priuate benefit to whom in all equity Conscience it doth principally appertaine And desiring all who haue any perfect Coppies of such as are in my owne hands that they would either helpe me with theirs or rather take mine to helpe them That by our ioynt powers and our forces layd together the walls of this worthy building may goe vp the fairer and the faster And so I commend them all to Gods blessing who endeuour to commend themselues and their labours to God and to his Church Your brother in the Lord. W. C. The duties and dignitie of the Ministerie Iob. 33.23.24 If there bee with him a Messenger An Interpreter one of a thousand to declare vnto man his righteousnes Then will be haue mercy on him and will say deliuer him that hee goe not downe into the pit for I haue receiued a reconciliation IN this Chapter and the former Eliâ—â— a holy learned and wise young man hath conference vvith Iob in matters of high and excellent Diuinitie the points of his conference are these from the first verse of this chap to the 7. verse is a preface to his speech From thence to the 13. he repeateth certaine propositions of Iob and reproueth them froÌ„ thence to these wordes hee instructeth Iob in certaine points touching Gods dealing with sinners and those are two 1 Howe God preserueth a sinner from falling 2 How God restoreth a sinner beeing falne 1 The meanes whereby God preserueth a sinner are set downe to bee two principall 1 By Admonitions in dreames and visions 2 By scourges and chastisements when the first will not preuaile And these are layd downe from the 13 verse vnto these words 2 Then followeth the 2. poynt namely the restoring of a sinner when both the meanes formerly spoken of haue not preuailed with him but that through his corruption he is fallen and concerning this poynt he handleth these particulers 1 The remedy and meanes of his restoring 2 The effect that followeth thereupon â— The remedy is layde downe in these wordes now red vnto vs then followeth the effect which is that when a sinner is restored by repentance then the graces of God are plentifully poured vpon him both for soule and bodie froÌ„ these words to he end of the chapter The intent then of this Scripture is that God vseth meanes in his mercie to preserue sinnres froÌ„ falling into sin but if they do theÌ„ he in much greater mercy affoordeth them meanes and helps to rise againe And this is the soule substance of the words Now that meanes and remedie is the matter I purpose to speak of out of these wordes The meanes then to restore a sinner after a fall is to raise him by repentance into a better estate then hee was in before and that is inclusiuely and by implication taught in this text But the instrument by whoÌ„ that great work is to be wrought is heere in plaine tearmes layd downe to be a Minister of God lawfully called and sent by God and appointed by his Church to that great duty So that these wordes containe a woorthy description of a true Minister and he is here described 1 By his titles which are two An Angell An Interpreter 2 By his rarenes One of a thousand 3 By his office which is to declare vnto man his righteousnes 4 By the blessing that God giueth vpon the labors of this true Minister which is thâ—â— God will haue mercy vpon the sinner 5 By his Commission and authoritie in the last wordes God will say Deliuer him that he goe not downe into the pit for I haue receiued a reconciliation Let vs speake of them in order as they lye in the text and first of his titles 1 The first title of a Minister of God is he is called a Messenger or an Angell and not heere alone but elswhere in the scripture Malachy 2 7 Hee is the Messenger of the Lord of hosts And in the Reuelation the Ministers of the 7. Churches are called the Angels of those Churches So that it is apparant a true Minister is an Angell of God in 〈◊〉 place in the other place the Angel of the Church Hee is an Angell or Messenger sent from God to his Church This coÌ„sideration affords matter of much vse The most of vs in this place are eyther Prophets or sonnes of the prophets If thou â—e a prophet thou 〈◊〉 Gods Angel If a sonne of the 〈…〉 to be then marke thy dutie Prophets and Ministers are Angels in the verie institution of theyr calling Therefore thou must preach Gods worde as Gods worde and deliuer it as thou receiuest it for Angels Embassadors Messengers carry not theyr owne message but the message of theyr Lords and Maisters who sent theÌ„ but Ministers carry the message of the Lord of Hostes therefore they are bound to deliuer it as the Lordes and not theyr owne In the first Epistle of Peter 4 11 wee are bidde If any man speake let him speake not onely the word of God but as the word of God Gods word must be spoken and as Gods word then shew thy faith fulnes to the Lord in discharging thy hands sincerely of that message which he hath honoured theâ— to carry Gods word is pure therefore purely to be thought vpon and to be deliuered Then let all that are godâ— Angels and would be honored at his Angels and Embassadors thinke it no lesse reason to doe the dutie of Gods Angels least as many men 〈◊〉 a good tale in the â—â—ling so theâ— take away the power and maiestie of Gods word in the manner of deliuering it The second vse concernes the ministers also are they Gods Angels therefore they must preach Gods word in the euidence and demonstration of the spirit of God for hee that is Gods Angell the spirit of that God must speake in him Now to speake in the demonstration of Gods spirit is to speake in such a plaines yet such a powerfulnes as that the capacities of the simplest may perceaue not man but God teaching them in that plainesse and the consciences of the mightiest may feele not man but God reprooue theÌ„ in that powerfulnesse That this is so appeares by Saint Paule If a man prophecy aright saith the holy Ghost the vnlearned or vnbeleeuing man â—omâ— in he thinkes his secret faults are disclosed and layd open hee thinkes all men see his nakednesse and doe reprooue him for it hee therefore falls downe and saith surely God speakes in this man In which words obserue an admirable plainnes and an admirable powerfulnesse which a man would thinke could not so well stand together First plainnesse for whereas the vnlearned man perceiueth his faults discouered it followeth necessarily he must needes vnderstand and if an vnlearned man vnderstand it then consequently it must needes be plaine Secondly powerfulnes in that his conscience is so conuâ—nced his secret falts so disclosed his very hart so ript vp that
