WE are, this Day, to solem­nize the Funeral of a good and faithful Ser­vant of Jesus Christ, who is now [Page 2] entred into the Joy of his Lord. Wise he was, and skilful in turning many to Righteousness; and now (as we have good ground to believe) he shineth as the Brightness of the Firmament. He is now no more in the Land of the Living: and many they are, who will find him wanting. One of the Pillars is re­moved out of the Temple of God upon Earth ^a. The Ministers of Christ, in and about this City, will quickly be sensible that there is one of the Watch-men taken away. His desolate Family is full of La­mentation, because the Covering thereof will no more overshadow it. Some weep for the loss of their Spiritual Father, who begat them to Christ through the Gospel: O­thers [Page 3] miss their Nourisher, who was wont to give them their por­tion of Meat in due season. And as for my self, I am deprived of a Brother greatly honoured and be­loved by me, whom I always found an helpful and concordant Fellow-Labourer in the Work of the Go­spel. On all hands, there are those who recount their Loss; but to him to die is gain, for he is departed and gone to Christ, which is best of all.

I need to say no more touching the special Occasion of this Meet­ing, as being known to you all, as ye declare by your coming hither in greater Numbers than usual. But it is likely that some will be disappointed of their Expectation: for I suppose, that several came to hear an eminent Servant of God, [Page 4] who is richly furnished with all Kinds of Ministerial Abilities; whereas they now find, that the Providence of God hath laid this Service upon one who is destitute of those Accomplishments: never­theless, I shall endeavour, through the Help of Christ, to speak the Words of Truth and Soberness.

And that ye may know before­hand, what Subject is provided for your Attention, (and so your Thoughts will be the better fix­ed) I shall let you understand, that my Design is to set before you the rough Draught, or Representation of a good Minister of Jesus Christ, as the Apostle stiles him, 1 Tim. 4. 6. And I think my Choice will be for your Edification: For while I describe such an one, I shall but hold up to your View a Glass or [Page 5] Mirror, wherein ye may behold the reflected Portraicture of our deceased Brother. And when ye maturely consider his Idea, ye cannot but find your Thoughts running into such Issues as these; He was lately with us; and did we then understand what a Jewel we possessed? He is now taken a­way, and are we duly apprehen­sive of our Loss? It is a common Instance of our Infirmity, and In­advertency, that we seldom prize Mercies according to their proper Worth, Excellency and Usefulness, until we have lost them; and then it is usual to hear Men breathing out Job's Lamentation, O that I were as in Months past. Let us then become so wise, as thank­fully and faithfully to improve pre­sent Blessings and Advantages, lest [Page 6] our Saviour's Minatory Prediction overtake us; The days will come when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and shall not see it. ^b

And now, I shall, without far­ther prefacing, apply my self to handle the Words which I read to you. They are directed to Timothy in a way of Admonition or Ad­vice; Study to shew thy self approved unto God.—But when ye thorow­ly ponder them, ye may perceive, that in them is contained the De­lineation of a good Minister of Je­sus Christ, and that drawn by the skilful Hand of the Apostle Paul, as it was held and guided by the Holy Ghost himself. But, in fra­ming his Character, he thought it [Page 7] not enough to shew himself alone; or by himself: For he placeth near him the Image or Picture of a wor­dy, proud and wrangling Pretender. Thus, in one Frame, ye often be­hold the Picture of a beautiful Person, with a deformed Negro or ugly Satyr standing by him: For Contraries illustrate one another. In the Canticles, the Church of Christ is represented as the fairest among VVoman, but it is placed as a Lilly among Thorns ^c. The like Course doth the Apostle take here. He sets forth a good Mi­nister of Jesus Christ in very live­ly Colours; and withal, he depaints a vain-glorious, contentious Sophi­ster. Neither can we well read the Text, but our Eye will glance [Page 8] upon the Words which immedi­ately go before it, and those that follow after it, In which he dis­covers a bad Minister; that when we compare him with a good one, and are made sensible of the Contrariety that is between them, we may cleave to the one, and relinquish the other. The Defor­mities and malignant Qualities of a bad Minister, are laid open in the 14th and 16th Verses: the Sum whereof is this; That a bad Minister is one who strives about VVords to no profit, but to the sub­verting of the Hearers: and he is one, whose Art and Occupation lies in prophane and vain Bablings, which tend to the increase of more Ungodliness. We must then allow a little of our time to search out his Marks and Properties, though [Page 9] very cursorily. And if ye well observe him, he will quickly dis­cover his Spirit and Temper; for he is a Man of Heat, ready to strive; but not apt to teach. He hath a Torrent of Words, but they are empty and insignificant. ^d He is all Tempest and Whirl­wind, to rend and tear in pieces; but he is a Stranger to the Things that make for Peace. But the Ser­vant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all Men, apt to teach, patient: In Meekness in­structing those that oppose them­selves; if God peradventure will give them Repentance to the ac­knowledging of the Truth ^e. The contentious Wrangler is one who will dispute every thing to the [Page 10] shaking of the very Foundations of Religion, but would have no­thing settled or determined. It was the grave Aphorism of a Person of great Experience among us, That the Itch of Disputing, bred the Scab in the Church ^f. It must needs be very grievous to such as love Truth and Peace, to see so many Volumes of Con­troversal Writings, in which the contending Parties do asperse and damn one another; and yet when the Matter in debate is calm­ly stated, it will appear, in se­veral Instances, that it is only a Strife about Words ^g that fills up a great part of the Wran­gle. [Page 11] And therefore, did we at­tend unto that which the Apo­stle here declares, we might find enough to make a sober Person to be for ever out of love with all hot and furious Contentions; for he fixeth two black and dis­graceful Blots upon them: 1. That these strifes about VVords are un­profitable: They have in them [...]: They have nothing in them that may make a Man wiser or better. And to dispa­rage them the more, he adds, Titus 3. 9. That they are unpro­fitable and vain ^h. Every dis­creet Person before he engage in any Undertaking of consequence, will deliberate and consider: Cui bono? What Advantage or Be­nefit [Page 12] is to be expected? It is a very serious Question, and fit to be propounded to many Dispu­ters; To what End do they pester the Church of God with their needless, unprofitable and vain Controversies, and thereby disorder themselves, and disturb others? Whatsoever doth not e­dify, is without the Compass of the Charge and Employment of a good Minister of Jesus Christ. He hath Work enough to do a­bout things necessary and pro­fitable. 'Tis possible, that some other things may be lawful; yet if they be not expedient, if they do not edify, he may let them alone, and not meddle with them ^*. [Page 13] I could heartily wish, that the Apostolical Canon were better ob­served by us all, 1 Cor. 14. 26. Let all things be done to edifying.

