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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A13547	The parable of the sovver and of the seed Declaring in foure seuerall grounds, among other things: 1. How farre an hypocrite may goe in the way towards heauen, and wherein the sound Christian goeth beyond him. And 2. In the last and best ground, largely discourseth of a good heart, describing it by very many signes of it, digested into a familiar method: which of it selfe is an entire treatise. And also, 3. From the constant fruit of the good ground, iustifieth the doctrine of the perseuerance of saints: oppugneth the fifth article of the late Arminians; and shortly and plainly answereth their most colourable arguments and euasions. By Thomas Taylor, late fellow of Christs Colledge in Cambridge, and preacher of the Word of God, at Reding in Bark-shire.	Taylor, Thomas, 1576-1632.	1621 (1621)	STC 23840; ESTC S118185	284,009	494

and cast the truth to the ground Then the Text addeth Thus shall he doe and prosper Loe Antiochus who is mad furious against the Church hath prosperous successe Doth this agree with Bellarmine And by this proposition Cain should haue beene the true Church not Abel whom he slew and Ismael of whom were twelue Dukes Gen. 25.16 not Isaac whom hee scoffed and persecuted My Lord Esau that hath foure hundred men at his heeles Gen. 33.1 and not Iacob who dares not looke his Lord in the face nor come neere him till he had bowed seuen times What outward prosperity had the Church in AEgypt in Babylon in the ten Persecutions for 300. yeeres together before Constantine Or how stands that assertion with our Sauiours prediction that true Christians should be appointed as sheepe for the slaughter Yea with our Sauiours condition who was the Head of the Church to whom the members are conformable He was borne in an obscure place liued despised among his owne a man of such sorrowes as neuer was any sorrow like his his pouerty such as he had not water to put in his head not a cottage to put his head in his death painefull shamefull accursed And such is ordinarily the afflicted and despised estate of his Church on earth Vse 2. Dreame not of a Religion pleasant to flesh if we will be truly religious for this is to deceiue our selues but make account of hatred and trouble in the world if thou meanest to keepe the Word For the Church being seated in the world which is the Kingdome of Satan it cannot be other then a very AEgypt or Edom to the Israel of God where that hellish Pharaoh raiseth all his power to pursue vs into the red Sea of terrors temptations and a thousand deadly dangers on euery side if we indeed set forth to Canaan Let vs therefore wisely cast our costs and recken our charges and weigh whether wee can contentedly suffer so much losse for the Word as it may cost vs. Vse 3. This shews vs the true cause why the world hates and persecutes godly men It will be ready to tell you they are pestilent fellowes and as seditious as Paul was as great enemies to Cesar as Christ was no good subiects as factious and schismaticall as Micah who will not speake as the 400. false Prophets The wicked of the world clamor against them as euill doers for so did they against their Head If he were not an euill doer we would not haue brought him to thee And what are they but a packe of dissemblers and hypocrites and neuer a good of them all But what Can the world that lieth in wickednesse hate and prosecute wickednesse indeed Why then doth she not hunt out open and outragious euils in any other sort of men Or doth she not loue her louers and reward most bountifully most prodigious euill men But if we will beleeue our Lord who was best acquainted with the worlds hatred he tels vs here that persecution is raised against them for the Words sake and that is the proper cause whatsoeuer other colourable cause be pretended for 1. The Word hath brought them to Christ whom they hate and therefore his members 2. The Word hath called them out of the world which loues onely her owne and hates them Iohn 15.19 3. The Word hath freed them from the conformitie and fashions of the world that now they cannot runne into the same excesse of riot therefore it speakes euill of them 1. Pet. 4.4 Contrary courses cause contrary affections 4. The wicked Cains of this World see their their owne workes euill and theirs to be good and therefore hate them 1. Iohn 3.12 The thing then which is hated and persecuted in good men is goodnesse the Name of Christ the Word of God soundly held out and stucke vnto And this must be so farre from discouraging good men whether Preachers or Professors who are most extremely hated as they must rather suspect themselues that their hearts are not sound or their courses not sincere when all men speake well of them Sound profession and persecution are inseparable