Part 21
What says Paul, Gal. ii. 6, 7, concerning his own and Peter's apostleship?
That when they saw, by different experiences, and by conference of us together, the various working of God in the ministry by me and by them, they knew that the gospel of uncircumcision was committed to me, as the gospel of circumcision was to Peter.
Now this arose not from the different abilities of Peter and Paul, but from the various commission and success that their office and apostleship had in it from God.
It was not that Paul was more abundantly laborious in the ministry than them all, that his gospel ran like wildfire upon seared trees in a torrid zone: Rom. xv. 19,
'Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum' (that is, all along as far as Hungary), 'I have fully preached the gospel.'
And it was not the knowledge of his own ability he presumed on, but the authority God hed put him into by his office, and he, in a holy kind of ambition in doing this, scorned to build upon another's foundation, as in ver. 20, ' Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation.'
And it was chiefly the conscience of that office of apostleship which God had placed him in, and that success to an admiration that God accompanied him with, which did thrust out that holy boast of his: 1 Cor. xv. 10, ' But I laboured more abundantly than they all; yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.'
And this I boldly interpret, that he speaks it not of the grace of God that was in himself, but of the grace of God that was with him, and so speaks of his office which God had put him into, as in ver. 9, 'For lam the least of the apostles, that am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of Christ.
But by the grace of God I am what Iam.'
He speaks not of the grace he received at his conversion to Christianity, but of that of his apostleship, which I speak not to provoke to pains, that is unCnr. IX.)
THE OHURCHES OF CHRIST. reasonable, but to shew that the success ever he had from God in it provoked him unto it.
It was not the grace of his conversion he thanked God for, but that of his apostleship, as in 1 Tim. i. 12-18, 'I was a persecutor and a blas- ; phemer, and yet he put me into the ministry,' &c.
He seems to thank God | for that in the first and chief place, and Rom xi. 18, 'For I speak to you Gen- : tiles, inasmuch as I am an apostle of the Gentiles ; I magnify mine office.'
By the way, Mr Parker, in his Ecclesiastical Policy, has a controversy with the bishops about this, viz., to which of Christ's offices ministers owe their original for the ministry.
They say they hold it from him as priest, chiefly for their honour, but the apostle Paul attributes it to his being king.
He is the great sovereign, that works all things and does all things, and yet he is invisible, which is his glory, and so Jesus Christ founds it on his kingly office: ' All power in heaven and on earth is given to me' (says he), and so 'go and teach all nations,' &., Mat. xxviii. 18, 20.
But here, the wonder may be that the privilege of baing put into the ministry should be called by him grace, but the apostle has prevented us in our wonder at it in Rom. i. 5, ' By whom we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for his name,' which he accordingly urges them unto upon every occasion ; ' according as we have received grace,' says he, ' we exhort you, &e.
Now, would you think it? he styles every standing office in the church a grace, or the grace of God, in like manner as he had done the apostleship: Eph. iii.
7, ' Whereof I was made a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me, by the effectual working of his power.'
In like manner he calls every particular office in the church instituted, a grace from God: Rom. xii. 4, 6, 'For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office ; having gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us.'
And then he enumerates the standing instituted offices as pastor, and so downwards to the very tenders of the sick.
'He that sheweth mercy,' says he, 'let him do it with cheerfulness.'
And as he calls these offices gifts, so he calls it grace to be so called into suchoffices, even as he had called the apostleship the gift of grace unto himself, and so there is in their proportion the like blessing and obligation.
It is strange that all that perfect holiness that Adam had before his fall should be called the image of God, and yet it arose not to the dignity and style of being called grace, which denotes something supernatural above the due of creation.
Because in Rom. xii. 6, 7, two standing offices are in common named prophesying and teaching, in distinotion from the lower offices, I shall upon the occasion thereof argue the point in hand, namely, that the two preaching elders being made officers, and their calling being to prophesy, that they have a special blessing promised, answerably to their institution.
To explain which more distinctly, we may and must know that prophesying, in the language of Paul's epistles, is used to express the preaching of members who are not officers, and yet have gifts fit to edify the church, which the apostle therefore allows, 1 Cor. xiv.; but so as this kind of prophesying was not to hinder the church from having standing elders of preaching, for that other kind of exercise of prophesying from the members is to be voluntary and occasional, as the Spirit of God supplies them with new matter.
But Jesus Christ, Head of the church, thought not fitto leave his church to such an uncertain, slender provision only.
But as he is rich in mercy, so he would have his word to dwell richly and plentifully in his house; and has therefore appointed officers that should preach in season and out of season, that should give themselves wholly up to these things, to make it their work and business
THE GOVERNMENT OF [Boor VI. to seek, to find out, pleasant words, as of Solomon it is said, Eccles. xii. 10.
Now, our Lord Jesus Christ, our founder, is a great king, and will have his children nobly educated, by men whose office it is to tend them, as princes have; yea, he has appointed and set tutors over every faculty of his people, teachers to inform their understandings, pastors and exhorters to deal with their wills and affections, and those lower than they to take care about their bodies for sickness or poverty.
'This is a faithful saying, He that desires the office of a bishop, desireth a good work ;' and of these the apostle says, they are ' worthy of double honour,' 1 Tim. v.17.
To whom doth he speak it, but to these other mentioned that are out of office, who are to have but single honour in comparison of those other, who are the stars in Christ's right hand, firm and fixed in*their orbs ?
And here it will not be improper nor impertinent to shew the procedure and degrees, but especially the outward course and means, that God took to bring the apostle Paul's apostleship to this perfection and height of consummation.
But especially it is for us to consider the outward means and course God took therein.
First, The foundation of his apostleship was founded upon Christ's calling him in so extraordinary a manner, who prophesied of him aforehand that he was a chosen vessel, and that he would send him as a witness of him among the Gentiles, so at his conversion.
Then for three years he lived in Arabia, during which time (as Bishop Ussher happily conjectures) God took an occesion to make known his whole gospel to him, both in the centre and circumference of all the truths of it, and their coherence one with another.
And though God was able speedily to reveal, yet Paul was to take all in, and that required time.
Now, after God had filled and farnished Paul's heart and head with all kind of matter to enable him to preach, after this you read of "his preaching up and down to the Jews, but unknown by face to them, Gal. i, 22; and then he went to Tarshish, his own city, from whence Barnabas fetched him and brought him to Antioch.
