of Christ and his religion shall never faile The heavens shall sooner loose their influence and the starres their light then the Ministry of the Church be without its strength and vertue Neither the open violence of tyrants nor the secret vnderminings of Antichrist nor hell it selfe shall ever be able to let or hinder it And thus much of the Efficacy and Operatiue power of the Ministry The authority and jurisdiction annexed therevnto is exceeding great and ample I stand astonished at the consideration thereof for among the sonnes of men there is none comparable to it Among the sonnes of men say I Nay among the Angells of God saith Chrysostome For neither to them nor to Kings or Princes but only to the Ministers of the Gospell are the keyes of the kingdome of heaven giuen These only haue power to open the kingdome of heauen to all that beleeue and to shut the gates against those that continue in incredulity These haue authority to binde and loose to remit and retaine sinnes to enter men by baptisme into the visible Church to admit them or withold them from the holy communion to cut off notorious sinners from the body of the Church by excommunication to deliuer them over to Satan and if they proue incorrigible by anathema maranatha to separate them from the Church vntill the Lord come Adde herevnto that whatsoever they doe here on earth by vertue of the keyes the same is eftsoones ratified by God in heauen according to that of our Saviour whose sins soeuer yee remit they are remitted and whose sinnes soeuer yee retaine they are retained and againe whatsoeuer yee shall binde on earth shall be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer yee shall loose in earth shall be loosed in heauen Now as the Iurisdiction of the Ministrie is wondrous great so is the extent thereof exceeding large For it stretcheth it selfe without exception of condition or degree vnto all men If I should say Angels also perhaps I should not say much amisse Else what meaneth that of the Apostle vnto Principalities and Powers in heauenly places is made knowne by the Church the manifold wisdome of God For seeing the Church maketh nothing knowne but by the Ministrie and the Angels come to the knowledge of the manifold wisdome of God by the Church it seemeth that they also are in some things informed by the Ministrie And thus at length to summe vp all that hath beene said you haue clearely demonstrated not only that the Science we professe is of all other the most transcendent and operation of our Ministrie the most effectuall but also that the authority and jurisdiction therevnto annexed is of all other the greatest and largest Out of all which I hope I may be bold to inferre the conclusion principally intended that our calling is therefore of all other the most worthy And is it so indeed that the Ministry is of all callings the most noble and honourable Then belike they that are advanced therevnto are accordingly to be esteemed Without question they are Reason telleth vs it ought to be so God commandeth that it be so The more strange it seemes that whereas all other sorts of men are regarded answerably vnto their places Ministers only are vilipended and least set by For that so it hath ever beene the monuments of former ages sufficiently testifie Noah was mocked of the old world Lot of the Sodomites Aaron of Korah Dathan and Abiron David of Michol Micaiah of Ahab and his false Prophets Elizeus of the children and Iehus captaines and generally all the Messengers and Prophets of the Lord by the Iewes In the new Testament Christ himselfe was set at naught the Apostles when they were filled with the extraordinary gifts of the holy Ghost were flouted at as full of new wine St. Paul when he discoursed most profoundlie before the Athenians of the mysteries of Christian religion was counted of them but a vaine Babler and vniversallie all the Apostles every where were no better reckoned of then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the offals off scourings of the world doe not we Ministers now a dayes drinke of the same cup or are we not baptized with the same baptisme wherewith Christ and his Apostles were yes verily Contempt pursues vs also and perhaps the more the more inferior we are vnto them Giue me leaue to shew it in particular if for no other cause yet to confound the hypocrisie of these times wherein men loue not to be but to seeme to be and to take religion on them rather then into them howbeit briefly for what pleasure can either you take in hearing or I in discoursing of so sad a theme The Honour due vnto the Ministrie is double Internal External Internal in the Minde in the Affection In the Minde honourable estimation in the Affection Loue. External in Word in Gesture in Deed. In Word honourable mention in Gesture reverent behaviour in deed liberal and bountifull maintenance All these Honours doe we iustlie claime as due vnto vs yet are they all most shamefully denied vs. For as touching the first it is as cleare as the sun at noone-day by what hath beene already said that the Calling of the Ministry is in it selfe aboue all other the most honourable Expresse testimonie of Scripture vnanswerable arguments deduced from it haue sufficiently manifested the same Now wee know that reason would that every thing be valued according to the worth thereof and very simple doe wee count him that sets no better price vpon silver then lead vpon gold then copper vpon emerauds and diamonds then pibble stones Which being so it followeth that the Ministry of the Gospell being indeed so pretious a jewell as in the iudgement of all accordingly to be esteemed and very foolish or froward must hee needs be that disesteemeth or vndervalueth so invaluable a treasure And yet how many are there in these daies who despise this sacred function and set it at nought some happily through ignorance not knowing the worth thereof but others out of profanenesse preferring a messe of pottage before a birth-right An evident signe and token whereof this may bee among others that those of the better ranke either for wealth or gentility count themselues too good for the Ministry and hold it a foule disparagement to bestow their children that way No that is an employment fit for poore mens children only Or if at any time they vouchsafe to designe their sonnes therevnto they are but of the yonger sort ard such as they finde altogether vnapt for any other calling for otherwise the law or marchandise or some trade of more advantage swaies them and carries them cleane away Nay even those that are of good parentage and equall vnto others if once they enter into the Ministry they hold them abased thereby and the very name of a Priest shall bee cast into their teeth as a notable
presence is the fulnesse of ioy and at his right hand are pleasures for euermore fulnesse of ioy not drops or showres of ioy lightly to bedewe or besprinkle vs but riuers of ioy flouds of ioy euen to bath our selues in And looke as vnwilling as a naturall man would be who enioyes the light of the sunne to returne backe againe into his mothers wombe so vnwilling would a glorified Saint be to returne from this shining glory and fulnesse of ioy to the honours and pleasures of this world The seuerall and different degrees of this reward are clearely represented vnto vs by the difference betweene the brightnesse of the firmament that of the starrs They that be religiously wise though they neuer haue the function nor the gifts to teach shall shine as the one but they who haue both the calling and abilitie to teach and withall a blessing vpon their labours thereby to turne many vnto righteousnesse as the other as the brightest starres for ever and ever I am not ignorant that some learned Divines haue not only doubted of this disparity of glory in the Saints but haue denyed it and disputed against it yet those very men haue confessed it to haue beene agreed vpon by the generall consent of the Fathers which for mine owne part I must professe I am vnwilling to forsake specially where the Scripture and reasons drawne from thence are so faire for it and in the analogie of faith nothing against it That there are diversitie of gifts and withall that we are to covet the best gifts S. Paul hath made it evident and our Sauiour that of the seed which fell in good ground some brought forth an hundred some sixtie some thirty fold and what they teach we find confirmed by daily experience That there are different degrees in grace then there can be no question and I thinke as little that there shall be in glory since grace is but a steppe to glory and glory againe the crowne of grace He who hath told vs that in his Fathers house are many mansions seemes to haue intended not only a multitude in number but a difference in order and so did the ancients vnderstand it Let vs heare one for thē all Apud patrem mansiones multae sunt tamen evndem denarium dispares laboratores accipiunt quia vno cunctis erit beatitudo laetitiae quamuis non vna sit omnibus sublimitas vitae saith the great Gregorie in the last chapter of the fourth booke of his Moralls In my Fathers house are many mansions and yet the labourers who entred the vineyard at different houres receaued every one the same penny because all shall enioy the same happinesse though some be advanced to an higher pitch of glory As in vessells some are bigger some lesser yet all are full to the very brimme and of eyes some are stronger some weaker yet all behold the same sunne of righteousnesse yet shall not all vessells of glory be capable of the same measure nor al gloryfied eyes be fixed vpon their blisfull object with the same strength sed in eisdem mansionibus saith the same Doctor erit aliquo modo ipsa diversitas concors quia tanta vis amoris in illa pace nos sociat vt quod in se quisque non acceperit hoc se accepisse in alio exuleet But in these many mansions there shall be a friendly kinde of diversity because so forceable shall be the charity of the Saints in that eternall peace that what every one hath not receaued in himselfe he shall reioyce to haue receaued in and by another He that gained two talents to his Master and he that gained fiue they are both commended for their faithfullnes both entred into their masters ioy yet as their talents were at first bestowed vpon them according to their seuerall abilities so no doubt but their reward was in some sort proportionable to their severall gaines which partly appeares in this that the talent which was taken from him who had but one was conferred vpon him who had gained fiue and not vpon him who had gained but two It is by all Divines freely acknowledged that there shall be different degrees of punishments in hell in as much as it shall be easier in the day of iudgment for some then for others and some shall be beaten with more others with fewer stripes why not then different rewards or rather different degrees of the same reward in heauen It is true that for the greater terrour the degrees of punishments are thus differenced in Gods iustice according to our deserts yet may it well be that for our better encouragement likewise in his mercy he hath thus proportioned out these different degrees in our reward not for any merit of ours but partly thereby to quicken vs in the way of vertue and godlinesse and partly to shew his truth as in disposing of all things so of his rewards as a man that hath many sonnes and promiseth to proportion out his Legacies to them as they shall shoote neerer or farther off the marke set up by himselfe conditionally that they hitt the butt is in a manner bound to bequeath him the fairest portion who comes neerest the white not for the merit of the sonne but by reason of his owne promise Little is the knowledge God knowes very little which we poore wormes here crawling vpon the face of the earth haue of things that are in heauen farther then in holy Scripture they are revealed vnto vs yet thus much we know that those blessed ministring spirits by their maker called Angels because they are his messengers sent forth to minister for their sakes who shall be heires of saluation are not all of equall ranke some being Cherubins and Seraphins others thrones and dominations some of an inferiour sort and therefore termed Angels only others of a superiour in that regard styled Arch-angels which how to interpret or accord were they all equall for my owne part I must professe I cannot possibly conceaue Now as in the life to come we shall be like the Angels free from the vse and want of those perishable things which this life stands in neede of so likewise it is not improbable but the gloryfied Saints may some way resemble the different orders in the severall distribution of rewards and to come somewhat neerer my text and withall fully home to the poynt in hand There is saith the Apostle one glory of the sunne another glory of the moone another glory of the starres and one starre differeth from another in glory then presently inferres so shall it be in the resurrection as one starre differeth from another in motion in situation in colour in influence in order the starres in their order fought against Sisera so likewise both in bignesse and brightnesse and so shall it be in the resurrection Behold saith our Sauiour I come quickly and my reward is with me to render vnto euery man according as his worke
you never so vprightly yet if either you want a talent or hauing one you employ it not it profiteth you nothing Againe haue you never so rich a talent and employ it never so diligently yet if your life answere not your doctrine it availeth you nothing Either through your inability or idlenes or wickednes you murther the soules of men and God will require their bloud at your hands What he hath giuen you he will surely take from you and when it is gone you cannot but grow worse worse vntill you rise to the height to impiety and plunge your selues into the bottomlesse pit of everlasting perdition It is a fearfull speech of Saint Chrysostome Quis vnquam Clericum lapsum paenitentem vidit Who ever saw a Minister recover himselfe after his fall by repentance And indeede it is but seldome seene For the sins that are single in others being double in him and an idle word in an others mouth being as it were blasphemy ' in his God punisheth him more rigorously then hee doth others When once he giueth over the conscience of his calling the spirit of God departeth from him as hee did from Saul and then looke what degree of excellency hee held before into the same degree of basenesse he degenerates afterwards The strongest wine turneth into the sharpest vineger and the noblest Angells sinning became the vgliest Divells In like manner is it with vs. And if wee who are the Salt of the earth once loose our savour wherewithall shall we be seasoned Wee are thenceforth good for nothing neither for the land nor the dunghill but only to be cast out and troden