Parrellell how transient is all that is in the World the lust of the flesh the lusts of the eyes and the pride of life it is a peculiar priviledge of the Saints the fountain of whose happiness is sealed up and locked in the cabinet of Gods favour to be out of the reach of worldly power or policy the gates of Hell shall never prevail against them Righteousness likewise exalteth us from being an astonishment and a proverb and an hissing to all the Nations round about us to become a praise and a renown and a glory of all Lands God hath reserved the blood of the grape the choicest mercies for the Righteous Majora erunt S. Chrys praemia quam desideria Sanctorum the Society of the Saints shall be more than their Hunger their happiness Deut. 28. v. 1. shall outreach their desires If thou shalt hearken diligently to the voice of the Lord thy God to observe and do all his commandements which I command thee this day that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all Nations of the Earth So then we may see wherein the glory of a Kingdome consists not in outward Pomp and Ostentation but in the Establishment of Righteousness not with Dives to be arrayed in purple and fine Linnen of the Saints that is Righteousness this the Apostle accounted the chiefest 1 Pet. 3. v. 3. ornament whose adorning let it not be outward adorning or wearing of gold or putting on apparel but shew out of a good conversation our works with meekness of wisdome when the Mountain of the Lords house is exalted above the rest of the Hills when his Sabbaths are duly observed his faithful Ministers highly esteemed the preaching of the word and other sacred institutions of the Church duly observed then the glory of a Kingdome springeth forth So I come to the last step of this first general a Nation Righteousness exalteth a Nation Consider what beames of favour shine upon an House or Nation for the righteous sake was not Lebanus house blessed for Jacobs sake Aegypt fared the better for Josephs goodness no sooner Noah entred into the Ark but God opened the Flood-gates of Heaven and drowned the World no sooner Lot was taken out of Sodome but the Lord rained fire and brimstone upon them and burnt the City what lamentation when good Josiah the blessing of the Country was taken from them methinks I see our Kingdome weeping Raehel like for her children that have been lost some by forraign invasions some by domestick differences others by the plague and pestilence and were it not for those Righteous Persons amongst us whose entire devotions have out cryed the screeching of our sins we might justly fear the ruine of our Kingdome approacheth I shall wind up all with an exhortation to such as are in authority over others that they not only be Patterns but Patrons of Religions Rulers are a looking-glass according to which most men dress themselves Zenophon would have his Cyrus to go before others in industry and wisdome the common people are like a flock of Cranes as the first flies all the rest follow after then authority is truly arrayed when the superiority of the civil Power is for the good of inferiours and therefore you must countenance Religion as well as practice it It is not enough to pull down Dagon unless you secure the Ark. The main of your Authority is to make Religion to flourish keep as the Apple of thine eye and under the shadow of your wings against all those malignant spirits that wish all to our Sion so the Lord shall be your reward and crown your endeavours herein with the crown of righteousness in his Heavenly Kingdome Thus having set you upon Mount Pisgah to shew you the glory of the Land that is righteousness I come now to set you upon Mount Ebal to shew you the sinfulness of sin or the curses against it which leads me to the second general Sin is a reproach or a shame to any People 1. Here 's the Indictment and that 's against sin 2. The Sentence Sin is a reproach or a shame 3. The extent to any People Sin is a shame to any People of these in their order and first of the first Sin If any shall start the Question that started touching S. John baptism is it of heaven or of men touching sin is it from heaven by Gods creation or of men by mans defection The wise Eccles 7. v. 24. man determines the Question God made man upright but they have sought out many inventions Man by creation was of a Royal and Princely extract chara Dei soboles the off-spring of the Highest beautifyed with choicest ornaments of wisdome righteousnes and holyness but those conditions which God made him being not observed and his title forfeited to Justice by disobedience God re-enters Gen. 3. 34. and makes seizure of his Charter of happiness until the debt of Adam and those weighty arrears of disobedience were discharged So that by one man Sin entred into the Rom 5. 12. World and Death by Sin and so death passed by all men for that all men have sinned we all who have our descent from unclean seed are from our birth infected with the spreading Leprosy of sin who can bring a clean thing Job 14. v. 4. out of an unclean not one but besides that Primitive sin of Adams disobedience there are other derivations daily brought forth by actual transgression which seem so infinite as could we cast up the stars of the firmament or the sands of the Ocean we might pose all the numbers of Arithmetick yet we should come far short of an exact survey of our daily impieties and so is this guilt of this spreading evil as may make us lyable to the greatest mults and punishments for let guilt go before punishment will follow it at the heels which leads me to the second step of this second general sin is a reproach or shame reproach and contempt make such a deep wound in all those who have not whored their fore-heads as makes them cry out with Cain my punishment is greater then I can bear for a wounded spirit who can bear how many to avoid this have chose the worst of evils nay death rather than life It is better to dye honourably than to live ingloriously now this is the fruit that this tree bears what fruit had you of those things whereof ye are now ashamed Such are Subjects in Sin must be Objects Rom. 6. 21. of reproach and shame It it not the gibbet the gallows or the worst of deaths that can ecclipse the memory of an innocent life nor the vizard of outward profession can take away the obloquies of a sinful life it was a brand upon Jeroboam which neither age nor time can take away that he made Israel to sin the memory of the just is blessed but the name of the wicked shall rot and stink in the nostrils of
furtherance that Joseph could contribute to them the best of the Land the Land of Goshen to invite them and to draw us into sin we have all that Pharaoh the God of this World can doe all that Joseph our own flesh can doe the best of the Land the glory of the World to invite us no wonder then if Noah Lot David Peter fall like starrs from Heaven the purest Diamonds is not without its flaw the sweetest Rose not without its prickles the fairest Flowers not without their witherings but external priviledges as they cannot exempt from the guilt so neither from the punishment of sin to prove this let us call in the evidence of John the Baptist who hath forâ—warned you to Mat. â— 8 8 9. flee from the wrath to come bring forth fruits meet for Repentance and think not to say within your selves we have Araham to our Father To hold up sin was more than Atlas could do who as the Poets feign underprops Heaven Heaven could not hold the Pride of Lucifer nor Paradise Adams disobedience Citties Gates and Walls were to week to keep the Old World from the Deluge or Sodom or Gomorrah from Fire and Brimstone Sin changed the Government at Rome destroyed our Abbies Frieryes and Nunneryes and without Repentance it is to be feared will destroy us Here then as in a glass we may behold who are the greatest Enemies to the peace and prosperity of a Kingdom such as draw humility with cords of vanity and sin as with a cart-rope In the dayes of Eli Phineas Wife being with Child bowed her self and travailed for pain came on her and being near the time of her death she named the child Icaboâ— for said she the glory is departed from Israel it is our national sins that makes our Kingdome bring forth Icabods Sons of shame and contempt Davids Adultery Solomons Idolatry Ahabs oppression Beltâ—shazars Luxury Nebuchadnezzars pride proves fatal to the subversion of their Kingdomes When Ahab saw Elijah Ahab saith unto him art thou he that troubleth Israel and he answered I have not troubled Israel but thou and thy Fathers house in that ye have forsaken God and served Balaim we need not fear all our Enemies without us were it not for sin within us though the Sea roar and make a noise and the billows thereof arise let us stop the current of our sins before they overflow the Banks and become a sad and fatal Deluge and over-run the Territories of our Kingdome Hear ye this then all ye People of high and low rich and poor one with another let the reproach and shame of sin invite you to amendment how long ye simple ones will ye love simplicity and fools delight in scorning turn you at my reproof break of your sins by repentance arise from the sink of sin and dungeon of Death and wash you in the Laver of Repentance if the tears of a penitent soul cannot cleanse you behold the Rivers of blood and the Cataracts of Heaven stand open there is a fountain opened for sin and for uncleanness wash there and you shall be clean through this red Sea all our Fathers were wont to pass to the promised Land having their Enemies their sins all swallowed up in those waters unless these Vipers be shaken off God regards not your offering repent therefore and be converted that your sins may be done away when times of refreshment shall come from the presence of the Acts 3. 