And there it was that Paul received an outward mission and commission to be an apostle to the Gentiles.
And it was by the ordinary course and means of laying on of hands, with fasting and prayer for him, which is an example for our encouragement in our being put into the ministry, to receive a blessing in the use of that ordinary means. The story is, Acts xiii., the elders of the church at Antioch being met, and having fasted, 'The Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.
And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.'
Now, Paul writing to the Romans, citizens of the head city of the Gentiles, refers, Rom. i. 1, to the words of this story, and to that mission of him recorded in that story, in using the very words, as glorying in that style which . he counted the foundation of his apostleship among the Gentiles.
' Separate me Barnabas and Saul, for the work whereunto I have called them,' says the Holy Ghost, Acts xiii.
'Separated unto the gospel of God,' says the apostle, Rom. i. 1.
'We have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations for his name.'
And from thence in the rest of the epistle, and in this epistle to the Corinths, he urgeth obedience to his apostolical authority in such words as those, ' according as we have received grace,' viz., grace of apostleship, as he interprets it, do so and so, as we have commanded.
This is frequent too in the epistles to the Corinthians, and in this to the Romans: chap. xi. 18, 'For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office.'
Eph. iii. 8, ' Whereof,' viz., of the gospel, 'I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me, by the effectual working of his power.'
Caar. IX.] "THE OHUROHES OF CHRIST.
, It was to the authority of his office he ascribed the efficacy and success of : his ministry.
And though the offices of pastor and teacher hath not the authority as that of an apostle, nor the call so extraordinary, yet ' despise not the day of small things ;' for they are the blessed ordinances of God, and shall have their due efficacy upon the hearts and heads of those exercised therein, and it is there God commands the blessing.
And by the way, the separation to the work of the ministry is ascribed to | the Holy Ghost, who is the executive power of the Trinity; and therefore it
| is said, Acts xx., ' Feed the flock, over whom the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers ;' and the apostle says, 1 Cor. xii. 1-8, ' Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant; ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto those dumb idols, even as ye were led; wherefore I give you to understand that no man, speaking by the Spirit of God, calleth
Jesus accursed ; and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.'
The apostle convinces them that those spiritual gifts and offices which were among them were merely gifts out of grace, though a common grace to ungodly men, to the rebellious also.
He convinces them by this, that they were supernatural, for till my ministry and the gospel came among : you (says he), you were far enough from such gifts.
' Ye know that you were Gentiles carried away unto these dumb idols, even as you were led.'
And therefore, if you have any knowledge of Christ, it must be from the Spirit, as an heavenly agent, that is come upon yor all.
The knowledge of, and assent to, Jesus as the Lord, must be from the Holy Ghost; you have it not by nature, you were led after dumb idols.
These gifts are all supernatural, and from a divine agent, and in that respect they are called graces, and a gift. But then the making a man a minister, and putting him. into the divine office, whether of pastor or teacher, is no less than a work of all the three persons, and not of the Holy Ghost only.
There is a conjunction of all three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, blessing and laying on of hands as it were upon a minister ordained: 1 Cor. xii. 4-6, ' Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.
And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.'
There you have all the three persons: the gifts ofaminister are from the Spirit; the administration, ¢.6. the office where a man administers, is from Christ as the Lord; the operations, the powerful success that works upon men's hearts by them, is from God the Father.
You see your calling, brethren, as the apostle speaks in another case; I mean you brethren of the ministry, learn to follow your callings and your authority.
When Christ laid his hand upon John, Rev. i., how did it revive him and put life into him.
All the three persons in the work do lay . on their hands.
We count it a great concurrent dispensation of God, that each person in the Trinity should share the works of our salvation among them, and it is a wonderful thing to bless them for it; but seldom have the three persons concurred in one action.
When Christ was baptized, and God himself proclaimed, 'Thou art my Son,' there were all the three persons.
The Father was heard by speaking himself immediately, the Holy Ghost was descending #8 8 dove upon Christ, and the Son of God was himself in the water.
And here is another ¢sopavia, an appearance of God in three persons, at the ordination of a minister.
Which notion is confirmed and backed by our apostle in naming two of the persons, the Father and the Son, as authors of the instituted officers of achureh: Gal. i. 1, ' Paul, an apostle (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead').
There is two of them, the will of the Father and Jesus Christ ; and the Holy Ghost, THE GOVERNMENT OF [Boox VI. the third person, you have in Acts xiii., as expressly named to be a founder of this work :
' Separate me Paul, for the work I have appointed.'
And from hence you may learn what holy, holy, holy ground it is that an instituted officer of the New Testament stands upon, which Mr Bains, in his Diocesan Trial, hath firmly asserted ; and it sets right and corrects the Brownist error at their first setting out, who looked on their ministers but as servants of the church, and instituted by the church only, which is but of human institution, Gal. i. 1; and so they chose them anew, to officiatein their several turns, remaining but brethren still,
Bat Mr Bains makes them the immediate servants of Christ, who is the instituter of them.
And from hence I assert, that a minister is a servant of Christto the church, to do his work to the church as occasion is.
Before his call unto the ministry, he was as gold in the bullion, fit for, and capable of, the ministry; and the church, in Christ's name, chooses him, and sets upon him the seal of @ sacred separation of him unto Christ; and in Christ's name he acts toward them, independently on them, till he shall forfeit himself and his calling by deserving to be excommunicated.
And henceI assert also,.that they are not only ministers to that church which calls them, but preach as ministers, and with a ministerial blessing accompanying them, wherever they are called to preach.
And herein doth a singly called, though gifted, man fall short of that blessing which accompanies a minister rightly separated unto an office of ministry in a church.
There were some in the church, either of Antioch or Jerusalem, that were called ' principal brethren,' yet only brethren, though the word principal is annexed.
And it is an ordinary style in the Epistles, when the apostle . speaks of the brethren in a church, who are chiefly such, he styles them
"one of you ;' yea, though they be acknowledged by the apostles to have been helpful to them ; whereas, when they have been separated to the ministry, either as pastor or teacher of the church, Paul gives the honourable title of 'unto you' (speaking of that church), 'a faithful minister ;' and under that title he sets out Epaphras to the Colossians, who was minister to their church ; yea, and hence it comes to pass, that whenever they preach to any either called or to be called, they may be said to preach as ministers to them.
