the divisions that are amongst us, and crumble us into a world of little sects and parties, each bitterly inveighing and contending against other, to the manifest ruin of the true spirit of Christianity, and the triumph of the atheistical in the uncertainty of our faith, as they will construe it; if this, and a great deal more of the same stamp, gives us a very melancholy prospect, and seems to threaten us with daily less and less success, and makes us move on very heavily in a profession which is become almost a common scorn: it looks withal as if the time were come for Christ to appear in the behalf of his despised, afflicted church, and rescue her from ruin, as being now in the extremity of danger.

Let us therefore consider what greater need there is than ever of a vigorous defence against so many enemies; how necessary our utmost efforts are to reduce our people in so general a revolt; and how base our cowardice would be, should we now, upon any considerations whatever, decline the service of our dear mother, and that with all our force! and nothing seems more likely to recover that honour to the church and clergy, and proportionable regard to their instructions, which in the best of times they had, and are now deprived of in the worst; than for them, with a noble resolution of acting like themselves, to oppose a vicious world with as much fortitude, and undaunted constancy, when under the greatest disadvantages, as if they had all the encouragements they could desire. For this would be a very sensible argument against that spiteful objection of priestcraft which they throw upon us, when they should see us true to our trust in the lowest ebb of our affairs; and purity of doctrine, innocency

of life, and a true Christian contempt of the world, must needs shine gloriously, and attract the eyes and hearts of all but the worst of men, in the midst of so black a night of impiety and irreligion as this.

This would be a preparative at least for better days, if not the dawn of them; and in time cannot fail of success. Let us go on therefore with a steady resolution to hasten the times of refreshment by a life of exemplary piety, and unbiassed discharge of our duty; and then, whether we live to rejoice in them or not, we shall not lose our reward.

And since the enemies of our Sion, however they may jangle among themselves, join all their forces against us, and cabal and conspire together for our ruin; let us be so wise as to assist and support each other by our mutual good counsel and advice, gladly embracing all opportunities of being helpful to any of our partners in the common work, and not backward in desiring help when there is occasion.

Two are better than one, says the wise and royal preacher; for if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: and how can one be warm alone? And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not easily broken. And whatever kind offices they do for one another, they have a good reward for their labour, in being assured of mutual assistance.

The society of good and prudent persons is always of excellent use, but more especially in times of difficulty and discouragement; it will warm and guide our zeal, and rectify false measures, and prevent our falling into pernicious errors, or conduce to our speedy recovery; we shall mightily strengthen and x Eccles. iv. 9.

encourage each other by it against the various assaults of a cunning and malicious adversary, which otherwise perhaps might be too prevalent; and it will likewise enable us to carry on successfully any pious and useful design, which being too great for any one man's ability, must either fail for want of help sufficient, or at least come short of that perfection which otherwise it might have attained.

It will be our wisdom therefore, and of great service to the interest of the church, to supply the defects and weakness of our own nets, by making use of our brethren's; and we ought to look upon it as our great happiness that there are so many excellent persons of our own order, as well as that superior to us, who are so able and so willing to assist us. And let us but take due care to render ourselves fit objects of our great Master's blessing, and be ready to join all hands in making the best use of those favourable opportunities which he shall please to give us; and we may hope, or our posterity, if not we, to see a return of primitive Christianity, through his power and goodness who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lordsTM.

And what is said upon this particular concerns not the clergy only, but every good Christian in their several capacities and stations; for the apostle adviseth us all to hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that hath promised;) and in order to this, to consider one another to provoke unto love and good works: not forsaking the assembling ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

y 1 Tim. vi. 15.

For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry1.

And in the prophet Malachi, (who prophesied not long before the coming of our Saviour,) we read that when religion was so quite out of request, that people said, It is in vain to serve God; and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinances? then, as a proper time for such religious conferences, they that feared the Lord spake often one to another : and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and thought upon his name, in a time of such general dissoluteness, and discouragement of all things religious and good, And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of Hosts, in the day when I make up my jewels.

In short, no better way to increase true religion amongst us, than for the clergy often to confer with, and advise and assist each other, as well as labour in the word and doctrine, with their people; and for the people to add to their attendance upon the public ordinances a private recourse to their spiritual guides, and religious conversation among themselves with prudence and an unaffected piety. And the worse the times are, the more difficult and disheartening, the more profane and loose, the greater need is there of it; and the greater expectations may we have of a blessing from God.

But let us take this along with us, that in all our successes we give God the glory, ascribing all to his powerful influence, who alone can order the unruly

z Heb. x. 23, &c. e Mal. iii. 17.

a Mal. iii. 14.

b Mal. iii. 16.

wills and affections of sinful men.

And the more

unexpectedly prosperous our endeavours are, the more still should we disclaim all self-praise, as manifestly seeing the more especial hand of God in it; and therefore humbling ourselves before him in a deep sense of our own unworthiness, and devoutly rendering all the honour to Him, to whom alone it is due.

Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord! says Peter, when he saw the miraculous draught of fishes which he and his partners had caught. It was their nets indeed that enclosed them, and their skill and diligence that secured them when Peter's net began to break; but they were sensible it was the power of Jesus that brought them thither in such abundance, and that at a season which was so very unlikely, and when they had toiled all the night before, and in that very same water, to no purpose.

And therefore Peter, as far from arrogating the success upon any account to himself, makes it a motive to the lowest humiliation and confession of his vileness; acknowledging himself to be utterly unworthy of such wondrous favours, and unfit for the presence of so holy and divine a Person, as fearing that his sinfulness would soon incur his displeasure.

In imitation of which excellent example, when God, in any instance, shall make what we do to prosper, instead of sacrificing to our net, and burning incense to our dragd; let us remember through whose power and blessing it is that we have succeeded, and be led by that goodness to repentance. Let us magnify him, and abase ourselves; and the

d Habakkuk i, 16.