who now rejoice in my Sufferings for you and fill up that which is behind of the Afflictions of Christ in my Flesh for his Body's sake which is the Church Col. 1. 23. To suffer for the Truth ought to be the Joy and Comfort of him that has undertaken to be the Minister of Truth How much then do they forget their Vocation who upon meeting with Discouragements lose all Comfort and repent of their Labor Whom we preach warning every Man and teaching every Man in all Wisdom that we may present every Man perfect in Christ Jesus Col. 1. 28. The only design of an Apostolic Teacher is to form Jesus in every one of his Flock and to make all perfect in him Say to Archippus take heed to the Ministry which thou hast received in the Lord that thou fulfil it Col. 4. 17. They who consider not well the Duties of their Charge will soon neglect them Fulfil the Duties of the Ministry of Jesus Christ What Pastor do's not tremble at this Word Your selves Brethren know our Entrance in unto you that it was not in vain But even after that we had suffered before and were shamefully entreated as ye know at Philippi we were bold in our God to speak unto you the Gospel of God with much Contention For our Exhortation was not of Deceit nor of Vncleanness nor in Guile But as we were allowed of God to be put in Trust with the Gospel even so we speak not as pleasing Men but God which trieth our Hearts For neither at any time used we flattering Words as ye know nor a Cloak of Covetousness God is Witness Nor of Men sought we Glory neither of you nor yet of others when we might have been burdensome as the Apostles of Christ But we were Gentle among you even as a Nurse cherisheth her Children So being affectionately desirous of you we were willing to have imparted unto you not the Gospel of God only but also our own Souls because ye were dear unto us For ye remember Brethren our Labor and Travel For laboring Night and Day because we would not be chargeable unto any of you we preached unto you the Gospel of God Ye are Witnesses and God also how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved our selves among you that believe as you know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you as a Father doth his Children that ye would walk worthy of God who hath called you unto his Kingdom and Glory 1 Thess 2. 1. Every Word a Lesson to Preachers What a Mercy to the World if they would study and follow this Spirit Be not thou therefore ashamed of the Testimony of our Lord nor of me his Prisoner but be thou Partaker of the Afflictions of the Gospel according to the Power of God 2 Tim. 1. 8. Great Courage is necessary for standing by the Truth and the Ministers of it Hold fast the form of sound Words which thou hast heard of me in Faith and Love which is in Christ Jesus That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us 2 Tim. 1. 13. Great Fidelity requir'd of the Pastors of God's Church The Holy Ghost promis'd to them for this end Thou therefore endure Hardness as a good Soldier of Jesus Christ No Man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this Life 2 Tim. 2. 3. I suffer trouble as an evil Doer even unto Bonds but the Word of God is not bound Therefore I endure all things for the Elects sake v. 9. To suffer with Courage all Difficulties is the Obligation of a Pastor And if he suffer as a Criminal as this is most humbling so it brings him nearer to the Resemblance of Jesus Christ They are of the World therefore speak they of the World and the World heareth them 1 Jo. 4. 5. Unhappy Teachers whose Character this is CHAP. XXXVI Of the Flock Q. WHat Directions do's the Gospel give to the Flock in Regard of those whom God has put over them A. It speaks very particularly to them but that I may end this last Chapter with such Instructions as the Gospel gives I will first set down some Injunctions of God in the Old Law which as it was a Figure of the New so it may lead us to such Duties as God expects from the Flock in this better Constitution which is the Church of Christ And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian Woman whom he had married And they said hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses Hath he not spoken also by us And the Lord heard it Wherefore then were not ye afraid to speak against my Servant Moses And the Anger of the Lord was kindled against them and he departed Num. 12. 1 8. God shews his displeasure against those who murmur at such as he has set over them And all the Children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron And the Lord said unto Moses How long will this People provoke me Surely they shall not see the Land which I sware unto their Fathers neither shall any of them that provoked me see it Num. 14. 