as that

you turn it into a part of yourselves. You must be familiarly acquainted with the word. You must not let it pass by you as a stranger, or lodge and sojourn with you as a way-faring man; it must continually abide with you, and dwell richly in you. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. All books and helps are not comparable to the bible, for the compleating and perfecting of a man for the work of the ministry.

That which a papist reports of their sacrament of the mass, That there are as many mysteries in it, as there are drops in the sea, dust on the earth, angels in heaven, stars in the sky, atoms in the sun-beams, or sands on the sea shore,' may be truly asserted of the word of God. No study equal to the study of the scripture for profit and comfort. Count Anhalt, that princely preacher, was wont to say, that the whole scriptures were the swaddling bands of the child Jesus, he being to be found almost in every page, in every verse, in every line.

Luther would often say, that he had rather that all his books should be burnt, than that they should be a means to hinder persons from studying the scripture.

The third and last rule I shall lay down, is this--such as would preach Christ aright to the people, had need dwell much upon the vanity of human doctrines. The vanity of which doctrines may be thus discovered

They do not discover sin in its ugliness, and filthiness, as the scriptures do. They search but to the skin, they reach not to the heart. They do not do as the master did in Jonah's ship, when they were in a storm.

Human doctrines have no humbling power in them. They may a little tickle you, but they can never humble you. They cannot cast down Satan's strong holds; they cannot melt nor break the heart of a sinner; they cannot make him cry out with the leper, "Unclean, unclean."

Human doctrines nourish not the noble part, the soul of man. The prodigal was likely to starve before he returned to his father's house. A man may study much, and labour much, and lay out much of his time and spirits about

human doctrines, and yet, after all, be like Pharaoh's lean kine. A man that studies human doctrines, does but feed upon ashes.

Human doctrines cannot cure a wound in the conscience. The diseased woman spent all she had upon physicians, but was not a penny the better. The remedy is too weak for the disease. Conscience, like Prometheus's vulture, will still lie gnawing notwithstanding all that such doctrines can do.

Human doctrines are so far from enriching the soul, that they usually impoverish the soul. They weaken the soul; they expose the soul to the greatest wants, and to the greatest weaknesses; they play the harlot with the soul; they impoverish it, and bring it to a morsel of bread. Who so poor in spiritual experiences, and heavenly enjoyments, as such as sit under the droppings of human doctrines?

Human doctrines make men servants to the humours and corruptions of men. They make men pleasers of men, rather than pleasers of God. Yea, they make men set up themselves and others, sometimes in the room of Christ, and sometimes above Christ.

I hope these few short hints may prevail with some to fall in with this counsel, that so they may the better preach the Lord Jesus to the people.

HAVING spoken much concerning ministers' duty, I shall now speak a little concerning their dignity, and so finish this text.

Unto me who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given; this grace, this favour, this honour. I look not upon it as a poor, low, mean, contemptible thing, but as a very great honour, that I should preach among the Gentiles, the unsearchable riches of Christ.

The observation that I shall speak a little to, is this, that the office of a minister or preacher is honourable

For the understanding of this point, premise with me two things-first, that by a minister, I understand one who is qualified according to gospel rules, and who is internally called by God, and externally called by the people of God, to the ministerial office. The second thing that I would have you premise with me for the understanding of the point, is this, that the common appellation of those that are set apart for the preaching of the gospel in the new testament, is ministers. So in 1 Cor. iii. 5; 2 Cor. iii. 6; vi. 4; xi. 15, 23; 1 Tim. iv. 6; and in divers other places, the word minister is a title of office, service, or administration, given frequently to the preachers of the gospel. As for the names of ambassadors, stewards, and the like, wherewith they are often honoured, they are figurative, and given to them by allusion only.

These two things being premised, we shall now proceed to the opening of the point.

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And in the first place I shall prove, that the office of a minister is an honourable office; and then in the second place I shall shew you what honour is due to them; and then in the third place I shall shew you how you are to honour them; and then in the last place, we shall bring home all by a word of application.