2. Though it might be suffi­cient to caution us against Strifes about Words, to tell us, That they are unprofitable and vain; yet, to beget in us a greater Aversa­tion to them, the Apostle adds. That they are very mischievous; for they subvert the Hearers, and will increase to more Ungodliness. The Work of a good Minister of Jesus Christ, is to build up his Hearers in Knowledg, Faith, Ho­liness and Comfort; and to that end, to nourish them with the sound Doctrine of the Grace of God: Acts 20. 32. And now, Bre­thren, I commend you to God, and to the VVord of his Grace, which [Page 14] is able to build you up:—They are then the Ministers of Satan; who make it their business to sub­vert their Hearers; To turn them upside down; as the Word sig­nifies, Matth. 21. 12. And over­threw the Tables of the Money-Changers ⁱ. Satan is half sure to make a Prey of such as he hath so unsetled, as that they have no stable Foundation to bot­tom upon. VVhen Men become Scepticks in the Essentials of Re­ligion, they are in the next Dis­position to become Atheists: And such Instruments of Satan as will serve him to subvert their Hear­ers, will also lend him their Help aedificare in Gehennam, to build [Page 15] them up for Hell; and the effectu­al way to do so, is for them to deride and ridicule all serious God­liness, and to flatter or harden Men in their vicious Courses; and then ye may be sure they will be good (or rather bad) Pro­ficients in the School of the De­vil, for they grow worse and worse ^k. In brief; It is the Devil who is the greatest Gainer by unprofita­ble Sermons and furious Conten­tions. For, by them, the Spirits of Men are exasperated, the se­cure Sinners are hardened, Cha­rity is expelled, Divisions are per­petuated, edifying Doctrine is ex­cluded, and every evil Work be­friended: For where Envying and [Page 16] Strife are maintained, there will be Confusion and every evil VVork ^l.

Having said so much of the bad Minister, whom we could not but take notice of, the Apostle point­ing him out to us, we shall dis­miss him, and commend to you the Apostle's Admonition; 2 Tim. 3. 5. Having a Form of Godliness; but denying the Power thereof; from such turn away.

And now we shall prosecute the fair and amiable Character of a good Minister of Jesus Christ, as the Apostle here lays it before Timo­thy for his Imitation; q. d. O my Son Timothy, be not thou like un­to those Affecters of Vain-glory [Page 17] and Applause, who (by Wit and Sophistry) will undertake to prove and disprove, whatsoever their Humour or Interest shall prompt them unto. Their Words may be copious, and well pla­ced; their Periods handsom, and of an artificial Composure: But what will all this advantage the Doctrine which is according to God­liness? Nay, you may be sure, their frivolous Disputes and fiery Contentions, will obstruct it. Therefore do thou (O Man of God) bid defiance to Pride and Passion; And do thou follow af­ter Righteousness Godliness, Faith, Love, Patience, Meekness ^m: Give Attendance to Reading, to [Page 18] Exhortation, to Doctrine. Take heed to thy self, and to thy Doctrine, continue in them; for in doing this, thou shalt both save thy self, and them that hear thee ⁿ: And (to sum up all) study to shew thy self approved unto God, a Work-man that need not be ashamed, rightly dividing the VVord of Truth. If thou observe these things, thou shalt be a good Minister of Jesus Christ ^o.

That ye may, then, have a more clear and distinct View of such an excellent Person, as the Apostle here delineates, I shall endeavour to represent him in his several graceful Properties, as [Page 19] they are laid before us in the Text, e. gr.

1. A good Minister of Jesus Christ, is one who is very studi­ous and industrious: One that sin­cerely designs, and sedulously en­deavours, with Fidelity, to dis­charge that Trust which is re­posed in him by God. And he that doth so, may be confident of his Assistance and Blessing in his Work. 1 Tim. 1. 12. I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the Mini­stry. This Property of a good Minister, may be extracted out of that Monitory Word which the Apostle here makes use of ^p; [Page 20] and is by our Translation render'd Study; by the vulgar Latin, Be very careful ^q: by another, (having an eye to the Primi­tive Theme) Make haste ^r. We may take in all, and then the Sense will be more pregnant, q. d. Lose no time, but presently set about, and effectually bestir thy self in the Execution of thy Ministerial Office and Duty. Excite, and preserve in thy self, such an active and vigorous Frame of Spirit, as stands in opposition to Slothful­ness. Rom. 12. 11. Not slothful in Business, fervent in Spirit, ser­ving the Lord ^s. From hence [Page 21] we may conclude, Of all Persons in the VVorld, the good Ministers of Jesus Christ should not be idle or slothful, but studious and indu­strious in their proper VVork, and persist therein with Alacrity, Acti­vity, and Constancy.

The Reasons that may prevail with them, and engage them here­to, are many and weighty; e. gr.

1st. They should be furnished with a more than vulgar Measure of sacred Knowledg, in the Do­ctrines and Mysteries of the Go­spel, that they may declare the whole Counsel to the Edificati­on of his Church. Moreover, they are set for the Defence of the Gospel ^t: and should endeavour [Page 22] to be able, by sound Doctrine, to exhort, and convince the Gain-say­ers, and to stop their Meuths ^u. Now, most evident it is, that they who desire to be meetly qualified for such Undertakings, must give Attendance to Reading: They must meditate on these things, and give themselves wholly to them, that their Profiting may appear to all. It would be a great Reproach to Teachers of the Gospel, to be like those Teachers of the Law, whom the Apostle derides, 1 Tim. 1. 7. Desiring to be Teachers of the Law, yet understand neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm. What think ye then will become of the [Page 23] Lazy and Slothful, when the most Studious and Industrious, out of a deep Sense of their own Imper­fections, cry out, And who is suf­ficient for these things?

2. A good Minister of Jesus Christ, will feel himself obliged to be studious and industrious, when he reflects upon that blessed Work, wherein his Employment lies, The Conversion and Salvation of pre­cious immortal Souls; which or­dinarily, are much concerned in his Sedulity and Fidelity. For though God doth confer his Grace, according to his own Soveraign Will and Pleasure; for it is not of him that willeth, or of him that run­neth, but of God that sheweth Mercy ^x; [Page 24] and he may choose the foolish Things of the World to confound the Wise; yet Ministers cannot in Faith, expect that God should give the Increase, unless, on their part, there be Planting and Wa­tering ^y: and that not in a re­miss, or unconcerned Manner, but according to the Apostle's Exam­ple; Col. 1. 28, 29. VVhom we preach, warning every Man, and teaching every Man in all Wisdom, that we may present every Man per­fect in Christ Jesus: Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his VVorking, which worketh in me mightily.

3. The good Minister of Jesus Christ will see cause enough that [Page 25] he should be studious and industri­ous, when his Heart is under due Impressions of that tremendous Ac­count which he must give to Je­sus Christ. For such a time will certainly come. The Charge which the Apostle gives is terrible as a Clap of Thunder; 2 Tim. 4. 1, 2. I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judg the Quick and the Dead, at his Ap­pearing, and his Kingdom; Preach the VVord, be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all Long suffering and Doctrine. The Negligent will then find, that all Excuses and Evasions will be rejected and despised. It will a­vail nothing to plead, That their other Businesses or Diversions were so many, that they had neither Time nor Inclination to study or [Page 26] preach the Gospel: for no Pre­tensions could secure the unprofi­table, slothful Servant, from fal­ling under that dreadful Sentence, Take the Talent from him:—Cast the unprofitable Servant into outer Darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of Teeth ^z.