2 11 23. Great are the Judgments of God upon those who murmur against such as are over them Now Korah and Dathan and Abiram took men and they rose up before Moses with certain of the Children of Israel two hundred and fifty Princes of the assembly famous in the Congregation Men of renown And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron and said unto them Ye take too much upon you seeing all the Congregation are holy every one of them and the Lord is among them Wherefore then lift you up your selves above the Congregation of the Lord And when Moses heard it he fell upon his Face And he spake unto the Congregation saying Depart I pray you from tbe Tents of these wicked Men and touch nothing of theirs lest ye be consumed in all their Sins And the Earth opened her Mouth and swallowed them up and their Houses and all the Men that appertained unto Korah and all their goods And there came out a fire from the Lord and consumed the two hundred and fifty Men that offered Incense Num. 16. 1 26 32 35. The Congregation being holy Exempts them not from their Obedience enjoin'd The Authority of Princes of the Congregation Men Famous and of Renown is not enough for questioning the Authority of Moses and Aaron whom God had commanded all to hear and obey Their offering Incense to God is not accepted while divided from Moses and Aaron they are under the guilt of Disobedience Thou shalt come unto the Priests the Levites and unto the Judge that shall be in those days and enquire and they shall shew thee the Sentence of Judgment And thou shalt do according to the Sentence which they of that place which the Lord shall chuse shall shew thee and thou shalt observe to do according to all that
for that which is highly esteemed amongst Men is Abomination in the Sight of God Luk. 16. 15. How can ye believe which receive Honor one of another and seek not the Honor that cometh from God only Joh. 5. 44. For they loved the Praise of Men more than the Praise of God Jo. 12. 43. Let us not be desirous of vain Glory provoking one another envying one another Gal. 5. 26. Tho' I give my Body to be burned and have not Charity it profitteth me nothing Charity envieth not Charity vaunteth not it self is not puffed up doth not behave it self unseemly seeketh not her own 1 Cor. 13. 3 c. Thus plainly speaks the Rule And now if upon a serious weighing of these Particulars it does appear that a Universal Humility is most pressingly recommended and Pride is condemn'd in all its Branches then it must be own'd that in whatever way we seek Glory with Men and desire to be rais'd in the Opinion of the World in whatever way we labor to magnifie this unworthy Clay give our selves the Preference to others and in our Hearts despise our Neighbor so often we forsake our Rule and by a just Judgment upon Pride are rendring our selves eternally contemptible by the very ways in which we unduly seek Esteem If this be so then I think Christians have Reason to consider and reform the general Method of their Lives For if looking upon themselves they see the great Business of their Thoughts their Study their Contrivance their Expences is in the Service of Pride that in this they place their Happiness for this they deny themselves suffer many Inconveniencies hazard their Health exhaust their Estates c. must not they in this see they make Idols of themselves and for this self-worship despise all the Instructions Christ has given them and forsake his Gospel And can this way this Martyrdom of Self-love ever bring them to Heaven What then do they do Believe in Christ and his Promises and yet live in Contradiction to both This is in Fact to renounce both our Reason and Faith Heaven can never be the Reward of such insolent and wilful Madness They must either follow the Ways of the Gospel or lay by the Hopes of its Promises Christians are a People that make Profession of following the Law of Christ And yet in this Point all are striving to out-do one another in departing from it in forsaking the Ways of Humility and following those of Pride CHAP. XV. Of Detraction Reviling or Speaking Evil of our Neighbor Q. WHAT Directions does the Gospel give as to these Points A. They are all forbid For since the Gospel commands us to love our Neighbors as our selves and to do to all Men as we would that Men should do to us it is evident what Judgment we are to make of Detraction or speaking Evil of our Neighbors which is so contrary to these Two great Precepts of the new Law Detraction then is the Transgression of all that it is so positively commanded us in the Love of our Neighbor above-mention'd c. 9. and is yet more expresly forbid God gave them over to a reprobate Mind to do those things which are not convenient being filled with Maliciousness full of Envy Debate Deceit Malignity Whisperers Backbiters Despiteful Proud Boasters Inventers of evil things Covenant-Breakers Who knowing the Judgment of God that they which commit such things are worthy of Death not only do the same but have Pleasure in them that do them Rom. 1. 