to go on, if maintenance go away, nobles must put their neclvs to the yoke, to serve Christ in this employment, as some have done in other churches.
[3.] Kespect their persons. Something is due to them for the work's sake: 1 Thes. v. 12, 13, 'And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you ; and to esteeui them very highly in love for their work's sake ; ' Gal. iv. 14, ' Ye received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus ; ' whose deputy ho was, though compassed with weak- nesses. Certainly there is some good-will due to the persons that bring such glad tidings from heaven. We reward a messenger that bringeth a token from a friend, and these come to you from your best friend, Jesus Christ. There is a promise made to that respect that you show to the persons of Christ's messengers : Mat. x. 42, ' Who shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only, in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no- wise lose his reward.' It was said of Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, Acts v. 34, he was TL^io<i TrdvTi tm Xdai, ' in reputation among the people.' The original word signifies he was precious to the people. If a doctor of the law was in such esteem, something is due to the teachers of the gospel. Do not say we plead for ourselves ; it is fit you should hear your duty pressed.
2. To ministers. It quickeneth you to your work, notwithstanding great afflictions, and the inconveniences you meet with in the world. Remember you are sent, as Christ was, to an unthankful world. It will hold good not only in regard of authority but condition : ' The disciple is not above his Lord,' Mat. x. 35, ' Nor he that is sent, greater than he that sent him,' John xiii. 16. Comfort yourselves against contempt. God hath vouchsafed this high favour and prerogative to you above many others that seemed worthy to be preferred before you, that have quicker parts and higher abilities ; above the nobles and the princes of the world. You have no cause to envy them nor their greatness, though you are counted the dregs of the world, and made a daily reproach. Paul balancetli his office and his afflictions : Eph. v?. 20, ' For which I am an ambassador in bonds.' There is his ambassadorship and his bonds, the greatness of his office and the straitness of his condition ; his dignity before God and the church, and his shame and disgrace in the world.
Use 3. Eeproof to those that wrong Christ's messengers, their persons with reproach and violence, or their estate by sacrilegious hands, seeking to deprive them of their maintenance. Take heed what you do ; the persons and goods of ambassadors are privileged. You rob God and Christ, whose receivers they are, and to Avhom these things are consecrated : Rom. ii. 22, ' Thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege ? ' God will wink at the superstition of former times, tliat had no better light, when he will not at the unthankfulness, rapine, avarice, and robbery of these times ; and therefore take heed what you do.
1. The affronts you put upon them redound to Christ, whose depu- ties and proxies they ,'ire. They represent his person, therefore he takes it as done to himself: Luke x. IG, 'He that despiscth you VOL. X 2 1
490 SERMONS UPON JOHN xvji. [Ser. XXXIL
despiseth me, and he that despiseth me despiseth hhn tliat sent me.' It j;;oes up to God himself, from messen,2;evs to Christ, fioni Clirist to God. As the Lord tells Samuel, 1 Sam. viii. 7, ' They have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.' Christ counts it as done to himself in his own person.
2. It showeih you do not prize the word when you hate the mes- sengers of it, when you offer violence to their persons, and rob them of their good names : Isa. lii. 7, ' How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace, that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation, that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth ! ' The messengers of Christ are pre- cious to those that have received benefit by them. If ever you tasted the power of the word, certainly you would love the instruments more. Take heed of rotten hypocrisy. You profess you detest the perse- cutions of former times, of pagans, and antichrist, that so furiously persecuted the church ; and, alas ! you do the same when you oppose God's messengers, that live in your age, whom Christ hath })ut into office, to deliver his counsel to the people. So the scribes and phari- sees : Mat. xxiii. 29, 30, ' Woe unto you scribes and pharisees, hypo- crites ; because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous ; and say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.' Dathan and Abiram were as odious and accursed to the wicked Jews in Christ's days as the memory of Judas and Julian can be to us. Therefore do not flatter yourselves that you detest the persecution of former ages, when your heart is carried out with such rage and malice against the messengers of Christ now.