pouerty contempt basenesse vppon it It were a worke worth the labour of the wisest heads to put downe the true meane betwixt both extreames worth the labour of our Noble King to take order that that meane be kept without rising to the right hand or falling to the left This short Treatse may hap to giue some light directions therein or at least may encourage stir vp their hearts in whose hands it is to doe it Vnder your woorthy names would I haue it see the world not so much for that I am bound to you both in many priuate and particular respects though that be much as for that know you both to be o◠so right and reformed a iudgement in this case as you would haue none Ministers but of sufficient gifts and vnblameable liues nor those Ministers put to their Pensions or vncertaine salailes but to haue certaine sufficient maintenance proportionable to their charge and beseeming the honour of a Christian Church God continue you still in that minde and make many more of the same with you so should we haue as florishing a Church as any Christendome hath seene Goe forward in that and other your religious resolutions it is the true way to honour both heere and in a better world stand firmly for the truth and boldly against the Popish enemies thereof as hitherto you haue done Religion had neuer more cause to thanke you and all that doe so then now it hath for her enemies were neuer so insolent since they were our enemies but if you and others holde on as in your seuerall places you haue wel begun and others take the like course there is hope their insolencies will bee easily if timely repressed and themselues neerest the fall when they imagine they are in the full The Lorde blesse and assist you in your painfull places and make you on earth Instruments of his glorie to the good of his Church so shall you bee vessels of glory in the kingdome of Heauen And thus commending this little treatise to your reading and my selfe to your fauour I take leaue and wil euer rest 1605. Your Worships in the Lord VV. Crashawe A Treatise of 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 righteousnesse Then will be haue mercie on him and will say deliuer him that he goe not downe into the pit for I haue receiued a reconciliation IN this Chapter and the former Elihu a holy learned noble wise young man had conference with 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 Praeface to his speach From thence to the 13. he repeateth certaine propositions of Iob and reproueth them frō thence to these wordes hee instructeth Iob in certaine points touching Gods dealing with sinners and those are two 1 How God preserueth a sinner from falling 2 How God restoreth a sinner being 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 chastisments when the first will not preuaile And these are layde downe from the thirteene verse vnto these words 2 Then followeth the 2. point 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 point he handleth these particulers 1 The remedie and meanes of his restoring 2 The effect that followeth thereupon 1 The remedie 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 powred vpon him both for soule body from these words to the end of the Chapter The intent then of this Scripture is that God vseth meanes in his mercie to preserue sinners from falling into sinne but if they doe then hee in much greater mercie afordeth them meanes and helpes to rise againe And this is the summe and substance of the words Now that means and remedie is the matter I purpose to speake of out of these wordes The meanes then to restore a sinner after a fall is to raise him by repentance to a better estate then hee was in before and that is inclusiuely and by implication taught in this Text But the instrument by whom that great worke is to be wrought is here in plaine termes layd downe to bee a Minister of God lawfully called and sent by God appointed by his Church to that great dutie So that these wordes containe a worthy description of a true Minister and he is here described 1 By his titles which are two An Angell An Interpreter 2 By his rarnesse 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 labours of this true Minister which is then God will haue mercie 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 lie 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 Angel and not here alone but elswhere in the Scripture Malachy 2. 7. He is the Messenger of the Lord of hostes 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 Angel of God in one place and in the other place the Angel of the Church Hee is an Angell or Messenger sent from God to his Church This consideration affords matter of much vse And first for Ministers themselues The most of vs in this place are eyther Prophets or sonnes of the Prophets If thou be a Prophet thou art Gods Angel If a sonne of the prophets thou intendest to bee then marke thy dutie prophets and Ministers are Angels in the very institution of their calling Therefore thou must preach Gods word as GODS word and deliuer it as thou receiuest it for Angels Embassadors and Messengers carry not their owne message but the message of their Lords and Maisters who sent them and Ministers carry the message of the Lord of Hostes therefore they are bound to deliuer it as the Lords and not their owne In the first Epistle of Peter 4. 11. wee are bid If any man speake let him speake not onely the word of God but as the word of God Gods word must bee spoken and as Gods word then shew thy faithfulnesse to the Lord in discharging thy hands sincerely of that message which he hath honoured thee to
