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the ministry should be blamed, and lie under reproach: but then he must be more than a moral man, both in theory and practice; a mere moralist is not capable of doing the work of an evangelist, or of a gospel-preacher.-2. They must be such who are partakers of the grace of God in truth, or otherwise they will not be able to speak of divine things feelingly and experimentally; of which they cannot say they have heard, and seen, and felt them, and therefore cannot speak of them; in some cases they must be duinb, and not able to speak to them; nor can they have a fellow-feeling with souls tempted and deserted; nor have compassion on the ignorant; nor speak a word in season to weary souls: but then, they must have more grace, have more than in common other chris. tians have; or else, as Moses wished, all the Lord's people would be fit to be prophets and ministers of the word. But, 3. They must be endowed by Christ with ministerial gifts, such as Christ received for men, and gives unto them, whereby they are made and fitted by him to be pastors and teachers; it is not grace, nor human learning, nor natural parts, which qualify for the ministry of themselves, though they are all meet and useful; but a gift from Christ; the apostle Paul had all the above things, but he ascribes his being a minister of the gospel to neither of them, but to a gift he had received, fitting and qualifying him for this important work, Eph. iii. 7, 8. and this gift is in some greater, in others less; but in all where it is, it more or less qualities for the work of the ministry, Rom. xii. 6.4. They must be studious in the scrip tures, and have a competent knowledge of things contained in them; whereby the man of God, the minister of Christ, may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works, and particularly unto the work of the ministry, 2 Tim. iii. 16, 17. They should make the Bible their chief study, and attend to the diligent and constant reading of it, and meditate upon the things in it; and give themsclves up wholly to them, that their profiting in the knowledge of the mystery of Christ might be manifest; for as they are to feed the churches with know. ledge and understanding, it is necessary they themselves should have a good share of such knowledge; and such who are like Apollos, mighty in the scriptures, are as Scribes, well instructed unto the kingdom of God, Matt. xiii. 52. — 5. They must have a call both from God and men to this work; No man takes this honour to himself, but he that is called of God; which is the inward call, and is known by the furniture of gifts bestowed upon a man, fitting for such service; and by the providence of God, inclining and directing the church to separate him to the work to which he has called him; and the outward call is by the church itself, upon trial of his gifts. And, -6. They must be sent forth, they must have a mission from Christ, and that by the church, Rom. x. 15. the apostles of Christ were sent forth by him, as he was by his Father, John xx. 21. there were some in Jeremy's time who ran, and were not sent; prophesied, though not spoken to; but these were not true prophets and ministers of God. 7. They must be such who are counted faithful, and put into the ministry by the Lord himself; as the apostle Paul was, 1 Tim. i. 12. not who thrust

themselves, who intrude into this office, and take it to themselves, without the leave of God or men. 8. They are only the proper persons to exercise this ministry, to whom it is given, and who have received it of the Lord, and have given themselves up to it: the apostle speaks of the ministry of the word as what he had received of the Lord Jesus; as a gift bestowed on him, a trust committed to him, and therefore was concerned to fulfil it; and directs to it as an argument to be used with Archippus, to fulfil it, Acts xx. 24. Col. iv. 17. and therefore such should give themselves up wholly to it, and employ their time and talents in it; addict themselves to the ministration of the saints, as the house of Stephanas did; and as little as possible entangle themselves with the affairs of life, but give themselves to the ministry of the word and prayer, as the apostles chose, Acts vi. 4.-9. They should be both able and apt to teach, have abilities from Christ for this work, who only makes men able ministers of the New Testament; and also have utterance of speech, a gift of elocution, so as to be able to clothe their ideas with proper words, conveying in a easy manner the sense of them to the understanding of others; and should seek to find out acceptable and suitable words, as the royal preacher is said to do, Eccles, xii. 10. giving pleasure and profit to those that hear them, 2 Tim. ii. 2. 1 Tim. iii. 2. 10. They must be such who study to shew themselves workmen that need not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth; giving the true sense of it, searching into the deep things in it, and imparting to every one their portion, agreeable to their age, of children, young men, and fathers; to children, the sincere milk of the word; to those more grown, strong meat: also should distinguish between saints and sinners, the precious and the vile, giving the children their bread, and not holy things to dogs.

