ATi'egtife ofthe Affeaions. 103 refprti all call alike, for they fee no difference in the Minifter, Iknow the people tbould not do thus, but fuch is the cor- ruption of men, thus they will doe; now God bath given many of his meffengers more wakening voices, as petty in- ftruments to provoke mens affections fomewhat the more. Aud truly we are bound to make confcience thereof, that our very voice may be a comment upon our matter; 'twas k. a pretty ftory of Demof tnrarc henes, when one told him that he Pu)srcb. was beaten and mifufed exceedingly by fuch a companion. It feems he told it fo by rote as we fay, (hewing no affection at all in his telling : Why ? fayes Demoffhenes : hath he bea- tenthee ? I do not beleeve he bath beaten hee. No ? fayes the man : he was much troubled to hear himdeny it, and ft he fpake eagerly and in a chafe, I am fure he beat me, thus he did, and thus he did, and do you not call this beat- ing? now I beleeve, fayes Demos`£. hems , I beleeve now he bath beaten thee indeed, now I hear the voice of a man that was beaten. So if we fhould dreamingly utter our voice,and reprove our hearers,they (carte beleeve they are reproved, becaufe they do not hear the voice of a reprover. Let us deliver ufes of terror to them, they hardly beleeve any terrour in it, becaufe they do not hear the voice of terrour. But when the Minifter is affeéted aright, and his affe lions direct the carriage of the voice along, the voice it felf does more fìgnificantly expreffe the matter and this no queftion is very moving. But then let me tell yon, if this he it ye look for,and if ye . can be carping at a Minifter for the want of this, what the Lord accounts of you.Ele lets it as_a brand upon the wicked Jews that they were affected with the Prophet Etekiels pleafant voice, when they were affected with little elle, Ee. 33 3z. even a rare and a worthy Mofes may be defeftive in this cafe, and wo is the people that findeth fault. But how- ever, be the voice of a godly Minifler never fo mean, yet there will be ever force hidden grace in it, whereby more or leffe, it appears unto the confciences of tlheem
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