Temptations t4enfrom themilliHe.r ofMinifiers,anfivered. 3 di dangerous and pernicious vntomany; for what greater dìf- couragement can there be to aFick patient,than to take phy- fick offuchaPhyftion who cannotcure himfelfe ofthe fame dui-cafe ? Or whowill willingly eate ofthat foode,which hee who giueth it vntohim fo loatheth and abhorreth, that hee will not fomuch as tafe of it ? Or who taketh delight in hearing him difcourfe of mercy , chaflitie, and liberalitiej whomheknoweth whollypoffeffed ofcrueltie, luft, and co- uetoufneffe? And therefore it were to be wifhed that Gods Miniflersfhould be Phyltions to themfelucs , before they take vpon them.the cureofothers;that they fhould not fland like Images by thehighway fides, directing others in their iournics,themfelues neuer mouing foot,but that they fhould like guides goe before them,and inf}rub them not onclie by their word,but alfomooue them to receiue their inflru&ion by their example.But yet let vs take heed,that Satandoe not take occafion vpon the neglect oftheirdutie tomakevs neg- lea ours; and that he do notrob vsofthe ineflimable treafure ofGods word,anddepriue vs ofthisheauenly Manna& food ofour foules,wherebyall the gracesofGods fpiritare begot- ten,nourifhed and increafed in vs, becaufc the nlinifler who offereth it vntovs doth not feed vpon it himfelfe.And to this endwe are to know that the miniflerie ofthe word is Gods ordinance,which dependcth not vpon the worthines ofhim whodeliuereth it, neither is it made void and vneffe&uall by hisvnworthines ; but it hath it vertue forceand power from the blefling ofGod,and from the inward operation of his fpirit,who applieth it to the hearts and confciences of men,and thereby illuminates their vnderflandings,begetteth faith in them andall fan6lifying& fauing graces. And hence it is,that the minifler himfelf,fndeth not the word which he deliucreth,effe&lual for thebegettingoffaithor any grace in him,whichnotwithflanding is powerful inmanyofdiehea- rers for thefe purpofes,becaufe the Lord vouchfalethnot the affiflance and inwardcooperation ofhis holy fpirit with the outward minifierie of the word vnto him,whichnotwith- flanding he mercifullygranteth vnto others. Seeing then the minitleryof the word isGods own ordinance,whichhema- keth
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