some for tradse-men some for men some for women but repentance is for all without which it may bee said of all and euery one of age not one excepted No Repentance no saluation These Sermons being in my hands and not deliuered to mee from hand to hand but taken with this hand of mine from his owne mouth were thought worthy for the excellencie fit for the generallity of the matter to be offered to the publique veiwe I haue also other workes of his in my hands of which being many I confesse my selfe to be but the keeper for the time taking my selfe bounde to keepe them safely to the benefite of Gods Church of whose treasure vpon earth I make no questiō but they are a part and I hartily desire you my godly friends all other faithfull Christians to solicite the Lord in prayer for me that I may faithfully discharge my self of that great charge which in this respect lyeth vpon me and that his grace and blessing may be on mee and all others who are to be imployed in this seruice wherein had the Lord so pleased wee could heartily haue wished neuer to haue bin imployed but that his life might haue eased vs of the labour and that as I begin with this so I or some other better able which I rather desire may goe forward vndertaking the weight of this great burthen and not faint till he haue made a faithfull account to the Church of God of all these Iewels deliuered to our trust And now these first fruites of my labours in another mans vineyard as also all that hereafter doe or may follow I humbly consecrate to the blessed Spouse of Christ Iesus the holy Church of God on earth and namely to the Church of England our beloued mother who may reioyce that she was the mother of such a sonne who in few yeares did so much good to the publique cause of religiō as the wickednesse of many yeares shall not be able to weare out But first of all and especially I present the same vnto you my very worsh and Christian friends who I must needes say are very worthy of it in many respects 1 For the matter it selfe which is repentance my selfe being able to testifie that you are not heares but doers ripe in knowledge rife in the practise of repentance insomuch as I dare from the testimonie of my conscience and in the word of a minister pronounce of you that as you haue heard and knowne this Doctrine of repentance so blessed are you for you doe it And 2. for him who was the author hereof whose mouth spake it from the feeling of his soule whose soule is now bound vp in the bundle of life I know and cannot in good conscience cōceale the great delight you haue alwaies had in the reading of his bookes the reuerend opinion you had of him liuing and how heauily and passionately you tooke his death and departure therefore to cheare you vp in want of him I send you here this little booke his owne childe begotten in his life time but borne after his death obserue it well and you shall find it not vnlike the father yea you shall discerne in it the fathers spirit and it doubts not but to find entertainement with them of whom the father was so well respected And for my selfe I spare to rehearse what interest you haue in me al my labours it is no more then you worthily deserue and shall haue in me for euer you are the fairest flowers in this garden which in this place I after others haue planted for the Lord or rather God by vs And two principall pearles in that caowne which I hope for at the last day from the Lord my God whose worde at my mouth you haue receiued with much reuerence and with such profit as if I had the like successe of my labours in others I should then neuer haue cause to say with the Prophet I haue laboured in vain spent my strength in vaine but my iudgement is with the Lord. my work with my God And if I knewe you not to be such as take more delight in doing well then in hearing of it I would proue at large what I haue spoken of you yet giue me leaue to say that which without open wrong I may not conceile that beside your rare knowledge and godly zeale to religion and other duties of the first table to God himselfe your charity pitty to the needy distressed Christians at home and abroad your mercifull dealing with them who are in your power your beneuolence to learning and namely to some in the Vniuersitie doe all proclaime to the world those your due praise which I well knowing your modesties do spare once to name neither would I haue said thus much were it not for this cold and barren age wherein wee liue that so when our preaching cannot moue yet your godly examples might stirre vp Pardon me therefore I pray you and think it no wrong to you which is a benefit to Gods Church But goe forward in the strength of the Lord your God hold on in that happie course you haue begun bee faithfull vnto the end the Lord will giue you the Crowne of life faithfull is hee which hath promised who will also doe it proceed good Sir to honour learning in your selfe and others and religion especially which is the principall learning and proceed both of you to practise religion in your own persons and in your family hold on to shine before your family and amongst the people where you dwell in zeale and holinesse hold on hereby still to shame popery to stop your enemies mouthes and to honour that holy religiō which you professe to gaine comfort of good conscience to your selues assurance of eternall reward and lastly to encourage me in those painefull duties which lye vpon me for I openly professe that your religious zeale and loue of the truth with māy other good helps are principal incouragements in my ministry especial motiues vnto me to vndertake the charge of publicatiō of so many of the workes of this holy man deceased as may not in better maner be done by others But I keep you too long from this holy exhortation following I therefore send you to it it to you and from you to the Church of God for I dare not make it to bee priuately yours and mine wherein the whole Church hath interest as well as we It was preached in the field but it is worthy to be admitted into our hearts I found it in the open field but vpon diligēt view finding it to bee Gods corne and a parcel of his holy and immortal seed therefore I brought it home as good corne deserues And as it is Gods corne so in you I desire all holy christians to lay it vp in Gods garners that is in their hearts and soules And thus committing this little volume to your reading the matter
