BX 
 7*6,0 
 
Dr. Colman's 
 
 S E R M O N 
 
 on 
 
 of the very Reverend 
 
 Mr. Teter Tbacher 
 
 ^BOSTON. 
 
g^5 m --' *~ -- 
 
 Faithful PASTORS 
 Angels of the Churches. 
 
 A 
 
 SERMON 
 
 Preached to the ;'* /, 
 
 ^Bereaved FlocJ^ 
 
 March 4. 1739. 
 
 On the Lord's-Day after the Funeral 
 of the Reverend 
 
 Mr. Peter Tbacber 
 
 of Boflon. JEcat. 62. 
 And now printed at their Defire. 
 
 By ^Benjamin Colman, D- D. 
 
 Revel, ii. i. Unto the Angel of tie Clurcl of\ 
 Ephefus, Write tlefe flings j faith He that hath 
 the feven Stars in his right Hand^ who walketb in 
 the midft of the feven golden Candleftlcks. 
 
 BOSTON: Printed by J. draper, for D. 
 Henclman and S. Eliot in Cornhill. 1739. 
 
 ' I i| ill l| ill I' ii 111 ill II IllPilPi PHI II IlllliiiUPilll 
 
f?*%-iH?^^* w 1^ 
 
 Faithful Paftors 
 
 THE 
 
 Angels of the Churches. 
 
 R E V E L. I. 20. 
 
 THE Myftery of the Jeven Stars which tbou faw- 
 ejt In my right Hand, and the feven golden 
 Candlefticks : The (even Stars are THE ANGELS 
 of the (even Churches, and the (even Candkfticks 
 which tbonfaweft are the feven Churches. 
 
 HE beloved Difciple Job*; 
 who had lain in the Bofom 
 of Jefui in the Days of his 
 Fleihj was honoured by Him 
 to out-live the other dfoftles, 
 and to receive his laft Reve 
 
 lations to the Church. 
 
 ~~ 
 
 From JESUS CHRIST, the faithful 
 r andfrfl begotten of the Dead, he wrote to 
 Churches which were inAfia by Name; and calls 
 hitnfelf their Brother and Companion In Tribulation, 
 and in the Kingdom and farttncc ofjefus Cbrift* 
 
 He 
 
Pa ft or s 
 
 He writes to 'em of His Eternal Power and 
 God-head^ " I am jtlpha and Omega, the Beginning 
 and ibe Ending, faith the LORD, 'which is and 
 which was and which is to come, the Almighty ! He 
 writes to 'em of his fecond coming in Glory 
 7 Behold, He cometh with Clouds, and every Eye fh all 
 fee Him, and they alfa which pierced Him, and all 
 Kindreds of the Earth Jhall wail becatije of Him : 
 Even ft, Amen, 
 
 St. John was now in the IJle called Patwes, an 
 Exile there and Prifiner for the Ttflimony ofjefus 
 Chrift his Lord ; and there on the Lord's-Day he 
 was in the Spirit, in a fpiritual Trance, Extafy or 
 Rapture ; and heard behind him a great Voice as 
 as of a Trumpet and turning to fee the Voice 
 that (pake to him, he faw /even golden Candle- 
 flicks, and in the midft of them One like the Son 
 of Man, his dear Lord and Saviour himfelf 5 
 but O how chang'd and more than transfigured, 
 in an ineffable Glory! fo that iriftead of flying 
 .into his b!eiled Arms again, as in the Days of 
 eld, he fell at his Feet as dead ! For his Eyes were 
 as a Flame of Fire, and his Feet as if they had 
 burnt in a Furnace, and his Voice was as the Sound. 
 of many Waters and He had in his right Hand 
 (even Stars, and out of his Mouth went a fharp 
 two-edged Sworcl^ and his Countenance was as 
 the Sun filming in its ftrength -- No wonder 
 then if the holy and moft favoured Di/ciple was 
 Jaz,kJ and ftruck dead before the (urprifing Glo 
 ry / but the Lord laid his Hand of Power and 
 Love upon him, which fuftain'd and revived 
 him $ laying to him," Fear not, I am the 
 Fivffi and the Lafl ! I am he that Hveth and was 
 dead and behold I am alive for evermore ^ Awen, 
 and ba-vt the Key of Hades. Reviving JfW, which 
 
 is 
 
'Angels of the Churches'. 5 
 
 is Life from the Dead to Ton this Day, bereaved 
 of your Elder Pajlor ! the Lives of all his 
 faithful Minlfters, and of all his Saints, thro' all 
 his Churches, are in the right Hand ot the rlfc# 
 and living JESUS. 
 
 And now my Text brings us to the Myflery of 
 the leven Stars, and of the feven golden Candle- 
 flicks j the Candlefticks are the Churches, and the 
 Stars are the fining and burning Lights fet up in 
 them 5 Minifters in the Spirit of the Baptift, as 
 he came in the Spirit of Elias, to give Witnefs 
 unto Chrlfl the Sun of Righteoufnefs : We preach 
 Hint the trueLlght ; and his Word which is theLlght 
 that fiimth In a dark World. 
 
 Now thefe Stars, thefe Minifars of the Word, 
 are called ANGELS, the Angek of the Churches ; 
 which is to fay, the MeJJcvgers of the Lord of Hofts 
 unto them, bringing his Word of Truth and Life, 
 the Light of 1 be Knowledge of the Glory of God in the 
 Face of Jefus Chrlft. This Light of God in 'em 
 and on 7 em, which makes them fhine on and give 
 Light to others, both makes 'em Stars, and (what 
 is more than Stars ) it makes 'em Angels. 
 