and Luke 6.26 Woe to you when all speake well of you Vse 4. Not to condemne a Religion or refuse a Doctrine because it is persecuted and gaine said by many and by Great ones for this is a marke of true Religion and the condition of the Word of Christ Persecution saith our text comes because of the Word So as neither is that Religion which is so plausible to the world to be therefore embraced nor that which the world hates to be refused multitude being as false a note of the Church as the former externall prosperity Straite is the way that leads vnto life and few there be that finde it Therefore looke not on the blacknesse of the Church though the Sunne looke on her Cant. 1.5 for within she is comely Vse 5. To comfort those that are persecuted for the Word and well-doing First that the cause is good which the world persecutes so eagerly 1. Pet. 4.14 If ye be railed on for the Name of Christ blessed are ye for the Spirit of glory and of God resteth on you and is glorified by you Secondly behold Christ a partner and companion in thy suffering In all thy troubles he is troubled Hence it is called the reproch of Christ. Thou helpest Christ to beare his Crosse and he helpes thee Col. 1.24 I fulfill the sufferings of Christ. And conformity with him in the Crosse brings conformity in the Crowne If we suffer with him we shall also raigne with him Thirdly this fire of persecution may seeme to burne thee vp but shall not consume thee but onely purge and perfect thee Euery Christian resembles the bush which burned with fire but consumed not Exod. 2.3 Nay waite with faith and patience and according to Moses his prayer for Ioseph The good will of him that dwelt in the bush shall come on thy head Deut. 33.16 So much of the first Doctrine I proceed to the second namely that When persecution for the Word commeth many glorious Professors who ioy in it in the time of peace renounce and forsake it so the Text hath it In the time of tentation they goe away and Matthew They are offended immediately that is euen those Hearers which readily attended ioyfully receiued willingly beleeued and hopefully sprang vp these now goe away And whence goe they Answ. 1. From their affection and loue of the Word in the heart the root within is dried vp with this heat of the Sun 2. From their profession and confession of mouth their leafe also falleth 3. From externall reformation many of them losing their greennesse and apparantly withering and falling to earthlinesse or profanenesse and some to distaste the good way knowne 4. From their fellowship and communion of Saints for as they were neuer knit by faith vnto the Head so were they neuer by loue to the

hidden man of the heart but lightnesse vanity wantonnesse and slauishnesse to euery new-fangled fashion for which the Lord threatned to visit the Kings children Zeph. 1.8 3. For the measure while they passe all bounds of sobriety and waste more on their backes most prodigally than would clothe a number of the poore seruants of Iesus Christ And all out of this conceit that they may weare what they list and how they list not considering that the Lord hath tyed them as straitly to the rules of piety sobriety and charity in the wearing as to the necessity of wearing it selfe besides the waste of time and thoughts c. which should bee better occupyed 3. What is more lawfull yea more necessary than recreation But how doe men out of the lawfull liberty that God hath allowed them breake out most vnlawfully and most insensibly 1. In respect of the matter when with the foole Prou. 26.18 they make a pastime of sinne as of Dice condemned by the Lawes of the Land and Cards and lasciuious Dancing Playes Enterludes and all merriments wherein is no praise vertue or good report 2. In respect of the manner when they turne their vocation into a recreation when they powre out their hearts vnto pleasure as louers of pleasure more than of God when they waste their time and ingrosse it for sports to the hinderance of better duties in the publike and priuate calling when the publike or priuate duties of Gods holy Sabbaths are interrupted or omitted when to the dishonour of God his sacred Name by Othes and cursings is blasphemed or his holy Word iested vpon or his faithfull seruants the Preachers and Professors of Religion are reuiled reproched by Playes songs or scornes Lastly when other men are hurt by sports games as by winning their money to their impouerishment and hinderance or a mans owne estate as Salomon saith He that loueth pastime shall be a poore man both in grace and goods Yet what Gamester of a thousand sees himselfe tumbling in these sinnes Or where is one of a thousand that will be reclaimed from them 4. What is more lawfull and necessary than Marriage for the comfort of man for the continuance of the world and the Church by an holy seed But how many make vp a great heape of sinne by the abuse of this holy Ordinance Some conceit they may marry where they list the sonnes of God to the daughters of men not remembring the Apostles Canon alwayes in the Lord but ioyne with Infidels and enemies to Religion as Salomon to the turning away of his heart from the Lord. Others vse it rather to stirre vp naturall corruptions than to beate them downe Some rather to helpe one another to hell than to heauen or in earth while the Husband loseth his authority by vnthriftinesse bitternesse or lightnesse and the Wife shakes off his authority by sullennesse and contempt both of his person and commandements Others sinne against it more directly as when the Husband leaues the Wife of his youth to imbrace the bosome of a stranger or the Wife forsakes the guide of her youth and loues a stranger better Thus was the sinne of Dauid heightened that hauing wiues of his owne he must needs haue Vriahs also 2. Sam. 12. For this is to sin against the remedie 5. How lawfull is it and necessary to imploy a mans selfe in his calling But besides that many liue in vnlawfull callings or in none where is the man that sanctifies the particular passages of it by the Word and prayer Where is hee that retaines an heauenly minde in following his earthly businesse How many sticke not to gather Manna on the Sabbath day which shall rot betweene their teeth How many all the weeke long gather goods and driue their Trades with as many Othes lyes and glozings almost as words How many turne their Trades into Crafts getting as much by craft deceit and iniustice as by faire and lawfull following of their calling Where is the man that chokes not his generall calling with his speciall and incrocheth all the time of the weeke that scarce any can be allotted to the seruice of God either in Gods House or his owne How is it that men thrust themselues as busi-bodies into other mens matters and faile in their owne 6. What is more lawfull or necessary than to prouide for a mans owne Is not hee that prouideth not for his household worse than an Infidell 1. Tim. 5.8 But hence how doe numbers confound Christian and carking care not seeking first the Kingdome of God for themselues and theirs but becomming Drudges to the world and to their children prouiding no otherwise for them than the beasts for their young ones present food and harbour forgetting the words of the Apostle Ephes. 6.4 Bring them vp in the nurture and instruction of the Lord As if a Christian who takes care of the body and baser part of such as belong to him can forget or neglect the soule which is the farre more noble part of man Or as if he which performes it to his family which the very Law of Nature calls for at his hands should vtterly forget that which Gods Word euery where chargeth him withall 7. What is more sweet and necessary vpon earth than company and society with men whence the Philosopher calls man A sociable creature as the beasts be not But how many mischiefes creepe into the life and sinnes into the soule by the abuse euen of lawfull society as when men chuse or fall into swearing drinking or idle company when they runne promiscuously into all companies and fall to such exercises as they finde as Peter in Caiaphas his Hall when hee should haue been better employed or when they frequent societies where God and Christ is not but Satan and his Agents and a whole troupe of tentations And what hurt comes by mens communication which naturally is profane vnsauory vncharitable Besides euen good men in bad companies acquit not Gods glory nor themselues as they ought and in good company either doe not or receiue not the good they should This is the first reason 2. In things lawfull men are most secure and thinke themselues safest and there Satan is most where he is least suspected As the Serpent lyeth in the greenest grasse so Satan lyeth in ambush against vs in our most lawfull liberties As he laid his traine against our Sauiour Christ himselfe in the matter of meate and drinke when he was hungry so also against vs chiefly in things wherein God hath giuen vs allowance Wherein was it that Satan ouercame Lot was it first Incest with his two daughters No that was hainous but first hee foyled him in that which was lawfull he first abused himselfe in wine and then his daughters in Incest 3. Whereas our nature spider-like turnes our best and sweetest things to poyson Satan to our corruption adds his waight putting vs forward to abuse good

