A Hind Let Loose: Or, An Historical Representation of the Testimonies of the Church of Scotland for the Interest of Christ. With the True State Thereof in All Its PeriodsShields, Alexander
History
A Hind Let Loose: Or, An Historical Representation of the Testimonies of the Church of Scotland for the Interest of Christ. With the True State Thereof in All Its Periods
Shields, Alexander
Church of Scotland -- Controversial literature; Church of Scotland -- History; Covenanters; Scotland -- Church history
affects the office (besides other gross disorders in their life and
conversation, obvious to the view of onlookers, being men who have
denied the faith; and therefore unfit to have the privilege of church
members in any well governed church) being, in the experience of all
that know them signalized under the characters of those that run unsent,
and from whom we are commanded to withdraw: causing the people to err by
their lies, and by their lightness, not sent of God, Jer. xxiii. making
the heart of the righteous sad, and strengthening the hands of the
wicked, Ezek. xiii. 22. See also Ezek. xxxiv. 2, 3. Such as we are
commanded to beware of, Matth. vii. 15, 16. Such as we must mark and
avoid, Rom. xvi. 17, 18. Phil. iii. 2. Disorderly walkers from whom we
must withdraw, 2 Thess. iii. 6. Covenant breakers, from whom we are
commanded to turn away, 2 Tim. iii. 3, 5. They are not then blameless:
and in shewing how fitly these agree unto the persons now spoken of,
time needs not be spent, such as know them can best judge. Hence, such
as either are not fit to be church members, or have all the characters
of such officers from whom we are to withdraw, cannot be acknowledged
capable of the qualifications of the ministers of Christ; but such are
the curates: Ergo----(2.) The qualification of vigilancy cannot be found
with them for all that know them will acknowledge that they neither do,
nor can in preaching the word be "instant in season and out of season,"
so as to make "full proof of their ministry," 2 Tim. vi. 1,--5. Nay,
they can give no proof of their ministry at all, further than may be
competent to dumb dogs that cannot bark, Isa. lvi. 10, 11. For they nor
no man can say, That the diseased they have strengthened, or healed that
which was sick, &c. Ezek. xxxiv. 4. And it is known to all that know
them, that if ever there were any that assumed to themselves the name of
Levites, who departed out of the way, and caused many to stumble at the
law, and corrupted the covenant of Levi, and therefore were deservedly
contemptible and base before all the people, (Mat. ii. 8, 9.) they are
the men. Let any man judge then, whether they have the qualifications of
the messengers of the Lord of hosts. Hence, they that can give no proof
of their ministry, but that which proves them to be such whom the Lord
condemns, and such who deserve to be contemned of all, cannot be
acknowledged to be qualified as the Lord's ministers; but the prelatic
curates can give no proof of their ministry, &c. Ergo----(3.) The
qualification of aptness to teach is wanting; yea, incompatible with
them, not only such of them as are noted for ignorance, of whom clearly
that is verified, they are blind watchmen, they are all ignorant (Isa.
lvi. 10.) but even their greatest clerks and rabbies may fitly be called
after the name of their forefathers, whom Christ calls blind leaders of
the blind, concerning whom he gives a command to let them alone, Mat.
xv. 14.
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