verifie that ancient prophecâ— recorded by the prophet Esay that kings should be her nursing fathers and that queenes should be her nurces Yea it beseemes vs all to be kinde vnto her and to honour her For she is our mother She is the house in which we are bred and borne and brought vp She is the field in which we are planted and receiue our growth Men loue the house wherein they were borne and trained first vp and the place in which they drew their first breath and led the beginning of their life Let vs therefore loue the Church of God let vs desire and seeke her welfare Pray for the peace of Ierusalem let them prosper that loue thee Peace be within thy walles and prosperity within thy palaces Giue the Lord no rest till he repaire Ierusalem the praise of the world For my brethren neighbours sakes saith Dauid I will wish thee now prosperity Because of the house of the Lord our God I will procure thy wealth Behold saith the Lord I will lift vp mine hand to the Gentiles and set vp my standard to the people and they shall bring thy sons in their armes and thy daughters shall be carried vpon theâ—r shoulders kings and queenes shaâ—l worship thee with their faces towards the earth and licke vp the dust of thy feete But we are of the Gâ—ntiles let vs therefore in our seueral places labour to make good this prophecy We are all carefull to keepe our owne fields and houses in good case and shall we neglect the Church which is the Lords Shall we dwell in our seeled houses and see his house lye wast without griefe of heart We looke to our owne gardens and orchards let vs not therfore cast off al care of Gods but let vs rather labour to the vtmost of our power keeping vs within the precinct of our calling that they may flourish prosper in the world And so doing we shall testify our loue to God and his Church we shall shew our selues to be true natural sons and not bastards seruants and not slaues faithfull friends and not fawning flatterers and false-hearted foes Sixtly seeing the Church is Gods field and house we may be sure that God will husband and repaire her He will till and dresse her he will pluck out her weeds make her fertile he will manure and water her with the first and latter raine of his gracious benediction He will cause the North-wind to blow vpon her which shall purify the aire about her pinch the luxuorious humors within her coole the pride of her hart the excessiue heat of her spirit He will also send out the South-wind to coÌ„fort her with his warme blasts and to water her with his sweet shewers that she may be fresh and fruitfull The Lord saith the Psalmist couereth the heauen with clouds and prepareth raine for the earth and maketh the grasse to grow vpon the mountaines Euen so the Lord couereth the Church with his loue he causeth the clouds to breake he powreth downe the raine of his blessing vpon her he moystens her with the dew of heauen and maketh his graces to sprout vp and flourish within her Yea he maketh her like dry ground to thirst after the waters of life and teacheth her to cry out and say Arise O North and come O South and blow vpon my garden that the spices thereof may flow out And forsomuch as she is his house we may know for certaine that he will in time remoue in-bred ruines and rottennesse and wil repaire and polish her til he haue made her perfect glorious in all respects And albeit he do often suffer her faithfull and true members to bring forth the weedes of sin and to fall into the ruines of wickednesse yet it is not through his negligence obliuion or bcause he hath cast them off but it is to teach them to distast their pride and to confesse that they can easily fall of themselues but are vnable to stand or rise vp without him The husbandman sometimes lets his ground lie as if he had forsaken it and can be for a time content to see it growne with weeds But he hath a purpose to breake it vp with his plough and to bestow more cost vpon it that it may be more fruitfull then before He will not see it ouer-grown with weeds he wil not permit theÌ„ to suck out the heart to make it altogether barreÌ„ good for nothing So likewise we see many men suffer their houses to decay for a while to fall to ruine but their intent is to build them fairer and to make them stronger then they were before And thus God sometimes dealeth with his faithfull seruants as with David Hezekiah Peter and others For he is tied by no law to preserue any man longer then he list And so great is his grace vnto vs as that if he suffer vs to fall yet he will not let vs fall quite a way but will in due season restore and lift vs vp againe For Semel et semper Once and euer are all one with God whom he hath embraced once he will embrace for euer Moreouer considering that the Church is Gods house husbandry we may be sure that he will patronize and protect her against heritiques tyrants and all that by fraud or force do labour to subuert and wast her The Lord thy God saith Zephany in the middest of thee is mighty he will saue he will reioyce ouer thee with ioy he will quiet himselfe in his loue He will feed them that spoile thee with their owne flesh and they shall be drunken with their owne bloud For the Lord is great in counsell and mighty in worke His eyes are open vpon all the waies of the sons of men to giue to euery one according to his waies and according to the fruit of his workes And they that hate Sion shall be all ashamed and turned backward But as the mountains are about Ierusalem so the Lord is about his people from henceforth and for euer Whom shall wee then need to feare What danger neede we dread For God that is greater then all is on our side he is our shield and tower of defence his al-seeing eye doth watch continually for vs. For he that keepeth Israel doth neither slumber nor sleepe Are our enemies great and mighty The Lord is high aboue all nations his glory is aboue the heauens Great is our Lord and great is his power and he doth whatsoeuer he will Are they politique and subtle Feare not God taketh the wise in their craftinesse and the counsell of the wicked is made foolish Their mischiefe shall returne vpon their owne heads and their cruelty shall fall vpon their owne pates For the Lord is omnipotent and his wisdome is infinite He hath pleasure in his people and he will make
