him the silver not the halter When he sent Gehazi after Naaman he suggests unto him the Garments and the mony not the Leprosie He presents unto Christ the glory of the world not the vanity He layes forth his wares to the fairest shew Do not Ixion-like take a Cloud for Juno Let not Religion be a meer fancy deceive not your selves under appearances and think not that zeal which it conceits Oh it is a heart-breaking to a devout soul to see hypocrisie made piety to see men boast of Religion and yet are but as sounding brass and a tinkling Cymball A Minister saith a Father Debet esse lugens sua aliena del cta ought still to be lamenting his own sins and the sins of the people Oh what abundance of hypocrisie and spirituall pride is there amongst men conceiting highly of themselves and despising others and of all men the most envious and censorious if this be of the Spirit of Christ I leave it to you to judge I read that Pambo a man utterly unlearned in the Scriptures on a time came to S. Hierome to be taught some Scripture without book he turned him to the first verse of the 39 Psalm I said I will take heed to my waies that I offend not in my tongue a Lesson very seasonable and to be learned aswell by the Scribes and Pharisees as Publicans of our times The good man being blamed for not resorting unto his Tutour again in three moneths answers That he had not yet learned well his first lesson yea and forty years after being asked the same Answ that as yet he had not fully learned that lesson And indeed let men and women pretend what Religion they will unlesse they learn this lesson they learn nothing at all of goodnesse Jam. 1.26 If any man among you seemeth to be religious and bridleth not his tongue but deceiveth his own heart this mans religion is but vain The first lesson that the wicked learn their Alpha yea and Omega too their first and last is to speak evil so the Psalmist Psal 58.3 The wicked speak evil from their mothers womb Oh that I could prevail with the professing men women of our Age that would be Guides of the blinde and Instructers of the unlearned that they would learn themselves this lesson to take heed to their waies that c. Goe into your grounds in the dead of Winter and of two naked trees you know not which is the sound and which the rotten at heart the Summer will give Christs mark by their fruits you shall know them Oh that people would shew lesse and doe more of goodnesse that they would learn not to know much but to practice much and as they hear and repeat Sermons so learn obedience this is the life and power of godlinesse In a word Love all especially the houshold of faith have bowels of compassion towards them despise none especially the Ministers of the Gospel much lesse persecute them but stand by them and with them help and encourage them for they are the servant of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God CHAP. V. Luke 10.16 Sheweth that the contempt of the Ministers of the Gospel is a great and grievous sinne the reasons of it and how it exposeth men to the wrath of God THey doe exceedingly aggravate their sinnes that dare insolently and presumptuously oppose themselves against Gods Ministers returning reproofs for reproof and inverting and perverting Gods own Order and Ordinance The Law punished this insolency and presumption even with death as appeareth Deut. 17.11 12. The Lord inflicts a heavy judgment upon Corah and his Associates for this very sin Contempt of the Ministery Numb 16.11 What are we your murmurings c. their sinne was not against Aaron but against God himself and his Ordinance It was not men they opposed and despised but God the just One the Lord. Seeing we are fallen upon these unhappy men this rebellious rout let us take a fuller view of them 1. You have their Conspiracy They gathered themselves together Surrexerunt they rose and made an Insurrection They made a schisme then a faction and in the end a mutinous commotion a rebellious insurrection the word is passive They were gathered together 2. You have the persons Corah Dathan Abiram and On the Son of Pelech here are not Sheba and Shimei base Bethshemites that rose against David empty fellowes such as rose against Rehoboam not Faex populi a sort of abject and contemptible men but Corah the Son of Levi Aaron's Cosin-Germane and Dathan Abiraem and On the Sons of Reuben Israels first-born famous eminent men Captains of the people men of renown You may note that the head of this Conspiracy is a Son of Levi Corah It is dangerous when insurrection begins at the Sanctuary Secondly that Reuben joyns also insurrection hath sharers Corah is for the Mitre Reuben for the Scepter Let Moses look to his Throne Aaron to his Chaire Levi hath many things that will doe Reuben good and Reuben therefore will be sure to pleasure Levi. Thirdly you have the persons against whom this Insurrection is made Moses and Aaron Magistrate and Minister Fourthly the Grievance their usurping of Rule over the people You take too much c. and not onely Usurpation but Intrusion too Why lift ye up your selves Fiftly you have the ground of this Grievance the Congregation is holy every one of them and what need of Aaron the Lord is amongst them what needs a Governour or Moses Here were glorious shews and pretences they charge Moses and Aaron with Ambition and Intrusion Vice rebukes Virtue Humility challengeth Arrogance when as their main end was to rush into their rooms to possesse themselves of their dignities Now observe all this is not against them but against God the abuse and affront offered to them he takes as a dishonour to himselfe ver 11. What are we your murmurings c. and therefore he plagueth them in a strange and unusual manner to be Ensamples to us that we should fear and not doe so wickedly Their intent of a subversion of Moses and Aaron ends in the destruction of themselves for the Earth openeth her mouth and swalloweth them down quick We should never read of this judgment but it should make us tremble and pray that thus we may not sin Examples of this sin are very frequent Jer. 18.18 Come let us devise Amos is accused of Conspiracy against the King Amos 7.10 It is common for the sons of Belial to lay nets and snares to entrap the Prophets of the Lord. How great a sin this is hear what S. Paul saith 1 Thes 4.8 He that despiseth despiseth not man but God c. Observe the words this Argument is a Conclusion of the former Reasons enforcing them all saith Zanchy on this place as if he should say It is not I Paul that exhort you but Christ and Christ is not onely man but God he that willeth Sanctification is
the Prophet Jeremiah Jer. 1.6.7 O Lord God behold I cannot speak for I am but a childe c. Thus it was with Saul afterwards Paul Acts 9.6 And he trembling c. Mans nature is ready to take enough and too much to it self God therefore in his wisdome puts a bridle into this corrupt nature of man and maketh it astonished lest it should presume and boast too much of it self and how can he preach the feare and reverence of the Lord that was never cast down in the admiration of Gods glory and majesty but thrusts himself vainly and proudly into the Ministery not considering whose message he brings and whose person he represents to assume this calling without a call is extreme boldnesse and sinful presumption For if a man would consider Gods greatnesse and his own vilenesse he durst not thus attempt it Upon that forementioned Text Eod. loc Isay 6.5 Master Perkins maketh this use Let us see saith he the monstrous presumption of such as dare venture rashly into the Ministery to tread upon the holy ground of God with unclean feet to handle the holy things of God with unwashen hands for what is it to enter into the Ministery but to enter into the presence of the great King If God rebuked Moses for stepping too hastily to the bush where his presence was how will God check the consciences of such as carelesly rush into the Ministery and to Gods holy Table where God is present in a farre more excellent manner than he was in the bush Such as assume this calling are guilty of intrusion and presumption Calvin on the 2d of the Acts and the 2d verse And there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind and it filled all the house where they