Ver.18. the 17th Chapter of St. JO H N. 2 commending us ; bewailing their own Hearts and Lives, rather than applauding and admiring our Sermons ; fmiting their otvn Breafts, and faying, not fo much; Hoiv well hath he preached 1 but how ill have I lived ! how carnal am I, fubje& to Sin ! (2) By Succefs. This you fhould covet above all things ; this is the Seal of you1 Miniftry in the Peoples Confciences. Every Ambaffador Pent out from a Prince, bath . not only Inftru &ions and Commands, but his Commiffion fealed : So a Minifter muff not only look to his Inftru &ions to preach thetofpel,but fora Seal of his Miniftty,as his Letters of Credence and Recommendation. Now our Seal is Spiritual, as all other the parts of our Adminiftration are. What is this Spiritual Seal ? God's owning and blef-- fing our Endeavours. z Cor. 3. t, z, 3. Do we begin again to commend our films ? or need we, as fame others, Epiflles of Commendation to you, or Letters of Commendation from you ? Te are our EpJlIe written in our Hearts, known and read of all Men. Foraf much as ye are esanifefily declared to be the Epiflle of Chrifi minißred by us, written not with Ink, but with the Spirit of the Living God ; not in Tables of Stone, but in the flefhy Tables of the Heart. Succefs in the Hearts ofthe People, doth authorize our Com= million. So, a Cor. 13.3. Since ye feel a proof of Chro fpeaking in me, which to you - ward k not weak, but is mighty in you. This is a proof, that we come to you in Chrift's ftead, and (peak in his Name and Power. It is not, who can fpeak molt finely and plaufibly, but molt effe &ually to the Heart. t Cor. 2.4. My Speech, and my Preach. ing, was not with ïnticing words of Man's Wifdom ; but in demanfiratian of the Spirit;and of Power. That is the Evidence, not lufcious Gifts. Carnal Men may have thefe, for the good of the Body, that have no inward Calling. I remember Paul putteth the falfe Teachers upon this Experiment, and prod of their Calling. t Cor. 4. 19. I will come to Jon fhertly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the Speech of them which are puf- fed up, but the Power. I will not examine them by their Speech, but by the fpiritual Efficacy of their Miniftry, which is the chiefeft fign of God's Approbation and Biel- fing, not their Pomp and Eloquence. And therefore this is the Seal that you thould look after. z. Here is Advice to the People, to own them that are called, and Pent to you in the Name of Chrift. Own their Perlons, by a cordial fubmiffion to them. Heb. 13. 17: Obey them that have the Rule over you, and fubmit your felves : for they watch for your Souls, as they that muff give an account. In the particular Places, where you are dif- poled by the Care of Providence, they are lent by God to you. There is much in the Defignation of God's Providence; and Cohabitation is an excellent Friend' to Church-Communion. That is the Sphere of your A&ivity ; where God bath appoint ted your dwelling, there you are in the greateft capacity to ferve God, and to pro- mote the Ends of Church-Fellowthip and Communion. And do not only own the Perlons, but the Calling of the Minifters, as a Gofpel-Inftitution. Pray for it ; how importunately cloth Paul beg the Peoples Prayers every where I and countenance and plead for it in the Gates. Wicked Men could never obtain that Power they have over Minifters, were there not fame backwardnefs and faintnefs in the People of God to own them. Herod could have put John to death; But he feared the Multitude, becaufe they counted him for a Prophet, Mat. 14. 5. The pitting down the Miniftry, will not only be imputed to the violence of others, but to your coldnefs and ingratitude. Therefore let theWorld know by fore publick Vindication, that you are not afraid to own Chrift's Inftitutions. If we have a -Charter given. us by a Prince, how zealousare we that it might not be infringed ? Whatever the World thinks of it, this is Chrift's Royal Gift in theday of his Inauguration; Ephef. 4. 1 t. When he afoended rip on High, he gave fbme, Apoftles; and fame, Prophets; and fore, Evangelios 5 and fame, Paflors and Teachers. Therefore Rand, and plead for it more. Taul took notice, 2 Tim. 4. 16. At my firfl Anfwerno Man flood with me; but all Men forfook me. It is a Crime to forfake Minifters in their Defence, much more to forfake the Miniftry. Are we lei backward, that we do not think Chrift's-Gift worthy a publick Vindication ? Nothing bath been accounted fo near and dear to the Church of God, that bath put them upon fuch frequent Prayers, and -zealous Endeavours, as this, that their Minifters may not be taken from them. Therefore own their Calling, and own the In(litution. Before I core to (peak to the Dignity of Minifters, I ¡hall anfwet an Objection or two againft what bath been Paid. Objea. a. If none but fuch as have an outward Ra11 are to preach ; What Call had the firft Reformers ? I
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