-4 5 z rim PaHort r4lieweltolit Pe le /It Children, fiyes the Apoitle, '&c,st. :'awl -travels'in birth with the Galatiays from a ftate ofnature, to a'ftate ofgrace';. he would get g b race wrought in th , eir hearts, he. would get them.. ingrafted in-. to Chrift ; and this is the end ofhis commending-them to God) which he would fain have done, if he might have been fuffered to Preach to them. This is the language of a Minifters heart ; Lord, thou knoweft that it was the desire of my foull, that every one of this people should be made holy by the-Word ; -would-fain have begotten them. by the Miniftry toJefus Chrid;. but now by the- providence of God I am taken off before .my work is done ; and thou feeft yet there is a great many in the gaol of bitterneffe , and in the bond of iniquity , in a itate of death, and I am now likely not to do any thing more : now it is my care, that thofe that belong to the elet}ion of grace, may be gathered home to thee. 2. To build them up in knowledge and faith. He endeavours t at thofe that are already; fan&ified, may be further built up in their moft holy faith, where there are the moft eminent Saints, yet there is a great deal lacking. The Apoftle gives great commenda- tion of the Thefalonians , i Thef. 3. to. They were -a famouS Church, and there were a great many eminent Chriftians, yet there was fomething lacking in their faith, and in their knowledge. Chrift fpeaks to one of liis moft eminent Apoftles, Oh thou oflittle faith ! Though the Foundation-tone be laid, yet there is a fuper- itrufture behind, and thiSis the work ofChrist, the building them up, Ephef. 4. I 2. 1.111S 1S .the end of .every faithful Minifter, to make his people meet for Heaven ; he would be feeding of them, that they may grow to the full meafure of the ftacure of Chrift And therefore every godly Minifter .defires that he may be the -Pi- nner., as well as the Author (under God) of their faith, that they may be built up to Chrifts heavenly Kingdom. 3. A Minifters aims are, that his people may be kept from dan- ger. The People of God, after they are effeaually called, they are continually in danger ; they are as a Lilly amongft thorns, as cheep amongft wolves, asa.befieged City in the Midft of her El nernies. They have enemies without, and enemies within Enemies without, the Devil is their adverfary. 4. They are in danger, -in refpeet of the De.yil, who is a very potent Enemy, a roaring Lyon, and a malicious Enemy, malicious againft God an indUltrious Enemy," he goes about, feekingwhoth be may devour ; he compaffeth - the Earth, to do what he can to keep fouls frost Chrift ; he is a fubtil Enemy, that..,hath .his.Stra- . tatlems
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