the people what can bee exspected at their hands besides profanenesse and Atheisme vnlesse God in mercy do restraine and guide them For the wickednesse of Ministers is serpens malum doth creepe like Iuy and spread like a leprosie and is as pestilent and infectious as the Plague Therefore the Lord saith From the Prophets of Ierusalem is wickednes gone forth into all the land Wherefore let euery Minister behaue himselfe in Gods house discreetly He that hâ—th his word let him speake it faithfully let him handle it sincerely and withall let his life be honest For other wise as Nazianzâ—ne teacheth He reacheth that with one hand which he raketh away with the other he both abuseth his place and dishonoreth his Maister If euer he meane to doe good let him be good As the fire must be hot before it can heâ—te the stander by so if thou desirest to make other men religious be religious thy selfe be first hot thy selfe and thou are likely to make thy neighbour that stands by thee and lookes vpon thee feruent and hot also CHAP. 8. Ministers must haue skill as well as will to discharge their office THirdly a Workeman must haue skill to performe his worke So should a Minister For what should hee do with Gods sword thaâ— knowes not how to vse it It is sharpe and piercing it is fit therefore that he which is to handle it should haue skill to vse it that he may know when to shake it and when to sheath it when whom where and how deepe to strike with it Ministers are to weâ—re the keâ—es oâ— Gods kingdom at their girdles Lesâ— therefore they should locke when they ought to loose and open wheâ— they ought indeed to shut they musâ— be men of knowledge and not nouâ—ces voyd of good vnderstanding anâ— dexterity to performe their duty Paul requires that a Minister should be apt to teach If he be not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 able and apt to teach how shall he b◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a teacher as euery ministeâ— ought to be If he be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnlearned how shall he be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a scribe able to interpret the Oracles of God learnedly The Minister of God must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 diuide and cut out the worde of trueth aright vnto the people But how shall he be able to diuide it rightly when he cannot 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 diuide at all because he wants the knife of knowledge wherewith he should diuide it What though a man haue a plough if he know not how to plow What if he haue a net know not how to cast it What though he haue a salue if he knowe not how to apply it And what though a man haue an axe if he haue no skill to vse it So what can that man do that hath the word of God which is as a plow a net an angle a salue and an axe if he haue no abilitâ— no actiuenesse and skill to vse and handle it The eye is the light of the body if it be blind how darke is that body Ministers are the light of the world and as the Eyes of the Church Now if they be destitute of light and sight the world must needs be darke and that Church must needs be blind or else God the Father of lights must conferre sight and light and illuminate them extraordinarily Esay saith that the Lord gaue him the tongue of the learned that hee might knowe to minister a word in due season to him that is weary Good shepheards and thriuing merchants had need to haue knowledge and experience Ministers are the Shepheards Merchants of Almighty God therefore they should haue skill as well as will to keepe his sheepe and husband his wares that his gaine may be the greater and his fold the fuller This is the note saith that holy Martyr of God Bishop Hooper to know the Bishops and Ministers of God from the Ministers of the Diuell by the preaching tongue of the Gospell The Priests lippes shall preserue knowledge saith the Lord. It is a precept and not a promise And the people were inioyned to seeke the law at his mouth Therefore in reason he should be skilfull in the law It is labour lost to seeke a thing where it is not In vaine do men gâ— to a VVell that hath no water in it Now if the Priests in the time of the Law were by Gods appointment to be men of knowledge is it fit that the Ministers of the Gospell should be ignorant especially there being so much knowledge in the world as there is at this day Ministers are Gods Nurses but if their breasts bee drie how shall his children thriue that are committed to them Ieremy writeth of a calamity which befell the Israelites wherein the tongue of the sucking childe did cleaue to the roofe of his mouth for thirst and in which the children and sucklings did swoone in the streetes and for hunger died in their mothers bosome A very pitifull and sore distresse Verily as lamentable is their condition which neuer haue the bread of Gods word broken vnto them and the sweete milke of wholsome exhortations and instructions powred out before them to feede vpon Ministers are Gods Messengers therefore they should haue knowledge to deliuer their message discreetly They are seers and ouer-seers therefore they should haue eyes to see and ouer-see They should be able to discerne betweene vice and vertue betweene light and darknesse betweene truth and falshood betweene Sarah and Hagar betweene a Iudas and a Ionathan lest they take the one for the other as Ixion did the cloude for Iuno And if the blinde doe leade the blinde both of them are like to fall into the ditch Those ministers then that cannot teach the people in some competent manner are too defectiue not much vnlike a cypher which fils a place and increaseth the number but signifies nothing and something like to Players which do sometimes represent the persons of Princes but are not so themselues Xanchius saith that they only are called of God vnto the Ministery which besides their godly conuersation are able to deliuer wholsome doctrine vnto the people Quos enim eligit ac vocat for those whom God doth elect and call to any function he doth also endow them with such necessary gifts as are meet for that function CHAP. 9. Ministers must be faithfull and painfull FOurthly a labourer must be diligent faithfull and industrious And such a one must euery Minister shew himself to be It is required in the disposers of Gods secrets as Ministers are that a man be found faithfull Preach the word saith the holy Ghost be in stant in season and out of season Cursed is he that doth the worke of the Lord negligently If we be diligent in our owne affaires how much more diligent should we be in Gods
