are intimated before 2. And because they are so fully handled by many 3. And because I find I have already run into more tediousness then I intended 1. One part of our work and that the most excellent because it tendeth to work on many is the publike preaching of the word A work that requireth greater skill and especially greater life and zeal then any of us bring to it It is no small matter to stand up in the face of a Congregation and deliver a Message of salvation or damnation as from the living God in the name of our Redeemer It is no easie matter to speak so plain that the ignorant may understand us and so seriously that the deadest hearts may feel us and so convincingly that the contradicting Cavilers may be silenced I know it is a great dispute whether preaching be proper to the Ministers or not The decision seems not very difficult Preaching to a Congregation as their ordinary Teacher is proper to a Minister in office And Preaching to the unbelieving world Jews Mahometans or Pagans as one that hath given up himself to that work and is separated and set apart to it is proper to a Minister in office But Preaching to a Church or to Infidels occasionally as an act of Charity extraordinarily or upon special call to that act may be common to others The Governor of a Church when he cannot preach himself may in a case of necessity appoint a private man pro tempore to do it that is able as Mr. Thorndike hath shewed But no private man may obtrude without his consent who by office is the Guide and Pastor of that Church And a master of a family may preach to his own family and a School-master to his Schollars and any man to those whom he is obliged to teach so be it he go not beyond his ability and do it in a due subordination to Church-teaching and not in a way of opposition and division A man that is not of the trade may do some one act of a trades-man in a Corporation for his own use or his family or friend but he may not addict or separate himself to it or set it up and make it his profession nor live upon it unless he had been Apprentice and were free For though one man of ten thousand may do it of himself as well as he that hath served an Apprentiship yet it is not to be presumed that it is ordinarily so And the standing Rule must not bend to rarities and extraordinaries lest it undo all For that which is extraordinary and rare in such cases the Law doth look upon as a non ens But the best way to silence such usurping Teachers is for those to whom it belongeth to do it themselves so diligently that the people may not have need to go a begging and to do it so judiciously and affectingly that a plain difference may appear between them and usurpers and that other mens works may be shamed by theirs and also by the adding of holy lives and unwearied diligence to high abilities to keep up the reputation of their sacred office that neither Seducers nor tempted ones may fetch matter of Temptation from our blemishes or neglects But I shall say no more of this duty 2. Another part of our Pastoral work is to administer the holy mysteries or Seals of Gods Covenant Baptism and the Lords Supper This also is claimed by private usurpers but I 'le not stand to discuss their claim A great fault it is among our selves that some are so careless in the manner and others do reform that with a total neglect and others do lay such a stress on circumstances and make them a matter of so much contention even in that ordinance where Union and Communion is so profest 3. Another part of our work is to Guide our people and be as their mouth in the publike prayers of the Church and the publike praises of God as also to bless them in the name of the Lord. This sacerdotal part of the work is not the least nor to be so much thrust into a corner as by too many of us it is A great part of Gods service in the Church-Assemblies was wont in all ages of the Church till of late to consist in Publike Praises and Eucharistical acts in holy Communion and the Lords Day was still kept as a day of Thanksgiving in the Hymns and Common rejoycings of the faithful in special Commemoration of the work of Redemption and the happy condition of the Gospel Church I am as apprehensive of the necessity of Preaching as some others but yet me thinks the solemn Praises of God should take up much more of the Lords day then in most places they do And me thinks they that are for the magnifying of Gospel Prviledges and for a life of love and heavenly joyes should be of my mind in this and their worship should be Evangelical as well as their Doctrine pretendeth to be 4 Another part of the Ministerial work is to have a special care and over-sight of each member of the Flock The parts whereof are these that follow 1. We must labour to be acquainted with the state of all our people as fully as we can Both to know the persons and their inclinations and conversations to know what are the sins that they are most in danger of and what duties they neglect for the matter or manner and what temptations they are most liable to For if we know not the temperament or disease we are like to prove but unsuccessful Physitians 2. We must use all the means we can to instruct the ignorant in the matters of their salvation by our own most plain familiar words by giving or lending or otherwise helping them to books that are fit for them by perswading them to learn Catechisms and those that cannot read to get help of their neighbours and to perswade their neighbours to afford them help who have best opportunities thereto 3. We must be ready to give advice to those that come to us with cases of conscience especially the great case which the Jews put to Peter and the Jaylor to Paul and Silas Acts 16. What must we do to be saved A Minister is not only for Publike Preaching but to be a known Counsellor for their souls as the Lawyer is for their estates and the Physitian for their bodies so that each man that is in doubts and straits should bring his case to him and desire Resolution Not that a Minister should be troubled with every small matter which judicious neighbours can give them advice in as well as he no more then a Lawyer or Physitian should be troubled for every trifle or familiar case where others can tell them as much as they but as when their estate or life is in danger they will go to these so when their souls are in danger they should go to Ministers As Nicodemus came to Christ and as was usual with the
it nothing to be bred up to Learning when others are bred at the plough and cart and to be furnished with so much delightful knowledge when the world lieth in ignorance Is it nothing to converse with Learned men and talk of high and glorious things when others must converse with almost none but silly ignorants But especially What an excellent life is it to live in the studies and preaching of Christ to be still searching into his mysteries or feeding on them to be daily in the consideration of the blessed Nature or Works or Waies of God! Others are glad of the leisure of the Lords Day and now and then an hour besides when they can lay hold of it But we may keep a continual Sabboth We may do nothing else almost but study and talk of God and Glory and call upon him and drink in his sacred saving truths Our employment is all high and spiritual Whether we be alone or with others our business is for another world O were but our hearts more suitable to this work what a blessed joyful life should we live How sweet would our study be to us How pleasant would the pulpit be and what a delight would our conference of these things afford To live among such excellent helps as our libraries afford and have so many silent wise companions whenever we please and of such variety All these and more such Priviledges of the Ministery bespeak our unwearied diligence in the work 5. You are related to Christ as well as to the Flock He therefore being also related to you you are not only advanced but secured by the relation if you be but faithful in the work that it requireth You are the Stewards of his mysteries and Rulers of his houshold And he that entrusted you will maintain you in his work But then it is required of a Steward that a man be found faithful 1 Cor. 4. 