IV. The subject-matter of the work of the ministry, is next to be inquired into. This, in the whole compass of it, takes in the ministration of the word, the administration of ordinances, the exercise of church-discipline, and the whole care of the flock; but that branch of it under consideration is, the ministration of the gospel; and what that is may be learnt,

1. From the names by which it is called. 1. The ministry of the word, in general, the apostles proposed to give themselves up to, Acts vi. 4. which is not the word of men, but of God; and which is spoken by the ministers of it as such, and received by the hearers of it, in whom it works effectually, Heb. ̧ xiii. 7. 1 Thess. ii. 13. and is called the word of faith, the word of truth, the word of reconciliation, and the word of life and of salvation. 2. The minis. tration of the Spirit, 2 Cor. iii. 8. so called, because it is to be spoken in words which the Holy Ghost teacheth; and it makes known the things of the Spirit of God, spiritual truths and doctrines, which the natural man receiveth not; and by means of it the Spirit of God, and his grace, are communica and received; hence a minister of the gospel is described as one that miners the Spirit to men; that is, is the instrument of their receiving the grace and gits.

of the Spirit, Gal. iii. 2, 5.3. The ministration of righteousness, 2 Cor. iii. 9. which is the word of righteousness; so called, because therein is revealed the righteousness of God from faith to faith, Rom i. 17. the grand and principal doctrine of it, is justification by the righteousness of Christ, Acts xiii. 39. — 4. The ministry of reconciliation, 2 Cor. 18. called, the word of reconciliation, which is no other than the gospel of peace; the word preaching peace by Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all, Eph. vi. 15. Acts x. 36. which does not pro. pose to men to make their peace with God; but declares that peace is made by the blood of Christ, and that reconciliation, atonement, and satisfaction for sin, are made by the sufferings, death, and sacrifice of Christ.

II. What this ministry is may be learnt from what the ministers of Chris are directed to preach, and which they make the subject of their ministrations. As,

1. The gospel of the gospel they are ministers; their commission is to preach the gospel; it is the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which is com mitted to their trust; and there is a woe upon them if they preach not the gos pel. Which is called, The gospel of the grace of God, Acts xx. 24. it being a declaration of the grace and favour of God in Christ; that salvation is intirely of grace, and not of works, from first to last; that the first step to it, election, is the election of grace; that justification is, freely by the grace of God; that forgiveness of sins, is according to the riches of grace; that adoption is owing to the amazing love of God; and that eternal life is the gift, the free grace-gift of God through Christ: all which are the subjects of the gospel ministry.It is often called the gospel of Christ, the word of Christ, and the doctrine of Christ; which treats of his person, as the Son of God; of his offices, as Mediator, Prophet, Priest, and King; and of the grace that is in him; and of the blessings of grace that come by him and whoever brings not this doctrine, is not to be received and encouraged, 2 John 9, 10.-The gospel of salvation, the word of salvation, and salvation itself; it is a publication of salvation by Christ; it is the faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ came into the world to save the chief of sinners; it declares, that there is salvation in him, and in no other; and that whoever believes in him shall be saved this is the gospel every faithful minister preaches, and every sensible

sinner desires to hear.

2. Christ and him crucified is the subject-matter, the sum and substance of the gospel-ministry; We preach Christ crucified; this is the preaching of the doctrine of the cross; the doctrine of salvation by a crucified Christ; of peace by the blood of his cross; of the reconciliation of God's elect in one body, by the cross; of the atonement and expiation of their sins by his sufferings and death upon it; this the apostle Paul determined to make the subject, and the alone subject, of his ministrations.

111. The ministry of the word takes in every thing respecting doctrine; and in general it is required, that it be sound; the words of faith and sound doctrine,

the form of sound words, sound speech, which cannot be condemned; and things which become sound doctrine, which are healthful and salutary, the wholesome words of our Lord Jesus; and which are opposed to unsound, un◄ healthful doctrines, false doctrines, which eat as do a canker: and sound doctrine is such as is according to the scriptures, which are profitable for doctrine; from whence every doctrine is to be fetched, and thereby proved and confirmed, according to which every minister of the word is to preach, Isai. viii. 20. and it is by this rule every hearer is to judge of the soundness or unsoundness of it, as the Bereans did, Acts xvii. 11. the doctrine delivered in the ministry of the word should be the same that was preached by Christ and his apostles; the first christians continued stedfastly in the apostles doctrine; and, indeed, if any other doctrine is preached, it is not to be received, Gal. i. 8, 9. and this is the doctrine which is according to godliness; which teaches it, encourages, promotes, and enforces it; such as the doctrines of election, of free justification by Christ's righteousness, of full pardon of sin by his blood, and of the final perseverance of the saints; which are no licentious doctrines, though slanderously so charged; but constrain men to live to Christ, who died for them and rose again, and tə which every minister of the gospel should take heed; this is the apostles advice to Timothy, Take heed to thyself, and to thy doctrine, 1 Tim. iv. 16. that it be pure and incorrupt, agreeable to the scriptures, the same with the doctrine of Christ and his apostles, and which promotes holiness of life and conversation.

