Text what you are to expect even to be hated of all men for Christs sake he that would discharge his calling faithfully must expect to be the object of most mens hat'red the Ministery me thinks is like the cloud that guided the Israelites that had a bright side and a dark side most men look upon the bright but few on the dark side most men consider the encouragement but few the discouragements of the Ministery they undertake the Burden before they consider the weight of it or the weakness of their own shoulders hēce it is that many have as shamefully quitted the Ministery as they have in considerately undertaken it but how ever this may be for our comfort and encouragement that all the Prophets all the Apostles yea Christ himself was hated upon this account can the Servant expect to fare better then the Master 't is his honour that he can be like him though it be in suffering to write after him though in letters of Blood 2. That the Preachers of the word should be truth tellers in the prosecution of it I shall use this method 1. Give you some Scripture 2. Some reasons 3. Shew you what truth the man of God should tell 4. I shall tell some truths which I take to be very suitable to and necessary for this auditory 5. Make use That the Preachers of the Gospel should be truth tellers is clear from these Scripture Rom. 9. 1. I say the truth in Christ Jesus Ily not my conscienee also bearing mee witnesse in the Holy Ghost St. Pauls practise should be ours what he sayes we should say Prov. 22. 20. Have I not written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge that I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth that thou mayest answere the words of truth to them that send to thee 2. things observeable from this Text. 1. That the words of truth are the words of certainty 2. That when we are asked we should answere them with these words Eccl. 12. 10. The Preacher sought to find out accuptable words upright words even words of truth Solomon in the precedent verse tells us of a wise Preacher let us observe what he did he will teach us how to make our Sermons the wise Preacher did not vent out any unpremeditated undigested extemporary flashes but he sought to find out and what did he seek to find out not unseasonable unsuitable things things that come like rain in Harvest or snow in Summer but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seasonable suitable apposite acceptable things and I pray what were those not the Chimoeraes of his own brain not the dictates of a private spirit not totering hovering probabilities not shameful falsehoods but words of truth Malach. 2. 6. We read their what Law was in Levyes mouth the Law of truth was in his mouth iniquity was not found in his lips this is that for which Christ came into the World and would you know the reason of it take breifly these two 1. The good Divine is in Gods stead he personates God interprets his mind as an Fmbassadour doth the Princes that sent him he is not onely the mouth of the people to God but the mouth of God to the people how ill doeth a ly become the mouth of that God that is truth it self so ill doth it become the mouth of the Divine that should speak nothing but what God would speak if he did speak himsalf 2 Corinth 5. 20. Now therefore we are Embassadours for Christ as though God did beseeeh you by us we pray you in Christs stead be reconciled to God the Minister may be tearmed Gods speaker And if he speaks any untruth he speaks for himself not his Master Oh! therefore with what reverence and serious preparation should we come to speak It is reported of the incomparable Bucolcer that he was so much Master of the heavenly art of Preaching that he could put his Auditours in to what passion he pleased as that excellent Musitian Timotheus did Alexander but many of you put your Auditors into no other passion but that which showes them to be rational me thinks the serious consideration of the greatnesse of Gods Majesty the greatnesse of the assembly the greatnesse of the work should enduce us to come prepared according to the preparations of the sanctuary 2. The Minister received nothing but truth therefore he should deliver nothing but truth The Minister the faithful witnesse should deliver nothing but what he received for if he doe he deliver's his own not God's that the Minister should deliver nothing but what he receive's is unquestionable 1 Cor. 11. 23. For I received of the Lord that which I also deliver unto you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have received from the Lord there 's his commission had I not received it I would not have delivered it you might have rationally suspended your beliefs and look't upon it as my own not my Masters that the Ministers received nothing but truth is as unquestionable for what he received he received from God which is the God of truth and cannot ly the Scriptures they are all truth he received nothing but Scripture therefore nothing but truth For Popish traditions we look upon them as the Commandments and Doctrines of men and not of God the Church may not make new principles of Religion but only declare illustrate interpret the old though it may constitute circumstantials yet not substantials shee may prescribe ordinances as touching the time place and order of Gods worship but not as touching the essentials of the Worship it self As the Church at Jerusalem decreed that the Church of the Gentiles should abstain from blood and things strangled Acts. 15. I proceed in the 3. place to tell you what truths the Man of God should tell 1. Divine Scripture truths not Philosophical but Theological truths such as make the Man of God wise unto salvation moral or natural truths may make a man wise but not wise unto salvation nature may tell us that there is a God but it cannot tell us how this God should be Worship't nature may tell us there is a Soveraigne happinesse but it cannot tell us what this happinesse is hence it was that the Philosophers concluded there was some white though none of them could hit it or come neer it Nature may tell us there is a way we should walk in though it cannot tell us how wee should walk in it we cannot see the Sun but by the Sun we know nothing savingly of God but by God we know nothing of the Sun of righteousnesse but by those comfortable beams that are darted from him as is the cause such will the effect be meerly natural causes cannot produce super-natural effects a man may as well expect Grapes from Thornes or Figgs from Thistles if the man of God fire a rebellious stiffenecked sinner out of his beloved sinne surely it must be with a coal fetch 't from the Altar
that will not as much as bestow upon us a cheap costless externall act of civility It is not likely that that man should run that is so lame that he can hardly move or go Charity bids hope the best provided we doe not see the worst good looks and good words tell us of a good heart which never wanted some kind of expression and surely were many mens hearts truly charitable their looks and their words would be so also a man may very well suspect where he hears bad words and sees bad looks and actions that surely there are bad hearts or else his charity is too fond and mercifull and he seems to me to supererrogate to be over charitable just as his Majesty King Charles the I. was over merciful so that if wee would not forfeit our charity't is requisite we have somewhat to shew for it that we make some outward demonstrations that may Preach to us it is there it is not dead there is some of the holy fire of charity though under the embers and sometimes it breaks out either into the look the tongue or some other way 2. Christians should be courteous not onely to their friends but to strangers yea to their very enemies because in so Doing they become like God they declare and testify to the World that they are the Sons of their Father which is in Heaven that Christians should be the Sons of God and declare and testify to the World that they are is unquestionable it being the flower of our happinesse both to be and to be looked upon as the Sons of God those are the best Christians that are likest God that is to be looked upon as straightest that comes nearest to the rule he is most of a Son which is likest the Father A Son should be nothing else but as it were the picture of the Father the one is the Architype and the other the Ectype The one is as the seal the other is as the Wax a Christian cannot be like God as to equality but he may and must resemble him as to some faint and imperfect adumbrations the voice of the Eccho is but weak but yet it hath something of the sound in it That we are like God and testify that we are his Sons by being respective and courteous not only to friends but to strangers and enemies is as unquestionable This is that which Erasmus hath upon the place This it that which a greater than Erasmus even Christ Jesus tells us vers 45. Love your enemies besse them that curse you that you may be the Children of you Father which is in Heaven for he makes his Sun to rise on the evil and the good and sendeth rain on the just and unjust as if he should have said thus your Father which is in Heaven is good not onely to the good but to the bad all men have the light and warmth off the Sun and if you would be or be thought to be like him the the Sons of so good a Father you most doe so to your lives prayers discourses outward civilities must be extended to all though you my Disciples are so yet testify to the World in this respect you are so to And as for you that are not my Disciples If ye have any desire to be if you would both really be and be accounted Christians what I say to them I say to you love your enemies pray for them that despightfully use you that ye may be the Children of your Father which is in Heaven 3. Christians should doe somewhat more then Pharisees Publicans Heathens the ordinary uncultivated masse of men and therefore they should be civil and courteous not onely to their friends and kindred but even to strangers enemies a Christian if he have any respect either to his Father or to his redeemer or profession should be taller then others by the head and shoulders in piety he should be a great exemplar a coppy to other men they should esteem themselves to doe well or ill as they are either nearest to or furthest off him Pharisees and Publicanes can salute their Brethren but Christians must salute strangers nay even their very enemies