Ver. i 8. the 17th Chapter of St. JO H N. 283 I. Accept their Meffage. When we fpeak for the Honour and Dignity of the Mi- niltry, we plead for a Spiritual Refpe& to them, not for a Temporal Dominatidn and Precedency in all Meetings and Companies. Our King, whom we ferve, is a Spiritual King ; his Kingdom is not of this World, he came not with external Pomp and Splen- dor, therefore their are not things we fhould look after. Tho Come refpe& is due to their Perlons, yet chiefly we plead for a refpe& to their Do &tine. Do not defpifé the Meffage which they bring, tho their Perlons be obfcure and defpicable. Do&rines delivered from the Scripture, have a Divine Authority ; it. is God's' Meffage, as if it had been fpoken from Heaven. And therefore if we mutt (peak as the Oracles of God, you mutt hear it as God's Word. t Theft: 2. 13. For this caul alto thank we God without ceafing, becaufe when ye received the Word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it, not as the Word of Men, but (as it k in h) the Word of God, which efelnally worketh alfo in you that believe. Never cat you expe& the Word fhould work with you, till you have this refpe& and reverence for it. But you will fay, Is all Gofpel that is delivered by one in Office ? I Anfwer ; No, but yöu muff humbly confider what is brought to you in Chri(l's Name. When Ehud laid to Eglon, Judges 3. 2o. I have a Meffage from God unto thee; he arofe out of his Seat. See what it is, and let it move you more to look to your ways. 2. Refpe& the Calling more. Many leek to undermine it, as if it were grown the Burden of the Chriflian World; others think difgracefully and meanlj of it, as if it were below their Parts, or Rank and Place. Let me tell you, it is the higheft Ho- nour that can be put upon a Creature, to be Chrift's Meffenger : No Nobility of Birth, Antiquity of Houle, Plenty of Eftate is to be compared with it ; all worldly Honours and Titles are beneath it, and fo (hall we judg, when once we come to fee a Prophet's Reward. Do not think fcornfully of the Calling ; It is a great Mercy, if God thould chufe any of thine to this Work, the belt and chiefeft of thy Family. The Firfl -born were feparated to God, before' the Priefthood was letled upon the Tribe of Levi. Ufually Men confecrate the worft to God, if any be lame, blind, unfit for Work; like the Deceiver, Mal. n. 14. Which bath a Male in his Flock, and vometh and facrifrçetb to the Lord a corrupt thing. I (peak the more in this Matter, becaufe if God luffer the Wickednefs of the Age to go on, if Maintenance go away, Nobles muft put their Necks to the Yoke, to ferve Chrift in this Employment, as fonte have done in other Churches. 3. Refpe& their Perlons. Something is due to them for the Work's fake. 1 Theff. 5. 12, 13. Ind we bfech you, Brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonifli you ; and to Om them very highly in love for their Works fake. Gal. 4. 14. re received me a an Angel of Gad, even as Cbrifi lefts ; whole Deputy he was, tho compaffed with Weaknelles. Certainly there is force good Will due to the Perlons, that bring fuch glad Tidings from Heaven. We re- ward a Meffenger that bringeth a Token from a Friend, and thefe come to you from your belt Friend, Jefus Chrift. There is a Promife made to that refpea that you fhew to the Perlons of Chrift's Meffengers. Matth. so. 42. Who fbaU give to drink unto one o, f tbefe little Ones a Cup of cold Water only, in the Name of a Difciple, verily I fay unto you, he (hall in no wife lofe his Reward. It was laid of Gamaliel, a Teacher of the Law, Ads 5. 34. He was, Titsp- irsly' n -re/ Aáco, in Reputation among the People: The Origi- nal word lignifies, he was precious to the People. If a Do &or of the Law was in fuch efteem, fomething is due to the Teachers of the Gofpel. Do not lay, we plead for our (elves; it is fit you thould hear your Duty preffed. Secondly 5 To Minifters. It quickneth you to your Work, notwithftanding great Afffi &ions, and the Inconveniences you meet with in the World. Remember you are fent, as Chrift was, to an unthankful World. It will hold good, not only' in regard of Authority, but Condition; The Difciple is not above his Lord, Mat. ro. 35. Nor be that fens, greater than he that fnt him, John 13. 16. Comfort your felves againft Contempt; .God hath vouchfafed this high Favour and Prerogative to you above many others, that Teemed worthy to be preferred before you, that have quicker Parts, and higher Abilities; above the Nobles and the Princes of the World. You have no caufe to envy them, nor their Greatnefs, tho you are counted the Dregs of, the World, and made a daily Reproach. Taul ballanceth his Office and his Aftli &ions : Ephe N n n n 2 f.
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