and dashed all their ioy and mirth laied it in the dust But was this all Oh no no besides all this they that led vs captiues required of vs songs and mirth when wee had hanged vppe our harpes saying sing vs one of the songs of Zion Oh the wicked Babylonians came scoffingly and tauntingly and mocked them by their religion and flowted at the very name of God which was praised in their songs and this cut the very heart strings of them in twain as the proud Spaniard would scoffe at vs and our religion if the Lord as iustly he might should deliuer vs into their handes Come on you Protestants would they say let vs heare now one of your Geneua psalmes c. Oh this would go to the heart of vs if wee had anie sparke of Gods spirite in vs to heare God thus and his holy religion had in derision of his wicked enemies Here then we may learne that wee neuer see what a benefit it is to haue religion and the ministery of the word vntill it be taken from vs. 〈◊〉 â—4 3 Though Dauid alwayes loued religion yet neuer so much as when hee was in trouble and banishment for then he coulde make his mone vnto God and say that the sparrowes and the swallowes were at a better passe then he because they might come and build their nests neere vnto the altar of the Lord and they could haue a place in the Lords house when hee was shut out Then did his soule long for the presence of the Lord againe 〈◊〉 42.1 As the Hart longeth for water when shee is chased then was his meate nothing but teares and his drincke stil mingled with weeping and then did he poure out his soule vnto God like water and his bones were as it were cut a sunder so great was his griefe then wheÌ„ he remembred how he had gone with the multitude into the house of the Lorde with songs of praise and thanksgiuing as vnto a feast which nowe he could not do Amos. 8.14 And this is that which Amos prophecieth of when the Lord shall bring a famine of the word of god vpon the land theÌ„ shall men run vp and downe from one place vnto another yea from one sea to another and from North to South to seeke it and shal not finde it for he that wanteth meate and health and libertie can best tell what they be worth And the rather to prouoke vs to a loue of these heauenly things we are to note that religion and libertie goe both together The Kings of Iudah neuer prospered better then when they embraced most zealously the worde of the Lorde And most true is that saying of the Lorde Iesus that if wee first seeke as many did the king dome of GOD and the righteousnesse thereof Mat. 6.33 then libertie then peace then health then riches and then all other things shal be cast vpon vs. It foloweth 15 And I will giue you Pastours according to my heart As if he should say whereas before you went into captiuitie you had pastours that were either dumbe dogges that could not teach you at all or false prophets that taught as it stoode with their aduauntage so that you could neither haue knovvledge nor conscience to serue me for which cause I sent you into captiuitie 〈◊〉 5.13 nowe I will not only bring you home againe but I will also giue you wise and godly pastours which may teach you how to serue me rightly and may also call vpon you to serue me faithfully that you may goe no more into captiuity Here then we may note first that a wise and a learned ministerie is a most needful thing in asmuch as without it it is not possible tru religion shoulde continue And therefore when God beganne an ordinary religion he commanded that Aaron and his sonnes and the tribe of Leui should be sanctified to the office of priesthoode to offer sacrifices for the sinnes of the people and to teach and instruct them in the vvill of the Lord shewing thereby that religion could not be vpholden without some special means to teach and direct the people therein According to my heart that is such as I shall like and approue that shall haue their calling from me and their gifts from mee and their allovvance from me and shal teach for me and reproue for me and shall seeke nothing but my glorie and your good such as my selfe shall like of so is Dauid saide to be a man after Gods ovvne heart that is such a one as God taketh delight in and approoueth and that is Gods heart indeed for the Lord hath no heart nor head nor body nor hands nor feete nor eies nor mouth nor eares as man hath and as the grose Papistes haue set him out in their pictures vpon their vvindovves c. But these partes of man are attributed and giuen to God after the manner of men for mans better vnderstanding of the nature of God for euery man knovveth to vvhat vse these partes of mans body serue the eie to see by the eare to heare by the mouth to speake by the hand to worke by the foote to goe by And sometime these partes in man are in the scriptures put for the qualities and properties that be in them and sometime for the actions and deedes that are vvrought by them as appeareth in the fift chapter of the gospel after Saint Matthew vvhere it is said by our sauiour Christ if thy eie offend thee plucke it out or if thy hand offend thee cut it off his meaning is that men should take heede of such things as are done by the hand and by the eâ—e and so by the rest to the offence of God or our neighbour And it is an vsuall thing in our common speaking amongst men vvhen vve see any mans vvriting we say this is such a mannes hand and yet the writing is not his hand but his handy worke When we heare one speake wee vse to say that is such a mans tongue or I knovve him by his tongue and yet his speech is not his tongue but a thing vttered by the meanes of his tongue So likewise in God there are such properties and qualities which are indeed his very essence and being and are described in the Scriptures for our better vnderstanding what the Lorde is vnto vs as knovvledge and wisedome and vnderstanding and might and strength and iustice and mercy and prouidence and loue and hatred and anger and liking and disliking and many moe vvhich are all set foorth eyther vnder the partes of mans body or by other creatures whose natures are very well knowen vnto men And how could we better come vnto the knowledge of Gods vnspeakeable nature so farre as is meete for vs to knovve but by such things as we are familiarly acquainted vvithall our selues for doe not al men know that strength doth vtter her force by the meanes of the arme and that knovvledge and
vnderstanding doe enter into the heart by the eie and the eare â—o not men declare their mind by word and by writing doeth not loue and anger lodge in the heart and doth not the countenaunce bevvâ—ay the liking and disliking that is in the heart and who is so simple that knovvetâ— not these things Therefore when the simplest shall heare the scriptures call God a spirite and tell vs withall that a spirit hath no flesh nor bones as men haue and yet shal heare the same Scriptures to attribute vnto God a head a heart together with eies and eares and a mouth and a face and a soule and feete and such like as if he were not a spirit but a man must they not needes conceiue that there is something else meant by such kinde of speeches which they could not so vvell vnderstand nay not at all conceiue if God should vtter himselfe as hee is in himselfe and not by such things as are familiar with mans vnderstanding and not to imagine so grosly as the grose headed idolatrous Papists do that God is a man indeede and hath the parts of mans body indeede Therfore vvhen vve heare of the Lords hand or arme vvhat can we vnderstand thereby but his omnipotent power might and strength vvhereby he is able to do all things which he vvill doe Other arme and other hand the Lorde hath not for he is a spirit When we heare of the Lords eies and eares vvhat can we conceiue thereby but his knowledge vnderstanding which is such that nothing can be hidden from his maiestie but that he seeth and knoweth all things at one instant other eares and other eies the Lord hath not for hee is a spirit When we heare of the mouth of the Lord what else can we vnderstand thereby but the reuelation of his will other mouth the Lord hath not for hee is a spirit When we heare the Lords head is as white as wooll what can we gather thereby but the eternal wisdom of God 〈◊〉 1.14 because wisdome is coÌ„monly attributed to the grey headed other head and haire the Lord hath not for he is a spirit When we hear of the soul or heart of God what can we concerue thereby but the Lords liking or disliking of a thing otherwise the Lord hath neither heart nor soule for hee is a spirit When we heare of the light of Gods countenance 〈◊〉 46. what else can we vnderstand thereby but the tokens of his loue and fauor otherwise the Lord hath no countenance smiling or frowning as men haue for he is a spirit And when we heare that God is a spirit wee must not concerue thereby that God is circumscribed within any certaine place as some heretikes haue thought â—â—stici because a spirit is so but we are to learne thereby that he is of a spirituall substance and inuisible nature but altogether vnspeakeable infinite and incomprehensible And thus we see what is meant by Pastours according to Gods heart that is such as his maiestie shall approoue and like of Nowe let vs see what wee may learne from hence The Lord promising and purposing to do his people good yea the greatest good that can be if they turne to him he saith he wil gaue them pastors according to his liking such as he shall approue and delight in to teach vs that there can come no good vnto Gods people but by such meanes as God doth like of To build vp Gods church in faith and repentance and to keepe the same in the holy obedience of Gods lawes there is more required then to haue pastors and dctours they must be such as God doth like of These are tokens of Gods loue to his people and shal do good in their places and turne many vnto righteousnesse where others are tokens of Gods wrath and are giuen in his wrath as Saul was to the Israelites to be a plague vnto the people These that are approued of God haue their gifts from God and are sent forth with his blessing that they may prosper beget many soules to God The other are made barren and accursed that they can doe nothing but onely supply the place of pastours but the sheepe cannot