behold how thou art beholden to a godly Minister who when Adam had lost both himselfe and thee that Iewell of righteousnesse which was and is the whole wealth of thy soule can truly tell thee where it is and howe it is to be had againe and who when the deuill haleth thee to the barre of gods iustice to receaue triall for thy sinnes can drawe thee there such a declaration as the deuill himselfe shall not bee able to answere and who when thy soule is sicke to death euen to damnation can heale the deadly wounds thereof A good Minister therefore is worthy as the Apostle saith of double honour whose duty we see is to declare vnto man his righteousnesse And to conclude this point also the consideration of the height of this office of a Minister may encourage fathers to dedicate their sonnes to this holy calling for the Phisitions care for the body or the Lawyers for thy cause are both inferior duties to this of the Minister A good Lawyer may be one of teâ—â—e a good Phisition one of 20. a good man one of 100. but a good Minister is one of a 1000. A good Lawyer may declare the true state of thy cause a good Phisition may declare the true state of thy body No calling no man can declare vnto thee thy righteousnesse but a true Minister And thus wee see the office or function of a Minister Now followeth the blessing Then will he haue mercy vppon him The fourth generall part of this discription is the blessing which God giueth to the labours and function of a true Minister then that is when a man by the preaching of the lawe is brought to true humiliation and repentance and by the preaching of the Gospell to true faith in the Messias then wil hee that is God haue mercy on him that is on the penitent and beleeuing sinner Behold heere the admirable simpathy and the cooperation of God and the Ministers office Man preacheth and God blesseth Man worketh on the hart and God giues grace a Minister declares vnto man his righteousnesse and God saith so be it he shall be righteous a Minister pronounceth mercy to a penitent sinner and forthwith God hath mercy on him Heere we see the great and glorious account which God makes of the word of his Ministers by them truly taught and rightly applied namely that he as it were tieth his blessing vnto it for ordinarily till a man knowe his righteousnesse by the meanes of an Interpreter God hath not mercy on him but as soon as he doth knowe it then as wee see heere God will haue mercy on him and wil say deliuer him c. This is no small honour to Ministers to their Ministerie that God himselfe giues a blessing vnto it and worketh when they worke and as it were stayeth waiting when they declare vnto a man his righteousnesse and then hath he mercy on him so powerfull and so effectuall is the word spoken by a Minister of God This is that which Christ auoucheth whatsoeuer you binde in earth shall be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer you loose in earth shall bee loosed in hâ—auen Will you knowe the meaning heereof read Saint Iohn whose sinnes soeuer you remit they are remitted whose you retaine they are retained will they haue the meaning of both read Esay God destroyeth the tokens of Souâ—â— sayers and makes vâ—sards and Astrologers Fooles â—â—â—neth worldly wisemen backward and makes their knowledge foolishnes but he confirmeth the word of his seruants and performeth the counsell of his Messengers Thus God bindeth and looseth with them remitteth and retaineth with them by confirming their word and performing their counsell for example A true Minister seeth a sinner hardned in his sins and stil rebelling against the will of God he therefore declareth vnto him his vnrighteousnes his sinne denounceth vnto him the miseries curses of Gods iustice as due vnto him for the same heere he binds on earth here he retaines on earth this mans sins are likewise bound and retained in heauen On the other side he seeth a man penitenâ— and belieuing hee pronounceth forgiuenes of sins happines vnto him for the same he looseth him from the band of his sinnes by declaring vnto him his righteousnes this mans sinnes are likewise loosed remitted in heauen and God himselfe doth pronounce him cleere in heauen when the Minister doth on earth Thus God confirmeth the word of his seruaunts and performeth the counsell of his Messengers The vse of this doctrine is first for Rulers and great men of this worlde this may teach them to be nursing Fathers nursing Mothers vnto the Church whose authority they see is so great ouer them as that their decree stands ratified in heauen Therefore though their place be great they be Gods vpon earth yet must they withall acknowledge that in iustifying a sinner in interpretation in declaring vnto man his righteousnes in binding loosing their power also is immediate from God aboue theirs and they themselues as they are men must submit themselues to this powerfull word of the Ministers to be taught by it and to be reconciled by meanes