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and redemption." To these two doth the apostle refer the whole of that counfel of God, he fhunned not to declare to the Ephefians, in that fore-cited fcripture, Aûs xx. 21. He teftified to all perfons, Jews and Greeks, repentance towards God, (i. e. that they were guilty of fuch offences against God, as called for deep humiliation,) and faith to wards our Lord Jefus Chrift; that is, that there was no way of escaping the wrath of God, but that of closing with Chrift by faith. This is the matter of the gospel: and Chrift's fervants are to make it their bufinefs faithfully to unfold the mind of God in reference to the fe two, man's ftate by nature, and what he may by grace be advanced to. This is called, 1 Tim. v. 66 17. a labouring in the word

and doctrine."

This preaching of the gospel takes in three things. 1. A full proposal of the doctrine just now mentioned. Minifters muft, without mincing the matter, plainly dif cover to men their loft ftate, and the impoffibility of re. covery any other way, than by the gofpel-method, through Jefus Chrift, Ads xx. 21. 2. They muft difcover thefe things, not as their private fentiments, built upon fome rational conclufions of their own drawing and framing, but as the word of God. It is the word of God they are to propofe, and not their own private opinions; and it is the word of God hearers are to receive from them, 1 Theff. ii. 13. For this caufe alfo thank we God," faith the apoftle, without ceafing, becaufe when ye received the word of God, which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but, as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh alfo in you that believe." 3. This preaching of the word takes in not only a propofal of the word of God, but an authoritative declaration of it by virtue of à commiffion derived from God. "Thefe things fpeak and exhort, and rebuke with all authority," Tit. ii. 15. The word, in the firft language, may be rendered command, with all command. Minifters are clothed with authority from God; and in his name, by virtue of a commiflion received from him, they are to preach the gospel, and to fpeak the counfel of God, as being his mouth to the people, 1 Pet. iv. 11. This is the principal part of the minifter's work; and therefore to hear the word of God from them in this manner fhould be the great

defign of thefe who call a gofpel-minifter, that they may hear from them as the mouth of God, what by nature they are, and what through the grace of God in Christ Jesus they may be. But now,

2. When a people call a gospel-minifter, they should defign the regular and orderly performance of the worship of God. This worship of God, as it is contradiftinguished from the doârine of the gospel, of which under the former head, confifts principally in the administration of the fa craments and prayer; public prayer, I mean, under which PRAISES are comprehended, as belonging to, and always to be joined with it, according to our bleffed Lord's appointment in that form, commonly called the Lord's Prayer, which concludes with thanksgiving. In Acts ii. 42. we have an account of the public worship of the church, which confifts in preaching, there expreffed by doctrine, and breaking of bread, that is, adminiftering the facrament of the Lord's fupper, and prayers and praifes. "And they," faith the Spirit of God fpeaking of the church, "continued in the apostles doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers ;" and, ver. 47. "praifing God." The celebration of the facraments, public prayers and praises, are divine inftitutions for the fal vation and edification of the church, which cannot be gone about, or orderly performed, without a gofpel-miniftry, who only have commiffion to celebrate the facraments, and to be the mouth of the people to God in their public affemblies, being furnished with fpiritual gifts for the work,. Matth. xxviii. 19. 1 Cor. xi. 23. and xiv. 16. And therefore, when a people call a gofpel-minifter, they fhould have this in view, as one great defign, that there. by they may have the gospel-worship celebrated among; them in all its parts, according to Christ's inftitution, to their spiritual advantage and his glory.

3. They fhould call a gofpel-minister to rule over them. This is one part of the minifter's work, to rule over his flock, 1 Tim.. v. 17. "Let the elders that rule well, be counted worthy of double honour, efpecially they who labour in the word and doctrine." This fuperiority which gofpel-minifters have, is not a lordly dominion over ei ther the perfons or faith of the flock. No, any thing of this fort that ever crept into the church, had its rife:

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from the fubtilty of Satan, who envied its peace; and is directly oppofite to the golpel, which forbids lordly dominion, the gospel-minister's authority being given only for "edification, and not for deftruction," as the apostle has it, 2 Cor. x. 8. And it confifts, 1. In an authoritative enforcement of the laws of Chrift's house. 2. In a minifterial enforcement of them, by an offer of the golpel-privileges as the rewards of obedience. And, 3. In a power to infli&, according to Chrift's appointment, the gofpel-punishments upon the difobedient, the highest whereof is excommunication, whereby the difobedient are "delivered over to Satan, for the deftruction of the flesh, that the fpirit may be faved in the day of the Lord Jefus,' as the apostle has it, 1 Cor. v. 5. And to one of thefe three ends might all be reduced, according to the cormon distinction of gofpel-ordinances, in doctrine, worship, and government. But that you may the better understand this matter, we fhall name fome more particular defigns: and therefore we fay,

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4. A people in calling a gofpel.minifter, fhould defign the clofing of a bargain, and making a match with Chrift upon his own terms. It is the work and business they are fent out for, to efpoufe finners to Chrift, 2 Cor. i 2. to woo a bride for the Lamb. They have a commiffion, as Abraham's fervant had, to go and feek a wife for their Mafter's Son; and those who call them fhould do it in order to the conclusion of this happy match; that from them they may hear the terms whereon they are to be admitted into this near relation, the advantages that shall accrue to them by it, the inconveniences they will run themselves into by a refufal, and the warrant they have to enter into so high and honourable a relation.