2. Be true to him and never doubt but he will be true to you Do you feed his Flock and he will sooner feed you as he did Elias then forsake you If you be in prison he will open the doors but then you must relieve imprisoned souls He will give you a tongue and wisdom that no enemy shall resist but then you must use it faithfully for him If you will put forth your hand to relieve the distressed and willingly put it to his plough he will wither the hand that is stretched out against you The Ministers of England I am sure may know this by large experience Many a time hath God rescued them from the jaws of the devourer O the admirable preservations and deliverances that they have had from cruel Papists from tyranical persecutors from malicious Sectaries misguided passionate men Brethren in the fear of God consider Why is it that God hath done all this Is it for your persons or for his Church What are you to him more then other men but for his work and peoples sakes Are you Angels or men Is your flesh of any better mettle then your neighbours Are you not of the same Generation of sinners that need his grace as much as they Up then and work as the Redeemed of the Lord as those that are purposely rescued from ruine for his service O do not prepare a remediless overthrow for the English Ministery by your ingratitude after all these deliverances If you believe that God hath rescued you for himself live to him then as being unreservedly his that hath delivered you SECT II. II. THE first Motive mentioned in the text we have spoken of which is from the Consideration of our office it self The second is from the efficient cause It is God by his spirit that makes us Overseers of his Church therefore it concerneth us to Take heed to our selves and it I did before shew you how the Holy-Ghost is said to make Bishops or Pastors of the Church in three several respects By Qualifying them for the office By directing the Ordainers to discern their Qualifications and know the fittest men and by directing them the people and themselves for the affixing them to a particular charge All these were done then in an extraordinary sort by inspiration at least very oft The same are all done now by the ordinary way of the spirits assistance But it is the same spirit still and men are made Over-seers of the Church when they are rightly called by the Holy-Ghost now as well as then It s a strange conceit therefore of the Papists to think that Ordination by the hands of man is of more absolute necessity to the Ministerial Office then the calling of the Holy-Ghost God hath determined in his word that there shall be such an office and what the Work and Power shall be and what sort of men as to their qualifications shall receive it None of these can be undone by man or made unnecessary God also giveth men the Qualifications which he requireth So that all that the Church hath to do whether Pastors or People Ordainors or Electors is but to discern and determine which are the men that God hath thus Qualified and to Accept of them that are so provided and upon consent to install them solemnly in this office But I purposely cut short the controvertible part What an Obligation then is laid upon us by our call If our Commission be sent from Heaven it s not to be disobeyed When Paul was called by the voice of Christ he was not disobedient to the heavenly Vision When the Apostles were called by Christ from their secular imployments they presently leave friends and house and trade and all and follow him Though our call be not so immediate or extraordinary yet is it from the same spirit It s no safe course to imitate Ionah in turning our back upon the commands of God If we neglect our work he hath a spur to quicken us and if we over-run it he hath Messengers enough to over-take us and fetch us back and make us do it and it is beâ—â—â— to do it at first then at last This is the second Motive SECT III. III. THE third Motive in the Text is from the dignity of the Object It is the Church of God which we must Oversee and Feed It is that Church which the world is much upheld for which is sanctified by the Holy-Ghost which is united to Christ and is his mystical body that Church which Angels are present with and attend upon as Ministring Spirits whose very little ones have their Angels beholding the face of God in heaven O what a charge is it that we have-undertaken And shall we be unfaithful to such a charge Have we the Stewardship of Gods own family and shall we neglect it Have we the conduct of those Saints that must live for ever with God in glory and shall we neglect them God forbid I beseech you Brethren let this thought awaken the negligent You that draw back from painful displeasing suffering duties
ratione was fain to depart We dispute the case against mens wills and sensual passions as much as against their understandings and these have neither reason nor ears Their best Arguments are I will not believe you nor all the Preachers in the world in such things I will not change my mind or life I will not leave my sins I will never be so precise come on it what will We have not one but multitudes of raging passions and contradicting enemies to dispute against at once whenever we go about the conversion of a sinner as if a man were to dispute in a Fair or tumult or in the midst of a crowd of violent scolds what equal dealing and what success were here to be expected why such is our work and yet a work that must be done O Dear Brethren what men should we be in skil resolution unwearied diligence that have all this to do Did Paul cry out who is sufficient for these things 2 Cor. 2. 16. and shall we be proud or careless and lazy as if we were sufficient As Peter saith to every Christian in Consideration of our great approaching change 2 Pet. 3. 11. What manner of persons ought we to be in all holy Conversation and Godliness so may I say to every minister seeing all these things do lie upon our hands What manner of persons ought we to be in all holy Endeavours and Resolutions for our work This is not a burden for the shoulders of a child What skill doth every part of our work require and of how much moment is every part To preach a Sermon I think is not the hardest part and yet what skill is necessary to make plain the truth to convince the hearers to let in unresistible light into their consciences and to keep it there and drive all home to scrue the truth into their minds and work Christ into their affections to meet with every objection that gainsaies and clearly to resolve it to drive sinners to a stand and make them see that there is no hope but they must unavoidably be converted or condemned and to do all this so for language and manner as beseems our work and yet as is most suitable to the capacities of the hearers this and a great deal more that should be done in every Sermon should sure be done with a great deal of holy skill So great a God whose message we deliver should be honoured by our delivery of it It is a lamentable case that in a message from the God of heaven of everlasting consequence to the souls of men we should behave our selves so weakly so unhandsomly so imprudently or so sleightly that the whole business should miscarry in our hands and God be dishonoured and his work disgraced and sinners rather hardened then converted and all this much through our weakness or neglect How many a time have carnal hearers gone jearing home at the palpable and dishonourable failings of the Preacher How many sleep under us because our hearts and tongues are slepy and we bring not with us so much skill and zeal as to awake them Moreover what skill is necessary to defend the truth against gain-sayers and to deal with disputing Cavillers according to their several modes and case And if we fail through weakness how will they insult but that is the smallest matter but who knows how many weak ones may be perverted by the success to their own undoing and the trouble of the Church What skill is there necessary to deal in private with one poor ignorant soul for their conversion of which more in the end O Brethren do you not shrink and tremble under the sense of all this work Will a common measure of holy skill and ability of prudence and other qualifications serve for such a task as this I know necessity may cause the Church to tolerate the weak But woe to us if we tolerate and indulge our own weakness Doth not reason and conscience tell you that if you dare venture on so high a work as this you should spare no pains to be fitted to perform it It is not now and then an idle snatch or taste of studies that will serve to make a sound Divine I know that laziness hath lately learned to pretend the lowness of all our studies and how wholly and only the Spirit must qualifie and assist us to the work and so as Salvian saith in another case lib. 4. p. 134. Authorem quodammodo sui sceleris deum faciuâ—t As if God commanded us the use of means and then would warrant us to neglect them As if it were hâ—s way to cause us to thrive in a course of idleneâ—s and to bring us to knowledge by dreams when we are asleep or to take us up into heaven and shew us his counsels while we think of no such matter but are routing in the earth O that men should dare so sinfully by their laziness to quench the Spirit and then pretend the Spirit for the doing of it Quis unquam saith he before mentioned crederâ—t usque in loanc contumeliam Dei progressuraam esse humanae cupiditatis ignaviae oudaciam ut id ipsum in quo Christo injuriam facium dicant se ob Christi homen esse facturos O inestimabile facinus prodigiosum God hath required of us that we be not sloathful in business but fervent in spirit serving the Lord Rom. 12. 11. Such we must provoke our hearers to be and such we must be our selves O therefore Brethren lose no time study and pray and confer and practise for by these four waies your abilities must be increased Take heed to your selves lest you are weak through your own negligence and least you marr the work of God by your weakness As the man is so is his strength Iudg. 8. 21. SECT VIII 4. MOreover take heed to your selves lest your example contradict your Doctrine and lest you lay such stumbling blocks before the blind as may be the occasion of their ruine Lest you unsay that with your lives which you say with your tongues and be the greatest hinderers of the success of your own labours It much hindereth our work when other men are all the week long contradicting to poor people in private that which we have been speaking to them from the word of God in publike because we cannot be at hand to manifest their folly But it will much more hinder if we contradict our selves and if your actions give your tongue the lye and if you build up an hour or two with your mouths and all the week after pull down with your hands This is the way to make men think that the word of God is but an idle tale and to make preaching seem no better then prating He that means as he speaks will sure do as he speaks One proud surly Lordly word one needless contention one covetous action may cut the throat of many a Sermon and blast the fruit of all that
shall be all ungoverned And the Physitian that will undertake the Guidance of all the sick people in a whole Nation or County when he is not able to visit or direct the hundreth man of them may as well say Let them perish Ob. But though they cannot Rule them by themselves they may do it by others Answ The nature of the Pastoral work is such as must be done by the Pastor himself He may not delegate a man that is no Pastor to Baptize or administer the Lords Supper or to be the Teacher of the Church No more may he commit the Government of it to another Otherwise by so doing he makes that man the Bishop if he make him the immediate Ruler and Guid of the Church And if a Bishop may make each Presbyter a Bishop so he do but derive the power from him then let it no more be held unlawful for them to Govern or to be Bishops And if a Prelate may do it it is like Christ or his Apostles might and have done it for as we are to preach in Christs name and no in any mans so it s likely that we must Rule in his name But of this somewhat more anon Yet still it must be acknowledged that in case of necessity where there are not more to be had one man may under take the charge of more souls then he is able well to over-see particularly But then he must only undertake to do what he can for them and not to do all that a Pastor ordinarily ought to do And this is the case of some of us that 〈◊〉 greater Parishes then we are able to take 〈…〉 â—eed to as their state requireth I must proteâ—â— or my own part I am so far from their boldness in 〈…〉 venture on the sole Government of a County that I would not for all England have undertaken to have been one of the two that should do all the Padoral work that God enjoyneth to that one Parish where I live had I not this to satisfie my conscience that through the Churches necessities more cannot be had and therefore I must rather do what I can than leave all undone because I cannot do all But cases of unavoidable necessity are not to be the standing condition of the Church or at least it is not desirable that it should so be O happy Church of Christ were the Labourers but Able and Faithful and proportioned in number to the number of souls So that the Pastors were so many or the particular Flocks or Churches so small that we might be able to Take heed to All the Flocks SECT II. HAving told you these two things that are here implyed I come next to the duty it self that is exprest And this Taking heed to All the Flock in general is A very great care of the whole and every part with great watchfulness and diligence in the use of all those holy actions and Ordinances which God hath required us to use for their salvation More particularly this work is to be considered 1. In respect to the subject matter of it 2. In respect to the object 3. In respect to the work it self or the Actions which we must do And 4. In respect to the End which we must intend Or it is not amiss if I begin first with this last as being first in our intention though last as to the attainment 1. The ultimate end of our Pastoral over-sight is that which is the ultimate end of our whole lives Even the Pleasing and Glorifying of God to which is connext the Glory of the humane nature also of Christ and the Glorification of his Church and of our selves in particular And the neerer ends of our office are the sanctification and holy obedience of the people of our charge their unity order beauty strength preservation and increase and the right worshipping of God especially in the solemn Assemblies By which it is manifest that before a man is capable of being a true Pastor of a Church according to the mind of Christ he must have so high an estimation of these things that they may be indeed his ends 1. That man therefore that is not himself taken-up with the predominant love of God and is not himself devoted to him and doth not devote to him all that he hath and can do that man that is not addicted to the pleasing of God and maketh him not the Center of all his actions and liveth not to him as his God and Happiness That is that man that is not a sincere Christian himself is utterly unfit to be a Pastor of a Church And if we be not in a case of desperate necessity the Church should not admit such so far as they can discover them Though to inferiour common works as to teach the Languages and some Philosophy to translate Scriptures c. they may be admitted A man that is not heartily devoted to God addicted to his service honour will never set heartily about the Pastoral work nor indeed can he possibly while he remaineth such do one part of that work no nor of any other nor speak one word in Christian sincerity For no man can be sincere in the means that is not so in his intentions of the end A man must heartily Love God above all before he can heartily serve him before all 2. No man is fit to be a Minister of Christ that is not of a publike spirit as to the Church and delighteth not in its beauty and longeth not for its felicity As the good of the Common-wealth must be the end of the Magistrate his neerer end so must the felicity of the Church be the end of the Pastors of it So that we must rejoyce in its welfare and be willing to spend and be spent for its sake 3. No man is fit to be a Pastor of a Church that doth not set his heart on the life to come and regard the matters of everlasting life above all the matters of this present life and that is not sensible in some measure how much the inestimable riches of glory are to be preferred to the trifles of this world For he will never set his heart on the work of mens salvation that doth not heartily believe and value that salvation 4. He that delighteth not in holiness hateth not iniquity loveth not the Unity and Purity of the Church and abhorreth not discord and divisions and taketh not pleasure in the Communion of Saints and the publike worship of God with his people is not fit to be a Pastor of a Church For none of all these can have the true ends of a Pastor and therefore cannot do the works For of what necessity the end is to the Means and in Relations is easily known SECT III. II. THE subject matter of the Ministerial work is in general spiritual things or matters that concern the Pleasing of God and the Salvation of our people It is not about temporal and transitory things It is
the godly then the ungodly nor any more befriend them or favour them By how much more we love the persons above others by so much the more must we express it in the opposition of their sins And yet we must look to meet with some tender persons here especially when iniquity hath got any head and made a party and many have fallen in love with it They will be as pettish and impatient of a reproof as some worser men and interest piety it self into their faults and say that a Minister that preacheth against them doth preach against the godly A most haynous crime to make God and godliness accessory to their sins When all the world besides hath not the thousandth part of that enmity and opposition against them But the Ministers of Christ must do their duties for all mens peevishness and must not so far hate their Brother as to forbear the plain rebuking of him or suffer sin to lie upon his soul Levit. 19. 17. Though it must be done with much prudence yet done it must be 3. Another sort that our work is about is Declining Christians that are either fallen into some scandalous sin or else abate their zeal and diligence and shew us that they have lost their former Love As the case of back-sliders is very sad so our diligence must be great for their recovery It s sad to them to lose so much of their Life and peace and serviceableness to God and to become so serviceable to Satan his cause It is sad to us to see that al our labour is come to this and that when we have taken so much pains with men and bad so much hopes of them all should be so far frustrate It is saddest of all to think that God should be so abused by those that he hath so loved and done so much for and that the enemy should get such advantage upon his graces and that Christ should be so wounded in the house of a friend and the name of God evil spoken of among the wicked through such and all that fear God should be reproached for their sakes Besides that partial back-sliding hath a natural tendency to total Apostacie and would effect it if special grace prevent it not The sadder the case of such Christians is the more lieth upon us for their effectual recovery to restore those that are but overtaken with a fault by the Spirit of meekness Gal. 6. 12. and yet to see that the sore be throughly searcht and healed and the joynt be well set again what pain soever it cost and especially to look to the honour of the Gospel and to see that they rise by such free and full confessions and significations of true Repentance that some reparation be thereby made to the Church and their holy profession for the wound of dishonour that they had given it by their sin Much skill is required to the restoring of such a soul 4. Another part of the Ministerial work is about those that are fallen under some great Temptation Much of our assistance is needful to our people in such a case And therefore every Minister should be a man that hath much insight into the Tempters wiles We should know the great variety of them and the cunning craft of all Satans instruments that lie in wait to deceive and the methods and devices of the grand deceiver some of our people lie under Temptations to Error and Heresie especially the young unsettled and most self-conceited and those that are most conversant or familiar with Seducers Young raw ungrounded Christians are commonly of their mind that have most interest in their esteem and most opportunity of familiar talk to draw them into their way And as they are tinder so deceivers want not the sparks of zeal to set them on a flame A zeal for error and opinions of our own is natural and easily kindled and kept alive but it is far otherwise with the spiritual zeal for God O what a deal of holy Prudence and Industry is necessary in a Pastor to preserve the flock from being tainted with heresies and falling into noxious conceits and practices and especially to keep them in Unity and Concord and hinder the rising or increase of Divisions If there be not a notable conjunction of all accomplishments and a skilful improvement of parts and interests it will hardly be done especially in such times as ours when the sign is in the head and the disease is Epidemical If we do not publikely maintain the credit of our Ministery and second it by unblamable exemplary lives and privately meet with Seducers and shame them if we be not able to manifest their folly and follow not close our staggering people before they fall how quickly may we give great advantage to the enemy and let in such an inundation of sin and calamity that will not easily be again cast out Others lie under a temptation to worldliness and others to gluttony or drunkenness and others to iust some to one sin and some to another A faithful Pastor therefore should have his eye upon them all and labour to be acquainted with their natural temperament and also with their occasions and affairs in the world and the company that they live or converse with that so he may know where their temptations lie and then speedily prudently and diligently to help them 5. Another part of our work is to comfort the disconsolate and to settle the Peace of our peoples souls and that on sure and lasting grounds To which end the quality of the Complainants and the course of their lives had need to be known for all people must not have the like Consolations that have the like complaints But of this I have spoken already elsewhere and there is so much said by many especially Mr. Bolton in his Instructions for right Comforting that I shall say no more 6. The rest of our Ministerial work is upon those that are yet strong For they also have need of our assistance Partly to prevent their temptations and declinings and preserve the grace they have partly to help them for a further progress and encrease and partly to direct them in the improving of their strength for the service of Christ and the assistance of their brethren As also to encourage them especially the aged the tempted and afflicted to hold on and to persevere that they may attain the Crown All these are the objects of the Ministerial work and in respect to all these we must Take heed to all the Flock Abundance more distributions of our work with directions how to perform it to rich and poor young and old c. You may find in Gregor M. de cura pastorali worth the reading You may have the Book by it self of Mr. Ier. Stephens Edition SECT V. IV. HAving done with our work in respect of its Objects I am next to speak of the Acts themselves But of this I shall be very brief 1. Because they