 It is this lajt Word only that I fliall now at 
 tempt to explain and illuftrate to You, and fo the 
 My fiery and Dottrlne before us is, 
 
 DOCTRINE. 
 
 f c That the qualified faithful Minifters of the 
 Gofpcl, and Taflors of the Churches of our 
 LORD JESUS, are in his Sight, and ought to 
 be efteemed by #/, as his ANGELS to them; 
 
 You 
 
4 Faithful Pajtort 
 
 You will fay, This is a high Style indeed / and 
 founds much too high, if the LORD Himfelf had 
 not given it, for any of the fintul mortal Sons 
 of Men. For what a Soleclfm were it to (peak 
 of an Infirm imperfect Angel ! of a dying Or ! 
 
 dead Angel ! But it is the Soul that is the 
 
 Angel, in the Body or out of the Body / And 
 as it is eafy to the Grace of God to make fome 
 Perfons Angelical in this mortal State, fo if He 
 pleafe to call them Angels in Flefh, who fhall 
 prefutnc to difallow the Style ? No Angel in 
 Heaven will find fault with it, and no Man on 
 Earth may, 
 
 Man in his firft and beft State was made lower 
 than Angels, and but a little lower 5 * which is a 
 Crown of Glory and Honour put on him, Pfalm viii, 
 y : but how far is he funk be ] ow it by his Sin ? 
 Who (hall put him again as among the Celefiial 
 Spirits ? The beft of Saints that ever have been 
 in the Church of God, ( Abraham,* Mofes, Elias, 
 Daniel or the Baptift ) what a poor kind of An 
 gels were the Holy M*n while in the Body ? in 
 Modks of Sin and Death ! of like Infirmities and 
 Pa/ions as other Men ! weak and weary Angels ! 
 diftemper'd ; dlfeafed and in Deaths often / fick, 
 and in Pain, and under fpiritual Diforders and 
 Maladies .' Angels that were fubjed to Grief 
 and Shame and Fear \ with Flefh about 'em 
 Ittfting avalnft the Spirit ! Paul himfelf was but fuck 
 an -Anfd-\ Angels approved in Patience, Afflictions, 
 Neceilities and Diftreflcs ' || hungry and thirfty 
 and naked Angels / 
 
 Afts xiv.' f 5. Jam. v. 17. Rom. vii, 24. Gal, V. 
 17, 2 Cor. xi 27. Matth, viii. 20. 
 
 But 
 
'Angtls of the Churchei. f 
 
 But was not the LORD Himfelf, the Lord of 
 all Angels, once in like Circumftances in cur 
 Nature Sin only excepted ? The Angel of the 
 Covenant Himfelf / the Angel of Inter cejjion, now 
 before the Golden Altar, in the Holitf, p;efent> 
 
 ing our Prayers, Revel, viii. 3, 4. Why them 
 
 may not Jbofe for whom He died, and is making 
 Interceffion, be called by Him his Angels in his 
 Church on Earth ? tho' they live here repent 
 ing and dying daily, wreftling with Flefti and 
 Blood and fpiritual Wickednejjes, and thro' Death 
 parting to Incorrupiion. 
 
 Yea, that which puts the Crown of Angels on 
 
 them is their dying ivdl \ the crowning Vittory is 
 
 6?er the laft Enemy I as the Beggar died, and 
 
 Angels carried him to Abrahams Bofom, to their 
 
 ,% own Paradife ! and fo they buried the Body of 
 
 Mofes, after ( as the Jews have been pleas'd to 
 
 .v fay ) they had kifsd awty his Soul : for He 
 
 had been an Angel of a Man, both in the Sight 
 
 of God and of his People, long before. 
 
 Yet far would it have been from Mofes, or any 
 of the following. Propkets, Apo flics or Evangelifts, 
 to have taken to Themfelves this Heavenly Style, 
 if CHRIST had not put it on them, He is the 
 Fountain of fpiritual Honour, t " HEAD over all 
 things to the 'church, and makes whom he will 
 Kings and Triefts and Angels unto God : Nay this 
 Honour have all the Saints ! pralfe ye the Lord. 
 
 It is not to elate or puff up j God forbid it I 
 but to admonijli us of our Duty, which ever rifes 
 
 t Eph, i, 22, Revel L d 
 
 B wich 
 
6 faithful T aft or* 
 
 with Dignity ; what manner of 'Perfons we 
 and ought to be, in Heavenly Temper aadCon- 
 verfation, as Citizens of the Sion above. Philip, 
 in-. 20. And if we can but think and (peak 
 and live as singels in the Church on Earth., we 
 may leave our going Spirits at Death to the Care 
 of real Angels, and the Remains of a Stephen to 
 devout Men to take up ( as they lately did your 
 Thachers ) and carry to its Grave as Angel's-dup ! 
 the Duft of GoU, from the Candlefllck in which 
 it once glitter' d. 
 
 And fo I return to the MINISTER and PASTOR 
 in fpecial, as my Text requires, and alfo the fad 
 Occafion of my <uifitlng You, at your Defire, this 
 mournful Day, which my Text would turn into a 
 joyous one. 
 
 L Mlnlfters are the Meffengers ofChrift unto his 
 People, and therefore Angels of the Churches. For 
 what is the plain English of the Word ANGELJ 
 but a MeJJenger, or One fent ? Angels are Mef- 
 fengers from Heaven to Earth, and io are Prophets, 
 Apoftles and Evavgelifts, Pajtors and Teachers, the 
 MeJJengers of the Lord of Hofts,> Mai. ii. 7. The 
 Baftift was fuch an Angel of God, of whom we 
 read, * Behold I fend my MeJJenger ! Angels de- 
 fire to go on fuch MlJJions, tvtt\ Gabriel Himfelf ; 
 and he flew fwiftty to Daniel and Zecharlah and 
 the bleffed Virgin, with the glad Tydings of Salva 
 tion. ||. God's MiJJlon makes an Angel of Light, 
 whomfoever He fends and the Mejjenger is to 
 be received even as Gabriel from the Prefence of 
 
 Mai. iii. r. iv. J. Mark i. 2. Luke 5. 7$. Vii. 27, 
 Dan, ix. 21. Luke I ip>a<5. 
 
 God,- 
 
r Angels of the Churches. 7 
 
 God. An Eglon himfelf will own this, who 
 arofe out of his Seat, when Ehud faid to him, " I 
 lave a Meffage from God unto thee, Judges iii. 20. 
 How much more will the Churches of Chrifl re 
 verently own his Minifters as his Angels to them? 
 Gal. iv. 14. Te received me as an Angel of God, even 
 as Jefus Chrifl. 
 
 And have not Tou had your Meffen^ers^ my Bre 
 thren, Men of a thoufand ! was not your deceafed 
 Pa/hr fuch a Mejjenger from God unto You ? 
 did He not bring you the Lord's Mejjagcs in a fo- 
 lemn manner ? with the Gravity and Authority o 
 an Angel ! ufed be any Ligbtnefs ? Spake he not 
 as the Oracles or the GREAT GOD ? that was the 
 glorious and fearful Name in his Lips, as often as 
 you heard him from the Pulpit ; the Great God ! 
 the Great God ! and how greatly did he pronounce 
 it ! Striking every One that heard Him with a 
 facred Reverence and Fear I and this was his Man 
 ner from his Toutb, from his very frfl publick 
 facred Exercifes : I think that I never heard the 
 Name of God pronounced Great, more than in 
 his praying and preaching,, Accordingly 
 
 he commanded "the Ears and Confciences of his 
 Hearers more than many a divine Teacher. ' He 
 was bold, and took on him Authority, in his 
 Mafter's Name, Worftiip, Truth and Laws. He 
 ( could reprove, rebuke and exhort for his Will 
 and Glory, in a vehement manner, fathetick and 
 ftriking. Jofoua was fuch an Angel & Ifrael, 
 under the Confcience of the Charge given him j 
 *' Only be thdu Jtrong and very courageous ! and after 
 his Death came the Lord himlelt, in the Form of 
 an Ang si, reproving the People at Bochim : Judges 
 ii. 2, But ye have not obeyed my Voice, why have ye 
 done this ? Such a Witnefr, Leader and Comm*n~ 
 B 2. tier 
 
8 Faltlful Tajlors 
 
 Jer under CHRIST, fuch a Monger from Heaven^ 
 was your Thatcher to You, 
 
 II. Mlniflers are yet with greater Propriety 
 the Angel* of the Churches, becaufe fent to 
 wlnifter unto the Heirs of Salvation. This is an 
 eminent Cbarathr of the Angels of God, Heb. 
 i. 14. Are they not miriiftring Spirits, fent forth to 
 winifter for them -who fyall he Heirs of Salvation ? 
 And what, more or lefs than this, is the Office 
 and Work of Ministers ? A&s xri, 17. They ar? 
 the Servants of the Aloft High Qod^ -who frew us the 
 Way of Salvation* 
 
 '' " 
 
 ge 
 E 
 
 Abraham was vifited by the Lord and his An- 
 els as an Heir of Salvation. He fojournd on 
 arth as in a ftrange Land, looking for a better 
 Country, which is the Heavenly, The Lord there 
 fore came down from Heaven to his humble 
 Tent. He fent his An^tls that Day to ftngle out 
 Lot in Sodom, and fave his Houfe. Afterward 
 they attended Jacob out and home, for he inhe* 
 nted the Promitc ; He faw ? em on the Ladder as 
 he went out, and Hefts of ? em about him on his 
 Return. And all the little Ones of Cbrift to this 
 Day have their Angels that behold his Face on 
 High, and are on the Wing to ferve them for 
 ftfiv fake. 
 
 Now, like Love and Care for the precioqs 
 Souls committed to them, is the bounden Duty 
 and natural Temper ( thro' Grace ) of a faithful 
 Pastor. Such an Angel was Timothy, of whom 
 faid the Apoflle y Philip, it. 20. I have no Manlike* 
 winded, -who will paturallj care fir your Swk. 
 
 So 
 
'Angels of the Gkurcbesl 9 
 
 So natural was the Care of yours become, thro* 
 Grace, to your dear Taftor *. He traveled in 
 Birth to fee Cbrift formed in Tou, and you born to 
 God. As a Nurfe cberijhetb her Children, he was 
 gentle among Tou Becaufe you were dear to him, 
 and being affectionately dejlrous of you, he was 
 willing to have imparted bis ownSoul with the Gofpel. 
 Was it not his vifible Concern that he might 
 . both fave Himfelf and them that heard him ? And 
 as there is Joy in Heaven among the Angels of God 
 over one Sinner that repenteth, fo was his 'Joy herein 
 fulfilled, if he might favea Soul from Detth, and 
 cover a multitude of Sins. Had the LORD put it 
 to your Peter, as he did to the great Apojlle of 
 fiis Name ; " Loveft thou me ? and 'wilt thou feed 
 my Sheep and Lambs ? he would have anfwered 
 with his Truth, Fear and Fervency , " Tea Lord ! 
 Jhou knoweft all things, thou knoweft that I love 
 Thee and them j to minifter unto Thee for their 
 Salvation; 
 
 III. Minifters ftiould be as Angels for Light 
 find Knowledge, Underftanding and Wifdom ; more 
 efpecially in the Mjftery of the Father and of 
 Gbrift. 
 
 c * Wife as an Angel of Gcd, and Angtls of Light, 
 is the known Language of Scripture f- The Fear 
 of the Lord is their Wifdom as well as ours ; a 
 good Understanding have all they that do his Gom~ 
 mwdments. The Knowledge of Angell is 
 
 * Gal. iv. ip. r ThelT. ii. 7, ?. i Tim. iv. 16* 
 Luke xv. 7, 10. r Pet. iv. S. John xxi. 17.^ 
 
 t 2 Sam. xiv, 20, ^ Cor.xi, 14* Pfal.ciii.ult. Pan. 
 ix. 22, 
 
 cxtial 
 
io Faithful Tajlors 
 
 praftical, like that of Saints they excel 
 in hearkning to the Voice of God's Word " Wijtr 
 Than Daniel, was a Proverb among the Nations, 
 while he lived & prefided over them,and atter his 
 Deceafe ; but the Man Gabriel was wifer than he ; 
 for he came down to give him Skill and Underftan- 
 ding and he left fome more Rajs of Heavenly 
 Light upon his Mind and Heart. 
 
 Minijlers are Angels in being aft to teach * , the 
 Law is to be fought from their Lips ; they need 
 the Tongues of Angel^ the Tongue of the Learned, 
 to fpeak in Seafin to 'weary Souls : Angels have 
 fuch Tongues, as Hagar found, and anfwer d 
 " Thcu Lord fee ft me /The Urim always be 
 longed to the Vrieftboody and it fliines more and 
 more under the Go/pel, toward the ferfett Day. 
 Heavenly Knowledge is the requifite Ornament, 
 and the neceflary Furniture of a Go/pel Minifter : 
 Ignorance is Darknefs when we fpeak of Souls. 
 
