haue beene deuised since to subuert her by papists and traitours and â—esuites and the vnholy league and all with â—he deuill himselfe hauing sworne vowed â—rdeath yet she raigneth thanked be God â—nd long may she raigne O Lord we bseech â—hee for thy mercies sake in despite of all â—â—y enemies here we may see that verefied â—hat is in the Prouerbs There is no counsaile Pro. 21 3â— â—or wisedome nor strength against the Lord. Pro. 19.21 And in another place he saith Many deuises â—re in a mans heart Ier. 5.25 but the counsell of the Lord â—â—all stand If any thing hinder good things â—rom vs it is our sinne but no deuise of man â—or deuill they shall doe no more then the â—orde hath appointed Our sinnes are the â—hiefe cause and the wicked are instrumenâ—all causes and vsed by the Lord like Ashur â—who was called the staffe of the Lord to â—lague his church withall And therefore â—any take a wrong course to haue the churâ—hes estate bettered they crie out vpon the â—â—me and the state and the Bishops and paâ—â—ons and the dumbe ministers I speake not â—ow in defence of any mans fault or corrupâ—â—on but their owne household are vnreforâ—ed they and their families are ignorant and â—rofane they abuse the good gifts of god alâ—eady bestowed and yet they find fault they â—aue no more like children that cast their â—eate to the dogges and then crie for more â—hey say so long as such and such beare sway in the church neuer a good minister shal be long at rest and I know not what neuer looking what hurt their rashnes and preposterous blind zeale doth procure but they are much deceiued for let those that call vppon the name of God departe from euill and turne vnto the Lorde and then looke what his maiestie hath promised it shall surely be performed though the time be prolonged for the exercise of our faith patieÌ„ce It is sufficieÌ„t for vs if the Lord saith he wil do it though he do not tell vs when and howe he will do it hee hath wayes enow to bring his counsel to passe With this I wil or promise of God let vs learne to arme our selues against all temptations all feares all doubts and all lets whatsoeuer let men take heede how they enterprise any thing against the will of God what meanes soeuer they haue to effect their purpose for if they say they will and the Lord say hee wil not or if they say it shal not be and the Lord saith it shaâ— be all their murmuring banding and consulting â—sac 36.12 and 37.33 and practising will be in vaine Senâ—charib said he would come against Ierusalem with a mightie host and make them tâ— eate their owne dunge and drinke their owâ— pisse but the Lord said he should not shooâ— an arrow into Ierusalem and it came to pasâ— as the Lord said Esau said hee would kill 〈◊〉 brother Iacob but he did not Gâ—â—â—â— â—â— the Iewes vowed neither to eate nor drinke till they hadde killed Paule Aâ—â— 21 1â— but if they had kept their vowe they had starued Herod though to haue killed Christ but hee coulde not and many others haue purposed many other things but the Lord hath disposed of them according to his own wil and pleasure and all to shewe how truely Iob spake when he said The hand of man is not able to accomplish the deuise of his heart As this is a singular consolation at all times so now in this hard time of dearth and scarcitie the Lord doth promise vppon the true repentance of his people to blesse the earth with plentie to satifie the poore with bread let the wretched cornemongers and couetous caterpillers say the price shall not fall the Lord that hath said the word wil do it manger their beards and cause them to fall too with shame inough if they repent not let no man say as the noble man of Samaria said 2. King 7. â—â— Though the Lord should open the windowes of heauen and raine downe wheate c. I will not beleeue the words of the prophet lest he see it but enioy it not as hee did that was troden downe in the gates of the cittie And to conclude seeing as we are readie to take a mans word for any thing if hee be an honest man and of any credit or ability and think our selues safe if the prince or a meaner person say I will giue thee this or thaâ— how much more ought we to take the Lordâ— word for any thing that he promiseth whâ— is all sufficient and faithfull yea if wee doâ— doubt of the matter when he saith I will oâ— presume when hee saith I wil not wee offeâ— his maiestie that iniurie which we our selueâ— would hardly let go vnreuenged at any mans hand if it lay in our power to reuenge the same FINIS
haue tenne talents some haue but one yet all must occupie for their Lords aduantage Some come at the first houre some at the last yet all sent of God Some are like Iames and Iohn the sonnes of thunder 〈◊〉 4.36 〈◊〉 4.7 Cor. 4.1 some like Barnabas the sonne of consolation yet all the messengers of God Some haue receiued a greater measure of gâ—fts some a lesse yet all according to the measure of the gift of Christ And therfore let vs esteeme of them as of the ministers of Christ and the disposers of the secrets of God Men they are as we are that is our benefite for if God himselfe should send forth his voice we must yeeld vp our liues Sinfull they are as others 〈…〉 that is because they are men mortall they are as others are and that is because they are sinfull yet still the messengers of God and beseech vs in Christ his stead to be reconciled vnto God 2. Cor. 5 2â— If this were regarded then Gods ministers shoulde be more regarded and lesse despised more beleeued lesse disgraced better prouided for lesse pinched and not so shamefully slandered and abused of so many as now they are But alas it is not once thought vpon of many and therefore euerie churlish Nabal denieth them maintenaunce euerie couetous Achab is sicke for their liuings 1. King 21. â— euery proud minion and minsiing damsell longeth for their heads in a platter Mat. 26.15 1. King 22.4 euerie Iudas is ready to betray them Zidkijah the kings claw backe will not sticke to take his fist from their cheekes Act. 24.4 5. Tertullus the oratour dareth call them pestilent fellowes and troublers of the state if any man of his courtesie will giue theÌ„ the hearing Festus in his mad mood Act. 26.24 will call them mad men and lay the fault if there be any vpon their learning too 2. Tim 4.10 Demas the wordling will giue them the slip 1 King 17 9. onely the poore widdow of Sarepta is founde releeuing poore banished Eliah And some thanks be to God but not many in respect of the multitude haue the ambassadours of the Lord Iesus in that good account which they should especially for their works sake for do not many grudge our meate number our morsels and reckon our liuings to euery farthing Christ commanded his to carry neither bread nor money 1â— nor to put on two coates he is a rich man nowadayes that hath two coates to put on except some that haue twoo or three benefices for many in the world are turned out of all and yet God be thanked they are deliuered We may say as Paul saide we are afflicted on euery side in pouerty 〈◊〉 4.8 yet not ouercome of pouerty as dead yet aliue as sorrowing yet reioycing as possessing nothing yet hauing all things In the time of popery one congregation did maintaine many masse-priests now many congregations will hardely maintaine one good preacher of the gospel and no maruell for then there were too many foolish Bees that brought all their honny into the popes hiue and nowe wee haue too many droanes that sucke all the hony out of the churches hiue yea too many horse-leaches which alwaies cry 〈◊〉 30.15 Giue giue but neuer say Ho. One crieth giue me the college landes another crieth and mee the landes of cathedrall churches another longeth for the impropriations the fourth must haue an other benefice or two for to buy him bookes withall one is sicke for a deanry and some are sicke of a consumption and a bishoprike or twoo would restore them againe or some other thing that should go to the church and some will not leaue till they haue the deuill and all or till the deuill haue them If men take paines some will rewarde them with a thistle the reward of an Asse others would send away their pastours in worse case then the basest officer in their kitchin without either warning or wages I blame not all but all such Why say some of these men can you not liue as the apostles liued Why say I againe Act. 4.35 Act. 4.2 let them lay downe their goods at the Apostles feete and then let them aske that question Truely many dee as Ananias did if they giue one groat they will brag of two Many aske from whence commeth the fall of the church Indeede it is a question to be moued though the disease wil hardly or neuer be remoued It is said that seuen ilfauoured leane kine deuoured seuen fatte kine and this was Pharaoes dreame Gen. 41.10 but now seuenty times seuen ilfauoured leane kine haue deuoured seauen hundred fatte kine and this is no dreame but a very troth but wherefore I pray you are Gods messengers thus handled Doe they demaunde their dueties No they dare not for the earthen potte dareth not striue against the brasen vessell and menne are nowe like drunken guests which hauing filled their bellies are loath to pay their reckoning What is the cause Any cause will serue the turne in this point Facile inuenias baculum quo canem cedas It is an easie matter to find a staffe to beate a dogge withall When the Pharisies could not abide the doctrine of Christ nor his disciples 〈◊〉 24. they quickly found a iust defence of their quarrell They do that on the sabboth daie which is not lawfull And wot you what that was they plucked the eares of corne Our Pharises also haue taken vp the same accusation against vs for say they we do that on the saboth day that is not lawful And first to begin withal they crie out vpon him rebell he wil not weare the surplis euerie sunday and holy day Againe he will not reade all seruice at all times and therefore whether lawe dispence with him or no for his preaching we haue found sufficient cause to denie him his dutie Againe he will not reade diuine seruice to the walles and the windowes to the stooles and the stones is not this cause sufficient to denie him his dutie Againe they preach against papists Atheists vsurers drunkards swearers lords of missc-rule abuse of apparrell and other profanings of the sabboth day and such like comendable and common excercises of good neighbourhood and is not this a sufficient cause also Lastly if they should pay the minister his dutie the lone of so much money were lost which in many yeares would amount to some round summe and are not all these or any of these sufficient causes thinke you to handle Gods poore ministers and seruaunts as hath beene shewed before But what hath good queene Elizabeth done that she can get nothing of some of them I hope it is not because she hath banished idolatrie and brought in the gospel Some can rob Peter to pay Paul they say but these men can cunningly rob both Peter and Paul too and pay neither of both Well we haue beene all this while but among the eares
but of mercy and saluation to prophesie of new wine and strong drinke but in no case to awake them out of their sins Som would haue him alwaies to bee thundering out the iudgements of God and to minister nothing but bitter purgations as though â—ll men were sicke at once or of one disease or of one cause Some againe can abide neither piping nor mourning If the minister reproue their sinnes they call him a busie controlour If he shall applie the word to the conscience then who made him a iudge If he denounce the iudgements of god then he fraieth his audience If he standeth aboue his houre theÌ„ he is tedious If he entreat friendly then he is glad to curry fauor If he be sparing in reprofe theÌ„ he is afraid to displease If he speake learnedly then he is too deepe If plainely then he is no scholler but if he will sooth them vp with an Omne bene or a nihil dicit then he is the best church man that euer they knew Thirdly the Prophet telleth the Iewes of their disobedience that so hee might make them more fit to returne vnto God being first humbled with the sight of their sinnes to teach vs that in all our reprehensions or admonitions we must seek the good of our brother and the glory of God as Iohn the Baptist called the Pharises and Sadduces a generation of vipers Mat. 3.7 not to make them desperate but fruitful in the workes of repentance And surely good brethren then is there hope of doing good by sharpe censures when men may see that they are not censured of malice or to make them odious or for some other sinister respect but of conscience and loue seeking therby the good amendement of our brother and that we are no whit glad for their faults but rather grieued at their falles And if this rule were alwaies obserued amongst all those to whome the censures of the church are committed I doe not doubt but that much more good might be done then is done but if men shall see that their censures whatsoeuer they are proceede not from a hatred of sinne nor a conscience and care to amend their brethreÌ„ but either of stomack to reuenge their own quarrelles or from a couetous affection to maintaine their own gaines alas how should they be regarded as they ought Nay howe shoulde the kingdome of Sathan bee ouerthrowen when the golden iudge giueth sentence Howe can the right marke bee hit when a wrong marke is set vppe to bee shot at 〈◊〉 6.9 and howe can the Church bee terrible as an armie with banners when the leaders of the army shall turne their swords points against their owne souldiers but this may suffise for the wisedone of God in mentioning their sinnes before hee calleth them to repentance in this first word disobedient As the first word is a most euident testimonie of Gods wisedome so is the second of his mercie for lo he calleth them still by the names of children Oh loue vnspeakeable that cannot so forget the workemanship of his owne hands but albeit they had most shamefully abused his maiestie yet still offereth to be their father He ceaseth not to try them by afflictions to call them by his prophets to draw them by his spirit to wooe them by his benefits to pardon them in his mercie 〈◊〉 103.9 and to receiue them into his wonted fauour againe Thus wee see that our God will not alwaies be chiding neither will hee keepe his anger for euer but as a father pittieth his children so hath the Lord compassion on all those of whose returne there is any hope Applicat This doctrine will stand vs in stead many waies first the papist may learne from hence that the Lord doth not deale with vs according to our deserts but according to his merits in Iesus Christ Secondly from hence the afflicted conscience that groneth vnder the burden of his sinnes may fetch comfort against al the firy darts of Sathan when hee shal be surely perswaded that in Iesus Christ the partition wall is broken downe and the hand-writing fastened vnto his crosse and therefore that al his sinnes shall not be able to ramper vp the gate of Gods mercie against him Thirdly this teacheth vs that if any be fallen by infirmitie wee shoulde doe what wee can with the spirit of brotherly loue long suffering to restore him again And good reason for if we be bound by the law of God to helpe vp a beast vnder his burden much more our brother but alas how strange is this amongst vs If a mans foote hath slipped neuer so little especially if hee be a good man and who can say his heart is cleane profane men are ready to exclaime of him but neuer labor to reclaim him neuer remembring what our sauiour Christ said when he wrote vpon the ground Iob. 8.7 but forgetting themselues to be laden both with moats and beames they do as dogs do which when one is in disgrace run al together after him with open mouth and ful cry Now if the Lord shuld thus hotly pursue vs as we do our brethren what should become of vs Fourthly this gracious example of our heauenly father dealing so mercifully with his disobedient children coÌ„demneth the vncharitable practises of three sorts of men the first sort is the Papists whose fingers are dyed of a sanguine colour in the bloud of those men which haue but transgressed the dirtie decrees of an Italian priest yet these gnat-strainers and camel swalowers bewaile the want of loue among vs secondly it meeteth with an abuse in church gouernours who vse sometime to make out excoÌ„munications for fees for trifles and matters of small importance as though the greatest censure of the church and the greatest iudgement next to the generall iudgemeÌ„t may be dallied withal and so farre abused as thereby to cut off cast out members of the church to sathan at mens pleasures Our good God casteth not off his people no not for disobedience but still admonisheth them and taketh them for his children so long as there is any hope of returning thirdly it meeteth with the rash furious dealing of Brownists who for som defects and blemishes cast off the whole church of God in England for no apparant church of God which is more then they ought to do for two causes First thogh disobedience be as it is indeed as the sin of wichcraft and who is not disobedient in many things yet so long as they caÌ„not chalenge vs for apostacy as we may some of them and so long as there is any life of the spirit at all in her she is not to be laied out vpon the colde ground But soft a while though shee hath not all her ornaments according to the word of God yet she doth not refuse them if she might lawfully come by them but is readie to receiue them whensoeuer shee may lawfully obtaine them Ezech. 9.4 In the
sent him must haue his life clothed with robes of holines and righteousnes I mean not that a holy life is essentiall to a minister so that he is no minister that wants it but that it is necessary for a minister for many shall say at the last day to Christ 〈…〉 7.22 Wee haue prophesied in thy name to whom answere shal be made againe depart from me ye workers of iniquitie I know you not The necessitie of it may appeare by many reasons first a minister vnlesse hee bee sanctified hee shall neuer soundely and liuely vnderstand the word of GOD 〈…〉 5 9. for the Lorde reuealeth his will vnto the humble and his counselles vnto them that feare him and to none else Lawyers become cunning by long reading and Phisitions by experience yet no man was euer a perfect found and iudiciall diuine without holines This knowledge is rather feeling then learning in aboundance of bea rt rather then extreame studie sent by God to good men so that hee that can say with Dauid Psal 119.117 I loue thy lawe may say I haue more vnderstanding then my teachers It is the equitie of God vnwilling to obey vnwoorthy to knowe for what should hee do with a talent which wil not vse it Therefore he which forbiddeth pearles to swine staies his hand from casting knowledge to the wicked except so much as shall condemne them Further the ignorant people cannot see the ordinance of God but they vse to iudge of a mans ministery by sensible things which they see in him therefore a good life is necessarie in a minister For they say because he liueth according to his teaching wee will heare him as Herod heard Iohn Baptist Mar. 6.20 because he was a good man and a godly If teachers of humane artes shall tell generall things without examples it is hard to learne of them so if teachers of diuine things shall teach onely without examples it wil be as hard to learn of them therefore the minister must set a copie with his life which the Apostâ—e saint Peter requireth when hee saieth â—et 5.2 3 Feede the flocke of God which dependeth on you caring for it not by constraint but willingly not for filthy lucre but of a ready minde not as though ye were Lordes ouer Gods heritage but that ye may be ensamples of the flocke VVhat manner of examples ministers must bee Saint Paule sheweth 1 Timothie 4.12 when hee saieth Bee vnto them that beleeue an ensample in worde in conuersation in loue in spirite in faith and in purenesse It is said vnto all men Be ye holy but it is enioyned the minister more specially to be adorned both with inward and outward holinesse Inward holinesse standeth in faith and a good conscience which the Apostle Paul would haue to be in Timothie as weapons Tim. 1.19 without which he cannot fight a good fight the first is a perswasion of the trueth or true doctrine the other excuseth a man in euery action â—ron 15.15 and therefore Salomon calleth a good conscience a continuall feast And Paul laboured to keepe that aboue all things â—ct 24.16 for I endeuour my selfe to haue alway a cleare conscience both towards God and towards men Outward holines which must be in the minister of God is set foorth in I. Tim. 3.2 A Bishop must be vnreprooueable Againe there be outward dueties required of him in regard of his person in regard of his familie in regarde of his calling and in regard of strangers First in regarde of his owne person he must be vnblameable so farre from outward crimes and grose sinnes that hee must bee free from all iust cause of suspition because he must reforme others not to be free from sinne for that is not possible in this life Hee must wisely conceale his infirmities from others for being once knowen they are as a barre cast in the way of the people to stumble at And howsoeuer great and foule faultes in an other man seeme to bee but small yet euery light infirmitie in the minister is accompted as a plague-sore running vppon him the which maketh him to be abhorred of the profane and ignorant sort therefore if the minister shoulde make his infirmities knowen vnto them it were all one as if hee shoulde say I haue the plague about me and so make them to abhorre both his person and his doctrine Secondly in regarde of his ovvne person it is required that hee be the husband of one wife for in those times men had twoo wiues and then he might not be a minister because that hee hadde broken the holie ordinaunce of almightie God in himselfe which should see it kept in others If hee had bin such a one and now is single or ioyned onely to one hee may be a christian but not a minister And the like is to be said of him that hath been sometime a Preacher of the gospell and after that fell to be an idolater or a Popish priest and is now a professor of the gospel again the church may vpon his repentance take him for a christian but hee ought not to serue in the publique ministerie of the word as yet many doe because hee is not onely blemished himselfe worse then a man that wanteth a member which in no wise might serue in the worke of the ministery but also is a fowle scarre in the face of the church which must be remoued that the church may looke with a louely and comely countenance that her friends may be in loue with hir and not through hir vgly and deformed visage be occasioned to loathe her and this is that which the Prophet Ezechiel in plaine words hath recorded in this manner â—â—zech 44 10 Thus saith the Lord God No stranger vncircumcised in heart nor vncircumcised in flesh shal enter into my sanctuarie Neither the Leuites that are gone backe from mee when Israel went astray which went astray from me after their idolles but they shall beare their iniquitie And they shal serue in my sanctuarie and keepe the gates of the house and miâ—nister in the house But how shal they minister they shall slay the burnt offering and the sacrifice for the people and they shall stand before them to serue them that is they shall serue as drudges to doe all the seruile worke that belongs to the sanctuarie like the Gibeonites who were appointed by Ioshua to carry wood and draw water and why Iosh 9.27 because they serued before their idolles and caused the house of Israel to fall into iniquitie Ezech. 44.12 Therefore haue I lift vp mine hand against them saith the Lord and they shal beare their iniquitie And they shall not come neere vnto me to do the office of the priest vnto me neither shal they come nere vnto any of mine holy things in the most holy place but they shall beare their shame and their abominations which they haue committed And I will make them keepers of
couetousnes is â—he cause of filthy lucre as it is the roote of all euill which must not be in the man of God It is required of Gods minister in respect of his family â—uries in respect of his family he be such a one that can gouern his family wel For the gouernment of a family is a great stay of a church and common wealth that is when by the example of the minister others gouerne wel yet there is sufficient doctrine in the word to gouern by Then doth the minister gouerne wel when his whole family is in subiection and obedience of the magistrate and willing to suffer when they offend now if any looke for liberty it is children therfore the apostle putteth children for all saith that they must be in subiection therfore much more seruants that this may not seem a smal matter he saith that it mast be in al honesty or comâ—ines to shewe that there is decenâ—ie in that family when euery childe doth his duety and great comelines is in subiection the reason is if a man cannot rule his own family how can he rule Gods church therefore he is not a minister after the Lords heart that bringeth vp his children dissolutely and here by the way we may see that God doth not require of the minister either a single life or a monkish life nor a whorish adulterous life which whoso leadeth in popery is better accepted then he that liueth in holy estate of matrimony In respect of hiâ— calling to the faith In regard of his calling to the faith it is required that he be not a yong plaÌ„t or a nouice gods church is compared to a vineyard those which are coÌ„uerted are as it were brought out of the field planted in the vineyard now if if these be but as of a years growth or so they are not fit to be ministers lest they being puffed vp as many are fal into temptatioÌ„ of the A man newely conuerted hath not sounde knowledge so falleth by ignorance of his mind to error and so to heresie by pride and so is in the same sin with the deuill nay the apostle saith in the condemnation of the deuil that is to be without a sauior or not to be saued therefore we ought to take heede for the danger is great pride and liking of hart wil bring a man to the diuils sin if it puffe vs vp then are we gone pride keepeth out humility which must needs receiue Christ He that can ascribe confusioÌ„ to himself keepeth out pride or at the least fighteth against it The last property that is required to be in a minister â—espect of â—ngers is in respect of strangers He must haue a good testimony of theÌ„ that are without euen of infidels who are not yet conuerted So he must behaue himselfe that euen froÌ„ the wicked if it be possible he may haue a good report Hee must be curteous to all good and bad not curteous to the faithful austere to the wicked but curteous to al the reason is lest he fal into reproch the snare of the deuil The reson of this duty is drawn froÌ„ the inconuenieÌ„ce that wil folow the contrarie for whom must hee conuert the wicked then if he come into hatred with them hee shall be able to do them no good if they blaspheme God and him And thus by reproch hee is cast into the snares of the deuil either to be dissolute not to care what he doth or else desperate of verie griefe and sorrow of heart by which we may see what danger it is to raise vp slander of any man it is as much as a mans soule is worth for this giueth the deuill occasion to worke vpon a man And a man may speake that which may make an other man come to destruction so much as lieth in him that so speaketh The world is a place where sathaÌ„ hath al snares on ech side therefore we must take heed They that lie in the snares it may be see nothing of all this but those who haue bin in and are gone out doe see them therfore it is needfull to pray Leade vs not into temptation but deliuer vs from euill And thus much for the duties and qualities of a minister in respect of his own person of his family of his calling to the faith and of strangers by which togither with that which hath beene saide of his doctrine it may easily appeare who be ministers according to the Lords heart or liking and who be not It followeth in the text Which shal feede you with knowledge and vnderstanding Now the Lord sheweth what benefit they shà l reape by their pastors namely knowledge and vnderstanding they shall not only be to Gods liking but also for their soules good nay they cannot be pastours to Gods liking except they be also for the benefite of Gods people for God liketh well when his church thâ—â—ueth wel the church thriueth wel when it groweth in knowledge and vnderstanding for that is the way to grow strong in faith repentance loue and in zeale and in patience and in al the â—auing graces of the spirit of God to know and to vnderstand the waies of the Lord. This knowledge is the knowlege of Gods wil reuealed in his worde which sheweth both what his purpose is concerning all men both good and bad wicked and godly the faithful and vnfaithfull the elect and the reprobate the saluation of the one and the damnation of the other the assurance of both the meanes and the causes of both It sheweth also what is required of al men to be beleeued what to be practised for the aduancement of his glory This is called the knowledge of God in Christ Iesus wherein standeth eternall life Iohn chapter seuenteene verse 3. This knowledge of God is the first and chiefest principle in christian religion because without it it is not possible for any man to worship him as he ought to bee worshipped of vs for the Apostle saith how shall we call on him on whom we haue not beleeued and how can we beleeue in him of whom we haue not heard and how shall we heare without a preacher 〈◊〉 10.14 as if hee shoulde say we can doe none of these things without knowledge for knowledge is the end of hearing and of preaching therefore doe we preach and heare not to make the scriptures better as some sencelesse idiots doe immagine but to bring men to the knowledge of the truth Now as the apostle speaketh of faith and prayer which bee twoo especiall parts of Gods worship wee can neither beleeue aright nor pray aright without knowledge so may it bee saide of feare and loue and all other points of the true worship and seruice of God that men can neither feare God aright nor loue God aright nor confes him aright nor acknowledge his gouernment aright without the knowledge of those things And for the