the Church of GOD shall stand for euer And when all the glory of the world shall vanish quite away like a flash of fire and when all her desperate malicious and irreconciliable enemies shall vtterly be destroyed then shall she shine as the Sunne and obtaine her perfect glory and liue for euer with the Lord in all ease and happinesse free from all sinfull and earthly miseries whatsoeuer Fourthly wheras all other fields and houses are materiall outward and earthly this field and this house is mysticall celestiall and spirituall and may bee so called in all these regards ensuing First because the Spirit of God doth husband her and dwell in her Secondly because her whole frame is spirituall her chiefest ornameÌ„ts are inward and inuisible The kings daughter is all glorious within saith the Psalm Thirdly the meanes which God vseth for her building repairing trimming flourishing and câ—â—tinuing are not earthly but spirituall and of a nature far differing from worldly helps and humane inuentions Fourthly the seruice and worship which ought to be performed in her is spirituall And lastly all the good workes which she doth are spirituall All the good workes which we or any of her faithfull members do performe are meerely good so far forth as they do proceed from the Spirit of God who is goodnesse it selfe and the author of all our goodnesse And the euill which is in them commeth from our owne home-bred corruptition which is not in this life cleansed cleane away vnlesse it be because it is forgiuen vs and not imputed to vs. And to conclude the Church is said to be a field an house not fields and houses For the Church is but one body one perfect house and one entire and absolute field She hath but one Lord one Architect one Redeemer one absolute Husbandman and Inhabitant one common saluation one religion one Head one Husband one way to heauen according to that of S Paul There is one body one Spirit one faith one Lord one baptisme one God and father And this hath also been the doctrine of former ages Theodoretus saith quest 44. in Num. As the Vnicorne hath one horne so the people truly religious adoreth one onely God And for the vnity of her head Gregory saith that The whole holy vniuersal Church is on Body set vnder Christ Iesus as her Head For Christ with his whole Church both militant triumphant is one person Nazianzene saith There is one Christ one head of the Church Thirdly concerning the vnity of the Spirit Gregory saith that As there is one soule which doth quicken the diuerse members of the body so one Holy Spirit doth quicken and illustrate the whole Church Fourthly for the vnity of faith and outward confession Eucherius saith that As a bundle is bound with bands so all the company of the Saints are bound together with one and the same faith hope and charity compassed with one muniment of diuine protection And as Leo teacheth there is one orison and one confession of the whole Church Finally touching the vnity of Baptisme There is one faith saith Hierome one Baptisme And so withall for the vnitie of her God Iustinus saith There is one true God of all which is acknowledged in the Father Sonne and holy Spirit Our faith saith Cyril receiueth no number of Gods but there is one God the Father and to the same vnitie pertaineth the Sonne and the Holy Ghost Hauing now opened the words and giuen the sense let vs see what lessons we may learne out of them CHAP. 2. The Church of God is Gods house and husbandry Doct. 1 THESE wordes do naturally without wresting affoord vs two notable doctrins The former is that the true church of God which is the coÌ„pany of Beleeuers is Gods House and Husbandry This is plaine by the text as also by other like places of Scripture Know ye not saith Paul that ye are the Temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you And speaking to Timothy he saith These things I write that thou maist know how to behaue thy sefe in Gods House which is the Church of the liuing God And plaine reason sheweth as much For it is not her owne she is not the Lady of her selfe Ye are not your owne saith Paul for ye are bought for a price Neither is the Church a tenement or possession belonging to any Angell or to any Man excepting onely the man Christ who is the Angell of the couenant and her only Lord Head She is not the field of the sluggard which Salomon speaks of She is not the house of wickednesse and sinne For Christ gaue himselfe for her that hee might make her holy and purge her from her sinnes with his bloud Therefore he saith vnto her Thou art all faire my loue and there is no spot in thee Neither is shee the house and field of the Diuell For Christ hath purchased her vnto himselfe Therefore she saith My welbeloued meaning Christ is mine and I am his I am my welbeloueds and his desire is towards me And Christ speaking vnto her cals her his loue his sister his spouse therefore surely the Liuell hath no interest in her and no title to her The conclusion then remaineth firme that as the Temple of Ierusalem was dedicated to be an house vnto the Lord alone euen so the Church is built and consecrated vnto him only that she may be his House to dwel in as a field to husband dispose of as he in his wisedome seeth most conuenient Thus much for the doctrine let vs now se how we may apply it for our benefite and edification CHAP. 3. Sundry vses are made of the consideration of these two titles together THe vses which we ought to make of the former doctrine are of two sorts Some arise from the consideration of these 2 titles giueÌ„ to the Church together some froÌ„ them being coÌ„sidered apart by themselues Of the former company are these that follow First we haue here one of the roialties and royall priuiledges of the faithfull For they and they onely to speake properly are Gods house husbandry For the Father hath elected them only the Son hath redeemed them onely the holy Ghost doth regenerate them onely God the Father Sonne and holy Ghost doth dwell in them onely in regard of the presence of his speciall grace and efficatious operation vnto eternall life For as concerning the Reprobates they are the very sinks of sin the dennes of the Diuell and the quagmyres of iniquity predestinated to eternall distruction Some of them I confesse may thinke themselues to be of Gods house and to belong vnto his field but their imagination is like the fond and false conceipt of some Melancholique persons that haue thought their bodies to haue beene made of glasse and that euery faire house was theirs which they passed
