Taylor - Houston-Packer Collection BS2755 .T394 1619

Epftleofs. Paul toTicas. CHAP. 1.7. allo that the kingdowe of God may come euery where , and his light_ 123 force countenance (lineon them that want fuchmeanes,feeing their e- fface is fuch ashath great need ofwatchmen. Secondly, from the force ofthe argument , namely, that he that is to be a Bithop ouer others,mufl ofnccefitie watchouer himfelfe, and his owne in private, note a general' rule tobe obferucd in all ele5lions, nod furnifhing ofany place andoffice: namely,That due refpeél mull behad `DoiT r. 2. what gifts the office requireth,and thofe mull be principally regarded in I Iu a.fignieg roen to places that perfora, that is tobe placed in it: as forexample, if the place require the fir(kcare the tongue of the learned , feeke out for learned men : if wifedorne, mus be "fuch t feekeout wife menafgrauitie, fobrietie,confèience,anddiligence:feeke fti;%onreqas the .,rfuuih. out for graue, fober, confcionable and diligent men: and thus the Lord dealeth whenfoeuer he placette any man : Ifhe haue a curious Ianbluarie to build, he feeketh out force Bezaleel , force Aholiab , or other, filled with excellent fpirits of wifedom and vndetflanding,and knowledge ro excd3535 workc in curious works of gold, fluer, &c. If he let Salomon to build a glorious Temple tohimfelfe, he dire&eth him ro fend toHieram for a cunning man, a wife man , andof vnderllanding. if he be to bring his people our ofEgypt, he furnifheth a Mofes, and an Aaron. If to take the land by fighting,he fitteth Ionic valiant captain,as Iofhua:if.tobring them out ofcaptiuities,he raifeth fume Darius,or Zerubbabel,orNehe- miah, euen tinting perfons vnto places : yea the Sonne of God becing to gather his Church among the nations,and toplant his owneordinan- ces robring men out oftheir nulled idolatry andGentilfine,ro fettle the trueGod: if hehad not aferehand confdered the difficultie of the work, and accordingly furnifhed fuch as heclifmhied for this purpofe : how had it like esterrohaue been effeeled? L"fe. The caufe of all corruptions in ele fiions, and defignements to Ir isagcneran offices and places lyeth here, that men looke not to the quality of the corruption to placefirt+ but(beginnin where God ends Tira at the man either be- b`" "h {'` g. s Godendetb. coule he is a proper man of parts , and gifts of body and minde, or by filch and fuch commended ,or furnilhed to perforane filch expcálations and contrafts,or an ancient, or akinfrnan,&c. this martes all,and often !etteth fooles on horfebacke, when wife men wakeon foote by them.. Let euery man whom it concerneth,learnewi(dome ofGod and his fpi rithere,which firllinquireth into the place:and fo in palling theirfuffra- ÿes in eleaions, thus reafon; oh this is.a difficult matter,wherehaue we a fit m'a for it ?iftochoofe a Magiilrate,rhis requires one able to execute the Lords judgements: where hauewe a manof courage fearing God, and hating coucroufneffe ? Ifafellow ofa colledge,this requireth lear- ning , iudgment,and one able at leaf+ to bringvp youth in knowledge and

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