and by their Charity He is a Prophet and he shall pray for thee was the language of elder times Gen. 20.7 Gen. 20.7 And it should be the dialect of our dayes God forbid that Samuel should ever sinne against the Lord in ceasing to pray for * 1 Sam. 12 23. Luâ—her of Prayer Israel Prayer is one of Luthers three things which concurre to the making up of a good Divine and am sure it is the best conduite-pipe to convey every good and perfect gift from above into the Church beneath How would Amalek fall before the face of Israel did the firme stone of constant devotion keepe up the hands of faithfull Moses in continuall prayer Exodus 17.11 12. When good Alexander spends the whole night in Prayer Arrius that blazing Starre shall sooner goe out with an ill smell then come to be enthron'd in a chayre of expected honour Vide Socratis Hist lib. 1. We know not B what wonder working efficacy there is in the fervent Prayer of a righteous heart James 5.16 Memorable is that story mention'd by Xiphilinus the contracter of Dion X philinus de Marc. Anton. and we finde it also in that Epistle of Marcus the Emperour in that worke of Iustine Martyr When that Emperours Army not overcome by their enemies sword was like to perish for want of water The prayers of a band of Christians in the army brought down thunderbolts on the heads of their enemies and a cooling showre to refresh their own wants Were the prayers of Gods faithfull Ministers the Charriots and Horse-men of Israel shot forth with all their strength they might be able to crosse the Seas and like that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fall with the sweete influence of a refreshing showre upon the Tents of Gods Israel and as hote thunderbolts upon the heads of their Aegyptian Enemies Influence by charity But our Prayers also must be wing'd with Charity or else they will scarce bring the true Olive branch of comfort in their mouthes unto poore distressed Christans Sic mens per compassionem doleat ut larga manus affectum doloris Ostendat is Gregories rule The mind must so grieve over the miseries of others by compassion that the affection of the heart be shewed in the largenes of the hand Good wishes are the breaths of Charity they may bring some cooling blasts of lesser comforts but they are the hands of action must affoord the truest helpe The Starres above enjoy not their influence to themselves but cast it forth into the bowells of the Earth where they produce pretious mineralls and heapes of gold in those earthen Coffers These spirituall Starres in Christs Hand should not please themselves in a self fruitioÌ„ of their goodnes they should by some secret influence of their Charity produce golden mines of comforts in those fleshy cabbinets the bowells of poore dejected Christians Aurum habet Ecclesia Ambrose non ut servet sed ut eroget is the judgement of S. Ambrose God gives the Church her wealth not to imprison within iron barres but to helpe the distresses of the poore The stomack receives not the meate to keepe it to her selfe but sends it abroad into the other parts Stomachus Eccles Auth â—p imperf in Matthaeum The Ministers are as the stomack of the Church they receive not the mercies of God to be lock't up within the narrow confines of their own sole injoyement but to transfuse them thorough the veines of Charity amongst all the members of Christs body Luke 10.32 It should not be sayd in our dayes Levites passe by on the other side when Samaritans stand still to powre the oyle of Mercy into wounded travailers This will be ever expected from the Starres of Christ that they should have some good influence into the hearts of others by their prayers and by their Charity Ratio 4. Fourthly the Starres of Heaven are ever restlesse in their motion and yet never wearyed These Starres in Christs hand must imitate the diligence of their pattern by the practise of an unwearyed patience in the motion of their restlesse function The office of a Minister did never yet consist in idlenesse 1 Tim. 3.1 He that desireth the office of a Bishop desireth a good worke Laborem non delicias ut intermissâ Rachelis decorâ facie intret ad Leam oculis lippam as Hierome speakes A worke it is and not a play 1 Tim. 4.15 a leaving of Rachels fayre face to enter into bleare-eyed Lea. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our whole selves may be well imployed in the service of this work 1 Tim. 6.12 Timothy wil never find it a matter of ease 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Many bitter agonies attend the calling of a Minister Those indeed which have learned the art of casting their whole burden upon the backes of others reserving nothing to themselves Bernard sic Châ—ysost vocâ—t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lib. 3. 