of the Prophets is not regarded the raine of their exhortations runs by vs and is not receiued And although we be continually dressed daily pruned by the word of God as by a sprittle or pruning knife yet are we full of superfluous branches our fruit is rotten sowre vnwholesome vnpleasant What may we now expect of God if he shall deale with vs as we haue dealt with him but that he should pull downe his hedge breake downe his wal and lay this vineyard waste and bestow his paines vpon a people that will bring forth better fruites Let vs therefore repent before it bee too late let vs labour against our barrennesse vnto good against our vnfruitfull fruitfulnesse in that which is euill Shall we labour that our soile may be good and fertile and shall we with patience see our soules sterile vnfruitfull Can we not endure our gardens to be ouergrowne with weedes and shall we suffer our heartes to be defaced with sin which is more stinking and infestant then any weed is or can be Shall we desire God to giue vs the first and the latter raine to water our grounds and shall we not pray him also to water the dry ground of our hearts with the sweet shewers of his graces and to moisten and soke vs with the water of his Spirit Shal we desire God to shew kindnesse vnto vs in giuing vs the timely fruites of the yeare and shall we be vnkind vnto him in keeping froÌ„ him the timely fruits of our hearts Do we dislike slerility in our groundes barrennesse in our sheep and kine shall we not as wel dislike the barrennesse of our hearts and the spirituall sterility of our soules If we would shew our selues to be indeed the field of God and would not shame his husbandmen let vs striue against our barrennesse let vs lay aside all the vnfruitfull works of darkenesse and let vs labour to bring forth fruits in aboundance beseeming repentance and those that professe themselues to be the field of the liuing God And thus much for the first title CHAP. 5. We ought to trim vp our selues We may be sure that God will keepe house within vs. THE vses which we ought to make of the consideration of the second title are especially two First considering that we are Gods house we are taught so to dresse vp our selues as that we may be pleasing to him and not offensiue To this end we must remoue those things which are displeasing and deck our selues with such things as he doth delight in We must therfore tune the disordered strings of our sinfull soules labour for a sweet concent in all our affections that they may be iointly fixed vpon good and not on euill that there may be as liâ—tle discord iarring in theÌ„ as is possible whiles we continue in these houses of clay We must yet proceed a little further labouring with all our power to cleanse our soules bodies of all filthinesse of sin We must kill the spiders of a poisonfull and rancorous spirit We must brush downe the cobwebs of proud and haughty imaginations which are mounted vp into the turrets of the head and cleaue as it were to the seeling of the braine We must by true repentance sweep out of our hearts the dust of wickednesse as couetousnesse worldly cares and such like and cleanse out all vncleanenesse of fornication and fleshly desires We must let out the smoake of iniquity and purge our selues of al our sins by true remorse by godly sorrow and vnfeigned mortification O Ierusalem wash thine heart from wickednesse that thou maist be saued How long shall thy wicked thoughts remaine within thee Wash you make you cleane saith the Lord take away the euill of your works from before mine eyes We must not make our selues who are Gods house to be the dennes of sins which like Theeues rob him of that honour which is due vnto him Therfore as good Iosiah tooke away all the abominations out of all his countries so let vs by true repentance remoue al our sins which are al abominable out of all the corners of our hearts And as the Priests and Leuits cleansed all the House of God and brought out all the vncleanenesse threw it into Kidron so let vs which are spirituall Priests in Gods spirituall Temple cleanse the houses of our hearts of all vncleanenesse of our sins and condemne and cast them into the pit of hell that sulphirie lake from whence they came that so the workes of the diuell being dissolued himselfe eiected he may be past all hope of future entrance and recouery of his former hold that howsoeuer he may looke in at the doore or peep in at the window by his tentations and dart in a wicked thought yet he may find no roome swept vp and furnished for him to rest in and make his mansion Neither is it sufficient for vs to clense our selues of that which doth defile vs but we must also decke and adorne our selues with those things which are neat and comly We should therfore strew our hearts with the fresh flowers of Gods graces We should decke our selues inwardly with the lowlinesse of mind We should hang our soules with the rich arras and costly tapestry of holinesse innocency and sinceritie We should perfume our hearts with coales of Iuniper and with the frankincense of Gods Spirit We should set open our windowes that the blessed Sunne of righteousnesse may shine into vs to warme and enlighten vs. We should set open the gates of our hearts that the king of glory may come in And finally we should present our selues vnto him as a liuing and holy sacrifice We should prepare the banquet of an honest heart and a good conscience for him And we should giue him the best entertainement that we are able in all respect And so doing we shall be pleasing to him and shall reape exceeding comfort to our selues And therfore al those are to be reproued which professe themselues to be the houses of the liuing God and yet wallow in their sins as hogges in the mire are full of the dust of wickednesse giuing themselues ouer to ignoraÌ„ce profanenes worldlinesse drunkennes epicurisme all vncleanenes These are not the Temples of the Spirit but the tents of the diuell These are not the houses of God but the tabernacles of wickednesse the sinks of sin the cabbins of vncleane spirits hauing not onely the fire of sin within them but beeing indeed also compassed about with the flames thereof on euery side And let them in time take heed and come forth For sin is a fire that burneth to destruction It worketh both a confusion in the soule the confusion of the soule The wages thereof is the eternall death both of soule and body Rom. 6 23. Secondly seeing we are GODS house we may assure our selues that he will reside and dwell
husbandry yee are Gods building Doct. 1 We that is I Paule for one who sometimes persecuted the people of God and like a wild Boare out of the Forrest made Hauocke in his Vineyard annoying the Vines of his owne planting I euen I that persued the faithful like a Partridge on the mountaines as Saul did Dauid and would haue pierced them through with the speare of persecution Euen I Saul I Paul am a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Adiutour a Minister Laborer of the Lord against whom I laboured with might and maine before Whence we may as in a mirrour behold Gods endlesse mercy to him in making him of a persecutor a Preacher of a Foe to become a Friend of Sathans slaue his owne Seruant a labourer in his haruest a builder of his house a rearer and repairer of his Temple a planter and pruner in his Vineyard which once hee thought to supplant and wast From hence we are first taught not to despaire of Gods mercy say not that thy sins are greater then can bee forgiuen seeing so great a sinner obtained so great mercy for Paul was not onely made a Conuert but also a Conuerter he was not onely called by Gods grace to bee a partaker of grace himselfe but he was also called by his grace to be a Preacher of grace vnto others He was not onely taken out of the wrong way and set in the right but he was also set as a Marke in the way to direct and giue ayme to others Hee was not onely made a Sheep of Christ but also a Sheepheard vnder Christ to feed and guide his sheepe In a word hee was made a Member and a Minister of the Church not a Plant onely but a Planter also a Vine and a Vine-dresser Yet we must not presumptuously in hope of mercy either persecute Gods people for they that touch them Touch the apple of his eye or addict our selues vnto any other knowne enormity For Paul persecuted but Of ignorance and not of malice as Iulian and Dauid a man of Gods owne moulding praied that GOD would Keepe him from presumptuous sinnes And as wee reade in holy writ of one notorious Persecutor who was conuerted and greatly graced that no man might despaire so againe we reade but of one that no man might presume It is transcendent iniquity for any man to sin in hope of pardon Secondly we learne to suspend our iudgements of those that now run the race of wickednes are led captiue of the Diuell to fulfill his will with greedines When Paul blasphemed persecuted and threatned who could then haue saved who would haue thought that he should euer haue bin so changed as of a Lion to be made a Lambe of a Scatterer a Gatherer and of the Diuels limme Gods faithfull labourer Quifecit reficere potest He that made them can mend them God that formed them can reforme them He can turne the streame of their sinfull affection He can cleanse them with the purging water of his Spirit and cast the mettall of their soules in a new mould As by the strength of his arme hee brought his people out of Egypt set theÌ„ in their way to Canaan so he can as easily if he please bring these men forth of spirituall Egypt from seruitude vnder sinne and Sathan and set yea and settle them in the kingdome of grace the Suburbs High-way to the kingdome of glory And who knoweth the secret will of God His councell is vnsearchable and his Waies past finding out Indeede we must deplore their present condition but we may not despaire of their future conuersion Wee may dislike and reproue them but we may not deeme theÌ„ Reprobâ—â—es For Gods arme is neuer so short that it cannot saue neither can the fountaine of his grace be drained dry His wil is all which is constant as himselfe knowne only to himselfe CHAP. 2. Ministers must not contemne one another seuen reasons are rendred why they should not behaue themselues proudly and scornfully one to another Doct. 2 VVE Here we see that Paul makes Apollos one of Gods helpers or labourers as well as himselfe and yet no doubt there was great oddes betwixt them not only in eminency of place but also in excellency ef grace Paul was not called Of men as false Apostles are and vse to be nor By men as ordinary Ministers are and ought to be but