A65307:26
A pastors love expressed to a loving people in a farewell sermon preached at…A pastors love expressed to a loving people in a farwel sermon preached at…
A pastors love expressed to a loving people in a farewell sermon preached at Stephens Walbrook, London, August 17, 1662 / by Mr. Tho. Watson.A pastors love expressed to a loving people in a farwel sermon preached at Stephens VValbrook, London, August 17, 1662 / by Mr. Tho. VVatson.
London printed : s.n., 1662
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
First, See here the right character of a Gospel Minister, he is full of love, he exhorts, he comforts, he reproves and all in love; he is never angry with his people but because they will not be saved, O how loth is a Minister of Christ to see precious souls (like so many jewels) cast over board into the dead Sea of Hell? A conscientious Minister would account it an unhappy day if he should gain the world and lose the souls of his people: He saith as the King of Sodom to Abraham, Gen. 14. 21. Give me the persons and take you the goods.
First, See here the right character of a Gospel Minister, he is full of love, he exhorts, he comforts, he reproves and all in love; he is never angry with his people but because they will not be saved, O how loth is a Minister of Christ to see precious souls (like so many jewels) cast over board into the dead Sea of Hell? A consciencious Minister would account it an unhappy day if he should gain the world and lose the souls of his people: He saith as the King of Sodom to Abraham, Gen. 14. 21. Give me the persons and take you the goods.
Secondly, How sad then is it to have such put upon people as have no love to souls? The work of a Minister is a labour of love. O how sad is it to have such in the Ministry who can neither labour nor love? they look more at Tithes then at souls. It must needs be sad with any people in any part of the world who have such Ministers set over them, who do either poison them with error, or destroy them by wicked example. How can the Devil reprove sin? How can that Minister cry out against Drunkenness in his pulpit, who will himself be drunk? Rom. 2. 22. We read that the snuffers of the Tabernacle were to be made of pure gold, Exod. 37. 23. Those that by their calling are to reprove and snuff off the sins of others should be of pure gold, that is holy and spiritual. In the Law God did appoint that the lips of the Leper should be covered, he should not be permitted to speak the o acles of God, who though he be by office an Angel, yet by life a Leper.