The Duty of Gospel Ministers to Preserver a People from Corruption, Application 2
USE. II.
PEOPLE had need be careful that they don't provoke God to give them ſuch a Miniſtry as will be like unſavoury Salt. Sometimes God doth leave a People to ſuch a Miniſtry. Iſai. 56.10. His watchmen are blind, they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, that cannot bark; ſleeping; lying down, loving to ſlumber. Jer. 2.8. The Prieſts ſaid not where is the Lord, and they that handle the law knew me not, and the Paſtors have tranſgreſſed againſt me. Zech. 11.15, 16. The Lord ſaid to me, take unto thee the inſtruments of a fooliſh ſhepherd, for I will raiſe a ſhepherd in the land, that ſhall not viſit that which is cut off, &c. When God doth ſo it is in a way of puniſhment. It is a ſign that ſuch a People have greatly offended God, this is one way whereby God pours out his diſpleaſure upon a provoking People, and when he doth ſo, they are like to grow more and more corrupt. The Scribes and Phariſees were ſuch Miniſters, they were blind guides, and the guide and the people both fell into the ditch; therefore you ſhould avoid ſuch ſins as may bring this judgment. There is often a ſuitableneſs between the ſin & the puniſhment. You may do it;
1. BY barrenneſs under a Faithful Miniſtry. It is ſometimes ſo that Faithful Miniſters have very little ſucceſs, they take a great deal of pains, and there is very little effect of it: Men dote upon the World, deſpiſe the Goſpel, don't regard rules, make their hearts like an adamant, make a deriſion of the awful threatnings of the Word of God. God in this caſe ſometimes takes away their opportunities. When the People of Judah brought forth only wild grapes, God threatens this judgment, Iſai 5.6. I will lay it waſte, and it ſhall not be pruned …, but there ſhall come up briars and thorns, and I will command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. When Men dont profit by means, it is juſt with God to take away ſuitable means. God in anger gives them up to ſtrong deluſions, ſends them ſuch teachers as ſhall miſ-lead them, and be a ſnare to them, and ſo they grow into corrupt principles, they did not like ſound doctrine, and they are fitted with ſuch teachers as ſhall nouriſh a ſpirit of ſecurity in them. 2 Theſ. 2.10, 11, 12. Becauſe they received not the love of the truth, God ſhall ſend them ſtrong deluſion, that they ſhould believe a lie, &c.
2. BY abuſing a Faithful Miniſtry. Sometimes People cannot endure ſound doctrine, and miſ-uſe God's Prophets. 2. Chron. 36.16. They mocked the meſſengers of God, and deſpiſed his word, and miſ-uſed his Prophets. They give them a great deal of trouble and moleſtation, they oppoſe them, contradict them, and are weakning their hands in their work. Sometimes they talk againſt them, Ezek. 33.30. Sometimes they perſecute them. This is a great provocation to God, and he many times puniſhes them, by leaving them to a corrupt and carnal Miniſtry, that will do them little good, and … to ſuch as will do them a great deal of hurt. Thus God dealt with the People of Iſrael, they abuſed the Prophets that God had ſent unto them; and God took vengeance on them by leaving them to falſe Prophets that deluded them, and were occaſion of their ruin. Lam. 2.14. Thy Prophets have ſeen vain and fooliſh things for thee.
3. BY counting their Miniſtry a burden. Sometimes a ſordid ſpirit prevails among a People, and they count their Miniſters Bills of charge. They can laviſh away a great deal in a Year, for the gratification of their pride and voluptuouſneſs, and ſpend freely upon many frivolous occaſions, but the ſupport of the Worſhip of God is counted a great burden: God may juſtly remove faithful teachers in a way of anger for this, and leave them to ſuch teachers as ſhall not profit them. God is angry when they think much to maintain his Worſhip, God gives them wherewith to do it, and he doth ſo, that they may do it, and they provoke him, when they think that ill ſpent that is laid out that way. If Miniſters ſow unto them ſpiritual things, it is not a great thing if they reap their carnal things. 1 Cor. 9.11.