USA > Massachusetts > Franklin County > Bernardston > History of the town of Bernardston, Franklin county, Massachusetts, 1736-1900, with genealogies > Part 11
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But in handling this Doctrine I propofe Firft, To fhow what it is that Minifters & People are to endeavor after and pray earneftly for.
Secondly, Point out the Manner in which they are to feek the Advance- ment of the Miniftry.
Thirdly, Give fome Reafons of the Doctrine.
Laftly. Apply the Truth to Minifters and People.
Firft then, I am to show what it is Minifters and People are to endeavor after and pray earneftly for.
And in general it is the Glory of God by the Salvation of Men in the Way
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of the Gofpel. The Glory of God is the great End of our Creation, and it is what we fhould always aim at in our Actions. As we are Men we should endeavor fo to live that God may be honored by us: and as we are Minif- ters and Chriftains we are efpecially concerned to promote the Honor and Glory of God, by feeking our own, and the Salvation of others, in that Way revealed by Chrift in the Gofpel: And in order to this,
1. Minifters muft ftrive and even be in an Agony, till Chrift be formed in their own Souls, and the Souls of their Hearers.
Men are not always converted when they enter into the Miniftry many Instances there have been of their Converfion by their own Miniftry. But if this be the Cafe of any Minifters not to converted, how fhould they cry to God Day and Night for pardoning and fanctifying Mercy ? And give no Peace to themfelves till they are born of the Spirit of God; left while they preach the Gofpel of Chrift to others, they be a Caftaway themselves, I Cor. 9. 27. How fhould they wreftle in Prayer till they know the Work of God upon the Heart, and can feelingly pitty, and travail in Birth with others ? And when this happy Change is effected in their own Souls; how Fhould they ftrive and agonize in Prayer till Chrift be formed in the Souls of their Hearers ? Gal. 4. 19.
. And if Minifters have ever felt the Terrors of the Law, and experienced the Comforts of God's Spirit, they can't be eafy till their People are bro't out of a State of Sin and Death into the Favour of God, they will not reft till they have refcued them from the Hands of the Devil, and introduced them into the Kingdom of our Lord Jefus Chrift. Minifters muft take much Pains for the Converfion of their Hearers; and efpecially if at any Time they perceive a good Work begun in their Souls; they fhould never give over till it end in a thoro' Converfion to God.
And at the fame Time that Minifters of the Gofpel are travailing in Birth for their own and the Souls of others, a People muft join with them and pray earneftly for them. Have any of you an unconverted Minifter, you may not reject him even for that: you have no fuch Warrant from the Word of God; to do this would be to impeach the Wifdom of our Lord Jefus Chrift, who commanded the Hearers to obferve and do all that the Scribes and Pharifees taught them. Mat. 23. 2. 3. And it would be to make your felves wifer than the Wifdom of God, who chofe one to the Apoftlefhip whom he knew was in a State of Nature; and at that very Time forefaw he would lift up his Heel againft bin.
Your Duty in fuch a Cafe is to pray earneftly to God for him; that he may be made of God a faithful experimental Minifter of Jefus Chrift. And
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is your Minifter labouring for the Converfion of you or yours, can you neglect ftriving with him, 'till fuch a bleffed Work be effected in you ?
2. Minifters and People are unitedly to endeavor to uphold and promote real Piety and Godlinefs among themselves.
Minifters must ftrive to be exemplary themfelves, to be Patterns of Pa- tience, Holinefs and heavenly Mindenefs; they muft refift all Temptations to Lewdnefs and Vanity. It is a great Reproach to Religion when Men, who bear the Character of Chrift Ambaffadors, give themfelves up to Sen- suality, and have no Government over their Paffions and Appetites. But this has been unhappily fometimes the Cafe to the great Difhonour of Chrift. Would we be Minifters of our afcended Lord and glorified Re- deemer, we muft avoid everything which tends to bring ourfelves and his Doctrines into Contempt.
And all fuch as profefs themselves Christians muft be very watchful over themfelves, and walk circumfpectly, not as Fools but as Wife, redeemein the Time, Eph. 5. 15. 16. They muft avoid all Appearances of Evil, and live up to the Character they fuftain. Nor is it enough here, that Minif- ters and People are externally fober and religious; but they muft keep up the Life and Power of Godlinefs, as well as the Form of it, Tim. 3. 5.
And do Minifters and People at any Time observe Religion dying, how fhould they ftrive together, to revive it? Is any Sin prevailing and grow- ing rampant; they must awake to put a Stop to it and face it down: It is not enough that Minifters exert themfelves; but a People muft alfo join their ftrongeft Endeavors and moft fervent Prayefs: they muft ftrengthen the Hands, and encourage the Hearts of Minifters; as they in Ezra 10. 4, forecited.
