house too bad for him 2 Kings 4.9,10 How much did the Galatians make of St. Paul that he saith They would have plucked out their own eyes if it had been possible to have done him good Gal. 4.15 How beautiful are the feet of them that Preach the Gospel of peace and bring glad tidings of good things Rom. 10.15 So it is evident and manifest that once a Minister was esteemed like a Minister And hath God bidden you despise them now which bad you honour them before 1 Tim. 5.17 Let the Elders that Rule well be accounted worthy of double honour especially they who Labour in Word and Doctrine Such as apply their spirits most to the glory of God and the Publick good especially such as are Timothies in their houses Chrysostoms in their Pulpits S. Chrysostom was such a golden mouth'd Preacher Mellitissimus Christi Concionator he was so admired for his sweet winning Eloquence as that all the people cryed out when he was like to be silenced Satius est ut sol non luceat quam ut non doceat Chrysostomus We had better want the Sun then the Preaching of St. Chrysostom And S. Austin studied to make his language sweet and harmonious and acceptable to Gods people Some degree of Eloquence seems to be meet for a Minister for Moses saith to God I am not Eloquent Exod. 2.10 3. Vse Thirdly Hence we may see who are the best Ministers not they that can plot most for Preferment or can Preach most for Applause ambitious of a little popular breath but he that setteth himself with all his might to do good He that winneth souls is wise Prov. 11.30 because of the great difficulty of this work he is wise to himself he lays up a good foundation against the time to come They are the best Ministers that carry people to heaven though I know a Converting work is not for us but for the Holy Ghost rostra habet in Coelis qui corda docet Yet sometimes the Lord is wonderful powerful and efficacious by that word which we preach piercing through the very hearts and souls of men and leaving impressions of an immortal nature upon their spirits How fain would Christ have saved the people of Jerusalem the name is doubled to express the truth and certainty of his great affection How often would I have gathered c. Matt. 23.37 God offered them mercy while they had the dispensation of the means of grace And good Ministers like a Hen which clocketh her Chickens together from the Kite so they clock you together from the Serpent They would fain do so Knowing therefore the terrour of the Lord we perswade men 2 Cor. 5.11 the wrath of God is an unsupportable burthen Who is able to dwell with devouring fires and everlasting burnings therefore would we perswade men all men When Agrippa was almost perswaded to be a Christian saith Paul I would to God that not onely thou but also all that hear me were both almost and altogether Acts 26.28.29 A good Minister would carry all his people to heaven with him How deeply is Moses affected that the sin of Israel might be forgiven Exod. 32.32 what extraordinary zeal and love for the salvation of men and as if his joy would have been utterly drowned in the destruction of the Church or had no part in the Election of Grace Tertullian understandeth it typically and figuratively of Christ the good Shepherd who was to be exhibited and to Dye for the Sheep Certe quidem bonus Pastor animam pro pecoribus ponit ut Moses non homini adhuc Christo revelato etiam in se figurato ait si perdis hunc populum inquit me pariter cum eo disperde Tertull. de fuga in Persecutione Cap. 11. And it is true that Moses was a typical Mediator and did atone for them Exod. 32.30 With what a bleeding heart doth St. Paul speak for the salvation of the Jews Rom. 9.1,2,3 servent appearing in the degree of it with this unexpressable adjunct great heaviness Secondly Continuance of it Continual sorrow in my heart for I could wish that I my self were accursed from Christ And truely we that are the Ministers of the Church of England might speak this even with tears of blood if we were able when we consider how many people in England seem to loose the hope of a good beginning who have suck'd their first sincere milk of the word that they might grow thereby 1 Pet. 2.2 in waiting upon God in his publick ordinances and blessed God that they might wait seemed to be in a good forwardness in the of way of Life and Salvation confessed that they have received comfort and will still to this day acknowledge it yet by reason of some who never we have cause to fear were converted unto Christ but unto an opinion Fantastical spirits which in Corners pour out their Poison and come not at the Congregations as Luther speaks and so they fall off and turn either unto Athiesm or Quakerism c. And there is no doubt but that this hath been no little grief and trouble unto our godly and dissenting brethren themselves when they see such sad effects of that doctrine which they have preached It is one good argnment of piety to love the place where God speaks the house of his presence Psal 26.8 Lord I have loved the habitation of thy house and the place where thine honour dwelleth As the Sun shines gloriously though no eye behold it and pure waters flow from the