Ninthly, Now if we do but rightly confider of the Matter, there may be a juft Caufe for this Zeal, if we will but give them this Allowance, That as they have been like Brands pluck'd out of the Burning, and known the Terrors of the Almighty for Sin, they are the more earneft to perfwade Men to Repentance and Amendment, both by Reproof, warning of Sinners, and threatening them with Judgment, as having themselves fo narrowly escaped: And this being the Cause of that Fervour and Zeal fuch have appeared in, it will no doubt on ftrict Examination be found, that the Root of all this is Love, and a Defign of Good to the Souls of Men. Such therefore ought to be treated with great Charity and Meeknefs, and the good Defign in them encouraged; and that Over-forwardness in them rather fhewn to them than reproved; and when they fee it, they will not need to be told of it, for Shame will come faft enough upon them, (if they are true Ministers) and may lie heavy; which may hinder fome tender Spirits from improving in their Gifts, and render them lefs ferviceable than otherwise they might, if they did moderately keep on their Way, minding to keep Pace with their Gifts, neither going before, nor staying behind their Leader; but wanting both Judgment and Experience, being Children in the Work, they can't do it all at once, and therefore in Patience must be born with for a Time.

Laftly, Now this Preparation by the Spirit for the Ministry, fo qualifies the Receiver of this excellent infpiring Gift, when called to the Work, that he can experimentally fay, What I have tafted, felt, and heard of the good Word of Life, and the Powers of the World to come, I declare unto you. But what can fuch (as the Apoftle fpeaks of, concerning whom he avers they fhall not inherit God's Kingdom) fay of their Experience of the Work of God's Power in them, while they continue in their Gain-faying in the Works of the Flesh, such as Adultery, Idolatry, Pride, Covetoufness, Envy, and Drunkenness, minding the Pleasures of this World above any Thing elfe; furely (as above) they have no Experience to fpeak of to the People, nothing to say that will bring them to a Fellowship with the Father and his Son Jefus

Chrift.

Having faid thus much concerning a true Qualification for the Receiving of this Gift of Infpiration, fo abfolutely neceffary to every right Minifter, that without it he can't be a true Minifter, I fhall now speak of INSPIRATION itself, which is to be the Subject next in courfe to be treated of, concluding this Chapter with Part of that excellent Prayer of David's (fo apt to this purpose) in the 51ft Pfalm, from the 9th to the 14th Verfe. Hide thy Face from my Sins; and blot out all mine Iniquities. Create in me a clean Heart, O God; and renew a right Spirit within

(

me.

me. Caft me not away from thy Prefence; and take not thy Holy Spirit from me. Reftore unto me the Joy of thy Salvation: and uphold me with thy free Spirit. Then will I teach (but not 'till then) Tranfgreffors thy Ways, and Sinners fhall be converted unto thee. fhort but full Description of the right Qualification of a Gospel Minister.

CHAP. II.

A

The Neceffity of Divine Inspiration to the being of a Gofpel Minister, and to conduct him in his Ministry.

H

AVING faid so much of the needful Qualifications, in order to be infpired by the holy Spirit, and enabled thereby to minister Good to others, it is neceffary also to say something of INSPIRATION itself, which is by many too much exploded, and flighted as a Thing at an End, and long fince ceased: They fuppofe all Things needful for Inftruction to Piety and Virtue, already revealed in that excellent Book, called the BIBLE, which I prefer to all Books extant, and requeft the diligent Reading thereof with due Attention and Regard, to what the Apostle says of them, viz. That 2 Tim. iii. all Scripture given by Inspiration of God, is profitable for Doctrine, for Reproof, for Correction, for Inftruction in Righteousness; and able to make wife to Salvation through Faith

B 4

in

16.

in Jefus Chrift Now it is this Faith in Christ which makes the Scriptures really and truly profitable; but a Man, without this Faith, may read the Scripture until he has them by Rote, and can repeat by Heart a great Part of what he has fo often read; and for all this receive no Profit from them; for as holy Men writ them by Inspiration of the Spirit, fo by it we muft come to a right Understanding of them, otherwife they will be as a Book fealed, and the bare Reading of the Letter will be no other than a bare Report of Things at a distance; for when we read the Words of Moses, that he spoke in the Ears of Ifrael, importing that Thou need'ft not fay in thy Heart, who fball afcend into Heaven, or go beyond the Sea, viz. to fetch the Word of Command, &c. I fay, he would not have them look at a Distance for it, becaufe (adds he) It is nigh in thy Heart and Mouth. Now the Apostle, Rom 1.6, expounding the Words of Mofes, faith, But the Righteousness which is of Faith, speaketh on this wile: Say not in thine Heart, who fhall afcend into Heaven? That is, to bring Chrift down from above. Or, who shall defcend into the Deep? That is, to bring up Chrift again from the Dead. But what faith it? The Word is nigh thee, even in thy Mouth, and in thy Heart: that is the Word of Faith which we preach. Now this Word that is in the Heart and Mouth of infpired Ministers, is that by which they must be acted, if they do Right in the Work of the Miniftry; and

7, 8.

indeed,

indeed, without this Word in the Heart opens the Understanding, there can be no right Preaching. It is true, Men may by Study, and frequent Reading, acquire to themselves a Form of Words, and frame a fet and ftudied Speech in a regular Way, methodically dividing, and fub-dividing their Matter, raifing Ufes and Applications from the present Subject before them; and all this may be done by the Man, the Creature, and natural Part, having nothing of Infpiration or Power of the Spirit in it. And And pray, what will this Ministry do for the Hearers? It comes from the Head, and the Contrivance of the Man's Part, therefore it can reach no further; for no Stream can arife higher than its Fountain: And that Ministry which is of Man, tho' it may be very pleafing to the Creature, and acceptable to the itching Ears, who with the Greeks of old, feek after Wisdom, but not that which is from. above, is not profitable to the Hearers; for the Jews fought after a Sign, and the Greeks after Wisdom, but neglected the Preaching of Chrift crucified, and risen from the Dead, as foolish Doctrine, and not worth their Regard; but unto as many as believed in the Word preached by the Infpiration of the Spirit, they found it to be (both Jews and Greeks) the mighty Power of God to Salvation. Now what made this fpiritual Miniftry fo profitable to them that receiv'd this Doctrine, is the very fame that makes the Scriptures profitable to those who rightly