sensible that however Learning may enlighten or refine the Understanding the Doctrine of the Cross and Christ crucified and such plain Notions of Christianity are the things which being affectionately ponder'd will conduct the Soul to eternal Life and Glory And therefore how impertinent soever it may be to make an Oration of War before Hannibal it cannot be improper to discourse of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Common things which accompany Salvation before the learnedest of you all not to make you more knowing and intelligent that were to hold a Taper to the Sun but to give you opportunities to be better Discourses of this nature may put you in remembrance of a Duty which multiplicity of business would not suffer you to think of or contemplations of other matters tempted you to overlook The learneder you are the fitter you are to improve the meaner performances of the Orator and while you apply your larger Understandings to the Common Truths deliver'd by the inconsiderabâ—… Speaker and make Comments upon them in your minds by richer Meditations your Edification is signal being hereby put in a capacity of saving both your selves and others And having premised this Observation I may now with greater chearfulness and courage exhort you who are here present not only those of the Third and Second Degree or Order of Priesthood as Optatus Milevitanus calls Deacons and Priests but even you the very Apices the Principes the Chiefs and Heads of the Church of God to stir up the Gift of God which is in you by the imposition of hands for this is no more than putting you in remembrance of the things you have learn'd and known and are eminently vers'd in And that I may proceed orderly I shall enquire I. What the Gift is which was in Timothy and may still be suppos'd to be in all those whom God calls to the same Office. II. How that Gift was anciently and is still bestow'd and convey'd or communicated III. How this Gift is to be stirr'd up and what are the most proper means and ways to do it I. What the Gift is which was in Timothy and may still be suppos'd to be in all those whom God calls to the same Office. This Gift is the Holy Ghost a Gift known already before and under the Law but which by the Confession of the Jews themselves ceased in the Synagogue after the Death of Haggai Zachary and Malachy as well as the fire from Heaven the Ark of God the Urim and Thummim and the Shekinah or Divine Presence a Gift which revived and rose again and with greater lustre and splendor too when Christ Jesus came into the World himself being the Anointed of the Lord to whom God gave the Spirit without measure that of his fulness we should all receive grace for grace a Gift poured out in those glorious days according to Joel's Prophecy upon all flesh i. e. on all sorts of men even some times by drops at least upon Christ's Enemies for it was by this Spirit that Caiaphas prophesied that Christ should die for the People a Gift most visibly and most eminently conferr'd on the Apostles Christ's Friends and Domesticks and who were to preach the Gospel to every Creature under Heaven and therefore consecrated by Miracles and such a descent of the Holy Ghost upon them as put not only the Spectators but the Apostles themselves that felt the Inspiration into Extasie a Gift which in the Primitive Times wonderfully illuminated those who were baptiz'd sometimes before their baptism as in the Case of Cornelius that famous 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Proselyte of the gate a Gift bestow'd more particularly on persons who were chosen out of the People to exercise the Ministerial Function whether as Apostles or Bishops who succeeded those Stewards of the House of God or as Priests or as Deacons In a word men separated to holy Offices and this is the Gift to which the Text hath relation When Christ ordained his Apostles or rather confirmed their former Ordination John xx 22 he ordained them with this Motto Receive ye the Holy Ghost with an intent no doubt that after his Decease and before their leaving the World they should ordain Elders in every City whether Bishops or inferior Ministers of the Word and entitle them to the same Gift so far at least as it was conducive to the effectual exercise of their Ministry for it was not necessary that this Gift as it brake out in Miracles and Prophecies and speaking in unknown Tongues raising the dead and opening the eyes of the blind and healing the sick c. should be propagated or continued in those who were to succeed the Apostles in their Ministry that demonstration of the Spirit by Signs and Wonders being proper only for those days when the new Law was to be established and Jews were to be called away from Moses to Jesus from an External to a