A SERMON PREACHED In the FRENCH CHURCH in LONDON On the 29. day of August 1652. At the Imposition of Hands on Mr. Stouppe By JOHN BULTEEL Minister of the Word of God With the Action and Circumstances thereof LONDON Printed by T.M. for Edward Archer and are to be sold at the Sign of the Adam and Eve in Little-Brittain near the Church 1654. To his Reverend and honoured Brethren The Pastors Elders and Deacons of the French-Church in London Reverend and Honoured Brethren THe Ambassadour of the Emperour of Germany who was sent to the great Emperor of the Turks writes that he saw at Constantinople an Embleme represented on a piece of Tapestry made of an exquisite work containing four Candlesticks with four Candles which represented four sorts of Religions as namely the Heathenish the Jewish the Christian and the Mahometan Three of these candlesticks were turned topsie turvie with their three Candles extinguished but the fourth Candlestick stood upright with its Candle burning There was this Arabicall Inscription This is the true Light thinking to make to world to believe that the Mahometane Religion is the onely and true light and that the three other lights extinguished are false ones But we know that the Christian Religion is the onely and true Light represented and presented not in nor by the books of the Philosophers nor in the Talmud and Cabala of the Rabbins nor in the Alcoran of the Mahumetans but within and by the holy Scripture which represents and presents unto us our Lord Jesus Christ the true light who lighteth every man that cometh into the world that whosoever believes in him and follows him shall not walk in darknesse but have the light of life It is he that is in the midst of the golden candlesticks who hath in his right hand seven stars out of whose mouth issueth a sharp two edged sword wherewith he smites the Nations whose countenance is as the Sun-shine in his strength It is that Jesus Christ the Son of righteousnesse who by his beams doth inlighten the starres who are the Angels of the Churches it is he that walks amidst the golden Candle sticks which are the Churches and doth enlighten them by his holy word which is a lamp unto their feet and a lantern of light unto passengers in the dark nights on sea which doth enlighten them within the glittering rayes of his holy spirit It is that divine word that glistering light of the Old and New Testament of the Law and of the Gospel carried by the Torch-bearers the excellent and holy Prophets Apostles Evangelists and Ministers of the word of God But the world of unbelievers whether Heathens Hereticks or Prophane persons hath not known nor received this marvellous light of this sacred word but hath rejected it indeavoured to exinguish it either in whole or in part The Pagans have rejected the holy Scripture altogether The Manichees have refused all the old Testament The Ptolemaits have rejected the five books of Moses which the Sadduces did onely imbrace refusing all other books of the old Testament The Anabaptists reject the book of Ecclesiastes the canticle of Canticles Porphyrius did refuse the book of the Prophet Daniel and the Nicolaitans did the like of the Psalmes of the royall Prophet David The Jews reject all the New Testament The Ebionites have onely Saint Matthews Gospel and Cerinthus approved that of Saint Mark Cerdon that of Saint Luke the Valentinians did onely imbrace that of Saint John and the Tatians onely the book of the Acts of the Apostles These are those that have blot out the passages of holy Scripture which were contrary to their opinions and practises Mareion the Heretick did blot out the passages of Luke and John and of the Apostles Epistles that maintained the Deity and humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ The Papists do raze out many sentences that repugne their false dogmes and among others the second Commandement of the Morall Law Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image c. is left out as appears in many of their Printed books But behold a strange case that among those of the reformed Religion there are some here in England that have caused some Passages of the holy Scripture to be razed out that were written on the walls of Churches As for Example there was a suffragant of the Archbishop of Canterbury who a little before these troubles did excommunicate two Churhwardens because they had not blotted out that notable and true sentence written on the wall of the Church where he kept his Spirituall Court My House shall be called the House of prayer but ye have made it a den of thieves yea there was at the same time a Bishop in England who caused the Clark of a Parish in his Diocesse to blot out that Divine sentence written on the wall just right over the Ministers pulpit Necessity is laid upon me yea wo is unto me if I preach not the Gospel An insupportable boldnesse and which cannot be paralelled these persons would in all appearance have indeavoured to have blotted these Divine Sentences out of the books of holy Scripture if it had been in their power Cumanus a Heathen Governour of the Romanes caused a Romane Souldier to be beheaded for tearing the books of Moses at the Sack of a city to appease the tumult of the Jews who were scandalised thereat Surely God saith in the Apocalipse chap. 22.19 If any man shall take away from the words of the book of this Prophesie God shall take away his part out of the Book of Life and out