lasphemed and reproached.

Do ye not remember the sad sentence against Eli and his house, "Because
his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not," 1 Sam. iii.
13. The Apostle tells us, that the judgment of God abideth not only on
those that commit sin, but those also who consent with them, Rom. i. 32.
Aquinas upon that place saith, We may consent to the sins of others two
ways: 1. Directly, by counselling, approving, &c.; 2. Indirectly, by not
hindering when we can. And so did Eli consent to the vileness of his sons,
because, though he reproved them, he did not restrain them.

There is a law, Exod. xxi. 29, "But if the ox were wont to push with his
horn in time past, and it hath been testified to his owner, and he hath
not kept him in, but that he hath killed a man or woman; the ox shall be
stoned, and his owner also shall be put to death." It could be no excuse
to say, I intended no such thing, and it is a grief of heart to me that
such mischief is done. That which I aim at is this: The Directory which
you have lately established saith, "The ignorant and the scandalous are
not fit to receive this sacrament of the Lord's supper;" and therefore
ministers are appointed to warn all such in the name of Christ, that they
presume not to come to that holy table. It is now desired that this, which
you have already acknowledged to be according to the word of God and
nature of that holy ordinance, may be made effectual, and, for that end,
that the power of discipline be added to the power of doctrine, otherwise
you are guilty, in God's sight, of not restraining those that make
themselves vile.

In the third and last place, I shall apply my doctrine to the sons of
Levi, and that in a twofold consideration: 1. Actively; 2. Passively.

Actively, because, if we be like our Master, even followers of Jesus
Christ, or partakers of his unction, then our ministry will have not only
light, but fire in it,--we must be burning as well as shining lights (John
v. 35), not only shining with the light of knowledge, and of the doctrine
which is according to godliness, but burning also with zeal for reforming
abuses, and purging of the church from the dross thereof. Which made
Augustine(1413) to apply propologically to ministers, that which is said
of the angels of heaven, Psal. civ. 4, "Who maketh his angels spirits; his
ministers a flaming fire." Satan hath many incendiaries against the
kingdom of Christ. O that we were Christ's in