and spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1.21 If they had not acquired learning i. e. by their own studâ—es they had which is better infused learning by the Spirit of grace The Spirit did still make an extraordinary supply of learning from himself unto such as were allowed of him in the Ministâ—y that were without an ordinary supply thereof by Schools of learning To one was given saith Paul by the Spirit the word of wisedom to another the word of knowledg by the same Spirit to another prophesie to another discerning of spirits to another diverse kinds of tongues to another the interpretation of tongues all which were wrought by the self-same Spirit 1 Cor. 128 10.11 2. Sect. Do not adventure upon publick authoritative teaching in the Church without a commission If you expect the assistance acceptance allowance and approbation of Christ Oh! do not adventure upon it without authority first given you of Christ If affectation if avarice if ambition or whatever else it be shall be putting you on let the aw of this truth of God your accountableness to the God of truth prepoÌ„derate stay you back as ever you would answer it to Christ to his Church or to your own Consciences another day Sirs the time is coming when aâ—l Vâ—zards shall bee pluck'd off and what were your aims by what your abilities for and why you declined authorâ—zing to the Ministry shall bee produced in open Court and conscience shall bee put to it will you nill you to answer such interrogatories as these are Who made you a teacher in Israel who required this at your hands who gave you this authority c. And sirs will not this bee a sad indictment from the Lord in that day I did not send these Prophets these preachers yet they ran I have not spoken to them yet they prophesied Well is it so that such teachers must have a commission as well as qualifications from our Lord Jesus Christ Oh! that such among us who exercise the Ministry enjoy the maintenance and expect the reverence of Ministers yet never entred by the door of Ordination upon the discharge of this Office but have climbed up some other way would seriously lay it to heart What is the Ministry an Office and the external committing of the Ministry unto men God's Ordinance how is it then that such do that I say not that such daâ—e ordinarily exercise the Ministry as to the preaching part who never were and perhaps never will be who never did design nor do now desire to be solemnly set apart to the Ministry Consider I pray you these two things 1. That to do the proper work of a Minister or Officer of God cannot bee safe 2. To do the preaching work of a Minister cannot but be sinfull N. 1. To do the proper work of a Minister or Officer of God cannot bee safe without his ordination or appointment thereunto Men may passe it by it is true but God will not put it up unpunished The holiest pretexts of Korah and his complices will not help them if they seek the Priesthood Numb 16.3.10 31.32 33. God is so far from bearing withit in common men that he would at no hand take it from the chiefest magistrate witnesse Sauls losse of the Kingdome for it though burdened then with so great straits 1 Sam. 13 8 to 15 Vzziahs leaprosie to the day of his death for it though before this hee had been blessed with so great successe 2 Chron. 26.16 to 22. And now beloved is not ordinary authoritative teaching in the Church the proper work of a Minister of Christ Yea what is if this benot Wherefore or whereunto is a Minister ordained else if not to be a Preacher and Teacher of the Church in faith and verity 1 Tim. 2.7 wherefore worthy of double honour else if not for labouring in the word doctrine which eminently bespeaketh preaching 1 Tim. 5.17 Wherefore is the Gospell and this Office committed to him else if not for manifesting the word through preaching Tit. 1.3 yea indeed not so much to baptize as to preach 1 Cor. 1.17 Beloved therefore 't is we are allowed of God to be put in trust with the Gospel 1 Thes 2 4. therfore are we appointed of God to this trust in the Gospel 2 Tim. 1.11 therefore and thereunto it is that we are so adjured and called upon God in the Gospell I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judg the quick and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdom preach the word be instant inseasoÌ„ out of seasoÌ„ c 2 Tim. 4.1 2. ' Sirs is there any proper act of a Gospel-Minister If there be not why do you not plainly tell us there is no such Officer left us If there be may not preaching put in as fair and full yea a fairer and fuller claim than any Say you the administration of the Sacraments is al proper act of this Officer Be it so but consider I beseech you whether preaching may not put in for the precedence thereunto Are Gospell-Ministers more eminently or more expresly said either to be commissioned to be Ministers for that act then for this 1 Cor. 1.17 1 Tim. 2.7 or more commended in their ministry by that act than by this 2 Tim. 2.15 or more to bee counted of with respect to their ministry for that act than for this 1 Tim. 5.17 1 Thes 5.12 13. or are we more often or more openly circum-scribed or described as the Ministers of the Lord by that than by this ibid Heb. 13.7 Or are wee more concerned and commanded and charged to attend upon that act of our Ministery than this Rom. 12.7 8. 