First; The Clouds that bring the Rains, are to be fairly dealt withal. Indeed, if the Ministers of the Gospel are Men of no Merits. I am not aware of any Respects due to them. If they be Foolish and Selfish and Slothful Men, I know not why they should be Respected above other Men. If they are no better than Idol Shepherds, O Churches of GOD, Get rid of them as fast as you can. If they notoriously Miscarry, let not their Coat be a Shelter for their Miscarriages: It aggravates 'em! Well, But if Ministers have the True Spirit of the Gospel in them, and keep within the Commissions and the Directions of it, then in Abuses offered unto them, it may in some sort be said, Ambassadors are abused. GOD will call home His Injured Ambassadors, and there come none after them, like those that went before them. Yea, It comes to that; 2 Chron. XXXVI. 16, They mocked the Messengers ⟨p. 109⟩of GOD, and misused His Prophets, until the Wrath of the Lord arose against His People, so far that there was no Remedy. Sometimes a People are blessed with Ministers who are Heavenly and Luminous Clouds over the Assemblies of Zion: Ministers that are the Beauty and the Defence of the Churches; Ministers that are conspicuously full of Knowledge and of Goodness. They discharge all their Offices, with great Capacity, with great Activity, with great Fidelity. They study to do Good, and they do abundance of Good. They are Tender Fathers to their Flocks; Praying for them, Watching for them, glad of all Opportunities to be useful unto them; Scattering their Alms and their other Kindnesses, like the Showers of Heaven among them. Of such Ministers, I was going to say, Make much of them. Without recalling that Word, I will say, Make Nothing of them. One of the Best among them said, 2 Cor. XII. 11. I am Nothing. If they are what they should be, you cannot more oblige them, than to see you looking through' the Clouds, up to the Sun of Righteousness, who makes them to be all that they are. They will count, that you never carry it so well towards them, as when you take them to be Nothing but what their Glorious LORD makes them to be; and ascribe unto their LORD, the whole Glory of all the Good you find in them, and from them. Nevertheless, I may not leave unquoted those Words of our Apostle, 1 Thess. V. 12.
First; The Clouds that bring the Rains, are to be fairly dealt withal. Indeed, if the Ministers of the Gospel are Men of no Merits. I am not aware of any Respects due to them. If they be Foolish and Selfish and Slothful Men, I know not why they should be Respected above other Men. If they are no better than Idol Shepherds, O Churches of GOD, Get rid of them as fast as you can. If they notoriously Miscarry, let not their Coat be a Shelter for their Miscarriages: It aggravates 'em! Well, But if Ministers have the True Spirit of the Gospel in them, and keep within the Commissions and the Directions of it, then in Abuses offered unto them, it may in some sort be said, Ambassadors are abused. GOD will call home His Injured Ambassadors, and there come none after them, like those that went before them. Yea, It comes to that; 2 Chron. XXXVI. 16, They mocked the Messengers ⟨p. 109⟩of GOD, and misused His Prophets, until the Wrath of the Lord arose against His People, so far that there was no Remedy. Sometimes a People are blessed with Ministers who are Heavenly and Luminous Clouds over the Assemblies of Zion: Ministers that are the Beauty and the Defence of the Churches; Ministers that are conspicuously full of Knowledge and of Goodness. They discharge all their Offices, with great Capacity, with great Activity, with great Fidelity. They study to do Good, and they do abundance of Good. They are Tender Fathers to their Flocks; Praying for them, Watching for them, glad of all Opportunities to be useful unto them; Scattering their Alms and their other Kindnesses, like the Showers of Heaven among them. Of such Ministers, I was going to say, Make much of them. Without recalling that Word, I will say, Make Nothing of them. One of the Best among them said, 2 Cor. XII. 11. I am Nothing. If they are what they should be, you cannot more oblige them, than to see you looking thro' the Clouds, up to the Sun of Righteousness, who makes them to be all that they are. They will count, that you never carry it so well towards them, as when you take them to be Nothing but what their Glorious LORD makes them to be; and ascribe unto their LORD, the whole Glory of all the Good you find in them, and from them. Nevertheless, I may not leave unquoted those Words of our Apostle, 1 Thess. V. 12.
