( g49) watching and praying for their people day andnight, and teach- ing them publickly and from houfe to houfe, and that fotue- times with tears, willing to fpend and be fpent fo their Salva- tion, not feeking theirs but them ; and when they have done all, they are reproached as no Minitiers of. Chrift, and the peo- ple taught to difown them and forfake them. Is this a fignofa fonof God, that is tender of his honour and interefk? or ofa Holy Gracious foul? Sea. 29. 23. At leafs by this means the hands of Minitiers are weakned in their work, and their difficulties increafed, and their hearts grieved, becaufe oftheir peoples mifery. Q ifthey could have but a free unprejudiced hearing with poor finnera tome good might be done ! But they will not hear us, nor come neer us, or fpeak to us : Efpeciallywhen they are taught to forfakeus by fuch men. I would not be the man that thould thus add burden and grief to the faithful Ivtinifters of Chrill, upon fuch an account, for all the Bifhoprickson earth. Sea. 3o. 24 They alfo diftra& themindsofChriftians,when they hear men thus degrading and unchurching oneanother ; fo that weak perlons arc perplexed, and know not what to think nor what Church or Religion tobe of: yea it is well ifmany be not tempted hereby to be ofno Religionat all : when theyhear them condemning oneanother. Sea'. 3 r.25.Thefe thew toomuch formality and Ceremoniouf. nefs,when they fo much prefer their own opinon,about acircum- fiance, Ceremonyor Mode, before thevery being ofthe Chur- ches and Miniflry, and the fubflance ofworfhip it Pelf, and the Salvationof men fouls : Asif it were better for Churches to be no Churches , then not Prelatical Churches; or for fouls tobe condemned, then to be faved by men that are not Prelatical. I (peak not chele things to exafperate them ( though I can expo& no better : ) but in the griefofmy foul for the fad condition that they wouldbringmen into. Seek. 32. 26, They lay avery dangerous fnare, to drawMi- nifters to be guilty of calling off the work ofGod. Meth and blood would be glad of a fair pretence for fo much liberty and cafe. O how fain would it be unyoakt, and leave this tabou-, rious, difpleafing kind oflife ! And when fuch as thefe fhaii perfwade them that they are no Minitiers, theymay do muchto 1K k gratifie
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