This may suffice to have been spoken touching the first Proper­ty of a good Minister of Jesus Christ. He is one that is studi­ous and industrious; that hastens to his Work with Alacrity, and persists in it with Constancy.

2dly. The second Property of a good Minister of Jesus Christ, is, [Page 27] That he is one who chooseth and pur­sueth a right End, both in his Un­dertaking and Acting: He hath his Eye always upon the Mark; and all his Studies and Endeavours have a direct and proper Tendency to it: and that is, That he may ap­prove himself unto God. What the Apostle prescribed to Timothy, he practised himself: 2 Cor 5. 9, 10. Wherefore we labour (or endeavour) with an holy Ambition ^a, that whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him: For we must all ap­pear before the Judgment-Seat of Christ. Two Things the good Minister doth reach after.

• (1.) That he may be approved.
• (2.) That God may ratify his Approbation.

[Page 28] (1.) That he may obtain an Approbation ^b; and such an one, as is given after Trial: Jam. 1. 12. Blessed is the Man that endureth Temptation ^c (or Trial); for when he is tried ^d, he shall receive the Crown of Life. Men are some­times too rash and precipitate, in passing their Judgment, and so may take Brass for Gold: But God searcheth the Heart, and will ne­ver approve any Person whom he hath not thorowly tried. When Jesse's Sons came before Samuel, he looked upon Eliab, and said, Sure­ly the Lord's Anointed is before me: But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his Countenance, nor on [Page 29] the Height of his Stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as Man seeth; for Man looketh on the outward Appearance, but the Lord looketh on the Heart. Happy then are they, who, not­withstanding their many Defects and Infirmities, can appeal to God for their Sincerity: Psal. 17. 3. Thou hast proved my Heart, and tried me in the Night, and shalt find no­thing; i. e. nothing inconsistent with Uprightness or Sincerity.

(2.) That God may ratify his Approbation: for it is God who will pass the final and decisive Sen­tence: It is not then, he who com­mendeth himself, (or is commended by others) that is approved, but he whom the Lord commendeth ^e.

[Page 30] Many are they who are ambi­tious to purchase the good Opinion and Praise of Men, and love it more than the Praise of God ^f. But of all Persons in the World, it looks worst in a Minister of Jesus Christ to be Animal gloriae; to hunt after Applause, and to feed upon the Breath of popular Accla­mations. What dismal Effects have sprung from the poisonous Root of affected Popularity? Therefore the good Minister of Jesus Christ must fortify himself against the Insinua­tions of good Report, as well as a­gainst the Vexations of evil Report: and be content to pass through Ho­nour or Dishonour, evil and good Re­port; and so support himself with the Approbation of God, and the Testimony of a good Conscience.

[Page 31] This Clause [study to approve thy self unto God] is well paraphrased by the Syriac, Let it be thy Care to present thy self before God, with great Integrity ^g. Good Mini­sters are conscious to themselves of many Infirmities, and bewail them before the Lord; As their Unskil­fulness in explicating the great My­steries of the Gospel; the Remiss­ness of their Zeal; their Entangle­ments, Diversions, Distractions, and such like: yet it may be a sweet Refreshment, and Relief to them, that they can say, That they have sincerely desired to serve the Lord in the Gospel of his Son Jesus Christ.

[Page 32] And great Reason there is, why a good Minister of Jesus Christ should study to approve himself un­to God.

1. Because it is God who en­trusts and employs him in the Mi­nistration of the Gospel: And to him he must give an account of his Stewardship. If the Office of the Ministry were merely an Hu­mane Constitution, and the Instructi­ons, Rules and Measures, which Ministers were to be determined by, in the Execution of their Of­fice, were all of Man's Appoint­ment, then would it be sufficient for them so to demean and carry themselves therein, as to gain the Approbation of Men: But if the Office, Work and Rule, be from Heaven, and not of Men, then it is their Concernment, as well as [Page 33] their Duty, to seek the Approba­tion of God. The Apostle's Way of Reasoning in another like In­stance, will, I think, guide us to what we are to conclude in this Case; 2 Tim. ii. 4. No Man that warreth, entangleth himself with the things of this Life, that he may please him, who hath chosen him to be a Soul­dier. And may we not argue, à Minori ad Majus, He that is bound to the Lord Christ, the Captain of our Salvation, under his Sacramen­tum Ministeriale, ought not to en­tangle himself in Matters of a fo­reign Nature, especially when they are obstructive to his proper Work; much more, if inconsistent with it? but he should bend all his Thoughts, Cares and Endeavours to please him, who hath chosen him to be a Minister. When, I [Page 34] say, the Office is from God, yet that leaves room enough for Men, who have a delegated Power from Christ (in the ordinary Way) to try the Persons, who are to be ad­mitted to the Execution of that Of­fice. And having found them fit, to ordain them with Fasting, Prayer, and Imposition of Hands; and so so­lemnly to invest them there­with ^h. Yet still it must remain unshaken, That Man doth not make the Ministry, neither may Man, by his proper Authority, ap­point the Minister his Rule, nor apportionate his Work: For that belongs to the Lord Christ only; Eph. 4. 8, to ver. 14. When he as­scended up on high, he led Captivity [Page 35] captive, and gave Gifts unto Men:—And he gave some Apostles, some Prophets, and some Evangelists, and some Pastors and Teachers; for the perfecting of the Saints, for the Work of the Ministry, for the edify­ing of the Body of Christ.

2. A good Minister of Jesus Christ, should study to approve himself unto God; because, from him alone, he is to receive his full and ultimate Reward. Sad and mise­rable would be the Lot of a good Minister of Jesus Christ, if the Favour of Men and earthly Pre­ferments were all that he might look for after his greatest Sedu­lity and Fidelity. The Apostle Paul had, certainly, more in his Eye; for he professeth, that it was something else which kept him from fainting and sinking under [Page 36] all the Burdens of his Services and Sufferings; and that was, That he looked not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; because the things which are seen, are temporal; but the things which are not seen, are eternal ^*. And a great and precious Promise they have to encourage them in their Labours, and to support them under their Burdens; 1 Pet. 5. 2, 3. Feed the Flock which is among you, (or in as much as in you lies); and when the chief Shepherd shall ap­pear, ye shall receive a Crown of Glo­ry that fadeth not away. This may suffice to have been said, touching the second Property of a good Mi­nister of Jesus Christ; He is one [Page 37] who studies to approve himself unto God.

3dly. His third Property, is, That he is a Work-man, that needeth not to be ashamed. There are two Branches in this Part of his Cha­racter.

(1.) If you look upon him ab­solutely; so he is a Workman.

(2.) If ye look also upon the Modification adjoined; so he is a Workman that needeth not to be ashamed.

