164 / 808
Ifz
._....
Dotl,1.
Doti.z.
Ephe'fiáns,Chap.i>
V
E
effect
which
the
confideration
of
it
wrought
in
him;
Which
reacheth
to the end
of
this chapter, wherein two things
maybe obferved.
r.
The
occafion,
in
this 15.
werfe,
2
The
fairì;
which
bath
two
parts.
1.
His
thankefgiving.
z.
His prayer. Concerning the latter
; firff
we have
fet
downe that he prayed.
i.
What
he prayed,
in
the
end of
the
x
6.
verf.
andfodownward. In fitting
'downe
the
occafion
:1. We
are
to
con-
fider
the Apoftle
his hearing
of
them.z.
What
he
heard
ofthem,which
was, firft
their
Faith,
fet
downe with the object
of
it,iit
the Lord
bps
:
fecondly,their Love,which
is
amplified
from the objeót,to
Saints, from
the quantity
and extension
of
ir,
to
al!Saints.
The
verf
hath
nothing
difficult
to
be
explained.
Obferve firft from
this,
that
Paul
getteth
hear-fay
how the
matter
of
grace went amongft
them
;
that
Minifters
muff
labour toknow
how
grace
goeth forward
in
thofe with whom
they
are
to
deale.This
was
the
newes
that
Paul asked
after
;
his defire
was to
be
certified of
this
before
all
other things. Thus
Epaphras
told
him
of
the
Colofflans
eftate;
thus he learned out
the
famous faith
of
the
Romanes
;
thus he
learned
by
fome
ofthe
houfe
of
Clee
,the
Rate
of
the Corinthians:Naturall
men
will inquire
and hearken
after the health
of
their
friends, how they
are
in
body
and
eftate: Thus this
fpirituall
man, he
was
Hill
learning how
the
foules
of
the.
Churches
profpered;
It behoveth
Shepheards to
know
their flocke.
Naturall
parents
if
they
have children at the Univerfiry,
they
will inquire
how they goe on
in
learning
and vertue
:
Thus
this
Fa.
thee
òf
foules
abfent from them,could doe no other, but
be delighted to
learn
how
they
did
grow toward God.
Which
thing
may checkmany Paftors now-adaies, whofeEpiftles
if
one read, you
(hall finde
nothing they
liften
after,
but newes,
like thofe
Athenians,Atls,
x
y.newes fitter for
men
that follow the Exchange,
then
for thofe
who
are Fathers
in
Churches.
Againe, this doth
flew
how
wide
they
are,
who
think it
curiolty
in
Miniflers,
if
they looke into the
manners
moreneerely
oftheir people:What
need
they
bufie themfclves,
and
thruft their oare into other
mens boats ±For
a
private perfon with-
out any calling
to be
fo
ìnquifitive,
and
to ptie into others, that
I may
know
how
to come over them,
aft
fomething
in
their
teeth,
if
they
a
little difpleafeme,
is
great
wickedneffe
;
but for Milliner, to the
end,
he
may difcharge
his
duty more fruitfully,it
is
no
other
thing
then
God
requireth for
the good
of
people. Some
who would
hear nothing
but
amnia
bene,
would
have Minifters quiet
men, flop their
cares
with
waxe,
and
never weare
their
eyes
about them, but when they have
a
book
in
their hand ;
but
alas,
they
confider
not that
Minifters are fhepheards,
watchmen, over-
feers,
&c.and that this
is
thekey
which openeththem
the
way
into
all
the parts of their
l
tic
,
viz.
the
knowledge
of
their
ftates to
whom they areto
fpeak.
Secondly obferve
about what the
faith
of
thofe
Ephefians
wasoccu-
pied
, even about
the Lord
Jefus
Chrift.
We
read fometime the faith
of
Chrift,fometime the
faith
on
Chrift,
fometime faith
in
Chrift,
as
here;
they
note much the fame thing , but
that
the
firft
may bee
con
-
ceived,