Ministers Appointed by Christ

Thomas Boston, 1676–1732

Presbyterian Exercise, May, 27, 1708.
 

Ephesians 4:11, 12 "And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ."

THE apostle having pressed unity among church members, even from the consideration of the diversity of gifts among them, seeing they all come from one and the same head; namely, from Christ their common Lord and store-house; and having confirmed this from Psalm 68:18, he does in the text instance these divers gifts, all bestowed by that one blessed head for the very same ends. "And he gave," etc., this is the connection.

But lest we stumble in the threshold, there is one difficulty to be removed, before we enter on a particular explanation of the words. This is, in the text there is nothing of gifts, but only of offices and office-bearers instituted by Christ in his church. He speaks not of gifts necessary for the apostleship, but of apostles; he says not of the gift of prophecy, but prophets. To this it is answered, that saying the latter, he supposes the former; the diversity of offices including the diversity of the respective gifts, seeing Christ never calls any to an office, but he always endues them with gifts in some measure suitable. He thrust out no laborers to his vineyard, without instruments for labor; nor does he send out any naked and unarmed, to pull down the kingdom of Satan. Thus the anointing in use of old, did signify both the call and furniture for the office.

In these words we have two things—

1. A remarkable instance of our exalted Lord's liberty to his church, in bestowing divers gifts upon her.

2. The end for which he has given these.

As to the first of these, for the right understanding of it, four things are to be considered: 1. The gifts. 2. The giver. 3. The act of donation. 4. The time to which it relates.

As to the gifts, they are various, and this variety is held forth two ways:

1. By the distributive particle some, often repeated; which seems to hold forth two things: 1. A distinction between the church and her officers, and teachers, against the confusion introduced by Socinians, Anabaptists, and others, who impugn the necessity of a call to the work of the ministry, and transgress the sacred boundaries set by the Lord of the vineyard; who gave some, not all, to be apostles, pastors, and teachers. All may indeed prophecy, as says the apostle, 1 Corinthians 14:31, that is, all who have the gift of prophecy; but as the apostle says, 1 Corinthians 12:29, "Are all apostles, are all prophets." 2. A distinction among the offices which Christ has instituted; he made not all church officers apostles; but some apostles. He has given the several office-bearers in his house their distinct provinces; some to be employed one way, some another, though all for the good of the church. Even as in the building of a house, divers artificers must be employed, every one in their proper work; but all for one and the same end, to make a convenient habitation. Howbeit, these office-bearers are not co-ordinate but subordinate; and the superior office includes the inferior, so as the apostle could do what the prophet, evangelist, pastor, or teacher might do; but not contrariwise. We acknowledge a beautiful subordination of officers and courts, in church government; but among officers of the same kind, there is by divine institution a parity.

2. This variety is held forth by a distinct enumeration of several orders of the ministry in the church. We must particularly inquire what these are:

I. As for apostles. The word in general signifies any messenger sent in affairs, whether of the church or commonwealth, John 13:16. Thus Epaphroditus, is in Philip. 2:25, called the apostle of the Philippians, ìùí äå áðïóôïëïí, or messenger; as being sent by them to Paul, to carry their benevolence to him; not as having the name and office of an apostle derived to him, as some fondly imagine; which absurd conceit the antitheses in the text at first view baffles. "Yet I supposed," says Paul, "it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and companion in labor, and fellow soldier, but your messenger, and he who ministers to my wants." Now this resolved, according to that notion, will scarcely make good sense. But the word in Scripture is usually taken in a more restrained sense; and denotes those extraordinary officers whom Christ set in his church, as master builders, who are commonly reckoned twelve; Matthias being added to the eleven, in room of Judas, and afterwards Paul was added. These were a kind of office-bearers in the church whose commission was universal and unconfined; whose great work was to plant and found churches through the world, Matthew 28:19; being endued with an infallibility in teaching, according to John 16:13. They had power to work miracles, and to confer the visible gifts of the Holy Spirit, by imposition of their hands, and were eye witnesses of Christ. Hence Paul proving his apostleship, urges this, 1 Corinthians 9:1; and pleads it for himself with the rest, 1 Corinthians 15:7, 8. That they were immediately called, is generally the opinion of orthodox divines, from which we see no reason to depart, seeing the evangelists witness this of all of them but Matthias and Paul. As for Paul's immediate call, it is no less clear from Acts 26:16; Galatians 1:1.

