own Bloud to this end thou eatest of his Bread and drinkest of his Wine and thus thou sealest the Covenant Dost not thou remember O my Soul how the world Was lost by eating of the forbidden Tree Behold by eating of this Tree of Life thou shalt be saved for ever in the breaking of the consecrated Bread thou seest how Christs Body was broke for thee in pouring out of the Hallow'd Wine thou seest how Christs Bloud was spilt for thee when the Holy Bread is reach'd out to thee thou seest Christ reaching out his crucified Body to thee that thou mayest see in his hands the print of the nails and put thy finger into the print of his nails and thrust thine hand into his side and shelter thy self under that wounded and mangled Body against the wrath and indignation of God When the sacred Wine is given thee thou seest how Christ offers thee his Bloud for the remission of thy sins canst thou behold so great a love and not loose thy reason in the admiration of its greatness when thou seest such condescension such kindness such compassion O canst thou forbear crying out O my Lord what do I see what mean these longings of Almighty God after my happiness what means this industry of that incomprehensible Being to be at all this charge and pains to make me blessed God that might sport himself with my everlasting groans what need he have cared whether I were saved or no God Who can be happy without company and needs no society but his own whence is it that this mighty God humbles himself thus to dust and ashes layes aside his Robes of Glory and wooes me to be content to lye for ever in his Arms and Bosom would no other remedy serve turn to recover me but the death of the Son of God God on whose Laws I have trampled Whose Authority I have slighted whose promises and threatenings I have undervalued that he should be thus concern'd for my welfare and contrive how to advance me unto Glory and contrive it by such stupendious means too will God suffer that I may not will the Eternal dye that I may not fall a prey to the second Death will God be crown'd with Thorns that I may wear an incorruptible Crown of Glory will God be affronted abus'd and scorn'd that I may inherit Glory and Honor and immortality what manner of love is this where is the spring of it what 's the impulsive cause of it how full of miracles is every circumstance here how pleasant is this contemplation What! God love a little slime and earth O my God! how wonderful is thy love it is all Ocean here is no shore to set my feet on be astonish'd at it O ye Heavens and tremble O thou Earth the Eternal the Immense Creator of Heaven and Earth stoops to a miserable creature the God who fills Heaven and Earth with his Presence bows down to a poor inconsiderable worm he that sits on the circle of the Earth and before whom all the Inhabitants of the Earth are as Grashoppers humbles himself to take notice of a poor forlorn wretch Here is love indeed Stay me with flaggons comfort me with apples my Head grows giddy with the Precipice here is an abyss of Love which I cannot fathom my head swims at the sight of it Sense can furnish me with nothing like it I am silenc'd here is a love answers all arguments that are brought for going on in sin Help me O thou blessed Spirit Help me O thou who art fairer than the Children of Men Help me thou who art all Love and Life Help me to admire thy Love In this Love are a thousand charms in this Love are omnipotent enforcives to love God above all the world Run O my Soul run into this Banqueting-house the Banner whereof is Love Is it so and must thou have perish'd and been undone for ever if the Son of God had not come in the Flesh and expiated thy crimes and doth not that Almighty love deserve thy Love see how the ambitious love the applause of men and wilt not thou love him who is brighter than the Sun see how the rich man is enamour'd with his stately Pallace and canst not thou love him who hath done that for thee which no Friend no Money no Gold no Silver could have purchas'd viz. reconciled thee to an offended God wilt thou slight this Love and hope to go unpunish'd wilt thou make this Love a refuge for wilful sins and hope for the light of Christs countenance will not he who loved thee beyond all presidents and examples double and treble his indignation upon thee if this Love cannot melt thee into a truly Spiritual life could the Devils but have such an offer of being partakers of the love of Christ how would they rejoyce and triumph and Love and Honour and Obey their God again as once they did when they were inhabitants of Heaven and wilt thou beworse than a Devil and spurn at that Love which Angels stand astonish'd at were it thine own case O my Sou wouldst not thou revenge such ingratitude with all the severity imaginable and doom the wretch that should affront such condescension to the direst Flames Be wise O my Soul and provoke not that God to swear in his wrath that thou shalt never enter into his rest who flees unto thee on the wings of mercy to embrace thee thou canst never have a more glorious sight of Gods love on this side Heaven than is discovered to thee in this Sacrament and if ever thou wouldst be perswaded to resign thy self entirely to thy Blessed Redeemer make his Will thy Will and desire what he desires and hate what he hates and love what he loves O come hither to the cross and see the Son of God weeping for thy sins come hither and see him sweat drops of Bloud for thy iniquities and offering