230 Againfl the Rulers of the that are for the higher forme of Profeffours, who have their fenfes well exercifed, excellent may be for the building up three or foure eminent Saints in the Congregation ; but in the mean time, the weak ones in the family, (who fhould indeed chiefly be thought on, becaute leaft able to guide themfelves, or carve for themfelves) thefe are forgotten. He fure is an unwife build- er, that makes a Scaffold as high as Paul; fteeple, when his work is at the bottom, and he is to lay the foundation, whereas the Scaffold fhould rife as the building goes up. So Paul advan- ceth in his do&rine, as his hearers do in knowledge; Heb. 6. 1. Therefore leaving theprinciple; of the doarine of (krill, let u; goon untoperfeElion. Let tu. It is well indeed when the people can keep pace with the Preacher, To preach truths and notions above the hearers capacity, is like a Nurfe, that fhould go to feed the childe with a spoon toobig to go into its mouth. We may by fuch preaching pleale our felves, and fome of higher attainments, but what flail poor ignorant ones do in the mean time. He is the faithful Reward that confiders both. The Preacher is (as Paul faithof himfelf) a debtor both f- h to the creek and to the Barbarian, to the wife and to the unzrife, Rom. I. 14. to prepare truths iiiitable to the degree of his hearers. Let the wife have their portion, but let them be patient to fee the weak- er in the family ferved alto. Fourthly, a gnifter may be acceffary to the ignorance ofhis people, when threugh the fcandal of his life he prejudiceth his docirine, as a Cook, who by his nafiinefs makes others afraid to eat what comes out of his foule fingers; Or when through his fu- perciliouscarriage,his poor people dare not come to him.He that will do any good in the Minithrs calling,muft be as careful as the rifher, that he loth nothing to fcere foules away from him, but all to allure and invite, that they may be toll'd within the corn- pafl'e of his net. Vie. 3. Is the ignorant foul fuch a Have to Satan ? Let this ftirre you up that are ignorant fromyour feats of (loth, whereon like the blinde Egyptians you fit in darkneffe, fpeedlly come out of this darkneffe, or refolve to go down to utter darkneffe. The cover- ing of Hamans face did tell him, that he fhould not ftay in the Kings pretence. If thou livefl in ignorance, it (hews thou art r- in -- .
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