yourselves, and to all the fioclr over which the Holy Ghost hath made jou overseers.' So Acts xiii. 2, ' As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Paul and Barnabas for the work whereimto I have called them.' In short, then, we are sent by the decree and will of the Father, qualified by the Holy Ghost, and commissioned by the authority of Christ as king of the church. And therefore the apostles were to tarry at Jerusalem till Christ was ascended, and seated on the throne, and seized upon the kingdom, and })Oured out the Holy Ghost upon them. None are sent but such are also called and chosen by the Holy Ghost, by whom also they are gifted, with respect to God the Father's consent, and Christ's authority.
3. To whom are they sent ? I answer — To all, without any distinc- tion of nation, sex, person, or condition : Mark xvi. 15, ' Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.' Men send an embassy to kings and princes, but Christ to every mean creature, without any restraint. It is true, the motion and course of the gospel is directed by a special providence, to some places and not to others : Acts xvi. 7, ' After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia ; but the Spirit suffered them not.' But doth the Holy •Ghost hinder the preaching of the gospel ? ' We must distinguish between the grant of power and the exercise of it. Though there be a general grant, that the pale of the church shall be enlarged, yet this grant is to be made good as the Lord will. There is a general grant that the gospel shall be preached unto all nations, but as for the exer- cise and making good this grant, God will have the world to know that the i)reaching of the gospel is a privilege and a special favour, and therefore he sendetli it to some and not to others, as a token of his love. It is a thing that doth not come by chance, or by the •counsels of men, but by his special grant and designation. Therefore it is notable that the apostles were guided by the Spirit, not only in their doctrine, but in their journeys ; and the external means are distributed by the will of God, as well as internal grace, that wherever it cometh we may acknowledge it as a special favour ; to some it cometh later, to others sooner, but to all as God will. He oweth it to none ; and therefore, though the pale be enlarged, and there is a general grant that all creatures that live within the pre- cincts of the round world shall have the gospel in their turn, yet to some it is sent before others : Acts iii. 26, * Unto you fii'st, God having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you.' The Jews had the first offer and liberty of choice or refusal. So Acts xiii. 26, ' Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, unto you is the word of this salvation sent.' He doth not say, it is hrought by me, but sent. The preaching of the gospel is governed by God's special providence and care ; as the scri})tures ' came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost,' 2 Peter i. 21. So it is not preached by the Avill of men. It is not your purses that procure it, nor your goodness that deserveth it, but good ministers are sent to you by Christ's special love and care, and so should you acknowledge it. 1 tell }'ou, many have laboured for the gospel, fouglit for the gospel, and yet they have missed it,
484 SERMONS UPON JOHN XVII. [Ser. XXXII.
because they do not consider him that hath the stars in his hand, autl directetVi and guideth their motions. Grod will have this mercy taken out of his own hand, as a special token of his love ; therefore because they do not acknowledge God, though they fight, strive, and labour for it, yet the gospel is taken from them.
4. For what are they sent, or the end and scope of the gospel ? Ever since the fall, there is a quarrel between God and man ; and God might send heralds to proclaim war, as he sendeth ambassadors of peace ' to pray you to be reconciled,' 2 Cor. v. 20 ; that is the pur- port and drift of our message, to gain men to lay down the weapons of their defiance, and to accept of Christ, that in him they may find life and peace. God might send messengers into the world, as he sent Jonah to Nineveh, to warn the world of their destruction, or as he revealed the law upon Mount Sinai, to make men sensible of their bondage, and obnoxiousness to divine wrath and justice ; but he sendeth messengers of peace, with an olive branch in tlieir mouths, to tell the world of God reconciled, and God pacified by Christ, and invite them to be in favour and peace with God, that so they may enjoy communion with him in grace here and glory hereafter : Col. i. 27, 28, ' Christ in you, the hope of glory. Whom ye preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus,' There is the subject of our ministry, communion with Christ, and reconciliation with God by Christ, as ' the hope of glory ; ' the manner of managing it, ' with wisdom warning ' every man ; the persons with whom we treaty ' every man,' without distinction ; and our aim and scope, ' that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus,'