AMP 64 CHRISTS tAIarm fife E. Zlfe Z according to his owne teaching : Is (iric`t in the Pulpit, and ditrolute in the tireet : I confellè many are ready to quarrel! with the lives of their Teachers without caufe, as the falfe Apoftles with Paul, as though he were carnal], a Cor, i o, 2. But when a man will be,a Minitier, and yet walke like men hating to be reformed, and running into the fame excetre of riot with others ; how doth this harden peoples hearts, and deadeth the Do &rine it felfe ? it makes preaching feeni but a toy.When a man will feem to perfwade to that which he negle&s himfelfe , and to cry out againti that, of which himfelf loth make a common praetife. Let no man defpife thee, (ayes Pani unto Timothy. You will fay, how fhall that be ? Be you an example unto them that believe. t Tim. 4. 12. But I am prevented of time. There is nothing that more leads a mans Minittery than this, when the people know in their Confciences,that the Minitier is as vile as one of them. Let him preach never fo excellent things; they will fay,alas, alas ! we know he loves his penny, bee loves the pot, bee is not right, no more than one of us. But I am forced to give over. The Ufe of this is. Firft, Is it fo, that a Minitier may be the caule why the people are dead ? Then here wee fee the reafon why the Devill is fo bufie to poifon Ministers. He knowes, if he cari poifon l hem, hee can quickly poifon all the Pari(h well - neare, Simon, ;. imon, Satan bath defired to lift thee,Luke 22.; I,When Jo¡htta was exercifing the of- fice of the High- Prieti, Saran Rood at his right hand,Zech. 3.I.The devillis like the Syrians. O (ayes he, fight neither, against fmall nor great, fave only again(i the King of lfrael: If they could flay him, they knew they fhould quickly take his Army ; fo if the devil] can take the Minifiet, hee cares not. If he can make him a Worldling, or a Drunkard, or a Drone, or a Pluralift, that is it bee defires. The deading of one Minitier, dads an hundred others, if hee can be a ly- ing fpirit in a Minifiers mouth, bee is able to deceive two hundred at once. Secondly,Herewe fee that Ivlinifters,of all men,(hould have
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