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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85510	A modest vindication of the doctrine of conditions in the Covenant of Grace, and the defenders thereof, from the aspersions of arminianism & popery, which Mr. W. E. cast on them. By the late faithful and godly minister Mr. John Graile, minister of the gospel at Tidworth in the county of Wilts. Published with a preface concerning the nature of the Covenant of Grace, wherein is a discovery of the judgment of Dr. Twisse in the point of justification, clearing him from antinomianism therein. By Constant Jessop, minister of the Gospel at Wimborn minister in the county of Dorset. Whereunto is added, a sermon, preached at the funeral of the said Mr. John Grail. By Humphrey Chambers, D.D. and pastor of the church at Pewsie.	Graile, John.; Chambers, Humphrey, 1598 or 9-1662.; Jessop, Constantine, 1601 or 2-1658. Pauls sad farewel to his Ephesians.	1654 (1654)	Wing G1477; Thomason E817_1; Thomason E817_2; ESTC R207370	97,971	125

to g●ve warning of such pernicious Errors and Practices as he seeth breaking in upon such as are committed to his oversight such a one however he speed in his own judgment and the judgment of others shall not fail before the Judgment Seat of God to stand in the rank and passe in the account of the faithful servants and Ministers of Jesus Christ Having thus shewed when a man may be said to bee a faithful Minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ I come in the next place to consider who are they who truly believe the Gospel to whom such faithful Ministers are precious who enjoy them in love and part from them in sorrow There is hardly any thing as I conceive in our unsettled times more pernicious then the mistake which many are subject to about the nature of believing Much talk there is of faith and the Gospel whilst few consider what is indeed the faith of the Gospel I shal therefore indeavour in few and plain words to clear unto you from the Scriptures who are the truly faithful the true Believers of the Gospel 1. First They truly believe the Gospel who glorifie the Word of the Lord as it is testifyed of the believing Gentiles to whom Paul preached the Gospel at Antioch When the Gentiles heard this they were glad and glorified the Word of the Lord and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed Every true Believer glorifieth the Word of the Gospel by yeilding a firme assent unto it as a word of Truth setting a high price upon it as the only saving Truth holding it fast as a stable everlasting Truth and still desiring of it and delighting in it as an edifying and perfecting Truth which is able to build men up and give them an inheritance amongst those that are sanctified If men boast never so much of believing because they are confident that Christ is theirs and that all the benefits which flow from the Lord Christ are theirs yet if they do not glorifie the Word of the Lord the Word of the Gospel making an high account of it as a Word of Truth a saving everlasting edifying perfecting Word they shall never make it out before the presence of God that they have the true faith of the Gospel in them 2. Secondly True Believers of the Gospel are such as receive the Word of the Gospel with spiritual gladnesse as we read of that flock of faithful Converts brought in at one Sermon Then they that gladly received the word were baptized The Word of the Gospel cannot by faith enter into the soul but it bringeth in spiritual gladness with it Temporal believing hath a sleight and suddain joy accompanying it as our Saviour testified in the interpretation of the Parable of the Sower as to the stony ground He that received the seed in stony places the same is he that heareth the word and anon with joy receiveth it yet hath he not root in himself but dureth for a while An unrooted faith yeildeth an unsettled joy but when the Word is with a stedfast sound and saving faith received it usually out of the state of strong temptation and spiritual disertion filleth the soul with joy and peace in believing Now this receiving the Word by faith importeth a taking of it into all the faculties of the soul to new mould and transform them according to the holiness of the Gospel The Apostle James calleth it the receiving of the engrafted word because the word of the Gospel thus received as the graft set into the stock causeth all the sap of the inward faculties of the soul to bring forth such fruit as is sutable to the holy Word of the Gospel It is a very unworthy and ungrounded Opinion that a man can believingly receive the word of the Gospel and not be new moulded by it unto holines If any think that the Word of the Gospel shall be mighty to save them when it is not effectual to sanctifie them they deceive themselves and should attend to the Apostle James his Doctrine for right information in this point who sheweth that the Word of the Gospel is received as an ingrafted new moulding word in all those towards whom it is effectual to save their souls 3 Thirdly They that believingly receive the Word of the Gospel are brought off from trusting upon their own works and righteousnesse to trust and rest their souls upon the Lord Jesus Christ as the one which in Scripture dialect imports the only Mediatour between God and man for forgivenesse of sins peace with God righteousnesse and eternal life The Apostle Paul called believing in Christ hoping or trusting in Christ Ephes 1. 