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APPENDIX.
NO. IV.

1 Tim. 5. 17.

1 Cor. 16. 10.

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The end of the ministry; its parts.

I come to the end of the ministry; which is, to save men's souls. Other professions respect the good of this life; as the magistracy, the maintenance of peace and good order among the subjects; the art of the physician, the health of his patient; the profession of the lawyer, the wealth of his client. But the end of the ministry alone is the salvation of souls. For although Christ hath performed so much as is sufficient for the salvation of all, yet none are actually saved but they only to whom the benefit of the Messias is communicated. Now the merits of Christ are applied ordinarily by the ministry of the word and Sacraments; unto which, for that cause, the power of salvation is ascribed. They therefore who enjoy the ministry of the word and Sacraments, let them acknowledge themselves infinitely bound unto the Lord, who hath visited them with the favour of His people, and vouchsafed unto them the peculiar privilege of His visible Church; in that He hath not only sent His Son to redeem them, but also given them those means whereby the benefit of redemption may be applied unto them.

There remain the parts of the ministry; which are two; the liturgy or public service of God in the congregation, and the regiment of the Church. The liturgy hath three parts; the preaching of the word, public prayer, and administration of the Sacraments. In the preaching of the word, as the duty of the ministry, so also the dignity doth principally Eph. 4. 12. consist: this being the chief work of the ministry, for which double honour is especially due unto the ministers; yea, the "work of the Lord," in respect whereof the ministers, iepoupγοῦντες τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τοῦ θεοῦ, as the Apostle speaketh, that is, Rom. 15. 16. " performing the sacred function of preaching the gospel," are 1 Cor. 3. 9. called, ovveρyoì toû leoû, the "co-workers of God." But the worthiness of this work may easily appear, if we consider the excellency, profit, and necessity thereof. For what greater honour can be vouchsafed to a mortal and sinful man, than Job 33. 23. to be the angel or ambassador of God in stead of Christ 2 Cor. 5. 18, appointed and sent of God, to reconcile men unto Himself, to justify them, and to save them? And hereby also appeareth the exceeding profit and necessity of the ministry of the word. The profit, in that by the preaching of the word men are brought to salvation, and all the degrees thereof. The

20.

;

61

ON THE CHRISTIAN

MINISTRY.

14.

The profit and necessity of the ministry of the Word. necessity, in that without it ordinarily men cannot attain to DowNAME salvation, no nor yet to any degree of salvation. For whereas there are three degrees of salvation in this life; our vocation, our justification, our sanctification: what one of these is not effected by the ministry of the word, and what one of them is effected ordinarily without it? For whom God hath elected, Rom. 8. 30. them doth He call; neither shall any be saved (I speak of such as come to years of discretion) but such as are, or shall be called. Hence it is that the Church, which is the company of the elect, is called ékкλŋoía, a company of men called. Now men are called by the ministry of the gospel, seconded 2 Thess. 2. and made powerful by the Spirit of God. For first, by it our minds are enlightened to see our own misery in ourselves, Luke 1.79; and the infinite mercies of God in the mystery of salvation by Christ. Secondly, by it, as by the arm of God, men are Isa. 53. 1. drawn unto Him that they may turn unto God, and believe Acts 26. 18. in Christ. Neither is there any means in the world so effectual to work the conversion of a sinner, or to bring him unto faith in Christ, as the ministry of the word; by which if a man will not be persuaded, neither will he believe, though an angel should come from heaven, or a man be raised from the Luke 16.31. dead. For indeed the ministry of the gospel is "the power of Rom. 1. 16. God to our salvation." And although in the world it be contemned as a weak and foolish means, yet it is "the good plea- 1 Cor. 1. 21. sure of God, by the foolishness of preaching, to save those that believe."

Acts 26. 18.

17.

Again, whom God calleth, them He justifieth, acquitting Rom. 8. 30. them from their sins, and accepting them in Christ as righteous, and as heirs of eternal life. But men are justified by faith; and "faith cometh by hearing the word of God." For Rom. 10. as the Apostle reasoneth, "How shall they call on Him in whom Rom. 10. they have not believed; and how shall they believe in Him 14. of whom they have not heard; and how shall they hear without a preacher?" For this cause preachers are said to be "ministers by whom we believe ;" and being ministers of 1 Cor. 3. 5. faith, whereby men are justified, they are also said to "justifyy" men.

Moreover, whom the Lord doth justify by faith, them also

y Dan. xii. 3. [In the Hebrew, literally, "who make many righteous;" or, to use the word by which pis

most commonly translated in our ver-
sion, "who justify many.”]

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Use of the Word in each step towards salvation. APPENDIX. He doth sanctify by the spirit of regeneration. For "whosoever is in Christ, he is a new creature." Neither can any man John 3. 3. truly hope to enter into "the kingdom of heaven, unless he be

NO. IV.

2 Cor. 5. 17.

born again." But how should men be born again? by "the immortal seed," saith Peter", "which is the word of the living God;" by which preachers do beget men unto God. And in that respect are called spiritual fathers, fathers in the faith; 1 Cor. 4. 15. because, as Paul speaketh to the Corinthians, "they beget them by the gospel of Jesus Christ." And forasmuch as we are nourished, as the philosopher saith, by that from which we are engendered; the word therefore, as it is the seed of our spiritual generation, so is it the food of our souls, whereby we are to be nourished, and to grow up in grace; affording 1 Pet. 2. 1. both "milk for the new-born," and "strong meat" for those who are better grown in Christ. And therefore, as the minisEph. 4. 11. ters be fathers to beget men; so are they also pastors to feed them. And whereas sanctification consisteth of two parts, a dying unto sin," and a "living unto righteousness," the ministry of the word is as salt to mortify our corruptions. In Matt. 5. 13. which respect the ministers are called "the salt of the earth." Rom. 10. 8. And in respect of righteousness habitual it is the word of faith, Acts 20. 32. the ministry of the spirit, the word of grace, by which we are John 17.17. sanctified. And as for actual righteousness, it is the fruit of Col. 1. 6. the word preached, which being sown in the furrows of good Luke 8. 15. and honest hearts, bringeth forth fruit with patience.

