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<DATE>6-25-08</DATE>
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<NAME>John Latta</NAME>
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<STC T="S">19706.5</STC>
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<VID>152015</VID>
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<TEXT LANG="eng">
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<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
<PB REF="1">
<PB REF="1">
<P>M. PERKINS, HIS EX|hortation to Repentance, out <HI>of Zephaniah: Preached in</HI> 2. Ser|mons in <HI>Sturbridge Faire.</HI></P>
<P>TOGETHER WITH TWO Treati&s;es of the Duties and <HI>Dig|nitie of the Mini&s;trie: Deliuered</HI> publiquely in the Vniuer&s;itie <HI>of Cambridge.</HI></P>
<P>With a Preface praefixed touching <HI>the publi&s;hing of all &s;uch workes of his</HI> as are to be expected: with a Catalogue <HI>of all the perticulers of them, diligently</HI> peru&s;ed and publi&s;hed, by a Preacher of the Word.</P>
<Q><BIBL>Prouerbs 28. 13.</BIBL> <P>Hee that hideth his &s;innes &s;hall not pro&s;per, But he that confe&s;&s;eth and for &s;aketh them &s;hall finde mercy.</P></Q>
<P>LONDON Imprinted by <HI>T. C.</HI> for <HI>William Welby,</HI> and are to bee &s;old at his Shop in <HI>Pauls Church-yard,</HI> at the &s;igne of the <HI>Grey-hound.</HI> 1605.</P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="dedication">
<PB REF="2" MS="y">
<PB REF="2">
<HEAD>To the right wor&s;hipfull, my <HI>very worthie and Chri&s;tian friend,</HI> Syr <HI>William Gee,</HI> Knight, one of his Maie&s;ties Honourable Coun&s;ell in the North, Recorder of the Towne <HI>of Beuerley, and Hnll, and one of his Maie|</HI>&s;ties Iu&s;tices of peace in the Ea&s;triding of the Countie of Yorke, a true friend of learning, and pietie, and to the vertuous, and religious Lady his wife. Grace and peace from God &amp;c.</HEAD>
<P>_AMong&s;t the many rea&s;ons (Wor&s;hipful Syr',) which haue per&s;waded mee that Poperie cannot bee the true religio~, this is not the le&s;t: the in|&s;ufficiency of their doctrin of faith &amp; repe~tance: which two things though they be the chiefe &amp; principal points
<PB REF="3">
in Religion, and &s;o nece&s;&s;arie that he, who doth not, both knowe, and pra|cti&s;e them aright, can neuer be &s;aued yet I dare auouch, that the faith and <NOTE PLACE="marg">Canitius in Cate|chi&s;me. Co&s;terus in Enchiridio.</NOTE> repentance of the Romi&s;h Church, as they are taught by many of the be&s;t approued Papi&s;ts, are no better then &s;uch a faith, and &s;uch a repen|tance as an hypocrite, and a very re|probate may attaine vnto: Indeed, to in&s;i&s;t vpon repentance onely (they make many faire flori&s;hes, they call it penance, they make it a &s;acrament, &amp; &s;ay it is a boord that &s;aues a man after &s;hipwrack, and write great volumnes of it, and of <HI>confe&s;sion,</HI> and of <HI>Ca&s;es of</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Corradus. Nauarrus. Loper Sai|rus. Hallus. Graffius, &amp; many o|ther.</NOTE> <HI>con&s;cience,</HI> (as you good Syr in your owne reading know better then I) &amp; yet alas, when all is done, it is but a &s;hadow of repentance; and indeede how can they teach aright the doc|trine of repentance: which erre &s;o fowly in &s;etting downe the iu&s;tice of God, and the vilenes of &s;in, which 2.
<PB REF="3">
points a man mu&s;t know, el&s;e he will neuer repent: but Poperie mi&s;con|ceiuing the iu&s;tice of God, teaching it not to bee infinite in as much as it needes not an infinite &s;atisfaction, &amp; mi&s;conceiuing the nature of &s;in, tea|ching euery &s;in not to bee damnable, <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 word"> to offend Gods Infinite iu&s;tice, <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="2 letters">ring (I &s;ay) in the&s;e 2. how is it po&s;|&s;ible they &s;hould conceiue aright the nature of repentance? by which a man &s;eeing his &s;ins, their foulene&s;&s;e their puni&s;hment, and his own mi&s;e|ry by them, confe&s;&s;eth them, bewails them, fearing Gods iu&s;tice, flyeth fro~ it, and craues forgiuene&s;&s;e of his mer|cie, and la&s;tly purpo&s;eth, &amp; indeuou|reth to leaue them all, and to leade a newe life. The &s;erious con&s;ideration hereof, hath often made me wonder, why many Popi&s;h treati&s;es being in &s;ome &s;ort exhortations to repentance &s;hould be &s;o accounted of, as they are by &s;ome: for though I confe&s;&s;e there
<PB REF="4">
are in &s;ome of them, good and hole|&s;ome meditations, and many motiues to mortification, and good life, yet would I gladly learne of any man but this one thing, how tho&s;e exhortati|ons can be pithie, or powerful, &s;ound or any way &s;ufficient to moue a man to repentance, when as, not tho&s;e bookes, nor all Poperie is able to teach a man &s;ufficiently what true re|pentance is.</P>
<P>If any man reply: I will therefore learne the doctrine out of the Prote&s;|tants bookes, and v&s;e the Papi&s;ts for exhortation onely: I then an&s;were, is it not a more compendious, and conuenient, and a le&s;&s;e &s;candalous cour&s;e, to &s;eeke exhortations out of &s;uch writers, as do teach the doctrine aright? nay I doubt how it is po&s;&s;ible to finde a powerfull exhortation to repentance in any Papi&s;t, who erres in the Doctrine: the rea&s;on is mani|fe&s;t, becau&s;e Doctrine is the ground
<PB REF="4">
of exhortation: and if the doctrine be vn&s;ound, how can the exhortati|on, be any better. Let vs therefore leaue the&s;e muddic puddles, and fet our water at the fountaine: the water of life, at the fountaine of life, I mean the doctrine of faith, and repentance at the written word of God, and at &s;uch mens writings as are grounded therevpon, and agreeable thereunto. <NOTE PLACE="marg">Deering<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter"> Grenham. Bradford. and many other.</NOTE></P>
<P>Now, among&s;t tho&s;e many in&s;tru|ments of God, who haue laboured with profit in this great point of Re|ligion: namely repentance, drawing their doctrine out of the two bre&s;ts, of the 2. Te&s;taments of Gods booke, I may well &s;ay, (to &s;ay no more,) that this man of God Mai&s;ter <HI>Perkins,</HI> de|&s;erues to haue his place: who&s;e la|bours, whil&s;t he liued, and his yet li|uing labours, what they de&s;erue, I had rather others &s;hould proclame, then I once name: who profe&s;&s;e my &s;elfe to bee one of tho&s;e many, who
<PB REF="5">
may truely &s;ay, that by the grace of God &amp; his good meanes principally, I am that I am: But leaning him in that glorious man&s;ion, which Chri&s;t the Lord of the Harue&s;t hath prepa|red for him: and now giuen him. I returne to my &s;elfe, and doe humbly prai&s;e the Lord of heauen, who gaue mee my time in the Vniuer&s;itie, in tho&s;e happie dayes, wherein (be&s;ide many other worthy men of God, whereof &s;ome are falne a&s;leepe, and &s;ome remaine aliue vnto this day) this holy man did &s;pend him &s;elf like a Candle to giue light vnto others:</P>
<P>The &s;cope of all his godly ende|uours was to teach <HI>Chri&s;t Ie&s;us,</HI> and him crucified, and much laboured to moue all men to repentance, that as our knowledge hath made Popery a&s;hamed of their ignorance: &s;o our holy liues might honour our holy profe&s;sion. And as repentance was one of the principal ends, both of his
<PB REF="5">
continuall preaching and writing: &s;oe&s;pecially and purpo&s;ely hath hee twi&s;e dealt in that Argument.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, in his Treati&s;e of Repentance: publi&s;hed 1592. wherein briefly (as his manner was) but &s;oundly, pithily, and feelingly, hee layeth downe the true doctrine, and the very nature of repentance: and after the po&s;itiue doctrine, hee toucheth &s;ome of the principall controuer&s;ies and difficul|ties in that doctrine, but afterwards thinking with him&s;elfe, that hee had not &s;eriou&s;ly and forcibly enough, vrged &s;o great &amp; nece&s;&s;arie a Le&s;&s;on as Repentance is, therefore &s;hortly after, being de&s;ired and called to the duty of preaching, in that great, &amp; ge|neral a&s;&s;embly at <HI>Sturbridge-Faire,</HI> he thought it a fit time: for this nece&s;&s;ary and generall exhortation to Repen|tance: to the intent, that as wee were taught the doctrine of Repentance, in the former treati&s;e: &s;o in the&s;e &s;er|mons
<PB REF="6">
we might bee &s;tirred vp to the practi&s;e of it. And certainly, (Good Sir:) I iudge there could haue beene no matter, more fit for that a&s;&s;embly then an exhortation to repentance, for as the audience was great and ge|neral, of all &s;orts, &s;exes, ages and cal|lings of men, and a&s;&s;embled out of many corners of this kingdom &s;o, is this doctrine generall for all: &s;ome doctrines are for Parents, &s;ome for children, &s;ome for &s;chollers, &s;ome for trad&s;e-men, &s;ome for men, &s;ome for women, but repentance is for all: without which, it may bee &s;aid of all, and euery one of age, not one excep|ted: No Repentance, no &s;aluation</P>
<P>The&s;e Sermons being in my hands, and not deliuered to mee from hand to hand, but taken with this hand of mine, from his owne mouth, were thought worthy for the excellencie, &amp; fit for the generallity of the matter, to be offered to the publique veiwe:
<PB REF="6">
I haue al&s;o other workes of his in my hands: of which (being many,) I con|fe&s;&s;e my &s;elfe, to be but the keeper for the time, taking my &s;elfe bounde to keepe them &s;afely, to the benefite of Gods Church, of who&s;e trea&s;ure vp|on earth I make no que&s;tio~, but they are a part: and I hartily de&s;ire you (my godly friends) &amp; all other faith|full Chri&s;tians to &s;olicite the Lord in prayer for me, that I may faithfully di&s;charge my &s;elf of that great charge which in this re&s;pect lyeth vpon me: and that his grace and ble&s;sing may be on mee, and all others, who are to be imployed in this &s;eruice, wherein (had the Lord &s;o plea&s;ed) wee could heartily haue wi&s;hed neuer to haue bin imployed: but that his life might haue ea&s;ed vs of the labour: and that as I begin with this, &s;o I, or &s;ome o|ther better able (which I rather de|&s;ire) may goe forward, vndertaking the weight of this great burthen, and
<PB REF="7">
not faint, till he haue made a faithfull account to the Church of God, of all the&s;e Iewels deliuered to our tru&s;t.</P>
<P>And now the&s;e fir&s;t fruites of my labours, in another mans vineyard, as al&s;o all that hereafter doe or may follow, I humbly con&s;ecrate to the ble&s;&s;ed Spou&s;e of <HI>Chri&s;t Ie&s;us,</HI> the holy Church of God on earth, and name|ly to the Church of England, our be|loued mother, who may reioyce, that &s;he was the mother of &s;uch a &s;onne, who in few yeares did &s;o much good to the publique cau&s;e of religio~, as the wickedne&s;&s;e of many yeares &s;hall not <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mai&s;ter Perkings, but forty yeares old at his death.</NOTE> be able to weare out. But fir&s;t of all, and e&s;pecially, I pre&s;ent the &s;ame vn|to you (my very wor&s;h&punc; and Chri&s;ti|an friends) who (I mu&s;t needes &s;ay) are very worthy of it in many re|&s;pects.</P>
<P N="1">1 For the matter it &s;elfe, which is repentance, my &s;elfe being able to te&s;tifie, that you are not heares.
<PB REF="7">
but doers, ripe in knowledge, &amp; rife in the practi&s;e of repentance, in&s;o|much as I dare from the te&s;timonie of my con&s;cience, and in the word of a mini&s;ter pronounce of you, that as you haue heard and knowne this Doctrine of repentance, &s;o ble&s;&s;ed are you, for you doe it.</P>
<P>And 2. for him, who was the au|thor hereof (who&s;e mouth &s;pake it from the feeling of his &s;oule, &amp; who&s;e &s;oule is now bound vp in the bundle of life:) I know and cannot in good con&s;cience co~ceale the great delight, you haue alwaies had in the reading of his bookes, the reuerend opinion, you had of him liuing, and how hea|uily and pa&s;&s;ionately, you tooke his death, and departure: therefore to cheare you vp in want of him, I &s;end you here this little booke, his owne childe, begotten in his life time, but borne after his death: ob&s;erue it well and you &s;hall find it, not vnlike the
<PB REF="8">
father, yea, you &s;hall di&s;cerne in it the fathers &s;pirit, and it doubts not, but to find entertainement with them, of whom the father was &s;o well re&s;pec|ted.</P>
<P>And for my &s;elfe, I &s;pare to rehear&s;e what intere&s;t you haue in me, &amp; al my labours, it is no more then you wor|thily de&s;erue, and &s;hall haue in me for euer: you are the faire&s;t flowers in this garden, which in this place I af|ter others haue planted for the Lord (or rather God by vs): And two prin|cipall pearles in that caowne, which I hope for, at the la&s;t day from the Lord my God, who&s;e worde at my mouth you haue receiued with much reuerence, and with &s;uch profit, as if I had the like &s;ucce&s;&s;e of my labours in others, I &s;hould then neuer haue cau&s;e to &s;ay, with the Prophet, I haue laboured in vain, &amp; &s;pent my &s;trength in vaine, but my iudgement is with the Lord. &amp; my work with my God.</P>
<P><PB REF="8">
And if I knewe you not, to be &s;uch as take more delight in doing well, then in hearing of it, I would proue at large, what I haue &s;poken of you: yet giue me leaue to &s;ay that, which with|out open wrong, I may not conceile, that be&s;ide your rare knowledge, and godly zeale to religion, and other duties of the fir&s;t table to God him|&s;elfe: your charity &amp; pitty to the nee|dy di&s;tre&s;&s;ed Chri&s;tians, at home and abroad: your mercifull dealing with them, who are in your power; your beneuolence to learning, and name|ly to &s;ome in the Vniuer&s;itie; doe all proclaime to the world tho&s;e your due prai&s;e: which I (well knowing your mode&s;ties) do &s;pare once to name: neither, would I haue &s;aid thus much, were it not for this cold and barren age, wherein wee liue, that &s;o, when our preaching cannot moue, yet your godly examples might &s;tirre vp. Pardon me therefore <HI>I</HI> pray you,
<PB REF="9">
and think it no wrong to you, which is a benefit to Gods Church: But goe forward in the &s;trength of the Lord your God, &amp; hold on in that happie <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 11. 16 <HI>Apoc.</HI> 2. 10 1. <HI>The&s;.</HI> 5. 24.</NOTE> cour&s;e you haue begun, bee faithfull vnto the end, the Lord will giue you the Crowne of life, faithfull is hee, which hath promi&s;ed, who will al&s;o doe it: proceed (good Sir) to honour learning in your &s;elfe and others, and religion e&s;pecially, which is the prin|cipall learning; and proceed both of you, to practi&s;e religion in your own per&s;ons; and in your family: hold on to &s;hine before your family, and a|mong&s;t the people, where you dwell, in zeale and holine&s;&s;e: hold on here|by, &s;till to &s;hame popery, to &s;top your enemies mouthes, and to honour that holy religio~, which you profe&s;&s;e, to gaine comfort of good con&s;cience to your &s;elues, &amp; a&s;&s;urance of eternall reward: and la&s;tly, to encourage me in tho&s;e painefull duties which lye
<PB REF="9">
vpon me: for I openly profe&s;&s;e that your religious zeale and loue of the truth, with ma~y other good helps, are principal incouragements in my mi|ni&s;try, &amp; e&s;pecial motiues vnto me, to vndertake the charge of publicatio~, of &s;o many of the workes of this holy man decea&s;ed, as may not in better maner be done by others. But I keep you too long from this holy exhorta|tion following, I therefore &s;end you to it, &amp; it to you, and from you to the Church of God, for I dare not make it to bee priuately yours and mine, wherein the whole Church hath in|tere&s;t, as well as we: It was preached in the field, but it is worthy to be ad|mitted into our hearts: I found it in the open field, but vpon dilige~t view, finding it to bee Gods corne, and a parcel of his holy and immortal &s;eed, therefore I brought it home, as good corne de&s;erues: And as it is Gods corne, &s;o in you <HI>I</HI> de&s;ire all holy chri|&s;tians to lay it vp in Gods garners,
<PB REF="10">
that is in their hearts and &s;oules.</P>
<P>And thus committing this little volume to your reading, the matter to your practi&s;e: you and yours, to the ble&s;&s;ed fauour of that God, whom you &s;erue: and my &s;elfe and my ende|uours. to your hartie loue, and holie praiers. I take leaue: From mie &s;tudie. <HI>Augu&s;t.</HI> 7. 1604.</P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>Yours in Chri&s;t Ie&s;us, euer a&s;&s;ured.
<HI>WILLIAM CRASHAVVE.</HI></SIGNED></CLOSER>
<PB REF="10">
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="to the reader">
<PB REF="11">
<PB REF="11">
<HEAD><HI>To the Chri&s;tian Reader, and</HI> e&s;pecially to all &s;uch as haue any <HI>Cop|pies of the workes of Mai&s;ter</HI> Perkins, or intend any of <HI>them to the Pre&s;&s;e.</HI></HEAD>
<P>FOra&s;much as there hath beene lately &s;ignification made, of diuers of M. <HI>Perkins</HI> his workes hereafter to bee printed, in an Epi&s;tle to the Reader prae|mi&s;ed before the Treati&s;e of <HI>Callings,</HI> and that &s;ignification being but generall, might peraduenture giue occa&s;ion to &s;ome, to &s;et out &s;ome particulars (without the con&s;ent of M. <HI>Perkins</HI> his a&s;signes) as im|perfectly as are the&s;e two bookes, intituled <HI>The reformation of Couetou&s;ne&s;&s;e,</HI> and <HI>The practi&s;e of Faith,</HI> iu&s;tly and truly (for ought that I &s;ee) cen&s;ured in the afore&s;aide Epi&s;tle: It is therefore nowe thought good, to mention the particular Treati&s;es, and workes of his, which &s;hall hereafter (if God wil) be publi&s;hed, for the benefite of Gods Church: I doe therefore
<PB REF="12">
hereby make knowne to all, whome it any way may concerne, that there were found in the &s;tudie of the decea&s;ed, and are in the hands of his Executors, or a&s;signes, and preparing for the Pre&s;&s;e.</P>
<LIST>
<ITEM><HI>1</HI> His Expo&s;itions on the Epi&s;tle to the <HI>Galathians.</HI>
<LIST>
<ITEM><HI>2</HI> On the Epi&s;tle of <HI>Iude.</HI></ITEM>
</LIST></ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>2</HI> His Booke of the <HI>Ca&s;es of Con|&s;cience.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>3</HI> His Treati&s;es,
<LIST>
<ITEM><HI>1.</HI> Of <HI>Witch-craft.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>2.</HI> Of <HI>Callings.</HI></ITEM>
</LIST></ITEM>
</LIST>
<P>All the&s;e he had peru&s;ed him&s;elfe, and made them ready for the Pre&s;&s;e, according to which Coppies by him&s;elfe &s;o corrected, &s;ome of them already are, and the re&s;t will be publi&s;hed in due time: And hereupon we de&s;ire all men who haue Coppies of them, not to offer that wrong to that wor|thy man of God, as to publi&s;h any of their own, &s;eeing the coppies hereof which are to be printed, are of his own correcting: but rather if they can helpe to make any of
<PB REF="12">
them more perfect by their coppies, they may therin doe a good worke to the benefit of many, and much comfort to them|&s;elues.</P>
<P>And further, I doe hereby make knowne, that I haue in my handes at this pre&s;ent of his workes, taken from his mouth, with my owne hand, hereafter (if God wil) to be publi&s;hed, with the allow|ance of our Church, and for the benefit of his children, the&s;e particulars.</P>
<LIST>
<ITEM><HI>1</HI> His Expo&s;itions or readings, on the <HI>101. P&s;alme.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>2</HI> On the <HI>32. P&s;alme.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>3</HI> On the <HI>11.</HI> Chap. to the <HI>Hebrewes.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>4</HI> On the <HI>1, 2,</HI> &amp; <HI>3.</HI> Chap. of the <HI>Re|uelation.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>5.</HI> On the <HI>5, 6,</HI> and <HI>7.</HI> Chapters of Saint <HI>Matthew.</HI>
<LIST>
<ITEM><HI>2</HI> His Confutation of <HI>Cam&s;ius</HI> his little Popi&s;h <HI>Catechi&s;me.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>3</HI> His Treati&s;es,
<LIST>
<ITEM><HI>1.</HI> Of <HI>Imaginations</HI> Out of Gene&s;. <HI>8. 2.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM><PB REF="13">
<HI>2.</HI> Of <HI>Temptations,</HI> out of Mathew <HI>4.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>3.</HI> Of <HI>Chri&s;tian equitie,</HI> out of Phil|lippians <HI>4. 3.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>4.</HI> Of the <HI>Callings of the Mini&s;tery,</HI> out of two places of Scripture.</ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>5.</HI> Of <HI>Repentance,</HI> out of <HI>Zephaniah, 2. 1.</HI></ITEM>
</LIST></ITEM>
</LIST></ITEM>
</LIST>
<P>Be&s;ides many other particular <HI>Ser|mons,</HI> and &s;hort di&s;cour&s;es made vpon &s;e|uerall, and &s;peciall occa&s;ions: of al which, &s;ome are already publi&s;hed by others, and &s;ome by my &s;elfe: and all the re&s;t that remaine, as they bee the Iewels of Gods Church, &s;o did I willingly dedicate them to the publique and general good: Iudge|ing it were a foule &s;inne in mee, or any o|ther, to <HI>impropriate</HI> to our &s;elues, or our owne priuate v&s;e, the labours of <HI>This,</HI> or any other learned man, which are in my opinion, parts of the <HI>Trea&s;urie</HI> of the mi|litant Church: And as it were wrong <HI>to the Church,</HI> if I &s;hould conceale them, &s;o doubtle&s;&s;e were it <HI>to him</HI> &amp; his children: If I &s;hould publi&s;h them for mine owne a|lone,
<PB REF="13">
and not for their benefit. If I doe, I thinke it may be iu&s;tly &s;ayde vnto mee, or who&s;oeuer doth &s;o, <HI>Thy monie peri&s;h with thee.</HI> And what herein I haue &s;ayd for my &s;elfe: I know I may boldly &amp; &s;afely &s;ay, for his Executors or a&s;signes, which haue or had in their hands, any of tho&s;e which were found in his Studie: In the publi&s;hing of alwhich, as we do intend to deale truly with the Chri&s;tian Reader, and not to commit any thing to the Pre&s;&s;e, which hath not either beene <HI>written</HI> or <HI>corrected,</HI> by the <HI>Authour</HI> him&s;elfe, or faithfully <HI>penned</HI> according to the true&s;t Coppies taken from his owne mouth, and &s;ince by others of &s;ufficiencie and integri|tie, dilligently peru&s;ed: &s;o we purpo&s;e to re|ferre them to the benefit of the <HI>Authours</HI> wife and children, as much as may bee, wishing that vpon this <HI>Caueat,</HI> men would not be &s;o ha&s;tie (as &s;ome haue been) to commend to the world, their <HI>vnprefect notes,</HI> vpon a ba&s;e de&s;ire of a little gaine, both to hinder the common good of the
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Church, and to defraude the &s;aid parties of their priuate benefit, to whom in all equitie and con&s;cience, it doth principally appertaine: And de&s;iring all who haue a|ny <HI>perfect</HI> Coppies of &s;uch as are in my <HI>owne handes,</HI> that they would either helpe <HI>me</HI> with theirs, or rather take <HI>mine</HI> to helpe them. That by our ioynt powers and our forces layd together: the walles of this worthy building, may goe vp the fai|rer &amp; the fa&s;ter. And &s;o I commend them all to Gods ble&s;sing, who endeuor to com|mend them&s;elues, and their labours to God and to his Church.</P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>Your brother in the Lord.
<HI>W. C.</HI></SIGNED></CLOSER>
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</DIV1>
</FRONT>
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="sermon">
<PB REF="15">
<PB N="1" REF="15">
<HEAD>AN EXHOR|TATION TO RE|PENTANCE.</HEAD>
<EPIGRAPH>
<BIBL>Zophoniah, Chap. 2. ver&s;e. 1. 2.</BIBL>
<Q>Search your &s;elues, euen&s;earch you &ocirc; nation, not worthy to be beloued: before the De|cree come forth, and you be as Chaffe that pa&s;&s;eth on a day.</Q>
</EPIGRAPH>
<P>_THe Prophet in the fir&s;t Chapter of this prophecy, rebuketh the <HI>Iewes</HI> of three notable crimes, Ido|latry, fraud, and cru|eltie. In this &s;econd he exhorts them to repentance, and withall reproueth &s;ome of their &s;peciall &s;innes. In the three fir&s;t ver&s;es he pro|poundeth the Doctrine of Repentance,
<PB N="2" REF="16">
and addeth &s;ome &s;peciall rea&s;ons to mooue and &s;tirre them vp to the prac|ti&s;e of it. In propounding the Doctrine of repentance, he directs it to two &s;orts of men. Fir&s;t to the ob&s;tinate and impe|nitent Iewes in the fir&s;t and &s;econd ver|&s;es. Secondly, to the better &s;ort of them, in the third. So that the &s;umme and &s;ub|&s;tance of the&s;e two fir&s;t ver&s;es, is a briefe and &s;ummarie propounding of the do|ctrine of Repentance to the ob&s;tinate Iewes. The wordes containe in them 5. &s;euerall points, touching the doctrine of repentance.</P>
<P N="1">1 The dutie to be performed, <HI>Search:</HI></P>
<P N="2">2 Who mu&s;t be &s;earched: <HI>your &s;elues.</HI></P>
<P N="3">3 Who mu&s;t doe it. The <HI>Iewes:</HI> who are further de&s;cribed to be a <HI>nation,</HI> not <HI>worthy to be beloued of God,</HI> the&s;e are in the fir&s;t ver&s;e.</P>
<P N="4">4. In the &s;econd ver&s;e: the time limit|ting them, when to repent, <HI>before the de|cree come forth</HI> that is, before God put in execution the iudgements which are already decreed &amp; appointed for them.</P>
<P N="5">5. A forcible rea&s;on vrging them to doe
<PB N="3" REF="16">
it which lieth hid, and is nece&s;&s;arily im|plied in the fourth point: namely, that <HI>there is a decree again&s;t them,</HI> which wants nothing but execution: which al|&s;o &s;hal come vnle&s;&s;e they repent, where|by they &s;hal be fanned: and if they &s;hall be found to be chaffe, they &s;hal fly away with the winde of Gods iu&s;tice. Of all the&s;e points in order.</P>
<P>For the fir&s;t, the holy Gho&s;t &s;aith; <HI>Search your &s;elues.</HI> The words are com|monly reade thus. <HI>Gather your &s;elues,</HI> which, though it be good, for that in re|pentance a man gathereth him&s;elfe, and all his wits together, which afore were di&s;per&s;ed, &amp; wandred vp &amp; down in va|nity: yet <HI>I</HI> rather allow their tran&s;lation who read thus. <HI>Search, or fan your &s;elues:</HI> but either of them may &s;tand, becau&s;e <NOTE PLACE="marg">I~unius.</NOTE> the word in the original doth co~prehe~d both &s;ignifications; yet it &s;eemeth that to &s;earch, or &s;ift, fits this place better, con&s;i|dring the &s;ame manner of &s;peech is at|terwards continued in the word <HI>Chaffe:</HI> &s;o that the meaning of the Holy Gho&s;t &s;eemeth to bee this: Search, try, and
<PB N="4" REF="17">
fanne your &s;elues, lea&s;t you bee found light chaffe, and &s;o fly away and be con|&s;umed before the iu&s;tice of God.</P>
<P>Concerning this duty of &s;earching, let vs ob&s;erue fir&s;t, that the holy Gho&s;t vrging the Iewes to repent, v&s;eth not the word Repentance, but bids them &s;earch them&s;elues: yet meaning, hee, would haue them to repent: giuing vs to vnder&s;tand, that no man can haue true and &s;ound repentance, but hee who hath fir&s;t of all &s;earched and ex|amined him&s;elfe: and this &s;tands with good rea&s;on, for no man can repent, who fir&s;t of all doth not know him&s;elfe, and his owne wretchedne&s;&s;e. But no man can &s;ee into him&s;elfe, nor knowe him&s;elfe, but hee that doth diligently &s;earch him&s;elfe: &s;o that the begin|ning of all grace, is for a man to &s;earch and try, and fanne him&s;elfe, that thereby he may knowe what is in him|&s;elfe: that &s;o vpon the &s;earch, &s;eeing his fearefull and damnable e&s;tate, hee may for&s;ake him&s;elfe &amp; his owne waies and turne to the Lord. Thus &s;peaketh
<PB N="5" REF="17">
the holy Gho&s;t in the heartes of holy men; <HI>Let vs &s;earch and try our waies:</HI> and <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Lamen.</HI> 3.</NOTE> make what followeth; <HI>and turne againe to the Lord:</HI> as though there were no turning againe to the Lord, but after a &s;earching of our &s;elues. With this te&s;ti|monie of the holy Gho&s;t, agreeth the te&s;timonie of al holy mens con&s;ciences, who all knowe, that the fir&s;t beginning of their turning to the Lord, was a &s;earching of them&s;elues: Let any repen|tant &s;inner aske his con&s;cience, and call to minde his fir&s;t calling and conuer&s;i|on, and he will remember that the fir&s;t thing in his repentance was this; that he &s;earched into him&s;elfe, and looked narrowly into his waies, and finding his waies dangerous, and his ca&s;e feare|full, did thereupon re&s;olue to take a new cour&s;e, and turne to the Lord for pardon and mercie, and for grace to enter into more holy, and more comfor|table cour&s;es.</P>
<P>The man that pa&s;&s;eth vpon ridges of Mountains, and &s;ides of hils, or that go|eth ouer a narrow bridge, or &s;ome dan|gerous
<PB N="6" REF="18">
and &s;teepe Rockes, at midnight; feareth not, becau&s;e hee &s;eeth no daun|ger: but bring the &s;ame man, in the morning, and let him &s;ee the narrowe bridge, he went ouer in the night, vnder which runnes a violent &s;treame, and a bottomle&s;&s;e gulfe, and the daungerous Mountaines, and rocks, he pa&s;&s;ed ouer, and he will wonder at his owne bold|ne&s;&s;e, and &s;hrinke for feare to thinke of it, and will by no meanes venter the &s;ame way againe: for now hee &s;eeth the height of the Mountaines; the &s;teepne&s;&s;e of the Hilles, the crag|gine&s;&s;e of the Rockes, the fear&s;ul down|fall, and the furious violence of the &s;treame vnderneath, &amp; therby &s;eeth the extreame daunger, which afore he &s;aw not: therfore he wondreth, &amp; reioy <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter">oth, that he hath e&s;caped &s;o great a da<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter">nger; and will by no meanes be drawn to goe that way in the day, which hee went mo&s;t carele&s;ly in the darkene&s;&s;e of the night, but &s;eeketh another way (though it &s;hould be far about:) So a &s;inner in his fir&s;t e&s;tate, which is naturall and corrupt
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(as wee are bredde and borne) hath a vaile before his face: &s;o that hee &s;eeth nothing: the wrath of God and the cur&s;e due for &s;inne, Hell and damnation &s;ee|king to deuoure him, he &s;eeth them not, although (liuing alwaies in &s;inne,) hee walketh in the very Iawes of Hell it &s;elfe: and becau&s;e he &s;eeth not this feare|full daunger, therefore hee refu&s;eth no &s;inne at all, but ru&s;heth &s;ecurely into all maner of &s;inne: the night of impeniten|cie, and the my&s;t of ignorance &s;o blin|ding his eyes, that he &s;eeth not the nar|row bridge of this life, from which if he &s;lide, he falles immediatly into the bot|tomle&s;&s;e p<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter">t of Hell.</P>
<P>But when as Gods &s;pirit hath by the light of Gods word opened his eyes &amp; touched his heart to con&s;ider his e&s;tate, then hee &s;eeth the fraile bridge of this narrow life, and how little a &s;leppe there is between him and damnation; then hee &s;eeth Hell open due for his &s;innes, and him&s;elfe in the high way to it: &s;inne being the craggy rocke, and Hell the gaping gulfe vnder it; this life
<PB N="2" REF="19">
being the narrowe bridge, and dam|nation the &s;treame which runneth vn|der it: Then hee wondreth at his mi|&s;erable e&s;tate, admireth the mercie of God in keeping him from falling in|to the bottome of hell, wondreth at the pre&s;umptuous boldne&s;&s;e of his cor|ruption, which &s;o &s;ecurely plodded on towards de&s;truction, and being a&s;ha|med of him&s;elfe, and the&s;e his waies, he turnes his heart to the God that &s;aued him from the&s;e daungers; and &s;ets him&s;elfe into more holy wayes, and more comfortable cour&s;es, and con|fe&s;&s;eth that ignorance made him bold, and blindne&s;&s;e made him &s;o pre&s;ump|tuous; but now hee &s;eeth the daun|ger, and will by no meanes goe the &s;ame way againe: and thus the &s;earching and &s;eeing into the foulne&s;&s;e of &s;inne, and the daunger thereof, is the fir&s;t be|ginning of repentance, and the fir&s;t &s;tep into grace.</P>
<P>This doctrine teacheth vs what faith and repentance is generall in the world: All men &s;ay, they beleeue, and haue re|pented
<PB N="9" REF="19">
long agoe; but trie it well, and we &s;hall finde in the bodie of our Na|tion, but a lippe faith, and a &s;ippe Re|pentance: for euen when they &s;ay &s;o, they are blinde and ignorant of their owne e&s;tate, &amp; know not them&s;elues, but pre&s;ume of them&s;elues, that be|cau&s;e they are baptized and liue in the Church, therefore they are in Gods fa|uour, and in very good e&s;tate, when as they neuer yet were reco~ciled to God: and are &s;o farre from it, that they ne|uer yet &s;aw any &s;innes in them&s;elues wherof they &s;huld repent: as a man tra|uelling in the night, &s;eeth no daunger, but plods on without feare: So the mo&s;t part of our common people, in the night of their ignorance, think and pre&s;ume they loue and feare God, and loue their Neighbour; and that they haue euer done &s;o: Nay, it is the com|mon opinion that a man may do &s;o by nature, and that hee is not worthy to liue, who doth not loue God with all his heart, and beleeue in <HI>Ie&s;us Chri&s;t:</HI> But alas poore &s;imple &s;oules, they ne|uer
<PB N="10" REF="20">
knewe what &s;inne was, neuer &s;ear|ched nor &s;aw into theirown harts with the light of Gods lawe, for if they had, they &s;hould haue &s;eene &s;uch a Sea of corruption, that then they would con|fe&s;&s;e it to bee the harde&s;t thing in the world, to loue God, and to beleeue in Chri&s;t, and for &s;ake &s;inne: it is therefore manife&s;t, that they haue not yet be|gun to beleeue or repent, nor haue en|tred into the fir&s;t &s;tep of grace, which leadeth to repentance, for that they haue not learned this le&s;&s;on, which the Prophet teacheth: that is, to <HI>&s;earch them|&s;elues.</HI></P>
<P>Furthermore, let vs in the &s;econd place, ob&s;erue better the &s;ignification of the word: it &s;ignifieth to Search nar|rowly, as a man would doe for a piece of gold, or a p<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter">cious Iewell, which is lo&s;t in a great hou&s;e: Or as a man may &s;earch for gold in a Myne of the earth, where is much earth, and but very little gold Oare.</P>
<P>Hence wee may learne, that in true Repentance, and conuer&s;ion, we mu&s;t
<PB N="11" REF="20">
not &s;earch &s;o only, as to find the gro&s;&s;e and palpable &s;innes of our liues: but &s;o as we may finde tho&s;e &s;innes which the world accounts le&s;&s;er &s;innes, and e&s;pie our &s;ecret faults &amp; priuy corruptions. Some corruptions &s;ee memore neere a kinne to our nature, and therein men hope to be excu&s;ed, when they for&s;ake many other greater &s;ins: But a true pe|nitent &s;inner mu&s;t &s;earch for &s;uch, &s;o as a good Magi&s;trate &s;earcheth for a lurking <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 span"> which is <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 word"> in|to &s;ome clo&s;e and &s;ecret corner, and he mu&s;t ranfack his heart for &s;uch corrup|tions, as wherein his heart takes &s;pecial delight, and mu&s;t thanke that no &s;inne can be &s;o &s;mall, but it is too great to be &s;pared, and that euery &s;inne great or li|tle, mu&s;t be &s;earched for, as being all Tray <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 word"> to Gods Maie&s;tie.</P>
<P>But alas, the practi&s;e <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="2 letters"> the world is farre otherwi&s;e, great &s;innes are little &s;innes, little &s;innes are no &s;innes: Nay, after a little cu&s;tome, great &s;innes are al&s;o little or nothing, and &s;o at la&s;t men make no bones of gro&s;&s;e and grieuous
<PB N="12" REF="21">
&s;ins: and for the mo&s;t part men &s;earch &s;o &s;uperficially, that they &s;car&s;e finde a|ny thing to be &s;inne: &s;uch excu&s;es are made, &s;uch di&s;tinctio~s are deui&s;ed, &s;uch mittigations, &s;uch qualifications, &s;uch colours are ca&s;t vppon all &s;innes; as now vp and downe the world, gro&s;&s;e &s;ins are called into que&s;tion, whether they be &s;ins or no: and the great tran&s;|gre&s;sions of the lawe are counted &s;mall matters, nece&s;&s;arie euils or inconueni|ences, tollerated to auoyd other euils: and what is he counted but a curious and a preci&s;e foole, which &s;tands vpon them: Ignorance after fiue and thirtie yeares preaching is counted no &s;inne, blind deuotion in Gods &s;eruice no &s;in, lippe labour in praying, vaine and cu|&s;tomable &s;wearing, mocking of religi|on, and the profe&s;&s;ors thereof, no &s;in: prophaning of the Saboath, contem|ning of preachers, abu&s;ing of parents&punc; no &s;innes pride in apparel, &s;uperfluitie in meates, bea&s;tly and ordinarie drun|kennes, fornication, no &s;innes. Nay, decites, Co&s;onages, oppre&s;sing v&s;ury,
<PB N="13" REF="21">
notorious briberie, and couetou&s;nes, that mother &s;inne; the&s;e are counted no &s;innes: the&s;e beames are made but moates by prophane men, &amp; they are &s;o minced and carued, or there is &s;ome &s;uch nece&s;sitie of them, or &s;ome &s;uch other flouri&s;h or verni&s;h mu&s;t be ca&s;t vpon the~, as that they are little or none at all. Alas, alas, is not that a &s;imple &amp; a &s;illy &s;earch where &s;uch blockes as the&s;e are, lye vn&s;pied? what are moule|hils, when &s;uch mountaines are not &s;eene? Moates will be little regarded, where &s;uch beames are not di&s;cerned: but it is cleare, that therefore there is no true trial nor diligent &s;earch made: for a true conuert will &s;earch his heart for all, and wil &s;pare none: He deales in &s;earching his owne heart, as a good Iu&s;tice of peace in &s;earching for tray|tors or Seminarie Prie&s;ts. He &s;eekes not &s;uperficially, but mo&s;t exactly, and leaueth neuer a corner vn&s;ought, and he thinkes great &s;innes to be infinite, and little &s;innes great, and iudgeth no &s;inne &s;o &s;mall, but that it de&s;erueth the
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anger of God, &amp; therefore he wonders at the mercy of God, which throwes vs not al downe to hel in a moment: &amp; he crieth out with holy <HI>Ieremie: It is the Lords mercie that we are not con&s;umed.</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Lam.</HI> 3. 22</NOTE> Away then with this &s;uperficial &amp; hy|pocritical &s;earch, where &s;o many &s;innes are &s;pared and not found out. It is Pha|ri&s;aical, for euen &s;o the Phari&s;ie, when hee came into the Temple to recken with God, and to tell what Traytours hee had found, that is, what &s;innes, vp|on good &s;earch hee had e&s;pied, he re|turnes his precept, all is well, he hath found neuer a one, but beginnes to thanke God that he was &s;o good, and &s;o good, and not &s;o il, and &s;o il, nor yet like the Publicane. The world is full of Phari&s;ies, not onely the popi&s;h Church: but euen our Church &s;warms with the&s;e &s;uperficial &s;earchers, who cannot (becau&s;e they will not,) finde any &s;innes to pre&s;ent vnto God, Men thinke in the Countrie, a Church Of|ficer hazards his Oath, if he pre&s;ent all well, and findeth no fault in his Pa|ri&s;h,
<PB N="15" REF="23">
to pre&s;ent as puni&s;hable to the Ordinary: for men thinke it vnpo&s;si|ble, that there &s;hould bee none in a whole pari&s;h: then how doth that man hazard his own &s;oule, who being made ouer&s;eer &amp; &s;earcher of his heart, findes nothing in it to pre&s;ent to the Lord. For it is not more ea&s;ie to e&s;pie out|ward &amp; actual tra~&s;ge&s;sions in a whole pari&s;h, then it is to finde a heape of cor|ruptions in a mans heart, if a man will &s;earch into the bottome of it with the light of Gods Law. Therefore when the Lord comes and keepes his vi&s;ita|tion, what &s;hal become of &s;uch a man, but to vndergoe the &s;trict and &s;euere &s;earch of the Almightie, becau&s;e hee would not &s;earch him&s;elfe?</P>
<P>Our bodyes and liues are free from &s;pani&s;h <HI>Inqui&s;ition</HI> (which is one of the la&s;t props, which Sathan hath lent the Pope, wherewith to vphold his de|clining kingdom) and the Lord grant we may be euer free from it. But in the meane time, that might put vs in mind how to deale with our corrupt hearts,
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<PB N="16" REF="25">
and vnmortified affections, euen to erect an <HI>Inqui&s;ition</HI> ouer them, to lay in waite for them, to &s;earch them narrow|ly, and to v&s;e them roughly: yea, to &s;et our hearts vpon the rack of Gods law, that &s;o it may confe&s;&s;e the &s;ecret wic|kedne&s;&s;e of it: for the Papi&s;tes doe not thinke vs Prote&s;tants, greater ene|mies to their &s;uper&s;tition, then the in|ward corruptions of our hearts, are to our &s;aluation: therefore it may bee a godly pollicie for euery man, curn to erect an <HI>Inqui&s;ition</HI> ouer his owne heart and con&s;cience, and not to &s;pare his mo&s;t &s;ecret and deare&s;t &s;innes, and &s;uch as are neere&s;t allyed to his owne nature: for that is the true &s;earch here commaunded by the Prophet, and practi&s;ed by all Godly and holy men: when a man purpo&s;eth to finde al that are, &amp; to e&s;pie eue~ al his &s;ins: for a god|ly man is neuer &s;atisfied in his &s;earch, but &s;till, the more he findes, he &s;u&s;pects the more are &s;til behind: and therefore hee continueth &s;earching his owne heart all his life long: Therefore let
<PB N="17" REF="25">
euery, profe&s;&s;or looke to it betwixt God and his con&s;cience, that he dally not with him&s;elfe in ths ca&s;e: for if he doe, then, when God comes with his priuie &s;earch, his hypocri&s;ie &s;hall bee di&s;couered, and his nakedne&s;&s;e &s;hall be layd open in the view of men, and An|gels: to his eternal confu&s;ion.</P>
<P>Thirdly, <HI>Search,</HI> &s;aith the Pro|phet, but not &s;o content: he forceth it againe, <HI>Euen &s;earch you.</HI> In thus repea|ting and vrging this exhortation, the holy Gho&s;t giues them, and vs to vn|der&s;tand, that the true &s;earching of a mans heart, and life, is a duty of a great moment, and &s;pecial nece&s;sitie: there|fore he leaues it not after once naming it, but inforceth it the &s;econd time, as being no matter of indifferency, but of great nece&s;sitie: thereby &s;hewing, that it is a principal dutie in repentance, euen the beginning and foundation of all true grace.</P>
<P>And further, it is a meanes al&s;o to preuent Gods Iudgements: for when men &s;earch not them&s;elues, then God
<PB N="18" REF="26">
&s;endes the fire of afflictions, and Cro&s;&s;es to trie and Search them: but, when they Search them&s;elues, then God &s;pareth to Search them by his iudgements.</P>
<P>Now in that this dutie of &s;earching, is both the beginning of all true grace, and the meane to &s;tay Gods iudge|ments, and therefore is &s;o pithely, and forceably vrged by the holy Gho&s;t, it mu&s;t teach vs all a nece&s;&s;arie le&s;&s;on: namely, to make great con&s;cience of &s;earching our &s;elues. Fir&s;t, becau&s;e God hath &s;o commanded, and we are to make con&s;cience of obedience to e|uery commandement. Secondly, be|cau&s;e therby we &s;hal reape two &s;o great commodities, as fir&s;t, thereby we &s;hal lay a &s;ure foundatio~ for the good work of grace in vs, and &s;econdly, &s;hall &s;tay the hand of God, and his iudgements from being executed vpon vs. Let vs therefore hearken to this coun&s;aile of the holy gho&s;t, let vs take the fan of the Lawe, and therewith &s;earch and win|nowe our hearts and liues. Our hearts,
<PB N="19" REF="26">
for &s;ecret and hidden corruptions. Our liues, for committing of euil, and o|mitting of good. Doe with your hearts as men doe with their wheate: they will not &s;uffer their corne to lie long in the chaffe, lea&s;t the chaffe hurt it, but commits it to the fanne that the winde may &s;eparate them: So the graces of God in our hearts are pure corne, our &s;innes and corruptions are Chaffe: looke well, and thou &s;halt finde in thy &s;elfe much chaffe, and but little corne: let not then the chaffe lye too long mingled with the Corne, le&s;t it cor|rupt the corne. Let not thy &s;innes lye mingled with the grace of God in thee, if thou doe, they will choake it in the end, and &s;o depriue thee of all grace; therfore rippe vp thy heart, and looke into thy life, and when thou ha&s;t &s;in|ned, enter into thy &s;elfe, aske thy con|&s;cience what thou ha&s;t done, &amp; be not quiet till thou ha&s;t found out thy &s;in, and the foulene&s;&s;e of it: and neuer thinke that thou knowe&s;t any thing in Religion, till thou knowe&s;t what
<PB N="20" REF="27">
is in thine owne heart. And what are thy &s;pecial and priuie&s;t corruptions, and looke into thine owne faults, not with a partial eye, but with a cen&s;ori|ous, and a &s;trait iudgement, &s;pare &s;in in no man, but e&s;pecially condemne it in thy &s;elfe.</P>
<P>But alas, the&s;e times of ours, cry out of an other &s;tate, for euen <HI>Ieremies</HI> ca&s;e is ours: We may complaine as hee did, <HI>No man repents him of his wickedne&s;&s;e,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Iere.</HI> 8. 6.</NOTE> <HI>&s;aying what haue I done?</HI> the &s;ame is the &s;ore of our people, and the &s;ickne&s;&s;e of all Nations: that euery man runnes on in his &s;innes, from &s;inne to &s;inne carele&s;ly: euen as the barde hor&s;e into the battaile. But how rare a thing is it, to find a man, that dayly &s;earcheth him&s;elf, &amp; examines how he liues, and how the ca&s;e &s;tandeth betwixt GOD and him&s;elfe: and that when hee hath done ami&s;&s;e, entereth into the clo&s;et of his heart, and &s;trikes him&s;elfe vpon the brea&s;t, and di&s;putes the ca&s;e with him|&s;elfe, &s;aying: <HI>What hane I done?</HI> O what is this, that I haue done again&s;t God,
<PB N="21" REF="27">
again&s;t his Church, and again&s;t my owne &s;oule?</P>
<P>The want of this, is that, which the Prophet complaines of in that place: not as though it were &s;ufficient thus to doe, in a mans owne con&s;ci|ence: but becau&s;e it is a good begin|ning, and a &s;tep to further grace. For if a man did &s;eriou&s;ly thus deale with his con&s;cience after his &s;inne, his con|&s;cience would &s;hape him &s;uch an aun&s;were, and would tell him &s;o roundly, <HI>what hee had done,</HI> that hee would take heede, how hee did the &s;ame againe, and looke more nar|rowly, and warily to him&s;elfe all the dayes of his life. Seeing therefore it is &s;o nece&s;&s;arie a dutie, let euery one of vs indeuour the practi&s;e of it, name|ly, to rippe and ran&s;acke our hearts, and to &s;earch our wayes vnto the bot|tome.</P>
<P>Now for your better in&s;truction, and furtherance in the performance hereof: you mu&s;t know that this <HI>Search</HI> is to be made by the Lawe of
<PB N="22" REF="28">
God, for nothing els, but Gods law can helpe vs, &amp; let vs &s;ee <HI>y^t</HI> which we mu&s;t &s;earch for: for if wee &s;earch by any o|ther means, we may &s;eek &amp; &s;earch long enough, ere we find any thing that wil be matter of repentance. Aske the di|uel, he will tell thee all is well, &amp; that thou art in an excellent e&s;tate: and God loues thee, and thou art &s;ure of Heauen: this &s;ong the diuell alwayes &s;ings for the mo&s;t part til a man comes to die, for then hee appeares in his colours, but till then, hee laboures, to &s;ing, and lull all men a &s;leepe in the cradle of &s;ecuritie. Aske our owne fle&s;h, &amp; our owne hearts and natures, and they will an&s;were, and &s;ay, that all is well and &s;afe, and that wee haue be|leeued, and loued and feared God all our dayes. Aske the world, and men in the world: and they will aun&s;were, all is well; and they will &s;ay further, that thou art a right good fellow, and art worth twentie of the&s;e curious fooles that &s;ticke vpon points, &amp; &s;tand vpon circum&s;tances, as &s;wearing and
<PB N="23" REF="28">
