new Ierusalem That great Citie The holy Ierusalem So againe it is called The Citie of the liuing God The heauenly Ierusalem It is compared to a Citie in two respects that is to say Defence and Priuiledge We know that Cities are places of refuge to defend the inhabitants from the force of enemies So is the Church to the true members of it the onely place of eternall safetie Therefore it is that the faithfull in their triumphant Song doe to the praise of God sing in this manner Wee haue a strong Citie saluation will God appoint for walls and bulwarkes And the Prophet Ioel foretelling the state of the Christian Church saith In mount Sion and in Ierusalem shall be deliuerance So that in this heauenly Citie entred into heere vpon earth is our onely securitie of saluation without it there can be no safetie at all Heereupon Saint Augustine alluding to those words of the Psalme Praise the Lord O Ierusalem praise thy God O Sion for he hath made fast the barres of thy gates When saith he the barres of the gates are fast as none can come in so none can goe out intimating thereby that they that belong not to this Citie of God the Church but remaine without cannot haue the benefit of Defence but lye open to eternall ruine whereas on the contrary they that are so in it that they are also of it can neuer be surprized by any enemy but may sing comfortably with Dauid Blessed be the Lord for he hath shewed me his marueilous kindnesse in a strong or fenced Citie Againe Cities or Common-wealths haue their priuiledges immunities and freedomes wherein the Citizens and Freemen onely are interessed To this purpose that Father citeth the definition of Scipio in Tullie de Rep. Respublica est res populi That is The weale-publike is the peoples wealth Or thus The common-wealth is the wealth or wellfare of the Commons It is so with the Church Therefore of this immunitie and freedome the Apostle speaking of the Catholicke Church saith Ierusalem which is aboue is free and telling the Ephesians that before their conuersion they were without Christ and were aliens from the common-wealth of Israel and were strangers from the couenant of Promise and had no hope and were without God in the world he saith But now in Christ Iesus yee which were farre off are made neere by the Blood of Christ and afterwards addeth these words Now therefore ye are no more strangers and Forreiners but Citizens with the Saints meaning heereby that they had now being entered into the Church attained vnto the immunity and freedome of the Citie of God But wherein consisteth this freedome Among other priuiledges it doth mainely and principally consist in freedome from sinne and condemnation for sinne Hence it is that S. Paul assureth the faithfull That sinâ—â— shall haue no dominion ouer them and that being freed from sinne they haue their frâ—â—ie in holinesse and the end euerlasting life Againe that there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus By this it is euident that the priuiledge of eternall life and happinesse is the peculiar right of the Citie of God the Church It is also likened vnto a Mother So saith the Apostle That Ierusalem which is aboue is the mother of vs all This semblance standeth in two things First the Church as a Mother doth conceiue and bring foorth children to God by the immortall seede of the Word of God in the Ministery of the Church whereunto S. Paul alluding saith to the Galatians My little children of whom I trauell in birth againe vntill Christ bee formed in you Secondly the Church as a Mother doth after her children are borne and brought foorth feed and nourish them with the sincere milke of the Word of God out of her two brests the sacred Scriptures of the Old and New Testament and as they grow in strength giueth them not onely milke but also strong meate As therefore no man can liue the life of nature but hee must haue a mother by whom hee must bee conceiued and brought foorth into the world and must withall haue conuenient nourishment for preseruation of life So no man can liue the life of grace heere and the life of glory for euer vnlesse he be borne of his Mother the Church and nourished in it to euerlasting life To this purpose is that noted saying of an ancient Father Hee shall neuer haue God for his Father that hath not the Church for his Mother The Church is againe compared to a Vine as wee may see by the complaint of the faithful vnto God in the Psalme Thou hast brought a Vine out of Egypâ— c. why hast thou then broke downe her hedges And by Gods complaint concerning his Church O Inhabitants of Ierusalem and men of Iudah iudge I pray you betweene me and my Vineyard When I looked that it should bring foorth grapes it brought foorth wilde grapes Our Sauiour Christ vnder the Parable of the Vine describeth the Church likening himselfe to the body or stocke and the members of his Church to the branches I am saith he the Vine ye are the branches It is inferred vpon the words going before noting the due proportion betweene the Vine and the Church As the branch saith Christ cannot beare fruit of it selfe except it abide in the Vine no more can ye except ye abide in me This he further amplifieth in these words He that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth foorth much fruit for without mee ye can doe nothing If a man abide not in me he is cast foorth as a branch and is withered and men gather them and cast them into the fire and they are burned All this importeth thus much That vnlesse we be ingrafted into Christ the true Vine and so become liuely branches in the body of the Church wee can haue no hope of life and saluation For saith S. Augustine out of this body the holy Ghost quickneth no man This Doctrine of saluation in the Church onely is not onely thus illustrious by the bright-shining light of so many Diuine Similitudes and Parables but is also warranted by euident and inuincible reason grounded vpon the Word of God 1. It is a Principle vndenyable That there is onely one sauing truth And therefore the Apostle saith that all men whom God will haue saued he will haue to come to the knowledge of the Truth Now this truth is no where to be found but in the Church of God Hence it is that the godly are termed The righteous nation that keepâ—th the truth And S. Paul stileth the Church The pillar and ground of truth And for this cause the Spirit whereby the Church is guided is called The Spirit of truth and it was promised by our Lord Christ
truth is there was not so much as one word of commendation giuen him whereat Momus himselfe might cauill as the iâ—dicious and ingenuous Reader may heere see by the simple truth faithfully related vnlesse any will be so censorious as to taxe S. Paul for saying as the truth was That the Baâ—barians were courteous and shewed them that had suffered shipwracke no little kindnesse That it is sayd he was noted to be a Papist who euer denied it The proposition was not that hee was no Papist but according to the Doctrine of our Christian reformed Churches That a simple-hearted Papist not holding the whole mysterie of Romish iniquity but only erring in some lesse points which ouerthrow not the foundation may vpon repentance in generall of sinnes knowne and not knowne finde mercy with God relying vpon Christ alone for saluation Where it is said That he was a seducer I haue my selfe charged him with it but hee was so farre from maintaining that bad office that he did in excuse of himselfe affirme That he knew no cause why any man should count him a Papist vnlesse it were for keeping the Kings lawes in abstaining from flesh vpon Fridayes and such like times I call God to record I doe the man no wrong but testifie herein the very truth and did expastulate with him that if the conscience of the Kings Lawes did so preuaile with him in that why it should not also cause him to come more often to the Church the reason being the same for both whereunto his answere was silence But for the matter of seducing It makes not a man by and by a settled Professour in his Religion because hee labours to draw others vnto it for we see by experience that if any conceiue well of a Religion and begin to entertaine it though they be as yet but very Nouices they will presently seeke to induce others to the same this may appeare by those that were Conuerts to the truth as Andrew and Philip and the like whom as Apes these Errants imitate 2. Vnto the former another aspersion was added which did touch the whole Ministerie and was vrged with no little spight and clamour viz. That any man be he neuer so vile for a Cloth and a fee shall as his Funerall be commended and extolled to the heauens If any be guilty of this crime let him beare his owne burden for my part I haue learned with Elihu not to giue titles lest my Maker should become my destroyer for thereis a woe denounced against them that speake good of euill and call darkenesse light It is well knowne that for diuers yeeres I did vtterly abstaine from speaking any one word of the dead but onely applyed my selfe to the instruction of the liuing insomuch as it grew distasted yet neuer did I abstaine as holding is vnlawfull for I know there is very good vse of it 1. That the vertues of the godly may be propounded for imitation that wee might be followers of the Saints who through faith and pacience haue inherited the promises 2. That the perseuerance of the faithfull being made knowne we may with the ancient Church as is noted afterwards in this Treatise sing laud to God that being faithfull vnto the death they haue receiued the Crowne of life 3. That if any hauing liued scandalously in open sinne but through the mercy of God by the meanes of his afflictâ—ng rod are recouered and brought home with the Prodigall the Congregation being made acquainted with it may glorifie God that hath giuen them repentance vnto life and with the Angels reioyce at the conuersion of a sinner 4. That vpon any extraordinary accident men being suddenly surprized by death their example propounded may be a monitory to the liuing that they may take it to heart and profit by it These and the like are good occasions of the Teachers Discourse in this kinde And vpon this ground I haue indeuoured to auoyde scandalum datum the giuing of any offence keeping my selfe alwayes in the meane or middeway betweene both extremes 3. A third crimination or fault obiected and that with no little asperitie was that euen the very prophane should make a scoffe of it And what did they say Why forsooth being vpon their Ale-benches they call for another Pot deriding the Doctrine of Gods Mercy and Patience in that hee calleth not all at once but some euen at the eleuenth houre Did not the wicked doe this euen at the very preaching of the Prophets and Apostles yea of Christ himselfe Can any pretend pietie and take part with such impietie taking it vp and casting it as dung in the face of God himselfe for it is not Moses but God against whom men open their foule mouthes and the contemptuous vsage of the poorest seruant of Christ he counts as a despight done to himselfe howsoeuer men slubber it ouer 4. A fourth crimination was that I should shew so much respect to one that was a noted enemie to my selfe But bee it that hee was so I haue learned of my Master though hee were my enemie yet to call him friend Could he be a greater enemie to me then Saul was to Dauid yet see how Dauid giues him his due praise in his mournefull song vpon the death of Saul and Ionathan 5. The next obiection was that his not comming to Church was excused for that his memory was decayed In this point I cannot tell whether I should blame more the reporters laesum ingenium or laesam memoriam his want of wit or his want of memorie for what reason is there to thinke that a Papist should refraine comming to Church because he cannot remember what he doth heare when in truth hee would willingly bee there starke deafe or learne the Art of obliuion But the truth is that the failing of his memorie was spoken of in the beginning his not comming to Church in the end of all the speech and almost the last point of all and it was applyed only to his facultie wherein I said he did practise with good liking till through weakenesse his memorie began to faile But the substance of the speech which I now come vnto will cleere all You may therefore please to vnderstand that the Sermon being ended according to my vsuall manner I tooke occasion to speake somewhat of the partie deceased not by way of commendation or excuse in regard of his Religion which I had before taxed for many errours but onely by way of application of one speciall point in my Sermon which was that in a corrupt Church some may bee saued holding the foundation though taynted with diuers errours of lesse moment and so consequently in the Romish Church prouided that they hold not the whole Mysterie of that Iniquity nor by any doctrine or practice ouerthrow the fundamentall grounds of Faith and Religion This I did apply to the person of the Gentleman deceased charitably deeming him to be in the number of
and perfect mans saluation are the written Word of God called the Scriptures the ministerie of preaching the Word the two Sacraments of the new Testament and prayer That these are meanes see first for the Word written what Saint Paul saith to the Romanes Whatsoeuer things were written aforetime were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might haue hope To this purpose is that commendation of Timothy propounded for the imitation of all the faithfull that from a childe he had known the holy Scriptures which are able to make him wise vnto saluation Therefore our Sauiour aduiseth to search the Scriptures for in them saith he ye thinke to haue eternall life and they are they which testifie of me Touching the Ministery of Preaching it is called by the Apostle The power of God vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth The Sacraments they are the seales of the righteousnesse of faith and so consequently of saluation Prayer is that to which the promise is made Whosoeuer shall call vpon the name of the Lord shall be saued That these are the prerogatiues of the Church it is out of question For to them are committed the Oracles of God and he sheweth his Word vnto Iacob saith the Psalme his statutes his iudgmeÌ„ts vnto Israel He hath not dealt so with any nation As for the Ministery of preaching God hath committed it to the Apostles and the succeeding Pastors of the Church God saith the Apostle hath giuen vnto vs the ministerie of reconciliation and hath committed vnto vs the Word of reconciliation Again That he hath set or ordained them in the Church and not elsewhere and that for the gathering together and edifying of the Saints to continue to the end of the world That the Sacraments are the Churches proper right is manifest For to whom doe the Seales belong but onely to them that are within the couenant whereof the Seales are the effectuall signes and pledges And of whom is it said Goe and baptize them but of those which ioyne themselues to the Church by beleeuing Or to whom was it euer spoken but onely to the Church Doe this in remembrance of me eate ye drinke ye all of this c. Touching Prayer they onely can pray that haue true sauing faith for how shall they call vpon him saith the Apostle in whom they beleeue not and none can inuocate God aright that cannot truly and with confidence call God Father which none can doe but they that are led by the Spirit of God which Saint Paul calleth the Spirit of adoption whereby wee cry Abba Father This therefore is the Prerogatiue of the Church by which they are in Scripture as by a proper note distinguished from all others both prophane that pray not at all hypocrites that babble with their lips but their hearts are farre from God and the superstitions that inuocate creatures with confidence to bee heard of them Thus the Apostle describing the Church among other notes setteth it forth by this that they are such as in euery place call vpon the name of Iesus Christ our Lord and againe that call on the Lord out of a pure heart Now then if the inuocation of God and of him alone and that in truth be not an essentiall propertie of the Church and as the Logicians call it proprium quarto modo proper to all and euery member of it to them alone and at all times how can it distinguish them as the