When, Eph. iv. 12, their ordinary pastors and teachers are said to be in the work of the ministry, they are said to be in it not only for the edifying the body of Christ, that is already his body, but «pig rdv xaragrioydv, for the jointing in, as members of the body, such as are yet unconverted and out of joint, and loose from them, though elect; and if they be ministers (as it is there expressly said) to the jointing of them in, then they are ministers before conversion, to them whom to convert God blesses them as ministers.
And what other is the reason why those who have been fixed ministers to a people, and by persecution are driven out, have that allowance too given to them by Christ, who says, Mat. x. 28, 'If they persecute you in one city, fly into another.'
For Jesus Christ is not a loser thereby, bat he follows on his blessing of them for conversion unto a new people ; for why?
They carry their ministry along with them, and preach as ministers to whomever they preach ; for they preach agé¢ xaragrioudy, for the jointing of them in.
Know, therefore, that your ministry, or being ministers, doth | not stand on your own feet, but on Christ's feet, in whose hand these stars are, for their further motion, guidance, and protection and blessing on them.
| Cuap. X.] THE OHUROHES OF CHRIST.
Of the communion of saints, which the members of a church ought to have one with another.
Having proved that Christ hath instituted divers sorts of officers to be in church, and having described the distinction of their offices, the thing next to be considered is, What communion the members of such a church ought to have one with another (besides the communion which they publicly enjoy in ordinances), for their mutual edification and increase of their graces.
The communion which I intend is not by way of exercising gifts, but of grace ; a communion, not in the way of a set institation or ordinance, bat in the way of a fit means and help to increase that love which ought to be between one member and another.
The question, in sum, is, Whether every member is not bound to seek the knowledge of every member's spirit and graces, and that not only by occasional converse, but by fixed moetings appointed on purpose for such spiritual converse, to know one another's cases and spirits, and 'to provoke one another to love, and to good works,'
There are two things which must be supposed as unavoidably to be granted.
1. That every member of a church cannot in public edify the others, for women must not speak in the church, 1 Cor. xiv. 84, 85.
And, besides, public meetings are for exercise of gifts, which even all the men have not.
2. In private occasional converse, one member may not have opportunity to discourse with another once in seven years ; for when will occasion offer for a godly servant to discourse with the master of another family?
There seems, then, to be a necessity of a fixed meeting to this very end, that such opportunities may be afforded to them.
And, 8, it may be demanded, whether for these members, who occasionally perhaps meet every day, such appointed meetings are not necessary, that there may be a set time for this spiritual conversation.
It is not meant that herein there should be preaching or praying, but a spiritual conference, to gain experience of each other's improvements in grace.
1. I shall consider whether this be a duty, and what in a church fellowship should bind the members of it to such a duty.
1. This is certain, that one member should make known his spiritual case and condition to another, of known faithfulness,
James v. 16; and that he should make known too his needs or wants of any kind, not to the minister only, but to any of the members of the church, who is in a special manner known to be faithful, that he may pray for him.
Confess your faults (says the apostle), and pray one for another, that you may be healed.
'The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.'
That phrase, Confess yourfaults one to another, is not general, as if it were to be done to every one ; but the apostle's dosign is to shew that there are occasions upon which this duty is to be done to some.
Bat, 2, that place in Heb. x. 24 seems to call for and require a more special animadversion, to know one another's cases and experiences, and that not only as they may be made known occasionally, but to inquire of one's own accord, and to take occasion to do it.
' Let us consider one another,' says the apostle, 'to provoke unto love, and to good works.'
The word is xaravodiuey, the same which is used to express, Mat. vii. 8, the diligent inquiry and exact animadversion which we ought to make upon ourselves.
THE GOVERNMENT OF [Boox VI.
8. This also seems to call for such a stated converse of church members together, to inquire into and know one another's cases and experiences, because otherwise every member would not have an equal benefit in church communion.
For some that are rich, and have time to converse much together, may indeed reap the fruits of a blessed fellowship ; but others that are poor, or servants, &c., will be abridged, and so the same inconveniences
! will arise as were in the Corinthians' love-feasts, 1 Cor. xi. 22.
1. Then it is evident from Scripture that itis the duty of every member to observe, and to take care of another's spiritual welfare.
This appears from the duty enjoined, Heb. x. 24, and it is a duty distinct from assembling together, which follows in the next verse.
The same thing is also manifest from that text, 1 Thes. v. 11, ' Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as ye do.' The Greek word is ragaxa ai, exhort and edify one another, slg viv tva, i. 6. § every one of you, do this duty to every one.'
And the apostle commends them, that it was their practice so to do, "even as also,' says he, ' you do;' so that a primitive apostolical church did practise this duty.
And this was distinct from the work of the officers, for of them he speaks afterwards, ver. 12.
And then he tells them the several ways wherein they should exercise this duty one towards another : ver. 14, 'Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feeble-minded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.'
But the question is, Whether this duty is only to be exercised occasionally, as the providence of God gives opportunities and occasions of converse, and according to the relations wherein he hath set men, of man and wife, master and servant, &c.
That as we ought to give to poor saints, when there is occasion, so it is duty also to exhort, admonish, &., when an opportunity is offered.
1. It is evident that this duty is to be discharged between persons who live in these relations; and as man and wife have more occasion of converse, so more of this duty is incumbent upon them.
They, not only as members of a church, but as being in such relations, ought to serve the ends of churchfellowship.
And the greater the occasion is, the more are they obliged to this duty ; though he owes it as a member, yet he is bound the more to exercise it in this occasional way of relation: Eph. iv. 16, 'From whom the whole body, fitly joined together and compacted by that which everyjoint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body, unto the edifying of itself in love.'
The word séy vd oiue (which is translated the whole body), may be translated every body, or particular church, for he speaks of particular churches there, for the whole mystical body of Christ is not edified by every particular person.
2. He mentions here the edification of the members, by the members, a8 considered distinct from their officers.
8. The word cwaguoroyotysvoy, fitly joined, evinceth as much.
It signifies being joined as with sinews and bones, for so 6 apuds is taken, Heb. iv. 12.
And so here is it to be understood ; for the apostle speaks of a body which every joint supplieth, da dong apis, as he also useth the word, Col. ii. 19.
The body is knit by joints, and the nourishment is supplied from Christ; and it is knit together, not only by joints, but by sinews (owdicuwr, Col. ii. 19), which run between every one.
So then there are joints by which Christ supplieth nourishment to the body, and there are sinews by which the members of that body are joined together; and those are the several relations which the members have one to another, either as in a family, or in the offices of the church.
