Page:Divine shepherd, or, The good minister's care over the flock of Jesus Christ.pdf/12

 And thus I have proved out out of God's own word without any addition of my own hand: by plain an expreſs texts of Scripture, that, Though there be a great many miniſters in a city or country, yet the common people may be ready to faint, and to periſh for want of knowledge: for want of plain, affectionate practical and ſcripture preaching: yea, and their caſe may be deſperately bad, that nothing but a company of poor ſilly ſheep ſcattered abroad without a ſhepherd, can poſſibly repreſent their deplorable cordition. And that is the doctrine with its proof. The uſe of it is thisː

Firſt, The Holy Ghoſt has cauſed the faults of God's miniſters to be written in ſcripture: And therefore, we that are the preachers of God's word, are bound in conſcience to preach againſt theſe miniſterial faults in our ſermons before the clergy, eſpecially upon ſuch public occaſions as Ember week and Ordination day; that ſo we may be called upon, and ſtirred up to the better performance of our duty For, thus did the prophet in the old Teſtament, as is plain from Mal.ii.1.2 O ye prieſts, this commandment is for you. If ye will not hear, and if ye will it lay it to heart, to give glory to my name, faith the Lord of hoſts, I will even ſend a curſe upon you, and I will curſe your bleſſings: Yes, I have curſed them already becauſe ye do not lay it to heart. And did Chriſt himſelf in the New Teſtament, as is plain from Mat xxiii, throughout the chapter; where he does rebuke the faults of the Jewiſh clergy ſo ſharp, and do denounce ſo many woes curſes againſt them, and are enough to make a man's heart to ake, and break in pieces, when he only hears the read. And therefore, if there be a miniſter here preſent, that hate him that tells him of his faults, In God's name, our God's Word, and by Gods authority. then thou hate the Holy Ghoſt, that commands him to do ſo: the hateſt the prophets that did ſo; thou hateſt Christ himſelf, that did ſo too, and thou hateſt good old him that ſtrictly charged and commanded Samuel to doeſt to him, upon pain of damnation, I Sam iiiː