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<DATE>2007-08-01</DATE>
<RESPSTMT>
<NAME>Simon Charles</NAME>
<RESP>MURP</RESP>
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<ITEM>Proofed and reviewed</ITEM>
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<IDG S="marc" R="OX" ID="A87092">
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<STC T="T">E708_1</STC>
<BIBNO T="umi">99862782</BIBNO>
<VID>114958</VID>
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<TEXT LANG="eng">
<FRONT>
<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
<PB REF="1" MS="y">
<P>DIVINITY IN MORTALITY, OR THE GOSPELS EXCELLENCY AND The PREACHERS frailty, Repre&s;ented in a SERMON Preached at the Funerals of M^r <HI>RICHARD GODDARD</HI> late Mini&s;ter of the Pari&s;h of S^t <HI>GREGORIES</HI> by <HI>Pauls</HI>; Who died on Thur&s;day the 12^t^h of <HI>May</HI> 1653. and was buried on Moonday the 16^t^h day of the &s;ame Moneth.</P>
<P>By NATH. HARDY Ma&s;ter of Arts, and Preacher to the Pari&s;h of S^t <HI>Dyonis Back-Church.</HI></P>
<Q><BIBL>MATTH. 13. 52.</BIBL> <HI>Every Scribe in&s;tructed for the Kingdom of Heaven, is like unto a man that is an hou&s;holder, which bringeth forth out of the Trea&s;ure things new and old.</HI></Q>
<Q><BIBL>2 PET. 1. 14.</BIBL>
 <HI>Knowing that &s;hortly I mu&s;t put off this my Tabernacle, even as our Lord Je&s;us Chri&s;t hath &s;hewed me.</HI></Q>
<Q>Sacra Scriptura utilitas Chri&s;tianorum, The&s;aurus Eccle&s;iae lumen animarum.</Q>
<Q>Ubique in eis veritas regnat ubi&abque; divina virtus irradiat, ubi&abque; pandun|tur humano generi profutura. <BIBL><HI>Ca&s;&s;iod. div. lect.</HI> c. 15, &amp; 16.</BIBL></Q>
<P><HI>London,</HI> Printed by <HI>A.M.</HI> for <HI>Nathanael Webb</HI> and <HI>William Grantham,</HI> and are to be &s;old at the Sign of the Black Bear in S^t <HI>Pauls</HI> Church|yard near the little North door. 1653.</P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="errata">
<PB REF="2">
<HEAD>Errata.</HEAD>
<P>Page 6. in marg. after <GAP DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 word"> read <GAP DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 word">. p. 13. in m. for <GAP DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 word"> r. <GAP DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 word">. p. 15. in m. for <HI>prefectam</HI> r. <HI>productam.</HI> p. 17. line 20. after <HI>denominateth</HI> dele <HI>te.</HI> p. 18. l. 5. before <HI>Viles, pauperes cen&s;u loco humiles,</HI> for <HI>vitae</HI> r. <HI>vit&acirc;.</HI> after <HI>labore</HI> adde <HI>communes, men of low e&s;tates, mean trades, ob&s;cure and laborious lives.</HI> where in the marg. &s;upply <HI>Chry&s;ol. c.</HI> 28. p. 19. l. 16. r. <HI>are after mentioned.</HI> p. 27. l. 28. for <HI>innocentia</HI> r. <HI>innocenter.</HI> p. 28. l. 1. <HI>pudet</HI> r. <HI>pudeat.</HI> p. 29. marg. for <GAP DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 word"> r. <GAP DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 word">. and for <GAP DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 word"> r. <GAP DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 word">.</P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="dedication">
<PB REF="2">
<HEAD>To the Wor&s;hipfull <HI>ROGER PRICE</HI> <ABBR>E&s;q</ABBR>, The <HI>upper</HI> and the <HI>neather Springs</HI> of the <HI>Water</HI> of <HI>Life.</HI></HEAD>
<OPENER><SALUTE>Worthy Sir,</SALUTE></OPENER>
<P>_I Well know how <HI>unworthy</HI> this <HI>&s;lender</HI> Di&s;cour&s;e was of tho&s;e <HI>judicious</HI> eares which vouch&s;afed it the <HI>hearing;</HI> and &s;urely cannot but much more <HI>judge</HI> it <HI>un|de&s;erving</HI> a <HI>publique</HI> view: So that if (be&s;ides <HI>friends</HI> importunity <HI>per&s;wading</HI>) the <HI>fear</HI> of an <HI>abortive</HI> birth to have been brought forth by &s;ome <HI>unskilfull Notary,</HI> had not <HI>enforced</HI> me, it &s;hould have been <HI>buried</HI> in <HI>privacy.</HI></P>
<P>Being thus <HI>nece&s;&s;itated,</HI> and thereupon <HI>advi&s;ed</HI> by you and others to this <HI>unwelcome</HI> task, I <HI>knew</HI> not any <HI>fitter</HI> then your <HI>&s;elf</HI> to whom I &s;hould pre&s;ent this <HI>Dedication.</HI></P>
<P>How cordial a <HI>welwi&s;her,</HI> and forward an <HI>incourager</HI> you have alwaies been of the <HI>Orthodox Clergy,</HI> all that <HI>know</HI> you will <HI>a&s;&s;ert,</HI> and in <HI>particular,</HI> what an ardent <HI>affection</HI> lodged in your <HI>bo&s;ome</HI> and <HI>flamed</HI> forth in your <HI>expre&s;&s;ions</HI> towards your <HI>Reverend Mini&s;ter</HI> was abun|dantly <HI>te&s;tified</HI> both in his <HI>life</HI> and at his <HI>death,</HI> while&s;t in his <HI>life</HI> you were one of the fir&s;t in <HI>providing</HI> for his com|fortable <HI>&s;ub&s;i&s;tence,</HI> and at his <HI>death</HI> you took care for his decent <HI>buriall,</HI> de&s;iring that your <HI>hou&s;e</HI> might <HI>receive</HI> him when <HI>dead</HI> (which had &s;o often <HI>entertained</HI> him <HI>alive</HI>) from
<PB REF="3">
whence he was <HI>honourably</HI> attended to his <HI>grave.</HI></P>
<P>I doubt not but there were many other worthy <HI>Gentlemen</HI> of your <HI>Pari&s;h,</HI> to whom this decea&s;ed <HI>&s;ervant</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> was much <HI>engaged;</HI> but I hope my <HI>ignorance</HI> of their <HI>per|&s;ons</HI> will be a &s;ufficient <HI>Apologie</HI> for my <HI>&s;ilence.</HI> With <HI>you (E&s;teemed Sir)</HI> I have had <HI>by his means</HI> the <HI>ho|nour</HI> to be <HI>acquainted,</HI> of whom therefore I am bold (e&s;pe|cially for <HI>his</HI> &s;ake) to de&s;ire the <HI>Patronage</HI> of this <HI>Sermon.</HI></P>
<P>What hath <HI>&s;u&s;pended</HI> the Publication &s;ince I last <HI>&s;aw</HI> you, I am confident you have already <HI>heard;</HI> a <HI>di&s;ea&s;e</HI> not much <HI>unlike</HI> that which <HI>&s;natched</HI> away our <HI>dear friend,</HI> but from which God was <HI>graciou&s;ly</HI> plea&s;ed to <HI>deliver me:</HI> Thus is his wi&s;dom &s;ometimes plea&s;ed to let the <HI>barren Fig|tree &s;tand,</HI> while&s;t he <HI>plucketh</HI> up the <HI>fruitfull Vine.</HI></P>
<P>His <HI>race</HI> is now run, and he is gone to <HI>Re&s;t;</HI> his <HI>work</HI> is fini&s;hed, and he hath in part received his <HI>Wages; Weep</HI> not for him who is already entred into <HI>joy,</HI> rather <HI>rejoyce,</HI> that though he be <HI>gone,</HI> God hath <HI>&s;ent</HI> you another, one <HI>eminent</HI> both for <HI>Piety</HI> and <HI>Learning,</HI> in who&s;e <HI>conver&s;e</HI> I doubt not but you will finde much <HI>content,</HI> and by who&s;e <HI>labours</HI> I hope you will reap much <HI>profit.</HI></P>
<P>And now <HI>Sir, I commend you to God,</HI> earne&s;tly im|ploring the <HI>continuance</HI> and <HI>increa&s;e</HI> of all <HI>externall</HI> and <HI>internall</HI> ble&s;sings upon you, in <HI>your own per&s;on,</HI> your <HI>dear Con&s;ort, aged Father, hopefull children,</HI> till at la&s;t he <HI>crown</HI> you <HI>all</HI> with <HI>eternall</HI> happine&s;s. I take my <HI>leave</HI> and <HI>&s;ub&s;cribe</HI> my &s;elf,</P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>Your cordial Friend and Servant, NATH. HARDY.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
</FRONT>
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="text">
<PB N="1" REF="3">
<HEAD>The Text.</HEAD>
<EPIGRAPH>
<Q><BIBL>2 COR. 4. the former part of the 7^t^h ver&s;e.</BIBL> <HI>But we have this Trea&s;ure in earthen Ve&s;&s;els.</HI></Q>
</EPIGRAPH>
<P><NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 span">. Ba&s;. Mag. <HI>in</HI> I&s;a. c. 3.</NOTE><NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 span">. I&s;id. <HI>Pel.</HI> 1. <HI>ep.</HI> 32.</NOTE> _THe lo&s;&s;e of a <HI>good man,</HI> e&s;pecially a <HI>good Mini&s;ter,</HI> and mo&s;t e&s;pecially in <HI>bad times,</HI> is a <HI>ju&s;t</HI> ground of <HI>deep</HI> &s;orrow. A faithful <HI>Amba&s;&s;adour</HI> of Chri&s;t is a com|mon <HI>Stock,</HI> in which many have a &s;hare, a burning <HI>Lamp</HI> by which many are en|lightned, good rea&s;on the <HI>exhausting</HI> of &s;uch a trea&s;ury, the <HI>quenching</HI> of &s;uch a Light, &s;hould be matter of <HI>dolefull</HI> complaint. Be&s;ides, when Gods <HI>wrath</HI> is <HI>flaming,</HI> who but a <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> &s;hould <HI>&s;tand in the gap?</HI> When horrid <HI>impieties</HI> are <HI>reigning,</HI> who but an <HI>Ezekiel</HI> &s;hould <HI>warn</HI> the people? And when <HI>here&s;ies</HI> are <HI>raging,</HI> who but a <HI>John</HI> &s;hould <HI>defend</HI> the <HI>truth?</HI> And &s;hall it not <HI>affect</HI> our hearts with <HI>grief,</HI> when &s;uch as the&s;e are <HI>taken away?</HI> No wonder then if when <HI>Eli&s;ha</HI> &s;eeth <HI>Elijah</HI> carried away from the earth in <HI>a fiery Chariot by a whirlwinde,</HI> he crieth out, <HI>My Father, my Father, the Charists and the hor&s;men of I&s;rael:</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Kin. 2. 11, 12</NOTE> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Per tales Deus placatur populo populus in&s;trui|tur Deo</HI> Pro&s;p. <HI>de vit contempl. c. ult.</HI></NOTE> If when <HI>Samuel</HI> dieth all <HI>I&s;rael gather together and lament for him:</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Sam. 25. 1.</NOTE> Finally, if when the <HI>Prie&s;ts</HI> gave up the <HI>gho&s;t</HI> in <HI>Je|ru&s;alem,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Lam. 1. 19, 20.</NOTE> the <HI>Church</HI> uttereth that mournfull &s;igh, <HI>Behold, O Lord, for I am in di&s;tre&s;&s;e.</HI></P>
<P>This <HI>This (Men, Fathers and Brethren)</HI> is the &s;ad occa|&s;ion of this &s;olemn and &s;orrowfull A&s;&s;embly. A <HI>Cedar</HI> is <HI>fal|len,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Zech. 11. 2.</NOTE>
<PB N="2" REF="4">
well may the <HI>Fir-trees howl;</HI> a bright <HI>Starre</HI> is <HI>removed</HI> from our <HI>Horizon,</HI> well may <HI>darkne&s;&s;e</HI> cover this <HI>Hemi&s;phere:</HI> I could willingly now <HI>give &s;cope</HI> to mine and your <HI>pa&s;&s;ion</HI> that we might <HI>&s;it down</HI> awhile in <HI>&s;ilence,</HI> and only by the <HI>language</HI> of our <HI>tears</HI> &s;peak our &s;en&s;e of this heavy lo&s;&s;e. But all <HI>pa&s;&s;i|ons,</HI> e&s;pecially that of <HI>grief,</HI> need rather a <HI>Bridle</HI> then a <HI>Spurre. Affected</HI> we may, we ought to be with <HI>his death,</HI> but as a <HI>publick,</HI> not as a <HI>private</HI> detriment, and that not in an extream but <HI>moderate</HI> mea&s;ure. And &s;o much the rather, con&s;idering that it is no <HI>new</HI> nor <HI>rare</HI> thing. <HI>Your Fathers, where are they? and the Prophets do they live for ever?</HI> is the Prophet <HI>Zecharie</HI>'s Que&s;tion, putting it out of Que&s;tion,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Zech. 1. 5.</NOTE> they do not alwayes live, but are alike with others, &s;ubject to mortality, nor have the Mini&s;ters of the <HI>New Te&s;tament,</HI> though imployed about a more excellent <HI>Mini&s;tration,</HI> any greater priviledge as to exemption from <HI>death</HI> then tho&s;e of the <HI>old, Apo&s;tles</HI> as well as <HI>Prophets</HI> are under <HI>deaths</HI> tyranny: So much S^t <HI>Paul</HI> here intimateth, when he &s;aith, <HI>But we have this Trea&s;ure,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P><NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Facit hoc propter p&s;eudapo&s;tolos quibus hoc erat <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 word"> con&s;ueto, ut ex afflictionibus ip|&s;ius argumentum experent vili|pendendi ip&s;ius mini&s;terium.</HI> Mu&s;c. <HI>in loc.</HI></NOTE> The fir&s;t word of this Text is <HI>But,</HI> a <HI>But</HI> which the <HI>Apo|&s;tle</HI> puts upon him&s;elf and <HI>fellow-Apo&s;tles,</HI> yea and all the <HI>Mini&s;ters</HI> of the <HI>Go&s;pel.</HI> In the fore-going <HI>ver&s;es</HI> we finde him <HI>extolling</HI> his <HI>Mini&s;tery,</HI> and <HI>vindicating</HI> his <HI>fidelity</HI> in the di&s;charge of it, here he interpo&s;eth a <HI>But,</HI> not a <HI>But</HI> of &s;candalous <HI>impiety,</HI> this could not be charged upon him by any. <HI>Oh that all Mini&s;ters lives were &s;o ordered, as no</HI> But <HI>of this nature might be de&s;ervedly ca&s;t upon them.</HI> The <HI>But</HI> here in|tended is <HI>only</HI> a <HI>But</HI> of natural <HI>frailty,</HI> humane <HI>imbecillity,</HI> and the worlds unju&s;t <HI>ignominy.</HI> The&s;e were the things the <HI>Apo&s;tle</HI> well knew the <HI>fal&s;e teachers</HI> would upbraid him and his brethren with, and therefore he prevents them by a vo|luntary <HI>Conce&s;&s;ion</HI> that &s;o it was, yea fit it was that &s;o it &s;hould be for the advancing of <HI>Gods</HI> glory, that whil&s;t their <HI>me&s;&s;age</HI> was <HI>honourable them&s;elves</HI> &s;hould be <HI>contemptible, But we have this Trea&s;ure in earthen ve&s;&s;els.</HI></P>
<P>In which words we have a brief yet exact <HI>Delineation</HI> both of the <HI>Go&s;pel</HI> and the <HI>Preachers</HI> of it, and both by a double Character,</P>
<LIST>
<PB N="3" REF="4">
<ITEM>The <HI>Go&s;pel</HI> is cha|racterized by
<LIST>
<ITEM>A Metaphor <HI>commending,</HI> in the <HI>Noun Trea&s;ure.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>A Term <HI>di&s;criminating,</HI> in the <HI>Pro|noun This.</HI></ITEM>
