BX 7*6,0

Dr. Colman's

S E R M O N

on

of the very Reverend

Mr. Teter Tbacher

^BOSTON.

g^5 m --•'••• *~ --

Faithful PASTORS Angels of the Churches.

A

SERMON

Preached to the ;'* /,

^Bereaved FlocJ^

March 4. 1739.

On the Lord's-Day after the Funeral of the Reverend

Mr. Peter Tbacber

of Boflon. JEcat. 62. And now printed at their Defire.

By ^Benjamin Colman, D- D.

Revel, ii. i. Unto the Angel of tie Clurcl of\ Ephefus, Write tlefe flings j faith He that hath the feven Stars in his right Hand^ who walketb in the midft of the feven golden Candleftlcks.

BOSTON: Printed by J. draper, for D. Henclman and S. Eliot in Cornhill. 1739.

' I i| ill l| ill I' ii 111 ill II IllPilPi PHI II IlllliiiUPilll

f?*%-iH?^^*w1^

Faithful Paftors

THE

Angels of the Churches.

R E V E L. I. 20.

THE Myftery of the Jeven Stars which tbou faw- ejt In my right Hand, and the feven golden Candlefticks : The (even Stars are THE ANGELS of the (even Churches, and the (even Candkfticks which tbonfaweft are the feven Churches.

HE beloved Difciple Job*; who had lain in the Bofom of Jefui in the Days of his Fleihj was honoured by Him to out-live the other dfoftles, and to receive his laft Reve

lations to the Church.

~~

From JESUS CHRIST, the faithful randfrfl begotten of the Dead, he wrote to Churches which were inAfia by Name; and calls hitnfelf their Brother and Companion In Tribulation, and in the Kingdom and farttncc ofjefus Cbrift*

He

Pa ft or s

He writes to 'em of His Eternal Power and God-head^ " I am jtlpha and Omega, the Beginning and ibe Ending, faith the LORD, 'which is and which was and which is to come, the Almighty ! He writes to 'em of his fecond coming in Glory • 7 Behold, He cometh with Clouds, and every Eye fh all fee Him, and they alfa which pierced Him, and all Kindreds of the Earth Jhall wail becatije of Him : Even ft, Amen,

St. John was now in the IJle called Patwes, an Exile there and Prifiner for the Ttflimony ofjefus Chrift his Lord ; and there on the Lord's-Day he was in the Spirit, in a fpiritual Trance, Extafy or Rapture ; and heard behind him a great Voice as as of a Trumpet • and turning to fee the Voice that (pake to him, he faw /even golden Candle- flicks, and in the midft of them One like the Son of Man, his dear Lord and Saviour himfelf5 — but O how chang'd and more than transfigured, in an ineffable Glory! fo that iriftead of flying .into his b!eiled Arms again, as in the Days of eld, he fell at his Feet as dead ! For his Eyes were as a Flame of Fire, and his Feet as if they had burnt in a Furnace, and his Voice was as the Sound. of many Waters • and He had in his right Hand (even Stars, and out of his Mouth went a fharp two-edged Sworcl^ and his Countenance was as the Sun filming in its ftrength -- No wonder then if the holy and moft favoured Di/ciple was Jaz,kJ and ftruck dead before the (urprifing Glo ry / but the Lord laid his Hand of Power and Love upon him, which fuftain'd and revived him $ laying to him,———" Fear not, I am the Fivffi and the Lafl ! I am he that Hveth and was dead • and behold I am alive for evermore ^ Awen, and ba-vt the Key of Hades. Reviving JfW, which

is

'Angels of the Churches'. 5

is Life from the Dead to Ton this Day, bereaved of your Elder Pajlor ! the Lives of all his faithful Minlfters, and of all his Saints, thro' all his Churches, are in the right Hand ot the rlfc# and living JESUS.

And now my Text brings us to the Myflery of the leven Stars, and of the feven golden Candle- flicks j the Candlefticks are the Churches, and the Stars are the fining and burning Lights fet up in them 5 Minifters in the Spirit of the Baptift, as he came in the Spirit of Elias, to give Witnefs unto Chrlfl the Sun of Righteoufnefs : We preach Hint the trueLlght ; and his Word which is theLlght that fiimth In a dark World.

Now thefe Stars, thefe Minifars of the Word, are called ANGELS, the Angek of the Churches ; which is to fay, the MeJJcvgers of the Lord of Hofts unto them, bringing his Word of Truth and Life, the Light of 1 be Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jefus Chrlft. This Light of God in 'em and on 7em, which makes them fhine on and give Light to others, both makes 'em Stars, and (what is more than Stars ) it makes 'em Angels.