feede in their pastures it is so sower or if they feede they cannot thriue because it is not blessed for as the body liueth not by bread onely so the soule liueth not by doctrine onely but by the blessing of God vpon both Daniels diet was but water pulse yet with that did hee like better then they which had their porcion from the kings table because it was Gods allowance and went with a blessing So they that haue pastours according to the Lords own heart are many times fed but with plaine yet pure doctrine and their soules are better fed with knowledge their faith is more strong their repentance is more sincere and their life more reformed then theirs that are fed after a more stately and princely manner which ostentation of humane learning and eloquence because it it is gods allowance and goeth with a blessing whereas the other commeth and goeth like the winde which onely puffeth and bloweth at men and so leaueth them as it found them In the twenty three of Ieremy the Lorde doth most notably describe such prophets as are not according to his heart In the 23 hee calleth them liars and dreamers to shewe that there is no credit to be giuen vnto them more then vnto hars neither is there in their doctrine any more certainetie then is in a dreame In the sixe and twentieth verse hee saith they delight in lies which he calleth the deceit of their owne heartes to shewe from what fountaine they draw all their licor euen out of the filthy puddles of their owne braine In the twenty seuen verse hee sheweth what is the fruit of these dreames namely the name of God is forgottten by their meanes amongest the people a most horrible sinne to forget GOD as if the deuill himselfe should teach In the thirtie verse he calleth them theeues because they steale the word of GOD away from the people like those that are still dissembling and discouraging men from the reading of the scripitures after the manner of the popish synagogue for feare that their wickednesse shoulde be descried by the light of the worde They that robbe by the high waie take awaie but mens money or their worldly goodes but these robbe mens soules of the most precious worde of GOD therefore they are the greatest theeues And the better to effect their purpose the Lorde sayth in the one and thirtieth verse that they haue verie sweete tongues and can make the people beleeue that the Lord saith this and the Lord saith that when it is onely the deceit of their owne heart In the two and thirtieth verse he saith they are flatterers and through their flatterie they cause the people to erre in a word he saith that the Lord neuer sent them neither
of this gift 〈◊〉 1 1â— he saith that the grace of God which bringeth saluation hath appeared meaning the gospel to shew that men cannot be saued without it so great so good so excellent and so necessarie it is All other blessings are of the grace of God there is an enriching grace a healthy grace and a wealthy grace and a healing grace c. But this is called the sauing grace of GOD. Dauid preferreth it before his kingdome because it did comfort him in his affliction if thy word saith he had not beene my comfort in my affliction 〈◊〉 119.92 I had perished to shew that the word of God is better then a kingdome This may make the children of God the more to loue such messengers as bring such tidings of peace and to feare such a God as giueth such gifts vnto men but as for the wicked whose eies the god of this worlde that is Sathan hath blinded to them it is but as a tale of a foolish thing for they are like the swine which finde more sauour in the mire then in sweet perfumes or like the dunghil cocke that had rather find a graine of corne then a precious stone If sweete floures be giuen to him that hath his sences they will smell sweete but a dead man feeles no sweetnesse in them though they be put to his nose so the spirituall and regenerate man shall feele the sweetnes and goodnes of this gift but the carnall man in whome is not the life of the spirite shall neuer make any account of it Againe the faithfull doe not onely loue the giuer for his gift but also maketh much of the gift for the giuers sake as men will say of their friends giftes or tokens I will not part withall I wil keep it full daintily though they haue no vse for it for his sake that bestowed it on me much more doe the faithfull reuerence the ministers of Christ and their pastours which labour amongest them in word and doctrine and are ouer them in the Lord they make much of them yea they haue them in singular account for their workes sake and keepe them very carefully both because the Lord gaue them and they haue a maruelous comfortable and heauenly vse of them to eternall saluation Whereas the wicked who neuer knew the worth or want of good Pastours nor the necessitie of knowledge and vnderstanding doe they take them to bee sent of God as tokens of his loue or as the onely meanes of saluation or doe they feare the Lord euer the more for such gifts or do they loue and reuerence the gifts for the giuers sake or doe they account of them for their sake No no such matter they knowe not what these things mean they take them rather for their enimies â—ng 21.20 as Achab did Eliah who said hast thou found me O my enimy they take them as men sent of the Lorde or rather come out from the deuill to plague them 〈…〉 and to â—â—ouble them as Herod and Ierusalem thought of Christ and after that rate doe they vse them with all reproches and mockes that can be deuised with al disdaine with all manner of iniuries and slanders and thus doe the wicked rewarde their pastours which feede them which they woulde not doe if they did take them as the gifts of God but al this ought not to discourage pastours and preachers of the worde because base persons doe basely account of them but rather confirme them in the saithfull execution of their office taking the hatred of the worlde as a sure token of their ministers effectuall working and let them learne to play the parte of a nurse with their people who hath manie a foule hande with the childe before shee can bring it to anie perfection And let them bee content to become like torches which burne out themselues while they giue light vnto others not feareing the faces of men because the Lorde is a brasen wall betweene them and their aduersaries and though they bee ill rewarded of the worlde yet let them bee glad for as much as they looke for their reward from the lord who hath set theÌ„ a worke I wil giue The last thing we haue to obserue here is that the Lord doth not onely say you shall haue pastors but I will giue you pastours according to my heart if his people will repent hee will performe that which is promised none other for him this is greatly for the confirmatioÌ„ of the churches faith when the lord himself doth promise a thing vndertake the performance of it himselfe If a maÌ„ had made such a promise the performance remaineth doubtful because he wantoth power or skil or constancie his minde may alter or meanes may faile or hee may bee crossed with some higher power but with the Lorde is no such thing for he hath both power and skil and is alwaies the same and changeth not neither is there any power aboue him to crosse his maiestie If an angell from heauen had made such a promise yet the performance is doutful because he is but a creature is subiect to the checke controlement of the Lord but if god say he wil it shal be as the Centurion said Luke 7.7 Lorde doe but speak the word my seruant shal be whole wheÌ„ the power wil of god do meete then there wants nothing to let the matter but our sins Lord if thou wilt saith the leaper thou canst make me eleane I will saith Christ be thou cleane and immediatly the leprosie was cleansed But this people were in captiuitie 〈◊〉 8.3 their enemies had dominion ouer them how wil the Lord restore them very wel for the lord is able to do it either by force of angels as he deliuered Peter out of prison or by men or by other creatures as he delt with Pharao or by turning their enimies hearts as he turned Saules heart when he followed Dauid to kil him â—â—ns 24.18 according to the saying of Salomon When a mans waies please the Lorde hee will cause his foes to become his friends 〈◊〉 16.7 or without meanes onely by that worde whereby hee made heauen and earth and all the worlde 〈…〉 1. when matter was wanting Hereof we haue many examples God said he woulde make Israel a mightie people 〈◊〉 2.10 could Pharao preuent it no though hee said Come and let vs worke wisely with them lest they multiply c. God said Dauid should be king could Saule preuent it no though he said I wil giue him my eldest daughter vppon condition that he bring mee a hundred foreskins of the Philistines â—am 18.17 25. thinking by this pollicy to make a riddance of him God said Elizabeth shal raigne could any defeat her no though first they sifted her for treason as conspiring with Wiat and then Gardiner the wolfe cried stil stub vppe the roote stub vp the roote then how many waies
