house too bad for him 2 Kings 4.9,10 How much did the Galatians make of St. Paul that he saith They would have plucked out their own eyes if it had been possible to have done him good Gal. 4.15 How beautiful are the feet of them that Preach the Gospel of peace and bring glad tidings of good things Rom. 10.15 So it is evident and manifest that once a Minister was esteemed like a Minister And hath God bidden you despise them now which bad you honour them before 1 Tim. 5.17 Let the Elders that Rule well be accounted worthy of double honour especially they who Labour in Word and Doctrine Such as apply their spirits most to the glory of God and the Publick good especially such as are Timothies in their houses Chrysostoms in their Pulpits S. Chrysostom was such a golden mouth'd Preacher Mellitissimus Christi Concionator he was so admired for his sweet winning Eloquence as that all the people cryed out when he was like to be silenced Satius est ut sol non luceat quam ut non doceat Chrysostomus We had better want the Sun then the Preaching of St. Chrysostom And S. Austin studied to make his language sweet and harmonious and acceptable to Gods people Some degree of Eloquence seems to be meet for a Minister for Moses saith to God I am not Eloquent Exod. 2.10 3. Vse Thirdly Hence we may see who are the best Ministers not they that can plot most for Preferment or can Preach most for Applause ambitious of a little popular breath but he that setteth himself with all his might to do good He that winneth souls is wise Prov. 11.30 because of the great difficulty of this work he is wise to himself he lays up a good foundation against the time to come They are the best Ministers that carry people to heaven though I know a Converting work is not for us but for the Holy Ghost rostra habet in Coelis qui corda docet Yet sometimes the Lord is wonderful powerful and efficacious by that word which we preach piercing through the very hearts and souls of men and leaving impressions of an immortal nature upon their spirits How fain would Christ have saved the people of Jerusalem the name is doubled to express the truth and certainty of his great affection How often would I have gathered c. Matt. 23.37 God offered them mercy while they had the dispensation of the means of grace And good Ministers like a Hen which clocketh her Chickens together from the Kite so they clock you together from the Serpent They would fain do so Knowing therefore the terrour of the Lord we perswade men 2 Cor. 5.11 the wrath of God is an unsupportable burthen Who is able to dwell with devouring fires and everlasting burnings therefore would we perswade men all men When Agrippa was almost perswaded to be a Christian saith Paul I would to God that not onely thou but also all that hear me were both almost and altogether Acts 26.28.29 A good Minister would carry all his people to heaven with him How deeply is Moses affected that the sin of Israel might be forgiven Exod. 32.32 what extraordinary zeal and love for the salvation of men and as if his joy would have been utterly drowned in the destruction of the Church or had no part in the Election of Grace Tertullian understandeth it typically and figuratively of Christ the good Shepherd who was to be exhibited and to Dye for the Sheep Certe quidem bonus Pastor animam pro pecoribus ponit ut Moses non homini adhuc Christo revelato etiam in se figurato ait si perdis hunc populum inquit me pariter cum eo disperde Tertull. de fuga in Persecutione Cap. 11. And it is true that Moses was a typical Mediator and did atone for them Exod. 32.30 With what a bleeding heart doth St. Paul speak for the salvation of the Jews Rom. 9.1,2,3 servent appearing in the degree of it with this unexpressable adjunct great heaviness Secondly Continuance of it Continual sorrow in my heart for I could wish that I my self were accursed from Christ And truely we that are the Ministers of the Church of England might speak this even with tears of blood if we were able when we consider how many people in England seem to loose the hope of a good beginning who have suck'd their first sincere milk of the word that they might grow thereby 1 Pet. 2.2 in waiting upon God in his publick ordinances and blessed God that they might wait seemed to be in a good forwardness in the of way of Life and Salvation confessed that they have received comfort and will still to this day acknowledge it yet by reason of some who never we have cause to fear were converted unto Christ but unto an opinion Fantastical spirits which in Corners pour out their Poison and come not at the Congregations as Luther speaks and so they fall off and turn either unto Athiesm or Quakerism c. And there is no doubt but that this hath been no little grief and trouble unto our godly and dissenting brethren themselves when they see such sad effects of that doctrine which they have preached It is one good argnment of piety to love the place where God speaks the house of his presence Psal 26.8 Lord I have loved the habitation of thy house and the place where thine honour dwelleth As the Sun shines gloriously though no eye behold it and pure waters flow from the fountain though none drink of them so Ministers are the light of the world though few be enlightned by them and the salt of the earth though few be seasoned by them 4. Vse Let me then Exhort you all unto this happy Reconciliation with God Reconciliation presupposeth a breach and indeed this was the greatest that ever was made by reason of the sins of man There was a heavy war denounced in the inimicitias ponam when God raised a war between the Devil and us Gen. 3.15 Gods wrath provoked man thrown out of Paradise Cursed in his name nature body soul senses friends and whatsoever he takes in hand Adams Posterity as well as himself became bondmen to Hell the Earth made barren for his sake and all the days of his life he was to eat his bread in the sweat of his face Man an enemy to God God and man at a very great distance I mean a distance of state and condition and so unhappy man desireth to continue never to have to do with God for ever And how sad and dreadful is it to consider how averse men are unto all means that can be used to reduce them and bring them back again to God They think not of him they speak not of him desire not the knowledge of him nor any of his ways Job 21.14 And some they can never be far enough from God and therefore the Prodigal went into a far Countrey Men having lost their Communion
this Petition could not be granted The Church of God was so obscured as it was not to be sought for in any external pomp in Publick places but in Prisons and Dens Non in tactis exteriori Pompa sed potius in Speluncis Carceribus Why then are a generation so angry and displeased like Jonah that did even Chide with God By now much the less we are in our Passive obedience by so much the more let us be in our Active Let that strength be laid out for Gods glory which might have been spent in suffering the Wrath of God or the rage and sury of wicked men And let us all be earnest with God for his Church That the Gates of Hell may not prevail against it That the Lord would make his People ten thousand times more then they are and increase their Graces as well as add to their number That all the Nations of the World may see the Salvation of God that the Lord Jesus may abundantly see of the Travel of his Soul and be satisfied That the Word of God may be as glorious and as much prized by us the people of England as ever it was by any Nation since the world stood That the Ordinances of God may be in so much Power and Purity Beauty Splendor and Glory that Godliness and the powerful Profession of it may be more Honourable then ever it hath been Contemptible That through the Power of the Gospel and our careful Government the Mouth of Wickedness and Prophaneness may be stopped and subdued and whatsoever is contrary unto sound Doctrine and unto holy Practice That the Lord would be pleased to bless our most dread Sovereign Lord the King with many and happy Dayes Enrich his Royal heart with many singular and extraordinary Graces make him as an Angel of God a man after his own heart and an Excellent Spirit of Government that he may still know how to go in and out before so great a People and may be the Wonder of the World in this Latter Age for Happiness and true felicity to the honour of the great God and the good of his Church That our Nobility may be Loyal and Faithful men of holiness and Religion sparkling with ten thousand Glories Vertues and Graces while they oblige their Servants Tenants and the Countrey round about them by their holy Example to the practice of Piety and the fear of God That our Judges may be as at the first and our Counsellours as at the beginning Isa 1.26 like Moses Joshua c. Impartially Execute Gods Judgments upon the Enemies of the Church and faithfully administer Justice among the People no unrighteousness in Judgment but run down as Waters and Righteousness as a mighty Stream Amos 5.24 That there may be no complaining in our streets That our inferiour Magistrates may be Able men such as fear God Men of Truth hating Covetousness Exod. 18.21 Our Gentry Sober Vigilant Temperate in all things That they may Run in that heavenly Race set before them in the Holy Scriptures and so obtain an Incorruptible Crown 1 Cor. 9.24,25 Our Ministers all as so many burning Lights Pastors after Gods own heart Our Right Reverend Bishops and Governours of the Church imitating Christ the Bishop of their Souls All the People receiving Gods