Christian History Institute Presents Pastwords #88: The Farewell Sermon of a Pastor Locked out of His Own Church by Thaddeus Maccarty ©2007

This most unusual work was recently found after over 100 years hidden in a box at a New England residence. It is a handwritten sermon, written by Thaddeus Maccarty, Pastor of the Church and the people in that town. According to the explanation that was attached, right after his death in 1785 it was his farewell sermon preached on the occasion of his third anniversary as Pastor... after he had been locked out of his Church for supporting George Whitfield when he came through town preaching the "Great Awakening." While the sermon is not particularly inspirational it clearly demonstrates the frustration a Pastor bears when his congregation has grown cold to the things of the Lord. It is a classic example of the evangelical style introduced in America by Whitfield, and other itinerate preachers of that day, and was considered too emotional and enthusiastic to ever gain favor with the established Church. --Christian Heritage Library.

NOTE: A few words from the text are not legible, and therefore have been left blank.

rom the Note of Explanation Attached in 1785: The Rev. Thaddeus Maccarty was born at Boston educated at Cambridge and on Nov 3 1742 ordained to the Pastoral Office in Huntington. The Inhabitants of Huntington were generally opposed to those stirs and commotions which at that day appeared in many places and which were called religious. And upon Mr. Whitfield's coming into the Country, about the year 1745, they declared their dislike of his _____ and Preachments. But Mr. Maccarty contrary to his people, was fond of these things and particularly pleased with Mr. Whitfield. He being in a Neighbouring Town, and Mr. Maccarty having appointed his Sacramental Lecture, it was reported that Mr. Whitfield was to be introduced into the pulpit on that occasion. This report was a mistake; but never the less operated as a validity. On Lecture Day, the Meeting House was fastened up as a marke of the Displeasure of the People at what they supposed was about to take place. Mr. Maccarty felt himself wounded, in being forbidden to introduce whom he should please into his own pulpit; and in consequence of their proceedings requested a dismission from the ministerial office. The people equally warm and hasty as Mr. Maccarty as readily granted his request. The remarkable circumstance of its being three years from the Day of his Ordination, to the last Sabbath of his Ministry, rendered the Words of the Text, from which he preached the following Sermon, remarkably striking. Mr. Maccarty and the People of his charge afterward considered their mutual conduct as the effect of Warmth. Mr. _____ succeeded him who also had been dismissed from ______ by reason of circumstances somewhat similar. Mr. Maccarty was afterward settled at Worcester where he died July 1785. L.W.

From the Note of Explanation Attached in 1785: The Rev. Thaddeus Maccarty was born at Boston educated at Cambridge and on Nov 3 1742 ordained to the Pastoral Office in Huntington. The Inhabitants of Huntington were generally opposed to those stirs and commotions which at that day appeared in many places and which were called religious. And upon Mr. Whitfield's coming into the Country, about the year 1745, they declared their dislike of his _____ and Preachments. But Mr. Maccarty contrary to his people, was fond of these things and particularly pleased with Mr. Whitfield. He being in a Neighbouring Town, and Mr. Maccarty having appointed his Sacramental Lecture, it was reported that Mr. Whitfield was to be introduced into the pulpit on that occasion. This report was a mistake; but never the less operated as a validity. On Lecture Day, the Meeting House was fastened up as a marke of the Displeasure of the People at what they supposed was about to take place. Mr. Maccarty felt himself wounded, in being forbidden to introduce whom he should please into his own pulpit; and in consequence of their proceedings requested a dismission from the ministerial office. The people equally warm and hasty as Mr. Maccarty as readily granted his request. The remarkable circumstance of its being three years from the Day of his Ordination, to the last Sabbath of his Ministry, rendered the Words of the Text, from which he preached the following Sermon, remarkably striking. Mr. Maccarty and the People of his charge afterward considered their mutual conduct as the effect of Warmth. Mr. _____ succeeded him who also had been dismissed from ______ by reason of circumstances somewhat similar. Mr. Maccarty was afterward settled at Worcester where he died July 1785. L.W.

