itiiecointninding them to God. 4 5 Chrlft himfelf, The great Shepheard of the Sheep, as St. Peter calls him, when he was leaving the world, and could no longer preach to them, he commends them to God,. John /7. i t. And now (ayes Chrift to his father, Iam no more in the world, btet tbefe are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thy own name thofe whom thou haft given me, that theymay be one as we are. And in the i4th. I have given them thy Word, he commends them to God, and to the Word of his grace. In the profecution of this truth, I shall explain thefe particulars.- ' .Show you what it is in aMiniller to recohnend his people toGod.. 2 . What it is that he ihould recommend them to Gokfor. 3. Whyhe fhould be fo careful-to recommend them to God. 4. How he fhoulcl recommend them to God. Laaly, Apply. Firft, It is to leave them in the hand of God, to give them up unto Gods care and keeping, as I chewed you in the opening of the words, to commend them unto God, is to do that for them ef- feaually , which he would fain do Minifterially, if he had been fuffered to continue among them. As when a dying Father, or Husband commends his wife and children to force furviving mate friend ; it is a leaving,a committing them to that friend,todeal; and to do that for them, which he would have done if he had lived. Now let us confider what it is that a faithful Minifiers Defigns and endeavours are to do for that Congregation that is committed to his charge. Thefe four things efpecially every faithfulMinifter eneea-- votirs to do While he is amongt1 his people. I. Their converfion unto Sanftification. 2. Their building up, their Edification. , 3. Their Proteaion and Prefervation. 4. Their Comfort and Confelation. Firft, Their Convertion and turning to God. This is that, that a faithful Minifters heart is let upon, that he may convert poor fouls that are in a finful '}ate ; thathe may turn poor fouls to God.; that by oAen Preaching, and Praying, and Counfel, he may bring them into a ltate of falvation; Roma io. r . The ApolIle Chhee fpeaks of the Romani, that they were the people of Godinprofef-, fion ; ah, but this was not enough, fain he would that they ihoOd be the People of God in truth ; this is the hearty define of every faithful Afniiterf not only to being his people to the outward pro- feffion ofgodlineffe, but to the work and fh,h,er of it in their hearts ; not only to have the name of a ChrifThi, but Clhiiltianty its feIr ; arid this is the end of all his flhldvh-6 to get ti-em to God by little and little, till Chria fo:rh;:d in them, Gal.. 4. / z . My
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