SERM. fpair upon account of any crofs accidents occurring het LV. for it is unreasonable to disbelieve a notion, otherwise w

2 Kings xx.

9.

Matt. xvi.

23.

Ecclef. viii. 11.

11. V. 12.

grounded, because we cannot affoil fcruples or ca drawn from matters infcrutable to us; it is foolish to fpair of a good event upon appearances, whereof we ca not apprehend the full reason, or final refult.

6. It fhould prevent our taking offence, or being contented at any events rifing up before us; for to displeased at that, which a fuperior wisdom, unsearc able to us, doth order, is to be displeased at we know r what, or why, which is childish weakness; to fret a wail at that, which, for all we can fee, proceedeth fro good intention, and tendeth to good iffue, is pitiful fr wardness.

7. It should guard us from fecurity, or from presumi upon impunity for our miscarriages; for feeing God do not always clearly and fully discover his mind, it is va from God's reservedness to conclude his unconcernednef or because he is now patient, that he never will be just chaftifing our offences.

8. It fhould quicken our industry in observing an Ifa. xxvi. confidering the works of Providence; for fince they a not easily discernible, and the difcerning them in fom measure is fometimes of great use, it is needful that w be very diligent in contemplation of them; the fainte our light is, the more attent we should be in looking; th knottier the subject, the more earnest should be our stud on it.

9. It should oblige us to be circumfpect and wary i our conversation; for the darker the way is, the mor careful should be our walking therein, lest we err, left w ftumble, left we strike on fomewhat hurtful to us.

10. It should engage us conftantly to feek God, and Jer. x. 23. to depend on him, for the protection and conduct of his grace, which is the only clue that can lead us fafely through this intricate labyrinth of worldly contingencies.

Pfal. xxxvi. 11. In fine, it should cause us humbly to admire and 6. xcii. 5. adore that wisdom, which governeth the world in ways

LV.

no less great and wonderful, than just and holy: for, SERM. Great and marvellous are thy works, O Lord God Almighty; juft and true are thy ways, O thou King of Apoc. xv.

Saints.

Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invifible, the only wife God, be honour and glory for ever and ever.

Amen.

3. xix. 2.

SERMON

LVI.

OF OBEDIENCE TO OUR SPIRITUAL GUIDES
AND GOVERNORS.

LVI.

HEB. xiii. 17.

Obey them that have the rule over you.

SERM. OBEDIENCE unto spiritual guides and governors is a duty of great importance; the which to declare and press is very seasonable for these times, wherein fo little regard is had thereto: I have therefore pitched on this text, being an apoftolical precept, briefly and clearly enjoining that duty; and in it we fhall confider and explain these two particulars: 1. The perfons to whom obedience is to be payed. 2. What that obedience doth import, or wherein it confifteth: and together with explication of the duty, we shall apply it, and urge its practice.

7, 17.

I. As to the perfons, unto whom obedience is to be performed, they are, generally speaking, all spiritual guides, Heb. xiii. or governors of the Church, (those who speak to us the word of God, and who watch for our fouls, as they are described in the context,) expressed here by a term very fignificant and appofite, as implying fully the nature of their charge, the qualification of their perfons, their rank, and privileges in the Church, together consequently with the grounds of obligation to the correspondent duties toward them. There are in holy Scripture divers names and phrases appropriate to them, each of them denoting fome eminent part of their office, or some appertenance thereto;

but this feemeth of all moft comprehenfive; fo that unto SERM. it all the rest are well reducible: the term is youμevo, LVI. that is, leaders, or guides, or captains; which properly

may denote the fubfequent particulars in way of duty, or privilege, appertaining to them.

17.

12.

1. It may denote eminence of dignity, or fuperiority to others: that they are, as it is faid of Judas and Silas in the Acts, avopes youμevos év ádexpois, principal men among A&ts xv. 22. the brethren: for to lead implieth precedence, which is a note of fuperiority and preeminence. Hence are they styled πpoeσtātes, presidents or prelates; o¡ πproι, the first, 1 Tim. v. or prime men; oi μelles, the greater, majors, or grandees Rom. xii. 8. among us: He, faith our Lord, that will be the first 1 Theff. v. among you, let him be your fervant; and, He that is greater Matt. xx. among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, 27. as he that doth ferve ; where ὁ μείζων and ὁ ἡγούμενος (the 26. greater and the leader) are terms equivalent, or interpretative the one of the other; and our Lord in thofe places, as he prescribeth humility of mind and demeanour, so he Phil. ii. 29. implieth difference of rank among his difciples: whence Theff. v. to render efpecial respect and honour to them, as to our 1 Tim. v. betters, is a duty often enjoined.

