Page:Divine shepherd, or, The good minister's care over the flock of Jesus Christ.pdf/11

 preach themſelves, nor ſuffer Chriſt and his Apoſtes to preach to the people, that were ready to periſh for want of a plain ſearching Preacher. They are like thoſe two prieſts, Hophni and Phinehas, who would neither be chaſte themſelves, nor ſuffer others to be so, but lay with the women that aſſembled at the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation,, I Sam. ii. 22. They were like Ahab and Zedekiah, thoſe two other Prieſts, who would neither be chaſte themſelves, nor ſuffer others to be ſo, but were roaſted in the fire by the king of Babylon, for committing adultery with their neighbour's wives, Jerem xxix. 22.33. And they were like thoſe other ungodly prieſts and people of the Jews who perſecuted St. Paul, and forbid him to preach to he Gentiles that they might be ſaved to fill up their as alway. For the wrath of God is come upon them the uttermoſt, 1 Theſſ. ii 5,16. Mark this all of you long as you live; if a miniſter refuſes to preach him-self, and forbids others to preach, it is a certain ſign, that he is come to the height of wickedneſs, and has filled up the full meaſure of all his ſins, and the wrath of God is come upon him to the uttermoſt. And yet there are not only ſome few of the Clergy that were then thus notoriouſly wicked; for our Saviour lays it to the charge of all the Scribes and Phariſees, and Preachers the law in his time. And they all were ſo far from denying that charge, that they gloried and boaſted in.

For ſay they they to the officers, that would not be ſo bad as they would have them be, by apprehending Chriſt, and bringing him bound to them, 'Are ye all received; Have any of the rulers of the Phariſees be-served on him? But this people who knoweth not the law are curſed,' John vii. 47, 48, 49. And if poor ignorant people have ſuch men as theſe for their miniſters, shalt they not, without a miracle, neceſſarily periſh for want of knowledge? For how can the poſſibly learn any true and ſaving knowledge, when their Miniſters curſe them for believing on Chriſt, and damn them to the pit of hell, for refuſing to be as bad as they would make them? What is, two-fold more the children of hell than themselves.