God euer riseth in its ruine Sanguis martyrum est semen Ecclesiae prospereth in its persecution The bloud of Martyrs is but the seed of it and the chopping off their heads but as the pruning of this Vine And as Ioseph said so may euery true Christian say The Lord hath made me fruitfull in the Land of my affliction r Rom. 5.4 5. Their tribulation worketh patience and patience experience and experience hope and that maketh not ashamed And thus for the resemblance in the branches Now in the Barke or Rinde let vs compare them we see that the Barke of the Vine seemeth more withered dry than the Rinde or Barke of any other Tree whateuer yet it hath plenty of sap and abundance of moisture vnder it Thus the Church of God seemes blacke and deformed outwardly to the worlds eye which onely beholdeth and iudgeth the Rinde by reason of the scorching heat of persecution yet she is inwardly glorious and beautifull for there the inuisible graces of Faith Feare Hope Loue Patience Holinesse are hid This shewes the Psalmist Psal 45.13 The Kings Daughter is all glorious within and the Church maketh this confession of her selfe t Cant. 1.5 6. I am blacke but comely oh ye Daughters of Ierusalem as the tents of Kedar as the curtaines of Soloman And this is the cause that her mothers children looke vpon her and are angry with her In the Wood let vs see what likenesse we can finde 1. That we know is the weakest and feeblest wood of any other The trees of the Forest are strong and tall but the Vine so weake that it cannot beare vp it selfe without a stay or prop. Thus the Church of any society is least able to helpe it selfe it cannot stand against a storme without the prop of Gods protection by reason of her naturall weaknesse It is u Isay 33. a weake tent in it selfe not fortified with any wals A small flocke of sheepe very impotent and feeble * Zeph. 3.12 An humble and poore people yea a very worme for so the Lord calleth her x Isay 41.14 Vers 10. Feare not thou worme Iacob and ye men of Israel I will helpe thee saith the Lord Feare thou not for I am with thee bee not dismaied for I am thy God I will strengthen thee yea I will helpe thee yea I will vphold thee c. Thus Gods y 2 Cor. 12.9 strength is made perfect in the Churches weaknesse by his power is it sustained on her beloued she is z Cant. 8.5 faine to leane comming out of the wildernesse of this world The Altar of the Sanctuary which at the base had Lions of brasse for supporters of it we may well thinke was a type of this Secondly vnlesse it beare grapes it is the vnprofitablest wood of any a Ezek. 15.3 Sonne of man saith God to Ezechiel what is the Vine-tree more than any tree or than a branch which is amongst the trees of the Forest Shall wood bee taken thereof to doe any worke Or will men take a pinne of it to hang any vessell thereon Vers 5. Behold when it was whole it was meet for no worke c. Thus the wood of this plant is meet for no vse being cut downe or taken from the root it is only fit fewell for the fire This is the condition likewise of all barren and fruitlesse professors they are good for nothing but to be fewell of Gods wrath But of this hereafter In the Leaues likewise the resemblance is excellent 1. the leaues of the Vine are good for shadow b Hos 4.13 euery thing delights in the heat of Summer to harbour vnder their shade And thus howeuer the Church and members of the Church are persecuted and afflicted by the wicked and well cudgeled as fruit trees are in Summer yet in the day of trouble their shadow is good then can the wicked runne to them for shelter Thus Pharaoh and his Courtiers in the euill day can send for Moses and Aaron c Exod. 9.27 and desire them to pray vnto the Lord that there bee no more mighty thunders and haile c. So d 1 Sam. 24.21 Saul in foule weather runnes to Dauid and Ieroboam e 1 King 13.6 to the man of God Belteshazzer f Dan. 5.12 13. to Daniel Zedekiah g Ier. 37.3 to Ieremiah the foolis h Mat. 25.8 Virgins to the wise These besides many more that might be reckoned haue found the best harbouring to be vnder their shade and that no leaues could so well keepe off a storme of vengeance as these leaues could Themistocles though he were banished in peace yet he was sent for home in warre And so the godly though they bee passed ouer in the dayes of pride yet when the showres of Gods wrath shall fall then they and their shadow shall be more regarded 2. The leaues of the Vine are good for medicine they are very profitable and of excellent vse for healing wounds cleansing sores if they be taken and applied The fruit thereof