It is this lajt Word only that I fliall now at tempt to explain and illuftrate to You, and fo the My fiery and Dottrlne before us is,

DOCTRINE.

fc That the qualified faithful Minifters of the Gofpcl, and Taflors of the Churches of our LORD JESUS, are in his Sight, and ought to be efteemed by #/, as his ANGELS to them;

You

4 Faithful Pajtort

You will fay, This is a high Style indeed / and founds much too high, if the LORD Himfelf had not given it, for any of the fintul mortal Sons of Men. For what a Soleclfm were it to (peak of an Infirm imperfect Angel ! of a dying Or !

dead Angel ! But it is the Soul that is the

Angel, in the Body or out of the Body / And as it is eafy to the Grace of God to make fome Perfons Angelical in this mortal State, fo if He pleafe to call them Angels in Flefh, who fhall prefutnc to difallow the Style ? No Angel in Heaven will find fault with it, and no Man on Earth may,

Man in his firft and beft State was made lower than Angels, and but a little lower 5* which is a Crown of Glory and Honour put on him, Pfalm viii, y : but how far is he funk be]ow it by his Sin ? Who (hall put him again as among the Celefiial Spirits ? The beft of Saints that ever have been in the Church of God, ( Abraham,* Mofes, Elias, Daniel or the Baptift ) what a poor kind of An gels were the Holy M*n while in the Body ? in Modks of Sin and Death ! of like Infirmities and Pa/ions as other Men ! weak and weary Angels ! diftemper'd; dlfeafed and in Deaths often / fick, and in Pain, and under fpiritual Diforders and Maladies .' Angels that were fubjed to Grief and Shame and Fear \ with Flefh about 'em Ittfting avalnft the Spirit ! Paul himfelf was but fuck an -Anfd-\ Angels approved in Patience, Afflictions, Neceilities and Diftreflcs ' || hungry and thirfty and naked Angels /

Afts xiv.' f 5. Jam. v. 17. Rom. vii, 24. Gal, V. 17, 2 Cor. xi 27. Matth, viii. 20.

But

'Angtls of the Churchei. f

But was not the LORD Himfelf, the Lord of all Angels, once in like Circumftances in cur Nature • Sin only excepted ? The Angel of the Covenant Himfelf / the Angel of Inter cejjion, now before the Golden Altar, in the Holitf, p;efent>

ing our Prayers, Revel, viii. 3, 4. Why them

may not Jbofe for whom He died, and is making Interceffion, be called by Him his Angels in his Church on Earth ? tho' they live here repent ing and dying daily, wreftling with Flefti and Blood and fpiritual Wickednejjes, and thro' Death parting to Incorrupiion.

Yea, that which puts the Crown of Angels on

them is their dying ivdl \ the crowning Vittory is

6?er the laft Enemy I as the Beggar died, and

Angels carried him to Abrahams Bofom, to their

,% own Paradife ! and fo they buried the Body of

Mofes, after ( as the Jews have been pleas'd to

.v fay ) they had kifsd awty his Soul :• for He

had been an Angel of a Man, both in the Sight

of God and of his People, long before.

Yet far would it have been from Mofes, or any of the following. Propkets, Apo flics or Evangelifts, to have taken to Themfelves this Heavenly Style, if CHRIST had not put it on them, He is the Fountain of fpiritual Honour, t " HEAD over all things to the 'church, and makes whom he will Kings and Triefts and Angels unto God : Nay this Honour have all the Saints ! pralfe ye the Lord.

It is not to elate or puff up j God forbid it I but to admonijli us of our Duty, which ever rifes

t Eph, i, 22, Revel L d«

B wich

6 faithful T aft or*

with Dignity ; what manner of 'Perfons we and ought to be, in Heavenly Temper aadCon- verfation, as Citizens of the Sion above. Philip, in-. 20. And if we can but think and (peak and live as singels in the Church on Earth., we may leave our going Spirits at Death to the Care of real Angels, and the Remains of a Stephen to devout Men to take up ( as they lately did your Thachers ) and carry to its Grave as Angel's-dup ! the Duft of GoU, from the Candlefllck in which it once glitter' d.

And fo I return to the MINISTER and PASTOR in fpecial, as my Text requires, and alfo the fad Occafion of my <uifitlng You, at your Defire, this mournful Day, which my Text would turn into a joyous one.

L Mlnlfters are the Meffengers ofChrift unto his People, and therefore Angels of the Churches. For what is the plain English of the Word ANGELJ but a MeJJenger, or One fent ? Angels are Mef- fengers from Heaven to Earth, and io are Prophets, Apoftles and Evavgelifts, Pajtors and Teachers, the MeJJengers of the Lord of Hofts,> Mai. ii. 7. The Baftift was fuch an Angel of God, of whom we read, * Behold I fend my MeJJenger ! Angels de- fire to go on fuch MlJJions, tvtt\ Gabriel Himfelf ; and he flew fwiftty to Daniel and Zecharlah and the bleffed Virgin, with the glad Tydings of Salva tion. ||. God's MiJJlon makes an Angel of Light, whomfoever He fends • and the Mejjenger is to be received even as Gabriel from the Prefence of

Mai. iii. r. iv. J. Mark i. 2. Luke 5. 7$. Vii. 27, Dan, ix. 21. Luke I ip>a<5.

God,-

r Angels of the Churches. 7

God. An Eglon himfelf will own this, who arofe out of his Seat, when Ehud faid to him, " I lave a Meffage from God unto thee, Judges iii. 20. How much more will the Churches of Chrifl re verently own his Minifters as his Angels to them? Gal. iv. 14. Te received me as an Angel of God, even as Jefus Chrifl.

