I Thef.

5. 12,

33.

I Pet.

5.5.

1 Pct.

4. IO,

23.

that they may do it with joy, and not with grief; for that is unprofitable for you.

And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; and to efteem them very highly in love for their works fake.

Likewife, ye younger, fubmit yourselves unto the elder; yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility; for God refifteth the proud, and giveth grace unto the humble.

Q. How ought true teachers to minifter in the church?

A. As every man hath received the gift, even fo minifter the fame one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God if any speak, 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.

Q. I perceive then, that every true minifter of the church of Chrift, is to minister of the gift and grace of God, which he hath received: but fome are of the judgment, that natural wisdom or parts, and human learning, are the qualifications which are of abfolute neceffity for a minifter; but grace they judge not to be fo abfolutely neceffary, but that one

may

may be a minifter without it: What faith the fcripture in this cafe?

A. A bishop must be blameless, sober, Tit. 1. juft, holy, temperate.

Q. Methinks it is impoffible for a man to be blameless, juft, boly, fober, and temperate, without the grace of God: fo that if these qualifications be abfolutely neceffary, then furely, that without which a man cannot be fo qualified, must be neceffary alfo: but what faith the fcripture, as to the neceffity of natural wisdom, and human learning?

7.8.

I

21.

A. Where is the wife? Where is the 1 Cor. fcribe? Where is the difputer of this 1. 20, world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that, in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleafed God by the foolishness of preaching, to fave them that believe.

Q. It feems then, the preachings of the true minifters are not gathered together by wifdom and learning: it hath been fuppofed that a man must be greatly skilled in learning, to make a good fermon: what is the apostle's judgment in the cafe?

A. For Chrift fent me not to baptize, ver. 17. but to preach the gofpel; not with wisdom of words, left the crofs of Chrift should be made of none effect.

And I was with you in weakness, and ch. 2.

in 3, 4, 5.

2 Cor.

in fear, and in much trembling; and my fpeech, and my preaching, was not with enticing words of man's wifdom, but in demonftration of the fpirit, and of power: that your faith fhould not ftand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

Q. I perceive the apoftle lays far more ftrefs upon the demonftration and power of the Spirit in a preacher, than upon human literature: Ought minifters then to preach as the Spirit teacheth them?

A. Alfo we fpeak, not in the words 2. 13. which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth.

A&s

2.4.

Mat.

And they were all filled with the Holy Ghoft, and began to fpeak as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Q. Is it Chrift then that fpeaketh in and through his minifters?

A. For it is not ye that fpeak, but the 10. 20. fpirit of your Father, which speaketh in

Mark

13. 11.

Luke

12. 12.

2 Cor.

you.

For it is not ye that fpeak, but the Holy Ghost.

For the Holy Ghoft fhall teach yoù in the fame hour what ye ought to fay.

Since ye feek a proof of Chrift fpeaking

13.3 in me, which to you-ward is not weak, but is mighty in you.

Q. What is the apostle's mind of that human learning, which fome cry up fo much, and think fo needful in a minister?

A. Beware

A. Beware left any man fpoil you Col. through philofophy and vain deceit, after 2. 8. the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

6.20.

O Timothy! keep that which is com- 1 Tim. mitted to thy truft, avoiding prophane and vain babblings, and oppofitions of fcience, falfly fo called.

Q. Though true minifters Speak not by the natural wifdom of man; yet is their teftimony altogether void of wisdom?

2. 6, 7.

A. Howbeit, we fpeak wisdom among I Cor. them that are perfect; yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought; but we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory.

Q. What is the reafon that man by his natural wisdom is not capable to minifter in the things of God?

A. For what man knoweth the things Verfe of a man, fave the fpirit of man which II. 14. is in him? Even fo the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Q. Thefe fcriptures do fufficiently hold forth that the true call to the miniftry is from God; that

G

that that which maketh a true minifter, is the gift and grace of God; that the true and effectual preaching of a faithful minifter is fuch, as is from the inward teaching and leading of the Spirit of God: But what fay the fcriptures touching the maintenance of minifters?

Gal.6.6. A.. Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.

I Cor.

9. 11,

to 14.

5.18.

If we have fown unto you fpiritual things, is it a great thing if we fhall reap your carnal things? If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not ufed this power, but fuffer all things, left we fhould hinder the gospel of Chrift. Do ye not know, that they which minifter about holy things, live of the things of the temple? And they which wait at the altar, are partakers with the altar: even fo hath the Lord ordained, that they which preach the gofpel, should live of the gospel.

1 Tim. For the fcripture faith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn; and, the labourer is worthy of his reward.

Q. I perceive by thefe fcriptures, that there lieth an obligation upon the faints, to help with outward things, fuch as truly minister unto them fpiritual; but this feems to be voluntary: ought not therefore true minifters to preach, whether they be fure of this or not? What