 But the Knowledge that eminently becomes tha 
 Minifters ofChrift, and makes ? em like the Angels, 
 is a clear Underftanding in the Myfteries and 
 Doftrines of Salvation by Him. As we read of 
 the Cbertibims of Glory over the Mercy-Seat, with 
 their Faces bowed and Eyes fixed down upon it ; 
 xod. xxv. 17. The Gofpel of which we have, 
 I. Per. i. 12. " Which 'things the Angels dejire to 
 look into : fcil. the manifold Wifdom and marvel 
 ous Grace of God, in drift's taking our Nature 
 and not theirs. The Minifter who has 
 
 well fiudied and preach'd the unfeanbable Riches 
 
 * r Tim. iii. 2. Malii, 7, Ifai, i 4, Gen.xvl 13 
 
 t. xxxiil 8, 
 
 of 
 
r Angtls of the CKUfcteii it 
 
 cf Chrift, fhincs as an Angel in the Churches. 
 Blelled Paul was fuch a Cherub of Glory in the 
 Chriftian Church t : " I dtfoe, fatd he, to knew 
 nothing among you fa<ve Jefus Cwift and Him cru 
 cified " And to make all Men know what Is the 
 Fcllowfhip of the Myftery, that hath been bid In G*l 
 from the Beginning of the WorU : and again, " that 
 your Hearts may be comforted -with the Riches of the 
 full Ajjurance of Understanding, to the Acknowledg 
 ment of the My fiery ef God, and of the Father and 
 Ckrift ; in whom are hid all the Treasures of Wifdom 
 and Knowledge* 
 
 So Angels above, and thofe below, ftudy and 
 proclaim the Glories of free Grace in Cbritt Jefus 
 our Lord. And thus did our Mr Thacher ; Ton 
 are Witnefles and Go^alfo. The Wifdom of God 
 was in Him, he was wife to Salvation, and to win 
 Souls : A Scribe inftrufted, and inftru&ing others^ 
 to the Kingdom of God : a judicious Divine and 
 ftrong in the Do&rines of Grace ; able and ready 
 to advife and dired Souls in the Way of Life. 
 He could as feelingly as any Man adore the dif- 
 tinguifliing Mercy of God in putting him into 
 the Miniftry, and counting him faithful : " That to 
 me, the leaft of all Saints, this Grace Jhould be given , 
 to preach among you the unsearchable Riches aCbrift / 
 Eph. iii. 8. He is gone to join the Multitude of 
 the Heavenly Hofi in that &oxology, Luke ii. 14, 
 " Glory unto God in the Highejl, en Earth Peace, Good* 
 will towards Men. 
 
 IV. Mintfters fhould be 'Angels for Purity, Sanc 
 tity and Holinejs; and for Zeal in the Gaufe of 
 
 . Cor, ii, 2, EpW. iii, 9, Cpl, u. ^> 3, 4. 
 
 Goi 
 
i Faithful Pa/lots 
 
 GOD and Godlinefs ; for his Truths and 
 
 Kingdom and Interejt on Earth. 
 
 Holinefs {hows the Angd more than *// Know- 
 ledge , and fo it doth the Mlnlfter and P*/?*r in 
 the Church. Without this, has our Saviour laid, 
 the Light that is In you is Darknefi, and how great 
 is that Darknefs ? Matth. vi 23. Holinefs is moft 
 of all the Light of Heaven ; God is infinitely Holy, 
 Christ is the Holy One of God, and Angels are in 
 his Likenejs holy, in all their Worlhip and Obe 
 dience. Their Parity is without a Stain, in high 
 Perfection, and gives ? em their Glory and Blifs for 
 evermore. 
 
 The Style of the Angels of God is taken from 
 their Sanftity and fo is that of Ministers on 
 Earth t- Even the Conn of Nebuchadnezzar knew 
 this before the Inftru&ions of Daniel : " I fau> a 
 Holy One come down from Heaven, faid the King> 
 relating his Vifions on his Bed. But our Lord 
 Jefus has confirmed the Style unto us, in thatgra,- 
 cious Promife, "The Son of Man {ball come In bis 
 Glory, with all his holy Angels. An unholy Angel is 
 a Devil. Angels and Saints are reprefented in 
 white Robes, and fuch were of old thofe of the 
 Triesthotd ; to fignify a Profcffion of and Obliga 
 tion unto fingular Purity and Holinefs. St. Paul 
 teaches the Minister how to become an Angel in 
 the Church ,- i Tim. vi, u. "Ttiu O Man of God, 
 follow after Rigkteoufnefs, Godlinefa &c. And again, 
 " Ee thou an Example of the Believers In Worl, In 
 Converfation> In Charity, In Spirit, in Faith, in Purity, 
 
 f Dan iv, 13, Mat, xxv, 31. r.Tiin. iv, 12, i.Thef. 
 
 ii, 10. 
 
 Such 
 
 - 
 
Angels of the Churches. x \ 
 
 Such was your Tkacher among YOU, thro' t\i$ 
 Grace given him from on High. Much of the 
 Holincfs ofChrift, and of Angelical Sanctity was irj 
 Him. He was a Watcher and a holy One among 
 us in his Meafure ; which was an Abundance ofths 
 Gift of Rlghteoufnefi ; like Phlneas z,ealottt for his 
 God, and as Ellas jealous for the Lord of Hy/l's. 
 Like the Angel of the Lord, he could have wltb- 
 flood Balaam in his Way ; valiant for the 
 and refolute in the Caufe of Piety. 
 