12 13 because all that truly believe cast away the thought of acceptance with God unto life in the merit of their own Righteousnesse and as worthlesse sinners build their hope of righteousness to life fully and wholly upon the Lord Jesus as the Mediator of the New Testament through whom they finally bottom their faith and hope on God 1 Pet. 1. 21. 4 Fourthly They truly believe the Gospel who trusting on Christ for Righteousnesse and life have their hearts brought on by believing to the love and high prizing of the Lord Jesus as most precious and desirable 1 Pet. 2. 7. Faith looking and resting upon Christs love inflameth the heart with the love of Christ according to the Apostles words In Christ neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but faith which worketh by love And this true love of Christ the necessary and inseparable product of Gospel faith in all true Believers is obediential causing the faithful heart to stoop to the yoak and work of the Lord Christ as we learne from our Saviours own mouth If ye love me keep my Commandments And again He that hath my Commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me And yet further If any man love me he wil keep my words By all this it is manifest That they who truly believe the Gospel are such as glorifie the Gospel by embracing it as a saving everlasting edifying and perfecting Word of Truth who with gladnesse receive this word into all the faculties of the soul to mould them into a frame of Gospel holinesse who rest themselves upon the Lord Christ for Righteousnesse and life according to the Gospel and in the strength of that faith have their hearts knit to the Lord Christ in high prizing obediential love of him These two Points being dispatched viz. Who is a faithful Minister and Who are the true Believers of the Gospel I proceed in the next place to shew that such a Minister is enjoyed with much love by such a people This we have fully ascertained by the Apostles testimony which hee bare unto the Galatians when the faith of the Gospel at first prevailed amongst them My temptation saith he which was in my flesh ye despised not nor rejected but received me even as an Angel of God

6 15. John 8. 24 Matth. 18. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mark 11. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mark 5. 36. If but if unlesse except only si sin modo dum dummodo were conditional when I learned my Grammer 3. The Office of the Ministry what is it for but to prepare people for mercy by working something in them that may fit them for the receipt of the benefits promised in the New Covenant As John was so are they to be Christs Harbingers and are to make ready a people prepared for the Lord Luke 1. 17. To preach to them that they might be saved 1 Thess 2. 16. To open their eyes and to bring them from darknesse to light and from the kingdom of Satan unto God that they may receive remission of sins c. Acts 26 18. Thou hast ascended up on high thou hast lead captivity captive and hast received gifts for men even for the rebellious that the Lord God may dwell among them Psal 68. 18 On which Dr. Crisp thus glosseth Vol. 2. p. 410. Who is that Them The Rebellious saith the Text And p. 412. The Holy Ghost doth not say that the Lord takes Rebellious persons and fits and prepares them by Sanctification and then when they are fitted he will come and dwell with them but even then without any intermission without any stop even when they are rebellious the Lord Christ hath received gifts for them that the Lord God may dwell among them Thus the Doctor But certainly the Apostle Paul was more acquainted with the mind of the Holy Ghost then Dr. Crisp now he Ephes 4. 8. alledging this of the Psalmist openeth it far otherwise and delivereth it so as to me it seemes full for the confirmation of that we have in hand When saith he he ascended up on high he led captivity captive and gave gifts to men I hope he gave no other then what he received for them Now what gave he It followes He gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers and for what end For the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ till we come c. He did not then receive this gift that though they were rebellious the Lord God might dwell among them whilst they remained so as the Doctor avers But on the contrary he received and gave abroad these gifts of the Ministerial function that thereby people might bee taken off their rebellious principles and broken off their rebellious practices and fitted for the communion with the Most High The sum is the Ministers of the Word are sent on this businesse to prepare people for the Lord for remission and salvation therefore there is something required of them some work to be wrought in them on them before they can actually partake of remission or salvation from the Lord or enjoy communion with the Lord. 4. That which these Ministers of the Gospel have directed sinners to do for the obtaining of Remission Justification and Salvation that in order of nature is to be done before Remission Justification and Salvation can actually be obtained But the Ministers of the Gospel have directed sinners to repent and believe for the obtaining of c. Acts 2 38. chap. 3. 