1. A Workman he must be ⁱ; and that Work which he is called unto, is no easy Employment, but very laborious; for the Word u­sed [Page 38] in the Text, is translated a La­bourer; Matth. 9. 37. The Labou­rers are few: And Ver. 38. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the Harvest, that he would send forth Labourers into his Harvest ^k. Neither is his Labour like to some kinds of Recreation; in which Men do but play, while they take a great deal of Pains: But it is hard Labour, even to Laffitude and Weariness, to the wasting of their Strength, and ex­hausting of their Spirits. For so doth the Scripture set forth the Working and Labouring of the good Ministers of Jesus Christ; 1 Thess. 5. 12. Know them that la­bour among you: [...] ^l. [Page 39] 1 Tim. 5. 17.—especially they who labour in the Word and Do­ctrine. This ye may find exem­plified in two Instances; The For­mer is of Christ, when he was spent and tired out with his Jour­ney, Joh. 4. 6. Jesus therefore be­ing wearied with his Journey, sat thus on the VVell ^m. The Latter is of the Disciples, who had toiled out themselves all night, Luke 5. 5. Master, we have toiled all night ⁿ. These places are produced to shew, That a good Minister of Jesus Christ is a Work-man, whose Em­ployment requires very hard La­bour; so that he hath no time al­lowed him for Idleness or Remiss­ness, [Page 40] though some time be indul­ged to him for his Relaxation, through his Master's tender Com­passion; Mark 6. 31. And he said unto them, Come your selves apart, and rest a-while: for there were ma­ny coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat. How­ever God may deal with such as stand all the day idle in the Mar­ket-place; yet, doubtless, he will not endure any Loiterers in his Vine-yard, in which even the Fig­tree, which was barren, would not be allowed to have a Standing ^o; much less might the Dresser of the Vine-yard expect to be tolerated, if he brought forth no Fruit. Our Saviour told his Apostles, that he [Page 41] had ordained them, that they should bring forth Fruit: and that Fruit was their converting of Souls to God, as the Apostle explains it, Rom. 1. 13.— That I may have some Fruit among you also, as among other Gentiles. The Ministers of Christ may intercede for the Enlargement of the time of God's Patience to­ward an unfruitful People; but then it is upon their Engagement to use double Diligence in cultiva­ting of them: Luke 13. 8. Lord, let it alone this year also, that I may dig about it, and dung it.

Thus ye have one of the Apella­tions by which a good Minister of Jesus Christ is denominated, that he is a Work-man. But because I told you, that my Design in this Discourse would be to give you some distinct Representation of [Page 42] such an one, I think it necessary to add some other Titles by which the Spirit of God doth notify him to us, that ye may see him in a clearer Light, and form more per­fect conceptions of him. The good Ministers, then, of Jesus Christ, have two sorts of Titles conferred upon them:

Some, that set forth their Dig­nity:

Others, that bind them to their Duty.

In reciting the Former, I shall be very brief: yet may I not si­lently pass them over, lest I should be injurious both to them and you.

1. Their Titles that do set forth their Dignity.

[Page 43] Of these I shall mention four only.

(1.) They have the glorious Name of Angels set upon them ^p; Rev. 1. 20. The seven Stars are the Angels of the seven Churches. An­gels, we know, are the highest Rank, and most noble Order among all the Creatures: And they have the Denomination of Angels, be­cause they are the Messengers of the great God. And such are all good Ministers of Jesus Christ. Ambassa­dors; 2 Cor. 5. 20. Now then, we are Ambassadors for Christ. Messen­gers; Hag. 1. 13. Then said Hag­gai, the Lord's Messenger in the Lord's Message, to the People. This [Page 44] Title was not appropriated to him, as a Prophet immediately called and inspired, but it is communica­ted to all those who are appointed and authorized by God to deliver his Messages to his People; Mal. 2. 7. The Priest's Lips should pre­serve Knowledg, and they should seek the Law at his Mouth, for he is the Messenger of the Lord of Hosts.

(2.) They are called Elders ^q; Acts 14. 23. VVhen they had or­dained the Elders in every Church: Tit. 1. 5.— Ordain Elders in every City. The name of Elders was honourable among both Jews and Gentiles. The Jews dignified their Rulers, both Civil and Ecclesiasti­cal, with the Title of Elders: And [Page 45] so did the Greeks use the same, to signalize such as were of eminency for their VVorth or Office. For thus doth one of them inform us, We call (saith he) those Persons El­ders, whom we esteem the best, or most excellent, and the Ancients ^r: There are few, who have not heard of the Roman Senate and Sena­tors ^s. And Antiquaries tell us, that the Saxon word Aldermen, hath the Signification of Ancients, or El­der-men.

(3.) They are denominated Guides ^t, such as have the Con­duct of others, and go before them in the Way of Religion; Heb. 13. 7. Remember them which have the Rule [Page 46] (or are the Guides) over you, who have spoken unto you the VVord of God. And 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 account. The Ministers of Christ have a Power to lead, though not to com­pel ^u.

(4.) They are dignified with the Name of Presidents ^w, such as are over others in the Lord; 1 Tim. 5. 17. The Elders that rule (or preside) well, account worthy of double Honour.

I shall not farther enlarge upon those Titles that set forth their Dig­nity; yet somewhat may be in­ferred [Page 47] that is obvious to every un­derstanding Observer; That Men ought to honour those whom God de­lights to honour. Or, let me lay this before you, in the Words of the A­postle, 1 Thess. 5. 12, 13. And we beseech you, Brethren, know them that labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you. To know them ^x, not only that ye may distinguish them from other Persons, or to salute them when ye meet them, or to have some friendly Con­versation with them; but to yield them such Observance as may testify that Honour and Obedience which ye owe to him that sends them, and the Messages which they bring you in his Name, and clothed with his [Page 48] Authority. And all this must be done not slightly, and out of Com­plement, but in Reality and Since­rity. And then, for the Degree of your esteem of them, it must not be after a low and vulgar rate, but raised to a double height in Com­parison: very highly ^y.

Let no Man think that I men­tioned these magnificent Titles con­ferred on the Ministers of Christ, out of Ostentation or Ambition; for they have learn'd to bear Contempt, when cast only upon their Persons, or their outward State in the World; but yet they are obliged to magnify their Office, when Men do despise or reproach it. And for this, the Apostle's Example is their War­rant, [Page 49] Rom. 11. 13.— Inasmuch as I am the Apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine Office ^z. They know very well, that they are but earthen Vessels, yet they carry an inestimable Treasure; Pearls in Oy­ster-shells, 2 Cor. 4. 7. ^a. That all the Glory may be ultimately carried up to God: For they preach not them­selves, but Christ Jesus to be the Lord, and themselves your Servants for Jesus sake.

