ignorant and carnall men for none of these in truth doe make account of the Gospell And now let vs come to the thirde part of our Text wherin is set down what euery minister ought to preach namely the Gospell They are not bound to deliuer the counsels of men the traditions of the fathers the statutes of earthly Princes or the authoritie of mortall men but as they are the seruauntes of Iesus Christ Prince of all Princes so are they bounde onely to preach his Gospell The true Prophetes neuer spake of them selues to the people but as they receiued warning from the Lorde They had no authority to speak their owne wordes nor the wordes of any mortal mā The Apostles might not teach their owne doctrine but only y ◠which they had receiued from their master who enioyneth them to teach all thinges whatsoeuer he had commanded them Goe saith he and preach the Gospell The holy Apostle writing to the Corinthiās auoucheth that he receiued of the Lorde that which he deliuered to thē Wherby we may sée al these teachers cōfuted which stand vppon the authoritie of men which add or diminish anye thing from the Scriptures which ioyne their owne fantasies and the traditions of men with the holy pure perfect worde of God Woe be to those sonnes of vanities for in deede they preach not the Gospell they preach not Christ but themselues they deface and weaken the authoritie of the holy scriptures The lawe of God is a perfect lawe conuerting soules The scripture is able to make the man of God absolute and perfect to all good workes The Lorde sayth by his Prophet He that hath a dreame let him tell a dreame and hee that hath my worde let him speake my worde faithfullie And what is the chaffe to the wheate saith the Lorde Is not my word euen like a fire sayth the Lorde and like a hammer that breaketh the stone Our Sauiour in the Gospell speaketh against such teachers saying In vaine they worship me teaching the doctrine and preceptes of men Let vs remember that which is spoken in the last Chapiter of the Reuelation I protest vnto euery man that heareth the prophesie of this booke if anye man adde vnto these thinges GOD shall adde vnto him the plagues that are written in this booke And if any man shall diminishe of the wordes of this prophesie God shall take away his part out of the booke of life and out of the holy Citie and from these thinges which are written in this booke Woe be to them which preach and yet preach not the Gospell But that we may know the better how the Gospell shoulde bee preached let vs consider a litle what it is and what it contayneth The Euangelistes call it the Gospell of the kingdome Saint Paule accompteth it that which was promised before by the Prophetes in the holye scriptures concerning Iesus Christ our Lorde And in the same Chapiter he sayth It is the power of GOD vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth And in an other place he calleth it the worde and ministerie of reconciliation Saint Iohn calleth it the testimonie of Iesus Christ From these and such like places maye bee easilie gathered a full difinition of the Gospel which I leaue to your Godly consideration onely this I add that vnder the voyce of the Gospell is comprehended the whole Historye of Iesus Christ in the flesh and also the fruite and vse of the same historie As touching the first namely the historie of Christ it is sommarily comprehended vnder his passion and resurrection the vse and ende of al is that we should haue repentance and remission of sins in his name And this doth Christ himselfe witnesse when as he saide to his Apostles after his resurrection Thus it is written thus it behooued Christ to suffer and to rise againe from the deade the third daye and that repentance and remission of sinnes shoulde be preached in his name among all Nations To this agreeth the holy Apostle S. Peter when as he sayeth with other the Apostles to the counsell and chief Priestes The God of our Fathers hath raised vp Iesus whom ye slue and hanged on a tree Him hath God lift vp with his right hand to be a Prince and a Sauiour to giue repentance vnto Israell forgiuenes of sinnes By this we may see how the Gospell must be preached the people must be taught what Christ hath don for them The whole storie of his Incarnation Conception Byrth sufferinges Resurrection and Ascention these thinges I saye must be oftentimes and effectually preached to the people as they are set downe by the holy Euangelistes and Apostles but yet this is not ynough to shew what Christ hath done to rehearse the storie of his Incarnation but also the minister must be carefull to preach the vse the end and fruite of the same storie which is that the people may repent be tourned vnfaynedly vnto God and so by faith made partakers of remission of sinnes through Iesus Christ Repentance is a true turning to God a chaunging of the outwarde and inward man a dying to sin a liuing to righteousnes and amendmēt of y e whol life with this doctrine we must begin this we must first of all and chiefly vrge this is that doctrine cheefly and moste of all preached by the holy prophets This is the common and vsuall voice O Israel returne to the Lorde Iohn the Paptist the Messenger and also Iesus Christ his Maister they cry both of them Repent for the Kingdome of Heauen is at hand The Apostles also euery where exhort men to repentaunce to amendment of life to mortification and regeneration This is an vsuall doctrin in all their Epistles Nowe they can neuer truely repent which know not the greatnesse of their sinnes and the punishmente due to them And howe shall they knowe this except their sinnes be reprooued and laide open by preaching the lawe of God for by the lawe commeth the knowledge of sinne so that the Doctrine of the lawe must not be seperated from the preaching of the Gospell for it is a Schoolmaster to bring vs to Christ This then is necessarily required of euery Minister freelye and boldlye to reprooue sinne in all states and degrees whatsoeuer This is it that the Lorde sayeth to his prophet Crye aloude spare not lift vp thy voyce lyke a Trumpet and shew my people their transgressions and to the house of Iacob their sinnes Our Sauiour Christ accounteth it as an office duetie of the holy Ghost to reproue the world of sinne And in deed there is no doctrine more necessary for this age wherein wee liue although few can away w t it but cry out against such as preach it And as in other places so in this place heretofore I haue had proofe in this matter For vpon iust occasion noting the certaintie of Gods
preaching and that euery minister is bound to preach Thirdly I will shewe what they ought to preach The first point as in manye other places so here it is named but not fully set downe what it is but in other places we may easily gather what it is The second is here named and prooued For Saint Paule beeing a minister and saying Woe be vnto me if I preach not the Gospell doth plainely affirme as much The third is here set downe moste plainely the matter that we must preach of namely the Gospell As touching the first let vs see how the Scripture speaketh of it as it is particularly and specially applied to y e publique office of the minister otherwise I know this worde preaching to haue a further and more generall signification But I speake of it as Christ and the Apostles do applying it to the ministers Saint Paule sayth He that prophecieth speaketh vnto men to edifiyng to exhortation and to comfort The same Apostle charging Timothy and in him euery minister to preach the worde addeth immediately Improoue rebuke exhort with all long suffering and doctrine The blessed Apostle Peter as he receiued of his master a charge to feed his flocke so he exhorteth al other to do the same The holy Euangelist Luke sayeth that Christ taught or preached in Nazareth He firste read then shut the booke afterwarde he expounded that scripture which he read and so applied it to the hearers By theâ—e and such like places we may gather that preaching properly as we speake of it is an exposition and application of the scriptures by the liuely voyce of the minister to the edifiyng of the people whereby it may easily appeare that reading is not preaching nor yet sufficieÌ„t in a minister approued of God Saint Paul wil haue him apt to teach The Prophet Malachy affirmeth that the Priestes lips must preserue knowledge Christ after reading shut the booke and expouÌ„ded and yet some are not ashamed to count simple reading sufficient saying it will serue the turne and there may be as much good done by it as by preaching As for reading we speake not againste it we disalow it not but account it a holy lawfull necessarye and profitable meane wherby great good and benefite is wrought to the Church of God but yet it doth not followe that it is sufficient in a minister that it will serue simply of it selfe in the publique congregation The Lorde hath set dâ—â—n an other order and requireth greater thinges at the hands of his speciall seruauntes But this matter shal appeare more plaine in y e wordes following For my purpose in this part is onely to shew you by some circumstances and descriptions what preaching is that reading is not preaching or at least that kind of preaching which the Lord requireth in his ministers as may appeare by comparing them together and by vsing some apt similitudes for the explanation of this matter The smell or sight of meat doth good to the hungrie man but it will not feede him except he taste of it So by reading men may haue some smell of religion but they shall neuer throughly taste of it without preaching and therefore it is called a feeding as we heard before and Preachers are counted Pastors and féeders Again meat that is rawe and fatte maye bee called good but it is not to bee eaten before it be made readye and dressed so are the Scriptures read good holy and pure but not sufficient food for the people without preaching Againe bare reading is as thogh one shoulde cast a whole loafe before them which want strength to cut it Preaching is a cutting and diuiding of the breade of life that euery one may haue his seueral portion Again bare reading without preaching is euen as the husbandman should cast whole strikes and bushels of Corne on his land together on heapes not scattering of it preaching is a spreading and a sowing of the seed Again bare reading is as though the Fisher should shuffle his nets on heapes not opening them Preaching is a wise opening laying and handling of the Net Bare reading is as one shoulde offer good treasures and yet such as were hid shut vp and fast locked and coulde not be come by Preaching is an opening of the treasures to the ioy of Gods children Reading is like to fire couered with ashes which doth smally profite them that stand by it Preaching is an opening and discouering of the fire Let vs consider one example amongst many for the further explaning of this matter The Chamberlaine that noble treasurer of Aethiopia going to Hierusalem to worshippe God as he went read the Scriptures if reading woulde haue serued his turne Philip needed not to haue come to him but he vnderstoode not before he had a guide he was not conuerted neither had he faith sufficient to saluation before he hearde the preaching of the worde which indeed is that especiall effectuall blessed and excellent ordinarye meane of faith as it appeareth more plainlie and fully in the next part of our text Which beeing rightly waighed confirmeth the great necessitye of preaching and prooueth that euerye minister ought to preach Woe be to me if I preach not the Gospell And why so because I am called to it because I am a minister because the Lorde requireth it of me Although Saint Paule and the other Apostles had priuiledges and prerogatiues which we haue not although we haue not fullye so large a Commission as he and they had although they did manye thinges which we neither may nor can do yet as touching the office of preaching it appertaineth as well to vs as to them And for the further proofe of this matter I will rehearse some argumentes which before I haue vsed in this place adding diuers others to them 1 It is the coÌ„mandement of Christ and the holy Apostles therefore necessary Christ saide to his Apostles Goe preach the Gospell The which coÌ„mandement in this behalfe belongeth to all the ministers of God Saint Paule straightly chargeth the ministers of Ephesus Take heede vnto your selues and to all the flocke whereof the holy Ghost hath made you ouerseers to feede the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own bloud And most weightily of all he requireth it in the place already alleadged he leaueth it not as a thing indifferent that may bee done or vndone but speaketh with a wonderful and mighty protestation hee ioyneth the Scripture and preaching togeather For hauing before in the former Chapiter set foorth the great profit of the scriptures straight waye hee necessarilye addeth this forecible exhortation I charge thee therefore before God and before the Lord Iesus Christ which shall iudge the quicke and the deade at his appearing and in his kingdome preach the worde be instant in season and out of season improoue rebuke exhort 2 It is an argument and token of the loue the minister oweth vnto
Christ and to the people as it appeareth Iohn 21. 15. where Iesus Christ sayth to Peter after his resurrection Simon sonne of Iona louest thou me more then these He sayde vnto him yea Lorde thou knowest that I loue thee he sayde to him feed my Lambes He said vnto him the second time Simon the sonne of Iona louest thou me He sayde vnto him yea Lorde thou knowest that I loue thee he sayd vnto him feed my sheepe Christ said to him the third time Simon the sonne of Iona louest thou me Peter was sory because he sayde to him the third time louest thou me said vnto him Lord thou knowest all thinges thou knowest that I loue thee Iesus sayd vnto him feed my sheepe Whereby it is euident that those which feed not loue not Christ Seeing then that feeding or preaching is so plaine a token of the loue that the minister oweth to Christe it is most necessarily required if any do preach and yet not vpon this loue they haue their condemnation 3 The church of God is begunne and grounded by the preaching of the worde and therefore necessarie Paule sayth Faith commeth by the word preached Againe he counteth his preaching amongst the Corinthians a planting of them in faith and religion S. Peter sayth We are borne a new not of mortall seed but of immortall by the worde of God who liueth and endureth for euer And presently addeth This is the worde which is preached among you 4 By preaching y e Church of God is not onelye begunne but also amplified builded and enlarged It will not onely make vs Babes in Christ but strong and spirituall men It hath not onely milke for the weake but strong meate for them that are at age By it we are brought not onelye to the beginning of Christe and firste rudimentes of Christian religion but also we are ledde forwarde vnto perfection The holye Apostle affyrmeth this when as he sayeth that Iesus gaue some to be Apostles and Prophetes and some Euangelistes and some Pastours and Teachers for the gathering of Saintes for the worke of the Ministerie and for the edification of the bodie of Christ vnto a persect man and vnto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ 5 The Church of God begun and brought to that perfection which can be in earth is also stayed strengthened vpholden and preserued by the preaching of the word against sinne and errour And therefore for these causes also the preaching of the word is most necessary yea and that dayly and continually because some are weake and haue neede of dayly strengthning some fall into errours and some into greeuous sinnes from the which they are to bee drawne out by the effectuall preaching of the worde This doth the holy Apostle confirme whereas he saith that The whole Scripture is profitable to teach to improoue to correct and to instruct in righteousnesse that the man of God may be absolute beeing made perfect vnto all good workes 6 Againe to the pure preaching of the worde the Lorde hath promised a blessing the minister shal be blessed the people also blessed thorough it They that bee wise sayth Daniell shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament And they that tourne many vnto righteousnesse shall shine as the starres for euer and euer The wise and faithfull Steward that giueth meate to the housholde in due season when his master commeth he shall be blessed and made partaker of exceeding ioy glory Take heed saith y e Apostle to thy selfe and to learning continue therein for in dooing this thou shalt both saue thy selfe and them that heare thee God so blessed the preaching of his Seruaunt Ionas that through it the Niniuites beleeued God humbled them selues and forsooke their former wicked wayes At one preaching of Peter there were wonne to the Lord about thrée thousande soules Thus doth the Lorde blesse his owne order the minister by pure and faithfull preaching dischargeth his owne soule obtayneth peace in conscience and so is blessed in this life but shall bee farre more blessed in the life to come when hee hath finished his course he shall receiue an incorruptible crown of glory The people also by this means are many waies blessed they receiue knowledge fayth saluation their eyes are opened they are tourned from darknesse to light and from the power of Sathan vnto God Al these great and notable blessinges do ensue the preaching of the word and therfore required most necessarily in euery minister 7 On the other side without this both the minister and the people are accursed the bloud of the people shall be required at his handes because he hath not as a faithfull watch-man forewarned them of daunger and yet they shall dye in their owne sinnes The Lorde complayneth by his Prophet Hosea saying My people are destroyed for lacke of knowledge because thou hast refused knowledge I will also refuse thee that thou shalt be no priest to mee To this agreeth our Sauiour Christ If the salt haue lost his saltnesse it is good for nothing but to be cast out and to be troden vnder foote of men And if these ministers which sometimes haue had salt in them zeale and knowledge to season the people and by negligence and carelesnesse decaye and loose it If these I say be worthie to be cast out how miserable and curssed are they which neuer had nor yet haue any Salt in them It must needes be fulfilled of them which our Sauiour speaketh in an other place They be blinde leaders of the blinde and if the blinde lead the blind both shall fall into the ditch that is both the ignoraunt Minister and the ignoraunt people shall perishe And in an other place it is sayde Caste that vnprofitable Seruaunt into vtter darknesse there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth And here it is sayde Woe be to me if I preach not the Gospell Seeing then that euery way there hangeth so many greeuous cursses both vppon the minister and people where the worde is not preached it is most requisite and necessarie that euery minister looke to this euen as hee will escape the fearefull and heauie cursse of God 8 Moreouer the chiefe ende and vse why the Scriptures were written doth require preaching They are left for our comfort instruction and edifiyng But we are most comforted instructed and edified if they be opened and applyed vnto vs and therefore moste necessarie that they be so vsed 9 Also the corruption and dulnesse of our nature requyreth the same We are dull ignoraunt and carelesse wee please our selues in our owne sinnes the Deuill goeth about continually to deuour vs and therefore we haue neede to haue continuall preaching of the worde The naturall man perceiueth not the thinges that are of Gods spirit Dauid after he had sinned continued in his sinne vntill the Prophet reprooued him for it yea
and woulde not take it to him selfe although Nathan spake a verye plaine parable till it was particularly applyed to him Seeing then there is in our nature such corruption such blindnesse such slouthfulnesse and also forgetfulnes what can be more necessarye for the curing of these so great diseases then the continuall and dayly preaching of the word Besides all this it hath beene an vsuall order in the Church of God vnder the lawe by Christ and the Apostles not onely to reade but also to expound and apply the Scriptures and therefore the same order is to be obserued of vs. It is sayde of the Leuites that they red in the booke of the lawe of God distinctly and gaue the sence and caused them to vnderstand the reading Christ as we haue heard already continuallye preached and commaunded the same to his Apostles who as they obeyed in themselues their maisters cōmandement so they required it as a continuall and vsuall rule to bee obserued for euer of all the ministers of God in his Church And most specially the Apostle in those Epistles which he wrote vnto Timothy and Titus very largely and effectually vrgeth this matter I referre you also vnto the 14. chapter of his first Epistle to the Corinthians wherin so highly he commendeth the gift of Prophesiyng interpretation or preaching that he preferreth it before all other giftes and accounteth it so necessary that he would haue it continually obserued in the Church of God Againe Christ commaundeth vs and we dayly pray for the enlarging of his Kingdome whereas hee hath taught vs to say Thy kingdome come Now the singular excellent means to establishe the kingdome of Iesus Christ is by the pure and effectuall preaching of the word and therefore he saith in an other place Pray to the Lord of the Haruest to send foorth labourers into the haruest And how can they pray with any safe conscience for the enlarging establishing of the kingdome of Christ which by their ignoraunce and carelesnes do altogether hinder it Furthermore all and euery one of the names which are giuen by the holy Ghost to the ministers in y e word of God do necessarily require at their handes preaching They are called the light of the worlde the salt of the earth They are called Pastors and sheepheards they are called husbandmen Guides Stewards Messengers besides many other excellent titles giuen to them Now how can they be called lightes which haue no light in them which either are in ignoraunce and darknesse themselues or else hide their candle vnder a Bushel How can they be called the salt of the earth which cannot or wil not season the vnsauorie and sinfull people with the heauenly and wholsom doctrine of eternall life How can they be called Pastors and teachers which do not feed or haue no foode at al to giue to the flocke How can they be called the Lordes Husbandmen which haue no skill at all in tilling his ground and sowing his seed how can they be called Guides vnto other which either know not the way themselues or else will not vouchsafe to opē and declare it to other How can they be called stewardes which haue no care of the houshold which either can not or will not feede them And how can they be called the Lordes messengers which are not able to do their message or haue no care at all to doe it If the minister be a light to the people of necessitie he must needs goe and shine before them in knowledge and doctrine If he bee the Salt he must needes season If he be a Pastour or Sheepehearde he must needes feed If he be a husbandman he must needes haue a care of the lords husbandry If he be a guide he must needes shew the way If he be a Stewarde he must prouide for the houshold If he be a messenger he must be willing and able to doe his message nay I say more it standes for the Lordes glorye and credite to haue such Pastors and such husband men such Stewardes messengers as haue wisedome and knowledge The poore people of the countrie wil not hire him to be a Sheephearde to their sheepe whome they know to be ignorant and carelesse and shall the Lord choose such to gouern and guide his stocke The Gentleman and the Yeoman wil not hire any to be ouerseers of their husbandrie except they know them to haue sufficient discretion and experience and wil he think ye be content with simple foolish and rechlesse ouerseers of his so deare and precious a husbādry The noble man for his honors sake wil seeke to haue such a one to be the Stewarde of his house as is trustie wise of sufficiencie to guide and gouerne a whole houshold and shall the Lorde be lesse careful of his honour shal he be content with vnwise and vnfaithful stewardes The Prince wil haue a speciall care to sende such to be his messengers and Ambassadors as be most wise faithful are able discreetely and cunningly to doe their message and shall the Lordes messengers bee without knowledge What can bee more to the discredite and dishonor of his holye name This argument I amplifie the more because it is verie plaine and effectuall Marke I beseech you wel al these other names giuen to vs in the holy scripture doe require of euery minister of god that he preach the worde As we haue a care to answere to our names and a care of the glorye and credite of our God euen so let vs be carefull in doing this so necessary a duetie What shal I say more the end and purpose of our calling ministery requyreth at our handes preaching The Lord hath ordained Pastors teachers for the gathering together of his saints and to the edification of the bodye of christ séeing thē we are called to this ende séeing we are ordayned to this purpose there is no remedie we that are the ministers of God must needs of necessity preach his worde For a further proof conclusion of this matter I cal you to recorde I appeale to your own cōsciences which are now won to y e lord which haue some measure of knowledge which are called out of darkenesse to light from ignorance to knowledge yee y t sometime haue béen content with reading ministers quarter sermons but now hunger and thirst for the word preached I cal you I say as witnesses in this cause what cōfort you feel what profite what power in the effectuall preaching of the word how carelesse how prophane how ignoraunt how leud you were before notwithstāding the dayly and the ordinary readings which diligently you had what hath wrought in you y ◠measure of faith y ◠heauenly knowledge which you now haue What is it that hath wrought in you such a sorrowe of your former life such a griefe hatred of sin and superstition both in your selues and others suche an earnest zeale of the
⧠A FRVITful sermon preached at Occham in the Countie of Rutland the second of Nouember 1583. By Thomas Gybson PROVERB 29. 8. ¶ VVhere there is no Vision the people decay GOD IS MY HELPER AT LONDON Printed by Robert Walde-graue dwelling without Temple-Barre 1584. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE Lorde FRAVNCES Earle of BEDFORD and one of her Maiesties most honourable priuy Councell Knight of the Noble order of the Garter VVith the right honorable Sir VVALTER MILDMAY knight Chancellour of the Queenes Maiesties Court of Exchequer and one of her highnesse most honourable priuy Counsell Grace Mercy and peace be multiplied from God our heauenly father and from our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christe THE blessed holye Euangelist Saint Luke Right Honorable penning and publishing the Heauenlye story and blessed Gospell of Iesus Christ doth also dedicate the same to one Theophilus a Noble and famous man of singular credit and authority The reason and cause that mooued him thereto is because in those times the purenesse of the Gospell was hindred and persecuted whereby manye erroures began to be spreade and allowed and therefore in great Wisdom it pleased the holy Ghost not onely to wryte a faithfull sure and perfect storye but also to offer and present the custodye and defence of the same to one of Religion and povver The verye same cause partly hath mooued mee at this time to be so bolde as to offer and Dedicate this poore and simple testimonie of my trauaile to your Honours For although I doe confesse vve lyue vnder a Gracious Prince whome the Lorde long continue to his glorye to the shame and confusion of his enemies and to the dayly profit of his Church although I say we liue in so peaceable happy and gratious a time vnder the florishing state of the Gospell yet truely the dearest Children of God and the sinceritie of religion is subiect to bitter persecution These wordes at the first maye seeme very greeuous hard and haynous and yet they are most certaine true The holy Apostle S. Paule writing to the Galatians 4 29. speaketh on this maner As he that was borne after the fleshe persecuted him that was borne after the spirite euen so is it now he speaketh of Ismaell and Isaac and yet we doe not reade in the scripture of any persecution betweene them neither did Ismael persecute his brother Isaac with hande or swoorde but that which is worse proudly arrogantly he raised himselfe againste him mocking him and as it were treading vnder feete the promise of God And this dealing by the Apostle is called a persecution in deede there is not any persecution more greeuous to the Children of God then this Now who doth not dayly see that the best Christians and the purenesse of religion are greatly persecuted by Papistes Atheistes and Hipocrites as Isaac was by his Brother Ismaell And of all matters of religion I thinke there is scarce anye in these dayes more generally hated of such kind of men then that which is most altogether almost only hand led in this simple SermoÌ„ For these such like men many of them can bee content vvith a common ordinarye profession to heare Mattins and Euensong and sometimes a Sermon by such men as they like off but that there should be any continuall course of the pure preaching of the worde of God they can in no wise allowe or like of This I say is hated reiected and persecuted so farre as may bee of the greater sorte and therefore not without cause haue I atteÌ„pted to dedicate this my labor to your honors as special patrons defendors of the Lords cause and tried Friends and fauorers of God and his truth But yet this attempt may seeme very rash and needles For who am I that I shoulde take vppon mee to set foorth and to publish any thing The vnworthiest I confesse of many hundreths and the vnablest of many thousands and yet seeing many things more simple lesse needefull and profitable are not only suffered but alowed to come abroad I am not altogether discouraged neither hath anye man iuste cause to accuse me in this my simple enterprise I know these be dayes of knowledge learning there be greate stoore of famous and learned diuines in our land whom I beseech the Lorde to blesse that they may assist their weake brethren in the defence of this and such good causes and yet the two mites of the poore widow cast into the tresury amongest the great giftes of the wealthy are not to be refused I know your Honours be dayly hearers of famous and learned men both in your houses and abroad you are acquainted with the sermons of profound deepe diuines and such as are mighty in the scriptures notwithstanding hauing in my selfe sufficient trial experience of your honors most curteous humble fauorable dealing towards me and also of some liking of my simple and poore trauelles in preaching heretofore I am not ashamed or afrayd after such triall and proofe to offer this so small and simple a thing vnto your honours The great necessitye of the matter I deale withall the care of Gods glory the zeal of his house the benefit that his church may haue by it hath especially mooued me that it should be published come abroade Let not therefore hypocrites bee too rashe in iudging the Lorde the searcher of the hearts and reynes knoweth my purpose and affection in preaching and publishing this matter The cause that hath moued me to present it to your Honors rather then to other is the loÌ„g proof and acquaintance of your honourable courtesies and friendly good-will towards me which for my part I am neuer able to requite for the which I thinke my selfe as long as breath is in me most bounde and indebted to your Honours And here I offer this poore fruite of my trauaile as some testimony of goodwill and thankfulnesse And whereas we are wont commonly to offer and present to our dearest friendes some gyftes as tokens of good will or else of speciall duety Amongst many great and prescious presentes which are no doubt giuen and presented to your honours I also offer this simple mite and yet I hope more pleasant and acceptable to the receiuers then thousands of gold or siluer or any earthly thing whatsoeuer And in deede can there be any matter more sweete and pleasaunt to the cheefe Patrons and defenders of the Godly preachers the worde of God then to heare of the necessitie profite and excellencye of preaching which things are set foorth plainely largely in this little sermon For howsoeuer manye men hate abhorre this matter and can in no case disgest it yet your honors zeale câ—â—rage liking good will and countenance to this and other good causes is comonly known and spread abroad A further reason why I publishe this Sermon is because there is some matter in it for the which I haue beene in the country where I dwel openly
slaundered and euill spoken off and therefore to cleare my selfe from such false reports to satisfie my friends which are ready to answere in my cause to let the enemies knowe I haue spoken nothing wherof I am ashamed but dare put it to the witnessing and testimonie of the Christian reader and also to resolue morefully the weaker sort in such thinges as at the first seeme strange and absurde For these and such like causes I saye I am content and willing that this my trauell come to light although the whole or most part of this Sermon is vnsauorie vnpleasaunt to the greater sort and specially to the ignorant people to the hipocrite to the idol or dumb minister yet this is that which chiefly misliketh and greeueth them because both in the place where I preached this Sermon and also else where I sayd affirmed that the minister which preacheth not and hath not those giftes which the lord requireth in his Ministers that such a one is no Minister approoued of GOD neyther hathe any right and authoritie from the Lorde to minister his Sacramentes Which matter hovve straunge and absurde soeuer it seeme to ignoraunte and carnall men yet I hope it is heere sufficiently confirmed by authoritye and examples of the holy Scripture I coulde alleadge further the allowaunce and iudgement of moste famous and pure Diuines and such as are generally receiued and allowed of all true Christians Master IOHN CALVIN aboute the latter ende of his Catechisme which is allowed by her Maiesties authority saythe in playne wordes that the ministration of the Sacramentes belongeth to them who haue the charge to preache openlye in the Church For the preaching of Gods word and the ministration of the Sacraments be things ioyntly belonging to one kind of office these be his very words which are as plaine as may be M. Rodolphus Gualter in his 118. Homely vpon Mark speaking of the institution of the Lordes supper and of the right order in ministring that sacrament amongst other things sayth on this maner Peccant qui coenaem absque verbi predicatione peragunt adeoque illam huic praeferunt quasi vel ad dei cultum uel ad salutem plus conferat quam verbum cum tamen huius maiorem quam sacramentorum rationem habuerunt Christus Apostoli They sinne against the institution of Christ which doe minister the Supper without preaching of the worde and so preferre the Sacrament before preaching as though that auayled more to saluation and seruice of God then the worde preached whereas notwithstanding both Christe and the Apostles esteemed more the preaching of the Worde then the Sacrament These are his wordes I might alleadge many other testimonies for this cause not onely from the moste worthye Godly and learned diuines both old and new of other nations but also from famous Martyrs and Byshoppes in this our land in their sermons and writinges published and priuiledged by authority I hope then there is no cause why this doctrin shold not receiue a fauorable intertainment allowaunce as of your honors so of all faithful christians hauing such warrant from so pure and learned men and from the testimony of the holy worde What soeuer I spake in deliuering and vttering this sermon I haue here set it down so neare as I could remember both in forme and matter To conclude I moste heartely desire in the Lord the christian reader especially your honors to accept this my poore trauel I am bold to ioyn you both in one not onely because the Lord hath ioyned you together in the bonde of friendship and in a care of my good estate but also that which is greatest of all in a zeale of Gods glory furtherance of his religion Now the very God of peace sanctify you through out and I pray God that your whole spirites soules and bodyes may be kept blamelesse vnto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ Amen Your Honours in the Lord THOMAS GYBSON Hearken with feare and reuerence to the worde of the Lorde written by the holy Apostle Saint Paule in his first Epistle to the Corinthians Chap. 9. verse 16. Woe be vnto me if I preach not the Gospel OUR Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ in the 17. Chapter of the blessed Euangelist Luke amongst many other excellent thinges vttereth and propoundeth this parable Who is it of you that hauing a seruaunt plowing or feeding Cattell woulde saye vnto him by and by when he were come from the field Goe and sit downe at table c. And afterwardes in the tenth verse applyeth it on this maner So likewise yee when ye haue done all those thinges which are commaunded you saye we are vnprofitable seruauntes we haue done that which was our duetie to doe The holy Apostle and seruant of Christ in this place auoucheth and confesseth in him selfe the saying of his Master to be moste true For although amongest many good workes there is not a more excellent or better work then the preaching of the word of God which was done most purely effectually and diligently by the Apostle yet he is so farre from accounting it meritorious that he sayeth a necessitie is laid vpon him that duetie bindeth him to do it In the former verses from the beginning of this Chapiter S. Paule sheweth and that with diligence and large copie of wordes that beeing amongest the Corinthians he was content to giue place to his owne right to forbeare that which he might lawfully doe to take no maintenaunce at all from them least be should giue occasion of cauilling to the false Apostles as though hee vnder the presence of the calling of an Apostle should seeme to seeke his owne gaine and lurre Amongst other thinges he hath sayde and that in the former verse It were better for me to dye then that any man should make my reioycing in vaine The which wordes may seeme to proceed and flow from an ambitious and vaine glorious spirite And therefore it might bee sayde What now Paule What needes all this Thou art wont to glory in Christ alone doest thou now glory in thine owne doinges To such a question or obiection the Apostle aunsweareth qualifiyng his former speach as if he should saâ— although it be an excellent worke to preach the Gospel and that freely yet take not my wordes so as though I repose any merite of saluation in this work for I am called to it and bound to it by duty and commaundement from my maister Christ And if I doe it not I prouoke and procure the anger of God and the sentence of his cursse and condemnation on me Woe be to me if I preach not the Gospell Of these words being but a part of the verse I haue taken vpon me to speake at this time From whence I meane by Gods grace to speake o these three pointes First I will gather some description of preaching that you may know what it is Secondly I meane to prooue the necessitie of
iudgements condemnation of the wicked I finde then that the impenitent and such as continue in their sinnes could not be saued God could not forgiue them Herevpon some haue sayde and do say still of mee that I preached that God could not forgiue sinnes I sayde and I say againe the Lord is as true in his iustice as in his mercie Christ saieth Except yee amend yee shall all perish And agayne He that beleeueth not is damned Saint Paul sayth No whoremonger nor adulterer no vnrighteous or vncleane person shall inherite the kingdome of heauen This is as much as I sayde and in effect all that I sayde Wo be to me if I preach not the Gospell Nowe Repentance is a part of the Gospell and that wee may repent it is needeful to knowe our sinnes and as the sinns of al men must be reproued and the iudgementes of GOD threatened against them so especially the sinnes of publique personnes as Magistrates and Ministers And if this in no case will be borne but hee that doth it is straight way blamed alasse what shall we doe If we speak against the people they are greeued they say we deale hardly with them but looke not to our selues or to the higher powers If wee deale against Gentlemen and great men wee are hated euill spoken of and abused If wee speake againste the ignoraunt and carelesse Ministers they are also offended and say wee lacke discretion charity and modestye Thus daungerous a thing it is to preache the Gospell yea euen amongst them that glorie in the Gospell so that as our state standeth it may bee said cleane contrarie to the saying of the Apostle in this place Woe to them that preache the Gospell and happy are they which preache not the Gospell and they are counted wisest which either holde their peace or else meddle not with this parte of the Gospell But the faithful Minister howe soeuer hee seeme to be discouraged by suche wicked and vnthankfull dealinges of the worlde yet hee is to comfort him selfe in the Lorde and to feare God more then men It is farre better to discharge our duties faithfullye with a good Conscience although we procure displeasure of men then by leauing our duetie vndone or by doing the Lords worke negligently and vnfaithfullie to procure the displeasure and heauie cursse of God The holie Apostle hath spoken it Wee be to me if I preache not the Gospell And to aunswere them somewhat which blame vs for dealing so hardly and openly against the sinnes of the ministers Is it not a part of discretion to reprooue their sins which doe mest hurt and are the causes of many other sinnes this is that discretion which was vsed by the holy prophets euery wher They cry out aganst the negligence of the Priestes against their ignoraunce carelesnesse and leud conuersation Amongst many and infinite places I referre you to that one place in the Prophet Malachie who dealeth so hardly and particularly with the priestes as thogh al sinne had béene in them No doubt there were many sinnes amongst the people and yet in al his prophesie he seemeth to deale specially almost onlye against the Priestes beeing in deede the causes and the authours of the sins of the people yea and these were such Priests as were ordained of God as were the successors of Aaron and the tipes of Iesus Christe and yet are so sharpely publiquely reproued by the Prophet This discretion was vsed by Christ himselfe Howe often times togeather doeth he pronounce woe against y e Scribes and Pharises calling them Hipocrites fooles blinde guides Serpentes and generation of Vipers yea howe oftentimes doeth he most sharplye and openly rebuke his owne Apostles Perceiue ye not yet sayth he neither vnderstand haue you your harts yet hardened haue you eyes and see not haue ye eares and heare not and doe yee not remember Are not these my brethren very hard words such wordes as are vsed in the Scriptures against the very reprobate yet the Lord Iesus vseth thē against his own apostles In an other place he reprooueth them for their vnbeliefe and hardnesse of heart How sharply doth the Apostle deale in al his Epistles against false Apostles nay did he not reprooue openly to his face Peter the Apostle and his fellowe minister because he went not the right way to y e truth of the Gospel So that it is not onely lawful but also necessary that the sinnes of all estates and specially of the greatest and of the ministers be sharply and openly reprooued The holy apostle saith Them that sin openly rebuke openly that the rest also may feare But are not the sins of our ministers open Is not their ignoraunce apparant Is not their idlenes and carelesnesse knowne Doth not the common sort of people see it And are not some of them faine to seek for instruction in other places Doe not many complaine of the liues of the ministers Doe they not say commonly of them they speake well and doe enil they bee as conetous as other they haue neuer ynough doe not the people see this and a great deale more Are not these open offenders Doth not duetie discretion and charitie bind the Preacher if he wil faithfully preach the gospel to reprooue them seuerally which giue cause of such offences The Apostie vseth this modestie against himselfe Woe be to me if I preach not the Gospell which woe signifieth no light small or easie matter but y e grieuous curse of god in this life and that feareful condemnation in the life to come Can they be too sharpely reprooued or can any speeches be too hard for them which are ignoraunt and carelesse in so great a light of the Gospel after so long profession which shoulde be guides to others which haue so many excellent meanes so great helps of knowledge offered to them by the Lorde in these dayes which we liue in Can they be too much or too often spoken against which are ignoraunt and will be ignorant which mislike those that reprooue them which hate all that are not like them selues which seeke to deface the painfull minister yea and stande in defence of their owne wickednesse Is not this to bind sinne together with Cart-ropes Sinne not twise saith the wise man for one sin shall not be vnpunished and therfore take heed in time and amend or else you perish say what you wil thinke what you will the Lord is my witnesse I speake the truth I know I might be better thought of to passe ouer such matters but Woe be to me if I preach not the Gospell But it may be yet that some will saye although this be true that you haue spoken yet all truth is not to bee spoken at all times in all places and to all persons The minister must cut the worde of God aright Like a wise Stewarde he must giue meat in due season To these men I aunswere that no necessarie truth is to