ignorant and carnall men for none of these in truth doe make account of the Gospell And now let vs come to the thirde part of our Text wherin is set down what euery minister ought to preach namely the Gospell They are not bound to deliuer the counsels of men the traditions of the fathers the statutes of earthly Princes or the authoritie of mortall men but as they are the seruauntes of Iesus Christ Prince of all Princes so are they bounde onely to preach his Gospell The true Prophetes neuer spake of them selues to the people but as they receiued warning from the Lorde They had no authority to speak their owne wordes nor the wordes of any mortal mā The Apostles might not teach their owne doctrine but only y ◠which they had receiued from their master who enioyneth them to teach all thinges whatsoeuer he had commanded them Goe saith he and preach the Gospell The holy Apostle writing to the Corinthiās auoucheth that he receiued of the Lorde that which he deliuered to thē Wherby we may sée al these teachers cōfuted which stand vppon the authoritie of men which add or diminish anye thing from the Scriptures which ioyne their owne fantasies and the traditions of men with the holy pure perfect worde of God Woe be to those sonnes of vanities for in deede they preach not the Gospell they preach not Christ but themselues they deface and weaken the authoritie of the holy scriptures The lawe of God is a perfect lawe conuerting soules The scripture is able to make the man of God absolute and perfect to all good workes The Lorde sayth by his Prophet He that hath a dreame let him tell a dreame and hee that hath my worde let him speake my worde faithfullie And what is the chaffe to the wheate saith the Lorde Is not my word euen like a fire sayth the Lorde and like a hammer that breaketh the stone Our Sauiour in the Gospell speaketh against such teachers saying In vaine they worship me teaching the doctrine and preceptes of men Let vs remember that which is spoken in the last Chapiter of the Reuelation I protest vnto euery man that heareth the prophesie of this booke if anye man adde vnto these thinges GOD shall adde vnto him the plagues that are written in this booke And if any man shall diminishe of the wordes of this prophesie God shall take away his part out of the booke of life and out of the holy Citie and from these thinges which are written in this booke Woe be to them which preach and yet preach not the Gospell But that we may know the better how the Gospell shoulde bee preached let vs consider a litle what it is and what it contayneth The Euangelistes call it the Gospell of the kingdome Saint Paule accompteth it that which was promised before by the Prophetes in the holye scriptures concerning Iesus Christ our Lorde And in the same Chapiter he sayth It is the power of GOD vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth And in an other place he calleth it the worde and ministerie of reconciliation Saint Iohn calleth it the testimonie of Iesus Christ From these and such like places maye bee easilie gathered a full difinition of the Gospel which I leaue to your Godly consideration onely this I add that vnder the voyce of the Gospell is comprehended the whole Historye of Iesus Christ in the flesh and also the fruite and vse of the same historie As touching the first namely the historie of Christ it is sommarily comprehended vnder his passion and resurrection the vse and ende of al is that we should haue repentance and remission of sins in his name And this doth Christ himselfe witnesse when as he saide to his Apostles after his resurrection Thus it is written thus it behooued Christ to suffer and to rise againe from the deade the third daye and that repentance and remission of sinnes shoulde be preached in his name among all Nations To this agreeth the holy Apostle S. Peter when as he sayeth with other the Apostles to the counsell and chief Priestes The God of our Fathers hath raised vp Iesus whom ye slue and hanged on a tree Him hath God lift vp with his right hand to be a Prince and a Sauiour to giue repentance vnto Israell forgiuenes of sinnes By this we may see how the Gospell must be preached the people must be taught what Christ hath don for them The whole storie of his Incarnation Conception Byrth sufferinges Resurrection and Ascention these thinges I saye must be oftentimes and effectually preached to the people as they are set downe by the holy Euangelistes and Apostles but yet this is not ynough to shew what Christ hath done to rehearse the storie of his Incarnation but also the minister must be carefull to preach the vse the end and fruite of the same storie which is that the people may repent be tourned vnfaynedly vnto God and so by faith made partakers of remission of sinnes through Iesus Christ Repentance is a true turning to God a chaunging of the outwarde and inward man a dying to sin a liuing to righteousnes and amendmēt of y e whol life with this doctrine we must begin this we must first of all and chiefly vrge this is that doctrine cheefly and moste of all preached by the holy prophets This is the common and vsuall voice O Israel returne to the Lorde Iohn the Paptist the Messenger and also Iesus Christ his Maister they cry both of them Repent for the Kingdome of Heauen is at hand The Apostles also euery where exhort men