Taylor - Houston-Packer Collection BS2755 .T394 1619

CHAP.I.S. 76 ro11.31.1j. s.Peo t;.tj. A chicfewire- doni iu thebe. ginning of any bufines,to con. Eider the ende. Knntij.4. Cow»rentarie vponthe appoint a wan otter the congregation : i. that he may be inffruófed togoe in and out: 2. leaft this people be asfheepe without a (heapheard : Neither would Chrifi himfelfe the mirrourofgrace, attend vp into heauen, be- fore he had appointed furnifhed men for the building vp of his bodic: his earneft charge toPeter,and in him to all theDifciples, and their Cuc- eeffours, that if they euer loued him, they would feed his (beepe , fhew- eth the care of this great tlrepheardofour Conies. Men need not be pro - uoked to provide for their children,whileyet they are with them,that it may be well with the' after their departure:and (hould not fpirituall fa. thers doe the likefor their children, to whom theyare teed by a flraycer bond ? Fearefully finne they againff this example,who while they craple and couple linings together, that they may fill their owne bellies, and haue their portion in the fleece and far, neither clay themfelues, to reach as they ought, nor yet kaueany Titus behind them(of whole fufficiencie we heard before) to redreffe things that remaine: but offer the fheepeof Chrif# to the wolle , and fell Conies for peeces of filuer , and morfells of bread. The men of God were wont to extend their care for Gods peo- ple(withnegle& ofthemfelues) euen to the timeof their departure; yea dudAftcr,although they might feerne to be looted by remoouall, or at leali by death:but chefe(cele no waight offuck an heauy burthen,which pre(fech them euen for the prefenr. 3. Note. That the Apolfle thus fending Titus,he will haue him con- fider the end ofhis calling and placing,both to prouokehimfelfe to dili- gence , as alto to obtaine for him more libertie, and auchoritie in that Church where he had left him : and it was no more thenneeded, for to goe about to innovate and reforme a whole Iland hauir,g an hundreth cities in it, and bring new offices and officers among them ; might both exafperate the one,and altogether difcouragethe other, &toboth feeme a thankles bufines. But now if Titus (hallthinke with himfelfe , This is the endofmy calling, wherein God requireth my faithfulnes: and if the Cretins (hall conceiue within themfelucs:for this endwas Titus placed amonglì vs;both to fettle things that are wanring,and to reforme things that are amiffe: this confideration couldnot but mooue and perfwade bothofthem to a mutual) , and comfortable content in the bufineffe of Chrifi, and a louing entertainment one of theother. Which teachech, chat that man who would Chri(fianly, andcomfor- tably carrie himfelfe through any calling, muff euer haue theend of it in his eye. The Magi(fratemuff let before his eie,that be is the Afiniffer of godformens wealth;and that therefore he mutt not carricthe (word for naught;but neeeflitie lyeth vponhim toexecute the iudgements of God. The

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