Martyr Iewell c. were exceeding diligent and laborious It is sayd of that blessed Martyr of God Maister Bradford that he preached the time that he remained prisoner in the Counter twise a day continually except sicknesse hindered him Being therefore compassed and couered with such a cloude of painefull Ministers let vs breake through all obstacles and runne the race of our glorious calling performing whatsoeuer doth appertaine vnto vs with all patience diligence and fidelity All euen all is little inough and too little Honor is set before vs the Speare of vengeance is shaken at vs the Cannon of Gods wrath is planted against vs the Constitutions of the Church doe call vpon vs the Commandement of the great God doth vrge vs and the holy Scriptures do spurre vs to the quicke and affoord many firme and inuincible arguments to prouoke and perswade vs to the vigilant faithfull and laborious execution of our office Let vs therefore respect and tend it and behaue our selues like Labourers that need not be ashamed Salomon saith He that withdraweth the corne which is the foode of the body the people will curse him and shall we thinke that he can escape a curse which refuseth to preach and so with-holdeth the corne and the foode wherewith the soule should be sed But as blessing shall be vpon his head that selleth corne so he that preacheth the word of trueth and bringeth foorth like a good Steward both new and olde out of his treasure vnto the people and breaketh vnto them that bread that doth relieue the hungry soule if he do it with care and conscience and with a purpose to glorifie God and to benefit his Church he shall without doubt receiue a blessing both from God and Man The Lord from heauen shall blesse him and his people shall applaude and laud him And as Salomon saith that the seruant which waiteth vpon his Maister shall come to honour euen so surely they which attend vpon their Ministery shall be aduanced They shall haue honour in the hearts of the people And if God see them fit for further honour they shall not want it Let them therefore be watchfull and industrious And indeed there is no time since the light of the Gospell brake out vnto vs wherein greater diligence and fidelity is required at the hands of all Gods Ministers then now For Probitas laudatur alget vertue is commended in word but contemned in deed Learning is little respected Vice flourisheth wickednesse increaseth Papisme sprouteth afresh Atheists and Epicures swarme like the flies of Egypt and of our owne selues do many men arise speaking peruerse things to drawe disciples after them being ready to say with those in Esay Stand aloofe come not neare me for I am more holie then thou being selfe-conceited and distracted with phantastick questions and impertinent affaires and possest with an erroneous turbulent vnstable and blind spirit leauing Ierusalem in stead of Babel euen their mother that brought them forth bare them because they say she is clad with a Babylonish garment and not with one of their spinning Wherefore greater diligence and attendance should bee giuen least Gods house be fired ouer our heads least his plants be spoyled least his vines be broken downe least his flowers be rooted vp and his garden be defaced and ouergrowne with weedes For howsoeuer Atheists Papists and Schismatiques be loose in their heads yet are they tied fast together by the tailes like Samsons foxes with a fire-brand of mischiefe in the middest to spoile and burne vp Gods corne and to set fire on his rickes if they be not with great care and labour preuented But yet though euery Pastor must be painefull it doth not therefore follow that they should all be equall in paines For there are diuersity of gifts variety of ages distinction of places and difference of strength and ablenesse But if they doe that which is fit for them and which God claimes of them if there be a willing mind to performe that which they can it is accepted with him who accounteth the good wil for the worke it selfe Neither is all labour the same labour There is hand-labour as well as lip-labour And he that sitteth at the helme may labour as welâ— as he that is vpon the hatches But let no man flatter himselfe For God is not neither wil be mocked He searcheth the heart and recompenseth euery man according to his workes Thou dost but dance in a net and delude thy selfe His eyes are neuer shut and all things are naked before them There is not a thought hid from his knowledge Fig-leaues friuolous feigned excuses subtill and sophisticall euasions cannot serue thy turne they cannot couer thee He will find thee out and it is a fearfull thing to fall into his hands CHAP. 10. Ministers must be cheerfull in discharging their office FIftly a Labourer should be cheerefull and alacrious in his businesse delighting to see his worke go forward And this alacrity must be in all Gods Ministers God loueth a cheerefull giuer euen so likewise he loueth a cheerefull workman Men must not giue their almes grudgingly or of necessity so Ministers shold not grudge the Lord of their labours but be free of them Christ dyed freely for his sheep without the least constraint why then should not his Ministers feede them freely without compulsion or grudging To feede them is farre lesse then to dye for them Dauid and his subiects offered willingly to the building of a materiall Temple for the Lord why then should not we labour willingly that he may haue a spirituall Temple to dwell in yea by how much the spirituall is more excellent theÌ„ the material euen so much more willingly we ought to labor that the building therof may go forward Euery man is willing to receiue wages then let him be willing to worke Paul saith that hee hath a reward if he preach the Gospell willingly Men are vsually very cheerefull about their owne affaires as in seking worldly promotion profites pleasures and is it seemely for Ministers to be liue-lesse and leaden-spirited about spirituall and celestiall labours as in building Gods Temple and in bringing men to promotion in heauen and to the perpetuall pleasures of that blis-full paradice Shall the Diuell labour alacriously to seduce and peruert men and shall not they striue as stoutly and as cheerefully to conuert and saue men The wicked are very forward to commit the works of wickednesse and shall they be backward to smâ—te down wickednesse and to practise the workes of godlinesse Shall wickednesse be sweete to the wicked Can they not sleepe except they haue done euill Doth their sleepe leaue them except they cause some to fall by them Are they so cheerefull in euill And shall not we be as cheerefull in the workes of our calling that we may make some to rise from sinne and surcease from