drinking, and good fellow&s;hippe, and gaming, and &s;uch other nice and cir|cum&s;tanciall points: thus will worldly men an&s;were: for thy prophane cour&s;e is acceptable to them, becau&s;e thereby thou approue&s;t the &s;ame in them. Nay, goe further, and aske all humane lear|ning in the world, and it cannot tell thee what one &s;inne is, nor what it is to offend God: &s;o that there remaines onely the law of God, the light where|of will di&s;clo&s;e the darkne&s;&s;e of our hearts, and the iu&s;tice whereof will re|ueale the vnrighteou&s;ne&s;&s;e &amp; the per|uer&s;ne&s;&s;e of our natures: therefore to the lawe of God mu&s;t we flye to helpe vs in this Search.</P>
<P>And yet for our better helpe in this dutie, and that there may bee nothing wanting to that &s;oule, that &s;eeketh God, therfore we are further to know, that if we will &s;earch our &s;elues by the law profitably, wee mu&s;t marke three rules, the truth whereof vnle&s;&s;e wee know, acknowledge, and feele: wee
<PB N="24" REF="29">
&s;hall neuer &s;ee our owne e&s;tate, nor profite by this <HI>Search,</HI> but plodde on from finne to &s;inne, vntill wee plunge into hell.</P>
<P>The fir&s;t Rule is, that euery man that came from <HI>Adam,</HI> &s;inned in the &s;inne of <HI>Adam:</HI> Thou mu&s;t therefore know, that his &s;inne in eating the for|bidden fruite, was thy &s;inne: and thou &s;inned&s;t therein, as well as he (though thou wa&s;t then vnborne) and that thou art guiltie of it before God, and mu&s;t an&s;were for it to Gods iu&s;tice, vn|le&s;&s;e Chri&s;t doe it for thee. The rea|&s;on hereof is, becau&s;e we are his &s;eede &amp; po&s;teritie, we were the~ in his loynes, he was the father of vs all: and was not a priuate ma~ as we are now, but a pub|like per&s;on, the pledge of al mankind, and bare the per&s;on of vs all at that time: therefore what he did then, hee did it for him&s;elf, &amp; for vs: what coue|nant God made with him, was made for him&s;elfe and vs: what God promi|&s;ed him, and he to God, he promi&s;ed for him&s;elfe, &amp; for vs: what he receiued
<PB N="25" REF="29">
in his Creation, he receiued for him|&s;elfe, and for vs: and what he gained or lo&s;t by his fall, he gained and lo&s;t for vs, as for him&s;elfe. He lo&s;t the fauour of God, and originall puritie: therefore he lo&s;t it for all his po&s;teritie: guiltine&s;&s;e, and Gods anger, and corruption of na|ture which he gained, he got for vs all, as well as for him&s;elfe. If we doubt of this point, it is proued by the Apo&s;tle: where the holy Gho&s;t &s;aith; <HI>Sin entred by one man, and death by &s;inne: and that &s;inne went ouer all, and that it went ouer</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Rom.</HI> 5. 14</NOTE> <HI>all them, which &s;inned not in the like tran&s;|gre&s;&s;ion with Adam</HI> (that is, euen our children) who as they are borne, are borne not onely tainted with originall corruption: but guiltie al&s;o of <HI>Adams</HI> &s;inne. This is a mo&s;t certaine truth, though it &s;eeme &s;trange, for fewe men thinke of it, that euer they &s;hall an&s;wer for <HI>Adams</HI> &s;inne: and therefore if any obiect, what rea&s;on is there that <HI>I</HI> an|&s;were for another mans &s;inne? I an|&s;were, true, if it had bene <HI>Adams</HI> &s;inne alone: but it was his and thine al&s;o: for
<PB N="26" REF="30">
hee was thy father and &s;toode in thy roome: and thou al&s;o &s;ince thou wa&s;t borne, ha&s;t confirmed what hee did. Now therefore though not one of ma|ny thinkes &s;eriou&s;ly thereof: namely, that he &s;hould &s;tand guilty of a &s;in com|mitted more then fiue thou&s;and yeares before he was born, yet &s;eeing it is mo&s;t true, both in Scripture and good rea|&s;on: let euery man &s;ub&s;cribe in his con|&s;cience to this truth. And let this be thy fir&s;t re&s;olution in this Search, that thou &s;tande&s;t guilty of <HI>Adams</HI> tran&s;gre&s;si|on.</P>
<P>The &s;econd rule to bee knowne is, that in euery man are all &s;innes: more plainly, that in euery man by nature are the &s;eedes of all &s;innes: and that not in the wor&s;t, but in the be&s;t natured men: make choy&s;e of the be&s;t man and the greate&s;t &s;inne, and that wor&s;t &s;inne is to be found in that be&s;t man. If any doubt of this, let him con&s;ider what originall &s;inne is, namely, a corrupti|on of the powers of our &s;oules; and that not of &s;ome, or in part, but of
<PB N="27" REF="30">
all, and wholy. This corruption hath two parts. Fir&s;t a want, not of &s;ome, but of all good inclination, a want of all goodne&s;&s;e. Secondly, a deprauation &amp; pronene&s;&s;e, not to &s;ome, but to all euill: and not a pronene&s;&s;e onely, but origi|nall &s;in infu&s;eth into euery mans heart, the &s;eed of all corruption.</P>
<P>Many men &s;tand much vpon their good meaning, and vpright heart, and bragge of a good nature: but they are foulely deceiued; for take the ciuile&s;t man vpon the earth, and the &s;eeds of all &s;ins in the world are in him by nature. But to explaine this point fully, ob&s;erue the&s;e two clau&s;es.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, <HI>I</HI> &s;ay not, the <HI>practi&s;e</HI> of all &s;innes, but the <HI>&s;eedes;</HI> for all men pra|cti&s;e not all &s;inne: the &s;eedes are in their nature&punc; but the practi&s;e is re&s;trained, &s;ometime by education, &s;ometime by good and whole&s;ome lawes, &s;ometime the con&s;titution of mens bodies deny the practi&s;e of &s;ome &s;innes, &s;ometime the Countrey a man dwels in, or cal|ling a man liues in, keepes him from
<PB N="28" REF="31">
the practi&s;e of &s;ome &s;innes: and al|wayes a generall and limitting grace of God, re&s;traines the natures of all men from running into many &s;innes: which hand of God, if God &s;hould take away, and leaue euery man to his nature, wee &s;hould &s;ee that eue|rie man would practi&s;e any &s;inne in the world: yea, euen the greate&s;t &s;innes that euer wee heard to bee done in the world. All men which knowe them|&s;elues knowe this to be true. And the more a man knowes his owne heart, the more he &s;eeth that his heart is a &s;ea of all wickedne&s;&s;e: &amp; that it is the mer|cy and grace of God, that hee hath not fallen into the mightie&s;t &amp; mo&s;t mon|&s;trous &s;innes in the world.</P>
<P>Secondly, I &s;ay, by nature. For I know by good education, &amp; by grace, it is otherwi&s;e: grace rectifieth na|ture, but that is no thankes to nature: for it is as euill and corrupt &s;till, being &s;euered from grace: and therefore na|ture mu&s;t be fully aboli&s;hed, afore man come to heauen. And yet (though all
<PB N="29" REF="31">
this be true <HI>(I</HI> &s;ay not, that &s;in breakes out in all natures alike, though all na|tures be alike corrupt: for the cour&s;e of nature is re&s;trained in &s;ome more then others, by the meanes afore&s;aid; but this is the truth, that whereas &s;ome are not &s;o angry, &s;ome not &s;o wanton, &s;ome not &s;o cruel, &s;ome not &s;o couetous, &s;om not &s;o ambitious, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> as others: that comes not from any goodne&s;&s;e of nature in them, aboue the other originally, but from Gods hand, which tempereth, re|&s;traineth, and moderateth euery mans nature as he &s;eeth good.</P>
<P>And if God did not thus moderate &amp; re&s;traine the natures of men, but &s;uffer them to breake out to the full: there would then be no order, but all confu|&s;ion in the world: therefore, (as e&s;peci|ally for his Churches quietne&s;&s;e, &s;o al|&s;o for the pre&s;eruatio~ of publike peace, and the vpholding of &s;ocietie in the world betweene man and man) the Lord holdes a hand ouer euery mans nature, and keepes euery one in a cer|taine compa&s;&s;e limitted by the wi&s;dom
<PB N="30" REF="32">
of his power, which re&s;training hand of his, if the Lord &s;hould take away: all &s;ocieties and common wealths would be turned vp&s;ide downe, becau&s;e euery man by the vniuer&s;all corruption of his nature, would breake out into euery &s;inne: <HI>I</HI> ende this point with appealing to the te&s;timonie of the con&s;ciences of all men, and e&s;pecially of the be&s;t and holie&s;t men, of whom <HI>I</HI> would aske this que&s;tion, whether they find not in their natures an inclination, euen to the foule&s;t &s;innes in the world; if &s;hame, or feare, or el&s;e the grace of God re&s;trai|ned them not? &s;o that the be&s;t men doe knowe well enough, what adoe they haue with their corrupt natures, to keepe them within the compa&s;&s;e of O|bedience.</P>
<P>Nay, I yet adde further, the nature of men, and of all men is &s;o corrupt, &s;ince <HI>Adam:</HI> that euen the &s;eede of the &s;inne again&s;t the holy Gho&s;t, and a pronene&s;&s;e to it, is in the nature of euery man (though not one man a|mong&s;t many thou&s;andes doe commit
<PB N="31" REF="32">
that &s;inne,) for &s;eeing in that &s;inne, there is a heape or Sea of all &s;innes gathe|red together, hee therefore that hath in his nature the &s;eede of all &s;innes, hath al&s;o the &s;eede of it. And againe, &s;ee|ing all euill tendes to a perfection, as well as grace doth; what rea&s;on there|fore is there, but wee may &s;afely thinke that the Diuell would hale euery one to that height of &s;inne: if it were not that the powerfull hand of God pre|uented him, who will neither &s;uffer wicked men, nor the Diuell him&s;elfe to bee &s;o wicked as they could, and would be.</P>
<P>The v&s;e of this &s;econd rule, is nota|ble. For in this &s;earching of our &s;elues, it &s;heweth vs what wee are, without all colours or deceit, and fully di&s;|couers vnto vs, the vgline&s;&s;e of our natures: and it may teach vs all how <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Gen.</HI> 4. <HI>Exod.</HI> I. <HI>Gen.</HI> 18. 2. <HI>Sam.</HI> 15 <HI>&amp;</HI> 16. <HI>E&s;ay.</HI> 38</NOTE> to think and e&s;teeme of our &s;elues, when we heare of <HI>Caines</HI> vnnaturall murther, <HI>Pharohs</HI> vnnatural crueltie, the <HI>Sodomits</HI> vnnatural lu&s;t, <HI>Achitophles,</HI> diuili&s;h pol|licy, <HI>Senacheribs</HI> horrible bla&s;phemie,
<GAP DESC="duplicate" EXTENT="1 page"><PB N="30" REF="33">
<GAP DESC="duplicate" EXTENT="1 page"><PB N="31" REF="33">
<PB N="32" REF="34">
<HI>Iudas</HI> mon&s;trous trea&s;on, <HI>Iulians</HI> feare|full Apo&s;tacie. When we heare of the fearefull murders, trea&s;ons, periuties, &s;innes again&s;t nature, bla&s;phemies, A|po&s;tacies, witchcrafts, and other the horrible &s;innes of the world: let vs then returne into our &s;elues, &amp; looke home|wards, euen into our owne hearts, and confe&s;&s;e euery one, that the&s;e &s;hould haue bene euen thy &s;innes al&s;o, if Gods grace had not preuented thee.</P>
<P>This will humble thee, and make thee thinke vilely, &amp; ba&s;ely of thy &s;elfe, and &s;o con&s;equently bring thee to re|pentance and true amendment: and the very rea&s;on, why men repent not, nor amend their waies, is, becau&s;e they are Phari&s;ies by nature, and thinke highly of them&s;elues, and of their owne na|tures, and their naturall inclinations: this will be a har&s;h and a &s;trange Doc|trine to them: Oh, they haue excellent natures, and they cannot indure &s;uch, and &s;uch &s;innes, and they thanke God, they are not as ill as others: but let all &s;uch men knowe, they mu&s;t cea&s;e mag|nifying
<PB N="33" REF="34">
nature, and learne to magnifie Gods grace. Let them knowe, that na|ture in them, is in the Roote, as much corrupt, as in the wor&s;t man in the world, and euery mans heart is a bot|tomle&s;&s;e fountaine of all &s;inne; there|fore prai&s;e not thy nature, but Gods grace and mercy, in giuing thee &s;o good a nature; or rather, &s;o well re&s;training, and rectifying thy nature; and &s;tay not there, but de&s;ire of the Lord, that as he hath giuen thee a better tempered na|ture, the~ to other men: &s;o al&s;o he would be&s;towe on thee his &s;peciall and &s;auing grace: and as he hath kept thee from the feareful &s;ins of others (thou being as ill, naturally, as they) &s;o he would al&s;o lead thee into the way of &s;aluation, which el&s;e the be&s;t nature in the world, can neuer attaine vnto.</P>
<P>The third rule to be known and pra|cti&s;ed by him, who will truly &s;earch him&s;elfe, is, that euery man borne of <HI>Adam,</HI> is by nature, the child of wrath, and Gods enimie: this is true of all without exception; High or Low, Rich
<PB N="34" REF="35">
or poore, noble or &s;imple, borne in the vi&s;ible Church or without. And further, by being enemy of God, he is therefore borne &s;ubiect to hell, to dam|nation, and to all other cur&s;es: &s;o that looke as a Traytour conuicted, &s;tands therby in his Princes high di&s;plea&s;ure, and is &s;ure of death without &s;peciall pardon: &s;o &s;tands euery man, when he is borne, conuicted of high trea|&s;on again&s;t God, in his high di&s;fauour; and is in daunger of Hell, which is the fulfilling of the wrath of God. Thus <HI>Dauid</HI> confe&s;&s;eth of him&s;elfe. <HI>I was borne in iniquitie, and in &s;inne hath my Mother conceined me:</HI> If in &s;inne, then in Gods wrath, and vnder the danger of damnation, If any aske, how, or why this is &s;o. I an&s;were, the truth, as al&s;o the equitie of this third rule depends on the two former: for, becau&s;e euery man is borne guiltie of <HI>Adams</HI> great &s;inne, and al&s;o tainted originally with all cor|ruption &amp; a pronne&s;&s;e to all &s;in: there|fore it followeth in equitie and iu&s;tice, that euery man is borne vnder the
<PB N="35" REF="35">
wrath and cur&s;e of God. This point is a plaine and euident truth: yet men in the world thinke not &s;o, and it is the cau&s;e, why men repent not of their &s;innes: for mo&s;t men thinke that by na|ture, they are in Gods fauour; and ther|fore they neede not to &s;ue for it in hu|miliation and repentance; but onely liue ciuily, and do no open wrong, and all is well: whereas (alas) there is no condemned Traytour, more out of his Princes fauour, nor more &s;ure of death without a pardon, then al we are out of Gods fauour, and &s;ure of damnation, vnle&s;&s;e we procure Gods fauour again, by faith and repentance,</P>
<P>For the better opening of this third rule, and the manife&s;ting of the truth: let vs know further, that the cur&s;e of God, vnder the which we are all borne, is three-fould.</P>
<P>The fir&s;t, is a bondage vnder Sathan: It is a certaine truth that euery man as he is borne of his Parents, and till hee repent, is a &s;laue of Sathan: man or wo|man, high or low, Sathan is his Lord
<PB N="36" REF="36">
and Mai&s;ter. Hee &s;ittes as iudge in his heart; and in this &s;ence Sathan is the King of the Nations, and God of the world. Men will in wordes defie Sathan, and not name him with|out defiance, and &s;pitte at him; and yet (alas,) hee is in their hearts: they &s;pit him out of their mouthes, but hee is lower; they &s;hould al&s;o &s;pitte him out of their hearts, and that is true defiance indeede: for alas, hee lod|geth in thy heart, and there he makes his Throne, and raignes vntill the &s;pi|rit of regeneration di&s;po&s;&s;e&s;&s;e him: and till then, no &s;eruant is &s;o &s;ubiect to his mai&s;ter, no &s;laue to his Lord, as is the heart of man by nature vnto Sathan, the prince of darkne&s;&s;e. Nay, our bon|dage, is more fearefull, then the &s;la|uery of any poore Chri&s;tian, in the Spaniards, or in the Turkes Gallies: for their bodies are but in bondage, and at commaund, and vnder puni&s;hment: but our be&s;t part, our heart, our con|&s;cience, our &s;oule it &s;elfe is captiuated vnto him, and vnder his commaunde,
<PB N="37" REF="36">
who is the King of crueltie, and con|fu&s;ion, and Lord of Hell, who&s;e com|maundements are Iniu&s;tice, who&s;e &s;eruice is &s;inne, and who&s;e hyre is dam|nation.</P>
<P>The &s;econd part of the Cur&s;e, is the <HI>fir&s;t death,</HI> or the death of the bo|dy: that is, a &s;eparation of the &s;oule and body a &s;under for a time, namely, till the la&s;t iudgement. This death is duly and iu&s;tly the puni&s;hment of any one, or the lea&s;t &s;inne: therefore, how due and iu&s;t a puni&s;hment vpon that hor|rible heape of &s;infulne&s;&s;e, which is in e|uery mans nature&punc; and it is a mo&s;t ter|rible cur&s;e. For it is the very gate of hel, and the downfall to damnation, vnto all men, but &s;uch, as by faith and repen|tance doe get their death &s;anctified by the death of Chri&s;t: vnto &s;uch men in|deed it is no cur&s;e, but a gracious and glorious ble&s;&s;ing, for it is altered by Chri&s;t his death. But vnto all men by nature, and which repent not, it is the heauy cur&s;e of Gods wrath, and the ve|ry downfall into the gulfe of Hell.</P>
<P><PB N="38" REF="37">
The thirde part of the cur&s;e, vn|der which euery man is borne, is, the <HI>&s;econd death:</HI> the death of &s;oule and bodie; which is the eternall want of Gods pre&s;ence, and the accompli&s;h|ment of his wrath: and an apprehen&s;i|on and feeling of that wrath, &s;eazing on body, &s;oule, and con&s;cience. The fir&s;t cur&s;e, was a &s;pirituall death; the death of the &s;oule, The &s;econd a temporarie death, the death of the body. The third, is an eternall death, a death both of &s;oule and bodie together; and for e|uer. This eternall death is the cur&s;e of all cur&s;es, the mi&s;erie of all mi|&s;eries, and torment of all torments: and I &s;hewe it thus. Often when thy tooth acheth, and &s;ometime when thy head acheth, or in the paine of the &s;tone or collicke, thou woulde&s;t giue all that thou ha&s;t in the world to bee ea&s;ed of that paine: Nay, in the ex|&s;tremitie of &s;ome fitts, many will wi&s;h them-&s;elues euen out of the world: Now, if the paine of one tooth, can &s;o farre di&s;temper minde and body, that
<PB N="39" REF="37">
it cannot bee releiued with all the plea&s;ures of this life; O then, what a torment &s;hall that bee? when not one kinde of paine, but the whole viole of Gods wrath &s;hall bee powred, not on one member, but on the whole &s;oule body, and con&s;cience, and that not for a time, vnder hope of better: but eter|nally without hope of relea&s;e; and that not in this world, where there are com|forts, helpes and remedies: but in that vgly and dark&s;ome place of torments: and that not among&s;t liuing men, which might mittigate thy paine, or el&s;e bemone thee, and beway leit with thee: but with the Diuels, and damned &s;pirits, which will now laugh at thy de|&s;truction, and &s;olace them&s;elues in this thy mi&s;ery, and will reioyce, as thou dide&s;t &s;erue them in earth, &s;o now in hel to be thy torme~ters. It may be ther|fore (by the way), good warning and wi&s;edome to vs all, when we feele the extremity of &s;ome bodily paine, to con|&s;ider with our &s;elues, and &s;ay: O then, what &s;hall be my mi&s;ery and torment
<PB N="40" REF="38">
if <HI>I</HI> repent not; when not one member, but &s;oule, bodie, and con&s;cience, &s;hall be racked and tormented in the feeling and apprehen&s;ion of the anger of the Lord of Ho&s;tes.</P>
<P>In the&s;e three points, &s;tands that cur&s;e and wrath of God, vnder which euery man is borne. And the&s;e doe an&s;wer to the three degrees of &s;inne, which are in vs: for as the two fir&s;t Rules taught vs, there is in euery man by nature, till hee repent, a three-fold guiltine&s;&s;e. Fir&s;t, a guiltine&s;&s;e of <HI>Adams</HI> &s;inne. Secondly, the taint of originall, and vniuer&s;al cor|ruption. Thirdly a pollution by many outragious actuall &s;innes. In the fir&s;t of the&s;e, euery man is equally guiltie. In the &s;econd, euery man is equally cor|rupt. But in the third, euery one keepes that compa&s;&s;e, within which the Lord wil keepe them, by his limitting power.</P>
<P>Now as in our guiltine&s;&s;e of <HI>Adams</HI> &s;inne, &s;in hath his beginning: In origi|nall &s;inne, his continuance: in actuall &s;in, his perfection: So an&s;werable here|vnto, the wrath of God (which alwaies
<PB N="41" REF="38">
&s;tandeth oppo&s;ite to &s;inne) is begun in leauing vs by nature to the &s;lauerie of Sathan, is continued by death, and is accompli&s;hed in damnation.</P>
<P>And now the&s;e three Rules, I com|mend to the carefull &amp; Chri&s;tian con|&s;ideration of you all: certifying you from God, that as you can neuer bee &s;aued, vnle&s;&s;e you repent: nor repent, vnle&s;&s;e you Search your &s;elues (as here the Prophet bid deth) So, that you can neuer &s;earch your &s;elues aright, til you bee per&s;waded, and re&s;olued of the&s;e three Rules, and of the truth of them all, euen in your hearts and con&s;cien|ces: namely, Fir&s;t, that thou art guiltie of <HI>Adams</HI> &s;in. Secondly, that thou art prone by nature to al euil in the world. Thirdly, that for the&s;e, thou art &s;ubiect to the wrath of God, and to all the cur|&s;es of his wrath: but when thou art in heart, &amp; con&s;cience re&s;olued, that the&s;e are true, then thou art a fit Scholler, for this Le&s;&s;on of the Prophet, <HI>Search thy &s;elfe.</HI> For when thou goe&s;t, thus pre|pared vnto this Search, and e&s;teeme&s;t
<PB N="42" REF="39">
of thy &s;elfe, as the&s;e three Rules haue de&s;cribed thee: then if thou Search in|to thy &s;elfe, thou wilt finde thy &s;elfe, and thy e&s;tate to be &s;uch, as will cau&s;e thee to repent, returne and take a new cour&s;e: therefore, what the Prophet &s;ayd to tho&s;e <HI>Iewes,</HI> I &s;ay vnto you al&s;o, my brethren of this Realme of <HI>Eng|land,</HI> who are here now gathered toge|ther out of &s;o many countries, &amp; quar|ters of this Realme: yea, in the name of the &s;ame God, I cry vnto you. <HI>Search, O Search your &s;elues:</HI> and thinke it not a matter indifferent to do, or not to doe it: but know it, that God commandes you, as euer you will come to &s;aluati|on: <HI>Search your &s;elues.</HI> And the rather, becau&s;e by the&s;e three Rules&punc; you &s;ee how much chaffe of corruption is in your nature, and what neede there|fore it hath to bee &s;earched into, and fanned by Repentance. Bee well a&s;|&s;ured: thou man, what&s;oeuer thou art: there is &s;o much Chaffe in thee, that if thou &s;earch not, and fanne it not out, thou wilt proue nothing but
<PB N="43" REF="39">
Chaffe at the la&s;t day, and &s;o be blown away with the winde of Gods iu&s;tice into Hell. Take hold therefore of this exhortation, and deferre it not.</P>
<P>Thou wilt not &s;uffer thy Wheate to lye too long in the chaffe, for feare of hurting it: Is it then &s;afe to &s;uffer the chaffe of thy &s;innes and corrupti|ons, to lie cankering and rotting in thy heart? Bee &s;ure that that little portion of grace, which thou attaine&s;t vnto, by liuing in the Church, and vnder the Mini&s;trie of the Word of GOD, will bee putrifyed, and cleane cor|rupted with the Chaffe of thy &s;innes: therefore againe, and againe, I ex|hort you to make con&s;cience of this dutie: Search into your &s;elues, fanne out this Chaffe, this pre&s;umption of ours, and high e&s;teeming of our owne nature, and conceits of Gods fa|uour before wee haue it: that &s;o this Chaffe being blowne away, the Lord may then be&s;tow vpon vs foundne&s;&s;e of grace, &amp; the foundation of al good|nes, which is a holy &amp; humbled heart.</P>
<P><PB N="44" REF="40">
<HI>Salnation</HI> is &s;uch a building, as the foundation thereof had need to be &s;ure and &s;trong: Ignorance, blindne&s;&s;e, and pre&s;umption, are not &s;ufficient foun|dations for &s;uch a building: therefore as no man wil build a &s;trong hou&s;e vp|on any earth, but will fir&s;t &s;earch it, lea&s;t it prooue Sandie, &amp; &s;o ouerthrow all: So a wi&s;e Chri&s;tian will not build his &s;aluation, vpon fancies &amp; conceits, and naturall pre&s;umptions: but will <HI>Search,</HI> and looke into his heart: and finding the&s;e to be &s;andie, and rotten, and therefore too weake for the foun|dation of &s;o glorious a building, wil re|fu&s;e them all, and labour to furni&s;h his heart with &s;uch &s;ound grace, as wher|vpon he may tru&s;t &s;o weighty a work, as is the Saluation of his &s;oule. <HI>Againe,</HI> if thou wilt &s;tand in the day of triall, then Search thy heart betime, and di&s;|cerne betwixt Chaffe &amp; Wheat: thou &s;ee&s;t, that chaffe flyeth away before the wind; but good corne indures the Fan, and the furie of the wind: &s;o in the day of triall, temptation, &s;ickne&s;&s;e, or open
<PB N="45" REF="40">
per&s;ecution, the chaffe of natural pre|&s;umption, and outward formalitie in Religion, wil flye away: and it mu&s;t be the penitent, humbled, and belee|uing heart, which mu&s;t then abide it out, and endure the fanne of temptati|ons and per&s;ecutions.</P>
<P>And to conclude, Let not the Di|uell deceiue thee, in making thee ima|gine or hope to plea&s;e God, and yet to let thy corruptions lie vn&s;eene, and thy &s;ins vn&s;earched out, lea&s;t thereby thou marre all: for thou v&s;e&s;t not to lay vp-wheat in thy garners, vntil it be purged from the Chaffe: &s;o thinke not to &s;tore vp any &s;auing knowledge, or any other grace of God in thy heart, vntill the chaffe of vanitie be fir&s;t blowne away, that &s;o the holy graces of God, may be layd vp in the garners of thy &s;oule. And therefore que&s;tionle&s;&s;e (to &s;peake one word to touch our common pro|fe&s;&s;ors, in the very &s;ore of their &s;oule) al knowledge that is &s;tored vp in the&s;e impure and vn&s;earched hearts: is euen as Wheat layd vp in the Chaffe, which
<PB N="46" REF="41">
is (a thou&s;and to one) &s;ure to bee eaten vp by the chaffe, &s;o that, when the win|nowing time of tryall and per&s;ecution comes: I feare, that &s;uch men will (for al their knowledge) &s;hrinke a&s;ide, and betray the truth: there knowledge then prouing no better then chaffe, becau&s;e it was layde vp in an vnholy heart: If therefore, thou woulde&s;t &s;tand and endure when Poperie, or per&s;ecution, or temptations come, if thou woul|de&s;t abide the furie of the fanne of temptations: now, then exerci&s;e thy heart with the fanne of GODS law, Search and ran&s;acke it, purge out the chaffe of corruption, and &s;tore vp knowledge in an holy heart, and a good con&s;cience, and that will a|bide the violence of all temptations: yea, when God &s;uffers the Diuell to doe with vs, as he did with <HI>Peter,</HI> to winnow vs like Wheate, to &s;ift and trie vs, as he did <HI>Iob,</HI> with the furious winde of all his mallice: this know|ledge will proue Wheate, that will abide the winde, and gold that will a|bide
<PB N="47" REF="41">
the fire: thus glorious will it be in the ende, if we follow this holy Prophets councel, and Search our hearts.</P>
<P><HI>And thus much for the fir&s;t point (name|ly) the dutie of Searching heere comman|ded, in which wee haue &s;tayed the lon|ger, becau&s;e it is the foundation of all the re&s;t: and this being wel laid, the whole building wilt goe vp the fa&s;ter.</HI></P>
<P>Now we come to the &s;econd gene|ral point here laid down: that is, whom mu&s;t we Search? the Prophet aun&s;we|reth: <HI>your &s;elues</HI> not other me~, but your &s;elues. This &s;earch &s;o vrged and infor|ced by the Prophet, mu&s;t not be of o|ther mens hearts and liues, but of our owne: our owne are our charge, and not other mens: and therein is the &s;ay|ing true, which el&s;e is mo&s;t fal&s;e: <HI>Euery man for him&s;elfe:</HI> for as euery &s;oule mu&s;t bee &s;aued by it &s;elfe &s;o mu&s;t it beleeue, Repent, and &s;earch it &s;elfe.</P>
<P><PB N="48" REF="42">
The dutie therefore here comman|ded, is, for euery man that would haue his &s;oule to be &s;aued, to Search it, and reforme it, and leaue others to bee &s;earched by them&s;elucs. Here the ho|ly Gho&s;t meetes with the common cor|ruption of this world, (and that is) that men are Eagle eyed, to &s;ee in|to the liues of other men, but to looke into their owne hearts, and liues, they are blinder then Moles: they can &s;ee moates in other mens liues, but di&s;|cerne not beames in their owne: wher|by it comes to pa&s;&s;e, that they &s;tumble and fall fowly: for the eies of mo&s;t men are &s;et vpon others, &amp; not vpon them &s;elues: and thereupon it is, that an e|uil, man &s;eeing other men, &amp; not him|&s;elfe: thinkes be&s;t of him&s;elfe, &amp; wor&s;t of other men: but contrariwi&s;e, a good man &s;eeing him&s;elfe, &amp; not other men, thinkes wor&s;t of him&s;elfe, and better of other men: an euil man lookes out|ward, and iudgeth other men: but a good ma~ lookes homeward &amp; iudgeth him&s;elfe: and in iudging, condemnes
<PB N="49" REF="42">
him&s;elfe, farre aboue other men: and that becau&s;e by &s;earching into his own heart and wayes, hee knowes that by him&s;elfe, which he knowes not, by any man in the world be&s;ides.</P>
<P>So then we mu&s;t &s;earch, not other men, but our &s;elues: our owne hearts and our owne liues are our charge, and burthen: the liues of other men con|cerne vs not, being priuate me~, further the~, either to follow them being good, or take heede of them being euil: but to &s;earch, or to bee inqui&s;itiue into them, is no dutie commaunded vs, but rather a foule &amp; a ba&s;e vice forbidden of God. Indeede Magi&s;trates in their people, Pa&s;tours in their congregati|ons, and hou&s;e-holders in their families are to &s;earch: but they can &s;earch onely for criminall cau&s;es, or open actuall &s;innes: but this &s;earching mu&s;t bee of our hearts, which no man can &s;earch, but our &s;elues onely. Few men haue a calling to enquire into other mens liues, but euery man hath a calling to &s;earch into him&s;elfe: but (alas) men
<PB N="50" REF="43">
doe farre otherwi&s;e, they &s;uffer them|&s;elues to rotte in their owne &s;innes, and erect an Inqui&s;ition ouer other mens liues, &amp; it is to be &s;eene in dayly expe|rience, that tho&s;e men, who are the great Searchers and priers into other men, are the neglecters and forgetters of them&s;elues: And contrariwi&s;e they who doe narrowly &s;earch them&s;elues and their owne wayes, and looke into the corners of their owne hearts, doe finde &s;o much worke to do with them|&s;elues that they little bu&s;ie them&s;elues, with other men.</P>
<P>And thus much may &s;uffice for that point.</P>
<P>It followeth.</P>
<P><HI>O Nation not worthy to be beloued.</HI></P>
<P>The third point: <HI>Who mu&s;t &s;earch?</HI> the Iewes, who are here termed a Na|tion, not worthy to be beloued: &amp; yet for al that, they are bid to &s;earch them|&s;elues, that &s;o vpon their Repentance, they might bee beloued. Where, wee
<PB N="51" REF="43">
may &s;ee the vn&s;peakable loue of God, and his wonderfull mercie, offering grace vnto &s;uch men, as are altogether vnworthy of it. Gods children are by nature like other men, and God findes nothing in them, why to re&s;pect them aboue others: but euen of his owne mercie, makes them worthy, who of them&s;elues are not: therefore how worthy is that God, to haue all the loue of our hearts, who loued vs, when wee were not worthy to be beloued.</P>
<P>But let vs examine more particu|larly, why GOD doth call the Iewes a Nation, not worthy to bee beloued: I an&s;were, God had ble&s;&s;ed them aboue other Nations: He gaue them his Co|uenant of grace, and thereby made them his people, &amp; commited to their tru&s;t, his holy word and Oracles: but <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Rom.</HI> 3. 2.</NOTE> he delt not &s;o with other Nations, nei|ther had the Heathe~ knowledge of his lawes. Be&s;ides all this, they had a bet|ter <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 143. 20.</NOTE> land then others about them, it flowed with Milke, and Honie, (that is, with all commodities, &amp; delights)
<PB N="52" REF="44">
and though their Countrie was but lit|tle: yet them&s;elues &s;o populous, and &s;o powrefull, that while&s;t they plea&s;ed GOD, no enemie dur&s;t &s;et vppon them.</P>
<P>Thus for &s;oule and bodie, they were euery way a Nation, ble&s;&s;ed of God, a people beloued of God aboue all o|thers. Now, how did this people (thus beloued of their God,) requite this his loue, which they had no more de&s;er|ued, then any other Nation? Certain|ly, as they de&s;erued it not afore they had it: &s;o they requited it not, when they had it: but requited this loue of God with &s;inne, with rebellion, and with di&s;obedience. They tempted him, they prouoked him to wrath, they pre|&s;umed of his mercy, &amp; proued a mo&s;t &s;tubborne and &s;tifnecked people, a fro|ward generation: <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> partly &s;awe this in his owne experience, &amp; better di&s;cerned it in the &s;pirit of Prophe&s;ie: and therefore wondering at this their wickednes, he cryed out, <HI>Do you thus re|quite the Lord: O fooli&s;h people, &amp; vnwi&s;e? <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Deut.</HI> 32. 5</NOTE>
<PB N="53" REF="44">
thus:</HI> that is with &s;in, &amp; di&s;obedience, which is the only meanes to di&s;plea&s;e the Lord, &amp; to prouoke him to wrath: for this cau&s;e, they are worthily called a fooli&s;h and vnkind people by <HI>Mo&s;es,</HI> and here, by the Prophet. <HI>A Nation, not worthy to bee beloued,</HI> namely, for their vnthankefulnes, and vnkindnes: which was &s;uch, as they not only were &s;lacke, and carele&s;&s;e in performance of &s;uch duties as God required: but euen multiplyed their &s;innes, &amp; committed tho&s;e foule rebellions, which his &s;oule hated.</P>
<P>And among&s;t many, the Prophet here in this Chapter, noteth three of their great &s;innes: for which they were a Nation not worthy to bee beloued. <HI>Couetou&s;ne&s;&s;e, Crueltie, and Deceite:</HI> all which were the more hainous and in|tollerable, becau&s;e they were the &s;ins of their Princes, their Rulers, and their prie&s;ts: who &s;hould haue beene lights and examples to the re&s;t.</P>
<P>Now, although euery &s;in in it &s;elfe, is of that ill de&s;ert, as it is able to ca&s;t vs
<PB N="54" REF="45">
out of Gods fauour, and depriue vs of his loue: yet, behold, here God com|plaines, not vpon a little cau&s;e, but for wonderfull, &amp; exceeding vnthankful|ne&s;&s;e, &amp; vnkindne&s;&s;e in them: who of all other &s;hould haue loued the Lord.</P>
<P>As a man cares not for hard v&s;age from him, whome hee e&s;teemes not: but a little vnkindne&s;&s;e doth greatly greiue a man, from him who is loued and re&s;pected: &s;o is it with the Lord our God, he loued not the Gentiles, as hee did the Iewes, neither was hee &s;o bountifull vnto them: and therefore, <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 147. <HI>Acts</HI> 17. <HI>ver&s;e.</HI> 30.</NOTE> (as we may &s;ee) though they liued al|wayes in ignorance, and continued al|wayes in di&s;obedience, yet, the Text &s;aith, the time of that ignorance God regarded not: but when as the Iewes, his owne people, whome he cho&s;e out of all people, &amp; be&s;towed his loue vp|on them, and made his Couenant of grace with the~, when they became vn|kinde, vnthankfull, forgetfull, &s;tub|borne, and rebellious, that cau&s;ed the Lord euen to complaine of the indig|nitie,
<PB N="55" REF="45">
and to cry out by <HI>Mo&s;es. Doe yee thus requite the Lord: O fooli&s;h people &amp; vnwi&s;e?</HI> And hereby the Prophet, <HI>O nation, not worthy to be beloued:</HI> &amp; ther|fore ther is no man, but if he be asked what he thinkes of this Nation of the Iewes: he will an&s;were, that they are a mo&s;t vile &amp; wicked people, a froward generation, and that they are worthy to ta&s;te deepely, of all Gods plagues, who &s;o farre abu&s;ed his loue and mer|cie.</P>
<P>But what doth this belong to them alone? and is <HI>I&s;rael</HI> onely a Nation not worthy to be beloued? Nay, I may cry out with as good cau&s;e: O <HI>England,</HI> a nation not worthy to be beloued. For, God hath beene as good a God to vs, as he was to them: and we haue beene as vnkinde a people to him, as they were to him: But that I may bee free from di&s;crediting our nation, and from defiling my owne Ne&s;t: let vs prooue both the&s;e points, and lay them open to the view of the world.</P>
<P N="1">1 Fir&s;t therefore, the &s;ame mercies,
<PB N="56" REF="46">
and farre greater, haue beene powred &amp; heaped vpon vs: hee hath called vs out of the darkne&s;&s;e; Fir&s;t, of Heathen|i&s;me, &amp; then of Poperie: his couenant of grace and &s;aluation, he hath confir|med with vs, his trea&s;ures of his word and Sacraments, hee hath imparted to vs: his holy word neuer better prea|ched, and the my&s;teries thereof neuer more plainly opened, &s;ince the time of the Apo&s;tles: and as wee haue Religi|on, &s;o wee haue it vnder a religious prince, whereby it comes to pa&s;&s;e, that the&s;e ble&s;&s;ings of &s;aluation, wee inioy not in &s;ecret, or by &s;tealth: but wee haue it countenanced by authoritie: &s;o that religion is not barely allowed, but euen as it were thru&s;t vpon men. Be|&s;ides al this, wee haue a land al&s;o, that floweth with milke &amp; hony, it is plen|tifull in all good things: we haue liber|tie, &amp; peace vnder a peaceable prince, and the companions of peace: pro&s;|peritie, plentie, health, wealth, corne, Woole, gold, &s;iluer, abundance of all things, that may plea&s;e the heart of
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man: thus hath God de&s;erued the loue of England.</P>
<P N="2">2 But now England, how ha&s;t thou requited this kindne&s;&s;e of the Lorde? certainely euen with a greater mea&s;ure of vnkindne&s;&s;e: that is, with more and greater &s;innes then euer <HI>I&s;raell</HI> did: &s;o that if <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> &s;pake true of them: then may our <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> much more truly cry out again&s;t <HI>England,</HI> doe&s;t thou thus requite the Lord, thou fooli&s;h people? And if this Prophet &s;aid thus of <HI>I&s;raell</HI> for three &s;ins: then may it bee &s;aide of <HI>England,</HI> for 300 &s;innes (O <HI>England)</HI> a Nation not worthie to bee beloued: for thou ha&s;t multiplyed thy tran&s;gre&s;|&s;ions, aboue theirs of <HI>I&s;raell;</HI> euen as though, thou hadde&s;t re&s;olued with thy &s;elfe, the more Gods kindne&s;&s;e is hea|ped on thee, the more to multiply thy &s;innes again&s;t him. For thou <HI>England,</HI> as thou ha&s;t requited the Lord with &s;innes; &s;o not with a few &s;innes or &s;mall &s;innes; or &s;innes, which hardly coulde haue bene preuented: for that had bene a matter of &s;ome excu&s;e, or not of &s;o
<PB N="58" REF="47">
great complaint. But thy &s;innes are ma|ny, and grieuous, and capitall. And which is wor&s;t of all, wilfull and affec|ted, euen as though God had de&s;erued euill of vs and that therefore we ought malitiou&s;ly to requite him.</P>
<P>If any man make doubt of this, and therefore thinke <HI>I</HI> &s;peake too hardly of our Church: <HI>I</HI> will then deale plainly, and particularly, and rip vp the &s;ores of our nation, that &s;o they may bee healed to the bottome.</P>
<P>The common &s;ins of <HI>England,</HI> wher|with the Lord is requited, are the&s;e. Fir&s;t, ignorance of Gods will and wor|&s;hip, (I &s;peake not of that compelled ig|norance, in many corners of our Land, which is to bee pittied becau&s;e they want the meanes) but wilfull, and af|fected ignorance. Men are ignorant, euen becau&s;e, they will bee ignorant. Meanes of knowledge were neuer &s;o plentifull, and yet neuer more gro&s;&s;e ignorance: is not hee wilfully blinde, who will not open his eyes in the Light? and can there bee any dark|ne&s;&s;e
<PB N="59" REF="47">
at Noone day, but it mu&s;t bee wilfull? but our Nation is darke and blinde in the Sun&s;hine of the Go&s;pell: and gro&s;&s;ely ignorant, when the Go&s;|pell beates their eares, and light &s;hines round about them; &s;o, as if they clo&s;ed not their eyes, and &s;topped not their eares, they could not, but both heare &amp; &s;ee; who would looke for ignorance af|ter 35 yeares preaching? &amp; yet, many are as ignorant, as if they had bin borne &amp; brought vp vnder Poperie: &s;o that our people are as euill as tho&s;e in the dayes of Chri&s;t, of whom the holy gho&s;t &s;aith <HI>Light is come into the world; but men loue</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Iohn.</HI> 3. 1<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter"></NOTE> <HI>darkne&s;&s;e more then light:</HI> &s;o knowledge is come into <HI>England:</HI> but many Eng|li&s;hmen loue ignorance better then knowledge. Alas, how many thou&s;ands haue we in our Church, who know no more in religio~, then they heare in com|mon talke of al men, &amp; which is wor&s;e, they thinke it &s;ufficient al&s;o, and which is wor&s;t of all, whereas they might haue more, they will not, but care not for it.</P>
<P N="2"><PB N="60" REF="48">
2 The &s;econd maine &s;in of <HI>England,</HI> is: <HI>Contempt of Chri&s;tian Religion.</HI> Reli|gion hath bin among vs the&s;e fiue and thirtie yeares: but the more it is publi|&s;hed, the more it is contemned, and re|proached of many: in &s;o much, as there is not the &s;imple&s;t fellow in a country town, who, although he knowes not one point of religion, yet he can mock, and &s;corne &s;uch as are more religious then him&s;elf is: this is one of the moaths of <HI>England,</HI> that eates vp religion, this is grieuous in whom&s;oeuer, but mo&s;t intollerable in two &s;orts of men. Fir&s;t, in them, who are altogether ignorant: that they &s;hould mocke they know not what. A pittifull thing to hear one, who him&s;elfe cannot giue the meaning of one petition in the Lords praier, to vp|braide other men, becau&s;e they are too forward: but it is the wor&s;t of all, when men of knowledge, and &s;uch as liue ci|uilly, and would be counted good chri|&s;tians: and are indeede of the better &s;ort: cannot abide to &s;ee others go, a lit|tle before them: but if they doe: pre|&s;ently,
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they are Hypocrites and di&s;&s;em|blers: Thus not prophanene&s;&s;e, nor wickedne&s;&s;e; but euen Religion it &s;elfe is a by-word, a mocking-&s;tocke, and matter of reproach: &s;o that in <HI>England,</HI> at this day, the man or woman that be|gins to profe&s;&s;e religion, and to &s;erue God, mu&s;t re&s;olue with him&s;elfe to &s;u&s;|taine mockes, and iniuries, euen as though he liued among the enimies of religion, and not among profe&s;&s;ors: and as religion increa&s;eth and &s;prea|deth it &s;elfe: &s;o doth the number of the&s;e mockers: O what a cur&s;ed &s;inne is this? to contemne the greate&s;t fauour, that God can giue vs; that is his holy religi|on: for the which, wee &s;hould rather prai&s;e him all the dayes of our liues. All that God can giue a man in this world, is his Go&s;pell: what then can God giue to be regarded, when his go&s;pel is con|temned?</P>
<P>This &s;inne was neuer among&s;t the <HI>Iewes:</HI> they indeed regarded it not &s;o as it de&s;erued, but who did euer make a mocke and a &s;corne of it but <HI>England?</HI>
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O <HI>England,</HI> how can&s;t thou an&s;were this. God &s;ends thee the mo&s;t preci|ous Iewell, that he can &s;end to a Nati|on; and thou &s;corne&s;t it, and them that bring i<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter">, and them that receiue it; euen as though it were no ble&s;&s;ing, but a cur&s;e: &s;o that as Chri&s;t &s;aith to the <HI>Iewes, for which of my good workes doe you &s;tone mee;</HI> So may the Lord &s;ay to <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Iohn.</HI> 10. 32.</NOTE> <HI>England:</HI> I haue giuen thee a fruitfull land, a ble&s;&s;ed Prince, gold and &s;iluer, peace and libertie: plentie and pro&s;pe|ritie: for which of the&s;e (O <HI>England)</HI> doe&s;t thou contemne my religion? The lea&s;t of the&s;e de&s;erue loue; but <HI>England</HI> hath a better then all the&s;e; that is, his Go&s;pell and word of &s;aluation: and yet, that al&s;o is contemned (as beeing no|thing worth) and tho&s;e which confe&s;&s;e it, and tho&s;e that bring it, and con&s;e|quently God him&s;elfe that gaue it. If <HI>England</HI> had no more &s;innes but this: this de&s;erues, that it &s;hould bee &s;aide of vs, that wee are <HI>a Nation vnworthy to bee loued</HI> aboue all Nations, for &s;ome Nations would haue religion, that they
<PB N="63" REF="49">
might loue it, but they cannot haue it: &s;ome haue it, and doe loue it: &s;ome haue it, and loue it not: but in noe Nation is it made a mocking-&s;tocke, but in <HI>Eng|land.</HI> And where are tho&s;e men, but in <HI>England,</HI> who (like the dog in the man|ger) will neither entertaine Religion them&s;elues, nor &s;uffer them that would: let vs in time take heede of this &s;inne, as a &s;inne that crieth to God, to reuenge &s;o vile a di&s;honour done to his maie&s;ty: neither is there any &s;inne that more cer|tainly fore&s;hewes, and more forceably ha&s;tens the remouing of the Go&s;pell from vs. For high time is it to cea&s;e lo|uing, wher loue procures di&s;daine. And to &s;tay giuing, where giftes are &s;corned. <NOTE PLACE="marg">There were then pre&s;ent inhabitants of London, Yorke, Cam+bridge, Ox|ford. Nor|wich, Bri|&s;tow, Ip&s;|wich colche+&s;ter Worce|&s;ter, Hull, Lin, Man|che&s;ter.</NOTE></P>
<P>Carry home this le&s;&s;on to your great townes &amp; cities, where you dwel, for in the&s;e populous places are the&s;e great mockers, for wher God hath his profe&s;|&s;ors, the diuel hath his mockers; &amp; repe~t betimes of this &s;in, for hold on in moc|king, &amp; be &s;ure that God (who will not be mocked) will remoue his go&s;pel fro~ you; but if you leaue this &s;in, and enter|taine the go&s;pel, (as it worthily de&s;erus)
<PB N="64" REF="50">
then be &s;ure of it, God will continue <NOTE PLACE="marg">Kendal, Co|uentry, Not|tingham, Northamp|ton, Bathe, Lincolne, Durby, Lei|ce&s;ter, Che&s;|ter. Newca&s;|tle, and of many other mo&s;t popu|lous cities and townes. of England</NOTE> the Go&s;pell, to you, and your po&s;teri|ties after you, in the face of al your ene|mies round about you.</P>
<P N="3">3 The third common &s;inne of <HI>Englande,</HI> is, <HI>Bla&s;phemie,</HI> many waies, but e&s;pecially in vaine &s;wearing, fal&s;e &s;wearing, and for&s;wearing, and the a|bu&s;e of all the names and tytles of the Lord God. This &s;inne is general, euen ouer the whole land, e&s;pecially, in Fayres, and Markets, where men for a little gaine, wil not care to cal the Lord of Ho&s;tes to be witne&s;&s;e to a lye, and the God of truth, to te&s;tifie an vntruth. And which is wor&s;t of all, Gods holy name is v&s;ed in vaine oathes, and ordi|narie talke. When men haue no cau&s;e to &s;weare at all: &s;o that, it is mo&s;t la|mentable to &s;ee and ob&s;erue, that the name of any man of honour, or wor|&s;hip, is v&s;ed more reuerently, and le&s;&s;e abu&s;ed, then that fearefull and glorious name: <HI>the Lord our God.</HI></P>
<P N="4">4 The fourth generall and great &s;inne is, <HI>Prophanation of the Saboath. A</HI>
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common &s;inne euery where, and yet &s;o great a &s;inne, that where it raignes, in that Country, congregation, family, man or woman, there is noe feare of God, nor any true grace in them: for the keeping of the &s;aboath, is the main|taining, increa&s;ing, and publi&s;hing of religion.</P>
<P N="5">5 The fift &s;inne of our Nation, is, <HI>vniu&s;t dealing in bargaining betwixt man and man.</HI> How hard is it to finde an hone&s;t, &s;imple, plaine dealing man: and that euen in &s;uch great a&s;&s;emblies as this is, <HI>I</HI> feare pre&s;ent experience wil te&s;tifie: you are now many thou&s;ands gathered together, &s;ome to buy, &s;ome to &s;ell, &s;ome to exchange: Remember, that I haue tolde you, an hone&s;t hear|ted and plaine dealing man is hard to finde: therfore labour to approue your &s;elues &s;incere hearted men. remember the coun&s;ell of the holy Gho&s;t: <HI>Let no man oppre&s;&s;e nor defraude his brother, in bargaining: for the Lord is the auenger of all &s;uch things</HI> The&s;e &s;innes are gener|all and vniuer&s;all as a cancker: And &s;o
<PB N="66" REF="51">
are the &s;innes of the 6. 7. and 8. Com|mandements (though they be not alto|gether &s;o co~mon as the&s;e be) <HI>Murthers, Adulteries, V&s;uries, Briberies, Extor&s;ions, Cou&s;enages,</HI> they are a burthen, vnder which, our earth groanes; and they cry again&s;t vs to heauen, &s;o that vpon as good or much beter cau&s;e may it be &s;aid to vs, as to the <HI>Iewes: O Nation not wor|thy to be beloued.</HI></P>
