The e/lbridgenentof the t7o el. 99 GoAfehding him n, Cothere is. alfoofGods furnilhinghih =. Chtift toldehis uEzccnI. Difciples, that hewouldmake themfijhersofmen'Y , that is , that hewould train & . than vptobeecòmpetendy fit for the feruíeetowhich hee ordained them : For xEucs,z.& this caufe , before hee choolethem, be fprntthe whalenight inprayer to God , bee yidzth.4, t9. breathed on them theholyghog'.- He willed them. after hisattention , to tarry at z.Luk,6, r z. ltrufalem, u,ntill they were enduedwithpower fromonhigh'. Biz/liedand Aboliab, a lob. so. 2.. ini'omuch as they were toworke in the tabernacle,werefilkdwithan excellent ffli- b L°k.z4. 29. xo4;ç,;t tit ° : andwhen God chore Saul to thekingdome , hegamehim anotherbean If d r ro.9 God fhould not thus deale, itwerecontrary tothofe principlesof holywifedore which hinifelfe hath left upon record in his Word. As vinegeris to the teeth, and fmoake to the eye, fois thefiothfull to themthatfind Hee that fendetha mef- eProu.ro.z6 fagsbythe bandofafoole,ioam Ise thatcuuothoif tbefeetf. Nowife man will fenda tProu,z6.6,. fooleon anarrsdof moment : Whowill fee ahefh fouldier otteranarmie, or eneruftadumhe man withanembaffage? It were an Odious imputation to the wife(' God , to thinke him leffecarefull in his bufinefle , then men in their af- faires. Befides,greatis the corruption of our nature , our heartwicked-aboneall things s, the imaginationsofit are onelymill'. Now, asmen doenot gathergrapesof g tbornes,norfigges ofthillles', fo the heart ofman, which is in it feffe, enes asa ve- b Gen. 6, ç., ry mintof vanitie, and a forge ofprofane, godleffe, and irreligious thoughts, can sMarh,x.r6. not bring forthany good matterwithout (perish enabling. This is.agood admonition toall thofe which intend to enter into any feruice ' pf, of weight, either in the Church or common- wealth. It it a dangerous thing to rhruftOnes fide into the Lords bufrneffe. Heavywill that layingbe, when God thanfay ofany - Ibáue notfestthem , yet theyrannet': Add woe tohiu whofhal1 klerz,ur bechallengedwith that; Friend, borecamefj rhos hither'? Now bee that would IMat 2z.sa. knowwhether God bath tenthim , mullnot fray for revelations Or force fpeciall informationsfrom heaven, but hec enui fearch his owne heart, to fee with what gracesheisfurni(hedt Ifbetweene the callingbee intends, and hisfufficiencie,' therebeany proportion, there is an evidence of fending ; where there isnor, hee that endertakesir,is but anintruder,and hisreckoning will be terrible. Now followeth toconfider the ginerall natureof thebufineffe towhich Za- chary was enabled: It isfaid, heprophecitd. To prophecie, in Scripture fignifieth two things : Fink,to foretellthings to come, and fo the word ordinarily fignifi- ethin theolde Te(lament : Secondly,exàftly and roundly tointerpret the Scrip- ture , to which fenfe the wordisoftenapplyed is the newTeftament o Zacha. m n'Cnr. i4. ryhisprophecying- may not unfitlybe referred toboth : For heepartly foretolde t. &o. things tocome, as of johnBaprifd, and partly alfohee did excellentlyinterprete r.Thri ç. se. things anciently written of the Mersin, : Once, this we fee, that the holy Ghoft inhimwas notidle, butdid difcouer it felfe infoam holy andreligious employ- ment ; fothat hence this is gathered, That rhegracesofGodt Mirkwherefaemer they be,are not idle, but are alwaiesto beteen in ehedoingoffamefpirituallgaod, according The3.dal. to their placesandcalling:, who are indeedtherewith. Zacharieiefilled with theholy Gho(I, and ftraitway he prophecieth : the more graceshee had receiued inhim- felfe,themoregood proceedeth from him toothers. He that beleeuetbonme(faith our Saviour)omto/his belly(hallflow rimersof water of life n, The graces receioed n Inhq. ;S. thaI; iliacorneo the refreihing ofothers. Paul faith, that irpleafed God roreuealo his Somme tobim, that heemightpreach himamong the Gentile, °; and that goddid o'Galt. 16. comfort him in all his tr,bulat,em , thathe might be able tocomfort others P. It isan p expreffecommandement ; 'Entry manashe bothrecriad. ¡blet himmini/ter unto another,at agooddifpofer ofthe manifoldgraces ofGodq.Euery one isaSteward,not r,Pcr,4,to, toengroffe Gods graces tohimfelfe, but to employ them to acommonbenefir. The word(faith theProphet)wwae in myheart aea burningfirefiatop inmy bones,e¢ !couldnot flay' : and, We can not but peke , faytheApoftles r. The giftsand rles to.9, graces of GodsSpirit are like the oyntment, wherewith Marieannointed terns iACt.4,20. 14 feete;
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