guestes to be partakers of her dainties which do hunger and thirst after spirituall graces The Prophet Dauid saith of himselfe My hart breaketh for the desire to thy iudgmeÌ„ts alway Such a desire as worldlings haue to their riches as voluptuous men haue to their pleasures who are neuer satisfied such a desire I say haue the Saints of God to this wisedome The kingdome of heauen saith our Sauiour froÌ„ the time of Iohn the Baptist hitherto suffreth violence the violeÌ„t take it by force his meaning is that the hearts of men were then inflamed with an earnest zeale and greedie desire to heare the word they did not coldly for fashion but with an earnest violent affection follow seeke after this wisdome not the idle carelesse sort but such as be spiritually violent take receiue the kingdome of heauen he that taketh any thing by violence he doth vehemently desire it will not want it vseth all power indeuour to obtaine it neither doth he feare to expose himselfe all that he hath to danger so that he may enioy it the matter then being so waightie it must not be lightly desired sought for but with great vehemencie zeale And therefore the Apostle exhorteth that as new borne babes we should desire the sincere milk of the word that we may growe thereby Infants they desire milke that egerly they cry yell for it nothing will stay them till they haue it their desire is daily continuall Such desires affections we must beare to true wisedome as good foode is sweet to the hungry when it is eaten so is wisedome to the soule if it be inwardly receiued and digested there wil follow exceeding delight and ioy but because most hearers professe their loue to the word shew their loue by desiring it delighting in it as it may seeme to the eyes of the world let vs see some further signes to approue our true loue to wisedome the account that we make of it first then they that truly loue truly esteeme this wisedome they must needes loue the publike assemblies and specially the publike ministrie and preaching of wisedome some thinke it enough to pray and read at home but Gods ordinance must bee acknowledged priuate duties must giue place to the publike this is the gate of heauen the house of God the court of the Saints here shineth most clearely the louing countenance and face of God in his temple Doth euery man speake of his glory O Lord saith Dauid I haue loued the habitation of thine house and the place where thine honour dwelleth And againe I reioyced when they said vnto me we will goe into the house of the Lord he loued ioyed in such meetings because of Gods presence because of the sacrifices and Sacraments they are ministred for that he had there the coÌ„pany of Gods people publike ioynt prayers the word of wisedome there read expounded and as this was Dauids ioy practise being a worthy Prophet and King so it is said in an other place that the Prince shall be in the midst of the assemblies he shall goe in with the people when they goe forth they shall goe forth together And as Salomon built an house for God confecâ—ated it to holy vses so he himselfe resorted thither with the Priests people to offer publike seruice to God Christ himselfe the Apostles Saints did commonly frequent publike assemblies such as contemne these they doe not reade nor vnderstand aright hauing so many precepts presideÌ„ts against them Others there be which are content to come to publike meetings to prayer to the reading of the scriptures but they thinke this sufficient that they need no more at all as for preaching they care little for it nay many do scorne and hate it these doe not rightly esteeme or loue the word if they loued it read they wold loue it preached the rather seeing it is more to edification by preaching we are assured of the authoritie of the scriptures we better vnderstand them many darke senteÌ„ces of scripture are explained places which seeme contrarie are recoÌ„ciled the hid treasures of wisedome are layed open to our further comfort scriptures are applied to time place persons affections are more moued many are called conuerted such as are called are further confirmed and increased by the power of preaching for it is ordained of God not onely for conuersion of soules but for confirmation augmentation and continuance in grace and therefore most needfull for all persons be they neuer so wise strong or holie these be the speciall prerogatiues priuiledges of preaching And therefore the Apostle accounteth esteemeth of it as the most necessarie and profitable gift in the Church the cause why men doe contemne hate preaching is because they are in loue with their sinnes which are discouered by it Therefore Ahaâ— hated Michaiah the Prophet as he confesseth because he prophecied not good vnto him but euill Light is come into the world men loue darknes more then light because their deeds are euill for euery man that euill doth hateth the light neither commeth to light least his deeds should be reproued but he that doth truth commeth to the light that his deeds might be made manifest that they are wrought according to God Againe they hate this light of preaching and contemne it because it is an enemie to their carnalliberties sincere sound preaching reproueth many delights vanities corruptions which flesh and blood would faine retaine nourish and therefore carnall men say Let vs breake this bond and cast this cord from vs Let vs shake off this yoake of Christ but the godly do therfore the more loue it because it doth reproue their sins is an effectuall meanes to bring them to true repentance mortification they loue the word read they loue it preached reading is not to be neglected contemned it is coÌ„mended both in the law the Gospell thereby we are the better acquainted with the scriptures we are made thereby more profitable hearers reading helpeth our iudgements affections memories preaching helpeth reading and reading helpeth preaching they that best loue preaching and seeke most for Sermons if they doe it with right affections they read most and with more comfort and profit All the parts of Gods seruice are to be practised by a Christian no part of his seruice is to be neglected or contemned this is an other sure signe of our true loue to wisedome often in secret to meditate of it to conferre of it with others to reade the word or to cause it to be read vnto vs by these priuate exercises Dauid proueth his loue to the word as we haue hard before loue will drawe our affection to speake and thinke often of that which we loue this is a more sure signe then
contemne the faithfull preachers deliuering vnto vs the certaine and sure word of God The Romanes shall condemne vs who gaue such honour to the obscure writings of Sybilla that in all doubts they rested vpon them we neglect the scriptures which are able to resolue vs in all doubts and to comfort vs in the greatest extremities The Papists shall condemne vs who make more account of their own traditions then we do of Christs Gospell They are more constant in errors then we in the truth they goe further to a masse then we to a sermon they are more liberall in mainetaining of Idolatrous Priestes then we aree to maintaine the Lords faithfull ministers They take more care and paines in drawing as many as they can to their idolatrous superstition then we are to drawe men to true religion They liberally maintaine their followers and fauourers we suffer many true professors and Christians to want Our forefathers who liued in blindnes shall condemne vs who were full of good deeds abounding in hospitalitie liberalitie and almes deeds dealing iustly honestly and vprightly in their contractes and bargaines Many amongst vs vnder the Gospell are couetous miserable and vnmercifull full of deceit and crueltie These miserable worldlings shall condeme vs who doe so much followe the world and bestowe so much care and paines vpon it neglecting no time or occasion of gaine whereas we are sloathfull carelesse and negligent in heauenly things These two examples of the Niniuites and this woman alledged by our Sauiour Christ in the Gospell against the vnthankefull and disobedient Iewes may as truly and as iustly be applied against vs. The Niniuites shall rise in iudgement and condemne this generation They hearing but one Ionas and one sermon threatning destruction beleeued God repented of their sinnes and shewed the fruites of their faith and repentance but how many sermons haue we heard and that by sundrie men and a long time sermons of mercy alluring vs by the sweet promises of God and sermons of iudgements threatning thundring euerlasting damnation and yet where is our repentance where are the fruites of our faith and obedience A fewe sermons or one sermon was sufficient to witnes against vs how much more such a multitude of sermons so long continued By the mouth of two or three witnesses euery thing shall be established And the Apostle accounteth his sermons and Epistles as witnesses against the Corinthians And if the very shaking off the dust of the feete of Gods seruants be a sufficient witnes against an vnthankfull people how much more shall they themselues their continuall labours and sermons testifie against them to their vtter shame and confusion And if our Sauiour Christ pronounce so hard a sentēce against Chorazin Bethsaida Capernaum amongst whō he preached but a small time what shall become of vs that haue had the Gospell preached so often and so long a time Our Sauiour preached publikely in the world but three yeares onely he taught in many other places he bestowed but some of that time in those Cities Now if one yeares preaching two or three yeeres preaching be sufficient to drawe vpon an impenitent people such heauie iudgements and damnation what shall become of those which haue had the Gospell preached some tenne yeares some 20. some 30. some 40. some 50. yeares and yet haue beene and are still most vnthankfull and vnprofitable hearers The lawe of nature was sufficient to make vs inexcusable much more the morall lawe of God written and most of all