Or, 2. The lower part of the earth intends a comparison between some part of the earth itself ; and so may be taken for the grave; — " He descended into the grave." The burial of Christ, which was a great and evident testimony of his real death, is that which is intended; and so I look upon it in this place. The very descent of Christ into the grave, which is the lowest part of the earth that mankind de- scend into, is the apostle's meaning.
And observe from hence, that the death of Christ hath a great
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influence into this gift of the ministry. It is a branch that grew out of the grave of Christ: let it be esteemed as lightly as men please, had not Christ died for it, we had not had a ministry in the world.
And two ways the ministry relates to the death of Christ: — 1. Be- cause it was necessary unto his receiving of that power whereby alone he was able to give ministers. See that at large, Phil. ii. 6-11. It was his humbling himself unto the death, even the death of the cross, that was required to that exaltation whereby he had power to give ministers. The mediatorial authority of Christ, whereby he was enabled to give ministers to the church, was founded on his death. And, 2. It respects his death, because the very end of the ministry is, to preach that peace to mankind which was made by the death of Christ, Eph. ii. 14, " He is our peace," — he hath made peace for us; and in verse 17, " Came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh." How did Christ come and preach peace to the Gentiles, — to them that were afar off ? It was no otherwise than by instituting the office of the ministry, and sending his ministers to preach peace to them. And we that are ministers may know the near relation of our office to the death of Christ, which will greatly direct us in the work we have to do; which is, I say, to preach that peace that was made with God by Christ. This is another thing in the text that sets forth the beauty, glory, and eminency of this great gift of Christ.
SERMON IV.1
•'•'Cut all these worketh that one and the self-same Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will." — 1 Cor. xii. 11.
You are a church of ancient standing, and therefore are acquainted both with the duty and practice of it. God hath guided you to call them to office over and among you who have been long experienced in the work of the ministry ; so that I am sure neither they nor you stand in any need of my instruction, as to particular duties. There- fore I shall speak a word in general unto that which is the founda- tion of all our station, work, and duty, from these words, in 1 Cor. xii. 11, " But all these worketh," etc.
There is this disadvantage in preaching upon a particular occasion, especially for one who hath no more strength than I, that either we must omit insisting on the particular explication of the text, or be 1 This sermon was preached at an ordination, April 3, 1678.
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prevented in that which we aim at particularly from it. Both can- not be done ; therefore I shall only give yon the substance of the words, in that proposition which I intend to insist upon ; namely, —
That it is the work of the Spirit of God, in all ages of the church, to communicate spiritual gifts and abilities to those who are called according unto his mind to the ministry of the church, to enable them unto all evangelical administrations, to his glory, and the edifi- cation of the church.
Had I time, I would inquire into these two things: — 1. Whether the Holy Ghost doth indeed continue to communicate spiritual gifts, distinct from natural endowments and acquired abilities, to the dis- charge of the work of the ministry, to his glory, and the edification of the church. And, 2. Whether these spiritual gifts and abilities, so communicated, be not the material call to the work of the minis- try, antecedently required to the formal call thereunto.
As to the first, it is opposed by them who say that these spiritual gifts we talk of are nothing, indeed, but men's natural and acquired abilities, with an ordinary blessing of God upon their ministry; and for other spiritual gifts there are none.
As to the second, it is denied that there is, or ought to be, an outward way and order for calling men to the office of the ministry ; and that a compliance therewith makes their call good, valuable, and lawful, whether they have of these gifts we talk of or no. And in these two lie all the contests about church order and worship that we have in the world.
But I shall only speak in the general unto the above proposition, — namely, that it is the work of the Holy Spirit, in providing of an able ministry of the New Testament, for the use of the church to the end of the world, to communicate to them who are called according to his mind spiritual gifts and abilities, to enable them to the discharge of their duty in the administration of all ordinances, to the glory of Christ and the edification of the church. The proving of this one proposition, in which is the life of all gospel order, is all I shall do at this time.