Exposition of Ezekiel 1-5, Commentary on Ezechiel · Chapter 3 · Verse 20-21
VER. 20, 21.
Again, when a righteous man doth turn from his righteouſneſſe, and commit iniquity, and I lay a ſtumbling block before him, he ſhall die, becauſe thou haſt not given him warning, hee ſhall die in his ſin, and his rightouſneſſe that he hath done, ſhall not be remembred, but his blood will I require at thy hand.
21. Nevertheleſſe, if thou warn the righteous man that the righteous ſin not, and he doth not ſin; he ſhall ſurely live, becauſe he is warn'd: alſo thou haſt delivered thy ſoul.
IN theſe words is laid down the other part of the Prophets Charge; it's not only the wicked, but the righteous alſo fall under his care; and if he ſin, and be not warn'd, that effect will be dangerous and deadly to the Prophet; he is not only to deal with the wicked, to get them into the way of God, but alſo with the righteous, to ſee that he go not out of the way, and if he do, to reduce him, guilt will lie upon a Prophet, if he do not call upon the wicked for repentance: and likewiſe, if he keep not the righteous in the right way, them muſt not he ſuffer to run out into errors, into looſe courſes, but he muſt inform them of the danger, bring them to a ſound mind, into the right way, and confirm them in the truth, otherwiſe their blood will be required at his hand.
There is difficulty in theſe words, and they muſt be opened unto you: In Prov. 10.25. The righteous is an everlaſting foundation, and Chap. 12.3. The root of the righteous ſhall not be moved, Verſ. 7. The houſe of the righteous ſhall ſtand: Matth. 25.46. They go into life eternall; if ſo, how ſaith our Prophet here; When a righteous man turns from his righteouſneſſe? it ſeems that righteouſneſſe is not an incorruptible ſeed, a man may leave it, fall into ſin, and die in it. I muſt therefore beſtow ſome time in opening theſe words:
When a righteous man doth turn from his righteouſneſſe, &c.
You ſhall find in Scripture, a double righteouſneſſe, and ſo ſuitable Righteous men: there is,
1. A righteouſneſſe of faith, Rom. 9.30. and this is in Phil. 3.9. the righteouſneſſe of God by faith; this is Euangelicall righteouſneſs.
2. There is the righteouſneſſe of the Law, Rom. 2.26. Chap. 10.5. and this is call'd a mans own righteouſneſſe, Rom. 10.3. Phil. 3.9. Not having mine own righteouſneſs, which is of the Law. When a mans actions are ſuitable unto the Law, that is legall righteouſneſſe, and ſo his own.
According to theſe two, are two ſorts of Righteous men:
1. The man that is righteous by faith, who hath the pardon of his ſins, union with Chriſt, and communion with God, ſuch an one is he Peter ſpeake of, 1 Pet. 4.18. If the righteous be ſcarcely ſaved; ſuch an one John mentions, 1 Epiſt. 2.29. and Paul pointeth at ſuch, Rom. 5.19. and their right…ouſneſſe remaineth for ever, 2 Cor. 9.9. Of a man righteous in this ſenſe, I conceive the words are not meant; this righteouſneſſe makes a mans perſon righteous, and righteous before God.
2. There is a righteous man according to the Law; Paul was ſuch a man before his converſion; Phil. 3.6. Touching the righteouſneſſe which is in the Law, ſaith he, I was blameleſs; and men righteous in this ſenſe, are either ſ…ning, or reall: ſeeming, Mat. 23.28. Yee outwardly appeare righteous unto men, but within yee are full of hypocriſie and iniquity; men thought them to be righteous, but God knew them to be wicked and; ſuch Legaliſts think themſelves righteous, Luke 18.9. they truſted in themſelves that they were righteous, in others, and their own eyes they ſeemed ſo, but in truth were not ſo: Zachary and Elizabeth were righteous before God, Luke 1.6.
