credite by their doctrines and instructions then by all their riches triumphes These are gone and they are gone but their good counsel their Prouerbes their Psalmes and Preachings remaine and abide for euer for their euerlasting memorie to the glory of God and dayly profite of his church The first minister Preacher of the new Testament was Iohn the Baptist of whom Christ our Sauiour saith there was not a greater Prophet amongst womens children Nay Christ himself was also a preacher of the Gospell witnesseth that he came into the worlde euen to that purpose After him the Apostles also were sent into the world euen to this end Seeing then that God himselfe his sonn Christ Iesus haue vouchsafed to preach the word seeing so famous men as the Prophetes Apostles were ordained to this purpose it must needes follow that the office of preaching is most famous worthy and excellent The worthinesse also of our calling most euidently appeareth in the worthinesse and price of the things committed vnto vs which is the people of God the Church of christ his deare spouse the very price of his bloud If so great thinges be committed to vs If the Lorde put vs in trust with so deare and precious thinges our calling must needes be worthy and notable Remember the notable effect and fruite of this calling the winning of soules the conuersion and saluation of the faithful It pleased GOD by the foolishnesse of preaching to saue them that bleeue And further the worthy matter of preaching is both here other where set downe namely the gospel y e word of reconciliation the worde of grace the good newes and glad tidinges of saluation y e testimony of Iesus christ repentaunce and remission of sinnes O that al men woulde consider this that the glorye of Gods ministerys might appeare If princes noble meÌ„ and Patrons would remember this they woulde haue more care conscience in bestowing their liuings and in defending the good minister Pharaoh king of Aegypt in the time of famine had such a care to prouide for his idolatrous priests that he would not suffer them to sell their land but gaue theÌ„ a sufficient ordinary to liue vpon This example of an idolater in prouiding for idolatrous priestes shal condemn many christian gentlemen which haue a great deal lesse care for true christian ministers which are so far from adding any thing of their owne to their maintenaunce that rather dayly by deceit or violence they take that from the Minister which long agoe was giueÌ„ by others Let the Papist the Atheist and hipocrite remember consider the worthy calling of the minister that laying aside all contempt skoffing disdaine railing they might in heart reuerence and honor the Lords ordinance and let al people remeÌ„ber this that they may chierfully yéeld honor obedience reuerence maintenance to the faithfull minister remember that his calling is of the Lorde that he hath to deal with your soules that his purpose is to win you to the lord that hee preacheth no lesse a thing then the holy gospel of Iesus Christ Now these things rightly coÌ„sidered is he not worthye to be obeyed and maintained How beautiful are the feet of them that bring the glad tidinges of peace And read al which is gone before in the chapter y â— you may know that he which preacheth the Gospell by right and equity ought to liue of the Gospel Let al good ministers remember this for their comfort and instruction that howsoeuer y e world thinke of them they haue a worthye and high calling and let them not faint but make their ministery fully knowne and ende their course with ioy and let al ignorant and carelesse ministers especially remember this doctrine that so they maye either amend or else come to shame and confusion If the Lord be the authour of the ministery the soules of the people are committed to vs If the effect of our calling be to saue the soules of the people if we haue to deale with the gospel of Christ if so famous and notable men haue alwaies been in this calling what a man ought the minister to be what care what coÌ„science what knowledge what zeal and holye conuersation is required at his hands you may see and witnes with me I speake nothing to the defaring and discredite of the minister of God but rather to his great credite glorie his calling is most worthy honourable he is worthy of double honour he is to be obeyed and sufficiently maintained he is the stewarde of the lords house and the messenger of the lord of hostes But as the faithful minister is to haue his credit and commendation so the ignoraunt and carelesse sort as we haue sufficiently already prooued are to be cast downe defaced because by their ignorance idlenesse and leud conuersation they greatly dishonour the Lorde deface his glory I conclude and ende with the holy Apostle I besech you brethren that you know them which labour among you and are ouer you in the Lord and admonish you that you haue them in singular loue for their workes sake By the which place we see that such as labour not admonish not and worke not such I saye are not worthye of any loue or honor but rather to be thrust out and banished as vnprofitable members out of the church of God The which the Lord of the haruest graunt for his tender mercies in Iesus Christ Amen FINIS Luk. 17. 7. 8. 9 1. Cor 14. 3. 2. Tim. 4. 2. 1. Pet. 5. 2. Luk. 4. 16. 1. Tim. 3. 2. Mala. 2. 7. 1. Tim. 2. 15. Mâ—th 13. Act. 8. 27. Mar. 16. 15. Act. 20 20. 2. Tim. 4. 1. Iohn 21. 15. 16. 17. Rom. 10. 17 1. Co. 3. 6. 1. Pet. 1. 23. 1 Cor. 3. 1. Heb. 5. 12. 6. 1. Ephe. 4. 11. 12. 13. 2. Tim. 3. 16. Dan. 12. 3. Mat. 24. 25. 1. Tim. 4. 16. Ionas 3. 4. Act. 2. 41. Act. 26. 18. Eze. 3. 17 Hosea 4. 6. Mat. 5. 13. Mat. 15. 14. Mat. 25. 30 Rom. 15. 4. 1. Cor. 14. 1. Cor. 2. 14. 2. Sam. 12. Nehe. 8. 8. 1. Cor. 14. Math. 9. 38. Math. 5. 13. Ezech. 34. 2. 1. Cor. 4. 1. 1. Cor. 9. 16. Math. 25. 29. Acts. 18. 26. 1. Tim. 4. 1. â— Eph. 4. 12. 1. Heb. 6. 1. Math. 28. 19. 1. Cor. 11. 26 Gala. 3. 1. Math 3. Mark 1. 38. Math. 26. 20. Acts. 2. 38. Act. 8. 12. 38. Act. 10. 34. Acts. 20. 7. Math. 11. 21. Ihon. 8. Ioh. 10. 27. Luk. 10. 16. Ioh 13. 20. He. 2. 1. 2. 3. 4. The thirde part Ierem 1. Ezech. 3. Math 28. 10. Mark 16. 15. 1. Cor. 11. 23. 1. Cor. 15. 3. Psalm 19. 2. Tim. 3. Iere. 23. 28. Math. 12. 3. Reue. 22. 18. Rom. 10. 16. 2. Cor. 5. 18. Reue. 1. 2. Luk. 24. 46. Act. 5. â— 8. Ierem. 4. 1 Ezec. 18. 1. Hose 14. 1. Math. 32. Math. 4. 17. Rom. 3. 2. Rom. 7. 7. Isai 58. 1. Iohn 16. â— Luk. 13. 3. Ephes 5. 5. Math. 23. 13. Marc. 8. 17. Marc. 16. 14. Gala. 2. â—â— 2. Pet. 1. Mark 3. 13. Act. 20. Ephe. 4. 11. Genes 3. Mark 2. 1. Cor. 1. Gen. 47. 22. Rom. 10.
Christ and to the people as it appeareth Iohn 21. 15. where Iesus Christ sayth to Peter after his resurrection Simon sonne of Iona louest thou me more then these He sayde vnto him yea Lorde thou knowest that I loue thee he sayde to him feed my Lambes He said vnto him the second time Simon the sonne of Iona louest thou me He sayde vnto him yea Lorde thou knowest that I loue thee he sayd vnto him feed my sheepe Christ said to him the third time Simon the sonne of Iona louest thou me Peter was sory because he sayde to him the third time louest thou me said vnto him Lord thou knowest all thinges thou knowest that I loue thee Iesus sayd vnto him feed my sheepe Whereby it is euident that those which feed not loue not Christ Seeing then that feeding or preaching is so plaine a token of the loue that the minister oweth to Christe it is most necessarily required if any do preach and yet not vpon this loue they haue their condemnation 3 The church of God is begunne and grounded by the preaching of the worde and therefore necessarie Paule sayth Faith commeth by the word preached Againe he counteth his preaching amongst the Corinthians a planting of them in faith and religion S. Peter sayth We are borne a new not of mortall seed but of immortall by the worde of God who liueth and endureth for euer And presently addeth This is the worde which is preached among you 4 By preaching y e Church of God is not onelye begunne but also amplified builded and enlarged It will not onely make vs Babes in Christ but strong and spirituall men It hath not onely milke for the weake but strong meate for them that are at age By it we are brought not onelye to the beginning of Christe and firste rudimentes of Christian religion but also we are ledde forwarde vnto perfection The holye Apostle affyrmeth this when as he sayeth that Iesus gaue some to be Apostles and Prophetes and some Euangelistes and some Pastours and Teachers for the gathering of Saintes for the worke of the Ministerie and for the edification of the bodie of Christ vnto a persect man and vnto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ 5 The Church of God begun and brought to that perfection which can be in earth is also stayed strengthened vpholden and preserued by the preaching of the word against sinne and errour And therefore for these causes also the preaching of the word is most necessary yea and that dayly and continually because some are weake and haue neede of dayly strengthning some fall into errours and some into greeuous sinnes from the which they are to bee drawne out by the effectuall preaching of the worde This doth the holy Apostle confirme whereas he saith that The whole Scripture is profitable to teach to improoue to correct and to instruct in righteousnesse that the man of God may be absolute beeing made perfect vnto all good workes 6 Againe to the pure preaching of the worde the Lorde hath promised a blessing the minister shal be blessed the people also blessed thorough it They that bee wise sayth Daniell shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament And they that tourne many vnto righteousnesse shall shine as the starres for euer and euer The wise and faithfull Steward that giueth meate to the housholde in due season when his master commeth he shall be blessed and made partaker of exceeding ioy glory Take heed saith y e Apostle to thy selfe and to learning continue therein for in dooing this thou shalt both saue thy selfe and them that heare thee God so blessed the preaching of his Seruaunt Ionas that through it the Niniuites beleeued God humbled them selues and forsooke their former wicked wayes At one preaching of Peter there were wonne to the Lord about thrée thousande soules Thus doth the Lorde blesse his owne order the minister by pure and faithfull preaching dischargeth his owne soule obtayneth peace in conscience and so is blessed in this life but shall bee farre more blessed in the life to come when hee hath finished his course he shall receiue an incorruptible crown of glory The people also by this means are many waies blessed they receiue knowledge fayth saluation their eyes are opened they are tourned from darknesse to light and from the power of Sathan vnto God Al these great and notable blessinges do ensue the preaching of the word and therfore required most necessarily in euery minister 7 On the other side without this both the minister and the people are accursed the bloud of the people shall be required at his handes because he hath not as a faithfull watch-man forewarned them of daunger and yet they shall dye in their owne sinnes The Lorde complayneth by his Prophet Hosea saying My people are destroyed for lacke of knowledge because thou hast refused knowledge I will also refuse thee that thou shalt be no priest to mee To this agreeth our Sauiour Christ If the salt haue lost his saltnesse it is good for nothing but to be cast out and to be troden vnder foote of men And if these ministers which sometimes haue had salt in them zeale and knowledge to season the people and by negligence and carelesnesse decaye and loose it If these I say be worthie to be cast out how miserable and curssed are they which neuer had nor yet haue any Salt in them It must needes be fulfilled of them which our Sauiour speaketh in an other place They be blinde leaders of the blinde and if the blinde lead the blind both shall fall into the ditch that is both the ignoraunt Minister and the ignoraunt people shall perishe And in an other place it is sayde Caste that vnprofitable Seruaunt into vtter darknesse there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth And here it is sayde Woe be to me if I preach not the Gospell Seeing then that euery way there hangeth so many greeuous cursses both vppon the minister and people where the worde is not preached it is most requisite and necessarie that euery minister looke to this euen as hee will escape the fearefull and heauie cursse of God 8 Moreouer the chiefe ende and vse why the Scriptures were written doth require preaching They are left for our comfort instruction and edifiyng But we are most comforted instructed and edified if they be opened and applyed vnto vs and therefore moste necessarie that they be so vsed 9 Also the corruption and dulnesse of our nature requyreth the same We are dull ignoraunt and carelesse wee please our selues in our owne sinnes the Deuill goeth about continually to deuour vs and therefore we haue neede to haue continuall preaching of the worde The naturall man perceiueth not the thinges that are of Gods spirit Dauid after he had sinned continued in his sinne vntill the Prophet reprooued him for it yea
preaching and that euery minister is bound to preach Thirdly I will shewe what they ought to preach The first point as in manye other places so here it is named but not fully set downe what it is but in other places we may easily gather what it is The second is here named and prooued For Saint Paule beeing a minister and saying Woe be vnto me if I preach not the Gospell doth plainely affirme as much The third is here set downe moste plainely the matter that we must preach of namely the Gospell As touching the first let vs see how the Scripture speaketh of it as it is particularly and specially applied to y e publique office of the minister otherwise I know this worde preaching to haue a further and more generall signification But I speake of it as Christ and the Apostles do applying it to the ministers Saint Paule sayth He that prophecieth speaketh vnto men to edifiyng to exhortation and to comfort The same Apostle charging Timothy and in him euery minister to preach the worde addeth immediately Improoue rebuke exhort with all long suffering and doctrine The blessed Apostle Peter as he receiued of his master a charge to feed his flocke so he exhorteth al other to do the same The holy Euangelist Luke sayeth that Christ taught or preached in Nazareth He firste read then shut the booke afterwarde he expounded that scripture which he read and so applied it to the hearers By theâ—e and such like places we may gather that preaching properly as we speake of it is an exposition and application of the scriptures by the liuely voyce of the minister to the edifiyng of the people whereby it may easily appeare that reading is not preaching nor yet sufficieÌ„t in a minister approued of God Saint Paul wil