Serm. XLVII. and the Seafon for doing it. 322 ought to be very vigorous and induftrious in it; and this, whether we confider the Nature of our Employment, or the Glorious Reward of it. I. If we confider the Natureof our Employment, both in refpeet of the Ho- nour and the Happinefsof it. 'Tis the moft Honourable Work that Mortal Man can be employed in 'tis the fame in kind, and in the main End and Detgn of it With that of the Bletfed Angels; for we alfo are MinfJring Spirits, fen: forth by God to"minifier, for the_good of thefe who fhall be Heirs of Salvation. We arë the Mefjengers and Ambaffadors of God to Men, fent to treat with them about the Terms of their Peace and Reconciliation with God, to offer Salvation to them, and tò dire& them to the belt Ways and Means of procuring it. Nay, we have the Honour to be employed in the very fame Work that the Son of God was, when he was upon the Earth, tofeel¿ and to fave them thatare loft ; and tocall Sin- nersto Repentance ; and to carry on that Work, whereof he himfelf laid the Foundation, when he was in the World. And what greater Honour can be put upon the Sons of Men, than to help forward that glorious Defign and Linder- taking of the Sonof God, for the Salvation of Mankind And 'tis an Employment no lefs Happy than Honourable ; 'tis not to drudge about the mean and low Concernments of thisLife, a perpetual Toil and Care about what we fall eat and drink, and wherewithal we fhall be cloathed, which is the bufinefs of a Worldly Employment; but it is a dire& and immediate feeling of the KingdomofGod, and his Righteoufnefs, and a continual Endeavour to pro- mote thefe. It does not confiC in the Labour of our Body, and in BodilyToil; but in the delightful Exercife of our Minds, about the belt and "nobleft Objects, God, and Heaven, and Eternity ; in an earneft and faithful Endeavour by all wife Ways andMeans to gain Souls to God, and to now Sinners from the Errors of their ways, and to prevent their Eternal Ruin anp Deftruetion ; and next to the procuring of our ownHappinefs, to be inftrumenral to the Happinefs of others; which is certainly themolt pleafant and noble Work that we can poffibly be em- ployed in ; efpecially if we confider, that by the very Nature of our Employ- ment, we do at the fame time, and by the very fame Means, "carry on both thefe Defigns, of the Salvation of our felves, and others. So St. Paul tells Timothy, when he exhorts himupon this veryConfideration, to give himfelf wholly to this bleffed.Work; becaufe, fays he, in doing this, thou (halt both fave thy Pelf, and them that hear thee, t Tim. 4. 16. And when two of the greate(t and belt De= figns in the World, our own Happinefs, and the Salvation of others, do fo happily meet in one, and are jointly carried on by the fame Labour.; this ought tobe a great fpur and incitement tous, to be vigorous and unwearied, and abun- dant in the work of the Lord; and a mighty Encouragement to us to preach the Word, tobe infian: in feafon, and out offeafon,_"and to be Examples to others, in Word, inConverfation, in Charity, in Spirit, in aith, in Purity ; as St. Paul char- geth Timothy in the molt folemn and awful manner, before God, and the Lord yefus Chriii, who (hall judge the quick, and the dead at his appearing,, and his King- dom, tTim. 4. 12. and 2 Tim. 4. t. And then, 2. If we confider the glorious Reward of this Work. If we be faithful and induftrious in it, it will advance us to a higher degree of Glory and Happinefs in the other World. They that be wife (fays the Prophet, Dan. 12. 3.) fhall fhineas the brightnefs of the Firmament, and they that turn many to Righteoufnefs, as the Stars for ever and ever. They that are induftrious in this Work, as they are worthy of double Honour in this World, fo they (hall (bine with a double Glory and Luftre in the other. But tho' this Work of promoting the Salvation of others, be chiefly incum- bent upon thefe "whole Office it is to attend upon this very thing; yet we are all of us concerned in it, according to the Advantages and Opportunities we have for it. Every Man is concerned to help forward the Salvation of his Brother, and not to let him peri(h, if we can help it; and k is in every Man's Power to contribute fomething to this Ble(fed Work of faving others by feafonable Coup- fel and Advice, by kind and gentle Reproof, but efpecially by a Holy and Ex- emplary Converfation, by a (hining Virtue, which path a filent Power of Per- u u fuaflon,
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