none of these in truth doe make account of the Gospell And now let vs come to the third parte of our Text wherein is sett downe what euery Minister ought to preache namely the Gospell They are not bounde to deliuer the Counselles of men the Traditions of the Fathers the Statutes of earthly Princes or the authoritie of mortâ—ll men but as they are the seruauntes of Iesus Christ Prince of all Princes so are they bounde onely to preache his Gospell The true Prophetes neuer speake of them selues to the people but as they receiued warning from the Lorde They had no authoritie to speake their owne words nor the words of any mortal man The Apostles might not teach their own doctrine but onely that whiche they had receiued from their Maister who enioyneth them to teache all thinges what soeuer he had commaunded them Goe saieth he and preache the Gospell The holy Apostle writing to the Corinthians auoucheth that he receiued of the Lorde that which he deliuered to them whereby wee maie see all these Teachers confuted which stande vpon the authoritie of men whiche adde or diminishe any thing from the Scriptures whiche ioyne their owne fantasies and the traditions of men with the holy pure and perfect worde of God Woe be to those sonnes of vanities for in deede they preache not the Gospell they preache 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 Lord saith by his Prophet He that hath a dreame let him tell a dreame and he that hath my word let him speake my word faithfully and what is the chaffe to the wheate saith the Lorde Is not my worde euen like a fire saieth the Lorde and like a hammer that breaketh the stone Our Sauiour in the Gospel speaketh against such teachers saying In vaine they worshippe me teaching the doctrine and preceptes of men Let vs remeÌ„ber that which is spoken in the last Chapter of the Reuelation I protest vnto euery man that heareth the prophesie of this booke if any man add vnto these thinges God shall add 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 awaie his parte out of the booke of life and out of the holy Cittie and from these thinges which are written in this booke Woe be to them which preache and yet preach not the Gospell But that we may know the better howe the Gospell should bee preached let vs consider a little what it is and what it containeth The Euangelistes call it the Gospell of the Kingdome Sainct Paule accoumpteth it that whiche was promised before by the Prophetes in the holie Scriptures concerning Iesus Christe our Lorde And in the same Chapter he saieth It is the power of GOD vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth And in an other place he calleth it the worde and ministrie of Reconciliation Sainct Iohn calleth it the testimonie of Iesus Christ From these and suche like places maie bee easily gathered a full definition of the Gospell whiche I leaue to your godly consideration Onely this I adde that vnder the voyce of the Gospell is comprehended the whole historie of Iesus Christ in the flâ—she and also the fruite and vse of the same Historie As touchyng the first namely the historie of Christe it is sommarily comprehended vnder his Passion and Resurrection the vse and ende of all is that wee should haue repentaunce and remission of sinnes in his name and this doeth Christe himselfe witnesse when as he laied to his Apostles after his Resurrection Thus it is written and thus it behooued Christ to suffer and to rise againe from the dead the third daie and that repentance and remission of sinnes should bee preached in his name among all Nations To this agreeth the holy Apostle Saint Peter when as he saieth with other the Apostles to the Counsel 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 hande to bee a Prince and a Sauiour to giue repentaunce vnto Israell and forgiuenesse of sinnes By this wee maie see how the Gospell must bee preached the people must bee taught what Christe hath done for them The whole Storie of his Incarnation Conception Birth Sufferinges Resurrection and Assention these thinges I saie must bee often tymes and effectually preached to the people as they are set downe by the holy Euangelistes and Apostles But yet this is not enough to shewe what Christ hath done to rehearse the Storie of his Incarnation but also the Minister must bee carefull to preache the vse the ende and fruite of the same Storie whiche is that the people maie repent bee tourned vnfainedly vnto God and so by faith made pertakers of remission of sinnes through Iesus Christe Repentaunce is a true tournyng to GOD a chaungyng of the outwarde and inwarde man a dying to sinne a liuing to righteousnesse and a mendement of the whole life which this doctrine wee must beginne this we must first of all and chiefly vrge This is that doctrine chiefly and most of all preached by the holy Prophetes This is the common and vsuall voyce O Israell returne to the Lorde Iohn the Baptist the Messenger and also Iesus Christe his Maister they crye both of them Repent for the kingdome of Heauen is at hande The Apostles also euery where exhorte men to repentaunce to amendement of life to mortification and regeneration This is an vsuall doctrine in all their Epistles Now they can neuer truly repent which knowe not the greatnesse of their sinnes and the punishment due to them And how shall they knowe this except their sinnes bee reproued and laied 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 bee seperated from the preaching of the Gospell for it is a Schoolemaister to bring vs to Christ This then is necessarily required of euery Minister freely and boldly to reprooue sinne in all states and degrees whatsoeuer This is it that the Lorde saieth to his Prophete Crye aloude spare not lift vp thy voyce like 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 worlde of sinne And in deede there is no doctrine more necessarie for this age wherein wee liue although fewe can away it but crie out against such as preache 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