Spiritual Service and the Heathens from their Gods and Idolatries It was enough that the substantial part of the Gift was to be continued in the Church and in its Officers to bring People in the Unity of the Faith unto a perfect man in Christ Jesus and this Gift is said here to be in Timothy This Phrase the Holy Ghost being of a large Extent standing sometime for the Person sometime for the miraculous Gifts sometime for the saving Graces of the Holy Ghost and even these Gifts and Graces are different for there are diversities of Gifts but the same Spirit saith St. Paul 1 Cor. xii 4 I shall therefore particularize the Gift communicated to Timothy and if we take St. Paul for our Guide we shall find this Gift was a Divine Power vouchsafed to this man of God which enabled and disposed him to teach and live and act and do answerably to the Duties incumbent upon him as a Governour of the House of God. The Apostle in the following Verse calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Spirit of Power of Love and of a sound Mind the Spirit of Christian Fortitude of Charity and of Sedateness and Tranquillity of Temper 1. The Spirit of Fortitude which consists in being undaunted at danger fearless of the Frowns of men while we do no more than our Duty and a steddy Freedom to vindicate the Truth of the Gospel and the Honour of Christ Jesus whatever may be the Effect or Consequence of it In a word an humble boldness such as Hosius St. Ambrose St. Athanasius St. Hilary St. Chrysostome St. Basil and others were famous for who talk'd to Kings and Emperors when God's Cause was concern'd like Persons who feared nothing but the Anger of the King of Heaven and tho Pride and Passion do sometimes shelter themselves under the Name of Christian Fortitude yet the counterfeit Ware may soon be distinguish'd from the true and genuine by examining the Cause and Principle from which the boldness rises which if it be Contempt of the World and a pure Sense
Office and Station Men that have been thus initiated themselves lay their Hands on him which calls me to Examination of the second Query II. How this Gift was anciently and is still bestowed and communicated By the putting on of my Hands saith St. Paul and 1 Tim. iv 14 he adds by the laying on of the Hands of the Presbytery i. e. of the whole Apostolical Colledge or the greater part of the Apostles who it's like were present upon the place for the Apostles are called Presbyters sometimes ' nay Deacons too Names in those days not of Office at least not constantly but of Age and Honour and Service This Rite or Ceremony of Imposition of Hands on a Person designed for Church-Offices and the Service of the Tabernacle Isidore and others derive from Isaac's blessing his Son Jacob which they suppose was one by the Patriarch's laying his Hands upon Jacob's Head from Jacob's laying his Hands on his Grand-Children and blessing them from Moses's laying his Hand on Joshua and communicating part of his Spirit to him And indeed there are very few but will grant that it came from the Jews who at the preferring or promoting a Person to the degree of Rabbi or Doctor of their Law laid their Hands upon him a Ceremony performed by three and call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Semicah and this was a Symbol that the Holy Ghost rested upon the Person thus ordained The Ancient Romans used to lay their Hands upon their Slaves when they made them free and Numa Pompilius had Hands laid on him when he was made High Pontiff but it 's probable that even these fetcht it from the Jews The Christian Churches who retain'd what was good and praise worthy among the Jews seeing nothing in this Rite but what was grave and decent and solemn and serious adopted it into their Service The three Orders Bishops Priests and Deacons were in imitation of the Synagogue which had her High-Priests her Priests and her Levites and so was this Imposition of Hands In sacrificing Beasts to the Honour of God the Priest laid his Hands on the Victims Head to shew he dedicated it to God and from common separated it to a holy use and dismiss'd it from the Service of Men into that of the most High God all which Significations did wonderfully well agree with the end of the Ministerial Function under the Gospel and therefore the Christians had no reason to reject this useful and decent Custom Our Blessed Saviour first practised this Ceremony upon the Children that were brought to him for his Blessing and it 's not unlikly he laid his Hands on the Apostles before he left the World for we read that a little before his Departure he lifted up his Hands and blessed them Luke xxiv 50 After our Saviour's Ascension into Heaven the Apostles constantly used it after Baptism in Confirmation as an external Mark to