EpíftleofS. Pawlto Titra. is iuli with God,to reprobate andput out the light offuch, as refufe the conui6hon of the 1iglat offered. The third and loft precept of this Chapter and verfe,Let no mandefife tbee,reacheth two things.Firti,howpeople and hearers (hould entertain theMinitiers fent them ofGod, feeing they cannot without great fmte delpife them: for feeing the Lord,who could by himfelfe worke the fal- nationof men, yet is pleafed to vfe as his helpers herein weake and bale men,whomhe aflumeth into fellowlhip with himfelfe,to becomecowor- kerswith him , although not in the actì of conuerfon, yet in the Mini(iry of it : who dare defpile fuchwhom the Lord fo farte honoureth ? and therefore calleth them his white hotfes: horfes , in that he vfeth them in his battelsagainfi (inne, the world,and wicked ones;andwhire,for the puritie oftheir do&rine, and integritie of-their lines : yea his e/Ingels, r namely, filch as by whom he reucaleth his good plealureveto vs:and his ovine voice, by whó hebefeecheth men to be reconciled.Secondly,how careful is the Lord topreferuehis Minifiers from contempt,when he al- firmeth, that fuchas delpife them , defpife himfelfe that lent them. In which fenfe we read, that thepofteritie ofCaine, contemning the prea- ching of Noah, deipifedand contended againfi Gods fpirit : fo IIrael muranuting againfi Mofes and Aaron, Mofes faith, hee bath heard your murmurings againfttheLord:for what are wee thatye hastemurmuredaguinft: vs. Thirdly, how vnnaturali a part were it for children to defpile their Fathers: and what feueritie bath the Lord (hewed againfi it in his !awe ? but godlyMinifiers are the Fathers oftheir people, /amyour Father,faith Paul : and Onefmtu, yea and Titus here begotten by himvnto the faith , he calleth his fonnes.Let no curled Cham prefume to fcorne them,which is not fo hurtfull ro them, as dangerous to themlelues , beeiing the next way to bring themfelues veder the curle. On the contrarie , let the na- turali childrenOf the Church, I.hnow them, i. Theft. 5. I a. that is, both in heart acknowledge them theMininers of Chrift, and in uffeî?ion, loue them as his Minifiers, accounting their feetebewtifull : z. renderthem double honour, i.Tim.S.t 7.in which precept the holyGha(i bathmade a. reuerence, 2. obedience, 3. thankfulnes,4.comfortable maintenance, their due from their people. Secondly, Minifiers are hence taught fo to order their lines anddo- elrine,as they laynot their perlons open to teproach,nor pro(iitute their authoritievetocontempt, and fo loofe it both from ihemfclues and o- thers. For this is the way for Minifiers to win authoritie and reuerence in the hearts ofinen,by their hues and doetrine,tobecome examples ve- to the flocke: And thus (hieing in the puritie of doelrine and conuerfa- tion, they Phew themfeluesfiarres in the right hand of Orig. The point L l 4 beeing CiHApe2, 15 537 A grciuous finis to delpife Gods minifters. Keafons. F z.Cor.3,9. Reu.6a. tìeu.r.zo. 2 Exod.tE.7. 3 I.Par.5.3.
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