19. Father Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling and present you faultless before the presence of his Father to the Eternal invisiâ—le and only wise God be ascribed as is most due all Honour Glory Might Majstey and Dominion now and for ever CONCIO AD CLERUM Presbiteri onus honos THE Ministers Duty AND THE Ministers Due OR The Church Mans looking-glass wherein he may behold the face of his Office and the beauty thereof As it was delivered in a Visitation Sermon preached at Chester-field in the County of Darby April the 14th 1671. Written by P. Fullwood M. A. R. of South-Normanton in the County of Darby LONDON Printed by John Lock for E. Calvert at the Black-spread-Eagle at the West end of St. Pauls 1673. 1 Tim 5 17 Let the Elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour especialy they who labour in the word and Doctrine VVE cannot without honour look back on the lines when Userpers pretend to Moses rod committed the crime that Kâ—rah designed destroying the mirrour of Princes and seeing that pleased a generations of factious and seditious spirits proceeded further to lay violent hands on the primitive order of the Church indeavouring to exterpate their Authority and swallow up their revenues dooming likewise the rest of that sacred orders perpetual silence who would not worship that golden Image they had set up Thus have we fallen amongst Thieves that have stript us wounded us and left us half dead this blessed Apostle with that good Samaritan seems to pour in oyl into our wounds and to set us upon our own Beast again and this he doth in these words I have read unto you Let the the Elders that Rule well be counted worthy of double honour especially such as labour in the word and doctrine The Text Rebceca like brings forth Twins heres Presbyteri onus honos The Elders duty and the Elders due First the Elders duty let them rule well let them labour in the Word and Doctrine and this I shall divide into the Parts of a Demonstration first the Elder subject Persons Presbyteri the Elders Secondly Affectione's hear what let them rule let them labour how let them rule well let them labour in the word and doctrine secondly the Elders due let them be counted worthy of double honour And this like the River of Paradise runs into four heads First Honour Secondly double honour Thirdly why they are worthy Fourthly how let them be counted worthy of these in their order by Gods assistance and your Christian Patience leaving curiosity to its Courtiers and first of the Presbyteri the Elders Presbyteri seems to be a Title annext to the holy order of Priesthood as appears by this subsequent clause who labour in the word and doctrine and this is signed with a Scriptum est v. 18. The scripture saith thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the Corn and the labourer is worthy of his hire Now that the truth hereof may appear as clear as the Sun let us take a view of their Ordination When they had ordained Elders in every Church they commended to the Lord suitable to that prayer in our Churches Liturgy or the initiation of Infants by Baptism grant O Lord that whosoever is here dedicated to thee by our Office and Ministry may be endued with Heavenly Vertues c. To which may be added the elder Induction into the 1 Pet. 5. v. 1. 2 3. 4. Church by St. Peter
blemish to us that Divines are less regarded amongst them in any Nation in the World either Christian or Heathen And so I pass from thee quality of the Elders due to the quantity double honour a due answerable to the duty as the reward to the merit their duty is double ruling and labouring their labour double in the Word and Doctrine so that all these respects double honour is due to them besides the honour of reverence their is the honouâ— of maintenance due to them as St. Chrysostâ—me and others upon these words See what a large patrymony God conferred upon those that Ministred about holy â—eut 18 things under the Law no less hath ordained under the Gospel the Apostle by seven irrefragible arguments proves Cor. 1. â— 9. from â— 9 to â— the maintenance of the Ministry is not a beggarly almes given to them only in charity or by way of â—enevolence hut an honourable stipend due to them in Justice for their workes â—ake And as we have an entail from the Lord of all so have we the continued usage of the Church time out of mind if we search into former ages we shall find that this homage hath been ever paid to the Church we cannot say of this as our Saviour said of the divorce from the beginning it was not so Mâ—lchesidick was tempore antiquiâ—r without Father without Mother without deseent 〈◊〉 14. 20. â—at 23. â— 23. King of Salem and Priest of the most high God and he received tythes of Abraham And this attested by our Saviour to be paid in his time and approved by him nor can the Enemies of the Church plead any prescription since that I have read of a lamp that burnt a thousand years and afterward went out but these with the Mat. 25. wiâ—e Virgins shall have oyl in their vessels with their lamps so long as the Sun and Moon endureth Thirdly dignâ— they are worthy First dignitate officâ— by the worthyness of their Office in the Scripture they are called Starres Angels Pastours of the Church the Amâ—assadours of Heaven nihil in hoc lâ—â—o excâ—ll â—tius sacâ—rdotâ—bus They that be wise shall shine Chrâ—â— as the â—rightness of the firmament and they that turn many to righteousness as the Stars for ever and ever Secondly dignâ—taâ—â—â—periâ— the worthyness of the work this work is to work out mans salvation honour the Physitian because of thy need saith the wise man now these are only conversant about the body in saving it from death temporal much more should be hâ—noured these spiritual Physitiâ—ns who are conversant about the Souâ— in saving it death eternal The more excellent a thing is in Nature the more acceptable is the preservation of it now the soul is the express Image of God the free-born child and heir of eternal it is Gods choicest jewel Christs purchase and therefore what an honour is it to save this soul from death and therefore not without good cause was the Apostles exhortation We beseech you Brethren to know them which labour among you and are over you in the 1 Thes 5 v. 12. 13. Lord and admonish you and to esteem them very highly in love for their work sake Thirdly dignatione Dei by Gods vouchsafeing mercy The Saints shall be all cloathed with honourable robes white robes shall be given unto them duplicibus vestientur stola prima saith St. Bernard ipsa est felâ—citas requies animarum happiness and rest of Souls secunda vero est immortalitas gloria corporum Immortality and glory of Bodies such honour have all his saints but as the elder Brother the beginning of strength the excellency of dignity and the excellency of power had sundry preheminences above the rest he was Lord over all his Brethren he had a double portion and succeeded in the double Office hoth Kingly and Priestly so the Elders that rule well and labour for the rest of their Brethren in the Church Militant shall have double honour a double portion in the Church tryumphant The wise and faithful Steward whom his Lord maketh ruler over his houshold here him will he make ruler over all that he hath hereafter and of this they are worthy dignitate dei non St. Ber. dignitate sua by Gods acceptance not their merit Fourthly Quomodo How let them be counted worthy of double honour Here give me leave to turn the Apostles direction into an exhortation First I shall direct my speech to my Brethren of the Ministry si qua coelopictas quae talia curat If there be any comolation in Christ any comfort of love any fellowship of the Spirit c. mind ye not every one your own things but the things of the Church let the honour of the Church and the Ministry thereof be dear in your sight he that toucheth it let him touch the Apple of your eye Gregor Nazienzen Jonas like desired to be cast into the Sea so all might be calm and well in the Church and let us labour to hold up the great Authority of the Church and the honour of the Ministry against the unjust censures and machinations of the common Enemy and take we up that noble resolve If I Psal 137 v. 4. forget thee O Jerusalem let mâ— right hand forget her cunning If I do not remember thee let mâ— tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth Secondly a word or two to the Officers of the Church the Church-Wardens and Sides-men you are the eyes and ears of the Church and Court Be ye not as the Scripture speaks of the Idols that have eyes and see not ears and hear not mouths and speak not let not your presentments be like the Spiders where Hornets break through and smaller Flies are catcht but search Jerusalem with candles find out all those that have ill will at our Sion and bring them to condign punishment You Lam. 1 v. 1. shall not need to seek a knot in a Bulrush I wish there was no cause to renew the Churches complaint how doth the City sit solitar that was full of People Besides the Act. 10. Ataâ—ie and disorder by reason of several gestures makeing the Church seem like the sheet knit at the four corners where were all manner of four footed Beasts wild Beasts and creeping things and Fowles of the air or the Altar at Athens whereon was this inscription to the unknow God Let not these Beasts of prey lurk within your Parishes to rent contumelies against the Church and the holy order of the Ministry I shall wind up all with an exhortation to all in general look not with an evil eye upon the dues and rights of the Church neither withold them from those to whom they are due which of you by unjust deteinure can adde one Cubit to your statute hereby your riches shall be corrupted and your garments moath eaten your gold and your silver ankerd and the rust of them shall be a witness againâ—t â—on