Acts 20th Chapter: 31st & 32d Verses

Therefore watch and remember that by the space of three years, I ceased not to warn every one night & day with tears and now Brethren I commend you to God & to the Word of his Grace, which is able to build you up & to give you an inheritance among all them that are sanctified.

These are the words of the great St. Paul that famous indefatiguable & successful Preacher of Christ, through Grace, he was such a famous or rather infamous persecutor of Him. It came to pass in his sailing about from one place to another he comes to Miletus; & from there sends for the Elders of the Church of Ephesus. He had been before among the People of Miletus & also among the Elders of the Church of Ephesus as is evident from what he says to them when they were come together, as also from the text & he speaks to both conjunctly both in the text & context The good apostle when they were all together, The Ephesian Elders & the Brethren of Miletus takes a solemn & affectionate farewell of them all as in evident from the 25th verse and now I know that ye all among whom I have gone preaching the Kingdom of God shall see my face no more. And so also from the two last verses and they all went sore & fell on Paul's Neck & kissed him, sorrowing most of all for the Word, which he spake that they should see his face no more.

A very excellent Preacher He had been among them & had greatly endeared himself to them and when he talked of departing from them wholly It melted them into floods of tears, they were so deeply affected with it very far from being glad & rejoiced at it. The good Apostle upon this taking his final leave of them was able to appeal to them all what a holy boldness & confidence * with a good conscience, concerning his fidelity among them as an Apostle & Minister of the Lord Jesus. He reminds them both as to the matter & manner of his preaching among them. Repentance toward God & Faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ were the ground & frequent subjects of his Preaching _____They should be of all the Ministers of the Gospel. He had in a very affectionate manner served them Night & Day with humility & with many temptations. Every thing that was profitable for their souls He had taught them in publick & from House to House. He was much in the Exercise of private Preaching as well as publick, as knowing that the direct tendency of the thing was to advance and prompt the Kingdom of Christ & the good of souls and it can be abundantly proved from Scripture, Observation and experience that in all ages of the Church It has this tendency how much soever Men oppose it & contend about it. The Apostle met with Abundance of difficulty and hardship, in the faithful discharge of his duty as an Apostle as has been the case more or less in all ages. However tho' those that afflicted him might think to hinder him in discharging his duty, hinder him from preaching publickly & from House to House. Yet they were mistaken. For he was above all the mallice of men & was enabled to over come all the Temptations of the Evil One. None of these things moved him, he resisted in the way of Duty. And Earth & Hell might conflict & tempt him as much as they pleased, Yea they might take away his life But at these things he was unmoved and he might but finish his course with Joy and the Ministry he had received of the Lord Jesus, He did not count his life over _____ Him. They might do what they would with his body, take away the life of that, however he knew they could not take away the life of his soul. None of those to whom Paul now spake could gainsay what he spoke to them and it seems as tho they were in no disposition to do so. He takes them to record that he is free from the blood of all men, for he had not shun'd to declare to them the whole Councel of God. He had a realizing sense that the blood of souls would be required of him if he was unfaithful to them. But he has a witness in his own breast & in the breasts of all to whom he was now speaking, that he had been faithful in the discharge of his Ministry, that he had both publickly & privately taught them the things that belonged to their everlasting peace and welfare & taken all the pains that he could for their welfare & happiness and now if after all they perished they could not neither would the Lord Jesus lay the blame upon him. He had delivered _____ ____ soul & was clear from their blood. Their blood must now be upon their own heads. They must take all the fault to themselves & bear all the punishment of this, tho' it must be an afflicting thought to them must be a very joyful one to him. Happy would it be & joyful if every Minister of Christ could speak in the language of this Apostle, upon a review of his Ministerial conduct. But alas! How few are there of such to be found! Yea, I may add, where is the man to be found?

After the Apostle had made his solemn appeal & declaration to them all. He proceeds to give them some weighty, important councel and advice of that to the Elders of Ephesus & also to the Brethren of Miletus. Some of his advice is peculiar to the Elders & some of it was given no doubt from generosity to them all. The advice in the 28th verse belongs to the Elders. Take heed therefore unto your selves & to all the flock, over which the Holy Ghost has made you overseers to feed the flock of God which he hath purchased with his own Blood. And to enforce his councel. He adds as in this next verses for I know this, that after my departure shall greivous wolves enter in among you not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men curse. Speaking perverse things to draw away Disciples after them, These are the great reasons he urges with the Elders why they should take heed to them selves & to all the flock to. And ____ be considered also as the reasons of the councel, given in the text which immediately follows. Therefore watch & remember &c. For this piece of advice is no doubt given to the Brethren as well as to the Elders. But I shall in my following discourse consider it as given to the Brethren & so it will be firstly applicable to all of you.

In the words of the text there are several things observable which I shall speak to Their order.

I. I shall consider the true meaning and import of the duty the Apostle says, he performed among these People he was now speaking to. He tells them that by the space of 3 years, he ceased not to warn them night & day with tears.

II. Consider the nature of the duties he now enjoins upon them from the consideration he had thus warned them (____) watch & remember.

III. I shall consider the import of his farewell. Benediction to them as expressed in the later verse in the text. And now Brethren I commend you to God &c.

I. I shall consider the time meaning & import (like above). The duty he had performed among them was warning. His saying he did so night and day without ceasing is to be considered in a restrained sense, whenever he had convenient oppertunity either by night or by day to warn them he did not fail to do so. He let slip no oppertunity, let it be at what season it would to warn them.

His saying he did so with tears is expressive of his doing his business with earnestness with affection and concern. The whole of a Ministers work & business is sometimes in Scripture expressed by some general term. Then sometimes it is expressed by taking heed & by feeding. Both of these and are used in the context verse 28th. Take heed _____ to feed the flock &c. And these expressions are used in a way of accomodation to the several businesses & employment, to which the work of the Ministry is compared in Scripture. Thus take heed is a Military Phrase. And Ministers are sometimes spoken of under the character of soldiers, agreeable says Paul to Timothy &c. Those therefore my son, endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warneth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him, who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

