SER M. us Laws to walk by, we should be miferable X. Wretches indeed: And though he gave us Laws, yet were his Method of conveying them to us either by a Voice or a Meffenger from Heaven, we should forego the Bleffing to avoid the Means: But as he has made Man the Minifter, we have all the Comforts and Advantages of his Word, without the Dread of his Appearance. And as we are thus free from all Apprehenfions from the Minifters of the Word; fo are we fecure by the fame Means, that no more of the Word itself will be impofed upon us than we shall be able to bear. Were it indeed the Office of fuperior Agents, of Beings unacquainted with the Clogs and Hindrances of Flesh and Blood, to expound the Rules of our Obedience; we might reasonably fear that through Ignorance of our Weakness, they would interpret it in too ftrict a Senfe for the Capacity of our human Frame. But this Fear we are delivered from by the good Providence of God, who has appointed no others to explain his Laws to us, than fuch as are themselves obliged to walk by those Laws, and under the fame Impediments as those they preach to; and confequently fuch as will give no other Interpretation of his Word, than X. than what human Nature, under all it's In-SER M. firmities, may readily comply with. And therefore as the Apoftle notes it to be our particular Advantage, that we have not an High Prieft, which cannot be touched with the Feeling of our Infirmities, but who was in all Points tempted like as we are, Heb. iv. 15. fo fhould we account it no lefs than an inexpreffible Benefit, that thofe, who are the Stewards and Difpenfers of his Word, are Men fenfible of the fame Failings with ourfelves, and equally depreffed with the Incumbrances of a depraved Nature. Nor muft we omit ftill another Advantage accruing from this Inftitution of God's revealing his Mind by the Ministry of Man ; and that is the Eafinefs of being informed in the Will of GOD, of knowing what it is he commands and requires of us. Were all our Inftructions to be given immediately from Heaven; as often as we wavered in any Uncertainties, we fhould be uneafy for a new Meffenger from thence to refolve our Doubts. And though GOD, through his infinite Mer`cy, has given us the Scriptures to be a standing Rule, whereby to conform our Lives; yet they are not without their Δυσνόητα, Things hard to be understood, which, without Y 4 fome SERM. fome fupernatural Affiftance, they that are X. unlearned and unftable would wreft to their qwn Deftruction, 2 Pet. iii. 16. And even in the plainer Texts of Scripture, when ap- Thus X. Thus have I fhewed in fome Measure the SER M. Benefits and Advantages accruing to Mankind from GOD's revealing to us his Will by the Ministry of Man. I fhall therefore add no more on this Head, than to obferve to you by Way of Inference, the horrid Impiety of fome Men, who, because GOD has been fo gracious as to communicate to them his Word after fo familiar a Manner, fet at Nought his Inftitution, and even renounce the Word itself for the Sake of it's Minifters. Can any thing be more ungrateful as well as wicked and profane, than for thofe, for whofe Sakes this Inftitution was appointed, and even at their own Requests, to despise and contemn it? We find it upon Record that it was the unanimous Defire of the Children of Ifrael to Mofes, Speak thou with us, and we will hear; but let not GOD Speak with us, left we die, Exod. xx. 19. From whence we may learn that the Ministry of Man was once thought a Bleffing; why then fhould the Continuance of it render it mean and despicable? Are Men better prepared now to meet GOD himself? Or is it because we have no further Occafion to hear from him at all? Neither of these may be granted. For as to the firft; the Appearance of an Angel SERM. Angel only, has through all Ages put ManX. kind to the fame Fear and Dread; and there fore how would they be able to sustain themfelves in the Presence of the Almighty? And as to the latter, there is ftill the fame Occafion for inftructing the Ignorant, for reclaiming the Vicious, for ftrengthening the Weak, for confirming the Strong, for quickening the Slothful, for encouraging the Timorous, for compofing the Scrupulous, and for fatisfying the Doubtful. And how fhall all this be done, but by applying to them the Word by the Ministry of Man? This is the Means GOD has appointed to be used on fuch Occafions, and therefore we are not to look now for the Miracle of a peculiar and extraordinary Affiftance: Much lefs may they expect it who affront and trample upon his ordinary Inftitutions. It is true indeed, Those who are appointed Preachers of the Word are no other than Men, than Men of like Paffions and Failings with ourselves: But ftill they have the Honour to bear a nearer Relation to GOD, whofe immediate Servants or Ministers they are. A Character, one would think, that should not render them lefs worthy of Regard, fince it is a natural Confequence of it, that to fet at Nought their Ministrations, or |