94 Ufc 3· 1 Joh.s . 3., The Parable of t5e Ten fl irgin1, SECT . X. OH then do not rea in tllis, that you have now got to partake of the fellowlhip of Gods people ; I confefs next to fellowJhip with God, th~ir fellowJhip)s bell and rnoH fweet, I Joh.x.3,4- and nothi_ng more powerful to preferve and keep Gods people from Apo!lacy rhan thts, Col.2.s. order and !ledfa!lnefs in faith are coupled; they rhat be planted in the Courts of the Lord lball flourilh here , nothing encrealing Grace more, C•1.2,19· when many eyes to fee by, manyhandstohelp workby: When a man finned, ifoneor two men only r.ook up ll:onc::s to flone the fmner, it may be rhey might mifs, or the man live; but when there ~ mmy it is ftrange tf it cloth not kill ; fo out of fellowlhip of the people of God, one may aclmonilh the11 ~nothcr, ~nd it maybehe canlhift, but here tb~;:n; ~ many,&c. 2Cor.2.7. When a mans life is going away in a fwoon, if one or two be there prefent only,be may never recover; but when one rub$, al)oth,: r chafes, another ~lds htm, another runs ancl fet!;ht:s hor water for him, iris a hl!ndred w one but he efcapes. But yet as ~he beHmeans, ifneglea;ed or trull~s:l to,will makl;! mc::n worfe,as Capernaum was worfe for Chrill;'s preaching, \\ hi~ll th\!y ~oalh;p of; fo the bert means if not rru!led to, will make men bwer; as iris with fprn\! EXHilas,and Spi.rirs, they will m~ke qukk work one way or o~l)~r. I. I f ever you fee or receive any good, look to the Lord i,n th~;:m, I S~tm. xo.II,l2. whoistheirfather. • z.lf ever youlook to reFeive apy, look to the Lord that by them he may couvey help and fuccor in his time. SECT. XI. ~ell.HOw Jhall /get that good? ~ .An[. I. Feel your need of their fellowlbip, and their hdp, you willthenbe gerringgood byeveryexample, every prayer, xCor.I2. rhe eye cannot fay to the, h11nd I ~a11e no need of thee: Oh b~ nor full ; for G?rl hath nor made you fofull, bu[!f you bean eye, you need the foot,& c. Davldknew , more rhan"rhe Levires did, yet how did he long eo fee God, and the goings of God in the Sanctuary ! 'P a• I did need the mutual comfort of Chrifli~ns ; it was a firange thing in cp an/ when he was to carry money to others, yet he befeech~th them, Oh pray for rm, 7\gm.I ~· 3 o, j i. Do nor fay only, I feel aneed of Sacraments or Minillry, bur I need the prayers, the counfel, the examples, th(!: exhortation of rhe rneane!l Chri!lian. Secondly, Be fure youjoyn your felves ro living Chriftians, rhat is, nor only fuch as have Grace, but fuch as are lively in the ufe and exercife of it; for thofe God fanctilies efpecially to communicate Grace to you; if a living hand be knit to a dead arm, fure linle goodwill ic receive from it, Rom. 1 .12. a l1vely believing ChriHian will comfort Pm•l, and an bumbleChriHian will hunible. This is the very reafon why Chri!lians do not ger good, b~caufe their hearts are dead, and their fellowlhip with God little; and hence others defpife them, and withdraw from rhem. , Thirdly, Love them de~rly ; a man will never ger good from any Chriflian that he defpiferh, or flighterh; as it iswith aman, if hishand would have · life
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