1 Tim. 4.13 14 15 16. Sure I am though I exclude not the administration of the Sacraments from being a proper act of an Office-Minister and one of those purposes and ayms why God will have men put into the Ministry yet preaching the Gospell is with more abundant frequency expressed among the acts of Ministers and with more abundant fulness evinced to be the aym of God by the Ministry If you have but overly read the Scriptures yet you cannot but observe this With what consonancy therefore to sound reason or Scripture-revelation the administration of Sacraments shall be received to bee the Proper act of a Minister of Christ and authoritative teaching rerejected mean-while judge ye And if it be as it is proved to be the proper act of a Minister thus to preach authoritatively what an adventure you run what an attempt you rush upon Oh that you may attend in time who Ordinarily discharg this part of our Office without Ordination thereunto N. 2. Todo the preaching work of a Minister ordinarily without Ordination cannot but be sinfull What though we yeeld that there may be an essay without it for tryal of qualifications wil it therefore be an excuse for such who make it a trade or course or because the
naturall If all may be Teachers where are the others to be taught of whom this Text tells us Need I mention the practice under the Law the Prophecies then touching the Gospel or the precedents left us in the times of the Gospel He that runs may read a constant discretion between the Priests and people then between Pastor and people now between the members of the Church and the Ministers of the Church in both To the Law and to the Testimony And here how eminent a difference hath the Holy Ghost made Ministers of the Church are to be overseers members of the Church to be overseen Acts 20.28 These are set under those said to be over them in the Lord 1 Thes 5.12 These are to submit those to preside and rule Heb. 13.7 17. Briefly these to bee taught the other to teach Galat. 6. ver 6. Yea teach we must not only with assiduity but with authority With authority I say not magisterial indeed as if we were Lords over the Church 1 Pet. 5.3 That is interdicted Mar. 10.42 but Ministertall as over the Church in the Lord 1 Thes 5.12 this is incouraged Heb. 13.17 Far far be it that we should preach up such an authority as if we had dominion over your faith 2 Cor. 1.24 No all the authority which we plead for is the dispensation not domination committed to us for the good of the faithfull 1 Cor. 9.17 The authority which the Lord hath given us is for your edification and not for your destruction 2 Cor. 10.8 And with this restriction and under this respect let me tell you that we are to teach and exhort and rebuke not only with authority but with all authority Tit. 2.15 and there is not that holy Minister but may speak wiâ—h holy Micah according to his measure Truly I am full of power by the spirit of the Lord of judgment and of might to declare unto Jacob his transgression unto Israel his sin Mic. 3.8 True it is that all Church-members ought to be teachers of others Heb. 5.12 But this private and charitative Christ hath therefore over and above appointed in his Church such teaing likewise as may be publick and authoritative i.e. that there be such teachers who are by power and authority derived from him to them publickly to open and apply the Scriptures for the conversion and edification of souls as in his stead and not only in private ' Where yet such in teaching are properly enough said to preach though it be in a private house Act. 5.42 or but to one particular person Act. 8.35 it being not simply an act of ' charity in them but an act of authority which it cannot be said to be in others Charitative teaching which should be every mans work too soon becometh no mans work And therefore Christ hath ordained that there be peculiar officers for authoritative teaching who are to give themselvs wholly to it 1 Tim. 4.15 and must not only be able to teach as the Text speaks but must be apt to teach 2 Tim. 2.24 and abide in teaching 1 Tim. 4.16 And unto these teachers all people are bound to attend as those that teach not only by ability but by authority derived from Jesus Christ Luke 12.16 Indeed how shall they hear without a preacher sent RoÌ„ 10.14 15 Think you that such teachers are now ceased and that this office was of no longer continuance than the first age or century of the Church Oh! Where are your considerations of the everlasting Kingdome of Christ a) Is 9.6.7 Lu. 1.33 of the Churches perpetual existencies b) Mat. 16.18 Heb. 12.27 28. and of her continued pressing exigencies c) Rom. 10.14 Eph. 4.12.13 14. or of our dearest Christs ends by and engagements to the Ministry d) Mat. 28.19 20. Lu. 24.46 47. Did a Kingdom ever stand without Officers Did the Church ever subsist without a Ministry and Ordinances Or hath Christ said that she ever should on this side glory Nay hath he not rather told us that the word of the Lord endureth for ever and that this is the word which by the Gospell is preached to you 1 Pet. 1.24.25 Beloved did not Christ assure his Christian Churches by prophecy under the Old Testament of giving them teachers by office without limiting it to this or that Century or age Jer. 3.15 Nay rather letting us understand that he will have such continued even after the Jews are called if you compare that vers with the 14 16 17. ver Or Jer. 23.3.4 c. or Isa 66.20 21. Besides When Christ had actually sent forth first the Twelve Mat. 10.1 and after that the Seventy Luk. 10.1 and again enlarged their Commission Mat. 28.19 doth not he ascertain his presence with them e're he parted from the earth alway to the end of the world ver 20. which could not intend themselves onely but must include their successors * Quamvis quoad modum gradum extraordinarii Ministri nullos habent successores quoad ipsam tamen essentiam administrationis eodem officio funguntur Ministri Ordinarii versus Ecclesiam quo extraordinarii olim fungebantur Ames Medu Theol. lib. 1. ca. 35. n. 4. who-ever are according to his ordinance bid go teach and baptize For the Disciples where are they and the Apostles do they live for ever Again being ascended up on high did not our Lord Christ give gifts unto men and thus not only some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists but som Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the Body of Christ ends of continued and constant observation need and use But till when shall these Pastors and teachers endure and how long shal the Church enjoy them Till wee are all come in or into * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod scitè exposuit Syrus interpres quasi Scriptum sit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bâ—zâ— Annot maj ad Loc. the unity of the faith and of the knowledg of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ Eph. 4 8 11 12 13. Shall I add to all this how Christ hath particularly directed for the investiture of fit and faithfull men with this Office in his severall Churches in these two Epistles to Timothy and in the next to Titus and how hee will have these Commandments inviolably and impartially kept until his appearing 1 Tim. 5.21 22. chap 6.14 Readers if you can believe that there is no more need of labourers for husbandry 1 Cor. 3.9 or of seedsmen or reapers for harvest 2 Cor. 9.11 Luk. 10.2 or of builders for houses 1 Cor. 3.9 10. or of some to plant and water for gardens and orchards 1 Cor. 3.6 then and not till then may you believe that the Church shall have no more need of Ministers by office for thus the Scriptures mentioned express our necessities of them to us Sure
cannot be concealed that wee have in these times a great many half-Christians * Act. 26.18 halfe professors and it must be confessed that we have but too many half-ministers or half-pastours as to the execution of their Office And surely to me it seems not much an inferiour solecism according to Scripture to hear of an half-Minister as to hear of an half-Christian in grace or an half-man in nature 2. This calleth upon you so to demean your selves in the work of the Ministry as those that have the Office committed unto you of God ' The man of God especially in the matters of God must not be or behave himself only after the rate of other men 2 Tim. 2.24 1 Tim. 6 11. The ordinary works we perform should leave a relish savour of that sacred word we preach of this spiritual Office we are put into An Sirs what examples should wee Pastours be to our people in well-nigh every particular in word in conversation in charity in spirit in faith in purity 1 Iim 4.12 Tit. 2 7. 1 Pet. 5 3. He that hath my word lâ—t him speak my word faithfully what is the chaffe to the wheat saith the Lord Jer. 23.28 And oh that we may shew our selves approved unto God and workmen that need not to bee ashamed before men 2 Tim. 2.15 Say you how should we 1 Let us do our work convincingly convincingly both in regard of others consciences a Joh. 8.9 and of our own Commission b 2 Cor. 6.1 Let us do it with authority like our Saviour and not as the Scribes Mat. 7.29 as those that are ful of power and of judgment and of might by the Spirit of the Lord Mic. 3.8 That when we preach or pray or censure or comfort c. there cometh in one that believeth not he may be so convinced of us and judged of us and the secrets of his heart made manifest As that falling down on his face he may worship God and report that God is in us of a truth 1 Cor. 14.24 25. 2. Let us do our work conscientiously and sincerely without partiality as to man and with purposes for God ' For why else is our Commission 1 Tim. 1.11 12 what else is God's Command 2 Tim. 2.15 or what lesse will be our comfort 2 Cor. 1.12 and must be our character 2 Cor. 2.17 1 Be not partial towards men how shall we then prove our selves the Ministers and Stewards of Christ 2 Cor. 4 1 2. who must give every one their portion of meat in due season Luk. 12.42 Let us remember God's Covenant with Levi Deut. 33 8 9. and the command he hath left with us 1 Tim. 5.21 And truly it is worth our most serious reflections upon our selvs whether what the Lord somtime in way of reproof told the Priests doth not now as particularly reach us in the midd'st of so many reproches viz. Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people according as ye have not kept my ways but have been partiâ—l in my law Mal. 2.9 Again 2. Let all our purposes center in God Wee are unworthy to bee called his Officers who are carelesse of his honour and unworthy that hee should have a care of ours 1 Sam. 2.30 Sirs let us not preach our selves but Jesus the Lord 2 Cor. 4.5 As of sincerity as of God in the sight of God so let us speak in Christ 2 Cor. 2.17 What I would we please men how are we then the servants of Christ Col 1.10 As we are allowed of God to be put in trust with the Gospel even so let us speak not as pleasing men but God who trieth our hearts 1 Thes 2.4 3. Let us do our work couragiously strenuously without despondency or shrinking without dejection or sinking If God's Commission and concurrence will not bear up our hearts and bear us up thorow hardships I know not what will A prisoner with these at the bar is able to face and fright a Judge upon the bench Act. 24.25 ' Were we Embassadours in bonds yet we ought to speak boldly Ephe. 6. vers 20. Such is the person we sustain and the place we stand in What should baulk or brow-beat us who have such an authority to warrant us and such almightinesse with us to work all our works in us and for us 2 Tim. 1.11 12. Were wee private men or went wee but upon a private message well might our hearts mâ—ditate terrors But being Officers of Christ and such as hee will own to the worlds end nor bonds nor blood or death should move us Act 20.23 24 and 21.13 A few bâ—g looks or bitter words or biting scoffs are sorry bug-bears to daunt a Commission-officer of Jesus to whom is given all power both in heaven and earth aâ— he â—â—lls us for our encouragement Mat 28.18 19 20. How would we have born to have stood at the bar c Act. 25.6 7 or have sate in the stocks d c. 16.23 24 25. or have been scourged at the Whipping-poast e 2 Cor. 11.24 with our predecessors yet were they bold in our God to speak the Gospell of God wiâ—h much contention 1 Ihes 2.4 and waxed the bolder by their own and others bounds Phil. 1.14 Act. 4.29 4 Let us do our Ministeriall work carefully and diligently neither listning to our own idlenesse nor led away of other intanglements Oh the weight of that one Scripture worthy to be ingraven in letters of gold upon all our Study-doors and to be continually recorded in our hearts Give attendance to reading to exhortation to doctrine Neglect not the gift that is in thee which was given thee by prophesie with the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery Meditate on these things give thy self wholly to them that thy profitting may appear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to all men in all things by all means Take heed unto thy self unto your doctrine continue in them for in doing this thou shalt both save thy self them that hear thee 1 Tim. 4.13 14 15 16. ' Are we Officers we must wait on our Office he that teacheth on teaching and he that exhorteth on exhortation Rom. 12.7.8 Whosoever have time to spare for the toys and vanities of the world we have none whose time is Christs and his Churches and who are to give our selvs wholly to the word 1 Tim. 4.15 Oh how puzâ—â—ng and perplexing would such questions as these be if Christ should put them unto us Why stand ye here perhaps all the day idle We cannot say No man hath hired us Mat. 20.6 7. Or what dost thou here Elijah 1 King 19.9 13. be we either in the Cave or in the croud either weary of our callings or wasting our time to and fro about lower concernments Sirs are not we the souldiers of Christ No man that warreth intangleth himself with the affairs of this life that he may please him who hath
chosen him to be a souldier 2 Tim. 2.4 Wee have Sanctuary work to attend 'T was death for the Priests if they did not abide in the Sanctuary according to their severall charges because the anointing oyl of the Lord was upon hem because they were solemnly appointed to this work and office Levit. 10.7 and 21.11 12. and 8.35 It is not reason that we shal leave the Word of the Lord say the Apostle and serve tables Act. 6.2 this was in ministring to the bodily necessities of the poor And shall we leave the Word of the Lord and serve the times or be securing trifles in comparison of eternity with the miscarriage of our peoples souls Oh! let us stir up the gift of God that is in us Had wee nothing to reflect upon but the laying on of others hands upon us this might bee enough to cause us to return upon our own hearts often and to revive and blow up whatsoever is of love or zeal in us to a vigorous execution of our office 2 Tim. 1.6 Are wee Officers of Christ and in his Church Surely wee had need ply our businesse hard Nor can we likely be too busie in our office who have I am sure the highest charge f 2 Tim. 4.1 2. the heaviest account g Heb. 13.17 the hardest work h 2 Tim. 4.2 5. Jer. 1.18 19 and the hottest warfare i 2 Tim. 2.3 4. Sect. 2. This truth calleth upon you over whom God hath set or committed or shall this day commit such officers This counselleth you how to esteem of and entertain them in exercise of their trust and execution of their Ministry Say you how As those that are officers of the Lord and as over you in the Lord 1 Thes 5.12 As those that are appointed of God to watch for your souls and must give an account Heb. 13.17 And therefore how should you submit your selves and obey them so far as they rule over you in the Lord that they may give up their account with joy and not with grief for that is unprofitable for you as the Apostle adds What though such have been or now shall be outwardly appointed by men yet are they allowed of God to be put in trust with the Gospel 1 Thes 2.4 with Act. 13.2 3. Beloved those who are ordained of men according to God's Ordinance are yet God's Officers God's Ministers What else doth Paul assure us of the Elders or ordinary Pastors and Teachers of the Church of Ephesus which because ordinary could not be immediately put into office The Holy Ghost made them overseers Act. 20.28 Or what else doth he affirm of those of the Church at Colosse In his mention of Epaphras 't is our dear fellow-servant who is for you a faithful Minister of Christ Col. 1.7 When hee minds them their duty touching Archippus who was it seems none of the most circumspect or constant Minister 't is thus Say to Archippus take heed to the Ministry which thou hast received in the Lord that thou fulfill it Col. 4.17 And what other language hear we concerning Tychicus Col. 4.7 Tychicus a beloved brother and a faithful Minister and a fellow-servant in the Lord. So far was it from truth in the purest primitive times that they were onely to bee accounted the officers and Ministers of the Lord who were immediately put into the office by the Lord. Well then let a man so account of us as of the Ministers of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God 1 Cor. 4.1 I say as Ministers of Christ not of the Common-wealth not of Antichrist I know there is a common reproach rolled upon the Ministry in England as if we were no other than Priests of Baal limbs of Antichrist Antichristian Priests c. So much unbridled are the spirits and speech of many that would seem to bee religious and thereby speak their religion vain * Isa 1.26 But beloved call you those or can they be Antichristian who have been so evidently opposed by Antichrist and so eminently owned by Christ as have been the zealous and strict Ministery in England and still are to this day Oh! how can you more honour more help up Antichrist or hurl more dirt and disgrace in the face of Jesus Christ than by calling those Ministers Antichristian who have been and are so powerfully able and so prosperously useful to break the league of so many thousands of souls with sin and death and to bring them over to the reall and ready imbracements of the service of God and life eternall ' Christians have not your eyes seen and ears eard of multitudes both of men and women that have been and still are begotten by them unto Christ through the Gospel and that are built up in communion with him through their Ministry in the Gospel Built up not in aëry speculations and dotage about questions and strifes of words whereof cometh envy strife railings c. This is easily done indeed and among us how eminently by the subtilty and zeal of seducers and such as consent not to wholesome words 1 Tim. 6.3 4 5. But lo multitudes built up through the good hand of God upon the gracious Ministry in England in the reall abhorrency of sin the rich anointings of the Spirit in the life of faith the labour of love in the power of sanctification poverty of spirit in heavenliness of their minds within and holiness of manners without In a word to be doers of righteousness in the doctrine which is according to godliness Need I cal for Testimony to a truth so established in the mouth of more then two or three thousand witnesses k 2 Cor. 13.1 Need we as some others may the pious preachers to the pious people of England from it's first reformation say Need we as some others Epistles of commendation to you or letters of cōmendation from you Yee are our Epistle writen in our hearts known and read of all men Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the Epistle of Christ ministred by us written not with ink but with the spirit of the living God not in tables of stone but in fleshly tables of the heart 2 Cor. 3.1 2.3 What is our hope or joy or crown of rejoycing are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his comming 1 Thes 2.19 And will you also being led away with the errour of the wicked fall from your own steadfastnesse 2 Pet. 3.17 you of whom we have been so affectionately desirous as we were willing to have imparted to you not the Gospel of God only but also our own souls because ye were dear to us 1 Thes 2.8 And will you also listen to their scurrulous imputations who compasse us about with words of hatred and say Come and let us smite them with the tongue who cannot now smite them with the sword and let us not give heed to any of their words Jer. 18.18 Why Sirs ye are our work in the