For if there were no other relation, yet this of membership in a church is one sufficient, since all the members have from Christ
Cuap. X.] THE CHURCHES OF CHRIST.
8 measure of supplies for the nourishment and strengthening of the whole body.
And the laws of life and motion are as natural here as they are in bodies of flesh and blood; for as the several parts ofthem receive spirits from the head to enliven and move them, so, to all the members of Christ's body, the church, the Spirit is conveyed from him the head, to give spiritual life and motion to them all, and so tothe whole body.
So that if there were no other relation between the saints but this of their being set and joined in one body, the church, and not in a family, &c., only; yet this is enough for their mutual life, strength, and edification
: 1 Cor. xii. 14-22, ' For the body is not one member, but many.
If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body: is it therefore not of the body ?
Andif the ear shall say, Because I am not the eyo, I am not of the body: is it therefore not of the body?
If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing ? if the whole body were hearing, where were the smelling?
But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.
And if they were all one member, where were the body? But now are they many members, yet but one body.
And the eye cannot say unto the hand, T have no need of thee > nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.
Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary.'
And indeed every member hath some grace, or some experiences wherein it differs from another, and is helpful toit. As the members of the natural body, though consisting of the same flesh and blood, yet differ in some properties wherein they excel, and wherein they are useful to the other, so every member in a church hath some peculiar grace by which the other may profit.
So Paul says of himself, writing to. the church of the Romans, that he was comforted by their mutual faith, not by their gifts,
Rom. i. 12, ' That is, that I may be comforted together with you, by the mutual faith both of you and me.'
In like manner he says, that when in conference with the other apostles, there was nothing added to him, yet their discerning the grace of God which was in him had the desired effect, Gal. ii. 6, 9.
There is then no member in a church but what is necessary and helpfal, and no one can say that he hath no need of another.
Thus the apostle tells us, that they who are feeble are necessary, 1 Cor. xii. 22. And therefore he argues, ver. 25, that alk should have the same care one of another, though never so mean an object.
And, ver. 27, says he, ' you are the body of Christ, and members in particular,' not only members for the use of the whole body, but for the use of every one member considered apart.
There are three expressions used by the apostle, which shew that the care which the saints in church-fellowship together ought to have ever one another, should not only be exercised as occasion offers, but that it is a constant duty, and that we ought to seek all occasions of acting it.
1. The apostle says, Heb. x. 24,' And let us consider one another, to proyoke unto love, and to good works.'
The Greek words are, Karavoder \ .
AAHAous, let us accurately consider one another, that our care over one avother may be answerable.
2. The same apostle speaks in like manner, I Cor. xii. 25, ' That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the ' same care one for onother.'
The Greek word yscjvio signifies that we should have an especial and solicitous care of one another's souls.
8. What the apostle says in another place is to the same purpose: 1 Thes. y. 11, ' Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.'
The Greek words sagauxadsire dAAHAouG xa! dixodousire se ' roy iva, import not a general, but a particular care ; not only occasional, but such as we should study, and endeavour to exercise, for the edification partiTHE GOVERNMENT OF [Boor VI. cularly of every one.
But besides, there are these further reasons of the 1° Because there is this difference between the members of the church universal, and the members of a particular church, that the former are obliged to those duties of taking care to help and edify one another as occasion serves ; but the other are bound by a more especial covenant to perform this duty one to another in a constant manner, and therefore ought to seek occasion for it.
2. The same thing is evident from this, that every member hath in him something that is needful for another, 1 Cor. xii. 22, though not in gifts, yet in graces, by which the strongest may profit; as Paul increased in faith by the mutual faith in the Romans, chap. i. 12, though in the gifts nothing could be added to him.
8. There would not otherwise be the same care taken of all that there is of some, which is contrary to what the apostle enjoins, 1 Cor. xii. 25.
And reason shews that care should rather be taken of the weak, 1 Cor. xii. 22, 28, And the neglect and despising of the poor and weak, was the fault of the love feasts, which the apostle reproves, 1 Cor. xi. 24.
4. Because, otherwise, the relation of being a member in a particular church, would add nothing to the person as proper to such a relation, if one member was not thereby bound to be helpful to another, not only occasionally, but on set purpose, and on appointed times, when occasions are not offered.
But the question will be, How this care, which every member is to have of another, will differ from the care which is incumbent upon the officers to take of the church.
Ans. 1. The officers are bound to their care in @ more especial manner, and the exercise of it is incumbent on them, ex officio, by virtue of their office.
And besides, their care reacheth to the whole church, but every member's care to another: Rom. xii. 4, 5, ' For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office; so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.'
The Greek word is #gé&w, activenees, working; 80 that it is evident from this text of Scripture, that every member hath its peculiar working, as we say that the eye hath not only its office, but the ear also hath an office proper to it.
2. The officers are wholly in this work, and entirely devoted to it.
8. The officers have the charge of the whole, and of every part, which is not incumbent on the private brethren.
Though in Rom. xii. the apostle mentions the authority and work of the officers, yet withal he insinuates the activeness and working of each member as needful: Rom. xii. 4, 5,
' For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same : office; so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.'
And go, in 1 Cor. xii., he speaks of works and duties, which are incumbent on more persons than the officers of the church.
And the apostle Peter also speaks of private members, and their duty and work, 1 Peter iv. 5 ; for he speaks of the elders and their office in the fifth chapter, which follows.
5. It is made a sign of grace for saints to visit each other.
It discovered the trath of grace and faith in Moses's heart, that he visited his brethren.
James makes it also a trial of the sincerity of our grace, Isa. i. 27, ' Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness.'
And our Lord Jesus makes it the touchstone and test of his chosen sheep, when he separates them from the goats, that they visited the poor little ones among his saints, Mat. xxv. 86, 40.
And if there is the like reason to visit the members of a church, then certainly it is to be done.
We are to shew Cm. X.], THE CHUROHES OF CHRIST. our love to their souls, to visit and refresh them; for souls have need as well as bodies, and require suitable supplies.
6. The prophet mentions it as the daty and practice of saints under the gospel, to speak often one to another, Mal. iii. 16. What he speaks of those times, hath reference to ours.
7. There ought to be so great and peculiar a love between the members. i of a church, as cannot be discharged but in the performance of this special
! office and duty : Rom. xii. 10, 'Be kindly affactioned one to another, with brotherly love, in honour preferring one another.'
