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-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
loins and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel In a word the imposition of hands signifies that the Minister who is ordained of God is assured of his calling is not for himself but for God and his Church and that the Minister ought to preach and there is a necessity laid on him and therefore he ought to take care look diligently to his Commission for his office and Commission is great and heavy and hath need to pray to God to blesse him in his calling and mission On the other side the laying on of the hands doth declare the hand of God to be heavy on him not for good but for evil if he doth not his duty For as on the one side God saith x Ezech. 33 9.8 Son of man if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it if he do not turn from his way he shall die in his iniquity but thou hast delivered thy soul but if thou doest not speak to warn the wicked from his way that wicked man shall die in his iniquity but his blood will I require at thine hand and so wo unto us if we preach not the Gospel And therefore the laying on of the hands doth admonish us that as on the one side y 1 Tim. 5.22 we lay hands suddenly on no man so on the other side z 1 Tim. 4.14 we neglect not the gift that is in us which was given by prophesie with the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery And a 2 Tim. 1.6 Let us stir up the gift of God which is in us by the putting on of hands Let us hearken to that which Saint Paul saith to Archippus b Col 4.17 Take heed to the Ministry which thou hast received in the Lord that thou fulfill it Let us here the summons of the Apostle Paul I c 2 Tim. 4.1 2. charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearance and his Kingdome preach the word be instant in season out of season reprove rebuke exhort with all long suffering and doctrine And elsewhere d 1 Tim. 5.21 I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the elect angels that thou observe these things without preferring one before another doing nothing by partiality And again e 1 Tim. 6.13 19. I give thee charge in the sight of God who quickeneth all things and before Jesus Christ who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession that thou keed this Commandement without spot unrebukeable untill the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ And that thou fleest f 1 Tim. 6.10 Avarice the root of all evil Avarice which Bernard represents drawn by a Chariot with four wheels of vices The first is faint heartednesse The second Inhumanity The third the contempt of God The fourth the forgetfulnesse of death this Chariot is drawn by two horses coupled together the one forcible taking the other force to retain things taken the Coachman that guides this Chariot and commands it is Covetousnesse or the love of money who guiding the covetous man in such a dangerous Coach and with such furious horses leads him out of the true way makes him to erre from the faith to fall into temptation and snares and doth plunge him into destruction and perdition as the Apostle tells us in the 9. and 10. verses of this sixth Chapter Therefore he doth exhort his disciple Timothie in the 11. verse But thou O man of God flee these things and follow after righteousnesse godlinesse faith love patience meeknesse as thou art and as much as thou art a man of God not onely in regard of the Creation and of redemption but more particularly in regard of thy vocation a man of God a Minister of the word of God Which place of Scripture we expounded unto you in a Sermon last Wednesday as a preparative and forerunner to this action declaring what the Minister must flee what he must follow after before God and before men 3. We that are Ministers must learn that to preach the Gospel well and render our preaching fruitfull and of efficacy we ought to be united together g Psal 133.1 2 Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity it is like precious ointment upon the head of Aaron when he was ordained and consecrated an high Priest that ran down upon the beard even Aarons beard that went down to the skirts of his garments But alas Satan to hinder the course and progresse of the Ministry doth cast the apple of discord between the Apostles themselves and between the Ministers of the Gospel also One while for precedency h Luke 22 29. There was a strife among the Apostles which of them should be accounted the greatest Another while for a difference concerning a third person as between Paul and Barnabas concerning John surnamed Mark i Acts 15.37 38 39 40 41. Barnabas determined to take with them Mark but Paul thought it not good to take him with them and the contention was so sharp between them that they departed asunder one from the other So Barnabas took Mark and sailed unto Cyprus but Paul chose Silas and departed being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God and he went through Syria and Cilicia confirming the Churches Sometimes for the small respect which one bears another and by false reports We read that there was enmity between Chrysostome and Severian Bishops Serapion who wedded the quarrell of Chrysostome passed by Severian and did not salute him Severian provoked with the little respect Serapion shewed him gives way to his passion Socrates Ecclesiasticall history and said If Serapion die a Christian Christ was not made man Serapion reports the words of Severian at half and omits the first part of the Sentence and tells Chrysostome that Severian maintained that Christ was not made man thereupon Chrysostom chaseth Severian out of the City the Empresse Eudoxia puts her self between these two Bishops and endeavours to appease the choller of Chrysostome and brings her son Theodosius who falls at Chrysostoms feet to obtaine by intreatie a reconciliation which by much adoe he compassed If there had been no contention between these two Bishops this had not happened If Serapion who was Chrysostoms friend had prevented Severian with honour as the k Phil. 2.3 Apostle exhorts or at least had given him the honour that was due to him and in Lowlinesse of mind had esteemed him better then himself Severian had not uttered such terible and unchristian words if Serapion had not made a false report to Chrysostom concerning Severian and if Chrysostom had not been so light of beleef but had examined both the one and the other party and had reserved one eare for the other party as Alexander the great did he had not expelled Severian Hence we see what divisions among Pastours can do it is
necessary that Pastours l Gal. 6.2 bear with one another burdens that is to say to beare with the infirmityes of one another and so fulfill the Law of Christ to support them redresse and restore them with the spirit of meeknesse In the time of the reformation of the Church of God God stirred up two excellent and eminent persons but of contrary constitutions and dispositions Luther and Melancton Luther was hot Melancton cold Luther was of a cholerick inclination but Melancton was of a temperat and sweet disposition Luther was couragious and bold Melancton was timorous Luther was as oyle and fire to warme his coldnesse Melancton was as water to temper the heat of Luther Melancton was as a bridle to Luther Luther was as a spurre to Melancton by these means so contrary and tones so diverse there was by Gods providence a holy harmony and faire corespondence between these two great instruments of God and restorers of Gods Church being happily joyned together and bearing with one anothers infirmities But if enmities continue between Pastours and that there is an apparent danger of a schisme by their divisions Let us observe what Constantine the great Emperour did who having received divers letters from the Bishops full of defamatory invectives of the one against the others and seeing that the Bishops were more inconsed to wrangle one with another than carefull to unite themselves and fight against the errour of Arrius He cast all their papers into the fire without reading any of them exhorting them to a mutuall peace and brotherly concord one with another and therefore let the Ministers of the word of God preach the word of God purely let them live holily let them love one another cordially O then they will edifie the Church of God more and more and having finished their course they shall receive their Crown of glory Enter ye faithfull servants into the joy of your Lord and as they have been m Rev. 1.20 stars in Christs right hand in the sphere of this militant Church n Dan. 12.3 having turned many to righteousnesse they shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament and as the starres for ever and ever in the sphere of the Triumphant Church in heaven o Rev. 22.9 20. as they are fellow servants with the angels yea stiled angels here on earth they shall be like the angels in glory in heaven Now as we that are Ministers have heard our lesson ye also my brethren have here your lesson too for if wo is unto Saint Paul and unto the Ministers of Gods word if they preach not the Gospel it followeth that wo is unto the Corinthians and unto you if they hear not if you hear not the preaching of the Gospel for if a necessity is laid upon Saint Paul and upon Pâ—stors to preach there is also a necessity laid upon the Corinthians and upon the people of God to hear the Gospel It is that necessity whereof Christ Jesus speaks p Luke 10.41 42. Martha Martha thou art carefull and troubled about many things but one thing is needfull and Mary hath chosen that good part which shall not be taken away from her He speaks of the necessity of the word of God q Rom. 10.17 For faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God and as he is of God that preacheth the word of God r John 8.47 So he is of God that heareth Gods word The same God that requires of the one the preaching requires of the other the hearing and therefore the same curse that is pronounced and threatned against dumb Pastors is pronounced against deaf hearers Wo unto them that preach not the Gospel but also Å¿ Mar. 11.23 thou Capernaum which art exalted unto heaven thou shalt be brought to hell for if the mighty works which have been done in thee had been done in Sodome it would have remained untill this day In Sodome there was a Lot in Capernaum a Jesus Lot was a man Christ God and man Lot was a sinner Christ innocent Lot did no miracles among the Sodomites Christ did miracles in Capernaum Sodom saw not any Judgements on Jerusalem as Jerusalem saw those fearfull and terrible Judgements on Sodom written in characters from heaven of fire and Brimstone so that one might as it were read them in running The Lake Asphaltites or dead sea is a fearfull testimony of Gods wrath upon them and therefore it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of Judgement than for them verse 29. according to that the Apostle teacheth us t Heb. 2.2 3 That if the word spoken by angels was stedfast and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord was confirmed unto us by them that heard him And therefore a necessity is laid upon the people of God to hear his holy word