A WORKEMAN That NEEDETH NOT TO BE ASHAMED OR The faithfull Steward of Gods house A Sermon describing the duety of a godly MINISTER both in his DOCTRINE and in his LIFE By CHARLES RICHARDSON Preacher at S. KATHARINES neere the Tower of LONDON LVKE 12.42 Who is a faithfull and wise Steward whom his Lord shall make ruler ouer his houshold to giue them their portion of meate in due season LONDON Printed by W. Stansby for William Barret and are to be sold at his shop in Paules Church-yard at the signe of the three Pigeons 1616. TO MY REVEREND GOOD FRIEND MR. D. SPARKE MINISTER OF GODS WORD AT BLETCHLEY IN BVCKINGHAMSHIRE Grace and Peace SIr I present vnto you here a Sermon penned by mee concerning the duety of a Godly Minister I confesse it may be thought great presumption that I who am the least of many thousands of my brethren should take vpon me to teach others * Magis mihi discendum quam docendum Macrob. Saturn l. 1. c. 4. who stand more need to learne my selfe But I may truly say as a Sui magis admonendi quam aliorum docendi gratia lib. 16. c. 5. A. Gellius said of a certaine booke of Laelius That I writ it rather for mine owne admonition then for the instruction of others Whatsoeuer it is I am bold to publish it to the view of the world in your name both in regard of that desire I haue to testifie my thankefulnesse vnto you for the great and vndeserued kindnesse I haue many waies found at your hands especially for that as I doe willingly acknowledge you were the first that perswaded and encouraged me to enter into the Ministery and the first place which I had in the Church I had of your free gift and also in respect of that reuerence which I beare vnto your graue and venerable old Age b Venerabilis non annorum sed virtutum numero Bern. de amore Dei part 2. Venerable I say not so much in number of yeeres though they bee very many as in aboundance of vertue It is not with you as it is with too many who being decrepit with age and ready to be laid on the Beere c Senec. de breuit vitae haue no other argument to proue that they haue liued long but their gray haires and their wrinckles But you haue verified that speech of SALOMON Age is a crowne of glory Prou. 16.31 when it is found in the way of righteousnesse The paines that you haue taken in the Church 2. Tim. 4.2 in preaching the word in season and out of season as the Apostle commandeth will no doubt make you famous to posterity especially considering that euen now when your strength is spent and your body worne so as you might iustly with * Veianius armis Herculis ad postem fixis latet abditus agro Horat. Veianius long agoe haue hanged vp your armour and betaken your selfe to rest yet still you continue your wonted labour as though you desired to end your life your preaching both at once And when you shall be gathered hence as a ricke of Corne you shall suruiue in those three worthy Sonnes of yours M. Thomas Sparke of New Colledge in Oxford M. Andrew Sparke of Peter-house in Cambridge M. William Sparke of Magdalen Colledge in Oxford whom you haue beene carefull to traine vp in the Schooles of the Prophets two of them being already profitable Ministers in the Church and the third as he hath attayned to a great measure of learning so I doubt not but he will imploy it to the edification of the body of Christ. But I am not willing to detayne you with any further mention of these things I beseech you to accept of these weake meditations with the same minde and affection wherewith I offer them And howsoeuer I confesse Cypr. in Symbolum Apostolorum they be not worthy the exercise of great Diuines yet if hereby I may excite some yong beginners to the more conscionable discharge of their dueties I shall thinke my labour well bestowed I pray God still to blesse your godly labours that when you shall haue finished your course you may receiue that Crowne of righteousnesse which is laid vp for you in the Kingdome of heauen Your W. in all Christian affection CHARLES RICHARDSON Errata Page 15. lin 8. for happines reade hearers p. 21. l. 27. for and r. c. p. 23. l. 32. after find r. them p. 26. l. 14. for Trade r. flaile p. 42. l. 5. for with r. to p. 45. l. 23. put out these words and the worke is an establishment to the life p. 46. l. 27. after filthinesse r. might p 47. l. 31. for heal r. heart p. 55. l. 34. for they r. he p. 67. l. 27. for filleth r. fitteth A SERMON DESCRIBING THE DVTY OF A GODLY MINISTER 2. TIM 2.15 Study to shew thy selfe approued vnto God a Worke-man that needeth not to be ashamed diuiding the Word of truth aright THis Timotheus to whom both these Epistles are written hauing beene brought vp in the knowledge of the holy Scriptures from his cradle 2. Tim. 3.15 and hauing alwaies been faithfull in the profession of Christian Religion was therefore in very great estimation with the Apostle Paul Act. 16.3.4 20.4 Rom. 16.21 and was either one of his Companions in his peregrinations or else when the Apostle himselfe was kept in prison he imployed him as a Minister and sent him to confirme the Churches which he had planted Thus was he sent to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 4.17 1. Thes 3.2 To put them in remembrance of that which the Apostle had taught Thus was he also sent to the Thessalonians To establish them and to comfort them touching their faith For this cause 1. Cor. 4.17 16.10 Phil. 2.22 1. Thes 3.2 Act. 16.9.10.1 Tim. 1.3 wheresoeuer the Apostle maketh mention of him he doth alwayes giue him very great commendation Now when the Apostle was himselfe to depart into Macedonia where the Lord had called him by a vision to preach the Gospell he left Timotheus at Ephesus to resist the false Teachers which were crept into the Church and began to corrupt sound doctrine thereby to draw men from the sinceritie of faith And because there was not yet a sufficient number of Ministers in the Church of Ephesus to preach the Gospell therefore the Apostle giueth him authority to ordayne as many as should be needfull And for his better direction in so waighty a businesse 1. Tim. 3.15 hee writeth the former Epistle vnto him teaching him what hee is chiefly to respect in the imposition of hands and shewing who are to be admitted vnto that great and high calling and who are to be reiected And because Timotheus 2. Tim. 1.4 as a louing Schollar was much grieued and shed many teares at the departure of so kind a Master 1. Tim. 3.14 therefore to comfort him
the Apostle promised in the former Epistle if it were possible to come vnto him againe very shortly But being in the meane while carried as a prisoner to Rome and hauing now no hope euer to returne againe to Ephesus 2. Tim 4.6 but rather looking euery day for present death hee writeth this second Epistle vnto Timotheus both to confirme and arme him against the feare of persecution which in regard of his youth might trouble and dismay him and also to direct him further how to behaue himselfe in the gouernement of Gods Church But not to spend time in vn-folding the whole Epistle but to come neere the wordes that are to bee handled in this second Chapter the Apostle first of all exhorteth Timotheus vnto cheerefulnesse and diligence in preaching of the Gospell and to appoint meet and sufficient Ministers for the propagating of sound doctrine vnto posteritie which exhortation with the reasons of it is continued vnto the 9. verse Secondly hee comforteth him by many arguments both against that offence he might take at his bonds and imprisonment and also against the feare of persecution which might befall himselfe likewise and that vnto the 14. verse Thirdly because euen then the Church began to be troubled with contentions disputations and strife about words in the 14. verse he exhorteth him to restraine them to the vttermost of his power And first the more to terrifie those that delighted in such peeuish oppositions he bids him vse great vehemency of speech in reprouing them euen to protest vnto them before the Lord thereby insinuating how dangerous a thing this litigious and wrangling knowledge is Then he setteth downe two arguments to disswade from them taken from the vnprofitable effects of them First that they are to no profit Altercando veritas amittitur Caluin in locum neither to the Teachers themselues who thereby come to lose the truth nor yet to their Hearers who by such courses are not at all built vp in Faith and Charitie which is the true vse of Christian doctrine 2. Tim. 1.13 Secondly that such contentions are so farre from profiting as that rather they tend to the peruerting of the hearers turning them away from true Faith and so consequently from euerlasting saluation Now because as Caluin obserueth all this stirre and strife in doctrine ariseth from this Fountayne that men of good but vnsanctified wits desire in a vaine ostentation to vaunt and set forth themselues and their gifts before men therefore the Apostle in this verse prescribeth a most excellent remedie for that disease exhorting Timotheus and all other in his place to cast their eyes vpon God making it their chiefe studie to approue themselues to him in the faithfull execution of their ministerie and in the sincere performance of those dueties which God requireth of them As if he should say Let others that delight in it seeke to win the applause of men but doe thou studie to approue thy selfe and thy ministerie vnto God And thus doe these wordes depend on that which went before In the handling whereof for our more orderly proceeding let vs consider these two things first the duetie whereunto the Apostle exhorteth Timotheus and secondly the meanes prescribed for the better performance thereof The duetie is this that he studie to approue him selfe to God The meanes whereby this may be effected are two first if he be a worke-man and such a one as needeth not to be ashamed Secondly if he diuide the Word of truth aright And thus much for the opening and resoluing of the wordes Let vs now proceede to the doctrines and instructions that arise from them Studie to shew thy selfe approued to God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 festinatio The word that is rendred studie is of great force in the originall and signifieth to endeuour to the vttermost of ones power to vse al diligence and euen to inforce a mans selfe to doe a thing and so it is vsed and translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Solicitè stude ante omnia hoc labora c. Hieron in loc 2. Pet. 1.10 Giue diligence to make your calling and election sure And Hebr. 6.11 Shew the same diligence And therefore S. Ierome readeth it study carefully or diligently and labour for this aboue all things c. This then may bee our first instruction Doct. 1 That it ought to be the chiefe and principall care of a Minister of the Word to approue himselfe vnto God This was the endeuour of the Apostle Paul as himselfe testifieth 1. Cor. 4 3.4 As touching me saith he I passe very little to be iudged of you or of mans iudgement no I iudge not mine owne selfe For I know nothing by my selfe yet am I not thereby iustified but he that iudgeth me is the Lord. Vpon which place Musculus giueth this good note The faithfulnesse of a Minister of Christ is not commended in that that hee hee appeare faithfull to men but that hee bee found faithfull of Christ the Lord. And therefore saith he this hee studieth most that from his heart hee may serue Christ seeking nothing else but to aduance his Kingdome And in another place the Apostle saith 2. Cor. 4.2 In declaration of the truth we approue our selues to euery mans conscience in the sight of God And againe In all things we approue our selues as the Ministers of God 6.4 The same care ought to bee in all other godly Ministers The reason is because euery good Minister is the seruant of God and that after a speciall manner as the Apostle saith God is my witnesse whom I serue in my Spirit Rom. 1.9 in the Gospell of his Sonne and in another place 1. Tim. 1.12 Hee counted me faithfull saith he and put me in his seruice Now as euery good seruant is carefull to approue himselfe to his owne Master aboue all other so should euery godly Minister desire most of all to approue himselfe to God Yea it is required of earthly seruants that in the seruice they performe to their bodily masters they should seeke the approbation of God and therefore they are commanded Ephes 6.7 Cel. 3.23 With good will to serue the Lord and not men And Whatsoeuer they doe to doe it heartily as to the Lord and not vnto men Much more should Ministers who doe immediately serue the Lord in the worke of the ministerie seeke to approue themselues vnto him In the beginning of this Chapter 2. Tim. 2.3 the Apostle calleth Timotheus and so all the Ministers of the Word a good Souldier of Iesus Christ Now a Souldier hauing by oath bound himselfe to his Captayne or Generall endeuoureth so to carry himselfe in the warres as he may please him that hath chosen him to be a Souldier as the Apostle saith In like manner a Minister hauing giuen vp his name and bound himselfe to fight vnder the Banner not of some earthly Captayne as
wrought by vs. We are but instruments in the Lords hand and therefore we cannot arrogate any thing to our selues without preiudice to him Jsa 10.15 Shall the axe saith the Prophet boast it selfe against him that heweth therewith or shall the Saw exalt it selfe against him that moueth it If therfore wee see any good effect wrought by our ministerie let vs say with Dauid Not vnto vs O Lord not vnto vs Psal 115.1 but vnto thy Name giue the glory And for the saluation of the people the Apostle vseth it as an argument to perswade Timotheus to be diligent and constant in the discharge of his duety 1. Tim. 4.16 Take heede vnto thy selfe saith he and vnto learning continue therein for in doing this thou shalt saue both thy selfe and them that heare thee As if hee should haue said Calu. in locum Let them that are desirous of vaine-glorie please themselues with their owne ambition let them applaude themselues in the subtilties of their wit let it be sufficient for thee to bend thy study to the furtherance of thine owne and the peoples saluation Thus if we set our selues to bee approued vnto God the Lord that knoweth our sinceritie will not be wanting to reward vs liberally and that euen in this life 1. Pet. 4.14 making the Spirit of glorie to rest vponvs as the Apostle Peter calleth it To which purpose Luther hath a good saying If a mans worke bee right let him be sure that hee shall neuer want glory neither with God nor with men As wee see by experience that they that set themselues conscionably to performe the dueties of their calling the Lord doth sooner or later cause them to bee esteemed and had in reuerence of men yea many times of such as are enemies to the Gospell Sen. Epist 80. The Heathen man could say that glory is the shadow of vertue which will accompany men whether they will or no. But as the shaddow sometimes goeth before the bodie and sometimes followeth after so glory is sometimes before vs and presenteth it selfe to our view sometimes it commeth behinde vs and is the greater by how much it is the later when enuie is ceased namely after our death But without all question howsoeuer it pleaseth the Lord to deale with vs in this life yet at the great day of Iudgement When the chiefe Shepheard shall appeare 1. Pet. 5.4 we shall receiue an incorruptible Crowne of glory Then our Master Christ Iesus when hee shall come to call vs to account for the talents and gifts which he hath giuen vs and shall finde that wee haue imployed them to the glory of his Name and the good of his Church Math. 5.21 shall say vnto vs It is well done thou good and faithfull seruant enter into thy Masters ioy Last of all here is also an admonition for all the hearers of the Word that they suffer their Ministers to performe this duetie There is a secret corruption in most men they would haue a Minister to speake to their humours and to sooth them vp in whatsoeuer they do If they say the Crow is white Isay 30 10. they would haue the Minister to say so too They cannot indure that hee should prophesie right things vnto them but would haue him to speake flattering things as the Prophet saith of the people in his time But as hath beene said alreadie The Minister is the seruant of Christ to whom onely he ought to approoue himselfe and of whom onely hee ought to labour to draw men to bee followers and therefore he must administer and dispense the Word indifferently vnto all not caring whom he pleaseth or displeaseth so he may please God What message soeuer the Lord putteth into his mouth how harsh soeuer it be hee must deliuer it faithfully though all the world be offended at it Ky 1.17 As the Lord charged the Prophet Ieremy Speake vnto them all that I command thee be not afraid of their faces lest I destroy thee before them The Minister you see must deale faithfully in the Lords busmesse euen vpon paine of his high displeasure Num. 23.12 Balaam that false prophet could say Must I not take heede to speake that which the Lord bath put into my mouth Much more ought a godly minister to be carefull that way that though hee might gaine neuer so much by flattering Numb 22.18 yet hee must not goe beyond the Word of the Lord to doe lesse or more hee must not giue titles to men nor causelessely commend them without desert lest his Maker reproue him as Iob saith Iob 32.22 Yea the Apostle Paul saith Gal. 1.10 If he should goe about to please men hee were not the seruant of Christ If he should apply his doctrine to mens humours mours and affections the Lord would neuer approue him And therefore all this being so you must giue your ministers leaue to discharge their duties in all sinceritie and not bee offended though at Gods Commandement they doe somewhat sharpely reprooue your sinnes For as the Apostles said of obedience so may wee say in this case Acts 4.19 Whether it bee right in the sight of God to please you rather then God iudge ye A Workeman The same word is vsed in the parable of the Vineyard Math. 20.1 and there is translated labourers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And so it is vsed 2. Thes 3.10 where the Apostle commandeth that if there were any that would not worke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee should not eate From whence ariseth this next instruction Doct. 2 That the Calling of a Minister is a painefull and laborious calling and he that would approue himselfe and his Ministerie vnto God hee must be a workeman This the Apostle confirmeth in many other places Exhorting the Thessalonians to a reuerent and due estimation of their Ministers he saith Know them that labour among you c. 1. Thes 5 12. And in an other place The Elders saith he that rule well 1. Tim. 5.17 are worthy of double honour especially they which labour in the Word and Doctrine In both which places the word there vsed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth signifie to labour vnto wearinesse In like manner exhorting Timotheus to the performance of his duety hee bids him Watch in all things doe the worke of an Euangelist 2. Tim. 4.5 c. And describing the office of a faithfull Minister he saith If any man desire the office of a Bishop 1. Tim. 3.1 he desireth a worthy worke Wherevpon S. Augustine saith (a) Episcopatus nomenest operis non honoris The office of a Bishop is a name of labour not of honor that a man may know that he is no Bishop that would bear rule but would doe no good According to that speech of our Sauiour Math. 9.37 Surely the haruest is great but the labourers are few wherefore pray the Lord of the haruest that he would send
vse labour to increase them but rather suffer them to gather rust and become vnprofitable Hence it commeth to pasle that either they preach very seldome or when they doe preach they make such cold collations and bring forth such flashy and vnsauory stuffe as can neuer profit nor benefit their happines It was said of the Heathen Orator Cael. Rhodig lib. 5. cap. 13. that his orations did smell of the candle Much more should a Christian minister desire to haue his Sermons which he deliuereth to Gods people to smell of study and of painefull diligence For if there be a curse denounced against him Ier. 48.10 that doth the worke of the Lord negligently much more shall he be accursed that shal be negligent and carelesse in the performance of this great and waightie worke of the Ministerie Secondly this may serue to excite and stirre vs vp to diligence and painefulnesse in our studies Wee should remember that charge which the Apostle giueth to Timotheus as if it had beene giuen to euery one of our selues Gine attendance toreading to exhortation and to doctrine that is 1. Tim. 4.13 we must so apply our selues to the reading and studying of the Scriptures as out of them we may be able to gather exhortation doctrine for the instruction and edification of Gods people For as Caluin saith vpon that place What shall Pastors teach others if they bee not diligent in learning themselues Againe the Apostle saith Despise not the gift that is inthee c. vers 14. God would not haue the Talents which he hath giuen vs to perish or to be hid vnprofitably vnder the ground A gaine Vers 15. These things exercise and giue thy selfe vnto them that it may be seene how thou profitest c. This should be the continuall practice this should bee the daily occupation this should bee the chiefe businesse of euery godly Minister to labour by diligent studie to increase the gift which God hath giuen him For this cause he must carefully auoide euery thing that might hinder him from the performance of this duty And first of all he must take heed that he be not too much giuen to the world 2. Tim. 2.4 No man that warreth saith the Apostle entangleth himselfe with the affaires of this life If the Apostles would not be troubled with seruing of tables Act. 6.2 3 4. that is with care for the poore which yet was a godly and religious worke but appointed others to that businesse that they might more freely giue themselues continually to prayer and to the ministration of the word much lesse should a Minister be encumbred with worldly businesse For if the buying of farmes Luke 14.18 19. and prouing of oxen and the vse of Marchandise doe hinder men from hearing the Word much more will they hinder a minister from studying of the Word Our Sautour Christ would haue a minister to bee taught to the Kangdome of God Matth. 13.52 as hath been said That must be his scope which he must chiefly aime at Let other men be skilfull in buying of cattell or in ordering of farmes the chiefe skill of a Minister should bee this that hee bee taught to the Kingdome of God And as wee haue heard the Apostle commandeth Timotheus 1. Tim. 4.15 These things exercise and giue thy selfe to them The exercise of a Minister must not bee in worldly businesse but in the study of the Word of God And indeed the office of a Minister requireth the whole man and hee performeth no small matter that is any way able to discharge the same For as the Apostle saith 2. Cor. 2.16 De confid lib. 4. Who is sufficient for these things If an ordinarie seruant saith Bernard to Eugensus the Pope bee not able both to keep the cattel and also to waite at the table how canst thou by thy selfe attend all these things And indeed the care of worldly things quencheth the zeale of a Minister that hee cannot so feruently attend his study as hee ought For as a riuer that is diuided into many streames hath a great deale lesse force then when it runneth in one current so the minde of a Minister distracted with worldly businesse cannot bee carried to the discharge of his dutie with that liuelyhood and chearefulnesse that is requisite If a Brooke saith Bernard can run out into the field Bern. vbi supra and not hurt the Corne then mayst thou meddle with these things without wounding thy mind And hereof we haue too much experience For euen as many seruants hauing got some competent stocke vnder a good master doe attend so much vpon the increase of it as they neglect the old care of their master so many Ministers hauing by Gods blessing enriched themselues become altogether carelesse of their dutie And this is it that giueth occasion to many prophane persons to thinke that it is best for Ministers to be kept vnder by liuing in want because many times it is seene that when they grow rich they waxe idle Secondly a Minister must take heede that he giue not himselfe to keepe company in Ale-houses and Tauernes and such like lewd and vngodly places I would to God there were not many Iuuat impallescere charlis sed pictis that are a great deale oftner in the Ale-house then in their Studies and that handle a paire of Chards more then they doe the Booke of God And I would this were only the fault of some base persons in the Ministerie that there were not some who otherwise are of excellent gifts and haue a good dexteritie in preaching are as frequent in Ale-houses as the greatest swaggerers in the Country This is the greatest disgrace of the Ministerie that can be And it were to be wished that they that haue authoritie would take notice of it and set themselues to redresse it It drowneth and vtterly quencheth the gifts of God in men and maketh them become altogether vnprofitable And this the Heathen men did know and therefore were carefull to preuent it Cael. Rhodig lib. 9. cap. 12. The Priests of Egypt were forbidden to drinke of the water of Nilus because it would make them fat and grosse And doe we not see the same effect in those Ministers that frequent the Ale-house that they heaue and puffe vp their bodies in a deformed manner which doubtlesse cannot but dull the spirits According to the old prouerb A fat belly seldome begets a fine wit Let all Ministers therefore be carefull to auoide these prophane and scandalous courses Let them bee as loth to come into an Ale-house as into a Pest-house and let them sequester and retire themselues into their Studies that so they may bee furnished with knowledge and may discharge their duties more profitably to others and more comfortably to themselues The second thing wherein the labour and worke of a Minister consisteth is in feruent and ear̄nest prayer to God for his people Deut. 9.25.26
the storie and also to prepare them and fit them the better to the hearing of Sermons and therefore God forbid that any man should derogate from it But yet I must say withall that in an ordinarie time reading is not sufficient to bring the people to saluation without preaching And this the Apostle prooueth plaincly 2. Tim. 3.16 17. and 4.1 2. where hee saith that the whole Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable to teach to improoue to correct and to instruct in righteousues that the man of Godmay be absolute being made perfect vnto all good workes And then immediately he addeth that charge which we heard before I charge thee therefore 〈◊〉 preach the Word Whereupon Caluin giueth this note The inference that the Apostle maketh is diligently to be obserued because he doth plainely ioyne the Scriptures with preaching For hauing intreated of the profit of the Scriptures he doth not onely inferre that all men must therfore read them but that teachers must administer the same 1. Tim. 4.13 And the Apostle commandeth Timotheus to giue attendance not to reading onely but also to exhortation and doctrine And the Apostle Peter hauing taught vs 1. Pet. 1.23 25. that the Word of God is that immortall seede of our new birth he addeth and this is the Word which is preached among you Plainely giuing vs to vnderstand that for the effecting of this blessed work of regeneration it is necessarie that the Word of God be preached And therefore this was obserued in the Church of the Iewes from time to time In the time of Nehemiab before the comming of our Sauiour Christ it is said of Ezra Nebem 3.4 5 8. that hee stood vpon a Pulpit of wood which hee had made for the preaching and being aboue all the people hee opened the booke of the Law before them and hee and his assistants read in it distinctly and gaue the sense and caused them to vnderstand the reading What can be spoken more plainely then this It is euident then that as reading was by no meanes excluded so it was neuer vsed alone in the Church but was ioyned with preaching And this our Sauiour Christ practised Luke 4.16 17 18 19 20 21. who comming to Nazaret and entring into the Synagogue on the Sabbath day he stood vp to reade and hauing read a portion of Scripture he closed the booke and sate downe and preached vnto them out of that which hee had read Act. 15.21 Onus ipsis Angelis formidandum And the Apostle IAMES affirmeth that Moses was not onely read in their synagogues in euerie citie but also preached euery Sabbath day Furthermore the worke of a Minister is a worke of great difficultie Bernard calleth it a burden dreadfull to the very Angels And Caluin saith it is a businesse of rare and excellent vertue farre aboue the abilitie of man Yea the Apostle PAVL himselfe though he were extraordinarily furnished with gifts from heauen yet considering the waightinesse of the dutie hee cryeth out Who is sufficient for these things 2. Cor. 2.16 And where the Apostle calleth the worke of a Bishop a worthy worke 1. Tim. 3.1 Caluin vpon that place obserueth well that hee putteth vs in minde that it is no common or ordinarie worke For saith he when hee calleth it a worthy worke hee alludeth to that old prouerbe so often repeated of PLATO that excellent things are hard And so concludeth that it is a laborious and a difficult charge Now I hope it will easily bee granted that there can be no such difficulty in the bare reading of the Word But for further euidence of this point let vs see a little wherein this difficultie consisteth First then the very framing and compiling of a Sermon is a matter of no small labour It requireth great skill for a man to draw out of the bottomlesse Ocean of the holy Scriptures such instructions as may serue to the edification of the hearers then to dispose them in an apt and fit methode and last of all to vtter and deliuer the same in such manner as the people may vnderstand them wee may more truely say of this then the Heathen Orator said of his facultie in pleading It is a greater matter then men imaginc Againe that which the Minister must labour to effect and performe by his Ministery doth plainely prooue how hard and difficult a thing it is The Apostle deseribing the properties of a good Minister Tit. 1.9 he saith De doct Chr. lib. 4. he must bee able both to exhort with wholesome doctrine and to improoue them that say against it Whereunto agreeth that speech of S. Augustine where he calleth a Minister a maintainer of the truth and a subduer of falshood a defender of the right faith and a vanquisher of errour And Bernard De consider lib. 3. writing to Eugenius telleth him that it is his dutie to do his vttermost endeauour that the vnbeleeuers may bee conuerted to the faith that they that are conuerted may not bee turned away that they that are turned away may returne againe that they that are peruerted may be disposed to vertue and honesty and that they that are subuerted may bee called againe to the truth Now hee that shall goe about to doe any of these things shall finde to bee workes of greater difficultie then can be effected by bare reading Last of al if reading were sufficient and if there were no more required in a Minister to what purpose did our religious and deuoute forefathers found and erect so many famous Vniuersities to be nurseries of learning what vse is there of the knowledge of arts and tongues which cannot be attained without great paines and industrie and to what end serue the learned writings of so many worthy ancient fathers A man without any of these helpes may be sufficiently furnished Jsa 50.4 and inabled to reade the Word He needeth not the tongue of the learned which yet is requisite in him that would know to minister a word in time to him that is wearie that is would comfort an afflicted conscience which Luther saith is harder to do then to raise the dead if bare reading will serue the turne To conclude therefore let vs acknowledge that the Word preached and applied to the conscience is that ordinance of God which he hath sanctified for the conuersion and saluation of men As the Apostle saith It pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching as profane men esteeme of it to saue them that beleeue 1. Cor. 1.21 And yet more plainely Rom. 10. 14 15. How shall they call on him in whom they haue not beleeued and how shall they beleeue in him of whom they haue not heard and how shall they heare without a Preacher And how shall they preach except they be sent The vse of this is first for vs that be Ministers Secondly for the people For vs that be Ministers it serueth first for the reproofe of
able to doe the dutie of Ministers There is a good President for them in the Prophesie of Zechariah where the Prophet speaketh of some such Friests Zech. 13.4 5 6. that pestered the Church in his time that they should no longer weare a rough garment to deceiue But he shall say I am no Prophet I am an Husbandman for man tanght mee to bee an Heard-man from my youth vp That is he shall lay aside his Priestly habite Gualter Tremellius in locum illum and shall freely confesse his ignorance and acknowledge that he ought rather to be sent away to the plough or to play the Shepheard then to be suffered any longer in the Ministery of the Church and so shall willingly betake himselfe to the labour of his hand that hee may no longer bee a burden to the Church And where it is said in the next verse And one shall say vnto him What are these wounds in thy hands Then he shall answere Thus was I wounded in the house of my friends The meaning of it is that he will be so farre from murmuring and complaining for the losse of his gaine and honour as that rather hee will account them his greatest friends that first perswaded him to leaue his sinne Oh that our ignorant and insufficient Ministers would follow this example There are many of them of strong and able bodies and though they cannot worke this worke of a Minister yet no doubt they would prooue tall workemen in other things It were a happy thing for Gods Church if they would returne to those professions wherein they were brought vp and exercised before they entred into the Ministery and wherein they haue more skill So doing though their life would be somewhat more painefull then now it is yet doubtlesse their sleepe would be a great deale more sweete and comfortable As Salomon saith Eccles 5.11 The sleepe of the labouring man is sweete whether he eate little or much Whereas now I cannot see how they can take any quiet rest when their guiltie consciences doe continually barke against them or if they haue gagged their consciences for a time yet the bloud of so many soules which haue perished through their negligence cryeth lowder in the eares of God for vengeance then cuer did the bloud of Habel Genes 4.10 Another sort of Ministers that come within the compasse of this reproofe are such as are idle that though they haue gifts whereby they might doe much good yet seldome or neuer vse them They neuer entred into the Ministerie with any purpose to serue the Lord Iesus Christ but rather their owne bellies Rom. 16.18 as the Apostle saith If they may eate the fat Ezech. 34 3. and clothe themselues with the wooll they care not greatly what becommeth of the flocke But they might know that the calling vnto the Ministerie is not directed to that ende that such slow bellies should onely enioy the dignities and idly possesse the reuenues of the Church but according to the common saying Beneficium datur propter officium A benefice is giuen for the duties sake And this is that which the Apostle saith The Elders that rule well are worthy of double honour 1. Tim 5.17 specially De consid lib. 4. they that labour in the word and doctrine To this purpose Bernard hath a worthy saying There haue been Bishops saith hee that would wholly set themselues to the feeding of their sheepe glorying in the work and name of a shepheard counting nothing vnbeseeming them but that which might be thought to hinder the saluation of their sheepe not seeking but bestowing their owne things bestowing their care bestowing their substance bestowing euen themselues as the Apostle saith I will be bestowed for your soules All their gaine was for their people their onely pompe and their onely pleasure was to prepare them a perfect people to the Lord. But where Is now this custome a farre vnlike is come in the place of it These studies are changed into other and I feare into the worse In Declamat c. And in another place he is conuinced to be vnworthy of the milke and the wooll that doth not feede the sheepe that doth not watch for the safegard of the flocke Such a man eateth and feedeth vpon his owne iudgement Woe woe be vnto thee Behold death is in the pot death is in the flesh-pots death is in the delights of this world and especially for this because it is manifest that they are the sinnes of the people which thou eatest It were better for thee to digge yea to begge For thou eatest the sins of the people as if thine owne were not sufficient for thee Our Sauiour Christ when he called his disciples hee bids them follow him and hee would make them Fishers of men Matthew 4.19 Wherevpon one well obserueth CHRIST hath not enioyned them to fish for great liuing and other dignitie nor for earthly gaine or for the praise of men They that doe so shew that they are rather from the Deuill fishers of money then from God fishers of men Let these men harken to that which Bishop IEWEL saith of such as they are O what a case saith he are they in Exposit in 1. Thes 2.17 18. that are carelesse of Gods people that hunt after many liuings and bend themselues to doe no good which serue their owne belly and seeke to be rich and eate vp Gods people as it were bread What account shall they giue to God for the soules of their brethren where shall they stand or what shall they say when they shall be called to giue account of their Stewardship It were to be wished that they that are gouernours of the Church would vse their authoritie to reforme this grosse idlenesse of the Ministers They might iustly say to them Exod. 5.17 18. as Pharaoh said cruelly to the poore Israelites Yee are too much idle get you to your worke and to your burdens Is it not a lamentable thing that wee should haue some that goe for licensed Preachers that preach not once in seuen yeeres If these be Preachers they are Preachers by the contrary They may bee fitly compared to Welles without water 2. Pet. 2.17 which a wearie traueller commeth to in hope to quench his thirst but alas he goeth away discomforted Iude vers 12. or to cloudes without raine which giue men some hope of a shewre to water and refresh the earth but in the ende their hope is frustrate They are like that Fig-tree which our Sauiour cursed Mark 11.13 that flourished with leaues but had no fruit So many of them make a very faire shew with outward grauitie but they want inward substance In a word they are like those Idols in the Psalme Psal 115.5 1. Cor. 4.2 that haue mouthes but they speake not The Apostle saith that it is required of the Lords Stewards that they be found faithfull But alas to
do nothing at all to take no paines but to bury themselues in idlenesse is not to be faithfull and therefore such Ministers can haue no comfortable assurance that they are Gods Stewards Secondly this serueth to exhort vs all that are entred into this high calling with care and conscience to set our selues to preach the Word vnto the people committed to our charge Tacit. Annal. lib. 4. And that not now and then onely but with the greatest diligence we can vse For as the Apostle saith of almes that God loueth a cheerefull giuer 2. Cor. 9.7 so we should addresse our selues to the performance of this dutie with all alacritie and chearefulnesse counting the businesses of our calling our recreations Devita solitar as was said of Tiberius the Emperour and with good B. Iewell thinking it our greatest honour to die in the Pulpit And howsoeuer it may seeme hard and difficult at the first yet diligence and frequent vse will make it easie The Husbandman we see hath hard sinewes and strong armes Exercise saith Bernard hath made it so as by slouthfulnesse he becomes effeminate The will causeth vse vse causeth exercise and exercise ministreth strength in all labour And it was a good saying of Boetius Discipl-Schola that as in euery worke constancie and diligence is found to be a mother so on the contrary side of all learning and discipline negligence is the stepmother And as the Heathen Orator said Cic. pro. C. Rabir. vse and practice is the best master Neither must we be discouraged though as many times it falleth out we see little fruit follow our labours Plin. secund lib. 6. ep 29. He that taketh in hand to fell and cut downe a great Oke though after many strokes with his axe it seeme to stand as strong as euer it did yet hee giueth not ouer but redoubleth his stroke with greater force til at the last it fall and then hee seeth that his former strokes were not in vaine A louing Mother though the froward child do often refuse the meat and spit it out yet leaueth not for that but still feedeth it and putteth the meate into the mouth againe and at the last it eateth So though our people bee hard to worke vpon and froward to receiue any thing that is good yet wee must not leaue them to themselues but apply and follow them with instruction and in time they may become more pliable Neuer any of the Prophets saith Luther could conuert all that they taught In a Sermon vpon 1. Pe. 4.11 and B. Iewel God himselfe saith hee husbanded the Vine and yet it brought forth wilde grapes Isaiah 5.2.4 God himselfe stretched out his hands all the day to a rebellious people Isa 65.2 And Christ himselfe would often haue gathered Ierusalems children together as the hen gathereth her chickens vnder her wings and they would not Mat. 23.37 Let vs saith he doe our endeuour and leaue the successe to the Lord. For this cause we are called Fishers Mat. 4.19 Ouid. dearte Now we know that Fishermen whether they fish with net or with angle doe make many a draught and cast many a baite into the water and catch but a little fish Simon Peter and his fellowes had trauelled a whole night and caught nothing Luke 5.5 yet they were not discouraged but at Christs commandement let downe the net againe and then they inclosed a great multitude of fishes So in like manner though wee lose our labour many times yet we must not giue ouer Christ may bring fishes into our nets when we looke not for it We are compared to seeds-men Luk. 8.11 Now all the seed which the Sower casteth into the ground doth not fructifie Nay as our Sauiour doth teach vs in that parable that of foure kinds of grounds there is but one good ground which receiueth the seede with profit To which purpose De Doctr. Christ S. Augustine hath a good saying They that heare and learne not what is it to the seedes-man Nether the high-way nor the stones nor the thornes doe terrifie the hands of the Seeds-man he casteth that which is his he that shall be afraid lest his seede fal vpon bad ground doth not come vnto good ground We are called Phisicians of mens soules But there is no Phisician that cureth all his patients De Consid lib. 4. As Bernard saith wittily Be not discouraged there is care and diligence required of thee not curing and healing Thou hast heard it said in the Gospell Take care of him not cure or heale him One said ture It is not in the Phisicion alwaies to relieue the sick partie Paul saith I laboured more then they all he doth not say I profited more then they all Yea it may bee that the labours may doe good though thou seest it not A vessell that often receiueth water into it though it be presently powred out againe yet it is cleansed at the last though not at the first nor the second time In like manner doe not thou cease to powre water vpon the the vncleane though they be not cleansed at the first powring yet with often powring they may As Luther saith well to the same purpose It is impossible that the Word of God should be preached without fruite But though all bee not conuerted yet there are some that of sinners will become beleeuers and be saued For the successe of the Ministerie is not in the will of men but of God As Salomon saith Prou. 20.12 The Lord hath made both these euen the eare to heare and the eye to see that is to say It is both of the gift of God that there should be some to teach sound doctrine and some to obey the sound Teachers And a little further hee addeth The good ground will bring foorth fruite let the other three parts goe to the deuill But though it should fall out that no fruite at all should bee seene in respect of the people De Consid lib. 4. yet wee shall bee sure not to lose our labour For as Bernard saith Euery man shall receiue according to his labour not according to his successe So doe thou that that belongs to thee For God will sufficiently looke to that that appertaineth to him without thy care and thought-taking Plant water take paines and thou hast done thy part doubtlesse God will giue the increase when hee thinkes good and not thou But if he will not thou losest nothing as the Scripture saith God will render a reward to the labour of his Saints It is secure labour which no defect can make frustrate And this was the Apostle Pauls comfort that hauing been diligent in the discharge of his dutie and hauing omitted no paines neither publike nor priuate whatsoeuer fruite followed of his Ministery hee was pure from the bloud of all men Acts 20.26 And the Lord telleth the Prophet EZECHIEL that if hee faile not to warne the wicked of the danger of his sinne
in the end Let them beware that the cry of the Lords labourers James 5.4 whose hire they haue kept back by fraud do not enter into the eares of the Lord of hosts We should know that Gods ministers ought to be maintained though the Law had appointed them no tithes at al for their maintenance And we see that the most vnworthie Ministers that are will haue their tithes to the vttermost yea with greater rigour then they that toile and take most paines for them And therefore let all the people of God be exhorted conscionably to giue the portion that is due to their Ministers lest they bee driuen for want thereof to forsake the house of God as they did in the time of Nehemiah chap. 13. vers 10 11. and as they doe at this day in many places of the land In a word let them be carefull to performe this and all other their duties with such alacrity and chearefulnesse as that their Ministers may be incouraged to doe their duties backe againe with ioy Heb. 13.17 and not with griefe as the Apostle saith For doubtlesse the griefe which a Minister shall conceiue from the way-ward and peruerse disposition of his people cannot chuse but greatly daunt his spirits and make him altogether listlesse to preach vnto them And indeed what heart can a man haue to take paines with such a people as neither regard him nor his Ministery if that necessitie which God hath laid vpon him 1. Cor. 9.16 as S. Paul saith did not compell him Last of all it may serue to admonish all true Christians to mourne in their soules and with bitternesse of heart to bewaile the miserie of so many thousands of their poore brethren who are like to perish in many places because there is none to teach them knowledge Hos 4.6 Is it not a lamentable thing to see so many townes for want of preaching Ministers Isaiah 9.2 who are the Candlesticks to hold foorth the light of the Word vnto them sitting in darknesse and in the shaddow of death Our Sauiour Christ when he saw the people of his time Matth. 9.36 that they were dispersed and scattered abroad as sheepe hauing no shepheard his very bowels were moued with compassion towards them And if we be led by the Spirit of Christ we cannot but be affected with commiseration in regard of the like miserie of the people of our times that haue no guides but blind guides to leade them into the ditch Mat. 15.14 Would it not grieue any mans heart in the world to see a goodly haruest of croppe like to rot vpon the earth for want of Reapers to gather it into the barnes Mat. 9.37 Iohn 4.35 Euen so the Lord hath a great haruest and the regions are white alreadie as Christ saith What a griefe then ought it to bee to euery good heart to consider that there are so few labourers to thrust in the Sickle The people of God in many places begin to feele the want of the Word and as new-borne babes 1. Pet. 2.2 they desire the sincere milk of it that they may grow by it But alas what a pittifull thing is it that their Ministers are either drie nurses and haue no milke at all in their brests to giue them sucke Lam. 4.3 4. or if they haue they are become through idlenesse more hard-hearted then the Dragons and more cruell then the Ostriches in the Wildernesse they will not draw out their brests to feede them but euen suffer the tongue of Gods poore sucklings to cleaue to the roofe of their mouth for thirst And therefore to conclude this point let euery one of vs bee stirred vp in a fellow-feeling of this great miserie to pray to God in the behalfe of our brethren and euen to importune him and giue him no rest vntill hee bee pleased to set ouer euerie Congregation such a Minister as may bee apt and able to teach and instruct them in the way of godlinesse That needeth not to bee ashamed The word properly signifieth that needeth not to blush 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 6.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And so the Apostle vseth it an another place where hee saith What fruite had yee then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed Heere then hee exhorteth TIMOTHEVS to keepe a good conscience in the whole course of his life that when hee shall come to giue account vnto God his face may not becouered with shame for where shame is there is guiltinesse And thus doth Saint Hierome expound it Liue so saith hee lest thy wordes wanting deedes bee confounded for the doctrine is an ornament to the life and the worke is an ostablishment to the life and the worke is an establishment of the doctrine And Aquinas The doctrine saith hee which he preacheth with his mouth let him confirme with his work which if he do not he is worthy of shame and confusion And Gorrā interpreteth it one that needeth not blush to consesse the Gospel for his euil life Anselmus readeth it vnreproueable For saith he from a reproof riseth confusion to him that is reproued and he that cannot be reproued is not confounded As if he should say Shew thy selfe such a one in al thy works as in none of them thou maist sustaine the confusion of shame Frō hence thē our instruction may be this That it is not enough for a minister to preach sound doctrine vnlesse he be blamelesse in his life And therefore our Sauior Christ in that excellent prayer of his for his Disciples because they were to bee Ministers of the Word prayeth for them to his Father Iohn 17.17 Sanctifie them with thy truth thy Word is the truth And indeede how can they cleanse others that are vncleane themselues how can they free others from pollution that are polluted themselues according to that saying of Cyprian Lib. 1. Epist 1 2. who can giue that which himselfe hath not And the Apostle exhorteth Timotheus 1. Tim. 4.16 to take heede to himselfe and to doctrine Attend first to thy selfe and then to the teaching of other whereupon the ordinary Glosse saith He doth not say Attend to doctrine and to thy self but Attend to thy selfe and vnto doctrine first take heed how thou liuest and then how thou teachest for as Caluin well noteth doctrine will doe little good if holinesse of life bee not answerable And great reason is there that Ministers of all other men should bee holy For first they administer the holy things of God Alex. ab Alex. genial dier ◠4 cap. 17. as the Apostle saith they are disposers of the secrets of God They beare the vessels of the Lord as the Prophet saith and that after a more peculiar manner and therefore it behooueth them especially to bee cleane Isay 52.11 And this the poore Heathen people in their blind and superstitious seruice of their Idols had a very
may be cōpelled to offend And in another place The conuersation of a Bishop ought to be such as he may conceiue the truth in his heart and sound it forth in his whole conuersation that whatsoeuer hee speaketh whatsoeuer hee doth Epist 10. may bee the instruction of his people And Seneca saith very wittily of Philosophy which is much more true of Diuinitie that it teacheth men to do not to say and requireth this of euery man that he liue after his own Law that the life dissent not from the speech but that the life in it selfe be all of one colour without any disagreement of all the actions Such were the ancient Fathers which in former times flourished in the Church As it is reported of Origen that he had not only perfect Doctrine in his words but also in his workes he shewed examples of perfect discipline Euseb Eccl. hist l. 6 c 3. and it was said of him This is he that hath his life answerable to his word because hee doth those things which he teacheth Euseb l 11. ca. 5. And it is testified of Gregorie Nazianzen that he profited much to the reformation of his people because being a teacher of Religion hee taught them many things by his words but farre more by example neither did they see that he commanded his Disciples any thing which he did not first himselfe And Erasmus writeth of S. Cyprian that his heart burned with Euangelicall pietie and his speech was answerable to his heart he spake eloquent things and yet rather stout and constant then eloquent Neither did hee onely speake but liue so So should it bee with all the Ministers of the Word of God Histor tripartit l. 7. cap. 8. And therefore the Emperour Valentinian writing to the Bishops about the election of a new Bishop of Millaine saith in this manner You know plainely being taught out of Gods Word what a manner of man a Bishop should be namely that he ought not by word onely to gouerne his people but by his life also and to shew himselfe a follower of all vertue and to haue his good conuersation a witnesse of his doctrine C◠in Ver. li. 3. Wherunto agreeth that saying of the heathen Orator that they lay vpon themselues a Law of innocency continencie and all vertues that call others to account for their life And questionlesse the neglect of this dutie is one maine and principall cause why the ministery of a number succeedeth no better For while they speake out of their reading and out of their iudgement and haue no more care to practise that which they teach the people are rather offended and turned out of the way of godlinesse then any whit prouoked to walke in it And hence it commeth to passe many times that a man of no mouth Exod. 4.10 as Moses calleth himself that is of very meane gifts that leadeth a godly life deth more good in Gods Church then many a prophane man with greater learning Which is not spoken to derogate any thing at all from the most necessarie helpes of learning where with a Minister should be furnished but rather to stirre vs all vp as we haue been taught to expresse in our liues that we professe and teach with our mouthes So would it come to passe that as wee should doe more good to others so we should make our Ministery more comfortable to our selues Yea as the Apostle saith 1. Tim. 4.16 in the place before alleaged We shall saue our selues and them that heare vs. The vse of this doctrine to the people is to admonish them not to bee offended though sometimes they see a Minister not liue as he teacheth It is strange to see how curiously many men with gazing eyes doe prie into the liues and conuersations of Ministers and if they find any thing neuer so little amisse they stretch it on the tenter-hookes and make a mountaine of euery mole-hill crying out with open mouthes against the ill liues of all Ministers though their owne be a great deale worse But hypocrites as they are a man may well say vnto them as our Sauiour Christ said of such like in his time Mat. 7.3 Why seest thou the mote that is in thy brothers eye and perceiuest not the beame that is in thine owne eye But if the accusation were neuer so iust and true that there were some Ministers as God knoweth there bee too many that confuted their good Sermons with their lewde liues yet that ought not to make altogether against all preaching no more then the bad dealing of many Lawyers and Physicians doth vtterly condemne the whole practice of Law and physicke Besides there is in the Ministery as in al other professions a number that are in truth no Ministers but euen the scum and refuse of the Ministery and therefore it is against reason and equitie to turne their vile and dissolute behauiour to the generall disgrace of al godly Ministers Againe it is most true that the best Ministers that are are not freed from the common infirmities and corruptions of mankinde Iam. 5.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle saith of Elias that though he were a man of excellent graces yet he was subiect to the same passions that we are And as Paul and Barnabas confessed of themselues Acts 14.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the same word when the men of Lystra would haue sacrificed vnto them O ye men say they why doe yee these things we are euen men subiect to the like passions that ye be neither are they indued with greater priuiledges against sinne Rom. 7. tot then other men as the Apostle Paul though rarely sanctified doth acknowledge of himselfe And therefore Sen. de beata vita lib. 1. they are not able in all respects to performe and practise that which they teach to others For if they could doe according to their doctrine they were most happy Sen. epist 94. But alas they that are most diligent and conscionable in admonishing others cannot do it themselues And therfore men should rather labor to reape benefit by their preaching then to wrangle and cauill at their liuing For they are not to liue by the example of any man Matth. 22.16 but by the rules and precepts of the Word of God And if the Minister teach the way of God truly as the Pharises said of our Sauiour Christ though himselfe walke not alwaies with a right foote in the same Gal. 2.14 the people are to follow his doctrine rather then his life As our Sauiour Christ commanded the Iewes that though the Scribes did say and not do yet because they sate in Moses his seat they should obserue and doe whatsoeuer they bid them obserue Mat. 23.2 3. For doubtlesse as Saint Augustine saith well to this purpose He that teacheth wisely and eloquently De doct cir li. 4. and yet liueth wickedly hee instructeth many men by his preaching though he
it were with one consent Beza saith Let him consider diligently what the capacitie of his hearers is able to beare and what maketh to edification And Piscator Let him wisely distribute it and apply it to the necessities of his hearers And Aretius Let it it bee referred to the capacitie of the hearers for it is right when we propound to our hearers that which they are able to conceiue that which their faith can vnderstand and beare As a good Steward appointeth not so much food for an infant as for those that are at full age nor for a sicke as for a strong stomacke And Anselmus That thou mayest neither giue holy things to dogs nor cast pearles before swine but mayest declare the Word as it ought to bee according to the qualitie of euery mans person c. And Gorran namely By teaching and preaching according to the necessitie of the hearers that thou mayest giue strong meate to them that are perfect and to babes in Christ milke to drinke And Lira To propound words agreeable to euery one namely more high points for them that are wise and more plaine and easie lessons for the simple And the ordinarie Glosse According as is conuenient for euery one that he may distribute spirituall things to them that are profound and milke to little children And indeede this is the chiefe part of a Ministers dutie Luke 12.42 euen like a faithfull and a wise Steward to giue to euery one in the house their portion of meate in due season namely that that is fit for them and appertaineth vnto them Heb. 5.13 14. And the Apostle Paul compareth the grounds and principles of Religion and points of Catechisone to milke where with they that are babes in Christ must be fed and the higher and profounder points of doctrine vnto strong meate which belongeth to them that are of age c. Wherevnto his practice also was answerable For he saith he gaue the Corinthians milke to drinke and not meate 1. Cor. 3.2 because they were not able to beare it One and the same exhortation agreeth not to all men Oftentimes those things hurt some that profit other some Bread which strengtheneth the life of strong men Greg. in prolog part 3. past killeth little children Hearbs which nourish some kind of creatures kill other some and a light whistling which appeaseth Horses prouoketh Dogs And therfore the speech of the Teachers must be framed according to the qualitie of the hearers Spirituall doctrine should be deliuered after the manner of food wherein according to the rules of Phisicke foure things are to be considered First the substance of it that it be wholesome and fit to nourish not poysonsull and infectious so the doctrine that is taught for substance must bee sound and true not false and hereticall Secondly the qualitie of it that it be temperate and not too curious so the manner of deliuering the Word must be plaine and easie as hath bin said alreadie Thirdly the quantity of it that it be not too little for that weakeneth nature nor too much for that oppresseth and ouerwhelmeth So the Minister though hee neede not feare the excesse because hee is commanded to preach in season 2. Tim. 4.2 and out of season yet he must be carefull that he scant not the people of the Word and so bring that famine among them Amos 8.11 which the Lord threatneth And last of all the necessitie of him that eateth For one kinde of foode is fit for a sound body and another for a sicke one for a young man another for an old man one for a weake man another for a strong man There bee many things which are wholesome to him that is in health which are deadly to him that is sicke Honey is nourishing to old persons which yet they say hurteth children and breedeth gripings in the belly which gnaw the bowels Againe there must be varietie of food according to the qualitie of the disease As one kinde of medicine is not vsed for all diseases so neither one doctrine agreeth to al men To diuers diseases Jn Apolog. ad Gul. Abbat saith Bernard there agree diuers medicines and stronger to them that are stronger And a medicine that abateth one disease increaseth the strength of another Euery thing therefore must be fitted to the condition of the hearers The Husbandman considereth well the qualitie of the ground Virgil. Georg. lib. 1. before he sow his seede For there is no ground that is fit for all seede But some seede will grow better on one soile then on another And some plants will thriue and prosper well in one kind of ground Ouid. de art amandi which will not like at all in another So the Minister that is Gods Seeds-man must consider the qualitie of his hearers that he may fit his doctrine accordingly The Fisherman doth not alwaies vse one kinde of net Hee doth not fish with a casting-net in the middest of the Sea where the great fishes might breake his net neither doth hee spread great nets in the shore to take little fishes which might presently get out againe through the wide holes for so hee should lose all his labour but he fitâ—eth his nets according to the fish which he desireth to catch so the Minister who is appointed to fish men to life must apply his doctrine in such sort as hee seeth his hearers may be soonest caught Cur. past part 3. cap. 2. And therefore very well saith Gregorie to this purpose that it is a matter of great studie and labour that in exhorting euery man the Minister obserue and regard euery thing and that al things be dispensed to euery man that doe properly appertaine vnto him But much more laboursome is it at one and the same time with the voice of one common exhortation to admonish innumerable hearers labouring of diuers passions that as it were with a two-edged sword he may cut off on both sides the swellings of carnall thoughts and like wrastlers may turne himselfe cuery way in striking There are foure sorts of Ministers that come to be taxed and reprooued by this doctrine First such as spend the time in deliuering vnprofitable impertinent things such as tend not at all to edification As many take a great pride and busie themselues in answering friuolous and idle questions which themselues had made before for the ostentation of their wit A. Gellius lib. 4. c. 1. A man may say to them when they come downe as Phauorinus the Philosopher said once to a boasting Grammarian that had wearied him and others with an idle discourse They haue taught many things which they knew not before and which they had no desire to know Sen. epist 45. Or as Musonius said to such another Both the speaker and the hearers lose their labour Secondly such as delight onely to handle obscure and difficult points of doctrine such as few or none of their hearers
are able to vnderstand A thing which euen the Heathen men haue condemned Among the wise and ancient Grecians the difficult and hard points of their religion were neuer laid open to the discussing of ignorant people but were closed vp with silence And Varro remooued those bookes which hee wrote of the profoundest questions and darkest mysteries of Theologie from the sight and knowledge of the multitude and shut them vp within the wall of the Schooles Much more should the Ministers of the Word bee carefull not to handle deepe and intricate points of Diuinitie in the hearing of poore ignorant people 2. Pet. 3.16 lest being vnlearned and not able to vnderstand the same they peruert them to their owne destruction as the Apostle Peter saith Thirdly such as deliuer good and profitable doctrine but neuer apply it to mens consciences Doctrine and application should not be separated yea 1. Cor. 14.3 the Apostle maketh this the chiefe end of prophesying that is of preaching the Word namely to speake to edifying to exhortation and to comfort And he exhorteth TIMOTHEVS to giue attendance 1. Tim. 4.13 as well to exhortation as to doctrine And in his preaching to rebuke and exhort as well as to teach 2. Tim. 4.2 And the same he also commandeth Titus Tis. 2.15 And this himselfe practised in all his Epistles where first hee setteth downe matter of doctrine for the information of the iudgement and then proceedeth to matter of exhortation for the reformation of manners Doctrine indeed is profitable to perswade the iudgement but it is the application of the doctrine that must worke vpon the heart and affections to winne them So that application is the very life and edge of doctrine without which it is dull cold barren and as good as dead and doth little good vnto the hearers Not because there is any defect in the Word for it is perfect to all vses and purposes but because few or none will apply the doctrine to themselues if the Minister neglect to doe it For according to the common saying That which is spoken to all is spoken to none because euery man posteth it off to his fellow and will not take it to himselfe vnlesse the Minister lay it home to his conscience and so apply it Mat. 21.45 as Christ did to the chiefe Priests and Pharises as they may perceiue that he speaketh of them If a Phisician should prescribe neuer so excellent and approoued a medicine vnto his Patient yet if it be not applied it can doe him no good No more can the doctrines of the Word though neuer so excellent vnlesse they be applied to the conscience Ephes 6.17 Heb. 4.12 The Word of God is a sword yea a two-edged sword to cut both waies But it is like a sword in a scabberd and cannot cut at al vnlesse it be drawne out by application Now the bare reading of the Word cannot doe this it is the powerfull preaching of it that worketh this effect And therefore Stapleton though a Papist and therfore no great friend to preaching yet he preferreth it infinitely before reading Preaching saith he planteth yong beginners and watereth them that goe forward And in another place The voice of God soundeth most effectually in Sermons not in books And many times it commeth to passe Plin. Secund. lib. 2. epist. 3. that one and the same sentence which being read made no impression in the mind being spoken and deliuered in a Sermon doth mightily stirre vs vp and that which though we know it before in reading was not obserued in preaching is obserued with admiration 2. Cor. 4.2 and doth wonderfully please vs which before we passed ouer without any taste Last of all such as giue themselues to flatter their hearers handling the Word of God deceitfully or as it is in the Vulgar Translation Dominica 22. post Pcnte ost adulterating the Word which Stapleton wittily expoundeth in this manner They doe adulterate the Word of God saith he that doe not thereby seeke to beget children vnto God but onely to benefit themselues in pleasing mens humours as adulterers seeke for no issue but onely intend their owne pleasure These are they that fit their words not to mens diseafes but to their defires and doe not play the Phisicians but the clawbacks and the Parasites But euery faithfull Minister must first terrifie mens minds with the threatnings of the law and then if need stand raise them vp with the promises of the Gospell And they that after this manner diuide the Word aright are sure by Gods blessing to see some fruits of their labour in the Church The Minister must remember that he hath to deale as well with the wicked as with the godly and therefore hee must so temper his doctrine as neither the one may haue occasion giuen him to despaire nor the other may take to himselfe the promises of God when they are not due vnto him This peraduenture will bee troublesome and it may be will procure him hatred as the Galatians counted the Apostle PAVL their enemie Gal. 4.16 because he told them the truth But a Minister must not satisfie mens desires but faithfully execute that which God hath giuen him in commandement And as Physicians do many times powre bitter potions into mens mouthes whether they will or no and as Surgeons cut and seare mens wounds though they struggle neuer so if there bee necessitie so the Minister must not respect the daintie and tender eares of the people but must constantly aime at the ende of his Ministery It was spoken in the commendation of our Sauiour Christ euen by the mouth of his greatest enemies that he taught the way of God truly Matth. 22.16 and considered no mans person He taught in truth in his doctrine he spake nothing to winne the fauour of any man he deliuered nothing but what the truth it selfe suggested vnto him So must it bee with all the Ministers of Christ they must neither respect the displeasure nor the fauour of any man Stapleton speaketh very peremptorily They are the ministers of Satan that either perswade or promise or dare giue peace to a wicked man without repentance Finally this doctrine serueth to stirre vp euery one of vs to the faithfull and sincere performance of this dutie We must not onely rehearse the Word of God by the way but by diuiding it aright we must fitly apply it to seuerall places times and persons And whether we purpose to teach or to exhort or to rebuke or to comfort wee must not please mens eares with an emptie sound of words and with curious speeches made for ostentation but wee must labour to pierce euen into the hearts of men and to speake to their soules and consciences And therefore to shut vp all with that speech of Saint Chrysostome Lib. de sacerdou A Pastor standeth neede of great wisedome and sixe hundred eyes that he may euery way rightly discerne the disposition of mens minds that he may know when he is to deale mildly and gently and when roughly and sharpely FINIS