〈◊〉 Sacerd. know not whether S. Bernard speakes sence when he calls the Ministery Onus ipsis angelis formidandum a burden under which the Angells may well tremble The Poets fained of Pallas that shee left off her Trumpets when shee saw her cheekes began to swell with blowing It must not bee true of Christs Ministers that they cease to sound the Trumpets of the Sanctuary when their faces begin to swell with the fatnesse of the Earth We shall bee then most enemies to our own graces when wee doe least good unto the people Clemens Alex. Clemens Alexandrinus compares the graces of Gods Spirit unto wells of living waters Those wells which are continually drawn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 send forth their water more cleare and resplendent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But those turne to corruption of whom no man partakes We are all as lesser Cisternes partaking of the fullnes of Christ Simile the Fountaine of all Grace The water standing continually in the Cisterne may quickly corrupt and putrifie but the oftner wee turne the cock to powre out of those waters upon the parched ground of the peoples hearts John 4.16 v. a new supply of grace for grace will flow from Christ our Fountain It may seeme not without a mystery that God would have the Sheepfold the first Schoole of instruction unto his kingly Prophet and the fish-nets the first academy unto his blessed Apostles Amongst all the callings of men where more bitter labours then in the Shepheards hooke and the Fishers net Luke 5.5 Peter could passe the whole night in patient watching of his nets and catch nothing Iacob was content to be consumed with drought by day with frost by night least Labans sheepe should be stollen and his Lambes miscarry Gen. 31.40 What then must be the patience of Gods Ministers in their sharpest labours least the soules of Men more worth theÌ„ Lambes should miscary fall into the hands of that devouring Lyon If a shepeard loose a
traffique of dearest affections in the mutuall exchange of their gifts and graces The blunt whet-stone may sharpen the keener Knife and some more dull in knowledge may set a sharper edge of zeale on the subtle conceits of more refined wits Acts 18.24 26. Apollos mighty in the Scriptures might learne something from Aquila and Priscilla meaner persons The Jewish Rabbines confesse they came to understand that place in Esai 14.23 Esai 14.23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will sweepe them with the besome of destruction by hearing an Arabian woman speake of a Broome in her language to her mayde All this diversity of gifts come from one and the same spirit for the firmer union of the Church in love and concord The Starres seeme to us sometimes to eclipse the splendor each of other yet no jarring contention amongst themselves Lessen If the bright splendour of anothers grace should seem to lessen the shining of our weaker lights yet let not bitter contention marre the harmony of our spirituall Starres It came from the Penne of that Graecian Oratour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Demosthenes If any man have much and do us no wrong what cause have we to cast upon him the malignant aspect of an envious eye and to bite him with the teeth of envy Judges 5.20 The Starres which disagree not among themselves joyned in one to fight in their courses against Sisera and his Host Civill warres can never be good when a publick enemy is at hand to encounter with us Our best wisedome will be to leave off private discords and to joyne our mutuall forces against that common Sisera Satan the grand Captaine of all those troups of enemies which warre against the peace of Sion It 's full time B for Abner to cry unto Ioab shall the sword of brotherly dissension devoure for ever know we not that it will be bitternesse in the latter end 2 Sam. 2.26 2. Sam 2.26 It 's a bad presage of the bodies destruction when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Nazianzen speakes Nazianzen Orat. 1 a. the members contend amongst themselves That towring City will be soone turned into a Babel when once the builders are divided in their tongues One calls forbrick and they bring him morter another layes a stone in the building and a fourth pulls it down How should the towers of Gods Hierusalem come to any perfection when the spirituall builders are divided in their hands and tongues What happy successe would crowne the building of the Temple were all the workemen Vnius labii of one lip Gen. 11.1 God hath distinguished the members of the same body into severall functions Yet as Theodorete well observes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Orat 6. de providen Every part keepes natures operation peculiar to it selfe but the profit is extended in common for the good of the whole body It should be for the good and perfection of Christs body the Church not the division of his Coate that diversity of gifts hath made these spirituall Starres like their patterne not all alike in their quantity nor in their quality Eightly the Caelestiall Starres Ratio 8. though they be great in themselves yet they appeare small and little unto others The greatnesse of honour in these spirituall Starres of Christians should be so termed that others may judge them little in appearance in their own eyes by the practise of humility Paul was no sooner made a Starre of the primest magnitude not inferior to the cheifest of the Apostles but he appeares in his own eyes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes 3.8 ◠Cor. 12.11 Lesse then the least of all Saints Non est magnum esse humilem in abjectione saith Bernard Bernard the Low dejected estates of some men constraynes them to put on a forced humility Magna prorsus rara Virtus humilitas honorata This is the rarest virtue when honour and humility