But there is an outſide actionall righteouſneſſe before men, without reality within, and from this it's no difficult thing to turn aſide; and of ſuch a righteous man we may underſtand this place. The Chaldee expounds it ſo; Eos qui juſti videri volunt, permittam in publicum peccatum labi; thoſe that ſeem to be righteous, I will ſuffer to fall into open ſins. And the Scholiaſt refers a righteous man to the Prieſt, who hath Doctorall dignity, and ſeems to love vertue but doth not; and the ſoundeſt Interpreters agree in it: Calvin calls it a righteouſneſſe which hath externam ſpeciem tantum, non radicem; many have been zealous in the ſervice and Cauſe of God, and gone beyond others in promoting his glory, but have had no true root within; ſuch were thoſe promoted lately with much intention the Prelaticall wayes and Innovations, but now are turn'd from their righteouſneſſe, and are become Parliament converts; their righteouſneſſe lay in opinion, not in reality, and ſuch is this here; and the Scripture ſpeaks frequently, after the opinions and conceits of men; I came not to call the righteous, but ſinners to repentance. The Phariſees were conceived by this world and themſelves to be righteous, when in truth they had none; and Matth. 8.12. The children of the kingdome ſhall be caſt out into utter darkneſſe; they were not ſo really, but in opinion, and externally.
2. Be it here meant a reall righteous man, whoſe inſide and outſide is ſuitable to the Law, blameleſſe; as Paul and Zachary; yet hee that ſtands upon that foundation, viz. the Law, hee will ſlide from his righteouſneſſe: witneſſe Adam, who had a fuller righteouſneſſe then any of his ſons ſince, and yet hee turn'd away from it. The Law required two things; to depart from evill, and to do good; and he did the contrary, depart from good, and do evill; and in this he hath too many followers, all his children have traced thoſe ſteps; and men that not only ſeem, but are legally righteous, may ſtill do it, the 18th Chapter of this Prophecie is cleer for it.
3. If it ſhould be granted that here is meant a man juſtified, righteous with the righteouſneſſe of faith, it followes not that hee muſt neceſſarily turn from his righteouſneſſe, loſe his faith, and be in an unjuſtified condition; Gal. 1.8. If wee, or an Angel from heaven ſhould preach any other Goſpel unto you then what wee have preached, let him be accurſed. It cannot be inferred hence that an Angel will, or ever ſhall preach another Goſpel, it's 1500. yeers ſince this was writ, and no Angels have attempted any ſuch thing, nor ever will. Hypotheticall Propoſitions, according to Logitians, Nihil ponunt in eſſe, they produce no effects, but they prove the neceſſity of a conſequent, as thus; 1 Cor. 15.14. If Chriſt be not riſen, then is our preaching, and your faith in vain; the ſuppoſitian doth not inforce that Chriſt is not riſen, but it ſtrongly proves, that if Chriſt be not riſen, that preaching and believing in Chriſt are in vain; and ſo here, if a righteous man could turn from his righteouſneſſe, he ſhould die, but hee that is once righteous with the righteouſneſſe of faith, is ever righteous, becauſe Gods decree is unchangeable, 2 Tim. 2.19. his love is permanent; Joh. 13.1. his promiſes are faithfull, 1 Cor. 1.8. 2 Cor. 1.20. he forgets not his covenant; Pſal. 89.35. Chriſts prayers are efficacious;Quod gratia ſomel fecit, perpetuo maner, Thom. 3. p. q. 88. Joh. 11.41, 42. Joh. 17.15. becauſe he is united to Chriſt, and that union is indiſſoluble; 1 Cor. 12.13. becauſe the Spirit abides in them; 1 Joh. 2.27. and laſtly, becauſe hee is kept by the power of God through faith unto ſalvation, 1 Pet. 1.5.
Commit iniquity.
