we now to answer those Cavils which this age hath devised against the Lords prayer a subject not unnecessary in our days Indeed when one had made a large discourse in the praise of Hercules and expected great commendation for the same his Audience onely answered his expectation with this question quis unquam vituperavit Herculem whosoever spake in the disparagement of Hercules Intimating thus much that his pains might very well be spared in a needless subject all the world acknowledging the worth and valour of Hercules The same will be said of the ensuing part of my sermon ut quid haec perditios what needeth this wast of words and time were ever any so impious so prophane as to doubt much less deny the divine inspiration and dayly necessary and profitable use of the Lords prayer Ans. Thirdly I believe it is almost unprecedented in former ages which maintained a constant reverence and esteem thereof as the Lords prayer and Lord of prayers But alas we are fallen into such an impudent age wherein many begin to slight it of whom I will say no more than this If they begin to think meanly of Gods prayer what cause hath God to think basely of theirs And now I remember what John the Baptist said to our Saviour Matth. 3. 14. I have need to be baptized of thee and comest thou to me In humble allusion whereunto I may say my prayers have need to come to Christ to mediate and intercede to God for them and to present them with his merits to the Throne of grace And now his prayer comes to me so the all disposing providence of God hath ordered the matter that in the prosecution of my Text I must be a weak Advocate in the defence thereof The best is it mattereth not who is the Pleader when God is the Clyent and what is wanting in my weakness and worthlesness will be abundantly supplyed in the might and merit of the subject which I undertake First it is objected that it is a set form of prayer and therefore doth pinnion and confine the wings of the Dove which ought to be at liberty and freedom to make choice of his own expression of it self It is said Rom. 8. 26. The spirit it self maketh intercession for us with groans which cannot be uttered It is therefore presumption in man to make himself Gods Interpreter and to dictate those words whereby his Spirit is to impart and communicate it self to the Throne of grace It was charged on the Rebellious Israelites Psal. 8. 41. That they limited the holy one of Israel no better is their practice who offer to score out both the path pace to Gods Spirit in prayer by pre-designing the Numericall words which are to be used thereby Gods servants are said to be led by the spirit Ro. 8. 14. And so also if ye be led by the spirit Galatians 5. 18. But this is leading the spirit when men will guide their Conduct-our and draw up a set form whereby the same shall be directed Ans. That set forms are no restrainings of the holy Ghost in us appeareth by the practice of our Saviour himself Matth. 26. 44. And went away again and prayed the third time saying the same words namely the same words which he uttered the second time viz. O my Father if this cup may not pass away from me except I drink it thy will be done See we here he who made the tongue to speak who was the frauder and confounder of all languages who needed not by premeditation to press words for his service seeing millions of volunteeres proffered themselves to be used by him See I say him pleased notwithstanding to resume the same individual terms which he had uttered before Secondly next to our Saviour who may be presumed most able to pray then the High Priest Aaron and his two inspired Sons Eleazer and Phineas Yet God in their publick blessings left them not to the liberty of their own expressions Num. 6. 23. Speak unto Aaron and unto his Sons saying on this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel saying unto them the Lord bless thee and keep thee the Lord make his face shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee the Lord lift up his countenance upon thee and give thee peace I confess they were not confined to these words on all ennergencies and occasions having the latitude allowed them that in the Temple they might varie from this form according to their own discretions Witness the blessing of Eli to Hannah 1 Sam. 1. 17. Go in peace and the God of Israel grant thee thy Petition which thou hast asked of him But otherwise God had ordered them not to decede from this form and as Moses was to make all things according to the pattern in the Mount Heb. 8. 5. So no doubt the Priests conformed themselves in their prayer to every word syllable and etter of Gods prescription neither detracting thence nor adding thereunto Thirdly the Ministers conceived prayer under the Gospel is a stinted and premeditated one to such people his Auditours who ay Amen thereunto Their fancies and which is more their hearts do or should go along with the Ministers words so that he boundeth their meditations Hither shall they come and no further If any say that notwithstanding this Obligation to the words of the Minister they may make their own Salleys and excursions by Gods spirit in their hearts to enlarge themselves and as it were to comment in their sighs and groans on the Text of the prayers of their Ministers it is said that no less liberty is allowed them in all premeditate forms of prayer where on the plain song of the set words the devotion of their hearts may descant to their own spiritual contentment Fourthly none will deny but Songs and Hymns are prayers of thanksgiving both those which David made in the Old Testament and those that were used by Christians in the Primitive times Ephes. 