encouragement for all Pastors and Ministers of Gods Church to labour painfully faithfully in their places for the goodnesse of the Lord will neuer faile them nor shall they want comfort when euer they stand in neede thereof Yea rather shall Angels from heauen be their helpes and comforters then faithfull Ministers shall be left destitute Hitherto of the second generall points namely of the Prophets consolation The third and last generall point is the renouatiou of the Prophets commission in the eight part of the ninth verses and it containeth 3. parts 1. A question or inquirie made by God When shall I send and who shall goe for vs 2 The answere of the Prophet Here am I send me 3 The commission renued vnto him The Lord said Goe and speake vnto this people The first part is a question made by God by way of proclamation wherein he enquireth who shall goe preach vnto this people Also I heard the voice of the Lord saying whom shall I send and who shall gae for vs In which Proclamation and inquirie of the Lord we are not to imagine that the Lord was either vnprouided of such as should execute his will or knewe not who were able or who were willing to goe preach his word For as the Apostle saith in the matter of Election The Lord knoweth whr are his so much more in particular vocations The Lord knoweth who are his and neede not to aske whom shall I send or who shall goe But then it may be demanded why the Lorde saith so I answere not for his owne sake but for ours whom hereby he would instruct in diuers points of holy doctrine First hereby he would giue vs to vnderstand how hard a thing it is to finde an able and godly Minister for if there were not a great scarcitie of such men the Lorde needed not aske this question But some will obiect against this that there are in many Christian Churches so many Ministers as they cannot all bee maintained but some goe vp and downe vndisposed and vnprouided for I answere this is too true in all ages there were Wandering Leuits in the Olde Testament which went vp and downe and offered their seruice and serued for 10. shekels of siluer and a sute of apparell and meate and drinke but this calamitie was vpon the Church of the Iewes neuer but then when there was no King in Israel and euery one did that which was good in his owne eyes If therefore there bee any in our Church and in christian nations which goe vp and downe and offer their seruice at such rates it is much more miserable seeing now there are kings in Israel and therefore it is no reason that euerie man rob the Church as it shal please his couetous minde But ceasing to enquire whether this be so or no and if it bee so leauing the reformation thereof to those Churches and States whom it may concerne I answere for the matter in hand that this may be so and yet the Lorde may complaine as heere hee doth Whom shall I send for the Lord meaneâ—h not such as beare the name of Leuits or Priestes in the olde or of Ministers in the new Testament for there were alwaies inow of them who some for preferment sake some for their ease and some for a refuge how to liue are willing to enter that function and accordingly in that calling seee not the Lord but themselues and their owne ends But heere the Lorde enquireth for such men as first purely doe seeke and vndertake that function therein to honour God and to gather his Church and then in all their labours and ministeriall duties truly and faithfully endeuour to the same ends Preaching Gods word and as Gods word diligently reprouing exhorting and admonishing and shining before their people in good workes for such men it is no maruell though the Lorde light a Candle at No one day and make open Proclamation to seeke for them saying Whom shall I send for such a man is as Iob saith One of a thousand for some wat ability to discharge their duties as S. Paul saith Who are sufficient for those things And some want willingnesse to vndertake the labour as God here complaineth Who shall goe for vs Now to make vse of this doctrine to our Church It were to be wished that in these daies for our christian Churches the Lord had not as great cause to cry out in the want of able faithfull and godly Ministers Whom shall I send and who shall goe for vs But alas this want is too apparant and this blemish is too notorious and it is a worke worthy the labour of kings and princes to reforme it and is a kings euil not to be healed but by the power of a King for as long as there are so fewe and meane preferments for painefull Ministers there will neuer want abundance of such Ministers as doe want either conscience or abilitie to discharge their duties In the meane time till God put into the hearts of Parliaments and Princes to locke to this great and needfull worke let vs Ministers learne our duties and first wee who are in the Vniuersities are here admonished to look to our selues By Gods blessing we are many and daily growe more and more let vs therefore so furnish our selues as that when God or his Church shall say Who shall goe for vs and whom shall I send then he may find many amongst vs whoÌ„ he may send to that great worke of the Minisierie let vs feare to be such as thar God may affirme of vs as in the daies of Iob that he cannot finde one of a thousand Secondly all Ministers learne here not to content themselues with the name and title of Ministers but labour for the substantiall ornaments thereof nor to be willing to take the honour and liuings and to refuse the burden and duties of the Ministerie For else let them knowe God hath no neede of them for had the Lorde pleased or contented himself with such kinde of men as seeke to bee Ministers for themselues and not for his sake or beeing Ministers doe feede themselues and not their flocke or Preach themselues and not Christ then had he not needed to haue made this Proclamation for Ages haue yeelded store of such But contrariwise hee that is painfull and faithfull in this function let him knowe that God and his Church hath neede of him Lastly heere the Romish Cleargie are iustly to bee taxed whose number is infinite but it is lamentable to see howe fewe among them be such as the Lord heere seeketh for Their Orders of Regulars are exceeding many beside all their Secular Priests and it is almost incredible how many thousands there bee of Dominicans or Franciscans or in some one of their orders and yet amongst the many millions of their Monkes there is scarce to
