104 I Chris`i communicated by his Miniffers. people to whom theLordaffords his Gofpell, fìngular foule_ ravilhing,and heart-fatisfying are the gifts and favours,com_ forts and mercies, which God d,ifpenfeth by his Minifers. In regardof Gods communication of Chrifi to the foules of Groírdshereof men by the labours of his Minifers ; `Pharaoh communi- cated the fulneflè of Egypt to the people, by Jofeph, the, Steward of his houfe God communicates the fulneffe which he bath put into Chrift, to the foules of men, by his Mi- nifters, the Stewards of his houfe, the Church ; the Stars in the night feafon communicate the fttlnefle of the Sunna to the aire, and inhabitants of the earth ; the Minitiers as Starres in the right hand of Chrifi the Sunna of Righteouf- nefï'e communicate 'to the foules of men the fuineffe of' d.Communi- Chrif Jefus in the night ofThis world ; we are all ftran- cation of gets ,to Chrift Jefus without the Lords Miniters ; Chrift Chrift b sG,ds' is hidden from that people which enjoy not the miniftery of the Gofpell ; Gods Minitiers by their labours commu- nicate the knowledge of Chrift, as the Embaffador commu- nicates, the knowledge of the King and of his mind, god (faith the Apoftle) who commanded the light to dine out of dark, ieffe, hatte ,/hived into k our hearts to give the Ï,nowlede of the glory of God in the face of Chriii yefrr. God is knowne in and through Chrift, as a man is knowne in and by his face : \fie know an earthly Father in the face of' his Sonne begotten by him ; we knowGod as a father ofmercies,only and through the face of Chrift Jefus ; we fee the face ofman in a glaffe, in the Gofpell, in the labours ofGods Minitiers ; we behold as in.,a l glaffe,. the face of Chrift Jefus: Chrift is a ftorehoufe in whom are hidden to all the treafures of wifedome., Ihe Minitiers have the minifteriall key ofknow- ledge to open Chrift unto the, people :'Chrift is a living fountaine, a well of falvation, a well fealed and Phut up in the Scriptures : 7i/cob yowled sway the (tone from the mouth of the well, and gave La6ans flocke water to drinke, the Minuter rowles away the Rene, removes the obfcurity of the Scripture , opensr.and interprets it , and makes the people drinke of Chrift, the true andeverliving fountaine; the Mimfters communicate the faith of Chrift as Gods in- ftruments t.Knowledge of Chrift. i z Cor.4.6. 1 2. Cor, ;. r 8 rn Col.:.;. 2.Faith of Chrift.
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