28 c. I fear lest when I come I shall not find you such as I would lest there be Debates Envyings Wraths Strifes Backbitings Whisperings Swellings Tumults 2 Cor. 12. 20. Wherefore laying aside all Malice and all Guile and Hypocrisies and Envyings and all Evil-speakings 1 Pet. 2. 1. Speak not Evil one of another Brethren He that speaketh Evil of his Brother and judgeth his Brother speaketh Evil of the Law and judgeth the Law But if thou judge the Law thou art not a Doer of the Law but a Judge There is one Law-giver who is able to save and to destroy who art thou that judgest another Jam. 4. 11. Nor Thieves nor Covetous nor Drunkards nor Revilers nor Extortioners shall inherit the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 6. 10. Not to keep Company if any Man that is called a Brother be a Railer with such an one no not to eat 1 Cor. 5. 11. Put them in mind to speak Evil of no Man to be no Brawler but Gentle shewing all Meekness unto all Men Tit. 3. 2. Thus speaks the Rule and while it sets Detraction or Backbiting and Reviling and Whispering among those Sins which exclude from the Possession of God what must be said but that they who do these things either know not their Rule or think that by Custom 't is made void If something of this were not how should those who profess to believe and follow the Gospel live on in the open Breach of it and make that their general Entertainment which is here declar'd a Forfeiture of Happiness This seems a strange Blindness or Delusion and so much the greater that it is not the Practice only of such who by their Wickedness live at Defiance with Heaven but even of those who by their pious Endeavors and stricter Disciplin seem in earnest in what they profess Here 's the Surprize And to these I make it my Petition that they would take more Pains in knowing what their Rule teaches and since this declares Backbiting and Whispering to be so criminal that they would remember it and no more make these their Sport For that Piety cannot be true which has not this Regard to the Will of God and the Observance of his Law CHAP. XVI Of the Watchfulness and Industry of a Christian Life in Reproof of a slothful and idle Life Q. WHAT Directions does the Gospel give as to the Points of Watchfulness and Idleness A. It speaks plain enough Watch and pray that ye enter not into Temptation Matth. 26. 41. Let your Loins be girded about and your Lights burning and ye your selves like unto Men that wait for their Lord when he will return from the Wedding that when he cometh and knocketh they may open unto him immediately Blessed are those Servants whom the Lord when he cometh shall find watching And if he shall come in the second Watch or come in the third Watch and find them so blessed are those Servants And this know that if the good Man of the House had known what Hour the Thief would come he would have watched and not have suffered his House to be broken through Be ye therefore ready also for the Son of Man cometh at an Hour when ye think not Blessed is that Servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing of a Truth I say unto you that he will make him Ruler over all that he hath But and if that Servant say in his Heart my Lord delayeth his coming and shall
they inform thee according to the Sentence of the Law which they shall teach thee and according to the Judgment which they shall tell thee thou shalt do thou shalt not decline from the Sentence which they shall shew thee to the Right Hand nor to the Left And the Man that will do presumptuously and will not hearken unto the Priest that standeth to Minister there before the Lord thy God or unto the Judge even that Man shall die And thou shalt put away the evil from Israel And all the people shall hear and fear and do no more presumptuously Deut. 17. 9. How strict is the Discipline enjoin'd by God in Common Cases How severe the Punishment of Disobedience And Samuel saith Hath the Lord as great delight in Burnt Offerings and Sacrifices as in obeying the Voice of the Lord Behold to obey is better than Sacrifice and to hearken than the Fat of Rams For rebellion is as the Sin of Witchcraft and stubbornness is as Iniquity and Idolatry Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord he hath also rejected thee from being King 1 Sam. 15. 22. Obedience to the Command of God the best Sacrifice Sacrifice without Obedience is Rebellion and Idolatry The Priest's lips should keep knowledge and they should seek the Law at his mouth For he is the Messenger of the Lord of Hosts Mal. 2. 7. The Minister of God is to deliver the Law of God The New Law Then spake Jesus to the Multitude and to his Disciples saying The Scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses Seat All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe that observe and do but do not ye after their Works For they say and do not Mat. 23. 