that the Virtue and Power of communicating the Holy Ghoft, by it is ceased among them. And is it not then foolish and ridiculous for them, by an apifb Imitation, to keep up the Shadow, where the Subftance is wanting? And may not they, by the fame Rule, where they fee Blind and Lame Men, in imitation of Chrift and his Apoftles, bid them fee and walk? Yea, is it not in them a Mocking of God and Men, to put on their Hands, and bid Men Receive the Holy Ghoft, while they believe the Thing impoffible, and confefs that That Ceremony hath no real Effect? Having thus far fpoken of the Call, I fhall proceed next to treat of the Qualifications and Work of a true Minister.

The Quali

. XV. As I have placed the true Call of a Mi- Quest. 2. nifter in the Motion of this Holy Spirit: fo is the Power, Life and Virtue thereof, and the pure Grace of fication of God that comes therefrom, the chief and moft necef- a Minifter. fary Qualification; without which he can no ways perform his Duty, neither acceptably to God, nor beneficially to Men. Our Adverfaries in this Cafe af Philofophy firm, that three Things go to the making up of a Mi- and Schoolnifter, viz. 1. Natural Parts, that he be not a Fool. Divinity 2. Acquired Parts, that he be learned in the Langua- make a Gufges, in Philofophy and School-Divinity. 3. The Grace pel-Miniof God.

The two First they reckon neceffary to the being of a Minister, fo as a Man cannot be one without them; the Third they fay, goeth to the Well-being of one, but not to the being; fo that a Man may truly be a lawful Minifter without it, and ought to be heard and received as fuch. But we (fuppofing a Natural Capacity, that one be not an Idiot) judge the Grace of God indifpenfibly neceflary to the very Being of a Minifter, as that without which any can neither be a true, nor lawful, nor good Minifter. As for Letter-Learning, we judge it not fo much neceflary to the Well-being of one, tho' accidentally fometimes in certain Kefpects it may concur, but more frequently it is hurtful than helpful; as appeared in the

Pp

· Ex

will never

itry.

ick inftruct

Example of Taulerus, who being a Learned Man, A poor La- and who could make an Eloquent Preaching, needed ed the lear- nevertheless to be inftructed in the Way of the Lord ned Taule by a poor Laick. I fhall firft fpeak of the Neceffity of Grace, and then proceed to fay fomething of that Literature, which they judge fo neediul.

THS.

Proof I

conftitute a

true and

lawful Teacher.

First then, as we faid in the Call, fo may we much more here. If the Grace of God be a neceffary Qualification to make one a true Chriftian, it must be a Qualification much more neceffary to conftitute a true Minifter of Christianity. That Grace is neceffary to make one a true Chriftian, I think will not be queftiGod's Grace oned; fince it is by Grace we are faved, Eph. ii. 8. alone doth It is the Grace of God that teacheth us to deny Ungodlinefs, and the Lufts of this World, and to live Godlily and Righteously, Tit. ii. 11. yea, Chrift faith exprefly, That without him we can do nothing, John xv. 5. and the Way whereby Chrift helpeth, affifteth and worketh with us, is by his Grace: Hence he faith to Paul, My Grace is fufficient for thee. A Christian without Grace, is indeed no Chriftian, but an Hypccrite, and a falfe Pretender. Then I fay, If Grace be neceffary to a private Chriftian, far more to a Teacher among Chriftians, who must be as a Father and InAructor of others; feeing this Dignity is beflowed upon fuch as have attained a greater Meafure than their Brethren. Even Nature it felf may teach us, that there is more required in a Teacher, than in those that are Taught; and that the Magler must be above and before the Scholar, in that dirt or Science, which be teacbeth others. Since then Chriftianity cannot be tru*Pr. II. ly enjoyed, neither any Man denominated a Chriftian Arg. without the true Grace of God; therefore neither can any Man be a true and lawful Teacher of Chriftianity

Who firt

must be a Member of the Body, and then

Life is re

without it:

* Secondly; No Man can be a Minifter of the Church of Chrift, which is his Body, unless he be a ceived, and Member of the Body, and receive of the Virtue and Life of the Head:

Virtue from the Head.

But

But he that hath not true Grace, can neither be a Member of the Body, neither receive of that Life and Nourishment, which comes from the Head:

Therefore far lefs can he be a Minifter to Edifie the Pody.

