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A26980 One sheet for the ministry against the malignants of all sorts by Richard Baxter. Baxter, Richard, 1615-1691. 1657 (1657) Wing B1335; ESTC R13471 14,605 17

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One Sheet for the MINISTRY Against the MALIGNANTS Of all sorts By Richard Baxter LONDON Printed by Robert White for Nevil Simmons Book-seller in Kederminster Anno Dom. 1657. One Sheet for the Ministry Against the Malignants of all sorts AS mans first felicity was attended with the malice of the Serpent so is the wonderful work of his Restauration The promise of Reconciliation by the seed of the woman is joyned with a proclamation of open war with the Serpent and his seed The enmity was hottest in the Devil and his seed against Christ himself who bare and overcame it and is become the Captain of our salvation that his Church may overcome by his Cross and Strength and Conduct The next degree of malice is against his Officers the most eminent the General Officers had the hottest assault and his ordinary Officers bear the next That we shall be hated of all men for the Name of Christ Mat. 10. 22. is still verified to our experience Not only the openly prophane ab●o●●● for our work-sake but fals-hearted professors that turn from the truth do presently turn Malignants against the Ministry and many weak ones that are better minded are dangerously seduced into a guilt of the sedition To all these I here proclaim in the name and word of the Lord Numb. 16. 26. Depart I pray you from the tents of these wicked men and touch nothing of theirs lest ye be consumed in all their sins Which I shall now open to you 1. The office of the Ministry is an undoubted Ordinance of God to continue in the Church to the end of the world No man can pretend that they ceased with the Apostles for it is Gods will that ordinary fixed Presbyters shall be ordained in every Church Acts 14. 23. Tit. 1. 5. 1 Tim. 3. 1. 2 Tim. 2. 2. And Pastors and Teachers are appointed for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry and edifying of the body of Christ till we all come to a perfect man Ephes. 4. 11 12 13. A Ministry authorized to Disciple the Nations baptize and teach them is instituted by Christ as King and Saviour and have his Promise to be with them alway to the end of the world Matth. 28. 18 19 20. The same necessity and work continueth still souls are born and bred in darkness and how shall they be saved without believing or believe without hearing or hear without preaching or we preach without sending Rom. 10. 13 14 15. There is a clearer word in the Gospel for the Ministry then the Magistracy though enough for both Our own call I shall speak of anon 2. These Malignants set themselves against the Principal members of the Body of Christ that are in it as the eyes and hands to the natural body 1. Cor. 12. 16 19 27 29. Ephes. 4. 11 15. The Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the mysteries of God 1 Cor. 4. 1. The Over seers of the flock that is purchased with Christs blood Acts 20. 28. They are the chief members 1. in Office 2. Ordinarily in gifts for edification of the body 3. And in Grace Now a wound in the stomack or liver is more mortal to the body then in the hand and the loss of an eye or hand is worse then the loss of an ear 3. These Malignants are therefore principally enemies to the Church it self They take on them to be only against the Ministers but it will prove most against the people and whole Church If they sinite the Shepherds the sheep will be scattered How can they more surely ruin Christs Family then by casting out the Stewards that must Rule and give the children their meat in due season even milk to the babes and stronger meat to them of full age Heb. 5. 12 13 14. Luke 12. 42. Mat. 24. 45. What readier way to ruine the Schools of Christ then by casting out the Teachers that he hath appointed under him Or to ruine his Kingdom then to reject his Officers Or to wrong the body then to cut off the hands and pull out the eyes or to destroy the principal parts Was it not Ministers that planted the Churches and converted the world and have ever born off the assaults of enemies where was there ever Church on earth that continued without a Minister The great Kingdom of Nubia fell from Christianity for want of Preachers The Nations that have the weakest and fewest Ministers have the least of Christianity and those that have the most and ablest Ministers have the most flourishing state of Religion All over the world the Church doth rise or fall with the Ministry Cut down the Pillars and the building falls He is blind that sees not what would become of the Church were it not for the Ministry Who should teach the ignorant or rebuke the obstinate explain the word of truth and stop the mouthes of proud gain-sayers What work would heresies and division and prophanness make if these banks were cut down when all that can be done is still too little It must needs therefore be meet enmity against the Church that makes men malignant against the Ministry 4. The design of the maligners of the Ministry is plainly against the Gospel and Christianity it self They take the readiest way in the world to bring in Heathenism Infidelity and Atheism which Christianity hath so far banished For it is the Ministry that Christ useth to bring in light and drive and keep out this damnable darkness Acts 26. 17 18. I send thee to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light c. Why are so many Nations Infidels Mahometans and Idolaters but for want of Ministers to preach the Gospel to them These Malignants therefore would take down the Sun and banish Christianity out of the world 5. And they hinder the conversion of particular souls and so are the cruellest wretches on earth Though an Angel must be sent to Cornelius it is not to be instead of a Preacher but to send him to a Preacher Acts 10. Though Christ would wonderfully appear to Saul it is to send him to Ananias for instruction Acts 9. Though the Jaylor must feel an Earth-quake and see miracles it is but to prepare him for the Ministers words Acts 16. Philip must be carried by an Angel to expound to an Eunuch the word that must convert him The Ministry is Gods instituted setled way by which he will convert and save the world as truly as the light is the natural way by which he will corporally enlighten them Acts 2. 18. 1 Tim. 4. 16. Matth. 5. 14. Rom 10. 14. Do you think so many souls would be converted if the Ministry were down Do you not see that the very contempt of them that the scorns of the ungodly and opposition of Malignant Apostates have occasioned doth hinder most of the ignorant and prophane from receiving the saving benefit of the Gospel How many millions of souls would these wretches sweep away to hell if