deceiued constancy is wanting in the Iewes which wil crie Crucifige and Hosanna and almost all with a wind so that Christ is executed there wanted in Pharaoes butler thankfull remembrance of his friend so that Ioseph is forgotten mercie in Rehoboam wisedome and discretion in his yong counsellers and a good name in both is wanting so that Quicquid delâ—rant reges plectuntur Achiui The whole land smarted for their folly In al men wanteth somewhat the whole world hath not all things no the worlde hath no interest in vs for wee are chosen out of it by that GOD that saith heere I am your Lorde There are not wanting the contrarie which like scorpions should driue vs from the world to the Lord as the malice of Cain the hatred of Esau the villanie of Ioab the vnkindnes of Haman the trechery of Iudas the cruelty of Iezabell the sicknes of Achab the churlishnes of Nabal the dissembling of Ananias as the breasts of the world are not benointed onely with sower things but the verie milke that it yeeldeth bitternes it selfe for all is but vanity and vexation of spirite There wanteth not ignorance weakenes vnwillingnes vnfaithfulnes in all imperfections in the best nothing certaine but al changable as the moone fading as the flours of the field vanishing as the smoke in the aire al waxe old as a garment and as a vesture shall we all be changed What shal I say the whole world is set on mischiefe But with the Lord our god the case is otherwise for he is almighty therfore of ability to reward the godly to punish the wicked He is our father in Iesus Christ therfore willing to receiue vs when we turne vnto him he is also a iust God therefore wil plague those which wil not turne vnto him he hath al knowledge knoweth al things therfore he will knowe Barrabas from Barnabas Esau from Iacob Bethauen from Bethel Simon Magus from Simon Peter Iudas Iscariot from Iudas the brother of Iames Shibboleth from Sibboleth 〈…〉 12. â—â— 23 â— 10 and who shall deceiue the Lord He is not as the sonne of man that he should change his mind therefore he must needs be constant and his counsell shall stand Psal 135. â— He cannot be letted or his purpose for he is in heauen doth whatsoeuer he wil Esa 49. he cannot forget his children for he hath written them in the palms of his haÌ„ds Psal 121. â— He is always watchful ouer his children for he that keepeth Israell doth neither slumber nor sleepe A second information shal not miscarrie him for hee that knoweth all at once needeth no information No oratour shal turne his mind for he wil neuer alter the decree that is gone out of his mouth yea his counsel must needs stand against whoÌ„ no wisedom no counsel nor strength can preuaile Pro. 21.30 If he hath conceiued any displeasure against his children hee wil soon be intreated vpoÌ„ their repeÌ„tance Psa 103. he calleth vs he perswadeth vs he entreateth vs to turne obey him therfore let vs turne againe he claimeth it as his right it is for our benifit he shal get nothing by our seruice if vve neuer serue him he vvil loose nothing by vs if we be saued he shal be glorified if we be daÌ„ned he vvilbe glorified also for no vvay vvil he loose a iot of his glory therfore let vs turne again obey him he coÌ„mandeth it in his law wheÌ„ he saith Thou shalt haue no other gods but me we coÌ„fes it in our beliefe wheÌ„ vve say I beleeue in God the father almighty we pray for it wheÌ„ we say our father hallowed be thy name c. therfore if we doe not turne againe we breake his law we deny our faith and we mocke God himselfe in our prayers His mercies should moue vs to obedience his promises shuld allure vs to obey him If he correct vs it is that we might obey him if he plague vs it is because we obey him not but if he doth beare with vs and forbeare vs it is to see whether his long suffering and patience will drawe vs to repentance The Lord is our Lord and stil offreth vs mercie we are his children and alwayes owe him duetie hee is our Lorde in goodnes power wisedome iustice mercie prouidence and in himselfe aboue all and therefore let vs turne vnto him God for his mercies sake turne our hearts that he may be still our God and wee may be his people for euer So be it Now let vs pray The second Sermon of God wooing his Church IEREMIE Chap. 3. Verse 14 O ye disobedient children turne againe saith the Lord for I am your Lord and I will take you one of a citie and two of a tribe and will bring you to Zion Verse 15 And I will giue you Pastors according to mine heart which shall feede you with knowledge and vnderstanding IN the former part of this text the Lord hath shewed what authoritie and power hee hath ouer his people by which he might compell them to serue him but now he taketh another course whereas hee might enforce them he doth intreate them and whereas hee might presse them downe with most greeuous iudgements he doth now promise to reward them most liberally and to deale most bountifully with them for he promiseth to endow them with the best and greatest blessings which hee giueth vnto any of the sons of men in this life For first whereas they were in captiuitie and bondage amongst Gods enemies hee promiseth to set them at libertie in their owne countrie and to establish his true religion and worship amongst them And further that they may no more prouoke the wrath of the Lorde against them through their ignoraunce and wandring out of the way for want of lightes and guides hee promiseth to prouide for them such pastours as shall watch ouer them for their good and not see them want anie instruction as if he should say vnto them I will bring you to my own house and during your whole life I will assure you of the best things I haue for you and you shal want nothing if you will obey me this shal be your dowrie And thus we see how frankely the Lord dealeth with them and what large offers he maketh them as one which meaneth to winne them if any thing will wooe them And further lest that such as were well affected and desirous to returne indeede might be discouraged thinking it in vaine to turne except al would turne and because the promise was made to al the whole company it would not auaile them to humble themselues The Lorde to take away that doubt telleth them that though but a few of them do returne yet hee will be as good as his word and if but one of a city and two of a tribe that is very few in comparison of the whole yet if so many shall
in trueth returne they shall not loose their labour but the Lord will blesse them and the rest for their sakes Thus the Lord sheweth himself carefull to remooue all causes of doubting from his people and to put in all the prouisoes that may be on their behalfe al to make the conueiaunce of his blessinges as sure as may be vnto them that they may haue nothing to allege for themselues if they shuld vnkindly reiect or neglect this gracious couenant of the Lord so mercifully and vndeseruedly offered vnto them The first thing that from hence wee may learne is this that the sinnes of many shall not hinder the course of Gods mercies vnto the penitent though they be but few The Sodomites were many and their sinnes were as a mightie pile of woode for the wrath of the Lord to burne vpon the crie of them ascended vp vnto the eares of the Lord and the filthinesse of their abhominations had infected the very aire yet all this could not moue the Lord to keep backe his mercy and louing kindenesse from righteous Lot whose soule was vexed within him for their wickednes Gen. 19.29 neither did the Lorde forget his seruant Abraham when the fire of his fierce wrath was flaming vpon those wicked cities In the like gracious manner did hee remember Rahab who gaue entertainement to the spies of Ioshua when Iericho was vtterly destroyed And this is a point of singular comfort to the godly to remember that God in visiting the sinnes of the whole world yet will not forget to shew mercie vnto thousands of them that loue him and keepe his commaundements Yea if there bee but one of a Citie and twoo of a Tribe that doe truely returne to the Lord the Lord wil surely embrace them whatsoeuer others do Againe we are further to obserue heere that the Lorde that is the most righteous Iudge of the world iudging all men in equitie and trueth will not condemne all for the wickednesse of some but will take them as he findeth them if there be but one of a cittie or two of a tribe that feare God they shall be iustified in their vprightnesse and not be condemned with the rest And surely this is a good rule for vs to follow that in censuring and iudging of men we may take heede of rash and hastie iudgement for it is the maner of the peruerse world to cōdemn all for some without any difference or exception If in the ministery they heare of som one or a few that be of lewd and vngodly behauiour straitwayes their bolt is shot ouer the heads of all that are in the ministerie crying out that all be naught they are al such In like sort if any other man that is a professor of the gospel chance to be founde in any fault straitwayes profane Atheists crie out with open mouth that there are none worse then professours but they will take heede I hope how they do make such wry mouthed conclusions against al estates for feare that their necke shoulde pay the price of their tongue For if they should look into the state of Kings and Princes they should finde that some haue beene vsurpers some idolaters some tyrants and some verie vicious and licentious persons will they therefore conclude and say of Kinges and Princes as they doe of the poore ministers and other inferior professors of the Gospel there are none worse then Kings and Princes for such and such were idolaters c. they are all naught No I trow not for feare of a worse matter But doe they thinke in this sort to depraue and condemne the profession of the gospel and the knowledge of the sacred scriptures as the cause of al disorder and the professours of the same as the worst persons that liue as the maner of many is and to escape the Lords hands for this their horible pride and presumptuous rashnes wil not the Lord thinke we be reuenged of such wicked ones that shall so maliciously beare false witnes against Gods church and slander the Lord Iesus in his poore members Is not the Lord as ielous of his owne glorie and of the credit of his people and gospel as Kings and princes are of theirs and their lawes but as Christ said of his disciples so wee may truely say of such swift iudges they knowe not what spirite they are of For the spirit of God taketh an other course hauing to deale with the seauē churches of Asia in the Reuelation he saith thus Apo◠◠I know thy faith and thy patience and thy loue and thy zeale c. that is I commend thee for these good things and I approue thy workes but yet I haue somwhat to say against thee for such a thing and such a thing that is I neither condemne thy good bicause of thy euill nor commend the euill that is in thee because of thy good things this course he taketh with euerie one of them to shew what we should do in such cases if we haue the spirit of god for we so many in the world fallen into two foule extremities at this day first our protestants at large say that because wee haue the gospell plentifully taught in many places of the land and the sacraments many good things the Lord make vs indeede thankfull for them that therefore all is well and nothing is amisse there are no faults nor corruptions in the church ministers or people The Brownists on the other side crie out that because that there are some defects and wantes in the church and euerie thing is not ineuerie respect so purely reformed as it ought to be by the word therefore say they wee haue no church no sacraments no ministers nor any thing that is good but that al our ministers are dum dogges Baals priests and I know not what playing the franticke mans part who because some thing lieth in his way or there is something in the house that is not to his minde therefore laieth about him at euery one that commeth in his way the poore innocent children are beaten the seruaunts driuen out of doores the meate on the table is cast downe to the dogges the fire flung about the house the windowes are broken in peeces and not content with this runneth out and gathereth vppe al the filth and dirt in the streete to cast in his mothers face that bare him and wipeth his handes vppon his fathers face who begate him and all to make them odious to all that shall beholde them And hauing set the house on a fire runneth away by the light thereof crying out to all that they haue infected with the like rage Come out from among them Come out from among them there is no dwelling there is no house there is no meate there is no body to dresse anie thing they are al polluted and defiled all is naught amongst them And hauing made their Proclamation away they fling into another countrey till they haue done as great an
exploite there vntill at the last falling out amongest themselues and excommunicating one another many of them return home againe as men awaked out of their dreame they lay downe their weapon and goe quietly to bedde againe And in the like sort doe the Papists deale with vs but their dealing is so grosse palpable that I wil not vouchsafe to vvaste any breath about them But novv to the text againe One of a citie and two of a tribe c. Here vve are further to obserue that God is not led by the multitude of the vvicked to mislike of the godly being but fevv or to like vvell of the euill because they are many vvhich is also a rule for vs to immitate and follovv and it may stand vs in steed many vvaies 〈◊〉 23.2 for first it teacheth vs to take heede that vve be not dravven avvay to euill vvith the example of the multitude vvhich like a mighty streame is very forcible to carry vs avvay except vve row hard against the same The life of the multitude is called by our sauiour Christ the broad vvay 〈◊〉 7.13 that is the common vvay vvherein many doe vvalke vnto their destruction vvhich therefore must bee auoided of euerie one that vvill be saued secondly vve may learne from hence not to be discouraged from good things by reason of the small number that ioyne vvith vs for straight is the gate and narrovv is the vvay that leadeth to saluation and fevv there bee that find it And thirdly vve may see here that multitude is no certaine argumēt of the truth nor of the best things as Papists and Atheists doe imagin for though euill men haue all the hands and feales in the vvorld to testifie in their behalfe yet are they neuer the better before God as Achabs iourney was neuer the more prosperous when hee went contrarie to Gods will against Ramoth Gilead though foure hundred false prophets said vnto him go and prosper 1 King ◠and but one onely was against him in it And though many laugh thee to scorne thou art neuer the worse if thou hast the truth on thy side as Micaiah was neuer the worse though 400. were against him and the king and all were against him yet was the truth stil the truth though it were iustified only in his mouth and preuailed at the last We see for the most parte that those which turne to God as Hezechias did are but the smallest number as it were one or twoo in a towne in comparison that are truely religious and a few in a great congregation that are zelous indeede for the glorie of God and they are also noted pointed at of the rest as the cōmon wonderments of the world and yet we must beware that we make not vp the whole reckoning with those only which we see or can yet iudge of as the Brownists do excluding all the rest but to thinke thus rather that as there may bee fire vnder the ashes though I see it not yet so there may be religion in the harts of many though I see it not yet And as in the daies of Eliah 1 King 19.18 the lord had 7000. in Israell which neuer bowed their knees to Baal which Eliah could not see as sharpe sighted as he was so there may bee in our daies seauen thousand which belong vnto God and may proue religious 〈…〉 we see now and yet we be not so sharp sighted as Eliah was But howsoeuer it may be this is sure that the sincere worshippers of God are alwaies the fewest and Gods number is alwaies the smallest And therefore as Ieremy preached to all but conuerted by his doctrine not past one of a Cittie and two of a tribe that is a verie fewe So we now must preach to all but if one of a citie and two of a tribe that is if anie at all doe reperit at our preaching wee may thinke our selues verie happie It may be that as 70. followed Christ a while which bare the name of Christs discrples besides thousands that followed him for their bellies sake so many may follow vs nowe in the like manner but as these seuentie disciples came after twelue so is it nowe that as it is read in one place of Christ and his seuentie and in another place of Christ and his twelue so nowe may wee see the like againe for at one time you shall see Christ with a great auditorie and some time Christ with twoo or three about him from seuentie to twelue and amongst those fewe will bee some hypocrites and false brethren too as amongest the twelue there was found one Iudas a traitour So that the Lords companie oftentimes prooueth like Gideons armie against the Midianites Iudg. 7.4 which at the first was 32000. amōgst which were found 22000. timerous and fearefull which being dismissed there remained but 10000. of which ten thousand there were founde but 300. which would take paines to lap water like a dogge and they were Gedeons army so from two and thirtie thousand they came downe to 300. The same is stil to be obserued which hath beene from the beginning and shall continue to the end Ioh. 6.66 In going frō god many are noted in the gospel 70. disciples forsake Christ at one time for one speech which they vnderstood not and came no more at him afterward yea it was doubtfull whether the rest would haue forsaken him too but in comming vnto Christ but few are noted nowe and then one alone like Nicodemus Ioh. 3.2 and that by might too for feare of the Iewes Inquirie being made for prophets four hundred false but one tru four hundred against God but one for God can be founde In the ninth of Ezechiel wee reade of sixe that were sent to destroie and but one to saue In the fifth of Ieremie the Prophet is willed to searche all Ierusalem to see if hee coulde finde but one righteous man that the Lorde might spare the city for his sake Now this is hard and it goeth so hard 〈…〉 2.32 that when all are gleaned out and refined the Lordes flocke will bee but a little flocke as Christ calleth it in respect of the multitude but it is the best flocke 〈…〉 2. Gideons army was but the gleaning of Ephraim yet those gleanings were better then the vintage of Abiezer so the Lordes people are but the gleanings of the worlde yet those gleanings are better then the vintage of Sathan And as hard as it goeth so mercifull is the Lord that if in all Sodome there be found but one Lot the Lorde will gleane him out before the deuill shall reape his haruest If one groat be lost he will seek it vp againe if one sheepe be gone astray he will fetch him home againe with ioy if one sinner repenteth 〈…〉 15.7 there shall be ioy for him amongst the angels in heauen if one prodigall child commeth home againe hee shall be receiued
if one leaper amongst ten that are clensed returne with his thanks he shal be accepted if in a cittie one in a tribe but two and in a whole world but eight iust persons bee founde the Lord will receiue them and saue them from perishing with the wicked world The Lorde dealeth not with his people as men doe that will say if there be but one fish in the net and a little one cast it in againe if there come vppe but a little fruit vpon the tree let the swine eate it except there were more if the henne bringeth but one chickin cast it away because there are no more or as the wicked say if there bee but one or two in a congregation that feare God what account make you of him hee is one we are many against one but the Lord makes much of one so it bee his owne to teach vs that we also should make more account of one good man if there be but one among many then of many bad as the Lord doth for he dealeth like a merciful creditor who hauing many desperate debts will take any thing and not refuse part because he cannot haue all Last of all from this place we note that the Lord vseth to spare many wicked ones oftentimes for the smal number of his elect sake which are amongst them as he spared Sodom and Gomorrha for Lots sake the olde world for Noahs sake and Putiphar for Iosephs sake the thornes are spared for the Lillies sake that groweth amongst them and the tares for the wheate sake are not cutte downe and for good Iehoshaphat his sake it was that the Lordes Prophet vouchsafed to goe vnto wicked Iehoram or else hee would not so much as haue looked towardes that wicked man though he were a king 2 King 3.1 This may teach vs to make much of them that feare God for if their number be once accoÌ„plished the world is at an end for as the world was made at the first for their sakes so for their sakes it is that it continueth and standeth for how long did Sodom stand free from the fire of Gods wrath after Lot and his housholde were remooued out of it or how long did the old world escape drowning after that Noah and his companie were entred the Arke no longer shall the world stand after that the Lord hath once gathered his chosen vnto himselfe If the wicked did wel consider of this point that when the Lord hath gathered his wheate into his barne as the Lord Iesus saith that hee will then gather the tares together and cast them into vnquenchable fire they woulde not bee so hastie to driue away Gods people and to hunt them out of their companie and out of