And their duty is expressed by feeding because sometimes in Scripture they are compared to Shepherds. The business of whom is to feed their flocks so also is it sometimes expressed by warning because they are in Scripture spoken of under the character of Watchmen. I shall only mention one text which they speak of them, out of the many that might be produced. Son of man I have made thee a Watchman to the House of Israel, therefore hear the word from my mouth & give them warning from me and perhaps this character of a Watchman whose business it is to warn others where they are appointed is as pertinent & expressive of the duty of a Minister, as any that the Scripture any where mentions. Now to give warning implies danger certain or apprehended. In things temporal we often apprehend danger where no danger is. However a strong apprehension is a sufficient reason for a watchman to give warning where he is fixed. I shall not stay to mention any of the things temporal, that might be so to illustrate the matter. But as for things Spiritual, danger is certain I mean in plain terms, that all persons who are in a state of sin are in danger of perishing forever in the lake that burns with fire & brimstones. The living & true God has in his wrath against all ungodly persons wether they are openly or secretly such and it won't so much as admit of the least doubt but that such what are finally ungodly, shall suffer the vengeance of eternal fire. Every sinner is in danger of suffering it. Such are now hanging over the amazing gulph of torments only by the slender thred of life and it is only because a righteous & provoked God does not cut this thred asunder that they don't drop in as multitudes of others have tho' to the very thing that God did so they were bright & jovial over this gulph. And sooner or later God will deal thus with every sinner & they shall drop into it unless they repent & are converted. And this leads me to speak to another thing implied in warning viz. that notwithstanding the danger sinners are in of perishing for ever, yet there is a possibility of getting out of danger & of being saved when the vital thred is broken. The reason of a watchman's warning is that persons may get out of danger of any kind that they see or fear they are exposed to & to get into such a place that they tell them of where they may expect to be in safety. Such warning as this had righteous Lot from the two Angels whom God sent to him when he was about to destroy Sodom. The Angels hastned Lot saying arise, take thy wife & thy two daughters with thee lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the City, Escape to the mountain lest thou be consumed. In like manner the sinners are in Spiritual Sodom & so are exposed to the vengeance of God which he has threatned to bring upon such , yet is there a City of refuge provided for such to which if they escape they shall be safe. This City is the Lord Jesus Christ. _____, tho' in great danger of perishing forever, yet if they go to _____ they shall be saved from everlasting misery & not only so but obtain everlasting glory But not to enlarge these things are implied in the Apostles warning those to whom he was now speaking in the text. And tho' nothing in the speech he makes to them is expressly spoken by him of their danger of perishing while in a state of sin. Yet what he warned them to get into a state of safety is evident from the 21st verse where he tells them he had testified to the Jews & also to the Greeks. Repentance towards God & faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ. He had preached to all sorts that were among them the necessity of repenting and believing in Christ; which necessarily suppose that he saw and realized their danger & would have them do so too to whom he had testified these things of perishing in their impenitence & unbelief; that except they repented they should all perish & unless they believed they should be damned. But that if they repented before God & believed in Christ they should be in no danger of perishing, but should be saved and (as I said before) he took all convenient oppertunities both by day and also by night to warn them and with tears also he did not speak to them in a cold & trifling manner concerning such very important things No; he had done it with earnestness he realized the greatness of their danger and the dredfulness of that misery they were opposed to and was greatly affected at the thoughts of their perishing in earnestly desirous that they may be saved. And therefore he gives warning with great earnestness of speech & fervour of affection, that those he gave warning to might retire their danger of perishing and the awfulness of doing so & he put upon earnest endeavours to get out of danger & be saved and altho' earnest fervant & affectionate Preaching and warning is not always productive of such effects, Yet there's a greater probability that it will produce them than that cold lifeless & dull manner of treating things of everlasting consequence to poor sinners which some are accustomed to & procure for them applause & good liking. Alas! if Ministers could speak with the tongues of Angels & with the zeal & flame of a _____ they could not too powerfully & earnestly represent eternal things, especially the danger those are in of perishing who are in a state of sin & death. The misery they will be cast into except they repent and are converted & the nature & necessity of repentance & conversion with mighty _____ zeal & affection. He the great Apostle Paul warned those where he was sat as a Watchman. He did so for the space of 3 years as he tells them in our text when he calls upon them to watch & remember. And so I come to speak to the next general head, viz.

II. To consider the nature of the duties he here enjoins upon them from the consideration that he had warned them in the manner we have said watch & remember.

We have considered the Apostle under the character of a Watchman, because as such he warned those to whom he is speaking in our text & context. And he enjoins it upon them that they become watchmen too. The Elders of Ephesus were such by office and so the advice considered as directed to them is that they be faithful in their office. Faithful to give warning to others where they were fixed: To remember what he had spoken to them aforetime as to their duty and what he had just spoken to them in the verse proceeding the text. But now the advice as given to the Brethren (for in this sense I proposed to consider it) is as much as if he had said to them. I have been with you for the space of 3 years & took all convenient oppertunities both by night & day with a real hearty concern & affection for your Spiritual good, warning you of the danger of a state of sin of that danger of perishing forever, if ye continue in it warning you to flee for refuge to repent and believe that so you may be saved and now _____ I am going from you and ye are like to see my face no more, take warning & get out of danger. Don't treat the solemn warnings I have from time to time given you with neglect & carelessness. You are in great danger, don't be unconcerned. Be upon the look but not only to espy danger but also for a place of safety. Keep in memory what I have told you of your danger while in a state of sin & of the place of refuge I have told you of. Remember how I told you of the nature & necessity of repentance and faith. These are things that concern your everlasting welfare. Whatever things you treat with neglect & grow unmindful of before let not these be the things. Remember how you have received & heard & hold fast & repent. And do remember what I have said to you as that you may be savingly profited by it. Otherwise it will be to no purpose except to enhance your pain & misery that I have warned you.

