CHAP.I.6. 92 Aman of f.an dalous life is veils to be a Miuilier. fteafons. I t.Tim.f.xz.s¢. expounded. 2 Leuic.xT.rq. 3 MAO;.x.3. Ifa,t4.so. Luk.4.23. t.it Commentarte vpon the any,faue the Sonne ofGod hinifclfe,euer hued without fnne.Ail which open to vs the meaningof theprecept. Doc`tr. How able foeuera man be to teach, yet if he be of corrupt conuerfation,and fcandalous in Iife,he is nor fit to bechofen for a Mini - (ler. Reafons. T. Our Apofile here in the firff place , and more largely infiReth vpon the lifeof him that is tobe chofen,and afterwards in few- er words requirethhis fires for doEtrinè : and 1d in bis charge to Ti- mothic that he should laie hand on no man ra(hly , addeth that fore mens finales goebeforehand, and force mens 6nnes follow after itidge- ment:as though be had Paid more largely,Vfe all the circumfpebtiô thou cana, yet Come hypocrites will creepe into the Miniflrie: fore are in- wardlyprofane, and fuch dole6nners thou cana not difcerne,til after- ward they manifeR thenfelucs : others are open inners, ofwhich thou male+ fudge aright; thefe latter thou art to hinder, the former reclaime, or feafonably remocue,& fo falue vp the fore againe : for how requifize is it, that fuch a fweete and fauourie do&rine , fhould he matched with a fweet and fauourie Chrifìian conuerfation ? 2. That fuch an highcal- ling is tobe graced with an vnreprooueabie life, was typified in the law fundry wayes, as after we (hail more clearely fee in the poltiuevertues required: efpecially in that prohibition, that none of Aarons fonnes,or feed, that had any blemifh in him, mightonce preffc to offer before the Lord, neither come neere the valle, nor Rand by the Altar. 2. A fcan- dalous andobnoxiousperfon,fhali never do good in his calling.For al- though thethings of Chrif, as the Word Sacraments and Doí1rine, depend not vpon the perfonof the Minifer,but on the ordinance of Chri(i; neither in themfeluesare the worfe in bad miens hands ; no more thena true mans peece ofgold in the hand ofa thcife : yet by our weak- nes , in fuch a mans hand, theyare weaker tovs :andalthough no man can anfwer, or warrant the refufing ofpure dohtrine (which is not to be had in refpe t of perfons) for the (potted life of the Minifier,who while hefitteth in Mofes chaire(be bePharifie,be hehypocrite)muh be heard, yet can it not be,but that the wickedneffe ofHelier penes , will make the people abhorre theofferings ofthe Lord : which what agreiu.ous finne it was before the Lord, fee r. Sam. 2. 17. Againe, bow can he benefit his people, whole hands arebound, whole mouth is (hut, and cannot utter the truth, without continuall galling and fentencingofhitnfelfe? and when euery fcoffcrfhall be roadie to fay to him; art thou become weakz: one of vs? and the word (hall be frill returned vpan himfelfe, how can it be expe&ed that he fhould do good amongil them ? Chriti prevented that fcoffe,Phyfitianhealet)!felfe: and Paul theweeh the duty ofeuery Miniaer,namely,tominifter weli:and the fruitof it, he gecteth a good
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=