haue him apt to teach The Prophet Malachy affirmeth that the Priestes lips must preserue knowledge Christ after reading shut the booke and expouÌ„ded and yet some are not ashamed to count simple reading sufficient saying it will serue the turne and there may be as much good done by it as by preaching As for reading we speake not againste it we disalow it not but account it a holy lawfull necessarye and profitable meane wherby great good and benefite is wrought to the Church of God but yet it doth not followe that it is sufficient in a minister that it will serue simply of it selfe in the publique congregation The Lorde hath set dâ—â—n an other order and requireth greater thinges at the hands of his speciall seruauntes But this matter shal appeare more plaine in y e wordes following For my purpose in this part is onely to shew you by some circumstances and descriptions what preaching is that reading is not preaching or at least that kind of preaching which the Lord requireth in his ministers as may appeare by comparing them together and by vsing some apt similitudes for the explanation of this matter The smell or sight of meat doth good to the hungrie man but it will not feede him except he taste of it So by reading men may haue some smell of religion but they shall neuer throughly taste of it without preaching and therefore it is called a feeding as we heard before and Preachers are counted Pastors and féeders Again meat that is rawe and fatte maye bee called good but it is not to bee eaten before it be made readye and dressed so are the Scriptures read good holy and pure but not sufficient food for the people without preaching Againe bare reading is as thogh one shoulde cast a whole loafe before them which want strength to cut it Preaching is a cutting and diuiding of the breade of life that euery one may haue his seueral portion Again bare reading without preaching is euen as the husbandman should cast whole strikes and bushels of Corne on his land together on heapes not scattering of it preaching is a spreading and a sowing of the seed Again bare reading is as though the Fisher should shuffle his nets on heapes not opening them Preaching is a wise opening laying and handling of the Net Bare reading is as one shoulde offer good treasures and yet such as were hid shut vp and fast locked and coulde not be come by Preaching is an opening of the treasures to the ioy of Gods children Reading is like to fire couered with ashes which doth smally profite them that stand by it Preaching is an opening and discouering of the fire Let vs consider one example amongst many for the further explaning of this matter The Chamberlaine that noble treasurer of Aethiopia going to Hierusalem to worshippe God as he went read the Scriptures if reading woulde haue serued his turne Philip needed not to haue come to him but he vnderstoode not before he had a guide he was not conuerted neither had he faith sufficient to saluation before he hearde the preaching of the worde which indeed is that especiall effectuall blessed and excellent ordinarye meane of faith as it appeareth more plainlie and fully in the next part of our text Which beeing rightly waighed confirmeth the great necessitye of preaching and prooueth that euerye minister ought to preach Woe be to me if I preach not the Gospell And why so because I am called to it because I am a minister because the Lorde requireth it of me Although Saint Paule and the other Apostles had priuiledges and prerogatiues which we haue not although we haue not fullye so large a Commission as he and they had although they did manye thinges which we neither may nor can do yet as touching the office of preaching it appertaineth as well to vs as to them And for the further proofe of this matter I will rehearse some argumentes which before I haue vsed in this place adding diuers others to them 1 It is the coÌ„mandement of Christ and the holy Apostles therefore necessary Christ saide to his Apostles Goe preach the Gospell The which coÌ„mandement in this behalfe belongeth to all the ministers of God Saint Paule straightly chargeth the ministers of Ephesus Take heede vnto your selues and to all the flocke whereof the holy Ghost hath made you ouerseers to feede the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own bloud And most weightily of all he requireth it in the place already alleadged he leaueth it not as a thing indifferent that may bee done or vndone but speaketh with a wonderful and mighty protestation hee ioyneth the Scripture and preaching togeather For hauing before in the former Chapiter set foorth the great profit of the scriptures straight waye hee necessarilye addeth this forecible exhortation I charge thee therefore before God and before the Lord Iesus Christ which shall iudge the quicke and the deade at his appearing and in his kingdome preach the worde be instant in season and out of season improoue rebuke exhort 2 It is an argument and token of the loue the minister oweth vnto