thing, wherein any of his are concerned : Satan (to his own great vexation) cannot overlook this, fob 1. 10, Haft thou not made an hedge about him, and about his houfe, and about all that he hath, on every fide? And we know, that when he was vifibly in the World, he was exceeding helpful to the Bodies of Men, yet his chiefeft care was over his peculiar flock, as the Shepherd of Souls. He laid down his Natural life, to procure their Spiritual life: That dead Souls might live, and living Souls profper. That they might have life, and live in abundance. Job. 10. 10, II. For this end he ever lives to make interceffion for thofe that come unto him, that they might be faved to the uttermoft, Heb. 7. 25. And as the effect of his interceffion (according to his promife, Joh. 16. 16.) he fends the Spirit of Grace into their hearts, to work in them all the graces, that accompany Salvation. And to abide in them, to preferve what he hath wrought, that in believing, their Souls might be faved, Heb. 10.39. And that they might receive the end of their Faith, the Salvation of their Souls, 1 Pet. 1.9.

This is the first thing, that Jefus Chrift minded this moft, in our behalf, that for this cause he came into the World, to feek, and to fave loft Souls, Luk. 19.10.

(2.) This is the great end, he aims to car

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ry on by all his Ordinances. The Law of God (that is the whole Doctrine revealed in the word) is for the Converfion of Souls, Pfal. 19. 7. And for Edification of Souls, Act. 20. 32. I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up. The Sacraments are Spiritual Food for Souls. I Cor. 10. 3, 4, And did all eat the fame Spiritual meat. And did all drink the fame Spiritual drink. Yea, Excommunication (that dreadful Ordinance, fo it be managed according to the mind of Christ) for it is a delivering a Man to Satan, yet it is with reference to the good of his Soul, 1 Cor. 5.5. To deliver fuch a one unto Satan, for the deftruction of the flesh, that the Spirit may be faved in the day of the Lord Jefus. For this end, he appointed the Miniftry to be a standing Ordinance unto the end of the World, that they might watch over Souls, Heb. 13.17. This was that which the Apostles aimed at, according to their Commiffion from Chrift. Paul faith, That he was made all things to all Men, that by all means, he might fave fome, 1 Cor. 9.22. In his removal from one place to another, he aimed at the conveying of fome Spiritual gift, where ever he came, for the good of Souls, Rom. 1. 11, For I long to fee you, that I may impart to you, fome Spiritual gift. In all his prayers, for thofe to whom he wished

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all the good that might be, this was the great thing he defired in their behalf, that their Souls might profper, Eph. 3.14, 15, 16, 17, That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might, by his Spirit, in the inner Man. That Chrift may dwell in your hearts by Faith, &c. Gal. 6. 18, The grace of our Lord Jefus Chrift be with your Spirit. Profpering Souls were his joy, and Crown, Phil. 4. I.

3. This was, and is the great end of all his Providential Difpenfations. They are, or may be, all them, either Food, or Phyfick for the Soul. Thriving in holinefs, as ye have heard, is Soul-thriving. Now this is the end, that all comforting, defirable Providences seem to drive on, Obad. verf. 17. But upon Mount Zion, there fhall be deliverance, and there fhall be holiness. All afflicting, faddening Providences, are for the fame purpose, Heb. 12. 10, God chasteneth us for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Yea for this very caufe, it often goes very ill with many of thofe that live highly in the love of God, in their outward condition, that their fpiritual condition may profper, and flourish, Ifa. 27. 9, By this therefore fhall the iniquity of Jacob be purged, and this is all the fruit, to take away his fin Which is the fickness, and otherwife would be the death of the Soul, and its K 3 deftructi

deftruction, Pfal. 119.71, It is good for me, that I have been afflicted, that I might learn thy Statutes. And therefore he acknowledgeth to the praise of the wisdom, and rich grace of God, that in very faithfulness to the intereft of his Soul, the hand of the Lord had been upon him, fo as it was.

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Now lay all this together: That this was great end of Chrift's Incarnation, Death, and Suffering, and Interceffion: The great end for which all Ordinances, and Providences are appointed to be fubfervient unto, and it will evidently appear, that this was, and is, above all things elfe, moft upon the heart of Chrift, in our behalf, that our Souls might profper; therefore it ought to be moft upon our hearts, and it is moft rational, it fhould be fo.

3. It is every way most agreeable to the beft, and highest principles of reason, with all poffible diligence, and seriousness to mind that, the neglect whereof, will be our utter undoing, to all Eternity, and bring both Body, and Soul under the moft abfolute, and unavoidable wo, and mifery, that ever befell, or poffibly can befall any Creature, that ever God made, next unto the Devil himfelf. That principle of felf-prefervation planted in the heart of Man by Nature, if improved, cannot but teach him this; That it is most rational for him to mind that, the neglect

neglect whereof would bring this ruine upon him. Now what wo, and mifery is laid up for a neglected, perishing, unprofpering Soul, ye have fully expreffed, beyond what can be conceived, in one verfe, Matth. 25. 41. whereof I fhall mention but these two particulars, which are of all others,moft dreadful, and terrible.

(1.) Such a Soul is defigned to be driven away from God; with his curfe upon them, Never to fee his face, To be Eternally feparated from those everlasting joys, which Souls that live and profper, in a most absolute fullness do enjoy, in the enjoyment of God, whilft the everlafting God enjoys his own blessed self. If this were all, the mifery were unspeakable: It is faid, A&t. 20.37, 38. that when Paul took his leave of his friends at Ephesus; it was a very fad partting; They all wept very fore, fell upon Paul's neck, and kiffed him, forrowing most of all, for the words, which he spake unto them, that they fhould fee his face no more. If this were fuch an heart-breaking unto them, it must needs be impoffible for any, that ever tasted, in any measure, how gracious the Lord is, to bear fo much as a thought of never feeing,of never enjoying God more. Ye know, for a Man to lofe his fight were very fad, though he should have no pain in his eyes, Solomon faith, Ecclef. 7. 11. Truly light is

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