2 Tim. ii. 4.

SERM. judgments of men, disposing them to accommodate their couLIX. ceits to the maxims of worldly policy, or to the vulgar apprehensions of men, many of which are false and base: by such abstraction of mind from worldly affairs, together with fastening their meditation on the best things (which their calling necessarily doth put them upon) more than is usual to other men, they commonly get principles and habits of simplicity and integrity, which qualify men both to discern truth better, and more faithfully to declare it.

Seeing then in every faculty the advice of the skilful is to be regarded, and is usually relied upon; and in other affairs of greatest importance we scruple not to proceed so; seeing we commit our life and health (which are most precious to us) to the physician, observing his prescriptions commonly without any reason, sometimes against our own sense; we intrust our estate, which is so dear, with the lawyer, not contesting his advice; we put our goods and safety into the hands of a pilot, sleeping securely whilst he steereth us as he thinketh fit: seeing in many such occasions of common life we advisedly do renounce or wave our own opinions, absolutely yielding to the direction of others, taking their authority for a better argument or ground of action than any which our conceit or a bare consideration of the matter can suggest to us; admitting this maxim for good, that it is a more advisable and safe course in matters of consequence to follow the judgment of wiser men than to adhere to our own apprehensions a: seeing it is not wisdom (as every man thinks) in a doubtful case to act upon disadvantage, or to venture upon odds against himself, and it is plainly doing thus to act upon our own opinion against the judg ment of those who are more improved in the way, or better studied in the point than ourselves; seeing in other

2 ὃν ἂν ἡγήσωνται περὶ τὰ συμφέροντα ἑαυτοῖς φρονιμώτερον ἑαυτῶν εἶναι, τούτῳ ἄνθρωποι ὑπερηδέως πείθονται. Xen. Pad. 1.

Ἐν μὲν τῷ πλεῖν πείθεσθαι δεῖ τῷ κυβερνήτῃ, ἐν δὲ τῷ ζῆν τῷ λογίζεσθαι δυναμένω B. Aristonymus apud Stob. tom. ii. tit. 3.

LIX.

cases these are the common approved apprehensions and SERM. practices; and seeing in this case there is plainly the same reason, for that there are difficulties and intricacies in this no less than in other faculties, which need good skill to resolve them; for that in these matters we may easily slip, and by error may incur huge danger and damage: why then should we not here take the same course, following (when no other clearer light, or prevalent reason occurreth) the conduct and advice of our more skilful guides? especially considering, that, beside ordinary, natural, and acquired advantages, they have other supernatural both obligations to the well discharging this duty, and assistances toward it: For,

Acts xiii. 2.

1 Cor. xii.

2. We may consider, that they are by God appointed and empowered to instruct and guide us: it is their special office, not assumed by themselves, or constituted by human prudence, but ordained and settled by divine wisdom for our edification in knowledge, and direction in practice b: they are God's messengers, purposely sent by him, selected and separated by his instinct for this work: they are by him Rom. x. 15. given for the perfecting of the saints, and edifying the body Eph. iv. 11, of Christ: it is by God's warrant, and in his name that 12. they speak; which giveth especial weight to their words, and no mean ground of assurance to us in relying upon 1 Tim. i. them for who is more likely to know God's mind and will, Tit. i 3. who may be presumed more faithful in declaring them, than 1 Thess. ii. God's own officers and agents? those whose great duty, whose main concernment it is to speak not their own sense, but the word of God? They are God's mouth, by whom alone ordinarily he expresseth his mind and pleasure; by whom he entreateth us to be reconciled in heart and practice 2 Cor. v. to him: what they say therefore is to be received as God's 20. word, except plain reason upon due examination do forbid.

If they by office are teachers, or masters in doctrine, then we answerably must in obligation be disciples, which

Jer. iii. 15. I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding. Cypr. Ep. 55.

11, 12. ii. 7.

4.

SERM. implies admitting their doctrine and proficiency in knowLIX. ledge thereby if they are appointed shepherds, then must we be their sheep, to be led and fed by them; if they are God's messengers, we must yield some credence, and embrace the message uttered by them; so the Prophet telleth Mal. ii. 7. us: The priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Deut. xvii. Lord of hosts: so the law of old enjoined ;—According to the sentence of the law which they shall teach thee, and according to the judgment which they shall tell thee, thou shalt do; thou shalt not decline from the sentence which they shall shew thee, to the right hand nor to the left: so our Lord Matt. xxiii. also, in regard to the Scribes and Pharisees, saith, The Scribes

11.

2, 3.

(Ezek.

and Pharisees sit in Moses's chair: all therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; upon account of their office, whatever they direct to (not repugnant to the xxxiv. 16.) divine law) was to be observed by the people; and surely in doubtful cases, when upon competent inquiry no clear light offereth itself, it cannot be very dangerous to follow their guidance whom God hath appointed and authorized to lead us; if we err doing so, we err wisely in the way of our duty, and so no great blame will attend our error.