if to these two be ioyned the Gospell of Christ these are three heauie witnesses against vs. But to come to the example we haue in hand and to make some speciall vse of it to our owne soules This woman the Queene of the South shall rise in iudgment condemne this generation wherin we liue She trauelleth far taketh vpon her a great long teadious dangerous painefull and costly iourney but many amongst vs are secure idle and sloathfull fewe or none will labour for it Nay they will scarce haue it receiue it though they may haue it with ease without any cost or labour If any haue care and conscience to seeke for wisedome abroad wanting it at home such are derided scoffed hated and persecuted by the most sort of men This woman reuerenceth her teacher and thinketh nothing too deare for him Many despise their faithfull teachers little regarding their doctrine seeking their discredit and offering them iniuries and as for maintenance they thinke a litle too much they grudge to giue that little which the lawe alloweth in many places and hardly can any be drawne to voluntarie contributions and if they be they are soone wearie of it The Children of Israel doe offer voluntarie gifts for the building of the tabernacle as gold siluer precious stones and they were so free and gaue so much that the Lord said to Moses The people bring too much and more then enough for the vse of the worke which the Lord hath commanded to be made And in an other place the people and Princes offering many thousand tallents of gold siluer and precious stones It is said The people reioyced when they offered willingly And Dauid the King reioyced with great and blessed God for their franke offering Where are such people where are such hearts so free and liberall to maintaine Gods house In an other place The children of Israel they pulled their eare-rings from their eares to make a golden Calfe and Baalls Prophets are richly and liberally maintained Our forefathers haue beene very bountifull and prodigall in maintaining Idolatrous Priests they gaue indeed too much to the Church euen the very wealth and fatte of the world but we are come to an other extremitie they gaue too much we giue little or nothing nay that which is worst of all we take away that which was giuen by others Oh what account shall these make which spoyle robbe the Church Nay which robbe God himselfe If Christ shall say to those which haue not releeued and harboured his seruants Depart yee cursed to euerlasting fire shall not those be partakers of that heauie sentence to whom the iudge may truly say I had meate drinke of my own but you tooke it from me I had house and harbour but you thrust me out Whosoeuer they be that are not readie willing to releeue and maintaine the faithfull teachers they thinke basely of the word they doe not truly loue it nor take it to be their felicitie for as loue is painefull to seeke for wisdome so it is bountiful to maintaine it Want of maintenance is the decay of learning religion by this pollicie Sathan doth hinder keep backe many from this calling and discomfort many that are in it Therefore not onely this woman but also many other as the Iewes and our forefathers yea Iezabell in maintaining Baalls Priests shall condemne the miserablenes the couetousnes the hard dealing and vnkindnesse of this our
appoynted Ouer-â—eers in the Church and it is Iesus Christ that giueth gifts to men to become Pastors and teachers in the Church Those glorious titles before spoken of they belong also to the Ministers of God They are pastors fathers nurces and in Gods stead Magistrates are to be honoured such as rule well in word and doctrine are worthie of double honour The same is the end of both their callings to suppresse and beate downe sinne But our power is spirituall therefore the greater euen the power of God to saluation power to conuert soules to beate downe Sathan and sinne and to bring into bondage euery thought that doth rayse it selfe against God By the Magistrates care policie and power wee liue in peace and are defended from forren domesticall foes By the ministerie of the word the sword of the spirit wee are armed against our spirituall enemies and enioy true peace of conscience And therefore the ministerie of the word is truely called the streugth and life of a land When Elishai saw Eliah taken vp into heauen he cryed My father my father the Chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof It is sinne that weakens a land it is religion and pietie that maketh it strong By the preaching of the word sinne is weakned and all vertue and goodnes is increased confirmed The want of this word is the famishing of mens soules the plentie of this word is the life of their soules Magistrates are keepers and maintayners of both the tables of the commandements and so are all faithfull Ministers Magistrates are to execute outward punishments vpon offenders Ministers haue power to reproue to binde and exclude notorious offenders Our bodies goods liues are subiect to Princes but al