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In Proportion as each of you fingly obferves, or tranfgreffes, these Gospel Rules, he will bring Honour or Shame on himself; on the particular Body, to which he belongs; on these Assemblies in general. And their influencing their Members effectually to eminent Goodness, is the best, indeed the only strong Argument, that you can use to invite others into them. Therefore take especial 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 Lukewarmness 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 fallent, be zealous and repent ||, and pray God to revive his Work in the Midst of the Years §. Beware in the next Place of running into Controverfies and Difputes. You have wifely guarded against these, by admitting such Persons only as are well affected to our present happy Establishment in Church and State. Guard against them still further, by avoiding to debate any unnecessary Points of any Kind. Never indeed flight what God hath plainly taught, but never insist on what he hath not: about all needless Queftions, allow different Opinions amongst yourfelves, without talking of them; neither cenfure those of others, nor press your own. In

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Matters of practical Religion indeed, you not only may, but ought to be earnest. Yet even there, despise not good Persons of less fervent Dispositions; and heat not one another, or yourselves, into unmeaning or injudicious Transports; but let your Piety be at once an affectionate and a reasonable Service *. Be mutually helpful, if you properly can, even in temporal Affairs. For the Apostle hath directed us to do good especially unto them, that are of the Houshold of Faith: and therefore surely to those, whom we have the best Ground to think worthy Members of that Houshold. But your principal Concern, beyond all Com parison, 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 restore fuch a one in the Spirit of Meekness, each confidering himself, lest he also be tempted ||: to suffer the Word of Exhortation §, and even of Rebuke, with Patience, according to that of the Pfalmist, Let the Righteous smite me friendly and reprove me **, and of Solomon, He that rebuketh a Man, shall afterwards find more Favour, than be that flattereth with the Tongue ++. Nay, should any one by his Behaviour oblige you to have no longer Company with him, that he may be ashamed, yet the Precepts of Christian Charity bind you, not to count him an Enemy, but

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still, so far as there is any Room left, admonish him 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 Afsistance. And therefore I add only my hearty Prayers, that your Love may abound yet more and more in Knowledge and all fudgment: that ye may approve Things that are excellent, that ye may be fincere and without Offence till the Day of Christ, being filled with the Fruits of Righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ unto the Glory and Praise of God .

*

2 Theff. iii. 14, 15. † Rom. xv. 14, 15. 1. 9, 10, 11.

‡ Phil.

SER

SERMON XII.

Preached before the Society corresponding with the Incorporated Society in Dublin, for promoting English Proteftant Working-Schools in Ireland, at their General Meeting in the Parish-Church of St. Mary le Bow, on Wednesday, April 27,

1757.

PROV. ix. 6.

Forfake the Foolish, and live ; and go in the Way of Understanding,

THES

HESE are the Words of Wisdom herself, speaking in Person: and to speak them with Effect to the Poor of our neigh--. bouring Island, 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 existed,

The Kingdom of Ireland is blessed by Providence with all the Means of Prosperity: and yet the Bulk of the People are in a Condition very lamentable. With Health and Strength, they have little or no Industry; 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 scarce 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 fewest Burthens, that perhaps ever Nation felt, they are incessantly wishing for a Change: and, which is the Source of all, though the Light of the Reformation shines round them, and the Door of Christian Freedom is open to them, they continue in thick Darkness, voluntary Slaves to absurd Superftitions. Attached with servile Awe to the lowest Emissaries of the See of Rome, they imbibe even the Dregs of its Errors: which many, in other Countries of the same Communion, have the Wisdom to reject, Hence their Idolatry is groffer, their Esteem of focial Duties less, their Dependence on outward Formalities more confident, their Enmity to Proteftants bitterer: and their Abhorrence of Labour almost insuperable, because it will benefit those, whom they deteft.

We ought to pity all the Mistakes and Sufferings of all our Fellow-creatures, and yet

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