seruants that is the Lord of all creatures both Men and Angels we are euery one taught ingenuously to confesse our selues to be greatly indebted to him It is no small fauour that an earthly king sheweth when out of his whole kingdome he chuseth some few to be his principall Officers or shal take one out of many make him his Embassadour And shall we thinke it a smal honor wheÌ„ God that heauenly Monarch and King of all Kings shall elect vs Wormes in respect of himselfe and make vs his chiefe Officers in his Church and his Embassadours to carry the ioyfull message of redemption by Iesus Christ vnto his people Is it not exceeding great fauour when he that inhabiteth the eternity swayeth the scepter of the whole world shall make one of a thousand his Messenger and Interpreter to declare vnto man his righteousnesse and to the sonnes of men their happinesse to call them out of the kingdome of darknesse to leade them the way into heauenly Canaan a land that floweth with milk and hony with ioyes vnspeakeable with pleasures innumerable yea with all the good things and with greater then any man doth comprehend â—his his kindnesse vnto vs vndeseruing it deserues the gratitude oâ— our hearts demonstrated to him both in word and worke What shâ—â— I render vnto the Lord saith Dauid for all his benefits towards me I will offer a sacrifice of praise and will call vpon the name of the Lord. I will blesse thee dayly and praise thy Name for euer and euer Teach me to do thy will for thou art my God let thy good Spirit leade me into the land of righteousnesse So should we meditate so should wee purpose and so we ought to pray God hath honoured vs let not vs dishonour him but in all things let vs seeke his honour and set forth his praise neither committing nor admitting anything which we know to be derogatory to his glory and disgracefull to our glorious calling Those that honour me saith the Lord I will honour and they that despise me shall be despised If we will not feare to dishonor God we may iustly feare that he will honour himselfe by vs although it be to our great dishonour For as Moses said to Aaron vpon the death of his two sonnes for offending God This is it that the Lord spake saying I will be sanctified in them that come neare me and before all the people I will be glorified And who come so neare to GOD as Ministers who are his Watchmen his Stewards his Nurses his Obstetrices the wayting-men and dressers of his dearest Spouse vnto whom he hath committed the keyes of his treasure the dispeÌ„sation of his secrets the promulgation of his promise the interpretation of his Oracles the administration of his Sacraments They therefore of all other should be most carefull to honour him and most fearefull to dishonour and offend him CHAP. 18. Ministers should be like the Lord their Maister Doct. 11 FIftly seeing wee are the Lords Labourers working together with him and vnder him in his Field Palace of delight he himselfe being our Maister and director and the onely absolute Architect of that sumptuous building we are all put in minde to striue to resemble him For amongst workmen the meanest if honestly wise will endeauour to be like the chiefest not in skill onely but in sober and good conditions if they see any in him that so they may win his loue and procure the countenance and approbation of all men with whom they do conuerse And indeed it is no credit for a good maister to entertaine or haue bad men vnlike him in his vertues though they be â—â—ke him in skill The child labours to be like his father the hand-mayd striues to be like her Mistresse the seruant will follow his Maister as soone as any man and the Scholler studies to imitate his Teacher yea and the Instruments of the Diuell are very like him wherefore then should not all Gods Ministers labour to be like him He is their Father their Lord their teacher and their Maister It is no shame to resemble him it is no disgrace at all but glory rather to be sayed to be like him He is ouer all and vnder none his perfection is absolute his skill is admirable and the depth of his wisedome cannot be sounded All Christians are bound to follow God therefore much more all Christian Ministers who in all things ought to shew themselues Examples of good workes with vncorrupt doctrine with grauity integrity and with the wholesome word which cannot be condemned that he which withstandeth may be ashamed hauing nothing concerning them to speake euill of Do we not see how the world is followed of the meÌ„ of this world Do we not see many men imitate great persons in their vanities Do we not see how one country followes another in foolish and new-fangled fashions Why then should not we that come neare to God by â—ur office striue to draw neare vnto him by goodnesse and veâ—tuous moralities Why should we flye farre from him this way that come so neare to him that way The Ministers of Sathan are farre differing from the Lord our Maister therefore if wee will not be like them we must striue to be like him And vndoubtedly if Ministers wold carefully labor to resemble their maister in patience pitty charity truth righteousnesse holinesse gentlenesse goodnesse and in such like properties they should not onely please him and feele comfort in their consciences but also win greater estimation to their calling and lessen their contempt in the world CHAP. 19. The chiefest care of a Minister ought to be to study how to please the Lord. Doct. 12 SIxtly seeing that we are Gods Workemen we must beware that wee pâ—each not our selues nor the fantastike adinuentions of men but in all things we must approue our selues vnto God and our onely care must be to please his Maiesty who hath entertained vs into his speciall seruice contending by all possible