by Iesus Christ immediatly to be an Apostle euen a Minister in the highest calling within the Church to say nothing of his learning wisdome fortitude constancy and other notable endowments wherein he did excel as if he had bin the very Center of Gods graces They therefore that are any way qualified or aduanced aboue their brethren must beware they do not diâ—daine scorne them For first What hast thou that thou hast not receiued PromotioÌ„ commeth neither from the East nor from the West nor from the South but from God that deiecteth one and erecteth another Riches and honour wisdome learning and knowledge are of the Lord who giues and takes according to his will Secondly the pride of man shall bring him low but the humble in spirit shall enioy glory Whosoeuer will exalt himselfe shall be brought low and whosoeuer wil humble himselfe shal be exalted for God resisteth the proud and giueth grace to the humble And as wee see the highest hils haue the shortest grasse so we see that the haughtiest hearts are the most barren of sauing grace Pride piety cannot rule in one house reign in one kingdome Neither is it Christian prudence to procure thine owne grace by the disgrace of thy brother Thirdly his one talent may increase to ten whereas it may be thy two shall not exceede foure and perhaps wast away to one And better is small wine that is fresh liuely then stronger which is become dead and musty Thou maist stand at a stay as the Sun did in the daies of Ioshuah or else goe backward as the shadow did in the Dyall of Ahaz whereas he shall increase and proceede as the day doth in light and brightnes til it be noone And it is more honor to rise then fall and to go on then to stand still or giue backe Fourthly pride procures hatred contention schismes and is an vtter enemy to fraternity peace and vnity he that scorns most is scorned most for with what measure ye meate saith Christ it shal be measured to you againe Fifthly God may blesse him in his poore place and make his one talent more profitable to the Church then thy two yea then thy ten for it is God that giueth the increase Sixthly humility meeknesse and modesty are comly commendable in men of all other callings therefore the holy Ghost saith Submit your selues euery man one vnto another decke your selues inwardly with lowlinesse of minde Much more then in
hath hired him to worke in his Vineyard He must hold the keyes of his kingdome in one hand the sword of the spirit which is the word of God in the other hand and all are heauy all are weighty and hard to weild aright He must help to beare the Church as the Leuites did the Arke Gouernement is laid vpon his shoulders and the soules of men are cōmitted to his charge If any vnder him do perish by him God will require their bloud at his hands CHAP. 6. Ministers must haue a warrantable calling NOw in a Labourer these seuen things are required First a Lawfull calling for it is against all right and reason that any man should gather his neighbors grapes or thrust his sickle into his corne without his leaue and so it is as vniust for any man to presume to labour in Gods Vineyard to build in his Temple or to worke in his Haruest without his leaue and liking Who dare draw his sword and smite who dare meddle with his keyes to open or shut ministerially without his licence Who dare sit in Moses his chaire vnlesse he haue set him in it and put his Law-booke into his hands to vnclaspe and explicate it vnto his people The labourers in the parable wrought not in the Vineyard till the Lord thereof had set them on worke b Vzzah was slaine because he laid his hand vpon the Arke without a calling Noah medled not in the building of the Arke till God had giuen him direction neither did the Carpenters enter vpon that worke without vocation and approbation from Noah they which built the Temple had licence command first from Salomon who had his warrant also from aboue Wherefore then should any meddle with the building of the Church which is Gods Arke and Temple without sufficient authority either immediately from God or mediatly from those that haue commission from him to proue and admit men to labour for him No man taketh this honour vpon him but he that is called of God as Aaron was Christ sheweth that it of right belongeth to the Lord of the Haruest to chuse and appoint Labourers in that he bids his Disciples pray the Lord of the haruest to send forth Laborers into his Haruest For how dare men cut downe or bind vp bring in without his bidding and authorizing How shall they preach except they be sent The Lord complaineth of some Prophets that ran vnsent prophecied vnspoken to by him Aaron and his sonnes were ordayned by God to assigne the Koathites euery one to his office to his charge so God hath ordained the Gouernors of the Church to cal consecrate Ministers and to set them to their worke It is an Anabaptistique conceit to think that any man of learning may preach without Ecclesiasticall ordination vpon his owne priuate motion or voluntary pleasure The glory of God the honour of the Ministery the security and solace of their consciences and that the people may know that they haue lawfull Ministers may thereby be moued to obay their ministery all these claime a calling argue the necessity of lawfull ordination CHAP. 7. Ministers must be wise their doctrine pure and their life vpright SEcondly a workeman must bee wise that he may behaue himselfe without offence Discretion is required in a Minister that hee may please his maister that he may be an example to his fellowes that he may leade his life without offence to any and so gaine credit to his place and person It is meete therefore that his doctrine should be pure and not parti-coloured and that his conuersation be correspondent so he shall shew himselfe truly wise euen godly wise Paul writing to Timothie saith Study to shew thy selfe approued vnto God a workman that need not be ashamed diuiding the word of God aright And to the Corinthians he saith of himselfe and of his fellowes We haue cast from vs the cloakes of shame and walke not in craftines neither handle we the word of God deceiptfully but in declaration of the truth we approue our selues to euery mans conscience in the sight of God Our reioycing is this the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly purenes not in fleshly wisedome but by the grace of God we haue had our cōuersation in the world most of all to you-wards For we are not as many which make merchandise of the word of God but as of sincerity but as of God in the sight of God speake we in Christ We giue no occasion of offence in any thing that our Ministery should not be reprehended but in all things we approue our selues as the ministers of God In like manner he willeth his sonne Timothy to keep the true patterne of the wholesome words which he had heard of him and to flye from the lusts of youth and follow after righteousnes faith loue and peace sheweth that euery Bishop must be vnreproueable temperate and modest Ministers saith Prosper must not onely instruct the people with the example of a good life but should also shew them by preaching boldly both the penalty which abides the rebellious and the glory which belongs to the obedient The Doctor of the Church saith Chryostome by teaching and liuing well teacheth the people how to liue well but by liuing wickedly teacheth God how to condemne him Aaron was appointed to weare Thummim on his brest-plate vpon his heart and a plate of pure gold vpon his forehead whereon was grauen Holinesse to the Lord. So euery Minister should haue the Thummim of an vpright heart carry the goldē plate before him of an holy life The Arke was commaunded to be pitched within and without with pitch so should euery minister be pitched with grace on the inside of his heart and on the outside of his life and so he shal be better armed against wind and water The Snuffers of the candlestick for the Tabernacle were cōmaunded to be made of pure gold those that snuffe others should be pure themselues Turpe est doctori cum culpa redarguit ipsum It is a shame for a man to correct another and not to direct himselfe or to weed his neighbours corne and to suffer the weeds to choke his owne It is a shame for a Phisitian to proffer Phisick to others and yet to see and suffer himselfe to rot with diseases Phisitian first cure thy selfe Pluck forth thine Owne moat thine Owne beame first He that admonisheth another of that wherein himselfe remaineth wilfully faulty doth giue him the cleare wine and keepeth the dregs to himselfe resembling a Diall or Watch which profit others by shewing how the day passeth but themselues nothing at all They which teach wel and liue wickedly confute their doctrine with their deedes and condemne their practise by their preaching and so make them selues abhominable to God
the Canopy of Gods grace in this life they may be clothed with the robes of his glory in the life to come Finally the Lord hath put his Booke into our handes Wee must vpon all iust occasions open and expound it We must constantly hold it vp and out vnto his People We must not lay it aside nor cast it into corners Our hands in holding it must neuer faint least the enemies of God and his Church should preuaile and conquer And so much for the properties of a good workeman CHAP. 13. Ministers ought to be peaceable and louing to each other but yet the refractarie must be bridled Doct. 6 LAbourers together Seeing that wee worke together with and for the Lord seeing all faithful Ministers are the Lords Labourers appointed by God to husband his field and to repaire and build vp his House we should all agree and loue one another entirely that our worke may go the faster forward and that so we may receiue greater comfort and ioy The Psalmist describing the wicked saith that they smite downe Gods people and trouble his heritage Their throat saith Dauid is an open sepulchre and their mouth is full of cursing Destruction saith Esay is in their pathes and they know not the way of peace But these things do nothing beseeme the Ministers of God who are or ought to be Praecones pietatis the preachers of peace and piety and not fighters and strikers but meeke gentle and studious of concord and amity The Word and not the sword is committed by the Lord vnto them the word of grace the word of reconcilement the sword of the Spirit and not the sword of Reuenge If his workmen fall to wrangling how shal his worke go forward God hath hired vs to worke and not to wrangle praedicare non praeliari If any man lust to be contentious we haue no such custome saith Paul neither the Churches of God It is mery with wolues and foxes when the shepheards are together by the eates one with another Lamentable are those flockes miserable are those sheepe We should rather bend then band and bowe rather then breake Ferentes non ferientes bearing one with another and not biting or beating one another lest we be deuoured one of another If the builders and plowmen quarrell one with another their worke must needs be hindred If a kingdome saith Christ be deuided against it selfe that kingdome cannot stand or if an house be deuided against it selfe that house cannot continue Euen so Gods kingdome vpon earth cannot but be much weakened and the rearing of his house much hindred if Ministers which either are or ought to be his chiefest instruments to build his house and to propagate and vphold his kingdome