Ministry

“ The ministers we plead for, are such as act, [214] move, and labour in the work of the ministry, not from their own mere natural strength and ability, but as they are actuated, moved, supported, assisted, and influenced by the Spirit of God, and minister according to the gift received, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God: such were the holy prophets and apostles, 1 Pet. ”

“ The Ministry of the Spirit requires the Operation and Testimony of the Spirit.Secondly, All Ministers of the New Testament ought to be Ministers of the Spirit, and not of the Letter, according to that of 2 Cor. iii. 6. and as the old Latin hath it, Not by the Letter, but by the Spirit: But how can a Man be a Minister of the Spirit, who is not inwardly called by it, and who looks not upon the Operation and Testimony of the Spirit as essential to his Call? ”

“ Ministers are as burning and shining lights in Christ's church, but it is the duty of people to provide comfortably for them, as Israel for the lamps. Scandalous maintenance makes a scandalous ministry. ”

“ The advocates of the Ministry seem to me to write for fame, and to flatter themselves, that the size of their works will make them immortal. They pile up reluctant quarto upon solid folio, as if their labours, because they are gigantic, could contend with truth and heaven. ”

“ When any person has been found to be specially helpful in a meeting, and his or her ministry is recognized over a considerable period of time as being a true ministry, exercised “in the spirit,” such a one is, after due deliberation, “acknowledged” or “recorded” as a “minister.” ”

“ To enter on the public work of the ministry self-moved and self-appointed has no warrant in [p. 138] Scripture or in reason and is an act of assumption and disorder which can only result in evil. 3. Churches and pastors, while using a wise discretion, should carefully seek out and develop ministerial gifts. Much power doubtless remains latent which with proper care might be developed and utilized in ministerial work. Many a Christian life now left undeveloped, might be greatly enlarged by being thus placed in its true sphere of activity ”

“ The Acts of the Minister.—As the minister acts as Christ’s responsible agent to whose wise discretion the dispensation of the Sacraments is committed, he must have at least the external attention of mind sufficient to perform all that the rite demands and the internal intention of will sufficient to make his ministry an act that is human, sacred, and definitely symbolical of the sacramental effects. ”

“ The Ministry of Truth, which concerned itself with news, entertainment, education, and the fine arts. The Ministry of Peace, which concerned itself with war. The Ministry of Love, which maintained law and order. And the Ministry of Plenty, which was responsible for economic affairs. ”

“ The Church is organized with reference to the accomplishment of these two purposes, and has, for the accomplishment of those purposes, a foreign ministry and a home ministry. In defining the duties of a Seventy it is with the foreign ministry that we have to deal.
4. The Foreign Ministry. The business of the foreign ministry is to make proclamation of the gospel in all the world, and gather, as soon as wisdom dictates, those who accept it into the organized stakes of Zion. This foreign ministry, strictly speaking, is composed of the Twelve Apostles and the quorums of the Seventy. ”

“ The office of a scripture-bishop is an office of divine appointment, and not of human invention. The ministry is not a creature of the state, and it is a pity that the minister should be at any time the tool of the state. The office of the ministry was in the church before the magistrate countenanced Christianity, for this office is one of the great gifts Christ has bestowed on the church, Eph. ”

“ The meagre support which the ministry usually receives, arises, in part, from the opinion too commonly entertained, that this profession ought to be one of benevolence exclusively, and that ministers should, therefore, be contented with a bare subsistence, and look for their reward in the consciousness of doing their duty, and in the prospect of future felicity. ”

“ As by the Light or Gift of God all true Knowledge in Things spiritual is received and revealed, so by the same, as it is manifested and received in the Heart, by the Strength and Power thereof, every true Minister of the Gospel is ordained, prepared, and supplied in the Work of the Ministry; and by the Leading, Moving, and Drawing hereof ought every Evangelist and Christian Pastor to be led and ordered in his Labour and Work of the Gospel, both as to the Place where, as to the Persons to whom, and as to the Time wherein he is to minister. ”

