resurrection of eternall iudgement are able to saye nothing to any purpose but yet let it be so that some can doe this they can teach as they say in some measure they can Catechise lay the grounds of Religion yet this will not serue the turn there must be building after the foundation there must be a leading to perfection The Lorde in building the materiall Tabernacle did choose men of singuler wisedome and vnderstanding and will he be content with euery drudge and bungler in the building and erecting of his spirituall Tabernacle But herein cheefly haue some gathered offence and griefe because I haue saide in this place before and also other where that such Ministers haue no righte to administer the Sacraments This seemeth a straunge and hard doctrine yea some are not ashamed to count it erronious and hereticall If I would stand vppon the authority of men I could alleadge for the cōfirmation of the very wordes which I haue spoken the iudgment of those which by common consent of all true Christians are receiued and allowed as the best moste learned and moste pure diuines that euer were since the time of the Apostles but this I hope shall not neede For if of necessitie euerie minister ought to preache or if all the former arguments will serue to prooue this then also that other doctrine how strange and absurd soeuer some count it must I say needes necessarily and consequētly follow that none ought of right to deal with the Lords sacraments but his Ministers Christe requireth of him that baptiseth that he teach saying Goe teache and Baptise No Teacher no Baptiser that which God hath ioyned together let no man put asunder Sainte Paule speaking of the Lords Supper As often saith hee as you shall eate this bread and drinke this Cup ye shewe the Lordes death till he come If the people at the receiuing of the Sacramente ought to haue an effectual and thankfull remembraunce of the death of Christe it must needes followe that the Minister is bounde sufficiently to instruct them in the same If any wil say that this is donne by the dumbe minister in reading the words of the institution he preacheth he sheweth and publisheth Iesus Christ crucified so may I say that he or any other doth the same and that more effectually if they do but say their beliefe openly before the congregation but we speake of a singular of an effectual of an excellent and liuely shewing of his death which is by preaching The Apostle speaking to the Galatians saith I hat Iesus Christ was described in their sight and among them crucified His meaning is that Christ was so liuely preched to them as his liuely Image was set before their eyes or els had bin crucified amongst them This is the power of preching this is the duetye of the minister plainely and effectuallye to discribe and set soorth the merite of Christ his passion so that it may be seene as it were before the eyes The first Minister of Baptisme Iohn the Baptist was a preacher he ioyned Preaching and Baptisme together and in him no doubt the Lord would leaue to his Church an exāple and pattern and a forme of the right ministration of the Sacramentes Christe although there were sundry causes why he woulde not Baptise yet hee ministred the Supper to his Apostles but Christ was a preacher yea he preached then of his death before the first ministration and institution of that sacrament leauing vs an example to doe the like The Apostles ministred the Sacraments but they all preached yea the Euangelist Luke in the storye of the Acts setteth Preaching alwaies before the ministration of the Sacramentes Iohn the Baptist Christ the Apostles and Primatiue Church are the best examples that I knowe and best worthy to be followed Consider further I beseech you the great inconueniences which followe in these places where the word is not preached the people are still in ignoraunce and blindenesse and kept stil in their olde and Popish errours receiued from their forefathers they know not the vse of the sacraments or to what ende they serue they holde still their Papisticall transubstantiation some say they receiue their maker other saye they neuer hearde what a Sacrament meant some say they doe it in a good intent and yet they knowe not their owne intent other say they hope that they receiue it as others doe fewe make anye conscience with knowledge feare and reuerence to prepare them selues The greatest cause of this is lack of preaching and in deed how can their great ignoraunce be taken away how can their olde superstitious errours be effectually confuted but by the continuall and pure preaching of the word And is it not then most fit and conuenient when the sacrament is to bee ministred but we are so farre from hauing any vsuall preaching before the Sacrament that ther be many thousands which neuer heard any preaching at all of the Sacramentes in all their life they haue liued these 25. yeares in a Christian lande vnder the Gospell yet they haue profited no further and if they shoulde liue still double and triple the same yeares they shold be neuer a whitte the better except they had better ministers Woe be to me if I preach not the Gospell Learne one thing further before I goe to the next part of my Text if there depend a woe ouer the minister if he preach not the same woe is also against the people if they heare not and obey not the word preached Woe Chorazin woe Bethsaida woe Capernaum woe to these Countries Cities Townes and people which neglect and contemne the worde preached it shall be easier for the land of Sodome and Gomorrha in the day of iudgement then for such a people The same God the same worde which requyreth preaching of the minister requyreth also hearing and obedience of the people He that is of God heareth Gods worde and therefore doe yee not heare it because yee are not of God My sheepe sayth Christ heare my voyce And to the true minister it is sayd He that heareth you heareth me he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me And againe Verily verily I say vnto you if I send any he that receiueth him receiueth mee Wherefore we ought diligently to giue heed to the things which we haue heard least at any time we should let them slip For if the word spoken by Aungels was stedfast and euery transgression disobedience receiued a iust recompence of rewarde how shall we escape if we neglect so great satuation which at the first began to be preached by the Lord and afterward was confirmed vnto vs by them that heard him God bearing witnesse therto both with signes and wonders and with diuers miracles gifts of the holy ghost according to his own will Wo then vnto all Papistes Infidels Atheistes Hipocrites
word such a conscience a care to reforme your selues your housholdes What I saye hath wrought these things in you how came you by thē What is it that hath so altered your mindes déedes affections Let your conscience be witnesse to me in this matter I am sure you wil approue y t which I haue spoken acknowledge the profite the power and necessity of the worde preached All euery one of these arguments do prooue and confirm as I think that euery minister necessarily ought to preach and otherwise y t he is no minister approoued of God Al euery one of these or most of them do quite ouerthrow and condemne all dumb idle carelesse ministers whatsoeuer One day they shall know what account he maketh of the soules of his people for seeing the word of the Lord in so many places requireth in a minister preaching yea diligent and carefull preaching in what a miserable and damnable state doe these men stand The Apostle sayeth Woe be to me if I preach not the Gospell Well it may be whatsoeuer I haue yet spoken will be granted it is necessary that euery minister preach but what shall all those be condemned which haue not such ful measure of knowledge as other haue which be not accoūted and allowed for publique preachers God forbid I know there is difference in gifts there was so amongst the Apostles but they all sufficiently preached Amongst vs and such others as vse this place and such like places there is difference euerye one of vs haue not the like measure but for my part I speake as I thinke our measure is smal ynough yet the Lord be thanked for that we haue giue vs grace to vse it to his glorye the benefit of his church In my selfe I professe and grant very smal and weake measure insufficiency and lacke of giftes and the Lorde the searcher of the hearts knoweth that the consideration of this hath and doth make me to feare and tremble oftentimes to sigh and lament y ◠so greate a charge and so waighty a burthen is layd vpon me so simple and weake a wretch To you that haue any measure of those giftes which the Lord requireth in his ministers to you I say quench not the spirite vse the meanes to encrease your measure if you be painfull carefull watchfull and faithfull in your Ministerie with a holye and pure affection the Lorde will blesse you To him that hath shall be giuen wee cannot at the first come to perfection Appollos a learned Doctor feruent in the spirite and mighty in the Scriptures yet was he ignoraunt in some things and receiued instructiōs from Aquila and Priscilla Some haue more then others some haue ten talentes some fiue and some but one yet alwayes remember and let it neuer slip out of your minds that the slouthfull and vnprofitable seruaunt shall bee cast into vtter darknesse there shall bee weeping and gnashing of teeth Against such I speake which in deede neuer had any one Talent or any giftes of Ministers or hauing any doe either abuse them or at least doe not put them soorth to any profitable vse Consider a little the state of our ministery There be some amongest vs sacrificing and Massing Priestes full of manifest superstition and hypocrisie and in trueth enemies to Christs religiō Others there be altogether ignoraunt vnlearned very Idoles they can do what Euen iust nothing Others there be which may haue some grounde of learning but in deede they vtter verie little neither is y ◠people bettered by them Some are idle some carelesse some altogether lewd and prophane some ioyne liuing to liuing and take more vpon them then they can discharge although it may bee they speake in one place yet are they dumbe in an other All these and such like are worthie of blame to bee openlye spoken agaynste because they openlye commit offence All these stande daily in a miserable and damnable state without repentaunce But my chiefe drift at this time in this part of my Text is to prooue as you haue heard that euerye Minister