are concentred in one breast This will be our chiefest ornament when the honour and dignity of our calling is graced with this attendant of humility The dignity of the person may quickly mingle the Eagles Feathers of mounting pride amongst his choycest graces This Moth will soonest breede in the finest cloth of the best wits When Paul is lifted up to the third Heavens there is some danger of being carryed beyond himselfe unlesse Stimulus in Carne a good in the flesh drive him back Master Foxe was much delighted in that seeming paradox Mr. Foxes paradox that his graces did him most hurt and his sinnes most good The sight of his black feete was a meanes to keepe down the spreading of his white plumes whereas the continuall thought of his graces might have blowed up his heart with windy pride above the pight of other men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost as Chrysostome well observes The subtle Serpent knowes how to cast his poyson upon our best actions to make good Hezekiah swell with ostentation of his treasures This poyson is that which distempers the eye of our judgement and makes us account that pride in some which we would esteeme ornaments of grace in our own hearts the eye infected with a false colour will soon misjudge all things like her selfe A proud eye will acknowledge no man humble Humility B would be the best glue to joyne the hearts of Ministers in the nearest union of concord and affection When Epiphanius and Chrysostome yield too much unto a selfe opinion they may soon fall into sharpe contentions Let Epiphanius never come into his own Country and let not Chrysostome dye a Bishop were the breathings of a secret pride The Divell hath wrought mischiefe in the Church by nothing more then by sowing the tares of dissenting pride amongst the Clergy Parker Some have observed that no lesse then fourescore and eight kindes of heresies arose in the Church in the first 400. yeares after Christ they all sprung from an ambitious desire after the chayre of honour and the authours selfe-pleasing pride in the conceits of their own braines Psal 25.9 The Psalmist tells us the humble are those whom GOD will teach his wayes Wee know the descending into the lowest pits and deepest wells is the ready way to see those Starres at noon-day which others above us cannot behold when we keepe in the low vault of humility we may discover those Starres of divine truthes which others higher then our selves above us cannot so wel discerne when their eyes are swelled with pride It is no small honour that you are Starres in the right hand of Christ but remember the greater you are in dignity others should behold you like the Starres the lesser in appearance by the practise of humility Applicatio ad populum We have hitherto looked upon our selves in this Starry glasse I must in the next place desire to fasten the peoples eyes upon these Starres by some application unto them Applic. Are the ministers of the
anno 2533 that at the turning of a pot which he put into her hands the whole Towne might be set on fire The blindnes of those times sent for two Priests to lay downe the cursed spirit with their charmes and to quench those intended flames with their holy-waters But the Divell could soone answer that he feared not their threatning words Quòd alter esset Scortator uterque Fur. When one of them was an Adulterer and both of them Theeves The wisest charmes from the mouth of a loose-liver will little prevayle to cast the Divell out of his strong possession of a sinners heart I cannot deny but the master may send a good worke of charity by the hand of a bad servant and sometime saith Cyprian Per alium licet impenitentem misericors dominus alium revocare vult ab impenitentiâ Some like the playster may heale the wounded hearts of others and themselves at last bee cast into the fire Like the water of Baptisme to use Gregories Expression quae peccata Baptizatotorum diluens illos ad regnum Caeleste mittit ipsa in cloacas descendit In Hom. 2 Howsoever those only are most likely to pull down Satans strongest holds which bring the sword of the spirit in the hand of a holy life Camerarius in Theodoreti Histor Camerarius observes of Athanasius Mores illius oratio plus nocuere adversariis quà m scripta he hurt his adversaries more by his good life then great learning Our spirituall adversary Satan will be sooner vanquished with the unspotted sanctity of our lifes then the learned eloquence of our tongues It is indeed the most received opinion that the Caelestiall Starres doe virtually produce that heate in this sublunary world which is not inherent in themselves But the more ancient searchers into natures secrets could not well conceive how they should have power to give that unto others which they wanted in themselves â—en 1 â—1 aec opino â—ridet â—heodoreto 〈◊〉 prima â—rat de â—rovid Therefore Plato somewhat alters the phrase of Moses In the beginning God created 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Earth and the Heaven in his opinion a Globe of purer fire whereof the Starres are the more condensed parts Sure we are our spirituall Starres will have small or noe virtue to produce the heate of holynesse in the breasts of others if their owne hearts were never yet baptized with the fire of the spirit We may bring more