Excerpt from The Spiritual Steward: A Sermon, Preached at the Meeting of the Associate Reformed Synod, in the City of New-York, October 21, 1802 Hiifiory (if the chaise}? Who are amufihredifimh her 4 profperities and adverfities', and the'caui'h which. Produced them, mufi be imp-refied with the unut terabl'e importance of' her minifiry. On the pm; dence of the ambaii'adors of Jefas, their patience, their {elf-denial, their fervent zeal, their deep ao quaintance with the myfleries of the kingdom; and; their holy heroifm in defending them, dependinti matgly, under God, the I'uccefs and the glory of chrifitamty. They are in fcripture' emphatically reprefented under the emblemof (tars; and if they are obfcured, either by ignorance or error, a gen eral darknefs innit. Envelope the horizon of the chnrch. Natural talents, and human learning are little noticed in the following charafier of the golf pel Reward becaufe however important thefe' qual ifications are, they are of inferior importance A they: become ufeful and ornamental, precifely in pmpore tion as they are fane'tified'hy the fpirit of leftts, and confecrated to the fervrce of his crofs, If thofe who hear thetveiiels of the Lord beerroneous, the more fuccefsfnl they, are, the more dangerous, by rendering others tenfold more the children of dark; nefs than formerly. If they appear indolent and indifierent, their example foi'ters careleffnefs m their hearers, and, tends to 1q than deeper and deeper in the flumbers of] perdition. The ordina rv Faitor, no leis than the1 extraordinary Apofile, mould he poffefs all knowledge and all myficries, yet, without charity, 'mufi become asfoundzng Emf}, and a tin/cling cymbal. Intellectual endowments, unaccompanied by divine grace, like the blazing comet, may dazzle and allonilh, while he who en dures all things for'the 'e'lect's lake, like the fun in the firmament, exhilarates and cherilhes as he l'hines. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.