be deuided one against another in factions and hostile manner Diuide et regna Deuide and reigne is no rule for vs to practise amongst our selues It was not the true but the counterfeit mother of the child that said Let it be neither thine nor mine but diuide it If the builders of old Ierusalem in the daies of Nehemiah had contended one against another it had bene easiy for their enimies to haue destroyed both them and their building So if the Builders of new Ierusalem of spirituall and mysticall Ierulem do fight and biker one with another they do without doubt expose themselues and their building to the danger of the enimie that taketh all oportunity to worke a mischiefe Diuide a ship and how shall it saile Diuide the Church and how shall she hold out vpon the waters and not be drowned There is little got but much lost by contention Nimium altercando veritas amittitur Ouer-hot contention loseth the truth and ouer-great dissention amongst the sheepheards scattereth and disquieteth the sheepe The dissention of the captaines was the destruction of Ierusalem But pace florent omnia true peace like Aprill shewers makes all thinges flourish Vires vnitae sunt fortiores A three-fold cord is hardly crackt asunder A sheafe of arrowes is hardly broken Thorefore as Labourers of one Lord as Builders of one House as plowers of one fielde as shepheards of one fold as keepers of one garden as dressers of one vineyard as workemen in one haruest as watchmen of one city as souldiers of one captaine as seruants of one maister and as sonnes of one father let vs all agree one with another being coupled fast together by one spirit like linkes of one chaine and as if there were but one temperature of all our bodies and but one soule within them all And accordingly let vs vnitis viribus ac toto conatu ioyntly labour with might maine that Gods worke may goe forward that the powers of darknesse may be shaken that the gates of Hell may be flung from their hinges and that sin and sathan beeing dismounted from their thrones the scepter of Christ Iesus may be set vp in the hearts of his people If we must loue all men and if we must be gentle towards all men is it seemely for vs to hate one another Shall we be spitefull and crabbed one vnto another God is loue and the well-spring of true peace and the Diuell is the father of hatred and enmity therefore it behoueth all the Ministers of God to be peaceable and louing that so they may be like the Lord vnlike the Diuell If we should labor to haue peace with all men how earnestly should we striue to haue it amongst our selues Nec minor est virtus quam quaerere parta tueri Are all men bound to be of the like affection one towards another and is it fit for vs that are or ought to be lights and guides vnto others to be of a contrary affection one to another Ought not the strong to beare the infirmities of the weake and not to please themselues Wisedome and lenitie will say so And ought not the weake labour to see their infirmity and to waxe weary of their weaknesse that so there may be a simpathy and no antipathy peace and not passions concord and not hostility It is one thing to be weake and another thing to affect weaknesse It is one thing to shew weaknesse and another thing to shroud and shield it It is good to confesse it but bad to professe it There is a strong weakenesse and there is a weaknesse that is weake indeed All weaknesse is vncommeâ—dable but affected and sturdy weaknesse is vntollerable This is the peace-breaker and he must be bridled Easie salues are for easie soares bâ—t gangrenes must be pared off and fisiulaes must be bitten The Leper musâ— keepe his house And he that hath the plague about him must not come abroad Melius est vt pereat vnus quam vnitas It is better to want one then lose all It is better to cut off a finger then to lose the hand And an honorable warre is better then a seruile peace We
must defend our heads and maintaine our free-holds Naboth would not part from his vineyard He is another Esau that will part with his birth-right for a messe of pottage As we must be innocent as Doues so we must be wise as Serpents and stout as Lyons and beware that too much patience make not the enemy proud and raging But to returne from whence we haue digressed shall Paul pray for the Romanes for other men that GOD would make them to be like-minded one towards another and shal not we pray for our selues and labour by all good meanes that we may our selues bee so affected one with another Members of one body are at peace with themselues The Church of God is a Body euen the mysticall body of his sonne Christ Iesus Now faithfull Ministers are Members of this body therefore they ought like fellow-members to embrace and agree with one another endeuouring to keepe the vnity of the Spirit in the bond of peace not prouoking and enuying one another but being subiect to one another in the feare of Christ It were a prodigious sight to see the Pillars of a Temple remoue and rush one against another The Church is Gods spirituall Temple and godly Ministers are as Pillars to beare it vp Therefore they should stand peaceably one by another and not iustle one with another The ministers and instruments of Sathan can conspire together against God Wherefore then should not the Ministers of God concord agree together for God Herod Pilate the Iewes the Romanes could ioyne against Christ why should not we then consent and labour together for Christ that the Gospell might flourish in the Christian world and that Christian religion might spreade throughout the whole world As Paul wished the Romanes one heart that they might with one minde and one mouth praise GOD euen so should we that are Ministers tune