The Hebrew Aſah, or Gnaſah Avel, is to do evill,foreign. and anſwereth to that phraſe in the new Teſtament, poiein hamartian, 1 Joh. 3.4. he that committeth ſin; and this phraſe of committing ſin, hath more in it then Hamartanein, which is to ſin, to miſſe the mark; for, 1 John 2.1. foreign, If any man ſin, we have an advocate with the Father; Chriſt pleads and intercedes for ſuch a ſinner▪ but he that commits ſin is of the Devill, 1 Joh. 3.8. he is his ſon, hee is of his ſeed, family, kingdome, acted by his counſell and ſpirit; it's his trade to ſin as it's the Devils, and this trade he delights in and followes; a godly man hath given it over; 1 John 3.8. Hee that hath this hope purifies himſelf: and then followes; Hee that commits ſin; and it's in oppoſition to him that purifies himſelf from ſin, he is a man that minds not holineſſe. Beſides this, Joh. 8.34. He that commits ſin is the ſervant of ſin; where ſin reigns, and its counſels, lawes, commands are obeyed by men, there is the commiſſion of ſin; it's a ready, a willing obedience; to commit ſin,Rom. in Joh. is magnopere delectari peccato, to have a mans will and heart in it; when a mans thoughts, counſels, meditations, purpoſes, lie that way, and he is given to that work, foreign, is a ſin-maker, one that is an Artiſt, a work-man, ſuch the Prophets ſpeaks of, Jer. 4.22. They are wiſe to do evill; Ezek. 21.31. skilfull to deſtroy; ſome are bunglers in that work, others take pleaſure in it, and ſet it off better. That in Rom. 13.14. Make no proviſions for the fleſh to fulfill the luſts thereof; men love to provide for their families, their wives and little ones, and when they do ſo, they make proviſion, and ſo men love to provide for the fleſh and luſts of it, and then they make ſin, or commit ſin. There be three expreſſions in Scripture about ſin, which give us light in this point:
1. Nomos hamartias, the law of ſin, Rom. 7.23.
2. Hodos, the way of ſin, Matth. 7.13.
3. Apoteleſma, the perfection of ſin, Jam. 1.15.
When a man ſubjects to the law of ſin, chooſes and walks in the way of ſin, and brings ſin to a perfection, then doth he commit ſin.
And I lay a ſtumbling block before him.
The Hebrew is, and I give a ſtumbling block before his face; Mi…ſol comes of Cachal, to daſh againſt, to offend, to fall; and a ſtumbling block is that a man daſheth his foot againſt, is offended at, and falls by; the ſame with ſcandalum, the bridge in a trap, which when Vermine, or wilde beaſts touch, they are taken; ſo that to lay a ſtumbling block in a mans way, is to trap him, deſtroy him. This phraſe of Gods laying a ſtumbling block before him, ſeems very harſh; therefore ſome Fathers think the word ſtumbling black is not here put in an ill ſenſe, as tending to his deſtruction, that turns from his righteouſneſſe, but that it proceeds from favour, not hatred. When a juſt man goeth out from God, God will croſſe him in his ſinfull way, not let him thrive in it, but caſt in ſomething contrary to his expectation and intention, whereby he may come to ſee his error, and be reduced, according to that in Hoſ. 2.6, 7. Theod. thinks God will ſet hell before him, and therefore he renders it Barathrum, I will lay hell before him; as if God would preſent the terrors of hell, and ſtate of the damned to him, to make him conſider and return to his former righteouſneſſe. But this ſenſe of the Fathers coheres not with what followes, hee ſhall die; this ſtumbling block is in order unto his death: it was the watchmans part to propound heaven, hell all arguments poſſible to do him good, elſe he ſhould die. Some other Expoſitors would have it to