The Wise Gospel Preacher, Sermon · Part 45
The Fourteenth Doctrine.
That all Miniſtries and Miniſtrations spring from the alone will, and wiſdome of the Lord Jeſus, that one Shepherd, and are freely given for the advantage of his people; As we have it in the Text, Which are given from one Shephard.
Take for the proof hereof theſe Teſtimonies, Wiſdome hath builded her houſe, ſhe hath hewed out her ſeven Pillars; ſhe hath killed her beaſts, ſhe hath mingled her wine, ſhe hath alſo furniſhed her Table, ſhe hath ſent forth her Maidens, &c. Prov. 9.1, 2, 3. But again hear what John ſaith, All things were made by him, and without him was not any thing made, that was made, John 1.3. and Paul tells us, Of him, and through him, and to him are all things, to whom be glory for ever, Amen, Rom. 11.36. And again he tells us, God hath ſet ſome in the Church, firſt Apoſtles, ſecondly Prophets, thirdly Teachers, after that are Miracles, then Gifts in Healing, helps in Government, diverſity in Tongues, 1 Cor. 14.28. This may ſuffice for the proof of this point, That all Miniſters, Miniſtries, Miniſtrations which are divine and evangelical, muſt and do come from the alone good will and wiſdome of the Lord Jeſus, and are freely given for the good of his People.
But for the better opening of this Doctrine, let me explain theſe few things, (1.) What I mean by Miniſters, Miniſtries, and Miniſtrations. (2.) How they ſpring from the alone good will and wiſdome of the Lord Jeſus. (3.) In what ſenſe I intend they are freely given. (4.) and laſtly, why I ſay freely given, for the good of his Church and People.
Firſt, Let me ſpeak to the firſt; By Miniſters, I mean all, and only all ſuch perſons, as are in the Church of Chriſt, admitted into Miniſtry, or Office in the Church; and ſo are diſterenced, and diſtinguiſhed from the Memoral part thereof, or ſuch who are only Members therein: I ſpeak not here of Miniſters, or Officers Civil, or belonging to the Commonwealth, nor of Antichriſtian, or National Miniſters; but only of ſuch as are, or pretend to be Chriſt's Miniſters: I ſay all theſe muſt ſpring from him, Whom God hath made both Lord and Chriſt, and holdeth the ſeven ſtars in his right hand, Act. 2.36. with Revel. 2.1. By Miniſtries, I mean not Officers but Offices, or thoſe Inſtitutions and Appointments for making of Miniſters.
Secondly, Theſe alſo ſpring from the Headſhip, Authority, Will, and Wiſdom of the Lord Jeſus only. It is not allowable in any Kingdom, Free-State, or Common-Wealth, that any but the Head and Supream Power thereof, ſhould aſſume the appointing or making Offices or Miniſtries therein. Even ſo none ſave the Lord Jeſus is allowed to inſtitute and appoint what Offices and Miniſtries ſhall be in the Church, that is, in his Church and Kingdom. For although the Father hath given all Authority and Power to the Son, to appoint Miniſtries for his Church, yet hath not the Son given or committed any ſuch power, as to inſtitute or appoint any Office or Miniſtry in the Church to any ſort of Perſons under the Sun; but hath written, Thou ſhalt not make, Exod. 20. And this was the great ſin of Jeroboam, that he made Prieſts, 1 Kings 12.31.
But, Thirdly; Let me open what I mean or intend by a Miniſtration, or by Miniſtrations; to wit, ſuch Acts or Works as Perſons made Officers over the Church of God are to perform, in, and for the Church of God. Now, I ſay, that as none can appoint Chriſt a Miniſter, or determine by what Miniſtry he ſhall be ſerved but himſelf, no more can or ought any but the Lord from Heaven, heavenly to appoint what Work or Miniſtration theſe ſhall perform to Chriſt, but the true Alpha and Omega, the beginning and end of all things, Rev. 22.13. But as all Miniſtries come from him, even ſo from him muſt proceed all Goſpel-Miniſtration or Performances. But again, when I ſay in the Doctrine, that they ſpring from the alone good Will and Wiſdom of the Lord Jeſus, I intend not to exclude God conſidered as the Father, who is God over all, bleſſed for ever-more; but onelyonly I would exclude all the Children of men from having any part or portion in the begetting or giving beeing to any Goſpel Miniſtry or Miniſtration: This under the Father proceeds from the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, who when he aſcended up on high, gave Gifts unto Men for the Work of the Miniſtry, Epheſ. 4. 'Twas good Will, none could have conſtrained him ſo to have done; and 'twas his own Wiſdom, without the wiſdom of the fleſh, contrived and concluded the mode and manner of his own Service, Mat. 28.18, 19, 20. with Acts the firſt, abundantly declare. And further, when I ſay Miniſters, Miniſtries, and Miniſtrations are freely given, I intend, that as the Church had never been purchaſed by Chriſt, but that he freely gave himſelf for it; ſo no more had the Church ever attained, or enjoyed, any Miniſtry, or Inſtitution, and Appointment about Goſpel-Miniſters, and Goſpel-Miniſtrations, but onelyonly through the good Will and good Pleaſure of him that dwelt in the Buſh, (for indeed all Inſtitutions ſpring onelyonly from the Will and Pleaſure of the Inſtitutor) as not being moral, but inſtituted Beeings. Further, I mean, no man can come to be one of Chriſt's Miniſters, but by the free will of Chriſt. He can neither attain Grace or Gifts to qualifie and fit him, nor choice into any Miniſtry under Chriſt, but by the free-will and good-pleaſure of Chriſt, as Paul acknowledgeth, ſaying, 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, Epheſ. 3.7, 8. And as to Choice, Solomon tells us, The Lot is caſt into the Lap, but the whole diſpoſition thereof is of the Lord, Prov. 16.33. But further, I mean by this Expreſſion freely of the Lord, that when ſuch a People attain ſuch a Miniſtry, and ſuch a Miniſter ſuch a Congregation, this is, or ought to be, of the Lord.