wickednesse and come out of the pit-fall and snare of Sathan Why should not our labours be sweete and pleasing to vs seeing they be commodious commendable and commanded A man will gladly saue his Oxen from perishing and his sheepe from rotting and shall not we labour as gladly to saue men from destruction and to keepe the sheepe of Christ Iesus frō rotting in their sins Wilt thou willingly helpe thy sheep out of the ditch and saue her from drowning and wilt thou not as willingly labour to drawe forth one of Christs sheepe out of the ditch of iniquity that it be not drowned with the waters of wickednesse and be stifled with the mudde of sinfulnesse A man is very nimble and ready to preserue his fields from spoyling his house from burning and his children from pining and shall not we be as nimble as alacrious and as ready to preserue Gods field from being wasted his house from being burnt and his children from perishing and pining away sor want of food to comfort and vphold them Willingly will euery faithfull shepheard feede and gouerne his flocke which is committed to him And so Peter speaking to the shepheards of that Arch-pastor Christ Iesus exhorteth them to performe their duty with alacrity Feed the flocke of God which dependeth on you caring for it not by constraint but Willingly not for filthy lucre but as of a Ready Minde I passe not at all saith Paul neither is my life deere vnto me so that I may fulfill my course with ioy CHAP. II. Ministers must be valorus not timerous SIxtly a labourer ought to be couragious and hardy No discouragemēt nothing at all must daunt him nothing must fray him from his worke and put him out of his right byas And they that are to contend and encounter with that roaring Lyon had neede to be Lyon-like valorous and vndauntable The Builders of the ruined walles of Ierusalem did their worke with one hand and with the other held a sword Euen so those whom God hath called to repaire Ierusalem the praise of the world should builde with the armour of the Spirit about them being full of Christian zeale and fortitude and wise to preuent the stratagems and assaults of all Sanballates Arabians and Ammonites They were not cowards that built those walles neither should they be cowards that work in this building For here want no enemies here is both fraud and force We wrestle not against flesh bloud but against Principalities against powers against worldly Gouernors the Princes of the darknesse of this world against spiritual wickednesses which are in high places euen against Sathan all the Yeomen of the black Guard And therefore we had neede to be full of spirit and spirituall valour Ieremy was forbidden vnder the paine of death to feare their faces to whom he was to Prophecy And the Lord speaking to Ezekiel saith I haue made thy forehead as the Adamant and harder then the flint Feare them not therfore neither be afraid of their looks By which we see that God would not haue his messengers out-faced but that they should boldly deliuer their message to his people He which winketh at false doctrine and reprehendeth not the sins of the time and place wherein he liueth and dares not for feare of contempt or disgrace admonish the persons that offend is vnworthy and vnfit to be a Minister who ought to be zealous and couragious dreading no mans face but should speake exhort and conuince in all authority and shew the people their enormities without feare or partiality Yea hee that wincketh at wickednesse and hereticall doctrine and doth not oppose himselfe vnto it is guilty of it and is in minde a Fugitiue though he moue not from his charge in person Quia tacuisti fugisti tacuisti quia timuisti Thou hast fled saith Austen because thou hast held thy tongue Veritatem negat qui eam non libere praedicat He denieth the truth saith Chrysostome which doth not preach it boldly Although saith Austen he liue well and yet be either ashamed or afrayed to reproue them that liue ill cum omnibus qui eo tacente pereunt perit He perisheth with all those which perish whiles he sees and sayes nothing Aug. grad 1. Abus I am full of power by the Spirit of the Lord saith Micah and of iudgement and of strength to declare vnto Iacob his transgression and to Israel his sinne Eliiah told Ahab to his face that it was he and his fathers house that troubled Israel Michaiah likewise boldly told him that he should not returne in peace from fighting against the Syrians though his speech vexed him Nathan told Dauid plainely of his vncleannes and murther that without feare Isaiah saith that he had set his face as a flint And so it seemeth for he payd them home he feared no colours but was as bold in taxing as they were in offending He gaue his backe to the smiters and his cheekes to the nippers and hid nor his face from shame and spitting reprouing notwithstanding all disgraces both the Princes and the People with great feruency and boldnesse of speech This was the practise of Iohn Baptist Christ Paul and of all the holy Prophets and ought as occasion serueth to be imitated wisely of all the Ministers of God This serueth to condemne the coldnesse and fearfulnesse of those face-fearers that dare not rebuke sinne especially in the audience of the sinner and which teacheth the truth through feare as it were in riddles ambiguously and in the cloudes running as I may say betweene the skin and the flesh But such feare is not the feare of God but the feare of Man And as Bishop Iewel speaketh accursed be that modesty that drowneth or hideth the truth of God And accursed I say be that feare which makes a man silent when he ought to speake and dumme when he should lift vp his voyce like a trumpet and shew the people their sinnes Yet here we must all remember that our zeale be directed by knowledge which should alway go before and make way and that wisedome and pity go with our valour that all our reproofes and admonitions be performed in loue and in the spirit of meeknesse with long suffering and patience without rage and rankor Esay might cry but not roare We our selues are men and may erre And if we stand when others fall it is by Gods grace and not through our owne goodnesse Neither is it lawfull to rebuke sinne with sinne and to make our selues sinners by disorderly taxing of sinners CHAP. 12. Ministers must perseuere in the faithfull execution of their function SEuenthly a labourer must be constant and not giue ouer till his taske inioyned him be fully finished So the Minister of God shold continue constant in his labours for God The loue of the world must not make him leaue his labours He must not leaue without the
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
