fhould prove their intentions honeft, by a diligent application to their own proper work and business, with refpect to his furtherance in these great defigns. Every member of the congregation fhould be helpful to him, in contributing their utmoft afftance to him in his work. A minifter may spend "his ftrength in vain," if elders in in their place, mafters of families in theirs, and every particular perfon in his station, do not join, by prayer and otherwife, in affifting their minifters. Then do men appear fincere in their defigns, for the glory of God, and their own falvation, when every one puts to his hand to the work, and endeavours the removal of what may retard and obstruct its progrefs and fuccefs; and likewife ftudies by all means to strengthen the minister's hands, that he may not be difcouraged, diverted, or taken off from his work. In fine, then do a people appear fingle in their aims, when their words, their hearts, their hands go one way, and all they do is levelled at the ends mentioned, the glory of God, in the converfion, edification, and falvation of fouls. I proceed now,

THIRDLY, To inquire into the reafons of the doctrine, why a faithful gofpel-minifter coming amongst a people, will be careful to understand their defign or intent in calling him. And,

I. This will be the defire of a gospel-minifter, because a mistake in this matter will be of very dangerous confequence to the people. That people may be influenced. by wrong and finiftrous ends and motives in this matter, is beyond all peradventure. They may defign the "gratification of their itching ears" by the preacher's gifts, as the prophet Ezekiel's hearers did; they may feek the gospelordinances for a charm as it were, that they may fit down and rest upon them, as many people do, like those with whom the prophet Jeremiah had to do, who faid, "The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord are these." Or they may defign the firengthening of factions and parties, or to get occafion to mock, as many do now in our days. Thefe and the like finiftrous defigns may a people go upon; and there can be nothing more prejudicial to a people than to be under the influence of fuch intentions; fince, past all peradventure, God will not fit with fuch an affront as is done him by this means, when the ordinance of the min

istry,

ftry, which he defigned for the gocd of fouls, and his glory, is proftituted, and made fubfervient to quite different, nay, oppofite defigns: and furely a faithful gofpelminifter, who will have a tender regard to the falvation of his people, cannot chufe but be folicitous to understand that they are not in fo dangerous a mistake.

2. The knowledge of this will be of great ufe to clear his call. It is a great evidence that God defigns good to a people when they call a gofpel.minifter upon fuch de. figns; and cannot but go a great length towards his fatis. faction as to God's calling him to work among them, in order to the compaffing the great defigns of his miniftry. When Peter got the account before fpoken of from Cornelius, he is further confirmed as to the hand of God in his coming to hin, in compliance with his defire.

3. If upon inquiry they be found to be fuch as we have mentioned, it will be a great comfort to him, in grappling with the difficulties he may meet with in the difcharge of his duty. It will give a great deal of fatisfaction to him, to know that thofe for whofe fakes he runs those hazards, and grapples with thefe difficulties, have the fame aims, and are joining in the fame defign with him. In fine, the right management of his whole work depends very much upon this knowledge of his people's intentions; and therefore it is no wonder he be inquifitive into them, fince by his acquaintance with these he may be capacitated to further both his own and their falvations.

We might, for improvement of this point, difcourfe to you at length of the neceflity of a gofpel-minifter's inquiring into his own designs in undertaking the charge of a people. The arguments made ufe of to difcover the reasonableness of inquiring after the people's defigns, conclude no less ftrongly with refpect to the minifter's. We might likewise difcourfe to you of the way how he is to manifeft the integrity and fincerity of his aims; but time will not allow us to enter upon these things, and you heard the minifter's duty fo fully and largely difcourfed of within these few days, viz. at the ordination, that we judge it needless to enter upon that fubje&t; and therefore all the improvement we defign, of what has been faid, fhall be dispatched in a fhort address to you of this congregation.

You have called me to labour among you in the work of

the

the gofpel; upou your call I have come; I ask therefore to what intent fent ye for me? What did ye design in this matter? Was it to hear what God has to lay to you, that God's worship may be ordered according to his own appointment, that you may be brought to acquaintance with Chrift, or that you may be established in his ways? Were there and the like the defigns you had in view? Were these the motives that influenced you? If you narrowly look into your own heart, and make an impartial inquiry, you may readily come to understand what your aims have been; and for your help, I would only, in God's name, pofe your confciences with a question or two, that may be of use. I. Dare you, without heart-condemning, as in the fight of God, fay, that in calling a minifter you had respect to the command of God? Was it duty that moved you, or did cuftom and your own eafe, influence you? 2. Dare you hold up your faces and fay, that it was a taste of God's goodness in ordinances, that made you defire them, that you might grow thereby? 3. Did this defire lead you much to the throne of grace to pray for a minifter, that God might fend you one "according to his own heart, that might feed you with knowledge and understanding?" 4. When you faw any profpect of the return of your prayers, as to a gofpel-miniftry, were you careful to plead that the bleffing might come along?

