of Faith and Repentance and good Works c. If thou put them in remembrance of these things 1 Tim. 4.6 thou shalt be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a faithful Minister of Jesus Christ and as such worthy hereafter to be remembred which directs me to consider the Duties here recommended to us and 1. Remember Men naturally desire to be remembred tho' dead and gone to have their Names perpetuated to after-Ages nor has there been wanting among the Heathen such who tho' not inspired with the Hopes of a future Reward yet have taken care to have their memories conveyed to Posterity Witness the Egyptian Pyramids as also certain Statues among the Greeks with the Names of their Founders inscribed on them This they impetrated as a Favour from their Gods this they accounted a Blessiâ—g to have themselves remembred after Death And indeed so it is for otherwise God would never have assured it to righteous men That they should be had in everlasting remembrance Psal 112. That their righteousness should remain for ever and their memories never perish Our Saviour hath said it of Mary Magdalen Mat. 26.13 That wheresoever his Gospel should be preached that which she had done should be spoken of for a memorial of her Whereas God hath threatned the Wicked with Excision even of their very Names that their memory should perish or if it did out-live them it should rot and as we say stink above ground or like Lot's Wife's Pillar which remained to Posterity a Spectacle of Divine Vengeance for many Generations so that they who passed by wagged their Heads at it But the memory of the Just shall be blessed i. e. so far as known and God calls on us who survive them to take care that it be so Remember them recollect those Gifts and Graces with which God had so remarkably endowed them Acknowledge to his Glory what good they have done us remember them as our spiritual Parents and Benefactours as those who laboured and watched for the good of our Souls think of them with Delight who have put off their Flesh and are passed this Stage of sin and sorrow to their everlasting Homes speak of them to their praise for which God did so eminently qualify them This hath been the Practice of all Ages even of such as never heard of Christ Let us now praise famous Men Ecclus. 44.1 said the wise Syracides and our fathers that begat us The Lord hath wrought glory on them through his great Power from the beginning such as did bear Rule in their Kingdoms men renowned for their Power Leaders of the People By their Counsels and by their Knowledge of Learning meet for the People wise and eloquent in their Instructions And again 7. v. All these were honoured in their Generations and were the Glory of the times There be of them that have left a Name behind them that their Praises might be reported And again 10. v. Mereisul men whose righteousness hath not been forgotten Their seed shall remain for ever and their glory shall not be blotted out And again Their bodies are buried in Peace 13. v. but their Name liveth for evermore The people will tell of their wisdom and the Congregation will shew forth their praise How very exact too were the Primitive Christians in honouring the memories of their Martyrs and deceased Bishops For this were the Diptychs read in the Church which were two Leaves or Tables on the one whereof were written the Names of those pious Men and Confessors who were yet alive and on the other those who had died in the Lord and were at rest For this were Altars erected over their Graves For this were their Pictures hung up in their private Shops and Houses For this were Churches though dedicated to God made to bear the Names of Saints to preserve their Memories For this were their Feast-days celebrated Panegyricks made on them and their Lives written St. Basil wrote the Life of Barlaam who was but a poor Shepherd Nazianzen of Basil and others which he saith he left to Posterity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a common Table of Virtue for all the World to look on We do not read of any Worship in those times addressed to them this were to dishonour not only that God who crowned them but themselves also for Honour where it is not due is a kind of contumely we do not read of any Prayers for them to be delivered out of Purgatory nor of adoring their Reliques nor of Prostration to their Images nor of Pilgrimages to their Shrines nor of saying Masses nor of making Vows or Oblations unto them as Cornelius à Lapide and others urge even from this very Text. No they only prayed as we doe for a glorious Resurrection for their perfect Consummation and Bliss both in Body and Soul in his eternal and everlasting Kingdom But the greatest Honour which they did them was to follow or imitate them which is the second Duty inculcated in the Text. The very Remembrance of good men is a Degree an Approach to Holiness otherwise St. Paul would not as in our Text have required it as he did in another place of this Epistle call upon his Hebrews