SHTNE IN OUR WORKS. 4141 instructed us to go on to conquer both his enemies and our own yea, to conquer,the enmity rather than the enemy, in. imitation of himself,, who saveth the sinner, and kills the sin ; and this is the most noble kind of victory. Every soldier can end á fever, or other disease, by cutting a man's throat, and ending his life ; but it is the work of the physician to kill the disease; and save the man. The scandalous pastor is for curing heresy in the Roman way, by silencing sound preachers,, and tormentingand burning the supposed heretics; or, at least, to trust for the acceptance and suc- cess of his labors to the sword ; and if that whichwill restrain men from crossing the pastor, would restrain them from resisting the Spirit of God, and constrain them to the love of holiness, it were well ; then the glory of conversion should be more ascribed to the magistrate and soldier than to the preacher. But the true pastor is armed with a special measure of life, light, and love, that he may be a meet instrument for the regenerating of souls, who, by holy life, and light, and love, ,must be renewed to their Father's image. Every thing naturally generateth its like, which bath a generative power. And it is.the love of God which the preacher is to bring all men to, that must be saved : this is his office, this is his work, and this must be his study; he doth little or nothing, if he doth not this. Souls are not sanctified till they are wrought up to the love of God and holiness. And, therefore, the furnitureand arms which Christ bath left us ih his word, are all suited to this work of love. We have the love of God himself to preach to them; and the love of an humbled, dying; and glorified Redeemer, and all the amiable blessings of heaven and earth to open to them; and all the loving promises and invitations of the gospel ; and must not our hearts, our ministry, and our lives be answerable to all this ? Believe it, it must be, a preacher, whose matter and manner of preaching and living doth show forth a hearty love to God, and lave to godliness, and love to all his people's souls, that is the fit instrument to glorify God, by convincing and converting sinners. God can work by what means he will ; by a scandalous, domineer- ing, self-seeking preacher ; but it is not his ordinary way. Foxes and wolves are not nature's instruments to generate sheep. I never kneww mush good done .to. souls by any pastors but such as, preached and lived in the power of love, working by clear, con- vincing light, and both managed by a holy, lively seriousness. You must bring fire ifyou kindle fire. Trust not here to the Car- tesian philosophy, that mere motion will turn another element into fire. , Speak as loud as you will, and make as great a stir as you will, it will be all in vain to win men's love to God-and goodness, till their hearts be' touched with his love and amiableness ; which, usually, must be done by the instrumentalityof the preacher's love.
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