from him to treat with their fellow-Creatures in the business of Religion and to communicate the Mysteries of the Gospel to them which by a just Analogy may also be attributed to all succeeding Ministers who are legally appointed to serve at the Altar of Christ and to Minister to his People in Sacred things Which is the second part of the Proposition and respects the Office and employment of the Persons spoken of in the Text They are the Stewards of the Mysteries of God that the Gospel of Christ or the Doctrine of Christianity is intended under this Phrase will most evidently appear if we compare this Expression of the Apostle with others of the like Nature and then consider the most genuine import and signification of them in Col. 2.2 the Apostle professing his ardent Zeal and Sollicitude for the Church of God at Colossi and Laodicea inserteth this very expression into his prayer for them that they might be united with one accord into the the knowledge and profession of the Mysteries of God of which he affirms in the next Verse That all Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge are contained in them the same he calls their Faith in Christ Vers 5. And receiving Christ Jesus the Lord Vers 6. Which Phrases can admit of no other Exposition to explicate their sence and meaning than to signifie the Christian Doctrine which at the first was delivered by the Lord and afterwards confirmed and perfected by them that heard him Parallel to which is that Illustrious Aphorism of St. Paul 1 Tim. 3.16 Great is the Mystery of Godliness that is the Religion of Christ which prescribes the most excellent and perfect Rules of Piety and that this notion requires so general a signification appears by the several branches enumerated by the Apostle as a Basis or Foundation to support the Church of God which were the common received Articles of the Christian Religion For that men might not wander eternall◠in the dark and an everlasting blindness possess their Souls it hath pleased the infinitely Wise and Gracious God to communicate to the World by Divine Revelation many sublime and mysterious points and whatever else is necessary to be believed and observed in order to Mens Salvation and that these things might be perpetuated to the World and secured from the corruptions or invasions of Enemies it seemed good to the Holy Ghost to commit them to writing in the Sacred Records of Holy Scripture which by an especiall providence are preserved entire to this very day in the Canonical Books of the Old and New Testament which latter was the only Foundation laid by the Apostles and therefore the Catalogue of Books contained therein the sum and substance of the Christian Faith which St. Paul saith was made manifest and known to the Saints and so certainly could not remain in unwritten Traditions for then it would have been hid from the World Rom. 16.26 And another Apostle calls it the Faith once or at once delivered Jude 3. Which directly opposeth any Innovation or Introduction of Doctrines into the Gospel after its consummation by the Apostles which is an assertion of such Catholick verity that all the Writers in the Church of Christ have constantly acknowledged it till those few persons in the late Councel of Trent durst venture to reject the universal Tradition of the Church and run counter with the best Antiquity which is plainly demonstrated by the incomparable industry and elaborate inquiry of the late Reverend Bishop of Durham in his Scholastical History of the Canon of Holy Scripture So that though the Writings of Apocryphical Authors may be Read in the Church of God for example of life and instruction of manners yet the Governours of our Church in Compiling her publick Liturgy have appointed no part of those Books to be Read but what is agreeable to Canonical Scripture and always accounted their Authority too weak to lay any Foundation for or to establish any necessary Doctrine upon Which was the Judgment of Saint Jerome concerning this matter who was also the most strenuous Assertor of the certain and indubitate Catalogue of Holy Writers for speaking of the Writings of Apocrypha he saith Legit quidem Ecclesia sed eas inter Canonicas non recipit and though we receive the Name and Number of Canonical Books from the Authority of humane Tradition and upon the same credit believe those Copies which now we enjoy to be Authentick and in all material parts agreeable to the most Primitive Writings of the Evangelists and Apostles yet we dare not receive the Traditions of men as the Doctrine of God nay we utterly reject such Impositions as presumptuous and impudent and are afraid of the Curse of God if we should receive them as Articles of Faith because the Holy Ghost in the Comsummation of the Gospel hath consign'd and Sealed it up with an Anathema Rev. 22.18 19. Itestifie c. Therefore the Church of England according to the practice of the Catholick Church in all Ages since the time of the Apostles hath prescribed the same Canon of Scripture and utterly disclaimed all pretence of Adition to or Detraction from it as 't is recited in the Sixth Article of our Religion So that the written Word of God the Sacred Records of the Gospel the several Contents therein the various parts thereof and no other Writings or Traditions whatsoever are that depositum committed to the charge of all Ministerial Officers whose duty it is to preserve and improve the same according to the pleasure of their Lord and Master for this purpose they are constituted Stewards of God and Dispensers of Holy Mysteries thus St. Paul affirms in general 2 Cor. 5.18 19 20. God hath given Us the Ministry of Reconciliation and committed to Us the Word of Peace that we are Ambassadours for Christ to pray men in Christs stead to be reconciled unto God and in particular proclaims of himself that he was appointed a Preacher of the Gospel and an Apostle and a Teacher of the Gentiles 2 Tim. 1.11 And for this reason he exhorts Timothy to stir up the gift of God which was in him by the putting on of his hands to hold fast the form of sound words which he had heard of him and to keep by the Holy Ghost the good thing which was committed to him Vers 6 13 14. To which agrees that description of a Minister or President in Sacred affairs delivered by that Mystical Divine that he is the proper Interpreter of Divine Theology 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Angel of Almighty God being to learn from those Divinely inspired Oracles and then to teach and explain them to the Church And if the Commission of those Apostolical Persons be restrained within the prescription of certain bounds that they durst not go beyond the command of the Lord to do either good or bad of their own mind had power to say nothing in the name of Christ but what he communicated to them
by Divine Inspiration and none to diminish ought of what he bid them speak for though they enjoyed under Christ the greatest preheminence imaginable in Relious affairs yet they durst not detract from or add to the will of God by Preaching up their own fancies and the imaginations of their own Brains this St. Paul professeth of himself 1 Cor. 2.1 to 7. And both the Evangelists and Apostles do seriously protest that whatever they delivered to the World as to all the main and necessary parts of Doctrine they received it from Christ in Person or by Revelation from the Holy Ghost as we may well believe considering those miraculous gifts and graces which were communicated to them which was an irrefragable demonstration of the Spirit and Power of God by which they spake 't is highly absurd to imagine that their Successors should have greater liberty in the Church of Christ and especially at such a vast distance of time from the propagation of the Gospel and the cessation of Miracles indeed it might be deservedly accounted a Miracle not the least if we should be Soveraign Lords over mens Consciences or have absolute dominion in matters of Faith if our Ambassage should be of an unlimited Nature like the command which Tiberius gave Drusus upon a certain expedition Nullis certis mandatis exre consulturum that every man might have the power of a Plenipotentiary and deliver what seems good in his own eyes when every tittle of our Errand is comprized by God ratiâ—ed and confirmed fâ—om Heaven and explicitely contained in the grand Charter of our Commission the Records of the Gospel So that as the Civil Law adjudgeth those Ambassadors guilty of High Treason who transcend the bounds and limits of their Commission and both Modern and Ancient Histories Record that such presumption hath received a just recompence of reward the Apostles always accounted it a Sacrilege most horrid and inexcusable in the sight of their Master and loaded that Person with a most dreadful Anathema who should presume to broach his own Inventions and to intermingle them with the Doctrine of the Gospel Gal. 1.8 9. If we or an Angel from Heaven Preach any other Doctrine then that ye have already received let him be accursed which Apâ—stoâ—ical Constitution is of equal Authority in the Church to this very day for in reference to that Text is that gloss of St. Austin Maledictus est qui quidpiam praedicat praeterquam quod in Scripturis Legis and Evangelii recepimus And if these things be true what just indignation may the Master of our Religion conceive against the presumption and boldness of the Church of Rome which advanceth the Pope into His Tribunal and ascribes a like power might and dominion to him as to the eternal Son of God! For though Christ alone can instruct us in the Laws and Ordinances of his Kingdom and by the influence of his Spirit direct us in the way of life though that pretended Vicar of Christ be styled the Minister of our Lord and in his Canons and Decrees subscribe himself Episcopus servus Servorum Dei yet dares he proudly usurp the most proper Offices of his Master and boldly assume the Title of Head of the Church For he as they confidently boast hath received full Authority from Christ to deliver the whole will of God to the World and to decide all Controversies in Religion who according to them is certainly infallible when he acts as Head of the Church whom the Holy Ghost doth continually attend in Council lawfully Summon'd and in his Consistory assists him to Judge infallibly of Spiritual affairs he hath Supremacy over the Souls of Men can dispense with Divine Laws dissolve mens Obligation of obedience to them and secure their Persons from the wrath of God which for their disobedience they justly deserve he can constitute new Articles of Faith and impose his definitions on the whole World as Credentials necessary to mans Salvation the Keys of Heaven are delivered to him for though Chritst alone opens and no man shuts and shuts and no man opens Rev. 3.7 Yet by Succession to St. Peter he dares Sit and Reign as Universal Soveraign by his Papal Authority determining the Conditions of Life and Death and according to mens observation of them adjudging them to the one or other as if he that Reigns in Heaven above and Rules on Earth beneath had ceased to execute his Kingly Office over the Church and had derived it to St. Peter as his immediate Successor and to the Pope as Universal Vicar That these are indeed the Principles of the Church of Rome and not the slanderous suggestion of Protestants is apparently manifest not only from the Writings of their private Doctors but from the decretals of their general Councils and the most solemn Bulls of several Popes in which they have acted so directly opposite to the Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the Gospel that they have exercised Authority over Christ himself and by their Traditions made the Gospel of Christ of no effect Witness that Decree concerning the Canon of Scripture in the Fourth Session of the Council of Trent Celebrated under Paul the Third wherein it was declared that the Books of Apocrypha and all their unwritten Traditions are equally the Dictates of Gods Spirit with the most Canonical Scripture Synodus Libros Scriptos sine sc traditiones tanquam velore tenus a Christo vel a Spiritu Sancto dictatas pari Pietatis affectu ac reverentiâ suscipit ac veneratur Si quis autem sciens prudens contempscrit Anathema sit and as necessary to confirm any Article of Faith and to prescribe Rules for the regulating of manners and therefore to be embraced with the like affection of Piety and received with the same religious Reverence under peril of the most dreadfull Anathema And now I appeal to the judgment of and sober considerate man whether such Doctrines as these are agreeable to the Tenor of the Gospel and becoming the Ministers of Christ or not rather highly derogatory to the dignity and honour of his Majesty as being palpably erroneous and horridly blasphemous if tried by the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament which are the only Canon of Faith and good manners We have hitherto considered the Doctrine of the Text which was naturally contained in the two former Particulars that the Apostles and all other Persons lawfully Consecrated into their Spiritual Office are the Ministers of Christ and the Stewards of the Mysteries of God Now both the Nature of the precedeing Discourse and the Order of the Method propounded require our consideration concerning the last Particular which contains Two practical Inferences deduced from the truth of the Apostles Assertion One respecting the men to whom these Persons are employed as Ministers and Stewards Let a man so account of Us The other relating to the Persons themselves to whom this Office is committed Moreover 't is required in Stewards
civil Powers have prescribed in Particular most contrary to the Canon of the Apostle 1 Tim. 5.17.18 That those who labour in the Word and Doctrine be counted worthy of double honour for the labourer is worthy of his reward And an Ordinance of Christ himself 1 Cor. 9.14 That they which preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel Such as refuse to attend to his Ambassage though of Divine Authority and neglect to consider the grand importance of it though he speak the very Oracles of God and discourse to them of the Kingdom of Heaven Such as scorn to endure the reproof of their Minister though never so just and necessary and are inraged at his reprehensions though ushered with meekness wisdom and gravity whose affections are so corrupt and their Spirits so haughty that they become his enemies because he tells them the Truth and if the Power of their hand were equal to the Passion of their hearts would Parallel the Oppression of Ahab the Impiety of Jehoiakim or the Cruelty of Herod Et alia insunt stolida vana vel si molliùs acciperes miseranda sed non ad invidiam ista verum conciliandae misericordiae refero Which Epiphonema of the Historian may be expouned by the words of the Apostle in the Language of the Holy Ghost we are made a Spectacle unto the World to Angels and to men we are fools for Christs sake being despised and reviled I speak not these things to shame our enemies but as a faithful Minister of Christ to warn and remember them 1 Cor. 4. â—9 c. Father forgive them they know not what they do they consider not what reproach and affront they cast upon thy Son our Master when they contemn and dishonour us his immediate Servants which yet our Lord hath expresly signified Luk. 10.16 He that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me But that we may be perswaded better things of the People in our several charges may this Petition be inserted into our daily Litany that they will cheerfully ascend to the House of God to recieve instruction will attend with reverence and devotion to our Words of Exhortation will impartially examine and seriously consider the rational importance of our Doctrines and Admonitions and either friendlily inform us if any Error or Corruption fall from us or if we speak the truth in Christ and lie not faithfully believe and sincerely obey us But whether Men will hear or whether they will forbear let us remember the Vocation whereto we are called that arming our selves with the resolution of St. Paul Acts. 20.24 That ther Bonds nor afflictions shall move us neither will we count our life dear unto us so that we may finish our Course with joy and the Ministry we have received of the Lord Jesus 2 Cor. 6.4 c. We may attain the Christian simplicity and courage of that blessed Apostle And approve our selves the faithful Ministers of Christ and good Stewards of the Mysteries of God Which is the Second Inference delivered in the Text and respects the Persons who are the Ministers and Stewards of the Gospel that they be faithfull in discharge of their Office commited to them Moreover 't is required in Stewards that a man be found faithfull the just design of which Exhortation will be fully answered by them if they be endowed with these two qualifications First A good understanding of their Office and Employment Secondly A good Conscience in the discharge and performance of it First A good understanding of their Office and Employment is necessary in the Stewards of God that they be found faithfull for 't is impossible that men be faithfull in their Stewardship whose intellectuals are Naturally defective or their understanding though capable of improvement yet rude and ignorant in the knowledge of their duty How can they discharge the Office of Teachers that have need to be taught the first Principles of the Oracles of God Or how can those Persons instruct their People in the Mysteries of Religion that are Novices in the Faith of Christ and know not those Canons by which the House of God is to be ruled and how shall they then take care of the Church to preserve it pure and undefiled or be able by so und Doctrine to exhort and convince the gainsayer 'T is our Saviours observation if the blind lead the blind they shall both fall into the Ditch So necessary 't is that the Ministers of Religion be themselves sufficiently instructed that they may communicate to others in all Spiritual knowledge And as the Lacedaemonians called the Governours of their City 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they framed the dispositions and fashioned the manners of their Subjects according to the Laws of their repective Communities and the Wise Athenians for the same reason gave their Rulers the same denomination and styled them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they constituted good and wholesom Laws for the direction of the People and used most prevalent means to have them observed So God that Soveraign Lord of his People hath given the like Appellations to the Deputies in his Church the Ministers of Spiritual affairs as Seers Prophets Overseers and Stewards that from the signification of their Name they may be put in remembrance of their duty that the Preists lips should preserve knowledge and the People should seek the Law at their mouths What the Office of a Minister in general is hath been already discoursed when we considered that depositum committed to his charge and for whole service it should be employed the substance of which is that the whole will of God concerning mans Salvation be faithfully delivered and explain'd as 't is contained in the Gospel of Christ the particular Offices wherein this general duty is to be performed are briefly comprehended in those short instructions recommended to the Ministers of Christ in their Ordinations to them are committed the blessed Sacraments of the Christian Religion that as opportunity serves and necessity requireth they Administer those Sacred Rites in the Church of God Mat. 28.19 1. Cor. 11.24 25. by Baptizing such as are duly disposed for that Solemn Ordinance and distributing the Holy Communion to those pious and humble Souls that are Religiously disposed to celebrate the honour of God in that Sacred Institution and into their hands me S. Sc are put who are Commanded to Solemnize the worship of God is publick either as Priests to wait at the Altar of Lord to intercede with his Majesty in the behalf of the People and to present in their stead Prayers and supplications and thanksgivings to him this St. Paul gave in charge to Timothy 1 Tim. 2.1 2. And for this reason that great Apostle so frequently inserts his Petitions in his Epistles to his beloved Converts protesting that he should sin against God if he neglected to pray for them and resolving never to omit so necessary a duty and upon
this accout those publick Offices were composed in the Primitive Church and Hours of Prayer appointed that the Priests might almost continually be praying for the People according to which practice 't is commanded by our Church that the Ministers of Religion offer up a Morning and Evening Sacrifice to the Throne of Grace in the publick Service and Liturgy of our Church which in all Cathedral Churches and Collegiate Chapels is duly observed or as Ambassadors to treat with the People in the business of Religion and reveal the Will of their Maker to them faithfully explaining the Gospel in its true and prosper sence and framing their discourses according to the qualities and capacities of their Auditors that their understandings may be well informed in the Principles of Religion and their hearts strongly confirmed in the Faith to warn sinners of the evil of their ways and to Preach up the duties of a Practical Religion to present them with the most convincing Reasons and powerfull Exhortations to a good Life if by any means the hearts of men may be inclined to the love and their lives to the practice of as universal Piety Hitherto may be referred that necessary Office of Catechizing the Christian youth by some short and familiar Questions concerning the Essential parts of Religion which if duly performed by the Ministers of Religion would in a great measure prevent that infidelity and profaneness so scandalous and offensive in the Christian Church even by those which are arrived to the use of Reason and the exercise of their understanding For this purpose that admirable Compendium of the Christian Religion the Catechism of our Church is commanded to be learned by every Baptized Person before he be confirmed by the Bishop that he may be able to give an account of his Faith before he be admitted to the Holy Communion But the duty of a Minister is still of larger extent The Apostle tells us and experience too truly manifests what busie Agents the Emissaries of Satan are to disseminate the Doctrine of Devils and to spread abroad most damnable Errors of which sort are they that creep into private Houses and lead Captive silly Women laden with divers lusts and those false Teachers who being unruly and vain Talkers and Deceivers call in Question the most undeniable Principles of Religion and turn the grace of God into lasciviousness whose folly should be made manifest to all men and their mouths stopt that they proceed no further which is certainly the duty of those men to whom the word of God is committed that they may be able by sound Doctrine to convince and reclaim the gainsayer Tit. 1.5 9. For 't is absurd to conceive that the care and vigilance of Ministers whose employment is to watch over Souls and to endeavour their Salvation may without affront to their Lord and Master be inferiour to the pains and solicitude of those Seducers whose business is to tempt and intice men to sin and thereby to ascertain their eternal Damnation So that 't is undoubtedly their Office by Private instruction and admonition as well as by Publick to contend earnestly for the Faith of Christ against the clamorous and impertinent cavils of malicious Spirits and false Apostels to study the preservation of the Truth in the hearts of those unhappy Persons that are assaulted by them that they neither embrace the Errors of those men nor fall into a state of sin and Death and to wrestle with God by their most fervent and importunate prayers till their People are delivered from the snares of the Devil and their Souls confirmed in the way of life thus St. Paul when he had called together the Elders at Miletus committed to them the Flock of God and warned them of false Teachers that they faithfully watch against their Invasions least they draw away Disciples after them Acts. 20.28 29 30 31. Add to all this the gross Ignorance of many which cryes aloud for Personal instruction the open Prophaness of others which stands in need of the most serious Admonitions and seasonable Reprehensions from their Spiritual Guides and always the Visitation of the Sick is incumbent on them who according to thier various conditions require the most affectionate Exhortations and convincing Arguments to confirm their Patience to increase their Faith to quicken thier Hope to compleat their Repentance and to perfect their Charity All which the Apostle hath Ordained as a perpetual Office in the Church James 5.14 Is any man sick among you let him call for the Elders of the Church and let them pray over him and the prayer of Faith shall save the sick All which particulars are briefly recommended to the Care and endeavour of Polycarp Bishop of Smyrna by Ignatius Bishop of Antioch and comprehended in the Epistle of Polycarp to the Presbyters of Philippi as their necessary and indispensable Offices These are the several parts of the Ministers Office and are therefore necessary to be known by the Stewards of God that by these Spiritual Ministries they may faithfully discarge their duty in the Family and Houshold of Christ And so I proceed to the Second branch of the Apostles Exhortation to the Ministers of Christ viz. A good Conscience in the discharge and performance of their Office And if the Solemnity of our Ordination or the Injunction of our Lord and Master if the manifold Advantages which our faithfulness will infallibly effect or the severe Account we must render to God concerning our Stewardship if any or all of these have any weight and importance in them they lay the strictest Obligation upon us to engage our faithfulness in the work of the Ministry For in our Ordination we received Authority to preach the Gospel and explain the Scriptures to Administer the Sacraments and other Rites and Ceremonies belonging to the Church and when we received Institution from our Diocesan were strictly enjoyned to watch over the Flock of Christ of which we were oppointed Overseers and if the Gospel of our blessed Saviour be of Divine Authority what variety of Precepts are then delivered by God himself There being neither an Evangelist nor an Apostle but from the Spirit of the Lord prescribes our Duty and requires our Fidelity Besides the Glory of God is extremely concerned the Salvation of our People lyes at Stake and our own everlasting Doom most certainly depends upon the faithful Discharge or wretched Neglect of our Office and Employment For by the strength of this Argument St. Paul exhorts Timothy to discharge his duty with the greatest care and a good Conscience I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdom that thou observe these things 1 Tim. 5.21 2 Tim. 4.1 But because he that is unjust in his own affairs will scarce be faithfull in Administring the goods of others I mean if our Consciences be loose and treacherous in ordering our own lives we shall discover
but little Conscience in prescribing Rules and Directions to others or if we do employ our knowledge and our strength to explain the Mysteries of Salvation to the Souls committed to our charge we cannot challenge a Blessing from God upon our endeavours nor rationally expect that our labours should be successful for God himself hath taken up a quarrel against such men Psal 50.16 17 Unto the wicked saith God What hast thou to do to declare my Statutes or to take my Covenant in thy mouth seeing thou hatest instruction and castest my words behind thee therefore I will reprove thee and set thy sins in order before thy eyes And the Apostle assures us that such men are inexcusable before God and that his Sacred Name is blasphemed by them Rom. 2.1 17 --- 24. And as our People may justly upbraid the Indecency and absurdity of our Lives when our Actions confront our Doctrines and our Manners give our Preaching the Lye as St. Jerome hath observed Perdit Authoritatem docendi cujus Sermo opere destruitur so they may be provoked to reproach and contemn the Gospel it self as an unholy Institution or a fabulous Legend like those in Salvian's time Si Christus Sancta docuisset Christiani Sanctè vixissent Of what great concernment is it then that we demonstrate our knowledge in the sound Mysteries of Religion by our Reverent apprehensions of them and a Religious deportment in the whole course and frame of our actions correspondent to them That every Article of the Christian Faith of whose truth we labour to persuade our People be influential upon our Practices in such proportion 1 Cor. 14.24 25. that if there come in one that believeth not or one that is unlearned into our Assemblies he may be convinced and falling down on his face worship God and report that God is in us of a truth And every Precept in the Body of Christianity which we binde upon the Consciences of men and exhort them to practice may be delineated so fairly in our Lives and Conversations that others seeing our good works may glorifie our Father which is in Heaven Such was the faithfulness of our Apostle in this particular that without any remorse he could take the Philippians by the hand and lead them to the Practice of every good work by the conduct of his own Example Brethren be ye followers together of me and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an example Phil. 3.17 And in his Epistle to these he appeals to their own Consciences to judge in what manner of Conversation he walked among them 1 Thes 2.1.10 Your selves Brethren know our entrance unto you and ye are Witnesses and God also how justly and holily and unblameably we behaved our selves among you Lib. 3. de Jub Dei P. 78. for which reason Salvian so highly and deservedly commends him Boni Domini bonus famulus singularis Magistri praeclarus imitator And now Brethren we see our Calling and are we Conscientious in the management of it We have heard our Profession and are our Practices answerable to it We cannot I am sure be ignorant of those Arguments that oblige our Faithfulness and do they preswade us to a constant Universal Obedience Or are not the best of us too little serious in the work of the Ministry and therefore our labours the less successful Do we persuade our People in the Mysteries of Godliness and press them to unfeigned Repentance and uniform Obedience to the Laws of Heaven as men that know the terrors of the Lord and believe without these things our Auditors shall perish Eternally Do we intreat exhort and beseech them as it were for their Lives and Salvation Or do we count our Office a burden and substituting others into our Stewardship are indifferent what Persons labour in the Vineyard so we may eat the Fruit thereof and receive the Profits in their appointed Season Do none of us by our scandalous lives disgrace the Gospel we Preach and so offend our weaker Brethren by laying a stumbling Block in their way to Heaven and scandalizing them by our licentious Courses I come not into this place to Caluminate any much less to accuse my Fathers and my Brethren this work I refer to the scrutiny of every mans Conscience and the Inquisition of our Spiritual Governours And I heartily wish that every Minister in this Assembly after the strictest Examination will be found to have approved himself a faithfull and wise Steward in the House of God that our care is to rertench the sins and impieties and to repair the Schisms and Divisions in the places were we live that we are obedient to the voice of our exact Conformity to her Laws and Canons and Brotherly kindness to one another that in our Instructions and Exhortations we display the odious Nature of sin in its proper colours that sinners may blush and be ashamed at their prophane and vicious courses And use the most prevalent Rhetorick to set forth Vertue to the life to represent it with our utmost skill in the most amiable and lovely attire that men may be drawn as with Cords of love to Court and embrace her and above all these things that we keep our selves unspotted from the sins of the World for hereunto are we called to be blameless and harmless as the Sons of God without rebuke that our Conversations may be living Sermons and our Sermons the lively Oracles of God These are the qualifications to make us faithfull Stewards in the Church of God We must be Wise to understand the Mysteries of Religion lest we be deceived by the Stratagems and Sophistry of Imposters and Faithfull lest we seduce and delude others We must be Learned in the word of God that in our Doctrines we may shew Incorruptness Gravity Sincerity and found speech that cannot be condemned and Conscientious in Preaching the same that he who is of the contrary part may be ashamed and those that gainsay the faithfull Word of God by the soundness of our Doctrines and faithfulness of our Labours may be convinc'd Who then is a faithful and wise Servant whom his Lord hath made Ruler over his Houshold to give them meat in due Season Blessed is that Servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing For he shall say unto him Well done thou good and faithfull Servant thou hast been faithfull over a few things I will make thee Ruler over many things enter thou into the Joy of thy Lord. FINIS