fountain though none drink of them so Ministers are the light of the world though few be enlightned by them and the salt of the earth though few be seasoned by them 4. Vse Let me then Exhort you all unto this happy Reconciliation with God Reconciliation presupposeth a breach and indeed this was the greatest that ever was made by reason of the sins of man There was a heavy war denounced in the inimicitias ponam when God raised a war between the Devil and us Gen. 3.15 Gods wrath provoked man thrown out of Paradise Cursed in his name nature body soul senses friends and whatsoever he takes in hand Adams Posterity as well as himself became bondmen to Hell the Earth made barren for his sake and all the days of his life he was to eat his bread in the sweat of his face Man an enemy to God God and man at a very great distance I mean a distance of state and condition and so unhappy man desireth to continue never to have to do with God for ever And how sad and dreadful is it to consider how averse men are unto all means that can be used to reduce them and bring them back again to God They think not of him they speak not of him desire not the knowledge of him nor any of his ways Job 21.14 And some they can never be far enough from God and therefore the Prodigal went into a far Countrey Men having lost their Communion
belongeth to the office of a good Shepherd to his sheep either young and tender or strong and well grown This is also a sure argument of the Ministers love to Christ when he doth Conscionably labour to Edifie those whom Christ loveth and for whom he dyed When we labour to approve our selves abundantly to the Church of God and to the Consciences of men But not unto their humours To answer the end of our Education the Cost and expence of God Parents and School-masters the expectation of Friends and any who have shewed us kindness And now what infinite pity is it that any one way of sin should ever stand up to hinder us from serving of God in the Gospel of his Son or rob us of our Excellency and Beauty and Strength and Glory So much sin and lusts so much loss of excellency Gen. 49.4 When there is either lewdness or negligence of them that are able to do well in their Ministry and yet do contrary although your words be never so loud yet if your works be lewd though you were sons of Thunder yet a crack in the Instrument will spoil the sound Sin even in Ignorance is a talent of Lead but sin in Knowledge is a Milstone to sink a man to the lowest Bona noscere mala facere to know good and do ill makes a mans own mittimus to Hell The pleasures of sin are dear bought in any but especially in a Minister Heb. 6.6 This doth a world of mischief and hurt both in heaven and earth The Minister that spends himself like a Taper to give light unto others must not himself go out with an ill savour When such a one as David sinned he gave great occasion to the enemies of God to blaspheme others may swear and swagger and they matter not nor wonder not 2 Sam. 12.4 This was the reason why the Indians refused the Gospel brought by the Spaniards because their lives were more savage then those Savages It is said of Hophni and Phinehas that although they were the Lords Priests yet they were sons of Belial they knew not the Lord and by their sinful and corrupt Sacrificing they made the People abhor the Sacrifice 1 Sam. 2.12 So many by their raw indigested slubbering of the Word for want of study and meditation do make men think that there is no more Wisdom Purity Perfection Majesty and Glory then they shew out of it And therefore they stay at home and say They know as much as the Minister could tell them When in a whole Sermon the hearer could not pick out one Note more then he could gather himself Good Matter slubbered up in rude and careless words is made lothsome to the hearer as a body mis-shapen with unhandsome Clothes B. Hall A good Minister as he maketh Conscience of Preparing his heart to serve the Lord so he will not serve God with that which cost him nothing He converses much with God that he may be holy as the Object of his Preaching is Christ and the Gospel and the Kingdom of Heaven so he labours to be heavenly also O how graciously should we deliver Gods Errand to the People and they hear it with fear and trembling Holy Duties call for holy Preparation David washed his hands in innocency before he compassed Gods Altar Psal 26.6 And Job intending to sacrifice to God in the behalf of himself and his Children sends to them solemnly to Prepare themselves And if this be not done if they sin not against more light yet certainly against greater obligations Nay the very Heathens themselves would not admit any to come to their Religious Services unless they were prepared as that of Aeneas to his Father Anchises upon his return from the Wars Tu genitor cape sacra manu Patriosque penates Me bello è tanto digressum caede recenti Virg. lib. 2. Aenead p. 176. Therefore they had one that cried out to the people Procul hinc este prophani All you that are unclean and prophane depart hence and come not near us And shall Christians who have learnt better things touch holy things with unholy hands or unholy hearts no they must not they ought not Holy Duties call for holy Preparation and in a most special manner of a Minister that cometh so near unto the Lord. Men must be sanctified within and without before they come to the performances of any holy duty It is true that the Duty sanctifies but men must be sanctified for the duty Again a Minister must be active and vigorous in the reproof of sin Preach the Word be instant in season out of season reprove rebuke exhort with all long suffering and doctrine 2 Tim. 4.2 Young Timothy must Reprove and Rebuke Preaching the same Truths with aged Paul It is Gods Charge unto Isaiah to Cry aloud to spare not to lift up his Voice like a Trumpet shewing the People their Transgressions and sins Isa 58.1 A Minister must sometimes change his note differ from himself sharpening his speech dipping his words in gall as our Saviour himself did Ye Serpents ye generation of Vipers how can ye escape the damnation of Hell Whom yet we may find in another place Matt. 5. as it were Piping and Dancing and all melodious sweetness When Elymas the Sorcerer would have obstructed Saint Paul's Preaching and have turned the Deputy from the Faith Paul set his eyes on him and cryes out O full of all subtilty and all mischief thou child of the Devil thou enemy of all righteousness It 's true the Gospel hath not one hard and unkind word against a Child of God but always Grace and Peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ This is the Voice of the Ministers of the Gospel Peace be to you and Fear not for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy Luke 2.10 Saith the holy Apostle Ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear But ye have received the Spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father Rom. 8.15 It is never a Spirit of Bondage again in that sense and meaning as it was before But now on the contrary there is nothing but woe unto sinful and prophane ungodly wretches There is a time to reprove sinners and workers of iniquity most sharply as well as to comfort Saints God is content sometimes that we should derive from his Throne Thunderings and Lightnings and louder sounds Rev. 4.5 When Israel in Moses his absence corrupted themselves in making a molten Calf Moses did not dance after their pipe and laugh at their Idolatrous Image and superstitious merriment but with great zeal reproved their folly and with indignation confounded their Idol So if the whole Nation be grown Sermon-proof sitteth still and is at rest settled on the lees prophane Athiestical should we not be false Prophets to cry nothing but Peace Certainly we must now Cry with Isaia Wo to a sinful Nation When mens lives proclaim Wars against God must we not
's a demonsiration Feed the hungry relieve the Poor There 's another demonstration When this is done in Faith and in Obedience to the Commandements of God 't is one excellent way for rich men to lay up some of their treasures in heaven and then let their hearts follow their treasure thither This is a brave noble way of giving Earth a translation and to improve every Alms and Penny to the best laying up in store for themselves a good Foundation against the time to come That they may lay hold on eternal life 1 Tim. 6.17,18,19 Secondly Unto Angels by hidden and secret signs which are sighs and groans Angelorum delitiae Poenitententium lacrymae and other signs of repentance which please and delight the Angels who are sent about Gods Messages to this Earth There is joy in the presence of the Angels of God over one sinner that repenteth Luke 15.10 And good Ministers are glad too when they can perceive it How glad was the holy Apostle when he perceived it in the Romans and asked them What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed Rom. 6 21. Certainly sin is not a gainful way without doubt more men are impoverished and beggered by sinful courses then enriched sin cannot be the way to Glory and Honour for we dare not avow our sins but are ashamed of them when they are done fruitless unprofitable before shame and dishonour after Mens Souls are desperately sick of sin and at Deaths door must we tell them of Heaven and an immortal Crown and Kingdom before repenting of their wickednesses till they be first recovered in some measure from the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity Acts 8.22 from the jaws of Hell and snare of the Devil Revive them with the Gospel before they be humbled with the Law Without any humiliation repentance sighs and grones certainly we cannot give you comfort We dare not apply the oyl of Consolation till we have scoured your festred wounds with the sharp wine of Reprehension Be not deceived God is not mocked for whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap Gal. 6.7 If ye live after the flesh ye shall dye Rom. 8.13 When Iniquity hath played her part then shall Vengeance leap upon the Stage The wicked shall be turned into hell and all the nations that forget God Psal 9.17 And that with a Go ye Cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his angels Mat. 25.41 Could we behold your Cheeks blubbered with Tears your Hands beating your Breasts