C H RIST 'S .Alarm Fourthly , Sometimes peoples frnnes are the caufe why their Minifters are quite dead, and have no life at all in them, the Lord fends foolifh Minifters among them, meer- ly becaufe of their times. So it was in Hefei s time. The Prophet is a foole, the fpirituail man is mad, for the multi- tudes of thy iniquity, Hof. 9. 7. Marke, they had fooles for their Miniflers; fooles, befotted Minifters,giddy Minifters, Minifters that were wild, and like mad men ; you will fay, there were the caufes of much fin to the people : No, faith tine Text, the peoples finnes were the caufe of fuch Mi- nifters. The Prophet it a feel, the ifiiritunll man mad, for the multitude of thins in quiry. 1 hefe foure exceptions then there be of the point. Otherwife the point is too too true, that the Miniflor may be in fault that the people are dead. You fee here the Church of Sardis was grown dead, and the Lord faults the Angel of the Church for it. I k oow shy werkes that than art dead. The like is laid of Laodreea.La- odicea was grown horrible lukewarne , no zeale ofGod, they were neither hot nor cold, and the Lord imputes it to the Angell of Laedreea :1 know thy workes, that thou art neither hot nor cold,and therefore I wil fpue thee out of my mouth, Revel. 3. 14, 15, 16. The fame is faid of the Church of Ephefea, that they had left their fiat leve,and yet the Lord hit the Angel in the teeth with it. I have fome- what agaiuff thee, 6ecaufe those haft left thy firft love, Revel. 2.4. Beloved, the lafl day I fpake of the Minifters con- cord and unity, to the Angel of the Church, all the Mini- fters fhouid be as one man, as ifthey made up one and the fame Augel.And therefore our Saviour Chrift made choice of Brethren, and Kïnsfolks, Simonand Andrew his Brother, Jattees and John his Brother. St. Peters Bark is añfher- boat, not a man of War, it is not furnifht with mortal! En- gines, but only with nets to catch fifth. If Peter were repro- ved for drawing upon Malcbtu, what reproofe had he bin worthy of, if bee bad drawn upon any of his fellowes ? this was the Theme that we fpake of the lart day. Now then let us
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