king in whose daies Esayah was first called being now 〈◊〉 and an other succeeding him God with the new king reneweth the calling and coÌ„mission of the Prophet wherin God doth not giue him another calling for one calling to the office of the ministery is sufficient but he confirmeth the calling formerly giuen by repeating ratifying it And this God did to Easy not as he was an ordinary but an extraordinary Prophet for ordinary Ministers need no renouation of their calling nor any newe signes of confirmation but extraordinary Prophets who come in extraordinary maner to do many extraordinary workes God in his wisdom wil haue their calling confirmed againe and againe that by very extraordinary meanes Out of which practise of the Lord we learn how great cause we haue to doubt those men to be either fantasticall or worse who pretend extraordinary callings in these daies and yet scarce can shew vs any good signes of an ordinary much lesse of an extraordinary motion for if in those dayes when such courses were more common God will haue his extraordinary prophets caling to be renewed confirmed againe and againe then certainly in these dayes we may iustly require more more wonderful signes of an extraordinary calling afore we belieue it and if God himselfe was so carefull to satisfie his Church in those dayes of the vocatioÌ„n of his Prophet surely y e Church in these daies hath much more cause to doubt in such cases and to require many extraordinarie signes afore it acknowledge any such extraordinary calling These men therfore offer much wrong to the church deserue both the censure thereof the sword of the Magistrate who dare so boldly offer and obtrude to the Church their own fancies dreams as extraordinary motions of Gods spirit This is the occasion and coherence This Chapter hath two partes first the meanes of his confirmation fâ—om the beginning to these words secondly the confirmation it selfe from these words to the end the meâ—neâ— of his confirmation is a vision he saw from heauen of certaine holy Angels appearing and speaking to him in the first 4. verses In the confirmation which followeth in these words are three points 1 The effect of the vision which it wrought in the Prophet it caused him feare it astonisht him cast him down in the fifth verse 2 His CoÌ„solation and raising vp againe after his feare in the 6. and 7. verses 3 The renuing of his CoÌ„â—ssion againe from thence to the end The feare astonishment of the Prophet is described 1 By the signes of which are two 1 A note of exclamation woe is me 2 By a note of extreame deiection in himselfe I am vndone 2 By the causes of it which are also set downe to be two 1 He was a man polluted and dwelt amongst people polluted 2 He had seene the Lord Then said I woe is me I am vndone The first point in order is the feare and extasie into which the Lord dâ—oue this holy Prophet which the Lord did not in his anger but in his loue vnto him not for a punishment of sinne but as an euidence of his further loue for the intent and purpose of God in striking this feare into him was to make him to be a true prophet a fit messenger for himselfe It may seeme a strange course which God taketh to confirme and raise vp his seruaÌ„t in zeale corage to strike him into an extreame feare euen to astonish amaze him yet we see it is the course which the Lord taketh out of which practise of the Lord wee learne this doctrine That al true Ministers especially such aâ— are deputed to the greatest workes in his church must â—e first of all striken into a great feare 〈◊〉 consideration of the greatnes of their â—â—nction yea into an amazemeÌ„t and astonishment in the admiration of Gods glorie and greatnesse whose roome they occupy and whose message they bring the more they are afraide and shrinâ— so it be vnder the contemplation of Gods maiestie their own weaknes the more likelier it is that they are truly cald of God and appointed for worthy purposes in his church but he that steps to this function without feare he may thrust in himselfe but its doubtful whether he be cald of God as here y e Prophet was Nor is it so here alone but euery where when God called any of his seruants to any great worke he first droue them into these feares and amazements as is euident in Moses in Ieremy in S. Paul and others The reason of this calling of the lord is plaine namely because mans nature is alwaies ready to take enough and too much vnto it selfe God therfore in his wisdome puts a bridle vnto the corrupt nature of man and astonisheth it lest it presume too much and take too much vpon it self Againe a Minister is to preach vnto the people feare and reuerence of the Lord buâ— how can he do so to others wheÌ„ he hatâ— not tyed the Lord in his own coÌ„science nor was euer cast downe in admiration of Gods glory and Maiesty And lastly the Ministry is a high excellent calâ—ing especially the office of extraordinary Prophets in the old testament and is therefore subiect to pride and to be â—uft vp with selfâ—-conceits therefore â—eacheth the Apostle to Timothy that a Minister may not be a yong scholler least he 〈◊〉 puft vp and fall into the condemnation of â—he wicked giuing vs to vnderstaÌ„d that it â—s the peculiar danger of the calling to haue high conceits of theÌ„selues because of the height dignity of their functioÌ„ Therfore to preuent this incoÌ„uenience God in mercy appointeth that all his true Ministers shall haue some meanes 〈◊〉 other to be cast downe euen to noâ—hing in themselues and shall be driuen â—nto such feares amazements at sight of their owne weakenesse as they shall â—hrowe downe themselues at Christs â—eete and denying themselues wholy shall acknowledge that they are in him whatsoeuer they are and doe relye and trust onely on his grace and helpe The vse of this doctrine as it is for all Ministers so specially for vs which liue in the Vniuersitie we liue as it were in a Seminary and many of vs are hereafter by Gods grace to be framed to the Ministery and some of vs already are Now here we haue many occasions to be puft vp in selfe-conceits we see our selues growe in time in degrees in learning in honour in name and estimation and to many of vs God giues good portions of his gifts what are all these but so many baites to allure vs to pride and vaine opinions of our own worths but let vs remember the end we aime at is not humane nor carnall our purpose is to saue soules Then the weapons of our warre raust not be carnall as pride vaine-glory and selfe-conceit If therefore we euer looke to be made instruments oâ—
all times al sports and recreations all meetings all occasions are one with them but alas what maruel though such men keepe not themselues vnspotted of the world but proue too offensiue to their calling for seeing the best men caÌ„not liue with the best people but they shal receiue some contagion from them how carefully ought ordinary Ministers to make difference of men and meetings times and places and not diffusedly and carelesly to thrust themselues into all So doing shal they keepe their calling from much reproach and preserue themselues from much pollution which otherwise from their polluted people they shal bee sure to receiue And here people are to be admonished not too sharpely to censure their Minister though hee bee not so sociable with them all as it may be many would expect for it coÌ„cernes no man to be so wary of his companie and his sports as it doth the Ministeâ— and if they would haue comfort and honour by their Minister let them be â—areful into what recreations and company they drawe or desire him for the more polluted the people are amongst whom he liues the more carefull must hee bee to keepe himselfe cleare from their pollutions Lastly here people are taught not to be too sharpe condemners of those Ministers whose conuersations are not so vnblameable as were to be wished for if they liue ill generally the cause is because they liue amongst an ill people Why then should they so much condemne them for such faults as wherein themselues haue made them faultie I say not but our Church and state and Ministery are to censure such men and it were good they did it more but it is against all reason the people should do so wheras themselues are the cause of it For alas if this holy Prophet was a man of polluted lippes because heâ— dwelt with a people of polluted lippes what maruell then though ordinary Ministers be polluted with the common and vniuersall pollutions of their people People therefore are first of all to see that themselues bee well ordered and godly and then iustly may they complaine if the liues of their Ministers be not agreeable but otherwise it is not possible without very speciall grace of God but that a minister shal be more or lesse touched w t those crimes which are the coÌ„mon faults of his people And lamentable experience daily lets vs see that where a people in a towne is giuen to drunkennesse there the Minister is either so for company or at least too good a fellowe where a people are giuen to contention there the Minister hath too many suites where the people be popish there the minister is too superstitious where the people be ignoraÌ„t there y e minister is no great clark where the people are giuen to any great sinne there the Minister generally is not cleare from the same pollution and it is seene that the best Ministers and most carefull of all doe complaine bitterly of the pollutions of their people for that howsoeuer it may bee they escape partaking with their sinnes yet they alwaies finde at the least a dulling and decaying of Gods graces in themselues where the people are vntoward and disobedient If therefore a Minister liue with such a people his case is pittifull and daungerous for he walks in y e midst of nets snares which are laide for him on euery side and if he escape them I meane if he keep himself vnspotted in the midst of a spotted and polluted people his care and his conscience is worthy both admiration and imitation and himselfe is worthy double honour as being both a zealous minister and a holy man But he whom God hath blessed with a good and tractable people and well affected to the word and yet himselfe liueth loosely and scandalously amongst them a heauy burden and a hard account lyeth on that minister and no rebuke is too rough no punishment too great no censure too sharpe for him And if this holy Prophet feare so much the presence of God for his small pollutions and yet liued amongst so wicked and polluted a people then what heauinesse and horror shall be heaped on his soule who cares not with how foule pollutions his life be stained and yet liueth amongst a godly and well disposed people And thus we haue the first cause of his feare his own 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 saw the Lord who then appeared in glory vnto him not that hee sawe the substance of God for that iâ— invisible and incomprehensible bâ—t hiâ— glory Nor the fulnesse of 〈◊〉 glorie for that cannot be endured but a glimse of it nor that with the eyes of his bodie in ordinary maner but in a vision wherein how farre the eyes of his body were vsed neither the Propheâ— expressâ—â— nor wee can well conceâ—â—e The mâ—â—ning then is â—n a vision hee sawe such glory and Maiesâ—â—â— as hee knowe 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 iâ— smitten with feare for his owne 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 theÌ„ 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 sinnes without which he would neuer haue beene affraid but rather haue glorified 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 extream astonisht if hee know 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 sinne and fayle in that it bindes him to punishment and the more a man sinneth the deper is he in Gods debt If then in this world a man willingly indures not the sight of him in whose debt he is what maruell though a poore sinner tremble at the presence of God
of extraordinary grace yet dwelling in the midst of a people so stubborne and disobedient as the Iewes were hee was something touched with their pollutions Ministers euen the best are men and this comes to passe by reason of the corruption of their nature as they are men the nature of which corruption is to apprehend any euill where euer it can be found and to partake with it regeneration qualifieth and abates this corruption but takes it not away perfectly in this life whereby it comes to passe that a Minister liuing amongst euil people cannot but be somwhat stained with their pollutions of what sort soeuer they be insomuch as it is often seene that one known to be otherwise disposed of himselfe is found to be disposed to this or that euill by liuing amongst a people so disposed And againe that a Minister in such a place amongst such people free from such and such sinnes remoued to another place is there found more or lesse tainted with them because they abound amongst the people and yet further that a Minister knowne to be faithfull painfull and zealous and comming to a disobedient stubborne froward or prophane and dissolute people his faith is weakened his zeale and courage abated Gods graces in him dulled much decayed godly Ministers doe daily complaine hereof and experience euery where shewes it too true Out of this we may learne something both for our instruction and for our conuersation For our instruction it here appeares how wicked and wretched the corruption of our nature is which cannot but receiue some contagion from the pollution of those with whom we liue for this is so not onely in them who carry a loose hand ouer themselues but euen in such as looke most narrowly vnto their steps as we see here in this holy Prophet who was a man of more then ordinary sanctification how little cause therefore hath any man to extol nature and how much lesse cause the schoolemen and some other Papists to giue the least commendation to our pure naturals for if nature rectified by grace bee so hardly kept within compasse alas how outragious and peruerse is it when it raignes without controlment And for our further instruction here wee may see of what a creeping and incroaching nature sinne is which like a secret venome in the naturall bodie so it in the pollitique bodie restes not in the place or paâ—tie poysoned but closely creepes and diffuseth it selfe into euery part and member of the whole it creepes from man to man yea from an euill man to a good from the worst man to the best from prophane men to godly Ministers and as from publike persons as Magistrates and Ministers it descendeth visibly and the example of their euill life is palpably scandalous so from the people to the Magistrate or Minister it creepeth closely and ascendeth in more secret and insensible maner yet in the effect it is too sensible for it is alwaies seene that they are something touched with their peoples pollutions sinne is not onely as a poison spreading from the heart to all parts from the Minister to the people but as a gangreue if it begin in the foote wil without speedy preuention spred priuily