It is gsAvsrogyia, a natural tnstinct of affection, prdabsdpia, a natural love, such as parents bear to their children, and brethren to brethren.
And in this they are to increase and abound: 1 Thes. iii. 12, 'And the Lord make you to inerease and abound in love one towards another, and towards all men, even as we do towards you:' 1 Peter iv. 8, ' And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves, for charity shall cover a multitude of sins.'
The word is éxrsvj, such a fervency as presseth to a mark.
It is pure love; all inordinacy of love of self, of wife, &., isremoved; anyinordinacy would take too much, that there would not be love enough for all the brotherhood.
As it is such a love, so it is a growing love; and therefore what is necessary for the feeding it, is necessary to put forth towards the members of the church; which, how can it be done without 8 communion maintained among them ?
8. Whatever other relations binds us to, we are engaged to the same duties by our relation of brethren in a church.
If obligations of civility, or ties of nature and kindred, engage men to visit one another; then, much more the relation of members in a church obligeth us to the same duty; and the poorest, meanest saint, is as worthy of it as any; for otherwise we should havo the faith of our Lord Jesus with respect of. persons, which the apostle forbids, James ii. 1.
Obj. But the work and business of the officers in a church take off this care from the private members, and render it unnecessary.
And besides, they have other callings, as being merchants, &c., which they ought to mind and attend.
Ans. It is true; but yet these are duties whieh occasionally they ought to perform; as if offence be given them, they are enjoined to speak and admonish the person, Mat. xviii. 15.
They are required also to do good, as opportunity serves, Rom. xiv. 19, 1 Cor. x. 24.
If anything be revealed to & person, it is proper for him to tell it, if there be leisure or opportanity; whereas an officer ought always to have something ready for edification.
The main question to be discoursed is, wherein this duty lies ? o 1. It doth not properly consist in the communication of such gifts, whereby the ehureh is edified in the public worship of God.
It doth not properly consist in expounding nor in praying together, though this may be done occasionally.
There are two sorts of gifts.
_ (1.) Such as are superadded to graces, and are sanctified to a public use, as the gift of expression in prayer, of prophesying, é&o.
(2.) There are such gifts as are necessary to communicate, and make known onr graces one to another, as to be able to express what experiences of God's love, &., we have had; for, as the thoughts of our minds cannot be known, unless we have a tongue to express them, so neither can our graces be known without such a gift.
Now the end of this communion of saints, whereof I now discourse, is not to make known such gifts, but to communicate experiences, not to repeat sermons (which is a duty proper to families), but to declare what it was in s sermon that God blessed to them, rN
THE GOVERNMENT OF [Boox VI. and that affected their hearts, what promises they have found to be made good to them, &e.
2. This duty of communion of saints doth not consist in giving an account of their graces in that set way, as they gave an account of their conversion, when they were first admitted into the church..
But it is a communication of their experiences, as to the growth of their graces, and as to the exercise of them.
'The graces ofa believer, the rd yrwordy rod @eot, may be known of God in him, may rather appear thus, by way of conference, than in a set narration.
The reason of it is, because an account of the person's grace is not now given, for a judgment to be made of his state thereupon, as it was at his admission into the church.
There is not in this case any authoritetive act, for none have power to call for an account.
But the duty incumbent on the person is, to consider whether the declaration of his experiences may be for the edifying and comforting of ethers, and what good fruits may arise out of such a manifestation, and accordingly to do it.
It is to be minded what God leads a man's spirit to confer about.
There is such a thing as a manifestation of spirits in a several way, whereby is not meant, that person is obliged to. lay open all thatis in his heart; but that, bys mutual conference concerning spiritual things, there should be a test given what is in one another's spirits.
8. This communion doth not consist in a confession ef all sins, or in discovery of everything thet burdens us.
For to that end a believer will make choice of some particular, in whose wisdom and faithfulness he can confide, as occasion is, James v. 16.
As for extraordinary cases, wherein there is need of help, as in case of feeble-mindedness, 1 Thes. v. 4, temptations, &., there is no need for any believer to tell his case to all the members of the church particularly, that they may all pray for him, for upon his making it known to the pastor or officers, he may be prayed for publicly.
4. But yet that love which the members of a church bear one to another will move them, and put them upona solicitousness, and a study, and care for each other's souls.
| 5. Let us consider that subjection in which all the members ought to be | one toward another, whereof the apostle speaks: 1 Peter v. 5, ' Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder; yea, all of you be subject to one another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.'
1 cannot conceive otherwise, but that by this subjection (the word is iworaseézsvo), is meant that they should be content to receive instruction one from another.
6. It is to be considered that Christ puts an honour on the weakest members, 1 Cor. xii. 18-24.
And that there may be no schism in the body, application must be made to one as well as to another, and there mast not ; be a total neglect of any: i Cor. xii. 25, 'That there ahould be no achism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.'
And so likewise the apostle tells us that there are diversities of gifts, and administrations, and operations: 1 Cor. xii. 4—7, ' Now there are diversities of gifta, but the same Spirit.
And there are differences of ad- : ministrations, but the same Lord.
And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.
But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.'
These diversities of gifts and administrations do not relate to officers only, but to the whole body, so that a course should be taken to receive the benefit of every member's gift, for otherwise there will be a neglect of God, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, who are the fountain of these diverse gifts and administrations.
Boox VII. Cup. I.] THE CHURCHES OF CHRIST.
That the preaching of the gospel is an ordinance ofJesus Christ, institutedfor the conversion of sinners, and for the edification of. the saints.—Of the use and necessity of ministers wholly set apart to preach.—That Christ by his institution hath appointed a due maintenance for ministers.—Concerning the time for the administration of ordinances, and whether the sacrament of the Lord's supper ought to be administered on every Lord's day.—Whether, in case of necessity, a church may by common consent divide themselves, to mest
4n several parts, and receive the Lord's supper in such distinct mestings, rather : than omit that ordinance wholly.— Whether in case ofapparent dangerof life, toss of estate rationally foreseen, or in case of forces and violence, causing ordinances to cease, there may not be prudent forbearance or secret avotdance.—Whether one who ¢s not a church member may be the subject of baptism.— Whether one who is not a pastor may administer baptism.— Whether a church may depose anofficer for a fault, which doth not deserve excommunication.—Of anointing with oil.—Of toleration and liberty of conscience to be granted to particular churches, though differingfrom the national conCHAPTER L
That the preaching of the gospel is an ordinance institutedby Christ, for the conversion of sinners, and edification of the saints.—The reason why he hath chosen the preaching of the word by men to be the means of salvation rather
: than any other.—The pleas which men make.against thetr constant attend- | ance on the preaching of the word as needless, answered. i How then shall they call on him in whom they have notbelieved? and how shall they believe tn him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? and how shall they preach except they be sent? as \ it ts written, How beautiful are thefeet of them that preach thegospel ofpeace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
But they have not all obeyed the gospel : for Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?