19. chap. 16 30 31. Gal. 2. 16. Nor was it remission or justification in cognoscend only that they were directed to seek in this way of faith and repentance Can any imagine that the meaning of that Query of the Jaylor Sirs what shall I do to be saved should be no more then this What shall I do to be certified and assured of my Salvation Besides that Justification that Paul did himself and directed others to seek by faith Rom. 3. 28. Gal. 2. 16. was such in which works have no hand But to Justification in cognoscendo or in foro conscentiae to the evidencing to us and assuring us that we are justified works do concur James 2. 16. 24. A man is justified assured of Justification by Works and not by faith only So that the other Justification must be of another and different kinde works being wholly excluded from having any thing to do therein 5. They who are in an estate of wrath and death until they do believe and then upon their believing passe out of that estate into an estate of life they are not actually justified till they do believe But the Elect are in such an estate of wrath and death till they do actually believe Ephes 2. Children of wrath even as others Tit. 3. 3. and then when they believe they passe out of that estate 1 John 3 14. We know we are passed from death to life Under the power of death we were then otherwise we could not have passed from it And when passed we from it the same Apostle in his Gospel tells us John 5. 24. chap. 3. ult in one of which places he assures us that he that heareth and believeth is passed and in the other He that believeth not the wrath of God stil abides on him which terms of passing and abiding clearly shew that all the Elect are and continue actually in that woful estate until they do believe I hope you will not say they passe in their own sense and apprehension and so are children of wrath according to their apprehensions The Apostle saith They are children of wrath even as others and certainly others are not only sensibly and appearingly so nay perhaps neither of these wayes but really so For my part I conceive no difference between a vessel of Election and a vessel of wrath but only in regard of Gods purpose and Christs purchase which til it be brought into act doth make no real change in the parties state and condition 6. Until men come actually to have Christ to be united unto him and one with him they cannot partake of Justification nor have any right thereto 1 John 5. 12. He that hath the Son hath life he that hath not the Son hath not life But until men have faith they have not Christ nor are united to him for by faith they receive him John 1. 12. go to him John 6. 35 37. Feed on him dwell in him and he in them John 6. 40 56. By faith they live in him and he in them Gal. 2. 20. By faith he dwelleth in their hearts Ephes 3. 17. Ergo Until men have faith and by faith do actually believe on him they cannot partake of Justification through him John 3. 36. I remember that when in a private conference I pressed some of these places of Scripture in stead of answering to them you demanded Whether the Elect had no benefit by Christ nor right to Christ before they did believe To which I replyed 1. That though there be a purpose in God to give salvation to them and a purchase of it by Christ for them yet had they no right thereunto until they had faith 2 That they might

of hope of a future happinesse or glorious Resurrection 1 Thess 4. 13. Howbeit with due moderation in humility of soul and quiet submission to the will of God it is not onely warrantable but laudable a practice which grace bringeth the people of God unto to mourne over the faithful Messengers of God when they are by death called home out of this present world When Steven was slaine by the Jewes Devout men carried him to his Burial and made great lamentation over him This is mentioned by the Holy Ghost not as a groundlesse but as a gracious practice of these Believers evidencing their Christian love to Stephen that blessed Martyr of the Lord. In proportion to this great lamentation made by devout men at Stephens Funeral and the sore weeping of the Believers of Ephesus at Pauls final parting from them mentioned in my Text I doubt not but our mourning over our deceased Brother at this time is lawful and laudable in the presence of the Lord. I will not multiply words in reference to this our Reverend Brother now taken from us I shall leave his Works to praise him in the Gate being well assured that many who have felt and tasted the power and comfort of his Ministry will beare witnesse