apfm the Epijfle(f JAM 1 s. meet with God: Do not as the moll do, ftnd tor rhe bod,Jy Phy.. fician,and when they are pail all hope and cure,for the Divine. Alas, how many do fo? and ereaword of comfort can be adminiftrcd [0 them, are fem to their own place. . 3· From that [!'et hi.m caB] ~he EJders muft he Je.nt for : AObflr~tit. 3• man that hath conrmued moppofttlon, ts loch ro fubmtt .at the: lafi hour, and to call the Elders to his fpiritual affifiance. I remember Aqui11tU faith, Sacramentum extrcmtt unUionis nonmft petcnti. b1u verbo velJignodari dtbet, that this lafi office mufi: not be performecl,_but to thofe that rtquire ic. Pojfidonius in the !if~ of Aupin faith, That Auftin was wont of his own accord to vific the poor, thefatherlefs, and the ~idolf', but the fief{_never till he was called: 'Tis indeed fu icablc to true Rdigion to vijit the fatherlefs, ]am.t.27• but the fick mufi: eaU for the Elders. Truly fometimes I have been afraid to proilitute the comforts ofChrifhanity to perfans fottithly neglett:mg their own Souls. I conft:fs fometimes, where we know our comp~ny will not be unwelcom, and in fome other cafes, wemay go uncalltd, that we may learn of our Mafier, and befound ofthem that ask!dn1t [1r m, I[ai.65.1• 4· from that [the Elder!,] For our eomfort inJic~nefs, ••u Ob[trvat.~. good to caO in t.he h.elp of tke Gnidn a~d Officers of tNe Churc6. Thev. excellingmgtfts, are bell able eo m~trutl and prav : They can with authority, and in away efoffice, comfort and infrruCl; the prayers of Prophets have a fpecial efficacy : So God faith eo.. .Abimelechof Ahraham, Gen.20.7.Go to him,for he u a Proph, t, llnd h~ /ht~ll pra1 for thee. This was the fpecial WO! k ofthe Prophets to pray for the people, and they had more folemn f romifes ot fuccefs: Jer.27. I 8. If they be Prophets, and _rhe Wordof the Lord be in them,let them intret~t the Lord: They that f, etk G()dS Word toyou , arefitteil: rocommendyour cafeto God. Wtll then, do not defpife this help: Ac.'ls done by vertue ot an otiice, are undtr a more folemn aifuraoce of a bleffing; ~hoft fi n' ye remit, they are rem•tted, &t. •cis not fpoken to eve ry lk leever; They can Aurhoricatiwely minilter comfort. ..f,s not talfe Dim vinity to fay, God will hear their prayers, when he will r.ot hear the prayers of others: ]oh 42.. 8, Job foall pray for you, aozd hitn.J Will 1accept, left I de~l with you after your{ol/1: Though they weregood men, yer God would hear JPh; tht:rc-fore in E;;;:,ekjet Job is proverbially u!t:d for a prayinf Trophtt. tJfe thdr hel p . - F ff then . .
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