 Angels are called Straf kirns from their 
 with holy Zeal. YourThacher was fuch a Sp?V;V 
 F/rfwe <?/ 2w, in the Service of his Ged, and in 
 ading for his Glory. |) The Baptift was fuch 3 
 Burning Light, a flaming Miniftcr j " O Genera*- 
 tlon of yiperSj who hath warned yoii to five from 
 the Wrath to come ? bring forth therefore Faults meet 
 for Repentance. Peter was another He faeW and 
 /mote in the Caufe of Cbrift, till he was bid to 
 put up his Sword Stephen fpake to the Council wich 
 the Face and Ardor of an Angel $ and Epapbrat 
 had a great Zeal for the Coloflians, labouring fer- 
 vi^/y in Prayer for them. But He was wort than 
 an Angel, of Whom we read, " the Zeal of thy 
 Houfe hath eaten m% up* 
 
 Light and Heat go together in tie Kingdom of 
 Nature and of Grace, Fervour in the Soul of 
 Man produces Attlvity in his Life, and that 3- 
 gain cherifties and increafes Fervour* 
 
 V- Mlnlfters ftiould be \i^t Angels for Spirit* ?//- 
 and z heavenly Mind. Such their Temper, and 
 
 Mat Hi, 7. John ^Viii,- 1 if. A<5& vi, 15, C . 
 |oha ii. 17, 
 
 C , t>sruc : : 
 
14 Faithful Tajlors 
 
 perpetual Pkafure ; their Heart and Work, their 
 Imploy and Joys, all fpiritual. Heaven is there 
 fore their Dwelling-flaw. They reft not Day or 
 Night, faying, " Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God 
 Almighty ! which art and wait and art to come, 
 Revel., iv. * 
 
 So Mlnifters are to lead and continue in the 
 flip of God with facred Pleafure ; the Mouth of 
 others to God, and of God to them, out of the 
 Abundance, of their Heart to both. St. Paul was 
 fuch an Angel to the Churches, inceflant in 
 Prayers for them, and in his high Devotions and 
 as a iingutar Reward hereof, he was caught up to 
 Heaven * ^ ^whether In the Body, er out of it, he could 
 not tell. Appollos was like him, " mighty In the 
 Scriptures, fervent In Spirit, And teaching diligently 
 the Things of God. 
 
 The Heavenly Minifter lives like Mojes in the 
 Mount t has Mread there which the World knows 
 not of, his Diet is on the Manna of Angels,, Bread 
 from Heaven ; and his Meat and Drink (hould be 
 ( in Conformity to Chrifl his Mafler ) to do the 
 Witt of God, and foijti his WorL His Inter eft is in 
 Heaven, his Acquaintance there, his Heart and 
 Jreajure there and his Life is hid -with Chrift In 
 Cod within rhe Vail He would be accurate in his 
 Devotions and Obedience, as are the Angels 
 " doing the Will of God on Earth as it Is done above* 
 He would be reverend and earnejt in Duty and 
 Service,- would find Wings to fly, as well as Feet 
 to run ,- " run and return as the Flafl) of Lightning ! 
 
 * 2 Cor. xii. 2, 4. A6ls xviii. 25. John iv. 32, 34. 
 Col, iii, 3, Ezek, i, 14. Ifai, xi. 31. 
 
s f 
 
 Angels of the Churchei. iy 
 
 to the Angels are reprefented, and from their 
 sigllity are called Chtrubim. 
 
 Angels in Flefo can "t attain this j- it is too 
 wonderful and high for them j they foon flag and 
 tire in their Work j ev*n the Touths faint and are 
 weary , how much more the ^(g^ in their Decays ? 
 tho 7 not weary of it ; Yet is there a Tromlfe of 
 Angelical Strength and Vigour to all that wait on 
 the Lord ; c They fa all renew their Strength, mount 
 up with Wings as -Eagles , run and not be weary^ walk 
 a nd not faint, 
 
 How fpiritual and rais'd was Mr. Thacher in 
 his publick Devotions ? more efpecially in the 
 Duty of PRAYER ! that was his Gift and Element / 
 then he breach d his native Air! then his Afttbma 
 left him 1 he foard up as on Eagles Wings, and 
 with its Eye he could look into the Light of the 
 Throne of the Majejly in the Heavens ! He came 
 near unto his Seat, and fili'd his Mouth with Ado 
 rations : The nearer his Accefs was unto God, 
 the more awful was his godly Fear, and profound 
 his Reverence / like that of the Celejtial Spirits, 
 Revel. XV; 4 Who jhall not fear Thee, O Lord, and 
 glorify thy Name t for Thou only art holy. 
 
 I fay again, He was a heavenly Man in 
 He excelled in this in a great Copioufnefs and 
 Solemnity ; whether in Adoration, Confeffion, 
 Supplication, Thankfgiving, Interceffion, Profef- 
 fion and Pleadings before the Throne. He could 
 wreftle like an Ifracl, and as a Principality in the 
 heavenly Places, having Power with God and 
 from Him. How often have you (ten him in this 
 Desk, as ic were cover his Face and cry Holy 9 Holy* 
 Holy, before the Lord of Ho ft s ! many a time mak- 
 
 C z ing 
 
T6 Faithful Paflors 
 
 ing your Hearts to move, ancl filling them with 3 
 Smoke of fragrant Incenfe, Ifai. vi, 4. 
 
 VI. Mlnlfters as Angds of the Churches are to 
 yrefide, rule and govern, with Meeknefs, Equity, 
 Tendernefs ; Benevolence, Humility and Pati 
 ence j Wifdom and Integrity , by the Rules of 
 thi Kingdom $ for the Glory of Cbrtfi and tjie Good 
 of Souls. 
 
 are <c Thrones and Dominions and Towers 
 under GOD, and us'd by Him 3 in the Or*/i <^/- 
 y^Yj of Nations and Empires, Scares and Provinces, 
 as we are led to chink from the Prophecies qf 
 Daniel "\; and more efpccially muft we fuppofe . 
 their Mlnlftry in thoff of the Vifible Church. 
 
 Bur leaft of all would the true Mlmflers ofChrift 
 affect a Refemblance of the Heavenly Hierarchy, in 
 re!pe<5l of Prehemlnence, Auchority or Dominion ! 
 for " we have not Dominion over your Faith ^ but are 
 l he Helpers of your 'Joy. 
 