What fay ye to these things? Give God, give con' science justice; let confcience speak freely, and tell whether things be fo or not. They must either own, that there was not a regard to the command, that there was not a defire after the fincere milk of the word, occafioned by a taste of the Lord's gooduefs, that there was not that ferious application to God by prayer, either for a minifter, or for the bleffing of the ordinance; or that there was; and this will caft you all into two claffes. 1ft, Thofe who have not been fo employed in this matter, and confequently have not been acting for right ends. And, 2dly, Those who have been bufied in duty, in the way just now mentioned. Το each of thefe a word. And,

1st, As for you who have not had a regard to your duty in this matter, who have not been wrestling with God in prayer, that God might fend you a minifter, with the fulness of the bleffing of the gospel, to you we fay, C

1. Your

1. Your designs are not fuch as God will approve of. Had they been fuch as we meationed in the former part of this difcourfe, then furely they would have led you to earnest wrestling with God, for his direction, who only can point to one that is meet to answer those bleffed ends. 2. You are guilty of horrible wickednefs. You have committed a great provocation, in calling a minifter up. on any other defign. God defigned them for the ends formerly mentioned, and no other; and your calling them upon other aims, is an endeavour to counteract God, proftitute his ordinance, and ferve your luits of that which God defigned for his own glory.

3. Whatever good others may get by the gospel, you have no reafon to look for any. God may answer you ac cording to the idols of your own hearts: and when he fatisfies the foul of the hungry with good things, he may fend leannefs to you. When he gives a commiffion to the word to enlighten, convert, confirm, and ftrengthen o thers, you have reafon to fear that it may have a commiffion to make you blind, deaf, and dead.

4. Repent therefore of this your wickednefs, and pray God, if perhaps the thoughts of your heart may be for. given you; lie in the duft before God; endeavour to get your hearts affected with your guilt, that you may be deeply humbled and abafed before him whom you have provoked to anger.

5. Bring forth fruits meet for repentance. Let us know by your carriage that you are really penitent, and that now you have got the right designs in view; and this you may do by a close attendance upon all the ordinances, by hearing and doing whatever is enjoined you of God, and by all other ways mentioned in the doctrinal part of this difcourfe.

6. And, laftly. Whether you hear or forbear, yet we tell you, the kingdom of God is come near unto you; whatever you defign, the Lord has given you a gospel-day; and if our gofpel be hid from you, it is because you are loft, the god of this world having blinded your eyes, that you fhould not difcern the light of the glorious gofpel of Jefus Chrift, who is the image of God.

As to the fecond fort of perfons, thofe who have been importunate with God, and have had an eye to his command in this work, to you we say,

1. This

1. This your conduct, paft all peradventure, is no mean evidence of the fincerity of your good intentions ; and this is certainly matter of thankfulness, and is moreover a ground to hope, that the Lord may not altogether fruftrate your defires.

2. Do not think your work is over. Wrestle, plead ftrongly with God for the bleffing on gofpel-ordinances; whoever plants or waters, it is only God that gives the increafe; and therefore, if you mean to grow under the means, be inftant in prayer for the bleffing on them; plead that God may not fend leannefs to your fouls, while he provides plenty of fpiritual provision for you.

3. Beware of Gtting down upon golpel-privileges. You may, if you do fo, lole what you have wrought, and juftly bring the fincerity of your aims in queftion. There is no thing more ordinary, than fecurity of this fort. Perfons who it may be would fay, O had they a gospel-difpenfa. tion! how glad would they be, how carefully would they improve it; and yet when they get what they feek, their improvement is in no meafure anfwerable to their refolu. tions. Take heed of, and guard against this.

4. Let there be a fuitable care to evidence your fincerity in this matter, by the whole of your deportment. If you turn carelefs in attending ordinances, if you hear, but do not, if you neglect your own work, and be wanting to yourselves in this matter, then who will believe your fincerity who can believe it? your own confciences will accuse you; and if your hearts condemu you, God is greater than your hearts, and knows all things," 1 John iii. 20.

5. If you find that the Lord has made endeavours fuccefsful, take care that you facrifice not to your own net, and burn incenfe to your drag. God is a holy and jealous God, and will not be mocked; and if you begin to rob him of his glory, he will get him glory in fuch a way as may lay you low, and make you fmart feverely for your own folly.

6. If the Lord give you the gofpel-light, then walk in the light while you have it. Carry like children of the light and of the day, work out the work of your falvation with fear and trembling; for none of us can tell how

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