Bench and Sir Edward Phillips Knight his Maiesties Sargeant at Lawe now or late the worthie Iudges of our Northeren Circuite The spirit of wisedome zeale courage be multiplied RIght worshipfull it is sayd in other Nations and written in some of their bookes that there are three disgraces of the English Nation The Ignorance or that I may so call it the vnlearned of our GeÌ„trie Nobilitie the beggery of our poore the Basenes of the bodie of our Ministerie The first blot our Nobilitie and Gentrie haue well wiped off since the first daies of our blessed Queen Elizabeth partly by studie at home partlie by trauell abroade and I hope they will do it more more The second hath beene well lessened by good lawes of late and would hee more if the Execution were as good as our lawes bâ—e it were much honour to our Nation and more to our Religion if it were quite taken away for hee that tells vs there shall bee poore euer with vs saith also there shall not bee a begger amongst vs If there were no poore what should become of Charitie for it is Charitie to relieue Pouertie not to maintaine Beggerie Pouerty may bee a Crosse but it is no Curse but Beggerie is a fearefull curse threatened on the enemies of God and Dauid saith not hee neuer saw a righteous mans child poore but that hee neuer saw him begge his bread The daily cries in our streetes crie for yet further reformation heereof that the impotent poore may bee sufficiently prouided for that he neede not and the Sturdie begger complied to worke that hee may not be suffered to begge Happy you or whosoeuer can haue a hand in effecting this blessed worke wee who can doe little else shall pray for it and for them that labour in it But now for the third I feare none but the verie hand of God can wipe out that staine from our Church The basenesse of the generall body of our Ministerie whence is it but either from the vnworthinesse or Pouertie thereof and the vnworthinesse whence is it but from the Pouertie and base maintenance of our Ministry which was once robbed by the Abbies and after by some in our owne State which was then Popish and Poperie that stands so much vpon Non dimittitur peccatum nisi restituatur ablatum yet for all that would not restore vnto the Church her tenthes againe But as popish Abbies stole them so a popish State kept them and to their shame some of the good Professors of our Religion haue of late restored such as were in their hands and there is hope that all our Professors vnlesse they care not to bee accounted hypocrus will make some conscionable restitution We doe not craue that they would with Zacheus restore foure-fold though it is apparant that the tenthes were got from vs in old time by most false and forged Cauillations we onely craue our owne we would aske no more nor willingly take lesse for our whole duetie is still required then why should not our whole due be payd And yet that the world may learne of vs contentednesse as well by our practise as our doctrine we would for the present take in good part rest contented with a part of our owne And some competent portions out of the Impropriations proportioned to the quantitie of the charge imposed and the giftes and paines required would for a time be a reasonable satisfaction in our Ministerie vntil our state found it self either better enabled or more straightly tied in Conscience to full restitution But as I said this is a worke of God himselfe for if a man could doe it so many Parliaments would not haue slipt it but some of them would haue eternized it selfe with this honourable name to all posterities The Parliament that restored Impropriations but til that or some other course as good bee taken it is both vnseasonable and vnreasonable to complaine of the Ignorant or to craue a learned Ministerie For shal the Oxes mouth be mousled which treads out the corne or shall a man goe to warre at his owne cost and hath not God ordained marke it is his Ordinance that those which teach the Gospel shall liue of the Gospel But alas how shal the Ministerie of England liue of the Gospel when my small experience can shew that in one Corner of one Countie of this Kingdom wherin there are some 105. parishes or parochial Chappels almost a 100. of them if not a full 100. are Impropriate and amongst them I can shewe the most parishes haue but 10 pound or thereabouts some 8. li some 6. li. some â— li some foure pounds some not 4. pounds yearly liuing for the Minister and those impropriations worth some 300. li many 200. li. almost all 100 li. per an yea there is one worth 400 pound per an where there were but 8 li. left for the Minister vntill of late with much adoe 10. pound more