Directions for weak distempered Christians, to grow up to a confirmed state of grace…

2. Yet is there great difference between one Minister or Pastor and another, as much as between Physicians, Lawyers, or men of any other function. And there being no case in the world that you are so much concerned to be careful in, as the instructing and conduct and safety of your souls, you have exceeding great reason to take heed whom you choose to commit the care and conduct of your Souls to. It is not enough to say, that He is a true Ordained Minister, and that his administrations are not nullities, no more than to say of an ignorant Physician, or Cowardly Captain, that he hath a valid License or Commission; when for all that, if you trust him, it may cost you your lives. Nor is it a wise mans answer to say that God giveth his Grace by the worst as soon as by the best, and by the weakest as soon as by the strongest, and therefore I need not be so careful in my choice. For though God have not confined the working of his Spirit to the most excellent means, yet ordinarily he worketh according to the means he useth: And this both Scripture, Reason, and daily experience fully prove. God worketh rationally on man as man; that is, as a rational free agent, by Moral operation, and not by a mere Physical injection of his Grace. When we see the man that is made wise unto Salvation by mere infusion of Wisdom, without a Teacher or the study of the Word of God, or when we see God work by his Word as by a charm, that a few words shall convert a man, though the speaker or hearer understood them not, then we may ⟨p. 132⟩hearken to this conceit: And then we may think that a Heretic may as well teach you the truth as the Orthodox, or a Schismatic teach you Unity and Peace as well as a Catholic peaceable Pastor; or a man that is ignorant of the mysteries of Regeneration and holy Communion with God, may best teach you that which he knoweth not himself, and an enemy to Piety and Charity, may teach you to be Pious and Charitable as well as any other. But I need not say much more of this, for all parties would never so strive to have such Ministers as they like, and to put out such as they dislike, if they thought not that the difference between Ministers and Ministers were very great.

2. Yet is there great difference between one Minister or Pastor and another, as much as between Physicians, Lawyers, or men of any other function. And there being no case in the world that you are so much concerned to be careful in, as the instructing and conduct and safety of your souls, you have exceeding great reason to take heed whom you choose to commit the care and conduct of your Souls to. It is not enough to say, that He is a true Ordained Minister, and that his administrations are not nullities, no more than to say of an ignorant Physician, or Cowardly Captain, that he hath a valid License or Commission; when for all that, if you trust him, it may cost you your lives. Nor is it a wise mans answer to say that God giveth his Grace by the worst as soon as by the best, and by the weakest as soon as by the strongest, and therefore I need not be so careful in my choice. For though God have not confined the working of his Spirit to the most excellent means, yet ordinarily he worketh according to the means he useth: And this both Scripture, Reason, and daily experience fully prove. God worketh rationally on man as man; that is, as a rational free agent, by Moral operation, and not by a meer Physical injection of his Grace. When we see the man that is made wise unto Salvation by meer infusion of Wisdom, without a Teacher or the study of the Word of God, or when we see God work by his Word as by a charm, that a few words shall convert a man, though the speaker or hearer understood them not, then we may