All this may be intended in the duties the Apostles he enjoined upon them in the text. He had told them a little before that he had not shunn'd to declare to them the whole Councel of God that he kept back nothing that was profitable for them & that he was pure from the blood of all men. But yet he seems not willing to go from them at this time without a fresh warning them & particularly charging them to watch against those dangers he had often told them of so as to escape them to keep fresh in their memory such solemn things lest at any time they should let them slip. The good Apostle was well aware of the proneness of men to treat with indifference & neglect things of the last importance to them to grow unmindful of them. And it was owing to this no doubt, that he is to express in charging them not to it. He saw them greatly affected at his telling them of their seeing his face no more, & very attentive to the things he was now speaking to them but he did not depend upon the concern and affection they shew upon his telling them of his departure nor upon their present close attention to him as undoubted evidence of their faithfully observing the warnings he had from time to time given them. Observing them in such a manner as to be savingly benefitted by them. What when their affections ebb'd & he was careless & unconcerned & unmindful at least that many of them would do so with respect to the many earnest warnings he had given them to get out of a state of sin which exposed them to the wrath of God & repent before God and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ that they might be saved and now whenever the Ministers of the Gospel give warning to men let the circumstance of such be what they will wether they continue among a People or are removed from them by death or before they die the obligation lying upon those they have warned are equally strong & indispensible. From every warning that is given them as to their danger & the way to escape calls for an immediate notice to be taken of it as might be largely shown were their need of it. They are immediately to be upon the watch & carefully remember such warnings. This is to do a great duty to Ministers, while they live. (I take it for granted here that they give such warnings, as are agreeable to the Scripture. Such as their Lord & Master has required them to give in his name) I said just now with respect to continued removing from a People. They are equally strong & indispensible upon them. So that in case of death, or of a remove before death they should beware of carelessness and uncircumspection & forgetfulness as to the solemn warnings that they have had given them by their Ministers while they have them with them. Not think their warnings die with them that they are no ways binding now they have gone, but that they are as much concerned in them as ever, that God expects & demands of them even in such a case; that they take notice of them & obey them. And they greatly provoke God if they don't & he will dreadfully punish such at the great day if they do not when solemn & earnest warnings have been given with respect to mens danger & of the way to speake; when repentance toward God & faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ has been often testified by their Minister whilst they have been with them it is hard indeed if none should watch and remember if these things are treated with an universal neglect & forgetfulness.

But I pass now to the consideration of the last general head. viz.

III. To consider the impact of the Apostle, general benediction to those People he was now speaking to, as expressed in the later verse of the text. And now Brethren I commend you to God & to the word of his Grace. The Apostle did not part from them in anger & wrath & much less did he wish them any evil of any sort but on the other hand he parted from them in a truly Christian manner, expressing his earnest & affectionate wishes for their best welfare & happiness. The first thing he here says to them in that he commends them to God. This is expressive of his earnest wishes & desires that God would take care of them & confer upon them the best & choicest of his Mercies. And not only so but his commending them to God with & for them before his departure, & that he designed to do so when he was gone: to bear them upon his heart continually before the throne of Grace, and so do all that he could that way for their good after commending them to God in such a manner as this he nextly commends them to the word of his Grace. To the Word of God more especially to the Gospel of Christ which is called the Grace of God. To this word he commends them to a diligent reading of it & meditating upon it to him he commends them as to a sureingly visible guide & directory in the way to life as a safe compass to steer by to the heavenly country as what by giving a diligent heed to in the reading & preaching of it would make them wise to Salvation, this faith in Christ Jesus he had preached this word of God's Grace to them & informed upon them the most important articles of it. Repentance towards God & faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ. This word he commends to these as of the greatest importance. And this word he tells them is able to build them up & give them and inheritance among them that are sanctified (that is) if they took a proper notice of the Word of God or in other words if they exercised repentance & faith. They would build upon a good foundation for Eternity. They would be founded upon a rock, which no storm & tempests should be able to remove and by expressing these they were as others that were sanctified were heirs to the heavenly glory. Called here an inheritance because by virtue of their adoption. They had a right & claim thro' Grace to it as children have to the estates of their parents. And that they might be an heir to his glorious inheritance. He now earnestly wishes this is what he asks of God for them in hopes that thus it may be with them. No doubt he wished them temporal happiness in abundant measures. But as this is no way comparable to spiritual & eternal happiness, so he is chiefly & above all things desirous that they may obtain this and for this he prays to the Lord & resolves to do so after his departure This affectionately did this fond Apostle upon his leaving them bless them & wish for them all blessing, especially spiritual blessings in heavenly things in Christ Jesus.