</LIST></ITEM>
<ITEM>The <HI>Preachers</HI> of the Go&s;pel are repre&s;ented by
<LIST>
<ITEM>A word of <HI>de&s;cription,</HI> in the <HI>Sub&s;tantive Ve&s;&s;els.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>A word of <HI>diminution,</HI> in the <HI>Adjective Earthen.</HI></ITEM>
</LIST></ITEM>
</LIST>
<P>The&s;e are as four <HI>Keys</HI> by which I &s;hall endeavour to un|lock the <HI>Trea&s;ure</HI> of this Text, as four <HI>Vents</HI> by which the <HI>Ve&s;&s;el</HI> of this Scripture emptieth its divine liquor. In the <HI>open|ing</HI> of which I &s;hall &s;trive that my <HI>Di&s;cour&s;e</HI> may keep even pace with the <HI>time,</HI> I hope your <HI>Attention</HI> will keep even pace with my <HI>Di&s;cour&s;e,</HI> and then I doubt not but that through Gods grace we &s;hall be <HI>richer</HI> by this <HI>Trea&s;ure,</HI> and the&s;e <HI>earthen Ve&s;&s;els</HI> will help us &s;omewhat nearer to <HI>Heaven.</HI> And &s;o I begin with the</P>
<P>Delineation of the <HI>Go&s;pel,</HI> and therein the</P>
<P><NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Gener.</HI> 1. <HI>Partic.</HI> 1. Ver&s;. 6. <HI>The&s;auro Sacra|mentum &s;ignifi|catur, Dei in Chri&s;to, quod fidelibus ero|gatur, incre|dulis ab&s;condi|tur.</HI> Ambro&s;. &amp; An&s;elm. <HI>in loc.</HI></NOTE> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>De lumine quod illuxerit Deus in cordibus no&s;tris ad illuminatione~ agnitionis gloriae &s;uae in per&s;onae Chri&s;ti dicit habere nos the|&s;aurum.</HI> Tertul. <HI>de Re&s;ur. carnis, c.</HI> 44.</NOTE> Metaphor <HI>commending, Trea&s;ure.</HI> To finde out the <HI>Kernel</HI> enclo&s;ed in the <HI>&s;hell</HI> of this <HI>Metaphor,</HI> we mu&s;t con|&s;ider a three-fold reference that may be made of this word to the preceding.</P>
<P>Some referre it to the end of the former ver&s;e, and under|&s;tand by this trea&s;ure <HI>The knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Je&s;us Chri&s;t.</HI> This is that which there he compareth to <HI>Light,</HI> and here to <HI>Trea&s;ure,</HI> two Metaphors though different yet con&s;onant, <HI>Light</HI> being a mo&s;t precious <HI>Trea&s;ure,</HI> and as Trea&s;ures are kept, &s;o Lights were wont to be carried in <HI>earth|en Ve&s;&s;els.</HI> And well may the <HI>knowledge of God in Chri&s;t</HI> be compared to both, for its <HI>re&s;plendency</HI> a <HI>Light,</HI> for its <HI>opulency</HI> a <HI>Trea&s;ure,</HI> &s;uch a <HI>Trea&s;ure</HI> as mu&s;t be a <HI>Light</HI> not <HI>lockt</HI> up in our own bre&s;ts, but <HI>&s;hining</HI> forth to others, &s;uch a <HI>Light</HI> as is a <HI>Trea&s;ure</HI> of invaluable and incomparable <HI>worth.</HI> Our <HI>Apo&s;tle</HI> el&s;where expre&s;&s;eth &s;o high an e&s;timation of this <HI>knowledge of Chri&s;t,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Phil. 3. 8.</NOTE> that he accounts all other things, whe|ther <HI>worldly</HI> fruitions or <HI>Jewi&s;h</HI> ob&s;ervances to be <GAP DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 word">, not
<PB N="4" REF="5">
only u&s;ele&s;&s;e but hurtfull &s;o far as they kept him from Chri&s;t, and <GAP DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 span">,<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Suid.</HI></NOTE> as <HI>offals</HI> which we throw to our <HI>dogs,</HI> or <GAP DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 word"> <HI>qua&s;i</HI> <GAP DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 word"> tho&s;e ba&s;e <HI>excrements</HI> which <HI>Phy&s;icians</HI> force out of the body by their <HI>purging: things</HI> not to be <HI>valued</HI> but <HI>de&s;pi&s;ed</HI> and loathed in compari&s;on of <HI>this.</HI> And no le&s;&s;e is that value which our ble&s;&s;ed <HI>Saviour</HI> him&s;elf puts upon it, where he &s;aith, <HI>This is life eternal to know thee the only true God, and Je&s;us Chri&s;t whom thou ha&s;t &s;ent.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">John 17. 3.</NOTE> <HI>Life</HI> is the be&s;t <HI>Trea&s;ure</HI> in <HI>Nature, Eternal</HI> is the <HI>be&s;t</HI> of lives, how great a <HI>Trea&s;ure</HI> mu&s;t the <HI>knowledge</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> be which is <HI>Life eternal?</HI></P>
<P><NOTE PLACE="marg">ver&s;. 1. <HI>The&s;aurum vo|cat munus &s;ibi creditum &agrave; Deo hoc e&s;t ip&s;um mi|ni&s;terium E|vangelii.</HI> E&s;t. <HI>in loc.</HI></NOTE> Secondly, Others take the reference of <HI>Trea&s;ure</HI> here as re|mote as that <GAP DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 word"> <HI>Mini&s;tery,</HI> mentioned in the fir&s;t <HI>ver&s;e.</HI> Indeed the <HI>Mini&s;try</HI> and <HI>Di&s;pen&s;ation</HI> of the <HI>Go&s;pel</HI> is a choice and precious <HI>Trea&s;ure,</HI> upon which account the Apo&s;tle el&s;e|where cals it, <GAP DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 word"> <HI>a worthy work.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Tim. 3. 1.</NOTE> A work it is to which is required both <HI>Authority</HI> and <HI>Ability,</HI> and therefore in re&s;pect of the former it is an <HI>Honour,</HI> of the later a <HI>Trea|&s;ure.</HI> The old ver&s;e tels us,<Q>Dat Galenus opes, dat Ju&s;tinianus honores.</Q> The <HI>Law</HI> brings <HI>Honour,</HI> and <HI>Phy&s;ick Wealth,</HI> but in a divine &s;en&s;e the <HI>Mini&s;tery</HI> hath <HI>both.</HI> A <HI>Burden</HI> it is indeed, but withall an <HI>Honour.</HI> A <HI>Labour</HI> it is, but withall a <HI>Trea&s;ure</HI> for the edifying and enriching of the Church. This <HI>Trea&s;ure Chri&s;t</HI> keeps under <HI>Lock</HI> and <HI>Key,</HI> only intru&s;ting tho&s;e with it whom he cals to, and furni&s;heth for it. As it was the pri|viledge of the <HI>Jews</HI> above other Nations, that to them were <HI>the Oracles of God committed,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 3. 2.</NOTE> &s;o it is the Prerogative of the <HI>Mini&s;ters</HI> above all other per&s;ons, that to them is committed <HI>the Di&s;pen&s;ation of the&s;e Oracles.</HI> By which it appears, that they are no better then <HI>thieves,</HI> nay <HI>&s;acrilegious robbers</HI> who without immediate or mediate warrant from Chri&s;t a&s;&s;ume this tru&s;t and <HI>break open</HI> this trea&s;ure.</P>
<P><NOTE PLACE="marg">ver. 3.</NOTE> Thirdly, I conceive we &s;hall be&s;t under&s;tand the prime <HI>in|tent</HI> and full <HI>extent</HI> of this <HI>Metaphor,</HI> by referring it not &s;o neer as the &s;ixth, nor &s;o farre as the fir&s;t, but to <GAP DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 word">
<PB N="5" REF="5">
the Go&s;pel, mentioned in the third ver&s;e.</P>
<P>Indeed <HI>both</HI> the other <HI>Interpretations</HI> are fully included, and may be fitly reduced to <HI>this,</HI> &s;ince on the one hand that <HI>Mini&s;tery</HI> is principally in re&s;pect of the Go&s;pel: Hence it is that we are called the <HI>Mini&s;ters of the New Te&s;tament,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 3. 6.</NOTE> and our Commi&s;&s;ion is to <HI>preach the Go&s;pel,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mark 16. 15.</NOTE> and the Engli&s;h Tran|<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 letter">lators have not unfitly at once rendered and unfolded that <GAP DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 word"> S^t <HI>Paul</HI> &s;peaketh of to be <HI>the di&s;pen&s;ation of the Go|<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 letter">pel,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 9. 17.</NOTE> for though &s;ince <HI>Chri&s;t came not to de&s;troy but to fulfill,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 5. 17.</NOTE> we mu&s;t not <HI>&s;uppre&s;&s;e</HI> but <HI>publi&s;h the Law,</HI> yet our chief er|rand is to <HI>promulge</HI> the glad tidings of Salvation in the <HI>Go&s;pel.</HI> And on the other hand, it is the <HI>Go&s;pel</HI> onely that revealeth the <HI>knowledge of God in Je&s;us Chri&s;t,</HI> <GAP DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 span">,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gr. Thaumat. <HI>Serm.</HI> 2. <HI>in Au|nunt. B.M.V.</HI></NOTE> <HI>To them that &s;earch into the Mine of holy Writ is opened the trea&s;ure of the know|ledge of God:</HI> And whereas the <HI>Creatures</HI> leade us to the knowledge of God the <HI>Creator,</HI> and the Law declares him as a <HI>Judge,</HI> onely the Go&s;pel manife&s;teth him as a <HI>Redeemer,</HI> to wit, <HI>God in Chri&s;t.</HI></P>
<P>The <HI>Go&s;pel</HI> then is that which S^t <HI>Paul</HI> here primarily cals a <HI>Trea&s;ure.</HI> It is that Metaphor by which Chri&s;t him&s;elf repre|&s;ents it when he compareth <HI>the Kingdom of Heaven to a Trea|&s;ure hid in a field,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 13. 44.</NOTE> as it is &s;aid to be <HI>hid</HI> for its <HI>my&s;teriou&s;ne&s;&s;e,</HI> &s;o a <HI>Trea&s;ure</HI> for its <HI>preciou&s;ne&s;&s;e.</HI> That we may &s;ee the <HI>fitne&s;&s;e</HI> of the <HI>Metaphor,</HI> be plea&s;ed to take a <HI>view</HI> of the <HI>Analogie,</HI> and that in two particulars, to wit, the <HI>Nature</HI> and the <HI>Effi|cacy</HI> of a <HI>Trea&s;ure,</HI> what it is, and what it doth.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, If you enquire into the <HI>Nature</HI> of a <HI>Trea&s;ure,</HI> that definition may be a full an&s;wer, <HI>The&s;aurus dicitur multarum rerum pretio&s;arum cumulatio, A Trea&s;ure is an accumulation of many precious things,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Avend. <HI>in</HI> Mat.</NOTE> &s;o that there are two things concur to a <HI>Trea&s;ure,</HI> to wit, <HI>pretium</HI> and <HI>copia, value</HI> and <HI>plenty,</HI> worth in the <HI>quality,</HI> abundance in the <HI>quantity.</HI> It is not an heap of &s;traw or rubbi&s;h that maketh a <HI>Trea&s;ure,</HI> &s;ince though there is <HI>plenty,</HI> there is no <HI>value;</HI> nor is it a &s;ingle piece of &s;ilver or gold that maketh a <HI>Trea&s;ure;</HI> &s;ince though there is <HI>value</HI> there is not <HI>plenty,</HI> but many bags of gold and &s;ilver, or things of like worth fill up a <HI>Trea&s;ure.</HI> Both of the&s;e
<PB N="6" REF="6">
we finde and meet with in the <HI>Go&s;pel,</HI> no wonder it is &s;et forth by this appellation.</P>
<P>1. The Truths and Doctrines contained in it are <HI>choice</HI> and <HI>excellent,</HI> as much worth as our <HI>Souls,</HI> as <HI>Heaven,</HI> as <HI>Salva|tion</HI> is, nay &s;hall I go higher? look what worth there is in the <HI>riches of Gods grace,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 1. 7.</NOTE> the <HI>precious bloud of Chri&s;t,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Pet. 1. 19.</NOTE> that may &s;econdarily be a&s;cribed to the Go&s;pel, which di&s;covereth and offereth <HI>both</HI> to us: no wonder that the <HI>Greek</HI> Fathers com|pare the verities of the Go&s;pel to <HI>precious &s;tones,</HI> and our <HI>Sa|viour</HI> to a <HI>Pearl of great price,</HI> and the <HI>Mini&s;ter</HI> in this re|&s;pect is called a <HI>Merchant of invaluable Jewels.</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 span">. Athan. <HI>de virg.</HI> <GAP DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 span"> Chry&s;o&s;t. <HI>hom.</HI> in Gen. 15. <GAP DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 span">. I&s;id. <HI>Pel. l.</HI> 1.<HI> ep.</HI> 146.</NOTE> If you plea&s;e to take a view of tho&s;e &s;everal things to which <HI>Gods word in general</HI> is compared, and which may much more be applied to the <HI>Go&s;pel in particular,</HI> you &s;hall finde its worth &s;et forth by a very ob&s;ervable gradation. The ba&s;e&s;t metal to which it is compared is <HI>&s;ilver,</HI> and yet that is precious in compari&s;on of <HI>lead</HI> or <HI>bra&s;&s;e</HI> or <HI>iron; &s;ilver</HI> refined from its <HI>dro&s;&s;e</HI> is of farre more worth then as it is taken out of the <HI>Mine;</HI> and it is re&s;embled not onely to <HI>&s;ilver,</HI> but <HI>&s;ilver purified in the fire &s;even times;</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 12. 6.</NOTE> <HI>Gold</HI> is yet of more value by farre then the mo&s;t <HI>purified &s;ilver;</HI> many pieces of <HI>&s;ilver</HI> are not aequivalent to one of <HI>gold,</HI> and yet all <HI>gold</HI> is not of a like <HI>worth,</HI> but this is <HI>more de&s;irable then gold, yea then fine gold;</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 12. 6. 19. 10.</NOTE> <HI>Rubies</HI> are of more account then <HI>gold,</HI> and yet the wi&s;dome of this word is <HI>more precious then rubies,</HI> nay that what&s;oever el&s;e is ac|counted <HI>precious,</HI> as <HI>Pearls, Diamonds</HI> and the like may not be left out, there is annexed a comprehen&s;ive expre&s;&s;i|on, <HI>All the things thou can&s;t de&s;ire are not to be compared to her.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Prov. 3. 14, 15.</NOTE></P>
<P>2. There is no le&s;&s;e <HI>variety</HI> then <HI>excellency</HI> in the Go&s;pel, <GAP DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 span">;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ba&s;il. <HI>in</HI> P&s;. 44.</NOTE> the doctrines of it are manifold, and of divers kindes, yet all profitable: what&s;oever is to be known by us concerning <HI>God, Chri&s;t, our &s;elves, &s;in, Righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e, Happine&s;&s;e,</HI> is here delivered, here are whol&s;ome <HI>Coun&s;els</HI> of <HI>vertue,</HI> righteous <HI>precepts</HI> of <HI>duty,</HI> the precious <HI>promi&s;es</HI> of <HI>mercy,</HI> and the &s;weet <HI>comforts</HI> of the <HI>Holy Gho&s;t</HI> pre&s;ented to us. In re&s;pect of its <HI>Coun&s;els</HI> and <HI>Precepts,</HI> I may well call it (to u&s;e Saint <HI>Ba&s;ils</HI>