the Canopy of Gods grace in this life they may be clothed with the robes of his glory in the life to come Finally the Lord hath put his Booke into our handes Wee must vpon all iust occasions open and expound it We must constantly hold it vp and out vnto his People We must not lay it aside nor cast it into corners Our hands in holding it must neuer faint least the enemies of God and his Church should preuaile and conquer And so much for the properties of a good workeman CHAP. 13. Ministers ought to be peaceable and louing to each other but yet the refractarie must be bridled Doct. 6 LAbourers together Seeing that wee worke together with and for the Lord seeing all faithful Ministers are the Lords Labourers appointed by God to husband his field and to repaire and build vp his House we should all agree and loue one another entirely that our worke may go the faster forward and that so we may receiue greater comfort and ioy The Psalmist describing the wicked saith that they smite downe Gods people and trouble his heritage Their throat saith Dauid is an open sepulchre and their mouth is full of cursing Destruction saith Esay is in their pathes and they know not the way of peace But these things do nothing beseeme the Ministers of God who are or ought to be Praecones pietatis the preachers of peace and piety and not fighters and strikers but meeke gentle and studious of concord and amity The Word and not the sword is committed by the Lord vnto them the word of grace the word of reconcilement the sword of the Spirit and not the sword of Reuenge If his workmen fall to wrangling how shal his worke go forward God hath hired vs to worke and not to wrangle praedicare non praeliari If any man lust to be contentious we haue no such custome saith Paul neither the Churches of God It is mery with wolues and foxes when the shepheards are together by the eates one with another Lamentable are those flockes miserable are those sheepe We should rather bend then band and bowe rather then breake Ferentes non ferientes bearing one with another and not biting or beating one another lest we be deuoured one of another If the builders and plowmen quarrell one with another their worke must needs be hindred If a kingdome saith Christ be deuided against it selfe that kingdome cannot stand or if an house be deuided against it selfe that house cannot continue Euen so Gods kingdome vpon earth cannot but be much weakened and the rearing of his house much hindred if Ministers which either are or ought to be his chiefest instruments to build his house and to propagate and vphold his kingdome be deuided one against another in factions and hostile manner Diuide et regna Deuide and reigne is no rule for vs to practise amongst our selues It was not the true but the counterfeit mother of the child that said Let it be neither thine nor mine but diuide it If the builders of old Ierusalem in the daies of Nehemiah had contended one against another it had bene easiy for their enimies to haue destroyed both them and their building So if the Builders of new Ierusalem of spirituall and mysticall Ierulem do fight and biker one with another they do without doubt expose themselues and their building to the danger of the enimie that taketh all oportunity to worke a mischiefe Diuide a ship and how shall it saile Diuide the Church and how shall she hold out vpon the waters and not be drowned There is little got but much lost by contention Nimium altercando veritas amittitur Ouer-hot contention loseth the truth and ouer-great dissention amongst the sheepheards scattereth and disquieteth the sheepe The dissention of the captaines was the destruction of Ierusalem But pace florent omnia true peace like Aprill shewers makes all thinges flourish Vires vnitae sunt fortiores A three-fold cord is hardly crackt asunder A sheafe of arrowes is hardly broken Thorefore as Labourers of one Lord as Builders of one House as plowers of one fielde as shepheards of one fold as keepers of one garden as dressers of one vineyard as workemen in one haruest as watchmen of one city as souldiers of one captaine as seruants of one maister and as sonnes of one father let vs all agree one with another being coupled fast together by one spirit like linkes of one chaine and as if there were but one temperature of all our bodies and but one soule within them all And accordingly let vs vnitis viribus ac toto conatu ioyntly labour with might maine that Gods worke may goe forward that the powers of darknesse may be shaken that the gates of Hell may be flung from their hinges and that sin and sathan beeing dismounted from their thrones the scepter of Christ Iesus may be set vp in the hearts of his people If we must loue all men and if we must be gentle towards all men is it seemely for vs to hate one another Shall we be spitefull and crabbed one vnto another God is loue and the well-spring of true peace and the Diuell is the father of hatred and enmity therefore it behoueth all the Ministers of God to be peaceable and louing that so they may be like the Lord vnlike the Diuell If we should labor to haue peace with all men how earnestly should we striue to haue it amongst our selues Nec minor est virtus quam quaerere parta tueri Are all men bound to be of the like affection one towards another and is it fit for vs that are or ought to be lights and guides vnto others to be of a contrary affection one to another Ought not the strong to beare the infirmities of the weake and not to please themselues Wisedome and lenitie will say so And ought not the weake labour to see their infirmity and to waxe weary of their weaknesse that so there may be a simpathy and no antipathy peace and not passions concord and not hostility It is one thing to be weake and another thing to affect weaknesse It is one thing to shew weaknesse and another thing to shroud and shield it It is good to confesse it but bad to professe it There is a strong weakenesse and there is a weaknesse that is weake indeed All weaknesse is vncommeâ—dable but affected and sturdy weaknesse is vntollerable This is the peace-breaker and he must be bridled Easie salues are for easie soares bâ—t gangrenes must be pared off and fisiulaes must be bitten The Leper musâ— keepe his house And he that hath the plague about him must not come abroad Melius est vt pereat vnus quam vnitas It is better to want one then lose all It is better to cut off a finger then to lose the hand And an honorable warre is better then a seruile peace We
