Obs. That if the Lord Christ though God, 1yet in respect of his office and Ministry doth attribute all to God, how much more ought the Ministers of the Gospel who are frail sinful men; Shall Christ say, he kept them by the Fathers power? Shall he say, It's not my Doctrine but the Fathers? Shall he say, I seek not my own glory, but the glory of him that sent me? How much more ought the Officers God hath appointed in the Church take their Auditors off from them, and carry them to God wholly; It is Observable, That Christ did still inform his Disciples and Hearers to look up unto the Father, and the Apostles they laboured to take off believers from applauding of them but to look up to God; Thus Paul 2 Cor. 3.5, 6. even when he advanceth his Ministry to the Highest, yet left men should therewithal advance the persons put thereinto (as Hortensins said of Tully that he commended Eloquence to the Heavens, that he himself might be lifted up with it) See what corrective expressions he useth, Not that we are sufficient of our selves to think any thing, our sufficiency is of God; All is attributed to God; Paul though endowed with so many excellent gifts, yet saith of himself, he is not able to think, he doth not say to do, to convert and change mens hearts, but he cannot think, and he doth not say he cannot think some choice, sublime, admirable thing, but he cannot think any thing, the least thought in reference to the salvation of others; And therefore he addeth ver. 6. It is God that hath made us able Ministers; The Ministers of God may as well say they create the world, They work Miracles by their own power, as say, they enlighten the minds, or soften the hearts of those to whom they preach; Thus 1 Cor. 3.5. When the people through vanity did rest too much upon the Officers of the Church, and attributed that to them which belonged to Christ: Paul doth severely expostulate with them, 1 Corin. 1.13. Was Paul Crucified for you? Were you Baptized in the Name of Paul? What are these but Ministers by whom ye believe? Two errors in the extreme we are to avoid,
Obs. That if the Lord Christ though God, 1yet in respect of his office and Ministry doth attribute all to God, how much more ought the Ministers of the Gospel who are frail sinful men; Shall Christ say, he kept them by the Fathers power? Shall he say, It's not my Doctrine but the Fathers? Shall he say, I seek not my own glory, but the glory of him that sent me? How much more ought the Officers God hath appointed in the Church take their Auditors off from them, and carry them to God wholly; It is Observable, That Christ did still inform his Disciples and Hearers to look up unto the Father, and the Apostles they laboured to take off beleevers from applauding of them but to look up to God; Thus Paul 2 Cor. 3.5, 6. even when he advanceth his Ministry to the Highest, yet left men should therewithall advance the persons put thereinto (as Hortensins said of Tully that he commended Eloquence to the Heavens, that he himself might be lifted up with it) See what corrective expressions he useth, Not that we are sufficient of our selves to think any thing, our sufficiency is of God; All is attributed to God; Paul though endowed with so many excellent gifts, yet saith of himself, he is not able to think, he doth not say to doe, to convert and change mens hearts, but he cannot think, and he doth not say he cannot think some choice, sublime, admirable thing, but he cannot think any thing, the least thought in reference to the salvation of others; And therefore he addeth ver. 6. It is God that hath made us able Ministers; The Ministers of God may as well say they create the world, They work Miracles by their own power, as say, they enlighten the mindes, or soften the hearts of those to whom they preach; Thus 1 Cor. 3.5. When the people through vanity did rest too much upon the Officers of the Church, and attributed that to them which belonged to Christ: Paul doth severely expostulate with them, 1 Corin. 1.13. Was Paul Crucified for you? Were you Baptized in the Name of Paul? What are these but Ministers by whom ye beleeve? Two errours in the extreme we are to avoid,
- 1Doct. If Christ though God, yet in respect of his Ministry doth attribute all to God, how much more ought the Ministers of the Gospel who are frail men.
