Obey them that have the rule over you. The word that's 1rendered Rule over you, in the seventh and seven-teenth verses, signifies Captains, Guides: Faithful Ministers are your Captains, they are your Guides, they are your Chieftains, they are your Champions that bear the brunt of the Battle, the heat of the day, and therefore you must obey them, even as Soldiers do their Captains. So in 2 Thess. 3. 14. And if any man obey not our words, note that man, and have no company with him. Brand him as infamous, beware of him, let him see a strangeness in you towards him, that all may avoid him, as one whose company is dangerous, and infectious. Ah Christians! by your submission to their doctrine, you highly honour them, and you make their heavy task to be easy and sweet unto them. Christians, it will be your honour and happiness in the day of Christ, that you have lived out what they have made out to you. I suppose you remember that happiness is not entailed to hearing, or knowing, or talking, 2but to doing, If you know these things, blessed and happy are you, if you do them. There are some diseases that are called 3(Opprobria Medicorum) the reproaches of Physicians; and there are some people that may be truly called (Opprobria Ministrarum) the reproach of Ministers, and those are they that are great hearers, and talkers, and admirers of Ministers, but never obey the doctrines delivered by them. The Corinthians were Paul's honour, they were his living Epistles, they were his walking Certificates, they were his Letters testimonial, 2 Cor. 3. 2, 3. The obedience and fruitfulness of the people, is the Ministers testimonial, as the profiting of the Scholar is the Masters commendations. Oh what an honour is it to a Minister, when it shall be said of him, as one said ⟨p. 324⟩of Octavius, When he came into Rome he found the walls all of base materials, but he left them walls of Marble. So, here's a Minister that found the people dark and blind, but left them enlightened; he found them dead, but left them alive; he found them a proud people, but hath left them humble; a profane people, but hath left them holy; a carnal people, but hath left them spiritual; a worldly people, but hath left them heavenly; a wavering people, but hath left them settled and rooted, &c. No honour to a faithful Minister, like this. And thus you see what honour is due unto them, &c.
Obey them that have the rule over you. The word that's 1rendred Rule over you, in the seventh and seven-teenth verses, signifies Captaines, Guides: Faithfull Ministers are your Captaines, they are your Guides, they are your Chieftaines, they are your Champions that bear the brunt of the Battel, the heat of the day, and therefore you must obey them, even as Souldiers doe their Captaines. So in 2 Thess. 3. 14. And if any man obey not our words, note that man, and have no company with him. Brand him as infamous, beware of him, let him see a strangenesse in you towards him, that all may avoid him, as one whose company is dangerous, and infectious. Ah Christians! by your submission to their doctrine, you highly honour them, and you make their heavy task to be easie and sweet unto them. Christians, it will be your honour and happinesse in the day of Christ, that you have liv'd out what they have made out to you. I suppose you remember that happinesse is not intail'd to hearing, or knowing, or talking, 2but to doing, If you know these things, blessed and happy are you, if you doe them. There are some diseases that are call'd 3(Opprobria Medicorum) the reproaches of Physitians; and there are some people that may be truly call'd (Opprobria Ministrarum) the reproach of Ministers, and those are they that are great hearers, and talkers, and admirers of Ministers, but never obey the doctrines delivered by them. The Corinthians were Paul's honour, they were his living Epistles, they were his walking Certificates, they were his Letters testimoniall, 2 Cor. 3. 2, 3. The obedience and fruitfulnesse of the people, is the Ministers testimoniall, as the profiting of the Scholar is the Masters commendations. Oh what an honour is it to a Minister, when it shall be said of him, as one said ⟨p. 324⟩of Octavius, When he came into Rome he found the walls all of base materialls, but he left them walls of Marble. So, here's a Minister that found the people dark and blind, but left them inlightned; he found them dead, but left them alive; he found them a proud people, but hath left them humble; a prophane people, but hath left them holy; a carnall people, but hath left them spirituall; a worldly people, but hath left them heavenly; a wavering people, but hath left them settled and rooted, &c. No honour to a faithfull Minister, like this. And thus you see what honour is due unto them, &c.
- 1[Greek or Hebrew].〈non-Latin alphabet〉.
- 2John 13. 17.
- 3There is no fear of know••g too much, but there is much fear and danger of practising too little. I fear, with St. Augustine, That many grieve more for the bar•nnesse of their Lands, then for the barrenness• of their lives. The more the Cypress is •atered, the more it is withered. Oh that it were not so with many in these days!There is no fear of know••g too much, but there is much feare and danger of practising too little. I feare, with St. Augustine, That many grieve more for the bar•nnesse of their Lands, then for the barrenness• of their lives. The more the Cypresse is •atered, the more it is withered. Oh that it were not so with many in these dayes!
