leaue and liking of his Lord that called him His owne conceipts must yeelde vnto his calling and his fancies must not make him craze his faith It is better to beate them as Abraham beat the Birds that hindred him then by bending to them to breake lose from his calling or to be beat from his businesse as being vnworthy of it or vnfit for it And in a word no feare must fray him no terror must amaze him nothing must make him flie oft of the hookes Shall the obstinacy of the people Although saith Chrysostome I be not ignorant that I speake in vaine yet will I not giue ouer for so doing I shall be excused before God although no body would heare me in 3. Chap. Ioh. And it may be with continual shewring vpon them their harts will at length relent and waxe soft Shall their rage their choler The frantique saith Augustine will not be bound neither would such as are troubled with a lethargie be roused but charity perseuereth to castigate the frantique to stirre vp the lethargique to loue theÌ„ both Both are offended but both are loued Both of theÌ„ being molested so long as their disease coÌ„tinueth doth take it ill that you shold so trouble theÌ„ but both of them being cured they do reioyce Shall threats disgraces Shall the malice enuy of the wicked was not Christ disgraced maligned calumnized euill inâ—reated Were not all his Apostles hated persecuted Shall pouerty driue thee froÌ„ thy calling or make thee to faint in thy calling Was not Christ poore to Man that he might make thee rich to God And were not his Apostles poore Gloriosa in sacerdotibus Domini paupertas Pouerty saith Ambrosâ— is glorious in the Priestes of God A crosse it may be to them but not a curse Paul was a man of much affliction yet saith he Seeing we haue this ministery as we haue receiued mercy we faint not Non fecisse sed perfecisse virtutis est To worke is not so commendable as to continue constant in working till the work be brought to perfection Ministers must be like the salt waters which hauing once begun to flow continue flowing till they come to their full sloud A candle being once lighted burneth on so long as it lasteth except it be put out with violence Euen so they as candles being once lighted set in the church as in a candle-sticke to giue light vnto the people by holding out the lampe of light that is the word of God they shold burne bright continually Aliis inseruientes semetâ—psos consumentes spending themselues like lamps or torches in seruing shining vnto others Salomon left not building of a temple for the Lord made of lifelesse stones vntill it was built vp So should they continue coÌ„stant in building his teÌ„ple made of liuing stones till it be brought to perfection if in this life it were possible They should do their best indeauour and languish not Vt desint vires tamen est laudanda voluntas Paul laboured constantly in his calling till God cald him away by death Possidonius saith that Augustine preached the word of God coÌ„stantly Vsque ad ipsam suam extremam aegritudinem vnto the extremity of his sicknes Fox saith of Bradford that preaching reading and prayer was his whole life These are good patternes and worthy imitation Peter saith that he ought in equity to put them in mind of their duty whiles he continueth in his earthy tabernacle The Minister and his Ministery should cease together and not one before another Paul commandeth Timothy to exercise himselfe in and to adâ—iâ—â— himselfe vnto reading exhortation and doctrine and to continue in learning If wee would duly consider that by preaching the couenant of grace is reuealed that Gods oracles are explained and his dispersed sheepe brought home and nourished that faith is thereby wrought and confirmed and the children of God begotten and conserued that his house is builded his field is eared his scepter erected his throne established his kingdome augmented and Sathan eiected vndoubtedly it would moue vs to a continuall and constant execution of our office without either fainting in it or forsaking of it The Sun we see neuer ceaseth moueing all the while his course is vnfinished The Laborers in the parable wrought vnto the euening euen till their Lord set and sent his Steward to call them from their worke So we that are the Lords labourers appointed by him to worke in his vineyard and set in the Church as the Sunne in the heauens to giue light vnto his people must labour constantly and moue continually till our course be finished and our taske be ended we must not giue ouer till our houre-glasse be runne out till our Sunne be set and the Euening of our life be shut in or vntill our Lord and Maister shall call vs from our worke or send a Messenger to fetch vs. Salomon saith In the morning I sowe thy seede and in the euening let not thine hand rest All men ought to be constant in their labouâ—s and neuer be weary of well doing much more therefore Ministers whose labours are most excellent commodious who ought to be to al other men as that cloudy and fiery pillar was vnto the Israelites which led theÌ„ and let them see their way to Canaan God commaunded that there should be Light alway shining in the Tabernacle The Church militant is Gods spirituall Tabernacle Ministers are the Light that must shine vnto all the members of the Church yea to those that yet sit in darknesse in the shadow of death and that constantly alwaies and without intermission The Lord required a sacrifice of 2 Lambes to be offered day by day continually And it were not vnfitting if ministers did daily in their prayers present and consecrate their people like those Lambes vnto the Lord. Their duty consisteth not wholy in preaching to them but also in praying for them for the prosperous estate of the whole Church I haue set watchmen vpon thy walles O Ierusalem saith the Lord which all the day and all the night continually shall not ceâ—se Ye thaâ— are mindfull of the Lord keepe not silence giue him no rest till he repaire and set vp Ierusalem the praise of the world No man saith Christ that putteth his hand to the Plough and looketh backe is apt to the kingdome of God He is in truth neither a fit man for the kingdome of grace nor a fit Minister for the Gospell of the kingdome The Lord hath put the sword of his Spirit into our hands He will haue vs to hold it constantly and to shake and brandish it continually neuer ceasing to kill the sins of the people with it and causing them continually to die an euerlasting death to sin in this world that they may liue an euelasting life from sin in the world to come and that being couered with
within vs. The Lord will be in his temple for euer Now what a singular comfort should this be to vs alway in that we haue the great God of heauen and earth residing in vs What an honour is it to vs that the king of kings should keepe his court continually in vs Let vs be thankfull to him for this fauour Be not like the thanklesse swine that swallowes downe the fruit but lookes not to the treee from whence it fell And so much for the first doctrine CHAP. 6. Men may be Gods House Husbandry though they be not so holy as is meet Doct. 2 SEcondly in that the Apostle cals the Corinthians who were factious fleshly litigious and somthing too disorderly Gods field building I cōclude that mē professing Christ as they did must not for some enormities be by by reputed abiects or men that are not in grace with God or as men that are fallen from God and cut off from Christ Dauid Salomon Hezekiah and Peter sinned grieuously but yet they were neuer wholly forsaken of God nor voyde of true grace though for a time it was cast as it were into a swoone and lay obscure as fire in ashes or as the act of reason in a man that is starke drunke or fast asleepe Though thou fauour of the smoake of sin and be vp to the wayst in iniquitie yet if thou labor to come forth and dost purge thy selfe by penitency thy case is not desperate it is not damnable If thou beest weake and fleshly as these Corinthiant were yet if thou wilt warre with thy flesh and contend against thy weaknesse if thou doest labour constantly to subdue thy lusts and doest truly repent of thy sinne so soone as thou dost espie it then despaire not but assure thy selfe that thou art in Gods fauour and that thou art one of his plants a liuing stone of his spirituall building and enioying his fauor in this life thou shalt also see his face to the solace of thy soule in the life to come Amen Morning prayer for the Family O Eternal Lord God who art great and fearefull and shewest mercy to them that loue thee and keep thy commandements we haue committed iniquity and haue done wickedly before thine eyes we haue rebelled against thy Maiesty haue transgressed against thy lawes we haue bin vnmindful of thy mercies do continually sin against thee so that to vs appertaineth open shame and confusion of face for euer yet compassion and forgiuenes is in thee there is mercy with thee that thou maist be feared Haue mercy therfore vpon vs we humbly pray thee and according to the multitude of thy compassions put away our transgressions Encline thine eare O Lord and heare Looke vpon vs in thy Sonne Christ Iesus and in him be reconciled to vs. Giue vs the feeling of thy grace and an assurance of thy princely pardon Put thy Spirit into our hearts wee beseech thee and cause vs to walke in thy waies Breake our marble hearts asunder take away their stoninesse and mollify them with the oile of thy grace Cause vs to hate leaue our sinnes and to warre with all our lusts Draw vs and we will run after thee conuert vs we shall be conuerted Incline our hearts vnto thy testimonies and keepe vs in thy feare Teach vs O Lord to number our daies that we may apply our hearts vnto wisedom Thou art our creatour forsake not the worke of thine hands Cause the light of thy countenance to shine vpon vs and let thy tender mercies come vnto vs. Direct our steps in thy word stay vs and we shall be safe Leaue vs not vnto our selues but susteine vs by thy grace Prosper the works of our hands and giue successe vnto our labours Let our going out and coming in be blessed and cause thine Angels to protect vs. Thou art our Father prouide thou for vs and preserue vs. Thou hast wedded vs vnto thy selfe as an Husband suffer vs not to goe an whoring from thee Thou hast bene beneficial to vs thou hast giuen vs thy Gospell thou hast sent vs thy Prophets thou hast honored vs with peace and prosperity and hast giuen vs great deliuerances our health our friends our liberty all our being and well being all that we haue euen all is of thee thou giuest vs our rest in the night thou makest vs sleepe in safety and renewest thy mercies to vs in the morning infinite is thy loue innumerable are thy fauours toward vs we beseech thee therefore O Lord giue vs thankfull hearts vnto thy Maiesty Open thou our lips that our mouths may shew forth thy praise grant vs grace to dedicate our selues vnto thee Blesse we pray thee thy holy Church and be good vnto thy people Giue not the soule of thy Turtle done vnto the Beast Be fauourable vnto Sion and build the wals of Ierusalem Increase thy kingdome destroy thine enimes Blesse thy seruant Iames our noble king find out his enimies set thy selfe against them and make his crowne to flourish on his head Be mercifull we beseech thee to all other States amongst vs giue eare to the cry of thy Saints not to the cry of our sins Grant O Lord that we may all of vs serue thee in the vnity of faith with vnanimity of spirit that so glorifying thy name in this world we may be glorified of thee for euer in the world to come Heare vs O Lord we beseech thee and grant vs these our requests for the merits of Iesus Christ alone vnto whom with thee and the holy Ghost be rendred all honour praise and power this day and for euer Euening prayer for the Family GRatious God and mercifull Father in Iesus Christ we do here bow downe the knees of our soules and bodies in thy presence offering vp this our Euening sacrifice of praise praier vnto thee giuing thee vnfeigned thanks for all thy fauours towards vs for electing vs vnto eternall life for creating vs according to thine image for redeeming vs by the bloud of thy Son for sanctifying vs by thine holy Spirit for our health peace and liberty for clothing and feeding vs for protecting and prospering of vs this present day and for that great and admirable deliuerance vouchsafed to this whole State and kingdom from that barbarous and bloudy confusion plotted almost performed by the wicked the children of Babel thy name O Lord be praised for these and all other thy mercies Forgiue vs we beseech thee our great vnthankfulnesse and all the rest of our sins our ignorances wilfulnesses negligences presumptions all other our transgressions rebellions O Lord forgiue them all vnto vs for Iesus Christ his sake Wash them al away in his bloud naile them fast vnto his crosse bury thē in his graue Cloth vs we pray thee with his robes and honour vs with thy Spirit Worke in vs godly sorrow and remorsefull spirits Mortify our sinfull lusts and adorne vs
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
wickednesse and come out of the pit-fall and snare of Sathan Why should not our labours be sweete and pleasing to vs seeing they be commodious commendable and commanded A man will gladly saue his Oxen from perishing and his sheepe from rotting and shall not we labour as gladly to saue men from destruction and to keepe the sheepe of Christ Iesus frō rotting in their sins Wilt thou willingly helpe thy sheep out of the ditch and saue her from drowning and wilt thou not as willingly labour to drawe forth one of Christs sheepe out of the ditch of iniquity that it be not drowned with the waters of wickednesse and be stifled with the mudde of sinfulnesse A man is very nimble and ready to preserue his fields from spoyling his house from burning and his children from pining and shall not we be as nimble as alacrious and as ready to preserue Gods field from being wasted his house from being burnt and his children from perishing and pining away sor want of food to comfort and vphold them Willingly will euery faithfull shepheard feede and gouerne his flocke which is committed to him And so Peter speaking to the shepheards of that Arch-pastor Christ Iesus exhorteth them to performe their duty with alacrity Feed the flocke of God which dependeth on you caring for it not by constraint but Willingly not for filthy lucre but as of a Ready Minde I passe not at all saith Paul neither is my life deere vnto me so that I may fulfill my course with ioy CHAP. II. Ministers must be valorus not timerous SIxtly a labourer ought to be couragious and hardy No discouragemēt nothing at all must daunt him nothing must fray him from his worke and put him out of his right byas And they that are to contend and encounter with that roaring Lyon had neede to be Lyon-like valorous and vndauntable The Builders of the ruined walles of Ierusalem did their worke with one hand and with the other held a sword Euen so those whom God hath called to repaire Ierusalem the praise of the world should builde with the armour of the Spirit about them being full of Christian zeale and fortitude and wise to preuent the stratagems and assaults of all Sanballates Arabians and Ammonites They were not cowards that built those walles neither should they be cowards that work in this building For here want no enemies here is both fraud and force We wrestle not against flesh bloud but against Principalities against powers against worldly Gouernors the Princes of the darknesse of this world against spiritual wickednesses which are in high places euen against Sathan all the Yeomen of the black Guard And therefore we had neede to be full of spirit and spirituall valour Ieremy was forbidden vnder the paine of death to feare their faces to whom he was to Prophecy And the Lord speaking to Ezekiel saith I haue made thy forehead as the Adamant and harder then the flint Feare them not therfore neither be afraid of their looks By which we see that God would not haue his messengers out-faced but that they should boldly deliuer their message to his people He which winketh at false doctrine and reprehendeth not the sins of the time and place wherein he liueth and dares not for feare of contempt or disgrace admonish the persons that offend is vnworthy and vnfit to be a Minister who ought to be zealous and couragious dreading no mans face but should speake exhort and conuince in all authority and shew the people their enormities without feare or partiality Yea hee that wincketh at wickednesse and hereticall doctrine and doth not oppose himselfe vnto it is guilty of it and is in minde a Fugitiue though he moue not from his charge in person Quia tacuisti fugisti tacuisti quia timuisti Thou hast fled saith Austen because thou hast held thy tongue Veritatem negat qui eam non libere praedicat He denieth the truth saith Chrysostome which doth not preach it boldly Although saith Austen he liue well and yet be either ashamed or afrayed to reproue them that liue ill cum omnibus qui eo tacente pereunt perit He perisheth with all those which perish whiles he sees and sayes nothing Aug. grad 1. Abus I am full of power by the Spirit of the Lord saith Micah and of iudgement and of strength to declare vnto Iacob his transgression and to Israel his sinne Eliiah told Ahab to his face that it was he and his fathers house that troubled Israel Michaiah likewise boldly told him that he should not returne in peace from fighting against the Syrians though his speech vexed him Nathan told Dauid plainely of his vncleannes and murther that without feare Isaiah saith that he had set his face as a flint And so it seemeth for he payd them home he feared no colours but was as bold in taxing as they were in offending He gaue his backe to the smiters and his cheekes to the nippers and hid nor his face from shame and spitting reprouing notwithstanding all disgraces both the Princes and the People with great feruency and boldnesse of speech This was the practise of Iohn Baptist Christ Paul and of all the holy Prophets and ought as occasion serueth to be imitated wisely of all the Ministers of God This serueth to condemne the coldnesse and fearfulnesse of those face-fearers that dare not rebuke sinne especially in the audience of the sinner and which teacheth the truth through feare as it were in riddles ambiguously and in the cloudes running as I may say betweene the skin and the flesh But such feare is not the feare of God but the feare of Man And as Bishop Iewel speaketh accursed be that modesty that drowneth or hideth the truth of God And accursed I say be that feare which makes a man silent when he ought to speake and dumme when he should lift vp his voyce like a trumpet and shew the people their sinnes Yet here we must all remember that our zeale be directed by knowledge which should alway go before and make way and that wisedome and pity go with our valour that all our reproofes and admonitions be performed in loue and in the spirit of meeknesse with long suffering and patience without rage and rankor Esay might cry but not roare We our selues are men and may erre And if we stand when others fall it is by Gods grace and not through our owne goodnesse Neither is it lawfull to rebuke sinne with sinne and to make our selues sinners by disorderly taxing of sinners CHAP. 12. Ministers must perseuere in the faithfull execution of their function SEuenthly a labourer must be constant and not giue ouer till his taske inioyned him be fully finished So the Minister of God shold continue constant in his labours for God The loue of the world must not make him leaue his labours He must not leaue without the
