IV.

which themselves and the whole People SER M. found their Account, had the Advantage of worshipping GoD in a Way that he himself prescribed: And GoD, befides the peculiar Service paid in his House, was pleased and honoured with the Service of Men to one another.

And just fo is it in the common and ordi nary Affairs of Life :-Every Profeffion, every Art, and every Calling, that any Ways tends to the Service of Man, by that Tendenсу itself becomes the Service of GOD. The Lawyer and the Phyfician (let their Patient and their Client have no Cause to complain) will be owned, I don't doubt, for the Servants of GOD, as well as the Divine. Though by the Way, suppofing the Divine to prostitute his Call, I fhall also suppose him to have so much the greater Share in the Vengeance of GOD, as the Injury done to the Souls of Men exceeds any Harm to their Health or Eftates. But I have not Time now to expatiate and enlarge. I must keep to my Text, or at least to my Heads: And that I am upon leads me at prefent not to have any Suppofitions at all how far Divines may prove deficient; but how far Men who are not Divines may come up to them. And VOL. I

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here

IV.

SER M. here I must go on with the Thought I had before-and muft affert the Physician, the Lawyer, the Merchant, the Tradefman, the Hufbandman, and, in a word, the Man of the World, to be as well in the Service of Providence and Heaven, as the Man of GOD. The Man of GOD is indeed more nearly and more highly the Minifter of GOD, as he is the Representative both of GOD to Man, and of Man to Gop, in the Offices of Religion, as he is an Ambassador for Chrift, to beseech Men in Chrift's Stead, 2 Cor. v. 20. i. e. as (in the particular Cafe before us) he is the Herald of Heaven, to warn, and excite, and animate others to do their Duty in the several Stations in which they are placed. But ftill the Service he does to GOD, is not to be estimated by the Character and Relation he bears to GOD, but by the Good he designs and promotes amongst Men. And therefore if Men, though engaged in the fecular Affairs of Life, conduct thofe Affairs fo as to promote their Neighbour's Good, as far as their Bounds will give them Leave, and without any finifter View of their own; they need not I think queftion whether they are imployed in the Service of GOD, fince to do and really perform one's Duty (be that Duty

what

IV.

what it will) is as much a Merit (if Merit in 8 ER M. any Cafe be allowed) as to preach and proclaim it. And let the Nature of their Employment be ever fo low and mean in itself, yet as they are helpful in those Neceffities which God has ordained, and yet ordained no Help for, but the Affiftance of Men to one another; they are truly the Ministers of Divine Providence, Servants in the Family, and Fellow-helpers in the Work of GOD. And provided they do but mean and intend the Glory of GOD, and Good of Men in what they do; GOD will undoubtedly accept and approve their Works of Nature, as Works of Grace, and esteem their human and fecular Actions as Actions of Religion.

And having now done with the Doctrine of my Discourse, you will give me Leave to make a practical Application of what has been faid, and to keep my Eye on the Occafion of my chufing to treat of this Subject particu larly at present.

The Credit and Honour your Appearance this Day reflects on our School, we have already acknowledged: And what I have faid fince, will remind you, I hope, how to render

SER M. it a true and fubftantial Credit to your felves.

IV.

For fince you have now heard, and, I hope,
often confider, to whom you owe that Supe-
riority of Genius, and Parts, and Character,
which distinguishes you in the several Stations
and Employments to which you have been
called; you will also confider what Acknow-
ledgments and Returns on your Parts you
ought to make for it. I may therefore spare
my Exhortations, because I truft you will be
always ready and forward of your felves to
afcribe the Praife and the Glory to God;
and not affume to your own Powers, what
must be referred to his Help. Infenfible of
your feveral Abilities and Parts, you neither
can, nor need you be. Know them, and
think of them as much as you please;
But then always be fure to know and re-
member the proper Names by which they are
distinguished, viz. Endowments and Gifts.
Gifts of Nature indeed they are generally
called: - But ftill we know there is but
one Giver, whether of Nature or Grace.
And therefore whenever, upon a Reflection
on yourselves, you may be apt, in your own
Opinions, to value and applaud your felves:
too much; curb the growing Vanity and Pride
with that Question of St. Paul (which fits all

Men

you

IV.

Men alike, whatever their Calling or Occu-S ER M. pation be) Who maketh thee to differ from another? And what baft thou that thou didft not receive? Now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it? 1 Cor. iv. 7: And temper but thus your Excellence with Humility, and then are fafe: Your Parts and your Abilities need not be loft and buried to the World: We'll. fee and admire them, and fince we claim a Relation to you, we'll boast of them too. For boast of them we may, though you may not. We'll therefore acquaint People, and let the World know, where the first Foundation of them was laid; and tell them what School was made the Inftrument, under Providence, of fupplying the Publick with fo many confiderable Ornaments and Lights. But this we are to promise only upon Condition that you excel in Goodness as much as in Skill; and by how much you are fuperior to others in Abilities, by fo much exceed them in Virtue and Grace. For otherwise the School will have no Honour from any Claim it can make to you; fince it will be no Credit to it to say, fuch a great Man was of it, except he prove a good Man too. As therefore God's honour

ing and distinguishing you by the feveral na

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