5. They should design their own furtherance in acquaintance with Chrift. They fhould "as new born babes defire the fincere milk of the word, that they may grow thereby," 1 Pet, ii. 2. that they may be furthered in their joy and faith, "growing in grace, and in the knowledge of the Lord Jefus Chrift."

6. They should defign their own establishment in the ways of God, that they may not be "tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine," but that "being rooted and grounded in the faith, they may grow up in all things to him who is the head and Saviour of the body."

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This is exprefsly declared to be the defign of the minif try, Eph. iv. 11. The apostle, having fpoken of Christ's exaltation, and his having received gifts for men, tells us of him, in this verfe and the following, "That he gave fome apostles, fome prophets, and fome evangelifts, and fome paftors and teachers, for the perfecting of the faints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Chrift; till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the ftature of the fulness of Chrift; that we henceforth be no more children toffed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the fleight of men, and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive," &c. And to the fame purpose speaks the Spirit of God frequently elsewhere, of the defign of the miniftry. Paul, in Rom. i. 11. expreffeth his earnest defire to fee them, and to "impart some spiritual gift" unto them, to the end "they may be established." Thefe who are already engaged in God's ways fhould defign their own establishment in them in their calling a gofpel-minifter.

7. They fhould design their own direction through all the difficulties of religion. The Lord's people have many dark fteps in their way; fometimes they are under temptation, and know not how to carry; fometimes they are engaged in a clofe fight with their adverfaries, and know not how to wield their fpiritual armour to advantage; fometimes they are out of the way, and know not how to get into it again: and therefore they need fome to guide them into the meaning of God's word; for how can they understand, unless they be taught, Acts viii. 31. "How can I understand," fays the Ethiopian eunuch, "unless some man fhould guide me:" and who fhould guide them but those who are guides by office, as the word may be rendered, Heb. xiii. 8. “ Gonfider them who have the rule over you,' or who are your guides. This, as the end of a gofpel-miniftry, is promifed in Ifa. xxx. 20, 21. "And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction, yet fhall not thy teachers be removed into corners any more, but thine eyes fhall fee thy teachers: And thine ears hall hear a voice behind thee, faying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left." It is impoffible we should condefcend on all the particular

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particular intentions or ends a people thould propose to themselves in calling a gofpel-minifter; and therefore we fhall conclude all this in one, which is fure to comprehend them.

8. They should seek to have one who may answer in fome meafure Timothy's character, with refpect to the church of the Philippians, Phil. ii. 20. one who may naturally take care of them, that is, one who may, out of love to their fouls, affectionately, prudently, carefully, and with impartial boldness, open and apply the word, dispense the facraments, and adminifter difcipline, for the inftruction of the ignorant, ftrengthening the weak, comforting the difcon folate, affecting the impenitent, reproving the faulty, recovering wanderers, directing and helping forward those who doubt and halt; that he may both fave himself and them, to the praise and glory of God's grace. We shall not infilt upon each of thefe particulars, which would require not one or two, but many fermons, which fuits not our prefent defign. We fhall therefore proceed, in the

SECOND place, to inquire, How a people fhould make it appear that they were acting upon those designs in their calLing a gofpel-minifler. This inquiry might be understood, either to respect their own fatisfaction, or the fatisfaction of the world, or of the minifter himself as to this matter; but time not allowing us to be so particular, we shall hold the inquiry in the general; and in answer to it we say,

1. A people fhould difcover their defigns to be fuch as we have mentioned, by a punctual attendance upon all the ordinances, to be by him difpenfed in public or private.. Thus we fee it was with Cornelius; he not only waited on himself, but he called together those on whom he had any influence. "And Cornelius waited for them, and had called together his kinfmen and near friends," Ââs x. 24. Those who will not give attendance to the public dispenfation of the word, and the private inftructions, either family or perfonal, but withdraw, we cannot think thefe perfons had the right end before them in calling a gospelminifter: furely, had they been right in their aims, they would have been ready to fay with Cornelius, "We are all here prefent," &c.

2. They should not only present their bodies upon fuch accafions, but they should fit themselves as in God's fight,

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