A Christian Directory

§. 11. 4. Persecution endeavoureth the damnation of mens souls, either by depriving them of the Preaching of the Gospel which should save them, or by forcing them upon that sin for which God will condemn them. Yea the banishing or silencing of one faithful Preacher, may conduce to the damnation of many hundreds? If it be said that others who are set up in their stead may save mens souls as well as they. I answer, 1. God seldom, if ever, did qualify supernumeraries for the work of the Ministry! Many a Nation hath had too few, but I never read of any Nation that had too many who were well qualified for that great and difficult work, no not from the days of Christ till now! so that if they are all fit men, there are none of them to be spared; but all are too few if they conjoin their greatest skill and diligence. Christ biddeth us pray the Lord of the harvest, to send forth more labourers into his Harvest; but never biddeth us pray to send out fewer, or to call any in that were but tolerably fitted for the work. 2. Many persecutors banish all Preachers of the Gospel, and set up no other to do the service which they were called to. And it is rarely seen that any who can find in their hearts, to cast out any faithful Ministers of Christ, have hearts to set up better, or any that are competent in their stead: But it is ordinarily seen, that when the judgement is so far depraved, as to approve of the casting out of worthy men, it is also so far depraved as to think an ignorant, unskilful, heartless, or scandalous sort of Ministers, to be as fit to save men souls as they: And how many poor Congregations in the Eastern and the Western Churches (nay how many thousand) have ignorant, ungodly, sensual Pastors, who are such unsavoury Salt, as to be unfit for the Land or for the Dunghill? Whilst men are extinguishing the clearest lights, or thrusting them into obscurity: Matth. 5. 13, 14, 15. Luk. 14. 35. 3. And there may be something of suitableness between a Pastor and the flock, which may give him advantage to be more profitable to their souls, than another man of equal parts. 4. And, though God can work by the weakest means, yet ordinarily we see that his work upon mens souls is so far Moral, as that he usually prospereth men, according to the fitness of their labours to the work! and some men have far more success than others.

§. 11. 4. Persecution endeavoureth the damnation of mens souls, either by depriving them of the Preaching of the Gospel which should save them, or by forcing them upon that sin for which God will condemn them. Yea the banishing or silencing of one faithful Preacher, may conduce to the damnation of many hundreds? If it be said that others who are set up in their stead may save mens souls as well as they. I answer, 1. God seldome, if ever, did qualifie supernumeraries for the work of the Ministry! Many a Nation hath had too few, but I never read of any Nation that had too many who were well qualified for that great and difficult work, no not from the dayes of Christ till now! so that if they are all fit men, there are none of them to be spared; but all are too few if they conjoyn their greatest skill and diligence. Christ biddeth us pray the Lord of the harvest, to send forth more labourers into his Harvest; but never biddeth us pray to send out fewer, or to call any in that were but tolerably fitted for the work. 2. Many persecutors banish all Preachers of the Gospel, and set up no other to do the service which they were called to. And it is rarely seen that any who can find in their hearts, to cast out any faithful Ministers of Christ, have hearts to set up better, or any that are competent in their stead: But it is ordinarily seen, that when the judgement is so far depraved, as to approve of the casting out of worthy men, it is also so far depraved as to think an ignorant, unskilful, heartless, or scandalous sort of Ministers, to be as fit to save men souls as they: And how many poor Congregations in the Eastern and the Western Churches (nay how many thousand) have ignorant, ungodly, sensual Pastors, who are such unsavoury Salt, as to be unfit for the Land or for the Dunghill? Whilest men are extinguishing the clearest lights, or thrusting them into obscurity: