kr thar were alſo true and faithful ſervants of God in the work of i Goſpel, this was their ſin, and ſpake them to have VICious an( aq rupt affeQtions, and to walk more like Men than like $ajng, os having a true notion of the Miniſters of Chriſt, no: behwin themſelves towards them asthey ought to do, "g 5 Who then & Paul? and who is Apollos: by yy. niſters by whom ye believed, even asthe Lord Gave tg every man |. þ Neither Paul rior yet Aþollo, ate Authors of Faith to You, by only infiruments. It is the Lord that giveth co every man q now, to believe: ot elfe that latter Phraſe, as the Lord hath gives eve »an, may be underſtood of Miniſters, whoſe abilities to the wor of the Miniſtry and ſucceſs in ir, both depend upon God, Ty, ſenſe of the word is this, then God giveth unto his Miniftzs y, riety of gifts, and different ſucceſs ; bur yer neirher the ne nor the other of then are more than the ſervants of Chriſt in their niſtry, perſons whom God maketh uſe of ro call upon, and ty prevail with men, to give credit to the DoQtrine of the Goſpel, _ to rexelve and acceptof Chriſt, The work is the Lord'y, ng tacirs,
6 I have plantefl, Apollos watered: but God pyy the increaſe /, |
! God honoured nie firſt to preach the Goſpel amonghyvy Afs 18, &c. and bleſſed my preaching to convert you unto (yi then I left you, Apollos ſtaid behind, and he watered what | hy planted, daily preaching amongſt you. See 45; 18, 24,zg vg he further was a means to build you up in Faith and Holinef,, by God increaſcd, or gave the increaſe, God gave the power by which you brought forth any frair. The ſimilitude is drawa from pp. ters, whether Husbandmen, or Gardiners, they plant, they way but the growing, the budding, the bringing forth flowers or ful by the plant, doth much more depend upon the foil in which {4 ſtands; the influence of Heaven upon it, by the beams ofthe Fy, and thedrops of the dew and rain, and the internal virtue which the God of Nature hath created in the plant, than upon the hand of him that planteth, or him who uſeth his watering-pot towyyr ir. So it is with Souls, one Miniſter is uſed for Conver{a, the ficſt changing of ſouls; another is uſed for E4:fcatien, or funher building up of Souls ; but both Converſion and Ed:fication art infi tely more from the new hears and new natare, which God givtthy Soul, and from the influence of the Sun of Righteouſnels by the Spiritof Grace, working in and upon the Sou], than from any Mk niſter who is but God's inſtrument in thoſe works. 7 So then, neither is he that planterh any thing, neither he that watereth { but God chat giveth the increaſe *.* *.* Sothat, look as it is in eafthly plantations, God hath the greateſt influence upon the growth and fruitfulneſs of the plantand the Husbandman or Gardiner is nothing in compariſon with Gl, * ho hath given to the plant planted irs life and nature, by whih it ſhooreth up, buddeth, and bringeth forth fruir, and makethhit Sun to ſhine, and his rain to fall upon it: So it is in the ſpiriral plantation, God is the principal efficient Cauſe, we are littl:inft mental cauſes in God's hand ; nothing in campariſon with Gel, (I have planted, Apollo; hath watered) bur if we ſee a foul change, or grow, and make any ſpiritual proficiency, we muſt ſay, N# # 0 9, O Lord, not unto ws, but unto thy name be given the gimy, hath done the main work; we have not dene any thing in con» pariſon with him. Theſe words do no more tend to vilifiethe Miniſtry of the Goſpel, or make ic uſeleſs, than raking then in their native ſenſe, as they reſpe& earthly planrations, they prove, that there isno need ofthe Husbatdman's or Gardiner'shund eo plant or to water plants, becauſe all chat he doth of that ngur is t9 no purpoſe, unleſs God firſt gives to the plant its proper te tre and virrue, and then followeth the planration wirh the inf f ence of the Sun, dew, and rain. Butyer it isobſervable, thatthe Apoſtle doth nor ſay, The man himſelf gives the increafe, fron g2o0d uſe of the power that is natural in his own will, bt
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' 3 y . * a « G n . _ ; ion —— wo bs n ___ Sper wes there Ins 4- [according to his own labour n, LY oy FA J 5 b 7 f n rue, an | WON, are yet yy The Miniſters of Chriſt, though one be uſed in ara. * ) : 12. HOT Carnal, and wa k 45S MEN h? another in watering, one in laying the foundation, and and » MM ' /4= £ Not wholly carnal, bur 11 2 great meaſure ſo,not having your |building thereupon, yet are one ; one in their office and work,one N - WR luſts and corrupt affeCtions entirely ſubdued rothe Will of God, nor /their Miniſtry, being all Servants to Chriſt whois on? 3 all 1erv 0 20 be ſo much ſubdued, as ſome other Chriſtians have, and you oughe | one and the ſame Lord, all doing the ſame buſins6, aw 449 -% 2% v have. + as an evidence of this he mindeth them of the exvyings, | ſame end, and with all their might labouring rowards It ore; rites and contentiens that were amongſt them, Strife and envyings | therefore as they ought not to divide into Parties and Factions, 'B7 are, Cal. 5. 19. reckoned amongſt the works of the fleſh, they are | you ought not for their ſakes ro be ſo divided. # Yer they 2 Bl. . al oppoſite to love, in which the perfe&ion of a Chriſtian lyeth, | notſo one, bur that one may labour more rhea anothet, gn - uns
he told us before what ſtrifes and canteations he meant, and tells | honoured by God with more ſucceſs than another, and —"—
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