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
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
country where I dwell o-openly slaundered and euill spoken off and therefore to cleare my selfe from such false reports to satisfie my friends which are readie to answer in my cause to let the enemies knowe I haue spoken nothing whereof I am ashamed but dare put it to the witnessing and testimonie of the Christian reader and also to resolue more fully the weaker sort in such things as at the first seeme strange and absurd for these and such like causes I say I am content and willing that this my trauell come to light although the whole or most part of this Sermon is vnsauory vnpleasaunt to the greater sort and specially to the ignorant people to the hypocrit to the idol or dumb minister yet this is that which chiefly misliketh and grieueth them because both in the place where I preched this Sermon and also elsewhere I sayd and affirmed that the minister which preacheth not and hath not those gyftes which the Lorde requireth in his Ministers that such a one is no Minister approoued of GOD neyther hath anye right and authoritie from the Lorde to mynister his Sacramentes which matter howe straunge and absurde soeuer it seeme to ignoraunt and carnall men yet I hope it is heere sufficiently confirmed by authoritye and examples of the holy Scripture I coulde alleadge further the allowaunce and iudgement of most famous and pure Diuines and such as are gennerally receyued and allowed of all true Christians Master IOHN CALVIN about the latter ende of his Catechisme which is allowed by her Maiesties authoritie sayth in playne wordes that the ministration of the Sacraments belongeth to them who haue the charge to preache openly in the Church For the preaching of Gods worde and the ministration of the Sacraments be things ioyntly belonging to one kind of office these be his very words which are as plaine as may be M Rodolphus Gualter in his 118. Homely vpon Mark speaking of the institution of the Lordes supper and of the right order in ministring that sacrament amongst other things sayth on this manner Peccant qui coenam absque verbi predicatione peragunt adeóque illam huic praeferunt quasi vel ad dei cultum vel ad salutem plus conferat quam verbum cum tamen huius maiorem quam sacramentorum rationem habuerunt Christus Apostoli They sinne against the institution of Christe which doe minister the supper without preaching of the word and so preferre the Sacrament before preaching as though that auayled more to saluation and seruice of God then the worde preached whereas notwithstanding both Christe and the Apostles esteemed more the preaching of the Worde then the Sacrament these are his wordes I might alleadge many other testimonies for this cause not onely from the most worthy Godly and learned diuines both old and new of other Nations But also from famous Martyrs and Byshops in this oure Lande in their sermons and writings published and priuileged by authority I hope then ther is no cause why this doctrin shold not receiue a fauorable intertainment allowance as of your honors so of al faithful Christians hauing such warrant from so pure and learned men and from the testimony of the holy word VVhat soeuer I spake in deliuering and vttering this sermon I haue here set it down so nere as I could remember both in forme and matter To conclude I moste heartily desire in the Lord the ChristiaÌ„ reader especially your honors to accept this my pore trauell I am bold to ioyn you both in one not only because the Lord hath ioined you together in the bonde of friendship in a care of my good estate but also that which is greatest of all in a zeale of Gods glory furtherance of his religion Now the very God of peace sanctify you through out and I pray God that your whol spirits and souls and bodyes may be kept blamelesse vnto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ Amen Your Honours in the Lord THOMAS GYBSON Hearken with feare and reuerence to the worde of the Lorde written by the holy Apostle Saint Paule in his first epistle to the Corinthians Chap. 9. verse 16. Woe be to me if I preach not the Gospell OVR Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ in the 17. chapter of the blessed Euangelist Luke amongst manye other excellent things vttereth and propoundeth this parable Who is it of you that hauing a seruaunt plowing or feeding cattell would say vnto him by and by when he were come from the field Goe and sit downe at table c. And afterwardes in the tenth verse applieth it on this maner So like wise ye when ye haue done all those thinges which are commaunded you say we are vnprofitable seruauants we haue done that which was our duetie to doe The holy Apostle and seruant of Christ in this place auoucheth and confesseth in him selfe the saying of his Master to be moste true For although amongst many good workes there is not a more excellent or better work then the preaching of the word of God which was done most purely effectually and diligently by the Apostle yet he is so farre from accounting it meritorious that he sayth a necessitie is layd vpon him that duety bindeth him to do it In the former verses from the beginning of this Chapter S. Paule sheweth and that with diligence and large copie of wordes that beeing amongst the Corrinthians he was content to giue place to his owne right to forbeare that which he might lawfully doe to take no maintenaunce at all from them least he should giue occasion of cauilling to the false Apostles as though he vnder the pretence of the calling of an Apostle should seeme to seeke his owne gaine and lucre Amongst other thinges he hath sayde and that in the former verse It were better for me to dye then that any man should make my reioycing in vaine The which wordes may seeme to proceed and flow from an ambitious and vaineglorious spirite And therefore it might be sayde What now Paule What needes all this Thou art wont to glory in Christ alone and dost thou now glory in thine owne doinges To such a question or obiection the Apostle aunsweareth qualifiyng his former speach as if he should say Although it be an excellent worke to preach the Gospel and that freely yet take not my wordes â—o as though I repose any merite of saluation in this worke for I am called to it and bound to it by duety and commaundement from my master Christ And if I doe it not I prouoke and procure the anger of God and the sentence of his curse and condemnation on me Woe bee to me if I preach not the Gospell Of these words being but a part of the verse I haue taken vpon me to speake at this time From whence I meane by Gods grace to speake of these three pointes First I will gather some description of preaching that you may know what it is Secondly I meane to
prooue the necessitie of preaching and that euery Minister is bound to preach Thirdly I will shewe what they ought to preach The first point as in many 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 being a Minister and saying VVoe bee vnto mee if I preach not the gospell doth plainely affirme as much The third is here set downe most plainly 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 applyed to the publique office of the Minister otherwise I knowe this worde preaching to haue a further and more general signification But I speake of it as Christ and the Apostles doe applying it to the Ministers Saint Paul sayth He that prophecieth speaketh vnto men to edifiyng to exhortation and to comfort The same Apostle charging Timothie in him euery minister to preach the word addeth immediatly 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 sayth that Christ taught or preached in Nazareth He first reade then shut the booke afterwarde he expounded that scripture which he read and so applyed it to the hearers By these 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 sufficient 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 expounded 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 wee speake not againste it wee disalowe it not but account it a holye lawfull necessarye and profitable meane whereby greate good and benefite is wrought to the Church of God but yet it doth not follow y t it is sufficient in a minister y t it will serue simply of it self in the publique congregation The Lorde hath set downe another order and requireth greater things at the handes of his speciall seruaunts But this matter shal appear more plain in the words following For my purpose in this part is only to shew you by some circumstances and discriptions what preaching is and that reading is not preaching or at least that kinde 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 hungry 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 hearde before and Preachers are counted Pastors and feeders Again meate that is rawe and fat maye bee called good but it is not to bee eaten before it bee made readye and dressed so are the Scriptures reade good holy and pure but not sufficient foode for the people without preaching Againe bare reading is as thogh one should 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 should offer good treasures and yet suche as were hid shut vp fast locked could not becōe by preching 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 worship God as he went reade the scriptures if reading wold haue serued his turn Philip needed not to haue come to him but he vnderstoode not before be had a guide hee was not conuerted neyther had he sayth sufficient to saluation before hee hearde the preaching of the Worde which in deede is that especiall effectuall blessed and excellent ordinarye meane of fayth as it appeareth more plainly and fully in the next part of our text Which beeing rightly waighed confirmeth the greate necessitye of preaching and prooueth that euery Minister ought to preach Woe bee 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 hee and they had Although they did many thinges which we neither may nor can doe 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 commandemēt of Christ and the holy Apostles therefore necessary Christ sayd to his Apostles Goe preach the Gospell The which cōmandement in this behalfe belongeth to all the ministers of God Saint Paule straightly chargeth the ministers of Ephesus Take heed 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 al he requireth it in the place already alleadged he leaueth it not as a thing indifferent that may be done or vndone but speaketh with a wonderful and mighty protestation he 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 token of the loue the
Minister oweth vnto Christ and to the people as it appeareth Ioh. 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 sayd 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 Séeing then that feeding or preaching is so plaine a token of the loue that the minister oweth to Christ it is moste 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 word and therfore necessary Paule sayth Faith commeth by the worde preached Againe he counteth his preaching amongst the Corrinthians a planting of them in faith and religion S. Peter sayth We are borne a new not of mortall seede but of immortall by the word of God who liueth and indureth for euer And presētly addeth This is the word which is preached among you 4 By preaching the church of God is not onely begun but also amplified buildes and enlarged It wil not onely make vs babes in Christe but strong and spirituall men It hath not onely milke for the weake but strong meate for them that are of age By it we are brought not onely to the beginning of Christe and firste rudimentes of Christian religion but also we are ledde forwarde vnto perfection The holy Apostle affyrmeth this when as hee sayth that Iesus gaue some to be Apostles and Prophetes and some Euangelistes and some Pastoures and Teachers for the gathering of Sayntes for the worke of the Ministery and for the edification of the bodye of Christe vnto a perfect man and vnto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christe 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 worde against sinne and errour And therefore for these causes also the preaching of the word is most necessary yea and that daylye and continually because some are weake and haue need of daily strengthening some fall into errours and some into greeuous Sinnes from the which they are to bee drawen out by the effectuall preaching of the worde This doth the holy Apostle confirme whereas he sayth 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 word the Lorde hath promised a blessing the minister shal be blessed the people also blessed through it They that be 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 maister commeth he shall be blessed and made partaker of exceeding ioy and glory Take heed sayth the Apostle to thy selfe and to learning continue therin for in doing 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 beléeued God humbled them selues and forsooke their former wicked wayes At one preaching of Peter there were wonne to the Lorde about thre 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 be 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 ways blessed they receiue knowledge faith saluation their eies are opened they are turned frō darknes to light frō y e power of satan vnto God All these great and notable blessings doe ensue the preaching of the worde and therefore required most necessarilie in euery minister 7 On the other side without this both the minister and the people are accursed the bloud of the people shal be required at his handes because he hath not as a faithfull watchman forewarned them of daunger and yet they shall die in their owne sinnes The Lord complaineth by his Prophet Hosea saying My people are destroyed for lacke of knowledge because thou haste refused knowledge I will also refuse thee that thou shalt be no Priest to me To this agreeth our Sauiour Christ If the salt haue lost his saltnes it is good for nothing but to be cast out and to be troden vnder foot of men And if these Ministers which sometimes haue had Salte in them zeale and knowledge to season the people and by negligence and carelesnes decay and loose it If these I saye be worthy to be cast out howe miserable and cursed are they which neuer had nor yet haue any Salt in them It muste 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 another place it is sayde Cast that vnprofitable Seruaunt into vtter darkenesse 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 manye greeuous curses both vppon the minister and people where the worde is not preached it is most requysite 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 requyre preaching They are lefte for our comforte instruction and edifying But we are most comforted instructed and edifyed if they bee opened and applyed to 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 We please our selues in our owne sinnes the Deuill goeth about continually to deuour vs and therefore we haue need to haue continuall preaching of the word 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 and woulde not take it to him selfe although Nathan spake a very plaine parable till it was particularly applyed to him Seeing then there is in our nature such corruption such blindnesse such slouthfulnesse and also forgetfulnes what can be more necessary for the curing of these so great diseases then the continuall and dayly preaching of the word Besides all this it hath beene an vsuall order in the church of God vnder the lawe by Christ and the Apostles not onely to reade but also to expound and apply the Scriptures and therefore the same order is to be obserued of vs. It is sayd of the Leuites that they red in the booke of the law of God distinctly and gaue the sence and caused them to vnderstande the reading Christ as we haue heard already cōtinually preached and commaunded the same to his Apostles who as they obeyed in them selues their Maisters commaundement so they required it as a continuall and vsuall rule to be obserued for euer of al the Ministers of God in his church And most specially the Apostle in those Epistles which he wrote vnto Timothie and Titus very largely effectually vrgeth this matter I referre you also vnto the 14. Chapter of his first Epistle to the