Q. 65.9. What are the sins of ministers against their people?
A. The sins of ministers against their people are—1. Want of sincere and tender love to their souls, seeking more to receive earthly gain from them, than to do any good unto them. "I seek not yours, but you."—2 Cor 12:14. "His watchmen are blind; they are greedy dogs which can never have enough; they look every one for his gain from his quarter."—Isa 56:10. 2. Negligence in their prayers and studies for them, and in their preaching the word to them. "Give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine: neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery."—1 Tim 4:13-14. 3. Unwatchfulness over them, unprofitableness in their discourse among them, unsuitableness of conversation unto their doctrine and profession, unteaching that by their lives which they teach in their pulpits. 4. Corrupting the word they preach, and infecting the minds of their people with erroneous opinions. "We are not as many, which corrupt the word of God."—2 Cor 2:17. [Thomas Vincent]
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