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nation: For Rulers are not a Terror to good Works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the Power? Do that which is good, and thou shalt have Praife of the fame: For he is the Minifter of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the Sword in vain: For he is the Minister of God, a Revenger, to execute Wrath upon him that doth evil. Wherefore ye muft needs be fubject, not only for Wrath, but alfo for Confcience-fake: For for this Caufe pay you Tribute alfo; for they are God's Minifters, attending continually upon this very thing.

a Submit your felves to every Ordinance of Man, for the Lord's fake; whether it be to the King, as fupreme; or unto Governors, as unto them that are fent by him, for the Punishment of Evil-doers, and for the Praife of them that do well: As free; and not using your Liberty for a Cloak of Malicioufnefs, but as the Servants of God.

b Be fubject to Principalities and Powers; and obey Magiftrates.

c According to the Sentence of the Law which they fhall teach thee, and according to the Judgment which they fhall tell thee, thou fhalt do.

d Honour the King.

e Render unto Cæfar the things which are Cæfar's.

f Fear thou the Lord, and the King, and meddle not with them that are given to Change.

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a Who can ftretch forth his Hand against the Lord's Anointed, and be guiltless?

b Thou shalt not revile the Gods, nor curfe, or fpeak evil of the Ruler of thy People.

Curfe not a King, no not in thy Thought. d Where the Word of a King is, there is Power; and who may fay unto him, What doft thou? But by long forbearing is a Prince perfuaded.

e Is it fit to fay to a King, Thou art wicked? and to Princes, Ye are ungodly?

f The King's Wrath is as the roaring of a Lion: whofo provoketh him to Anger, finneth against his own Soul.

g Prefumptuous are they, and felf-willed, that defpife Government, and are not afraid to speak evil of Dignities.

h Whofoever will not do the Law of God, and the Law of the King, let Judgment, be executed speedily upon him; whether it be unto Death, or to Banishment, or to Confifcation of Goods, or to Imprisonment.

The DUTIES of the MINISTERS of CHRIST.

Thofe that have received the Miniftry of the Word, are to be accounted of as the Minifters: of Chrift, and Stewards of the Mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required of Stewards, that a Man be found faithful.

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a

Having then the Ministry given to them, let them wait on their miniftring: He that teacheth, on teaching; he that exhorteth, ont Exhortation; he that ruleth, let him do it with Diligence For they are Labourers together with God, and we, to whom they minifter, are God's Hufbandry; we are God's Building: not that they have Dominion over our Faith, but are Helpers of our Joy: For by Faith we ftand.

b They are Embaffadors for Chrift, as tho' God did befeech us by them: They pray us,. in Chrift's ftead, to be reconciled to God. And, as Work ers together with him, they befeech us, that wer receive not the Grace of God in vain.

Let them therefore take heed to the Miniftry, which they have received in the Lord, that they fulfil it; not abufing their Power in the Gofpel; giving no Offence in any thing, that the Miniftry be not blamed; fuffering all things, left they should hinder the Gofpel of Chrift: And, in all things, approving themfelves as the Mini

fters of God.

d Let them minifter as of the Ability which God giveth; behaving themfelves holily, and justly, and unblameably, among them that believe; and walking in Wifdom towards them that are without; that God in all things may be glorified, through Jefus Christ.

He that hath my Word, faith the Lord, let him fpeak my Word faithfully.

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a Rom. 12. 6, 7, 6, 8., 1 Cor. 3. 9. 2 Cor. 1. 24.

2 Cor. 5. 20. 2 Cor. 6. 1.

Col. 4. 17.

I Cor. 9. 18. 2 Cor. 6. 3. 1 Cor. 9. 12. 2 Cor. 6. 4.

41 Pet. 4. 11. 1 Thell, 2. 10. Col. 4. s. 1 Pet. 4. II.

C

Jer, 2.3. 28.

a Let

a Let him fpeak as the Oracles of God; preaching the Kingdom of God, and teaching thofe things which concern the Lord Jefus, with all Confidence and Boldnefs.

b We are not (faith St. Paul) as many, which corrupt the Word of God, but as of Sincerity, but as of God, in the Sight of God, fpeak we in Chrift: Not handling the Word of God deceitfully, but, by Manifeftation of the Truth, com-mending our felves to every Man's Confcience,, in the Sight of God. Our Exhortation is not of Deceit, nor of Uncleanness, nor in Guile: But as we were allowed of God to be put in Truft with the Gofpel, even fo we speak, not as pleafing Men, but God, which trieth our Hearts: Neither at any time ufed we flattering Words, nor a Cloak of Covetousness, nor of Men fought we Glory: For we preach not our felves, but: Chrift Jefus the Lord.

I have made thee a Watch-man unto the Houfe of Ifrael (faith the Lord;) therefore hear the Word at my Mouth, and give them warning from me. When I fay unto the wicked, Thou fhalt furely die, and thou giveft him not warning, nor fpeakeft, to warn the wicked Man from his wicked Way, to fave his Life; the fame wicked Man fhall die in his Iniquity, but his Blood will I require at thy Hand: Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, he fhall die in his Iniquity; but thou haft delivered thy Soul.

1 Pet. 4. 11. Acts 28. 31. A&ts 4. 29.

I

b2 Cor. 2. 17. 2 Cor. 4. 5.

2 Cor. 4. 2. I Theff. 2. 3, 4, 5, 6... Ezek, 3. 17, 18, 19.

a Cry

a

Cry aloud, fpare not, lift up thy Voice like a Trumpet, and fhew my People their Tranfgreffion, and the Houfe of Jacob their Sins.

b Thou shalt fpeak my Words unto them whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear. Precept must be upon Precept, Precept upon Precept; Line upon Line, Line upon Line; here a little, and there a little.

Preach the Word: Be inftant, in Season, out of Seafon.

d Reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all Long-fuffering, and Doctrine. Watch thou in all things; do the Work of an Evangelift; make full Proof of thy Miniftry: confirming the Souls of the Difciples, and exhorting them to continue in the Faith.

e Be not negligent to ftir the Brethren up, by putting them always in remembrance of thofe things that pertain unto Life and Godliness, tho' they know them, and be established in the prefent Truth: And exhort, comfort, and charge every one of them, (as a Father doth his Children,) that they would walk worthy of God, who hath called them unto his Kingdom, and Glory So fhalt thou be a good Minister of Jefus Chrift; for, in doing this, thou shalt both fave thy felf, and them that hear thee.

Study, therefore, to fhew thy felf approved unto God, a Workman that needeth not to be afhamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth. And, take heed unto thy felf, and unto thy Do&trine; left that by any means, when thou haft

b Ezek. 2. 7. If. 28. 10.

a lf. 58. I. < 2 Tim. 4.2. 42 Tim. 4. 2, 5. A&s 14. 22. e 2 Pet. 1. 12, 13, 12,

3, 12. 1 Theff. 2. 11, 12. 1 Tim. 4, 6, 16.

f

2 Tim. 2. 15. 1 Tim. 4. 16. 1 Cor. 9. 27.

preached

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