Opened and Applied. ' apart ? not as an ordinary Chri!lian, but as an extraordinary AmbaJJaeor, as it - were in the room of the Lord Jefus himfelf; For Chr!H being Meaiator of his Church, two things are required to _make peace. ~· _ To fpeak to God for i us. 2.To fpeak from God ro us; The fi rfi ~e d?th by h1s mterce!lion. But we : h;:ar not fro:n him? Yes, for he fets thefe m h1s room, and by them he fpeaks ; as Mediator to our ears and hearts, 1. Car.5.2o. fo thltif Chriftwashere prefem to fpeak, 1ve would look for the Spirit by him and his Minilhy ; ·Now all I Melfengers of the L~ rd J~fus are in the room of the L.o_rd Jefus,&c. Nay, 1f Chrill was here, the: Spmt woold not come but by thiS means; and hence Chritl: converts nor fo many as the' Apollks by their Miniilry wlfhin I J i~~:~_fe cheLord bath furnifhed. rhem with fpecial abilities to difJ.>enfe the Grace of Chntl: for the Churches fake 12Cor.3.6. Chrijf t<Jcrnded on lnghr. g1ve gifu & .. [on z . for tdif;ing rhe body ; if aman ibould have an Apprenrice fer apart eo fell, but his fhop is not furnilbed,_ how could he then ~ell, an~ how fhould men in wifdo'mexpeet eo buy? I Will not fpeak ·of \Vhatts reqUired to make men able; I Chrifl: not only as a free age11c fees them apart, but as a wife agent furnifheth I them l'l'ith abilities for that end. There mull: be that knowledge which may mak"e the man of God wife_to falvation fro'? the Scriptmes, which cannot be I without knowledge of Tongues and Arcs m fome competency and lludy about ~rh. •"'' · ' ., · 1. They cannot think a thought ; ~hrifl: .furnifheth rhern with thoughts ; the Mini!ler knows not what to fay, yet his thoughts are from him. 1.. They cannot fpeak; hence Ephe[.6;19.. the Lord opens their mouth; ' Ez:ekJe! mull be dumb for a time. < 3· Haverhey therefore anyknowl~dge ohhe my!leries of Chrilt? ic is ro ... 1 , ,, teach the Church, z Cor+ 5,6. all clieir gifts and fpiritual abilities 1 though Jlever fo great, and peculiarly fanetified, but it is for them, 2 Cor.;.ult. have they any remptations,tribulations,andgain by them, vi<- . fpirirual confolations? iris for them that are fad,that.waric it, 2Cor.. 1.4,9. (and though it is true, there is in other Chrilli:u1~ Chri1lian ·abilities to help and·comfort oth~rs, yet not miniflerlal in every Chrillian (the whole body is not an eye)nor which hach a fpecial prefenceof the Spirit of God in· it'and with it)which they fhould never havef!!- ceived but fo r the neceffiries of fome in the Ch_urch; there is good to be had by watering-pots, when grafs and herbs are dying; but yet fometimes the rain falls, and rh:tt hath a pec4liar verrue in it, as being firt~d for tha,r end; and.hence Mini!ters are compared to clouds; and h~nce men will pray efpecially wben 1 many clouds are, the Lord gr.mcthefe bottles may drop; fo hither you are to look ; dilh-milk and ~it-milk may convey fome nourilhm.::nr, bur breil:-milk Had{fpirit going with it ; goo4 books ma)' be bfell, bllt there is not . that fpirit in them as in lively difpenfacions eft the Gofpel by Mini!te"rs t~mfelves. · · ·-' Becaufe rhe Lord hath given rhe:U hearts enlarged to diCpenfe th~ GoCpel, ihat fo the Spirit may be conveyed ; we pre..ch not o11r f e/ves ,hut-the Lord Jefus, Rea/on :i• -and aur felvesJOIIT fervants,&c-.'1.Cor+~: I Th•Jf.•. S. ~fonebeappoimedand furnill)ed but hadrilQ mind tq lfell, they have orhe~ trades tofoHow, little -help is to be expeCted there; rake ' a-'Miniller of large·abilities, if once he comes CQ have fom~ other penny in his eye, bdides the foul s oi p~op!e, feldom JPall it·be feen chat rht Lord is prefer1t there; Snran dorh not call oticSaron, neither i~ his Kin~dom divided ; when Peter filhetb for hi.11felf, all ' night he. cat~eth noi:hing, but when the Lord comes, a-nd for his fake he calls ouc the nee, thl:l) . t~e net is-full ; and for to be a means tP convey eh:: fpirit eo any, it is, their •; Jtfe; as in others, wh.!n gain comes in, they could not live without it; ·Now 'I we live, f ""h 'Pa>~l, if JOU jfAnd, I TheJf. ~ .$. This is rbeir ~lory, Y,_o• -Art \ 1 -____________ _ _ N:.:: · ~n n oHr
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=