Scripture doth from all others Then we see that the meanes of Saluation being only in the Church Saluation it selfe is there onely and not elsewhere to be found 4. To shut vp this Doctrine in a short summe it must be granted of all that none can be saued that haue not Christ for their Mediatour Aduocate for other there is none as there is none other but one God So saith the Apostle There is one God and one Mediator betweene God and man the man Christ Iesus And that he is onely the Mediatour of the Church we may take it at his owne word I pray for them I pray not for the world but for them which thou hast giuen mee for they are thine And S. Paul speaking of himselfe and the rest of the faithfull saith that Christ is at the right hand of God and maketh intercession for vs. Thus by a cloud of witnesses is this diuine truth confirmed That out of the Church there is no saluation 1. Grosse therefore and absurd is that Libertiâ—e opinion That any may be saued in any Religion leading an outward ciuill life the Turke in his Mahometisme the Iew in his Iudaisme the Heathen in his Paganism They may as well say that in the Deluge a man might haue beene preserued out of the Arke vpon some tree or house top or that a limme separated from the body or a branch cut off from the Vine can liue 2. This also discouereth the fearefull and damnable estate of those who neuer regarding Church or Religion content themselues as meere naturals and worldlings to inioy the world These Esauites had rather with their father Esau please their palate with a little meate then inioy the heauenly blessing They gaze vpon the Arke with the old world they wonder to see such pacing vnto it nay as S. Augustine speaketh They murmure and eate their galls to see the people flocke vnto the Church to those pure solemnities of Christ where both sexes are so honestly distinguished by their seuerall places where they may learne how well to lead their temporall liues heere that they may become worthy of the eternall hereafter These profane ones haue their eyes so blinded by the god of the world that they cannot see any other heauen but the world 3. A caueat is here giuen to all Schismaticall spirits who for exterâ—all things as matters of order and ceremony meerly adiaphorous or indifferent separate themselues from the society of the Church like some foolish and furious Nauigator who in his voyage vpon euery occasion of discontent casts himselfe ouer boord presuming to bee safe enough out of the ship Let such know that though God in his mercy may saue the simply-seduced as being of his inuisible Catholike Church yet the roade way is to bee ioyned with some visible orthodox congregation 4. This cals all men with a most forcible inuitement euen as euer they desire to be saued to enter timely into this straight gate that leadeth vnto life Many of the Egyptians and other strangers when they saw the great workes God did for his Church and in what safe and happie condition the people of God were in ouer they were they left their owne countrey alliance and friends and ioyned themselues to the Iewes Thus should we doe forsake all and follow Christ leaue all societies for the communion
being a mixt company consisting of good and bad And in this acception it is taken sometimes for the generall â—ompany of professed Christians liuing in any one or more ages thus we call the prime Christians in the Apostles time and the neere adioyning ages wherein the assemblies continued Orthodoxe and sound in the faith The primitiue Church Sometimes also the name Church is giuen to particular Congregations being members of the Vniuersall is The Church of Rome The Church of Corinth The Church of Ephesus and the like Againe in particular Churches the name of Church is sometimes giuen to the Pastors as where our Sauiour saith Tell it vnto the Church Sometimes to the people as may appeare by Saint Pauls charge giuen to the Elders of the Church of Ephesus Take heed saith he vnto your selues and to all the flocke whereof the holy Ghost hath made you Ouerseers to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his owne blood Sometimes the name Church includeth both Pastors and people as in the Reuelation where it is said To the seuen Churches which are in Asia is meant both the Angels or Ministers of those Churches and the Candlesticks or Churches themselues as afterwards it is expounded In this sense is it so often said Let him that hath an eare heare what the Spirit saith to the Churches These distinctions as heereafter we shall see are of great vse for the cleering of many necessary truthes And first of all from hence we may deriue the true definition of the Church whereunto they must bee vnited that euer looke to bee saued It is out of all controuersie that such must be of the number of the Elect according to the first Notion of the Church as hath beene shewed before vpon the point of Election being the first grace and fountaine of all other graces accompanying saluation But yet because the Elect are not subiect to the eyes of men but are onely knowne to God the sacred Scriptures direct vs euery where to the visible Church according to the second Notion for whomsoeuer God doth elect vnto the end those he doth appoint vnto the meanes tending to that end Such therefore as desire saluation must ioyne themselues to the visible Church by the ordinary way and meanes of Effectuall calling Iustification and Sanctification all which Graces expresse