to the hart so sinne shewes it selfe euen from the people to the Ministers So great cause is there for all men to stop sinne in the beginning to breake it in the egge to giue water no passage no not a little for let this gangreue beginne at the feete it will not rest till it be in the heart For our confirmation wee are here taught first if a Minister by reason of the corruption of his owne nature and the creeping nature of sinne is in such daunger to be stained with the peoples pollutions then let all Ministers desire and vse all good meanes to dwell with a people as little polluted as may be otherwise let him assure himselfe to be polluted with them which is both a great discomfort to his owne conscience as here it was to the Prophet and disgrace to his profession for if it be a duty of euery good professor of religion to keepe himselfe vnspotted of the world then how much more is it the ministers dutie so to doe and how foule a staine is it to the honour of his calling to bee polluted in the common pollutions of his people It may be therefore good counsell to all godly Ministers in the placing and disposing of themselues not to enquire onely how good a liuing such and such a place is how wel seated how healthfull and beneficiall it will bee which are alas the common and almost the onely questions now adayes but principally to regard what a people they be and how affected amongst whom they are to liue if godly and well disposed or at least tractable and gentle and willing to be taught then lesse to regard other incommodities but if wicked prophane or which is worse stubborne froward vntractable then lesse to regard the greatest coÌ„modities and certainly if this point be wel considered of and how bitter it hath bene in the end to many who haue not regarded it it will appeare that this is the best encouragemeÌ„t or discouragement the greatest commoditie or discommoditie and the best reason either to winne a man to a place or to drawe him from it how good soeuer it be otherwayes they that neglect this dutie and are ledde or misled rather with carnall and worldly respects how iust is it vpon them when they are made to cry in the sorrowe of their soule Woe is me I dwell in the midst of a people of polluted lippes And here such Ministers as haue poore liuings but good people let them not faint nor bee discouraged they haue more cause to blesse God then to bee grieued for doubtlesse they are farre better then those who haue great liuings and an euill people But as for those to whom God hath bene so good as to bestowe vppon them competent liuings and a willing and well disposed people let them thinke themselues double blessed of God and treble bound to honour God and to doe good in his Church and if such men goe not before their brethren in all Ministeriall care and dutie their fault is aboue all mens and they make themselues vnworthy of so great mercies Againe if that a polluted people pollutes their Minister here is a good warning for all ministers to be wary and choyse of their company with whom they will most priuately conuerse for as on the one side they may not retire themselues into solitarinesse nor sequester themselues from all societie with their people which is rather a Cimical and fantastical then any way a religious practise so of all men are they to be most carefull that they doe not loosely and lauishly bestow themselues on al companies as too many do in our Church to the great scandell thereof who care not with whom they coÌ„uerse but all companies all places
here hee doth Whom shall I send for the Lord meaneth not such as beare the name of Leuites or Priestes in the olde or of Ministers in the newe for there were alwayes more 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 seeke not the Lord but themselues and their owne ends But heere the Lord inquireth for such men as first purely doe seeke and vndertake that function therein to honour God to gather his Church and then in all their labours and ministeriall duties truly and faithfully endeuor to the same ends Preaching Gods word and as Gods word diligently prouing exhorting and admonishing and shining before their people in good works for such men it is no maruell though the Lord light a Candle at Noone 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 â—ome waÌ„t abilitie 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 his blemish is too notorious and it is a worke worthy the labour of kings and princes to reforme it and is a kings euil nor 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 looke 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 grow 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 finde many amongst vs whom hee may send to that great worke of the Ministerie and let vs feare to bee such as that God may affirme of vs as in the dayes of Iob that hee 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 liâ—ings and to refuse the burthen and 〈◊〉 of the Ministerie For else let them know 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 being 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 all Ages haue yeelded store of such But contrariwise he that is painefull and faithfull in this Function let him know that God and his Church hath neede of him Lastly here 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 here seeketh for Their Orders of Regulars are exceeding many beside all their Secular Priests and it is almost incredible how many thousands there be 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 work of God nay their ignorance was palpable and rediculous to the world vntill of late being by Luther and others of our Church made ashamed thereof they haue laboured especially the Iesuits to become learned How foule a thing is it that amongst so many the Lord should haue cause to complaine Whom shall we send The Iesuits indeed many of them are learned but for other qualities they are fitter to be plotters practisers in State matters Spies or Inâ—elligencers 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 few out of many millionsâ— then euen for learning also God may cry and call proclaime in their Monasteries WhoÌ„ 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 shal 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 here are condemned the prophaine fancies of the Anabaptists and all like them who thinke that any man vpon 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 diuell 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 here call him euen so all good Ministers are to stay Gods calling If any aske how he shall know when God calles him I answere God calleth ordinarily by his Church her voice is his therefore whensoeuer the Church of God saith vnto thee thou shalt bee sent and thou 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 go for vs Some Interpreters gather out of this Chapter an Argument for the Trinitie of persons as namely out of the third Verse where the Angels sing Holy Holy Holy Lord God c. But it is not sound inough 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 discreetioÌ„ to vrge this or any such place which may probably admit another Interpretation least that the Iewes finding the weaknesse of the argument doe iudge all our proofes to be as weak and so
behold how thou art beholden to a godly Minister who when Adam had lost both himselfe and thee that Iewell of righteousnesse which was and is the whole wealth of thy soule can truly tell thee where it is and howe it is to be had againe and who when the deuill haleth thee to the barre of gods iustice to receaue triall for thy sinnes can drawe thee there such a declaration as the deuill himselfe shall not bee able to answere and who when thy soule is sicke to death euen to damnation can heale the deadly wounds thereof A good Minister therefore is worthy as the Apostle saith of double honour whose duty we see is to declare vnto man his righteousnesse And to conclude this point also the consideration of the height of this office of a Minister may encourage fathers to dedicate their sonnes to this holy calling for the Phisitions care for the body or the Lawyers for thy cause are both inferior duties to this of the Minister A good Lawyer may be one of teâ—â—e a good Phisition one of 20. a good man one of 100. but a good Minister is one of a 1000. A good Lawyer may declare the true state of thy cause a good Phisition may declare the true state of thy body No calling no man can declare vnto thee thy righteousnesse but a true Minister And thus wee see the office or function of a Minister Now followeth the blessing Then will he haue mercy vppon him The fourth generall part of this discription is the blessing which God giueth to the labours and function of a true Minister then that is when a man by the preaching of the lawe is brought to true humiliation and repentance and by the preaching of the Gospell to true faith in the Messias then wil hee that is God haue mercy on him that is on the penitent and beleeuing sinner Behold heere the admirable simpathy and the cooperation of God and the Ministers office Man preacheth and God blesseth Man worketh on the hart and God giues grace a Minister declares vnto man his righteousnesse and God saith so be it he shall be righteous a Minister pronounceth mercy to a penitent sinner and forthwith God hath mercy on him Heere we see the great and glorious account which God makes of the word of his Ministers by them truly taught and rightly applied namely that he as it were tieth his blessing vnto it for ordinarily till a man knowe his righteousnesse by the meanes of an Interpreter God hath not mercy on him but as soon as he doth knowe it then as wee see heere God will haue mercy on him and wil say deliuer him c. This is no small honour to Ministers to their Ministerie that God himselfe giues a blessing vnto it and worketh when they worke and as it were stayeth waiting when they declare vnto a man his righteousnesse and then hath he mercy on him so powerfull and so effectuall is the word spoken by a Minister of God This is that which Christ auoucheth whatsoeuer you binde in earth shall be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer you loose in earth shall bee loosed in hâ—auen Will you knowe the meaning heereof read Saint Iohn whose sinnes soeuer you remit they are remitted whose you retaine they are retained will they haue the meaning of both read Esay God destroyeth the tokens of Souâ—â— sayers and makes vâ—sards and Astrologers Fooles â—â—â—neth worldly wisemen backward and makes their knowledge foolishnes but he confirmeth the word of his seruants and performeth the counsell of his Messengers Thus God bindeth and looseth with them remitteth and retaineth with them by confirming their word and performing their counsell for example A true Minister seeth a sinner hardned in his sins and stil rebelling against the will of God he therefore declareth vnto him his vnrighteousnes his sinne denounceth vnto him the miseries curses of Gods iustice as due vnto him for the same heere he binds on earth here he retaines on earth this mans sins are likewise bound and retained in heauen On the other side he seeth a man penitenâ— and belieuing hee pronounceth forgiuenes of sins happines vnto him for the same he looseth him from the band of his sinnes by declaring vnto him his righteousnes this mans sinnes are likewise loosed remitted in heauen and God himselfe doth pronounce him cleere in heauen when the Minister doth on earth Thus God confirmeth the word of his seruaunts and performeth the counsell of his Messengers The vse of this doctrine is first for Rulers and great men of this worlde this may teach them to be nursing Fathers nursing Mothers vnto the Church whose authority they see is so great ouer them as that their decree stands ratified in heauen Therefore though their place be great they be Gods vpon earth yet must they withall acknowledge that in iustifying a sinner in interpretation in declaring vnto man his righteousnes in binding loosing their power also is immediate from God aboue theirs and they themselues as they are men must submit themselues to this powerfull word of the Ministers to be taught by it and to be reconciled by meanes of it and highly must they receiue it for though a man speake it yet is it the word of God this is to licke the dust of Christs feete which the Porphet speaketh of not as the Pope would haue it to hold the stirrop and lead the horse and hold the water to the Pope to kisse his toes to hold their kingdoms of him as tenants at will or by curtesie but reuerently to acknowledge the ordinance to be Gods the function and duty to be high and excellent to acknowledge the power of their keyes censures being rightly applied their promises their threatnings to be as from God and to submit to them accordingly Secondly Ministers themselues here must learne when they take the word of reconciliation into their hands and mouthes to call to mind whose it is euen the Lords and that hee worketh with them hath the greatest hand in the work and that therfore they must vse it in holy maner with much feare reuerence It is not theyr owne they may not vse it as thâ—y list And lastly Hearers are heere taught first â—o see how mad such men be which carelesly â—nd fildome heare sermons but vpon any ocâ—asion fly to wisards and charmers which are â—he deuils prophets for see the difference of â—hese two the wisard and charmer hath socieâ—ie with the deuill the Preacher with God the â—harmer hath his calling from the deuill the Preacher his from God the charmers charme 〈◊〉 the deuils watchword when he charmeth the deuil doth the feare the Preachers doctrine is Gods watchword when hee truly applyeth it GOD himselfe ratifieth and makes it good wherefore let all men feare to haue thus to doe with the deuill by seeking to his slaues let them
but execuâ—e theyr Commission High Comâ—issioners are worthy to be low Commissioners or rather no Commissioners if they will not put it in execution It is therefore lamentable to see that some by not preaâ—hing sâ—me by vaine preaching show that they intend any thing rather then the winning of soules to God Let then all good Ministers so preach as they may say with Esay Behold Lord heere am I the children whoÌ„ thou hast giuen me And that they may returne theyr Commission thus Whereas thou O Lorde gauest mee this people and had me deliuer them that they goe not downe into â—ell Lord I haue doone it it is the thing my soule aymed at with all my desire and endeuour and by thy mercy I haue effected it accordingly And the rather must all Christian Ministers seriously intend the sauing of souls inasmuch as Antichrist doth so earnestly seeke the destruction of soules by winning them to his synagouge The Turke spares no labour no cost to infect young chyldren of Christians with his impure and blasphemous superstition The Pope and his vassals especially Iesuits vse al means deuise many stratagems spare no cost nor labor to seduce inueagle young men and the best wits Surely theyr care and policie heerein is admirable and yet alas when like the Pharisies they haue compassed sea and land to make a proselite they make him like themselues the child of hel And they are so farre from hauing any Commission from God to doe this or any blessing promised as contrariwise GOD forbids them and his curse lyeth vppon them for so dooing Shall they be so diligent to destroy soules without a Commission and incurre Gods curse for theyr labour and shall not Christian Ministers be much more diligent to winne and redeeme soules hauing so large a Commission for the purpose and so great a blessing promised thereunto In the next place this doctrine hath vse to the hearers First to let them see the excellencie of this calling which hath a Comission and power to redeem them froÌ„ hell damnation what honor is due vnto it to let the wicked man see which any way abuseth eyther the persons or the function howe base vnthankful men they are to recoÌ„pence euill for so great a good therfore no maruell thogh euil do neuer depart froÌ„ the houses families of such men and further to encourage all men to giue theÌ„selues to God in this great calling for see here what they are euen the high Commissioners of God VVee haue in our estate a power delegated to certain men of worth it is called the high Commission because they haue power to do great things and that man thinks himself happy who can bring his son to this to be thought fit to be one of this Commission but behold heere a higher Commission a Commission from God to redeeme soules from the power of hell the deuils clawes this is indeed a high Commission and so high as this was neuer granted out of the Court of heauen to any creature but to Ministers they therefore are the High Commissioners of the high God Is it not then an honor happines vnto thee to bring thy sonne to this estate And lastly this must teach all hearers their dutie to Gods word namely to submit them selues vnto it for if the Minister haue a Commission to redeeme thy soule it must be by the word and holy discipline Therefore thy dutie is to heare Gods word patiently to submit thy selfe vnto it to bee taught and instructed nay to be checked and rebuked and to haue thy sinnes discouered thy corruptions ript vp If thou wouldst haue thy cause succeede well thy Lawyer must discouer the weakenesses of it if thy body to be cured thy Phisition must purge the corruption of it So if thy soule be to be redeemed thy minister must see the weakenes and purge the corruptions of it though his doctrine be harsh and hard vnto thy nature and the discipline of the Gospell seem rough vnto thee yet must not thou rage and rebell against it nor hate nor rayle at his person but submit thy selfe vnto it for it is the message and Ministerie of thy saluation if otherwise thou doost indeed a great wrong to the Minister for thou frustratest his Commission but alas a far greater to thy selfe for thou frustratest thine owne saluation FINIS THE SECOND Treatise of the duties and Dignities of the Ministerie by Maister Perkins To the right worshipfull and Reuerend Iudges Sir Iohn Sauile Knight one of the Barons of his Maiesties Exchequer and Sir Christopher Yeluerton Knight one of the Iudges of his Maiesties Court of Kings bench the late worthy Iudges of our Northeren Circuite The spirit of wisedome zeale and 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 Vnlearnednes of our Gentry and Nobility the Beâ—gery of our poore and the Basenes of the body of our Ministery The first blot our Nobilitie and Gentrie haue well wiped off since the first daies of blessed Queene Elizabeth partly by studie at home partly by trauell abroade and I hope they will doe it more and more The second hath beene well lâ—ssened by good lawes of late and wouâ—d be more if the Execution were as good as our lawes bee and it were much honour to our Nation and more to our Religion if it were quite taken away for he that tells vs there shal be poore euer with vs saith also there shall not be a begger amonst vs If there were no poore what should become of Charitie for it is charitie to relieue pouertie not to maintaine beggery Pouerty may be a Crosse but it is no Curse but beggery is a fearefull curse threatned on the enemies of God and Dauid saith not bee neuer sawe a righteous mans child poore but that he neuer sawe him begge his bread The dayly cries in our streetes cry for yet further reformatiâ—n heereof that the impotent poore may be sufficiently prouided for that he neede not and the sâ—urdy begger compelled to worke that hee may not bee suffred to begge Happie you or whosoeuer can haue a hand in effecting this blessed wâ—rke wee who can doe little else shall pray for it and for them that labour in it But now fâ—r the third I feare none but the very hand of God can wipe out that staine from our Church The basâ—nes of the generall body of our Ministerie whence is it but either from the vnworthinâ—sse or pouerty thereof and the vnworthines thereof whence is it but from the pouerty and base maintenance of our Ministerie which was once robbed by the Abbies and after worse by some in our owne State and Popery that stands so much vpon Non dimittitur peccatum nisi restituator 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 thâ—se good Professors of our Religion haue restored such as were in their bands and there is hope that all our Professors vnlesse they care not to be accounted hipocrits will make some conscionable restitution We doe not craue that they wold with Zacheus restore â—oureâ—old 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 dutie is still required then why should not our whole due be payd And yet that the world may learne of vs contentednes as well by our practise as our doctrine we would for the present take in good part and rest contented with a part of our owne and some competent portions out of the Impropriations proportioned to the quantitie â—f the charge imposed and the gifts and paines required would for a time bee a reasonable satisfaction to our Ministerie vntill our state found it selfe either better enabled or more straightly tied in Conscience to full restitution But as I sayd this is a worke of God himselfe fâ—r if man could doe it so many Parliaments would not haue slipt it but some of them would haue eteâ—nized it selfe with this honorable name to all posterities The Parliament that restored Impropriations but till that or some other course as good be taken it is both vnseasonable and vnreasonable to complaine of the Ignorant or to câ—aue a learned Ministerie For shall 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 who teach the Gospell shal liue of the Gospel But alas how shall the Ministerie of England liue of the Gospell when my small experience can showe that in one Corner of one County of this Kingdome wherein there are some 150. parishes or parochiall Chappell 's almost a 100. of them if not a full 100 are Impropriate and amongst them I can showe the most parishes haue but 10. pound or thereabouts some 8. li. some 6 li. some 5 li. some 4 pound some not 4 pound yearely liuing for the Minister and those impropriations worth some 300 pound many 200 pound almost all 100 pound per an yea there is one worth 400 pound per an where there were but 8 pound 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 pound 8 pound shared for a Minister and 10 pound carued for a preacher in that parish where there are 2000 Communicants Of all the rest the Crowne hath some 100 pound rent or not so much and the remainder of 280 pound being a rich liuing for a worthy learned Minister a competent liuing for 2 and more then some 7 painfull and able Ministers 〈◊〉 I knowe not what becomes of it vnlesse it goe to the feeding of Kits and Cormorants Are not these goodly liuings for learned men and may not wee expect a learned Ministerie where there is such maintenance and I hartely wish that other countries be not able to showe the like Presidents haue the rather made relation heereof that our high Court of Parliament may see how great cause they haue to goe forward with that motion already by them 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 hart of the God on earth our noble King into whâ—se hands he hath put the sword of soueraigne authoritie an irreuocable and vnresistable 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 and powere of a king In the meane time this Treatise of that worthy man may be a motiue to our zealouse 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 estates may beare or their conscience shall mooue them For heerein are layd downe 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 honorable and the duties so chargeable it cannot but grieue their Christian harts to see the maintenance so miserable This Treatise I first of all send to you and vnder your names to the world and to you first for as I am sure you loued the Author and honored those excelleÌ„t gifts of God in him so you caÌ„not but accept this after birth of his as a fatherlesse child for the fathers sake And for my selfe to conceale all personall and priuate respects in the name of many thousands in the Northeren Countries I praise God for the good done in those parts by your painfull courses and religious care not doubting but if your selues or the like be imployed there to asist our Honourable and Religious Lord President that the multitude of Popish Priests there lurking will bee daily lessened the number of painfull preachers augmented Poperie put dâ—wne and the Gospell maintained more and more Which blessing God grant to that and all other Countries of this Kingdome for his mercies sake giue vnto you all others in your place the spirit of courage and constancie in these declining daies that beeing faithfull in your great charges vnto the end you may receiue the Crowne of life for which he hartily prayeth who will euer rest Your Worships in the Lord W. Crashawe A TREATISE OF the dignitie and dutie of the Ministrie Esay 6.5 Then I said woe is me I am vndone for I am a man of pollutâ—d lips and dwell in the midst of a people of polluted lips for my eyes haue seene the king and Lord of hosts 6 Then flewe one of the Seraphins vnto me with an hotte coale in his hand 7 Which he tooke from the alter with the tonges and touched my mouth and saide Loe this hath touched thy lips thy iniquity shall be taken away and thy sin shall be purged 8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord saying whom shalâ— I send who shal go for vâ—â—â—hen said I here am I send me and he saide goe IN the fiue former Chapters are contained such SermoÌ„s as the Prophet had made vnder Vzziah king of Iuda At this Chapter begin such as he preached in the raign of Iotham so forward But before he either preach or prophecie of any thing in King Iothams dayes or his successors the Lord in this Chapter giues a new coÌ„mission to the Prophet a new confirmation to this calling the old
may be to be free from the least appearances of euil and from the least negligences in his place for a small fault in other men is great in them and that which may bee some waies paâ—donable in other men is no way in them they must therefore watch ouer themselues most carefully and take heede to all their wayes and for this ende is it that a Minister in godly wisedome must often depriue himselfe euen of many things which it may bee lawfully hee might vse least his libertie bee an occasion of euill to others and must abstaine from the least sinnes least euen they be blemishes to his calling and burthens to his coÌ„science And hence is it that a Minister cannot be too carefull in his calling in his words dyet companie recreation apparell gestures and in his whole cariage because little sinnes are so great in them Especially Ministers here learne the Apostles Lesson to bee instant in season out of season to preach and exhort to comfort and rebuke publikely and priuately to good to bad when it is well taken when it is ill taken when they willingly receiue it and when they stubbornly resist it when they commend him and reward him and when they raile at him and persecute him for it thus must he be diligent in season out of season for the least negligence in his dutie or omitting the least opportunitie of doing good will when God visits his conscience be a burthen and vexation to him as it was here to the Prophet And furthermore if these small sinnes thus afflicted the Prophet then alas what is to bee thought of those Ministers who make no conscience of foule scandalous sinnes how shal Symonie Incontinencie Vsurie inhospitality couetousnesse Ignorance Idlenesse carelesse Nonresidencie how shall these I say and other like greiuous crimes oppresse and burthen the soule wheÌ„ as the smallest sinnes doe so affright this holy man Surely when God shall visite theÌ„ their states will be most fearefull nor shall any mans case be so miserable as an vnconscionable Ministers And though now such loose and licentious Ministers seeme to liue in Iolitie without â—ny feare yet when God shall appeare â—nto their consciences then will they cry out in fearefull anguish Woe is mee I am vndone And againe if these small faults so affrighted this holy Prophet and burdened his conscience then what pittifull consciences haue those Ministers whose daily negligence and vnconscionable carelessenesse in their places is such as all men speake of and yet they are not touched surely these meÌ„ are not of so tender consciences as the Prophet was and either the Prophet here was much more nice then needed or else these men will proue to be in a miserable estate Lastly let Ministers of care and conscience be here comforted in the examble of the Prophet who is there but may finde imperfections and blemishes in himselfe which will often make him cry out Wo is me but let not that discomfort theÌ„ but rather reioyce that they can see their owne weaknesse as the Prophet did here If they haue cause to exclaime against themselues they are not alone as was this and all other holy Prophets case before them In hauing imperfectioÌ„s in theÌ„selues they are no more miserable then the Prophet was but let theÌ„ labour to be as blessed in seeing complaining of themselues as hee was And let euery Minister assure himselfe that the more hee makes conscience euen of the least sinnes of all the more he resembleth the ancient holy Prophets the more likely is he to worke effectually in his Ministerie For his dutie is to worke in his people a conscience not of great sinnes onely but euen of all but how can hee doe that to them if he haue not first of all done it in himselfe hence it is therefore that godly Ministers finde fault with themselues when other men cannot and cry out against themselues for their pollution with the Prophet here when no other man can accuse them of the least crime nay when others doe magnifie God for his graces on them and praise their giftes and commend their good liues euen then doe they condemne themselues and exclaime against their owne corruptions and their owne smallest negligences or omissions are great woundes to their consciences their last sinnes and their most pardonable infirmities are sore burthens vnto them for of all men in the worlde a godly Minister is a man of the most tender conscience Hitherto hath the Prophet complaiâ—ed generally of his pollution Particularly hee exclaimeth against the pollution of his â—ippes But why will some say complaines hee of the pollution of his â—ippes rather then of his heart or his hands or any other part of him were they not all polluted yes all in some measure and was not he grieued at them all yes assuredly wee must grant that also But the reason is he was a Prophet his dutie was to vse his tongue the practise of his calling consisted in the vse of his tongue for a Minister is an Interpeter as he is called Iob. 33.23 that is the peoples to God by prayer and Gods to the people by preaching he is Gods mouth and the peoples mouth so that the tongue of a Minister is that part of his body which is to be vsed as a principall instrument of Gods glorie and more to the setttng foorth of his honour then any other Now euery man is to be tryed what he is by his calling rather then by any other accidentall or collaterall courses therefore the honour or dishonour of a Minister is the vse or the abuse of his tongue and his comfort or discomfort is the well vsing or not vsing of it The Prophet therefore here affrighted at Gods presence and therefore retyring into himselfe presently his conscience checkes him for his most proper sins namly for some fault or negligence in his Ministerie which is the proper sinne of that calling and therfore is it that he exclaimeth against the pollution of his lippes out of which practise of his wee may learne First the vanitie of the Papists who magnifie the merites of holy mens workes for if this holy Prophet a man truely iustified extraordinarily sanctified yet durst not stand before God in this little apparance of his glory notwithstanding all his zeale and courage and conscience and paines and sufferings in his function but was cast downe so farre from a conceit of his owne worth that hee cryed out Woe is mee I am vndone How then can wee who are no better but rather worse then hee stand before GOD in the day of Iudgement in the great appearing of his infinite iustice and glorie Rather doubtlesse as here the smallest pollution of his lippes and negligence in his calling droue him out of all conceit of merit when once hee came into the presence of GOD so the due consideration of our so many and foule pollutions aboue his should beate downe all proude
conceites of our owne goodnesse when wee appeare before GOD. It is therefore to bee feared that the Papists who thus magnifie their owne merites doe seldome or neuer enter into earnest consideration of their owne infirmities and doe seldome present themselues in the presence of Gods Maiestie For if they did then doubtlesse the least sight of their least pollution would make them farre from euer thinking of their owne merites They also tell vs of workes of superrerogation but it seemes heere this holy Prophet had none of them And they teach a man may in this life perfectly fulfill the Lawe but who can doe it if not Ministers And what Ministers if not extraordinary Prophets And yet Isaiah the first and chiefe of them exclaimeth here in pittifull manner against his pollutions Doubtlesse if the Papists would cease flattering â—orâ—mselues and not examine their consciences by their owne pleasing corruption but present themselues in the face and presence of Gods Maiestie they would bee farre from these conceits In the next place whereas the Prophet complaineth of the pollution of his lippes As of the peculiar sinne of his place Ministers are heere taught to auoide that sinne aboue all other and to labour in that dutie aboue any other for the dooing of it is his most comfort the want of it is his most vexation his tongue is the Instrument giuen him to honour God if hee vse it well it yeeldes him comfort more then any other duties But if hee vse not or abuse his tongue the pollution of his lippes will bee the heauiest burthen of all they therefore are greatly deceiued who thinke a Minister to discharge sufficiently his duetie though hee preach not if hee keepe good Hospitalitie and make peace amongst his 〈◊〉 and performe other workes of charitie and good life for if a Minister haue not this vertue hee hath none If hee preach not If heâ— abuse his lippes or if hee open them not hee hath no conscience nor can haue any comfort for that is the principall dutie of a Minister though all the other bee required to make â—him compleate the want of them may condemne him before men but it is the pollution of his lippes which presently checkes him before GOD as wee see here in this holy Prophet The Conclusion then is to euery Minister that if hee had all the vertues and good properties that can commend a man in the world yet if his lippes be polluted either by not preaching or by negligent idle or carelesse preaching this pollution will so staine his conscience and so burthen him in the presence of God that the time will come notwithstanding all his other good qualities he will cry out in farre more pittifull maner then here the Prophet doth Woe is me I am vndone because I am a man of polluted lippes It followeth And I dwell in the midst of a people of polluted lippes The Prophet not onely complaineâ— of his own pollution but of his peoples also amongst whom he liued and this he doth for these causes First to teach vs that it is the Ministers duty to confesse not onely his owne sinnes but the sinnes of his people and to complaine of them to God for as he is the peoples Interperter to God he must not thinke it enough to put vp their petitions to vnfold their wants and to craue reliefe for them at Gods hand but he must further take knowledge of the sinnes of his people and make both publike and priuate confession of them to God and the more particularly hee can doe this the better and this he is to doe both for the peoples good and for his owne also because it cannot be but that the sinnes of his people are in some sort his for this is the peculiar danger of the Magistrats and Ministers calling that generallie the sinnes of their people are theirs I meane that they are accessarie to the sinnes of their people either by prouoking them by their euil 〈◊〉 or by not reprouing or not hindring or suffering or winking or couering and concealing or not punishing them or not carefully enough vsing meanes to preuent them by all which meanes and many more it comes to passe that the peoples sinnes are the Ministers by communication so that as well for his owne sake as theirs hee is to confesse to God their sinnes as well as his owne Now if a Minister must confesse his peoples sinnes then it followeth consequently that hee must knowe them and take notice of them for else hee cannot confesse them And this is one cause why the holy Ghost commaundes a Pastor to knowe his flocke Hee must not onely haue a flocke and knowe which is his flocke or haue a generall eye ouer it but hee must haue a particular and distinct knowledge of the state of it and the more particular the better And if the Minister ought to knowe his peoples sinnes then it followeth first that it is best for a Minister to bee present with his people that so hee may better knowe them and their state and certainly if it bee a Ministers dutie to confesse to God the pollutions of his people then wilfull and carelesse nonresidency and all absence without iust and conscionable causes must needes be a foule and feareful sin For how could Isayah haue confessed he dwelt in the midst of a people of polluted lips but that he dwelt amongst them Nay saith the Prophet hee dwelt in the midst among them indeede well may hee knowe and confesse his peoples pollutions that dwelles in the midst amongst them Againe if the Minister be to confesse his peoples sinnes and therefore must needes knowe them then it followeth also that they must discouer confesse them vnto him or else it is not possible he should perfectly knowe their estate the want of this is a great fault in our Churches for howeuer we condemne Auricular confession as a very pollicie in the deuisers and as a rack to the consciences of poore Christians yet we not onely allowe but call and cry for that confession whereby a Christian voluntarily at all times may resort to his Pastor and open his estate and disburden his conscience of such sinnes as disquiet him and craue his godly assistance and holy prayers great blessing and comfort doth doubtlesse followe them that vse this godly practise and the want of it is cause that a Minister caÌ„not discerne the state euen of his own flocke nor can complaine to God of their pollutions and confesse their sinnes so particularly as would be good both for him them Secondly the Prophet couples together his owne pollution and the pollutions of his people as the adiuvaÌ„t or helping cause and the effect For the pollution of a people helpes forward the pollution of a Minister and the worse people they are the worse do they make him though he be otherwise neuer so good For euen the Prophet though called of God himselfe and iustified and sanctified and a man
beside themselues at the appearing of a little part of the glorie of Christ in his transfiguration Either therefore must it followe that these men haue no sinne in them which dare and can behold Gods glory so easily and so ordinarily which is impossible or rather which indeede is truth it appeares that these are but deceitfull fancies and forgeries of their owne deuise to deceiue the world and to magnifie themselues before the eyes of the common people for it is first of all most false that apparitions are so common as they make them for if they were then are they more ordinary in the new Testament then in the old For whereas the scripture hath one their legions haue 20. and whereas one namely Saint Paul was once rapt into heauen they haue 20. that were rapt thither And as that is false so is it impossible that any man cloathed with fleshe can endure an extraordinary apparition of Gods glory without extreame amazement as is plaine here in the Prophet who I hope was as holy a man as the holiest monke that euer was I haue noted this that yong Diuines may be occasioned to looke a little into their fabulious legends that so they may discouer the false trickes and iuggling casts of that religion which euil shifts it needed not if it were of God Thirdly the people may here learne First in that Gods presence is so glorious and fearefull to mans nature how mercifully God hath delt with them in teaching them not by himselfe or by his Angels from heauen which they could neuer endure but by men who are like themselues and how vaine and fond these men are who would be taught from heauen and not by men who are so ful of wants In the old TestameÌ„t when the people receiued the lawe from Gods owne mouth it is said they ranne away and cryed out why should we dye if wee heare the voice of God any more wee shall dye for what fleshe euer hard the voyce of the liuing God liued therfore they said to Moses Goe thou neare and heare all that the Lord shall say and declare thou vnto vs what God saith to thee and we will heare it and doe it And then saith the text the Lord said I heard the words of this people they haue said well in all that they haue spoken And so from that day forward God ordinarily taught his church by men like theÌ„selues we see that the begâ—nning of it was not in iudgement but in mercy vnto theÌ„ It is is therefore the dutie of all men both to acknowledge this mercy of God in due thankefulnesse and withall to remember when they see infirmities in Ministers that they are but men and that if they had not the Ministry of men how hard it would goe with them considering that the least measure of Gods owne presence cannot bee endured by any man 2. Inasmuch as gods preseÌ„ce is so glorious in it self feareful to our nature al men are taught to prepare themselues by holy prayer by humiliation and confession of their sinnes and vnworthinesse afore they come to Gods word or sacraments for they come at that time into Gods presence they therefore are not to come in their securitie nor in their ordinary sins vnrepented of least God strike their consciences with a sence of his fearefull displeasure and make them cry out vpon farre greater cause then here the Prophet did Thirdly and lastly wee learne here the different natures and properties of sinne and holinesse Sinne euen the least sin nay a very sinfulnesse of nature makes a man afraid of Gods presence That sinne vnrepented of doth so appeares in Adam who as in his integrity he spoke and conuersed euen in a familiar sort with God so no sooner had hee sinned but he ranne from God and hid himselfe and that euen the least sinnes not repented of do so also appeares in this Prophet who being a holy man yet his conscience being priuy to it selfe of some small omissions or negligences in his calling he cryeth out he is vndone because he seeth the Lord of hosts But contrariwise the state of perfect holinesse and the want of all sinne makes a man bold in Gods presence and rather desirous then afraid to behold Gods glorie which shall be most apparant at the last day for when the wicked shall desire rather to be couered with the hills and ground to dust by the mountaines then to appeare before the face of God then shall the Godly whose holinesse shall then be perfect looke vp and â—ift vp their heades because their redemption is so nigh And Iob testifieth of himselfe that hee knoweth his redeemer liueth that he shal stand before him and looke vppon him with his eyes Thus as guiltinesse driues a man from the Kings presence but innocencie makes him bold before him So sinfulnes 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 here learne the way to true courage and boldnesse before God namely to repent daily of their sinnes and labour to growe in true holinesse wealth nor wit learning nor authoâ—itie can do this for thee but onely a good coÌ„science which must be made good by grace by repentance then shalt thou reioyce in Gods presence in this world and delight to thinke of God to speake of God to pray vnto him to meete him in his word and SacrameÌ„ts and at the last day shalt thou stand with confidence before the throne of his glory Hithereto 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 down the second generall point namely the consolatioÌ„ of the Prophet coÌ„cerning which there are two points in the text 1. the ground 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 alter 5 The outward action or application of it He touched his lips 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 from 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 them pertaining to saluation but after he hath by some meanes or other brought them to true humiliation in themselues and to sorrow for their sins Humiliation is the preparatiue for grace for when by sight and sence of their sinnes and their owne misery by sin hee hath euen driuen