3. HE who is a new Creature, ftudies to glorify GOD, in the Relation he bears to others. I fhall not be able to enter largely into the Particulars. This only I fay, that whether he be a Son, a Servant, or a Subject; whether a Master, or Father; whether a Minifter, or one intrufted with the Education of Children; or whether a Magistrate, in an higher or lower Rank; he hath peculiar Regard to that Relation; reckoning, that both God's Honor, and the Acceptance of his Work at the Day of Trial, do mainly depend upon his Diligence and Faithfulness in it. If he be a Parent, his Endeavour is fo to take Care of his own, that he may ftand before Chrift with this comfortable Word in his Mouth, Behold, I and the Children, whom the Lord hath given me (q). If he be a Minifter; the awful Command, Feed my Lambs (r), conftrains him, above all Things, to give himself wholly unto them, that his profiting may appear to the faving of himself, and them that bear him (s). If a Magiftrate; he doth not bear the Sword in vain (t), but with Refolution and Impartiality executes his Commiffion, to the Punishment of evil Doers, and to the Praife of them that do well. If he act in an inferior Relation, be a Son or a Servant; he forgets not that quiet Submission, which God hath injoined upon him; nor,

(9) Ifa. viii. 18.
(5) 1 Tim. iv. 15, 16.

(r) John xxi. 15.
(t) Rom, xiii. 4.

who

who it is that hath commanded him to bonour bis Father and Mother. To discharge the Duties of his Station, whatever that Station be, is his fingular Care. While we are Members one of another, he who is in Chrift, will labor to give that Supply, which is required in the Relation he bears, to give, whether Beauty or Strength, to the whole Body. To act otherwife, to disregard our Relation, is to difavow fuch Memberfhip; to difown Union with our Head, and our Brethren.

ACCORDINGLY, if a Man be an haughty Magiftrate, puffed up with Power, and making Men know who he is, as we fay; if he be a Minister, lording it over GOD's Heritage, feeding himself rather than the Flock; if he be one of thofe Parents, who look upon their Children as their Property or their Burden, and regard them no farther, than as themselves may be benefited or hurt by them in their worldly Concerns; or of those, who with wicked Fondness indulge them in and into Vice; if he be an idle, unfaithful Servant, or a stubborn, rebellious Child, who, right or wrong, muft have his Humor and Way: If in his Relation to others, he be perverse and selfish; fure I am, he can bear no Relation to Chrift Jefus, who came not to be miniftred unto, but to minifter; yea, and even to give his Life a Ranfom for many (u). (u) Matt. xx. 28.

affected Lowliness and false-hearted Compliment: If fuch be the Eftimation and Ufe you make of those accidental Endowments, which distinguish you, more or less, from your Neighbours; very plain it is, that you hide your Talent in the Earth, that you labor not your Lord fhall be benefited by it; and therefore that you are no Servant of his.

5. IN the natural Gifts, which God hath endowed him with, he labors to serve God. There is evidently in one Man, more than another, a Quickness of Parts, a Soundness of Judgment,and a retentive Memory. Confequently, fome are peculiarly qualified for Usefulness; gain Attention, command Refpect, and are received with a kind of Reverence, as they converse with others. The lefs diftinguished hold fuch in Admiration, pay them a peculiar Deference, and are eafily fwayed into their Manner and Way. For it is the Man of Parts, rather than the Man of Station, Wealth, or Learning, that directs the World. Experience teaches, how much Weight fuch providential Diftinctions give; and how much thofe, who are so raised above the Level of common Sense, may prevail. A fuperior Influence attends them, which. every one feels him Teffed of, or mits to, as he is. of thofe, whof Wifdom of C We may fer

of the N the di

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in thefe Things, beyond this: Nor will allow his Heart to grow vain upon fuch Diftinctions, however much his depraved Nature would needs be boafting upon them, and however proud the World is of them.

But if, without any humble Acknowledgment of GOD's Hand in these Matters, you are fecretly puffed up because of your Influence, Learning, and Wealth; and look down, out of your vain Heart, with a Sort of Scorn and Contempt upon those who are poorer, more ignorant, or of lefs Notice in the World than yourfelf: If you use these Abilities, which you are poffeffed of, to your own Glory, and to bring about your own selfish Ends: If your Wealth is made to ferve the Purposes of mere idle Grandeur and extravagant Excefs; or, through a Diftruft of God's Providence, is unmercifully and beyond Measure hoarded up, to the evident Injury of those, who, as they need, fo have they a Title to, your Liberality: If you affect a Character in the World, because of your Learning and Knowledge, and while you would have us admire your Abilities, and wonder at your Parts, care not that we are nothing the better for all your Skill: If you use your Influence to keep the little World under you; not to be come near to, imperious and terrible to thofe who depend upon you; or priding yourself in the Court they pay you, if you treat them with an

affected

hearted Christian lays out in the facred Cause of his Mafter. Is he more distinguished? He is also seen a more eminent Advocate for the Practice and Honor of true Chriftianity: Because he is always, and in all Things, devoted to the Service and Glory of GoD.

SAY now: Are you, or (which amounts to the fame Thing, as to the Inquiry before us) do you judge yourself to be one, whose Parts have raised you to a degree of Distinction? And do you give your Weight and Influence to the Interefts of the Kingdom, which Jefus hath erected; feeking to fupport, countenance, and enlarge it, as far as that Influence and Weight reaches? This is the Manner, without Question, of him, who loves the Lord Jefus in Sincerity. Or are you as much diftinguished by Vanity, as you are by Parts? Do you make no better use of your Eminence, than to ride in Triumph, leading your flavish Friends after you in Subjection to your Pleasure? While you have fo-much Power to direct, hath God no Part in your Management of others? Remember the Cafe of Herod, when he fat upon his Throne and made an Oration; The People Shouted with a great Shout, faying, It is the Voice of a God, and not of a Man. And immediately the Angel of the Lord fmote him, because he gave not God the Glory: And he was eaten of Worms, and gave up the Ghost (x). (x) Acts xii. 22, 23.