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 them from corruption, and how can we ſo, if we ourſelves have loſt our ſavour? We are the light of the world? and therefore we are to spend ourſelves as a candle is ſpent, to enlighten others; and how can we do ſo, if we ourſelves are all in darkneſs, Matt.v.14.14.

It is a ſure ſign that God is extreme angry with a people, when he takes away a good miniſter from them: For when God took away Lot, the preacher of righteouſneſs, from Sodom, he preſently rained upon it fire and brimſtone from heaven 'Tis alſo a ſure ſign that God is extreme angry with a people when he ſend them a bad miniſter: for when God ſets a lion, a wolf, or a leapord, to watch over a city, has he not a mind to deſtroy it? Jerem.v.vi. And when God put a lying ſpirit in the mouth of all Achab's prophets, to perſuade him to go to Ramoth Gilead, had he not fully determined the place of his deſtruction, I Kings.xx.23. And therefore, you may all aſſure yourſelves, that God hath not many people to ſave in that Pariſh where he does not ſettle a good miniſter, for if God had any harveſt in the pariſh, he will certainly ſend a good labourer to reap it down, to gather it up, and to put it into his barn.

If God had any ſheep in the pariſh, he will certainly ſend a good ſhepherd to look after them For if God has much people at Corinth, or any where elſe, he always ſends them a Paul, or ſome able miniſter, to inſtruct them in the faith of Chriſt. For the harveſt, the ſheep, and the people of God, are the jewels of the Lord of hoſts, and they ſhall be carefully made up, and ſafely kept by the watchful keeper of Iſrael, that never ſlumbers nor ſleeps, Mal. iii.17 compared with Pſalm.cxii.4. For that God, who takes care of every ſparrow, and numbereth the hairs of your head, and ſuffereth not ſo much as a tear you ſhed in ſecret to be loſt but puts in his bottle, and notes in his book; that good God, who does all this, will never ſuffer the ſouls of his people to be loſt for want of a good miniſter to look after them; unleſs you think that your ſouls are not worth ſo much as a ſparrow, a half of your head, or a tear you ſhed for your ſins.