2. It doth imply power and authority: their fuperiority is not barely grounded on perfonal worth or fortune; it ferveth not merely for order and pomp; but it ftandeth upon the nature of their office, and tendeth to ufe: they are by God's appointment enabled to exercise acts of power; to command, to judge, to check, control, and chastise in a spiritual way, in order to spiritual ends, (the regulation of God's worship and fervice, the prefervation of order and peace, the promoting of edification in divine knowledge and holinefs of life;) fo are they nyéμevoi, as that word in common use (as the word hysur, of kin to it) doth fignify, captains and princes, importing authority to command and rule; (whence the Hebrew word

Luke xxii.

1

13.

17.

, a prince, is ufually rendered by it; and yoúμevos, Matt. ii. 6. is the title attributed to our Lord, to exprefs his kingly function, being the fame with apxnyòs, the prince, or cap- Acts v. 31 tain:) hence are they otherwise styled xubepvýσsis (gover- 1 Cor. xii.

28.

Pr. lxxviii.

71.

1 Pet. v. 2.

2 Sam. v. 2.

vii. 7.

1 Tim. iii.

SERM. nors), Tiσxoro (overfeers, or fuperintendents, as St. Hierome LVI. rendereth it), paftors, (a word often fignifying rule, and atActs xx. 28. tributed to civil governors,) aрsσbúтepo (elders, or fenaMatt. ii. 6. tors; the word denoteth not merely age, but office and authority), o iμeλouvтes, fuch as take care for, the curators, or fupervifors of the Church: hence alfo they are fignally and specially in relation unto God ftyled douλo (the fervants), diánovos (the minifters), ingéτai (the offi2 Tim. ii. cers), λroupyoì (the public agents), oixovópos (the stewards), Ouvepyol (the coadjutors, or affiftants), пρéσbas (the le1 Cor. iv. 1, gates), ayysλos (the angels, or meffengers), of God; which 2. iii. 9. vi. titles imply, that God by them, as his fubftitutes and in2 Cor. vi. 4. ftruments, doth adminifter the affairs of his fpiritual kingTit. i. 2. dom: that as by secular magistrates (his vicegerents and Apoc. i. 29. Officers) he manageth his universal temporal kingdom, or

5.

24.

Rom. xv.

16.

1. xvi. 16.

Gal. iv. 14.

28.

• 1Tim, ii, 2.

28. ii. 2.

governeth all men in order to their worldly peace and profperity; fo by thefe fpiritual magiftrates he ruleth his Church, toward its spiritual welfare and felicity.

3. The word alfo doth imply direction, or instruction; that is, guidance of people in the way of truth and duty, reclaiming them from error and fin: this, as it is a means hugely conducing to the defign of their office, fo it is a Eph. iv. 11. principal member thereof: whence didáσxaλoi, doctors, or 1 Cor. xii. mafters in doctrine, is a common name of them; and to Rom. xii. 7. be dixxTixoì, able and apt to teach, (ixavol didážœy, and #pódʊ9 Tim. ii. μo,) is a chief qualification of their persons; and to attend on teaching, to be infiant in preaching, to labour in the 13, 16. v. word and doctrine, are their most commendable performances: hence also they are called Shepherds, because they feed the fouls of God's people with the food of wholesome instruction; watchmen, because they observe men's ways, and warn them when they decline from right, or run into danger; the messengers of God, because they declare God's mind and will unto them for the regulation of their practice.

1 Tim. iv.

17.

2 Tim. iv.

2.

Cǝl. i. 28.

4. The word farther may denote exemplary practice; for to lead implieth fo to go before, that he who is conducted may follow; as a captain marcheth before his troop; as a thepherd walketh before his flock, as a guide