thee pardon and reconciliation and peace with God and access to the Throne of Grace and union and communion with him and if this be not enough a title to Eternal Happiness or a right to that Throne himself doth sit on But why so backward O my Soul to come to the Table of thy Lord where thou mayst drink Wine and Milk without Money and without Price where thou mayst be satisfied as with marrow and fatness and eat of the living Bread whereof whoever eats shall live for ever hast thou forgot the peremptory command of Christ Do this in remembrance of me Is this remembring thy dearest friend to think of him solemnly but once or twice a year shouldst not thou remember him as often as thou hast an opportunity should thy Saviour remember thee no oftner than thou dost his death and passion how fearful would thy condition be canst thou represent his Love too often to thy mind and affections canst thou remember thy sins that brought him to the Cross too often art thou afraid of thinking too much of this
We would have healed Israel but they would not be healed XII Impediment XII Deluding themselves with the notion of Christs dying for the Sins of the World Why should they consider how to be rid of Sin and lay the pleasures of Holiness before their eyes Why should they torment themselves with thinking how Gods favor may be purchas'd and involve themselves in anxiety and trouble about their transgressions When Christ hath done all that is to be done appeas'd his Fathers wrath against the lapsed Progeny of Adam and purchas'd them a glorious freedom from the slavery of a severe Law If he hath satisfied God for the injuries he received by any sins why should they make a new satisfaction by holiness of their Lives Is not that it which all Pulpits ring of That the Eternal dyed that we might not dye eternally and that God would suffer that we might escape Torments for ever That Christ would be Crown'd with Thorns that we might have an incorruptible Crown of glory hereafter And that he endure'd Reproach and Calumnies and Contradictions of Sinners against himself that we might inherit everlasting Honour And why should they disparage Christs sufferings so much as hope to gain Heaven by mortification of their Lusts and poring upon their sin and misery This would be to undervalue so great a blessing and to tell the world that Christ's purchase of eternal glory for us was imperfect and without there be an addition of our own works and merits that redemption signifies little and hath not strength enough to pass what was design'd by it Thus men prevent Consideration of their spiritual Concerns and dash the checks and motions of their Consciences when prompted to call their wayes to remembrance They examine not the end of Christs death nor their own obligations They run away with the notion that Christ dyed for them and are not at all careful to know what his death signifies much like heedless servants who before they have half their errand run away and when they come to the place they are sent to know not what message to deliver The Doctrine is pleasing to their flesh and that they may not lose that pleasure they 'll be sure not to enquire what the true meaning of it is Would they but cast their eyes upon that Bible which they believe contains the Oracles of Heaven they would find that the great reason why Christ gave himself for us was to redeem us from all iniquity and to purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works Tit. 2. 14. They would find St Paul was of another mind when he wrote to the Romans In that Christ dyed he dyed unto sin once but in that he lives he lives unto God likewise reckon ye also your selves to be dead unto sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin but yield your selves unto God as those that are alive from the dead and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God Rom. 6.10 11 12 13. And that the Apostle is constant to himself appears from 2 Cor. 6.15 Christ dyed for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which dyed for them and rose again And indeed this is no more but common gratitude so great a mercy challenges no less than Reformation and Obedience Do men gather Grapes of Thorns or Figs of Thistles He that redeems another from Barbarian slavery doth it so much as enter into his thoughts that the Wretch can ever be so inhumane as to despise and scorn and vilifie so great a Benefactor That God could have given man access to his favor and reconciliation some nearer way than through the Cross and Death of Christ is very probable but it seems he would not This remedy was his choice he would pitch upon this stupendious way to amaze and to astonish men into holiness and seriousness He thought men could not possibly avoid being Converts and heavenly-minded when they should see the Son of God wading through blood and death to rescue them from Hell God look'd upon the mercy to be so dreadful and the kindness to be so full of majesty and compassion together that he thought the incomprehensibleness of the favor would carry terror with it and fright men into repentance and contrition He thought men would have so much sense and modesty in them as not to rush through agonies and torments and groans and sobs and sighs and tears and wounds and stripes of the Son of God into eternal destruction He thought those Thorns and Nails that wounded that sacred Head would scratch and sting them into awe and reverence of so great a love as they were