Fenner - Houston-Packer Collection BX5037 .F46 1651

CHRIST'S tAlartn God, as the authour to the Hebrews layes, No man takes this honou to himfelfe, but he that is called of God as was Aaron, Heb,5.4. Chrift himfelfe alledged this to beare out his Mini(tery, He bath feat me topreach deliverance to Captives. We be to thole of whom the Lord (hall fay, I have not font thefe Prophets and yet they run. It will be laid to them one day, as to the man without a wedding garment, Friend, how camel thorn in hither? The want of this is the reafon that fo many miniftera make no more confcience of their duty ; they make no confcience of taking paines, of (tri& preaching, of tpreflï.ng the word upon peoples hearts, of ufing all manner of means to root out finne in their Parifh , becaufe they have no difpenfa- Lion fro.n God committed unto them : if their confci- ences were charged with this, it would make them doe otherwife then they doe. The want of this is the caufe that the miniftery of many is impotent, they may preach all the dayes of their lives , and not one foule turned un- to God , but themfelves and their workes peri(h toge- ther; whereas Minifters that are fent, make the Devils mare, and fiefh and bloud chafe, their Sermons are linkes of iron to bind Nobles, and Princes, and (tubborn hearts. The want of this is the reafon why fo many Minifters are vile in the peoples eyes, people care not a whit for them, dare drink and be drunk in their company , dare talk of their roguery before them; as Amnon before Jonadab, yonadab ask't him what he ailed he was fo fad : O, (ayes he, I would fain lie with my fifer Tamar, z Sam. 13. 4. He knew before whom he was; if 3onadab had been a godly man,he dur(t as well have eaten his owne tongue , as have told him his bale loft. A godly man the very pretence of him would have made him afhamed, and to have bitten in his lips.When a Minifter isunfent of God, no body does refpeet him out of confcience , they care not for his words : whereas when a Minifter is fent,this makes him as an Angell of God when others call him all to naught, the confcience of many will plead for him, as we

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