to him and the working of God in him for their good One thing there is relating to his death which I cannot omit that the Lord greatly testified his acceptation of him in his Work in that he dyed of Epaphroditus his sicknesse of whom the Apostle wrote That for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death The Work of Christ of which Epaphroditus was sick was as far as wee can judge a special part of the Disease of which this our Brother dyed for after that some symptomes and beginnings of a bodily weaknesse had seized upon him his turn came to supply a Lecture at a place somewhat remote from his owne habitation which therefore some neerly related to him earnestly perswaded him to forbear for that time but such was his Zeal towards the work of Christ that it caused him to neglect his friends advice and his own health and to overlook his present danger and so undertake the Work of Preaching the Gospel in his course under the weight of which labour of love his weak body did apparently sink in the time and place of that publick service after which returning home he declined more and more untill the time of his death Our Saviours words therefore seem plainly to reach this our Brother and pronounce him blessed Blessed is that servant whom the Lord when he cometh shall find so so doing The Lord when he came to this our Brother by death found him doing so doing doing his Lords Work faithfully and therefore looking on him we have cause to part with him rejoycingly being much assured of his blessednesse yet looking at our selves we have cause to part with him sadly when we consider that we shal have his help and see his face no more A Pillar is fallen and by the fall thereof a great breach made in this place this County this Land which that the Lord may be pleased in mercy to make up by increasing the number strengthning the hands and blessing the Labours of his faithful Servants in the Ministry we have great cause to bow our knees before him and to beg this favor from him in the name of the Lord Jesus to whom with the Father and blessed Spirit be praise and Glory for ever Amen FINIS a Vind. Ley Lect. 26. pag. 249. b Ames coron artic 1. c. 1. § 4 Impetration is the foundation of application c Camero in Ps 68. inter Arg Solut. Med. ult d Prideaux Ser● Draught of the brook And Perk. Ref. Cath. of Merit e Panstr Cathol tom 3. l. 14. c. 16. 21. ad 25. f Ibid. 9. 38. 12 Cor. 4. 17. h Jer. 3. 13. i 〈…〉 k 〈…〉 p. 112. l Gataker Rejoynd p. 31. m Fidem ponī ut conditionem salutem quidem antecedentem sed electionem ipsam consequentem nunquam à nostris negatum fuit summā verò cum religione constanter traeditum Cor. de Elect. c. 1. §. 4. p. 7. n 2 Thes 2. 11. o Rejoynder p. 47. p Si igitur haec esset mens et sententia Synodi quod simpliciter vellet monstrare illum de quo jam diximus modum et ordinem quo juxta Scripturae traditionem Deus utitur quando homines vult deducere ad justificationem et si illa quae Scriptura tradit procedere tribuerent non viribus liberi arbitrii sed gratiae Dei et operationi Sp. Sancti nec in illis praeparationibus constituerem meritum aut dignitatem propter quam justificemur facilè posset de vocabulo praeparationis dextrè juxta Scripturam intellecto conveniri Exam. part 1 p. 172. q Falsum est igitur quod in 9 canone nobis tribuunt quasi docemus nullum plane motum voluntatis divinitus donatum et excitatum praeced ere acceptionem justificationis Omnino enim docemus poenitentiam et contritionem praecedere Non dicimus praecedere tanquam meritum quod suâ dignitate cooperatur ad justificationem consequendam sed sicut sensus morbi aut dolor vulneris non est meritum sanationis sed urget et impellit ad desiderandum quaerendum et sucipiendum medicum r At Evangelium non promittit salutem absque ulla conditione legis observandae neque id nostrumquisquam docuit modò ne conditio pro merito sumatur tom 3. l. 15. c. 2. § 9. nam et fidei conditio non est antecedens sed consequens quia nullum fidei meritum attenditur sive fides non est causa salutis ſ Non negamus bona opera ullam relationem habere ad salutem habent enim relationem adjuncti consequentis et effecti ad salutem ut loquuntur adeptam et adjuncti antecedentis ac disponentis ad salutem adipiscendam atque etiam argumenti confirmantis fiduciam ac spem salutis sed negamus ulla opera nostra causam esse posse meritoriam justificationis ac salutis Bel. ener tom 4. lib. 6 cap 6. s Promissiones cum conditione obedientiae ut causae juris quod habemus ad rem promissam sunt propriae legis sed promissiones cum conditione obedientiae ut adjuncti aut effecti rei promissae vel dona●ionis ejus locum suum habent in benignissimae gratiae regno ubi meritis nostris nullus habetur locus cap. 5. §. 2. t Haec et hujusmodi opera cordis interna sunt omnibus justificatis necessaria non quod contineant in se efficaciam seu meritum justificationis sed quod juxta ordinationem divinam vel requirentur ut conditiones praeviae seu concurrentes sicuti poenitere et credere vel ut effecta à fide justificante necessariò manartia ut amare Deum diligere proximum De just act cap. 30. Q. 1.

