walk worthy of so distinguished a privilege.
and is never troubled by his unsuccessfulness, O! think, the poor fools, that is a fine man indeed, our minister is a prudent charitable man, he is not always harping upon terror, nor sounding damnation in our ears, like some rash-headed ministers."
3. Such as enjoy a faithful ministry should glorify God on that account, and walk worthy of so distinguished a privilege.
4. "If the ministry of natural men be as it has been described, then it is both lawful and expedient to go from them to hear godly persons; yea, it is so far from being sinful to do this, that one who lives under a pious minister of lesser gifts, after having honestly endeavoured to get benefit by his ministry, and yet gets little or none, but doth find real benefit, and more benefit elsewhere, I say, he may lawfully go, and that frequently, where he gets most benefit to his precious soul, after regular application to the pastor where he lives, for his consent, and proposing the reasons thereof; when this is done in the spirit of love and meekness, without contempt of any, as also without rash anger, or vain curiosity." He then argues at length the propriety of people leaving their pastors, first, when the pastor is pious, but of inferior gifts; and secondly, when he is unconverted. As to the former case, he says, it is matter of instinct to seek the greater good in preference to the less; we are commanded to covet earnestly the best gifts; there is diversity of gifts among ministers, and God ordinarily blesses the best gifts to the greater edification of the people; as people have a right to the gifts of all God's ministers, they may use them as they have opportunity; Christ did not reprove John's disciples for coming to hear himself, not only on week days, but on the Sabbath; to bind men to a particular minister against their inclination is carnal with a witness, it is a cruel oppression of tender consciences, and an infringement of Christian liberty; if the great end of hearing can be better attained elsewhere, then, "I see not why we should be under a fatal necessity of hearing our parish minister, perpetually or generally."