And have not Tou had your Meffen^ers^ my Bre thren, Men of a thoufand ! was not your deceafed Pa/hr fuch a Mejjenger from God unto You ? did He not bring you the Lord's Mejjagcs in a fo- lemn manner ? with the Gravity and Authority o£ an Angel ! ufed be any Ligbtnefs ? Spake he not as the Oracles or the GREAT GOD ? that was the glorious and fearful Name in his Lips, as often as you heard him from the Pulpit ; the Great God ! the Great God ! and how greatly did he pronounce it ! Striking every One that heard Him with a facred Reverence and Fear I and this was his Man ner from his Toutb, from his very frfl publick facred Exercifes : I think that I never heard the Name of God pronounced Great, more than in his praying and preaching,, Accordingly

he commanded "the Ears and Confciences of his Hearers more than many a divine Teacher. ' He was bold, and took on him Authority, in his Mafter's Name, Worftiip, Truth and Laws. He ( could reprove, rebuke and exhort for his Will and Glory, in a vehement manner, fathetick and ftriking.— — Jofoua was fuch an Angel & Ifrael, under the Confcience of the Charge given him j *' Only be thdu Jtrong and very courageous ! and after his Death came the Lord himlelt, in the Form of an Ang si, reproving the People at Bochim : Judges ii. 2, But ye have not obeyed my Voice, why have ye done this ? Such a Witnefr, Leader and Comm*n~ B 2. tier

8 Faltlful Tajlors

Jer under CHRIST, fuch a Monger from Heaven^ was your Thatcher to You,

II. Mlniflers are yet with greater Propriety the Angel* of the Churches, becaufe fent to wlnifter unto the Heirs of Salvation. This is an eminent Cbarathr of the Angels of God, Heb. i. 14. Are they not miriiftring Spirits, fent forth to winifter for them -who fyall he Heirs of Salvation ? And what, more or lefs than this, is the Office and Work of Ministers ? A&s xri, 17. They ar? the Servants of the Aloft High Qod^ -who frew us the Way of Salvation*

'' "

ge E

Abraham was vifited by the Lord and his An- els as an Heir of Salvation. He fojournd on arth as in a ftrange Land, looking for a better Country, which is the Heavenly, The Lord there fore came down from Heaven to his humble Tent. He fent his An^tls that Day to ftngle out Lot in Sodom, and fave his Houfe. Afterward they attended Jacob out and home, for he inhe* nted the Promitc ; He faw ?em on the Ladder as he went out, and Hefts of ?em about him on his Return. And all the little Ones of Cbrift to this Day have their Angels that behold his Face on High, and are on the Wing to ferve them for ftfiv fake.

Now, like Love and Care for the precioqs Souls committed to them, is the bounden Duty and natural Temper ( thro' Grace ) of a faithful Pastor. Such an Angel was Timothy, of whom faid the Apoflley Philip, it. 20. I have no Manlike* winded, -who will paturallj care fir your Swk.

So

'Angels of the Gkurcbesl 9

So natural was the Care of yours become, thro* Grace, to your dear Taftor *. He traveled in Birth to fee Cbrift formed in Tou, and you born to God. As a Nurfe cberijhetb her Children, he was gentle among Tou Becaufe you were dear to him, and being affectionately dejlrous of you, he was willing to have imparted bis ownSoul with the Gofpel. Was it not his vifible Concern that he might . both fave Himfelf and them that heard him ? And as there is Joy in Heaven among the Angels of God over one Sinner that repenteth, fo was his 'Joy herein fulfilled, if he might favea Soul from Detth, and cover a multitude of Sins. Had the LORD put it to your Peter, as he did to the great Apojlle of fiis Name ; " Loveft thou me ? and 'wilt thou feed my Sheep and Lambs ? he would have anfwered with his Truth, Fear and Fervency ,• " Tea Lord ! Jhou knoweft all things, thou knoweft that I love Thee and them j to minifter unto Thee for their Salvation;

III. Minifters ftiould be as Angels for Light find Knowledge, Underftanding and Wifdom ; more efpecially in the Mjftery of the Father and of Gbrift.

c* Wife as an Angel of Gcd, and Angtls of Light, is the known Language of Scripture f- The Fear of the Lord is their Wifdom as well as ours ; a good Understanding have all they that do his Gom~ mwdments. The Knowledge of Angell is

* Gal. iv. ip. r ThelT. ii. 7, ?. i Tim. iv. 16* Luke xv. 7, 10. r Pet. iv. S. John xxi. 17.^

t 2 Sam. xiv, 20, ^ Cor.xi, 14* Pfal.ciii.ult. Pan. ix. 22,

cxtial

io Faithful Tajlors

praftical, like that of Saints • they excel in hearkning to the Voice of God's Word " Wijtr Than Daniel, was a Proverb among the Nations, while he lived & prefided over them,and atter his Deceafe ; but the Man Gabriel was wifer than he ; for he came down to give him Skill and Underftan- ding • and he left fome more Rajs of Heavenly Light upon his Mind and Heart.

Minijlers are Angels in being aft to teach * ,• the Law is to be fought from their Lips ; they need the Tongues of Angel^ the Tongue of the Learned, to fpeak in Seafin to 'weary Souls : Angels have fuch Tongues, as Hagar found, and anfwer d — " Thcu Lord fee ft me /—The Urim always be longed to the Vrieftboody and it fliines more and more under the Go/pel, toward the ferfett Day. Heavenly Knowledge is the requifite Ornament, and the neceflary Furniture of a Go/pel Minifter : Ignorance is Darknefs when we fpeak of Souls.

But the Knowledge that eminently becomes tha Minifters ofChrift, and makes ?em like the Angels, is a clear Underftanding in the Myfteries and Doftrines of Salvation by Him. As we read of the Cbertibims of Glory over the Mercy-Seat, with their Faces bowed and Eyes fixed down upon it ; £xod. xxv. 17. The Gofpel of which we have, I. Per. i. 12. " Which 'things the Angels dejire to look into : fcil. the manifold Wifdom and marvel ous Grace of God, in drift's taking our Nature and not theirs. • The Minifter who has

well fiudied and preach'd the unfeanbable Riches

* r Tim. iii. 2. Malii, 7, Ifai, i 4, Gen.xvl 13

t. xxxiil 8,

of

rAngtls of the CKUfcteii it

cf Chrift, fhincs as an Angel in the Churches. Blelled Paul was fuch a Cherub of Glory in the Chriftian Church t : " I dtfoe, fatd he, to knew nothing among you fa<ve Jefus Cwift and Him cru cified • " And to make all Men know what Is the Fcllowfhip of the Myftery, that hath been bid In G*l from the Beginning of the WorU : and again, " that your Hearts may be comforted -with the Riches of the full Ajjurance of Understanding, to the Acknowledg ment of the My fiery ef God, and of the Father and Ckrift ; in whom are hid all the Treasures of Wifdom and Knowledge*

So Angels above, and thofe below, ftudy and proclaim the Glories of free Grace in Cbritt Jefus our Lord. And thus did our Mr Thacher ; Ton are Witnefles and Go^alfo. The Wifdom of God was in Him, he was wife to Salvation, and to win Souls : A Scribe inftrufted, and inftru&ing others^ to the Kingdom of God : a judicious Divine and ftrong in the Do&rines of Grace ; able and ready to advife and dired Souls in the Way of Life. He could as feelingly as any Man adore the dif- tinguifliing Mercy of God in putting him into the Miniftry, and counting him faithful : " That to me, the leaft of all Saints, this Grace Jhould be given , to preach among you the unsearchable Riches a£Cbrift / Eph. iii. 8. He is gone to join the Multitude of the Heavenly Hofi in that &oxology, Luke ii. 14, " Glory unto God in the Highejl, en Earth Peace, Good* will towards Men.

IV. Mintfters fhould be 'Angels for Purity, Sanc tity and Holinejs; and for Zeal in the Gaufe of

. Cor, ii, 2, EpW. iii, 9, Cpl, u. ^> 3, 4.

Goi

i£ Faithful Pa/lots

GOD and Godlinefs ; for his Truths and

Kingdom and Interejt on Earth.

Holinefs {hows the Angd more than *// Know- ledge , and fo it doth the Mlnlfter and P*/?*r in the Church. Without this, has our Saviour laid, the Light that is In you is Darknefi, and how great is that Darknefs ? Matth. vi 23. Holinefs is moft of all the Light of Heaven ; God is infinitely Holy, Christ is the Holy One of God, and Angels are in his Likenejs holy, in all their Worlhip and Obe dience. Their Parity is without a Stain, in high Perfection, and gives ?em their Glory and Blifs for evermore.

The Style of the Angels of God is taken from their Sanftity • and fo is that of Ministers on Earth t- Even the Conn of Nebuchadnezzar knew this before the Inftru&ions of Daniel : " I fau> a Holy One come down from Heaven, faid the King> relating his Vifions on his Bed. But our Lord Jefus has confirmed the Style unto us, in thatgra,- cious Promife, "The Son of Man {ball come In bis Glory, with all his holy Angels. An unholy Angel is a Devil. Angels and Saints are reprefented in white Robes, and fuch were of old thofe of the Triesthotd ; to fignify a Profcffion of and Obliga tion unto fingular Purity and Holinefs. St. Paul teaches the Minister how to become an Angel in the Church ,- i Tim. vi, u. "Ttiu O Man of God, follow after Rigkteoufnefs, Godlinefa &c. And again, " Ee thou an Example of the Believers In Worl, In Converfation> In Charity, In Spirit, in Faith, in Purity,

f Dan iv, 13, Mat, xxv, 31. r.Tiin. iv, 12, i.Thef.

ii, 10.

Such

-

Angels of the Churches. x \

Such was your Tkacher among YOU, thro' t\i$ Grace given him from on High. Much of the Holincfs ofChrift, and of Angelical Sanctity was irj Him. He was a Watcher and a holy One among us in his Meafure ; which was an Abundance ofths Gift of Rlghteoufnefi ; like Phlneas z,ealottt for his God, and as Ellas jealous for the Lord of Hy/l's. Like the Angel of the Lord, he could have wltb- flood Balaam in his Way ; valiant for the and refolute in the Caufe of Piety.