be meant of puniſhment, that God would puniſh ſuch a ſinner by ſome act of his, make him ſmart, repent, and ſo to live; therefore the Septuag. render it Baſanon torment,foreign. God would afflict his body or conſcience; and if it be taken in this ſenſe, then you muſt cary it further; God would puniſh him, not in a ſaving, but a deſtroying way; and therefore this ſtumbling block comes not from love, but revenging juſtice. I conceive Gods laying a ſtumbling block, is to be taken for the puniſhment of ſin paſt, and an occaſion of ſin future; the righteous man having turn'd from his righteouſneſſe, God might lay aſide that peculiar care and providence which he exerciſed formerly towards that man, hee may take away thoſe means and helps ſhould preſerve from ſtumbling, let him go on in juſt judgement for his deſerting him, and not recall him, but turn all things into ſnares and ſtumblings unto him, whereby corruptions are ripened, and deſtruction is haſtened; Pſal. 69.22. Let their table become a ſnare before them, and that ſhould be for their welfare, let it become a trap; when God in his juſtice once orders it ſo, that mens tables (that is, all their comforts) do turn to their ruine, then he laies ſtumbling blocks before them. Neither is God the author of ſin, but the avenger of it, by denying aſſiſtance, propounding objects, and exciting affections: God may be ſaid to …ay ſtumbling blocks, but he never infuſes any corruption; and ſo that in James, God tempts no man, Chap. 1. 13. is to be underſtood: Gregory ſaith, this laying a ſtumbling block, Eſt nequ…quam ad pecoandum premere, ſed n…lle a peccato liberare, he is not the cauſe of any mans ſin, the occaſion hee may be without ſin. A man may lay mony to try his ſervant; God takes away eſtates from men, gives peace to the wicked; true, hee laies before them outward occaſions, 2 Sam. 16.21, 22. he gives Satan leave to tempt and ſeduce them; 2 King. 22.22. when they are out of his way, hee carries them forward in their own evill way; Pſal. 105.25. and this he doth in juſtice, puniſhing one ſin with the occaſion or commiſſion of another; hence hee is ſaid to adde iniquity to their iniquity, Pſal. 69.27. to ſend them ſtrong deluſions, or, as the words are, the efficacy or activity of errour, 2 Theſ. 2.11. to give up to uncleanneſſe, to vile affections, to a reprobate ſenſe, Rom. 1.24, 26, 28. God finds ſin in man, and may draw it out without ſin: there is ſurvitas in Roſa, foetar in cadavere, the Sun by his beams drawes forth the one and the other, and without fault.
His righteoſneſs ſhall not be remembred.
Men may remember it, but God will not, hee will have no regard to what is done to reward it; his righteouſneſſe ſhall not be ſet againſt his iniquities to keep off puniſhments; his righteouſneſs ſhall be as filthy rags, Iſa. 64.6. in the eyes of God. When God pardons the ſins of his people, he blots them out, and remembers them no more, Iſa. 43.25. So when God deals with a man degenerates, hee blots out his righteouſneſſe, and remembreth it no more, it is as if it had never been; it neither profits him unto life, nor frees him from death; Ezek. 18.22. When a wicked man turns away from his ſins, they ſhall not be mentioned unto him; that is, they ſhall no way hurt him, hee ſhall not heare of them, nor ſee them any more; and the righteous man that leaves his righteouſneſſe, ſhall neither heare nor ſee it any more. Aquinas hath a queſtion, Ʋtrum opera virtutum in charitate facta poſſint mortificari: Part. 3. q. 89.and hee affirms it from that in Ezek. 18.24. All his righteouſneſs which he hath done, ſhall not be mentioned.