their Citties and townes as they doe like the Galileans which were not well vntill Christ were gone out of their coast but euen in pollicie they make much of him as fome doe of wardes whose landes they enioy but during their minoritie and the terme of their liues and after their decease or when they come to full age all goeth from them againe to another But nowe let vs come to the text againe And wil bring you to Zion Zion was a fort in Ierusalem 2. Sam. 5.7 2. Sam. 6.16 1. King 8.1 kept in possession of the Iebusites til Dauids time but it was won by Dauid when he came to the crowne After hee had won it hee brought â—hither the Arke of Gods couenant to which place the people resorted to worship the Lord. So that by Zion is meant the place of Gods worship and religion so that the meaning of the Lorde in these words is this in respect I wil set you at libertie from your enemies and bring you againe to your owne country that you may serue mee in holy exercises of religion as I haue appointed Whence we may note that the end of the churches deliuerance froÌ„ any trouble and affliction is to become more religious for to this end hath the Lord deliuered vs out of the haÌ„ds of our enemies that we might serue him without feare Luke 1.74 in righteousnes true holines alwaies But som may say This is a mater of no great vaiue for they had it before made no reckoning of it therfore very like that this wold not moue them But if hee had tolde them of their gorgeous houses delicate orchards pleasant fields and abundance of worldly wealth and great honours and dignities it may bee they woulde haue regarded such things as sathan thought to mooue Christ to worshippe him that waie when no waie else woulde preuaile he sheweth him therefore all the kingdomes of the world and the glorie of them and doth offer them al vnto him vpon condition that he would fall downe and worship him but by no means he could preuaile with his goodly offer for the Lord Iesus was not of a worldlings mind that will do more for gold then for godlinesse So it should seeme that if the Lord had told the Iewes of such matters wherewith the heart of man is more drawen theÌ„ with spiritual matters he might haue wonne their loue for euer But to tell them of Zion and religion of pastours and preaching might seeme to be the next way to driue them further from his loue then before Indeede this seemeth to bee a good worldly pollicie but the Lord neede not to be taught of the world The truth is so that when they had their fill of religion and religious exercises at Zion they cared not for them but now being wel humbled with affliction amongst idolaters and scoffers and being kept from it they account deerely of it And the trueth of this may further appeare by that pittifull complaint and mone which they make in the 137. 〈◊〉 137 1 â— psalme when they were amongst the Babylonians in captiuitie By the riuers of Babel we sate and there we wept when we remembred Zion they wept not before when they were at Zion but now they weep yea so great was their griefe at the remembrance of Zion nowe that all mirth and musicke is laide aside nowe they hung vp their harpes vpon the willow trees and fall to weeping and sorrowing for Zion for Zion why could not their melodie and sweete musicke make them merry Oh no no they could take no ioy nor comfort in any such outward things so long as they were banished from the publique exercises of Gods religion at Zion which was a signe of Gods loue and fauour vnto them but nowe they were excommunicate and cast out as it were vnsauourie salt vpon the dunghill for Babylon was but a dunghill to Zion oh God had taken his loue tokens and iewelles from them God shewed an angry countenaunce vpon them How could they then be merry what ioy could they haue in the riuers or pleasant walkes or sweete musicke when they remembred Zion oh now Zion Zion Psal 137 Zion nothing but Zion would make them weepe
gaue them any authority and therefore they bring no profite vnto the people they preach and studie and take paines to no purpose like the good wife that churmeth and churmeth and can make no butter come As for the people that lâ—ue vnder their ministerie hee sheweth in the 2. verse that they be adulterers and swearers full of wickednes and vngodlines to shew that nothing but wildernesse can grow vppon the ground that is tilled by such as are not according to the Lords liking As for their owne behauiour hee sheweth in the thirteenth and fourteenth verses that it is sutable to their teaching deceitfull and filthie broken out with all manner of botches and blaines of foolishnesse and filthynes and adulterie and vncleanenes and walking in the by-pathes of lies and falshood strengthning the hands of the wicked that none can returne for his wickednesse and in one word more they are all both prophets and people vnto mee but as Sodom a sinke of sinne and as the inhabitants of Gomorrha such an other sinke this they are to me saith the Lord thus they are in my eie whatsoeuer they seeme to be in their owne opinion or in the iudgement of others whome they haue blinded and bewitched Thus we see what vgly creatures they are which runne before the Lord send them which are ministers after mens hearts but not after Gods heart as a number of blind guides amongst vs bee the Lorde taketh no pleasure in them nor in those foolish people that are contented with them and therefore sets them alone to do as they list and turneth them as false children ouer whom he hath no care but lets them runne as it were filth and vermine for waÌ„t of trimming washing with the water of his grace and spirit whereas those that are of his sending forth and such as hee taketh pleasure in he will set them out in the best manner and grace them with good gifts and holie conuersation he will make their words gracious and their ministery to be reuerenced in the eyes and heartes of all that feare God they shall bee mightie and powerfull in deliuerie of their message they shall be fruitfull in the worke of the Lorde and terrible in the consciences of the wicked they shall bee blessed in the strength of the spirit to turne many soules into the wayes of righteousnesse euen so manie as GOD hath appointed yea they and their people shall bee a righteous generation ouer whome the Lorde will haue a watchfull eye continually to renewe and to repaire them with his grace and spirit there shall not so soone any fore seeme to arise in their life or anie corruption in their profession but the Lord with his fauour and grace shall heale it againe they shall be blessed of God to the good of Gods church which are pastours according vnto Gods heart and none else I doe not meane such as are free from all corruption and staine of sinne for such are not to bee looked for in this vale of corruption but such as the Lorde hath sent foorth and furnished with gifts and sanctified for the worke of his church And the like may bee saide of ciuil magistrates and church gouernors that if euer the church of God reape any good by any it is by them that are not after Antichrists heart and lyking or according to the worldes approbation but according to Gods wordes liking for God blesseth no ordinance but his owne This doctrine may haue a good vse in respect of those that bee Pastours or that haue anie publique place of teaching in the church of GOD it maie seeme to admonish them that they approue themselues both for life and doctrine in the sight of GOD to bee such as God liketh of if they will doe any good in the worke of the ministerie and thereupon reape any comfort to their conscience in the day of the Lord. There be two markes that euery minister approued of God must principally aime at not lucre nor gain nor worldly promotion nor the vaine praise of the world as the maner of many is which shoote as rouers doe at many markes and neuer a one certaine But the markes that Gods ministers must shoote at are the glorie of God and the good of Gods church that they may say as Paul said Rom. 10.1 without checke of conscience Our hearts desire and prayer to God is that Israel may be saued And so deere should the glory of God be vnto vs and so great should be our loue vnto the church of God that if it may bee aduaunced in the saluation of our brethren yea of our enemies more then in their destruction we shoulde earnestly craue the same of the Lord yea so earnestly that rather then the Lord should loose any part of his glory therein we ought to craue it with the hazard of our owne saluation as the apostle Paul that singular paterne of zeale and loue did Rom. 9.3 when hee desired to bee accursed for his brethren sake the Iewes which were his brethren according to the flesh Some bende al their endeuor that they may be wel thought of with the Prince or with the court or with some noble man or with the chiefe of their congregation for wealth and authoritie and some desire only to be popular approued of the multitude to bring this to passe they take great paines they studie hard they reade much they currie fauour with one and flatter with another they serue the time and turne with the time watching the tide that they may rovve with the same and if they meet with any of their brethren labouring against their streame him they belabour with their Inuectiues though therein they doe striue against the streame of Gods eternall trueth but what â—â—re they so they may haue the approbation of the world whose glorie they doe hunt after like lusty Nimrods and if they chance to misse of their purpose as sometimes they are crossed as wel as others are they not ready to fall sicke of Hamans disease who was ready to die for sorrowe because Mordecai did not bow the knee vnto him It is a good blessing of God to be gracious in the eies of christian Princes and great states as it was a thing greatly to be reioyced at when Theodosius the Emperor of Rome embraced christian bishops which resorted vnto him And the fauour of Gods people in the Lorde is a good fauour of God which oftentimes hee giueth vnto his seruants when they seek not after the same But yet this is not the thing that Gods seruants must affect but all their care must be both at their first entrance into the ministerie and in the whole course of the same vnto the ende that they may bee found Pastours according to Gods owne heart Both credite and maintenance in the world are the good blessings of the Lorde and it shall be lawfull for Gods ministers to enioy the same so farre foorth as God seeth