signify the Descent of the Spirit upon the Persons wash'd with Water But more especially when they separated any Persons to holy Offices and they laid their Hands on such as a sign or pledg that the Holy Ghost or a Spirit and Temper suitable to their Calling and Employment and Profession was and would be conferr'd upon them to guide and assist and direct them This Imposition of Hands was no Physical Cause of conveying the Holy Ghost but an External Assurance That as surely as the Hands were laid on the Head of the Person ordain'd so surely would the Spirit of Power of Love and of a sound Mind light upon his Soul if he did not obstruct it by wilful departing from the Living God. And yet all this doth not make Order a Sacrament for tho we grant here is a Sign and something Spiritual and Unseen Represented by that Sign yet there is something more required to the making of a Sacrament and those must necessarily think so who believe that the Apostles could institute no Sacraments by their Authority That this Rite hath lasted in the Church from the Apostles Times unto this day is what the concurrent Testimonies of all Ages witness Those that would confine it to the Apostles Times are injurious to the Church of Christ which would be in an uncomfortable condition if her Guides and Pastors came not in the same way their Predecessors did and why should we think the Lord's Hand shortned or believe he will not let his Spirit accompany the Pious Ceremony when his Church now hath as much need of it as heretofore and it 's hard God should vouchsafe his Spirit to Persons on whom Holy Hands were laid in the Jewish and refuse that Favour to the Guides and Pastors of the Christian Church those especially who keep themselves unspotted from the World. The Maronites in their Office of Ordination make out the Original and Succession of this Rite thus The Most High God say they came down on Mount Sinai and laid his Hands upon Moses Moses laid his upon Aaron Aaron upon his Sons his Sons successively on those that follow'd them until John the Baptist John the Baptist laid his Hand upon our Saviour our Saviour upon his Apostles his Apostles on the Bishops that succeeded them and they ever since on those who are admitted into Holy Orders How true or how just this Calculation is I shall not now enquire But that which I hinted before I must touch here again viz. That this Ceremony as it relates to Orders and particularly to Timothy's Office must be performed by those upon whom Holy Hands were laid before in order to their Lawful Ministring before the Lord. The Secular Magistrate and Laity may name and propose Candidates but cannot by their Imposition of Hands ordain Bishops and Elders for no such Power was ever given them In the purest and best none would nay in the most corrupt Ages none durst presume to do it The Power Ecclesiastical as it was distinct from the Secular before the Empire was Christian so they have continued distinct since Crowns have stoopt to the Cross and though they live lovingly together and are helpful one to another yet the one ought not to interfere with the other's essential rights and Constitutions The Apostle emphatically says by the putting on of my hands Himself had been separated to the Office of Teacher and Apostle by Imposition of Hands and what was conferr'd on him he confers on Timothy the same way And yet though he had assistants in the Ordination of his Beloved Son and though others laid their Hands on him as well as St. Paul that 's no Argument that therefore one without the help of more cannot convey the Power and Authority of Timothy's Office to others I know the Church requires three at least to lay their hands on the Man of God who is to be consecrated to the Churches service and most of the Ancient Canons press it nay some Churches have been so stiff in this point that they have pronounc'd that Ordination of a Bishop unlawful
Imprimatur Z. Isham R.P.P. Henrico Episc. Lond. à sacris Apr. 4. 1689. A SERMON PREACHED AT FULHAM IN THE Chappel of the Palace Upon Easter-day MDCLXXXIX AT THE CONSECRATION OF THE Right Reverend Father in God GILBERT Lord Bishop of SARVM By ANTHONY HORNECK D.D. LONDON Printed for Ric. Chiswell at the Rose and Crown in St. Paul's Church-Yard MDCLXXXIX To the Right Reverend Father in God GILBERT Lord Bishop of SARVM My Lord AFter your Lordship had desired me to Print this Sermon I met with a Discourse upon the very same Subject and upon an occasion of the same nature by an abler Hand which made me look upon the printing of mine as needless and had almost prevailed with me to lay aside all thoughts of Publishing what I deliver'd in your Lordship's presence but considering that Obedience would be better resented than Excuses and a man had better see himself