pN' i i Ils 3 y. Chap. 3 ;. An Ecpofition upon the Bookof Jo n. Verf. 23, Firll, Take away all thole, who thrufl themfelves boldly, or are admitted carelefly, or by miffake into the Miniílery, who , yet are ignorant, blind, ungifted, and fo unable for the worke. Secondly , Take away thole, who though they have gifts and abilities, yet are lazie, and flóathfull, luchaswill not take paines nor worke in theworke. Thirdly , Take away thofe, who have gifts; and are induílri- ous, yet areunfound ( at leafy in many poynts )- and erronious in their judgements, and fo mif-lead andmir-guide chofe, whole guides and leaders they are. Fourthly , Take away thofe,who though they are net unfound-, and erronious, yet are prophane, and fcandalous, pulling downe . that truth with one hand which they have fet up with another, or building againe thofe fns by their praelife., which they have deflroyed by preaching, and fomake themfelves ( as the Apollle fpeakes in a like cafe, Gal: 2. 18.) tranfgroffourr for as God juflly, calls fuch tranfgreffours,becaufe theyhave - finned againíl his word, fo they make themfelves tranfgreflours, becaufe they fin againfl their owne ; evenagain(l the doctrine bywhich theyhave condemned thofe fins, which themfelves live in. Fifthly, Take away thofe,Who though they are neither of thefe, neither ignorant, nor idle, nor unfound, nor fcandalous, yet are but meere formali preachers, fuch as only fpeake words, deliver the our-tide, and skin of the Golpe!, but have no acquaintance with the marrow andpower of it. Take away thefe five forts from among Miniflers, and furely this expretíion of Elihu will be but too muchverified , The interpreter ùbut one among a thou- fand. Abflrael all that ore ignorant, idle, unfound, fcandalous, formali difpencers-of the word, from thofe who are commonly called Miniflers, and then,- they who remaine will be very few, fo few, that everyoneofthem, may be reckoned, one among a thoufand. And we shall be forced to fay, that Elihu bath not fayd without caufe, whether we refpeé their excellency or their fear- fity, that any faithful! meffenger or interpreter is one among a thoufand. This is not fpoken by Eliha here,norought it to be taken up by any of the moil faithful! Miniflers of Chrifl, todraw honour and refpe& upon themfelves, or that their perlons maybe had inad- sniraticnwho are faithfull;this were apitiful! defigne of holding out
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