are all lodged in the same graue of the earth and death hath like dominion ouer them all 3. But afterwards at the last day at Gods great haruest great winnowing time he then with the winde of his power seuereth them a sunder in soule and body Wheate from the Chaffe sheepe from the Goates separateth them neuer to be mingled againe for euer euer and then with the winde of his wrath he blowes the chaffe into fire vnquenchable and with his louing fauour gathereth his wheate into the euerlasting and glorious garners of heauen So then the first seuereth them in affection The second in soule for a time The third actually in soule and body for euer and euer Now of these three winnowing times the holy Ghost speaketh here properly of the second namely the fan of Gods iudgements so that the meaning of the Metaphor is this search your selues and repent betimes least God come vpon you with some fearefull iudgements because you haue so long contemned the fan of the word and finding you too light to abide the try all doe take you away in the iudgement and cast you into hell for as sure as the fan of the word hath made difference of you which are chaffe and which are wheate so sure shall the fanne of his iudgements blow away the chaffe to hell and damnation Thus much for the meaning Now for the vse for vs in England the case stands thus Our church doubtlesse is Gods corne field we are the corne heape of God and those Brownisles and Sectaries are blinde and besotted who cannot see that the church of England is a godly heape of Gods corne but withall we must cōfesse we are ful of chaffe that is of prophane wicked Hypocrits whose hearts and mindes abound in sinnes and rebellions and many of our best professors are also too full of chaffe that is of corruptions and doe giue themselues too much libertie in many sinnes but alas the pure wheate how thinne is it scattered howe hard to finde a man at least a family which dedicate themselues to the Lord in holy and sincere obedience and labour to make conscience of all sinnes now therefore seeing wee are Gods corne field and we haue some pure wheat amongst much chaffe therefore God will winnow vs to find out the corne if hee haue but one corne of wheat in a handfull of chaffe but one good man of many he will stirre all the heape for those fewe cornes hee will not care to blow all the chaffe to hell to finde out those fewe cornes of wheat to lay them vp in heauen so that out of all question England being so ful of chaffe must look to be winnowed Nowe for the first Fanne of his word it hath beene vsed in this land these fiue and thirtie yeares and that as powerfully and as plentifully as any where in the worlde and yet alas many are more Godlesse more ignorant more prophane then euer they were yea wickednesse groweth and the Chaffe increaseth aboue the Wheate bee sure therefore that God will bring his second Fanne vpon vs because wee will not suffer the first and the milde and gentle fanne of his word to try and search vs therefore hee will bring the fearefull fanne of his iudgements and with it hee will blowe soule body into hell with those our sinnes corruptions which we would not suffer the Fanne of Gods worde to blowe from vs. The first hath so long blowen in vaine that the second must needs come vpon vs it hath already begun to blow three or four blasts haue blown ouer vs famin pestilence earthquakes fire water winde these haue so blowne some of vs that they haue taken away a great number of vs. For vs that remaine this onely remaines that wee strengthen our selues by grace to be able to stand against the next blast for come it wil when it comes no wealth nor worldly thing can inable vs to endure it onely faith repentance the grace of God will stand at that day Now therefore in that so feareful a fanning abideth vs seeing it is so neer as appeareth by the blasts already past ouer vs which are nothing but the forerunners of a greater tēpest what shuld be our care except wee care not to be blown body soule into hel but to labour to efchew this feareful fan of Gods wrath or at least if it come vpō vs that it may not blow vs to hell but hasten vs to heauen It thy heart be touched to aske how this may be I answere thee onely to follow the Prophets aduice in this place by Searching and trying our selues The way to escape Gods triall is to try thy selfe and to escape Gods iudgement to be a iudge to thine owne soule and so the way to escape the fearfull fanne of God is to fanne thine own heart by the law of God For whomsoeuer the first fanne that is the word of God doth worke vpon these men are neuer blowen away with the fanne of Gods iudgements O then entertaine the word of God into thy heart submit thy soule vnto it let it pearce try and ransacke thy heart and lay before thee thy wretched estate by thy sinnes and when thou seest thynakednesse and misery confesse it bewayle it be humbled for it cry call for mercy and forgiuenesse pray against thy speciall sinnes striue to purge them out as the poyson of thy soule craue grace from God against al thy sinnes and if thou seest any sins more welcome to thy nature more deere vnto thee and which more prevaile against thee then others doe pray against these sinnes and striue against them aboue all and endeuour that by the fanne of Gods word they may bee blowen away from thee When thou hast done this then marke what will come of it when thou hast fanned thy selfe God will not fanne thee but when the fanne of his iudgemēt comes and bloweth so strongly vpon the wicked then the Lord finding thee already fanned and clensed by his word will spare thee and his iudgement shall either blow ouer thee and passe by thee vntouched as ouer Lot in the destruction of Sodom or else shall fanne out all thy corruptions and blow thee vp to heauen to be laid vp as pure wheat in the heauenly garners and mansions of glory which Christ ascended to prepare for thee Now then amongst those many businesses with which this world doth comber euery one of vs all which shall perish with the worlde it selfe let vs good brethren spare some time for this great businesse Martha may be combred about many things but this is that one thing which is necessarie therefore whatsoeuer is done let not this bee vndone Once a day put thy selfe and thy life vnder the fanne of Gods lawe try thy selfe what thou art and thy life how thou liuest Once a day keepe a Court in thy conscience call thy thoughts thy wordes and thy deedes to
pouerty contempt basenesse vppon it It were a worke worth the labour of the wisest heads to put downe the true meane betwixt both extreames worth the labour of our Noble King to take order that that meane be kept without rising to the right hand or falling to the left This short Treatse may hap to giue some light directions therein or at least may encourage stir vp their hearts in whose hands it is to doe it Vnder your woorthy names would I haue it see the world not so much for that I am bound to you both in many priuate and particular respects though that be much as for that know you both to be o◠so right and reformed a iudgement in this case as you would haue none Ministers but of sufficient gifts and vnblameable liues nor those Ministers put to their Pensions or vncertaine salailes but to haue certaine sufficient maintenance proportionable to their charge and beseeming the honour of a Christian Church God continue you still in that minde and make many more of the same with you so should we haue as florishing a Church as any Christendome hath seene Goe forward in that and other your religious resolutions it is the true way to honour both heere and in a better world stand firmly for the truth and boldly against the Popish enemies thereof as hitherto you haue done Religion had neuer more cause to thanke you and all that doe so then now it hath for her enemies were neuer so insolent since they were our enemies but if you and others holde on as in your seuerall places you haue wel begun and others take the like course there is hope their insolencies will bee easily if timely repressed and themselues neerest the fall when they imagine they are in the full The Lorde blesse and assist you in your painfull places and make you on earth Instruments of his glorie to the good of his Church so shall you bee vessels of glory in the kingdome of Heauen And thus commending this little treatise to your reading and my selfe to your fauour I take leaue and wil euer rest 1605. Your Worships in the Lord VV. Crashawe A Treatise of the duties and dignitie of the Ministerie Iob. 33. 23. 24. If there bee with him a Messenger An Interpreter one of a thousand to declare vnto man his righteousnesse Then will be haue mercie on him and will say deliuer him that he goe not downe into the pit for I haue receiued a reconciliation IN this Chapter and the former Elihu a holy learned noble wise young man had conference with Iob in matters of high and excellent Diuinitie the points of his conference are these From the first verse of this chap. to the 7. verse is a Praeface to his speach From thence to the 13. he repeateth certaine propositions of Iob and reproueth them frō thence to these wordes hee instructeth Iob in certaine points touching Gods dealing with sinners and those are two 1 How God preserueth a sinner from falling 2 How God restoreth a sinner being falne 1 The meanes whereby God preserueth a sinner are set downe to bee two principall 1 By Admonitions in dreames and visions 2 By scourges and chastisments when the first will not preuaile And these are layde downe from the thirteene verse vnto these words 2 Then followeth the 2. point namely the restoring of a sinner when both the meanes formerly spoken of haue not preuailed with him but that through his corruption he is fallen and concerning this point he handleth these particulers 1 The remedie and meanes of his restoring 2 The effect that followeth thereupon 1 The remedie is layde downe in these wordes now red vnto vs then followeth the effect which is that when a sinner is restored by repentance then the graces of God are plentifully powred vpon him both for soule body from these words to the end of the Chapter The intent then of this Scripture is that God vseth meanes in his mercie to preserue sinners from falling into sinne but if they doe then hee in much greater mercie afordeth them meanes and helpes to rise againe And this is the summe and substance of the words Now that means and remedie is the matter I purpose to speake of out of these wordes The meanes then to restore a sinner after a fall is to raise him by repentance to a better estate then hee was in before and that is inclusiuely and by implication taught in this Text But the instrument by whom that great worke is to be wrought is here in plaine termes layd downe to bee a Minister of God lawfully called and sent by God appointed by his Church to that great dutie So that these wordes containe a worthy description of a true Minister and he is here described 1 By his titles which are two An Angell An Interpreter 2 By his rarnesse One of a thousand 3 By his office which is to declare vnto man his righteousnes 4 By the blessing that God giueth vpon the labours of this true Minister which is then God will haue mercie vpon the sinner 5 By his Commission and authoritie in the last wordes God will say Deliuer him that he goe not downe into the pit for I haue receiued a reconciliation Let vs speake of them in order as they lie in the text and first of his titles 1 The first title of a Minister of God is he is called a Messenger or an Angel and not here alone but elswhere in the Scripture Malachy 2. 7. He is the Messenger of the Lord of hostes And in the Reuelation the Ministers of the 7. Churches are called the Angels of those Churches So that it is apparant a true Minister is an Angel of God in one place and in the other place the Angel of the Church Hee is an Angell or Messenger sent from God to his Church This consideration affords matter of much vse And first for Ministers themselues The most of vs in this place are eyther Prophets or sonnes of the Prophets If thou be a Prophet thou art Gods Angel If a sonne of the prophets thou intendest to bee then marke thy dutie prophets and Ministers are Angels in the very institution of their calling Therefore thou must preach Gods word as GODS word and deliuer it as thou receiuest it for Angels Embassadors and Messengers carry not their owne message but the message of their Lords and Maisters who sent them and Ministers carry the message of the Lord of Hostes therefore they are bound to deliuer it as the Lords and not their owne In the first Epistle of Peter 4. 11. wee are bid If any man speake let him speake not onely the word of God but as the word of God Gods word must bee spoken and as Gods word then shew thy faithfulnesse to the Lord in discharging thy hands sincerely of that message which he hath honoured thee to
temple of God and strong pilstrong pillers in the Church but they are like tender plants and must be cherished Princes and great men by allowing maintenance and the Gouernours by establishing good orders and looking carefully to their execution must see that these plants haue sufficient moisture to grow speedily to perfect ripenesse and that then they be transplanted in due time into the Church and common wealth these be the trees spokē of in Ezechiel which growe by the sides of the riuer which floweth out of the sanctuarie Waters out of the Sanctuary must norish them and so they growe vnto their perfection but take away these waters take away the liberalitie of princes and good discipline from the Vniuersities and these trees must needes decay and wither which if they do then the smal number of good Ministers will be fewer fewer of one of a 1000. ther wil not be one of 2000 In the next place Ministers themselues are here taught First if good Ministers bee so scarce then let euery man feare to make them fewer then they bee euery man therefore for himselfe labour first for abilitie then for conscience to discharge his dutie namely to bee an Angel to deliuer faithfully Gods Embassage and a true Interpreter betwixt God and his people thus if thou doest then howsoeuer the number of good Ministers is small yet it shall bee nothing smaller for thee 2 If they bee so fewe labour to increase them for the more they are the lesse burden lyeth vpon each particular man therefore let euery Minister by his teaching and by his conuersation labour so to honour his calling that hee may thereby allure and drawe others to a loue and liking thereof 3 Are good Ministers so thinne sowne are there so few of them then let all good and godly Ministers giue the right hand of fellowship one to another and ioyne together in loue by that meanes arme thēselues against the scorne and contempt of the world we see they that are of a kinred or a brotherhood or any kind of societie the fewer they are the more closelie doe they combine the more firmely doe they holde together against all forraine force so ought Gods Ministers to doe because their number is so small if they were many lesse danger in their disvnion But seeing they are so fewe the more it concerneth them to cut off contentions and all occasions of debate and to ioyne hand in hand against these common aduersaries In the third place young Students are heere taught seeing a true Minister is but one of a thousand that therfore they bend their studies and their thoughts to the Ministerie for they well know it is an old prouerbe the best things are hard to come by certainly there are so few good Ministers because the holy Ministerie in it selfe is so high excellent a calling as it is a shame to the men that there are so few good Ministers so it is a commendation to the calling whose honour excellency is such that as wee see heere scarce one of a thousand attaines vnto it therefore men of the most excellent giftes are here inuited to dedicate themselues vnto the most excellent vocation yea very reason it selfe would vrge a man to be one of a thousand 2 And further as they are to intend this calling as the most rare and excellent so this must teach them like wise to hasten to furnish themselues with all good helpes and meanes that they may become true Ministers and able Interpreters and not too long to sticke in those studies which keep a man from the practise of this high function for it is not to liue in the Vniuersitie or in the Colledge and to studie though a man neuer so fast deuoure vp learning but to be a good Minister is that that makes a man one of a thousand In the last place Hearers are heere taught their dutie first to respect with reuerence the person and to receiue with reuerence the Message of euery true Messenger seeing it is so rare a thing to finde a true Minister for as nothing is more vile or base then an euil lewd Minister whom Christ compares to salt which hath lost his sauour which is good for nothing but to bee cast out troden downe of men so is there none worthy of more loue and reuerence then a holy Minister for as Esay saith their very feete are beautifull which bring glad tydings and we should kisse their feete which bring newes of peace therefore all good Christians are to receiue and vse a good Minister as S. Paul saith the Galathians did him euen as an Angel of God Hast thou then a godly pastor run to him for conference for comfort for counsell vse his company frequent his fermons account him worthy of double honour thinke it no small or ordinary blessing for thou hast one of a thousand and blesse God for bestowing his mercy on thee which hee had denyed to so many others for some haue no Minister some haue a Minister but yet 〈◊〉 he is not one of a thousand And further all men that are Fathers may heere learne to consecrate their children to God in the seruice of the Ministerie considering that it is so rare and excellent a thing to be a good Minister nay that man should thinke himselfe happie and honoured of God who may be father to such a sonne as shal proue one of a thousand In a word to conclude this point all men must heere learne seeing good Ministers are so scarce to pray the Lorde of the haruest to thrust out more labourers into his haruest and for those that are called already that God would make them faithfull in that high function And as Elisha craueth of Elias that the good spirit may be doubled and trebled vpon them so that the number may be encreased And thus wee haue the truth the reason and the vse of this that a good Minister is one of a thousand It followeth To declare vnto man his righteousnesse Heere is the third part of the description of a Minister that is by his office to declare vnto man his righteousnesse that is when a poore sinner by his sinnes the foulnes whereof he seeth and the burden whereof he feeleth is brought downe as it were to the very gates of hell when this sinner by the preaching of the Lawe is brought to a true sight of this miserie and again by preaching the gospel is brought to lay hold on Iesus Christ then it is the proper office of a Minister to declare vnto that man his righteousnes Namely that though in himselfe he be as ill and as foule as sinne can make him as the law can discouer him to be yet in Christ he is righteous iust and by Christ so iustified as he is no more a sinner in the presence and account of God this
