In Proportion as each of you fingly obferves, or tranfgreffes, thefe Gospel Rules, he will bring Honour or Shame on himself; on the particular Body, to which he belongs; on these Affemblies in general. And their influencing their Members effectually to eminent Goodness, is the beft, indeed the only strong Argument, that you can ufe to invite others into them. Therefore take efpecial Care, that you may always be able to use that with Truth. For this End, beware in the first Place of letting your Conferences degenerate into Form without Power *, into Lukewarmnefs and Supineness, a Name that you live, while indeed you are dead and if there have been any Tendency this Way, remember from whence you are fallen, be zealous and repent, and pray God to revive his Work in the Midft of the Years §. Beware in the next Place of running into Controverfies and Difputes. You have wifely guarded against these, by admitting fuch Perfons only as are well affected to our present happy Establishment in Church and State. Guard against them still further, by avoiding to debate any unneceffary Points of any Kind. Never indeed flight what God hath plainly taught, but never infist on what he hath not about all needlefs Queftions, allow different Opinions amongst yourfelves, without talking of them; neither cenfure those of others, nor prefs your own. In 2 Tim. iii. 5. Rev. iii. 19. + Rev. iii. 1. ↑ Rev. ii. 5. Matters Be Matters of practical Religion indeed, you not only may, but ought to be earnest. Yet even there, defpife not good Perfons of less fervent Difpofitions; and heat not one another, or yourfelves, into unmeaning or injudicious Tranfports; but let your Piety be at once an affectionate and a reafonable Service *. mutually helpful, if you properly can, even in temporal Affairs. For the Apoftle hath direct→ ed us to do good especially unto them, that are of the Houfhold of Faith: and therefore furely to thofe, whom we have the best Ground to think worthy Members of that Houfhold. But your principal Concern, beyond all Com parifon, is to promote your common Good in Spirituals to comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as ye do ‡: if a Man be overtaken in a Fault, to refiore fuch a one in the Spirit of Meekness, each confidering himfelf, left be alfo be tempted to fuffer the Word of Exhortation §, and even of Rebuke, with Patience, according to that of the Pfalmift, Let the Righteous fmite me friendly and reprove me **, and of Solomon, He that rebuketh a Man, fhall afterwards find more Favour, than be that flattereth with the Tongue ++. Nay, fhould any one by his Behaviour oblige you to have no longer Company with him, that he may be ashamed, yet the Precepts of Chriftian Charity bind you, not to count him an Enemy, but • Rom. xii. 1. Gal. vi. 1. + Prov. xxviii. 23. + Gal. vi. 10. X 2 1 Theff. v. 11: ** Pf. cxli. 5. ftill, ftill, so far as there is any Room left, admonish bim as a Brother *. But, Brethren, though I speak thus boldly to you, as putting you in mind, yet I am perfuaded of you, that ye are full of Goodness, and all Knowledge, able to admonish one another †, without foreign Affil tance. And therefore I add only my hearty Prayers, that your Love may abound yet more and more in Knowledge and all Judgment: that ye may approve Things that are excellent, that ye may be fincere and without Offence till the Day of Chrift, being filled with the Fruits of Righteoufnefs, which are by Jefus Chrift unto the Glory and Praife of God ‡. 2 Theff. iii. 14, 15. + Rom. xv. 14, 15. ‡ Phil. i. 9, 10, 11. SER SERMON XII. Preached before the Society correfponding with the Incorporated Society in Dublin, for promoting Englib Proteftant Working-Schools in Ireland, at their General Meeting in the Parish-Church of St. Mary le Bow, on Wednesday, April 27, 1757. PRO V. ix. 6. Forfake the Foolish, and live: and go in the Way of Understanding, HESE are the Words of Wisdom her TH felf, fpeaking in Perfon: and to speak them with Effect to the Poor of our neighbouring Ifland, that forfaking the Follies of their Ancestors, they may live as Men ought; and go in the Way of Understanding, through the Practice of the Duties, and Enjoyment of the Comforts of this World, to the Happiness of the next, is the whole Intent of the Charity, which we are met to promote: the noblest and greatest of the Kind, that ever exifted, The Kingdom of Ireland is bleffed by Providence with all the Means of Profperity and yet the Bulk of the People are in a Condition very lamentable. With Health and Strength, they have little or no Induftry; with Capacities like other Men, they have little or no Knowledge, even of the common Arts of Life. With the best Situation and Opportunities for Commerce, they have fcarce any of the Conveniencies which it imports with a fertile Soil, in a temperate Climate, they have scarce Food and Raiment. Under a Government, which lays on them the feweft Burthens, that perhaps ever Nation felt, they are inceffantly wishing for a Change and, which is the Source of all, though the Light of the Refor mation fhines round them, and the Door of Christian Freedom is open to them, they continue in thick Darknefs, voluntary Slaves to abfurd Superftitions. Attached with fervile Awe to the loweft Emiffaries of the See of Rome, they imbibe even the Dregs of its Errors: which many, in other Countries of the fame Communion, have the Wisdom to reject, Hence their Idolatry is groffer, their Efteem of focial Duties lefs, their Dependence on outward Formalities more confident, their Enmity to Proteftants bitterer: and their Abhorrence of Labour almoft infuperable, because it will benefit thofe, whom they deteft. We ought to pity all the Miftakes and Sufferings of all our Fellow-creatures, and yet more |