of it and highly must they receiue it for though a man speake it yet is it the word of God this is to licke the dust of Christs feete which the Porphet speaketh of not as the Pope would haue it to hold the stirrop and lead the horse and hold the water to the Pope to kisse his toes to hold their kingdoms of him as tenants at will or by curtesie but reuerently to acknowledge the ordinance to be Gods the function and duty to be high and excellent to acknowledge the power of their keyes censures being rightly applied their promises their threatnings to be as from God and to submit to them accordingly Secondly Ministers themselues here must learne when they take the word of reconciliation into their hands and mouthes to call to mind whose it is euen the Lords and that hee worketh with them hath the greatest hand in the work and that therfore they must vse it in holy maner with much feare reuerence It is not theyr owne they may not vse it as thâ—y list And lastly Hearers are heere taught first â—o see how mad such men be which carelesly â—nd fildome heare sermons but vpon any ocâ—asion fly to wisards and charmers which are â—he deuils prophets for see the difference of â—hese two the wisard and charmer hath socieâ—ie with the deuill the Preacher with God the â—harmer hath his calling from the deuill the Preacher his from God the charmers charme 〈◊〉 the deuils watchword when he charmeth the deuil doth the feare the Preachers doctrine is Gods watchword when hee truly applyeth it GOD himselfe ratifieth and makes it good wherefore let all men feare to haue thus to doe with the deuill by seeking to his slaues let them
of extraordinary grace yet dwelling in the midst of a people so stubborne and disobedient as the Iewes were hee was something touched with their pollutions Ministers euen the best are men and this comes to passe by reason of the corruption of their nature as they are men the nature of which corruption is to apprehend any euill where euer it can be found and to partake with it regeneration qualifieth and abates this corruption but takes it not away perfectly in this life whereby it comes to passe that a Minister liuing amongst euil people cannot but be somwhat stained with their pollutions of what sort soeuer they be insomuch as it is often seene that one known to be otherwise disposed of himselfe is found to be disposed to this or that euill by liuing amongst a people so disposed And againe that a Minister in such a place amongst such people free from such and such sinnes remoued to another place is there found more or lesse tainted with them because they abound amongst the people and yet further that a Minister knowne to be faithfull painfull and zealous and comming to a disobedient stubborne froward or prophane and dissolute people his faith is weakened his zeale and courage abated Gods graces in him dulled much decayed godly Ministers doe daily complaine hereof and experience euery where shewes it too true Out of this we may learne something both for our instruction and for our conuersation For our instruction it here appeares how wicked and wretched the corruption of our nature is which cannot but receiue some contagion from the pollution of those with whom we liue for this is so not onely in them who carry a loose hand ouer themselues but euen in such as looke most narrowly vnto their steps as we see here in this holy Prophet who was a man of more then ordinary sanctification how little cause therefore hath any man to extol nature and how much lesse cause the schoolemen and some other Papists to giue the least commendation to our pure naturals for if nature rectified by grace bee so hardly kept within compasse alas how outragious and peruerse is it when it raignes without controlment And for our further instruction here wee may see of what a creeping and incroaching nature sinne is which like a secret venome in the naturall bodie so it in the pollitique bodie restes not in the place or paâ—tie poysoned but closely creepes and diffuseth it selfe into euery part and member of the whole it creepes from man to man yea from an euill man to a good from the worst man to the best from prophane men to godly Ministers and as from publike persons as Magistrates and Ministers it descendeth visibly and the example of their euill life is palpably scandalous so from the people to the Magistrate or Minister it creepeth closely and ascendeth in more secret and insensible maner yet in the effect it is too sensible for it is alwaies seene that they are something touched with their peoples pollutions sinne is not onely as a poison spreading from the heart to all parts from the Minister to the people but as a gangreue if it begin in the foote wil without speedy preuention spred priuily to the hart so sinne shewes it selfe euen from the people to the Ministers So great cause is there for all men to stop sinne in the beginning to breake it in the egge to giue water no passage no not a little for let this gangreue beginne at the feete it will not rest till it be in the heart For our confirmation wee are here taught first if a Minister by reason of the corruption of his owne nature and the creeping nature of sinne is in such daunger to be stained with the peoples pollutions then let all Ministers desire and vse all good meanes to dwell with a people as little polluted as may be otherwise let him assure himselfe to be polluted with them which is both a great discomfort to his owne conscience as here it was to the Prophet and disgrace to his profession for if it be a duty of euery good professor of religion to keepe himselfe vnspotted of the world then how much more is it the ministers dutie so to doe and how foule a staine is it to the honour of his calling to bee polluted in the common pollutions of his people It may be therefore good counsell to all godly Ministers in the placing and disposing of themselues not to enquire onely how good a liuing such and such a place is how wel seated how healthfull and beneficiall it will bee which are alas the common and almost the onely questions now adayes but principally to regard what a people they be and how affected amongst whom they are to liue if godly and well disposed or at least tractable and gentle and willing to be taught then lesse to regard other incommodities but if wicked prophane or which is worse stubborne froward vntractable then lesse to regard the greatest coÌ„modities and certainly if this point be wel considered of and how bitter it hath bene in the end to many who haue not regarded it it will appeare that this is the best encouragemeÌ„t or discouragement the greatest commoditie or discommoditie and the best reason either to winne a man to a place or to drawe him from it how good soeuer it be otherwayes they that neglect this dutie and are ledde or misled rather with carnall and worldly respects how iust is it vpon them when they are made to cry in the sorrowe of their soule Woe is me I dwell in the midst of a people of polluted lippes And here such Ministers as haue poore liuings but good people let them not faint nor bee discouraged they haue more cause to blesse God then to bee grieued for doubtlesse they are farre better then those who haue great liuings and an euill people But as for those to whom God hath bene so good as to bestowe vppon them competent liuings and a willing and well disposed people let them thinke themselues double blessed of God and treble bound to honour God and to doe good in his Church and if such men goe not before their brethren in all Ministeriall care and dutie their fault is aboue all mens and they make themselues vnworthy of so great mercies Againe if that a polluted people pollutes their Minister here is a good warning for all ministers to be wary and choyse of their company with whom they will most priuately conuerse for as on the one side they may not retire themselues into solitarinesse nor sequester themselues from all societie with their people which is rather a Cimical and fantastical then any way a religious practise so of all men are they to be most carefull that they doe not loosely and lauishly bestow themselues on al companies as too many do in our Church to the great scandell thereof who care not with whom they coÌ„uerse but all companies all places
them quite out of themselues finding nothing in themselues but cause of feare and astonishment then powres hee the oyle of grace and of sweete comfort into their hearts and refresheth their weary soules with the deawe of his mercy this point needes no further proofe for looke into the scriptures and wee shall finde God neuer called any man to the state of grace or to any notable worke or function in his church but he first humbled them and then brought them out of all coÌ„ceit with themselues then wrought in them and by them his wonderfull workes The vse of this doctrine is first of all to teach all men to esteeme aright of the afflictions that God layeth vpon them in this world coÌ„monly men take them impatieÌ„tly our nature grudgeth hagainst them but let a Christian man consider with himselfe how God hath alwaies dealt with his children and he hath cause not to thinke so for doth God laye some great affliction on thee it may be he hath some mighty work of his grace to worke in thee or some great worke of mercy to bee wrought by thee in his Church and hereby prepareth thee for the same Say therefore with the holy Prophet I helde my tongue â— Lord and spake nothing because it was thy doing and what God may intend in his so doing to thee thou canst not tell and therefore in silence and patience possesse thy soule Againe here is a comfort to all such as are distressed in minde in sence of their sinnes and sight of Gods wrath their states is not miserable much lesse desperate for they are in the high way to grace and fauour God iustifieth not but him that repents God exalts not but him that is humbled God comfort not but him that is distressed God hath mercie on none but such as both knowe and feele they want it and knowe also that they knowe not where to haue it but at his hands Happy therfore is that soule that feeles the waight and burden of sin for to him wil Christ bring most ease and comfort Gods Misnisters therefore are hereby to comfort distressed consciences to assure them that if with this Prophet they bee so deepely touched with sight of their sins and Gods iustice as that they cry Woe is me I am vndone Then euen Then are they most capable of comfort and best prepared to receiue it as here it fell out to the holy Prophet Thirdly here is the way taught vs how to attaine to any excelleÌ„t graces of God either for our own saluation or the good of the Church namely to labour for a sencible feeling of the want of them in our selues for God vseth to bestowe no gifts on any man but such as do in humility lowlinesse confesse to God acknowledge in themselues the want of them So the blessed Virgin singeth God fâ—lleth the hungry with good things but the rich hee sendes empty away And so the psalmist God satisfieth the hungry soule and filleth the empty soule with goodnesse So then if thou be rich in thy conceits God hath not for thee but if thou be hungry hee iâ— ready to fiâ—â— thee with good things and doest thou acknowledge thy soule emptie then behold treasures of goodnesse to feede and fill thee and art thou cast downe with the Prophet and is thy soule empty of hope and fraught with feare then behold euen then God and his Angels ready to raise thee vp to fil thee with coÌ„solatioÌ„ T thus much for the time of his coÌ„solation the minister by whom was One of the Seraphims The 2. circumstance of his consolation is the Minister by whom it was done An angel One of the Seraphims that is an Angell of that order so called out of which we learne First that there are diuers degrees seuerall orders of Angels though wee knowe not the true distinction thereof nor thinke it lawful to imagine them to be 9. nor to set them down particularly as the Church of Rome doth who make many of their owne deuises which they cal traditioÌ„s of equal authority with the scriptures Secondly that these holy Angels are the glorious guard of God and do continually stand about the throne of his glory attend his holy wil both in heauen and in earth Thirdly that they are also by the merciful appointment of God the guard of Gods children and ministring spirits sent out as it were with a commission for the good of the elect All these points because they are plaine in the scripture and do lesse coÌ„cerne our general scope which is concerning the Ministery I passe them ouer Fourthly here it is apparaÌ„t that as the Angels are sent out for the help and seruice of the elect so specially of Gods ministers as is plaine in this place where the Prophet being afrighted a holy Angel is ready to giue him comfort and so ouer the whole course of the Prophets and at this day their protection and comfortable assistance is no lesse present to the godly Ministers of the newe Testament though not in such sencible signes and such visible manner as in the olde for if they bee ministring spirits sent out for the good of them which shal bee saued howe much more for their good which shall both bee saued themselues and saue others also A doctrine of great comfort and much good vse to all Ministers who first of all may here learne contentment in their calling for howsoeuer no calling hath more crosses so none againe hath more comforts and howsoeuer none bee more disgraced by euill men yet none is more honoured by the holy Angels and howsoeuer in this world they aboue any calling are seruants to all meÌ„ yet none hath the seruice attendance of Angels so much as they for though wee haue them not to helpe vs to do the outward actions of our ministery with vs or for vs as some Popish Doctors teach that in their Masse Amen is not said to one collect because the Angels say Amen to it yet doubtlesse they are preseÌ„t alwaies as at all holy exercises and lawfull actions so especially at the publike seruice of God performed by the Ministers and beside that they are witnesses thereto and of the paines and diligence and faithfulnesse of a good Minister they also do Minister vnto them oftentimes bodily strength and assistance many comforts in their troublesome trauels which they know not how by any naturall manes they come vnto them And as this Doctrine doth thus yeelde them contentment against the contempt so also courage against the danger of this calling For what though thou hast mighty men of this world against thee when thou hast angels for thee what though thou fightest against principallities and powers when thou hast Cherubins and Seraphims on thy side Godly Ministers haue many enemies but if by the eye of faith they can see as well who are with them as with the eye of reason who
least allowance to Anabaptisticall fancies and reuelations which are nothing but eyther dreames of theyr owne or illusions of the deuil for they contemne both humane learning and the study of the scripture and trust wholy to reuelations of the spirit but Gods Spirit worketh not but vpon the foundation of the word onely I teach this that a Minister must be a diuine Interpreter an Interpreter of Gods meaning And therfore he must not onlie reade the booke but eate it that is not only haue the knowledge of diuine thinges flowing in his braine but ingrauen in his hart and printed in his soule by the spirituall finger of God and therfore for this end after all his owne study meditation conference Comentaries after all hâ—â—mane helps hee must pray with Dauid Open thou mine eyes that I may see the wonders of thy law The discerning of those wonders requires a spirituall illumination and the opening of them requires the tongue of the learned Therefore after all the studie which flesh and blood and humane reason can yeelde pray with the Prophet Lorde giue mee the tongue of the learned that I may be a right Interpreter of thy holy will Furthermore inasmuch as Ministers are Interpreters they must labour for sanctitie and holines of life In Esay the King of Assiria is said to be sanctified or set apart to destroy Gods enemies If there be a certaine kind of sanctification necessary for the worke of destruction then how much more is true sanctification necessary for this great glorious worke of the edification of Gods Church A Minister is to declare the reconciliation betwixt God and man and is he himselfe not reconciled Dare he present another man to Gods mercy for pardon and neuer yet presented himselfe Can hee commend the state of Grace to another neuer felt the sweetnes thereof in his owne soule Dare hee come to preach sanctification with polluted lyps and out of an vnsanctified hart Moses might not stand vpon the Mount in Gods presence til hee had put off his shooes from of his feete Exod. 3. and dare any man presume to come into this most high holy presence of the Lord vntil he haue mortified his corruptions and cast off the vnrulines of his affections In Exodus the priests are bid to sanctifie the people and in Leuiticus it is sayde that God will bee sanctified in all that come neere him but who come so neere vnto God as the Ministers doe so that it is apparant Ministers doe sanctifie the people and in some construction God himselfe Nowe shall they one way be sanctifiers of the people another way of God himselfe no way of themselues Surely if it bee so they are but lame Interpreters And this is the reason doubtlesse why vnsanctified Ministers and such as are of a loose conuersation bestow such fruitlesse labors in the Church many want no learning no ability to interpret yet how few soules doe they bring to God Some it may bee are conuerted by theyr ministery that God may shew the efficacie is not in the person of man but in the ordinance of God but fewe doubtlesse for ought that we can see do teach vs how God hateth him which will take in hand to reconcile others himselfe beeing vnreconciled to God Seeing then Ministers are Gods Interpreters to the people to declare publish theyr reconciliation with God that they cannot be reconciled vnlesse they be sanctified and can so hardly be sanctified by the ministerie of an vnsanctified man let therefore all true ministers of God first be Gods Interpreters to their owne consciences and their owne soules Interpreters to God then shall they knowe more perfectly how to discharge the office of true Interpreters betwixt God his people And thus wee haue the two titles of a true Minister Now it followeth in the text One of a thousand Heere is the second part of this dâ—scription which is by the rarenes or scarcenesse of good Ministers which is layd downe in a very strange phrase namely that a true Minister one that is a right Angel a true Interpreter is no coÌ„mon or ordinarie man but thin sowne one of many nay one of a thousand The meaning heereof is to be conceiued either properly or figuratiuely in the figuratiue sence it is spoken in relation to Ministers themselues in the proper senee it hath a comparison with all men the figuratiue and hyperbolicall sence is that of all the Ministers in the worlde not one of many is a right Angel and a true Interpreter the plaine proper sence is that amongst the men of this worlde there is not one of a thousand which prooues a true Minister For this poynt let vs examine the truth of it the reasons of it and the vse of it The truth hereof is manifest by the experience of all ages wherein it is strange to obserue how few men of any sort especially of the better sort after the calling of a Minister and which is more strange howe fewe of those that are Ministers in name and title doe deserue these honourable names of an Angel an Interpreter and the truth is too manifest in common practise to insist much vppon it rather therefore let vs see the reasons of it and they be these principall first the coÌ„tempt that lieth on that calling it being alwayes hated by wicked and prophane men because it discouers their filthynes and vnmaskes their hipocrisie and their doctrine oftimes is a fretting corrasiue to their conscience that they cannot welter and wallowe so quietly and secretly in their sinnes as otherwise they would therefore is it that they spurne both against the calling and the men and watch them narrowly take hold of their least infirmities thereby to disgrace them iudging that to cast contempt on that calling is to remooue shame from their owne shamefull courses nor is it possible but that they should thus hate this calling inasmuch as they hate so deadly both that lawe and Embassage which they bring and that God whose Embassaders they are This hatred and disgrace in the wicked world was that that caused Ieremie to cry wâ—e is me and made him in the seeming of his naturall reason curse the time that euer he was a Prophet for saith he I am a man of contention euery man is at strife and enemity with me The next reason is the difficulty of discharging the duties of his calling to stand in Gods presence to enter into the holy of holiest to goe betwixt God and his people to be Gods mouth to the people and the peoples to God to be the Interpreter of the eternall lawe of the old testament and the euerlasting Gospell of the new to stand in the rome and to beare the office of Christ himselfe to take the care and charge of soules these considerations are so many amazements to the consciences of such men who doe with reuerence
besids declaration and testification he is to maintaine this truth and this righteousnesse if the sinners conscience be yet not quiet against all gainsayers against the power of darknes and all the gates of hell that this is true and perfect righteousnesse to him that apprehends it as afore is layd downe and this is so infallible to euery soule that repents and beleeueth that the Minister may assure it to the conscience of the sinner in the word of truth and in the name of God and may call to witnes all Gods Saints and all his holy Angels and may pawne vnto him his owne soule vpon it that it is most true that this is true perfect and all-sufficient righteousnes Thus we see in some measure what it is to declare vnto a man his righteousnes And this is the peculiar office of a Minister of God and this is the height and excellencie of his office In the want of godly Ministers I confesse that godly Christian men may one helpe another in the performance of these duties and that with profit but it is the proper function of a godlie Minister to doe it and the promise and blessing belongs properly to him as the consciences of all penitent sinners will testifie in this case let Dauids serue for many who when he was cast downe euen to the mouth of hell by that fearefull discouery of his two hideous sinnes by Nathans preaching when the faith of his soule beganne to wrestle against hell and striue against dispaire and to apprehend the mercy of God in Christ then I say could not the testimonie of all the men in the world haue giuen him that ioy comfort and assurance that