hurt then profit to GODS Church Bernard if we be Catholici praedicando haeretici verò vivendo as Bernard speakes Catholickes in our doctrines and Heretickes in our lifes For of the two saith Isidore Pelusiota 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isidorus The bad example of our loose lifes may carry more soules to Hell then the good words of our golden tongues can convey to Heaven Theodorete Theodoretus hath observed in his first oration de providentiâ that God hath given the Starres not only to enlighten the nights darknes but hath made them also by the position and order of their motions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as so many markes and foote stepps to guide the wary marriner thorough the untrackt pathes of his watry voyage Christ would have his spirituall Starres to be such in the order and motion of their lifes that those which sayle on the Sea of this world may by the guidance of their good example be ledd safely to the Haven of future happinesse But when that light of grace which should shine forth in their lifes shall be turned into the filthy vapour of an Ignis Fatuus it will quickly lead many followers with them into pitts of destruction Natures instinct teaches the people to make their leaders life as their looking glasse whereby they dresse and attire their own manners Therefore it was as Minutius Faelix conjectures that the Devills policy made the Poets fayne their heathenish gods guilty of the worlds pollutions Minutius Faelix pag. â—78 Vt vitiis hominum auctoritas quaedam pararetur That the vices of men might get some authority from their example The falls of higher Cedars will destroy those lesser shrubs which grew under the shelter of their boughes Caput malum Caput mali is the physitians rule An evill head is the head of evill vicious humours will quickly flow thence to marre the health of the whole body Ieremy 23.28 15. From the Prophets in Hierusalem will prophanenes soone goe forth into all the land Augusti Confess let not then B S. Augustines complaint of his dayes be any longer true of ours Surgunt indocti rapiunt Caelum nos cum doctrinis nostris excludimur Why should we carry our literature about with us as Vriahs letter to be our owne destruction 2 Sam. 14.12 Suetonius reports of Iulius Caesar that when he was slayne in the Senate house there were those letters found about him which if he had but reade might have discovered his plotted death Pitty it were that any should dye in Hell with those letters that learning about them which if they had read in practise might have discovered a way to have escaped that eternall misery Why should not the same boate convey the ferry man as well as the passengers to the other side of Iordan into the Land of Canaan Levit. 10.3 Num. 11.11 Surely God will never endure unholy lives in those which are neare him and which should sanctify him before the people Moses shewed some want of faith in the matter of the quailes Numbers 11.21 yet this being done in private obtained the Lords connivence But when his more publick unbeliefe dishonours God in the sight of the people noe lesse then the losse of an Earthly Canaan must be his punishment Christ will ever looke that those which he honours bee Starres in his Num. 20. right hand should prayse him in the regulate motion of a well-ordered conversation as well as in the light of sound doctrine Aelian tells us that the high-Priest among the Aegyptians was wont to weare about his neck an ornament of a saphyre stone which was called by the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or truth Vrim and Thummim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 manifestation truth as the septuagint have it are such ornaments which should be ever found in the breasts of Gods Priests 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so the septuagint render their Vrim and Thummim on the breast of the high Preist under the Law manifestation and truth are such ornaments which must never be wanting from the breasts and hearts of GODS Priests Ratio 3. Thirdly the Celestiall Starres besides their light and motion have a secret influence into the deeper bowells of the Earth whither their light cannot reach These spirituall Starres in Christs Hand must have some good influence into the hearts of those to whom their light of Doctrine or example and motion of life cannot extend and that by their prayers Influence by Prayer
Sheep 1 Peter 5.8 though his Mr. should not grant him pardon yet saith Chrys it s but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his purse may redeem the losse Chrys de Sacerd. lib. 2 Only those which are entrusted with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the reasonable flocke of Christ if the Sheepe perish through their default the punishment extends beyond the purses reach to the losse of their dearest soules If a maÌ„ had the bloud of Christ in a Violl coÌ„mitted to his charge how chary would he be in the keeping of so rich a Pearle We have saith Bernard the soules of men committed to our charge Ezek. 3.18 more deare unto Christ then his own soule and shall we be carelesse keepers of such pretious Jewells Surely B the danger cannot be small which hangs over the neglect of those which watch over soules as they that must give account as