Business of a Gospel-Minister Simon Peter lovest thou me Feed my Sheep feed my Lambs As Stewards of the Houshold they are to provide for the Family as Shepherds to feed by Teaching And it is in great Wisdom and Mercy to the Souls of Men that our Blessed Lord has appointed some Persons on purpose to devote themselves to this Work that they may be able to instruct the Ignorant and establish the Wavering and comsort the Sad and recover the Backslider to awaken warn convince and encourage Others in the Christian Warfare And whatever some pretend that there is no such need of Preaching now as there was in the Infancy of the Church yet in all Ages this is the ordinary Means which God hath appointed and is wont to bless for the Conversion and Salvation of Souls 1 Cor. 1.21 It pleaseth God now as well as formerly by the foolishness of Preaching to save them that believe And it is the Commission of our Saviour for the Ministerial Office that they Preach the Gospel to every Creature And this not only to plant a Church but to carry on its growth it is for the perfecting of the Saints and for the edifying of the Body of Christ The Ministry of the Gospel may be needful to Converts and Believers and real Saints and is so there being something still lacking to their Faith and Comfort And they had need to be put always in Remembrance of the things they do know that they may be rooted and established in the Truth 1 Pet. 2.12 IT is wonderful to Observe how our Saviour rather chose to Convert Men by the Preaching and Miracles of his Apostles than by his own how he would not fully convert Paul without the Ministry of Annanias tho' he spake to him from Heaven himself and reasoned with him against his Persecution how he would not fully convert Cornelius and his Houshold without the Ministry of Peter tho' he sent an Angel to direct him to a Teacher nor would he convert the Ethiopian Eunuch without the Ministery of Phillip nor the Goaler without the Ministery of Paul and Silas tho' he wrought a Miracle to prepare for his Conversion Our Lord knew the Necessity that the Infants of his Family had of such Nurses and he will keep up the Honour of his own Officers whom he hath appointed for such an End and Use HOW much the Welfare of the Church depends upon the Ministers and Teachers of the Word and how little the Beauty and Glory of Religion can ever be kept up in the World if Ministers do not labour in the Word and Doctrine will very easily appear to such as consider how Religion has declined and been lost by the Ignorance and Unfaithfulness and Negligence of those that ought to have Preached the Gospel of Christ And how the Denial or Contempt of the Ministry hath alway been accompanied with the growth of Atheism Infidelity and Prophaness How solemnly does the Apostle charge the Elders of the Church of Ephesus Acts 20.28 30. Take heed unto your selves and to all the Flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you Overseers to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own Blood and to warn every man lest they be perverted by false Teachers c. And how expresly to the like purpose are they required to labour with their utmost strength in this Work 1 Tim. 1.17 1 Cor. 16.16 1 Thes 5.12 They are To give themselves continually to Prayer and the Ministry of the Word Acts 6.4 AND how needful is it that they should do so who are to unfold the Mind of God to others to teach them what they must know believe and do avoid and hope for who have so many difficulties to explain and so often need the Tongue of the Learned and a good share of Prudence to speak a Word in Season To acquaint their Hearers with their several Maladies and Remedies Dangers and Duties to hold forth the Excellency of Christ so as to make him receiv'd and obey'd admired and loved and to be diligent in such Work in season and out of season managing all as under an Awe of God and with sincere Compassion and Love to Souls SUPPOSING the Word of God here to be the Written Word I need not enquire curiously how much of Divine Revelation or the Written Word was then extant when the Apostle wrote this Epistle which is thought to be about the fifty seventh or fifty eighth year of our Blessed Lord while he was a Prisoner at Rome and towards the end of his first Imprisonment there All the New Testament seems to be then written save the Epistles of St. John and his Revelations and the Second Epistle of St. Peter 'T is certain that the whole Word of God in the Holy Scriptures is to be explained and applyed by Preaching and that this is a principal part of a Ministers Work They therefore who pretend to the Ministerial Office according to the order of Christ and yet either despise or neglect the Preaching of the Word one would think either do not understand their Office or are not faithful to it 3. ANOTHER Thing concerning these Deceased Ministers the Apostle mentions is their Exemplary Faith They would not have been proposed as Patterns with respect to Faith if they had not been Famous and Exemplary as to the Clearness of their Minds and the Soundness of their Doctrine Follow their Faith Doubtless he means it of such who as to Knowledg and firmness of Perswasion concerning the Truths of the Gospel and fruitfulness in suitable Effects did in Spirit and Practice shew themselves Believers They would not otherwise have been named as fit Examples for the People to follow as to their Faith You find Ministers are exhorted to Take heed to their Doctrine 1 Tim. IV. 16. and to continue therein that they May save themselves and them that hear them and to speak the things that become sound Doctrine 1 Tim. VI. 3. They are to keep the Doctrine of the Gospel pure and uncorrupt and to feed the People with the sincere Milk of the Word For if the Doctrine which should promote Faith and Holiness should be depraved by the Ministers of the Word how is it possible that true Christianity should spread and flourish or be preserved and continued What need have we to beg that God would give and continue such Pastors after his own Heart as may feed his People with Good Knowledge and Sound Vnderstanding They must hold fast the faithful Word that they have been taught that they may be able by sound Doctrine to exhort and convince Gain-sayers Tit. 1.6 9. Chap. 2.1 Such Speech that cannot be condemned that he who is of the contrary party may be ashamed And how comfortably and usefully may they preach to others who are firmly perswaded of the Truth of what they say who believe and live the Truths they deliver This is a great help to Ministers in their Work and a great
the Lord and several of them in one Church making use sometimes of the one Name sometimes of the other OUR Blessed Saviour is called the Head the Husband the Shepherd the Lord of his Church which imports Authority and the Church is his Body his Spouse his Flock his Family and Houshold and his Ministers are called Rulers of his Houshold Mat. 24.45 When he was about to leave the World he declared that all Power in Heaven and Earth was committed to him and commissioned his Apostles to make Disciples by baptizing and teaching promising his presence with them therein to the end of the World And when he ascended up on high he gave Gifts to Men as part of his Dowry not only Prophets and Apostles and Evangelists who were empowered by Miracles as a Divine Attestation to prove their Authority to reveal and publish the Rule of Faith and Life but Pastors and Teachers to open and apply the Rule they sealed and delivered HE hath determined in his Word that every Church should have a Pastor one or more he hath stated the Nature of the Ministerial Office and Power to proclaim Repentance and Remission of Sins to turn Men from the power of Satan to God to edifie the Body of Christ and to gather feed and govern the Churches of Christ to rule as well as teach the Flock to judge who should be publickly taken into the Church by Baptism or cast out to rebuke those that are disorderly and see that all things be done to the Edification of the Church to bind over the impenitent who are contumacious to the Bar of Christ and reject 'em from the Communion of the Church and to absolve the penitent and comfort 'em and by themselves or others to look after the Poor and visit the Sick c. He hath described the Persons that he would have to be such Officers by their requisite Qualifications he did not appoint a necessary Work to be done and leave it to the wide World who should do it And that will help to determine who are the individual Persons that are fittest according to Christ's Description I DISPUTE not whether there hath not been and ought not to be a distinction of Powers and Persons in Ecclesiastical Government or whether an absolute Equality must not necessarily be attended with very ill consequences or whether Ministers do not need Order and Rule and Government among themselves as well as every other Company and Society of Men in the World But that which I argue from this Text is this That they who preach the Gospel are to Guide Oversee and Rule their own Flock according to the Holy Scripture THEY are the Servants of Christ in his Work and your Servants for Jesus sake They pretend not to Dominion over your Faith or to be Lords or Owners of the Flock but to be Helpers of your Joy by their care the Sheep are to be sed guided preserved healed and brought home They are Rulers over Christ's Houshold but not by secular Force and Rigour not to compel Men to the Faith and Obedience of the Gospel otherwise than by Truth and Love by Instruction and Perswasion and declaring the Mind of Christ in his Word You are not to obey Ministers as Civil Magistrates that rule by the Sword but thankfully receive the Truths they teach and the Mercies they offer Our Weapons in the Christian Warfare are not Carnal but Spiritual to Edification not destruction not coercive but ministerial We are to instruct and warn to reprove and exhort with Faithfulness and Seriousness in the Name of Christ and with his Authority which as it is another thing from the Power of a * See Dr. Hammond's Paraphrase and Annotations on 1 Pet. 5.1 2 3. Acts 11.30 Acts 20.28 Heb. 12.7 17. 1 Tim. 1.17 1 Thes 5.12 Tit. 3.10 1 Cor. 12.28 c. Magistrate so by vertue of the Order and Institution of Christ it is very different from the private Counsel and Admonitions of one Friend to another The same works are not done with the same Authority Efficacy Certainty or Order by a private hand as by publick Officers For in this case you are obliged to Submit your selves in the Lord to whatever is made known to you to be according to the Will of God revealed in his Word 'T is true if we exceed our Commission you are not to receive us but if we keep to the Words of Christ he that despiseth our Message Despiseth not Man but God You know how earnestly the Apostle admonishes to this purpose 1 Thes 5.12 13. We beseech you Brethren to mind them who labour amongst you and preside over you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Lord i. e. in the things of the Lord and according to his Order and that admonish you and to esteem them more than exceedingly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in love for their Work or Office sake And let the Elders who rule well 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be counted worthy of double Honour or Recompence as the Original Word often signifies 1 Tim. 5.17 18. I MAY be blamed by some for saying thus much but there are certain Seasons when it is expedient at least not unfit for a Man to praise the Country or the Family to which he belongs or the Society to which he is related And therefore I here take the Liberty to Magnifie mine Office tho' I should become a Fool in glorying 2 Cor. 12.11 As to the Institution Commission and Authority of the Ministry it is not of Men or by Man but by Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised him from the dead Gal. 1.1 they received their Ministry from the Lord Col. 4.17 he makes 'em Oversers Acts 20.28 Timothy is called the Servant of the Lord 2 Tim. 2.24 Ministers by their Office are as it were his Menial Servants that approach nearer to his Person than others and are employed in his particular Business They are Stewards over the House and Family of God Tit. 1.7 Luke 12.42 which is no mean station They are called Presidents Guides Rulers Shepherds Planters Husbandmen Pastors Ambassadors for Christ and the Glory of Christ and the Ministers of his Spiritual Kingdom Angels of the Churches Builders of his Church c. By Baptism to initiate Disciples unto Christ and by the other Sacrament to confirm them to feed 'em with the sincere Milk of the Word to intercede for them in Prayer to bless them in the Name of Christ to convey his Messages Instructions Counsels and Comforts to 'em which without his Institution and Appointment they could no more do than a Messenger can carry a Pardon to a condemned Person which his Prince never sent No man taketh the Honour to himself but he that is called of God 2. THEY are described to be such as have spoken unto you the Word of God To feed the Flock by sound Doctrine Serious Study of the Holy Scriptures and diligent Preaching of the Word is no little part of the
called to do it MANY of our Fellow Soldiers have fought the Good Fight gained the Victory and received the Crown Their Example tells us that the Difficulties and Conflicts that we fear are no other than they have experienced They complained as much we can of inward Corruption and outward Temptation of an unfaithful World and a busie Devil and a desperately wicked Heart and yet by the Grace of God they have Overcome We have a Cloud of Witnesses among our particular Friends and Acquaintance whom we have known and loved whom we have seen and heard with whom we have convers'd and discours'd And it is a great Encouragement to consider we are to follow Them For why should we be disheartned as if that were Impobssile to us which the Grace of God hath enabled them to do and suffer T IS one great Design of God's Gifts and Graces to Some that they may instruct and edifie Others The path