Angels are called Straf kirns from their with holy Zeal. YourThacher was fuch a Sp?V;V F/rfwe <?/ 2w, in the Service of his Ged, and in ading for his Glory. |) The Baptift was fuch 3 Burning Light, a flaming Miniftcr j " O Genera*- tlon of yiperSj who hath warned yoii to five from the Wrath to come ? bring forth therefore Faults meet for Repentance. Peter was another • He faeW and /mote in the Caufe of Cbrift, till he was bid to put up his Sword Stephen fpake to the Council wich the Face and Ardor of an Angel $ and Epapbrat had a great Zeal for the Coloflians, labouring fer- v«i^/y in Prayer for them. But He was wort than an Angel, of Whom we read, " the Zeal of thy Houfe hath eaten m% up*

Light and Heat go together in tie Kingdom of Nature and of Grace, Fervour in the Soul of Man produces Attlvity in his Life, and that 3- gain cherifties and increafes Fervour*

V- Mlnlfters ftiould be \i^t Angels for Spirit* ?//- and z heavenly Mind. Such their Temper, and

Mat Hi, 7. John ^Viii,- 1 if. A<5& vi, 15, C . |oha ii. 17,

C , t>sruc::

14 Faithful Tajlors

perpetual Pkafure ; their Heart and Work, their Imploy and Joys, all fpiritual. Heaven is there fore their Dwelling-flaw. They reft not Day or Night, faying, " Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty ! which art and wait and art to come, Revel., iv. *

So Mlnifters are to lead and continue in the flip of God with facred Pleafure ; the Mouth of others to God, and of God to them, out of the Abundance, of their Heart to both. St. Paul was fuch an Angel to the Churches, inceflant in Prayers for them, and in his high Devotions • and as a iingutar Reward hereof, he was caught up to Heaven * ^ ^whether In the Body, er out of it, he could not tell. Appollos was like him, " mighty In the Scriptures, fervent In Spirit, And teaching diligently the Things of God.

The Heavenly Minifter lives like Mojes in the Mount t has Mread there which the World knows not of, his Diet is on the Manna of Angels,, Bread from Heaven ; and his Meat and Drink (hould be ( in Conformity to Chrifl his Mafler ) to do the Witt of God, and foijti his WorL His Inter eft is in Heaven, his Acquaintance there, his Heart and Jreajure there and his Life is hid -with Chrift In Cod within rhe Vail He would be accurate in his Devotions and Obedience, as are the Angels • " doing the Will of God on Earth as it Is done above* He would be reverend and earnejt in Duty and Service,- would find Wings to fly, as well as Feet to run ,- " run and return as the Flafl) of Lightning !

* 2 Cor. xii. 2, 4. A6ls xviii. 25. John iv. 32, 34. Col, iii, 3, Ezek, i, 14. Ifai, xi. 31.

s f

Angels of the Churchei. iy

to the Angels are reprefented, and from their sigllity are called Chtrubim.

Angels in Flefo can "t attain this j- it is too wonderful and high for them j they foon flag and tire in their Work j ev*n the Touths faint and are •weary , how much more the ^(g^ in their Decays ? tho7 not weary of it ; Yet is there a Tromlfe of Angelical Strength and Vigour to all that wait on the Lord ; c They fa all renew their Strength, mount up with Wings as -Eagles , run and not be weary^ walk a nd not faint,

How fpiritual and rais'd was Mr. Thacher in his publick Devotions ? more efpecially in the Duty of PRAYER ! that was his Gift and Element / then he breach d his native Air! then his Afttbma left him 1 he foard up as on Eagles Wings, and with its Eye he could look into the Light of the Throne of the Majejly in the Heavens ! He came near unto his Seat, and fili'd his Mouth with Ado rations : The nearer his Accefs was unto God, the more awful was his godly Fear, and profound his Reverence / like that of the Celejtial Spirits, Revel. XV; 4 Who jhall not fear Thee, O Lord, and glorify thy Name t for Thou only art holy.

I fay again, He was a heavenly Man in He excelled in this • in a great Copioufnefs and Solemnity ; whether in Adoration, Confeffion, Supplication, Thankfgiving, Interceffion, Profef- fion and Pleadings before the Throne. He could wreftle like an Ifracl, and as a Principality in the heavenly Places, having Power with God and from Him. How often have you (ten him in this Desk, as ic were cover his Face and cry Holy9 Holy* Holy, before the Lord of Ho ft s ! many a time mak-

C z ing

T6 Faithful Paflors

ing your Hearts to move, ancl filling them with 3 Smoke of fragrant Incenfe, Ifai. vi, 4.

VI. Mlnlfters as Angds of the Churches are to yrefide, rule and govern, with Meeknefs, Equity, Tendernefs ; Benevolence, Humility and Pati ence j Wifdom and Integrity ,• by the Rules of thi Kingdom $ for the Glory of Cbrtfi and tjie Good of Souls.

are <c Thrones and Dominions and Towers under GOD, and us'd by Him3 in the Or*»/i <^/- y^Yj of Nations and Empires, Scares and Provinces, as we are led to chink from the Prophecies qf Daniel "\; and more efpccially muft we fuppofe . their Mlnlftry in thoff of the Vifible Church.

Bur leaft of all would the true Mlmflers ofChrift affect a Refemblance of the Heavenly Hierarchy, in re!pe<5l of Prehemlnence, Auchority or Dominion ! for " we have not Dominion over your Faith ^ but are l he Helpers of your 'Joy.

Yet Power is committed to the Taflors of tfie Churches for their Order, Peace, Edification and Puricy, for which they can (how an ample Ccm- nnijion, necdlefs to produce before Tou, who have not fo learned Chrijt, as not to remember Them that have the Rule over You, and watch for ycur Souls and admonifh you • to'Jubmit ycurjelvcs and obey them in the Lord ; thac they may give tbtir Account with J<y & not withGrief ! Heb. xiii. 7,17.