5. 19. Speaking to your selves in Hymns and spiritual songs Colos. 3. 26. Admonishing one another in Psalms and Hymns and spiritual songs Now surely such Ditties would be bad and Notes worse and the Harmonie rather ridiculous to move laughter than melodious to raise Devotions if the singers thereof were not predirected to the very words and syllables of what they sung and chanted in the Church Excellent was the expression of Doctor Preston in point of preaching and is applyable equally to prayer He would have a Minister take such pains in studying his sermon as if he relyed not only on Gods assistance but when he cometh to preach the same so wholly to cast himself on divine asisstance as if he relyed not at all on his own studies Proportionable whereto a Christian soul may compile and compose his prayer as trusting nothing to the Spirit and yet in the minute of the utterance thereof to God so quit and renounce all efficacie of premeditation as consisting onely in the concurrence of Gods
any of their opinions refusing the rest what they esteemed otherwise In a word these Eclectici were the Quint-essence of the former four Sects of Philosophers 3. I intend in like manner to be a Chooser in this point Grand the difference betwixt a Chooser and a Seeker of our age the former is positive the latter sceptical hovering over all setling on nothing I know no reason that we are bound to take one and all in any perswasion Three great Interests may be named in England one that was the Prelatical one that is the Presbyterian one that would be the Independant I shall embrace what I find in any of their practises commendable and consonant to Gods word making use of my Christian liberty to leave the rest which in my weak judgement may seem subject to just exception 2. Proposition there is no pregnant place of Scripture which expresly impowereth the Ministers of the gospel with authority of Examination and Exclusion from the Sacrament I have looked for it in the place where I was most likely to finde it namely 1 Cor. 11. where Saint Paul at large condemneth the abuses at the Sacrament in their Church Here I expected the Corinthian Ministers should have been checkt for keeping no stricter guard about Gods Table and that the main fault of this prophaneness should be charged on their negligence What said David to Abner 1 Sam. 26. 16. When he fetcht the Spear and Cruse of water from the head of sleeping Saul Ye are worthy to die because you have not kept your master the Lords anointed such a sharp reproof I expected from S. Paul to the ministers of Corinth for being no more vigilant as being Gods life-guard in securing the Body and bloud of Christ from unworthy Communicants But not the least check to them onely a general exhortation to others to examin themselves 2. Proposition there are some places of Scripture which by proportion and consequence do more than probably insinuate such a power in the Minister First for examining Heb. 13. 17. Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your souls as they that must give account that they may do it with joy and not with grief for that is unprofitable for you God foreseeing that in after-ages the Minister in a Church might be but One the Parishioners many he perchance poor they rich he possibly young they grave and ancient saw there would be an humour of opposition in them to submit to their Pastour and therefore thought it necessary to leave this command on record Now the best Auditour cannot give an account of them whose receipts and expences he hath not examined and therefore by consequence it may be collected that they may and must try the conditions and abilities of their people Prov. 27. 21. Be thou diligent to know the state of thy Flocks and look well to thy heards 6. Secondly for Excluding where be it premised that if an Examining power can be demonstrated in the Ministers a power of Exclusion doth by necessary and undeniable consequence follow thereupon For the Ministers Examination would be altogether useless if such who thereby shall be detected unfitting or unworthy may in defiance of the Minister intrude themselves Communicants to the Sacrament If therefore the Ministers Examination be as a weapon without an edge and be onely to make a noise without any further power it would render him ridiculous to Prophane persons and expose his pains and profession to contempt Surely therefore his Examination is seconded and attended with authority to admit and exclude from the Sacrament as he findeth persons fit or unfit for the same 7. Of places importing an Excluding power many insist on the 2 Chron. 23. 19. And Jehojada set the Porters at the gates of the house of the Lord that none which was unclean in any thing should enter in 8. In the new Testament many alleadge Matth. 7. 6. Give not that which is holy unto doggs What more holy than the Body and Bloud of Christ in the Sacrament who more Dogs more Swine than those wilfully wallow in wickedness To these add the words of my Text And the Priest shall look on him There is Examination and pronounce him unclean there is Exclusion Yet let not too much improvement be made of those words lest they stretch so far as to break If the proportion be applied in all particulars the High Priest alone being impowered with this authoritie will advance the Hierarchichal power farther than such as make use of this place will well approve Object You have out of ignorance or envie concealed one of the most effectual Scriptures in the New Testament instructing Ministers with an Examining power of all in the Flock namely 1. Pet. 3. 