A late writer asserts that Matthias was not immediately called, but by the apostles. But it is plain from the history of Matthias' call, recorded Acts 1, that he was by God's immediate choice and declaration by a lot, set apart for his office; and though the apostles presented the two to the Lord, yet he made the choice, and gave the call by that lot, after prayer made to him for that effect. A late writer of our own, to whose labors our church owes very much, does in this point go something out of the ordinary road, asserting it to be most evident that God called Matthias mediately, partly by the suffrages of the people, partly by their lots; yet withal, he grants that Matthias' call was extraordinary in that God directed the lots by an extraordinary providence, as in the case of Achan. For ought I know, the discovery of Achan has hitherto been looked upon as immediately from God, and the text seems to sound it so, Joshua 7:14. And if Paul's call was immediate, being by a voice from Heaven, so was Matthias' call; God discovering his mind in this case by the lot, as much as by a voice in the other. "Wherefore," the apostles in their prayer before the lots say, Acts 1:24, "Show whether of these two you have chosen." The call and choice then was the Lord's, by himself, not by the people; and the lot was an infallible discovery of his mind, as it was in that case used. For although God does not guide elections performed by lots so as they shall always fall right, when the choice is referred to a lot, without a call from the Lord to make use of the lot, as in the case of choosing magistrates by lot, which became unnecessary is therefore unlawful; yet the apostles having been called to the use of lots in this case, and having a promise of the discovery of God's mind in this case thereby, this being necessarily pre-supposed to their prayer in faith, it plainly follows this lot could not but fall right, and consequently that the call thereby was God's immediate call, as much as if it had been by a voice from Heaven.

After all, that the people there, being only one hundred and twenty, should have a power to call a man to be an immediate officer of the universal church, by an approved deed, as the apostles were, seems to be a principle that can hardly be defended; unless, with a certain set of men, it be maintained that the number of the brethren then was no more than an hundred and twenty, which with little difficulty might be disproved.

II. There are prophets. The word signifies one that foretells things to come. The New Testament prophets spoken of in the text, were those who were endued with singular wisdom and knowledge of divine things, not by human industry, but by inspiration of the Holy Spirit. They did by immediate inspiration interpret the Scriptures, open up the Old Testament prophecies, confirming and proving the doctrines of the gospel by these. Hence revelation is made the matter of prophecy, 1 Corinthians 14:6. God did also by his Spirit reveal to them things to come, which they foretold for the confirming the faith of the people of God, and rendering the wicked inexcusable, Acts 11:27, 28; and 21:10. The nature of their office shows their call to have been immediate. The church of the Jews had prophets raised up to them for a long time, but prophecy ceased with them when Malachi died; and their church having been thereby planted, nourished, and maintained, its failing was a token their church was about to expire. They themselves acknowledge that the gift of prophecy was not bestowed under the second temple, on any after the days of Malachi, so they reckon it among the five things wanting in the second house; but they expected the restoration of it under the Messiah, and that warrantably, as Joel 2:28, 29. Wherefore the setting up of prophets under the New Testament is a conclusive argument against them, that the Messiah is come. Unless they admit of the New Testament prophets, prophecy has left them about double the time that their church, as constituted by Moses, had it; which nothing but judicial blindness can make Haggai's little while, chapter 2:6, 7.

