out being lawfully call'd and appointed by God himself, to affume so facred an Employment, as to Minifter at his Altar, without being ordained for Men in things pertaining to God, to take upon him to tranfact between God and his People!

But fome are willing to except against thefe Inftances, as being fuch, as were under a different Oeconomy of Religion, in which God was more tender of the outfide and Ceremonious part of his Worfhip, and confequently not directly pertinent to Ours; and it has been argu'd to elude the force of what they are produc'd for, that the Priests of the Old Teftament, being Types of Chrift our High Prieft, were for that only reason to be fo folemnly call'd and confecrated, by their Confecration to fignify and prefigure the Inauguration of Chrift to his Eternal Priefthood, and that therefore, under the Gofpel, there is no farther Ufe or Neceffity of fuch a Visible Ordination to the Miniftry. But both these are weak Evasions; For firft all Prophanation in general of Things facred abfolutely, and without any other Circumstances confider'd, is a Sin against the Eternal Law of Nature, belides which there may also be in the fame act a particular Offence against a Pofitive Temporary Inftitution; and as to the Levitical Confecration, tho' That, as

to

to the peculiar Rites of it, was Ceremonial, and as to One special End of it was Typical, yet as to the Subftance of it, it was Moral, and founded upon the Immutable Law of Nature and Reafon, inafmuch as it was a Dedication to fo Auguft and Holy an Office, as that to which they were by it confecrated and fet apart. And the Evangelical Miniftry, being no way Inferiour to That, but in Dignity infinitely furpaffing it, (as much as Chrift is greater than Mofes, or Heaven better than the Land of Canaan) it is every whit as reasonable, that They, who were to be employ'd in That, fhould have as folemn a Call, as diftinguishing a Separation and Sanctification to it, as the Other had to the Levitical Miniftration of old; tho not by the fame Ceremonies, none of which were material, but as they were commanded, and fome of 'em being Typical, were to cease of course and vanifh, yet according to the Inftitutions which Chrift himself in his Gofpel deliver'd, and to which the Chriftian Church is as indifpenfibly oblig'd in all things to conform, as the Jewish was to the Pattern in the Mount,

To come therefore to that which is our fole Aim and main Concern, namely the Miniftry of the Gofpel, we fhall foon difcover, That no Man taketh this Honour neiT

ther

ther to himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron, as we are taught by the Author of the Hebrews, who has illuftrated the Old Teftament by the New, and confirm'd the New by the Old. And the firft and most unanswerable Proof of this is, that our High Prieft himself, from whom all our Claim is deriv'd, did not. For Chrift alfo glorify'd not Himself, to be made an High Prieft: but he that faid unto him, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee, Thou art a Prieft for ever after the order of Melchifedec. If therefore This was too great an Honour for Chrift Himself to take upon Him without an Exprefs Commiffion from God, if it was neceffary to qualify Him for this Glorious Office, that he was to answer both his Prophetical Names, and be the Shiloh as well as the Meffias, the Sent as well as Anointed of God; can it be lefs than Blafphemy to imagin, that any other Person whatever, tho' never. fo well furnish'd with Gifts or Graces, without a like Commiffion from Him, can take upon him to reprefent his Perfon, or exercife with effect any Spiritual Office in His Name! No furely; and Glory be to Him for it, our Gracious High Prieft has taken greater Care of his Church. He who was the first and chief Apostle and Bishop of our Souls, Sent by the Father, and Anointed by the Holy Ghoft, by that Miffion

Miffion having receiv'd Authority, as by that Unction he receiv'd Ability for this High Employment in Perfon: while he liv'd upon the Earth, that he might not leave the World without providing for his Flock thofe, that should feed and govern it in his Absence till his fecond Coming, chofe out certain Perfons for this Very Purpose, to whom he imparted his Authority, by making them Partakers of his Miffion just before his Afcenfion, in these words, As my Father fent me, fo I send you; and his Ability, by making them Partakers also of his Unction, by the fending of the Holy Ghost upon them foon after it. But here it is to be observ'd, that as soon as ever our Bleffed Lord had pronounc'd that Commiffion, as my Father fent me fo I fend you, and breath'd upon them, and faid, Receive ye the Holy Ghoft, which was the firft Act of his Mediatorial Office, after that all Power was given unto him in Heaven and in Earth, (Mat. 28. 18.) by this outward fignificant Action, and thefe operative and effectual Words, they were invefted with all the Authority that they could have, and receiv'd Power too, fufficient for the Execution of All that part of their Office, which was Ordinary, and was to continue for ever in the Church, when gather'd, tho' they were commanded to wait a while for the more extraordi T 2

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nary Power, which was neceffary to the Gathering of it: fuch as was the Gift of Tongues, the Working of Miracles, Prophecying, and the like, which they receiv'd not till the more plenteous Effufion of the Spirit on the day of Pentecoft. The Holy Ghoft then indeed came upon them, in a more ftupendious manner, like a rushing Mighty Wind, to enable them for fuch great and aftonishing Works; but for the conftant, and orderly, and lafting, the ftill tho' no lefs effectual Work of the Ministry, which was never to ceafe from the Church, they were enough enabled, when He came into them by the gentle Breathing of our Lord. And This Authority, which was of standing Ufe, and for ever Neceffary, was not for that reason to expire with them; and therefore with it they receiv'd Power also of conferring it upon Others, and they alfo on Others Succeffively for ever, according to our Saviour's Promife, Go ye therefore and teach all Nations, and loe I am with you always to the end of the World, Mat. 28. 29. And it is manifeft, that they actually exercis'd this Power, which they receiv'd. And St Paul afterwards, who had the fame Power given him by our Saviour from Heaven, which the reft of the Apostles receiv'd from Him on Earth, as he fent Timothy and Titur, fo he gave Them Power to fend Others alfo;

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