So thenfaith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.—Rom. X. 14-18.
Tur apostle having proved at large in the former part of this chapter, and the whole epistle, that the righteousness of Christ apprehended by faith was the only true righteousness whereby men are to be saved, he begins here, at tho 14th verse of this chapter, to lay down the outward instrumental means of attaining to this righteousness and salvation, and this by a gradation or chain of causes; all which he shews to hang upon preaching of the word of faith, as the first link of that whole chain of outward means.
And as, in Rom. viii. 29, 80, he makes a chain of the principal causes of our salvation:
'Whom he foreknew, those he predestinated; and whom he predestinated, thoze he also called,' &.; so here he makes a chain of the means outward,
'THE GOVERNMENT OF [Boox VIL praying and worshipping God (that is the first step), ' whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved,' ver. 18; without prayer there is no salvation, it is here (by a synecdoche) put for all obedience.
But then, ' How shall they call on God without faith, and how believe without hearing, and how shall they hear without a preacher ?' ver. 4.
For it is such a hearing as is by preaching ; neither is this preaching (the hearing whereof is blessed to work faith) by any but by men sent, ver. 15; and the conclusion of all this is, that faith cometh by hearing, ver. 17.
And experience also helps to manifest and confirm this.
For still, where God meant to have a church called, thither he still sends, and there he maintains the preaching of.the gospel.
For this compare Acts xvi. 6, 8, with | the 9th and 10th verses of the 18th chapter; in that first cited place it is said that God forbade Paul to preach in Bithynia, but in this other, that he
: bade him stay and preach at Corinth, giving this reason: for 'I have much people in this city.'
So also, says the apostle, Col. i. 1, 4, 5, ' Knowing the election of God, our gospel came unto you, not in word only,' &&.
And | therefore we see that those places that want it lie like deserts and wilder- | nesses, full of rudeness and ignorance, and the inhabitants living rather like beasts than men.
And this is the reason why the light of the gospel, and the preaching thereof, shifts 80 from place to place (in the east once, now in the west), for still where God hath a good shoal and fry of fish, thither he sends his fishers with their drag-nets, it being good fishing sometimes in one coast, sometimes in another.
Where God intends to plant a church, thither he sends the gospel, 'to make known by it the mystery of his will, that, in the dispensation of the falness of times, he might gather together in one all his elect,' Eph. i. 9, 10.
What is the reason of this ?
1. Take that which the apostle intimates in this Rom. x. 17, 'faith comes by hearing ;' and how so?
' Hearing is by the word of God.'
So that if the reason be asked, why this way rather than any other? the answer is, It is 80 appointed and ordained by God, for that is meant by word here, his word being all one with his commandment and appointment.
Luke iv. 4, ' Man lives not by bread alone, but by the word of God;' that is, by this ordinance of God, that bread should nourish ; it is not said hearing of the word, but by the-word.
What is the reason the rain, that falls down upon the earth from these bottles of heaven, the clouds, drops such fatness with it, and crowns the year with increase? Ps. Ixv. 11.
It is only this, God at the beginning did so appoint it, as we read in Gen. ii. 6.
Now, Isa. lv. 10, 11, it is said, 'As the rain cometh down and watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, &c., so shall my word go forth and prosper in the thing whereto I appointed and sent it.'
It shall prosper, because God so appointed it, and it shall cause the earth both to bring forth and bud, that is, it shall work both beginnings and increase.
Yea, it doth that which : other rain doth not, for other rain falling on a briar, it remaineth a briar still; but where this rain falls, God accompanying it with a blessing, instead of a thorn comes upa fir; and of fuel for hell it makes men fruitfal trees to God, and fit for his building, for it fully alters the nature of them.
And though watering the earth with watering-pots is good and useful in the time of drought, and so is reading of good books and conferring of things holy, yet preaching is the kindly urdinance, when 'doctrine drops as the rain, and speech distils as the dew, and as small rain upon the tender herb,' as in preaching it still doth, Deut. xxxii. 2.
2. As God appointed it, so Jesus Christ prayed for it, in John xvii.
Christ consecrates his death, and prays for the application of it, namely, that the apostles might be sanctified, and how ?
(says Cur. I] THE OBURCHES OF CHRIST.
Christ), that-is, the gospel, called 'the word of truth,' Eph. i. 18. And then he goes on to pray ' not only for those, but for all that should believe ;' and how should they come to believe ? ' Through their word,' so vers. 19 and 20.
And certain it is, that Christ's intercession pute a force into this means unto | this day.
For doth Christ mean only the apostles' preaching, as that which | he then prayed for?
No, this prayer reacheth unto the ends of the world; for it is their word that we do and shall preach, and we are their successors.
Therefore, Mat. xxviii. 20, Christ says, though he speak only to his disciples, 'I am with you unto the end of the world.'
; 8. As God the Father appointed it, and God the Son prayed for it, so God the Holy Spirit is by promise and covenant engaged to accompany it with his blessing unto the seed of Christ for ever : Isa. lix. 21,
' My Spirit, who is upon thee, and my words which I have put into thy month, shall not departout of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, for ever.'
It is spoken of the word as preached unto the people, and therefore we find, Acts x. 44, ' Whilst Peter spake, the Holy Ghost fell on all them who heard the word.'
And therefore it is, that, 1 Cor. ii. 4, the preaching of the gospel is called the 'demonstration of the Spirit,' and, 2 Cor. iii. 8, the ' ministrationof the Spirit.' Now if any demand the reason why God ordained it, and Christ prayed for it rather than any other means, I shall, for the explanation of this, propound certain queries, in the anewers to which I ehall give the reason of it; and I ball proceed herein by degrees.
Quest. 1. Why did not God work immediately by his own power, and rather use no means at all ?
Ans. 1. He doth this to shew his diverse manner of working, for he still loves to vary his dispensations towards man.