3. Minifters and People are concerned to do all in them lies to preferve Peace and good Order among themfelves. Chrift's Bleffing to his Church was Peace. Joh. 14. 27. And the Gofpel often enjoins Peace upon the Followers of Chrift. Hence we are commanded to live peaceably as much as possible, Rom. 12. 18 and to follow the Things which make for Peace, Rom. 14. 19. And Peace amongft a People is very neceffary in order to the flourifhing of Religion: The Spirit of God will not dwell in the midft of War and Contention. How watchful therefore fhould Minifters and Peo- ple be that they don't fall into Strifes and Animofities? Satan is always ready to cast in Bones of Contention: Minifters muft ftrive fo to live that they may give none Offence to any; and that Satan may have nothing to improve againft them to deftroy their Ufefulnefs: And a People muft avoid all Occafions of Contention, by living in Love, by bearing with, and for-
1
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giving one another. And is any Feud fpringing up, how does it concern us all to quench the Coals.
4. Ministers and People muft unite their Endeavors and Prayers that the Doctrines of Chrift may be preferved pure and unmixed with Errors. We are all bound earneftly to contend for the Faith, Jude 3. And efpecially fhould it be of a great Concern to fuch, as are appointed to Teach the Truth to others, to be well grounded themfelves in the Truth. Minifters may not indifferently embrace any Tenets; thinking it no Matter fo their People are eafy with them; but they muft examine the Truth, and when they are well inftructef in it, muft teach it to others: and they are com- manded to convince Gainfayers, Tit. 1. 9. And is any Herefy fpringing up at any Time, they muft make a vigerous Oppofition; and a People muft affift them herein, left the Corruption become epidemical, and prove fatal to the Souls of many.
So alfo it equally concerns Minifters & People to preferve the Worfhip of God unmixed with the Inventions and Superftions of Men, Moses in building the Tabernacle, was to follow exactly the Pattern fhown him in the mount: So we in all our Worfhip fhould pattern arter the Mind of God revealed in his Word. We muft keep up a holy Jealoufy for God's Wor- fhip, and be always ready to refcue it from the Impofitions of Men, which however pleafing they may be to carnal Reafon, yet are condemned by God, and unfafe for us.
5. Minifters and People muft do all they can to fupport Chrift's Author- ity in his Church, that his Laws and Government may take place upon 'Tranfgreffors. That 'Chrift has left Authority in his Church is certain, Mat. 18 & I Cor. 5. In whofe Hands it is repofited, I fhall not now attempt to determine; nor is it neceffary it fhould be decided, would Minifters and People affist and ftrengthen one another, and both do what in them lies to reclaim Sinners and bring them to Repentance; but fo long as Minifters and People are jealous of one another and all they aim at is to ingrofs the Power into their own Hands; and refufe to ftrengthen one another, Things will grow worfe and worfe if poffible. It is a Reproach to Christians that there is fcarce fo much as a Shadow of Government in the Church; and it is fo hard a Matter to bring Offenders to humble themfelves; and obftinate Men cannot be brought to fubmit to Order. Happy would it be, Minifters and People unite to recover the finking Authority of Chrift in particular Churches; fince we can't have any Help from Councils of Churches: Au- thority is as necessary in a Church as in a Kingdom: and the more this finks, the more will Religion die with it. Minifters therefore muft bear a
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Teftimony againft Offenders; muft boldly call them to Account; and a People muft ftrengthen a Minifters Hands and encourage his Heart herein; and may not juftify the Wicked, as is too commonly the Cafe.
6. It concerns Minifters and People to endeavor to fupport the Honour and Credit of the Miniftry. However a corrupt and degenerate Age may defpife Men of a facred Character; yet certainly the Work of the Miniftry is the moft honourable Employment in the World: and Chrift affures us. that fuch as defpife them defpife him, Luk. 10, 16. He will have them ef- teemed highly for their Works fake, I Tef. 5. 13, and accounted worthy of double Honor. I Tim. 5. 17. And when we confider how much the Succefs of the Miniftry depends upon the Efteem Men have of Minifters them- felves, fhall not both they and a People do all they can to advance their Credit and Reputation? They muft themfelves live fo holy and exemplary that none may have any Reafon to cenfure and Reproach them. They muft approve themfelves to the Confiences of Men. Their Lives and Con - verfations muft be fuch as will command Reverance from Men. But then Minifters are Men of like Paffions, and fubject to like Temptations with other men, Act. 14. 15. And if they do any Thing inconfiftent with their Character and Calling; a People muft bear with their Infirmities, overlook, and cover their Failings. God has guarded their Reputation better than any Mens whatever, I, Tim. 5. 19. How afraid then fhould you be to fpeak Evil of them, as is the common Practice of Mankind? As tho' they hired them into the Miniftry to let loofe reproachful Words of them? But not- withstanding all the Care God has taken to preferve the Reputation of Minifters, how ready are Men to fpread every Failing they are guilty of to the greateft Diftance? But when Minifters are thus wounded in their Reputations, their Ufefulnefs is greatly deftroyed.