seruants that is the Lord of all creatures both Men and Angels we are euery one taught ingenuously to confesse our selues to be greatly indebted to him It is no small fauour that an earthly king sheweth when out of his whole kingdome he chuseth some few to be his principall Officers or shal take one out of many make him his Embassadour And shall we thinke it a smal honor wheÌ„ God that heauenly Monarch and King of all Kings shall elect vs Wormes in respect of himselfe and make vs his chiefe Officers in his Church and his Embassadours to carry the ioyfull message of redemption by Iesus Christ vnto his people Is it not exceeding great fauour when he that inhabiteth the eternity swayeth the scepter of the whole world shall make one of a thousand his Messenger and Interpreter to declare vnto man his righteousnesse and to the sonnes of men their happinesse to call them out of the kingdome of darknesse to leade them the way into heauenly Canaan a land that floweth with milk and hony with ioyes vnspeakeable with pleasures innumerable yea with all the good things and with greater then any man doth comprehend â—his his kindnesse vnto vs vndeseruing it deserues the gratitude oâ— our hearts demonstrated to him both in word and worke What shâ—â— I render vnto the Lord saith Dauid for all his benefits towards me I will offer a sacrifice of praise and will call vpon the name of the Lord. I will blesse thee dayly and praise thy Name for euer and euer Teach me to do thy will for thou art my God let thy good Spirit leade me into the land of righteousnesse So should we meditate so should wee purpose and so we ought to pray God hath honoured vs let not vs dishonour him but in all things let vs seeke his honour and set forth his praise neither committing nor admitting anything which we know to be derogatory to his glory and disgracefull to our glorious calling Those that honour me saith the Lord I will honour and they that despise me shall be despised If we will not feare to dishonor God we may iustly feare that he will honour himselfe by vs although it be to our great dishonour For as Moses said to Aaron vpon the death of his two sonnes for offending God This is it that the Lord spake saying I will be sanctified in them that come neare me and before all the people I will be glorified And who come so neare to GOD as Ministers who are his Watchmen his Stewards his Nurses his Obstetrices the wayting-men and dressers of his dearest Spouse vnto whom he hath committed the keyes of his treasure the dispeÌ„sation of his secrets the promulgation of his promise the interpretation of his Oracles the administration of his Sacraments They therefore of all other should be most carefull to honour him and most fearefull to dishonour and offend him CHAP. 18. Ministers should be like the Lord their Maister Doct. 11 FIftly seeing wee are the Lords Labourers working together with him and vnder him in his Field Palace of delight he himselfe being our Maister and director and the onely absolute Architect of that sumptuous building we are all put in minde to striue to resemble him For amongst workmen the meanest if honestly wise will endeauour to be like the chiefest not in skill onely but in sober and good conditions if they see any in him that so they may win his loue and procure the countenance and approbation of all men with whom they do conuerse And indeed it is no credit for a good maister to entertaine or haue bad men vnlike him in his vertues though they be â—â—ke him in skill The child labours to be like his father the hand-mayd striues to be like her Mistresse the seruant will follow his Maister as soone as any man and the Scholler studies to imitate his Teacher yea and the Instruments of the Diuell are very like him wherefore then should not all Gods Ministers labour to be like him He is their Father their Lord their teacher and their Maister It is no shame to resemble him it is no disgrace at all but glory rather to be sayed to be like him He is ouer all and vnder none his perfection is absolute his skill is admirable and the depth of his wisedome cannot be sounded All Christians are bound to follow God therefore much more all Christian Ministers who in all things ought to shew themselues Examples of good workes with vncorrupt doctrine with grauity integrity and with the wholesome word which cannot be condemned that he which withstandeth may be ashamed hauing nothing concerning them to speake euill of Do we not see how the world is followed of the meÌ„ of this world Do we not see many men imitate great persons in their vanities Do we not see how one country followes another in foolish and new-fangled fashions Why then should not we that come neare to God by â—ur office striue to draw neare vnto him by goodnesse and veâ—tuous moralities Why should we flye farre from him this way that come so neare to him that way The Ministers of Sathan are farre differing from the Lord our Maister therefore if wee will not be like them we must striue to be like him And vndoubtedly if Ministers wold carefully labor to resemble their maister in patience pitty charity truth righteousnesse holinesse gentlenesse goodnesse and in such like properties they should not onely please him and feele comfort in their consciences but also win greater estimation to their calling and lessen their contempt in the world CHAP. 19. The chiefest care of a Minister ought to be to study how to please the Lord. Doct. 12 SIxtly seeing that we are Gods Workemen we must beware that wee pâ—each not our selues nor the fantastike adinuentions of men but in all things we must approue our selues vnto God and our onely care must be to please his Maiesty who hath entertained vs into his speciall seruice contending by all possible meanes within the lists and limits of our calling that his affaires committed to our faith may aboue all earthly and outward things whatsoeuer proceed and prosper Pastoris est pascere non piscari a sheepheard should not be fishing when he ought to be feeding his sheepe Hired Laborers must not hinder their maisters businesse to further their owne He that vndertakes to helpe a man must not absent himselfe when hee should be present and when he is present he ought to mind that chiefly for which his presence is required No man saith Paul that warreth entangleth himâ—elfe with the affâ—ires of this life because he would please him that hath chosen him to be a Souldier An honest and discreet Souldier will not cumber himselfe with those things which may make him vnseruiceable to his Captâ—ine vnfit for military labours Ministers are Souldiers God is their grand Captaine his Coates they weare