III. There are evangelists. Not those who wrote the gospel, for two of these were apostles, namely, Matthew and John; but a kind of preachers of the gospel, who were companions of the apostles in their travels, assisting them in the work of the gospel; being sent out by them to settle and water such churches as the apostles had planted, 1 Corinthians 3:6; 1 Timothy 1:3. They were not fixed pastors of any particular church, but remained in these places where the apostles sent them, until they were by them recalled, 2 Timothy 4:9. Such were Tychicus, Silvanus, and others, and particularly Timothy and Titus, whom some will needs have to be bishops, the one at Ephesus, the other at Crete, though Timothy is expressly called an evangelist, 2 Timothy 4:5. Besides the occasional transient employment of Timothy at Ephesus, and of Titus in Crete, is sufficiently intimated by the apostle, while he tells us, that he besought Timothy to abide at Ephesus, and that he left Titus, both of them upon a special business, 1 Timothy 1:3; Titus 1:5; and they are both recalled in the very epistles sent to them. That they are called bishops in the postscripts of the epistles sent to them is no argument; these postscripts being neither canonical nor true. They were not subjoined to the epistles, until some hundreds of years after they were written. In the postscript of the first epistle to Timothy, Phrygia is called Pacatian, which was not the name of it, until it was conquered by Pacatius, a Roman general, three hundred years after Christ. The postscript of that to Titus says it was written to Nicopolis, which agrees not with Titus, 3:2.

IV. There are pastors, feeders of the flock of God, and the word denotes both preaching and ruling. Their office is to pray with, and for the flock; to read the Scriptures publicly; to Catechize, bless the people, and rule them; all which, and more belonging to their office, is asserted by the Westminster Assembly, in the propositions concerning church government. These are our ministers of congregations.

Lastly, There are teachers or doctors, whose work it is to teach the doctrines of religion, and confute the contrary errors. Though the particle some is not here added between the pastors and teachers, yet they are distinct church officers. The pastor being gifted with a word of wisdom, by which, besides his ability in some measure to open the Scripture, he is fitted wisely and powerfully to apply the word for working on people's affections, and for advancing practical godliness. The teacher being gifted with a word of knowledge for opening up the Scripture, establishing truth, and confuting error. This difference the apostle holds forth, 1 Corinthians 12:8; Romans 12:7, 8, where the difference of their functions is clearly intimated by the different concerns which they are to wait upon.

The apostle does not here enumerate all the office-bearers in the church. We will find others reckoned up by him elsewhere, and therefore silence here as to ruling elders and deacons is no argument against their offices; the scope of the apostle here being only to enumerate preaching officers, whose various gifts are most conspicuous in the edifying of the church; who are appointed for the work of the ministry, to bring us to unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, verses 12–14.

But no satisfactory reason can be given for omitting pope or prelate here, had they been any of Christ's creatures in his church. When they shall show the signs of their apostleship, then, and not until then, may we allow them to be the successors of the apostles, in another sense than ordinary ministers.

The apostles, prophets, and evangelists, were extraordinary officers, and their offices ceased with themselves, having been appointed for that particular state of the church. Now the house is built up and finished; and pastors and teachers, and other ordinary officers, are sufficient to hold it up, though they were not so for erecting it.

II. The giver is Christ. The apostle elsewhere ascribes the giving of gifts to the Spirit, 1 Corinthians 12:11; and the giving of these offices he ascribes to the Father; but this being an external work of God, is common to all the three persons. The Father is the fountain of all gifts, the Son the distributor of them by the Holy Spirit.

III. The act of donation, he gave. It denotes the excellency and usefulness of these offices, which Christ has given to supply the want of his bodily presence. And withal, his sending out these officers, as well ordinary as extraordinary, for both are said to be given by him.

IV. The time to which this relates; "when Christ had ascended up on high." OBJECTION. Christ gave the apostles their commission before he ascended.

ANSWER. Until Christ ascended, they had not the fullness of apostolic gifts necessary for the discharge of their office in its full extent. Therefore Jesus, being assembled together with them after his resurrection, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, says he, you have heard of me. Consequently, after Christ's ascension, they were solemnly inaugurated and installed in their office, by the visible outpouring of the Spirit upon them. "And there appeared unto them cloven tongues, like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them." They had their commission before this; but the actual sending of them through the world was not until this time. We are now,

II. To attend to the end or design of this gift, which is threefold:

1. In respect of the saints, these who are in Christ already, the ministry is to perfect them, ðñïò ôïí êáôáñôéóìïí. The word signifies the restoring and setting dislocated members again in their proper place; it is borrowed from surgeons, with whom êáôáñôéóìïò is ìåôáãùãç ôùí ïóôåùí åê ôïõ ðñïò öõåéí ôïðïí, åéò ôïí êáôá öõóéí. The reducing of bones from a preternatural, to their natural place and situation. It signifies also, the perfecting and establishing them in the restored state. So the Corinthians, who by their factions and divisions were rent asunder, and as a disjointed body, are exhorted to be êáôáñôéóìåíïé, perfectly joined together, as a joint well knit, 1 Corinthians 1:10. The saints being, by reason of remaining corruption, so ready to turn aside both from Christ the head, and from their brethren fellow-members. God gave ministers to be spiritual surgeons to set them right again, and to fix them in nearer union to Christ by faith, and to their brethren in love.

2. In regard of themselves, for the work of the ministry. It is for work that they are appointed. This work for the kind of it is äéáêïíéá, a ministry or service. The first excluding idleness, the second excluding a lordly dominion. The word comes from êïíéó dust, and denotes a painful and laborious service, in which men are serviceable, as those that make haste in travel, raising the dust about them by their speed. So that they are neither to be loiterers, nor lords over God's heritage; but to serve them in the concerns of their souls, by the dispensing of the word publicly and privately, by dispensing the sacraments, and the censures of the church.

3. In respect of the body of Christ; it is to edify it, namely, the mystical body of Christ. There is a double metaphor here; one taken from the natural body to which the church is compared, in respect of its union with Christ the head by faith, and that union that is among the saints by love; and the vital influences received from Christ by the church. The other metaphor is taken from masons, whose work it is to build a house. Thus they are to build the body of Christ; and so they do, when they are instruments in Christ's hand to lay new stones in the building; that is, to convert the elect, and to fix and raise up others that are already laid; being instruments of the growth of converts in knowledge, faith, and holiness.

The Holy Spirit casts in that of the work of the ministry between the other two ends. The two great ends not being to be obtained by naked gifts, or the honor of the office, but by a painful and laborious discharge of the trust committed to them.

The sum of all is, Christ Jesus having ascended up on high, gave various gifts to the church, in that he gave various officers to it suitably qualified; he gave some, not all, to be extraordinary, namely, apostles, prophets, and evangelists; some to be ordinary officers, pastors, and teachers; and whatever differences be among them, they were all given for one common end, to labor in dispensing gospel ordinances, for restoring and perfecting saints, who are so often out of frame, and for gathering in the elect, and increase of grace in those that are converted.

 

 

MINISTERS TO CONTINUE UNTIL THE CHURCH IS PERFECT

Presbyterian Exercise Addition, June 24, 1708.

 

EPHESIANS 4:13, "Until we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ."

DOCTRINE I. That the office and work of the ministry is to continue until all the elect of God be fully perfected, and the church arrive at its full growth. This is the principal doctrine of the text. We shall first confirm this doctrine, and then give the reasons of it.

I. To confirm the truth of this, consider,

1. That Christ's presence is promised to the ministry always, even to the end of the world, Matthew 28:20; now this supposes the existence of the ministry until then. Ministers are the stars which Christ holds in his right hand, that will always shine more or less while the stars are in the firmament; and wicked men may as well attempt the divesting of the heavens of these glorious lights, as the church of Christ of a ministry, for they shall never be able to effect the one any more than the other. Even when the church is into the wilderness, some are commanded to feed her there.

2. The sacraments are to continue until then, and consequently a ministry by which they may be dispensed. As to baptism, it is plain from that, Matthew 28:20. Though the blasphemous Socinians account it only a temporary right, used by the apostles towards those, whether Jews or Gentiles, of whom the gospel church was first made up. But there is a command universal in respect of persons to be baptized; in respect of places, and in respect of times, to the end of the world. As circumcision lasted in the church until Christ's first coming, so must baptism until he come again. And as for the sacrament of the supper, it must continue until the Lord come again. For by it we do show the Lord's death until he come.

3. The Scripture holds forth public ordinances, in which the Lord keeps communion with his people, never to be laid aside until they come to glory. It is one of the singularities of the upper house, that there is no temple there, Revelation 21:22. Here they look through the lattices of ordinances, until they come to see face to face in Heaven. It is when the day of glory breaks, that these shadows will flee away; but until that time, Christ has promised to be in the mountain of myrrh—the public ordinances; so called in allusion to the temple, which was on a mountain.

