⧠A FRVITful Sermon preached at Occham in the County of Rutland the Second of Nouember 1583. By Thomas Gybson PROVERB 29.8 ¶ VVhere there is no Vision the people decay GOD IS MY DEFENDER GOD IS MY DEFENDER AT LONDON Printed by Robert Walde-graue dwelling without Temple-Barre 1584. ¶ TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE Lorde FRAVNCES Earle of BEDFORD and one of her Maiesties most honourable priuy Counsell Knight of the Noble order of the Garter VVith the Right Honourarable Syr VVALTER MILDEMAY Knight Chancelour of the Queenes Maiesties Court of Exchequer and one of her Highnes most honourable priuy Counsell Grace Mercy and peace be multiplied from God our Heauenly Father from our Lord Sauiour Iesus Christe THE blessed holy Euangelist Saint Luke Right Honorable penning and publishing the Heauenlye story and blessed Gospell of Iesus Christ doth also dedicate the same to one Theophilus a Noble and famous man of singular credit and authority The reason and cause that mooued him thereto is because in those times the purenesse of the Gospell was hindred and persecuted whereby many erroures began to be spreade and allowed and therefore in great Wisdom it pleased the holy Ghost not onely to write a faithfull sure and perfect story but also to offer and present the custodie and defence of the same to one of Religion and Povver The verye same cause partly hath mooued me at this time to bee so bolde as to offer and Dedicate this poore and simple testimony of my trauaile to your Honoures For although I doe confesse vvee liue vnder a Gracious Prince whome the Lorde long continue to his glory to the shame and confusion of his enemies and to the dayly profit of his Church although I say we liue in so peaceable happy and gracious a time vnder the flowrishing state of the Gospell yet truely the dearest Children of God and the sincerity of Religion is subiect to bitter Persecution These wordes at the first may seeme verye greeuous hard and haynous and yet they are most certaine and true The holy Apostle S. Paul writing to the Galatians 4.29 speaketh on this maner As he that was borne after the Flesh persecuted him that was borne after the Spirite euen so is it nowe hee speaketh of Ismael and Isaac and yet we do not reade in the scripture of any persecution betweene them neither did Ismael persecute his Brother Isaac with hande or sworde but that which is worse proudly arrogantly he raised him selfe against him mocking him and as it were treading vnder feete the promise of God And this dealing by the apostle is cálled a persecution in deede there is not any persecution more greeuous to the Children of God then this Nowe who doth not dayly see that the best Christians and the purenes of Religion are greatly persecuted by Papists Atheists and Hipocrites as Isaac was by his Brother Ismael And of all matters of religion I thinke there is scarse any in these dayes more generally hated of such kind of men then that which is most altogether almost only hand led in this simple Sermō For these such like men many of them can bee content with a common ordinarye profession to heare Mattins and Euensong and sometimes a Sermon by such men as they like of but that there should be any continuall course of the pure preaching of the worde of God they can in no case allowe or like of This I say is hated reiected and persecuted so farre as may be of the greater sorte and therefore not without cause haue I attēpted to dedicate this my labor to your honors as special Patrons defendors of the Lords cause tried Friends and Fauorers of God his trueth But yet this attempt may seem very raish and needles For who am I that I should take vppon mee to set foorth and to publish any thing The vnworthiest I confesse of many hundreths and the vnablest of manye thousands and yet seeing many things more simple lesse needefull and profitable are not only suffered but alowed to come abroad I am not altogether discouraged neither hath any mā iust cause to accuse mee in this my simple enterprise I know these be daies of knowledge learning there bee greate store of famous and learned diuines in our land whom I beseech the Lorde to blesse that they may assist their weake brethren in the defence of this and such good causes and yet the two mites of the pore widow cast into the treasury amongest the great giftes of the wealthy are not to be refused I know your Honours be daily hearers of famous and learned men both in your houses and abroad you are acquainted with the sermons of profound deepe diuines and such as are mighty in the scriptures notwithstanding hauing in my self sufficient trial experience of your honors most curteous humble fauorable dealing towards me and also of some liking of my simple my poore trauelles in preaching heretofore I am not ashamed or afrayd after such triall and proofe to offer this so small and simple a thing vnto your Honours The great necessity of the matter I deale withall the care of Gods glory the zeal of his house the benefit that his church may haue by it hath especially mooued me that it should be published come abroad Let not therefore hypocrites bee too rash in iudging the Lorde the searcher of the hearts and reynes knoweth my purpose and affection in preaching and publishing this matter The cause that hath moued me to present it to your Honors rather then to other is the lōg proof and acquayntance of your honourable courtesies and friendlye good will towards me which for my part I am neuer able to requite for the which I thinke my selfe as long as breath is in me moste bound and indebted to your Honours And here I offer this poore fruite of my trauaile as some Testimony of good will and thankfulnes And whereas wee are wont commonly to offer and present to our dearest Friendes some giftes as tokens of good will or else of special duety Amongst many great and precious presentes vvhich are no doubt giuen and presented to your honours I also offer this simple mite and yet I hope more pleasant and acceptable to the receiuers then thousands of gold or siluer or any earthly thing whatsoeuer And in deede can there be any matter more sweete and pleasaunt to the cheefe Patrons and Defenders of the Godly Preachers and the word of God then to heare of the necessity profite and excellency of preaching which things are set foorth plainly largely in this little Sermon For howsoeuer many mē hate and abhorre this matter and can in no case disgest it yet your honours zeale courage liking goodwill and countenaunce to this and other good causes is cōmonly known and spreade abroad A further reason why I publishe this Sermon is because there is some matter in it for the which I haue beene in the
of the worde such a conscience and a care to reforme your selues and your housholdes What I saie hath wrought these thinges in you How came you by them What is it that hath so altered your mindes deedes and affections Let your conscience be witnesse to me in this matter I am sure you wil approue that which I haue spoken and acknowledge the profite the power and necessitie of the worde preached All and euery one of these arguments doe proue and confirme as I thinke that euery Minister necessarilye ought to preach and otherwise that he is no Minister approued of God All and euery one of these or most of them doe quite ouerthrow and condemne all dumbe idle and carelesse Ministers whatsoeuer One day they shall knowe what accounte he maketh of the soules of his people for seeyng the worde of the Lord in so many places requireth in a Minister preachyng yea diligent and carefull preaching in what a miserable and damnable state doe these men stand The Apostle saieth woe be to me if I preach not the Gospell Well it maie bee whatsoeuer I haue yet spoken will be graunted It is necessarie that euery Minister preache but what shall all those be condemned which haue not such full measure of knowledge as other haue whiche be not accounted and allowed for publique Prachers God forbid I know these difference in giftes there was so amongst the Apostles but they all suficiently preached Amongst vs and suche others as vse this place and such like places there is differeÌ„ce euery one of vs haue not the like measure but for my parte I speake as I thinke our measure is small inough yet the Lorde be thanked for that we haue and giue vs grace to vse it to his glorie and the benefite of his Church in my self I professe and graunt very small and weake measure insufficiencie and lacke of gifts and the Lord the searcher of the harts knoweth that the consideration of this hath and doeth make me to feare and trimble often tymes to sigh and lament that so great a charge and so waightie a burthen is layed vpon me so simple and weake a wretch To you that haue any measure of those gifts which the Lord requireth in his Ministers to you I say quenche not the spirite vse the meanes to increase your measure if you be painefull carefull watchfull and faithfull in your ministrie with a holy and pure affection the Lorde will blesse you To him that hath shall be giuen we cannot at the first come to perfection Appollos a learned Docter feruente in the spirite and mightie in the scriptures yet was he ignorant in some things and receiued instructions from Aquila and Priscilla Some haue more then others some haue tenne talentes some fiue and some but one yet alwaies remember and let it neuer slippe out of your minds that the slothfull and vnprofitable seruaunt shalbe cast into vtter darkenes there shall bee weepying and gnashyng of teeth Against suche I speake whiche in deede neuer had any one talente or any giftes of Ministers or hauyng any do either abuse them or at least doe not put them forth to any profitable vse Consider a little the state of our ministrie There bee some amongst vs sacrificeing and masâ—ing Priestes full of manifest superstition and hypocrisie and in truth enemies to Christs religion Others there be altogether ignorant vnlearned very idoles they can doe what Euen iust nothyng Others there be which may haue some ground of learnyng but in deede they vtter very little neither is the people better by them Some are idle some carelesse some altogether leude and profaine some ioyne liuing to liuing and take more vpon them then they can discharge although it may be they speake in one place yet are they duâ—â—…e in an other All these and such like are worthte of blame to be openly spoken against because they open offence All these stand dayly in a miserable and damnable state without repentance But my cheif drifte at this tyme in this parte of my text is to proue as you haue hard that euery Minister approued of God must preache that is he must teede the people he must cut the worde of God he must improue rebuke exhort he must not simply or barely reade or heare the people saie some Catachisme but he is to be able in some sufficieÌ„t measure to open and interpret the holy Scripture and applie them and I hope that this is alreadie proued onely I exhort you to accompt the Lord wisest to rest in his holy decrees and allowe his owne order as best Let vs not take vppon vs to appointe him what he should do Seing he hath set downe preaching as the most excellent and ordinary meanes to saluation let not vs say that reading will serue the turne seing that he requireth that his Ministers bee apt to teach let vs not coumpt them his Ministers which neuer taught nor euer had any aptnesse in them If he maie bee counted a lawfull Minister and Teacher that onely readeth the ordinarie Seruice and sometime heareth a fewe children to saie a Catechisme without booke as it is set downe before him then maie the Clarke also of the Towne be coumpted a Minister and teacher then may euery Husbandman Seruing man nay euery boye or childe that can doe asmuch be so counted Let not some saie for defence of ignorant Ministers that if they do that which they can doe it will serue the turne for in the building of an house as there be some Maister builders which bring timber and stone so other there be which bring morter and fillinges and serue to necessarie vse but let vs remember that euery Minister in his charge is or ought to bee a builder yea a Maister builder and if the chief builder bring nothing but fillinges how shal the Lords building in that place goe forwarde The Apostle in that place whiche hath been already twise alledged saieth That the Lorde hath ordained the Minister for the gathering together of his Saincts and for the edification of the bodie of Christ till wee all meete together in the vnitie of faith and knowledge of the Sonne 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 drudgerie woorke no small measure but very great weightie high and most excellent The holy Ghost in an other place saieth Leauing the doctrine of the beginning of Christ let vs be led forwarde vnto perfection not laying againe the foundation of repentance from dead workes and of faith toward GOD of the doctrine of Baptisme and laying on of handes and of the resurrectioÌ„ from the dead and of eternal iudgement Marke I beseech you these words There be many people yea Ministers also that are ignoraunt of the first rudimentes of Christ that of repentaunce of Baptisme of the resurrection of eternall
iudgement are able to saie nothing to any purpose but yet let it bee so that some can doe this they can teach as they saie in some measure their an Catechise and ay the groundes of Religion yet this will not serue the turne there must bee building after the foundation there must be a leading forward to perfection The Lord in building the material 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 chiefly haue some gathered offence and grief because I haue said in this place before and also other where that suche Ministers haue no right to administer the Sacramentes This seemeth a straunge and hard doctrine yea some are not ashamed to count it erronious and hereticall if I would stande vpoÌ„ the authoritie of men I could alledge for the confirmation of the very wordes whiche I haue spoken the iudgement of those which by common consent of all true Christians are receiued and allowed as the best most learned and most pure Diuines that euer were since the time of the Apostles but this I hope shal not neede for if of necessitie euery Minister ought to preache or if all the former argumentes wil serue to proue this then also that other doctrine how straunge and obsurde soeuer some count it I must I saie needes necessarily and consequently followe none ought of right to deale with the Lordes Sacramentes but his Ministers Christ requireth of him that Baptiseth that he teach saiing Go teach and Baptise No Teacher no Baptiser that which God hath ioyned together let no man put asunder Sainct Paule speaking of the Lordes Supper As often saieth he as ye shall eate this breade and drinke this cupp ye shew the Lordes death till he come If the people at the receiuing of the Sacrament ought to haue an effectuall and thankfull remembraunce of the death of Christ it must needes follow that the Minister is bound sufficiently to instruct them in the same If any will say that this done by the dumbe Minister in reading the wordes 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 doe but saie their beleefe openly before the Congregation but we speake of a singular of an effectuall of an excellent and liuely shewing of his death which is by preaching The Apostle speaking to the Galatians saieth That Iesus Christ was described in their sight and among them crucified His meaning is that Christe was so liuely preached to them as his liuely Image was set before their eyes or els had been crucified amongst them This is the power of preaching this is the duetie of the Minister plainly and effectually to discribe and set forth the merite of Christ his Passion so that it maie bee seen 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 no douâ—t the Lorde would leaue to his Churche an example and patterne and a forme of the right ministration of the Sacramentes Christ although there were sundrie causes why he would not Baptise yet he ministred the Supper to his Apostles but Christ was a Preacher yea he preached then of his death before that first ministration and institution of that Sacrament leauing vs an example to doe the like The Apostles ministred the Sacramentes but they all preached yea the Euangelist Luke in the storie of the Actes 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 worthie to bee followed Consider further I beseeche you the greate inconueniences which followe in these places where the worde is not preached the people are still in ignorance and blindnesse and kept still in their olde and Popishe errors receiued from their forefathers they know not the vse of the Sacramentes or to what ende they serue they holde still their Papisticall transubstantiation some saie they receiue their maker other saie they neuer heard what a Sacrament meant some saie they doe it in a good intent and yet they knowe not their owne intent other say thei hope that they receiue it as others doe fewe make any conscience with knowledge feare and reuerence to prepare themselues The greatest cause of this is lack of Preaching and in deede how can their greate ignoraunce be taken awaie how can their olde supersticious errors bee effectually confuted but by the continuall and pure preaching of the worde And is it not then most fitt and conuenient when the Sacrament is to be ministred but we are so farre from hauing any vsuall preaching before the Sacrament that be many thousandes whiche neuer heard any preaching at al of the Sacramentes in al their life they haue liued these 25. yeares in a Christian land vnder the Gospel and yet they haue profited no further and if they should liue still dubble and triple the same yeares they should bee neuer a whit 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 parte of my Text if there depende a woe ouer the Minister if he preache not the same woe is also against the people if they heare not and obey not the worde preached Woe Chorazin woe Bethsaida woe Capernaum wo to these Countries Citties Townes and People which neglect and contemne the word preached it shall be easier for the lande of Sodome and Gomorrha in the daie of Iudgement then for suche a people The same God the same worde whiche requireth preaching of the Minister requireth also hearing and obedience of the people He that is of God heareth Gods word and therefore doe ye not heare it because ye are not of GOD. My Sheepe saieth Christ heare my voyce And to the true Minister it is said He that heareth you heareth me and he that dispiseth you dispiseth me and he that dispiseth me dispiseth him that sent me And againe Verely verely I saie vnto you if I send any he that receiueth him receiueth me Wherefore we ought diligently to giue heede to the things which we haue heard least at any time we should let them slippe For if the worde spoken by Angels was stedfast and euery transgression and disobedience receiued a iust recompence of rewarde how shall we escape if we neglect so greate saâ—â—…ation 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 thereto both with signes and wonders and with diuers miracles and giftes of the holy Ghost according to his owne will Woe then vnto all Papistes Infidells Atheistes Hypocrites ignorant and carnall men for
none of these in truth doe make account of the Gospell And now let vs come to the third parte of our Text wherein is sett downe what euery Minister ought to preache namely the Gospell They are not bounde to deliuer the Counselles of men the Traditions of the Fathers the Statutes of earthly Princes or the authoritie of mortâ—ll men but as they are the seruauntes of Iesus Christ Prince of all Princes so are they bounde onely to preache his Gospell The true Prophetes neuer speake of them selues to the people but as they receiued warning from the Lorde They had no authoritie to speake their owne words nor the words of any mortal man The Apostles might not teach their own doctrine but onely that whiche they had receiued from their Maister who enioyneth them to teache all thinges what soeuer he had commaunded them Goe saieth he and preache the Gospell The holy Apostle writing to the Corinthians auoucheth that he receiued of the Lorde that which he deliuered to them whereby wee maie see all these Teachers confuted which stande vpon the authoritie of men whiche adde or diminishe any thing from the Scriptures whiche ioyne their owne fantasies and the traditions of men with the holy pure and perfect worde of God Woe be to those sonnes of vanities for in deede they preache not the Gospell they preache 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 Lord saith by his Prophet He that hath a dreame let him tell a dreame and he that hath my word let him speake my word faithfully and what is the chaffe to the wheate saith the Lorde Is not my worde euen like a fire saieth the Lorde and like a hammer that breaketh the stone Our Sauiour in the Gospel speaketh against such teachers saying In vaine they worshippe me teaching the doctrine and preceptes of men Let vs remeÌ„ber that which is spoken in the last Chapter of the Reuelation I protest vnto euery man that heareth the prophesie of this booke if any man add vnto these thinges God shall add 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 awaie his parte out of the booke of life and out of the holy Cittie and from these thinges which are written in this booke Woe be to them which preache and yet preach not the Gospell But that we may know the better howe the Gospell should bee preached let vs consider a little what it is and what it containeth The Euangelistes call it the Gospell of the Kingdome Sainct Paule accoumpteth it that whiche was promised before by the Prophetes in the holie Scriptures concerning Iesus Christe our Lorde And in the same Chapter he saieth It is the power of GOD vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth And in an other place he calleth it the worde and ministrie of Reconciliation Sainct Iohn calleth it the testimonie of Iesus Christ From these and suche like places maie bee easily gathered a full definition of the Gospell whiche I leaue to your godly consideration Onely this I adde that vnder the voyce of the Gospell is comprehended the whole historie of Iesus Christ in the flâ—she and also the fruite and vse of the same Historie As touchyng the first namely the historie of Christe it is sommarily comprehended vnder his Passion and Resurrection the vse and ende of all is that wee should haue repentaunce and remission of sinnes in his name and this doeth Christe himselfe witnesse when as he laied to his Apostles after his Resurrection Thus it is written and thus it behooued Christ to suffer and to rise againe from the dead the third daie and that repentance and remission of sinnes should bee preached in his name among all Nations To this agreeth the holy Apostle Saint Peter when as he saieth with other the Apostles to the Counsel 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 hande to bee a Prince and a Sauiour to giue repentaunce vnto Israell and forgiuenesse of sinnes By this wee maie see how the Gospell must bee preached the people must bee taught what Christe hath done for them The whole Storie of his Incarnation Conception Birth Sufferinges Resurrection and Assention these thinges I saie must bee often tymes and effectually preached to the people as they are set downe by the holy Euangelistes and Apostles But yet this is not enough to shewe what Christ hath done to rehearse the Storie of his Incarnation but also the Minister must bee carefull to preache the vse the ende and fruite of the same Storie whiche is that the people maie repent bee tourned vnfainedly vnto God and so by faith made pertakers of remission of sinnes through Iesus Christe Repentaunce is a true tournyng to GOD a chaungyng of the outwarde and inwarde man a dying to sinne a liuing to righteousnesse and a mendement of the whole life which this doctrine wee must beginne this we must first of all and chiefly vrge This is that doctrine chiefly and most of all preached by the holy Prophetes This is the common and vsuall voyce O Israell returne to the Lorde Iohn the Baptist the Messenger and also Iesus Christe his Maister they crye both of them Repent for the kingdome of Heauen is at hande The Apostles also euery where exhorte men to repentaunce to amendement of life to mortification and regeneration This is an vsuall doctrine in all their Epistles Now they can neuer truly repent which knowe not the greatnesse of their sinnes and the punishment due to them And how shall they knowe this except their sinnes bee reproued and laied 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 bee seperated from the preaching of the Gospell for it is a Schoolemaister to bring vs to Christ This then is necessarily required of euery Minister freely and boldly to reprooue sinne in all states and degrees whatsoeuer This is it that the Lorde saieth to his Prophete Crye aloude spare not lift vp thy voyce like 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 worlde of sinne And in deede there is no doctrine more necessarie for this age wherein wee liue although fewe can away it but crie out against such as preache 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
haue gotten more glory and credits by their doctrines and instructions then by all their riches and triumphes These are gone and they are gone but their good couÌ„sel their prouerbes their Psalmes Preachings remaine and abide for euer for their euerlasting memory 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 himselfe was also a preacher of the gospel witnesseth that he came into the world euen to that purpose After him y e Apostles also were sent into the world euen to this end Seing then that God him selfe his sonne Christe Iesus haue vouchsafed to preach the word seeing so famous men as the Prophetes and Apostles were ordayned to this purpose it must needes followe that the office of preaching is moste 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 Churche of Christ his dear spouse the very price of his bloude It so great thinges bee committed to vs. If the Lorde put vs in trust with so deare and precious thinges our calling must néedes bee 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 beleeue And further the worthy matter of preaching is both here and other where set downe namely the gospell the word of reconciliation the worde of grace the good newes and glad tidinges of saluation the testimony of Iesus Christ repentance and remission of sinnes O that al men woulde consider this that the glory of Gods ministery might appeare If Princes noble men and Patrons would remember this they would haue more care conscience in bestowing their liuinges and in defending the good minister Pharaoh king of Egipt in the time of famine had such a care to prouide for his idolatrous priests y t hee would not suffer theÌ„ to sel their land but gaue theÌ„ a sufficient ordinary to liue vpoÌ„ This example of an idolater in prouiding for idolatrous priestes shal condemn many christian gentlemeÌ„ which haue a great deal lesse care for true Christian ministers which are so farre from adding any thing of their owne to their maintainaunce y t rather daily by deceite or violence they take that from the Minister which long agoe was giuen by others Let the papist the Atheist and hipocrite remember and consider the worthy calling of the minister that laying aside all contempt skoffing disdaine and railing they mighte in heart reuerence and honor the Lords ordinance let al people remember this that they may chearfully yeelde honor obedience reuerence and maintainance to the faithful 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 he preacheth no lesse a thing then the holy gospell of Iesus Christ Now these things righty considered is he not worthy to be obeied and maintained Howe beautifull are the feete of them that bring the glad tidinges of peace And reade al which is gone before in the chapter that you may know that hee which preacheth the gospel by right and equity ought to liue of the Gospel Let al good Ministers remember this for their comfort and instruction that howsoeuer the world thinke of them they haue a worthye and highe calling and let theÌ„ not faint but make their ministery fully known and end their course with ioy and let al ignoraunt and carelesse ministers especiallye remember this doctrine that so they may either amend or else come to shame 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 wee haue to deal with the gospell of Christe If so famous notable men haue alwayes beene in this calling what a man ought y e minister to be what care what conscience what knowledge what zeale holy conuersation is required at his handes You may see witnesse with me I speake nothing to the defacing and discredite of the minister of God but rather to his great credite and glory his calling is most worthy and honourable hee is worthy of double honour he is to bee obeied sufficiently maintained hee is the steward of the Lords house and the messenger of the Lorde of hostes But as the faythfull minister is to haue his credit and commendation so the ignorant and carelesse sort as we haue sufficiently already prooued are to be cast down defaced because by their ignoraunce idlenes and lewde conuersation they greatly dishonour the Lord and deface his glory I conclude and end with the holy Apostle I beseech you brethren that you know them which labor among you are ouer you in the Lord and admonish you that you haue them in singular loue for their worke sake By the which place we see that such as labor not admonish not and work not such I say are not worthy of any loue or honor but rather to be thrust out and bannished as vnprofitable meÌ„bers out of y e Church of God The which y e Lord of the haruest graunt for his tender mercies in Iesus Christe Amen FINIS Luk. 17.7.8 â— 1. Cor. 14.3 2. Tim. 4.2 Ioh. 21.15 1. Pet. 5.2 Luk. 4.16 1. Tim. 3.2 Malâ— 2.7 Eph. 4.11 2. Tim. 2.15 Mat. 13. Act. 8.27 Mar. 16.15 2. Tim. 4.1 Iohn 21.15.16.17 Rom. 10.17 1. Cor. 3.6 1. Pet. 1.23 1. Cor. 3.1 Heb. 5 12. 6.1 2. Tim. 3.16 Dani. 12.3 Mat. 24.45.46.47 1. Tim. 4.16 Ionas 3.4 Act. 2.41 Act. 2â— 18 Ezec. 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. 1â— Math. 9.38 Act. 18.26 Math. 25.14 Ephe. 4. â—eb 6. â— Math. 28.19 â— Cor. 11.26 Gala. 3. â— Math. â— Mark 1. â— Math. 16. â—â— Act. 2.38 Act. 8.12.38 Act. 10.34 Act. 20.7 Math. 11 2â— Ihon 8 4â— Ihon. 10.27 Luke 10.16 Ihon. 13.20 Heb. 2. The third parte Ierem. 1. Ezec. 3. Math. 28.20 Marc 16. 1. Cor. 11.23 1. Cor. 15.3 Psalm 19. â— Tim. 3. Ierem. 23.28 Math 15. â— Reue. 22.18 Rom. 13.16 2. Cor. 5.18 Reue. 1.2 Luke 24.46 Act. 5.30 Ierem. 4.1 Ezec. 18.1 Hose 14 1. Math 3.2 Math. 4.17 Rom. 3.2 Rom. 7.7 Isai 58. â— Ihon. 16.8 Math. 28. â—3 Marc. â— â—7 Marc. 16.14 Gala. 2. â—â— 2. Peter 1. Mark 3.13 Acts 20. Ephe. 4. Mark 2. 1. Cor. 1. Gen. 47.23 Rom. 10.