AnEnguiry aftera mans efiate. ftates',we can never look well toyour fouls.Confider that piace in the Proverbs, be diligent t know the f ate ofthyflock, and look Well to thy herds. Where the wife man firlf requireth that we (hould look well to our flocks, and then direc`feth us in them an ner how, v>z. by being diligent to know their efface how it ffaudeth with them. Secondly, we are Gods labourer;and we milli know inwhat elateour work ffandeth : elfe we may labour and labour and all invain ; we may preach and exhort and ca' I upon our peo- ple tohear and ;)elieve and obey;and all this may f±ill be in vain, if we do not enquire in what efface they are. This is the rea- fonwhy Paul could not forbear fending and enquiring how it flood with the Teffalonians, in what ellate they were in, how it went with their faith, whether they kept it or no , left the tempter had tempted them, and his labour Ihould have been in vain ; for fo it had been for all his preaching and teaching them if they had not been in a good eflate : therefore he lent to know. Thirdly, we are to take the care and the chargeofyour fouls: 3. Now then how canwebe quiet if we do not know in what e- ftate your fouls be ? Agood father cannot be at quiet if he do not know how it is with his children : How if they thould be lick ? how if undone ? Oh it would comfort agood father ro know his bhildren to be in goodcafe : But if it were otherwife with them, though it would grieve him much,yet he had rather know it then not; for if he know it he can better tell what to do. So it was with the Apoffle ; his very bowels yerned upon the Philippians, Ohmy poorepeople, thought he, I wonder what eftate they be in. How ifthey totter ? how iftheym(carry ? how Phil. z '9 ifthe Devil have tempted them to fin and apollatize? how ifthey be in trouble of confcience ? He could never be at quiet till he knew their eftate : I truft in the Lore( ]efi , faith he, to fendri- motheue fhortly unto you, that Ialto may be ofgood c%mfort when Iknowyour eftate. He had a great careof their fouls, and there- fore it would comfort his heart to know what eflate they were in. Prov. 27. 25, r Thef. 3, s. $ 2 Fourthly,
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