Heb. 5. 12 -14.

2 Cor. 3.8.

If therefore our vocation, justification, and sanctification, which are all the degrees of salvation, going between election and glorification, be all of them wrought by the ministry of the word, we must acknowledge it worthily to be called the power of God to our salvation; and not without good cause the power of saving men's souls to be ascribed unto it, and to the preachers of it, as to the means and instruments under God. James 1. 21. "Receive with meekness," saith St. James, Tòv čupuтov λóyov, "the word engrafted," (to wit, by the preachers, who are God's 1 Cor. 3. 6 planters, 1 Cor. iii.) " which," saith he, "is able to save your souls." "Attend to thyself," saith Paul to Timothy, "and to doctrine, continue therein; for this doing, thou shalt save both thyself and them that hear thee." But to conclude this point with the oracle of our Saviour Christ, sounding in the ears of

-8.

1 Tim. 4. 16.

* 1 Pet. i. 23, [διὰ λόγου ζῶντος Θεοῦ.]

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ON THE

MINISTRY.

Acts 26. 16.

Consequent admonitions, to ministers, people, &c. St. Paul at His conversion, from heaven; at which time He ap- DOWNAME pearing unto Paul, to make him, as he there saith, a minister of CHRISTIAN the gospel, setteth down the end of the ministry in these words, which contain the sum of all that hath been said concerning the preaching of the word. "To open," saith he, "their Acts 26.18. eyes, that they may be turned from darkness unto light, and from the power of Satan unto God," (there is vocation,) "that by faith in Christ" (for so I construe the words, there being a comma in the Greek text after yaoμévois) "they may receive forgiveness of sins" (that is justification) "and inheritance among them that are sanctified:" there is sanctification, and glorification, and all to be procured by the ministry of the word.

44-46.

Here therefore by the way divers sorts of men are to be admonished. First, the ministers; that as they desire the salvation of their people, whom Christ hath redeemed with His most precious blood, they would not only be diligent in preaching, but also be careful so to preach, as that their conscience may bear them witness, that in their ministry they truly seek to glorify God in the salvation of the people. Secondly, the people; that as they tender the eternal salvation of their souls, so they should be affected to the ministry of the word. "For the kingdom of heaven" (so is the preaching Matt. 13. of the gospel called, because it is the principal means of bringing us to God's kingdom) "is like a treasure, or a precious pearl, which a man having found, he will sell all that he hath to procure it." Thirdly, they that do hinder the preaching of the word; for seeing the word preached is of such necessity to salvation, they which are an hindrance to the preaching of the word, do also hinder the salvation of their brethren, which every Christian is bound by all good means to advance. Of this kind are they, who being not of the ministry do get into their hands the livings and possessions of the Church. For where is want of living, there will be want of preachers; where preachers or prophets are wanting, there prophecy or preaching faileth; and "where prophecy faileth, Prov. 29.18. there the people perish." The people indeed shall perish in their sins, but their blood shall be required at thy hands, who hast been the cause of their spiritual famishment.

Such also are those greedy patrons, or rather latrons of Church livings, who with Gehazi, sell such things as none but

NO. IV.

[Matt. 26. 15.]

64 Hinderers of the Word. Gratitude due to ministers.

APPENDIX. Simons will buy; who with the thief and traitor Judas, betray for quid mihi dabitis, the body of Christ, which is His Church, into the hand of blind and pharisaical guides; who 1 Kings 12. with Jeroboam the son of Nebat, prefer to the ministry the 31; 1 Kings skirts, or, as the prophet calleth such, the tail of the people. Isa. 9. 15. But these men, as they imitate the practice of Gehazi, Judas, and Jeroboam, so let them fear their end.

13. 33.

And lastly, such are those ministers, who having either no will or no skill to feed the people of God with the food of life, do notwithstanding for the milk and fleece of the flock, take upon them the charge of souls. But let these and the former consider, that whereas they ought to be resolved not Mark 8. 36. to hazard or lose their own souls, though they might gain the whole world; they to gain, not the whole world, but the tithes of some one parish, (which are as nothing in comparison of the world,) do hazard not their own souls alone, but the souls of the people, whom they deprive of the principal ordinary means of their salvation.

Phil. 19.

But to return to my purpose: have you by your own experience found the ministers to have been the means under God of your vocation, justification, sanctification, which are the necessary forerunners of salvation? then, I dare say, you will confess that to be true, which Paul writing to Philemon forbeareth to speak; that you owe even your own selves unto them; and that you ought to be affected to them, as the Galatians were to St. Paul, who giveth this testimony of Gal. 4. 15. them, that they were ready (if it had been possible) to pull out their own eyes to do him good. But if you be more ready to pull out their eyes, than to do them any good, it is a manifest argument, that as yet you are not sanctified, not justified, not called; and therefore not to be saved, unless these graces shall hereafter be wrought in you by the ministry of the word. Which benefits if you do but look for at the ministers' hands, you cannot but honour and reverence them in the mean time. But if you neither have these graces, nor hope for any, we must count ourselves blessed, when for our calling and the discharge of our duty, we are of such persons hated and reviled.

Thus much I thought good to speak of preaching the word. Now are we briefly to intreat of invocation, and so of the

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