book." To keep back the counsel of God, is as
terrible; "For he that takes away from the words of the book of this
prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life." And
truly, it has great caution in it, to those that use the name of the
Lord, to be well assured the Lord speaks; that they may not be found of
the number of those that add to the words of the testimony of prophecy,
which the Lord giveth them to bear; nor yet to mince or diminish the
same, both being so very offensive to God.

Wherefore, Brethren, let us be careful, neither to out-go our guide, nor
yet loiter behind him; since he that makes haste may miss his way, and he
that stays behind lose his guide. For even those that have received the
word of the Lord, had need wait for wisdom, that they may see how to
divide the word aright: which plainly implieth, that it is possible for
one that hath received the word of the Lord, to miss in the dividing and
application of it; which must come from an impatiency of spirit, and a
self-working, which makes an unsound and dangerous mixture, and will
hardly beget a right-minded living people to God.

I am earnest in this, above all other considerations, as to brethren in
the ministry, (well knowing how much it concerns the present and future
state and preservation of the church of Christ Jesus, that has been
gathered and built up by a living and powerful ministry,) that the
ministry be held, preserved, and continued in the manifestations,
motions, and supplies of the same life and power, from time to time.

And wherever it is observed, that any do minister more from gifts and
parts, than life and power, though they have an enlightened and doctrinal
understanding, let them in time be advised and admonished for their
preservation, because insensibly such will come to depend upon a
self-sufficiency; to forsake Christ the living Fountain, and hew out unto
themselves cisterns, that will hold no living waters: and, by degrees,
such will come to draw others from waiting upon the gift of God in
themselves, and to feel it in others, in order to their strength and
refreshment, to wait upon them, and to turn from God to man again, and so
make shipwreck of the faith once delivered to the saints, and of a good
conscience towards God: which are only kept by that divine gift of life
that begat the one, and awakened and sanctified the other in the
beginning.

Nor is it enough, that we have known the divine gift, a