Ministers

    Ministers are "workers together" with God; see 2 Cor. vi. 1. Workers. Not triflers, Paul exhorts Timothy to carry it like a "workman."

    A minister's work is ploughing work, and sowing work. The gospel is compared to a plough; which ministers are to hold, and drive too, for the breaking up of the fallow ground. They are then to sow the seed of the word, which must be into "honest and good hearts."

    It is planting work, and watering work, 1 Cor. iii. 6. Planting work, is endeavouring to begin grace. Watering, is to carry on the work of grace.

    It is digging work and dunging work, Luke xiii. 8. Digging by the terrors of the law. Dunging by the comforts of the gospel.

    It is dressing work and pruning work. A congregation is like a garden. The minister is the Adam, whose work it is to dress and keep it. You are to "suffer the word of exhortation:" to be glad of such smitings.

    It is bearing work and nursing work: "My little children," said the apostle Paul, "of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you." None knows the travail of soul of a faithful minister but he that feels it. Our misery is when we travail of dead children; see 1 Thess. ii. In nursing we meet with many froward children. There is need of great patience, and tenderness, and love to souls.

    It is building work, and in order thereunto hewing work. We meet with many a rough piece, but we must hew them to make them fit for God's building.

    It is wooing work. They are the friends of the Bridegroom, sent, as Abraham's servant was sent, to get a wife for his young master. Our design is to betroth you to Christ. You should yield. Do not give us repulses.

    It is watching work; see Ezek. iii. 17; Heb. xiii. 17. We are to give you warning of danger, as those that must give account.

    It is fighting work, 2 Tim. iv. 7, 8.. The ministry is the good warfare. Therefore endure hardness, 2 Tim. ii. 3. We must look for hard words, hard looks, hard usage.

    It is fishing work. We are fishers of men. We fish with the angle when we deal with particular persons. We fish with the net when we preach in assemblies.

    It is angels' work. They are "the angels of the churches." Angels are heavenly messengers. So are ministers. Ministers should keep themselves as angels—pure and holy.

    It is Christ's work. He was a minister. He "went about doing good."

    It is God's work—" workers together" with him. When they are speaking, God is speaking both reproof and comfort.

    Those who do not work this work do not deserve to be called ministers. The church's ministers they may be; but not Christ's ministers.