men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pursue and follow it and holyness without which no man shall see the Lord Peace and holyness two such strangers such prodigies in the world having taken their leaves so solemnely with Astrea for heaven that unless they be followed with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 full speed as in an hue and cry there is small hope of overtaking or bringing them back again to the earth And yet without them heaven must be fain to turn an unhabitable part of the world pars globi incognita as empty of Saints as it is full of glory without them Nemo Deum no man shall see God Could I imagine it possible for me to be instrumental to you in this work to advise or direct you in this course this method of seeking your peoples souls so that God might one day find them in this temper in pace Sanctitate in peace and holyness I should put off all the reverence that I bear to this assembly all consideration of the business of this day and venture to be unseasonable that I might be useful to you in this point But I know there be no general rules that can promise themselves such a successefulness the variety of tempers must have different accommodations and well if after using of all means we can be able to save any The way most probable in my conceipt is the bringing men acquainted with the difference betwixt the first and second Covenant then pitching on the second as that that belongs to us Christians to shew them the condition of this covenant in the gross the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 law of faith made up of commands as well as promises all the Gospel-precepts that joyne together to complete that Codex that law of Repentance self-denyall Charity the New creature which S. Paul interprets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Faith consummate by love or as S. James 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perfected by workes sincere impartial constant though not unsinning perfect obedience And then if you will have it in the retaile the Sermon in the mount in the 5 th and 6 th of Matthew will give it you completely were men but possess'd that those duties there mentioned with the ego autem but I say to you were duties indeed not onely phrases and formes of speech that they are not onely by grace made possible to a Christian an easie yoke light burthen and a command nigh unto thee Rom. 10.8 i.e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the 72. render that place of Deuteron from whence 't is cited but also most indispensibly necessary without which nemo Deum none shall see God Gods oath being gone out against all others with a nunquam introibunt they shall never enter into his rest It would I conceive within a while be found necessary either to give over pretending toward heaven or else to observe those gesses that alone of all others can bring us thither and so the world of Christians be once more divided as Epiphanius saith it was in the first ages not into Orthodox and heretical for those are titles that every man will applie as he lists the one to himself and his adherents the other to all others that he disphansies nor again into spiritual and carnal for those were abused too in Tertullians time as soon as ever he turned Montanist then strait nos spirituales we spiritual and all others animales psychici meer animal men but into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 godly and ungodly livers and so impiety injustice and uncharitableness be the grand heresies to be anathematized and peace and holyness the most Orthodox Christian tenets in our Religion But then for the atchieving this aime let me tell you that men must have more than Sermons to lead them the visible preachings of your lives must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cooperate and joyne in the work of drawing sinners to God or else 't will hardly prove successeful you know the story in Gellius when that excellent counsel was given at Lacedemon by one that was vitâ defamatissimus infamous for a very ill life they were to take the counsel out of his mouth and appoint a good man to deliver it though a worse Orator Lib. 18.3 Two things the Gospel was first planted by teaching and miracles and those miracles in Scripture phrase are called workes and mighty workes Now though the miracles be outdated yet the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 workes in the other sense must never be antiquated 't is they that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 power belongs to the efficacy and force and mightyness of our preaching which if it be not added to our Sermons our threats will be taken for Mormo's our promises for delusions our exhortations out of Scripture for acts of tyranny and oppression laying those burthens on other mens shoulders which we will not touch with our own fingers But if our lives beare witness to our doctrine by letting them see us write those copies with our own hands which we require them to transcribe then as Polybius saith of Philopoemen that good Orator and good man and the goodness of the man was the special peece of his oratory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we shall not onely perswade but inforce our auditors This is the onely honest way of insinuating our selves into our peoples affections by letting them see how hearty our exhortations are by our zeale to observing them our selves by shewing what miracles of reformation the Gospel is able to work on them by an essay of its efficacy on our own breasts And if this positive part of S. Pauls practice be perfectly con'd the negative will follow the non vestra not yours He that heartily and affectionately seâ—ks the souls of his auditors will never pitch design on any thing else that is theirs the crown that belongs to him that converteth many to righteousness is too rich to receive luster or commendation from any inferior accession or acquisition from any thing that the vestra yours can signifie He that hath any consideration of the vestra yours in this work of a Pastor is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the mercenary hireling that Christ so prejudiceth with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he flyes and he cares not for the sheep from no other topick of proofe but onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because he is an hireling Joh. 10.13 And of what ill consequence 't was foreseen this would be in the Church you may conjecture by that one act of the administration of Gods providence in this behalf constantly observable through all ages That no Minister of Gods might be forc'd to such viler submissions driven out of that Apostolical generous ingenuity Freely have you received freely give into Gehezi's meanness and mercenariness selling and bartering that sacred function the gifts of the holy Ghost or the exercise of those gifts it is no doubt that Gods providence hath in all ages so liberally provided for endowing of the
falsely that followes that it be our innocence that is thus reviled The devil is most ready to do it then being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 accuser of the brethren the best Christians that he may exercise two of his attributes at once accuser and lyer both If he do not so I am sure t will be small matter of rejoycing to us small comfort in suffering as a theef saith the Apostle though all joy in suffering as a Christian and so small comfort in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being reproached unless the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 falsely be joyned with it And therefore you must adde that caution to your comfort that they be your good at least your justifiable deeds that be evil spoken of or else it will not be a sic prophetas the prophets were used like you The Clergyman that in such a time as this when the mouth of hell is open against us shall think fit to open any other mouth to joyne in the cry against the Church to give life or tongue to any scandalous sin and set that to its clamans de terra crying from the ground that shall with any one real crime give authority to all the false pretended ones that are laid to the charge of our calling that by drunkenness or incontinence by luxury or sloth by covetousness or griping by insolence or pride by oaths or uncomely jesting by contention or intemperate language by repaying evil for evil or rayling for defamations shall exasperate this raging humour and give it true nourishment to feed on what doth he but turn broiler and boutefeu make new libels against the Church and by that means perswade credulous seducible spectators that all are true that have been made already I know not what climax or aggravation of woes is heavy enough for that man all the lamentations and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Bible Alas my brother will not reach unto it that of the milstone about the neck or the Melius si nunquam nasceretur it had been better if he had never been born are the fittest expressions for him S. Paul for the vindicating his ministery from vileness was fain to mention all the good deeds he had ever done among them O let not us bring our evil to remembrance by acting them over afresh but think it most abundantly sufficient that we have already thus contributed to the defaming of our calling He that hath done so formerly that by the guilt of any one scandalous sin and it need not be of the first magnitude to deserve that title in a Minister hath contributed ought to the vilifying of the whole Order 't is now time for him to see what he hath done been a troubler of Israel set the whole kingdome in an animosity against the Clergy and when will he be able to weep enough in secret to wash out this stain incorporate into the very woofe of our robe I shall no farther aggravate the sin upon him than to prepare him to seek out for some remedie and to that end to bear me company to my last particular how far we are concerned in the transcribing S. Pauls pattern how far that practice and that end is imitable by us that are here assembled This practice consists of two parts a positive and a negative The positive part of this practice the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but you hath no case of scruple or difficulty in it The You are the Corinthians souls As in other places the souls signifie the persons so many souls went out of Aegypt i.e. so many men so here by way of exchange or quittance on the other side you i.e. your souls according to that of Pythagoras of old 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thy soul is thou And then adde the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I seek to it and it gives you the uncontradicted duty of a Minister to be a seeker of souls the spiritual Nimrod the hunter before the Lord hunter of men hunter of souls and that indeed as wild and untameable subtle a game as any wilderness can yeeld so unwilling to come into our toyles so wise in their generation to escape our snares so cunning to delude all our stratagems of bringing them to heaven that a man may commonly labour a whole night and catch nothing He that winneth or taketh souls is wise saith the wise man Prov. 11.30 A piece of wisdome 't is not suddenly learn'd a game wherein all the wisdome of the world the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the prudence of the flesh and the cunning of hell are all combin'd in the party against us for this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Synesius calls the soul this stake betwixt God and devils and the game must be very carefully play'd and dexterously managed on our side if we think ever to win it out of their hands The manner of pastors as of shepherds among us is much changed from what it was in the Eastern parts of the world in Greece and in Jurie The sheep saith the Philosopher in his time would be lead by a green bough and follow whithersoever you would have them and so in the Scripture is still mention of leading of sheep and of the people like sheep Psal 77. but now they must be driven and followed yea and sometime by worrying brought into the fold or else there is no getting them into the fairest lovelyest pasture The sheep were then a hearing and a discernig sort of creatures could hear the shepherd and know his voice from all others and when the theef and robber came the sheep did not hear them Joh. 10.8 but now 't is quite contrary either not hearing at all profaneness and dissoluteness hath possess'd our soules with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spirit of slumber torpor absolute deafness that all our hearing of Sermons is but a slumber of such a continuance or else having no eares for any but the theef and robber if any come on that errand to rob us of our charity of our obedience of our meek and quiet spirits and infuse calumnies animosities railings qualities that ipso facto work metamorphoses in us change sheep into wolves his voice shall be heard and admired and deified like Herods the voice of God and not of man though nothing be so contrary to God or godlyness as that voice In this and many other considerations it is that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I seek here is so necessary All our paines and industry diligence and sagacity are little enough to bring men into the true way to heaven so many by-wayes on every side inviting and flattering us out of it so much good company perswading nay so many false leaders directing us into error that a Minister had need fasten himself into the ground like a Mercuries post in this division of waies and never leave hollowing and calling and disabusing of passengers with a This is the way walk in it or in the Apostles words Follow peace with all