good for them but yet they must take heed that they make not those things the ende of their worke but that at the first and at the last we may be approued in the sight of god The apostle had matter of reioycing in his countrey for he was an Israelite and of his bringing vp for hee was brought vp at the feete of Gamaliel a learned man hee could haue stoode vpon his learning for he spake with tongues more then any other if others were doctors he was a doctour of the Gentiles and many great priuiledges he had that others had not But what doth hee stand so much to the maintenance of those thinges No Philip. 3.8 he counteth them all but dung to winne Christ he forgetteth them as things left behind him so that hee may attaine vnto the marke that is set before him euen the price of his high calling the Lord Iesus Christ he careth not a point for them so that he may approoue himselfe a faithfull workeman in the sight of God And so shoulde wee doe if we be ministers approoued of God wee must not be as many are which make merchandise of the word of God but as of sinceritie but as of God in the sight of God we must speake in Christ 〈◊〉 2-17 If we be pastors according to Gods heart we must not praise our selues nor stand in neede of letters of commendation vnto our charge or of recommendation from them vnto others as the Apostle saith but our flocke must bee our epistle written in our hearts to be read and vnderstoode of all men â—or 3.1 not with incke but with the spirit of the liuing God If we be ministers approoued of God wee must giue no occasion of offense in any thing â—or 6.3 that our ministerie may be free from reproofe But in al things saith the Apostle we must approoue our selues as the ministers of god in much patience in afflictions in necessities in distresses in stripes in prisons in tumultes in labours by watchings by fastings by puritie by knowledge by long suffering by kindenesse by the holi-ghost by loue vnfained by the worde of trueth by the power of God by the armour of righteousnesse on the right hand and on the left that is both in prosperitie and aduersitie amongst friends and foes by honour and dishonour by euill report and good report as deceiuers and yet true as vnknowen and yet knovven as dying and yet liuing as chastened and yet not killed as sorrowing and yet alvvayes reioycing as poore and yet making many rich as hauing nothing and yet possessing all things What a notable approbation is this How many fellovves hath the holy Apostle saint Paule in this This is for saint Paule alone and such Puritanes as he was Heere is no mention all this while of Dispensations nor of Qualifications nor of Pluralities nor of Vnions nor of Totquots nor of any such implements belike they were not allowed of in Saint Paules time for if they had surely the Apostle would not haue left them out or it may be that they were not then in vse and the world is grovven wiser now then it was in saint Paules time Oh quantum mutatus ab illo The worlde is greatly altered since saint Paules dayes it can no skill of saint Paules course Well yet wee must learne to haue skill of it if wee will be approoued in the sight of God And if all the world do commend vs and yet God condemne vs what shall it aduantage vs Most miserable and wretched caitifes shall we prooue our selues to be and better it had beene that wee had neuer beene borne if the Lord shall say hee knoweth vs not This was Micaiah well perswaded of and therefore hee stoode to the truth when foure hundred false prophets flatterers stood against him yea when the king and all was against him but yet he was a Prophet according to the Lords heart and that was sufficient for him Many at the first and a great while haue made a good shew of great sinceritie that no man would haue taken them but to be men of God indeede as good Prophets were called in old time vntill they haue fallen by the world as Demas did or till they haue fallen into fauour with the court or the state or till they haue taken som high degree of schooles or til they haue climed vp the ladder of promotion and then the date of their zeale and painfulnes and sinceritie hath bin expired and they haue turned ouer their coppy to others hauing made shiprack of faith a good conscience they haue gone forth like Thamar out of hir brother Ammons chamber when Ammon had defloured hir she weÌ„t out with her garment of diuers colors rent torn so they haue goâ— away with their garment of gods graces rent and torne â—am 13.19 onely this difference is betweene Thamar and them she wept mourned for it and so doe not they but rather reioyce at their alteration holding these things nowe as most vile which before the time of their sinceritie they counted most precious this is yet a most feareful iudgement of God vpoÌ„ them for their apostacie for when they begin thus with tongue to persecute the trueth which before they haue professed what doe they else but turne into that hie way which leadeth vnto the sinne against the spirit of truth And being thus reuolted from their first loue they fell to be iust of Sauls humor who perceiuing himselfe to bee forsaken of the Lord for his hypocrisie and dissembling in Gods busines desired yet of Samuel that he might bee honoured before the elders of the people and then he was safe that was all that hee looked after So say they let vs bee honoured before the elders of the people and that is sufficient for that is all that they looke after as hauing their reward of men and not of God The third Sermon of God wooing his Church IEREMIE Chap. 3. Verse 15 And I will giue you Pastors according to mine heart which shall feede you with knowledge and vnderstanding NOw the question groweth how we shal knowe who be pastors and ministers according to Gods liking and who be not The Lord Iesus doth best resolue that doubt in the 7 of Iohn ver the 18 â—â—b 7.18 thus He that speaketh of himselfe seeketh his owne glory but he that seeketh his glory that sent him the same is true and no vnrighteousnesse is in him that is hee is a true messenger of God and no counterfeit A man is saide to speake of himself two waies either when he speaketh before he be required to speake or being required to speake speaketh not the truth truely but mixeth some deuice of his owne braine therewith so did the false prophets for both they ranne before they were sent and also spake the errours of their own hart in stead of the word of the Lord So did Vzzah that which he did of
couetousnes is â—he cause of filthy lucre as it is the roote of all euill which must not be in the man of God It is required of Gods minister in respect of his family â—uries in respect of his family he be such a one that can gouern his family wel For the gouernment of a family is a great stay of a church and common wealth that is when by the example of the minister others gouerne wel yet there is sufficient doctrine in the word to gouern by Then doth the minister gouerne wel when his whole family is in subiection and obedience of the magistrate and willing to suffer when they offend now if any looke for liberty it is children therfore the apostle putteth children for all saith that they must be in subiection therfore much more seruants that this may not seem a smal matter he saith that it mast be in al honesty or comâ—ines to shewe that there is decenâ—ie in that family when euery childe doth his duety and great comelines is in subiection the reason is if a man cannot rule his own family how can he rule Gods church therefore he is not a minister after the Lords heart that bringeth vp his children dissolutely and here by the way we may see that God doth not require of the minister either a single life or a monkish life nor a whorish adulterous life which whoso leadeth in popery is better accepted then he that liueth in holy estate of matrimony In respect of hiâ— calling to the faith In regard of his calling to the faith it is required that he be not a yong plaÌ„t or a nouice gods church is compared to a vineyard those which are coÌ„uerted are as it were brought out of the field planted in the vineyard now if if these be but as of a years growth or so they are not fit to be ministers lest they being puffed vp as many are fal into temptatioÌ„ of the A man newely conuerted hath not sounde knowledge so falleth by ignorance of his mind to error and so to heresie by pride and so is in the same sin with the deuill nay the apostle saith in the condemnation of the deuil that is to be without a sauior or not to be saued therefore we ought to take heede for the danger is great pride and liking of hart wil bring a man to the diuils sin if it puffe vs vp then are we gone pride keepeth out humility which must needs receiue Christ He that can ascribe confusioÌ„ to himself keepeth out pride or at the least fighteth against it The last property that is required to be in a minister â—espect of â—ngers is in respect of strangers He must haue a good testimony of theÌ„ that are without euen of infidels who are not yet conuerted So he must behaue himselfe that euen froÌ„ the wicked if it be possible he may haue a good report Hee must be curteous to all good and bad not curteous to the faithful austere to the wicked but curteous to al the reason is lest he fal into reproch the snare of the deuil The reson of this duty is drawn froÌ„ the inconuenieÌ„ce that wil folow the contrarie for whom must hee conuert the wicked then if he come into hatred with them hee shall be able to do them no good if they blaspheme God and him And thus by reproch hee is cast into the snares of the deuil either to be dissolute not to care what he doth or else desperate of verie griefe and sorrow of heart by which we may see what danger it is to raise vp slander of any man it is as much as a mans soule is worth for this giueth the deuill occasion to worke vpon a man And a man may speake that which may make an other man come to destruction so much as lieth in him that so speaketh The world is a place where sathaÌ„ hath al snares on ech side