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And in order to your upholding the Credit of the Miniftry you muft fup- port them honourably who labour for your Souls. God commanded that the Ox which treadeth out the Corn fhould not be muzzled, Deut. 25. 4. Which the Apoftle applies to the prefent Cafe, I Cor. 9. 9. 10. And he lets us know there is the fame Reafon they who preach the Gofpel fhould live the Gofpel as they who attend upon the Altar fhould be Partakers of the Altar, Verfes 13, 14. But it is certain, the Priefts under the Law were allowed by God a vaftly greater Maintenance than Men are willing to allow Minifters of the Gofpel. It is a vain Imagination fome men have, that if Minifters are kept poor and dependant, they will be more faithful, that they may not be rejected by the People: This is the Way to make them Ser- vants to Mens Humours, inftead of Servants to their Salvation; if they are
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kept mean and low, they will not have Courage to reprove Men boldly, and face down their darling Sins: their Strength is not the Strength of Stones, nor their Flefh Brafs. Job. 6. 12. And if they are kept poor and depend- ant, when Troubles arife and Men evil intreat them, they are ready to fink, and know not how to perfift in their Work. And it is to be feared this has overborn and wafted the Spirits of fome of the faithful Servants of our Lord Jefus Chrift.
Secondly. I am to fhow in what Way and Manner Minifters and People are to endeavor to promote the great Ends of the Miniftry.
And the particular Way the Apoftle points out to us all is Prayer: Yet we are not to fuppofe this is the only Method Minifters and People are to ufe, for the Light of Nature, and the Word of God itfelf, will teach us to add to Prayer all reafonable Means and Endeavors; but as we are intirely dependant upon God and Christ for our Salvation, and can do nothing for ourfelves; fo nothing is more reafonable than this, that we fhould make known all our Wants to God, and commit all our Cares to him by Prayer; He alone can profper our Endeavors, and grant us our Defires. And ef- pecially fhould Minifters of Chrift be frequent in this Duty of Prayer; they are altogether of themfelves insufficient for this Work, and all their Suffi- ciency is of God, 2 Cor. 3. 5. And how earneftly fhould they implore upon their Knees the compaffionate Pretence of their Lord, and the gra- ciouf Influences of his Spirit, to conduct them into the Paths of Truth, and fave them from the endlefs Labyrinths of Error? That he would Support and Comfort them under all the great Difficulties and Difcouragements they meet with in their Work? How fhould they agonize in Prayer, and plead for the Influence of the Spirit in all their more private or publick Services? That both in their Studies, and in the Congregation they may approve them- selves to God, and be faithful Minifters of the New Teftament? They muft alfo be much in Prayer for their People; muft carry all their Cafes to God. They muft confefs and bewail their Sins before God, and intreat God to fpare them, Joel 2. 17. Yea they muft do this, when God feems to be ready to deftroy them: Minifters may not hide themfelves in the Day of God's An- ger. Minifters muft plead with God for all the Mercies their People want; and efpecially for the Graces of his Holy Spirit upon them.
Minifters muft be well acquainted with the State of their Flocks, Prov. 27. 23. That they may fuit their Prayers to their various Circumstances.
And at the fame time that Minifters are thus wrestling in Prayer, a Peo- ple muft alfo lift up holy Hands to God, and labour earneftly in Prayer for their Minifters and themfelves. . It is not enough that you put up fome
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cold Petitions for your Minifters on Lord's Days; and yet perhaps this is more than many, who would be accounted Christians, do. You muft wref- tle in Prayer for them that God would be with them; direct, affift, fecceed and profper them in their Work; and this fhould be Matter of your daily Prayer, both in the Clofet and Family; fo alfo how earneft muft you be in Prayer for yourfelves, that God would keep you from Sin, and guide you in the Paths of Life and Peace.
But as Minifters and People ftand in different Relations to one another, it concerns them to ftrive in different ways to forward and fucceed the Miniftry.
