one way, and all they do is levelled at the ends mentioned, the glory of God, in the conversion, édification, and falvation of fouls. I proceed now Thirdly. To enquire into the reafons of the doctrine, why a faithful gospel minister coming amongst a people, will be careful to understand their defign or intent in calling him. And,

1. 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 gofpel ordinances for a charm as it were, that they may fit down and reft upon them, as many people do, like these with whom the prophet Jeremiah had to do, who faid, The temple of the Lard, the temple of the Lord are these. Or they may defign the ftrengthening of factions and parties; or to get occafion to mock, as many do now in our days. Thefe and the like finiftrous designs 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, paft all peradventure, God will not fit with fuch an affront as is done him by this means, when that ordinance of the ministry, which he defigned for the good of fouls, and his glory, is proffitute and made fubfervient to quite different, nay, oppofite defigns: and furely a faithful gofpel minifter, who will have a tender regard to the falvation of his people, cannot choose but be folicitous to understand that they are not in fo dangerous a mistake.

2. The knowlege of this will be of great ufe to

clear

clear his call. It is a great evidence that God defigns good to a people when they call a minister upon fuch defigns; and it cannot but go a great length towards his fatisfaction as to God's calling him to work among them, in order to the compaffing the great defigns of his ministry. When Peter got the account before fpoken of from Cornelius, he is further confirmed as to the hand of God in his coming to him, in compliance with his defire.

3. If upon enquiry 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 thefe, for whofe fakes he runs those hazards, and grapples with these 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 knowlege 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 capacitate to further both his own and their falvations.

We might for improvement of this point, difcourfe to you at length of the neceffity of a gospel minifter's enquiring into his own designs, in undertaking the charge of a people. The arguments made ufe of to difcover the reasonableness of enquiring after the people's defign, conclude no less ftrongly with refpect to the minifter's. We might likewife difcourse 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 thefe things, and you heard the minifter's duty fo fully and largely difcourfed of within thefe few days, viz. at the

or

ordination, that we judge it needlefs to enter up-on that fubject, and therefore, all the improvement we design of what has been faid fhall be difpatched in a short address to you of this congregation.

You have called me to labour among you in the work of the gofpel; upon your call I have come; I ask therefore, to what intent fent you for me? What did ye defign in this matter? was it to hear what God has to fay 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 be established in his ways. Were thefe and the like, the designs you had in view? Were these the motives influenced you? If you narrowly look into your own hearts, and make an impartial enquiry, 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 queftion or two that may be of use. 1. Dare you without heart-condemning, as in the fight of God, fay, that in. calling a minifter, you had refpect to the command of God? Was it duty that moved you, or did custom and your own eafe influence you? 2. Dare you hold up your faces and fay, that it was a tafte of God's goodnefs 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 minister, that God might fend you one according to his own heart, that might feed you with knowlege 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 you to thefe things? Give God, give

confcience justice; let confcience speak freely, and tell whether things be fo or not. They muft 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 goodnefs, 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. 1. Thefe who have not been fo employed in this matter, and confequently have not been acting for right ends. And 2dly. Thefe who have been bufied in duty, in the way juft now mentioned. To each of thefe a word.

And,

Firft, 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 fulnefs of the bleffing of the gospel. To you we fay,

1. Your designs are not fuch as God will ap prove of. Had they been fuch as we mentioned in the former part of this difcourfe, then furcly they would have led you to earneft wrestling with God, for his direction, who only can point to one that is meet to answer these bleffed ends.

2. You are guilty of horrible wickednefs. You have committed a great provocation, in calling a iminifter upon any other defign. God defigned them for the ends formerly mentioned, and no o ther; and your calling them upon other aims, is an endeavour to counteract God, proftitute his ordinance, and ferve your lufts of that which God defigned for his own glory.

3. Whatever good others may get by the gofpel, you have no reason to look for any. God may answer you according to the idols of your

Own

own hearts; and when he fatisfies the foul of the hungry with good things, he may fend leanness to you. When he gives a commiffion to the word to enlighten, convert, confirm and ftrengthen o thers, you have reason to fear it may have a commiffion, to make you blind, deaf, and dead.

4. Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps, the thoughts of your heart may be forgiven you; ly in the duft before God, endeavour to get your hearts affected with your guilt, that ye 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 defigns 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 the other ways mentioned in the doctrinal part of this difcourfe.

6. And lastly. 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 gofpel-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 gospel of Jefus Chrift, who is the image of God.

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

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,

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that