Obſerv 1. It concerns every man to look narrowly to his righteouſneſſe; ſome righteouſneſſe or other, every man looks at, fixes his heart upon; and there be deceivable righteouſneſſes: if our righteouſneſſe be legall, a duty righteouſneſſe, and not Euangelicall, a righteouſneſſe of faith, it will deceive us; Matth. 5.20. Except your righteouſneſs exceed the righteouſneſs of the Scribes and Phariſees, you ſhall in no caſe enter into the Kingdome of heaven; let that righteouſneſſe be what it will, a man is in an ill caſe that cannot enter into heaven with it; yet the Scribes and Phariſees were exact keepers of the Law, but the righteouſneſſe of the Law and of duties will never ſend or help a man into heaven; Paul laboured to win Chriſt, to be found in him, not having his own righteouſneſſe, but the righteouſneſs which is of God by faith, Phil. 3.8, 9. Paul durſt not ſtick to a legall and duty righteouſneſſe, hee knew it was too ſhort to ſatisfie divine juſtice, to cover mans nakedneſſe, or comfort his conſcience; it was a higher, a better righteouſneſſe he minded, even the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt, and that's the righteouſneſſe God will accept, and he that's righteous with that righteouſneſſe, ſhall not fall away, but ſhall enter into heaven; 2 Pet. 1.10, 11. Brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election ſure; that is, their calling to Chriſt, and election in him; and what followes? if yee do theſe things, yee ſhall never fall; for ſo an entrance ſhall be adminiſtred unto you abundantly into the everlaſting Kingdome.
2. No man ſhould boaſt of, or confide in his own righteouſneſſe: Luke 18.9. there was ſome truſted in themſelves, that they were righteous, and deſpiſed others; but this neither pleaſed God, nor profited them, as the Parable inſuing ſhewes; If men have excellencies, they ſhould be humble, and fearing, not boaſting and confident, eſcpecially when their excellencies are in the number of movables, and changeables; 1 Cor. 1.29, 30. Chriſt is made unto us wiſdome and righteouſneſſe, that no fleſh ſhould glory in it ſelf, but in the Lord; and ſo, that no fleſh ſhould have confidence in it ſelf, but in the Lord; Phil. 3.3. We rejoyce in Chriſt, ſaith Paul, and have no confidence in the fleſh; what ever wee have or do, let us not repoſe upon it, we are apt to do it; but there are Apoſtolicall rules to help us: Gal. 6.3. If a man thinks himſelf any thing, when hee is nothing, hee deceives himſelf; we are nothing, and it's nothing wee do, and ſhall wee glory in nothing, or confide in nothing? Chriſt is ſomething, and God is ſomething, in them we may, wee muſt glory and confide; the more we do it, the better, wee cannot ſin in going too far that way. Another rule is, Phil. 2.3. Let each eſteem others better then themſelves, their righteouſneſſe may be a laſting righteouſneſſe, when thine is a periſhing one. Another rule is, Rom. 11.20. Be not high minded, but feare; Let mens righteouſneſſe be Legall or Euangelicall, they ſhould not ſwell, but feare, leſt they fall; and beſides, they ſhould watch, pray, and perſevere in prayer, remembring what our bleſſed Saviour hath ſaid, Hee that ſhall indure to the end, the ſame ſhall be ſaved, Matth. 24.13. Let none be ſecure, but ſerve the Lord with feare, Pſal. 2.11.
3. Apoſtaſie from God and his wayes is a dreadfull condition: when men fall from their righteouſneſſe, great miſchief is done, they ſtain the Society they were of, they blaſt the Church, they make their friends mourn, and enemies laugh; they wrong God much, yea, more then Infidels and Heretikes; Plura vincula conjunctionis violantur, & Deus ipſe tacite accuſatur quaſi iniquus, which cauſeth God to complain, O my people, what have I done unto thee! wherein have I wearied thee? teſtifie againſt mee; you are withdrawn, fallen to Idolatrous paſſages; I brought you out of Egypt, and ſent before you Moſes and Aaron, I delivered you from Balak, &c. many ties are upon you to keep cloſe to mee, and to cauſe you to honour me, but you have forgotten all my kindneſſes, are gon away, and do ſleight me, as if Idoll gods and wayes were better then Jehovah and his wayes; this made God to ſay, Heb. 10.38. If any man draw back, my ſoul ſhall have no pleaſure in him; and what an ill condition is that man in, in whom God hath no pleaſure?