to repentaunce to amendment of life to mortification and regeneration This is an vsuall doctrin in all their Epistles Nowe they can neuer truely repent which know not the greatnesse of their sinnes and the punishmente due to them And howe shall they knowe this except their sinnes be reprooued and laide open by preaching the lawe of God for by the lawe commeth the knowledge of sinne so that the Doctrine of the lawe must not be seperated from the preaching of the Gospell for it is a Schoolmaster to bring vs to Christ This then is necessarily required of euery Minister freelye and boldlye to reprooue sinne in all states and degrees whatsoeuer This is it that the Lorde sayeth to his prophet Crye aloude spare not lift vp thy voyce lyke a Trumpet and shew my people their transgressions and to the house of Iacob their sinnes Our Sauiour Christ accounteth it as an office duetie of the holy Ghost to reproue the world of sinne And in deed there is no doctrine more necessary for this age wherein wee liue although few can away w t it but cry out against such as preach it And as in other places so in this place heretofore I haue had proofe in this matter For vpon iust occasion noting the certaintie of Gods
preaching and that euery minister is bound to preach Thirdly I will shewe what they ought to preach The first point as in manye other places so here it is named but not fully set downe what it is but in other places we may easily gather what it is The second is here named and prooued For Saint Paule beeing a minister and saying Woe be vnto me if I preach not the Gospell doth plainely affirme as much The third is here set downe moste plainely the matter that we must preach of namely the Gospell As touching the first let vs see how the Scripture speaketh of it as it is particularly and specially applied to y e publique office of the minister otherwise I know this worde preaching to haue a further and more generall signification But I speake of it as Christ and the Apostles do applying it to the ministers Saint Paule sayth He that prophecieth speaketh vnto men to edifiyng to exhortation and to comfort The same Apostle charging Timothy and in him euery minister to preach the worde addeth immediately Improoue rebuke exhort with all long suffering and doctrine The blessed Apostle Peter as he receiued of his master a charge to feed his flocke so he exhorteth al other to do the same The holy Euangelist Luke sayeth that Christ taught or preached in Nazareth He firste read then shut the booke afterwarde he expounded that scripture which he read and so applied it to the hearers By theâ—e and such like places we may gather that preaching properly as we speake of it is an exposition and application of the scriptures by the liuely voyce of the minister to the edifiyng of the people whereby it may easily appeare that reading is not preaching nor yet sufficieÌ„t in a minister approued of God Saint Paul wil haue him apt to teach The Prophet Malachy affirmeth that the Priestes lips must preserue knowledge Christ after reading shut the booke and expouÌ„ded and yet some are not ashamed to count simple reading sufficient saying it will serue the turne and there may be as much good done by it as by preaching As for reading we speake not againste it we disalow it not but account it a holy lawfull necessarye and profitable meane wherby great good and benefite is wrought to the Church of God but yet it doth not followe that it is sufficient in a minister that it will serue simply of it selfe in the publique congregation The Lorde hath set dâ—â—n an other order and requireth greater thinges at the hands of his speciall seruauntes But this matter shal appeare more plaine in y e wordes following For my purpose in this part is onely to shew you by some circumstances and descriptions what preaching is that reading is not preaching or at least that kind of preaching which the Lord requireth in his ministers as may appeare by comparing them together and by vsing some apt similitudes for the explanation of this matter The smell or sight of meat doth good to the hungrie man but it will not feede him except he taste of it So by reading men may haue some smell of religion but they shall neuer throughly taste of it without preaching and therefore it is called a feeding as we heard before and Preachers are counted Pastors and féeders Again meat that is rawe and fatte maye bee called good but it is not to bee eaten before it be made readye and dressed so are the Scriptures read good holy and pure but not sufficient food for the people without preaching Againe bare reading is as thogh one shoulde cast a whole loafe before them which want strength to cut it Preaching is a cutting and diuiding of the breade of life that euery one may haue his seueral portion Again bare reading without preaching is euen as the husbandman should cast whole strikes and bushels of Corne on his land together on heapes not scattering of it preaching is a spreading and a sowing of the seed Again bare reading is as though the Fisher should shuffle his nets on heapes not opening them Preaching is a wise opening laying and handling of the Net Bare reading is as one shoulde offer good treasures and yet such as were hid shut vp and fast locked and coulde not be come by Preaching is an opening of the treasures to the ioy of Gods children Reading is like to fire couered with ashes which doth smally profite them that stand by it Preaching is an opening and discouering of the fire Let vs consider one example amongst many for the further explaning of this matter The Chamberlaine that noble treasurer of Aethiopia going to Hierusalem to worshippe God as he went read the Scriptures if reading woulde haue serued his turne Philip needed not to haue come to him but he vnderstoode not before he had a guide he was not conuerted neither had he faith sufficient to saluation before he hearde the preaching of the worde which indeed is that especiall effectuall blessed and excellent ordinarye meane of faith as it appeareth more plainlie and fully in the next part of our text Which beeing rightly waighed confirmeth the great necessitye of preaching and prooueth that euerye minister ought to preach Woe be to me if I preach not the Gospell And why so because I am called to it because I am a minister because the Lorde requireth it of me Although Saint Paule and the other Apostles had priuiledges and prerogatiues which we haue not although we haue not fullye so large a Commission as he and they had although they did manye thinges which we neither may nor can do yet as touching the office of preaching it appertaineth as well to vs as to them And for the further proofe of this matter I will rehearse some argumentes which before I haue vsed in this place adding diuers others to them 1 It is the coÌ„mandement of Christ and the holy Apostles therefore necessary Christ saide to his Apostles Goe preach the Gospell The which coÌ„mandement in this behalfe belongeth to all the ministers of God Saint Paule straightly chargeth the ministers of Ephesus Take heede vnto your selues and to all the flocke whereof the holy Ghost hath made you ouerseers to feede the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own bloud And most weightily of all he requireth it in the place already alleadged he leaueth it not as a thing indifferent that may bee done or vndone but speaketh with a wonderful and mighty protestation hee ioyneth the Scripture and preaching togeather For hauing before in the former Chapiter set foorth the great profit of the scriptures straight waye hee necessarilye addeth this forecible exhortation I charge thee therefore before God and before the Lord Iesus Christ which shall iudge the quicke and the deade at his appearing and in his kingdome preach the worde be instant in season and out of season improoue rebuke exhort 2 It is an argument and token of the loue the minister oweth vnto
Christ and to the people as it appeareth Iohn 21. 15. where Iesus Christ sayth to Peter after his resurrection Simon sonne of Iona louest thou me more then these He sayde vnto him yea Lorde thou knowest that I loue thee he sayde to him feed my Lambes He said vnto him the second time Simon the sonne of Iona louest thou me He sayde vnto him yea Lorde thou knowest that I loue thee he sayd vnto him feed my sheepe Christ said to him the third time Simon the sonne of Iona louest thou me Peter was sory because he sayde to him the third time louest thou me said vnto him Lord thou knowest all thinges thou knowest that I loue thee Iesus sayd vnto him feed my sheepe Whereby it is euident that those which feed not loue not Christ Seeing then that feeding or preaching is so plaine a token of the loue that the minister oweth to Christe it is most necessarily required if any do preach and yet not vpon this loue they haue their condemnation 3 The church of God is begunne and grounded by the preaching of the worde and therefore necessarie Paule sayth Faith commeth by the word preached Againe he counteth his preaching amongst the Corinthians a planting of them in faith and religion S. Peter sayth We are borne a new not of mortall seed but of immortall by the worde of God who liueth and endureth for euer And presently addeth This is the worde which is preached among you 4 By preaching y e Church of God is not onelye begunne but also amplified builded and enlarged It will not onely make vs Babes in Christ but strong and spirituall men It hath not onely milke for the weake but strong meate for them that are at age By it we are brought not onelye to the beginning of Christe and firste rudimentes of Christian religion but also we are ledde forwarde vnto perfection The holye Apostle affyrmeth this when as he sayeth that Iesus gaue some to be Apostles and Prophetes and some Euangelistes and some Pastours and Teachers for the gathering of Saintes for the worke of the Ministerie and for the edification of the bodie of Christ vnto a persect man and vnto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ 5 The Church of God begun and brought to that perfection which can be in earth is also stayed strengthened vpholden and preserued by the preaching of the word against sinne and errour And therefore for these causes also the preaching of the word is most necessary yea and that dayly and continually because some are weake and haue neede of dayly strengthning some fall into errours and some into greeuous sinnes from the which they are to bee drawne out by the effectuall preaching of the worde This doth the holy Apostle confirme whereas he saith that The whole Scripture is profitable to teach to improoue to correct and to instruct in righteousnesse that the man of God may be absolute beeing made perfect vnto all good workes 6 Againe to the pure preaching of the worde the Lorde hath promised a blessing the minister shal be blessed the people also blessed thorough it They that bee wise sayth Daniell shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament And they that tourne many vnto righteousnesse shall shine as the starres for euer and euer The wise and faithfull Steward that giueth meate to the housholde in due season when his master commeth he shall be blessed and made partaker of exceeding ioy glory Take heed saith y e Apostle to thy selfe and to learning continue therein for in dooing this thou shalt both saue thy selfe and them that heare thee God so blessed the preaching of his Seruaunt Ionas that through it the Niniuites beleeued God humbled them selues and forsooke their former wicked wayes At one preaching of Peter there were wonne to the Lord about thrée thousande soules Thus doth the Lorde blesse his owne order the minister by pure and faithfull preaching dischargeth his owne soule obtayneth peace in conscience and so is blessed in this life but shall bee farre more blessed in the life to come when hee hath finished his course he shall receiue an incorruptible crown of glory The people also by this means are many waies blessed they receiue knowledge fayth saluation their eyes are opened they are tourned from darknesse to light and from the power of Sathan vnto God Al these great and notable blessinges do ensue the preaching of the word and therfore required most necessarily in euery minister 7 On the other side without this both the minister and the people are accursed the bloud of the people shall be required at his handes because he hath not as a faithfull watch-man forewarned them of daunger and yet they shall dye in their owne sinnes The Lorde complayneth by his Prophet Hosea saying My people are destroyed for lacke of knowledge because thou hast refused knowledge I will also refuse thee that thou shalt be no priest to mee To this agreeth our Sauiour Christ If the salt haue lost his saltnesse it is good for nothing but to be cast out and to be troden vnder foote of men And if these ministers which sometimes haue had salt in them zeale and knowledge to season the people and by negligence and carelesnesse decaye and loose it If these I say be worthie to be cast out how miserable and curssed are they which neuer had nor yet haue any Salt in them It must needes be fulfilled of them which our Sauiour speaketh in an other place They be blinde leaders of the blinde and if the blinde lead the blind both shall fall into the ditch that is both the ignoraunt Minister and the ignoraunt people shall perishe And in an other place it is sayde Caste that vnprofitable Seruaunt into vtter darknesse there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth And here it is sayde Woe be to me if I preach not the Gospell Seeing then that euery way there hangeth so many greeuous cursses both vppon the minister and people where the worde is not preached it is most requisite and necessarie that euery minister looke to this euen as hee will escape the fearefull and heauie cursse of God 8 Moreouer the chiefe ende and vse why the Scriptures were written doth require preaching They are left for our comfort instruction and edifiyng But we are most comforted instructed and edified if they be opened and applyed vnto vs and therefore moste necessarie that they be so vsed 9 Also the corruption and dulnesse of our nature requyreth the same We are dull ignoraunt and carelesse wee please our selues in our owne sinnes the Deuill goeth about continually to deuour vs and therefore we haue neede to haue continuall preaching of the worde The naturall man perceiueth not the thinges that are of Gods spirit Dauid after he had sinned continued in his sinne vntill the Prophet reprooued him for it yea
be hidden from the Church of God And to speake more fully and directly to the purpose as touching this matter of the necessitie of preaching of the miserable estate of them that be without it and of suche ministers as preach not This matter I saye in my conscience with wisedome and discretion may be spoken priuatly or openly wheresoeuer when soeuer before whomsoeuer there is no place but it hath need of this doctrin no time but it requireth it no persoÌ„s that it is not meete for It is most fit and conuenient most profitable and necessary for all estates and degrees of men high and low rich and poore strong and weake learned and vnlearned Princes Nobles Byshops Preachers dumbe Ministers and people all haue neede of this Doctrine They which haue knowledge haue neede of it that they may knowe what they haue beene that they maye see what they are and bee thankfull to God The ignoraunt sorte haue neede of this doctrine that they may feele their misotable estate and so seeke for help and remedy Princes Nobles and gentlemen haue neede of this doctrine and it is fit and necessary to bee preached before them that knowing the necessity and worthines of preaching they may be more carefull and liberall to maintaine it and with better conscience bestow their liuinges The learned Bishops haue neede of this docâ—rine it is chiefly to be vrged before them and they are continually to remember it least they lay hands rashly on anie man and so be partakers of other mens sinnes The wise and godlie Preachers haue neede of this doctrine that they may be comforted and stirred vp to greater zeale and trauaile ignoraunt ministers haue néede of this doctrine that they may see the damnable state they stand in and so either amend if it will bee or els giue themselues to some other calling more fit and profitable for them Let this doctrine be stayed let men be perswaded as they are of themselues that they are in good state without the word preached that bare reading will serue the turn the people waxe carelesse and make no account of preaching For they thinke they are well inough and best of all without it the people of God shall lacke their strengthning their growing in faith and knowledge Princes and Gentlemen wil make no account as they do but little already how or on whome they bestow their liuinges The preachers shall be nothing set by the Idoll ministers encourage the famous vniuersities decayed and ouerthrowne and in a word the concealing hindring and withstanding this doctrin is the next way to cast downe all religion and learning to bring Princes Nobles rich and poore Ministers and people to hipocrisie and Atheisine The Lorde therefore open the mouthes of his faithfull Ministers to the daily vrging of this so necessary a doctrine that the prince may be strengthened the Nobles stirred vp all good ministers encouraged the poore people instructed ignoraunce and idolatry defaced Religion and knowledge of God may flowe thorow the whole lande that at the length all ignoraunt and carelesse ministers may be ashamed and euery congregation may haue a faithfull seuerall and a resident Pastor Thus wee haue seene at large that whosoeuer will preach the Gospel faithfully and profitably he must first of all and chiefly vrge the doctrine of repentaunce which men can neuer haue before they know their sinnes by the law of God and therefore the sinnes of all men must be thoroughly and sharpely reprooued and cheefly the sinnes of them which do most hurt and giue greatest occasion of offence as the sin of the Magistrate and the minister Now indéed to repentance ther must be ioined also the doctrine of remission of sinnes through Christ But this belongeth onely to them that repent that are humbled and cast down that feele in their conscience the torment of sinne and condemnation to such belongeth remission of sinnes to such it is to be offered and preached but it doth not appertaine to ignoraunt and sencelesse men to Hypocrites Infidels Atheists Iusticiaries prophane and carnall men these haue nothing to doe with the doctrine of remission of sinnes And because this age is altogether secure and carelesse full of iniquitie of ignorance disobedience vnthankfulnesse and contempt of the worde it is vnworthy of the doctrine of mercie and remission of sinnes so much the more worthy as the benfites of God in so great measure and so long a time haue beene receiued without anye profite at all so that in manye there is nothing stil but ignoraunce and idolatrie in others lesse zeal and religion lesse Godlinesse of life then was in them many yeares agoe and are these men worthy of mercy Is remission of sinnes to bee preached and offered to them nay the former doctrine of repentance of the lawe of reproouing sinne of denouncing the iudgements of God against al states and degrées This part of the Gospell I say is most fit and néedfull for such an age And woe bee to vs if wee preach not the Gospell Consider also I beséech you here before we goe to an ende the excellency and worthinesse of the preaching of the gospel It is small accounted of in the worlde it is thought a vile and a simple office it is contemned and dispised of y â— most part But if these meÌ„ knew the sweet and excellent things contaâ—â—ed and offered in the Gospell whicâ— is y e matter of preaching they would also know the worthinesse of this so high a calling and that the excellency thereof may more clearelye appeare let vs ad some surther proofe of this matter And first remember y t this calling of the ministery preaching of the worde is no deuise of any mortall man but the ordinance of y e liuing God It was he that ordeined Moses and the Prophets The Prophesy came not in the olde time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were mooued by the holy ghost The Lord Iesus himselfe called appointed and sent foorth into the worlde his Apostles to preach the Gospell It is the holy Ghoste which ordayneth saythfull ouerseers to feede the Church of God It is Christe also at this day which appointeth Pastors and teachers for the gathering together of his saints It must needes be a worthy and an honorable calling which hath so worthy authors euen God him selfe his sonne Christe Iesus and the holie ghost yea and not only so but as worthy haue exercised and practised this calling The first preacher that euer was in the world was God him selfe he preached to Adam in paradise that comfortable Gospel the seed of the woman shall destroy the serpents head After that he stirred vp Noe and Lot Moses the prophets men of singular credite and authority Nay what shall I speak of Dauid and Solomon of the which the one was a most victorious prince and the other most wealthy yet they haue gotten more glory and