like the poor penitent Publican Luke 18.13 your Cryes resounding at Heaven Gates for mercy or any way but perceive your Repentance and Indignation against Sin Then should we think it high time and seasonable to sing as sweetly as we can of the tender mercies of God and the Riches of his grace unto afflicted and broken spirits Thirdly We must be reconciled to God by Purity singleness and sincerity of heart wherein the perfection of the Gospel doth consist Mat. 5.8 And now Men Brethren and Fathers with what words shall I bespeak you all to live to that God from whom you shine That when the Grave shall be open for you Heaven may not be shut against you O you that are yet asleep in sin is it not high time for you to awake Rom. 13.11 And that knowing the time that now it is high time to awake out of sleep The time of the light of the Gospel which is as it were the Dawning of that great everlasting Day the words are an Alarm or Summons unto spiritual vigilancy an appeal to Conscience for the necessity of the Duty And now knowing the time the Propinquity and nearness of salvation The night is far spent Shall the Heavens be all in flaming fire 2 Thes 1.8 and the Elements melt with servent heat before you will begin to fear God The Sun shined upon Sodom in the morning and yet the horrible wrath of God fell upon them before evening and thy Soul may be in Hell before the next morning as that rich Churls who reckoned upon many years and had not a day to live Luke 12.20 Shall the great Luminaries of Heaven the Sun and the Moon be darkened Mat. 24 29. before that soul of thine be inlightened And the Stars fall down from Heaven before thou wilt fall down in all humility before thy Maker confessing and forsaking thy sins Shall the Sea give up her Dead before thou art alive and the Harvest of the world to come before the Seeds of grace and eternal life be sown in thy heart art thou so dead and buried in sin that no Sermon shall stir nor awaken thee but the last Trumpet shall sound before thou wilt hear O wo to thee when thy days are ended Then the great Judgment and Visitation will fall most dreadfully upon thee And yet I declare unto you this truth in the name of God that there is not the worst the vilest in the Congregation that is come through the Providence of God before God this day but for ought we know it is possible for thy sins to be pardoned for God to be reconciled unto thee and thy soul to be saved though even now an enemy a rebel against God a slave of sin and Satan O therefore prize this Doctrine of Reconciliation prefer it above your appointed food as Job did the holy Scripture yea before thousands of gold and silver Job 23.12 For upon your forsaking a Course of sin God will not onely pardon you let all Suits fall cancel all Bonds quit all scores but also receive you into favour Now herein the Lord infinitely excelleth all the Princes of the Earth If a Subject offend his Prince and his offence be hainous and capital be accounteth it a singular and great favour from his Prince if he can be pardoned but he shall never be honoured more never be trusted more But now the Lord doth not onely pardon great sinners upon true repentance but he highly honours them and Crowns them with very glorious Rewards and the choicest Joys and Delights that heart can wish And this may be said with all grateful commemoration and great truth that when by Divine Providence Almighty God the Father of all Mercies returned our most dread Sovereign unto us the People of England to the execution of his Kingly Office he did not onely pardon many Offenders but hath also honoured them with titles of quality and places of trust I will Answer but one Objection and so I will draw to a Conclusion What infinite Pity is it to consider how some forsake all Religion because the Preachers do not Agree or because the Lives of Professors give some offence But certainly there is no Cause why they should mislike the Word for the Preacher or why they should despise Religion for the Professor Because the Word and Religion are not theirs which Preach it and Profess it but Gods The Seed sown in good Ground may grow
this Petition could not be granted The Church of God was so obscured as it was not to be sought for in any external pomp in Publick places but in Prisons and Dens Non in tactis exteriori Pompa sed potius in Speluncis Carceribus Why then are a generation so angry and displeased like Jonah that did even Chide with God By now much the less we are in our Passive obedience by so much the more let us be in our Active Let that strength be laid out for Gods glory which might have been spent in suffering the Wrath of God or the rage and sury of wicked men And let us all be earnest with God for his Church That the Gates of Hell may not prevail against it That the Lord would make his People ten thousand times more then they are and increase their Graces as well as add to their number That all the Nations of the World may see the Salvation of God that the Lord Jesus may abundantly see of the Travel of his Soul and be satisfied That the Word of God may be as glorious and as much prized by us the people of England as ever it