themselues visibly to the eye of the world by their effects and properties causing the faithfull to shine as a light in a darke place Let vs come then to the definition of the visible Church which I cannot better commend vnto you then in the words of our Church of England and it is this The visible Church of Christ is a congregation of faithfull men in the which the pure Word of God is preached and the Sacraments be duly ministred according to Christs Ordinance in all those things that of necessitie are requisite to the same Where we haue the essentiall parts of a true definition namely The generall common matter whereof the Church is materially constituted in these words A congregation of faithfull men And the difference whereby the Church is formally distinguished from all other societies partly in the former words partly in these words following viz. In the which the pure word of God is preached and the Sacraments duly ministred c. To open the definition more distinctly and plainely We call the Church A congregation of faithfull men to distinguish it both from Ciuill and Prophane societies that are without as also from Hypocrites and vnsound members that are within the Church but not of it Againe we say that the Church is a congregation of faithfull men in which the pure Word of God is preached and the Sacraments duly ministred according to Christs ordinance to distinguish the Orthodoxe and true Church from Hereticall assemblies which maintaine doctrine against the foundation as also from Idolatrous and superstitious societies who serue not God aright according to his will reuealed in his Word but after the inuentions and Traditions of men concerning whom Christ alledging the Prophet saith In vaine they doe worship me teaching for Doctrines the commandements of men We adde further In all those things that of necessitie are requisite to the same both to meete with will-worshippers as also with Schismaticall conuenticles who make euery externe and indifferent ceremonie an essentiall part of the worship of God and therefore flye the assemblies of the most Orthodoxe Churches for such externall rites as if they were grosse Idolaters and not lawfully to bee communicated withall From this definition thus explained wee gather three remarkable points carefully to be noted of all that laying aside all preiudice and partiality desire to bee rightly inâ—ormed in what Church they may finde saluation 1. That it is wheresoeuer the society of the faithfull may be found and is not alledged or tyed to any one particular place or person 2. That it is to be discerned from all others by the purity and soundnesse of Doctrine and by the due administration of the Sacraments 3. That it admitteth nothing as of necessitie to saluation or as an absolute and necessary part of Gods worship that is not consonant to the Word of God and according to Christs ordinance in the same Touching the first point that wheresoeuer the society of the faithfull is there is the true visible Church and is not locally or personally tyed to any let Saint Peter the prime Bishop of Rome as they call him determine it Of a truth saith he I perceiue that God is no accepter of persons but in euery nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousnesse is accepted with him Heere is no one Africa in it no one Cartenna no one person or order of Bishops whereunto the Church should be tyed Heere is no Italie no one Rome no one Pope or succession of Popes challenging an allegation or dependance of all Churches vpon it but where true faith and the feare of God is there is the Church of Christ. This was reuealed to S. Iohn in a vision where we may see that the Church is the company of the redeemed out of euery kindred and tongue and people and nation Hee receiued no reuelation concerning any one eminent place aboue all others vpon which all other Churches and their members should depend as their Oracle onely this was shewed vnto him by vision that that great Citie which then raigned ouer the Kings of the earth and that wee know was Rome was resembled to a woman called The great Whore by whom the Kings and inhabitants of the earth haue beene made drunke with the wine of her fornication If our Romists like this let them take it and make much of it wee enuy them not When the Apostles conuerted any to the Faith did they direct them to any particular Country Citie or Church of note and namely to Rome as whereunto they
God euer had hath at this time and shall haue to the end many in the very middest of the Papacie that doe not know the whole Mysterie of Romish iniquity but in simplicitie of heart lay hold vpon Iesus Christ and him alone for their saluation They see according to that light they haue many corruptions and enormities bewayle them and shun them as farre as their strength and measure of knowledge and grace will permit These wee say holding the foundation though they may build vpon it the hay or stubble of some errours and superstitions not destroying the foundation may bee saued through the mercie of God in Christ pardoning their sinnes of ignorance and errour vpon their generall repentance We may see the like in the Church of Thyatira there were many that had not that learning as the false teachers in their vaine-glorious bragging termed it nor did know the deepenesse of Satan but did hold fast the maine truth though in much weakenesse and all that God requireth of them is that they be constant in