures for evermore, Psalm

xvi. 11.

For which blessed estate, God of his infinite mercy fit us, and thereinto in his due time admit us all, through Jesus Christ our only Lord and Saviour.

To whom, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, be ascribed all honour and glory, adoration and worship, now and for evermore, Amen.

* Nubecula est cito transitura.

A VISITATION SERMON CONCERNING THE GREAT DIFFICULTY AND DANGER OF THE PRIESTLY OFFICE.

JAMES iii. 1.

My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.

THE text may at first sight appear to some to stand at a very wide distance from the present occasion. But I hope, by that time I have spent a little pains in explaining it, I shall set the text and occasion at a perfect agreement.

The words therefore are by interpreters diversly expounded. Among the rest, two interpretations there are which stand as the fairest candidates for our reception.

1. Some understand the masters here in my text, to be proud, malicious censors, and judges of other men's actions, and so expound the text as a prohibition of rash and uncharitable judgment, and make it parallel to that of our Saviour, Matt. vii. 1. Judge not, that ye be not judged. Be not rash and hasty

[Published in London, 1714, together with his Charge to his Diocese, and his Circular Letter to the Clergy. The titlepage was, A Companion for the Candidates of Holy Orders; or, The Great Importance and Principal Duties of the Priestly Office. This Sermon was evidently written many years before; and Nelson tells us, (Life, p. 401.) that the bishop told his son on the night but one before he died to strike out the preface, as too juvenile.]

in censuring or judging the actions of others, or speaking evil of them, considering that by so doing you will but procure a greater judgment of God upon yourselves. The chief, if not the only argument for this interpretation, is the context of the apostle's discourse, which in the following verses is wholly spent against the vices of the tongue. But,

2. Others there are who interpret the masters in the text to be pastors or teachers in the church of God; and accordingly understand the words as a serious caution against the rash undertaking of the pastoral office or function, as an office attended with great difficulty and danger, a task very hard to be discharged, and wherein whoever miscarries, makes himself thereby liable to a severer judgment of Almighty God.

This latter interpretation (with submission I speak it) seems to me, almost beyond doubt, the genuine sense of the apostle. The reasons are evident in the text itself. For, 1. unless we thus expound the words, it will be hard to give a rational account of this word moi, many, why it should be inserted. For if we understand those masters the apostle speaks of, to be rash judges and censurers of others, it is most certain then, one such would be too many, and the multiplicity of them would not be the only culpable thing. But on the other side, if we receive the latter interpretation, the account of the word Toλλ is easily rendered, according to the paraphrase of Erasmus, thus, "Let not pastors or teachers be too vulgar and cheap among you; let not every man "rush into so sacred an office and function b." And

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b Ne passim ambiatis esse magistri.