Something hath been on my Mind to write, concerning the Work of the Ministry of the Gospel of Christ, with a Design of Instruction to Ministers in particular, and the Benefit of others in general.
It is an unspeakable Benefit to Mankind, to be favoured with a powerful, living Ministry, which edifies the Church of God, and builds up the true Believers in the most holy Faith (according to the Word of God) in Christ Jesus, who is the great Minister of the true Tabernacle and Sanctuary, which God hath pitched, and not Man; and this great Minister sent forth his Ministers and Servants, saying, I send you forth as Sheep among Wolves; be ye therefore wise as Serpents, and harmless as Doves [Mat. 10. 16.]. He did not send them forth as Lords over his Heritage, nor as persecuting Priests or mercenary Hirelings, but said to them, Freely you have received, freely give: Here is no Compulsion nor Force enjoin’d by Christ; but it is plain, from his own Doctrine and Example, that his Ministry is a free Ministry, blessed be his holy Name and Truth for ever: Nor do we read or understand of any Alteration thereof by Christ: Indeed the Ministers of Antichrist have made an Alteration (contrary to this Doctrine of his) in their Ministry; but the holy Apostles, who after Christ were the first Planters of Christianity in the Earth, when it shone in its primitive Beauty and Glory, they followed the Counsel of their Lord and Master, and ministred [sic] freely: Then was the Power of Christ’s Ministry and Gospel through his Ministers and Servants great, and the Glory and Beauty thereof ravishing to pious Souls. Oh! may every true Minister, and every sensible Soul, bow before the Most High, and bless the holy Name of him that lives and reigns for ever, for this unspeakable Gift of Christ’s holy Ministry, which always was, now is, and ever will be, convincing and converting unto Souls, who are not slow at Heart to believe in God, and in his dear Son the Lord Jesus Christ, who is our great High Priest, and the Bishop of Souls; he saw the Need that his Church had of this his Ministry, and therefore he established it in his Church, and among his Followers, to the End of Time.
Now, in order to this great and wonderful Work, he told his Disciples (when he was going into his Glory and Kingdom of his Father) That he would pray to the Father, and he would send them another Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, and that he should abide with them for ever. [John 14. 17.] And he also told them, That when he is come, he shall first reprove or convince the World of Sin, because they believe not in me [John 16. 7,11.]; for if they believed truly in Christ, they would love his spiritual Appearance; but O how many are there in the World, who slight this high Favour, and Grace of God and Christ, calling this wonderful Gift and Grace, the Light of Nature; whereas Christ says, it is the Holy Ghost; and the Apostle Paul says, it is God’s Grace, that teaches us to deny Ungodliness, and hath appeared unto all Men. Oh that the Children of Men might love that which appears to them, and convinceth them of their Sins; and surely it is a great Sin not to believe in the Spirit and Light of Christ: Such unbelieving Souls are in Darkness, and not yet turned from Darkness unto Light, and from the Power of Satan, to the Power of God, which was the very Work Christ’s Ministers were sent of God to do.
2 dly, And he convinceth or reproveth the World of Righteousness, because I go to the Father, and ye see me no more. When their Righteousness is only wrought in the Wisdom of Man, and not by the Power of God, whether it be in Preaching or Worship, when only the Form, and not the Power, is witnessed, this then convinceth them that they have been building their Religion upon a wrong Bottom, and a sandy Foundation; and sheweth the formal Minister, that he is only a Minister of the Letter, and not of the Spirit; and the formal Worshipper, that he is not yet come to worship in Spirit and Truth; and the Professor of Christ in Words, that he denieth him in Works and inward Faith; because Faith without Works is dead, as Works without this spiritual Faith is dead also.
