and their Councils Abridged. maintenance due to their particular charge. Unthankful wretches ! It is for your fakes and fouls that they fudy, and pray, and watch, and fait, and exhort, and labour, to the confumingof their ftrength ; and when they have done , are made the Drunkards Song , and the fcorn of all the wicked of the Country ; and when they fpend, and are (pent, the more they love, the lefs theyare beloved. In the times of this greateft profperity of the Church, they live underconftant hatredand (corn, from tbofe that they would fave, and will not let alone in fin. And what do they endure all this for but Godshonour, and-your'falvation ? Would we be Minihers for any lower ends ? Let fhame from God and man beon the face of fuch a Miniher ! Iprofefs, were it not for the belief of the greatnefs, and neceffity, and excellency of the Truths that I am to preach, and for the will of God, and the good of Souls, I would be a Plow-man, or the meaneft Trade, if not a Sweep.Chimney,rather than a Minifter. Muft we break our health, and lay by all our worldly intereft foryou, even foryou, and think not our livesand labourstoogood or too dear to further your Salvation ; and mutt weby you, even byyou, be reproached after all ? God will be Judge between you and us, whether this be not inhumane ingratitude; and whether we deferve it at your hands ? a 3. Yea, it is hi/If/ice alto that you are guilty of : The labo:erer, faith Chrift, is worthy of his hire, Luke 10. 7.. (Mark that, you that call them Hirelings) The Elders that rule well are worthy of double honour, r Tim. 5.17. Efpecially they that labour in the Word and Doeirine. And will you throw (tones at their heads for endeavouring to fave your fouls ? Will you fpit its their facesfor feeking with all their might to keep you fromHell? Is that their wages that you owe them ? But bleffed be the Lord, with whom is our reward, thoughyou be not gathered, [z. 49.5. But as you love your felves, take heed of that Curie, .7er. 18. 20. [Shall evil be recompensed for good? for they have digged a pie for my foul : Remember that Iftoodbefore thee to fpeakgood for them, and to turn away thy wrath from them, ee,] O how manya time have we befought the Lord foryou! that he would convert you, and forgive you, and turn away the evil that was over you: And whenall thefeour prayers, and groans, and tears thali beremembred againft you, Omiferable fouls, how dear will you pay for all ! 14. And is it not a wonder that thefe Malignants do not fee what evi- dent light of Scripture they contradíc`t; and how many great exprefs Commands they violate ? Theybreak the fifth Commandment, which re- quireth honour as well to fpiritual EcclefiatticalParents, as to Civil and Natural. And he that curfeth Father and Mother, his Lamp ¡ball be put out in darknefs, Prov. 20.20. The eye that moclteth at his Father, and de- fpifeth toobey his Mother, the Ravensof the Valley l'hai! pick it out, and the young Eagles !hall eat it, Prov.3o.17. Did thefe wretches never read, x Thef. 5. x 2. We befeech you brethren, to k;ow them which labour among you, and areoveryou in the Lord, and admonish you; and to deem them veryhighly in lovefor their workfake, and to be at peace among your fazes.] And leb. r 3 r 7. 0oo Lob v
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