<PB N="7" REF="6">
phra&s;e) <GAP DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 span">, <HI>a plentifull promptuary of good documents.</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ba&s;il. <HI>in</HI> P&s;al. 1. <GAP DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 span">; Ba&s;. <HI>ibid.</HI> <GAP DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 span">. I&s;id. <HI>Pol. l.</HI> 3. <HI>Epi&s;t.</HI> 338.</NOTE> <HI>What is it</HI> (oh Chri&s;tian, to follow his ex|pre&s;&s;ions) <HI>thou maye&s;t not learn hence? the mea&s;ure of patience, the manner of penitence, perfection of prudence, &s;weetne&s;&s;e of temperance, exactne&s;&s;e of Ju&s;tice, and magnanimity of forti|tude?</HI> All <HI>moral</HI> vertues, and all <HI>theological</HI> graces are both de&s;cribed and pre&s;cribed in the Go&s;pel. In re&s;pect of its <HI>com|forts</HI> and <HI>promi&s;es,</HI> I may well (to u&s;e <HI>I&s;idor's</HI> compari&s;on) re|&s;emble it to a large and plea&s;ant <HI>Garden,</HI> repleni&s;hed with va|riety of fragrant <HI>flowers,</HI> yielding as it were an heavenly <HI>Ne|ctar,</HI> which will revive the &s;oul in the &s;adde&s;t di&s;tre&s;&s;e. What|&s;oever <HI>Relations</HI> of life thou art placed in, here are fit <HI>directi|ons</HI> to <HI>guide</HI> thee. What&s;oever <HI>condition</HI> of mi&s;ery thou mai&s;t be ca&s;t into, here are full <HI>con&s;olations</HI> to <HI>&s;upport</HI> thee. Well might S^t <HI>Chry&s;o&s;tome</HI> &s;ay, <GAP DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 span">,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Chry&s;o&s;t. <HI>hom.</HI> 3. <HI>in</HI> Gen.</NOTE> the holy Scripture is an ever over-flowing <HI>fountain</HI> that cannot be drawn dry, and an inexhau&s;ted <HI>Trea&s;ure</HI> that cannot be emptied. To this purpo&s;e tend tho&s;e re&s;emblances of the <HI>Law,</HI> made u&s;e of by <HI>David,</HI> and no le&s;&s;e ju&s;tly applicable to the <HI>Go&s;pel,</HI> it is not only <HI>better then gold and &s;ilver,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 119. 72.</NOTE> which are things of value, but <HI>thou&s;ands,</HI> which implieth abundance, and again comparing it to <HI>all riches</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">14</NOTE> and <HI>great &s;poil,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">162.</NOTE> both which contain in them <HI>Multiplex genus,</HI> all &s;orts of valuable Commodities, Sheep, Oxen, Lands, Hou&s;es, Garments, Goods, Mo|neys, and the like; <NOTE PLACE="marg">Avend. <HI>ibid.</HI></NOTE> thus are all &s;orts of &s;piritual Riches, yea abundance of each &s;ort to be had, as in the <HI>Law,</HI> &s;o in the <HI>Go&s;pel.</HI></P>
<P>Secondly, As to the <HI>Efficacy</HI> of a Trea&s;ure, what will it not do? The Latine and our Engli&s;h Proverb both a&s;&s;ert this, <HI>Pecuniae omnia obediunt, Money an&s;wers all things,</HI> e&s;pecially where there is plenty of it, <HI>Food, Raiment, Lights, Phy&s;ick, Armour,</HI> are all to be purcha&s;ed by a <HI>Trea&s;ure.</HI> All this is mo&s;t true of the <HI>Go&s;pel.</HI> The Spou&s;e &s;peaking of Chri&s;ts lips, &s;aith, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Cant. 4. 11. <HI>Ph. Carpath.</HI></NOTE><HI>They drop as the honey-comb, In favomel &amp; cera latent, quorum altero pa&s;cimur altera lumen accendimus, &s;ic in &s;acris literis &s;uavi&s;&s;imus cibus animi &amp; lumen mentis in&s;unt, As in the honey-comb there is honey to yeeld nutriment and wax to give</HI>
<PB N="8" REF="7">
<HI>light: So in the Scriptures</HI> (chiefly the Evangelical) <HI>the &s;oul hath food and the minde light.</HI> What an <HI>Aegyptian King</HI> cau|&s;ed to be writ on the door of a well-furni&s;hed <HI>Library,</HI> <GAP DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 span"> is fully verified of the <HI>Go&s;pel,</HI> whence may be &s;elected the be&s;t, nay the onely <HI>Receipts</HI> to cure a &s;in-&s;ick per&s;on. Finally, no &s;uch <HI>Wardrobe</HI> as this wherein are to be had the <HI>Robes</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;ts Righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e,</HI> and the <HI>Ornaments</HI> of the <HI>Spirits Graces:</HI> no <HI>Armoury</HI> like to this, where all both <HI>offen&s;ive</HI> and <HI>defen&s;ive weapons</HI> again&s;t our &s;piritual enemies are to be found. In a word, what ever the wants of a Chri&s;tian are he may by the <HI>Go&s;pel</HI> finde a &s;utable &s;upply, very ju&s;tly then doth this <HI>Metaphor</HI> of a <HI>Trea&s;ure</HI> belong to it. But yet this is not all that concerneth the <HI>Go&s;pels</HI> excellency: as there is an <HI>Analogie,</HI> &s;o there is a <HI>Di&s;crepancy,</HI> as in the&s;e the <HI>Go&s;pel</HI> and a <HI>Trea&s;ure</HI> do agree, &s;o there want not other things wherein the <HI>Go&s;pel</HI> doth far exceed all <HI>Trea&s;ures;</HI> to which end ca&s;t your eyes on the</P>
<P>2. Term <HI>di&s;criminating, Non &s;impliciter the&s;aurum, &s;ed hunc inquit the&s;aurum habemus,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mu&s;c. <HI>in loc.</HI></NOTE> he doth not barely &s;ay, we have [<HI>A</HI>] but emphatically [<HI>This</HI>] Trea&s;ure, to intimate that the <HI>Trea&s;ure</HI> of the <HI>Go&s;pel</HI> is farre <HI>different</HI> from and <HI>tran&s;cen|dent</HI> above all other <HI>Trea&s;ures,</HI> which that it may the bet|ter appear, take notice of the <HI>Antithe&s;is</HI> in the&s;e &s;everal par|ticulars.</P>
<P>1. Other <HI>Trea&s;ures</HI> are from <HI>below,</HI> this is from <HI>above,</HI> tho&s;e are dig'd out of the Bowels of the <HI>Earth,</HI> this is &s;ent from <HI>Heaven;</HI> what are gold and &s;ilver but white and yellow earth? the &s;ands and the rocks are the habitation of pearls and jewels, but the things of the Go&s;pel are, and therefore &s;o fitly called by our Saviour <HI>heavenly things.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Joh. 3. 12.</NOTE></P>
<P>2. Other <HI>Trea&s;ures</HI> are <HI>tran&s;ient</HI> and peri&s;hing; S^t <HI>Peters</HI> epithete is, <HI>corruptible gold and &s;ilver;</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Pet. 1. 18.</NOTE> <HI>Solomons</HI> ob&s;ervation is, that <HI>riches take them wings and flee away;</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Prov. 23. 5.</NOTE> and therefore as they are got with <HI>care</HI> and kept with <HI>fear,</HI> &s;o many times lo&s;t with <HI>grief;</HI> but <HI>this Trea&s;ure</HI> is la&s;ting and <HI>permanent,</HI> the truth of it inalterable, the goodne&s;&s;e of it unchangeable, hence it is called <HI>the good part which cannot be taken away,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Luk. 10. 42.</NOTE> <HI>the meat which peri&s;heth not;</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">John 6. 27.</NOTE> and <HI>the word of the Lord that endureth for ever.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Pet. 1. 25.</NOTE></P>
<P><PB N="9" REF="7">3. Other <HI>Trea&s;ures</HI> are only of <HI>corporal u&s;e</HI> for the profit, comfort and &s;upport of the <HI>Body,</HI> and therefore it is they cannot make the <HI>po&s;&s;e&s;&s;our</HI> either <HI>wi&s;e</HI> or <HI>holy</HI> or <HI>happy.</HI> But <HI>this Trea&s;ure</HI> enricheth the &s;oul with <HI>wi&s;dom</HI> and <HI>knowledge, grace</HI> and <HI>holine&s;&s;e,</HI> whereby it becometh a means of <HI>happine&s;&s;e</HI> to him that enjoyeth it, by this it is the <HI>minde</HI> is enlightened, the <HI>will</HI> inclined, the <HI>affections</HI> compo&s;ed, the <HI>con&s;cience</HI> qui|eted, and the <HI>inward man</HI> renewed.</P>
<P>4. Other <HI>Trea&s;ures</HI> though <HI>virtually</HI> they procure &s;everall comforts, yet <HI>formally</HI> and in their own nature they are but a <HI>remedy</HI> again&s;t <HI>poverty.</HI> Gold and &s;ilver in them&s;elves have no feeding or cloathing or defending vertue, nor do they certainly and con&s;tantly procure tho&s;e nece&s;&s;aries: Some|times <HI>food</HI> is not to be had for <HI>money,</HI> nor is <HI>&s;ilver</HI> alwaies a <HI>defence.</HI> And yet further though it may get the <HI>things,</HI> yet it cannot give an <HI>efficacy</HI> to them, it may buy <HI>food</HI> but not a <HI>&s;to|mack, Phy&s;ick</HI> but not <HI>health, Clothes</HI> but not <HI>warmth, Ar|mour</HI> but not <HI>&s;afety, Lights</HI> but not <HI>eyes:</HI> Whereas <HI>this Trea|&s;ure</HI> is in its own nature all the&s;e, and a&s;&s;uredly bringeth <HI>&s;trength, wealth, ea&s;e, &s;afety,</HI> and all &s;piritual ble&s;&s;ings to them that enjoy it, it is &s;uch a <HI>Trea&s;ure</HI> as is withall an <HI>oracle</HI> in <HI>doubts,</HI> a <HI>&s;hield</HI> again&s;t <HI>a&s;&s;aults,</HI> a <HI>Coun&s;ellor</HI> in <HI>pro&s;perity,</HI> a <HI>Comforter</HI> in <HI>adver&s;ity,</HI> a <HI>light</HI> in <HI>darkne&s;&s;e,</HI> and a <HI>refuge</HI> in <HI>danger.</HI></P>
<P>5. Other <HI>Trea&s;ures</HI> oft times become <HI>de&s;tructive</HI> to the po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ors, it was <HI>a &s;ore evil Solomon &s;aw under the Sun, namely riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Eccle&s;. 5. 13.</NOTE> indeed both <HI>temporall</HI> and <HI>&s;pirituall</HI> hurt accrueth frequently to men by their <HI>trea&s;ure;</HI> the <HI>golden Ring</HI> hath &s;ometimes lo&s;t the <HI>finger,</HI> and the <HI>bag</HI> of <HI>money</HI> expo&s;ed the traveller to <HI>danger;</HI> yet more often do <HI>trea&s;ures</HI> become <HI>nur&s;es</HI> of <HI>vice, panders</HI> to <HI>lu&s;t, incentives</HI> of <HI>wickedne&s;s,</HI> and the <HI>mammon of unrighteou&s;ne&s;s,</HI> whereby they ruin the &s;oul, <HI>and take away the life of the ow|ners;</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Prov. 1. 19.</NOTE> in this re&s;pect it is that <HI>Salvian</HI> &s;aith excellently of co|vetous men, <HI>perituris &s;imul atque perdentibus &s;tudent nundinis,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Salv. contr. Avarit.</HI> l. 1.</NOTE> they eagerly bu&s;ie them&s;elves in tho&s;e merchandizes which are not only peri&s;hing in their own nature, but de&s;troy the po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ors, whereas <HI>this Trea&s;ure</HI> is altogether <HI>beneficiall</HI> to
<PB N="10" REF="8">
them that enjoy it; indeed <HI>accidentally</HI> it proveth <HI>pernicious,</HI> becoming to &s;ome <HI>a &s;avour of death,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 2. 16.</NOTE> but this is only to the rejecters and contemners, not to the receivers and po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ors of it; <HI>If our Go&s;pel be hid,</HI> &s;aith the Apo&s;tle in this Chapter, <HI>it is hid to them that are lo&s;t,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">ver&s;. 3.</NOTE> and if any be lo&s;t to whom the Go|&s;pel cometh, its they from whom its hid by the devil and their own corruption blinding their eyes that they &s;ee not its worth, and thereby perverting their wils that they refu&s;e its embraces; but to them that beleeve and do it, it is <HI>a &s;avour of life,</HI> a well&s;pring of comfort, a means of their eternall well|fare.</P>
<P>Finally, Other Trea&s;ures may have the image of a <HI>King</HI> &s;tamped upon them, &s;uch that coyn which had <HI>Cae&s;ars</HI> &s;uper|&s;cription, but <HI>this</HI> hath the image of <HI>God</HI> and <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> imprin|ted on it, being therefore called the <HI>Go&s;pel of God,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 1. 1.</NOTE> and the <HI>Word of Chri&s;t,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Col. 3. 16.</NOTE> other Trea&s;ures are the ble&s;&s;ings of Gods <HI>left hand;</HI> &s;o it is &s;aid of riches and honours, but this is a ble&s;|&s;ing of Gods <HI>right hand;</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Prov. 3. 16.</NOTE> &s;o it is &s;aid of the fiery Law,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Deut. 33.</NOTE> and much more is it true of the Go&s;pel: How much the right hand excelleth the left, &s;o much this &s;urpa&s;&s;eth all riches. In a word, other Trea&s;ures make the poor rich, but <HI>this</HI> <GAP DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 span">, <HI>maketh of mortall immortall, of men in &s;ome &s;en&s;e Gods.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Ju&s;t. Mart. ad <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 letter">u. adhort.</HI> 2<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 letter">.</NOTE> And now upon all the&s;e con&s;iderati|ons the &s;urpa&s;&s;ing worth of <HI>this Trea&s;ure</HI> cannot but appear: So as we may truly &s;ay, Not all the Silks of <HI>Per&s;ia,</HI> Linnen of <HI>Egypt,</HI> Spices of <HI>Arabia,</HI> Silver of the <HI>We&s;t,</HI> Gold of the <HI>Ea&s;t,</HI> Pretious &s;tones of <HI>both</HI> the <HI>Indies,</HI> are &s;everally, nay joyntly able to equalize it. Well may this note of difference be annexed <HI>This trea&s;ure.</HI></P>
<P>What therefore remaineth but that every one of us labour to have the &s;ame e&s;teem of the <HI>Go&s;pel,</HI> which S^t <HI>Paul</HI> had, and which indeed it de&s;erveth?</P>