Heb. 10.24 to consider 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 narrowly to mark and observe and study one another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to whet and sharpen each others Affections now perhaps dull'd with vain and impertinent Speculations to provoke unto love and to good works By Virtue of this Imitation it is that we become influenced nay ecstafied with the Spirits of those who are gone before us that we become meek with Moses patient with Job chast with Joseph devout with David that with our Apostle Phil. 3.13 we forget those things which are behind and press forward to those things which are before 2 Tim. 4.6 that with him we are ready to be offered up yea are at the Stake or on the Rack or at the Block with the Holy Martyrs Thus when in the course of Christianity we doubt or dispute with our selves which way to take we then deliberate and advise what Paths they trod who have already departed this Life in the Faith and Fear of God and especially they who have had the rule over us Holy Bishops or our good Fathers would they have turned their Backs in the Day of Battel and been Cowards at the sight of a glittering Spear Would they have struck Sail at every Pyrate's Threat Would they have basely and unworthily betray'd their Holy Faith With what Courage with what Resolution with what Patience were they Endow'd And indeed as I intimated e'en now this is the highest Honour we can do them to propound them to our selves as our Patterns and to follow them in their constant Love to God to Religion and to all Mankind whatsoever we suffer for it This was the due Practice of Holy Men of Old Laudamus Glorificamus Admiramur c. to use
Imprimatur December 12. 1693. Carolus Alston A SERMON Preach'd at the Anniversary Meeting Of the SONS of CLERGY-MEN In the Church of St Mary-le-Bow ON Thursday December the 7th 1693. Printed at the Request of the Stewards of the Feast to whom it is humbly Presented By EDWARD LAKE D. D. Rector of the United Parishes of St. Mary at Hill and St. Andrew Hubbard LONDON Printed by J. Leake for Henry Bonwicke at the Red Lyon in St. Paul's Church-Yard 1694. Dr. LAKE's SERMON Before the Sons of the CLERGY December the 7th 1693. HEBREWS xiij 7. Remember them which have the rule over you who have spoken to you the word of God whose faith follow considering the end of their conversation WE do not doubt to assert this Epistle Canonical Scripture and assign it to St. Paul as the Amanuensis or Pen-man of it though controverted of old by Marcion and the Arians in Opposition to the Divinity of Christ herein plainly evinced and by Cajetan of late St. Peter's Intimation in his Second Epistle an Epistle written Six Years after this does methinks put it quite out of doubt 2 Pet. 3.15 Our beloved Brother Paul also according to the Wisdom given unto him 1 Pet. 1.1 hath written to you viz. To you Jews then Strangers scattered throughout Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bithynia For we know of no other Epistle but this directed by our Apostle to them If any will not rest satisfied with this let him look upon the token or seal 2 Thes 3.17 which he sets to every Epistle as he did to this viz. The Grace of Jesus Christ whereas the Jews did usually conclude their Addresses with a Valediction of Peace 1 Pet. 5.14 2 Joh. 14. as did St. Peter and St. John afterward And though he prefixes not his Name to it as he did to the rest of his Epistles for some good Reasons which would take up too much of your Time and Patience to hear yet the Sentences thereof so grave and weighty and expressive breath the Spirit and Majesty of this Apostle Add hereunto the Prosecution of his Design herein which renders it highly probable for according to his wonted Method he first lays the Doctrine of Faith as a Foundation and upon it raises Precepts of good Manners and Directions to an holy Life as the Building And as by Faith we are united to our Head Christ Jesus so by Love we are knit together and united among our selves therefore to the Doctrine of Faith treated of at large in the Twelve First Chapters he does immediately subjoin an Exhortation to brotherly Love in the beginning of this specifying two sorts of Persons to whom more especially we are obliged to direct it viz. Strangers and Captives Strangers driven from their Homes and forced to take up Desarts Dens and Caves for their Habitation Captives who were housed indeed but to their greater Affliction detained in their Bonds and Prison for their Profession of Christianity This Profession he doth very earnestly exhort them in this Epistle to hold fast without wavering Heb. 10.23 maugre those grievous Persecutions which from Jews and Gentiles did now press hard upon them on every side 2.1 to give earnest heed to the things which they had heard 3.6 to hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end 10. â—9 not to be of them who draw back unto perdition but of them who believe to the saving of the soul Lastly Not to be