shall be for meat saith Ezechiel speaking of the Church i Ezek. 47.12 and the leafe thereof for medicine Thus the very outward profession of a Christian the very leaues and outward carriage of the godly is for medicinable vse hereby many haue beene healed thousands haue beene wonne to k 1 Pet. 2.12 a loue and liking of the truth Thus Lucianus an ancient Martyr perswaded many Gentiles vnto the faith by his graue countenance and modest disposition insomuch that as it is recorded Maximinus that persecuting Emperour durst not looke him in the face for feare he should turne Christian And so mention is made by Beda l Eng. Hist lib. 1. cap. 7. of one Albane who receiuing a poore persecuted Christian into his house and seeing his holy deuotion and sweet carriage was so much affected with the same as that hee became an earnest professor of the faith and in the end a glorious Martyr for the faith And so their words they haue a healing quality with them if they were applied they tend to the m Ephes 4.29 edification and n Pro. 10.21 feeding of many and minister o Colos 4.6 grace vnto the hearers as the Apostle speaketh p Psal 37.30 The mouth of the righteous will speake of wisdome saith Dauid and his tongue talketh of iudgement They are sometimes perswading sometimes instructing sometimes admonishing sometimes comforting other whiles praying all tending to the healing of wounded and distressed consciences And thus in this we see a good agreement Now lastly for their fruits and first for the quantity then for the quality of it The Vine we know beareth first plenty of fruit it beareth in bunches and clusters many Grapes together So the Church aboundeth in good workes q 1 Cor. 15.58 being filled with the fruits of righteousnesse r Phil. 1.11 as the Apostle speaketh to the
Philippians Å¿ Iohn 15.5 bringing forth much fruit as our Sauiour testifieth of his Disciples Full of mercy and good workes t Iam. 3.17 18. without partiality and without hypocrisie as Saint Iames saith which fruit of righteousnesse as he further speaketh is sowne in peace of them that make peace Thus they bring forth Grapes in clusters vnited in the bond of peace and loue 2. The Vine beareth Pleasant fruit no fruit more delectable to the taste than is the Grape nor more comfortable to the heart than is the Wine made of the Grape u Iudg. 9.13 Should I leaue my Wine which cheereth God and man saith the Vine to other trees in the Parable And so the fruit of Christians How doe their workes of loue and mercy refresh the bowels of the Saints distressed brethren afflicted How doe their fruits of iustice and equity ease and releeue the oppressed soule How is God glorified * Iohn 15.8 Angels and men reioyced by the fruitfulnesse of these trees of righteousnesse when as the fruit of other trees and plants is but bitter fruit fruit vnto death x Rom. 7.21 as the Apostle speaketh In diuers othet particulars the comparison might be followed but I desire not to be more curious than profitable By this that hath beene said wee cannot but see the aptnesse of the similitude Now to some profitable obseruations And first something may be noted in generall in that the Prophet vseth a Parable or Similitude and that from a Vine or Vineyard a thing earthly and temporall whereby he doth set out the estate and nature of the Church together with Gods care and cost for the welfare of the Church things heauenly and spirituall Doctr. It is lawfull to make resemblances betweene things earthly and heauenly As first It is lawfull to make resemblances and likenesses between corporall and spirituall earthly and heauenly things for our better instruction The Prophets and Apostles and Christ himselfe that chiefe Shepheard of the Sheepe haue vsed thus to teach For proofe reade these places amongst multitudes that might be brought Psal 92.12 Mat. 13.3.24.31.33.44.45.47 Luke 13.6 15. 18. Vse Let Ministers wisely and soberly vse this their libertie in teaching for the edification of their hearers whom if they be of the weaker sort let them not trouble with profound matters which they are not able to vnderstand but let vs be content to vse plaine similitudes and home-bred comparisons fetcht from leauen from the meale-tub or other domesticall businesse knowing therein wee doe no other than Iesus Christ our great Doctor and Master himselfe did We are called Nurses y 1 Thess 2. Now nurses are not ashamed nay they rather delight in it to condescend to the balbutient infancie of their nurcelings And so let vs becomming in this sense Barbarians vnto Barbarians Habeo in abscondito quoddam ossum Sic enim pâ—tuis lequamâ—er Melius est vt reprehendâ—nt nos Grammatici quam non intelligant populi Aug. in Ps 138. Thus learned Austin as himselfe speaketh chose rather to speake barbarously than finely and to vse the barbarous word ossum in his exposition rather than the word os though he allow it in the text and so reads it because though it were not so Grammaticall yet it was the more intelligible word and he desired his peoples profit aboue his owne credit holding it better that the learned should reproue him than that the ignorant should not vnderstand him So then let vs preach not as we are able to speake but as our people are able to heare z Mark 4.33 Iohn 16.12 and as they can beare remembring still that we must rather seeke to make our people schollers than to shew our selues schollers vnto our people Now in vsing of Parables Similitudes Allegories c. See my exposition on the Parable of the Prodigall pag. 13 14. these rules as I haue else-where shewed are to be followed 1. That they be not farre fetcht but fitting for the matter in hand 2. That they be borrowed from things well knowne and easie to be conceiued 3. That we still haue a care of the maiestie of Scripture auoiding all ridiculous and base stuffe 4. That we vse them rather for instructing of life than for prouing any point of faith 5. That we turne not all into Allegories to the destroying of the letter which was Origens fault 6. That they be quickly dispatched and not too much insisted on Let Hearers learne not to despise their Ministers for Vse 2 their plainnesse but if any themselues for their childishnesse who must be thus lisped to Seeke not so much to haue thy eare tickled as thy vnderstanding enlightned The painfull Bee passeth by Roses and Violets and sits vpon Time so shouldst thou rather chuse to feed on plaine and wholsome doctrine though hot and biting than on the quirkes and flowers of mans inuention In a word learne euermore to iudge that Sermon best though plaine whereby thou vnderstandest most And so much for this first point Now heare a second There is no earthly thing which may not be apllied to some speciall vse for our edification in grace Doct. Things earthly should teach vs things heauenly Things earthly may put vs in minde of things heauenly things naturall of spirituall What is there in this world that hath any being but may reade to man a Diuinity Lecture From the highest Angell to the lowest worme all teach vs somewhat The Sun Moone Starres are good Schoolemasters a Psal 8.3 4. When I behold thy Heauens the workes of thy fingers the Moone and the Starres which thou hast ordained What is man say I then that thou art mindfull of him or the sonne of man that thou so visitest him Thus b Psal 19.1 the Heauens preach the glory of God and the Firmament sheweth his handy worke So the Fowles of the Heauens c Ier. 8.7 The Storke knoweth her appointed times the Turtle and the Crane and the Swallow obserue the time of their comming These may teach vs to know the day of our visitation and the iudgement of the Lord. The beasts of the field likewise may instruct vs d Isay 1.2 The Oxe knoweth his owner and the Asse his masters Crib By them may Israel be schooled and learne obedience Yea of the little Ant or Emmet may man be taught prouidence e Pro. 6.6 Goe to the Ant thou sluggard consider her wayes and bee wise which hauing no guide ouerseer or ruler prouideth her meat in the Summer gathereth her food in the haruest And as the creatures so may euery action and ordinary occasion bee applied to good purpose The Husbandman breaking vp his ground teacheth vs the necessity of Repentance calleth vpon vs for the f Ier. 14.4 breaking vp the fallow ground of our hearts His g Mat. 13.3 casting in his seed and sowing of his field sheweth vs the nature of the word
of man without glorifying his Maker is but dung and wormes but this dung and wormes by glorifying God shall be made glorious Now the only way to bring glorie to his name is by bringing forth the fruit of our planting Againe he saith By this we shall be his Disciples that is know and haue a testimony that we are so and indeed without fruit none can haue his vocation adoption or engrafting into Christ sealed vp vnto his soule He then that is vnfruitfull wants this testimony which euery one desires to haue and none to be without Againe he telleth them this was the end of their election before time and speciall vocation in time i Vers 16. Yee haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you and ordained you that you should goe and bring forth fruit Besides if a man endeuour to bring forth fruit he is sure to speed when he hath any suit to God and therefore in the same verse he addeth this as a reason to his exhortation That whatsoeuer they should aske of his Father in his name he might giue it them If all this will not serue to make vs fruitfull that which our Sauiour saith in the beginning of that chapter me thinks should awaken vs Vers 2. for Euery branch that beareth not fruit he taketh away and presently after If a man abide not in me viz. to bring forth fruit he is cast forth as a branch and is withered and men gather them and cast them into the fire and they are burned Much more might be said for the pressing of this so necessarie a dutie My desire is to say enough and but enough now what hath beene spoken is enough if God shall please to accompanie it with his grace and operation of his blessed Spirit without which neither this nor all that can be said will be enough to worke vs hereunto By this time haply thy heart may smite thee for thy barrennesse and the Spirit may begin to worke within thee a desire after the fruits of holy life insomuch that out of the longing desire of thy soule which thou hast of fruitfulnesse thou wilt now come to me as those Publicans and souldiers came to Iohn saying k Luke 3.10 Cap. 10.25 What shall we doe Or as that Lawyer came to Christ with Master what shall I doe If this be thy next question what thou shouldst doe to become fruitfull I would aduise thee to follow these directions See thou be remoued out of thy naturall soile Directions how to grow fruitfull and be engrafted into another stocke For that thou maist be fruitfull thou must be as it is said of the godly man in the first Psalme l Psal 1.3 A tree planted because by nature the best of vs are but as wilde Oliues and if euer we become fruitfull trees we must of necessitie be transplanted from the first Adam into the second The tree must be good before the fruit can be m Mat. 12.33 Either make the tree good and the fruit good or the tree euill and the fruit euill saith our Sauiour for men n Cap. 7.16 gather not grapes of thorns nor figs of thistles Vers 18. As a good tree cannot bring forth euill fruit so neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit Vntill thou be a plant planted in the house of the Lord and engrafted into Christ by a true faith and made a new creature by Regeneration hauing a beleeuing heart and a good conscience thy fruit can neuer be good all thy workes are as so many sinnes yea thy best works are but as rotten weeds Thornes and Thistles thou bringest forth and therefore art o Heb. 6.8 nigh vnto cursing whose end is to be burned but being once engrafted into this stocke Iesus Christ thou canst not but bring forth fruit incontinent though not such plenty and store of fruit as afterwards for such a liuely power of life is in it that wert thou as dry as Aarons withered rod yet thou shalt presently be changed into a flourishing and fruitfull tree As the Theefe vpon the Crosse p Luke 23.39 who no sooner was set into it but he beares fruit in an instant 1. Reprouing his fellow theefe for his sinne in railing vpon Christ 2. Iustifying Christ and pleading his innocencie giuing a good testimonie of him 3. Condemning himselfe acknowledging Gods righteousnesse in laying that punishment vpon him 4. Crauing mercy and forgiuenesse from his Sauiour desiring him to remember him when he came into his kingdome so thou being ioyned vnto him that is raised from the dead q Rom. 7.4 shalt bring forth fruit vnto God Labour therefore to be engrafted The ordinarie meanes is the word preached for as in grafting so here God is the husbandman Christ the stocke Beleeuers the imps the Spirit the sap the word the sawe the Sacraments the ligatures As therefore without a knife or sawe to open and riue the stocke and let in the imps no man can graft so without the word no hope of this benefit And this that hath beene said ouerthrowes a point of naturall and Popish religion viz. That a man may be iustified and saued by his good workes when by this that hath beene said we see that good workes can only be the fruits of persons already iustified Non praecedunt iustificandum sed sequuntur iustificatum August and that which followes cannot be the cause of that which went before The fruit cannot make the tree to be good it doth only declare and manifest that it is good according to that speech of our Sauiour r Matth. 