<P>Looke at the outward face of our Church, at the &s;ignes of Gods loue, which are among&s;t vs, and at Gods dealing with vs; and behold, we are a mo&s;t beautifull Church, a glorious Nation, a Nation to bee admired, and wondred at: but looke at the liues of our ordinarie profe&s;&s;ors, looke at our &s;innes, and at our requiting of Gods loue: and we are a people of <HI>Sodome,</HI> as full of iniquities as they were, who&s;e &s;innes are &s;o many, &s;o rife, and &s;o ripe; that at the la&s;t they wil eue~ bring down fire &amp; brim&s;tone, or &s;ome other &s;trange iudgement vpon vs, if repentance doe not preuent it, or the cries and prayers
<PB N="67" REF="51">
of holy men &s;tay not Gods hands. So, then let vs all here a&s;&s;embled, grant &amp; confe&s;&s;e, that we are a Nation &s;o farre from being worthy to bee beloued, as that we are mo&s;t worthy to be hated, &amp; to haue all the wrath of God powred vpon vs.</P>
<P>Now then, are we &s;o? and &s;hall wee continue &s;o &s;till? Nay, that is the wor&s;t, and mo&s;t wretched of all: then let euery one of vs learne this duty, enter into our &s;elues, Search our hearts and liues, that they may lye open to our owne &s;ight, to the confu&s;ion of vs in our &s;elues, that in God by repentance wee may bee rai&s;ed vp.</P>
<P>Our &s;innes lye open before the face of God, and &s;tincke in his pre&s;ence, and and cry for vengeance: and before the face of Gods Angels, who bewaile it, and before the face of the Diuell, who reioyceth in our confu&s;ions: and &s;hall they lye hid onely to our &s;elues? Now then, if wee would haue them hidde from God, and &s;toppe the cry, that they make again&s;t vs, and keepe them
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from Sathan, who accu&s;eth vs for them: wee mu&s;t &s;o Search our &s;elues, that they may lye open to our owne hearts: remember thou thy &s;innes, and God will forget them: lay them open before thy owne face, and God will hide them from his: write them vp for thy owne &s;elfe, and God will blot them out of his remembrance: but if contra|riwi&s;e, thou hide&s;t them: then a&s;&s;ure thy &s;elfe, the more thou hide&s;t, and bu|rie&s;t them, the more open doe they lye in the face of GOD: and then what will followe, but that they will all bee di&s;clo&s;ed at the la&s;t day, to thy eternall confu&s;ion. Therefore a|gaine, and againe, I exhort you in the name of GOD, Search your &s;elues, finde out your &s;innes, confe&s;&s;e them to GOD, freely, and ingeni|ou&s;ly; confe&s;&s;e their de&s;ert to bee Hell and damnation, humble your hearts to God, cry and call for pardon, as for life and death, purpo&s;e and pro|mi&s;e to leaue them, begin a new cour&s;e of life, beleeue &s;tedfa&s;tly, and doubt not
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of pardon and forgiuene&s;&s;e in the blood of Chri&s;t, continue in that faith, and that newe cour&s;e of life: So may <HI>Englande</HI> preuent Gods iudgements, and quench that great action of vn|kindnes, which God hath again&s;t them, and become <HI>a Nation as worthy</HI> (vpon their faith and repentance) in Chri&s;t to <HI>be beloued:</HI> as for their peace and pro&s;|peritie, they haue bene of all nations of the earth admired.</P>
<P><HI>Hitherto, of the third generall point.</HI></P>
<P N="4">4 The fourth generall point in this exhortation, is the time limitted them, when they &s;hould Search. <HI>Before the Decree come forth &amp;c.</HI> As though the Prophet &s;hould &s;ay. <HI>I&s;raell,</HI> repent, be+fore God execute his iudgements on thee. For behold the gratious dea|ling of God: Man &s;inneth, his &s;innes de&s;erue plagues: but GOD pre&s;ently plagueth not, but deferres it, he puts a time betwixt the &s;inne and the puni&s;h|ment (ordinarily:) this he doth to &s;hew his
<PB N="70" REF="53">
mercie to mankinde, becau&s;e that hee would not de&s;troy them, if they would amende. Therefore, after the &s;inne, he &s;mites not pre&s;ently, but puttes of his puni&s;hment, that in the meane time man may Repent. Here the Prophet compares the Lord to a mother; for as &s;he conceiues the fruite in her wombe, and beares it a long time, ere &s;he bring it out: &s;o the Lord after a mans &s;innes, or a peoples &s;innes, conceiue (that is) ordaines, and decreeth a iudgement for it, but he keepes it vp, and all that while he heares it: But as &s;he, when her time is come, then trauailes and bringes forth: &s;o, when the time that God hath appointed, is come, and &s;til &s;inne is not repented of: then his iu&s;tice trauailes to be deliuered of that iudgeme~t, which mercy hath kept vp &s;o long a time. Thus the old world had an hundred &amp; twentie yeares giuen them for time of repentance; all that while God was in conceiuing, at la&s;t when there &s;innes were ripe, and no hope of amendment: then GOD trauelled, and brought
<PB N="71" REF="53">
forth a fearefull byrth, namely the vni|uer&s;all flood, to wa&s;h away, and take reuenge vpon the vniuer&s;all iniquities of tho&s;e times. So many hundred yeares he gaue vnto the <HI>Iewes,</HI> long hee was in conceiuing their de&s;truction, and oftentimes hee had it at the bring|ing forth, as in the captiuitie of <HI>Baby|lon,</HI> and vnder <HI>Antiochus;</HI> yet his mer|cy &s;tayed it: and &s;till hee trauailled longer: telles them here by the Pro|phet, that yet the Decree is not come forth, (though it bee conceiued:) but at la&s;t when <HI>I&s;raell</HI> would not Re|pent, but grewe wor&s;e, and wor&s;e; (as in Chri&s;t his time) then hee could containe no longer, but trauelled in|deede, and though it bee with griefe, yet hee hath brought foorth: and what? a mo&s;t fearefull byrth, euen an vtter di&s;olation of that kingdome and Countrey, of their Citie, and Temple, and a di&s;pertion of their Na|tion ouer all the world: but as a wo|man at la&s;t is deliuered with daunger, and difficultie, with paine and &s;or|rowe:
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&s;o the Lord long conceiues, but at la&s;t bringes forth his iudgements: yet it is with griefe and vnwillingne&s;&s;e, and hee is loath (as it were) and much agrieued to execute his mo&s;t iu&s;t iudgements on tho&s;e, who haue pro|fe&s;&s;ed his name: hee often touched the <HI>Iewes</HI> a little, and as being vnwilling to &s;mite them: hee drue backe his hande againe: but at la&s;t when their &s;innes did &s;o increa&s;e, and were &s;o &s;trong, that they euen did wring out, by violence his plagues from him, then with much bewayling of their great mi&s;ery (as wee may &s;ee in Chri&s;t, weeping for them,) hee executes his iudgements on them. But as they are long a comming: &s;o, when they come forth, they were the heauier; as a child, the more fulne&s;&s;e of time it hath, is the greater, the liuelier, and the &s;tronger: &s;o, Gods iudgements, the longer God deferreth them, and is in conceiuing them, the heauier are they, when they come: that is manife&s;t in the <HI>Iewes&punc;</HI> once his owne people, for he hath de&s;troyed
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their land with an irrecouerable de|&s;truction, and &s;mitten their po&s;teritie with a blindnes of minde til this houre, &s;o that to this day, when the old Te&s;ta|ment is read, the vaile is ouer their eies, that they cannot &s;ee the light of <HI>Chri&s;t Ie&s;us,</HI> but plodde on in fearefull and palpable blindne&s;&s;e.</P>
<P>This Doctrine hath &s;peciall v&s;e to this our Church, to teach vs to looke to our &s;elues betimes, and try our owne wayes, and turne to the Lord, for wee cannot tell how farre of his iudgments are: in rea&s;on they mu&s;t needs be near, they haue beene &s;o long deferred, and yet beene &s;o iu&s;tly de&s;erued of vs. Cer|tainly God hath long beene in con|ceiuing iudgements and plagues for the &s;innes of <HI>England,</HI> and often hath Gods hand beene vpo~ vs by warre&punc; fa|mine, pe&s;tilence, inundations: and yet it hath been puld backe againe: and his &s;word hath beene put vp into his &s;heath, and God hath &s;tayed his birth euen in the very trauell, and we haue e&s;caped, euen as a man, who&s;e necke
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hath beene vpon the blocke, and the Axe holden vp to &s;trike: &s;o then, yet the day is not come, yet we haue time: happie wee that euer wee &s;aw this day, if now wee haue grace to repent, and <HI>&s;earch our hearts,</HI> for then wee &s;hall &s;tay this Iudgement decreed, that it &s;hall neuer come forrth again&s;t vs: but if we deferre to repent, &amp; put off from day to day, and lye rotting &s;till in our &s;innes: then know and be a&s;&s;ured that as the Decree is e&s;tabli&s;hed, &s;o it mu&s;t needes come foorth: and then, when iudgement is come forth, &amp; the &s;troke &s;tricken, Repentance is too late: there|fore what he &s;aid to the <HI>Iewes,</HI> I &s;ay vn|to vs, <HI>Search thy &s;elfe, O England,</HI> (a Nation not worthy to be beloued) <HI>be|fore the Decree come forth,</HI> which is al|ready pa&s;t again&s;t thee.</P>
<P>Thus much for the fourth point.</P>
<P N="5">5 Now followeth the la&s;t point: the rea&s;on of all. <HI>Why &s;hould we &s;earch our &s;elues?</HI> The rea&s;on is included in the
<PB N="75" REF="55">
fourth point: <HI>For there is a Decree come forth again&s;t thee.</HI> And though the exe|cution be deferred, and though God be vnwilling to take it out, yet without Repentance, it is mo&s;t certaine, it &s;hall come foorth and bee executed at the la&s;t. In one word, this is the rea&s;on. Re|pent, or el&s;e certainely God will take vengeance: But (will mans heart &s;ay) is this true? Or rather the&s;e bee but words to feare men, and to keepe them in awe. I aun&s;were, for the proofe and experience hereof, neuer goe further, then this place, and pre&s;ent example wee haue in hand: the Prophet bids them <HI>Search, Search, and repent,</HI> el&s;e, as certainly, as there was a iudgeme~t con|ceiued, &s;o certainly it &s;hould be execu|ted vpon the~: they would not heare, nor Search, nor repent: but what fol|lowed; let all me~ iudge whether God is not true, of his word to them or no: yea, alas, who &s;eeth not that God hath trauelled indeede, and hath brought foorth a fearefull iudgement on them, and hath made them for the&s;e thou|&s;and
<PB N="76" REF="56">
yeares and a halfe, the gazing &s;tocke, the by word, and the amaze|ment of all the world.</P>
<P>Thus was it threatned to the <HI>Iewes,</HI> and thus it is performed: and certain|ly thus hath it beene threatned, &amp; thus &s;hall it be performed to thee, O <HI>Eng|land,</HI> except thou preuent the iudge|ments that are comming: O happy <HI>England,</HI> that I may &s;ay to thee, it is yet but comming. For as for the mi&s;erable <HI>Iewes:</HI> vpon them (alas) it is come al|ready: to tho&s;e poore &s;oules it can bee &s;aid no more, <HI>Repent before the De|cree come forth:</HI> for it is now pa&s;t: but thou art happie, for thy day is not yet come: yet I may &s;ay to thee: <HI>Re|pent before the Decree come forth:</HI> and O happie <HI>England,</HI> that thou maye&s;t heare this worde: <HI>(Before)</HI> &s;ounding in thine eares. Therefore my beloued brethren, who are heare a&s;&s;embled out (almo&s;t) of euery corner of this kingdom, heare my words: and carry them home with you into al countries. God is the &s;ame God &s;till, as iu&s;t, and
<PB N="77" REF="56">
as iealous, as euer hee was: our &s;innes are as ill, nay, much viler then the <HI>Iewes</HI> were: how can it be then, but that mu&s;t fall to vs that fell to them? therefore the zeale of Gods glorie, and my de&s;ire of your &s;aluations, make mee, that I dare not flatter: but tell you the truth: that is, that out of all que&s;tion, if we &s;earch not our &s;elues &amp; repent, there is a ge|nerall iudgement in preparing for vs: certainely the <HI>Decree is out,</HI> and what can &s;top the <HI>execution</HI> of it, but <HI>Repen|tance:</HI> God hath long &s;pared, and hee hath been long in trauelling, therefore (though nothing can be &s;aid in way of prophe&s;ie) I am in my con&s;cience per|&s;waded to feare, and that out of infalli|ble grounds of the word of God, that a plague, and a iudgement, and that mo&s;t fearefull, hangs ouer <HI>England:</HI> &amp; that it is alreadie pronounced vpon this Nation, and &s;hall be as certainely executed, without a vi&s;ible reformati|on: and becau&s;e I may &s;eeme to &s;peak &s;omewhat at large, giue mee leaue to giue you the rea&s;ons inducing mee
<PB N="78" REF="57">
hereunto.</P>
<P N="1">1 Fir&s;t, the Go&s;pel hath beene preached the&s;e fiue and thirtie yeares, and is daily more and more, &s;o that, the light thereof neuer &s;hone more glori|ou&s;ly, &s;ince the Primitiue Church: yet for al this, there is a general ignorance, generall of all people, generall of all points, yea, as though there were no preaching at all: yea, when Poperie was newly bani&s;hed, there was more knowledge in many, then is now in the body of our Nation: and the more it is preached, the more ignorant are many, the more blinde, and the more hardened (euen as a Stithi<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="blotted" EXTENT="1 letter"> (the more it is beaten vpon, the harder it is) &s;o they, the more they heare the Go&s;pell, the le&s;&s;e e&s;teeme they it, and the more they contemne it; and the more God calles, the deafer they are: &amp; the more they are commanded, the more they di&s;obey. We Preachers may cry, till our Lunges flie out, or bee &s;pent within vs, and men are mooued no more then &s;tones, O alas, what is this, or what
<PB N="79" REF="57">
can this bee: but a fearefull &s;igne of di&s;truction? Will any man endure al|wayes to bee mocked, then how long hath God beene mocked? Will any man endure to &s;tand knocking conti|nually? If then God hath &s;tood knoc|king at our hearts fiue &amp; thirtie yeares: is it not now time to bee gone, vnle&s;&s;e we open pre&s;ently?</P>
<P>But, if we wil know what this argu|eth, to contemne the Go&s;pel, and not to repent, when the word is &s;o abun|dantly preached: read the Storie of <HI>Ely</HI> his wicked &s;onnes. Hee &s;pake vn|to them, and gaue them godly coun|&s;aile, <HI>but they hearkened not vnto the</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">1. <HI>Sam.</HI> 2. 13.</NOTE> <HI>voyce of their Father:</HI> But will &s;ome &s;ay, that is no great matter, not to heare their Father is a common thing: but marke what followeth. <HI>They would not beare their Father, becau&s;e the Lord would de&s;troy them:</HI> a fearefull thing. Euen &s;o it is with a nation, or a people: are they taught, and are they wor&s;e and wor&s;e? take heede: If <HI>Elyes</HI> &s;onnes o|bey not, it is, becau&s;e God will de&s;troy them.</P>
<P><PB N="80" REF="58" MS="y">
If therefore <HI>Ely,</HI> and many <HI>Elyes</HI> haue &s;poken to <HI>England,</HI> and <HI>England</HI> heares not, <HI>England</HI> obeyeth not, <HI>Eng|land</HI> repents not: take heed the Lord in heaue~ &s;ay not, <HI>England will not heare the voyce of the Prophets, becau&s;e I will de&s;troy it.</HI> Let no man &s;ay, wee take vpon vs to prophe&s;ie: wee onely giue warning, and &s;hewethe daunger, by example of the like.</P>
<P>My &s;econd rea&s;on is this. One iudge|ment executed: and not working Re|pentance, is alwayes a fore-runner of another, that Rule is certaine, and an euident truth, and needs no prouing. Now; we haue beene vi&s;ited with Fa|mines, Earthquakes, pe&s;tilences, inun|dations, Thunder &amp; lightning in win|ter, and mo&s;t &s;trange &amp; vn&s;ea&s;onable weather: but alas, all the&s;e haue taken no effect: where is the humiliation, re|pentance and reformation which they haue wrought? therefore it mu&s;t needs bee, there remaines behinde a greater iudgement. Men may be &s;o madde to thinke the&s;e to be ordinary things, and
<PB N="81" REF="58">
to come by cour&s;e of Nature, and or|dinarie cau&s;es: but certainly, they are the &s;haking of the Rod, and fore-run|ners of a greater iudgement, vnle&s;&s;e Repentance cut of their cour&s;e. For looke as one cloud followeth another, till the Sunne con&s;ume them: &s;o one iudgement ha&s;tens after another, and repentance onely is the Sunne, which mu&s;t di&s;pel them.</P>
<P N="3">3 Thirdly, it &s;tands with the iu&s;tice of God, according as he hath reuealed it in the Scripture, e&s;pecially in <HI>Deut.</HI> 28. out of the whole Chapter, it mu&s;t needs be gathered as a Rule. <HI>I wil cur&s;e that people which breake my lawes:</HI> now we may not deny but this land of ours, is for abundance of &s;inne, a people of <HI>Sodome.</HI> All kinde of &s;innes, in all e|&s;tates of men, rage and raigne euery day more and more: therefore I con|clude, that vnle&s;&s;e wee repent, and &s;o di&s;&s;olue this cloude of iudgement, that hangs ouer our heads: it cannot be, but a mo&s;t fearefull tempe&s;t is to come at the la&s;t, and when it is come, it will be
<PB N="82" REF="59">
too late to wi&s;h we had done it. There|fore in the bowels of Chri&s;t Ie&s;us, Let this be to intreate and exhort you all, to &s;earch and looke into your &s;elues, that &s;o Repenting and changing your wayes, you may get the &s;word againe into his &s;heath, which is already drawn out, but yet hath not &s;tricken home, &amp; may quench the wrath which is al|ready kindled, but yet burns not out as it wil do, if by repentance we quench it not: &amp; do this euery one as you tender the &s;aluatio~ of your owne &s;oules, &amp; the continuance of the Go&s;pel to this glo|rions Nation, and the peace and pro|&s;perous &s;tate of this Church &amp; com|mon wealth. For let men make what cau&s;es they will, it is certainely &s;inful|ne&s;&s;e that ouerturnes kingdomes, and changeth &s;tates, as all the&s;e kingdomes and &s;tates haue felt, who haue continu|ed finally to contemne the Go&s;pel.</P>
<P>It followeth:</P>
<P><HI>And you be as Chaff, that pa&s;&s;eth on a day.</HI></P>
<P><PB N="83" REF="59">
The Prophet proceedeth, &amp; de&s;cri|beth more plainely, the manner and &s;tate of that plague, which God will &s;end vpon the~: the meaning was part|ly opened before, to bee in effect thus much; Search your &s;elues, lea&s;t God take his fanne and try you, becau&s;e you would not try your &s;elues, and fin|ding <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter">ou vppon the tryall, not &s;ound wheat, but light chaff: blow you to hel with the winde of his wrath: the <HI>Meta|phor</HI> which the Prophet v&s;eth is this, he compares the Lord to a husband man, great and rich, the whole world is his corne-field: &s;eueral nations, (as this of ours for one,) are his heapes of Corne: but the&s;e heapes of corne be ful of chaf, that is, the&s;e particular Churches, are ful of hypocrites: now a wi&s;e husband|man letteth corne and chaffe lye toge|ther no longer, then til the winde doth blow, and then he appoints his fanning time to &s;euer his corne from his chaffe, and to blow away his chaffe, &amp; lay vp his corne: &s;o God, the great &amp; wi&s;e husbandman, will not let the Chaffe
<PB N="84" REF="60">
lye for euer among&s;t the Wheat, hee hath therefore appointed his fanning times, when to blow the Chaffe into hell, and to gather his wheat into hea|uenly garners.</P>
<P>Now Gods winnowing times are two: the one is at the la&s;t day, after this life, and that is Gods great winnowing day of all his Corne (that of al<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter"> men) when the bad &s;hall bee &s;euered from the good for euer, neuer to be mingled againe with the~, but by the &s;trong and powerfull fanne of his la&s;t and finall iudgement to be blowne into Hel: the winde of who&s;e wrath, at that day, &s;hall bee &s;tronger to blow them all away, then al the winde in the world to blow away one handfull of light Chaffe.</P>
<P N="2">2 Gods other fanning time, is in this world: and that is al&s;o double. The one is, when the word is preached: the <HI>preaching of the word is one of Gods fans.</HI> For when the Go&s;pell is preached to a Nation or Congregation, it fannes them, and tries them, &amp; purgeth them, and &s;o &s;euers them, that a man may &s;ee
<PB N="85" REF="60">
a manife&s;t difference of the chaffe and the wheate, that is, of the godly man, and the wicked man: this preaching of the Go&s;pell, doth <HI>Iohn the Bapti&s;t,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Matth.</HI> 3.</NOTE> expre&s;ly call a Fanne: where the holy Gho&s;t pur&s;ueth this whole <HI>Metaphor,</HI> mo&s;t plainely &s;peaking of <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> hee &s;aith; <HI>Who&s;e Fanne is in his hand, and hee will <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter">roughly purge his floore, and gather his w<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter">eat into his garner, but the chaffe he will burne with fire vnquenchable.</HI> The winde of this fanne of the word prea|ched is &s;o &s;trong, as that it &s;euers the Chaffe from the Wheate, that is, good profe&s;&s;ors from hypocrites in the vi|&s;ible Church, and blowes &s;o &s;trongly vpon the wicked, that it brings them to the beginning of Hell euen in this world, for it &s;o worketh vpon the con|&s;cience, as if it cannot conuert them, it &s;trikes them with feare, terrour &amp; tor|ment, either in life or at death, which torment of con&s;cience is the very fla|&s;hes of hell-fire.</P>
<P>But, when this fir&s;t Fanne of the word, will not &s;erue to bring men to repen|tance,
<PB N="86" REF="61">
(for the word preached, doth not confound a man actually, but only pronounce the &s;entence, and thereby &s;trike the con&s;cience) then God hath another fanne, and that is the <HI>fanne of his iudgements:</HI> and that fanning or win|nowing time is, when he executes his vengeance and his iudgements on a Nation: this is his latter fanne, <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 word"> the fir&s;t will not preuaile, this <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="2 letters"> his powerfull and &s;trong fanne driuen a|bout with the winde of his wrath, this fanne went ouer the olde world, and &s;wept them all away, and went ouer the nation of the <HI>Iewes,</HI> and we &s;ee they are no more.</P>
<P N="1">1 The&s;e three fannes of God make a three-fold &s;eparation of the Chaffe from the Wheate, that is, of the wic|ked from the elect: with the fanne of his word which is powerfull, he &s;euers them in affection, and di&s;po&s;ition, and makes a di&s;tinction of them, &s;o, as generally the Wheate is knowne to be Wheate, and Chaffe di&s;cerned to be Chaffe, by the preaching of the word:
<PB N="87" REF="61">
but though the tare be knowne to bee tare, yet both grow together, &s;o that the word onely &s;euers them in affection, and &s;ets &s;eueral notes of di&s;tinction vp|on them both.</P>
<P N="2">2 But then the &s;econd fanne of his Iudgements is more violent, for there|by, he &s;euereth them a &s;under in &s;oule, gathering the godly men, as his wheat into the heauens, &amp; blowing the &s;oules of the wicked into hell: but yet the bodyes of them both lye together, as partakers of the &s;ame iudgement, &s;o &s;ubiect to the &s;ame corruption, and are all lodged in the &s;ame graue of the earth, and death hath like dominion o|uer them all.</P>
<P N="3">3. But afterwards at the la&s;t day, at Gods great harue&s;t, &amp; great winnow|ing time, he then with the winde of his power, &s;euereth them a &s;under in &s;oule and body. Wheate from the Chaffe, &s;heepe from the Goates, &amp; &s;eparateth them, neuer to be mingled againe for euer &amp; euer: and then with the winde of his wrath, he blowes the chaffe into
<PB N="88" REF="62">
fire vnquenchable, and with his louing fauour gathereth his wheate into the euerla&s;ting and glorious garners of heauen.</P>
<P>So then the fir&s;t &s;euereth them in affection. The &s;econd in &s;oule for a time. The third, actually in &s;oule and body for euer and euer.</P>
<P>Now of the&s;e three winnowing times, the holy Gho&s;t &s;peaketh here properly of the &s;econd: namely the <HI>fan of Gods iudgements:</HI> &s;o that, the meaning of the <HI>Metaphor</HI> is this: &s;earch your &s;elues and repent betimes, lea&s;t God come vpon you with &s;ome fearefull <HI>iudgements:</HI> becau&s;e you haue &s;o long contemned the <HI>fan of the word,</HI> and fin|ding you too light to abide the try all, doe take you away in the iudgement, and ca&s;t you into hell: for as &s;ure as the fan of the word hath made difference of you, which are chaffe, and which are wheate, &s;o &s;ure &s;hall the fanne of his iudgements blow away the chaffe to hell and damnation.</P>
<P>Thus much for the meaning.</P>
<P><PB N="89" REF="62">
Now for the v&s;e, for vs in <HI>England,</HI> the ca&s;e &s;tands thus: Our church doubtle&s;&s;e is Gods corne field, &amp; we are the corne heape of God: and tho&s;e <HI>Browni&s;les</HI> and <HI>Sectaries</HI> are blinde and be&s;otted, who cannot &s;ee that the church of <HI>England</HI> is a godly heape of Gods corne: but with|all, we mu&s;t co~fe&s;&s;e, we are ful of chaffe: that is, of prophane, &amp; wicked Hypo|crits, who&s;e hearts and mindes abound in &s;innes and rebellions: and many of our be&s;t profe&s;&s;ors are al&s;o too full of chaffe (that is) of corruptions, and doe giue them&s;elues too much libertie in many &s;innes: but alas, the pure wheate, how thinne is it &s;cattered? howe hard to finde a man (at lea&s;t a family) which dedicate them&s;elues to the Lord in ho|ly and &s;incere obedience, and labour to make con&s;cience of all &s;innes: now therefore, &s;eeing wee are Gods corne field, and we haue &s;ome pure wheat a|mong&s;t much chaffe, therefore God will winnow vs, to find out the corne, if hee haue but one corne of wheat in a handfull of chaffe, but one good man
<PB N="90" REF="63">
of many, he will &s;tirre all the heape for tho&s;e fewe cornes, hee will not care to blow all the chaffe to hell, to finde out tho&s;e fewe cornes of wheat, to lay them vp in heauen: &s;o that out of all que&s;tion, <HI>England</HI> being &s;o ful of chaffe, mu&s;t look to be winnowed.</P>
<P>Nowe for the fir&s;t Fanne of his word, it hath beene v&s;ed in this land the&s;e fiue and thirtie yeares, and that as powerfully, and as plentifully as any where in the worlde, and yet (alas) many are more Godle&s;&s;e, more ignorant, more prophane then euer they were, yea wickedne&s;&s;e grow|eth, and the Chaffe increa&s;eth aboue the Wheate: bee &s;ure therefore, that God will bring his &s;econd Fanne vp|on vs; becau&s;e wee will not &s;uffer the fir&s;t and the milde and <HI>gentle fanne of his word to</HI> try and &s;earch vs: therefore hee will bring the <HI>fearefull fanne of his iudgements,</HI> and with it, hee will blowe &s;oule &amp; body into hell, with tho&s;e our &s;innes &amp; corruptions, which we would not &s;uffer the Fanne of Gods worde to
<PB N="91" REF="63">
blowe from vs. The fir&s;t hath &s;o long blowen in vaine, that the &s;econd mu&s;t needs come vpon vs, &amp; it hath already begun to blow: three or four bla&s;ts haue blown ouer vs; famin, pe&s;tilence, earth|quakes, fire, water, winde, the&s;e haue &s;o blowne &s;ome of vs, that they haue taken away a great number of vs. For vs that remaine, this onely remaines, that wee <NOTE PLACE="marg">In the plagu at London there dyed &s;ome weeks almo&s;t 2000 a weeke in 92. but in 1603. there dyed 3300. in a weeke.</NOTE> &s;trengthen our &s;elues by grace, to be a|ble to &s;tand again&s;t the next bla&s;t, for come it wil, &amp; when it comes, no wealth nor worldly thing can inable vs to en|dure it, onely faith &amp; repentance, &amp; the grace of God will &s;tand at that day. Now therefore, in that &s;o feareful a fan|ning abideth vs: &s;eeing it is &s;o neer (as appeareth by the bla&s;ts already pa&s;t o|uer vs, which are nothing but the fore|runners of a greater te~pe&s;t:) what &s;huld be our care (except wee care not to be blown body &amp; &s;oule into hel) but to la|bour to efchew this feareful fan of Gods wrath: or at lea&s;t, if it come vpo~ vs, that it may not blow vs to hell, but ha&s;ten vs to heauen. It thy heart be touched to
<PB N="92" REF="64">
aske, how this may be: I an&s;were thee, onely to follow the Prophets aduice in this place, by <HI>Searching and trying our &s;elues.</HI> The way to e&s;cape Gods triall, is to try thy &s;elfe: and to e&s;cape Gods iudgement, to be a iudge to thine owne &s;oule: and &s;o the way to e&s;cape the fear|full fanne of God, is to fanne thine own heart by the law of God. For whom&s;o|euer the fir&s;t fanne (that is the word of God) doth worke vpon: the&s;e men are neuer blowen away with the fanne of Gods iudgements. O then, entertaine the word of God into thy heart, &s;ubmit thy &s;oule vnto it, let it pearce, &amp; try, and ran&s;acke thy heart, and lay before thee thy wretched e&s;tate by thy &s;innes, and when thou &s;ee&s;t thynakedne&s;&s;e and mi|&s;ery, confe&s;&s;e it, bewayle it, be humbled for it, cry &amp; call for mercy and forgiue|ne&s;&s;e; pray again&s;t thy &s;peciall &s;innes, &s;triue to purge them out as the poy&s;on of thy &s;oule, craue grace from God a|gain&s;t al thy &s;innes: and if thou &s;ee&s;t any &s;ins more welcome to thy nature, more deere vnto thee, and which more pre|vaile
<PB N="93" REF="64">
again&s;t thee, then others doe: pray again&s;t the&s;e &s;innes, and &s;triue again&s;t them aboue all: and endeuour, that by the fanne of Gods word, they may bee blowen away from thee. When thou ha&s;t done this, then marke, what will come of it: when thou ha&s;t fanned thy &s;elfe, God will not fanne thee: but when the fanne of his iudgeme~t comes; and bloweth &s;o &s;trongly vpon the wic|ked, then the Lord finding thee alrea|dy fanned, and clen&s;ed by his word, will &s;pare thee, and his iudgement &s;hall ei|ther blow ouer thee, and pa&s;&s;e by thee vntouched (as ouer <HI>Lot,</HI> in the de&s;truc|tion of <HI>Sodom)</HI> or el&s;e &s;hall fanne out all thy corruptions, and blow thee vp to heauen, to be laid vp as pure wheat in the heauenly garners, and man&s;ions of glory, which Chri&s;t a&s;cended to pre|pare for thee.</P>
<P>Now then among&s;t tho&s;e many bu|&s;ine&s;&s;es, with which this world doth comber euery one of vs (all which &s;hall peri&s;h with the worlde it &s;elfe) let vs good brethren, &s;pare &s;ome time for this
<PB N="94" REF="65">
great bu&s;ine&s;&s;e. <HI>Martha</HI> may be com|bred about many things, but <HI>this</HI> is that <HI>one thing,</HI> which is <HI>nece&s;&s;arie:</HI> therefore what&s;oeuer is done, let not this bee vn|done. Once a day put thy &s;elfe and thy life vnder the fanne of Gods lawe, try thy &s;elfe what thou art and thy life, how thou liue&s;t. Once a day keepe a Court in thy con&s;cience, call thy thoughts, thy wordes, and thy deedes to their tryall: let the ten Commaundements pa&s;&s;e vpon them, and thy &s;ins and cor|ruptio~s which thou finde&s;t to be chaffe, blow them away by repe~tance, &s;o &s;halt thou remaine pure and cleane wheate, fit for the hou&s;e and Church of God in this world, &amp; for his kingdome in hea|uen. But, if we will not doe this, then alas, what wil follow? my heart grieueth to vtter it: but <HI>I</HI> mu&s;t vnle&s;&s;e <HI>I</HI> &s;hould be a fal&s;e prophet: And therefore I wil. Our long peace, plentie, and ea&s;e, haue bred great &s;innes, &s;o great that they reach to heauen, and prouoke Gods Maie&s;tie to his face, and &s;o &s;trong, that they will violently drawe downe iudg|ments
<PB N="95" REF="65">
from God vpon vs: which when they come, they will bee &s;o powerfull, and &s;o violent, that they will blow vs a|way like chaffe, and bring this king|dome to &s;ome mi&s;erable ruine. O there|fore how happy are wee, if we can en|tertaine this Doctrine, and practi&s;e it: for in &s;o doing, we &s;hall preuent Gods iudgements, wee &s;hall continue the Go&s;pell to this land, and pre&s;erue this glorious Nation from being de&s;troyed or di&s;peopled, by &s;ome fearefull iudge|ment.</P>
<P>Beloued, you come hither to this <NOTE PLACE="marg">At Stur|bridg faire</NOTE> place, purpo&s;ely to buy and &s;ell and thereby, to better your e&s;tates in this world: how happy then are you, if be|&s;ides the good markets, you make for your bodies and e&s;tates, you learne al&s;o how to make your &s;elues abide the tri|all of Gods iudgements, and how to be made pure corne, fit to repleni&s;h the garners of heauen, &amp; how to continue Gods fauour and the Go&s;pell to this Nation. If thou goe away with this le&s;|&s;on, thou ha&s;t a Iewel more worth, then
<PB N="96" REF="66">
if thou &s;houlde&s;t goe home po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ed or all the huge riches of this Faire: you call this and &s;uch like times, <HI>Faire times:</HI> but if thou learne this le&s;&s;on right, then thou mai&s;t &s;ay, that this was the faire&s;t day in deede, that euer &s;hon vpon thee, &s;ince thou wa&s;t borne. This pretious Iewell which <HI>I</HI> haue &s;poken of all this while, I heare offer vnto thee. Euery one brings hither &s;ome-thing to bee &s;olde, this is the merchandize that I bring and &s;et to &s;ale vnto you: what euer commo|ditie any of you bring, it is from &s;ome quarter of this land, but all is from the earth: but this that I bring, it is from heauen: and all the earth cannot yeelde it: and as it is from heauen, &s;o it is of a heauenly vertue, and will worke that which all the wealth in this faire is not able to doe: therefore ca&s;t not, to buy the ba&s;e&s;t, and let pa&s;&s;e the be&s;t of all: and neuer alledge that it is aboue thy compa&s;&s;e, and being a Iewell, it is too deare and co&s;tly for thee: for <HI>I</HI> offer it freely vnto you, and to euery one of you, I pronounce vnto you, from the <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>E&s;a.</HI> 55.</NOTE>
<PB N="97" REF="66">
Lord, that here this ble&s;&s;ed doctrine is offered vnto you all, in his name, <HI>free|ly, and that you may buy it without mo|ney.</HI> Happie is that day when thou comming &s;o farre to buy things for thy bodie, and paies &s;o deare for them, doe&s;t meete with &s;o pretious a Iewell, the ver|tue whereof, is to &s;aue thy &s;oule, and paye&s;t nothing for it. Thou maie&s;t hereafter reioyce and &s;ay: <HI>I</HI> went to buy and &s;ell, and to helpe my body: but I haue al&s;o learned to &s;aue my &s;oule. I went thither to helpe to maintaine my owne e&s;tate: but <HI>I</HI> haue learned to helpe to maintaine <HI>England</HI> in pro&s;peritie: for a&s;&s;uredly, if wee would all of vs learne this le&s;&s;on, and practi&s;e it, we might a&s;|&s;ure our &s;elues of the glorious pro&s;peri|ty of <HI>England,</HI> to cotinue from generatio~ to generation: whereas alas, if we conti|nue &amp; go forward in our &s;ins&punc; &amp; impe|nitency, it is greatly to bee feared, that neither the Go&s;pell nor this peace, will reach to our po&s;terities. Therefore now to make an end: <HI>I</HI> once againe: &amp; la&s;tly, co~mend this doctrine to you al, &amp; euery
<PB N="98" REF="67">
one of you (for this marchandi&s;e that I bring, is of that nature, that though &s;ome take it, yet there is al&s;o enough for euery one) and I commend it vnto you, euen from the very mouth of God him|&s;elfe? thinke of it I charge thee, as euer thou looke&s;t to appeare before the face of Chri&s;t Ie&s;us the great iudge, at the la&s;t day; and if thou woulde&s;t e&s;cape the rigour of that iudgement, enter now in|to iudgement with thy &s;elfe, and &s;earch thy &s;elfe: if thou now wilt not receiue this doctrine, then &s;hal it at the la&s;t day be a bill of Enditement again&s;t thee, for if it &s;aue thee not, it &s;hal condemne thee, thinke of it therefore &s;eriou&s;ly, as a mat|ter that concernes thy &s;oule and bodie: yea, and thy po&s;teritie, and this whole Realme, all which &s;hall &s;mart for it, if we repent not. And if the body of our people, and tho&s;e, who&s;e harts are wed|ded to this world, wil not enterteine this doctrine: then I turne vnto you that feare the Lord, and to you I direct my la&s;t warning, Search, O &s;earch, and try your hearts and liues, renewe and re|uiue
<PB N="99" REF="67">
your faith and repentance, that if iudgements doe come and blowe vpon this Nation, and driue the Go&s;pell from it, and it to hell: that yet you may haue a te&s;timony to your con&s;ciences, that you did not pull down this generall ca|lamitie, but for your parts laboured to haue preuented it, by your earne&s;t pray|ers and heartie repentance: that &s;o, the po&s;teritie en&s;uing; may not cur&s;e you, but &s;peake reuerently of you, and prai&s;e God for you, and wi&s;h that al had done as you did; for then had they enioyed this goodly land, and al Gods ble&s;&s;ings with it, as wee their forefathers did be|fore them: &amp; &s;o &s;hall our names not rot, but flouri&s;h among&s;t the po&s;terities to come, which &s;hall bee partakers of the de&s;olation: And when we haue renew|ed our repentance, let vs then euery one of vs, deale with the Lord by earne&s;t prayer for this Church and Nation, that the Lord would &s;hew his mercy vppon it, and continue vnto it, this place &amp; the Go&s;pell: it is nothing with the Lord to doe it, his powerfull hand is not &s;horte|ned,
<PB N="100" REF="68">
he can continue our peace, when the <HI>Papi&s;ts</HI> look for hurli-burlies, he can continue the go&s;pell, when they hope to &s;et vp their <HI>Idolatry</HI> againe: let vs therefore apply the Lord with our prai|ers, and with <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> &s;et our &s;elues in the breach, and pray for the ignorances of the multitude, and bewaile their &s;innes, who bewaile not their owne, So did <NOTE PLACE="marg">Eze. 14. 13. 14.</NOTE> <HI>Noah, Daniel,</HI> and <HI>Iob,</HI> in their ages, and prayed for the people in generall cala|mities: Let vs all be <HI>Noahs, Daniels,</HI> and <HI>Iobs,</HI> in our generations; if we doe thus: then when Iudgements come, we &s;hall either turne them away from our Na|tion, or at the lea&s;t wee &s;hall deliuer our owne &s;oules.</P>
<P>Let vs nowe turne to the Lorde in prayer, and becau&s;e it cannot be hoped, but that this our generall &s;infulne&s;&s;e mu&s;t needs end with &s;ome heauy Iudg|ment: let vs de&s;ire the Lord &s;till to de|fer our de&s;erued puni&s;hments, and &s;till to &s;pare vs, and to giue vs time and lea|&s;ure to repent: that &s;o, we entering into our &s;elues, and &s;earching our hearts, and
<PB N="101" REF="68">
turning to the Lord: wee may turne a|way his imminent iudgeme~ts, and that when his wrath doth burne out indeed, we may then bee counted worthie in Chri&s;t, to e&s;cape tho&s;e things which mu&s;t needes come vpon the worlde. A|men.</P>
<P>WILLIAM PERKINS.</P>
<P><HI>Lament.</HI> 3.</P>
<P><HI>Let vs Search and try our waies, and turne againe to the Lord.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Trin. vni Deo gloria.</HI></P>
<TRAILER>FINIS.</TRAILER>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
</TEXT>
<TEXT LANG="eng">
<FRONT>
<DIV1 TYPE="dedication">
<PB REF="69">
<PB REF="69">
<HEAD>TO THE RIGHT Wor&s;hipfull Sir <HI>Edward Cooke Knight, his Maie&s;ties Atturney</HI> Ge|neral, &amp; Sir <HI>Thomas Heskith</HI> Knight, <HI>Atturney of his Highne&s;&s;e Court of</HI> Wardes and <HI>Liueries,</HI> and one of his Maie&s;ties Honourable Coun&s;ell in the North, Grace and peace from Ie&s;us Chri&s;t.</HEAD>
<P>RIght Wor&s;hipfull, giue mee leaue to put you both in <HI>one</HI> Epi&s;tle, who~ <HI>one</HI> &s;eruice, <HI>one</HI> place, <HI>one</HI> profe&s;&s;ion, <HI>one</HI> order, and <HI>one</HI> Religion haue &s;o neerely combined: As you are <HI>Brethren</HI> many waies, and e&s;pecially in the profe&s;si|on &amp; practi&s;e of one Religion: to vouch|&s;afe to be <HI>ioynt Patrons</HI> of this little after-birth, this <HI>faetus posthumus,</HI> of that worthy man Ma. <HI>Perkins,</HI> now decea&s;ed. I &s;end you heere one of the <HI>&s;hortest,</HI> and one of the <HI>&s;weete&s;t</HI> of his Treati&s;es: had it bene as well brought foorth <HI>by me,</HI> as it was begot <HI>by him</HI> it had beene a <HI>child</HI> not vnworthy of &s;o great a <HI>father:</HI> but &s;eeing it is now as a <HI>fatherles</HI> child, be you the <HI>Tutors</HI> to this Orphane, at who&s;e hands Orphanes and <HI>Wards</HI> haue euer bene well v&s;ed. The <HI>fa|ther</HI>
<PB REF="70">
whil&s;t he liued was a &s;hining light in this our Church, and beeing dead, is a &s;hi|ning &s;tarre in heauen, for <HI>he turned manie to righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e,</HI> and his doctrine wil &s;hine <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Dan.</HI> 12. 3.</NOTE> in Chri&s;tian Churches whil&s;t the Sunne &s;hineth vpon the earth. The &s;ubject of this Treati&s;e is <HI>the Ministerie,</HI> whereof are layde downe <HI>the duties and dignities.</HI> And well dooth he couple the&s;e two together: for &s;ome can challenge the <HI>dignities</HI> of the Mini&s;terie, and cunningly ca&s;t the <HI>duties</HI> from their &s;houlders: others performe the <HI>duties,</HI> but are kept from the <HI>dignities</HI> duly belonging to that calling: but as hee that will doe the <HI>duties,</HI> may iu&s;tly challenge the <HI>dignities,</HI> &s;o he that will expect the <HI>dig|nities,</HI> mu&s;t doe the duties of a Mini&s;ter: therefore in this building, the&s;e <HI>two beames</HI> are in great wi&s;edome well &s;et together by this <HI>wi&s;e Mai&s;ter builder,</HI> and &s;o clo&s;ely coupled, as the idle or ambitious man cannot looke at the <HI>dignities,</HI> but hee mu&s;t withal behold the <HI>duties,</HI> nor the painful &amp; laborious man &s;ee his <HI>dutie,</HI> but withal &s;ha<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter"> &s;ee the <HI>dignitie</HI> thereto belonging.</P>
<P>And &s;urely (Right Wor&s;hipfull) none might better haue written of this &s;ubiect then <HI>he:</HI> for who may more worthily de|&s;cribe
<PB REF="70">
the <HI>dignities</HI> of the Mini&s;terie, then he, who neither by doctrine nor conuer|&s;ation, was euer the lea&s;t di&s;grace vnto his <HI>Ministerie?</HI> or who may better challenge the <HI>honour</HI> of his calling, then he who was euer an <HI>honour</HI> to his calling; And who might better teach the <HI>duties</HI> of the Mini|&s;terie, then hee who &s;o di&s;charged them, as En<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter">ie it &s;elfe cannot iu&s;tly reproue, and the <HI>enemies</HI> the~&s;elues cannot but <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">An&s;were to Perkins his refor|med Catho|like, by B. a Prie&s;t.</NOTE> com|mend? and who may better <HI>teach</HI> them to others, then he that carefully <HI>practi&s;ed</HI> the~ in his owne per&s;on: And as none could be a fitter <HI>Author</HI> of this di&s;cour&s;e <HI>then hee,</HI> &s;o not many fi<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter">ter <HI>Patrons</HI> then your <HI>&s;elues: not many</HI> in your profe&s;&s;ion better &s;chollers, <HI>nor any</HI> that better loue &s;chollers then your &s;elues: &amp; you are &s;ome of tho&s;e few in this wicked age, who willingly yeld all <HI>dignities</HI> and due reuerence to &s;uch <HI>Mi|ni&s;ters</HI> as you &s;ee willingly to di&s;charge the <HI>duties</HI> of good Mini&s;ters. Well would it be with the Mini&s;terie of England, (and the better with it, the better with Eng|land) if all <HI>as great</HI> as you, were <HI>as</HI> good <HI>friends</HI> to it as you. And if the Papi&s;ts ex|cept, and &s;ay how can this be, for that you haue beene per&s;ecuters of <HI>their Priests,</HI> let
<PB REF="71">
me an&s;were once for you, who often an|&s;were for many di&s;tre&s;&s;ed men: they per|&s;ecute you with &s;lander, that &s;ay you per|&s;ecuted the~, (but be content to beare your part in popi&s;h &s;landers, with our Prince and &s;tate, our Coun&s;ellers &amp; Cleargy, our Parliaments and Lawes, for none of the&s;e haue e&s;caped the&s;e viperous tongues) for though you haue <HI>executed the Lawes</HI> vpon &s;ome of them in your &s;euerall places, yet not with <HI>&s;harpene&s;&s;e</HI> nor &s;eueritie but with <HI>mercifull iu&s;tice&punc;</HI> and that al&s;o not as they were <HI>Priests,</HI> but <HI>Plotters,</HI> Practi&s;ers, &s;ub|uerters, and &s;educers: and as they were Prie&s;ts, you &s;ought their reformation, not their ruine. And if they, who can hardly di&s;charge them&s;elues from beeing <HI>Priests of Baal,</HI> haue had but <HI>iustice,</HI> and that al&s;o tempered with <HI>mercy,</HI> it &s;hewes how good regard you haue, and howe much you e|&s;teeme all good and faithfull Mini&s;ters, which are <HI>God Interpreters.</HI> In a word, if all our <HI>Mini&s;ters</HI> were &s;uch as this Treati&s;e de&s;cribeth, or came but as neere it as the <HI>Author</HI> hereof did, and if all our <HI>great ones</HI> did v&s;e and e&s;teeme good mini&s;ters as you do, we &s;hould then &s;oone pull the <HI>Mini&s;te|rie</HI> fro~ vnder that foote of contempt, with
<PB REF="71">
which this prophane age doth daily tread vpon it. The Church of <HI>Rome,</HI> who are farre <HI>wi&s;er in their kinde then the children of light,</HI> haue taken other &amp; &s;trange cour&s;es to magnifie the <HI>Cleargie.</HI> They teach, that the &s;tate <HI>Eccle&s;ia&s;ticall,</HI> is &s;o far more excel|lent then the <HI>Ciuile,</HI> as the <HI>Sunne</HI> is then the <HI>Moone,</HI> &amp; that not in <HI>&s;pirituall</HI> onely, (for that we deny not) but in <HI>temporall</HI> power, pompe, and e&s;tate: and that therefore the <HI>Chiefe</HI> of their <HI>Clergie,</HI> is as farre aboue the mightie&s;t <HI>Emperour,</HI> as the <HI>Sunne</HI> is aboue the <HI>Moone;</HI> and as the <HI>Moone</HI> borroweth her light from the <HI>Sunne,</HI> &s;o doth the <HI>Empe|rour</HI> is &s;tate and power from the <HI>Pope.</HI></P>
<P>They teach, that the <HI>Cleargie</HI> is a &s;tate &s;o di&s;tinct, &amp; &s;o ab&s;olute of it &s;elfe, as it hath not to do with the <HI>Ciuile</HI> &s;tat<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter">, yea they ex|empt their <HI>Cleargie,</HI> from beeing any way &s;ubiect to the <HI>temporall Magistrate.</HI> And though their crimes, be neuer &s;o many or mon&s;trous, yet the <HI>Prince,</HI> or ciuill au|thoritie, hath nothing to do to take notice thereof, much le&s;&s;e to puni&s;h them: and herevpon great volumes are written, and many Acts and decrees are made in their Cannon Lawe, <HI>De exemptione Clericorum.</HI> They extoll their <HI>Cleargy</HI> aboue the <HI>Tem|poraltie,</HI>
<PB REF="72">
allowing the Prie&s;ts both Bread and Wine in the Sacrament, but leauing the <HI>Laitie</HI> bread alone. They make them in their ma&s;&s;e, <HI>mediators</HI> betwixt Chri&s;t &amp; God the Father, &amp; <HI>Creators</HI> of their Cre|ator and Redeemer, when and as often as them&s;elues li&s;t. And finally, they &s;end for the mo&s;t part, all their <HI>Clergie</HI> immediatly to <HI>heauen</HI> without let, wheras all the <HI>Tem|poraltie</HI> (except Martyrs) mu&s;t pa&s;&s;e by <HI>Purgatorie.</HI> Here are great buildings, but on a &s;andy <HI>foundation,</HI> goodly <HI>Ca&s;tles,</HI> but built in the <HI>ayre;</HI> if the&s;e deui&s;es were of God, they would certainly &s;tand, but their long tottering threatens a &s;uddaine fall.</P>
<P>Contrariwi&s;e, our Church, or rather <HI>the corruption of our Church,</HI> by auoyding this <HI>Scilla,</HI> haue falne into <HI>Charibdis,</HI> by auoy|ding one extremitie, haue falne into the other, by taking too much <HI>dignitie</HI> and au|thority fro~ our <HI>Mini&s;terie,</HI> &amp; by laying too much pouerty, <HI>contempt,</HI> &amp; ba&s;ene&s;&s;e vp|pon it. It were a worke worth the labour of the <HI>wi&s;e&s;t heads,</HI> to put downe the <HI>true meane</HI> betwixt both extreames, &amp; worth the labour of our <HI>Noble King,</HI> to take or|der that that meane be kept, without <HI>ri|&s;ing</HI> to the right hand, or <HI>falling</HI> to the left.