likewise submit without murmuring and repining and say The will of the Lord be done But though we are thus to quiet our selves in the will of God and to part with our Brother in all humble submission thereunto yet are we not to part with him without sense of and sorrow for ours and the Churches damage in his removal from us Indeed there is no cause why we should mourn as men without hope of and comfort in the blessednesse of this our Brother who now sleeps in Christ and enjoyeth his presence yet there is cause and warrant too to mourne as Christians that so precious an instrument of good in the Church of God is taken from us And that it may appear that wee have Scripture warrant for such our mourning at this time I shall speak something through Gods strength from a Scripture which upon this sad occasion the Lord hath guided my Meditations unto which we find in Acts 20. 37 38. ACTS 20. 37 38. And they all wept sore and fell on Pauls neck and kissed him Sorrowing most of all for the words which he spake That they should see his face no more and they accompanied him unto the Ship THese words are a History of the mournful parting of the Apostle Paul and the Elders of the Church of Ephesus together with many other faithful Brethren when Paul took his final farewel of them and left them hopelesse of ever seeing his face again I will not hold you long in the Entry to my Text We may take notice that the Apostle Paul preached the Gospel for the space of two years in Ephesus with much diligence and happy successe till he was by the violence of furious enemies driven out thence as we have it at large related in chap. 19. And being to depart from Ephesus he called unto him the Disciples and confirmed their hearts in the truth which they had received and embracing them departed from them as appeares in ver 1. of this twentieth Chapter After this having bin in Macedonia and made his abode in Greece for three months he resolved upon a speedy Journey to Jerusalem and made haste thitherward by the way of Ephesus that if it were possible he might be there on the Day of Pentecost which was then at hand ver 16 In prosecution of which resolution he came to Miletus and from thence sent to Ephesus and called the Elders of the Church that he might speak with them and encourage them in that great work that God had called them unto ver 17. And when they were come the Apostle not in a way of carnal ostentation but that he might be looked upon as a leading President to other Messengers of the Gospel set forth his owne diligence and fidelity in preaching the Word of God ver 18 19 20 21. And ver 22 23 24. he shewed that God had acquainted him with many afflictions which would befal him for the future in the discharge of his duty all which he made very light of in comparison to the joyous accomplishment of his course and Ministry received from the Lord Jesus After this the Apostle told the Ephesians that he knew that this present parting would be his final parting with them in the flesh ver 25. and thereupon he appealed to their consciences concerning his diligent full and faithful dispensing of the Word and Counsel of God amongst them for the effecting what in him was the salvation of all ver 26 27. then from ver 28. to the end of ver 31. there is a very solemn charge given by the Apostle Paul to the Elders of Ephesus to look to themselves and to the dear bought flock of God over which the Holy Ghost had made them Overseers to feed them with the Word of Truth and defend them what they might from those Wolvish Seducers who rising up amongst them should make purlyes and seek to engrosse and draw away Disciples after them so disturbing and what in them lay destroying the Peace and Unity of the Church of God Having finished this charge the Apostle commended them to God and the Word of his Grace for their farther edification to eternal life ver 32. And then protesting his freedom from the sin of Covetousnesse and withal his known endeavour to avoid the very appearance of it ver 33 34 35. he concluded all that he spake unto them with prayer ver 36. and when prayer was ended the Apostle and the Ephesians in a most affectionate mournful manner parted each from other as the words of my Text give us a relation thereof And they all wept sore c. In these words we are to consider 1. The occasion of that sad mourning of the Elders of Ephesus and other Believers mentioned in the Text scil the Apostle Pauls final departing from them according as he told them that they should see his face no more But these words of the Apostle must be understood with a due restriction or limitation to this present world The Apostle did not at all doubt whether this should be a final parting between him and his believing Converts of Ephesus for ever he knew well there should be a happy time of meeting for them again as we may be assured from his own words to the Thessalonians