The dying man's testament to the Church of Scotland, or, A treatise concerning scandal…

2. When the Minister is composed to take up Gods ⟨p. 211⟩hand in the matter, then is he not only to look to Him for direction and guiding in his duty, and without fretting to reverence His dispensation, but he is to reflect upon himself, and to consider his bygone carriage, especially in his Ministry, if he may not be chargeable before God with some sinful influence upon his peoples distempers and miscarriages. And particularly, he is to look to these four, 1. If he be in good terms with God, in reference to his own particular state and condition, and if there was that due tenderness and watchfulness at the time of the outbreaking of such an ill: I grant it may be that things were right, as in the case of Job, Job 3. 26. yet it becometh him to try; for, such a thing may be trysted with security and negligence, that thereby he may be awakened to see his former defects. 2. A Minister would then reflect on his clearness to that calling, and particularly to such a charge; and though to both he may be called by God, yet it is his part to try, that he may meet the reproaches with the greater confidence, as we see Paul doth in the Epistles often mentioned; for, in such a case a Minister will be put to it, and who knoweth but possibly expectation of ease, quiet accommodation or credit in such a place, and tractableness in such a people, and such like, might have had weight with a good man to sway him to one place more than another? and by such a dispensation the Lord doth chasten that, to learn Ministers at their entry to be swayed alone with the Churches edification. But, 3. to come nearer, a Minister would try if he hath any sinful meritorious influence (to speak so) in procuring that stroke to the people, to be given up to these delusions; for, it is certain, a Minister may be smitten in some stroke of this kind upon his people, as is clear from that threatening to the Angel of Ephesus, Rev. 2. even as a Magistrate may be smitten by a stroke that is immediately upon his people, as we see in Davids case, who thus procured ⟨p. 212⟩the Pestilence, 2 Sam. 24. because, first, the people themselves are not guiltless, so that there is no injustice. And. 2. Because there is a great sibnesse betwixt Minister and people, so that a rod upon one, doth indeed prove a rod to both: