I Religion, by making a Medly of it and Fudaifm) might have no evil thing to say of him. And after a glorious but fhort Abftract of the Design of their boly Religion, he concludes that Part of the Epistle in these Words, Thefe things fpeak and exhort, and rebuke with all Authority. To which he adds a Charge, that may feem more proper to be addrefs'd to others than to himfelf; Let no Ver. 15. Man defpife thee. The fame is likewise in his Epiftle to Timothy, with this Addition, Let no Man defpife thy Youth. But thefe 1 Tim. iv. Words do import, that it is in a Bishop's 12.. own Power to procure due Efteem to himfelf, at least to prevent Contempt, since a holy and exemplary Deportment, and faithful and conftant Labours, never fail to do that. In the Conclufion of the Epistle to the Hebrews we find both the Characters of those who had labour'd among them, and had ruled them, but who were then dead; and also of fuch as were yet alive. Remem- Heb. xiii. ber them who have the Rule over you,who have 7. Spoken to you the Word of God, whofe Faith follow, confidering the End of their Conversation. They had both liv'd and dy'd, as well as labour'd, in fuch a manner, that the remembring of what had appear'd in them, was an effectual Means of perfuading the Hebrews to be steddy in the Christian Religion. For Ver. 17. For certainly, tho' while a Man lives, let him be ever fo eminent, there is ftill room for Ill-nature and Jealoufy to misrepresent things, and to fufpect that fomething lies hid under the faireft Appearances, which may fhew itself in due time; all that goes off when one has finifh'd his Course, fo that all appears to be of a piece, and that he has dy'd as he had liv'd; then the Argument from his Conversation appears in its full Strength, without any Diminution. But the Charge given with relation to those who then had the Rule over them is no lefs remarkable, Obey them that have the Rule over you, and fubmit your felves, for they watch for your Souls, as they that must give Account, that they may do it with Joy, and not with Grief, for that is unprofitable for you. Here Obedience and Submiffion is enjoin'd upon the Account of their Rulers watching over them and for them; and therefore those who do not watch like Men that know that they muft give Account of that Trust, have no reason to expect these from their People. Of a piece with this is St. Paul's Charge to the Theffalonians, We beseech you to know (or to acknowledge) them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in Love for their Works fake. Here both the Sub miffion miffion and Esteem, as well as the Acknowledgment that is due to the Clergy, is faid to be for their Works fake; and therefore fuch as do not the Work, and that do not labour and admonish their People, have no juft Claim to them. There is another Expreffion in the Second Epiftle to the Theffalonians that is much urg'd by those who have writ on this Head, That if any would not work he should not eat; which, if it is a Rule binding all Men, feems to lie much heavier on the Clergy. I shall conclude all that I intend to bring out of the Scripture upon this Argument, with St. Peter's Charge to the Elders of the Churches to which he writ, which is indeed fo full, that tho' in the Courfe of the New Teftament it had not lain last, it deserv'd by the Rules of Method to be kept laft, for the closing and enforcing all that has gone before, and for giving it its full Weight. St. Peter defcends, Epift. 1. Chap. v. ver. 1. to a Level with them, calling himself no better than a Fellow-Elder, and a Witness of the Suffering of Chrift; and also a Partaker of the Glory which was to be reveal'd. Feed the Flock of God (says he) which is among you, (thefe Words will bear another rendring, as much as lieth in you) taking the Overfight thereof, not by Conftraint (as forc'd to it by Rules, Canons, or Laws) but willingly; not for for filthy Lucre (for tho' God has ordain'd that fuch as preach the Gospel fhould live of the Gospel, yet those who propose that to themselves as the chief Motive in entring into holy Orders, are hereby feverely condemn'd) but of a ready Mind, neither as being Lords over God's Heritage (or not using a deSpotick Authority over their feveral Lots or Divifions) but being Examples to the Flock, not tyrannizing it over their People; but acquiring their Authority chiefly by their own exemplary Converfation. The Conclufion of the Charge is fuitable to the Solemnity of it, in these Words; And when the chief Shepherd fhall appear, ye shall likewife receive a Crown of Glory that fadeth not away. With this I make an end of Citations from Scripture. I think it is as plain as Words can make any thing, that fuch as are dedicated to the Service of God and of his Church, ought to labour conftantly and faithfully, and that in their own Perfons; for it is not poffible to express a personal Obligation in Terms that are both more ftrict and more folemn than these are which have been cited; and all the Returns of Obedience and Submiffion, of Efteem and Support, being declar'd to be due to them on the Account of their watching over and feeding the Flock of God, thofe who pretend to thefe, without confidering themselves as under under the other Obligations, are guilty of that |