He had exhorted them in the preceeding verse & now wishes them such blessings as this & further than this he could not say or do for them, unless after his departure he again & again commended them to God, even daily made mention of them in his prayers to God, as no doubt, he did.

And thus I have finished the several things I proposed and shall omit many important inferences that arise out of this subject, that might be profitable for reproof, for correction & instruction in righteousness and conclude in one word.

This day * (as I suppose you all know) Nov. 3, 1742 compleats 3 years time I was sat as a Watchman over you. You all remember the manner of my entrance in among you, that it was by your seeking not by mine. And your unanimous choice of me, (as I told you at the time of it), was a very considerable notice to me to settle with you In those 3 years past, I have endeavoured to instruct you in the true way to heaven. Often, as I hope you all do & will remember insisting upon the same important subjects of the Gospel, as the Apostle did to those he was speaking to in our text & context repentance towards God & faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ,. I have often warned sinners of their danger & called upon them to escape it, by flying to Christ for refuge, I have warned, both by day & by night, with an earnest desire & concern, that they might escape it. And have endeavoured to comfort the children of God & those especially that were in darkness & to build them up in faith & holiness: And to the best of my power & ability to councel & pray with & for those that have been sick & dying. I am far from thinking (notwithstanding I think I can safely speak these things) that my Ministry has been attended with no defects. I trust, I am humbly sensible of many, I shall exercise a proper humiliation before God. But the same defects that call for humiliation before God call not for the same before men. Common defects & imperfections in a Minister call for the candour & forbearance of a People rather than their resentment & displeasure. I say common defects do so but it is rather commendable in a People than otherwise to show a proper resentment and displeasure, at their Minister if he is not sound in the faith: if he speaks perverse things: if he is loose in his principles or vicious in his morals. Such are a disgrace to the sacred office & if they may not be reformed all proper endeavors should be used by a People to get them our of it. Such defects as these indeed you have never pretended to charge me with. And considering my youth, & liableness to fall into one indiscretion or another as well as the rest of mankind. I was in hopes that such as these would be all covered with a marke of Love as you were pertinently exhorted in the valuable sermon preached at my ordination, this day 3 years which you have in your hands, many of you. And I doubt not they have been thus covered by some of you tho' others it may be have been in a disposition to magnify them. However amidst all the imperfections of my Ministry I hope it has not been altogether an unsuccessful one. That I have not laboured in vain & spent my strength for nought & in vain. That some souls have been savingly wro't upon by my Ministrations. I hope I can't say with the dresser of the vineyard of old to his Lord. Behold these 3 years, I come seeking fruit on this fig-tree I find none. Yet this much I can say that these 3 years have I come seeking fruit & find but very little. O how few awakened and concerned for their soul & eternity! How few have I heard enquire what they shall do to be saved? Alas should I have been to have seen my Labours blessed for the saving conversion of many souls. If they have been so to any one single soul, ascribe all the glory to the God of all Grace who makes use of what instruments he pleases in accomplishing the Salvation of his People. And if this is the case with any God forbid that I should take any of the glory to my self but desire heartily to join with such in giving all the glory to God.