were sitting this saith he was to terrifie them and to make them humble for the Lord respects the lowlinesse of his servants and dwells with them that are of meek spirits he resists the proud but gives grace to the humble Jam. 4.6 Fiftly it is a mocking of God to pretend a Commission and have it not to seem to do Gods publique work without a warrant to put their hands to the plough and not sent by him Accipite saith Christ Receive the holy Ghost not assumite Take it to your selves it is sad and to be lamented when men make sin a trifle and mock God to serve their own turns Jer. 23.21 Sixtly God punisheth this kinde of practise One censures it a deed worthy of many deaths he is perhaps too severe but this I am sure of God makes a King a Leper for attempting it but one act of it and but once Saul would play the Sacrificer but his seed for this sin was thrown from his Throne God himself hath punished it in some with death as in Vzza and in the Bethshemites it is thought of Origen a man of extraordinary parts that his many errours were as Gods judgements on him for his presumption in this particular Let not the bold Bethshemites looke into the Arke or Huzzah handle it if they love their lives Thus have I briefly discovered the greatnesse of their sin that thrust themselves into the calling of the Ministery without lawfull ordination or deputation thereunto CHAP. VI. That the Sacrament of Baptism lawfully administred ought not to be reiterated OF this judgment is Zanchy Credimus praeterea fid de Christ relig de Bapt. 6. sicut Circumcisio in carne semel tantùm fiebat sic Baptismum aqua qui circumcisioni successit semel ritè ac legitimè susceptum non esse denuò repetendum Furthermore we believe that as Circumcision was done onely once in the flesh So the Baptism of water which succeeded circumcision being once rightly and lawfully received Beza de spir Sanct. cap. 4. ought not againe to be repeated Of the same opinion is Beza Jam verò quum quisquis semel Christo verè datus est quamvis interdum deflectat nunquam tamen for as ejâ—ciatur ac perinde satis sit semel receptum esse c. There are Reasons rendred for this First because there is no commandment for the reiteration of it Circumcision in whose room Baptism succeeded was not to be reiterated Secondly lawfully done by a call'd Minister according to Christs institution is not to be accounted frustrate Thirdly as carnall generation is but once so our Spirituall regeneration or ingrafting into the Church is but once to be performed Fourthly the signification force use and fruit of Baptisme continues not for a time but the whole Life of the party baptized Confes of the Chur. of Belg Ar. 34. of Bapt. Confes of Bob. ch 12. of Bapt. Beza Quest. Resp This is seen by the confession of Reformed Churches To such as are once truly baptized into the Church of Christ there ought not to be any reiteration of Baptisme Now if it be performed by Heretiques that deny the principles of doctrine and corrupt the essentiall forme of Baptism as the Arians Samosatenians and others that are not sincere in the doctrine of the Trinity such ought to be baptized again the first being of no validity for the essentiall forme being taken away the matter it selfe is also taken away and this is no rebaptization but the Administration of the true Baptisme If done by some Hereticks as the Novatians Donatists Quest Istos igitur rebaptizares Resp. Imò Christi Baptismonanquam baptâ—zâ—tos baptâ—zarem sid de Christ relig de Bapt. cap 6. or Papists who erre out of the way of truth in some part of doctrine and using many needlesse and superstitious ceremonies yet using the publique Ministery and essentiall forme of the institution such ought not to be baptized againe But where it is not done according to the form of Baptism denying the Trinity or by a lawfull Minister of the Gospell such ought to be baptized againe We have already proved it no Sacrament and therefore Zanchy's rule will follow Semel ritè ac legitimè susceptum non esse denuo repetendum We read not that the Apostles did ever baptize any except those which Paul did baptize who had not been rightly baptized For saith he Observat Aph 6. Non enim intelleximus qui ritè baptizati fuerant eos postmodum fuisse rebaptizatos sed qui vero baptismo praecedente Scilicet vera de Deo Patre Filio Spiritu Sancto doctrina baptizati non fuerant For we meant not that they which were rightly baptized were afterwards baptized againe but they which were not baptized with true Baptism where the true doctrine of God the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost went before it they after Paul had taught them the true and sound doctrine of Christ then they tooke true Baptisme and after Baptisme by the laying on of hands received the Holy Ghost and the gifts thereof and this to speak properly was indeed not to be rebaptized but to be truly baptized Which saith he is not repugnant
their arms to strip them naked and bare to shew their own emptinesse and nothingness Oh! how many are there that preach Faction not Religion that cry up Michaël not Christ that study State-affairs not Gospel that catch at popular applause and rather hunt themselves into fame than souls into Heaven Se praedicantes non Christum Preaching themselves not Jesus Christ Divinity by too many is made a shift to dig they are too lazie to beg ashamed and therefore shark a living out of the Church This is not the end why God hath placed these Officers in the Church but to be faithful and powerfull in the discharge of their duty The onely thing that should be desired by a Pastor is the weal and benefit of his flock for if the mark whereat we look be but to make our commodity by the Gospel of Jesus Christ wherein doe we differ from thieves and robbers This is that whereof the Lord complains so grievously by his Prophets The Priests teach for hire the Prophets prophesie for money yet will they leane upon the Lord and say Is not the Lord among us And again these shepheards cannot understand they all look to their own way every one for his advantage and for his own purpose Moses blessing Levi before his death saith first They shall teach Jacob thy judgments and Israel thy Law they shall put incense before thy faece and then addeth Blesse O Lord his substance accept the work of his hands As if he should have said So long as Levi and his Sons doe not seek their own commodity but thy glory thou art righteous and canst not forget to provide in large manner both for them and theirs A third end is the edifying of the body of Christ this concerns such as are to be called and converted The gifts of the Spirit are given to every man to edifie withall 1 Cor. 12.7 Positi estis dispensatores sed in aedificationem non in destructionem aliter non fidelis dispensatio sed crudelis dissipatio saith Bernard Ye are placed for edification and not the destruction of any It is true the word proveth the savour of death to death but that is accidentally and not the proper work of it whilest we seek to win your soules to God give us the hearing otherwise it is not possible our doctrine should tend to edification Christ delivers to the people a parable of the Sower and of the seed Some fell by the way side and it was troden down some fell upon a rock and assoon as it was sprung up it withered away And so Luke 8. beginning at the 4th verse this Christ uttereth for their edification but observe the latter part of the 8th verse When he had said these things he cryed He that hath eares to hear let him hear he cryed not onely to manifest his affection but our dulnesse he is not said to cry above four or five times in all his life He cryed as he taught in the Temple John 7.38 He cryed when he raised Lazarus from the dead John 11.43 He cryed John 12.44 He cryed on the Crosse Mat. 27. at which time he delivered matter of great consequence So here this expression being upon a cry must not lightly be respected of us Men have 2 Feet but scarcely one to walke in the way of God 2 Eyes but scarcely one to see the things of God 2 Hands but scarcely one to work in his Vineyard 2 Ears but scarcely one to hear the word of God A good ear saith the Wiseman will hearken unto wisdome whence observe two things First that we hearken unto nothing but that which is good unto wisdome Secondly that we hearken unto it gladly with a great desire to learn for in Scripture phrase obaudire is obedire So Christ in the Gospel Luke 10.16 He that heareth you heareth me that is He that obeyeth you obeyeth me and He that despiseth you despiseth me If we would make our Election sure we must not begin à priori but à posteriori such as with a good heart hear the Word of God and keep it and bring forth fruit shall inherit the kingdome of God but it shall be taken away and be of no benefit to those that are carelesse and fruitlesse Now that you may edifie and profit hear Gods word frequent the publick Ordinances wait at the gates of wisdomes house Prov. 8.34 35. Lay your Noses open to the sweet savour of Life your Eyes unto the Day starre that is sprung from on high and your Ears unto the voice of the wise Charmer Doe not as some desire to know that they may onely know which is curiosity or that they might be known which is vanity but ro edifie and better your selves which is true wisdome Audiatis ut sciatis saith Bernard sciatis ut aedificemini hoc integritas est ut aedificetis hoc charitas est Hear to know know to edifie your selves this is integrity to edifie others this is charity Secondly that thou mayest edifie pray fervently that the Lord would shew thee his waies and teach thee his paths If any man saith the Apostle lack wisdome Jam. 1.5 let him aske c. Thirdly Read much and meditate the sacred Scriptures as the affections are most moved by hearing so the judgment is best informed by reading Reade meditate pray and contemplate reading enquireth meditation findeth prayer requesteth and contemplation tasteth Fourthly that thou mayest edifie lay aside prejudice and malice guile envy and heare the word as a new-born babe the smell possest with Rue cannot sent the Rose the tast infected with gall imagineth all morsels bitter It is a Rule in Philosophy Nothing receives any thing but which is empty of all other things of a contrary nature the Eare must be empty of all sounds the Tast of all savours the Eye of all colours before there can be entertainment given to a new object certainly he hath a most wicked heart that dares come into Gods presence and carp at his Word that cometh with an intention to lye at catch Keep thy foot when thou goest saith Solomon to the house of God and be more ready c. Eccles 5.1 By feet he means the affections there is Oris custodia Prov. 13.3 The mouth wants keeping David prayes God Psal 141. to set a watch before it There is Cordis custodia Prov. 4.23 the heart needs keeping too There is Manuum custodia Esa 56.2 The hands doe often what they should not All the parts of the body yea the powers of the soul are in the phrase of Scripture meant by the feet yea all our actions Take notice that that which cures thee doth not alwaies please thee thou nauseatest that Physick that would doe thee most good doe not sequester thy Pastor because he would sequester thee from thy hypocrisie doe not thrust him out of his vineyard because he bringeth thee sowre grapes and sharp wine of reproofs doe not cast upon him false imputations because
allegorically as Origen some historically as Hierome some morally as Gregory the great some pathetically as Chrysostome some dogmatically as Augustine Thirdly the persons ordained some Apostles c. The Lord hath from time to time raised up instruments and taught the children of men the secrets of his kingdome by men of the like passions its true he can give wisdome without a Teacher maintain life without bread raise up children to Abraham of stones doe more by his absolute power than he will by his actuall But it is his will to make use ordinarily of means to teach Cornelius by Peter Lydia by Paul Paul by Ananias the Eunuch by Philip and every soule that is wise in the doctrine of salvation by Apostles Prophets c. Lat. Confes of Helvetia c. 18. God hath alwaies used his Ministers for the gathering or erecting of a Church to himself c. True it is God can by his power without any means take unto himself a Church amongst men but he had rather deal with men and the ministery of men The Lord useth no Angels in this great work of mans happinesse but men Consultissime autem sapientissime fieri à Deo intelligimus Zanch. confes Châ— relig de Eccl. Milt gâ—ber quod non per Angelos sed per homines doceat in Ecclesia Christus tam quia libentius sinimus nos à nostri similibus familiaritèr institui quam à longè dissimilis naturae spiritibus cum insolita majestate deceri c. We know saith he it was most wisely and advisedly done of God that Christ should teach in his Church not by Angels but by men both because we can more willingly suffer our selves to be informed familiarly of our equals than to be taught of spirits of a farre differing nature with an unacquainted Majestie and also because we might more easily be deceived of Sathan falsly faining himself to be sent of God and transforming himself to an Angel of light and those surely in our judgment are two not the least causes why the Son of God when he was to fulfill the Office of a Teacher in the Church would be made a man and our brother and familiar like unto us in all things sin onely excepted hence it is that in these last dayes he is said to speak unto us by his Son Nempe jam homine facto In cod loco familiariter in Ecclesia agente Namely being now made man and living familiarly in the Church Bucanus gives severall Reasons why the Lord doth not teach by Himself or by Angels but by Man First Buc. in 42 Com. pl. of the Ministery he provides for our infirmity in choosing such Interpreters Secondly to make triall of our obedience who speaks by such Thirdly that he may declare his favour towards us when he consecrates the mouthes and tongues of men to himself that in them his very voice may sound out unto us Fourthly lest without the outward Word we should expect the hidden Revelations of the Spirit or preaching of Angels Lastly this treasure is in earthly vessels that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us 2 Cor. 4.7 We shall considering the weight of every word in our Text handle the persons therein 1. Severally then Joyntly Apostles To be called by God to the office of Publick teaching and administring the Sacraments Zanch confes Chr. relig de Eccl. Milit. guber is two fold Extraordinary or Ordinary Extraordinary is that which is done by God himself or the Son of God immediatly without the work and Ministerie of man and this is done 3 waies First without using any mans service or suffrage Bucan 42. Com. pl. of the Ministerie but his own voice onely of this sort was the calling of Abraham Moses the Prophets John Baptist and the Apostles Secondly when God useth some but yet as Messengers only shewing the calling and commandment of God so Philip was called by the message of the Angel to baptize the Eunuch Ananias sent to comfort and baptize Paul the Apostle Thirdly by his inward inspiration Of this kinde was the journey of Philip to the City of Samaria Acts 8. Of this sort was the calling of those that preached the Gospel in Phenicia and Cyprus after the scattering of the Churches The 12 Apostles had the aforesaid extraordinary calling not from man or by man but immediately by Christ employed in the highest Ministery of the Church planters of the New Testament amongst the Nations founders of the future edifices of the Church whose doctrine is the canon and rule of all Christian Religion free from corruption of inerrable spirits impowered by the laying on of hands to give the Holy Ghost verst in all Languages else they could not be instrumentall to convert all Lands and having the gifts of miracles which doth ever accompany an extraordinary calling saith Mayer Mayer Jam 3. Doct. 3. else how should men know they were sent of God But Zanchy thinks Miracles not alwaies necessary to an extraordinary call Zanch relâ—g Christi de Eccl. Mil. guber Neque enim credimus ad hujus generis Ministrorum vocationem Ministeriúmque confirmandum semper opus esse miraculis cum neque omnium Prophetarum c. We doe not believe that there is alwaies need of Miracles to confirm the calling and Ministerie of this kinde of Ministers sith we read not that the sending of all the Prophets was confirmed by