slothful but to be followers of them 6.12 who through faith and patience inherit the promises The very Argument which my Text offers Remember them c. The Persons mentioned therein are presented with a double Character they are such as rule over them and have spoken to them the Word of God The Duties which referr to them are two they must remember and imitate them and this in two things here particularly taken Notice of as 1. Their Faith 2. Their Perseverance and Constancy even to the end of their Conversation I will by God's Help very plainly and expeditely speak to these particulars and then give them a Review and adapt the whole to the Design of our present Solemnity And for the better understanding of what I have to say I premise 1. That the Apostle cannot be supposed to mean here those who were then living but who had been for some time deceased It is true we read it in the present Tense those who have the Rule but the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be well rendred in a past one as will appear by comparing it with the following Words and have spoken to you the Word of God and the Apostle calls on them to remember them which supposes them absent from them viz. in the Body and present with the Lord as also to consider the End of their Conversation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. their Decease their Exit or Departure out of the World 2. This was the last of St. Paul's Epistles and written by him as 't is guess'd about the Eighth Year of the Emperour Nero and presently after Timothy's Enlargement from Prison After which we hear no more of our Apostle nothing indeed of him but Conjecture So that before the writing of this Epistle not only St. Stephen the Protomartyr but St. James the Great the Brother of John and also very probably St. James the Less the Brother of our Lord and Constituted by him Bishop of Jerusalem were put to Death and perhaps some others whom neither Holy Scriptures nor Ecclesiastical Writings give us any Account of Only Baronius out of Dositheus tells us of Silas Narcissus and others whose Memories the Hebrews were obliged to Regard and Preserve whose Faith to Follow whose Conversations to Imitate And 1. Them who rule over you viz. chiefly and principally the Bishops as also though in an inferiour Sence Presbyters For thus both among Prophane and Sacred Authors the Word imports Prefects or Governours whether in Church or State We find the Title Applied to Christ as Ruler or Governour in Israel Mat. 2.7 to his Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let him that is chief Luk. 22.26 or who ruleth among you be as he that doth serve and particularly to Silas and Judas Act. 15.22 Chief men or rulers among the people This Notion of the Word we have from the last Words of this Chapter and Epistle Salute all them that have the rule over you viz. the Bishops and Pastors of your Churches for such there were at this time constituted over the Churches of the believing Jews especially in Syria and Judaea and all the Saints viz. the Flock committed to their charge Rulers and Saints being the Two Words made use of to comprehend all the Christian Hebrews to whom this Epistle is directed If Mr. Mede's Thought be right in his Exposition of that Text of the Apostle Mede on 1 Tim. 5.17 paâ— 71. Let the Elders that rule
well be counted worthy of double honour and especially they who labour in the Word and Doctrine where he distinguishes Two sort of Elders viz. Residentiaries and such as were affixed to certain Churches whose business was praesidere gregi to govern and Instruct their Flocks who are elsewhere called Prophets and Doctors and others who had no fixed Station or Charge over any certain Church but travelled up and down to Preach the Gospel where it was not and to Establish it where it was Their Diocess was the whole World as it was St. Paul's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he Heb. 15.10 I have laboured or I have travelled up and down more than they all and they are elsewhere known by the Name of Evangelists I say If this Observation be genuine why may not we too distinguish in my Text those that ruled well among the Hebrews from others who had spoken to them the Word of God The First of these under what Name soever they pass among Divines whether we call them Ministers of the Word or Apostles or Governours or Pastors or Doctors or Conductors and Guides of Faith or High-Priests or Prelates and Bishops of the Church this is obvious that their Work is to rule over and govern their Flocks What Society can subsist without Order without Government This is the very Soul that animates and influences it Neither Church nor Kingdom can live and breath without it Look over the several Appellations given to our Lord in Holy Scripture as Lord Shepherd King Husband the Head of his Church and do they not all imply a Precedence or Authority Read over the Titles with which he hath grac'd his beloved Church stiling her his Body his Spouse his Flock his