Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n
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B02710
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A discovery after some search of the sinnes of the ministers, because of which (as we conceive) the Lord is angry, and hath almost made his ministers and ordinances vile and contemptible. / By the brethren of the presbytery at Kilmarnock.
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Church of Scotland. Presbytery of Kilmarnock.
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1651
(1651)
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Wing D1631; ESTC R219206
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4,014
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8
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need not to grow in fitness for all the duties of our calling IX Partiality in visiting the sick if they be poor we go once and when sent for if rich and of better rank more frequently and unsent for And in examination passing by great folks often X. Performing the duties of Preaching and publick Prayer as parts of triall and not as worship done to GOD. VI. SECTION In relation to our walk and conversation Personal faults 1. Earthly mindednesse careing immoderatly for the things of this life and following too eagerly the bettering of stipends 2 Want of hospitality and charity to the members of Christ 3. Want of sobriety in all things sutable to the Times 4. Slighting of the beating of the Lords word hearing the word from others onely to censure and try their gifts and not as Christians that should heare and make use of it 6. Envying the gifts and graces of God in others or discouragement in our Duties because of our short upcomming to others in whom Gifts and Graces shine undervaluing and slighting the sincerity of Grace in others because they be inferiour to our selves in Gifts 7. Pride shewing it selfe in not stouping and condescending to the Infirm but disdaining Christs work in them because of some Infirmities that we â—an observe in them 8. Not induring admonition or reproofe from Mynisters or such of the people of God as observe something in us that are contrary to tendernesse and give Offence 9. Loss of tendernesse and diligence after we are Ministers unto which some had before attained 10. Being very little in secret Prayer and converse with God and excusing â—his within our selves with being much taken up with other Duties 11. Neglect of accurat studying of the Scriptures 12. Vaine Imitation of other men 13. Neglect of frequent reflecting upon our own state and walk with God VII SECTION In our walk in our Families not being paterns to the flock in holinesse and diligence but rather ill examples of lightness in our conversation and slighting of duties 1. By superficiall performing of Worship by starts and not setting apart time for the deliberate going about it 2. Reading of the Scriptures rashly and inconsiderately and not as men that should be acquainted with the minde of GOD in all his Word 3. Neglect of the instruction and edification of our Families so that none more then our own are worse looked too 4. Little or no time set apart in our Families to mourn for the guiltinesse of the Land and the backsliding of the time 5. Deep hypocrisie in pressing upon others to do that in their Families which is utterly slighted by our selves VIII SECTION In our walk among the people of our charge 1. Unfruitfulness not studdying to converse with the people of GOD for their edification 2. Carnal familiarity with wicked and natural people out of the duties of our calling whereby they are hardened in sin by finding the Minister like themselves however he speak to them in Publick 3. A straingenesse and upkeeping of our selves from such as 〈…〉 whereby they are made to keep back a profitable freedom with us 4. Neglect of spirituall fellowship with the people of GOD and not putting them to pray with us 5. Unwillingness to entertain spirituall purpose and discourse yea many a time slighting and shufling it out when it s cast in by others 6. Speaking our own words on the sabbath-Sabbath-day and countenancing the same in others 7. Not daring to reprove sin and appear zealous and tender before the wicked IX SECTION In our walk in the company of Ministers very unprofitable and oftentimes hurtfull one to another and being an offence to the Lords people 1. Neglect of prayer and every thing that may edifie 2. Shifting of prayer and other duties when we are called to it 3. Ordinary driving away our time in carnall rejoycing and lightness sporting and jesting one with an other and censuring c. 4. Want of freedom and love to reprove and admonish one another in serious tenderness and if any freedom be used it is in a jest and an upcast which draws on alienation when things observed in another doth stick with us and are kept up or told in such a way 5. Ordinarily we converse together as Ministers but not as Christians speaking only of things pertaining to our Calling and of nothing pertaining to our Souls and their condition 6. Turning all Christian duties into Ministeriall duties We speak of them as things that are with out us and as if they did not concern our selves In a word We are not good Ministers because we are not good Christians This is the root of all the corruptions of our calling FINIS