rolling to eternal flames He thought they must divest themselves of all Humanity and Self-love if under the Cross of Christ they could work out their own damnation and make the streams of that blood a River to carry them into eternal darkness But thou hast seen O God and beholdest and canst not but behold it with sorrow and indignation how these men that pretend to be Christians live the reverse of thy designs How they improve the Cross of Christ into affronts of thy power and glory How under that Tree of Life they work out their own death and how that precious Blood doth but encourage them to bid defiance to Heaven and the sweat and toyle of the Son of God under the burthen of their sins makes them sweat and toyle to fall a Prey to the merciless Clutches of the Devil God indeed reconcil'd the World unto himself and Christ by his death purchas'd that reconciliation and eternal life but there is a great difference between the purchase of these blessings and the application of them between the possibility of possessing and the actual enjoyment of them A man may buy an estate and intend it for the use of such and such persons but when he hath bought it for them may lawfully tye them up to certain conditions upon which they shall enjoy the estate or in case of neglect of these conditions go without it A King that 's justly offended with his Subjects and for their notorious Rebellion hath design'd them all for ruine and destruction upon some noble attempt and generous enterprize of his onely Son the Prince may be mov'd or brought to a willingness to pass by their crimes but when the Kings good will is obtain'd the Prince may justly appoint some condition upon which the condemn'd Wretches shall receive their great Masters favour And as upon the Kings good inclination to be friends with his Subjects it doth not follow that he is actually reconcil'd to every one there being some conditions required upon which the Pardon shall be sign'd and sealed to every one of them in particular so neither do all men effectually
Body A Soul that can build it's Nest among the Stars of Heaven walk through yonder Mansions and taste of the Rivers which make glad the City of God A Soul which can wing it self into the Clouds and survey the Crowns and Scepters laid up for those that dare despise the World and have their Conversation in Heaven A Soul which can enjoy a Paradise while the Body is in trouble and rejoice in him who is All in All while the fierce Winds are whistling about her ears The vast reach of these Souls we have their fitness to receive Divine illumination their strong desires after Immortality their secret actings without the help of a Body their hopes of Heaven their fears of Hell all proclaim the certainty of an eternal state or condition they are intended for This eternal state imprinted on our Natures discover'd to the Gentiles proclaim'd by the Son of God preach'd by Angels confirm'd by Apostles reveal'd to Christians believ'd in the World as it relates either to Bliss or Misery to Joy or Torment to Honor or Dishonor so how to enjoy the one and avoid the other must in all probability be the great object which God design'd Mens Souls should be chiefly employ'd about For as there cannot be a thing of greater moment than Eternity so he must be a Sot a Beast that can imagine that God who ever intends the noblest Creatures for the noblest Ends will give Men leave to busie themselves altogether about picking of straws and pleasing a few sensual Lufts when he hath given them Souls capable not only of labouring and seeking after but obtaining a Kingdom which fades not away And when we sweat and toyle and labour to make provision for twenty thirty forty years what do we do but proclaim our obligation to be infinitely more concern'd how to provide for that state which must never have an end And as it was the goodness and wisdom of God to make us capable of an everlasting duration so we should be injurious to both if we did not suppose that God hath order'd and appointed means whereby it 's possible to save our selves from the wrath to come He that takes a view of Gods proceedings and dealings with Men ever since the Creation of the World cannot but stand amaz'd at the cost and labour and pains and means and motives and arguments God hath us'd to make Men sensible of their everlasting interest and to engage them to a serious preparation for that World they must live for ever in This serious preparation must necessarily be a holy blameless spotless life for the means must ever be sutable and agreeable to the nature of the end And Heaven being a holy place perlect holiness reigning there it 's not to be imagin'd how perfection of holiness can be enter'd upon without a considerable progress in holiness here no man reaching the highest step of a Ladder without the lowermost and one might as well flatter himself that his Trade by such a time will bring him in Ten thousand pounds when he is so far from minding his Trade that he contrives only how to run with others into excess of Riot And indeed to plant this holiness in Men the means have been so various so numerous so potent before the Law under the Law and under the Gospel that one may justly admire the whole World doth not stand candidate for Heaven and all the Inhabitants of the Earth do not take the Kingdom of God by violence Before the Law the continual pleadings of the long-liv'd Patriarchs with sinful Men to improve the light of Nature that Primar