was obtained for a Preacher and so there is out of 400 8. pound shared for a Minister and 10. pound caried for a Preacher in that parish where there are 2000. Communicanâ—s Of all the rest the Crowne hath some 100 pound rent or not so much the remainder of 180. pound being a rich liuing for a worthy learned Minister a competent liuing for 2. and more then some 7 painful able ministers haue I know not what becomes of it vnlesse it go to the feeding of Kits Cormorats Are not these goodly liuings for learned men and may not wee expect a learned ministerie where there is such maintenance I hartily with that other countries be not able to showe the like Presidents I haue the rather made relation hereof that our high Court of Parliament may see how great cause they haue to go forward with that motion already by the made for the establishing of a learned Ministerie But if they bring it not to passe what then remaineth but to hope that the great God of heauen will put into the heart of the God on earth our noble king into whose hands he hath put the sword of soueraigne authoritie an irreâ—oâ—able and unresistable resolution to execute his supreme power for the reformation of this euill which as Maister Perkins saith in this treatise may well be called the Kings euill for it will hardly be healed but by the will power of a king In the meane time this Treatise of that worthy man may be a motiue to our zealous professors who haue any impropriations in their owne hands to excite and prouoke them to a conscionable restitution in whole or in part as their estate may beare or their conscience shall mooue them For heerein are layd downs and mixed together both the duties to be done by faithfull Ministers and the Dignities due vnto them for their duties and so seeing the dignities of that calling to bee most honourable and the duties so chargeable it cannot
the first cause of his feare his owne and his peoples pollutions It followeth And mine eyes hath seene the King and Lord of Hostes THe second cause of the Prophets feare and astonishment is He san the Lorde who then appeared in glory vnto him not that hee sawe the substance of God for that is invisible and incomprehensible but his glory Nor the fulnesse of his glory for that cannot be endured but a glimse of it nor that with the eies of his body in ordinary manner but in a vision wherein how farre the eyes of his body were vsed neither the Prophet expresseth nor wee can well conceiue The meaning then is In a vision hee sawe such glorie and Majestie as hee knewe there was an extraordinary presence of the Lord of hostes who is the King of glorie at whose sight and thought of his presence instantly his conscience is smitten with feare for his own infirmities and the pollutions of his people Wherein let vs first of all obserue the connexion and dependance of these two causes one vpon another for as they are both ioyntly the cause of his feare so one of thē is in a sort the cause of another he feareth because of his own and his peoples sinnes and because he sawe the Lord but why is he afraid to see the Lord the cause thereof is his owne and their sins without which he would neuer haue beene affraid but rather haue gloried to see the Lord but his conscience checking him for some defect of dutie in his calling therfore he trembleth at the least glimse of Gods glory Here let vs marke the ground of his reason which is this That man that is in his sinnes is not able to stand in the presence of God this is a generall and certaine truth the reasons of it are First the contrarietie betwixt God and the nature of sinne it being the onely thing which offends him which prouokes his wrath and iust displeasure therefore as a subiect cannot but be much amazed if he hap to come into the kings presence with any thing about him which the king hates or cannot abide to see so a man cannot but be extreame astonisht if hee knowe himselfe to bee in Gods presence with his sinnes which Gods soule hateth Secondly sin makes a man indebted to God for as the Lawe tyeth him first to obedience so if he sin and faile in that it bindes him to punishment and the more a man sinneth the deeper is he in Gods debt If then in this world a man willingly indures not the sight of him in whose debt hee is what maruell though a poore sinner tremble at the presence of God to whom he hath forfaited soule and all Thirdly sin is that which prouoketh God to 〈◊〉 therefore a sinfull man feareth the presence of God as a traitor the face of the Prince or a malefactor of the Judge For these causes a wicked man endures not Gods presence Now Gods presence hath diuers degeees First God is present to our coscience when we thinke of him 2. He is present when wee name him or heare him named or mentioned by others and these are the surthest off Thirdly God is neerer vnto vs in the presence of his Ordinances as his Word and Sacraments and publike seruice in the Congregation Fourthly there is a most apparant and sensible presence of God which shall bee at the last Iudgement when all men shall stand before him in his immediat presēce to receiue their iudgement Now all these presences of God are hatefull to a wicked man for the first a wicked man by his good will neuer thinkes of God and if sometime a thought of God like lightning flashes in his minde presently he quencheth it as being a most vnwelcome and burdensome thought vnto him therefore saith Dauid The wicked is so proud he careth not for God neither is God in all his thoughts Nay God himself is so little thought on by them that they will willingly thinke of nothing that might bring GOD into their thoughts as namely Gods great works of his wonderfull Iudgements of whom the same prophet saith in the same place Thy Iudgements are farre aboue out of his sight As if hee had said hee labours to set them farre from the eye of his minde that hee may neuer haue occasion to thinke of them nor on God by them That this is true for his thoughts ' I haue endeuored thus to proue by Gods owne testimonies because thoughts cannot be discerned by man But alas for the second that is for his wordes that 's too apparant in the sight of all men For obserue it and you shall neuer see a wicked man by his good will haue God in his mouth vnlesse it bee to abuse his name by swearing or blasphemie nor willingly doth he heare any other man talke or discourse largely of God or of his greatnesse and his Iustice but such talke is tedious combersome vnto him and if hee cannot breake it off with other discourse then he sits as mute as a fish and inwardly either frets with anger or is tormented with feare All this is true in Faelix the Gouernour who whilst Paul discoursed of righteousnesse temperance and Iudgement to come The Text saith in the meane time he trembled And for the third we see daily wicked men endure not Gods presence in the Church for nothing is more troublesome vnto thē then many Sermons often praying and much receiuing of the Sacrament therfore they neuer come to the Church nor receiue ofter then the Lawe layes vpon them but further then that as the Psalmist saith they neuer call vpon God But as for the last that they feare and abhorre aboue all they wish in their hart it may neuer be And therfore S. Paul makes it a token of a true beleeuer and a holy man to loue and looke for the appearing of Iesus Christ Whereupon it followeth that euē so it is a signe of a wicked man to feare the last iudgement to wish it might neuer be And when it comes indeed they see they cannot escape it what thē do they Euen cry to the mountaines fall vpon vs and to the hils couer vs and hide vs from what from the presence of God so fearefull and so hatefull is Gods prsence to a sinfull man Besides these there is another way whereby God sheweth his presence and that is by extraordinary reuelation of his glory immediately which was vsual in the old Testament as here to the Prophet but now is not to bee expected But how terrible that is to the sinfull nature of man appeares in this place for if the Prophet a most holy man whose conscience accused him but of a fewe and small sinnes yet thus cryes out amazed affrighted at the reuelation of some part of Gods glory alas how would they be terrified with it
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
encouragement for all Pastors and Ministers of Gods Church to labour painfully faithfully in their places for the goodnesse of the Lord will neuer faile them nor shall they want comfort when euer they stand in neede thereof Yea rather shall Angels from heauen be their helpes and comforters then faithfull Ministers shall be left destitute Hitherto of the second generall points namely of the Prophets consolation The third and last generall point is the renouatiou of the Prophets commission in the eight part of the ninth verses and it containeth 3. parts 1. A question or inquirie made by God When shall I send and who shall goe for vs 2 The answere of the Prophet Here am I send me 3 The commission renued vnto him The Lord said Goe and speake vnto this people The first part is a question made by God by way of proclamation wherein he enquireth who shall goe preach vnto this people Also I heard the voice of the Lord saying whom shall I send and who shall gae for vs In which Proclamation and inquirie of the Lord we are not to imagine that the Lord was either vnprouided of such as should execute his will or knewe not who were able or who were willing to goe preach his word For as the Apostle saith in the matter of Election The Lord knoweth whr are his so much more in particular vocations The Lord knoweth who are his and neede not to aske whom shall I send or who shall goe But then it may be demanded why the Lorde saith so I answere not for his owne sake but for ours whom hereby he would instruct in diuers points of holy doctrine First hereby he would giue vs to vnderstand how hard a thing it is to finde an able and godly Minister for if there were not a great scarcitie of such men the Lorde needed not aske this question But some will obiect against this that there are in many Christian Churches so many Ministers as they cannot all bee maintained but some goe vp and downe vndisposed and vnprouided for I answere this is too true in all ages there were Wandering Leuits in the Olde Testament which went vp and downe and offered their seruice and serued for 10. shekels of siluer and a sute of apparell and meate and drinke but this calamitie was vpon the Church of the Iewes neuer but then when there was no King in Israel and euery one did that which was good in his owne eyes If therefore there bee any in our Church and in christian nations which goe vp and downe and offer their seruice at such rates it is much more miserable seeing now there are kings in Israel and therefore it is no reason that euerie man rob the Church as it shal please his couetous minde But ceasing to enquire whether this be so or no and if it bee so leauing the reformation thereof to those Churches and States whom it may concerne I answere for the matter in hand that this may be so and yet the Lorde may complaine as heere hee doth Whom shall I send for the Lord meaneâ—h not such as beare the name of Leuits or Priestes in the olde or of Ministers in the new Testament for there were alwaies inow of them who some for preferment sake some for their ease and some for a refuge how to liue are willing to enter that function and accordingly in that calling seee not the Lord but themselues and their owne ends But heere the Lorde enquireth for such men as first purely doe seeke and vndertake that function therein to honour God and to gather his Church and then in all their labours and ministeriall duties truly and faithfully endeuour to the same ends Preaching Gods word and as Gods word diligently reprouing exhorting and admonishing and shining before their people in good workes for such men it is no maruell though the Lorde light a Candle at No one day and make open Proclamation to seeke for them saying Whom shall I send for such a man is as Iob saith One of a thousand for some wat ability to discharge their duties as S. Paul saith Who are sufficient for those things And some want willingnesse to vndertake the labour as God here complaineth Who shall goe for vs Now to make vse of this doctrine to our Church It were to be wished that in these daies for our christian Churches the Lord had not as great cause to cry out in the want of able faithfull and godly Ministers Whom shall I send and who shall goe for vs But alas this want is too apparant and this blemish is too notorious and it is a worke worthy the labour of kings and princes to reforme it and is a kings euil not to be healed but by the power of a King for as long as there are so fewe and meane preferments for painefull Ministers there will neuer want abundance of such Ministers as doe want either conscience or abilitie to discharge their duties In the meane time till God put into the hearts of Parliaments and Princes to locke to this great and needfull worke let vs Ministers learne our duties and first wee who are in the Vniuersities are here admonished to look to our selues By Gods blessing we are many and daily growe more and more let vs therefore so furnish our selues as that when God or his Church shall say Who shall goe for vs and whom shall I send then he may find many amongst vs whoÌ„ he may send to that great worke of the Minisierie let vs feare to be such as thar God may affirme of vs as in the daies of Iob that he cannot finde one of a thousand Secondly all Ministers learne here not to content themselues with the name and title of Ministers but labour for the substantiall ornaments thereof nor to be willing to take the honour and liuings and to refuse the burden and duties of the Ministerie For else let them knowe God hath no neede of them for had the Lorde pleased or contented himself with such kinde of men as seeke to bee Ministers for themselues and not for his sake or beeing Ministers doe feede themselues and not their flocke or Preach themselues and not Christ then had he not needed to haue made this Proclamation for Ages haue yeelded store of such But contrariwise hee that is painfull and faithfull in this function let him knowe that God and his Church hath neede of him Lastly heere the Romish Cleargie are iustly to bee taxed whose number is infinite but it is lamentable to see howe fewe among them be such as the Lord heere seeketh for Their Orders of Regulars are exceeding many beside all their Secular Priests and it is almost incredible how many thousands there bee of Dominicans or Franciscans or in some one of their orders and yet amongst the many millions of their Monkes there is scarce to
bee found one of many who for his learning other gifts is fit to be sent to the worke of God nay their ignorance was palpable and ridiculous to the world vntill of late being by Luther and others of our Church made ashamed thereof they haue laboured especially the Iesuites to become learned How foule a thing is it that amongst so many the Lord should haue cause to complaine Whom shall wee send The Iesuits indeed many of them are learned but for other qualities they are fitter to be plotters practisers in Statematters Spies or Intelligencers reconcilers seducers and subuerters then Ministers and fitter to be instruments of pollicie to euil kings then Ministers of the Gospel vnto God But take away them and some fewe selected Monkes and those but fewe out of many thousands then euen for learning also God may cry and call proclaime in their Monasteries whom shal I send And if it be a shame and miserie to a Church to want such as God may send or to haue but a fewe then the Romish Church is shamelesse which shames not to haue so many and yet amongst them all whom God may send almost none In the next place By this inquirie and question made by God whom shall I send and who shall goe for vs The Lord would teach vs that no man is to vndertake this function vnlesse God call and send him therefore heere are condemned the prophane fancies of the Anabaptists and all like them who thinke that any man vppon a priuate motion may steppe foorth and vndertake the duties of a Prophet to preach and expound c. Oh but say they these motions are from Gods spirit surely they can say litle for themselues who cannot say so much but that cannot serue their turne for if we say contrariwise nay but they are from the diuel or at the least from your owne vanitie and pride how can they disproue it Againe might not the Prophet haue alledged that with a better pretence and colour then they yet he stayeth till God heere call him euen so all good Ministers are to stay Gods calling If any aske how he shal know when Gods calles him I answere God calleth ordinarily by his Church her voyce is his therefore whensoeuer the Church of God saith vnto thee thou shalt bee sent and â—â—ou shalt goe for vs euen then doth the Lorde call vs out to this holy function Thirdly let vs obserue how the Lord saith Who shal I send who shal goe for vs Some Interpreters gather out of this Chapter an Argument for the trinitie of persons as namely out of the 3. Verse where the Angels sing Holy Holy Holy Lord God c. But it is not sound enough to ouerthrowe our stubborne enemies the Iewes and therfore it seemes those Diuines are of a sounder and wiser iudgement who seeing we haue other places pregnant and plaine enough therefore thinke it no good discretioÌ„ to vrge this or any such place which may probably admit another Interpretation least that the Iewes finding the weaknes of the Argument doe iudge al our proofes to be as weak and so take occasion to persist the rather in their blindnesse by that which wee brought to haue conuerted them And as for that song of the angels in the third Verse where they ascribe holinesse to the Lord 3. times that theiâ— repetition signifieth nothing else but the continuall ioy and delight which the holy Angels take in praising of God who cannot satisfie theÌ„selues in honouring his name teaching vs in their example neuer to bee weary of praysing God by prayers and holy hymnes and of honouring him in our liues and callings But to proue out of the words Holy Holy Holy the three Persons in Trinitie seemes to bee no fit nor sound collection Rather in my opinion wee may safely collect and conclude out of these wordes I and vs that there are more persons in the Trinitie then one for first God the Father or the whole Deitie saith Whom shall I send and then changing the number hee saith Who shall goe for vâ— For howsoeuer God may imploy in the word Vs that he that is sent to preach is sent as well for the good of the Church as for his owne glory yet can it not bee denyed but that the plurall number heere and else where ascribed to the Deitie must needs argue a certaine pluralitie of persons in that Deitie as in Genesis it is written that God said Let vs make man and here Who shall goe for vs Out of the euidence of which places seeing the enemies of this Doctrine must needes grant a pluralitie namely that there are more then one then wee shal sufficiently proue out of other places and by other argnments that there are three In the last place let vs marke what God saith Whom shall I send who shal goe for vs God sends a minister to preach and he goeth for God Then behold here what is the trade and profession of a minister hee is the seruaunt of God So saith God here he goeth for me and so saith the Apostle of himself al other good ministers that they are Gods Labourers And in another place the Angel of God appeared Whose I am and whom I serue But if any man thinke that either God speaketh too fauourably of them or S. Paul too partially of themselues then let the Diuell himselfe bee iudge in this case who plainly freely confesseth though he did it not in loue to the truth or them These men are the seruants of the most high God which teach vnto vs the way of saluation Let therefore either God be beleeued who is for them or the diuell who is against them But what kinde of seruantes are they what place or office haue they They are his Messengers or Ambassadors this is their profession and their place Now then for the vse hereof If they be Gods seruants then are they not their owne Maisters they haue a Maister euen God whose they are and for whom and from whom they come they may not therefore please theÌ„selues nor serue their own pleasures nor seeke the satisfying of their owne carnall lustes either in matter of pleasure credite or profite if they doe then wil he call theÌ„ to a heauie account whose seruants they are Againe if they bee Gods seruants then let them doe their seruice to God and expect their reward from God some Ministers wil expect the reward and honour of Gods seruants but will doe no seruice that beseemes not seruants let such men remember for whom they come euen from that God who as he can giue reward so hee will expect seruice And as for such men as painfully do their seruice but are not regarded nor rewarded of men as they deserue let them bee content continue in their faithfulnesse for they are Gods Embassadors we know Embassadors may haue
to liue there and send out other men and giue testimonies and Letters of commendations to other men but themselues stirre not when question is made Who shall goe to such a place or who shall be sent to such a parish they say not Here am I but either it is too little a liuing or too great a charge or ill seated or some fault it hath that they will not be sent to it but will answere God and his Church there is such a man and giue him Letters of testimonie or commendation and so all is well but for themslues they liue too sweete and easie liues willingly to vndertake the contempt and burthen of the Ministerie Let such men therefore learne when God his Church giue them a calling to answere with the Prophet Here am I send me And let all such as are Students of Diuinitie in the Vniuersities marke here the Prophets answere not I will bee ready but here I am why takes hee no longer time because hee was now sufficiently qualified Where let them learne not to linger and lye rotting too long in their specidatiue courses but when they are competently furnished with learning and other qualities befitting that calling let them shew themselues willing and ready to yeeld their seruice to the Church when they shall be called For as an Apple may as well hang too long on the tree as bee puld too soone and both make it vnfit for vse so many men as well stay too long as goe out too soone and both wayes are made vnprofitable or at least lesse profitable in the Church And to conclude this second point It is not vnworthy to be noted that the Prophet saith not Here I am and I runne on my owne head but Send me Hee willes the Lord to send him then where are they who dare bragge of their priuate motions and will runne when they are not sent The Prophet might haue said Oh now I feele a motion from the Spirit therefore I will goe and preach but he stayeth til he be sent in expresse termes Let no man therfore presume to presse into this function till hee bee fully resolued in his conscience that God and his Church hath said vnto him Goe And though a man be neuer so well qualified with all maner of sufficiency yet let him sit still and stay Gods leisure and let him say Heere I am send me and so rest contented vntill hee bee sent If any man say it is vnfit that a man should say so of himselfe I answere let him not say so in words but in deeds let him therfore make proofe of himselfe and giue the Church tryall of his gifts Vpon which experience of his gifts if he be found sufficient that practise of his is all one and much more then if hee had saide Here I am send me Thus wee see the Prophet would not stirre til he were sent and therefore in the next word he is bid to goe And he said Goe and speake vnto this people Here is the third and last point Namely the essentiall words of his Commission Wherin after God had sought for one to goe and the Prophet had presented himselfe and offered his seruice God both giues him leaue to goe and further doth furnish him with authoritie both to goe and speake Wherein the principall point is that the authoritie of the Prophets calling is 〈◊〉 from God himâ—else in plaine and eâ—ide at words Goe and speake and till then the Prophet went not So in the new Testament the Apostles went not into the world to preach till they had their Commission Goe and teach all Nations And after them Saint Paul 〈◊〉 hot till it was said vnto him Arâ—se and goe In all which is discouered and condemned the pride and presumption of those who dare run on their own heads and will not stay till the Lord say vnto them Goe and speake These men are bolder then either the extraordinarie Prophets of the olde Testament or the Apostles which are the extraordinary Ministers of the new who alwaies had their warrant with the when they went And if any man aske why is it necessarie they should haue so I answere the reasons are many First all Prophets and Ministers are Gods Deputies and Commissioners it is therfore reason that they haue authoritie from their Lord and Maister Secondly their wordes nor deedes beare no credit nor haue any power in them vnlesse they be spoken by vertue of a Commission nor haue their labours any blessing vnlesse God giue it Thirdly these persons haue no protection nor safetie vnlesse they bee Gods Embassadors and how are they so vnlesse they be called and sent by God and haue authoritie giuen of God For these causes no man is to thrust himselfe into the Ministerie without a calling from God and therefore no maruell though those men who will bee Chusers and Callers of themselues and run when they are not sent bee in their persons subiect to all daungers because they are out of Gods protection their labours without profit because no blessing nor promise of God was giueÌ„ vnto them for GOD may iustly say vnto them Let him that sent you protect your persons let him that sent you blesse your labours But it will then be demaunded how may I know if God bid me goe for God speakes not now from heauen as in old time and as to this Prophet I answere It is true we are to looke for no such visiions nor apparitions from heauen for ordinarily there are none such and the Popish Church doth but deceiue themselues and cozen the world who tell vs of so many apparitions that happen to their Monkes and Fryers for now ordinarily God speaketh in another maner to his Church for in Generall duties God speaketh to vs out of his word and holy Scriptures and in particular and personall duties where the word in plaine termes serueth not hee speaketh to a man by his owne conscience and by the voice of his Church Out of his word God sheweth thee the dignitie and excellencie of this calling to be a Minister of the word Namely they are his Messengers and Embassadors c. that so hee may winne them to loue and affect it And againe the necessicitie of it that it teacheth the way to saluation that without it ordinarily Gods Church is not gathered nor mens soules saued that this may stirre thee vp to vndertake the burthen this is generall But now particularly for thy selfe wouldest thou knowe whether GOD would haue thee to goe or no then thou must aske thy owne conscience and aske the Church for if thou be hartily willing and be fully and worthity qualified then God bids thee goe Now thy conscience must iudge of thy willingnesse and the Church of thy abilitie and as thou maiâ—â— not trust other men to iudge of thy inclination or affection so thou maist not
from hel not from heauen Circumstance the Application of the remedie to his lips which were polluted Doct Ergo ministers must apply their doctrin fitly 2 Point the ground of his consolation which is the forgiuenesse of his sinnes Doct 1. Forgiuenesse the meanes are annexed together Vse Ergo Vse the meaues with reuerence despise then not Doct 2. Here comfort is from forgiuenesse of our sins True in Dauid 2. Sam 11. And in this Prophet Vse Here is the true way to comfort distressed consciences Physick and outward comforts wil not serue Psal 3. 3. 6. 7. Psal 32. 3. 4. Psal 51 the whole Psalm This is done by the Author in his Cases of conscience Doct. 5. True qualification of a Minister is to be humbled and to repent Doct. 4. True Prophets ministers shall haue helpe and comfort in their labours else Angells shall to comfort them Geoerall points the renuing of his coÌ„mission which cositaineth 3 points 1 Gods question Whom shal I send Not as though God had none to seÌ„d or knew not whom 2. Tim. 2. 19. But to our conceits and for our sake to teach vs many good doctrines Doct. â— How hard to find a good Minister Ob. Ther are too many ministers for some goe vp and downe Ans 1. Then it is a disorder in a Church Iudges 19. 18. 17. 8. 6. Iudge 17. 6. Ans 2. He seeke not for any But for good ministers Job 33. 23. 2. Corinth 2. 16. Good ministers scarce euen in these dayes Vse 1. To Ministers 1 They in the vniuersities frame themselues to the ministerie 2. Labour to be worthy Ministers For God hath vse of them but none of vncoÌ„scionable or idle Ministers 2. Vse To the Cleargie of Rome A shame to them that being so many there are so few of them fit for God to send Most of all their Priests Monks are ignorant drones The Iesuites haue learning but no conscience and are rather Statesmen then Diuines Doct. 2. No man is to goe vntill God send him And not to run vpon priuate motions Ob How shall I know when God calles me Ans If Gods Church allowe thy calling Doct. 3. out of the repetition of holy 3. times Here is no sufficient proofe of the Trinitie as some thinke For the repetition made by the Angel sheweth onely how he cannot content himselfe in praysing God But he may be proued a pluralitie of persons Gen. 1. 16. Doct. 4. Ministers are Gods seruants they goe for God 1. Corinth 3. 9. Acts 27. 23. Confessed euen by the diuel himselfe Acts 16. 16. 17. q. What place is it they holde R. His Ambassadors Iob. 33. 23. Vse 1. Then they must seeke to please God their maister not themselues Vse 2. then let them do their seruice diligently and expect their reward assuredly Though the world doe not yet God will for they are his Ambassadors 3. Vse Let no man therefore wrong them for God will not suffer his Embassadors to be abused No king so poore that suffred it 1. King 22. 26. 27. 28. 34. c. 2. King 9. 33. c. Act. 12. 1. 2. 23. 4. Vse Ergo they must not be seruants of men that is men pleasers but his that sent them Great men must not thinke to haue Gods seruant at their command 5. Vse Ergo they must for the glory of God their Maister both in life and doctrin 6. Vse Etgo they must deliuer Gods embassage not their owne and as they receiued it 2. Point The Prophets answere here am I send me Doct. 1. He whose sins are forgiuen comes boldly to God to his dutie Vse 1. Here is the true way to peace of conscience and quietnes of minde Vse 2. To students 1. If they would be Ministers repent and get pardon of their sinnes 2. If they would be encouraged against the contempts and wrongs of the world be assured of Gods fauour in the Pardon of thy sinnes Doct. 2. We muâ—t not set others to the labour of the Ministerie but our selues also Vniuersitie men must not be alwayes sending out others but must also send out themselues And Students must not deferre too long but hasteÌ„ to the Ministerie For some too long as some goe too soone Doct. 3. The Prophet wil not goe till he be sent And that not by priuate motion onely but in expresse words Men therefore are to offer themselues but not to goe till they be sent 3 The Commission receiued Doct â— No maâ— is to preach without a Commission Matth. 28. 19. Acts 9. 6. c. This is so for these causes Rea. 1. Commissioners haue no power but from the King Real 2 Else what they doe is without vertue or blesâ—ing Reaâ—â—â—â—lâ—e their persoÌ„s haue no protection Ob. how may I know if God bid me goe Ans we must not expect Gods voice from heauen But hee speaketh to man two waies generally in his word 1. Corinth 4. 1. Iob. 33. 23. Acts. 16. 17. Pro. 29. 18. 2. Particularly God speaketh 1. by the voice of his conscience for his inclination 2. By the voice of â—is Church for thy gifts Where these 2. voices call a man there God bids him goe Vse 1. Against theÌ„ that run cry they be sent 2. Against such as are called by both voices and yet will not goe Doct 2. See the authoritie of a true mioister immediate froÌ„ God himself Vse 1. Ergo Let no man wrong them Vse 2. Ergo Let Ministers be comforted in doing their dutie for if God send them he wil neuer faile them Math. 25. 34 Math. 25 21