of application.
thing—but as a very great honor, "that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ."
The observation that I shall speak to is this: That the office of a minister or preacher is honorable.
For the understanding of this point, premise with me two things:
First, That by a minister, I understand one who is qualified according to gospel rules, and who is internally called by God, and externally called by the people of God, to the ministerial office.
The second thing that I would have you premise with me for the understanding of the point is this, that the common appellation of those who are set apart for the preaching of the gospel in the New Testament is ministers. So in 1 Cor. 3:5; 2 Cor. 3:6, and chapter 6:4, and chapter 11:15, 23; 1 Tim. 4:16, and in many other places, the word minister is a title of office, service, or administration given frequently to the preachers of the gospel. As for the names of ambassadors, stewards, and the like, wherewith they are often honored, they are figurative, and given to them by allusion only.
These two things being premised, we shall now proceed to the opening of the point.
1. And, in the first place, I shall prove that the office of a minister is an honorable office.
2. And then, in the second place, I shall show you what honor is due to them.
3. And then, in the third place, I shall show you how you are to honor them.
4. And then, in the last place, we shall bring home all by a word of application.
Christians, give me permission to tell you this as an aside—that since the gospel has shined in England, a godly, faithful ministry was never more subtly and vehemently struck at by men who make a fair show, and by men of corrupt doctrines and wicked lives. This age has many church destroyers. Some there are, who under that notion of plucking up corrupt ministers, would pluck up by the very roots the true ministry. But God has and will be still too hard for such men. If they will be monsters, God will be sure to be master. His faithful ministers are stars which he holds in his right hand, Rev. 2:1; and men shall as soon pull the sun out of the skies, as pull them out of the hand of God.
Now, considering that there is such a spirit abroad in the world, I hope no sober, serious Christians will be offended at my standing up to vindicate the honor of a godly, faithful ministry. In order to which,
I. I shall first prove that the office of a minister is honorable; and to me these following things speak it out:
[1.] The several names and titles which are given to them in Scripture, does speak them out to be honorable. They are called fathers, stewards, ambassadors, overseers, and angels, as you all know, who know anything of Scripture. To spend time to prove this, would be to light candles to see the sun at noon.
[2.] Their work is honorable. Their whole work is about souls, about winning souls to Christ, and about building souls up in Christ; and to these two heads the main work of the ministry may be reduced. The more noble the soul is, the more honor it is to be busied and exercised about it: James 5:20, "Let him know, that he who converts the sinner from the error of his way, shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins." [O divine soul, invested with the image of God, espoused to him by faith, etc.—Bernard.]
"Let him know," that is, let him take notice that an honorable and glorious work is done by him. The soul is the immediate work of God; the soul is the image of God; the soul is capable of union and communion with God; the soul is worth more than a world, yes, than a thousand worlds. Christ prayed for souls, and wrought miracles for souls, and wept for souls, and left his Father's bosom for souls, and bled out his heart's blood for souls, and is gone to heaven to make provision for souls, yes, he is now a-making intercession for souls. All which speaks out the excellency of their office whose whole work is about souls.
The Jews say of Moses his soul, that it was sucked out of his mouth with a kiss. Souls are dear and sweet to Christ.
[3.] A third thing that speaks out this truth is this, they are fellowlaborers with God; they are co-workers with God in the salvation of sinners. And this is a mighty honor, to be a fellow-laborer with God, to be a co-worker with God: 1 Cor. 3:9, "For we are laborers together with God." Who would not work hard with such sweet company? Who would not affect, prize, love, and honor such service? Ministers are called the light and salt of the world, because they enlighten blind souls, and season unsavory souls, and so save them from corruption and perdition, Mat. 5:14; John 5:35; Mat. 5:13; Mark 9:59-60. Oh, to be joined in any work with God, is an honor beyond what I am able to express!
The senate of Rome accounted it a diminution of Augustus Caesar's dignity to join any consuls with him for the better carrying on the affairs of the state. Oh—but our God does not think it a diminution of his dignity, that even his poor despised servants should be fellowlaborers and co-workers with him in the salvation of souls.
[4.] The honorable account that the Lord has of them in this employment, speaks out this truth, that their office is honorable. In Mat. 10:41-42, compared, "He who receives you, receives me; he who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet, shall receive a prophet's
reward;" and Luke 10:16, "He who receives you, receives me; and he who despises you, despises me." This honorable account God has of all his faithful servants in this employment. Kings and princes have their ambassadors in very high account: so has God his.
[5.] The fifth thing that speaks out this truth is this, they serve an honorable master. They serve him who is all ear to hear, all hand to uphold, all power to protect, all wisdom to direct, all goodness to relieve, and all mercy to pardon. They serve that God that is optimum, maximum, the best and greatest. God has within himself all the good of angels, men, and universal nature; he has all dignity, all glory, all riches, all treasure, all pleasure, all delight, all joy, all beatitudes. Mark, abstracts do better express God than concretes and adjectives. [He has all—who has the haver of all.—Αugustine.] God is being, goodness, beauty, power, wisdom, justice, mercy, and love itself. "God is love," says the apostle, in the very abstract. God is one infinite perfection in himself, which is eminently and virtually all perfections of the creatures. And oh then, what an honor must it be to those who are employed under so honorable a master!
[6.] Their very work and service is honorable. Why else did the apostle cry out, "Who is sufficient for these things?" There is no such embassage in the world as this is in which they are employed: Eph. 6:19-20, "Pray for me, that I may make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in bonds." [Their main work is to treat with sinners about eternity, etc.] Faithful ministers do represent the person of the King of kings and Lord of lords; their work is to treat of peace between God and man, or of open hostility between the Creator and the creature, 2 Cor. 5:19-20.
[7.] Lastly, Their reward from God is honorable. Though the world crown them with thorns, as it did their Lord and master before them —yet God will crown them with honor: Dan. 12:3, "They shall shine as the stars in the skies." You know ambassadors have not honors while they are abroad—but when they come home into their own country, then their princes honor them, and put much honor upon
them. So will God deal with his ambassadors 2 Tim. 4:7, 8, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me only—but unto all them also that love his appearing."
So in Isaiah 49:5. "I am honored in the eyes of the Lord and my God has been my strength." So in 2 Cor. 2:15, "For we are unto God a sweet savor of Christ in those who are saved, and in those who perish." [God will at last highly reward those very services that men don't regard, etc.] Ministers shall be rewarded according to their faithfulness and diligence, though some perish. It shall be with them as with vine-dressers. You know vine-dressers are rewarded according to their diligence and faithfulness, though some vines never bear, nor bring forth any fruit at all. As ministers are diligent and faithful, so the reward, the crown, shall be given forth at last. This is many a faithful minister's grief, that he takes a great deal of pains in rubbing and washing, as it were, to make souls white and clean, pure and holy, and yet they remain after all as black as hell; but surely their reward shall be never the less with God. The nurse looks not for her wages from the child—but from the parent. If ministers, like clouds, sweat themselves to death that souls may be brought to life, great will be their reward, though their souls should perish forever, for whom they have wept, sweat, and bled.
God won't deal by faithful ministers, as Xerxes did by his steerman, who crowned him in the morning, and beheaded him in the evening of the same day. No; God will set an everlasting crown upon their heads who remain laborious and faithful to the death. The world for all their pains will crown them with thorns—but God at last will crown them with glory; he will set a crown of pure gold upon their heads forever. And thus you have the point proved.
The second thing that I am to do is to show you,