prooue the necessitie of preaching and that euery Minister is bound to preach Thirdly I will shewe what they ought to preach The first point as in many 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 being a Minister and saying VVoe bee vnto mee if I preach not the gospell doth plainely affirme as much The third is here set downe most plainly 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 applyed to the publique office of the Minister otherwise I knowe this worde preaching to haue a further and more general signification But I speake of it as Christ and the Apostles doe applying it to the Ministers Saint Paul sayth He that prophecieth speaketh vnto men to edifiyng to exhortation and to comfort The same Apostle charging Timothie in him euery minister to preach the word addeth immediatly 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 sayth that Christ taught or preached in Nazareth He first reade then shut the booke afterwarde he expounded that scripture which he read and so applyed it to the hearers By these 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 sufficient 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 expounded 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 wee speake not againste it wee disalowe it not but account it a holye lawfull necessarye and profitable meane whereby greate good and benefite is wrought to the Church of God but yet it doth not follow y t it is sufficient in a minister y t it will serue simply of it self in the publique congregation The Lorde hath set downe another order and requireth greater things at the handes of his speciall seruaunts But this matter shal appear more plain in the words following For my purpose in this part is only to shew you by some circumstances and discriptions what preaching is and that reading is not preaching or at least that kinde 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 hungry 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 hearde before and Preachers are counted Pastors and feeders Again meate that is rawe and fat maye bee called good but it is not to bee eaten before it bee made readye and dressed so are the Scriptures reade good holy and pure but not sufficient foode for the people without preaching Againe bare reading is as thogh one should 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 should offer good treasures and yet suche as were hid shut vp fast locked could not becōe by preching 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 worship God as he went reade the scriptures if reading wold haue serued his turn Philip needed not to haue come to him but he vnderstoode not before be had a guide hee was not conuerted neyther had he sayth sufficient to saluation before hee hearde the preaching of the Worde which in deede is that especiall effectuall blessed and excellent ordinarye meane of fayth as it appeareth more plainly and fully in the next part of our text Which beeing rightly waighed confirmeth the greate necessitye of preaching and prooueth that euery Minister ought to preach Woe bee 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 hee and they had Although they did many thinges which we neither may nor can doe 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 commandemēt of Christ and the holy Apostles therefore necessary Christ sayd to his Apostles Goe preach the Gospell The which cōmandement in this behalfe belongeth to all the ministers of God Saint Paule straightly chargeth the ministers of Ephesus Take heed 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 al he requireth it in the place already alleadged he leaueth it not as a thing indifferent that may be done or vndone but speaketh with a wonderful and mighty protestation he 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 token of the loue the
Minister oweth vnto Christ and to the people as it appeareth Ioh. 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 sayd 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 Séeing then that feeding or preaching is so plaine a token of the loue that the minister oweth to Christ it is moste 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 word and therfore necessary Paule sayth Faith commeth by the worde preached Againe he counteth his preaching amongst the Corrinthians a planting of them in faith and religion S. Peter sayth We are borne a new not of mortall seede but of immortall by the word of God who liueth and indureth for euer And presētly addeth This is the word which is preached among you 4 By preaching the church of God is not onely begun but also amplified buildes and enlarged It wil not onely make vs babes in Christe but strong and spirituall men It hath not onely milke for the weake but strong meate for them that are of age By it we are brought not onely to the beginning of Christe and firste rudimentes of Christian religion but also we are ledde forwarde vnto perfection The holy Apostle affyrmeth this when as hee sayth that Iesus gaue some to be Apostles and Prophetes and some Euangelistes and some Pastoures and Teachers for the gathering of Sayntes for the worke of the Ministery and for the edification of the bodye of Christe vnto a perfect man and vnto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christe 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 worde against sinne and errour And therefore for these causes also the preaching of the word is most necessary yea and that daylye and continually because some are weake and haue need of daily strengthening some fall into errours and some into greeuous Sinnes from the which they are to bee drawen out by the effectuall preaching of the worde This doth the holy Apostle confirme whereas he sayth 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 word the Lorde hath promised a blessing the minister shal be blessed the people also blessed through it They that be 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 maister commeth he shall be blessed and made partaker of exceeding ioy and glory Take heed sayth the Apostle to thy selfe and to learning continue therin for in doing 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 beléeued God humbled them selues and forsooke their former wicked wayes At one preaching of Peter there were wonne to the Lorde about thre 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 be 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 ways blessed they receiue knowledge faith saluation their eies are opened they are turned frō darknes to light frō y e power of satan vnto God All these great and notable blessings doe ensue the preaching of the worde and therefore required most necessarilie in euery minister 7 On the other side without this both the minister and the people are accursed the bloud of the people shal be required at his handes because he hath not as a faithfull watchman forewarned them of daunger and yet they shall die in their owne sinnes The Lord complaineth by his Prophet Hosea saying My people are destroyed for lacke of knowledge because thou haste refused knowledge I will also refuse thee that thou shalt be no Priest to me To this agreeth our Sauiour Christ If the salt haue lost his saltnes it is good for nothing but to be cast out and to be troden vnder foot of men And if these Ministers which sometimes haue had Salte in them zeale and knowledge to season the people and by negligence and carelesnes decay and loose it If these I saye be worthy to be cast out howe miserable and cursed are they which neuer had nor yet haue any Salt in them It muste 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 another place it is sayde Cast that vnprofitable Seruaunt into vtter darkenesse 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 manye greeuous curses both vppon the minister and people where the worde is not preached it is most requysite 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 requyre preaching They are lefte for our comforte instruction and edifying But we are most comforted instructed and edifyed if they bee opened and applyed to 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 We please our selues in our owne sinnes the Deuill goeth about continually to deuour vs and therefore we haue need to haue continuall preaching of the word 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
from the Churche of GOD. And to speake more fully and directly to the purpose as touchyng this matter of the necessitie of preachyng of the miserable estate of them that be with out it and of suche Ministers as preathe not this matter I say in my conscience with wisdome and discretion may be spoken priuately or openly where soeuer when so euer and before whom soeuer there is no place but it hath need of this doctrin no time but it requireth it no persons that it is not meet for It is most fit and conuenient most profitable and necessarye for all states and degrees of men high and low rich and poore strong and weake learned and vnlearned Princes Nobles Bishops Preachers dumbe Ministers and people all haue need of this doctrine They which haue knowledge haue need of it that they may know what they haue beene that they maye see what they are c be thankfull to God The ignorant sort haue need of this doctrine that they may feel their miserable estate and so seek for help and remedy Princes Nobles and gentlemen haue neede of this doctrine and it is fit and necessary to be 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 doctrine it is chiefly to be vrged before them and they are continually to remember it least they lay hands rashly on any man and so be partakers of other mens sins The wise and Godly Preachers haue neede of this doctrine that they may be comforted and stirred vp to greater zeal and trauail ignorant ministers haue need of this doctrine that they may see the damnable state they stande in and so either amende if it will be or els giue thēselues to some other calling more fit and profitable for them Let this doctrine be stayed Let men be perswaded as they are of them selues that they are in good state without the word preached that bare reading wil serue the tourne the people waxe carelesse and make no account of preaching For they thinke they are wel inough and best of al without it the people of God shal lack their strēgthening their growing in faith and knowledge Princes and Gentlemen wil make no account as they do but little alreadie how or on whom they bestow their liuinges The preachers shal be nothing set by the Idol ministers encouraged y e famous vniuersities decated ouerthrown in a word y t concealing hindring withstāding this doctrine is the next way to cast down al religion learning to bring princes nobles rich poore ministers people to hipocrisie and Atheisme The lord therfore open y e mouthes of his faithful ministers to y e dayly vrging of this so necessary a doctrine y t the prince may be strengthened the Nobles stirred vp all good ministers encouraged the poore people instructed ignoraunce idolatry defaced religion and knowledge of God may flowe thorow the whol land that at y e length al ignorāt careles ministers may be ashamed euery congregatiō may haue a faithful seuerall a resident Pastor Thus we haue seene at large y t whosoeuer wil preach y t Gospel faithfully and profitably he must first of all chiefly vrge the doctrine of repentaunce which men can neuer haue before they know their sins by the law of God and therefore the sins of all men muste be throughly and sharply reprooued and chiefly the sins of them which do most hurt and giue greatest occasion of offence as the sin of the magistrate and the minister Now indeed to repentance ther must be ioyned 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 ignorant and sencelesse men to hipocrites infidels Atheistes Iusticiaries prophane and carnall men these haue nothing to do with the doctrine of remission of sins And because this age is altogether secure and carelesse ful of iniquitie of ignorance disobedience vnthankfulnesse and contempt of the worde it is vnworthie of the doctrine of mercie and remission of sinnes so much the more vnworthy as the benefites of God in so great measure and so long a time haue beene receiued without any profit at all so that in many ther is nothing stil but ignorance and Idolatry 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 sins to be preached and offered to them nay the former doctrin of repentaunce of the lawe of reproouing sinne of denouncing the iudgements of God against all states and degrees This part of the Gospell I say is most fit and needful for such an age And woe be to vs if we preach not the Gospell Consider also I besech you here before we goe to an ende the excellency and worthinesse of the preaching of the gospel It is smal accounted of in the worlde it is thought a vile and a simple office it is contemned and dispised of the most part But if these mē knew the sweet and excellent things contained and offered in the Gospell which is the matter of preaching they woulde also know the worthinesse of this so high a calling that the excellēcy therof may more clearly appeare let vs adde some further proofe of this matter And first remember that this calling of the ministery preaching of y e word is no deuise of any mortall man but the ordinance of the liuing God It was he y e ordayned Moses the prophetes The prophesy came not in the old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were mooued by the holy Ghoste The Lorde Iesus himself called appointed sent foorth into y e world his Apostles to preach y e gospell It is the holy ghost which ordaineth faythfull 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 honourable calling which hath so worthy authors euen God him self his sonne Christ Iesus the holy ghost yea and not only so but as worthy haue exercised practised this calling The first preacher y t euer was in the world was God him selfe he preached to Adam in paradise that comfortable Gospel the seed of y e woman shall destroy the Serpentes head After that he stirred vp Noe Lot Moses and the prophetes men of singular credite and authoritie Nay what shal I speake of Dauid and Solomon of the which the one was a most victorious prince and the other most wealthy yet they