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The third particular by which in such impositions wee are abridged of our Liberty, it is in respect of the gifts and abilities wee have re∣ceived from Christ. It is the pri∣viledge of a Minister to have liber∣ty to imploy his owne talent, there is an honour and reward in so do∣ing, Our labour and study shall not bee lost in the Lord, every man shall re∣ceive
according to his owne work, and the talents hee hath imployed: the Disciples work hath but a Disciples reward, but the Prophets worke a Prophets reward; If the Lord Christ hath put into my hand and trust, Prophets or Pastors worke, and gifts and talents sutable, if I bee faithful, and put my self out accordingly, I shall accordingly be accepted of the Lord; if I fulfill my Ministry, I shall not come short of a full reward.
Wee are equally intrusted with the Lambs as with the Sheep, with the weake as with the strong, and to shew our love to Christ in fee∣ding the one as well as the other; wee are upon this account Debtors, both to the Greeks and to the Barbari∣ans, both to the wise and to the un∣wise, Rom. 1.14.
It is laid on us not only to find out fit & sutable matter for such instru∣ction, but expressions and words; to this end Christ hath given gifts of
utterance as well as a gift of know∣ledge; and whatsoever gift we have received wee must stir up and use, Eccl. 12.9. The Preacher was wise, hee taught the people knowledge, hee gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order — the Preacher sought to finde out acceptable words; so that matter, and order, and words, and all is by Christ intrusted with the Preacher, it is not for him to en∣quire what the State, or a Synod hath sought out and set in order. The truth is, hee who is to be the mouth of God, and to whom it is given to speake from him to the people, to him belongs the find∣ing out both of matter and words, Psal. 19.14. hence those to whom to instruct others belongeth, are dealt with by the Apostle about the method and forme of words in which that holy duty is to bee ma∣naged, 1 Cor. 14.9. so likewise ex∣cept you, even you, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, you that are to Prophecy, to instruct,
utter by the tongue words significant; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, (a word well and apt∣ly signifying) how shall it bee known what is spoken, saith the Apostle. If I had not warrant, if it were not my liberty and priviledge to expresse my owne matter in my owne words; faylings and faults in expressions would not bee ac∣counted as my sin, but rash inapt unsignificant expressions, tau∣tologies, &c. wee finde in Scrip∣ture charged upon those that pray, or instruct, Eccles. 5.2. Let not thy heart be hasty to utter any thing; the conceptions of my heart are my charge & to be expressed in fit signi∣ficant words; whosoever was the Author of the Jewish Leiturgye, the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and vaine repetition is charged upon him that officiates, Matth. 6.7.
Now then, to have an imbargo more or lesse put upon the talents, the stock wee are intrusted with from Christ, the improvement
whereof shall be so richly rewarded, this is directly against the liberty and priviledge of a Gospel Mi∣nistry.
Word or speech, so 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
& non sim∣plex vox seu dictio sed inte∣gra sen∣tentia seu rei narra∣tio.