Truth in the Love thereof and in the power thereof men of Integrity Innocency and Sincerity The gloss of Profession without Sincerity will off in a Storm when a man hath not the Root and principle of grace in him Mat 13.21 But where this is it obligeth a man close to his Duty both to God and Man If I am Regenerate and truely sanctified I do good Works how and whensoever occasion is offered As If I be a Minister of the Word I obey the inward Calling of the Spirit I accept the outward Calling of the Church I Preach Absolution of sins to every Penitent Soul I offer the Seals of Reconciliation to every Contrite spirit I Comfort the Broken-hearted If I be a Housholder I govern my Family I bring up my Children in the knowledge and fear of God If I be a Magistrate the Charge that is given me from above I diligently execute If I be a Servant I do my Masters business faithfully If I be a Subject I live in obedience unto my Prince For the same Commandement that binds and obliges unto the Fear of God bindeth also to Honour the King 1 Pet. 2.17 to give honour and obedience in a special manner unto the highest Magistrate so that he which hath not performed the latter of these Duties is not to be thought to have performed the other sincerely Duty binds us to give obedience to Evil Princes in Conscience of Gods Ordinance And as an Evil Subject serves God for his Princes sake so a good Subject serves his Prince for Gods sake Thus Obedience is given if not Principi yet Principatui if not to the Person yet to the Office Therefore in the fear of God let us give all due obedience unto Authority be men of meek and quiet spirits in imitation of Christ and according to his Command Mat. 11.29 who hath also intailed such a blessing upon such persons as imports all good things Mat. 5.5 Is it not infinitely better to be a peace Maker then a peace Breaker They that live in obedience unto Government have the Blessing Benefit and Protection of Government Whereas it is the property of wicked men to be unquiet restless such as are without true Peace in themselves and seek to disturb or molest others as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the first Psalm signifies And therefore the Laws of the Kingdom do oftentimes most deservedly take hold of them O how may such persons be ashamed to live and afraid to dye when the whole Creation may grone and travaile in pain by reason of their sins Set your hearts now unto these things for what is our Hope or Joy or Crown of Rejoycing are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his Coming Ye are our Glory and Joy 1 Thes 2.19,20 Weep in secret for all Abominations you see committed Let our Reverend Visitors now set their faces against all iniquity that no sin may be Countenanced to Eclipse the glory of this Solemnity so that with the glorious Company of the Apostles The goodly Fellowship of the Prophets The noble Army of Martyrs And the Holy Church throughout all the world We may arrive to that General Honourable and Glorious Assembly Heb. 12.23 to Celebrate the Praises of God and give him due thanks world without end Amen FINIS
we Reprove and Rebuke and threaten for sin God he threatens when we Exhort for Duties to be performed Graces to be improved God he Exhorts when we Invite and perswade and Comfort by the Word God he Comforts and therefore those things which Gods Ministers befeech or Command in the Name of Christ people ought no otherwise to receive them then if Christ Jesus himself stood by and commanded them Therefore as Christ was content to be Baptized of John Matt. 3.13 so be you content to be instructed of us And they that think themselves too wise to be taught by us let all such remember that God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise 1 Cor. 1.27 Let them think us those Fools whom God hath chosen to confound them And all such as account our Preaching foolishness we grant it unto them that perish For the Preaching of the Cross is to them that perish foolishness but unto us that are saved it is the Power of God and the wisdom of God 1 Cor. 1.18,24 We are Labourers together with God saith the Apostle and of believers in general saith he Ye are Gods Husbandry Tillage Field or Building 1 Cor. 3.9 which ought to be closely united to one another in the service of God Therefore they ought not to be rent into parties one from another But the Ministers are the Builders to build men up in Faith and Holiness and in the Comforts of the Holy Ghost Not for that we have dominion over your Faith but are helpers of your Joy 2. Cor. 1.24 And that the fear of God might be in every Heart and the worship of God in every Family as so many Temples or Sanctuaries Fourthly Though all Believers in general be the Servants of God yet the Ministers are the Stewards