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ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A57151 Preaching of Christ opened in a sermon preached at St. Peters Church in the city of Norwich at an ordination Septemb. 22, 1661 / by Edward Reynolds ... Reynolds, Edward, 1599-1676. 1662 (1662) Wing R1272; ESTC R15378 18,113 56

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historionis It is rather pageantry than serious piety for men to preach Angelical Sermons and to live diabolical conversations ut dicta factis deficientibus erubescant as Tertullian speaks We cannot expect that other men should follow our doctrine when we our selves forsake it the greatest part of men being like sheep which go non qua eundum sed qua itur rather as they are led then as they are taught And so much of the duty here supposed the excellency necessity and manner of preaching We proceed to the object or matter of preaching expressed 1. Negatively not our selves Men may be said to preach themselves these four ways 1. When they make themselves Lords over the flock and exercise dominion over the consciences of those that hear them as if a Ministry were a Soveraignty or as if the sheep were their own to be ordered and disposed as they please this is the character which the Apostle giveth of the man of sinne that he sitteth as God in the Temple of God usurping a divine authority over the souls of men 2 Thes. 2. 4. and exercising a bloody tyranny over their bodies And therefore both our Saviour and his Apostles to prevent the danger of so tempting an ambition have left strict and severe provision against it Be not you called Rabbi for one is your Master even Christ Matth. 23. 8. 12. We have not dominion over your faith but are helpers of your joy 2 Cor. 1. 24. Not as being Lords over Gods heritage but ensamples to the flock 1 Pet. 5. 3. 2. When they make themseves the Authors of their own Ministry undertaking so weighty an employment of their own heads and running before they are sent as many did in the Prophet Jeremies time Jer. 23. 21. And many more in in the late licentious days amongst us of whom we may say as the Historian said of an obscure person that he was Homo ex se Natus they were Concionatores ex semetipsis Nati self created preachers as Agathocles a Prince of a Potter a Preacher of a Trooper men who made it the principal business of their usurped preaching to disgrace and pull down legitimate preachers and beget an undervaluing of those serious principles which they knew sober and fixed Divines would never desert and contrary unto which they were resolved to act 3. When they make themselves the Matter of their preaching prophesying lies and the deceits of their own hearts Jer. 23. 16 26. teaching for doctrines the traditions or commandments of men Mat. 15. 9. making sad the righteous and strengthning the hands of the wicked by their lies following their own spirits Ezek. 13. 3 22. venting in the place and name of Christ their own passions and animosities their own interests and jealousies their own private opinions and paradoxes somenting distempers ingenerating discontents and divisions in the hearts of the people corrupting the minds perverting the judgements ensnaring and intangling the consciences of those that hear them turning aside to vain jangling departing from the faith giving heed to seducing spirits speaking lies in hypocrisie teaching things which they ought not leading captive and deceiving the hearts of the simple sowing tares in the Lords field being the snare of a fowler in all their wayes walking in the Spirit and in falshood prophesying of wine and strong drink causing the people to erre through their lies and their lightnesse That you may keep your selves from this crimson and bloody sin often recount that dreadful intermination Deut. 18. 20 The Prophet which shall presume to speak a word in my name which I have not commanded him to speak or that shall speak in the Name of other Gods even that Prophet shall die See also Jer. 14. 14 15. Jer. 23. 11 12 15 30 31 32 39 40. Eze. 13. Eze. 34. Hos. 4. 6 9. 5. 1. 9. 7. Mic. 3. 5 6 7. Mal. 2. 1 2 3. 8. 9. Mat. 23. 13. 29. 2 Cor. 11. 13 14 15. Gal. 1. 8 9. 2 Pet. 2. 1 2 3. 4. When they make themselves the End of their preaching making so holy an Ordinance subservient to their vain glory or ambitious pursuits or filthy lucre or plausible compliance or private interests as the Pharisees who for a pretence made long prayers that they might devoure widows Houses supposing gain to be godlinesse as the Apostle speaks 1 Tim. 6. 5. when they pursue crooked and indirect aimes of their own oftentation of learning inticing words of mens wisdom commending themselves pleasing others 1 Co● 2. 4. 2 Cor. 10. 12. Gal. 1. 10. quite contrary to the practise of the holy Apostle who in his Function and Ministry walked not in craftiness handled not the Word of God deceitfully 2 Cor. 4. 2. did not exhort out of uncleanness or in guile used not flattering words nor a cloak of Covetousnesse pleased not men nor sought glory of any 1 Thes. 2. ● 6. but made it his onely end to please God and by all means to save souls to manage his Masters interest and not his own that Christ alone might be glorified in the hearts of men for how much so ever we attribute to our selves so much we detract from Christ. Whom the Apostle makes the sole matter of his preaching Which leads to the positive part of our preaching Christ Jesus the Lord whereby is intimated that the Lord Jesus is both the Author the Object and the End of all our preaching 1. The Lord Jesus is the Authour and Instituter of this service in his Church how high a presumption it is for men to intrude into a Ministry without a call and warrant from God the sad examples of Corah Dathan Abiram Vzziah the vagabond Exorcists Acts 19. 13 16. and others do abundantly testifie And therefore as Aaron was solemnly separated to minister to the Lord 1 Chron. 23. 13. and in like manner Christ was called of God an high Priest after the Order of Melchizedec Heb. 5. 5 6 7 10. Even so were his Apostles sent by him Mat. 28. 19. and by authority from him did they ordain others unto the same service Act. 14. 23. and direct the same course to be observed afterwards 2 Tim. 2. 2. Tit. 1. 5. from him then and those whom he hath appointed must we receive both our mission and our message our whole Ministry we must receive in the Lord as it is said of Archippus Col. 4. 17. It must be given and committed to us before we presume to take unto our selves the stiles of Ambassadors for Christ 2 Cor. 5. 18 19 20. Joh. 3. 27. 1. From him we must have our Mission for how shall they preach except they be sent saith the Apostle Rom. 10. 14. an Honor must not be undertaken without a Call No man taketh this honour unto himself but he that is called of God Heb. 5. 4. the Ministerial Function is an honour as the Apostle sheweth 1 Tim. 5. 17. A Trust must not be undertaken without a Call the Ministry is a Trust and