miracles but onely by the Spirit of God and zeal of his glory wherewith they burned c. had the Apostles done no Miracles yet their very preaching was not without Miracle probatur Deus per Apostolos God was exceedingly glorified by such mean poor rude men and out of the mouthes of these babes and sucklings God ordained praise Leo serm 1. de pen. We may see Vbi Deus Magister est quà m citò discitur quod docetur Where God is the Tutour the lesson is soon taught such instruments as these God thought fit to lay the foundation by but employed ordinary ones for the building of the walls and of the roof Now this extraordinary calling singular endowments and miraculous actings of the Apostles are not patterns and presidents for us The Church of God is not now to make use of illiterate men unfit unqualified relying on Enthusiasms and Revelations for the same Christ that elected these by the pen of his Apostle in that excellent Epistle to Timothy which Hierom calleth Speculum Sacerdotii as the whole Scripture is Speculum Christianismi sets down some directions for the choice of a Pastor 1 Tim 3.2 he must be sober vigilant of good behaviour apt to teach it is not enough to be holy and well-learned and so climb into the Pulpit and preach but he must have an outward ordination by the imposition of hands 1 Tim. 4.14 God doth not in these daies so enthusiastically inspire men but sets them 1st to be Cisterns in the Universities
and Abiram had a specious pretence for their usurpation yet fire consumes Corah and his company and the earth swallows Dathan and Abiram They had perverted that order that God had established to continue in his Church and the Lord works a strange work altering the course of nature Now although God doe not thus execute judgment from Heaven when his Ordinances are violated yet this sin is not hereby lessened the punishment mitigated nor the hand of God shortned The Sacraments of the Gospel of Christ are of much more worth and value than those of the Old Testament and are therefore guilty of much sorer punishment Sacred Functions ordered by God must not be prophaned by voluntary usurpations Secondly the sin must needs be great because it fights against this institution which was given for our direction This sin is not only against man but against the Author and Instituter of the Sacraments Shall private persons usurp to be the Lords Messengers to bring his Letters and Seals not called nor authorized It cannot be without dishonour to God without the check and controlement of Jesus Christ who is the Captain of his own host the head of his own body Lord of his own house and the great King of his own Church if therefore private persons administer the Sacraments they sin against God and go beyond the bounds of their calling Atters 3 book of the Sacr. of the Lords Supper chap 20. If they will not be restrained but rush forward their sin lieth at the door I shall here briefly discover to you the greatnesse of their sin that thrust themselves into the calling of the Ministery without lawfull ordination or deputation thereunto First it is repugnant to the Word of God For none but such as are called according to the rules and cannons of the Apostles ought to take upon them this Office No man saith Luther although he be more wise than Salomon or David ought to take this honour unto himself except he be called of God as Aaron was Heb 5.4 though not called immediately by himself yet mediately by Deputies under him Titus was to ordain Elders in every City T it 1.5 The Apostle ordained Elders in every Church Acts 14.23 Separate me Baâ—nabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them and when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them they sent them away Acts 13.2 3. besides their extraordinary gifts they must be set apart to this office God commands it his word enjoynes it St. Paul St. Peter St. James call themselves Apostles implying their Commissions for both their calling and their authority is set down in the word Apostles for Apostolos is as much as one sent This sinne that we are now upon is one of those many that hales down judgments upon this Land Secondly it crosses the custome of the Churches of God those I meane purged from superstition who with one consent hold forth this doctrine that it is not lawfull for any man to take upon him the office of publique praying or Ministring the Sacraments before he be lawfully called and sent to execute the same witnesse the confession of all the Reformed Churches Whosoever is guilty in this particular we may say of him we have no such custome no nor the Churches of God St. Augustine proposeth a rule and I think it is a good one and it is this he that goeth against Reason is no wise man he that goeth against the Scripture is no sober man and he that goeth against the Church is no peaceable man and it is observed if any make his entrance unlawfull his course and progresse is troublesome it is a step to much Schism and Faction Thirdly it is a breach of that order God hath enjoyned for what greater disorder saith a Reverend Doctor can there be then without order to usurp the Ministeriall function nothing better becommeth us then order God is the God of order and the three persons in the Trinity put themselves in order to shew how they love it and our Ministry is called by the name of Orders to shew that we are bound to order above other professions Decor in Domo ejus Beauty and comelinesse are in his Sanctuary and must they not be in his Servants Order it is natures beauty the Churches ornament the worlds harmony 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Zenoph 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a thing excelling all things both for use and grace it is in all things in all places in heaven and Earth hell excepted there is no manner of comliness without it but all out of fashion no kinde of constancy but all loose without it all falls back to the first Tohis and Bohu emptinesse and disordered rude Chaos of confusion Now what greater disorder then for a man to run unsent to the Lords Vineyard to thrust his sickle into Gods harvest to step rudely into Moses chair to climbe in at the Window and not at the door if none durst assume the honour of the Leviticall Priesthood except he were called Heb. 5 4 Evangelicall is much more honourable and it is great boldnesse to presume to assume it without a calling Yea it is a breach of that order God hath enjoyned As is confessed by the Church of England Fourthly the greatnesse of their sin appeareth in that they are guilty of Intrusion and Usurpation These are two frecklâ—s in the Churches face The sin of Intrusion it is a brand of false Prophets Jer. 14.14 23.21 27.15 The Lord condemneth them in that they prophesied but he sent them not what needs this preposterous haste this running before God It is surest and safest to take him along with us Vix bono peraguntur exitu quae malo sunt inchoata principio Things ill begun are not commonly well ended Neither are the proceedings likely to be good whose beginnings are so greatly out of order They which enter not into the Temple as did Aaron will hardly behave themselves in the house of the Lord as Aaron did Much hast is seldome encountred with good successe Again Of the duty and dignity of the Minist 2 treat the greatnesse of their sin appears in their presumption and violent boldnesse to lay hands upon such a holy function It is a doctrine of Master Perkins That all true Ministers especially such as are deputed in the greatest workes in his Church must be first of all stricken into a great fear in consideration of the greatness of their function yea into an amazement and astonishment in the admiration of Gods glory and greatnesse whose room they occupie and whose message they bring and this he grounds on those words of the Prophet Isa 6.5 Then said I woe is me I am c. He that steps into this function without feare may question his calling When the Lord calleth any of his servants he drives them into fears and amazements as Moses Exod. 4.10 13. Oh my Lord I am not eloquent c. So
