LVI. lufts, their interefts and advantages: there have in all SERM. ages fuch counterfeit guides started up, having debauched fome few heedlefs perfons, having erected fome Tарaσvvaywyas, or petty combinations against the regularly fettled corporations; but never with any durable fuccess or countenance of divine Providence; but like prodigious meteors, having caused a little gazing, and some disturb- Jude 13. ance, their fects have foon been diffipated, and have quite vanished away; the authors and abetters of them being either buried in oblivion, or recorded with ignominy: like that Theudas in the fpeech of Gamaliel, who rose up, A&ts v. 36. boafting himself to be fomebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves; who was flain, and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought. But let thus much fuffice to have been spoken concerning the perfons to whom obedience must be performed. SERMON LVII. OF OBEDIENCE TO OUR SPIRITUAL GUIDES SERM. I LVII. HEB. xiii. 17. Obey them that have the rule over you. PROCEED to the duty itself, the obedience prescribed, which may (according to the extent in fignification of the word Teleσ) be conceived to relate either to the government, or to the doctrine, or to the conversation of the perfons specified; implying, that we fhould obey their laws, that we should embrace their doctrine, that we should conform to their practice, according to proper limitations of fuch performance, respectively. We begin with the first, as seeming chiefly intended by the words: Obedience to ecclefiaftical government: what this doth import we may understand by confidering the terms whereby it is expreffed, and those whereby its correlate (fpiritual government) is fignified; by examples and practice relating to it, by the nature and reafon of the matter itself. Befide the word Teleσ, (which is commonly used to fignify all forts of obedience, chiefly that which is due to governors,) here is added a word ferving to explain that, the word úzeínav, which fignifieth to yield, give way, or comply; relating (as it feemeth by its being put indefinitely) to all their proceedings in matters concerning their charge. In other places, parallel to our text, it is ex 1. 1 1 Pet. v. 5, 16. preffed by únorárosody, the fame term by which con- SERM. stantly the subjection due to fecular powers, in all the LVII. precepts enjoining it, is expreffed: 'Ouoiws veureрos únотά- (Tit. iii. 1. ynte @peσbuτéposs, In like manner, (or correfpondently,) faith Rom. xiii. St. Peter, ye younger fubmit yourselves to the elder; (that i Pet. ii. is, as the context fhews, ye inferiors in the Church obey 13.) your fuperiors; ó veάregos both there and otherwhere doth Luke xxii. fignify the state of inferiority, as ó peσbúтepos importeth 26. dignity and authority.) And, únorάoσeσde Toïs Tolútis, fub- 1 Cor. xvi. mit yourselves unto fuch, and to every one that helpeth with us, and laboureth, faith St. Paul; and, άλλýλos UTотaσσó- Eph. v. 21. Evo, fubmitting yourselves to one another in the fear of' God, that is, yielding conscientiously that fubmiffion, which established order requireth from one to another : whence we may collect, that the duty confifteth in yielding fubmiffion and compliance to all laws, rules, and orders enacted by spiritual governors for the due celebration of God's worship, the promoting edification, the conserving decency, the maintenance of peace; as alfo to the judgments and cenfures in order to the fame purposes administered by them. This obedience to be due to them may likewise be inferred from the various names and titles attributed to them; fuch as thofe of Prelates, Superintendents, Paftors, Supervisors, Governors, and Leaders; which terms (more largely touched before) do imply command and authority of all forts, legislative, judicial, and executive. 1 Pet. v. 5. Such obedience alfo primitive practice doth affert to them for what authority the holy Apostles did affume and exercise, the same we may reasonably suppose derived to them; the fame in kind, although not in peculiarity of manner, (by immediate commiffion from Chrift, with fupply of extraordinary gifts and graces,) and in unlimitednefs of extent for they do fucceed to the Apoftles in Cujus in focharge and care over the Church, each in his precinct, guli partithe apoftolical office being diftributed among them all. cipes fuThe fame titles which the Apoftles affumed to themselves they afcribe to their Symprefbyters, requiring the Unit. Eccl. fame duties from them, and prefcribing obedience to lidum fin mus. Vid. Cypr, de xiii. 10. To ordain elders. To confirm 34. Tit. i. 5. 