meanes within the lists and limits of our calling that his affaires committed to our faith may aboue all earthly and outward things whatsoeuer proceed and prosper Pastoris est pascere non piscari a sheepheard should not be fishing when he ought to be feeding his sheepe Hired Laborers must not hinder their maisters businesse to further their owne He that vndertakes to helpe a man must not absent himselfe when hee should be present and when he is present he ought to mind that chiefly for which his presence is required No man saith Paul that warreth entangleth himâ—elfe with the affâ—ires of this life because he would please him that hath chosen him to be a Souldier An honest and discreet Souldier will not cumber himselfe with those things which may make him vnseruiceable to his Captâ—ine vnfit for military labours Ministers are Souldiers God is their grand Captaine his Coates they weare
hath hired him to worke in his Vineyard He must hold the keyes of his kingdome in one hand the sword of the spirit which is the word of God in the other hand and all are heauy all are weighty and hard to weild aright He must help to beare the Church as the Leuites did the Arke Gouernement is laid vpon his shoulders and the soules of men are cōmitted to his charge If any vnder him do perish by him God will require their bloud at his hands CHAP. 6. Ministers must haue a warrantable calling NOw in a Labourer these seuen things are required First a Lawfull calling for it is against all right and reason that any man should gather his neighbors grapes or thrust his sickle into his corne without his leaue and so it is as vniust for any man to presume to labour in Gods Vineyard to build in his Temple or to worke in his Haruest without his leaue and liking Who dare draw his sword and smite who dare meddle with his keyes to open or shut ministerially without his licence Who dare sit in Moses his chaire vnlesse he haue set him in it and put his Law-booke into his hands to vnclaspe and explicate it vnto his people The labourers in the parable wrought not in the Vineyard till the Lord thereof had set them on worke b Vzzah was slaine because he laid his hand vpon the Arke without a calling Noah medled not in the building of the Arke till God had giuen him direction neither did the Carpenters enter vpon that worke without vocation and approbation from Noah they which built the Temple had licence command first from Salomon who had his warrant also from aboue Wherefore then should any meddle with the building of the Church which is Gods Arke and Temple without sufficient authority either immediately from God or mediatly from those that haue commission from him to proue and admit men to labour for him No man taketh this honour vpon him but he that is called of God as Aaron was Christ sheweth that it of right belongeth to the Lord of the Haruest to chuse and appoint Labourers in that he bids his Disciples pray the Lord of the haruest to send forth Laborers into his Haruest For how dare men cut downe or bind vp bring in without his bidding and authorizing How shall they preach except they be sent The Lord complaineth of some Prophets that ran vnsent prophecied vnspoken to by him Aaron and his sonnes were ordayned by God to assigne the Koathites euery one to his office to his charge so God hath ordained the Gouernors of the Church to cal consecrate Ministers and to set them to their worke It is an Anabaptistique conceit to think that any man of learning may preach without Ecclesiasticall ordination vpon his owne priuate motion or voluntary pleasure The glory of God the honour of the Ministery the security and solace of their consciences and that the people may know that they haue lawfull Ministers may thereby be moued to obay their ministery all these claime a calling argue the necessity of lawfull ordination CHAP. 7. Ministers must be wise their doctrine pure and their life vpright SEcondly a workeman must bee wise that he may behaue himselfe without offence Discretion is required in a Minister that hee may please his maister that he may be an example to his fellowes that he may leade his life without offence to any and so gaine credit to his place and person It is meete therefore that his doctrine should be pure and not parti-coloured and that his conuersation be correspondent so he shall shew himselfe truly wise euen godly wise Paul writing to Timothie saith Study to shew thy selfe approued vnto God a workman that need not be ashamed diuiding the word of God aright And to the Corinthians he saith of himselfe and of his fellowes We haue cast from vs the cloakes of shame and walke not in craftines neither handle we the word of God deceiptfully but in declaration of the truth we approue our selues to euery mans conscience in the sight of God Our reioycing is this the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly purenes not in fleshly wisedome but by the grace of God we haue had our cōuersation in the world most of all to you-wards For we are not as many which make merchandise of the word of God but as of sincerity but as of God in the sight of God speake we in Christ We giue no occasion of offence in any thing that our Ministery should not be reprehended but in all things we approue our selues as the ministers of God In like manner he willeth his sonne Timothy to keep the true patterne of the wholesome words which he had heard of him and to flye from the lusts of youth and follow after righteousnes faith loue and peace sheweth that euery Bishop must be vnreproueable temperate and modest Ministers saith Prosper must not onely instruct the people with the example of a good life but should also shew them by preaching boldly both the penalty which abides the rebellious and the glory