This may suffice to have been spoken of the Titles that set forth their Dignity: I shall be a little more copious in those that bind them to their Duty: And I shall single out such as are of like im­port [Page 50] with that of a Work-man, mentioned in the Text. As,

1. They are stiled Bishops; Acts 20. 28. Take heed to your selves, and to the Flock, over which the Holy Ghost hath made you Over-seers. If the Greek word ^b had been rendred here, as it is generally in other pla­ces, it might have been translated Bishops. The Apostle tells us, 1 Tim. 3. 1. He that desireth the Office of a Bishop, desireth a good VVork ^c. The Apostle calls it a VVork, not an Honour, saith Grotius; or, as ano­ther glosseth, A Work, not a Dig­nity, or a more delicate and softer kind of Life. Let such as glory in the Name, do the Work of a Bishop, and all good Men will pay them [Page 51] due respect. Sure we are, that the Charge that is given them, is very strict: 1 Pet. 5. 1, 2. The Elders which are among you, I exhort, who al­so am an Elder:—Feed the Flock of God, which is among you, taking the Oversight thereof;—or doing the Work of a Bishop toward them ^d. And what the Work of the Primi­tive Bishop was, the Learned Dr. Hamond hath informed us; ‘It was (saith he) the Work of the Bishop, to be the Mouth of the People, to offer up their Prayers, Supplications, Intercessions and Thanksgivings to Almighty God. To receive to Baptism those that, upon due trial, were found meet for it: To administer the Lord's Supper; which, in the first times [Page 52] of Christianity, was done very frequently: To visit the Sick, and to pray for them: To stop the Mouths of Gain-sayers; to ad­monish disorderly Walkers: To cast out the Obstinate and Incor­rigible: To receive Penitents in­to the Church, after sufficient trial made of their Repentance: To take care of the Poor, Or­phans, Widows and Strangers. And, in short, to attend to all the Affairs of the Church of God.’ He that will conscienciously give up himself to all these Services, will need no other Argument to convince him of the Labourious­ness of that Office.

2. The Ministers of Christ have the Name of Pastors set upon them, as very directive, to shew them their Work and Employment; [Page 53] Ephes. 4. 11. Some Pastors and Tea­chers ^e: 1 Pet. 5. 2.— Feed the Flock that is among you ^f; i. e. Do all things that belong to the Of­fice of a Pastor. The Shepherd's Work in the literal Sense, is very busy and toilsom. Jacob, who had been long exercised in it, gives this account of it, Gen. 31. 40. Thus was I in the day, the Drought consumed me, and the Frost by night; and my Sleep departed from me. Neither can we suppose, that a Shepherd, in the Metaphorical Sense, should exone­rate himself of all Care, and indulge himself in his Ease. It was never known that a Title to an Office should discharge a Man from his proper Work and Employment. [Page 54] We may infer what God requires and expects from those whom he constitutes Shepherds, whether in a Political, or in an Ecclesiastical Sense, by the sharp Reproofs and severe Menaces, which he useth a­gainst the Negligent: Ezek. 34. 2, 3, 4. Son of Man, prophesy against the Shepherds of Israel; prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord against the Shepherds, VVo to the Shepherds of Israel, that feed them­selves: Should not the Shepherds feed the Flock? The Diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick; neither have ye bound up that which was broken; nei­ther have ye brought again that which was driven away; neither have ye sought that which was lost: but with Force and with Crueley, have ye ruled them. I should desire no more of [Page 55] any Man, that thinks a Pastor's Life to be a Life of Ease and Diver­tisement, than to make experi­ment; though it be but among a few, and those well-disposed Peo­ple, and he shall quickly find how much his Work will daily grow up­on his hands: To satisfy the Doubt­ing and Scrupulous; To set in joint the Bones which have been dislo­cated or broken, by the Falls of such as have been overtaken or surprized by Sin ^g. To bear with the In­firmities, Slowness of Capacity, and Untowardness of such as he labours to instruct: To apply sutable Re­medies to their various Spiritual Distempers: To look after, and bring back such as have gone a­stray, [Page 56] either through their own Le­vity, or the Craftiness of Seducers: With Patience, Pity and Compas­sion, to bear with those that oppose themselves. And besides all this, meekly to treat the Petulant and Exorbitant, and to cicure or tame such as have altogether broken the Yoke, and burst the Bonds.

3. They are called Servants or Ministers. Sometimes with respect to the Subject or Matter of their Ministration; and so they are sti­led Ministers of the Word; Luk. 1. 2. Even as they delivered them to us, which from the beginning were Eye-witnesses and Ministers of the Word ^h. Sometimes to set forth their Relation to their Lord and [Page 57] Master, to whom, or in whose Ser­vice, they do minister: So they are the Ministers of Christ, 1 Cor. 4. 1. Let a Man so account of us, as of the Ministers of Christ ⁱ The Word made use of in the original Greek, translated [Minister] doth primarily signify a Rower, one that doth tug and sweat at the Oar ^k. The Poet could say, That they who handle the Oar, stand in need of two things; Of God, to help them with a good Wind, and of their own La­bour. The Appellation then of a Rower, being, in a Metaphorical Sense, applied to a Servant, or Mi­nister of Christ, may admonish him to continue his Care and In­dustry [Page 58] without any intermission; for, ordinarily, the Wind and Tide are against him. And when it is so, if the Rower sit still but a little, his Vessel may be carried far back­ward, and he may lose more in one Hour than he can recover in many. If a Minister be remiss, when false Doctrines, or Immoralities in Pra­ctice, like a Tempest, bear down all before them, such Disorders will quickly follow, as will not soon or easily be rectified or reformed. Let him therefore animate himself with the Apostle's Spirit and Resolution, Gal. 2. 5. To whom we gave place by Subjection, no not for an hour, that the Truth of the Gospel might conti­nue with you.

4. They are frequently stiled Ministers or Servants; but by a Word, differing very much in the [Page 59] Original from the former, which also doth engage them to much Diligence and hard Labour; and that is, [...]. This Word is used sometimes in the strict Ac­ceptation, and then it is rendred a Deacon; as 1 Tim. 3. 8. Likewise also must the Deacons be grave— ^l. The occasion of erecting that Or­der in the Church, ye may find re­corded in Acts 6. and their proper Work was, To take care of, and to manage the Stock of the Church; and this, in ver. 2. is set forth by their serving of Tables ^m: but the Use of the Word in the larger Acceptation, is far more frequent; to denote, A Minister of the New-Testament, 2 Cor. 3. 6. The Mini­ster [Page 60] of God, 2 Cor. 6. 4. A Minister of Jesus Christ, 1 Tim. 4. 6. That which I intend by adding this Ap­pellation, is as a farther Demonstra­tion, That the Calling of a good Minister requires much Industry and Diligence in those who will discharge their Duty with Fidelity: for the Verb from which the Word, which we render [Minister] is de­rived, doth signify to make haste, or to work ⁿ.