in case they doe not a man may put our Saviours interrogatory to them if ye salute your Brethren onely what doe ye more then others doe not even the Publicanes so It is a great shame for you If you doe not more then they but because I am to speak more of this in my other Doctrine I shall wave it here and onely make a word of use The use that I shall make of it briefly is this it may be for the just reproof of all those that are so fare from being civil and courteous to strangers and enemies and such as have injurd them that they are not so to their Brethren or indifferent persons such as never did them any injury These they know not their duties either as to God or man they know not how to demean themselves either as men or Gentlemen or Christian men they seem to have written a bill of divorce both to civility and Christianity they are strangers not onely to Christianity but even to Morality They are worse if we consider either the precious opportunities offered them or the light received then Pharisees Publicans or even Heathens they are so farre from honouring all men that they will honour no man they speak evils of dignities they are unsatified with the present powers thoug it be written with the Sun beam as it appears by their miraculous restauration that they are of God they contemne our Ministry Like so many Swine they trample upon the Pearls of our Doctrine they despise our Persons instead of honouring us for our works sake they never look at us unlesse it be to laugh at us or scorne us and we are as ignorant of a reason as they unlesse it be upon the account of our Doctrines we may say with heavenly Paul they therefore look upon us as their enemies because we tell them the truth You very unjustly and we know not why make us the objects of your scorne and contempt And we you more justly and with a great deal more reason the objects of our pity and prayers we love you and you hate us we blesse you and you curse us we pray for for you and you dispightfully use us and among many others we put up that of our Saviour Father forgive them for they know not what they doe you that hate our counsels will none of our reproofs scoff at us laugh at us may chance at the dreadfull day of judgement to weep and hear that of God in Prov. the 1. 26. I will also laugh at your calamity and mock now your fear is because you hated knowledge and would none of my Counsels deliv'red you by my faithful and impartial servants We could as men subject to like passions as you are laugh at scorne you as much as you doe us but this we
gnashed on him with their teeth Would you know what things those were you may read verse the 52. They had persecuted the Prophets they themselves had betrayed and murthered the holy one When they heard these things they were cut to the heart gnashed on him with their teeth immediately they stoned him 1 Kings 18. 17. Art thou hee that troubleth Israel the great sin that Ahab and his people were guilty of was the Worshiping of Baal Eliah rebukes them sharply for this sin hereupon they look upon him as an Enemy incendiary and entertain him with this discourteous salutation art thou hee that troubleth Israel pregnant is that place in the 1 of Kings 22. 18. there is yet one Prophet Michaiah the Son of Imlah but I hate him for hee doth not Prophesie good concerning mee but evil In those words there are two things considerable 1. Ahabs hatred of Michaiah but I hate him 2. The ground of it in the latter part for hee Prophesies no good concerning mee so that his hatred was upon the account of his Proyhesy remarkeable is that Text Amos. 5. 10. They hate him that rebuketh in the gate and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly that is they hate their faithful zealous couragious sin rebuking Magistrates that kept their cours of judicature by the gates they connot indure their upright conscientious soul wounding Prophets this is that which Christ tells his Disciples of you shall be hated of all men for my names sake Luk. 21. 17. That is for my truths sake that is they shall hate your Persons hate your Doctrines hate your good lives you shall be the objects of all mens hatred and that for mee and my truth neither is this without reason why bad men should hate them that tell them the truth 1. They are altogether unlike them therefore they hate them as similitude according to the Philosopher is the cause of love so dissimilitude is the cause of hatred as we naturally love those that are like us so we naturally hate those that are unlike us The Wiseman tells us that the righteous man is more excellent then his neighbour more excellent in his judgement more excellent in his thoughts more excellent in his affections more excellent in his principles more excellent in his whole conversation his judgment is more clear discerning his thoughts are more profitable his affections are more heavenly his principles are more Orthodox his whole conversation is more regular conformable to the Divine will The vertues of the good man bid battel to the vices of the wicked his whole life is nothing else but an use of reproof the straightnesse of the one upbraids the crockednesse of the other the one is the subject of the Prince of peace the other Prince of the air the one is of his Father from Heaven the other is of his Father from Hell as our Saviour saith of the Jewes Iohn 8. 