, '57 ++444444044+4,0Vr4' ++44+4444+++++444444+ Mr. I/Patron's after-noon S E R M0N 2 Cor. 7. i. Having, thefe protnifes, dearly beloved, let us cleanfe our felves. T is theTitle that I intend now, by the help of God, to infiff I on, that fweet Parenthefis in the Text, Dearly beloved, wherein you have the ApoRle breathing forth his affe&ions unto this people: He fpeaks now as a Pallor, and he fpeaks to themof his Spiritual children. Dearly beloved, where you have;, Firft, the Title, beloved. Secondly, The Exhortation to holinefs, Let us cleanfe our felves. Thirdly, The means howwe, fhould.be cleanfed and fanftifiecii Flaying thefepromifes. It is the firft of theCe that I intend,the title.that th;Apoftlegives to his children, Dearly beloved. From hence obferve this Doarine. That the affectionsof the right Gofpel-Minifier towards his peopleare very ardent. Dearly beloved, there aretwo things in every Miniffer ofChriff that are much exercifed : his head and his heart, his head with la- bour, and his heart with love : his head with labour in the work of the Miniflry : if done aright, it is, a work fitter for Angels then for men, it is our work to open the Oracles of God, even thole fa- cred profound things that the Angels fearch into ; and ifGoddid., not helpus, we might loon fink under the weight of filch a burden and as. a Minifters head is exercifedwith labour,, fo his heart is ex- ercifed with love; and it is hard to fay which of the -two exceeds ; his labour,or his love: Thus is it here in the Text,rny dearly beloved. In thefe words we have St. Paul laying fiege to thefe Corinrhians and labouring to makea happy vi&ory to conquer them, with kind- nefs; dearlybeloved, Saint Paul's heart was the fpriug of love,his lips were the pipe,theCorinthians were the ciflern intowhich this fpring did run,this holy Apoffle was a mirror and pattern oflove towards the finningCorinthians : Pauls tears did drop towards the praying Corinthians, his love did burn : holy Paul was a Seraphin, his heart did burn in a flame of affe&ion to his people : how many paffages do we find fcattered in his EpifflesThe tells his people, which fome- times he did write to, and fometimes he preached to, he looked af- ter their fouls more, then their flyer, 2 Cor.1 2.14 We feeknotyours:, but
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