<P>1. Let us <HI>account</HI> it our <HI>Trea&s;ure,</HI> and let that appear by doing in reference to the <HI>Go&s;pel,</HI> as men do by <HI>Trea&s;ure.</HI></P>
<P>How <HI>vehement and active</HI> are covetous mens <HI>de&s;ires</HI> after <HI>Trea&s;ure!</HI> they &s;pare no pains to get, nor have they ever e|nough of it, in their longings they are un&s;atiable, in their labours indefatigable. Such let our de&s;ires be after the know|ledge
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of, and acquaintance with Evangelicall truths: Let us not be &s;atisfied without, no nor yet with the Go&s;pel, but as we have it let us &s;trive to have it more abundantly, according to that Apo&s;tolicall precept, <HI>Let the Word of Chri&s;t dwel in you richly in all knowledge and wi&s;dom.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Col. 3. 16.</NOTE></P>
<P>Be&s;ides, what <HI>care</HI> have men to <HI>lay up</HI> their <HI>Trea&s;ure,</HI> when they have got it? The Greek word in its Etimology &s;ignifi|eth as much, <GAP DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 word"> <HI>qua&s;i</HI> <GAP DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 word">, and in the He|brew <GAP DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 word"> <HI>&agrave;</HI> <GAP DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 word"> <HI>ab&s;condit,</HI> the <HI>nown</HI> for <HI>Trea&s;ure</HI> cometh from a <HI>verb</HI> that &s;ignifieth to <HI>hide,</HI> there being nothing men more &s;ecretly and carefully lay up then their <HI>Trea&s;ures,</HI> yea what content do they take in viewing and recounting their bags, <HI>Populus me &s;ibilat at mihi plaudo ip&s;e domi,</HI> &s;aid he in the <HI>Poet,</HI> The covetous wretch while&s;t &s;corned abroad plea&s;eth him&s;elf at home in his heaps of wealth. So let us lay up the Go&s;pel in the Cabinet of our &s;ouls, and take delight in meditating upon the divine Truths contained in it, yea while&s;t we meet with reproach and per&s;ecution from the world, let us &s;olace our &s;elves in the fruition of <HI>this Trea&s;ure.</HI> Herein let <HI>Davids</HI> pra|ctice towards the <HI>Law of the Lord</HI> be our pattern in that ex|cellent <HI>P&s;alm,</HI> wherein he expre&s;&s;eth a &s;ingular regard to Gods te&s;timonies, <HI>The words of thy mouth are better to me then thou&s;ands of gold and &s;ilver:</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 119. ver&s;. 72.</NOTE> and again, <HI>My hands will I lift up to thy Commandments which I have loved, and I will meditate on thy Statutes:</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">48.</NOTE> and again, <HI>I have hid thy word in my heart, that I might not &s;in again&s;t thee:</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">11.</NOTE> and once more, <HI>I have rejoy|ced in the way of thy te&s;timonies, as much as in all riches.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">14.</NOTE></P>
<P>2. Since the <HI>Go&s;pel</HI> is not only comparatively a <HI>Trea&s;ure,</HI> but &s;uperlatively <HI>this Trea&s;ure,</HI> let our e&s;timation and affection towards it have a <HI>This</HI> upon it, beyond that we have or any can have to other Trea&s;ures. Indeed beloved, though <HI>this Trea&s;ure</HI> &s;o far exceed all others, yet well were it if our love to it did equalize that to others; the truth is, though it is far beyond, yet the mo&s;t mens valuation of it is far &s;hort. What a &s;hame is it that by us who call our &s;elves Chri&s;tians, earth &s;hould be preferred before Heaven, the world before Chri&s;t, gold before the Go&s;pel? Oh let us blow up the fire, whet the edge, quicken the dulne&s;s of our
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&s;pirituall affection, that if po&s;&s;ible, it may not only parallel, but outvie our earthly de&s;ires, and with that wi&s;e <HI>Merchant</HI> in the <HI>Go&s;pel,</HI> we may <HI>&s;ell all we have to buy this Pearl.</HI></P>
<P>And &s;o much be &s;poken of the fir&s;t part, the Character here given to the <HI>Go&s;pel:</HI> I now pa&s;s on to tho&s;e by which</P>
<P><NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Gener.</HI> 2. <HI>Partie.</HI> 1. <GAP DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 word"> <GAP DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 word">. <HI>Vox apud He|braeos &amp; Graecos ponitur pro quo|vis in&s;trumento.</HI> Loc. <HI>in</HI> Act. 9. 15.</NOTE> The <HI>Preachers of the Go&s;pel</HI> are repre&s;ented, and therein the Word of <HI>de&s;cription, Ve&s;&s;els.</HI></P>
<P>The word both in <HI>Hebrew</HI> and <HI>Greek</HI> is many times taken in a large acception for <HI>Instrumentum</HI> an uten&s;ill in an hou&s;e, or any thing that is u&s;ed as the in&s;trument of accompli&s;hing any work, and &s;o the <HI>Hebrew</HI> word is rendred, where we reade of the <HI>in&s;truments of cruelty,</HI> and the <HI>in&s;truments of death,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Gen. 45. 5. P&s;al. 7. 13.</NOTE> and in this &s;en&s;e it is true of the <HI>Mini&s;ters,</HI> they are <HI>in&s;truments</HI> in the hand of <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> for the great work of gathering his <HI>Church;</HI> but mo&s;t properly it &s;ignifieth <HI>receptaculum,</HI> an in|&s;trument of containing any thing, and in this &s;en&s;e it may be here fitly con&s;trued, nor do there want fit <HI>re&s;emblances</HI> in which the me&s;&s;engers of <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> are like to <HI>Ve&s;&s;els:</HI> More par|ticularly in the&s;e four re&s;pects.</P>
<P>1. <HI>Ve&s;&s;els</HI> are not <HI>naturall</HI> but <HI>artificial in&s;truments: Na|ture</HI> affords the <HI>materials,</HI> but <HI>Art</HI> and <HI>Indu&s;try</HI> produce the <HI>Form</HI> by which it hath the <HI>Capacity</HI> of a <HI>Ve&s;&s;el.</HI> It is no le&s;s true of <HI>Mini&s;ters, Nemo na&s;citur Chri&s;tianus,</HI> no man is born a Chri&s;tian, much le&s;s a Mini&s;ter: Indeed <HI>ex quovis ligno non fit Mercurius,</HI> there mu&s;t be natural parts in them that under|take this Function, but tho&s;e are not &s;ufficient: And there|fore in the fir&s;t <HI>Plantation</HI> of the <HI>Church,</HI> God did by <HI>imme|diate In&s;piration,</HI> and the Collation of <HI>extraordinary gifts,</HI> en|able men for the di&s;charge of this Office, and afterwards in the <HI>growth</HI> and <HI>progre&s;&s;e</HI> of the <HI>Church;</HI> That In&s;piration cea|&s;ing, &s;o as no more to be expected, there was and &s;till ought to be a <HI>training</HI> up of youth in the <HI>Tongues, Arts and Sciences,</HI> and after that a great deal of <HI>Indu&s;try</HI> (joyned with ardent <HI>Prayer</HI>) in the &s;tudy of the <HI>Scriptures</HI> and <HI>Theologicall verities</HI> by them that take upon them this &s;acred Calling. The truth is, whatever account the men of this age make of a Mini&s;ters work, yet it is &s;o weighty and divine an imployment, that no &s;mall time and pains mu&s;t be &s;pent in preparation for it. And
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if S^t <HI>Paul,</HI> whom <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> cals a <HI>cho&s;en ve&s;&s;el,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 9. 15.</NOTE> and accordingly in a &s;ingular mea&s;ure, not only above other Mini&s;ters, but Apo&s;tles, fitted for this &s;ervice, cried out, <GAP DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 span">; <HI>Who is &s;ufficient for the&s;e things?</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 2. 16.</NOTE> How ju&s;tly reprovable is their <HI>ra&s;hne&s;&s;e,</HI> who whil&s;t they can lay no ju&s;t claim to an im|mediate in&s;piration, <HI>&s;uddenly</HI> and <HI>unpreparedly</HI> enter upon this high imployment? Indeed &s;uch as the&s;e there have been in former times, who are called by <HI>Leo, Momentanei Sacer|dotes,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Leo <HI>apud Grat. di&s;t.</HI> 48.</NOTE> and <HI>Gregory Nazianzen</HI> &s;tileth <GAP DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 span">,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gr. Naz. <HI>or.</HI> 29 <HI>Ju&s;tinian.</HI></NOTE> &s;uch as in a day, a moment turned Prie&s;ts. <HI>Mod&ograve; idiota mox Clericus,</HI> now Laicks and anon Clerks. But what &s;warms of &s;uch ex|temporary and illiterate Preachers abound in this age, who to u&s;e that elegant <HI>Fathers</HI> expre&s;&s;ion, <HI>Owe more &s;acrifices for their own, then the peoples ignorances;</HI> and as tho&s;e <HI>Romans</HI> of old called <HI>Cincinnati</HI> were advanced <HI>A &s;tiv&acirc; &amp; aratro ad dicta|tores,</HI> from the plough to be Dictators, &s;o the&s;e <HI>skip</HI> from the <HI>&s;hopboard</HI> to the <HI>Pulpit.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 span">. Gr. Naz. <HI>Orat.</HI> 21.</NOTE></P>
<P>It was a &s;ad but ju&s;t <HI>complaint,</HI> and too &s;utable to our times that <HI>Gregory Nazianzen</HI> took up in his daies, <NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 span">. Gr. Naz. <HI>Orat.</HI> 20.</NOTE><HI>No man is ac|counted a Phy&s;itian that hath not fir&s;t &s;tudied the natures of di|&s;ea&s;es, nor a Painter that hath not been exerci&s;ed in drawing of lineaments, and laying on of colours, but Preachers are found ea&s;ily &s;uch as have never be&s;towed time or taken pains in prepa|ring them&s;elves for that &s;ervice.</HI> Oh how &s;hall the very Hea|then ri&s;e up at the la&s;t day and <HI>condemn the men of this genera|tion! Plutarch</HI> tels us that the <HI>Virgins</HI> which were to attend <HI>Diana</HI>'s Temple, were for many years brought up as it were in a <HI>School,</HI> and called <GAP DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 word">, &s;uch as &s;hould admini&s;ter &s;a|cred Rites, and then being &s;ufficiently in&s;tructed they were called <GAP DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 word">, admitted to their divine my&s;teries, and afterwards they became <GAP DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 word"> In&s;tructers of others. Surely if the <HI>light</HI> of <HI>nature</HI> taught them to u&s;e &s;o much care in educating tho&s;e who were to perform the wor&s;hip of a <HI>fal&s;e Godde&s;s,</HI> how &s;hamefull is the <HI>blindne&s;s</HI> of tho&s;e Chri&s;tians who think &s;ome naturall abilities of <HI>memory</HI> and <HI>elocution</HI> &s;ufficient to qualifie a <HI>Prie&s;t</HI> of the <HI>true</HI> and <HI>mo&s;t high God.</HI></P>
<P>2. <HI>Ve&s;&s;els</HI> are not all of <HI>equal capacity,</HI> &s;ome are <HI>le&s;&s;e,</HI> others <HI>greater;</HI> &s;everall <HI>trades</HI> have <HI>ve&s;&s;els</HI> of divers <HI>&s;izes:</HI> So is it
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among <HI>Mini&s;ters,</HI> both in re&s;pect of <HI>Offices</HI> and <HI>Gifts.</HI> In the beginning of <HI>Chri&s;tianity</HI> there were <HI>&s;ome Apo&s;tles, &s;ome Pro|phers, &s;ome Evangeli&s;ts,</HI> and &s;oon after there were &s;ome <HI>Bi|&s;hops,</HI> &s;ome <HI>Prie&s;ts,</HI> &s;ome <HI>Deacons,</HI> and this variety of <HI>Orders</HI> hath ever conduced much to the <HI>unity, harmony</HI> and <HI>beauty</HI> of the <HI>Church.</HI> This <HI>diver&s;ity</HI> is no le&s;&s;e apparent in regard of <HI>gifts,</HI> all have not alike abilities, nor are equally fitted for this &s;acred Employment; there is indeed a <GAP DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 word"> <HI>competency</HI> of gifts which every one attaineth to whom God calleth to this Work: but though all have &s;ome yet not the &s;ame <HI>gifts,</HI> as S^t <HI>Paul</HI> puts the <HI>que&s;tion,</HI> intending thereby a <HI>negation, Are all Apo&s;tles, are all Prophets?</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 12. 29.</NOTE> So may I &s;ay in this, All are not <HI>Chry&s;o&s;tome</HI>'s and <HI>Chry&s;ologu&s;e</HI>'s for golden mouthed O|ratory, all are not <HI>Epiphaniu&s;e</HI>'s and <HI>Augu&s;tine</HI>'s for Con|futation of Here&s;ies; all are not like <HI>Hierome</HI> for skill in lan|guages, and <HI>Athana&s;ius</HI> for profound knowledge: God who is a mo&s;t <HI>free Agent</HI> di&s;pen&s;eth endowments variou&s;ly accor|ding to the <HI>plea&s;ure</HI> of his own <HI>Will:</HI> Some with <HI>Eli&s;ha</HI> have a <HI>double portion of Eliah's &s;pirit,</HI> yea with <HI>Benjamin,</HI> their <HI>me&s;&s;e is five times bigger then their brethren,</HI> while&s;t he giveth to others with a more &s;paring and narrow hand. The Mini|&s;ters of the Go&s;pel are el&s;ewhere re&s;embled to <HI>Stars,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 1. 20.</NOTE> and a|mong others for this rea&s;on, as all <HI>Stars</HI> are not of the &s;ame <HI>magnitude</HI> nor of the &s;ame <HI>lu&s;tre,</HI> &s;o is it in the <HI>Firmament</HI> of the <HI>Church, One Star differeth from another in glory,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 15. 41.</NOTE> and one <HI>Mini&s;ter</HI> from another in <HI>Gifts.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Cant. 3. 7. 10.</NOTE> I &s;hut up this with <HI>Gregory Ni&s;&s;en</HI> his ob&s;ervation concerning <HI>Solomons Chariot, the pil|lars wherof were &s;ilver, the botome gold, and the covering pur|ple;</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Gr. Ni&s;&s;. <HI>hom.</HI> 7 <HI>in Cant.</HI></NOTE> which that <HI>Father</HI> applieth to the <HI>Church,</HI> and by the &s;everall parts thereof under&s;tandeth <GAP DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 span"> the <HI>Preachers</HI> of the Word, &s;ome whereof have <HI>golden,</HI> others <HI>&s;ilver,</HI> others <HI>purple</HI> Gifts, of different degrees and excel|lencies.</P>
