168 Numb. 16. l· An Expofition upon the have this moft expreOy Commanded, H eb. 13. 17. Obey them' rvhh·h haw the Rule o':Jer you; that is, not only CivilMagifiratc:s, and yoar Rulers in State-Aft3.irs, but Minifters alfo; for fo it is added, for thty roatch for )'ourSouls, as thofe that m!lftgive anaccrJllur; that they may do it with :Joy, and not with Gri~J. And they are called the Elders that Rule wen, I Tim. 5· 17 - l know that this Obedience to Minifters is a Duty fo utterly forgotten in c}'le PraCH~e of moft M~n, .t~at I dou.bt of f?n;e Pn.judice in them againft thefe places of Scripture by whrch It ts fo plamly enJOined. Alas, that ever Chriftand hisApoftlc Jhould invert us with fuch Authority, which when we aifmne wearelook'd upon by the People almoftas ridiculous for it, asifwe haJonlya R~o:L J in our Hands, and a Crown of Shame rather than of Dignity put upon out Rt:K.s and are accounted of rather as infolent Ufurpers upon their Uberty, than a~ Offi~ cers impower'd by God himfelf. Sirs, we take to our felves no Power over you but what God hath by his Patent and Charter given us; and when we propound t~ you the will of God revealed in his Word; or in Cafes not clearly determined therein, do give our Judgment as thofe who. have fo~n? Mercy to be accounte~ faithful, we do and may challenge your Obedtence to It In the Name of our Lord jefus Chrifr. Fo~ we find that in thofe particular Cafes wherein the Apofile had no exprefs Re~ velationfrom Chrift, yet he prefcribes to the Corinthians what he judges fit for them to do, and ~y thatDi~·eCt:ion obliged their Praaice, not indeed fimplya L.d abfolurely, yet fo that m fuch Ctrcumftances as the Apofile fuppofed, they had finned if they had done otherwife than he directed them. We de fire not to Lord it over God's Inheritance by any burthenfom Impoiltion of things either unlawful, or in themfelves unfit. But when we require from you thofe things which God himfelf bath Commanded; or if not exprefiy Commanded, yet are in the judgment of thofe to whom you owe Obedience, thought convenient ar.d lawful to be done, f know not how you can excufe your felves from Difobedience againft God if in thefe Cafes you be not obedient unto us: And if you call this Ufurpat!on,l aud a taking too much upon us, you do but fpeak the Language of Corah and his Corn· plices, and !hake not fo much ours, as God's Title and Authority over you, who bath given us this Power and Commiffion. Secondly, Another Duty of the People is to honour their Minifters as their Spiritual Fathers: Yea the Apoftle fpeaks of a double Honour that is due to them, 1 Tim. 5· 17. Let Elders that Rule well, be accounted worthy of double Honour, All mult have that Honour given thertl which is due to their Function, but thofe who Rul..: the Flock well, ui'..Zs-, -i . e. not barely commendably, but excellently, muft h. "~ this Honour doubled to them: And thofe who not only thns Rule, but excel otntrs in teaching them likewife, muft have this double Honour doubled upon them; e• fpecially they that labour in the Word and DoElrine. Now this double Honour is commonly taken for the Honour of Reverence, and the Honour of Mainlenance ; and perhaps this place doth moft efpecially mea11 this latter, when it fpeaks of double Honour. For this word 'T'J,i; often fignifies Re... ward and Maintenance, and is in that fenfe ufed in this very L.hapter, vtr. 3· xft&, '11,d, -rrlt ~r-wr -;kx, Honour Widows, i. e. relieve Widows, tha[ are Widows 111deed. And here by the way we may fee how groundlefs their Affcrtion is, who from this place efi:ablilh an Order, new and unknown to the Church of God till of late, of Lay~ruling Elders. For if this Text gives them any fuch Authority, it gives them the double Honour loo; and foconfequently, by Divine Right they may challenge Maintenance from the People, as well as the Minifters the.mfdves; nay, and if they Rule well, a large and plentiful Maintenance, double as much as.may fuffice others of their own Rank and Order ; which Honour when fhey lhall chJ.llenge to themfelves, as doubtlefs they may upon as good Proof and Evidem.c as the Authority they pretend to> certainly their Paftours'will find greater Kcafon to J!l· nihilate thefe Creatures of their Fancy and politick AccommodatiOII , fhan ever they had to forge them. But to return. We ow~ them, Firft, The ·Honour of Reverence, We ought to Honour and efteern thenr for their Office and their Work fake. Soexprefiy, I Thef 5· n, 13. Webcjenh you, Brethren, to /mow them which labour a11«ong you: And to eflwn the".; 'Vtry hi_g,h!y in Lo'Vt for their Work fake. And again, Phil. 2. 29i .Recei".Je him therefore in the L<Jrd with all Gladnefs, otnd hold fuch in .Reputation. And certainly tl1ey who caft ~ny Contempt upon Mjnifters, either by injurious ACt:ionsJ or reviling Speeches (as
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=