“Because I go to the Father,” is the wonderful Cause given by Christ, for it is Christ’s Righteousness that must save the Soul, and Christ being gone to the Father, the Soul must go there to him, for all his Gifts and Favours, Mercies and Blessings, and must witness him in Spirit to be with them, and in them, as he is in the Father. When Christ was personally on Earth, he taught us by Words vocally express’d; but “henceforth know we him so no more.” Now he teacheth us by his Spirit, Light, and Life, which convinceth us of Form without Power, and Letter without Spirit, and Religion without Life, and Righteousness without Grace, and Light and imputative Righteousness, without actual Righteousness, and actual or formal Righteousness in our own Wills (only). All this, and much more, it convinceth us, not to be effectual to Salvation, and sheweth us that the spiritual Power, and Presence of Christ, is absolutely necessary for the Work of the Ministry, and the Conversion of Souls.
3 dly, He convinceth the World of Judgment, because the Prince of this World is judged. He, the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, when he is come, sheweth us our wrong Judgment, and convinceth us of the Evil of being too censorious, rash, and uncharitable, in Judging, and plainly giveth us to understand, that such Judgment is from the Prince of this World, who is King over all the Children of Pride, and that this Prince of evil Spirit, is judged by the righteous and just Judge of Heaven and Earth, Christ Jesus. He also convinceth us of the Everlasting Truth, as it is in Jesus, and is our sure Comforter, while we keep therein, in Doctrine, Worship, and Conversation.
4 thly, He shall bring all Things (or those Things) to your Remembrance, which I have spoken unto you [John 14. 26.]. Wherefore this Gift is absolutely necessary for a Minister of Christ; and every true Believer in him, wants this Remembrancer, which must needs be a great Comfort to us, to have his excellent Speeches and divine Doctrine brought by his own Spirit to our Remembrance, if we do love him in Sincerity.
5 thly, He shall receive of mine, and shew it unto you, [John 16. 14.] says Christ. Take of his Light, his Life, his Grace, his Wisdom, his Mercy, Peace, and Truth, and shew it unto you. Oh infinite Love from a tender Saviour! Well may we admire his Goodness, and intirely love him above all Things in this World.
6 thly, Christ speaks in divers Places concerning this wonderful and extraordinary Gift of the Holy Ghost or Spirit, and in the 14th Chapter, and 16th and 17th Verses of John, he thus drops his divine Words, I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of Truth, whom the World cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: But ye know him, for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. Oh! ye Ministers of the Lord Jesus Christ, in this his Gift is your Strength, your Comfort, and your exceeding great Reward, both here and hereafter, for ever; far exceeding Silver or Gold, or the Diadems of Princes: The whole World, wanting this, lieth in Wickedness, and must lie there unavoidably, if they have not the Sense of this unspeakable Gift: There cannot be Salvation, nor any saving Ministry without it; it being absolutley [sic] needful, to the Being and Well-being of a Minister of Christ: And indeed the holy Text is plain, and positive, that he that hath not the Spirit of Christ, is none of his; none of his Minister, none of his Believer: Oh! no, they cannot be his in any good Respect whatsoever, without his Spirit. But if it should be objected, How shall we do to know the Minister or the Man who hath this divine Gift, or Spirit of Christ, since it may be pretended to both by the Ministers and People; and yet they may not have it in Reality? This indeed is a great Point, and highly necessary to be searched into, which is to be known by our Lord’s Rule, which he has prescribed for that End. Do Men (saith he) gather Grapes of Thorns, or Figs of Thistles? (Surely No. The Grape is gathered from the Vine, and the Fig from the Fig-tree) Wherefore by their Fruits ye shall know them. Now those (according to this true Rule) who have the Spirit, or Holy Ghost, they bring forth the Fruits of it: Which Fruits are Love, Charity, Meekness, Temperance, Patience, Experience, Hope, Faith, and Wisdom from above, which is pure and peaceable, gentle and easy to be intreated, to all, and every Thing that is Good. And those who have the Holy Spirit, bring forth the Fruits of it as naturally, as the Vine doth the Grape, and the Fig-tree the Fig. Also, Whatsoever Things are holy, just, honest, pure, and of good Report, or tends to Piety, or Virtue; in a Word, every Thing that is Good, is the Fruit of the Spirit of God and Christ: And they are brought forth with divine Life and Power in that Minister and People, who through true Faith in the blessed Jesus, have received the Gift of the Holy Ghost, or Spirit of Christ.
