the word and by good example For otherwise the Pastor will ruine the Church of God more by his bad life than he will edifie it by his wholesome Doctrine He will destroy that which he hath built and will pluck up with one hand that which he hath planted with the other for the people look as much or more to his life and conversation than to his preaching He that preacheth well and lives ill is like the statue of Mercury who shews the way unto others but doth not bow one step he resembles the Scribes and Pharisees that sent the wise men of the East that came to adore Jesus Christ to Bethlehem but stirred not from their houses they are like unto the Comedian who crying with a loud voice O heaven shewed with his finger the earth which the principall Magistrate beholding could not fit longer in his place but rose and withdrew himself from the company in a fury saying this man hath made a solecisme with his hand So they that have Heaven at their tongues end and the earth at their fingers end speak false and bad Divinity whereas they might avoid such an incongruous irregularity and make a congruity between the tongue and the hand if they did as they speak and lived as they preach They are like to those that built the Ark of Noah but did not enter into it and were not saved so that those who build the Church of God by their preaching but are not of the Church by faith which worketh by good deeds shall not be saved They will say in the last day of Judgement to Jesus Christ the Soveraign Judge i Mat. 7.22 23 Lord Lord have we not prophesied in thy name and in thy name done many wonderfull works but the Judge will say unto them I never knew you depart from me ye that work iniquity k Psal 50.16 18. k Ps 50 16 18 What hast thou to do to declare my statutes or that thou shouldest take my Covenant in thy mouth seeing when thou sawest a thief thou consendest with him and hast been partaker with adulterers Origen being excommunicated for offering Incense on the altar and so denying covertly Jesus Christ requested by some to expound unto the people a a passage of Scripture fell by Gods providence on these 16 17 18 verses of this 50. Psalm shut up the book not able not willing to expound that place and wept and all the people wept with him l Rom. 2.21 22 23 24. Thou which teachest another teachest thou not thy self thou that preachest a man should not steal doest thou steal thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery doest thou commit adultery thou that abhorest Idols doest thou commit Sacriledge thou that makest thy boast of the Law through breaking the Law dishonourest thou God for the name of the Lord is blasphemed amomg the Gentiles through you And therefore let us endeavour to marry our preaching with our life lest that by any means having preached to others we our selves should be cast away and reprobates 1 Cor. 9.27 Let us build the Church of God with the one and the other hand m 1 Tim. 4-13 12.14 Let us give attendance to reading to exhortation to Doctrine and be also patterns of the believers in word in conversation in charity in spirit in faith in purity and that in consideration of the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery as it is in the 19. verse of that same Chapter We intend not to discourse here of the Imposition or of the laying on of the hands upon the sacrifices upon particular persons in blessing them or in healing them and such like things But we say that the Imposition or the laying on of the hands is not a naked ceremony as some suppose as if it were of no efficacy or on the other side as if it did imprint an indelible character which cannot be blotted out as the Papists say or in breathing on persons as the Bishops do and saying to them Receive ye the Holy Ghost they received the Holy Ghost as Christ in breathing on the Apostles and saying Receive ye the Holy Ghost they received the Holy Ghost or as the Apostles in laying the hands on some who received the extraordinary gift of the Holy Ghost as it was in the time of the Primitive Church when God did inrich his Church with that miraculous gift when those that had received the Imposition of hands did speak strange languages c. No such matter but the laying on of the hands which we that are Ministers have received and which our dear brother here present is to receive doth signifie other things For it signifies that the Minister is not sent by himself no man imposeth hands on himself Aaron himself hath been chosen n Heb. 5.4 For no man taketh this Honour unto himself but he that is called of God as was Aaron So also Christ glorified not himself but was called and truly o Rom. 10.17 14 15. Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard and how shall they hear without a Preacher and how shall they preach except they be sent p Jer. 23.21 I have not sent these Prophets yet they ran I have not spoken to them yet they prophesied The laying on of hands therefore signifies a sending The Holy Ghost said q Acts 13.2 3. separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them and when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them they sent them away So Moses r Num. 27.22 23. laid his hands upon his servant and successour Joshua before all the Congregation and gave him a charge as the Lord commanded him Besides it signifies the power and authority given unto him to preach that receives the laying on of hands authority according to the power that is given by Jesus Christ not to destruction but to edification the laying on of the hands doth also signifie that every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and cometh down from the Father of lights Jam. 1.17 that God gives necessary and convenient gifts to the discharge of the Minister in his Ministry Christ ascended far above all heavens that he might fill all things and he gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers c. The laying on of the hands therefore doth shew that God governs the Ministry and guides his Ministers by his hand and his Church by the hand of his Ministers t Ps 77.20 Thou leddest thy people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron It declares the hand of God and his help that he will be with his servants in all things and every where will preserve them in all dangers and against all kind of evils u 1 Kin. 18 46. The hand of the Lord was on Elijah he girded up his
A SERMON PREACHED In the FRENCH CHURCH in LONDON On the 29. day of August 1652. At the Imposition of Hands on Mr. Stouppe By JOHN BULTEEL Minister of the Word of God With the Action and Circumstances thereof LONDON Printed by T.M. for Edward Archer and are to be sold at the Sign of the Adam and Eve in Little-Brittain near the Church 1654. To his Reverend and honoured Brethren The Pastors Elders and Deacons of the French-Church in London Reverend and Honoured Brethren THe Ambassadour of the Emperour of Germany who was sent to the great Emperor of the Turks writes that he saw at Constantinople an Embleme represented on a piece of Tapestry made of an exquisite work containing four Candlesticks with four Candles which represented four sorts of Religions as namely the Heathenish the Jewish the Christian and the Mahometan Three of these candlesticks were turned topsie turvie with their three Candles extinguished but the fourth Candlestick stood upright with its Candle burning There was this Arabicall Inscription This is the true Light thinking to make to world to believe that the Mahometane Religion is the onely and true light and that the three other lights extinguished are false ones But we know that the Christian Religion is the onely and true Light represented and presented not in nor by the books of the Philosophers nor in the Talmud and Cabala of the Rabbins nor in the Alcoran of the Mahumetans but within and by the holy Scripture which represents and presents unto us our Lord Jesus Christ the true light who lighteth every man that cometh into the world that whosoever believes in him and follows him shall not walk in darknesse but have the light of life It is he that is in the midst of the golden candlesticks who hath in his right hand seven stars out of whose mouth issueth a sharp two edged sword wherewith he smites the Nations whose countenance is as the Sun-shine in his strength It is that Jesus Christ the Son of righteousnesse who by his beams doth inlighten the starres who are the Angels of the Churches it is he that walks amidst the golden Candle sticks which are the Churches and doth enlighten them by his holy word which is a lamp unto their feet and a lantern of light unto passengers in the dark nights on sea which doth enlighten them within the glittering rayes of his holy spirit It is that divine word that glistering light of the Old and New Testament of the Law and of the Gospel carried by the Torch-bearers the excellent and holy Prophets Apostles Evangelists and Ministers of the word of God But the world of unbelievers whether Heathens Hereticks or Prophane persons hath not known nor received this marvellous light of this sacred word but hath rejected it indeavoured to exinguish it either in whole or in part The Pagans have rejected the holy Scripture altogether The Manichees have refused all the old Testament The Ptolemaits have rejected the five books of Moses which the Sadduces did onely imbrace refusing all other books of the old Testament The Anabaptists reject the book of Ecclesiastes the canticle of Canticles Porphyrius did refuse the book of the Prophet Daniel and the Nicolaitans did the like of the Psalmes of the royall Prophet David The Jews reject all the New Testament The Ebionites have onely Saint Matthews Gospel and Cerinthus approved that of Saint Mark Cerdon that of Saint Luke the Valentinians did onely imbrace that of Saint John and the Tatians onely the book of the Acts of the Apostles These are those that have blot out the passages of holy Scripture which were contrary to their opinions and practises Mareion the Heretick did blot out the passages of Luke and John and of the Apostles Epistles that maintained the Deity and humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ The Papists do raze out many sentences that repugne their false dogmes and among others the second Commandement of the Morall Law Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image c. is left out as appears in many of their Printed books But behold a strange case that among those of the reformed Religion there are some here in