which belongs to the obedient The Doctor of the Church saith Chryostome by teaching and liuing well teacheth the people how to liue well but by liuing wickedly teacheth God how to condemne him Aaron was appointed to weare Thummim on his brest-plate vpon his heart and a plate of pure gold vpon his forehead whereon was grauen Holinesse to the Lord. So euery Minister should haue the Thummim of an vpright heart carry the goldē plate before him of an holy life The Arke was commaunded to be pitched within and without with pitch so should euery minister be pitched with grace on the inside of his heart and on the outside of his life and so he shal be better armed against wind and water The Snuffers of the candlestick for the Tabernacle were cōmaunded to be made of pure gold those that snuffe others should be pure themselues Turpe est doctori cum culpa redarguit ipsum It is a shame for a man to correct another and not to direct himselfe or to weed his neighbours corne and to suffer the weeds to choke his owne It is a shame for a Phisitian to proffer Phisick to others and yet to see and suffer himselfe to rot with diseases Phisitian first cure thy selfe Pluck forth thine Owne moat thine Owne beame first He that admonisheth another of that wherein himselfe remaineth wilfully faulty doth giue him the cleare wine and keepeth the dregs to himselfe resembling a Diall or Watch which profit others by shewing how the day passeth but themselues nothing at all They which teach wel and liue wickedly confute their doctrine with their deedes and condemne their practise by their preaching and so make them selues abhominable to God
the people what can bee exspected at their hands besides profanenesse and Atheisme vnlesse God in mercy do restraine and guide them For the wickednesse of Ministers is serpens malum doth creepe like Iuy and spread like a leprosie and is as pestilent and infectious as the Plague Therefore the Lord saith From the Prophets of Ierusalem is wickednes gone forth into all the land Wherefore let euery Minister behaue himselfe in Gods house discreetly He that hâ—th his word let him speake it faithfully let him handle it sincerely and withall let his life be honest For other wise as Nazianzâ—ne teacheth He reacheth that with one hand which he raketh away with the other he both abuseth his place and dishonoreth his Maister If euer he meane to doe good let him be good As the fire must be hot before it can heâ—te the stander by so if thou desirest to make other men religious be religious thy selfe be first hot thy selfe and thou are likely to make thy neighbour that stands by thee and lookes vpon thee feruent and hot also CHAP. 8. Ministers must haue skill as well as will to discharge their office THirdly a Workeman must haue skill to performe his worke So should a Minister For what should hee do with Gods sword thaâ— knowes not how to vse it It is sharpe and piercing it is fit therefore that he which is to handle it should haue skill to vse it that he may know when to shake it and when to sheath it when whom where and how deepe to strike with it Ministers are to weâ—re the keâ—es oâ— Gods kingdom at their girdles Lesâ— therefore they should locke when they ought to loose and open wheâ— they ought indeed to shut they musâ— be men of knowledge and not nouâ—ces voyd of good vnderstanding anâ— dexterity to performe their duty Paul requires that a Minister should be apt to teach If he be not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 able and apt to teach how shall he b◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a teacher as euery ministeâ— ought to be If he be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnlearned how shall he be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a scribe able to interpret the Oracles of God learnedly The Minister of God must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 diuide and cut out the worde of trueth aright vnto the people But how shall he be able to diuide it rightly when he cannot 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 diuide at all because he wants the knife of knowledge wherewith he should diuide it What though a man haue a plough if he know not how to plow What if he haue a net know not how to cast it What though he haue a salue if he knowe not how to apply it And what though a man haue an axe if he haue no skill to vse it So what can that man do that hath the word of God which is as a plow a net an angle a salue and an axe if he haue no abilitâ— no actiuenesse and skill to vse and handle it The eye is the light of the body if it be blind how darke is that body Ministers are the light of the world and as the Eyes of the Church Now if they be destitute of light and sight the world must needs be darke and that Church must needs be blind or else God the Father of lights must conferre sight and light and illuminate them extraordinarily Esay saith that the Lord gaue him the tongue of the learned that hee might knowe to minister a word in due season to him that is weary Good shepheards and thriuing merchants had need to haue knowledge and experience Ministers are the Shepheards Merchants of Almighty God therefore they should haue skill as well as will to keepe his sheepe and husband his wares that his gaine may be the greater and his fold the fuller This is the note saith that holy Martyr of God Bishop Hooper to know the Bishops and Ministers of God from the Ministers of the Diuell by the preaching tongue of the Gospell The Priests lippes shall preserue knowledge saith the Lord. It is a precept and not a promise And the people were inioyned to seeke the law at his mouth Therefore in reason he should be skilfull in the law It is labour lost to seeke a thing where it is not In vaine do men gâ— to a VVell that hath no water in it Now if the Priests in the time of the Law were by Gods appointment to be men of knowledge is it fit that the Ministers of the Gospell should be ignorant especially there being so much knowledge in the world as there is at this day Ministers are Gods Nurses but if their breasts bee drie how shall his children thriue that are committed to them Ieremy writeth of a calamity which befell the Israelites wherein the tongue of the sucking childe did cleaue to the roofe of his mouth for thirst and in which the children and sucklings did swoone in the streetes and for hunger died in their mothers bosome A very pitifull and sore distresse Verily as lamentable is their condition which neuer haue the bread of Gods word broken vnto them and the sweete milke of wholsome exhortations and instructions powred out before them to feede vpon Ministers are Gods Messengers therefore they should haue knowledge to deliuer their message discreetly They are seers and ouer-seers therefore they should haue eyes to see and ouer-see They should be able to discerne betweene vice and vertue betweene light and darknesse betweene truth and falshood betweene Sarah and Hagar betweene a Iudas and a Ionathan lest they take the one for the other as Ixion did the cloude for Iuno And if the blinde doe leade the blinde both of them are like to fall into the ditch Those ministers then that cannot teach the people in some competent manner are too defectiue not much vnlike a cypher which fils a place and increaseth the number but signifies nothing and something like to Players which do sometimes represent the persons of Princes but are not so themselues Xanchius saith that they only are called of God vnto the Ministery which besides their godly conuersation are able to deliuer wholsome doctrine vnto the people Quos enim eligit ac vocat for those whom God doth elect and call to any function he doth also endow them with such necessary gifts as are meet for that function CHAP. 9. Ministers must be faithfull and painfull FOurthly a labourer must be diligent faithfull and industrious And such a one must euery Minister shew himself to be It is required in the disposers of Gods secrets as Ministers are that a man be found faithfull Preach the word saith the holy Ghost be in stant in season and out of season Cursed is he that doth the worke of the Lord negligently If we be diligent in our owne affaires how much more diligent should we be in Gods
wickednesse and come out of the pit-fall and snare of Sathan Why should not our labours be sweete and pleasing to vs seeing they be commodious commendable and commanded A man will gladly saue his Oxen from perishing and his sheepe from rotting and shall not we labour as gladly to saue men from destruction and to keepe the sheepe of Christ Iesus frō rotting in their sins Wilt thou willingly helpe thy sheep out of the ditch and saue her from drowning and wilt thou not as willingly labour to drawe forth one of Christs sheepe out of the ditch of iniquity that it be not drowned with the waters of wickednesse and be stifled with the mudde of sinfulnesse A man is very nimble and ready to preserue his fields from spoyling his house from burning and his children from pining and shall not we be as nimble as alacrious and as ready to preserue Gods field from being wasted his house from being burnt and his children from perishing and pining away sor want of food to comfort and vphold them Willingly will euery faithfull shepheard feede and gouerne his flocke which is committed to him And so Peter speaking to the shepheards of that Arch-pastor Christ Iesus exhorteth them to performe their duty with alacrity Feed the flocke of God which dependeth on you caring for it not by constraint but Willingly not for filthy lucre but as of a Ready Minde I passe not at all saith Paul neither is my life deere vnto me so that I may fulfill my course with ioy CHAP. II. Ministers must be valorus not timerous SIxtly a labourer ought to be couragious and hardy No discouragemēt nothing at all must daunt him nothing must fray him from his worke and put him out of his right byas And they that are to contend and encounter with that roaring Lyon had neede to be Lyon-like valorous and vndauntable The Builders of the ruined walles of Ierusalem did their worke with one hand and with the other held a sword Euen so those whom God hath called to repaire Ierusalem the praise of the world should builde with the armour of the Spirit about them being full of Christian zeale and fortitude and wise to preuent the stratagems and assaults of all Sanballates Arabians and Ammonites They were not cowards that built those walles neither should they be cowards that work in this building For here want no enemies here is both fraud and force We wrestle not against flesh bloud but against Principalities against powers against worldly Gouernors the Princes of the darknesse of this world against spiritual wickednesses which are in high places euen against Sathan all the Yeomen of the black Guard And therefore we had neede to be full of spirit and spirituall valour Ieremy was forbidden vnder the paine of death to feare their faces to whom he was to Prophecy And the Lord speaking to Ezekiel saith I haue made thy forehead as the Adamant and harder then the flint Feare them not therfore neither be afraid of their looks By which we see that God would not haue his messengers out-faced but that they should boldly deliuer their message to his people He which winketh at false doctrine and reprehendeth not the sins of the time and place wherein he liueth and dares not for feare of contempt or disgrace admonish the persons that offend is vnworthy and vnfit to be a Minister who ought to be zealous and couragious dreading no mans face but should speake exhort and conuince in all authority and shew the people their enormities without feare or partiality Yea hee that wincketh at wickednesse and hereticall doctrine and doth not oppose himselfe vnto it is guilty of it and is in minde a Fugitiue though he moue not from his charge in person Quia tacuisti fugisti tacuisti quia timuisti Thou hast fled saith Austen because thou hast held thy tongue Veritatem negat qui eam non libere praedicat He denieth the truth saith Chrysostome which doth not preach it boldly Although saith Austen he liue well and yet be either ashamed or afrayed to reproue them that liue ill cum omnibus qui eo tacente pereunt perit He perisheth with all those which perish whiles he sees and sayes nothing Aug. grad 1. Abus I am full of power by the Spirit of the Lord saith Micah and of iudgement and of strength to declare vnto Iacob his transgression and to Israel his sinne Eliiah told Ahab to his face that it was he and his fathers house that troubled Israel Michaiah likewise boldly told him that he should not returne in peace from fighting against the Syrians though his speech vexed him Nathan told Dauid plainely of his vncleannes and murther that without feare Isaiah saith that he had set his face as a flint And so it seemeth for he payd them home he feared no colours but was as bold in taxing as they were in offending He gaue his backe to the smiters and his cheekes to the nippers and hid nor his face from shame and spitting reprouing notwithstanding all disgraces both the Princes and the People with great feruency and boldnesse of speech This was the practise of Iohn Baptist Christ Paul and of all the holy Prophets and ought as occasion serueth to be imitated wisely of all the Ministers of God This serueth to condemne the coldnesse and fearfulnesse of those face-fearers that dare not rebuke sinne especially in the audience of the sinner and which teacheth the truth through feare as it were in riddles ambiguously and in the cloudes running as I may say betweene the skin and the flesh But such feare is not the feare of God but the feare of Man And as Bishop Iewel speaketh accursed be that modesty that drowneth or hideth the truth of God And accursed I say be that feare which makes a man silent when he ought to speake and dumme when he should lift vp his voyce like a trumpet and shew the people their sinnes Yet here we must all remember that our zeale be directed by knowledge which should alway go before and make way and that wisedome and pity go with our valour that all our reproofes and admonitions be performed in loue and in the spirit of meeknesse with long suffering and patience without rage and rankor Esay might cry but not roare We our selues are men and may erre And if we stand when others fall it is by Gods grace and not through our owne goodnesse Neither is it lawfull to rebuke sinne with sinne and to make our selues sinners by disorderly taxing of sinners CHAP. 12. Ministers must perseuere in the faithfull execution of their function SEuenthly a labourer must be constant and not giue ouer till his taske inioyned him be fully finished So the Minister of God shold continue constant in his labours for God The loue of the world must not make him leaue his labours He must not leaue without the
of God to whom he hath committed the word of reconciliation the sword of his spirit to cut downe the sinnes of his children and to slaughter their carnall lusts and corrupt affections through the mighty working of his spirit accompanying their ministery And though Paul take vnto him the name of an Architect or master work man yet he doth not meane that he is so indeed simply without comparison But he was an Architect in regard of inferiour Ministers or because he layed the first stone amongst the Corinths and planted Christian religion amongst them as there hee sheweth CHAP. 15. Godly Ministers may assure themselues of Gods protection Doct. 8 SEcondly seeing Ministers worke for God as Factors vnder a Merchant they may well expect his diuine protection in the faithfull performance of their office A Lord will maintaine the lawfull quarrel of his Labourers specially if it arise of the diligent and honest executioÌ„ of their duty by him enioyned A puissant and magnanimious Prince will defend his Embassadour so long as he carrieth his message discreetly And shall we thinke that the Lord of Lords Prince of all Princes will not defend protect his faithful seruants Embassadours Yea he will both protect their persons as the eye of his wisdome shal see fit prosper their message in the thing that pleaseth him either to the mollifying of mens minds as the fire doth wax or to the hardening of their hearts as the Sun doth clay so as that they are vnto him the sweet sauour of Christ in them that are saued in them that perish vnto these the sauour of death vnto death and vnto the other the sauour of life vnto life And this protection blessing of God his faithful Ministers in all ages haue euer receiued according to his benigne admeasurement who aymeth alwaies at his own glory which is the vtmost marke of all his thoghts Esay being assured of diuine protection saith The Lord will helpe me therefore shall I not be confounded therefore haue I set my face as a flint I know that I shal not be ashamed And the Lord encouraging Ieremy to speake his word boldly saith I am with thee to deliuer thee This day haue I made thee a defenced city and an iron pillar and walles of brasse against the whole Land They shall fight against thee but they shall not preuaile against thee Behold saith the Lord to Ezekiel I haue made thy face strong against their faces thy forehead hard against their foreheads The Lord hath promised that he will not leaue vs nor forsake vs so that we may boldly say The Lord is mine hâ—lper neither will I feare what man can do vnto me If wee did seriously consider the vndaunted courage of Paul and Luther their great dangers and deliuerances and the admirable good successe of their labours we may see sufficiently how the Lord graced and guarded their persons and watered their Labours with a floud of blessings Now the Lord is the same that euer he was as potent and as gratious For with him there is no change His counsel shall stand and whatsoeuer he hath determined it shall be done his purpose cannot but be performed Therefore we must not be fainted-hearted but confident in his mercy He will couer vs with the wings of his grace and cary vs vpoÌ„ the back of his power ouer all our enimies He is our Buckler and Shield of defence why should we feare What need we dread If God be on our side who can or who dare be against vs O Lord of Hostes blessed is the man that trusteth in thee CHAP. 16 Faithful Ministers shall be well rewarded Doct. 9 THirdly we must not onely looke for his assistance and protection but we may also assure our selues of a Reward from him if we discharge our office with care and conscience as in his sight A good king will reward and honour a good Embassadour and a kind Maister will not be vnkind vnto his fairhfull seruant Euen so vndoubtedly the Lord that hath both heauen and earth at command will honour countenance and kindly reward all his seruants all his Embassadours that execute their office and carry their message wisely sincerely and in loue vnto his Maiesty Their reward is with God they shall want no recompence Euery one of them sha ll receiue his wages according to his labour They that turne many vnto righteousnesse shall shine as the stars for euer and euer I haue fought a good fight saith Paul I haue finished my course from henceforth is laid vp in store for me the crowne of righteousnesse not a crowne of gold but of glory of immortall gloâ—y and of glorious immortality purchased by the righteousnesse of Iesus Christ and promised by the righteous God in mercy but performed in iustice hauing past his word to giue it Peter saith that good Ministers shall receiue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an incorruptible crowne of glory a Garland that shall neuer wither a Crowne that shall neuer be corrupted He that receiueth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall receiue a Prophets reward By which it is euident that faithfull Prophets shall not goe vnrewarded And if they that entertaine a Prophet because he is a Prophet shall not misse a reward then there is little reason to thinke that the Prophet himselfe behauing himselfe as a Prophet of God ought to do shal not be rewarded The Labourers in the parable receiued their wages of the Lord of the vineyard wherein they wrought so soone as the euening came and were called from their worke by the steward In like manner so soone as the Lord doth send his Messenger â—eath to fetch vs out of his vineyard and to cal vs away from our worke he will faithfully pay vs our wages I say not which we haue deserued for merita nostra misericordia Domini but which he of his meere benignity hath from all eternity decreed to bestow vpon vs. The consideration hereof teacheth vs to be diligent and chearefull in our calling Our labour is not lost a reward will come we shall haue wages for our worke we shall haue pleasures for our paines All our water shall be turned into wine and our sorrowes into solace Our Lord is louing and wil not forget the labours of our loue and the toyle which we take for him We haue his fauour and wee shall see his face we do now enioy his grace and wee shall one day be pertakers of his glory CHAP. 17. Ministers are greatly obliged vnto God and therfore they should be thankefull vnto him Doct. 10 FOurthly seeing God hath made vs his Ministers of the new Testament hath giueÌ„ vnto vs the Ministery of Reconciliation seeing I say that God hath made vs Instruments for him to labour for him in his House and Vineyard seeing we are become his labourers his
our sins and offer vs vp to God vpon that their high Altar Iesus as a sacrifice of sweet sauour and acceptable to him They are Gods mouth to vs and our mouth to God They pray for vs wherefore then should not we pray for them Paul requesteth the Romans to striue wiâ—h him by praier to God for him that he might be deliuered from the vnbeleeuing Iewes and that his seruice might be accepted of the Saints And he willeth the Ephesians to be instant in their praiers that he may open his mouth freely to vtter the secrets â—f the Gospell They are our Pastours apointed by God to feed vs with the word of truth our heauenly Manna to refresh our thirsty soules with the sweet and cleare waters of the gospell of life They are our Watchmen and Ouerseers ordained to watch ouer vs to view vs and to care for vs. They are the Lords Trumpeters sounding in our eares continually the two Trumpets of his Law and Gospell and a warlike Defiance vnto all our spiritual enemies They are his Champions they fight his battels for vs against Sathan and Sinne two mighty Princes and too potent for vs. They are his Angels and Embassadors to declare his will vnto vs. Worthy therfore are they in these regards to be respected and highly honored of vs. If the Embassador of an earthly Prince be worthy honour how much more honorable then are they that are the faithfull Embassadors of Iesus Christ that heauenly Prince and King of all Kings of the earth The Elders that rule well saith Paul let them be had in double honour especially they which labour in the word and doctrine The Galathians did so entirely honour and affect Paul as that they receiued him as an Angell of God yea as Christ himselfe and would haue plucked out their eyes if it might haue bene and haue giuen them vnto him Eusebius writeth that Constantine iudged the Ministers which he called to him semper honore praecipuo dignos worthy alwaies of singular honor and that hee did reuerence them Omni officio with all dutifulnesse and omitted no point of kindnesse or courtesie nihil benignitatis aut humanitatis towards those that were deuout godly Syracides would haue vs to honour the Physitian of the body much more therefore should we honour the Physitians and Chirourgians of our soules And we shall leese nothing by our loue For as our Sauiour saith He which receiueth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall receiue the reward of a Prophet Now looke what Christ who is truth it selfe doth affirme in word he will also being Might it selfe confirme in deed Heauen and Earth shall rather faile then his word shall fall and not be fulfilled Now this honour which is due to Gods Ministers of what place or stile soeuer may be performed six sundry waies First by reuerencing their persons secondly by obeying their Ministery thirdly by imitating their vertues fourthly by concealing their infirmites fiftly by countenancing and backing them and sixtly by maintaining their estates And of all these we will briefly speake and in order as they lye CHAP. 22. Ministers must be reuerenced of the people FIrst then it is fit that Ministers should haue all seemly reuerence due by desert to so sublimious and reuerend a calling And it must begin in the hart and be testified in the life by reuerent behauiour by comely gestures and by temperate good language both of them to them Men must speake euill of no man but must be moderate and shew all meekenesse towards all men therfore they should in no case speak ill of Gods Ministers but vse them kindly with al courtesie Courtesie shewed to a Minister as he is a Minister is shewed eueÌ„ to Christ himselfe whose Minister he is it is so reputed Ieremy accompteth it one of their plagues that their enemies reuerenced not the face of their Priests The Lord esteemeth a disgrace done vnto his faithfull Ministers as done vnto himselfe Princes we see take to theÌ„selues those words or workes of dishonor which are spoken or done despightfully to their Agents Embassadours for deliuering their message truly as it was giuen them in charge When Dauids Messengers which he sent in courtesie to Hanun King of Ammon were dishonorably intreated and misused of him and his people the story saith that they stanke in the sight of Dauid for abusing them so vilely Euen so do they stinke as loathsome carrions in the nosthrils of the Lord be they what they will be that disgrace and abuse his Ministers whom he kindly sendeth to them to preach his will and to proclaime his Son to be their king God tooke the reprochfull and rayling language of Senacherib against Ierusalem and Hezekiah as spoken against himselfe They which misuse a seruant of a noble man as he is his seruant dishonour the noble man himselfe Christ maketh the killing and contemning of Gods Prophets the highest staire of rebellion And vndoubtedly God will be reuenged on those that disgrace and abuse his Ministers vnlesse they do repent maturely as Dauid was of the Ammonites for disgracing his Messengers We know how by two Beares he did destroy two and forty children for mis-calling the Prophet Elishah and he is as iust and terrible now and as ready to punish sin as euer he was For with him there is no variableneâ—s he wil wound the head of his enemies will wash his feet in the bloud of the wicked CHAP. 23. The people must obey the ministery of their Ministers SEcondly the people honor their Ministers when they submit theÌ„selues vnto their Ministery Reuerence without obedience is a ceremony without substance a body without a soule a stick without strength and not vnlike the commoÌ„ complements of this age Obey them saith the Holy Ghost that haue the ouersight of you and submit your selues Paul looked that the Corinthians should be obedieÌ„t to him in all things And in truth men cannot better commend their Ministers then when by being obedient vnto their Ministery they liue religously and are fruitfull in good works WheÌ„ a child doth thriue well and is strong and lusty the praise redounds to the nurse and it is a reall commendation of a Sheepheard when his sheep are fat and sound Euen so shall wee greatly commend honour our Ministers if we shall submit our selues vnto their voyce and shall by that means grow in grace abound in knowledge true zeale shine by our vertuous liues among men But this our obedience and submission must be in the Lord to wit so long as they keepe themselues to the Law and to the Testimony to the word of God which is the Touch-stone of truth the rule of teligion the squire of faith the line of loue the Met-wand of obedience as a Salomons sword to decide a controuersie For to
the Church of GOD shall stand for euer And when all the glory of the world shall vanish quite away like a flash of fire and when all her desperate malicious and irreconciliable enemies shall vtterly be destroyed then shall she shine as the Sunne and obtaine her perfect glory and liue for euer with the Lord in all ease and happinesse free from all sinfull and earthly miseries whatsoeuer Fourthly wheras all other fields and houses are materiall outward and earthly this field and this house is mysticall celestiall and spirituall and may bee so called in all these regards ensuing First because the Spirit of God doth husband her and dwell in her Secondly because her whole frame is spirituall her chiefest ornameÌ„ts are inward and inuisible The kings daughter is all glorious within saith the Psalm Thirdly the meanes which God vseth for her building repairing trimming flourishing and câ—â—tinuing are not earthly but spirituall and of a nature far differing from worldly helps and humane inuentions Fourthly the seruice and worship which ought to be performed in her is spirituall And lastly all the good workes which she doth are spirituall All the good workes which we or any of her faithfull members do performe are meerely good so far forth as they do proceed from the Spirit of God who is goodnesse it selfe and the author of all our goodnesse And the euill which is in them commeth from our owne home-bred corruptition which is not in this life cleansed cleane away vnlesse it be because it is forgiuen vs and not imputed to vs. And to conclude the Church is said to be a field an house not fields and houses For the Church is but one body one perfect house and one entire and absolute field She hath but one Lord one Architect one Redeemer one absolute Husbandman and Inhabitant one common saluation one religion one Head one Husband one way to heauen according to that of S Paul There is one body one Spirit one faith one Lord one baptisme one God and father And this hath also been the doctrine of former ages Theodoretus saith quest 44. in Num. As the Vnicorne hath one horne so the people truly religious adoreth one onely God And for the vnity of her head Gregory saith that The whole holy vniuersal Church is on Body set vnder Christ Iesus as her Head For Christ with his whole Church both militant triumphant is one person Nazianzene saith There is one Christ one head of the Church Thirdly concerning the vnity of the Spirit Gregory saith that As there is one soule which doth quicken the diuerse members of the body so one Holy Spirit doth quicken and illustrate the whole Church Fourthly for the vnity of faith and outward confession Eucherius saith that As a bundle is bound with bands so all the company of the Saints are bound together with one and the same faith hope and charity compassed with one muniment of diuine protection And as Leo teacheth there is one orison and one confession of the whole Church Finally touching the vnity of Baptisme There is one faith saith Hierome one Baptisme And so withall for the vnitie of her God Iustinus saith There is one true God of all which is acknowledged in the Father Sonne and holy Spirit Our faith saith Cyril receiueth no number of Gods but there is one God the Father and to the same vnitie pertaineth the Sonne and the Holy Ghost Hauing now opened the words and giuen the sense let vs see what lessons we may learne out of them CHAP. 2. The Church of God is Gods house and husbandry Doct. 1 THESE wordes do naturally without wresting affoord vs two notable doctrins The former is that the true church of God which is the coÌ„pany of Beleeuers is Gods House and Husbandry This is plaine by the text as also by other like places of Scripture Know ye not saith Paul that ye are the Temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you And speaking to Timothy he saith These things I write that thou maist know how to behaue thy sefe in Gods House which is the Church of the liuing God And plaine reason sheweth as much For it is not her owne she is not the Lady of her selfe Ye are not your owne saith Paul for ye are bought for a price Neither is the Church a tenement or possession belonging to any Angell or to any Man excepting onely the man Christ who is the Angell of the couenant and her only Lord Head She is not the field of the sluggard which Salomon speaks of She is not the house of wickednesse and sinne For Christ gaue himselfe for her that hee might make her holy and purge her from her sinnes with his bloud Therefore he saith vnto her Thou art all faire my loue and there is no spot in thee Neither is shee the house and field of the Diuell For Christ hath purchased her vnto himselfe Therefore she saith My welbeloued meaning Christ is mine and I am his I am my welbeloueds and his desire is towards me And Christ speaking vnto her cals her his loue his sister his spouse therefore surely the Liuell hath no interest in her and no title to her The conclusion then remaineth firme that as the Temple of Ierusalem was dedicated to be an house vnto the Lord alone euen so the Church is built and consecrated vnto him only that she may be his House to dwel in as a field to husband dispose of as he in his wisedome seeth most conuenient Thus much for the doctrine let vs now se how we may apply it for our benefite and edification CHAP. 3. Sundry vses are made of the consideration of these two titles together THe vses which we ought to make of the former doctrine are of two sorts Some arise from the consideration of these 2 titles giueÌ„ to the Church together some froÌ„ them being coÌ„sidered apart by themselues Of the former company are these that follow First we haue here one of the roialties and royall priuiledges of the faithfull For they and they onely to speake properly are Gods house husbandry For the Father hath elected them only the Son hath redeemed them onely the holy Ghost doth regenerate them onely God the Father Sonne and holy Ghost doth dwell in them onely in regard of the presence of his speciall grace and efficatious operation vnto eternall life For as concerning the Reprobates they are the very sinks of sin the dennes of the Diuell and the quagmyres of iniquity predestinated to eternall distruction Some of them I confesse may thinke themselues to be of Gods house and to belong vnto his field but their imagination is like the fond and false conceipt of some Melancholique persons that haue thought their bodies to haue beene made of glasse and that euery faire house was theirs which they passed