At the first creation he used no means, but made man in his own image; even as when he gave the law, he both made the stone tables immediately, and also writ it with his own finger.
But now, in this recreation and renewing of the image, because he will not go the same way to work, he will take a pen in his hand to do it withal. 'Ye are,' says the apostle, 2 Cor. iii. 8, 'the epistle of Christ ministered by us.'
And though God made the world without the help of angels or any other creature, yet now in this new creation he is pleased to | shew his diverse ways of working, and takes creatures to work by, whom therefore he calls co-workers with him, 1 Cor. iii. 9.
| Ans. 2. He now useth means, as to shew his various kinds of working, so | to hide it from the eyes of the undiscerning world, who contemn the means
| totheir destruction.
For this work of conversion being the only standing miracle in the church (and indeed the greatest, and therefore all is summed
~ up in it), Christ therefore hides his power in working it :
' The blind,' says he, 'receive their sight, the deaf hear, and the poor receive the gospel,' but he | leta them not see from whom all this comes, and by whom it is wrought; that to that mightcome upon the foolish world which was fore-prophesied, Heb. i. 5,
\ and alleged by the apostle, Acts xiii. 41, ' Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work @ work among you which you will in no wise believe, though it be declared unto you.'
Becanse the means are so small and so unlikely, therefore it is that the world despises God's word and people; and they wonder at this, that such weak means should have such power on men's hearts, and yet they believe it not; they feel no such thing in their own hearts, and go falling to despise it, they perish in their own ways.
You have it, Prov. xxv. 2, that 'it is the glory of God to conceal a thing,' to carry his @reatest counsels and works covertly and closely ; and therefore he hides | them under means, because all should not see them.
So, when he sent his | Son, how didhe befool the devil and the world in sending the Prince ofglory, 'THE GOVERNMENT OF [Boor VII. clad and concealed in infirmities, to be crucified, and so to bring about God's greatest work! 1 Cor. ii. 6-8.
Quest. 2. But why of all things else hath he chosen his word to do this?
Ans. 1, He hath chosen preaching of the word, because it is the weakest means of all others, and therefore his power would the more appear unto his own glory in it.
What is weaker than a word? and yet God created the world by it, for he only said, ' Let there be light, and there was light,' &c.
But you will say, That was his own word spoken by himeelf.
I answer, that now to manifest his power the more, he will take the voice of a frail man speaking his word for him; and what is weaker than a man's breath?
Indeed, 'in the word of a king there is power' (as Solomon speaks), but what power is there in the words of a mean and weak man ? Yes, there is a great power, and the reason why God chose this means is given, 1 Cor. i. 18 to ver. 28.
It is to shew his power and wisdom unto his own, and to confound the world.
They know not God in his wisdom, by reason of their own wisdom which they are so fall of, and by reason of their high esteem of worldly learning and eloquence, accounting the plain, naked, and slow style of the word to be but foolishness; that is, a foolish and an empty doctrine, contrary to their reason, and utterly unlike to work any great matter e the Athenians thought) ; but God chose it the rather: 'It pleased him, by the foolishness of preaching, to save them that believe,' ver. 21, to shew that his+ foolishness is wiser than men's wisdom. And if his foolishness be so, then what js his wisdom?
He sent his apostles forth, a company of poor fishermen ; and were they likely men to conquer the world by commanding living men to believe on one crucified, especially when the conditions were such es these, that men rich, and learned, and great, should wholly deny themselves and their own wisdom, and become fools; was this ever likely?
Well, but see, ver. 20, how the apostle triumphs upon this occasion:
' Where is the wise ? where is the seribe? where is the disputer?' They are clear put down, they have lost ground both among Jews and Gentiles by this foolish and weak means, this preaching of Christ crucified
; all their wit and carnal argaments could not prevail so much as one of the apostle's sermons.
And so when Luther, Calvin, and those other divines came once to preach, where were the schoolmen and learned of the world? .Popery fell down before preaching, like Dagon before the ark of God.
And God appointed this way, that his wisdom might appear to the confusion of the wise, that so his power might the more appear to the praise of his grace towards them that are called, and to the confusion of Satan, and, ver. 25, to shew that 'the weakness of God is stronger than men.'
If God can by a word work such effects as all creatures are not able to work, then what would his strength do if put to it?
What will that power do for his elect in another world?
And this means did God appoint, thereby also to confound the power of Satan, as the , strength of Jericho was subdued by the blast of rams' horns.
Thus, Ps. viii. ver. 2, it is said, ' Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength.'
Through the weakest means God hath ordained the greatest strength; and why? 'To still the enemy,' to confound Satan, that he should not boast of his conquest.
God therefore chose preaching, that it might be his own power unto salvation.
Ans. 2, The second reason why, of all means else, God hath chosen his word as the means whereby to work grace, and to reveal himself unto as, rather than any other visible representation, whereby he might have made himself known; yea, rather than by his works (though they are said to preach also, as Rom. x. compared with Ps. viii. implies), was because the word was less apt to be abused to idolatry, by corrapt nature, of all things
Cuar. I.] THE CHURCHES OF CHRIST.
This was the most naked and simple representation, and most suitable to reasonable creatures that could be, to represent things by words.
God made himself known by creatures, Rom. i. 20; and what was the issue of it?
Vers. 28 and 26, men fell to 'worship the creature instead of God the Creator, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man,' &c.
The sun and other glorious creatures re- * presented God, and they worshipped those creatures more than God, and ascribed all unto them.
Thus also in the time of popery, when preaching was banished, they represented all religion to the eye; the objects of which man is more apt to idolize, than the instructions which he barely receives by the ear.
An evident instance whereof we have in this, that whereas God ordained but two means to convey the gospel to us, one by the word preached to the ear, the other to the eye in sacraments, which are visible signs (and as Christ is preached in the one so in the other, and indeed no more in the ' one than in the other), yet corrupt nature made an idol of the sacrament, and never of preaching; and this men did, though God chose the meanest things to these signs, even bread and wine.
And for this cause especially God sanctified his word, as a means to convey himeelf unto us, as appears by Deut. iv. 12, 'The Lord spake unto you: and ye heard the voice of his words, but saw no similitude,' &c.
Quest. 8. The third query is, Why hearing of the word should be by God appointed, rather than reading of it alone by ourselves ?
Ans. 1. God hath appointed the hearing of the word, because he would confound Satan, and untwist and dissolve the works of the devil in the same way that they were woven.