of Divinity the many Visions Revelations Dreams Signs Wonders Voices from Heaven the Ministry of Angels Gods Patience Forbearance Long-suffering and sometimes Exemplary Justice the Examples of holy Men Gods love to those that honour'd him the signal blessings he bestow'd on those that made him their highest and chiefest good what were all these but so many calls and entreaties that Men would by holiness prepare for a future happiness Under the Law God was so far from being weary of using means and taking pains with Men in order to this end that he seem'd to have reserv'd those Ages for larger and fuller Demonstrations of his Power and Munificence and if the people of Lystra had any ground for their exclamation the Jews had far greater reason to cry out That God was come down to them in the likeness of men For while other Countries were left in darkness and like Moles suffer'd to wander in the shadow and vally of death they as if they had been made of purer Clay seem'd to be the Darlings of Providence and the Favourites of Heaven Heaven bow'd to them and under its protection they went as under a Canopy of State and might with greater reason than the Sultan have challeng'd that lofty Title The shadow of God And with that Persian Emperor stiled themselves Kinsmen of the Stars Their eyes saw Miracles almost every day and with their daily Bread they receiv'd daily Prodigies and in the midst of their Rebellion God like the Sun when smiling through a Cloud shew'd them a merciful Face not that he approv'd of their Impiety but because by these Beams he would warm their hearts into obedience Their Blessings came down upon them not in drops but in showers and their Prosperity like the Cinnamon Tree was so fragrant that strangers might smell it a great way off before they saw it The Waters of Life were continually flowing into their Bosomes and though God now and then frown'd upon them what Father would not sometimes chide his Son yet his Indignation which like Flints sent out Fire upon their penitential Tears strait way return'd to its former coldness The Rocks poured them out Rivers of Oyl they wash'd their Feet in Butter and one might say of their Land as he of the Isle of Rhodes They were bless'd with a continual Sunshine Their Prophets what mighty what powerful Men were they Men that like Lamps consum'd their own Oyl to light their Auditors to Heaven or like Silkworms spun out their own Bowels to deck their Hearers with Garments of Righteousness Where words could not prevail Tears were the means to supple and affect them and it seems there is not stronger Rhetorick in the World than these Here one Prophet spoke like an Orator there another like a Logician Here one endeavour'd by Eloquence to charm them there another by clear Reason to convince them Here one threatned there another promis'd Here one wooed there another thundred Here one came with a Scepter of Love there another with a Trumpet of War Here one offer'd his hand to save them there another made bare his arm of revenge Here one offer'd an Ark to those that desired mercy there another rain'd down floods of Curses to drown the obstinate Here one represented God with his Sword drawn a smoke going up out of his nostrils and devouring fire out of
the gates against a good Angel Keep out a Messenger that brings glad tydings Darken the Room that I may not see the Sun Consideration that directs me how I may be a Friend of God get room in his bosome sing with Angels triumph with Seraphins sit at the right hand of a glorified Jesus stand before the Throne of God serve him day and night in his Temple and be freed from all possibility of sin and misery from all discontent and vexation of Spirit Is it possible a messenger of that worth and beauty and excellency can want a lodging Is it possible it should fare no better than the GREAT JESUS be destitute of a place where to lay its head Does not every man desire to be happy Did ever any man hate his own flesh Was ever any man in love with torment Is it not every mans interest to study how to prevent it And then sure Consideration cannot but have the love and embraces of all persons that do not make sport with casting fire-brands and death and arrows Prov. 26.18 19. So an impartial serious man would think yet to our grief and sorrow we find that men run away from it as from the Plague and do as carefully avoid it as they would do Rats-bane or Sublimate or Night-shade This will oblige me in the next place to enquire what are the Remora's or Impediments that make men neglect this Panacaea and like mad Dogs shun the water that would cure them and slight the remedy that would infallibly recover them It 's natural for men to enquire into the reasons of any decay If a Tree do not thrive if Flowers do wither in the Bud if a Child do not grow or if the water of a River fails the first thing we do is to enquire where the stop is and what the causes of the defect are and why things do not prosper according to expectation And he that hath a Vineyard in a very fruitful hill and fences it and gathers the stones out of it and plants it with the choicest Vine and builds a Tower in the midst of it and makes a Wine-press therein may well ask the question Wherefore when I look'd that it should bring forth grapes brought it forth wild grapes Isa. 5.1 2 3 4. The clogs and impediments of Consideration are numberless for indeed it 's the Devils study and contrivance day and night which way to prevent it Where a