 Yet Power is committed to the Taflors of tfie 
 Churches for their Order, Peace, Edification and 
 Puricy, for which they can (how an ample Ccm- 
 nnijion, necdlefs to produce before Tou, who have 
 not fo learned Chrijt, as not to remember Them 
 that have the Rule over You, and watch for ycur 
 Souls and admonifh you to'Jubmit ycurjelvcs and 
 obey them in the Lord ; thac they may give tbtir 
 Account with J<y & not withGrief ! Heb. xiii. 7,17. 
 
 He is the Angel of a Mlnifttr in the Church pf 
 Chrlft, Who in the JL6^and Gentknefs of his Lord, 
 
 f Daniel x. 13, 20, xii. i. the 
 
r Angels of the Churches. 17 
 
 the Mecknefs ofWifdom, behaves gravely, humbly 
 and affectionately in the Hcttfe of the Living God, 
 The Pillar and Ground of Truth , i Tim. iii. I J Who 
 like the Watcher from on High is intent on his 
 Mifflon and particular Charge, watching in all things 
 to make full Proof of his Minlflry ; to prevent Evil 
 and Sin all he can ? and promote all he can what is 
 good and holy. 
 
 If St. Paul were again in the Flejh juft fo would 
 he rule and manage exercife no other Jurifdif* 
 tlon nor affect any other Preheminence 9 than the 
 holy Ends of his Miniftry, in the (awing Effetts 
 of it, make neceflary to the Souls of Men j their 
 j own and thofe in Fellowship with them. And if 
 He were again ; to take Leave of the Flocks to which 
 he had mmift/ed, it would be ftill in the fame 
 humble and endearing Words, with which he mel 
 ted the Elders at Ephcfus : Afts xx, 18, &C, " Ye 
 " know how I have been among you at ail Sea- 
 u fons, ferving the Lord with all Humility of 
 cc Mind, and have kept back nothing that is pro- 
 ' fitable to you ^ but have {hewed you publickly 
 cc and from Houfe to Houfe, tcitifyingunto all 
 cc Repentance toward God and Faith toward our 
 cf Lord J'fus Chrift : And now that you are to 
 c; fee myFace no more ? I take you to Record this 
 " Day that I am pure from the Blood of all Men; 
 cc for I have not ftiunned to declare unto you the 
 cc whole Council of God. Take heed therefore 
 u unto your Selves, and unto all the Flock ever 
 cc which the Holy Ghoft hath made you Biftiops ; 
 " to feed the Church of God which He hath 
 " bought with his own Blood. And now hre- 
 c thren, I commend you to God., and to the Word 
 u of his Grace, which is able to build you up, 
 
 " and 
 
1 8 Faithful Paftors 
 
 " and to give you an Inheritance among all them 
 " that are fan&ified. 
 
 This is the true Evangelical, Chrip-Uke, 
 Heal and Angelical Spirit of Rue and Govern 
 ment in the Churches ; the true Chriftian Pafto- 
 ral Spirit and Regimen. And juft thus yourTbxcher 
 defired to be among You and over Ton In the Lord, 
 and you efleemed him highly In Love herefor, while 
 he returned the Bowels of Love to You and yours 
 for your Reverend Rejpetfs and Kindnelfesto him; 
 You received him always gladly in the Lord, as an 
 Angel of Jefus Chrift. 
 
 And now you may be ready to faS upon his 
 Pifiure as I hold it before you 5 and kifs it in your 
 deep Sorrow 5 " that you muft fee his Face no more 
 But if this Face of an Angel that I have (hewn 
 You, and you fee that it is He ktmfelf, will not 
 dry up y out Tears for Him, and turn your Sor 
 row into Joy on bis Account j tho 7 it open new 
 Sluices for your Selves and for your Children ; 
 you would feem Infenfibk indeed, and to have no 
 fflritiial Senfation of things joyous or grievous. - 
 But this is far from you : You are true Mour 
 ners, and many of you I doubt not fyiritually fb^ 
 amidtt abundant Confolation before the Lord. 
 I have accordingly exprefs'd my hearty Sywfatby. 
 with you on both Accounts j that we may be eji- 
 fied together by a mutual Faith ; as with refpeft 
 unto the Dottrines of Grace in general^ fo in the 
 Application of them, on the prefent Bereavement 
 from God upon you. 
 
 And now to go into a more enlarged 
 tion of the Subject, than the Circumltances of a 
 particular Qongregation led me to, I would lay, 
 
 i. Let 
 
Angtls of the Qhurchci. 19 
 
 1. Let the Churches of Chrift and his Minifters 
 be admomftied of that fpecial Regtrd and Refpe& 
 Which they owe unto the blejjed Angels. There 
 is a mutual Relation between us and Them, which 
 obliges us to honour them as the Sons of God, we 
 know not how far before us, both in Order of 
 Nature and Time. We ftiould highly reverence 
 p em for all the Graces of God to 7 em and in 7 em. 
 Let us realize their Prefence with us in our holy 
 Studies, fecret Devotions, private Dlfcourfes with 
 Perfons on the Service of their Souls, and in our 
 publick Affemblles and let it be an Argument 
 with us to be ferious and folemn in all, " becaufe 
 of the Angels. Let us defire to commend our Selves 
 to their Love and Affiftance, in our Meditations, 
 Prayers and Administrations ,- and allb in our 
 Temptations, Afflictions and dying Hours. But: 
 however good they are in our Sight, yea though 
 they were to bring us even the Revelations of 
 God, yet may we not worfbip 'em, for they are our 
 Brethren and Fellow-Servants, that keep the Com 
 mandments of God and the Teft Imony of Jefus $ Rev. 
 xxii. 9. 
 
 2. Our Dottrlne ftiould comfort, animate and in 
 vigorate Mlnifters in their Work, and at the fame 
 time greatly humble and abaft 'em before God and 
 Man. 
 