the Apostle speakes Heb. 13.17 Heb. 13.17 Such was Chrysostomes apprehension of this danger that he professeth of himselfe in his sixth booke de Sacerdotio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He could never reade or thinke of that giving account but it fill'd his heart with feare and his joynts with trembling The bitter judgements of God upon some have made them feele the smart of this truth Euseb lib. 8. cap. 22. Eusebius observes in his eighth booke That it fell as a part of divine Justice upon some Ministers in the persequution of Dioclesian that for their not taking heed to the flock of Christ whereof the Holy Ghost had made them overseers Acts 20.28 they were made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 keepers of Camells instead of pastors of Christs sheepe Lutherus de Canonico Erphordiensi And Luther speakes of one whose unfaithfulnesse in his Ministeriall function made his dying tongue to tast the Gall of that bitter wish O utinam fuissem omni vitâ meâ subulci famulus I shall never wish that any in this assembly may ever have cause to give the English of this harsh Latine What sudden shame will cover the faces of some at the last day when Christ shall demand of them as Iohn the Evangelist did of that Bishop in Eusebius whose remisse care had been the ruine of the young man committed to his custody Age depositum nobis redde where are those many soules deposed into your hands and lost under your carelesse soule-starving education If the warmest bloud in our hearts were dissolved into droppes of sweate it were not too much to gaine soules Aron was to weare the names of the Children of Israel on the breast-plate of judgment upon his heart Exodus 18.29 The care of his peoples soules can never sit too neare the heart of a good Minister He must be willing to learne Pauls language to the Galathians 4.19 Gal. 4.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to carry his people in the secret wombe of dearest affections and feele no lesse then the throes of a woman in travayle till Christ be formed in the hearts of his hearers Such was the care of good Luther Lutherus If waiting on my Ministery all my dayes saith he I could gaine but one soule Eo contentus Deo gratias agerem content with that as a sufficient reward of all my paines I would give God the thankes For were a man able to see the beauty of a soule as Catharina Senensis a religious woman once spake Centies in die pro illius salute subiret mortem Siquis videre posset pulchritudinem unius animae Catharina Senensis Hee would not thinke a hundred deathes in one day too much to save one soule Howsoever B this be our portion in the short night of this present world to be in continuall motion like the Starres or herein rather like the Candle Alciats emblem of a minister to wast and consume our selves in giving light unto others yet there will bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Theodorete calls it elegantly Orat. â—rima de provid A day without an evening that shall never end in the darknesse of any sorrow this shall sufficiently recompence our greatest paines when as the silke Worme having spent and work't out our selves we shall end in the soft silke of eternall happinesse Mat. 5.12 Our Master bids us rejoyce in this great shall be our reward in Heaven Dan. 12.1 when those which turne many to righteousnesse shall shine as the Starres in glory Si labor terret merces invitet saith Bernard Bernard If the labour of our Ministeriall duty affright us yet let the greatnesse of reward encourage us to be like the Starres in the restlesse and unwearyed motion of our spirituall function Fifthly Ratio 5. the caelestiall Starres keepe their continuall motion within the circuit of their Heavenly Orbes The Starres in Christs Hand should have their conversation in Heaven farre remote from these earthly vanities Their lifes should flourish like the Palme-Tree Psa 92.12 as the Psalmist speakes of which Tree S. Gregory observes that shee growes least in the body or truncke neare the Earth and biggest in her boughes which are nearer Heaven Our affections should be like the fashion of the heart as nature hath layd it in that body narrow and close shut in that part which is to the Earth more broad and open towards Heaven Timothy will never please him that hath chosen him to be his spirituall Souldier if he doe suffer himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be intangled in the affayres of this life 2. Tim. 2.4 2 Tim. 2.4 The birdlime of earthly thoughts will keepe down the wing of the soule from mounting upwards by heavenly contemplations The cloggy body of the Earth interposed between our hearts and Christ will soon eclipse the beauty of our Starrie-lights It were well for the Church if the generation of those were quite extinct of whom Erasmus Erasmus speakes Decimatores potiùs quam praedicatores their tything tables are oftner in their hands then Gods Booke before their eyes But Clemangis thinkes it no wonder if some such be more greedy after the gaine of wealth then soules Clemang de corrupto ecclesiae statu Quib. pastores fieri tam charo constitit When they bought their shepheards hooke at such deare rates We see B nature hath so framed the eyes of our body that wee cannot looke up to Heaven and down upon the Earth at the same time Surely the eye of our Ministeriall function will seldome looke up by heavenly Meditations when the eyes of our mind are continually fixt upon the Earth Therefore Cyprian makes this the cause Cyprian Epist why the Levites had no lot of inheritance with the other tribes Vt in nulla re avocarentur nec cogitare aut agere sacularia cogerentur And Sulpitius Severus in his first booke of his sacred History Sulpit. Severus li. 1. de Histo thought good to commend the same example as a looking-glasse to the Clergy in his time which saith he