IV. The ministry of the word takes in the several duties of religion, which are to be insisted on in their course; and saints are to be exhorted to the exercise of them upon evangelical principles and motives; they are to be taught to observe whatsoever Christ has commanded, every ordinance of his, and every duty both with respect to God and men; they are to be put in mind to be ready to every good work, and to be careful to maintain them for necessary uses; every duty, public and private, personal, relative, and domestic, as wel as every doctrine, are to be inculcated throughout the course of the gospelministry.

V. The manner in which the work of the ministry is to be performed may be next observed.

1. It should be done diligently and constantly, with great sedulity and perseverance, in season and out of season, 2 Tim. iv. 2. and the apostle having mentioned several important doctrines of the gospel, thus charges Titus; These things I will, that thou affirm constantly, publicly and privately, and from house to house, as he did, Tit. iii. 8. - 2. With great plainness and perspicuity, 2 Cor. iii. 12. and iv. 2. delivering out truth in a clear and open manner, without disguise; not using ambiguous expressions, phrases of a doubtful or double meaning, and an unintelligible jargon of words; but language plain and easy to be understood by those of the meanest capacity; yet not base and sordid, but above contempt; should speak, not in words which man's wisdom teacheth, but in the words of the Holy Ghost, in scripture-language, or what is agree

able to it. 3. Fully and completely; which is done when every truth is preached, and none concealed, and no duty omitted; when nothing that is profitable is kept back, and the whole counsel of God is declared; and when it is preached fully, as it was by the apostle Paul; and full proof of the ministry is made, which he directs to; and the ministry received of the Lord Jesus is fulfilled, in the several parts and branches of it, 2 Tim. iv. 5. Col. iv. 17. — 4. Faithfully, ministers are stewards of the mysteries of God, and of his grace, and it is required of stewards, that a man be found faithful, as well as wise, 1 Cor. iv. 1, 2. a more honourable character cannot well be had, than what is given of Tychious, that he was a beloved brother, and faithful minister in the Lord; and nothing can be more desirable, or confer a greater degree of honour, than at last to hear from Christ, Well done, good and faithful servant Eph. vi. 21. Matt, XXV. 21, 23.5. Sincerely, delivering out the sincere milk of the word; not corrupting it; not using any artful methods to colour things and put a false gloss upon them; but exposing truth to public view in its native simplicity, without any sinister ends and selfish views; without any strife and contention, but of good will, to the glory of Christ, and the welfare of immortal souls, 2 Cor, ii. 17. and iv. 2. Phil. i. 15, 16. — 6. Fervently; it is said of Apollos, that being fervent in the Spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, Acts xviii. 25. and the apostle Paul served God with his Spirit in the gospel of his Son; that is, his whole heart and soul were engaged in the ministration of it, Rom. i. 9.7. The gospel, and the truths of it, should be ministered with certainty, and not with doubtfulness; there is such a thing as the full assurance of understanding in private christians, Col. ii. 2. and much more should be in ministers of the word; who should not be affraid of being reckoned dogmati❤ cal; they should be so; that is, they ought to be at a point about, and be assured of the truths they deliver to others; We believe and are sure that thou art that Christ the Son of the living God, said the apostles of Christ; and so with respect to every other truth; We believe, and therefore speak, with cer tainty and confidence, 2 Tim. iii. 14. - 8. And so they may, as they should, speak boldly, as they ought to speak, without the fear of men, which brings a snare; and not seeking to please them; for then they would not be the servants of Christ: thus the apostle, not intimidated with the threats and menaces of men, the persecutions of wicked men, and the opposition of false teachers; were bold in their God to speak the gospel of God with much contention. — 9. The gospel should be preached consistently; it should be uniform, and all of a piece; no contradiction, no yea and nay in it; the trumpet should not give an uncertain sound; otherwise it will occasion great confusion in the minds of those that hear it, and throw them into the utmost perplexity, not knowing what to believe. 10. The word should be dispensed wisely; the ministers of it should be wise, as well as faithful, to give to every one their portion, and that in due season; they should study to be skilful workmen, rightly dividing the word of truth; it requires that they should have the tongue of the learned