V ER.16. Epbefians,Chap.i. i57 Secondly, feeing that this is the effeét the graceofothers hath in the godly, what may we thinke ofthemwhoare vexed to fee the com- ming onofothersto a godly courfe,yea,who willnotftick to curiethem by whom they were feduced to this Puritan ftri.'.neffec furely that feede oftheold ferpent is ftrong in them, which doth make them fo full ofen miry againft thofe in whofe hearts the feede ofGrace is now fowne through Gods mercy. Flo This fheweth Chriftians what they are to doe : Would they have their Minifters madeglad,& their hearts inlarged, to thankfgiving ' Let them thew forth thepower of Grace in their converfation:Ifyou Hand edfaß,faith rail i rhef3.8. whereasif they lie in grievous ftate,it doth fogrieve their Minifters,that nothing can refreth them,but theiramend- ment, by whom they are grieved z Cor.z. Naturali parents are fo affec- ted, that while their children ftand well with them, they thinke there is no croffe; but ifacroffe befall them here, theycan findeno content for . the time inany thing befide. VJ 3. Obfervefecondly,that Chriflians are to helpeeachother with prayer, efpecially Minifters their converted people..God requireth it of all Chriftians,and doth ergo make promifes,tharour prayers (hall beavaile- able,aswell for others, as for our felves, lam.q. But M:nifters by office areGods remembrancers,&muft offerincenfeas well asteach,Dext.3.3 which ourSaviour likewife didbefore hisoffering uphimfelfe, Ieb» 17. .0/8.2; The bountyofGod doth encourageus unto it, who hath laid, that they who have any thing in truth, fhallihavemore ; it is but as a pledge of his further grace to be bellowed. Againe, theDevill is bufie, feeking to bring thembackwho now are taken from under his power:we fee by wofullaxpfrience,howmany are turned back fromgood beginnings ; we haveneed therefore to fupport them, and when Minifters fhould have parent-like affeElions, how can they but feeke their good a How many willies will naturali Parents have about their naturallchildren e Whereforelet us all feeke to Godeach for other : What will we doe for him whom we will not lend a word to for hisgood a Efpecially, let us Minifters fay as Samuel, r Sam. Io. GodforbidIfheald ceafe to pray foryou, andfafanne again"God. The laic thing is, that he prayed unceffantly; whence obferve, That we mull with perfeverance follow God in thole things we pray for: This our Saviour teacheth by thofe twoparables, Luke i t. ofhim that went toborrow three loaves,and Luke ro.ofthe widow following the unrighteous Judge.Thereare many conditions in prayers, in regard ofthe perlonsto whomwe pray;perfons and things for which we pray ; perfons who pray; finally,in regard ofthe prayer it felfe;as that it fhould be humble, fervent, and continuali. God doth prevent us with fotne things, he doth give us fpeedily otherfome, but there are others a- game, for which he will have us followhim with continuance, before he beftow them ; for fhould we flillno fooner aske then receive, Prayer wererather a matterofexperience, then offaith : hedoth, ergo, fee it fit Dalï.3. P thus
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