person dares extricate himself from the snares of sense and venture upon this work the enemy justly fears he shall lose a Subject and a Soul will be snatcht out of his clutches and he shall not be able to hold the sinner in his Egypt or hinder him from sacrificing to the Lord his God And being a spirit that lives upon Envy enjoyes his malice and finds his greatest satisfaction in destroying mens Souls we must suppose he leaves no stone unturn'd no stratagem untry'd no means unattempted to hinder men from a serious recollection of their thoughts and imaginations There is such beauty such loveliness in the wayes of God notwithstanding the coarse outside that should a person by serious Consideration be tempted to lift up the vail and see what is behind it remove the Sackcloth and Ashes and take a view of that which is underneath open the Iron gate and behold the Gold within unlock the Cabinet and see the jewels there he would most certainly be ravish'd with the sight and not stay one hour longer in the chambers of death This the Devil knows he is sensible that Consideration is a Tree of life therefore least men put forth their hands and take of the Tree and eat and live for ever we may rationally believe he 'll cross their endeavors to the uttermost so that we may suppose as many impediments of Consideration as the Devil can invent stumbling blocks to throw in the way to this Duty however let 's take a view of some of the principal I. The fancied difficulty of it I say fancied for there is not that hardship in 't men imagine But such enemies are the generality of men to their own happiness that they will fancy difficulties in things they are loth to do and they therefore cry out That they are hard and not to be compassed but with infinite deal of trouble because they would be excus'd from the performance or practice of them It 's ordinary for School-boyes to plead difficulty of the Task their Master sets them when they have a greater mind to play than to learn much like Solomon's sloathful man Proa 26.13 There is a Lion in the way there is a Lyon in the streets Vain man there are no Lions but in his own brain no considerable difficulties but what are of his own making So here men fancy that this serious Consideration of their wayes is a thing which none but Scholars and men of Learning can reach and none are obliged to mind but men of Letters and such as are Bookish and read much and have large capacities are men of great judgment and can wholly give or dedicate themselves to this study a conceit as false as God is true and which we cannot reflect upon without indignation There is no man that 's sensible that Gold is better than Glasses and Rattles or that Pearls ought to be priz'd and valued more than Pebles There is no man that is capable of apprehending that three and three makes six or can contrive and plot which way a dangerous Pond or a dreadful Fire may be avoided but may consider whether the things the Scripture speaks of be true or no whether the promises and threatnings of the Gospel are things that belong to him or no whether he lives up to the precepts of Christ or no and what will be the consequence of his contempt of mercy and what may be the means of escaping the wrath to come and whether an endless glory be not infinitely better than a few hours Pageantry and everlasting enjoyment more satisfactory than momentary pleasures and eternal rest more desirable than a transitory titillation What difficulty is there in this Consideration what Rocks what Precipices are there here that must be ventur'd on to bring it about I see a whole street on fire and am struck into amazement and cannot I consider how dreadful everlasting fire must be I consider it 's worth sitting up late and rising early and running up and down to get a livelihood and cannot I consider how far more rational it is to sweat and toyle and labour for an everlasting inheritance I can consider with delight how much ease and content I shall enjoy when such an Estate I have the reversion of doth fall And cannot I consider how happy those must be that after their patient continuance in well-doing shall be possess'd of glory and honour and immortality and eternal life I can consider how pleasant how glorious a thing it is to live in the good opinion of my Prince
mind his Trade but lies in Ale-houses and Taverns must you necessarily make him your pattern Because such a man disregards the favor of his Friends that are both able and willing to assist him is that an argument that you must learn his wayes Because such a one lets his Garden run to Weeds must you therefore fill yours with Bryars and Thorns Because such a one imbezles his Estate must you therefore spend yours in riotous living And will you storm the gates of Hell because others are so desperate as to do it Will you howl with Devils because others delight in that Musick Will you scorn the offers of salvation because others will not be drawn by cords of Love Will you run the hazard of losing the light of Gods countenance for ever because others know not how to prize it O my Soul be not thou tempted by these weak Arguments follow not a multitude to do evil Let not the way that leads to destruction invite thee because many there be that find it Company whatever refreshment it may be in Chains or Prisons here can afford but little consolation in eternal flames Company there will rather increase Mens Sorrows and Society heighten their Woes and Torments in that