402 / 808
;86
Doff.
A
Minilier
mull
be
care-
ful
to
remove
offences
that
may
binder
the
growth
of
the
Gofpell.
,Mat.13.140.3.
Match.
it.6.
There
will
fcandals
arife
to
hinder
the
faving
vertue
of
the
Gofpell,
and
how.
r
Tim.
6.3.
Mat.19.r6.xr.
tam.t.ß.
Mar.6.2a.a4.
Vfe.
Markeg. 43.
Epbefians,Ehap:;..
V
]i
R.
í
3,
hold
out,
n'dikher
afhamed
of
the Gofpell,nor me
a Paifoner for it,
The
parts
ofthe
verfe are
two.
I.
An exhortation to the
ufe
and
pradife
of
the former
dodrin.
2. A reafon
of
the exhortation.
Firfl,
we
fee
the
Apofle
his
care
that
he might not
run
in
vaine,
he
prevented
that which might
beoffenfive,
and
removeth the Humbling
blocks
:
obferve hence;
A
c
minitier
mullnm
only
be
faithful!
to
preach
good
and
holefome
d6tirine,
but careful!
and
watchful!
to
remove all
fach
offences
'and
flumbling
blocks as
Satan
and
the
fefh
may
call in
she way to
corruptthe
feed
oftheWard,
and hinder
the
growthofit. For
as
God
gives
holeiòme
feed
of
faving doctrine,
fo he
requires
us
to
bee
watchful!
that
the
enviow3
man
row
not
tares
amidfithefeed
whilemen
fkep.
There-
fore
Chrift
having proved himfelfe
by
doctrine and
works to
bee
the
true mefsias,
that they
fhould not
expel
any
other,
he
being
commen-
ded
to
the world
by
all
evidences
of
a
true
and
perfect
Saviour,
he
ad-
deth for prevention
of
fcandall
that mighthinder the
faving fruit
and
Meiling
of
this doarine:Bleffedir
he
that
is
not
sfended in me;and
at my
firnplicity,poverty &external!
bafenes. For
there
is
alwaies fomewhat
which
hinders
the
faving
vertue
of
the
Word,
either
offending
the
mind
and
judgement, or the will
and affections,
that thewhole
foule
cannot perfectly imbrace it to
life and falvarion
:
there
is
fome
Rum-
bling block
or
fcandall,
that
hinders
a
man
that
he
cannot
come
and
clofe
with the
hole
famewords
¡four Lord
lefts" C
brill
and
cannot attaine
to
the
healing and faving vertue
of
them, but
in his
going he
Humbles
by theway,
and takes offence and
difaf
at
fomewhat,
before
he at-
taine
the
bleffed
fruit
of
the
Word.
Either
his
judgement
conceives
not
and approves
not the
truth,
as
thofe,
lohn
6.6
t.
they
were
¡f
ended
at
that hardfaying, and
went back.
Or the
will and
affe
&ions except a-
gainft
forte
condition
in
the
covenant
,
and
like
not
force
article
or
claufe
in
the
conveyance;
as
that
youngman
that
went
away
forrowfnl
at
Mat
condition
of
receiving eternalllife
upon
fate ofad
that
bee
had;
and
give
t¡,
the poore:
So
that by
offence
of
the mind
or
will
unrenewed,
he
cannot with
afull
confent and true heart enter into the covenant,
and
make
the
bargaine, fubfcribe
and feale
to
it by faith,
and
be
faith
-
full
and confiant
in it,
whatfoever
forwardneffe he may teem to pro
-
feffe,
as
the young
man did.
He cannot
believe with the
whole heart
and
give full
confent,but by
halfes
as
da?dPi,ytrx.a
a
double
minded man,
and
is d,GTant.70-.unftable
in
all
bù
waves.
For
he lookes
net
with
a
tin
-
gle eye upon one matter
to
ferve and pleafe
him,
to
live
and
bee
main
-
tained
and
protected
by
him, but with
a divided foule hee lookes
to
two Matters, to
ferve and truft
to God
and
c.Atammon.
For
tryall
of
a
true
heart,
if
we
can
gladly
fuffer
that the
Minitier
of
the
Word
fhould cut
offthe
fcandals,ifoar
right
eye caufe
at
to
offend to
plack
it
our, or our
right
hand
to
cut
it
off;
and
not
only
to
preach
good
doctrine,
but tocut offthofe
lulls
char
hinder
us in
the praltife,
and
in
the
full
confent
ofmind
and will, and
to
remove
all lets and blocks
in
our way
to God
and
praCtife
ofgodlineffe,
and
to
hunt
us
out
of
every
flatting