I Good Mr. KILLING BECK, Purpofe, God willing, to hold a Vifitation at OTLEY of the AINSTY and CRAVEN Deanrys on Tuesday the Seventh of June next. The Chancellor and I have been confulting about a Preacher for that Occafion. We have run over the Lift of all the Minifters in that Deanry. The refult is I had much rather be obliged by you (and fo I believe) would the whole Company) than by any Body else. But he tells me you have already done Service in that kind at the Arch-Deacons Vifitation. I own that Confideration would have filenced me, but for a Question I put to him, Viz. Whether at that Vifitation you Preached the fame Sermon that you did once at a Synod at YORK fince my coming hither. He tells did not. So that knowing you have a Sermon ready for the Purpose, A Sermon likewife which me you did not. I liked fo well at the hearing of it, that I extreamly defire ; to hear it again; I hope I fhall put you to no great Trouble if I make it my Requeft to you to Preach that Sermon at OTLEY at the Vifitation; Nay tho' 1 it should prove the Chancellor was mistaken in his Answer, and that you did Preach that Sermon at the Vifitation of the Arch-Deacon. But I will not tye you up fo ftrictly to this Sermon (the' as I said I should 444 be glad to hear it a fecond Time) but that you may Preach any other Sermon, which comes in your Way, and that you like better, how little or nothing foever there be in it relating to Vifitation or to the Clergy. I leave you to the choice of the Argument, but Preach M you must if you be in Health, and I can prevail with you. And you must likewife forgive this Trouble, which is willingly, unwillingly put upon you, by SIR, Your affectionate Brother and Friend.' Bishops Thorps May 14th, 98. Jo. EBOR I Pray let me know your Receit of this by the firft Poft. Superfcribed Fune 7. 1698, at the Requeft of His I COR. CHAP. iv. VER. 2. Moreover, it is required in Stewards, that a T HE Nature of a Truft, of what Kind foever that be, implies, two Things, viz. a Delegation of Power and Authority; and a Confidence in the Discretion, and Integrity of him to whom it is committed and thefe reciprocally induce an Obligation to Care and Faithfulness. B Now A Now amongst all the Trufts of this World, there is none more Sacred and Honourable, than that of the Minifterial Function, in which we are engaged; whether we confider the Author from whom we receive it, or the Nature of the Charge it felf. For we derive our Commiffion from Heaven; we are Ambaffadors for God; we are the Minifters of Reconciliation. Our Charge is to fuperintend and feed the Flock of Chrift, the immortal Souls of Men, which he purchased with his own Blood. And is it poffible for Men to be brought under more facred, more confcientious Obligations than these? This was the Argument the Apostle was handling in this Chapter. For having in the foregoing Verfe, afferted the Honourableness of the Evangelical Priefthood and Miniftry: Let a Man fo account of us as of the Minifters of Chrift, and Stewards of the Mysteries of God; he immediately fubjoins, what indeed is infeparable from it, the Pastoral Charge and Duty. Moreover, it is required in Stewards, that a Man be found Faithful. In the Words there is nothing obfcure or difficult, fo without any further Comment, their full Sence and Force may, I think, be drawn out in speaking to these two plain Heads of Discourse. 1. The Nature and Honourableness of the Christian Priesthood and Ministry; exprefs'd in their being Stewards. II. The Inftances of their Duty: Or the Qualifications required of them by Vertue of their Office and Truft. It is required that a Man be found faithful I. I begin with the Nature and Honourablenefs of the Christian Priesthood and Ministry, express'd in their being Stewards. It would be a needless and vain piece of Oftentation, to go about to inform this Audience, in what Honour the Priefts and Minifters of God have always been had: Not only amongst the Knowing and Civiliz'd, but even amongst the more ignorant and barbarous Nations. Το tell you from the Scriptures of the Old Teftament, of Melchifedeck's being both Prieft and King of Fethro, a Prieft in Midian, and Father in Law to the Illuftrious Mofes; of Aaron, Brother to him that was King in Jefburun: Or from prophane History, to tell you of the Hierophanta among the Egyptians; the Magi among the Perfians; the Flamens amongst the Romans; and to name no more, the Druids amongst the Gauls and Brittains, whofe Repu tation and Authority with the People, influenced the Councils, and directed all the Affairs of a publick Nature. I fhall therefore keep clofe to the Subject I am upon, and endeavour 1 |