2. The ministers of the gospel must needs have this power of the Holy Spirit, because otherwise they are not sufficient for the ministry. For no man is sufficient for the work of the ministry, by any natural parts and abilities of his own, nor yet by any acquired parts of human learning and knowledge; but only by this power of the Holy Spirit: and till he be endued with this, notwithstanding all his other accomplishments, he is altogether insufficient. And therefore, the very apostles were to keep silence, till they were endued with this power: they were to wait at Jerusalem till they had received the promise of the Spirit, and not to preach till then. Yea, Christ himself did not betake himself to the work of the ministry, till first the spirit of God came upon him, and anointed him to preach. And therefore, for thirty years together, he did not preach publicly and ordinarily, till at John's baptism he received this power of the Spirit, coming on him. Now if Christ himself, and his apostles, were not sufficient for the ministry, till they had received this power from on high, no more are any other ministers whatsoever. For, as I said, it is not natural parts, and abilities, and gifts, and learning, and eloquence, and accomplishments, that make any man sufficient for the ministry; but only the power of the Holy Spirit coming upon him. So that whosoever is destitute of the spirit of power, is insufficient for the work of the ministry; and that in these respects:

1. Without this power of the Spirit, ministers are utterly unable to preach the word; that is, the true, spiritual, and living word of God. For to preach this word of God, requires the power of God. of God. One may speak the word of man, by the power of man, but he cannot speak the word of God, but by the power of God. And Chris he self, in all his ministry, spoke nothing o.

in the

strength of his human nature; but he spake

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by the power of God; and without this power of God, he could not have spoken one word of God. And so, in like manner, no man is able to preach Christ, but by the Holy Spirit, which is the power of God. For Christ is the power of God; and can never be represented, but by the Holy Spirit, which is the power of God. For as we see light in his light; that is, the Father, who is light, in the Son, who is light; or else the Son, who is light, in the Holy Spirit, who is light; so we know power in his power; that is, the Son, who is power, in the Holy Spirit, who is power. And Christ, who is the power of God, can never be made known to the church, but by the ministration of the Spirit, which is the power of God. So that it is not an easy thing to preach Christ, the power of God; yea, none can do it aright, but by the power of the Holy Spirit coming upon him.

2. Without this power of the Spirit, ministers are unable to preach the word powerfully. They may, it may be, happen upon the outward word; yet there is no power in their ministry, till they have received this power of the Spirit, coming upon them. Otherwise their ministry is cold, and there is no heat in it; it is weak, and there is no strength in it.

1. It is cold, and there is no heat in it. Without men have received the power of the Spirit, there is no fire in their preaching. Their ministry is unlike the ministry of Elias, whose ministry was as fire; and unlike John Baptist's, who, in his ministry, was a burning and shining light; and unlike Christ's, whose ministry made the disciples hearts burn within them; and unlike the apostles, who, having received the Spirit, were as men made all of fire, running through the world, and burning it up. Without this Spirit, a man's ministry is cold, it warms the hearts of none, it inflames the spirit of none; but leaves men still frozen in their sins.

2. It is weak, and hath no might in it. There is no strength in a ministry where there is no Spirit. Whereas, when men have received the Spirit, then their ministry is a powerful ministry; as Paul, 1 Thess. i. 5. The Gospel came to you not in word only, but in power, and in the Holy Ghost; and therefore in power, because in the Holy Spirit. And again, 1 Cor. ii. 4. My speech and preaching was not with the enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit, and power. Where you see the Spirit and power in the work of the ministry are always conjoined, as the sun and light are. And that ministry that is in the Spirit, is always in power: and being in power, it is always effectual, either to convert men, or to enrage them: and the enraging of men, is as evident a sign of the Spirit of power in a man's ministry, as the conversion of men. Whereas, a cold and dead ministry, that is destitute of this power, doth, as we used to say, neither good nor harm; neither converts nor enrages; neither brings in righteousness, nor destroys sin; neither kills nor quickens any; but leaves men in their old temper for many years together, and never stirs them. But the ministration of the Spirit and power is operative and mighty, and carries all before it. And though evil and carnal men will ever be murmuring, and wrangling, and opposing, and contending against such a ministry; yet they are never able to resist the wisdom and spirit of it; as the Libertines, Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, were not able to resist the wisdom and spirit by which Stephen spake, Acts vi. 10. And therefore, let them that will needs be striving against such a ministry, know, that they strive against more than a mere man; they strive against power from on high; against the greatest power that ever God put forth; against the power of Christ himself, and his Eternal Spirit; and so they shall never be able to prevail against this power; but shall surely sink under it. But to return from whence we have a little digressed.

3. Without this power of the Spirit, as ministers are not able to preach the word, nor to preach it powerfully, so neither are they able to hold out in their ministry, and to carry it on strongly against all opposition and contradiction. Peter and John preached the gospel, but presently the rulers, and elders, and scribes, convened them; and straitly threatened them, and commanded them not to speak at all, nor to teach in the name of Jesus, Acts iv. 17, 18. And now, if the apostles had wanted this power of the Spirit, they would presently have been snubbed and awed, and would have sneaked away, and you should have heard no more of them. But they having received this power, all the threatnings and scornings of the rulers and magistrates could not deter them from the discharge of their office, and that ministry they had received from Christ. But though before, they were fearful, and trembling, and daunted at the apprehension of the least danger; yet now, having received this power, they are altogether undaunted; and said to the rulers and elders, Whether it be right in the sight of God, to hearken unto you, more than unto | God, judge ye, Acts iv. 19. As if they should have said, "O ye rulers and elders of the people, our case is a plain case, wherein we are most willing that even your ownselves should be judges: For we have received a command from God to preach the Gospel of his Son Jesus Christ; and you forbid us to do that, which God hath commanded us. Now do you yourselves be judges, who is fittest to be obeyed, God or you? The great and glorious God of heaven and earth, or poor wretched men, such as yourselves? Nay, what God hath commanded us, we must, and will obey, against all your threatnings and punishments, and whatever you can say or do. We cannot conceal, but must publish, what we have seen and known of our Lord Jesus Christ; of his incarnation, life, death, resurrection, ascension,

kingdom, glory, and of that great redemption and salvation, which he hath wrought, and purchased for all the elect of God."

Now I would to God that the unjust commands of all magistrates, and secular powers whatsoever, might be no otherwise obeyed than this unjust command of the rulers was by Peter and John; and that no man would dare to yield more obedience to the creature, than to the Lord of all.

For no princes or magistrates in the world, have any power to forbid the preaching of the everlasting gospel, which God hath commanded should be published to all nations, for the obedience of faith; I say, they have no power at all to forbid the preaching of this gospel, or of any one truth of it, though ever so cross to their designs. And if they should, yet herein ought we to know no more obedience than Peter and John did here. We ought to obey God and not them; and to make known the whole mind of God, though it be never so contrary to their mind; after the example of Peter and John, who having received this power. of the Holy Spirit, held on their ministry, against all the countermands, and threatnings, and punishments of the magistrates. Whereas, without this power, they had soon fainted and failed, and had never been able to have gone through with it.

4. Without this power of the Holy Spirit, ministers are not able to reprove the world. For every man, by nature, seeks the amity of the world; and no man, by his good will, would provoke the enmity of it against himself, And therefore, flesh and blood will never reprove the world of sin, but allows it, and countenances it in sin. But now the Spirit, when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin. When a man hath this power of the Spirit in him, then presently he reproves, and argues, the world of sin; and so by his ministry bids defiance to the whole world, and

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