of God to whom he hath committed the word of reconciliation the sword of his spirit to cut downe the sinnes of his children and to slaughter their carnall lusts and corrupt affections through the mighty working of his spirit accompanying their ministery And though Paul take vnto him the name of an Architect or master work man yet he doth not meane that he is so indeed simply without comparison But he was an Architect in regard of inferiour Ministers or because he layed the first stone amongst the Corinths and planted Christian religion amongst them as there hee sheweth CHAP. 15. Godly Ministers may assure themselues of Gods protection Doct. 8 SEcondly seeing Ministers worke for God as Factors vnder a Merchant they may well expect his diuine protection in the faithfull performance of their office A Lord will maintaine the lawfull quarrel of his Labourers specially if it arise of the diligent and honest executioÌ„ of their duty by him enioyned A puissant and magnanimious Prince will defend his Embassadour so long as he carrieth his message discreetly And shall we thinke that the Lord of Lords Prince of all Princes will not defend protect his faithful seruants Embassadours Yea he will both protect their persons as the eye of his wisdome shal see fit prosper their message in the thing that pleaseth him either to the mollifying of mens minds as the fire doth wax or to the hardening of their hearts as the Sun doth clay so as that they are vnto him the sweet sauour of Christ in them that are saued in them that perish vnto these the sauour of death vnto death and vnto the other the sauour of life vnto life And this protection blessing of God his faithful Ministers in all ages haue euer receiued according to his benigne admeasurement who aymeth alwaies at his own glory which is the vtmost marke of all his thoghts Esay being assured of diuine protection saith The Lord will helpe me therefore shall I not be confounded therefore haue I set my face as a flint I know that I shal not be ashamed And the Lord encouraging Ieremy to speake his word boldly saith I am with thee to deliuer thee This day haue I made thee a defenced city and an iron pillar and walles of brasse against the whole Land They shall fight against thee but they shall not preuaile against thee Behold saith the Lord to Ezekiel I haue made thy face strong against their faces thy forehead hard against their foreheads The Lord hath promised that he will not leaue vs nor forsake vs so that we may boldly say The Lord is mine hâ—lper neither will I feare what man can do vnto me If wee did seriously consider the vndaunted courage of Paul and Luther their great dangers and deliuerances and the admirable good successe of their labours we may see sufficiently how the Lord graced and guarded their persons and watered their Labours with a floud of blessings Now the Lord is the same that euer he was as potent and as gratious For with him there is no change His counsel shall stand and whatsoeuer he hath determined it shall be done his purpose cannot but be performed Therefore we must not be fainted-hearted but confident in his mercy He will couer vs with the wings of his grace and cary vs vpoÌ„ the back of his power ouer all our enimies He is our Buckler and Shield of defence why should we feare What need we dread If God be on our side who can or who dare be against vs O Lord of Hostes blessed is the man that trusteth in thee CHAP. 16 Faithful Ministers shall be well rewarded Doct. 9 THirdly we must not onely looke for his assistance and protection but we may also assure our selues of a Reward from him if we discharge our office with care and conscience as in his sight A good king will reward and honour a good Embassadour and a kind Maister will not be vnkind vnto his fairhfull seruant Euen so vndoubtedly the Lord that hath both heauen and earth at command will honour countenance and kindly reward all his seruants all his Embassadours that execute their office and carry their message wisely sincerely and in loue vnto his Maiesty Their reward is with God they shall want no recompence Euery one of them sha ll receiue his wages according to his labour They that turne many vnto righteousnesse shall shine as the stars for euer and euer I haue fought a good fight saith Paul I haue finished my course from henceforth is laid vp in store for me the crowne of righteousnesse not a crowne of gold but of glory of immortall gloâ—y and of glorious immortality purchased by the righteousnesse of Iesus Christ and promised by the righteous God in mercy but performed in iustice hauing past his word to giue it Peter saith that good Ministers shall receiue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an incorruptible crowne of glory a Garland that shall neuer wither a Crowne that shall neuer be corrupted He that receiueth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall receiue a Prophets reward By which it is euident that faithfull Prophets shall not goe vnrewarded And if they that entertaine a Prophet because he is a Prophet shall not misse a reward then there is little reason to thinke that the Prophet himselfe behauing himselfe as a Prophet of God ought to do shal not be rewarded The Labourers in the parable receiued their wages of the Lord of the vineyard wherein they wrought so soone as the euening came and were called from their worke by the steward In like manner so soone as the Lord doth send his Messenger â—eath to fetch vs out of his vineyard and to cal vs away from our worke he will faithfully pay vs our wages I say not which we haue deserued for merita nostra misericordia Domini but which he of his meere benignity hath from all eternity decreed to bestow vpon vs. The consideration hereof teacheth vs to be diligent and chearefull in our calling Our labour is not lost a reward will come we shall haue wages for our worke we shall haue pleasures for our paines All our water shall be turned into wine and our sorrowes into solace Our Lord is louing and wil not forget the labours of our loue and the toyle which we take for him We haue his fauour and wee shall see his face we do now enioy his grace and wee shall one day be pertakers of his glory CHAP. 17. Ministers are greatly obliged vnto God and therfore they should be thankefull vnto him Doct. 10 FOurthly seeing God hath made vs his Ministers of the new Testament hath giueÌ„ vnto vs the Ministery of Reconciliation seeing I say that God hath made vs Instruments for him to labour for him in his House and Vineyard seeing we are become his labourers his
Gods word alone were the Prophets and Apostles tyed by their commission What I shall command thee that shalt thou speake Ye shall teach whatsoeuer I haue commanded you He which then heareth them heareth God and he which dispiseth disobeyeth them despiseth and disobeyeth God that sent theÌ„ resisteth his Spirit speaking by them The Lord reckoneth this among the sins of the Israelites that they sate before his Prophet heard his words but would not do them Zachary saith that because they would not heare the voyce of God in his Prophets therefore he would not heare them when they cried to him And because the Israelits mocked Gods messeÌ„gers despised his words deliuered by theÌ„ misused them he brought vpon theÌ„ the Caldean king by whom he scourged their coÌ„tempt and rebellion with fowre fearefull iudgements First hee permitted him to kill both old and yong without pitty Secondly he let him rob them of their goods and cary away their treasure Thirdly he suffered him to burne their Temple and to breake downe the walles of Ierusalem and to fire her Palaces Fourthly he was content that he should make slaues of them in his owne country that had escaped his sword As we therefore dread the iudgements of God and would not haue him count vs misusers of his Ministers and despisers of his message let vs reuerence their persons and regard their Ministery Yea but will some say I would willingly heare my Minister but that he is prophanâ— and vitious and so pulleth that downe with the left hand of his bad life which he set's vp with the right hand of his good doctrine The more lamentable is his ease and the greater is his sinne if this be true thou speakest like the Cow that spils the milk that before shee gaue and like a Mule that carrieth costly things for others and none for her selfe But what is this to thee Euery man shall beare his owne burthen and that soule shall dy that sinneth Shall Elijah refuse his meate because a Rauen brought it Shall Sampson refuse his drinke because it came out of the Iaw-bone of an Asse And wilt thou refuse the Nectar and Ambrosia oâ— thy soule thy spirituall food thy celestiall Manna because it is brought vnto thee by Iudas or by one that is of wicked conuersation He surely is not very hungry that reâ—useth his meat because an vncleanly Seruitor brings it to him That thy Minister teacheth well it is of God that he liueth ill it is of the â—iuell of his owne corruption therfore embrace his doctrine but eschew his deeds follow his preaching but auoide his practise and pray for his amendment Insult not ouer him be not high minded but feare God may conuert him and he may stand when thou thy selfe shalt fall For thy nature is as ill as his it is grace alone that makes the difference This was our Sauiours counsell to his disciples The Scribes and Pharises sit saith he in Moses chaire all therfore whatsoeuer they bid you obserue out of Moses that obserue and do but after their works do not for they say and do not So long as they teach the truth they must be heard Thy Ministers wickednesse must not make thee wilfull his folly may not make thee froward Balaam must heare his Asse speake because God ruled her tongue and made her speake vnto him Why but