S B C T. X. .OfCenverfion, Sr Turning unto Got; much that affeftion in Sarah, to bewilling Abraham fhonld have children,though it was not by her : There is thiscorruption in us, that we cnely wouldbe the in- RrumentsGod amulet ufe. As he Paid in vain glory,Thie, the Babylon ihave built; fo we, This is the Jerufalem I have built. Thirdly , HerebyGod would teach evenfaithfulMiniflers,theet he weeds noMass part$, nomans gifts or abilities : Chrift took threeofhis Difciplesup into the trans- figuration; this wasa great favour,for it, was the glimpfeof glory. Now he did this to them, andnot to ocherof the Dfciples : Chri(t hath fome fpecial favours whichhe will difpente ashe pleaferh . for as the fountain needeth not theftream, nor the fun its beam, but they arewholly from them ; thus God needeth not the graces , the gifts , the enlargeinmrs of inftruments; but many' times (as the Apoftic in another café ) puts the greaten glory upon the moff uncomely parts. Laftly, keg inidry foNowing Gcd, Canty-el, mayyetfindenofact:re, becaufeof A reafon from the froward, and indifÿafedtemper ofth,people. Thus Chrill weeps-over jeru-the people. falem ; flow often would I ktoegathered thee , and those would(!not? Thus the Word alto did not profit theIfraehtes, becaufe it wasnot mingled with Faith: and if our Gofpel behid ( faith the Apollle ) It re to thofe that perith, whofe eyes the Godof this warld hashblinded, a Cot.. 4. 3. 0words worthy of all obfervati- on. If it be hid , that is, ifmen do not ur-iderftand ic , do not feel the power of it , it is becaufe thou art one toperifh , one to be damned : It is becaufe the Divel bath (hut thine eyes. Oh thenlay the fault where it is : Thou arc apt to toblame the Miniftry; ro cavil at him, or to blame his preaching. But fee What theApoftle faith, Ifour Gofpel,if our preachingbehid toyou,ic is becaufeyou are topenfh: For as the husbandman, though he fbould be never fo laborious in ploughing,fowing, add fitting theground; thoughhe benever focareful to provide precious and choyce feed , yet if the nature of the ground be fo barren , as itwill bear no feed , or caute it todegenerate into Cockle, all the labour is in vain : -Or aí the Gardener, though he water and dreffenever fo carefully, yet if the tree be dead at the root , it is all tono purpore : So though the Mini(lersofGod are very --cornea in praying, preaching, informing, rebuking, yet where theTree is dead at the root , What hope is there! The fettedgrand lamemaybe, Whether a corrupt Miniffry that neglefietheMafia. acor- reunfel of God, may notyet bea meansof Converfion? Whether an ungodly Mini- rupt Miniffry [icymay not be tiled by God to convert others ? This was a queflion difcuffed of may be the old , between the Orthodox,and the Donatifts ; for the Doaatifts thought, that con- if any Minifter fell into grotf fnnes, neither the preachingof the word , nor his ye adminiftration ofSacraments coulddo anygood to others ; for how, Paid they;tail death bee means to beget life? Howcan darkneffc produce Iigh:?How can a-Mem- ber of the Divel make a Member of Chid ? Toanfwer this cafe, FirR, We mufir diflin!uifh of the corruption of a Minifier t gnfwe' For either it is Doetrinal,in refpe l ofthat matter which bepreacheth pot elfe pra -. died in regard ofhislife andConverfation : if the Corruption beDoetrinal, then it is either totall , or partials 1'ocal,when hedoth wholly foefakethe Truth,and preachnothingbut damnableHerefres, and thevain lies and imaginations of his heart : and he that is thus corrupted univerfally , can never convert others : -The reafon is, becaufe theword andTruth ofGod is that immortal feed, by which we arebegotten : Santfife them by thytruth, thy wordis truth,john t y.So that Divine truths are the only inflrumentof life fpiritual, asgood food andnot poyfon is of natural; but if it be onely partial!, not in, fundamentals, but fuperfbtiousadditions; that miniftryin tome refpedsmay be profitable: and hereupon our Saviour bid' them hear theScribes and Thoraces , While thyfateixMo¡eschair, i.e. as long as they preached the Dottrineof /Wafer, bur then thofe that liveunder fach acortupt Minittry , had need be very judicious todiflingui(h between good and bad, There- fore our Saviour , who allowed the people to hear the Scribes and Phi-. tikes, 503
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