pleade bodily indisposition and weakenesse but the question is whether the body or the plea be weakest Timothy was surely weake and but a sickely tuely man yet Paul that prescribes him to drinke a little wine for his stomacks sake and often infirmities yet neuer prescribed him but a little preaching Nay though a weakely sickely man yet he charges him before the Iudge of quicke and dead to preach in season and out of season strange counsell one would thinke for a weake body I deny not but God will haue mercie and not sacrifice yet take we heed of pretended disabilities and of making our selues weaker then God hath made vs. What our bodies will beare without a manifest and dangerous iniurie to them let them beare it in the name of God for the good of many soules These bodies of ours must perish and be consumed at last when we haue made the most of them we can In what more honourable seruice can we spend them then in the seruice of the Church For a man to spend his body in the worke of the Ministerie I hold it the next degree of honour to the crowne of Martyrdome Yea euen the aged Leuite though his shaking hands be discharged the seruice of he Axe yet must not be idle Num. 8. 26. Attamen seruito fratribus Sic Iunius suis to wit though he cleaue not the sacrifices yet let him counsell aduise direct and instruct the iunior Leuites in the seruice of the Tabernacle and so still minister to his brethren And thus is the Ministerie fulfilled in the fidelitie of dispensation The second point and part followes The fulfilling of the Ministerie in holy Conuersation A mans Ministerie standeth not all in preaching the life of his Ministerie is his life Hee is but halfe a Minister that preacheth as hee should Hee is compleate and fulfills his Ministerie that preaches and liues as he should Though a man should speake with the tongue of men and Angels and yet in the meane time be an angel of darkenesse he is but a tinckling Cimball and a Bell without a Pomegranate The Scripture complaines of Idoll shepheards What may an Idoll shepheard be He that is like to Idols How they are described see Psal 115. 5 7. Mouthes they haue and speake not feete they haue and walke not So then not onely he that hath a mouth and speakes not but he also that hath a foote and walkes not is an Idoll shepheard not onely the dumbe but also the lame shepheard is Idoll-like Therefore Theophylacts note is witty Mat. 5. 2 Christ opened his mouth taught the people He makes a question whether the first word be not superfluous or no for how could Christ teach but he must open his mouth He answers that these words were not idle because Christ did sometimes teach and opened not his mouth viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by his life and miracles but now he opened his mouth and taught them by doctrine This this is that that gaines credit and regard to our Ministerie and persons euen from our very enemies For Mar. 6. 20. Herod feared Iohn knowing that be was an holy and a iust man Not because he was a great man or learned or a powerfull preacher though these also but because an holy and a iust man Holinesse casts a more dreadfull dazling and sparkling lustre then any other accomplishment whatsoeuer Herod was greater but Iohn was holier therefore Herod feares Iohn The common complaint is that the Ministery is contemptible basely accounted of I would the complaint were not too true but may a man be so bold as to inquire into the causes of it Among many other questionlesse this is none of the least the vnholy scandalous liues of some in the Ministerie frō whose personall scandalls the iniudicious multitude concludes the calling it selfe base The Prophet Malachi points at this Mal. 2. 8. 9. Therfore I haue made you base and contemptible before all the people Wherefore see verse 8. Ye are gone out of the way yee haue caused many to fall by the Law yee haue broken the couenant of Leut which conenant see what it was ve 5. 6. for this cause God made them base and contemptible Let no man despise thy youth 1. Tim. 4. 