Christians, Give me leave to tell you this by the way, that since the gospel has shined in England, a godly, faithful, painful minister was never more subtily and vehemently struck at by men that make a fair shew, and by men of corrupt opinions, and wicked lives. This age affords many church-levellers, as well as state-levellers. Some there are, who under that notion of plucking up corrupt ministers, would pluck up by the very roots, the true ministry. But God has been and will be still too hard for such men. If they will be monsters, God will be sure to be master. His faithful ministers are stars that he holds in his right hand, and men shall as soon pull the sun out of the firmament, as pull them out of the hand of God.

I. Now considering that there is such a spirit abroad in the world, I hope no sober, serious Christians will be

offended at my standing up to vindicate the honour of a godly, faithful ministry. In order to which, I shall first prove that the office of a minister is honourable, and to me these following things speak it out

1. The several names and titles that are given to them in scripture, speak them out to be honourable. They are called fathers, stewards, ambassadors, overseers, and angels, as you all know who know any thing of scripture. To spend time to prove this, would be to light candles to

see the sun at noon.

Their whole work is

and about heads, the The more

2. Their work is honourable. about souls, about winning souls to Christ, building souls up in Christ; and to these two main work of the ministry may be reduced. noble the soul is, the more honour it is to be busied and exercised about it. Let him know, that he which converteth a sinner from the error of his way, shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins. Jam. v. 20.

Let him know; that is, let him take notice that an honourable and glorious work is done by him. The soul is the immediate work of God; the soul is the image of God; the soul is capable of union and communion with God; the soul is more worth than a world, yea, than a thousand worlds, Christ prayed for souls, and wrought miracles for souls, and wept for souls, and left his Father's bosom for souls, and bled out his heart-blood for souls, and is gone to heaven to make provision for souls, yea, he is now making intercession for souls. All which speaks out the excellency of their office, whose whole work is about souls.

The Jews say of Moses's soul, that it was sucked out of his mouth with a kiss. Souls are dear and sweet to God.

3. A third thing that speaks out this truth, is this— they are fellow-labourers with God; they are co-workers with God in the salvation of sinners. And this is a mighty honour to be a fellow-labourer with God, to be a co-worker with God. For we are labourers together with God. Who would not work hard with such sweet company? Who would not affect, prize, love, and honour

such service? Ministers are called the light and salt of the world, because they enlighten blind, souls, and season unsavory souls, and so save them from corruption and perdition. O to be joined in any work with God, is an honour beyond what I am able to express. The senate of Rome accounted it a diminution of Augustus Cæsar's dignity, to join any consuls with him for the better carrying on of the affairs of the state. O but our God does not think it a diminution of his dignity, that even his poor despised servants should be fellow-labourers, and co-workers with him in the salvation of souls.

4. The honourable account that the Lord has of them in this employment, speaks out this truth, that their office is honourable. He that receiveth you, receiveth me; he that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet, shall receive a prophet's reward. He that receiveth you, receiveth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me. This honourable account God has of all his faithful servants. in this employment.

5. The fifth thing that speaks out this truth, is this, they serve an honourable Master. They serve him who is all ear to hear, all hand to punish, all power to protect, all wisdom to direct, all goodness to relieve, and all mercy to pardon. They serve that God who is the best and the greatest. God has within himself all the good of angels, men, and universal nature; he has all dignity, all glory, all riches, all treasure, all pleasure, all delight, all joy, all beatitudes. Mark, abstracts do better express God, than concretes and adjectives. God is being, goodness, beauty, power, wisdom, justice, mercy, and love itself. God is love, says the apostle, in the very abstract. God is one infinite perfection in himself, which is eminently and virtually all perfections of the creatures. And O then what an honour must it be to those that are employed under so honourable a Master!

6. Their very work and service is honourable. Why else did the apostle cry out, Who is sufficient for these things? There is no such embassage in the world, as this is, in which they are employed. Pray for me, that I may make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in bonds. Faithful ministers do represent the