of the just in this sense is a shining Light We are to Shew forth the Word of Life in our Conversation that we may direct others in the way And by our Zeal we are to provoke many AND when the Precept is exemplified into Pattern and the Commands of Christ made legible in the Lives of Christians we are the more encouraged to obey This hath more Influence than meer Law and naked Authority We find that Examples strangely affect us and the Lives of Holy Persons writ with Truth and Judgment and Caution have a singular Advantage to attract our Imitation When Charity and Humility Self-denial and Patience Piety and Devotion are characterized in the Practice and Actions of the Saints they are written as it were with Light notwithstanding some mixture of Darkness from Humane Passions and Failings for which in all Men there must be Allowance That Holy Examples are apt to affect the Mind more deeply than Holy Laws alone is evident by the Malice of the Devil and his Instruments against the Holy Scriptures exemplified in the Godly more than against the Scriptures themselves they can better bear the Precepts of a perfect Rule than the imperfect practice of them in a Holy Life They have burnt Martyrs that could endure good Books SUCH Examples may be of Use both to Quicken and Enoourage us 1. TO quicken and excite our Diligence to this purpose the Apostle makes mention of them Chap. VI. 12. Be not sloathful but be ye followers of them who by Faith and Patience inherit the Promises To cure the Sloath and Laziness of Christians he saith this and to stir them up to Holy Diligence with this Encouragement in the following Words that if they follow their Guides in their Faith in Christ they will find him an Unchangeable never failing Saviour For it is added Jesus Christ the same yesterday to day and for ever i.e. He will certainly receive forgive assist preserve and save them as he did their Deceased Guides If we follow them we shall find the same Comfort and meet with the same Reward HOW may the Temper and Spirit and Carriage of such Exemplary Christians shame our Negligence Their Humility and Zeal their Gravity and Seriousness their continual Awe of God and Apprehension of his Eve their constant Watchfulness over Hearts Words and Actions may be considered to humble and shame us When I think how diligently they improved their Talents how faithfully and fervently they attended their Work how their Hearts were in it and how much they did in a little time and how God was with 'em in abundant Success it should shame and quicken me Do I pray or preach or live at that rate of Seriousness Integrity Self-denial and Devotedness to God as they Durst they have indulged themselves and pleased themselves and allowed themselves the Liberty which I take Were they guilty of such Omissions and Neglects as I am Am not I more slight and formal seldom and heartless in Prayer than they were wont to be c. IF we have the same Spirit of Faith with the Holy Persons whose Examples we read or hear of these things will quicken and assist us for so the Apostle argues 2 Cor. IV. 13. We having the same spirit of Faith according as it is written I believed and therefore have I spoken we also believe and therefore speak And if they do not move us and excite us to follow them in their Faith and Obedience it is a sign that we are not partakers of the same Spirit 2. NOT only as to Duty but let us consider 'em for our Encouragement and Comfort Whatever Difficulties we may meet with in the Christian Race the Consideration of these Examples may encourage our Faith and Patience and Perseverance They found the Sweetness of Dependance upon God and the Success of a Life of Faith and had gracious Answers to Prayer and suitable Help in every time of need They could set to their Seal that God is true and the Scripture true and never any Word of his in which they regularly trusted did ever fail them And is it no Encouragement for us to be able to say Lord our Fathers trusted in thee and were delivered they trusted in thee and were not ashamed they cryed to thee and thou didst answer them They have told us what thou didst for them How Good was God and Faithful how Wise and Gracious The Word of the Lord is tried in six and in seven Troubles they found it true AND we that live in the latter Ages of the World have a greater Cloud of Witnesses than others we have the Benefit of the Experience of all the Saints that have gone before us They can tell us what they have found of the false Cavils Slanders and Objections of Unbelief of the Folly and Disingenuity of our Carnal Fears of the Fraud of the Devil's Suggestions of the certain Accomplishment of God's Promises and a good Issue of all Events if we wait on the Lord and keep his Way AND as to many of them we may observe with what admirable Patience they endured greater Trials sharper Pains and longer Exercises without Murmuring and without Fainting than ever yet we have known How Diligent Heavenly and Fruitful were some of them under less Advantages and Help than we The Examples of the Poor may shame many of the Rich The Examples of some young Converts may shame Old Disciples Religious Children may shame many Parents There are younger Brethren by whom the Elder are out-gone Such who were new-born but lately who exceed them that were in Christ many years before HAD not they whose Faith you are exhorted to follow the like Temptations as you meet with Have not you the same Rule to walk by the same Promises Assistances and Encouragements in the way to Heaven Are your Wants to be supplied Diseases to be cured Difficulties to be conquered Burdens to be endured more or greater or other than what they met with And was not Death the Passage to Glory as to all of them and
him with Pleasure and not with Grief not as lost but as delivered and crowned and at Rest in Everlasting Joy TO You who attended his Ministry and shall behold him no more in the Land of the Living nor ever hear him more in this or any other Pulpit let me add a few Words Remember him who hath spoken to you the Word of God Especially be careful to practice the Sermons you have heard him preach and seen him live Imitate whatsoever you saw of the Image and Life of Christ in him and write down any thing that was very remarkable that you ever heard from him in Publick or Private any thing that did particularly affect you or may be of Service to you YOU have been favoured with a Succession of such Burning and Shining Lights as are not set up in every Candle-stick Remember the Sound Instructions the Faithful Warnings the Earnest Exhortations the Fervent Labours and Exemplary Lives of your Deceased Guides What Fruit may God expect from you after such a Seeds-time as you have had Your last Minister had a Lean Withered Wasted Consumed Body that you might be fat and flourishing in the Courts of the Lord. BUT You are of two Sorts Either you have profited by his Ministry or not If the former you have reason to be thankful to God You that have been convinced and awakened by his Preaching that have been touched at the Heart under his Ministry who have often gone away striking of your Breasts and with Weeping Eyes driven to your Knees when you came home and obliged to come to him again saying Sir what must I do to be saved You cannot but feel and lament this Loss Your affectionate Tears are his Commendation And of several of you he might say with the Apostle to the Corinthians Tho' you have ten thousand Instructers in Christ ye have not many Fathers for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you by the Gospel 1 Cor. IV. 15. To the like purpose I might speak to Others who have by his Assistance been built up in their Holy Faith confirmed strengthened encouraged established and comforted THERE is another Sort who reap'd no such Advantage by him His Death is a sharp Reproof to such How far unprofitable Hearers may be guilty of the Death of their Ministers as well as an Unfaithful Minister of the Blood of Souls may deserve your Consideration With how many did he prevail but could not with you He shall now be a Reprover to you no more Be perswaded to look back and think with your selves what earnest Entreaties he used with you in the Name of Christ beseeching you to be reconciled to God How he longed for your Salvation How he studied and prayed and waited for Success Be not deceiv'd not a Sermon he ever preached or a Conviction you ever had under his Preaching but must be accounted for Tho' the Man be dead and the Minister be dead yet his Message doth not dye and shall not fall to the Ground Tho' all Flesh be Grass and the Glory of it as the Flower of the Field yet The Word of the Lord abideth for ever and not a Tittle of it shall be unaccomplished IT will be sad indeed if he that spent his Health and Strength and Life for you should be obliged at last to Witness against you and to say tho' not with such compassionate Words and Tears as formerly Lord I did Instruct Admonish and Exhort them in season and out of season but could not perswade them to leave their sins and come to Christ that they might have Life I told them of the Danger of their present State and what was like to be the End of it I told them plainly again and again that now only was the time to be reconciled to God I opened to them the Gospel-Covenant and shewed them the Riches of God's Grace in Christ and his Readiness and Sufficiency to save the