with all thy graces Open our eyes that we may see thy will and incline our hearts to follow it Direct vs in thy waies and keepe vs from declining from thee Teach vs so to frame our liues before thee in this word that we may liue for euer with thee in the world to come Be merciful O Lord we beseech thee to thy Church and to all her faithfull members comfort them with thy comforts and inrich them with thy graces Blesse this kingdome wherein we liue pardon the sins of all estates amongst vs and continue thy Gospell to vs and to our posterity to the end of the world Looke vpon thine annointed Iames our souereigne Lord king adorne his heart with all regall and Christian vertues vphold his scepter prolong his reigne laugh his foes to skorne Blesse our gracious queene Anne Prince Henry and the rest of their princely progeny Be mercifull to all other orders amongst vs aswell Ecclesiasticall as Ciuill and as thou aboundest in thy mercies towards vs so grant that we may striue to abound in all thankfulnesse towards thee Finally O Lord for our selues we beseech thee to take vs to thy fatherly protection pardon the weakenesse of our praiers watch thou ouer vs to our good giue vs such rest sleep that we may be the fitter enabled to serue thee the next day in our general and speciall callings Heare holy Father from the heauens and grant vs all these our requests for Iesus Christ his sake thine onely Sonne and our onely Sauiour to whom with thee and thine holy Spirit one most wise glorious and eternall God be rendred all power praise glory this night for euer Amen Trin-vni Deo gloria FINIS Deut. 32.11 Deut. 32.13 Deut. 32.5 15.21 Ex. 8 3.14 Nouem 5. An. 1605. 1. Cor. 3.16 1 Thes 5.23 a 2. Cor. 11.2 b Chedia 1â— c 2. â—â—g 18. d 2. Paulus e Iesse 1. Salamo a Acts. 8.3 b 1. Tim. 1.12 c Gal. 1.13 d Gal. 1.15.16 e Zach. 2.8 f 1. Tim. 1.13 g Ps 19.13 i 1. Tim. 13 Acts. 9.1 k Rom. 11.33.34 l Is 50 2. a Gal. 1.1 b 1. Cor. 4.7 c Psa 75.6 d 1. Chron 29.12 Iob. 32.8 Iam 1.5 e Prou. 29.23 Mat. 23.12 Iames. 4.6 f Iosh 10.13 g Isay 38.8 h Mat. 7.2 i 1. Cor. 3.7 k 1. Pet. 5.5 l Matth. 2. m 1. Câ—r 16.10.11 n Mat. 25. o Gal. 5.13.26 a 1. Cor. 4.13 b Exod. 20.18.19 c Gen. 22.1 d Gen. 22.12 e Act. 16.14 f Luk. 8.15 g 2. Cor. 4.7 h Rom. 1.16 i 1. Cor. 1.21 k Gal. 1.8 l 1. Cor. 1.21 m Ps 68.70 n Amos. 7.15 o Mat 4 19. p 1. Cor. 4.9.13 q 2. Cor. 5 20. r 2. Cor. 5.18 a 2. Tim. 4.10 a 1. Tim. 3.1 b Eph. 6.17 c 1. Chron. 15.2 d Ezeck 3.20 a Mat. 20. c Heb. 5.4 d Luk. 10.2 e Rom. 10.15 f Ier. 23.21 g Num. 4.19 Ministers must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 2. Tim. 2.15 b 2. Cor. 4.2 c 2. Cor. 1.12 d 2. Cor. 2.17 e 2. Cor. 6.3 f 2. Tim. 1.13 g 2. Tim. 2.22 h 1. Tim. 3.2.3 In Mat. 25. i Exod. 28.30.36 k Gen. 6.14 l Exod. 35.38 m Mat. 7.5 n Ps 50.16.17 o Mal. 2.9 p Reu. 3.1 q Exod. 27.20 r Ps 93.5 Isay 52.11 Å¿ Ps 25.14 u Mar. 10. â— Leuit. 6.13 x Mat. 5.16 y Mat. 5.13.14 z Eccl. 5â— 6.7.10 a Mar. 6.20 b 1. Tim. 4 1â— c Act. 20 28. d 1. Cor. 9 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 e Rom. 2 2â— f Lu. 12.47 g Iam. 4.17 h Ier. 23.15 i Ier. 23 28. a Heb. 4 1â— b 1. Tim 3.2 2. Tim. 2.24 c 2. Tim. 2 d Math. 6.22 Mat. 5.14 e Iam. 1.1 f Isay 50.4 g Mal. 2.7 h Lam 4.4 Lam. 2.11 12.19 i Pro. 29 1â— k Mal. 2.7 l Mat. 15.14 a 1. Cor. 4.2 b 2. Tim. 4.2 c Ier. 48.10 d Pro. 27.23 e Iob. 1.7 f 1. Pâ—t 5.8 g Mat. 23.15 h Pro. 27.18 i 2. Thes 3.10 k Act. 20.20.27.31 l Act. 20.28 m Ephes 4 12. 1. Pet. 5.2 n Gen. 31.40 o Ezek. 16.49 p Pastoris est pascere nâ—n deglubere q 2. Cor. 12 14. r 1 Cor. 9.17 Å¿ 2. Cor. 11.23 t Iude. 3. u Reu. 2.2 u Pro. 11. â—6 x Pro. 27.18 y Exod. 8.24 z Act. 20.30 a Isa 65.5 b Iudg. 15 4. Note c 2. Cor. 8.12 d Gal. 6.7 e Ier. 17.10 f Heb. 4.13 g Iob 42.2 h Heb. 10.31 a 2. Cor. 9.7 b 1 Chron. 29.6.9 c 1 Cor. 9.17 d Iob. 20.12 Prou. 4.16 f 1. Pet. 5 2 g Act. 2â— 24 a Neh. 4.17 b Eph. 6.12 c Ier. 1.17 d Ez. 3.9 e Ier. â— 8 f Tit. 2.15 g Isai 58.1 h Mich. 3 8. i Kin. 18.18 k 2. Sam. 2.9 l Isay 50.7 m Isay 50.6 n For sheep maâ— be driuen to the â—acks but Lions must be fed at the staues end lest â—hey feed on them that would â—â—ed them o Isa 58.1 p Gal. 6.1 2 Tim. 2.25 a Gen. 15.11 b 2. Cor 4 1. c Psa 119.105 d 1. Pet. 2.5 e Ouid. f 2. Pet. 1.13 g 1. Tim 4 13.15.16 h Mat. 20.8 i Eccl. 11.6 k Gal. 6.9 l Nehe. 9 12. m Exâ— 27.20 n Psal 15. o Ex. 29.38 p Isa 62.6 7. q Luk. 9 62. a Psal 94.4.5 b Psal 5.9 Psal 10.7 c Is 59.8 d 1. Tim. 3.2 Tit. 1.7 e 1. Cor. 11.16 f Mar. 3. 24 25 g 1. king 3.26 h Nehe. 4. i Iosephus k 2. Tim. 3.24 l 1. Ioh. 4.8 â— Thes 5.22 m Rom. 12 18. n Ouid. o Rom. 12.16 p Rom. 15.1 q 1 kings 21.3 r Mat. 10.16 Tit. 1.8 Å¿ Rom. 15 5. t Eph. 5.23 u Eph. 4.3 Gal. 5 26. Eph 5.27 w Luk. 23.12 Act. 4.27 x Rom. 15.6 y Morbida sâ—la â—ecus totum â—orrumpit ouiâ—e z Mark 9.10 a Psa 133.1 b Ioh. 13.35 c Virg. a Iohn 15.1 b Heb. 3.4 c 1 Cor. 3.6 d Psal 127. â—1 e 1 Cor. 15.10 f 1 Pet. 5.10 g 2 Cor. 5.19 h 2 Cor. 2 15.16 a Isa 55.11 b 2. Cor. 2.15.16 c Isa 50.7 d Ier. 1.8.18.19 e Eze. 2.3 â— Acts 18 9.10 f Iosh 1.5 Heb 13 7. h Heb. 1.12 i â—am 1.17 Isa 46.10.11 k Psa 84.12 a 1. Cor. 3 8 b Dan. 12.3 c 2. Tim. 4.7.8 h Pet. 5.4 e Mat. 10 â—1 f Mat. 20.8 a 2 Cor. 3 9. b 2 Cor. 5.2 18. Act. 20.28 1 Cor. 12.28 c Iob 25.6 d Isa 57.15 e Iob 33.23 f Psal 116.12.17 g Psa 145.2 h Psâ— 4.3.8 i 1. Sam. 2.30 k Leuit. 10.3 a Eph 5.1 b Tit. 2.7 8. a 1 Thes 2.2.3.4 b 2 Tim. 24 c Eph. 6.2 2.2 d 2 Cor. 10 4. e Act. 6.2 f Aug. Note g 1. Tim. 5.8 h Ioh. 21.3 i Mark 6.3 k 2. Tim 4.13 l Act. 20.34 m 1. Tim. 3.4.5 a Conâ—er the 1. Cor 3.6