if he saw the face of God doth more affect my heart though with common words then an unreverent man with the most exquisite preparations Yea if he bawl it out with never so much seeming earnestness if Reverence be not answerable to fervency it worketh but little Of all Preaching in the world that speaks not stark lyes I hate that Preaching which tendeth to make the hearers laugh or to move their minds with tickling levity and affect them as Stage-playes use to do instead of affecting them with a holy Reverence of the name of God Saith Hierom. in Epistol ad Nepotian pag. mihi 14. Decente in Ecclesia te non clamor populi sed gemitus suscitetur Lachrymae auditorum laudes tuae sunt We should as it were suppose we saw the Throne of God and the millions of Glorious Angels attending him that we might be awed with his Majesty when we draw neer him in his holy things lest we profane them and take his name in vain To this I annex that all our work must be done spiritually as by men possessed by the Holy Ghost and acted by him and men that savour the things of the Spirit There is in some mens preaching a spiritual strain which spiritual hearers can discern and relish And in some mens this sacred tincture is so wanting that even when they speak of spiritual things the manner is such as if they were common matters Our Evidence also and ornaments must be spiritual rather from the holy Scripture with a tautelous subservient use of Fathers and other Writers then from Aristotle or the authorities of men The wisdom of the world must not be magnified against the wisdom of God Philosophy must be taught to stoop and serve while faith doth bear the chiefest sway And great Schollars in Aristotles School must take heed of too much glorying in their master and despising those that are there below them least themselves prove lower in the School of Christ and least in the Kingdom of God while they would be great in the eyes of men As wise a man as any of them would glory in nothing but the Cross of Christ and desired to know nothing but him crucified They that are so confident that Aristotle is in Hell should not too much take him for their Guide in the way to heaven It s an excellent memorandum that Greg. M. hath left in his Moral l. 33. Deus primo collegit indoctos post modum Philosophos non per oratores docuit piscatores sed per Piscatores subâ—git Oratores The Learnedst men should think of this Let all writers have their due esteem but compare none of them with the word of God We will not refuse their service but we must abhor them as Competitors It s a sign of a distempered heart that looseth the relish of Scripture excellency For there is a connaturality in a spiritual heart to the word of God because this is the seed that did regenerate him The word is that feal that made all the holly Impressions that be in the hearts of true believers and stampt the Image of God upon them And therefore they must needs be like that word and highly esteem it as long as they live Austin tells us in his lib. 10. de Civit. Deic 29. Quod initium sancti Evangelii cui nomen est secundum Joannem quidam Platonicus sicut à sancto sene impliciano qui postea Mediolanensi Ecclesiae praesedit Episcopus sâ—lebamus audire aurâ—is literis consoribendum peromnes Ecclesias in locis eminentiscimis proponendum esse dicehat If he could so value that which suited with his Platonism how should we value the whole which is suitable to the Christian nature and interest God is the best Teacher of his own nature and will 11. The whole course of our Ministery must be carried on in a tender Love to our people we must let them see that nothing pleaseth us but what profiteth them and that which doth them good doth us good and nothing troubleth us more then their hurt We must remember as Hierom saith ad Nepotian That Bishops are not Lords but Fathers and therefore must be affected to their people as their children Yea the tenderest love of a mother should nor surpass theirs We must even travel in birth of them till Christ be formed in them They should see that we care for no outward thing not money not liberty not credit not life in comparison of their salvation but could even be content with Moses to have our names wiped out of the Book of life i. e. to be removed è numero viventium rather then they should perish and not be found in the Lambs book of life in numero salvandorum Thus should we as John saith be ready to lay down our lives for the brethren and with Paul not to count our lives dear to us so we may but finish our course with joy in doing the work of God for their salvation When the people see that you unseignedly love them they will hear any thing and bear any thing and follow you the more easily As Austin saith Dilige dic quicquid voles We will take all things well our selves from one that we know doth entirely love us We will put up a blow that is given us in Love sooner then a foul word that is given us in anger or in malice Most men use to judge of the counsel as they judge of the affection of him that gives it at least so far as to give it a fair hearing O therefore see that you feel a tender love to your people in your breasts and then let them feel it in your speeches and see it in your dealings Let them see that you spend and are spent for their sakes and that all you do is for them and not for any ends of your own To this end the works of charity are necessary as far as your estate will reach For bare words will hardly convince men that you have any great love to them Amicitia a dando accipiendo nascitur Chrysost But when you are not able to give shew that you are willing to give if you had it and do that sort of good that you can Si potes dare daâ— si non potes affabilem tefac Coronat Deus intus bonitatem ubi non invenit facultatem Nemo dicat non habeo Charitas non de sacculo erogatur August in Psal 103. But be sure to see that your love prove not carnal flowing from pride as one that is a suiter for himself rather then for Christ and therefore doth love because he is beloved or that he may be pretendeth it And therefore take heed that you do not connive at their sins under pretence of love for that were to cross the nature and ends of Love Amici vitia siferas facistua Senec. Friendship must be cemented by piety Tu primum exhibe to bonum quaere alterum similem tibi Sen. A
amiss if in the beginning of our Confession we look behind us and imitate Daniel and other servants of God who confessed the sins of their fore-fathers and predecessors For indeed my own Judgement is so far from denying Original sin even the imputed part with the antient opposers of it or those of the new Edition that it doth not so much excuse me from the Guilt of my later progenitors offences as most other mens do seem to excuse them Let us fetch up then the core of our shame and go to the bottom and trace the behaviour of the Minsters of the Gospel from the daies of Christ till now and see how far they have been from innocency When Christ had chosen him but twelve Apostles who kept neer his person that they might be acquainted with his Doctrine Life and Miracles yet how ignorant did they long remain not knowing so much as that he must dye and be a sacrifice for the sins of the world and be buried and rise again and ascend into glory nor what was the nature of his spiritual Kingdom so that it puts us hard to it to imagine how men so ignorant could be in a state of grace but that we know that those points were after of absolute necessity to salvation that were not so then How oft doth Christ teach them publikely and apart Mark 4. 34. and rebuke them for their unbelief and hardness of heart And yet after all this so strange were these great mysteries of Redemption to them and these now Articles of our Creed that Peter himself disswadeth Christ from suffering and goeth so far in contradicting his gracious thoughts for our Redmption that he is called Satan and tantum non excommunicate And no wonder for if his counsel had been taken the world had been lost for ever And as there was a Iudas among them so the twelve are before Christs face contending for superiority so early did that Pride begin to work in the best which afterwards prevailed so far in others as to bring the Church so low as we have seen What should we say of their joynt forsaking Christ of their failings even after the powrings out of the Spirit of the dissention and separation between Paul and Barnabas how strange Peter made of the calling of the Gentiles of his complyance with the Jews to the endangering the liberties of the Gentiles Gal. 2. Of the dissimulation of Barnabas and the common dissertion of Paul in his suffering When he had found one Timothy he saith he had no man like-minded that would naturally care for their estate for all seek their own and not the things of Jesus Christ Phil. 2. 