Corinthians wherein so highly he commendeth the gift of Prophesieing Interpretation or preaching that he preferreth it before all other giftes and accounteth it so necessarie that he would haue it continually obserued in the Church of God Againe Christ commaundeth vs and wee doe daylie praie for the enlarging of his Kingdome whereas he hath taught vs to say thy kingdome come Now the singuler and excellēt meanes to establish the kingdome of Iesus Christ is by the pure and effectual preaching of the word and therefore he saieth in an other place Pray to the Lorde of the Haruest to send forth Labourers into the Haruest And how cā they pray with any safe cōscience for the enlarging and establishing of the kingdome of Christ which by their ignorance and carelesnesse do altogether hinder it Furthermore all and euery one of the names whiche are giuen by the holie Ghost to the ministers in y e word of God doe necessarily require at their handes Preaching They are called the light of the worlde the salt of the earth They are called Pastors and Sheepheards They are called Husbandmen Guides Stewards and Messengers besides many other excellent titles giuen to them Now how can they bee called Lightes whiche haue no light in them which either are in ignoraunce and darknesse themselues or els hide their cādle vnder a Bushel How can they bee called the Salt of the earth which cannot or will not season the vnfauorie and sinfull people with the heauenly wholesome doctrine of eternall life How can they be called Pastors and teachers which do not feed or haue no foode at all to giue to the flocke How can they be called the Lords Husbandmen which haue no skill at all in tilling his ground and sowing his seede How can they bee called Guides vnto other whiche either know not the way themselues or els will not vouchsafe to open and declare it to other How can they be called Stewards which haue no care of the houshold which either cannot or will not feede them And how can they bee called the Lordes Messengers whiche are not able to doe their message or haue no care at all to doe it If the Minister bee a light to the people of necessitie he must needes goe and shine before them in knowledge and doctrine If he bee the Salt he must needes season If he be a Pastor or Sheepheard he must needes feed If he be a Husbandman he must needes haue a care of the Lordes Husbandrie If he be a Guide he must needes shewe the waye If he bee a Stewarde he must prouide for the housholde If he bee a Messenger he must bee willing and able to do his message Naie I saie more it standes for the Lordes glorie and credite to haue suche Pastors and such Husbandmen such Stewardes and Messengers as haue wisedome knowledge The poore people of the Countrie will not hire him to be a Sheepheard to their Sheepe whom they know to be ignorant and carelesse and shall the Lorde choose such to gouerne guide his flock The Gentleman and the Yeman wil not hire any to be ouerseers of their Husbandrie except they knowe them to haue sufficient discretion and experience and wil he thinke ye bee content with simple foolish and recklesse ouerseers of his so dere and precious a Husbandrie The Noble man for his honors sake wil seeke to haue such a one to be the Steward of his house as is trustie wise of sufficient to guide and gouerne a whole housholde and shall the Lorde be lesse carefull of his honour shall he bee content with vnwise and vnfaithfull Stewardes The Prince will haue a speciall care to sende such to be his messengers and Ambassadors as be most wise and faithfull and are able discreetly and cunningly to doe their message and shall the Lordes messengers bee without knowledge What can be more to the discredite and dishonour of his holy name This argument I amplifie the more because it is very plaine effectuall Mark I beseech you wel all these and other names giuen to vs in the holie Scripture doe require of euery minister of God that he preach the worde as we haue a rare to aunswere to our names and a care of the glorie and credite of our God euen so let vs be carefull in doing this so necessarie a duetie What shall I saie more the end and purpose of our calling and Ministrie requireth at our handes Preaching The Lorde hath ordained Pastors and Teachers for the gathering together of his Saincts and to the edification of the bodie of Christ Seeing then we are called to this ende seing we are ordained to this purpose there is no remedie we that are the Ministers of God must needes of necessitie preach his worde For a further proofe and conclusion of this matter I call you to recorde I appeale to your owne consciences which are now wonne to the Lord which haue some measure of knowledge which are called out of darknesse to light from ignoraunce to knowledge ye that sometime haue been content with reading Ministers and quarter Sermons but now hunger and thirst for the worde preached I call you I saie as witnesses in this cause what comfort you feele what profite what power in the effectuall preaching of y e word How carelesse how prophane how ignorant how leaude you were before notwithstanding the daylie and the ordinarie Readinges whiche diligently you had What hath wrought in you that measure of faith that heauenly knowledge whiche you now haue What is it that hath wrought in you suche a sorrowe of your former life suche a griefe and hatred of sinne and superstition both in your selues and others suche an earnest zeale