of the holy City Now whereas I have expounded in your Church the aforesaid passage of the 1 Corinth 9.16 For though I preach the Gospel I have nothing to glory of for necessity is laid upon me yea wo is unto if I preach not the Gospel I do represent and present the Sermon unto you because it is due unto you having been the occasion thereof for being requested by Letters signed by the Pastor and some of the Elders and Deacons of your Church in the name of them all to come to London to assist to the examination of the Honoured brother Mr. Stouppe where divers reverend brethren Ministers did assist with the Elders and Deacons of the Coetus of the Dutch and French Churches of London and having heard him both in his Sermon ad Clerum and his Latine Theses as also in his Answers to what objections soever were propounded unto him the company did receive such contentment and satisfaction as he was judged able and capable to be received and confirmed in the holy Ministry Yee did me the honor to request me to preach and perform the Action on the day of his Ordination at which assisted the Reverend Brethren Mr. Calendrin Pastor of the Dutch Church and Mr. Cismer Pastor of your Church we all three together gave the Imposition of hands on the said honoured brother Mr. Stouppe Now I put this Sermon in print
propoundeth in the ninth Chapter of this first Epistle to the Corinthians he sets forth unto us explicitly and implicitly two sorts of Pastors The one sort of Pastors are such of whom an ancient Father speakes namely Chrysostome there are many and there are few many by name but few in effect who have the charge to preach the Gospel but do not preach it b Isa 65.10 They are watchmen that are blind they are dumb dogs that cannot bark as the Prophet Isaiah styles them and therefore wo unto them because they preach not the Gospel as the Apostle teacheth us covertly and implicitly in this sixteenth verse of our Text. The second sort is of those that are Pastors not onely by name but also in effect whom the Apostle subdivides in two ranks The one that preach the Gospel but against their will though the dispensation of the Gospel is committed unto them c Cor. 9.17 in the 17 verse of this Chapter as the Prophet Jonas who preached the word of God to the Ninivites against his desire and as it were perforce The others that do preach the Gospel willingly whom the Apostle doth again subdivide into two ranks Such as do preach the Gospel willingly and live of the Gospel for the labourer is worthy of his hire and Saint Paul in the d 1 Cor. 9.19 14 verse of this chap. even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel So Saint Peter and the brethren of our Lord Jesus and the rest of the Apostles preaching the Gospel have lived of the Gospel as the Apostle doth declare unto us openly in the beginning of this Chapter The others that do preach the Gospel notwithstanding do not live of the Gospel as Paul and Barnabas among the Corinthians e 1 Cor. 3.4.5 6 7. Have we not power to eat and to drink have we not power to lead about a sister a wife as well as other Apostles and as the brethren of the Lord and Cephas or I onely and Barnabas have we not power to forbear working Who goeth to Warfare at any time at his own Charges who planteth a vineyard and eateth not of the fruit thereof or who feedeth a flock and eateth not of the milk of the flock c. Now S. Paul doth glory in regard of the Corinthians because he preached the Gospel for nought although he might have lawfully taken a Salary which was due unto him and according to the ordinance of Jesus Christ and therefore he glories not in respect of God or in respect of the Apostles but partly in respect of the Corinthians partly against the false Apostles He glories not that he preached the Gospel but that he preacheth the Gospel gratis for nothing for it were better for him to dy than that any man should make his glorying void as he saith in the verse that precedes our Text. But for that he preacheth the Gospel he cannot no more than he ought not to glory as he teacheth us in this 16 verse of our Text which we have read unto you For though I preach the gospel I have nothing to glory of for necessity is laid upon me yea wo is unto me if I preach not the Gospel A notable and noble passage of Scripture an excellent emphaticall and patheticall sentence wherein there is not a word but hath its weight in the which we are to consider by Gods grace and assistance these two points the first is the duty the office and exercise of the Apostle which is to preach the Gospel for he saith Although I preach the Gospel The second point is that the Apostle doth not glory in that he preacheth the Gospel and that for two reason the first is the necessity for necessity is laid upon me The second is the threatning Wo is unto me if I preach not the Gospel We will not stand here to represent unto you what the word Gospel and to preach the Gospel signifies because we have understood not long ago what this word signifies in the expounding of these words f Gal. 1.8 Though we or an Angel from heaven preach any other Gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed Onely we will observe that the word Gospel is a Greek word which in prophane Greek authors signifies First of all good and happy news Secondly it signifies the sacrifice that they offered unto their gods for the good news they had received and that sacrifice was called Gospel Thirdly it signifies the Salary and reward or the gift that was made unto him that brought the good news and that gift and Salary was called Gospel But in holy Scripture the word Gospel signifies by excellency the good news and solemn publication of g 1 Tim. 3.16 the Son of God manifested in the flesh justified in the Spirit seen of Angels preached unto the Gentiles believed on in the world received up into glory h Apoc. 14.6 The everlasting Gospel which hath been preached since the fall of man in the beginning of the Creation and shall last unto the end of the world The Franciscans had invented and published a book full of horrible blasphemies which they named the Gospel of the holy Ghost or the everlasting Gospel saying that the Gospel of Christ should not last above fifty years But the Book was refuted by Guiliemus de sancto amore condemned by the Pope and secretly burnt Now the holy Apostle Saint Paul did preach the Gospel in Arabia at Damascus in Antioch at Cyprus in Licaonia at Lystra at Pisidia in Macedonia at Athens at Corinth in Asia in Europe at Troas at Miletum in Jerusalem at Rome in Pamphilia at Pergamus in Attalia in Mysia at Salanus at Paphos in Samothracia at Neapolis at Philippi at Berea at Thessalonica and other places i Rom. 15.19 Through mighty signes and wonders by the power of the spirit of God so that from Jerusalem and round about unto Illyricum he fully preached the Gospel of Christ The Apostle therefore preached the Gospel of Christ and that at all times and in all places according to his Apostolicall charge and laboured more abundantly than all the Apostles k 1 Cor. 15 10. Yet not he but the grace of God which was in him Now although he preached the Gospel in this manner with so much labour and pains he hath not wherein to glory and that is the second point that we have to observe when he saith I have nothing to glory of Although the Gospel is an excellent thing and the preaching thereof an Honourable work although I have preached the Gospel I have nothing to glory of he glories indeed in many other things in that he hath exercised his office to teach with a pure conscience l 2 Cor. 1.12 For our rejoycing is this the Testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity we have had our conversation in the world and more
I send thee And therefore m Amos 3.8 The Lion hath roared who will not fear The Lord God hath spoken who can but prophesie Amaziah the Prief of Bethel said n Amos 7.12 13 14 15. unto Amos O thou Seer go flee thee away into the Land of Judah and there eat bread and prophesie there but prophesie not again any more at Bethel for it is the Kings Chappel and it is the Kings Court Then answered Amos and said to Amaziah I was no Prophet neither was I a Prophets son but I was an herdman and a gatherer of Sycomore fruit and the Lord took me as I followed the flock and the Lord said unto me go prophesie unto my people Israel As if Amos had said I did not heretofore prophesie but now I do prophesie for there is a necessity laid upon me to prophesie So Saint Paul was neither an Apostle nor an Apostles son but a Pharisee and a persecutor of the Apostles and disciples of Christ and of his Church but after he received a Commandement from Christ Go I do ordain thee a minister of the Gentiles this necessity was laid upon him to preach the Gospel This necessity of Gods command did make Moses to teach the people of the Jews although he was adopted son of the daughter of Pharaoh It was this that induced the Prophet Isaiah to prophesie although rich and noble being the uncle unto the King Manasses according to the opinion of the Hebrews So likewise Paul though an Hebrew of the Hebrews of the tribe of Benjamin a Pharisee as touching the Law brought up at the feet of Gamaliel did preach for the necessity of Gods Command occasioned the necessity of obligation Saint Paul was obliged by the Commandment of God to preach the Gospel without any glorying therein o Luke 17.10 When ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you say we are unprofitable servants we have done that which was our duty to do saith Christ the Saviour of the world unto his Disciples 2. Saint Paul was bound to preach the Gospel by his calling for his office and those excellent and eminent titles of his vocation did oblige him to do it the prophets the Apostles the Evangelists and Ministers of the word of God are stiled the Chariots of Israel and the horsemen thereof Angels watchmen Bishops overseers superintendants fishers of men the light and salt of the earth workers and labourers yea labourers together with God builders vine-dressers Pastors spirituall Fathers Stewards of the mysteries of God saviours starres in the right hand of Christ and other such titles and admirable names that are attributed and appropriated unto them in holy scripture to shew and signifie their calling their charge their duty and their honour We read that Timotheus the Musician was so expert learned and admirable in his art that he made of men Lions or Lambs when he would for playing on his instrument he did so stir up and encourage Alexander the great that he did arm himself with all his armour animated and provoked with courage and force to go and fight against his enemies and then on a sudden changing the tune and notes he touched so sweetly on the strings of his instrument that he did pacifie and mollifie King Alexander he did calm him and made him as supple and quiet