riches to the soule or the soyle where the seed of Gods Word hath been cast As corne can hardly prosper where the one growes as hardly can the Word where the other growes vp with it 1. Tim. 6.17 Timothy must charge rich men concerning the dangers of riches so vehement a charge needed not if they were without danger Math. 19.23 Verily I say vnto you that a rich man shall hardly enter into the Kingdome of God which our Sauiour would not haue so asseuered if the way to heauen had layne so open and smooth for riches as their Masters thinke And he obserued in his preaching that the poore receiued the Gospell Math. 11.6 Rich men had other matters to doe and greater things in their eyes 1. Cor. 1.26 Brethren you see your calling Not many mighty not many rich are called but God hath chosen the poore and base things c. Quest. Cannot a man be rich and godly or may not riches sort with saluation If a rich man cannot enter into the Kingdome of heauen who then can be saued say the Disciples Answ. 1. Riches are good blessings in themselues and of themselues hinder not For the promises of them are made to those that feare God Psal. 112.2 Riches and treasure shall be in their house And as simplicity basenesse pouerty saues none so wealth power wisdome condemne none in themselues 2. The prophesie is that the rich shall come to the people of God and ioyne with the Church Esa. 60.11 Psal. 22.29 3. The Lord acknowledgeth of many rich men that their riches are a crowne on their heads by the many good workes they doe thereby Prou. 14.24 Some there are whose wealth lifts them not vp in pride but exalts them in workes of mercy As a crowne is an ornament to the head so riches commend the wisedome and piety and faith and charity of a godly man They cannot make a man good or euill wise or foolish but onely manifest a wise man or a foole So in Eccles. 7.11 Wisedome is good with an inheritance it is good without it but more eminent with it more conspicuous more vsefull Therefore for resolution of the doubt note 1. That our Sauiour saith not It is impossible for a rich man to bee saued but very hard And the Apostle saith not Not any but Not many 2. Christ speakes not so in respect of the possession or vse of riches but only of the abuse as it is expounded Mark 10.24 when a man trusteth in riches 3. With God saith our Sauiour this is possible who made Iob exceeding rich and fenced all about him that hee had yet so godly withall that there was not another so godly vpon earth as he chap. 1.8 10. And it is Augustines obseruation Seruatur pauper Lazarus sed in sinu Abrahami diuitis Poore Lazarus was saued in the bosome of rich Abraham 4. Riches choke not and condemne not as a cause but as an occasion The cause is not in them that wee are choked by them but in our selues in our corruption and weaknesse who abuse a good thing by which wee might further our saluation not watching against the neglect or contempt of the doctrine of saluation which vsually attends them Now they are as a sword in a mad mans hand and must not be reiected themselues but onely their abuse Quest. How doe riches choke the Word Answ. Three waies Before hearing In hearing After hearing I. Before hearing they choke and hinder from receiuing the Word three wayes 1. Great men haue great employments in their hands and cannot bee at leisure for preaching they may not let their businesse one houre in a weeke Felix hath no leisure now to heare Paul but will take another time And Martha cannot let the time to heare Christ himselfe And hence are those many obiections against weekes Lectures as altogether vnseasonable and indeed needlesse But was not Martha reproued for so slighting the preaching of Christ And what Is not this losse of time as some call it the best redeeming of time When Paul preached to the Gentiles at Antioch the Gentiles desired him to preach the same words the next Sabbath betweene Act. 13.42 Was this commendable in them and is it reproouable in vs Christians 2. Great men haue great spirits What great men and rich men stoupe to so base a thing as preaching and to so base persons as Preachers all whose power is in their tongue Therefore the Apostle will haue rich men charged that they bee not high-minded Riches commonly breede pride and high mindes Pride in a mans selfe breeds contempt of God and his Word as Pharaoh Who is the Lord and the Prophet saith Heare and giue eare and bee not proud Ier. 13.15 3. Great men haue a great happinesse in their hands already and hardly see any want in their condition And as he comes not to the Physician that feeles not himselfe sicke so hee desires no supply of good that feeles not in himselfe the want of it Abundance of outward wealth suffers not the heart to see his want of inward And the good things of Gods Kingdome are not giuen but to them that want them and can prize them To the thirsty Esa. 55.1 II. Riches choke the Word in hearing As thornes spread themselues and occupy the roome where the seed should grow So the inordinate loue of the world stuffes the heart with worldly desires and motions and takes vp the roome from all spirituall Iudas his heart once taken vp for couetousnesse there is no roome left for the gracious admonitions of Christ himselfe The