therefore we must take heed They that lie in the snares it may be see nothing of all this but those who haue bin in and are gone out doe see them therfore it is needfull to pray Leade vs not into temptation but deliuer vs from euill And thus much for the duties and qualities of a minister in respect of his own person of his family of his calling to the faith and of strangers by which togither with that which hath beene saide of his doctrine it may easily appeare who be ministers according to the Lords heart or liking and who be not It followeth in the text Which shal feede you with knowledge and vnderstanding Now the Lord sheweth what benefit they shà l reape by their pastors namely knowledge and vnderstanding they shall not only be to Gods liking but also for their soules good nay they cannot be pastours to Gods liking except they be also for the benefite of Gods people for God liketh well when his church thâ—â—ueth wel the church thriueth wel when it groweth in knowledge and vnderstanding for that is the way to grow strong in faith repentance loue and in zeale and in patience and in al the â—auing graces of the spirit of God to know and to vnderstand the waies of the Lord. This knowledge is the knowlege of Gods wil reuealed in his worde which sheweth both what his purpose is concerning all men both good and bad wicked and godly the faithful and vnfaithfull the elect and the reprobate the saluation of the one and the damnation of the other the assurance of both the meanes and the causes of both It sheweth also what is required of al men to be beleeued what to be practised for the aduancement of his glory This is called the knowledge of God in Christ Iesus wherein standeth eternall life Iohn chapter seuenteene verse 3. This knowledge of God is the first and chiefest principle in christian religion because without it it is not possible for any man to worship him as he ought to bee worshipped of vs for the Apostle saith how shall we call on him on whom we haue not beleeued and how can we beleeue in him of whom we haue not heard and how shall we heare without a preacher 〈◊〉 10.14 as if hee shoulde say we can doe none of these things without knowledge for knowledge is the end of hearing and of preaching therefore doe we preach and heare not to make the scriptures better as some sencelesse idiots doe immagine but to bring men to the knowledge of the truth Now as the apostle speaketh of faith and prayer which bee twoo especiall parts of Gods worship wee can neither beleeue aright nor pray aright without knowledge so may it bee saide of feare and loue and all other points of the true worship and seruice of God that men can neither feare God aright nor loue God aright nor confes him aright nor acknowledge his gouernment aright without the knowledge of those things And for the
better bringing vp of men in this holy knowledge of God the Lorde hath giuen his statutes vnto Iacob and his ordinaunces vnto Israell which hee hath not vouchsafed vppon all nations for the heathen haue not the knoledge of his waies Psalme a hundred fortie and six And these statutes of God are contained in the bookes of the olde and new Testament called the holie Scriptures by the waie of excellencie which being rightly vnderstoode of vs doe bring vs directly to the true knowledge of God and of our selues And because there are in the scriptures som things that be hard and darke to our vnderstanding therefore the Lord hath ordained pastors doctors whome hee hath also furnished with giftes of knowledge and vtterance and learning and sanctification that they may teach the Lords people the true meaning of the scriptures and so traine them vp in the knowledge and obedience of the Lord. By this then it appeareth how necessarie it is for all Gods children to haue the knowledge of GOD the vnderstanding of the scriptures and the preaching of the word amongst them by a painefull faithfull and learned ministerie And on the other side it be wrayeth the pestilent daunger of ignorance and ignorant ministers and also the barrennesse of bare reading without the tillage of expounding of catechising of doctrine of exhortation and of application the which is the life of doctrine by which holy meanes as it were with the Lords ploughs the fallow groundes of mens hearts are broken vp 〈◊〉 4.4 whereas otherwise the seede is but cast amongst the thornes as Ieremy speakes When the Queen of Ethiopia her chamberlaine was reading the prophet Esay in his chariot â—8 30 Philip asked him if he vnderstoode what he read to shew that a man may reade and reade againe and bee neuer the nearer without an interpreter as that noble man confessed for how can I vnderstand saide he without a guide Therefore Ezra when he had read the scripture he also gaue the sence Nehem. â— 8 and caused the people to vnderstand the reading to shew that bare reading is not sufficient to bring men to vnderstanding And therefore our sauior Christ also when hee had read a place of Esay that concerned himselfe hee closed vp the booke Luke 4.20 and opened the text making application thereof to his hearers whereuppon it followeth in the same place that all that heard him bare him witnes and wondred at the gracious words that proceeded out of his mouth to shewe that preaching giueth grace to reading And when the word read is opened and applied then men beare witnesse of the trueth that is they knowe what to holde and beleeue for trueth and not before This the apostle Paul knew very well and therefore hee did not onely teach the Ephesians openly but priuately also in euery house going from house to house warning Act. 20.20 3â— and exhorting euery one as hee had occasion to shewe what course those sheepeheardes must take that would bring their flocks vnto the green pastures of heauenly comforts and the liuing waters of eternall happinesse both growing and flouring out of the liuely fountaines of knowledge and vnderstanding in the holy word of God And further for the necessity of knowledge vnderstanding what could the lord say more to shew the greatnes therof then to call them by the name of foode or meate and drinke for so he doth I will giue you pastors which shal feed you with knowledge and vnderstanding as if knowledge and vnderstanding were foode of the soule and so they be to teach vs as there is nothing more necessary for the strengthning of the bodie then meate and drinke so there is nothing more necessarie for the sauing of the soule then knowledge and vnderstanding Take away from the bodie ordinary sustenance long and it starueth And take away knowledge and vnderstanding from the soule and it perisheth Therefore as Christ said when he raised vp Iairus daughter giue hir meate so the Lorde saieth when the soule is raised vp to the life of God giue it meate but that must be knowledge and vnderstanding Againe as knowledge and vnderstanding are here called food so pastors are called feeders as if they were nurses the people as babes children which neither know what is good for them nor howe to dresse their meat nor how to feed themselues And therfore many doe not vnfitly compare the bare reading of the scripture vnto a whole loafe set before children which must bee cutte in peeces and be dâ—uided before it can profite them The preachers are also called feeders to shew that they must be like nurses in abilitie in affection and discretion Some haue wherewith to feede their children but they are vnkind and vnnaturall like cruel harlots that kill their children that they may not be troubled with theÌ„ Some beare a good affection to their children but their breastes are drie and they haue no meate to giue them when they crie for it as in the great famine of Samaria Som haue wherwith to feed but for want of discretion to obserue the childes nature and constitution as also the weaknes or strongnes of the stomack the frowardnes tendernes of thinfant and the causes of al it happeneth that much is giuen and little digested great pain is taken to little purpose bicause the child is either misdieted or distempred or handled too tenderly or too rigorously Therefore in the feeders of the soule there ought to bee sufficient store of knowlege there ought to be a louing tender affection tempered with wisedome and discretion that euery one may haue his due portion faithfully distributed vnto him and that in due time and season It is a lamenble hearing to heare the children crie for bread and it shal be answered againe by the Nurse I haue none for thee thou must starue for I haue none to giue thee But it is a thousand times more lameÌ„table to heare the soules mone for want of spiritual foode oh what accompt haue they to make vnto God that take the place of spirituall nurses and haue no milke in their breasts that is know nothing to any purpose is it nothing to starue the Lordes people Is the murthering of mens soules no sin before the Lorde O that the smoky Kemarius of this our age as vnpreaching ministers and non-residents and such like did consider well of this pointâ— then would they not leaue their occupations and trades as many haue done and betake them to the ministerie as their last refuge for liuing and maintenaunce sake but they would leaue the ministerie as fast and betake themselues to some other trade of life againe and wish that their heades were fountaines of teares that they might weep day and night for the slaughter and destruction which they haue made of the Lordes people VVhich they were better to doe nowe while the Lorde doeth allot them a time of repentance then heereafter in