the world to loue God and to beleeue in Christ and for sake sinne it is therefore manifest that they haue not yet begun to beleeue or repent nor haue entred into the first step of grace which leadeth to repentance for that they haue not learned this lesson which the Prophet teacheth that is to search themselues Furthermore let vs in the second place obserue better the signification of the word it signifieth to Search narrowly as a man would doe for a piece of gold or a pâ—cious Iewell which is lost in a great house Or as a man may search for gold in a Myne of the earth where is much earth and but very little gold Oare Hence wee may learne that in true Repentance and conuersion we must not search so only as to find the grosse and palpable sinnes of our liues but so as we may finde those sinnes which the world accounts lesser sinnes and espie our secret faults priuy corruptions Some corruptions see memore neere a kinne to our nature and therein men hope to be excused when they forsake many other greater sins But a true penitent sinner must search for such so as a good Magistrate searcheth for a lurking 〈…〉 which is 〈◊〉 into some close and secret corner and he must ranfack his heart for such corruptions as wherein his heart takes special delight and must thanke that no sinne can be so small but it is too great to be spared and that euery sinne great or litle must be searched for as being all Tray 〈◊〉 to Gods Maiestie But alas the practise â—â— the world is farre otherwise great sinnes are little sinnes little sinnes are no sinnes Nay after a little custome great sinnes are also little or nothing and so at last men make no bones of grosse and grieuous sins and for the most part men search so superficially that they scarse finde any thing to be sinne such excuses are made such distinctioÌ„s are deuised such mittigations such qualifications such colours are cast vppon all sinnes as now vp and downe the world grosse sins are called into question whether they be sins or no and the great transgressions of the lawe are counted small matters necessarie euils or inconueniences tollerated to auoyd other euils and what is he counted but a curious and a precise foole which stands vpon them Ignorance after fiue and thirtie yeares preaching is counted no sinne blind deuotion in Gods seruice no sin lippe labour in praying vaine and customable swearing mocking of religion and the professors thereof no sin prophaning of the Saboath contemning of preachers abusing of parents no sinnes pride in apparel superfluitie in meates beastly and ordinarie drunkennes fornication no sinnes Nay decites Cosonages oppressing vsury notorious briberie and couetousnes that mother sinne these are counted no sinnes these beames are made but moates by prophane men they are so minced and carued or there is some such necessitie of them or some such other flourish or vernish must be cast vpon theÌ„ as that they are little or none at all Alas alas is not that a simple a silly search where such blockes as these are lye vnspied what are moulehils when such mountaines are not seene Moates will be little regarded where such beames are not discerned but it is cleare that therefore there is no true trial nor diligent search made for a true conuert will search his heart for all and wil spare none He deales in searching his owne heart as a good Iustice of peace in searching for traytors or Seminarie Priests He seekes not superficially but most exactly and leaueth neuer a corner vnsought and he thinkes great sinnes to be infinite and little sinnes great and iudgeth no sinne so small but that it deserueth the anger of God therefore he wonders at the mercy of God which throwes vs not al downe to hel in a moment he crieth out with holy Ieremie It is the Lords mercie that we are not consumed Away then with this superficial hypocritical search where so many sinnes are spared and not found out It is Pharisaical for euen so the Pharisie when hee came into the Temple to recken with God and to tell what Traytours hee had found that is what sinnes vpon good search hee had espied he returnes his precept all is well he hath found neuer a one but beginnes to thanke God that he was so good and so good and not so il and so il nor yet like the Publicane The world is full of Pharisies not onely the popish Church but euen our Church swarms with these superficial searchers who cannot because they will not finde any sinnes to present vnto God Men thinke in the Countrie a Church Officer hazards his Oath if he present all well and findeth no fault in his Parish to present as punishable to the Ordinary for men thinke it vnpossible that there should bee none in a whole parish then how doth that man hazard his own soule who being made ouerseer searcher of his heart findes nothing in it to present to the Lord. For it is not more easie to espie outward actual traÌ„sgessions in a whole parish then it is to finde a heape of corruptions in a mans heart if a man will search into the bottome of it with the light of Gods Law Therefore when the Lord comes and keepes his visitation what shal become of such a man but to vndergoe the strict and seuere search of the Almightie because hee would not search himselfe Our bodyes and liues are free from spanish Inquisition which is one of the last props which Sathan hath lent the Pope wherewith to vphold his declining kingdom and the Lord grant we may be euer free from it But in the meane time that might put vs in mind how to deale with our corrupt hearts and vnmortified affections euen to erect an Inquisition ouer them to lay in waite for them to search them narrowly and to vse them roughly yea to set our hearts vpon the rack of Gods law that so it may confesse the secret wickednesse of it for the Papistes doe not thinke vs Protestants greater enemies to their superstition then the inward corruptions of our hearts are to our saluation therefore it may bee a godly pollicie for euery man curn to erect an Inquisition ouer his owne heart and conscience and not to spare his most secret and dearest sinnes and such as are neerest allyed to his owne nature for that is the true search here commaunded by the Prophet and practised by all Godly and holy men when a man purposeth to finde al that are to espie eueÌ„ al his sins for a godly man is neuer satisfied in his search but still the more he findes he suspects the more are stil behind and therefore hee continueth searching his owne heart all his life long Therefore let euery professor looke to it betwixt God and his conscience that he dally not with himselfe in ths case for if he doe then
must therefore know that his sinne in eating the forbidden fruite was thy sinne and thou sinnedst therein as well as he though thou wast then vnborne and that thou art guiltie of it before God and must answere for it to Gods iustice vnlesse Christ doe it for thee The reason hereof is because we are his seede posteritie we were thē in his loynes he was the father of vs all and was not a priuate mā as we are now but a publike person the pledge of al mankind and bare the person of vs all at that time therefore what he did then hee did it for himself for vs what couenant God made with him was made for himselfe and vs what God promised him and he to God he promised for himselfe for vs what he receiued in his Creation he receiued for himselfe and for vs and what he gained or lost by his fall he gained and lost for vs as for himselfe He lost the fauour of God and originall puritie therefore he lost it for all his posteritie guiltinesse and Gods anger and corruption of nature which he gained he got for vs all as well as for himselfe If we doubt of this point it is proued by the Apostle where the holy Ghost saith Sin entred by one man and death by sinne and that sinne went ouer all and that it went ouer all them which sinned not in the like transgression with Adam that is euen our children who as they are borne are borne not onely tainted with originall corruption but guiltie also of Adams sinne This is a most certaine truth though it seeme strange for fewe men thinke of it that euer they shall answer for Adams sinne and therefore if any obiect what reason is there that I answere for another mans sinne I answere true if it had bene Adams sinne alone but it was his and thine also for hee was thy father and stoode in thy roome and thou also since thou wast borne hast confirmed what hee did Now therefore though not one of many thinkes seriously thereof namely that he should stand guilty of a sin committed more then fiue thousand yeares before he was born yet seeing it is most true both in Scripture and good reason let euery man subscribe in his conscience to this truth And let this be thy first resolution in this Search that thou standest guilty of Adams transgression The second rule to bee knowne is that in euery man are all sinnes more plainly that in euery man by nature are the seedes of all sinnes and that not in the worst but in the best natured men make choyse of the best man and the greatest sinne and that worst sinne is to be found in that best man If any doubt of this let him consider what originall sinne is namely a corruption of the powers of our soules and that not of some or in part but of all and wholy This corruption hath two parts First a want not of some but of all good inclination a want of all goodnesse Secondly a deprauation pronenesse not to some but to all euill and not a pronenesse onely but originall sin infuseth into euery mans heart the seed of all corruption Many men stand much vpon their good meaning and vpright heart and bragge of a good nature but they are foulely deceiued for take the ciuilest man vpon the earth and the seeds of all sins in the world are in him by nature But to explaine this point fully obserue these two clauses First I say not the practise of all sinnes but the seedes for all men practise not all sinne the seedes are in their nature but the practise is restrained sometime by education sometime by good and wholesome lawes sometime the constitution of mens bodies deny the practise of some sinnes sometime the Countrey a man dwels in or calling a man liues in keepes him from the practise of some sinnes and alwayes a generall and limitting grace of God restraines the natures of all men from running into many sinnes which hand of God if God should take away and leaue euery man to his nature wee should see that euerie man would practise any sinne in the world yea euen the greatest sinnes that euer wee heard to bee done in the world All men which knowe themselues knowe this to be true And the more a man knowes his owne heart the more he seeth that his heart is a sea of all wickednesse that it is the mercy and grace of God that hee hath not fallen into the mightiest most monstrous sinnes in the world Secondly I say by nature For I know by good education by grace it is otherwise grace rectifieth nature but that is no thankes to nature for it is as euill and corrupt still being seuered from grace and therefore nature must be fully abolished afore man come to heauen And yet though all this be true I say not that sin breakes out in all natures alike though all natures be alike corrupt for the course of nature is restrained in some more then others by the meanes aforesaid but this is the truth that whereas some are not so angry some not so wanton some not so cruel some not so couetous som not so ambitious c. as others that comes not from any goodnesse of nature in them aboue the other originally but from Gods hand which tempereth restraineth and moderateth euery mans nature as he seeth good And if God did not thus moderate restraine the natures of men but suffer them to breake out to the full there would then be no order but all confusion in the world therefore as especially for his Churches quietnesse so also for the preseruatiō of publike peace and the vpholding of societie in the world betweene man and man the Lord holdes a hand ouer euery mans nature and keepes euery one in a certaine compasse limitted by the wisdom of his power which restraining hand of his if the Lord should take away all societies and common wealths would be turned vpside downe because euery man by the vniuersall corruption of his nature would breake out into euery sinne I ende this point with appealing to the testimonie of the consciences of all men and especially of the best and holiest men of whom I would aske this question whether they find not in their natures an inclination euen to the foulest sinnes in the world if shame or feare or else the grace of God restrained them not so that the best men doe knowe well enough what adoe they haue with their corrupt natures to keepe them within the compasse of Obedience Nay I yet adde further the nature of men and of all men is so corrupt since Adam that euen the seede of the sinne against the holy Ghost and a pronenesse to it is in the nature of euery man though not one man amongst many thousandes doe commit that sinne for seeing in that sinne there is a heape or Sea of all sinnes gathered together
of all sinne makes a man bold in Gods presence and rather desirous then afraid to behold Gods glory which shall bee most apparant at the last day for when the wicked shal desire rather to be couered with the hilles and ground to dust by the mountaines then to appeare before the face of God then shal the godly whose holinesse shal then bee perfect looke vp and lift vp their heads because their redemption is so nigh And Iob testifieth of himselfe that hee knoweth his redeemer liueth and that hee shall stand before him looke vpon him with his eyes Thus as guiltinesse driues a man from the kings presence but innocency makes him bold before him So sinfulnesse makes a man auoid Gods presence but holinesse makes him drawe neare vnto God and to reioyce in his presence Then for a conclusion of this point let all men heare learne the way to true courage and boldnesse before GOD namely to repent dayly of their sinnes and labour to growe in true holinesse wealth nor wit learning nor authoritie can do this for thee but onely a good conscience which must bee made good by grace and by repentance then shalt thou reioice in Gods presēce in this world and delight to thinke of God to speake of God to pray vnto him to meete him in his word and sacraments and at the last day shalt thou stand with confidence before the throne of his glory Hitherto of the feare and astonishment of the Prophet and of the causes thereof Now followeth his consolation Then flewe one of the Seraphims c. In these two verses is laid downe the second generall point namely the consolation of the Prophet concerning which there are two points in the text 1. the ground and matter of his consolation that is the forgiuenesse of his sinnes 2 Diuers circumstances of that consolation 1 The time Then 2 The minister by whom it was done an Angell one of the Seraphims 3 The manner how he did it speedily He flewe 4 The instrument or outward signe a Coale from the altar 5 The outward action or application of it He touched his lippes The matter of the consolation is last in order Let vs therefore first speake of the Circumstances The first circumstance is the time when this Prophet was comforted and raised frō his feare Then saith the text that is after his feare and astonishment but not afore Thus dealt God alwaies with all his Saints he bestoweth no graces on thē pertaining to saluation but after he hath by some meanes or other brought thē to true humiliation in themselues and to sorrow for their sinnes Humiliation is the preparatiue for grace for when by sight and sense of their sinnes and their owne misery by sinne he hath euen driuen 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 refresheth their weary soules with the deawe of his mercy this point needes no further proofe for looke into the Scriptures we shal finde God neuer called any man to the state of grace or to any notable worke or function in his Church but hee first humbled them and then brought them out of al conceit with themselues and 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 commonly men take them impatiently our nature grudgrudgeth against 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 lay some great affliction on thee it may be he hath some mighty worke of his grace to worke in thee or som great work of mercie to bewroght by thee in his church and hereby prepareth thee for the same Say therefore with the holy Prophet I helde my tongue ô 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 mind in sense of their finnes and sight of Gods wrath their state 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 comforts not but him that is distressed God hath mercie on none but such as both knowne and feele they want it and knowe also that they knowe not where to haue it but at his hands Happie therefore is that soule that feeles the waight and burden of sin for to him wil Christ bring most ease and comfort Gods Ministers 