Gospell as Starres in the right hand of Christ then B what ioyfull prayse should fill the hearts and mouthes of that people whose eyes are blessed with the light of these Starres when the morning light appeares it teares off that mourning garment of sorrow which the Sable night had cast upon the body of the Earth The time was when the darkest night might have shewed you som similitude but no equality unto that dismall spirituall darknesse which tyranniz'd over our whole Nation Alas what joy could the Aegyptians have in their pleasant Land what comfort could Pharaoh take on his stately throne when palpable darkenesse clouded their faces But since the Starres of CHRIST sent from Heaven which at the first found 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Chrysostome speakes a Land full of the workes of hellish darkenes by the preaching of the Gospell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they have turned it into a lightsome Heaven How can their hearts bee voyd of joy which were once darke and are now light How should their mouthes be voyd of the sweetest tunes of prayse and thanksgiving which were once closed up with the silence of ignorance but are now opened with the beames of saving knowledge Hierâ—nym â— Vigil Hierome tells Vigilantius that the Christians in his time were wont to light up Candles at the reading of the Gospell ad ad laetitiae signum demonstrandum to hang forth a signe of their joy We little consider the darknes of our fore-Fathers in that night of former ignorance if we cannot rejoyce when the Starres of Christ cast upon us the rayes of his glorious Gospell It was the conceit of Aristotle that if the Angells should cease moving those Caelestiall Orbes men on Earth could not be able to moove a hand or foot How could we moove the least finger with any joy should the Angells of the Churches cease their spirituall motions whereby they convey that light of comfort to dispell the darkenesse of our greatest sorrowes Chrysostome in one of his Epistles reports of the Taurocilicians Chrysost in Epâ—st that they came about him in his banishment with weeping eyes and said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It had beene better that the Sunne should have withdrawne her beames then that the mouth of Chrysostome should have beene stopt with silence better it were B that the Sunne of all the earthly joyes should dissolve into nothing then that the light of these spirituall Starres should be withdrawne from you Micah thought there was cause enough to grieve when his God and his Priest were departed from him Iudges 18.24 Judges 18 24. Yee have taken away my gods and the priest and yee are gone away and what have I more What is this that yee say unto mee what ayleth thee We need not aske a people what ayleth them we need not demand a cause of their bitter lamentation when God shall depart from them by taking away those heavenly Starres which were wont to shine upon them with the splendor of saving truth What have they more to comfort them in the midst of such sorrowes The light of the Starres which in the nights darkenesse are our best comforts will quickly vanish at the arising Sunne In the night of this present world your chiefe happinesse flowes from the Starres in Christs Hand When indeed the Sunne of Righteousnesse shall appeare in the morning of the Resurrection there will be no more need of these lesser lights * Num. 27.21 Ephâ—d 1. Sam. 30. When once yee arrive at Canaan the clearer glasse of a more divine light the Deity better then the Priests Urim shall represent things to the view in bigger letters but whilst yee travayle thorough the Wildernesse of this world your eyes should be continually fixt on the Law of God in the mouth of his Ministers these pillars of fire to guide you in your rightest way Those which labour amongst you in word and doctrine account them worthy of double honour is the Apostles precept Honor subsidium is Hieromes interpretation The honour of your hearts the helpe of your maintenance is the reward due unto the labours of these Starres When we looke upon the manners of our dayes they give us cause to complaine with Nazianzen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Minister is now is now become a bare empty title Orat. 1. as if there were no honour due unto his function The greatest sort love indeed that language of that Grecians in Homer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To reverence the Priest Iliad 5 in tuit and receive his gifts Their fayre presents and large gifts may procure them some respect whereas otherwise Reverence should be no companion to their persons Bede informes us that the time was when the rarity of preaching had taught our fore-fathers such an esteem of