Preaching, which hath Light and Heat together; which clears the Scriptures to the Peoples Capacities, and warms their Affections to Spiritual things. And it is hardly poffible to mistake, as to the best Method of Preaching, if Men do but judge aright concerning the End and Defign of it. For there must be Strength and Clearnefs to convince; and a close Application to Mens Confciento Excite and Perfuade them to the Practice of those things which Men can hardly be ignorant of, and yet are very backward to doe. And therefore this must be the chief Work and Business of our Preaching.

ces,

I

Which none ought to undervalue or be asham'd of, who do in earnest believe God and another World; none ought to neglect, whofe peculiar Office and Dignity it is to take Care of Mens Souls; and none will be careless in it, who have a regard to their own or others Souls. For in doing this, 1 Tim. 4.16. faith St. Paul to Timothy, fpeaking of his diligence in his Function, Thou shalt both fave thy felf and them that hear thee; as though a Man's own Salvation, and that of his Hearers, went together. That is indeed the most defirable thing in the World to be the Inftruments of carrying Souls to Heaven; for they Dan. 12. 3. who convert many to righteousness, fball shine as D 2

the

the stars for ever and ever: but yet, the most carefull Endeavours do not always meet with Succefs; and even our Bleffed Saviour's Preaching, who fpake as never man spake, was ineffectual to many; (What then may we expect!) But this is our Duty, and the most likely way of doing good to Souls, as appears by our Saviour's own Practice; and if we do not meet with fuccefs to our defires, let us not give over doing our Duty; and 2. 49. 4. fay, We have labour'd in vain, and spent our Strength for nought and in vain; for furely our judgment is with the Lord, and our Work with our God, as the Prophet fpeaks; and if we fail of a Recompence in this World, we shall not in another.

II. And fo I come from the Nature of the Office, to the Authority of Conferring it; these words implying it to belong to Timothy, as being spoken particularly to him, Lay hands Juddenly on no man. For although he often fpeaks of the Bishops and Elders before; yet he gives no charge about Ordination, but onely to Timothy.

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True, fome fay, in this particular Cafe; but this was by virtue of an Extraordinary Commiffion given to him, as an Evangelift by St. Paul: But what is this to the ftand

"ing Rule and Practice of the Church in fucceeding Ages? which is not to be govern'd by fuch Precedents, unless the Suc"ceffion in the fame Office be made appear in the following Bishops of the feveral Churches.

To make this Matter as clear as I can
I shall recommend these things to
confideration.

(I. Confid.) That from hence appears evidently, That the Apoftolical Power of Governing Churches, and Ordaining Elders in them, was not limited to the Perfons of the Apostles, but was capable of being communicated to others whom the Apostle entrusted with it. And this is a very material Point, to Prove, that this Power was not fo peculiar to the Apoftles, but it might be tranfmitted to others, and therefore might be continued in the Church.

But the great Objection against Timothy's being a Pattern for Epifcopal Power, is this That it appears by Scripture, he was fent up and down to feveral Places, as St. Paul thought fit. For he took him into his at"tendance at (a) Lyflra; from whence he (4) A.16. "accompanied him through (b) Phrygia, Ga

3.

(b) 6.

17. 1. 10.

(d) v. 15.

3. 1. 2.

(c) 12. latia, Macedonia, and ( c ) (there from Philippi to Theffalonica and Berea.) And when he went to Athens, he (d) fent for Timothy to him, and fent him from thence back to (e) 1 Thef." Theffalonica; and he returned from e) Ma(f) 18." cedonia to him (f) at Corinth. From thence (8) 18. “St. Paul went into (g) Syria, and so to (b) E(b) 19. “phefus; and there again he fent Timothy into (i) Macedonia with Eraftus; (k) whither St. “Paul went afterwards himfelf. And upon his return to Miletus, he fpeaks to the Elders, and not to Timothy, as their Bishop. From hence, they fay, St. Paul took him to Jerufalem, and fo to Rome, as appears "by the Epiftles Written from thence.

(i) A&t. 19.

22.

(20.

I.

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From this Series of the Story they conclude Timothy to have been onely an Evangelift, and not a fixt Bishop.

1

To which I Answer; That the frequent removes of Timothy, before this Epistle to him at Ephesus, are not material to this purpose. But it is very material to confider, what Power of Government St. Paul then committed to him. Which is a certain Proof, that such a Power was not fo peculiar to the Apostles, by vertue of their immediate Commiffion from Chrift, but it might

be

be delegated to others in their stead. Whether for a longer or fhorter time, whether while the Apostles went up and down, or near their Decease, makes no difference, as to the Point of Delegation. And if it be granted, that such an Apoftolical Power of Governing Churches might be committed to others, and was actually fo by the Apostles; then there is no more to be done, but to enquire, whether upon their Remove, or Departure, they did entrust any Perfons in fuch a manner, as it is certain from Scripture Saint Paul did Timothy, as to the Churches of Afia, when he went into Macedonia.

Some think, that St. Paul's leaving Timothy at Ephefus, was upon his return out of Macedonia, when he was going up to Jerufalem, knowing that they should see his face no more; and that while he ftaid for him at Troas, he fent this Epistle to him. But St. Paul's words are too plain to be avoided, that he left him at Epheus, Πορευόμενος εἰς Μακεδονίαν, which can never be interpreted returning from Macedonia. And there was as much need of one to look after the Churches of Afia, when St. Paul was then abfent in Macedonia, as when he went to Jerufalem: and fo) Theo- (1) Theodoret underftands it. But if Timothy were in Epift. Pa then with St. Paul, as appears by his being

dor. Prefat.

li.

at.