;68 Dai; A great fa- vour of God, ee. be leaned to theMiniftcty. Yft . 2. Ephefiana,Chap.;. V E The r. you may fee r Car. 15. 9. Iám the leali of the Apoftles, not meet to be calledan Apofile. The fecond may be gathered from the dif- courfeRem. 7. where in regardofthat whichhe prefently felt he calls himfelfe, fold,6ondflave under corraption,a mifirable man compaffed about with a bodyofdeadly finne. For looke as grace gathereth head againft corruption; fo it groweth up in difcerning corruption; the more wee are led into thatfpotleffe light, the more our lean darkneffes are difco- vered: and therefore theSaints are aburthen to themfelves. For fuch evifis as they did fometime digeft infenlbly , not hearing againe of them; theblind (wallow many afly. It mull teach usto bebafe in oar owneeyes. When weare leaft in our owne eyes,thenGod willexalt us: and fach as have been partakers of thegreateft grace mutt be molt lowly; as the cares of cornewhich belt bow themfelves molt, and chaffe keepeth the toppe when the graine goeth to the bottome. So if wee bee loaden with the grace of God, the neathermotl place will ferve us. Yet this doth not take away civili refpeás and bring in a kind of Cloyfter- lowlines,asifcivil preferments were to be relinquifhed.Nor yet doth it teach to turn humility intoiniquity, bydenying the good things God bath given us , in fuch proud modefly which poffefeth many who (peakofthemfelves bafely, but thinkeotherwife, and fpeak fo that they mayoccafion thefound oftheirownpraifc to ring in their cares, this diff'embledhumility is open iniquity; and the Apofile his example may make us bluffs, that think fohighly ofour felves, are wife inour owne eyes, thinke our felves fome body, the fore - runner ofruin,far Godreftfieth thepreted,andgivethgrace to the bumble. It this gracegiven.] Obf. hence, That this is a fpeciall favour of God to vouchfafethecalling ofminifery: theApoftle doth every where acknewledgemercy inaffigninghim ,and betrufling to him this cal- lingofpreaching the Gofpell,which may appeare by their office let downe bythe titlesof it, Embaffadours, aCor.s. 2o. Stewards,' cor. 4.r.Paranymphs,lobn 3.29.fellow- belpersandco-workers with God, the calling ofwhich we lhall fpeakof by andby. Thirdly, their private courfe, which is to be imployed in reading, meditating, private exhorting. Fourthly, theirprorec Lion, I will ftrike through the loynes ofthem thatrife up againft Levi. He is a wall of bralfeabout them. Fif tly, their height ofglory, Dan. /2. z. Theyfiatfhlne as the some in thefirmament, I Pet. í. tominilter before God : to goe in and out twixt God andmen in the things pertainingto God. So thatwe fee howweare tochallenge our felves for light efteeme and want of thankfulneffe for this great favour. Daviddefired to be a dore- keeper, &c. Howwe are to blefí'e God thatbath done us this favour ; the Pfal- mift doth lirreup efpecially thofc that dwell in the houfe ofthe Lord topraife theLord. Nowofthe end, to extoll Gods grace in betrufting him withMi niflery
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=