consociated in the same policy or possessions, but devoured by the Roman army, and dissipated into divers and remote

nations.

In the words two things are observable. The office or administration,Feeding the flock:' and the great ends of that service, purity and unity, set forth by the symbol of two pastoral staves,' called here by the names of Beauty and Bands.'

Touching this administration of feeding the flock, we shall briefly open, 1. The necessity of this pastoral office, both supreme in the Chief Shepherd, and subordinate in his servants and inferior ministers. 2. The particular duties wherein the discharge of our pastoral office doth stand, which the Supreme Shepherd is pleased to second with his powerful and most efficacious co-operation.

Necessity is twofold: absolute, as it is absolutely necessary for the first being to be: relative or hypothetical, when one thing is necessary in order unto, or upon supposition of, another. Obedience unto God is a necessary duty to be done; blessedness, a necessary end to be pursued. Unto the performance of this duty, there is a necessity to know the rule wherein it is prescribed: unto the obtaining of this end there is a necessity to know the means whereby it may be promoted; for understanding whereof we shall premise two or three propositions.

1. Though there remain some ingrafted notions of the law of nature, touching God and a service due to him, in the heart of man; yet that law is much darkened and defaced by that sinful corruption, which doth as well indispose the mind as any other faculties unto its due operations. Of this blindness and vanity we have frequent mention; (1 Cor. ii. 14. Eph. iv. 17, 18) and therefore albeit rare things are recorded of the moral virtues of many heathen men, and though diverse of their philosophers, Plato, Aristotle, Hierocles, Plutarch, Cicero, Seneca, Epictetus, and others, have written excellently on those arguments; yet unto a full knowledge of moral duties, to be in a due manner performed unto God and men, there is necessary a further patefaction of the divine will, than those remaining principles of the law of nature can dictate unto us. And this was done by the ministry of Moses, by whom to the church,

and unto whom, by the ministry of angels, the most holy and perfect law of God was fully discovered.

2. Though the law delivered by Moses be pure and perfect, though it be holy, just, and good; and though the commands thereof be exceeding broad; yet thereby salvation cannot be had, since by the law is the knowledge of sin; (Rom. iii. 20) and therefore it can curse only and not bless or save us, as the apostle argues, Gal. iii. 10, 11. All that the law can do, is to show us duty, to discover the sin whereby we come short of duty, the punishment due unto that sin, and our impotency to prevent, remove, endure, or avoid that curse. And consequently there must be a further patefaction of life and grace by another prophet.

3. The doctrine of the gospel, as it stands formally distinguished from the doctrine of the law, is wholly mysterious and supernatural: there are no seminal notions in the mind of man, from whence it may, by rational disquisition, be deduced. And therefore it is usually in scripture called a mystery; the mystery of Christ;' (Eph. iii. 4. Col. iv. 3) the mystery of the gospel;' (Eph. vi. 19) of the faith,' of godliness;' (1 Tim. iii. 9—16) 'hidden from ages and generations;' (Rom. xvi. 25) which eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor hath entered into the heart of man to conceive;' (1 Cor. ii. 9) as a mystery, above natural reason; as a mystery of godliness against carnal reason. Except therefore it had been by some pastor revealed to the church, we could never have had the knowledge of it.

4. Unto the perfecting of salvation by the gospel, two things concur; a valid impetration of grace by the merit of Christ; and an effectual application thereof by his Spirit, which he doth by begetting faith in us, called the faith of the operation of God.' (Col. ii. 12) This knowledge of Christ is simply necessary to salvation. (Isa. liii. 11. John viii. 24) And it is not of ourselves, but the gift of God; (Eph. ii. 8) and God works it by hearing. (Rom. x. 17) So there is a necessity of a divine pastor, by whose teaching this knowledge, so necessary to salvation, may be effectually wrought in us.

5. The doctrine of redemption layeth an obligation on the redeemed, to live unto him that bought them. Christ therefore died and rose, that he might be the Lord of dead and

living. The grace, which bringeth salvation, teacheth to deny ungodliness,' &c. (Tit. ii. 11, 12) Sanctification is necessary to salvation, as being the inchoation thereof. Nothing can be perfected till it be begun. (Heb. xii. 14) Since, therefore, holiness is necessary, and it belongs to him to whom this service is due, to prescribe the manner of it; and since we have naturally in us ignorance, impotency, and enmity, wholly disabling from the doing of it; there is, upon these accounts, an absolute necessity of such a pastor, who may reveal the right way of holiness unto us, and may efficaciously incline our wills thereunto. Upon these grounds we may see the necessity of the Great Pastor for revealing the supernatural mysteries of life and salvation by free grace, for working faith, whereby life and salvation may be applied unto us, for enabling us unto the duties of holiness, and removing those impediments of ignorance and enmity, which indispose us thereunto.

And now because the office of inferior pastors under this Great Shepherd hath, in these late unhappy and licentious days, by the subtilty or rather bungling of Satan, been greatly opposed, it will not be unseasonable to speak a little of the necessity of these also to feed the flock.