For what is our hope or joy or crown of rejoycing Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming For ye are our glory and our joy These words of the Apostle inform us that he knew that no earthly parting should be absolutely a final parting betwixt him and other Believers when as he looked beyond this world to the coming of the Lord Jesus but in respect of his personal presence with the Ephesians to counsel instruct and comfort them as he had done in the wayes of God so the Apostle told them that they should see his face no more and when they were apprehensive thereof they wept 2. The description of the mourning of the Elders of Ephesus and other believers at their parting from the Apostle which is laid down in three particulars 1. The greatnesse of it They wept sore 2. The generality of it they were not some weak hearted ones alone who were the mourners at this parting but this was a great universal mourning of all that were present They all wept sore 3. The pathetick expressions of affection which the believing Ephesians used towards the Apostle Paul in this mourning at their parting from him They fell on his neck and kissed him and went as far as possibly they could with him till earth and sea necessitated their parting They accompanied him to the Ship I purpose at this time to gather up the sum of all these Particulars and give it unto you in one Doctrinal Observation easily arising from the words of the Text viz That A faithful Minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is enjoyed with much love and finally parted from with much sorrow by those who truly believe

the Gospel The sorrow here recorded of the Elders of Ephesus and other Believers for the final parting of the Apostle from them was not under any other notion but as he was a faithful Minister of Jesus Christ unto them so they loved him whilst they enjoyed him so they mourned over him when he was going from them Ministerial faithfulnesse admitteth of degrees in those in whom it is in truth Amongst the Ministers of the Gospel in our dayes such as attain the measure of the Apostle Pauls faithfulnesse are I say not rarely but as I conceive not at all to be found How beit I doubt not but that through Gods grace there are some Ministers of the Gospel in our dayes the desire of whose soul is that they may be faithful and who do actually attain to some degrees of faithfulnesse in the Ministry which they have received from the Lord Jesus and shall therefore be inabled to give up the account of their Stewardship with comfort and approbation to him their great Lord at his appearing and Kingdom I intend through Gods assistance in order to the opening of the Doctrine now before us in the first place to discover when a man may be a faithful Minister of Jesus Christ A man may be said to be a faithful Minister of Jesus Christ 1 First When being called and set apart to the Gospel of God as the Apostle was Rom. 1. 1. he looks to and minds the discharge of the duty of the Ministry as the great work incumbent on him in relation to Gods glory and the good of his people It is fit they should turne Farmers Merchants State-Counsellors any thing rather then Ministers of the Gospel who make it their chief aim and work to get Manors Moneys or the Advancement of this present world Whosoever they be that mind their corporal dues more or as much as they do their Spiritual Duties who look carefully after the reward and carelesly after the Work of the Ministry shall never be acknowledged by the Lord in the number of the faithful Ministers of the Gospel They who account their Ministerial being to consist in their Ministerial Duties and thē discharge of them and accordingly presse after the same though they trade but with one talent and possibly bring not in visibly much advantage to their Lord may yet expect to be accepted as faithful Ministers of the Gospel and to hear at last from their Lord that sweet voice Well done good and faithful servant thou hast been faithful over a few things I will make thee Ruler over many things enter thou into the joy of thy Lord Matth. 25. 23. 2. Secondly When a man applyeth himself to the dispensing of the whole and of the pure Word of God to those among whom he laboureth in the Lord. He is an unfaithful Steward who with-holdeth any part of that from the Houshold which was committed to him for their good and he cannot have the esteem of a faithful Minister of the Gospel who wittingly keeps back any portion of that good Word and Counsel of God which hee hath received from the Lord to impart to others for the making of them wise unto salvation The Apostle appealed to the knowledge and conscience of the Elders of Ephesus that he had kept back nothing which was profitable to them ver 20. and that he was pure from the blood of all men in that he had not shunned to declare unto them the whole counsel of God ver 26 27. It