 On the one hand let us magnify our Office, and 
 take Pleafure in our high and Heavenly Calling ; 
 as when the Hand of the Angel couched Daniel, 
 it fet him on his Feet, What a Name is this with 
 in God's Hotife and Walls ? called to be Angels ! 
 a Name meet to be 'written In Heaven ! And what 
 a good God do we ferve, who ralfes the poor out of 
 tks Dttfl, to let them among the Vrincifalitfa and 
 
 Powers 
 
ao Faithful 
 
 Powers above, and make them inherit the Tkront 
 of (j lory, 
 
 It is to encourage us in our Work, and at the 
 fame Time lead us to reflect, how little meet we 
 are to wear this Name, and how aftanid the blef- 
 fen Angels may well be to own us, were they not 
 Good like Chrift their Lord and ours. .. . -. Com 
 pare their Accomplishments and Miniftrations with 
 6ur^ and how do we indeed walk as Men, and 
 below Angels ! yet " behold we take upon us to 
 fpeak to the moft High God, who are but Dujt and 
 Jfljes ! as Abraham faid before the Lord, in the 
 Day and Hour that his Angels had vifited him- 
 The beft of Prophets muft fall before the Mercy- 
 Seat, as Ifalah did, when he had feen the Sera* 
 fbims worftiipping with cover d Faces : Ifaiah vi- 
 y. cc Then faid I, Wo is me, for I am undone; be- 
 caufe lam a Man of unclean Lips, and I dwell among 
 a People of unclean Lips.* . c Lord Jefut, fend 
 " fome heavenly Seraph, with a Coal from thy Al- 
 " tar,, to touch my Heart and Lips j that my Ini- 
 " quity may be 'taken away and my Sin purged. 
 
 Ah ! were we but thus humbled, we fhould be 
 alfo thereby greatly qukkned and excited, to ap 
 frove our Selves unto God and his People, as An 
 gels in his Church. Let us feel this faared hea 
 venly Ambition, fince God calls us to it. Afplre 
 to walk worthy of the Vocation. Let the Character 
 of the Chrlftlan Bifoop make us emulate that of An- 
 gels themleivcs : Titus i. 7, 8, 9. For a Bifhop mufi 
 be blamelefs, as a Steward of God $ not f elf -willed, 
 not foon angry, not given to Wine, no Striker, not 
 given to filthy Lucre but a lover of Hofyltallty, a 
 lover of good Men, fober, juft> holy, temper ate, holding 
 the faithful Word) &c. z. Tim. ii, 24. And the 
 
 Servant 
 
'Angels of tie Churches. 21 
 
 Servant of the Lord mujl not ftriw, bat be genthw- 
 t all Men, aft to teach, in Meeknefs inffirutllng tbofe 
 that oppofe tbemfelvei, &c. What but the Idea of 
 Michael, the Arch-Angel, arifes in our Minds, up 
 on our reading theft Words ? in his " Contending 
 with the Devil about the Body ofMofes, not daring 
 or inclining to bring a railing Accufativn againit 
 him. 
 
 O that we could be in any manner as the An 
 gels of God for Knowledge, Sanftity, Devotion, 
 Charity, Humility, in every Excellency / what- 
 loever things are juft, fare, Uvtlj and of good Re- 
 fort j every Vtrtut andPraffe ! more efpecially in 
 holy Zeal and Activity in ferving and praifing 
 God. Let us in Spirit be daily amending to the 
 Son of M~t in Heaven. Let us be in the Mount 
 with God often, preparing for the Prefence and 
 Vtjion of God for evermore. Let us be pleafant 
 and joyful in our Lord's Work. Let us be glad 
 to lerve the poor Members of J e f us Cbrifi in their 
 Mtly Needs, Sickneffes and Sorrows, but much 
 more in their fpiritual Wants, Griefs, Fears, Temp 
 tations and Diftreffes. 
 
 Thus Mini/fers have been cL rf'd before GOB 
 and his EleSl Angels, to be like 'em here, that they 
 may be with them for ever. And could we rea 
 lty the Charge coming from the Mouth of the Son 
 fMa, in theMidfl of the Golden CanJIeftieks, in 
 
 at tremendous Glory wherein John faw Him in 
 our Context, it would ftrike us dead at his Feet: 
 isuc at leaft let us be fouck with Jacob's holy 
 vrctdi on his feeing the Ladder from Heaven to 
 tarth, with the Angels of God upon it ; " How 
 dreadful u this Place < it is no other than the Houfe 
 / *% *ndtke Catt of Heaven. 
 
 D 3. As 
 
22 Faithful Paftors 
 
 3. As here is great Honour put upon tht faith* 
 ful Minifltrs of Chrift, and on his holy Churches ; 
 or rather only on the Free Grace of God to ? em 
 and in ? em fo what Condemnation and Confufton 
 belongs to wicked and ungodly Minifters, and unto 
 like 'Prof effort in all the Churches of the Saints ^ 
 who are carthlj, fenfual, devilifo Enemies to the 
 Crofs ofChrift, and as contrary to Him and his 
 Angels as Darknefs to Light, as Belial to the Hea 
 venly Hofl. So, as the Afoftle teaches us, " Sa- 
 tan hlmfelfis transformed into an Angel of Light 
 therefore It Is no great thing if his Minifters alfo be 
 transformed as the Minifters of Rlghteoufnefs whofe 
 End flwll be according to their Works, 2 Cor. xi f 
 14, ij. 
 
 4. Here is a fingular Dlrettion, with a mighty 
 Motive, to the Candidates for the Evangelical Mi- 
 nlflry j with what Aims and Hopes, with what 
 Humility, Fear and Prayer, they ly at the Foot of 
 Grace for the requifice Gifts and Graces, and En 
 dowments from on High, to their foining one Day 
 among the Angels of the Churches. Of the Fulnefs 
 that is in Chrift they muft feek and Grace for Grace ! 
 and " O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is thy Name 
 in aU the Earth, 'who haft fet thy Glory above the Hea 
 vens j and out of the Mouth of Babes and Sucklings 
 ordaineft Strength I Pfal. viii. i, ^. 
 
 5-; Here is fpecial Direction unto Churches in 
 their Eleflhn of Perfons into the Pafloral Office 
 over them. May God dire<9: them always unto 
 Such, as they truly hope will moft {bine in the 
 Gifts and Graces of Angels among them j and 
 ever behave toward them with Angelical Hotinef* 3 
 Wtfdom, Benevolence and Care for their Souls. 
 