all the strings of our sinfull soules and labour for the sweet concent and harmony of all the affections of our hearts that with one mind mouth wee may celebrate and preach the Lord and proclaime the glad tidings of saluation to the sonnes of men by Iesus Christ Neither is it enough if some of vs be thus affected but wee must all all without exception put on this minde In an Instrument wee see that one or two strings out of tune marre all the musicke and that in a Quire of voyces one or two being out of order doe spoyle the melody One iangling bell marres the whole ring Euen so a few factious turbulent and combustiue spirites that like Salamanders or Fire-flies delight in the firy flames of contention and are in trauell with their home-bred conceits till they haue thrust them out which are somthing like thornes in a dogges foot which neuer leaues licking till hee haue got theÌ„ out I say a few such disorderly vnquiet spirits are able apt if they be not turned or taken quite away to marre the musicke of the Church and to kindle a fire in it For by nature we are too like to Gun-powder or Tinder a few sparkes are able and would set vs all on fire if neither Gods grace nor seuere lawes and strength of authority did preuent hinder vs. And that I may conclude this point if tenne men did carry a great and weighty burthen if some of them should kicke or buffet one another their pace would be slakened their businesse hindred their burthen endangered to fall vnto the ground The Church of God is a weighty burthen and Ministers are appointed by God to beare it vpon their backes Now if they beate and spurne at one another or if some of them shall contemne kicke or busset one another though others behaue themselues discreetly and orderly their businesse must needes be hindered the Chuâ—ch is like rot onely to shake and totter but in danger also to fall and breake One scabbed sheepe may infect a flocke a little fire may make a great flame a little leauen doth leauen a whole lump of dough and one Fox may marre a fold Either therefore let all agree let all that beare the burtheÌ„ conâ—aine themselues in order or let them that trouble the rest bee thrust out by order Better it were that nine did beare it alone in peace thâ—n with a tenâ—h though his shoulders were as good as Miloes as strong as Samâ—ons that were quarrelous trâ—ublesomâ— and vnquiet As we therefore desire the peace of Sion and the weâ—fare and prosperity of Ierusalem as we would that the workes of the diuell should be dissolued his power weakned and his kingdome lessened as we loue to see Gods corne to thriue his vines to flourish and his building to go forward let vs haue peace amongst our selues and let vs tye our heaâ—ts fast together with the linkes of loue It is an amiable thing for brethren to dwell together in vnity It is a louely sight to see Ministers brâ—thâ—en by adoption and brethren by offiâ—e brethren in regard of Gods grace and place to liue together in loue as it were in a wedlock of loue Then should they be known to be Christs disciples then should God be glorified his people more aboundantly edified his kingdome enlarged his enemies scattered and their owne ioyes increased We conclude therefore Nulla salus bello pacem te poscimus omnes CHAP. 14. God is the Architect Ministers are inferiour Agents OF God For as much as Ministers are the Lords Synergi his Coworkers his Helpers or helping instrumeÌ„ts elected by him not for any necessity as if he were not able of himselfe to saue meÌ„ without their assistance but of his free pleasure for the manifestation of his wisedome power grace and authority and for the triall of our obedience faith humility from hence we learne these lessons Doct. 7 First that God alone is the principall Husbander of his field and the onely Architect of his building My Father saith Câ—rist is the Husbandman And he that buildeth all things is God Paul planteth and Apollos watereth but God giueth the increase It is the Lord that calleth men to his worke and directeth theÌ„ in his work and giueth good successe vnto their worke Except the Lord build the house they labour but in vaine that build it I laboured saith Paul more then they all yet not I but the grace of God which is with me Hence it is that Peter commends the founding and establishing of the faithfull vnto GOD. And looke what GOD founds Sathan shall neuer confound The Word preached sincerely is not like a physicke medicine which hath vertue in it by nature to cure a disease but is as a Conduit-pipe by which God the fountaine of grace conueieth his grace into the cisterne of our hearts when as he pleaseth Neither are Ministers to be reputed as principall Agents or authors of mans saluation but as the liuely instruments
the profits of the earth If they leade vs the way into Canaan and conduct vs into the land of promise the land of the liuing a paradice of perpetuall pleasures pleasing perpetuity what a matter is it if we maintaine them whiâ—es we walk and wander with them in the wildernesse If they prouide for our soules why should not we prouide for their bodies If we must do good to all men how much more to our Ministers by whoÌ„ we are brought to beleeue by whom we haue bene conuerted from our sins to serue that God that made vs that Lord that saued vs that spirit which doth reuiue and fine vs Chrysostome would that Ministers should haue necessary maintenance that they might worke spirituall things and haue no distractiue regard of secular affaires And he saith also A necessâ—ry liuing ought plentifully to be ministered vnto the Teachers lest they should be discomfited and that they might not depriue themselues and others of great things by being busied about the