Saints So was the Church of Corinth 1 Cor. 1.2 The Church of Philippi Phil. 1.1 and yet there were many Hypocrites amongst them in this sense men may be Saints and yet damned professe Religion seem unblameable and yet want the power of godlinesse and sincerity Many doe wofully delude themselves with the name when they are nothing in truth and reality but alas when these are to die and death stares them in the faces how sad will be their condition it is not an empty name will serve the turn there must be more to the attainment of heaven Secondly what is meant by Perfection or Perfecting Perfection is a state not to be obtained on Earth but reserved for Heaven Talis sedes expectat talem Sessorem Such a house requireth such an Inhabitant as long as we carry flesh about us sin we will 1 Joh. 1.8 Non plenam induimus perfectionem donec totam exu mus infectionem All the stains of our infection must be washed away before there can be perfection So the Apostle Phil. Auguct Hieron tom 2. fol. 254. 3.12 Not that I had already attained c. It is true we are said to be perfect here perfectione partium sed non perfectione graduum partially but not gradually though every part be in some measure sanctified yet we must grow to a perfect man we are Mundi mundani Clean in part and in part to be made clean all our perfection consists in the acknowledgment of our imperfection All our righteousnesse in the forgivenesse of sins August lib. 19. 17. Chap. de Civit. Dei rather than in the perfection of virtue The Authour to the Hebrews tells us of our comming to the spirits of just men made perfect Heb. 12.23 This is a passive quality Non qui perficiunt sed qui perficiuntur Not such as have made themselves perfect but are made perfect Our purity is not in facto but in fieri inchoate not finished The wicked are perfectè imperfecti perfectly imperfect The godly are imperfectè perfecti imperfectly perfect The Cathari against whom Epiphanius and Augustine write in their Books of Heresies affirmed that they were without sin and the Novatians and Donatists held that they were so holy that they needed not say Forgive us our trespasses Audes tu Novatiane mundum te dicere etsi operibus mundus esses hoc solo verbo immundus fieres Darest thou call thy self clean though thou shouldest be so in regard of thy works yet this one word to say thou art clean is enough to make thee unclean Quis melior Prophaeta Davide saith Bernard de quo dixit Deus c. Bern. in annot Who is better than David of whom the Lord said I have found a man after my own heart yet he had need to say Lord enter not into judgment with thy servant c. Non peccare Dei justitia est hominis justitia indulgentia Dei To be without sin is the righteousnesse of God mans righteousnesse is Gods indulgence pardoning of sinne These kinde of men thus swelled with pride blown with ostentation and dreaming of self perfection are in a most dangerous condition Let the Donatist drink never so deep of the justifying Cup of his own Righteousness Let the Pelagian as deeply pledge him Let the Papist climb upon his Meritorious stairs Let the Pharisee glory in his own Robes Let the Legallist pride himself in his own acquired Holiness yet all these will be found to saile on dangerous shelves But not to make this altogether our discourse the words are read diversly Galvin Castalian Some reade ad constitutionem or ad Condendos Sanctos The Saints are of Gods houshold and the Church is Gods House Heb. 3.6 The chief builders whereof under Christ are Apostles Prophets c. Erasm Marlor Vatablus Some reade ad instaurationem for the repairing of such as are decayed in Gods building We sin daily and hourly and therefore that we may not fall finally from grace we had need be repaired and under propt by the daily exhortations of Pastors and Teachers lest our building fall Others read it ad coagmentationem Sanctorum Aretius Beza Zanchy for the joyning and joynting of the Saints The best of people are oftentimes out of joynt out of order out of square Now the Lord out of his infinite goodnesse gives some Apostles c. for the joyning and knitting of the Saints unto the head Christ by faith and unto one another by love Lastly it is read as most agreeable to the Syriack and vulgar Latine for the perfecting of the Saints and that in two respects First in regard of their daily growth in grace going from strength to strength for the word of God is profitable for correction 2 Tim. 3.16 Secondly in regard that their number is fully accomplished by the preaching of the Gospel for grace is not onely begun but perfected by this means Here take notice that Gospel-Ministers are not onely for conversion of Sinners but confirmation of Saints Thirdly that the Saints are not above Gospel-Ordinances The Word of God is the Scepter of Christ by which he rules and governs called the Rod of his power Psal 110.2 The Law of Sion Isa 2.3 The wisdome of God 1 Cor. 2.7 and the sword of his Spirit Ephes 6.17 Now he is stubborn that will not be perswaded by his Rod Rebellious that will not be guided by his Law Foolish that will not submit to his wisdome and mad that will despise the sword of his Spirit they are doubtlesse in a mighty errour that say they are above the Ordinances of God One end of the Ministeriall Office is the gathering together or perfecting of the Saints Saint Peter writes to the Elect of God 1 Pet. 1.1 and to those that had obtained like pretious faith Gods Elect have need to be put in minde of their duty even those that are regenerate and sanctified The second end of the Ministerial Office is the work of the Ministery the word Worke forbids Loytering and the word Ministery Lording Domabis Lupos sed non dominaberis ovibus as Bernard told Eugenius â—â—nchy Deâ—consid lib. 2. As the first concerneth such as are called so this concerneth such as are to call the gifts of Christ are not theorical but practical and given unto Pastors for the work of the Ministery to labour faithfully and painfully to bring souls to God Take heed to your selves saith the holy Chost and to all the flock whereof the c. Acts 20. The end of our preaching is not to make way for our selves and our own preferment but for Gods glory to prepare the way of the Lord and make straight paths for our God Isa 40.3 4. We have a hard task Ars artium Regimen animarum The cunning of all cunnings is to govern souls It is no easie work to make men righteous to dispossesse them of open impiety and close hypocrisie to take the pillows from under
of all I mean his false friend placed in his room was mortally hated of all men for his sedition and cruelty and afterwards came to an untimely end Such as take delight in persecution especially of Ministers hale judgments one their own heads which I pray God divert I beseech you consider sin is habituated by custome and hardned by impenitency if you cannot stay your self from going in sin stay your self from going on if you will break out timely break off by repentance Let God be glorified in an humble acknowledgment It is the voice of a friend Aut praevenire errori aut revocare errantem Either to prevent a man before he erreth or to recall him erring When mens wits and the Devils to help have found out the fairest pretexts for sin Gods justice strikes off all and leaves sin naked and punishable Many pretences have been found out for many sins besides distinctions mitigations qualifications extenuations colours questions necessities inconveniences tolerations ignorances c. But when man hath done God beginneth one argument of Gods now is stronger than all ours Thou shalt not doe this Consider the examples of Vzzah and Vzziah for Vzzah God had charged that none but the consecrated Priests should touch the Arke Vzzah seeing the Oxen shake the Arke put forth his hand to stay it up Was this a sin to stay the Ark of God from falling Yes God proveth it he layeth him dead by the Arke side For Vzziah God had charged Numb 18. That none should invade the Priests Office The stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death Vzziah will come to the Altar with a Censor in his hand to offer Incense Why is this an offence to offer to the Lord Yes God maketh it manifest Vzziah is a Leper to his dying day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Synes Hym. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I crave thy pardon Lord for what 's amiss And in thy word unseemly handled is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The One in Three I laud and doe adore The Three in One acknowledge and no more The persecuted MINISTER In defence of the MINISTERIE The great Ordinance of JESUS CHRIST Setting forth 1. The continuance of it 2. What is required to the constituting of Gospel-Ministers 3. The excellency and dignity of their calling 4. What respect they ought to bee of amongst Christians 5. That the contempt of them is a great and grievous sin All which are plainly and methodically handled THE SECOND PART By WILLIAM LANGLEY late of S. Maryes in the City of Lichfield Minister Vtinam ex eorum sim numero qui pro veritate decertant in hominum offensionem incurrunt Greg. Naz. orat 21 Greg. Mag. in Ezek. Nihil ad defendendum honestate tutius Nihil ad dicendum veritate facilius He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me Luke 10.16 The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God 2 Cor 10.4 Who so despiseth the word shall be destroyed but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded Prov. 13.13 To the Right Worshipfull truely Noble and Virtuous Sir GEORGE BOOTH Knight and Baront Grace and Peace be multiplied I Presumed Right Worshipfull to dedicate the former part to a Kinsman of your Worships and a highly Honoured friend of mine this pleads your Worships Patronage against the oppugners of CHRISTS great Ordinance THE MINISTERIE Never did any that was in this Sacred Function if of any merit depart ashamed and discontented from your face whereas by others they are wondred at ut pueri Junonis avem made a spectacle unto the world Angels and men and are the filth and off-scouring of all things these scorners of so sacred an Office make a low step to their own damnation for indignities done to the Ministers of the Gospel shall not sleep in the dust but stand up in judgement If policy were my aime some Bramble should be my Patron under whose shadow I might for the present have shelter and protection perhaps honour and advancement but plain dealing is a jewell of great price and of that worth and excellency that with it I had rather embrace a mean condition than all the world with indirect dealing and dishonesty I have made choice of your Worship whose Name like a pretious ointment hath sent forth a fragrant smell To omit the ingenuity of your minde generosity of spirit milde temper and sweet disposition with many other shining virtues I will onely mention your piety in the worship of God and pity to all his poor distressed Members There are I finde four degrees of Honour naturall by Birth externall by Riches internall by Virtue and supernaturall by Grace though God hath blest you with all yet all must crouch to the last and kisse the Scepter of the Christian Noble for what is to draw our pedigree from Noahs flood may we not descend as well from cursd Cham as blessed Sem and therefore the best derivation is from Heaven Tota licèt veters exornent undique terrae Atria Juven lib. 3 Sat. 2. nobilitas sola est atque unica virtus This moved Ambrose to tell Auxentius Quid Honorificentius quà m ut Imperator Ecclesiae Filius dicatur VVhat Honour can be greater than that the Emperour should be call'd the Son of the Church Let me adde poor Man the son of God yet this honour have all his Theophilus was Noble because Theophilus a lover of God As this is your highest privilege let me intreat you to esteeme it your highest honour that so when all things cease and be not you may not cease to be immortal inestimable Bonum est suum esse saith Seneca It is a Royall thing to be a mans own but much more to be guided by the Law of CHRIST I grieve to see that our Age yields so few Josephs of Arimathea to step forth to their Pilates and speak for the honour of Jesus so few Esthers that adventure their lives for the safeguard of the People upon her resolved terms If I perish I perish so few Pauls that vindicate the glory of our Israel THE MINISTERIE though the great red Dragon hath drawn away a great part of the starres of our firmament yet God be praised some continue in their orbes to give light to this crooked Generation which is to your Worship and many more the joy and rejoycing of your heart There are I know too many full of subtilty that seek their overthrow and study their finall fall but An curat oves oviumque magistros Let your zeale for Truth against every opposite Errour remain constant to the provoking of others and let them say of your Worship Ad similitudinem vivimus VVhat I have done in this Treatise is for publick benefit and
Minister than a promise to the People We are unfit to be Seers if we cannot distinguish between Hagar and Sarah but Txion like take a Cloud for Juno We are poor Starres if light enough cometh not from us whereby to distinguish of colours to discern the Manna of Israel from the inchanted Cup of Babel There are too many sad experience telleth us strangely affected to Humane Learning who would deprive us of the use of it by calling it Mans knowledge Worldly wisdome a great enemy to Gospel simplicity the Dagon the world worships not unlike the Fox dispraising the Grapes he cannot reach If they could beat down Learning they might escape censure for their own Ignorance I wish Quintus had his desire Soli ut artificis de artibus judicarent If the people would not meddle with what concerns them not or of what they are altogether ignorant Ne sutor ultra crepidam is a good note I heartily wish these men a rectified judgment sober affections and so much knowledge as to discern betwixt a hand maid and her Mistresse it is to be feared such Children of Ignorance will persecute all the means and Messengers of Light and bring both Church and State to a disordered Church of confusion Secondly in a true Gospel-Minister is required a holy life qualified according to the Apostles rules not to be onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 blamelesse in conversation Tit. 1.8 1 Tim. 3.3 as Timothy so every Minister must be a pattern to his people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both in doctrine and in conversation 1 Tim. 4 12. they must like Gideous souldiers be armed with Lamps as well as Trumpets as they must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 2. cut the word aright so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 2. square their life aright look both to their doctrine and to themselves 1 Tim 4. They are called in Scripture starres and God never placed any Starre in the firmament that gives no liight He went not farre from this allegory that prescribed a Ministers duty Gug. Naz. Tonare voce fulminare vitâ Our words thunder our lives lightning If we be lightfull in preaching darksome in living we doe as it were propound our doctrines as impossible to be kept If we have knowing mindes and dissolute affections it may be said of us as of that stigmatick Roman Emperour Galba IgeniuÌ„ Gtlbae malè babitat who ws both deformed and witty that a good Instrument is put in an evil Case He that hath Learning and no good Life is like sounding brasse and a thinkling Cymbal As the Lacedemonians said of the Nightingale 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nothing but a voice They are called Stewards and Ambassadours therefore should be without reproof and make their Masters will their Rule as they are Way-marks in preaching so Load-stones in conversation If we consider a Minister in a fourfold regard 1. Of God 2. Of his Ministery 3. Of the People And 4. of himselfe We shall plainly see that Holinesse is requisite For the first Dr. Clerke in a Ser. pâ—at a Visitat the Levite must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without blemish for no Levite that had any kinde of blemish might come neer the Lords Altar Levit. 