44 CHRIST'S ,Alarm There John tells us, that he indeed writes to the Churches, for all that in the infcription of every Epiftle, the Minifter only be named. John to the (even Churches in Afa. So that this letter is fent to the Church in Sardis. John meanee it to the Church, and not onely to the Minifter. A fecond place is, Revel. a. t 1. what thou feeft write to the feven Chur- ches in Afta,To Ephefits, to Srnyrna, to Pergamus,to Thya- tira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and laodtcea. The third is, the conclufìon of every Epiftle. Where it is Paid thus : Hee that hath an care, let him her what the Spirit faith unto the Churches, Revel. 3.6. and fo it is at the cloture of every Letter, to all the relt of the Churches, and there- fore the Holy Ghoft there accules the Church of Sardis of deadneffe I know thy workes that thou art dead, and yet he dire is it to the Minifler of the Church, as a thing that concernes him, and that may be laid to his charge, and that he is faulty in. To the Angel of the Church in Sardis write. I know thy workes that thou hag a name, that thou livefi and art dead. That is, thou haft a dead - hearted people, and thon art the caufe of it : Thou dolt not doe thy duty, thou doll not doe what lies in thee for to quicken them. But thou art too remifle in thy Miniftery, and therefore their deadneffe may be imputed unto thee. Thus you fee the Doftrine is very plaine from the words. The good or bad eftate of a people dependeth much upon the Minifter. Commonly wee fee it fall out, as the Prophet Hofea Paid, like people, like Prieft, Hof. 4.9. Like shepherd like Bleep. Such as the builder is, fuch is the building, as is the Husbandman, fo is the husbandry. This we may finde throughout all thefe Epftles, where the Minifter is . commended, the people are commended, where the Mini - fter is taxed, the people are taxed. And therefore they Rand and fall together, they fwim and linke together, a wicked Minifter, a wicked people , an ignorant Minifter, an ig- norant people ; and to a good Minitier, the people either are a good people, or die they are monfters ; Nay, if the Minifter be good, though the world in his Parifh bee never
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