7. The tree is knowne by his fruit In the second place that thou maist be fruitfull see thou plant thy selfe by the running brookes Seat thy selfe vnder a powerfull Ministerie that so thou maist be partaker of those waters Å¿ Ezek. 47.12 which flow from vnder the threshold of the Sanctuarie Water we know causeth fruitfulnesse as drought doth famine The inundations of the riuer Nilus caused Aegypt to be so fruitfull So these spirituall waters will cause vs mightily to fructifie and increase and make vs t Isay 44.4 spring vp as amongst the grasse and as willow by the water courses Thus the Church as it was planted in a fruitfull field so was it likewise placed by u Ezek. 17.5 great waters insomuch that it grew and became a spreading vine And the godly man being planted by the riuers of waters * Psal 1.3 brought forth his fruit in due season Is it then the true desire of thy soule to fructifie and bring forth fruit See then that thou frequent the Sanctuarie of the Lord. x Iob 8.11 Can the rush grow vp without mire or can the flag grow vp without water Is it possible that thou shouldst increase in grace and goodnesse and yet neuer drinke of the waters of Shiloah It cannot be If therefore thou hast not in thy owne fountaine seeke to thy neighbours and carry
by his welbeloued together with the Reasons By welbeloued God is meant One Reason for that Appellation was because he is the Churches well-beloued shee being his spouse and he her husband In which respect as he was a member of the Church and in the behalfe of the Church he so termeth him for he did loue him well So then Doctr. Euery one ought to loue the Lord. The Church and euery true member of the Church doth and so ought to loue the Lord entirely This we finde commanded m Deut. 6.5 10.12 Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy soule and with all thy might n Psal 31.13 Loue yee the Lord all his Saints for the Lord preserueth the faithfull and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer If any man loue not the Lord Iesus o 1 Cor. 16.22 let him be Anathema Maranatha had in execration or excommunicated to death This we shall likewise finde practised by Gods Saints p Psal 18.1 I will loue thee O Lord my strength saith Dauid And againe q 16.1 I loue the Lord because he hath heard my voyce Thus S. Peter r Iohn 21.25 Lord thou knowest that I loue thee And Mary had many sinnes forgiuen her Å¿ Luke 7.47 for shee loued much The Church in the Canticles likewise plentifully t Cani 1.7 Tell me ô thou whom my soule loueth saith shee to Christ And againe u â— 1.3 By night on my bed I sought him whom my soule loueth And what word more common in that song than Loue and welbeloued I must bring Ignatius also to be of the Quorum * Epist 12. quae est ad Romanos My Loue Christ saith he was crucified And thus hath this truth beene proued That the Church and euery true member thereof both doth and ought to loue the Lord entirely Reason Dilexit enim non â—xistentes iâ—o â—â—sistentes Bernard And Reason good For first he loued vs not existing yea resisting For x Rom. 5.8 1 Iohn 4.19 while we were yet sinners he loued vs. This Reason is giuen by S. Iohn We loue him because he loued vs first And surely if God preuent vs with loue we can doe no lesse than answer him in the same nature though not for that is impossible in the same measure Doe not Publicanes y Mat. 5.46 Luke 6.32 Si taerdi sumus ad amandum non tardi simus ad redamandum loue those that loue them Sinners doe the same Though then we haue not beene forward to loue first yet let vs not be backward to returne loue at last Againe we are tyed to him by all the bonds of loue and duty we are his creatures z Psal 100.3 he our maker we his Reas 2 Seruants he a Mal. 1.6 our Lord we his Children b 2 Cor. 6.18 he our Father we his c Hos 2.19 Spouse he our Husband Yea so strait is the vnion betwixt him and vs as that he is said to bee the Foundation d Ephes 2.20 we the building He the e Iohn 15.1 root we the branches He the f Ephes 5.23 Head we the body c. Being bound by so many and so neere bonds how can wee but acknowledge it is our duty intirely to loue him Besides he only is loue-worthy being g Cant. 5.10 Splendor summi illius boni pulchria Coelnin pulchra terra fed pulchrior quifecit illa the chiefest amongst Reas 3 ten thousands What is there to be compared with him The most excellentest creatures are but as the beames of his beauty That glory or goodnesse which is in any of them is but as a shadow in respect of that infinite good which is in him who is the maker of them Thus this threefold cord may hold vs h Eccles 4.12 it will not easily bee broken as speakes wise King Solomon And now Triplex ex arbore fructus