A Body of Practical Divinity

Resp. Such as do oppose that whereby God's Glory is promoted. God's Glory is much promoted in the preaching of the Word, because it is his Engine whereby he converts Souls. Now, such as would hinder the preaching of the Word, these fight against God's Glory: 1 Thess. 2.16. Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles, that they might be saved. Diocletian who raised the tenth Persecution against the Christians, did prohibit Church-meetings, and would have the Temples of the Christians to be razed down. Such as hinder Preaching, do as the Philistines that stopped the Wells, they stop the Well of the Water of Life; they take away the Physicians that should heal Sin-sick Souls: Ministers are Lights, Matth. 5.14. and who but Thieves hate the Light? These Persons do directly strike at God's Glory; and what an Account will they have to give to God, when he shall charge the Blood of Mens Souls upon ⟨p. 9⟩them: Luke 11.52. Ye have taken away the key of knowledge; ye entered not in yourselves, and they that were entering in the hindered. If there be either Justice in Heaven, or Fire in Hell, they shall not go unpunished.

Resp. Such as do oppose that whereby God's Glory is promoted. God's Glory is much promoted in the preaching of the Word, because it is his Engine whereby he converts Souls. Now, such as would hinder the preaching of the Word, these fight against God's Glory: 1 Thess. 2.16. Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles, that they might be saved. Dioclesian who raised the tenth Persecution against the Christians, did prohibit Church-meetings, and would have the Temples of the Christians to be razed down. Such as hinder Preaching, do as the Philistines that stop'd the Wells, they stop the Well of the Water of Life; they take away the Physitians that should heal Sin-sick Souls: Ministers are Lights, Matth. 5.14. and who but Thieves hate the Light? These Persons do directly strike at God's Glory; and what an Account will they have to give to God, when he shall charge the Bloud of Mens Souls upon