Gods Ministers that when the Bishop of the Province did at any time send one of his Presbyters or Ministers amongst them they flocked about him with greatest joy Et ut Deum venerabantur and worshipped him as a god sent from Heaven Were the Sun-shine of the Gospell a little with holden from you ye would soon learne a higher account of the Ministers which like the light of the Sunne the more common the lesse esteemed And with the honour of your hearts you must adjoyne also the helpe of your Purses for the maintenance of these Starres It was the conceite of the ancient Naturalists that the coelestiall Starres are fed with exhalations arising from the Earth as a supply of Oyle unto those heavenly Lampes which shine for the good of this inferior world Sure we are these spirituall Starres must bee nourished with a supply of your maintenance for whose eternall well-fares they spend their best strength If we sowe unto you our spirituall light is it any great thing if wee reape your temporalls The blind Aegyptians were so devoute as not to suffer the bitter famine to compell their Priests to sell their Land 1 Cor. 9.11 And shall such pinching famine fall upon the Ministers of the Gospell in some places that they must be compelled to selâ— not their Lands of that they have none But their bookes and study-furniture to buy them food When the devotions of men in the dayes of Constantine had inriched the Church with large endowments there was a voyce heard from Heaven if we may believe Nauclerus Hodiè Venenum infusum in Ecclesiam This day is poyson dropt into the Church I am sure a farre worse poyson is spread in the hearts of many they can turne the Churches patrimony left by their Fathers devotion into a monopoly of their owne possessions Our age is full of such Dionysius's which are willing to robbe the Church of her golden Coate least it should make her proud they thinke a woollen garment will keepe her warme enough and make her humble Gods Ministers are fallen under the power of such cruell taskemasters that the tale of brick is expected without diminution and little or no Straw is left to worke with The woefull experience of many families hath made it a true observation that the Eagle seldome or never steales a piece of flesh from Gods Altar but shee carries a coale along with it which sets her nest on fire howsoever the glorious Sun-shine of their instant prosperity may make some ready to thinke that in earnest which Dionysius in Lactantius speakes in jest unto his companions Videtisne quà m prospera sacrilegis navigatio ab ipsis diis immortalib tribuatur You see how the Gods blesse sacrilegious persons with the pleasant wind of a prosperous navigation The sweetnesse of the Glebe distempers their palates that they cannot judge of the bitternesse of the sinne Their present felicity makes them thinke sacriledge a blessing and not a curse Yet sure we are Heaven and Earth shall sooner passe away then the least 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Gods Word shall faile It is a snare to the man that devoureth Holy things Prov. 20.25 Pro. 20.25 How many soules will cry out for vengeance against them when as God tells those extortioners Ieremy 2.38 in their skirts in their broad wings and golden lace is found the bloud of poore innocents Gen. 9.4 Levit. 17.12.13 14. The old Law thought it not fit that Gods people should eate the bloud of any beast Surely the Gospell will never judge it lawfull that Christians should feed and cloath themselves with the bloud of soules Therefore B it will be your best wisdome to walke worthy of the light of these Starres whilst yee doe injoy them Esay 22.1 least God in his just displeasure should remove them out of our golden Candlesticke We see that the Starres above keepe no one continuall place in our Hemispheare the evening shewes them in the West and the morning finds them in the East These spirituall Starres are in the right hand of Christ the hand fittest for motion He may quickly send them to enlighten those Eastern parts which were once light shining with a glorious light when we our selves sate in darknes â—nd in the shadow of death Esa 22.1 our valley of vision may be soone covered with the darknesse of our former ignorance if we begin to contemne the Starreâ— whence our light proceeds All your happinesse comes by the light of the Gospell therfore you may well bestow the honour and the maintenance upon these Starres in the Right hand of Christ And now if the time would give leave I should crave your attentions unto the Orbe where these Starres are scituate Dextrâ Christi that there you might behold their honour and their safety The right hand is the place of chiefest honour and of greatest strength to defend our friends It is no small honour to these spirituall Starres that they are with Bathsheba placed at the right hand of Salomon 1 Kings 2.19 And they shall ever finde sufficient strength in this hand to defend and protect them safe from the close-contrived projects of their wisest enemies But I must not be unmindefull of the other occasions therefore let us desire of God a blessing upon the word heard that after our daies in the Kingdome of grace we may be placed as Happy Starres on the right hand of Christ in glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 FINIS