12. He sayes not only to the Corinthians of Timotheus Let no man therefore despise him 1. Cor. 16 11. but to Timotheus himselfe Let no man despise thee Why lies our credit in our owne keeping is it in our power to keep our selues from contempt From iust cōtempt it is else should Paul haue said Let none of the people despise Timothies youth and not haue giuen this counsell to Timothie But how must hee preserue him selfe from contempt but be an example to all that beleeue in word in conuersation in loue in spirit in faith in purenesse Because these holy endowments are wāting hence is it that the Ministery is so contemptible The more shame for such and the greater iudgement will it be to such who by their vnholy liues bring this contempt vpon this calling and cause the dirt and filth of their vicious courses to be cast in the faces of all May I not taxe and take vp a number of dissolute ones in the Ministerie as Apollonius girds vp the false prophet of the Montanists Propheta Euseb 5. eccl his dic quaeso ludit tesseris ac tabulis Propheta foeneratur I may adde many such interrogatories as Propheta saltat iurat bibit scortatur I should almost shame to english these things but that these fellowes are not ashamed of their courses What Prophets and gamesters Prophets and dicers dauncers drunkards swearers c. Are these our Propheticall endowments Haue wee not the spawne of that cursed crue Esay 56. 11. 12 yet liuing amongst vs who in stead of saying Come let vs fulfill our Ministery they say Come I will bring wine and we will fill our selues with strong drinke If filling of pots filling of cups and Tabacco pipes if filling their bellies if this were to fulfill the Ministerie oh how iollily had these discharged their taskes These be those bruits that come within compasse of Nehemiah his Memento Nehem. 13. 29 Remember them O Lord which defile the priesthood Yes yes God will remember them though they forget him yet he will not forget them God of all things will not brooke the defilement of the priesthood Num. 12. 1 we shall find Aaron and Miriam both in the same sin of murmuring against Moses yet in the processe of the story verse 10 only Miriam is smitten with the leprosy Both were in the same sin what was the reason onely Miriam is in the punishment Is God partiall God forbid What thē might be the reason Surely me thinks Chrysostome giues a passing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hom. 3. ad Coloss good one That Aaron was not smitten with the leprosie for the dignity of the priesthood lest the inflicting of such an vnclean disease on
Complaine to him that can and should amend it other complaints are waste Say to Archippus 2. But yet with all reuerence and respect to his office and person Paul therefore leaueth it not to their discretion but prescribes a reuerent forme of exhortation He giues no allowance here for foule mouthes to say what they list They must say to not raile vppon Archippus An Elder must be exhorted as a father 1. Tim. 5. 1. A father is to be honored by the commandement The person to whom they are enioyned Point 2 to say this To Archippus Say to Archippus Archippus it seemes then was affable of a courteous sweete nature of an ingenuous and Christian candour free from a sowre sterne and stately carriage How were the Colossians blest that they were thus happily prouided for Many there are that indeed haue better nurture but yet but alitle better nature then Nabal had for pride and churlishnesse are alike enemies to societie and communion He was so churlish many are so proud that they may not be spoken to Should a man in the meekest moderatest manner but say thus to some as they must here say to Archippus should not that round and rough answer be returned them Who made you a monitour a teacher of your teacher You teach me what I haue to do Had Archippus beene of this spirit Paul had done enough to set all Colossus on fire Well fare his heart yet that the meanest of his poore Colossians may not onelie speake but say to him And as for this affected state and sternnesse how euer it may gaine alitle cap and knee-seruice yet it loses the inward respect of the heart if at least it breed not a secret scorne and disdaine both of person and doctrine Learne of me saith our Sauiour for I am meeke and lowely Si Deus benignus vt Chrysostome quid sacerdos eius austerus Indeed it holdes no good proportion A lowely Maister and a proud seruant The Matter of the Iniunction A Caueat that Point 3 must be giuen to Archippus which is first illustrated from the Obiect Take heed to thy Ministerie that thou fulfill it A point indeed that deserues our greatest heodfulnesse and care The Ministerie is Gods worke he loues not to haue his worke done by halfes God loues no halfe Ministers hee would haue all his full Ministers that is hee would haue them fulfill their Ministerie Paul wishes Archippus to be none other then what himselfe was Coloss 1. 25. Iam a Minister of the Gospell to fulfill the word of God And Acts 20. 