Of a [aU to the Miuiftry : Whether by the People? 793 g.:wl or ordered into pa~ticular Societies, ( fo far as may be). 3· The B.1ptized and Congregate, to bt H(b, q . 7,Ii; J, T<~uf!.IJt, z, Ruled, 3· Guided in W0dhi~. . . . . . . ~~:6: 4~. from all which refultcth an Office_, wh~ch ts Mml.fteru:lly .fubordm1re to C~nfl, as I · The Prophet Ads ~o: 36 • or Trachtr 2. The Rt;l<r, 3• The Htgh Pntj! and Lover of h!S Church ; And 1t may be aptly calk d M>l. '· 7 . both, a Teacbi>tg Minijfry, a Rttling Minijfry ( not by the Sword , but by the Word ) and a Pritft· H'b. to. tr. bDCd or PricOly Minifiry. ,, • ~·~~.'8,0;0~ 1 J. As the Pallor is related to the Church, he is r. A Confiinttive part of particular Political Chur1 Per. 1 ' s, 6 ' ches: 2. He is ChriftJ Mini/ferfor the Church andf~r Chrijf ; thu is, to Tc:ach, Rule and Wodhip with Rom. r. r. theChurch. He isAbovt the Church, and Greater than itl as to Otderand Power, and not the ~~· 4• 1 2" Minifter of tiJe Church as rl~~ Efficient of the Minifi?.: But he is lc[l ~nd. worfe th.an the Ch~rch fi .. ; C~/~~ ~·lz; nally and Malfrially:, and u finally the CIJHrches Mt~ifter, as_the Phy~c10n JS the Pt.~tuntl Phyfic•m; not & J. 5'· made a Phyficion by bim, but cbo{tn a~d u[edas_h» Pb-!~non for h1s:ure: So that tO fpeak pro~erl~.' ~Cor&~- 16·2~ he is notr[!om them, bur for [hem. He 1s Chr,fls Mmijltr for tbttr gogd ; As the Shepherd IS h1s Ma~;h. 24 ." 4 ;; M 1 ficr; s ant for his H ock, and fo jinaUy only the fervant of the Sheep. 4 6 4 s; The whole u~controverrible work of the Office is laid down in my fmalllook calledVni•erfal 1 Cor. 9·;9, Concvrd, to which I mull refer you. ~ell:. 18. WJ,ether tiJe Peoples (hoice or (onfent is neceffary to the Office of a Mmifter in Ins ftrft work, as he is to (onwrt Infid~ls, and 'Bapti~ them ~. .And JV/iether th~ be a 1110rk of Office ? .And 111/Jat [all IS mcejfary to 1t ~ I Conjoyn thcfe three. diriintl Q!!_enions for ekpediiioii; . f. That it is part of the Minifier.s Office·work to1each, ConVert and Baptiz e men, to biing them our of rhc world into the Church, is undenyable, t.lnChrifis exprefs Commiffion, Mat~ 28. 19, 20. Godifciplt m~ all Niltions, b.1ptizing them--- 2· In the executionof ·this Commiffion. 2 • T hat rhis was not pcculiat to the Apofilcs or their age is proved, t. Becaufc not an txlraordi– '"cY work, like Miracles, &c. but the firfi great bufinefs of the Gofpcl and Minifiry in the world. 2. l:k caufc othns as well as the ApolUcs did it in that age, and ever fince. 3•Becaufc thepromife is anmxed to theOffice thm dcfcribcd [Iam with you alway to the end of the wor/J]: Or if. you Roni. 10; ir; tranflacc it [Age J ir is the Age of the Church of the Meffiah incarnate, which is all one~ 4• Becaufe ~~~ it was a fmail part of the world comparatively that he!lrd the Gofpel in the Apofilcs dayes: And the fu greatcfi put of the world is without it at this day, when yet God our S•viour would bav< aUm<n to bt{at'fd and to come to the k,nowltd~t of tbt truth. 5· Even where the Gofpel hath long continued, for the mc!l pur there arc many fiill that are in infidelity. And fo great a work is not left without an appointed fuitable means for irs performance~ And if an Office was nccdfary for it.in the firfi age, it isnot crcfliblc that it is left topriv"ate meHs charity ever fince. 6. Efpeciallyconfide.. dcring 1hat priv.1tt men arc to be {Uppof~d infufficient, •· Becaufe they are not educated purRofely for ir, but ufu:~lly for fo~cthing elfe : 2 • Beca.ufc that they have other Callingt to take them up. 3• Be.. caufe th, y have no fpccial obligation. And that which is no mans peculior work, is ufually lat undone by .v. I!. T he peoples CaiJ or Cou/cnt is not necdf"y to a Minifiers reception of his OJ!ict in Gtm· rat, t;or for this part of his wnrl(. in fpecial; But only to his Paftoral Relation to thcmfelves. 1 . It is fa in other functions that arc cxercifcd by skjU. The Patients or People make not a man a Pbtficim, or a Lawyer, but only choofe what Phyficion ChaU be their Pl.ryficion, and what Lawyer. 01all be thrir Counfellor. 2· If the peoples Call or Confent be nccdfory, it is either the Infidels or the Churchu. Not the lntidels to whom he isto preach: for I· He is Authorized to preach to them ( asthe Apofiles were) before he goetb to them. 2 · Their Confcnt is hut a Natural-confiquent·requijile for the Reception and fuccefs oftheir Teaching, but not w the Autborily which is pre-requifite. i• Infidels cannot do fo much towards the making of a Minijftr ofChritt. 4· Elf< Chrifi would have few fuch Mini– fiers. 5· If it be Infidels, cicher aD or [omt? lf fomt, why tbo[t rather than others? Oris a man ma.dc a Minificr by every Infidel auditory that hearcth him~ . 2· Nor is it Chrij!isn peopl~ that mufi.do this much to the makin~ of a Gmtral Minifttr ; For, l · They have no fuch FozPcr gtven for If, mNature or the Word ofGod. 2• They are generallyUn"' qualifird and unable for fuch a work : 3· They arc no where obliged to it, nor can titly leave their Callings for it ; Much Jcfs to get the abilities necdfary to judge: 4 • Wbich of the people h~ve th1s power ? Is 1t any of them, or any Church of priVate men ? Or[ome ont more rhan the reil ? Nei· thcr one nor all can lay any claim to it. There is fame reafon why tbi< Congregation rather than anothC'r
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