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This &s;hort Treat&s;e may hap to giue &s;ome light &amp; directions therein, or at lea&s;t may encourage &amp; &s;tir vp their <HI>hearts</HI> in who&s;e <HI>hands</HI> it is to doe it: Vnder your woorthy names would I haue it &s;ee the world, not &s;o much for that I am bound to you both in many priuate and particular re&s;pects, (though that be much) as for that know you both to be o<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter"> &s;o right and reformed a iudgement in this ca&s;e, as you would haue none <HI>Mini&s;ters</HI> but of &s;ufficient gifts, and vnblameable liues, nor tho&s;e <HI>Ministers</HI> put to their Pen&s;ions, or vncertaine &s;ala|iles, but to haue <HI>certaine</HI> &amp; <HI>&s;ufficient</HI> main|tenance proportionable to their charge, and be&s;eeming the honour of a Chri&s;tian Church: God continue you &s;till in that minde, and make many more of the &s;ame with you, &s;o &s;hould we haue as flori&s;hing a Church as any Chri&s;tendome hath &s;eene. Goe forward in that, and other your religious re&s;olutions, it is the true way to <HI>honour,</HI> both heere and in a better world: &s;tand firmly for the truth, and boldly a|gain&s;t the Popi&s;h enemies thereof, as hi|therto you haue done: Religion had ne|uer more cau&s;e to thanke you, and all that doe &s;o, then now it hath, for her enemies
<PB REF="73">
were neuer &s;o in&s;olent &s;ince they were our enemies: but if you and others holde on, as in your &s;euerall places you haue wel be|gun, and others take the like cour&s;e, there is hope their in&s;olencies will bee ea&s;ily (if timely) repre&s;&s;ed, and them&s;elues neere&s;t the <HI>fall,</HI> when they imagine they are in the <HI>full.</HI> The Lorde ble&s;&s;e and a&s;&s;i&s;t you in your painfull places, and make you on earth In&s;truments of his glorie, to the good of his Church, &s;o &s;hall you bee ve&s;|&s;els of glory in the kingdome of Heauen: And thus commending this little treati&s;e to your <HI>reading,</HI> and my &s;elfe to your <HI>fa|uour,</HI> I take leaue, and wil euer re&s;t, 1605.</P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>Your Wor&s;hips in the Lord,
<HI>VV. Cra&s;hawe.</HI></SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
</FRONT>
<BODY>
<DIV1 N="1" TYPE="treatise">
<PB N="1" REF="73">
<HEAD>A Treati&s;e of the duties and <HI>dignitie of the Mini&s;terie.</HI></HEAD>
<EPIGRAPH>
<BIBL>Iob. 33. 23. 24.</BIBL>
<Q><P>If there bee with him a Me&s;&s;enger: An Interpreter, one of a thou&s;and to declare vnto man his righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e:</P>
<P>Then will be haue mercie on him, and will &s;ay, deliuer him that he goe not downe into the pit, for I haue receiued a reconciliation.</P></Q>
</EPIGRAPH>
<P>IN this Chapter and the former, <HI>Elihu</HI> a <NOTE PLACE="marg">The Co<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="2 letters">|rence of the&s;e words with the re&s;t.</NOTE> holy, learned, noble, &amp; wi&s;e young man, had conference with <HI>Iob</HI> in matters of high and excellent Diuinitie: the points of his conference are the&s;e: From the fir&s;t ver&s;e of this chap. to the 7. ver&s;e, is a Prae|face to his &s;peach. From thence to the 13. he repeateth certaine propo&s;itions of <HI>Iob,</HI> and reproueth them: fro~ thence to the&s;e wordes, hee in&s;tructeth <HI>Iob</HI> in certaine points touching Gods dealing with &s;in|ners:
<PB N="2" REF="74">
and tho&s;e are two.</P>
<P N="1">1 How God <HI>pre&s;erueth</HI> a &s;inner from <NOTE PLACE="marg">The parts of this Chapt.</NOTE> falling.</P>
<P N="2">2 How God <HI>re&s;toreth</HI> a &s;inner being falne.</P>
<P N="1">1 The meanes whereby God <HI>pre&s;erueth</HI> a &s;inner, are &s;et downe to bee two princi|pall.</P>
<P N="1">1 By Admonitions in <HI>dreames and vi&s;i|ons.</HI></P>
<P N="2">2 By <HI>&s;courges and cha&s;ti&s;ments,</HI> when the fir&s;t will not preuaile. And the&s;e are layde downe from the thirteene ver&s;e vn|to the&s;e words.</P>
<P N="2">2 Then followeth the 2. point, namely the <HI>re&s;toring</HI> of a &s;inner: when both the meanes formerly &s;poken of, haue not pre|uailed with him, but that through his cor|ruption he is fallen: and concerning this point, he handleth the&s;e particulers.</P>
<P N="1">1 The <HI>remedie and meanes</HI> of his re&s;to|ring.</P>
<P N="2">2 The <HI>effect</HI> that followeth thereupon. 1 The <HI>remedie</HI> is layde downe in the&s;e wordes now red vnto vs, then followeth the <HI>effect,</HI> which is, that when a &s;inner is
<PB N="3" REF="74">
re&s;tored by repentance, then the graces of God are plentifully powred vpon him both for &s;oule &amp; body: from the&s;e words to the end of the Chapter.</P>
<P>The intent then of this Scripture, is, <NOTE PLACE="marg">The &s;ome and &s;cope of this text is a de&s;crip|tion of the in&s;trument by whom God rai&s;eth a &s;inner into the &s;tate of grace and &s;aluation.</NOTE> that God v&s;eth meanes in his mercie to pre&s;erue &s;inners from falling into &s;inne, but if they doe, then hee in much greater mercie afordeth them meanes and helpes to ri&s;e againe. And this is the &s;umme and &s;ub&s;tance of the words. Now, that means and remedie is the matter I purpo&s;e to &s;peake of, out of the&s;e wordes: The meanes then to re&s;tore a &s;inner after a fall, is to rai&s;e him by <HI>repentance</HI> to a better <NOTE PLACE="marg">Namely a Mini&s;ter of his word, and he is de&s;cribed.</NOTE> e&s;tate then hee was in before, and that is inclu&s;iuely, and by implication taught in this Text: But the <HI>in&s;trument</HI> by whom that great worke is to be wrought, is here in plaine termes layd downe to bee a <HI>Mi|ni&s;ter of God,</HI> lawfully called and &s;ent by God, &amp; appointed by his Church to that great dutie. So that the&s;e wordes con|taine a worthy <HI>de&s;cription</HI> of a true <HI>Mini|&s;ter,</HI> and he is here de&s;cribed.</P>
<P N="1"><PB N="4" REF="75">
1 By his titles, <NOTE PLACE="marg">1. By his titles.</NOTE> which are two,
<LIST>
<ITEM>An Angell.</ITEM>
<ITEM>An Interpreter.</ITEM>
</LIST></P>
<P N="2">2 By his rarne&s;&s;e, <HI>One of a thou&s;and.</HI></P>
<P N="3">3 By his office: which is, <HI>to declare vnto man his righteou&s;nes.</HI></P>
<P N="4">4 By the ble&s;sing that God giueth vp|on the labours of this true Mini&s;ter: which is, <HI>then God will haue mercie vpon the &s;inner.</HI></P>
<P N="5">5 By his Commi&s;sion and authoritie in the la&s;t wordes: God will &s;ay, <HI>Deliuer him that he goe not downe into the pit, for I haue receiued a reconciliation.</HI></P>
<P>Let vs &s;peake of them in order as they lie in the text, and fir&s;t of his titles.</P>
<P N="1">1 The fir&s;t title of a Mini&s;ter of God is, <NOTE PLACE="marg">1. Title an Angel.</NOTE> he is called a <HI>Me&s;&s;enger,</HI> or an <HI>Angel:</HI> and not here alone, but el&s;where in the Scrip|ture, Malachy 2. 7. <HI>He is the Me&s;&s;enger of the Lord of ho&s;tes.</HI> And in the Reuelation, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Reuel. 2. and 3. Chapters.</NOTE> the Mini&s;ters of the 7. Churches are cal|led the Angels of tho&s;e Churches. So that it is apparant, a true Mini&s;ter is an <HI>Angel</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Hee is Gods Angel &amp; the Churches.</NOTE> <HI>of God</HI> in one place, and in the other place, the <HI>Angel of the Church.</HI> Hee is an Angell or Me&s;&s;enger &s;ent <HI>from God to his Church.</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">V&s;e 1. for Mini&s;ters.</NOTE></P>
<P>This con&s;ideration affords matter of
<PB N="5" REF="75">
much v&s;e. And fir&s;t for Mini&s;ters them|&s;elues.</P>
<P>The mo&s;t of vs in this place <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">This &s;er|mon was in the vniver|&s;itie church, to the body of the vni|uer&s;itie.</NOTE> are ey|ther Prophets, or &s;onnes of the Prophets.</P>
<P>If thou be a Prophet, thou art <HI>Gods An|gel.</HI> If a &s;onne of the prophets thou inten|de&s;t to bee, then marke thy dutie, pro|phets and Mini&s;ters are <HI>Angels</HI> in the ve|ry in&s;titution of their calling. Therefore <NOTE PLACE="marg">1. V&s;e for Mini&s;ters. Go they mu&s;t preach gods word, as Gods word.</NOTE> thou mu&s;t preach Gods word <HI>as GODS word,</HI> and deliuer it as thou receiue&s;t it: for <HI>Angels,</HI> Emba&s;&s;adors, and Me&s;&s;en|gers, carry not their owne me&s;&s;age, but the me&s;&s;age of their Lords and Mai&s;ters who &s;ent them, and Mini&s;ters carry the me&s;&s;age of the Lord of Ho&s;tes, therefore they are bound to deliuer it <HI>as the Lords,</HI> and not their owne.</P>
<P>In the fir&s;t Epi&s;tle of <HI>Peter,</HI> 4. 11. wee are bid, <HI>If any man &s;peake, let him &s;peake,</HI> not onely the <HI>word of God,</HI> but <HI>as the word of God</HI> Gods <HI>word</HI> mu&s;t bee &s;poken, and <HI>as Gods word:</HI> then &s;hew thy faithfulne&s;&s;e <NOTE PLACE="marg">For they ca|rie not the it owne me&s;|&s;age but gods.</NOTE> to the Lord, in di&s;charging thy hands &s;in|cerely of that me&s;&s;age, which he hath ho|noured thee to carry, Gods word is pure,
<PB N="6" REF="76">
thercfore purely to be thought vpon, and to be deliuered. Then let all that are Gods <HI>Angels,</HI> and would be honoured as his <HI>An|gels</HI> and Emba&s;&s;adors, thinke it no le&s;&s;e rea&s;on to doe the dutie of Gods <HI>Angels,</HI> lea&s;t (as many men mar a good tale in the telling, &s;o) they take away the power and maie&s;tie of Gods word, in the manner of deliuering it.</P>
<P>The &s;econd v&s;e concernes the mini&s;ters <NOTE PLACE="marg">2. V&s;e for mini&s;ter. They mu&s;t dreach Gods word in the euidence, &amp; demon&s;tra|tion of gods &s;pirit.</NOTE> al&s;o: are they <HI>Gods Angels?</HI> therefore they mu&s;t preach Gods word in <HI>the euidence &amp; demon&s;tration of the &s;pirit of God:</HI> for he that is Gods Angell, the &s;pirit of that God mu&s;t &s;peake in him: Now to &s;peake in the demon&s;tration of Gods &s;pirit, is to &s;peake in &s;uch a <HI>plaines,</HI> and yet &s;uch a <HI>powerfulnes,</HI> as that the capacities of the &s;imple&s;t, may perceiue, not man, but God teaching them in that <HI>plaine&s;&s;e:</HI> and the con&s;cience of the mightie&s;t may feele, not man, but God re|proue them in that <HI>powerfulne&s;&s;e:</HI> That this is &s;o, appeares by Saint Paul. <HI>If a man pro|phecie aright.</HI> (&s;aith the holy Gho&s;t) <HI>the vn|learned</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">1. Cor. 14. 24. 25.</NOTE> <HI>or vnbeleeuing man comes in, hee thinkes his &s;ecret faults are di&s;clo&s;ed and laid
<PB N="7" REF="76">
open, he thinkes all men &s;ee his nakedne&s;&s;e, and doe reproue him for it, he therefore falls down and &s;aith &s;urely God &s;peakes in this man.</HI></P>
<P>In which words, ob&s;erue an admirable <NOTE PLACE="marg">This is done</NOTE> <HI>plaine&s;&s;e,</HI> and an admirable <HI>powerfulne&s;&s;e</HI> (which a man would thinke coulde not &s;o <NOTE PLACE="marg">Fir&s;t by tea|ching plain|ly.</NOTE> well &s;tand together.) Fir&s;t plainne&s;&s;e, for whereas the vnlearned man perceiueth his faults di&s;couerrd, it followeth nece&s;&s;arily he mu&s;t needes vnder&s;tand, and if an vn|learned man vnder&s;tand it, then con&s;e|quently it mu&s;t needes be plaine: Second|ly powerfulne&s;&s;e, in that his con&s;cience is &s;o conuinced, his &s;ecret faults &s;o di&s;clo&s;ed, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Secondly. powerfully in that plain|ne&s;&s;e.</NOTE> and his very heart &s;o ript vp: that he &s;aith, certainly <HI>God &s;peakes in this man.</HI> This is the euidence and demon&s;tration of Gods &s;pi|rit: It is thought good commendation be|fore the world, when men &s;ay of a Prea|cher, &s;urely this man hath &s;howne him&s;elfe a proper &s;choller, of good learning, great reading, &s;trong memory, and good deliue|ry, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mini&s;ters mu&s;t mag|nify Gods &s;pirit, &amp; not them&s;elues in prea|ching.</NOTE> and &s;o it is, and &s;uch commendation (if iu&s;t) is not to be contemned: but that, that commends a man to the Lord his God, and to his owne con&s;cience, is when he preach|eth
<PB N="8" REF="77">
&s;o plainely to the capacitie, and &s;o <HI>powerfully</HI> to the con&s;cience of a wicked man, as that he thinkes doubtle&s;&s;e God is within him. Art thou therefore an <HI>Angell</HI> of God, then magnifie the &s;pirite of God, and not thy &s;elfe in thy preaching of his word.</P>
<P>The next v&s;e is for the hearers, and they are here taught, that if their Mini&s;ters bee <NOTE PLACE="marg">The 2. v&s;e for hearers.</NOTE> <HI>Angels</HI> &s;ent them from God, then are they to heare them, gladly, willingly, reuerent|ly, <NOTE PLACE="marg">They are to receiue the~ and their doctrine willingly and reue|renly.</NOTE> and obediently: gladly and willingly, becau&s;e they are Amba&s;&s;adors, reuerently and obediently, becau&s;e they are &s;ent from the high God the King of Kings, and doe deliuer his emba&s;lage. God &s;aith, <HI>the people mu&s;t &s;eeke the Lawe at his mouth:</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Malach. 2. 7.</NOTE> and good rea&s;on, for if the lawe be the re|uealed will of God, and the Mini&s;ter the <HI>Angell</HI> of God, then where &s;hould they &s;eeke the will of God, but at the mouth of his <HI>Angell?</HI> The rea&s;on therefore fol|loweth well in that place: they &s;hould <HI>&s;eeke the Lawe at his mouth, for hee is the me&s;&s;enger of the lord of ho&s;ts:</HI> and this mu&s;t all Chri&s;tians doe, not onely if their Doc|trine be plea&s;ing vnto them, but though
<PB N="9" REF="77">
it cro&s;&s;e their corruptions, and bee quite contrary to their di&s;po&s;itions, yea though <NOTE PLACE="marg">For it is Gods me&s;|&s;age, though they be men that bring it.</NOTE> it bee neuer &s;o vn&s;auory and harde vnto nature, yet in as much as it is a me&s;&s;age from thy God and King, and the teacher <HI>the Angellor me&s;&s;enger</HI> of that God: there|fore both hee and it mu&s;t be receiued with all reuerence, and with the very obedience of the heart and &s;oule. And this is the cau&s;e why a conuenient reuerence and ho|nour is to be giuen of all good Chri&s;tians, euen to the per&s;ons of Gods Mini&s;ters (e&s;|pecially when they adorne their high cal|ling with a holy life:) euen becau&s;e they are <HI>Angels of God.</HI> Saint Paule teacheth, <HI>that women ought to be mode&s;tly altired in the con|gregation</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Corinth. 11. 11.</NOTE> <HI>becau&s;e of the Angels:</HI> it is not one|ly, becau&s;e <HI>the holy Angels</HI> are pre&s;ent, and alwaies beholders of our &s;eruice of God, but euen becau&s;e <HI>the Ministers, which are Angels</HI> and me&s;&s;engers &s;ent from God, are there, delinering their me&s;&s;age and Emba&s;|&s;age receiued from God: And thus we haue the fir&s;t title giuen to the Mini&s;ter: he is an <HI>Angell.</HI></P>
<P><HI>An Interpreter.</HI></P>
<P><PB N="10" REF="78">
Secondly hee is an <HI>Interpreter,</HI> that is, <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Title, an Interpreter, and that two wa<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter">es.</NOTE> one that is able to deliuer aright the recon|ciliation, made betwixt God and man: I &s;ay not, the <HI>author</HI> of that <HI>reconciliation,</HI> for that is the godhead it &s;elfe: nor the <HI>worker</HI> of this <HI>reconciliation,</HI> for that is the &s;econd per&s;on, Chri&s;t Ie&s;us: nor the <HI>a&s;&s;urer</HI> or <HI>ra|tifier</HI> of it, for that is the holy Gho&s;t: nor the <HI>in&s;trument</HI> of it, for that is the glad ti|dings of the go&s;pell: but I &s;ay he is the <HI>in|terpreter</HI> of it, that is, fir&s;t one that can o|pen and <HI>explane</HI> the couenant of grace, and rightly lay downe the meanes how <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Gods inter|preter to his Church.</NOTE> this reconciliation is wrought: Secondly, one that can <HI>rightly and iustly apply</HI> tho&s;e meanes, for the working of it out. Third|ly, one that hath authoritie to <HI>publi&s;h and declare</HI> it when it is wrought: and by the&s;e three actions hee is <HI>Gods Interpreter</HI> to the people. <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Mans in|terpreter to God.</NOTE></P>
<P>Then hee is al&s;o the <HI>peoples interpre|ter</HI> to God, by being able to &s;peake to God for them, to lay open their wants and nakedne&s;&s;es, to confe&s;&s;e their &s;innes, to craue pardon and forgiuene&s;&s;e, to giue thankes in their names for mercies recei|ued,
<PB N="11" REF="78">
and in a word to offer vp all their &s;pi|rituall &s;acrifices vnto God for them: and &s;o euery true Mini&s;ter is a double <HI>interpre|ter,</HI> Gods to the people, and the peoples to God. In which re&s;pects, hee is proper|ly called, <HI>Gods mouth</HI> to the people, by preaching to them from God, and the <HI>peoples mouth</HI> to God, by praying for them to God: and this title &s;heweth how great &amp; glorious a calling this mini&s;tery is if it be rightly conceiued. Now then for the v&s;e of it.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, if euery true Mini&s;ter mu&s;t bee <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 V&s;e. Mini&s;ters mu&s;t haue the tongue of the lear|ned.</NOTE> Gods <HI>Interpreter</HI> to the people, and the peoples to God, then hence wee learne that euery one, who either is or intends to be a Mini&s;ter, mu&s;t haue that <HI>tongue of the learned,</HI> whereof is &s;poken in E&s;ay 50. 4. wher the prophet &s;aith (fir&s;t in the name of Chri&s;t, as he that is the great Prophet and teacher of his Church; and &s;econdarily in the name of him&s;elfe, and all true Pro|phets while the worlde endureth.) <HI>The Lorde God hath giuen me a tongue of the lear|ned, that I &s;hould knowe to &s;peake a word in &s;ea&s;on to him that is wearie:</HI> where note the
<PB N="12" REF="79">
<HI>wearie &s;oules,</HI> or troubled con&s;cience, mu&s;t haue a word <HI>in &s;ea&s;on</HI> &s;poken to him for his comfort, and that cannot bee &s;poken without <HI>the tongue of the learned,</HI> and la&s;tly that tongue of the learned mu&s;t bee <HI>giuen</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Fir&s;t he mu&s;t be furni&s;hed with human learning. 2 with diui|nity.</NOTE> <HI>of God.</HI> Now to haue this <HI>tongue of the learned, which E&s;ay</HI> &s;peakes of, what is it but to be this <HI>Interpreter,</HI> which the holy Gho&s;t heere &s;aith a Mini&s;ter mu&s;t bee: But to bee able to &s;peake with this tongue is, fir&s;t <HI>to bee furni&s;hed with humane learning.</HI> Secondly, <HI>with Diuine knowledge,</HI> as farre as it may by outward meanes bee taught from man to man: but be&s;ides the&s;e, hee that will &s;peake <HI>this tongue</HI> aright, mu&s;t be <HI>inwardly learned,</HI> and taught by the &s;pirit <NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter">. He mu&s;t be inwardly taught by Gods &s;pirit.</NOTE> of God: the two fir&s;t he mu&s;t learne from men, but the third from God: a true Mi|ni&s;ter mu&s;t be inwardly taught by the &s;pi|ritual &s;chool-mai&s;ter the holy Gho&s;t. Saint <HI>Iohn</HI> in the Reuelatio~ mu&s;t take the book, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Reuel. 10. 8.</NOTE> that is the Scripture, and eate it, and when hee hath eaten it: <HI>then</HI> (&s;aith the Angell) <HI>he must goe preach to Nations, tongues, people, and to Kings:</HI> which was done, not that Saint <HI>Iohn</HI> had not eaten that booke, in
<PB N="13" REF="79">
<HI>the comming downe of the holy Gho&s;t,</HI> the <NOTE PLACE="marg">Acts. 2.</NOTE> very ende of who&s;e comming was to teach them &s;piritually: but that in him Chri&s;t might teach his Church for euer, that no Mini&s;ter is fit to preach, to nations and to Kings, <HI>vntill they haue eaten the booke of</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">This is to eat the boo of God.</NOTE> <HI>God:</HI> that is, till after and be&s;ides all the learning that man can teach them, they be al&s;o taught by the &s;pirit of God him|&s;elfe, and this teaching is it that makes a man <HI>a true interpreter,</HI> and without this he cannot be, for how can a man bee Gods <HI>interpreter</HI> to his people, vnle&s;&s;e he knowe the mind of God him&s;elfe, and how can he <HI>knowe the minde of God, but by the tea|ching of the &s;pirit of God.</HI> For as no man knoweth the thought of a man, but the &s;pi|rit <NOTE PLACE="marg">1. Corinth.</NOTE> of man that is in him. So the things of God knoweth no ma~, but the &s;pirit of god. Indeed we may be <HI>mans interpreter</HI> by hu|mane teaching, and may interpret the Scriptures truly and &s;oundly as a hu|mane booke or &s;torie, for the increa&s;e of knowledge, but the <HI>diuine &amp; &s;piritual inter|preter,</HI> which &s;hal pearce the hart, and a&s;to|ni&s;h the &s;oule of man, mu&s;t bee taught by the inward teaching of the holy Gho&s;t.</P>
<P><PB N="14" REF="80">
Let no man thinke I heere giue the lea&s;t allowance to Anabapti&s;ticall fancies, <NOTE PLACE="marg">This is no approbation to Anabap|ti&s;ts who de|pend onely on reuelati|ons, &amp; neg|lect all meanes.</NOTE> and reuelations, which are nothing, but eyther dreames of their owne, or illu&s;ions of the Diuell, for they contemne both hu|mane learning, and the &s;tudy of the &s;crip|ture, and tru&s;t wholy to reuelations of the &s;pirit; but Gods Spirit worketh not but vpon the foundation of the worde: onely I teach this, that a Mini&s;ter mu&s;t bee a <HI>di|uine Interpreter,</HI> an <HI>Interpreter</HI> of Gods meaning. And therfore he mu&s;t not onely <HI>reade the books,</HI> but <HI>eate it,</HI> that is, not one|ly haue the knowledge of Diuine things flowing in his <HI>braine,</HI> but ingrauen in his <HI>heart,</HI> and printed in his <HI>&s;oule</HI> by the &s;piri|tuall finger of God: and therefore for this end, after all his owne &s;tudy, meditation, conference, Commentaries, and after all humane helps, hee mu&s;t pray with Dauid, <NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 119. 18.</NOTE> <HI>Open thou mine eyes, that I may &s;ee the won|ders of thy lawe.</HI> The di&s;cerning of tho&s;e wonders requires a <HI>&s;pirituall illumination,</HI> and the opening of them requires the <HI>tongue of the learned.</HI> Therefore after all the &s;tudie which fle&s;h and blood, and hu|mane
<PB N="15" REF="80">
rea&s;on can yeelde, pray with the Prophet, <HI>Lord giue me the tongue of the lear|ned,</HI> that I may be a <HI>right interpreter</HI> of thy holy will.</P>
<P>Furthermore, ina&s;much as mini&s;ters are <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 V&s;e. For mini&s;ters. E&s;ay. 13.</NOTE> Interpreters, they mu&s;t labour for &s;ancti|tie, and holine&s;&s;e of life. In E&s;ay, <HI>the king of A&s;&s;iria</HI> is &s;aide to <HI>bee &s;anctified</HI> or &s;et a part <NOTE PLACE="marg">They mu&s;t be holy and &s;anctified men: and &s;o be fir&s;t of all interpreters to them|&s;elues.</NOTE> to <HI>destroy Gods enemies.</HI> If there be a cer|taine kind of <HI>&s;anctification,</HI> nece&s;&s;ary for the <HI>worke of destruction,</HI> then how much more is true <HI>&s;anctification</HI> nece&s;&s;arie for this great and glorious worke <HI>of the edification of Gods Church?</HI> A Mini&s;ter is to declare the re|conciliation betwixt God and man, and is hee him&s;elfe not reconciled? Dare he pre|&s;ent another man to Gods mercy for par|don, and neuer yet pre&s;ented him&s;elfe? Can hee commend the &s;tate of Grace to another, and neuer felt the &s;weetene&s;&s;e thereof in his owne &s;oule? Dare hee come to preach &s;anctification with polluted lips, and out of an vn&s;anctified heart? <HI>Mo&s;es might not &s;tand vpon the Mount in Gods pre|&s;ence, till hee had put off his &s;hooes from off his feet.</HI> Exod. 3. and dare any man pre&s;ume
<PB N="16" REF="81">
to come into this mo&s;t high and holy pre|&s;ence of the Lord, vntill he haue mortified his corruptions, and ca&s;t off the vnrulines of his affections?</P>
<P>In Exodus, the prie&s;ts are bid to <HI>&s;ancti|fie</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Exod. 19. 20. Leuit. 10. 3.</NOTE> <HI>the people,</HI> and in Leuiticus it is &s;aide, that <HI>God will be &s;anctified in all that come neere him,</HI> but who come &s;o neere vnto God as the Mini&s;ters do? So that it is ap|parant, <HI>Ministers</HI> doe <HI>&s;anctifie the people,</HI> and in &s;ome con&s;truction, <HI>God him&s;elfe:</HI> Nowe, &s;hall they one way bee <HI>&s;anctifiers of the people,</HI> another way <HI>of God him&s;elfe,</HI> and <NOTE PLACE="marg">For el&s;e they will hardly do good to others.</NOTE> no way <HI>of them&s;elues?</HI> Surely if it bee &s;o, they are but lame Interpreters. And this is the rea&s;on doubtle&s;&s;e, why vn&s;anctified Mini&s;ters, and &s;uch as are of a loo&s;e con|uer&s;ation, be&s;tow &s;uch fruitle&s;&s;e labours in the Church: many want no learning, no ability to interpret, &amp; yet how fewe &s;oules doe they bring to God? Some it may bee are conuerted by their Mini&s;terie, that God may &s;hewe, the efficacie is not in the per&s;on of man, but in the ordinance of God, but fewe doubtle&s;&s;e (for ought that we can &s;ee:) to teach vs, how God hateth
<PB N="17" REF="81">
him which will take in hand to reconcile others to God, him&s;elfe being vnreconci|led. Seing-then <HI>Mini&s;ters</HI> are <HI>Gods Inter|preters</HI> to the people, <HI>to declare</HI> &amp; publi&s;h <HI>their reconciliation</HI> with God, and that they cannot be reconciled, vnle&s;&s;e they be &s;anc|tified, and can &s;o hardly bee &s;anctified by the mini&s;terie of an vn&s;anctified man: let therefore all true <HI>Mini&s;ters</HI> of God: fir&s;t be <HI>Gods Interpreters</HI> to their owne con&s;ci|ences, and their owne &s;oules <HI>Interpreters</HI> to God, then &s;hall they know more perfect|ly how to di&s;charge the office of true <HI>In|terpreters</HI> betwixt God and his people.</P>
<P>And thus we haue the true titles of a true Mini&s;ter.</P>
<P>Now it followeth in the Text.</P>
<P><HI>One of a thou&s;and.</HI></P>
<P>Here is the &s;econd part of this de&s;cripti|on, <NOTE PLACE="marg">2. Part of the de&s;cription is the rare|nes of a good Mini|&s;ter. He is one of a thou&s;and.</NOTE> which is <HI>by the rarene&s;&s;e, or &s;carcene&s;&s;e of good Ministers:</HI> which is layd downe in a very &s;trange phra&s;e, namely, that a true <HI>Mini&s;ter</HI> one that is a right Angel, and a true Interpreter, is no common or ordina|rie man, but thin &s;owne, one of many, <HI>Nay, one of a thou&s;and.</HI></P>
<P><PB N="18" REF="82">
The meaning hereof is to be conceiued <NOTE PLACE="marg">The mea|ning.</NOTE> either properly, or figuratiuely: in the fi|guratiue &s;ence, it is &s;poken in relation to mini&s;ters them&s;elues: in the proper &s;en&s;e, it hath a compari&s;on with all men: the fi|guratiue and hyperbolicall &s;en&s;e is, that of all the Mini&s;ters in the worlde, not one of many is a right Angel, and a true Inter|preter: the plaine &amp; proper &s;en&s;e is, that a|mong&s;t the men of this worlde, there is not one of a thou&s;and which proues a true Mini&s;ter. For this point let vs examine three points: the truth of it, the rea&s;ons of it, and the v&s;e of it.</P>
<P>The truth hereof is manife&s;t, by the ex|perience <NOTE PLACE="marg">1. The truth hereof.</NOTE> of all ages, wherein it is &s;trange to ob&s;erue, <HI>how fewe men</HI> of any &s;ort, e&s;pe|cially of <HI>the better &s;ort,</HI> affect the calling <HI>of a Mini&s;ter:</HI> and which is more &s;trange, howe fewe of tho&s;e that are Mini&s;ters in name and title, doe de&s;erue the&s;e honou|rable names of an <HI>Angel,</HI> and an <HI>Interpre|ter,</HI> and the truth is too manife&s;t in com|mon practi&s;e, to in&s;i&s;t much vpon it: ra|ther therefore let vs &s;ee the rea&s;ons of it, and they be the&s;e principally.</P>
<P><PB N="19" REF="82">
Fir&s;t, the <HI>Contempt</HI> that lyeth on that <NOTE PLACE="marg">2. The rea|&s;ons hereof.</NOTE> calling, it being alwayes hated, by wicked and prophane men, becau&s;e it di&s;couers their filthines, and vnmaskes their hypo|cri&s;ie: <NOTE PLACE="marg">1. Rea&s;on the con|tempt of it: it being al|wayes hated by wicked men.</NOTE> and their doctrine oftimes is a fret|ting corra&s;iue to their con&s;cience, that they cannot welter, and wallowe &s;o quiet|ly, and &s;ecretly in their &s;innes, as otherwi&s;e they would, therefore is it that they &s;purne both again&s;t the calling, and the men, and watch them narrowly, and take holde of their lea&s;t infirmities, thereby to di&s;grace them: iudging that to ca&s;t contempt on that calling, is to remoue &s;hame from their owne &s;hamefull cour&s;es: nor is it po&s;sible, but that they &s;hould thus <HI>hate this calling,</HI> ina&s;much as they <HI>hate</HI> &s;o deadly both <HI>that lawe and Emba&s;&s;age</HI> which they bring, <HI>and that GOD,</HI> who&s;e Emba&s;&s;adors they are.</P>
<P>This hatred and di&s;grace in the wicked world, was that that cau&s;ed <HI>Ieremie</HI> to cry, <HI>woe is me,</HI> &amp; made him in the &s;eeming of his natural rea&s;on, <HI>cur&s;e <HI>y^e</HI> time <HI>y^t</HI> euer he was</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ieremie, 15. 10.</NOTE> <HI>a prophet,</HI> for &s;aith he, <HI>I am a man of co~tention,</HI>
<PB N="20" REF="83">
euery man is at &s;trife and at enmitie with me.</P>
<P>The next rea&s;on is <HI>The difficultie of di&s;|charging</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">2. Rea&s;on, the defficul|tie of di&s;|charging the duties.</NOTE> <HI>the duties</HI> of his calling: to &s;tand in Gods pre&s;ence, to enter into the holy of holie&s;t, to goe betwixt God &amp; his people, to be Gods mouth to the people, and the peoples to God: to be the Interpreter of the eternall lawe of the olde Te&s;tament, and the euerla&s;ting Go&s;pell of the New: to &s;tand in the roume, and to beare the of|fice of <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> him&s;elfe, to take the care and charge of &s;oules, the&s;e con&s;iderations are &s;o many amazements to the con&s;ciences of &s;uch men, who doe with reuerence ap|proch, &amp; not with ra&s;hnes, ru&s;h vnto this &s;acred &s;eate: this made Saint <HI>Paul</HI> cry out, <HI>who is &s;ufficient for the&s;e things.</HI> And if <HI>Paul</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">2. Corinth. 2. 16.</NOTE> &s;aid, <HI>Who is?</HI> no marnell though many a man &s;ay, <HI>I am not &s;ufficient,</HI> and doe there|fore draw their neckes from this yoke, and their hands from this plough, vntill God him&s;elfe or his Church doe pre&s;&s;e them to it.</P>
<P>The la&s;t rea&s;on is more peculiar to this <NOTE PLACE="marg">3. Rea&s;on&punc; want of mainte|nance.</NOTE> age of the newe Te&s;tament, namely, <HI>want
<PB N="21" REF="83">
of maintenance and preferment,</HI> for them that labour in this calling: men are fle&s;h and blood, and in that re&s;pect mu&s;t be allured, and wonne to embrace this vocation, by &s;ome arguments, which may per&s;wade fle&s;h and blood: the world hath in all a|ges beene negligent herein, and therefore God in his law tooke &s;uch &s;trict orders, <HI>for</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Deut. 10. 9. &amp; 28. 2. Num. 18. 26.</NOTE> <HI>the maintenance of the Leuites:</HI> but e&s;pecial|ly, now vnder the Go&s;pel, this calling is vnprouided for, when it de&s;erues be&s;t of all to be rewarded: certainly it were a worthy Chri&s;tian pollicie, to propound good pre|ferments to this calling, that thereby men of the worthie&s;t giftes might be won vnto it, and the want thereof, is cau&s;e why &s;o many young men of &s;peciall partes, and greate&s;t hope, <HI>turne to other vocations,</HI> and e&s;pecially <HI>to the Lawe,</HI> wherein at this day the greate&s;t partes of the <HI>fine&s;t wits of our</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">This makes many of our be&s;t wits turne from Diuinitie to Law.</NOTE> <HI>kingdome,</HI> are imployed, &amp; why? But be|cau&s;e they haue al the <HI>meanes to ri&s;e,</HI> wher|as the Mini&s;terie, for the mo&s;t part yeel|deth nothing, but a <HI>plaine way to beggery:</HI> this is a great blemi&s;h in our Church, and &s;urely I wi&s;h the Papi&s;ts, tho&s;e <HI>children of</HI>
<PB N="22" REF="84">
this world, <HI>were not wi&s;er in their kinde, (in this point) then the Church of God:</HI> the re|formation hereof is a worke worth the la|bour of <HI>prince</HI> and people&punc; &amp; &s;peciall care is to bee had in it, el&s;e it will not be refor|med, for doubtle&s;&s;e had not God him&s;elfe in the olde te&s;tament, taken &s;uch &s;traight orders for the liuings of the <HI>Leuites,</HI> they had beene put to no le&s;&s;e extremities, then is the Mini&s;trie of this age. And this rea|&s;on added to the other, makes them per|fect; and all put together make a rea&s;on infallible: for who will <HI>vndergo &s;o vile con|tempt,</HI> and <HI>vndertake &s;o great a charge for no reward:</HI> and where there is &s;o great <HI>con|tempt,</HI> &s;o heauie <HI>a burthen,</HI> and &s;o meane a reward, what maruell, if a good Mini&s;ter be <HI>one of a thou&s;and?</HI></P>
<P>Now let vs make v&s;e of this doctrine: <NOTE PLACE="marg">3. The v&s;e of it.</NOTE> The v&s;e is manifold, and yeelds in&s;tructi|ons to many &s;orts of people: Fir&s;t, <HI>Rulers</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">1. To Rulers to maintaine Vniuer&s;ities, Colledges, and &s;chooles of the Pro|phets.</NOTE> <HI>and Magi&s;trates</HI> are heere taught, if good Mini&s;ters be &s;o &s;carce, therefore to <HI>maine|taine</HI> and increa&s;e, and doe all good they can to the <HI>&s;chooles of the Prophets,</HI> to Vni|uer&s;ities, Colledges, &amp; Schooles of good
<PB N="23" REF="84">
learning, which are <HI>the Seminaries of the Mini&s;terie:</HI> herein the example of <HI>Samuel,</HI> is very worthy to bee followed, in who&s;e dayes the &s;chooles of the Prophets flori|&s;hed, <NOTE PLACE="marg">1. Sam. 19. 20 21, 22, 23, 24.</NOTE> and euen <HI>Saul</HI> him&s;elfe, though hee did much hurt in <HI>I&s;rael,</HI> yet when he came to the &s;chooles of the Prophets, his hard heart relented, he could doe them no hurt, nay, <HI>he put off his robes &amp; prophecied among&s;t them.</HI> So &s;hould all Chri&s;tian princes and magi&s;trates aduaunce their &s;chooles, and &s;ee them both well maintained, and well &s;tored, the rea&s;on is euident &amp; forcible.</P>
<P><HI>A good Mini&s;ter is one of</HI> 1000. If therfore <NOTE PLACE="marg">The rather, becau&s;e the Pope doth &s;o to vphold his &s;uper&s;ti|tion. At Rome Reimes Doway.</NOTE> they would haue the number increa&s;ed, let them maintaine the Seminaries. And againe, <HI>if Antichri&s;t</HI> to vphold his king|dome, the Kingdome of Sathan, bee &s;o carefull herein, to erect Colledges, and indowe them with liuing, to bee Semina|ries for his Synagogue, and v&s;e &s;o great meanes to &s;owe his <HI>tares</HI> in the hearts of young men, that &s;o they may &s;owe them in the hearts of the people abroad: &s;hall not <HI>Chri&s;tian princes</HI> bee as carefull, or rather much more zealous, for the
<PB N="24" REF="85">
increa&s;ing of the number of godly Mini|&s;ters? <NOTE PLACE="marg">1. Kin. 18. 22.</NOTE> &s;hall <HI>Baal haue his</HI> 4. <HI>hundred prophets, and God haue his</HI> Elias <HI>alone?</HI> great &s;hame mu&s;t it bee <HI>to Ahab,</HI> or <HI>to any king,</HI> who&s;e kingdome is in that e&s;tate.</P>
<P>The Ie&s;uites diligence is &s;uch in teach|ing, <NOTE PLACE="marg">And the Ie|&s;uites to co~|tinue their late foun|ded Hierar|chie.</NOTE> and the readine&s;&s;e of &s;ome of their no|uices &s;uch in learning, (the diuell him&s;elfe doubtle&s;&s;e, putting to his helpe withall) that in three yeares (as &s;ome of them &s;ay of them&s;elues) they proceede in humane learning, and in the fourth, in Diuinitie: which if it be &s;o, then it may bee a good Le&s;&s;on, for the&s;e our &s;chooles of learning, and an inducement to moue all that haue the gouernment thereof, to labour to ad|uance learning, by all good meanes, and to giue it more &s;peedie pa&s;&s;age: And it may &s;hame &s;ome that &s;pend &s;o many yeares in the Vniuer&s;itie, and yet alas for all that proue not one of a 1000. In the&s;e our &s;chooles are by Gods mercy, many young trees planted by the riuer &s;ide of this goodly Orchard, which by good or|dring and dre&s;sing, may prooue goodly trees in the temple of God, and &s;trong pil|&s;trong
<PB N="25" REF="85">
pillers in the Church: but they are like tender plants, and mu&s;t be cheri&s;hed. Princes and great men, by <HI>allowing main|tenance,</HI> and the <HI>Gouernours</HI> by <HI>e&s;tabli&s;hing good orders,</HI> and looking carefully to their execution, mu&s;t &s;ee that the&s;e plants haue &s;ufficient <HI>moi&s;ture to grow &s;peedily</HI> to per|fect ripene&s;&s;e, and that then they be <HI>tran&s;|planted</HI> in due time, into the Church and common wealth: the&s;e be the trees &s;po|ke~ of in <HI>Ezechiel, which growe by the &s;ides of the riuer, which floweth out of the &s;anctuarie:</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ezchiel, 47. 1, &amp;c.</NOTE> Waters out of the Sanctuary mu&s;t nori&s;h them, and &s;o they growe vnto their per|fection: but take away the&s;e waters: take away the liberalitie of <HI>princes</HI> and good di&s;cipline from the <HI>Vniuer&s;ities,</HI> and the&s;e trees mu&s;t needes decay and wither: which if they do, then the &s;mal number of good Mini&s;ters will be fewer &amp; fewer, &amp; of one of a 1000. ther wil not be one of 2000</P>
<P>In the next place, <HI>Mini&s;ters</HI> them|&s;elues are here taught: Fir&s;t if good Mi|ni&s;ters <NOTE PLACE="marg">2. V&s;e for Mini&s;ters.</NOTE> bee &s;o &s;carce, then let euery man feare to make them fewer then they bee: euery man therefore for him&s;elfe, labour
<PB N="26" REF="86">
<HI>fir&s;t for abilitie,</HI> then for <HI>con&s;cience</HI> to di&s;|charge <NOTE PLACE="marg">1. Let euery man feare to make them fewer.</NOTE> his dutie: namely, to bee <HI>an An|gel,</HI> to deliuer faithfully Gods Emba&s;&s;age, and <HI>a true Interpreter</HI> betwixt God and his people: thus if thou doe&s;t, then how|&s;oeuer the number of good Mini&s;ters is &s;mall, yet it &s;hall bee nothing &s;maller for thee.</P>
<P N="2">2 If they bee &s;o fewe, labour to in|crea&s;e them, for the more they are, the le&s;&s;e burden lyeth vpon each particular <NOTE PLACE="marg">2. Labour to encrea&s;e them, by winning o|thers to it.</NOTE> man, therefore let euery Mini&s;ter by his teaching, and by his conuer&s;ation labour, &s;o to honour his calling, that hee may thereby allure and drawe others to a loue and liking thereof.</P>
<P N="3">3 Are good Mini&s;ters &s;o thinne &s;owne? are there &s;o few of them? then let all good and godly Mini&s;ters <HI>giue the right hand of fellow&s;hip</HI> one to another, and ioyne toge|ther <NOTE PLACE="marg">Galath. 2. 9.</NOTE> in loue, &amp; by that meanes arme the~|&s;elues <NOTE PLACE="marg">3. Let them one loue an other and ioyne toge|ther.</NOTE> again&s;t the &s;corne and contempt of the world: we &s;ee they that are of a kinred, or a brotherhood, or any kind of &s;ocietie, the fewer they are, the more clo&s;elie doe
<PB N="27" REF="86">
they combine, the more firmely doe they holde together again&s;t all forraine force: &s;o ought Gods Mini&s;ters to doe, becau&s;e their number is &s;o &s;mall: if they were ma|ny, le&s;&s;e danger in their di&s;vnion. But &s;ee|ing they are &s;o fewe, the more it concer|neth them to cut off contentions, and all occa&s;ions of debate, and to ioyne hand in hand again&s;t the&s;e common aduer&s;aries.</P>
<P>In the third place, <HI>young Students</HI> are <NOTE PLACE="marg">3. V&s;e for &s;tudents. 1. To con&s;e|crate them|&s;elues and their Studies to that cal|ling.</NOTE> heere taught, &s;eeing a true Mini&s;ter is but one of a thou&s;and, that therfore they bend their &s;tudies, and their thoughts to the Mini&s;terie, for they well know it is an old prouerbe, <HI>the be&s;t things are hard to come by:</HI> &amp; certainly there are &s;o few good Mi|ni&s;ters, becau&s;e the holy Mini&s;terie in it &s;elfe is &s;o high &amp; excellent a calling: &amp; as it is <HI>a &s;hame to the men</HI> that there are &s;o <HI>few good Ministers,</HI> &s;o it is a <HI>commendation to the calling:</HI> who&s;e honour &amp; excellency is &s;uch, that as wee &s;ee heere &s;carce one of a thou&s;and attaines vnto it, therefore men of the mo&s;t excellent giftes, are here inuited to dedicate them&s;elues vnto the mo&s;t ex|cellent vocation, yea, very rea&s;on it &s;elfe would vrge a man to be <HI>one of a thou&s;and.</HI></P>
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<P N="2"><PB N="28" REF="88">
2 And further, as they are to in|tend <NOTE PLACE="marg">To furni&s;h them&s;elues with the true orna|ments of a Mini&s;ter.</NOTE> this calling as the mo&s;t rare and ex|cellent: &s;o this mu&s;t teach them like wi&s;e, to ha&s;ten to furni&s;h them&s;elues with all good helpes and meanes, that they may become <HI>true Mini&s;ters and able Interpre|ters,</HI> and not too long to &s;ticke in tho&s;e &s;tudies, which keep a man from the prac|ti&s;e of this high function: for it is not <HI>to liue in the &V;niuer&s;itie,</HI> or in the Colledge, and <HI>to &s;tudie,</HI> though a man neuer &s;o fa&s;t deuoure vp learning, but <HI>to be a good Mi|ni&s;ter,</HI> is that that makes a man <HI>one of a thou&s;and.</HI></P>
<P>In the la&s;t place, <HI>Hearers</HI> are heere taught their dutie, fir&s;t, to <HI>re&s;pect</HI> with re|uerence <NOTE PLACE="marg">4 V&s;e for Hearers. 1. To reue|rence the per&s;on and receiue the doctrine.</NOTE> <HI>the per&s;on,</HI> and <HI>to receiue</HI> with re|uerence <HI>the Me&s;&s;age</HI> of euery true Me&s;&s;en|ger, &s;eeing it is &s;o <HI>rare</HI> a thing to finde a <HI>true Mini&s;ter</HI> for as nothing <HI>is more vile or ba&s;e</HI> then an <HI>euil &amp; lewd</HI> Mini&s;ter, (whom Chri&s;t compares to <HI>&s;alt which hath lo&s;t his</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Math 5. 13.</NOTE> <HI>&s;auour, which is good for nothing, but to bee ca&s;t out &amp; troden downe of men:)</HI> &s;o is there none worthy <HI>of more loue</HI> and <HI>reuerence,</HI> then a <HI>holy Mini&s;ter:</HI> for as <HI>E&s;ay</HI> &s;aith, <HI>their
<PB N="29" REF="88">
very feete are beautifull which bring glad ty|dings;</HI> and we &s;hould <HI>ki&s;&s;e their feete which bring newes of peace:</HI> therefore all good Chri&s;tians are to receiue and v&s;e a <HI>good Mini&s;ter,</HI> as S. <HI>Paul</HI> &s;aith the <HI>Galathians</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Gala. 4. 16.</NOTE> did him, <HI>euen as an Angel of God</HI> Ha&s;t thou then a godly pa&s;tor, run to him for conference, for comfort, for coun&s;ell, v&s;e his company, frequent his fermons, ac|count him <HI>worthy of double honour,</HI> thinke it no &s;mall or ordinary ble&s;sing, for thou ha&s;t <HI>one of a thou&s;and,</HI> and ble&s;&s;e God for be&s;towing his mercy on thee, which hee had denyed to &s;o many others: for &s;ome haue <HI>no Mini&s;ter:</HI> &s;ome haue <HI>a Mini&s;ter,</HI> but yet <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 word">, he is not <HI>one of a thou&s;and.</HI></P>
<P>And further: all men that are <HI>Fathers,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">2. Fathers to dedicate their &s;onnes to the mini|&s;terie.</NOTE> may heere learne to con&s;ecrate their chil|dren to God in the &s;eruice of the Mini|&s;terie, con&s;idering that it is <HI>&s;o rare</HI> and ex|cellent a thing to be a good Mini&s;ter: nay that man &s;hould thinke him&s;elfe happie, and honoured of God, who may be father to &s;uch a &s;onne, as &s;hal proue <HI>one of a thou|&s;and.</HI></P>
<P>In a word to conclude this point, <HI>all men</HI>
<PB N="30" REF="89">
mu&s;t heere learne, &s;eeing good Mini|&s;ters <NOTE PLACE="marg">5 V&s;e for al men. Pray that God would encrea&s;e the number.</NOTE> are <HI>&s;o &s;carce,</HI> to <HI>pray the Lorde of the harue&s;t, to thru&s;t out more labourers into his harue&s;t:</HI> and for tho&s;e that are called al|ready, that God would make them faith|full in that high function. And as <HI>Eli&s;ha</HI> craueth of <HI>Elias,</HI> that the good <HI>&s;pirit may</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">2. Reg. 2, 9.</NOTE> <HI>be doubled, and trebled vpon them,</HI> &s;o that the number may be encrea&s;ed. And thus wee haue <HI>the truth,</HI> the <HI>rea&s;on,</HI> and <HI>the v&s;e</HI> of this, that a good Mini&s;ter <HI>is one of a thou&s;and.</HI></P>
<P>It followeth. <HI>To declare vnto man his righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e.</HI></P>
<P>Heere is the third part of the de&s;cripti|on <NOTE PLACE="marg">3. Part of the de&s;cription by his office that is to de|clare vnto man his righteou&s;|ne&s;&s;e.</NOTE> of a Mini&s;ter, that is, by his office, <HI>to declare vnto man his righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e:</HI> that is, when a poore &s;inner, by his &s;innes (the foulnes whereof he &s;eeth, and the burden whereof he feeleth) is brought downe, as it were to the very gates of hell, when this &s;inner by the preaching of the Lawe, is brought to <HI>a true &s;ight of this mi&s;erie:</HI> and again by preaching the go&s;pel, is brought <HI>to lay hold on Ie&s;us Chri&s;t,</HI> then it is the pro|per office of a Mini&s;ter <HI>to declare vnto that <NOTE PLACE="marg">The mea|ning</NOTE>
<PB N="31" REF="89">
man his righteou&s;nes.</HI> Namely, that though <HI>in him&s;elfe</HI> he be as ill, and as foule as &s;inne can make him, &amp; as the law can di&s;couer him to be: yet <HI>in Chri&s;t</HI> he is righteous, &amp; iu&s;t, and by Chri&s;t &s;o iu&s;tified, as he is no more a &s;inner in the pre&s;ence and account of God, this is the <HI>righteou&s;nes of a Chri|&s;tian man,</HI> this is the iu&s;tification of a &s;in|ner. And <HI>to declare this righteou&s;nes</HI> to him that repents and belieues, is the proper dutie of a <HI>true Mini&s;ter.</HI></P>
<P>In the <HI>Actes, Paule</HI> &s;aith of him&s;elfe, that <HI>he witne&s;&s;ed to the Iewes, &amp; to the Gen|tiles,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 20. 21.</NOTE> <HI>the repentance towards God, and faith towards our Lord Ie&s;us Chri&s;t.</HI> In which words is layde downe the complete dutie of a Mini&s;ter (as he is a publique <HI>Angell or Interpreter,)</HI> fir&s;t, to preach <HI>repentance,</HI> which a man mu&s;t performe to GOD, whom by his &s;ins hee hath grieuou&s;ly of|fended; &s;econdly, to preach <HI>faith in Chri&s;t,</HI> and free forgiuenes, and perfect &s;aluation through that faith in Chri&s;t, to all that &s;hal truly belieue in him. And after both the&s;e, <NOTE PLACE="marg">It com<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter">re|hendeth the&s;e points.</NOTE> followeth that which is heere &s;poken of, which comprehendeth both the former,
<PB N="32" REF="90">
namely, <HI>to declare vnto man his righteeu&s;|ne&s;&s;e.</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">1. He mu&s;t declare wher true righte+ou&s;ne&s;&s;e is.</NOTE> So that in the&s;e words, are inclu&s;i<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter">e|ly layd downe, the&s;e points of a Mini&s;ters calling: fir&s;t, a true Mini&s;ter may &amp; mu&s;t <HI>declare</HI> vnto a &s;infull man <HI>where righteou&s;|ne&s;&s;e is to be found,</HI> namely, in <HI>Ie&s;us Chri&s;t:</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">1. John 2.</NOTE> the righteous. Secondly, <HI>how</HI> that righte|ou&s;nes <NOTE PLACE="marg">2. How it may be ob|tained.</NOTE> may bee <HI>obtained,</HI> namely, by d<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="2 letters">|ing two duties: Fir&s;t, by <HI>denying</HI> &amp; di&s;clai|ming <NOTE PLACE="marg">3. He mu&s;t declare it to him, that is 1. Shew that it is ready for him if he beleeue and repent.</NOTE> his <HI>owne</HI> righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e, and that is done by repentance; &s;econdry, by clay|ming &amp; <HI>cleaning</HI> to <HI>Chri&s;te</HI> righteou&s;nes, and that is done by <HI>faith.</HI> Thirdly, a true Mini&s;ter may and mu&s;t <HI>declare this righ|teou&s;nes to him,</HI> that is fir&s;t <HI>publi&s;h</HI> and pro|claime, that it is ready to his be&s;towed on euery &s;inner, which will thus appre|hend it, and that it is able to iu&s;tifie and &s;aue him:) &s;econdly, be&s;ide a bare <HI>publi|cation</HI> of this in&s;tification, he mu&s;t (as <HI>Paul</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">2. He mu&s;t te&s;tifie and a&s;&s;ure him of it.</NOTE> did) <HI>witnes and te&s;tifie it</HI> to the con&s;cience of the &s;inner, that it is as certainely true <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 word"> God is true. For as a <HI>witne&s;&s;e</HI> in: doubtfull ca&s;es is called, that by his te&s;timone <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 word"> may <HI>cleere the truth,</HI> &s;o when the con&s;ci|ences of poore &s;inners are <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 word"> and
<PB N="33" REF="90">
doubtfull what to belieue, when they <HI>doubt</HI> of this righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e, then is a true mini&s;ter as a <HI>faithfull witne&s;&s;e</HI> of God to a|uerre and <HI>testifie this truth,</HI> from his owne con&s;cience, knowledge and feeling of the infallible certaintie of Gods promi&s;es, vn|to the doubtfull and di&s;tre&s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter">ed con&s;cience of the &s;inner.</P>
<P>Thirdly, be&s;ides <HI>declaration</HI> and <HI>testifica|ti<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter">n</HI> been to <HI>maintaine</HI> this truth, and this <NOTE PLACE="marg">3 He mu&s;t maintaine it. &amp; auerre it again&s;t all doubts and temptations.</NOTE> <HI>righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e</HI> (if the &s;inners con&s;cience be yet not quiet) again&s;t all gain &s;ayers, a|gain&s;t the power of darkne&s;&s;e, and all the gates of helld that this is true and perfect righteou&s;ne&s;&s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter"> to him that apprehends it as afore is <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 word"> downe <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 word"> this is &s;o infal|lible to euery &s;oule that repents and be|leeueth, that the mini&s;ter, may <HI>a&s;&s;ure</HI> it to the con&s;cience of the &s;inner in the worde of truth, and in the name of God, and may call to <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 word"> all Gods Saints, and all his holy Angels, and may <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 word"> vnto him <HI>his owne <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 word"></HI> vpon it, that it is mo&s;t true, that this is <HI><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 word"> perfect, and <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 word"> &s;ufficient righ|teou&s;ne&s;&s;e.</HI></P>
<P>That we &s;ee in &s;ome mea&s;ure, what it is
<PB N="34" REF="91">
<HI>to declare vnto a man his righteou&s;nes.</HI> And <NOTE PLACE="marg">This dutie is ordinarily peculiar to Mini&s;ters.</NOTE> this is the peculiar office of a Mini&s;ter of God, and this is the height and excellen|cie of his office. In the want of godly mi|ni&s;ters, I confe&s;&s;e that godly Chri&s;tian men may one <HI>helpe</HI> another in the perfor|mance of the&s;e duties, and that with pro|fit, but it is the <HI>proper function</HI> of a godly Mini&s;ter to doe it, and the <HI>promi&s;e and ble&s;&s;ing</HI> belong properly to him: as the con&s;ciences of all penitent &s;inners, will te&s;tifie in this ca&s;e: let <HI>Dauids</HI> &s;erue for many, who when hee was ca&s;t downe e|uen to the mouth of hell, by that feare|full di&s;couery of his two hideous &s;innes by <HI>Nathans</HI> preaching; &amp; when the faith of his &s;oule beganne to wre&s;tle again&s;t Hell, and &s;triue again&s;t de&s;paire, and to apprehend the mercy of God in Chri&s;t: then I &s;ay, could not the te&s;timonie of all the men in the worlde haue giuen him that ioy, comfort and a&s;&s;urance, that <HI>Na|than</HI> did, when hee &s;aide in the word of a <NOTE PLACE="marg">2. Sam. 11.</NOTE> Prophet, and of a true Mini&s;ter, <HI>God hath taken away thy &s;inne, thou &s;halt not dye:</HI> what did <HI>Nathan</HI> here, but <HI>declare vnto man his
<PB N="35" REF="91">
righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e?</HI> what did <HI>Nathan</HI> heere, but the duty of euery true mini&s;ter?</P>
<P>If this be the office and duty of a mini|&s;ter; <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 V&s;e for Mini&s;ters.</NOTE> and if &s;uch bee the height and excel|lency: of his office, let vs &s;ee then what v&s;e we may make of it.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, concerning the Mini&s;terie: It <NOTE PLACE="marg">Fir&s;t for the Popi&s;h mi|ni&s;tery, they doe in&s;uffi|ciently de|clare it.</NOTE> fir&s;t di&s;couereth how nakedly, weakely, and in&s;ufficiently, <HI>the Popi&s;h Church</HI> doth <HI>declare vnto man his righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e,</HI> who wil let a man &s;eeke it <HI>in him&s;elfe&punc;</HI> where alas it is not: for <HI>Paule</HI> him&s;elfe te&s;tifieth, that his de&s;ire is, that hee may bee found <HI>out of him&s;elfe,</HI> and in <HI>Chri&s;t;</HI> and yet certainly, if <NOTE PLACE="marg">Philip. 3. 8, 9.</NOTE> euer man had righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e <HI>of his owne</HI> worth tru&s;ting to, <HI>Paule</HI> had: this is the cau&s;e why &s;o many of that religion finde not that <HI>righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e,</HI> which will pacific and &s;atisfie their con&s;ciences; when they come to dye: and why &s;o many of them, whe~ it comes to the pinch, do then go out <HI>of them&s;elues,</HI> and with vs doe &s;eek for this righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e <HI>in Chri&s;t,</HI> where both a&s;&s;u|redly, and &s;ufficiently it is to be found.</P>
<P>Then for our owne Mini&s;terie, heere they are taught: fir&s;t the true manner
<PB N="36" REF="92">
of teaching, and <HI>declaring righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Secondly our owne.</NOTE> namely this, not to preach the lawe alone, or the Go&s;pell alone, as &s;ome vnadui&s;ed|ly doe (but both without profite) but <HI>both the lawe and the Go&s;pell;</HI> the <HI>lawe</HI> to breed <HI>repentance the go&s;pell</HI> to worke <HI>f<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="2 letters">th<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter"></HI> but in order; <HI>fir&s;t</HI> the lawe to breede re|pentance, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Both the lawe and the go&s;pell.</NOTE> and then the go&s;pell to worke faith and forgiuene&s;&s;e, but neuer be|fore.</P>
<P>Secondly, they are taught <HI>to bee holy:</HI> to bee &s;anctified and reconciled them|&s;elues <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 To be ho|ly men them&s;elues.</NOTE> for is it thy office <HI>to declare vnto man</HI> his righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e, and not <HI>thy own</HI> to thy &s;elfe? and how, can&s;t thou bee <HI>a true wit|ne&s;&s;e</HI> to te&s;tifie betwixt God, and the &s;oule of a &s;inner, when thy owne &s;oule knoweth not, nor feeleth the truth of it? certainly &s;uch men are but lame witne&s;&s;es betwixt God, and the &s;inners &s;oule. Dauid &s;aith to the &s;inner, <HI>I will instruct thre in the way</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 32.</NOTE> <HI>wherein thou &s;halt goe:</HI> but hee fir&s;t of all in the &s;ame, &s;ets downe his owne experi|ence in a large &s;tory of his owne repen|tance, and of Gods mercy on him&s;elfe. <NOTE PLACE="marg">For el&s;e they will conuert but fewe.</NOTE> And though God &s;ome time doe &s;atisfie,
<PB N="37" REF="92">
and &s;aue the poore di&s;tre&s;&s;ed &s;oule of a &s;inner, by the te&s;timonie of &s;uch men, to teach vs, that the vertue is not in the men, but in the truth of Gods couenant: yet alas how fewe are they, to teach vs, how plea&s;ing it is vnto him, when a Mini&s;ter is a <HI>declarer of that righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e to others,</HI> which hee <HI>fir&s;t hath him&s;elfe:</HI> and is a wit|ne&s;&s;e of that truth <HI>to others,</HI> which he fir&s;t knoweth <HI>in his owne experience.</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">3. V&s;e to Mini&s;ters, not to care for the con|tempt of the world.</NOTE></P>
<P>Thirdly, the con&s;ideration of this high excellencie of their calling, mu&s;t <HI>arme</HI> all true Mini&s;ters again&s;t the <HI>&s;corne</HI> and contempt of the world, which by wicked men is ca&s;t like du&s;t and mire into the face of Mini&s;ters: let this &s;uffice them, they are the men that mu&s;t <HI>declare vnto man his righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e,</HI> euen <HI>he that &s;cornes and</HI> contemnes the mini&s;terie, <HI>hee hath no righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e</HI> in him, vnle&s;&s;e it bee <HI>by the meanes of a poore Mini&s;ter:</HI> then doe thou thy duty, and bee that mockes thee, hath cau&s;e to honour thee. And let this encou|rage Students to con&s;ecrate them&s;elues <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 V&s;e for Students.</NOTE> to the mini&s;tery, for <HI>what calling</HI> hath &s;o high an office, as this, <HI>to declare vnto man
<PB N="38" REF="93">
his righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e?</HI> And a&s;&s;uredly how euer <NOTE PLACE="marg">To con&s;e|crate them|&s;elues to the high calling.</NOTE> in this wicked world, thou art little ac|counted of (for if it did not &s;o, it were not wicked:) yet thou art honoured in the harts of all Gods children&punc; and euen in the <HI>con&s;cience</HI> of &s;ome, who&s;e <HI>tongues</HI> doe &s;mite thee: and the &s;oules of thou&s;ands, <HI>when they dye</HI> &s;hal ble&s;&s;e thee, who <HI>in their liues</HI> cared not for thee: and the diuell him&s;elfe doth enuy, &amp; the holy Angels them&s;elues doe <HI>wonder at</HI> the excellency of thy cal|ling, in that thou ha&s;t power <HI>to declare vn|to men his righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e.</HI></P>
<P>In the next place, <HI>hearers</HI> may heere <NOTE PLACE="marg">3 V&s;e for the hearers. Seeke righ|teou&s;ne&s;&s;e both in the law and the Go&s;pell.</NOTE> learne; fir&s;t if <HI>their righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e bee thus to bee declared</HI> as afore, then if they will haue it, they mu&s;t &s;eeke it as it may bee found, namely, <HI>both in the lawe, and in the Go&s;pell</HI> and not in the Go&s;pell alone: and <HI>fir&s;t</HI> in the lawe, <HI>then</HI> in the Go&s;pell: for he mu&s;t neuer looke to ta&s;te the &s;weetnes of the Go&s;pell, which hath not fir&s;t &s;wal|lowed <HI>the bitter pilles of the law:</HI> if therefore thou woulde&s;t <HI>be declared righteous</HI> by the Go&s;pell, bee content fir&s;t to bee pro|nounced <HI>mi&s;erable</HI> by the lawe: if thou