24 he preferres this one thing aboue his life My life is not deare vnto me so I may fulfill my course with ioy and my ministration Indeed it is not possible that hee should fulfill his course with ioy that fulfills not his ministration And therefore fitly ioyned together by the Apostle How shall God brooke that in vs his seruants which we will not brooke in our owne which of vs can endure our worke to be done by halfes But what is to be done then and how may Quest a man so demeane himselfe in his Ministerie as that he may fulfill it The calling of the Ministery is not of that Answ narrow latitude as that a full Treatie of the particulars therein should come within the narrow compasse of one houres discourse I will therefore point at some maine particulars which are more specially requisite The fulfilling of the Ministerie then consists first in fidelitie of Dispensation secondly in sincerity of Conuersation these two make a full and compleate Minister VVhen a man is furnished as was Aaron in whose Pectorall were the Vrim and Thummim the skirt of whose Roabe was hanged about with Bells and Pomegranates when with the Vrim the light of our doctrine we ioyne the Thummim the perfection of our liues when with the sound of doctrine wee ioyne the Pomegranates and fruit of an holie life we then may be said to fulfill our Ministerie Of Ezra it is said Ezra 7. 6. that hee was a ready scribe I may say oâ— him that he was a perfect a compleate scribe for verse 10. He set his heart to seeke the law of the Lord to do it and â—o â—each Iudgements and Statutes in Israel To speake of these in seuerall which yet neuer must be seuered 1. For fidelitie in dispensation of doctrine it is not possible without this to fulfill the Ministerie Acts 20. 2â— That I may fulfill my ministration but how To testifie the Gospel of the grace of God Hee that will fulfill his Ministerie must labour to do that which Paul praied for in the behalfe of the Colossians Coloss 1. 9. that their People may be fulfilled with knowledge when doctrine droppes not as the raine nor speech stilles not as the dew Deut. 32. 2. Christ indeed was dumbe as a sheep before the shearer Esay 53 but neuer as a shepheard among his sheepe for it was his custome euerie Sabbath to preach the word in the Synagogues Luke 4. 16. But yet a man may preach and dispense the word and yet in that part not fulfill his Ministerie How then may a man so preach and take heed therein as that hee may fulfill his Ministerie A Minister in dispensation of doctrine fulfills his Ministerie when hee dispenseth the Truth 1 Onely and wholly 2 Painfully and diligently 3 Plainly 4 Profitably 5 Constantly When the word is thus dispensed there is the Ministerie fulfilled in dispensation 1. Onely and wholly False prophets fulfill none of Gods work he sets none on worke to tell and teach lies Aarons Bells must be golden Bells not copper ones nor any other brasen mettall but pure gold Gods pure truth must be dispensed And as the truth so the whole truth Paul testifies his desire to fulfill his Ministery Acts 20. 14. and therefore in verse 27. he tells them that he Kept backe nothing but had shewed them all the counsell of God And so he fulfilled his Ministerie by making his Ministerie fully knowne as he speaks to Timothy 2. Tim. 4. 5. Then doth a man make his Ministerie fully knowne when in the course of his Ministerie he makes the whole truth of God fully knowne 2. Painfully and diligently The Ministerie is the worke of the Lord and Cursed is euery one that doth the worke of the Lord negligently Ierem. 48. 10. A necessitie is laid vpon me and woe vnto me if I preach not the Gospell 1. Cor. 9. 16. Be diligent therefore to know the estate of thy flocke and take heed to the heards Pro. 27. 23. Take heed to the heards that is take heed to the fulfilling of thy Ministerie But how may that be done Be diligent to know the estate of thy flockes and to let thy flocke know the state of the truth This is that which euidences our loue both to the shepheard and the sheep To the shepheard Therefore doth our Sauiour so vrge that vpon Peter Iohn 21. Peter louest thou me feede my sheepe
