First, Honourable Countenance is due to them that are in so honourable a place and Office as they are in, 1 Cor. 14. 1. Let a man so account of us, as of the *Ministers of Christ, and Stewards of the Mysteries of God. 1 Thess. 5. 12, 13. And we beseech you brethren to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you: And to esteem them very highly in love for their work sake: Or, To esteem them more then exceedingly, or, more then abundantly, 2as the Greek will bear. And so in 1 Tim. 5. 17. Let the Elders that rule well be accounted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine. The Greek 3word that is here rendered Labour, signifies not simply ([Greek or Hebrew]) to labour, but to labour with much travel and toil, to labour even to lassitude, as he doth that cleaveth wood, or that toileth in harvest, or that goeth a warfare. Preaching is a 4most painful work, and enfeebleth a man exceedingly, whence the Prophet cries out, My leanness, my leanness, Isa. 24. 16. ⟨p. 320⟩No pains, no labour, no work to that of the brain, to that of the mind, nor none so worthy of praise, as those that are most in that labour, in that work. No mens work is so holy and heavenly, as theirs, nor no mens work is so high and honourable, as theirs, and therefore none deserve to be more honoured, then they, though not for their own sakes, yet for their works sake. Shall Turks and Papists so highly esteem and honour every hedge-Priest of theirs, above their merits? And shall not Christians much more honour their faithful Ministers? Faithful Ministers must have countenance, as well as maintenance, they must have reverence as well as recompense: You are not to nod the head, and put out the lip, to scoff, and mock, and jeer at them, Gal. 4. 14. And my temptation which was in my flesh, ye despised not, nor rejected, but received me as an Angel of God, even as Christ Jesus. When Ehud told the King of Moab, I have a Message to thee from God, O King, he rose from his Throne, and bowed himself, Judg. 3. 20. Isa. 52. 7. How beautiful upon the Mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace, that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation, that saith unto Zion, thy God reigneth.
First, Honourable Countenance is due to them that are in so honourable a place and Office as they are in, 1 Cor. 14. 1. Let a man so account of us, as of the *Ministers of Christ, and Stewards of the Mysteries of God. 1 Thess. 5. 12, 13. And we beseech you brethren to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you: And to esteeme them very highly in love for their worke sake: Or, To esteeme them more then exceedingly, or, more then abundantly, 2as the Greek will bear. And so in 1 Tim. 5. 17. Let the Elders that rule well be accounted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine. The Greek 3word that is here rendred Labour, signifies not simply (〈non-Latin alphabet〉) to labour, but to labour with much travel and toyle, to labour even to lassitude, as he doth that cleaveth wood, or that toileth in harvest, or that goeth a warfare. Preaching is a 4most painfull work, and enfeebleth a man exceedingly, whence the Prophet cryes out, My leannesse, my leannesse, Isa. 24. 16. ⟨p. 320⟩No paines, no labour, no work to that of the braine, to that of the mind, nor none so worthy of praise, as those that are most in that labour, in that work. No mens work is so holy and heavenly, as theirs, nor no mens work is so high and honourable, as theirs, and therefore none deserve to be more honoured, then they, though not for their owne sakes, yet for their works sake. Shall Turks and Papists so highly esteem and honour every hedge-Priest of theirs, above their merits? And shall not Christians much more honour their faithfull Ministers? Faithfull Ministers must have countenance, as well as maintenance, they must have reverence as well as recompence: You are not to nodd the head, and put out the lip, to scoffe, and mock, and jeere at them, Gal. 4. 14
- *[Greek or Hebrew] Under-rowers to Christ the Master-Pilot, helping forward the ship of the Church to the haven of Heaven.〈non-Latin alphabet〉 Under-rowers to Christ the Master-Pilot, helping forward the ship of the Church to the haven of Heaven.
- 2[Greek or Hebrew].〈non-Latin alphabet〉.
- 3[Greek or Hebrew].〈non-Latin alphabet〉.
- 4Our Saviour at little pa•t thirty, was •eckoned by the Jews to be towards fifty, John 8. 57. he had so spent himself in preaching. Preaching is a spending painful workOur Saviour at little pa•t •hirty, was •eckoned by the Jewes to be towards fifty, John 8. 57. he had so spent himself in preaching. Preaching is a spending painfull work