<PB N="39" REF="93">
would&s;t be <HI>declared righteous in Chri&s;t,</HI> then bee content fir&s;t to bee pronounced &s;in|full <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 What to e&s;teeme of Gods mini|&s;ters.</NOTE> and vnrighteous in <HI>thy &s;elfe.</HI> Second|ly, all men may heere learne, how they are to e&s;teeme of <HI>Gods Ministers,</HI> and what reuerence and obedience is due to their per&s;ons, and their doctrine: the&s;e are they which mu&s;t <HI>declare vnto thee thy righ|teou&s;ne&s;&s;e,</HI> if thou ha&s;t any: Art thou be|holden to him, who, when thou ha&s;t <HI>lo&s;t a Iewell</HI> (which was all thy wealth) can tell thee where it is, and helpe thee to it againe? or to him, who, when <HI>thy cau&s;e</HI> is in triall at the barre, will <HI>pleade</HI> it for thee? or to him, who, when thy <HI>health</HI> is lo&s;t, can tell thee how to get it againe? then beholde how thou art beholden to a <HI>godly Minister,</HI> who when <HI>Adam</HI> had lo&s;t both him&s;elfe and thee, that <HI>Iewell of righteou&s;|ne&s;&s;e,</HI> which was, and is the whole wealth of thy &s;oule, can truly tell thee where it is, and howe it is to bee had againe: and who, when the diuell haleth thee to the barre of Gods iu&s;tice, to receiue <HI>triall</HI> for thy &s;innes, can drawe thee there &s;uch <HI>a declaration,</HI> as the diuell him&s;elfe &s;hall not
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bee able to an&s;were? and who, when thy <HI>&s;oule</HI> is &s;icke to death, and euen to damna|tion, can <HI>heale</HI> the deadly wounds there|of. A good mini&s;ter therefore is <HI>worthy</HI> (as the Apo&s;tle &s;aith) <HI>of double honour,</HI> who&s;e dutie wee &s;ee is <HI>to declare vnto man his righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e.</HI> And to conclude this point al&s;o, the con&s;ideration of the height of this office of a mini&s;ter, may encourage <HI>fathers</HI> to dedicate their &s;onnes to this ho|ly <NOTE PLACE="marg">4 V&s;e for fathers, to make their &s;ounes Mi|ni&s;ters.</NOTE> calling: for the <HI>Phy&s;itians</HI> care for the body, or the <HI>Lawyers</HI> for thy cau&s;e, are both inferiour duties to this of the <HI>Mini|ni&s;ter.</HI> A good Lawyer may be <HI>one of tenne:</HI> a good Phy&s;itian <HI>one of</HI> 20. a good man <HI>one of</HI> 100. but a good mini&s;ter is <HI>one of</HI> 1000. A good Lawyer may declare the true <HI>&s;tate of thy cau&s;e;</HI> a good Phy&s;itian may declare the true <HI>&s;tate of thy body:</HI> No calling, no man can <HI>declare vnto thee thy righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e,</HI> but a true Mini&s;ter. And thus we &s;ee the office or function of a mi|ni&s;ter. Now followeth the ble&s;&s;ing.</P>
<P><HI>Then will he haue mercy vpon him.</HI></P>
<P><PB N="41" REF="94">
The fourth generall part of this de|&s;cription, <NOTE PLACE="marg">4. Point, the ble&s;sings: then will God haue mercy on the &s;inner:</NOTE> <HI>is the ble&s;&s;ing</HI> which God giueth to the labours and function of a true Mi|ni&s;ter: then that is, when a man by the preaching of the lawe, is brought to true humiliation and repentance, and by the preaching of the Go&s;pell, to true faith in the Me&s;&s;ias: <HI>then will he</HI> (that <HI>is,</HI> God) <HI>haue mercy on him</HI> (that is, on the penitent and beleeuing &s;inner.) Behold heere the ad|mirable &s;impathy, and the cooperation <HI>of God, and the Mini&s;ters office.</HI> Man prea|cheth, and God ble&s;&s;eth: Man worketh on the heart, and <HI>God giues grace:</HI> a mi|ni&s;ter <HI>declares vnto man his righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e,</HI> and God &s;aith <HI>&s;o be it he &s;hall be righteous:</HI> a mini&s;ter <HI>pronounceth mercy</HI> to a penitent &s;inner, and forthwith <HI>God hath mercy on him.</HI> Heere wee &s;ee the great and glorious <NOTE PLACE="marg">God &amp; his Mini&s;ter worke toge|ther.</NOTE> account which <HI>God makes of the worde</HI> of his mini&s;ters, by them truly taught and rightly applyed, namely, that he as it were tyeth his ble&s;&s;ing vnto it: for ordinarily till a man knowe his righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e, by the meanes of an <HI>Interpreter,</HI> God hath not mercy on him, but as &s;oone as he doth
<PB N="42" REF="95">
knowe it, then as we &s;ee here <HI>God wil haue mercy on him and will &s;ay deliuer him, &amp;c.</HI></P>
<P>This is no &s;mall honour to mini&s;ters, and to their Mini&s;terie, that God him&s;elfe giues a ble&s;&s;ing vnto it, &amp; worketh when they work, and as it were &s;taieth wayting, when they declare vnto a man his righte|ou&s;ne&s;&s;e, and <HI>then hath he mercy on him:</HI> &s;o powerfull and &s;o effectuall is the worde &s;poken by a mini&s;ter of God. This is that <NOTE PLACE="marg">Math. 16. 16.</NOTE> which Chri&s;t auoucheth, <HI>What&s;oeuer you loo&s;e in earth, &s;hall be loo&s;ed in heauen.</HI> Will <NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn. 20. 23.</NOTE> you knowe the meaning hereof? Reade Saint Iohn, <HI>who&s;e &s;innes &s;oeuer you remit, they are remitted; who&s;e you retaine, they are</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;ay. 44. 25, 26.</NOTE> <HI>retained:</HI> will you haue the meaning of both? read E&s;ay, <HI>God destroyeth the tokens of Sooth&s;ayers, and makes Wi&s;ards and A&s;tro|logers fooles, turneth worldly wi&s;emen back|ward and makes their knowledge fooli&s;hne&s;&s;e: but hee confirmeth the word of his &s;eruants, and performeth the coun&s;el of his me&s;&s;engers,</HI> Thus God <HI>bindeth and loo&s;eth with them, remitteth and retaineth with them, by confir|ming their word and performing their coun|&s;ell:</HI> For example.</P>
<P><PB N="43" REF="95">
A true mini&s;ter &s;eeth a &s;inner <HI>hardned in his &s;ins,</HI> &amp; &s;till rebelling again&s;t the will of God, he therfore <HI>declareth vnto him his vn|righteou&s;nes,</HI> &amp; his &s;in, &amp; denounceth vnto him, the mi&s;ery &amp; cur&s;es of Gods iu&s;tice, as due vnto him for the &s;ame: here <HI>he binds on earth,</HI> here he <HI>retains on earth,</HI> this mans &s;ins are likewi&s;e bound &amp; retained <HI>in hea|uen.</HI> On the other &s;ide, hee &s;eeth a man <HI>pe|nite~t, &amp; belieuing,</HI> he pronounceth forgiue|nes of &s;ins, &amp; happines vnto him for the &s;ame: <HI>he loo&s;eth</HI> him from the band of his &s;ins, by <HI>declaring vnto him his righteou&s;nes,</HI> this mans &s;ins are likewi&s;e loo&s;ed &amp; remit|ted <HI>in heauen,</HI> &amp; God him&s;elfe doth pro|nounce him cleare in heauen, when the Mini&s;ter doth on earth. Thus God <HI>confir|meth the word of his &s;eruants, and perfor|meth the coun&s;ell of his me&s;&s;engers,</HI></P>
<P>The v&s;e of this doctrine is, fir&s;t for <HI>ru|lers</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 V&s;e for rulers to giue due re|uerence to the mini|&s;ters.</NOTE> and great men of this worlde, this may teach them to be <HI>nur&s;ing Fathers and nur&s;ing Mothers</HI> vnto the Church, who&s;e authority they &s;ee is &s;o great ouer them, as that their decree &s;tands ratified in heauen: Therefore though their place bee great, <NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;alme. 82.</NOTE> and they bee <HI>Gods vppon earth,</HI> yet mu&s;t
<PB N="44" REF="96">
they withall acknowledge, that in iu&s;ti|fying a &s;inner, in interpretation, <HI>in decla|ring vnto man</HI> his righteou&s;nes; in binding and loo&s;ing, <HI>their power</HI> al&s;o is <HI>immediate from God,</HI> &amp; aboue theirs, and they them|&s;elues, as they are <HI>men,</HI> mu&s;t <HI>&s;ubmit</HI> them|&s;elues to this powerfull word of the mini|&s;ters, to be taught by it, and to be reconci|led by meanes of it, &amp; highly mu&s;t they re&s;pect it; for though a man &s;peake it, yet is it the word of God: this is <HI>to lick the du&s;t of Christs feete,</HI> which the Prophet &s;pea|keth <NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;ay. 2 V&s;e for Mini&s;ters.</NOTE> of: not as the Pope would haue it, to hold the &s;tirrop, &amp; leade the hor&s;e, &amp; hold the water to the Pope, to ki&s;&s;e his toes, to holde their kingdomes of him, as tenants at will, or by curte&s;ie, but reuerently to ac|knowledge the ordinance to be Gods, the function &amp; duty to be high &amp; excellent, to acknowledge the power of their keyes and cen&s;ures (being rightly applied, their promi&s;es &amp; their threatnings to be as fro~ God, &amp; to &s;ubmit to them accordingly.</P>
<P>Secondly, <HI>Mini&s;ters</HI> the~&s;elues here mu&s;t learne, when they take the word of recon|ciliation into their hands and mouthes, to
<PB N="45" REF="96">
call to minde who&s;e it is, euen the Lords, and <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 V&s;e Gods word reue|rently.</NOTE> that he worketh with them, &amp; hath the grea|te&s;t hand in the work, and that therefore they mu&s;t v&s;e it in holymaner, with much feare and reuerence: <HI>It is not their owne, they may not v&s;e it as they li&s;t.</HI> And la&s;tly, Hearers are here taught, <HI>first</HI> to &s;ee how mad &s;uch men be which care|le&s;ly, and &s;ildome <HI>heare &s;ermons,</HI> but vpon any <NOTE PLACE="marg">3 V&s;e for Hearers. 1 Heare Gods word often &amp; re|uerently.</NOTE> occa&s;ion <HI>flye to wi&s;ards</HI> and charmers, which are the <HI>diuels Prophets:</HI> for &s;ee the difference of the&s;e two, the wi&s;ard and charmer hath &s;o|cietie <HI>with the diuell,</HI> the Preacher <HI>with God:</HI> the charmer hath his calling <HI>from the diuel,</HI> the Preacher is <HI>from God:</HI> the Charmers charme is the <HI>diuels watchword,</HI> (when he charmeth, the diuell doth the feate): the preachers doctrine is <HI>Gods watchword,</HI> when hee truly applyeth it, GOD him&s;elfe ratifieth and makes it good: therefore let all men feare to haue thus to doe with the diuell, by &s;eeking to his &s;laues, &amp; let them draw neere to God, by entring into fel|low&s;hip with his holy prophets, and godly Mini&s;ters.</P>
<P>And <HI>further,</HI> if when they preach, and thou <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 See the dignitie and pre<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter">ogatiue of the Mini|&s;ters calling.</NOTE> belieue&s;t, <HI>then GOD hath mercy on thee,</HI> then learne what reuerence they and their word is
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worthy of, which is thus accompanied with Gods mercy and forgiuenes: and then learne to heare the Word with feare and trembling, for it is Gods word, and not theirs: and when a true Mini&s;ter &s;aith vnto thee, on a true ground, I denounce thee a &s;infull man, and vnder the cur&s;e, or <HI>I declare thee to be righte|ous,</HI> and a child of grace, it is all one, as though God from heauen had &s;aid &s;o vnto thee. If a|ny man aske; But is it not <HI>as good</HI> if another <NOTE PLACE="marg">Obiect. But may not another Chri&s;tian do it?</NOTE> man pronounce forgiuene&s;&s;e vnto me vpon my repentance? I an&s;were, yes vndoubtedly, if it be <HI>in extraordinarie</HI> times or places, when there are no Mini&s;ters: for otherwi&s;e, cer|tainly this ble&s;sing is principally tied vnto the <NOTE PLACE="marg">And not or|dinatily.</NOTE> Mini&s;ters calling: for it is not &s;aid of any pri|uate mens calling any wher in the &s;cripture, as it is heere &s;aide of the mini&s;ters.</P>
<P>If <HI>an Angell, an Interpreter</HI> come to a man <NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter"> For they haue not the &s;ame promi&s;e.</NOTE> <HI>and declare vnto him his righteou&s;ne&s;&s;s, then</HI> (marke the conexion) <HI>then will GOD haue mercy on him, and will &s;ay, Deliuer him, &amp;c.</HI> Whence comes this ble&s;sing? from this pro|mi&s;e of God. If therfore other callings wil chal|lenge ordinarily the &s;ame <HI>ble&s;&s;ing,</HI> then mu&s;t they haue the &s;ame <HI>pro&s;mi&s;e.</HI> Be&s;ides, other
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Chri&s;tia~s being priuate men, though they <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 They haue not the &s;ame power to di&s;cerne.</NOTE> be &s;anctified, &amp; haue a good mea&s;ure of knowledge, yet haue they not the &s;ame <HI>&s;pirit of di&s;cerning</HI> that godly Mini&s;ters haue: nor can &s;o fully &amp; truly <HI>iudge,</HI> when a man hath repented, when not; and there|fore cannot &s;o truly <HI>pronounce</HI> the &s;entence of the law or Go&s;pel, nor haue they <HI>abili|tie</HI> ordinarily by their good conference, and Chri&s;tian coun&s;ell, to <HI>conuert</HI> a &s;oule, but to <HI>confirme</HI> one conuerted: but that power ordinarily belongs to the publike mini&s;tery of the word, therefore it follow|eth, that ordinarily they haue not the pow|er to pronounce the &s;entence of binding or loo&s;ing vppon any man: <HI>I</HI> confe&s;&s;e, in times or places, where no mini&s;ter can be <NOTE PLACE="marg">In extraor|dinary times and in want of mini&s;ters they may.</NOTE> had, God ble&s;&s;eth the labours of priuate men, that haue knowledge, &s;ometimes e|uen for the <HI>conuerting</HI> of a man to God, &amp; for <HI>comforting</HI> him at the houre of death, and giues a vertue and power to that &s;en|tence which they &s;hal pronounce one vp|on anothers repentance: but as this is ex|traordinary, and in the want of ordina|ry Mini&s;ters, &s;o in that ca&s;e a <HI>priuate man</HI> of knowledge and Godline&s;&s;e,
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<HI>is made a Mini&s;ter for that time</HI> to him&s;elfe, or to another, euen as <HI>a priuate man</HI> in ca|&s;es of extreame danger, whe~ <HI>no magi&s;trate</HI> is pre&s;ent, is made a <HI>magistrate</HI> him&s;elfe to defend his own life. So then as in want of a Magi&s;trate, the <HI>&s;word of the magi&s;tra|cie</HI> is put into the hand of a priuate man: &s;o in the want of Mini&s;ters, <HI>the keyes of the Ministerie</HI> are committed, and put into the hands of priuate men, (as in <HI>y^e</HI> dayes of per&s;ecution) that then they may with com|fort admoni&s;h &amp; adui&s;e: and with power pronounce mercy and forgiuene&s;&s;e one vnto another, vpon their true repentance. Yet alwaies remember that in &s;o doing, a priuate man is as <HI>a minister for that time, &amp; in that ca&s;e:</HI> but ordinarily (and alwaies in &s;etled Churches) this power pertaineth <HI>to the Mini&s;terie,</HI> &amp; is theirs alone by or|dination; and to them belongeth the pro|mi&s;e and the ble&s;sing, that when hee hath <HI>declared to a man his righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e, then God will haue mercie on him.</HI> And thus we &s;ee al&s;o the <HI>ble&s;&s;ing</HI> of God vpon the function of the Mini&s;terie, &amp; annexed therunto by the merciful di&s;pen&s;ation of God. It fol|loweth.</P>
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<HI>And will &s;ay, Deliuer him that he goe not downe into the pit: for I haue receiued a re|conciliation.</HI></P>
<P>The fift and la&s;t part of this de&s;cription <NOTE PLACE="marg">5. Part, the Commi&s;si|on, which is, Deliuer the penitent man from hell.</NOTE> is, <HI>the Commi&s;sion</HI> &amp; authoritie giuen vn|to him, which is &s;o great, as neuer was gi|uen to any creature, and is this, when a Mini&s;ter of God hath <HI>declared vnto man his righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e,</HI> hath brought him to the &s;tate of grace, and God in his fauour hath had mercie on him; then God &s;aith to the Mini&s;ter, <HI>Deliuer that &s;oule from hell, for I haue pardoned him in Chri&s;t, I am reconci|led to him.</HI></P>
<P>In which words, authoritie is giuen to <NOTE PLACE="marg">How a Mi|ni&s;ter is a redeemer.</NOTE> a Mini&s;ter of God <HI>to redeeme</HI> a man peni|tent, from hell &amp; damnation: not that hee is <HI>the meanes</HI> of working out this redemp|tion, for that wholy and onely is Chri&s;t him&s;elfe: but hee is <HI>Gods in&s;trument and Chri&s;ts in&s;trument:</HI> Fir&s;t, <HI>to apply</HI> tho&s;e meanes vnto him: Secondly, <HI>to pronounce</HI> his &s;afetie and deliuerance when the&s;e means are v&s;ed. Here is the principall ho|nour
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of all, belonging to that calling: and <NOTE PLACE="marg">More then Angels.</NOTE> it is the greate&s;t that euer was vouch&s;afed to any creature, Man or Angel: for it is a plaine Commi&s;sion, <HI>to go and deliuer &s;uch a man from the power of hell,</HI> &amp; to redeeme him into the &s;tate of Gods children, and to make him heire of heauen: Angels ne|uer had this Commi&s;sion, they are <HI>Me&s;|&s;engers &s;et out for the good of tho&s;e whom</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 1. vlt.</NOTE> <HI>Mini&s;ters haue redeemed,</HI> and they haue brought many comfortable me&s;&s;ages vn|to them: but it was neuer &s;aid to any An|gel, <HI>Deliuer that man that he goe not downe into the pit:</HI> as it heere is &s;aide vnto a Mini|&s;ter, <NOTE PLACE="marg">More then any other calling of men.</NOTE> nor any man but Mini&s;ters haue this Commi&s;sion. To &s;ome callings GOD &s;aith, <HI>worke</HI> thou for man, <HI>build</HI> him hou&s;es, <HI>prouide</HI> him &s;u&s;tenance; to the Phi&s;ition, <HI>heale</HI> that man: to the Lawyer, <HI>doe that man iu&s;tice:</HI> to the &s;ouldier, <HI>fight</HI> for him: to the Magi&s;trate, <HI>defend him:</HI> to the King, <HI>gouerne him,</HI> &amp; &s;ee that euery one doe his dutie: to none but to the Mi|ni&s;ter doth he &s;ay, <HI>Deliuer him that he goe not downe into the pit.</HI></P>
<P>If this be &s;o then for the v&s;e, fir&s;t Mi|ni&s;ters
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mu&s;t learne heere, that if they will <NOTE PLACE="marg">V&s;e 1. for Mini&s;ters.</NOTE> haue <HI>the honour</HI> of Redeemers, then mu&s;t they doe the <HI>dutie</HI> of Redeemers, they <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ergo, They mu&s;t pray and preach, dili|gently.</NOTE> mu&s;t <HI>pray</HI> earne&s;tly for the people, for that is one meanes whereby they redeeme men.</P>
<P>They mu&s;t &s;ay with <HI>Samuel, God for|bid that</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">1. Sam. 12.</NOTE> <HI>I &s;hould cea&s;e to pray for you:</HI> They mu&s;t <HI>mourne</HI> for the impenitent, when they will not turne to God. So did <HI>Da|uid,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;alm. 119.</NOTE> <HI>his eyes gu&s;hed out with riuers of waters, becau&s;e men kept not Gods law.</HI> And <HI>Iere|mie,</HI> who <HI>wi&s;hed a fountaine of water in his eyes, that he might weepe for the &s;innes of the people.</HI> They mu&s;t priuarly <HI>conferre vi&s;ite, admoni&s;h, and rebuke,</HI> and principally they mu&s;t <HI>preach,</HI> and that in &s;uch good man|ner, and in &s;o diligent mea&s;ure, as that they may redeeme and winne &s;oules, and the end that they mu&s;t ayme at, mu&s;t bee to winne &s;oules. Some preach for <HI>feare</HI> of <NOTE PLACE="marg">For &s;o do|ing they are redeemers&punc;</NOTE> the law, to auoyd cen&s;ure or puni&s;hment: &s;ome for <HI>fa&s;hion</HI> &s;ake, that they may bee like to others: &s;ome for <HI>o&s;tentation</HI> &s;ake, to win credite and prai&s;e: &s;ome for <HI>ambition,</HI> to ri&s;e in the world: all the&s;e forget their
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Commi&s;sion, which is, <HI>Deliuer a man</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Idle Mini&s;|ters are no redeemers.</NOTE> <HI>from hell.</HI></P>
<P>This &s;hould bee the end of their prea|ching, to <HI>deliuer a &s;oule from hell:</HI> &amp; what &s;hould Commi&s;sioners doe, but execute their Commi&s;sion? <HI>High Commi&s;&s;ioners</HI> are worthy to be <HI>low</HI> Commi&s;sioners, or rather, no Commi&s;sioners, if they wil not put it in execution. It is therefore lamen|table to &s;ee, that &s;ome by not preaching; &s;ome by vaine preaching, &s;hew that they intend any thing rather then the <HI>winning of &s;oules to God.</HI></P>
<P>Let then all good Mini&s;ters &s;o preach, as they may &s;ay with <HI>E&s;ay, Behold Lord heere am I, and the children whom thou hast giuen me.</HI> And that they may returne their Commi&s;sion thus: <HI>Whereas thou O Lord gaue&s;t mee this people, and bad&s;t mee deliuer them, that they goe not downe into hell, Lord I haue done it: it is the thing my &s;oule aymed at with all my de&s;ire and endeuour: and by thy mercy I haue effected it accordingly.</HI></P>
<P>And the rather mu&s;t all Chri&s;tian Mi|ni&s;ters &s;eriou&s;ly inte~d the <HI>&s;auing</HI> of &s;oules, ina&s;much as Antichri&s;t doth &s;o earne&s;tly
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&s;eeke the <HI>destruction</HI> of &s;oules, by winning <NOTE PLACE="marg">Turkes and Iewes, and Ie&s;uites, are carefull to &s;educe &s;oules.</NOTE> them to his Synagogue. The <HI>Turke</HI> &s;pares no labour, no co&s;t, to infect young chil|dren of Chri&s;tians with his impure and bla&s;phemous &s;uper&s;tition. The <HI>Pope</HI> and his va&s;&s;als (e&s;pecially <HI>Ie&s;uits,)</HI> v&s;e al means, deui&s;e many &s;tratagems, &s;pare no co&s;t, nor labor, to &s;educe &amp; inueagle young men, and the be&s;t wits. Surely their care and policie herein is admirable: and yet alas, when (like the Phari&s;ies) they haue <HI>com|pa&s;&s;ed Sea and land to make a Pro&s;elite,</HI> they make him like them&s;elues, <HI>the childe of hel.</HI></P>
<P>And they are &s;o farre from hauing <HI>any Commi&s;&s;ion</HI> from God to doe this, or any ble&s;sing promi&s;ed, as contrariwi&s;e GOD forbids them, and his <HI>cur&s;e</HI> lyeth vppon them for &s;o doing.</P>
<P>Shall they be &s;o diligent to <HI>de&s;troy &s;oules without a commi&s;sion,</HI> and incurre Gods cur&s;e for their labour? and &s;hall not Chri|&s;tian Mini&s;ters be much more diligent to <HI>winne</HI> and redeeme <HI>&s;oules,</HI> hauing &s;o large a <HI>commi&s;sion</HI> for the purpo&s;e, and &s;o great a <HI>ble&s;sing</HI> promi&s;ed thereunto?</P>
<P>In the next place, this doctrine hath
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v&s;e to the hearers. Fir&s;t, to let them &s;ee <NOTE PLACE="marg">2. V&s;e for Hearers.</NOTE> the excellencie of this calling, which hath <HI>a Comm&s;&s;ion</HI> and power to redeeme them <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 To &s;ee the excel|lencie of this calling.</NOTE> from hell and damnation, &amp; what honour is due vnto it: and to let the wicked man &s;ee (which any way abu&s;eth either the per&s;ons or the function) how ba&s;e &amp; vn|thankefull men they are, to recompence euill for good, and therefore no maruell though <HI>euil do neuer depart from the hou&s;es and families of &s;uch men:</HI> and further, to en|courage all men to giue the~&s;elues to God in this calling, for &s;ee here what they are, euen <HI>the high Commi&s;&s;ioners of God.</HI> Wee haue in our e&s;tate, a power deligated to <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mini&s;ters are Gods high Com|mi&s;sioners.</NOTE> certaine men of worth, and it is called <HI>the high Commi&s;sion,</HI> becau&s;e they haue power to doe great things, and that man thinkes him&s;elfe happy who can bring his &s;onne to this, to be thought fit to bee one <HI>of this Commi&s;sion:</HI> but behold heere <HI>a higher Commi&s;sion, a Commi&s;sion from God, to re|deeme &s;oules from the power of hell, and the diuels clawes:</HI> this is in deed a high Com|mi&s;sion, and &s;o high as this, was neuer granted out of the Court of heauen to any
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creature but to Mini&s;ters: they therefore are the <HI>High Commi&s;sioners</HI> of the <HI>high God.</HI> Is it not then an honour and happi|ne&s;&s;e vnto thee to bring thy &s;onne to this e&s;tate?</P>
<P>And la&s;tly, this mu&s;t teach <HI>all hearers,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">2. Hearers, Ergo, mu&s;t &s;ubmit the~|&s;elues to bee redeemed.</NOTE> their dutie to Gods word: namely, to &s;ub|mit them&s;elues vnto it: for if the Mini|&s;ter haue a <HI>Commi&s;sion</HI> to redeeme thy &s;oule, it mu&s;t be by the word &amp; holy di&s;|cipline. Therefore thy dutie is to heare Gods word patiently, to &s;ubmit thy &s;elfe vnto it, to be taught and in&s;tructed, nay, to be checked and rebuked, and to haue thy &s;innes di&s;couered, &amp; thy corruptions ript vp. If thou would&s;t haue thy <HI>cau&s;e</HI> &s;ucceed wel, <HI>thy Lawyer</HI> mu&s;t di&s;couer the weakne&s;&s;es of it: If thy body to be cured, <HI>thy Phy&s;ition</HI> mu&s;t purge the corruption of it. So if thy <HI>&s;oule</HI> bee to be redeemed, <HI>thy Minister</HI> mu&s;t &s;ee the weaknes, &amp; purge the corruptions of it, and though his doc|trine be har&s;h, &amp; hard vnto thy nature, and <HI>y^e</HI> di&s;cipline of <HI>y^e</HI> Go&s;pel &s;eeme rough vnto thee, yet mu&s;t not thou rage and rebel a|gain&s;t it, nor hate him, nor raile at his per&s;o~
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but &s;ubmit thy &s;elfe vnto it, for it is the me&s;&s;age and Mini&s;terie of thy &s;aluation: if otherwi&s;e, thou doe&s;t indeede a great wrong to the Mini&s;ter, for thou <HI>fru&s;tra|te&s;t his commi&s;sion:</HI> but alas, a farre greater to thy &s;elfe, for thou fur&s;trate&s;t <HI>thine owne &s;aluation.</HI></P>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
</TEXT>
<TEXT LANG="eng">
<FRONT>
<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
<PB REF="103">
<P>THE SECOND Treati&s;e of the Duties and Dignities of Mini&s;terie, by Mai|&s;ter <HI>Perkins.</HI></P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="dedication">
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<HEAD><HI>TO THE RIGHT wor&s;hipfull and Reuerend Iud|ges,</HI> Sir Iohn Sauile Knight, <HI>one of the Barons of his Maie&s;ties</HI> Exchequer, <HI>and</HI> Sir Chri&s;topher Yeluerion Knight, <HI>one of the Iudges of his Maje&s;ties Court of Kings Bench,</HI> and Sir Edward Phillips Knight, his Maie&s;ties Sargeant at Lawe, <HI>now or late the worthie Iudges of our Nor|theren Circuite, The &s;pirit of wi&s;edome, zeale &amp; cou|rage be multiplied.</HI></HEAD>
<P>RIght wor&s;hipfull, it is &s;ayd in other Nati|ons, and <HI>written</HI> in &s;ome of their bookes, that there are three <HI>di&s;graces</HI> of the En|gli&s;h Nation: The Ignorance, or (that I may &s;o call it) the vnlearned of our <HI>Ge~trie &amp; Nobili|tie,</HI> the beggery of our <HI>poore,</HI> &amp; the Ba&s;enes of the bodie of our <HI>Mini&s;terie,</HI> The <HI>fir&s;t</HI> blot, our Nobilitie and Gentrie haue well wiped off, &s;ince the fir&s;t daies of our ble&s;&s;ed Queen <HI>Elizabeth,</HI> partly by <HI>&s;tudie</HI> at home, partlie by <HI>trauell</HI> a|broade, and I hope they will do it more &amp; more: The <HI>&s;econd</HI> hath beene well le&s;&s;ened by good lawes of late, and would hee more, if the <HI>Exe|cution</HI> were as good as our lawes b<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter">e, &amp; it were much honour to our <HI>Nation,</HI> and more to our
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<HI>Religion,</HI> if it were quite taken away: for hee that tells vs there &s;hall bee <HI>poore</HI> euer with vs, &s;aith al&s;o, there &s;hall not bee a <HI>begger</HI> among&s;t <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 26. 11.</NOTE> vs; If there were no poore, what &s;hould become <NOTE PLACE="marg">Deut. 15.</NOTE> of <HI>Charitie?</HI> for it is Charitie, to relieue <HI>Po|uertie,</HI> not to maintaine <HI>Beggerie:</HI> Pouerty may bee a Cro&s;&s;e, but it is no Cur&s;e: but <HI>Beg|gerie</HI> is a fearefull cur&s;e, <HI>threatened</HI> on the enemies of God&punc; and <HI>Dauid</HI> &s;aith not, hee ne|uer &s;aw a righteous mans child <HI>poore,</HI> but that <NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;alm. 109. 10.</NOTE> hee neuer &s;aw him <HI>begge</HI> his <HI>bread.</HI> The daily <HI>cries</HI> in our &s;treetes, <HI>crie</HI> for yet further refor|mation <NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 37. 35.</NOTE> heereof, that the <HI>impotent poore</HI> may bee &s;ufficiently prouided for, that he <HI>neede</HI> not, and the <HI>Sturdie begger</HI> complied to worke, that hee may not be <HI>&s;uffered to begge.</HI> Happy you, or who&s;oeuer can haue a hand in effecting this ble&s;&s;ed worke, <HI>wee</HI> who can doe little el&s;e, &s;hall pray for it, and for them that labour in it. But now for the <HI>third,</HI> I feare none but the ve|rie hand of God, can wipe out that &s;taine from our Church: The ba&s;ene&s;&s;e of the generall body of our <HI>Mini&s;terie,</HI> whence is it, but either from the vnworthine&s;&s;e, or <HI>Pouertie</HI> thereof: and the vnworthine&s;&s;e, whence is it, but from the <HI>Pouertie,</HI> and ba&s;e maintenance of our <HI>Mi|ni&s;try,</HI> which was once robbed by the <HI>Abbies,</HI> and after by &s;ome in our owne State, which was then Popi&s;h, and Poperie that &s;tands &s;o much
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vpon <HI>Non dimittitur peccatum ni&s;i re&s;titu|atur ablatum,</HI> yet for all that, would not <HI>re|&s;tore</HI> vnto the Church <HI>her tenthes</HI> againe. But as popi&s;h Abbies <HI>&s;tole them,</HI> &s;o a popi&s;h State <HI>kept them,</HI> and to their &s;hame &s;ome of the good Profe&s;&s;ors of <HI>our Religion</HI> haue of late re&s;tored &s;uch as were in their hands, and there is hope that all our Profe&s;&s;ors, (vnle&s;&s;e they care not to bee accounted hypocrus) will make &s;ome con&s;cionable re&s;titution We doe not craue that they would with <HI>Zacheus re&s;tore foure-fold</HI> (though it is apparant, that the <NOTE PLACE="marg">Luke <HI>19.</HI> &amp;c.</NOTE> <HI>tenthes</HI> were got from vs in old time, by mo&s;t fal&s;e and <HI>forged Cauillations)</HI> we onely craue our owne, we would aske no <HI>more,</HI> nor willing|ly take <HI>le&s;&s;e:</HI> for our <HI>whole duetie</HI> is &s;till re|quired: then why &s;hould not our <HI>whole due</HI> be payd? And yet that the world may learne of vs <HI>contentedne&s;&s;e,</HI> as well by our practi&s;e as our doctrine, we would for the pre&s;ent take in good part, &amp; re&s;t contented with a part of our owne: And &s;ome competent portions out of the <HI>Im|propriations,</HI> (proportioned to the quantitie of the <HI>charge impo&s;ed,</HI> and the giftes and <HI>paines required)</HI> would for a time be a rea&s;o|nable &s;atisfaction in our <HI>Mini&s;terie,</HI> vntil our &s;tate found it &s;elf, either better enabled or more &s;traightly tied in Con&s;cience to full re&s;titution.
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But as I &s;aid, this is a worke of <HI>God</HI> him&s;elfe, for if a man could doe it &s;o many <HI>Parliaments</HI> would not haue &s;lipt it, but &s;ome of them would haue eternized it &s;elfe, with this honourable name to all posterities. <HI>The Parliament that re&s;tored Impropriations,</HI> but <HI>til that,</HI> or &s;ome other cour&s;e (as good) bee taken&punc; it is both <HI>vn|&s;ea&s;onable</HI> and <HI>vnrea&s;onable</HI> to complaine of the <HI>Ignorant,</HI> or to craue a <HI>learned Mini&s;te|rie.</HI> For <HI>&s;hal the Oxes mouth be mou&s;led,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>1.</HI> Corinth. <HI>9. 7. 9. 14.</HI></NOTE> <HI>which treads out the corne,</HI> or <HI>&s;hall a man goe to warre at his owne co&s;t?</HI> and hath not <HI>God ordained</HI> (marke, it is his <HI>Ordinance) that tho&s;e which teach the Go&s;pel, &s;hall liue of the Go&s;pel?</HI> But alas, how &s;hal the Mini|&s;terie of England liue of the Gospel, when my &s;mall experience can &s;hew that in one Corner of one <HI>Countie</HI> of this Kingdom, wherin there are &s;ome <HI>105.</HI> pari&s;hes, or parochial Chappels, <NOTE PLACE="marg">The Ea&s;t-Riding of the Coun|ty of Yorke.</NOTE> almo&s;t a <HI>100.</HI> of them, (if not a full <HI>100.)</HI> are <HI>Impropriate:</HI> and among&s;t them I can &s;hewe the mo&s;t pari&s;hes haue but <HI>10</HI> pound or there|abouts &s;ome <HI>8.</HI> li &s;ome <HI>6.</HI> li. &s;ome <HI><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter">.</HI> li &s;ome foure pounds, &s;ome not <HI>4.</HI> pounds yearly liuing for the Mini&s;ter and tho&s;e impropriations worth &s;ome <HI>300.</HI> li many <HI>200.</HI> li. almo&s;t all <HI>100</HI> li. per an yea there is one worth <HI>400</HI> pound per an: where there were but <HI>8</HI> li. left for the <HI>Mini|&s;ter,</HI>
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vntill of late with much adoe, <HI>10.</HI> pound more was obtained for a Preacher, and &s;o there is out of <HI>400, 8.</HI> pound &s;hared for a <HI>Mini&s;ter,</HI> and <HI>10.</HI> pound caried for a <HI>Preacher,</HI> in that pari&s;h where there are <HI>2000. Commu|nican<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter">s.</HI> Of all the re&s;t the Crowne hath &s;ome <HI>100</HI> pound rent, or not &s;o much, &amp; the remain|der of <HI>180.</HI> pound being a rich liuing, for a wor|thy learned Mini&s;ter, a <HI>competent</HI> liuing for <HI>2.</HI> and more then &s;ome <HI>7</HI> painful &amp; able mini|&s;ters haue) I know not what becomes of it, vn|le&s;&s;e it go to the feeding of Kits &amp; Cormorats. Are not the&s;e goodly liuings for <HI>learned</HI> men? and may not wee expect a <HI>learned mini&s;terie,</HI> where there is &s;uch <HI>maintenance?</HI> &amp; I hartily with that other countries, be not able to &s;howe the like Pre&s;idents. I haue the rather made re|lation hereof, that our high Court of <HI>Parlia|ment,</HI> may &s;ee how great cau&s;e they haue, to go forward with that motion already by the made, for the e&s;tabli&s;hing of a <HI>learned Mini&s;terie.</HI> But if they bring it not to pa&s;&s;e, what then re|maineth, but to hope that the great <HI>God of heauen,</HI> will put into the heart of the <HI>God on earth</HI> our noble king (into who&s;e hands he hath put the &s;word of &s;oueraigne authoritie) an irre|<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter">o<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter">able and unre&s;i&s;table re&s;olution to execute his &s;upreme power, for the reformation of this
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<HI>euill,</HI> which as Mai&s;ter <HI>Perkins</HI> &s;aith in this treati&s;e) may well be called the <HI>Kings euill,</HI> for it will hardly be healed, but by the <HI>will &amp; po|wer of a king.</HI> In the meane time this. <HI>Trea|ti&s;e</HI> of that worthy man, may be a motiue to our zealous profe&s;&s;ors, who haue any impropria|tions in their owne hands, to excite and prouoke them to a con&s;cionable re&s;titution, in whole or in part, as their <HI>e&s;tate</HI> may beare, or their, <HI>con&s;cience</HI> &s;hall mooue them. For heerein are layd downs and mixed together, both the <HI>du|ties</HI> to be done by faithfull <HI>Mini&s;ters,</HI> and the <HI>Dignities</HI> due vnto them for their duties: and &s;o &s;eeing the <HI>dignities</HI> of that calling to bee mo&s;t honourable, and the <HI>duties</HI> &s;o chargeable, it cannot but grieue their christian harts to &s;ee the <HI>maintenance</HI> &s;o mi&s;erable.</P>
<P>This Treati&s;e I fir&s;t of all &s;end <HI>to you,</HI> &amp; vn|der your names to the world, &amp; to you fir&s;t, for as I am &s;ure you loued the Author, and honoured tho&s;e excellent gifts of God in him, &s;o you ca~not but accept this after birth of his (as a fatherles child for the <HI>fathers</HI> &s;ake. And for my &s;elf, to co~|ceale al per&s;onal &amp; priuat re&s;pects, in the name of many thou&s;ands in the <HI>Northeren coun|tries,</HI> I prai&s;e God, for the good done in tho&s;e parts, by your painful cour&s;es, &amp; religious care, not doubting, but if <HI>your &s;elues,</HI> or the <HI>like</HI>
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bee imployed there, to a&s;i&s;t our honourable and Religie us <HI>Lord Pre&s;ident</HI> that the multitude of Popi&s;h Prie&s;tes there lurking, will bee dayly <HI>le&s;&s;ened,</HI> the <HI>number</HI> of preachers <HI>augmen|ted, Poperie</HI> put downe, and the <HI>Go&s;pell</HI> maintained more and more. Which ble&s;&s;ing GOD graunt to that and all other <HI>Coun|teries</HI> of this Kingdome, for his mercies &s;ake: and giue vnto <HI>you,</HI> &amp; all others in your <HI>place,</HI> the &s;pirit of courage and con&s;tancie, in the&s;e de|clining dayes, that being faithfull in your great charges, vnto the end, you may receiue the Crowne of life: for which he hartily prayeth, who will euer rest,</P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>VV. Cra&s;hawe.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
</FRONT>
<BODY>
<DIV1 N="2" TYPE="treatise">
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<HEAD>The &s;econd Treati&s;e, of the <HI>Duties and Dignities of the</HI> Mini&s;terie.</HEAD>
<EPIGRAPH>
<BIBL>E&s;ay. 6.</BIBL>
<Q><P>5. <HI>Then I &s;aid, woe is me, I am vn|done for I am a man of polluted lips, and dwell in the mid&s;t of a people of polluted lips: for my eyes haue &s;eene the king and Lord of ho&s;tes.</HI></P>
<P>6. <HI>Then flewe one of the Seraphins vnto me, with a hote coale in his hand.</HI></P>
<P>7. <HI>Which he tooke from the Altar with the tonges: and touched my mouth and &s;aid, Loe this hath touched thy lips, and thy iniquitie &s;hall be taken away, and thy &s;in &s;hall be purged.</HI></P>
<P>8. <HI>Al&s;o I heard the voyce of the Lorde, &s;aying, whom &s;hall I &s;end, and who &s;hall goe for vs? then &s;aid I, here am I, &s;end me: and he &s;aid goe.</HI></P></Q>
</EPIGRAPH>
<P>_IN the fiue former Chapters are co~tai|ned &s;uch Sermons, as the Prophet had made vnder <HI>Vzziah</HI> king of <HI>Iuda:</HI> At this Chapter begin &s;uch as he preached in the raigne of <HI>Iotham,</HI>
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and &s;o forward: But before hee either <NOTE PLACE="marg">The Cohoe|rence.</NOTE> preach or prophecie of any thing, in King <HI>Iothams</HI> dayes, or his &s;ucce&s;&s;ors, the Lord in this Chapter giues a newe commi&s;sion to the Prophet, &amp; a newe <NOTE PLACE="marg">With a new King, God giues the Prophet a new Com|mi&s;sion.</NOTE> confirmation to this Calling: the olde king in who&s;e dayes <HI>E&s;ayah</HI> was fir&s;t called being now dead, &amp; another &s;uc|ceeding him, God with the new king, reneweth the calling &amp; commi&s;sion of the Prophet: wherein God doth not giue him another calling, for one cal|ling to the office of the mini&s;tery is &s;uf|ficient: but hee confirmeth the calling formerly giuen, by repeating &amp; ratify|ing it. And this God did to <HI>E&s;ay,</HI> not as he was an ordinarie, but an extraordi|nary prophet: for ordinary Mini&s;ters need no renouation of their calling, nor any new &s;ignes of co~firmation, but ex|traordinary prophets, who come in ex|traordinary maner, &amp; to doe many ex|traordinary workes, God in his wi&s;dom wil haue their calling confirmed, again, &amp; againe, &amp; that by very extraordina|ry meanes. Out of which practi&s;e of the Lord, we learne, how great cau&s;e wee <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ergo, extra|ordinary.</NOTE> haue to doubt the&s;e men, to bee either
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fanta&s;ticall or wor&s;e, who pretend ex|traordinary <NOTE PLACE="marg">Callings o<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter"> motions in the&s;e dayes are not ea&s;i|ly to be be|leeued.</NOTE> callings in the&s;e dayes, and yet &s;carce can &s;hew vs any good &s;ignes of an ordinary, much le&s;&s;e of an extra|ordinatie motion: for if in tho&s;e dayes, when &s;uch cour&s;es were more co~mon, God will haue his extraordinary Pro|phets calling to be renued &amp; co~firmed, again, &amp; againe, then certainly in the&s;e dayes, we may iu&s;tly require, more, &amp; more wonderfull &s;ignes of an extraor|dinary calling afore we belieue it: and if God him&s;elfe was &s;o carefull to &s;ati&s;|fie his Church in tho&s;e dayes of the vo|cation of his prophet, &s;urely the church in the&s;e daies hath much more cau&s;e to doubt in &s;uch ca&s;es, and to require ma|ny and extraordinary &s;ignes, afore it acknowledge any &s;uch extraordinary calling: The&s;e men therefore offer much wrong to the Church, &amp; de&s;erue both the cen&s;ure thereof, and the &s;word of the Magi&s;trate, who dare &s;o boldly offer and obtrude to the Church their owne fancies and dreames, as extraor|dinary motions of Gods &s;pirit. This is the occa&s;ion and coherence.</P>
<P>This Chapter hath two partes, <NOTE PLACE="marg">The parts of the Chapt.</NOTE>
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fir&s;t, the meanes of his confirmation, from the beginning to the&s;e words: &s;e|condly, the confirmation it &s;elfe, from the&s;e words to the end: the meanes of his confirmation is <HI>a vi&s;ion</HI> he &s;aw <HI>from heauen,</HI> of certaine holy Angels appea|ring and &s;peaking to him, in the fir&s;t 4. ver&s;es. In the confirmation, which fol|loweth in the&s;e words, are three points<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter"></P>
<P N="1">1 The <HI>effect of the vi&s;ion,</HI> which i <NOTE PLACE="marg">The parts of this text.</NOTE> wrought in the Prophet, it cau&s;ed him feare, it a&s;toni&s;ht him, and ca&s;t him downe: in the fifth ver&s;e.</P>
<P N="2">2 His <HI>Con&s;olation,</HI> &amp; rai&s;ing vp again after his feare, in the 6. and 7. ver&s;es.</P>
<P N="3">3 The <HI>renuing of his Commi&s;&s;ion</HI> a|gaine, from thence to the end.</P>
<P>The feare and a&s;toni&s;hment of the Prophet, is de&s;cribed,</P>
<P N="1">1 By the &s;ignes, of which are two;</P>
<P N="1">1 A note of exclamation, <HI>woe is me.</HI></P>
<P N="2">2 By a note of extreame deiection in him&s;elfe, <HI>I am vndone.</HI></P>
<P N="2">2 By the cau&s;es of it, which are al&s;o &s;et downe to be two:</P>
<P N="1">1 He was <HI>a man polluted, and dwelt among&s;t people polluted.</HI></P>
<P N="2"><PB N="61" REF="109">
2 <HI>He had &s;eene the Lord.</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">1. Point is the feare of the prophet.</NOTE></P>
<P><HI>Then &s;aid I, woe is me, I am vndone.</HI></P>
<P>The fir&s;t point in order is, the <HI>feare &amp; exta&s;ie</HI> into which the Lord droue his holy Prophet, which the Lord did not in his anger, but in his loue vnto him, not for a puni&s;hment of &s;inne, but as an euidence of his further loue: for the intent and purpo&s;e of God in &s;triking this feare into him, was to inable him to be a true prophet, &amp; a fit me&s;&s;enger for him&s;elf. It may &s;eeme a &s;trange cour&s;e, which God taketh to confirme &amp; rai&s;e vp his &s;eruant in zeale and courage, to &s;trike him into an extreame feare, euen to a&s;toni&s;h and amaze him, and yet we &s;ee it is the cour&s;e which the Lord ta|keth: out of which practi&s;e of the Lord, we learne this doctrine: That all true <NOTE PLACE="marg">Doct. Be&s;t Mini&s;ters mo&s;t ama|zed at their enterance.</NOTE> Mini&s;ters, e&s;pecially &s;uch as are depu|ted to the greate&s;t works in his church, mu&s;t be fir&s;t of all &s;triken into a great feare, in con&s;ideration of the greatnes of their function, yea, into an amaze|ment and a&s;toni&s;hment, in the admira|tion of Gods glory &amp; greatnes, who&s;e
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roome they occupy, &amp; who&s;e me&s;&s;age they bring, &amp; the more they are afraid and &s;hrinke, &s;o it be vnder the contem|plation of Gods Maie&s;tie, and their owne weaknes, the more likelier it is that they are truly cald of God, &amp; ap|pointed for worthy purpo&s;es in his Church: but he that &s;teps to this functi|on without feare, he may thru&s;t in him|&s;elfe, but its doubtfull whether hee bee cald of God, as here the Prophet was: Nor is it &s;o here alone, but euery where when God called any of his &s;eruants, to any great worke, be fir&s;t droue the~ into the&s;e feares and a mazements, as is eui|dent <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg"><HI>Exod.</HI> 3. 11. <HI>&amp;</HI> 4. 10. 13.</NOTE> in <HI>Mo&s;es,</HI> in <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg"><HI>Ieremie</HI> 1. 6. 7.</NOTE> <HI>Ieremie,</HI> in <NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg"><HI>Act.</HI> 9. 6. <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> S. <HI>Paul</HI> and others. The rea&s;on of this dealing of the Lord is plaine: namely, becau&s;e mans nature is alwayes ready to take e|nough and too much vnto it &s;elfe, God therefore in his wi&s;dome puts a bridle vnto the corrupt nature of ma~, &amp; a&s;to|ni&s;heth it, lea&s;t it pre&s;ume too much, &amp; take too much vpon it &s;elfe: Againe&punc; a Mini&s;ter is to preach vnto the people, feare &amp; reuere~ce of the Lord: but how can he do &s;o to others, whe~ he hath not
<PB N="63" REF="110">
tyed that bond in his owne con&s;cience, nor was euer ca&s;t downe in admiration of Gods glory &amp; Maie&s;tie: And la&s;tly, the mini&s;tery is a high &amp; excellent cal|ling (e&s;pecially the office of extraordi|nary prophets in the old te&s;tament) &amp; is therefore &s;ubiect to pride, and to bee puft vp with &s;elf-conceits, &amp; therefore teacheth the Apo&s;tle to <HI>Timothy,</HI> that <HI>a</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">1. <HI>Tim.</HI> 13.</NOTE> <HI>Mini&s;ter may not be a yong &s;choller, lea&s;t he be puft vp, &amp; fall into the condemnation of the wicked:</HI> giuing vs to vnder&s;tand, that it is <HI>y^e</HI> peculiar danger of that calling to haue high conceits of the~&s;elues, becau&s;e of the height &amp; dignitie of ther functi|on. Therfore to preuent this inco~ueni|ence, God in mercy appointeth that all his true Mini&s;ters &s;hall haue &s;ome means or other, to be ca&s;t down euen to nothing in the~&s;elues, &amp; &s;hall be driuen into &s;uch feares &amp; amazements at &s;ight of their owne wickedne&s;&s;e, as they &s;hal throwe downe them&s;elues at Chri&s;ts feete, and denying them&s;elues wholy, &s;hal acknowledge that they are in him what&s;oeuer they are: and doe relye,
<PB N="64" REF="111">
and tru&s;t onely on his grace and helpe. <NOTE PLACE="marg">V&s;e. Ergo, Mini|&s;ters: and e&s;pecially in the Vniuer|&s;ities, labour to bee hum|bled in &s;ight of Gods</NOTE></P>
<P>The v&s;e of this doctrine, as it is for all Mini&s;ters, &s;o &s;pecially for vs which liue in the Vniuer&s;ity: we liue as it were in a Seminary, and many of vs are here|after by Gods grace to be framed to the Mini&s;tery, and &s;ome of vs already are. Now here we haue many occa&s;ions to be puft vp in &s;elf-conceits: we &s;ee our <NOTE PLACE="marg">greatnes, and their own meane|ne&s;&s;e.</NOTE> &s;elues growe in time, in degrees, in lear|ning, in honour, in name and e&s;timati|on: &amp; to many of vs God giues good portions of his gifts: what are all the&s;e, but &s;o many baites to allure vs to pride, &amp; vaine opinions of our own worths? but let vs reme~ber the end wee aime at, is not humane, nor carnal: our purpo&s;e is to &s;aue &s;oules, <HI>Then the weapons of our warre mu&s;t not be carnal,</HI> as pride, vaine|glory, <NOTE PLACE="marg">2. Cor. 11. 4.</NOTE> and &s;elf-conceit. If therefore we euer looke to be made in&s;truments of Gods glory in &s;auing of &s;oules, then at the fir&s;t &s;et we not before our eyes the <HI>honour,</HI> but <HI>the daunger</HI> of our calling, and <HI>humble we our &s;elues vnder the migh|tie hand of our</HI> God, <HI>that he may exale
<PB N="65" REF="111">
vs in his due time:</HI> and let vs bee content that God giue any occa&s;ion or meanes to pul vs down, either by outward cro&s;&s;e, or inward temptation: and let vs re|ioyce, when wee are thereby &s;o farre ca&s;t downe, that wee cry out in the a&s;toni&s;h|ment of our &s;pirits, as the Prophet heere<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter"> <HI>Woe is mee, I am vndone:</HI> but otherwi&s;e if wee will needes followe the &s;winge of our proude natures, and tru&s;t in our owne abilitie, gifts, and learning, let vs knowe, wee v&s;e <HI>carnall weapons in a &s;piri|tuall warfare:</HI> and let vs bee a&s;&s;ured the Lord will worke no great worke in his Church by our Mini&s;terie: wee may rai&s;e our &s;elues in worldly e&s;timation, and worke out our owne purpo&s;es, but we &s;hal do little in the &s;aluation of &s;oules: for tho&s;e men doe pronounce the mo&s;t powerfull ble&s;&s;ings on other mens &s;oules, and &s;peake the be&s;t wordes of comfort to other mens con&s;ciences, which oftene&s;t &s;ay vnto them&s;elues; <HI>Woe is mee, I am vn|done.</HI></P>
<P>Furthermore, whereas the Prophet at this Vi&s;ion and Reuelation of Gods
<PB N="66" REF="112">
glory vnto him, cryeth out of him|&s;elfe, <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Doct. Ergo, The Prophets hold not the opinion of the Interce&s;|&s;ion of An|gels.</NOTE> <HI>Woe is mee, I am vndone:</HI> being wordes of extreame feare and a&s;toni&s;h|ment, and of &s;o lowe a deiection as is a degree towards de&s;peration (if it had gone forward): let vs learne that the Prophet helde not in his iudgement, the Doctrine of Interce&s;&s;ion of Angels and Saints for particular men, for if hee had, hee neede not at the &s;ight of Gods maie&s;tie, foorthwith to haue cryed out, <HI>Woe is mee, I am vndone,</HI> but hee might haue &s;tayed him&s;elfe a while in this co|gitation, I will de&s;ire <HI>Mo&s;es, Samuel,</HI> or <HI>Dauid,</HI> to pray to this glorious GOD for mee, or heere are holy Angels of the Seraphins here pre&s;ent, they &s;ee in what fearefull ca&s;e I am, I will pray to them to &s;peake to this glorious and mightie Lorde for mee, that I peri&s;h not in this feare: but hee in&s;tantly &s;eeing the Lorde appeare in Maie&s;tie, and fearing his iu&s;t wrath, (being guiltie of his owne corruptions) without any hope or expe|ctation, or (as he &s;eemes) without the lea&s;t cogitation of helpe or a&s;si&s;tance from
<PB N="67" REF="112">
any creature, he cryeth out, <HI>I am vndone.</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">3 Doct. Ergo, The calling to the Mini&s;tery is a worke like vnto the cal|ling of a &s;in|ner to the &s;tate of grace.</NOTE></P>
<P>La&s;tly, whereas hee exclaimeth, <HI>Woe is mee, I am vndone:</HI> being words of a &s;oule humbled and deiected, and hereby &s;hew|eth him&s;elfe to bee in that ca&s;e, which a poore &s;inner is, when the preaching of the Lawe hath humbled him, by &s;hewing him his &s;innes and his extreame daunger by them. Wee may learne, that to bee called to the Mni&s;terie, is to be as it were conuerted and regenerate: and that when a man is called thereunto, it is a worke little le&s;&s;e then that whereby GOD cal|leth a &s;inner from his &s;inne, to the &s;tate of repentance: for as God fir&s;t ca&s;teth downe the &s;inner, before hee giue him grace, or any feeling of his loue in Chri&s;t: &s;o heere, hee fir&s;t aba&s;eth and ca|&s;teth downe the Prophete in the &s;ight of GODS Maie&s;tie, and his owne mi&s;erie, afore hee honour him with a Commi&s;sion to preach his word vnto his people. Which I note again&s;t tho&s;e men, which holde it &s;o ordinary a mat|ter <NOTE PLACE="marg">V&s;e. Ergo, <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 word"> be required, to</NOTE> to enter into the Mini&s;terie, as ma|ny doe, which take it vppon them in
<PB N="68" REF="113">
worldly and politique purpo&s;es. And <NOTE PLACE="marg">Qualify a man for the Mini&s;terie.</NOTE> &s;ome of a better ranke, which thinke if a man haue learning, degrees and age, hee is &s;ufficiently qualified for that cal|ling. But alas, this is not all; there is a greater worke to be wrought then &s;o, hee mu&s;t be humbled and ca&s;t down in &s;ight of the greatne&s;&s;e of that calling, of the ma|ie&s;tie of that God who&s;e roome hee is to execute, and of the vnworthine&s;&s;e of him&s;elfe to &s;o great a worke: hee mu&s;t be re&s;olued, that to call a man to the Mini|&s;terie, is the greate&s;t worke that GOD worketh in his Church, but the conuer|ting of a &s;inner, and calling him to the &s;tate of grace: nay it is a worke euen like vnto it: for as a &s;inner in his <HI>conuer&s;ion,</HI> &s;o hee at his <HI>Vocation</HI> to that place, is often to cry out in the amazement of his &s;oule, <HI>Woe is mee, I am vndone.</HI> As therefore they are fouly deceiued, which thinke any holine&s;&s;e or &s;anctification, can &s;uf|ficiently qualifie a man without lear|ning, &s;o are they no le&s;&s;e which thinke all outward complements to bee &s;uffici|ent without this worke, which heere was
<PB N="69" REF="113">
wrought in the holy Prophet. Thus Cau&s;es of we &s;ee the feare &amp; a&s;toni&s;hment of the his feare 2. Prophet. It followeth.</P>
<P><HI>For I am a man of polluted lippes.</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cau&s;e pol|lution of him&s;elfe &amp; his people.</NOTE></P>
<P>Now follow the cau&s;es of his feare, which are two. The fir&s;t is, <HI>his owne pollution</HI> and &s;infulne&s;&s;e, and the &s;in|fulne&s;&s;e of his people: his own he free|ly <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 His owne. He was a man of pol|luted lippes.</NOTE> confe&s;&s;eth in the&s;e words; <HI>I am a man of polluted lippes:</HI> that is, I am a mi&s;erable and &s;infull man, and therefore <HI>I</HI> feare and tremble to &s;tand in Gods pre&s;ence: nay, <HI>I</HI> dare not looke vpon the Lorde, for my &s;innes. But it may be demaun|ded, how could the Prophet &s;ay thus truely, for he was a holy man, and iu&s;ti|fied <NOTE PLACE="marg">A he was a polluted man.</NOTE> in Gods prefence, by his true faith in the <HI>Me&s;&s;ias,</HI> and &s;anctified by repen|tance: can a man iu&s;tified and &s;anctifi|ed, &s;ay, he is a man polluted? <HI>I</HI> an&s;were, <NOTE PLACE="marg">And he com|plaineth not of capltall &s;innes.</NOTE> It is doubtle&s;&s;e, he was &s;o, he therefore complaineth here not of any great and enormous &s;innes, which hee had com|mitted to the publike &s;candall of the
<PB N="70" REF="114">
Church, but fir&s;t of the corruptio~ of his <NOTE PLACE="marg">But of the corruption of his nature</NOTE> nature, which in him as in all men is a very &s;ea of iniquity, &amp; which alwaies appeares the more, the neerer a man comes to God, and therefore did now mo&s;t apparantly di&s;couer it &s;elfe in the prophet, when he was in the pre&s;ence of the Lord him&s;elf. Secondly, he com|plaineth of &s;ome actual &s;ins of his life, and it is more likely of &s;ome &s;ins of o|mi&s;&s;ion, <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Of &s;ome omi&s;sion in his calling.</NOTE> then of co~mi&s;sion: for we find not that the prophet was euer touched with any great &s;in, &amp; where we know it not, we are in charitie not to imagine it. So that it is mo&s;t probable, hee com|plaineth of &s;ome &s;maller faults, or neg|ligences in his Mini&s;tery: as not prea|ching to the people at &s;ome time when he ought, or not preaching &s;o willingly or cheerfully as he &s;hould, or de&s;ire to leaue preaching, becau&s;e the people were &s;tubborne &amp; di&s;obedient, or &s;ome impatience in his Mini&s;tery, when the people were rebellious and re&s;i&s;ted his doctrine, which pa&s;sion might the ra|ther vexe him (as we read it did <HI>Ieremy)</HI>
<PB N="71" REF="114">
the Iewes were &s;o &s;tubborne &amp; &s;tifnec|ked a people: or it may be &s;ome want of zeale or forwardnes, the&s;e, or &s;ome &s;uch were the cau&s;e of his feare: And the co~&s;cience of the&s;e makes him here cry out that he cannot &s;tand in the &s;ight of God. Where we learn, fir&s;t, what a ten|der <NOTE PLACE="marg">Doct. Ergo, Mini|&s;ters mu&s;t be men of tender con|&s;cience.</NOTE> con&s;cience godly Mini&s;ters mu&s;t haue aboue all men: namely, that they mu&s;t make con&s;cience, not of the great and gro&s;&s;e &s;ins onely; but euen of the lowe&s;t &amp; lea&s;t &s;ins: and he mu&s;t ende|uour in his calling, not only to be cleere of great crimes, but as far as may be, to bee free from the lea&s;t appearance of euill, and from the lea&s;t negligences in his place, for a &s;mall faultin other men is great in them, and that which may be &s;ome waies pardonable in other men, is no way in them: they mu&s;t therefore watch ouer them&s;elues mo&s;t carefully, <NOTE PLACE="marg">And make confidence of the lea&s;t &s;innes.</NOTE> and take heede to all their waies: &amp; for this ende is it, that a Mini&s;ter in godly wi&s;edome mu&s;t often depriue him&s;elfe euen of many things (which it may be, lawfully hee might v&s;e) lea&s;t his li|berty
<PB N="72" REF="115">
be an occa&s;ion of euill to others: and mu&s;t ab&s;taine from the lea&s;t &s;ins, lea&s;t euen they be blemi&s;hes to his cal|ling, and burthens to his con&s;cience. And hence is it, that a mini&s;ter cannot be too carefull in his calling, in his words, diet, company, recreation, appa|rel, ge&s;tures, and in his whole carriage, becau&s;e little &s;ins are &s;o great in the~, E&s;|pecially <NOTE PLACE="marg">And be mo&s;t carefull in his mini&s;tery both pub|likely and priuately.</NOTE> mini&s;ters mu&s;t here learne the Apo&s;tles le&s;&s;on, to bee <HI>in&s;tant in &s;ea&s;on and out of &s;ea&s;on: to preach and exhort, to comfort and rebuke, publikely and priuate|ly:</HI> to good, to bad: when it is wel taken, when it is ill taken: when they willing|ly receiue it, and when they &s;tubborn|ly re&s;i&s;t it: when they commend him, and reward him, and when they raile at him, and per&s;ecute him for it: thus mu&s;t he be diligent in &s;ea&s;on and out of &s;ea|&s;on, for the lea&s;t negligence in his du|tie, or omitting the lea&s;t opportunity of doing good, will when God vi&s;its his con&s;cience, bee a burthen and vexati|on to him, as it was heere to the Pro|phet.</P>
<P><PB N="73" REF="115">
And furthermore, if the&s;e &s;mal &s;innes <NOTE PLACE="marg">V&s;e. Vrgo, Mi|ni&s;ters for great &s;ins &s;hould be greatly humbled.</NOTE> thus afflicted the Prophet, then alas what is to be thought of tho&s;e mini&s;ters who make no con&s;cience of foule and &s;candalous &s;innes? how &s;hall Symonie, Incontinencie, V&s;ury, inho&s;pitality, co|uetou&s;ne&s;&s;e, Ignorance, Idlene&s;&s;e, care|le&s;&s;e Nonre&s;idencie, how &s;hall the&s;e (I &s;ay) and other like grieuous crimes op|pre&s;&s;e &amp; burthen the &s;oule, when as the &s;malle&s;t &s;ins doe &s;o affright this holy man? Surely, whe~ God &s;hal vi&s;ite them, their &s;tates will bee mo&s;t fearefull, nor, &s;hall any mans ca&s;e be &s;o mi&s;erable, as an vnco~&s;cionable mini&s;ters: And thogh nowe &s;uch loo&s;e and licentious Mini|&s;ters &s;eeme to liue in Iolitie, &amp; without any feare, yet when God &s;hall appeare vnto their con&s;cience, then will they cry out in fearefull angui&s;h, <HI>Woe is me, I am vndone.</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">And for great negh<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter"> ge~ce in their calling, el&s;e they haue no con&s;ci|ence.</NOTE></P>
<P>And againe, if the&s;e &s;mal faults &s;o af|frighted this holy prophet, &amp; burdened his con&s;cience, then what pittifull con|&s;ciences haue tho&s;e mini&s;ters, who&s;e daily negligence, and vncon&s;cionable
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carele&s;&s;ene&s;&s;e in their places is &s;uch, as all men &s;peake of, and yet they are not touched: &s;urely the&s;e men are not of &s;o tender co~&s;ciences as the prophet was: &amp; either the prophet here was much more nice then needed, or el&s;e the&s;e men will proue to be in a mi&s;erable e&s;tate.</P>
