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
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
Graces and for all the Flelp and Assistance you had by their Doctrioe and Example while they lived and for all the Goodness and Grace of God towards them in enabling them to do or suffer his Will with their Supports Perseverance Assistances Encouragements and Victory Remember them so as to bewail your Loss and lay to Heart their Removal Remember how much more you ought to have valued their Ministry and how much better you might have improved it the very thoughts of what you would do if God would again have tryed you in that kind might herein be your Help Remember what Counsels what Warnings and Reproofs what Encouragements and Consolations you have ever had by their means Remember with what an Awe of god they were wont to Pray with what a Zeal for Christ and Love to Souls they did use to Preach with what humble Condescension Meekness and Charity and unblameable Conversation they lived in this World REMEMBER them in your Thoughts and Affections and in your Words and Actions so as on all fit Occasions to express your Love to their Memory Be ready to shew that you do not forget them by your continued Respects and Kindness to the Living for the sake of the Dead I mean the many despised Widows and Fatherless Children of Worthy Ministers Think often of them how God honoured them to bring many Souls to Christ and to build up Others How successfully they managed and comfortably finished their Work Think what and where they now are what they are delivered from what they enjoy how they are employed c. Don't be afraid to think often of your Deceased Ministers and Friends 'T is a plain Duty and a help to many Duties to have our Conversation in Heaven with Christ and the Spirits of Just Men made perfect To think of our Holy Relations and Acquaintance and especially Ministers who are got safe to Heaven It may assist and animate us in our Spiritual Warfare And much of the Comfort of the Life of Faith depends upon it They are part of the Family of Christ to which we are adjoined if by Faith we are united to him Heb. XII 22 23. We have no reason to believe that they Forget us whom they have left behind and certainly there is none why we should Forget them Let us remember them with Pleasure Honour and Love and speak of them with Respect and Gratitude CAN we think with Pleasure of such a Friend or Minister of such an Acquaintance or Relation whom we tenderly love that is many Miles distant from us here upon Earth and shall we be unmindful of those who are in Heaven It should be a Complacential Thought to consider that such a Father or Grand-father such a Husband or Wife such a Child or Brother of yours or mine are now with Christ in the Bosom of his Love in glory That such a Minister of Christ who was my Spiritual Father or by whom I was edified strengthened or comforted for many Years hath overcome and is at Rest has fought the good Fight and finished his Course While we are following after they have attained While we are in Tears and Conflicts they are in Joy and Glory While we are waiting at the door they are entered within the Vail 'T is our Duty to Remember them And 2. TO Follow their Faith that is the Doctrine they preached believed professed and obeyed or their found Doctrine and Practical Godliness Or their Faith may be considered as regarding Doctrines to be believed and professed Promises to be embraced and depended on and Precepts to be obeyed Such a Faith as realized the other World to them and help'd to crucifie them unto this Such a Faith as was the Evidence of things unseen whereby they were enabled to walk in Self-denyal Patience and stedfast Obedience 'till they came to the End of their Faith and Hope In short we must follow them as holding the Mystery of Faith in a pure Conscience and expressing the Power of it in a fruitful Conversation YOU see in what it is your Deceased and Holy Friends and Ministers are to be followed it is in their Faith and in the Principal Actings and Fruits of it so far as they kept The Example of Christ in their Eye and followed him for no farther does the Apostle require it 1 Cor. XI 1. the Pattern of Christ is propos'd for Imitation in all Ages of the Church We are no less obliged to it than the Apostle who prays for the Philippians that the same Mind might be in them that was in Christ Phil. 11.5 And therefore have we boldness in the day of Judgment says another Apostle because We are in the World as he was in it 1 John IV. 17. OUR Lord is the only Infallible and Supream Pattern whom tho' we cannot follow in his Miracles and Merits and what was peculiar to him as Mediator yet hath he set us an Example that we should tread in his steps in Obedience to his Father in Zeal for his Glory in Submission to his Will in Patience under Suffering c. He gave us an Example of Subjection to Parents Obedience to Magistrates Painfulness in Preaching Frequency in praying and in going up and down the World doing good in Forgiving Enemies in Charity to all Men c. AS to all other Examples tho' there may be some things Imitable there are others wherein we should be cautioned not to do the like as in Noah and Lot David and Solomon c. Even St. Peter was a Rock and an Excellent Apostle but we should split upon that Rock if we should follow him in all his ways If we follow him into the High Priests Hall if we imitate him in making bold with Temptation instead of following Christ we may be brought to deny him Therefore St. Paul expresly cautions us how far we are to follow his Example Phil. IV. 8. Finally my Brethren whatsoever things are honest just pure lovely of good report if they have any vertue any praise think of these things which you have both learned and received and heard and seen in me do these things and the God of peace shall be with you HOWEVER granting the Life of Christ only be a perfect Copy yet the good Examples of our Brethren and Fellow-Christians are a merciful Help and Assistance to us in the way to Heaven We see by their Faith and Patience that our Duty is practicable That they who dwelt in such Bodies as we and were surrounded with the like Temptations and had as many Hindrances and Difficulties and no more or better Assistance or Encouragement than we have yet been enabled to please and glorifie God and are got safe to Glory We are not the Forelorn Hope not the first Assailors in the Spiritual Warfare we are not set in the Front of the Battle many of our Fellow Christians have lived and dyed in the Faith have overcome the World the Flesh and the Devil in that very way that we are
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