15. Be readie always to give an answer to every one that asketh you a reason of the hope of that is in you with meekness and fear It seems you are willingly ignorant to use the Apostle's phrase of this Text so pertinent to the purpose Answ. I know many behold it as the Champion of their cause and have used it to order their refractorie Parishioners into Examination For my own part I look on it as nothing to the purpose It is better to fight naked than with bad Armour For the rags of a bad Corcelet make a deeper wound and worse to be healed than the bullet it self None such foes to a cause as such friends who will defend it Argumentis non cogentibus with reasons of such strength which compel not a rational man into the free belief of them The words as appears by the coherence are principally calculated for the Climate of persecution when men suffer for righteousness sake and enjoyn all a free and fearless profession of the Faith when called thereunto Besides the command being general Ministers are as much obliged thereby to give an answer to their Parishioners if asking them as Parishioners are bound to give an account thereof to the Minister And therefore I purposly declined the mention of this place 3. Propos. Children Mad-men Idiots during their condition are not to be admitted to the Sacrament The reason is plain because they cannot perform an Essential requisite thereunto namely examin themselves But when such Children shall arrive at years of discretion Mad-men shall by Gods blessing on Physick or otherwise either return to their Lucide intervals or be totally cured of their distemper Idiots which seldom comes to pass be enlarged in their understandings they may be admitted Communicants Till when the Church as Guardian in their minoritie doth not finally withhold the Sacrament from but seasonably reserveth it for them 4 Propos. Young Persons utterly ignorant in the Principles of Religion are not to be admitted to the Sacrament till improved in knowledge Yet Ministers ought to be very tender in this particular lest they mistake small yet true knowledge for utter ignorance Know that we have no certain standard in Scripture to
with a Commission to preach Surely the Rulers presumed on their modestie and humilitie that they would decline the proffer seeing in that Age none adventured to teach without lawfull authoritie as largely God willing shall be proved hereafter Mean time let us proceed to the Collection of some natural observations from the words After the reading of the Law and the Prophets Doct. 1. It is good reason that Gods word in the Church should have precedency of mens meditations For Gods word is all gold and prized above it by David Psal. 19. 10. the best mens meditations but silver and guilt and that silver having much allay therein which debaseth the metal though it maketh it to work the better to mens understandings rendering the sublime puritie of Gods word more easie and intelligible when expounded explained and applied by the pains and endeavours of Ministers Wherefore as the Master of the Feast John 2. would have the best wine brought first and then what was worse So fit it is that the virgin attentions of the people in the Church should first be fed with the pure and sincere word of God as it is in the Text and afterwards their appetites may be entertained with less daintie diet the sermons and studies of their Ministers Doct. 2. It was an ancient custome in the Church that Gods word was publickly read therein And here let us endeavour to raise the just reputation of the word publickly read some conceive that the Word preached is as much holyer than the Word read as the Pulpit is higher than the Desk Yea such will say my self or son or servant can read a Chapter as well at home as any the most accomplished Minister in England But let such know that he which doth not honor all doth not honor any of Gods ordinances it is just with God that preaching of the Word should prove uneffectual to such as slight and neglect the reading thereof Doct. 3. Blessed be the goodness of God who hath bettered the Bill of fare of Christians by allowing our souls a second Course of the New Testament And properly may the New Testament be termed a second course which commonly hath dishes fewer than the first for there quantitie finer for the qualitie of the meat and here far be it from me to make comparisons which are odious in themselves and so much the more odious the more eminent the persons or things are that be compared betwixt the Old and New Testament As Moses in holy zeal by clashing the first Table against the second brake both so some prophanely despightfully abuse Old and New Testament about preeminence betwixt them But acknowledging them both best in this respect as to us the New Testament excels as far as a blessing performed is better than a blessing promised and a Saviour tendered in possession more comfort than in reversion The Rulers of the Synagogue Doct. 4. No considerable societie can long comfortably subsist without some government to order the same Ten are but a few men yet Moses by the Counsel of wise Jethro his Father in Law Exod. 18. 25. made Rulers of tens Better is a Tyranny than an Anarchie for where every man doth what is good in his own eyes where there is equalitie amongst all there will be equitie but amongst few men Doct. 5. It is lawfull for Ministers to make use of the help of others not onely in their sickness and necessarie absence but also when their own persons are present First because we must as well mend our nets as always catch fishes as well studie for new supply as always preach And seeing nature hath given us as well two ears as a tongue we must as attentively listen to the parts and pains of others as contentedly utter our own meditations Secondly such varietie will not onely be pleasant but profitable to our people In the mouth of two or three witnesses let every truth be established When the People shall hear the same matter in a different manner one truth Salvation by Gods mercies alone and Christs merits dressed in several motives and methods and expressions The nails will be driven the faster by many Masters of the Assembly and though it be faultie for itching ears to heap up Teachers to themselves yet sometimes such exchange of Preachers increase the edification of an Auditorie Doct. 6. They may have courtesie and civilitie in them who notwithstanding may be devoid of grace and true sinceritie These Masters of the Synagogue began very mannerly proffer Paul and Barnabas the courtesie of the place but all ended at last in blasphemie and persecution Doct. 7. None are to preach but such who are lawfully called thereunto The Rulers of the Synagogue gave a licence to Paul and Barnabas who intrude not without their leave and desire How many now a days in despight of the Rulers of the Synagogues the undoubted Patron the lawfull Incumbent the Guardians of the Church publickly chosen storm the Pulpit by their meer violence without any other Call or Commission thereunto Be it first premised that we protest our Integritie not to invade the due Right of any Christian with Abraham Gen. 14. 23. We will not take a shoo-latchet which is none of our own To which purpose we lay down the following Rules allowing as much libertie as may be to all Gods servants First Parents Masters of Families may and must privately teach their own Children and Servants Teach them and thou shalt be taught Instruct them and God will instruct thee never had Abram in all probabilitie so soon known Gods intentions to destroy Sodom but because Gen. 18. 19. he would command his children to keep the Law of God Even Mothers ought to do this who have a legislative power over their Sons Prov. 1. 8. Forsake not the law of thy Mother It is remarkable that great grace which God did to a Mother that her private precepts namely Bathsheba to her Son Lemuel Prov. 31. were afterward made Canonical Scripture for Gods whole Church Yet let me advise Parents when modestly undertaking in their own houses to explain Scripture not to make fountain but Cistern expositions thereof viz. not to be the inventers but the declarers not the devisers but the remembrancers of inter pretations Children and servants I have heard such a godly Preacher or have read in such a learned comment thus to expound this passage of Scripture But if he should adventure of himself to tender unto them an explication let it be done with an humble reservation and submission to the better judgements of those whose proper profession it is to expound the same Hoever he may more safely deal in Application than in Explication of Gods word the general precepts promises and threatenings whereof he may effectually applly to himself and those of his familie under his inspection Secondly Judges on the Bench may and must in their charges teach the Countie there assembled inserting Scripture in their discourses such
their Axe 2 Kings 6. 5. Alas its borrowed venting chiefly the notes and endeavours of others But grant their gifts never so great graces so good parts so perfect endowments so excellent yet meer gifting without calling makes not a lawfull Preacher This appears by Christs practice Luke 4. 26. where we read it was his custom to go into the Synagogues every Sabbath day All this time Christ was admirably gifted and endowed with Gods spirit The minister of Nazareth might say to our Saviour more truly than John the Baptist I have need to come to thee and comest thou to me He was able to teach his Teachers yet all this while he was silent tooke not on him the Office of a Preacher and why because as yet he had not received his Commission from God for that Office and therefore till he was past thirty years of age he was contented probably to follow his Fathers calling of a Carpenter Mark 6. 3. Certainly to conceal himself in a private condition For it is said Matth. 4. 27. From that time Jesus began to preach and to say repent for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand that is from the time that John the Baptist was shut up in Prison For fit it was that the day-star should set before the Sun did arise Abating therefore onely that Essay which he made Luke 2. When he Disputed with the Dr◠in the Temple he adventured not on any publick performance of preaching as well knowing that his exquisite accomplishments would not bear him out therein except solemnly called thereunto Remarkeable also is his answer to the Pharisees question demanding of him Matth. 21. 23. as he was teaching by what authority dost thou these things and who gave thee this authority which plainly sheweth that the Pulpit in that age did not lye open in common to any who would stock the same but was sequestred to select persons approved for the place Yea our Saviour doth not deny he had authority but denies to tell them what authority he had tacitely confessing himself obnoxious to just censure if being a mere private man without Commission either ordinary or extraordinary such his license ad praedicandum he had wounded that profession Object If a master may teach his Family he may preach in the Church For what is a Family but a small Church or a Church but a great Family The place makes no difference in the Duty nor doth the number of people alter the nature of the exercise Besides it is possible that some numerous Family may have more people in it than some narrow Parish Answer The latter is confest but the main is this His calling extends onely to his Family exceeding which compass his voice how stentorious soever is affectually dumb as to any converting operation be cause deserting his vocation Yet of such gifted men who without ordination presume to preach we may obobserve two ranks or kinds first those who hold another calling as I may say in commendum with preaching and discharge both employments Secondly such who quit forsake their former calling and betake themselves wholy to preach the Word To the former of these I commend the words of the Disciples Acts 6. 2. It is not reason that we should leave the word of God and serve Tables which tendereth two remarkeables to our considerations First that the Apostles would not be Plurallists in professions nor retain two callings at the same time and yet serving of Tables in that sence that is overseeing the poor was more compatible with preaching than any other employment as being in its own nature of a charitable constitution and an office afterwards used in the Church as an entrance of Probationers into the ministery Secondly the Apostles refusal to be double-called at once proceeded from one or both of these reasons Either because they accounted it too heavy a taske for one person though they were most miraculously accomplished in which respect the ability and activity of their parts might have as much ubiquitariness as mortall man can pretend to to be present at once in distant employments Or else their recusancy was caused from an apprehension that it was disgracefull unequally to yoke the preaching of Gods word with any other vocation and beneath the dignity thereof to couple it with a serving of Tables Thirdly we see they were resolved as to let go the meaner so to retain the most noble and necessary function of preaching whence most glory redoundeth to God and profit to his people How then can men now adays of meaner parts and endowments discharge that which the Apostles did decline Preach the Word serve a Ship Preach the Word and serve a Shop Preach the Word and serve the Loomes Preach the Word and serve the Last retaining either manual or military employment with the same Object It is lawfull for men to practice a mechanick calling in conjunction with their preaching warranted by the example of St. Paul himself building at the same time the Tents of men and the Temple of God Yea he saith himself Acts 20. 34. yea you your selves know that these hands have ministred unto my necessities and again 1 Corinth 4. 12. and labour working with our own hands Answ Extraordinary accidents are not to be drawn into ordinary practice The Apostle did not this commonly and constantly but for a short time at a very pinch out of a holy design namely to starve the false Prophets amongst the Corinthians and therefore this his act ought not to be precedential to others who are to apply themselves totally to the ministery Others there are which wholly desert their former vocation and betake themselves totally to the preaching of the word To the serious thoughts of such I offer the words of St. Peter 14. 15. But let none of you suffer as a Murderer or as a Thief or as an evil Doer or as a busie body in other mens matters See what a crew the Apostle hath chosen out as onely fit to keep company with busie bodies Surely busie-bodyness is an hainous offence of greater guilt than men generally do know or will acknowledge Noscitur è socio dark men are expounded by their companions The great offence therein appeareth by such with whom the Apostle doth associate them And what greater busie-body than he who invadeth the Hardest and Highest and Holiest of professions never ordained thereunto contrary to the Councel of the Apostle of Chorinth 7. 24. Brethren let every one wherein he is called therein abide with God And here with all reservation of due respect and deserved honour to men of military profession I humbly conceive that it may be plainly proved out of Scripture that Souldiery and Ministery were such distinct callings that they met not in one and the same profession For the Apostle being to prove the equity and right of Ministers maintenance fetcheth an argument of Cor. 9. 7. From the wages justly due unto Souldiers Who goeth to Warfare at any time
on his own charges and thence concludeth verse 14. Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel Which words if perused with unpartial eyes they set up a partition betwixt the two callings as not then concurring in the same persons And here take notice of a strange and incredible alteration within this last ten years in England that either men are suddenly grown more able than before or else the Ministry is become more easie than in former ages Some ten years since when those of the Clergy were excluded the Commission of the peace this principall reason is rendered in the Act why ministers should not be admitted Justices of the Peace because preaching of the word is enough to take up the whole man so that they must be wanting to the calling of their ministeriall function if attending at the same time another employment And yet see now on a suddain some conceive themselves able sufficiently to follow a manual trade all the weeke and also qualified for preaching on the Lords day after I say again either men in our age are mounted on a suddain to be more dextrous and knowing or the ministery is stooped to be more facile and obvious or which I fear is the truest men are grown more daring impudent and prophane than in the days of our Fathers Oh let such remember what is written in the Prophetical Epistle of St. Jude placed last and next to the Revelation as containing the prediction of such things as should happen in the Church towards the end of the world vers. 11. and perished in the gain-saying of Korah What gain-saying this was we all know Num. 16. 4. partly consisting in challenging Moses and Aaron to take too much upon them partly in presuming to perform the High Priests office Their perishing also is notoriously known the earth swallowing them up and this excellent note deserveth our best heed in it because stragling out of the body of that History Num. 26. 11. notwithstanding the Children of Korah dyed not God in like manner no doubt may and will out of pity preserve the Children of Korah such seduced persons whose simplicity is practised on by the subtility of others but oh let those look to it who are Ringleaders herein that Gods justice may be no looser in the main he will take off from the children and lay load on the Fathers Pardon well meaning persons imposed on by others and severely censure their Conductours if not seasonably compounded with him by serious repentance And here I request the unpartial Reader seriously to peruse the following passage being the words of Mr. Bilney at the stake as he stood ready to seal the truth with his blood Having made a brief repetition of the Articles of his faith coming to these words I believe the Catholick Church paused awhile then proceeded Good people I must here confess to have offended the Church in preaching once against the prohibition of the same at a poor Cure belonging to Trinity Hall in Cambridge where I was Fellow earnestly intreated thereunto by the Curate and other good people of the Parish shewing that they had no sermon there of long time before and so in my conscience moved I did make a poor collation to them and thereby ran into the disobedience of certain authority in the Church by whom I was prohibited Howbeit I trust at the general day charity that moved me to this Act shall bear me out at the Judgement-seat of God Many things herein are considerable First Bilney at this time was a Master of Arts at least and able to discharge the place Secondly being Fellow of that Colledge which was Patron to the Church he had some obligation in conscience to see the place provided for Thirdly invited by the Curate and the Parish it seemeth to amount to a sufficient calling Lastly the long want of the Word in that place might make him compassionate their condition Notwithstanding this four-fold-cable to draw on Bilney to this performance he saith he did it but once he made not a common and constant practice thereof Secondly he did not please or delight himself in the memory of what he had done nor maketh he mention thereof in a rejoycing much less in a bragging manner but onely by way of necessary excuse as somewhat troubled at the deed done but hoping as well he might that God beholding the act as qualified with the aforesaid circumstances and proceeding from a pious intention would acquit him from any guilt therein Let such lay this to their hearts who wanting the tithe of Bilney his ability undesired by the Minister of the place yea sometimes against his will do not with Bilney but once but make an usual practice and common custom to preach against the prohibition of the Church whose ancient Canons have ordered it that none except Probationers by way of Trial may preach the word It is to be feared that many who run before Bilney into the Pulpit will scarce halt after him to follow him to the stake However let us Ministers make a scrutiny in our own souls what may be the reason that we are fallen into such disgrace So that God in his justice hath permitted our function formerly fenced about from common feet with an awfull reverence now for any to enter upon it Psal. 80. 12. Why hast thou broken down our hedges hast broken them that is hast permitted others to break them Sure something is in it more than we ministers generally take notice of that God hath exposed us and our calling to contempt Tully in his first Oration against Catilin being himself then Consul of Rome inquiring into the causes of the many distempers and distractions of the state and the presumption of bold persons to disturbe the same ingenuously confesseth nos nos dico aperte consules desumus We we speaking of Mark Anthony and himself we Generals are wanting in our places In like manner we may say nos sacerdotes Presbiteri Ministri how would we be tearmed nos dico aperte desumus We Priests and Ministers are wanting to God or to our selves or to our Congregation or to all that God in his just judgement deals with us as with Israel 2 Kings 10. 32. begins to cut us short pareth us in our Profession abateth us in our honour diminisheth us in our dignity Let us search out the cause diligently and having found it zealously endeavour to remove it otherwise if we honour God he will honour us but if we proceed in our sins he will proceed to pour more shame and disgrace upon us till our calling whose reputation begins daily to lessen become at last though to the confusion of such as contemn it a very shame and reproach And now I trust that none can take just exception at what I have freely but without spleen or malice spoken of the blame worthy practices of such who intrude themselves into our Profession having