That which God hath appointed as an office in his church, is to be acknowledged necessary. God hath, by his special institution, appointed pastors and teachers in his church, whose function the scripture owneth as an office, called ÉTIOXоTY et diaxovía: (1 Tim. iii. 1. Col. iv. 17) therefore they are to be acknowledged necessary. The Lord is said to have set or constituted them in his church; (1 Cor. xii. 28) to have given them to her as part of her dowry. (Eph. iv. 11) They are sent forth by the Lord of the harvest. (Matt. ix. 38) They are called 'ministers of Christ.' (Col. 1. 7) They receive their ministry from the Lord. (Col. iv. 17) He hath made them overseers. (Acts xx. 28) Therefore none can, without sacrilege against Christ and his church, reject them.

2. Necessary ordinances presuppose necessary officers to administer them. Christ hath appointed necessary ordinances to be to the end of the world administered; therefore the officers who are to administer them, are necessary likewise. He did not appoint a work to be done, and leave it to

the wide world who should do it, but committed the ministry of reconciliation to stewards and ambassadors, by him selected for that service. (1 Cor. iv. 1. 2 Cor. v. 19)

3. That which was instituted for necessary ends, so long as those ends continue, must be necessary likewise. The office of the ministry was instituted for necessary ends, which do and will still continue; therefore the ministry by which they are to be promoted, is still to continue. Those ends are, the proclaiming repentance and remission of sins; the bringing glad tidings of good things; the turning men from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God; the saving of souls; the perfecting of saints; the edifying the body of Christ; the nourishing of men in the words of faith; the speaking a, word in season to the weary; to show forth the Lord's death till he come;-these and such like great and weighty works, the apostle calleth ἔργον διακονίας. (Eph. iv. 12) So long as these works remain to be done, the ministry whereby they are to be done, must remain likewise.

But it may be objected, Others may promote these ends as well as ministers; all believers are commanded to comfort, support, edify one another; (1 Thess. v. 11, 14. Jude, ver. 20) therefore no need of such an office for the doing of them.

We answer, Although every private Christian, in his place and station, ought to minister grace to the hearers, to have his speeches seasoned with salt, and fitted to the use of edifying; yet these great works are not done with the same authority, efficacy, certainty, or order, by a private hand as by public officers.

1. Not with the same authority. A learned lawyer may resolve a man's case as truly as a judge; but when he hath a sentence declared by the judge, this doth more assure and quiet him, because it is a sentence not only of truth but of authority. Ministers speak and exhort and rebuke with authority. (Tit. ii. 15)

2. Not with the same efficacy: for the Lord hath made them able ministers; (2 Cor. iii. 6) furnished them with power for edification; (2 Cor. xiii. 10) annexed a special promise of blessing unto their service. (Matt. xxviii. 20) The gospel, ministered by them, is not in word only but in

power; (1 Thess. i. 5) not declarative only, but operative; they being therein workers together with God. (1 Cor. iii. 9. 2 Cor. vi: 1)

3. Nor with the same certainty :-for how can it be expected, that the cases and conditions of particular consciences should be so well looked after by private men who have callings of their own to divert them, as by those whose whole work it is to oversee the souls committed to their charge, to whom they may, in every case of difficulty, resort for counsel? Or how can I expect ordinarily as full satisfaction from a private brother, as from one whose duty it is to give himself wholly to these things; whose constant business it is to give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine; to meditate on them, to take heed unto them, to continue in them, that his profiting may appear to all? (1 Tim. iv. 13—16)

4. Not with the same order. God is in all his works, much more in his church, a God of order. (1 Cor. xiv. 33) If the apostles themselves found it difficult to attend the word of God, and tables, (Acts vi. 2) it cannot but be much more difficult for private brethren to attend their own domestical callings, and the public concernments of the church of God. If a great apostle said, 'Who is sufficient for these things?' (2 Cor. ii. 16) shall we judge private persons fit enough for them? If, in the body, God hath set several members for several uses, shall we think so weighty, difficult, and important a service as publishing the glad tidings of salvation, should be intrusted at large in every hand, and no peculiar officers set apart for the dispensing of it?

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4. We may infer this necessity from the titles given by God unto these his officers. They are called Angels;' (Rev. i. 20) Ambassadors, intrusted with the ministry of reconciliation;' (2 Cor. v. 20)Stewards of the mysteries of God' (1 Cor. iv. 1, 2) Watchmen and Overseers of the Flock;' (Ezek. iii. 17. Acts xx. 28) Shepherds;' (1 Pet. v. 3) Teachers,' distinguished from the people taught; (Gal. vi. 6) Preachers' sent to publish peace; (Rom. x. 14) Builders, planters, husbandmen, scribes, instructed for the kingdom of God.' All which metaphorical expressions import services of absolute necessity in states and families. There are mutual and reciprocal duties, enjoined by God upon them and the people; they, to watch