9.2 Mr. B:,wers Sertitj;,!, be a help to him. The Churchof God hash need of ftcong Cliri- Aiahs that can pray in faith, feavently for others, and you lcarcely .pray for your (elves. Confider when the Church needs a great deal ofhelp, will you fit downwith low attainments, and little thins-4, when fo many hundreds about you need fo great affittance. Weak perfons ace many times the tremblers and very dan- gers ofthe Church ; many calamities have been occafioned by them: the fins ofprofelfors have occafioned the difpleafure ofGod on the Church : their errors hindred truth, and made divitions. When Chi'iftians have not In much filenoith as to knowTruth fromError, that hearkens to every one that fpeaks with likeners : What have thele Chrlitians done in the Church What mercies have been driven away, fo farce that I think the Church of God, from the Apofties dayes till now, hath fuffered more by the finnes of Pro- feffors, than the malice of their Enemies And how calla thou ex- pea God will fave thy foul, when thou haft let the Church on fire, and been fo great hinderance to others, that many fhould perifhoc- calionally by thy example? eg-c. The greateft fhfferings of the Church bath some from the milcarriages of the Church. a. Such have been the great difhonourersof Chrift; and the Graces ofancient Chriflians, the glory of their profeflions : their charity, fell-denial, Heavenly-mindednefs, Patience, &c. preach- ed the Gofpel to the World more effeaually than ever their words could do. God exfpe&s your lives fhould be a contiderable means for the converfion of wicked men: the fame God that hath corn- manded Minifters to teach others by their Doarine, hath com- manded you fhould live for the converfion of the world, that your teal, humility, patience, charity, Cell-denial, Mould win fouls to God: and ifit be a fin to give over Preaching when me may, Purely fo to give over living, Ifro unto me Ipreach not the Gofpel, then wo unto you if byyour lives you preach not the Gofpel. How many fin- h ers have you about you'? and how do you wrong and rob the Ungodly of that Ordinance God bath appointed for their Con- vertion and SalVation ?. You are the perfons that take the bread ourof their mouths, the means that fhould fave them out of their bands, while you deny them one oldie commanded means of Sa!,- vation, 1. e. the eminent example ofyour lives : And if it be fb great a fin to Prop Freachersniouths, how great a fin to negleet this O. dinance Nay, are your not a difhonour to the Church ? Is it not becaufe ofProfeffors ill live-g,:that the prophane deride Religion, while they fee not the gioiy in it that fbould over-power an unbe- iie and denying'foul, and fhould indeed ea-ea:malty manifeft it
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