That he cannot be a Minister, who is not a Member, is evident; becaufe he who is not a Member, is fhut out and cut off, and hath no Place in the Body; whereas the Minifters are counted among the most eminent Members of the Body: But no Man can be a Member, unlefs he receive of the Virtue, Life and Nourishment of the Head: For the Members that receive not this Life and Nourishment, Decay and Wither, and then are cut off. And that every true Member doth thus receive Nourishment and Life from the Head, the Apoftle exprefly affirmeth, Eph. iv. 16. From whom the whole Body being fitly joined together, and compacted by that which every Joint fupplieth, according to the effectual Working in the Measure of every Part, makes Increase of the Body, unto the edifying of it felf in Love. Now this that thus is communicated, and which thus uniteth the Whole, is no other than the Grace of God; and therefore the Apostle in the fame Chapter, Ver. 7. faith, But unto every one of us is given Grace according to the Measure of the Gift of Chrift; and Ver. 11. he fheweth how that by this Grace and Gift, both Apoftles, Prophets, Evangelifts, Paftors and Teachers, are given for the Work of the Miniftry, and Edifying of the Body of Chrift. And certainly then, no Man deftitute of Grace, is fit for this Work, feeing that all that Chrift gives, are fo qualified; and thefe that are not fo qualified, are not given, nor fent of CHRIST; and who are not given and fent of CHRIST, are not to be heard, nor received, nor acknowledged as Minifters of the Gof-The Sheep pel; because his Sheep neither ought, nor will hear of Chrift, the Voice of a Stranger. This is alfo clear from I ought, nor Cor. xii. throughout; for the Apoftle in that Chap- will hear ter, treating of the Diverfity of Gifts, and Members ger's Voice.

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of

neither

the Stran

The Mini

firing muft

of the Body, fheweth how by the Workings of the fame Spirit, in different Manifestations or Measures, in the feveral Members of the Body, the whole Body is edified; faying, Ver. 13. That we are all Baptized by the One Spirit, into Oue Body; and then Ver. 28, he numbers up the feveral Difpenfations thereof, which by God are fet in the Church through the va rious Working of his Spirit, for the Edification of the Whole. Then, if there be no true Member of the Body, which is not thus baptized by the Spirit, neither any Thing, that Worketh to the Edifying of it, but according to a Measure of Grace received from the Spirit; furely without Grace none ought to be admitted to work or labour in the Body; because their Labour and Work without this Grace and Spi rit, would be but ineffectual.

§. XVI. Thirdly; That this Grace and Gift is a neceffary Qualification to a Minifter, is clear from that of the Apostle Peter, 1 Pet. iv, 10, 11. As every Man bath received the Gift, even fo minifter the fame one to another, as good Stewards of the manifold Grace of God. If any Man fpeak, let him fpeak as the Oracles of God: If any Man minifter, let him do it as of the Ability which God giveth: That God in all Things may be glorified through Jefus Chrift; to whom be Praife and Dominion for ever, Amen. From which it appears, That thofe that minifter, muft minifter according to the Gift and Grace received; but they that have not fuch a Gift, cannot minifter according thereunto. Secondly, As good Stewards of the manifold Grace of God: But how can a Man be a good Steward warthip of of that which he hath not? Can ungodly Men, that God's a- are not gracious themfelves, be good Stewards of the bounding manifold Grace of God? And therefore in the following Verfes he makes an exclufive Limitation of the Ability fuch, as are not thus furnished; faying, If any Man Speak, let him fpeak as the Oracles of God; and if any Icceived. Man minifter, let him do it as of the Ability that God giveth: Which is as much as if he had faid,

be by the : Gift and

Grace re

ceived.

Good Ste

what? Of

Grace,

which is

and Stew

ard/hip

They

They that cannot thus fpeak, and thus minister, ought not to do it: For this [f] denotes a neceffa ry Condition. Now what this Ability is, is manifeft by the former Words, to wit, the Gift received, and the Grace whereof they are Stewards; as by the immediate Context and Dependency of the Words doth appear: Neither can it be understood of a meer natural Ability; because Man in this Condition is faid, not to know the Things of God, and fo he cannot minifter them to others. And the following Words fhew this alfo, in that he immediately fubjoineth, That God in all Things may be glorified: But furely God is not glorified, but greatly dishonoured, when natural Men from their meer natural Ability meddle in Spiritual Things, which they neither know nor understand.

Fourthly; That Grace is a moft neceffary Qualifi- Pr. IV. cation for a Minifter, appears by thofe Qualifications, which the Apoftle exprefly requires, 1 Tim. iii. 2. Tit. i. 7. &c. where he faith, A Bishop must be Blamelefs, Vigilant, Sober, of good Behaviour, apt to Teach, Patient, a lover of good Men; Juft, Holy, Temperate, as the Steward of God, holding faft the faithful Word, as he hath been Taught. Upon the other Hand, He muft neither be given to Wine, nor a Striker, nor Covetous, nor Proud, nor Self-willed, nor foon Angry. Now I ask, If it be not impoffible that a Man can have all How can a thefe above-named Virtues, and be free of all thefe Bishop have Evils, without the 'Grace of God? If then thefe tues withVirtues (for the producing of which in a Man, Grace of Grace is abfolutely neceffary) be neceffary to make God? a true Minister of the Church of Chrift, according to the Apostle's Judgment; furely Grace must be neceffary also.

Concerning this Thing, a learned Man, and well skilled in Antiquity, about the Time of the Reformation, writeth thus; "Whatfoever is done in the "Church, either for Ornament or Edification of Re"ligion, whether in choofing Magiftrates, or infti

"tuting

thefe Vir

out the