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paffing grievously, then will I ftretch out mine hand upon it, and will break the staff of the bread thereof, and will fend famine upon it, and will cut off man and beaft from it.

SERMON. XIV.

P. 328

Prudence neceffary in converfing upon religious Subjects.

Mat. vii. 6. Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither caft ye your pearls before fwine, left they trample them under their feet and turn again and rent you.

SERMON XV.

P. 357

Religious Conversation recommended. Malachi iii. 16, 17. Then they that feared the Lord, fpake often one to another; and the Lord hearkened and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name: and they fhall be mine, faith the Lord of hofts, in that day when I shall make up my jewels, and I will fpare them as a man fpareth his own fon that Jerveth him.

P. 384

SER

(1)

Mutual Edification, the Duty of
Chriftians.

Rom. xv. 2.

Let every one of us please his neighbour, for his good to edification.

S

T. Paul in his epiftles very often re- SERM. commends to chriftiansa follicitous care, I.

every one for their own edification, and

not only fo, but that they fhould ufe charitable endeavours to edify one another. For this he shows that the facred miniftrations were inftituted, and a great variety of useful gifts bestow'd upon the church, when our Lord Jefus afcended up into heaven be gave gifts unto men, he gave fome Apostles, and fome Prophets, and Jome Evangelifts, and fome Paftors and Teachers. For the perfecting of the faints, for the work of the miniftry, and for the edifying of the body of Chrift *. But,

VOL. II.

* Eph. iv. 11, 12.

B

the

SERM. the end cannot be answered without a due I. use of the means, and therefore the Apoftle prefcribes a diligent and regular attendance on the public offices in Chriftian affemblies; defcending to a very minute circumftantial regulation of them, fo as they might have their proper defigned effect, to promote the common edification, as you may fee in the 14th chap. of the 1ft epiftle to the Corinthians: But, let no one imagine that this important affair is devolved intirely upon men in ftations of publick miniftry; every single member of the body of Chrift has it in charge to contribute in the best manner he can to the edification of the whole, and of every part.

To this purpose our facred author gives many particular directions; he would have us to pray for, to instruct and exhort one another, to avoid all corrupt communications, to give examples of sobriety, meekness, patience, and all other virtues, adorning the doctrine of God our Saviour, and to abound in all the offices of charity, that fo the body may be edified in love. And having in the 5th chapter of his 1ft epiftle to the Theffalonians mentioned fome of the most important duties of the chriftian life, fuch as that they should be vigilant and fober, putting on the breaft-plate

of

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