the Lord and he shall nourish thee The wicked that are strangers and enimies vnto his Church from the wombe he will surely punish He will breake their teeth and crack their iawes They shall melt like ice and consâ—me like snailes He will carry them away as with a whirlewind in his wrath Thou O God shalt bring them downe into the pit of corruption the bloody and deceiptfull men shall not liue out halfe their daies Finally seeing we are Gods field building we are al taught to loue one another We are not two houses but one we are not two fields but one And therfore as one we ought to loue and embrace one another It were a prodigious sight to see one stone in a building to iustle with another We are as Liuing stones in Gods spirituall building let vs therefore by loue lie close by one another let vs not iustle one another If an house be deuided against it selfe how shall it stand We are Gods house houshold-seruants therefore we must not be diuided against our selues lest his house fall downe vpon our heads Diuision is a forerunner of destruction Therefore as one stone in a building beareth vp another somtimes a little one bearing a greater and sometime the greater bearing a lesser euen so let vs beare vp and beare with one another let vs not fly out of the wall let vs not stomacke enuy one another alwaies remembring that we are the stones of one building and all laid by one Maister-mason Corne in one field plants in one Orchard trees in one wood flowers in one garden and vines in one vineyard do grow together without molesting and hindring one another They stand together without discontentment they shroud and harbour one another We are the corne of Gods field the plants of his orchard the trees of his wood the flowers of his garden and the vines of his vineyard and therefore we should stand together without contempt discontentmeÌ„t we ought to shroud and shilter one another Now therefore as the elect of God holy and beloued put on the bowels of mercy kindnesse humility meekenesse long suffering Put away wrath anger malice cursing and hate not one another For he that hateth his brother is in darkenes But let vs loue one another for loue coÌ„meth of God and euery one that loueth is borne of God Wouldest thou know that thou art in the state of life Then loue thy brethren We know saith Iohn that we are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren he that loueth not his brother abideth in death Wouldest thou know that thou louest God Then loue the children of God For euery one which loueth him that did beget loueth him also which is begotten of him Wouldest thou abide in the true light Then loue thy brother For he that loueth his brother abideth in the light there is none occasion of euill in him Wouldest thou be like the Lord that did beget thee Then loue for God is loue Wouldest thou be obedient vnto God TheÌ„ loue thy neighbour for his commandement is that thou shouldest loue thy neighbor as thy selfe Finally wouldest thou shew thy selfe a true disciple of Christ thy Sauiour Then loue thy fellowes For by this shall all men know saith Christ that ye are my disciples if ye haue loue one vnto another Let vs therefore affect one another with true loue We are the sons of one father the children of one mother the teÌ„ple of one God the field of one husbandman the house of one inhabitant the branches of one vine the stones of one bilding and the plants of one field let vs therfore keepe peace with our selues embrace one another in the armes of amity So shall Gods house continue his throne shall endure his field shall prosper we our selues shall flourish our ioys shall be increased and our enimies shall be defeated of much aduantage Thus much concerning the instructions which arise out of the consideration of these two titles together It remaineth now to set downe those that may be gathered from theÌ„ being distinctly considered by themselues And of the former first CHAP. 4. We must keepe our selues wholly for God We must be content with his husbanding We must striue to be fruitfull in good things They are to be dispraised that are barren FIrst forsomuch as we are GODS field we must beware that we giue not our selues to any from him We are not our own to dispose of as we list our selues but his that hath bought vs and taken vs in for himselfe Let vs therefore take heed that we suffer not our selues to be sowne with corrupt seed to be set with the plants of wickednesse Let not the diuell sow the tares of wicked errours and filthy sinnes within thee Thou art Gods keepe thy selfe cleane and pure for God Secondly seeing we are Gods field let vs be content with his husbandnig of vs. The ground doth patiently beare the Plowman and his Plow the sower and his seed without the least resistance So let vs be content to beare with meekenesse Gods plough and his ploughmen his seed and sowers Let vs endure all things which he hath in his wisdome ordained to breake vs vp to make vs faire and fertile his Word his Sacraments his Ministers his Orders Let vs not repine and storme against them but subiect our selues and beare them meekely without resisstance Thirdly we are taught to be fruitful vnto God in faith loue repentance and obedience The good ground which receiueth good seed is very profitable to the owner sending forth plenty of