is certain that all Ministers of the Gospel do not arrive at the same height of knowledge in the Mysteries of the Gospel and counsels of God howbeit every Minister of the Gospel is to look and enquire diligently into the Scriptures after the Mysteries of the Gospel and mind of God and as he hath received so he is to administer the good Word of God to others without imbezeling or concealing any part of it which whilst he makes conscience and is careful to do according to his measure how smal soever his Ministerial Fidelity in this regard is to be acknowledged and he shall be accepted according to what he hath and not according to what he hath not And as a faithful Minister is careful to dispense the whole so likewise the pure Word of God not allaying and attempering the same by carnal mixtures unto the Lusts and likings of corrupt men The Lords charge in this kind is full of divine Majesty Jer. 23 28 29. The Prophet that hath a Dream let him tell a Dream and he that hath my Word let him speak my Word faithfully What is the chaff to the wheat saith the Lord Is not my Word like to a fire saith the Lord and like a hammer that beateth the rock in pieces And herein the Apostle with much joy testified his own and the fideity of his fellow Laborers in the Gospel professing that they were not as many which corrupt the Word of God but as of sincerity as of God in the sight of God spake they in Christ 2 Cor. 2. 17. 3. Thirdly A faithful Minister of the Gospel is one that takes care rightly to divide the Word of Truth and give every one in Gods family that portion of the Word which belongeth unto him At this branch of Ministerial fidelity the Apostle pointed in that charge which with so much seriousnesse and solemnity he gave to Timothy I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shal judg the quick and dead at his appearing and his Kingdom Preach the Word be instant in season out of season reprove rebuke exhort with all long suffering and Doctrine Gods faithful Messengers are careful to dispense instruction to the ignorant comfort to the feeble minded terror to the obstinate On some to have compassion others save with fear plucking them out of the fire This Ministerial fidelity and wisdome is very necessary and highly accounted of by the Lord in his servants as appeareth evidently from our Saviours words Who then is that faithful and wise Steward whom the Lord shall make Ruler over his houshold to give them their portion of meat in due season Blessed is that servant whom the Lord when he cometh shall find so doing This fidelity the Apostle Paul again and again called Timothy unto that commanding counsel cannot be overlooked in this kind Study to shew thy self approved to God a workman that needeth not to be ashamed rightly dividing the Word of Truth And doubtless every faithful Minister hath it upon his conscience and in his care and earnest desire according to the degree of wisdom received from God to dispense the Word of God in such wise that every one may have a seasonable and sutable portion of the same as shall be necessary for the bringing him in or building him up to receive an inheritance amongst those that are sanctified by faith in Christ Jesus 4. Fourthly As a faithful Minister of the Gospel is careful to

preach so likewise to pray for the people amongst whom God hath set him A Preacher that speaks not oftner to God for then from God to his people may partingly shake hands but cannot partakingly joyn hands with the faithful Ministers of Jesus Christ as belonging to their number The Prophet Jeremiah witnessed his fidelity towards the people in praying to the Lord for them Remember how I stood before thee to speak good for them and to turne away thy wrath from them This is much of the close and closet-work of the faithful Ministers of Jesus Christ Very many there are now adayes who think sleightly of the Ministers of the Gospel and their work supposing that they have little to do and might well be spared But did such persons know what is done in private by the faithful Ministers of Christ how they ply the Lord with prayers for the people that he would divert his judgments from them continue and blesse his Ordinances unto them subdue their sins increase their graces comfort their hearts and save their souls they could hardly retain such thoughts or utter such words as they do concerning the despised servants of Jesus Christ But how ever they are esteemed or dis-esteemed by men it is knowne to the Lord and that is enough that a faithful Minister is an importunate suter unto him in the behalf of his people as the Apostle Paul assured the Philippians he was in respect of them I thank my God upon every remembrance of you alwayes in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy Philip. 1. 3 4. 