CXLV expository sermons upon the whole 17th chapter of the Gospel according to St.…

2. Sinful and ungodly prejudices taken up against those Prophets and Ministers of God that do in his Name admonish thee, and warn thee against thy sins: Oh when men instead of hearkening to their Counsels, take occasion to slander ⟨p. 368⟩them, to oppose them, these men have hastily tumbled into confusion, Mat. 23. This Christ complained of, O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the Prophets, &c. how often would I have gathered thee, and thou wouldst not? And it was of old the Jews wickedness to persecute and oppose all such as came from God to admonish them of their sins, and therefore at last they crucified the Heir, even Christ himself: The Wise man speaks peremptorily to this, Prov. 29.9 He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy: You see how such men haste to their perdition; Know then it comes of the devil who hath a desire to undo thee for ever; when thou takest up prejudices and wicked discontents at such who plainly tell thee of thy sins; This is made an Argument that David in his grievous Fall had not lost all his grace, that when Nathan told him he was the man, he doth not rage at the Prophet, or threaten to kill him, but immediately humbles himself, and saith I have sinned, and on the other side King Asaph though a good man, yet transgressed in an high manner, when he put the good Prophet in prison for reproving of him, what a sad affliction befell that King even to the end of his days; Oh then take heed how you entertain prejudices and objections against the Ministers of God who are faithful in their work; The first time that we read Judas beginning to discover himself, and Christ foretelling what one would prove that was of his chosen Apostles, it was upon some mutterings and captiousness that was showed at some words in Christs Sermon, This might seem a little thing, but it proved very dangerous; Observe the place, Joh. 6.60, 61, 64, 67, 70. Our Saviour there said, That his flesh was meat indeed and his blood drink indeed, and that he which eateth him should live;

2. Sinful and ungodly prejudices taken up against those Prophets and Ministers of God that do in his Name admonish thee, and warn thee against thy sinnes: Oh when men instead of hearkening to their Counsels, take occasion to slander