leaue and liking of his Lord that called him His owne conceipts must yeelde vnto his calling and his fancies must not make him craze his faith It is better to beate them as Abraham beat the Birds that hindred him then by bending to them to breake lose from his calling or to be beat from his businesse as being vnworthy of it or vnfit for it And in a word no feare must fray him no terror must amaze him nothing must make him flie oft of the hookes Shall the obstinacy of the people Although saith Chrysostome I be not ignorant that I speake in vaine yet will I not giue ouer for so doing I shall be excused before God although no body would heare me in 3. Chap. Ioh. And it may be with continual shewring vpon them their harts will at length relent and waxe soft Shall their rage their choler The frantique saith Augustine will not be bound neither would such as are troubled with a lethargie be roused but charity perseuereth to castigate the frantique to stirre vp the lethargique to loue theÌ„ both Both are offended but both are loued Both of theÌ„ being molested so long as their disease coÌ„tinueth doth take it ill that you shold so trouble theÌ„ but both of them being cured they do reioyce Shall threats disgraces Shall the malice enuy of the wicked was not Christ disgraced maligned calumnized euill inâ—reated Were not all his Apostles hated persecuted Shall pouerty driue thee froÌ„ thy calling or make thee to faint in thy calling Was not Christ poore to Man that he might make thee rich to God And were not his Apostles poore Gloriosa in sacerdotibus Domini paupertas Pouerty saith Ambrosâ— is glorious in the Priestes of God A crosse it may be to them but not a curse Paul was a man of much affliction yet saith he Seeing we haue this ministery as we haue receiued mercy we faint not Non fecisse sed perfecisse virtutis est To worke is not so commendable as to continue constant in working till the work be brought to perfection Ministers must be like the salt waters which hauing once begun to flow continue flowing till they come to their full sloud A candle being once lighted burneth on so long as it lasteth except it be put out with violence Euen so they as candles being once lighted set in the church as in a candle-sticke to giue light vnto the people by holding out the lampe of light that is the word of God they shold burne bright continually Aliis inseruientes semetâ—psos consumentes spending themselues like lamps or torches in seruing shining vnto others Salomon left not building of a temple for the Lord made of lifelesse stones vntill it was built vp So should they continue coÌ„stant in building his teÌ„ple made of liuing stones till it be brought to perfection if in this life it were possible They should do their best indeauour and languish not Vt desint vires tamen est laudanda voluntas Paul laboured constantly in his calling till God cald him away by death Possidonius saith that Augustine preached the word of God coÌ„stantly Vsque ad ipsam suam extremam aegritudinem vnto the extremity of his sicknes Fox saith of Bradford that preaching reading and prayer was his whole life These are good patternes and worthy imitation Peter saith that he ought in equity to put them in mind of their duty whiles he continueth in his earthy tabernacle The Minister and his Ministery should cease together and not one before another Paul commandeth Timothy to exercise himselfe in and to adâ—iâ—â— himselfe vnto reading exhortation and doctrine and to continue in learning If wee would duly consider that by preaching the couenant of grace is reuealed that Gods oracles are explained and his dispersed sheepe brought home and nourished that faith is thereby wrought and confirmed and the children of God begotten and conserued that his house is builded his field is eared his scepter erected his throne established his kingdome augmented and Sathan eiected vndoubtedly it would moue vs to a continuall and constant execution of our office without either fainting in it or forsaking of it The Sun we see neuer ceaseth moueing all the while his course is vnfinished The Laborers in the parable wrought vnto the euening euen till their Lord set and sent his Steward to call them from their worke So we that are the Lords labourers appointed by him to worke in his vineyard and set in the Church as the Sunne in the heauens to giue light vnto his people must labour constantly and moue continually till our course be finished and our taske be ended we must not giue ouer till our houre-glasse be runne out till our Sunne be set and the Euening of our life be shut in or vntill our Lord and Maister shall call vs from our worke or send a Messenger to fetch vs. Salomon saith In the morning I sowe thy seede and in the euening let not thine hand rest All men ought to be constant in their labouâ—s and neuer be weary of well doing much more therefore Ministers whose labours are most excellent commodious who ought to be to al other men as that cloudy and fiery pillar was vnto the Israelites which led theÌ„ and let them see their way to Canaan God commaunded that there should be Light alway shining in the Tabernacle The Church militant is Gods spirituall Tabernacle Ministers are the Light that must shine vnto all the members of the Church yea to those that yet sit in darknesse in the shadow of death and that constantly alwaies and without intermission The Lord required a sacrifice of 2 Lambes to be offered day by day continually And it were not vnfitting if ministers did daily in their prayers present and consecrate their people like those Lambes vnto