Mensgreat ilterfnefs to coftly or troublefome duties. What abundance of words may you ufe in vain, with moll rnen TO perfwade them to any of this work? No : they mufi haie their right and that which is their own, though it be to the undoing of their brother. Paton and revenge even boil within them, and the thoughts of an injury flick in their minds ; and if they do take on them diffemblingly to forgive it, yet they cannot forget it,nor hearily love a brother that difpleafeth Them, much lefs an enemy : And all this is from the dominion offelf, and fhews that it prevaileth above God in the foul,and therefore thews a gracelefs heart. 3. When the Miniflers of the Golpel themfelves (honkd be painful! in their great and neceffary work and fliould watch over all theflock, Ads 20. 28. warning every man, and teaching every man in altwifdon , that they may prefent every man perfect in Chrift 7ef,la, Col. I. 28. condefcending to men of the loweft fort, and teaching them in feafon, and out feafon, what reatonings and fhifrs will fe/f bring in to refift fo great and excellent a du- ty, and prove it noduty, and that God will give them leave to fpare their Pains ; and all becaufeof the Powerful! intereft of [elf? 4. And let the fame Miniflers have a difordered flock, that bath fcandalous members, efpecially if they be great ones ,or ma- ny, and how rarely will they do their duty to them , in plain reproof, and in cafe of impenitency and continuance in fin, by Publike Admonition and Rejedion ? what fhiftings and cavil- lungs will they find againfl this difpleafing work of Difcipline? even when they will reproach a man themfelves whole Opinion is againfl Difcipline, and when they have preacht and written and difputed fo much for it ; and almoft all parties are agreed of the neccfficy ofit in the fubflance ; yet when it comes to pradice, it cannot be done without procuring mens hatred and oppofition; and layirg us open to much incommodity . and therefore fel/. cloth perfwade us to forbear ; and whether God or felfhave the more fervants,even yet in a reformed Miniftry, I leave you to judge as your oblervation of the congregations through the land fhall dined you. But were it not for felf I fhould under- take to do more for difcipline and perfon41Inftruaion with molt Miniflers, by one Argument, then I have doneby a volume, and you
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=