chiefest of Sinners and that his Blood cleanseth from all sin But they would not consider they would not regard they would dye O with what concerned and awakened Souls should We Ministers study preach and pray when every Sermon for ought we know may witness against Some of those that hear it in the day of Reckoning O pity Us and therein your Selves for We do not desire the woful day Lord thou knowest WHAT would you have us say * See more to this purpose in Mr. B's Sermon of Judgment 8vo p. 30 34. in the Day of Judgment if God should ask us Did you tell this Sinner of his need of Christ of the Misery of his Natural Sinful State of the Glory of the World to come of the Vanity of this c. Should we lye and say we did not We must unavoidably bear Witness against you and say Lord we did what we could according to our weak Abilities to reclaim them Indeed our own Thoughts of Everlasting Things were so low and our Hearts so dull that we must confess we did not follow them so close nor speak so earnestly as we should have done We did not cry so loud or lift up our Voice as a Trumpet to awaken them Isa 58.1 We confess we did not speak to them with such melting Compassion and with such Streams of Tears beseech them to regard as a Matter of such great Concernment should have been spoken with we did not fall on our Knees to them and so earnestly beg of them for the Lord's sake to have Mercy upon their own Souls as we should have done But yet we told them the Message of God and we studied to speak it to them as plainly and as piercingly as we could Fain we would have convinced them of their Sin and Misery but we could not Fain we would have drawn them to the admiration of Christ but they made light of it Mat. 22.5 We would fain have brought them to the Contempt of this vain World and to set their mind on the World to come but we could not Some Compassion thou knowest Lord we had to their Souls many a Weeping or Groaning Hour we have had in secret because they would not hear and obey and some sad Complaints we have made over them in publick We told them that they must shortly dye and come to Judgment and that this World would deceive them and have them in the dust We told them that the Time was at hand when nothing but Christ will do them good and nothing but the Favour of God would be sufficient for their Happiness But we could never get them to lay it to Heart Many a time did we entreat them to think soberly of this Life and the Life to come and to compare them together with the Faith of Christians and the Reason of Men but they would not do it Many a time did we entreat them but to take now and then an hour in secret to consider Who made them and for what he had made them and why they were sent into
to help to make the World better I Rejoice in the Gifts and Graces and Success of All the Servants of Christ of whatever Name or Denomination Yea I will Esteem and Love Them whether they will Own and Love me or no. THIS Charitable Spirit let who will call such Moderation Lukewarmness with serious Diligence to please God and do what Service we can in our Several Places will be accepted with God and yield us Comfort living and dying And will I doubt not be better thought of hereafter when the little Names of Distinction and Matters of Dispute that now divide Christians and Protestants shall be forgotten As to all the Opinions and Censures of Men while we endeavour to do our Duty we ought to be firmly perswaded that every Man's Reputation and Credit is as much at the Disposal of God and under the Conduct of his Providence as his Estate or Health or Life and accordingly we ought to trust him SIR By what I already know of you I do not question your Agreement with me in these things I hope I shall know you better by a nearer and more intimate Acquaintance if it shall please God to Direct and Guide you to comply with the Invitation you have by a unanimous and speedy Choice to succeeed your Brother However that may be I beg of God to sanctifie this Providence to you to the Congregation and to all his surviving Friends and Acquaintance May I have Wisdom duely to improve it I am SIR London Febr. 3d. 1696 7. Your Affectionate Brother and Servant John Shower Advertisement THere will be speedily Publish'd a Funeral Sermon on the Death of Mr. T. Heasy an Hopeful Student Aged 19. With Serious Counsel to Young Students and Candidates for the Ministry c. And some Meditations on Several Subjects Collected out of the Papers he left By J. S. BOOKS Written by the same Author and Sold by John Lawrence at the Angel in the Poultrey WInter Meditations Or a Sermon concerning Frost and Snow and Winds c. and the Wonders of God therein 4 to A Thanksgiving Sermon April the 16th 1696. 