as that their decree stands ratified in heauen Therefore though their place bee great and they bee Gods vppon earth yet must they withall acknowledge that in iustifying a sinner in interpretation in declaring vnto man his righteousnes in binding and loosing their power also is immediate from God aboue theirs and they themselues as they are men must submit themselues to this powerfull word of the ministers to be taught by it and to be reconciled by meanes of it highly must they respect it for though a man speake it yet is it the word of God this is to lick the dust of Christs feete which the Prophet speaketh of not as the Pope would haue it to hold the stirrop leade the horse hold the water to the Pope to kisse his toes to holde their kingdomes of him as tenants at will or by curtesie but reuerently to acknowledge the ordinance to be Gods the function duty to be high excellent to acknowledge the power of their keyes and censures being rightly applied their promises their threatnings to be as frō God to submit to them accordingly Secondly Ministers thēselues here must learne when they take the word of reconciliation into their hands and mouthes to call to minde whose it is euen the Lords and that he worketh with them hath the greatest hand in the work and that therefore they must vse it in holymaner with much feare and reuerence It is not their owne they may not vse it as they list And lastly Hearers are here taught first to see how mad such men be which carelesly and sildome heare sermons but vpon any occasion flye to wisards and charmers which are the diuels Prophets for see the difference of these two the wisard and charmer hath societie with the diuell the Preacher with God the charmer hath his calling from the diuel the Preacher is from God the Charmers charme is the diuels watchword when he charmeth the diuell doth the feate the preachers doctrine is Gods watchword when hee truly applyeth it GOD himselfe ratifieth and makes it good therefore let all men feare to haue thus to doe with the diuell by seeking to his slaues let them draw neere to God by entring into fellowship with his holy prophets and godly Ministers And further if when they preach and thou belieuest then GOD hath mercy on thee then learne what reuerence they and their word is worthy of which is thus accompanied with Gods mercy and forgiuenes and then learne to heare the Word with feare and trembling for it is Gods word and not theirs and when a true Minister saith vnto thee on a true ground I denounce thee a sinfull man and vnder the curse or I declare thee to be righteous and a child of grace it is all one as though God from heauen had said so vnto thee If any man aske But is it not as good if another man pronounce forgiuenesse vnto me vpon my repentance I answere yes vndoubtedly if it be in extraordinarie times or places when there are no Ministers for otherwise certainly this blessing is principally tied vnto the Ministers calling for it is not said of any priuate mens calling any wher in the scripture as it is heere saide of the ministers If an Angell an Interpreter come to a man and declare vnto him his righteousnesss then marke the conexion then will GOD haue mercy on him and will say Deliuer him c. Whence comes this blessing from this promise of God If therfore other callings wil challenge ordinarily the same blessing then must they haue the same prosmise Besides other Christiās being priuate men though they be sanctified haue a good measure of knowledge yet haue they not the same spirit of discerning that godly Ministers haue nor can so fully truly iudge when a man hath repented when not and therefore cannot so truly pronounce the sentence of the law or Gospel nor haue they abilitie ordinarily by their good conference and Christian counsell to conuert a soule but to confirme one conuerted but that power ordinarily belongs to the publike ministery of the word therefore it followeth that ordinarily they haue not the power to pronounce the sentence of binding or loosing vppon any man I confesse in times or places where no minister can be had God blesseth the labours of priuate men that haue knowledge sometimes euen for the conuerting of a man to God for comforting him at the houre of death and giues a vertue and power to that sentence which they shal pronounce one vpon anothers repentance but as this is extraordinary and in the want of ordinary Ministers so in that case a priuate man of knowledge and Godlinesse is made a Minister for that time to himselfe or to another euen as a priuate man in cases of extreame danger whē no magistrate is present is made a magistrate himselfe to defend his own life So then as in want of a Magistrate the sword of the magistracie is put into the hand of a priuate man so in the want of Ministers the keyes of the Ministerie are committed and put into the hands of priuate men as in the dayes of persecution that then they may with comfort admonish aduise and with power pronounce mercy and forgiuenesse one vnto another vpon their true repentance Yet alwaies remember that in so doing a priuate man is as a minister for that time in that case but ordinarily and alwaies in setled Churches this power pertaineth to the Ministerie is theirs alone by ordination and to them belongeth the promise and the blessing that when hee hath declared to a man his righteousnesse then God will haue mercie on him And thus we see also the blessing of God vpon the function of the Ministerie annexed therunto by the merciful dispensation of God It followeth And will say Deliuer him that he goe not downe into the pit for I haue receiued a reconciliation The fift and last part of this description is the Commission authoritie giuen vnto him which is so great as neuer was giuen to any creature and is this when a Minister of God hath declared vnto man his righteousnesse hath brought him to the state of grace and God in his fauour hath had mercie on him then God saith to the Minister Deliuer that soule from hell for I haue pardoned him in Christ I am reconciled to him In which words authoritie is giuen to a Minister of God to redeeme a man penitent from hell damnation not that hee is the meanes of working out this redemption for that wholy and onely is Christ himselfe but hee is Gods instrument and Christs instrument First to apply those meanes vnto him Secondly to pronounce his safetie and deliuerance when these means are vsed Here is the principall honour of all belonging to that calling and it is the greatest that euer was vouchsafed
