1Obs. That the end of the Ministry and Ministers should be to bring people to the knowledge of God, to the saving knowledge of Christ; Thus Paul exceeded the Heathen Hercules in his manifold labours to this purpose, especially see what a divine profession he makes to them of Ephesus, Act. 20.26, 27. I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men; Here we see there is a soul-murder as well as a body, and the Ministers of the Gospel are to keep themselves pure from that, for if the blood of Abel's body crieth aloud, what outcries will the blood of peoples souls make? Now Paul kept himself thus pure by declaring unto them all the Counsel of God, so that if we would do our duty we must be Lights shining upon the understandings of men, that they may know, believe in, and obey God; And so Paul again at large, 1 The. 2. There his very heart flameth out into affectionate words for their salvation; The end then of our Preaching and of your hearing should be to have God manifested to your souls, how apt are both Ministers and people to fail ⟨p. 167⟩of this great and necessary end; To open the doctrine, you may take notice that as the Logicians speak of a twofold end, Finis operis and Finis operantis, the end of the worker, and the end of the works, as the end of the house built, is to dwell in it; The end of the Artificer who built is to have wherewith to maintain himself and his Family, so it's in the Preaching of the Word, There is the end of the Ministry it self as appointed by God, and of the Minister who preacheth; Now indeed there should be always the same end of both, The Minister should aim at that end for which the Ministry is appointed, viz. to enlighten men, to bring them to a saving knowledge of God, but such are mens corruptions that they many times take the office only for ambition or earthly advantages; They preach that they may live, they live not that they may preach; It's therefore a dangerous thing for a Minister of Christ to propound any other end principally at least but what is the end of the Ministry, and that is wholly spiritual, to be able to say, Behold here I am and the spiritual Children thou hast given me.
1Obs. That the end of the Ministry and Ministers should be to bring people to the knowledge of God, to the saving knowledge of Christ; Thus Paul exceeded the Heathen Hercules in his manifold labours to this purpose, especially see what a divine profession he makes to them of Ephisus, Act. 20.26, 27. I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the bloud of all men; Here we see there is a soul-murder as well as a body, and the Ministers of the Gospel are to keep themselves pure from that, for if the bloud of Abels body crieth aloud, what outcries will the bloud of peoples souls make? Now Paul kept himself thus pure by declaring unto them all the Counsell of God, so that if we would doe our duty we must be Lights shining upon the understandings of men, that they may know, beleeve in, and obey God; And so Paul again at large, 1 The. 2. There his very heart flameth out into affectionate words for their salvation; The end then of our Preaching and of your hearing should be to have God manifested to your souls, how apt are both Ministers and people to fail ⟨p. 167⟩of this great and necessary end; To open the doctrine, you may take notice that as the Logicians speak of a twofold end, Finis operis and Finis operantis, the end of the worker, and the end of the works, as the end of the house built, is to dwell in it; The end of the Artificer who built is to have wherewith to maintain himself and his Family, so it's in the Preaching of the Word, There is the end of the Ministry it self as appointed by God, and of the Minister who preacheth; Now indeed there should be alwaies the same end of both, The Minister should aim at that end for which the Ministry is appointed, viz. to enlighten men, to bring them to a saving knowledge of God, but such are mens corruptions that they many times take the office only for ambition or earthly advantages; They preach that they may live, they live not that they may preach; It's therefore a dangerous thing for a Minister of Christ to propound any other end principally at least but what is the end of the Ministery, and that is wholly spirituall, to be able to say, Behold here I am and the spirituall Children thou hast given me.
- 1Observ.
