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 ⟨image 75⟩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 the Apostle, let me at this time speak a commendatory word to you; I have exercised my Ministry now among 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 in number of houses, yet I think not for strength of affection: I have with much comfort observed your reverent attentions 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 shall I not cease to love you, and to pray for you; but why should there be any interruption made, where is the crime? some indeed say, that we are disloyal and seditious; Beloved, what my actions 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 towards 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 ⟨image 75⟩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 always for you Beloved, because your Faith grows exceedingly. Here Paul is commending his People; in imitation of the Apostle, let me at this time speak a commendatory word to you; I have exercised my Ministry now among you for almost sixteen years, and I rejoyce 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 in number of houses, yet I think not for strength of affection: I have with much comfort observed your reverent attentions to the Word Preached; you rejoyced in this Light not for a season, but to this day: I have observed your zeal against Errour: 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 shall I not cease to love you, and to pray for you; but why should there be any interruption made, where is the crime? some indeed say, that we are disloyal and seditious; Beloved, what my actions 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 thred of Gods Word and of Gods Providence, my heart is towards 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:
