good for them but yet they must take heed that they make not those things the ende of their worke but that at the first and at the last we may be approued in the sight of god The apostle had matter of reioycing in his countrey for he was an Israelite and of his bringing vp for hee was brought vp at the feete of Gamaliel a learned man hee could haue stoode vpon his learning for he spake with tongues more then any other if others were doctors he was a doctour of the Gentiles and many great priuiledges he had that others had not But what doth hee stand so much to the maintenance of those thinges No Philip. 3.8 he counteth them all but dung to winne Christ he forgetteth them as things left behind him so that hee may attaine vnto the marke that is set before him euen the price of his high calling the Lord Iesus Christ he careth not a point for them so that he may approoue himselfe a faithfull workeman in the sight of God And so shoulde wee doe if we be ministers approoued of God wee must not be as many are which make merchandise of the word of God but as of sinceritie but as of God in the sight of God we must speake in Christ 〈◊〉 2-17 If we be pastors according to Gods heart we must not praise our selues nor stand in neede of letters of commendation vnto our charge or of recommendation from them vnto others as the Apostle saith but our flocke must bee our epistle written in our hearts to be read and vnderstoode of all men â—or 3.1 not with incke but with the spirit of the liuing God If we be ministers approoued of God wee must giue no occasion of offense in any thing â—or 6.3 that our ministerie may be free from reproofe But in al things saith the Apostle we must approoue our selues as the ministers of god in much patience in afflictions in necessities in distresses in stripes in prisons in tumultes in labours by watchings by fastings by puritie by knowledge by long suffering by kindenesse by the holi-ghost by loue vnfained by the worde of trueth by the power of God by the armour of righteousnesse on the right hand and on the left that is both in prosperitie and aduersitie amongst friends and foes by honour and dishonour by euill report and good report as deceiuers and yet true as vnknowen and yet knovven as dying and yet liuing as chastened and yet not killed as sorrowing and yet alvvayes reioycing as poore and yet making many rich as hauing nothing and yet possessing all things What a notable approbation is this How many fellovves hath the holy Apostle saint Paule in this This is for saint Paule alone and such Puritanes as he was Heere is no mention all this while of Dispensations nor of Qualifications nor of Pluralities nor of Vnions nor of Totquots nor of any such implements belike they were not allowed of in Saint Paules time for if they had surely the Apostle would not haue left them out or it may be that they were not then in vse and the world is grovven wiser now then it was in saint Paules time Oh quantum mutatus ab illo The worlde is greatly altered since saint Paules dayes it can no skill of saint Paules course Well yet wee must learne to haue skill of it if wee will be approoued in the sight of God And if all the world do commend vs and yet God condemne vs what shall it aduantage vs Most miserable and wretched caitifes shall we prooue our selues to be and better it had beene that wee had neuer beene borne if the Lord shall say hee knoweth vs not This was Micaiah well perswaded of and therefore hee stoode to the truth when foure hundred false prophets flatterers stood against him yea when the king and all was against him but yet he was a Prophet according to the Lords heart and that was sufficient for him Many at the first and a great while haue made a good shew of great sinceritie that no man would haue taken them but to be men of God indeede as good Prophets were called in old time vntill they haue fallen by the world as Demas did or till they haue fallen into fauour with the court or the state or till they haue taken som high degree of schooles or til they haue climed vp the ladder of promotion and then the date of their zeale and painfulnes and sinceritie hath bin expired and they haue turned ouer their coppy to others hauing made shiprack of faith a good conscience they haue gone forth like Thamar out of hir brother Ammons chamber when Ammon had defloured hir she weÌ„t out with her garment of diuers colors rent torn so they haue goâ— away with their garment of gods graces rent and torne â—am 13.19 onely this difference is betweene Thamar and them she wept mourned for it and so doe not they but rather reioyce at their alteration holding these things nowe as most vile which before the time of their sinceritie they counted most precious this is yet a most feareful iudgement of God vpoÌ„ them for their apostacie for when they begin thus with tongue to persecute the trueth which before they haue professed what doe they else but turne into that hie way which leadeth vnto the sinne against the spirit of truth And being thus reuolted from their first loue they fell to be iust of Sauls humor who perceiuing himselfe to bee forsaken of the Lord for his hypocrisie and dissembling in Gods busines desired yet of Samuel that he might bee honoured before the elders of the people and then he was safe that was all that hee looked after So say they let vs bee honoured before the elders of the people and that is sufficient for that is all that they looke after as hauing their reward of men and not of God The third Sermon of God wooing his Church IEREMIE Chap. 3. Verse 15 And I will giue you Pastors according to mine heart which shall feede you with knowledge and vnderstanding NOw the question groweth how we shal knowe who be pastors and ministers according to Gods liking and who be not The Lord Iesus doth best resolue that doubt in the 7 of Iohn ver the 18 â—â—b 7.18 thus He that speaketh of himselfe seeketh his owne glory but he that seeketh his glory that sent him the same is true and no vnrighteousnesse is in him that is hee is a true messenger of God and no counterfeit A man is saide to speake of himself two waies either when he speaketh before he be required to speake or being required to speake speaketh not the truth truely but mixeth some deuice of his owne braine therewith so did the false prophets for both they ranne before they were sent and also spake the errours of their own hart in stead of the word of the Lord So did Vzzah that which he did of
Ieremy in the first words of his text sheweth that we must turne from our disobedience to true obedience for the reprouing of the one is the approuing of the other and the forbidding of the one is the coÌ„manding of the other And to say the truth they are truely turned vnto God who are truely obedient to the word of God and they are indeed disobedient persons which disobey the word of God And therfore let vs make what shewes of holines we can if wee obey not the word in al things that concerne vs we are vnholy wee are not truely conuerted The word of God forbids vs to follow the fashions of the world 〈◊〉 12.2 〈◊〉 11.14 〈◊〉 3.3 it forbids men the wearing of long haire womeÌ„ the laying out of their haire both men women to disguise themselues in strange attire now if al this notwithstanding we shal practise the contrary what doe wee else but turne from the Lord vnto Sathan who is our terminus ad quem The Lord in his word forbids all lying and false dealing to deceiue and all deceit to liue if any man in his shop or else-where shall vse both they may well be hearers of the worde but God will note them for monstrous rebels and hypocrites And thus wee are to examine our selues for euery other thing For the wickedest man that liueth may heare the word of god gladly reuerence the preacher Mar. 6. in many things obey the word as Herod did but Herod would stil haue his brothers wife and so many will loue one sin or other as their dearling And surely the deuill can draw a man to hell aswell with one bait as with a thousand Gods children must therefore striue against all sinne and in euery thing labour to obey the word or else as God did allowe the good things and euer had somewhat to say for the euill that hee found in the seauen Churches of Asia Apoc. â— so will his maiestie reckon with vs for all our sinnes not onelie of omission but commission although he doe finde some yea many good things amongst vs. Many vnder pretence of obedience to Princes would giue entertainement to any religion forgetting that god must be obeied before men but such men are most disobedient to the King of al kings but truely obedient to none Many againe crie obedience obedience as though they were compounded of nothing but of obedience and yet all is not gold that shineth and flattering Iudas is not the faithfullest disciple ex vnguibus leonem ex fructibus arborem the lyon shall be knowen by his clawes and the tree by his fruit For let a man looke well vpon many of them and he shall see that there are not any generally to all lawes more disobedient in their liues none more dissolute and scandalous in their worshipping of god none more superstitious in the principles of true religion none more ignorant in their dealing none more vniust and deceitfull where aduantage is giuen them none more cruell mercilesse and in all their sports pastimes none more profane and filthy and blasphemous which kinde of people are not much vnlike Caius Gracchus who tooke vpon him the defence of the treasurie wherof he himselfe was the spoiler So they crie obedience when none are more disobedient then they like theeues which hauing done a robberie can make hew and crie after the true man Some can hold one with a tale while they picke his purse but these are cunning theeues which can hold the world with a tale of obedience and conformitie while they in the meane time doe deceiue both Prince church and common wealth of their duties and themselues of Gods fauour if in time they take not a new course Such hallow hearted Ambo-dexters haue learned to serue the time but to serue their own turne looking when time will turne that they may turne with time but if carefull circumspection be had which the necessity of these times requireth the subtilties of these enimies craue it will be no hard matter to discerne the wolues though they wander in sheepes clothing by the noise of their howling and to descrie the asse though he iet in the lions skin by the length of his eares except by true repentance in time they turne againe which God grant if it be his will But heere ariseth a question and that is this Whether a man in turning to God must forsake the companie of the wicked or no If yea as they ought indeede why did these Iewes continue still among the Assirians which were idolatours and why went they not to Zion the place of gods worship Of if they could not because they were in captiuitie to what purpose then serued this exhortatioÌ„ The answer is not heard There is a turning in outward action and affection In outward action wheÌ„ a christian doth that which he ought to do and may lawfully conueniently do it In affection when a christian would doe that which hee ought to do but caÌ„not being letted outwardly by imprisonment sickenes banishment the lawe or such like or inwardly by some natural infirmity Examples we haue of both in the scripture 〈◊〉 6.1 〈◊〉 â— 8 〈◊〉 19.7 〈◊〉 137. â—2 They turned in outward action who with Dauid fetched home the arke so did the Niniuites which fasted praied at the kings coÌ„mandement so did likewise the Iewes and Grecians which burned their books In affection turned the Iewes in Babilon which mourned wept at the remembrance of Zion In affection turned Dauid in banishmeÌ„t wheÌ„ he desired to go to Gods house with the people 〈◊〉 2.4 but could not In affectioÌ„ also turned those men which mourned for all the abhominations that were done in the midst of Ierusalem And in affection also the Apostle turned 〈…〉 7. wheÌ„ he desired to do al that he ought to do but could not being led captiue to the law of sin So we in many things may turne both in outward action affection of heart as froÌ„ idolatry to the gospel from drunkeÌ„nes to sobriety from pride to humilitie and in many things more Som things are yet wanting which the church shuld haue if she had her right as a learned minister through the whole land and the prefection of that godly and ancient discipline which was in the primitiue church but as yet we cannot haue them in acte yet in affection we embrace them that is we pray for them we woulde gladly haue them if wee might lawfully come by them and this church doth allow in our booke of common prayer where in plaine words it is said Preface before Commination on Ashwednesday That there was a godly discipline in the primitiue church which is to be wished and much to be wished that is might be restored againe and therefore also when occasion serueth it may be taught and yet with great wisedome and discretion for shall it be prayed for and not be taught also
himselfe when he put his hand to the arke of the Lord because hee was not called thereunto of the Lord. Ium 23.38 â—â—d 11. So Balaam spake of himselfe though he spake the truth without adding or diminishing because his couetous hart which serued for the wages of iniquitie made him go when the Lord bad him to stay When Calphas profecied of Christs death S. Iohn saith This spake he not of himselfe that is he did not inuent it of his own brain But what is it for a minister to seek his own glory Ioh. 11.51 to be infected with the stain of vainglory no for Paul was infected with that staine as appeares by his own testimony for therefore hee had a messenger of Sathan sent to humble him 2. Cor. 12.7 lest he should be lifted vp out of measure for those heauenly reuelations which were giuen vnto him What then to extoll his ministerie and calling when iust occasion serueth no neither for the Apostle hauing to deale with such as went about to abuse his ministery He extolleth his ministery in this maner 2. Cor. 11.5 Verely I suppose that I was not inferior to the very chiefe apostles But then indeed doth he seeke his owne glory when he preacheth mans doctrine to please men Gal. 1.10 11. For now preach I mans doctrine or Gods saith the Apostle or go I about to please men for if I should yet please men I were not the seruant of Christ I certifie you brethren that the Gospell which was preached of me was not after man And the apostle cha 4. ver 17. describes the vaineglorious false apostles by this marke that they would exclude all others as no body that the people might altogether affect them But what is it to seek Gods glory 4.17 that is a very needful question indeed what is it to say God be praised or thanks be to God No for so did the proud Pharisy who was compoun ded of vaineglory Luke 18. and when he pronounced those wordes sought nothing lesse then the glory of God and nothing more then his owne glorie What then is it to say Let God be glorified No neither for so did the persecutors of gods church when they excoÌ„municated their brethren as appeareth in Esay 66.5 like the Prelates who beganne all their excommunications and condemnations with In nomine Dei and so In nomine Dei burned and imprisoned and massacred many of the deare saints and seruaunts of God And like vnto the former are the papists who in all their idolatrous and superstitious seruices sing Glory be to the father to the Sonne and to the Holi-ghost c. Aâ— which do giue as much glory to God as the Iewes did vnto Christ when they spit in his face and saluted him with the knee crying Haile King of the Iewes What then to speake Gods will without adding or diminishing â—worâ— 23.12 â—â—t 2.16 〈◊〉 11. No neither for so much did Balaam who for al that sought nothing but his own commoditie and gaine and therefore is said to serue for the wages of iniquitie Howe then To come in outward humilitie and shewes of holinesse as to professe wilfull pouertie to goe barefooted c. after the monkish manner of the Popish friers and others of that fraternitie Nothing lesse for the apostle doth vtterly disclaime them and maruelleth that they which are dead with Christ from the ordinaunces of the worlde will bee burned againe with traditions 〈◊〉 2.20 as though they liued in the world and not in Christ as touch not taste not handle not which all perish with the vsing and are after the commaundements and doctrines of men Which things haue a shewe of wisedome saith the apostle in voluntarie religion and humblenesse of minde and in not sparing the body neither haue they it in any estimation to satisfie the flesh thus the Apostle speaketh of mens traditions to teach vs that we must thinke of them but as of burdens too heauy for the consciences of christians to beare and shewes without any substance they are in the sight of God How then doth Gods minister seeke the glory of God First in speaking then marke his doctrine Secondly in liuing then marke his life for the first it is said Ioh. 7.18 he speaketh not of himselfe for the second it is said there is no vnrighteousnesse in him that is hee is not a subiect to sinne and wickednesse Counterfeit and false apostles are deceitfull workers 2. Cor. 11.13 saith S. Paul can transforme themselues into the Apostles of Christ and no maruell saith hee for Sathan himselfe is transformed into an Angel of light Therefore it is no great thing though his ministers transforme themselues as though they were the ministers of righteousnesse But ex fructibus by their fruits saith the Lorde Iesus you shall know them Math. 7 2â— The sorcerers and soothsaiers of Egypt did imitate or rather counterfeit Moses and Aaron in many things so doe the ministers of the deuill counterfeit the ministers of God in many things but as Moses did one thing which the sorcerers could not do so Gods messenger doth one thing the other cannot doe that is they seeke the glorie of him that sent them Now when the people saw Moses do that which all the cunning men of Egypt could not do they said this is the finger of GOD so when men shaâ—l see a man seeking in his whole ministerie nothing but the glorie of GOD that sent him they must needes saie This is a minister of God In the doctrine it will appeare two waies First by the matter deliuered secondly by the manner of deliuering For the matter it shal be such as God hath put into his mouth that he may say as the apostle did That which I haue receiued of the Lord. â—or 11 23. I haue deliuered vnto you 〈◊〉 1.8 and if an angell from heauen shall preach otherwise then the apostle preached he is to be accursed And herein he is not to holde himselfe sufficiently discharged if hee declareth some part of Gods will and leaueth out some part thereof but he is to deliuer to the church of God the whole counsell of God 〈◊〉 20 20.27 as time and occasion serueth and yet in such sort as shall bee most profitable for the people for wisedome and faithfulnesse must waite one vppon another in the minister of God And still hee is to meete with such things as obscure the glorie of God as Paul did when he came to Athens Act. 17. perceiuing them to be addicted to idolatry and superstition he aduanceth the true God and abaseth al false gods that he doth 2. waies First by setting forth in God his power 24 25 28 30. his goodnes his prouidence secondly by declaring the vanitie of idols the ignorance of the Athenians Againe the manner is to be obserued and that our doctrine may win glorie to him that sent