1 Cor. v. 12. xiii. 10. SERM. them in the fame terms; they claimed no more power LVII. than was needful to further edification, and this is requi2 Cor. x. 8. fite that present governors alfo fhould have; their practice in government may also well be prefumed exemplary to all future governors. As then we fee them diaтáσσav, to order things, and frame ecclefiaftical constitutions; diopdev, profelytes. To exercise to rectify things, or reform defects, to impose observances jurifdiction. necessary, or expedient to the time; to judge causes and 1 Cor. xi. perfons, being ready to avenge, or punish, every disobedience; to ufe feverity upon occafions; with the fpiritual rod to Acts xv. 28. chaftife fcandalous offenders, disorderly walkers, persons 2 Cor. x. 6. contumacious and unconformable to their injunctions; to 1 Cor. iv. reject heretics, and banish notorious finners from commu21. xii. 21. nion, warning the faithful to forbear converfation with 2 Theff. iii. them: as they did challenge to themselves an authority 6, 14. from Chrift to exercise these and the like acts of fpiritual 1 Tim. vi. 5. dominion and jurisdiction, exacting punctual obedience to Rom. xvi. them; as we also see the like acts exercised by bishops, 2 Cor. x. 8. whom they did constitute to feed and rule the Church; Epifcopi so we may reasonably conceive all governors of the Church fucceffores (the heirs of their office) invested with like authority in rum. Cypr. order to the fame purposes, and that correspondent obeEp. 27.69.dience is due to them; so that what blame, what punishEp. 41. 75. ment was due to thofe, who disobeyed the Apostles, doth (Firmil.) in proportion belong to the tranfgreffors of their duty toward the present governors of the Church; efpecially confidering that our Lord promised his perpetual presence xxviii. 20. and affiftance to the Apostles. xiii. 2. Tit. iii. 10. 17. xiii. 10. Apoftolo &c. Matt. We may farther obferve, that accordingly, in continual fucceffion from the firft ages, the good primitive bishops (the great patrons and propagators of our religion) did generally affume fuch power, and the people readily did yield obedience; wherein that one did wrongfully ufurp, the other did weakly comply, were neither probable nor juft to fuppofe: whence general tradition doth alfo confirm our obligation to this duty. That this kind of obedience is required doth also farther appear from confidering the reafon of things, the condition of the Church, the defign of Christian religion.. 1. Every Christian church is a fociety; no fociety can SERM. abide in any comely order, any fteady quiet, any defirable LVII. prosperity, without government; no government can stand without correspondent obligation to fubmit thereto. 2. Again; The state of religion under the Gospel is the kingdom of heaven; Chrift our Lord is king of the Church; it he visibly governeth and ordereth by the fpiritual governors, as his fubftitutes and lieutenants; (whence they peculiarly are styled his minifters, his officers, his ftewards, his legates, his co-workers.) When he ascending up to God's right hand was invested with entire poffeffion of that royal ftate, he fettled them to administer affairs concerning that government in his place and name : Afcending up on high he gave gifts unto men.-He gave Eph. iv. 8, fome apofiles, fome prophets, fome evangelifts, fome paftors 11, 12. and teachers: he gave them, that is, he appointed them in their office, fubordinate to himself, for the perfecting of the faints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Chrift. As to him, therefore, ruling by them, by them enacting laws, difpenfing justice, maintaining order and peace, obedience is due. 3. Again; For the honour of God, the commendation (1 Cor. xiv. of religion, and benefit of the people, it is needful, that 23: Tit. ii. 10.) in all religious performances things fhould, according to St. Paul's rule, be performed decently, and according to 1 Cor. xiv. order, without unhandfome confufion, and troublesome 40. diftraction: this cannot be accomplished without a determination of perfons, of modes, of circumftances appertaining to those performances; (for how can any thing be performed decently, if every person hath not his rank and station, his office and work allotted to him; if to every thing to be done, its time, its place, its manner of performance be not affigned, fo that each one may know what, when, where, and how he muft do?) Such determination must be committed to the difcretion and care of some perfons, empowered to frame standing laws or rules concerning it, and to fee them duly executed; (for all perfons without delay, ftrife, confusion, and disturbance, cannot meddle in it:) with these persons all the rest of the |