And there is an Authority in the Office, which 1dispenseth this power of God; being the Ambassadors of Christ, there is a [Greek or Hebrew], a liberty and boldness belonging to our charge; so that albeit we must manage the same decently and prudently ⟨p. 7⟩with due respect to mens stations and degrees, showing all meekness to all men; yet we must do it, first, Impartially without respect of persons; secondly, Zealously against the daring presumptions of the greatest sinners. Say to the King and to the Queen, Humble your selves, Jere. 13. 18. I have made thee a defenced City, and an Iron Pillar, and Brazen Walls against the whole Land, against the Kings of Judah, against the Princes thereof, against the Priests thereof, and against the people of the Land, Jere. 1. 18. A Minister of Christ, though 2he must be meek and lowly, gentle, and patient, of a Dovelike Innocency, and of a winning compliance; yet he must not be a low-spirited man, to fear the faces or the frowns of men; he must magnify his Office, as Paul did, and dare to be as 3bold for Christ, as the proudest sinners can be against him. The File is as impartial to Silver and Gold, as it is to Brass and Iron: The Honey though it be sweet, yet it cleanseth; Oil though soft and smooth, yet fetcheth out the poison which lies in the stomach. Ministers must be bold to speak the Gospel [Greek or Hebrew] with much contention, 1 Thes. 2. 2. To cause the truth of Christ to enter into a combat with the lusts of men, to deliver it in the Spirit and Power of Elijah, to sever the precious from the vile: Not to please men, except 4in case when they may be edified and profited (then we may please them, 1 Cor. 10. ult.) not to please them by strengthening their hands in wickedness, but to please God that trieth the heart. They must speak nothing but as the Word ⟨p. 8⟩5and Oracles of God, 1 Pet. 4. 11. And when they do so, the richest and greatest amongst men owe as much reverence, fear, trembling, and obedience to the Word, as the meanest: Nay, many times as a Canon Bullet makes more battery upon a stately Pile of Building, then upon a Wall of Mud, and a Tempest doth more easily break an Oak or Cedar, then a low Shrub; so the Majesty of the Word delighteth to show it self more in taming the pride of an Ahab, or a Pharaoh, or a Doeg, then of other mean and inferior persons.
And there is an Authority in the Office, which 1dispenceth this power of God; being the Ambassadors of Christ, there is a 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, a liberty and boldness belonging to our charge; so that albeit we must manage the same decently and prudently ⟨p. 7⟩with due respect to mens stations and degrees, shewing all meekness to all men; yet we must do it, first, Impartially without respect of persons; secondly, Zealously against the daring presumptions of the greatest sinners. Say to the King and to the Queen, Humble your selves, Jere. 13. 18. I have made thee a defenced City, and an Iron Pillar, and Brazen Walls against the whole Land, against the Kings of Judah, against the Princes thereof, against the Priests thereof, and against the people of the Land, Jere. 1. 18. A Minister of Christ, though 2he must be meek and lowly, gentle, and patient, of a Dovelike Innocency, and of a winning compliance; yet he must not be a low-spirited man, to fear the faces or the frowns of men; he must magnifie his Office, as Paul did, and dare to be as 3bold for Christ, as the proudest sinners can be against him. The File is as impartial to Silver and Gold, as it is to Brass and Iron: The Honey though it be sweet, yet it cleanseth; Oyl though soft and smooth, yet fetcheth out the poyson which lies in the stomach. Ministers must be bold to speak the Gospel 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 with much contention, 1 Thes. 2. 2. To cause the truth of Christ to enter into a combate with the lusts of men, to deliver it in the Spirit and Power of Elias, to sever the pretious from the vile: Not to please men, except 4in case when they may be edified and profited (then we may please them, 1 Cor. 10. ult.) not to please them by strengthning their hands in wickedness, but to please God that trieth the heart. They must speak nothing but as the Word
- 12. Cor. 5. 20. Acts 2. 29. & 4. 13. Eph. 6. 19. Tit. 2. 15.
- 2Vide Aug. epist, 54.
- 3Rom. 11. 13.
- 4Luke 1. 17. Jere. 15. 19.
- 51 Thes. 2. 4.
