94 CHRIST'S Alarm Preach, being read in the Synagogues every Sabbath day, A&s r 5.2 r. The Realón is, firft, becaufe thole Townes that have not a faithful! Miniftery in it, generally doe all perifh. I do not deny, but fome foules in tuch blind places may come other- wife to be converted and faved , but generally they perifh for ever, that live in loch places : as the Evangelift (ayes of Gable. True, they had lorry Priefts, but they had not a faithful! Miniftery. Sayes he, The people fate there in the region and fhadoty of death, Match. 4. r 6. that is, till they had a better Miniftery, they were in a damnable elate. So that it is a pittifull thing, when any Towne or Par ifh are with- out a faithful! Miniftery, no ftarre of Heaven shining among them. Secondly , becaufe when people have no faithful! Mini - ler of their owne, generally they care not for removing of their dwelling, neither will they goe a mile or two fir tie meanes, they content themfelves with what fare they have at home, though it latve them to death : Like the people under the falte Prophets, they liked them well enough, My people love to have it fo, Jer. 5.3 I Nay, they love such Pro - phets better than them, that would deale plainly with them; Nay, there be-many, that when they have a faithful! Mini. tier at home, will be sneaking out to a drunken Minifter abroad, they would rather live under filch a one. Thirdly', Another Realón why every Church éhoutd have its particular flame , every Congregation had need of a faithful! Miniftery of their owne : Becaufe if there be any godly foule, or any one that delires thè falvation of his foule, and lives under a blinde guide, hee cannot goe out, without giving very great offence, it will be thought a gid- dineffe, and a ffighting of their owne Minu ter at home; now if every parifh had a fcund Minilry in it,this would rot bee : When people came out of every Parifh round about unto John,they had no Paforof their own,tut they came flocking unto John, no quelion but this bred heart - burning againft John :1, and ill -will againft thofe people,that would not
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