II. Reasons of the doctrine. It must continue.

1. Because the ministry is a mean of the salvation of the elect. "It has pleased God by the foolishness of preaching, to save them that believe." They are these by whom the Lord gathers his elect; the means must continue until the end be obtained, Romans 10:14, 15. While there is a lost sinner to seek, the Lord will not blow out the candle; and while the night remains, and until the sun arise, these less lights are necessary to be continued in the church.

2. The ministry is appointed of Christ, in some measure to supply the want of his bodily presence in the world. He spoke in the prophets before he came, as the word is, Hebrews 1:1; yes to the old world, by his Spirit in Noah a preacher of righteousness, he preached. Now when he is ascended up on high, he has given a ministry; and now God does beseech sinners by them; and in Christ's stead, we pray sinners to be reconciled to God. They must then continue until the Lord come again.

3. Because their work which they have to do, will continue until then. They are ambassadors for Christ, and while he has a peace to negociate with sinners, he will still employ his ambassadors. While Christ keeps house in the lower world, stewards must be maintained to give his servants meat in due season. While weeds grow in the vineyard, the laborers must be continued; and until the house be fully built, and every stone laid in the building, it is not time to dismiss the builders.

4. What society can be preserved without government and governors. Every society has its governors, and so the church must have hers also. While corruption remains in church members, there will be out-breakings among them. That company that is terrible as an army with banners, how mean would it be if there were not a set of men appointed by the Lord to order and govern them; they would soon turn into a mass of confusion. In the best constituted church how often is the beauty of it marred; how often does the enemy break in, though the watchmen keep their posts, and stand to give warning to the city; how much more, if there were no watchmen at all. These then must be continued, until they all be within the gates of that city, where the gates are never shut, because no enemy can make an attempt to break in, and these that are within have no inclination to go out.

USE 1. Of information. It lets us see that the church shall never fail altogether. The continuance of the ministry argues the continuance of the church. When the Lord has done his work, he will doubtless call in his servants, and will not have watchmen where there is no city to watch. The church and her ministry also, may be driven into the wilderness, and they may both be reduced to a very small number, but neither of them shall altogether fail. There may be seven thousand in Israel, when Elijah thinks he is left alone; and the witnesses of the truth may be seen so far gone as if they were dead, and yet there are still some in the darkest time, who afterwards appear as if they had risen from the dead.

Again, this shows that Christ has a special care of, and providence watching over the ministry. Ministers are the great butt of the world's malice, the thorns in their eyes of which they would gladly be freed; and readily, when a storm arises, it blows most violently on their faces. Papists cry for miracles; if they were not blinded, they might see it in the continual preservation of these earthen vessels, for all the opposition they meet with in the world. But Christ holds the stars in his right hand.

We see also the dignity of the office. The greatest officers in earthly kingdoms, yes kings themselves, hold not their offices by such a tenor. Their work is to carry on God's work in the church until the church be perfected, a noble work, and a long term indeed for the continuance of their office; which is never to cease until God be all in all, and all the elect be in Heaven.

We then to those that are above teaching, and despise the ministry as that which they might well want. Has Christ set a ministry in the church as an useless burden upon the people. It speaks a profane spirit, and a growth indeed, but not towards that in the text; a growth in wickedness and self-conceit. Let us therefore prize the preaching of the word.

DOCTRINE II. The diversity of gifts bestowed on ministers has a tendency to, and is designed for advancing of unity among God's elect people, for unity is the center of all these divers gifts. These are as the strings of a viol, some sounding higher, others lower; yet altogether making a pleasing harmony. "Your watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the Lord shall bring again Zion." There are many things necessary to make a compact building, such as the church is. Some must procure the stones, some lay them; some smooth and join the wood, and altogether make a compact uniform house. Round about the throne are the four beasts; some eminent for lion-like boldness; some for the patience and laboriousness of the ox; some for prudence, and some for quick-sightedness in the mysteries of godliness. The church can want none of them. "The eye cannot say to the foot I have no need of you." Some brought blue, purple, scarlet, goat's hair, to the tabernacle. Some of these things were more necessary than others, but none of them could be wanted. All our Lord's gifts to his servants, tend to unite his servants with God, and among themselves, by faith and love.