England that have caused some Passages of the holy Scripture to be razed out that were written on the walls of Churches As for Example there was a suffragant of the Archbishop of Canterbury who a little before these troubles did excommunicate two Churhwardens because they had not blotted out that notable and true sentence written on the wall of the Church where he kept his Spirituall Court My House shall be called the House of prayer but ye have made it a den of thieves yea there was at the same time a Bishop in England who caused the Clark of a Parish in his Diocesse to blot out that Divine sentence written on the wall just right over the Ministers pulpit Necessity is laid upon me yea wo is unto me if I preach not the Gospel An insupportable boldnesse and which cannot be paralelled these persons would in all appearance have indeavoured to have blotted these Divine Sentences out of the books of holy Scripture if it had been in their power Cumanus a Heathen Governour of the Romanes caused a Romane Souldier to be beheaded for tearing the books of Moses at the Sack of a city to appease the tumult of the Jews who were scandalised thereat Surely God saith in the Apocalipse chap. 22.19 If any man shall take away from the words of the book of this Prophesie God shall take away his part out of the Book of Life and out of the holy City Now whereas I have expounded in your Church the aforesaid passage of the 1 Corinth 9.16 For though I preach the Gospel I have nothing to glory of for necessity is laid upon me yea wo is unto if I preach not the Gospel I do represent and present the Sermon unto you because it is due unto you having been the occasion thereof for being requested by Letters signed by the Pastor and some of the Elders and Deacons of your Church in the name of them all to come to London to assist to the examination of the Honoured brother Mr. Stouppe where divers reverend brethren Ministers did assist with the Elders and Deacons of the Coetus of the Dutch and French Churches of London and having heard him both in his Sermon ad Clerum and his Latine Theses as also in his Answers to what objections soever were propounded unto him the company did receive such contentment and satisfaction as he was judged able and capable to be received and confirmed in the holy Ministry Yee did me the honor to request me to preach and perform the Action on the day of his Ordination at which assisted the Reverend Brethren Mr. Calendrin Pastor of the Dutch Church and Mr. Cismer Pastor of your Church we all three together gave the Imposition of hands on the said honoured brother Mr. Stouppe Now I put this Sermon in print
because this Action of Imposition of hands hath been little frequent and used in your Church for there are very near 50 years since Mr. Aurelius deceased son of an Italian was the last that received the Imposition of hands and was received Minister of your Church the other Pastors that came since were ministers and the most part old ones before they were Pastors of your Church Besides there are Ministers especially in France who have caused their Sermons to be printed on occasions of the like subject and of the same nature Adde unto this that there are many that could not be present at the Sermon that will be glad to read that which they have not seen nor heard and there are others that will be content to refresh their memories thereby I have added here and there and especially that which concerns this Countrey and Nation which the shortnesse of time did not permit me to publish in the Pulpit I hope that I shall have the same liberty permitted unto me which the worthy English Ministers have had that have preached before the Honorable Houses of Parliament setting forth to light that which they had conceived and premeditated in their thoughts which the brevity of time did not give them leasure to preach and that without any prejudice either of the Christian hearer or Reader but rather with pleasure and much profit and have been both praised and thanked for it As concerning the Imposition or laying on of the hands by us the Ministers that were present on our said brother it is true that France Holland and here among us and elsewhere it is ordinarily done by one Minister alone where there are no other ministers present yea by one minister alone although there are other ministers present that give onely the right hand of fellowship to the minister confirmed Notwithstanding the Action of the Imposition of hands is a thing indifferent in the opinion and judgement of many learned men whether one minister or many ministers together do give the Imposition of hands on that person that is received into the ministry so that the practice of the one ought not nor cannot prejudice or condemn the practice of the other We have all three ministers laid our hands on Mr. Stouppe Certes one of the Councels of Carthage did ordain that the ministers present should lay hands on the head of the minister ordained the which hath been practised at all times yea and among the Papists and there are Acts of Parliament in England to that effect in the time of King Edward the 6. and of Queen Elisabeth of happy memory and it is practised at present in London among the English ministers for