gift And to those that turne vnto me I will giue pastours according to my heart for house and riches are the inheritance of the fathers saith Salomon but a prudent wife commeth of the Lord Pr. 19 14. So a good pastor comes not as house and land by inheritance but as a good wife comes and that is of the Lord. Such pastours and teachers are sent as speciall loue tokens to the godly whereby they may knowe how the Lorde doth loue them But ignorant ministers and Non-residents and time-seruers idoll shepherds and such like are sent of God to the wicked as Saul was giuen to Israell in his wrath to plague them withal and to strengthen them in their sinnes and so to seale vp their condemnation as Salomon saith of a harlot Prouerb 22 The lippes of a strange woman are as a deep pit and he with whom the Lord is angrie shall fall into the same so may it be saide of wicked pastors and blinde guides they and their people goe together into the ditch and they whome the Lord is angrie with shal be plagued with such The Apostle Paul saith that Christ ascending vp on high gaue gifts vnto men some to be apostles some to be pastours and doctors c. and those he gaue to his church for the gathering together his saints to teach vs that they are not sent of God like marchandise for our money as Simen Magus thought of the gifts of the holie-ghost but they are sent as gifts 〈…〉 20. and are to be receiued as the gifts of the Lord. The only way to obtaine such gifts 〈◊〉 9.37 38. is by prayer The haruest is great saith Christ and the labourers are few pray ye therefore to the Lorde of the haruest and he shall send foorth labourers to shew that God will haue his giftes drawen from him by prayer that is he vell be knowen and acknowledged to be the giuer of them as men will say if hee had asked it of me I would haue giuen it him so doth the Lord say if they had asked such pastors of me I would haue giuen them such This therefore is the cause why there are so fewe true labourers in the Lordes haruest and so many wicked loiterers because the church in generall and congregations and christians in particular are not earnest enough in prayer vnto God for them for as Esay saith We should not giue the Lorde any rest 〈◊〉 2.7 but as it were wearie him with our prayers vntill he repaire the decayed places of Zion and build vp Ierusalem in her perfect beautie which is the praise of the worlde Neither are good pastors gotten nor bad ones displaced by railing and libelling against Bishops and the gouernours of the church as some haue thought nor by factious and seditious drawing of multitudes to practise against the sworde of authoritie nor by robbing the church of her children nor by scismaticall seperating of our selues from the church as hereticall schismatikes doe thinke nor by withdrawing of their liuings as couetous worldlings imagin but by humble suing to God with prayer and supplications for so are his gifts obtained so that if men woulde leaue their scurrilous libelling and their vnseemely railing and their vaine talking and their scismaticall seperating and their seditious banding and their cruell dealing and now another while trie the Lord by turning vnto him as here he requireth vs and plie him with our humble prayers as Christ hath commaunded vs there is no doubt but it would goe better with the poore church of Christ then it doth for if we do that which is required of vs most certainely the Lorde will performe that which hee hath promised Nowe where the Lord hath bestowed such pastors and planted the meanes of saluation there is much no doubt required againe What is requiâ—â— of them that haue good pastours Two things doth the Lord expect and looke for at their hands which haue receiued such gifts of the Lorde namely loue and obedience for loue requires loue againâ— and seeing these gifts are sent froÌ„ the Lord as special tokens of his loue fauor toward vs his maiestie lookes for great loue again of vs towards the gift for his sake that gaue it towards the giuer for his own goodnes sake which only moued him to giue the gift And sith he giueth them to feede vs with knowledge vnderstanding he laboreth that we should grow and thriue therby that is to be the better reformed both in iudgements also in our maners But that it may appeare the better what loue we owe to the Lord in this respect we ought to consider the greatnes goodnes value of the gift wherby we shal al see the great loue and goodnes of him that is the giuer Euery man is friend vnto him that giueth gifts â—orerb 19.6 then euery man should loue the Lord for none giueth so many gifts as he doth yea for the gifts which men giue the Lord is to be loued bicause they had neither what to giue nor wil to giue vntill the Lord giue both Al the gifts of the Lord are either bodily or spiritual teÌ„poral or eternal general or special some are common to man beast some are common to good and bad to the reprobate the elect as meate drinke apparel appetite and digestion houses and lands cattel and corne gold siluer health and welth wife children beuty honor peace and plenty learning and wit wisdom and policy frends and promotion and many such like the least wherof deserueth and requireth that wee shoulde loue and feare the Lord with al our harts with al our strength but besides these the daily giftes which the Lord giueth to man and to the earth the sea and the heauens yea the whole world for mans vse they are infinit that to go about to nuÌ„ber them were to measure the sea with a spoon for which we return nothing but our sins which are mo then his benefits yet such is his goodnes that giueth al forgiueth al. But amongst al the Lords gifts there is none comparable to pastors that feed mens soules with knoledge vnderstanding When Dauid would set out the greatnes of this gift he reherseth many works of god shewed in his church for which he is to be praised Psal 147.13 1 Praise the Lord O IerusaleÌ„ praise thy God O Zion for he hath made the bars of thy gates stroÌ„g hath blessed thy children within thee he setteth peace in thy borders satisfieth thee with the flour of wheat When he considereth the benefit of Gods word he saith He sheweth his word vnto Iacob his statutes and iudgements vnto Israel he hath not dealt so with euery nation to shew that the word of God is a speciall blessing and not to be reckoned amongst such things as are common to all nations of the world When the Apostle saint Paul would set out the greatnesse
haue beene deuised since to subuert her by papists and traitours and â—esuites and the vnholy league and all with â—he deuill himselfe hauing sworne vowed â—rdeath yet she raigneth thanked be God â—nd long may she raigne O Lord we bseech â—hee for thy mercies sake in despite of all â—â—y enemies here we may see that verefied â—hat is in the Prouerbs There is no counsaile Pro. 21 3â— â—or wisedome nor strength against the Lord. Pro. 19.21 And in another place he saith Many deuises â—re in a mans heart Ier. 5.25 but the counsell of the Lord â—â—all stand If any thing hinder good things â—rom vs it is our sinne but no deuise of man â—or deuill they shall doe no more then the â—orde hath appointed Our sinnes are the â—hiefe cause and the wicked are instrumenâ—all causes and vsed by the Lord like Ashur â—who was called the staffe of the Lord to â—lague his church withall And therefore â—any take a wrong course to haue the churâ—hes estate bettered they crie out vpon the â—â—me and the state and the Bishops and paâ—â—ons and the dumbe ministers I speake not â—ow in defence of any mans fault or corrupâ—â—on but their owne household are vnreforâ—ed they and their families are ignorant and â—rofane they abuse the good gifts of god alâ—eady bestowed and yet they find fault they â—aue no more like children that cast their â—eate to the dogges and then crie for more â—hey say so long as such and such beare sway in the church neuer a good minister shal be long at rest and I know not what neuer looking what hurt their rashnes and preposterous blind zeale doth procure but they are much deceiued for let those that call vppon the name of God departe from euill and turne vnto the Lorde and then looke what his maiestie hath promised it shall surely be performed though the time be prolonged for the exercise of our faith patieÌ„ce It is sufficieÌ„t for vs if the Lord saith he wil do it though he do not tell vs when and howe he will do it hee hath wayes enow to bring his counsel to passe With this I wil or promise of God let vs learne to arme our selues against all temptations all feares all doubts and all lets whatsoeuer let men take heede how they enterprise any thing against the will of God what meanes soeuer they haue to effect their purpose for if they say they will and the Lord say hee wil not or if they say it shal not be and the Lord saith it shaâ— be all their murmuring banding and consulting â—sac 36.12 and 37.33 and practising will be in vaine Senâ—charib said he would come against Ierusalem with a mightie host and make them tâ— eate their owne dunge and drinke their owâ— pisse but the Lord said he should not shooâ— an arrow into Ierusalem and it came to pasâ— as the Lord said Esau said hee would kill 〈◊〉 brother Iacob but he did not Gâ—â—â—â— â—â— the Iewes vowed neither to eate nor drinke till they hadde killed Paule Aâ—â— 21 1â— but if they had kept their vowe they had starued Herod though to haue killed Christ but hee coulde not and many others haue purposed many other things but the Lord hath disposed of them according to his own wil and pleasure and all to shewe how truely Iob spake when he said The hand of man is not able to accomplish the deuise of his heart As this is a singular consolation at all times so now in this hard time of dearth and scarcitie the Lord doth promise vppon the true repentance of his people to blesse the earth with plentie to satifie the poore with bread let the wretched cornemongers and couetous caterpillers say the price shall not fall the Lord that hath said the word wil do it manger their beards and cause them to fall too with shame inough if they repent not let no man say as the noble man of Samaria said 2. King 7. â—â— Though the Lord should open the windowes of heauen and raine downe wheate c. I will not beleeue the words of the prophet lest he see it but enioy it not as hee did that was troden downe in the gates of the cittie And to conclude seeing as we are readie to take a mans word for any thing if hee be an honest man and of any credit or ability and think our selues safe if the prince or a meaner person say I will giue thee this or thaâ— how much more ought we to take the Lordâ— word for any thing that he promiseth whâ— is all sufficient and faithfull yea if wee doâ— doubt of the matter when he saith I will oâ— presume when hee saith I wil not wee offeâ— his maiestie that iniurie which we our selueâ— would hardly let go vnreuenged at any mans hand if it lay in our power to reuenge the same FINIS