as a Lamb. The Ministers of God are intitled Boanerges which is the sons of thunder Mark 3.17 who animate and encourage the faithfull p Eph. 6 19 15 16 17. to take the whole armour of God having their loins girt about with tâ—ruth and having on the breast plate of righteousnesse their feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace above all taking the shield of faith and the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit which is the word of God By these heavenly weapons they fight against the Devil the world and the flesh and have the victory over them They are besides in another consideration stiled Boanerges the sons of thunder to thunder the Judgements of God against sinners and to draw them to repentance and humility and to reclaim them and make them as tame quiet as lambs The ministers are also named Barnabas which is being interpreted the son of consolation Act. 4.36 to comfort all that mourn q Isa 61.1 to preach good tidings unto the meek to bind up the broken hearted to proclaim liberty to the Captives and the opening of the prison to them that are bound They are stiled Barsabas Acts 1.23 to wit sons of Conversion converting sinnes to repentance yea and they are called Bar-jonas sons of the dove that is to say sons of peace and reconciliation So that these titles which are given them do shew their Office and duty their honor and charge for it is not an idle dignity but a work and honourable burden Thus in the Old Testament r Habbak 1 1. The burden which Habbakuck the Prophet did see and Saint Paul in the new Testament calls it Å¿ Rom. 1.5 grace and Apostleship or charge of Apostle Now these titles above mentioned did appertain unto Paul as an apostle and Evangelist to represent his vocation office obligation and therefore necessity was laid upon him to preach the Gospel But besides this twofold necessity there was another necessity that did presse and urge him namely the threatning and curse of the Lord in case he shewed himself refractory and disobedient and would not preach the Gospel and that is that which the Apostle propoundeth in the last place which he saith Yea wo is unto me if I preach not the Gospel Here we must observe that the word Wo is taken in holy Writ two manner of wayes 1. It doth signifie a corporall wo a temporall curse calamity and misery 2. A spirituall and everlasting wo and curse When Jesus Christ said u Mat. 24.19 Wo unto them that are with child and to them that give suck in those dayes he speaks not there of a spirituall and eternall wo but of a temporall and corporall wo whereunto women that are with child and that give suck shall be subject in those times But when he saith x Luk. 6.25 Wo unto you that are rich for ye have received your consolation c. He speaks of a spirituall and everlasting wo so the rich man that had had here on earth his consolation was in eternall desolation and misery in hell For y Luk. 16.5 Abraham said unto him son remember that thou in thy life time received good things likewise Lazarus evil things but now he is comforted and thou art tormented And the Reprobates do feel in hell unspeakable torments which eye hath never seen nor ear heard neither hath entred into the heart of man crying out uncessantly Wo wo unto us Now when the Apostle saith here wo is unto me he means it not in the first sense he speaks not of a temporall and corporall
the which you are called preaching truly the word of God to edifie the Church and that you will not abuse the Doctrine to serve your carnall affections or to please any man living but that you will use it in a sound conscience to serve to his glory and the benefit of his people you do promise also that you will keep the Ecclesiasticall ordinances and the Discipline received in this Church and as your charge is admonish those that fail to acquit your self faithfully without giving any place to hatred favour vengeance or any other carnall affection and in general do that which belongs to a good and faithfull Minister Item you promise to keep and maintain as far as lyeth in you the good and preservation of this estate procure in what possible you can the peace and union thereof and not to consent any manner of way to that which may be contrary and hurtfull to it The brother Mr. Stouppe by his gesture signified his promise and answered yea The Minister said to him God give you the grace to accomplish your promise The Minister being descended from the Pulpit and the brother Stouppe kneeling on a cushion within the inclosure where Ministers and Elders siâ— accompanied with Mr. Calendrin Minister of the Dutch Church of London and with Mr. Cismer minister of the French Church of London having all three their hands on his head his back turned towards the people and his face towards the ministers The minister made this prayer as followeth ALmighty God heavenly Father who after the fall of our first Parents was the first preacher of the Gospel in Paradise unto our said Parents and our Lord Jesus Christ being descended from heaven on earth for our sakes honoured and sanctified the holy ministry in his own person and ascending up into heaven to give gifts to man he gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ seeing it hath pleased thee to call our dear brother and thine humble servant prostrated here on his knees before thee to be ordinated and ordained Minister of thy holy word We beseech thee to give him sufficient graces that he