Ungodly Ministers

 Take heed that thou be a sound and sincere believer. The importance of sincere godliness in a minister, is written in the deep wounds that the church of,Christ hath received by the hands of ungodly ministers. It hath been made a question, "Whether an ungodly man can be a minister? but it is none, that, such men are in a most desperate condition: Matt h. vii, 22, 23. Depart from me; not because you ran unsent, or preached error instead of truth, or preached poorly and meanly, (all great sins in themselves); but because you work iniquity; the usual expression of entire ungodliness. What use the Lord may make of the gifts (for great gifts he gives to the worst of men) of ungodly men, even in the ministry of the gospel, is one of his deep paths. But no man can reasonably imagine, that a walker in the way to hell can be a fit and useful guide to them that mind to go to heaven. If a man would have peace in his conscience, and success in his work of the ministry, let him take good heed to this, that he be a sound Christian. There is a special difficulty for a minister to know his grace. Gifts_ and grace have deceived many with their likeness: although the difference be great, both in itself, and to an enlightened eye. Robert Traill

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