deed thou hast caused the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme 2. Sam. 12.14 the childe that is borne vnto thee shall surely dye The Oliue tree that is planted among the vines because it occupyeth but a little roome hurteth not the vines but the nuttree that coÌ„breth the ground taketh vp such a wide space doth greatly hinder them The Potentates that take vp all the roome of the land sway al things as they list are dangerous to the vineyarde of the Lord of hoasts by their securitie and hostilitie the trebuler sort that are thrust to the wall that neuer growe high or ouerdreepe others little by all the euill they can doe can damnifie others Otherefore that it would please God to sweepe their house that we might finde his lost groat to turne them that they might be turned and thereby turne such as are vnder their charge vnto the worship of God For as by their fearefull euill examples they holde vp as it were the chinne of iniquitie so by these good examples in their conuersion vnto God pietie would set vp a monarchie among vs. Dauid onely by the line of his good life did drawe Saul vnto him holding vp such a lumpe of vprightnesse vnto him as did enlighten and inflame him 1. Sam. 24. and 26.15 The Baptist beeing a man of such absolute carriage as no man could approoue hee had heapes of followers who swarmed like Bees about him admired him applauded him as the Messias Luk. 3.7.12 15. 23.43 The theef that was crucified with our Sauiour Christ seeing such strange loue in the Lorde as praying for his persecuters at the very nicke and last cast was conuerted by it Paul by his learning and life together by his wordes and workes wrought a great worke among the Gentiles He did not fight as one that beateth the ayre but hee looked to his carriage and so humbled his body 1. Cor. 9.21.22.27 that thee might not bee a reprobate himselfe whilest hee brought saluation vnto others It is the point Peter much standeth vpon and laboureth to perswade that such as are lights might so lighten the world 1. Pet 2.3 that it seeing the same may glorifie God in the day of visitation 3. There is further this marke of difference betweene this two-folde fishing that the fishes of the one side are taken to dye but such as are taken by our Ministeriall fishing are taken that they might liue they are translated from death to life for euer Their resurrection from the pitte of their perdition maketh them partakers of the second resurrection to eternall saluation Common proofe teacheth the one and spirituall proofe the other You hath hee quicked Ephes 2.1 that were dead in trespasses and sinnes saith the Apostle Answerable hereunto is this his other assertion Col. 2.13 And yee which were dead in sinnes and in the vncircumcision of the flesh hath hee quickned together with him And this estate and condition of the faithfull is plainely declared by Christ when hee saith Ioh. 5. â—5 The houre shall come and now it is when the dead shal heare the voyce of the Sonne of God Wee were all of vs without Christ dead in our sinnes and were buried in the bedde of darknesse of all errors and superstitions into which by the subtile illusions of Sathan wee haue beene ledde and held in the captiuitie and bondes of them But Christ who hath destroyed the kingdome of darkenesse hath brought vs backe to life and the light of faith As he stayed the widdowes son when the Porters had him on their shoulders vpon the beare Luke 7.15 and restored him to his mother So when wee were giuen vp to the second death The great mercie of Christ in sauing repentant sinners and the deuils officers were busie about vs to carrie vs away with them Christ with his sauing Worde came among vs seazed vppon vs tooke vs out of their hands and restored vs to our heauenly Father Christ was the day-man and mediator betweene God and man and spake comfortably to vs as vnto Hezechias 2. king 20 5. Gen. 2.15 3.23.24 Iob. 30.31 Gen. 3.15 1. Cor. 15.45 c. Rom. 5.14 1 5. c. Rom. 1.3 Thou shalt not dye but liue Adams state was happie in his earthly Paradise but the case was quite altered with his sinne And wee may take vp Iobs wordes concerning him His harpe was turned into mourning and his organs into the voyce of them that weepe But wee are safe enough againe by his seede the second Adam by whome wee are saued the omnipotent worde of God Hebr. 9.14.28 1. Pet. 3.18 Iohn 19.34 taking our nature vpon him and vndergoing the wrath of his Father and death the wages of sinne due vnto vs. Whose side beeing opened with a speare there entered liuing creatures into him all such as are to bee saued both cleane and vncleane as of all sortes into the Arke of Noah Gen. 7.1 2 3. c. that were preserued from danger of drowning Wherefore my soule sleepe securely within him as in a Caue and nestle thy selfe in him as Doues in the clifts of Rockes and the Lord giue thee vnderstanding in all things 2. Tim. 2.7 FINIS
needfull prouision without which there is no good to be done Soe he that fisheth for the soules of men if hee hath not parts of learning proper to his profession hee shall be little profitable in that his vocation Exod. ca. 28. ve 30.4.12.29.34.36 c. The vrim and Thummim engraued vpon the tablet the high priest customably ware at his brest prefigured the full knowledge of heauenly misteries that ought to be seated in euery priests breast Of a learned minisierie Also the golden bells that did hang to the verge of his garment did insinuate that his tongue ought to sound like a bell in the Church of God The brestlet likewise that was the priests share signified as saith Origen that the priest is be to a māof counsel the breast being the seat fountaine of counsell Mal. 2.7 All which accord with that which Malachie requireth of him saying The priests lippes keepe knowledge and they should seeke the law at his mouth 2. Tim. 2.15.25 Tit. 1.9 2.6.7.8 Matth. 13.52 To which appertaineth that precept of the Apostle enioyning the minister that hee be able to teach Finally answerable to their saying is Christ his saying Euerie scribe learned in the kingdome of heauen bringeth out of his treasure thinges both new and old It was an olde saying though it is much out of vse now The law shall not depart from the priest nor counsell from the wise Hier. 18.18 Leuit. 6.15.16 passim aliis cap. nor the word from the Prophet The minister of the old testament was able to iudge what parte euery one ought to haue in the sacrifice what portion belonged to the Lorde what was due to the people and what accrued to the priest so should the spirituall snard in the Lords house bee of that vnderstanding and discretion as to distribute to euery one his diuidence in due season Luke 12.42.43 Mat. 24.45.46 2. Sa. 5.6 But as Iebusites placed their lame and blind at the walles of Hierusalem despite of Dauid so such as are lame and vnable for the ministrie and as blind as beetles keep neare the gates of the spirituall Hierusalem to the great reproach of the gospell of Christ 2. Sam. 2.12 There are many very varlets in the holy ministerie as euill conditioned as the sonnes of Eli who are called the sonnes of Belial and as ignorant as they of whom it is said They knew not the Lord. If no man will trust a great part of them with mony in what case are soules committed to their trust But let vs consider how in other partes the minister holdeth comparison with the fisherman 2. The fisherman when he casteth out his nette or angle-rodde knoweth not how to speed but sometimes hee hath good lucke at the first sometimes at the last sometimes none at all It is so with the preacher of Gods most holy worde who sometimes but with once preaching edifieth much Ion. 35.6 as Ionas by one sermon reclaimed both Prince and people of Niniueh Acts. 8.5.6.7.8.12 Acts. 2.14.41 Acts. 16.14 as Philip by one sermon in Samaria woon the heartes of the Samaritanes and as Peter by one sermō at Hierusalems added to the Church three thousand soules as Paul by one sermon conuerted Lydia Sometimes he is long ere hee can doe any good Luke 5.5.6.7.9 but at the last letting downe his nette in the name of Christ as Peter did he encloseth a multitude of fish Sometimes he sayeth with Peter maister Luke 5.5 all the day long haue I fished and got nothing and he is driuen to take vppe the Lords complaint in the mouth of the Prophet Isay 53.1 Lord who hath beleeued our report and to whom is the arme of the Lord reuealed The fishermā fareth as his hap is Isay 6.6.7 c Iere 1.9 Ezek. 31.2.3 so the preacher speedeth according as God blesseth who giueth him the tōgue of the learned to vtter words of grace in due time who toucheth his lippes with a coale from his altar which inflameth the hearts of the people who onely openeth him a doore of vtterance whereby his words minister grace vnto the hearers 3. Eph. 6.19.20 1. Pet. 4.20 The fisherman doth as the gardner husbandman who plāteth and soweth but God reserueth the increase to himselfe The fisherman can promise nothing to him selfe hee is not certaine of one fish hee can but vse the meanes when he hath done al he can 1. Cor. 3.5.6.7 The preacher can but minister the word and Sacraments the outward meanes that God hath ordeined him to fish for soules but the effect and good speed hereof must be giuen to God 1. Cor. 3.6.9.10 Matth. 13.3.4 Iohn 20.23 Matth. 18.18 hee being but Gods agent in this busines The ministers of the Church are said to build sowe plante regenerate wash away sinnes forgiue But because these are done by them by vertue of their office we must looke higher namely vnto him who hath put them in office who in meere mercie worketh thus effectually by them 1. Cor. 3.5.6.7.9.10 wherefore Paul thus saieth of Apollo and himselfe Who is Paul and who is Apollo but the ministers by whom ye beleeued and as the Lorde gaue to euerie man I haue planted Apollo watred but God gaue the encrease So then neither is he that planteth any thing neither hee that watreth but God that giueth the encrease Also in the same place calling him selfe and his fellow Apostles Gods labourers he taketh vp these titles of Gods husbandry and Gods building that all the good successe of our labours whatsoeuer might bee ascribed to God that no part of the credit of it The net of preaching bringeth vs to the heauenly shore c. examples Acts 9.10.18.11 c. Acts 10.4.5 Acts 8.37 Acts 16.14 Before the spiritual fisherman can gaineany fish God must first lead them into the nette and make them tractable 1. Cor. 15.10 Eph. 3.7.8 should cleaue to our handes Ananias in deed was themā that brought Paul to this heauenly shore by the nette of his preaching but Gods hande was first in this worke who illuminated him by his heauenly light and prepared him by his spirit making him capable of Ananias his instruction The like wee say of Cornelius the Centurion of the great Chamberlaine to the Aethiopian Queene of Lydia the purple seller who were all gained to God by the ministrie of the Apostles Peter Philip Paul but the hand of a better workeman than they first ledd them into the nettes and made them tractable and rulie If we doe any good by our spiritual angling if we haue encreased Gods kingdome if wee haue laboured more than others let vs with Paul blesse God for our labours and say Not I but the grace of God in me and with the elders in the Reuelation Reuel 4.10.11 Isa 26.12 lay downe al the glorie thereof at the foote of the Lambe as they did lay
siluer the basis and substance thereof being but copper As the Estrich hath the winges of a hawke but not the flight of a hawke so such deep dissemblers and double dealers haue but the colour and countenance of christians they haue not the condition of Christians to flie high by the winges of zealous religion Mat. 27.14 Gen. 25.27 27.1 c. They wash but their hands with Pilat and not their consciences They seeke with Esau that which is without outward estimation but the other with Iacob abide within they are inwardly holy and obtaine the benediction But when there shall be a seperation made of them 1. Co. 1.18.23.24 we shal shew hereafter in his proper place In the meane while we are to coÌ„sider how none can possibly escape this nette but that it taketh only one one way or other which way soeuer he turneth him either to life or death Iob. 40.21 Though no fisherman hath a nette or angle for the Leuiathan and as Iob saith Who can put a hooke in his nose or pierce his iawes with an angle yet the Lord as saith Isaiah will set for the great Dragon and draw vp the Crocodile in the water with his hooke The great mountaine before Zorobabell shall be leuelled and made plaine Isa 30.33 Iosu 7.1 Isai 22.18 Tophet is prepared euen for the King Theeues shall be taken in his nette as Achan was Corrupt officers shall be cut off as Shebua was Zach. 11.8 Idle ministers and desidious shepheardes come into this nette and they shall die the death as those three whom the nette of Gods iudgment snatched away in one moneth Leuit. 24.10 The blasphemer shall be caught with the rest as the Aegyptian was that was stoned to death It encreaseth false witnesses as it did the promooters and informers against Daniel Dan. 6.24 It draweth heretikes and idolaters whose parents by decree must doe theÌ„ to death Zach. 13.3 Shall schismatiks escape winde themselues in the weedes Num. 16.1.31 There is no such matter and that the iudgement done vpon Corah and his complices euidently enough sheweth And Hypocrites shal be hemmed in with the confused crowde Acts 5.1.5.10 as the storie of Ananias and Saphiâ—a manifesteth The clefts of rockes shall not hide them Zeph. 1.12 the bushes and segge in the riuer shall not shrowd them for all of them shall be put out and the Lord with lanterns torch-light shall search for them But if our nets be not sound and whole wee marre all togeather and wee haue but our labour for our paines If our teaching bee not good grounded vpon the word we can doe no good Aug. Tom. 4. de fide et ope cap. 17. Retibus bonis capi possunt pisces boni et mali retibus autem malis capi non possunt pisces boni Quia in doctriua bona et bonus potest esse qui audit et facit malus qui audit et non facit In doctrina verò mala et quieam veram put â—t quaÌ„uis ei non obteÌ„perat malus est et qui obteÌ„perat peior est That is to say In good nettes fishes both good and badde may bee taken but by naughtie nettes good fishes will not be gotten Because by that doctrine which is good hee that heareth it and doth it is good and hee that heareth it and doth it not is euill But in euill doctrine he that conceiueth it to be true though he followeth it not is badde and hee that obeyeth it is worst of all But this nette of the gospel hath been miserably torne from time to time by erroneous spirites heretikes and scismatiques deceiuable teachers barterers of the bible and purloyners of sacred misteries Arrius was such a one who because hee might not speed in his sute to bee bishop of Alexandria kept reuell rout with this nette and mangled it without mercie Donatus was another who by a sawcie vnsufferable singularitie made such garbocles and tossed and turmoyled this nette in that wise as the rupture thereof was long in making vp hee deuided the nette and the garment of Christ without seame Mat. 27.35 Ioh. 19.23.24.33 and more sauage thaÌ„ the souldier brake the knees of Christ Of this brotherhood are our Popelinges who harme this net as much as they can and hinder those that woulde mend their breaches according to the puritie of the primitiue Church This hath beene alwaies the condition of the Church to bee pestred with such Epyphanius scoreth vp fourescore seuerall heresies of his time Augustine reckneth more which came vppe with the Gospell All these stand vpon the sufficiencie of their tewe and obiect Augustide bapt contra Donat. that they lay out as good nettes as we But bragges are no proofes The Donatists in Africa stood vpon their slippers suggesting that the Orthodoxall fathers of the Church made merchandise of the word and that they themselues were maintainers of it But Augustine telleth them that they were but conficti non conuicti traditores the parties they accused were onely but by confiction not any due conuiction deprauers of the scriptures Cyprâ— epist ad Iulianum 37. Dioscorus an arch-heretique openly at the counsell board at Chalerdon braued it thus Ego defendo dogmata sanctorum patrum I defend the doctrine of the antient fathers An Ape cladde in purple is but an ape no more is Nouatius arrogating to himselfe the authoritie of the Church Ebion though he was a Samaritan vp downe yet as Epiphanius saith he would goe for a Christian The Marcionites are as stiffe as any that they are the true Church of whom saith Tertullian Faciunt fauos et vespae faciunt ecclesias et Marcionite waspes make hony combs and Martionetes Churches Mat. 24.15 3.9 Iere. 7.4 Desolation standeth in the holy place a pirat will lurke priuely in the arke of Noah a Pharisee will speake biglie The temple of the Lord the temple of the Lorde and they boast themselues to be the seed of Abraham Iohn 8.33.39.44.53 Reue. 2.9 But they are of their father the deuill as Christ answereth them and they are the synagog of Sathan as the Angell in the Reuelation tearmeth them Thus are all gatherings drawne in by this nette according to that which Christ saith of it It gathereth of all kind of things For God as he is impartiall and without respect of persons debarreth none Mat. 13.47 Some like flimy slipperie eeles no sooner find themselues entangled in the nette but they seeke to wind and straine out themselues seeking occasions and starting holes friuolous excuses Some not onely stippe out but breake the shales of the net with their strugling wringing and wronging the scriptures miserably with their contrarie constructions making them no more like themselues by that time they haue trimmed them than the counterfeit that Michol placed vpon the pileow was like vnto Dauid 1. Sam. 19.13.16
they may daunce and sometimes to mourne to make them lament Mat. 11.17 Cor. 4.21 sometimes with the Apostle Paul to come in loue and sometimes with a rodde of which more shall bee said in the following discourse There is no kind of learning holy or prophane but may pleasure vs sometimes in our fishing affaires I forbeare to censure such as are of contrarie iudgement Of the vse of humane reading and would shredde and strip a diuine of all humane reading but because they would stoppe my free passage of fishing and hinder mee in this course that is delightsome gainfull vnto me I will pleade my cause as well as I can as I may deliuer my opinion from their seuearer repreheÌ„sion Gregorie NazianzeÌ„ yet Gregorie Nazianzen casteth their water and giueth this iudgement of them in the cause we haue in hand Non vlla despicienda disciplinae cognitio cum de genere bonorum scientia siâ—â—mnis quin potius ipsam spernentes et rusticos et plane ignauos existimare debemus qui cupiunt vt omnes sint ignorantes ne ignorantia eorum inter communem perspiceretur si philosophia non respiceretur ideo quia quidam per philosophiam errarunt tunc nec Solet Luna quia nonnulli ea pro dijs suis habuerunt Wee are not to despise any disciplimatie knowledge for that al learning is in the rancke of good things rather the scorners thereof are to be thought to bee as ignorant as themselues that their ignorance might not appeare in its proper likenes If this bee enough to put downe Philosophy because some haue bin misled thereby wee may by like reason vrge that the sunne should bee taken from the firmament the moone should bee done away inasmuch as some haue worshipped them as Gods But we list first to conclude our iudgement by suffrages of scriptures The inhibition and promise of the lawe for the not marrying of a capture womaÌ„ Deu. 21.11.12 was voide with these conditions that her superfluities were done away her head was shauen her nayles pared her garments burned These rites being performed she an Isralite might be coÌ„tracted The reddition and consequence hereof is made by Hierome in this wise Hierome what maruel is it then saith he If I wedde my selfe to the wisedome of the worlde for the beautie comlines of speech that I find it hath and of a captiue woman make her fredenizen in Israel cutting off whatsoeuer is in her superstitious voluptuous erroneous and begette children to the Lord of hostes by her Osea 1.3 For so did Oseas take to himselfe a wife of fornication Gomer the daughter of Diblaim by whome he had a sonne named Isreel which is by interpretation the seed of the Lorde Acts 7.22 Moses was a man learned in all the wisedome of the Egyptians Daniel was a great man in the learning of the ChaldeaÌ„s Iob was very well seene in astronomie Dan. 1.4.17 Iob. 38.31.32.33 Ieromie was studious in the statute laws of the realme Dauid could handle the harpe out of crie and sing songes of Sion sweetly Paul tooke great pleasure in reading of poetrie 1. Sam. 16.16.18.23 Psa 57.7.8 1. Cor. 15.32.33 Tit. 1 1.2.13 Act. 17.28 and had all manner of learning both of Iewes and Gentiles and he brought three Poems of Menander Aretas Epimenides into the bodie of holy scripture when the tabernacle was to be builded with the Arke of the testimonie mercie seate and their appurtenances Exod. 31.2.3.4.6 Bezaleel by name was called out from the rest and qualified for that worke filled with the spirite of God in wisedome and in vnderstanding and in knowledge and in all workmanship as assistiaÌ„s vnto him were Aholiab and all that were wise hearted adioyned wherefore how much more is it expedient that such as should build vppe his heauenly Hierusalem should bee furnished and accomplished with all necessarie induments Exod. 12.35.36 The Isralites were dispensed with to borrow of the Egyptians their ornaments of gold their costly Iewels plate Augustine and to vse them as their owne from whence Augustine disputeth it to bee as lawfull for vs to robbe the Gentiles and heathens of the ornaments and rare inuentions of their wittes and serue our turnes with them Eloquence and humane learning serueth diuines as that parte of the Carpenters wimble which is wreathed round about and by degrees draweth in the iron The wodden handle entreth not into the wood but it helpeth in the pearser so arts are helpers to preachers in their studies In which respect Socrates compareth them to midwiues Socrates that are helpers to women in their trauailes they serue notablie for the ease of such as trauaile in the spirituall profession This is the vse Augustine maketh of them saying Solo vomere terra profunditur sed vt hoc fieripossit etiam caetera aratri membra necessaria De ciuit Dei lib. 16. cap. 2. The share onely deuideth the ground but to set it forward are the other partes of the plough requisite By making such vse as worldly learning doth afford we may thrust thorough the Pagan Infidel with his own weapoÌ„s For which cause doth Lactantius so much desire to haue this so great an aduaÌ„tage ouer them Lib. 3. Inst cap. 1. I would saith he haue the gift of eloquence either because they might sooner yeeld to the truth when it is thus garnished or else because infidels might the readier bee slaine by their own swords What need wee care from whence wee haue the hearbe or who did first set it or bring it if it bee medicinable and healeth vs Let vs bee like the diligent Bee which from a netle can drawe hony A tree though neuer so laden with fruit is graced by her leaues though wee be neuer so fruitfull in diuine knowledge worldly learning that are as the leaues of this tree will countenance it well enough Fullers before they will die a purple will lay a ground colour Diuinitie is the royall purple colour artes are but the grounds thereof To learne to handle a weapon skilfullie men haue their beginnings in the fence schoole we are trained vp in commoÌ„ schooles where the artes are taught to make vs more apt and readie for diuinitie In the building of a house though the master Mason his seruice is the chiefest yet are his inferiour seruers needfull Such as would get themselues authoritie by their ignorance of the artes and boast themselues to bee followers of fishermen are deceiued in thinking that the Apostles were more holy the more they were vnlearned Augustine Augustine wrote to his friend to aduise Calphumius not to maligne such as haue teeth because hee had none himselfe I will insist no longer in this point least I should seeme too much to digresse from the point we come to the former matter As wee hold them not worthie to be called fishers that haue not their netts and