The Minister of the Gospel being thus fitly furnished to every good Word and Work; he is ready to answer the Call of his great Lord and holy Master, which is in Heaven; he wants not the Call of Man, nor Authority from Man, nor Wages of Man. But those who bring forth Fruits contrary to the above, can neither be true Ministers, nor Christians, according to the Doctrine of our holy Lord. Being thus qualified by the Most High, those Ministers are freely given up to serve the Lord, and go wheresoever he is pleased to send them, though he send them as Lambs among Wolves: And it is worth noting, that Christ’s Messengers and Ministers are called and sent of him; they do not run of themselves, nor in their own Will; which if they did, their End would be like the forward false Prophets of old, who did not profit the People at all.
Our great Lord seeing what Need the World had of true Teaching, and of true Teachers, sends his Ministers forth into it, saying, Mat. xxviii. 18, 19, 20. All Power is given unto me in Heaven and Earth: Go ye therefore and teach all Nations, Baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all Things whatsoever I have commanded you: And lo, I am with you always, even unto the End of the World.
Many of his excellent Sayings and Commands may be found in that wonderful Sermon which he preached on the Mount, Mat. 5th, 6th, and 7th Chapters.
Here Christ shews his Ministers his Power, and sends them forth in his own Name, for there is none other given under Heaven for Salvation; and Christ comforts his Ministers with a glorious Promise, of being with them to the End of the World. Oh the wonderful Sweetness of this gracious Promise! and such are all his Promises, for they are Yea, and Amen, for ever. Wherefore Christ’s Ministers may well go forth without doubting, having their Authority from the King of Kings. Again he saith, Go ye into all the World, and preach the Gospel unto every Creature. He that believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved; but he that believeth not, shall be damned, Mark xvi. 15, 16. So Christ says, Go; but the World, the Flesh, and the Devil says, Stay; For the Spirit of Sin and Satan is for obstructing the Work of Christ, and hindring the free Gospel Ministry, and the Motions of the Word and Testimony of Jesus; and is for quenching it in those in whom it may appear: It is a new Mode or Fashion, contrary to the primitive Order of Christ, above mentioned, for Ministers to stay, and be tied to an outward Benefit, or a particular Meeting or Congregation; which Way of Preaching, or Reading (Reading being much in Practice now a-Days) is quite contrary to the Call, and Practice of Christ, and his Ministers, and of the Martyrs, and Confessors of Jesus: As also of many of the most noted Reformers in Religion. O but it is objected, If Ministers should always go about among the Nations, what would become of their Families, or how must they live, and be maintained? To which may be answered, as the Ministers of our Lord were, when he at the first sent them forth; who, when they returned to their Master, he asked them, If they lacked any Thing? They answered, No. But instead of lacking any Thing, the Devils were subject to them. Pray let the serious Christian consider, here is now a wonderful Change. Is it in Christ, or in the hireling Money-loving Priest? It is certainly in the Men, and not in Christ Jesus, for he is the same to Day, Yesterday, and for ever. Where the Power of Christ rules, there the Devil and his Power must of Necessity be subject. But some object, That People are not so free now a-Days; were there not a Law to maintain Ministers, the Ministers might perish or starve in this Generation; if so, then their Ministry must starve the People’s Souls. But this Thought of starving is for want of the Gift of God and Power of Christ; which Power in the Ministry would wonderfully open Peoples Hearts towards God, and those who are his true Servants and Ministers; who said, freely ye have received, freely give. Oh! faithless Generation, what shall we mistrust him who provides for all his Creatures, even to the Ravens and Sparrows, and will he not much more provide for his Servants and Ministers? How should we receive Power from on High, if we want Faith, and cannot depend on the providential Hand of God?