“ The ministerial orders are two: elder and deacon. The offices of the ministry and rank are in the order named,—bishop, sub-bishop, pastor, and sub-pastors. The ministry are classified as Effective, Supernumerary, Superannuate, and Local. The property of each congregation is deeded in trust for them to a Board of Local Trustees, who may sell, buy, or improve it for the use of said congregation. The stewards are officers whose labors are partly temporal and partly spiritual. They are entrusted with the raising of supplies, benevolence, and the support of the ministry. ”

“ Chapter XXIII Exhortation to Workers and Ministers
In conclusion I feel that the Lord would be pleased for me to say a few words for the encouragement of young ministers and workers. In my work in the ministry I have come through many varied experiences that, I trust, will be helpful to you in the trials through which you will have to pass before you get settled in the Lord's work.
The first difficulty met by most young ministers and workers is in regard to their call. ”

“ The theory of ministerial operation might appear to be, that every apostolic officer of Christ should combine, with the intrepid discharge of his own duty, a corporate anxiety for the common weal; that each of us should convey his personal stability as a contribution to the strength of our spiritual structure, and regard the graces of individual ministry as instrumental to the decoration of a general edifice, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief Cornerstone. ”

“ They must esteem their ministers highly in love; they should greatly value the office of the ministry, honour and love the persons of their ministers, and show their esteem and affection in all proper ways, and this for their work's sake, because their business is to promote the honour of Christ and the welfare of men's souls. ”

“ Were the first minister to point out a preacher before the house of commons, would not he be wise to make choice of these words? "give, and it shall be given unto ye." Or before the lords, "giving no offence that the ministry be not blamed, 2 Cor. vi. 3." Or praising the warm zeal of an administration, "who maketh his ministers a flaming fire, Psal. civ. 4." We omit many others of his texts as too tedious.]
[From this period the style of the book rises extremely. Before the next chapter was pasted the effigies of Dr. Sacheverell, and I found the opposite page all on a foam with politicks.] ”

“ But, who are the advancers of this opinion, that the present ministry cannot hold? It must be either such as are afraid to be called to an account in case it should hold; or those who keep offices, from which others, better qualified, were removed, and may reasonably apprehend to be turned out for worthier men to come into their places ”

“ III. Concerning the ordination of ministers (v. 22) : Lay hands suddenly on no man; it seems to be meant of the ordaining of men to the office of the ministry, which ought not to be done rashly and inconsiderately, and before due trial made of their gifts and graces, their abilities and qualifications for it. Some understand it of absolution: "Be not too hasty in laying hands on any ”

“ The Officers of the Church are called Rulers and Governours, & such as are over their people in the Lord. And it is their duty to watch over the souls of their people, as such as must give an account for them into God. Now it is all the reason in the world, that they that must give an account to God for their people, should take an account of their people; and that they that watch over their souls, should know the state of their souls. And that they that are Governours, {61} Rulers, and Overseers, should teach, instruct, try and examine those over whom they rule and govern. ”

“ And further we beseech and intreat them (if there be any such,) to consider what an offence they give in this particular, to all their Brethren in the Ministry; and what an argument they put into the mouthes of those that are disaffected to the government; and in the fear of God to forsake this way and course, lest while they think to build with us, they be found to be destroyers, both of the Presbyterian Government and Ministry, and to open a wide door to Sacramental Prophanation.
Object. 6.
Doth not the Scripture say, Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat? ”

“ Are they become your enemies, because they tell you the truth? You will Reply, It is because they are Ministers Ordained by Antichristian Bishops; and therefore before they have renounced their false Ministry, we cannot with a safe conscience hear them, nor expect a blessing from their Ministry. This Reply is, we confess, a great stumbling block to many godly people, in this Kingdome; for satisfaction to it, we offer these particulars:
1. Many of you that make this Reply, hold, That the Election of the people is by Gods Word sufficient to make a man a true Minister without Ordination. ”

