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it may tend to debase their ministry; not ufing any fcurrilous words, or contemptuous behaviour towards them; because the difrefpect caft upon them is an affront to their master, whose person they represent.

It may be we are deprived of other opportuniPray for, ties of doing them any fubftantial service, yet it is in the power of the meaneft of us all to address to heaven in their behalf; that they may be defended from the malice and ill-will of bad men; that they may have the countenance and protection of the great and powerful; that their zealous labours in God's vineyard may be attended with fuccefs, and that they may turn many to righteousness, according to the gofpel of Chrift.

And obey their mini

fters.

We must obey our fpiritual governors in all their injunctions that are contained within the bounds of their commiffion; in fubmitting to that discipline they fhall inflict, either to recover us from a ftate of folly, or to preferve us from falling into fuch a state; from a pure fenfe of that right they have to command, entrusted to them by our Saviour Jefus Chrift, and of that great penalty we are liable to by our contempt; for he that defpifeth them, despiseth him that fent them. We are accordingly charged to obey them that have the rule over us, and to fubmit ourselves, because they watch for our fouls, as they that must give an account.

hood is ho

nourable,

VI. From whence we learn that it is no dimiThe priest- nution to greatnefs of birth, or any perfonal excellency, to be devoted to the ministration of God's holy word and facraments. We speak here particularly of the chriftian priesthood; whose priests are called the minifters of Chrift, ftewards of the mysteries Under the of God, to whom he hath committed the word of gofpel. reconciliation, the glory of Chrift, ambassadors for Christ, in Chrift's ftead, co-workers with him, angels of the churches. Because they act by commiffion from him, they are his officers and immediate attendants, and in a particular manner the fervants of his houfe. They are employed in his particular bufinefs, impowered and authorized to negociate and tranfact for God, in all the outward administrations of

the

the covenant of grace, or of reconciliation, between God and man, by commiffion from Jefus Christ.

Why or

dained.

Thus under the gospel they are inftituted to difpenfe fpiritual food for the nourishment of chriftians, to feed them with God's holy word and facraments, to fpeak the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world; which is committed to their care to be preserved entire from being maimed or perverted, as the facraments are to be rightly and duly adminiftred to his people. For which end and purpose they were ordained by Chrift himself, the great Shepherd and Bishop of our fouls, who glorified not himself to be an high priest; but had his commiffion from God the Father, and after his refurrection, invefted his apostles with the fame commiffion his Father had given him before; which evidently contains an authority of ordaining others, and a power of transferring that commiffion upon others fo long as the world endures. Wherefore, without his exprefs commiffion, no man ought to take upon himself, or communicate to others, a power to fign and feal covenants in the name of Chrift.

What is re

take orders,

VII. The apoftles and their fucceffors exercised this commiffion in all places, and even in oppofition to the rulers that then were; fo that the church fubfifted quired of as a diftinct fociety from the ftate till the fourth them who century. Whence we infer, that great purity of life is required of thofe that are invefted with fuch an honourable character, whereby they may in fome measure be qualified to adminifter in holy things, and by their example, guide those they instruct by their doctrine, which is of Chrift; and that it is an argument of a prophane temper to contemn those who are commiffioned by God himself to that facred office.

by God.

VIII. For though they may be inferior to others in fome human accomplishments; yet God hath promifed particularly to affift them in the faithful discharge Are affifted of their holy office, and has bleffed them with many perfonal qualifications to challenge our esteem and respect. For, as long as piety and virtue, learning and knowledge, have any credit and reputation in the world, and men are concerned that others should be formed to the fame valuable

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principles, that their minds should be cultivated, and their manners regulated; fo long the clergy will have a good title to the honour and esteem of all those that are truly wife and good.

Of fuperior

education.

Did we only confider the method of their very education, we shall find it would give them great advantages for their improvement in all forts of neceffary and polite learning, and raise them above the level of those with whom they are equal in other circumstances; and the subject of their conftant ftudies being matters of piety and religion, it is reasonable to suppose, they live under more lively and stronger impreffions of another world, than the rest of mankind; and experience fufficiently convinces us how much the nobility and gentry of the kingdom are beholden to their care for thofe impreffions of piety and knowledge,

fervice to

men.

which are stamped upon their education, and difTheir great fufed into their families. For, even in the most ignorantages, what learning flourished was in their body, and by their care was conveyed down to us. They have been in the most diffolute times the greatest examples of piety, and we have yet remaining eminent monuments of their magnificent, as well as ufeful charities.