Houshold or Family and do they not all import an orderly and regular Submission But Christ hath now left the World and ascended up on high and when he did so he gave Gifts unto Men Eph. 4.11 He gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministery for the edifying of the body of Christ And thus particularly did he authorize his Apostles this Commission did he give them and in them their Successors not only to speak the Word of God unto his Saints but to rule over them a Power really communicated to them with other Gifts and Graces on the Day of Pentecost Act. 1.4 Ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you a Power which hath been ever since exercised in the Church of Christ by Christian Bishops and Priests but with respect to their different Station and Order Aaron of Old had you know his Rod as the Bishop his Pastoral Staff Num. 17.8 an Emblem of Authority an Ensign of Jurisdiction a Rod to support the Weak and Innocent to chastise the Wicked and Impenitent to mete out Reward and Punishment respectively unto all This Rod of his St. Austin calls Sacramentum Sacerdotale and Isidore Pelusiote 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Type of the Priesthood a significant Hieroglyphick of his Duty It instructs him to be courageous and vigilant in his Office and to Rebuke with all Authority to Admonish to Reprove and that with Sharpness too as occasion offers according to the Power which the Lord hath given to Edification and not unto Destruction And to reject those Counsels and Reproofs is to offer Violence to the Authority which God hath erected in his Church In this case He that despiseth 1 Thess 4.8 despiseth not Man but God The highest Acts of this Authority are the admission of Persons to the Communion of the Church by Baptism and excluding them from it by Excommunication When Men once contemn Discipline and despise Order and become Refractary and Obstinate Resolution and Severity are then the proper Vertues of these Rulers and Justice it self is their Mercy they must then with David condescend to be Door-keepers in the house of God to shut out all Prophaneness and debar such Offenders from invading her Communion and Offices from hearing the Word of God spoken to them This is the other Character of the Persons recommended to our Remembrance and Imitation who have spoken to you the Word of God who have instructed you in the Knowledge of Christ the proper Food and Nourishment of the Soul with which his Sheep his Lambs are fed and by Virtue of which they advance and grow up unto a full Stature in Christ Jesus Joh. 17.3 This is life eternal to know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent And this is a Work that none is too great or too high for for it is a Work of Charity and Charity is the Work of Heaven nay of the highest and most eminent Charity to give Alms to the Souls of Men to cloath the Nakedness of their Understandings and supply the Wants of their impoverished Reason And for this Purpose hath God appointed and separated an Order of Men whose business should be to devote themselves to the Service of Religion the Study of the Scriptures and the Work of the Ministry to instruct men in those things they know not to re-mind them of those things they already know to reprove them for what they do amiss to inspect diligently the Lives and Manners of Men to apply seasonable Encouragements to fearful and Comforts to distressed Consciences This is indeed speaking the Word of God it is not properly a flow of Words nor the draining of an Hour-glass but an effectual procuring that men be taught their Duty and urged to the performance of it And this is effected more particularly and publickly by Catechizing and Preaching As to Catechizing you cannot but know the great import and Advantages of it how necessary it is that a good Foundation be first laid before a firm Superstructure can be raised how needful it is that the first Principles should be well understood before the greater mysteries can be throughly apprehended What a most excellent Expedient it is to prevent Schism and Heresy Atheism and Prophaneness What Benefits would hence accrue both to Church and State I suppose it needless to enlarge on it in this knowing Assembly Nor is this Office of Catechizing below the Dignity of the greatest Minister of God The Primitive Fathers generally were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nay very probably the holy Apostles themselves were so As to Preaching 't is a Duty too of infinite consequence and advantage even the Power of God unto Salvation when rightly and plainly dispensed I say plainly for what have the ignorant Vulgar to do with controversy Why should their Heads be filled with perplexed Notions and foolish Questions which engender Strifes Such things as are of daily Use and Practice such as are all earnest and zealous Inculcations of Obedience to God and to man for God's Sake of Humility and Sobriety of Love and Charity of common Justice and Honesty