Christ sends his Ministers into the World, in order to propogate [sic] his Gospel of Salvation, and to let the World know that he is come to put an End to Sin, and bring Life and Peace to the Soul, according to the Angels Testimony of him, that his Name should be called Jesus (which is a Saviour) for he shall save his People from their Sins, Mat. i. 21. The Apostles of Christ also, according to their holy Commission, declared, that God had sent his Son to bless us, in turning of us from the Evil of our Ways [Acts 3. 26.]. But that Doctrine must certainly be opposite to this of the Angels, Christ, and his Disciples, which teacheth, that we must live in Sin while on this Side the Grave, and that there is no being free from it while we are in this World; though Christ himself came for that very End and Purpose, to put an End to it, and to save us from it, and to bring unto, and into, the World, everlasting Righteousness; as also is that Doctrine which maintains, that there is no Perfection that we can attain to in this Life; though Christ says, Be ye perfect (for or) as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect as he is perfect in Fulness, so are we to be perfect, according to the Measure of Grace received.
This Faith and Belief is much wanting in this unbelieving Generation, which is the Reason that People remain in their Sins, and the Peoples Leaders cause them to err, and their Ministers minister in their Sin, and minister Sin to the People. Oh! that the great Lord of All, may grant the Faith which purifies the Heart unto the Children of Men, and especially to his Ministers, that they might be instrumental to the convincing and converting Souls to Christ, and his Gospel, which is the Power of God to Salvation, to all them that believe. And as without believing and being baptized, we can neither be saved, nor truly preach the Gospel; how do we believe in Christ if we remain in our Sins? For Christ saith, If ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your Sins: So it is plain, that the true Faith and Belief in Christ taketh away our Sins, and that if we remain in our Sins, it is evident that we have not the true Faith of Christ. It is not enough to have a notional or historical Faith or Belief that Christ is the Son of God, but we must also believe that this is he, that as the Angel declared to Joseph, should save his People from their Sins: This was before he was born of the holy Virgin; and those People mightily mistake the Doctrine of Christ in the holy Scriptures, who think or believe they shall be saved in their Sins; and those Ministers must needs be antichristian, who preach and write, that there can be no living here in this World without Sin, which is also contrary to their own Doctrine at other Times, and to their solemn Covenant in the Water Baptism (or Sprinkling) in which they promise for their Children, To forsake the Devil and all his Works, (and without doubt all his Works is Sin, no Christian can pretend to greater or higher Perfection, than to forsake the Devil, and all his Works) the Pomp and Vanity of this wicked World, and all the sinful Lusts of the Flesh, and to keep God’s holy Will and Commandments, and to walk in the same all the Days of our Lives; so that according to this solemn Covenant, here is no Day for Sin; yet those Covenanters at other Times will say, preach, dispute, and write, that the best Saints cannot live without Sin, and that People sin in their best Duties; if any think to mock the Almighty after that Manner, they will be much mistaken in the Day of the righteous Judgment of God: For Christ came to put an End to Sin, and to finish Transgression, and to destroy the Works of the Devil, which all Sin most certainly is. And it is plain, that John, the beloved Disciple of Christ, believed this, from his own Words, I write unto you, young Men, because ye have overcome the wicked One. I have written unto you, young Men, because ye are strong, and the Word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked One, 1st Epistle of John, ii. 13, 14. To which I shall add, what he saith through the Spirit to the seven Churches in Asia.
To the Church of Ephesus, Rev. ii. 7. He that hath an Ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches, To him that overcometh, will I give to eat of the Tree of Life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.
To the Church of Smyrna, Rev. ii. 11. He that hath an Ear, let him hear what, the Spirit saith unto the Churches, He that overcometh, shall not be hurt of the second Death.
To the Church of Pergamus, Rev. ii. 17. He that hath an Ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches, To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden Manna, and will give him a white Stone, and in it a Name written, which no Man knoweth, save him that receiveth it.
To the Church of Thyatira, Rev. ii. 26, 27, 28, 29. He that overcometh and keepeth my Works unto the End, to him will I give Power over the Nations, and he shall rule them with a Rod of Iron, as the Vessels of a Potter shall they be broken to Shivers, even as I received of my Father, and I will give him the Morning Star. He that hath an Ear to hear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches.
To the Church of Sardis, Rev. iii. 5, 6, He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white Raiment, and I will not blot out his Name out of the Book of Life; but I will confess his Name before my Father, and before his Angels. He that hath an Ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches.