the Lord. Their duty consisteth not wholy in preaching to them but also in praying for them for the prosperous estate of the whole Church I haue set watchmen vpon thy walles O Ierusalem saith the Lord which all the day and all the night continually shall not ceâ—se Ye thaâ— are mindfull of the Lord keepe not silence giue him no rest till he repaire and set vp Ierusalem the praise of the world No man saith Christ that putteth his hand to the Plough and looketh backe is apt to the kingdome of God He is in truth neither a fit man for the kingdome of grace nor a fit Minister for the Gospell of the kingdome The Lord hath put the sword of his Spirit into our hands He will haue vs to hold it constantly and to shake and brandish it continually neuer ceasing to kill the sins of the people with it and causing them continually to die an euerlasting death to sin in this world that they may liue an euelasting life from sin in the world to come and that being couered with
whosoeuer builds if he prosper not their building with the presence proppe of his grace their building is in vaine Nothing can stand all will fall and tumble downe againe like the stone of Sisyphus or like a wall that is dawbed with vntempered mortar Therefore we pray with Peter that he would make you perfect confirme strengthen stablish and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 found you Fourthly as fields are vsually laid and inclosed and wrought in by diuerse labourers as houses are commonly reared repaired and wrought in by sundry workmen one perhaps being the ringleader the coÌ„maunder of the rest Euen so the Church is husbaÌ„ded builded kept by many Many labour within her and about her God is the principal Agent He cals the rest he directs and rules them He puts his word into their mouths and prospers it as it pleaseth him It is his Arme whereby he doth translate men out of the kingdome of sathan into the kingdome of his Son out of darknesse into light out of Aegipt into Canaan out of hell into heauen It is his Hammer whereby he doth beate down our pride it is as a Wedge whereby he doth cleaue vs his Axe which hewes vs his Rule which measures vs. It is also his Plough which breakes vs vp it is his Cylinder which smoothes vs and the seed which he sowes in vs. And all the good successe proceeds from him Not vnto vs not vnto vs but vnto God belongs this honour It is he that worketh both the will and the deed it is he that giues the increase it is he that begins and makes an end The Ministers of the Word Sacraments are his Instruments or seruants ordained for the reparation of the Sancts and for the edification of Christs body that is to say to worke in Gods house and vineyard to labour in his Church that his people may be conuerted comforted confirmed instructed till they attaine to the perfection of grace fulnesse of glory with their Head Husband Christ Iesus in the heauens In which respect the Apostle tels the Corinthians that they are his work in the Lord. Fiftly euery house is founded vpon some foundation so is the Church of God And her foundation is twofold principall ministeriall The principall foundation is Christ and therefore he is called Lapis fundamenti the foundation stone and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Bottom-corner stone He is that Rocke whereupon the Church is built He is the author of our goodnesse and the procurer of all our glory He hath merited for vs the pardon of sin the perfection of happinesse and the perpetuity of all our welfare And as God did create vs by him in regard of nature so he doth create vs againe in him in regard of grace and will one day finish vs fully for him in regard of glory Here is a good foundation a foundation that is firme and and not false sound and not sandy Whatsoeuer is built vpon this foundation firmely shall neuer be cast downe wholy The top shall fare the better for the bottome The Ministeriall foundation is the preaching of the doctrine of saluatioÌ„ contained in the writings of the Prophets Apostles Therfore Paul saith that we are built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets And Saint Ambrose saith accordingly that the Old and New Testament is the foundation of the Church And hence it is that the citty of God is said to haue twelue foundations in which were written the twelue names of the Apostles of the Lambe And thus Peter Iames and Iohn and all faithfull Pastors may be called Pillars of the Church to wit so farrre forth as by their Ministery they do susteine and maintaine the Church of God the true profession of the true faith Christ Iesus onely being the chiefe corner stone who onely doth properly and energetically support and hold vp all the building Sixtly euery field and house is seated in some place so is the Church of God And if we regard her military condition she is seated vpon the earth euen in the middest of her enemies which swarme like Bees about her And as we see chaffe and wheat mingled together in one heape and both fish and frogges inclosed in one net so shall her members be mingled together with the wicked so long as she makes her aboade on the earth so long as she liues in the Wildernesse and vntill she receiue her inheritance in celestiall Canaan Seuenthly fields serue for tillage and husbandry and for his vse that occupies and orders them Euery field hath an owner and euery house hath an inhabitant and one to whoâ— she doth belong and for whose vse she serues So the Church hath her vse owner and inhabitant Knoâ— ye not saith Paul that ye are the Temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you Yea you are the Temple of the liuing God as God sayd I will dwell in them and walke in them The Lord is her owner and inhabitant he hath ordained her for his owne glory and for his vse shee serues Eightly as euery field hath a gate or way to come into it and as euery house hath a doore for men to enter in at so hath the Church Christ is the gate and the doore by whom wee enter into the Church and if we do not enter in by him we shall neuer enter so into it as to be truly of it The Gospell of Christ is an ordinary outward meanes or way by which we are brought into the Church and made her members and Baptisme is a signe of our entrance and admission into it Ninthly as a field haâ—h diuers parcels and corners in it and as a faire and goodly building hath many roomes parts chambers in it So the Church of God hath many parts or parcels as subiects of one kingdome as members of one body as parts of one field as beds of one garden and chambers of one house Tenthly as there is no field which hath not in it some difference of the mowle or earth or some diuersity of the plants and hearbs which it beareth And as houses vsually receiue into them diuers persons which keepe in them belong vnto them And as for the most paâ—t euery house consisteth of sundry sorts of matter as wood stone lime clay c. Euen so the Church of God as a spacious and fruitfull field is full of variety of plants as it were and hearbs Many and diuers are her fruits And some part of her some persons that belong vnto her are more fruitfull and excellent then other according to the difference of their mowle or of the cost labour which is spent vpon them There is not the same influence of heauenly graces descending from aboue vpon them all alike The Sunne of righteousnes doth not send downe the beams of his effectuall operation equally vpon them And the
not persecute his people touch not his annointed do his Prophets no harme Indeed the wicked practiseth against the iust and gnasheth his teeth against him but wilt thou be so wicked Look well to thy selfe For in the hand of the Lord is a cup and the wine is red it is ful mixt and he powreth out the same surely all the wicked of the earth shall wring out and drinke the dregs therof He that is vpright in his way is indeed as Salomon teacheth an abomination to the wicked but shal he be abominable vnto thee Wilt thou be that wicked man that will detest and abhorre him Looke well about thee For the Lord presertâ—â— vpright in heart but he will destroy all the wicked the wicked and him that loueth iniquity doth his soule hâ—te Indeed the wicked trouble Gods heritage and smite downe his people with the fist of wickednesse But he will recompence them their wickednesse and destroy them in their owne malice How oft shall the candle of the wicked be put out They shall be as stubble before the wind as chaffe that the storme carrieth away Therefore partake not with them in their sins lest thou be partaker of their punishments Trouble not Gods people do not annoy his field take heed thou persecute not his Church For shee shall be a cup of poison vnto all that hate her and an heauy stone to all her enimes All that lift it vp shall be torne though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it God will not suffer his Turtle doue to be taken his Church to be destroyed Therefore as Pilats wife sent word vnto him concerning Christ saying Haue thou nothing to do with that iust man so say I to thee concerning Christ his Church and all her members Haue nothing to do with them to persecute and wrong them For she is Gods field and they are his seed his sets she is GODS house and they are his houshold seruants and his children He loues them deerely keeps them very carefully It were a bold part in a meane person to make spoile in a kings house and to waste his grounds and to pull vp his plants and to treade downe his grasse and corne What boldnesse were it then for vs that are but wormes wretches to make spoile in Gods house to spâ—ile or annoy the plants of GODS owne planting who is the king of all kings who hath laid the foundation of the earth and spanneth the heauens with his hand Many men in pitty will not spoile a ground or garden for the plants that are in it because of their goodnesse and comely order The Church of God is as a field or garden Her plants are as an Orchard of Fomegranats with sweet fruits as Camphire Spikenard Saffran Calamus and Cinamon Cinamon with all the trees of incense Myrre Aloes with all the chiefe spices God hath greatly graced al her members hath set al her plants in a comly order let vs therefore spare them not spoile them let vs not harme and annoy them The Church is a faire and sumptuous building yea she is a crowne of glory in the hand of the Lord and a royall diademe in the hand of her God And dare man maligne her Shall the sonne of man whose breath is in his nostrils seeke to fire her or pull her downe Let them beware they do not For otherwise the Lord will fan them the wind shal carry them away and the whirlewind of his wrath shall scatter them they shall be burnt with the flames of their owne fire and compassed about with their owne sparkles If a man should breake into thy fields and make spoile amongst thy corne or if he should beat downe thy house or fire it ouer thine head maist thou not iustly be offended sue him at the law for his iniury done vnto thee There is no question to be made the case is cleare And shal we thinke that God will be silent and say nothing to those that would spoile his field that treade downe his corne that cut downe his plants that breake open his hedges that annoy his house and feeke to fire it ouer his head Vndoubtedly except they repent and alter their course in time the Lord will arrest them he will arraine them at the barre of his iustice he will pleade against them and condemne them For if the sentence of death shal be pronounced against theÌ„ that shewed no kindnesse to his seruants what can we thinke shall be the end of those but death ineuitable which haue bene malicious cruell and iniurious vnto them Let vs therfore take heed that we do not hate persecute the Church of God nor any of her children She is Gods field she is Gods house this is reason sufficient to disswade vs from all secret and open machinations against her though we had no other reason in the world besides Ninthly seeing that the Church is Gods house and husbandry we need not maruell that the diuell doth so maligne and molest her For because he doth hate the husbandman and the housekeeper therefore he doth also hate and persecute with mortall hatred and hostility his seruants and all â—hat belong vnto him to whom he doth in speciall manner confer and manifest his grace And hence it is also that she hath in all ages receiued hard measure of the world that the wicked of the world do persecute storme against her members euen because she is Gods field habitation and therefore is not of the world but a stranger in the world belonging to another kingdome and common-wealth It is the fashion of Dogges to barke at strangers it is no wonder then that the Dogges of this world do barke at her and fly in her face it is no maruell though they bite her children and baulle at them For they are strangers to them They are not of them but among them They are not cast in one mould together nor made of one mettall Foxes are by nature giuen to murder Lambs and Boares are naturally carried to make hauocke in a vineyard and to spoile the vines The wicked through the peruersnesse of their corrupted nature are violently bent against the godly Beasts are giuen to breake hedges to leape ouer ditches and to spoile yong plants to treade downe corne Euen so these like vnruly beasts are carried hedlong by their drouer and through the strong streame of their in-bred maâ—ice to breake into Gods field to knoppâ— his tender plants and to make wast amongst his corne Yea they maligne spite them because God doth countenance and grace them because he doth repaire husband them because they see that they are not so ful of weeds and ruines as they themselues are But feare not thou worme Iacob and ye men of Israel I will helpe thee saith the Lord. Cast thy burthen vpon
within vs. The Lord will be in his temple for euer Now what a singular comfort should this be to vs alway in that we haue the great God of heauen and earth residing in vs What an honour is it to vs that the king of kings should keepe his court continually in vs Let vs be thankfull to him for this fauour Be not like the thanklesse swine that swallowes downe the fruit but lookes not to the treee from whence it fell And so much for the first doctrine CHAP. 6. Men may be Gods House Husbandry though they be not so holy as is meet Doct. 2 SEcondly in that the Apostle cals the Corinthians who were factious fleshly litigious and somthing too disorderly Gods field building I cōclude that mē professing Christ as they did must not for some enormities be by by reputed abiects or men that are not in grace with God or as men that are fallen from God and cut off from Christ Dauid Salomon Hezekiah and Peter sinned grieuously but yet they were neuer wholly forsaken of God nor voyde of true grace though for a time it was cast as it were into a swoone and lay obscure as fire in ashes or as the act of reason in a man that is starke drunke or fast asleepe Though thou fauour of the smoake of sin and be vp to the wayst in iniquitie yet if thou labor to come forth and dost purge thy selfe by penitency thy case is not desperate it is not damnable If thou beest weake and fleshly as these Corinthiant were yet if thou wilt warre with thy flesh and contend against thy weaknesse if thou doest labour constantly to subdue thy lusts and doest truly repent of thy sinne so soone as thou dost espie it then despaire not but assure thy selfe that thou art in Gods fauour and that thou art one of his plants a liuing stone of his spirituall building and enioying his fauor in this life thou shalt also see his face to the solace of thy soule in the life to come Amen Morning prayer for the Family O Eternal Lord God who art great and fearefull and shewest mercy to them that loue thee and keep thy commandements we haue committed iniquity and haue done wickedly before thine eyes we haue rebelled against thy Maiesty haue transgressed against thy lawes we haue bin vnmindful of thy mercies do continually sin against thee so that to vs appertaineth open shame and confusion of face for euer yet compassion and forgiuenes is in thee there is mercy with thee that thou maist be feared Haue mercy therfore vpon vs we humbly pray thee and according to the multitude of thy compassions put away our transgressions Encline thine eare O Lord and heare Looke vpon vs in thy Sonne Christ Iesus and in him be reconciled to vs. Giue vs the feeling of thy grace and an assurance of thy princely pardon Put thy Spirit into our hearts wee beseech thee and cause vs to walke in thy waies Breake our marble hearts asunder take away their stoninesse and mollify them with the oile