A DISCOVERY After some search of the SINNES OF THE MINISTERS Because of which as we conceive the Lord is angry and hath almost made his Ministers and Ordinances vile and contemptible BY THE BRETHREN OF THE PRESBYTERY Of KILMARNOCK Printed Anno Dom. 1651. A DISCOVERIE After some search of the Sins of the MINISTERS Because of which as wee conceive the Lord is angry and hath almost made his Ministers and Ordinances vile and contemptible I. SECTION I. IN relation to our calling to the Ministerie Entring to the Ministerie without the knowledge of Gods sending 2. Not seeking Conâ—â—â—nations and seals of our mission in the Consciences of the People or in our own further grouth and fitting for the Mnistery II. SECTION II. In relation to Preaching 1. Going out with litle preparation trusting to gifts and parts and growing lazie in preparing to speak to edification 2. Where pains is taken for preparation trusting to it whereby God is provoked to blast good matter well ordered and worded III. Neglect of Prayer 1. In study and preparation the â—atter we bring forth is not seriously recommended to God 〈◊〉 be quickned to his People 2. In our Prayers for assistance being more set upon assistance to the Messenger nor to the Message which we carry not careing what become of the Word if we be with some measure of assistance and liberty carried on in the duty 3. Neglect of Prayer for the fruit and blessing of the Word which we have preached that it may receive the early and latter rain 4. Neglect of applications to God for the knowledge of his mind in debateable matters IV. Not meaning and aiming every word we speak to edification but bringing forth many things in the Name of thâ— Lord which are not aimed at profit V. Speaking rashly and by guesse in the Name of the Lord things that are plausible and in many things not bringing from the Lord thâ—t which we speak a sin pointed at by the Lord in his disappointing that which so many spake confidently of the successâ— of our Army against those that have invaded us VI. Too much frequent and unnecessary speaking of publick transactions in Sermons neglecting to set forth the excellencie of Christ the new Covenant c. VII Preaching against publick sins neither in such a way nor for such an end as we ought for the gaining of souls and drawing Men out of their sin but rather because it is of our concernment to say something and have a by-blow or wipe at them reproving the evils of the time to please men VIII Want of bowels in preaching toward them who are in hazard to perish IX We preach not as before God but as to men as doth appear by the different pains of our preparation to speak to our ordinary Hearers and to others to whom we would approve our selves X. Too much eying our own credit and applause and being tickled with it when we get it or unsatisfied when it is wanting XI Neglect of endeavours to have our hearts affected with the power either in preparation or delivering of the Word which we preach at ordinary and extraordinary occasions but for most part preach as if we our selves were not concerned in the Message which we carry to the People III. SECTION In relation to the Judicatories of the Church and their Constitutions 1. Idolizing the Authoritie of Assemblies so that no difference from their conclusions have been accompted tollerable because of which God hath spotted our Assemblies II. Not making Conscience of keeping and waiting the meetings of Church-Judicatories but wearying of the expence and attendance because of which divers things therein treated of have been miscarried III. Hastie concluding of Acts and pressing obedience thereunto without convincing grounds held forth from the Scriptures for satisfying the Consciences of the Lords People IV. Neglect of making application to God for the knowledg of his mind in debatable things before they pas into conclusions V. Wearying to hear men fully who present doubts and to weigh all the arguments that can be presenâ—ed for the negative before the affirmative be taken into consideration VI. Impatience to wait for clear and deliberate bringing of matters to a conclusion with passionate hasting to carry things by a plurality VII Binding the People of GOD with strait and binding Acts in things unnecessary VIII Blinde following of leading men in Judicatories without perswation of the matter and oftentimes with a hint and doubting of Conscience smoothered IX Want of Faithfulness and tenderness both in bringing in holding in persons in the ministery not trying the reality of the Work of God in those that enter into the Ministery IV. SECTION In relation to the exercise of Discipline and drawing forth the Censures of the Church 1. Partiallity in the administration of Censures with respect of persons not using the like faithfulness and zeal towards the high and low II. Not making use of the Ordinances of Discipline for the gaining of Souls but turning it in a meer civil punishment and in the administration thereof becoming either luke warm or without a spirit of meeknesse III. Mocking of repentance by teaching formality therein to offenders hardening them in their sins by accepting bare forms without evidences of repentance and loosning when we were perswaded that Christ did not loose turning the profession of repentance into a State Engine to step to employment and preferment IV. Want of tendernes in testifying of the conversation and repentance of Ministers and people giving testimonialls to gratifie men or to shift our selves and Congregations of infectious persons V. Want of exact carefulnesse and faithfulness in debarring from the Lords Table the ignorant and scandalous VI. Unequall dealing with the poor and rich in admitting to or suspending and debarring from the Lords Table VII Want of Bowels and Compassion to the parties on whom Discipline is exercised and imperious kinde of boasting of them V. SECTION In relation to our way of performing Ministeriall duties 1. Laisines in going about duties not improving our time and Talents to do all the good we might amongst the people of GOD. II. Want of delight in going about the duties of our calling doing them not for Christs sake and love to the flock looking on them as burthens III. Satisfying our selves with publick reproving of publick sins and neglecting the gaining-way of private dealing with the Consciences of sinners IV. A groff carnal way of handling the matters of Christ V. Carying on some Oâ—dinances and neglecting others equally warranted and almost being diligent in no duty buâ— Preaching VI. Not studying to be acquainted with the condition oâ— the people that we may apply our selves to the variety oâ— their estates VII Turning all duties and Religion into forwardness iâ—â—â—e Cause of GOD and under cullor of that neglecting duties and the power and life of Godlinesse VIII Neglect of pains to fit us more for our calling after we have acquired a habite of preaching as if we