That they are his Embassadors set by him in the Church and that the Holy Ghost hath made them Overseers of the Flock 4thly The words lead us to reflect upon the grand importance and singular utility of the Sacred Ministry which Christ hath appointed in his Church as an instance of his tender care over it and for the edifying and consummating thereof Upon this Usefulness of our Function rather than upon the conceited Dignity of any indelible Character may we justly value our selves and for this ought the people to esteem their ministers very highly in love for their works sake 1 Thess 5.13 The important Usefulness of the Office may appear from the Character the Holy Scripture gives of those who are invested with it and from the Instances of their Duty which it declares The persons to whom this trust is committed are by reason thereof stiled not only Pastors and Teachers but the Servants of the Lord 2 Tim. 2.24 and that in a transcendent sense beyond the rest of Christians [l.] 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 4.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 15.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 4.1 Luke 12.42 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 3.9 yea Stewards of God and of his Mysteries Rulers over his Houshold to give them their portion of meat in due season They are also called Builders of that House Presidents and Guides in and over it Embassadors of Christ and workers together with God for the conversion of Sinners the edification of Saints and salvation of Souls And the particulars of their Duty are answerable to these Characters of their Persons and Function For 1st Their duty it is to hold Assemblies for Religious Worship and to see that all things there in be orderly performed and for Edification that so Christians [m] Heb. 10.24 25. Coloss 2 2-19 may be provoked to good works and knit together in love and glorifying God with one mind and one mouth may be edified in love and increase with the increase of God So the Scripture declareth this instance of our Ministry together with the admirable fruits and benefits of it Again 2dly How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the Gospel bringing glad tidings of good things Rom. 10.15 Now unto this we are ordained and this is what we have solemnly vowed viz. to feed the Flock with sound Doctrine diligently to teach and instruct out of the Holy Scriptures the People committed to our charge [n] See the Interrogatories in the Ordination of Priests Thus the Loving-kindness of our Blessed Saviour foreseeing the perpetual need of his Family hath provided for their constant relief That the heavenly Doctrine that Bread which nourisheth to Eternal Life should constantly be set before and broken amongst them That the study and labour of those who give themselves to this very thing may be profitable to such who are encumbred with variety of Secular Affairs That saving Knowledge may be so advantagiously inculcated as to render gross ignorance next to impossible and spiritual wisdom easily attainable That by a particular application of general Truths good thoughts may be instill'd and good purposes from time to time excited in the hearts of the People That the cogitations of mens hearts may be met withal their prejudices detected their Consciences awakened and press'd upon duty That the Understanding of the Weak may be assisted and the reigning Vices and Errors of every Age and Place corrected by men skilful to apply the Sacred Truths and to press such portions of them as are most apt and seasonable especially that those practical Truths which men sufficiently know but are willing to forget and averse to consider by being frequently inculcated pathetically urged and set in a proper and commanding light may make their genuine impressions upon and produce their salutary fruits in the hearts and lives of Christians That they may be frequently reminded of their solemn Obligations and made sensible of the connexion between Faith and Holiness between the avowed Principles of their Creed and the bounden Duties of a Christian Life The benefits of this Ministration are so many and great that 't is hard to number or weigh them And the Ignorance Barbarity and Wickedness of those places where Preaching is quite omitted or triflingly performed is a demonstration of the necessity and usefulness thereof A Consideration sufficient of it self to engage Ministers unto a serious and faithful discharge of this part of their Office and Vow and the People to a thankful and conscientious attendance on this Ministry and to stop the mouths of those who think Preaching to be the least if any part of our Office and very little of that sufficient [*] In Religionibus suscipiendis caput est interpretari quae voluntas deorum immortalium esse videatur Cicer. Orat. ad Pontif. It is certainly because such mens Consciences cannot bear the light of wise and good Instruction that they are so willing to part with it But of that more under the next Head Farther 3dly We have the Office of private Guides as well as publick Teachers We watch for souls as those that must give an account Heb. 13.17 We must feed the flock taking the oversight thereof 1 Pet. 5.2 We vowed at our Ordination [o] Ordinat Office Interrog 4. With all faithful diligence to use both publick and private Admonitions and Exhortations as well to the sick as to the whole within our Cures as need shall require and occasion be given Many and great are the benefits of this work of the Ministry faithfully discharged on our part and duly complied with by the People By this means may we resolve their particular Doubts and Scruples rectify their Errors and Prejudices help them to judge impartially in their own case inculcate good Thoughts animate good Purposes regulate their Zeal fortify them against their most powerful Temptations comfort them in their Sorrows and confirm their Hopes and by some one private Conference more advance their spiritual Estate than by many publick Sermons And for these purposes ought we to be acquaint with our People watching for opportunities to do them what good we can and giving them occasion and encouragement to use us as Guides and Helpers though not Masters of their Faith Would to God men would duly consider that the Sacred Ministry may be profitably used beyond the publick Exercises of it and that if they steer amiss through contempt of the Pilot's skill they are guilty of their own ruine obnoxious to God for the neglect of his gracious Provision and perish in their Pride or Presumption 4thly The benefit of great and good Examples is readily owned and such in a singular manner the Ministers of Christ are designed to be They must be Ensamples to the Flock 1 Pet. 5.3 shewing themselves in all things patterns of good works We must carefully look that there be a good agreement between our Doctrine and our Practice lest we teach our
A SERMON Preached at the Primary Visitation OF THE Right Reverend Father in GOD JOHN Lord Bishop of NORWICH JUNE 20th 1692. By GEORGE RAYMOND A. M. Minister of St. Lawrence in Ipswich LONDON Printed for Randall Taylor near Stationers-Hall MDCXCII TO THE Right Reverend Father in God JOHN Lord Bishop of NORWICH My Lord YOVR Lordship's pleasure to have this Sermon published is founded as I suppose upon this Opinion That the Meditations it contains are useful though obvious and have a genuine force though not set off with Illustration nor enforced as they might have been with artificial Arguments Indeed my aim in preaching it was only to be a Remembrancer of such apposite and seasonable Truths as might merit to be considered and the consideration of which might promote in us of the Clergy a faithful wise and close attendance on our Ministerial Charge To which end if the Publication may in any sort serve I am abundantly rewarded for my Labour and shall ever rejoice in my Obedience to your Lordship's Commands Which however shall be always most readily observed by Your most Humble and Dutiful Servant GEO. RAYMOND A SERMON Preached at the Primary Visitation c. EPHES. IV. 12. For the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the Body of Christ I Have thought it unnecessary in this Auditory to travel into the Context or spend any of the time in unfolding the Text but have designed only to offer to your meditation such useful Observations and practical Remarks as the words furnish suitable to our present Occasion The general Instruction contain'd in them is this viz. That the Sacred Ministry appointed by Christ in his Church when he ascended up into Heaven is a signal Pledge of his love to and care for it For whether that Ministry were Extraordinary and to continue for a time only as that of the Apostles Prophets and Evangelists or whether Ordinary and Perpetual as Pastors and Teachers the end of both is for the perfecting of the Saints and for the edifying of the body of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For the compacting [a] The original notion of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to compact or knit together either members in a Body or parts in a Building Exod. 15.17 Psal 40 6. more largely it signifies to prepare corroborate and lastly to perfect as the building of a House is the perfecting of it So Hesychius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ham. in 2 Cor. 13.11 c. or knitting together the Saints or Christians sanctified unto God by their Calling and fellowship in the Gospel of his Son And this may afford us the first useful Note or Observation viz. 1st That regular communion and fellowship among Christians is necessary to the edification of the Church But the Separatist whatever his Pretence be neither edifieth himself nor the Church of God As a House is finished by compacting its several Materials so Ministers edify the Church of Christ by holding Christians together in Unity and Peace in orderly Assemblies and regular Communion This Chapter contains an Exhortation to Christian Unity and this is one Argument by which the Apostle presseth it viz. That the Ministry left by Christ in his Church as the greatest Pledge of his kindness may have a consummate effect and fully answer the ends of his Love For verse 16. From Christ the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth according to the effectual working in the measure of every part maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of it self in love They therefore prophane the Ministry they pretend to and destroy the Church which they should edify who are the Authors and Abettors of uncharitable Schisms causeless and unchristian Separations He that hath not more regard to Christian Unity and the Churches peace than to his own Honour Humour or Interest wants the Spirit of a Minister of Christ is like to make sad Work and to give a dreadful Account of the Ministry committed to or assumed by him And they who forsake their regular Ministers (b) Inexpiabilis gravis est culpa discordiae nec passione purgatur Cypr. de Unit Aliud altare constitui aut sacerdotium novum fieri praeter unum altare unum sacerdotium non potest Quisquis alibi collegerit spargit Procul ab hujusmodi hominum contagione discedite vitate lapos qui oves à Pastore secernunt Id. Ep. 40. for better Edification purer Ordinances or upon the new pretence of Absolute Loyalty do as a Man that pulleth down his House for the more easy coming at the Roof to mend the Tiles or beautify the Ceiling But I will not enlarge upon this Note 2. We may observe That the Office of Ministers doth respect the Body or Church of Christ and private Christians in order to the whole as Members of the Body The perfecting of the Saints is in order to the edifying and consummating of the Body of Christ Whence it follows that the Governors of the Church must take such order as tends to General Edification and may not consult the Opinion Fancy or real Benefit of some individual Christians to the detriment and offence of a considerable Body of Chistians much more of the whole Christian Church Neither may Ministers gratify the desires of private Christians to the breach of publick Order It becometh private Persons to be modest and tractable to publick Discipline lest they be found guilty of obstructing the Work of the Ministry and frustrating the tender Love of Christ to his Church Whilst they are so perverse that if they be not gratified in every thing and yet so fickle as scarce to know what pleaseth them all must go to wrack and confusion by their obstinate Separations Indeed an excellent Prudence generous Charity tender Compassion to the Infirmities and Prejudices of Men are highly requisite in the Authors of publick Constitutions but Humility and Modesty becomes those who are to observe them and by both these when they happily meet shall the Church be edified particular Christians growing up to perfection by regular Submission to wise Constitutions sincerely ordain'd for publick benefit 3. The words teach us the Divine Original of the Ministry it is from Christ appointed by him in his Church for the Edification thereof Let men therefore so account of us as Ambassadors and Ministers of Christ and let us shew the faithfulness requisite in Stewards of the Mysteries of God 1 Cor. 4.1 2. Christ hath given to his Church Pastors and Teachers and when he ascended into Heaven entring into his Kingdom the first Act of his Royal Authority was the constituting and sending these his Officers and Messengers into the World He sent the first with a power to provide themselves Successors for he promiseth to be with them to the end of the World [c] Matt. 20.20 John 14.16 He gave them their Commission furnished them with Instructions and appointed
their Subsistence for the Lord hath ordained that they who preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel 1 Cor. 9.14 both the Preachers and their Maintenance are his Ordinance The same Light of Nature that taught Heathens to hold Assemblies for Religious Worship directed (d) Cum multa Divinitus Pontifices à majoribus nostris inventa atque iustituta sunt tum nihil praeclarius quam quod Vos eosdem Religionibus Deorum immortalium summa Reip. Praeesse voluerunt Cicer Orat. ad Pont. them to have also a distinct Order of Men to officiate and preside in them And if such an Order be necessary then must there be some known and regular way of separating Persons to and investing them with the Sacred Office otherwise the Office it self fails by being laid in common Justice cannot be administred but by select Persons commission'd thereunto nor is it sufficient to make one a Magistrate that he hath the Gifts and Spirit of Government unless also he be legally Authorized and Appointed thereunto So there can be no orderly Administration of Sacred things no Work of the Ministry unless there be a legal way of separating and ordaining Persons to that Work And if such Ordinations (e) Acts 14.23 Tit. 1.5 in the Apostolical times were judged necessary whenas Persons were designed to this Sacred Ministry by the extraordinary Gifts of the Holy Ghost how much more needful are they now when men must fit themselves for the Ministry by diligent Study and vertuous Conversation Upon which account 't is now absolutely necessary that there should be a power to judge of the Abilities of Candidates and to provide for the Church-Ministers duly qualified to officiate therein which Power can't be executed nor this provision made without maintaining a distinct Order In whose hands this Power of Ordaining is lodged hath been the Subject of a pernicious Controversy managed by the Authors and Abettors thereof with more of the Will and Passion than of the Understanding Some contend that the Peoples Call and others that the Presbyters Hands are a sufficient designation of any Person to the sacred Office To which not designing Enlargement nor Controversy I briefly answer That we have no such Custom nor the Churches of God before us for from the beginning it was not so [f] 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignat. Ep. ad Magnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Id. ad Trull Inde Sc. Christi dispositione per temporum Successionum vices Episcoporum Ordinatio Ecclesiae ratio decurrit ut Ecclesia super Episcopos constituatur omnis actus Ecclesiae per eosdem prapositos gubernetur Cypr. Epist 27. as hath been abundantly demonstrated by many Learned Writers The Power of Ordination was from the beginning lodged in the hands of the Bishops and this Order universally received as conformable to Apostolical Practice and the mind of Christ (g) Nec Episcopus computari potest qui Evangelica Apostolica traditione contemptâ◠nemini succedens à seipso ortus est Cypr. Ep. 76. Constat id esse ab Apostolis Traditum quod apud Ecclesias Apostolicas fuerit sacrofanctum Tertul. adv Marc. 4.5 Habemus annumerare eos qui ab Apostolis instituti sunt Episcopi in Ecclesiis successores eorum usque ad nos Iren. l. 3.3 When I shall see all the Fables in the Metamorphosis acted and prove Stories when I shall see all the Democracies and Aristocracies in the World lie down and Sleep and awake into Monarchies then will I begin to believe that Presbyterial Government having continued in the Church during the Apostles times should presently after against the Apostles Doctrine and the Will of Christ be whirl'd about like a Scene in a Masque and transformed into Episcopacy In the mean time Episcopacy being confessed to be so Ancient and Catholick must be granted also to be Apostolick Chillingw p. 324. Both the Antiquity and Universality of this practice is confessed by the most learned of our Dissenting Brethren as might be easily shewed and certainly the Controversie with respect to present practice would soon be decided would but our said Brethren fairly and impartially consider these two or three things viz. That the usage of our Church in this matter is conform to the Primitive and Constant Practice of the Churches of Christ and that the Laws only require Obedience to this good Order but do not exact any Declaration of their Opinion concerning it That Episcopal Ordination doth not exclude but comprehends the Peoples Suffrage and the Presbyters hands [h] 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignat. Ep. ad Ephes A primordio Episcopatus mei statuerim nihil sine consilio vestro sine consensu plebis â—ae privatâ sententiâ gerere Cypr. Ep. 6. In ordinationibus Clericis fratres Charissimi Sc. Clerus Plebs solemus vos ante consulere mores ac merita singulorum communi consilio ponderare Cypr. Ep. 33. Ordinationes sacerdotales non nisi sub populi assistentis conscientiâ fiant Ib. Ep. 68. That they do not alledge much less prove the Bishops presiding in this matter to be sinful therefore a Separation from the National Church upon that account must be causeless and sinful That to oppose establish'd Order which is not unreasonable and to assume and execute an Office in contempt of such publick Discipline and Constitution is to walk disorderly and work Confusion which is not to be Followers of God and Christ (i) Quid enim non periculum metuere debemus quando aliqui de Presbyteris nec Evangelii nec loci sui memores neque futurum domini judicium cogitantes quod nunquam antecessoribus factum est cum contumeliâ contemptu praepositi totum sibi vendicant Cypr. Ep. 10. I will not say as some do that God hath tack'd the Efficacy of Sacraments and of his Grace and consequently the Salvation of Men to the Punctilio's of Ordination so that there is no work of the Ministry done but all the Flock lost and undone if the Minister doth not derive his Orders from some one of the Apostles by an uninterrupted Succession The Consequences of this rash Opinion are dishonourable to God and prejudicial to Piety and the practice of the Church of England needs no such defence (k) See the Preface to the Office for Ordination But certainly this may be said and ought to be considered That the Usurpers of an Office and Invaders of well-establish'd Order and Discipline can very little expect a Blessing from the God of Peace and Order nor can be Ministers unto sound and orderly Christians They therefore who according to the publick good Order of the Church are appointed to the Sacred Office with the Suffrage of the People the Approbation of the Bishop by the Imposition of his Hands together with those of the Presbytery being regularly called and ordained may say with the first Ministers of Jesus Christ though not in the same plenitude of sence
People to be Unbelievers and Atheists whilst they consider us as a sort of Sophisters that would impose upon them what they plainly see we do not believe our selves [p] 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignat. ad Ephes Qui autem dicunt tantùm non faciunt ipsi praeceptis suis detrahunt pondus Quis enim obtemperet cum ipsi praeceptores doceant non obtemperare Bonum est recta honesta praecipere sed nisi facias mendacium est Incongruum atque ineptum est non in pectore sed in labiis habere bonitatem Lactant. l. 3. c. 16. Blessed is that good and faithful Servant who keepeth the Commandments of God and teacheth men so he shall be great i. e. his Reward shall be so in the Kingdom of Heaven And though an Age of general Licentiousness and wherein good Discipline is altogether relaxed doth but little recommend holy Institutions yet even then it is visible that the sacred Ministry is a check and bridle to the Vices of men restraining them from the havock which they would otherwise make of all Godliness and Sobriety But I should exceed my limits if I should proceed to unfold of what signal use it is to have an Order of men eminently holy both in profession and life And these Lastly under the Sacred Obligations of their Office and as they will render a good account thereof ingaged to be constant Intercessors for the people to pray continually and fervently for those under their Charge and for the good success of their Ministry among them What hath been said shall suffice to evince the grand importance and signal usefulness of the sacred Ministry and to admonish us that we prophane not the dignity of our Office by substracting from the Utility thereof Always remembring that useless Authority or Power is scorn'd by wise men and hated of all But the Minister of God for good shall besides his Reward in Heaven have esteem and love from men for the benefit they receive from him 5thly We observe from the words the necessity of continuing the Work of the Ministry in the Church of Christ For it must last as long as the Church can be edified till it be consummated by it Till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ v. 13. The Extraordinary Functions of Apostles Prophets and Evangelists ceased with the reason and occasion of them but the Ordinary Ministry of Pastors and Teachers must abide for ever in the Church because ever needful for it St. Paul in his Epistles to Timothy and Titus prescribes the Qualifications of Persons to be ordained unto the sacred Ministry and these have nothing in them extraordinary require not the Gifts of Tongues or Miracles or of Discerning Spirits are not appropriate to any one Age but describe the Persons that will be necessary and useful through all succeeding Ages of the Church [q] See 1 Tim. 3. Tit. 1.6 c. Our Blessed Lord hath made provisions for the lasting needs of his Church that his Household may not want Stewards nor his Flock Pastors nor his Works which is the salvation of men by the knowledge of the truth those that should labour therein So long as there must be Christian Assemblies held there must be an Order of men to officiate in them a Church and a Pastor or a Congregation and a Minister being in right reason necessary Relatives as well as in fact and usage derived from Primitive and Apostolical practice Publick Preaching whatever some object will be needful so long as men are born ignorant live viciously or remain imperfect So long as there is error wickedness and weakness in the Church so long as there is a secular life to divert men from their holy purposes a Devil to tempt Sinners to entice or Hereticks to seduce The Usefulness of this Ministration is readily acknowledged by pious Proficients in Christianity and sure the Ignorant and Vicious have the least pretence of being above Ordinances and of having superseded the necessity of Teaching and Exhortation They who are so willing to forget their known Duty need such Monitors to stir them up by way of remembrance and it is the force and restraint of such Admonitions which they feel that makes them so desirous to be rid of them So that the sort of the men who are the only Cavillers against frequent Preaching is next to a demonstration of the usefulness thereof Men who are very industrious either to debauch or expose the Clergy secretly hating them for the Authority of their Doctrine and Influence of their Example not valuing any part of their Office unless perhaps their last ministration of Prayers and the Holy Communion upon the approach of Death foolishly trusting to that which can least help them and imagining to patch up a wicked and ungodly Life with a religious End For the use of the Ministry is in the time of life and health by publick Preaching and private Admonitions by good Example and wise Application to lay restraints on the vicious Inclinations of men and to cherish their virtuous Dispositions and Purposes and by renewing holy impressions upon their Spirits to form them by degrees into a fixed Religious Temper by reiterated Persuasions to prevail with them to give up themselves unto and become sincere Disciples and Followers of the Holy Jesus They who resist this Grace of God cannot love the Instruments of it but they who receive the Grace of God and the benefit of our Ministry will always give him thanks for and acknowledge the usefulness of such Authorized Guides in their way to Heaven But I dismiss this intending to speak somewhat more largely of the last Remark or Observation which will contain a particular Address to us of the Clergy Viz. 6thly If the Edification and Perfection of Christians be the end of our Ministry then we may note what diligent Application and holy Prudence is necessary that we may level every Exercise of our Function at that Mark and neither shoot beside nor short of it For we have not only such variety but also such contradiction of Tempers to deal withal that whilst we seek the edification of one sort we are in danger of offending and destroying others Give me leave to lay before you some of the difficult Cases of our Ministry not to discourage but caution to add fervour unto our Prayers for the Divine Assistance and to excite a studious application and prudent diligence that we may not do the Work of our Lord negligently nor betray the Trust committed to our Charge As for instance In preaching whatever some imagine it is no such easie matter to shew our selves Workmen that need not be ashamed rightly dividing the word of God [r] 2 Tim. 2.15 for if we imploy but little pains and thoughts about the business how can we expect that God should