Exposition of the Moral Law, Book 2 · Commandment 5 · Exercitation 13
EXERCITAT. XIII. Of ſpirituall fathers and the honour due to them. Commandement. V.
1. Tim. 5.17. Let the Elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, eſpecially they who labour in the word and doctrine.
THis word father is taken ſundry wayes in the Scripture;The word father taken diverſly. The Iſraelites are called the ſonnes of Iacob and Ioſeph, Pſal. 77.15. they are called the ſonnes of Iacob, becauſe they came of his loynes; and they are called the ſonnes of Ioſeph, becauſe he fed them and nouriſhed them in Egypt. The Iſraelites why called the ſonnes of Iacob or Ioſeph.So Num. 3.1. Theſe alſo are the generations of Aaron and of Moſes, they were Aarons generation by nature, and they are called Moſes generation; becauſe he taught them and inſtructed them: & ſo the Preachers are called ſpirituall fathers, becauſe they beget children by the immortall ſeed of the word. 1 Pet. 1.23. & 1 Cor. 4.15. In Chriſt Ieſus I have begotten you through the Goſpell. So Gal. 4.19. My little children of whom I travell in birth till Chriſt be formed in you.
Children that are begotten of this incorruptible ſeed will reverence their fathers; and thoſe who be foreign, 1. Tim. 1.3. and not baſtards, and foreign nobly borne. Act. 17.11. they will carry all due reverence and reſpect to their parents; but thoſe who are onelyonly mothers children will not ſo honour their parents. Cant. 1.6.
The firſt part of honour due to paſtors.The firſt part of honour which children owe to their parents, is to call them fathers, My father, my father, the charet of Iſrael, and the horſemen thereof. 2. King. 13.14.
Obj. It may be ſaid, how can they be called fathers, ſeeing Chriſt ſaith, Mat. 23.9. Call no man your father upon earth, for one is your father which is in heaven.
Anſw. How Paſtors may be called fathers.Chriſt reproveth there onelyonly the ambitious affectation of the Phariſees, who delighted much to bee called fathers; when the Phariſees ſate in Moſes chaire, then they might call them fathers, that is, as long as they taught the truth; but when they were not directly ſubordinate to God, and affected that which was due only to him, then they were not to bee counted as fathers. M…rke the oppoſition, call no man your father, for one is your father in heaven; if the earthly father be ſubordinated to the heavenly, then ye may call him father: but when hee affecteth that which is due to the heavenly father,Inſtrumentum Con…unctum. Remotum. to whom belongeth the kingdome, the power, and the glory, then call him not father. Againe, when the earthly father counteth himſelfe inſtrumentum conjunctum gratiae, and not remotum, then count him not father; but if hee count himſelfe onelyonly inſtrumentum remotum, then count him father. Example, God when he cureth a man by phyſick; phyſick is inſtrumentum propius, and the man who applyeth it, is inſtrumentum rem…tius: So the word it ſelfe is inſtrumentum conjunctum, and the miniſter who applyeth it, is but inſtrumentum remotum. Now if hee ſhould thinke himſelfe to bee instrumentum conjunctum, he is not to be called father. So ſpirituall fathers are called Angels. Rev. 2.1. and Saviours, Obadiah 21. But here we muſt take heed, that we apply not this word in particular, to this or that ſpirituall father, as to ſay, this is my Saviour, this is my Angell; for as Iudges are called Gods in generall, it cannot be ſaid ſo of this or that particular man, that he is a god: So although this word Angell be ſaid of the miniſters in generall; yet it cannot be applyed to any of them in particular.
So the Scripture uſually calleth Prophets,Prophets called the men of God. foreign Ʋir Dei. [Iſh Elohim] the men of God, that is, the excellent men of God; as Samuel is called the man of God. 1. Sam. 9.7. Elijah a man of God: 1. King. 17.24. the young Prophet a man of God. 1. King. 13.1. Eliſha a holy man of God, Moſes called the man of God. Deut. 33.1. 1. Chron. 23.14. and Ezr. 3.2. David a man of God. 2 Chron. 8.14. Igdaliah a man of God, Ier. 35.4. So in the new teſtament Timothie is called a man of God. 1. Tim. 5.11. and generally it is applyed to all Preachers, that the man of God may be made perfect. 2. Tim. 3.16.
Theſe things which are Gods are are moſt excellent; ſo ſhould they be who are ſeparated to this holy calling, he hath concredited to them his word; the breaking of bread to his people, and the cuſtody of the ſoules of his people, Obey them that have the rule over you, and ſubmit your ſelves, for they watch for your ſoules, as they that muſt give account. Heb. 13.17.
Queſt. Whether may this word god bee attributed to Preachers as well as to Magiſtrates?
Anſw. Not, it is given onelyonly to Magiſtrates and Rulers in the ſcripture, but not to ſpirituall Rulers.
Obj. Exod. 22.28. Thou ſhalt not curſe the gods, Paul giveth this ſtile to the high prieſt. Act. 23.5.
Anſw. Paul giveth this title to him here as a Iudge, becauſe he was ſitting in judgement; but not as he was the high Prieſt.
A ſecond duty to ſpirituall fathers is to behave our ſelves reverently towards them.The ſecond part of honour due to ſpirituall fathers, is performed by outward geſtures, as ſaluting them, and bowing to them. 2. King. 4.27. Contrary to this reverence is to ſpeake diſdainfully of them. 2. King. 9.11. Wherefore came this mad fellow to thee? So 2. King. 2.23. Goe up thou bald head goe up thou bald pate. They mocked and ſtoned him, and wiſhed that he might be taken away in the whirlwind, as his maſter Elijah was taken away before him.
Theſe duties ſhould be performed as they are Preachers, to receive a Prophet as a Prophet. Mat. 10.41. this is true honour.
A third duty is maintenance.The third part of the honour due to Preachers is to give them maintenance; this is called double honour. 1 Tim 5.17. which is an alluſion to the double portion, which the firſt borne got under the law.
Firſt, this maintenance ſhould be given them in due time.Tardar… lachrymam quid apud Hebraeos. Exod. 22.29. Non tardabis lachrimam tuam, Thou ſhalt not delay to offer thy firſt fruits and thy liquor; it is called lachryma, a teare; becauſe it was preſſed out in the preſſe like teares. Qui cito dat, bis dat; they that give ſoone, give twice. Pſal. 68.52. Aethiopia currere fecit manus ſuas ad Deum, Currere fecit manus, quid apud Hebraeos.they made their hands runne to the Lord, to note their ſpeedineſſe in giving.
Secondly, it ſhould not bee contracta manus, a ſhut hand. Deut. 15.7. they gave it ſecundum ſufficientiam ſpontaneitatis manus, according to the ſufficiencie of the free will offering. Deut. 16.10.Contracta manus quid, foreign manus aperta foreign manus clauſa. following the example of God himſelfe, who openeth his hand and filleth with his bleſſings every living thing. Pſal. 145.16.
Thirdly, they gave it cheerefully: Deut. 16.11. And thou ſhalt rejoyce before the Lord thy God; the Lord loveth a cheerefull giver. 2. Cor. 9.7.
The concluſion of this is,Concluſion. Miniſters are worthy of double honour; but many will ſcarce allow to them now the maintenance of Micahs Levite; ten ſhekels of ſilver, a ſuite of apparrell, and meat and drinke. Iudg. 17.10.