He is the Angel of a Mlnifttr in the Church pf Chrlft, Who in the JL6^and Gentknefs of his Lord,

f Daniel x. 13, 20, xii. i. the

rAngels of the Churches. 17

the Mecknefs ofWifdom, behaves gravely, humbly and affectionately in the Hcttfe of the Living God, The Pillar and Ground of Truth , i Tim. iii. I J Who like the Watcher from on High is intent on his Mifflon and particular Charge, watching in all things to make full Proof of his Minlflry ; to prevent Evil and Sin all he can? and promote all he can what is good and holy.

If St. Paul were again in the Flejh juft fo would he rule and manage • exercife no other Jurifdif* tlon nor affect any other Preheminence9 than the holy Ends of his Miniftry, in the (awing Effetts of it, make neceflary to the Souls of Men j their j own and thofe in Fellowship with them. And if He were again ;to take Leave of the Flocks to which he had mmift/ed, it would be ftill in the fame humble and endearing Words, with which he mel ted the Elders at Ephcfus : Afts xx, 18, &C, " Ye " know how I have been among you at ail Sea- u fons, ferving the Lord with all Humility of cc Mind, and have kept back nothing that is pro- '• fitable to you ^ but have {hewed you publickly cc and from Houfe to Houfe, tcitifyingunto all cc Repentance toward God and Faith toward our cf Lord J'fus Chrift : And now that you are to c; fee myFace no more? I take you to Record this " Day that I am pure from the Blood of all Men; cc for I have not ftiunned to declare unto you the cc whole Council of God. Take heed therefore u unto your Selves, and unto all the Flock ever cc which the Holy Ghoft hath made you Biftiops ; " to feed the Church of God which He hath " bought with his own Blood. And now hre- c thren, I commend you to God., and to the Word u of his Grace, which is able to build you up,

" and

1 8 Faithful Paftors

" and to give you an Inheritance among all them " that are fan&ified.

This is the true Evangelical, Chrip-Uke, Heal and Angelical Spirit of Rue and Govern ment in the Churches ; the true Chriftian Pafto- ral Spirit and Regimen. And juft thus yourTbxcher defired to be among You and over Ton In the Lord, and you efleemed him highly In Love herefor, while he returned the Bowels of Love to You and yours for your Reverend Rejpetfs and Kindnelfesto him; You received him always gladly in the Lord, as an Angel of Jefus Chrift.

And now you may be ready to faS upon his Pifiure as I hold it before you5 and kifs it in your deep Sorrow 5 " that you muft fee his Face no more± But if this Face of an Angel that I have (hewn You, and you fee that it is He ktmfelf, will not dry up y out Tears for Him, and turn your Sor row into Joy on bis Account j tho7 it open new Sluices for your Selves and for your Children ; you would feem Infenfibk indeed, and to have no fflritiial Senfation of things joyous or grievous.— -« But this is far from you : You are true Mour ners, and many of you I doubt not fyiritually fb^ amidtt abundant Confolation before the Lord.— I have accordingly exprefs'd my hearty Sywfatby. with you on both Accounts j that we may be eji- fied together by a mutual Faith ; as with refpeft unto the Dottrines of Grace in general^ fo in the Application of them, on the prefent Bereavement from God upon you.

And now to go into a more enlarged tion of the Subject, than the Circumltances of a particular Qongregation led me to, I would lay,

i. Let

Angtls of the Qhurchci. 19

1. Let the Churches of Chrift and his Minifters be admomftied of that fpecial Regtrd and Refpe& Which they owe unto the blejjed Angels. There is a mutual Relation between us and Them, which obliges us to honour them as the Sons of God, we know not how far before us, both in Order of Nature and Time. We ftiould highly reverence pem for all the Graces of God to 7em and in 7em. Let us realize their Prefence with us in our holy Studies, fecret Devotions, private Dlfcourfes with Perfons on the Service of their Souls, and in our publick Affemblles • and let it be an Argument with us to be ferious and folemn in all, " becaufe of the Angels. Let us defire to commend our Selves to their Love and Affiftance, in our Meditations, Prayers and Administrations ,- and allb in our Temptations, Afflictions and dying Hours. But: however good they are in our Sight, yea though they were to bring us even the Revelations of God, yet may we not worfbip 'em, for they are our Brethren and Fellow-Servants, that keep the Com mandments of God and the Teft Imony of Jefus $ Rev. xxii. 9.

2. Our Dottrlne ftiould comfort, animate and in vigorate Mlnifters in their Work, and at the fame time greatly humble and abaft 'em before God and Man.