may thereby acquit himself vertuously and duly of his charge in this his Ministry and denounce the secret of thy Son that he may manifest it as he ought create in him a new heart in changing his heart into another as thou didst unto Saul being anointed King transform him by the renewing of his mind that he may prove what is that good that acceptable that perfect wil of thine enlighten his understanding from above with the rayes and beams of thy divine light warm him and fill him with the true zeal of thy glory and sincere intention to thy Service open his lips and his mouth shall set forth thy praise guide him in all truth that be walk not deceitfully nor falsifie thy word but that he hold fast the faithfull word which is according to instruction let him not have the spirit of fear and timerousnes but the spirit of strength and of courage let the word be given to him with a doore of utterance and with a covenient boldnesse that he may speak freely as he ought and fear not those that can kill the body and not the soul but rather that he fear thee O God that canst destroy body and soul in hell Let the Tummims and Urims to wit perfection and light be upon him give him grace that in any part of his calling he be not moved nor carried away with ambition or covetousnesse but as a man of God not as he is to thee such an one by creation or redemption onely but as he is a man of God by this particular calling he flee these things and follow after righteousnesse godlinesse faith love patience meeknesse dispel from him the desires of the world which may interlace in his thought and traverse his holy resolution permit not O good God that the world by his allurements and baits or his own flesh by its infirmities have the upper hand but strengthen him by thy holy Spirit that he may be victorious in the midst of assaults by faith that may be his victory that overcometh the world Give him thy grace to preach thy holy word purely to live holily and religiously and marry his holy life with his preaching that he ruine not that with one that which he builds with the other but that he may be an example to the faithfull in word in conversation in charity in spirit in faith in purity lest by any means having preached to others he himself should be a cast-away Govern him by thy holy spirit that he attribute nothing to himself but to the vertue of thy holy spirit and acknowledge that it is not Paul that planteth nor Apollo that watereth but it is thou O God that givest the increase give him grace that he may have prudence in his guiding efficacy in his preaching that he admonish the unruly comfort those that are of a low spirit and feeble heart chear up the weak ones that he be of a mild spirit towards all and that he walk in his calling as it is fitting to the glory of thy great name to the advancement of the Kingdome of thy Son our Lord to the edification and consolation of this Church and to the salvation of his own Soul Amen After the Prayer ended the Minister added and said in ordaining and consecrating him the two other Ministers continuing their hands on his head with him IN the name and by the authority of the Almighty God the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost at the request of the Consistory of this Church and according to the Commission and charge which hath been given us and we have accepted of We Ministers of Gods word do institute thee John Baptista Stouppe do consecrate thee and confirm thee Minister of the word of God in the Church of God and particularly of this Church we give thee power and authority to preach the word of God to distribute the Sacraments to exercise the Ecclesiasticall discipline conformable to Gods word and to do all the functions that appertain to the man of God and Minister of Gods word And to the end that God ratifie in heaven that which we do here on earth we beseech him who is the God of peace who through the blood of the everlasting covenant hath brought again from the dead that great Shepherd of the sheep Heb. 13.20 21. who is our Lord Jesus Christ make you perfect in every good work to do his will working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ to whom be glory for ever and ever Amen Paranymphi Then the two Ministers brought back the Minister newly ordained and confirmed to the seat of the Ministers who sat between them both And the Minister ascended the Pulpit made the ordinary prayer but there where it concerned Pastors he interlaced a prayer for the Minister confirmed and among other things concerning the laying on of the hands on his person The prayer ended he caused the Psalm 133. to be sung O how happy a thing it is and joyfull for to see brethren together fast to hold the band of amity c. and that according to the subject concerning the consecration of Aaron and concord then afterward he blessed the people in the prescribed form in the 6. chap. of Numbers The Lord blesse thee and keep thee the Lord make his face to shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee c. Afterwards the Pastours and Elders entred into the Consistory and as James Cephas and John gave the right hand of fellowship to Paul and Barnabas Gal. 2.9 so the three Pastors gave the right hand of fellowship to Mr. Stouppe their fellow brother with convenient congratulations and holy wishes then the brethren Elders one after another did the like unto him So this Action ended to the contentment of the Church Amen