A three-fold vse this point affords For triall And indeed what better vse can we make Vse 1 of it There was neuer any Senacherib nor Iesabel but said they loued God and who boasts more they loue him than the prophanest wretch that daily doth contemne him It is a thing counted both common and easie to performe this duty and no man doubts hee is herein to seeke when notwithstanding this is as true as God is true who is Truth it selfe that no more doe truly loue God than are from all eternity elected by God to saluation And wee know or may know for Scripture saies it that the number of them is small i Esay 1.9 Luke 12.32 yea very small comparatiuely considered their account will soone be made k Rom. 9.28 it is but a short worke into a short summe shall they be gathered Rules of triall for the discouery of our loue to God Seeing then it is as narrow as Gods election and that is very narrow let each one search narrowly his bosome for this grace A rule of three 1. our Affections 2. our Words 3. our Actions will sufficiently discouer it By our Affections By our affections will it soone bee seene what loue we beare to God For Loue as the greatest wheele sets all the rest a worke Desire It is the strongest affection and to it doe all the rest giue place where that goes before Desire followes after What I loue I desire to enioy and it is not where it begets not a desire of society l 2 Sam. 13.2 Ammon was very sicke through loue his flesh did pine and waste away because he could not enioy his sister Thamar Dauid and Ionathan did loue intirely m 1 Sam. 18.1 and as the Text saith their soules were knit together whence it was that they tooke such pleasure and contentment each in other n Cap. 20.18 19 41 42. the story shewes what shifts they made to meet what weeping and heart-sorrow there was when they were to part and all because they loued Thus hee that loues the Lord must needs desire to haue society with the Lord A ioy it is to his soule to meet him and nothing doth he desire so much as to enioy him And so Dauid was affected as appeares by those many patheticall desires of his o Psal 73.25 Whom haue I in Heauen but thee and there is none vpon the earth that I desire besides thee p Psal 42.1 As the Hart panteth after the water-brookes so panteth my soule after thee O God q Psal 146.6 My soule thirsteth after thee as a thirsty land r Psal 130.6 My soule waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning I say more than they that watch for the morning These and many other such like sayings shew the affection of his soule And whereas in some places God is pleased graciously to manifest his presence after a speciall manner and in some exercises there is an
vs By his Precepts hee hath instructed vs by Requests he hath exhorted vs by his Mercies great and many he hath allured vs and by his Iudgements he hath terrified vs. He hath sent his seruants of sundry qualities according to their seuerall gifts earely and late vnto vs Some like Moses to teach vs some like Isaiah to comfort vs some like Ieremiah to mourne for vs some like Dauid to sing to vs all labouring to win vs to repentance that we might be saued But where is our repentance where our reformation If wee looke with an impartiall eie wee shall soone see all manner of sinne to abound in stead of these Doth not Pride Gluttony Drunkennesse c. abound here When I see and heare I must needs say vnto my soule Å¿ Ier. 5.7 How should God spare vs for these I pray God that that wee take to be an argument of his fauour viz. Peace and outward Prosperity doe not rather strongly argue his fierie and hot displeasure More particularly this may be for Admonition to Vse 2 all and euery of vs that with all carefull diligence wee make profitable vse of the meanes which the Lord hath giuen vs of what sort and kinde soeuer they haue beene remembring alwaies that to whom much is committed of him much shall bee required the longer our day of learning hath beene and the lighter the more worke and seruice will God expect at our hands and the better We doe not looke for nor expect so much fruit of a tree that hath growen but a few yeeres in a ground that is barren as of that which hath growen many yeeres in a soile that is fertile and therefore it concerneth such as haue beene most and longest taught to shew themselues most zealous righteous and deuout In regard of the meanes you in this famous Citie should bee like Saul t 1 Sam. 10.23 higher than others by the shoulders A sinne and shame then it would bee for you to come behinde others in your obedience Looke then to it for assure your selues a lesser and smaller measure of knowledge faith obedience c. will be accepted in others than will or can be in you because your meanes are more In this respect Christ u Matth. 11.21 22. deemeth the damnation of the Capernaits to be more horrible and fearefull than that of the Sodomits because the one had more meanes to make them good than the other had And so it will bee with you for if you bring forth no better fruit answerable in some sort to the meanes which God hath bestowed on you the time will come assuredly that you shall wish oh that I were a Sodomite oh that I were a Gomorean yea you will enuy their happinesse in regard of your owne misery and in the meane time you will be left of God as a desperate cure and bee suffered to runne on in a course of sinning vntill you fall into that bottomlesse pit of destruction and gulfe of condemnation Text. I will also command the clouds that they raine no raine vpon it Wee haue seene before what is meant by clouds and raine The Prophets and Ministers of Gods Word are meant by the former and the word they preach is meant by the latter I intend not to follow the Metaphors in the particular resemblances wherein they may bee compared they hauing beene toucht afore in the Exposition From hence I will only obserue one point of Doctrine And take it thus briefly Ministers haue no power nor ability of themselues to performe their Ministeriall function Doctr. Ministers of themselues haue no power to discharge their Ministeriall function It is of God and from God It is God that will withhold these clouds his Prophets and Preachers from dropping the showres of his word into the cares of this people Hee will command and they must obey It is he that makes the heart of the Priest fat and * Isay 57.19 creates the fruit of the lips to bee at peace It is hee that x Reuel 3.7 openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth and no man openeth This S. Paul acknowledgeth that y 2 Cor. 3.5 6. we are not sufficient of ourselues to thinke any thing as of our selues our sufficiency is of God who hath made vs able Ministers and further confesseth that though z 1 Cor. 15.10 he had laboured more abundantly than the rest yet it was not hee but the grace of God which was in him And of all Ministers whatsoeuer he saith indefinitely a 1 Cor. 3.7 That neither he which planteth is any thing nor hee which watereth but God is all in all Thus Christ is said to haue the Ministers as b Reuel 1.16 Starres in his right hand not onely for their defence but also to make them rise or set when and where hee pleaseth Hence it is that the raine of the Gospell like the raine of the clouds hath sometimes gone by coasts c Amos 4.7 raining sometimes vpon one Citie and not vpon another d Iudg. 6.37 Gedeons fleece hath beene wet and no place else and euery place else and not Gedeons fleece Which being so me thinkes this should teach many Vse 1 of our hearers better things than to impute euery disability that is seene in Ministers yea sometimes in such Ministers as at other times are able and sufficient enough through God that strengthens them to their owne idlenesse and negligence It often happens that the faithfullest labourers and workemen are often tongue-tied and though they be Clouds thicke and full and likely enough to drop downe showres yet when they come to the place of exercising this their Ministeriall function they are so withheld that they cannot be as a Reprouer vnto their people Now how doe our people censure these for their ignorance negligence feare pride vnfaithfulnesse and the like I denie not but these e 1 Cor. 16.9 10. Heb. 13.17 and euery one of these doe often stop the mouthes of Gods Ministers For f Isay 6.5 polluted lips are no lips of vtterance The lips of the Minister must be touched with the coales of knowledge zeale and mortification But certaine I am that it is the sinnes of the people that most vsually puts their Ministers to silence g Ezek. 3.26 27. Hos 9.7 Sonne of man I will make thy tongue cleaue to the roofe of thy mouth and thou shalt be dumbe and thou shalt not be to them a reprouer Marke the reason For they are a rebellious house You see then it was the rebellion of the house of Israel that made Ezechiel dumbe When such an accident fals out condemne more thy owne sinnes than thy Teachers negligence or ignorance this is thy best and safest course Vse 2 And secondly how should this stirre vp people to Pray for vs h Ephes 6.19 Coloss 4.3 Crura thymo plena that God would open vnto vs a doore of vtterance that we may open our