Thus ye have had an Account of this Property of a good Minister of Jesus Christ, That he is a Work­man: To which, I have added four Titles more of the same import, [Page 61] because this seems most conspicu­ous and eminent, in that Character which the Text sets upon him: And there remains a little more to be spoken touching that Adjunct, which is added concerning him; For the Apostle did not satisfy him­self with calling him a Work-man, but in a way of Illustration or Am­plification, he subjoins, That he is a Work-man that need not be ashamed. The Text hath it in one Word, unashamed ^o; and this leads In­terpreters into several ways of ex­plaining the Sense and Meaning of it. For some understand it actively. A good Minister must be a well­resolved Person; that no Shame, Dis­grace, or Reproaches of Men, should [Page 62] daunt or discourage him from pro­fessing or preaching the Gospel. The Apostle Paul was well fortifi­ed against those Impressions, which Shame might make upon weaker Minds; for he saith, Rom. 1. 16. I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ ^p, and often mentioneth his Parrhesia: His speaking open­ly, with Liberty and Confidence; as Acts 9. 29. And he spake boldly in the Name of the Lord Jesus.—Acts 13. 46. Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said,— ^q. Nei­ther could all the Calumnies rai­sed against him, nor Injuries done him, make him ashamed; 2 Tim. 1. 12. For which Cause, I also suffer these things; nevertheless, I am not [Page 63] ashamed.—Impudence is, indeed, most hateful in an evil Matter, and draws down the Wrath of God up­on brazen-faced Sinners; Jer. 6. 15. Were they ashamed when they had committed Abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush, therefore they shall fall a­mong them that fall.—He hath an hard Province who is diepute with Ignorance, when it is patronized by Impudence. For how shall he instruct, or convince, those who are not ashamed of Impertinencies, Non-sense, or most gross Absurdi­ties? But when the Truths of God are to be vindicated, The Faith which was at once delivered to the Saints, to be contended for, and Holiness to be propugned, the good Minister of Jesus Christ should be bold as a Lion, and pray earnestly to God for that [Page 64] Grace which was promised to the Prophet Ezekiel, Chap. 3. ver. 8, 9. Behold, I have made thy Face strong against their Faces, and thy Forehead against their Foreheads, as an Ada­mant; harder than a Flint have I made thy Forehead. Fear them not, neither be dismaid at their Looks, though they be a rebellious House. This may suffice for the active Sense; and this way doth the Syriac Ver­sion look; Shew thy self a Work-man, without Confusion: and many of the Greek Commentators are reported to concur therein.

But there is also a passive Sense, which may well be admitted, and that our own Translators do pre­fer, and (as I think) doth best sute with the Contexture of the Apo­stle's Discourse; That a good Mi­nister should so carry it, in all his [Page 65] Ministerial Work, that he need not be ashamed. The Apostle doth ap­parently insist upon that Antithesis which is between a contentious So­phister, who strives about Words that are unprofitable and vain, and a Work-man that needeth not be ashamed. When the Design and Ma­nagement of a fallacious fiery Dis­putation is detected, the Work-man hath abundant cause to be ashamed, for his Folly will be made manifest to all Men. But when the good Mi­nister's Work is most narrowly searched and sifted, he may hold up his Face without spot; yea, (his In­firmities being graciously covered and pardoned) he may have confi­dence, and not be ashamed before Christ at his Coming.

This may suffice for the third Property of a good Minister of Je­sus [Page 66] Christ; He is a Work-man that needeth not to be ashamed.

4thly. The Character of a good Minister of Jesus Christ, is conclu­ded with this Property, That he is one who rightly divides the Word of Truth. For the clearing of this, two Things are to be attended unto, which may be dispatched with convenient Brevity.

(1.) What is the Subject or Mat­ter about which his principal Study and Labour is to be employed, and that is, The Word of Truth.

(2.) What is incumbent upon him, with respect to the Word of Truth; and that is, That he rightly divide it.

1. It is the Word of Truth, in, and about which, the Thoughts [Page 67] and Studies of a good Minister of Jesus Christ are to be exercised. Not in doubtful Disputations, nor in the bare Opinions and Dictates of Men, though of great Reputa­tion and Authority: Much less in framing cunningly devised Fables, or golden Legends, which may raise in the Ignorant and Credu­lous, Admiration, Superstition and Rapture; but in the Considerate and Prudent, Disdain and Indigna­tion. The Apostle hath informed us, How the great Apostacy from the Christian Faith, was to be ma­naged and carried on, 1 Tim. 4. 1, 2.— By giving heed to seducing Spi­rits, and Doctrines of Devils; speak­ing Lies in Hypocrisy: but the good Minister must firmly and entirely adhere to the Word of Truth. The great Repository whereof, is the [Page 68] Holy Scripture, which bears upon it that glorious Inscription, The Scripture of Truth, Dan. 10. 21. ^r and the VVord of Truth, the Gospel of Salvation, Eph. 1. 13. and again, The VVord of the Truth of the Go­spel. From hence must the good Minister derive, confirm, and im­prove all his Doctrine: For the whole Scripture is given by Inspiration of God, and is profitable for Doctrine, for Reproof, for Correction, for In­struction in Righteousness: That the Man of God may be perfect, through­ly furnished to all good VVorks. They then offer an intolerable Affront to the Divine Majesty, who speak wickedly for God, or talk deceitfully for him, Job 13. 7.

[Page 69] 2. What is the proper Work of a good Minister of Christ, wherein he is to be occupied with reference to this Word of Truth; and that is, rightly to divide it ^s; which cannot be understood in a literal, but in a metaphorical Sense. The Conjectures of Men about the ex­plicating of the Metaphor, have been various. Some think it spoken in way of Allusion, to the Priest's cutting abroad, and dividing the Sacrifices into their several Parts, in which they were very curious and exact. Others conceive, that the Apostle hath respect to those ^t Sections, into which the Book of the Law was divided by the Jews, in order to their reading of [Page 70] it in their Synagogues. Others think the Metaphor to be taken from Mothers or Nurses, who cut the Meat which they give their Children into small pieces, that they may the better receive and di­gest it. But not to insist upon the Critical Part, I think the Sense and Meaning is well expressed by the vulgar Latin, Rightly handling the VVord of Truth ^u; and by the Syriac, Rightly preaching— ^w. But if we expect something in­structive from the Metaphor made use of, I suppose it may afford us some light if compare these Passa­ges of Scripture together. (1.) The Apostle doth stile the Ministers of Christ, Stewards of the Mysteries of [Page 71] God, 1 Cor. 4. 1. (2.) Our Savi­our assigns this as one Property of a good and faithful Steward, who is set over the Houshold, that he may give to every one their portion of Meat in due season, Luk. 12. 42. ^x distributing to every one their proper Dimensum, or Allotment: as Exod 16. 16. Every Man accord­ing to his Eating. Herein then lies much of the good Minister's Pru­dence, Care and Tenderness, so to divide the Word of Truth, that e­very one may have their proper Portion: He must provide Milk for Babes, and strong Meat for them that are of full Age, Heb. 5. 13, 14. ac­commodating his Teaching to the Necessities and Capacities of the [Page 72] Hearers. In this, their Lord and Master Christ went before them, and hath left them an Example, For he spake the Word as the People were able to hear; i. e. to under­stand, and profit by it; Mar. 4. 33. It is a singular Grace or Mercy that God bestows on his Ministers, The Tongue of the Learned, that they should speak a Word in season ^y. A Word in season to the Weary, that they may be refreshed: A Word in season to the Sorrowful, that they may be comforted: A Word to the Doubting, that they may be setled and established: A Word to the Secure and Impeni­tent, that they may be awakened and convinced; and so to others, [Page 73] as their Case and Condition may require, for then is the Word of Truth rightly divided.