followeth For I am a man of polluted lippes Now follow the causes of his feare which are two The first is his owne pollution and sinfulnesse and the sinfulnesse of his people his own he freely confesseth in these words I am a man of polluted lippes that is I am a miserable and sinfull man and therefore I feare and tremble to stand in Gods presence nay I dare not looke vpon the Lorde for my sinnes But it may be demaunded how could the Prophet say thus truely for he was a holy man and iustified in Gods prefence by his true faith in the Messias and sanctified by repentance can a man iustified and sanctified say he is a man polluted I answere It is doubtlesse he was so he therefore complaineth here not of any great and enormous sinnes which hee had committed to the publike scandall of the Church but first of the corruptiō of his nature which in him as in all men is a very sea of iniquity which alwaies appeares the more the neerer a man comes to God and therefore did now most apparantly discouer it selfe in the prophet when he was in the presence of the Lord himself Secondly he complaineth of some actual sins of his life and it is more likely of some sins of omission then of cōmission for we find not that the prophet was euer touched with any great sin where we know it not we are in charitie not to imagine it So that it is most probable hee complaineth of some smaller faults or negligences in his Ministery as not preaching to the people at some time when he ought or not preaching so willingly or cheerfully as he should or desire to leaue preaching because the people were stubborne disobedient or some impatience in his Ministery when the people were rebellious and resisted his doctrine which passion might the rather vexe him as we read it did Ieremy the Iewes were so stubborne stifnecked a people or it may be some want of zeale or forwardnes these or some such were the cause of his feare And the cōscience of these makes him here cry out that he cannot stand in the sight of God Where we learn first what a tender conscience godly Ministers must haue aboue all men namely that they must make conscience not of the great and grosse sins onely but euen of the lowest least sins and he must endeuour in his calling not only to be cleere of great crimes but as far as may be to bee free from the least appearance of euill and from the least negligences in his place for a small faultin other men is great in them and that which may be some waies pardonable in other men is no way in them they must therefore watch ouer themselues most carefully and take heede to all their waies for this ende is it that a Minister in godly wisedome must often depriue himselfe euen of many things which it may be lawfully hee might vse least his liberty be an occasion of euill to others and must abstaine from the least sins least euen they be blemishes to his calling and burthens to his conscience And hence is it that a minister cannot be too carefull in his calling in his words diet company recreation apparel gestures and in his whole carriage because little sins are so great in thē Especially ministers must here learne the Apostles lesson to bee instant in season and out of season to preach and exhort to comfort and rebuke publikely and priuately to good to bad when it is wel taken when it is ill taken when they willingly receiue it and when they stubbornly resist it when they commend him and reward him and when they raile at him and persecute him for it thus must he be diligent in season and out of season for the least negligence in his dutie or omitting the least opportunity of doing good will when God visits his conscience bee a burthen and vexation to him as it was heere to the Prophet And furthermore if these smal sinnes thus afflicted the Prophet then alas what is to be thought of those ministers who make no conscience of foule and scandalous sinnes how shall Symonie Incontinencie Vsury inhospitality couetousnesse Ignorance Idlenesse carelesse Nonresidencie how shall these I say and other like grieuous crimes oppresse burthen the soule when as the smallest sins doe so affright this holy man Surely whē God shal visite them their states will bee most fearefull nor shall any mans case be so miserable as an vncōscionable ministers And thogh nowe such loose and licentious Ministers seeme to liue in Iolitie without any feare yet when God shall appeare vnto their conscience then will they cry out in fearefull anguish Woe is me I am vndone And againe if these smal faults so affrighted this holy prophet burdened his conscience then what pittifull consciences haue those ministers whose daily negligence and vnconscionable carelessenesse in their places is such as all men speake of and yet they are not touched surely these men are not of so tender cōsciences as the prophet was either the prophet here was much more nice then needed or else these men will proue to be in a miserable estate Lastly let Ministers of care and conscience be here comforted in the example of the Prophet who is there but may find imperfections and blemishes in himselfe which will often make him cry out Woe is me but let not that discomfort them but rather reioyce that they can see their owne weaknes as the Prophet did here If they haue cause to exclaime against themselues they are not alone it was this and all other holy prophets case before them In hauing imperfections in themselues they are no more miserable then the Prophet was but let them labour to be as blessed in seeing complaining of themselues as hee was And let euery minister assure himselfe that the more hee makes conscience euen of the least sinnes of all the more he resembleth the ancient holy Prophets the more likely is he to worke effectually in his ministery For his duty is to worke in his people a conscience not of great sinnes onely but euen of all but how can he doe that in them if he haue not first of all done it in himselfe hence it is therefore that godly ministers finde fault with themselues when other men cannot and cry out against themselues for their pollutions with the prophet here when no other man can accuse them of the least crime nay when other doe magnifie God for his graces on them and praise their giftes and commend their good liues euen then doe they condemne themselues and exclaime against their owne corruptions and their owne smallest negligences or omissions are great wounds to their consciences and their least sinnes and their most pardonable infirmities are sore burthens vnto them for of all men in the worlde a godly minister
gifts giuen them of those to whom they are sent but they expect their maintenance from the kings their owne Maisters So the maintenance which the world should giue Ministers is like gifts giuen to Embassadors if it come it is no more then they deserue If it come not yet will faithfull Ministers doe their dutie and expect their payment from their king and Maister God whose they are and whom they serue Thirdly if they bee Gods Embassadors sent by him and come from and for him then let all such as either condemne or any way iniury them bee assured that as God is mighty powerfull so he will mightily reuenge it There was neuer King so poore or weake but thought himselfe strong inough to reuenge any wrong offered to his Embassador And shall God suffer so foule a wickednesse to lye vnpunished Nay they and their posterities shall smart for it let Ahab and Iezabel and Iulian say it be not so and all ages or stories shew the cōtrary if they can that euer any contemner and abuser of godly Ministers escaped the visible vengeance of Gods reuenging hands on him or his Fourthly seeing they are Gods Messengers seruants they must not be the seruants of men to please or flatter or satisfie humours this is not for them that are Gods seruants they therefore that will bee slaues to the persons and pleasures and humours of men they forget that they are Gods seruants and came for him yea they must not endeuour the pleasing of themselues nor the bringing of their owne purposes to passe but in euery motion either made to them by others or suggested from their owne hearts they must forth-with call to minde Who sent me hither for whom am I come Euen from for God therefore they are to yeeld to nothing nor ayme at any thing but which may be both to the will and for the glory of him that sent them And if the great men of this world doe thinke it wrong that any man should command their seruant against their will or expect any seruice from them against their owne honour then let them thinke it reason that Gods Ministers should not bee commanded any thing contrary to Gods will or against his honour And further if Ministers bee Gods seruants then let them regard their maisters glorie and be ashamed to doe any thing either in their doctrine or liues which may dishonour him that seruant is vnworthy of a good maister who seekes not his maisters credite in all his courses Lastly if they be Gods embassadors then must they not deliuer their owne fancies or inuentions but that message they receiued And as they receiued it so must they deliuer it And if they do their duties faithfully this doctrine is comfortable to them they may take paines with ioy they haue a maister wil reward them they may speake freely so it be with discretion they haue a master will make it good they may stand boldly in the face of their enemies they haue a maister wil defend them And euery faithfull Minister may say to himselfe I will doe my dutie and deliuer my Embassage He whom I serue and whose I am He who sent me and for whom I come will beare me out And thus much of the inquirie which God makes and the manner of it Now let vs see the answere which the Prophet makes in these words Then I said Here am I send me The Prophet after hee was comforted by God and had his sinnes forgiuen then answereth Heere am I send me First marke heere what a great change is wrought on the suddaine he who a little afore feared and shrunke at the least appearance of Gods glorie now stands forth boldly as soone as he is called and answereth Heere am I send me So great a matter is it for a minister to haue his sinnes forgiuen and to feele the fauour of God to his soule and conscience Here therefore wee haue an answere to two great Questions often mooued in the worlde First many would haue quietnesse of minde and peace of conscience and cannot attaine vnto it If they aske how they might to them I answere Here is the way seeke it not in wordly wealth carnal pleasures nor humane learning in companie nor recreations but seeke it in the fauour of God and pardon of thy sinnes and thou shalt not misse of it Thus shalt thou haue comfort in thy owne conscience courage before men and boldnesse toward God Secondly many Students in Diuinitie would gladly be Ministers and doe much honour to the Calling but they finde a feare and shrinking in themselues and thereby an vnwillingnesse to venter vpon it If they aske how they may amend this I answere or rather the example of his Prophet answereth for me Let that man set himselfe in Gods presence enter into himselfe search his conscience finde out his sins confesse and bewaile them to God craue pardon in Christes blood grace to leaue them cease not till he heare the voyce of Gods spirit sounding in his conscience Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee Then when God shal aske whom shall I send thou wilt answere readily and with ioy Heere am I send me And againe many are driuen from this calling to beholde the contempt and reproach and daungers which belong vnto it But let those men marke heere the phrase of this holy Prophet when God asked Whom shall I send Hee might haue answered Lorde I would goe but such disgraces and discouragements doe accompanie this Function as I desire to bee excused but hee casting aside all such conceits answereth peremptorily Here am I send mee How came this to passe for certainly the Prophet was as sensible of these wrongs as any of vs all for he was nobly borne and brought vp was of the blood royal surely because he saw he was in Gods fauour he had him and his Commission on his side he held this for a sure ground If God bee on my side who can be against me Therefore doubtlesse those men who are driuen backe by these discouragements were neuer setled in assurance that their sinnes were forgiuen nor satisfied sufficiently that God is on the side of all good Ministers and that their Calling as it hath his authoritie from God so likewise allowance blessing assisstance and defence of God aboue any other calling for if they were they would scorne the scorne and contemne the contempt of the prophane world and with much courage and comfort set their hand to Gods Plough and say with the Prophet Here I am send me Secondly let vs obserue how the Prophet when God askes the question sends him not to others nor commends others to that seruice as is to be thought hee might haue done many in the Churches of the Iewes but offers himselfe Here am I. It controlles the carnall courses of many amongst vs in the Vniuersities who thinke it sufficient