And now as I know not but that this may be the last oppertunity I shall ever have to speak to you in this place in the name of the Lord so I am exceeding both to finish at this time without testifying to you all repentance towards God and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ. hoping in God, that if all the warnings of these important things that I have heretofore given you have been disregarded, that God would please even now to speak effectually to your hearts.

In the foregoing discourse, I expressly mentioned the dangers of sinners perishing forever except they repented & I believed in Christ. Wherefore let me beseech such no longer to continue in such a dangerous state. But fly to the City of refuge repent & be converted that your sins may be blotted out. Fly instantly to the Lord Jesus, who notwithstanding all your former refusals to come to him at the calls that have been given you now stands with arms stretched forth to embrace you. fly into those arms & you are safe forever. O linger not in Sodom, lest the vengeance of God be showered down upon you very soon, & there be no escaping. O that this may be a day of God's mighty power upon your hearts. That one & all would set their face toward the mountain & with speed fly hither lest they be consumed. If thus it should be with every impenitent unbelieving person O this would refresh & gladden the blessed Angels above, & the true citizens of Zion below and at this my heart shall present with you or absent from you. Let the saints & children of God also be exhorted continually repeat their acts of repentance & faith to grow in Grace to be fruitful in every good work to be examples of piety & every thing that is praiseworthy to all with whom they have to do: that so others may be charm'd & allured to become Christians too & to glory redound to this God on their behalf & their reward be exceeding great in heaven. Here I might go into distinct address to old & young; but as what I have said is of common concernment to every one of whatever age, sex or quality, so I hope every one will watch & remember them. Such things, (as I observed before) are equally binding & obligatory upon a People wether a Minister continues with them or is removed by death or before it.

In all probability, I shall no more preach the Gospel to you. Yet I hope you will have it preached to you in a much better manner. In the power & purity of it & have it become the power of God to your Salvation. It may be I shall never see you all again in this world, however, I find in my self a disposition to wish every ones welfare in all regards, temporal and spiritual. And as to whatever has occurr'd of a disagreeable nature to me, And some things have occurr'd of this sort I think I can say truly I indulge not a malicious, revengeful spirit towards any but contrarywise & wish all the blessings of heaven may plentifully descend upon you & an increase of all the blessings of God's footstool tho' it may be I shall see you no more in this world yet there is a day a coming when I shall see you all again. I refer to the great day of the Lord that is coming upon all flesh, they you & I & all mankind must stand before the Son of man to give up an account of our conduct in the body. I shall be called to an account how I have discharged my Ministerial trust. O that God of his rich Grace would make me of the number of those faithful servants who shall give up their crown with joy & not with grief & who shall be acquitted & rewarded with a crown of glory that never fades away! You also will give an account how you have received & heard. You will be reckoned with for every sermon you have heard & every warning you have heard. And if it shall then be found you have been ____ of the great Salvation, your condemnation will be very awful & God forbid that this should be the case with any of you!

O that you all may be found unto praise and honour & glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: of the number of those who shall be placed at the right hand of Christ with the sheep & who shall obtain the inheritance of the sanctified above. I can't but entertain a hope that some of you will be my crown of rejoicing at that day. Yea may God grant we may all see one another in joyful & happy circumstances at that day that however it maybe with us with regard to our living together in this world or _____, yet that we may all of us be brot at last to live eternally with God in heaven to be a part of the church triumphant & not only associate with one another but with glorious Angels & with the saved those who bare record in heaven. The Father, the Word & the Holy Ghost.

I know not how to better conclude than in the words of my text. Therefore watch & remember.

Lord's Day November 3d, 1745: P.M. preached at Kingston: My Farewell Sermon.

Thaddeus Maccarty