<P>La&s;tly, let Mini&s;ters of care and con|&s;cience, be here comforted in the ex|ample <NOTE PLACE="marg">Good and faithfull mi|ni&s;ters not to be di&s;|couraged, though they haue &s;ome wants, for &s;o the prophets had, but let them com|plaine of them as here the prophet doth.</NOTE> of the Prophet: who is there, but may find imperfections and blemi&s;hes in him&s;elfe, which will often make him cry out; <HI>Woe is me?</HI> but let not that di&s;|comfort them, but rather reioyce, that they can &s;ee their owne weaknes, as the Prophet did here: If they haue cau&s;e to exclaime again&s;t them&s;elues, they are not alone, it was this, and all other ho|ly prophets ca&s;e before them. In hauing imperfections in them&s;elues, they are no more mi&s;erable then the Prophet was: but let them labour to be as ble&s;&s;ed in &s;eeing &amp; complaining of them&s;elues as hee was: And let euery mini&s;ter a&s;|&s;ure him&s;elfe, that the more hee makes con&s;cience, euen of the lea&s;t &s;innes of
<PB N="75" REF="116">
all, the more he re&s;embleth the ancient holy Prophets, &amp; the more likely is he to worke effectually in his mini&s;tery. For his duty is to worke in his people a con&s;cience, not of great &s;innes onely, but euen of all: but how can he doe that in them, if he haue not fir&s;t of all done it in him&s;elfe? hence it is therefore, that godly mini&s;ters finde fault with them|&s;elues, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Godly mi|ni&s;ters find<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter"> fault with them&s;elues when the world can|not.</NOTE> when other men cannot, and cry out again&s;t them&s;elues, for their <HI>pollu|tions</HI> (with the prophet here) when no other man can accu&s;e them of the lea&s;t crime: nay, when other doe magnifie God for his graces on them, and prai&s;e their giftes, and commend their good liues, euen then doe they condemne them&s;elues, and exclaime again&s;t their owne corruptions: and their owne &s;malle&s;t negligences, or omi&s;&s;ions, are great wounds to their con&s;ciences: and their lea&s;t &s;innes, and their mo&s;t pardo|nable infirmities, are &s;ore burthens vn|to them: for of all men in the worlde, a godly mini&s;ter is a man of the mo&s;t ten|der con&s;cience.</P>
<P><PB N="76" REF="117">
Hitherto hath the prophet complai|ned generally of his pollution.</P>
<P>Particularly, hee exclaimeth again&s;t <HI>the pollution of his lippes.</HI> But why will <NOTE PLACE="marg">Particularly he complai|neth again&s;t the polluti|on of his lippes.</NOTE> &s;ome &s;ay, complaines hee of the <HI>polluti|on of his lippes,</HI> rather then of his heart, or his hands, or any other part of him, were they not all polluted&punc; yes, all in &s;ome mea&s;ure: and was not he grieued at them all? yes a&s;&s;uredly, wee mu&s;t grant that al&s;o. But the rea&s;on is he was a prophet, his dutie was to v&s;e his tongue, the practi&s;e of his calling con|&s;i&s;ted <NOTE PLACE="marg">For a Pro|phets dutie con&s;i&s;ts in the v&s;e of his tongue.</NOTE> in the v&s;e of his tongue: for a mi|ni&s;ter is an interpeter, as he is called, <HI>Iob</HI> 33. 23. that is, <HI>the peoples to God by prayer, and Gods to the people by preaching:</HI> he is Gods mouth, and the peoples mouth: &s;o that the tongue of a Mini&s;ter is that part of his body, which is to be v&s;ed as a principall in&s;trument of Gods glory, and more to the &s;etting foorth of his honour then any other: Now euery man is to be tryed what he is by his cal|ling, rather then by any other acciden|tall or collaterall cour&s;es: therefore the
<PB N="77" REF="117">
honour or di&s;honour of a mini&s;ter, is the v&s;e or the abu&s;e of his tongue: and his comfort or di&s;comfort is the well v|&s;ing, or not v&s;ing of it. The prophet therefore here affrighted at Gods pre|fence, <NOTE PLACE="marg">His &s;malle&s;t negligence in teaching, checks his con&s;cience.</NOTE> and therefore retyring into him|&s;elfe, pre&s;ently his con&s;cience checkes him for his mo&s;t proper &s;ins: namly, for &s;ome fault or negligence in his Mini|&s;terie, (which is the proper &s;inne of that calling) and therfore is it that he exclai|meth again&s;t the <HI>pollutions of his lippes:</HI> out of which practi&s;e of his we may learne; <NOTE PLACE="marg">V&s;e. 1. Vrgo po|pi&s;h doctrin of mans me|rits is fal&s;e.</NOTE></P>
<P>Fir&s;t, the vanitie of the Papi&s;ts, who magnifie the merites of holy mens workes: for if this holy prophet, a man truly iu&s;tified, &amp; extraordinarily &s;anc|tified, yet dur&s;t not &s;tand before God in this little apparance of his glory, notwith&s;tanding all his zeale, and cou|rage, and con&s;cience, and paines, and &s;ufferings in his function, but was ca&s;t downe &s;o farre, from a conceit of his owne worth, that hee cryed out; <HI>Woe is mee, I am vndone.</HI> How then can
<PB N="78" REF="118">
wee who are no better, but much wor&s;e then hee, &s;tand before GOD in the day of Iudgement, in the great ap|pearing of his infinite iu&s;tice and glo|rie? Rather doubtle&s;&s;e, as here the &s;mal|le&s;t <HI>pollution of his lippes,</HI> and negli|gence in his calling, droue him out of all conceit of merit, when once hee came into the pre&s;ence of GOD: &s;o the due con&s;ideration of our &s;o many and foule pollutions aboue his, &s;hould beate downe all proude conceites of our owne goodne&s;&s;e, when wee ap|peare before GOD. It is there|fore to bee feared, that the Papi&s;ts, who thus magnifie their owne merits, doe &s;eldome or neuer enter into ear|ne&s;t con&s;ideration of their owne infir|mities, doe &s;eldome per&s;ent them|&s;elues in the pre&s;ence of Gods maie|&s;tie. For if they did, then doubtle&s;&s;e the lea&s;t &s;ight of their lea&s;t pollutio~, would make them farre from euer thinking of their own merits. <NOTE PLACE="marg">And of workes of &s;uperrogati|on.</NOTE></P>
<P>They al&s;o tell vs, of workes of &s;uperrogation, but it &s;eemes heere,
<PB N="79" REF="118">
this holy Prophet had none of them. And they teach, a man may in this life <NOTE PLACE="marg">And perfect fulfilling the lawe in this life.</NOTE> perfectly fulfill the Lawe, but who can doe it, i<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter"> not mini&s;ters? And what mi|ni&s;ters, if not extraordinary prophets? And yet <HI>I&s;aiah</HI> (the fir&s;t and chiefe of them) exclaimeth here in pittiful man|ner again&s;t his pollutions: Doubtle&s;&s;e, if the papi&s;ts would cea&s;e flattering them&s;elues, and not examine their con|&s;ciences by their own plea&s;ing corrup|tion, but pre&s;ent them&s;elues in the face and pre&s;ence of GODS Maie&s;tie, they would bee farre from the&s;e con|ceits. <NOTE PLACE="marg">2. V&s;e. Ergo Mini&s;ters mu&s;t take heed of negligence in their function a|boue all &s;innes, for that bur|theneth the con&s;cience mo&s;t heaui|ly of all.</NOTE></P>
<P>In the next place, whereas the pro|phet complaineth of the <HI>pollution of his lippes:</HI> As of the peculiar &s;inne of his place: Mini&s;ters are heere taught, to auoide that &s;inne aboue all other; and to labour in that dutie a|boue any other: for the dooing of it, is his mo&s;t comfort: the want of it is his mo&s;t vexation: his tongue is the In&s;trument giuen him to honour God, if hee v&s;e it well, it yeeldes him com|fort,
<PB N="80" REF="119">
more then any other duties.</P>
<P>But if he v&s;e not, or abu&s;e his tongue, the pollution of his lippes will bee the heauie&s;t burthen of all: they there|fore are greatly deceiued, who thinke a Mini&s;ter to di&s;charge &s;ufficiently <NOTE PLACE="marg">Other ver|tues are ex|cellent, but cannot &s;uf|fice, if this want.</NOTE> his duetie, though hee preach not if he keepe good Ho&s;pitalitie and make peace among&s;t his Neighbours, and performe other workes of charatie and good life: for if a Mini&s;ter haue not this vertue, hee hath none: If hee preach not; <HI>If hee abu&s;e his lippes:</HI> or if hee open them not, hee hath no con|&s;cience, nor can haue any comfort, for that is the principall dutie of a Mi|ni&s;ter (though all the other bee requi|red to make him compleate): the want of them may condemne him be|fore men, but it is the pollution of his lippes, which pre&s;ently checkes him before GOD, as we &s;ee here in this holy Prophet: the conclu&s;ion then is to euery Mini&s;ter, that if hee had all the vertues and good properties, that can commend a man in the world,
<PB N="81" REF="119">
yet <HI>if his lippes be polluted,</HI> either by not preaching, or by neglige~t, idle, or care|le&s;&s;e preaching, this pollution will &s;o &s;taine his con&s;cience, and &s;o burthen him in the pre&s;ence of God, that the time will come (notwith&s;tanding al his other good qualities) he will cry out in farre more pittifull maner the~ here the Prophet doth<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter"> <HI>Woe is <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 word"> I am vndo<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="2 letters">, becau&s;e I am a <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter">an of polluted lippes.</HI> It followeth;</P>
<P><HI>And I dwell in the mid&s;t of a people of pol|luted</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">2. His peo|ples pollu|tion.</NOTE> lippes.</P>
<P>The Prophet not onely complaines of his own pollution, but of his peoples <NOTE PLACE="marg">He com|plaines of it to teach, 1. That a Mini&s;ter is to confe&s;se his peoples &s;innes as wel as his owne.</NOTE> al&s;o among&s;t whom he liued, and this he doth for the&s;e cau&s;es: Fir&s;t, to teach vs, that it is the Mini&s;ters duty to con|fe&s;&s;e not onely his owne &s;innes, but the &s;innes of his people, &amp; to complaine of them to God: for as he is the peoples <HI>Interpretar</HI> to God, he mu&s;t not thinke it enough to put vp their petitions, to vnfolde their wants, &amp; craue reliefe for them at Gods hand, but hee mu&s;t fur|ther take knowledge of the &s;ins of his
<PB N="82" REF="120">
people, and make both publique and priuate confe&s;sion of them to God: and the more particularly he can doe this, the better: and this hee is to doe, both <NOTE PLACE="marg">For gene|rally he is acce&s;&s;arie to his peoples &s;innes.</NOTE> for the peoples good, and for his owne al&s;o, becau&s;e it cannot be but the &s;innes of his people, are in &s;ome &s;ort his: for this is the peculiar danger of the Ma|gi&s;trates and Mini&s;ters <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="3 letters">ling, that ge|nerally the &s;innes of their people are theirs: I meane, that they are acce&s;&s;arie to the &s;innes of their people, either by prouoking them by their euil example, or by not reprouing, or not hindring or &s;uffering, or winking, or couering &amp; concealing, or not puni&s;hing them, or not carefully enough v&s;ing meanes to preuent them: by all which meanes and many more, it comes to pa&s;&s;e, that the peoples &s;innes are the Mini&s;ters by communication: &s;o that as well for his owne &s;ake, as theirs, hee is to confe&s;&s;e to GOD their &s;innes, as well as his owne.</P>
<P>Now if a Mini&s;ter mu&s;t confe&s;&s;e his peoples &s;innes, then it followeth
<PB N="83" REF="120">
confequently, that he mu&s;t know them; and take notice of them, for el&s;e hee <NOTE PLACE="marg">1. V&s;e. Ergo, a mi|ni&s;ter mu&s;t know his peoples &s;ins.</NOTE> cannot confe&s;&s;e them. And this is one cau&s;e why the holy Gho&s;t commands a Pa&s;tor <HI>to know his flocke.</HI></P>
<P>He mu&s;t not onely <HI>haue a flocke,</HI> and <HI>knowe</HI> which is <HI>his flocke:</HI> or haue a ge|nerall <NOTE PLACE="marg">Pro. 2<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter">. 23.</NOTE> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter">ye ouer it, out hee mu&s;t haue a particular and <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 word"> knowledge of the &s;tate of it, <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter">nd the more particular the better.</P>
<P>And if the Mini&s;ter ought to know and confe&s;&s;e his peoples &s;innes, then if <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ergo, it is be&s;t for a Mini&s;ter to bee with his people.</NOTE> followeth, fir&s;t, that it is be&s;t for a Mi|ni&s;ter to bee pre&s;ent with his people, that &s;o hee may the better know them and their &s;tate: and certainly if it be a Mini&s;ters dutie to confe&s;&s;e to God the pollutions of his people, then wilfull and carele&s;&s;e Nonre&s;idency and all ab|&s;ence, without iu&s;t and con&s;cionable cau&s;es, mu&s;t needs be a foule &amp; feare|full &s;in. For how could <HI>I&s;ayah</HI> haue co~|fe&s;&s;ed, <HI>that his people were a people of polluted lips,</HI> but that he dwelt among&s;t them. Nay, &s;aith the Prophet, he dwelt
<PB N="84" REF="121">
in the <HI>mid&s;t</HI> among them, indeede well may hee <HI>know and confe&s;&s;e</HI> his peoples pollutions, that <HI>dwelles</HI> in the mid&s;t a|mong&s;t them. <NOTE PLACE="marg">2. V&s;e. Ergo, people mu&s;t co~fe&s;se their &s;innes, and reueale the~ to their Mini&s;ter.</NOTE></P>
<P>Againe, if the Mini&s;ter be to confe&s;&s;e his peoples &s;innes, and therefore mu&s;t needs knowe them, then it followeth al&s;o that they mu&s;t di&s;couer &amp; confe&s;&s;e them vnto him, or el&s;e <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 word"> not po&s;sible he &s;hould perfectly kno<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter">e their e&s;tate: the want of this is a great fault in our Churches, for how euer we condemne Auricular confe&s;sion, as a very pollicie in the deui&s;ers, and as a rack to the con|&s;ciences <NOTE PLACE="marg">Not popi&s;h but volunta|rie.</NOTE> of poore Chri&s;tians, yet we not onely allowe, but call and <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 word"> for that confe&s;sion, wherby a Chri&s;tian volun|tarily <NOTE PLACE="marg">And of &s;uch &s;innes as di&s;|quiet the con&s;cience.</NOTE> at all times may re&s;ort to his Pa|&s;tor, and open his e&s;tate, and disburden his con&s;cience of &s;uch &s;ins, as di&s;quiet him, and craue his godly a&s;si&s;tance, and holy prayers: great ble&s;&s;ing and com|fort doth doubtle&s;&s;e followe them that v&s;e this godly practi&s;e, and the want of it, is cau&s;e that a mini&s;ter canot di&s;cerne the &s;tate euen of his own flock nor can
<PB N="85" REF="121">
complaine to God of their pollutions, and confe&s;&s;e their &s;innes &s;o particular|ly, as would be good both for him and them.</P>
<P>Secondly, the Prophet couples to|gether <NOTE PLACE="marg">2. To teach vs that a polluted people make their Mini|&s;ter more or le&s;se pollu|ted al&s;o.</NOTE> his own pollution, and the pol|lutions of his people, as the adjuvant, or helping cau&s;e &amp; the effect: For the pol|lution of a people, helpes forward the pollution of a Mini&s;ter, and the wor&s;e people they are, the wor&s;e doe they make him, though he be otherwi&s;e ne|uer &s;o good: For euen the Prophet, though called of God him&s;elf, &amp; iu&s;ti|fied and &s;anctified, &amp; a man of extra|ordinary grace, yet dwelling in y^e mid&s;t of a people &s;o &s;tubborne &amp; di&s;obedi|ent, as the Iewes were, was &s;omething touched with their pollutions: Mini|&s;ters (euen the be&s;t) are men, and this comes to pa&s;&s;e by rea&s;on of the corrup|tion of their nature as they are me~: the nature of which corruption is to ap|prehend any euill where euer it findes it, and to partake with it: regeneration qualifieth &amp; abates this corruption, but takes it not away perfectly in this life:
<PB N="86" REF="122">
whereby it comes to pa&s;&s;e, that a Mini|&s;ter, liuing among&s;t euill people, can|not but be &s;omwhat &s;tained with their pollution, of what &s;ort &s;oeuer they be: in&s;omuch as it is often &s;eene, that one knowne to be otherwi&s;e di&s;po&s;ed of him&s;elfe, is found to bee di&s;po&s;ed to this or that euill, by liuing among&s;t a people &s;o di&s;po&s;ed. And againe, that a mini&s;ter in &s;uch a place, and among&s;t &s;uch people, free from &s;uch and &s;uch &s;innes, remoued to another place, is there found more or le&s;&s;e tainted with them, becau&s;e they abound among&s;t the people: and yet further, that a mi|ni&s;ter, knowne to bee faithfull, painfull and zealous, &amp; comming to a di&s;obe|dient, &s;tubborne, froward, or prophane &amp; di&s;&s;olute people, his faith is weake|ned, <NOTE PLACE="marg">A wicked people dull and decay Gods graces in good Mini&s;ters. V&s;e double.</NOTE> his zeale &amp; courage abated, Gods graces in him dulled, &amp; much decayed: godly Mini&s;ters doe daily complaine hereof, and experience euery where &s;hewes it too true. Out of this, we may learne &s;omething both for our in&s;truc|tion, and for our conuer&s;ation.</P>
<P><PB N="87" REF="122">
For our in&s;truction, it here appeares <NOTE PLACE="marg">1. For in|&s;truction: 1. See how corrupt our natur<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter"> is.</NOTE> how wicked and wretched the corrup|tion of our nature is, which cannot but receiue &s;ome contagion from the pol|lution of tho&s;e with whom we liue: for this is &s;o, not onely in them who carry a loo&s;e hand ouer them&s;elues, but euen in &s;uch as looke mo&s;t narrowly vnto their &s;teps: as wee &s;ee here in this holy Prophet, who was a man of more then ordinary &s;anctification: how litle cau&s;e therfore hath any man to extoll nature? and how much le&s;&s;e cau&s;e the &s;choole|men and &s;ome other papi&s;ts, to giue the lea&s;t commendation to our <HI>pure natu|rals:</HI> for if nature rectified by grace, be &s;o hardly kept within compa&s;&s;e, alas how outragious &amp; peruer&s;e is it, when it raignes without controlment?</P>
<P>And for our further in&s;truction, heere wee may &s;ee of what a cree|ping <NOTE PLACE="marg">2. What a creeping nature &s;inne hath.</NOTE> and incroaching nature <HI>&s;inne</HI> is, which like a &s;ecret venome in the <HI>naturall</HI> bodie, &s;o it in the <HI>polliti|que</HI> body re&s;tes not in the place, or partie poi&s;oned, but clo&s;ely creepes
<PB N="88" REF="123">
&amp; diffu&s;eth it &s;elfe into euery part and member of the whole: it creepes from man to man, yea, from an euil man to a good, from the wor&s;t man to the be&s;t: from prophane men, to godly Mini|&s;ters: and as from publique per&s;ons (as Magi&s;trates and Mini&s;ters) it de&s;cen|deth <NOTE PLACE="marg">It wil creepe from Mini|&s;ters to peo|ple, &amp; from people to Mini&s;ter.</NOTE> vi&s;ibly, and the example of their euil life is palpably &s;candalous: &s;o from the people to the Magi&s;trate, or Mini|&s;ter, it creepeth clo&s;ely, &amp; a&s;cendeth in more &s;ecret and in&s;en&s;ible manner, yet in the effect it is too &s;en&s;ible: for it is al|wayes &s;eene, that they are &s;omething touched with their peoples pollutions: &s;inne is not onely as a poi&s;on &s;preading from the heart to all parts, from the mi|ni&s;ter to the people: but as a gangreue, if it begin in the foot, wil without &s;pee|dy preuention &s;pred priuily to the hart: &s;o &s;inne &s;hewes it &s;elfe, euen from the <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ergo, &s;top &s;inne in the beginning.</NOTE> people to the Mini&s;ters: So great cau&s;e is there for all men to &s;top &s;inne in the beginning, to breake it in the egge, to <HI>giue water no pa&s;&s;age, no not a little:</HI> for let this gangreue beginne at the feete, it
<PB N="89" REF="123">
will not re&s;t till it be in the heart.</P>
<P>For our conuer&s;ation wee are heere <NOTE PLACE="marg">2. For our conuer&s;a|tion.</NOTE> taught, fir&s;t, if a Mini&s;ter, by rea&s;on of the corruption of his owne nature, and the creeping nature of &s;inne, is in &s;uch danger to be &s;tained with the peoples pollutions, then let all Mini&s;ters de|&s;ire, and v&s;e all good meanes to dwell <NOTE PLACE="marg">1. Mini&s;ters, Ergo, la|bour to liue among&s;t people.</NOTE> with a people <HI>as litle polluted</HI> as may be: otherwi&s;e let him a&s;&s;ure him&s;elfe to be polluted with them, which is both a great di&s;co~fort to his owne con&s;cience (as here it was to the Prophet) and di&s;|grace to his profe&s;sion: for if it be a du|tie of euery good profe&s;&s;or of religion, <HI>to keepe him&s;elfe vn&s;potted of the world,</HI> then how much more is it the Mini|&s;ters <NOTE PLACE="marg">Iam. 1. 17.</NOTE> duetie &s;o to doe? and how foule a &s;taine is it to the honour of his calling, to be polluted in the common polluti|ons of his people?</P>
<P>It may bee therefore good coun|&s;ell to all godly Mini&s;ters in the pla|cing &amp; di&s;po&s;ing of them&s;elues, not to enquire onely how good a liuing &s;uch
<PB N="90" REF="124">
and &s;uch a place is, how wel &s;eated, how healthfull and beneficiall it will bee, (which are alas the common &amp; almo&s;t the onely que&s;tions now adayes) but <NOTE PLACE="marg">And in di&s;|po&s;ing them&s;elues, rather re|gard it, then other com|moditie.</NOTE> principally, to regard what a people they be: and how affected, among&s;t whome they are to liue: if godly and wel di&s;po&s;ed, or at lea&s;t tractable and gentle, &amp; willing to be taught, the~ le&s;&s;e to regard other incommodities: but if wicked, and prophane, or (which is wor&s;e) &s;tubborne, froward, and vntrac|table, then le&s;&s;e to regard the greate&s;t commodities: &amp; certainly if this point be well con&s;idered of, and how bitter it hath beene in the ende, to many who haue not regarded it, it will appeare, that this is the be&s;t encouragement or di&s;couragement, the greate&s;t commo|ditie, or di&s;commoditie, and the be&s;t rea&s;on, either to win a ma~ to a place, or to drawe him from it, how good &s;oe|uer it be otherwayes: they that neglect this dutie, and are led (or mi&s;led rather) with carnall and wordly re&s;pects, how
<PB N="91" REF="124">
iu&s;t is it vpon the~ when they are made to cry in the &s;orrowe of their &s;oule, <HI>W<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter">e is me, I dwell in the mid&s;t of a people of pol|luted lippes.</HI></P>
<P>And here &s;uch Mini&s;ters as haue <NOTE PLACE="marg">A poore li|uing with good peo|ple better then a great liuing and euil people.</NOTE> <HI>poore liuings, but good people,</HI> let them not faint nor bee di&s;couraged, they haue more cau&s;e to ble&s;&s;e God, then to be grieued, for doubtle&s;&s;e they are farre better the~ tho&s;e who haue <HI>great liuings,</HI> and <HI>an euill people.</HI></P>
<P>But as for tho&s;e to whom God hath bene &s;o good, as to be&s;towe vpon them competent liuings, and a willing and well di&s;po&s;ed people, let them thinke them&s;elues double ble&s;&s;ed of God, and treble bound to honour God, &amp; to doe good in his Church: and if &s;uch men goe not before their brethren in al Mi|ni&s;terial care and dutie, their fault is a|boue al mens, &amp; they make them&s;elues vnworthy of &s;o great mercies. <NOTE PLACE="marg">2. Ergo, Mini&s;ters mu&s;t take heed of their company.</NOTE></P>
<P>Againe, if that a polluted people, pollutes their Mini&s;ter, here is a good warning for al mini&s;ters to be wary &amp;
<PB N="92" REF="125">
choy&s;e of their companie, with whom they will mo&s;t priuately conuer&s;e: for, as on the one &s;ide they may not retire them&s;elues into &s;olitarine&s;&s;e, nor &s;e|que&s;ter the~&s;elues from all &s;ocietie with their people, (which is rather a Cimi|call and fanta&s;ticall, then any way a re|ligious practi&s;e): &s;o of all men are they to be mo&s;t carefull, that they doe not loo&s;ely and laui&s;hly be&s;tow them&s;elues on all companies, as too many doe in <NOTE PLACE="marg">All compa|nies and all recreations are not for Mini&s;ters.</NOTE> our Church, to the great &s;candall ther|of, who care not with whom they con|uer&s;e, but all companies, all places, all times, all &s;portes &amp; recreations, al mee|tings, all occa&s;ions, are one with them: but alas, what maruel, though &s;uch men <HI>keepe not the~&s;elues vn&s;potted of the world,</HI> but proue too offen&s;iue to their calling: for &s;eeing the be&s;t me~ cannot liue with the be&s;t people, but they &s;hall receiue &s;ome contagion from them, how care|fully ought ordinary mini&s;ters to make difference of men and meetings, times and places, and not diffu&s;edly &amp; care|le&s;ly
<PB N="93" REF="125">
to thru&s;t them&s;elues into all: So doing &s;hall they keepe their calling from much reproach, &amp; pre&s;erue them|&s;elues from much pollution, which o|therwi&s;e from their polluted people, they &s;hal be &s;ure to receiue.</P>
<P>And here people are to be admoni|&s;hed, <NOTE PLACE="marg">And people mu&s;t not draw their Mini&s;ters too much into compa|ny.</NOTE> not too &s;harpely to cen&s;ure their mini&s;ters: though hee bee not &s;o &s;oci|able with them all, as it may bee many would expect: for it concerns no man to be &s;o warie of his company and his &s;ports, as it doeth the mini&s;ter: and if they would haue comfort and honour by their mini&s;ter, let them bee carefull into what recreations &amp; company they draw or de&s;ire him: for the more pol|luted the people are among&s;t whom he liues, the more carefull mu&s;t he bee to keepe him&s;elf cleare from their pol|lutions.</P>
<P>La&s;tly, here people are taught, not to <NOTE PLACE="marg">3 People mu&s;t not condemne too &s;harpely &s;uch Mini|&s;ters as are faultie in their liues&punc; for them|&s;elues are the cau&s;e of it, being of euill liues them&s;elues.</NOTE> be too &s;harpe condemners of tho&s;e mi|ni&s;ters, who&s;e conuer&s;ations are not &s;o vnblameable as were to be wi&s;hed: for as they liue ill, generally the cau&s;e is,
<PB N="94" REF="126">
becau&s;e they liue among&s;t an il people.</P>
<P>Why then &s;hould they &s;o much con|demne them, for &s;uch faults, as wherein them&s;elues haue made them faultie? I &s;ay not, but our Church and &s;tate, and Mini&s;terie, are to cen&s;ure &s;uch men, (and it were good they did it more) but it is again&s;t all rea&s;on the people &s;hould do &s;o, wheras them&s;elues are the cau&s;e of it: For alas, if this holy <HI>Prophet was a man of polluted lippes, becau&s;e hee dwelt with a people of polluted lippes:</HI> what maruell then, though ordinary Mini|&s;ters be polluted with the common and vniuer&s;all pollutions of their people: People therefore, are fir&s;t of all to &s;ee that them&s;elues bee well ordered and godly, and then iu&s;tly may they com|plaine, if the liues of their Mini&s;ters be not agreeable: but otherwi&s;e, it is not po&s;sible without very &s;pecial grace of God, but that a mini&s;ter &s;halbe more or le&s;&s;e touched <HI>W^t</HI> tho&s;e crimes which are the co~mon faults of his people. And lamentable experience daily lets vs &s;ee, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Looke what &s;innes a|boundes in any place, and there generally the Mini&s;ter is tainted with it.</NOTE> that where a people in a town is giuen
<PB N="95" REF="126">
to <HI>drunkenne&s;&s;e,</HI> there the Mini&s;ter, is either &s;o for company, or at lea&s;t too good a fellow: where a people are gi|uen to <HI>contention,</HI> there the Mini&s;ter hath too many fuites: where the peo|ple be <HI>Popi&s;h,</HI> there the Mini&s;ter is too &s;uper&s;titious: where the people bee <HI>ig|norant,</HI> there the Mini&s;ter is no great clarke: where the people are giuen to any great &s;inne, there the Mini&s;ter ge|nerally is not cleare from the &s;ame pol|lution: and it is &s;eene, that the be&s;t mi|ni&s;ters &amp; mo&s;t carefull of all, doe com|plaine bitterly of the pollutions of their people: for that how &s;oeuer it may bee they e&s;cape partaking with their &s;ins: yet they alwayes finde, at the lea&s;t a dulling &amp; decaying of Gods graces in them&s;elues, where the people are vnto|ward and di&s;obedient. If therefore a Mini&s;ter liues with &s;uch a people, his ca&s;e is pittifull and daungerous, for he walkes in the mid&s;t of nets and &s;nares, which are layd for him on euery &s;ide, and if he e&s;cape them (I meane, if hee
<PB N="96" REF="127">
keepe him&s;elfe vn&s;potted, in the mid&s;t of a &s;potted &amp; polluted people) his care and his con&s;cience is worthy both ad|miration and imitation, and him&s;elfe is worthy double honour, as being both a zealous mini&s;ter and a holy man. But he who~ God hath ble&s;&s;ed with a good <NOTE PLACE="marg">But &s;uch Mini&s;ters as liue with a good people and yet are loo&s;e, they are not wor|thy to be Mini&s;ters, but to be depriued.</NOTE> and tractable people, and wel affected to the worde, and yet him&s;elfe liueth loo&s;ely &amp; &s;candalou&s;ly among&s;t them, a heauy burden and a hard account, ly|eth on that mini&s;ter, and no rebuke is too rough no puni&s;hment too great, no cen&s;ure too &s;harpe for him. And, if this holy Prophet, feare &s;o much the pre|&s;ence of God for his &s;mall pollutions, and yet liued among&s;t &s;o wicked and polluted a people, then what heaui|ne&s;&s;e and horror, &s;hall bee heaped on his &s;oule, who cares not with how foule pollutions his life be &s;tained, and yet liueth among&s;t a godly &amp; wel di&s;|po&s;ed people? And thus wee haue the fir&s;t cau&s;e of his feare, his owne, and his peoples pollutions.</P>
<P>It followeth.</P>
<P><PB N="97" REF="127">
<HI>And mine eyes hath &s;eene the King, and <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cau&s;e of his feare, he &s;awe the Lord.</NOTE> Lord of Ho&s;tes.</HI></P>
<P>THe &s;econd cau&s;e of the Prophets feare and a&s;toni&s;hment is, <HI>He &s;an the Lorde,</HI> who then appeared in glory vnto him: not that hee &s;awe the &s;ub&s;tance of God (for that is invi&s;ible <NOTE PLACE="marg">How? In a vi&s;ion.</NOTE> and incomprehen&s;ible) but his glory: Nor the fulne&s;&s;e of his glory, for that cannot be endured, but a glim&s;e of it: nor that with the eies of his body in or|dinary manner, but in a vi&s;ion: where|in how farre the eyes of his body were v&s;ed, neither the Prophet expre&s;&s;eth, nor wee can well conceiue. The mea|ning then is; In a vi&s;ion hee &s;awe &s;uch glorie and Maje&s;tie, as hee knewe there was an extraordinary pre&s;ence of the Lord of ho&s;tes, who is the King of glorie, at who&s;e &s;ight, and thought of his pre&s;ence, in&s;tantly his con&s;cience is &s;mitten with feare, for his own infirmi|ties, and the pollutions of his people.</P>
<P>Wherein let vs fir&s;t of all ob&s;erue the
<PB N="98" REF="128">
connexion and dependance of the&s;e two cau&s;es, one vpon another: for as they are both ioyntly the cau&s;e of his feare, &s;o one of the~ is in a &s;ort the cau&s;e of another: he feareth, <HI>becau&s;e of his own and his peoples &s;innes, and becau&s;e he &s;awe the Lord:</HI> but why is he <HI>afraid to &s;ee the Lord?</HI> the cau&s;e thereof is <HI>his owne and their &s;ins,</HI> without which he would ne|uer haue beene affraid, but rather haue gloried to &s;ee the Lord: but his con|&s;cience checking him, for &s;ome defect of dutie in his calling, therfore he trem|bleth at the lea&s;t glim&s;e of Gods glory. Here let vs marke the ground of his <NOTE PLACE="marg">Doct: the man that is in his &s;innes endures not Cods pre|&s;ence. 1 For God hates &s;inne, aboue all things.</NOTE> rea&s;on, which is this: <HI>That man that is in his &s;innes, is not able to &s;tand in the pre|&s;ence of God:</HI> this is a generall and cer|taine truth, &amp; the rea&s;ons of it are; Fir&s;t, the contrarietie betwixt God, and the nature of &s;inne, it being the onely thing which offends him, &amp; which prouokes his wrath and iu&s;t di&s;plea&s;ure: there|fore as a &s;ubiect cannot but be much a|mazed, if he hap to come into the kings pre&s;ence, with any thing about him
<PB N="99" REF="128">
which the king hates, or cannot abide to &s;ee: &s;o a man cannot but be extreame a&s;toni&s;ht, if hee knowe him&s;elfe to bee in Gods pre&s;ence with his &s;innes, which Gods &s;oule hateth. <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Sin makes a man a debter to God.</NOTE></P>
<P>Secondly, &s;in makes a man indebted to God: for as the Lawe tyeth him fir&s;t to <HI>obedience,</HI> &s;o if he &s;in and faile in that, it bindes him to <HI>puni&s;hment:</HI> and the more a man &s;inneth, the deeper is he in Gods debt. If then in this world, a man willingly indures not the &s;ight of him, in who&s;e debt hee is; what maruell, though a poore &s;inner tremble at the pre&s;ence of God, to whom he hath for|faited &s;oule and all.</P>
<P>Thirdly, &s;in is that which prouoketh <NOTE PLACE="marg">3 Sin is that, that makes God angry.</NOTE> God to <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 word">: therefore a &s;infull man feareth the pre&s;ence of God, as a traitor the face of the Prince, or a malefactor of the Judge. For the&s;e cau&s;es, a wicked man endures not Gods pre&s;ence. <NOTE PLACE="marg">Degrees of Gods pre|&s;ence.</NOTE></P>
<P>Now Gods pre&s;ence hath diuers de|geees. Fir&s;t, God is pre&s;ent to our co&s;ci|ence, <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 To our thoughts. 2 To our nami<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter">g him</NOTE> when we thinke of him. 2. He is pre&s;ent, when wee name him, or heare
<PB N="100" REF="129">
him named or mentioned by others, and the&s;e are the &s;urthe&s;t off: Thirdly, God is neerer vnto vs in the pre&s;ence of his Ordinances, as his Word and <NOTE PLACE="marg">3 Neere in his ordina~ces</NOTE> Sacraments, and publike &s;eruice in the Congregation: Fourthly, there is a <NOTE PLACE="marg">4 Necre&s;t at the la&s;t day.</NOTE> mo&s;t apparant and &s;en&s;ible pre&s;ence of God, which &s;hall bee at the la&s;t Iudge|ment, when all men &s;hall &s;tand before him in his immediat pre&s;e~ce, to receiue their iudgement. Now all the&s;e pre|&s;ences of God, are hatefull to a wicked <NOTE PLACE="marg">A &s;inful man feares all the&s;e.</NOTE> man: for the fir&s;t, a wicked man by his good will neuer thinkes of God, and if &s;ometime a thought of God (like light|ning) fla&s;hes in his minde, pre&s;ently he <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 He neuer, or vnwil|lingly thinks of God.</NOTE> quencheth it, as being a mo&s;t vnwel|come and burden&s;ome thought vnto him: therefore &s;aith <HI>Dauid; The wic|ked is &s;o proud, he careth not for God: nei|ther</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 10. 4.</NOTE> <HI>is God in all his thoughts:</HI> Nay, God him&s;elf is &s;o little thought on, by them, that they will willingly thinke of no|thing, that might bring GOD into their thoughts: as namely, Gods great works of his wonderfull Iudgements:
<PB N="101" REF="129">
of whom the &s;ame prophet &s;aith, in the &s;ame place, <HI>Thy Iudgements are farre a|boue, out of his &s;ight.</HI> As if hee had &s;aid, <NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 10. 5.</NOTE> hee labours to &s;et them farre from the eye of his minde, that hee may neuer haue occa&s;ion to thinke of them, nor on God by them. That this is true for his thoughts', I haue endeuored thus to proue, by Gods owne te&s;timonies, be|cau&s;e thoughts cannot be di&s;cerned by <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 He neuer &s;peakes of God vnle&s;&s;e it be to a|bu&s;e his maie&s;tie.</NOTE> man. But alas, for the &s;econd, that is, for his wordes, that's too apparant in the &s;ight of all men. For ob&s;erue it, and you &s;hall neuer &s;ee a wicked man, by his good will haue God in his mouth, (vnle&s;&s;e it bee to abu&s;e his name, by &s;wearing or bla&s;phemie) nor willingly doth he heare any other man talke, or di&s;cour&s;e largely of God, or of his great|ne&s;&s;e and his Iu&s;tice; but &s;uch talke is tedious &amp; comber&s;ome vnto him: and if hee cannot breake it off with other di&s;cour&s;e, then he &s;its as mute as a fi&s;h, and inwardly either frets with anger, or is tormented with feare. All this is true in <HI>Faelix</HI> the Gouernour: who whil&s;t
<PB N="102" REF="130">
<HI>Paul di&s;cour&s;ed of righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e, tempe|rance, and Iudgement to come:</HI> The Text &s;aith, in the meane time, <HI>he trembled.</HI></P>
<P>And for the third, we &s;ee daily wic|ked men, endure not Gods pre&s;ence <NOTE PLACE="marg">3 They loue not the word nor Sacraments.</NOTE> in the Church: for nothing is more trouble&s;ome vnto the~, then many Ser|mons, often praying, and much recei|uing of the Sacrament: &amp; therfore they neuer come to the Church, nor receiue ofter then the Lawe layes vpon them: but further then that, as the P&s;almi&s;t &s;aith; <HI>they neuer call vpon God.</HI> But as <NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 14. 4. 4 They wi&s;h Chri&s;t would neuer co<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter">e to iudge|ment.</NOTE> for the la&s;t, that they feare and abhorre aboue all, they wi&s;h in their hart it may neuer be. And therfore S. <HI>Paul</HI> makes it a token of a true beleeuer, and a holy man, <HI>to loue, and looke for the appearing of Ie&s;us Chri&s;t.</HI> Whereupon it followeth, <NOTE PLACE="marg">2. Tim, 4. 8.</NOTE> that eue~ &s;o it is a &s;igne of a wicked man, to feare the la&s;t iudgement, &amp; to wi&s;h it might neuer be: And when it comes in|deed, &amp; they &s;ee they cannot e&s;cape it, what the~ do they? Euen <HI>cry to the moun|taines, fall vpon vs: and to the hils, couer</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Reuel. 6. 16,</NOTE> <HI>vs, and hide vs:</HI> from what? <HI>from the pre|&s;ence
<PB N="103" REF="130">
of God:</HI> &s;o fearefull and &s;o hatefull is <HI>Gods pr&s;ence</HI> to a &s;infull man.</P>
<P>Be&s;ides the&s;e, there is another way, whereby God &s;heweth his pre&s;ence: <NOTE PLACE="marg">Extraordi|nary appari|tio~s of Gods maie&s;tie, a &s;infull man cannot en|dure.</NOTE> and that is, by extraordinary reuelation of his glory immediately: which was v&s;ual in the old Te&s;tament, as here to the Prophet, but now is not to bee ex|pected. But how terrible that is to the &s;infull nature of man, appeares in this place: for if the Prophet a mo&s;t holy man, who&s;e con&s;cience accu&s;ed him, but of a fewe and &s;mall &s;innes, yet thus cryes out, amazed &amp; affrighted, at the reuelation of &s;ome part of Gods glory: alas, how would they be terrified with it, who&s;e con&s;ciences are burdened with great and grieuous &s;innes, &amp; that with|out repe~tance? Thus we &s;ee the ground of his rea&s;on, how true it is, that a man in his &s;in, cannot cheerefully come, nor boldly &s;tand in Gods pre&s;ence. The <NOTE PLACE="marg">The fir&s;t v&s;e for Mini|&s;ters: Ergo. let them not enter into.</NOTE> v&s;e of this Doctrine: Fir&s;t of all, let vs &s;ee the mon&s;trous pre&s;umption of &s;uch mini&s;ter as dare venture ra&s;hly into the mini&s;tery, to tread vpo~ the holy grou~d
<PB N="104" REF="131">
of God, with vncleane feete; to handle <NOTE PLACE="marg">that calling in their &s;ins.</NOTE> the holy things of God with vnwa&s;hen hands: For what is it to enter into the Mini&s;tery, but to enter into the chamber of pre&s;ence of the great King? and &s;hould not a man look about him, <NOTE PLACE="marg">For it is into Gods pre|&s;ence cham|ber.</NOTE> afore he come there? Therefore if God rebuked <HI>Mo&s;es,</HI> for &s;tepping too ha&s;ti|ly towardes the Bu&s;he, where his pre|&s;ence is, and &s;aide; <HI>Come not too neere, for</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Exod. 3. <GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="blotted" EXTENT="1 letter">.</NOTE> <HI>the place wher thou&s;ta~de&s;t is holy ground:</HI> then how will God rebuke and checke the con&s;ciences of &s;uch carnall men, as carele&s;ly &amp; carnally ru&s;h into the Pul|pit, and to Gods holy Table, where God is pre&s;ent, in a farre more excel|lent manner then hee was in the Bu&s;h? And if they bee &s;o to be blamed, who <NOTE PLACE="marg">Nor come to doe the duty of that calling with|out repen|tance, and holy prepa|ration.</NOTE> enter into this calling without feare and reuerence, then how much more faulty are they, who beeing Mini&s;ters, dare venture to preach, or mini&s;ter the holy Sacraments, without holy and priuate preparation, &amp; &s;anctification of them|&s;elues: but ru&s;h vpon them, as vpon common &amp; prophane actions? Where|as
<PB N="105" REF="131">
God is pre&s;ent there, in a mo&s;t holy and glorious maner: the&s;e men &s;ure wil &s;ay, the Prophet heere was of too nice a con&s;cience: but fearefully and terribly &s;hall God appeare at la&s;t vnto &s;uch men, as care not how they appeare in his holy pre&s;ence.</P>
<P>Secondly, this &s;heweth the rea&s;on of the practi&s;e of al Chri&s;tian churches: <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter">rgo, They are to pray before and after &s;ermon.</NOTE> who v&s;e to pray before the Sermon &amp; after: namely, not for <HI>Decorum</HI> one|ly, &amp; to grace the action, but to &s;anctifie and to humble our &s;elues, <HI>becau&s;e then we come before Gods pre&s;ence:</HI> they ther|fore doe not thinke reuerently enough of God, and his pre&s;ence, who doe by their practi&s;e in any &s;ort, make way to the contrary.</P>
<P>Thirdly, we may here learne, the pit|tifull <NOTE PLACE="marg">The 3 V&s;e. Ergo, &s;uch men are ex|treamly de&s;|perate who dare come to preach &amp; mini&s;ter &s;a|craments, in their &s;inner.</NOTE> ca&s;e of tho&s;e mini&s;ters, who are &s;o pre&s;umptuous, as to exerci&s;e that holy function, &amp; yet remain <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 word"> their &s;innes without repentance: what doe the&s;e men? they approach to the <HI>burning Bu&s;h, with their &s;hooes on their feete:</HI> that is, <HI>into Gods pre&s;ence in their &s;innes:</HI> what
<PB N="106" REF="132">
&s;hall come of it in the end? &s;urely, that burning fire &s;hal con&s;ume the~: the lea&s;t &s;inne, &amp; &s;malle&s;t negligences affrigh|ted this holy Prophet, when he &s;hould goe into Gods pre&s;ence: But the&s;e men <NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 50. 16.</NOTE> dare come into the Sanctuarie of God; yea, dare <HI>take Gods word in their mouth's,</HI> and <HI>yet hate to bee reformed,</HI> and <HI>doe ca&s;t the glorious Word of God behinde their backes,</HI> which they preach to others with their mouthes: the&s;e men may wonder at this holy Prophets nicenes, or el&s;e al the world may wonder at their prophanene&s;&s;e. A little pollution of his lippes, feared him to come into Gods pre&s;ence: but the&s;e dare doe it, with eies, eares, lippes, feet, hands, hart; and all polluted: their eyes polluted, with carele&s;&s;e looking at all vanities: their eares with hearing: and their lips with &s;peaking, wanton &amp; wicked talk: their feete, with running into wicked company: their hands, with practizing and their harts, with deui&s;ing and con|&s;enting <NOTE PLACE="marg">Such mens labours are fruitle&s;&s;e.</NOTE> to all wickedne&s;&s;e.</P>
<P>This is the cau&s;e, why the labours of
<PB N="107" REF="132">
&s;uch men are almo&s;t vnprofitable: be|cau&s;e they dare come into Gods pre|&s;ence in their &s;innes. In many places of our land, ther is by Gods ble&s;&s;ing much teaching, yet there is little reformation, in the liues of the mo&s;t: but contrari|wi&s;e, &s;ome fal to Athei&s;me: &s;ome to Pa|pi&s;me: &s;ome into foule &s;innes, not to be named among&s;t Ghri&s;tians.</P>
<P>Where is the cau&s;e? &s;urely not in the <NOTE PLACE="marg">And their leo&s;ene&s;&s;e doth more hurt; then their Doc|trine good.</NOTE> Go&s;pell: nor in our doctrine, nor in the teaching of it; but one very principall cau&s;e is, many Mini&s;ters come into Gods pre&s;ence, vn&s;anctified, &amp; in their &s;ins: not caring how loo&s;ely they liue, in the face of their people: and therfore God in iu&s;tice, thogh he in&s;tantly &s;mite not them, with vi&s;ible vengeance for their pre&s;umption: yet he &s;mites the <NOTE PLACE="marg">By Gods &s;ea|cret iudge|ment.</NOTE> people, with &s;pirituall blindne&s;&s;e, that they regard not their Doctrine, but looke at their liues, and doe rather fol|low the prophanene&s;&s;e of the one, then the holine&s;&s;e of the other. Mini&s;ters are &s;uch, in whome God will be &s;ancti|fied,
<PB N="108" REF="133">
therefore becau&s;e they doe not &s;o, but di&s;honour him, by co~ming into his pre&s;ence in their &s;innes: therefore hee cannot abide them, nor giue any ble&s;|&s;ing to their labours.</P>
<P>All mini&s;ters therfore, as they would &s;ee any fruite of their Mini&s;terie, let them fir&s;t &s;anctifie them&s;elues, &amp; clen&s;e their hearts by repentance, afore they pre&s;ume, to &s;tand vp to rebuke &s;inne in others: el&s;e let them not thinke, that <NOTE PLACE="marg">Good words are vaine, where there is no good life.</NOTE> their golden wordes &s;hall doe &s;o much good, as their leaden liues &s;hall doe hurt: and they may happe to confirme men, that already are conuerted, but hardly &s;hall any &s;uch men, conuert any &s;oules from Poperie or prophane&s;&s;e. And it is a vaine conceite for men to imagine, ther is any force in eloquence, or humane learning, to ouerthrow that &s;in in others, which ruleth and raigneth in them&s;elues. Our Church, and all re|formed churches, may make v&s;e of this doctrine: for it is the glory of a Church to haue their doctrine powerfull, &amp; ef|fectuall for the winning of &s;oules, ther|fore
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it co~cerneth them, to take order, as well that their mini&s;ters be godly men, <HI>as good Schollers,</HI> &amp; their <HI>liues inoffen&s;iue,</HI> as wel as their <HI>doctrine &s;ound:</HI> or el&s;e they will find in woful experience, that they pull down as much with the one hand, as they build vp with the other.</P>
<P>But mo&s;t neerely this doctrine tou|cheth mini&s;ters them&s;elues: who mu&s;t know, their ca&s;e is mo&s;t feareful of all mens, if they come into Gods pre&s;ence, in their prophanene&s;&s;e: for as no man is more honourable, then a learned and holy Mini&s;ter: &s;o none more contemp|tible in this world, none more mi&s;era|ble for that to come, then he that by his loo&s;e &amp; lewde life, doth &s;candalize his doctrine: and let him a&s;&s;ure him&s;elfe, that for his pre&s;umption, in ru&s;hing in|to Gods pre&s;ence in his &s;innes, he &s;hall in this world, be ca&s;t out as <HI>vn&s;auory &s;alt</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Math. 5. 13.</NOTE> <HI>and troden downe of men,</HI> with the foot of contempt: and in the world to come, he &s;hall aboue all men cry out, in mo&s;t ex|treame torment of con&s;cience, <HI>W<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter"> is me, that my eyes mu&s;t &s;ee the King and Lord
<PB N="119" REF="134">
of ho&s;tes</HI> and &s;o becau&s;e hee would not in this world, come into Gods pre&s;ence in &s;anctification and holine&s;&s;e: he &s;hal therefore in feare and horror, be haled into the pre&s;ence of Gods glorie, at the la&s;t day: there to receiue the iu&s;t &s;en|tence of his condemnation.</P>
<P>La&s;tly, all painfull and godly Mini|&s;ters may receiue comfort, not to bee <NOTE PLACE="marg">The fourth v&s;e for Mi|ni&s;ters: Ergo Good mini|&s;ters mu&s;t not fly from Gods pre|&s;ence be|cau&s;e of their &s;ins, but re|pent: and &s;o approach to his dutie.</NOTE> di&s;couraged or driuen from Gods pre|&s;ence, becau&s;e of their corruptions or infirmities, for wee &s;ee it was the Pro|phets, ca&s;e: but let them &s;till approach in feare and reuerence, and be &s;o farre from being driuen from their duty, be|cau&s;e they being &s;infull men, dare not come into Gods pre&s;ence without much feare: as let them contrariwi&s;e be a&s;&s;ured, that the more they tremble at Gods pre&s;ence here, the le&s;&s;e &s;hall they feare it at the la&s;t day: and when pro|phane and vngodly men, who in this world feared not to &s;tand in Gods pre|&s;ence in their horrible &s;ins, &s;hall cry to the <HI>Mountaines, fall vpon vs, and hilles couer vs, and hide vs from the pre&s;ence of
<PB N="111" REF="134">
God:</HI> then &s;uch mini&s;ters as in this world in feare and trembling, and alwaies in repentance, did approach into Gods pre&s;ence: &s;hall then <HI>looke vp, and lift vp their heads,</HI> &amp; &s;hall &s;ay to the holy An|gels, &amp; all the powers of heauen, helpe vs, and ha&s;ten vs to come into the glori|ous pre&s;ence of our God and Sauiour.</P>
<P>And thus we &s;ee the mani&s;old v&s;e of this doctrine to our Church and mini|&s;terie. <NOTE PLACE="marg">The &s;econd v&s;e again&s;t the Papi&s;ts.</NOTE></P>
<P>Secondly, In a&s;much as here the pro|phet in a con&s;cience of his corruptions, feareth and cryeth out at <HI>the lea&s;t appa|rition of Gods glory.</HI></P>
<P>The vanitie and fal&s;e dealing of the <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ergo, The apparitions of God, and chri&s;t, which they make &s;o ordinary, are but col|lu&s;ions.</NOTE> Church of <HI>Rome,</HI> is here di&s;coured, in who&s;e <HI>Lege~ds</HI> &amp; &s;tories of their Saints, nothing is more common then appari|tions from heauen, of Saints depa<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter">ted: of glorious Angels, of the virgin <HI>Mary,</HI> (and that &s;o familiarly, as &s;ometime &s;he &s;ang with the~ in their Cell, ki&s;&s;ed &s;ome of them, and let them &s;ucke her bre&s;ts). Nay, of God him&s;elfe: and e&s;pecially of our Sauiour <HI>Chri&s;t Ie&s;us:</HI> who they
<PB N="112" REF="135">
&s;ay, appeared (I knowe not how oft) to one man: namely, to Saint <HI>Francis:</HI> and appeared as he was crucified with his woundes, and imprinted tho&s;e woundes of his, in <HI>Francis</HI> his body, which they &s;ay he bare all his life, and that they bled when&s;oeuer hee would &s;uffer them, which he alwayes did on <HI>Good Fryday,</HI> that hee might be like to Chri&s;t. Thus, &amp;c many more &s;uch, may you&s;ee in that fabulous &amp; bla&s;phemous book, of the conformities of <HI>S. Francis.</HI></P>
<P>But for the matter: Are apparitions from heauen &s;o ordinary in the popi&s;h Church? how then came it to pa&s;&s;e, that the greate&s;t and holie&s;t men in the olde Te&s;tament, were &s;o amezed at the ve|ry apparition but of an Angell: as wee may &s;ee in the whole cour&s;e of the Storie? Some ranne away, and hidde them&s;elues: &s;ome couered their fa|ces, &s;ome fell flat on the grounde: and the Prophets heere cryed out; <HI>Woe is mee, I am vndone:</HI> my eyes haue &s;eene the King and Lorde of Ho&s;tes. But in the Church of <HI>Rome,</HI>
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looke the &s;tories, that Saint or Monke is no body that hath not had &s;ome ap|parition: either of the <HI>Virgin Marie,</HI> or &s;ome of the Apo&s;tles, or an Angel, or Chri&s;t Ie&s;us appearing and talking with them: and yet alas, <HI>Peter, lames,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Gala.</HI> 2. 9. <HI>Mat.</HI> 17. 6. <HI>&amp; Luke</HI> 9. 33.</NOTE> and <HI>Iohn, tho&s;e three great pillars,</HI> they were as good <HI>as be&s;ide them&s;elues</HI> at the appearing of a <HI>little part of the glorie of Chri&s;t</HI> in his transfiguration.</P>
<P>Either therefore mu&s;t it followe that the&s;e men haue no &s;inne in them, which dare and can behold Gods glo|ry &s;o ea&s;ily, and &s;o ordinarily, (which is impo&s;sible): or rather which indeed is truth, it appeares that the&s;e are but de|ceitfull fancies and forgeries of their owne deui&s;e, to deceiue the world, and to magnifie them&s;elues before the eyes <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rea&s;ons i<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter"> 1. Appariti|ons of God cannot be mores dom|mon in the new, then they were in the old Te&s;|tament.</NOTE> of the common people: for it is fir&s;t of all mo&s;t <HI>fal&s;e,</HI> that apparitions are &s;o common as they make them, for if they were, then are they more ordinary in the newe Te&s;tament then in the Olde. For whereas the Scripture hath one, their Legions haue twenty: &amp; whereas
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one, namely, Saint <HI>Paul, was once rapt into heauen,</HI> they haue 20. that were rapt thither: And as that is fal&s;e, &s;o is it <NOTE PLACE="marg">2. <HI>Cor.</HI> 12. 2. No man in his fle&s;h can endure gods glory.</NOTE> <HI>impo&s;sible</HI> that any man cloathed with fle&s;h can endure an extraordinary ap|parition of Gods glorie, without ex|treame amazement, as is plaine herd in the Prophet: who I hope was as holy a man, as the holie&s;t monke that euer was. I haue noted this, that young Di|uines may be occa&s;ioned to looke a litle into their fabulous legends, that &s;o they may di&s;couer the fal&s;e trickes, and iug|ling ca&s;tes of that religion: which euill &s;hiftes it needed not, if it were of God.</P>
<P>Thirdly, the people may here learne; <NOTE PLACE="marg">3. V&s;e, to the people: they may &s;ee Gods merey to them, in teaching them by men like them&s;elues, and not by apparitions from hea|uen.</NOTE> <HI>Fir&s;t,</HI> in that <HI>Gods pre&s;ence is &s;o glorious and fearefull to mans nature,</HI> how mer|cifully God hath delt with them, in teaching them not by him&s;elf, or by his Angels from heaue~, which they could neuer endure; but by men, who are like them&s;elues: and how vaine and fond the&s;e men are, who would bee taught <HI>from heauen,</HI> &amp; not <HI>by men,</HI> who are &s;o
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full of wants. In the olde Te&s;tament, when the people receiued the law from <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Deut.</HI> 5. 25 26, 27. 28.</NOTE> Gods owne mouth, it is &s;aide, they ran away, and cryed out, <HI>Why &s;hould we die? if we heare the voyce of God any more wee &s;hall dye: for what fle&s;h euer heard the voice of the liuing God &amp; liued</HI> therefore they &s;aid to <HI>Mo&s;es: Goe thou neare and heare, al that the Lord &s;hal &s;ay, &amp; declare thou vnto vs&punc; what God &s;aith to thee, &amp; we wilheare it, &amp; doe it.</HI> And then &s;aith the text, <HI>y^e Lord &s;aid I heard the words of this people, they haue &s;aid well in al that they haue &s;poken.</HI> And &s;o, from that day for|ward, <HI>God</HI> ordinarily taught his church by men like them&s;elues: &amp; we &s;ee, <HI>y^t</HI> the beginning of it was not in iudgement, but in mercie vnto them. It is therefore the dutie of all men, both to acknow|ledge this mercy of God, in due thank|fulne&s;&s;e, and withall to remember, when they &s;ee infirmities in Mini&s;ters, that they are but men, and that if they had not the Mini&s;tery of men, howe hard it would, goe with them: con&s;i|dering, that the lea&s;t mea&s;ure of <HI>Gods
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owne pre&s;ence, cannot be endured</HI> by any man.</P>
<P N="2">2. Ina&s;much as <HI>gods pre&s;ence, is &s;o glo|rious</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">2. V&s;e. Ergo, they mu&s;t prepare the~. &s;elues be|fore they come to the word or Sa|craments.</NOTE> in it &s;elf, and fearefull to our na|ture, al men are taught to <HI>prepare them|&s;elues</HI> by holy prayer, by humi&s;iation, and confe&s;sion of their &s;innes and vn|worthine&s;&s;e, afore they come to Gods word or &s;acraments: for they come at that time <HI>into Gods pre&s;ence:</HI> they there|fore are not to come in their &s;ecuritie, nor in their ordinarie &s;innes vnrepen|ted of, lea&s;t God &s;trike their con&s;cien|ces, with a &s;ence of his fearefull di&s;plea|&s;ure: &amp; make them cry out, vpon farre greater cau&s;e, then here the Propet did.</P>
<P>Thirdly and la&s;tly, wee learne here the different natures and properties of <NOTE PLACE="marg">3. V&s;e &s;ee the different natures of &s;inne, and holine&s;se. Sin drawes a man from Gods pre|&s;ence.</NOTE> &s;inne and holine&s;&s;e: Sinne, euen the lea&s;t &s;inne: nay, a very &s;infulnes of na|ture makes a man afraid of Gods pre|&s;ence: That &s;inne vnrepented of doth &s;o, appeares in <HI>Adam,</HI> who as in his in|tegrity, he &s;poke &amp; conuer&s;ed euen in a familiar &s;ort with God: &s;o no &s;ooner
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had he finned, but he ranne from God, and hid him&s;elfe: &amp; that euen the lea&s;t &s;innes not repented of, doe &s;o al&s;o, ap|peares in this Prophet, who beeing a holy man, yet his con&s;cience being pri|uie to it &s;elf of &s;ome &s;mall omi&s;sions or neglige~ces in his calling, he crieth out, <HI>he is vndone, becau&s;e he &s;eeth the Lord of ho&s;ts.</HI> But contrariwi&s;e, the &s;tate of per|fect <NOTE PLACE="marg">Holine&s;&s;e inuites a man into Gods pre|&s;ence.</NOTE> holine&s;&s;e, &amp; the want of all &s;inne, makes a man bold in Gods pre&s;ence, and rather <HI>de&s;irous</HI> then afraid to be|hold Gods glory, which &s;hall bee mo&s;t apparant at the la&s;t day: for when the wicked &s;hal de&s;ire rather to be <HI>couered</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Reue.</HI> 6. 16. <HI>Luke</HI> 21. 28. <HI>Iob.</HI> 19. 25 26, 27.</NOTE> <HI>with the hilles, and ground to du&s;t by the mountaines,</HI> then to appeare before the face of God: then &s;hal the godly who&s;e holine&s;&s;e &s;hal then bee perfect, <HI>looke vp and lift vp their heads, becau&s;e their re|demption is &s;o nigh.</HI> And <HI>Iob</HI> te&s;tifieth of him&s;elfe, that <HI>hee knoweth his redee|mer liueth,</HI> and that hee &s;hall <HI>&s;tand be|fore him,</HI> &amp; <HI>looke vpon him with his eyes.</HI> Thus as <HI>guiltine&s;&s;e</HI> driues a man from the kings pre&s;ence, but <HI>innocency</HI> makes
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him bold before him: So <HI>&s;infulne&s;&s;e</HI> makes a man auoid Gods pre&s;ence, but <HI>holine&s;&s;e</HI> makes him drawe neare vnto God, and to reioyce in his pre&s;ence.</P>
<P>Then for a conclu&s;ion of this point, <NOTE PLACE="marg">V&s;e. Ergo, if a man would haue bold|ne&s;&s;e with God, he mu&s;t be a holy man.</NOTE> let all men heare learne the way to true courage and boldne&s;&s;e before GOD: namely, <HI>to repent</HI> dayly of their &s;innes, and labour <HI>to growe in</HI> true holine&s;&s;e: wealth nor wit, learning nor authori|tie can do this for thee, but onely <HI>a good con&s;cience,</HI> which mu&s;t bee made good by grace and by repentance, then &s;halt thou <HI>reioice in Gods prese~ce</HI> in this world, and delight, to thinke of God, to &s;peake of God, to pray vnto him, to meete him in his word and &s;acraments, and at the la&s;t day &s;halt thou &s;tand with con|fidence before the throne of his glory.</P>
<P>Hitherto of the feare and a&s;toni&s;h|ment of the Prophet, and of the cau&s;es thereof. Now followeth <HI>his con&s;olation.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Then flewe one of the Seraphims, &amp;c.</HI></P>
<P>In the&s;e two ver&s;es is laid downe the <NOTE PLACE="marg">2. Generall points: His con&s;o|lation,</NOTE> &s;econd generall point: namely, <HI>the con|&s;olation of</HI> the Prophet: concerning
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which, there are two points in the text: <NOTE PLACE="marg">wherein are 2. points. 1. Circum|&s;tances of it. 2. The ground of of it.</NOTE>
<LIST>
<ITEM>1. the <HI>ground</HI> and matter of his con&s;ola|tion, <HI>that is the forgiuene&s;&s;e of his &s;innes.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>2 Diuers <HI>circum&s;tances</HI> of that con|&s;olation.