of thy grace Cause vs to hate leaue our sinnes and to warre with all our lusts Draw vs and we will run after thee conuert vs we shall be conuerted Incline our hearts vnto thy testimonies and keepe vs in thy feare Teach vs O Lord to number our daies that we may apply our hearts vnto wisedom Thou art our creatour forsake not the worke of thine hands Cause the light of thy countenance to shine vpon vs and let thy tender mercies come vnto vs. Direct our steps in thy word stay vs and we shall be safe Leaue vs not vnto our selues but susteine vs by thy grace Prosper the works of our hands and giue successe vnto our labours Let our going out and coming in be blessed and cause thine Angels to protect vs. Thou art our Father prouide thou for vs and preserue vs. Thou hast wedded vs vnto thy selfe as an Husband suffer vs not to goe an whoring from thee Thou hast bene beneficial to vs thou hast giuen vs thy Gospell thou hast sent vs thy Prophets thou hast honored vs with peace and prosperity and hast giuen vs great deliuerances our health our friends our liberty all our being and well being all that we haue euen all is of thee thou giuest vs our rest in the night thou makest vs sleepe in safety and renewest thy mercies to vs in the morning infinite is thy loue innumerable are thy fauours toward vs we beseech thee therefore O Lord giue vs thankfull hearts vnto thy Maiesty Open thou our lips that our mouths may shew forth thy praise grant vs grace to dedicate our selues vnto thee Blesse we pray thee thy holy Church and be good vnto thy people Giue not the soule of thy Turtle done vnto the Beast Be fauourable vnto Sion and build the wals of Ierusalem Increase thy kingdome destroy thine enimes Blesse thy seruant Iames our noble king find out his enimies set thy selfe against them and make his crowne to flourish on his head Be mercifull we beseech thee to all other States amongst vs giue eare to the cry of thy Saints not to the cry of our sins Grant O Lord that we may all of vs serue thee in the vnity of faith with vnanimity of spirit that so glorifying thy name in this world we may be glorified of thee for euer in the world to come Heare vs O Lord we beseech thee and grant vs these our requests for the merits of Iesus Christ alone vnto whom with thee and the holy Ghost be rendred all honour praise and power this day and for euer Euening prayer for the Family GRatious God and mercifull Father in Iesus Christ we do here bow downe the knees of our soules and bodies in thy presence offering vp this our Euening sacrifice of praise praier vnto thee giuing thee vnfeigned thanks for all thy fauours towards vs for electing vs vnto eternall life for creating vs according to thine image for redeeming vs by the bloud of thy Son for sanctifying vs by thine holy Spirit for our health peace and liberty for clothing and feeding vs for protecting and prospering of vs this present day and for that great and admirable deliuerance vouchsafed to this whole State and kingdom from that barbarous and bloudy confusion plotted almost performed by the wicked the children of Babel thy name O Lord be praised for these and all other thy mercies Forgiue vs we beseech thee our great vnthankfulnesse and all the rest of our sins our ignorances wilfulnesses negligences presumptions all other our transgressions rebellions O Lord forgiue them all vnto vs for Iesus Christ his sake Wash them al away in his bloud naile them fast vnto his crosse bury thē in his graue Cloth vs we pray thee with his robes and honour vs with thy Spirit Worke in vs godly sorrow and remorsefull spirits Mortify our sinfull lusts and adorne vs
atchieue his hard and weighty workes Hee tooke Dauid from the sheepfold and changed his shepheards staffe into a kingly Scepter He tooke Amos from the flocke and made him his Prophet He made Peter and Andrew of Fishermen to become fishers of men Paul saith that he and his Fellow-Apostles were the gazing stocke of the world and as Filth and Ofskouring yet were they the Lords Embassadours God had chosen them to be his Labourers and had set them about an honorable and weighty peece of seruice he had giuen them the word of Reconciliation he set them to plant his Church to supplant the Synagogue of Sathan to collect the dispersed sheep of Christ to dispell the Wolues which sought to kill them and to saue them from the Foxes which did annoy them CHAP. 4. Gods Ministers should be able to say We do now labour for the Lord. Two sorts of Ministers are taxed Doct. 4 VVE are He saith not wee Haue beene nor We shall or Will be but we Are. It is good for all men for all Ministers especially in good things to be alwaies in the Present tense The loue of our calling must not vanish like a leame of lightning Our zeale of Gods House must not bee like the Morning deaw It is no praise to say wee haue beene Gods Labourers and not to be so now through the peruersenes of our spirits or the witching inticemēts of the world The world must not draw vs from our calling as it did Demas from Paul The footstoole must not be set vpon the head We may not worship Mammon and bend our knees vnto the world Gods Temple may not be forsaken for her Tent neither must we be so wedded to our wils and so farre in loue with our luxurious humours as that wee will rather go out of the field and leaue our colours and forsake our warfare then we will endure to be let bloud tied to good orders It is an excellent thing to be able to say with Paul truly We are Gods Adiutors We are now Gods Workemen we are in Gods seruice we labour for him