20 21. A sad charge of self-seeking in that glory of the Church for faith and purity And what charges are against most of the Angels of the seven Asian Churches is expressed Rev. 2. and 3. And its likely that Archippus was not the only man that had need to be warned to look to his Ministery Col. 4. 17. Nor Demas the only man that forsook a persecuted partner and turned after the things of the world Nor Diotrephes the only man that loved to have the prehemine noe and made quarrels and dealt unjustly and unmercifully in the Church upon that account And even while the Churches were frying in the flames yet did the Pride and dissentions even of godly Pastors do more then the fire of persecution could do to turn al to ashes How sad a story is it that Policrates with all the Eastern Churches should be arrogantly excommunicated by Victor with his Romans upon no higher a crime then mis-choosing of Easterday which our Brittains also long after were guilty of who would think that so great weakness and presumptuous usurpation and uncharitable cruelty and Schismatical zeal could have befalen the Pastors of the Church in the strongest temptations of prosperity much less in the midst of Heathenish persecutions What toyes and trifles did the antient Reverend Fathers of the Church trouble their heads about and pester the Church with and what useless stuff are many of their Canons composed of Yet these were the great matter and work of many of their famous consultations How quickly did they seem to forget the perfection of holy Scripture the non-necessity and burdensomness of ceremonious impositions And by taking upon them an unnecessary and unjust kind of Jurisdiction they made the Church so much more work then ever Christ made it and so clogged Religion with humane devices that the Christian world hath groaned under it ever since and been almost brought to ruine by it and the Reverence of their persons hath put so much Reputation on the crime and custom hath so taught it to plead praescription that when the â—acerated languid Churches will be delivered from the sad effects of their presumption God only knoweth It would make an impartial Reader wonder that peruseth their Canons and the History of the Church that ever men of piety and charity and sobriety could be drawn to perplex and tear in pieces the Churches by such a multitude of vanities and needless determinations â—o say no worse And that the Preachers of the Gospel of peace which so enjoyneth humility unity and love should ever be drawn to such a height of pâ—ide as to think themselves meet to make so many Laws for the whole Church of Christ and to bind all their Brethren through the world to the obedience of their dictates and practice of their historical insnaring Ceremonies and that upon the penalties of being accounted no less then damned Hereticks or Schismaticks Though Paul had told them betime that he was afraid of them lest as the Serpent deceived Eve so they should be deceived and drawn from the simplicâ—ty that was in Christ 2 Cor. 11. 3. Yet quickly was this Caution forgotten and the thing that Paul feared soon befell them and in stead of the simplicity of Doctrine they vexed the Churches with curious controversies and instead of the simplicity of Disciâ—line and Government they corrupted the Church with Pompe and Tyranâ—ie and varieties of new orders and rules of Religions and instead of the simplicity of worship they set up such a train of their own inventions of which the Church had no necessity that the Bishops were become the Masters of Ceremonies who should have been the faithful and humble observers of the pure Laws and Ordinances of Christ Though their Councils were usual for the Churches Communion had they been rightly ordered yet so unhappily did they manage them for the most part that Greg. Nâ—zianzene purposed to come at them no more as having never seen any that did not more harm then good And so bold and busie were they in additions and innovations even in making new â—reeds that Hilary sadly complains of it not sparing the Council of Nâ—ce it self though their Creed were allowable because they taught others the way and set the rest a work And Luther sheweth us at large in his
that we own to the Redeemer as such are subordinate thereto It is the work of Christ to bring us back to God whom we fell from and to restore us to our perfection of Holiness and Obedience and as he is the way to the Father so faith in him is the way to our former employment and enjoyment of God I hope you perceive what all this driveth at viz. That to see God in his creatures and to love him and converse with him was the employment of man in his upright state That this is so far from ceasing to be our duty that it is the work of Christ by faith to bring us back to it and therefore the most holy men are the most excellent students of Gods works and none but the holy can rightly study them or know them His works are great sought out of all them that have pleasure therein Psal 111. 2. But not for themselves but for him that made them Your study of Physicks and other Sciences is not worth a rush if it be not God by them that you seek after To see and admire to reverence and adore to love and delight in God appearing to us in his works and purposely to peruse them for the knowledge of God this is the true and only Philosophy and the contrary is meer foolery and so called and called again by God himself This is the sanctification of your studies when they are devoted to God and when he is the life of them all and they all intend him as the end and the principal Object And therefore I shall presume to tell you by the way that it is a grand error and of dangerous Consequence in the Christian Academies pardon the Censure from one so unfit for it seeing the necessity of the Case commandeth it that they study the Creature before the Redeemer and set themselves to Physicks and Metaphysicks and Mathematicks before they set themselves to Theology when as no man that hath not the vitals of Theology is capable of going beyond a fool in Philosophy and all that such do is but doting about questistions and opposition of sciences falsly so called 1 Tim. 6. 20. 21. And as by affecting a separated Creature-knowledge Adam fell from God so those that mind these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they miss the end of all right studies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 while they will needs preferr these they miss that faith which they pretend to aim at Their pretence is that Theology being the end and the most perfect must be the last and all the subservient sciences must go first But 1. There is somewhat of Natural knowledge indeed prerequisite and somewhat of art before a man can receive Theology but that is no more then their mothers can teach them before they go to school 2. And its true that all right natural knowledge doth tend to the increase of Theological knowledge but that which is a means to its perfection may be the effect or Consequent of its beginning And 3. The end must be first known because it must be intended before the choice or use of means And 4 The Scripture revealeth to us the things of God himself in the most easie way and therefore he must be first learned there And 5. The book of the Creatures is not to shew us more of God then the Scripture doth but by representing him to us in more sensible appearances to make our knowledge of him the more intense and operative and being continually before our eyes God also would be continually before them if we could aright discern him in them It s evident therefore that Theology must lay the