The fountain of life opened, or, A display of Christ in his essential and mediatorial glory wherein the impetration of our redemption by Jesus Christ is orderly unfolded as it was begun, carryed on, and finished by his covenant-transaction, mysterious incarnation, solemn call and dedication ... / by John Flavell ...

Inference 2.

* 1.1If Christ were Sealed to his Work by his Father, then how great is the sin of those that reject, and despise such as are sent and Sealed by Iesus Christ: for look as he came to us in his Fathers name, so he hath sent forth by the same Autho∣rity, Ministers in his name. And as he acts in his Fathers, so they in his Authority. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world,* 1.2 Joh. 17.18. And so Ioh. 20.21. As my Father hath sent me, so have I sent you. You may think it a small matter to despise, or reject a Minister of Christ, (a sin in the guilt whereof I think no Age hath been plunged deeper than this) but hear, and let it be a warning to you for ever; in so doing you despise and put the slight both upon the Father that sent Jesus Christ, and upon Christ that sent them. So that it is a rebellion that how ever it seems to begin low, in some small piques against their persons, or some little quarrels at their parts and Utterance, Tones, Me∣thods, or gestures: yet it ••••ns high: even to the Fountain head of the most supream Authority. You that set your selves against a Minister of Christ, set your selves against God the Father, and God the Son, Luk. 10.16. He that heareth you, heareth me••; and he that despiseth you, despised me; and he that

despiseth me, despiseth him that sent me. God expects that yon behave your selves under the word spoken by us, as if he himself spake it. Yea, he expects submission to his word in the mouths of his Ministers, from the greatest on earth. And therefore it was that God so severely punished Zedekiah,* 1.3 because he humbled not himself before Jeremiah the Prophet, speaking from the mouth of the Lord, 2 C••on. 36.12. God was angry with a great King, for not humbling himself before a poor Prophet. Yet here you must distinguish both of Persons, and of Acts. This reverence and submission is not due to them as men, but as men in Office. As Christs Embassadours: and must involve that respect still in it. Again, we owe it not to them, commanding or forbiding in their own names, but in Christs. Not in venting their own Spleen, but the terrors of the Lord. And then to resist is an high rebellion, and affront to the Soveraign Authority of Heaven. And by the way, this may instruct Ministers, that the way to maintain that vene∣ration, and respect that is due to them in the consciences of their hearers, is by keeping close to their Commissi∣on.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Infer. 2.
• * 1.2

  Haec Apostolo∣rum à Christo ••issio is formu∣la, ••atis evi∣denter compro∣bat, Apostolici mu••••ris aig••i∣tatem in Apo∣stolorum autho∣ritate, & pote∣state quae fuit Summa; & in∣comparabilis. Cameron.
• * 1.3

  U•• si herus ••a∣mulo praescribat prim••m quid de∣beat praescribere àgend••m in fa∣milia, tum sub∣jurgeret, qui te audit, me audit; non inde se queretur fieri non posse ut ille fa∣mulus discedat ab he••i praescrip∣to: aut sic ubi descesserit ••i esse pa••a••dum. Camer. Myro. p 130.