the resolution of the Iudgement the gaining of the Affections the redresse of the Life these should be our aymes in dispensing of the Word Now for these trickes and cranckes this Grammaticall and Rhetoricall descant these ends of gold and siluer what help they to this businesse See what it is that a Minister should aime at 1. Corint 14. 24. 25. If all prophesie and one comes in that beleeues not the secrets of his heart are made manifest Hee will fall downe and say plainly that God is in you indeed At this should Ministers aime to dispense the word in that power and euidence of Gods Spirit that mens consciences may at least be conuinced that our Ministery is of God But few aime at this At this they aime rather that it may be said A fine wit is in them an eloquent tongue is in them things indeed not to be dispised but in the meane time regard not that it may be said of them God is in them substance and sauourie soliditie is in them 1. Corint 4. 19. I will come to you shortly and will know not the speech of them which are puffed vp but their power For the Kingdome of God is not in word no nor in words but in power Now alas what power haue such Corinthian flashes What power haue such Corinthian florishes what power hath such paper-shot to beate downe the strong holdes of Sathan They were not Trumpets of gold or siluer but of plaine Rammes hornes that layd flat the high walls of Hierico Labor so to blow the trumpet of the Ministerie that we may haue the spirit blow with it The spirit bloweth where it listeth It seldom or not at all lists to blow in a painted pipe Farre be from vs that humour of Cookes who seeke more for credit in making of puffe-paste and kicke-shawes then from dressing wholsome sauourie food When a man hath bestowed his best paines in that kinde that may be said of him which Austin Confess 1. 14. saith of Homer that he was dulcissime vanus Though it be sweet and pleasing to the eare yet it is but sweet vanitie VVhat is the life or conscience ere the holier for these knackes Giue me leaue to close this point with the two former with that sauory counsel of that reuereÌ„d father B. Babington in Leu. 7. Are you a Minister called of God to leauen his people with good leauen Looke how ye do it and be painfull faithfulnesse will be crowned when slothfulnesse wil be condemned and will condemne you And submit your selfe to the profit of your people not hunting after your owne glorie that you are thus and thus and so learned eloquent profound and so foorth If your people profit not because you flie too high a pitch for them and scorne to lay a foundation of the Catechisme amongst them you will be found an vnprofitable seruant at the Reckoning day one that hath gained nothing to his Lord but hath hid his talent in the fowle napkin of fruitlesse matter and idle figures of affected speech Spoken like a Bishop spoken like a Father 5. Constantly This crownes all the rest He fulfilles not his race who hauing an hundred miles to runne sits downe at ninety nine He fulfills not his Ministerie that giueth it ouer before his daies are fulfilled Though all the former be done yet if in this we faile our Ministerie is vnfulfilled Therefore Paul ioynes the fulfilling of his Ministerie and his Course together Acts 20. 24 and Reu. 11. 7. the two witnesses finished their liues and their testimonies together Herein many faile and come short of fulfilling their Ministerie being too too like that Hetrurian Idoll who whilest he was in the woods in a mean country fashion Crebra dedit quondam populo responsa petenti But when once the people out of their loue and affection to their Idoll built him a marble Temple and placed him there Illico diuitijs obmutuit ille repertis Vrbanus seruus seruorum Dei Monacho fernentâ—ssimo Abbati calido episcopo lepido Archiepiscopo remisso Wrote Pope VitaÌ„ to Baldwine sometime Archbishop of Canterburie ex Vsâ—ie de Christ eccles His preferments made him pursie and he had now done giuing Oracles How many in their first beginnings are wondrous painfull and industrious and deserue wel worthily of the Church of God but as yeares and preferments come vpon them slacke and abate their former diligence and seem both to say as those Zach. 11. 5. Blessed be God for I am rich as if therefore they may be idle because they are rich and that which is worse to do with them And their owne shepheards pitie them not and so cast a suspicion vpon themselues that they made the staires into the Pulpit to be but steps vnto preferment But what is the issue Let Experience be witnesse How many whom God hath filled with the gifts of knowledge and vtterance are againe emptied and depriued of them because they haue not made conscience in the vse of them to fulfill their Ministerie Zach. 11. 