“ One, after many years of experience, can bear emphatic testimony to the value of another way—that of magnifying the office of the Holy Spirit as the conductor of the service, and of so withholding the pressure of human hands in the assembly that the Spirit shall have the utmost freedom to move this one to pray and that one to witness, this one to sing and that one "to say amen at our giving of thanks," according to his own sovereign will. ”

“ If other men, besides Ministers, are by Gods word, even in the judgment of the Prelaticall Divines, to be admitted into the greatest Assemblies, and Councels of the Church, much more are they by the same right to be admitted into particular Congregations, to sit and vote with the Minister in the Government of the Church. ”

“ That the Authority by which you act, is divine. For the office not only of a teaching, but also of a Ruling Elder, is founded upon the Word of God, as hath been already shewed.
2. That the Government which you have entred upon, is not a Government of mans framing, but the Government of Jesus Christ; who as King and Head of his Church, hath appointed you your work, and hath promised, [106] That where two or three of you are gathered together in his name, there to be in the midst of you, to protect, direct, sanctifie, support, and comfort you. ”

“ And though we believe, that none ought to take the Office of a Minister, but he that is elected and ordained thereunto, yet we believe also, that it is the duty of all private Christians, in a brotherly way, out of the common bond of charity, to build up one another in their most holy Faith. And therefore let those [149] that fear the Lord, speak often one to another, especially in these evil daies: and strive together for the Faith of the Gospel, standing fast in one spirit with one mind. ”

“ Next to the ministry I know of no more noble profession than the law. The object aimed at is justice, equal and exact, and if it does not reach that end at once it is because the stream is diverted by selfishness or checked by ignorance. Its principles ennoble and its practice elevates. ”

“ That by Governments, are meant men exercising Government, the Abstract put for the Concrete. The intent of the Apostle, is not to speak of offices distinct from persons, but of persons exercising offices. This appears first, by the beginning of the verse, God hath set some in his Church; this relates to persons, not unto offices. Secondly, by the 29. and 30. verses, where the Apostle speaks concretively, of those things which he had spoken before abstractively. Are all workers of miracles? have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues, &c? ”

“ When you understand this—and you should because "what hast thou that thou didst not receive?"—you will not flatter yourself on the one hand and on the other hand you will not carry yourself with the thought of resigning from the ministry when you are insulted, reproached, or persecuted. ”

“ Blessed the man who has made that “I have nothing,” the motto of his ministry. ”

“ Give a Paris woman at bay four-and-twenty hours, and she will overthrow a ministry. ”

“ That Ministers do not receive their Ministry from the People, or Bishops, but immediatly from Jesus Christ: For they are Ministers and Embassadors of Christ, not of the People: Indeed they are Embassadors for the good of the People, but not Embassadors of the People: All that the people or Bishop doth, is but to choose and ordain a man; but it is Christ that gives him his power and authority; As when a wife chooseth a {126} husband, and a Town a Mayor; the Town doth not give the Mayor, nor the wife the husband, the power they have ”

“ And you have a most blessed promise added, That Jesus Christ will be unto you for a Sanctuary, to protect and defend you in the day of your greatest fears and dangers.
10. That you would labour to be of a tender spirit, tender of the honour of God, of the blood of Christ Sacramental, of the souls of the people committed to your charge, of the truths and Government of Christ. A Church-Officer must not be a Gallio, not caring what becomes of Religion, and the interest of Christ. ”

“ For in some places Ministers may not be so faithful and Prudentiall as they ought to be, and may, through pride, covetousness, partiality, or rashness, keep from the Sacrament, or admit to the Sacrament, whom Christ would not have admitted, or kept away. And in other places, where Ministers are more wise, and humble, and faithfull, if they should assume the power of Examination, without Elders assisting of them, they will be wofully mis-reported and scandalized by those that come before them, or by others, that are disaffected to them ”