smallest They haue great labours saith Latimer and therefore they ought to hauge good liuings Paul would haue them hospitall and harborous and therefore it is fit that they should haue good maintenance whereby they may shew hospitality and procure the loue of the poore by almes deedes and courteous entertainement Here then two sorts of men are to be reproued First they that will part from little or nothing towards the maintenance of the ministery Foure hundred false Prophets were prouided for at Iezebels table And the age before vs could maintaine many Monkes and Friers and other superstitious persons which preached and prophesied hereticall and hellish doctrine proceeding wholly from the forge of mans braine and coined vpon the anuill of their own inuention yet the most in these dayes can with patieÌ„ce endure the learned faithful Ministers of Christ Iesus to want sufficient maintenance The very slaues of Antichrist fared and yet fare in some countries farre better then the most faithfull seruants of Christ do amoÌ„gst vs in many places of this Iland Yea that may be as truly saied in this preseÌ„t case of many thousands in this NatioÌ„ which Iob speaketh of some in his time that they which make oyle between their walles and treade their wine-presses do suffer thirst Lamentable is the pouerty of many painfull godly Ministers that tread the wine-presse of Gods word vnto the people coÌ„tinually affoord theÌ„ the oyly drops of the Gospell and the wine of diuine instructions counsels comforts and exhortations I say lamentable is their want and without compassion beheld of many But their reward is with God their labours shall retire into their owne bosomes God will shew the greater mercy to them in the end Many men are franke and lauish in keeping Haukes Houndes Horses and in maintaining Players and making belly-cheere and vaine attire but as sordide and illiberall when they shold impart any thing towards the maintenance of their Pastors and Preachers Which argueth their base thanklesse and earthly disposition If the law for the Lord they regard not did not constraine many men to giue their deuotion is so cold their ingratitude so great as that they would contribute nothing at al this way except it were for very shame or for some by-respect So hard frozen are their hearts and so fast wedged into the earth Whereas common reason sheweth that they which spend themselues like lampes to giue light to others and labour for the common good of all should be maintained of the common stock by all Ministers are commanded to giue attendance to reading teaching and exhorting and to addict themselues vnto them therefore it is conuenient yea and necessarie that all which are able doe giue towards their competent and all-sufficient maintenance that so they may employ themselues in their calling without distraction and husband their talents to the greatest aduantage of their Maister Secondly those are to be condemded which do rob the Church of her right and do sacrilegiously whether it be by fraud or by force deteine from or depriue their Ministers of that which in all equity is due vnto them euen by the Law There are too many ready now to say with those in the Psalme Come and let vs take the houses of God in possession Men were not of old so ready to giue to the Church but they are as ready now to ake away The Israelites were so liberall in contributing towards the Sanctuary as that Moses caused a ProclamatioÌ„ to be made to stay the people from offering But now men are so forward to defraud their Ministers and to strip them of their due and so backward to contribute vnto the maintenance of the worship of God as that there had need be more then a proclamation to stay the forwardnesse of the one to remoue the backwardnesse of the other And many neuer recken of it if they can slâ—â—y beguile them of their tithes and nâ—â— be perceiued forgetting that God beholds them and seeth whatsoeuer is done in corners and will bring them to an account and render vnto them according to their deeds But destruction shall be vnto the workers of iniquity how cunningly soeuer they carry the matter before meÌ„ The good Galatians could haue found in their hearts to haue plucked their very eyes out of their heads to haue giuen them to Paul if they would haue done him any good But alas alas the deuotion and loue of this age is so extreeme cold as that we will hardly part with that which we are tyed to part with yea a many of vs are ready to pull from them what we can pull by hooke or by crooke It is written of Hanun that he tooke Dauids Messengers and shaued off halfe their beardes and cut off their garments in the middle So their are a number of sacrilegious wretches in this rotten age of the world which pill the Church and curtaile the maintenance of their Ministers and are euen heart-glad when they can proue a custome how corrupt and senselesse soeuer it be to hold back their tithes Which argues a spirituall dropsy or else a basenesse of minde and intollerable vnthankfulnesse for the Gospell The Lord by Malachy told the Israelites that they spoiled him because they payed not their tithes truly yea he told theÌ„ further that they were cursed with a curse for so doing Are not the faithful Ministers of the Gospell as worthy to be maintained as the Priests were vnder the Law Are they not as worthy of plentifull prouision as they were Yea no doubt in many respects How then do they spoile and rob the Lord that do not pay theis tithes and offerings truly vnto his Ministers but deceiptfully and vntruly Let them looke vnto it and that before it be too late Let them either forsake their sacriledge or expect his curse For without doubt the Lord doth abhorre such