5. Fifthly A faithful Minister of the Gospel is to exemplifie what he teacheth others in the course of his owne life A wicked well speaking Minister shall never obtain approbation for fidelity from the Lord Jesus Though a mans words be celestial as of an Angel of Heaven yet if his Conversation be low loathsome and corrupt his prophecying in Christs name will not prevail with the Lord Christ in the day of Judgment ●o own and acknowledg him for one of his faithful servants but he shall then bee found amongst those wretches to whom our Saviour will utter that dreadful voice I never knew you depart from me ye that work iniquity The Apostle Paul exhorted Timothy and in him all Ministers of the Gospel who desire to be found faithful to look to it that they be an example of Believers in Word in Conversation in Spirit in Faith in Purity He multiplyed words as we see that Timothy and every faithful Minister of the Gospel might see a necessity laid upon him to make it his great aim and endeavour to walk exemplarily and inoffensively before Gods people in all things The Proto-Type of Holiness is our Lord Christ all his faithful Ministers are to be followers of him that they may be examples to the flock 1 Cor. 11. 1. He that faileth in this Duty and is not deeply humbled for his failing is far from Ministerial faithfulnesse and by his evil conversation doth more effectually cry down then by his good Doctrine preach up the power of godliness 6. Sixthly Of a faithful Minister of the Gospel it is required that he watch over the souls of those amongst whom he liveth both for the preventing of hurtful errors and practical evils both which tend to the destruction of souls It appeareth from Heb. 13. 17. that a special part of the work of the Ministers of the Gospel is to have an eye to the souls committed to them that they be not unawares surprised by Errors in Doctrine or evils in practice Errors against the truth or holinesse of the Gospel are of an insinuating nature if they be not timely resisted they will make room for themselves and bring on a shipwrack of faith and a good conscience together Ministers of the Gospel are therefore in faithfulness to hold fast the faithful Word as they have been taught and by sound Doctrine both to exhort and convince the gainsayers They are with all circumspection specially in such Apostatizing times as we are fallen into to look to the flock of God that they be not led away by the errour of the wicked or possibly of some good men misguided in some particulars to fall from their own sted fastnesse but may stand fast and grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ It may seem at first a small matter to let errour against the Truth or Holinesse of the Gospel into the judgment but the judgment tainted with such Errour is apt to grant out dispensations for the practice of sin and so a little Errour many times draweth a great sluce to let in a sea of pollution upon men to the drowning of them in everlasting perdition It therefore belongeth to the faithfulnesse of the Ministers of the Gospel to fortifie and establish their people what in them lyeth in the Truth of the Gospel that they may not be as children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of Doctrine by the sleight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lye in wait to deceive but may have their ears shut up against the voice of strangers and opened only to the teaching of that good Shepherd who hath the words of eternal life And as faithful Ministers are to watch over the people in respect of Doctrinal Errors so also of practical evils that they do not overspread them they are often to inculcate the Apostle Doctrine that the grace of God which bringeth salvation teacheth us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present World and again That our Lord Jesus gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works and therefore that every one that nameth the name of Christ should depart from iniquity And if they see any one taken in a fault through infirmity it belongeth to them not only in the right of charity but special duty to restore such a one with the Spirit of meeknesse and when they discover others hardning themselves obstinately in their evil wayes they are boldly to reprove them and yet with meeknesse to instruct them yea though they oppose themselves if God peradventure would give them repentance to the acknowledgment of the truth that they may recover themselves out the snare of the Divel who are taken captive at his will The sum of all is When a servant of Jesus Christ separated to the Ministry of the Gospel carefully mindeth his work and bendeth himself to deliver the Word of God wholly purely and seasonably labouring instantly with God by prayer to procure a blessing on his people and his labours amongst them and withal is careful to exemplifie his own Doctrine that the people may see in him what they hear from him and lastly hath his eyes open to observe and his mouth open