I. Then, as to Minifters they muft take much Pains to be furnifhed with Knowledge for their Work. They muft give themfelves to reading, and attend continually upon thefe Things, 1 Tim. 4. 13, & 15. That they may handle the Word of God skilfully, and be Workmen that need not be afhamed, 2 Tim. 2. 15. They muft convince Gainfayers, Tit. 1. 9. and give to every one his portion in due Seafon. which they never can do unlefs they are Men of Knowledge and acquainted with Learning of diverfe Sorts. It is in vain for Minifters to pretend they need not take Pains for their Difcourfes; and that the Spirit of God will fuggeft Truths while they are fpeaking. We are not fo to expect the Affiftance of the Spirit at the pref- ent day. We muft fearch out acceptable Words, Eccl. 12. 10. However Men of fuch a Stamp who defpife humane Learning and Study may be ad- mired and followed when Men are over heated with Zeal; it is certain they cannot laft long; and in a little Time their Folly will be known to all Men; and the World will as much defpife them as now they admire and carefs them. A Minifter may at fome Times have a call to enter into the desk with but little previous Meditation & Preparation; but always to do this is Prefumption and inexcusable Arrogance.
And while we are composing our Sermons, we muft endeavour to fuit them to the Confciences of Men, and not to their itching Ears; We muft ftrive for fuch Words as will awaken Mens Hopes and Fears, and make them engaged for the Salvation of their Souls; and not ftudy for polifhed Words and Ftrains of Rhetorick, which will foar above Mens Understand- ings, and make no lafting Impreffion upon their Souls.
-And not only must Ministers ftrive to compofe their Serinons well; but muft take Pains in the delivery of them. I fhall not pretend to determine whether it ought to be with or without reading their written Notes: I think there is much needlefs Difpute in this Matter: and after all there is Lib- erty of Confcience. But let the Way and Manner be what it will, Minif-
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ters muft fpeak in the Name of God and with Authority. Their Words their Gefture, and very countenance muft difcouver them in earneft for the Salvation of Souls. Minifters muft not be cold and lifelefs in the Defk; but fhould be Flames of Fire, Heb. I. 7. When they addrefs themfelves to Sinners they muft be Sons of Thunder. denouncing the Terrors of the Law in fuch a Manner that Fear and Trembling may take hold on them. And when they fpeak to awakened and waery Sinners, it muft be with fuch tendernefs and Compafion that they may be drawn to Chrift for Life and Reft, If Minifters are cold and lifelefs in their Delivery, they will make carelefs and dead Hearers.
So alfo they muft take much Pains in their publick Prayers and manifeft fuch earneftnefs and fo fuit themfelves to the State of their Flocks, that they may command the Attention of the People. And in all their Conver- fation they muft endeavor fo to behave themfelves, fo to teach, exhort, and reprove Men privately that all may profit by them as well as in their pub- lick Miniftry.
2. On the other hand a People muft (according to the Relation they ftand in to Minifters) take much Pains that the Miniftry may be fucceeded. A People muft then take due Care to attain to a fuitable preaching of the Word of God. You muft break up the fallow ground of your Hearts, Jer. 4, 3. That the Seed to be fown may be received into good Ground. . If you come to the publick Worfhip without any Preparation of Soul, you cannot expect to profit by what is delivered to you: It will be no more than a dead letter. And is not this one great Reafon why Multitudes have heard Thoufands of Sermons, and never profited by them? If Hearers do not awake the Powers of their Souls with Meditation and Prayer to hear the Word preached, Minifters may ordinarily preach to dead Walls and lifelefs Images, to as much Advantage.
You muft alfo embrace all Opportunities to hear the Word preached, and not neglect affembling your felves together, Heb. 10. 25. What will all the Study and Pains of a Minifter avail, if you will not attend upon their Min- iftry. You muft willingly mifs no Opportunity of hearing, left you mifs of fome Truth that might awaken convince and comfort your Souls.
And you muft ftrive to hear aright what is preached to you, Mar. 4. 24. You muft take Pains to underftand it, and not allow your Tho'ts to wan- der to the Ends of the Earth; nor your felves drowned in Sleep, while Truths of the greateft Importance are delivered to you.
And you muft take much Pains to treafure up in your Memories; that you may pray over what you hear. It is unhappily the Cafe of many Hear-
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ers, they never carry any Thing from the Houfe of God. But would you profit by the Miniftry, you muft often think of what you hear, and pray over it, that God would blefs it to your Salvation.
And you muft be careful to practice what you hear from Time to Time; otherwife it will be of no Advantage to you. Mat. 7. 24-27. Many think if they hear good Difcourfes and commend them they anfwer their Duty; and are eafy if they never put them in Practice; but the End of Hearing is to Practice; and how careful fhould you be to Practice what you hear, left the wicked One take it from you.
