llookiV. M INI STE R S COMPARED TO AMBASSAD ORS. 837 METAPHO~ PARALLEL • under it: I was among you, faith Paul, '11-'ith much f ear and trembling.' They have the Charge of Sou ls committed to them, one ot which is more wonh than all the 'vVorld, no lefs than the Price of Blood, the precious Blood of J efus Chriil:. To them is committed the Word of Reconciliation : H ence they pray and befeech, and ufe all Means imaginable to bring the Souls of Men to Terms of Peace and H.econciliation with God, through Chriil:; they knowing the fad and dreadful Effects, if they fpeed not in their Embaffy : Knowing the '!'error of the Lotd, weperji!ade lvfw. Anti in another Place, /Ve pray you in Chrifl's .ftead, be ;•ou reconciled to God, 2 Cor. v. 1 t, 20. For if the Treaty of Peace between God and Sinners doth not fucceed, the Minifler is fure to be called to an A:counr, how he difcharged his Truil: in the Bufinefs, &c. IX. An Ambaffador is to keep IX. So Miniil:ers mufl fee they keep clofe to the dofe to his lnttructions; he is ih Word of God; they had need to take their E rrand nothing to aEt contrary to, or dewell before they come into the Pulpir, or Affem– rogate from his Commillion. bly of God's People: I have received of the L ord, what I deltvered unto you. They mull: fpeak no– thing, require nothing, preach nothing, but what is according to the Authority of God's Word, which is above the Church, Senates, General Councils, or any Authority whatfo– ever. Thefe Ambalfadors mull: act and do exactly according to their Commiffion; <Sc. X. An Ambalfador mull: not X. So Minilters muf< be fitted with Zeal, and only aet according to his Commifa<'1: diligently in their P laces, or profecute their lion, as to Matter, bu< mull: deliBufinefs vigoroufiy; their H earts muft be deeply ver his Melfage alfo with much engaged in their fp iritual Embatfy. They are to Zeal, and with all due Refpetl: had preach with all fervency, as having the Senfc of to his Maflcr or Prince that fent Chrift's H onor, and the Worth of immortal Souls him: He mult not profecute his upon their H eartS; and not only fay, '!'bus and Bulinels coldly• or after he hath thus faith the L ord, and be fatis£ed w fee People had Audience, give himfelf to the willing to give them the hearing: Though they Pkafures of the Court where he is may thank them for that Civility, yet they muft Refidect, and mind his Affairs no not quit them, unlefs they fee they accept of the more, or not regard how his MaTerms of P<ace and Reconciliation, offered to fter's Bufinefs fucce<ds. VI/hat them in Chrift's Name, through the Gofpel. They Anfwer will he be able to return? muft fhew them the Profit that will accrue to them, Surely, if he fi10uld do thus, he if they do comply; and the Danger, on the other could not fay, he had done the Hand, if they do refufc ; and that it will be more Workofafaithfuli\mbaffador,&c. tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrab in the Day of Judgment, than for them. XI. It behoverh an Ambaffador to be faithful in ~11 Things to his Mafter's lntnerr, and not to be– come a Pcnfiontr to a foreign Prince; for (uch an one is utterly unworthy of fuch an honorable Employment. XII. An Ambafrador ought to feek the lnterefl of his Fdlow-fub– je<'l:s, and fhew much Love, Care, and Tendernefs to thetll, fo far as the lntereil: of his Prince will bear; and not to do any Thing to the fpoiling of their Trade, &c. XIII. W hen a Prince finds his Ambalfadors cannot (ucceed in their Bulinefs, but that all Teems of Peace are rejected, he cJIIs them home, and then bloody Wars com– monly follow. XI. So Minifters mut{ not comply with Chrift's En~·mies, or feek for Reward from d1t:m, fuch as wOuld bctr<ty his lntt:rel(, wha:ever is offered them. But as <ve are allowed of God to be put ;,, 'l'ru.ft with the G~(pel, even f• we[peak, not as pleaf– ing Men, but God, which trieth our Hearts: For neither at any 'l'ime ufed we flattering W'ords, as )'C know, 11or a Cloak of Covetoujitefs, God is Witnefs, 1 'l'hefl ii. 4· 5· XII. So Miniil:ers ought to feek the Good and Welfare of all the Saints and Church of God, and help them by their Counfcl and Prayers at all Times ; and not to weaken, but ftrengrhen their Hands, and proteCt them from the Scorn, Reproach, and Opprellion of tht Enemy, as much as lieth in them, &c. XIII. So when God fees, that the Melfen»er, and Melfage he fends by his faithfu l Minifl:er~ is f1ighted, and that Sinnc;rs remain obll:inate, after long Patience, he calls home his Minifters, per– haps takes them away by Death, and relolves to trtat with th;:t People or State no more, bur con– trariwife, to let out his \Vratfi upon them. And thus it fared with Ifi'ael, of old: 'Ihe L ord God of tbeir Falhrr.< fmt /o them by his iO D fi;!ef/mger •·
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