A SERMON PREACHED At Fulham, on Sunday, Qiło. 13. 1689. at the Confecration of the Right Reverend Fa thers in God, Edward Lord Bishop of Worcester, Simon Lord Bishop of Bishop of Bristol. JER. iii. 15. And I will give you Paftors according to mine heart, who shall feed you with knowledge and understanding. IT Tis at least highly probable, that of those antient Prophecies which concern the Extent, and Purity, and Glory of our Saviour's Kingdom, there are feveral which as yet have never been accomplished: but that before theConfummation of all things, there is yet a time to come, wherein our Saviour will once more miraculously display the Victorious Banner of the Crofs,and go forth conquering and to conquer, till he hath confummated his Victories in a glorious Triumph over all the Powers of the Earth; wherein he will come with his Fan in his hand, and throughly purge the floor of his Church, from all that Chaff of fuperftition and 333 Idolatry, Schifm and Herefy, Irreligion and Immorality, with which it is yet, and hath for many Ages,been fpread, and almost covered: in the room of which, the truly antient Faith, the fincere Piety, the unaffected Vertue, the open, generous, and unbounded Charity, which Chriftianity teaches and prescribes, will be the univerfal Livery and Cognizance of the Chriftian World; and as an Introduction to this glorious ftate of things, it is foretold, that God will raife up in his Church, a great many Paftors and Teachers, eminent for Learning and Wifdom, Piety and Vertue, who by the efficacy of their Doctrine, the fanctity of their Lives, the prudence of their Conduct, and the unwearied activity of their zeal for God, and the good of Souls, will greatly contribute to this glorious work of the Converfion of the Heathen, and the Reformation of the Chriftian World; for this God promifes in the Text, And I will give you Paftors after my own heart, &c. And that this promife refers to this future glorious ftate of the Church, is evident; for it is made to the Jews Jews upon their reftoration from their laft and great difperfion, as you may fee from v. 12. to the Text which restoration of theirs, the Scripture reprefents as the opening and Introduction of this glorious face of things. Before we proceed to the main Argument of the Text, it will be neceffary to inquire, who are here meant by Paftors? Paftors properly fignify Feeders of Flocks and Herds of Beafts, and more particularly Shepherds or Feeders of Flocks of Sheep; and these the Scripture ufually expreffes by the Hebrew Rogim, which generally fignifies Paftors of Beafts, but metaphorically it fignifies Rulers and Teachers of Men, who in Scripture, are most commonly expreffed by the Hebrew Parnafin, which is the word in the Text. For thus in Scripture, not only God himself, the Ruler and Teacher of the World, not only Jefus Chrift the great King and Prophet under God the Father, but Kings alfo who are God's Vicegerents, are frequently filed Paftors and Shepherds; in which laft fenfe, fundry Expofitors will have the words under food |