Thirdly, See from hence the happiness of a Minister who is placed among such a people as give him abundant cause of love: How happy is he that can say to his people from his heart, [Greek or Hebrew] My dearly Beloved! And here let me speak by way of encouragement to you of this Parish. I find St. Paul commending the good he saw in his people, 1 Thess. 1. 3, We are bound to thank God always for you, beloved, because your faith grows exceedingly. Here Paul is commending his people. In imitation of this Apostle, let me at this time speak a commendatory word to you; I have exercised my Ministry now among ⟨image 23⟩you for almost sixteen years, and I rejoice and bless God that I cannot say, The more I love you, the less I am loved; I have received many signal demonstrations of love from you: though other Parishes have exceeded you for number of houses, yet I think not for strength of affection. I have with much comfort observed your reverent attention to the word preached; you rejoiced in this light not for a season, but to this day: I have observed your zeal against error, and, as much as could be expected in a critical time, your unity and amity: this is your honour, and if for the future there should be any interruption made in my Ministry among you, though I should not be permitted to preach to you, yet I shall not cease to love you, & to pray for you: but why should there be an interruption made? where is the crime? Some indeed say, that we are disloyal and seditious? Beloved, what my actings and sufferings for his Majesty have been, is known not to a few of you: but however, we must go to Heaven through good report, and through bad report: and it is well, if we can get to glory, though we pass through the pikes. I shall endeavour that I may still approve the sincerity of my love to you. I will not promise that I shall still preach among you, nor will I say that I shall not; I desire to be guided by the silver-thread of Gods word, and of Gods providence: my heart is toward you: there is, you know, an expression in the late Act, that we shall be now shortly as if we were naturally dead; and if I must die, let me leave some legacy with you before I go from you: I cannot but give you some counsel and advice for your souls, and I hope there is no hurt in that:
Thirdly, See from hence the happiness of a Minister who is placed among such a people as give him abundant cause of love: How happy is he that can say to his people from his heart, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 My dearly Beloved! And here let me speak by way of encouragement to you of this Parish. I find St. Paul commending the good he saw in his people, 1 Thess. 1. 3, We are bound to thank God alwayes for you, beloved, because your faith grows exceedingly. Here Paul is commending his people. In imitation of this Apostle, let me at this time speak a commendatory word to you; I have exercised my Ministry now among ⟨image 23⟩you for almost sixteen years, and I rejoice and bless God that I cannot say, The more I love you, the less I am loved; I have received many signal demonstrations of love from you: though other Parishees have exceeded you for number of houses, yet I think not for strength of affection. I have with much comfort observed your reverent attention to the word preached; you rejoiced in this light not for a season, but to this day: I have observed your zeal against error, and, as much as could be expected in a critical time, your unity and amity: this is your honour, and if for the future there should be any interruption made in my Ministry among you, though I should not be permitted to preach to you, yet I shall not cease to love you, & to pray for you: but why should there be an interruption made? where is the crime? Some indeed say, that we are disloyal and seditious? Beloved, what my actings and sufferings for his Majesty have been, is known not to a few of you: but however, we must go to Heaven through good report, and through bad report: and it is well, if we can get to glory, though we pass through the pikes. I shall endeavour that I may still approve the sincerity of my love to you. I will not promise that I shall still preach among you, nor will I say that I shall not; I desire to be guided by the silver-thread of Gods word, and of Gods providence: my heart is toward you: there is, you know, an expression in the late Act, that we shall be now shortly as if we were naturally dead; and if I must die, let me leave some legacy with you before I go from you: I cannot but give you some counsel and advice for your souls, and I hope there is no hurt in that:
