from the fubtilty of Satan, who envied its peace; and is direaly oppofite to the gofpel, which forbids lordly dominion, the gospel-minister's authority being given only for "edification, and not for destruction," as the apostle has it, 2 Cor. x. 8. And it confifts, 1. In an authoritative enforcement of the laws of Chrift's houfe. 2. In a minifterial enforcement of them, by an offer of the golpel-privileges as the rewards of obedience. And, 3. In a power to inflict, according to Chrift's appointment, the gofpel-punishments upon the difobedient, the highest whereof is excommunication, whereby the difobedient are "delivered over to Satan, for the deftruction of the flesh, that the fpirit may be faved in the day of the Lord Jefus,' as the apostle has it, 1 Cor. v. 5. And to one of thefe three ends might all be reduced, according to the com mon distinction of gofpel-ordinances, in doctrine, worship, and government. But that you may the better understand this matter, we shall name fome more particular defigns: and therefore we fay, 4. A people in calling a gofpel.minifter, fhould defign the clofing of a bargain, and making a match with Christ upon his own terms. It is the work and bufinefs they are fent out for, to espouse finners to Christ, 2 Cor. ii 2. to woo a bride for the Lamb. They have a commillion, as Abraham's fervant had, to go and feek a wife for their Mafter's Son; and thofe who call them fhould do it in order to the conclusion of this happy match; that from them they may hear the terms whereon they are to be admitted into this near relation, the advantages that fall accrue to them by it, the inconveniences they will run themfelves. into by a refufal, and the warrant they have to enter into fo high and honourable a relation. 5. They fhould defign their own furtherance in acquaintance with Chrift. They fhould as new born babes defire the fincere milk of the word, that they may grow thereby," 1 Pet, ii. 2. that they may be furthered in their joy and faith, "growing in grace, and in the knowledge of the Lord Jefus Chrift." 6. They fhould defign their own eftablishment in the ways of God, that they may not be "toffed to and fro with every wind of doctrine," but that being rooted and grounded in the faith, they may grow up in all things to him who is the head and Saviour of the body." This This is exprefsly deciared to be the defign of the minitry, Eph. iv. 11. The apostle, having spoken of Chrift's exaltation, and his having received gifts for men, tells us of him, in this verfe and the following, "That he gave fome apoftles, fome prophets, and fome evangelifts, and fome paftors and teachers, for the perfecting of the faints, for the work of the miniftry, for the edifying of the body of Chrift; till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the mealure of the ftature of the fulness of Chrift; that we henceforth be no more children toffed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of do&rine, by the fleight of men, and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive," &c. And to the fame purpose speaks the Spirit of God frequently elsewhere, of the defign of the ministry. Paul, in Rom. i. 11. exprefeth his earnest defire to fee them, and to "impart fome fpiritual gift" unto them, to the end "they may be established." Thele who are already engaged in God's ways fhould defign their own establishment in them in their calling a gospel-minister. 7. They should defign their own direction through all the difficulties of religion. The Lord's people have many dark fteps in their way; fometimes they are under temptation, and know not how to carry; fometimes they are engaged in a clofe fight with their adverfaries, and know not how to wield their fpiritual armour to advantage; fometimes they are out of the way, and know not how to get into it again: and therefore they need fome to guide them into the meaning of God's word; for how can they understand, unless "How can I understand,' they be taught, A&ts viii. 31. fays the Ethiopian eunuch, "unlefs fome man fhould guide me:" and who fhould guide them but thofe who are guides. by office, as the word may be rendered, Heb. xiii. 8. “ Confider them who have the rule over you," or who are your guides. This, as the end of a gofpel-miniftry, is promifed in Ifa. xxx. 20, 21. "And though the Lord give you the bread of adverfity, and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be removed into corners any more, but thine eyes fhall fee thy teachers: And thine ears fhall hear a voice behind thee, faying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left." It is impoffible we fhould condefcend on all the particular particular intentions or ends a people fhould propofe to themfelves in calling a gofpel-minifter; and therefore we fhall conclude all this in one, which is fure to comprehend them. 8. They fhould feek to have one who may answer in fome meafure Timothy's character, with refpect to the church of the Philippians, Phil. ii. 20. one who may naturally take care of them, that is, one who may, out of love to their fouls, affectionately, prudently, carefully, and with impartial boldness, open and apply the word, difpenfe the facraments, and adminifter difcipline, for the inftruction of the ignorant, ftrengthening the weak, comforting the difcon folate, affecting the impenitent, reproving the faulty, recovering wanderers, directing and helping forward those who doubt and halt; that he may both fave himself and them, to the praife and glory of God's grace. We fhall not infist upon each of thefe particulars, which would require not one or two, but many fermons, which fuits not our prefent defign. We fhall therefore proceed, in the SECOND place, to inquire, How a people should make it appear that they were acting upon those designs in their calling a gofpel-minifter. This inquiry might be understood, either to refpect their own fatisfaction, or the fatisfaction of the world, or of the minifter himself as to this matter; but time not allowing us to be fo particular, we shall hold the inquiry in the general; and in answer to it we fay, 1. A people fhould difcover their defigns to be fuch as we have mentioned, by a punctual attendance upon all the ordinances, to be by him difpenfed in public or private. Thus we fee it was with Cornelius; he not only waited on himself, but he called together thofe on whom he had any influence. "And Cornelius waited for them, and had called together his kinfmen and near friends," Acts x. 24. Those who will not give attendance to the public difpenfation of the word, and the private inftructions, either family or perfonal, but withdraw, we cannot think thefe perfons had the right end before them in calling a gospelminifter: furely, had they been right in their aims, they would have been ready to fay with Cornelius, "We are all here prefent," &c. 2. They should not only prefent their bodies upon fuch occafions, but they should fit themselves as in. God's fight, to to hear all things whatever are commanded of God by his fervants. "We are all here prefent," fays Cornelius to Peter, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God," Ads x. 33. To give attendance to the ordinances, either more public or private, on any other defign than this, is to offer the facrifice of fools;" contrary to that injunction of the wife man, Eccl. v. 1. "Keep thy foot when thou goeft to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the facrifice of fools." When we come to God's ordinances, we must come to hear what he speaks to us. 3. They fhould evidence the honesty of their defigns, by obeying the word which they hear at his mouth; they hould comply with all the commands of God, and fay to their minifter, as the people of Ifrael faid to Mofes, Deut. V. 27. "Go thou near, and hear all that the Lord our God thall fay, and fpeak thou unto us all that the Lord our God fhall speak unto thee, and we will hear it and do it." For, as the apostle James well obferves, It is not the hearer of the word, but the doer who is bleffed of God," James i. 25. As we must hear and do, so our attendance must not be limited, but our ear must be opened to reproofs, and the most terrible denunciations of wrath from God, as well as to the fweet promifes and charming difcoveries of the glory of Chrift, the beauties of religion, the furprising happiness of the faints in heaven; and there muft not only be obedience to thefe commands, which may bring in honour, external gain, and pleasure, by our compliance, but thefe alfo must be obeyed, which may bring us under the lash of wicked men's tongues, and expofe us to reproach, hazard, and ignominy, in the world. All things whatfoever are commanded of God must be punctually obeyed without referve. 4. There must be a fubmitting to all the ordinances of God. Both this obedience and fubmifhion you will find fpoken of, Heb. xiii. 17. " Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourlelves, for they watch for your fouls, as those who must give an account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for this is unpro fitable for you. The word rendered obey, fignifies pro. perly a believing upon perfuafion, and refpects our belief of the truths' propofed by them, and a compliance with Our our duty that way; and, on the other hand, this fubmiffion has a refpect to the power they have over their people for edification, and not for deftru&tion; that is, that authority they have for admonishing, reproving, rebuking, and cenfuring offenders; and by a fubmiffion to them in the difpenfation of these ordinances of Chrift, reproof and cenfure, I mean, they are to evidence to all the uprightness and Christian fincerity of their defigns. 5. They are to evidence their defigns to be justifiable, by a careful diligence in applying to their minifter upon all occafions; when they are under difficulties, when they are in the dark as to duty, when they have to do with corruptions which they cannot get mastered, when under the Lord's hand, and fo of all other exigencies of the like natare. For as the "pritft's lips fhould preferve or keep knowledge, fo the people fhould afk the law at his mouth, for he is the meffenger of the Lord of hoft," Mal. ii. 7. And these who are fick, are bid "fend for the elders or minifters of the church to pray over them," James v. 14Those who have the advantage of a gofrel-minifter, are indifpenfibly obliged to acquaint him with the state of their fouls, when there is any thing peculiar in it, and when they are reduced to any ftrait or extremity. And that, 1. Becaufe God has laid it open to them as a duty, in that fore-cited Mal. ii. 7. "The people fhould ask the law at his mouth." 2. Because otherwife he will be at a lofs in his bringing meffages to you, if he mistake your cafe, or be unacquainted with it; how can he direct you, if he understand not your state and condition? The Lord gives no immediate revelation now, we have no war. rant to expect any fuch thing; and therefore the way wherein ministers ordinarily come to understand their people's condition is by themselves, who upon ground are called to have recourfe to their minifters. 3. They should acquaint their minifters with their circumftances, because they are the people's mouth to God? and if they be not acquainted with the circumstances and conditions of the flock, how fhall they, according to their duty, hold up the cafe of their people to God, as they are indifpenfibly obliged to do, and that both in public, in fecret, and in private. this 6. Once more, and we have done: A people may and fhould |