An Expo[ition of the Epiple ~ ving been moved fo much by his own intereft in being the Infirument of convert– Sermort ing them; but he fpeaks ol it as a Brother, a Member of thot Body, a_nd ac– XVIII. cordingly when he utters thts thanksgiving, he calls them Brethrm ; lfe"" v-v--..1 botmd togive thm1ks afw11ys to Godforyou Brethrmfo>·you 6efovrdof the Lord; and the groundof it which he mentions, is, that God hathl~ved them and chofen them, Here heth much of the commumon of Samts, thts IS one great and htgh part of it•. This is the Angels grace, to rejoy~e at the converfion of finners; and this wtll be one great exerctfe of Our grace mHeaven,that we !hall be thank– ful to God for his having chofen and faving every Soul there. This will make up one great part of the happinefs of Heaven, that each Saint !hall r<joyce in the fal– vation of all, and every one as in his own; which will be like the reflection of a multitude of Looking·glalfes, fo placed and difpofed as every one reflects the Image of it felf upon the other in a moment. To return to Pmtf. In 1 The( l· 8, He is fo deeply affetl:ed this way, that he doth not know how to exprefs his thankfulnefs to God, Wh11t thatJks, (faith he,) arr we to tmdrr zmto Godagauz for,·ot~for aU tht)oy wherewtth wejoy for JOUr fakes before our God? It was when he heard of their Faith, ver. s,6. My Brethren, this is the happinefsof aChrifiian, an~ of a holy heart, when made exceeding fpiritual ; he bath all that concerneth God's glory to rejoyce in; the joy that we joy is f or y·ottr }1kes, faith he, and yet not fortheir fakes limply, but in thefig ht of God, having an eye to him too, This did fill his heart fo full of joy, that he faith, it kept him up in themidfiof allhisdifirelfes, fover.7. We are comjortrd over J'OUtnall our ajjltClioiiS and direflfles byyo11r Faith. Oh, my Ilrelhren, where is the fpi· ritot Paul? ,. Wherefo" I a!Jo,] · K.i i,J, or as the Syriach exprelfeth it, Lo I. He holds it up, tmtqttam 'Jotandum, that he lhould thus do it. I that am a looker on, yef faith he, through the grace of Chrifi, as it is my duty, I do give thanks to God for you, much more ought you your felves. You fee (faith he,) how my heart is affected about you with the confideration of thefe great things which God hat!) bellowed upon you, therefore much more lhould your Souls be thus affected unto God for your felves. Obforve. It lhould be a mighty argument to move the heart of any one to work out his own falvation, when he Jhall fee another take care for it. Thou that art an un– godly Son or Servant, perhaps thy Parents or thy Governours, (as thou mayll perceive, and thy Confcience telleth thee,) aym tobring thee to God, and ro fave thy Soul; do they do it, and wilt not thou do it much more? Should not this firike thee? Saith the Apofile, Phtf. 2, 13. Work outyour ow11 fatvlltiOit.There is a motive with an Emphafis, your own. We Apofiles labour about it, you are ingaged much more to werk outyour Own[atvatio11, ' Aftrr I heard. . This is the Third thing, rhe Occajio11 the other was the caufe. After!hrard (faah he,) ofyour F11ith in the Lord .'lefmClm(l. AC!. 21. we read that Pattt had been the means of their conver~on, and therefore mufi needs have been an eye·witnefs of their faith and love at that their hrfi converfion; why t~en (may fome fay,) cloth he here only mention (as matter of his thanksgi– vmg,) what he had by hear-fay of them? It holds forth two thing~ to us. 1 .A further eminent grace and gracious practice of this Apol\le towards the Saints, e· fpecially thofe to whom he was a means of converfion, namely, that when he had conv,rted any, (his calling of Apofileihip enforcing him to leave them,) fiill hu heart was longing, yerning after them, folicicous and inquifttive about them to hear oftheir continuance in that Faitb,and growing up in Grace.You !hall fee this too in 1 The[. l · ~· For thJS CaiJ{ewhen I could no longer for6ear, ( mark his affection,) he could not hold,he could have no refi in his fp .rit; I font to know yotJr Faith, and then verfe 6. whm Timotheus camrfromyou unto tu ,atJdbrought tugood tidi11g ofyour Faith, &c. it was even as Gofpel unto me, mtd we are com· forttd 111 allour ajjliflions byyotJr Faith, fo verfe 7· And what thanks, fait~ he, Cti1J wr render to God again foryo11? fo at the 9th. vcrfe. You ll1all find the like my Brethren in all his Epifiles. News of the Saints thriving in grace, it ~ept Paut alive. Now do I Live, faith he, ifyejlandjafl in the Lord; fo it IS verfe 8. of that Chapter to the Theffalonialls. It comforteth me in all my difirelfes
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