The second duty of Gods people is to pray for their Pastors the people think that it is the Pastors Office and duty to pray for them and that is true for the Minister of God is Gods mouth to the People and the peoples mouth to God it is he that makes intercession between God and the people u 1 Sam. 12 23. God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you saith Samuel and truly Moses interceding for the Jews Samuel and Daniel in like manner have been powerfull intercessors and their prayers have been of great force towards God for the good of the people of God in the name and intercession of the Messias to come namely Jesus Christ but you must know it is also the duty of the people to pray for their Pastors and teachers for so great an Apostle as Saint Paul had need of the prayers of the Church and said Pray for me that the door of utterance may be given unto me that I may speak boldly to make known the mystery of the Gospel Eph. 6.19 and and you also helping together by prayer for us that for the gift bestowed upon us c. 2 Cor. 1.11 how much more we that are inferiours to so great an Apostle have need of your prayers x Acts 12.5 Prayer was made without ceasing of the Church unto God for Peter And certes we fear that by reason of the want of the prayes of Gods people for their Pastors God takes away sometimes the Ministers of his holy word as God hath taken away to himself out of your Church three Pastors in nine moneths Mr. Marmet Mr. Mary Mr. Primrose Anno 1642. And God suffers sometimes Ministers to fall into strange and irregular opinions into heresies or into some scandalous sin because the Church prayeth not with that zeal and fervour for their Pastors as they ought if therefore you desire that God continue his Ministry among you and preserve your
Ministers it behoves you to pray to God for your Ministers for that is their desire So the Martyrs were accustomed to close and finish their Epistles to their friends with these words Pray Pray Pray for us c. Thirdly Gods people ought to be united and not divided for where the spirit of division is there cannot be the spirit of prayer nor of concord Now as the amity and concord of Pastors one with another and of Pastors with the people is of great profit so their division is of a dangerous consequence the chiefs and principalls disagreeing have alwayes their adherents The Apostle condemnes these divisions among the Corinthians y 1 Cor. 1.12 It hath been declared unto me of you that there are contentions among you for every one of you saith I am of Paul and I of Apollo and I of Cephas and I of Christ Is Christ divided is Paul crucified for you or were you baptised in the name of Paul z 1 Cor. 3.3 5. There is among you envying and strife and divisions are ye not carnal and walk as men who is Paul who is Apollo but ministers by whom ye believed By this he gives us to understand that there is nothing more dangerous and pernicious than the division among the people concerning Pastors especially when there is more regard to one minister than to another and some are admirers yea idolaters of their persons as the Jews preferred Abraham Jacob Moses and esteemed them above Christ an insupportable blasphemy Luther Calvin and others have been too much esteemed and preferred before other Ministers The report is that there was a man in Geneva that made so much esteem of Calvin that he said if Saint Paul should come down from heaven and preach at the same time that Calvin preached he would rather hear Calvin then Paul O let us not be admirers and adorers of persons it is God that gives divers gifts unto Pastors by the same spirit Such an one will expound the Text wondrous well and cite to the purpose the Passages of the sacred Scripture another will apply well another will be an excellent and eloquent Orator Such an one will be a great disputer of controversies Another as a Boanerges will thunder forth Judgements of God Another will be a Barnabas admirable in his consolations This man will be patheticall in his uses That man will be admirable in his prayers Another will be excellent in Consistory and in Councell and it may be there will be some other that hath not these and the like gifts which will be more humble than all the rest There is not one among a thousand that hath all these gifts together as Elihu said to Job if there be a messenger with him one among a thousand to shew to man his uprightnesse 1 Cor. 4.1 Job 33.23 Therefore let us esteem them all and so account of them as of the Ministers of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God and of the divers gifts o his Spirit and that there be no divisions among us which ruines and turns upsided down the Church of God as sad experience teacheth us That as the Tythean stone though a great one yet as long as it is whole swims but being broken in pieces sinks to the bottome So the Church of God united subsists but divided sinks down sure no house no city no Church no Kingdome being divided can stand And therefore if we desire the prosperity of Gods Church the good of this Church be united together a Acts 2.1 be all with one accord in one place fall not out by the way Gen. 45.24 If b Phil. 2.1 2 3. therefore there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the Spirit if any bowels and mercies fulfill ye my joy saith Saint Paul that ye be like minded having the same love being of one accord of of one mind let nothing be done through strife vain glory c Eph. 4.3 4 5 6. endevouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace there is one body and one spirit ye are called in one hope of your calling having one Lord one faith one baptisme one God and father of all who is above all and through all and in you all and one mother the Church Now he who is is the Almighty God powerfull to confirm and strengthen us according to his Gospel and the preaching of Christ fortifie us more and more in faith and in the truth of his Gospel and brotherly concord and charity make us firm and stable therein that when Jesus Christ shall come in his glory and Majesty pouring down the cataracts of his indignation upon the wicked he may find us holding that which he hath admonished us of observing that which he hath taught us doing that which he hath done retaining his Gospel till his coming Then may we be assured that we shall be saved in that last day Pastors and sheep governed and guided in one sheepfold under the hook of that grand and Soveraign Shepherd of our souls Jesus Christ to be fed by him received in his Kingdome and crowned with glory there we shall live with the Patriarcks the Prophets the Apostles with the angels with the Saints and with our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be given all honour glory power Majesty and dominion for ever and ever Amen The Sermon being finished the Minister spake unto the people saying YE have heard my brthren that the brother John Baptista Stouppe being chosen by the Consistory of this Church to be a Pastor of this said Church hath undergone the examination wherein he hath made apparent his dexterity both in his Latine Sermon ad Clerum as also in answering unto the objections which have been made and propounded unto him concerning the principall points of the Christian Religion so that he hath been judged capable to be admitted unto the Ministry who having been published two succeeding Lords-dayes publickly in this Church and having heard of no opposition on your part we take your silence as an approbation of his Ministry among you and therefore we will proceed unto his reception unto the Ministry But first we will read unto you that which is written the 1. Epistle to Timothy chap. 3 from the 1. verse to the 7. verse inclusively and after that the 1. chapter to Titus the 4. verse to the 10. verse exclusively and you may read at your leasure the 9. chapter of the 1. Epistle unto the Corinthians then we will take a promise from our brother and afterwards we will proceed to his ordination unto the Ministry So having read that which is written to Timothy and Titus concerning the charge and duty of Pastors of the Church of God The Minister spake to Mr. Stouppe saying You John Baptista Stouppe do promise before God and his Church that you will serve him faithfully in your ministry to
the which you are called preaching truly the word of God to edifie the Church and that you will not abuse the Doctrine to serve your carnall affections or to please any man living but that you will use it in a sound conscience to serve to his glory and the benefit of his people you do promise also that you will keep the Ecclesiasticall ordinances and the Discipline received in this Church and as your charge is admonish those that fail to acquit your self faithfully without giving any place to hatred favour vengeance or any other carnall affection and in general do that which belongs to a good and faithfull Minister Item you promise to keep and maintain as far as lyeth in you the good and preservation of this estate procure in what possible you can the peace and union thereof and not to consent any manner of way to that which may be contrary and hurtfull to it The brother Mr. Stouppe by his gesture signified his promise and answered yea The Minister said to him God give you the grace to accomplish your promise The Minister being descended from the Pulpit and the brother Stouppe kneeling on a cushion within the inclosure where Ministers and Elders siâ— accompanied with Mr. Calendrin Minister of the Dutch Church of London and with Mr. Cismer minister of the French Church of London having all three their hands on his head his back turned towards the people and his face towards the ministers The minister made this prayer as followeth ALmighty God heavenly Father who after the fall of our first Parents was the first preacher of the Gospel in Paradise unto our said Parents and our Lord Jesus Christ being descended from heaven on earth for our sakes honoured and sanctified the holy ministry in his own person and ascending up into heaven to give gifts to man he gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ seeing it hath pleased thee to call our dear brother and thine humble servant prostrated here on his knees before thee to be ordinated and ordained Minister of thy holy word We beseech thee to give him sufficient graces that he may thereby acquit himself vertuously and duly of his charge in this his Ministry and denounce the secret of thy Son that he may manifest it as he ought create in him a new heart in changing his heart into another as thou didst unto Saul being anointed King transform him by the renewing of his mind that he may prove what is that good that acceptable that perfect wil of thine enlighten his understanding from above with the rayes and beams of thy divine light warm him and fill him with the true zeal of thy glory and sincere intention to thy Service open his lips and his mouth shall set forth thy praise guide him in all truth that be walk not deceitfully nor falsifie thy word but that he hold fast the faithfull word which is according to instruction let him not have the spirit of fear and timerousnes but the spirit of strength and of courage let the word be given to him with a doore of utterance and with a covenient boldnesse that he may speak freely as he ought and fear not those that can kill the body and not the soul but rather that he fear thee O God that canst destroy body and soul in hell Let the Tummims and Urims to wit perfection and light be upon him give him grace that in any part of his calling he be not moved nor carried away with ambition or covetousnesse but as a man of God not as he is to thee such an one by creation or redemption onely but as he is a man of God by this particular calling he flee these things and follow after righteousnesse godlinesse faith love patience meeknesse dispel from him the desires of the world which may interlace in his thought and traverse his holy resolution permit not O good God that the world by his allurements and baits or his own flesh by its infirmities have the upper hand but strengthen him by thy holy Spirit that he may be victorious in the midst of assaults by faith that may be his victory that overcometh the world Give him thy grace to preach thy holy word purely to live holily and religiously and marry his holy life with his preaching that he ruine not that with one that which he builds with the other but that he may be an example to the faithfull in word in conversation in charity in spirit in faith in purity lest by any means having preached to others he himself should be a cast-away Govern him by thy holy spirit that he attribute nothing to himself but to the vertue of thy holy spirit and acknowledge that it is not Paul that planteth nor Apollo that watereth but it is thou O God that givest the increase give him grace that he may have prudence in his guiding efficacy in his preaching that he admonish the unruly comfort those that are of a low spirit and feeble heart chear up the weak ones that he be of a mild spirit towards all and that he walk in his calling as it is fitting to the glory of thy great name to the advancement of the Kingdome of thy Son our Lord to the edification and consolation of this Church and to the salvation of his own Soul Amen After the Prayer ended the Minister added and said in ordaining and consecrating him the two other Ministers continuing their hands on his head with him IN the name and by the authority of the Almighty God the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost at the request of the Consistory of this Church and according to the Commission and charge which hath been given us and we have accepted of We Ministers of Gods word do institute thee John Baptista Stouppe do consecrate thee and confirm thee Minister of the word of God in the Church of God and particularly of this Church we give thee power and authority to preach the word of God to distribute the Sacraments to exercise the Ecclesiasticall discipline conformable to Gods word and to do all the functions that appertain to the man of God and Minister of Gods word And to the end that God ratifie in heaven that which we do here on earth we beseech him who is the God of peace who through the blood of the everlasting covenant hath brought again from the dead that great Shepherd of the sheep Heb. 13.20 21. who is our Lord Jesus Christ make you perfect in every good work to do his will working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ to whom be glory for ever and ever Amen Paranymphi Then the two Ministers brought back the Minister newly ordained and confirmed to the seat of the Ministers who sat between them both And the Minister ascended the Pulpit made the ordinary prayer but there where it concerned Pastors he interlaced a prayer for the Minister confirmed and among other things concerning the laying on of the hands on his person The prayer ended he caused the Psalm 133. to be sung O how happy a thing it is and joyfull for to see brethren together fast to hold the band of amity c. and that according to the subject concerning the consecration of Aaron and concord then afterward he blessed the people in the prescribed form in the 6. chap. of Numbers The Lord blesse thee and keep thee the Lord make his face to shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee c. Afterwards the Pastours and Elders entred into the Consistory and as James Cephas and John gave the right hand of fellowship to Paul and Barnabas Gal. 2.9 so the three Pastors gave the right hand of fellowship to Mr. Stouppe their fellow brother with convenient congratulations and holy wishes then the brethren Elders one after another did the like unto him So this Action ended to the contentment of the Church Amen
they might be saved Consider thou Jonas the type of the body of our Lord Jesus Christ and therefore also of his Church thou seest him swallowed up by the Whale thou seest him devoured and thou hast some reason to believe it at the onely word at the twinckling of the eye of the Lord this monster vomits out Jonah upon the dry land a Herald ordained to go from thence to preach unto the Ninivites to a people aliens from the Church and dost thou find it strange that this poore Church which Popery as it were swallowed up God willing it having foretold it heretofore maugre her power and malice she hath vomited it up again and rendered it in our dayes and for to preach the Gospel more gloriously yea and that to our selves So then we bring that which the Apostles have brought have delivered unto us and have taught us and therefore let us retain and maintain these Doctrines And let us reject all false irregular and erroneous doctrines which have too much the vogue and sway in these Countreys For England that was heretofore a Paradise even as the Garden of the Lord is alas become a Bochim a valley of tears an Aceldama a field of blood a Golgotha and Mount of Calvary a Charnel of skulls a common sinke and sewer of all sorts of Heresies and that there are here among us as many or more sects and opinions than there are among all the reformed Churches in Europe There is a place near London named the Isle of dogs but alas how many kinds of dogs are there in this Island of England The sacred Scripture compares divers kinds of persons to dogs the a Mat. 7.6 prophane persons b Phil. 3.2 the Schismaticks c Isa 56.10 mercenary Pastors d Ps 22.17 the persecutors the Apostates and especially those may be called dogs that do bark against the Deity of God or the Trinity of persons e 2 Pet. 2.22 as Arrius Sabellian Servetus Socinus and other blasphemous Hereticks Such an one was Lucian a dog in condition who for his impiety was devoured by dogs Such an one was Julian the Apostata who being struck with an unknown dart casted up his blood with his hand towards heaven crying aloud Thou hast overcome O Galilean thou hast overcome The Arminians and Socinians do agree together in many errors that a man may say of them as of old as of Plato and of Philo either Philo doth Platonise or Plato doth Philonise So either the Arminians do Socinianise or the Socinians do Arminianise in divers points as concerning Predestination original Sin the unperseverance of Saints touching the kingdom of Christ universal grace the Sacrament of Baptisme of the holy Supper of the Lord and divers other things among other points concerning the Son of God saving that the Son of God cannot rightfully truly be called Jehovah God of himself and by himself that the arguments taken from the works of the creation from the attributes of eternity frō the name of Jehovah c. are not sufficient to prove the Deity of the Son of God that Christ is named the Son of God in respect of his marvellous conception his anointing his resurrection ascention his sitting at the right hand of God is it not that which the Catechism of the Socinian Churches in Poland and in Lithuania doth teach affirming that there is but the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who is the only true God that that man Jesus of Nazareth born of the Virgin is not God c. A book full full of blafhemies against the son of God a book that hath been reimprinted in England without the knowledge of the superior powers A book which deserues to be burnt and it is said it hath been the Printers and furtherers thereof worthy to be punished but O Lord how long we read a notable example in the Ecclesiasticall history Amphilochius an orthodox Bishop in Licaonia made a request unto the Emperour Theodosius to be pleased to make a decree for the banishment of the Arrians out of his Empire but the Emperours rejected it as an unjust and cruell request and which could not be executed without danger Now the Bishop thought on a way how the Emperour might be moved to consent to his request He came one day with other Bishops to the imperiall Court Theodor l. 5 c. 16. at the time that the Emperour Theodosius sat on his throne and Arcadius his son sitting on his side newly designed Emperour with him to congratulate them which the Bishops did and did congratulate both the Emperour and his son Arcadius but Amphilochius did bow to the Emperour Theodosius with all reverence and humility but he did it not to his son Arcadius the Emperour thought he did not do reverence to his son either because he saw him not or by forgetfulnesse shews him his son and adviseth him to salute and honour him but Amphilochius told him He that honours the Father honoureth the son the Emperour taking this act this fact to heart with a kind of indignation replyed unto him He that dishonoureth the Son dishonoureth the Father and commands those about him to cause him to avoid the Court. Amphilochius having that which he desired to attain unto his aim and end cryed out O Emperour doest thou take so to heart the contempt of thy sonne dost thou think that in dishonouring thy son I dishonour thee and dost thou not think that in dishonouring the son of God thou dost not dishonor God the Father remember that God hates those that dishonor his Son doth he not say f Josh 5.23 that all men should honor the Son even as they honor the Father he that honoreth not the Son honoreth not the Father which hath sent him The Emperor was so much moved with this answer admiring the wise boldnes of the old man that he descended his throne embraced the Bishop confessed he had told the truth asked of him pardon and made an Edict banishing the Arrians out of his Empire And certes Saint John saith g 1 John 2.23 Whosoever denyeth the Son the same hath not the Father but he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also Whosoever therefore preacheth another Gospel another Jesus another Spirit is accursed and if any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be Anathema Maranatha 1 Cor. 16.22 O that these Blasphemers that sin against God the Father in sinning against God the Son either in regard of his person or of his divine or humane nature or of his offices were suppressed in England For how can we be said to honour God the Father if we permit that God the Son be dishonoured 2. The Ministers of the Gospel ought and are to preach the Gospel not onely in regard of the Doctrine but also in respect of a holy conversation of life edifying the Church of God as well with the one hand as with the other by the preaching of
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