Lord obserues and forewarnes Ezekiel of this choke-weed in his Hearers chap. 33.31 They shall come as people vse to come and sit before thee and heare thy words but they will not doe them nay they will make iests with their mouthes because their hearts goe after couetousnesse Can your thoughts bee carried to heauen and earth at one time When you bring your businesse to Church and suffer your thoughts to range vpon your worke and worke-men wares and returnes Farmes and profits can you carry away any good lesson While you come with a purpose to hold your vsurie iniustice or deceit in word or trading doe you not make a iest of Gods Word condemning these things and you for them Doe wee not reade in the Gospell that whereas Christ was often opposed in his Doctrine he was not mocked but of the couetous Luk. 16.14 III. Riches taken into the heart choke the Word after hearing both in the profession and in the practice of it 1. They hinder the Word in the profession and confession of it It is thought good policy for him to follow Christ that hath nothing to lose for him But take heed none of the Rulers beleeue in him or if they doe with him well let them come with Nicodemus in the night Let the poore receiue the Gospell and be forward Professors but you are a rich

in all graces as a child in all parts or a tree in all the branches as 1. In knowledge A childe being ignorant of all things growes first to a confused vnderstanding of things and then to more distinct So the Child of God vtterly ignorant of the things of God comes first to a generall vnderstanding of ●hem and afterward to a more distinct as the blinde man Mark 8.22 haui●g his eyes opened first saw men walke like ●rees and after●ward like themselues so the Beleeuer first sees t●e things of God confusedly but after comes to bee more expert in the Word of righteousnesse more resolued in poynts of doctrine more perswaded and settled in sound iudgement and able to walke by distinct and particular direction 2. In faith Rom. 1.17 Righteousnesse is reuealed from faith to faith that which was a graine of Mustard-seed riseth to a tree that faith which is weake and lowe riseth to a talnesse and fulnesse It growes vp from present things to future Psal. 23. vlt. ascends from the meanes to the promise growes to affiance in Christ as well without meanes as with them yea against meanes Rom. 4.18 wherein Abraham was a father of many beleeuing children Iob can trust when God is killing him as our Lord called God his God when he felt himselfe forsaken 3. In loue both of God and men As for God the more sins are found out and forgiuen the more loue abounds Many sinnes were forgiuen her therefore she loued much Luk. 7.47 The weake loue of the Disciples before Christs death afterward proued strong that they who fled from him could dye with him A little sparke of this Diuine loue growes to a great flame and much water cannot quench it nor flouds drowne it it is stronger than death Cant. 8.6 7. It growes to a great diligence in his seruice to great hatred of what hee hates and great liberality for his sake Againe loue of men growes in a good heart and aboundeth more and more 2. Thes. 1.3 It growes from louing of friends to louing of enemies from couering one or two offences to couer a multitude of sins frō forgiuing small offences to forgiue great offences vpon repentance and that not seuen times but seuenty times seuen times It growes from louing their bodies to louing their soules most dearly and from compassion to the body to mercy toward the soule in helping it out of sin Yea it growes to ouercome euill with goodnesse 4. In patience A child at first can beare but a little burthen so the Child of God but as hee growes stronger he beares more He growes to endure great losses and yet giue glory to God as Iob to beare great and long tentations waiting a good issue to suffer not onely small wrongs but the greatest that euill men can inflict without the least reuenge to endure not only words and scornes and threats and small losses but all kindes of persecution for the Truths sake Math. 5.15 It walkes from strength to strength Psal. 84.7 and growes at last not to thinke much of the fiery triall 1. Pet. 4.12 5. In obedience First in negatiue Commandements It growes in the reformation of former lusts to account the honey-sweet pleasures of sinne as bitter as gall From the hatred of some sinnes it growes not to retaine the loue of any sinne but auoids all that it knowes to be sinne It growes yet further from auoyding euill to auoyd the very appearance of euill and the occasions It growes in the victories against daily sinnes and subdues them as Israel the Canaanites one after another yea and destroyes the body of sinne Rom. 6.5 Nay it growes from dying to sinne to rise out of the graue of sinne and stand vp from the dead Ephes. 