fruit EueÌ„ so we being sowen with the good and wholesome seed of Gods word we ought to bring forth fruit aboundantly that our owner may haue a plentiful crop It is a cursed ground that receiues seed yet affoordeth either nothing or nought but weedes We are Gods field aâ—d therefore we should not be like the field of the sluggard that is ouergrowne with thornes nettles If a field be broken vp with the plough and if good seed be not sowen therein it will bring forth more store of weeds then if it had laine vnplowed So if the seeds of Christian vertues be not sowne in our heartes and fructify in our liues now that we haue ben broken vp with the plough of Gods word we shall more abound with the stinking weedes of wickednesse then if we had neuer felt that plough Let vs therefore looke to our selues and labour to be fruitfull in good thing Apply thine heart to instruction and thine eares to the words of knowledge He that followeth after righteousnesse and mercy shall find life righteousnesse and glory Now that we may be fruitfull we must performe these duties following First we must roote those sinfull weedes out of our hearts which oppresse and choke them Breake vp your fallow ground and sow not among the
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 PICTVRE OF a true Protestant OR Gods House and Husbandry wherein is declared the duty and dignitie of all Gods children both Ministers and People EPHES. 2.19.20 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and forreiners but Citizens with the Saints and of the Houshold of God And are built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ himselfe being the chiefe corner stone Written by THOMAS TVKE LONDON Printed by NICHOLAS OKES and are to be sold by Thomas Archer in Popes head Pallace neere the Royall Exchange 1609. TO THE RIGHT worshipfull Maister Gabriel Armestrong Esquire and to the vertuous gentlewoman Mistris Margaret Armestrong his louing Wife RIght worshipful many large and admirable are the benefits wherwith the Lord hath honoured vs these fifty by-past years together He hath borne vs as an Eagle doth her Birds vpon his wings and walled vs in with his loue He hath giuen vs his Word and his Sacraments of grace he hath sent vs his Prophets and Embassadours he hath compassed vs with peace and prosperity making vs to eate the fruites of the fields and causing vs to sucke hony out of the stone and oyle out of the rocke He hath set most noble Gouernours ouer vs he hath filled our hearts with the ioyes of victories hath put the songs of deliuerances into our mouthes But lamentable is the entertainement which his loue hath found amongst vs who like those ancient Israelites haue corrupted our selues towards him by our vice a peruerse and tortuous generation who being laden with fatnes haue spurned with our heeles and prouoked his Highnesse with our vanities For first if we consider the transcendent profanenes and affected ignorance of the multitude the flagitious irregularities of many desperate Atheists Epicures Nullifidians as infestant as the frogs of Aegypt which made the land to stink it may be truly said of them vngratefull wretches that they cast the filth of their feet in his face they recompence his grace with gracelesnesse and presse him with their sins as a Cart with sheues not Men but Monsters which like Moles digge groueling in wickednes as in the ground and ceasse not till they haue cast vp a Mountaine of hatefull enormities against the heauens Secondly if we call to mind seriously perpend that pestilent and prodigious Powder-plot and some other execrable and vnnaturall attempts and machinations of some of our Italianated Catholiques in speciall the incorrigible obstinacie of them all in generall like the Sycamore which the more it is moistened the drier it waxeth it wil appeare impossible for theÌ„ to purge themselues of palpable ingratitude and disloyalty being aduersaries to his truth setled vpon the lees of their owne feculent opinions adoring the Idols of their owne distempered braines polluting his worship with superstitious aditions and bearing no good will vnto his people Thirdly if we do well obserue the preposterous disastrous studies of many schismaticall and refractarious spirits their heate their violence and vncharitablenes how vnnaturally they do reiect reuile their Mother how passionately they doe blaspheme the Church which God hath planted with his owne hand and with what morosity they haue ab-alienated themselues from their Bretheren they can by no pretext acquit themselues of great vndutifulnes vnto God being so turbulent in his House so disobedient to their Mother so farre exorbitant in all their courses not much vnlike to mothes that fret the cloth wherein they breed to water-boughes which hurt the tree from which they sprang And finally for the more hopeful and ingenuous if we doe but consider the remisnesse of too-too many the retraits the standings the distractions the doubtes that are too common too conspicuous arising partly from the corrupted fountaine of our nature which is not drained dry till death and partly proceeding of the vicious ensamples and scandalous dâ—meanure of hypocrites profane extrauagants and partly also through the differences of opinions and the vnbrotherlike hanging-off and flying off of