610 An Expofition upan Chap. 15. Though bolineffe as a fruit of the Spirit s miniftry unto the obedience of the do pleafe God, yet it is Chrift the Medi- Gofpell,both by his words and workes, verfe a8. whereof he reckoneth fir4 the kinds, [ lignes and wonders, ] and the efficient caufe, the power of the holy Ghoft, the author of miracles, verfe 19. And for fo much as the Romans might objet, Why doll thou O Paul chiefly begin with us Romans, and fo earneflly deal with as, pang by other Nations Thereunto he anfwereth verfcs 19, 2o, that he had fpread the Gofpell by his preaching in many other regions, yea where the name of Chrift had not foun- ded, or been known before; whereof he noteth the end in verfe 20. Left .1 fhould build on another mans foun- dation, and in verfe 21. he fheweth his warrant and commiflion out of the Pro- phet Efay 52. 15. In regard of there things he doth profeffe that he had oc- cafion of rejoycing and matter of glory_ ing, yet not in himfelfe, but in Chrift and his grace, (in which there is true glorying with God) and not in honour, riches and wifèdome of the world, but in the things pertaining to God, (to wit) in matters concerning the worfhippe of God,and the falvation.` of the Church, wherein his miniftry did confift, verfe 17. T I M. What efpeeiall dollriner can ye od ferve from the 17. verfe to the 2r. whereof the method and meaning you have now briefly unfolded? S t L. Out of verfe 17. we have there inftru&tions : Fiat, when God profper- eth the worke of our vocation, (name- ly, by blcffing the minifiry to the work- ing of faith and obedience to Chrift) therein is jut} caufe of rejoycing. The reafon is, becaufe in fuch effels God is highly glorifiedin his mercies, and fouls converted and Paved , whereat men and Angels ought to be glad, Luke 15.7. Such 'therefore wrong God; and his Church much, which neither themfelves labour to whine men to Chrift, and do envy others which do it. Alto here is more caufe of incourage- ment and joy by the happy fetcceffe of his miniflry to a Preacher, then of dif- heartning by the unthankfulneffe of the ator which maketh it, and the perfon in whom it is, to be acceptable. Laftly, from this i6. verfe we have w herewith to flop the mouths of the P apifts, and prophane woridlings. As for the Papifls which objet unto us the want of Prieft-hood, and teem to la- men t that we have no facrifices,8tc.we fay for our felves that we have both in our Churches : for our Sermons arc ob- lations, our people be facrifices, our felves Priefls, (not properly taken, for fo they ceafed in Chrifls perfon, being the only proper Pritft and facrifice of the new Teflament) but improper and tnetaphoricall, who yet truely and ef- feaually do by the (word of the word flay mens brutifh finnes, to make them a fan &ified !waft to God. Rather we have juftcaufe to lament their cafe, that having thrill} out this kind of facrifi- cing by the do&rine, and preaching of the holy Scriptures, warranted by the authority of God himfelfe; they wick- edly ufurpe in their Maffe, to facrifice Chrift properly every day, after his ex- ample at his Taft (upper, wherein yet he made no oblation : and thus of being the Minifters of Chrift, they prove the murtherers ofChrift, and the fucceffors of 3uda, rather then the imitators of Paul. Now touching the prophane per - fons which miflike and murmure at the plain and bold admonitions of the Minifters: Let this fatisfie fuch, that as never any did finde fault with the Sacri- ficers of the Lawfor killing and dref ling of beafts appointed to be facrifices, fo it fhould be imputed as no blame to Prea- chers by the facrificing knife oftheword to flay and mortifie mens brutifh lulls and vices; which if they be fuffered to live and raign,it cannot be we fhould be an holy and acceptable facrifice to God, Rom. It. 1, 2. T 1 M. In verfe 17. and verfes follow- ing unto the 22. what doth the .11poffle per - forme ? S r L. He continueth to commend his Apoflolicall fun &ion by the effelts, in the fubduing of the Gentiles by his
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=