Book IV. MINIsTERs COMPARED TO R tJ LE R s. M ET A PH 0 R. I!. Rulers or Governors have a Law, by which they ought to rule and govern in all Things. Ill. lt is an evil Thing, and j uftly reprovable in Rulers, to ex– ceed the Limits and llounds of the Law by which they are to rule and govern, or to carry Things accord– ing to their own Wills and Lufts, not regardrng the fundamental Laws of the Land where they live. JV. Rulers, in (ome Places, are chofen by the People whom they govern ; ir is th~ Peopl~'s Privi– lege to chufe therr Magrftrates. V. Rulers ought to be wifeMen, ·Men fearing God. See Jethro's Counfel to Mofes, 'l'hou jhalt pro– vide out of all the People, able Men, fuch as fear God, Mm of 'l'ruth, hating Covetoufnefs, &c. E xod. xviii. 2 I. '!'he God of lfrael faid, the Rock of Ifrael JPake unto me, He that ruleth over Men mujl be juft, ruliug in the Fear of God, 2 Sam. xxiii. 4· What a fore Rebuke cloth God give covetous Rulers by the Prophet! Her Princes in the Midft thereof are like Wolves ravmiug the Prey, to jhed Blood, and to dejlroy, to get dijhonejt Gain, Ezek. xxii. 2 7. PARALLEL. II. So Minifters are to rule the Houfe and Church of God by the Rule of God's Word. II!. So it is an abominable Evil in Minifters, to rule according to their own Wills, violating the Law of God. Minifters may exceed their due Bounds, and be arbitrary, and tyrannize over the People in Things fpiritual, as well as civil Rulers or Magiftrates in Things temporal. IV. So Minifters ought to be chofen by the Church; it is the Privilege of the People to chufe their own Pafwrs, and other Officers, according to the ~talifications laid down by the Spirit of God. Wherefore, Brethrm, lookye out among your– /elves, &c. I 'l'im. iii. 1, 2, 3· Alls vi. 3· V. So Mini[\ers ought to be Men wife, holy, and of a blamelefs Converfation, fuch as are given to Hofpitality, and not greedy of filthy Lucre, I 'Tim. iii. 2, 3· It is an odious Thing to fee a Minifter covetOus, who is required to open the Nature of, and preach againft that Sin, as well as all others, and ought to live accordingly. How can he preach againft that Sin he is guilty of himfelf? or, if he doth, what good Effect can he think it will have upon other Mens Hearts, when the Word refleCts back upon himftlf,asit were, PhJ'fician healthyfelf? Paul could fay in the Trurh of his Heart to the Saints, It is not yours, but you, J Jeek. This was the beaftly Sin which God fo loathed in the Pro– phets and Rulers of lfrael: You are greedy Dogs, which can ne·ver have enough, tbat cannot tmderjiand; they all look to their own Way, every one for bis Gain from his ~wrter; compared with that of Micah iii. I I. '!'he Heads thereof, fpeaking of Zion, judge fo1· Reward, and the Priejls teach for Hire, and tbe Prophets divine for Money ; yet will they lean upon the Lord, and fay, is not the Lord amongjt us? VI. Faithful Rulers are a great VI. So Mini[\ers, faithful and able Minifters, Bleffing to a People, and ought to are no fmall Bleffing, and Sign of God's Favor be cheerfully obeyed, reverenced, to a People; yea, great Benefit we receive by them and fubmitted to. It is a great in many refpeEts, as might be !hewn: They feed, Sin to fpeak evil of Dignities, or guide, counfel and pray for us, as well as rule and defpife Dominions: Let every Soul govern us; and therefore they ought to be with be fubject to the higher Powers, &c. all Readinefs obeyed; Obey tbem tbat have the Ram. x iii. I. Submit yourfelves to Rule overyou, and jitbmityourfelves; for tbey watch every Ordinance of Man for the for your Souls, as tbey that mujl give an Account, Lord's fake, whether it be to the &c. Heb. xiii. r7· And to !peak evil of Minif– King,{3.x.crJAu of(3ar:nt;,a Foundation, ters, is to defpik their high and holy FunClion; and A«~t~t;, the People, the Found:tit is a God-provoking Evil. There were fome in tion of a People, es Supreme, or unthe Apoftle's Time!', who were crept inro the to Governors, &c. 1 Pet. ii. r3, 14. Church, who~ like Korah, fpake againfl: the Dignity and l'ower of the i\ l'o[\b and Minifters of Chrift, who in a Senfe are faid to be the Founrlation of God's People, whom the Apo[\le chara3crized, and !hews what their End is like to be : ff/ho 1oere preji1mptuous, felf-willed, and wn·e not afraid to JPeak evil of Dignities. Their Hearts rofe againfl: the Servants of God, for exrrcifing Autbority in Chri[\'s 1\'ame, which is given to them. What faid Korah ? All the Lord's Peeple are holy, &c. as if he fhould have f"J.d, Is this Mofes more than others? But w·e fee what become of him, Numb. xvi. VII. So
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=