748 eliHelpeuntoVeitotion. moil precious bloud. Thou haft called meto be ameffenger, andan interpre- ter, to declarevntomen thy righte- oufneffe, to watch fortheir foules, a- mong them to difpofe thy fecrets,and to pray them even inChrifts Read to bereconciledunto thee.What man a- mong all the fonnes ofeidam,iswor- thyofthis honour,andwho isfuffici- ent for theftthings? Whenas,Omolt ntercifull Father, I thinke upon the Weight ofthatcharge which thouhaft put vponme, and confider againmine ownweaknelfeand infufficiency,who am a manofpolluted lips,and euen as achilde, enable to fpeakethefecretof ehyGofpellasbeeommethmee ; mee hinkes I may well crie out with the Prophet i Woe is me, /ameuen vitdone, how(hall IRand vprightvnderfucha burden? Butwhen Ilooke backe into my owneconfciene, andfind there a comfortable witneffe that I haue not thruft in my felfe for a Pallor, andre: Member alto what is régifired in thy Word, how thoumakefl thy power perfit through weakneffe, and cho- .fe4t thefeeblethings ofthe World ,for vueighty purpofes,it isa kindeofenli- iting to my fpirits, andarefrelhingto my difcouraged&droupingthoughts: and I am thereby emboldned to preffe fleeter tothy throneofgrace. O thou who both calle$whom thou pleafeft, that fo I may both thew the people theirfinnes, andbee abletominifer aword in time tohim that is wea- rie. Andin my preaching (O LORD) vouchfafe mee bothdiligenceand hu.. milky : diligence, that I may Rihbe inftant,neuer fainting inmymind, ei- ther for the fmall fuccellh ofmy la- bours,orforthe oppofitionofcorrup- ted minds,or for thofeftormeswhich Satan raifeth vp againft the faithful!, difpenfingof thytruth: andhumility alto, that I may not feekemineowne glorie and applaufewithmen, but the bringinginoffheauesinto thybarns, and the gathering of thy Saints into thyfblde. Forthiscaufe,teachmeeto take heedoftheaffeâationofwords, andoffeekingto aboundwith the en- ticing fpeechofmans wifdome, chu - fing ratherby the plaine euidenceof the fpirit, toapproue my(elfe tomens confciencesin thyóght,thenby avaint blaftofwords, togaine an opinionof eloquenceand learningbefore men. And for thebetter furtheranceoftfús great worke, make mee careful/ to know the lateofmyflocke, andto harken after theircourfes; toobfeme theircarriages,tonote theiropinions, andto findout their efpeciall finnes, thatfomy fpeeches may be as words in feafon,euenlike applesofgoldwith andmakeft thofeablewhom thoucal. ptetures offiluer. Içft. Be mercifullvnto me (euenwith Makemewife in iudging,skilfullin the frengthand intention of myde- feparating theprecious from thevile, fires, Imoil humbly pray thee) make bold, butyet psttifuflandcompafsio- myheart avery treafuryof of failing nate in reproouing, refolutein thofe knowledge, fill itwith foundneffeof things which are meete to bee vrged, iudgement, and with a largemeafure andfarrefromyeeldingin the fmalleft offpirituahbnderftanding ,thatImay things whichmay ftrengthen them in both holdefail thepatterneofwhole- esili, and be a flop in their fpeedyre- forriedcdrine,andbe able toimproue formation. thofe that fay againlit: Kindle inm Let it be citen my whole bufinefllt `affeétionsaholyzeale, that my whole feekethatwhichisloft, and toftudy drift maybe, totake heed to; and to how tobringthofe outofthefnaresof fulfillthat Miniftery which Ihaue re- the diuell, whichare taken by himat ceiued: Let my lippespreferue know- hiswill. ledge, and letthem be asthe lippesof ` Makemyface ftrong, and my fore. therighteous by which many befed: headastheAdamant againittheir fa- piemeadoore ofvtterance, that I ces, which Ihall either fcorneorwith. leas Oyenmymosthboldly, andthat land thy truth, Letme make ready mytonguemay beasthe fined filter, my backefor the (miters,&my cheeks for
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