and Dispencers of the blessed mysteries of Salvation Let a man so account of us as of the Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the Mysteries of God 1 Cor. 4.1 The Magistrate is as it were a Fingers of Gods Hand the Minister a Steward in his House though in a large sense all are the Lords Ministers Saith Luther A Master of a Family hath something to do a Magistrate more and a Minister most of all Fiftly Ministers are called Stars for that they must shine in the Firmament of the Church here shine others and out-shine all others as Stars of the first magnitude yea as the Sun it self When God set the Sun in the Firmament he bad him shine there so when God sets a Minister in a place he expects he should shine in his Ministry The Heavens declare the glory of God Psal 19.1 now how do they do it but to the Eyes of men and by the Tongues of men for whom they were made For as a mans Tongue is his glory so it should especially be for the glory of his God But for a Minister God hath promised most divine assistance that he will be with his mouth Exod. 4.12 and saith Christ to his Disciples It is not ye that speak but the Holy Ghost Mark 13.11 Yet that extraordinary Promise was most proper to the times of the Primitive Persecution A Ministers work is in a most special manner to Trumpet forth the praises of his God to shine in the firmament of the Church here and to out-shine the Sun in the Kingdom of his Father hereafter They that be wise shall shine and they that turn many to righteousness as the Stars for ever and ever Dan. 12.3 First wise for the salvation of their own souls that when they have Preached unto others they themselves may not become cast-aways 1 Cor 9.27 Like those Carpenters that built the Ark to save others and were drowned themselves Or like Porters of Great mens Gates that let in others but lodge without themselves Secondly Gaining of others saving himself and them that hear him 1 Tim. 4.16 Timothy must save himself and them that hear him and then this is a pledge of our glory the Promise is clear they that turn many to Righteousness shall shine as the Stars for ever and ever Ministers are like Lamps which consume themselves to give light unto others And from hence some do strongly imagine that the blessed Apostle had a peculiar regard and respect unto Ministers in that 2 Cor. 5.1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the Heavens q. d. dye when you will heavenly mansions are ready for you Joh. 14.2 your eternal happiness and blessedness is secured which being so those Ministers which are ready to say with Peter they will dye for Christ O what pains then should they take for him Ministers are the Light of the world in the places where they live Matt. 5.14 and where they are wanting their People sit in Darkness and in the shadow of Death Luke 1.79 that is they are Blind and Ignorant Dead in trespasses and sins Ephes 2.1 rophane without all the Life of grace in them they are abominable in the Eyes of God and all their actions are odious unto him they are under the power of Satan and under the wrath of God Though it is true that Christ is the true Light of the World as well as the true Salt of the Earth yet it is as true that Gods faithful Ministers are the Salt of the Earth Matt. 5.13 to make people savoury both in heart and life so that a constant painful faithful powerful Minister Preaching to the Consciences of men there will be such an efficacious effect of this that even wicked men cannot so easily sin against God Sixtly Ministers are called Angels Rev 2.1 now Angels are Spirits spiritual substances as the Psalmist speaks he maketh his Angels Spirits they are spiritual creatures their Communion their Food their Affections their minds are Spiritual so a Minister though he is a body yet he is a spiritual man If you say so is every Believer I answer But a Minister is a spiritual man in a more special manner as one that comes nigh unto God his Office and Imployment is Spiritual Divinity being of all Arts the supreme most noble and master-piece proceeding in a special maner from God himself treating of God and Divine matters and tending and leading men to God 1. Vse For Exhortation to Ministers that they would be careful to teach the People If people perish for want of knowledge shall Ministers escape who are negligent in teaching be sure of it both smart together they for their Ignorance these for their Negligence such Ministers have their doom in that Scripture Hosea 4.6 Because thou hast rejected knowledge I will reject thee whose office it was to instruct admonish reprove intreat and by all means to turn the people from their evil ways O that such men would be pleased to consider that the best service they can do the greatest honour they can attain unto is to be