And thus I have endeavoured to represent before you the Deline­ation of a good Minister of Jesus Christ, according to those four Pro­perties which are suggested in, and from the Text.

And now, if ye have attended unto, and duly considered that Character which hath been given of a good Minister, I presume that many of you will be apprehensive, that it was not without reason that I intimated, in the entrance upon this Discourse, that I should hold up before you a Glass, or Mirror, wherein ye might see the Por­traicture [Page 74] of that good Minister (whose Funeral we, this Day, so­lemnize) to be reflected. It would be no difficult Undertaking to draw the Parallel, and shew the Correspondence in every Particu­lar: But that Performance would require near as much time as that which has been already filled up: Ye must therefore be contented with such short Recollections, as I can recover upon the hasty Exer­cise of my Thoughts.

The reverend and worthy Mi­nister of Jesus Christ, Mr. Richard Steel, was born in Cheshire near Nantwich, on the tenth Day of May, Anno Dom. 1629, and left this World November the 16th, Anno Dom. 1692, so that he died in the 64th Year of his Age. Where he had his Education in his youn­ger [Page 75] Years, hath not come to my notice: but I find in the Fasti Oxo­nienses, That Richard Steel was Master of Arts of St. John's Col­lege in Cambridg, and was Incor­porated into the University of Ox­ford, March the 27th 1656. He is there mentioned among the Ox­ford-Writers; and several of his Printed Works are recited. When he entred into the sacred Ministe­ry is unknown to me; but after that he was invested therewith, I am informed that he did exercise it in divers places, as the Provi­dence of God disposed of him, until he came to London, which, (as I conjecture) was about 24 or 25 Years ago: and here he hath con­tinued, preaching the Gospel in and about the City, as God gave him Liberty and Opportunity, un­til [Page 76] he put a period both to his La­bours and Life. That he did emi­nently discharge the Duty of a good Minister, will appear by some few Remarks, whereby it will be made evident, that he wrote very fairly after that Copy which I have been decyphering unto you: e. gr.

1. Our Apostle, the more to re­commend a good Minister, doth shew, How unlike he is to a con­tentious wrangling Sophister, which lives in the fire of Disputing and Dividing. But it may be truly said of our worthy Brother, as it was of Caleb, He was a Man of another Spirit. He hated Contentions and Divisions; he greatly bewailed them; and used his uttermost En­deavour to promote Union and Concord. That this was his Tem­per, is clearly demonstrated by his [Page 77] Discourse against uncharitable Con­tentions in the Church of God. Which Discourse is printed in the 4th Vo­lume of the Casuistical Morning-Exercises, preached in October 1689, wherein he shewed a deep Judg­ment, and a very prudent pacifick Spirit.

2. The Apostle describes a good Minister of Jesus Christ, by his Studiousness and Diligence. In which, it must be concluded, that our deceased Brother was very exemplary. For his Sermons were composed and written with ma­ture Digestion, though with much Brevity; which manifest them to have been the Product of many serious Thoughts; and considering his Constancy in Preaching, must needs require very hard Study. His Manuscript Notes of his Ser­mons [Page 78] are exceeding many, and de­serve to be carefully preserved. When we compute the time, that must necessarily have been spent about his ordinary Labours, we may judg, that a Person of more than common Attainments, had filled it up very well: Yet he re­deemed so much besides, as ena­bled him to compose and publish several pious and profitable Treatises. Of which, I think, it may be of good use to annex a Catalogue: As,

(1.) An Antidote against Di­stractions; Or, An Endeavour to serve the Church in the daily Case of Wandrings in the Worship of God. This Treatise came to my hands before I ever saw the Face of the Author; and I have heard many to bless God for it, and to [Page 79] profess that they were greatly e­dified by it. What Acceptance this Book hath found with such as are serious in Religion, may be estimated by the several Impres­sions of it. There is one Circum­stance more that relates to it, which may not be passed over, viz. That it was written by Mr. Steel when he was in Prison in Wales for Non­conformity: Here we find that ex­emplified, which was once the Case of St. Paul, 2 Tim. 2. 9. VVherein I suffer Trouble as an E­vil-Doer, even unto Bonds: but the VVord of God is not bound. And as, while he was in Prison, he en­deavoured to edify the Church of God by his Writings; so he did al­so by his Preaching, while he was under Confinement, seek the Sal­vation of those who came to hear [Page 80] him. And it is to be hoped, that it may be said of some of them, as Paul did of Onesimus, that they were begotten again by him, while he was in Bonds.

(2.) The Husband-man's Calling; shewing the Excellencies, Temp­tations, Graces and Duties of the Christian Husband-man.

(3.) A plain Discourse of Up­rightness; shewing the Properties and Privileges of an upright Man.

(4.) The Trades-man's Calling: A Discourse concerning the Nature, Necessity, Choice, &c. of a Cal­ling in general; and Directions for the right managing of the Trades­man's Calling in particular.

[Page 81] (5.) A Discourse of Old-Age; Tending to the Instruction, Cau­tion and Comfort of Aged Persons.

(6.) A Scheme and Abstract of the Christian Religion, Comprized in fifty two Heads, with the Texts of Scripture on which they are ground­ed. And some short Indications, How they were more largely handled.

(7.) Besides his Discourse a­gainst uncharitable Contentions, printed among the Sermons in the 4 ^th Volume of the Casuistical Morning-Exercises; there are al­so other Sermons of his printed: As, (1.) The Duties of Husbands and VVives toward each other, in the Supplement of the Morning-Exercise at Cripple-gate; 1674. [Page 82] (2.) Believers Right to the Cup in the Lord's Supper: In the Morning-Exercise against Propery, 1675. (3.) VVhat are the Hindrances and Helps to a good Memory, in spiritu­al Things: In the Continuation of the Morning-Exercises, Questions, and Cases of Conscience, 1683.

These are the Books which were published by our Reverend Bro­ther; by the diligent Reading whereof, private Christians may, by God's Blessing, be much im­proved in their spiritual Growth.

3. A good Minister of Jesus Christ will study to approve him­self unto God: And to do so, we may be assured, was the constant Care and Endeavour of our decea­sed Brother. For he was circum­spect; [Page 83] unblameable and exemplary in the whole Course of his Con­versation, and the Exercise of his Ministry; who might, through Grace, have taken up the Apostle's Words, 2 Cor. 1. 12. Our rejoyoing is this, the Testimony of our Con­science, that in Simplicity and godly Sincerity, not with fleshly VVisdom; but by the Grace of God, we have had our Conversation in the VVorld. And now, we doubt not, but that God's Approbation of him, is per­fectly assured, by his actual Admis­sion of him into his Presence, where there is fulness of Joy, and at whose Right-hand are Pleasures for ever­more.