that In the same manner the Lord speaketh to the Church of Philadelphia Thou hast a little strength and hast kept my Word and hast not denied my Name For God doth not so much looke to the measure and quantitie of grace as to the sincerity and soundnesse of it Many godly and learned among them did not by and by vpon the sight of some corruptions leaue and forsake the societie of the Church of Rome Oecolompadius Capito Melancthon and Luther himselfe nay some of them continued in the outward communion of the Romish Church till their dying day as Erasmus and others who thought well of the cause or matter of Reformation but did not approoue Separation being carried away with the mayne streame of the name of Church and Mother Church No maruell therefore if among vs we haue of meaner learning or of the simpler sort that so harpe vpon that string that they haue no eare to hearken to Christs Pipe It is no new thing to see a child mistake and cry out after a stranger in stead of the owne Mother so why may it not be that some in their simplicitie may fall into such a misprizion as to take the Romish Synagogue to be their Mother Church being indeed not so much as a sound member of it but as a disease a Pest or Gangrene in the body It is apparant then that in a corrupt Church some may be sound and so be saued and this we hold of the Church of Rome as corrupt as it is for our Lord would neuer haue said of Spirituall Babylon Come out of her my people if he had none there And let not our Romanists brag of this our ingenuous confession and play vpon it the better to seduce the simple for in truth in standeth them in no more stead to patronize their impieties then the Fathers approouing of the Baptisme of the Donatists and other Heretickes did countenance their Heresies For what is the chaffe the better because it is acknowledged that there is some wheate hid amongst it We doe not say absolutely there is saluation to be found in the Romish Babylon but in the middest of so great confusion there may be saluation for some There is great difference betweene possibility of saluation which may be in a corrupt Church and infallibility which is euer without doubt in the true and Orthodoxe Church Is any so simple as to commit his whole estate into a Ship full of leakes whereof there is iust cause of doubt whether euer it shall safely arriue at the desired Port when he may transport it in a sound and safe vessell Noah and all his if they will not perish in the Deluge must get into the Arke Lot must not tarry in Sodom if he will be safe and free from the common iudgement The people of God must for this very cause come out of Spirituall Babylon both for the danger of infection by sinne and destruction by meanes of her plagues Where therefore the doctrine is Orthodoxe and sound the religious worship seruice and Sacraments for the truth and substance of them the very same with the prime Churches and best antiquity as it is this day blessed be God in our Church of England and the rest of the reformed Churches there is the surest and safest repose for the Christian soule in this society there is infallible certaintie of saluation but in an Apostaticall and corrupt Church as the Romane Church now is it is not so though yet God may reserue a remnant pulling them as it were out of the fire And that with this Caueat That they tarry not in Babylon Thus we haue seene that saluation is onely to bee found in the Church and what that Church is where saluation may be had Now let vs come to the third branch that is by what meanes and how men are to be added to the Church that they may be saued The meanes are expressed in this context and are these three The Word preached Faith to apprehend it And the Sacrament of Baptisme to seale and confirme it This is all required for the admission of any into the Church to heare beleeue and be baptized The Ministery of the Word is the mayne Ordinance of God for the gathering together of the Saints appointed of God to that end and to continue in the Church to the end of the world Therefore it is called The incorruptible or immortall seed whereby wee are regenerated and borne againe and The Word of Truth wherewith we are begotten of God to become his deare children and The first fruits of his creatures yea it is as S. Paul calleth it The power of God vnto saluation Therefore when God would haue any conuerted to the faith hee sends them this meanes Philip is commanded to ioyne himselfe neere to the Chariot of the Eunuch that by his preaching the Eunuch might be ioyned to Christ and his Church S. Peter is sent for to Cornelius to teach him and his the way to heauen by Christ. S. Paul must tarry at Corinth to teach Word of God among them For saith the Lord I haue much people in this Citie And indeed the conuerting of soules is a great worke and great workes had need of potent and mighty meanes therefore it pleaseth God to vse his powerfull Word which as the Apostle faith is mighty through God to the pulling downe of strong holds and casting downe of imaginations and euery high thing that exalteth it selfe against the knowledge of God and bringing into captiuitie euery thought to the obedience of Christ. This calleth the Teacher to a serious consideration of the waight of his Calling and a conscionable regard to discharge it hee is put in trust with the precious soules of men for whom hee must giue account vnto God Hee is made Gods Steward and therefore must bee faithfull