<P>3. <HI>Ve&s;&s;els</HI> are not the originals of what they have, but it is poured into and received by them. The <HI>Well</HI> hath a <HI>Spring</HI> in it that yieldeth the water, but the <HI>Ci&s;tern</HI> mu&s;t have it <HI>con|veyed</HI> into it. The <HI>Mines</HI> have the <HI>Trea&s;ure</HI> in their own <HI>bowels,</HI> but it is <HI>put</HI> into the <HI>Che&s;t.</HI> The <HI>parallel</HI> holds in the
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<HI>Preachers</HI> of the <HI>Go&s;pel,</HI> who are not the <HI>Authors</HI> but only the <HI>Receivers</HI> of tho&s;e <HI>Truths</HI> they publi&s;h&punc; What S^t <HI>Paul</HI> &s;aith of him&s;elf, is true of every faithfull Mini&s;ter, <HI>I have received of the Lord that which al&s;o I delivered unto you.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 11. 23.</NOTE> To this pur|po&s;e it is ob&s;ervable that the <HI>Hebrew</HI> word which we render <HI>report</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 word"> I&s;a. 53. 1.</NOTE> properly &s;ignifieth <HI>hearing,</HI> intimating that we mu&s;t fir&s;t hear from God before we &s;peak to men, and &s;peak no|thing but what we hear. In reference to this it is that the Bi|&s;hops in <HI>Clements</HI> Con&s;titutions are called <GAP DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 span"> the Receivers and Proclaimers of Gods Word.<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Non a &s;eip&s;o &s;ed ab eo qui cum mittit legatus loquitur.</HI> Velacq. <HI>in Phil.</HI></NOTE> Among other re&s;emblances <HI>Preachers</HI> are compared to <HI>Amba&s;&s;adours,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 5. 20.</NOTE> and as the <HI>Amba&s;&s;adour</HI> &s;peaketh not from <HI>him&s;elf,</HI> but that <HI>me&s;&s;age</HI> his <HI>Prince</HI> puts into his <HI>mouth,</HI> &s;o mu&s;t every <HI>Me&s;&s;en|ger</HI> of God. Excellently to this effect <HI>Vincentius Lirenen&s;is</HI> occa&s;ionally treating of that of S^t <HI>Paul</HI> to <HI>Timothy, Keep the good thing committed to thee.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Tim. 1. 14.</NOTE> It is <HI>committed to thee, not to be in|vented by thee, What thou ha&s;t received, not what thou ha&s;t fan|cied. Not framed by thy own wit, but taught by another; of which thou art not an author but a keeper, in which not a leader but a follower;</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Quid e&s;t depo|&s;itum, id e&s;t, quod tibi creditum e&s;t non quod a te inventum, quod accepisti non quod excogita&s;ti, rem non ingenii &s;ed doctrinae, non u&s;urpationis pri|vatae &s;ed publicae traditionis, rem, ad te profectam non a te prolata~, in qu&acirc; non autor debes e&s;&s;e &s;ed cu&s;tos, non in&s;ti|tutor &s;ed &s;ectator non ducens &s;ed &s;equens.</HI> Vinc. <HI>Lyr. adv. haer</HI> cap. 27.</NOTE> &s;o was <HI>Timothy,</HI> &s;o is every <HI>Mini&s;ter</HI> in re&s;pect of divine truths. I clo&s;e up this with that expre&s;&s;ion of the <HI>Apostle</HI> to the <HI>Corinthians, God maketh manifest the &s;avour of his knowledge by us in every place:</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 2. 14.</NOTE> We manife&s;t the <HI>&s;avour,</HI> but it is of <HI>his knowledge,</HI> to wit that knowledge we receive from him, <GAP DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 span">,<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Occumen. in loc.</HI></NOTE> &s;aith <HI>Oecumenius</HI> aptly upon the place. The <HI>incen&s;e</HI> is <HI>heavenly,</HI> we are only as the <HI>Cen&s;ors</HI> that contain it, and carry about the <HI>&s;avour</HI> of it.</P>
<P>4. <HI>Ve&s;&s;els</HI> are not only for <HI>reception,</HI> but <HI>effu&s;ion,</HI> as they receive and retain, &s;o they let out what is put into them; yea the ve&s;&s;el receiveth for this <HI>end,</HI> not only that it may <HI>keep,</HI> but that it may <HI>part</HI> with its liquor; &s;uch ought the <HI>Mini&s;ters</HI> of the <HI>Go&s;pel</HI> to be, not only <HI>conchae,</HI> but <HI>canales, Condi,</HI> but <HI>Promi &s;hels</HI> to <HI>retain,</HI> but <HI>Pipes</HI> to <HI>convey</HI> the divine <HI>Nectar, Layers up</HI> but <HI>layers out</HI> of this <HI>heavenly trea&s;ure.</HI> The <HI>Apo&s;tle</HI> &s;peak|ing of the ordinary Mini&s;ters, de&s;cribeth them by two Titles, the one metaphoricall, the other proper, to wit <HI>Pa&s;tors</HI> and <HI>Teachers,</HI> the latter of which, &s;aith S^t <HI>Augu&s;tine,</HI> is annexed,
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<HI>&V;t intelligerent Pa&s;tores ad Officium &s;uum pertinere doctrinam,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Aug. <HI>Ep.</HI> 59.</NOTE> that <HI>Pa&s;tors</HI> may know it is a chief part of their <HI>Office</HI> to <HI>teach</HI> and <HI>in&s;truct</HI> the people. The <HI>&s;tomack</HI> receiveth not <HI>food</HI> for it &s;elf, but to <HI>nouri&s;h</HI> the <HI>body,</HI> The <HI>Steward</HI> money to imploy for his <HI>own</HI> u&s;e only, but to provide for the <HI>family;</HI> and <HI>the manife&s;tation of the Spirit is given to every man,</HI> e&s;pecially Mi|ni&s;ters, <HI>to profit withall.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 12. 7.</NOTE> This Trea&s;ure is a <HI>depo&s;itum,</HI> a tru&s;t committed, and that for <HI>u&s;es,</HI> and tho&s;e not <HI>private</HI> but <HI>pub|like;</HI> this <HI>light</HI> is <HI>communicated</HI> not to be <HI>hid</HI> under a <HI>bu&s;hell,</HI> but for the <HI>illumination</HI> and <HI>con&s;olation</HI> of them that are in the <HI>hou&s;e.</HI> It was <HI>Chri&s;ts</HI> promi&s;e to his <HI>Apo&s;tles</HI> to give them <HI>os &amp; &s;apientiam, a mouth and wi&s;dom:</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Luc. 21. 15.</NOTE> What a <HI>ve&s;&s;ell</HI> is without a <HI>vent,</HI> that is <HI>wi&s;dom</HI> without a <HI>mouth. Wi&s;dom that is hid and a trea&s;ure not &s;een, what profit is in them both?</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Wi&s;d. 20. 30.</NOTE> Indeed a <HI>mouth</HI> without <HI>wi&s;dom</HI> may prove <HI>pernicious,</HI> and <HI>wi&s;dom</HI> with|out a <HI>mouth</HI> cannot be <HI>profitable, Chri&s;ts</HI> Mini&s;ters have <HI>both, Wi&s;dom</HI> in <HI>them&s;elves,</HI> and a <HI>mouth</HI> to in&s;truct <HI>others.</HI></P>
<P>And &s;o much the more rea&s;on have tho&s;e <HI>ve&s;&s;els</HI> to com|municate <HI>this trea&s;ure,</HI> becau&s;e it is not impaired by impar|ting. Indeed this is another <HI>excellency</HI> wherein <HI>this trea&s;ure</HI> tran&s;cends all <HI>earthly</HI> trea&s;ures; the&s;e <HI>wa&s;te</HI> by <HI>&s;pending,</HI> this is not at all <HI>dimini&s;hed</HI> by <HI>di&s;tributing.</HI> As the <HI>&s;eal</HI> maketh an <HI>impre&s;&s;ion</HI> on the <HI>wax.</HI> The <HI>fire</HI> conveyeth the <HI>heat</HI> into <HI>iron.</HI> One <HI>candle</HI> lighteth <HI>many</HI> without any lo&s;&s;e of <HI>figure, heat</HI> or <HI>light;</HI> &s;o the <HI>communicating</HI> of this <HI>trea&s;ure</HI> will <HI>inrich</HI> others without <HI>impoveri&s;hing</HI> our &s;elves: Here is no place for that allegation of the Virgins, <HI>Not &s;o, lea&s;t there be not enough for you and us:</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Matth. 25. 9.</NOTE> Never any had the le&s;&s;e knowledge him&s;elf, by teaching others: Nay the truth is this Trea&s;ure <HI>ab&s;con&s;ione minuitur, communicatione multiplicatur,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ca&s;&s;iod. <HI>in Ep.</HI></NOTE> is <HI>le&s;&s;ened</HI> by <HI>hiding, multiplied</HI> by <HI>imparting;</HI> like the <HI>widows oyl</HI> in the <HI>ve&s;&s;el,</HI> that increa&s;ed by pouring out, that being ever verified, <HI>To him that hath &s;hall be given.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Matth. 25. 29.</NOTE> And thus in all the&s;e <HI>re&s;pects</HI> are <HI>Preachers</HI> fitly compared unto <HI>ve&s;&s;els.</HI></P>
<P><NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Qu&ograve; in plures diffunditur e&ograve; redundantior manat.</HI> Ambr. 2. <HI>Offic. cap.</HI> 15.</NOTE> The <HI>&V;&s;e</HI> of this <HI>particular</HI> is that which concerneth my <HI>Re|verend Brethren</HI> of the <HI>Clergy,</HI> that they <HI>&s;eek</HI> by <HI>prayer,</HI> and <HI>labour</HI> to be more and more <HI>fitted</HI> for their <HI>Function,</HI> that tho&s;e of <HI>meaner</HI> gifts do not <HI>envy</HI> them that have <HI>greater,</HI> nor they
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that have <HI>greater, de&s;pi&s;e</HI> tho&s;e that have <HI>meaner;</HI> that they <HI>deliver</HI> nothing but what they have <HI>received</HI> from <HI>above.</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ambr. 2. <HI>off. cap.</HI> 15.</NOTE> Fi|nally, that they <HI>hide</HI> not their <HI>talents</HI> in a <HI>napkin,</HI> but lay <HI>out</HI> their <HI>parts</HI> and <HI>&s;trength</HI> for the <HI>peoples</HI> good.</P>
<P>But it is not fit for <HI>me,</HI> who am <HI>minimus Apo&s;tolorum,</HI> to be your <HI>in&s;tructer,</HI> be&s;ides I doubt not your <HI>piety</HI> and <HI>wi&s;dom</HI> hath already <HI>prevented</HI> my <HI>di&s;cour&s;e</HI> in your <HI>meditations,</HI> and there|fore I pa&s;&s;e on to the</P>
<P><NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Partic.</HI> 2.</NOTE> Word of <HI>diminution, Earthly,</HI> One hath well ob&s;erved the <HI>elegancy</HI> of the <HI>Antithe&s;is, The&s;auri pretium opponit vilitati involucri,</HI> What more <HI>pretious</HI> then <HI>this trea&s;ure?</HI> What more <HI>vile</HI> then <HI>earthen ve&s;&s;els?</HI> Indeed the <HI>Candle&s;ticks</HI> by which as <HI>generally</HI> the <HI>Churches,</HI> &s;o <HI>eminently</HI> the <HI>Bi&s;hops</HI> of tho&s;e <HI>Churches</HI> are to be under&s;tood, are &s;aid to be <HI>golden,</HI> and yet here the&s;e <HI>ve&s;&s;els</HI> are called <HI>earthen;</HI> both may well &s;tand together, <HI>Golden</HI> in re&s;pect of the <HI>&s;olidity</HI> of their <HI>doctrine, purity</HI> of their <HI>conver&s;ation,</HI> and yet <HI>earthen</HI> in regard of the <HI>frailty</HI> of their <HI>condition.</HI></P>
<P>The chief <HI>Que&s;tion</HI> to be di&s;cu&s;&s;ed is, Upon what grounds the <HI>Apo&s;tle</HI> thus denominateth to him&s;elf and his fellow labou|res. To which a threefold <HI>An&s;wer</HI> may well be and is return|ed by <HI>Interpreters.</HI></P>
<P>The term of <HI>earthen</HI> is fa&s;tened by S^t <HI>Paul</HI> upon the <HI>Mini|&s;ters, Re&s;pectu &s;tatus, per&s;onae, corporis,</HI> in re&s;pect of their <HI>&s;tate, per&s;ons</HI> and <HI>bodies,</HI> the two former more <HI>&s;peciall</HI> relating to the <HI>Apo&s;tles,</HI> though too often <HI>verified</HI> in &s;everall ages of their <HI>Succe&s;&s;ours;</HI> the la&s;t more <HI>generall,</HI> as being <HI>common</HI> to all the <HI>Me&s;&s;engers</HI> of <HI>God,</HI> that have been are or &s;hall be.</P>
<P><NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Non illu&s;tres &s;ed humiles, &amp; nul|lis humanae po|tentiae, fortunae, praerogativis &s;pectabiles.</HI> Mu&s;c. <HI>in loc.</HI></NOTE> In regard of their <HI>&s;tate,</HI> which is for the mo&s;t part <HI>mean</HI> and low in the world, <HI>Golden</HI> and <HI>Silver ve&s;&s;els</HI> are of worth and price, but <HI>earthen</HI> are of little or no value, &s;uch is the u&s;uall condition of Gods Me&s;&s;engers who are frequently expo&s;ed to want and penury. In&s;tances in this kinde are numerous, and that in mo&s;t eminent Worthies, <HI>Gregory Nazianzen</HI> &s;aith of S^t <HI>Ba&s;ill,</HI> that he had only what was <HI>nece&s;&s;ary for his &s;u&s;ten|tation,</HI> and <GAP DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 span">, <HI>his riches was to have no|thing.</HI> S^t <HI>Augu&s;tine</HI> who was rich to Religion, to the Church, yet was poor to him&s;elf, and therefore when he died, he made
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<NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 span">. Gr. Naz. <HI>or.</HI> 20</NOTE> no <HI>Will,</HI> &s;ince as <HI>Po&s;&s;idius</HI> &s;aith of him, <HI>&V;nde conderet pauper Chri&s;ti non habebat, The poor Saint had nothing whence he &s;hould lay up an e&s;tate.</HI> S^t <HI>Cyprian</HI> who&s;e <HI>life</HI> was <HI>golden, death purple,</HI> manners <HI>pretious,</HI> yet his <HI>e&s;tate</HI> was <HI>low. Chri&s;ts</HI> own <HI>Di&s;ciples</HI> were poor <HI>Fi&s;her-men, Viles arte, ob&s;curi vitae labore.</HI> Nay S^t <HI>Paul</HI> him&s;elf was no other then a <HI>Tent-maker,</HI> a <HI>Trade</HI> that could not inrich him, yea beholding to <HI>almes</HI> for his &s;up|ply. Thus as the <HI>poor receive the Go&s;pel,</HI> &s;o they that <HI>publi&s;h</HI> it are many times <HI>poor</HI> and low; not that thus it <HI>ought</HI> to be, as the opinion of too many in our daies is, who would have <HI>Ministers</HI> live like <HI>beggars,</HI> upon <HI>benevolence,</HI> and account it a prudent <HI>policy</HI> to keep them <HI>poor.</HI> S^t <HI>Paul</HI> (though upon &s;pe|cial grounds he was plea&s;ed to conde&s;cend to that way of live|lihood) yet a&s;&s;erts <HI>maintenance</HI> to be the Mini&s;ters <HI>due,</HI> and this not narrow, but ample and honourable; what el&s;e meaneth that <HI>character,</HI> which, among others, he giveth of the <HI>Mini&s;ters</HI> in the <HI>Epi&s;tles,</HI> both to <HI>Timothy</HI> and <HI>Titus,</HI> that they &s;hould be <HI>lovers of,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Tim. 3. 2.</NOTE> <HI>yea given to ho&s;pitality,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Tit. 1. 8.</NOTE> &s;ince it is no &s;mall competency of e&s;tate, which be&s;ides both the pre&s;ent and future provi&s;ion for his family, will inable a man to be ho&s;pitable. But yet thus mo&s;t u&s;ually it <HI>fals out,</HI> through the impiety and iniquity of men, that the Preachers of the Go&s;pel are nece&s;&s;itous and indigent, <HI>earthen ve&s;&s;els.</HI> It is that there|fore which they &s;hould make account of, not to be great or rich in this world, comforting them&s;elves with this meditation, that their <HI>reward is with the Lord.</HI></P>