and vnder his Banner they fight against the blacke Prince that ruleth in the ayre and against all his troupe The weapons of their warfare are not carnall but mighty through God to deturbe the fortressâ—s of the diuell and to ruinate the Castles of iniquity and the Turrets of all sublimious and transcendent imaginations Therefore they ought to liue like Souldiers minding their warfare for their enemy is very puissant and politike full of stratagems and wiles and aboue all things labouring to please their Generall that great Commander of the world intaÌ„gling themselues with nothing which may let their faithfull seruice to him The Apostles thought it not meet to leaue the word of God to serue the tables Maister Tindall saith that to preach Gods word is too much for halfe a man it requireth a whole man Age quod tui muneris est Do that saith Valentinian to Ambrose which belongs to thy office Verbi es Minister hoc age thou art a Minister minde that let thy principall care be fixed vpon thine owne calling If many yrons be in the fire at once some are in danger to be burnt A calling that is so high cannot endure that he which is called to it should like an Earth-worme carry his nose vnto the ground and addict himselfe to the things that are so lowe For Amor rerum terrenarum viscus est spiritualium pennarum the too much minding and the loue of worldly things are as Bird-lime to the wings of the soule that a man cannot mount vp to heauen and execute the workes of this heauenly office as he ought to do Let vs heare what Musculus saith Vis cognoscere verum Christi Ministrum Wilt thou saith he know a true Minister of Christ Then see if he be so vtterly seuered from all other businesse that he doth meditate work or liue in none other thing whatsoeuer but in preaching and making manifest plaine the Gospel of Christ and serue therein by all strength and power whatsoeuer that is in him But yet no man must from hence conclude that all caâ—e and gouerment of secular affaires is vtterly forbidden vnto Ministers Indeed they may not vsurpe authority neither may they be carefull and yet they must not be carelesse They must care but they may not carke Onely it is required that their secular affaires hinder not their constant care of the Church the faithfull alacrious performance of their office For if their be any that prouideth not for his owne and especially for them that are of his owne family he denieth the faith and is worse then an infidell The Disciples vsed their nets sometimes after that Christ had entertained theÌ„ to be his followers And did not Christ himselfe somtimes handle the Axe Paul forgot not his cloake which he left at Troas and as necessity vrged sometimes wrought with his owne hands It is required in a Bishop that he do not onely care for the Church of God but also that he be able To rule his owne house honestly Ministers are men they haue not only soules but bodies Samuel was a faithfull Prophet and yet was able besides his prophecying to do somethings else without impeachment of his credit or disgrace vnto his calling Yet let vs alwaies remember that the edification of the Church by our Ministery whether gubernatiue or operatiue is the principall worke which we ought all to follow the hiest mark at which we ought to leuell CHAP. 20 Sundry reasons are alledged against the peoples factious and irregular conceipts and fancying of their Ministers in diuerse places Doct. 13 SEuenthly considering that all faithful Ministers do labour for the Lord it is a thing both vnequal and vnconuenient that the people should contemne or neglect any of them through their preposterous vngrounded conceipts and so addict themselues to some as that they nothing or little respect others though their doctrine be found and their conuersation blamelesse This was one of the faults for which the Corinthians were reprehended Secondly this sin is a make-bate it causeth contention and stirreth vp strife among brethren The fire is great inough without this brand these bellowes It were better to cast on water then to poure in oyle Thirdly this sin is an enemy to Christ and his Gospell and argueth selfe-loue weaknesse of iudgment Fourthly it giues the Diuell aduantage who is very vigilant and industrious to worke a mischiefe and is glad of the smallest opportunity euer ready to take an Ell when â—n Inch is but giuen him Fiftly it scandalizeth many weake ones and increaseth the number of Mocke-gods Sixtly it is a meanes to make those to faint which are contemned vnlesse their courage be the greater and an ocasion to puffe vp the other if their humility and wisedome be no better then their factious and vnorderly followers And lastly our sin will be the rather increased if we wil be tainted with it seeing we know that it was taxed as a weakenesse in the Corinthians Let vs therefore be wise and wisely beware of all preposterous and vnequal opinions of the Ministers of God They do all of them work vnder him in his haruest there is no reason therfore that any of them should be despised Amongst many builders sowers and reapers none that are discreet and diligent are contemned or basely reckoned of though there be greater dexterity skill and hability in some theÌ„ in others Candles that giue good light are not cast away though they be not so great and cast not so much light as some others do A Lamp is seruiceable though it blaze not so much as a Torch neither is there any mettall contemned though all mettall be not gold CHAP. 21. The people should loue honour and pray for their Ministers Doct. 14 FInally forsomuch as good Ministers are Gods labourers and Adiutors for so the Greek word signifieth as the learned know all men are taught to loue them to pray for them and to honour them We beseech you brethren to know them which labour among you haue the ouer sight of you in the Lord and admonish you that ye haue them in high reputation in loue for their worke The Apostle hauing commended his brother Epaphroditus to the Philippians he commanded them by his Apostolical authority to receiue him in the Lord with all gladnesse and to make much of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or honour and highly to prize such as he was The Minister of the Church saith Chrysostome ought to be honoured of thee because he praieth for thee because he ministreth spiritually vnto thee visiteth thee exhorteth and admonisheth thee and commeth to thee if thou call him at midnight Honour thy father saith the commandement Ministers are our spiritual fathers They do beget vs to God in Christ by the preaching of the Gospell They are our Priests For by the word of God as by a sacrifising knife they kill