1 Pet. iv. 10.

3. We may consider that our guides as such have special assistance from God; to every vocation God's aid is congruously afforded; but to this (the principal of all others, the most important, most nearly related to God, and most peculiarly tending to his service) it is in a special manner most assuredly and plentifully imparted.

They are stewards of God's various grace; and they who dispense grace to others cannot want it themselves: 1 Cor. iii. 9. they are co-operators with God, and God consequently doth Cor. iii. 5. co-operate with them; it is God who doth izavou, render them sufficient to be ministers of the New Testament; and 1 Cor. xv. they minister of the ability which God supplieth; every

Phil. ii 13. 1 Pet iv. 11.

10.

Eph. iv. 11,

spiritual labourer is obliged to say with St. Paul, By the grace of God. I am what I am-I have laboured, yet not I, but the grace of God, which was with me.

God's having given them, as St. Paul saith, to the

Church, doth imply that God hath endowed them with SERM. special ability, and furthereth them (in their conscionable LIX. discharge of their ministry) with aid requisite to the de-1 Cor. xii. signs of perfecting the saints, and edifying the body in 28. knowledge, in virtue, in piety.

As the Holy Ghost doth constitute them in their charge, (according to that of St. Paul in the Acts, Take heed unto Acts xx. 28. yourselves, and to all the flock, over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers,) so questionless he doth enable and assist them in administering their function. There is

14.

a gift (of spiritual ability and divine succour) imparted 1 Tim. iv. by their consecration to this office, with the laying on 2 Tim. i. 6. the hands of the presbytery, joined with humble supplications for them, and solemn benedictions in God's name upon them. The divine Spirit, which distributeth, as he seeth good, unto every member of the Church needful supplies of grace, doth bestow on them in competent measure the word 1 Cor. xii. of wisdom and the word of knowledge requisite for their employment.

7, &c.

Eph. iv. 16.
Rom. xii.

5, 6.

God of old did in extraordinary ways visibly communicate his Spirit unto his prophets and agents: the same he did liberally pour out upon the Apostles, and first planters of the Gospel; the same questionless he hath not withdrawn from those, who under the evangelical dispensation (which is peculiarly the ministration of the Spirit, unto which the 2 Cor. iii. 8. aid of God's Spirit is most proper and most needful) do still by a settled ministry supply the room of those extraordinary ministers; but imparteth it to them in a way although more ordinary and occult, yet no less real and effectual, according to proportions answerable to the exigencies of need and occasion; and by the influence hereof upon the pastors of his Church it is, that our Lord accomplisheth his promise to be with it until the end of the world.

Matt.

xxviii. 20.

Clavis scientia, the key of knowledge spiritual, is one of Luke xi. those keys which he hath given to them, whereby they are 52. enabled to open the kingdom of heaven.

Great reason therefore we have to place an especial confidence in their direction; for whom can we more safely

SERM. follow than those whom (upon such grounds of divine deLIX. clarations and promises) we may hope that God doth guide;

so that consequently in following them we do in effect follow God himself? He that heareth you heareth me, might be said, not only because of their relation unto Christ; but because their word proceedeth from his inspiration, being no other than his mind conveyed through their mouth.

4. We may also for our encouragement to confide in our guides consider, that they are themselves deeply concerned in our being rightly guided; their present comfort, their salvation hereafter depending upon the faithful and careful discharge of their duty herein: they must render an account for it; so that if by their wilful or negligent miscarriage we do fall into dangerous error or sin, they do thence not only forfeit rich and glorious rewards, (assigned to those who turn many unto righteousness,) but incur woful punishment; this doth assure their integrity, and render our confidence in them very reasonable: for as we may safely trust a pilot who hath no less interest than ourselves in the safe conveyance of the vessel to port; so may we reasonably confide in their advice whose salvation is adventured with ours in the same bottom, or rather is wrapped up and carried in ours: it is not probable they will (at least designedly) misguide us to their own extreme damage, to their Ezek. iii. utter ruin; if they do not warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, God hath said that he will require his blood at their hands; and is it likely they wittingly should run such a hazard, that they should purposely cast away the souls for which they are so certainly accountable? it is our Apostle's enforcement of the precept in our text; Obey them that guide you; for they watch for your souls as they that must give an account: which argumentation is not only grounded upon the obligations of ingenuity and gratitude, but also upon considerations of discretion and interests; we should obey our guides in equity and honesty; we may do it advisedly, because they, in regard to their own accounts at the final judgment, are obliged to be careful for the good of our souls.

18. xxxiii. 2, 8.