21. The shadow in a Type hath a proportionable truth in the body The blemishes in the bodies of the Priests under the Law were figures of the sins in the souls of the Ministers under the Gospel and as God removed them from ministring at his Altar so he repelleth these from preaching his Word Psal 50.16 What hast thou to doe to preach mine Ordinances c Gods command is generall to all especially to his servants in ordinary Be ye holy for I am holy 1 Pet. 1. v 16. The place where he is worshipped is called Sanctuarium and the Chamber of his presence Sanctum Sanctorum holy of holiest The day of his worship it is an holy day The persons of his worship his Priests 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. holy The Ministers they are the Lords vessels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his vessels of choice and if they will be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meet for the Lords use 2 Tim. 2.21 they must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sanctified Secondly they are bearers of the Lords vessels not material but spiritual and therefore should be holy The Aegyptian Priests might not tast Wine nor the Roman Priests touch a Bean. Drunkennesse is signified by the one and unchast Lust by the other Holy Sacrifices and an unholy Sacrificer doe ill agree Thirdly the Pastors of Gods Church ought to be ensamples to Christs flock Vita Clericorum should be Libri Laicorum The lives of the Clergie the books of the Laitie saith one of the Fathers The Conversation of the Priest the Looking-glasse of the People The Prophet calleth John Baptist the first Preacher of the Gospel a voice not a sound Viva vox saith Bernard that is both vita vox Fourthly They ought to be holy in respect of themselves For when no place either of Logick or Rhetorick can perswade yet the Reason drawn from Lucrum and Damnum will not fail Now the losse is of the two greatest things that man hath the losse of his name and the losse of his soul In the day of the generall assise of the world the prophesying in Christs name will not serve for an answer Mat. 7.22 but then there shall be a reply and sentence together I know you not depart from me c. For God shall judge not after the doctrine but after the life of the Minister and every man shall receive according to his works That which the Jewes spake falsly of Christ is verified of such Prophets that though they save others yet themselves they cannot save For he that denounceth Gods judgments on those sins which himselfe committeth is his own condemner Rom. 2.1 and Christ in the last day shall say unto him Luke 19. ver 22. Out of thine mouth will I judge thee thou wicked servant c. Ille solus praedicat viva voce qui praedicat vita voce He preacheth most that liveth best All things in a Divine should preach his apparell his diet his expressions and actions being walking Sermons Epistles and Gospels A Gospel-Minister must be an example in word and conversation according to that of Hierome Omnia in Sacerd te debent esse vocalia The Prophets are said to be holy Prophets Luke 1. ver 70. holy by place taken from amongst others and consecrated to this high calling So Calvin holy by grace and sanctification for holy Prophets are Voces convertibiles As good Preachers are Lux mundi The Light of the world So Bad are Tenebrae mundi saith Bernard Fogs and mists they give good Oracles out of Moses Chaire they say but doe not their practise overthrows all which makes the people think of some great mysterie of Atheisme never yet imparted to them In currant
Eternal of the believing Soule to her husband CHRIST Not that we have power of our selves for were we all Boanergeses the sons of Thunder we are not able without him to turn your hearts to righteousnesse it is Christ that must clear the eye undeaf the eare unlock the heart and shake the inmost power of the soul as the thunder shakes the wildernesse It is by our Ministery not our authority that your Souls are converted Let the power be ascribed to God not to us It is no small honour to be Ambassadours to the King of kings Ministers of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3.6 and therefore glorious Moses whose countenance the Israelites might not behold for his glory yet are the Ministers of Christ more glorious than he verse 8. How shall not the ministration of the Spirit be rather glorious c Fiftly they are Gods Stewards his high Stewards 1 Cor. 4 1. Let a man account of us as the Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the mysteries of God they are not onely Ambassadours but Legati à latere Stewards of his hidden secrets not onely Dispensatores Ministeriorum as in the Vulgar Latine but according to the Original Mysteriorum Dispensers of his Sacraments which are mysteries and preaching of his saith which is a deep secret 1 Tim. 3.16 Now saith the Apostle Let a man esteem of such not ascribe too much or give too little not magnifie them as Christ for they are not Masters but Ministers and yet not vilifie them for they are not ordinary Servants but Stewards and that of Gods own secrets Sixtly they are the Masters of Assemblies Eccles 12.11 and therefore to be reverenced Spiritual Fathers 1 Cor. 4 15. and therefore to be honoured Physicians not of the body but of the soul to speak properly Christ is our onely Physician who hath the soveraign balm of Gilead but allegorically they are called Physicians Jer. 8.22 Not that they cure of themselves but that they apply Christs saving Physick to the sickly souls of his people and therefore to be esteemed They are termed Saviours as in the last verse of the Prophesie of Obadiah And Saviours shall come up to mount Zion Take heed saith the Apostle unto thyself and unto thy doctrine continue in them for in doing this thou shalt both save thy self and them that hear thee 1 Tim. 4.16 and therefore in no wise to be despised because he that receiveth these receiveth Christ and he that despiseth these despiseth Christ Mat. 10.40 Howsoever man debaseth this calling God exalts it and though the Minister be in the opinion of the world as S. Paul saith of himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes 3.8 lesse than the lowest yet in Christs judgment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 greater than the greatest Mat. 11.11 Seventhly Ministers and Dispensers of the Gospel are called starres Rev. 1.20 in name Stella à stando dicitur Why nomine substantia sins metu effectibus God hath fixt them in their Orbes In substance it is a more solid part of his Orbe light simple and most pure in scituation being regularly carried finisheth its course in a determinate space of time in motion 1. circular à Deo coepimus in Deo claudimus 2. Incessant without intermission 3. Swift nescit tarda molimina Spiritus the holy Ghost cannot abide delaies 4. Orderly keeping our own and equall distance 5. In effects in influence light and delight The seven Starres which thou sawest are the Angels of the seven Churches they are Starres on Earth and if they turn men to righteousnes shall shine as Starres in heaven Dan. 12.3 Philosophers tell us that the Sun doth partly enlighten the starres of Heaven but Divinity saith the Sun of Righteousnesse doth wholly enlighten the Starres of the Church God hath placed them high that they may the more commodiously shine to us So he hath put Ministers in eminent places that their light may be more perspicuous Candles are lighted and not thrust into blinde and dark corners Eighthly they are Gods Labourers not in mean things but in the Word farre more excellent than either gold or pretious stones Job 28. than the Gold of Ophir than much fine gold Psal 19. This is that Jewel which the Merchant in the Gospel bought with the sale of his whole substance the Word the immortal Word of God Now that that is of price must needs be of estimation that that is profitable is honourable and truly were there no other Reason but this that they hold forth the Word of God the ordinary means of salvation the Organ and instrument of blessednesse and everlasting life it were enough to prove the dignity of their calling I might proceed to other Names and Titles there being no lesse than two and twenty in Scripture that denote their worth and dignity but this may suffice Truly Brethren we live in an Age whereof it may be said Innumerae pestes Erebi glomerantur in unum The mischiefs of Hell are swarmed to one round and the abominations of Dumah Aegypt and Babylon may all be found in England and this sin of the contempt of the Ministery is not the least it was one ground of a day of Publick Fasting not long since and it may be one ground of our daily and continual lamenting to see this high and honourable calling so base and vile in peoples opinion The