if his conuersation be profane it is in vaine to heare him because it pleaseth not God to worke effectually the graces of his Spirit by the Ministery of wicked men Not so for then Iudas who was a wicked wretch should not haue ben heard Water which comes through a wooddeÌ„ pipe may moysteÌ„ the ground as well as that which runs through a pipe of lead or siluer A seale of brasle or yron will make the same impression vpon waxe that a seale of gold will if the mark be alike Not the honesty but the skill of the Physitian cureth the Patient It is not so much the vertue as the Iudgement and cunning of the Counsellour which relieues the perplexed Client The grace of God saith Chrysostome worketh by the vnworthy not for them but for those who are to be holpen And againe God worketh per omnes by all salutem populi moliens seeking the saluation of the people non illorum intuens merita not regarding their desarts Euen as light saith Augustine is not defiled though it passe by filthy places and men enioy it voide of all defilement so it is in the Ministery Men may receiue benefite by the pure word of God though it come out of an vnpure mouth Neither is good doctrine defiled by bad manners neither doth God conferre grace because the Minister is a godly man nor disdaine to giue it because he is profaine It were indeed to be wished that all Ministers were holy as their Maister but neuerthelesse we know that it was not the holinesse of those shipwrights which built Noahs Arke nor the good life of a Surgean that heales a wound Yea but he teacheth false doctrine oftentimes and is full of foolish and friuolous fables What then We are not Apostles now that we cannot erre The best are but men and subiect vnto erour Humanum est errare indeed Belluinum est perseuerare Gods word ought I confesse to be preached truly without errour and purely without mixture Nam purum est quod nihil habet alieni and it is their sin that do corrupt it or handle it vnseemely But if some tares or cockle some dust or darnell come with the good seed thou must let theÌ„ go like things vnprofitable fit for the fire but thou maist not contemne cast away the good for the euill Thou must not refuse the corne for the chaffe but rather sift and winnow them A wise man will not cast away good meate for a few moats Thou wilt not cast away good siluer because there is some drosse in it or some copper peeces amongst it Thou wilt not contemne a bag of gold because there is some counters in it wherefore then shouldst thou reiect profitable instructions and wholesome doctrines and admonitions because they come with some vnsauory stuffe and are mixed with some vanity Hearken to the counsel of Saint Paul whose pen was guided by Gods owne hand Despise not prophecying saith he Now because some might say that the Prophet may mixe some of his owne leauen with Gods dough and so make soure bread preach linsi-wolsy sermons he doth therefore immediately adde Try all things keepe that which is good Wee must not be like a bottom-lesse bagge that holds nothing nor like the scuttle that holds both the wheat the chaffe together nor like the Cernicle or Boulter that lets the fine flower go and keepes in the branne but we should bee like the Skrie that seuereth the good from the badde We should
thornes Be circumcised to the Lord and take away the foreskin of your hearts Secondly we must labour to be partakers of Gods word hungring and thirsting after it as after food It is the Plough that must breake vs vp it is the beetle that doth beat our clotty hearts it is the seed that must be scattered vpon them and it is the raine also that makes the seed spring vp and grow It is the meanes indeed the blessing is from the Lord. Wherefore laying aside all maliciousnes all guile simulation enuy and all euill speaking as new borne babes desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby Thirdly when the seed is sowne let it find roome within vs. Let vs giue it liberty to roote and spread it selfe in our heartes As a ship cannot saile without sea-roome so the seed cannot grow without earth-roome We must therefore giue the seed of Gods word roome in our heartes we must yeeld vnto it we must giue it passage in vs we must locke it vp in the closet of a faithfull heart and beleeue it The word hath bene vnprofitable to many because it was not mixed in them with faith Fourthly we must not only heare the word but we must let it worke in our liues we must expresse it in our conuersations Be ye doers of the word and not hearers onely only saith Saint Iames deceiuing your owne selues For if any man heare the word do it not he is like vnto a man that beholdeth his naturall face in a glasse For when he hath considered himselfe he goeth his way and forgetteth immediately what manner of one he was He that heares does not is like him that eates and thriues not Fiftly because the blessing commeth from aboue we ought therefore