they are known This is one of the characters that the Apostle giveth of a Bishop a Gospel Minister 1 Tim. 3.7 Hee must bee one that hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a good Testimonial a good report yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of those that are without without the Church no members of it much more of them that are within such must the conversation of a meet Candidate bee not onely unblameable but laudable And withall hee ought to be such a one as upon whom a humane and conjectural prophesy hath passed one whom others look upon for his parts and gifts as a hopeful instrument of doing service in the Church of God 2 And besides this humane let them look for somewhat of a divine Testimony though not in an extraordinary way as Timothy had that is not now to bee expected yet in an ordinary that they be such persons as in whom in the judgement of a well regulated charity they themselves may see somewhat of God of his grace and spirit sanctifying of them and so fitting them for this so weighty a service And now these two concurring they may comfortably go on in ordaining and setting apart such a one thereunto which how it is to bee done the next clause will inform you With the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery Where again wee must make further enquiry what is here meant by the Presbytery what by Laying on of the hands of the Presbytery Quest 1. For the former 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hereby some would understand the office of a Presbyter So Erasmus here transsates it Authoritate sacerdotis To which sense I finde what I wonder at Mr. Calvin here not wholly averse yea Omuibus expensis diversum sensum non male quadrare fateor ut sit nomen officii Calvin ad Text. Quod de Impositione manuum Presbyterii dicitur non it a accipio quasi Paulus de seniorum collegi◠loquatur sed hoc nomine Ordinationem ipsam intelligo Calvin Instit lib. 4. Cap. 3. Sect. 16. Cameron Praelect in Mat. 18.15 elsewhere wholly for it but by the favour of so judicious an Expositor then whom I know none more we may take notice first that the word here used is never taken in scripture in this sense Neither can it well bear it True indeed as the learned Cameron notes upon it were it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it might be so construed Presbyteratus the office or dignity of a Presbyter but not so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And secondly If the word would bear it yet the scope of the place will not For should we so read it with the laying on of the hands of the office or dignity of a Presbyter I must professe with the same Authour I should not know what sense to make of it And therefore letting that passe enquire we how this word is elsewhere used That wee may soon see there being but two other Texts where it is to bee found The one Luke 22.66 where wee read of the Elders of the people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The other Act. 22.5 where wee meet with the estate of the Elders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In both places thereby meaning the great Councel of the Sanhedrim a Colledge or company of officers to whom the Government of the Church was committed Here is the Original both of the name and thing from whence it was derived as most other things concerning Ecclesiastical Government were unto the Christian Church which in like manner had its Presbyteries Societies and Companies of Church officers to whom the Government of the Church was in like manner committed And in this sense without question are wee to look upon the word here in the text as denoting Caetum seu Collegium Presbyterorum a Company of Presbyters Herein the generality of Expositors both Ancient and Modern Presbyterium qui hic collectivum nomen esse putant pro Collegio Presbyterorum positum recte sentiunt meo judicio Calvin ad Text. both Protestant and Romish do fully accord Mr. Calvin also among the rest upon second thoughts yeilding his free assent thereunto Quest Only the question remains what kinde of Presbyters were these Answ To this shall wee give the Doctors of the Church of Rome leave to return the Answer most of them will roundly tell us that they were Bishops Bishops as distinct from Presbyters wherein they plead the consent of some of the Ancients Such was the office say they to which Timothy was ordained not of a Presbyter but of a Bishop Now it was never the custome for Presbyters to ordain Bishops No The lesse is blessed of the better the greater faith the Apostle speaking of the Priestly office Heb. 7.7 Not the greater of the lesse Presbyters are ordained by Bishops not Bishops by Presbyters And herein we finde them seconded by some of our own of late times who contend that the office to which Timothy was ordained was the office of a Bishop an Arch-Bishop a Metropolitane And consequently the Presbytery here spoken of must bee a company of Bishops at least not of ordinary Presbyters In pursuit whereof some there are who spare not to affirm that in Pauls time there was no such order in the Church No Presbyters properly so called True indeed in a large sense say they the Apostles some of them sometimes stile themselves so as Peter and John who write themselves Presbyters 1 Pet. 5.1 2 Epist Joh. 1. and 3. Epist 1. But strictly and properly there was then none of this order None at least till St. Johns time the last of the Apostles Then indeed say they was this order introduced as a middle office betwixt Bishops and Deacons But before that there were no other ordinary offices in the Church but these two taking the word Bishops in a strict acception and consequently the Presbytery here spoken of could bee no other So high are some flowne in these distracted times being as they say of some Meteors set on fire by an Antiperistasis But as for this opinion as it is but novel newly hatched and singular so I suppose it is not like to be long lived it being such as the best friends to Episcopacy which the moderate party are I presume will not bee willing to own Neither indeed is there any reason they should in as much as it runnes so directly crosse as to clear evidence of Scripture so to the general if not universal consent of all divines both Ancient and Modern who look upon the office of a Presbyter as in Order and Time precedent to that of a Bishop Yea so necessarily preceding it that who ever shall be ordained a Bishop per saltum not having first a Presbyter they pronounce his Ordination invalid a meer nullity So it is agreed both by Protestants Papists Yea by the moderate on both these parts it is also yeilded that Presbyiery is the highest order of ordinary Gospel ministery Episcopacy not being a different Order from it but onely
a different degree in the same Order a dignity conferred upon some one of the Presbyters and that for orders sake to prevent division and confusion So then leaving these forced senses take wee the word as it sounds understanding by it a Combination or company of Presbyters properly so called ordinary Ministers of the word Pastors and Teachers such as labored in the word and doctrin whether the Ministers of one Church or more a Congregational or Classical Presbytery as they are now distinguished is uncertain M. Beza is for the former nominating the place where Timothy was elected and as hee supposeth ordained Lystris ascitum fuisse constat ex Act. 16.2 c. Beza Gr. Anno. ad Loc. viz. at Lystra and that hee conceives by the Presbyters the Ministers of that Church taking the conjecture from that forecited Text Act. 16.2 whether so or no as it is but conjectural so is it not materiall A company of Presbyters there were which made up this Presbytery And from or rather through their hands did Timothy receive this Gift Sorunnes the Text The Gift which was given thee by Prophesy with the laying on of the Hands of the Presbytery Quest 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Imposition of hands a Rite or Ceremony of very ancient use and that in diverse cases Four or five of which wee meet with in the Old Testament 1 In Benediction and blessing Thus the story tells us Gen. 48.14 how the Patriarch Jacob laid his hands upon the heads of Ephraim and Manasse which hee did for the blessing of them as the 20 verse explains the mystery of it 2 In Oblation in offering sacrifices to God So you finde it Exod. 29. where Aaron and his Sonnes are ordered to lay their hands upon the head of the Bullock which was to bee sacrificed vers 10. and so in like manner upon the two Rams vers 15.19 thereby dedicating and consecrating of them unto God 3 In Attestation in giving evidence against a Capital offender of this you read Lev. 24.14 where the Law for punishing the Blasphemer requires that his accusers should lay their hands upon his head for the confirmation of their Testimony 4. In Resignation Thus wee finde the Children of Israel some chief among them in the name of the rest laying their hands upon the Levites which they did not to ordain them to their office no that was done by Aaron by whom they were offered up unto the Lord as the next verse hath it but that thereby they might declare and testify both their Resignation and Approbation of them how that they did for their parts give up all the carnal and worldly interests which they had in them and did approve of that office which was then to bee conferred upon them 5 In Designation in designing and appointing one to an office Thus Moses designing Joshua to bee his successour hee doth it with this Ceremony by laying on his hands upon him Numb 27.18 Of such use was this Rite under the old Testament from whence it was transferred unto the New where we shall also finde it used in an equal number of Cases First In Benediction Thus our Saviour is said to have blessed those children which were brought unto him by putting his hands on them Mark 10.16 Secondly In Miraculous operations in healing of bodily diseases Thus our Saviour is said to have wrought that cure upon that infirm woman Luk. 13.13 by laying his hands upon her and the like power he gave to his Apostles after his departure as also to some others in those primitive times They shall lay their hands on the sick and they shall recover Mark 16.18 An experiment whereof Ananias made upon Saul who recovered his sight by his laying on his hands upon him Act. 9.17 Thirdly In Extraordinary Collations in conveying of miraculous gifts Thus did Saul also receive the Holy Ghost as it there followeth And the like did many others by laying on of the hands of the Apostles as you finde it in the Chapter foregoing Act. 8. vers 17.18 Fourthly In that Apostolical institution of Confirmation an Ordinance which the Church of God after some foul depravations of it hath now unhappily lost the restoring whereof according to the * Talem maâ— nuum impositionem quae simpliciter loco benedictionis fiâ—t laudo restitutam hodie in purum usum velim Calv. Instit lib. 4. Cap. 19 Primitive pattern is much to be desired as being very useful to the Church and that as at all times so especially in these times whereinto wee are fallen whereof I have * Doctrin and Practice of Paedobatisme p. 76 77 78 79 Printed Anno. 1645. elsewhere given a publick account to the world of which after many of the Ancients Mr. Calvin and Beza Hic unus locus abunde testatur hujus Ceremoniae originem fluxisse ab Apostolis Calv. Com. ad Loc. Piscator Chemnitius Hemingius Ursinus ' D. Fulk D. Willer c. Vide 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I. H. B. N. Manuum impositionem cum Baptismo conjungit quia ut duo erant Catechumenorum ordines ita duplex erat Ceremonia c. Vide Calvin Com. ad loc with diverse others of our modern divines eminent both for learning and pietie do understand the Apostle to speak Heb. 6.2 where among his six Principles of Christian Religion he reckons this for one the laying on of hands which being joyned unto Baptism and coupled with it it seemeth to import some reference and relation that the one should have to the other as Calvin also observes upon it and so cannot so fitly bee understood of any other thing as of Confirmation wherein the Children of Beleevers having been baptized in their Infancy after that they had been competently instructed in the doctrin of that faith whereinto they had been baptized were confirmed by the Imposition of hands and so received for compleat members of the Church Fifthly and most usually in Ordination of Church-officers Thus did Timothy receive this Gift his Ministerial office by or with the Imposition of the hands of the Presbytery Imposition of hands a Mystical Ceremony and that very significative Being used in ordination of Ministers diverse things may bee conceived to bee represented and signified by it Letting passe what the Church of Rome will tell us Hac impositione manuum sistitur Ecclesiae ut haec quoque admoneatur Deum per hanc personam ejus ministerium velle ipsos docere c. Chemnit loc de Ecclesia p. 159. that hereby an indelible Character is imprinted upon the person ordeined and that Grace yea Gratia gratum faciens is conferred by it Certe utile est ejusmodi symbolo cum ministerii dignitatom populo commensari tum eum qui ordinatur admoneri ipsum jam non esse sui juris sed Deo Ecclesiae in servitutem addictum Calvin Instir lib. 4. cap. 3. Sect. 16. and that ex opere operato so as the person is
indubiè Indubiâ— si idem symbelum rire administraretur adhuc hodie in Electionibus non minus quam oliâ—n effet efficax si max me externa insolita ratione sese non execeret spiritus Sanctus Aret Com. ad Text. And without doubt saith hee If the sâ—â—e rite were in a due manner still abserved in the Blection of Ministers it would bee found to bee no less effectual than heretofore however the Holy Ghost may not shew himself in such external operations as then Here is another use of this Rite this Ceremony and that a Principal one 4. Hereby a charge is imposed Thus Moses laying his hands upon Joshua Illo ipso etiam ritu tanquaÌ„m solemni voto obligatione is qui vocatus est obligatus corâ— Deo sub testimonio Ecclesiae ad eam fidelitatem in Ministerio prestandam quam Dominus in dispensationibus suis requirit 1 Cor. 4.2 Chemnit Ioc. de Ecclesia p. 137. hee is said to give him a charge before all the people Numb 27.23 And in like manner the Ministers of God laying their hands upon the persons ordained they do thereby in the name of God impose a charge upon them even the same that Paul doth here upon Timothy not to neglect the gift which thereby they receive but seriously with their Heads and Hearts to intend that Ministration committed to them lest otherwise the hand of the Lord go out against them and fall heavy upon them 5. To name no more Hereby a blessing is assured A threefold blessing Divine Protection Direction Assistance Thus is the hand of the Lord said to have been upon his servant Ezra Ezra 7.6.9 According to the good hand of his God upon him God was pleased to exercise a gracious providence towards and upon him in protecting directing and prospering him in his undertakings And thus shall the hand of the Lord bee upon his faithfull servants his Ministers going about his work in his name which is represented and assured to them by this Rite this Ceremony in their Ordination the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery Ceremoniam pro ipso actu Ordinationis posuit Calv. ad Text. Of such excellent use then is this Ceremony And hence is it that it is here as elsewhere put for the whole work of Ordination Not but that therein there are other actions of special import such are the word and prayer The two ordinary means whereby every Creature of God is sanctified as our Apostle tells us in the fifth verse of this Chapter Sanctified in a general way so as they may bee comfortably used with expectation of a blessing upon them And by these means the persons ordeined come to bee sanctified in a special manner in a peculiar way by the word and prayer which are the essential parts of this Ordinance as might bee shewed if need were But in as much as this Ceremony is most obvious and observable to the eye therefore the whole action taketh the denomination from it being called the laying on of hands And thus have I with what brevity might bee Applicat paraphrased upon this former part of the Text. From whence I might now deduce or rather take up divers doctrinal informations touching the business which wee are here met about this day the ordinance of Ordination 1. So I call it let that bee the first of them and that not without good warrant from my Text the Ordinance of Ordination And that not a humane but a divine Ordinance and so of perpetual use unto the Church of God which were it but beleeved surely it would not bee so sleighted as by many it is at this day Pauls charge to Timothy here is that hee should not neglect the Gift which hee had received in and by his Ordination How is it that so many among us so sleight this gift as that they will not receive it in this way No if they have but a Call as they call it an Election by two or three and can by any means procure a formal Approbation or yet a Toleration it is enough for them A Gift they have already at least as they think and they look out for no more Now they let upon the work and that not as Probationers for tryal sake in order to Ordination which being done with the Allowance of those who have power to lay on hands and that for some competent time untill Ordination can bee obtained I have nothing to say against it but in a fixed way as their setled imployment Taking upon them not only to preach which properly they cannot bee said to do without Ordination Teach they may but preach they cannot How shall they preach except they bee sent Rom. 10.15 Preach as Embassadors Officers in an authoritative way this they cannot do without an authoritative mission but also to administer the Sacraments and that not only Baptisme which upon what account I know not hath heretofore been looked upon as of an inferiour nature and so permitted in some cases to bee dispensed by secular hands but also the Lords Supper wherein what do they but abuse the Ordinances of God and abuse his people gulling and deceiving them by giving them shels for kernels shadows for substances So necessary is Ordination I mean for the substance of it as that in an ordinary way none can perform any ministerial act without it But I must but touch upon things only giving you a hint of what might have been inlarged 2. In the second place as Ordination it self is necessarie so this Ceremony used in it of imposition of hands is more than indifferent Mark it I do not say absolutely necessary so essential unto this Ordinance as that it should bee null and void without it I shall herein bee as tender as I may But more than indifferent an adjunct which ought not to bee severed from it For this besides the constant and almost universal practice of the Church in all times in all places which ought to bear more than a little sway with those that live in the bosome and acknowledge themselves members of it Scripture evidence mee thinks should bee clear and convincing enough For practice how is it that Paul and Barnabas though persons extraordinarily qualified and dignified were thus set a part by laying on of hands Act. 13.3 And here Timothy in like manner And so all the Elders the Ministers of those times a thing so apparent that it cannot bee denyed And whence is it that the whole action as I have shewn you was denominated from this Ceremony commonly known by this name of imposition of hands a plain evidence that this was alwayes a part of it never omitted Object Why but it may bee said though wee have President for it Licet autem nullum extet certum precep tum de manuum impositione quiaÌ„ tamen fuiffe in perpetuo usu Apostolis videmus illa tam acurata corum observatio praeceptive nobis esse debet Cal.
or else which is all one not permitted to exercise that part of their supposed Jurisdiction now the Presbytery ordinary Presbyters may do it without them So our eminently learned and judicious Davenant lately a star of the first magnitude in this our Horizon being himself also soon after a Bishop hath plainly determined it In Ecclesia turbata ubi Episcopi omnes in haeresin aut Idololatriam inciderunt c. si Orthodoxi Presbyteri ne pereat Ecclefia alios Presbyteros cogantur ordinare ego non ausim hujusmodi Ordinationes pronunciare irritos inanes Davenant determi Quest 42. In Ecelesiâ turbatâ c. In the troubled state of the Church where ordination cannot bee received from Episcopal hands it both may and ought to be from the hands of Ordinary Presbyters To which Armacham by him cited in one case agrees viz. when the Bishops are all dead And indeed what he there also taketh notice of it is no lesse than a wonder that those who in some cases in case of imminent danger will allow any private person a midwife or whoever to baptise an Infant which by divine institution belongs only unto Ministers and account it valid yet will rather suffer the Church to go to wrack and perish than to admit of Ordination by the hands of Presbyters which if rightly considered and applyed to the present times I presume may bee sufficient to satisfy any such well-advised and moderate spirits as his was To this I might adde what is taken notice of by others and that from the concessions of some of those who have appeared for Vide jus divinum Regim Eccl. p. 132. and pleaded the cause of Episcopacy among our selves who have freely and ingenuoussy acknowledged what indeed cannot bee denied that Presbyters as Presbyters are indued with an intrinsecal power and authority to ordain others having been onely limited and restrained in the exercise of that power by the Discipline of the Church for orders sake which Discipline being now in this Nation for the present at least layed asleep it cannot bee thought any usurpation in them to assume and exercise that power which is confessedly intrinsecall to their order But I have neither time nor will to wade into debates of this nature I have done with Doctrinal informations To which had I any time further to spend I might now subjoyn some Practical Applications and that both to Ministers and people 1 To Ministers such as would be such as are 1 Such as would bee Candidates Expectants such as intend and desire the work and office of the Ministery which who so are in measure fitted for it and have a sincere intention of doing service to God and his Church in it without any Ambition may do as our Apostle tells us 1 Tim. 3.1 let them here see what door it is that they are to enter at and see that they ENTER in by that door Not taking upon them this office without a calling No man taketh this honour unto himself saith the Apostle Heb. 5.4 speaking not de facto but de jure not what men do but ought to do not take upon them the ministerial office without a warrantable Call thereunto Which Call consisteth not meerly in personal qualification or yet in a popular election but also in a Potestative mission a Regular Ordination And let them enter in at this door which the true Shepheard is said to do John 10.2 And who so doth not hath a black Character set upon him in the verse there foregoing 2 For such as are already entered in by this door let them take up from what hath been spoken both Counsel and comfort 1 Counsel Let this their Ordination which they have received leave upon their hearts and spirits an indelible Character continually minding them how they were thereby set apart dedicated and consecrated unto God for the service of his Church So as now they are no longer their own Ye are not your own saith the Apostle of private Christians 1 Cor. 6.19 much lesse publick Officers Magistrates Ministers they are Gods and his peoples not their own specially the latter who with their own consents are given up to the Lord and his Church and that for ever Now being so let them not live to themselves None of us liveth unto himself saith the Apostle But whether we live wee live unto the Lord Rom. 14.7 8. And so let his Ministers live Live to the honour and glory of their Lord and Master going about his work and service in his name and in his strength Not in confidence of their own Arm but his Which doing 2 Now let them comfort and incourage themselves in the Lord their God being assured that so long as they are with him hee will bee with them his hand shall bee upon them Thou hast beset mee before and behind and laid thine hand upon me saith David speaking of Gods providence towards himself Psal 139.5 And thus shall the hand of God bee upon his faithfull Ministers his good hand his Right hand That is the hand which is laid on in Ordination the right hand And this hand of God shall bee upon his Ministers being faithful in their Ministrations now let them know that hee hath laid his right hand upon them which meditation may bee and let it be usefull to them in divers cases 1 To bear up their hearts and spirits against that mean esteem which they meet withall in and from the world The world sets them on the left hand Wee are made as the filth of the world and are the off-scouring of all things even unto this day saith Paul of himself and his fellow-labourers 1 Cor. 4.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sweepage and offall of the world Such is the lot sometimes oft-times of Gods faithfull Ministers though really such as the world is not worthy of yet they are meanly if not basely esteemed of they are set on the left hand But what of that so long as they are which they are the men of Gods right hand as David saith of himself Psal 80.17 having his right hand laid on them No small honour So it was to Ephraim that hee being the yonger brother his Grand-father Jacob should lay his right hand upon him which the story tells us hee did and that wittingly that he might put the more honour upon him Gen. 48.14 And so it is to the Ministers of Christ who for the most part are as Ephraim was yonger brethren take it metaphorically or literally it still holdeth true and so set as Ephraim also there was on Jacobs vers 13. on the worlds left hand that God should lay his right hand upon them this is no small honour no mean dignity sufficient to countervail what ever contempt the ungratefull world can cast upon them 2 Against meannesse of estate As for left hand blessings worldly wealth they have it may bee but a small portion of it in comparison of others Though it may bee they
are not reduced to such extremities as Paul was who tells us of his hunger and thirst and cold and nakednesse 2 Cor. 11.27 yet they are dieted with a mean and scanted competency far inferiour to what others injoy But what of this Let it bee enough to them the right hand of their God is upon them assuring their interest in the best of blessings which right hand blessings are 3. Against opposition affronts troubles persecutions which they are subject to meet withall in and from the World These in some kinde or other they must make account of But let them not bee disanimated therby let them in nothing fear their adversaries So long as the good hand the right hand of their God is upon them they are safe enough that is a strong hand Thou hast a mighty arme strong is thy hand and high is thy right hand Psal 89.13 This hand being upon their heads they shall need no other helmet this will bee to them a helmet of salvation Only let it bee their care to do the work of the Lord faithfully and then let them quietly repose themselves under the covert of his hand being assured of a gracious protection from that God whom they serve in the Gospel of his Son 4. I might yet go on Let this bee to them a Catholicon a comfort and incouragement in all their straits all their doubts and difficulties when they know not what to do which way to look now let their eyes bee unto their God whose hand is still with them If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost part of the Sea even there shall thy hand lead mee and thy right hand shall hold mee saith the Psalmist Psal 139.8 9. Such a gracious providence doth God exercise as towards all his servants in general so towards his Ministers in special In all places in all conditions hee will bee with them to support them to conduct them But I am straitned 2. A word for the people and but a word Let them own this Ordinance of God and that by owning them that are put under it Wee beseech you Brethren to know them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord saith the Apostle 1 Thes 5.12 The Officers of Jesus Christ such as are set apart unto his service and come in his name with his authority Know them and that so as to yeeld unto them such respects as are due unto them upon that account Esteeming them very highly for their works sake as it there followeth vers 13. not grudging them that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that double honour of Reverence and maintenance which our Apostle in this Epistle avoucheth the faithful Ministers of Christ to bee worthy of 1 Tim. 5.17 with all obeying them Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves saith the Apostle to the Hebrews speaking there not of Magistrates but of Ministers such as watch for the souls of men as it there followeth Heb. 13.17 obey their Doctrin and submit to their Government so far as they teach from God and command for God So doing you shall not feel of that hand which being laid upon them is ready to go forth against those who will not hearken unto them But I may not give way to further inlargements being also prevented in what I should have done in speaking somewhat of the latter part of the Text wherein wee have the matter of this charge which wee meet with in the first word Neglect not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In which word wee have a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more intended than said Neglect not that is with care and conscience attend thy ministerial office laying out that Talent which God hath committed unto thee stirring up the Gift which thou hast received So hee elsewhere explains and inforceth this charge 2 Tim. 1.6 whereof I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God which is in thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Metaphor taken from fire which is ready to go out unless it bee stirred up Even so are Ministerial gifts unless they bee exercised And therefore as the Priests under the Law had a care of that holy and heavenly fire upon the Altar to preserve and cherish it by adding fewel to it and stirring of it up so ought Gospel Ministers to have of their gifts which they have received from God maintain cherish them seeking to increase them by the constant exercise of them laying them out for the glory of God good of his Church Appli 1 A seasonable charge for you my Brethren who are this day to enter upon this Ministerial office you are here to receive the like Gift that Timothy did and that in the like way Now to every of you bee this word spoken and I wish it may bee ingraven upon each of your hearts so as you may have it in a continual remembrance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neglect not this gift You know how it fared with the servant in the Gospel who hid his Talent in a Napkin It turned to a bad account to him in the end And so will Gifts to their owners where they are not improved And therefore what you have received or shall receive see that you lay it out for your masters advantage therein seeking the glory of God and good of his Church So doing be you comfortably assured of what you have heard that the good hand of your God shall be with you and upon you to protect direct assist and bless you Whereof take the Imposition of hands this day as a pledge But I shall not here anticipate what you shall anon receive more fully from another hand To which referring you beg wee a blessing from God upon what hath been spoken FINIS AN Exhortation given to the late ordained Ministers after the Ordination in the close of the day thereof Norwich June 11. 1656. IT is no part of my task to intermeddle at all with any controversies about the Ordination of Ministers either to enter into the question of what necessity it is to bee an ordained Minister or into that other in whose power it is to ordain and to whom properly it belongeth This was the task of that Reverend Divine who preached the Sermon to you who very dexterously and judiciously hath acquitted himself therein mine is only to speak to you who are now ordained to put you in mind of your duty as ye are Ministers And all which I shall speak in this matter both for the help of your memories and mine own too I will reduce to these three summary heads First To shew you the great burthen of your Office and what a weighty calling ye have taken upon you to discharge Secondly To shew you the great peril and hazzard ye run in the not discharging of it aright And Lastly On the contrary the great reward which remains for every faithful Minister for every one that conscientiously and in some good
Israel and going unto Tarshish a strange Country Neither could God get him to go on his message to Nineveh till hee had given him a second call unto it Jonah 3.1 and yee know how hee was fain to bee prepared too to the entertainment of that second call it was a bitter pill that hee was enforced to take for a preparative before the Physick would kindly work upon him as the two first Chapters of his Prophesy shews hee was fain to have a terrible storm at Sea about his ears the lot falls upon him to bee cast overboard to appease it a Whale comes and swallows him up into her belly and when he had been once throughly schooled for three dayes and three nights in the Whales belly in the belly of hell as himself calls it then upon the Whales disgorging of him upon dry land he begins to listen to the second call of God and not before And as yee have thus seen it in three great Prophets two whereof were two of the greatest that ever were so ye may behold it also in the greatest Apostle that ever was even St. Paul himself for was not hee brought up at the feet of a learned Gamaliel that great Rabbi doth hee not say of himself that hee was not a whit behind the very chiefest Apostles and that though hee was rude in speech yet not in knowledge 2 Cor. 11.5 6. nay hee was so farre from being rude in speech too though the false Apostles gave out so of him that there is most admirable Eloquence in all his Epistles which made that golden mouthed Father St. Chrysostome so to admire him and which made St. Augustine put it for one of his three great wishes that hee might but once have heard him preach out of a pulpit and was hee not the great Doctor of the Gentiles destined peculiarly unto them above all the rest of the Apostles And yet for all these his great abilities and great sufficiency ye may hear him crying out in his own name and in the name of all the Ministers of the Gospel who is sufficient for these things 2 Cor. 2.16 And if thou wert not O holy and great Apostle who ever was or shall be sufficient And as the ablest of all the Apostles felt his shoulders aking under the burden of it so the greatest of all the Ancient Fathers was as sensible of it before hee entred upon it even St. Augustine himself who hath been always accounted the most learned of all the Fathers whether of the Greek or Latine Church and yet hee could not abstain from weeping as I said before at the time of his Ordination to the Ministery out of an apprehension of the weightiness of the function which hee was then to take upon him as himself writes in his Epistle to Valerius Hin◠erant lacrymae illae quas me fundere in Civitate Ordinationis meae tempore nonnulli fratres animadverterunt And when the same Valerius would have him become his Collegue and Copartner with him in his Episcopal office at Hippo hee was so farre from an hasty accepting of it that he weilds it off and expostulates the matter with him what hee meant to lay such an insupportable burthen upon his shoulders Jubes er go ut peream Pater Valeri ubi est charitas tua And I would wish all young Schollers and Students in Divinity next unto the two Epistles of St. Paul to Timothy and that to Titus to read over this Epistle of St. Augustine to Valerius Where they shall finde how difficult a task the Ministerial function is and how unwilling that great Light of the Church was to undertake it Besides all these choice and pregnant instances it will many other ways appear what a weighty Calling the Ministery is and how great the burden of it True it is that there are many honourable titles given to the Ministers of God in Scripture as that they are Men of God Gods Embassadours Gods Stewards that they are Rulers Elders spiritual Fathers the Angels of the Churches the Starres of the Churches and the like but all these do as well include their Duty as their dignity and are as much for the Onus of the Ministery as the Honos of it Is it not a weighty Calling that requires so much Learning and Knowledge so much wisdome and Prudence so much labour and pains for to manage it and that hath so many dangers attending it and so many enemies to grapple with Is not a cure of souls an heavy burden I fear me the heaviest under heaven Surely Saint Paul would never have written two large Epistles to Timothy upon this subject if there had not been great need of a thorough instruction in this so weighty a function For is it an easy matter to perform those duties which in those Epistles hee enjoyns him in the name of all Ministers of the Gospel I will select some of them for a taste as that 2 Tim. 2.15 Study to shew thy self approved unto God a workman that needeth not be ashamed rightly dividing the word of Truth For though to study to approve our selves to God and to become workmen that need not to bee ashamed bee both of them duties of a very large extent yet even that one alone of rightly dividing the word of truth what a great deal is there in it for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rightly to divide the word is not so much to divide a Text as wee use to say but to give every one his portion of the Word according as hee stands in need Comfort to him to whom comfort belongs Reproof to him to whom reproof belongs conviction to him to whom conviction belongs instruction to him to whom instruction belongs and the like This is rightly to divide the word of God and what a great deal of skill and a great deal of wisdome is there requisite to the doing of it Our Saviour himself tells us so in the parable in the Gospel Mat. 24.45 Who then is a faithful and wise servant whom his Lord hath made Ruler over his houshold to give them meat in due season or as St. Luke hath it more explicitly to give them their portion of meat in due season 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is his word every one his demensum that is most agreeable for him Luke 12.42 such a one must be a faithful and wise servant that can do this saith our Saviour here or a faithful and wise Steward as he other Evangelist expresseth it It is a point of wisdome then and requires much dexterity to know when to play the Boanerges and when to play the Barnabas when to be a Son of thunder and when to be a son of Consolation when to thunder out the terrour of the Law against men and when to beseech them in the mild and still voyce of the Gospel for both these must bee done by the minister of Gods word but when and how to do them hic labor hoc opus est
Other places of the same Apostle unto Timothy I will but mention only for brevity sake as that of his 2 Tim. 4.2 Preach the word be instant in season out of season reprove rebuke exhort with all long-suffering and doctrin That also of his 1 Tim. 4.16 Take heed to thy self and to the doctrin continue in them for in doing this thou shalt both save thy self and them that hear thee And what a great deal is there in either of both these And so likewise in that which he hath unto Titus Tit. 1.9 Holding fast the faithful word as hee hath been taught that hee may bee able by sound doctrin both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he may be able to confute the adversaries as the original word properly signifies now what a great deal of skil and ability is required to the doing of that ye al easily understand for every one that is able to exhort is not presently able to confute and yet every Minister of the Gospel ought as well to be able to confute as to exhort as hee ought to bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so hee ought o bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 else what should become of such times as ours wherein there is so much need of Confutation of all manner of errours and heresies Besides the duty of Preaching what a great deal of skill doth it require for to Catechize what a great deal of dexterity to resolve scruples and cases of Conscience what a great deal of wisdome and experience to bind up broken hearts and wounded spirits what a great deal of watchfulness to know the state of the whole flock and what a great deal of wary circumspection in his carriage towards them all As for Catechizing to lay the foundation well that requires a wise Master-builder as the Apostle himself tells us 1 Cor. 3.10 And indeed the Master builders of the reformed Churches went this way to work at the first beginning of the reformation of Religion which they performed with such felicity of success that the Catechismes of the two chiefest reformers of the two great parties of protestants were accounted the usefullest of all their other writings for not onely great Luther said it himself that of all his own works none did please him but his Catechism and his book deservo arbitro as Sturmius relates that he read it in one of his Epistles but also great Calvins Catechism was inso high esteem in the Church of God that it was thought worthy to bee translated into all the three learned Languages both Hebrew Greek and Latine Tremellius putting it into the Hebrew and Henry Stephen into the Greek And herein the crafty Jesuits have learned to play the Apes of the Protestant writers as in studying the tongues and many other things so in this of Catechizing they knowing full well the great necessity of it and so may wee among our selves by the ignorant backsliding of so many from the truth in these days And as for resolving cases of conscience as it is a very necessary duty of a Minister so it needs a very skilful and able Divine and though he Popish writers have herein got the start of our Protestant Divines they having been always accounted the greatest Casuists although with abundance of dross in them yet ever since that godly-learned man Mr. Perkins did set Case-Divinity on foot by resolving so many cases of Conscience in his long continued preaching on that subject many eminent Divines have since betaken themselves unto it as Dr. Ames and Dr. Rivet upon the Decalogue and divers other in these dayes Dr. Ames confessing that his hearing Mr. Perkins preach thereupon when hee was a youth made him ever after in love with that part of Divinity in his preface to his Cases of Conscience And so for the binding up of broken hearts as it is a most soveraign part of the ministerial office so it requires a most knowing and experimental Divine for to do it a great deal of wisdome also and discretion must bee used towards such and they are very tenderly to bee handled And as many worthy Ministers are very excellent in this kind so Reverend Mr. Greenham had in his time a most singular faculty herein whose works remain yet behind for us And for the careful inspection over the whole flock the Minister as hee hath curam animarum so hee hath curam uniuscujusque animae hee hath the charge of every soul in his parish and must give an account for every one that belongs to his charge according to that of the Apostle Heb. 13.17 They watch for your Souls as they that must give account c. Which inspection over every one in particular of the Flock seems to bee intimated in that complaint which God makes of the Shepheards of Israel by his Prophet Ezekiel Ezek. 33.4 The diseased have ye not strengthened neither have ye healed that which was sick neither have yee bound up that which was broken neither have yee brought agian that which was driven away neither have yee sought that which was lost c. Now how great and weighty a burthen this is and what a discerning spirit it requires in a Minister every one may easily perceive it is indeed the right Episcopal part of every Ministers office as the Original word properly imports even this oversight over the whole flock so as to take care of every one of them as much as may bee according as St. Paul hath it to the Elders of Ephesus Act. 20.28 Take heed to your selves and to all the flock over which the. Holy Ghost hath made you overseers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so the Greek runnes And as well St. Peter as St. Paul 1 Pet. 5.2 The Elders which are among you I exhort feed the Flock of God which is among you taking the oversight thereof c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the word again Hath hee not the sick to visit the ignorant to instruct the unruly to admonish the feeble minded to comfort and these as well privately and from house to house as publikely agreeable to that notable example of St. Paul Act. 20.20 I have shewed you and have taught you publikely and from house to house And adde to all these what an exemplary pattern he ought to be to the whole flock and how unblameable in his carriage to them all how he ought to preach unto them by his gracious life as well as by his zealous doctrin according to that observable passage of st Jerom in an Epistle of his to Fâ—biola Tanta debet effe eruditio Ministri Dei ut et gressus ejus et motus et universa vocalâ—a sint ut quicquid agit quicquid loquituâ— sit doctrina populorum in one word that in every thing which he doth he may alwayes teach thereby Which is no more than what both St. Paul and St. Peter give in charge to Ministers St. Paul to Timothy 1 Tim. 4.12 Bee thou
an example of the Beleevers in word in conversation in charity in spirit in faith in purity and St. Paul to titus Tit. 2.7 In all things shewing thy self a pattern of good works And as well St. Peter as St. Paul 1 Pet. 5.3 Neither 〈◊〉 being Lords over Gods heritage but being ensamples to the flock One thing more there is which I count none of the smallest part of the Ministerial burthen especially in these times of ours and that is the Administration of the Sacraments for though I bee no patron of mixt communions as they call them or a promiscuous reception of all sorts unto the holy Sacrament of the Lords supper whether they bee ignorant or scandalous yet seeing every Minister as hee is called a Minister of the Word and Sacraments so it is his duty to do both mee thinks all the wisdome and discretion that can be should be used by him rather than wholly to fail of executing this main branch of his office Doubtlesse he ought as to be very conscientiously prudent so to be very prudently conscientious in this matter And so much the rather because it hath been alwayes the devils main policy to cast in a bone of contention into the Church of God about this holy Sacrament as appeared first by the Papists Transubstantiation and afterwards by the Lutherans Consubstantiation and now in our days by this so much controverted point of mixt Communions by all which the Church hath been so rent and divided as by nothing more as Lavater in that excellent peece of his Historia Saeramentaria hath evidently shown that old wily Serpent making that to bee the greatest cause of division among Christians which ought to be the greatest cause of union among them as St. Paul speaks 1 Cor. 10.17 Wee being many are one bread and one body for we are all partakers of that one bread And as it requires so much skill and so much prudence to manage well the function of the Ministery so in the next place is it not a work of much labour too and great pains surely it must be a very laborious work when in Scripture the Ministers of God are compared to Husbandem to builders to harvest-labourers to Shepheards to Watchmen to Souldiers to Nurses and the like To husbandmen and builders yee may see them both in one verse 1 Cor. 3.9 Wee are labourers together with God ye are Gods husbandry yee are Gods building To harvest-Labourers that yee have in the Gospel Mat. 9.38 Pray yee therefore the Lord of the harvest that he would send forth Labourers into his Harvest To shepheards Ezek. 34.2 Sonne of man prophesy against the Shepheards of Israel To Watchmen Ezek. 33.7 Sonne of man I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel To Souldiers so St. Paul to Timothy 2 Tim. 2.3 Thou therefore indure hardness as a good souldiers of Jesus Christ To Nurses so hee speaks of himself 1 Thes 2.7 We were gentle among you even as a Nurse cherisheth her children All which are no small laborious works And in the last place as for the dangers that attend this weighty calling of the Ministery and the enemies they have to grapple with they are very many and great for there is no kinde of men whatsoever that have more opposition usually against them than the faithfull Ministers of the Word they are the very Mark at which both the Devil and the world do especially aim indeed both Devil and world do strike at all good men at all that carry the Image of God about them but most especially at the faithfull Dispensers of Gods word their greatest rage have been always against them they know full well that to bee true of all faithful Pastors which was prophesyed of Christ the chief Shepheard Zach. 13.17 Smite the Shepheard and the sheep shall be scattered First The Devil hee rageth against the Ministers of God above all other men because hee knows they give the greatest blow to him and are the greatest pullers down of his Kingdome and therefore yee shall find him standing at the very elbow of Ioshua the high priest to resist him when hee went about so good a work as the rebuilding of the Temple Zach. 3.1 c. And yee know our Saviour told St. Peter that the Devil had a mind to winnow him as Wheat and not him only but the rest of the twelve Apostles for so the words run in the plural number Luk. 22.31 Simon Simon Behold Satan hath desired to have you that hee may sift you as wheat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the other Apostle St. Paul too who was none of the twelves hee tells us of a messenger of Satan to buffet him 2 Cor. 12.7 and more expresly that hee was hindred by him more than once from comming to preach to the Thessalonians 1 Thes 2.18 Nay yee know hee was not afraid to seâ— upon Christ himself who was the great Prophet of his Church and the Prince of Pastors for hee was no sooner baptized and initiated into his prophetical office by a voyce from heaven saying This is my beloved Son hear him but presently hee was led up into the wilderness to bee tempted of the devil Mat. 4.1 Thus you see how the Devils greatest malice is always against the faithful Ministers of the word because it makes his Kingdome to fall down according to that saying of our Saviour to his seventy Disciples whom he sent abroad to preach I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven Luk. 10.18 down falls he when the word is powerfully preached as iudicious Calvin hath very excellently expounded that place And as Gods Prophets and Ministers have the Devil most raging against them so doth the world most rage against them too the men of the world set themselves against them on all hands That it was so in the time of the Old Prophets yee have it out of Christs own mouth Mat. 23.37 O Jerusalem Jerusalem thou that killest the Prophets and stonest them which are sent unto thee Yea St. Stephen tells them which of the Prophets have not your Father persecuted Act. 7.52 And so it was with the Apostles afterward and other Pastors and Teachers of the Evangelical Church as well as of the Jewish the world have always been about their ears according as St. Paul tells us what fightings hee had with them 2 Cor. 7.5 and therefore he biâ—s Tymothy in the name of all Gospel Ministers Fight the good fight of Faith 1 Tim. 6.12 And the reason of it is the very same which our Saviour gives why the world so extreamly hated him Joh. 7.7 The world cannot hate you saith hee to his kindred but me it haterh because I testify of it that the works thereof are evil That is the reason then why the world so hated him and all his faithful Ministers since it is because they reprove vice in them men cannot indure to bee told of their faults They hate him that rebuketh in the gate Amos
bee accessary to this Soul-murther If David so earnestly prayed Deliver mee from bloud-guiltinesse O God Psal 51.14 how much more should every good Minister pray against this worst of murthers for if God useth to make such inquisition after bodily murther which is the lesser and so severely punisheth it then much more will hee do it after the other which is the greater even the murther of souls Surely an evil and unfaithful Minister is one of the greatest partakers of other mens sinnes of any rank of men and hath herein the greater account to give unto God so that not without great cause did that good man pray Lord forgive mee my other mens sins And thus yee have the second general Head more briefly dispatched to shew you the great peril and hazzard yee runne if yee do not faithfully discharge such a weighty Calling as this is which yee have undertaken The Third and Last general Head remains yet behind and that is the great reward which yee may expect upon the faithfull discharge of your ministerial-office which though the ungrateful world should deny you yet yee should bee sure to receive it at the hands of God and that both here in this life and hereafter in the life to come And for the faithful Ministers reward here in this life First Yee have the Promise of Gods assistance that hee will bee with you in the work and will help to bear the burthen with you which is the Conclusion of all St. Matthews Gospel in the last verse of it Go ye and teach all Nations c. and loe I am with you alwayes even unto the end of the world Christ says hee will bee with them even unto the end of the world and therefore it must bee meant of all the faithful Ministers of the Gospel while the world shall stand for the Apostles were not to live to the end of the world And as yee have the promise of his assistance to help you forward in the work which many a faithful Minister hath experimentally often found beyond expectation so in the next place ye have the promise of his protection also to uphold and defend you against all the adversaries that yee shall meet withal in your Ministry For hee it is that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand Rev. 1.16 that is the seven Angels of the seven Churches which are the Ministers of them vers 20. Christ holdeth them fast in his right hand against all opposition either of world or Devil against them And hereupon hee so incourageth his Prophet Jeremiah in that very observable place Jer. 1.18 19 Behold I have made thee this day a defenced City and an iron pillar and brazen walls against the whole land and they shall fight against thee but they shall not prevail against thee for I am with thee saith the Lord to deâ—â—â—er thee And the like encouragement doth hee give to his Apostle Paul against all the opposition which hee should meet withall in the City of Corinth Act. 18.9.10 Bee not afraid but speak and hold not thy peace for I am with thee and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee for I have much people in this City Besides hee hath declared unto you in his word how ill he takes it at the hands of them that shall in any kind wrong you or misuse you yea or that shall not give that respect or esteem which is due unto you Luk. 10.16 Hee that despiseth you despiseth mee and hee that despiseth mee despiseth him that sent mee But for those that harm and injure you and set themselves as enemies against you there is a most formidable place of Scripture for them which I can never read without serious musing on it and gaining encouragement from it in no small degree it is a direful imprecation by way of prediction Deut. 33.11 And of Levi hee said Blesse Lord his substance and accept the work of his hands smite thorough the loins of them that rise against him and of them that hate him that they rise not again And as he declares how he ill takes it at the hands of such as shall wrong you and disrespect you so on the contrary how well hee takes any kindness done unto you Mat. 10.41 42. Hee that receiveth you receiveth me hee that receiveth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall receive a Prophets reward And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a Disciple hee shall in no wise loose his reward And this did clearly appear in the good Shunamitish woman who shewed so much kindness to the Prophet Elisha as to provide all things needful for his entertainment as often as hee passed by her house 2 King 4.10 for God rewarded her with a Sonne being childlesse vers 16. and him raised to life again when he was dead vers 35. And though these rewards from without were not yet the sweet inward peace and comfort which ariseth to a mans self out of a consciousnesse of the sincerity of his faithfull discharging of the Ministery this alone were reward enough here below But in the second place the reward which you shall receive hereafter in another world the reward in heaven which remains for every faithful Minister that no doubt is exceeding great and such as may throughly encourage you and prick you forward to the work For though wee do not peremptorily determine with the School-men among the Papists that there are several Aureolae as they call them several distinct Crowns of glory for several ranks of Saints in heaven as one for Apostles another for Prophets another for Martyrs and the like among which they foolishly reckon one for Virgins too yet as we have sufficient ground in Scripture for several degrees of glory in heaven so we have enough there for our encouragement that the faithful Pastors of Gods Church will be more than ordinarily rewarded for their labour in the kingdome of heaven For besides our blessed Saviours Euge in the Gospel Well done thou good and faithful servant thou hast been faithfull over a few things I will make thee ruler over many things enter thou into the joy of thy Lord Mat. 25.21 Besides this we have a more expresse place in the Prophesy of Daniel Dan. 12.3 They that bee wise shall shire as the brightnesse of the firmament and they that turn many to righteousnesse as the Starres for ever and ever St. Paul calls the Thessalonians whom he had converted unto God his Crown of rejoycing in the day of the Lord Jesus 1 Thes 2.19 and St. Peter tells us of an immarcessibilis gloriae corona a Crown of glory that fadeth not away which shall bee put upon every faithful Pastors head at the last day by Christ himself that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and chief Shepheard of his flock the Church as yee have it lively and sweetly laid forth 1 Pet. 5.4 The Elders which are
among you I exhort feed the flock of God which is among you c. And when the cheif Shepheard shall appear yee shall receive a Crown of glory that fadeth not away Here is the faithful Pastors Aureola if they will needs have it so called To which I will adde but one notable saying more of that famous Father St. Austin in his Epistle to Valcrius Nihil difficilius laboriosius periculosius Episcopi aut Presbyteri aut Diaconi officio sed apud Deum nihil beatius si eo modo milit etur quo noster imperator jubet There is nothing more hard nothing more laborious nothing more dangerous than the ministerial office and yet with God there is nothing more happy says hee nothing more rewarded in heaven if it bee faithfully executed as it ought And thus yee have the third and last general head laid forth unto you the great reward which shall certainly bee conferred upon every faithful Minister of the Gospel And now Brethren out of all these three main considerations which I have here mentioned unto you that it is so high and weighty a Calling that wee runne so great a hazzard in the negligent performance of it and that on the contrary so great a reward remains for every one that faithfully dischargeth it let both you that are this day newly initiated into it by Ordination and all of us also whosoever else are of the same ministerial function let us all bee stirred up to set our selves the more strenuously about it and with all carefulnesse and watchfulness for to manage it That shall be my closing speech Labour to put in ure both the precept and the practice of the great Apostle St. Paul his Precept unto Archippus Col. 4.17 And say to Archippus take heed to the Ministery which thou hast received in the Lord that thou fulfil it let that bee the utmost both of your and our indeavour to fulfil the Ministery which we have received And labour as well to follow the practical example of the same great Apostle as a most renowned pattern and president for all Ministers while the world shall stand it is Act. 20.24 But none of these things move me neither count I my life dear unto my self so that I might finish my course with Joy and the ministery which I have received of the Lord Jesus to testify the Gospel of the grace of God Hee says that no affliction whatsoever neither bonds and imprisonment nor martyrdome it self should withhold him from fulfilling his Ministery and so finishing his course with joy agreeable to that Swannes song of his which hee uttered when hee was ready to bee offered up in sacrifice for the faith of the Gospel 2 Tim. 4.7 I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the Faith henceforth there is laid up for mee a crown of righteousness c. And therefore this saying of his in the Acts hee spake unto all the Elders of Ephesus whom hee had sent for unto him propounding his own example before them whereby they might learn how to fulfil their Ministery which is that which both ye and all other Ministers ought to bee alwayes learning how to perform Which that ye may the better do give me leave for a conclusion of all to lay you down briefly some helps and furtherances thereunto I will first remove the hindrances and then give you the helps 1 Take heed of an ambitious and proud Spirit of an high and domineering spirit such as would not onely Lord it over Gods heritage as St. Peter speaks but also over your fellow brethren in the Ministery for this is just Diotrephes his spirit of whom St. John complains that hee was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One that loved to have the preeminence and to be leader of all 3 Joh. 9. I Wrote unto the Church but Diotrephes who loved to have the preeminence among them receiveth us not And indeed it was this that first brought in the typhus papalis in the Church First They laboured for the primacy and that by degrees ushered in the Supremacy for the Bishop of Rome had at first but primam sedem afore the rest of the four Patriarchs of the Christian Church it was this same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and this same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which made him at length affect to be Episcopus Oecumenicus And though now Bishops bee put down yet must every Minister among us beware of any risings of a domineering spirit within him for if as Luther was wont sententiously to speak that every man had a Pope in his belly then surely much more did hee mean it of Clergy men who have been ever too much addicted to this fin Beginne then to lay a low and deep foundation in humility especially the better gifted any of you bee or have the better parts as the more dangerous inlet unto pride according to that of the Apostle knowledge puffeth up 1 Cor. 8.1 And remember that qualification which among the rest the same Apostle requires in those which are to bee made Ministers 1 Tim. 3.6 Not a novice least being lifted up with pride hee fall into the condemnation of the Devil he was very careful least any Minister should bee tainted with that Devillish and Luciferian sinne of Pride by which the Devils got so great a fall How art thou fallen from heaven O Lucifer sonne of the morning Isa 14.12 which though it bee litterally understood of the great King of Babylons fall yet mystically of the Devils fall in the judgement of Interpreters who was once a good Angel and a bright shining star 2 Take heed of a covetous spirit of a lingring desire after preferments and gainful places for nothing will sooner Wyer-draw a Minister from a careful and faithful discharge of his office nothing will sooner make him turn a Balaam who loved the wages of unrighteousnesse as St. Peter speaks 2 Pet. 2.15 and nothing if need bee will sooner make him turn from the truth than that same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that being given to filthy lucre which both the great Apostles do so much inveigh against 1 Tim. 3.3 1 Pet 5.2 And that it often makes men swarve from the Truth not onely experience in all ages of the Church hath made it manifest but St. Paul tells us plainly so 1 Tim. 6.10 The love of mony is the root of all evil which while some have coveted after they have erred from the faith sayes he which is meant of fides quae creditur and not of fides quâ creditur of the faith which wee do beleeve and not of that by which wee beleeve Do none of you then turn secular Priests in the truest sense according to that of the Apostle to Timothy 2 Tim. 2.4 No man that warreth intangleth himself with the affairs of this life after hee had said unto him in the verse before Endure thou hardness as a good Souldier of Jesus Christ And according to his