1. Those who are in Authority are to be obey'd tho' they give not good Example These twelve Jesus sent forth as ye go preach saying The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand Provide neither Gold nor Silver For the workman is worthy of his meat And whosoever shall not receive you nor hear your words When ye depart out of that House or City shake off the dust of your feet Verily I say unto you It shall be more tolerable for the Land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the Day of Judgment than for that City Mat. 10. 5 9 14. Christ gives Authority to teach The Flock is to feed their Pastors The Obligation of hearing those whom Christ has put over the Flock is from the Command of Christ How strict this obligation is may be seen in the rigor of their punishment who refuse to hear them He that receiveth you receiveth me and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me Mat. 10. 40. How great encouragement to hear those whom Christ has appointed to teach the Flock To receive them to submit to them is to receive and submit to God If he shall neglect to hear them tell it unto the Church But if he neglect to hear the Church let him be unto thee as an Heathen Man and a Publican Verily I say unto you Whatsoever ye shall bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven And whatsoever ye shall loose on Earth shall be loosed in Heaven Mat. 18. 17. See what is the Authority of the Church in common cases Not to Submit to her Determination is the Crime of a Heathen of one who believes not in God And is not this Authority confirm'd while Heaven is declar'd to join with her in the Sentence she pronounces There can be no Appeal then from the Church to God And while both concur one cannot be question'd without arraigning the other Jesus came and spake unto them saying All power is given unto me in Heaven and in Earth Go ye therefore and teach all Nations Baptizing them Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you And lo I am with you alway even unto the end of the World Amen Mat. 28. 18. The Command of Hearing those whom Christ has made the Pastors of his Flock is to all Nations But What need of a Command when the Promise of a Divine Assistance always attending them to the end of the World is obligation enough upon all those who desire to be taught the Truth And he said unto them Go ye into all the World and preach the Gospel to every Creature He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned Mar. 16. 15. Christ sends to the whole World and commands the whole World to believe those whom he sends to teach them What must their Authority and Commission be when Damnation is the Punishment of such as refuse to believe He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me And he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me Luk. 10. 16. What more powerful Argument could Christ use for obliging the World to hear those whom he has sent In them God is heard or despis'd Pastoral Authority and Truth is originally in God it is communicated to the Son by the Mission of the Father to the Apostles by the Mission of the Son to the following Pastors by their Succession to the Apostles I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever even the Spirit of Truth whom the World cannot receive because it seeth him not neither knoweth him Jo. 14. 16. Howbeit when the Spirit of Truth is come he will guide you into all Truth Jo. 16. 13. Great Mercy of God to the Flock to deliver them from all Uncertainty of Truth by appointing the Spirit of Truth to teach them in their Pastors Verily verily I say unto you He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me And he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me Jo. 13. 20. They whom Christ sends are associated in his Mission being deputed by him their Authority is his How terrible their mistake in rejecting Jesus Christ when they think they reject nothing but Man No true Mission but what was given by Jesus Christ to his Apostles and by a Succession from them is communicated to others If any other be pretended it is Extraordinary and ought to be authoriz'd by Miracle to give it Credit Then said Jesus to them again Peace be unto you as my Father hath sent me even so send I you And when he had said this he breathed on them and saith unto them Receive ye the Holy Ghost Whose soever Sins ye remit they are remitted unto them and whose soever Sins ye retain they are retained Jo. 20. 21. What Authority in this Mission As my Father hath sent me even so send I you The Holy Ghost being Communicated Man is only the Minister and the Power is of God Can such Authority such Power be question'd by Man Now send Men to Joppa and call for one Simon whose Sirname is Peter he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do Act. 10. 5. An Angel from Heaven is sent to Cornelius to direct him to Peter tho' God inspires