out-shined by persons of greater parts and abilities which is a comfort to an humble mind than be guilty of disrespect to those whom we look upon both as our Friends and Superiors Not to mention that our matter and method are different I was resolved to venture And tho these courser Meditations may not give that satisfaction that more elaborate Orations do yet since there must be Vnder-workmen as well as Master-builders and both may be useful in their several stations I was willing to appear before your Lordship with this Present in which I must beseech you to regard the heart with which it is offer'd more than the gift it self which if you do you will not only let the World see how great your Charity is in over-looking Defects and Blemishes but increase the Obligations you have already laid on My Lord Your Lordships most affectionate and most humble Servant A. HORNECK 2 TIM i. 6 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance That thou stir up the gift of God which is in thee by the putting on of my hands THEY that think that every Christian may be a Preacher and that the Ministry considered as a distinct Calling or Employ is nothing but usurpation and some ambitious mens affecting a Superiority over their Brethren like the Cynick of old trampling upon Plato's Cloak make themselves guilty of greater Pride than that which they pretend to condemn They not only contradict the universal Sense of Mankind which from immemorial times have had their distinct Officers of Religion but set up their Conceits against the Wisdom of God himself who did no sooner plant a Church in the World but took care the Priesthood should be in a certain Order of Men and as before the Law the First-born was to have that Priviledge as all the ancient Jewish Records do witness so under the Law the Family of Aaron was pâ—…ched upon to attend the Altar And tho the whole Jewish Nation was a Royal Priesthood or a Kingdom of Priests in a metaphorical sense yet properly speaking none could officiate in publick either in the Tabernacle or Temple but the Levites and the Sons of Aaron And under the New Testament tho the Spirit was poured out upon all flesh yet even then men were separated and set apart for preaching the Word administring the Holy Sacraments and exercising Church-Censures and to invade the Office was counted Presumption and Sacriledge and no less than resisting the Holy Ghost The Church is called a Building and we know that every Flint or Pebble is not fit to be a Foundation or Corner-stone much less to be set into the Ephod and there to shine in Oracles and Responses It 's call'd a Body too and this hath various Members and these various Offices which cannot be all Eyes and Overseers if they were where would be the hearing It was therefore that the Apostles in the places where they preach'd the Gospel before they left them or took their final leave of the People ordain'd them Bishops and Elders to succeed them in the Ministerial Function such a Bishop was Timothy the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the President and Overseer of the Church of Ephesus and not only of the Church in the City but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Diocess of Ephesus saith Eusebius and if we may believe St. Chrysostom of all Asia whose Office was besides his other Ministerial Labours to inspect the Clergy under his charge and other Officers belonging to the House of God whereof the Fifth Chapter of the First Epistle to Timothy seems to me a very clear Evidence for it speaks of an Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction lodged in Timothy an Overseer constituted and appointed by St. Paul even by the laying on of his hands whereof he puts him in mind in the Text and of the Gift that was bestow'd upon him by that imposition of hands and of his duty to exercise it Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God which is in thee by the laying on of my hands And here before I enter upon the Apostle's Exhortation or the Duty contain'd in it I cannot but take notice of the softness and gentleness of his Address I put thee in remembrance Practical Discourses and salutary Admonitions to men of Learning and good Education are a refreshing of their Memories rather than teaching or illuminating their Understandings Timothy could not be ignorant of the Duty recommended to him here by his spiritual Father for from a child he had known the holy Scriptures which made him wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus perfect and throughly furnish'd unto all good works yet the Apostle preaches to him a very familiar Duty and this preaching he calls putting him in remembrance The same may be said almost of all Sermons deliver'd in mixt Auditories where judicious and