88 A niscpunsr ON Ttttt IIoi.v sriatt, 6. 5thly, The great end for which the spirit is thus promised, administered, and communicated under the gospel, is, the continuance and preservation of the church in the world. God hath promised unto the Lord Christ, that his kingdom ih this world should endure un- to all generations with the course of the sum and moon, psal. Ixxii. 5. and that of the increase of his govern- ment there shouldbe no end, fsa. ix, 7. And the Lord Christ himself bath declared his preservation of his church, so as that the gates ofhell should not prevail a- gainst it, Matti". xvi. It may therefore be inquired whereon the infallible accomplishment of these promi- ses, and others innumerable unto the same cnd, dot' depend? or what is that means whereby they shall be certainly executed? Now, this must be either some work of God or man, If it he of men, and it consist of their wills and obedience, then that which is said amounts hereunto, namely, that where men have once received the gospel, and professed subjection thereunto, they will infallibly abide therein in a succession from one genera- tion to another. But, besides, that it mustbe granted, that what so depends on the wills of men can have no more certainty than the undetermined wills of men cats give security of, which indeed is none at all; so there Are confessed instances without number, of such persons and places, as have lost the gospel and the profession thereof. And what path fillet" out in one place may do so in another, and consequently in all places where the reasons and causes of things are the same. On this sup- position therefore there is no security that the promises mentioned shall be infallibly accomplished. Wherefore the event must depend on some work of God and Christ. Now, this is no other but the dispensationand communie. cation of the Spirit. Here alone doth the continuance of the church and of the kingdom of Christ in theworld depend,. And whereas the church falls under a doublé consideration, namely, of its internal and external forme of its internal spiritual union with Christ, and its out- ward profession ofobedience unto him; the calling, ga- thering, preservation, and, edification of it in both re- spects belong unto the Holy Spirit. The first he doti,, as bath been proved at large, by his communicating ef- fectual saving grace unto the elect; the latter by the communication of gifts unto the guides, rulers, officers, and ministers of it, with all its members according unto itsplace and capacity. Suppose then this communication ministry pretended unto, that is neither of the letter nor of the Spirit, it is Antichristian. The ministrywhich was carnal, of the letter and death, was a trueministry, and in its place glorious, because it was appointed of God, and was eliiicacious as unto its proper end. That of the gospel is of the Spirit, and much more glorious. But if there be a ministration that hath the outward form of either, but indeed is neither of them, it is no mini- stration at all. And where it is so, there is really no min- istration but that of the. Bible; that is, Godby his pro- vidence continuing the Bible among them, maketh use of it as he seeth good forthe conviction and conversion of sinners, wherein there is a secret manifestation of the Spirit also. We may therefore inquire inwhat sense the ministration of the gospel is called the ministry of the Spirit. Now, this cannot be, because the laws, institu- tions, and ordinances of its worship were revealed by the Spirit; for so were all the ordinances and institu- tions of the Old Testament, as bath been proved be- fore, and yet the ministration of them was the ministra- tion of the letter and of death, ina worldly sanctuary by carnal ordinances, Wherefore it most be socalled in one of these respects; either, (1.) Because it is the peculiar aid and assistance of the Spirit, whereby any are enabled to administer the gospel, and its institutions of worship according to the mind of God, unto the edification of the church, In this sense men are said to bemade able ministers of the New Testament, that is, ministers able to administer the gospel in due order. Thus in that ex- pression ministersofthe Spirit; the Spiritdenotes theef- ficient cause of the ministry, and he that quickeneth it, ver, 6, 7. Or, (2.) It maybe said to be the ministration cf the Spirit, because in and by the ministry of the gos- pel, the Spirit is in all ages administered and communi- cated unto the disciples of Christ, unto all the ends for which he is promised. So, Gal, iii. 2. the Spirit is re- ceived by thepi-yanking of faitlr. Take it either way, and the whole of what we plead for is confirmed. That he alone enable[' men unto the discharge of the work of the ministry, by the spiritual gifts which he communi- cateth unto them, is the first sense, and expressly that which we contend for; and if in, and by the ministra. Lion of thegospel, in all ages, the Spirit is communicated and administered unto men, then dothhe abide with the church for ever; and for what ends we must further inquire.
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