to droi'/ie SAINTS S. us fpeake of the influence that a Miniíter hath in his people, he may be the cause of his peoples deadneffe, if hee doe not take heed. And this he may be three waies ; firft,by his not preaching; fecondly,;by his dead manner of preaching; thirdly, by his dead manner of Life and Converfation. Firft, I fay, by his not preaching; yee know the Word of God is the word of life, Phil. z. t 6. The word is that which quickneth the heart, as David faith, Thy word bath quick; ned me, Pfd. t i 9.5 o. Now when Minifters doe not preach it, this Beads peoples hearts; Wee fee this inthofe places where the due preaching of t h e Word is wanting, people are dead to all goodnes ; nay, they that had Tome quicknes in thembefore, do lofe them more and more As Solomon faith, Where there it no vifion the people per ifh, Prov.29.18. that is, where preaching is defe &ive, the people die, they are fpiritually dead in trefpatres, and in fins. Can a man live without bread, or without food? no more can people live without conftant preaching. The word is the bread of life, now when this is not broken unto people, they mutt needs die. Mark how Zachary defcribes them that are without preaching) They are fuch as fit in darkeneffe, and in the tha- dow of death, Luk. t. 79. that is, they are blind and igno- rant, and liveleffe, dead while they live, they are wicked and abominable, in the power of Satan, under the wrath of God, ftrangers from the life of God ; fuch Minifters as doe not preach conftantly, they are foule-murtherers, they are guilty of their peoples blood, they doe not give them chat which thoald quicken them upunto eternall life; they Ihould quicken them up unto newnetle of life, but they doe not; they thould powre in the words of eternall life into their hearts, but they doe not ; people are naturally dead to prayer, and dead to communion with God, and dead to all holinelTe, they have no heart to pureneffe and righteouf. nefle of walking, and Inch Minifters doe not ftudy to revive them. Secondly, as a Minifter may be the caufe of his peoples deadneffe by his not preaching, fo he may be the caufe of these
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