On the one hand let us magnify our Office, and take Pleafure in our high and Heavenly Calling ; as when the Hand of the Angel couched Daniel, it fet him on his Feet, What a Name is this with in God's Hotife and Walls ? called to be Angels ! a Name meet to be 'written In Heaven ! And what a good God do we ferve, who ralfes the poor out of tks Dttfl, to let them among the Vrincifalitfa and

Powers

ao Faithful

Powers above, and make them inherit the Tkront of (j lory,

It is to encourage us in our Work, and at the fame Time lead us to reflect, how little meet we are to wear this Name, and how aftanid the blef- fen Angels may well be to own us, were they not Good like Chrift their Lord and ours. .. . -. Com pare their Accomplishments and Miniftrations with 6ur^ and how do we indeed walk as Men, and below Angels ! yet " behold we take upon us to fpeak to the moft High God, who are but Dujt and Jfljes ! as Abraham faid before the Lord, in the Day and Hour that his Angels had vifited him- The beft of Prophets muft fall before the Mercy- Seat, as Ifalah did, when he had feen the Sera* fbims worftiipping with cover d Faces : Ifaiah vi- y. cc Then faid I, Wo is me, for I am undone; be- caufe lam a Man of unclean Lips, and I dwell among a People of unclean Lips.* . c Lord Jefut, fend " fome heavenly Seraph, with a Coal from thy Al- " tar,, to touch my Heart and Lips j that my Ini- " quity may be 'taken away and my Sin purged.

Ah ! were we but thus humbled, we fhould be alfo thereby greatly qukkned and excited, to ap« frove our Selves unto God and his People, as An gels in his Church. Let us feel this faared hea venly Ambition, fince God calls us to it. Afplre to walk worthy of the Vocation. Let the Character of the Chrlftlan Bifoop make us emulate that of An- gels themleivcs : Titus i. 7, 8, 9. For a Bifhop mufi be blamelefs, as a Steward of God $ not f elf -willed, not foon angry, not given to Wine, no Striker, not given to filthy Lucre • but a lover of Hofyltallty, a lover of good Men, fober, juft> holy, temper ate, holding the faithful Word) &c. z. Tim. ii, 24. And the

Servant

'Angels of tie Churches. 21

Servant of the Lord mujl not ftriw, bat be genthw- t« all Men, aft to teach, in Meeknefs inffirutllng tbofe that oppofe tbemfelvei, &c. What but the Idea of Michael, the Arch-Angel, arifes in our Minds, up on our reading theft Words ? in his " Contending with the Devil about the Body ofMofes, not daring or inclining to bring a railing Accufativn againit him.

O that we could be in any manner as the An gels of God for Knowledge, Sanftity, Devotion, Charity, Humility, in every Excellency / what- loever things are juft, fare, Uvtlj and of good Re- fort j every Vtrtut andPraffe ! more efpecially in holy Zeal and Activity in ferving and praifing God. Let us in Spirit be daily amending to the Son of M~t in Heaven. Let us be in the Mount with God often, preparing for the Prefence and Vtjion of God for evermore. Let us be pleafant and joyful in our Lord's Work. Let us be glad to lerve the poor Members of Jefus Cbrifi in their Mtly Needs, Sickneffes and Sorrows, but much more in their fpiritual Wants, Griefs, Fears, Temp tations and Diftreffes.

Thus Mini/fers have been cL rf'd before GOB and his EleSl Angels, to be like 'em here, that they may be with them for ever. And could we rea lty the Charge coming from the Mouth of the Son •fMa», in theMidfl of the Golden CanJIeftieks, in

»at tremendous Glory wherein John faw Him in our Context, it would ftrike us dead at his Feet: isuc at leaft let us be fouck with Jacob's holy vrctdi on his feeing the Ladder from Heaven to tarth, with the Angels of God upon it ; " How dreadful u this Place < it is no other than the Houfe »/ *% *ndtke Catt of Heaven.

D 3. As

22 Faithful Paftors

3. As here is great Honour put upon tht faith* ful Minifltrs of Chrift, and on his holy Churches ; or rather only on the Free Grace of God to ?em and in ?em • fo what Condemnation and Confufton belongs to wicked and ungodly Minifters, and unto like 'Prof effort in all the Churches of the Saints ^ who are carthlj, fenfual, devilifo • Enemies to the Crofs ofChrift, and as contrary to Him and his Angels as Darknefs to Light, as Belial to the Hea venly Hofl. So, as the Afoftle teaches us, " Sa- tan hlmfelfis transformed into an Angel of Light • therefore It Is no great thing if his Minifters alfo be transformed as the Minifters of Rlghteoufnefs • whofe End flwll be according to their Works, 2 Cor. xif 14, ij.

4. Here is a fingular Dlrettion, with a mighty Motive, to the Candidates for the Evangelical Mi- nlflry j with what Aims and Hopes, with what Humility, Fear and Prayer, they ly at the Foot of Grace for the requifice Gifts and Graces, and En dowments from on High, to their foining one Day among the Angels of the Churches. Of the Fulnefs that is in Chrift they muft feek and Grace for Grace ! and " O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is thy Name in aU the Earth, 'who haft fet thy Glory above the Hea vens j and out of the Mouth of Babes and Sucklings ordaineft Strength I Pfal. viii. i, ^.

5-; Here is fpecial Direction unto Churches in their Eleflhn of Perfons into the Pafloral Office over them. May God dire<9: them always unto Such, as they truly hope will moft {bine in the Gifts and Graces of Angels among them j and ever behave toward them with Angelical Hotinef*3 Wtfdom, Benevolence and Care for their Souls.