ground and lead the way of all our studies when we are once acquainted with so much of words and things as is needful to our understanding the sense of its Principles If God must be searched after in our search of the Creature and we must affect no separated knowledge of them then Tutors must read God to their Pupils in all and Divinity must be the beginning the middle the end the life the all of their studies And our Physicks and Metaphysicks must be reduced to Theologie and nature must be read as one of Gods books which is purposely written for the revelation of himself The holy Scripture is the easier book when you have first learnt God and his will there in the necessary things address your selves cheerfully to the study of his works that you may there see the Creature it self as your Alphabet and their Order as the Composure of syllables words and sentences and God as the subject matter of all and the respect to him as the sense or signification and then carry on both together and never more play the meer Scriveners stick no more in your letters and words but read every Creature as a Christian or a Divine If you see not your selves and all things as living and moving and having being in God you see nothing what ever you think you see If you perceive not in your perusals of the Creatures that God is all and in all and see not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom 11. 36. you may think perhaps that you know something but you know Nothing as you ought to know 1 Cor. 8. 2. But he that seeth and loveth God in the Creature the same is known and loved of him Vers 3. Think not so basely of the works of God and your physicks as that they are only preparatory studies for boyes It is a most high and noble part of holiness to search after behold admire and love the great Creator in all his works How much have the Saints of God been imployed in it The beginning of Genesis the books of Job and the Psalms may acquaint us that our Physicks are not so little kin to Theology as some suppose I do therefore in zeal to the good of the Church and their own success in their most necessary labours propound it to the consideration of all pious Tutors whether they should not as timely and as diligently read to their Pupils or cause them to read the chiefest parts of Practical Divinity and there is no other as any of the Sciences and whether they should not go together from the very first It is well that they hear Sermons but that is not enough If they have need of private help in Philosophy besides publike Lectures much more in Theology If Tutors would make it their principal business to acquaint their Pupils with the doctrine of Life and Labour to set it home upon their hearts that all might be received according to its weight and read to their hearts as well as to their heads and so carry on the rest of their instructions that it may appear they make them but subservient unto this and that their Pupils may feel what they drive at in all and so that they would teach all their Philosophy in habitu Theologico this might be a happy means to make happy souls and a
happy Church and Commonwealth The same I mean also along of the Course of Schoolmasters to their scholars But when Languages and Philosophy have almost all their time and diligence and instead of reading Philosophy like Divines they read Divinity like Philosophers as if it were a thing of no more moment then a lesson of Musick or Arithmetick and not the doctrine of Everlasting life this is it that blasteth so many in the bud and pestereth the Church with unsanctified Teachers Hence it is that we have so many worldlings to preach of the invisible felicity and so many carnal men to declare the mysteries of the Spirit and I would I might not say so many Infidels to preach Christ or so many Atheists to preach the living God And when they are taught Philosophy before or without Religion what wonder if their Philosophy be all or most of their Religion and if they grow up into admirations of their unprofitable fancies and deifie their own deluded brains when they know no other God and if they reduce all their Theologie to their Philosophy like Campanella White and other self-admirers or if they take Christianity for a meer delusion and fall with Hobbs to write Leviathans or with the L. Herbert to write such Treatises de veritate as shall shew the world how little they esteem of verity or at best if they turn Paracelsian Behmenists and spin them a Religion from their own inventions Again therefore I address my self to all them that have the education of youth especially in order to preparation for the Ministery You that are Schoolmasters and Tutors begin and end with the things of God Speak daily to the hearts of your Schollars those things that must be wrought into their hearts or else they are undone Let some piercing words fall frequently from your mouthes of God and the state of their souls and the life to come Do not say They are too young to understand and entertain them You little know what impressions they may make which you discern not Not only the soul of that boy but a Congregation or many souls therein may have cause to bless God for your zeal and diligence yea for one such seasonable word You have a great advantage above others to do them good You have them before they are grown to the worst and they will hear you when they will not hear another If they are destinated to the Ministery you are preparing them for the special service of God and must they not first have the knowledge of him whom they must serve O think with your selves what a sad thing it will be to their own souls and what a wrong to the Church of God if they come out from you with common and carnal hearts to so holy and spiritual and great a work Of an hundred Students that be in one of your Colledges how many may there be that are serious experienced godly men some talk of too small a number If you should send one half of them on a work that they are un it for what bloody work will they make in the Church or Countries Whereas if you be the means of their through-sanctification how many souls may bless you and what greater good can you do the Church When once their hearts are savingly affected with the Doctrine which they study and preach they will study it more heartily and preach it heartily their own experience will direct them to the fittest subjects and will furnish them with matter and quicken them to set it home and I observe that the best of our hearers can feel and favour such experimental preachers and usually do less regard others what ever may be their accomplishments See therefore that you make not work for Sequestrators nor for the groans and lamentation of the Church nor for the great Tormenter of the murderers of souls SECT VI. 2. MY second particular Exhortation is this Content not your selves to have the main work of grace but be also very careful that your graces be kept in life and action and that you preach to your selves the Sermons that you studâ— before you preach them to others If you did this for your own sakes it would be no lost labour but I am speaking to you upon the publike account and that you would do it for the sake of the Church When your minds are in a heavenly holy frame your people are like to partake of the fruits of it Your prayers and praises and doctrine will be heavenly and sweet to them They will likely feel when you have been much with God That which is on your hearts most is like to be most in their ears I confess I must speak it by lamentable experience that I publish to my Flock the distempers of my soul when I let my heart grow cold my preaching is cold and when it is confused my preaching will be so and so I can observe too oft in the best of my hearers that when I have a while grown cold in preaching they have cooled accordingly and the next Prayers that I have heard from them hath been too like my preaching We are the Nurses of Christs little ones If we forbear our food we shall famish them they will quickly find it in the want of Milk and we may quickly see it again on them in the lean and dull