many Romanists other Separists al Nouelists if these things I say be well considered we cannot but confesse that we are behind in duty and haue not made such vse of Gods mercies as wee should haue done What remaineth for vs then to do Surely we should all repent all All without exception We should examine our selues rectify settle our iudgements and turne the current of our harts liues sue for pardon bewaring that we be not like Bowles ouerswaied with the wrydrawing Byas of our owne conceitednes and home-bred concupisence lest the Lord being exasperated against vs our day be turned into darknesse our light into night our fame into shame so be made the spectacle of his wrath and scorne of the world We are Gods House and the Receptacles of his Spirit which is the author of holinesse the source of perfection we are his Fleld his Vineyard and Garden of delight our duty therefore is to cleanse adorne our harts to be faire and fruitfull pleasing and not offensiue The Sunne of righteousnesse hath shone long amongst vs with exceeding brightnesse in the Gospell and with his heat hath moulten the Cloudes aboue vs which haue emptied themselues like bottles vpon vs and therefore to testify our pleasantnesse and fertility for the remoÌ„stratioÌ„ of our gratitude we should abound in grace increase in knowledge and perfume the aire about vs with our fragrant sauors and not poison it with filthy fumes like stinking dunghils To further this both deserued and desired duty I haue penned and now am bold to publish this Tractate folowing which I haue presumed to dedicate and present vnto your VVorships in this plight you see partly for that great respect which you haue euer had of Gods faithfull Ministers wishing it may find but quiet house-roome in your hearts and so I shall enioy my wish and it no meane reward Now the very God of peace sanctify you both throughout and so honour you with his grace that hauing finished your race in this world you may rest and reigne for euer in the world to come London October 28. 1609. Your VVorships in Christ Iesus THOMAS TVKE To the godly Reader THere are at this day nine sorts of book-readers to be found amongst vs but one of them to be commended The first and worst are they that reade to see and see to carpe and cauil like the Curre that takes most delight in biting and in baulling or not vnlike the flesh-flie that delighteth alwaies in sucking bloud or sitting on the sore The second are they that account more of smoake then fire and of a foming wit then of solide wisedome affecting nothing in a manner but nouelties new conceipts how rotten vaine idle scurrilous they care not so they feed their fancie and procure meriment like the cow that had rather drinke puddle then pure water The third are they that will reade things indeed which may stand
hath hired him to worke in his Vineyard He must hold the keyes of his kingdome in one hand the sword of the spirit which is the word of God in the other hand and all are heauy all are weighty and hard to weild aright He must help to beare the Church as the Leuites did the Arke Gouernement is laid vpon his shoulders and the soules of men are cōmitted to his charge If any vnder him do perish by him God will require their bloud at his hands CHAP. 6. Ministers must haue a warrantable calling NOw in a Labourer these seuen things are required First a Lawfull calling for it is against all right and reason that any man should gather his neighbors grapes or thrust his sickle into his corne without his leaue and so it is as vniust for any man to presume to labour in Gods Vineyard to build in his Temple or to worke in his Haruest without his leaue and liking Who dare draw his sword and smite who dare meddle with his keyes to open or shut ministerially without his licence Who dare sit in Moses his chaire vnlesse he haue set him in it and put his Law-booke into his hands to vnclaspe and explicate it vnto his people The labourers in the parable wrought not in the Vineyard till the Lord thereof had set them on worke b Vzzah was slaine because he laid his hand vpon the Arke without a calling Noah medled not in the building of the Arke till God had giuen him direction neither did the Carpenters enter vpon that worke without vocation and approbation from Noah they which built the Temple had licence command first from Salomon who had his warrant also from aboue Wherefore then should any meddle with the building of the Church which is Gods Arke and Temple without sufficient authority either immediately from God or mediatly from those that haue commission from him to proue and admit men to labour for him No man taketh this honour vpon him but he that is called of God as Aaron was Christ sheweth that it of right belongeth to the Lord of the Haruest to chuse and appoint Labourers in that he bids his Disciples pray the Lord of the haruest to send forth Laborers into his Haruest For how dare men cut downe or bind vp bring in without his bidding and authorizing How shall they preach except they be sent The Lord complaineth of some Prophets that ran vnsent prophecied vnspoken to by him Aaron and his sonnes were ordayned by God to assigne the Koathites euery one to his office to his charge so God hath ordained the Gouernors of the Church to cal consecrate Ministers and to set them to their