Book IV. MIN1STERS COMPJ.RED TO Al\!BAS.SADORS. MET A PH 0 R. that a Prince will not confer upon any of his Subjects, bm on fuch as are of areat Efteem iri his Court, ftJCh as"are fitly qualifiecl for that areat Truil: confided in them; in a Word, great Honor and Dignity is conferred upon them. PAR ALL EL. great Favorites to the Court of Heaven. What higher Dignity dorh Chrilr confer upon any of his Saints here below ! They alfo are Men firly quali– fied for this great Employment; and what their Qualifications are, and muit be, you may fee in 1 Tim. iii. 17. and '!'it. i. 7-9. viz. Blame!efs as tbe Stewards of God, not felf-willed, >zot Joon angry, not given to Wine, no Striker, not given to jiltby Lucre, a L over of Hofpitality, a Lover of good Men, fober, j ujf, holy, temperate, holding forth the faithful Word, able by found Dotlrine to flop the Mouths of Gainjayers, &c. not a Brawler, not Covetous, one that rules well his own Hotife. Ill. The Dignity of Amba!faIlL Now true faithful Minifrers e•·e fent as dors appears in the Gteatnefs of Ambaffadors from the great God, who is King of their Prince from whom they Heav'tn and Earth : By whom Kings reipz, and come ; they have ufually Refpec'l: Princes decree Judgment, Prov. viii. 15. With him according to the Rank and Qolais terrible Majejfy, he rules and reigns o'IJer all, and lity of their Mafrer. who canJay unto him, What doe.ft thou? IV. An Ambaffador appears IV. True and faithful Minifrers reprefent the according to the Dignity of the Perfon of Jefus Chrifr. 0! and what Honor is Perfon whom he reprefems, and this! They are employed in his fread, they are whofe Place he fupplies. his Deputies: He is the chief Ambaffador, called V. The Excellency of the Mef– faae Ambaff:1dors ar~ fent ahout, !h~ws further theDignity of the Of~ iicers. Now there are three Sons of Embaffies in the World: 1. Embaffies of Peace. 2. Embaffies of Marriage. 3· State Embaffies, which re– fpeCl: Trade and Commerce, &c. 1. An Am!1affador is welcome, when he comes from aPrince about Peace; and that efpecially, (1. ) When he comes from one' that is formidable, mighty in Power, and whofe Armies are irreGfrible; now to a poor, weak, and naked People, how welcome is his Ap– p roach! therefore the Mejfengcr of the Covenant; J'V!a!. iii. 1. from him they rece1ve rheir Amhority. V. Minillers come with a tlmefold Emb1!fy ~ r. Of Peace. z. Of Marriage. 3· Ot heavenly Commerce and Trade, &c. I. Chrift's Minifters are welcome when they come with an E mbaffy of Peace; and needs they mull: be fo, if we confider thefe Things following: ( 1.) T hefe Am baft1dors come from that great God that is dreadful in Power, that if he fpcak but in his \'Vrath, the Earth trembles, whofe Armies are alfo ready ; who offers not Peace, hecaufe he cannot make War, orfrands in need of our Friend– Chip, but meer!y from his great Love wherewith he hath loved us, &c. What can Sinners do to withfrand his Power? Doth he fear their Hofrility ? Can they fhoot their Arrows as high as Heaven ? If they frrike at him, he makes their Swords turn into their own Bowels. 0 how gladlv fhould thefe Amba!fadors be received ! Who would not tremble to think of this God ! (z.) An Am baflador is we!come, when he is fen t to a People that have felt already the lmpreffion of his Power, and are pining under rhe bleeding Miferies of his Anger. (3.) An Amba!fador IS Welcome, when the Terms he offers are ho– norable and eafy; not like the Peace that Nahajb offered to the Men of Jabejh-Gilead, viz. that theyfhould have everyone his right Eye <hrufr out, and lay it as a Re– proach to Ifrad. (z. ) So a MiniCtcr of Chri(t is welcome to poor Sinners, who find the Arrows of divine Venge– ance fricking in their very Hearts, and the Curfe of-God cleaveth to every Faculty of their Souls, wbo lie bleeding under his heavy Anger. (3.) Now the MiniCters of the Gofpel offer ho– norable and eafy Terms: God might require the perfec'l: keeping of the whole Law, he might de– mand Satisfaf.lion for all the Wrongs and Injuries we have done to his J u(\ ice; but they ofl'er Terms of Peace and P.trdon, upon the Acknowledgment of Sin, and laying down our Arms, and to hold no League or feCI·et Friend!hip with Sin or Satan any
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