<LIST>
<ITEM>1 The time. <HI>Then.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>2 <HI>The</HI> mini&s;ter by whom it was done: <NOTE PLACE="marg">Circum&s;tan|ces are ma|ny.</NOTE> <HI>an Angell, one of the Seraphims.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>3 The manner how he did it, &s;pee|dily, <HI>He flewe.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>4 The in&s;trument or outward &s;igne <HI>a Coale from the altar.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>5 The outward action or applicati|on of it: <HI>He touched his lippes.</HI></ITEM>
</LIST></ITEM>
</LIST></P>
<P>The matter of the con&s;olation is la&s;t in order. Let vs therefore fir&s;t &s;peake of the Circum&s;tances.</P>
<P>The fir&s;t circum&s;tance, is the time <NOTE PLACE="marg">1. Circum|&s;tance, the time that is after his feare.</NOTE> when this Prophet was comforted and rai&s;ed fro~ his feare. <HI>Then</HI> &s;aith the text: that is, after his feare and a&s;toni&s;hment, but not afore. Thus dealt God alwaies with all his Saints, he be&s;toweth no <HI>gra|ces</HI> on the~ pertaining to &s;aluation, but after he hath by &s;ome meanes or other
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brought the~ to true <HI>humiliation</HI> in them|&s;elues, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Doct. No con&s;olation but after humiliation.</NOTE> and to &s;orrow for their &s;innes: Humiliation is the preparatiue for grace: for when by &s;ight and &s;en&s;e of their &s;innes, and their owne mi&s;ery by &s;inne, he hath euen driuen them quite out of them&s;elues, finding nothing in them&s;elues, but cau&s;e of feare and a&s;to|ni&s;hment, then powres hee the oyle of grace, and of &s;weete comfort into their hearts, &amp; refre&s;heth their weary &s;oules with the deawe of his mercy: this point needes no further proofe, for looke in|to the Scriptures, &amp; we &s;hal finde, God neuer called any man to the &s;tate of grace, or to any notable worke or fun|ction in his Church, but hee fir&s;t hum|bled them, and then brought them out of al conceit with them&s;elues, and then wrought <HI>in them, and by them,</HI> his won|derfull workes.</P>
<P>The v&s;e of this doctrine, is fir&s;t of all to teach <HI>all men,</HI> to e&s;teeme aright of the <NOTE PLACE="marg">V&s;e 1. To al men: Ergo, e&s;teeme of afflictions, namely, as</NOTE> afflictions that God layeth vpon them in this world: commonly men take them impatiently, &amp; our nature grud|grudgeth
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again&s;t them: but let a Chri|&s;tian man con&s;ider with him&s;elfe, how God hath alwaies dealt with his chil|dren, and he hath cau&s;e not to thinke &s;o: for doth God lay &s;ome great affliction on thee? it may be he hath &s;ome mighty worke of his grace to worke <HI>in thee,</HI> or &s;om great work of mercie to bewroght <HI>by thee</HI> in his church, and hereby <HI>prepa|reth</HI> thee for the &s;ame. Say therefore <NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al: 39. 9.</NOTE> with the holy Prophet; <HI>I helde my tongue &ocirc; Lord, and &s;pake nothing, becau&s;e it was thy doing:</HI> and what God may in|tend in his &s;o doing to thee, thou can&s;t not tell: and therefore in &s;ilence, <HI>and pa|tience po&s;&s;e&s;&s;e thy &s;oule.</HI></P>
<P>Againe, here is a <HI>comfort</HI> to all &s;uch <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 To men di|&s;tre&s;&s;ed in con&s;cience, that their &s;tate is not de&s;perate as they Ima|gine but mo&s;t com|fortable</NOTE> as are <HI>di&s;tre&s;&s;ed</HI> in mind, in &s;en&s;e of their finnes, and &s;ight of Gods wrath: their &s;tate is not mi&s;erable, much le&s;&s;e de&s;|perate, for they are in the high way to grace and fauour. God <HI>iustifieth</HI> not, but him that <HI>repents:</HI> God <HI>exalts</HI> not, but him that is <HI>humbled:</HI> God <HI>comforts</HI> not, but him that is <HI>di&s;tre&s;&s;ed:</HI> God <HI>hath mer|cie</HI> on none, but &s;uch as both knowne
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and feele they <HI>want it:</HI> and knowe al|&s;o, that they knowe not where to haue it, but at his hands. Happie there|fore is that &s;oule, that feeles the waight and burden of &s;in, for to him wil Chri&s;t bring mo&s;t ea&s;e and comfort. Gods Mi|ni&s;ters therefore are hereby to comfort di&s;tre&s;&s;ed con&s;ciences, to a&s;&s;ure them, that if with this Prophet they bee &s;o deepely touched with &s;ight of their &s;ins, and Gods iu&s;tice, as that they cry, <HI>Woe is me, I am vndone. Then,</HI> eue~ <HI>Then,</HI> are they mo&s;t capable of comfort, and be&s;t pre|pared to receiue it, as here it &s;ell out to the holy Prophet. Thirdly, here is the <NOTE PLACE="marg">V&s;e 3. The way to get excellent graces at Cods band, is to labour to feele the wan. of them.</NOTE> way taught vs <HI>how to attaine</HI> to any ex|celle~t graces of God, either for our own &s;aluation, or the good of the Church, namely to labour for a &s;encible feeling of the want of them in our &s;elues: for God v&s;eth to be&s;towe no gifts on any man, but &s;uch as do in humilitie &amp; low-line&s;&s;e, confe&s;&s;e to God, &amp; acknowledge in them&s;elues, the want of them. So the ble&s;&s;ed <HI>&V;irgin</HI> &s;ingeth, <HI>God filleth the</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Luke. 1. 53. 2 P&s;al. 107. 9.</NOTE> <HI>hungry with good things, but the rich hee
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&s;endes emptie away:</HI> And &s;o the P&s;almi&s;t, <HI>God &s;atisfieth the hungry &s;oule, and filleth the emptie &s;oule with goodne&s;&s;e.</HI> So then if thou be rich in thy conceits, God hath not for thee: but if thou be <HI>hungry,</HI> he is readie to <HI>fill</HI> thee with good things: and do&s;t thou acknowledge thy &s;oule emp|tie, then behold trea&s;ures of goodne&s;&s;e, to feede and <HI>fill thee:</HI> and art thou <HI>ca&s;t downe</HI> with the Prophet, and is thy &s;oule <HI>emptie</HI> of hope, and fraught with feare, <HI>then</HI> behold, <HI>euen then,</HI> God and his An|gels ready to rai&s;e thee vp, &amp; to fill thee with con&s;olation. Thus much for the <HI>time</HI> of his con&s;olation: the mini&s;ter, by whom <HI>was,</HI></P>
<P><HI>One of the Seraphims.</HI></P>
<P>The 2. circum&s;tance of his con&s;ola|tion <NOTE PLACE="marg">2. Circum|&s;tance of the Mini&s;ter An Angell, a Se|raphim.</NOTE> is the Mini&s;ter by whom it was done: An angel. One of the Seraphims: that is, <HI>an Angell</HI> of that order &s;o called: out of which we learne; <NOTE PLACE="marg">Doct 1. Ergo there are &s;e|ueral degrees of Angels, that wee knowe not.</NOTE></P>
<P>Fir&s;t, that there are diuers degrees and &s;euerall orders of Angels, though wee knowe not the true di&s;tinction thereof:
<PB N="124" REF="141">
nor thinke it lawful to imagine them to be 9. nor to &s;et them down particularly, as the Church of <HI>Rome</HI> doth, who make many of their owne deui&s;es, which they cal traditio~s, of equal authority with the &s;criptures. Secondly, that <HI>the&s;e holy An|gels</HI> are the glorious guard of God, and <NOTE PLACE="marg">Doct. 2. That they are Gods guard.</NOTE> doe continually &s;tand about the throne of his glory, &amp; attend his holy wil, both in heauen and in earth.</P>
<P>Thirdly, that they are al&s;o by the <NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 34. Heb. 1. Doct. 3. that they are the guard of Gods chil|dren.</NOTE> merciful appointment of God, <HI>the guard of Gods children,</HI> and mini&s;tring &s;pirits &s;ent out, as it were with a commi&s;&s;ion, <HI>for the good of the elect.</HI> All the&s;e points, becau&s;e they are plaine in the &s;cripture, and do le&s;&s;e co~cerne our general &s;cope, which is touching the Mini&s;tery, <HI>I</HI> pa&s;&s;e them ouer.</P>
<P>Fourthly, here it is appara~t, that as the Ange's are &s;ent out for the helpe &amp; &s;er|uice <NOTE PLACE="marg">Doct. That they haue &s;peciall charge and care of god|ly mini&s;ters.</NOTE> of the elect: &s;o <HI>e&s;pecially of Gods mini|&s;ters,</HI> as is plaine in this place, where the Prophet being afrighted, <HI>a holy Angel</HI> is ready to giue him comfort: and &s;o ouer the whole cour&s;e of the Prophets: and
<PB N="125" REF="141">
at this day, their protection, and com|fortable a&s;&s;i&s;tance, is no le&s;&s;e pre&s;ent to the godly Mini&s;ters of the newe Te&s;ta|ment, though not in &s;uch &s;en&s;ible &s;ignes, and &s;uch vi&s;ible manner, as in the olde: for if they bee mini&s;tring &s;pirits, &s;ent out for the good <HI>of them which &s;hall bee &s;aued,</HI> howe much more for their good, which &s;hall <HI>bee both &s;aued them|&s;elues, and &s;aue others al&s;o.</HI></P>
<P>A doctrine of great comfort, and <NOTE PLACE="marg">V&s;e to Gods mini&s;ters. I let them be content with their calling though it be full of cro&s;|&s;es and con|tempts for it is honoured of the Au|gels aboue others.</NOTE> much good v&s;e to all Mini&s;ters: who fir&s;t of all may here learne contentment intheir calling: for how&s;oeuer no calling hath <HI>more cro&s;&s;es,</HI> &s;o none againe hath <HI>more comfort:</HI> and how&s;oeuer none bee more di&s;graced <HI>by euillmen,</HI> yet none is more honoured <HI>by the holy Angels:</HI> and how&s;oeuer in this world they aboue a|ny calling, are <HI>&s;erua~ts to all men,</HI> yet none hath the <HI>&s;eruice</HI> &amp; attendance of <HI>Angels</HI> &s;o much as they: for though we haue them not to helpe vs to do the outward actions of our mini&s;tery with vs, or for vs, (as &s;ome popi&s;h Doctors teach, that in their Ma&s;&s;e, A <HI>men</HI> is not &s;aid to one
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collect, becau&s;e the Angels &s;ay <HI>A men</HI> to it) yet doubtle&s;&s;e they are pre&s;e~t alwaies, as at all holy exerci&s;es and lawfull acti|ons, &s;o e&s;pecially at the publike &s;eruice of God, performed by the Mini&s;ters: and be&s;ide that, they are <HI>witne&s;&s;es thereto,</HI> and of the paines, and diligence, and faithfulne&s;&s;e of a good Mini&s;ter, they al&s;o <HI>do Mini&s;ter</HI> vnto them oftentimes, bodily &s;trength, and a&s;si&s;tance, &amp; many comforts: in their trouble&s;ome trauels, which they know not how by any natu|rall meanes they come vnto them. And as this Doctrine doth thus yeeld them <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Ergo, Let them haue courage, for though men be again&s;t them, An|gels are with them.</NOTE> <HI>contentment</HI> again&s;t the contempt, &s;o al|&s;o <HI>courage</HI> again&s;t the danger of this cal|ling. For what though thou ha&s;t migh|tie <HI>men</HI> of this world <HI>again&s;t</HI> thee, when thou ha&s;t <HI>angels for thee?</HI> &amp; what though thou fighte&s;t <HI>again&s;t principalities</HI> and powers, when thou ha&s;t <HI>Cherubins, and Seraphims on thy &s;ide?</HI> Godly Mini&s;ters haue many enemies, but if by the <HI>eye of faith,</HI> they can &s;ee as well who are with them, as with the <HI>eye of rea&s;on</HI> who are a|gain&s;t them, they will confe&s;&s;e <HI>with Eli|&s;ha,
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there are more with vs, then again&s;t vs.</HI> The &s;tories of all ages doe affirme, and the co~fortable experience of the&s;e daies of ours doth verifie the truth hereof. Mini&s;ters that liue in places very pro|phane, or very popi&s;h, it is admirable to &s;ee how many daungers they haue e&s;|caped, and plottes they haue auoided, which by their enemies, (or rather the enemies of their Doctrine) haue bone laide for their liues: which their deliue|rance, and many other comforts in their Mini&s;tries, whence are they but from Gods protection, by the mini&s;try of his <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Que&s;tions</NOTE> Angels. <NOTE PLACE="marg">1. Ergo, Whe~ce is it that Angels attend mini|&s;ters more then other men. An&s;. 2. rea&s;ons.</NOTE></P>
<P>Afore we leaue this point, two que|&s;tions may be asked, not ami&s;&s;e briefely to be re&s;olued.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t if any aske, whence comes it that <HI>Angels</HI> performe more &s;eruice to good <HI>Mlnisters</HI> then to other men: I an|&s;were, the rea&s;on is partly from God, <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 From God' he will haue it &s;o, becau&s;e they worke his worke more then other cal|lings.</NOTE> partly from the <HI>Angels:</HI> fir&s;t God hath a principall care of them aboue other men, becau&s;e they worke his worke a|boue all other callings: for their labours
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immediately co~cerne the good of mens &s;oules: whereas others do fir&s;t concerne the body, and con&s;equently the &s;oule: therefore, whereas <HI>he hath giuen his An|gels charge ouer all</HI> his elect, <HI>to keepe them</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 91. 11. 12.</NOTE> <HI>in all their good waies,</HI> they haue <HI>a &s;peciall</HI> charge doubtle&s;&s;e ouer al <HI>godly and faith|full Mini&s;ters,</HI> who&s;e waies are Gods in a &s;peciall manner.</P>
<P>Againe, Angels them&s;elues as they <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 From the Angels them&s;elues.</NOTE> willingly performe any &s;eruice to the Church, or to any part thereof, &s;o mo&s;t willingly of all are they imployed for the good of godly Mini&s;ters, and that for two cau&s;es.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, becau&s;e they are their fellow-la|bourers, both for that <HI>y^t</HI> Angels &amp; good <NOTE PLACE="marg">Becau&s;e they are fellow|labourers. 1 Cor. 4. 2. Heb. 1. 1<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter">&punc; Mal. 27. Reue. 2. &amp;. 3, Chap.</NOTE> Mini&s;ters are both called <HI>Gods emba&s;&s;a|dors,</HI> &amp; Gods own <HI>&s;eruants or officers,</HI> in a more peculiar manner then any other calling: &amp; for that their &s;eruice is &s;o like, that their names are common, one to the other. <HI>Angels</HI> being called <HI>Mini&s;ters,</HI> and <HI>Ministers Angels,</HI> as though they were almo&s;t all one.</P>
<P>Secondly, becau&s;e the <HI>Mini&s;ters</HI> du|tie
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is, to conuert &amp; &s;aue &s;oules, being a <NOTE PLACE="marg">Becau&s;e they conuert &s;oules, which delighteth the Angels aboue any in this world. Heb. 1. 14. Luke 15. 10.</NOTE> worke which (next to the glorifying of God, and doings his wil) the <HI>Angels</HI> doe take mo&s;t delight in aboue any other: for if they <HI>be &s;ent out for the good of them which &s;hal be &s;aued,</HI> how much more wil|lingly for their good, <HI>by whom they are &s;aued,</HI> which &s;hal be &s;aued? &amp; if the <HI>An|gels reioice at the co~uer&s;ion of a &s;inner&punc;</HI> &s;ure|ly they much loue him, &amp; de&s;ire to doe him good, by whom the <HI>&s;inner is con|uerted:</HI> and in the&s;e re&s;pects, that An|gels and Mini&s;ters haue the <HI>&s;ame names:</HI> and are both imployed in the <HI>&s;ame</HI> great <HI>worke;</HI> namely, doing good to the elect.</P>
<P>Therefore is it, that the <HI>Angel</HI> calles <HI>him&s;elfe</HI> S. <HI>Iohn the Euangeli&s;ts fellow</HI> in the Reuelation: If then they be <HI>fellowes,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Reuel. 19. 10. &amp; 22. 9.</NOTE> eue~ fellow-&s;eruants, &amp; fellow-laborers, in a more &s;pecial maner then any other, what maruel though the <HI>angels</HI> be mo&s;t willingly imployed, in doing any &s;er|uice of helpe or comfort to godly Mi|ni&s;ters.</P>
<P>In the &s;econd place, If any aske, if it be &s;o, then what duties are Mini&s;ters
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to performe to <HI>angels,</HI> for this their &s;o <NOTE PLACE="marg">2. Que&s;tion: what duties then are good Mini|&s;ters to per|forme to Angels. Not wor|&s;hip them &s;o as the Pa|pi&s;ts doe.</NOTE> carefull &s;eruice, &amp; e&s;peciall attendance vpon them, aboue other men?</P>
<P>A Papa&s;t would an&s;were; <HI>Mini&s;ters</HI> mu&s;t therefore wor&s;hippe them, and keepe their fa&s;ting, &amp; Holy-dayes, and &s;ay their &s;eruice, and pray vnto them, as to their keepers and Mediators. But alas, cannot the Kings Me&s;&s;enger or Officer be honoured, vnle&s;&s;e he be &s;et vpon the Kings <HI>throne?</HI> will nothing &s;erue him, but the <HI>Crowne and Scepter?</HI> &s;o cannot Angels be honoured, vnle&s;&s;e they be made <HI>Gods, or Sauiours, or medi|ators?</HI> But I an&s;were therefore, wee dare not go &s;o farre, lea&s;t we remember the &s;eruant &s;o much, that we forget the ma|&s;ter: but rather we an&s;were thus: &s;eeing angels are thus &s;eruiceable to Gods mi|ni&s;ters, <NOTE PLACE="marg">As all men &s;hould ther|fore honour that calling.</NOTE> it &s;hould fir&s;t of all, teach al men to honour that calling, with all due re|uerence: For they cannot but plea&s;e the <HI>angels,</HI> in honouring good <HI>Mini|&s;ters,</HI> whom they e&s;teeme their <HI>fellowes.</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">1. So Mini|&s;ters &s;hould labour to be faithfull in their cal|ling.</NOTE></P>
<P>Secondly, it &s;hould teach all Mini|&s;ters, not to content them&s;elues with
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the name and title, but to labour to bee good and faithfull. For &s;o doing, they are <HI>fellowes</HI> to the Angels, and it is a di&s;grace to the Angels, when tho&s;e that are their fellowes are vnfaithfull.</P>
<P>And it &s;hould further teach them, <NOTE PLACE="marg">2. To adorn it with a ho|ly life.</NOTE> to adorne their Calling with a holy life, for as &s;inne is that, that grieues the <HI>an|gels,</HI> &amp; driues them away, &s;o it is grace and holine&s;&s;e, which makes them <HI>de|light</HI> in the fellow&s;hip of men.</P>
<P>And it may al&s;o encourage any man, <NOTE PLACE="marg">3. To be painfull in their calling.</NOTE> to take paines in that holy Calling, wherein hee is &s;ure to haue <HI>Gods angels,</HI> in a &s;peciall manner to attende him, to a&s;&s;i&s;t him, to protect him, and to bee a witne&s;&s;e of his faithfulne&s;&s;e: and who would not worke cheerefully in that labour, wherein hee hath the Angels to bee in a &s;ort <HI>fellow-workers</HI> with him?</P>
<P>To doe the&s;e three duties, is to <HI>ho|nour good angels:</HI> and that <HI>Mini&s;ter</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Thus to do, is to honour them.</NOTE> that con&s;cionably performeth them, the <HI>angels</HI> will take them&s;elues &s;uffici|ently honoured of that man.</P>
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And if be&s;ide this <HI>honour,</HI> we would <NOTE PLACE="marg">And if a Mi|ni&s;ter would reioyce the~, let him la|bour &s;eri|ou&s;ly, &s;o to preach as he may winne &s;oules.</NOTE> <HI>reioyce Gods angels,</HI> and mini&s;ter matter of <HI>ioy</HI> vnto them, then in the fourth place, let all <HI>Ministers</HI> propounde to them&s;elues aboue al things, <HI>the conver&s;i|on of &s;oules,</HI> rather then their own prai&s;e, or liuing, or plea&s;ing of men, and &s;o endeuour it both in teaching, and all their other cour&s;es, that the <HI>angels</HI> may &s;ee it, and bee witne&s;&s;e of it: for if they reioyce at the <HI>conver&s;ion of a &s;inner,</HI> (as Chri&s;t &s;aith they doe, then tho&s;e men make them ofte&s;t <HI>reioyce,</HI> which doe mo&s;t &s;eriou&s;ly aime at the <HI>conver&s;ion of &s;inners.</HI></P>
<P>And thus we &s;ee, both the &s;eruice of <HI>angels</HI> to Gods <HI>Mini&s;ters,</HI> and the du|ties they are to performe to them in that regard. The due con&s;ideration of this point, may rai&s;e <HI>the world</HI> to a better conceit of this <HI>Calling,</HI> and per|&s;wade <HI>fathers</HI> to dedicate their &s;onnes to it, and &s;tirre vp <HI>young &s;tudents</HI> to con&s;e|crate them&s;eluest hereto, &amp; turne their &s;tudies to that ende: for no man in no calling hath &s;o &s;peciall attendance, and
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a&s;&s;i&s;tance of Gods <HI>angels,</HI> as godly <HI>Mi|ni&s;ters</HI> haue: At lea&s;t, if it worke not this <HI>in the world,</HI> yet it may yeeld com|fort &amp; contentment to all faithfull <HI>Mi|ni&s;ters</HI> in their painfull calling.</P>
<P>But let vs &s;ee how the <HI>angel</HI> perfor|med his &s;eruice to the Prophet: not vn|willingly, not lingeringly, but <HI>&s;peedily:</HI> &s;o &s;aith the Text.</P>
<P><HI>He flewe.</HI></P>
<P>Which is not &s;o to bee vnder&s;tood, <NOTE PLACE="marg">3. Circum|&s;tance, the maner: He flewe.</NOTE> as though the <HI>angels</HI> had wings: for they haue no <HI>corporall</HI> nor &s;en&s;ible <HI>bo|dyes,</HI> but <HI>&s;pirituall</HI> and in&s;en&s;ible <HI>&s;ub&s;tan|ces,</HI> the actions whereof are performed with &s;uch nimblene&s;&s;e and agilitie, as <NOTE PLACE="marg">That is rea|dily, &s;peedi|ly, willingly.</NOTE> can not fall within the compa&s;&s;e of out|ward &s;en&s;e. But the Phra&s;e is v&s;ed for our capacities, to &s;hew how readily and <HI>&s;peedily</HI> the <HI>angel</HI> went about to mini&s;ter comfort to the <HI>Prophet.</HI> For as nothing moueth &s;o quickly to our &s;en&s;e, as doth the creature <HI>that flyeth:</HI> and as wee &s;ay, that man doth <HI>flye</HI> about his bu&s;ine&s;&s;e,
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which doth it <HI>quickly and diligently:</HI> &s;o here the holy Gho&s;t &s;ets downe the willingne&s;&s;e and quickne&s;&s;e of the <HI>an|gel,</HI> to comfort this holy <HI>Prophet,</HI> and to doe the will of God. Where we learne;</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, what <HI>excellent</HI> &s;eruants of God <NOTE PLACE="marg">Doct. 1. So what excel|lent &s;er|uants of God, Angels are.</NOTE> the holy <HI>angels</HI> bee, which &s;o readily, willingly, and &s;peedily execute the will of their Lord. This mu&s;t teach all gods &s;eruants to doe the like, and to imitate the~ in this excellent obedience: And the rather, becau&s;e wee pray dayly to God; <HI>Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen.</HI> In earth <HI>of vs,</HI> as it is in hea|uen <NOTE PLACE="marg">The fourth petition.</NOTE> <HI>of the holy angels:</HI> But they doe it mo&s;t cheerfully, and without all lin|gring, therefore &s;o ought we. <HI>Magi|&s;trates</HI> in their places, and <HI>Mini&s;ters</HI> in <NOTE PLACE="marg">V&s;e, we mu&s;t &s;o &s;erue Cod in our places.</NOTE> theirs, and euery man in his function, is to apply this to him&s;elfe, and to bee &s;tirred vp thereby to a cheerfulne&s;&s;e &amp; quickne&s;&s;e in their duties: for therein they re&s;emble the ble&s;&s;ed <HI>angels,</HI> &amp; then their <HI>deodes</HI> accord wity their <HI>prayer:</HI> but contrariwi&s;e, he that doth his dutie vn|willingly, and vnreadly, is like the <HI>Di|uel;</HI>
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which indeed doth <HI>Gods will,</HI> &amp; yet again&s;t <HI>his will.</HI> and &s;urely vnto &s;uch o|bedience there belongeth no reward. But as <HI>God loueth a cheerfull giuer,</HI> &s;o doubtle&s;&s;e loues hee a cheerfull <HI>worker.</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">2. <HI>Corinth.</HI> 9. 7. Doct. 2.</NOTE></P>
<P>Secondly, we &s;ee here how great loue <HI>angels</HI> beare vnto Gods children, e&s;pe|cially vnto godly <HI>Mini&s;ters,</HI> how <HI>wil|lingly</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">What good friends they are to good men, e&s;peci|ally to good Mini&s;ters.</NOTE> they are imployed to doe them good. <HI>Willingne&s;&s;e</HI> and readines to doe good to any man, mu&s;t needes come from <HI>loue:</HI> and yet alas all men, euen the be&s;t, and all <HI>Ministers,</HI> euen the be&s;t, are creatures farre inferior to the <HI>an|gels.</HI></P>
<P>Here <HI>Magi&s;trates</HI> &amp; <HI>Mini&s;ters,</HI> mu&s;t <NOTE PLACE="marg">1. V&s;e. Ergo, &s;uperiors loue their inferiors, and con|temne them not.</NOTE> learne to be farre from <HI>contempt</HI> of their inferiours: and to doe their duties of <HI>ruling and teaching</HI> carefully, though the people bee farre their <HI>infriors:</HI> it is the nature of <HI>loue,</HI> to make any man doe &s;eruice mo&s;t <HI>willingly,</HI> to him that hee loues, though he be farre meaner then him&s;elfe.</P>
<P>If therefore <HI>Princes</HI> loue their &s;ub|iects, they will not &s;pare any care, co&s;t, <NOTE PLACE="marg">And &s;hew it by doing them good.</NOTE>
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nor paines, nay they will <HI>reioyce</HI> to doe them good, and they will labour to bee like the <HI>angels,</HI> who are farre greater then men, as they are then their &s;ub|iects.</P>
<P>And if <HI>Mini&s;ters</HI> loue their people, they will forget their owne dignitie, which oft-times they might &s;tand vp|on, and will make them&s;elues euen <HI>&s;er|uants to all, that they may winne &s;ome.</HI></P>
<P>And &s;eeing <HI>angels</HI> doe <HI>flie</HI> &s;o fa&s;t to <NOTE PLACE="marg">2. V&s;e. Ergo, Mini&s;ters mu&s;t.</NOTE> giue helpe and comfort to good <HI>Mini|&s;ters:</HI> this mu&s;t teach <HI>them</HI> further. <NOTE PLACE="marg">1. Corinth. 9. 19. 1. Be faith|full.</NOTE></P>
<P>Fir&s;t, euery one to labour to bee a <HI>good Mini&s;ter,</HI> for then are they &s;ure of the loue of <HI>angels,</HI> and then mo&s;t <HI>wil|lingly</HI> doe the <HI>angels</HI> any &s;eruice to them. Againe, let it teach them to <HI>flye</HI> as fa&s;t to the di&s;charge of <HI>their duties</HI> to Gods <NOTE PLACE="marg">2. Painfull.</NOTE> Church, as the <HI>angels flye</HI> to doe them &s;eruice, &s;o &s;hal God <HI>angels</HI> thinke their diligence and carefull &s;eruice well be|&s;towed vpon <HI>them.</HI></P>
<P>La&s;tly, this <HI>diligence</HI> of the <HI>angels,</HI> &amp; their willingne&s;&s;e, proceeding from <HI>loue,</HI> mu&s;t &s;tirre vp al Chri&s;tians, to per|forme
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all duties of godline&s;&s;e to <HI>God,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">3. V&s;e. Ergo, al men &s;erue God cheere|fully: If wee be like An|gels, therein we &s;hal euen be like them in glory.</NOTE> &amp; of loue vnto his <HI>Church,</HI> with alacri|tie and cheerfulne&s;&s;e. So doe Gods <HI>an|gels;</HI> we looke to be like the <HI>angels</HI> in <HI>glo|ry,</HI> in the world to come: then bee like the <HI>angels</HI> in <HI>diligence,</HI> loue and faithful|nes in this world. The Wi&s;e man &s;aith, <HI>Hee that is &s;lothfull in his bu&s;ine&s;&s;e is good for nothing: but the diligent man &s;hall &s;tand</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Pro.</HI> 22 29.</NOTE> <HI>before the King.</HI> And &s;urely, hee that is willing &amp; diligent in the duties of Chri|&s;tianitie, &s;hall &s;tand <HI>before the King of kings</HI> in heauen. And let this &s;uffice for the Angels &s;eruice, and his diligence in his &s;eruice. Now let vs &s;ee what <HI>in&s;tru|ment</HI> the Angel v&s;ed.</P>
<P><HI>A coale from the Altar.</HI></P>
<P>The fourth Circum&s;tance of this <NOTE PLACE="marg">4. Circum|&s;tance: the In&s;trument a Coale of fire.</NOTE> con&s;olation, is the <HI>In&s;trument</HI> which it plea&s;ed God, the <HI>angel</HI> &s;hould v&s;e to mini&s;ter comfort to the <HI>Prophet,</HI> a &s;trange <HI>in&s;trument</HI> for &s;o great a work: <NOTE PLACE="marg">A &s;trange and won|derfull meanes.</NOTE> A <HI>coale of fire.</HI> Here let humane rea&s;on <HI>hide</HI> it &s;elfe, and wordly wi&s;edome bee <HI>confounded,</HI> to &s;ee the wonderfull works
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of the Lord: God could haue healed the <HI>Prophets</HI> infirmities, and giuen him comfort again&s;t his feare &amp; courage in his calling, <HI>without meanes,</HI> but hee will <NOTE PLACE="marg">And which &s;eemes con|trarie to rea&s;on.</NOTE> v&s;e meanes: and what? a <HI>weake meanes:</HI> nay, a meanes that &s;eemes contrary: <HI>A coale of fire</HI> mu&s;t touch his lippes: that which in all rea&s;on would haue made him <HI>&s;peake wor&s;e,</HI> by Gods appoint|ment and the power of his word, &s;hall make him <HI>&s;peake better.</HI> Out of which practi&s;e of God, we learn many points.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, &s;ee how GOD magnifieth <NOTE PLACE="marg">Doct. r. &s;ee God com|mendeth the v&s;e of meanes.</NOTE> <HI>meanes:</HI> hee <HI>can</HI> worke without them, and &s;o hee did in the Creation, giuing <HI>light</HI> to the worlde, diuers dayes <HI>before there was Sunne:</HI> but &s;ince the order of <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Gen.</HI> 1. <HI>from</HI> 4. <HI>to</HI> 17.</NOTE> nature was e&s;tabli&s;hed, hee <HI>generally</HI> v&s;eth meanes, not onely in his <HI>ordinary,</HI> but euen in his <HI>miraculous</HI> actions: and <NOTE PLACE="marg">Seeing him|&s;elfe alwaies v&s;eth them.</NOTE> though he v&s;e not alwayes the <HI>ordinary</HI> and direct <HI>meanes:</HI> yet <HI>meanes</HI> he gene|rally v&s;eth, though they &s;eeme <HI>contrary:</HI> as heere in this place; and the &s;ame wil be found true in almo&s;t al the miracles, both of the Old and New Te&s;tament.</P>
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This therefore commends vnto all <NOTE PLACE="marg">V&s;e Ergo, we are to v&s;e the meanes ap|pointed in all our pur|po&s;es.</NOTE> men, the v&s;e of &s;uch good <HI>meanes,</HI> as Gods prouidence hath ordained of any duties, or effecting of any thing, that doth belong vnto vs to doe: and not to depend vpon <HI>immediate</HI> helpes from <HI>Heauen,</HI> as many fonde and fanta&s;ticall men doe, who are therfore oftentimes iu&s;tly for&s;aken of God, and left de&s;ti|tute of all helpe; and &s;o expo&s;ed to &s;hame and reproach.</P>
<P>Secondly, &s;ee here the mighty pow|er of Gods <HI>ordinance,</HI> how it appeareth <NOTE PLACE="marg">Doct 2. &s;ee how Gods power doth &s;hew it &s;elfe in weaknes.</NOTE> in <HI>weakene&s;&s;e:</HI> &s;uch are all his great workes. In the <HI>Creation,</HI> hee brought <HI>light</HI> out of <HI>darkne&s;&s;e.</HI> In our <HI>Redempti|on,</HI> hee brought vs <HI>life</HI> out of <HI>death.</HI> In our <HI>conuer&s;ions,</HI> he workes vpon vs by his <HI>word,</HI> &amp; by it hee drawes vs <HI>to him,</HI> which in al rea&s;on would driue vs <HI>from him:</HI> and by it <HI>confounds</HI> the wi&s;edome of the worlde, which is &s;tarke <HI>fooli&s;h|ne&s;&s;e</HI> to the wi&s;edome of the world.</P>
<P>And &s;o here, hee clean&s;eth the Pro|phet by <HI>a Coale of fire:</HI> which would
<PB N="140" REF="150">
rather defile him, and <HI>&s;ea&s;oneth</HI> his mouth with it, which in rea&s;on &s;hould haue <HI>burned</HI> him: &s;o great, &s;o ad|mirable, and &s;o powerfull are the <HI>or|dinances</HI> of God, though they &s;eeme &s;o contrary, or &s;o weake in them&s;elues, or in their meanes.</P>
<P>Let this teach all men not to con|temne the Sacraments, though the out|ward <NOTE PLACE="marg">V&s;e. Ergo, God can worke by his word, and &s;acraments, and mans Mini&s;terie, though ne|uer &s;o ba&s;e.</NOTE> Elements, Bread, Wine, and Wa|ter, be weake and common, and dead creatures in them&s;elues: nor the Mi|ni&s;terie of the <HI>Word,</HI> though it be exer|ci&s;ed by a weake man, mortall &amp; mi&s;e|rable as others are: for that God, which can &s;ea&s;on the Prophets mouth, and clen&s;e his heart by <HI>a coale of fire,</HI> no maruell though hee worke vppon the con&s;ciences of men, by his <HI>word and Sa|craments.</HI></P>
<P>And againe, when we &s;ee <HI>Grace and Holine&s;&s;e</HI> conueyed into mens hearts by the <HI>Word and Sacraments;</HI> let vs learne, not to a&s;cribe it to the dignitie, either of the <HI>Mini&s;ter,</HI> or the <HI>Elements,</HI> but to the &s;upreme power of the mightie
<PB N="141" REF="150">
God, who can purge the Prophet, by <HI>a coale from the altar.</HI></P>
<P>Neither is it altogether without <HI>My|&s;terie,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Doct. 2. The ap<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter"> teacher mu&s;t haue a fiery toong.</NOTE> that God here &s;anctifieth the <HI>pro|phet,</HI> by touching his lippes with <HI>a fierie coale:</HI> for it <HI>&s;ignifieth,</HI> that the apt &amp; &s;uf|ficient <HI>teacher,</HI> mu&s;t haue <HI>a fierie tongue,</HI> and to that &s;ame purpo&s;e, <HI>the holy Gho&s;t came downe vppon the Apo&s;tles in fierie toongs,</HI> &amp; it may be that the one is a tipe of the other. Certaine it is, that they <NOTE PLACE="marg">Acts 2. That is a powerfull tongue, to reproue and burne vp &s;inne.</NOTE> both teach vs thus much, that all true and able Mini&s;ters, mu&s;t pray and en|deuour to haue a <HI>tongue</HI> full of power and force, euen like <HI>fire,</HI> to eate vp the &s;innes and corruptions of the worlde. For though it be a worthy gift of God to &s;peake mildly, and moderately, &s;o that his &s;peech &s;hal fall like <HI>deawe</HI> vpon the gra&s;&s;e: yet it is <HI>the firerie tongue</HI> that beates downe &s;inne, and workes &s;ound grace in the heart: It may be there are <HI>&s;ome,</HI> which neede the <HI>fierie tongue.</HI></P>
<P>This &s;hewes apparantly, that tho&s;e <HI>Mini&s;ters</HI> neuer had their lips touched with <HI>a coale fro~ Gods altar:</HI> that is, their &s;oules
<PB N="142" REF="151">
with <HI>a coale from Gods altar:</HI> that is, their <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ergo, &s;uch Mini&s;te<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter">s are fauitie, who re|proue not &s;inne.</NOTE> con&s;ciences neuer touched, nor their &s;oules &s;ea&s;oned with the &s;anctifying <HI>grace of Gods &s;pirit,</HI> which &s;it &s;till and &s;ee great and grieuous &s;taines in a Church, and corruptions in a State, and can bee content neuer to reproue them, as though <HI>Mini&s;ters</HI> were per|&s;waders onely, and not reprouers.</P>
<P>But when this comes to be wayed in the ballance of a good con&s;cience, it will bee found, that not the <HI>plea&s;ing</HI> tongue, but the <HI>fierie tongue,</HI> is the prin|cipall grace of a good <HI>Mini&s;ter.</HI></P>
<P>But to goe further: <HI>whence</HI> came this <HI>Coale?</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Whence came this Coale? from the Alter; which fire came from heauen.</NOTE></P>
<P><HI>Taken from the Altar.</HI></P>
<P>This <HI>coale of fire</HI> was taken by the <HI>angel</HI> from the <HI>altar of God,</HI> where was a fire which neuer went out, and this fire was that, that <HI>came from heauen:</HI> &s;ent downe by God at the dedication of the Temple by <HI>Salomon.</HI> And this fire kindled by God neuer went out: for
<PB N="143" REF="151">
no man could kindle the like, but all o|ther was counted <HI>&s;trange</HI> fire; As <HI>Na|dab and Abihu, tryed in wofull experience, when they would needes offer with in.</HI></P>
<P>Now the Prophet mu&s;t be clean&s;ed with the <HI>fire</HI> which came <HI>from Heauen:</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Leuit.</HI> 10. 1. 2.</NOTE> teaching vs, that the Mini&s;ter mu&s;t <NOTE PLACE="marg">Doct. The fire and zeale of the Mini&s;ter mu&s;t come from Gods &s;pirit.</NOTE> haue his <HI>fierie tongue</HI> fro~ the <HI>holy Gho&s;t.</HI> As the Apo&s;tles were &s;aid to bee bapti|zed <HI>with the holy Gho&s;t and with fire:</HI> A <HI>fierie tongue,</HI> is a &s;peciall ornament of a <HI>Mini&s;ter,</HI> but <HI>that fire</HI> mu&s;t come from heauen: that is, his zeale mu&s;t be a god|ly <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Acts.</HI> 1. 5. <HI>Math.</HI> 3. 11.</NOTE> and <HI>heauenly zeale;</HI> but hee that hath a rayling, lying, a &s;landerous, a malici|ous, or a contentious <HI>tongue,</HI> hee hath a <NOTE PLACE="marg">Not from carnal affec|tions.</NOTE> <HI>fierie tongue</HI> indeed. But this is kindled of the &s;ire <HI>of hell,</HI> as S. <HI>Iames</HI> &s;aith; The <HI>vnbridled tongue is a world of wickednes,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Iames</HI> 3. 6</NOTE> <HI>and defileth the whole body, &s;etteth on fire the whole cour&s;e of nature, and is &s;et on fire in hell.</HI></P>
<P>So then, a &s;pitefull and malicious tongue wee &s;ee, is a <HI>fierie tongue,</HI> but <NOTE PLACE="marg">For that is from hel, not from heauen.</NOTE> that <HI>fire</HI> is taken from <HI>hell,</HI> and not from <HI>Gods altar.</HI></P>
<P>And hee that &s;tands vp to preach
<PB N="144" REF="152">
with <HI>this tongue,</HI> God will neuer &s;uffer any great worke to be done by him in his Church, though his tongue be ne|uer &s;o <HI>fierie,</HI> and his &s;peech neuer &s;o powerfull.</P>
<P>As therefore <HI>Ministers</HI> mu&s;t ab|horre the <HI>flattering</HI> and plea&s;ing <HI>tongue,</HI> and mu&s;t haue a <HI>fierie</HI> tongue: &s;o on the other &s;ide, this <HI>fire</HI> mu&s;t bee from <HI>Gods altar:</HI> that is, the fire of their zeale mu&s;t bee kindled by Gods &s;pirit, and not by the &s;pirit of <HI>di&s;cord and di&s;&s;ention.</HI> Ambitious humors, turbulent &amp; proud humours, new opinions, priuate quar|rels, all the&s;e, nor none of the&s;e, are for the pulpit.</P>
<P>The&s;e may make a man <HI>fierie tongued,</HI> but this <HI>fire,</HI> was neuer ta|ken from <HI>Gods altar,</HI> as the Pro|phets was: this <HI>fierie tongue</HI> neuer came from heauen, as the Apo&s;tles did. It followeth.</P>
<P><HI>And touched my lippes.</HI></P>
<P>This fifth and la&s;t <HI>circum&s;tance,</HI> is
<PB N="145" REF="152">
the <HI>Application of the remedie.</HI> The coale which is the medicine, is applyed by <NOTE PLACE="marg">Circum|&s;tance, the Application of the reme|die to his lips which were pollu|ted.</NOTE> this Angel <HI>to his lips,</HI> that is, to that part which was polluted: and as he formerly complained of the <HI>pollution</HI> of his lips, &s;o the medicine is applyed <HI>to his lippes:</HI> Here the <HI>Angell,</HI> which in this ca&s;e is made GODS mini&s;ter, doth teach all Gods Mini&s;ters, a great point of wi&s;e|dome, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Doct Ergo, mini&s;ters mu&s;t apply their doctrin fitly.</NOTE> in heauenly Diuinitie, namely, to <HI>apply</HI> their Doctrine to their audience, in &s;uch manner, as the circum&s;tances of place, times, or per&s;ons do require: &s;ome <HI>Mini&s;ters</HI> come to an ignorant and vn|humbled people, and teach them the <HI>Go&s;pell,</HI> which neuer knewe the <HI>lawe:</HI> here the <HI>firy coale</HI> is v&s;ed, but <HI>the lips</HI> are not touched, that is, <HI>good doctrine</HI> taught, but not well <HI>applyed:</HI> for that the lawe &s;hould fir&s;t be laid to their con&s;ciences, others beate all vpon <HI>the Lawe,</HI> when it may be their hearers are a people &s;uffi|ciently ca&s;t downe, and haue more need to be rai&s;ed vp with the &s;weet comforts of the Go&s;pell: others v&s;e to laye open the nakednes of the <HI>Court</HI> in the coun|try,
<PB N="146" REF="153">
and to reproue the faults of <HI>Princes</HI> and great magi&s;trates before the co~mon people, who haue more need of the <HI>Ca|techi&s;me:</HI> others bring the Catechi&s;me or points of ordinarie in&s;truction into the <HI>Court,</HI> where the duties of <HI>Kings and councellors</HI> &s;hould be taught in all plain|ne&s;&s;e and &s;inceritie: others bring their new opinions or controuer&s;all points vnto <HI>popular</HI> audiences, which indeede are fit for the &s;chools: other bu&s;ie them|&s;elues about <HI>ceremonies,</HI> when the <HI>&s;ub|&s;tance</HI> is in daunger to be lo&s;t: All the&s;e (haue it may be) the <HI>Coale of fire,</HI> but it is mi&s;applyed, and not <HI>applyed to the pollu|ted lips.</HI> Let all <HI>mini&s;ters</HI> therefore learne this point of wi&s;dome of the <HI>Angell,</HI> to <HI>apply</HI> the medicines of their doctrine to the times, per&s;ons, and places, which are infected, &s;o &s;hal they be &s;ure not to take paines in vaine.</P>
<P>And thus much of the circum&s;tances of his con&s;olation.</P>
<P>It followeth in the text.</P>
<P><PB N="147" REF="153">
<HI>Loe thy iniquitie &s;hall be taken away, and <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Point, the ground of his con&s;ola|tion: which is the for|giuene&s;&s;e of his &s;innes.</NOTE> thy &s;innes &s;hall be purged.</HI></P>
<P>After the <HI>Circum&s;tances,</HI> followeth the <HI>ground</HI> and matter of his <HI>con&s;olation,</HI> and that is the <HI>forgiuene&s;&s;e of his &s;innes;</HI> where fir&s;t let vs marke how it and the in&s;trument are annexed together: Loe <NOTE PLACE="marg">Doct 1. For|giuene&s;&s;e &amp; the meanes, are annexed together.</NOTE> &s;aith the Angel, this <HI>Coale</HI> ha<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter">h touched tay lippes, and thy <HI>Iniquities</HI> &s;hall bee <HI>forgiuen,</HI> and thy <HI>&s;innes purged:</HI> as though hee had bene <HI>clen&s;ed</HI> by the <HI>Coale:</HI> where we may note, how greatly God magnifi|eth the <HI>meanes</HI> which him&s;elf ordaineth, euen true remi&s;&s;ion and &s;aluation to the right and holy v&s;ing of them, though it come not from them, but from his own mercy, and power of his ordinance. It is therefore no maruell though God &s;anc|tifieth the childe by the Mini&s;tery of water in <HI>Bapti&s;me,</HI> and feede our &s;oules <NOTE PLACE="marg">V&s;e. Ergo, V&s;e the meaues, with reuerence &amp; de&s;pi&s;e then not.</NOTE> in the <HI>Lords Supper,</HI> by feeding our bo|dies with bread and wine: and no mar|uell though the <HI>carele&s;&s;e neglect</HI> of ei|ther of them, be damnation to him that
<PB N="148" REF="154">
de&s;pi&s;eth them: &s;eeing they are Gods in|&s;truments, ordained by him to conuey his grace vnto vs: And yet for all this, wee are to knowe, that remi&s;&s;ion or &s;al|uation, is no more tyed to the very ele|ments, or the actions, then here the Pro|phets <HI>forgiuene&s;&s;e</HI> is to the <HI>Coale of fire.</HI></P>
<P>But the maine point is, that for the Prophets <HI>con&s;olation,</HI> the Angell tells him his <HI>iniquities</HI> &s;hall bee taken away, and <HI>his &s;innes purged,</HI> as thereby he had &s;aid thy <HI>&s;ins</HI> were the cau&s;e of thy <HI>feare,</HI> therefore that thy <HI>feare</HI> may be taken a|way, thy <HI>&s;innes &s;hall</HI> be forgiuen.</P>
<P>Where we learne, that as <HI>few</HI> comes by <HI>&s;inne,</HI> &s;o all true comfort comes from <NOTE PLACE="marg">Doct 2. Here com|fort is from forgiuene&s;&s;e of our &s;ins.</NOTE> the <HI>forgiuene&s;&s;e of &s;innes:</HI> this is that, that onely pacifieth the con&s;cience, and &s;a|tisfieth the &s;oule: when <HI>Dauid</HI> had &s;in|ned again&s;t the Lord in his two great <NOTE PLACE="marg">True in Da|uid.</NOTE> &s;innes, and thereby prouoked Gods wrath again&s;t him, and wounded his owne con&s;cience, if the <HI>Prophet</HI> had told him hee had made him <HI>King of</HI> 10 <HI>king|domes</HI> more, he had not &s;o reioyced his <NOTE PLACE="marg">2. Sam 11.</NOTE> heart, as when he told him, after his re|pentance,
<PB N="149" REF="154">
<HI>thy &s;innes are forgiuen thee, thou &s;halt not dye:</HI> So when this <HI>Prophet</HI> was <NOTE PLACE="marg">And in this Prophet.</NOTE> extreamely affrighted at Gods pre&s;e~ce, becau&s;e of &s;ome &s;innes and negligences in his calling it had bene no comfort to his poore &s;oule, to haue bene told, thou &s;halt haue a more eloquent tongue, and a more powerful &s;peech, thou &s;halt haue better acce&s;&s;e to the Court &amp; audience before the King: all the&s;e, and all &s;uch like, would haue beene no better then <HI>guided poy&s;on</HI> vnto him, being in this ca&s;e: but the happy an&s;were that re|fre&s;heth his wearie &s;oule more then all the world, was this, <HI>Loe thy iniquities are forgiuen and thy &s;innes purged.</HI></P>
<P>All faithfull Mini&s;ters mu&s;t heere <NOTE PLACE="marg">V&s;e. Here is the true way to comfort di&s;tre&s;&s;ed con&s;ciences.</NOTE> learne the true way of comforting trou|bled and di&s;tre&s;&s;ed con&s;cie~ces, namely, fir&s;t to drawe him vnto a <HI>&s;ight</HI> of &s;ome particular &s;innes, then to &s;ummon him into Gods pre&s;ence, and there to ar|raigne him for tho&s;e &s;innes, vntill the view of the foulne&s;&s;e of his &s;innes, and the glory of Gods iu&s;tice, haue &s;uffici|ently <HI>humbled him,</HI> and then to labour to
<PB N="150" REF="155">
per&s;wade his con&s;cience vppon good groundes of the <HI>pardon</HI> of tho&s;e &s;innes by Chri&s;t Ie&s;us, this is the way that God v&s;ed and deui&s;ed, this is the &s;ure way, that cannot faile.</P>
<P>Some thinke that all trouble of mind is nothing but <HI>melancholy</HI> and therefore <NOTE PLACE="marg">Phy&s;ick and outward comforts wil not &s;erue. P&s;al. 3. 3. 6. 7. P&s;al. 32. 3. 4. P&s;al. 51 the whole P&s;alm</NOTE> thinke nothing needes but <HI>Phy&s;icke</HI> and outward comforts: but he that con&s;iders in what ca&s;e the <HI>Prophet</HI> heere was, or <HI>Dauid</HI> when hee made the 6. <HI>the</HI> 32. <HI>or the</HI> 51. <HI>P&s;almes,</HI> will be of another mind, and will finde that nothing can <HI>properly</HI> trouble <HI>the mind</HI> but &s;inne: therefore as the wi&s;e <HI>Phy&s;itian</HI> in his cure fir&s;t &s;earch|eth out the <HI>cau&s;e,</HI> and then endeuours to take it away: &s;o the <HI>good Phy&s;itian</HI> of the &s;oule, mu&s;t fir&s;t of all &s;earch into the cau&s;e of his &s;ickne&s;&s;e, that is his <HI>&s;ins,</HI> and mu&s;t take them away: which if they doe not, then al their labour is lo&s;t: for al the companie, mu&s;icke, recreation, wine, di|et, nay all worldly comforts &amp; delights, if it were the aduancement to a <HI>kingdom,</HI> cannot &s;o much comfort the di&s;tre&s;&s;ed &s;oule of a &s;inner, as this voice <HI>of a mini&s;ter</HI>
<PB N="151" REF="155">
&s;poken from God vpon good grounds; <HI>Thy &s;innes are forgiuen thee.</HI> Now to lay downe what bee tho&s;e true and good groundes, whereupon a Mini&s;ter may <NOTE PLACE="marg">This is done by the Au|thor in his Ca&s;es of con&s;cience.</NOTE> &s;afely and comfortably pronounce par|don of &s;ins to a &s;inner, belongs proper|ly to another place.</P>
<P>In the next place; Let vs heere ob|&s;erue <NOTE PLACE="marg">Doct. 5. True quali|fication of a Mini&s;ter, is to be hum|bled, and to repent.</NOTE> how the Lord afore he renued the <HI>Prophets</HI> commi&s;&s;ion, or &s;end him to preach to the people, fir&s;t <HI>humbles</HI> him for his &s;innes, and then vppon his re|pentance, giues him <HI>pardon:</HI> teaching vs, that no <HI>Mini&s;ter</HI> is well <HI>qualified</HI> to the holy duties of the <HI>Mini&s;terie,</HI> vn|le&s;&s;e hee haue truly repented of his &s;ins, and haue obtained pardon and mercie in the <HI>Me&s;&s;ias.</HI></P>
<P>Mini&s;ters labour for <HI>qualifications,</HI> but the true Mini&s;ter of God will la|bour for this <HI>qualification</HI> aboue all o|ther: for doubtle&s;&s;e hee &s;hall <HI>pronounce</HI> mo&s;t powerfully the pardon of &s;innes to others, to who&s;e con&s;cience God hath pronounced pardon <HI>of his owne.</HI></P>
<P>In the la&s;t place, let vs ob&s;erue how
<PB N="152" REF="156">
