N01685:31
The presence of Christ with the ministers of the Gospel, opened & applied in…The presence of Christ with the ministers of the Gospel, opened & applyed in…
The presence of Christ with the ministers of the Gospel, opened & applied in a sermon preached at Swampfield, January 1st. 1717[/]18. Being the day of the gathering of the church, and the ordination of the Reverend Joseph Willard their pastor. / By Solomon Stoddard, A.M. & Pastor of Northampton.The presence of Christ with the ministers of the Gospel, opened & applyed in a sermon preached at Swampfield, January 1st. 1717[/]18. Being the day of the gathering of the church, and the ordination of the Reverend Joseph Willard their pastor. / By Solomon Stoddard, A.M. & Pastor of Northampton.
printed by B. Green, 1718
Title page typeset from the transcription.
The Presence of CHRIST WITH THE Ministers of the GOSPEL. › DOCTRINE.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
3. Christ is under bonds to grant His Presence to the Ministry. This Promise is absolute to the Ministry. I can't say that Christ is absolutely bound to make every Minister an instrument of the Conversion of Souls. A Minister may die quickly; or a Minister may prove a very corrupt man; or if God should not make a Minister an instrument to Convert Souls, yet ⟨p. 22⟩He may make him very Successful as to establishing and comforting of Saints; or to reform the Place; or to clear up some Divine Truths that were not acknowledged. But this Promise, That Christ will be with the Ministers, and make use of them for the Conversion of Souls, is absolute to the Ministry; there is no condition expressed, neither is there any to be understood, for it is by the Service of the Ministry that He intends to carry on His Work, & build up His Church in all Generations. Eph. 4.11, 12. He gave some Apostles, some Prophets, some Evangelists, some Pastors and Teachers, for the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the Ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. And He has Elect Ones to be brought in in all Ages: There shall be a Succession of godly Ones to the End of the World. Psal. 72.17. His Name shall endure for ever, it shall continue as long as the Sun, Men shall be blessed in him. The Success of the Ministry is held forth in that Parable: Mat. 22.10. Those Servants went out into the High ways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both good and bad, and the wedding was furnished with guests.
3. Christ is under bonds to grant His Presence to the Ministry. This Promise is absolute to the Ministry. I can't say that Christ is absolutely bound to make every Minister an instrument of the Conversion of Souls. A Minister may die quickly; or a Minister may prove a very corrupt man; or if God should not make a Minister an instrument to Convert Souls, yet ⟨p. 22⟩He may make him very Successful as to establishing and comforting of Saints; or to reform the Place; or to clear up some Divine Truths that were not acknowledged. But this Promise, That Christ will be with the Ministers, and make use of them for the Conversion of Souls, is absolute to the Ministry; there is no condition expressed, neither is there any to be understood, for it is by the Service of the Ministry that He intends to carry on His Work, & build up His Church in all Generations.