power worshippe and maiestie are subiect so the word which wee preach And as they are rebels to Princes which resist their power so are they rebels to God which set themselues against the doctrine counsels and exhortations of his faithfull Ministers And finally as good Magistrates doe comfort and encourage good subiects by rewards honours and countenance so good Ministers are carefull by all means possible to comfort good Christians by the sweete promises and mercies of God and by the assurance of remission of sinnes and life eternall Seeing therefore there is such agreement both in the titles and callings of Magistrates and Ministers there should be also an agreement and vnion in affection betwixt them They are intirely to affect and loue one another The Ministers are to guide and direct the Rulers by the word and they againe are to defend them by the sword This the Lord teacheth when hee appoynted two brethren to gouerne his people Moses and Aaron the one to gouerne the other to teach It went well with Saul so long as he hearkened to Samuel the Prophet Dauid had Gad and Nathan neere vnto him as his faithfull Counsellers Hezekiah the King was directed by Esaiah the Prophet Therfore Magistrates are to countenance good Ministers and to encourage them Wee teach and perswade all men to obey the higher powers We pray for you publikelie and priuately and stirre vp others to doe the like Wee set foorth the excellencie of your callings We threaten damnation to rebels and traytors As for our calling although diuine and sacred yet odious and contemptible to the worlde because wee reproue the sinnes of all men we endure many hard speeches vnkindnesses and iniuries of wicked men the eyes of many their eares hearts and mouthes are open against vs. Wee are subiect to many temptations and infirmities Wee haue many discomforts and discouragements Who is to comfort and countenance and defend vs but the good Magistrates And you must not bee offended though we sometimes iustlie reproue your opon sinnes in open place It is our office to reproue sinne in all as it is your dutie to punish sinne in all As you must not be partiall and not haue respect of persons in iudgement so we must not be partiall in reproouing We doe it God knoweth in dutie loue and conscience and therefore you are to take it in good part All holy men though they were Kings and Princes haue beene content patiently to receiue iust reproofe And the sinnes of Magistrates and great persons doe most hurt of all other and therefore most of all to be reprooued If wee be carelesse and idle in our place If we be flatterers time seruers If we be corrupt false in our doctrine If we be wicked and dissolute in life Let vs bee censured according to our deserts But if our care be to do good to take what paynes we can in our places to winne foules to beate downe sinne and Poperie to liue honestly and keepe a good conscience in all things If neyther our doctrine nor life can bee iustly touched why should you be strange vnto vs why should you keepe backe from vs your fauour assistance and countenance It is the chiefe end of the office and calling of a good Magistrate to defend and countenance all good and honest men much more the faithfull and paynefull Ministers of God And seeing Magistrates and Ministers haue the same authour the same names and dignitie let them ioyne together for the beating downe of sinne and bee helpers and comforters one to another and let the highest of all remember specially those which make small account of our calling let them remember and lay vp in their hearts these worthie places of Scripture Remember that caueat which GOD giueth to his people Beware that thou forsake not the Leuite as long as thou liuest vpon the earth And againe Touch not mine annointed and doe my Prophets no harme This was spoken euen to Kings and Princes to their rebuke and shame And neuer forget that bitter prayer of Moses who yet was the mildest man that euer liued vpon the earth Blesse ô Lord saith he his substance and accept the worke of his hands he speaketh of the tribe of Leuie the faithfull ministers of God Smite through the Ioynes of them that rise against him and of them that hate him that they neuer rise vp againe And remember that saying of our Sauiour Christ speaking to his Apostles saying He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me And those sayings of the Apostle Now we beseech you brethren that you knowe them which labour among you and are ouer you in the Lord and admonish you that you haue them in singular loue for their worke sake Loue them for their calling for the gifts of God in them for their great paines for the gaine and profit which you doe or may reape by them And neuer forget that saying of the same Apostle alreadie alleaged That those which labour in word and doctrine are worthy of double honor And finally remember the sweete and gratious exhortation of the worthy king good king Iehosephat deliuered to his owne subiects by his owne mouth saying Heare you me