Churches welfare exdeavoured. 359 that love thee, they that are carefull for thee, folicitous and (ludions tomaintatne foundoefTe of Dottrine and purity of divine worfhip in thee ; they that humble themfelves in thy behalf, when troublesare upon thee;they that put themfelves forth to theutmofl, to. relievetheeinthy wants, to comfort the in thy forrowes, to allifl thee againtt thy- oppofas ; they fhallprowler, it (hall be well with them, they (hall not goe., without a blefling, their works and labour of Love (hall not be forgotten. Befides, our welfare is very much dependant u-on the welfare of the whole ChurchofChrifl : The wel- fare ofevery member in,a common wealth, and in a body na turall,-.is deeply interelled in the profperity and good fucceffe. of the whole. Thus the profperity or fall of the Church in', generali, is our fall or profperity inparticular.The flrengthe- ningof tome partof a building is a flrengthening and a beau-, tifyingofthe wholebuilding ; the fall ofany part is a weak ping, a difgrace, a prejudice to the whole; and thus it is in this cafe; We live (faith Paul) ifye )(land faFt in the faith, if ye abide in Chrift, thrive in grace, and make a gracious pro -- I T1"f;3 8. area- in the wayes of life, then we live, then we rejvyce,- anc are full of comfort, then our hearts are much flrengthe ned in the Lord. Our Sul-j.ctiun to-changes, miferies, and. troubles, fhould very much quicken us to theprefent com- miferation ofthe refl cf Chrifts afflicted members, the Lord may make us drinke of the fait. cup, as in the prophecyeof 7ererny the Lordcauf d the cupof his wrath togoe round, he maleall theNations to árin&thereof,and if wehave nocompaf- lion on others now,who have compaflion upon us then,if we withdraw our helping handfrom others, who (hall reach ' forth the hand ofaffiftance unto us ; for God dóth fo order it in the coùrfeofhis providence,that lookwhat meafure we meet to others in their di'3reffe, thefame fballmen meafurea aine to to in our neceßîty.Befides,this is a work very acceptable toGod, and very profitable to the Churchof God; doubtleffe:it plea- fed Davie/well when 7oa6 f,ught to bring home Abfolon to him, and when Abner undertooke to bringabout all Ifrael, Thus when we endeavour to reconcileGodrand his Church, to .bring men about to God, by our prayers, exhortations, and
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