intelligent persons are mingled with vulgar capacities The Morals and common Principles explain'd and taught and inculcated there may be as useful to those of a higher as well as to those of a lower Form for tho they came not attended with new Notions to instruct them yet they may serve to put them in mind of the solid Truths they know and give them opportunity to enlarge and ruminate upon them to their spiritual profit and edification The things which tend to make us eternally happy are the plainest the most known and the most familiar Doctrines improv'd into practice of godliness and he that makes the Articles of the Catholick Faith Motives and Engagements to Self-denial and strictness of life is more likely to arrive in the Harbour of a blessed Immortality than the greatest Literati who think it below them to employ their Parts and Understandings about things which every Ploughman knows as well as they It was the custom of a very learned Prelate of our Church when he had talk'd with his friends of some nicer Points of Divinity or History or Chronology to close his Discourse with this friendly Exhortation Come let us now talk a little of Jesus Christ being
which hath been perform'd by one only and several Ancient Decrees and Constitutions there are that require Ordination of a Bishop by all the Bishops of the Province yet all this can have relation only to the ordinary course of things and where such plenty may easily be had Cases of necessity are not excluded here nor is that Ordination invalid where there is but one to bless the Party who is admitted to the Office in the Name of the Lord. Nor need we wonder that by the imposition of Hands the Holy Ghost even the Spirit of Power of Love and of a sound Mind should be conferr'd for as this Imposition of Hands is always seconded by Prayer which makes St. Austin look upon Imposition of Hands and Prayer to be one and the same thing So we know what Promises are made to fervent and importunate Prayer Luke XI 13 If ye being evil can give good gifts unto your Children how much more shall your heavenly Father give his Holy Spirit to them that ask him But It 's time I should in the last place shew III. How this gift is to be stirr'd up and what is the best and most proper way to do it In the original it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is as much as stirring up the fire or blowing the coals and making the fire burn that lies mingled with the ashes a word much used by Plato which hath made some fancy that the Apostle was well vers'd in Plato's Writings but there is no necessity for that Conjecture for the LXX make use of the expression and with their Translation it 's likely the Apostle was better acquainted than the Ideas of that Philosopher So that the Spirit of God conferr'd upon Sacred Persons by the Imposition of Hands is lodged in the Soul as the Treasure in the Gospel was hid in the Field which required digging and searching to make it useful It 's like Gold in the Oar which requires Melting and Cleansing and Purifying like a stock of money which requires Improvement by Trading like seed Sown in the Ground which requires Watering and other Labour and Industry to make it come forth and Grow and Spread and yield Fruit and strengthen man's heart This stirring up the Gift of God respects either the Means that are to be used or the Duty it self The Means hinted in this and the preceding Epistle are chiefly three Prayer Reading Meditating 1. Prayer Who can live without it Who can act or do any thing of Moment without the assistance of this Spiritual Engine Nature teaches Mankind to begin their Works of Concernment with God Grace therefore must be supposed to press this Duty infinitely more on you particularly the Heirs of Timothy's Office in order to this stirring up the Gift of God that is in you by the Imposition of Hands God that gives you Talents intends not that you should bury them in the Earth or lay them up in a Napkin but Occupy and Traffick with them and be gainers by them and to do this his help is necessary who gives strength to the Weak and Power to the Feeble and this help is not to be had without Importunate Cryes and Sollicitations These Prayers must have Fire it 's their fervour that unlocks the Secret Cabinet of the Almighty as Jamblicus Phrases it They must be in the Nature of Gorgonia's Devotions must even Storm and Threaten Heaven as it were so that God cannot withstand their Force and Power and such were the Prayers of Moses and Aaron and Samuel among his Priests that called upon his Name they call'd upon the Lord and he answer'd them Psal. XCIX 6 2. Reading This the Apostle expresly recommends to Timothy 1 Tim. IV. 13 in order to his stirring up the Gift of God. Reading What No doubt the Holy Scripture and