the Church of GOD shall stand for euer And when all the glory of the world shall vanish quite away like a flash of fire and when all her desperate malicious and irreconciliable enemies shall vtterly be destroyed then shall she shine as the Sunne and obtaine her perfect glory and liue for euer with the Lord in all ease and happinesse free from all sinfull and earthly miseries whatsoeuer Fourthly wheras all other fields and houses are materiall outward and earthly this field and this house is mysticall celestiall and spirituall and may bee so called in all these regards ensuing First because the Spirit of God doth husband her and dwell in her Secondly because her whole frame is spirituall her chiefest ornameÌ„ts are inward and inuisible The kings daughter is all glorious within saith the Psalm Thirdly the meanes which God vseth for her building repairing trimming flourishing and câ—â—tinuing are not earthly but spirituall and of a nature far differing from worldly helps and humane inuentions Fourthly the seruice and worship which ought to be performed in her is spirituall And lastly all the good workes which she doth are spirituall All the good workes which we or any of her faithfull members do performe are meerely good so far forth as they do proceed from the Spirit of God who is goodnesse it selfe and the author of all our goodnesse And the euill which is in them commeth from our owne home-bred corruptition which is not in this life cleansed cleane away vnlesse it be because it is forgiuen vs and not imputed to vs. And to conclude the Church is said to be a field an house not fields and houses For the Church is but one body one perfect house and one entire and absolute field She hath but one Lord one Architect one Redeemer one absolute Husbandman and Inhabitant one common saluation one religion one Head one Husband one way to heauen according to that of S Paul There is one body one Spirit one faith one Lord one baptisme one God and father And this hath also been the doctrine of former ages Theodoretus saith quest 44. in Num. As the Vnicorne hath one horne so the people truly religious adoreth one onely God And for the vnity of her head Gregory saith that The whole holy vniuersal Church is on Body set vnder Christ Iesus as her Head For Christ with his whole Church both militant triumphant is one person Nazianzene saith There is one Christ one head of the Church Thirdly concerning the vnity of the Spirit Gregory saith that As there is one soule which doth quicken the diuerse members of the body so one Holy Spirit doth quicken and illustrate the whole Church Fourthly for the vnity of faith and outward confession Eucherius saith that As a bundle is bound with bands so all the company of the Saints are bound together with one and the same faith hope and charity compassed with one muniment of diuine protection And as Leo teacheth there is one orison and one confession of the whole Church Finally touching the vnity of Baptisme There is one faith saith Hierome one Baptisme And so withall for the vnitie of her God Iustinus saith There is one true God of all which is acknowledged in the Father Sonne and holy Spirit Our faith saith Cyril receiueth no number of Gods but there is one God the Father and to the same vnitie pertaineth the Sonne and the Holy Ghost Hauing now opened the words and giuen the sense let vs see what lessons we may learne out of them CHAP. 2. The Church of God is Gods house and husbandry Doct. 1 THESE wordes do naturally without wresting affoord vs two notable doctrins The former is that the true church of God which is the coÌ„pany of Beleeuers is Gods House and Husbandry This is plaine by the text as also by other like places of Scripture Know ye not saith Paul that ye are the Temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you And speaking to Timothy he saith These things I write that thou maist know how to behaue thy sefe in Gods House which is the Church of the liuing God And plaine reason sheweth as much For it is not her owne she is not the Lady of her selfe Ye are not your owne saith Paul for ye are bought for a price Neither is the Church a tenement or possession belonging to any Angell or to any Man excepting onely the man Christ who is the Angell of the couenant and her only Lord Head She is not the field of the sluggard which Salomon speaks of She is not the house of wickednesse and sinne For Christ gaue himselfe for her that hee might make her holy and purge her from her sinnes with his bloud Therefore he saith vnto her Thou art all faire my loue and there is no spot in thee Neither is shee the house and field of the Diuell For Christ hath purchased her vnto himselfe Therefore she saith My welbeloued meaning Christ is mine and I am his I am my welbeloueds and his desire is towards me And Christ speaking vnto her cals her his loue his sister his spouse therefore surely the Liuell hath no interest in her and no title to her The conclusion then remaineth firme that as the Temple of Ierusalem was dedicated to be an house vnto the Lord alone euen so the Church is built and consecrated vnto him only that she may be his House to dwel in as a field to husband dispose of as he in his wisedome seeth most conuenient Thus much for the doctrine let vs now se how we may apply it for our benefite and edification CHAP. 3. Sundry vses are made of the consideration of these two titles together THe vses which we ought to make of the former doctrine are of two sorts Some arise from the consideration of these 2 titles giueÌ„ to the Church together some froÌ„ them being coÌ„sidered apart by themselues Of the former company are these that follow First we haue here one of the roialties and royall priuiledges of the faithfull For they and they onely to speake properly are Gods house husbandry For the Father hath elected them only the Son hath redeemed them onely the holy Ghost doth regenerate them onely God the Father Sonne and holy Ghost doth dwell in them onely in regard of the presence of his speciall grace and efficatious operation vnto eternall life For as concerning the Reprobates they are the very sinks of sin the dennes of the Diuell and the quagmyres of iniquity predestinated to eternall distruction Some of them I confesse may thinke themselues to be of Gods house and to belong vnto his field but their imagination is like the fond and false conceipt of some Melancholique persons that haue thought their bodies to haue beene made of glasse and that euery faire house was theirs which they passed
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