thy self for once to be disabused give over the worldlings way with a hâc non successit reforme this error of good husbandry this mistake of frugality this heresie of the worldling and come to this new Ensurers office erected by God himself prove and try if God do not open thee the windowes of heaven shall I adde for the conclusion of all the mention of that poor unconsidered merchandice the treasures of heaven after all this wealth is at an end the riches of the coelestial paradise which like that other of Eden is the posing of Geographers pars terrae incognita undiscovered yet to the worldlings heart Me thinks there should be no hurt in that if such friends may be made of this Mammon of unrighteousness this false-hearted unfaithful wealth of yours that when you fail they may receive you into everlasting habitations sure this may be allowed to joyn with other motives to the performance of a well-tasted wholsome duty In a word If earth and heaven combined together be worth considering the possession of the one and reversion of the other abundance and affluence here the yearly wages of almes-giving and joyes and eternity hereafter the final reward of almes-giving a present coronet and a future crown a Canaan below and a Jerusalem above if the conjunction of these two may have so much influence on your hearts as in contemplation of them to set you about the motion that nature it self inclines you to and neither world nor flesh have any manner of quarrel to feign against it then may I hope that I have not preach'd in vain that what I have now onely as a precentor begun to you the whole chorus will answer in the counterpart what hath been now proclaimed to your ears be ecchoed back again by your hearts and lives and the veryest stone in the temple take up its part the hardest impenetrablest unmercifullest heart joyn in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And this shall be the summe not onely of my exhortation but my prayer That that God of mercies will open your eyes first and then your hearts to the acknowledgement and practice of this duty direct your hands in the husbandring that treasure intrusted to them that mercy being added to your zeal Charity to your devotion your goodness may shine as well as burn that men may see and taste your good works glorifie God for you here and you receive your crown of glory from God hereafter The End A CATALOGUE of some Books Printed for Richard Royston at the Angel in Ivie-lane London I. Books written by H. Hammond D. D. A Paraphrase and Annotations upon all the Books of the New Test by H. Hammond D. D. in fol. 2. The Practical Catechisme with all other English Treatises of H. Hammond D. D. in two volumes in 4o. 3. Dissertationes quatuor quibus Episcopatûs Jura ex S. Scripturis Primaeva Antiquitate adstruuntur contra sententiam D. Blondelli aliorum Authore Henrico Hammond D. D. in 4o. 4. A Letter of Resolution of six Quaeries in 12o. 5. Of Schisme A Defence of the Church of England against the Exceptions of the Romanists in 12o. 6. Of Fundamentals in a notion referring to Practise by H. Hammond D. D. in 12o. 7. Paraenesis or seasonable exhortatory to all true sons of the Church of England in 12o. 8. A Collection of several Replies and Vindications Published of late most of them in defence of the Church of England by H. Hammond D. D. Now put together in three Volumes Newly published in 4o. II. Books and Sermons written by Jer. Taylor D. D. viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Course of Sermons for all the Sundayes of the Year together with a Discourse of the Divine Institution Necessity Sacredness and Separation of the Office Ministerial in fol. 2. The History of the Life and death of the Ever-blessed Jesus Christ 2 d Edition in fol. 3. The Rule and Exercises of holy living in 12o. 4. The Rule and Exercises of holy dying in 12o. 5. The Golden Grove or A Manual of daily Prayers fitted to the dayes of the week together with a short Method of Peace and Holiness in 12o. 6. The Doctrine and Practice of Repentance rescued from Popular Errors in a large 8 o Newly published III. Books written by Mr. Tho. Pierce Rector of Brington A Correct Copie of some Notes concerning Gods Decrees especially of Reprobation The 2. Edit Now at the Press with some Additionals The Sinner impleaded in his own Court wherein are represented the great discouragements from Sinning which the Sinner receiveth from Sin it self The Divine Philanthropie defended IV. A Compendious Discourse upon the Case as it stands between the Church of England and those Congregations that have divided from it by Hen. Fern D. D. New Certain Considerations of present Concernment touching our Reformed Church of England by Henry Fern D. D. in 12o. The History of the Church of Scotland by Joh. Spoteswod Arch-Bishop of S. Andrews in fol. New Dr. Cousins Devotions in 12o. The Quakers wild Questions objected against the Ministers of the Gospel and many sacred Acts and Offices of Religion c. by R. Sherlock B. D. in 4o. New The persecuted Minister in 4o. New The Excellency of the Civil Law by Robert Wiseman Dr. of the Civil Law * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Just Mart. Apol. 2. Eth. 4.1 In Vit. Plotin * Pedag. l. 3 c. 6. * L de just cap de offic viri justi * l. 2 c. 55. * Ch. 25. * Lib. 7. c. 30. * Ib c. 29. * c. 7. * â— â— c. 37. * Tom 8. p. 226. A. Tom. p. 88. c. * 〈◊〉 l. 3. c. â— * Perk Avoâ— c. 3. p. 56. * Ibid. c. 5â— * p. 105 * p. 109 110 * In Deuter. 26. * Pallad Hist Laus cap. 5. * Bib. Pà â—â— Graec. vol. 2. p. 837. E