was by any Nation since the world stood That the Ordinances of God may be in so much Power and Purity Beauty Splendor and Glory that Godliness and the powerful Profession of it may be more Honourable then ever it hath been Contemptible That through the Power of the Gospel and our careful Government the Mouth of Wickedness and Prophaneness may be stopped and subdued and whatsoever is contrary unto sound Doctrine and unto holy Practice That the Lord would be pleased to bless our most dread Sovereign Lord the King with many and happy Dayes Enrich his Royal heart with many singular and extraordinary Graces make him as an Angel of God a man after his own heart and an Excellent Spirit of Government that he may still know how to go in and out before so great a People and may be the Wonder of the World in this Latter Age for Happiness and true felicity to the honour of the great God and the good of his Church That our Nobility may be Loyal and Faithful men of holiness and Religion sparkling with ten thousand Glories Vertues and Graces while they oblige their Servants Tenants and the Countrey round about them by their holy Example to the practice of Piety and the fear of God That our Judges may be as at the first and our Counsellours as at the beginning Isa 1.26 like Moses Joshua c. Impartially Execute Gods Judgments upon the Enemies of the Church and faithfully administer Justice among the People no unrighteousness in Judgment but run down as Waters and Righteousness as a mighty Stream Amos 5.24 That there may be no complaining in our streets That our inferiour Magistrates may be Able men such as fear God Men of Truth hating Covetousness Exod. 18.21 Our Gentry Sober Vigilant Temperate in all things That they may Run in that heavenly Race set before them in the Holy Scriptures and so obtain an Incorruptible Crown 1 Cor. 9.24,25 Our Ministers all as so many burning Lights Pastors after Gods own heart Our Right Reverend Bishops and Governours of the Church imitating Christ the Bishop of their Souls All the People receiving Gods Truth in the Love thereof and in the power thereof men of Integrity Innocency and Sincerity The gloss of Profession without Sincerity will off in a Storm when a man hath not the Root and principle of grace in him Mat 13.21 But where this is it obligeth a man close to his Duty both to God and Man If I am Regenerate and truely sanctified I do good Works how and whensoever occasion is offered As If I be a Minister of the Word I obey the inward Calling of the Spirit I accept the outward Calling of the Church I Preach Absolution of sins to every Penitent Soul I offer the Seals of Reconciliation to every Contrite spirit I Comfort the Broken-hearted If I be a Housholder I govern my Family I bring up my Children in the knowledge and fear of God If I be a Magistrate the Charge that is given me from above I diligently execute If I be a Servant I do my Masters business faithfully If I be a Subject I live in obedience unto my Prince For the same Commandement that binds and obliges unto the Fear of God bindeth also to Honour the King 1 Pet. 2.17 to give honour and obedience in a special manner unto the highest Magistrate so that he which hath not performed the latter of these Duties is not to be thought to have performed the other sincerely Duty binds us to give obedience to Evil Princes in Conscience of Gods Ordinance And as an Evil Subject serves God for his Princes sake so a good Subject serves his Prince for Gods sake Thus Obedience is given if not Principi yet Principatui if not to the Person yet to the Office Therefore in the fear of God let us give all due obedience unto Authority be men of meek and quiet spirits in imitation of Christ and according to his Command Mat. 11.29 who hath also intailed such a blessing upon such persons as imports all good things Mat. 5.5 Is it not infinitely better to be a peace Maker then a peace Breaker They that live in obedience unto Government have the Blessing Benefit and Protection of Government Whereas it is the property of wicked men to be unquiet restless such as are without true Peace in themselves and seek to disturb or molest others as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the first Psalm signifies And therefore the Laws of the Kingdom do oftentimes most deservedly take hold of them O how may such persons be ashamed to live and afraid to dye when the whole Creation may grone and travaile in pain by reason of their sins Set your hearts now unto these things for what is our Hope or Joy or Crown of Rejoycing are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his Coming Ye are our Glory and Joy 1 Thes 2.19,20 Weep in secret for all Abominations you see committed Let our Reverend Visitors now set their faces against all iniquity that no sin may be Countenanced to Eclipse the glory of this Solemnity so that with the glorious Company of the Apostles The goodly Fellowship of the Prophets The noble Army of Martyrs And the Holy Church throughout all the world We may arrive to that General Honourable and Glorious Assembly Heb. 12.23 to Celebrate the Praises of God and give him due thanks world without end Amen FINIS