The serviceable man. A discourse made unto the General Court of the Massachusetts colony,…

Deduction. II.

What Thoughts then ought we to have of those who Do what they can for this people of God? Indeed the Blessed God says unto us in Jsa. 55.8. My Thoughts are not as your Thoughts. But yet we should be studious, That our Thoughts may be as His Thoughts. Well then, since God Thinks for Good upon them that are Serviceable to His People, pray let us have none but Good Thoughts for them, that are Doing for us.

New-England has had, and still has its Friends, that have laid us under Everlasting obligations; and now God forbid that we should be Ingrateful to any of those worthy ⟨p. 42⟩persons, that have been Exposed for us. Tis Folly as well as Baseness in us, to Discourage any of our Public Servants, by the Ill Treats of Ill Thoughts concerning them. The Services that have been done for this people, by those worthy men that are now Dead and Gone, ought for ever to Live in our Thankful memories. Posterity should know, Who those were that laid the Foundations of our Heaven and our Earth; Who those were that most contributed unto the Good settlement of these Colonies▪ and who those were that have born the Brunt of our Day; but alas, we are so much worse than the old Pharisees, that we even suffer the monuments over their Graves to moulder away without any Reparations; I pray, go find if you can, the Tomb-stones of some Venerable persons to whom New-England owes an Everlasting Remembrance! Even The Families of men that have deserved well should still be Reaping with us, an Harvest of Respect and Kindness, out of all the Service that they did for us in the former Generation▪ David could say concerning a Deserving man, in 2 Sam. 9.1 Is there yet any left, that I may show him kindness for his Fathers sake? Tis particularly uncomfortable to see how meanly the Families of Deceased Ministers are provided for;