Burroughs - Houston-Packer Collection BX7233.B87 G67 1660

Miniterc and Chrifians !build improve eheiÿgifts. 66i not be fuffered there, but as much publickly as they could doe, they did.--- - as a Citie fet an a hill , that cannot be hid. Neither doe men light a candle and put it under a bufkell, but on a can dleflicbe, and itgiveth light to all that are in the houle You have received force light, but your light is as the light of the Candle if a man bath a Candle,' the way to reí ve ir, is to put it under a Bufhell, then it will not butne out to fa&.as to (land on a Candlefticke. It is true, faith (Aria, though there is this vile fpirit in fume of you, that you think to hold forth what you have, may caufe envie or opposition, and put you to a great deale of labour and trouble , therefore you had rather hide your gifts and your talents under a Bu- thell, partly through 'pride , that you are foth that others fhould know that which you know ; Saith our Saviour, if fo be that you have,any gifts, any parts, any light, any knowledge in you, improve them to the higheft, to theuttermoft , although you fpend your felves the f on r; This is the exhortation to- Minifters, to all people ; there is no man that hath any light, but doth hinder much if he will keep it ih ; it is a great deale of eafe for a man that bath parts and gifts to lye Rill and be idle, and bath meanes coming in ; But faith Chrift, where was it that you lighted y®ur Candle , bath God given you more light then others,and doe you thinke that you muff have. more eafe then another ? Have you any parts for to fit you for any fervice for God, draw them all forth, and be of publick in the place that God bath fer you in. It concernes not all Minifters, but all people allo, all the gifts that_ thou haft . are but as the talents of Cod , and thou muff be accountable for all of them ; and know, that all the finnes of On,iflïon, are as accountable before the Lord as the fin of Commiilìon. Oh that men would looke to this, if there be any thing that is evill in the place where I live ; If I by any means that God bath given the could prevent this evill,. and. I doe-not doe-it, It

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