6. And

Angels of tie Churches*. 2;

6. And let a Pe0p/e fo favoured of 'God fee how they ought to receive and entertain the MeJJagtt bro't them from God by their MinVhrs : Even as the Afian Churches did, and thofe of Galatiq^ who notwithstanding the Temptations in their Teach- crs Fltjh ( whatever they were ) defyiid them not, but accounted ot ?cm and jubmitted themfelves as unto the Angels of God. Or if the Angel vifit you in your Tent or Field, as fometimes A- braham, GiJeon, Manoah and Mary were gracioully vifited, receive Him gladly as the Heavenly Viji- tors of old were welcomed, and hearknedto.

7. But what muft we fay then unto Thofe who have fat long under the Minipry of an Angel, and their Hearts have not been touched, affetted, cnlight- ned and fet a burning within them \ " Neither would they be per (waded ( they fhould fear ) tho one came from the Dead ! altho' a Lazarus were fent down to them from the Bofom of Abraham *.

YourPaftors, as they have received Mercy, have not fainted $ but by Manifeftation of the Truth have commended Themfelves to your Consciences in the Sight of God! a far more proper Means, ordained by God, for yeur Con<verfion and Salvation, than any Angels Defcent from the Skies in a luminous Form. But if our Goffel be hid (as we are awfully admo- nifoed from God ) it is bid to them that are loft ; in whom the God of this World ( Satan, the fallen Angely the Angel of the boltomlefs Pit )has blinded their Minds, left the Light of the glorious Gof- pel of chrift, who is the Imagt o^ the Invifible God ftiould jhine into them (j. '

Luke xYl 31, I] 2 Cor. iv. 2, 3, 4*

D z To

24 Faithful Pa/fors

To draw unto a Clofy

8. We learn from all that has been faid, what a forroivful Senfe we ought to have of the Dectafe of faithful Minifters and Paflors, who have been An- gels of Men among us.— —And therefore learn your prclent Duty, O Flock of Chrift bereaved of fuch a P aft or.

Drop now all the Duft, and bury every Infir mity in the Grave, and look only upwards after the a/cended Angel ! All that was Angelical in Him and in his Minijlrj, let that /fi/ewith you, and abide in a pleating, thankful, profitable and perpetual Remembrance.

v^Vfo^fc '^tawi1' rrsiKJ son T/ti'J i*"$a¥l itS/h

The ^»^/ is gone j the &«/ was that ! gone to GOD, who made and remade it ! to Whom it Jias liv'd de-voted thro' his Power and Grace. It is gone to the innumerable Company of holy An- gels, and is as one of them among the Spirits of <lu(l Men made perftft. It is gone to Abrabam, ~lfaac and Jacob, in the Kingdom of God ,• gone to be with Chrift in Ttradlfa to behold his Glory and /i* Him as He is ! and to come again with Him^ when he {hall return in the Glories of the Father, with all his holy Angels. He is gone, whither you cannot follow Him now, but we hope many of You will foon hereafter.

His Going is to quicken you in a diligent Prepa ration, by following him in holy Living, to meet hirn*m the Joys of his Lord for ever. — O what an Angtl will you fee Him then, and ht-Tou ; his Joy and Crown of rejoicing ! Arc not even Tcu to be this, in the fre fence of our Lord Jefus Cbrift at his Coming ? for Tt are bis Glory and Joy I

When

of tie Churches. ^j*

When Ckrift Himfelf fhall prefent You and Him together, faying, or give him leave to fay, <f £e- keld I, and the Children whom thou haft given we f.

Then the Soul of (he now defolate Widow, truft- ing in God, (hall fee the Angel of a Husband that once was, for flous Aftedion and ftrong Endear ment 1 but O how much more holy and lovely, in the Image of Cbrlft perfeded on him ! to be there fore embrtcd again with a Joy unknown in our prefent State.

Then the weeping Relatives, fuch as Mary and Martha were to Lazarus, the Family of Faith and Piety which Jefus loved, {hall fee their Brother alive again, "and all Tears fhall be wtfd from their Eyes.

Then the Friends, that were as his own Soul, ^andthe^wr Golkgue-Paftors, who were knit toge ther in Spirit, as Jonathan to David, in Angelic Bonds • having united their Endeavours to turn many unto Rigbteonfnefs , fhall fhine as the Stars to gether in the Firmtmcnt of Glory.

And then all Ton that have fhowfl the Klndne/et *f God unto the Deceafed for his Works fake, and fhali do it filS from Love to Chrift unto the Half (f Him left below, fhall hear the Lord of Glory take it to Himfelf ; " Te did it- unto Me.

And finally, Then all the Elett of God among You, and (anttifed in Jefus Chrijt, fhall at length meet in an everlafting Sabbnth of Reft from Sin

t i Thcff ii, *£» Hebrews ii» 13.

and

Faithful Paftors,

and Sorrow, in the General Affembly and Church of the Fir ft born, whofe Names are written In Heaven $ a glorious Church indeed, not having Spot or Wrin kle or any (ucb thing 3* to ferve Him day and night in his Temple above, and to fmg the New Song tor ever and ever :— — " Thou art worthy ,f or tbou waft Jlaln, and bast redeemed us to God by thy Blood, out of every Kindred and Tongue and People and Nation ! Wherefore Bleffing and Honour and Glory and "Power be unto Him that Jittetb on the Throne ^ and U the Lawk for ever $n& ever.

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