in his field and Temple He therefore is to bee condemned whosoeuer he be that shall forsake this so holy and so worthy a calling for the painefulnesse of it or for that it is not in this base age of the world so duly regarded as in conscience and common reason it ought to be or for that the world with her amorous dart hath strucke through his liuer wounded him with her loue what pretext soeuer he shall make for himselfe In like maner also those are to be reproued that shall suffer themselues to be transported with the impostures of hereticall and schismaticall Spirits or shall sooth vp themselues in their own conceits so as that rather thē they wil alter their courses and be diuorced from them they will leaue Gods field and forsake his plough they held giue ouer building in his House to which they were called by him Lamentable is the practise of too many that hauing bin entertained into GODS House for workmen do lay downe their tooles and fall to play to pleasure and ayme at nothing more then at their priuate profits There are many that will labour hard till they haue hit the mark they shot at but then they lift vp the heele they tread the furrowes at their leysures and giue themselues to ease and idlenesse Others there are that either through discontentednesse by reason of their contempt and pouerty or through their ambition and arrogant ouerweening of themselues or else by reason of their spiritual lunacy and affectation of innouation or through want of fortitude and discretion to confront with and to stand vndaunted at the scandales and enormities of the time or else by reason of their preposterous zeale irresolute disposion coueteous inclination or vngrounded deuotion doe leaue the scaffold forsake their station cast off their burthen giue ouer their charge and either follow that Babilonish harlot or worship the fansies of their owne conceiuing Me thinks it is strange that a man should leaue the seruice of a Virgin to serue an Harlot and change Ierusalem for Babilon Canaan for Aegipt or that any man should forsake a Vineyard planted with noble Vines because many noysome weeds do grow too boldly with them But the horse doth often cast the rider The sun is darke to a blinde man Some make their lust the rule of reason And some for want of iudgement can put no difference betwixt place and person betwixt an whorish garment and a garment as an Whore hath vsurped or got on as if a Virgin should therefore cast her coate away because a Strumpet hath got the like But wisdome will be iustified of her children The wise will discerne betweene a disease and death betweene a bleare eye and a blind betweene a Citty and her walles a face and her freckles It is a leaud sonne that wil deny his mother for her clothes and an ill seruant that will forsake the loyall and chast wife of his maister to follow one that is diuorced from him for adultery It is no wisedome for thee to contemn the house in which thou first drew breath because it is not couered or glazed to thy minde and no good dealing for thee to discharge thy selfe of that charge which God hath charged thee withall to neglect or leaue thy place thy calling whether it bee through the loue of the world the drowsinesse of thy sluggish nature or the pertinacious entertainement of thine owne nouell conceits If thou hast euer beene Gods workman be so still and that not in title onely but in truth let all be able to say with S. Paul we are Gods Adiutors Better it is not to haue beene such but now to be then to haue beene but not now to be through our owne default CHAP. 5. The Office of a Minister is painefull Doct. 5 VVE are Labourers together If Laborers together then Labourers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if coworkers then workers But what not imperant but obsequent not maisters simply but simply ministers not equal to God but seruāts of God God is the only absolute Architect and they are his selected instrumēts not physicall life-lesse but vocal voluntary liuing Hence we learne that Gods faithfull Ministers are Labourers not Loyterers The calling of a Minister is a calling of labour and not of lazinesse therefore the Apostle saith He that desireth the office of a Bishop desireth a worthy work The office of a Minister is Tam onus quam honos not more honorable then painefull exacting diligence as well as affoording dignity Beneficium postulat officium a benefice requires a duty He that hath his liuing from the Church labors not for the Church is a robber of the Church The property of a workman is operari non ociari to labour and not to loyter The Minister is a workman God
hath hired him to worke in his Vineyard He must hold the keyes of his kingdome in one hand the sword of the spirit which is the word of God in the other hand and all are heauy all are weighty and hard to weild aright He must help to beare the Church as the Leuites did the Arke Gouernement is laid vpon his shoulders and the soules of men are cōmitted to his charge If any vnder him do perish by him God will require their bloud at his hands CHAP. 6. Ministers must haue a warrantable calling NOw in a Labourer these seuen things are required First a Lawfull calling for it is against all right and reason that any man should gather his neighbors grapes or thrust his sickle into his corne without his leaue and so it is as vniust for any man to presume to labour in Gods Vineyard to build in his Temple or to worke in his Haruest without his leaue and liking Who dare draw his sword and smite who dare meddle with his keyes to open or shut