<P>2. In regard of their <HI>Per&s;ons: Earthen ve&s;&s;els</HI> being little worth are light &s;et by, whiles <HI>golden</HI> and <HI>&s;ilver ve&s;&s;els</HI> are <HI>locked</HI> up <HI>&s;afely,</HI> and onely u&s;ed for the <HI>entertainment</HI> of &s;peci|all <HI>guests: Earthen ve&s;&s;els</HI> &s;tand in <HI>open</HI> places, are <HI>u&s;ed</HI> by every <HI>&s;ervant,</HI> nay many times are <HI>trampled</HI> under foot; &s;o is it with the <HI>Preachers</HI> of the <HI>Go&s;pel,</HI> they are <HI>viles, abjecti ho|minum estimatione,</HI> ba&s;e and de&s;pi&s;ed in the eyes of wicked men. <NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;t. <HI>in loc.</HI> Lap. <HI>in loc.</HI></NOTE> Our ble&s;&s;ed <HI>Saviour</HI> &s;peaking to his <HI>Di&s;ciples,</HI> calleth them <HI>a little flock,</HI> though they were to be <HI>Shepherds</HI> of the <HI>people,</HI> yet they were a <HI>flock</HI> in re&s;pect of <HI>Christ.</HI> But why a <HI>little flock?</HI> Surely not only in re&s;pect of <HI>quantity</HI> but <HI>quality;</HI> let <HI>Chry&s;ologus</HI> give the rea&s;on, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Chry&s;olog. <HI>Serm.</HI> 22.</NOTE><HI>Grex pu&s;illus mundo, magnus</HI>
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<HI>Deo.</HI> A Flock <HI>great</HI> indeed in <HI>Chri&s;ts,</HI> but <HI>little</HI> in <HI>mans eyes. Cho&s;en ve&s;&s;els</HI> they are by <HI>God,</HI> but <HI>rejected</HI> by the <HI>world;</HI> and to u&s;e the Prophet <HI>Jeremies</HI> expre&s;&s;ion, <HI>Ve&s;&s;els wherein there is no plea&s;ure.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Jer. 22. 11.</NOTE> What that Emperour <HI>Fredrick</HI> the 3^d &s;aid con|cerning <HI>Kings, An ne&s;citis principes qua&s;i &s;ignum populo expo|&s;itos?</HI> do you not know that they are oft times as a gazing &s;tock to the people? may as truly be affirmed of <HI>Ministers.</HI> The Prophet <HI>I&s;aiah</HI> u&s;eth an expre&s;&s;ion not much unlike, con|cerning <HI>him&s;elf</HI> and the <HI>children God gave him,</HI> that they were <HI>for &s;ignes and wonders in I&s;rael:</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;a. 8. 18.</NOTE> Nor did <HI>Eliah, Eli&s;ha, Mi|caiah, Jeremy</HI> and the other Prophets fare any better then <HI>he,</HI> in the places where they prophe&s;ied, but were mocked, mi&s;|u&s;ed and de&s;pi&s;ed by the <HI>&s;ons</HI> of <HI>Belial</HI> among whom they li|ved. What <HI>entertainment</HI> the <HI>Apo&s;tles</HI> found let S^t <HI>Paul</HI> &s;peak, <HI>We are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things to this day.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 span">. 1 Cor. 4. 13.</NOTE> Both the words there are mentioned by the late learned Expo&s;itor,<NOTE PLACE="marg">D^r <HI>Hammond</HI> on the New Te&s;tament.</NOTE> refer'd to the &s;ame thing, and were u&s;ed among the <HI>Grecians,</HI> concerning that <HI>refu&s;e, vile per&s;on</HI> which was <HI>picked</HI> out to be a <HI>lustration</HI> for a <HI>City</HI> in a publique <HI>calamity,</HI> of whom they &s;aid when they had burnt him, and ca&s;t the a&s;hes into the &s;ea, <GAP DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 span">; thus contemptible and odious was S^t <HI>Paul</HI> and the other faithfull <HI>me&s;&s;engers</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> in the <HI>Jews</HI> and <HI>Heathens</HI> e&s;teem. Should I trace the foot&s;teps of <HI>Eccle&s;ia&s;ticall</HI> Hi&s;tory, I might tell you how <HI>Cyprian</HI> was nick-named <HI>Coprian, Atha|na&s;ius Sathana&s;ius,</HI> and &s;till they that have been mo&s;t <HI>Ortho|dox</HI> and zealous Preachers, have met with the greate&s;t <HI>de&s;pite</HI> and <HI>oppo&s;ition</HI> from <HI>hereticall, &s;chi&s;maticall</HI> and <HI>prophane</HI> per|&s;ons. But I need not &s;eek for in&s;tances abroad, when there are &s;o many at home. Indeed we may remember tho&s;e <HI>Hal|cion</HI> daies when both <HI>Wealth</HI> and <HI>Honour</HI> attended tho&s;e who <HI>&s;erve at the Altar,</HI> and the <HI>Clergy</HI> (as they ought to be) were accounted <HI>worthy</HI> of, and accordingly received <HI>double honour.</HI> But at this day how doth &s;ad <HI>experience</HI> verifie, that the <HI>Prie&s;ts</HI> are <HI>made the lowe&s;t of the people!</HI> That complaint of the <HI>Church</HI> may mo&s;t ju&s;tly now be taken up, <HI>They regard not the per&s;on of the Prie&s;ts.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Lam. 4. 16.</NOTE> Yea, as if &s;ome new <HI>Cadmus</HI> had &s;own the earth with <HI>Sauls</HI> teeth, and <HI>Shimei</HI>'s tongue, they belch
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out contumelies again&s;t Gods Mini&s;ters. Many of the&s;e <HI>Ve&s;|&s;els,</HI> and tho&s;e mo&s;t accompli&s;hed for this &s;acred &s;ervice, are laied a&s;ide as <HI>u&s;ele&s;s,</HI> rejected as <HI>worthle&s;s,</HI> and <HI>tantum non</HI> only not <HI>da&s;hed in pieces.</HI> Nay to that height of impiety are many come, that not only our <HI>per&s;ons</HI> are <HI>de&s;picable,</HI> but our very <HI>Function</HI> is <HI>contemptible</HI> in their <HI>eyes.</HI> Oh that &s;uch would con&s;ider how near they &s;trike at God him&s;elf. <GAP DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 span">,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ignat. <HI>Epist. ad Smyrn.</HI></NOTE> &s;aith <HI>Ignatius</HI> truly, which we may Engli&s;h by that of our <HI>Saviour, He that de&s;pi&s;eth you de&s;pi&s;eth me, and he that de&s;pi&s;eth me de&s;pi&s;eth him that &s;ent me.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Luc. 10. 16.</NOTE> Nor let my <HI>Brethren</HI> of the <HI>Clergie</HI> be too much <HI>di&s;couraged</HI> becau&s;e <HI>di&s;regarded:</HI> It was a notable &s;peech of the <HI>Philo&s;o|pher</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ari&s;tippus.</NOTE> to one that reproached him, <HI>Tu proferendis ego perferen|dis injuriis idoneus,</HI> let us be as ready to bear, as they forward to ca&s;t di&s;grace upon us. Ca&s;t your eyes on the two next ver&s;es to my text,<NOTE PLACE="marg">ver&s;. 8, 9.</NOTE> and ob&s;erve S^t <HI>Pauls</HI> heroicall expre&s;&s;ions, &s;uch indeed as well befit a <HI>Mini&s;ter</HI> of the <HI>Go&s;pel, We are trou|bled on every &s;ide, yet not di&s;tre&s;&s;ed, perplexed, but not in de&s;pair, per&s;ecuted, but not for&s;aken, ca&s;t down, but not di&s;couraged:</HI> Though our <HI>per&s;ons</HI> be as <HI>earthen ve&s;&s;els</HI> in the <HI>worlds</HI> e&s;tima|tion, and &s;o u&s;ed or rather abu&s;ed, yet let not our <HI>&s;pirits</HI> like <HI>earthen ve&s;&s;els</HI> be <HI>broken</HI> by any <HI>affliction,</HI> nay rather remem|ber what <HI>Christ</HI> &s;aid to his <HI>Di&s;ciples</HI> in the like ca&s;e, <HI>Rejoyce and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heaven, and &s;o per&s;ecuted they the Prophets which were before,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Matth. 5. 12.</NOTE> you are come in their &s;tead, and therefore mu&s;t expect their u&s;age, and it is a <HI>comfort</HI> you do but <HI>pledge</HI> them in that <HI>cup</HI> of which they have <HI>drank</HI> to you before, you do but <HI>follow</HI> them in that <HI>way</HI> which they have <HI>tracked</HI> already, <HI>&s;o per&s;ecuted they the Pro|phets,</HI> yea and the <HI>Apo&s;tles</HI> too, in which regard they are here called <HI>Earthen ve&s;&s;els.</HI></P>
<P>3. La&s;tly, This Epithete <HI>earthen</HI> is annexed to the&s;e <HI>ve&s;&s;els,</HI> the <HI>Preachers</HI> of the <HI>Word,</HI> in reference to their <HI>bodies,</HI> as their <HI>mean</HI> condition, <HI>ba&s;e</HI> e&s;timation; &s;o their <HI>bodily</HI> con&s;titution proclaimeth them <HI>earthen,</HI> this is that which is common to <HI>Mini&s;ters</HI> with the people, &s;ince though in regard of their <HI>Calling</HI> they are <HI>prae aliis</HI> far before others, yet in <HI>this</HI> re&s;pect they are <HI>&s;icut caeteri,</HI> &s;uch as others.</P>
<P><PB N="21" REF="13">1. Thus their <HI>bodies</HI> are <HI>earthen</HI> becau&s;e <HI>formed of the du&s;t of the earth, Te&s;tacea &s;ecundum originem,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Tertull.</NOTE> &s;o <HI>Tertullian, Earthly</HI> in their <HI>Original,</HI> upon which ground they are called <HI>hou&s;es of clay,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Job 4. 19.</NOTE> the <HI>inhabitant</HI> indeed is <HI>heavenly,</HI> but the <HI>body earthy: Vas fictile nil aliud quam lutum igne coctum,</HI> as <HI>earthen ve&s;&s;els,</HI> &s;o are our <HI>bodies</HI> fa&s;hioned out of <HI>clay.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Lap. <HI>in loc.</HI></NOTE></P>
<P>2. Again, as <HI>earthen ve&s;&s;els</HI> are &s;ubject to <HI>flaws</HI> and <HI>cracks,</HI> yea to <HI>breaking</HI> in pieces, &s;o are our <HI>bodies</HI> liable to <HI>&s;ickne&s;&s;es, di&s;ea&s;es,</HI> till at la&s;t by <HI>death</HI> they <HI>fall</HI> and are <HI>broken</HI> in pieces. In this re&s;pect the <HI>Apo&s;tle Paul,</HI> calling the <HI>body</HI> an <HI>earthen hou&s;e,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 5. 1.</NOTE> addeth pre&s;ently, <HI>be di&s;&s;olved.</HI> To this purpo&s;e is <HI>Gro|tius</HI> his <HI>Paraphra&s;e, In corpore multis malis obnoxio quod facile frangitur,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Grot. <HI>in loc.</HI></NOTE> we have this <HI>Trea&s;ure</HI> in <HI>bodies</HI> &s;ubject to many <HI>evils,</HI> and at la&s;t to a <HI>di&s;&s;olution.</HI> This con&s;truction is that which both the <HI>Greek</HI> and <HI>Latine</HI> Fathers generally take it in. Among the Greeks, S^t <HI>Chry&s;o&s;tome</HI> &s;peaketh very fully to this &s;en&s;e, <GAP DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 span">,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Chry&s;o&s;t. <HI>in loc.</HI></NOTE> he u&s;eth this term of <HI>earthen</HI> to denote the <HI>mortality</HI> of our <HI>nature, infirmity</HI> of our <HI>fle&s;h,</HI> which by <HI>di&s;ea&s;es</HI> and a thou&s;and other <HI>accidents</HI> is <HI>expo&s;ed</HI> to <HI>death,</HI> and &s;o <HI>di&s;&s;olution.</HI> Among the <HI>Latines</HI> S^t <HI>Ambro&s;e</HI> &s;peaketh to the &s;ame effect, <HI>Fictilia va&s;a</HI> dicens <HI>infirmitatem naturae &s;ignificat,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Hier. <HI>&amp;</HI> Theoph. <HI>in loc.</HI></NOTE> the <HI>weakne&s;s</HI> of our <HI>nature</HI> is &s;ignified by the <HI>earthen ve&s;&s;ell,</HI> and therefore S^t <HI>Jerome</HI> explaineth it by the term <HI>fragilis;</HI> and <HI>Theophylact</HI> by the word <GAP DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 word"> they are frail mortall bodies we carry about with us: and as <HI>earthen ve&s;&s;els</HI> are <HI>ea&s;ily, &s;uddenly</HI> broken a&s;under, one <HI>fall</HI> on the ground in a <HI>moment</HI> da&s;heth them in pieces; &s;o are the <HI>bodies</HI> of Gods <HI>Mini&s;ters</HI> &s;ubject to a <HI>&s;peedy</HI> and <HI>&s;udden</HI> di&s;&s;olution, whereby they become <HI>un&s;erviceable</HI> to the <HI>Church.</HI> Indeed in <HI>one</HI> thi  ng there is a difference, <HI>earthen ve&s;&s;els</HI> when they break, break <HI>irrecoverably,</HI> &s;o as the pieces cannot be reunited; but the <HI>bodies</HI> of the <HI>Saints</HI> and faithfull <HI>Mini&s;ters</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> though they <HI>moulder</HI> into <HI>du&s;t,</HI> &s;hall at the la&s;t day be <HI>repaired, refined</HI> and made gloriou&s;ly <HI>beautifull.</HI> They <HI>differ</HI> then in the <HI>con&s;e|quent</HI> of the breaking, but in the <HI>breaking</HI> it &s;elf they <HI>agree,</HI> and therefore fitly are our <HI>bodies</HI> called <HI>earthen ve&s;&s;els.</HI></P>