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 euē Then are they most capable of comfort and best prepared to receiue it as here it sell out to the holy Prophet Thirdly here is the way taught vs how to attaine to any excellēt 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 humilitie low-linesse confesse to God acknowledge in themselues the want of them So the blessed Virgin singeth God filleth the hungry with good things but the rich hee sendes emptie away And so the Psalmist God satisfieth the hungry soule and filleth the emptie soule with goodnesse So then if thou be rich in thy conceits God hath not for thee but if thou be hungry he is readie to fill thee with good things and dost 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 emptie of hope and fraught with feare then behold euen then God and his Angels ready to raise thee vp to fill thee with consolation Thus much for the time of his consolation 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 and 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 traditiōs of equal authority with the scriptures Secondly that these holy Angels are the glorious
but to be this Interpreter which the holy Ghost heere saith a Minister must bee But to bee able to speake with this tongue is first to bee furnished with humane learning Secondly with Diuine knowledge as farre as it may by outward meanes bee taught from man to man but besides these hee that will speake this tongue aright must be inwardly learned and taught by the spirit of God the two first he must learne from men but the third from God a true Minister must be inwardly taught by the spiritual school-maister the holy Ghost Saint Iohn in the Reuelatiō must take the book that is the Scripture and eate it and when hee hath eaten it then saith the Angell he must goe preach to Nations tongues people and to Kings which was done not that Saint Iohn had not eaten that booke in the comming downe of the holy Ghost the very ende of whose comming was to teach them spiritually but that in him Christ might teach his Church for euer that no Minister is fit to preach to nations and to Kings vntill they haue eaten the booke of God that is till after and besides all the learning that man can teach them they be also taught by the spirit of God himselfe and this teaching is it that makes a man a true interpreter and without this he cannot be for how can a man bee Gods interpreter to his people vnlesse he knowe the mind of God himselfe and how can he knowe the minde of God but by the teaching of the spirit of God For as no man knoweth the thought of a man but the spirit of man that is in him So the things of God knoweth no mā but the spirit of god Indeed we may be mans interpreter by humane teaching and may interpret the Scriptures truly and soundly as a humane booke or storie for the increase of knowledge but the diuine spiritual interpreter which shal pearce the hart and astonish the soule of man must bee taught by the inward teaching of the holy Ghost Let no man thinke I heere giue the least allowance to Anabaptisticall fancies and reuelations which are nothing but eyther dreames of their owne or illusions of the Diuell 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 worde onely I teach this that a Minister must bee a diuine Interpreter an Interpreter of Gods meaning And therfore he must not onely reade the books but eate it that is not onely haue the knowledge of Diuine things flowing in his braine but ingrauen in his heart and printed in his soule by the spirituall finger of God and therefore for this end after all his owne study meditation conference Commentaries and after all humane helps hee must pray with Dauid Open thou mine eyes that I may see the wonders of thy lawe 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 Lord giue me 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 holinesse of life In Esay the king of Assiria is saide to bee sanctified or set a part 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 necessarie for this great and glorious worke of the edification of Gods Church A Minister is to declare the reconciliation betwixt God and man and is hee 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 and neuer felt the sweetenesse thereof in his owne soule Dare hee come to preach sanctification with polluted lips and out of an vnsanctified heart Moses might not stand vpon the Mount in Gods presence till hee had put off his shooes from off his feet Exod. 3. and dare any man presume to come into this most high and holy presence of the Lord vntill 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 saide that God will be sanctified in all that come neere him but who come so neere vnto God as the Ministers do So that it is apparant Ministers doe sanctifie the people and in some construction God himselfe Nowe shall they one way bee sanctifiers of the people another way of God himselfe and 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 labours in the Church many want no learning no ability to interpret yet how fewe soules doe they bring to God Some it may bee are conuerted by their Ministerie that God may shewe the efficacie is not in the person of man but in the ordinance of God but fewe doubtlesse for ought that we can see to teach vs how God hateth him which will take in hand to reconcile others to God himselfe being vnreconciled Seing-then Ministers are Gods Interpreters to the people to declare publish their reconciliation with God and that they cannot be reconciled vnlesse they be sanctified and can so hardly bee 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 know more perfectly how to discharge the office of true Interpreters betwixt God and his people And thus we haue the true titles of a true Minister Now it followeth in the Text. One of a thousand Here is the second part of this description which is by the rarenesse 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 and a true Interpreter is no common or ordinarie man but thin sowne one of many Nay one of a thousand The meaning hereof is to be conceiued either properly or figuratiuely in the figuratiue sence it is spoken in relation to ministers themselues in the proper sense it hath a comparison with all men the figuratiue and hyperbolicall sense is that of all the Ministers in the worlde not one of many is a right Angel and a true Interpreter the plaine proper sense is that amongst the men of this worlde there is not one of a thousand which proues a true Minister For this point let vs examine three points the truth of it the reasons of it and the vse of it The truth hereof is
Ministers let this suffice them they are the men that must declare vnto man his righteousnesse euen he that scornes and contemnes the ministerie hee hath no righteousnesse in him vnlesse it bee by the meanes of a poore Minister then doe thou thy duty and bee that mockes thee hath cause to honour thee And let this encourage Students to consecrate themselues to the ministery 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 honoured in the harts of all Gods children and euen in the conscience of some whose tongues doe smite thee and the soules of thousands when they dye shal blesse thee who in their liues cared not for thee and the diuell himselfe doth enuy the holy Angels themselues doe wonder at the excellency of thy calling in that thou hast power to declare vnto men his righteousnesse In the next place hearers may heere learne first if their righteousnesse bee thus to bee 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 taste the sweetnes of the Gospell which hath not first swallowed the bitter pilles of the law if therefore thou wouldest be declared righteous by the Gospell bee content first to bee pronounced miserable by the lawe if thou wouldst be declared righteous in Christ then bee 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 beholde 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 bee had againe and who when the diuell haleth thee to the barre of Gods iustice to receiue triall for thy sinnes can drawe thee there such a declaration as the diuell himselfe shall not bee able to answere and who when thy soule is sicke to death and euen to damnation can heale the deadly wounds thereof A good minister therefore is worthy as the Apostle saith of double honour whose dutie wee 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 Physitians care for the body or the Lawyers for thy cause are both inferiour duties to this of the Mininister A good Lawyer may be one of tenne a good Physitian one of 20. a good man one of 100. but a good minister is one of 1000. A good Lawyer may declare the true state of thy cause a good Physitian may declare the true state of thy body No calling no man can declare vnto thee thy righteousnesse but a true Minister And thus we see the office or function of a minister Now followeth the blessing Then will he haue mercy vpon him The fourth generall part of this description 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 will he 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 heart 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 wee see the great and glorious account which God makes of the worde of his ministers by them truly taught and rightly applyed namely that he as it were tyeth 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 soone as he doth knowe it then as we see here God wil haue mercy on him and will say deliuer him c. This is no small honour to ministers and to their Ministerie that God himselfe giues a blessing vnto it worketh when they work and as it were staieth wayting when they declare vnto a man his righteousnesse and then hath he mercy on him so powerfull and so effectuall is the worde spoken by a minister of God This is that which Christ auoucheth Whatsoeuer you loose in earth shall be loosed in heauen Will you knowe the meaning hereof Reade Saint Iohn whose sinnes soeuer you remit they are remitted whose you retaine they are retained will you haue the meaning of both read Esay God destroyeth the tokens of Soothsayers and makes Wisards and Astrologers fooles turneth worldly wisemen backward and makes their knowledge foolishnesse but hee confirmeth the word of his seruants and performeth the counsel 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 still rebelling against the will of God he therfore declareth vnto him his vnrighteousnes his sin denounceth vnto him the misery curses of Gods iustice as due vnto him for the same here he binds on earth here he retains on earth this mans sins are likewise bound retained in heauen On the other side hee seeth a man penitēt belieuing he pronounceth forgiuenes of sins happines vnto him for the same he looseth him from the band of his sins by declaring vnto him his righteousnes this mans sins are likewise loosed remitted in heauen God himselfe doth pronounce him cleare in heauen when the Minister doth on earth Thus God confirmeth the word of his seruants 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 and 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 bee great and they bee Gods vppon earth yet must they withall acknowledge that in iustifying a sinner in interpretation in declaring vnto man his righteousnes in binding and 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 highly must they respect it for though a man speake it yet is it the word of God this is to lick the dust of Christs feete which the Prophet speaketh of not as the Pope would haue it to hold the stirrop leade the horse hold the water to the Pope to kisse his toes to holde their kingdomes of him as tenants at will or by curtesie but reuerently to acknowledge the ordinance to be Gods the function duty to be high excellent to acknowledge the power of their keyes and censures being rightly applied their promises their threatnings to be as frō God to submit to them accordingly Secondly Ministers thēselues here must learne when they take the word of reconciliation into their hands and mouthes to call to minde whose it is euen the Lords and that he worketh with them hath the greatest hand in the work and that therefore they must vse it in holymaner with much feare and reuerence It is not their owne they may not vse it as they list And lastly Hearers are here taught first to see how mad such men be which carelesly and sildome heare sermons but vpon any occasion flye to wisards and charmers which are the diuels Prophets for see the difference of these two the wisard and charmer hath societie with the diuell the Preacher with God the charmer hath his calling from the diuel the Preacher is from God the Charmers charme is the diuels watchword when he charmeth the diuell doth the feate the preachers doctrine is Gods watchword when hee truly applyeth it GOD himselfe ratifieth and makes it good therefore let all men feare to haue thus to doe with the diuell by seeking to his slaues let them draw neere to God by entring into fellowship with his holy prophets and godly Ministers And further if when they preach and thou belieuest then GOD hath mercy on thee then learne what reuerence they and their word is worthy of which is thus accompanied with Gods mercy and forgiuenes and then learne to heare the Word with feare and trembling for it is Gods word and not theirs and when a true Minister saith 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 another man pronounce forgiuenesse vnto me vpon my repentance I answere yes vndoubtedly if it be in extraordinarie times or places when there are no Ministers for otherwise certainly this blessing is principally tied vnto the Ministers calling for it is not said of any priuate mens calling any wher in the scripture as it is heere saide of the ministers If an Angell an Interpreter come to a man and declare vnto him his righteousnesss then marke the conexion then will GOD haue mercy on him and will say Deliuer him c. Whence comes this blessing from this promise of God If therfore other callings wil challenge ordinarily the same blessing then must they haue the same prosmise Besides other Christiās 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 truly iudge when a man hath repented when not and therefore cannot so truly pronounce the sentence of the law or Gospel nor haue they abilitie ordinarily by their good conference and Christian counsell to conuert a soule but to confirme one conuerted but that power ordinarily belongs to the publike ministery of the word therefore it followeth that ordinarily they haue not the power to pronounce the sentence of binding or loosing vppon any man I confesse in times or places where no minister can be had God blesseth the labours of priuate men that haue knowledge sometimes euen for the conuerting of a man to God for comforting him at the houre of death and giues a vertue and power to that sentence which they shal pronounce one vpon anothers repentance but as this is extraordinary and in the want of ordinary Ministers so in that case a priuate man of knowledge and Godlinesse is made a Minister for that time to himselfe or to another euen as a priuate man in cases of extreame danger whē no magistrate is present is made a magistrate himselfe to defend his own life So then as in want 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 the dayes of persecution that then they may with comfort admonish aduise and with power pronounce mercy and forgiuenesse one vnto another vpon their true repentance Yet alwaies remember that in so doing a priuate man is as a minister for that time in that case but ordinarily and alwaies 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 we see also the blessing of God vpon the function of the Ministerie annexed therunto by the merciful dispensation of God It followeth And will say Deliuer him that he goe not downe into the pit for I haue receiued a reconciliation The fift and last part of this description is the Commission authoritie giuen vnto him which is so great as neuer was giuen to any creature and is this when a Minister of God hath declared vnto man his righteousnesse hath brought him to the state of grace and God in his fauour hath had mercie 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 hee 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 safetie 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
common pollutions of his people It may bee therefore good counsell to all godly Ministers in the placing 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 almost the onely questions now adayes but principally to regard what a people they be and how affected amongst whome they are to liue if godly and wel disposed or at least tractable and gentle willing to be taught theÌ„ lesse to regard other incommodities but if wicked and prophane or which is worse stubborne froward and vntractable then lesse to regard the greatest commodities certainly if this point be well considered of and how bitter it hath beene in the ende to many who haue not regarded it it will appeare that this is the best encouragement or discouragement the greatest commoditie or discommoditie and the best reason either to win a maÌ„ to a place or to drawe him from it how good soeuer it be otherwayes they that neglect this dutie and are led or misled rather with carnall and wordly respects how iust is it vpon theÌ„ when they are made to cry in the sorrowe of their soule Wâ—e 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 be grieued for doubtlesse they are farre better theÌ„ those who haue great liuings and an euill people But as for those to whom God hath bene so good as to bestowe vpon them competent liuings and a willing and well disposed people let them thinke themselues double blessed of God and treble bound to honour God to doe good in his Church and if such men goe not before their brethren in al Ministerial care and dutie their fault is aboue al mens they make themselues vnworthy of so great mercies Againe if that a polluted people pollutes their Minister here is a good warning for al ministers to be wary choyse of their companie with whom they will most priuately conuerse for as on the one side they may not retire themselues into solitarinesse nor sequester theÌ„selues from all societie with their people which is rather a Cimicall and fantasticall 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 all companies as too many doe in our Church to the great scandall therof who care not with whom they conuerse but all companies all places all times all sportes recreations al meetings all occasions are one with them but alas what maruel though such men keepe not theÌ„selues vnspotted of the world but proue too offensiue to their calling for seeing the best meÌ„ cannot liue with the best people but they shall receiue some contagion from them how carefully ought ordinary ministers to make difference of men and meetings times and places and not diffusedly carelesly to thrust themselues into all So doing shall they keepe their calling from much reproach preserue themselues from much pollution which otherwise from their polluted people they shal be sure to receiue And here people are to be admonished not too sharpely to censure their ministers though hee bee not so sociable with them all as it may bee many would expect for it concerns no man to be so warie of his company and his sports as it doeth the minister and if they would haue comfort and honour by their minister let them bee carefull into what recreations company they draw or desire him for the more polluted the people are amongst whom he liues the more carefull must he bee to keepe himself cleare from their pollutions Lastly here people are taught not to be too sharpe condemners of those ministers whose conuersations are not so vnblameable as were to be wished for as they liue ill generally the cause is because they liue amongst an il people Why then should they so much condemne them for such faults as wherein themselues haue made them faultie I say not but our Church and state and Ministerie are to censure such men and it were good they did it more but it is against all reason the people should do so wheras themselues are the cause of it For alas if this holy Prophet was a man of polluted lippes because hee dwelt with a people of polluted lippes what maruell then though ordinary Ministers be polluted with the common and vniuersall pollutions of their people People therefore are first of all to see that themselues bee well ordered and godly and then iustly may they complaine if the liues of their Ministers be not agreeable but otherwise it is not possible without very special grace of God but that a minister shal be more or lesse touched with those crimes which are the coÌ„mon faults of his people And lamentable experience daily lets vs see that where a people in a town is giuen to drunkennesse there the Minister is either so for company or at least too good a fellow where a people are giuen to contention there the Minister hath too many fuites where the people be Popish there the Minister is too superstitious where the people bee ignorant there the Minister is no great clarke where the people are giuen to any great sinne there the Minister generally is not cleare from the same pollution and it is seene that the best ministers most carefull of all doe complaine bitterly of the pollutions of their people for that how soeuer it may bee they escape partaking with their sins yet they alwayes finde at the least a dulling decaying of Gods graces in themselues where the people are vntoward and disobedient If therefore a Minister liues with such a people his case is pittifull and daungerous for he walkes in the midst of nets and snares which are layd for him on euery side and if he escape them I meane if hee keepe himselfe vnspotted in the midst of a spotted polluted people his care and his conscience is worthy both admiration and imitation and himselfe is worthy double honour as being both a zealous minister and a holy man But he whoÌ„ God hath blessed with a good and tractable people and wel affected to the worde and yet himselfe liueth loosely scandalously amongst them a heauy burden and a hard account lyeth on that minister and no rebuke is too rough no punishment too great no censure too sharpe for him And if this holy Prophet feare so much the presence of God for his small pollutions and yet liued amongst so wicked and polluted a people then what heauinesse and horror shall bee heaped on his soule who cares not with how foule pollutions his life be stained and yet liueth amongst a godly wel disposed people And thus wee haue