worke It is an Anabaptistique conceit to think that any man of learning may preach without Ecclesiasticall ordination vpon his owne priuate motion or voluntary pleasure The glory of God the honour of the Ministery the security and solace of their consciences and that the people may know that they haue lawfull Ministers may thereby be moued to obay their ministery all these claime a calling argue the necessity of lawfull ordination CHAP. 7. Ministers must be wise their doctrine pure and their life vpright SEcondly a workeman must bee wise that he may behaue himselfe without offence Discretion is required in a Minister that hee may please his maister that he may be an example to his fellowes that he may leade his life without offence to any and so gaine credit to his place and person It is meete therefore that his doctrine should be pure and not parti-coloured and that his conuersation be correspondent so he shall shew himselfe truly wise euen godly wise Paul writing to Timothie saith Study to shew thy selfe approued vnto God a workman that need not be ashamed diuiding the word of God aright And to the Corinthians he saith of himselfe and of his fellowes We haue cast from vs the cloakes of shame and walke not in craftines neither handle we the word of God deceiptfully but in declaration of the truth we approue our selues to euery mans conscience in the sight of God Our reioycing is this the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly purenes not in fleshly wisedome but by the grace of God we haue had our cōuersation in the world most of all to you-wards For we are not as many which make merchandise of the word of God but as of sincerity but as of God in the sight of God speake we in Christ We giue no occasion of offence in any thing that our Ministery should not be reprehended but in all things we approue our selues as the ministers of God In like manner he willeth his sonne Timothy to keep the true patterne of the wholesome words which he had heard of him and to flye from the lusts of youth and follow after righteousnes faith loue and peace sheweth that euery Bishop must be vnreproueable temperate and modest Ministers saith Prosper must not onely instruct the people with the example of a good life but should also shew them by preaching boldly both the penalty which abides the rebellious and the glory which belongs to the obedient The Doctor of the Church saith Chryostome by teaching and liuing well teacheth the people how to liue well but by liuing wickedly teacheth God how to condemne him Aaron was appointed to weare Thummim on his brest-plate vpon his heart and a plate of pure gold vpon his forehead whereon was grauen Holinesse to the Lord. So euery Minister should haue the Thummim of an vpright heart carry the goldē plate before him of an holy life The Arke was commaunded to be pitched within and without with pitch so should euery minister be pitched with grace on the inside of his heart and on the outside of his life and so he shal be better armed against wind and water The Snuffers of the candlestick for the Tabernacle were cōmaunded to be made of pure gold those that snuffe others should be pure themselues Turpe est doctori cum culpa redarguit ipsum It is a shame for a man to correct another and not to direct himselfe or to weed his neighbours corne and to suffer the weeds to choke his owne It is a shame for a Phisitian to proffer Phisick to others and yet to see and suffer himselfe to rot with diseases Phisitian first cure thy selfe Pluck forth thine Owne moat thine Owne beame first He that admonisheth another of that wherein himselfe remaineth wilfully faulty doth giue him the cleare wine and keepeth the dregs to himselfe resembling a Diall or Watch which profit others by shewing how the day passeth but themselues nothing at all They which teach wel and liue wickedly confute their doctrine with their deedes and condemne their practise by their preaching and so make them selues abhominable to God
bee wise to discerne betwixt true doctrine and errours and we should haue our wits exercised to iudge betwixt good and euill and when we see the difference betweene them being both obiected to vs we should wisely elect the good and reiect the bad CHAP. 24. The people ought to imitate the godly vertues of their Ministers THirdly honour is exhibited to Gods Ministers by imitating their Christian vertues which doe shine within them as the Lampes did in the Tabernacle and do as the candle out of the lant-horne giue light to those that loue the light It is one way whereby we honour those that are departed in the faith when we resemble them in those heauenly graces which like the starres of heauen did shine within them while they were aliue And indeed we do performe an act of honour vnto any man when we striue to imitate his good conditions and to walke exactly in his foot-steps This honour the holy Ghost giueth to all godly Ministers when he exhorteth vs saying Remember thē that haue the ouersight ouer you which haue declared vnto you the word of God whose faith follow And Saint Paul claimeth it of the Corinthians where he saith Be ye followers of me euen as I am of Christ Ministers ought to make themselues Ensamples for vs to follow and when they do so we shall both dishonour them and displease the Lord if we