<P><PB N="22" REF="14">The <HI>Greek</HI> word here u&s;ed <GAP DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 word"> is derived from <GAP DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 word">, which properly &s;ignifieth the <HI>&s;hell</HI> of a fi&s;h, and in this &s;en&s;e (as <HI>criticall</HI> Interpreters ob&s;erve)<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Grot. in loc</HI> D^r <HI>Ham|mond in loc</HI></NOTE> it agrees with the matter in hand, it being ordinary to <HI>lay up</HI> tho&s;e things we <HI>value</HI> in <HI>&s;hels</HI> or <HI>boxes</HI> and <HI>cabinets</HI> made of <HI>&s;uch:</HI> and withall tho&s;e <HI>&s;hels</HI> in regard of ther <HI>brittlene&s;s</HI> are apt <HI>re&s;emblances</HI> of our <HI>bodies.</HI> The <HI>Platoni&s;ts</HI> who fancy two bodies, one more &s;pi|ritual, which they call <GAP DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 span"> the Chariot that carrieth the &s;oul in it; the other more gro&s;&s;e, that which we &s;ee and feel, call this latter <GAP DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 word">, becau&s;e it is in their opinion as a <HI>&s;hell</HI> which hath a <HI>finer</HI> body within it: This being but a <HI>fancy</HI> I leave it, the true rea&s;on of this expre&s;&s;ion, whether you render it <HI>&s;hels</HI> or <HI>earthen ve&s;&s;els</HI> is, becau&s;e as <HI>the&s;e</HI> &s;o the <HI>body</HI> is of a <HI>frail</HI> nature, ea&s;ily and quickly de&s;troyed, nor have the bodies of <HI>Mini&s;ters</HI> any greater <HI>priviledge</HI> then others: We that preach <HI>eternal life</HI> are <HI>dying</HI> men, yea while&s;t the <HI>word of life</HI> is in our <HI>mouths,</HI> many times <HI>death</HI> is in our <HI>faces.</HI> This <HI>Wolf</HI> will not only <HI>worry</HI> the <HI>&s;heep</HI> but the <HI>&s;hepherd:</HI> This <HI>enemy</HI> will not only <HI>&s;et</HI> upon the <HI>&s;ouldiers</HI> but the <HI>Captain:</HI> This <HI>Plunderer</HI> will <HI>&s;eize</HI> upon the <HI>Crown</HI> and the <HI>Mitre,</HI> the <HI>Scarlet</HI> and the <HI>Rochet:</HI> and as at <HI>Che&s;s</HI> when the <HI>game</HI> is done not only the <HI>pawns,</HI> but the <HI>Bi&s;hops,</HI> yea <HI>King</HI> and <HI>Queen</HI> are <HI>tumbled</HI> down and put into the <HI>bag:</HI> &s;o not only mean and <HI>vulgar</HI> per&s;ons, but <HI>Princes</HI> and <HI>Prie&s;ts</HI> fall down by <HI>death</HI> into the <HI>grave;</HI> and as <HI>Judges,</HI> though they be <HI>&s;hields</HI> of the <HI>earth,</HI> are but <HI>earthen &s;hields;</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 47. 9.</NOTE> &s;o <HI>Mini&s;ters</HI> though <HI>ve&s;|&s;els</HI> that carry <HI>this Trea&s;ure,</HI> yet are but <HI>earthen ve&s;&s;els.</HI></P>
<P><NOTE PLACE="marg">1. A nece&s;&s;ary <HI>Caution.</HI></NOTE> To winde up this in a word of <HI>Caution</HI> and <HI>Exhortation.</HI></P>
<P>Do not think the <HI>wor&s;e</HI> of, or value the <HI>Trea&s;ure</HI> the <HI>le&s;s</HI> becau&s;e brought in an <HI>earthen ve&s;&s;ell.</HI> It is that <HI>folly,</HI> yea <HI>wick|edne&s;s</HI> of which too many are guilty, who becau&s;e they are <HI>men</HI> that <HI>&s;peak</HI> to them, think the <HI>me&s;&s;age</HI> is not <HI>Gods,</HI> mea&s;ure|ing the worth of the trea&s;ure by the meanne&s;s of that which conveyeth it; But tell me, <HI>I be&s;eech you,</HI> will any man value <HI>gold</HI> the le&s;s, becau&s;e brought to him in a <HI>leathern</HI> pur&s;e; or &s;light a pretious <HI>pearl,</HI> becau&s;e found on a <HI>dirty</HI> dunghill? and why then &s;hould the <HI>Go&s;pel</HI> be <HI>undervalued</HI> becau&s;e they are <HI>mortall</HI> men that <HI>Preach</HI> it?</P>
<P><PB N="23" REF="14">The truth is we have cau&s;e to admire and ble&s;s both the <HI>power</HI> and the <HI>goodne&s;s</HI> of God, his <HI>power</HI> which by &s;uch weak means accompli&s;heth &s;o great a work; indeed as the Apo&s;tle here tels us for this rea&s;on the <HI>trea&s;ure</HI> is in &s;uch <HI>ve&s;&s;els, that the excellency of the power might be of God,</HI> his <HI>goodne&s;s</HI> which is plea&s;ed to lay it up in &s;uch <HI>ve&s;&s;els</HI> that it may be the <HI>ea&s;ier</HI> come by, to &s;peak to us by <HI>men</HI> like our &s;elves with whom we <HI>familiarly</HI> conver&s;e; he could if he had plea&s;ed have put this <HI>trea&s;ure</HI> in <HI>heavenly ve&s;&s;els,</HI> u&s;ed the <HI>Mini&s;try</HI> of <HI>Angels,</HI> but we could not have received it &s;o <HI>comfortably</HI> from them; &s;o that in reference to us God is plea&s;ed to make men the in&s;tru|ments of publi&s;hing the Go&s;pels my&s;teries, and as it is his mercifull <HI>conde&s;cention</HI> that he is plea&s;ed to deliver <HI>heavenly truths</HI> in <HI>earthly &s;imilitudes,</HI> &s;o is it no le&s;s that he maketh them known by <HI>earthly men.</HI></P>
<P>And to carry it a little further, let us be &s;o far from <HI>de&s;pi|&s;ing</HI> this <HI>trea&s;ure</HI> becau&s;e of the <HI>ve&s;&s;ell,</HI> as not only to <HI>ble&s;s</HI> God who hath <HI>put</HI> it into &s;uch <HI>ve&s;&s;els,</HI> but to <HI>honour</HI> the <HI>ve&s;&s;ell</HI> be|cau&s;e of the <HI>trea&s;ure. &V;trumne quia te&s;tacea e&s;t &s;ecundum ori|ginem &s;cilicet ex limo de&s;truetur, an quia divini the&s;auri condi|torium e&s;t extolletur?</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Tertull. <HI>de Re&s;ur. cor.</HI> c. 44.</NOTE> &s;aith <HI>Tertullian</HI> rationally. Shall the ve&s;|&s;ell be ca&s;t by becau&s;e it is earthly, or &s;hall it not rather be preferred becau&s;e it is the repo&s;itory of a choice trea&s;ure? Let me therefore <HI>be&s;eech you</HI> in S^t <HI>Pauls</HI> words to the <HI>The&s;&s;aloni|ans,</HI> to <HI>know them which labour among you and to e&s;teem them very highly in love for their works &s;ake,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 The&s;. 5. 12, 13.</NOTE> mea&s;ure them not by their <HI>frail natures</HI> but their <HI>honourable imployment,</HI> not by what they <HI>finde</HI> from the <HI>world,</HI> but by what they <HI>de&s;erve;</HI> they are <HI>earthen, adore</HI> them not as <HI>Gods,</HI> but the <HI>trea&s;ure</HI> they bring is <HI>heavenly, honour</HI> them as <HI>men of God,</HI> let not the <HI>trea&s;ure</HI> be <HI>contemned</HI> for the <HI>ve&s;&s;els</HI> &s;ake, but the <HI>ve&s;sels</HI> be e&s;teemed for the <HI>trea&s;ures</HI> &s;ake.</P>
<P>2. The word of <HI>exhortation</HI> concerneth</P>
<P>1. Partly us who are of the <HI>Clergy,</HI> that we follow the pat|tern which our Lord and Ma&s;ter hath &s;et us where he &s;aith, <HI>I mu&s;t work the work of him that &s;ent me while&s;t it is day, the night cometh when no man can work.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Jo. 9. 4.</NOTE> Oh let us <HI>break</HI> this <HI>bread of life</HI> before we be <HI>broken</HI> by <HI>death, burn</HI> and <HI>&s;hine</HI> in doctrine and
<PB N="24" REF="15">
conver&s;ation before our <HI>Lamp</HI> be <HI>put out;</HI> do all the <HI>good</HI> we can by <HI>imparting</HI> this <HI>trea&s;ure,</HI> before <HI>our earthly hou&s;e of this Tabernacle be di&s;solved,</HI> But I hope there is not much need to enlarge in this.</P>
<P>2. Partly you who are of the <HI>Laity,</HI> that you learn</P>
<P>1. To make <HI>much</HI> of your con&s;cientious painfull <HI>Mini&s;ters:</HI> the more <HI>pretious</HI> the <HI>liquor,</HI> and the more <HI>brittle</HI> the <HI>ve&s;sell,</HI> the more <HI>chary</HI> are men of it. Oh how <HI>tender</HI> &s;hould you be of them who, though <HI>weak</HI> creatures, bring the <HI>glad tidings</HI> of &s;alvation to you? A <HI>friend</HI> that <HI>cometh</HI> to us but cannot <HI>&s;tay</HI> long with us, how much is he <HI>made of,</HI> and how freely <HI>entertained</HI> by us, and will you have no <HI>regard</HI> of tho&s;e who are both <HI>yours</HI> and the <HI>bridegrooms friends?</HI> and <HI>ere long</HI> mu&s;t be <HI>taken</HI> from you? Nay let me tell you, no readier way to ha&s;ten their <HI>removall</HI> then your <HI>di&s;regard,</HI> nor will God long continue his <HI>Candle&s;ticks</HI> among that people, who do not <HI>prize them</HI> and their <HI>light.</HI></P>
<P>2. Make <HI>u&s;e</HI> of them, and get all the good you can from them while&s;t they live: If one have <HI>borrowed</HI> a <HI>book</HI> which ere long mu&s;t be returned to the owner, how diligent is he in <HI>picking</HI> and <HI>tran&s;cribing</HI> what <HI>notes</HI> he can out of it: We are but <HI>lent</HI> you for a <HI>time,</HI> and that during the good <HI>plea&s;ure</HI> of <HI>God.</HI> As <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> &s;aid to his <HI>Di&s;ciples,</HI> &s;o may we to you, <HI>&V;s you &s;hall not have alwaies with you:</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mar. 4. 17.</NOTE> Oh <HI>&s;uck</HI> all the <HI>knowledge</HI> you can from our <HI>lips</HI> while&s;t we are able to &s;peak to you, and <HI>hear</HI> us <HI>every</HI> day as if it were to be the <HI>la&s;t</HI> day you &s;hould <HI>hear</HI> us.</P>
<P>And truly never more <HI>need</HI> of practi&s;ing this duty then <HI>now,</HI> not only becau&s;e <HI>Mini&s;ters</HI> are <HI>earthen ve&s;&s;els,</HI> that is &s;ubject to <HI>mortality,</HI> but becau&s;e they are <HI>earthen,</HI> that is <HI>de|&s;pi&s;ed</HI> in the&s;e <HI>times,</HI> and who knoweth how far God may per|mit the <HI>malice</HI> of wicked men to <HI>proceed,</HI> it may be to the <HI>break|ing,</HI> or if not, yet to <HI>&s;topping</HI> the <HI>vent</HI> of the&s;e <HI>ve&s;&s;els.</HI> The <HI>mouthes</HI> of your <HI>Mini&s;ters</HI> mu&s;t in a few years be <HI>&s;topped</HI> with <HI>du&s;t</HI> when they are laid in the <HI>grave,</HI> it may be before that they may be <HI>&s;ilenced</HI> from <HI>publique</HI> Preaching the <HI>Go&s;pel:</HI> Oh therefore be <HI>wi&s;e</HI> to <HI>improve</HI> the pre&s;ent <HI>opportunities</HI> God puts into your hands! <HI>Suck</HI> the <HI>milk</HI> of <HI>in&s;truction</HI> from the
<PB N="25" REF="15">
<HI>brea&s;ts</HI> of the&s;e <HI>nur&s;es,</HI> while&s;t they are able to <HI>give</HI> it you: <HI>Buy</HI> the <HI>oyle</HI> of <HI>con&s;olation</HI> from the&s;e &s;pirituall <HI>Merchants,</HI> while&s;t they can <HI>&s;ell</HI> it you; do as the <HI>Egyptians,</HI> who when <HI>Nilus</HI> overfloweth the <HI>banks, dig</HI> pits to put <HI>water</HI> in, that they may have <HI>&s;upply</HI> when it &s;hall <HI>return</HI> to its <HI>channell.</HI> Do as the <HI>&s;hell-fi&s;h,</HI> which taketh in <HI>moisture</HI> while&s;t the <HI>tides flow</HI> in upon them, that may <HI>pre&s;erve</HI> them when it <HI>ebbeth,</HI> and leaveth them <HI>dry.</HI> Finally, do as <HI>Jo&s;eph,</HI> who in the years of <HI>plenty laid</HI> up &s;tore again&s;t the <HI>famine</HI> came. Oh be diligent to fill the ve&s;&s;el of your hearts with that divine trea&s;ure which the&s;e ve&s;&s;els yield, again&s;t the time when you may, nay mu&s;t be deprived of them; they can in&s;truct, exhort and comfort no longer then <HI>life,</HI> you have <HI>no a&s;&s;urance</HI> of their lives, they have <HI>none</HI> of their <HI>own,</HI> how <HI>long</HI> they &s;hall <HI>continue;</HI> nay in|deed, both <HI>they</HI> and <HI>you</HI> are <HI>a&s;&s;ured</HI> they cannot <HI>continue long,</HI> being but <HI>earthen ve&s;&s;els,</HI> mortall men.</P>
<P><HI>But we have this Trea&s;ure in earthen ve&s;&s;els.</HI></P>
<P>A dolefull <HI>in&s;tance</HI> of this <HI>Scriptures</HI> verity we have in the &s;ad <HI>occa&s;ion</HI> of this daies &s;olemnity: the death of this faithfull <HI>Mini&s;ter</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> affectionate <HI>Son</HI> of the <HI>Church,</HI> vigilant <HI>Shepherd</HI> of his <HI>people,</HI> M^r <HI>Richard Goddard,</HI> who&s;e livele&s;&s;e <HI>du&s;t</HI> lieth before us, and now my <HI>Di&s;cour&s;e</HI> like a <HI>circle</HI> is re|turned to the Point where I began, our <HI>decea&s;ed brother,</HI> who&s;e <HI>lo&s;&s;e</HI> is <HI>de&s;ervedly</HI> to be <HI>lamented,</HI> and <HI>Worth highly</HI> to be <HI>com|mended.</HI></P>
<P>Indeed &s;hould I have fulfilled his mode&s;t <HI>de&s;ire,</HI> his <HI>name</HI> and <HI>vertues</HI> mu&s;t have been <HI>buried</HI> in <HI>oblivion</HI> as well as his <HI>body</HI> in a <HI>grave:</HI> But had I in this &s;atisfied his <HI>will,</HI> I mu&s;t have been at once injurious to <HI>Gods</HI> honour, <HI>his</HI> memory, and <HI>others</HI> profit, &s;ince by paying the tribute of prai&s;e to Gods dear &s;ervants, we advance <HI>Gods glory,</HI> perpetuate <HI>their re|membrance,</HI> and adde <HI>&s;purs</HI> to the pious <HI>endeavours</HI> of <HI>tho&s;e</HI> who <HI>&s;urvive.</HI></P>
<P>I could heartily have <HI>wi&s;hed</HI> that this double <HI>task</HI> both of &s;peaking <HI>to</HI> &s;o <HI>Reverend</HI> and <HI>Worthy</HI> an <HI>A&s;&s;embly,</HI> and <HI>of</HI> &s;o <HI>choi&s;e</HI> and <HI>eminent</HI> a <HI>per&s;on,</HI> had been impo&s;ed on &s;ome one of the&s;e many <HI>&s;ilver Trumpets</HI> whom I have now in my <HI>eye;</HI> but the unde&s;erved <HI>re&s;pects</HI> of my <HI>dear friend</HI> by <HI>Will</HI> put me
<PB N="26" REF="16">
upon the <HI>one,</HI> and his &s;uperlative <HI>merit</HI> and my due <HI>regard</HI> to his <HI>Name,</HI> though it be again&s;t his will, obligeth me to the <HI>other.</HI></P>
<P>I &s;hall not <HI>expatiate</HI> in his ju&s;t and due <HI>Character,</HI> and therein &s;omewhat <HI>corre&s;pond</HI> to his <HI>de&s;ire:</HI> Indeed I need not, his <HI>Worth</HI> being &s;o well <HI>known</HI> already, both in <HI>City</HI> and <HI>Countrey,</HI> he is gone out not like a common <HI>candle</HI> in a <HI>&s;nuffe</HI> or <HI>&s;tinke,</HI> but like a <HI>Taper,</HI> hath left a <HI>&s;weet &s;avour</HI> behinde him in the <HI>No&s;trils</HI> of all that know him.</P>
<P>That I may the more both <HI>&s;utably</HI> and <HI>&s;uccinctly</HI> delineate tho&s;e graces (which though they are <HI>gone</HI> with him for his <HI>comfort,</HI> do yet <HI>&s;tay</HI> behinde him for his <HI>honour</HI> and our <HI>imi|tation.</HI>) I &s;hall make u&s;e of the <HI>Metaphor</HI> of a <HI>ve&s;&s;ell</HI> which we <HI>meet</HI> with here in the <HI>Text.</HI></P>