5.14 Secondly in affirmatiue Commandements A good heart growes to haue respect to all the Commandements Psalm 119.6 From a small measure to a fulnesse of good workes Act. 9.36 From seruing Mammon to the seruing of God and now doing Gods worke first then the owne Math. 6.33 To doe vprightly not in the land of vprightnesse onely Esa. 26.10 But as Lot euen in Sodom in the Land of wickednesse in discouragements and losses It growes from well-doing to continuance in well-doing and so seeketh glory Rom. 2.7 yea to a resolution not to depart from any thing that the Lord shall command all the dayes of his life Deut. 4.8 9. Lastly it growes from weaknesse and vnskilfulnesse to dexterity and readinesse in the practice of all duties and vertues to the Masters best aduantage as one expert in the trade of godlinesse 6. In heauenly-mindednesse many wayes First a good heart growes daily more sundred and diuorced from the world from eager affecting and pursuing to neglect and contemne the things of it now can buy as not possessing and vse the world as not vsing it 1. Cor. 7.30 And it growes to seeke first the Kingdome of God and then other things yea from desires of the world to desire deliuerance from it Secondly it growes from seeking honour among men to seeke the honour from aboue Ioh. 5.44 and to loue the praise of God more than of men chap. 12.43 Thirdly from speaking of things below to speake of things aboue 1. Ioh. 4.5 Now according to the abundance of a new heart they speake with new tongues in a new language of heauenly Canaan as Christ after his resurrection spake of things belonging to the Kingdome of God Act. 1.3 Fourthly from earthly wisedome to heauenly he was wise in his trade or in a good bargaine now hee growes wise in the matters of God and his Religion a wise Merchant who will purchase the best commodity Hee growes also in wisedome to discerne the season of grace and day of saluation Fifthly from seeking Gods fauour to seeke his presence Psa. 27.8 My heart said I will seeke thy face It is now of the generation of them that seeke the face of God Psalm 24.6 Lastly from seeking his presence in grace to seeke his presence in glory desiring preparing and praying for the appearance of Christ The Bride saith Come and the title of Beleeuers is They loue the appearing of Christ. Thus is a good heart neuer weary of increasing the stocke of grace no more than worldlings of gathering wealth and is carefull to grow from knowledge to affection from affection to action from action to profession from profession to zeale and in all is still heauenly couetous An euill heart may make a little shew but growes not like a body in an Atrophy feedes and eates but prospers not is in a consumption still For 1. it is vnsettled and vngrounded not rooted or stablished in the faith but as children carried away with euery toy so these with euery waue or winde of doctrine any seducer or libertine teacher may take away his Crowne A very easie thing to make him esteeme the Doctrine of godlinesse and the practice of it but

sundry reasons First it considers aright who they be Why who be they Answ. 1. They are spirituall fathers to beget men to God by the preaching of the Gospell 1. Cor. 4.15 These Fathers giue vs a being in Christ being instruments by whom of children of the diuell we are begotten to be new-borne babes in Christ. 2. They are spirituall mothers that trauell in birth of vs till Christ be formed in vs sustaining great paines and sorrowes to bring vs forth to Gods Kingdome Other mothers beare children into a miserable world these into a happy estate 3. They are spirituall nurses to feede preserue and bring forward with much care and tendernesse 1. Thes. 2.7 gentle as a nurse cherisheth her childrē Other nurses are mercenary but these are nurses to their owne children more affectionate toward them 4. They are the spirituall light of the world which without them lyes in spirituall black darknesse and starres shining to others in the light of doctrine and good example in this life and in the life to come shall shine as Starres in glory Dan. 12.3 5. They are Stewards of Gods House Luk. 12.42 to whom are committed the keyes of the Kingdome to open and shut Math. 16.19 6. They are sauiours of men 1. Tim. 4.16 Saue thy selfe and others Obiect Christ onely saues vs. Answ. True by merit and efficacy but none are actually saued to whom this merit is not communicated and applied namely by the Ministery Secondly a good heart considers whence they bee 1. Embassadours sent from God in the stead of Christ 2. Cor. 5.20 called hence by a speciall prerogatiue Men of God not in the old Testament onely but in the New 2. Pet. 1.21 1. Tim. 6.11 2. Tim. 3.17 2. Bearing on them an image of Gods authority commanding in things spirituall binding Kings in chaines forcing the conscience Magistrates haue power to binde and