Who, of mankind, more self-conceited than thefe men? If contradicted, as arrogant and angry, as if it were their calling to be fo. Counfel one of them, he fcorns you; reprove him, and he is almost ready to excommunicate you: I am a minifter and an elder:' flying thither to secure himfelf from the reach of just cenfure, which indeed expofes him but the more to it: and therefore his fault cannot be the lefs, by how much it is worse in a minifter to do ill, and fpurn at reproof, than an ordi

nary.man.

VIII. O, but he pleads an exemption by his office: what! Shall he breed up chickens to pick out his own eyes! Be rebuked or inftructed by a layman or parishioner! A man of lefs age, learning, or ability! No fuch matter: he would have us believe that his minifterial prerogative has placed him out of the reach of popular impeachment. He is not fubject to vulgar judgments. Even questions about religion are fchifm: believe as he says: it is not for you to pry fo curiously into the myfteries of religion: never good day fince laymen meddled fo much with the minister's office. Not confidering, poor man, that the contrary is most true: not many good days fince minifters meddled fo much in laymen's bufinefs. Though perhaps there is little reafon for this diftinction, befides fpiritual gifts, and the improvement of them by a diligent ufe of them for the good of others.

Such good fayings as thefe, Be ready to teach: anfwer with meeknefs: let every man

fpeak as of the gift of God that is in him: if any thing be revealed to him that fits by, let the first hold his peace: be not lords over God's heritage, but meek and lowly; washing the feet of the people, as Jefus did those of his poor difciples; are unreasonable and antiquated inftructions with fome clergy, and it is little less than herefy to remember them of these things: to be fure, a mark of great difaffection to the church in their opinion. For by this time their pride has made them the church, and the people but the porch at best; a cypher that fignifies nothing, unless they clap their figure before it: forgetting, that if they were as good as they fhould be, they could be but minifters, ftewards, and underfhepherds; that is, fervants to the church, family, flock, and heritage of God; and not that they are that church, family, flock, and heritage, which they are only fervants unto. Remember the words of Chrift, Let him that would be greatest be your fervant.c

§. IX. There is but one place to be found in the Holy Scripture, where the word Clerus, Kang, can properly be applied to the church, and they have got it to themselves; from whence they call themfelves the clergy, that is, the inheritance or heritage of God. Whereas Peter exhorts the minifters of the gospel, Not to be lords over God's heritage, nor to feed them for filthy lucre. Peter, belike, forefaw pride and avarice to be the ministers*

temptations; and indeed they have often proved their fall and to fay true, they could hardly fall by worse. Nor is there any excuse to be made for them in these two respects, which is not worse than their fin. For if they have not been lords over God's heritage, it is because they have made themselves that heritage, and difinherited the people: fo that now they may be the people's lords, with a falvo to good old Peter's exhortation.

And for the other fin of avarice, they can only avoid it, and speak truth thus; that never feeding the flock, they cannot be faid to feed it for lucre: that is, they get the people's money for nothing. An example of which is given us, by the complaint of God himself, from the practice of the proud, covetous, false prophets of old, That the people gave their money for that which was not bread, and their labour for that which did not profit them: And why? Because then the priest had no vision; and too many now defpife it.

f. X. But, alas! when all is done, what folly, as well as irreligion, is there in pride? It cannot add one cubit to any man's ftature: what croffes can it hinder? What disappointments help, or harm fruftrate? It delivers not from the common ftroke; fickness disfigures, pain mif-fhapes, and death ends, the proud man's fabric. Six feet of cold earth bounds his big thoughts; and his perfon, that was too good for any place, muft at laft lodge within the ftrait limits of fo little and fo dark a cave: and

• Ifaiah lv. 2.

he who thought nothing well enough for him, is quickly the entertainment of the lowest of all animals, even worms themselves. Thus pride and pomp come to the common end; but with this difference, lefs pity from the living, and more pain to the dying. The proud man's antiquity cannot fecure him from death, nor his heraldry from judgment. Titles of honour va nish at this extremity; and no power or wealth, no distance or refpect, can rescue or insure them. As the tree falls, it lies; and as death leaves men, judgment finds them.

f. XI. O! what can prevent this ill conclufion? And what can remedy this woeful declenfion from ancient meeknefs, humility, and piety, and that godly life and power which were fo confpicuous in the authority of the preachings and examples of the living of the firft and pureft ages of Christianity? Truly, nothing but an inward and fincere examination, by the teftimony of the holy light and fpirit of JESUS, of the condition of their fouls and minds towards Christ, and a better inquiry into the matter and examples of holy record. It was his complaint of old, that light was come into the world, but men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. thou wouldst be a child of God, and a believer in Christ, thou must be a child of Light. O man, thou must bring thy deeds to it, and examine them by that holy lamp in thy foul, which is the candle of the Lord, that fhews thee thy pride and arrogancy, and reproves

f John iii. 19.

If

thy delight in the vain fafhions of this world. Religion is a denial of felf; yea, of felf-religion too. It is a firm tie or bond upon the foul to holinefs, whofe end is happiness; for by it men come to fee the Lord. The pure in heart, fays JESUS, fee God: he that once comes to bear Chrift's yoke, is not carried away by the devil's allurements; he finds excelling joys in his watchfulness and obedience. If men loved the crofs of Chrift, his precepts and doctrine, they would cross their own wills, which lead them to break Chrift's holy will, and lose their own foul's, in doing the devil's. Had Adam minded that holy light in paradise more than the ferpent's bait; and ftayed his mind upon his Creator, the rewarder of fidelity; he had seen the fnare of the enemy, and refifted him. O do not delight in that which is forbidden! Look not upon it, if thou wouldst not be captivated by it. Bring not the guilt of fins of knowledge upon thy own foul. Did Chrift fubmit his will to his Father's, and for the joy that was fet before him, endure the cross and defpife the fhame" of a new and untrodden way to glory? Thou alfo muft fubmit thy will to Chrift's holy law and light in thy heart, and for the reward he fets before thee, to wit, eternal life, endure his crofs, and defpife the fhame of it. All defire to rejoice with him, but few will fuffer with him, or for him. Many are the companions of his table; not many of his abftinence. The loaves they follow, but the cup of his agony they leave: it is