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516 TESTIMONY OF CONTEMPORARIES. [Doc. 259.
•
was near his departure, and expressed his desire to see me,
but as some hindrances to the visit happening at that time,
I did not embrace the opportunity, which I should have done,
for those hindrances might have been surmounted. My neglect
on this occasion appears to me without excuse, and lies very
heavy on my mind to this day.
29. "That so highly gifted a messenger from the Lord (as
I verily believe he was) should meet with the reproach of being
beside himself, will be so far from appearing strange to such
as are acquainted with the Scriptures, that they would expect
it: and it is credible, that an Angel from heaven in a human
form, with a like message to an apostate world, would find
no better treatment from it. But let the authors of such
á calumny look well to the danger they incur by it; for where
a person is advanced to any good degree of usefulness in the
cause of virtue and religion, and more particularly if led to
consecrate very exalted talents to the honour of God, and
the spiritual benefit of his brethren, such a character is sacred,
and to go about to defeat the success of such labours is
nothing less than a degree of profanation ; and the like con
duct in any of the clergy, whether proceeding from envy,
jealousy, or any partial regard to their own particular credit
or interest, is still more blamable. And as to such as are
led by a mistake, or a zeal for some particular opinions, to
oppose the usefulness of eminently good men, because they
think and walk not in all things according to their rule, they
would do well to remember that there are diversities of gifts,
and differences of administrations of the same Spirit, and all
for the edification of the body of Christ. Thus some are more
in the literal, whilst others excel in opening the spiritual,
sense of the Scriptures ; some are eminent for their active
usefulness in public exhortation, teaching, and preaching,
whilst others are more fitted for writing in defence of the
Truth, or find themselves called to perfect their states re
spectively in the various exercises of a retired piety. Some
Christians have little more of grace than is sufficient for
themselves, others have a larger portion of it for the benefit
of their brethren also, whilst all are graciously provided with
instruments and means suited to their recipiency and several
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