lose mens bodies but the Minister saith Tradatur Satanae Deliuer such a one to Satan and hath power to binde or lose the soules of men and what he doth in earth is ratified in heauen Math. 18.18 3. Not onely from God but in their office and Ministery are called co-workers with God 1. Cor. 3.1 God forgiues sinne properly and they are said to remit sinne God properly saueth and they are said to saue God himselfe communicating his owne worke vnto them and so farre honouring them as he not onely calls the Angels their fellow-seruants but them by the name of Angels Thirdly a good heart considers to what they are appoynted 1. In the stead of Christ to seeke and saue what is lost not the health lost as Physicians nor wealth lost as Lawyers but the lost soule namely by applying the meanes appoynted by Christ Iob 33.14 To deliuer the man that he goe not into the pit not by working the meanes but applying them and pronouncing him absolued 2. They are earthen vessels that carry an heauenly treasure to dispose the secrets of God set ouer men by the Lord and for the Lords businesse beseeching exhorting correcting and instructing by whose Ministery as by Gods owne arme men are drawne out of hell sinne the world to turne to God and beleeue in Iesus Christ Esa. 53.1 Act. 26.18 and whereby being naturally voyd of the Spirit without faith and destitute of grace they attaine the Spirit and faith and other graces And hence they are called Ministers by whom we beleeue 1. Cor. 3.1 and Ministers of the Spirit righteousnesse and grace 2. Cor. 3.6 8 9. 3. They are faithfull shepheards ouer the flocke of Christ to feed his sheepe in greene pastures to call them backe from their wandring and to refresh them with the waters of consolation healing the brused and afflicted soule as hauing a tongue of the learned to speake a word in due season Esa. 50.4 4. They are powerfull intercessors betweene God and vs to speake from God to men whom wee cannot heare in his owne voyce and liue and to speake from men to God as Mediators rising vp in the gap able to lay open their wants to confesse their sins to craue pardon for them to giue thankes in their names of mercies and to offer vp all their spirituall sacrifices to God for them as Samuel professeth 1. Sam. 12.23 God forbid that I should sinne against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you but I will teach you the good and the right way Fourthly a good heart considers that all their word shall be fulfilled and God will see to that for his owne faithfulnesse sake Esa. 44.26 He confirmeth the word of his seruant and performes the counsell of his messengers that their worke shall not bee in vaine nor their word fall to the ground as of Samuel 1. Sam. 3.19 And what is done to them in reiecting or receiuing their persons and doctrine Christ takes as done to himselfe Luk. 10.16 Exod. 16.7 A good heart considering all these things together with the necessity of the Ministery for without vision the people must perish Prou. 29.18 1. Knoweth reuerenceth and honoureth them as the Ministers of Christ 1. Thes. 5.12 Know them that labour among you haue them in double honour for their worke sake whom God hath appoynted Ministers of reconciliation giue testimony how you honour the Word in them as Cornelius gaue reuerence to Peter Act. 10.24 2. It loues affects and receiues them gladly more than fathers of the flesh being fathers of the spirit they being instruments of generation these of Regeneration By them thou art a man by these a new man a Christian man They by a mortall seed begat thee into a wretched world these by immortall seed into an happy estate in a better world How ioyfull was Lydia to receiue Paul Act. 16.15 and the Iaylor ibid Phil. 2.28 Receiue Epaphroditus with all gladnesse and make much of such The Galatians receiued Paul as an Angell yea as Christ himselfe Gal. 4.14 A good heart will esteeme their feet beautifull much more their faces 3. It will seeke the Law at his mouth for he is the Messenger of the Lord of Hosts Mal. 2.7 and submit it selfe to the doctrine Heb. 13.17 Obey them that haue the ouersight of you yea in doctrines of selfe-denyall in doctrines vnpleasing to flesh and blood knowing it is not they but the Spirit that speakes in them Math. 10.20 and that without their salt their corruptions would neuer be seasoned therefore it concludes with Naamans seruant that there cannot be an easier commandement than to wash and be cleane and will take warning of iudgements from these Watchmen Eze. 33.4 5. 4. It will euery way be helpfull to them and comfortable First with cheerfull and honorable maintenance will not sticke at trifles yea deare things will be parted with The Galatians would haue pulled out their eyes to doe Paul good It will acknowledge it owes it selfe and his soule for them Philem. 15. and if it reape spirituall