There be four great evils in the words of our Prophet:
Firſt, hee will commit iniquity; when a man turns from righteouſneſſe he turns to ſin, imbraces it, ſerves it, walks in the wayes of it, and fulfils the ends of it, and this is a ſad condition; for ſuch a man is a worker of iniquity, and ſo hated of God, Pſal. 5.5. Thou hateſt all the workers of iniquity; it's more then having no pleaſure, and notes God is againſt them, and will purſue them as enemies.
Secondly, God will lay a ſtumbling block before him; one thing or other, at which he ſhall fall; God denies him aſſiſtance, gives Satan leave to tempt and ſeduce, propounds objects to draw out his corruptions to the full;2 Tim. 4.10. Demas forſook Paul and the truth, and loved the preſent world, there was an object ſufficient to draw out his covetous diſpoſition; ſometimes the afflictions of the godly is a ſtumbling block unto the wicked, ſometimes the proſperity of the wicked is a ſtumbling unto them, &c. It's a dreadfull thing when God ſhall make any thing a ſtumbling unto a man, but more dreadfull when he makes every thing ſo.
Thirdly, Hee ſhall die in that condition; Julian apoſtatiz'd, and by the ſtroke of God hee died in his apoſtaſie; and what heavier judgement, then to die in a mans ſinfull condition? therefore Chriſt told the Phariſees, they ſhould die in their ſins, John 8.21. they would not receive him, believe in him, therefore they ſhould die in their unbeliefe, and no place is left unto them for repentance.
Fourthly, His righteouſneſſe which he hath done ſhall not be remembred; If a man die, yet if his righteouſneſſe might follow him and help him, it were ſome comfort; but that ſhall not be thought upon, he loſeth all he hath done and ſuffered: Suppoſe he have done much for the Church, for poor Miniſters, priſoners, and other Chriſtians, for Truth it ſelf, and for the glory of God, no good ſhall come of it unto him now: All Adams righteouſneſſe would not advantage him, what ever he had done before, when he comes to eat of the forbidden fruit, hee muſt ſurely die, Gen. 2.17. his former righteouſneſſe is forgotten; Jam. 2.10. Whoſoever ſhall keep the whole Law, and offend in one point, is guilty of all: Antecedent righteouſneſſe will not make up the preſent breach, nor prevent future wrath: Gal. 3.4. When the Galatians began to fall off, Paul intimates to them, that all their ſufferings would be loſt; have you ſuffered ſo many things in vain? When men in war forſake their colours, and run to the other ſide, all the good ſervices they have done are forgotten, and they are accounted traytors to their Countrey and Cauſe; and ſo it is when men run from God and his Truth, to the worlds and Satans ſervice,Lumb. l. 4. d. 14. Inanis eſt poenitentia quam ſequens culpa coinquinat. But this is not all, that his righteouſneſſe ſhall not be remembred for him, but it will be remembred againſt him; 2 Pet. 2.21. It had been better for them not to have known the way of righteouſneſſe, then after they have known it, to turn from it; and why better? becauſe they now ſin againſt righteouſneſſe, and that way they have affected and profeſt, and their righteouſneſſe will be a witneſſe againſt them. Let us all take heed, leſt there be an evill heart in any of us, to depart from the living God, Heb. 3.12.
4. Mans ruine is from himſelf; he departs from his righteouſneſſe, commits iniquity, and God layes a ſtumbling block; this in juſtice he doth, becauſe man hath ſinned; but who cauſes him to fall? not God, that is mans own act, he looks not to his way, it's his own luſt drawes him aſide, inticeth him, Jam. 1.14. the cauſe is from within, only the occaſion is from without; riches, honour, friends, peace, credit, parts, beauty, truths, Chriſt, are the good and great bleſſings of God, and God in his wiſe diſpoſition of things, may lay theſe as occaſion of ſtumbling before us; but if we do ſtumble, that is mans, not Gods fault; Hoſ. 13.9. O Iſrael, thou haſt deſtoyed thy ſelf, but in mee is thy help; deſtruction is mans, ſalvation is the Lords. Man fell by his own free will, but if ever he be raiſed, it's by Gods free grace, and if God will not have mercy, he will turn their iniquity upon them: Pſal. 94.23. Hee ſhall bring upon them their own iniquity, and ſhall cut them off in their own wickedneſſe; yet Prov. 1.32. it's ſaid, The turning away of the ſimple ſhall ſlay them, and the proſperity of fooles ſhall deſtroy them.