USE. 1. For information. This lets us see what a desirable thing unity in the Lord is. It is that which is the great end of all these divers gifts that Christ has bestowed. It is lovely in the eyes of the Lord, and so should it be in ours. By Adam's fall his whole posterity were broken and shattered, rent from God and from one another. To cure this, God has appointed Christ a new head, under whom they might all meet again in unity; and Christ has appointed ministers adorned with a diversity of gifts, in order to accomplish this.

2. It may also let us see what is that government of the church that looks most like divine institution; whether prelacy that gives the keys unto one, or presbytery that gives them to the unity of ruling church officers. Which of them is most adapted to the end of the ministry; whether one gift, or diversity of gifts. The text determines the question, and consequently determines that several presbyteries diversely gifted, are the subjects of church power, and not a single prelate. Prelacy looks nothing like Christ's economy, and his way of managing his house; therefore prelacy brought in for the remedy of schism, was a step very far out of Christ's way. And this church was for many years preserved from heresy and schism also, by means of presbyterian government; and though of late our schisms have increased, it remains still, that it is the government most adapted to unity, according to the Scriptures.

USE 2. Of reproof. It reproves those people who make the divers gifts of ministers occasions of schism and faction. "One saying I am of Paul, and another, I am of Apollos." It is a great weakness that people cannot value one gift, but they must undervalue another. Many cannot build up one in their esteem, but they must needs have the ruins of others for a foundation for it. How contradictory are their desires, to what Christ would have in the church. Christ would have diverse gifts, and they would have but one, and that all might be just of a piece with what they fancy. These that say they can get no good of such and such a gift, had need to take heed, that when they get good, it be not rather a tickling of their fancy, than solid edification.

But much more are these ministers to be reproved, who improve their gifts to the rending of the church, and breeding in people a contempt of others. "Some, indeed, preach Christ, even of envy and strife: and some also of good will. The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds." This is a dreadful perverting of the end of these gifts, and says that such are devoted more to their own honor than to the good of souls.

DOCTRINE III. Whatever differences are now among the godly, yet a perfect unity is abiding them, in which they shall all have the same apprehensions and views of spiritual things. To confirm this, consider,

1. The perfect unity of the elect of God, is that which is purchased by the blood of Christ, and therefore must needs take effect. He died, "that he might gather together in one, the children of God that were scattered abroad." Sin has built up a partition wall between God and the elect, as well as others, and a partition dividing them among themselves. The sufferings of Christ, has meritoriously thrown it down; upon which it must needs follow, that it will be actually thrown down by the Spirit of Christ beginning the work here, and afterwards perfecting it.

2. This unity is prayed for, by the great Mediator, whom the Father hears always, and whose intercession must needs be effectual, John 17:21–23. He came into the world, to make up that rent which sin had made; and he is now at the Father's right hand pursuing the same design, never to leave it until it be perfected.

3. The same Spirit dwells in the head and in all the members, though not in the same measure; the same ointment poured on the high priest's own head, runs down to the skirts of his garments, and anoints all the members of Christ. Hence the apostle presses unity from the fellowship of the Spirit, they being joint partakers of the one Spirit of God, Philippians 2:1, 2. This Spirit has begun that union, and is still at the uniting work; and it consists not with the honor of God, not to perfect that which he has begun. For which cause the church may confidently say as David, "The Lord will perfect that which concerns me: your mercy, O Lord, endures forever: forsake not the works of your own hands."

4. The occasion of the disordant judgments that are among the people of God, will at length be taken away. There is great darkness now, in those that have the greatest share of light and knowledge. The time we are in this world, is a night in comparison of the day of eternity that is approaching. No wonder we have every one our own mistakes; but where we are going, there is no night there. Now the most knowing, know but in part; but that which is perfect will come, and then that which is in part will be done away. Now we are but children, and therefore want not our childish conceptions of heavenly things; but when we come to a perfect man, these childish things will be put away. Now we see but through a glass darkly, but then face to face. Now we know but in part, but then shall know as we are known, most clearly and distinctly, as it is said, 1 Corinthians 13:9–12. So truth being but one, our conceptions of it will be the same, when we shall be perfectly cast into the mold of truth.