do not labour to be like them Their good examples should be as spurres in our sides to make vs run more liuely in our Christian race and they should be as sauce to make vs affect and digest our meate the better And if we will not study to resemble them we shall both manifest a peruerse and illiberall disposition and make our selues the more vnexcusable when God shall iudge vs. Therefore as the Painter doth draw an image in his head first and then with his hand according to the patterne set before him and conceiued in his mind so should we set the vertues of godly Ministers before our eyes as patternes for to follow and hauing conceiued and entertained them in our heades and hearts wee should expresse them in our liues by the actions of our hands and in the continuall current of our conuersations And so shall we commend our selues without one word of commendation so shall we honour and animate them so shall we dignifie our profession and glorifie him that ordained all things for his glory CHAP 25. Men should wisely conceale the infirmities of their Ministers and not blaze them abroade FOurthly Ministers are honored when their infirmities are not published in Gath to their dishonour but buried by loue in the graue of silence and obliuion In many things saith Iames we sinne all The purest gold hath some drosse within it Nulla facies sine ruga The fairest face is not without a wrinckle a mole or freckle The clearest glasse is subiect vnto soyling There is no soule without some sinne no man without a fault And therefore as we ought to beare with one another and patiently pardon all slips of weaknesse for loue couereth a multitude of trespasses so especially ought we to conceale forgiue the infirmities of Ministers in their words workes and gestures And so we shall shew our selues the children of wisedome the followers of peace and amity true louers of God and his children faithfull and good schollers and vnlike many wretches that are euen heart-merry when they can spy a moate in a Misters eye or an hole in his coate at which they may mocke and iest vngodly Chams that discouer and sport at their fathers nakednesse CHAP. 26. Ministers are to be countenanced and maintained FIftly men do honor the Ministers of Christ when they countenance them and take part with them against their malitious and wicked enemies and when they labour to defend their credits and good name against all their back-biters traducers and maligners and are not ashamed to acknowledge and assist them notwithstanding the greatnesse or the multitude of their vngodly aduersaries which set themselues against God all goodnes And this all men ought to do for their Ministers euer remembring that they passe not the precincts of their calling and be not transported with a preposterous zeale and a vaine conceit of enmity and hostile persecution when there is no such matter that so they may confirme their loue vnto them which they do in shew professe and encourage thē to go on constantly in their ministery that they may be faithfull in Gods house as Moses was and finally that they may manifest their zeale to God house and their loue of his worship and might shew themselues enemies to the Diuell and his wicked Instruments which coniure and band themselues against Christ and his kingdome Sixtly honour and true loue the scaturidge thereof is shewed to godly Ministers when their estates in respect of their places persons and dependants are well maintained They are the Chariots Horse-men of Israel therefore are they worthy to be maintained They are the Lords warriours and standard-bearers They fight for the Church they bestow themselues vpon the Church therefore it is very fit that the Church should keepe them It is a thing honest and acceptable before God for children to recompence their fathers and progenitors Ministers are our spiritual fathers In Christ Iesus saith Paul I haue begotten you to God through the Gospell In which respect we owe euen our selues vnto them as Paul sheweth in a speach to Philemon his spirituall sonne How much more then owe we them our worldly pelfe to maintaine relieue them Haue they by their ministery procured our spirituall life and shall not we prouide for their naturall life Religion right and reason claime it and require it of vs. The Lord hath ordained that they which preach the Gospel should liue of the Gospell They which wait at the altar are partakers with the Altar they which minister about holy things eate of the things of the Temple The Labourer is worthy of his wages The workman is worthy of his meate The Oxes mouth that treadeth out the corne must not be muzled He that planteth a Vine-yard is worthy to eate of the grapes he that keepeth the Vine may drinke of the wine and he that keepeth the stock may drinke of the milke Beware saith God that thou forsake not the Leuite so long as thou shalt liue on the earth Much lesse then are the Ministers of the Gospell to be forsaken For their ministery is farre more excellent Let him saith Paul that is taught in the word make him that hath taught him partaker of all his goods It is a precept and not a bare permission If they haue sowne to vs spirituall things is it a great matter if they reape our carnall things If they bring vs to the pleasures of heauen is it much for vs to bring them of