duty, that it should rather spur us on still more and more, that at length by any means we might save

somes.

Success is in the hands of God; he gives it when and where he pleaseth, and it is men's wickedness that keeps it back: and when we can prevail with them to do sincerely what they can on their part, God will not be wanting on his to give the word his blessing, and make it fruitful. Our business, therefore, is still to be more and more instant with our people, by line upon line, argument upon argument, persuasive upon persuasive, in season and out of season; as soon as one attempt is over, though it fails, diligently to prepare for another; and heedfully to consider whether any thing hath been amiss or wanting in our own management, that we may amend it; and nicely to observe the fittest seasons and most promising opportunities, and likeliest methods of prevailing: and then humbly to recommend the event to him, who, though Paul plants, and Apollos waters, at last must give the increase.

And when we have done this, we have done all that we can do; and whatever the consequence may be to our people, through their careless disregard, and untractable obstinacy, it will be never the less happy for us, who shall be rewarded according to our labours, whether they succeed or no. And though we should rejoice exceedingly to see religion thrive and flourish under our care, to the honour of our great Master and our people's happiness; yet if it does not when the blame is not ours, we must support our drooping spirits, (and which an unsuc

g Rom. xi. 14.

h 2 Tim. iv.

i

2.

1 Cor. iii. 7.

cessful ministry must needs deject extremely, where there is any thing of tenderness and compassion ;) we must support, I say, our spirits, with the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity we have had our conversation amongst them, and are pure from the blood of all men, having not failed to declare unto them the whole counsel of God' and then, with patience and a persevering duty, wait the blessed time, when God shall turn the hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of the justm.

For those who, at the command of Jesus, and by his authority, let down the nets, though sometimes, and for a long while it may be, and after abundance of pains and industry, they meet with little or nothing but disappointment; yet they may hope for a draught at last, and that when they least expect it. Master, says Peter, we have toiled all the night, the properest season for our business, and have taken nothing; nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.

He that hath a lawful call to this spiritual fishery, and is admitted to it by those whom Christ hath intrusted with that power in his absence, the bishops of the church, (and which is exactly agreeable to our Lord's own practice when upon earth, who called, and made choice of, and sent, those whom he thought fit to employ in the great work of the gospel ministry, and the government of his church, and besides whom none were permitted to meddle in so great and concerning a business,) not only may, but is bound to become a fisher of men in the place that m Luke i. 17.

k

2 Cor. i. 12.

1 Acts xx. 26, 27.

is assigned him; and woe unto him if he preacheth not the gospel1; and woe to the people, too, if they do not hear him, and conform to his directions.

For this is the ordinance of Christ, and his blessing will go along with it; Go ye, says he, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, &c. teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, to support and give success to your ministry, even unto the end of the world.

But he that thrusts himself into this sacred employment, without any other call than an overweening opinion of his gifts and abilities for it, presumptuously invades what does not at all belong to him ; and instead of a blessing upon his usurpation, must expect in conclusion what I am loath to name.

At this rate, every confident, designing man, may set up for a minister of the gospel, and seduce unwary men by their sleights and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceiver; but what a deplorable condition are the poor deluded people in that follow them! How can they hope to be truly edified in the schools of schism by those that preach without being sent? Will God give success to those who take that holy office to themselves, not only without his authority, but in a bold defiance of it? And when they are tearing his church in pieces by divisions, and digging up the foundations of it by their destructive doctrines, can any one be so besotted as to think he will make their cankerous words', as St. Paul styles them, become true nourishment to the souls of those that hear them?

Foolish people, to be thus bewitched by the deceiveableness of unrighteousness!

What allowances God's infinite goodness may make for the invincible ignorance of some wellmeaning people, who have been bred up in the separation from their youth, and meet with nothing but invectives against our excellent establishment, and are sincerely pious to the best of their knowledge; what gracious allowances God may make in this case, I cannot say, and charity would induce me to hope well but ordinarily God's blessing is upon his own ordinances only, which, where they may be enjoyed, but yet are despised and neglected, for the sake of a ministry of every man's own making: I tremble to think how fatal this will prove to the far greatest number at last. For I am against the prophets, says God by Jeremy, that steal my words every one from his neighbour-that cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness; yet I sent them not, neither commanded them: therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith the Lordt. Words of great emphasis, and that deserve to be seriously considered, by those particularly who desert God's ordinances for the inventions of men, and that under pretence of greater edification; which certainly is the greatest of delusions. But to proceed.

When at the word of Jesus they had let down their net, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes, and their net brake: and they beckoned to their partners which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them; and they came and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink. t Jer. xxiii. 30. 32.

S 2 Thess. ii. 10.

This mighty success was so little expected, that it was the more astonishing; and those who but a little before, with all their art and diligence for a whole night together, had taken nothing, could not but be amazed to feel the weight of the fish too great for the strength of their net, so that there would be need of their partners' assistance to secure them.

Thus did Jesus intimate to Peter what vast numbers should be converted by his preaching, and those who should be joined in commission with him; and which the event shewed to be true, when three thousand were won over to the faith of Christ by his first sermon, and improved to five by the next"; and then daily increased by their joint endeavours to that strange degree, that the believers in Jesus soon became innumerable.

And how should this inspire us with new life and spirit amidst our manifold discouragements, who are partners in the same great work of winning souls to Christ, and act by the same authority, and have reason therefore, in his good time, to hope for a blessing! And the less likelihood there may appear to us of doing good, the nearer probably may be the happy time, when we shall see, both to our comfort and our wonder, that our labours have not been in rain in the Lord.

If the abounding wickedness of the age we live in, and men's daring justification of it; if their open opposition to religion, and professed endeavours both to dispute and ridicule it out of the world, by their poisonous writings and profane drollery, and throwing all contempt imaginable upon our holy order; if u Acts ii. 41. iv. 4.