To the Church of Philadelphia, Rev. iii. 12, 13. He that overcometh, will I make a Pillar in the Temple of my God, and he shall go no more out; and I will write upon him the Name of my God, and the Name of the City of my God, which is New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of Heaven from my God, and I will write upon him my new Name. He that hath an Ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches.
To the Church of Laodicea, Rev. iii. 21, 22. To him that overcometh, will I grant to sit with me in my Throne, even as I overcame, and am set down with my Father in his Throne. He that hath an Ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches.
Surely that Soul who cannot by all this see that there is an Overcoming, must certainly be blind as to a spiritual Sight of the Doctrine of Christ; and what is it but to make Christ and the Holy Spirit a Deceiver, to promise all those great Things to his Churches, if they cannot perform the Conditions he prescribes? And if it were true (as it is not) that it is impossible to overcome Sin and Satan, then would Christ be a hard Master, which is absurd and wicked to suggest. But this Overcoming must not be in our own Wills, nor in our own Time, nor with our own Weapons, but according to the Apostle Paul’s Testimony of the Saints Weapons, and their Warfare, and also of his own Fight and Victory, viz. 2 Cor. x. 4. The Weapons of our Warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God, to the pulling down of strong Holds (Satan’s Holds of Sin are strong Ones, if never to be overcome.) But with these Weapons we may overcome: And he bids the Christian put them on, and calls them the whole Armour of Light (opposite and contrary to Satan’s dark Power) and he names them after this Manner: Stand therefore, having your Loins girt about with Truth, and having on the Breast-plate of Righteousness, and your Feet shod with the Preparation of the Gospel of Peace; above all, taking the Shield of Faith, where-with ye shall be able to quench all the fiery Darts of the Wicked, and take the Helmet of Salvation, and the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, Eph. vi. 13.17.
I have fought a good Fight, I have finished my Course, I have kept the Faith; henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness, which God, the righteous Judge, shall give to me at that Day, and not to me only, but to all them who love his Appearing, 2 Tim. iv. 7, 8.
Thus the Saints and primitive Christians were victorious in this Christian and Spiritual Warfare, and they encouraged others to follow them, as they did Christ. The very Belief of this Doctrine, that we can never overcome Sin and Satan, is contrary to the Faith of Christ, and is a mighty Engine of the wicked One to destroy Souls; for what Encouragement can any have to the Work of Reformation, or to believe in or press after the New-birth, if they do not believe in the New-birth, or that they may or can be reformed, or created again a-new in Christ Jesus, unto good Works, and that they must not walk after the Flesh, to fulfil the Lusts thereof. Oh! that Ministers and People would consider that awful Sentence of holy Scripture, viz. If ye live after the Flesh ye shall die; but if ye, through the Spirit, mortify the Deeds of the Body, ye shall live, Rom. viii. 13. (the Want of a lively Hope and Faith in Christ, the great Lord of Heaven and Earth, is great, very great indeed) Oh! that true Faith in him might abound and increase in the Earth more and more; then would he inspire the Soul with inward Strength and Grace to resist the Devil, and overcome him, and actually to do the Works of God, and to forsake the Devil, and all his Works, and then, and not until then, is Christ’s Righteousness imputed unto us; so that true Christians are truly righteous, not only by Imputation, but by Action also. Oh that those who make Profession of holy Jesus would deny themselves, and take up their daily Cross, and follow him in the Regeneration! otherwise, how can they be his Disciples or Ministers? And then would true Christianity flourish in the Earth; then would Christ be exalted over all, who, with the Father and holy Spirit, is God blessed for ever.
Now to return a little to Christ’s Baptism, viz. He that believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved. Here our great Baptizer, and chief Minister, is positive, that they shall be saved who are baptized with his Baptism: from which, with strong Reason, we may conclude, that the Baptism which is absolutely necessary to Salvation is not Water-baptism, which was John’s, but spiritual Baptism, which is Christ’s; and for this Reason also, that most Christians that have any Spiritual Understanding, do plainly see, that not withstanding People being baptized, or sprinkled with elementary Water, many live wicked ungodly Lives, and die in that State; but quite the contrary Effect hath that Baptism which is of the Holy Ghost, and Spiritual Fire, which is Christ’s Baptism; for that where it is witnessed, and where People not only talk of it, but live according to its holy Operation on the Soul, it saveth and cleanseth from Sin and Evil, it washeth by Regeneration, and reneweth the Soul by Grace, with divine Life and Power.