4. A good Minister of Jesus Christ, is a Work-man that need not to be ashamed: His abundant Labours do manifest that he was [Page 84] a constant and diligent Work-man; and the Lord Christ did so assist and help him in his Work, that upon an impartial Review, he needed not to have been ashamed of it. He had a singular Faculty of saying much in a little. The Subjects which he discoursed upon, were practical and profitable. Since our Conjunction, that we laboured together in the Service of Christ, he preached over the Parable of the wise and foolish Virgins, in Matt. 25. Then he spent a considerable time in resolving many practical Cases of Conscience, with great Plainness and Perspicuity; both for Instructi­on and Satisfaction. His last Un­dertaking, was to treat of the At­tributes of God. They are a rich Mine of spiritual Treasures; but they are also a vast and boundless [Page 85] Ocean: Each of them are so large a Field, that the most searching and illuminated Understanding can­not reach its Limits; yet he could contract his Discourses, that usual­ly he allotted but one Sermon for each Attribute. His last Sermon was upon the Goodness of God; which he concluded with an Ex­hortation to make a present Choice of God for our God; and his last Words were close and piercing, fit to make a lasting Impression, [Ye cannot make a better Choice, and are eternally undone if ye make a worse.] The Contemplation of the Attributes of God must needs have filled him with Ravishment, while he viewed them, though but as in a Glass, darkly. But now he is gone to those Regions of Light and Love, where all Mists [Page 86] are dispelled; and there he hath such a Knowledg of them, as they who are muffled up with Morta­lity, cannot comprehend.

5. He was a Pastor, who made it his business to over-see, and seed his Flock. He desired to know his Sheep by name: He often vi­sited those who were his pecullar Charge, and endeavoured to edify them, with some serious Discourse about their Soul Concernments, enquiring after their Proficiency; resolving their Doubts, encoura­ging and directing them, as their Case did require. He was careful and exact in observing whether a­ny of them failed in their Atten­dance upon the Ordinances of God: especially if he missed any of them at the Lord's Supper, once or twice, he would be sure to send to them; [Page 87] and (on the first Opportunity) to enquire of them, What it was that kept them away?

6. As a good Minister of Jesus Christ, he was very dextrous and skilful in rightly dividing the Word of Truth. In every Sermon he was careful to provide Milk for Babes, and strong Meat for grown Men. His Stile was easy, fami­liar, though far from being loose, careless or rustick: But his Mat­ter was always substantial and weighty; and so, by a rare Com­position, his Discourses were fra­med and attempered, that the Meanest might learn, and those of higher Attainments, meet with nothing to be naufeated.

7. As in his Preaching he made it appear, That he was rich­ly stored with Scripture-Know­ledg; [Page 88] so in his Praying, he gave evident Proof, That the Spirit of Grace and Supplication was plen­tifully poured out upon him: for he performed that holy Duty or­derly, perspicuously, seriously and affectionately, to the exciting of Devotion in those that joined with him.

These Instances are sufficient to demonstrate, That the Character of a good Minister of Jesus Christ was truly exemplified in him.

As to the Circumstances of his last Sickness and Death, I have but little to insist upon, because, I think, that generally all of you were as well acquainted with them as my self. On the Lord's-Day, which was the 13 ^th of this [Page 89] instant November, he preached in this, Place in the Morning, and at Hogsden in the Afternoon. On Monday he visited several Friends in London, and seemed to be as lively and vigorous, as usually he had been for a long time. He had been afflicted with the Tiffick for many Years, otherwise he was as vegete and active, as most who arrived at his Years, In the Even­ing he repaired to a Friend's House in Cheapside, where he intended to lodg that Night: But finding him­self under great Indisposition, he was carried to his own House in a Coach, about ten of the Clock. The next Day, he rose, and seemed to be somewhat revived, but kept his Chamber all that Day. On the Wednesday he continued in his Bed very faint and shot-breathed. [Page 90] He had the Assistance of a very a­ble Physician, his intimate Friend, who took the best Method with him that his Art could direct unto, but our Days are determined, and the number of our Months is with God, which we cannot pass. He com­plained not of any Pain, and the use of his Reason and Senses con­tinued to the very last; and about ten of the Clock at Night, with­out any Struggle or Pangs, he quiet­ly gave up the Ghost, finding a ve­ry short and easy Passage to his e­ternal Rest. Blessed are the Dead which die in the Lord; yea; saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their Labours, and their VVorks do follow them.

Having given this short Account of our Reverend Brother; I shall [Page 91] address my self, in a few Words, to those who attended upon his Mi­nistry, and conclude.

1. Be deeply affected with this sharp Dispensation of Providence. Your loving, laborious and faith­ful Pastor, is removed from you. He will never more instruct you, nor pray with you, nor pray par­ticularly for you, (at least, the Scripture gives no Assurance there­of) yet we may hope, that many Prayers which he put up in his Life­time, for his Children, Friends and Hearers, are recorded in Hea­ven, and may, in God's due time, bring down Blessings upon them.

2. Many of you do profess, that ye had a very great esteem for him: Now make it appear, that your Affections were real and radieated. I shall press you with our Saviour's [Page 92] Test, or Trial of his Disciples Love to him, If ye love me, keep my Com­mandments: So, if ye sincerely lo­ved your good Minister, let your Conversations be correspondent to that holy Doctrine which he taught you. To commend a Preacher, and yet to live contrany to his Doctrine, is to affront and deride him. An impenitent, unreformed Sinner, who lives in Pride, Earth­liness, Envy, Sensuality and Pas­sionateness, and the like Immora­lities, cannot be a cordial Friend to a faithful Minister. It is the great Honour of a Teacher, when his Hearers are good Proficients in the School of Christ; but the Ig­norant and Prophane, are a Re­proach to him. Many will be apt to impute the Non-profici­ency of the Scholar, to the want [Page 93] of Skill or Diligence in the Ma­ster.

3. Slack not, but increase your Diligence to promote the Edifica­tion and Salvation of your Souls, now when your Teacher is remo­ved. This will be one Evidence of your Sincerity, and that ye were acted from an internal, vital Prin­ciple. A living Man moves; and a Clock, or Machin, moves; but there is a vast Difference between their Motions: The one moves from a vital Principle, the other on­ly from Springs or VVeights. Let it never be said of any of you, as it was said of Joash, That after the Death of Jehojada, he left the House of the Lord. Could your Pastor speak to you, I suppose, he might well use the Words of the Apostle, (which I heartily recommend to [Page 94] you) Phil. 2. 12, 13. VVherefore; my beloved Brethren, as ye have al­ways obeyed, not as in my Presence only, but now much more in my Ab­sence; work out your own Salvation with Fear and Trembling. For it is God that worketh in you, both to will and to do, of his good Pleasure.