why Chrift F.rayed all night before he preached. tiofince the eginning of the world : To goe and preach the Gofpel, Chrill looks upon this as a great and a weighty worice. And therefore by 'way of preparation before he chooses them, he spends a whole night in prayer to God to prepare for that great work. You may fee by this, that the w rke of the minifiry it is a great work : You may think it indeed a light Matter, but Chrift accounted it a great matter : he makes folemne prepa- ration for the choofing his Apoflles, and prayes to God all night before, O let thofe then who are in the Ministry confi- der of this as a mighty and great work, as a folemne bufineffe That that Chrift íhall fpend fo much time in prayer about, muff needs be a folemne thin; : They ihoutd fo look upon the work that they are.call'd unto : -. And for people that are at any time to choofe or to call a Minister, 6 they should look upon it as a folemnwo:k, and not think it a light matter, fome when they heare of firth a man, fay -come let s' have him pre - fently ; when Chrift was to choofe his Apostles and,fend them forth, he makes a preparation by fitting up all night in prayer: And it's a very feemly thing for people that are at any time to choose a Minifter, that they should fpend much time in prayer and feeking to God. Indeed for the choyce of civli Officers, or of any that shall be but byway of afiiftance to the civill Magiftrate ; There is not need of fo' much folemnity, but if it be for the choyce of thofe that shall exercife the pow er of Chrift in the adminifiring of Ordinances, They are to be chooen and brought into their place with a very great fo- Iemt)ity : here it was fo at f rft: and fo I find it concinued,that if but a Deacon was brought in, ( Aas 6.) it was with prayer and impofition of hands ; And fo Elders much more, if they be, for to exercife the por;ftr ofChrift, then;(as in Acts 14.) they are with prayer and falling and impofition of hands brought into their places : It's a folemne and great bufineffe, and alt' Ministers of God should Confider of this prayer of Chrift in way.of preparation for the Miniftry ; Confider of it, and ex- ercife their faith in beleevin; the ble'hng of it upon them : Now Whereas Chrift himfelfe faith in the -17 john 2,0, Than he. 7
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