approoued of God must preache that is hee must féede the people he must cut the word of God he must improoue rebuke exhort hee must not simply or barelye read or heare the people say some Catachisme but he is to be able in some sufficient measure to open interpret the holy scripture and apply them I hope that this is alreadye prooued onely I exhorte you to account the Lorde wisest to rest in his holie decrees and allowe his owne order as best Let vs not take vppon vs to appointe him what he should do Seeing he hath set downe preaching as the most excellent ordinarie means to saluation let vs not say y t reading will serue the turn Séeing that he requireth that his Ministers be apt to teach let vs not count them his ministers which neuer taught nor euer had any aptnesse in them If he may bee counted a lawfull Minister and teacher that onely readeth the ordinary Seruice and sometime heareth a fewe Children to say a Catechisme without booke as it is set downe before him then may the Cleark also of the Town be counted a minister and teacher then may euery husbandmā Seruingman nay euery boy or child that can do asmuch be so counted Let not some say for defence of ignoraunt ministers that if they do that which they can do it will serue the turn for in the building of an house as there be some Master builders which bring timber and Stone so other there bee which bring morter and fillings and serue to necessarye vse but let vs remember y t euerye Mynister in his charge is or oughte to be a builder yea a master builder and if the cheefe builder bring nothing but fillinges how shall y ◠Lords building in y ◠place goe forward The Apostle in y ◠place which hath bene already twise alleaged saith That the Lorde hath ordained the Minister for the gathering together of his Saincts and for the edification of the body of Christ till we all meete together in the vnity of fayth knowledge of the Son of GOD vnto a perfect man and vnto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ Oh these be no small things these are no trifles this is no vile simple and drudgery worke no small measure but very greate weightye high and most excellent The holy ghost in another place sayth Leauing the doctrine of the beginning of Christe let vs be led forward vnto perfection not laying againe the foundation of repentance from dead workes and of fayth towarde God of the doctrine of baptisme and laying on of hands of the resurrection from the deade and of eternall iudgement Marke I beseech you these wordes There be many people yea and Ministers also that are ignorant of the first rudiments of Christe that of repentaunce of Baptisme of the
ignorant and carnall men for none of these in truth doe make account of the Gospell And now let vs come to the thirde part of our Text wherin is set down what euery minister ought to preach namely the Gospell They are not bound to deliuer the counsels of men the traditions of the fathers the statutes of earthly Princes or the authoritie of mortall men but as they are the seruauntes of Iesus Christ Prince of all Princes so are they bounde onely to preach his Gospell The true Prophetes neuer spake of them selues to the people but as they receiued warning from the Lorde They had no authority to speak their owne wordes nor the wordes of any mortal mā The Apostles might not teach their owne doctrine but only y ◠which they had receiued from their master who enioyneth them to teach all thinges whatsoeuer he had commanded them Goe saith he and preach the Gospell The holy Apostle writing to the Corinthiās auoucheth that he receiued of the Lorde that which he deliuered to thē Wherby we may sée al these teachers cōfuted which stand vppon the authoritie of men which add or diminish anye thing from the Scriptures which ioyne their owne fantasies and the traditions of men with the holy pure perfect worde of God Woe be to those sonnes of vanities for in deede they preach not the Gospell they preach not Christ but themselues they deface and weaken the authoritie of the holy scriptures The lawe of God is a perfect lawe conuerting soules The scripture is able to make the man of God absolute and perfect to all good workes The Lorde sayth by his Prophet He that hath a dreame let him tell a dreame and hee that hath my worde let him speake my worde faithfullie And what is the chaffe to the wheate saith the Lorde Is not my word euen like a fire sayth the Lorde and like a hammer that breaketh the stone Our Sauiour in the Gospell speaketh against such teachers saying In vaine they worship me teaching the doctrine and preceptes of men Let vs remember that which is spoken in the last Chapiter of the Reuelation I protest vnto euery man that heareth the prophesie of this booke if anye man adde vnto these thinges GOD shall adde vnto him the plagues that are written in this booke And if any man shall diminishe of the wordes of this prophesie God shall take away his part out of the booke of life and out of the holy Citie and from these thinges which are written in this booke Woe be to them which preach and yet preach not the Gospell But that we may know the better how the Gospell shoulde bee preached let vs consider a litle what it is and what it contayneth The Euangelistes call it the Gospell of the kingdome Saint Paule accompteth it that which was promised before by the Prophetes in the holye scriptures concerning Iesus Christ our Lorde And in the same Chapiter he sayth It is the power of GOD vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth And in an other place he calleth it the worde and ministerie of reconciliation Saint Iohn calleth it the testimonie of Iesus Christ From these and such like places maye bee easilie gathered a full difinition of the Gospel which I leaue to your Godly consideration onely this I add that vnder the voyce of the Gospell is comprehended the whole Historye of Iesus Christ in the flesh and also the fruite and vse of the same historie As touching the first namely the historie of Christ it is sommarily comprehended vnder his passion and resurrection the vse and ende of al is that we should haue repentance and remission of sins in his name And this doth Christ himselfe witnesse when as he saide to his Apostles after his resurrection Thus it is written thus it behooued Christ to suffer and to rise againe from the deade the third daye and that repentance and remission of sinnes shoulde be preached in his name among all Nations To this agreeth the holy Apostle S. Peter when as he sayeth with other the Apostles to the counsell and chief Priestes The God of our Fathers hath raised vp Iesus whom ye slue and hanged on a tree Him hath God lift vp with his right hand to be a Prince and a Sauiour to giue repentance vnto Israell forgiuenes of sinnes By this we may see how the Gospell must be preached the people must be taught what Christ hath don for them The whole storie of his Incarnation Conception Byrth sufferinges Resurrection and Ascention these thinges I saye must be oftentimes and effectually preached to the people as they are set downe by the holy Euangelistes and Apostles but yet this is not ynough to shew what Christ hath done to rehearse the storie of his Incarnation but also the minister must be carefull to preach the vse the end and fruite of the same storie which is that the people may repent be tourned vnfaynedly vnto God and so by faith made partakers of remission of sinnes through Iesus Christ Repentance is a true turning to God a chaunging of the outwarde and inward man a dying to sin a liuing to righteousnes and amendmēt of y e whol life with this doctrine we must begin this we must first of all and chiefly vrge this is that doctrine cheefly and moste of all preached by the holy prophets This is the common and vsuall voice O Israel returne to the Lorde Iohn the Paptist the Messenger and also Iesus Christ his Maister they cry both of them Repent for the Kingdome of Heauen is at hand The Apostles also euery where exhort men to repentaunce to amendment of life to mortification and regeneration This is an vsuall doctrin in all their Epistles Nowe they can neuer truely repent which know not the greatnesse of their sinnes and the punishmente due to them And howe shall they knowe this except their sinnes be reprooued and laide open by preaching the lawe of God for by the lawe commeth the knowledge of sinne so that the Doctrine of the lawe must not be seperated from the preaching of the Gospell for it is a Schoolmaster to bring vs to Christ This then is necessarily required of euery Minister freelye and boldlye to reprooue sinne in all states and degrees whatsoeuer This is it that the Lorde sayeth to his prophet Crye aloude spare not lift vp thy voyce lyke a Trumpet and shew my people their transgressions and to the house of Iacob their sinnes Our Sauiour Christ accounteth it as an office duetie of the holy Ghost to reproue the world of sinne And in deed there is no doctrine more necessary for this age wherein wee liue although few can away w t it but cry out against such as preach it And as in other places so in this place heretofore I haue had proofe in this matter For vpon iust occasion noting the certaintie of Gods
credite by their doctrines and instructions then by all their riches triumphes These are gone and they are gone but their good counsel their Prouerbes their Psalmes and Preachings remaine and abide for euer for their euerlasting memorie to the glory of God and dayly profite of his church The first minister Preacher of the new Testament was Iohn the Baptist of whom Christ our Sauiour saith there was not a greater Prophet amongst womens children Nay Christ himself was also a preacher of the Gospell witnesseth that he came into the worlde euen to that purpose After him the Apostles also were sent into the world euen to this end Seeing then that God himselfe his sonn Christ Iesus haue vouchsafed to preach the word seeing so famous men as the Prophetes Apostles were ordained to this purpose it must needes follow that the office of preaching is most famous worthy and excellent The worthinesse also of our calling most euidently appeareth in the worthinesse and price of the things committed vnto vs which is the people of God the Church of christ his deare spouse the very price of his bloud If so great thinges be committed to vs If the Lorde put vs in trust with so deare and precious thinges our calling must needes be worthy and notable Remember the notable effect and fruite of this calling the winning of soules the conuersion and saluation of the faithful It pleased GOD by the foolishnesse of preaching to saue them that bleeue And further the worthy matter of preaching is both here other where set downe namely the gospel y e word of reconciliation the worde of grace the good newes and glad tidinges of saluation y e testimony of Iesus christ repentaunce and remission of sinnes O that al men woulde consider this that the glorye of Gods ministerys might appeare If princes noble meÌ„ and Patrons would remember this they woulde haue more care conscience in bestowing their liuings and in defending the good minister Pharaoh king of Aegypt in the time of famine had such a care to prouide for his idolatrous priests that he would not suffer them to sell their land but gaue theÌ„ a sufficient ordinary to liue vpon This example of an idolater in prouiding for idolatrous priestes shal condemn many christian gentlemen which haue a great deal lesse care for true christian ministers which are so far from adding any thing of their owne to their maintenaunce that rather dayly by deceit or violence they take that from the Minister which long agoe was giueÌ„ by others Let the Papist the Atheist and hipocrite remember consider the worthy calling of the minister that laying aside all contempt skoffing disdaine railing they might in heart reuerence and honor the Lords ordinance and let al people remeÌ„ber this that they may chierfully yéeld honor obedience reuerence maintenance to the faithfull minister remember that his calling is of the Lorde that he hath to deal with your soules that his purpose is to win you to the lord that hee preacheth no lesse a thing then the holy gospel of Iesus Christ Now these things rightly coÌ„sidered is he not worthye to be obeyed and maintained How beautiful are the feet of them that bring the glad tidinges of peace And read al which is gone before in the chapter y â— you may know that he which preacheth the Gospell by right and equity ought to liue of the Gospel Let al good ministers remember this for their comfort and instruction that howsoeuer y e world thinke of them they haue a worthye and high calling and let them not faint but make their ministery fully knowne and ende their course with ioy and let al ignorant and carelesse ministers especially remember this doctrine that so they maye either amend or else come to shame and confusion If the Lord be the authour of the ministery the soules of the people are committed to vs If the effect of our calling be to saue the soules of the people if we haue to deale with the gospel of Christ if so famous and notable men haue alwaies been in this calling what a man ought the minister to be what care what coÌ„science what knowledge what zeal and holye conuersation is required at his hands you may see and witnes with me I speake nothing to the defaring and discredite of the minister of God but rather to his great credite glorie his calling is most worthy honourable he is worthy of double honour he is to be obeyed and sufficiently maintained he is the stewarde of the lords house and the messenger of the lord of hostes But as the faithful minister is to haue his credit and commendation so the ignoraunt and carelesse sort as we haue sufficiently already prooued are to be cast downe defaced because by their ignorance idlenesse and leud conuersation they greatly dishonour the Lorde deface his glory I conclude and ende with the holy Apostle I besech you brethren that you know them which labour among you and are ouer you in the Lord and admonish you that you haue them in singular loue for their workes sake By the which place we see that such as labour not admonish not and worke not such I saye are not worthye of any loue or honor but rather to be thrust out and banished as vnprofitable members out of the church of God The which the Lord of the haruest graunt for his tender mercies in Iesus Christ Amen FINIS Luk. 17. 7. 8. 9 1. Cor 14. 3. 2. Tim. 4. 2. 1. Pet. 5. 2. Luk. 4. 16. 1. Tim. 3. 2. Mala. 2. 7. 1. Tim. 2. 15. Mâ—th 13. Act. 8. 27. Mar. 16. 15. Act. 20 20. 2. Tim. 4. 1. Iohn 21. 15. 16. 17. Rom. 10. 17 1. Co. 3. 6. 1. Pet. 1. 23. 1 Cor. 3. 1. Heb. 5. 12. 6. 1. Ephe. 4. 11. 12. 13. 2. Tim. 3. 16. Dan. 12. 3. Mat. 24. 25. 1. Tim. 4. 16. Ionas 3. 4. Act. 2. 41. Act. 26. 18. Eze. 3. 17 Hosea 4. 6. Mat. 5. 13. Mat. 15. 14. Mat. 25. 30 Rom. 15. 4. 1. Cor. 14. 1. Cor. 2. 14. 2. Sam. 12. Nehe. 8. 8. 1. Cor. 14. Math. 9. 38. Math. 5. 13. Ezech. 34. 2. 1. Cor. 4. 1. 1. Cor. 9. 16. Math. 25. 29. Acts. 18. 26. 1. Tim. 4. 1. â— Eph. 4. 12. 1. Heb. 6. 1. Math. 28. 19. 1. Cor. 11. 26 Gala. 3. 1. Math 3. Mark 1. 38. Math. 26. 20. Acts. 2. 38. Act. 8. 12. 38. Act. 10. 34. Acts. 20. 7. Math. 11. 21. Ihon. 8. Ioh. 10. 27. Luk. 10. 16. Ioh 13. 20. He. 2. 1. 2. 3. 4. The thirde part Ierem 1. Ezech. 3. Math 28. 10. Mark 16. 15. 1. Cor. 11. 23. 1. Cor. 15. 3. Psalm 19. 2. Tim. 3. Iere. 23. 28. Math. 12. 3. Reue. 22. 18. Rom. 10. 16. 2. Cor. 5. 18. Reue. 1. 2. Luk. 24. 46. Act. 5. â— 8. Ierem. 4. 1 Ezec. 18. 1. Hose 14. 1. Math. 32. Math. 4. 17. Rom. 3. 2. Rom. 7. 7. Isai 58. 1. Iohn 16. â— Luk. 13. 3. Ephes 5. 5. Math. 23. 13. Marc. 8. 17. Marc. 16. 14. Gala. 2. â—â— 2. Pet. 1. Mark 3. 13. Act. 20. Ephe. 4. 11. Genes 3. Mark 2. 1. Cor. 1. Gen. 47. 22. Rom. 10.