<P>A <HI>Ve&s;&s;ell</HI> indeed he was a <HI>choice</HI> Ve&s;&s;ell: What <HI>Eu&s;ebius</HI> calleth S^t <HI>Hierome,</HI> I may well apply to him, he was <HI>Vas virtutum admirabile,</HI> a <HI>Ve&s;&s;ell</HI> adorned with an admirable variety of <HI>naturall</HI> abilities, <HI>morall</HI> virtues, and <HI>&s;pirituall</HI> graces, every way fitted and furni&s;hed for that Divine im|ployment to which God had called him. What S^t <HI>Ba&s;ill</HI> &s;aid of <HI>Gregory Nazianzen,</HI> I may &s;ay of him, <GAP DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 span">, he was a deep <HI>Well,</HI> an elect <HI>Ve&s;&s;ell,</HI> and as it were the <HI>mouth</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t.</HI></P>
<P>To &s;ay much in a few words, For <HI>knowledge</HI> and <HI>wi&s;dom</HI> he was a <HI>Ve&s;&s;ell</HI> of <HI>gold,</HI> for <HI>purity</HI> and <HI>innocency</HI> a <HI>Ve&s;&s;ell</HI> of <HI>&s;ilver,</HI> for <HI>uprightne&s;&s;e</HI> and <HI>integrity,</HI> a <HI>Ve&s;&s;ell</HI> of tran&s;parent <HI>gla&s;&s;e;</HI> for <HI>re&s;olution</HI> and <HI>courage</HI> in &s;uffering (of which he had his &s;hare) a <HI>Ve&s;&s;ell</HI> of <HI>bra&s;&s;e;</HI> for <HI>per&s;everance</HI> and <HI>con|&s;tancy</HI> in the <HI>Orthodox</HI> Faith, a <HI>Ve&s;&s;ell</HI> of <HI>&s;tone;</HI> and which was the Crown of all, for <HI>lowline&s;s</HI> and <HI>humility</HI> an <HI>earthen Ve&s;&s;ell;</HI> &s;ince while&s;t he was <HI>glorious</HI> in the <HI>eyes</HI> of <HI>others,</HI> he was <HI>contemptible</HI> in his <HI>own.</HI></P>
<P>A <HI>Ve&s;&s;ell</HI> he was full of all &s;orts of pretious <HI>liquor,</HI> the <HI>wine</HI> of zealous <HI>devotion,</HI> the <HI>oyle</HI> of pitifull <HI>compa&s;&s;ion,</HI> the <HI>honey</HI> of a &s;weet <HI>di&s;po&s;ition,</HI> the <HI>water</HI> of penitent <HI>contrition,</HI> and the <HI>milk</HI> of &s;piritual <HI>con&s;olation.</HI></P>
<P>To come nearer to the <HI>Text</HI> and <HI>Him,</HI> He was a <HI>Ve&s;&s;el</HI> to
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whom this <HI>Trea&s;ure</HI> of the <HI>Go&s;pel,</HI> and the <HI>di&s;pen&s;ation</HI> of it was <HI>committed,</HI> which how <HI>con&s;cionably, diligently, faithfully, frequently</HI> (as farre as the weakne&s;&s;e of his body would per|mit) he di&s;charged, I doubt not but many here can and will atte&s;t: He was a <HI>Ve&s;sel</HI> not <HI>clo&s;ed</HI> but <HI>open,</HI> not with a <HI>narrow</HI> but a <HI>large</HI> vent. That <HI>worldly</HI> trea&s;ure of e&s;tate he had, he was continually <HI>imparting</HI> to his <HI>di&s;tre&s;sed brethren</HI> in his <HI>life,</HI> and at his <HI>death</HI> bequeathed a full <HI>fifth</HI> of his <HI>e&s;tate</HI> to them who can hardly obtain <HI>a fifth of their own.</HI> And this <HI>heavenly</HI> trea&s;ure of the <HI>Go&s;pel</HI> he did with no le&s;&s;e alacrity <HI>di&s;tribute</HI> among his people; how many of all <HI>degrees</HI> from all <HI>parts, golden, &s;ilver, earthen ve&s;sels</HI> were filled at <HI>his! Noble, rich, poor</HI> per&s;ons, all <HI>inriched</HI> their <HI>&s;ouls</HI> with the <HI>trea&s;ure</HI> that was di&s;pen&s;ed by his <HI>lips.</HI> Methinks many of you are now calling to minde in what a clear <HI>method,</HI> choice <HI>words</HI> and fit <HI>phra&s;es,</HI> with what pregnant <HI>&s;imilitudes,</HI> plen|tifull <HI>illu&s;trations,</HI> pithy <HI>per&s;wa&s;ions,</HI> &s;weet <HI>in&s;inuations,</HI> pow|erfull <HI>inducements, allegations</HI> of antiquity, and variety of good <HI>literature</HI> (&s;o as both the <HI>Learned</HI> may receive <HI>&s;atis|faction,</HI> and the <HI>meane&s;t</HI> reap <HI>benefit</HI>) he did <HI>Preach</HI> the <HI>Word</HI> among&s;t you.</P>
<P>Finally, That which compleateth his <HI>Character,</HI> This <HI>Ve&s;|&s;ell</HI> retained the <HI>&s;ent,</HI> the vertue of that him&s;elf which he <HI>poured</HI> out to others: The <HI>cour&s;e</HI> of his <HI>life</HI> was con&s;onant to the <HI>tenour</HI> of his <HI>Preaching,</HI> <GAP DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 span">, as <HI>Gregory Nazianzen</HI> &s;aith of S^t <HI>Ba&s;ill,</HI> He &s;pake what was to be done, and did what he &s;pake, he did not only <GAP DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 word"> but <GAP DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 word">, <HI>&s;cienter praedicare,</HI> but <HI>innocentia agere, order</HI> his <HI>Preaching,</HI> but <HI>conver&s;ation aright.</HI></P>
<P>That <HI>&s;ickne&s;s</HI> which occa&s;ioned the <HI>breaking</HI> of this preti|ous <HI>Ve&s;sel</HI> was indeed <HI>&s;harp</HI> and <HI>&s;hort,</HI> but as him&s;elf expre&s;&s;ed to me at the beginning of it, <HI>he did not fear, becau&s;e already prepared for death.</HI> And though the <HI>violence</HI> of the di&s;ea&s;e <HI>oppre&s;&s;ing</HI> his &s;pirits, <HI>&s;uppre&s;sed</HI> the freedom of his &s;peech, yet (ble&s;&s;ed be God) it did not bereave him of his <HI>&s;en&s;es,</HI> nor <HI>wholly</HI> of his <HI>&s;peech,</HI> in &s;o much that not many hours be|fore his death he made to a loving friend of his there pre|&s;ent, a <HI>pious Confe&s;&s;ion</HI> of his <HI>faith</HI> and <HI>hope,</HI> &s;o that what
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S^t <HI>Ambro&s;e</HI> &s;aid of him&s;elf, <HI>Non &s;ic vixi ut me pudeat vivere, nec mori timeo quia bonum, Dominum habemus,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>In vita</HI> Ambr.</NOTE> I may truly affirm of him, He &s;o lived that he was neither <HI>a&s;hamed</HI> nor <HI>afraid</HI> to die.</P>
<P>The <HI>Ve&s;sel</HI> of his <HI>body</HI> is now <HI>broken</HI> by the <HI>hand</HI> that <HI>formed</HI> it (to which I de&s;ire we may all &s;ubmit) yea that <HI>&s;ervice</HI> which he was <HI>made</HI> for is now <HI>fini&s;hed,</HI> el&s;e he had continued longer. As for the <HI>Pearl</HI> that was in this <HI>casket,</HI> his <HI>Soul,</HI> I doubt not but it is <HI>&s;afe</HI> in <HI>Abrahams bo&s;ome;</HI> yea the <HI>Ve&s;sel</HI> of his <HI>body re&s;ts in hope</HI> of re&s;toring and reinjoying that Pearl, when it &s;hall be <HI>for ever a Ve&s;sel of honour, glory and immortality.</HI></P>
<P>I have now only a double <HI>word</HI> to pre&s;ent,</P>
<P>1. The one to the <HI>Reverend Clergie</HI> of this <HI>City</HI> here pre|&s;ent, tho&s;e <HI>particularly</HI> who have yet the <HI>liberty</HI> of their <HI>Fun|ction,</HI> that according to our &s;everal abilites we would endea|vour as much as may be by our <HI>diligent</HI> Preaching, <HI>exempla|ry</HI> living, to make up the <HI>lo&s;&s;e</HI> of this our <HI>Brother.</HI> Methinks <HI>God</HI> &s;peaketh to us this day, as he did to <HI>Jo&s;huah</HI> in another ca&s;e, <HI>Mo&s;es my &s;ervant is dead, be &s;trong and of a good courage,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Jo&s;h. 1. 2, 6.</NOTE> ever remembring that &s;uch a <HI>pillar</HI> being <HI>taken away,</HI> the great|er <HI>burden</HI> lieth upon our <HI>&s;houlders.</HI></P>
<P>2. The other to his <HI>Religious Auditors,</HI> and e&s;pecially his <HI>well-affected Pari&s;hioners.</HI> He that <HI>&s;tood</HI> in <HI>this place</HI> like a <HI>Ja|cob</HI> to <HI>rowl away the &s;tone from the well, open</HI> the <HI>difficult</HI> places of <HI>Scripture</HI> to you, is now <HI>removed</HI> from you; he that <HI>&s;tood</HI> like a carefull <HI>watchman</HI> to <HI>awake</HI> and <HI>warn</HI> you, is now by <HI>death</HI> put to <HI>&s;ilence:</HI> Finally, he that like a <HI>&s;un</HI> &s;hined with the <HI>beams</HI> of in&s;truction and con&s;olation among you in this <HI>horizon,</HI> is now <HI>gone down,</HI> and which is the more &s;ad, <HI>Your eyes &s;hall &s;ee him no more</HI> till the <HI>la&s;t day</HI> the <HI>morning</HI> of the <HI>re|&s;urrection.</HI> The <HI>bottle</HI> which <HI>filled</HI> you is now <HI>emptied,</HI> the <HI>ve&s;&s;ell</HI> which <HI>enriched</HI> you is now <HI>broken,</HI> the <HI>gourd</HI> who&s;e <HI>&s;ha|dow</HI> refre&s;hed you is now <HI>withered;</HI> and I am confident, &s;o <HI>ardent</HI> was the <HI>love</HI> towards him, &s;o <HI>great</HI> the <HI>benefit</HI> you re|ceived by him, that I need not bid you be <HI>&s;en&s;ible</HI> of the <HI>lo&s;&s;e.</HI> The more needfull <HI>coun&s;ell</HI> is to be <HI>content</HI> with, and <HI>patient</HI> under it; and &s;o much the rather, becau&s;e it is no more then
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what you ought to <HI>expect,</HI> and e&s;pecially in regard of <HI>him</HI> who was not only an <HI>earthen ve&s;&s;ell,</HI> but one that had &s;uch a <HI>flaw,</HI> I mean <HI>di&s;ea&s;e,</HI> which would ere long have <HI>broken</HI> him. And now <HI>Beloved,</HI> though the <HI>ve&s;&s;ell</HI> be <HI>broken,</HI> yet let not the <HI>trea&s;ure</HI> be <HI>lo&s;t;</HI> do you by him as <HI>Ireneus</HI> did by <HI>Polycarpus,</HI> keep fre&s;h in his memory his <HI>Sermons,</HI> his <HI>Di&s;cour&s;es,</HI> his <HI>go|ings out</HI> and <HI>comings in.</HI> This is the be&s;t way to remember <HI>him,</HI> by remembring his <HI>coun&s;els;</HI> to mourn for <HI>him,</HI> by mourn|ing for your <HI>unfruitfulne&s;s</HI> under his labours, to honour <HI>him</HI> by expre&s;&s;ing the efficacy of his <HI>doctrine</HI> in your hearts and lives.</P>
<P>Nor let it be an <HI>unwelcome</HI> admonition to you (with which I will clo&s;e) be carefull whom you <HI>choo&s;e</HI> to <HI>&s;ucceed</HI> this our Reverend Brother: not one that &s;hall <HI>pull down</HI> what he hath <HI>built,</HI> but <HI>rear</HI> up what he hath <HI>laied; pluck up</HI> what he hath <HI>planted,</HI> but <HI>water</HI> what he hath <HI>&s;own;</HI> not one that &s;hall &s;uc|ceed him (to u&s;e <HI>Gregory Nazianzen</HI>'s expre&s;&s;ion)<NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 span">. Gr. Naz. <HI>or.</HI> 21</NOTE> as <HI>night</HI> after <HI>day,</HI> a <HI>di&s;ea&s;e</HI> after <HI>health,</HI> a <HI>frenzy</HI> after <HI>u&s;e</HI> of <HI>rea&s;on,</HI> and a <HI>&s;torm</HI> after a <HI>calm;</HI> but rather as a &s;weet <HI>&s;hower</HI> after a warm <HI>&s;un-&s;hine,</HI> and a ripening <HI>&s;ummer</HI> after a budding <HI>&s;pring.</HI> To this end, as when <HI>Jo&s;huah</HI> was <HI>dead</HI> the <HI>children of I&s;rael askt of the Lord, Who &s;hall go up for us again&s;t the Canaanites,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Judg. 1. 1.</NOTE> &s;o do you now the <HI>Captain</HI> is <HI>dead,</HI> con&s;ult with <HI>God,</HI> beg of him to direct you in the <HI>election</HI> of one who may <HI>leade</HI> you in the <HI>battell</HI> again&s;t your <HI>&s;piritual</HI> enemies: And withall as you <HI>&s;eek</HI> to <HI>God,</HI> &s;o <HI>look</HI> into his <HI>Word,</HI> and let tho&s;e <HI>directions</HI> which are there given be the <HI>rule</HI> of your <HI>election;</HI> &s;o may you expect and &s;hall obtain &s;uch an one by whom your <HI>faith</HI> &s;hall be <HI>edified,</HI> and thereby (that which was his earne&s;t <HI>de&s;ire</HI>) the <HI>&s;alvation</HI> of your <HI>&s;ouls</HI> accompli&s;hed.</P>
<TRAILER>FINIS.</TRAILER>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
<BACK>
<DIV1 TYPE="by the same author">
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<HEAD>Sermons Preached and Printed by <HI>M^r Nathanaell Hardy</HI> M. A. and Preacher to the Pari&s;h of S^t <HI>Dyonis Back-Church.</HI></HEAD>
<LIST>
<ITEM><HI>J&V;&s;tice Triumphing,</HI> or <HI>The Spoilers &s;poiled:</HI> A Sermon preached on the 5^t^h of <HI>November</HI> in the Cathedrall Church of S^t <HI>Pauls.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>The Arraignment of licentious Liberty and oppre&s;&s;ing Ty|ranny,</HI> in a Sermon at a Fa&s;t before the Lords in Parliament; In the Abbey-Church at <HI>We&s;tmin&s;ter.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Faiths Victory over Nature,</HI> A Sermon preached at the Fu|nerals of M^r <HI>John Ru&s;hout</HI> Junior.</ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>The &s;afe&s;t Convoy</HI> or <HI>The &s;tronge&s;t Helper,</HI> A Valedictory Sermon before the Right Honourable S^r <HI>Thomas Bendi&s;h</HI> Bar|ronet, his Maje&s;ties Amba&s;&s;adour to the grand Seigniour at <HI>Con&s;tantinople.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>A Divine Pro&s;pective repre&s;enting the Ju&s;t mans peacefull End,</HI> A Sermon at the Funerall of the Right Wor&s;hipfull S^r <HI>John Gayr</HI> Knight.</ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Love and Fear the in&s;eparable Twins of a ble&s;t Matrimony,</HI> A Sermon occa&s;ioned by the Nuptials between M^r <HI>William Chri&s;tmas</HI> and M^r^s <HI>Elizabeth Adams.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Divinity in Mortality,</HI> or <HI>The Go&s;pels excellency and the Preachers frailty,</HI> A Sermon at the Funerals of M^r <HI>Richard Goddard</HI> Mini&s;ter of the Pari&s;h of S^t <HI>Gregories</HI> by <HI>Pauls.</HI></ITEM>
</LIST>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="colophon">
<P>Printed, and are to be &s;old by <HI>Nathanaell Webb</HI> and <HI>William Grantham</HI> at the black Bear in S^t <HI>Pauls</HI> Church-yard near the little North-door, 1653.</P>
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</DIV1>
</BACK>
</TEXT>
</EEBO>
</ETS>