17 we shall finde a terrible threatning His arme shall be cleane dryed vp and his right eie vtterly darkned Against whom may this threatning be O Idoll shepheard that leaueth his flocke whether it be in regard of presence or paines When men will be Idoll shepheards hauing gifts and mouthes and speake not God in his iustice will make them further Idoll like they shall haue eyes and see not God will dimme and darken their right eye yea put it out and depriue them of that excellent gift of Knowledge which they haue not cared to imploy in the Churches seruice Psal 137. 5. 6. If I forget Ierusalem let my right band forget her cunning yea let my tongue cleaue to the roofe of my mouth if I preferre not thee to my chiefest ioy What may be the reason that many a mans right hand hath forgot her cunning Because his arme is cleane dried vp But why is his arme so dried vp as that his hand hath forgot her cunning Surely the Idoll shepheard hath forgotten Ierusalem Therefore it is that his tongue cleaues to the roofe of his mouth because his heart cleaueth to this world and the bent of it is so pitched vpon the prosecution of secular things the preferments of the world that Ierusalem is not preferred to his chiefest delight Therefore cleaueth his tongue to the roofe of his mouth not onely in regard of negligence but of insufficiencie God hauing a plague no lesse for the Idoll shepheards tongue then his arme and his eye I know indeed there may be a dispensation where age and painfulnesse haue disabled naturall faculties and I know that the aged Leuite whose hands begin now to tremble with the often and diligent lifting of the heauie Axe hath a permission to discharge him the cleauing of the Sacrifices yet in the strength and vigour of a mans best gifts and yeares to giue out this I know not how to excuse I know some
his person should redound to the dishonor of his office God did forbeare him God had a respect to the holines honor of the priesthood God would not therefore haue his Priest infected with Leprosie He that was to iudge of Leprosy in others and to separate others for the Leprosie he himselfe was not to be leprous and therefore though I find leprous Kings yet I finde not a leprous priest in all the Scripture Now then hath the Lord our God such a tender regard of the credite and honour of the Priesthood that for it hee will forbeare the execution of his iustice and shall we be so regardlesse therof as to defile it with the filthier leprosie of a profane vicious and scandalous life If Ambrose would not admit one into the Ministery eò quòd gestus eum dedeceret because he had but an vncomely gesture of his body I make no question if these nasty Lepers had fallen into his hand but he would haue put the discipline of the Leper vpon them in separating them from the Congregation Lu. 14. 34. 3â— Salt is good but if salt hath lost his sauour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if it be infatuated or growne foolish a word that suits wel with Zacharies phrase of a foolish shepheard Zac. 11. 15 but if it haue lost his sauor wherewithall shall it be salted It is neither meete for the land nor yet for the dunghill what then must become of it Men cast it out saith our Sauior How happy were it for the Church if that salt which hath lost his sauour might also lose his place Men cast it out that is foolish vnsauory Ministers are to be deposed So Hierome expounds it and so was his exposition vrged in the councel of Basil against Pope Eugenius for his deposition from the Papacie It is neyther meete for the land nor yet for the dunghill what a sorrow then should it doe in the Church Is the Church worse then a dunghill Is that fit to be in the Church which is not fit to be on the dunghill This is to make the Church worse then a dunghill Well howeuer such vnsauourie ones shuffle out in the world and scape the punishment of vnsauourie salt yet God will be sure to meete with them one day Hee hath gall and wormewood for those prophets of Ierusalem from whom iniquitie is gone forth into all the land Ierem. 23. 15. It is but iustice fit that they should be fed with gall and wormewood of Gods vengeance that haue fedde Gods people with gall and wormwood of their scandalous liues Be ye holy therefore that do beare the vessels of the Lord. The Lord will be sanctified in all them that draw neare vnto him In no calling draw men so neare to God as in the Ministery let our liues haue proportion with our callings And thus we see how we must fulfill our Ministerie and what we must ayme at therein Not at the filling of our barnes of our bellies of our purses but at the fulfilling the office of an Euangelist For such then as walke after this rule and are carefull to fulfill their Ministerie in the former particulars go ye on in the name of God and the blessing of God be vpon your heads and howsoeuer ye may haue but little thanke and incouragement from an ingratefull people yet let the Prophet Esaies comfort be yours My worke is with my God Esay 49. 