384 / 808
;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. I
ám
the
leali of the Apoftles, not
meet
to be
called
an Apofile.
The
fecond may
be
gathered from the
dif-
courfe
Rem.
7.
where
in
regard
of
that
which
he prefently
felt
he
calls
himfelfe,
fold,6ondflave
under corraption,a mifirable
man
compaffed about
with a
body
ofdeadly 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 the
Saints are
aburthen
to
themfelves.
For
fuch
evifis as
they
did fometime digeft
infenlbly ,
not
hearing
againe
of
them;
the
blind
(wallow many
afly.
It
mull
teach
us
to
be
bafe in
oar owne
eyes.
When
we
are leaft in
our owne eyes,then
God
willexalt
us:
and fach
as
have been
partakers
of the
greateft grace mutt be
molt lowly;
as
the
cares
of
corne
which
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,as
if
civil
preferments were
to
be relinquifhed.Nor
yet doth
it teach
to
turn humility
intoiniquity,
by
denying the good
things
God bath
given
us
,
in
fuch proud
modefly which
poffef
eth
many who
(peak
ofthemfelves bafely, but thinkeotherwife,
and
fpeak
fo
that
they may
occafion
the
found
of
theirown
praifc
to
ring
in their
cares,
this
diff'embled
humility
is
open
iniquity;
and
the Apofile
his
example may make
us
bluffs,
that think
fo
highly
ofour
felves,
are
wife
in
our owne eyes, thinke our
felves
fome
body,
the fore
-
runner
ofruin,
far
God
reftfieth the
preted,andgivethgrace
to
the
bumble.
It
this
grace
given.]
Obf. hence,
That
this
is
a fpeciall favour
of
God
to
vouchfafe
the
calling
ofminifery: theApoftle doth
every where
acknewledgemercy
in
affigning
him ,and betrufling
to
him
this cal-
ling
of
preaching
the Gofpell,which
may appeare by their
office let
downe bythe titles
of
it,
Embaffadours,
aCor.s.
2o.
Stewards,'
cor.
4.r.Paranymphs,lobn 3.29.
fellow- belpers
and
co-workers
with
God,
the
calling
of
which we
lhall fpeak
of by
and
by.
Thirdly,
their private courfe, which
is
to
be
imployed
in
reading,
meditating, private exhorting. Fourthly, their
prorec Lion,
I
will ftrike
through the
loynes
of
them
that
rife
up againft
Levi.
He
is
a
wall
of
bralfe
about them.
Fif
tly, their height
of
glory,
Dan.
/2.
z.
They
fiat
fhlne
as the
some
in
thefirmament,
I Pet.
í.
to
minilter before
God
:
to goe
in and
out
twixt God
and
men in
the things
pertaining
to God.
So
that
we
fee
howwe
are
to
challenge our
felves
for light
efteeme
and
want
of
thankfulneffe
for this great favour.
David
defired
to be
a
dore- keeper,
&c.
How
we are to
blefí'e
God thatbath
done
us
this favour
;
the Pfal-
mift
doth
lirre
up efpecially
thofc that dwell
in
the
houfe
of
the Lord
to
praife
the
Lord.
Now
of
the end,
to
extoll Gods grace
in
betrufting him with
Mi
niflery