44. Ye are of our Father the Divell and his works you will doe he was a murtherer from the beginning and abode not in the truth because there is no truth in him no wonder then that the Divels Children cannot endure truth nor the Preachers of it 2. We look upon those as our Enemies that tell us the truth because they Preach against our interests crosse our designes meet with our corruptions and lusts fire us out of our sins Interest is the great Diana wee all Worship Interest is the Sun that Persian like wee all adore Interest is the compasse by which the generality of men steer it is no wonder then if they hate those that touch them to the quick contradict their concerning profitable pleasing interests if golden mouthed Chrysostom Preach against the emperresse Eudoxia endeavour to reclaim her from Arrianisme shee will be sure to banish him if couragious bold spirited Luther out of zeal to Gods truth Preach against the Popes Indulgences he will let loose his roaring bulls against him hee will write to all the Neighbouring Princes that they shall neither receive him nor his Doctrine or if they doe they should send him to him that hee might punish him for that capital offence of asserting the truth If Demetrius the silver smith perceive that his craft is in danger to be set at naught hee will accuse St. Paul of troubling all Asia speaking against great Diana why because wee know that by this craft we have our wealth if good Iohn Baptist tell Herod it is unlawfull for him to have Herodias hee will cut of his head If Stephen tell the Jewes that they were the murtherers of Christ they will murther him if truth telling Michaiah tell Ahab that hee shall fall at Ramoth Gilead hee will cast him in to the Prison give him the bread of affliction the good soul piercing Divine tells men they must repent believe deny themselves take up their Crosse and follow Christ shake hands with honours profits pleasures all if need require for the enjoyment of Christ who is all in all he tells the sensual drunkard that he must no more un man himself and vomit up his own shame hee tells the Profane swearer that hee must no more tear in pieces the glorious name of his Maker he tells the coveteous Achan that he must no more deify the Creature he tells the proud man that cannot be content with any thing else but a crown or a mitre that humility is the way to Heaven that that ear of Corn that is fullest wayes most downward that God resisteth the proud and geveth grace to the humble hee tells the revengfull Person of that of our Saviour Father forgive them for they know not what they doe he tells the meer morall man which thinks himself to be good enough for Heaven already that except his righteousness exceede the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees hee shall in no wise enter into it he tells the disputing Socinian that their is a Sunne though he be blind cannot see it that reason must be laid down at the feet of Religion that it is but commendable for it to close it's eye that faith may aime the better he tells the naturalist that sayes out of nothing nothing can be made that out of nothing all things were made Divinity is not to be mesured by the principles of natural Philosophy but it 's own he tells the Heaven de riding Atheist that he must and dye and come to judgement but he would neither dye nor come to judgement he tells all men of their sins lusts therefore they cannot endure him 2 Pet. 3. 3 4. The Apostle sayes they were scoffers men walking after their own lusts that deny the day of judgement and Saviours promise of his coming 2 Timoth. 3. They resist the truth men of corrupt minds and therefore they resists the truth so much for the reasons they use it I shall make of is briefly this Fathers and Brethren you may see in the clear glasse of my
avoid it now wee had a great many Preaching Bishops before and blessed be God wee are like to have no fewer now This I say not because I am desirous yee should dash upon the rocks but because I would have yee saile farre enough from them 4. That moderation on all hands is a soveraigne salve to heale in all probability the breaches of this uncemented Nation though moderation in Essentialls be pernicious yet in things adiaphorous it 's but peaceable and Christian like Moderation is the silken string that runs through the pearle chaine of graces In things of a middle nature the golden meane is best I am apt to suspect that men which Iehu like drive so furiously have no other spurres but their own interests it was a good saying of one unity in things necessary moderation in things indifferent and charity in all this was the opinion of Calvin in the same controversie Ego in Controversia Anglicana moderationem semper tenui cujus me non paenituit Suitable to this is that of our Apostle Let your moderation be known unto all men I have often wondered that men of the same Nation men of the same Religion as to the maine that aime at the same happinesse should quarrell so much about circumstances They are but circumstances and why are you of the Episcopacy so eager for them they are but circumstances and why are you of the Presbytery so eager against them A man would think that a lawfull decent usefull Ceremony should be no sooner imposed then observed and it would be so did not men love their own private passions and interests more then either peace or truth Ceremonies are the sence and hedge of Religion though they doe not oblige directly yet they doe by consequence and as they are commanded by superiors for then they cease to be things indifferent and we are not to look upon them as bare ceremonies but the commands of Superiours which we are not to dispute but to obey not to doe so were to question our superiors wisdome in imposing and power in executing Rom. 13. 5. we are commanded to be subject for conscience sake therefore Ceremonies oblige the conscience 't is natural with men when they feel themselves unhappy to conclude themselves unwise Surely we have been unhappy in all these times of our distractions and we may very rationally conclude our selves to have been unwise 5. 't is the great happinesse of this Nation to be governed Monarchically both in Church and State this might soon be proved but must I be forced to prove this to a Nation that hath been so long worried with Tyrants and Traytors that made so long surrows in our backs If you have not yet learnt to know your happinesse you are very ungrateful and 't is pitty you should ever have been so happy Me thinks your bleeding wounds not yet fully closed might sufficiently Preach the seasonablenesse of a plaister want of mercy teaches us the worth of mercy the want of King and Bishops all this while me thinks at length should teach us the worth of them would you know the reason of all our miseries it was because there was no King nor Bishop in our Israel and if that be the reason of all our miseries surely by the rule of contraries the other is the reason of all our happinesse that we have both King and Bishop in our Israel Eccles. 10. 17. Blessed art thou O Land when thy King is the Son of nobles and surely if ever Land was blessed in a King ours is and we may say as the Queen of Sheba said of Solomon because the Lord loved Israel he made him King over them because the Lord loved us therefore he made him King over us great also is the happynesse that we receive from the learned and religious Fathers of the Church 't is a question whether a state be more happy in a King or a Church in a Bishop Monarchy being the best of Governments in both Oh how sweetly doe these conspire to make a Nation happy and how do they mutually assist and under prop each other and would you know the original of Episcopacy St. Jerome tells us 't is as old as that Text of Holy Scripture I am of Paul I am of Cephas I am of Apollo for when divisions crept into the Church of Corinth the Apostles for the taking away those that were present and the prevention of such for the future constituted Episcopacy Sound was that of the learned King no King no Bishop no Bishop no King he that strikes at the Mitre doth with the same blow strike at the Crown and wants nothing but power to trample upon both lutes wound up to an equall pitch if you touch one you touch the other he that toucheth a Bishop toucheth a King and he that toucheth the King toucheth the King of Kings and Lord of Lords Oh! that we could at length know our own happynesse and put up no more bramble Governments we have had sad experience how weak sharp they are let us no more despise the Vine and Figg-tree though the Brambles and Thornes doe pretend to bear Grapes and Figgs that they may rule over the Trees And now what remains but that we turn the Doctrine into practise and all become truth tellers Oh! tell the truth in Christ Jesus and lye not your consciences bearing you witnesse in the Holy Ghost Oh! tell not empty speculations palliated falshoods meer propabilities Amphibious uncertainties groundlesse novelties Preach Divine evident useful positive sinne smiting peace preserving truths be not affraid of men but of God Strive not to please them but him let not any wordly advantage what ever cause you to bury the gold of Ophir let not the Majesty of Gods truths stoop to the vices and humours of men tell even a David thou art the man cry aloud lift up your voices like Trumpets and tell the house of Judah of there sins be not ashamed of the Gospel of God for it is the power of God unto salvation think of your honourable calling consider you are the Embassadours of the God of truth you are in his stead and therefore you should tell the truth and he will uphold you in it the Lord your God is with you his wisdome to direct you his power to protect you his strength to support you his goodnesse to maintain you his bounty to reward you buy the truth and sell it not and when the chief Shepheard shall appear you shall receive a Crown of glory that fadeth not away and hear that soul ravishing sentence well done good and faithfull servant enter into thy Masters joy Eccles. 10. 17. Blessed art thou O Land when thy King is tho Son of Nobles WIse Solomon tells us that a word in season is like apples of gold in pictures of Silver what can be more seasonable or gratefull to a Nation so long miserable then a discours of happinesse of the way not only to make it happy but