Nathan did when hee said in the word of a Prophet and of a true Minister God hath taken away thy sinne thou shalt not die what did Nathan heere but declare vnto man his righteousnes what did Nathan heere but the duty of euery true Minister If this be the office and duty of a Minister and if such be the height and excellencie of his office let vs see then what vse we may make of it First concerning the Ministerie It first discouereth how nakedly weakely and insufficiently the Popish Church doth declare vnto man his righteousnesse who will let a man seeke it in himselfe where alas it is not for Paule himselfe testifieth that his desire is that he may bee found out of himselfe in Christ yet certainly if euer man had righteousnesse of his owne worth trusting to Paule had this is the cause why so many of that religion find not that righteousnesse which will pacifie and satisfie their consciences when they come to die and why so many of them wheÌ„ it coms to the pinch do then go out of themselues and with vs doe seeke for this righteousnesse in Christ where both assuredly and sufficiently it is to be found Then for our owne Ministerie heere they are taught first the true manner of teaching and declaring righteousnesse namely this not to preach the law alone or the Gospell alone as some vnaduisedly doe but both without profit but both the lawe and the Gospell the lawe to breede repentance the Gospell to worke faith but in order first the lawe to breede repentance and then the Gospell to worke faith and forgiuenes but neuer before Secondly they are taught to bee holy to bee sanctified and reconciled themselues for it is thy office to declare vnto man his righteousnesse and not thy own to thy selfe and how canst thou be a true witnes to testifie betwixt God and the soule of a sinner when thy owne soule knoweth not nor feeleth the truth of it certainly such men aâ—e but lame witnesses betwixt God and the sinners soule Dauid saith to the sinner I will instruct thee in the way wherein thou shalt goe but he first of all in the same sets downe his owne experience in a large story of his owne repentance and of Gods mercy on himselfe And though God sometime doe satisfie and saue the poore distressed soule of a sinner by the testimonie of such men to teach vs that the vertue is not in the men but in the truth of Gods couenant yet alas how fewe are they to teach vs how pleasing it is vnto him when a Minister is a declarer of that righteous to others which he first hath himselfe and is a witnes of truth to others which he first knoweth in his owne experience Thirdly the consideration of this high excellencie of their calling must arme all true Ministers against the scorne and contempt of the world which by wicked men is cast like dust and mire into the face of Ministers let this suffice them they are the men that must declare vnto man his righteousnesse euen he that scornes and contemnes the ministerie he hath no righteousnesse in him vnlesse it be by the meanes of a poore Minister then doe thou thy duety and he that mockes thee hath cause to honour thee and let this encourage Students to consecrate themselues to the Ministerie for what calling hath so high an office as this to declare vnto man his righteousnesse And assuredly how euer in this wicked world thou art little accounted of for if it did not so it were not wicked yet thou art honored in the harts of all Gods children and euen in the consciences of some whose tongues doe smite thee and the soules of thousands when they die shall blesse thee who in their liues cared not for thee and the deuill himselfe doth enuy the holy Angels themselues doe wonder at the excellencie of thy calling in that thou hast power to declare vnto man his righteousnesses In the next place hearers may heere learne first if their righteousnesse bee thus to be declared as afore then if they will haue it they must seeke it as it may bee found namely both in the lawe and in the Gospell and not in the Gospell alone and first in the lawe then in the Gospell for he must neuer looke to tast the sweetnes of the Gospell which hath not first swallowed the better pills of the lawe if therefore thou wouldst bee declared righteous by the Gospell bee content first to bee pronounced miserable by the lawe if thou wouldst be declared righteous in Christ then be content first to bee pronounced sinfull and vnrighteous in thy selfe Secondly all men may heere learne how they are to esteeme of Gods Ministers and what reuerence and obedience is due to their persons and their doctrine these are they which must declare vnto thee thy righteousnesse if thou hast any Art thou beholden to him who when thou hast lost a Iewell which was all thy wealth can tell thee where it is and helpe thee to it againe or to him who when thy cause is in triall at the barre will pleade it for thee or to him who when thy health is lost can tell thee how to get it againe then