Our first parents took their infidelity in by the ear, and therefore God thought good to let faith in the same way.
Ans. 2. Because God had many simple people to be called; and indeed "not many wise,' nor book-learned, are of that number ; and if reading were the ordinary means, how ehould they do?
But the simplest can ordinarily hear as well as the wisest; and so the poor do come to receive the gospel, who otherwise would want it.
Quest. 4. The fourth query is, Why hath God ordained hearing the word expounded rather than hearing it read?
§o we find it, Neh. viii. 7, 8, it is | said, ' The Levites read in the book of God's law distinetly, giving the sense, and causing them to understand the reading;' that is, the word read.
The same we have 2 Chron. xvii. 9.
The Levites went about with the book of the law, and taught the people; and the reasons of this are, Ans. 1. Because of the dulness that is in many people: Acts viii. 80, ' Understandest thou what thou readest ?' said Philip to the eunuch.
'How can I,' says he, 'except some man should guide me?'
It was therefore necessary that there should be men whose calling and business it should be to study out the meaning of the word, and so to reveal it unto others; and who might (as Ezra did, chap. vii. 10) ' prepare their hearts' (and set themselves apart) 'to seek the law' (or the meaning of it), 'and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments ;' and (as Timothy) wholly give themselves to attend
Ans. 2. Because Jesus Christ, when he ascended, 'gave gifts unto men,'
And, 1, the treasures of wisdom and knowledge being in him, Col. ii. 8, lest when he went to heaven he should have carried all wisdom
\ away with him; therefore, as he left the word written behind him, so he gave gifts to men to expound it, both for the begetting and perfecting of the saints.
Now, as for simply reading the word, every one can do that; but an 'interpreter' is 'one of a thousand,' Job xxxiii. 28.
And it were a derogation from Christ to make a faculty of bare reading to be one of the | .
THE COVERNMENT OF [Boor VO. utmost fruits of his ascension.
And for this reason also it is that the gifts of men are reckoned among the chiefest goods and riches in a Christian's \ inventory: 1 Cor. iii. 22, ' All are yours, Paul and Apollos,' &e.
8. It is not the letter of the word that ordinally doth convert, but the spiritual meaning of it, as revealed and expounded.
Paul, who had the * letter of the law, yet says of himself, Rom. vii. 9, that he was without the law until the spiritual meaning of it was revealed to him.
There is the letter, the husk; and there is the spirit, the kernel; and when we by expounding the word do open the husk, out drops the kernel.
It is the meaning of the word which is the word indeed, it is the sense of it which is its soul.
The devil, quoting Scripture, used the letter of it ; but the apostles, when they quote it, allege not so much the words as the meaning.
And therefore, 1 Cor. ii. 16, we are said to 'have the mind of Christ;' that is, : what he meant in his word when he revealed it.
Now, preaching in a more special manner reveals God's word.
When an ointment box is once opened, then it casts its savour about; and when the juice of a medicinal herb is once strained out and applied, then it heals.
And so it is the spiritual meaning of the word let into the heart which converts it and turns it to God.
Quest. 6. The fifth query is, If we are to be saved rather by hearing the word expounded than by it as read, yet still, why by it only as preached by men like ourselves?
Why not by God's immediate voice from heaven, or why not by the preaching of angels?
The reasons of it are, Ans. 1. Because men themeelves first chose this way, as most agreeable and suitable unto themselves, and unto their natures and conditions : Deut. v. 25, 26, 'If we hear the voice of the Lord our God, we shall die.
Go thou therefore near, and hear all that the Lord our God shall say, and come and speak thou it unto us, and we will hear it,' &.
Ver. 27, And God, hearing the people say thus, said unto Moses, ' They have well spoken, &c.
Stand thon therefore here, and I will speak to thee all the statutes and judgments which thou shalt teach them,' é&.
Ans. 2. God betrusted this treasure in earthen vessels, not heavenly (as it is, 2 Cor. iv. 7), because we are not able to behold the angels.
You see how the sons of men have always trembled when they appeared.
And further, we should have been apt to worship them, as John would have done, Rev. xxii. 8; and therefore God appointed men like ourselves to be the instruments.
Use 1. See here the necessity of this ordinanee, so as to attend upon it, waiting upon God in the dispensation of it for the conversion of thy soul.
"A necessity lies on me,' says Paul, 'to preach the gospel.'
Now that necessity of his duty was founded upon another necessity, namely, that it was a means to save the souls of men whom God had committed unto him.
As for such as are already converted, I shall not need to urge upon them ) the necessity of this ordinance, they have one within who will do it.
If they should but want a few meals of their appointed food, there is a new creature ' within. them would cry for bread.
In the first of Peter, i. 28, the apostle, | having said they were 'begotten by the word,' in the next chapter he exhorts them, 'as new born babes to desire the sincere milk of the word, that they might grow thereby.'
As if he had said, If you be but babes of a day old, you will desire this word by which you were begotten.
Now, for such as are not yet converted, let me ask them but this one question, Do you think salvation necessary?
Yes; then so is this, necessitate medii ; for (says the apostle) it is 'the power of God unto salvation.'
But you will say, God's power can save me by other means, if he will.
I deny it not; but see what James says: James i. 18, ' Of his own will begat he us with the word of Cuap. I.] THE CHURCHES OF CHRIST.
He that out of his good pleasure begets us, out of the same free will hath chosen this means, even the word of truth, to do it by.
You see the power of God engaged in it, it is his ' power unto salvation;' and you seo his will also in it, 'of his own will begat he us with the word of truth.'
But yon will say, as Rom. x., 'Have we not all heard?'
I have heard sermons enough already, if they would do me any good.
Yes (God be thanked), 'their sound is gone out into all the world.'
But let me ask you another question, which the apostle asks in the former words, Have all you that have heard obeyed the gospel?
Hast thou had faith wrought? has thy heart and life been changed as yet by this word heard?
The apostles, who were better preachers than we, yet cry out, as Isaiah once, 'Who hath believed our . report?'
And if thou be one of the members yet unchanged, thou hast as much need to attend to the word as if thou hadst never heard it, that so thou mayest escape that damnation and fiery vengeance that will befall them who ' obey not the gospel of Jesus Christ,' 2 Thess. i. 8. Bat you may haply say, I have knowledge enough already, and as much as the preacher can teach me, and may not that work sufficiently in me to put me upon practice?