must therefore know that his sinne in eating the forbidden fruite was thy sinne and thou sinnedst therein as well as he though thou wast then vnborne and that thou art guiltie of it before God and must answere for it to Gods iustice vnlesse Christ doe it for thee The reason hereof is because we are his seede posteritie we were thē in his loynes he was the father of vs all and was not a priuate mā as we are now but a publike person the pledge of al mankind and bare the person of vs all at that time therefore what he did then hee did it for himself for vs what couenant God made with him was made for himselfe and vs what God promised him and he to God he promised for himselfe for vs what he receiued in his Creation he receiued for himselfe and for vs and what he gained or lost by his fall he gained and lost for vs as for himselfe He lost the fauour of God and originall puritie therefore he lost it for all his posteritie guiltinesse and Gods anger and corruption of nature which he gained he got for vs all as well as for himselfe If we doubt of this point it is proued by the Apostle where the holy Ghost saith Sin entred by one man and death by sinne and that sinne went ouer all and that it went ouer all them which sinned not in the like transgression with Adam that is euen our children who as they are borne are borne not onely tainted with originall corruption but guiltie also of Adams sinne This is a most certaine truth though it seeme strange for fewe men thinke of it that euer they shall answer for Adams sinne and therefore if any obiect what reason is there that I answere for another mans sinne I answere true if it had bene Adams sinne alone but it was his and thine also for hee was thy father and stoode in thy roome and thou also since thou wast borne hast confirmed what hee did Now therefore though not one of many thinkes seriously thereof namely that he should stand guilty of a sin committed more then fiue thousand yeares before he was born yet seeing it is most true both in Scripture and good reason let euery man subscribe in his conscience to this truth And let this be thy first resolution in this Search that thou standest guilty of Adams transgression The second rule to bee knowne is that in euery man are all sinnes more plainly that in euery man by nature are the seedes of all sinnes and that not in the worst but in the best natured men make choyse of the best man and the greatest sinne and that worst sinne is to be found in that best man If any doubt of this let him consider what originall sinne is namely a corruption of the powers of our soules and that not of some or in part but of all and wholy This corruption hath two parts First a want not of some but of all good inclination a want of all goodnesse Secondly a deprauation pronenesse not to some but to all euill and not a pronenesse onely but originall sin infuseth into euery mans heart the seed of all corruption Many men stand much vpon their good meaning and vpright heart and bragge of a good nature but they are foulely deceiued for take the ciuilest man vpon the earth and the seeds of all sins in the world are in him by nature But to explaine this point fully obserue these two clauses First I say not the practise of all sinnes but the seedes for all men practise not all sinne the seedes are in their nature but the practise is restrained sometime by education sometime by good and wholesome lawes sometime the constitution of mens bodies deny the practise of some sinnes sometime the Countrey a man dwels in or calling a man liues in keepes him from the practise of some sinnes and alwayes a generall and limitting grace of God restraines the natures of all men from running into many sinnes which hand of God if God should take away and leaue euery man to his nature wee should see that euerie man would practise any sinne in the world yea euen the greatest sinnes that euer wee heard to bee done in the world All men which knowe themselues knowe this to be true And the more a man knowes his owne heart the more he seeth that his heart is a sea of all wickednesse that it is the mercy and grace of God that hee hath not fallen into the mightiest most monstrous sinnes in the world Secondly I say by nature For I know by good education by grace it is otherwise grace rectifieth nature but that is no thankes to nature for it is as euill and corrupt still being seuered from grace and therefore nature must be fully abolished afore man come to heauen And yet though all this be true I say not that sin breakes out in all natures alike though all natures be alike corrupt for the course of nature is restrained in some more then others by the meanes aforesaid but this is the truth that whereas some are not so angry some not so wanton some not so cruel some not so couetous som not so ambitious c. as others that comes not from any goodnesse of nature in them aboue the other originally but from Gods hand which tempereth restraineth and moderateth euery mans nature as he seeth good And if God did not thus moderate restraine the natures of men but suffer them to breake out to the full there would then be no order but all confusion in the world therefore as especially for his Churches quietnesse so also for the preseruatiō of publike peace and the vpholding of societie in the world betweene man and man the Lord holdes a hand ouer euery mans nature and keepes euery one in a certaine compasse limitted by the wisdom of his power which restraining hand of his if the Lord should take away all societies and common wealths would be turned vpside downe because euery man by the vniuersall corruption of his nature would breake out into euery sinne I ende this point with appealing to the testimonie of the consciences of all men and especially of the best and holiest men of whom I would aske this question whether they find not in their natures an inclination euen to the foulest sinnes in the world if shame or feare or else the grace of God restrained them not so that the best men doe knowe well enough what adoe they haue with their corrupt natures to keepe them within the compasse of Obedience Nay I yet adde further the nature of men and of all men is so corrupt since Adam that euen the seede of the sinne against the holy Ghost and a pronenesse to it is in the nature of euery man though not one man amongst many thousandes doe commit that sinne for seeing in that sinne there is a heape or Sea of all sinnes gathered together
learned First he must be furnished with human learning 2 with diuinity â— He must be inwardly taught by Gods spirit Reuel 10. 8. Acts. 2. This is to eat the boo of God 1. Corinth This is no approbation to Anabaptists who depend onely on reuelations neglect all meanes Psal 119. 18. 2 Vse For ministers Esay 13. They must be holy and sanctified men and so be first of all interpreters to themselues Exod. 19. 20. Leuit. 10. 3. For else they will hardly do good to others 2. Part of the description is the rarenes of a good Minister He is one of a thousand The meaning 1. The truth hereof 2. The reasons hereof 1. Reason the contempt of it it being alwayes hated by wicked men Ieremie 15. 10. 2. Reason the defficultie of discharging the duties 2. Corinth 2. 16. 3. Reason want of maintenance Deut. 10. 9. 28. 2. Num. 18. 26. This makes many of our best wits turne from Diuinitie to Law 3. The vse of it 1. To Rulers to maintaine Vniuersities Colledges and schooles of the Prophets 1. Sam. 19. 20 21 22 23 24. The rather because the Pope doth so to vphold his superstition At Rome Reimes Doway 1. Kin. 18. 22. And the Iesuites to coÌ„tinue their late founded Hierarchie Ezchiel 47. 1 c. 2. Vse for Ministers 1. Let euery man feare to make them fewer 2. Labour to encrease them by winning others to it Galath 2. 9. 3. Let them one loue an other and ioyne together 3. Vse for students 1. To consecrate themselues and their Studies to that calling To furnish themselues with the true ornaments of a Minister 4 Vse for Hearers 1. To reuerence the person and receiue the doctrine Math 5. 13. Gala. 4. 16. 2. Fathers to dedicate their sonnes to the ministerie 5 Vse for al men Pray that God would encrease the number 2. Reg. 2 9. 3. Part of the description by his office that is to declare vnto man his righteousnesse The meaning Act. 20. 21. It comâ—rehendeth these points 1. He must declare wher true righteousnesse is 1. John 2. 2. How it may be obtained 3. He must declare it to him that is 1. Shew that it is ready for him if he beleeue and repent 2. He must testifie and assure him of it 3 He must maintaine it auerre it against all doubts and temptations This dutie is ordinarily peculiar to Ministers 2. Sam. 11. 1 Vse for Ministers First for the Popish ministery they doe insufficiently declare it Philip. 3. 8 9. Secondly our owne Both the lawe and the gospell 2 To be holy men themselues Psal 32. For else they will conuert but fewe 3. Vse to Ministers not to care for the contempt of the world 2 Vse for Students To consecrate themselues to the high calling 3 Vse for the hearers Seeke righteousnesse both in the law and the Gospell 2 What to esteeme of Gods ministers 4 Vse for fathers to make their sounes Ministers 4. Point the blessings then will God haue mercy on the sinner God his Minister worke together Math. 16. 16. Iohn 20. 23. Esay 44. 25 26. 1 Vse for rulers to giue due reuerence to the ministers Psalme 82. Esay 2 Vse for Ministers 2 Vse Gods word reuerently 3 Vse for Hearers 1 Heare Gods word often reuerently 2 See the dignitie and preâ—ogatiue of the Ministers calling Obiect But may not another Christian do it And not ordinatily â— For they haue not the same promise 2 They haue not the same power to discerne In extraordinary times and in want of ministers they may 5. Part the Commission which is Deliuer the penitent man from hell How a Minister is a redeemer More then Angels Heb. 1. vlt. More then any other calling of men Vse 1. for Ministers Ergo They must pray and preach diligently 1. Sam. 12. Psalm 119. For so doing they are redeemers Idle Ministers are no redeemers Turkes and Iewes and Iesuites are carefull to seduce soules 2. Vse for Hearers 1 To see the excellencie of this calling Ministers are Gods high Commissioners 2. Hearers Ergo must submit theÌ„selues to bee redeemed Mat. 26. 11. Deut. 15. Psalm 109. 10. Psal 37. 35. Luke 19. c. 1. Corinth 9. 7. 9. 14. The East-Riding of the County of Yorke The Cohoerence With a new King God giues the Prophet a new Commission Ergo extraordinary Callings oâ— motions in these dayes are not easily to be beleeued The parts of the Chapt. The parts of this text 1. Point is the feare of the prophet Doct. Best Ministers most amazed at their enterance a Exod. 3. 11. 4. 10. 13. b Ieremie 1. 6. 7. c Act. 9. 6. c. 1. Tim. 13. Vse Ergo Ministers and especially in the Vniuersities labour to bee humbled in sight of Gods greatnes and their own meanenesse 2. Cor. 11. 4. 2 Doct. Ergo The Prophets hold not the opinion of the Intercession of Angels 3 Doct. Ergo The calling to the Ministery is a worke like vnto the calling of a sinner to the state of grace Vse Ergo 〈◊〉 be required to Qualify a man for the Ministerie 1 Cause pollution of himselfe his people 1 His owne He was a man of polluted lippes A he was a polluted man And he complaineth not of capltall sinnes But of the corruption of his nature 2 Of some omission in his calling Doct. Ergo Ministers must be men of tender conscience And make confidence of the least sinnes And be most carefull in his ministery both publikely and priuately Vse Vrgo Ministers for great sins should be greatly humbled And for great neghâ— geÌ„ce in their calling else they haue no conscience Good and faithfull ministers not to be discouraged though they haue some wants for so the prophets had but let them complaine of them as here the prophet doth Godly ministers findâ— fault with themselues when the world cannot Particularly he complaineth against the pollution of his lippes For a Prophets dutie consists in the vse of his tongue His smallest negligence in teaching checks his conscience Vse 1. Vrgo popish doctrin of mans merits is false And of workes of superrogation And perfect fulfilling the lawe in this life 2. Vse Ergo Ministers must take heed of negligence in their function aboue all sinnes for that burtheneth the conscience most heauily of all Other vertues are excellent but cannot suffice if this want 2. His peoples pollution He complaines of it to teach 1. That a Minister is to confesse his peoples sinnes as wel as his owne For generally he is accessarie to his peoples sinnes 1. Vse Ergo a minister must know his peoples sins Pro. 2â— 23. Ergo it is best for a Minister to bee with his people 2. Vse Ergo people must coÌ„fesse their sinnes and reueale theÌ„ to their Minister Not popish but voluntarie And of such sinnes as disquiet the conscience 2. To teach vs that a polluted people make their Minister more or lesse polluted also A wicked people dull and decay Gods
the day of triall temptation sicknesse or open persecution the chaffe of natural presumption and outward formalitie in Religion wil flye away and it must be the penitent humbled and beleeuing heart which must then abide it out and endure the fanne of temptations and persecutions And to conclude Let not the Diuell deceiue thee in making thee imagine or hope to please God and yet to let thy corruptions lie vnseene and thy sins vnsearched out least thereby thou marre all for thou vsest not to lay vp-wheat in thy garners vntil it be purged from the Chaffe so thinke not to store vp any sauing knowledge or any other grace of God in thy heart vntill the chaffe of vanitie be first blowne away that so the holy graces of God may be layd vp in the garners of thy soule And therefore questionlesse to speake one word to touch our common professors in the very sore of their soule al knowledge that is stored vp in these impure and vnsearched hearts is euen as Wheat layd vp in the Chaffe which is a thousand to one sure to bee eaten vp by the chaffe so that when the winnowing time of tryall and persecution comes I feare that such men will for al their knowledge shrinke aside and betray the truth there knowledge then prouing no better then chaffe because it was layde vp in an vnholy heart If therefore thou wouldest stand and endure when Poperie or persecution or temptations come if thou wouldest abide the furie of the fanne of temptations now then exercise thy heart with the fanne of GODS law Search and ransacke it purge out the chaffe of corruption and store vp knowledge in an holy heart and a good conscience and that will abide the violence of all temptations yea when God suffers the Diuell to doe with vs as he did with Peter to winnow vs like Wheate to sift and trie vs as he did Iob with the furious winde of all his mallice this knowledge will proue Wheate that will abide the winde and gold that will abide the fire thus glorious will it be in the ende if we follow this holy Prophets councel and Search our hearts And thus much for the first point namely the dutie of Searching heere commanded in which wee haue stayed the longer because it is the foundation of all the rest and this being wel laid the whole building wilt goe vp the faster Now we come to the second general point here laid down that is whom must we Search the Prophet aunswereth your selues not other mē but your selues This search so vrged and inforced by the Prophet must not be of other mens hearts and liues but of our owne our owne are our charge and not other mens and therein is the saying true which else is most false Euery man for himselfe for as euery soule must bee saued by it selfe so must it beleeue Repent and search it selfe The dutie therefore here commanded is for euery man that would haue his soule to be saued to Search it and reforme it and leaue others to bee searched by themselucs Here the holy Ghost meetes with the common corruption of this world and that is that men are Eagle eyed to see into the liues of other men but to looke into their owne hearts and liues they are blinder then Moles they can see moates in other mens liues but discerne not beames in their owne wherby it comes to passe that they stumble and fall fowly for the eies of most men are set vpon others not vpon them selues and thereupon it is that an euil man seeing other men not himselfe thinkes best of himselfe worst of other men but contrariwise a good man seeing himselfe not other men thinkes worst of himselfe and better of other men an euil man lookes outward and iudgeth other men but a good mā lookes homeward iudgeth himselfe and in iudging condemnes himselfe farre aboue other men and that because by searching into his own heart and wayes hee knowes that by himselfe which he knowes not by any man in the world besides So then we must search not other men but our selues our owne hearts and our owne liues are our charge and burthen the liues of other men concerne vs not being priuate mē further thē either to follow them being good or take heede of them being euil but to search or to bee inquisitiue into them is no dutie commaunded vs but rather a foule a base vice forbidden of God Indeede Magistrates in their people Pastours in their congregations and house-holders in their families are to search but they can search onely for criminall causes or open actuall sinnes but this searching must bee of our hearts which no man can search but our selues onely Few men haue a calling to enquire into other mens liues but euery man hath a calling to search into himselfe but alas men doe farre otherwise they suffer themselues to rotte in their owne sinnes and erect an Inquisition ouer other mens liues it is to be seene in dayly experience that those men who are the great Searchers and priers into other men are the neglecters and forgetters of themselues And contrariwise they who doe narrowly search themselues and their owne wayes and looke into the corners of their owne hearts doe finde so much worke to do with themselues that they little busie themselues with other men And thus much may suffice for that point It followeth O Nation not worthy to be beloued The third point Who must search the Iewes who are here termed a Nation not worthy to be beloued yet for al that they are bid to search themselues that so vpon their Repentance they might bee beloued Where wee may see the vnspeakable loue of God and his wonderfull mercie offering grace vnto such men as are altogether vnworthy of it Gods children are by nature like other men and God findes nothing in them why to respect them aboue others but euen of his owne mercie makes them worthy who of themselues are not therefore how worthy is that God to haue all the loue of our hearts who loued vs when wee were not worthy to be beloued But let vs examine more particularly why GOD doth call the Iewes a Nation not worthy to bee beloued I answere God had blessed them aboue other Nations He gaue them his Couenant of grace and thereby made them his people commited to their trust his holy word and Oracles but he delt not so with other Nations neither had the Heathē knowledge of his lawes Besides all this they had a better land then others about them it flowed with Milke and Honie that is with all commodities delights and though their Countrie was but little yet themselues so populous and so powrefull that whilest they pleased GOD no enemie durst set vppon them Thus for soule and bodie they were euery way a Nation blessed of God a people beloued of God aboue all others Now how did this people thus
are all lodged in the same graue of the earth and death hath like dominion ouer them all 3. But afterwards at the last day at Gods great haruest great winnowing time he then with the winde of his power seuereth them a sunder in soule and body Wheate from the Chaffe sheepe from the Goates separateth them neuer to be mingled againe for euer euer and then with the winde of his wrath he blowes the chaffe into fire vnquenchable and with his louing fauour gathereth his wheate into the euerlasting and glorious garners of heauen So then the first seuereth them in affection The second in soule for a time The third actually in soule and body for euer and euer Now of these three winnowing times the holy Ghost speaketh here properly of the second namely the fan of Gods iudgements so that the meaning of the Metaphor is this search your selues and repent betimes least God come vpon you with some fearefull iudgements because you haue so long contemned the fan of the word and finding you too light to abide the try all doe take you away in the iudgement and cast you into hell for as sure as the fan of the word hath made difference of you which are chaffe and which are wheate so sure shall the fanne of his iudgements blow away the chaffe to hell and damnation Thus much for the meaning Now for the vse for vs in England the case stands thus Our church doubtlesse is Gods corne field we are the corne heape of God and those Brownisles and Sectaries are blinde and besotted who cannot see that the church of England is a godly heape of Gods corne but withall we must cōfesse we are ful of chaffe that is of prophane wicked Hypocrits whose hearts and mindes abound in sinnes and rebellions and many of our best professors are also too full of chaffe that is of corruptions and doe giue themselues too much libertie in many sinnes but alas the pure wheate how thinne is it scattered howe hard to finde a man at least a family which dedicate themselues to the Lord in holy and sincere obedience and labour to make conscience of all sinnes now therefore seeing wee are Gods corne field and we haue some pure wheat amongst much chaffe therefore God will winnow vs to find out the corne if hee haue but one corne of wheat in a handfull of chaffe but one good man of many he will stirre all the heape for those fewe cornes hee will not care to blow all the chaffe to hell to finde out those fewe cornes of wheat to lay them vp in heauen so that out of all question England being so ful of chaffe must look to be winnowed Nowe for the first Fanne of his word it hath beene vsed in this land these fiue and thirtie yeares and that as powerfully and as plentifully as any where in the worlde and yet alas many are more Godlesse more ignorant more prophane then euer they were yea wickednesse groweth and the Chaffe increaseth aboue the Wheate bee sure therefore that God will bring his second Fanne vpon vs because wee will not suffer the first and the milde and gentle fanne of his word to try and search vs therefore hee will bring the fearefull fanne of his iudgements and with it hee will blowe soule body into hell with those our sinnes corruptions which we would not suffer the Fanne of Gods worde to blowe from vs. The first hath so long blowen in vaine that the second must needs come vpon vs it hath already begun to blow three or four blasts haue blown ouer vs famin pestilence earthquakes fire water winde these haue so blowne some of vs that they haue taken away a great number of vs. For vs that remaine this onely remaines that wee strengthen our selues by grace to be able to stand against the next blast for come it wil when it comes no wealth nor worldly thing can inable vs to endure it onely faith repentance the grace of God will stand at that day Now therefore in that so feareful a fanning abideth vs seeing it is so neer as appeareth by the blasts already past ouer vs which are nothing but the forerunners of a greater tēpest what shuld be our care except wee care not to be blown body soule into hel but to labour to efchew this feareful fan of Gods wrath or at least if it come vpō vs that it may not blow vs to hell but hasten vs to heauen It thy heart be touched to aske how this may be I answere thee onely to follow the Prophets aduice in this place by Searching and trying our selues The way to escape Gods triall is to try thy selfe and to escape Gods iudgement to be a iudge to thine owne soule and so the way to escape the fearfull fanne of God is to fanne thine own heart by the law of God For whomsoeuer the first fanne that is the word of God doth worke vpon these men are neuer blowen away with the fanne of Gods iudgements O then entertaine the word of God into thy heart submit thy soule vnto it let it pearce try and ransacke thy heart and lay before thee thy wretched estate by thy sinnes and when thou seest thynakednesse and misery confesse it bewayle it be humbled for it cry call for mercy and forgiuenesse pray against thy speciall sinnes striue to purge them out as the poyson of thy soule craue grace from God against al thy sinnes and if thou seest any sins more welcome to thy nature more deere vnto thee and which more prevaile against thee then others doe pray against these sinnes and striue against them aboue all and endeuour that by the fanne of Gods word they may bee blowen away from thee When thou hast done this then marke what will come of it when thou hast fanned thy selfe God will not fanne thee but when the fanne of his iudgemēt comes and bloweth so strongly vpon the wicked then the Lord finding thee already fanned and clensed by his word will spare thee and his iudgement shall either blow ouer thee and passe by thee vntouched as ouer Lot in the destruction of Sodom or else shall fanne out all thy corruptions and blow thee vp to heauen to be laid vp as pure wheat in the heauenly garners and mansions of glory which Christ ascended to prepare for thee Now then amongst those many businesses with which this world doth comber euery one of vs all which shall perish with the worlde it selfe let vs good brethren spare some time for this great businesse Martha may be combred about many things but this is that one thing which is necessarie therefore whatsoeuer is done let not this bee vndone Once a day put thy selfe and thy life vnder the fanne of Gods lawe try thy selfe what thou art and thy life how thou liuest Once a day keepe a Court in thy conscience call thy thoughts thy wordes and thy deedes to
manifest by the experience of all ages wherein it is strange to obserue how fewe men of any sort especially of the better sort affect the calling of a Minister and which is more strange howe fewe of those that are Ministers in name and title doe deserue these honourable names of an Angel and an Interpreter and the truth is too manifest in common practise to insist much vpon it rather therefore let vs see the reasons of it and they be these principally First the Contempt that lyeth on that calling it being alwayes hated by wicked and prophane men because it discouers their filthines and vnmaskes their hypocrisie and their doctrine oftimes is a fretting corrasiue to their conscience that they cannot welter and wallowe so quietly and secretly in their sinnes as otherwise they would therefore is it that they spurne both against the calling and the men and watch them narrowly and take holde of their least infirmities thereby to disgrace them iudging that to cast contempt on that calling is to remoue shame from their owne shamefull courses nor is it possible but that they should thus hate this calling inasmuch as they hate so deadly both that lawe and Embassage which they bring and that GOD whose Embassadors they are This hatred and disgrace in the wicked world was that that caused Ieremie to cry woe is me made him in the seeming of his natural reason curse the time that euer he was a prophet for saith he I am a man of cōtention euery man is at strife and at enmitie with me The next reason is The difficultie of discharging the duties of his calling to stand in Gods presence to enter into the holy of holiest to goe betwixt God his people to be Gods mouth to the people and the peoples to God to be the Interpreter of the eternall lawe of the olde Testament and the euerlasting Gospell of the New to stand in the roume and to beare the office of Christ himselfe to take the care and charge of soules these considerations are so many amazements to the consciences of such men who doe with reuerence approch not with rashnes rush vnto this sacred seate this made Saint Paul cry out who is sufficient for these things And if Paul said Who is no marnell though many a man say I am not sufficient and doe therefore draw their neckes from this yoke and their hands from this plough vntill God himselfe or his Church doe presse them to it The last reason is more peculiar to this age of the newe Testament namely want of maintenance and preferment for them that labour in this calling men are flesh and blood and in that respect must be allured and wonne to embrace this vocation by some arguments which may perswade flesh and blood the world hath in all ages beene negligent herein and therefore God in his law tooke such strict orders for the maintenance of the Leuites but especially now vnder the Gospel this calling is vnprouided for when it deserues best of all to be rewarded certainly it were a worthy Christian pollicie to propound good preferments to this calling that thereby men of the worthiest giftes might be won vnto it and the want thereof is cause why so many young men of speciall partes and greatest hope turne to other vocations and especially to the Lawe wherein at this day the greatest partes of the finest wits of our kingdome are imployed why But because they haue al the meanes to rise wheras the Ministerie for the most part yeeldeth nothing but a plaine way to beggery this is a great blemish in our Church and surely I wish the Papists those children of this world were not wiser in their kinde in this point then the Church of God the reformation hereof is a worke worth the labour of prince and people speciall care is to bee had in it else it will not be reformed for doubtlesse had not God himselfe in the olde testament taken such straight orders for the liuings of the Leuites they had beene put to no lesse extremities then is the Ministrie of this age And this reason added to the other makes them perfect and all put together make a reason infallible for who will vndergo so vile contempt and vndertake so great a charge for no reward and where there is so great contempt so heauie a burthen and so meane a reward what maruell if a good Minister be one of a thousand Now let vs make vse of this doctrine The vse is manifold and yeelds instructions to many sorts of people First Rulers and Magistrates are heere taught if good Ministers be so scarce therefore to mainetaine and increase and doe all good they can to the schooles of the Prophets to Vniuersities Colledges Schooles of good learning which are the Seminaries of the Ministerie herein the example of Samuel is very worthy to bee followed in whose dayes the schooles of the Prophets florished and euen Saul himselfe though hee did much hurt in Israel yet when he came to the schooles of the Prophets his hard heart relented he could doe them no hurt nay he put off his robes prophecied amongst them So should all Christian princes and magistrates aduaunce their schooles and see them both well maintained and well stored the reason is euident forcible A good Minister is one of 1000. If therfore they would haue the number increased let them maintaine the Seminaries And againe if Antichrist to vphold his kingdome the Kingdome of Sathan bee so carefull herein to erect Colledges and indowe them with liuing to bee Seminaries for his Synagogue and vse so great meanes to sowe his tares in the hearts of young men that so they may sowe them in the hearts of the people abroad shall not Christian princes bee as carefull or rather much more zealous for the increasing of the number of godly Ministers shall Baal haue his 4. hundred prophets and God haue his Elias alone great shame must it bee to Ahab or to any king whose kingdome is in that estate The Iesuites diligence is such in teaching and the readinesse of some of their nouices such in learning the diuell himselfe doubtlesse putting to his helpe withall that in three yeares as some of them say of themselues they proceede in humane learning and in the fourth in Diuinitie which if it be so then it may bee a good Lesson for these our schooles of learning and an inducement to moue all that haue the gouernment thereof to labour to aduance learning by all good meanes and to giue it more speedie passage And it may shame some that spend so many yeares in the Vniuersitie and yet alas for all that proue not one of a 1000. In these our schooles are by Gods mercy many young trees planted by the riuer side of this goodly Orchard which by good ordring and dressing may prooue goodly trees in the
is a man of the most tender conscience Hitherto hath the prophet complained generally of his pollution Particularly hee exclaimeth against the pollution of his lippes But why will some say complaines hee of the pollution of his lippes rather then of his heart or his hands or any other part of him were they not all polluted yes all in some measure and was not he grieued at them all yes assuredly wee must grant that also But the reason is he was a prophet his dutie was to vse his tongue the practise of his calling consisted in the vse of his tongue for a minister is an interpeter as he is called Iob 33. 23. that is the peoples to God by prayer and Gods to the people by preaching he is Gods mouth and the peoples mouth so that the tongue of a Minister is that part of his body which is to be vsed as a principall instrument of Gods glory and more to the setting foorth of his honour then any other Now euery man is to be tryed what he is by his calling rather then by any other accidentall or collaterall courses therefore the honour or dishonour of a minister is the vse or the abuse of his tongue and his comfort or discomfort is the well vsing or not vsing of it The prophet therefore here affrighted at Gods prefence and therefore retyring into himselfe presently his conscience checkes him for his most proper sins namly for some fault or negligence in his Ministerie which is the proper sinne of that calling and therfore is it that he exclaimeth against the pollutions of his lippes out of which practise of his we may learne First the vanitie of the Papists who magnifie the merites of holy mens workes for if this holy prophet a man truly iustified extraordinarily sanctified yet durst not stand before God in this little apparance of his glory notwithstanding all his zeale and courage and conscience and paines and sufferings in his function but was cast downe so farre from a conceit of his owne worth that hee cryed out Woe is mee I am vndone How then can wee who are no better but much worse then hee stand before GOD in the day of Iudgement in the great appearing of his infinite iustice and glorie Rather doubtlesse as here the smallest pollution of his lippes and negligence in his calling droue him out of all conceit of merit when once hee came into the presence of GOD so the due consideration of our so many and foule pollutions aboue his should beate downe all proude conceites of our owne goodnesse when wee appeare before GOD. It is therefore to bee feared that the Papists who thus magnifie their owne merits doe seldome or neuer enter into earnest consideration of their owne infirmities doe seldome persent themselues in the presence of Gods maiestie For if they did then doubtlesse the least sight of their least pollutioÌ„ would make them farre from euer thinking of their own merits They also tell vs of workes of superrogation but it seemes heere this holy Prophet had none of them And they teach a man may in this life perfectly fulfill the Lawe but who can doe it iâ— not ministers And what ministers if not extraordinary prophets And yet Isaiah the first and chiefe of them exclaimeth here in pittiful manner against his pollutions Doubtlesse if the papists would cease flattering themselues and not examine their consciences by their own pleasing corruption but present themselues in the face and presence of GODS Maiestie they would bee farre from these conceits In the next place whereas the prophet complaineth of the pollution of his lippes As of the peculiar sinne of his place Ministers are heere taught to auoide that sinne aboue all other and to labour in that dutie aboue any other for the dooing of it is his most comfort the want of it is his most vexation his tongue is the Instrument giuen him to honour God if hee vse it well it yeeldes him comfort more then any other duties But if he vse not or abuse his tongue the pollution of his lippes will bee the heauiest burthen of all they therefore are greatly deceiued who thinke a Minister to discharge sufficiently his duetie though hee preach not if he keepe good Hospitalitie and make peace amongst his Neighbours and performe other workes of charatie and good life for if a Minister haue not this vertue hee hath none If hee preach not If hee abuse his lippes or if hee open them not hee hath no conscience nor can haue any comfort for that is the principall dutie of a Minister though all the other bee required to make him compleate the want of them may condemne him before men but it is the pollution of his lippes which presently checkes him before GOD as we see here in this holy Prophet the conclusion then is to euery Minister that if hee had all the vertues and good properties that can commend a man in the world yet if his lippes be polluted either by not preaching or by negligeÌ„t idle or carelesse preaching this pollution will so staine his conscience and so burthen him in the presence of God that the time will come notwithstanding al his other good qualities he will cry out in farre more pittifull maner theÌ„ here the Prophet dothâ— Woe is 〈◊〉 I am vndoâ—â— because I am a â—an of polluted lippes It followeth And I dwell in the midst of a people of polluted lippes The Prophet not onely complaines of his own pollution but of his peoples also amongst whom he liued and this he doth for these causes First to teach vs that it is the Ministers duty to confesse not onely his owne sinnes but the sinnes of his people to complaine of them to God for as he is the peoples Interpretar to God he must not thinke it enough to put vp their petitions to vnfolde their wants craue reliefe for them at Gods hand but hee must further take knowledge of the sins of his people and make both publique and priuate confession of them to God and the more particularly he can doe this the better and this hee is to doe both for the peoples good and for his owne also because it cannot be but the sinnes of his people are in some sort his for this is the peculiar danger of the Magistrates and Ministers â—â—â—ling that generally the sinnes of their people are theirs I meane that they are accessarie to the sinnes of their people either by prouoking them by their euil example or by not reprouing or not hindring or suffering or winking or couering concealing or not punishing them or not carefully enough vsing meanes to preuent them by all which meanes and many more it comes to passe that the peoples sinnes are the Ministers by communication so that as well for his owne sake as theirs hee is to confesse to GOD their sinnes as well as his owne Now if a Minister must
apply their Doctrine to their audience in such manner as the circumstances of place times or persons do require some Ministers come to an ignorant and vnhumbled people and teach them the Gospell which neuer knewe the lawe here the firy coale is vsed but the lips are not touched that is good doctrine taught but not well applyed for that the lawe should first be laid to their consciences others beate all vpon the Lawe when it may be their hearers are a people sufficiently cast downe and haue more need to be raised vp with the sweet comforts of the Gospell others vse to laye open the nakednes of the Court in the country and to reproue the faults of Princes and great magistrates before the coÌ„mon people who haue more need of the Catechisme others bring the Catechisme or points of ordinarie instruction into the Court where the duties of Kings and councellors should be taught in all plainnesse and sinceritie others bring their new opinions or controuersall points vnto popular audiences which indeede are fit for the schools other busie themselues about ceremonies when the substance is in daunger to be lost All these haue it may be the Coale of fire but it is misapplyed and not applyed to the polluted lips Let all ministers therefore learne this point of wisdome of the Angell to apply the medicines of their doctrine to the times persons and places which are infected so shal they be sure not to take paines in vaine And thus much of the circumstances of his consolation It followeth in the text Loe thy iniquitie shall be taken away and thy sinnes shall be purged After the Circumstances followeth the ground and matter of his consolation and that is the forgiuenesse of his sinnes where first let vs marke how it and the instrument are annexed together Loe saith the Angel this Coale haâ—h touched tay lippes and thy Iniquities shall bee forgiuen and thy sinnes purged as though hee had bene clensed by the Coale where we may note how greatly God magnifieth the meanes which himself ordaineth euen true remission and saluation to the right and holy vsing of them though it come not from them but from his own mercy and power of his ordinance It is therefore no maruell though God sanctifieth the childe by the Ministery of water in Baptisme and feede our soules in the Lords Supper by feeding our bodies with bread and wine and no maruell though the carelesse neglect of either of them be damnation to him that despiseth them seeing they are Gods instruments ordained by him to conuey his grace vnto vs And yet for all this wee are to knowe that remission or saluation is no more tyed to the very elements or the actions then here the Prophets forgiuenesse is to the Coale of fire But the maine point is that for the Prophets consolation the Angell tells him his iniquities shall bee taken away and his sinnes purged as thereby he had said thy sins were the cause of thy feare therefore that thy feare may be taken away thy sinnes shall be forgiuen Where we learne that as few comes by sinne so all true comfort comes from the forgiuenesse of sinnes this is that that onely pacifieth the conscience and satisfieth the soule when Dauid had sinned against the Lord in his two great sinnes and thereby prouoked Gods wrath against him and wounded his owne conscience if the Prophet had told him hee had made him King of 10 kingdomes more he had not so reioyced his heart as when he told him after his repentance thy sinnes are forgiuen thee thou shalt not dye So when this Prophet was extreamely affrighted at Gods preseÌ„ce because of some sinnes and negligences in his calling it had bene no comfort to his poore soule to haue bene told thou shalt haue a more eloquent tongue and a more powerful speech thou shalt haue better accesse to the Court audience before the King all these and all such like would haue beene no better then guided poyson vnto him being in this case but the happy answere that refresheth his wearie soule more then all the world was this Loe thy iniquities are forgiuen and thy sinnes purged All faithfull Ministers must heere learne the true way of comforting troubled and distressed conscieÌ„ces namely first to drawe him vnto a sight of some particular sinnes then to summon him into Gods presence and there to arraigne him for those sinnes vntill the view of the foulnesse of his sinnes and the glory of Gods iustice haue sufficiently humbled him and then to labour to perswade his conscience vppon good groundes of the pardon of those sinnes by Christ Iesus this is the way that God vsed and deuised this is the sure way that cannot faile Some thinke that all trouble of mind is nothing but melancholy and therefore thinke nothing needes but Physicke and outward comforts but he that considers in what case the Prophet heere was or Dauid when hee made the 6. the 32. or the 51. Psalmes will be of another mind and will finde that nothing can properly trouble the mind but sinne therefore as the wise Physitian in his cure first searcheth out the cause and then endeuours to take it away so the good Physitian of the soule must first of all search into the cause of his sicknesse that is his sins and must take them away which if they doe not then al their labour is lost for al the companie musicke recreation wine diet nay all worldly comforts delights if it were the aduancement to a kingdom cannot so much comfort the distressed soule of a sinner as this voice of a minister spoken from God vpon good grounds Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee Now to lay downe what bee those true and good groundes whereupon a Minister may safely and comfortably pronounce pardon of sins to a sinner belongs properly to another place In the next place Let vs heere obserue how the Lord afore he renued the Prophets commission or send him to preach to the people first humbles him for his sinnes and then vppon his repentance giues him pardon teaching vs that no Minister is well qualified to the holy duties of the Ministerie vnlesse hee haue truly repented of his sins and haue obtained pardon and mercie in the Messias Ministers labour for qualifications but the true Minister of God will labour for this qualification aboue all other for doubtlesse hee shall pronounce most powerfully the pardon of sinnes to others to whose conscience God hath pronounced pardon of his owne In the last place let vs obserue how the Prophet being to be comforted before hee goe this newe embassage the Lord is so carefull for him that rather then he be not comforted if there be no man to do it An Angel shal be seÌ„t to be his comforter if ther be not another Prophet to doe it An Angell shall pronounce vnto him the pardon of his sins Let this be an