draw neere to God by entring into fellowship with his holy Prophets and godly Ministers And further if when they preach thou belieuest then GOD hath mercy on thee then learne what reuerence they and theyr word is worthy of which is thus accompanied vvith Gods mercy and forgiuenes and then learne to heare the Word with feare and trembling for it is Gods word and not theyrs when a true Minister sayth vnto thee on a true ground I denounce thee a sinfull man and vnder the curse or I declare thee to be righteous and a child of grace it is all one as though God from heauen had said so vnto thee If any man aske But is it not as good if anothâ—â— man pronounce forgiuenesse vnto mee vpoâ— my repentance I aunswer yes vndoubâ—edly if it be in extraordinary times or places whâ—â— there are no Ministers for otherwise cerâ—ainly this blessing is principally tyed vnto the Ministers calling for it is not sayd of any priuate mens calling any where in the Scripture as it is heere said of the Ministers If an Angell an Interpreter come to a man and declare vnto him his righteousnesse theâ—â— marke the conexion then will GOD haâ—â— mercy on him and will say Deliuer him c. Whence comes this blessing from this promise of God If then other callings will challenge ordinarily the same blessing then must they haue the same promise Besides other Christians being priuate men though they be sanctified haue a good measure of knowledge yet haue they not the same spirit of discerning that godly Ministers haue nor can so fully and truly iudge when a man hath repented when not and therefore cannot so trulie pronounce the sentence of the Law or Gospell nor haue they abilitie ordinarily by their good conference and Christian counsel to conâ—â—rt a soule but to confirme one conuerted but that power ordinarily belongs to the publick Ministery of the word therfore it followeth that ordinarily they haue not the power to pronounce the sentence of binding or loosing vpon any man I coÌ„fesse in times or places where no Minister can be had God blesseth the labours of priuate men that haue knowledge somtimes euen for the conuerting of a man to God for comforting him at the howre of death and giues a vertue and power to that sentence which they shal pronounce one vpoÌ„ anothers repentance but as this is extraordinary in the want of ordinary Ministers so in that case a priuate man of knowledge godlines is made a Minister for that time to himselfe or to another euen as a priuate man in cases of extreame danger when no magistrate is present is made a magistrate himselfe to defend his owne life So then as in vvant of a Magistrate the sword of the magistracie is put into the hand of a priuate man so in the want of Ministers the keyes of the Ministerie are committed and put into the hands of priuate men as in dayes of persecution that then they may vvith comfort admonish and aduise and with power pronounce mercy and forgiuenes one vnto another vpon theyr true repentance Yet alwayes remember that in so dooing a priuate man is as a Minister for that time and in that case but ordinarily and alwayes in setled Churches this power pertaineth to the Ministerie is theirs alone by ordination and to them belongeth the promise and the blessing that when hee hath declared to a man his righteousnesse then God will haue mercie on him And thus wee see also the blessing of God vpon the function of the Ministerie and conexed thereunto by the mercifull dispensation of God It followeth And will say Deliuer him that he goe not downe into the pit for I haue receâ—ued a reconciliation The fift and last part of this description is the Commission and authority giuen vnto him which is so great as neuer was giuen to any creature and is thus when a Minister of GOD hath declared vnto man his righteousnes hath brought him to the state of grace and God in his fauour hath had mercy on him then God saith to the Minister Deliuer that soule from hell for I haue pardoned him in Christ I am reconciled to him In which words authoritie is giuen to a Minister of God to redeeme a man penitent from hell damnation not that he is the meanes of working out this redemption for that wholy and onely is Christ himselfe but hee is Gods instrument and Christs instrument first to apply those meanes vnto him secondly to pronounce his safety and deliuerance when these means are vsed Here is the principall honour of all belonging to that calling and it is the greatest that euer was vouchsafed to any creature Man 〈◊〉 Angell for it is a plaine Commission to goe and deliuer such a man from the power of hell to redeeme him into the state of Gods children and to make him heyre of heauen Angels neâ—er had this Commission they are Messengers sent out for the good of those whom Ministers haue redeemed and they haue brought many comfortable messages vnto them but it was neuer said to any Angell Deliuer that man that he goe not downe 〈◊〉 the pit as it hâ—â—râ— is saide vnto a Minister nor any men but Ministers haue this CoÌ„misâ—ion To some callings God saith workâ— thou for man build him houses prouide him sustenance to the Phisition heale that man to the Lawyer do that man iustice to the souldier fight for him to the Magistrate defend him to the King gouerne him and see that euery one doe his dutie â— to none but to the Minister dooth he say Deliuer him that he goe not down into the pit If this be so then for the vse first Ministers must learne heere that if they will haue the honour of Redeemers then must they doe the dutie of redeemers they must pray earnestly for the people for that is one meanes whereby they redeeme men They must say with Samuel God forbidde that I should cease to pray for you They must mourne for the impenitent vvhen they will not turne to God So did Dauid his eyes gushed out with riuers of waters because men kept not Gods law And Ieremie who wâ—shed a fountaine of water in his eyes that he might weepe for the sinnes of the people They must priuatly conferre â—â—site admonish and rebuke and principally they must preach and that in such good manner and in so diligent measure as that they may redeeme and winne soules and the end that they must ayme at must be to winne soules Some preach for feare of the law to auoyd censure or punishment some for fashion sake that they may be like to others some for ostentation sake to win credite and prayse some for ambition to rise in the world all these forget theyr coÌ„mission which is Deliuer him from hell This should be the end of their preaching to deliuer a soule from hell and what should Commissioners doe