vnder foot of men Take wee heede therefore that wee dishonour not God least he dishonour vs for our God is a jealous God and his honour is as deare vnto him as the apple of his eye If wee beare both Vrim and Thummim in our breastplates and carry our selues in his sight both as Good Ministers and Good men neither shall wee any way dishonour him neither shall wee be causes of contempt vpon our selues but shall exactly and perfectly obserue this Apostolicall charge See that no man despise thee Yea but will some say when yee haue done all yee can doe and haue performed the will of God on earth as the Angells doe in heauen yet can you not escape contempt from all but some will still despise you Grant it Yet for all this Ne pudeat Evangelij let vs not be ashamed of the Gospell of Christ. for it is the power of God vnto salvation If it proceede of Ignorance because they know not the worth of the Ministry let vs say with our Saviour Christ. Father forgiue them for they know not what they doe If parents beare much with froward children and Physitians with their franticke patients why should not wee pardon much more vnto those whose soules wee hope by the grace of God to saue If it be of wilfulnesse then let vs put on the greater minde and with the Emperour Severus While wee are carefull of doing our duties little care what others say of vs. Let them spit against Heaven as long as they list it will surely fall downe in their owne faces againe Their perverse judgements are to bee neglected ad honesta vadenti contemnendus est hic contemptus of all them that aime at a Crowne of Glory this contempt must be contemned If wicked and sinfull men should honour vs wee had reason to suspect our selues least all were not well with vs but if they despise vs wee haue cause to thinke the more honourably of our selues God ceaseth not to be good though it seeme not so vnto some Neither is the Sunne darke because blind eyes see not the light thereof Let ignorant lewd wretches thinke as they please yet maugre them all our calling is of all other the most honourable and wee our selues if wee be both Good Ministers and Good Men deserue of all double honour Which if wee cannot obtaine of some yet shall wisdome still bee iustified of her owne children Our owne consciences the Saints of God his blessed Angells shall honour vs yea as the Prophet speaketh wee shall be glorious in the eyes of the Lord and our God shall be our strength with him is our reward Hee will make vs rulers over many things heere and in the next world enter vs into eternall Ioy. For as Daniel saith with whose comfortable words I conclude this exercise They that be wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament and they that turne many to righteousnesse as the stars for ever and ever FINIS THE DOVE-LIKE SERPENT OXFORD Printed by I. L. for E. F. 1633. MAT. 10.16 Be yee therefore wise as Serpents and innocent as Doues FOR the better guiding and ordering of our actions in regard of those offices which we are to performe each vnto other our Saviour in the Gospell hath giuen this exact perfect rule Doe as you would be done vnto Which rule the Emperour Alexander Severus though a Heathen so approued and admired that he caused it to be engraven in his Palaces and all publike buildings and in publike executions also the Crier was commanded to proclaime Quod tibi fieri non vis alteri ne feceris doe not to another what yee would not haue done to your selues Breefly so much was this sentence applauded and esteemed that at length it was related as a maxim or principle into the Ciuill law But here happily some will say that it would not be amisse to practise this rule towards all if a man might finde the like measure of charity from others againe but if others offer wrongs and indignities vnto me may not I returne like for like For the better direction of our affections in such cases our Saviour here prescribeth another most excellent and absolute rule Bee yee wise as Serpents and innocent as Doues a sentence worthy to be engrauen not only in Princes Palaces and places of publike iudgement but euen in the hearts and consciences of all true Christians For it is as if he should say in regard of the evils yee may otherwise suffer Be yee wise as Serpents but in regard of your owne practise bee yee innocent as Doues And of this Text at this time it beeing as I suppose both seasonable and profitable yet breefly considering the many and important businesses to succeed All I haue to say touching these words may bee reduced to two heads first Christs counsell secondly the limitation of the practise of it Christs counsell is Be wise the limitation Be innocent both expressed by way of allegory or Similitude the Counsell be wise as serpents the limitation Be innocent as Doues The meaning of all yee shall the better conceaue if yee giue me leaue in the person of Christ thus to paraphrase it I doe indeed aduise you for avoiding of danger and securing of your selues