one will not be able to help the other and the shreeks of him that was seduced into sin will but aggravate the groans and anguish of the Seducer when he must remember that he was that Devil that drag'd the other into endless tortures Strive strive O my Soul to walk in the strait way Let not the small number of Travellers fright thee it 's the likelier way to Heaven because the great the mighty the wise men of this world will not stoop to this narrow Gate for Gods wayes are not our wayes nor are his thoughts as our thoughts what the world admires he despises and what sensual Men make light of he crowns with glory and splendor and immortality so thou canst but be saved no matter how small the number is of those that arrive to happiness As small as it is to these belongs the promise Fear not thou little Flock for it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdom of Heaven Luke 12.32 XI Impediment XI Neglect of consulting with the Ministers of the Gospel about this necessary work It was Gods command of old The Priests lips should keep knowledge and they should seek the Law at his mouth for he is the Messenger of the Lord of Hosts Mat. 2.7 How mean soever the Age we live in thinks of this Function of Men as if they were needless Members of a Commonwealth yet there was never any Nation so barbarous bur after they were Civiliz'd into Societies and Government judged these Men most useful and most necessary for the preservation of their Commonwealth for Kingdom And indeed the great eternal God ever since he hath vouchsafed to plant a Church in the world hath been pleas'd to make it one great character and mark of his favor and bounty to Her to give Her Teachers and Prophets and Evangelists And the Commission he hath granted these Men the Titles and the Honours he hath confer'd on them and Love and Reverence he hath commanded all Men to express towards them evidently declare That they are Ambassadors of the great King of Heaven which in Christs stead beseech men to be reconciled unto God and that he that receives the Word they deliver from the mouth of God receives him that sent them In these Gospel-dayes it 's true there is shed abroad a larger measure of Gods Spirit than was formerly known under the Jewish Oeconomy and men under the New Covenant are promis'd to be taught of the Lord. They shall not teach every man his Neighbor and every man his Brother saying Know the Lord for all shall know me from the least to the greatest Hebr. 8.11 yet that doth not make this function of men needless but enforces rather the absolute and indispensable necessity of their office and authority For besides that this promise doth eminently relate to the Primitive Christians who were made partakers of the miraculous effusion of the Holy Ghost and had their knowledge and learning from above thereby to fit them the better for the propagation of a new Religion if we suppose that the Prophecy must extend to all that profess themselves Christians the meaning of it can be no more but this that God will use a more gentle way in converting men under the Gospel and in that Conversion or inclining their hearts to his commands give such lively representations of the reasonableness of them and so convince them of their agreeableness to the Law of nature or the Law written in their hearts that they shall not need to be put in mind by their Neighbors of their justice and equity and spirituality But then this gracious promise doth not exclude but presupposes still the means of Conversion of which the Ministry of the Word is not the least and if the Ministry of the Word be intended as a standing Ordinance in order to those kindly operations of Gods Spirit in the heart of those that shall be converted and God be peremptorily resolv'd by the preaching of the Word to work on the Souls of men none hath reason to find fault with the contrivance of the Almighty but rather to admire his wisdom and goodness that shines through this dispensation not to mention that as God under the Gospel obliges men to greater knowledge than formerly so it 's fit there should be men eminent for knowledge and piety to instruct others and who like Candles set on a Candlestick may light the rest and by the Vrim and Thummim of their doctrine and purity lead them and encourage them to prepare for Heaven And if notwithstanding the prodigious gifts of the Holy Ghost poured out in the primitive Times upon all flesh God thought it necessary to give Apostles and Teachers and Pastors when the illapses of the Spirit could teach men what their Pastors were to teach them how much more necessary may we think must the Ministry be now when those extraordinary gifts have ceas'd and the generality of men are sunk into monstrous ignorance inconsiderateness and stupidity Indeed these are the men whom God hath plac'd in the Church to direct others in the way to salvation these are the men with whom the ignorant are to consult what they must do to be happy for ever And as upon a wrong information given by the Teacher God is resolv'd to require the seduced parties blood at his hand so no man that hath a tongue in his head to enquire can with any justice excuse himself from enquiring of these men what it is that the Lord his God requires of him And were this method follow'd in the case before us and did men seriously demand of them which way to compass an effectual Consideration of their Soul-concerns here they might be inform'd and instructed and undeceiv'd in the