Text what you are to expect even to be hated of all men for Christs sake he that would discharge his calling faithfully must expect to be the object of most mens hat'red the Ministery me thinks is like the cloud that guided the Israelites that had a bright side and a dark side most men look upon the bright but few on the dark side most men consider the encouragement but few the discouragements of the Ministery they undertake the Burden before they consider the weight of it or the weakness of their own shoulders hēce it is that many have as shamefully quitted the Ministery as they have in considerately undertaken it but how ever this may be for our comfort and encouragement that all the Prophets all the Apostles yea Christ himself was hated upon this account can the Servant expect to fare better then the Master 't is his honour that he can be like him though it be in suffering to write after him though in letters of Blood 2. That the Preachers of the word should be truth tellers in the prosecution of it I shall use this method 1. Give you some Scripture 2. Some reasons 3. Shew you what truth the man of God should tell 4. I shall tell some truths which I take to be very suitable to and necessary for this auditory 5. Make use That the Preachers of the Gospel should be truth tellers is clear from these Scripture Rom. 9. 1. I say the truth in Christ Jesus Ily not my conscienee also bearing mee witnesse in the Holy Ghost St. Pauls practise should be ours what he sayes we should say Prov. 22. 20. Have I not written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge that I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth that thou mayest answere the words of truth to them that send to thee 2. things observeable from this Text. 1. That the words of truth are the words of certainty 2. That when we are asked we should answere them with these words Eccl. 12. 10. The Preacher sought to find out accuptable words upright words even words of truth Solomon in the precedent verse tells us of a wise Preacher let us observe what he did he will teach us how to make our Sermons the wise Preacher did not vent out any unpremeditated undigested extemporary flashes but he sought to find out and what did he seek to find out not unseasonable unsuitable things things that come like rain in Harvest or snow in Summer but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seasonable suitable apposite acceptable things and I pray what were those not the Chimoeraes of his own brain not the dictates of a private spirit not totering hovering probabilities not shameful falsehoods but words of truth Malach. 2. 6. We read their what Law was in Levyes mouth the Law of truth was in his mouth iniquity was not found in his lips this is that for which Christ came into the World and would you know the reason of it take breifly these two 1. The good Divine is in Gods stead he personates God interprets his mind as an Fmbassadour doth the Princes that sent him he is not onely the mouth of the people to God but the mouth of God to the people how ill doeth a ly become the mouth of that God that is truth it self so ill doth it become the mouth of the Divine that should speak nothing but what God would speak if he did speak himsalf 2 Corinth 5. 20. Now therefore we are Embassadours for Christ as though God did beseeeh you by us we pray you in Christs stead be reconciled to God the Minister may be tearmed Gods speaker And if he speaks any untruth he speaks for himself not his Master Oh! therefore with what reverence and serious preparation should we come to speak It is reported of the incomparable Bucolcer that he was so much Master of the heavenly art of Preaching that he could put his Auditours in to what passion he pleased as that excellent Musitian Timotheus did Alexander but many of you put your Auditors into no other passion but that which showes them to be rational me thinks the serious consideration of the greatnesse of Gods Majesty the greatnesse of the assembly the greatnesse of the work should enduce us to come prepared according to the preparations of the sanctuary 2. The Minister received nothing but truth therefore he should deliver nothing but truth The Minister the faithful witnesse should deliver nothing but what he received for if he doe he deliver's his own not God's that the Minister should deliver nothing but what he receive's is unquestionable 1 Cor. 11. 23. For I received of the Lord that which I also deliver unto you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have received from the Lord there 's his commission had I not received it I would not have delivered it you might have rationally suspended your beliefs and look't upon it as my own not my Masters that the Ministers received nothing but truth is as unquestionable for what he received he received from God which is the God of truth and cannot ly the Scriptures they are all truth he received nothing but Scripture therefore nothing but truth For Popish traditions we look upon them as the Commandments and Doctrines of men and not of God the Church may not make new principles of Religion but only declare illustrate interpret the old though it may constitute circumstantials yet not substantials shee may prescribe ordinances as touching the time place and order of Gods worship but not as touching the essentials of the Worship it self As the Church at Jerusalem decreed that the Church of the Gentiles should abstain from blood and things strangled Acts. 15. I proceed in the 3. place to tell you what truths the Man of God should tell 1. Divine Scripture truths not Philosophical but Theological truths such as make the Man of God wise unto salvation moral or natural truths may make a man wise but not wise unto salvation nature may tell us that there is a God but it cannot tell us how this God should be Worship't nature may tell us there is a Soveraigne happinesse but it cannot tell us what this happinesse is hence it was that the Philosophers concluded there was some white though none of them could hit it or come neer it Nature may tell us there is a way we should walk in though it cannot tell us how wee should walk in it we cannot see the Sun but by the Sun we know nothing savingly of God but by God we know nothing of the Sun of righteousnesse but by those comfortable beams that are darted from him as is the cause such will the effect be meerly natural causes cannot produce super-natural effects a man may as well expect Grapes from Thornes or Figgs from Thistles if the man of God fire a rebellious stiffenecked sinner out of his beloved sinne surely it must be with a coal fetch 't from the Altar
to fix on Lactantius tells us that Philosophy is nothing else but opinion And Austine in his book de Civit. Dei tells us that Philosophi sunt potins opinantes quam scientes Though Philosophy be nothing else but a heap of disputables a crow'd of it may bees yet Divinity should not be so Whether all things be made of Atoms or Aristotles principles it is not much material never soul was saved or damn'd for these opinions A great wit may find a way as probable as either But whether the soul be immortal or no whether there will be a day of judgement or not it highly concernes us to be sure of those things for if there be no judgement men may live as they list but if there be they must live as they should States men for the prevention of divisions have somewhat in Goverment indubitable and so should Church men if one Preach up universal redemption another Preach it down who shall the sequacious pendulous people believe me thinks having an unerring rule to square by we should agree in fundamentals at least wise if not in circumstantials 4. Necessary usefull Truths not Toyes Trifles barren and unprofitable Notions subtile speculations It should be the great care of a Divine to Preach those things that may make most for the edification of his Auditory he should shew them their damnable deplorable estate by Nature the True means of their recovery by Christ Preach about Faith Repentance Charity Love Humility Heavenly mindednesse Contentednesse Heaven Hell Death Judgement to come fully instruct them in the Lords Prayer and ten Commandements T is not impossible for a man to come here often and scarce heare a word of any of these This I speak not to disparage those that doe well but because I would have some doe better I could wish that the fundamentalls of Religion were more Preacht Proud men think it inconsistent with the greatnesse of their parts and sublimity of their wits to iusist upon these they are much like Angelus Politianus that would not vouchsafe to read the Scriptures because as he thought they did not containe elegancies suitable to his florid stile and Genius They think these things belong to men of weaker and slenderer parts they will exercise themselves in more refined and curious speculations they will Marshall the Angells and know what God did before he made the World who looks upon the Sunn but in an Eclipse who takes cognizance of the Moon but when Travelling a blazing Comet is more look't upon then all the regular stars in heaven the Kings dwarfe hath more eyes upon him then all the proper personable men that the King hath If a man Preach a solid substantiall peece upon some ordinary usefull poynt in Divinity we take no great notice of it but if some haeretick in Divinity preach a peece made up of meere staggering drunken probabilities present us with some spurious mishapen Brat of his own intellect which he can prove to be legitimate neither by Scripture nor reason this is cry'd up for a man of rare parts elevated advanced intellectualls So apt are wee Athenian like to admire nay even to adore Toyes and Novelties 5. Ancient Apostolick truths I do not mean here antiquity of a later standing such as the Papists pretend to but Originall prime antiquitie Old truths like old goverments are best Innovations in Church and State being equally dangerous Those truths are most Authentique that are as old as Christ and his Apostles An old truth like an old musicall Instrument sounds best in the eare of all good men Tertullian tells us Verum quod prius Adulterinum quod posterius It is good coyn that is first stamped and afterward that which is counterfeit The Husbandman first sowed good seed and then the envious man sowed tares This was the unanimous crie of the Councell of Calcedon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let Ancient things prevaile Blessed be God which hath in mercy restored our ancient goverment both in Church and State 6. Particular applied truths Generalia non pungunt generall Truths never pierce a soule or wound a Conscience Generall truths like the Papists generall faith never save a soule It is not a loafe whole that nourisheth but cut and eaten Spices are never more fragrant then when they are broken Nathan tells David which I think little thought of it thou art the Man S. Peter doth not mince the matter but tells the Jewes plainly and piercingly that they had murthered Christ And what was the effect of this soul searching soul peircing preaching when they heard these things they were pricked at the heart and there were three thousands of them converted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it was with them at if rapier points had been stuck in their spirits S. Paul might have entertained that Tyrant Faelix with some plausible discourse of the wonderfull birth life and death of Christ but he takes another course with him he reasons of righteousnesse temperance and judgement to come and this made him tremble He opposed righteousnesse to his briberies Temperance to his adulteries and judgement to come to his outragious insolencies 7. Peaceable truths Ministers are the servants of the God of Peace Embassadors of the Gospell of Peace they what ever other men are should be men of Peace they should be like the Cherubins of the Arke look upon one another with propitious Aspects the good Divine should not only pray but Preach for the Peace of Jerusalem Rogamus non Pugnamus Auguste was wont to be the language of the Church formerly it hath no weapons but those of prayers and teares Popish was the practice of the Covenanters that brought us hither a punie upstart Mushrome yesterday Religion upon the poynt of asword and truly had their swords been no keener then their arguments I think they might have been soon blunted 4. I proceed in the fourth place to tell you some truths which I think to be suitable to and convenient for this Auditory 1. That Arts and Sciences should be subservient and ancillatorie to Divinity that the Hagar of Humanity should not outbrave the Sarah of Divinity it must not justle it out and take up the best roomes in a Sermon how then comes it to passe that many of your Sermons are stuft with all Arts and Sciences but Divinity How comes it to passe that instead of making the Spouse borders of Gold with studds of silver a great many of you make her borders of brasse with studds of Tinn and pewter Are they not like Onesilaus his head that instead of braines was full of hony-combes When the Persian King sent Antalcidas the Lacedimonian Captain a Garland of flowers perfum'd with spices and odours he tells him Rosarum fragrantiam adulteratione perdidisti so may I say to many of you Concioneis majestatem adulteratione perdidistis With admirable fitnesse did the learned K. Iames compare such Sermons to the red and blew flowers that pester the corne which were
our King that sword which being pampered with Peace we wantonly drew God would not sheath till he had beat us with It and sheathed it in our Bowels How destructive Warre is to a Nation I need not tell you we have too too long tasted of the bitter fruits of it ever since that constrained departure of his Majesty from his Palace the devouring sword hath been among us till the happy restitution of our now Raigning Soveraigne How did our own mercilesse fellow subjects like the Tyrants of Athens or like so many Wolves or Tygers worry us That usurped Dominion which they unlawfully got by the sword they as unlawfully maintained by the sword O what summes did they extort from us that they might consume it upon their lusts O what armies did their appaled guilty consciences levy O how did they scarre us into a constrained obedience Though our bodies were subject to them yet our hearts and souls onely to our lawful Prince 2. As we wanted Peace so also truth instead of ancient Apostolique truths we had onely divided novelties figments Chimeras the dreams and fancies of deluded mens brains who would own nothing for truth but what made for their own interests Instead of Preaching loyalty they Preached rebellion instead of Preaching unity they Preached Schisme and Heresy The Church mourn'd the Woman was fled into the Wildernesse Religion put on black our pious learned teachers were driven into corners the blind led the blind our Starres of the first magnitude were overclouded there were no stately Cedars left in the Lebanon of the Church few or no Trees that bare pleasant fruit were standing in the Paradise of God Those Divines that were most eminent for piety and learning were silenced their adversaries works were the works of darknesse therefore they hated the light and the dispencers of it The seers themselves were blind the people perished because there was no vision England was turned Amsterdam any one that had lost his Religion might have found it here every family had a certain Religion peculiar to it self The Universities were discountenanced the Church revenues converted to private mens uses They that had no reverence for the Crown had lesse for the Mitre 'T was no wonder that they that would have no King would have no Bishop England that was the Goshen of the World a Land of light was now turned into an Egypt a Land of darknesse It was such darknesse as we afterwards felt in those swarmes of Heresies and blasphemous opinions that were among us 3. The want of Lawes and the due administration of Justice As it is one of the great happinesses of a Nation to have good Lawes and to have them executed so it is the great misery of a Nation either to be without Lawes or without the execution of them this was our misery the Fountains of Justice were Sealed the Streams were dam'd up those Servants that ruled over us they turned judgement into gall and the fruits of righteousnesse into hemlock they trampled upon all the Fundamental Lawes of the Land they raced the very Foundations of Government they knew no Lawes but their lusts and what ambition prompted them to The voice of Justice could not be heard for the beating of Drums sounding of Trumpets the prerogative of the King the priviledges of Parliament the just rights and liberties of the people were violated and trodden upon it was death as much as to name any of these a man could call nothing his own neither was there any certainty of any thing We were nothing else but a sacrifice to their ambition and cruelty For the iniquities of our Nation many were our Princes we that would not submit to the Government of one pious mercifull King before were afterwards compelled to submit to the Tyranny of thirty or fourty mercilesse ones these these were the miseries these were the heavy burdens we sighed and groaned under when we had no King in this our Israel Now we have seen the black let us now see the white we have heard the harsher and more grating let us now hear the sweeter and more ear-pleasing notes Let us view those blessings that we enjoy now God hath bin pleased to give us a King in this our Israel As the setting of our first Sun King Charles the I. the mirrour of Kings and glory of Martyrs was one of the greatest causes of our miseries darknesses ever since so the rising of King Charles the II. is under God the greatest cause of our light warmth and comfort This Sun like the Sun of Righteousnesse did arise with healing under his wings Parallell and answerable to all our fore mentioned wounds In King Charles the II. we have a salve 1. We have peace our wound was war now oursalve is peace What can be more acceptable to a Nation so long worried with wars than peace Peace it is the glue that cements and sodders a divided distracted Nation It is a choice mercy a token of Gods love and favour Surely if warre be a great judgement then by the rule of contraries peace cannot but be a great mercy Peace is the Mother of plenty the nourisher of arts and ingenuity it is hard to tell whether a Nation be more miserable by war or happy by Peace whether the one doth it more harme or the other good Now our insulting Tyrannizing lawlesse armies are disbanded that were wont to destroy not defend us and blessed by God we can sit in Peace and quietnesse under our own Vines and Fig-tree and there is none to make us affraid 2. As we have Peace so we have also truth Peace and truth doe well together it is our happinesse that we have both now our eyes behold our teachers such as have the tongue of the learned and know how to speak a word in due season such as can divide the word of truth aright pastours that can feed us with knowledge Now the Starres of the Church are fixed the Trees of Paradise take root Universities are in couraged the Churches revenues are restored Religion learning and what soever is praise worthy flourish The word is Preached the Sacraments are administred in a reverent decent manner all things are done decently and in order The face of all things both in Church and State is more amiable and lovely 3. As there is respect had to Divine so also to humane Lawes we are now governed by the ancient fundamental Lawes of our Realme these are the compasses that we steer by these are the standing rules of the Nation Justice now runs down like a mighty stream and waters all our Land the cryes of the Fatherlesse and Widow are heard courts are open grievances are redressed the Kings prerogative the Priviledges of Parliament the liberties of the subject are all preserved inviolate These are the happinesses we enjoy under the wings of a gracious Prince and surely happy is the people that is in such a case If we reflect upon our former and
as to the heart of the giver Hence it was that the poor Widows mite was so acceptable she did not only cast her mite but her heart also into the treasury 4. Cheerefully cheerefulnesse it puts a lustre upon an action and makes it amiable in the eyes of God and men God loves a cheerefull giver one that is as willing to give as a poor man is to aske Gods will should be done on earth as it is in Heaven the Angels are said to have wings because of their alacrity and cheerfulnesse the obeying of Gods commands The cheerfulnesse of our countenances should denote the willingnesse of our hearts 5. Affably with a great deal of affability and humanity it is not good to insult over men in misery if we will not relieve them yet we should not abuse them the softnesse of our tongues should denote the softnesse of our hearts We are not onely to give good things but also good words ill is the custome of those that give men good things and bad words it is to be feared that they give out of some sinister end and not out of a fellowfeeling of their Brethrens miseries it is to be feared that where their words are so hard their hearts are hard and unrelenting An act of mercy should be done mercifully 6. Quickly speedly his dat qui cito dat he gives twice that gives quickly We should be as ready to relieve our poor weak sicke Brethren as they are to aske relief Many a man is so long in giving his almes that the poor man dyes before it comes But such slow motions tell us that charity is allmost if not quite dead Questionlesse if we were ready to dye for hunger our selves we would make more haste to the cupboard Prov. 3. 28. Say not to thy Neighbour goe and come again to morrow when thou hast it by thee 7. We must doe good out of a right principle and to a right end Actio bona vel mala est ex circumstantiis circumstances denominate an action either good or bad and of circumstances the end hath not the lest stroke in the denomination of an action Our good actions must flow from a principle of faith and be directed to Gods glory as their ultimate end this is the grand end of all this is that mark at which we ought to aime in all our thoughts words and actions this is that for which man the Epitome of the World and the Master piece of Gods creation was made That action is to no end that is not to a right end A thing is not presently good that is good in it self unlesse it be also well done a thing may be good materially and yet bad formally a Heathen may doe a good action and yet not doe it well then we give aright when we give in obedience to Gods command and that we may testify our thankfulnesse So much may suffice for the fifth thing the manner how we are to doe it I proceed in the 6. place to shew you some of those publicke uses for which we are to lay out our riches some of those publicke wayes of doing good These publicke uses they are either civil or Ecclesiastical Civil when a man layes out his estate for the good of the common-wealth Ecclesiastical when a man layes out his estate for the good of the Church both these wayes of expressing our charity are very commendable have deservedly rendred many famous Aurelius commends Vespasian for a brave Prince because at his own charge he repaired the Capitoll the Temple of peace and the monument of Claudius 't is for Augustus his honour that he found Rome all brick but left it all Marble Trajan deservedly hath the honour of Dions pen because he did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many necessary works for the good of the Commonwealth Magnificeuce is one of the fairest flowers in a Princes Garland one of the richest Jewels in his Crown Princes formerly were reputed good or bad according to those publike edifices that they had built As good actions to the Commonwealth prove a mans love to it so doe good actions to the Church argue a mans love to Religion and they are no lesse to be commended that have laid out their estates for the good of Churches and Colledges David did not think it became him to dwell in an house of Cedars when the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord remained under curtaines he had a good mind to build God an house And it was not the lest of Solomons praises that he did so that he was a builder of the Temple Gods Children are not transformers of Churches into Barnes and Stables but they are described to be such as shall build up the old waste places such as raise up the foundation of many generations When the Jewes would commend the Centurion to our Saviour they represent him under this notion he was one that loved their Nation and built them a Synagogue He had done them an eminent courtesy and therefore he was worthy to receive one No lesse are they to be honoured that have been Benefactours to Colledges and Schools of learning 2 King 6. 1. When the Sons of the Prophets went to fetch beams for the inlarging of their dwellings Elisha went along with them Eminent was the charity of the ancients this way they did shew us that the Tree of faith was a live by the fruits of their good works The two famous beauties of our Nation Oxford Cambridge had many rich lovers that presented them with large gifts If we may believe Bucero as large as any in the whole World King Henry the VIII and Cardinal Woolsey were Founders of that royall and ample foundation of Christs Church in Oxford Baliol King of the Scots was Founder of Baliol. Sr. William Peter augmented Exceter Colledge Sr. Thomas White Alderman of London augmented and restored St. Johns Mr. Wadham was Founder of Wadham University Colledge had or its Founder Munificent Alfred King of the Saxons and for its Benefactours William of Durham Sr. Simon Benet and divers others The Jewell that is illustrated by the Sun collours the Sun beams The earth receiveth moisture from the akie and repayee it back again in waters it is but just and equall that we should give their memories the honour due unto them that gave us so much Why should not Moecenas have an Horace to tell of his liberality Though he that gives should say nothing yet he that receives sould say some thing though the name of the wicked doe rot yet the name of a Benefactour like a Box of precious ointment smells sweet in the nostrils of all good men The names of our noble and wise Benefactours should not be mentioned with out due respect and liberall Testimonies of their Excellencies It is but just that their names should live that made so many to live O what great cause have we to be thankfull to God for such men and to indeavour to write after