therefore our Church prescribes delivering a Bible into the Hands of the Person upon whom Episcopal Hands are laid and the Maronites lay the Book of the Gospel upon such a Person 's Breast as the Nestorians in Syria do upon his back or shoulders not but that other Books are useful in their Times and Seasons but St. Paul knew what profit was to be got by Reading this Library of the Holy Ghost these Pandects of Christianity and being greedy after this Food of the Soul. The great examples you meet with here the Industry of Moses the Zeal of Elijah the Fervour of St. Paul the Vigour of St. Stephen the Courage of St. Peter the Assiduity of Apollo the Sincerity of Barnabas what are these but so many motives to stir up the Gift of God that is in you Add to all this the Glorious the Precious the Large the Sweet the Wonderful Promises Promises of Christ's Assistance Promises of Comfort of Support of Eternal Life and Glory which will animate and enliven and prompt you to blow up the fire of the Sanctuary and the Coal of the Altar that it may consume the Dross and Tin not only that which cleaves to your own Souls but that also which sticks to others that see and hear you and converse with you 3. Meditating This is also urged among the Means not to neglect the Gift of God 1 Tim. IV. 15 Meditate upon these things give thy self wholly to them The bare Reading will make no great impression Mediation digests and Rouzes the Soul from her Slumber This quickens the faculties sets all the wheels a going incites to Labour Prompts to Industry and moves and even compels us to imitate the great examples set down in the Word of God and to follow their Faith and Wisdom and Hope and Love and Charity Meditation is spiritual Seeing Seeing the Fight made Homer's Hero join in Battel Meditation surveys the Combats of the Prophets Apostles Martyrs and Christ himself and from hence arise Incentives and Encouragements to stir up the Gift of God that is in you by the Imposition of Hands But in what doth the stirring up of the gift of God consist Chiefly in these Three particulars 1. Feeding the Flock of God which is among you taking the oversight thereof not by constraint but willingly not for filthy Lucre but of a ready mind neither as being Lords over Gods heritage but being ensamples to the Flock This is St. Peters charge and we cannot well conceive how this Spirit or gift can be stirred up more profitably than this way for this end the Holy Spirit is bestow'd upon you that you should feed the Flock committed to your charge and cause it to be fed by persons not only Learned but Pious and Devout and such as have a great sense of God and of the worth of Mens Souls for this cause the Holy Ghost moves upon your inward Man that you should feed the Sheep by preaching the Word by your sweet and gentle Government and by your exemplary lives These will be Evidences and Arguments and Demonstrations that the Spirit of Glory and of God rests upon you that you walk after the
of God's Glory it sanctifies the Temper and speaks it to be derived from the Holy Ghost 2. The Spirit of Love. It was not without very great Reason that our Saviour ask'd St. Peter thrice Lovest thou me and Lovest thou me more than these We may very rationally infer that in saying so he shew'd what manner of Spirit those should be of who were to be Pastors and Teachers and Overseers in the House of God. Nothing renders them more amiable to God and Man than this Spirit of Love Love to the Lord Jesus Love to God's Glory Love to the Souls of Men Love which makes them willing to spend and to be spent even to die for the Name of the Lord Jesus It is the mark of Christ's Disciples in general and therefore must be so more eminently of those who are to go before the Sheep and lead them to green Pastures From this Love have proceeded the almost incredible Pains that holy Men of God have taken for the Conversion of Souls whereof Ecclesiastical History gives us very considerable Instances 3. The Spirit of a sound Mind This seems to be a Temper able to curb the Passions Inordinate Lusts Desires and Perturbations of the Mind an admirable Spirit To know when to be angry and when to be calm when to be severe and when to be moderate and gentle when to use the Rod and when to use the Staff to have the Brutish Part in subjection to the Rational the Body to the Soul the Flesh to Spirit this is Wisdom beyond all Worldly Policy whatsoever Plato makes this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or soundness of Mind the opposite of Madness Indeed indulging our Passions and letting loose the Reins of our carnal and sensual Affections is no better for it 's an Argument that Reason is dethroned and the ruling part of the Soul is become subject to the ignobler Principality and