..,!gairzft Peifemtion. dence of God(as I faid beforc)hath furni01ed the world with fo few that arc /jtfor that high anJ facrcd wotk, that no mc1.n can pren:nd that they are fupcrnumeraries, or unnecdfary 1 <!.nd that othtrs mly be fubllitured to the Churches profit : 1-~or the number is fo final!, that all arc much too few ; and fo many as an:: tiknced, fo many Churches ( t:ithcr. the fame or others) mufi~ be un[upplycd or ill·fup· pl)'l'd, And God working ordinuilyby means, we m:1y conclude that fit( ncing of fudl.Pre.:t::herS do!h :lS plainly tend tO mens damnation, as the prohibiling of Phyficions doth .-a their dcJth , and r.oore. And it is not the part of a friend either of God or men, to endeavour the damnarion of one foul, much h.fs of mulciHldLs, bccaufc: a Minitler hath difplcafcd him: If one m:m rnufi pty for anoth€r mar.s tins, let it be a pecuniary muld, or the lofs of a memb~·r, nthcr than rhe luf., of his fan!. It is more merciful ~very time a ~inifier offcndct~, to cur otT a htnd or aa arm 'of fomc of his flock, than to fJy tO him, Te:~.ch thetr1.no more the way to !.dvation, tbJt fu they may be d.~.mu~ (d. 1f a F.nher off~nd, and his childre~l mufi nCeds pty for all his faul:s, ic is beucr b~at rhe chd~ dn:n or maim them~ than forbid him to feed d}::m, when rhtrc is none dfC to du ir, and fu to fJ~ mifn them. 'V hat ReaiOn is there that mens folils {hould be unraughr b~c:tufe .a Minifi:::r hath of– fmdcd? 1 !mow tlill, tho[c men that cue not for their own fouls, and dlc'refure care as liule f,;r oth(rS, will fly, What jf the l>~opk: have but a Reader, or a weo~.k, ignorant, lifeltfs PrcJchcr? D Jth it follow thir therefore the peop!c: muH be damned ? I anfwu, no: No more than it followc1h rhlt the: City rhat hath none but Women Phyficions mull dye of rheir tickncffcs, or that they thJt live on– ly upon Gr:fsor Roo1s ,mufl famiib. Nature may do more to overconle a. difcafc wirhout a Phyli~ cion in one than in another. Some perhJps arc cor.vcrted already, a.nd havt:: the Law wrict:::n in their hearts, :md are taught of God, and can make fhift to live without a Teacher : But for the reil: whofC difeafrs .need a skilful diligent Phyficion :, whofc ignorance and impenitence extrearnly ncedeth a skilful diligent lively Teacher; he that deprivcth rhcm of fuch, doth tab: the prab.J.bJe courft: ro damn rhem! Ar.d it is the fuoe courfe which the D_vil hirnfdf wou:d cake; and he pmly knu\·1erh what tendeth wmens damnation ! He rhat knoweth what a cafe rhe Hearhen, lntidel, Ma.homc– ran world is in for want ofTcachers ; and what a ·cafe the Greek Chmch, the Mufcovires, rhc Ab– hlffines) Syrians, Armenians, Papifis, and mo!l of the Chrifi.i1ni of the world are in, for want of ablr, J)zilfd, gLdly P:lf1ors, will lay his hand on his mouth, and. meddle with fuch reafonings as thdt no more. Obj<d: B•" by this dcoifc youwiU haoe tbe Clergielawle[s, or M th' Papijls,exempt them from the Ma– giftraJu punijhmmtJ, for fr:Jr of depr·ivipg the people ofinjlr.,tzion. A1l[w. No fuch nutter : It is che contrary that 1 am advifing: I would havl! them punifhed more fevc:rely than other rn~n, as their fins are mOre aggravated chan other. mens. Yea, and I would have thcmfilenccd when it is meet; and that is in two c1fi:s : viz.. ·I• If thty commit fuch capital crimes, as God and man would have puniibcd wi1h death, its fit th~y dye, (and then thry are filcr.ced ) : For in this cafe it is fuppoftd that their lives (by their impunity) are like to do ~nore hurt than go:Jd. z,If their Herefie, infufficiency, fcandal, or any fault whlt ever, do r:nake them more lmrtful thon profitable to the Church, it is fit they be calt out : If their Minilhy be not like to do more good, than their faul!s 'o do harm, let them be li!enctd! But if ic be er herwife, then Iec them b~ punifh– ed in their bodies or purfes, rather than the peoples fouls (hould fuffer. The Laws have Vlriety of penalties for othn men! Will none of thofe fuffice for Miniliers? 75 But alas, What talk I of chc:ir faults! Search all Church Hifiory, and obferve whether in all zges Minificrs have not been fi!t:nccd rather for tl}(ir dutitJ, than· their faxlts; or for not fubforibing to fame unnc:cdfl!y opinion ot impotition Of a prevailing pJrty; or about fomc wrangling conrrovcr– lies which Chutch dil\urbers ft:t afoot! There is many a poor Minifier would work in DrideweU, ·or be tycd to Chovell the S:reets all the nil of the wcc:k , if he mighr hue have libc:rty to preach the Gofpd! And would not fuch a penalty be fuffidenr, for a difn.m in fome unntcclfJ.ry point? As ir. is not every fault that a MJgi1hate is dcpofcd for by the Sovcraign, but futh as make biCQ uufic tor the phce, fo is it alfo with the Miniflers. 9· 39· Direct. 18. M.dignity t~nd Prophanemfs mu/t not be gratified or otcoHtaged: It mufi be con- Dirdl. 18. fiderc:d, how the carn11l mind U tHmit)' againft God ; for it i1 not fubjell ·to hU Law, 1tor can be: Rum.:,. 7, 8. And chat enmity is put between the Wom:ms and the Serpents !eed:, and that rhe whole buli~ Gen.;. 15• nefs of the world, is but the profecution of the War, Detwcen the Armies of ChriU and S:uan : And that m1lignity inclineth the ungodly world·, to fhnder and reproach the G~rvanrs of th~ Lord; and thty arc glad of any opportunity to make them odious, or to cxa!ptrate' M;.~giilrates againll them : And that their fikncing and fall is the joy of the ungodly : And if \here be any Civil differences or fidings, the ungodl~ nbble will take that, tide~ be it right or wrong , which they think will do mof! to the downtal of the godly, whom they hare. Therefore befidcs the merirs of the particular Clufe, a Ruler rhat regatddh the inrerefi of the Gofpel and mens falvJ.– tion, muti have fome care that the courfe which he taketh ag:~inll godly Minifiers and people wht:n they di!pleate him, be fuch as doth not Hrcngthen the •hands of evil doers, nor hlrdc~ them, -increafe them, or m:~ke tht:m glad; I do Oat fay th'at a Ruler mufi be againll what ~ver rhe ungodly part is for ; or that he muH: be for that which the .major pJ.It of godly men arc: for, ( 1know this is a deceitful JUle.) But yet that which pleafeth the malignant rabble, and dif:. pieafcth or hurteth the genc,.lity of godly men, is fo feldome pleafing to God, that its much to be fufpeCtcd. '
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