the greater is your sin because you rob God of the more Glory and you take great pains to purchase great misery Approbation may be the result of your work and with this the Lord crown your Labours and encourage your faithfulness yet this is not to be your primary intention or ultimate end which is too often the sin of young Divines Trust God with your Credit Name c. and seek his Glory and carry on the interest of Souls and he will honour you here so far as he sees good for you and eternally in Heaven You are also to Chatechise the young among your People diligently to Instruct the Babes and faithfully to Teach the Simple It is your duty plainly and briefly to handle the Fundamental Points of Religion by way of Catechism to the Ignorant this will much facilitate Religion to them when they see the beginning and end of Divine Truths Lay a Foundation before you begin to Build this is the noblest and hardest work fit for a Master-builder and makes a well-grounded People Vessels season'd with the Water of Life may retain the savour thereof till old Age. Both the Sacraments of the New Testament are to be Administred by you As to the Lord's-Supper be tender and walk according to Gospel-rule that you be not partaker of other Mens sins nor pollute that Sacred Ordinance by giving it to the grosly ignorant scandalous or prophane As a faithful Shepherd often visit your Flock that you may know their states how things stand between God and their Souls and give them suitable savoury and profitable Advices Wo to all Careless Non-residents by their absence from or negligence when present among their People You have Sir given a good account of your Learning and Sufficiency yet let me tell you that you are still to give attendance to Reading to meditate on these things and give your self wholly to them that your profiting may appear to all Men 1 Tim. 4.15 Your Time and Parts are not your own but under God your Peoples and to be imploy'd for their profit Believe it you 'l find your layings-out will be considerable therefore your layings-in had need be answerable Make use of your own Understanding neglect not your own Parts but labour by Studying Reading and Praying hard that you may be throughly furnisht to every good work content not your self with a few Baskets full of broken Meat but strive to be able on all occasions to bring forth out of your Treasury things both new and old Your head and heart must be at work and both applyed to this Implopment If you would be Faithful you must mind the Work of the Ministry and make it appear that both in your Preparation for and Execution of your Office you labour in the Word and Doctrine You have gotten a Cure therefore must not live without care you are God's Seeds-man to sow the Seed of Eternal Life in the Hearts of your People and you must do it in the Morning and in the Evening not with-hold your hand You are God's Husband-man and this People are your Tillage Redit labor actus in orbem Your work goes round in a circle 't is never at an end Spring Summer Autumn Winter no vacation in any You are painfully to Labour in your Study for your Publick work to provide as David did for the House of God even with all your might The Portion allotted to the Priest under the Law was the Breast and Shoulder God will not bless your Idleness but Endevours any thing may not serve your turn wherewith to fill the hour God wrought six days for your example two or three hours on a Saturday-night will not excuse you Cursed is he that doth the Work of the Lord negligently There are some that are offended and cast an evil Eye upon diligent Preachers because their labouriousness condemns their laziness So great and difficult is your Work that even Paul saith who is sufficient for these things Austin says it is Onus angelicis humeris ormindandum How many have spent themselves wasted their Lungs and Lives in this labourious Work the Labour of the Brain and Mind far exceeding the greatest bodily Labour Witness the large Volums of the Fathers and Moderns which were so many Monuments of their unwearyed Pains You must Labour for the Pulpit and in the Pulpit Labour in the Study before you speak the Labour of Zeal and Love in speaking and the Labour of Suffering after speaking no danger so great as Spiritual therefore no care must be so great as Ministerial Your care must be for them who do not and with them who do care for themselves As much as lyes in you be ready to Preach the Gospel be glad to spend and be spent in this Service Work the Work of him that hath sent you in the Lord. Be instant stick close to the Work Preach the Word in Season out of Season 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a good Season on the Lord's-Day the particular season appointed for the Preaching of the Word and out of Season at other seasonable times besides that set-time as occasion is offered taking all opportunities of doing good Paul exhorts Timothy to drink a little Wine for his Stomachs sake but not to Preach but a little for his Healths sake surely a Minister cannot be spent better than thus to wast himself to save the Souls of others Remember what Austin Mr. Calvin Bp. Jewel and Dr. John Raynolds said of Dying Praying or Preaching c. Your work is of Infinite consequence your time is exceeding short and precious and your Reward is glorious and Eternal Look Sir look on this People behold the Souls of many wounded bleeding dying and let your eye affect your Heart Did Christ die and weep and bleed for Souls and will not you sweat for Souls Is it not a fearful thing to be guilty of the Blood of Souls Will you prefer your idleness before the Salvation of the Peoples Souls What pains did Jacob take in feeding of his Flock of Sheep He regarded not the heat of the day nor the cold of the night nor want of his sleep Gen. 31. Do not the Prophets denounce woes against idle and Idol Preachers Doth not Paul say Wo be to me if I Preach not the Gospel Was not the slothful servant that hid his Talent in a Napkin condemned What is your labour and condescension to Christ's when he debased himself is it not your honour to be imployed in seeking and laving these that are lost How can you think to be saved by the Blood of Christ your self if you make light of Souls that are the purchase of his Blood Expect Sir to meet with many discouragments and dangers much hardship and opposition Bears and Lyons in your way Storms and Tempests in your Voyages But remember you have this day professed a good profession before many Witnesses you have Sworn your self a Soldier yea Officer of the Lord of Hosts you have listed your self
in his Muster-roll entred your Name as a Volunteer and promised to Live and Die in his Quarrel Oh resolve rather to Die with than to deny him fly not from your Colours forsake not your Captain go not out of God's Blessing into the warm Sun but endure hardship as a good Soldier of Jesus Christ Leave not that Service which you have chosen and liked as in all things the best Know that good is your Cause better is your Crown and best of all is your Captain to whom keep close and he will bring you off with Triumph either keep you safe on Earth or take you safe to Heaven Like a good Shepherd shew your Flock a good Example 1 Pet. 5.3 Lead it as they in the Eastern Countrys who drove not their Flocks before but the Sheep followed them Let your Life and Doctrine go together and not cross each other Say as Gideon to his Soldiers look on me and do Likewise Be a burning Light in your Sermons and a shining Light in your Conversation Joyn the Bell of Preaching and the Pomegranate of Practising together Have your Vrim Purity of Doctrine and Thummim Sanctity of Life walk in the right way your self in which you are Mercury to direct others Aaron's sign of being called to the Priesthood was a Fruit-bearing Rod. The Cloven Tongues of the Apostles had as it were Fingers on them to shew and teach them that their Words should be their Works It is the note of a bad Man but mark of a good Minister Prov. 6.13 to speak with his feet hence Rom. 10.15 How beautiful are the feet of those that Preach the Gospel of Peace not only their Tongues their Speaking but their Feet their walking and teach with his Fingers I would not have to be vox et praeteura nihil yet tota vox that your People may see your Voice acting in your Conversation and say as we have heard so we have seen You are an Angel in this respect because you should have hands under your wings and should be as an Angel in your life in comparison of other Men. But if an Angel falls he turns a Devil You are called a Star and should be an Ornament in the Heaven of the Church but if you are Erratick they that walk by your Guidance will be apt to wander Oh then let it be your care to be holy as Angels yea God himself is holy in all manner of Conversation walk with God in your Closet Family Words and Speeches be sober and gracious forgetful of injuries slow to Anger patient in Afflictions ready to do good to all but hurt to none and a companion of them that fear the Lord. Your conversation is narrowly looked into for you are as a City set upon a Hill a little spot is soon seen a little hole is soon spy'd in your Coat yea if there be none there are those that will make one if they can A Wart a Mole the least blemish in the face is perspicuous and apparent to all You are called to draw near unto God and with Moses to be with God as it were in the Mounts therefore had need be holy Lev. 10.3 Aaron's Forehead had Holiness to the Lord written upon it when he stood before the Lord and none could be made a Priest that had any Blemish Joshua the High-Priest was commanded to put off his filthy Garments before he stood before the Lord. Unclean hands are not fit to carry God's Ark. How holy had he need be that draws near to so Holy a God Isa 33.14 15. Alas who is he to speak to God and live Nay to speak from God to the People that they may live Would you Preach with Authority Practice that your self which you Preach to others Christ Taught with Authority and not as the Scribes because he did and taught he Taught by Example as well as Precept Acts 1.1 Then there is life in your Doctrine when there is Doctrine in your life Suadet loquentis vita non oratio Life Oratory is most powerful But words have little power when our lives are contrary Dicta factis deficientibus erubescant Words blush when Deeds fail Quid verba audiam cum facta non video He that lives contrary to his Preaching prostitutes his authority forfeits his own credit and his hearers belief of what he Preacheth Rom. 2.22 c. He who lives loosly hath Jacobs Voice and Esaus hands who acts a double part of a Saint in the Pulpit of a Sinner out of it tempts the People thus justly to argue if what he Speaks be true why doth he not practice it If he lives aright why doth he not Preach it A suitable Living and Conversation will gain and uphold the Credit and Reputation of a Minister and his Preaching This raiseth even in Wicked Men sometimes a reverent and high esteem of the work of the Ministry and of the Person for the Works sake as in Saul to Samuel Ahab to Elias Joash to Jehoiada and Herod to John Baptist An exemplary Life is a good preservative against Contempt or at worst a ground of Comfort in it Whereas an unsuitable Conversation exposes a Ministers Person and Office to Contempt and Scorn Wholsom Meat comming out of a foul Dish is loathed the wicked Lives of Eli's Sons made the People abhor the Offerings of the Lord. The Lacedemonians would not receive good Counsel from a debautch Person till the same was given by one of a grave carriage Cujus vita despititur Ejus predicatio contemnitor Gregory Sins of Teachers are teaching Sins Praecepta docent exempla movent Hence under the Law as great a Sacrifice was offered for the Sins of the Minister as of the whole Congregation Lev. 4.3 Without this holy exemplary Life how shall you save your own Souls and those that hear you but while you Preach to others your self may prove a Cast-away and it may be truly said of you what was falsly said of Christ You saved others your selt you could not save So the Carpenters who built an Ark for Noah which saved others were drowned themselves So the Sea-mark may rot it self which gives others warning to avoid Shipwreck So Moses brought the People to the Land of Canaan but enter'd not himself So Sampson's Lyon had Honey in his Belly which refreshed others but not himself Such a Minister's Sermon to others will witness against himself and make his Judgment inexcusable when his own Mouth shall condemn him and his own lips bear witness against him Take then the Counsel given 2 Tim. 4.16 I refer you to 1 Tim. 3. Tit. 1. So carry your self that you may have a good report of them that are without that your very Adversaries may say This is a fit Man for this Sacred Sanction and may be converted by your example Let not your Works give your Words the Lye but Preach as powerfully by your Life as by your Lips Do not only as Erasmus saith magna loqui but magna
Gate of Heaven that God would open his Mouth both for inward Gifts and Abilities and the outward Expression of them Eph. 6.18 19. Col. 4.2 3. 2 Cor. 1.11 Beg a Door of entrance for your selves that God would open your Hearts and not only give you an Eye to see but an Heart to embrace the Word Eph. 1.17 18. Psal 119.18 Luke 24.45 Pray that the Word may have a free passage in his Mouth and your Hearts God must do both Acts 16.14 The Messages that he brings and the Blessing of his Labours is from God Pray for his Protection Assistance and Success in his Work which is of great Importance very hazardous to miscarry in and most opposed by Earth and Hell He that is engag'd in this Work is subject to the like Infirmities with his Brethren yea he is at work for you for the Service of your Faith and your Profit by him is not a little furthered by your Prayers for him Forget not then to commend your Minister to God He hath Authority to reprove Sin in any of you and that plainly and boldly as one having Authority Tit. 2.15 Jer. 2.17 It is your Duty to admit and accept of this part of God's Ordinance even of the word of Reproof as well as of Instruction and Comfort James 1.21 And if you have Grace you 'll take well and love him the better that deals Faithfully with you this way for surely much of Grace is seen in giving a Reproof duly and in taking a Reproof thankfully He is to be exemplary in Piety yet you are not to expect he should be free from some Frailties Weaknesses and Infirmities tho' he may from Enormities He is subject to like Passions with other Men so was Elias Paul c. The High Priest himself who was only to enter into the Holy of Holies was first to offer for his own then for the Sins of the People Dirt may but Dust can hardly be kept from Cloaths The most Godly Minister hath his Pillar of Cloud as well as of Fire Is he a Man of God yet but a Man yea none are so clean but others may cast Dirt upon them Cloaths brush'd and clean may be dash'd and spotted in dirty Ways by passers by Some paint Angels black because they cannot make them so this was done to Christ and the Primitive Christians Thus it fared with Athanasius Luther Calvin Beza not to instance in the more Modern And alas hereby the Power of the Ministry is hindred in the Hearts of the Hearers Look not for Angelical Perfection in your Minister nor Censure or Despise him for the least Infirmity you discern in him or any that are or may be near to him yea be loth and unwilling to see Infirmities in him but rather set your Eyes on God's Ordinance and the good things that are in him and that you receive by him and make account that he is a Man as well as you subject to the same Infirmities that you are He is not to shew himself Stately Austere Churlish or Strange to any of you that shall be willing to make use of him about your Doubts but to encourage you to move your Doubts to him You are not carelesly to pass over what you hear and understand not but to seek to know the meaning of it and to be resolved by conferring among your selves and if you that way receive not Satisfaction you are to go to your Minister your Teacher and if that will not ferve go to Christ by Prayer You are to put your Minister forward in his Work and Service and with Love Wisdom and due Respect to his Place and Calling put him in mind of his Duty Say to Archippus is Faul's Charge to the Colossians But withal you are to encourage him not only verbally but really allowing him a Competent and Comfortable Maintenance honouring and respecting his Place and Calling whatever his Person deserves his Calling is honourable and challenges respect You Sir are to use all good means to gain and maintain the Credit Reverence and Estimation of your Person and Ministry in the Hearts of your People and you Sirs are to honour your Minister for his Gifts and Works sake 1 Thess 5.12 13. I do not call for the Honour due to the Magistrate and Great Ones of the World but in your Minds and Judgments you are rightly to esteem of the need you have of God's Ordinance in his Ministry and of the inestimable Benefit you receive by it 1 Cor. 4.1 In your Affections and Hearts you are to Reverence him and in your Practice to yield Obedience to his Doctrine and be directed by him according to the Word of God Your Minister will thankfully resent your Civility when you shew Respect to his Person Yet I am to let you know that this is not all that he looks for or can be contented with but you would glad his very Heart with the Joyful News of your Repentance and Acceptation of Jesus Christ May you accept his Labours may your Persons Ears Hearts Lives entertain the Work of his Ministry no Encouragement like this To conclude Do you Sir your utmost Endeavour to pursue the Design of your Office and the Ends of year Ministerial Gifts and Abilities as an Embassador to Negotiate this Peoples Reconciliation to God as an Angel to be a Ministring Spirit sent forth to Minister for them that shall be Heirs as a Builder to edifie this People in Faith and Knowledge as a Steward to distribute what you are intrusted with for the Good of God's Family the Houshold of Faith as a Nurse to give out the Sincere Milk of the Word whereby the Children of God may grow as a Star to shine for the Benefit of others especially in this Night of Ignorance and Atheism This will be your Comfort both here and hereafter on a Death-bed when your Conscience shall testifie to the Sincerity of your Desires of Saving Souls 2 Cor. 1.12 Acts 20.24 2 Tim. 4.6 7. and your Reward will be certain and great Dan. 12.3 you shall have a Prophet's Reward one of those three Aureola's mention'd by the School-men an additional Accession to the essential Happiness of the Saints O ye People Do you grow and thrive in Grace let your Minister find the Work of the Lord to prosper in his hands and see his Labour which is not in vain in the Lord not to be in vain in your Hearts and Lives This will be a Credit to the Gospel and proclaim to the World that it is more than a meer Notion and that there is Power Virtue and Efficacy in it This will be the Joy of Angels the Advantage and Comfort of your Pastor and Minister in Life and at Death at once a Credit to the Embassador and his Message the Preacher and his Gospel and be a Testimony and Evidence of the Power of his Preaching This would secure and encourage the Increase of his Gifts when he sees so happy an Issue of his Prayers and Sermons of his many restless Nights and weary Days In a word This would sweeten all his Enjoyments and be your own Concernment and Interest FINIS