vine power of the holy Spirit; which is certainly communicated to all the faithful and elect in Chrift Jefus. And let no man think it is a thing indifferent, whether he have this power or no; but know, that the having of this power of the Spirit is of abfolute neceffity, and that both for Minifters, and for all other christians. 1. There is a neceffity of this power of the holy Spirit for Minifters; and to them this prefent place doth chiefly, relate.-. 1. For, first, if they have not this power of the holy Spirit, they have no power at all. For Chrift fent them, only as his Father fent him; and fo Christ, never gave unto them any earthly, or human, or fecular power; no power of fwords or prifons, no power of outward constraint and violence. Chrift gave them no fuch outward and worldly power, for the enlargement of his kingdom, as not being at all fuitable to it. For his kingdom is fpiritual; and what can carnal power do in a spiritual kingdom? His kingdom is heavenly; and what can earthly' power do in a heavenly kingdom? His kingdom is not of this world; and what can worldly power do in a kingdom that is not of the world? And though Antichrift and his Minifters have arrogated and ufurped fuch a carnal, and earthly, and worldly power to themselves, in their pretended managing the kingdom of Chrift, yet the faithful Minifters of Chrift cannot. And therefore seeing the Minifters of the gofpel have no power from beneath, they must needs have power from on high; feeing they have no fleshly power, they must needs have spiritual power; feeing they have no power from earth and from men, they must needs have power from heaven and from God; that is, the power of the holy Spirit coming on them, or elfe they have no power at all. 2. The Ministers of the gospel must needs have this power of the holy Spirit, because otherwise they are not fufficient for the Ministry. For no man is fufficient for the work of the Ministry, by any natural parts and abilities of his own, nor yet by any acquired parts of human learning and knowledge; but only by this power of the holy Spirit: and till he be endued with this, notwithstanding all his other accomplishments, he is altogether insufficient. And therefore the very apostles were to keep filence, till they were endued with this power: they were to wait at Jerufalem till they had received the promise of the fpirit, and not to preach till then. Yea, Chrift himself did not betake himself to the work of the Ministry, till first the Spirit of God came upon him, and anointed him to preach. And therefore for thirty years together he did not preach publicly and ordinarily; till at John's baptifm he received this power of the Spirit, coming on him. Now if Chrift himself and his apoftles were not fufficient for the Miniftry till they had received this power from on high, no more are any other Minifters whatsoever. For, as I faid, it is not natural parts, and abilities, and gifts, and learning, and eloquence, and accomplishments, that make any man fufficient for the Ministry; but only the power of the holy Spirit coming upon him. So that whofoever is deftitute of the fpirit of power, is infufficient for the work of the Ministry; and that in these regards: 1. Without this power of the Spirit, Minifters are utterly unable to preach the word; that is, the true, fpiritual, and living word of God. For, to preach this word of God, requires the power of God. One may speak the word of man, by the power of man; but he cannot fpeak the word of God, but by the power of God. And Chrift himself, in all his Miniftry, fpake nothing of himself, in the trength of his human nature; but he spake all he spake by 2 by the power of God; and without this power of God, he could not have spoken one word of God. And fo, in like manner, no man is able to preach Chrift, but by the holy Spirit, which is the power of God. For Chrift is the power of God; and can never be reprefented but by the haly Spirit, which is the power of God. For as we fee light in his light, that is, the Father who is light, in he Son who is light; or else the Son who is light, in the holy Spirit, who is light; fo we know power in his power; that is, the Son who is power, in the holy Spirit, who is power. And Christ, who is the power of God, can never be made known to the Church, but by the ministration of the Spirit, which is the power of God. So that it is not an easy thing to preach Chrift the power of God; yea none can do it aright, but by the power of the holy Spirit coming upon him. 2. Without this power of the Spirit, ministers are unable to preach the word powerfully. They may, it may be, happen upon the outward word; yet there is no power in their Ministry, till they have received this power of the Spirit, coming upon them. Otherwise their Ministry is cold, and there is no heat in it; it is weak, and there is no ftrength in it. 1. It is cold, and there is no heat in it. Without men have received the power of the Spirit, there is no fire in their preaching. Their miniftry is unlike the miniftry of Elias, whofe miniftry was as fire; and unlike John Baptift's, who in his miniftry was a burning and shining light; and unlike Chrift's, whofe miniftry made the difciples hearts burn within them; and unlike the apoftles, who having received this Spirit, were as men made all of fire, running through the world and burning it up. Without this Spirit, a man's miniftry is cold, it warms the hearts of none, it inflames the fpirit of none; but leaves men still frozen in their fins.. 2. It is weak, and hath no might in it. There is no ftrength in a Ministry where there is no fpirit. Whereas when men have received the Spirit, then their ministry is a powerful ministry; as Paul, 1 Theff. i. 5. The gospel came to you not in word only, but in power, and in the holy Ghoft and therefore in power, because in the holy Spirit. And again, 1 Cor. ii. 4. My speech and preaching was not with the enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonftration of the fpirit, and power. Where you see the spirit and power in the work of the ministry are always conjoined, as the fun and light are. And that ministry that is in the spirit, is always in power: and being in power, it is always effectual, either to convert men, or to enrage them: And the enraging of men, is as evident a fign of the fpirit of power in a man's miniftry, as the conversion of men. Whereas a cold and dead miniftry, that is deftitute of this power, doth, as we used to say, neither good nor harm; neither converts nor enrages; neither brings in righteousness, nor destroys fin; neither kills nor quickens any; but leaves men, in their old temper for many years together, and never ftirs them. But the miniftration of the spirit and power, is operative and mighty, and carries all before it. And though evil and carnal men will ever be murmuring, and wrangling, and oppofing, and contending against such a miniftry; yet they are never able to refift the wisdom and spirit of it; as the Libertines, Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, were not able to refift the wisdom and fpirit by which Stephen Spake, Acts vi. 10. And therefore, let them that will needs be striving againft fuch a miniftry, know, that they strive against more than a mere man, they strive against power from on high; against the greatest power that ever God put forth; against the power of Chrift himself, and his eternal Spirit; and fo they shall never be able to prevail against this power; but shall furely fink under it. But to return from whence we have a little digreffed. 3. Without 3. Without this power of the Spirit, as Ministers are not able to preach the word, nor to preach it powerfully, so neither are they able to hold out in their ministry, and to carry it on strongly against all oppofition and contradiction. Peter and John preached the gofpel, but prefently the rulers, and elders, and fcribes, convented them; and ftraitly threatened them, and commanded them not to speak at all, nor to teach in the name of Jefus, Acts iv. 17, 18. And now, if the apostles had wanted this power of the Spirit, they would presently have been fnubbed and awed, and would have sneaked away, and you should have heard no more of them. But they having received this power, all the threatenings and scornings of the rulers and magiftrates, could not deter them from the discharge of their office, and that ministry they had received from Chrift. But though before they were fearful, and trembling, and daunted at the apprehenfion of the least danger; yet now, having received this power, they are altogether undaunted; and faid to the rulers and elders, Whether it be right in the fight of God, to bearken unto you, more than unto God, judge ye, Acts iv. 19. As if they should have faid, "O ye Ru"lers and Elders of the people, our cafe is a plain cafe, "wherein we are most willing that even your own"felves fhould be judges: For we have received a com"mand from God to preach the gofpel of his Son Jefus "Chrift; and you forbid us to do that, which God hath "commanded us. Now do you yourselves be judges, who "is fitteft to be obeyed, God or you? The great and "glorious God of heaven and earth, or poor wretched men, fuch as yourselves? Nay, what God hath com"manded us, we muft, and will obey, against all your "threatenings and punishments, and whatever you can "fay or do. We cannot conceal, but must publish, what "we have seen and known of our Lord Jefus Chrift; of "his Incarnation, Life, Death, Refurrection, Afcenfion, "Kingdom, |