14 / 808
a
Ephepns,
Chap.
I.
V
a
R.Z.
Ephefuu,
andto
all
that
beleeueonChrift
,if
this had
bin hismeaning,
g,
as
r
Carin.t,This
Darr
of
the
Prefaceanfwereth to
ourfuperfcriptions
wherewith
we endorfe
our
letters;
for
on
the
backe
of
our letters
we
vfe
to
expreffe
the
name
ofour
friend to whom
they are
direhted.
The third
thing
in this Preface
is
his faluation.
The
words
of
this
verfe needing
no fùrther explication,
we
will
note
out the
chiefe
Inftruétions, which
offer themfelues
to
our obleruation,
and
fo paffe
on
to the
Lecond
Verfe.
Firf,
, that Paul
dothvfe to
fer
forth
his
calling, before
he
entereth
his
matter with them, it
Both
teach
that
Miniftc
rs
muff
inculcate to
themfelves, and
luch
as
they haue
to
deale
with, their
callings from
God.S.Pauldoth not text
this
foorth
in
the
forefront ofeuery
Epife;
Paul,..feruanr
ofebrif!
:
Paal, an
Apof[le
of
Chrifl, but that
he found
it
a
fit
thing tobe propofed,both for
his owne
fake,and theirs
wich
whom
bee had
to do
s
Euen as
Ciuill
Magiftrares
do
giùe
out
their
Writs
in the Kings
name,with mention
of
the
Office
they beare vnder
him,
to the
end
that due
refpea
might be given him
of
the fubiea:
So this
great Church
-officer Both
mention what
place
he
held
voder Chrift
the
King
of
his
Church,
that
the
things
deliucred
by him
might
be
accordingly receiued
:
Ina
word, this
is
good
for the
Minifter
himfelfe, and for
the people
:HOW
can he fpeake
the words
of
God,
as
the mouth
of
God, with
reverence
and all
authority,
Who
confider
.Dòä,2.
not that
God
bath
commanded tohim this
peece
of
feruice
?
a.
The
Minifiry
is
a worke fo
weighty, that no
man
of
himfelfe
is
fufficiont
for
it
:Now what
can
more allure me
that
I (hail
be
made able,
then
to
looksat
God,
who bath called
me
to
fach an
offi
ce
?
Princes
call not
their
Subieets
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; how
could 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
them
fanetifie
God
in
hearing, while
they looke
not
fo much
at man,
as
at God
teaching by man,Rt`
r
l
o.
j
3.
t
Thef
2.13.
It
maketh them
obey
chofe
that arc ouer them,
when
they
haue confcience
of
this,
that
God
bath fent
them:
as
a feruant,
when
he
thiuketh
his
Lord or
Lady bath
fent any
to him,
doth
readily doethat he
is
commanded.
The Vie
of
which
is
to Ririe
vp Minihers
wifely
to
teach this,aod
lay
it
as
a
foundation: People likewife
mull
willingly heare-
r;
for,
to
acknowledge Gods
call
in
fuch
as
minil}er to
them,is
theirgreat
aduantage.
When
we
harpe on this firing
any
thing
much,then
potpie
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/
him
Cede
might
haue
bcene
mifconftrued:
What
?nothing but
Paul
an Apoftle ?cannot Paulhaue the
office
of
Apoftle,
bur
all
the
town
muff be
of
Counfell
?
But
as
Saint
Paul feared not to
prefixe
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.