earnestly to begge a blessing of God vpon the knees of our soules that his word may take deepe roote in our hearts downewards and bring forth fruit plentifully in our liues vpwards and that as the Sunne doth whiten cloth resolue the snow melt the hardest yee and giue light vnto the world so his word may melt our hearts and whiten them and so dispell the darkenesse of our mindes as that we may repent of all our sins and see the riches of his grace and may haue light to come out of the waies of darkenesse and to walke before him in the wayes of life Sixtly we should set before our eyes that great reward which God will bestow vpon all such as are fruitfull in good workes and abound in the fruites of the Spirit They shall haue heauen earth and all things whatsoeuer are needfull and fitting for them And the more they doe exceed in grace the more they shall excell in glory Seuenthly we ought to consider diligently the examples of Gods children dead and aliue that haue bene are full of good fruits good deeds and who shine in Christian graces before all other men and hauing their patterns set before vs as scholers haue their copies we should stir vp ourselues and study to resemble them yea go before thē Many mē thinke skorn that any should go beyond thē in foolish fashions and vaine attire wherefore then should we be content through our dronish heauy disposition that any should strip vs in the race of Christianity and be more plentiful and ranke in bearing the fruits of righteousnes then we our selues are especially considering that we haue the plough of Gods word the seed of wholesome doctrine the sweet shewers of heauenly counsels exhortations admonitions and dehortations as plentifully among vs as they haue amongst them and more plentifully too it may be One man striues to haue as good corne as another why then should not we labour to be as rich in grace as our brethren Lastly if we would be fruitfull we must beware of the cares of the world that they do not like thornes choke the seed that is sowen in vs ouershadow it We must also take heed that it be not washt away with the waters of afflictions skorched with the burning heat of persecutions And finally we must take heed of the examples of the wicked and that sathan the birds of hel do not steale it from vs pick it out of our hearts Fourthly those are to be condemned that take vpon them the name of Gods field or husbandry and will needs be reputed his seruants and yet are either barren as an heath or fruitfull in nothing but in the vnfruitful works of darknes as drunkēnesse ignorance couetousnesse malice enuy swearing pride idlenesse and vncleannesse The field that receiueth the raine that fals often on it and brings forth herbes fit for the husbandman receiueth a blessing of God but that which bringeth forth thornes thistles is reproued and is neere a curse and the end of that field is burning We are Gods field his plough hath bene amongst vs fifty yeares together alwaies going vpon vs. His seed hath bene continually scattered vpon vs all this time He hath watered vs richly with the raine of heauenly instructions and the Sunne of righteousnesse hath all this time shone vpon vs with his most glorious Gospell Now if we shall bring forth nothing as too many do but the thornes of iniquity the thistles of vngodlinesse the nettles of fleshly lusts and the noisome weeds of wickednesse what can we looke for but a curse What do we else deserue but that he should make vs desolate as a desert and burne vs vp with the fire of his wrath The Lord said concerning his vineyard in Iudea that because he bestowed much cost vpon it it brought forth nothing but wild sowre grapes he would take away the hedge thereof and breake downe the wall Yea saith the Lord I will lay it wast briars and thornes shall grow vp it shall not be cut nor digged I will also command the cloudes that they raine no raine vpon it Wee are Gods Vineyard here in England he hath hedged vs about he hath built a tower made a wine-presse amongst vs he hath sent his workemen among vs he hath enuironed vs with many outward blessings he hath set watchmen to keepe vs and he hath long expected good grapes and a fruitfull vinetage But alas our grapes are generally sowre and wild our grapes are the grapes of gall our clusters are bitter our wine is the poison of Dragons and the cruell gall of aspes Our ingratitude is great our enormities are horrible our wickednesse is abominable We walke according to the stubbornenesse of our harts we haue made our browes of brasse and our foreheads of marble We draw on sin as it were with cart-ropes adde drunkennes vnto thirst Our dealings do testify as much to our faces All the toile that hath bene taken with vs doth seeme to be euen lost in the most The bellowes are burnt the lead is consumed in the fire the founder melteth in vaine The word
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