Baynes - BS2695 B289 1643

a Ephepns, Chap. I. V a R.Z. Ephefuu,andto all thatbeleeueonChrift,ifthis had bin hismeaning, g, as r Carin.t,This Darr ofthePrefaceanfwereth toourfuperfcriptions wherewithwe endorfe our letters; for on the backe of our letters we vfe to expreffe thenameofour friend to whom they are direhted. The third thing in this Preface is his faluation. The words ofthis verfe needing no fùrther explication, we will note out the chiefe Inftruétions, which offer themfelues toour obleruation, and fo paffe on to the LecondVerfe. Firf, , that Paul dothvfe to fer forth his calling, beforehe entereth hismatter with them, it Both teach that Miniftcrs muff inculcate to themfelves, and luch as they haue todeale with, their callings from God.S.Pauldoth not text this foorth in the forefront ofeuery Epife; Paul,..feruanr ofebrif! : Paal, anApof[le of Chrifl, but that he found it a fit thing tobe propofed,both for his owne fake,and theirswich whom bee had to do s Euen as Ciuill Magiftrares do giùe out their Writs in the Kings name,with mentionofthe Office they beare vnder him, to theend that duerefpeamight be given himofthe fubiea: So this great Church-officer Both mention what place he heldvoder Chrift the King of his Church, that the things deliucred by him might be accordingly receiued : Inaword, this is good for the Minifter himfelfe, and for the people :HOW can he fpeake the words of God, asthe mouth ofGod, with reverence and all authority, Who confider .Dòä,2. not thatGodbath commanded tohim this peece of feruice ? a. The Minifiry is a worke fo weighty, that nomanofhimfelfe is fufficiont forit:Now what can more allure me that I (hail be made able, then to looksat God, who bath calledme to fach anoffice ? Princes call not theirSubieets toany feruice,but that they fee them furni;fhed with Doä.3, things requillee. 3. Lafily, whereas the difficulties and enmities which encounter faithfull.Minifters are many; howcould they looke to be fhielded againft all, but by holding their eyes on him who hath called them ? For people this is behoofefull, for it maketh themfanetifieGod inhearing, while they looke not fo much at man, asat God teaching by man,Rt` r lo. j 3. t Thef 2.13. It maketh them obey chofe that arc ouer them, when they haue confcience of this, that Godbath fent them:as a feruant, when he thiuketh his Lord or Lady bath fent any to him, doth readily doethat he is commanded. The Vieof which is to Ririevp Minihers wifely to teach this,aod lay it asa foundation: People likewife mull willingly heare- r; for, to acknowledge Gods call in fuch as minil}er to them,istheirgreat aduantage. Whenwe harpe on this firingany thing much,thenpotpie thinke it a fpice Of Pride and vaine-glory in vs, comming ónely from hence that we thiuke our Celtics not enough refpeóted thus Pao/ himCede might haue bcene mifconftrued: What?nothing but Paulan Apoftle ?cannot Paulhaue the office of Apoftle, bur all the townmuff be ofCounfell ? But as Saint Paul feared not toprefixe this,howfoeuerhis cuftome might bedepraucd; lb mutt wee imi- tate the fame,w prudent propofing the Minifiry we haue receiued from God, though euill minded men mifinterpret the fact, to their owne deftruítion. Paul 4# Obferue more particolarly, fira the quality and deree Doärinesof the r.verfc. Rtáfan. r. Vfe. Doff. 2.

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