4. To you be it spoken 1. Pet. 5. 3. 5 Feed the flocke which depends vpon you And when the chiefe shepheard shall come ye shal receiue an incorruptible crowne of glory What though ye haue many a frump and frowne for your fidelitie and people be crosse yet comfort your selfe against all with the view of this crowne of glory which the righteous Iudge shall giue you at that day Happy yea thrice happy then shall that seruant be that hath so discharged his pastorall taske as that he may heare from Christ that comfortable Euge Well done good and faithfull seruant though in the meane time and till then he and his ouer-great officiousnesse falsely so supposed be disgraced with the worlds Apage And for such as make no conscience thus to fulfil their Ministery to them I say as once that good Father spake to the Councell of Rhemes Fratres aliam vobis pronuncio synodum So I to you Fratres aliam vobis pronuncio visitationem I giue you warning of another and of another gates Visitation which the great Archbishop of our soules shal hold at the dreadfull day of his appearance At the which as Et sireddenda est 〈◊〉 de â—is quae â—â—â—que gessi 〈…〉 suo â—eâ—â—uid fiâ—t de 〈◊〉 quae qâ—â—sque gessit in corpore 〈◊〉 quod est ecclesia the same good man speaks if we must giue an account of those things which we haue done euery man in his owne body how much more of those things which we haue done in the body of Christ which is his Church Rub vp therefore your secure and negligent consciences with Iobs meditation Iob 31. 14. What then shall I doe when God riseth vp and when he visites what shall I answer him God himselfe will one day come a visiting Bethinke your selues what yee will then answer Must not hee needes bee speechlesse there that hath beene dumbe heere Alas how wilt thou bee able to stand before his dreadfull Tribunall that shalt be found to stand idle in his Vineyard How wilt thou be able to appeare before that glorious and holie God whose holie Priesthood thou hast defiled with thy vnholy life In the feare of God therefore and in the conscience of that account which must be made Take heede to the Ministerie which ye haue receiued of the Lord that ye fulfill it fulfill it in conscionable Dispensation in holy Conuersation 2. The Caueat is vrged by a reason Which thou hast receiued of the Lord. Areason indeed which may worke vpon any but such as are without all reason VVe receiue our Ministerie by man but not of man man admits but God fits to the worke It is Gods worke and not mans And therefore as Iehoshaphat 2. Chron. 19. 6 speakes to the Iudges Take heede what ye do for ye execute the iudgement not of man but of the Lord So may it be said to Ministers Take heede what ye do Take heede to your Ministerie to fulfill it for ye haue receiued it of God and not of man He of whom we haue receiued our Ministerie will looke to receiue an account from vs for our Ministerie Surely the Ministerie is an honorable calling and so much this reason will imply It is a calling receiued from God in a more peculiar manner then are others But as there is a Dignitie so there is a Duty in it at which these words looke more then at the Dignitie How many looke at the Dignitie and forget the Duty glorying that they haue receiued their Ministerie from God but neglecting the fulfilling of it and the returning of their glory to the glory of God To which of the Angells Chrysost hath God said at any time I will giue vnto you the Keyes of the kingdome of heauen This hee hath said vnto his Ministers and with our Ministerie we receiue these Keyes from the Lord. Well then may Gods Ministers haue the name of Angells that haue a prerogatiue aboue Angells And shall we now that haue receiued such an honourable Ministerie from God be idle carelesse and negligent in the fulfilling thereof God forbid If we had receiued our Ministerie but of man that should betrust vs with such a businesse of weight would we not be carefull to make good his confidence he had in our fidelitie God and not Man hath betrusted vs with this office therefore for Gods sake be intreated to be faithful in the fulfilling of your Ministerie euen for the Lords sake of whom you haue receiued your honour your gifts your calling take heed to your Ministery that ye fulfill it FINIS Errata Pag. 2. line 23. reade Assembled and called pag. 13. line 2 for brasen reade baser pag. 16. line 3. reade grumes of bloud