A44679:39
A funeral sermon for that faithful and laborious servant of Christ Mr. Richard Fairclough…
A funeral sermon for that faithful and laborious servant of Christ Mr. Richard Fairclough (who deceased July 4, 1682 in the sixty first year of his age) by John Howe.
London: printed for John Dunton, 1682
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
6. He grudges not that others are less ⟨p. 13⟩exposed to danger in their work, than he. And have that liberty of serving God which he hath not.
6. He grudges not that others are less ⟨p. 13⟩expos'd to danger in their work, than he. And have that liberty of serving God which he hath not.
Let me seriously recommend this Property and Disposition of a faithful Servant to my Brethren in the Ministry. While some have Opportunity of serving our great and common Lord without fear of the interruption and suffering, to which we are liable, and when we have reason to judge they do it with sincerity (though we may think they gained their greater liberty by their mistake) there can be no more genuine expression of our fidelity, and sincere devotedness to our Masters Interest, than to behold, with complacency, all the good which we observe done by them. If the great Apostle rejoiced, 1and declared he would rejoice that Christ was preached, though not sincerely (and whether in pretence or truth) much more should we, when we ought to judge that he is sincerely preached. And if he envied not those that preached Christ even of envy, How horrid would it be, should we behold with envy, what we are ⟨p. 14⟩to suppose done out of love, and good will. They are great admirers of themselves, and lovers of some Interest of their own more than his, that cannot endure to see his work done by other hands, than theirs. Or that have nothing of that disposition in them which those words express, Let him increase and me decrease.
Let me seriously recommend this Property and Disposition of a faithful Servant to my Brethren in the Ministry. While some have Opportunity of serving our great and common Lord without fear of the interruption and suffering, to which we are liable, and when we have reason to judge they do it with sincerity (thô we may think they gained their greater liberty by their mistake) there can be no more genuine expression of our fidelity, and sincere devotedness to our Masters Interest, than to behold, with complacency, all the good which we observe done by them. If the great Apostle rejoyced,