although the Sower had a dirty Hand Gold Crowns and Scepters are excellent things although they may be sometimes in the hands of thieves There is nothing more frequent then for the Laity to Patronize their sins upon the example of others and to fortifie their prophaneness from the infirmities of their Teachers Wicked men love that in the Saints which the Saints never loved themselves And is this wisdom for a man to make their Foyl his Jewel their Shame his Glory A Ministers life is bad therefore his Doctrine is false O this is an harsh Non sequitur Personal offences suspend not the Power of the Holy Ghost but the blessing of Heaven goes along with the Office and Function I speak not this for any one to take liberty to sin but for the satisfaction of some and for the verifying of the truth The Ordinances of God become effectual means of Salvation not by any virtue meerly in themselves or in him that doth Administer them but onely by the blessing of Christ and the working of his Spirit Now the Lord is not necessarily tyed to afford his Presence and to manifest his Power always in them for God is a free Agent and instrumenta in divinis operantur acsi non operantur And if God withdraw himself there is no more Power nor Majesty in them but a bare empty outside and no more Preaching is the Power of God unto Salvation if the Lord discover himself without which it is no more Powerful then the breath of a man yet God hath tyed us to the word and Ordinances Because it is the food of the soul therefore as if you take away food from the body it will pine so without Preaching the People will famish for where no vision is the people perish And O what a miserable thing it is when a Land is darkened and and the glory is departed O the dreadful effects that will follow the Contempt of Gods Ordinances and his Ministers When the Prophets went from Jerusalem then Sword and Famine and Pestilence and all the Plagues of God rained upon them even as Fire came down upon Sodom so soon as Lot was gone out And yet our Tribe is a hated Tribe Of all Offices the Office of a Reprover is most unwelcome for that men love their sin and their lusts as their lives Gods faithful Ministers as they are set up by God in a special manner to oppose and beat down the Kingdom of sin and Satan so usually they are singled out by the Devil and his Instruments as the principal Butts against which the invenomed Arrows of Malicious hearts are most directed And therefore not onely Serpentine Wisdom and Dove-like Innocency is necessary for them above others also Courage and Magnanimity not to fear the faces of Men Sanctity and Holiness but also Diligence and indefatigableness in that great Work which God imployes them about St. Paul who was the most famous Preacher and instrument of Gods glory next to Christ that ever was in the world yet counted an Enemy unto the Galatians for that he told them the Truth Gal. 4.16 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Babler with the Philosophers of Athens The deadliest that Demosthenes bestowed upon Aesehines and the best the Athenians could afford St. Paul Micaiah was hated because he dealt truely with Ahab The bravest Deacon that ever the world bred was half a Martyr in the Pulpit Acts 7.54 But although every base fellow stop his ear and harden his heart against the God of Heaven and will not obey our Message which we have from God yet in a faithful discharge of our duty we shall be glorious in the eyes of God and if we cannot get them to the Banquet yet we shall be welcome without them We are unto God saith the Apostle a sweet savour of Christ in them that are saved and in them that perish 2 Cor. 2.15 The faithful Ministers labour whether it hit or miss is accepted of God for as he who perswadeth to evil be it Heresie or Treason is punished although he do not prevail because he intended it for that he did labour it So he that doth his best to win men to heaven though he effecteth not what he desired though he hath laboured in vain and spent his strength in vain amongst men yet he shall be accepted and his reward shall be with God Thus though our Calling is despised of men yet it is honourable with God Even as the Ambassadour of a King glorieth in this that he cometh not as a private person but as the Kings Ambassadour and because of this Dignity that he is the Kings Ambassadour he is honoured and set in the highest place which honour should not be given him if he came as a private person So a Minister of the Gospel like the Kidgs Ambassadour must magnifie his Office and Calling for that he glorieth not in himself but in the King which hath sent him whose Authority he desireth to be honoured and magnified Now let us all stand and admire at the infinite grace and favour of God the Father of all Mercies in bestowing upon us the People of England such great and manifold Blessings as our Ancient Government publick Peace much Plenty Prosperity within our Palaces Psal 122.7 But amonst all our joys none should more fill our hearts and cause them to run over with thankfulness then the blessed continuance of the Preaching of Gods sacred Word amongst us The Dew lies not onely upon Gideons Fleece upon some particular persons but it is dispersed generally all the Kingdom over Every man may take S. Austins counsel Tolle lege Tolle lege every man amongst us may be a Rabbi Learned in the Laws Conversant in the holy Scriptures and speaking the Language of Canaan seeing that through the infinite goodness of God out Princes are Christians there is not that Persecution Religion is not disturbed we are not compelled to manifest the proof of our Faith by harder trials to resist even unto blood striving against sin Heb. 12.4 Sealing to the truth with our blood as that holy Martyr Ignatius and many others did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And when he came to the wild Beasts to be devoured of them and his bones crushed between their Teeth saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now I begin to be a Chrisâ—ian Ignat. Epist ad Rom. In the History of the Waldenses they petitioning That seeing it was permitted to the Saracens and Turks and Jews who are mortal Enemies to Christ and the basest People in the World to dwell peaceably in the fairest Cities of Christendom that Pity and Compassion might be shewed unto them who have their whole Religion founded upon the Gospel and worshipping the Lord Jesus and that they might be suffered to live quietly in desolate Mountains and Deserts and Valleys professing that they would live in all fear and reverence of God with all due subjection to their Lord and Prince and to his Lieutenants and Officers and yet
A SERMON Preached at the Visitation held at High Wickham in the County of Bucks May 16. 1671. WHEREIN The Ministers Duty is Remembred Their Dignity Asserted Man's Reconciliation with God urged By Samuel Gardner M. A. and Chaplain to His Majesty â—…ch the Word be instant in Season out of Season Reprove 〈◊〉 Rebuke Exhort with all long-suffering and Doctrine 2 Tim. 4.2 â—…ed is that Servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall find 〈◊〉 so doing Matth. 24.46 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…d who is sufficient for these things 2 Cor. 2.16 LONDON â—…ted by T. Ratcliff and N. Thompson for Nath. Ranew at the Kings Arms in S. Pauls Church-yard 1672. To The Right Reverend Father in God WILLIAM By Divine Providence Lord Bishop of LINCOLNE All Felicity and Coelestial Happiness My Lord YOV may most justly Wonder at this attempt why I the meanest of so many should expose my self unto Publick view and the manifold Censures which will inevitably follow hereupon Secondly In this my bold address unto Your Lordship in the Dedication with so poor and barren a Sermon upon so rich and fruitful a Text wherein so many glorious things should be insisted on But my fear is most the Censure of God and that I may be afraid to Censure others I confess it 's better to be haled in by force of others unto great Duties then over hastily to rush upon them Your Lordship knows right well That Forwardness argues Insufficiency They are modest beginnings which give hopeful Proceedings and happy Endings Yet when I considered that Servant was Condemned of Evil that gave God no more then his own which he had received Matth. 25.27 Though but one Talent yet ought to have improved it Then with neglect of Censure contented to learn to be Contemned I adventured to send forth this Plain Sermon into the World seconded with many desires that the Blessing of Heaven may go along with it under Your Lordships Patronage I Design nothing of Controversie I inveigh not against any one I would give no offence neither to the Jevv nor to the Gentile but especially to the Church of God 1 Cor. 10.32 Nor yet to gratifie such as are accustomed to humane flourishes oftentimes contracting Itching Ears do begin to loath the simplicity of the Gospel and vvill not indure sound Doctrine 2 Tim. 4.3 The efficacy of the Holy Spirit doth more appear in a naked simplicity of words then in too much Elegancy and Neatness Hence Saint Paul saith that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rude in Speech yet not in Knovvledge 2 Cor. 11.6 Your Lordship is not ignorant that the two great Pillars upon which the Kingdom of Satan is erected and by which it is upheld are Ignorance and Errour The first of these is so far from being the Mother of all Devotion that Saint Bernard saith it is Mater omnium Vitiorum Bern. de ordine vitae Through the Power of the Gospel and our careful Government holy Discipline we shall be much delivered from these Mischiefs Your Lordship hath now a large Opportunity for Gods glory and the Churches good to further and honour the truth of the Gospel in the Power and Purity of it while the Church of God shall be favoured with Your life and happy continuance amongst us The Lord stretch out his holy Arm together with you in that great Charge committed to you and make your Lordship as great a blessing as faithful a favourite unto Piety as great a supporter and encourager of the faithful Ministers of the Gospel and the most sincere and Godly of your Lordships Diocess as ever did Preceed you or ever shall Succeed you And then give you a full and an ample reward that your last translation may be to a never fading Crown and such choice delights as never entred into the heart of man to conceive The Lord of Heaven and Earth bless your Lordship with many and happy days and grant you true Felicity Thus craving your Lordships pardon for my presumption I subscribe my self Your Lordships Humble Servant in all duty and faithful Service Samuel Gardner Reverend and dear Sir HAving lately had a happiness to hear a Sermon read by a Reverend Friend which not long since you Preached at a Visitation concerning the Dignity and Duty of Gospel Ministers I could do no less then signifie to you how much I was affected therewith and how much I desire You would make it Publick being perswaded that through the Blessing of God much good would accrew both to Ministers and private Christians into whose hands it may come who cannot but be both delighted and edified by reading it and learn thereby the one to be more painful in Preaching and the other more careful in Hearing and both more Consciencious in living regularly Howsoever your Work and Labour of love in so Learned and Powerful dispensation shall be rewarded Nor do I fear as he who read your Sermon seemed to do That any of the dissenting Brethren that are truely pious and peacable will take the least offence at any passage therin Which is all at present from your unworthy Brother Friend and Servant John Bryan Toddington Sept. 6. 1671. Ministers Dignity and Duty A Sermon Preached at the Visitation held at High Wickham in the County of Bucks May 16. 1671. 2 Cor. 5.20 Now then We are Ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us We Pray you in Christs stead be ye Reconciled to God THE great Ambassadours of Kings and Princes in this inferiour World Command Respect and Reverence from all beholders And what innumerable multitudes are there whose highest Ambition it is to feed their Eyes in viewing and beholding their goodly and comely Order both in their access for Audience and also in their retedure Here the Solemnity is more honoured a greater Presence promised unto the end of the World Matth. 28.20 The very Attendance more glorious in nature then our selves Heb. 1.14 The Place more beautiful and amiable the things more rich and excellent sublime and spiritual An inestimable treasure is now presented which excelleth all the Riches of the Earth the unsearchable Riches of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Riches that hath no footsteps which cannot be traced out that is the propriety of the Word Though we are men of like Passion with your selves that Preach unto you that ye should turn from Vanities unto the living God which made Heaven and Earth c. Acts 14.15 for that you are no more able of your selves to hear God speaking to you immediately in his own Wisdom then Israel in whose eyes the glory of God was like devouring Fire and they as stubble before him Exod. 20.19 Therefore let it content you that you have this Heavenly Treasure though in Earthen Vessels that the Excellency of the Power may be of God and not of us 2 Cor 4.7 And seeing it is the pleasure of the Almighty God to have it so for his own Glory and your eternal
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