And to fum up all here with refpect to a Peaple, would you ftrive together with Minifters to promote their Miniftry; you muft govern your own Fam- ilies. And herein you will make their Work much eafier, and more happy; Hereby you may do much towards the Peace of a Church, and flourifhing of Religion; but if you are negligent in this Point, you will ley a Founda- tion for Rebellion & Trouble in the Church. If Children are not bound to obey at Home, they will not fubmit either to Minifters or Magiftrates. It is what God mentions of Abraham to his Honour, that he governed his Houfehold, Gen. 18. 19. And a Want of this has been the Caufe of fo much Trouble and Vexation to Minifters and fuch a World of Diforder and Con- fufion in Church & State. Would you then help and encourage Minifters of the Gofpel, you muft train up your Children in the Nurture and Admo- nition of the Lord.
Thirdly, Proceed we now to give fome Reafons of the Doctrine.
1. Then, when we confider how very great and noble the Ends and De- figns of the Miniftry are: it is enough to animate Minifters and People to do all they can to promote the fame; Now thefe are nothing fhort of the Glory of God, and the eternal well being of immortal Souls. What can we better employ our souls about, and fpend our Strength for, than thefe? Thefe are worthy our higeft Ambition, and well deferve our warmeft En- deavours. Can we do to much for God's Honour, or the Salvation of our own Souls? And thefe are what the Miniftry is aiming at.
2. The greateft and weightinefs of this Work of the Miniftery calls for the mutual Endeavors of Minifters and People. Have Minifters fo much upon their Hands, and will they not be concerned to accomplifh the fame? Can they loiter and indulge Sloth? And have a People any Pity for Minif- ters, and know how great a Burden they fuftain, can they refufe to affift, encourage and ftrengthen them? God commanded his People to help even an Afs labouring under a Burden, Ex. 23. 5. And can you omit bearing with the Minifters, and ftriving with them?
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3. The fucceefs of the Miniftry depends very much upon the joint En- deavors of Minifters and People to promote it. What can either Minifters or People do alone? If Minifters are zealous and laborious in their Work; yet if a People remain carelefs & slothful, they will have Reafon to com- plain they labour in vain: So, if a People are ftriving in Prayer, and Minif- ters are void of Life, there will be but little Fruit: But when they both unite their Endeavors . and Prayers, there is a Profpect of a glorious Har- veft.
4. The Confideration that Minifters are employed to advance the King- dom of our Lord Jefus Chrift, ought to invigorate Minifters and People to ufe their beft Endeavors and promote the Miniftry. If we have any Love to the Lord Jefus Chrift, who has loved us to the Death, fhall we not feek the Advancement of his Kingdom of Peace in the World? His Govern- ment is moft happy & reafonable: His Laws are all juft and good. And fhall we not feek to promote fuch a Kingdom in the World ? Which the more it prevails, the more happy it will make Men; for his Yoke is eafy, and his Burden light, Mat. 29. 30.
5. Have Minifters and People any Love to the Spirit of God, they will ftrive together. If they have any Defire to feel the bleffed influences of the Spirit of God upon their own Hearts; or do they long to fee the bleffed Fruits and Effects of it upon the Souls of others, they will ftrive together herefor; The more faithful and labourious Minifters are, and the more a People ftrive to profit, fo much the more is the good Spirit of God cherifhed amongft a People: But if Minifters are unfaithful, and a People are care- lefs and flothful, they will quench the Spirit of God, and drive him from them.
6. The perfect circumstances of Religion in the Country require the moft vigorous Endeavors of Minifters and People to fupport the fame. God has been pleafed remarkably to revive his Works in our Land: But by Reafon of the Imprudence and over heated Zeal of one Set of Men; and the Cold- nefs and Indifference of another towards Religion; it is dying in many Parts of the Land: and we are in the utmoft Danger of falling into the wildeft Confufion in our religious Affairs. Some are haftening on the great- eft Extravegance in Religion, and others growing into a Coldnefs and Con- tempt of the Work of God. And it is now high Time for Minifters and People to ufe their beft Endeavors to guard Religion, and fave themfelves from the approaching Calamities?
7. Both Minifters and People are accountable to Chrift their Judge for what they do. We muft all ftand before the Judgment Seat of Chrift.
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Rom. 14. 10. And muft give an account of ourselves, ver. 12. Minifters for what they have preached, and you for what you have heard, and how you have profited by it: And what Account can we give, if we have not done our Endeavors to advance the Kingdom of our Lord Jefus Chrift? If Min- ifters are not faithful to this charge their Truft, and a People don't take Care to profit under their Miniftry, how amazing will their account be?
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