to preach, and enabled them to give the like evidences of their being sent of God, as he himself had given; enlarging their commission also to all nations, and empowering them and their successors to ordain fit persons for the work of the ministry for all ages to come. " But 36 no man must take this honour to himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron." And to pretend to a from God, without a commission from his church, according to his own divine order and appointment, is to set up God against himself; which, unless we can make contradictions true and God a liar, can never be right.

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2dly, How shall they preach? With what ability? It is required by St. Paul, as a qualification of a Bishop or Presbyter, that he be "apt to teach:" that he be "able by sound doctrine both to "exhort and to convince the gainsayers." And though the preaching of the cross, the doctrine of a crucified Saviour, may to unbelievers, that judge only accordto carnal reason and sense, seem to be

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be foolishness; yet to them that believe, it is the power of God unto salvation, in the hands of such as the same Apostle calls" able ministers of the New Testa"ment:" and such, he there says, God does make them, by opening their understandings, that they may understand the scriptures. But, that God will make any such, who will not comply with his ways and method of doing it, can neither be expected nor proved.

3dly, How shall they preach? With what purpose and design? and design? Their pretences are indeed usually very specious, and the ends they would seem to aim at truly glorious and excellent. They are moved, say they, to take this ministry upon them by mere duty and necessity; by a secret impulse of the Spirit, inclining them to it; and in tender regard to the glory of God, and the salvation of souls. These are indeed specious pretences; but what is all this at the bottom, if rightly weighed, but to fly in the face of divine wisdom? God has, we see, by a regular designation, marked out VOL. IV. E

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a succession of men appointed for these very purposes: for these men therefore, to break into this order, under pretence of promoting the salvation of souls, what is it but to say, that the means appointed by all-seeing wisdom are insufficient to bring about the ends designed by him? What is it but to build upon God's foundation the hay and stubble of their own inventions? Well might, therefore, the Apostle call them "false Apostles, de* ceitful workers, transforming themselves "into the Apostles of Christ." Though they come to you, therefore, in sheep's clothing, yet inwardly they are ravening wolves; and therefore you are expressly cautioned by our Saviour to beware of them. For not having entered by the door into the sheep-fold, but climbed up some other way, he assures us, they are all but thieves and robbers; they rob God of his honour, and the church of her peace. Having, therefore, neither a just authority to preach, nor proper qualifications for it; and their designs in doing it being always presumptuous and often evil, it is, I think, sufficiently evident,

that

that such as are not sent, should not presume to preach.

But 3dly, they that are sent, both may and ought to preach. How shall they preach, says the Apostle in the text, except they be sent? Except they be sent: plainly implying, that to be sent, is that, which does authorize and empower; or farther, which does bind and oblige them to do it. Our blessed Saviour himself, as you have heard, was sent to preach; he was a teacher come from God. And he sent his Apostles, and they others, to teach and to exhort; and they again successively, throughout all ages of the world, were "to commit the things delivered "to them by the Apostles unto faithful 66 men that should be able to teach others "also."

This is that work for which, and unto which, they are appointed. Both God and his church have sent them upon this very business, and they contradict the mind of both, if they do not perform it. This is their particular calling, and in this

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this they must abide; that they may ap prove themselves faithful stewards of the grace given unto them, and, "as workmen that need not be ashamed, may rightly divide the word of truth.”

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And indeed, woe unto them, if they preach not the gospel: preach it with unwearied diligence and constant perseverance; always bearing in their minds that importunate and solemn injunction of St. Paul to Timothy, "I charge thee,

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therefore, before God, and the Lord "Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick "and the dead at his appearing and his

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kingdom; preach the word; be instant "in season, out of season; reprove, re“buke, exhort with all long-suffering and "doctrine." Nor must they be diverted from the faithful discharge of their ministry by the most fierce opposition, or severe commands of persecuting powers. Blessed be God, we live in times, when there is little prospect that these hard trials of our faith will fall to our lot. But should it so happen, the noble answer of the Apostle's is our rule: "we ought to

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