A Christian Directory

§. 2. Ambitious, proud, covetous, licentious, ungodly men, are not to be chosen for your Teachers if you have your choice. In a Nation where true Religion is in credit, and hath the Magistrates countenance or the Major Vote, some graceless men may join with better, in preaching and defending the purity of doctrine, and holiness of life: And they may be very serviceable to the Church herein; especially in expounding and disputing for the truth: But even there, more experienced spiritual Teachers are much more desirable: They will speak most feelingly, who feel what they speak: And they are fittest to bring others to faith and love, who believe and love God and holiness themselves. They that have life will speak more lively than the dead. And in most places of the world, the ungodliness of such Teachers makes them enemies to the Truth which is according to godliness: Their natures are at enmity to the life and power of the doctrine which they should preach: And they will do their worst to corrupt the Magistrates, and make them of their mind: And if they can but get the Sword to favour them, they are usually the cruellest persecutors of the sincere. As it is notorious among the Papists, that the baits of Power, and Honour, and Wealth have so vitiated the body of their Clergy, that they conspire to uphold a worldly Government and Religion; and in express contradiction to Sense and Reason, and to Antiquity and the judgement of the Church, and to the holy Scriptures, they captivate the ignorant and sensual to their tyranny and false worship, and use the seduced Magistrates and multitude to the persecuting of those that will not follow them, to sin and to perdition. Take heed of proud and worldly Guides.

§. 2. Ambitious, proud, covetous, licentious, ungodly men, are not to be chosen for your Teachers if you have your choice. In a Nation where true Religion is in credit, and hath the Magistrates countenance or the Major Vote, some graceless men may joyn with better, in preaching and defending the purity of doctrine, and holiness of life: And they may be very serviceable to the Church herein; especially in expounding and disputing for the truth: But even there, more experienced spiritual Teachers are much more desirable: They will speak most feelingly, who feel what they speak: And they are fittest to bring others to faith and love, who believe and love God and holiness themselves. They that have life will speak more lively than the dead. And in most places of the world, the ungodliness of such Teachers makes them enemies to the Truth which is according to godliness: Their natures are at enmity to the life and power of the doctrine which they should preach: And they will do their worst to corrupt the Magistrates, and make them of their mind: And if they can but get the Sword to favour them, they are usually the cruellest persecutors of the sincere. As it is notorious among the Papists, that the baits of Power, and Honour, and Wealth have so vitiated the body of their Clergy, that they conspire to uphold a worldly Government and Religion; and in express contradiction to Sense and Reason, and to Antiquity and the judgement of the Church, and to the holy Scriptures, they captivate the ignorant and sensual to their tyranny and false worship, and use the seduced Magistrates and multitude to the persecuting of those that will not follow them, to sin and to perdition. Take heed of proud and worldly Guides.