The pastoral office opened in a visitation-sermon preached at Ipswich October 10, 1662. /The pastoral office opened in a visitation-sermon preached at Ipsvvich October 10, 1662. /

4 Boldly, not fearing the faces of men in the work of God, Jer. 1. 8. not concealing any part of Gods Counsel, because haply it may be unwelcome to those that hear it; but freely and confidently, ⟨p. 33⟩[Greek or Hebrew], to deliver the whole Counsel of God, as Micaiah to Ahab, as Amos to Jeroboam. Most wicked men are of Vitellius his mind, they love to hear nothing nisi jucunda & laesura. But if they have the boldness to commit sin, should not we have the Courage to reprove it? There is a Majesty in the word which can humble an Ahab, a Felix, a Belshazzar; which can strike an awe and reverence into the heart of a Joash towards Elisha, and of Herod towards John the Baptist, 2 Reg. 13. 14. Mark 6. 20 God hath threatened to confound us, if we be dismayed in his work, Jer. 1. 17. He hath promised to be with us, Matth. 28. 20. to stand by us, 2 Tim. 4. 16. in the discharge of so great a trust; and will give testimony to the word of his grace, Acts 14. 3. His word rightly administered, is as nails, goods, arrows, a two edged sword, dividing asunder soul and spirit, joints and marrow, a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

4 Boldly, not fearing the faces of men in the work of God, Jer. 1. 8. not concealing any part of Gods Counsel, because haply it may be unwelcom to those that hear it; but freely and confidently, ⟨p. 33⟩〈non-Latin alphabet〉, to deliver the whole Counsel of God, as Micaiah to Ahab, as Amos to Jeroboam. Most wicked men are of Vitellius his mind, they love to hear nothing nisi jucunda & laesura. But if they have the boldnesse to commit sin, should not we have the Courage to reprove it? There is a Majesty in the word which can humble an Ahab, a Felix, a Belshazzer; which can strike an awe and rrverence into the heart of a Joash towards Elisha, and of Herod towards John the Baptist, 2 Reg. 13. 14.