the laying on of hands is done by divers ministers of the company of the Presbytery And indeed if we mount up higher we shall find that that was practised in the Primitive Church in the time of the Apostles for it appears that Saul or Paul received the Imposition of hands by many Acts chap. 13.3 and the same Apostle writing of the Imposition of hands given unto Timothy his own son in the faith saith Stir up the gift of God which is in thee by the putting on of my hands 2 Tim. 1.6 but he had said before Neglect not the gift that is in thee which was given thee by prophesie with the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery 1 Tim. 4.14 and notwithstanding he makes mention in these two places of one same action and of one same person namely Timothy ordained and confirmed Paul as he was an Apostle being the primary and the principall in this action of the Imposition of hands with the others But alas we have in these times in this Land some that say they are inlightened having found new Lights who are notwithstanding wandring starres as Saint Jude saith who care neither for the laying on of hands nor of the right hand of fellowship who as the Enthusiasts have revelations and visions and run and prophesie as heretofore the Anabaptists did without any ordinary or extraordinary calling taking a Priviledge above Jesus Christ and Aaron who took not that honour unto themselves nor glorified themselves but were called of God they are blind guides and leaders of the blind and if the blind lead the blind both shall fall into the ditch God the Father of lights enlighten them and transport them from darknesse to his marvellous light transforming them by the renewing of their minds that they may prove what is that good that acceptable and perfect will of God I beseech the same good God that he will be pleased to strengthen you in the knowledge which he hath given you of his holy truth in his holyword working in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure that ye may be without reproach and blamelesse in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation among whom ye shine as lights in the world holding forth the word of life This is the wish of him who hopes ye will accept this small present in good part threreby ye will adde an obligation to the precedent obligations unto him who is and remains Reverend and Dear Brethren Your most humble and most affectionate brother and servant in the Lord John Bulteel 1 Cor. 9.16 For though I preach the Gospel I have nothing to glory of for necessity is laid upon me yea wo is to me if I preach not the Gospel THE Lord gave a Commandement unto Moses to put into the Ark of the Covenant the golden Pot that had Manna Aarons rod the tables of the Covenant and the Cherubins of glory shadowing the Mercy seat The Tables of the Law did represent the preaching of the Law the Cherubims of glory shadowing the Mercy Seat did shew forth the preaching of the Gospel the Manna did declare the Sacraments and the Rod of Aaron did signifie the Discipline This Ark was carried by the Priests and Levites of the Law no other among the Jews could nor ought to carry it to show that there are none but the Ministers of God that have authority to preach the word of God either of the Law or of the Gospel to give the Sacraments and exercise the Ecclesiasticall discipline It was a particular honour unto the Priests and Levites but it was also a burthen and indeed the name of Priest in the holy language signifies a Prince and a servant A Prince there is Honor a servant there is service And that excellent Apostle Saint Paul that vessel of Election saith a 1 Tim. 3.1 This is a true saying if any man desire the office of a Bishop he desireth a good work in saying excellent he denotes the dignity of the Charge in qualifying it a work he signifies the charge of the Dignity an honourable labour In the same place he describes the duties of the Ministers of God and the qualities that they ought to have in the seven first verses of that Chapter It is that which the Apostle
Doctrine condemns those of whom Gregory speaks the world is full of priests and notwithstanding there are found but few Labourers in the harvest they take upon them the office but do not execute the charge they leave the charge the preaching and the office and take the benefice and benefit thereof such are Archbishops Cardinals and Bishops among the Papists we may also say some of our Bishops and some of our Ministers of the word of God among us in this Land who esteem nothing in this world more unworthy of their persons than the charge of teaching and seems unto them that it is a thing too low contemptible and inferiour unto the Episcopal and Ministeriall dignity to preach the Gospel and notwithstanding they do possesse and enjoy great Benefices and revenews Saint Paul saith here wo is unto me if I preach not the Gospel but they say clean contrary wo unto us if we do preach the Gospel The Apostles said n Act. 6.2.9 It is not reasonable that we should leave the word of God and serve Tables but we will give our selves continually to prayer and to the Ministry of the word But the Popes Cardinalls Archbishops Bishops in a contrary sense do the quite contrary it seems unto