How related to God.

And should it happen that the ministers of God may not act fuitably to the dignity of their character, yet we must not contemn them: for, their character fhould certainly defend them from contempt, and the relation they have to God, fhould secure them from ill treatment, in order to which it is neceffary to confider, that as there is an inherent holiness, whereby mens actions and affections are in fome measure conformable to the laws of God, in which sense good men in all ages were esteemed holy; fo there is a relative holiness, which confifts in fome peculiar relation to God's fervice, which may be afcribed to things, times, places, and perfons. Thus the TRIBE OF LEVI Was called the holy tribe, as thofe, that are dedicated to the service of Chrift under the gospel, are called God's minifters; not that it was always true of them, that they walked before God in purity and piety, and turned many from iniquity; for too often

often they have gone out of the way, and caufed many to stumble at the law; but because they had a particular relation to God in the performance of that worship, which was then paid to him by his appointment. Wherefore,

The civil

magiftrates power in ec

clefiaftical

affairs,

IX. God knowing the hearts of men long before, did in his infinite wisdom invest another order or degree of men with a power to punish the evil doer, and for the praise of them that do well, which is styled the fovereign magistracy, whose fupremacy confifts in ruling all eftates and degrees committed to their charge by God, whether they be ecclefiaftical or temporal; to exercise their civil power in ecclefiaftical caufes, as well as over ecclefiaftical perfons, and in reftraining with the civil fword the ftubborn and evil doers. Wherefore, all perfons in their dominions, fpiritual as well as temporal, are fubject to their authority; because when men become ministers in the church, they do not cease to be subjects of the state to which they belong. Every foul must be subject to the higher powers, which includes an apostle, an evangelift, or a prophet, as well as a tradesman, a gentleman, &c. Yet, by virtue of this fupremacy, the miniftring of God's word or of the facraments, is not given to princes, because they are not invested with, nor have a fovereign difpofal of, the power of orders. Let it therefore be obferved, that the power of the magistrate, when most full and abfolute, does not extend either to use themselves, or communicate to others, thofe fpiritual powers, which Chrift left only to his apostles and their fucceffors in the church: that we best shew our efteem of God's ordinance, and testify our value for the benefits of the priesthood, when we not only reverence their perfons, but devoutly attend their fpiritual administrations.

Cannot ex

ecute the

priest's of

fice.

It would be therefore the greatest piece of prefumption imaginable, to pretend to fign and feal covenants

evil mini

fters,

in God's name, without receiving any power and May punish authority from him in order thereto; as well as the highest infult to God's power, to plead that the attendance at the altar, is an exemption from the cognizance of the civil powers, And,

N 3

Now

Whofe evil

lives fhould not deter us from our du

ty.

pur

Now as to that objection, that many minifters are obnoxious for their wicked lives. It is granted: what then? Does their wickednefs void the ordinances of God? No. For though they may be bad men, yet the effect of Chrift's ordinances is not taken away by their wickedness, nor the grace of God's gifts diminished from fuch who receive the facraments rightly, and by faith, which are effectual by reason of Christ's inftitution and promise, although they be miniftred by evil men *. We may compare it to a pardon paffed by an immoral king, or a fentence pronounced by a wicked judge, which are always looked upon as valid to all intents and pofes; because their efficacy depends not upon the qualifications of those in commiffion, but upon the fovereign authority, from whence they both receive their commiffion so to do. In like manner, the advantages we receive by their miniftrations, and the relation they have to God, should still ferve fome refpect for the perfons even of bad minifters. And therefore, as long as minifters are cloathed with flesh and blood, as well as other men, we ought not to be prejudiced against religion; because some few are overcome by the follies and infirmities of mankind; but let us turn our eyes to the many remarkable inftances of piety and devotion, of charity and fobriety, eminent among the facred order: and they will rather confirm us in our holy faith; fince they, who have had the greatest opportunities to examine the grounds of religion, fhew forth the truth and excellency of it, by their holy lives, fuitable to their doctrine; confidering at the fame time, that the great difficulties and labours of their holy employment can never be fupported, nor the hazards and dangers they are expofed to fufficiently conquered, without the particular aflistance of the holy Spirit of God.

How we

muft behave

pre

But where we have a thorough information of their fcandalous lives, it is doubtlefs a better de towards fuch. monftration of chriftian zeal, to make proof of it before their lawful fuperiors; that, being found guilty, they may by juft judgment be depofed; than either

See the 26th art. of the church of England.

by

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