Page:Divine shepherd, or, The good minister's care over the flock of Jesus Christ.pdf/13

 there be a miniſer here preſent, that hates him that thus tells him of his fauts, then thou art worſe than the common people, that deſired St. John the Baptist to do ſo to them, Luke iii 10. Thou art worſe than the common ſoldiers, that deſired him to do ſo to them, ver 14. Thou art worſe than a heathen, an infidel, a Balſhazzer, that highly rewarded the prophet Daniel for doing to him, Dan.v.29, Yea, in one word, thou art worſe than the very brute beasts that periſh. And therefore the Holy Ghost calls them a brutiſh pastor, Jerem.x.21. And he gives thee the reaſon for it, Prov.xii.1. Becauſe he that hateth proof is brutiſh. For he like the brute, kicks againſt he pricks, and kicks against the good that strikes him. He hates to be reproved, and he flies into his reprovers once, and he does him a miſchief if he can. And how when canst thou pretend to be a minister, when thou hateſt the Holy Ghost, hatest the prophets, hatest good old Eli, and hatest Christ himſelf? How canst thou pretend to be a man, a learned man, christian man, and a clergyman, when thou art worſe than the common people, worſe than the comnon ſoldiers, worſe than the publicans and famers, worſe than the heathens and infidels; yea and worſe than the very brutes themſelves? And yet this, and only this is thy future in the judgement of God, whatever men judge of thee, if thou hatest him that tells thee of thy faults, in God's name, out of God's Word, and by God's authority. But my beloved in the Lord, we are perſuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak, Heb.vi. 9.

Secondly, The Holy Ghost has cauſed the faults of God's ministers to be written in Scripture, and the same Holy Ghost aſſures, that whatever is written Scripture, is written for our instruction. And therefore, let miniſter here preſent lay his hand to his heart, and examine his own soul strictly, and initially, as he will anſwer it before God at the day of judgement: Let him, I ſay, thus try and ſearch himſelf, whether he is not guilty of theſe faults, which