B'fJ"ed are they that make; peace between man and God. 45r be worth your lives had you a thoufand. This is the work that I require of you, ô it's'a bleffed and honourable work,and look upon it fo : Look upon it as the great Ordinance of God, appointed by God to make peace between God and fouls that are in a way of enmity againtl him: And then indeed bath the word had it's proper work upon a peofle,when it bath made peace, and ô how careful fhould Minitiers be in this, in this their work ; what-a curfed thing is it for Minitiers to be 'negligent in filch a work as this is, when they have, fuch a glo- rious end appointed by God : And if any of you have been brought in by the Miniflry of the word, and peace made be- tween God and your fouls through it you are not onely to bleife God but to bleife, the infiruments of it, this is that the Miniiers of God may require as what is due to them, for it`s promifed here, Bleffed are the peace-makers : All thofe whom the Lord bath pleafed to work this good uponby their Mini firy, they fllould bleife them, when you are alone in your Glofets blefling God for peace made between God and you, you are bound in confcience tò bleife the infiruments of this, to`bi ffe thofe Minitiers of God,and to pray for a bleflìng up- on them, becaufe the Lord made them infiruments of fa great a good unto you . And this certainly muff needs be an incouragement to any Mirdf ler to be faithful and labori- ous, to fpend their lives iii labouring to reveal Chrifi to mens foules, when they know that if they do but gaine any mans foul to be at peace with God, that foul wil bleife them, and bielle them for ever,and even in the day ofjefus Chrifi,they tlaal find the bleffing. Bpeffed are the peace- makers, in that fence. And if fo, O how bleifed is that great peace -maker Jefus Chrifl, who is defigned by the Father to make up peace be- tTeen than and him, all the children ofmen being fallen from God in Adam they are all in an eflate of enmity agaihli God, that's certain: and all the Angels in Heaven, and men upon earth, all the creatures in Heaven and earth could not make peace between God and one finful foul, it was too great a work for any creature, but now Jens Chrift the wifdom of the Father, the fecund perfon, he looks upon the wretched mile- 1\4 m m table
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