Galatians received S. Paul as an Angel of God yea as Christ Jesus Gal. 4.14 but many preferre their Swine before them The Word of God is the Plow of the Lord the People the Husbandry 1 Cor. 3.9 The Ministers are his Oxen to work at his plow to break up the fallow ground and to tread out the corn Now how be their mouthes muzzled and they that feed others have nothing to feed themselves tyed to the rack and manger But alas this is not all how are they rayled on reviled traduced their name and fame blasted as if they were the scum and off scouring of the earth It is most unnatural for a man to despise his brother the sonne of his own father it is a brand set upon the tongue that must burn with unquenchable flames that it spake against his Brother and slandred his own Mothers Son Psal 50.20 but greater is their sin and lesse cannot their punishment be that not onely condemn their brethren but vilifie their Fathers those whom God hath chosen as instruments of their spiritual good and salvation 1 Cor. 4.15 When the Lord would brand the Israelites with a mark of the greatest reproach he saith Thy people are as they that rebuke the Priest Hos 4 4. as is here taken absolutely they are such as indeed Rebuke the Priest they were not onely impatient of reproof but which was more they contended with their Teachers They lessoned them that would not be lessoned by them and rebuked those by whom they were rebuked they were grown so insolent and impudent in their sins that they durst defend them against their Reprovers
Christ compares the Enemies of his Church 3. Nor his Ministers they are not free from persecution they must approve themselves in much patience in afflictions 2 Cor. 6.4 This the Apostle adviseth Timothy 2 Tim. 4.5 Watch thou in all things suffer afflictions this is to doe that work of an Evangelist as a good souldier of Christ to suffer afflictions ready to bear bloody blows of open Enemies and scorns of false Friends To preach the Gospel saith Luther as we should is to stirre up all the Furyes of Hell against us It belongs to us Ex officio to reprove to rebuke 2 Tim. 4.2 to pluck up to throw down Jer. 1. and we can expect therefore no great favour for we encounter with Beasts in the shape of Men with Wolves in the coats of Sheep with Devils in the habit of Angels with unreasonable and wicked men and must therefore expect persecution but alas poor soules they doe not so much wrong us as themselves they foam out their own shame and bewray their wretched I had almost said reprobate malice such as sit down in the seat of the scornfull make a low step to damnation God will laugh those to scorn that laugh his to scorn and despise those that despise us in expuentis recidit faciem quod in Coelum expuit That which a man spits against Heaven shall fall back on his own face Those indignities done to the Ministers of the Gospel shall not sleep in the dust but stand up in judgment Never was any truth so happily innocent as to maintain it selfe free from calumny and abuse S. Paul was a faithfull and painfull Preacher yet was slanderously reported Rom. 3.8 The best truths are subject to misinterpretation and there is not any doctrine so firmly grounded and warily delivered whereupon calumny will not fasten and stick slanderous imputations Neither Iohns mourning nor Christs piping can passe the pikes but the one hath a Devil and the other is a Drunkard and a Wine-bibber Iohn the Baptist came neither eating nor drinking and yet the people said he had a Devil and Christ came both eating and drinking c. The Servant is not greater than his Master neither an Ambassadour greater than he that sent him if they have called the Master of the house Beelzebub how much more them of the houshold Mat. 10.25 If Christs doctrine did not think we the doctrine of his Ministers and Servants can escape the stroak of mens tongues Christ came to fulfill the Law and yet he was accused to be a destroyer of the Law he decides the question for Caesar Give unto Caesar c. and yet they charge him as if he spake against Caesar Ioh. 19.12 The book of the Acts doth witnesse how the Apostles were slandered as Seducers Sectaries vain-Bablers Hereticks Broachers of new false and pestilent Doctrines Nor did the Devil here leave off for if we read the Apologies of Athenagoras Tertullian and others it will amaze us to see what blasphemous seditions horrible and odious impieties were fathered upon the antient Christian Doctors those perillous times instant in the daies of S. Paul are become extant in our Age 1 Tim. 4.1 Some turn to the doctrine of Devils Others start aside to Schisme few love Religion in sincerity and the high and honourable calling of the Ministery is vile base and contemptible Now what are the Reasons or grounds of this contempt and despising of the Ministers of the Gospel 1. They discover the filthinesse and unmask the hypocrisie of the sons of men and so raise all the furies of hell against them It is observed the worst men of a Parish regard a good Pastor and his Doctrine the least for they are like Legs and Arms out of joynt and so cannot endure the touch of the Chirurgeons hand whose chiefest care is to work their cure they are to reprove and rebuke 2 Tim. 4.2 to root up and throw down Ier. 1.10 Men will raile and rage prosecute and persecute those that would pull down and overthrow their pleasant delightfull beloved and profitable sinnes The reason of this contempt proceeds from that cursed nature of man who is an enemy against all good and Ishmael-like persecutes the truth and Preachers of it Come let us imagine some devises c. Jer. 18. verse 18. It is desperate wickednesse to contend with those that justly reprove you to expostulate with them cast reproaches in their teeth and lay to their charge what you your selves are most guilty of Thus dealt Corah and his Complices with Moses and Aaron Numb 16 Ahab with Elias 1 Kings 18. The Israelites with Ieremiah Ier. 18. Amaziah with Amos Am. 7. And the Scribes and Pharisees with our Saviour Mat. 12.24 What a preposterous thing is it that the Hand or Foot should guide the Eye The Childe rebuke the Father the Patient direct the Physician the Scholler check his School-Master and the Sheep quarrell with the Shepherd no lesse preposterous is it for a people to instruct their Instructor and lesson those that should lesson them This contempt proceeds from a cursed heart and is a signe of desperate wickedness Thirdly to bring all to a triplicity This contempt of the Ministers of the Gospel may be imputed First to Sathan 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that calumniator who out of contempt to the preaching would bring a loathing of truth he is the Father of Lyes the Prince of Darkness and therefore hates Truth and Light the Message and the Messengers Secondly it may be imputed to man partly to the Understanding when the judgment it self is weak or weakned through prejudice Or else to the Will men of corrupt mindes or to the affections overcome by carnall and seeming shews Or to malitious wickednesse and this is very dangerous God will hardly forgive those that sin of malitious wickednesse Thirdly it may be imputed to God not causing but permitting and suffering First out of justice as a fearfull Judgment upon wicked ones and to render them lyable to the greatest and sorest punishments Secondly out of triall of faithfull painfull Teachers not to be dismaid though briars and thorns be against them but to evidence their constancy and sincerity and how they live above all the scorn and contempt of men willing to suffer not the losse of reputation but a thousand deaths I should now come to severall Uses but I will summe them up in two The first is by way of encouragement to such as are persecuted it is their Masters and the Churches Lot a Condition from which they cannot plead exemption If all that live godly must suffer persecution 2 Tim. 3.12 in vain doe the Preachers of Righteousnesse think to escape and not drink of Christs cup. God hath made us a gazing-stock to men and Angels Athanasius was nick-named Sathanasius Cyprian called Caprian Paul accounted mad and Christ himselfe reputed a Conjurer We must not fear if Bryars and Thorns be against us Ezek. 2.6 but encourage our selves in the Lord