And, Laſtly; When I tie up all Miniſtries, Miniſtrations, or Miniſters, onelyonly to the Church and People of God, as given and provided for them; I mean, excluſively. They are neither inſtituted nor appointed for the uſe and ſervice of the World, but of the Church and Elect of God; further then accidentally, and by way of redundancy, as Paul tells us, in 1 Cor. 14.24, 25. I ſay further, then accidentally: 'Tis Childrens Bread, and ought not to be given to Dogs, Mat. 15.26. Thus much for Explication.
Let me now confirm this by Argument or Reaſon; to wit, that all Miniſters, Miniſtries, and Miniſtrations, meet to be owned for Chriſt's, or Evangelical, do all ſpring from the alone Will and Authority of the Lord Jeſus, and are freely given for the ſervice of himſelf and People.
Reaſon 1.
Firſt; This muſt needs be thus, becauſe it is ſaid of Chriſt, That God hath highly exalted him, and given him a Name which is above every Name; That at the Name of Jeſus every knee ſhould bow, of things in Heaven, and things in Earth, and things under the Earth; and that every tongue ſhould confeſs that Jeſus Chriſt is the Lord, to the glory of God the Father, Phil. 2.9, 10, 11. But this could not be affirmed of Chriſt, if he had not this Priviledge and Prerogative, which Princes on Earth are not denyed, even to give a beeing to his own Miniſters and their Miniſtrations. That this Priviledge earthly Powers have aſſumed and been allowed; witneſs Pharaoh, Gen. 41.38, 39, 40, 41. The like we read done by Solomon, 1 Kings 2.35. Thus did Ahaſuerus, Heſter, 10.2, 3. And the like did Darius, Dan. 6.1, 2. with many others that might be produced. And ſhall not the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, be allowed the ſame priviledge which other ſubordinate and inferior Princes are allowed, even to inſtitute, nominate, and appoint his own Servants, or Miniſters, and their Miniſtrations? Yes doubtleſs, for as the Text alledged tells us, He is exalted to a Name above every Name; and David ſpeaking of the Lord Chriſt, tells us, This muſt be his priviledge, That God the Father will make him his firſt born higher than the Kings of the earth, Pſal. 89.27. Therefore this Prerogative muſt needs be allowed him.
Reaſon 2.
Secondly; I conclude, this muſt be the Prerogative of Chriſt, to give the Riſe and Beeing to his own Miniſters, and their Miniſtrations, becauſe none of the Children of men are wiſe enough for ſo great and glorious an undertaking; Paul ſpeaking but of the accompliſhment of the Work of one of Chriſt's Miniſters, ſaith, and who is ſufficient for theſe things? Then ſurely, much leſs ſufficient to inſtitute a Frame & Conſtitution for Miniſters and Miniſtrations, which requires a greater capacity or ſufficiency then the former; wherefore John tells us, No man in Heaven, nor in Earth, neither under the Earth, was able to open this Book, neither to look thereon, Rev. 5.3, 4. Wherefore this concern muſt be let alone to him, to whom of right it doth appertain, even to the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah, our Lord Jeſus, for he onelyonly is worthy and capable thereof, as we read verſ. 5. compared with verſ. 9. But to proceed.
Reaſon 3.
Thirdly; This muſt needs be the peculiar Prerogative of Chriſt, to appoint his own Miniſters, and Worſhip, or Service, becauſe 'tis his own; 'tis for himſelf, 'tis for his own Church and Kingdom; and who ſhall appoint him Servants, or impoſe Servants and Services upon him? It ſtands not with his honour or faithfulneſs to admit it. But again;
Reaſon 4.
Laſtly; Miniſtries and Miniſtrations Spiritual, Eccleſiaſtical, appertaining to the Kingdom of Chriſt, muſt ſpring from the Free-will and Royal-Pleaſure of the Lord Chriſt; becauſe that as it ſtands not with his Honour, Greatneſs, Wiſdom, and Goodneſs to commit this concern into the hands of Angels or Men, being below true fitneſs or capacity for the work; ſo neither can any created Power ſnatch Authority, or exerciſe Power of impoſing Miniſters and Miniſtrations upon him againſt his Royal Will and Pleaſure; and if they but attempt to do it, let them look to it, for he will one day daſh them in pieces like a Potters Veſſel, Pſ. 2. And however the Sons of men may attempt to incroach this Power and Priviledge of the Lord Jeſus into their hands; yet let me ſay to theſe as the Prophet in a like caſe did, What is the Chaff to the Wheat, ſaith the Lord? Jer. 23.28. Even ſo, what is the Will or Power of Man, to the Will and Power of the Lord Jeſus, that he ſhould oppoſe him, or impoſe upon him? 'Tis truth, Man may impoſe upon the Son of Man; but who can impoſe upon the Son of God? Sampſon and Peter were both impoſed upon, and carried whither they would not; but none can impoſe any thing upon Chriſt againſt his will, for he will, and can, refuſe to drink ſuch Gall and Vinegar, however they be that offer it to him. Therefore it remains moſt clear and viſible from all that hath been offered, That this is the alone Glory and Prerogative of the Lord Jeſus, to be the Spring and Fountaneous cauſe of all Miniſtries, Miniſters, and Miniſtrations belonging to his own Church, upon whom he freely beſtowed them.
Thus much for the confirming and clearing of the Doctrine; I come now to the Application of this great Point.