:At the Funeral (fMr. Nalton; 3 3t flie Peter ) as wheat, becaufe he knows they will drawmany after them : fo that they mutt needs be fubjea tomany weakneffes and in firmities. Sometimes God makes ufeof the worft fort ofmen, even the moft vicious and malicious; first hechangeth them,and then makes ufe a them as inftruments ofglory. The Apofile Paul was a Veffel of Elealon to carry thename of Chrift unto the Gentiles : yet in times paft a great perfecutor. So it pleafeth God to make ufe offuch, that the excellency of the power may be of God, &c. HI. Minifters are called Earthen Veffels in regard of the frailty and mortality of their perfons, and earthen Veffels are foon crack'd awl broken. Minifters are fubjea to many infirmities of body ; This Heavenly light ofthe Gofpet fhineth often through Lanthorns of glafs, which are foon broken. Minifters have weak and frail'bo- dies ; rimothy had his bodily infirmities, and Trophimus was left lick at:Miletum, i Tim. 4. zo. and Epaphroditus was fick nigh unto death, Phil. z. 27. and Paul had need of Luke the Phyfician, proba- bly in regard of his weaknefs. 'Thus the fervants of God are fubje& many,infirmities. Betides the reafons in theText, thereare other reafons*hy God will have it fo. i. Tft they ay be more companionate, and more fenfible of ri the weakneffes`' for likenefs ofcondition, breedsfympathy in egglion. Men are apt to pitty thofe in the like condition with thernfelves ; fo our Lord took our nature upon him, that he might pitty us ; he took flefh and blood upon him, he was tempted inall things like unto us, but without fin, that fohe might foccour thofe that are tempted So his fervants many of them are much tempted, which, may breed in them a fympithy of affection to others that are in fuch a conditi- on. z. God ill have it fo, that Minifters may have the more experi- ence of thftuths they preach to others concerning an atiliaed con- dition ; thofe that have had no ficknefs or other affliaion, cannot _preach from experience of fuch truths that concern fuch a condition; they cannot preach fo feelingly and favory as others ; when they have been underaffliaion, they will know what affliaion is, both in the natureof it, and the comfortsof it, and God's gracious affiftance therein, and fo they may fpeak comfortably, and be enabled to Om- fort others, as the A.poftle Paul fpeaks. 3, God is pleafed fo toorder it fometimes for their humiliation,to keep them low, that fo they maynot be liftedup by reafonof extra-, ordinary rnanifettations and impartments ; thus St. Paul had given hin; a thong in the flefh, that Nefrenger of Satan to buffet him, lefi he out
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