Ch1p.3 .Secb Lnoking unto :jtftu. Book lV. Ch.ift? fi rftr' · graceof Godwithinus: andthen muft that grace ofGod be difcovered by us. 5. The number_ of them that were chofen ; they were t~elve.: very probable im that there was fome prcultar reafon m thts account, the number (fay fome) was figured om to us in many particulars, as in the twelve Patriarchs, in the twelve w~lls ?f~en, ~;. 1:~. Elim in the twelve precwus frones on the breil qfthe Pnefi 111 Exod. 1 S· the t~el v·e tril::es of l(rael , in the twelve hours of the day ; Chrifi Mattb. 1 ~ . 28, tells them of fi tting Oil twel'.le thrones , and judging the twelve tribes 6[ Ifrael; but I delight not ~urioufly to . defcant on .th~fe th~ngs. This I am fure, that the domgs of Cbnfr were done m wetght, meafure, and number. 6 The end Eo which they were chofen, it was to an Apofrlefbip ( i.) that they might be Chrifis Legates to the fons ofmen, char they might be [(!nt up and down the world to perfwade men to falvat ion . The dypen(en of Gods Word muft look, to their mif!ion, they muft not intrHde r1pon fo facred a buflmj[c before they are {cnt, Now this million is either extraordinary by immediate infiinCl:, and revelation from God, which is ever accompanied with im. mediate and infufed guifts, and this was the cafe of the Apofiles; or ordinary ,by impofition of hands and ecclefiafiical defignation: aru:l. ia this likewife iu; required fidelity , and ability. I . Fidelity~ it is required of frewards that a man·be found faithful, that hedefraud not {hrifi of his purchafe, which is the fouls of men , nor men of their price, and priviledge which is the blood ofChrift. that he watch as a Seer, that he fpeak as an Oracle, that he feed as a iliepheard, that he labour as an husbandman, that he be in. ftant in feafon and out of feafon, to exhort, rebuke, inftrucr, to do the work of an Evangelift, to make full pr~ofeofhis miniftry~ becaufc he hath an account to make. 2, Abt!tty both for right information of the confciences of men, and for the feafonable application of truth to particular circumfiances, which is that which makes a wife builder. Ah! who is fuffici ent for thefe things? z. Cor. 1, m6. J how iliould we but detefi the prefumptior. of thofe men who run before they be fent,, who leap from their manual tract'es into this facred and dreadful office, unto which heretofore the moft 1-ea:rned and pious meo have trembled to approach ? This may informe us ofour duty: and this' may informe you Ufo.. of your happineffe. l. Here's our duty, I meaae onrs of the Miniftry~
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=