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
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
glorious Word of God behinde their backes which they preach to others with â—heir mouthes these men may wonder at this holy Prophets nicenes or else al the world may wonder at their prophanenesse A little pollution of his lippes feared him to come into Gods presence but these dare doe it with eies eares lippes feet hands heart and all polluted their eyes polluted with carelesse looking at all vanities their eares with hearing and their lips with speaking wanton wicked talke their feete with running into wicked company their hands with practizing and their hearts with deuising and consenting to all wickednesse This is the cause why the labours of such men are almost vnprofitable because they dare come into Gods presence in their sinnes In many places of our land there is by Gods blessing much teaching yet there is little reformation in the liues of the most but contrariwise some fall to Atheisme some to Papisme some into foule sinnes not to be named amongst Christians Where is the cause surely not in the Gospel nor in our doctrine nor in the teaching of it but one very principall cause is many Ministers come into Gods presence vnsanctified in their sins not caring how loosely they liue in the face of their people and therfore God in iustice thogh he instanstly smite not them with visible vengeance for their presumption yet hee smites the people with spirituall blindnesse that they regard not their Doctrine but looke at their liues and doe rather follow the prophanenesse of the one then the holinesse of the other Ministers are such in whome God will be sanctified therefore because they doe not so but dishonour him by comming into his presence in their sinnes therefore hee cannot abide them nor giue any blessing to their labours All ministers therfore as they would see any fruite of their Ministerie let them first sanctifie themselues clense their hearts by repentance afore they persume to stand vp to rebuke sinne in others else let them not thinke that their golden words shall doe so much good as their leaden liues shall doe hurt and they may happe to confirme men that already are conuerted but hardly shall any such men conuert any soules from Poperie or prophanesse And it is a vaine conceite for men to imagine there is any force in eloquence or humane learning to ouerthrow that sin in others which ruleth and raigneth in themselues Our Church and all reformed churches may make vse of this doctrine for it is the glory of a Church to haue their doctrine powerfull effectuall for the winning of soules therfore it concerneth them to take order as well that their ministers be godly men as good Schollers their liues inoffensiue as wel as their doctrine sound or els they will find in wofull experience that they pull downe as much with the one hand as they build vp with the other But most neerely this doctrine toucheth ministers themselues who must know their case is most fearefull of all mens if they come into Gods presence in their prophanenesse for as no man is more honourable then a learned and holy Minister so none more contemptible in this world none more miserable for that to come then he that by his loose lewde life doth scandalize his doctrine and let him assure himselfe that for his presumption in rushing into Gods presence in his sinnes he shall in this world be cast out as vnsauory salt and troden downe of men with the foote of contempt and in the world to come he shall aboue all men cry out in most extreame torment of conscience Wo is me that my eyes must see the King and Lord of hostes and so because hee would not in this world come into Gods presence in sanctification and holinesse he shall therefore in feare and horror bee haled into the presence of Gods glorie at the last day there to receiue the iust sentence of their condemnation Lastly all painfull and godly Ministers may receiue comfort not to bee discouraged or driuen from Gods presence because of their corruptions or infirmities for wee see it was the Prophets case but let them still approch in feare and reuerence and be so farre from being driuen from their dutie because they being sinfull men dare not come into Gods presence without much feare as let them contrariwise be assured that the more they tremble at Gods presence here the lesse shall they feare it at the last day and when prophane and vngodly men who in this world feared not to stand in Gods presence in their horrible sinnes shal cry to the Mountaines fall vpon vs and hilles couer vs and hide vs from the presence of God then such Ministers as in this world in feare and trembling and alwayes in repentance did approach into Gods presence shall then looke vp and lift vp their heads shall say to the holy Angels all the powers of heauen helpe vs and hasten vs to come into the glorious presence of our God and Sauiour And thus we see the manifold vse of this doctrine to our Church and Ministerie Secondly Inasmuch as here the Prophet in a conscience of his corruptions feareth and cryeth out at the least apparition of Gods glory The vanitie and false dealing of the Church of Rome is here discouered in whose LegeÌ„ds stories of their Saints nothing is more common then apparitions from heauen of Saints departed of glorious Angels of the virgin Mary and that so familiarly as sometime she sang with â—heÌ„ in their Cell kissed some of them and let them sucke her brests Nay of God himselfe and especially of our Sauiour Christ Iesus who they say appeared I know not how oft to one man namely to Saint Francis and appeared as hee was crucified with his woundes and imprinting those woundes of his in Francis his body which they say he bare all his life and that they bled whensoeuer hee would suffer them which he alwayes did on Good Fryday that he might bee like to Christ. This and many more such may you see in that fabulous blasphemous book of the coÌ„formities of Saint Francis But for the matter are apparitions from heauen so ordinary in the popish Church how then came it to passe that the greatest and holiest men in the olde Testament were so amazed at the very apparition but of an Angell as wee may see in the whole course of the Storie Some ranne away and hidde themselues some couered their faces some fell downe flat on the ground and the Prophets â—ere cryed out Woe is mee I am vndone my eyes haue seene the King and Lord of Hostes. But in the Church of Rome looke the stories that Saint or Monke is no body that hath not had some apparition either of the Virgin Mary or some of the Apostles or an Angel or Christ Iesus appearing talking with them and yet alas Peter Iames Iohn those 3. great pillers they were as good as
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—
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
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
be taken away thy sinnes shall be forgiuen Where we learne that as fewe comes by sinne so all true comfort comes from the forgiuenesse of sinnes this is that that onely pacifieth the conscience and satisfieth the soule when Dauid had sinned against the Lord in his two great sinnes and thereby prouoked Gods wrath against him and wounded his owne conscience if the Prophet had told him hee had made him King of 10 kingdomeâ— more hee had not so reioyced his heart as when he told him after his repentance thy sinnes are forgiuen thee thou shalt not dye So when this Prophet was extreamely affrighted at Gods preseÌ„ce because of some sinnes and negligences in his calling it had bene no comfort to his poore soule to haue bene told thou shalt haue a more eloquent tongue and a more powerful speech thou shalt haue better accesse to the Court and audience before the king all these all such like would haue beene no better then guilded poyson vnto him being in this case but the happy answere that refresheth his weary soule more then all the world was this Loe thy iniquities are forgiuen and thy sinnes purged All faithfull Ministers must heere learne the true way of comforting troubled and distressed consciences namely first to drawe him vnto a sight of some particular sinnes then to summon him into Gods presence and there to arraigne him for those sinnes vntill the view of the foulnesse of his sinnes and the glory of Gods iustice haue sufficiently humbled him and then to labour to perswade his conscience vppon good grounds of the pardon of those sinnes by Christ Iesus this is the way that God vsed and deuised this is the sure way that cannot faile Some thinke that all trouble of mind is nothing but melancholy and therefore thinke nothing needes but Physicke and outward comforts but he that considers in what case the Prophet here was or Dauid when hee made the 6. the 32. or the 51. Psalmes will be of another mind and will finde that nothing can properly trouble the mind but sinne therefore as the wise Physitian in his cure first searcheth out the cause and then endeuour to to take it away so the good Physitian of the soule must first of all search into the cause of his sicknesse that is his sins and must take them away which if they doe not then al their labour is lost for al the company musicke recreation wit diet nay all worldly comforts delights if it were the aduancement to a kingdom cannot so much comfort the distressed soule of a sinner as this voice of a minister spoken from God vpon good grounds Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee Now to lay downe what bee thoâ—e true and good groundes whereupon a Minister may safely and comfortably pronounce pardon of sins to a sinner belongs properly to another place In the next place Let vs heere obserue how the Lord afore he renued the Prophets commission or send him to preach to the people first humbles him for his sinnes and then vppon his repentance giues him pardon teaching vs that no Minister is well qualified to the holy duties of the Ministery vnlesse he haue truly repented of his sins and haue obtained pardon and mercie in the Messias Ministers labour for qualifications but the true Minister of God will labour for this qualification aboue all other for doubtlesse hee shall pronounce most powerfully the pardon of sinnes to others to whose conscience God hath pronounced pardon of his owne In the last place let vs obserue how the preacher being to be comforted before he goe this newe embassage the Lord is so carefull for him that rather then he be not comforted if there be no man to do it An Angel shal be seÌ„t to be his comforter if ther be not another Prophet to doe it An Angel shall pronounce vnto him the pardon of his sins Let this be an encouragement for all Pastors and Ministers of Gods Church to labour painfully and faithfully in their places for the goodnesse of the Lord will neuer faile them nor shall they want comfort when euer they stand in neede thereof Yea rather shall Angels from heauen be their helpes and comforters then faithfull Ministers shall be left destitute Hitherto of the second generall points namely of the Prophets consolation The third and last general point is the renouation of the Prophets commission in the eight and part of the ninth verses and it containeth 3. parts 1. A question or inquiry made by God When shall I send and who shall goe for vs 2 The answere of the prophet Here am I send me 3 The commission renued vnto him The Lord said Goe and speake vnto this people The first part is a question made by God by way of proclamation wherein he inquireth who shall goe preach vnto this people Also I heard the voyce of the Lord saying whom shall I send and who shall goe for vs In which Proclamation and inquirie of the Lord we are not to imagine that the Lord was either vnprouided of such as should execute his will or knewe not who were able or who were willing to goe preach his woâ—d For as the Apostle saith in the matter of Election The Lord knoweth who are his so much more in particular vocations The Lord knoweth who are his and neede not to aske whom shall I send or who shall goe But then it may bee demaunded why the Lord saith so I answere not for his owne sake but for ours whom hereby he would instruct in diuers points of holy doctrine First hereby hee would giue vs to vnderstand how hard a thing it is to finde an able and godly Minister for if there were not a great scarcitie of such men the Lorde needed not aske this question But some will obiect against this that there are in many Christian Churches so many Ministers as they cannot all bee maintained but some goe vp and downe vndisposed and vnprouided for I answere this is too true in all ages there were Wandering Leuits in the Olde Testament which went vp and downe and offered their seruice and serued for 10. shekels of siluer and a sute of apparell and meate and drinke but this calamitie was vpon the Church of the Iewes neuer but then when there was no King in Israel and euery one did that which was good in his owne eyes If therefore there bee any in our Church in Christian Nations which goe vp and downe and offer their seruice at such rates it is much more miserable seeing now there are kings in Israel and therefore it is no reason that euery man rob the Church as it shal please his couetous minde But ceasing to enquire whether thiâ— bee so or no and if it bee so leauing the reformation thereof to those Churches and States whom it may concerne I answere for the matter in hand that this may be so and yet the Lorde may complaine as
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
tongue and to that same purpose tht holy Ghost came downe vppon the Apostles in fierie toungs it may be that the one is a tipe of the other Certaine it is that they both teach vs thus much that all true and able Ministers must pray and endeuour to haue a tongue full of power and force euen like fire to eate vp the sinnes and corruptions of the worlde For though it bee a worthy gift of God to speake mildly and moderately so that his speech shall fall like dewe vpon the grasse yet it is the fierie tongue that beates downe sinne and works sound grace in the heart It may be there are some which neede the fierie tongue This shewes apparantly that those Ministers neuer had their lips touched with a coale from Gods altar that is their consciences neuer touched nor their soules seasoned with the sanctifying grace of Gods spirit which sit still and â—ee great and greuous staines in a Church and corruptions in a state and can bee content neuer to reproue â—hem as though Ministers were perswaders onely and not reprouers But when this comes to bee wayed in the ballance of a good conscience it will bee found that not the pleasing tongue but the fierie tongue is the principall grace of a good Minister But to goe further whence came this Coale Taken from the Altar This coale of fire was taken by the angel from the altar of God where was a fire which neuer went out and this fire was that that came from heauen sent downe by God at the dedication of the Temple by Salomon And this fire kindled by God neuer went out for no man could kindle the like but all other was counted strange fire As Nadab and Abihu tryed in wofull experience when they would needes offer with it Now the Prophet must be cleansed with the fire which came from Heaâ—â—n teaching vs that the Ministers must haue his fierie tongue from the holy Ghost As the Apostles were said to bee baptized with the holy Ghost with fire A fierie tongue is a speciall ornament of a Minister but that fire must come from heauen that is his zeale must be a godly and heauenly zeale but hee that hath a railing lying a slanderous a malicious or a contentious tongue he hath a fierie tongue indeed But this is kindled of the fire of hell as Saint Iames saith The vnbridled tongue is a worlde of wickednesse and defileth the whole body setteth on fire the whole course of nature and is set â—n fire in hell So then a spitefull and malicious tongue wee see is a fierie tongue but that fire is taken from hell and not from Gods altar And hee that stands vp to preach with this tongue God will neuer suffer any great worke to be done by him in his Church though his tongue be neuer so fierie and his speech neuer so powerfull As therefore Ministers must abhorre the flattering and pleasing tongue and must haue a fierie tongue so on the other side this fire must bee from Gods altar that is the fire of their zeale must bee builded by Gods spirit and not by the spirit of discord and dissention Ambitious humors turbulent proud humours new opinions priuate quarrels all these nor none of these are for the pulpit These may make a man fierie tongued but this fire was neuer taken from Gods altar as the Prophets was this fierie tongue neuer came from heauen as the Apostles did It followeth And touched my lippes This fifth and last Circumstance is the Application of the remedie The coale which is the medicine is applyed by this Angel to his lips that is to that part which was polluted and as he formerly complayned of the pollution of his lips so the medicine is applyed to his lippes Here the Angell which in this case is made Gods Minister doth teach all Gods Ministers a great point of wisedome in heauenly Diuinitie namely to apply their Doctrine to their audience in such manner as the circumstances of place times or persons do require some Ministers come to an ignorant and vnhumbled people and teach them the Gospell which neuer knewe the lawe here the firy coale is vsed but the lips are not touched that is good doctrine taught but not well applyed for that the lawe should first be laid to their consciences others beate all vpon the lawe when it may be their hearers are a people sufficiently cast downe and haue more need to be raised vp with the sweet comforts of the Gospell others vse to lay open the nakednes of the Court in the country and to reproue the faults of Princes and great magistrates before the coÌ„mon people who haue more neede of the Catechisme others bring the Catechisme or points of ordinary instruction into the Court wher y e duties of Kings counsellors should be taught in all plainnes and sinceritie others bring their new opinions or controuersall points vnto popular audiences which indeed are fit for the schooles others busie themselues about ceremonies when the substance is in danger to be lost All these haue it may be the Coale of fire but it is misapplyed and not applyed to the polluted lips Let all ministers therfore lerne this point of wisdome of the Angell to apply the medicines of their doctrine to the times persons and places which are infected so shall they bee sure not to take paines in vaine And thus much of the circumstances of his Consolation It followeth in the text Loe thy iniquitie shal be taken away and thy sinnes shall be purged After the Circumstances followeth the ground and matter of his consolation and that is the forgiuenesse of his sinnes where first let vs marke how it and the instrument are annexed together Loe saith the Angel this Coale hath touched thy lippes and thy Iniquities shall bee forgiuen and thy sinnes purged as though hee had bene clensed by the Coale wher we may note how greatly God magnifieth the meanes which himself ordaineth euen true remission and saluation to the right and holy vsing of them though it come not from them but from his own mercy and power of his ordinance It is therefore no maruell though God sanctifieth the childe by the Ministery of water in Baptisme and feede our soules in the Lords Supper by feeding our bodies with bread and wine and no maruell though the carelesse neglect of either of them be damnation to him that despiseth them seeing they are Gods instruments ordained by him to conuey his grace vnto vs And yet for all this wee are to knowe that remission or saluation is no more tyed to the very elements or the actions then here the Prophets forgiuenesse is to the Coale of fire But the maine point is that for the Prophets consolation the Angell tells him his iniquities shall be taken away and his sinnes purged as thereby hee had said thy sins were the cause of thy feare therefore that thy feare may