Page:Letter to the Reverend Mr. Michael Potter, minister of the gospel at Kippen, as an answer of his letter to the Reverend Mr. Ebenezer Erskine.pdf/11

 his day; but on the contrary they ſeem to have nothing in their view but to get bread to this and the other preacher, that is recommended to them by this and the other lord and laird through the land, whatever may be their other qualifications; and then you will pleaſe, tho' you run the riſque of the diſpleaſure of GOD, by putting a ſtop to the ſucceſs of the goſpel in many congregations through this land, and making many to groan under foul oppreſſion. Sirs! Is bread to this and the other man to be laid in the ballance with the bread of life that is to be diſperſed to the ſouls of the hear of the goſpel?

Our Lord JESUS thought his dear blood worthy to be ſhed for the redemption of periſhing ſinners; he ſpared not himſelf for their ſakes but came travelling in the greatneſs of his ſtrength over all difficulties, to ranſom them from the power of hell and death: But our church judicatories ſeem at this day not to be ſparing of the flock, but by force and cruelty to rule over them, like thoſe ſhepherds reproved by the prophet, Ezek. xxxiv. 4. that they would conſider how they muſt anſwer for their management of the flock to the great ſhepherd of the flock, at the great day of his appearance, when he will require the flock at their hands: They will not then be allowed advocates to plead for them at the bar of GOD's juſtice, as they have now allowed by our church judicatories before our eccleſiaſtick courts. O that they would think upon that awful reproof, ''Ezek. xxxiv. 2. We to the ſhepherds of Iſrael, that do feed'' ''themſelves, could they not feed the flock. Ver.'' Thus faith the Lord God, Behold I am against