$ SERMONS Upon SrVrm,3 ï. I Tim. 4.14. Approbation of Doctrine and Life is the Elders Right, who are belt able to judg of Men's Fitnei's and Abilities. To Tito, an Officer is thisgiven, Titus r. 5, 6. To ordain Elders in every City. any be blamelefs, the Husband of one Wife, &c. And then for Ìmpofition of Hands,it is a Cullom moil conform to Apofolical Pra &ice ; it is not founded on a Precept, but only on Apoftolical Pralice. 3. Confirmation is the Magiftrates Right. The Chri(tian Magifrate bath his (hare, to fee that all things are done orderly by the People and. Elders. Now Magiftrates are concerned, not only as principal Members of the Church, and of the full Rank, but as Epifiopi ad extra, as Hurting Fathers, to whom Care and Infpelion belongeth, that all things be done decently, and according to the Mind and Will of God. The Chri- fian Magifrate is Cufloi utriufg; TabuIe. And upon this Ground would the Apofle have us to pray for the Converfion of Magiftrates, that they might be converted front Paganifm ; I Tim.2.2. That under them we may lead quiet and peaceable Lives,in all Godli- nef and Honefly. The Magifrate is not only to interpofe, when Differences arife about Honefy, but allo about Godlinefs ; there is Index, Index; Piindex 5 in all Controver- fies, the Word is Index, in it the Mind and Will of God is declared : The Minifter is Index, it is his Office to preferve Knowledg, and out of the Word of God to ¡how his Mind and Will : And the Magiftrate is Vindex, he is to fee that Duty be not neg- leled, that the Adminiftrations of the Church be not ill managed, and carried on contrary to Chri(t's Appointment, becaufe he is the smiling Father of theCharch, Ifa. 49.23. Again ;. the Magiftrate. is concerned, ai the Head of the Common - wealth, and fo to confider who (hall be encouraged. by Publick Maintenance, and allowed to preach publickly without difurbance, the Common-wealth being concerned in it. And there wants not Precedents in Scripture for this. David and Solomon did exercife fuch a Power : Solomon depofed Abiathar, r Kings 2.26. Ind to Abiathar the Priefl faid the King, Get thee to Anathoth, unto thine own Fields, for thou art worthy of Death, &c. And yehofhaphat feat Levites and Priefis to teach in every City, 2 Chron. t 7.8, 9. And as foon as Magiftrates turned Chrifian in after -Ages, they were much concerned in the Votes and Suffrages of the Church., The Power of Princes herein hath been much debated, efpecially by thofe that have pleaded the Rights of Princes againf the encroachment of the Romi(h Synagogue, who abundantly prove, that the Eledión of the Pope himfelf is not valid, without the confent of the Emperor. So in ancìenter Hifory, Socrates (heweth, that when Ambrofe was chofen by the People of Millain, the Eledion was confirmed by the Roman Emperor, Lib. 4. cap. 25. And Theedoret ¡heweth, that when Athanafiui had nominated one Peter for his Succeffor and the People had given Confent, they foletnnly asked the Magiftrates Leave and Confirmation. I might heap up many other Inu ances, but let thefe fu¡&ce. Having fpoken to the Call, I come to (how the Necefiity of a Call. Now Cuch a Call, or Authoritative Miffion, is neceffary ; i. In refped of God. God enableth thofe whom he employeth. I Tim. t. I 2. I thank psfnsChrJl my Lord, who hath enabled me; for that he counted use faithful, putting me into the Minifiry. And this is the Ground upon which Chrift builds his Prayer in this Place ; Sanctify them through thy Truth ; For, I have Pent them into the World. °AVTisXwrSI, thofe that run of their own Heads without a Call, cannot expel God's Bleffings, but thofe only that are regularly Cent, can expel the increafe of Gifts, and fuccels of their Minífry ; for the Word worketh not by its own Force, but byGod's Bleffing : Blef$ng dependeth altogether upon the Inftitution, and therefore the In(titu- tion. mull be carefully oblerved, if we would have the Bleffing. God is faid to imploy, not only thole who are called extraordinarily, but in the ordinary way : The Elders of Ephefns had no extraordinary Call, yet it is faid, The Holy Ghofi had made them Over- flew, Ads 20. a8: 2. In refpel of Satan. He will loon Cpy oat our want of Commiffion, as he did in the Sons of Serva, Ads 19. 14, 55. je(ns I know, and Paul I know, but who are ye r: I know iefus as the Lord, Paul as an authorized Minifer, one that had a lawful Commif- fion, But who are ye d And then the Devil fell upon them, and wounded them, Verf i 6. It is true, we have not Cuch vifible Infances of the Devil's Power now as then, becaufe God rules the World now by Wildom, not by Power ; but yet we may oblerve the fecret Power of the Devil upon thofe that run of their own accord, and venture up- on the Office of the Minifry without a Call. None are more apt to be led afide into Errors, and thofe of the groffeft Nature, than thole that venture upon this Office without
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