5. Gods proceedings with the wicked and godly are divers; Here he ſpeaks of laying a ſtumbling block before the wicked man; and in Jerem. 6.21. Behold, I will lay ſtumbling blocks before this people, the father and the ſonne together ſhall fall upon them: the neighbour and his friends ſhall periſh; yea, Iſa. 8.14. God himſelf will be a ſtone of ſtumbling, a rock of offence to both the houſes of Iſrael, for a gin, and for a ſnare to the inhabitants of Jeruſalem: and Jerem. 46.6. They ſhall ſtumble and fall; but it's otherwiſe with the godly, touching them he ſaith, Take up the ſtumbling block out of the way of my people, Iſa. 57.14. hee will remove what offends and indangers them: and Iſa. 63.13. Leſt they ſhould ſtumble hee leads them: and Prov. 4.12. when they turn they ſhall not ſtumble; and Pſal. 119.165. Great peace have they which love thy Law, and nothing ſhall offend them. God is carefull of the godly, that they be not offended, if they ſhould be ſo offended, as to ſtumble, and fall at any time; Pſal. 37.24. He ſhall not be utterly caſt down, for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand, and keepeth them, that they daſh not their feet againſt the ſtones: if God do lay ſtumbling blocks at any time before his, it is in the wayes of ſin, as Hoſ. 2. I will hedge up thy way; but for the wicked, he layes ſtumbling blocks in the way of mercies; they ſtumble at the Word, 1 Pet. 2.8. it's the ſavour of death to them, 2 Cor. 2.16. they ſtumble at the Lords Supper, they eat and drink damnation there, 1 Cor. 11.39. they ſtumble at Chriſt himſelf, 1 Cor. 1.23.
6. An unfaithfull Miniſter is perfidious to God and man; becauſe thou giveſt him not warning he ſhall die in his ſin, and his blood will I require at thy hands. God hath put honour upon the Miniſter, ſet him in a great place, made him a watchman, truſted him with ſouls, and hee now through ſloth, feare, inconſiderateneſſe, intanglements in the world, neglects to warn the ſinner; hereby ſouls are loſt, Satan robs God of them, is diligent to get and keep them, this will be treachery and ſacriledge too at laſt, and fall heavie upon him is guilty: if a band of men be ſlain through the Captains fault, or taken through falſhood, all cry out of it; and when ſouls periſh through the fault and falſhood of the Prophet, it's dreadfull;Mont. in loc. Zeph. 3.4. Her Prophets are light and treacherous perſons; the word treacherous in Hebrew, is viri praevaricationum, qui debitam Deo & populo fidem pariter violaverint, ſuch as falſifie their faith to God and man; and it's the higheſt treachery that can be, to be falſe to God, and to rob him of the ſouls of men.
7. That if a Miniſter may periſh for not warning of ſinners, much more for incouraging them, by corrupt doctrine, and by a lewd life; if death be in an omiſſion, much more in poſitive evils; corrupt doctrine, and a corrupt life, are ſtrong traces to draw men to perdition, 2 Pet. 2.1. hee ſpeaks of falſe teachers, that bring in damnable hereſies, and withall, that bring upon themſelves ſwift deſtruction, but their damnable hereſies and opinions prevail with the people, they follow their pernicious wayes, and meet with their deſtructive ends; Iſaiah 9.16. The leaders of this people cauſe them to erre; and they that are led of them are deſtroyed.