4 to An Account of the Life of Mr. Henry Gearing 12o. A Discourse of Tempting Christ 12o. A Discourse of Family Religion in three Letters 12o. A Funeral Sermon HEB. 13.7 Remember them who have the Rule over you who have spoken unto you the Word of God whose Faith follow considering the End of their Conversation THE Suitableness of this Passage to the present Solemnity and to the Mournful Occasion of it is sufficiently apparent The Direction here given concerning the Peoples Duty with respect to their Ministers is entire and may be understood without examining the Context One would think it very easie to determine of what Ministers the Apostle speaks whether such as were yet alive or such as were dead did not our Translation favour their Opinion who would make the Original Word a Participle rather than a Substantive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contrary to the more general Sense of most Learned Interpreters and Criticks who read the Words thus Be mindful of your Guides or Rulers and remember them who have had the Rule over you i. e. who have been and were your Spiritual Guides That 't is of these he speaks is manifest by what follows Who have spoken to you the Word of God or have been your Instructors in the Faith and who have kept the Faith and finished their Course For he advises them to follow their Faith and to consider the happy End and Exit of their Conversation AS to the Duties unto Deceased Ministers here mention'd it cannot be denyed but they are applicable in part to other Good Men departed this Life For when private Christians dye in the Lord we are not to forget them and are obliged to imitate their Faith and Patience and to that end to consider their Conversation in this World and how they got safe into another But the Apostle speaks here of their Pastors and Teachers the Ministers of the Gospel and such of their Spiritual Guides as were departed this Life With respect to these we have two things to consider First The Account that he gives of them as to their Persons Secondly The Duty of surviving Christians towards them after their Death 1. FIRST As to their Persons the Apostle gives us an account of them in four Things 1. As to their Name They are Guides and Rulers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. They have spoken to you the Word of God have been Preachers of the Everlasting Gospel 3. He testifies their Exemplary Faith proposing them as Patterns 4. Their Constancy and Perseverance in Faith and Holiness to the last Considering the End of their Conversation 2. HAVING thus described their Persons he mentions three Duties towards them 1. To Remember them 2. To Follow their Faith 3. As a Motive and a Means thereto to Consider their Conversation and the happy End of it Remember them who have had c. I shall first explain these several Particulars in the Text in the order mentioned and then Apply my Discourse to the Solemn Occasion of this Assembly viz. the Breach which God hath made amongst you by the Death of my Reverend and worthy Brother 1. FIRST As to the Persons here described They are called Rulers and Guides for so the Original Word imports such as have the Guidance and Instruction of others by Authority or Office It is sometimes used for Civil Rulers sometimes for Ecclesiastical and for the General of an Army for the Captain of a Regiment for the Governour of a Town and sometimes for a Principal Person amongst others Acts 15.22 THE Sacred Writers make use of this Word for such as were established to feed the Flock of Christ and had the Over sight of Particular Churches so Ver. 17. Obey them that have the Rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your Souls as they that must give an account the like 24. ver Salute all them that have the Rule over you and all the Saints 't is doubted whether St. James who was Bishop of Jerusalem was then alive and more whether the Apostle directs this Epistle to all the Churches in Judea or only to the Converted Jews in Jerusalem I shall not go about to decide it 'T is plain that these Rulers these Warchmen are the same who in the Text had spoken the Word of God or preach'd the Gospel TO this purpose we find that Clemens Romanus who is the most Antient Writer of the Christian Church next the Apostles the same Clemens who is mentioned by the Apostle himself Phil. 4.3 in his Epistle to the Corinthians useth this very word very frequently for * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 30. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ib. p. 73. St. Clemens Rom. Epist 1. ad Corinth 4to Edit Patr. Junij Oxon. 1633. Gospel Ministers Bishops such as preach'd the Word of God and were over 'em in