USE 1. This lets us see that the people of God will at length arrive at unity of affections, lay aside all their jarrings, animosities, factions and divisions, and cordially embrace each other in the arms of perfect love. For the fountain being stopped, the streams must needs become dry; difference of judgment being that which occasions such discord and alienation of affections. This may comfort the godly, oppressed now with grief, because of these differences that are among the Lord's people.

2. It may let us see the odious nature of divisions and discords among professors. These tell us we are yet abroad, not at home. They look like the earth, and very unlike Heaven. "Therefore," says Paul, "while one says I am of Paul, and another I am of Apollos, are you not carnal." When we are better Christians, we will be more peaceable, and leave off to devour one another were we once in the ark above.

USE 2. Of exhortation. This serves to urge us to several duties.

1. To labor for unity, and "to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." "It is a pleasant thing for brethren to dwell in unity. It makes the church strong and terrible to enemies; whereas divisions do exceedingly weaken her, and make her a prey to the enemy. Blessed be the Lord for that unity which is yet among the ministers of this church; and long may it last, for be it broken when it will, the success of the gospel which is little now, will be less then. Men will be readily converted to a party, but few will be converted to Christ.

2. Let us bear with one another in love; knowing we are yet in the body, and have need of compassion. Let us pursue the quarrel against an ungodly world, enemies to God and godliness, because there is no hope of meeting in Heaven to compose the difference; but see we any with their faces towards the heavenly Canaan, O let us not fall out by the way.

3. Let us long for Heaven as the place where we will be happy. For motive hereto, consider,

DOCTRINE. IV. That the church of Christ shall at length arrive at its full growth in glory, as a man come to perfect age. Then shall it be perfect in parts, every member being brought in, and in degrees every member being at its full growth. How does the heir long until the time of his minority be over and past, that he may get the inheritance in his hands. There is an eternal weight of glory abiding a state of perfection, when we shall know no more clouds of darkness and ignorance, no more weakness; but the weakest shall be as David, and David as the angel of God. When no corruption shall be in our mind, will, or affections; when faith shall be turned to sight, hope to enjoyment.

DOCTRINE V. Then, and not until then, comes the church to perfection, when every member thereof, is brought to a perfect conformity with Christ, bearing a just proportion to him, as members proportioned to the head. This will certainly come to pass. Mystical Christ is yet growing; the head is at perfection, but the members some of them are yet wanting: none of them that are here below, are grown up to the just proportion, but until that be, mystical Christ is not perfect. This is a certain argument that it shall be. Christ will not always have his body so disproportioned to the head. An infinitely holy head, will at length have perfectly holy members. The head that has now got above all temptations, will certainly draw the feet out of the reach of Satan and corruption. The head that has got above the waters of the shadow of death and corruption, will certainly make our vile bodies like his glorious body; and as he arose from death, and now it has no more dominion over him, so will he confirm our souls and bodies in a glorious state of immortality. All which may make believers long for that blessed day, and endeavor to antedate heaven's happiness as far as they can, in the pursuit of conformity to Christ, and growing up to that blessed head; remembering that all their backslidings and decays dishonor him egregiously, in so disfiguring his body and disproportioning his members. For direction how to go on to this perfection, take

DOCTRINE VI. As is our faith and knowledge of Christ, so is our growth and perfection. It is the knowledge of Christ, that introduces us to the blessed state of perfection. The more we believe in, and know Christ, the nearer are we to perfection; and when these are come to their perfection, then are we at our full growth.

Let us then, that are ministers, make this our great work, to get people to close with Christ, and get acquainted with him. O! if we could preach Christ, live Christ, and make him the scope of our life and doctrine, it would be well. Let all of us study to know him. The nearest way to perfection is knowledge; and all things else necessary to salvation is to know Christ, who is that body of divinity which the Spirit of God teaches his scholars, "for God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face Jesus Christ." Amen.-