discharge of their several duties If we let our Love go down we are not so like to raise up theirs If we abate our holy care and fear it will appear in our Doctrine If the matter shew it not the manner will If we feed on unwholsom food either errors or fruitless controversies our hearers are like to fare the worse for it Whereas if we could abound in Faith and Love and Zeal how would it over-flow to the refreshing of our Congregations and how would it appear in the increase of the same graces in others O Brethren watch therefore over your own hearts keep out lusts and passions and worldly inclinations Keep up the life of Faith and Love Be much at home and be much with God If it be not your daily serious business to study your own hearts and subdue corruptions and live as upon God if you make it not your very work which you constantly attend all will go amiss and you will starve your auditors or if you have but an affected servency you cannot expect such a blessing to attend it Be much above all in secret prayer and meditation There you must fetch the heavenly fire that must kindle your sacrifices Remember you cannot decline and neglect your duty to your own hurt alone but many will be losers by it as well as you For your peoples sakes therefore look to your hearts If a pang of spiritual Pride should overtake you and you should grow into any dangerous or schismatical conceits and vent your own over-valued inventions to draw away Disciples after you what a wound might this prove to the Church that you
the utmost as your Helpers in their places in an orderly way under your Guidance or else they will make use of them in a disorderly dividing way in opposition to you It hath been a great cause of Schism when Ministers would contemptuously cry down private mens preaching and withall desire not to make any use of the Gifts that God hath given them for their assistance but thrust them too far from holy things as if they were a prophane generation The work is like to go poorly on if there be no hands imployed in it but the Ministers God giveth not any of his gifts to be buryed but for common use By a prudent improvement of the gifts of the more able Christians we may receive much help by them and prevent their abuse even as lawful marriage preventeth fornication And the uses you must specially put them to are these 1 Urge them to be diligent in Teaching and praying with their own families specially Catechizing them and teaching them the meaning of what they learn and whetting it on their affections And there if they have a mind to preach to their children and servants so they undertake not more then they are able to do I know no reason but they may 2. Urge them to step out now and then to their poor Ignorant Neighbours and catechize and instruct them in meekness and patience from day to day and that will bring them more peace of Conscience then contemning them 3. Urge them to go oft to the Impenitent and scandalous sinners about them and deal with them with all possible skill and earnestness yet also with love and patience for the Converting reforming and saving of their souls 4. Acquaint them with their duty of watching over each other in brotherly love and admonishing and exhorting one another daily and if any walk scandalously to tell them their fault before two or three after the contempt of private reproof and if that prevail not to tell the officers of the Church that they may be further proceeded with as Christ hath appointed 5. At your private meetings and in days of humiliation or thanksgiving in private imploy them in prayer and in such learning Questions as is aforesaid 6. If there be any very ignorant or scandalous sinner that you know of and you cannot possibly have time your selves to speak to them at that season send some of those that are able and sober to do it in your stead to instruct the ignorant and admonish the offenders as far as a private man on a message from a Minister and in discharge of his own duty may go 7. Let some of them be chosen to Represent the Church or to see that they have no wrong and to be their Agents to prepare all Cases of Discipline for publike audience and to be present with the Church officers at appointed meetings to hear the Evidences that are brought in against any scandalous impenitent sinners and to discern how far they are valid and how far the persons are obliged to make satisfaction and give publike testimony of Repentance or to be further proceeded against 8 Let such as are fit be made subservient officers I mean Deacons and then they may afford you help in a regular way and will by their relation discern themselves obliged to maintain the unity of the Church and authoritie of the Ministrie as they have some participation of the Employment and honour and so by a complication of Interests you will make them firmer to the Church But then see that they be men Competently fit for the place I am perswaded if Ministers had thus made use of the parts of their ablest members they might have prevented much of the Divisions and distractions and apostacie that hath befaln us For they would have then found work enough upon their hands for higher parts then theirs without invading the Ministrie and would rather have seen cause to bewail the impefection of their abilities to that work which doth belong to them Experience would have convinced and humbled them more then our words will do A man may think he can stir such ablock or pluck up a tree by the roots that never tryed but when he sets his hands to it he will come off ashamed And see that you drive them to diligence in their own works and let them know what a sin it is to neglect their families and their ignorant miserable neighbours c and then they will be kept humble and have no such mind to be running upon more work when they feel you spurring them on to their own and rebuking them for the neglect nor will they have any leisure for schismatical Enterprises because of the constancy and greatness of their employment 11. Still keep up Christian love and familiarity with them even when they begin to warp and make defection and lose not your interest in them while you have any thoughts of attempting their recovery 12. If they do withdraw into separated meetings follow them and be among them if it may be continually enter a mild dissent as to the lawfulness of it but yet tell them that you are willing to hear what it is that they have to say and to be among them for their good if they will give you leave for fear lest they run to further evil And be not easily removed but hold on unless they resolvedly exclude you For 1. You may thereby have the opportunity of a moderate gentle opposing their errors and so in time may manifest the vanity of their course 2. And you will prevent much of that impudent reviling and grosser venting of further Error which they will do more freely where there is no Contradicter They may say any thing when there is none to gainsay them and make it seem good in the eyes of the weak 3. And by this means if any seducers from abroad come in to confirm them you will be readie to oppose them And so at the least you will do much to prevent the increase of their party It hath been a very great cause of the schisms in England that Ministers have only too many contemned them when they have withdrawn into private separated meetings have talk't against them to others or reproved them in the Pulpit in the mean time fled away from the faces of them or been strangers to them while they have given Seducers opportunity to come among them be familiar with them without contradiction and to have the advantages of deceiving them and even doing what their list O that the Ministrie had been more guiltless of those Errors and Schisms that they talk against But it s easier to chide a sectary in the Pulpit and to subscribe a Testimony against them then to play the skilful Physician for their Cure and do the tenth part of the duty that lieth upon us to prevent and heal such calamitous distempers I am not finding fault with Prudent Reprehensions of them in Publike or Testimonies against