MINISTERS COMPARED TO RULERS. Book IV_ RULERS. Vll. Some Rulers, orchiefMa– .giftrates, do not, cannot pafs any Act or Law, fuch is the Nature •nd Conftirution of the Govern– ment where they live, without the People: No Law can be made, but with the Affent and Confent of the People, in. their Reprefenta– tives in Parliament, as it is here in 'the Englifh Nation. VIII. Rulers fhould rule their People in Love, !hewing all Ten– clernef' <tnd Bowels to the Difobe– dient, like tender-hearted Fathers, \mlefs it be towards thofe that arc notorious criminals. IX. Rulers, that rule well, are worthy of double Honor. X. Rulers are very needful; there is a great Neceflity in all So– cieties and Communities of Men, of Government, and Rulers. What is a nation, City, or Family, with– out Rule, Rulers, or Government, but Diforder ane! Confufion ? RULERS. 1. RULERS, or earthly Governors, are commonly Noble– men, Men of great Name, cloath– ed with outward Glory and Gran– deur. PARALLEL. VII. So Chrilt's Mini!ters, or Pafiors of Churches, cannot, by Virtue of any Authority given by the Lord Jclcts, pafs any Act, either for the rectiving in, or carting out of Members, &c. without their Brethren, &c. They mufi have the Affcnt and Conlent of the Church. Many Reafons might be given for it, which 1 !hall omit. If he neglett to hear the Church, let him be unto thee as cm heathen Man, or Publican, Malt. xviii. 1 7, VIII. So fhould Minifters labor to act in their Places towards the Saints in Love, and to fhew all Tendernefs and Meckne!S, with Compe.llion, to fuch who through 'Veaknef., tranfgrefs; [See Fathers J and not to be !evere to any, unlefs ob– fl:inate and capital Offenders; on fuch Jufl:ice ought to be executed. lX. So faithful and laborious Minifl:ers, that rule God's Houfe well, ought to be greatly re– fpected: Let the Elders that rule well, be counted worthy of double Honor, 1 'l'im. v. 17. X. The Need there is of Rulers in God'~ Church is very great, God being a God of Order, and not of Contufion, in all the Churches of the Saints. The Neceflity of them appears, by con– fidering the Nature of divers of the Metaphors we have opened concerning them. What would be– come of a Flock of Sheep, if they had no Shep– herd, &c. D IS PAR IT Y. l. CHRIST's true Minifl:ers are of little or no Efl:eem in the Eyes of the Men of the World; they are commonly accounted bafe, low, and contemptible, &c. re fee your Calling, Bre– thren, how that not many wife Mm after the Flefo, not many mighty, not many noble are called: But God bath chofen the foolifh 'l'hings of the World, to confound the wife; and God bath chojen the weak 'l'hings of the World to confound the 'Ihings that are mighty; and bafe ~hings of the World, and 'l'hings which are defpifed, bath God chofen, yea, and 'l'hings that are not, to bring to nought 'Things that are; that no Flefo fhould glory in his Pre– fence, 1 Cor. i. 26, 27, 28, 29. 11. Many earthly Rulers are Lords, and lord it over their Brethren. . I!. But Chrifl:'s Minifter's are contented ro be Servants. Even as their Lord and Mafter came not to be miniftered unto, but tO minifter, and was on Earth as him that ferved : So his Minifters muft not alfume the Title of Lords, nor muft they lord it over God's People: Neither t'ts being Lords over God's Heritage, but being Enjamples to the Flock, 1 '!'it. v. 3· N F E R E N C E S. Firfl; AND now to conclude with this Head, from the Whole we may infer thefe Particulars following: '· That a true Minifter ofChrift, is one that is truly converted, a gracious, holy, and fincere Perfon, one that hath the Experience ofthe real Work ofGod upon his own Heart. 2. A Member of a true conftituted Church, i. e. a Community of godly Chri!: tians, that have given up themfelves in a folemn Covenant, in the Fear of God, to walk in Fellowfhip and Communion together, according to the Rule of the Gofpel; amongft whom the ·word of God is mdy preached, and the Ordinances duly and in a right Manner adminiftered. 3- That
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