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SERMON XVI.

TITUS ii. 15.

These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.

THE apostle had taken notice in the former chapter of some unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, who subverted whole houses, and taught things which they ought not, for the sake of filthy lucre. In opposition to whom, he directs Titus, in the beginning of this, to speak the things which become sound doctrine. And they are of this kind, or to this purpose, that men take care to discharge the several offices of their respective stations in life, the great social and relative duties, out of a just sense of the true nature and design of the Christian religion, and in consequence of that blessed hope of the glorious appearing of Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. These things, says he, speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.

It seems plain, then, that teaching sound doctrine, the great duties of the Christian life, upon the principles of the Christian religion, is, in the judgment of this apostle, the most effectual way for a minister of the gospel to preserve himself from contempt. We must, I believe, be sensible, that there have been heavy complaints, within these few years, of the grow

ing contempt of the clergy. The fact supposed, for the truth whereof I neither make myself answerable, nor, on the other hand, am at all disposed to deny, the inquiry which most highly imports us is, whether we ourselves have contributed to it. If any thing of this kind shall appear, the only way to recover our credit is to relinquish those principles or practices which have impaired it, and return again to that integrity of faith and manners which supported it once, and which alone can regain it now. And if the fact should not be so bad as sometimes seems to be supposed, reflections of this nature may not, however, be altogether useless; as they may be a means to prevent us from making ourselves contemptible, and tend to preserve that degree of credit and authority which, as yet, we have with our people.

It must here be taken for granted, that our profession itself is not contemptible; and that consequently no man, except the professed unbeliever, can despise us merely upon that account. Every one who believes the gospel, and understands what he believes, must understand also "of what dignity, and "of how great importance, this office is whereunto "we are called a " And though some distinction must be made between what is said in the New Testament, of the holy apostles themselves, and the other extraordinary teachers of the Christian religion, who first planted it, and the ordinary teachers of it, who succeeded them, and entered into their labours; yet is it evident from thence, as well as from the nature of things, from the uses it serves, and the ends it is intended to promote, that the a Ordination Office.

office of the ministry is still honourable, and they who take it upon them (so far from deserving to be despised upon that account) ought to be esteemed very highly in love for their work's sake. It is not good, that the soul should be without knowledge; and men are not born with the principles of Christian knowledge now, any more than in former ages. Faith, says the apostle, cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. The knowledge of Christianity, which is a religion of institution, is derived from instruction, and that instruction from the scriptures, which contain the words of eternal life. These indeed are in the hands of the people, and in a language too, which in some measure they understand. But it is matter of fact and experience, that the generality of mankind have neither leisure nor abilities to make the proper use of them, without some assistance from others. And to say that they must teach one another, every man his neighbour, is to set a matter of great consequence upon a very precarious bottom, and leave it perfectly uncertain, whether they shall have any instruction or not. Ignorant and conceited men would take upon them to be teachers, when they had need that one taught them which be the first principles of the oracles of God. Thus, where they corrected one error, they would introduce many; and the blind being led by the blind, by men as ignorant as themselves, only more rash, more headstrong, and more presumptuous, would not both fall into the ditch & ? Besides, this idea can never comport with that of the church which Christ purchased with his blood.

b I Thess. v. 13. e Luke vi. 39.

c Rom, x. 17.

d Heb. v. 12.

The description of Babel would then be the true notion of the church: and, instead of "the pure "word of God being preached, and the sacraments "duly ministered f," there could be no security that the word of God would be preached at all, no likelihood that it would be preached in its purity, or that the sacraments would be ministered either duly, or at all. For how can they preach, except they be sent = ? And how can they administer the sacraments, without authority? Jesus Christ therefore, who was himself sent by the Father, sent his apostles to convert and baptize the world. The promise he made them upon this mission plainly shews, that the whole of their office was not to terminate with their lives. And their conduct evinces that they understood it in this sense. For they appointed others, as the Lord had appointed them; and committed the same trust to faithful men, who were able to teach others also h. The Lord hath also ordained that they who preach the gospel should live of the gospel. Directions are given to Christians how to behave to their teachers; and to the teachers, that they may know how they ought to behave themselves in the house of God. A considerable part of St. Paul's Epistles to Timothy and Titus is spent upon this latter topic. And to think that the rules and directions there given related only to those two persons, is as absurd as to suppose that the precepts delivered in his other Epistles, were designed only for the use of those particular churches to which they stand inscribed.

If then a maintenance, in general, be appointed See 19th Article of Religion. g Rom. x. 15.

i 1 Cor. ix. 14.

h 2 Tim. ii. 2.

for the Christian ministry, if the people are taught how to carry themselves towards them, and if rules be laid down for their own conduct, comprehending, when explained in their just extent, all the branches of the pastoral office; these things evidently shew that this institution, coeval with the foundation of the Christian church, was designed to be of the same duration with it. And thus magnifying our office, is not preaching ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, as truly as when we defend any other appointment or institution of his gospel.

Truths of this kind indeed are but ill received in an age too much disposed to throw down all distinction, save what is conferred merely by the state. Nevertheless, we must not be ashamed of the gospel of Christ, nor basely give up that character with which he has invested us. Too high pretensions indeed serve only to expose us to derision, when men set up such extravagant claims, as they are plainly unable to support. But treachery, on the other hand, is likewise mean and base; and must in the end increase that contempt which we should most endeavour to avoid, the contempt of wise and good men. That this at least is our duty, is plain from reason; for how useless must those teachers be, who are fallen into general contempt? and is plain, moreover, from the precept in the text; Let no man despise thee; which seems also to imply, that something of this is in our own power; at least so much of it must be in our power as is properly our duty; and that is, not to render ourselves contemptible by our own behaviour, nor to do any thing for which we may justly deserve to be despised. And perhaps if we

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