the Prophet being to be comforted be|fore <NOTE PLACE="marg">Doct. 4. True Pro|phets &amp; mi|ni&s;ters &s;hall haue helpe and comfort in their la|bours, el&s;e Angells &s;hall to comfort them.</NOTE> hee goe this newe emba&s;&s;age, the <HI>Lord</HI> is &s;o carefull for him, that rather then he be not comforted (if there be no man to do it), An <HI>Angel</HI> &s;hal be &s;e~t to be his comforter, &amp; (if ther be not another <HI>Prophet</HI> to doe it) <HI>An Angell</HI> &s;hall pro|nounce vnto him the pardon of his &s;ins.</P>
<P>Let this be an encouragement for all <HI>Pa&s;tors and Mini&s;ters</HI> of Gods Church, to labour painfully &amp; faithfully in their places, for the goodne&s;&s;e of the Lord will neuer faile them, nor &s;hall they want comfort, when euer they &s;tand in neede thereof. Yea rather &s;hall <HI>Angels</HI> from heauen be their helpes and com|forters, then faithfull <HI>Ministers</HI> &s;hall be left de&s;titute.</P>
<P>Hitherto of the &s;econd generall points: namely, of the Prophets con&s;o|lation.</P>
<P>The third and la&s;t generall point is, the <HI>renouatiou of the Prophets commi&s;&s;ion,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Geoerall points, the renuing of his co~mi&s;si|on: which co&s;itaineth 3 points.</NOTE> in the eight, &amp; part of the ninth ver&s;es, and it containeth 3. parts, 1. A que&s;tion or inquirie made by God; <HI>When &s;hall I
<PB N="153" REF="156">
&s;end, and who &s;hall goe for vs?</HI></P>
<P N="2">2 The an&s;were of the Prophet: <HI>Here am I, &s;end me.</HI></P>
<P N="3">3 The commi&s;sion renued vnto him: <HI>The Lord &s;aid, Goe and &s;peake vnto this people.</HI></P>
<P>The fir&s;t part, is a <HI>question</HI> made by <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Gods que|&s;tion.</NOTE> God, by way of proclamation, wherein he enquireth who &s;hall goe preach vn|to <NOTE PLACE="marg">Whom &s;hal I &s;end.</NOTE> this people.</P>
<P><HI>Al&s;o, I heard the voice of the Lord &s;aying, whom &s;hall I &s;end? and who &s;hall gae for vs?</HI></P>
<P>In which Proclamation, and <HI>inqui|rie</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Not as though God had none to &s;e~d or knew not whom.</NOTE> of the Lord, we are not to imagine that the Lord, was either vnprouided of &s;uch as <HI>&s;hould</HI> execute his will, or knewe not who <HI>were able,</HI> or who were <HI>willing</HI> to goe preach his word: For as the Apo&s;tle &s;aith, in the matter of <HI>Elec|tion;</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">2. Tim. 2. 19.</NOTE> <HI>The Lord knoweth whr are his:</HI> &s;o much more in particular <HI>vocations. The Lord knoweth who are his,</HI> and neede not to aske <HI>whom &s;hall I &s;end, or who &s;hall goe?</HI>
<PB N="154" REF="157">
But then it may be demanded, why the <NOTE PLACE="marg">But to our conceits and for our &s;ake, to teach vs many good doc|trines.</NOTE> Lorde &s;aith &s;o? <HI>I</HI> an&s;were, not for his owne &s;ake, but for ours: whom hereby he would in&s;truct, in diuers points of holy doctrine.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, hereby he would giue vs to vnder&s;tand, how hard a thing it is, to finde an able and <HI>godly Mini&s;ter,</HI> for if <NOTE PLACE="marg">Doct. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter">. How hard to find a good Mini&s;ter.</NOTE> there were not a great <HI>&s;carcitie</HI> of &s;uch men, the Lorde needed not aske this que&s;tion. But &s;ome will obiect again&s;t this, that there are in many Chri&s;tian <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ob. Ther are too many mini&s;ters, for &s;ome goe vp and downe.</NOTE> Churches &s;o many <HI>Ministers,</HI> as they cannot all bee maintained, but &s;ome goe vp and downe vndi&s;po&s;ed, and vnprouided for. <HI>I</HI> an&s;were, this is too true in all ages: there were <HI>Wandering</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">An&s;. 1. Then it is a di&s;or|der in a Church.</NOTE> <HI>Leuits</HI> in the Olde Te&s;tament, which went vp and downe and offered their &s;eruice, and &s;erued <HI>for</HI> 10. <HI>&s;hekels of &s;il|uer, and a &s;ute of apparell, and meate and drinke:</HI> but this calamitie was vpon the <NOTE PLACE="marg">Iudges. 19. 18. &amp; 17. 8. 6.</NOTE> Church of the Iewes, (neuer but then,) when <HI>there was no King in I&s;rael, and eue|ry one did that which was good in his owne eyes.</HI> If therefore there bee any in <HI>our
<PB N="155" REF="157">
Church,</HI> and in chri&s;tian nations, which goe vp and downe, and offer their &s;er|uice at &s;uch rates, it is much more mi&s;e|rable, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Iudge. 17. 6.</NOTE> &s;eeing now there <HI>are kings in I&s;ra|el:</HI> and therefore it is no rea&s;on that eue|rie man rob the Church, as it &s;hal plea&s;e his couetous minde. But cea&s;ing to enquire whether this be &s;o or no: and if it bee &s;o, leauing the reformation thereof to tho&s;e Churches and States <NOTE PLACE="marg">An&s;. 2. He &s;eeke not for any.</NOTE> whom it may concerne: I an&s;were, for the matter in hand, that this may be &s;o, and yet the Lorde may complaine as heere hee doth; Whom &s;hall I &s;end? for the Lord meane<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter">h not &s;uch as beare the name of <HI>Leuits or Prie&s;tes</HI> in the olde, or of <HI>Mini&s;ters</HI> in the new Te&s;tament (for there were alwaies inow of them: who, &s;ome for preferment &s;ake, &s;ome for their ea&s;e, and &s;ome for a refuge how to liue; are willing to enter that function, and accordingly in that calling, &s;eee not the Lord, but them&s;elues, and their owne ends).</P>
<P>But heere the Lorde enquireth for <NOTE PLACE="marg">But for good mini|&s;ters.</NOTE> &s;uch men, as fir&s;t, <HI>purely doe &s;eeke</HI> and
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vndertake that function, therein to ho|nour God, and to gather his Church, and then in all their labours and mini|&s;teriall duties, truly and faithfully ende|uour to the &s;ame ends; Preaching <HI>Gods word,</HI> and <HI>as Gods word,</HI> diligently repro|uing, exhorting, and admoni&s;hing, and &s;hining before their people in good workes: for &s;uch men, it is no maruell though the Lorde light a Candle at No one day, and make open Procla|mation <NOTE PLACE="marg">Job. 33. 23. 2. Corinth. 2. 16.</NOTE> to &s;eeke for them, &s;aying; <HI>Whom &s;hall I &s;end?</HI> for, &s;uch a man is as <HI>Iob</HI> &s;aith, <HI>One of a thou&s;and:</HI> for &s;ome wat ability to di&s;charge their duties, as S. <HI>Paul</HI> &s;aith, <HI>Who are &s;ufficient for tho&s;e things?</HI> And &s;ome want willingne&s;&s;e to vndertake the labour, as God here complaineth; <HI>Who &s;hall goe for vs?</HI> Now to make v&s;e of this doctrine to our Church.</P>
<P>It were to be wi&s;hed, that in the&s;e daies, &amp; for our chri&s;tian Churches, the Lord <NOTE PLACE="marg">Good mini|&s;ters &s;carce, euen in the&s;e dayes.</NOTE> had not as great cau&s;e to cry out in the want of able, faithfull, and godly <HI>Mi|ni&s;ters, Whom &s;hall I &s;end, and who &s;hall goe for vs?</HI> But alas, this want is too ap|parant,
<PB N="157" REF="158">
and this blemi&s;h is too notori|ous, and it is a worke worthy the labour of kings and princes to reforme it: and is <HI>a kings euil;</HI> not to be healed but by the power of a King: for as long as there are &s;o fewe and meane preferments for painefull Mini&s;ters, there will neuer want abundance of &s;uch <HI>Ministers</HI> as doe want either con&s;cience or abilitie to di&s;charge their duties.</P>
<P>In the meane time, till God put into <NOTE PLACE="marg">V&s;e. 1. To Mini&s;ters. 1 They in the vniuer&s;i|ties frame them&s;elues to the mini|&s;terie.</NOTE> the hearts of <HI>Parliaments, and Princes,</HI> to locke to this great and needfull worke; let vs <HI>Mini&s;ters</HI> learne our duties: and fir&s;t, wee who are in the <HI>Vniuer&s;ities,</HI> are here admoni&s;hed to look to our &s;elues. By Gods ble&s;sing we are many, and dai|ly growe more and more: let vs there|fore &s;o furni&s;h our &s;elues, as that when God or his Church &s;hall &s;ay, <HI>Who &s;hall goe for vs, and whom &s;hall I &s;end?</HI> then he may find <HI>many</HI> among&s;t vs, who~ he may &s;end to that great worke of the <HI>Mini&s;ie|rie:</HI> &amp; let vs feare to be &s;uch, as thar God may affirme of vs, as in the daies of <HI>Iob,</HI> that he cannot finde <HI>one of a thou&s;and.</HI></P>
<P><PB N="158" REF="159">
Secondly, all <HI>Mini&s;ters</HI> learne here, <NOTE PLACE="marg">2. Labour to be worthy Mini&s;ters.</NOTE> not to content them&s;elues with the <HI>name and title</HI> of Mini&s;ters, but labour for the &s;ub&s;tantiall ornaments thereof, nor to be willing to take <HI>the honour and liuings,</HI> and to refu&s;e <HI>the burden and duties</HI> of the Mini&s;terie.</P>
<P>For el&s;e let them knowe, God hath <NOTE PLACE="marg">For God hath v&s;e of them, but none of vn|co~&s;cionable or idle Mi|ni&s;ters.</NOTE> no neede of them: for had the Lorde plea&s;ed or contented him&s;elf with &s;uch kinde of men, as <HI>&s;eeke</HI> to bee Mini&s;ters for them&s;elues, and not for his &s;ake: or beeing Mini&s;ters, doe feede them&s;elues, and not their flocke: or Preach them|&s;elues, and not <HI>Chri&s;t:</HI> then had he not needed to haue made this Proclamati|on, for Ages haue yeelded &s;tore of &s;uch. But contrariwi&s;e, hee that is pain|full and faithfull in this function, let him knowe, that God and his Church hath <NOTE PLACE="marg">2. V&s;e. To the Cleargie of Rome. A &s;hame to them, that being &s;o many, there are &s;o few of them fit for God to &s;end.</NOTE> neede of him.</P>
<P>La&s;tly, heere the <HI>Romi&s;h Cleargie</HI> are iu&s;tly to bee taxed, who&s;e num|ber is infinite: but it is lamentable to &s;ee howe fewe among them be &s;uch as the Lord heere &s;eeketh for. Their Orders
<PB N="159" REF="159">
of <HI>Regulars</HI> are exceeding many, be&s;ide all their <HI>Secular Prie&s;ts,</HI> and it is almo&s;t incredible, how many thou&s;ands there bee of <HI>Dominicans or Franci&s;cans,</HI> or in &s;ome one of their orders: and yet a|mong&s;t the many millions of their Monkes, there is &s;carce to bee found one of many, who for his learning &amp; o|ther gifts, is fit to be &s;ent to the worke of God: nay, their ignorance was palpa|ble and ridiculous to the world, vntill <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mo&s;t of all their Prie&s;ts &amp; Monks are ignorant drones.</NOTE> of late being by <HI>Luther,</HI> and others of our Church, made a&s;hamed thereof, they haue laboured (e&s;pecially <HI>the Ie|&s;uites)</HI> to become learned. How foule a thing is it that among&s;t &s;o many, the Lord &s;hould haue cau&s;e to complaine; <HI>Whom &s;hall wee &s;end?</HI> The <HI>Ie&s;uits</HI> indeed, <NOTE PLACE="marg">The Ie&s;uites haue lear|ning but no con&s;cience: and are ra|ther States|men, then Diuines.</NOTE> many of them are learned, but for o|ther qualities, they are fitter to be plot|ters, &amp; practi&s;ers in Statematters, Spies or Intelligencers, reconcilers, &s;educers, and &s;ubuerters, then <HI>Ministers:</HI> and fitter to be in&s;truments of <HI>pollicie</HI> to euil kings, then Mini&s;ters of the <HI>Go&s;pel</HI> vnto God. But take away them, and &s;ome
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fewe &s;elected Monkes (and tho&s;e but fewe out of many thou&s;ands) &amp; then e|uen for learning al&s;o God may cry, and call &amp; proclaime in their Mona&s;teries; <HI>whom &s;hal I &s;end?</HI> And if it be a &s;hame and mi&s;erie to a Church to want &s;uch as God may &s;end, or to haue but a fewe, then the <HI>Romi&s;h Church</HI> is &s;hamele&s;&s;e, which &s;hames not to haue &s;o many, and yet among&s;t them all, whom God may &s;end, almo&s;t none.</P>
<P>In the next place. By this inquirie, and que&s;tion made by God, <HI>whom &s;hall</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Doct. 2. No man is to goe vntill God &s;end him.</NOTE> <HI>I &s;end, and who &s;hall goe for vs?</HI> The Lord would teach vs, that no man is to vndertake this function, vnle&s;&s;e God <HI>call and &s;end him:</HI> therefore heere are condemned, the prophane fancies of the <HI>Anabaptists,</HI> and all like them, who thinke that any man vppon a priuate motion, may &s;teppe foorth and vnder|take <NOTE PLACE="marg">And not to run vpon priuate mo|tions,</NOTE> the duties of a <HI>Prophet,</HI> to preach and expound, &amp;c. Oh, but &s;ay they, the&s;e <HI>motions</HI> are from Gods &s;pirit: &s;ure|ly they can &s;ay litle for them&s;elues, who cannot &s;ay &s;o much: but that cannot
<PB N="161" REF="160">
&s;erue their turne: for if we &s;ay, contra|riwi&s;e nay, but they are from the diuel, or at the lea&s;t from your owne vanitie and pride, how can they di&s;proue it? Againe, might not the <HI>Prophet</HI> haue alledged that with a better pretence and colour then they? yet he &s;tayeth till God heere call him: euen &s;o all good Mini&s;ters are to &s;tay Gods calling.</P>
<P>If any aske, how he &s;hal know when <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ob, How &s;hall I know when God calles me? An&s;. If Gods Church al|lowe thy calling.</NOTE> <HI>Gods calles him?</HI> I an&s;were, God calleth ordinarily by his <HI>Church,</HI> her voyce is his: therefore when&s;oeuer the <HI>Church</HI> of God, &s;aith vnto thee, thou &s;halt bee <HI>&s;ent,</HI> and <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="2 letters">ou &s;halt <HI>goe for vs,</HI> euen then doth the Lorde <HI>call</HI> vs out to this holy function. <NOTE PLACE="marg">Doct. 3. out of the repe|tition of ho|ly 3. times. Here is no &s;ufficient proofe of the Trini|tie, as &s;ome thinke.</NOTE></P>
<P>Thirdly, let vs ob&s;erue how the Lord &s;aith: <HI>Who &s;hal</HI> (I) <HI>&s;end? &amp; who &s;hal goe for (vs)?</HI> Some Interpreters gather out of this Chapter, an Argument for the trinitie of per&s;ons; as namely, out of the 3. Ver&s;e, where the Angels &s;ing; <HI>Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God, &amp;c.</HI> But it is not &s;ound enough to ouerthrowe our &s;tubborne enemies the <HI>Iewes</HI> and ther|fore
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it &s;eemes tho&s;e Diuines are of a &s;ounder and wi&s;er iudgement: who &s;ee|ing we haue other places pregnant and plaine enough, therefore thinke it no good di&s;cretio~ to vrge this or any &s;uch place which may probably admit ano|ther Interpretation, lea&s;t that the <HI>Iewes</HI> finding the weaknes of the Argument, doe iudge al our proofes to be as weak, and &s;o take occa&s;ion to per&s;i&s;t the rather in their blindne&s;&s;e, by that which wee brought to haue conuerted them. And as for that &s;ong of the <HI>angels</HI> in the third Ver&s;e, where they a&s;cribe holine&s;&s;e to <NOTE PLACE="marg">For the re|petition made by the Angel, &s;heweth onely how he cannot content him&s;elfe in pray&s;ing God.</NOTE> the Lord 3. times: that thei<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="blotted" EXTENT="1 letter"> repetiti|on &s;ignifieth nothing el&s;e, but the con|tinuall ioy and delight which the holy <HI>Angels</HI> take in prai&s;ing of God, who cannot &s;atisfie the~&s;elues in honouring his name: teaching vs in their example, neuer to bee weary of <HI>pray&s;ing</HI> God by prayers and holy hymnes, and of <HI>honou|ring</HI> him in our liues and callings.</P>
<P>But to proue out of the words; <HI>Holy, Holy, Holy,</HI> the three Per&s;ons in Trini|tie, &s;eemes to bee no fit nor &s;ound col|lection.
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Rather in my opinion, wee <NOTE PLACE="marg">But he may be proued a pluralitie of per&s;ons.</NOTE> may &s;afely collect and conclude out of the&s;e wordes (I and vs) that there are more per&s;ons in the <HI>Trinitie</HI> then one: for fir&s;t, God the Father, or the whole Deitie &s;aith: <HI>Whom &s;hall I &s;end?</HI> and then changing the number, hee &s;aith: <HI>Who &s;hall goe for v<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter">?</HI> For how&s;oeuer God may imploy in the word <HI>Vs,</HI> that he that is &s;ent to preach, is &s;ent as well for the good of the Church, as for his owne glory, yet can it not bee denyed, but that the plurall number heere, and el&s;e where, a&s;cribed to the Deitie, mu&s;t needs argue a certaine pluralitie of per|&s;ons in that Deitie: as in <HI>Gene&s;is</HI> it is written, that <HI>God</HI> &s;aid, <HI>Let vs make man:</HI> and here, <HI>Who &s;hall goe for vs?</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Gen.</HI> 1. 16.</NOTE></P>
<P>Out of the euidence of which places, &s;eeing the enemies of this Doctrine mu&s;t needes grant a pluralitie, namely, that there are more then one: then wee &s;hal &s;ufficiently proue out of other pla|ces, and by other argnments, that there are three.</P>
<P>In the la&s;t place, let vs marke what
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God &s;aith: Whom &s;hall <HI>I</HI> &s;end, &amp; who <NOTE PLACE="marg">Doct. 4. Mi|ni&s;ters are Gods &s;er|uants, they goe for God.</NOTE> &s;hal goe <HI>for vs? God</HI> &s;ends a mini&s;ter to preach and he goeth <HI>for God.</HI> Then be|hold here, what is the trade and profe&s;|&s;ion of a mini&s;ter, hee is the &s;eruaunt of <HI>God.</HI> So &s;aith God here, he goeth <HI>for me:</HI> and &s;o &s;aith the Apo&s;tle of him&s;elf &amp; al other good mini&s;ters, <HI>that they are Gods Labourers.</HI></P>
<P>And in another place, the Angel of <NOTE PLACE="marg">1. <HI>Corinth.</HI> 3. 9. <HI>Acts</HI> 27. 23.</NOTE> God appeared, <HI>Who&s;e I am, and whom I &s;erue.</HI> But if any man thinke that ei|ther God &s;peaketh too fauourably of them, or S. <HI>Paul</HI> too partially of them|&s;elues, then let the Diuell him&s;elfe bee <NOTE PLACE="marg">Confe&s;sed euen by the diuel him|&s;elfe. <HI>Acts</HI> 16. 16. 17. q. What place is it they holde? R. His Am|ba&s;sadors. <HI>Iob.</HI> 33. 23.</NOTE> iudge in this ca&s;e, who plainly &amp; freely confe&s;&s;eth) though he did it not in loue to the truth or them). <HI>The&s;e men are the &s;eruants of the mo&s;t high God, which teach vnto vs the way of &s;aluation.</HI> Let there|fore either God be beleeued, who is for them, or the diuell who is again&s;t them. But what kinde of &s;eruantes are they? what place or office haue they? They are his <HI>Me&s;&s;engers or Amba&s;&s;adors,</HI> this is their profe&s;sion, and their place.</P>
<P><PB N="165" REF="164">
Now then for the v&s;e hereof,</P>
<P>If they be <HI>Gods &s;eruants,</HI> then are they <NOTE PLACE="marg">V&s;e. 1. Then they mu&s;t &s;eeke to plea&s;e God their mai|&s;ter, not them&s;elues.</NOTE> not <HI>their owne</HI> Mai&s;ters, they haue a Mai&s;ter, euen God, who&s;e they are, and <HI>for whom,</HI> and from whom they come: they may not therefore plea&s;e the~&s;elues, nor &s;erue their own plea&s;ures, nor &s;eeke the &s;atisfying of their owne carnall lu&s;tes, either in matter of plea&s;ure, cre|dite, or profite: if they doe, then wil he call the~ to a heauie account, who&s;e &s;er|uants they are.</P>
<P>Againe, if they bee Gods &s;eruants, <NOTE PLACE="marg">V&s;e 2. then let them do their &s;eruice diligently, and expect their reward a&s;suredly.</NOTE> then let them doe their &s;eruice to God, and expect their reward from God: &s;ome Mini&s;ters wil expect the reward, and honour of Gods &s;eruants, but will doe no &s;eruice: that be&s;eemes not &s;er|uants: let &s;uch men remember <HI>for whom</HI> they come, euen from that God, who as he can giue reward, &s;o hee will expect &s;eruice.</P>
<P>And as for &s;uch men as painfully do <NOTE PLACE="marg">Though the world doe not, yet God will, for they are his Amba&s;sa|dors.</NOTE> their &s;eruice, but are not regarded, nor rewarded of men as they de&s;erue, let them bee content &amp; continue in their
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faithfulne&s;&s;e, for they are <HI>Gods Emba&s;|&s;adors:</HI> &amp; we know Emba&s;&s;adors may haue <HI>gifts</HI> giuen them, of tho&s;e to whom they are &s;ent: but they expect their <HI>maintenance</HI> from the kings their owne Mai&s;ters: So the <HI>maintenance</HI> which the world &s;hould giue Mini&s;ters, is like <HI>gifts</HI> giuen to Emba&s;&s;adors: if it come, it is no more then they de&s;erue. If it come not, yet will faithfull Mini&s;ters doe their dutie, and expect their pay|ment from their king and Mai&s;ter <HI>God,</HI> who&s;e they are, and whom they &s;erue.</P>
<P>Thirdly, if they bee <HI>Gods Emba&s;&s;a|dors,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">3. V&s;e. Let no man therefore wrong them for God will not &s;uffer his Emba&s;|&s;adors to be abu&s;ed.</NOTE> &s;ent by him, and come from and for him, then let all &s;uch as either con|demne, or any way iniury them, bee a&s;|&s;ured, that as God is mighty &amp; power|full, &s;o he will mightily reuenge it.</P>
<P>There was neuer King &s;o poore or weake, but thought him&s;elfe &s;trong inough to reuenge any wrong offered <NOTE PLACE="marg">No king &s;o poore that &s;uffred it.</NOTE> to his Emba&s;&s;ador. And &s;hall God &s;uf|fer &s;o foule a wickedne&s;&s;e to lye vnpu|ni&s;hed? Nay, they and their po&s;terities &s;hall &s;mart for it: let <HI>Ahab, and Iezabel, <NOTE PLACE="marg">1. King. 22. 26. 27. 28. 34. &amp;c.</NOTE>
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and Iulian,</HI> &s;ay it be not &s;o: and all ages <NOTE PLACE="marg">2. <HI>King.</HI> 9. 33. <HI>&amp;c. Act.</HI> 12. 1. 2. <HI>&amp;</HI> 23.</NOTE> or &s;tories, &s;hew the co~trary if they can, that euer any contemner and abu&s;er of godly Mini&s;ters, e&s;caped the vi&s;ible vengeance of Gods reuenging hands <NOTE PLACE="marg">4. V&s;e. Ergo, they mu&s;t not be &s;er|uants of men: that is, men plea|&s;ers: but his that &s;ent them.</NOTE> on him or his.</P>
<P>Fourthly, &s;eeing they are <HI>Gods Me&s;|&s;engers &amp; &s;eruants,</HI> they mu&s;t not be the &s;eruants of men, to plea&s;e, or flatter, or &s;atisfie humours, this is not for them that are Gods &s;eruants: they therefore that will bee &s;laues to the per&s;ons, and plea&s;ures, and humours of men, they forget that they are Gods &s;eruants, and came <HI>for him:</HI> yea, they mu&s;t not en|deuour the plea&s;ing of them&s;elues, nor the bringing of their owne purpo&s;es to pa&s;&s;e, but in euery motion, either made to them by others, or &s;ugge&s;ted from their owne hearts, they mu&s;t forth-with call to minde, <HI>Who &s;ent me hither, &amp; for whom am I come?</HI> Euen from &amp; for God: therefore they are to yeeld to nothing, nor ayme at any thing, but which may be both to the will, and for the glory of him that &s;ent them.</P>
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And if the great men of this world, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Great men mu&s;t not thinke to haue Gods &s;eruant at their com|mand.</NOTE> doe thinke it wrong that any man &s;hould command <HI>their</HI> &s;eruant again&s;t their will, or expect any &s;eruice from them again&s;t their <HI>owne</HI> honour: then let them thinke it rea&s;on that <HI>Gods Mi|ni&s;ters</HI> &s;hould not bee commanded any thing contrary to Gods will, or again&s;t <HI>his</HI> honour.</P>
<P>And further, if Mini&s;ters bee <HI>Gods &s;eruants,</HI> then let them regard their mai|&s;ters <NOTE PLACE="marg">5. V&s;e. Er|go, they mu&s;t for the glory of God their Mai&s;ter, both in life and doctrin.</NOTE> glorie, and be a&s;hamed to doe any thing, either in their doctrine or liues, which may di&s;honour him: that &s;er|uant is vnworthy of a <HI>good mai&s;ter,</HI> who &s;eekes not his mai&s;ters credite in all his cour&s;es.</P>
<P>La&s;tly, if they be Gods emba&s;&s;adors, <NOTE PLACE="marg">6. V&s;e. Etgo, they mu&s;t deliuer Gods em|ba&s;sage not their owne, and as they receiued it.</NOTE> then mu&s;t they not deliuer their owne fancies, or inuentions, but that me&s;&s;age they receiued: And as they receiued it, &s;o mu&s;t they deliuer it. And if they do their duties faithfully, this doctrine is comfortable to them, they may <HI>take paines,</HI> with ioy they haue a mai&s;ter wil <HI>reward</HI> them: they may <HI>&s;peake freely,</HI> (&s;o
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it be with di&s;cretion) they haue a ma&s;ter will <HI>make it good:</HI> they may <HI>&s;tand boldly</HI> in the face of their enemies, they haue a mai&s;ter wil <HI>defend them.</HI> And euery faithfull <HI>Minister</HI> may &s;ay to him&s;elfe, I will doe my dutie, and deliuer my Em|ba&s;&s;age. <HI>He whom I &s;erue&punc; and who&s;e I am He who &s;ent me and for whom I come,</HI> will beare me out. And thus much of the inquirie which God makes, and the manner of it.</P>
<P>Now let vs &s;ee the an&s;were which the Prophet makes, in the&s;e words. <NOTE PLACE="marg">2. Point: The Pro|phets an|&s;were here am, I &s;end me.</NOTE></P>
<P><HI>Then I &s;aid, Here am I: &s;end me.</HI></P>
<P>The Prophet after hee was comfor|ted by God, and had his &s;innes forgi|uen, then an&s;wereth; <HI>Heere am I, &s;end me.</HI> Fir&s;t, marke heere, what a great <NOTE PLACE="marg">Doct. 1. He who&s;e &s;ins are forgiuen comes bold|ly to God: &amp; to his dutie.</NOTE> change is wrought on the &s;uddaine: he who a little afore, feared and &s;hrunke at the lea&s;t appearance of Gods glorie: now &s;tands forth boldly, as &s;oone as he is called, and an&s;wereth: <HI>Heere am I, &s;end me.</HI> So great a matter is it for a mi|ni&s;ter
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to haue his &s;innes forgiuen, and to feele the fauour of God to his &s;oule and con&s;cience. Here therefore wee haue an an&s;were to two great Que&s;ti|ons, <NOTE PLACE="marg">V&s;e. 1. Here is the true way to peace of con&s;ci|ence, and quietnes of minde.</NOTE> often mooued in the worlde.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, many would haue quietne&s;&s;e of minde, and peace of con&s;cience, and cannot attaine vnto it; If they aske how they might, to them I an&s;were; Here is the way, &s;eeke it not in wordly wealth, carnal plea&s;ures, nor humane learning, in companie nor recreations: but &s;eeke it in the fauour of God, and pardon of thy &s;innes, and thou &s;halt not mi&s;&s;e of it. Thus &s;halt thou haue comfort in thy owne con&s;cience, courage before men, and boldne&s;&s;e toward God.</P>
<P>Secondly, many Students in Diuini|tie, would gladly be <HI>Mini&s;ters</HI> and doe <NOTE PLACE="marg">V&s;e. 2. To &s;tudents. 1. If they would be Mini&s;ters, repent and get pardon of their &s;innes.</NOTE> much honour to the Calling: but they finde a feare and &s;hrinking in them|&s;elues, and thereby an vnwillingne&s;&s;e to venter vpon it. If they aske, how they may amend this: I an&s;were, or rather the example of his <HI>Prophet</HI> an&s;wereth for me); Let that man &s;et him&s;elfe in
<PB N="171" REF="167">
Gods pre&s;ence, enter into him&s;elfe, &s;earch his con&s;cience, finde out his &s;ins, confe&s;&s;e and bewaile them to God, craue pardon in <HI>Chri&s;tes blood,</HI> &amp; grace to leaue them, &amp; cea&s;e not till he heare the voyce of Gods &s;pirit &s;ounding in his con&s;cience: <HI>Thy &s;innes are forgiuen thee.</HI> Then when God &s;hal aske whom &s;hall I &s;end, thou wilt an&s;were readily, and with ioy, <HI>Heere am I, &s;end me.</HI></P>
<P>And againe, many are driuen from <NOTE PLACE="marg">2. If they would be encouraged again&s;t the contempts and wrongs of the world be a&s;&s;ured of Gods fa|uour in the Pardon of thy &s;innes.</NOTE> this calling, to beholde the contempt and reproach, and daungers which be|long vnto it. But let tho&s;e men marke heere the phra&s;e of this holy <HI>Prophet,</HI> when God asked, <HI>Whom &s;hall I &s;end?</HI> Hee might haue an&s;wered: Lorde, <HI>I</HI> would goe, but &s;uch di&s;graces and di&s;|couragements doe accompanie this Function, as I de&s;ire to bee excu&s;ed: but hee ca&s;ting a&s;ide all &s;uch conceits, an&s;wereth peremptorily, <HI>Here am I, &s;end mee.</HI> How came this to pa&s;&s;e, for certainly the Prophet was as &s;en&s;ible of the&s;e wrongs as any of vs all, for he was
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nobly borne and brought vp, &amp; was of the blood royal: &s;urely, becau&s;e he &s;aw he was in Gods fauour, he had him and his Commi&s;sion on his &s;ide, &amp; he held this for a &s;ure ground: <HI>If God bee on my &s;ide, who can be again&s;t me?</HI></P>
<P>Therefore doubtle&s;&s;e, tho&s;e men who are driuen backe by the&s;e di&s;cou|ragements, were neuer &s;etled in a&s;&s;u|rance that their <HI>&s;innes were forgiuen:</HI> nor &s;atisfied &s;ufficiently, that <HI>God is on the &s;ide of all good Mini&s;ters,</HI> and that their Calling as it hath his authoritie from God, &s;o likewi&s;e, allowance, ble&s;sing, a&s;&s;i&s;&s;tance, and defence of God aboue any other calling: for if they were, they would &s;corne the &s;corne, and contemne the contempt of the prophane world, and with much courage and comfort &s;et their hand to Gods Plough, and &s;ay with the Prophet; <HI>Here I am, &s;end me.</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Doct. 2. We mu<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter">t not &s;et others to the labour of the Mini&s;te|rie, but our &s;elues al&s;o.</NOTE></P>
<P>Secondly, let vs ob&s;erue, how the Prophet when God askes the que&s;tion, &s;ends him not to <HI>others,</HI> nor commends <HI>others</HI> to that &s;eruice, as is to be thought
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hee might haue done many in the Churches of the Iewes, but offers him|&s;elfe, <HI>Here am I.</HI></P>
<P>It controlles the carnall cour&s;es of many among&s;t vs in the <HI>&V;niuer&s;ities,</HI> who thinke it &s;ufficient to liue there, and &s;end out other men, and giue te&s;ti|monies and Letters of commendations <NOTE PLACE="marg">Vniuer&s;itie men mu&s;t not be al|wayes &s;en|ding out others, but mu&s;t al&s;o &s;end out them&s;elues.</NOTE> to other men, but them&s;elues &s;tirre not, when que&s;tion is made; <HI>Who &s;hall goe to &s;uch a place? or who &s;hall be &s;ent to &s;uch a pari&s;h?</HI> they &s;ay not, <HI>Here am I,</HI> but ei|ther it is <HI>too little</HI> a liuing, or <HI>too great</HI> a charge, or <HI>ill &s;eated,</HI> or &s;ome fault it hath, that they will not be &s;ent to it: but will an&s;were God and his Church, there is &s;uch a man, and giue him Letters of te|&s;timonie, or commendation, and &s;o all is well: but for them&s;lues, they liue too &s;weete and ea&s;ie liues, willingly to vndertake the contempt and burthen of the <HI>Mini&s;terie.</HI></P>
<P>Let &s;uch men therefore learne, when God &amp; his Church giue them a calling, to an&s;were with the Prophet: <HI>Here am I, &s;end me.</HI></P>
<P><PB N="174" REF="169">
And let all &s;uch as are <HI>Students</HI> of <NOTE PLACE="marg">And Stu|dents mu&s;t not deferre too long, but ha&s;te~ to the Mini&s;te|rie.</NOTE> Diuinitie in the <HI>Vniuer&s;ities,</HI> marke here the Prophets an&s;were, not, I <HI>will</HI> bee ready, but <HI>here I am:</HI> why takes hee no longer time? becau&s;e hee was now &s;uf|ficiently qualified. Where let them learne, not to linger and lye rotting too long in their <HI>&s;pecidatiue</HI> cour&s;es: but when they are competently furni&s;hed with learning, and other qualities be|fitting that calling: let them &s;hew them|&s;elues willing and ready to yeeld their &s;eruice to the <HI>Church,</HI> when they &s;hall be called. For as an Apple may as well <NOTE PLACE="marg">For &s;ome too long, as &s;ome goe too &s;oone.</NOTE> hang too long on the tree, as bee puld too &s;oone, and both make it vnfit for v&s;e: &s;o many men as well &s;tay too long, as goe out too &s;oone: and both wayes are made vnprofitable, or at lea&s;t le&s;&s;e profitable in the Church.</P>
<P>And to conclude this &s;econd point; It is not vnworthy to be noted, that the <HI>Prophet</HI> &s;aith not, <HI>Here I am:</HI> and I <NOTE PLACE="marg">Doct. 3. The Prophet wil not goe till he be &s;ent.</NOTE> runne on my owne head, but, <HI>Send me.</HI></P>
<P>Hee willes the Lord to &s;end him: then where are they who dare bragge
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of their priuate motions, and will runne when they are not &s;ent?</P>
<P>The <HI>Prophet</HI> might haue &s;aid: Oh, <NOTE PLACE="marg">And that not by priuate motion onely, but in expre&s;se words.</NOTE> now I feele a motion from the Spirit, therefore I will goe and preach: but he &s;tayeth til he <HI>be &s;ent</HI> in expre&s;&s;e termes: Let no man therfore pre&s;ume to pre&s;&s;e into this function, till hee bee fully re|&s;olued in his con&s;cience, that God and his Church hath &s;aid vnto him, <HI>Goe.</HI></P>
<P>And though a man be neuer &s;o well qualified with all maner of &s;ufficiency, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Men there|fore are to offer them|&s;elues, but not to goe till they be &s;ent.</NOTE> yet let him &s;it &s;till and &s;tay Gods lei|&s;ure, and let him &s;ay, <HI>Heere I am, &s;end me:</HI> and &s;o re&s;t contented vntill hee bee &s;ent. If any man &s;ay it is vnfit that a man &s;hould &s;ay &s;o of him&s;elfe, <HI>I</HI> an|&s;were, let him not &s;ay &s;o in words, but in deeds: let him therfore make proofe of him&s;elfe, and giue the Church tryall of his gifts. Vpon which experience of his gifts, if he be found &s;ufficient, that practi&s;e of his is all one, and much more then if hee had &s;aide, <HI>Here I am, &s;end me.</HI></P>
<P>Thus wee &s;ee the Prophet would
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not &s;tirre til he were &s;ent, and therefore in the next word he is bid to <HI>goe.</HI></P>
<P><HI>And he &s;aid, Goe and &s;peake vnto this people.</HI></P>
<P>Here is the third and la&s;t point, <NOTE PLACE="marg">3 The Com|mi&s;sion re|ceiued.</NOTE> Namely, the <HI>e&s;&s;entiall words of his Com|mi&s;&s;ion.</HI> Wherin, (after God had &s;ought for one to goe, and the Prophet had pre&s;ented him&s;elfe, and offered his &s;er|uice) God both giues him leaue <HI>to goe,</HI> and further doth furni&s;h him with au|thoritie, both to <HI>goe and &s;peake.</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Doct <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter">. No ma<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter"> is to preach with|out a Com|mi&s;sion.</NOTE></P>
<P>Wherein the principall point is, that the <HI>authoritie</HI> of the Prophets calling, is <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 word"> from <HI>God him<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter">el&s;e,</HI> in plaine and e<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter">ide at words; <HI>Goe and &s;peake:</HI> and <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Matth.</HI> 28. 19. <HI>Acts</HI> 9. 6. <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> till <HI>then</HI> the Prophet went not. So in the new Te&s;tament, the Apo&s;tles went not into the world to preach, till they had their Commi&s;sion: <HI>Goe and teach all Nations&punc;</HI> And after them Saint <HI>Paul</HI> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 word"> hot till it was &s;aid vnto him, <HI>Ar<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;e and goe.</HI></P>
<P>In all which is di&s;couered and con|demned
<PB N="177" REF="170">
the pride and pre&s;umption of tho&s;e who dare run on their own heads, and will not &s;tay till the Lord &s;ay vnto them: <HI>Goe, and &s;peake.</HI> The&s;e men are bolder, then either the extraordinarie <HI>Prophets</HI> of the olde Te&s;tament, or the <HI>Apo&s;tles,</HI> which are the extraordinary <NOTE PLACE="marg">This is &s;o, for the&s;e cau&s;es.</NOTE> Mini&s;ters of the new: who alwaies had their warrant with the when they went. And if any man aske why is it nece&s;&s;a|rie they &s;hould haue &s;o; I an&s;were, the rea&s;ons are many.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, all <HI>Prophets and Ministers,</HI> are Gods Deputies and Commi&s;sioners, it <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rea. 1. Com|mi&s;sioners haue no power but from the King.</NOTE> is therfore rea&s;on that they haue autho|ritie from their Lord and Mai&s;ter.</P>
<P>Secondly, their wordes nor deedes beare no credit, nor haue any power in them, vnle&s;&s;e they be &s;poken <HI>by vertue</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Real. 2 El&s;e what they doe, is with|out vertue or ble&s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter">ing. Rea<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="4 letters">l<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter">e their per&s;o~s haue no pro|tection.</NOTE> <HI>of a Commi&s;&s;ion:</HI> nor haue their labours any ble&s;&s;ing, vnle&s;&s;e <HI>God giue it.</HI></P>
<P>Thirdly, the&s;e <HI>per&s;ons</HI> haue no pro|tection, nor &s;afetie&punc; vnle&s;&s;e they bee <HI>Gods Emba&s;&s;adors:</HI> and how are they &s;o, vnle&s;&s;e they be called and &s;ent by God, and haue authoritie giuen of God? For
<GAP DESC="duplicate" EXTENT="1 page"><PB N="174" REF="171">
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<GAP DESC="duplicate" EXTENT="1 page"><PB N="176" REF="172">
<GAP DESC="duplicate" EXTENT="1 page"><PB N="177" REF="172">
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the&s;e cau&s;es, no man is to thru&s;t him|&s;elfe into the <HI>Ministerie,</HI> without a cal|ling from God, and therefore no mar|uell, though tho&s;e men who will bee <HI>Chu&s;ers,</HI> and <HI>Callers</HI> of them&s;elues, and run when they are not &s;ent, bee in their <HI>per&s;ons,</HI> &s;ubiect to all daungers: becau&s;e they are out of Gods <HI>protection,</HI> &amp; their <HI>labours</HI> without profit, becau&s;e no ble&s;|&s;ing, nor <HI>promi&s;e</HI> of God was giue~ vnto them: for GOD may iu&s;tly &s;ay vnto them: Let <HI>him that &s;ent you,</HI> protect your per&s;ons: let <HI>him that &s;ent you,</HI> ble&s;&s;e your labours.</P>
<P>But it will then be demaunded, how may <HI>I</HI> know if <HI>God</HI> bid me <HI>goe?</HI> for God <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ob. how may I know if God bid me goe?</NOTE> &s;peakes not now from heauen as in old time, and as to this Prophet: I an&s;were, It is true, we are to looke for no &s;uch <HI>vi|&s;iions, nor apparitions</HI> from heauen, for or|dinarily <NOTE PLACE="marg">An&s;. we mu&s;t not expect Gods voice from hea|uen.</NOTE> there are none &s;uch, and the <HI>Popi&s;h Church</HI> doth but deceiue them|&s;elues, and cozen the world, who tell vs of &s;o many apparitions that happen to their <HI>Monkes and Fryers:</HI> for now or|dinarily, God &s;peaketh in another ma|ner
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to his Church: for in Generall du|ties God &s;peaketh to vs out of his <HI>word</HI> and holy Scriptures, and in particular <NOTE PLACE="marg">But hee &s;peaketh to man two waies, gene|rally in his word.</NOTE> and per&s;onall duties, (where the word in plaine termes &s;erueth not) hee &s;pea|keth to a man by his owne <HI>con&s;cience,</HI> and by the <HI>voice of his Church.</HI></P>
<P>Out of his word, God &s;heweth thee the <HI>dignitie and excellencie</HI> of this calling, <NOTE PLACE="marg">1. Corinth. 4. 1. Iob. 33. 23. Acts. 16. 17. Pro. 29. 18.</NOTE> to be a Mini&s;ter of the word: Namely, they are his <HI>Me&s;&s;engers and Emba&s;&s;adors, &amp;c.</HI> that &s;o hee may winne them to <HI>loue and affect</HI> it. And againe, <HI>the nece&s;&s;i|citie</HI> of it, that it <HI>teacheth the way to &s;alua|tion,</HI> that without it ordinarily Gods Church is not gathered, nor mens &s;oules &s;aued, that this may &s;tirre thee <NOTE PLACE="marg">2. Particular|ly God &s;pea|keth. 1. by the voice of his con&s;ci|ence for his inclination. 2. By the voice of <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="1 letter">is Church for thy gifts.</NOTE> vp to <HI>vndertake the</HI> burthen: this is <HI>gene|rall.</HI> But now <HI>particularly</HI> for thy &s;elfe, woulde&s;t thou knowe whether GOD would haue <HI>thee to goe</HI> or no, then thou mu&s;t aske thy owne <HI>con&s;cience,</HI> and aske the <HI>Church,</HI> for if thou be hartily <HI>willing,</HI> and be fully and <HI>worthity qualified,</HI> then God bids thee <HI>goe.</HI> Now thy con&s;cience mu&s;t iudge of thy <HI>willingne&s;&s;e,</HI> and the
<PB N="180" REF="174">
Church of thy <HI>abilitie:</HI> and as thou mai<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="apex" EXTENT="2 letters"> not tru&s;t other men, to iudge of thy <HI>in|clination</HI> or affection, &s;o thou mai&s;t not tru&s;t thy owne iudgement, to iudge of thy <HI>worthines</HI> or &s;ufficience. If therefore thy owne <HI>con&s;cience</HI> tell thee vpon true examination, that thou doe&s;t not loue and affect this calling aboue any other, then God &s;ends thee not: and if thou enter with &s;uch a te&s;timonie, <HI>not God,</HI> but &s;ome worldly and &s;ini&s;ter re&s;pect doth &s;end thee, and put thee forward: for though thou doe&s;t <HI>de&s;ire</HI> it, yet if the <HI>Church</HI> of God giue not allowance of thy &s;ufficie~cie, <HI>God</HI> doth not &s;end thee: But if contrariwi&s;e, thy <HI>con&s;cience</HI> doe truly te&s;tifie vnto thee, that thou de&s;ire&s;t to doe &s;eruice to God and his Church, in this calling aboue any other: And if withal, vpon &s;ignification hereof to the <HI>Church,</HI> and vpon trial made of thy gifts and learning, the Church (that is, ma|ly <NOTE PLACE="marg">Where the&s;e 2. voices call a man, there God bids him goe.</NOTE> learned, wi&s;e, and godly, and &s;uch as the Church hath publikely appointed for that purpo&s;e) <HI>doe approue</HI> of that thy de&s;ire, and of thy <HI>&s;ufficiencie</HI> to doe God
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&s;eruice in his <HI>Mini&s;terie,</HI> and thereupon by a publike <HI>Calling,</HI> bid thee <HI>goe,</HI> then a&s;&s;uredly God him&s;elfe hath bid thee <HI>goe.</HI> And it is as effectuall a calling, as if thou heard&s;t the voice of God fro~ hea|uen: for as in <HI>Repentance,</HI> If thy con&s;ci|ence tell thee thou ha&s;t truly repented, and if thou can&s;t make that knowne to the Church by &s;o good euide~ce, as ther|vpon a <HI>Mini&s;ter</HI> of God pronounceth the pardon of thy &s;ins vnto thee: If thou re&s;t herein, and knowe&s;t it to be as ef|fectuall, as if <HI>God</HI> from heauen had told thee <HI>thy &s;innes are pardoned.</HI> So is it here, if thou ha&s;t the te&s;timonie, fir&s;t of thy <HI>con&s;cience,</HI> and then of the <HI>Church,</HI> thou art to re&s;t therein, as in the voice of God: <NOTE PLACE="marg">V&s;e. 1. Again&s;t the~ that run, cry they be &s;ent.</NOTE> And this is the <HI>calling</HI> that wee are to looke for in the&s;e dayes.</P>
<P>By which doctrine, as tho&s;e are iu&s;tly condemned of foule <HI>pre&s;umption,</HI> who dare runne vppon priuate motions, and carnall re&s;pects, and are iu&s;tly left <NOTE PLACE="marg">2. Again&s;t &s;uch as are called by both voices and yet will not goe.</NOTE> without <HI>ble&s;&s;ing or protection:</HI> &s;o they on the other &s;ide, doe offer great <HI>wrong to God</HI> and to his <HI>Church,</HI> who when they
<PB N="182" REF="175">
cannot denie, but they <HI>affest</HI> the Mini|&s;terie aboue any calling, and haue <HI>approbation</HI> of their giftes from the Church of God, yet will not beleeue the Te&s;timonie of the <HI>Church</HI> herein, but their own priuate <HI>Iudgeme~ts,</HI> which in this ca&s;e is no way a competent Iudge, either for, or again&s;t. Let &s;uch men knowe, that they oppo&s;e them|&s;elues euen again&s;t <HI>God him&s;elfe:</HI> it being certaine, that where the <HI>inward</HI> calling of the con&s;cience, and the <HI>outward</HI> cal|ling of the Church doe concurre, there <HI>God him&s;el&s;e</HI> calleth and biddeth that man, <HI>Goe, and &s;peake.</HI></P>
<P>Now then (to drawe to an ende) let vs ob&s;erue in the la&s;t place, with what <NOTE PLACE="marg">Doct 2. See the authori|tie of a true, mioi&s;ter im|mediate fro~ God him&s;elf</NOTE> <HI>authoritie</HI> a Mini&s;ter of God comes vn|to vs, and executes his Function: euen with an immediate authoritie &amp; Com|mi&s;&s;ion from God: whereby he is bid, <HI>Goe, and &s;peake.</HI> If it bee &s;o, let it per|&s;wade <HI>the world,</HI> to feare to doe any wrong, either to that calling, or to tho&s;e per&s;ons who come with &s;o faire a com|mi&s;&s;ion from <NOTE PLACE="marg">V&s;e. 1. Ergo, Let no man wrong them</NOTE> from <HI>God him&s;elfe.</HI> But if it doe
<PB N="183" REF="175">
not per&s;wade the prophane worlde, at <NOTE PLACE="marg">V&s;e. 2. Ergo, Let Mini|&s;ters be comforted in doing their dutie, for if God &s;end them, he wil neuer faile them.</NOTE> lea&s;t let this be a comfort &amp; encourage|ment to all true <HI>Ministers,</HI> for if <HI>God</HI> bid them <HI>goe,</HI> he will <HI>goe</HI> with them <HI>him|&s;elfe: If hee &s;end</HI> them; hee will not for|&s;ake them, but <HI>a&s;&s;i&s;t</HI> them, and <HI>ble&s;&s;e</HI> them, and <HI>open</HI> their mouthes, and <HI>en|large</HI> their hearts, and <HI>harden</HI> their fore|heads, and giue <HI>power</HI> vnto their words to conuer this children, &amp; to confound and a&s;toni&s;h the hearts of his enemies. If he &s;end them, he will <HI>defend</HI> and <HI>pro|tect</HI> them, &s;o that <HI>one haire of their heades &s;hall not fall to the earth, without his proui|dence.</HI> If hee &s;end them, hee will <HI>prouide</HI> for them, and &s;ufficiently <HI>reward</HI> them: and will <HI>honour</HI> them in the hearts of his owne people, and <HI>magnifie</HI> them in the faces of their enemies. And la&s;tly, if hee <HI>&s;end</HI> them, he will <HI>pay</HI> them their wages, euen an eternal waight of comfort here, and of glorie in heauen. And as they are here bid <HI>goe,</HI> &s;o once they &s;hul be bid <HI>Come:</HI> and that not onely with the ge|nerall <NOTE PLACE="marg">Math. 25. 34 Math. 25, 21</NOTE> call of all the Elect; <HI>Come ye ble&s;|&s;ed of my father, inherite the kingdome pre|pared
<PB N="184" REF="176" MS="y">
for you.</HI> But euen with that parti|cular <HI>Call,</HI> which e&s;pecially belongs to them that are faithfull in this &s;eruice: <HI>Come thou good and faithful &s;eruant, enter into thy Mai&s;ters ioy.</HI></P>
<EPIGRAPH>
<Q><BIBL>P&s;alme, 118. 16.</BIBL>
<P><HI>Ble&s;&s;ed be he that commeth in the name of the Lord.</HI></P>
<P>W. P.</P></Q>
</EPIGRAPH>
<EPIGRAPH>
<Q><BIBL>Daniel 12. 3.</BIBL>
<P><HI>They that turne many to righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e, &s;hall &s;hine as the &s;tarres for euer and euer.</HI></P>
<P>W. C.</P></Q>
</EPIGRAPH>
<EPIGRAPH>
<Q><BIBL>1. Cor. 4. 1.</BIBL>
<P><HI>Let a man &s;o thinke of vs as of the mini|&s;ters of Chri&s;t, and di&s;po&s;ers of the &s;ecrets of God.</HI></P></Q>
</EPIGRAPH>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
<BACK>
<DIV1 TYPE="publisher's note">
<P>The &s;econd time newly perv&s;ed and publi&s;hed with Marginall notes. Brief|ly laying down the matter and method.</P>
<TRAILER>FINIS.</TRAILER>
<PB REF="176">
</DIV1>
</BACK>
</TEXT>
</GROUP>
</EEBO>
</ETS>
