from Saul, nay, had alfo the Affurance of the Sunday Kingdom after him; and St. Paul's Sentence XIV. in this Cafe is most heavy, Rom. xiii. 2. They they that refift, fball receive to themselves Damnation. Here is very fmall Encouragement to any to rife up against the Lawful Magiftrate; for though they fhould fo far profper here, as to fecure themselves from him by this means, yet there is a KING of Kings, from whom no Power can fhelter them; and this Damnation. in the close, will prove a fad Prize of their Victories. What is, on the other fide, the Duty of the Magiftrate to the People, will be in vain to mention here, none of that Rank being like to read this Treatife; and it being very ufelefs for the People to enquire, what is the Duty of their Supreme, wherein the most are already much better read, than in their own, it may fuffice them to know, that whatsoever his Duty is, or however performed, he is accountable to none but God, and no failing of his part, can warrant them to fail of theirs.

tors.

6. The Second fort of Parents, are, the Spi-Duties to ritual; that is, the Minifters of the Word, pur Pa whether fuch as be Governors in the Church, or others under them, who are to perform the fame Offices to our Souls, that pur Natural Parents do to our Bodies. Thus St. Paul tells the Corinthians, That in Chrift Jefus he had begotten them through the Gospel, 1 Cor. iv. 15. and the Galatians, Chap. iv. 19. That he travails in birth of them, till Christ be U 2 formed

Sunday formed in them: And again, 1 Cor. iii.2. He had fed XIV. them with Milk, that is, fuch Doctrines as were

Live:

Елеет.

agreeable to that Infant-ftate of Chriftianity they were then in; but he had stronger Meat for them of full Age, Heb. v. 14. All these are the Offices of a Parent; and therefore they that perform them to us, may be well accounted as fuch.

7. Our Duty to these, is, firft, to love them; to bear them that Kindness which belongs to those who do us the greatest Benefits. This is required by St. Paul, 1 Theff. v. 12, 13. I be Seech you, Brethren, mark them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; and efteem them very highly in love, for their Works fake. The Work is fuch as ought in all reafon to procure them Love, it being of the higheft Advantage to us.

8. Secondly, It is our Duty to value and efteem them, as we fee in the Text now mentioned; and furely, this is most reasonable, if we confider either the Nature of their Work, or who it is that employs them. The Nature of their Work is of all others the most excellent. We use to value other Profeffions pro portionably to the Dignity and Worth of the Things they deal in. Now furely, there is no Merchandize of equal Worth with a Soul; and this is their Traffick, refcuing precious Souls from Perdition: And if we confider further, who it is that employs them, it yet adds to the Reverence due to them. They are Ambaffadors for Christ, 2 Cor. v. 20. and

Ambaf

Ambaffadors are by the Laws of all Nations Sunday XIV. to be used with a refpect anfwerable to the Quality of thofe that fend them. Therefore, Chrift tells his Difciples, when he fends them out to preach; He that defpifeth you, depifeth me; and he that defpifeth me, defpifeth him that fent me, Luke x. 16. It feems, there is more depends upon the defpifing of Minifters. than ordinary Men confider, 'tis the defpifing of God and Chrift both. Let thofe think of this, who make it their Paftime and Sport to affront and deride this Calling And let thofe alfo, who dare prefume to exercife the Offices of it, without being Lawfully Call'd to it, which is a moft high Prefumption; 'tis as if a Man of his own Head fhould go as an Ambaffador from his Prince. The Apoftle fays of the Priefts of the Law, which yet are inferior to those of the Gospel, That no Man taketh this Honour to himself, but be which was called of God, Heb. v. 4. How fhall then any Man dare to affume this greater Honour to himself, that is not call'd to it? Neither will it fuffice to fay, They have the Inward Call of the Spirit; for fince God hath eftablish'd an Order in the Church for the admitting Men to this Office, they that fhall take it upon them without that Authority, refift that Ordinance, and are but of the number of thofe Thieves and Robbers, as our Saviour fpeaks, John x. which come not in by the Door. Befides the fad Experience of thefe Times

U 3

Sunday Times fhews, that many who pretend most XIV. to this inward Call of the Spirit, are called

Maintepance.

by fome other. Spirit than that of God; the Doctrines they vent, being usually directly contrary to that Word of his, on which all true Doctrines must be founded. Such are to be look'd on as thofe Seducers, thofe falfe Prophets, whereof we are fo often warn'd in the Epiftles of the Apostles. And whoLoever countenances them, or follows them, partakes with them in their Guilt. It is recorded of Jeroboam, as a crying Sin, that he made of the meaneft of the People Priefts, that is, fuch as had by God's Inftitution no Right to it; and whoever hearkens to these uncalled Preachers, runs into that very Sin: for without the Encouragement of being fol lowed, they would not long continue in the Courfe; and therefore, they that give them that Encouragement, have much to anfwer for, and are certainly guilty of the Sin of defpifing their true Paftors, when they fhall thus fet up thefe falfe Apoftles against them. This is a Guilt this Age is too much concerned in: God, in his Mercy, fo timely convince us of it, as may put a ftop to that Confufion and Impiety which breaks in so fast upon us by it.

9. Thirdly, We owe to them Maintenance; but of this I have fpoken already in the first part of this Book, and fhall not here Obedience. repeat. Fourthly, We owe them Obedience;

Obey

Obey them, faith the Apostle, that have the unday rule over you, and fubmit yourselves, for they XIV. watch for your Souls, Heb. xiii. 17. This Obedience is to be paid them in Spiritual Things; that is, whatfoever they, out of God's Word, fhall declare to us to be God's Commands, thefe we are diligently to obey, remembring that it is not they, but God requires it, according to that of Chrift, He that heareth you, heareth me, Luke x. 16. and this, whether it be deliver'd by the way of Publick Preaching, or private Exhortation; for in both, fo long as they keep them to the Rule, which is God's Word, they are the Meffengers of the Lord of Hofts, Mal. ii. 7. This Obedience the Apostle enforceth from a double Motive, one taken from their Miniftry, another from themfelves; They watch, fays he, for your Souls, as they that must give an Account, that they may do it with Foy, and not with Grief. The People are, by their Obedience, to enable their Paftors to give a comfortable Account of their Souls; and it is a moft unkind return of all their Care and Labours, to be put to grieve for the ill Succefs of them. But then, in the fecond place, 'tis their own Concernment alfo; they may put their Minifters to the difcomfort of feeing all their Pains caft away, but themselves are like to get little by it, that (fays the Apostle, Heb. xiii. 17.) will be unprofitable for you; 'tis yourfelves that will finally prove the Lofers by it, you lofe all thofe glorious Rewards which U 4

are