`63 2 why fo difficult to recover 114iniferr that are fallen back, their hearts and confciences, and will rather preach thofe. truths that are eafie generali truths, that !hall not come neere. any mans confcienee ; rhën there is not fait in their teaching, but rather a flattering and flight kind of way they minifter the truths of God, and they come to mingle their preaçhing with fuperflirioufi efs, and their preaching is onely to lift up exter nail things,ro preach for fuperftitious vanities.A child of God,. one that hath grace in his heart, how unsavory is this preach- ing to him ? Many that have been flow in preaching,when they come to fpeak againll thofe that preach the true word of God, they are mighty hot and fierce .againll them ; thefe preachers are fuch as Chrift calls unfavory preachers,; if fo be that Mini fters have loll their favour, and now come to be fláarhfull in their-wayes, and fluggifh in their Miniftery, then they have loft their favour, wherewith íhall it be faked, it is alniofl an impoll'ible thing ever to recover a Minifler that bath fallen otr from the truth of the Gofpel ; take any Minifter that hereto - .it's a very rare fore hath been any thing forward, and now is fallen off from thing for Mi- the truth of the tiofpel, it's. rare if ever he be recovered. I xiiflera to re will not fay, none at all but it is a rare thing rawer when Y b- ttaty are of ce Firft , In regard of the pride of their hearts, they fcorne fallen back; to be taught of others, or to be knowne that_ they have gon in erronious wayes, yea though fometimes their confciences con -. demne them, yet the pride of their hearts will not let them acknowledge the errour of their wayes. Secondly, The firength of their natural! parts being cor- rupted by their firne, is now imployed to keep off the truths of God that fhould doe them good. Jufl as. it is with a man that bath a fore in his body , the nourifhment of his body will run to the feeding of that fore, and fo with mans wickednefle, and there is a curie of God upon them, and it is very rare that ever they (hall come to recover againe how few Minifters that were Malignants and wicked, that did returne onely at fach times when they were abfolutely necefíitated thereunto. And therefore by the way it should take off the offence that men !tumble at when they fee learned men doe thus and thus, when learned men have loft their favour, doe not be offended,
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