them that it is not reasonable that they should leave the politick affairs of the State to preach the word they esteem it to be a base and vile thing to preach the Gospel whereas o Pet. 1.12 the angels themselves desired look into it to search and know the depth and the bottome of this profound mystery of the Gospel yea they were joyfull and ready to preach the birth of Christ p Luk. 2.10 13 14. Behold I bring you tidings of great joy and with the angel there was a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying glory to God in the highest and earth Peace good will towwards men The charge of the Ministry is so honorable the burden so heavy saith Chrysostome that it is formidable unto the angels that the Angels themselves notwithstanding would esteem it an honour and would crouch and stoop their shoulders to bear it and therefore how noble how rich how honorable soever men are let them not think that the Ministry is too vile or unworthy of them but rather that they are unworthy of the Ministry as it appears by the forementioned and forenamed titles for they are fellow servants with the angels yea they are stiled angels yea to which of the angels unto which of the Princes of the world did God at any time time say that which he said unto his apostles ministers q Mat. 16.19 whatsoever you shall bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven Whatsoever you shall loose on Earth shall be loosed in Heaven And r John 20.23 whose soever sins yee remit they are remitted unto them and whose soever sinnes ye retain they are retained But if the Cardinals Archbishops and Bishops of the Romish Church do preach it is but rarely and seldome and when they preach and teach they do not preach the word of God but false doctrine the traditions of men the superstitious ceremonies of the Pope they feed the people with Fables and curious Questions so that in what manner soever we do consider them they are ranked and comprehended within and under the curse Wo unto them because they preach not the Gospel 2. This condemns those that swell and raise up themselves against God and against his Church by oftentation ambition or vain glory a vice altogether unworthy of pastors and Ministers of Gods word and notwithstanding a cōmon vice but a dangerous one so that it is a safer thing to hear the word of God than to preach it for he that hears Gods word learns to humble himself but he that preaches is in danger to exalt himself for the more he receives the graces of God the more he is subject to ambition and certes we see that the Apostle Paul was in danger to exalt himself above measure in that he was an Apostle ſ 2 〈…〉 4.7 And through the abundance of the revelations caught up to the third heaven into Paradise heard unspeakable words which is not lawfull or possible for a man to utter there was given unto me a thorn in the flesh the Mssenger of Satan to buffet me lest I should be exalted above measure Pirncipally this sin is incident to novices and young ministers t 1 Tim. 3.6 who are in danger to be lifted up with pride and to fall into the condemnation of the Devil as if he should have said he will glory in that he is a minister u Mat. 7.22 and preacheth Lord Lord have we not prophesied in thy name O we must not glory in that for though I preach the Gospel saith Saint Paul I have nothing to glory of If Saint Paul so great so excellent an Apostle could not glory in that who in all his Epistles abaseth himself that God may be his all and may be thereby exalted and glorified who will know nothing save Jesus Christ and him crucified who protests that he will glory not in his vertues not in his merits but in his infirmities that the power of God may rest upon him If such an Apostle so sensible of his infirmities so humble by reason of them such an Herald of the mercy of God such an enemy of the merits of men such a trumpeter of their sinnes and demorits if such an Apostle could not would not boast of such things and especially would not glory in the preaching of the Gospel because necessity was laid upon him and wo unto him if he did not preach it how much lesse the Pastors and ministers of the word of God inferiors to so great an Apostle have they matter and occasion to glory therein by reason of that necessity and of that threatning But to come nearer unto our selves and to apply those things and uses to us that are Pastors and to the brother whom we are to establish and ordain unto the holy ministry without making a particular application unto our said brother as we might We learn and he also our duty which is proposed at length in this 9. chapter of the 1 Cor. and in the first of Timothy chap. 3. and in first chapter of Titus which we will read to you anon The first and principall duty is to preach the Gospel and teach the truth and will of God contained and revealed in the sacred Scripture x 2 Tim. 3.16 17. Given by inspiration of God and profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto oll good works sufficient not onely for our salvation which the Papists confesse but also for our instruction which they deny witnesse Bonner Bishop of London who examining a martyr and telling him that he was a right Scripture man and would have nothing but Scripture and