The Call of a true Minister, is from and by Christ, he must come to the School of Christ, and take his Degrees there; in the universal Love of God he must learn and experience Patience, Humility, Faith, Hope, and Charity; Learn of me, saith he, for I am meek and lowly in Heart; and yet, notwithstanding, he was the great Heir of all Things, and all Power in Heaven and Earth was given unto him, he humbled himself to the Death of the Cross, for the Sake of Mankind; and as the living Father sent his Son, so the Son sends his Servants contrary to the Will of Man, as the Apostle Paul said, But I certify unto you, Brethren, that the Gospel which was preached of me, is not after Man; for I neither received it of Man, nor was I taught it but by the Revelation of Jesus Christ, Gal. i. 11, 12. Hereby it is plain he thought there was no absolute Necessity of outward Learning nor outward Call by Man.
And as there is no absolute Necessity of outward Learning to make a Minister of Christ, so there is no Need to force an outward Maintenance; for Christ will take Care of his Servants, and feed and clothe them, when he sends them, as he did his Disciples, who went forth without Staff or Scrip, yet acknowledged, after their Return, they lacked nothing. And as Christ said, Freely ye have received, freely give; so there is no outward Compulsion or Force in Christ’s Doctrine or Religion: Some are indeed of another Opinion, and have practised the contrary, and bring those Words of Christ to uphold them in the Practice of forcing Religion, where he says, in the Parable of the Marriage Supper, Go, compel them to come in; which was no other Compulsion or Force but that of Love, which is the greatest Power in Heaven or Earth; to construe our Saviour’s Words in any other Sense, would be absurd, and contrary to the whole Tenor of his Doctrine and glorious Ministry.
Thus then the Work of Christ’s Ministers is to bring the People to Christ, as he is their Redeemer and Saviour from Sin, and as he is their Comforter, and good Remembrancer, and their spiritual Guide into all Truth; in the Performance of which Work, they will have their Reward in this World, and in the World to come everlasting Life. Amen.
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This essay from the pen of Quaker minister Thomas Chalkley (1675-1741) has been extracted from pages 514-527 of A Collection of the Works of that ancient, faithful servant of Jesus Christ, Thomas Chalkley, etc., Fourth Edition (London: Luke Hinde, 1766), held in searchable electronic form by the Digital Quaker Collection of Earlham School of Religion (esr.earlham.edu/dqc/). Accessed 3/20/2021 by John Jeremiah Edminster.
“Some Consideration on the Call, Work, and Wages, of the Ministers of Christ” — I shall call it “Call, Work, and Wages” for short – invites comparison with A Description of the Qualifications necessary to A Gospel Minister, published by Chalkley’s contemporary Samuel Bownas in 1750, and also with the chapter “Proposition 10: Concerning the Ministry” in Robert Barclay’s Apology for the True Christian Divinity, first published in English in 1678.
Chalkley’s source-material is all from the recorded words of Jesus and His apostles (all biblical writers named “John,” including the author of Revelation, having been identified, in Chalkley’s day, with John the Beloved Disciple referenced at John 13:23, 21:7, and 21:20). And all their teachings found in Scripture, in Chalkley’s view, support the principle that Christ Himself, through the Holy Spirit, is the only source of all valid vocal ministry given among His people. This would invalidate much pseudo-ministry coming from or received by hypocrites who are not worshipers “in Spirit and in truth” (John 4:23-24), or words cobbled together in the “wisdom of man” without the power of God. In this, Chalkley is united with Barclay, Bownas, and all early Friends.
What invites scrutiny is his uniquely nuanced structuring of what Christ’s teaching consists of, or how we need to be “turned from the power of Satan unto God” (Acts 26:18). With that suggestion I invite readers to explore the message for Chalkley’s “Call, Work, and Wages” for themselves.