304 selfilhnefs the powerfol Enemy ofall ordinances. called Elijah the trashier of Ifrael, which he had troubled him- felf, I Kimp 18.17. and meet them as he did the fame Pro- phet, i Kings, 2.1. 20. 114 rhos found tore 0 mine Enetsy ? They meet not a Minifter as the Meffenger of Gods that cats them to repentance, but as an enemy in, the field, to ftrive againft him, and raife up all the reafonings and paffions of their fouls againft him, becaufe he condemneth their unrege- nerateRate, tels them but what God bath charged him to tell them : when the poor (inners confider not, that before God hath done with them, as fure as they breathe, he will make them either by grace or Judgement, condemn themfelves as much as any of his Minifters condemned them, (from the word of God) at whom they were molt offended. Ah little do thefe Proudworms that rage at us now for faithful dealing, and for telling them that which they will fhortly find true, little do they think that they flail thortly fay the very fame againft themfelves which they hated us for laying : Nay with an hundred times more bitternefs and feif-revenge will they fpeak thefe things againfl themfelves, then ever we fpoke them. Hence it is that faithful plain-dealing Minifiers are commonly hated and perfecutedby the ungodly, efpecially by the great ones and honourable finners. For their meffage is againft Self, and therefore Selfwill rife up againft them, and fo many jet unmortified perfons as there be in the Congre- gation, fo many enemies ufually hath fuch a Minifter. And therefore the Lords of Ifrael petition i he King that ?crafty may be put to death, ter. 38.'4. And eAlwgziab the Prieft cals Am/ a confpirator againft the King, and tels the King that the Land was not able to bear his words, and commands him to pteach no more at the Kings Chappel or his Court : Amer 7. 10, 11, 12, 1 3 . And what was the matter that de- ferved all this, yea and the death of almoft all the Prophets andApofties of Chrift ? why it was for fpeaking againit Jeff and its carnal interest : But was it not a truth that was fpoken ? Trueor falfe, if it be againft Pelf, it cannot be born As the Bilhop of Mesta that Luther fpeaks of, meeting with a Bible, and reading anhour in it, I know not,faithhe, what book Ibis is, beet 1*nolitre is >v '1144 Sid Meaning the Popifh clergy. So
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