Man ashiv le-Yahoweh, or, A serious enquiry for a suitable return for continued life,…

SECTION V.

¹Such should improve the time (that God hath given them from the Grave) in right Preaching of the Word, and Administration of the Sacraments unto the People: God hath not spared them to Eat and Drink, and Sleep, and live at Ease; but to be painful in their Work. God hath laid (in this time) some of his Ministers in the Dust; and, they are silent in the Grave, whilst others have opportunity to speak for God, in Preaching to the People: and, God doth expressly charge them so to do, 2 Tim. 4.1. I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing, and his kingdom. Vers. 2. Preach the Word, be instant in season, and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and Doctrine: and, there is a woe unto them, if they do not Preach the Gospel, 1 Cor. 9.16. and are described to be such as are apt (as well as able) to Teach, 1 Tim. 3.2. And if they do forbear to warn Men of their sins, those Men shall die, but God will require their blood at their hands, Ezek. 3.18. And though God (in Judgment to a People) may make his Ministers dumb, and cause their Tongues to cleave to the roof of their mouths, that they should not be Reprovers to them, because of their sin, Ezek. 3.26. Yet, such ⟨p. 171⟩as are dumb, through Ignorance, that they cannot, or through Negligence, that they will not speak to Men to save their Souls, is a great charge of God against them,