ministerially without his licence Who dare sit in Moses his chaire vnlesse he haue set him in it and put his Law-booke into his hands to vnclaspe and explicate it vnto his people The labourers in the parable wrought not in the Vineyard till the Lord thereof had set them on worke b Vzzah was slaine because he laid his hand vpon the Arke without a calling Noah medled not in the building of the Arke till God had giuen him direction neither did the Carpenters enter vpon that worke without vocation and approbation from Noah they which built the Temple had licence command first from Salomon who had his warrant also from aboue Wherefore then should any meddle with the building of the Church which is Gods Arke and Temple without sufficient authority either immediately from God or mediatly from those that haue commission from him to proue and admit men to labour for him No man taketh this honour vpon him but he that is called of God as Aaron was Christ sheweth that it of right belongeth to the Lord of the Haruest to chuse and appoint Labourers in that he bids his Disciples pray the Lord of the haruest to send forth Laborers into his Haruest For how dare men cut downe or bind vp bring in without his bidding and authorizing How shall they preach except they be sent The Lord complaineth of some Prophets that ran vnsent prophecied vnspoken to by him Aaron and his sonnes were ordayned by God to assigne the Koathites euery one to his office to his charge so God hath ordained the Gouernors of the Church to cal consecrate Ministers and to set them to their worke It is an Anabaptistique conceit to think that any man of learning may preach without Ecclesiasticall ordination vpon his owne priuate motion or voluntary pleasure The glory of God the honour of the Ministery the security and solace of their consciences and that the people may know that they haue lawfull Ministers may thereby be moued to obay their ministery all these claime a calling argue the necessity of lawfull ordination CHAP. 7. Ministers must be wise their doctrine pure and their life vpright SEcondly a workeman must bee wise that he may behaue himselfe without offence Discretion is required in a Minister that hee may please his maister that he may be an example to his fellowes that he may leade his life without offence to any and so gaine credit to his place and person It is meete therefore that his doctrine should be pure and not parti-coloured and that his conuersation be correspondent so he shall shew himselfe truly wise euen godly wise Paul writing to Timothie saith Study to shew thy selfe approued vnto God a workman that need not be ashamed diuiding the word of God aright And to the Corinthians he saith of himselfe and of his fellowes We haue cast from vs the cloakes of shame and walke not in craftines neither handle we the word of God deceiptfully but in declaration of the truth we approue our selues to euery mans conscience in the sight of God Our reioycing is this the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly purenes not in fleshly wisedome but by the grace of God we haue had our cōuersation in the world most of all to you-wards For we are not as many which make merchandise of the word of God but as of sincerity but as of God in the sight of God speake we in Christ We giue no occasion of offence in any thing that our Ministery should not be reprehended but in all things we approue our selues as the ministers of God In like manner he willeth his sonne Timothy to keep the true patterne of the wholesome words which he had heard of him and to flye from the lusts of youth and follow after righteousnes faith loue and peace sheweth that euery Bishop must be vnreproueable temperate and modest Ministers saith Prosper must not onely instruct the people with the example of a good life but should also shew them by preaching boldly both the penalty which abides the rebellious and the glory which belongs to the obedient The Doctor of the Church saith Chryostome by teaching and liuing well teacheth the people how to liue well but by liuing wickedly teacheth God how to condemne him Aaron was appointed to weare Thummim on his brest-plate vpon his heart and a plate of pure gold vpon his forehead whereon was grauen Holinesse to the Lord. So euery Minister should haue the Thummim of an vpright heart carry the goldē plate before him of an holy life The Arke was commaunded to be pitched within and without with pitch so should euery minister be pitched with grace on the inside of his heart and on the outside of his life and so he shal be better armed against wind and water The Snuffers of the candlestick for the Tabernacle were cōmaunded to be made of pure gold those that snuffe others should be pure themselues Turpe est doctori cum culpa redarguit ipsum It is a shame for a man to correct another and not to direct himselfe or to weed his neighbours corne and to suffer the weeds to choke his owne It is a shame for a Phisitian to proffer Phisick to others and yet to see and suffer himselfe to rot with diseases Phisitian first cure thy selfe Pluck forth thine Owne moat thine Owne beame first He that admonisheth another of that wherein himselfe remaineth wilfully faulty doth giue him the cleare wine and keepeth the dregs to himselfe resembling a Diall or Watch which profit others by shewing how the day passeth but themselues nothing at all They which teach wel and liue wickedly confute their doctrine with their deedes and condemne their practise by their preaching and so make them selues abhominable to God