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
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—
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
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
besids declaration and testification he is to maintaine this truth and this righteousnesse if the sinners conscience be yet not quiet against all gainsayers against the power of darknes and all the gates of hell that this is true and perfect righteousnesse to him that apprehends it as afore is layd downe and this is so infallible to euery soule that repents and beleeueth that the Minister may assure it to the conscience of the sinner in the word of truth and in the name of God and may call to witnes all Gods Saints and all his holy Angels and may pawne vnto him his owne soule vpon it that it is most true that this is true perfect and all-sufficient righteousnes Thus we see in some measure what it is to declare vnto a man his righteousnes And this is the peculiar office of a Minister of God and this is the height and excellencie of his office In the want of godly Ministers I confesse that godly Christian men may one helpe another in the performance of these duties and that with profit but it is the proper function of a godlie Minister to doe it and the promise and blessing belongs properly to him as the consciences of all penitent sinners will testifie in this case let Dauids serue for many who when he was cast downe euen to the mouth of hell by that fearefull discouery of his two hideous sinnes by Nathans preaching when the faith of his soule beganne to wrestle against hell and striue against dispaire and to apprehend the mercy of God in Christ then I say could not the testimonie of all the men in the world haue giuen him that ioy comfort and assurance that Nathan did when hee said in the word of a Prophet and of a true Minister God hath taken away thy sinne thou shalt not die what did Nathan heere but declare vnto man his righteousnes what did Nathan heere but the duty of euery true Minister If this be the office and duty of a Minister and if such be the height and excellencie of his office let vs see then what vse we may make of it First concerning the Ministerie It first discouereth how nakedly weakely and insufficiently the Popish Church doth declare vnto man his righteousnesse who will let a man seeke it in himselfe where alas it is not for Paule himselfe testifieth that his desire is that he may bee found out of himselfe in Christ yet certainly if euer man had righteousnesse of his owne worth trusting to Paule had this is the cause why so many of that religion find not that righteousnesse which will pacifie and satisfie their consciences when they come to die and why so many of them wheÌ„ it coms to the pinch do then go out of themselues and with vs doe seeke for this righteousnesse in Christ where both assuredly and sufficiently it is to be found Then for our owne Ministerie heere they are taught first the true manner of teaching and declaring righteousnesse namely this not to preach the law alone or the Gospell alone as some vnaduisedly doe but both without profit but both the lawe and the Gospell the lawe to breede repentance the Gospell to worke faith but in order first the lawe to breede repentance and then the Gospell to worke faith and forgiuenes but neuer before Secondly they are taught to bee holy to bee sanctified and reconciled themselues for it is thy office to declare vnto man his righteousnesse and not thy own to thy selfe and how canst thou be a true witnes to testifie betwixt God and the soule of a sinner when thy owne soule knoweth not nor feeleth the truth of it certainly such men aâ—e but lame witnesses betwixt God and the sinners soule Dauid saith to the sinner I will instruct thee in the way wherein thou shalt goe but he first of all in the same sets downe his owne experience in a large story of his owne repentance and of Gods mercy on himselfe And though God sometime doe satisfie and saue the poore distressed soule of a sinner by the testimonie of such men to teach vs that the vertue is not in the men but in the truth of Gods couenant yet alas how fewe are they to teach vs how pleasing it is vnto him when a Minister is a declarer of that righteous to others which he first hath himselfe and is a witnes of truth to others which he first knoweth in his owne experience Thirdly the consideration of this high excellencie of their calling must arme all true Ministers against the scorne and contempt of the world which by wicked men is cast like dust and mire into the face of Ministers let this suffice them they are the men that must declare vnto man his righteousnesse euen he that scornes and contemnes the ministerie he hath no righteousnesse in him vnlesse it be by the meanes of a poore Minister then doe thou thy duety and he that mockes thee hath cause to honour thee and let this encourage Students to consecrate themselues to the Ministerie for what calling hath so high an office as this to declare vnto man his righteousnesse And assuredly how euer in this wicked world thou art little accounted of for if it did not so it were not wicked yet thou art honored in the harts of all Gods children and euen in the consciences of some whose tongues doe smite thee and the soules of thousands when they die shall blesse thee who in their liues cared not for thee and the deuill himselfe doth enuy the holy Angels themselues doe wonder at the excellencie of thy calling in that thou hast power to declare vnto man his righteousnesses In the next place hearers may heere learne first if their righteousnesse bee thus to be declared as afore then if they will haue it they must seeke it as it may bee found namely both in the lawe and in the Gospell and not in the Gospell alone and first in the lawe then in the Gospell for he must neuer looke to tast the sweetnes of the Gospell which hath not first swallowed the better pills of the lawe if therefore thou wouldst bee declared righteous by the Gospell bee content first to bee pronounced miserable by the lawe if thou wouldst be declared righteous in Christ then be content first to bee pronounced sinfull and vnrighteous in thy selfe Secondly all men may heere learne how they are to esteeme of Gods Ministers and what reuerence and obedience is due to their persons and their doctrine these are they which must declare vnto thee thy righteousnesse if thou hast any Art thou beholden to him who when thou hast lost a Iewell which was all thy wealth can tell thee where it is and helpe thee to it againe or to him who when thy cause is in triall at the barre will pleade it for thee or to him who when thy health is lost can tell thee how to get it againe then
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
them quite out of themselues finding nothing in themselues but cause of feare and astonishment then powres hee the oyle of grace and of sweete comfort into their hearts and refresheth their weary soules with the deawe of his mercy this point needes no further proofe for looke into the scriptures and wee shall finde God neuer called any man to the state of grace or to any notable worke or function in his church but he first humbled them and then brought them out of all coÌ„ceit with themselues then wrought in them and by them his wonderfull workes The vse of this doctrine is first of all to teach all men to esteeme aright of the afflictions that God layeth vpon them in this world coÌ„monly men take them impatieÌ„tly our nature grudgeth hagainst them but let a Christian man consider with himselfe how God hath alwaies dealt with his children and he hath cause not to thinke so for doth God laye some great affliction on thee it may be he hath some mighty work of his grace to worke in thee or some great worke of mercy to bee wrought by thee in his Church and hereby prepareth thee for the same Say therefore with the holy Prophet I helde my tongue â— Lord and spake nothing because it was thy doing and what God may intend in his so doing to thee thou canst not tell and therefore in silence and patience possesse thy soule Againe here is a comfort to all such as are distressed in minde in sence of their sinnes and sight of Gods wrath their states is not miserable much lesse desperate for they are in the high way to grace and fauour God iustifieth not but him that repents God exalts not but him that is humbled God comfort not but him that is distressed God hath mercie on none but such as both knowe and feele they want it and knowe also that they knowe not where to haue it but at his hands Happy therfore is that soule that feeles the waight and burden of sin for to him wil Christ bring most ease and comfort Gods Misnisters therefore are hereby to comfort distressed consciences to assure them that if with this Prophet they bee so deepely touched with sight of their sins and Gods iustice as that they cry Woe is me I am vndone Then euen Then are they most capable of comfort and best prepared to receiue it as here it fell out to the holy Prophet Thirdly here is the way taught vs how to attaine to any excelleÌ„t graces of God either for our own saluation or the good of the Church namely to labour for a sencible feeling of the want of them in our selues for God vseth to bestowe no gifts on any man but such as do in humility lowlinesse confesse to God acknowledge in themselues the want of them So the blessed Virgin singeth God fâ—lleth the hungry with good things but the rich hee sendes empty away And so the psalmist God satisfieth the hungry soule and filleth the empty soule with goodnesse So then if thou be rich in thy conceits God hath not for thee but if thou be hungry hee iâ— ready to fiâ—â— thee with good things and doest thou acknowledge thy soule emptie then behold treasures of goodnesse to feede and fill thee and art thou cast downe with the Prophet and is thy soule empty of hope and fraught with feare then behold euen then God and his Angels ready to raise thee vp to fil thee with coÌ„solatioÌ„ T thus much for the time of his coÌ„solation the minister by whom was One of the Seraphims The 2. circumstance of his consolation is the Minister by whom it was done An angel One of the Seraphims that is an Angell of that order so called out of which we learne First that there are diuers degrees seuerall orders of Angels though wee knowe not the true distinction thereof nor thinke it lawful to imagine them to be 9. nor to set them down particularly as the Church of Rome doth who make many of their owne deuises which they cal traditioÌ„s of equal authority with the scriptures Secondly that these holy Angels are the glorious guard of God and do continually stand about the throne of his glory attend his holy wil both in heauen and in earth Thirdly that they are also by the merciful appointment of God the guard of Gods children and ministring spirits sent out as it were with a commission for the good of the elect All these points because they are plaine in the scripture and do lesse coÌ„cerne our general scope which is concerning the Ministery I passe them ouer Fourthly here it is apparaÌ„t that as the Angels are sent out for the help and seruice of the elect so specially of Gods ministers as is plaine in this place where the Prophet being afrighted a holy Angel is ready to giue him comfort and so ouer the whole course of the Prophets and at this day their protection and comfortable assistance is no lesse present to the godly Ministers of the newe Testament though not in such sencible signes and such visible manner as in the olde for if they bee ministring spirits sent out for the good of them which shal bee saued howe much more for their good which shall both bee saued themselues and saue others also A doctrine of great comfort and much good vse to all Ministers who first of all may here learne contentment in their calling for howsoeuer no calling hath more crosses so none againe hath more comforts and howsoeuer none bee more disgraced by euill men yet none is more honoured by the holy Angels and howsoeuer in this world they aboue any calling are seruants to all meÌ„ yet none hath the seruice attendance of Angels so much as they for though wee haue them not to helpe vs to do the outward actions of our ministery with vs or for vs as some Popish Doctors teach that in their Masse Amen is not said to one collect because the Angels say Amen to it yet doubtlesse they are preseÌ„t alwaies as at all holy exercises and lawfull actions so especially at the publike seruice of God performed by the Ministers and beside that they are witnesses thereto and of the paines and diligence and faithfulnesse of a good Minister they also do Minister vnto them oftentimes bodily strength and assistance many comforts in their troublesome trauels which they know not how by any naturall manes they come vnto them And as this Doctrine doth thus yeelde them contentment against the contempt so also courage against the danger of this calling For what though thou hast mighty men of this world against thee when thou hast angels for thee what though thou fightest against principallities and powers when thou hast Cherubins and Seraphims on thy side Godly Ministers haue many enemies but if by the eye of faith they can see as well who are with them as with the eye of reason who