 6. And 
 
Angels of tie Churches*. 2; 
 
 6. And let a Pe0p/e fo favoured of 'God fee how 
 they ought to receive and entertain the MeJJagtt 
 bro't them from God by their MinVhrs : Even 
 as the Afian Churches did, and thofe of Galatiq^ 
 who notwithstanding the Temptations in their Teach- 
 crs Fltjh ( whatever they were ) defyiid them not, 
 but accounted ot ? cm and jubmitted themfelves as 
 unto the Angels of God. Or if the Angel 
 vifit you in your Tent or Field, as fometimes A- 
 braham, GiJeon, Manoah and Mary were gracioully 
 vifited, receive Him gladly as the Heavenly Viji- 
 tors of old were welcomed, and hearknedto. 
 
 7. But what muft we fay then unto Thofe who 
 have fat long under the Minipry of an Angel, and 
 their Hearts have not been touched, affetted, cnlight- 
 ned and fet a burning within them \ " Neither 
 would they be per (waded ( they fhould fear ) tho one 
 came from the Dead ! altho' a Lazarus were fent 
 down to them from the Bofom of Abraham *. 
 
 YourPaftors, as they have received Mercy, have 
 not fainted $ but by Manifeftation of the Truth have 
 commended Themfelves to your Consciences in the Sight 
 of God! a far more proper Means, ordained by 
 God, for yeur Con<verfion and Salvation, than any 
 Angels Defcent from the Skies in a luminous Form. 
 But if our Goffel be hid (as we are awfully admo- 
 nifoed from God ) it is bid to them that are loft ; 
 in whom the God of this World ( Satan, the fallen 
 Angel y the Angel of the boltomlefs Pit )has blinded 
 their Minds, left the Light of the glorious Gof- 
 pel of chrift, who is the Imagt o^ the Invifible 
 God ftiould jhine into them (j. ' 
 
 Luke xYl 31, I] 2 Cor. iv. 2, 3, 4* 
 
 D z To 
 
24 Faithful Pa/fors 
 
 To draw unto a Clofy 
 
 8. We learn from all that has been faid, what a 
 forroivful Senfe we ought to have of the Dectafe of 
 faithful Minifters and Paflors, who have been An- 
 gels of Men among us. And therefore learn 
 your prclent Duty, O Flock of Chrift bereaved of 
 fuch a P aft or. 
 
 Drop now all the Duft, and bury every Infir 
 mity in the Grave, and look only upwards after 
 the a/cended Angel ! All that was Angelical in 
 Him and in his Minijlrj, let that /fi/ewith you, 
 and abide in a pleating, thankful, profitable and 
 perpetual Remembrance. 
 
 v^Vfo^fc '^tawi 1 ' rrsiKJ son T/ti'J i*"$al itS/h 
 
 The ^^/ is gone j the &/ was that ! gone 
 to GOD, who made and remade it ! to Whom it 
 Jias liv'd de-voted thro' his Power and Grace. It 
 is gone to the innumerable Company of holy An- 
 gels, and is as one of them among the Spirits of 
 <lu(l Men made perftft. It is gone to Abrabam, 
 ~lfaac and Jacob, in the Kingdom of God , gone 
 to be with Chrift in Ttradlfa to behold his Glory 
 and /i* Him as He is ! and to come again with 
 Him^ when he {hall return in the Glories of the 
 Father, with all his holy Angels. He is gone, 
 whither you cannot follow Him now, but we hope 
 many of You will foon hereafter. 
 
 His Going is to quicken you in a diligent Prepa 
 ration, by following him in holy Living, to meet 
 hirn*m the Joys of his Lord for ever. O what 
 an Angtl will you fee Him then, and ht-Tou ; his 
 Joy and Crown of rejoicing ! Arc not even Tcu to 
 be this, in the fre fence of our Lord Jefus Cbrift at 
 his Coming ? for Tt are bis Glory and Joy I 
 
 When 
 
of tie Churches. ^j* 
 
 When Ckrift Himfelf fhall prefent You and Him 
 together, faying, or give him leave to fay, <f e- 
 keld I, and the Children whom thou haft given we f. 
 
 Then the Soul of (he now defolate Widow, truft- 
 ing in God, (hall fee the Angel of a Husband that 
 once was, for flous Aftedion and ftrong Endear 
 ment 1 but O how much more holy and lovely, in 
 the Image of Cbrlft perfeded on him ! to be there 
 fore embrtcd again with a Joy unknown in our 
 prefent State. 
 
 Then the weeping Relatives, fuch as Mary and 
 Martha were to Lazarus, the Family of Faith and 
 Piety which Jefus loved, {hall fee their Brother 
 alive again, "and all Tears fhall be wtfd from 
 their Eyes. 
 
 Then the Friends, that were as his own Soul, 
 ^andthe^wr Golkgue-Paftors, who were knit toge 
 ther in Spirit, as Jonathan to David, in Angelic 
 Bonds having united their Endeavours to turn 
 many unto Rigbteonfnefs , fhall fhine as the Stars to 
 gether in the Firmtmcnt of Glory. 
 
 And then all Ton that have fhowfl the Klndne/et 
 *f God unto the Deceafed for his Works fake, and 
 fhali do it filS from Love to Chrift unto the Half 
 (f Him left below, fhall hear the Lord of Glory 
 take it to Himfelf ; " Te did it- unto Me. 
 
 And finally, Then all the Elett of God among 
 You, and (anttifed in Jefus Chrijt, fhall at length 
 meet in an everlafting Sabbnth of Reft from Sin 
 
 t i Thcff ii, * Hebrews ii 13. 
 
 and 
 
Faithful Paftors, 
 
 and Sorrow, in the General Affembly and Church of 
 the Fir ft born, whofe Names are written In Heaven $ 
 a glorious Church indeed, not having Spot or Wrin 
 kle or any (ucb thing 3 * to ferve Him day and night 
 in his Temple above, and to fmg the New Song tor 
 ever and ever : " Thou art worthy ,f or tbou waft 
 Jlaln, and bast redeemed us to God by thy Blood, out 
 of every Kindred and Tongue and People and Nation ! 
 Wherefore Bleffing and Honour and Glory and 
 "Power be unto Him that Jittetb on the Throne ^ and 
 U the Lawk for ever $n& ever. 
 
 f 
 
 
 
14 DAY 
 
M18QG04 
 
 " " "" 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY