to drovfie SAINTS. Divine makes the fimilitude ; when one heard what ad- mirable victories Scander begs fword had wrought , he would needs fee it ; and when he faw it, (ayes he, This is but an ordinary fword,alas,what can this doe? Scander- beg did him word, I have fent thee my fword, but I have the Arme that did all by it ; So, beloved, we have Chrifts fword, but we have not Chrifts arme, and therefore let us pray him, that he would together with our preaching, reach forth his arme, and that will doe our people good ; without this, poore preachers are we all, we may cut at mens fins, but they will never off without him ; we may (hew people the great things of the Gofpell, we may in- vite people to come in, to lay hold on eternall life , but O for Chrilts arme 1 and therefore we fhould Rudy as much how to pray,as to preach.The want of this is that which marres all.May be we preach well,but we are not earneft with God to give a blefling, we doe not bewaile the fins of our people, we doe not lay to heart the things that provoke Almighty God, we doe not get into the cafe, wherein God may prove all our pains. Fifthly,Minifters fhould all agree in the watching over the fouls of men. Preaching to, and praying for our peo- ple, is not the whole of a Miniliters duty ; but we fhould obferve our people, and watch over them, as the Apoftle Layes ; Obey them that have the ruleover you, and fubmit yourfelves,for they watch for your foules,Heb. t a.1 .And indeed how can we preach unto the purpofe, except we watch them that arc committed to our charge ? as Solo- mon fayes,Be thou diligent to know the eflate of thy flocks, and look! well to thy Herds,Prov.27.2 3 . This was Pauls courfe to enquire into the !Rate of people, how it fared with them. This was the newes that he asked after, his delire was to know how grace went forward in the Ephefrans hearts.Iheare ofyour faith,fayes he, Eph.i.15. It feemes he had been asking of it. Thus Epaphras told him of the Coloffiaus !(Mate. Thus he learned by Tome of the houle of Chloe, the Rate of the Corinthians. Nay, all F men 33
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