surely this is Madness The Mind is then sound when it keeps the lower Faculties in good order and it is an Argument of Wisdom to judg of things without Heats or Prejudice or prospect of self-Interest and to keep the wild Desires of corrupted Nature in awe and to do things with Prudence and Moderation This is the Gift here aim'd at a Gift very necessary for the discharge of so great so weighty an Employ as is intimated in the Text a Gift which not only Timothy was partaker of but which as I said may justly be supposed to be in all and to be given in some degree or other to those whom God calls to the same Office. For if this Spirit was bestow'd on Timothy upon the account of his Office and God intends that Office should continue to the World's end we may justly conclude that he will not deny the same Gift now to those whom he calls to the same Office. He that conferr'd another Heart and another Spirit upon Saul when he call'd him to be King over his People Israel can we think he 'll deny so useful so necessary a Gift to the Rulers of his Church who have his Call his Summons his Vocation I say his Call for no Man takes that Honour unto himself but he that is called as also was Aaron Those who call themselves whom either Ambition or Interest or a worldly sensual Mind or fondness of being great and to be called of Men Rabbi puts upon thrusting themselves into this sacred Office are call'd indeed but it is by that Spirit whose Name is Legion not by him who gave some Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the Work of the Ministry for the edifying of the Body of Christ Ephes. iv 11 This Call of God which our Church accounts requisite and necessary upon such occasions is no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bath Kol no Daughter of the Voice no audible Sound or Language dropp'd from Heaven as it was Act. xiii 2 Separate me Paul and Barnabas no sudden Passion or warm Fancy no violent Impulse which Melancholy causes or a turbulent Temper doth infuse but it appears by proper Parts and Abilities by Learning suitable to the Office by being skilful in the Word of Truth by a secret sense of the weight and importance of the Calling by Christian Wisdom and Prudence by a vehement desire to do good to win Souls to gain Proselytes to Righteousness and to advance the Glory of Christ's Kingdom by unfeigned love to good Men and being enamour'd with those Christian Vertues and Perfections without which that Name is only assumed and usurp'd and a Man is dead while he lives Those who are thus qualified have not only one but all or most of these Characters and carry this whole Constellation in the Heaven of their Souls are and may truly be said to be called to this Office by him who tells the number of the Stars for these are such even Stars in Christ's Right-hand and calls them all by their Names And on such Men we may expect the Spirit and the Gift of the Text will descend when an external Call invites them to put their Shoulders under the Burthen and as the Spirit came on Elishaâ—… when the Minstrel plaid so such Men having this Harmony in their Souls may look for the illapse of this Spirit especially when seconded with the external Musick of Veni Creator Spiritus When St. Paul 1 Tim. iii. 1 speaks of a Person who desires the Office of a Bishop and then subjoyns the Accomplishments of the Man who desires it he doth in effect require this internal Call and setting down the particular marks of it the design without all peradventure is to shew that he who thinks to enter into that Station must enquire of himself whether those Ingredients are found in him He â—hat finds them not and yet boasts of a Divine Vocation may indeed deceive and blind the Eyes of Men who can see no farther than the outside of the Cup and Platter but surely cannot impose upon a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an all-seeing Eye which doth not only see the Unsoundness of the Heart and want of the Wedding Garment but will revenge it too in that day when he shall judg the Secrets of Mens Hearts by his Gospel The Holy Ghoâ—… loves a cleanly Habitation the Terms and Epithethes by which that Gift is sometimes expressed in Scripture Fire and Water import so much It is another Spirit that enters into the Swine The Holy Spirit of Discipline as it is said Wisd. i. 5 will flee deceit and remove from Thoughts that are without Understanding and will not abide when Unrighteousness comes in But though a Person thus qualified for Timothy's Office and the sacred Function may be thereby disposed for the receiving of the Holy Ghost the Spirit of Power of Love and of a sound Mind or a greater portion of it if he had something of it before yet it seems this Gift is not actually bestowed except Persons of the same