from us, take Care to answer for themselves. What Prejudice is a thin Congregation to one of us? Or what Harm is it to us, if this or the other Man forfake us, and will hear us no more, while we are confcious to our felves, that we preach the Truth, and nothing but the Truth, and that Truth of the utmost Importance, and fo approve our felves and our own Sincerity to our Heavenly Father? And what fignify crouded Auditories to false and Antichriftian Seducers, while they give the poor Ignorants Stones instead of Bread, Scorpions inftead of Fish, and mortal Poifons inftead of wholfom Phyfick for their Souls; and while, by fuch Means they heap up to themselves Wrath against the Day of Wrath, and the Revelation of the righteous Fudge? Had not the falfe Prophets among the Ifraelites a glorious Day when the People follow'd them in Throngs, and flighted the Meffengers and the Commandments of their God? And had not Ezekiel fome Reason to complain, when he found what God had foretold him too true, that he had fent him Ezek. 2. to a rebellious Nation, who had rebelled against 3, 4. him, they and their Fathers. And when he found those whom he was to inftruct, impudent Children and fiff-hearted, it was God's Command to him, Thou, Son of Man, be not afraid of them, ver. 6. 7. neither be afraid of their Words, tho' Bryars and Thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among Scorpions: Be not afraid of their Words, neither be difmay'd at their Looks, tho' they be a rebellious Houfe: And thou shalt speak my Words to them, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, for they are moft rebellious. But could the Prophet, when he perform'd his Duty among fuch M 3 fuch a People, and executed fo unpleafing a Command, hope to be follow'd, admired or applauded › The fober Clergy of the Epifcopal Church of England have not yet learn'd that Leffon of Pride, to value themselves upon the Multitude of their Hearers: They remember very well, that Elijah was a true Prophet of the true God; and yet was fo far from pleafing the People of Ifrael, that he had Reafon to think himself the only Servant of the true God, remaining among them in Safety, while Eight Hundred Idolatrous Prophets could be the Creatures of the People, the Favourrites of the Court, and be entertain'd at Jezabel's Table? And if we, as Priefts of the living God, meafure our Happiness by Applaufe and Numbers; what an unhappy Man was the Prophet Feremiah, when tho' he was not confcious to himself of any wrong that he had done to any Man, Jer.15.10. yet was a Man of Strife, a Man of Contention, to the whole Earth, infomuch that every body curs'd Ver- 16, him. He profeffes fincerely to God, Thy Words were found, and I did eat them, and thy Word was unto me the foy and Rejoicing of my Heart; Ifate not in the Affembly of the Mockers, nor rejoiced, but I fat alone becaufe of thy Hand, for thou haft fill'd me with Indignation. After that bitter La mentation of his, which follows thefe Words, God's Anfwer to him was fufficient, both for ver. 19. his Direction and Encouragement, If thou take forth the precious from the vile, thou shalt be as my Mouth, let them not return to thee, but do thou return to them. It was not the holy Prophet's Fault that he was forfaken by a foolish and inconfiderate People; but it was their Fault, and a 17. Fault Fault, which they were to correct in themselves, if they expected any Good from those Divine Meffages fent to them. As for the Prophet, God affures him, I will make thee unto this Peo-Ver. 20, ple a fenced brazen Wall, and they fhall fight a-21. gainst thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee to fave and to deliver thee, faith the Lord, and I will deliver thee out of the Hand of the Wicked, and out of the Hand of the terrible. A Promife fo full, fo good and fo firm as was enough to fupport a defpis'd and forfaken Prophet; and fuch a Promise as I make no Question, but, (were our lawfully af fembled Congregations meaner than they are, or than our very Enemies of all forts could wish them,) it would, in Spite of all the Infolence of idolatrous Romanifts, or feparating Libertines, be made good in every Refpect to the Governors and Teachers of our establish'd Church, while they are true and faithful to that Truft committed to them. Indeed, the more I confider the Circumftances of that great Prophet, the more Satisfaction I receive from that exact Parallel between the Cafe of our own lawful and moft faithful Paftors, and his. God's Word was made a Reproach and a Derifion to him daily, from which unhappy State of Things, he conceiv'd fo profound a Sorrow, that he once refolv'd, Not to make mention of God, or to speak any Jer. 20.8, more in his Name. It was the Practice of the ftubborn and unthinking Jews to disgrace and vilify him, when he came to them upon God's moft weighty Errand, He heard the defaming of many; and Fear on every Side Report, fay they, and we will report it: His Familiars watch'd M 4 for 9, 10. for his Halting, saying, Peradventure he will be enticed, and we fhall prevail against him, and we fhall take our Revenge on him. Some Perfons in thefe Days can fcarce tell, how to change the very Words, tho' far enough from admiring Scripture, when fpeaking of the foundeft and moft courageous of our Bifhops, Priefts and Deacons, they want even Cunning enough to cloak their Malice, till they are fure they may compass their Defigns. And when fuch fall off from us, when fuch run into By-Corners and Schifmatical Affemblies, are we therefore immediately loft, undone or dead beyond all Hopes of a Refurrection Methinks, they who value themselves upon their Separation from us, upon their open Profeffion of a Diflike of found, rational and feasonable Truth, fhould meditate a little on the Hiftory of the Gofpel: Aas 5.36, They'll find Theudas an Impoftor, drawing 37: four hundred poor Creatures after him into both Temporal and eternal Destruction; and after him Judas another of the fame Leaven, gathering much People after him who all perish'd with their Leader. Thefe unhappy Wretches follow'd thofe monftrous Cheats to the utmost, as if they had been carry'd on by a serious and knowing Zeal for a good Caufe. But when the bleffed Jefus Himfelf appear'd, tho' he spake as never Men Spake before; tho' he vindicated his own Reputation by a thousand illuftrious Miracles, and tho', because of those very Miracles, great Multitudes follow'd him, yet when he began to difcourfe with them of fuch Things as were beyond their ill-improv'd CaJohné.53 pacities, viz. concerning eating his Flesh and drinking his Blood; His very Difciples thought thofe thofe to be hard Sayings, fuch as none could bear, and from that Time many of his Difciples went back and walk'd no more with him. But after all, were Theudas or Judas a whit the better Men, or the more Divine Preachers? or was our bleffed Redeemer, a lefs fpiritual Perfon because he loft his Followers, they turning their Backs upon him on the firft Offence? Far be fuch a Judgment from us! It is then for the Advantage and Intereft of our Hearers themselves, that we maintain this Pofition; viz. that it is their Duty to attend and fubmit to the Doctrine and Discipline of their lawful Teachers and Governors, notwithstanding all the Difgufts which the fecular Powers may conceive against them. Indeed, if we look'd upon an ever-flourishing State as a proper Mark of the true Church of Chrift; this Kind of Doctrine would be extremely impertiment: But fince Scripture has taught thofe who read it diligently, that thro' many Tribulations we must enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; fhould we reprefent to our felves a Church never fo much clouded by the malignant Afpect of Worldly Powers; yet while the Truths of God, and thofe only are taught and promoted in it, by Perfons lawfully commiffion'd for that Purpofe; while no falfe Doctrine, nor falfe Worship is obtruded upon us there; fo long we are to be fubmiffive and obedient at our own Peril. The World would be too happy if Truth could always find Friends among the Governors of it: But whether it finds fuch or no, it is Truth ftill, and still to be valued at the fame Rate among Men of Understanding: And tho' those very Perfons who are |